Last weekend, May 19, 2012, Black Sabbath finally played their homecoming show in Birmingham, England. As well as playing to a home crowd, it was also a warm-up to their major Download festival headline appearance in the Summer.

The full gig from Saturday night at the Birmingham O2 Academy is streaming online in full and you can listen to it right here below (via Bravewords).

Back in November, plans for a Black Sabbath reunion was announced, but recently news broke that original drummer Bill Ward was out of the event, and therefore had no part in what was supposed to be the band’s first reunion show. Ozzy Osbourne‘s drummer Tommy Clufetos filled Ward’s seat providing the beat for Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, and bassist Geezer Butler [...]

Some musicians are desperate to court controversy. They make self-conscious attempts to get under the skin of a target deemed a threat or make otherwise inflammatory comments about a bigger presence in their genre. On the other hand, there are musicians who do little to fan the flames as it were, but still carry labels such as ‘trouble-maker’ and ‘notorious’ like an albatross around their neck all because of a little honesty. Aron ‘Deuce’ Erlichman certainly falls into the second category.

Leaping like a tattooed wrecking ball as the mastermind of masked rap-rock crew Hollywood Undead, Deuce went from nowhere to everywhere after the success of debut album, Swan Songs. Despite the success, all was not well within the … Undead camp and soon after he left under an acrimonious cloud followed by a hailstorm of back-biting and trash-talking from his ex-band mates.

Two years on and Deuce is back with a new collection of songs. Earlier this year he released the video to his new single, “America,” from his forthcoming debut solo album Nine Lives. Once again things are starting to look up for Deuce, free of the creative and emotional restraints of the past: “I don’t have anything holding me back now.” [...]

Europe
Bag Of Bones
Produced by Kevin Shirley
earMUSIC
UK Release date: April 30, 2012 CD | MP3
U.S. Release date: May 8, 2012 CD (Import)

Love it or loathe it, the fact is Swedish rock band Europe will always be the band responsible for “The Final Countdown.” Twenty-six years on from making one of the most iconic rock songs of all time, new album Bag Of Bones demonstrates a significantly different band.

The current line-up of singer Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum, bassist John Leven, drummer Ian Haugland, and keyboard player Mic Michaeli have been together since 2003 (but also played together for most of the ’80s) and have worked hard to make the transition from hard rock hair metal to a hard rock blues band. Songs like “Riches To Rags” with its superb guitar solo – a sonic sugar-rush as the tempo kicks up a level and Norum shreds – and lead single “Not Supposed To Sing The Blues” are the perfect example of Europe’s hard rock blues [...]

Every so often Amazon’s 100 MP3 Albums For $5 monthly deal throws up a great live album. This time Festivals Of The Wicked by heavy metal bruisers Iced Earth is the one.

Festivals Of The Wicked covers the best of three Iced Earth shows recorded in 2007 and 2008 and features the band’s two greatest lead singers. All 2008 shows have Matt Barlow’s signature tones and you can hear Barlow belt out the likes of “Dracula,” “Vengeance Is Mine,” and “Burning Times.” The Wacken Open Air festival tracks such as “The Coming Curse” and “Birth Of The Wicked” are performed by one-time Judas Priest singer Tim “Ripper” Owens [...]

Amazon is at it again. They have another batch of 100 MP3 albums for $5 and this month it includes Slash’s 2010 solo album, Slash.

Nearly every track has a different lead singer. Current Slash band lead singer, the phenomenal talent of Myles Kennedy adds his vocal presence to “Back From Cali” and “Starlight.” There are some of Slash’s greatest songs on here: the Lemmy-growled “Doctor Alibi”, “I Hold On” with Kid Rock on fine don’t-even-want-to-punch-him form, and “We’re All Gonna Die” with the irrepressible Lord Iggy Pop [...]

Amazingly English hard rock band UFO formed 43 years ago. UFO – The Best Of ’74-’83 covers the band’s greatest albums during its most popular period. This means songs from every album of the 9 recorded from 1974’s Phenomenon to Making Contact in 1983, via Force It and Lights Out (which featured what many fans believe to have the band’s ‘classic line-up’ of Michael Schenker, Phil Mogg, Pete Way, Paul Raymond, and Andy Parker) can be heard.

All 5 albums from Michael Schenker’s incredible first run with the band have tracks on here including “Shoot Shoot,” “Lights Out,” and “Only You Can Rock Me.” Right now you can pick this up at Amazon.com’s April MP3 Deals for only $5!

This and the 99 other $5 MP3 Deals run out at the end of the month so be sure to order before April 30, 2012 [...]

Tom Spicer is fanatical about Metallica. During the day he makes animal bedding out of recycled materials, but it is after work that he gets to indulge in his favorite band, in particular verbose drummer Lars Ulrich. For years all Tom has ever wanted is to meet Lars and hence the name of the documentary: Mission To Lars.

What makes this such an interesting looking film is that not only does Spicer live in England – and Lars Ulrich thousands of miles away – but he has Fragile X syndrome, a kind of “autism with bells on” is the description from Tom’s sister in the trailer. But more than just a road movie about a man wanting to meet his hero, Mission To Lars is also a story of sibling love and trying to rekindle that [...]

For the best part of the last decade Phil Lewis has been fighting to keep his version of LA Guns as the one true band. It is clear from this interview the lead singer is not amused by his ex-bandmate guitarist Tracii Guns launching his own band under the same name with, it has to be said, often disastrous results.

But Phil Lewis is not a man who dwells on what’s passed. With new album Hollywood Forever due for release in early June in the U.S, he is excited to show the world once again that his is the only LA Guns worth listening to. With the first single from the album, “You Better Not Love Me,” it is immediately clear that Lewis and his merry band of rockers will smash any obstacles placed in front them.

The band will release Hollywood Forever on CD, but in the age where download is king, they have also taken the step of releasing the album on vinyl.

Geeks of Doom: What made you go for a vinyl release?

Phil Lewis: Well we’re influenced heavily, well certainly me and Steve [Riley, drums] anyway, very influenced by the ‘70s. When we grew up the format the music we were listening to was on vinyl. Actually sounds better than CDs and infinitely better than MP3s…with the vinyl you get the nice big artwork and the fold gatesleeve and all the sleeve notes and so it looks really, really good on a 12-inch frame. It looks awesome and it will sound good. Unfortunately you can’t put as much music on vinyl as you can on CD, so it’s gonna be like side A and side B. Think it’s like 20 minutes each side so we had to cull a few of the songs for the vinyl. But yeah, turned out great [...]

From a ‘secret’ stint with English hard rock outfit UFO guitarist Bernie Marsden has just about done it all. After brief turns in Wild Turkey, Babe Ruth (the English rock band) and Paice, Ashton & Lord, he grabbed the attention of a certain David Coverdale who approached him to join the new band he was putting together.

Marsden and Coverdale collaborated on some of Whitesnake’s best and most popular songs including “Fool For Your Lovin’” and the magnificent “Here I Go Again.” With all this in mind, Marsden and I had plenty to talk about and he was happy to recount his early days with Whitesnake and his surprising appearances with the band last year – when he shared a tender moment with current guitarist Doug Aldrich…

Geeks of Doom: Your first big break was with UFO, but that was never an ideal situation for you was it? [...]

Iconic zombie horror movies Demons and Demons 2 are getting deluxe releases on DVD and Blu-ray and a limited edition Blu-ray steelbook. Co-written by European horror godfather Dario Argento (Suspiria, Deep Red) and directed by Lamberto Bava (Macabre), the grisly demonic flick and its equally disturbing sequel will be available in the UK on April 30, 2012.

Each release comes with interchangeable artwork, double-sided fold-out poster and books 1 and 2 of the Demons 3 collector’s comic [...]

Blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa has announced his latest studio album, Driving Towards The Daylight.

Produced by his Black Country Communion collaborator Kevin Shirley, the album features guest appearances by the likes of Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford and Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes. Among the 11 tracks there are Bonamassa originals and he also puts his inimitable style on songs such as “New Coat Of Paint” by Tom Waits, Bernie Marsden’s “A Place In My Heart,” and Willie Dixon’s “All I Need.”

Bonamassa is adding to his long line of solo albums including the excellent You & Me, The Ballad Of John Henry and last year’s terrific Dust Bowl. Driving Towards The Daylight, Bonamassa’s thirteenth album, will be released in the UK on Monday, May 12, 2012 and in the U.S. on May 22, 2012 [...]

Before I can sit down Anthrax guitarist and producer Rob Caggiano points at me. “That’s a cool shirt!” The last time Rob and I spoke (you can read the interview HERE) Anthrax was gearing up for the release of the much anticipated new album Worship Music. Fast forward ten months and I’m sitting here with Rob on the Anthrax tour bus as the guitarist nods his approval at my Van Halen t-shirt.

One of the giants of thrash metal has pulled into Oxford for the first of only three UK shows before heading off to Russia and Indonesia over the course of March. “I love the UK!” Caggiano smiles. England was a place that he “didn’t really dig” at first, but that soon changed when he spent extended periods of time here working with notorious English extreme metal band Cradle Of Filth: “I started working with Cradle and ended up staying in the UK for months at a time. I think the longest stretch was like eight months [or] seven and a half months and I just fell in love with it. I just completely love England. I love the countryside, I love London. I just love it all,” he says, including my hometown: “Oxford’s cool. Last night we stayed in a really cool hotel which was actually an old prison, it’s like a castle!” [...]

Jim Marshall, founder of the legendary Marshall Amplification company, passed away today, April 5, 2012, at aged 88.

Name any band rock or metal band over the last 50 years and you can almost guarantee they plug their guitars into the same amplifiers. These same bands will all have a similar live set-up: walls of black squares adorned with the famous white signature of their creator: Marshall.

Jim Marshall was born in London, England on July 29, 1923. Due to poor health as a child he was excused military service and found his way into music first as a singer then a drummer. Later, he ran a music shop in West London and through conversations with his guitar playing customers – which included such esteemed talents as Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple) and Pete Townshend (The Who) – founded his namesake company in 1962 [...]

This month has been very special. March Is Metal says Amazon and to celebrate your favorite music, the site has decided to offer hundreds of metal albums at low prices.

One choice pick is that of the MP3 version of Disturbed’s debut album The Sickness available for $6.99. The Sickness was released in 2000 and still stands out as one of the (say it quietly) nu-metal albums that hasn’t aged horribly. The album spawned the hits “The Game,” “Down With The Sickness,” and “Want.”

If you would prefer to have a physical copy of The Sickness, the CD is available for $9.99. Click HERE to view all of the March Is Metal deals and grab them while you can today.

And don’t forget to download the MP3 album March is Metal Month – 2012 Sampler for FREE right now. The sampler has 18 songs from bands like Ice Earth, Corrosion Of Conformity, In Flames, Five Finger Death Punch, Lacuna Coil, and more, so get it before the March Is Metal madness is over! [...]

Amazon has declared March Is Metal and is offering hundreds of metal albums at low prices. It doesn’t come much more metal than Anthrax and their third album, Among The Living. The CD is available right now for only $5.99.

It’s impossible to keep still to this album; it makes you want to jump around and bang your head. Recorded by what many consider to be the ‘classic’ Anthrax line-up of Scott Ian, Joey Belladonna, Frank Bello, Charlie Benante, and Dan Spitz, tracks like “Indians,” “Caught In A Mosh,” “Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.),” and not forgetting “I Am The Law” have become live staples in the 25 years since it was first released.

If you would like a digital copy of Among The Living, the MP3 download is available at $8.91 [...]

With a list of collaborations over the years longer than your arm, Tony Martin has been busy making music for well over 20 years since his big break in the late ’80s. Best known as the lead singer for English heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath, Martin recorded five albums (The Eternal Idol, Headless Cross, TYR, Cross Purposes, and Forbidden) over his two spells with the band.

Tony and I had been in touch and, as frantically busy as he is this year, he offered to answer some questions for me. So thanks to the wonder that is email, I asked Tony things like ‘What are you working on now?’, ‘What the hell is going on with the music industry these days?’ and ‘Was Forbidden really that bad?!’

Geeks of Doom: I would like to start by asking you about the 5 projects you’re currently working on – When will we get to hear them? What are they sounding like?

Tony Martin: I have done the new Cage album of course, which is already released. I have also recorded the latest [Aldo] Giuntini album which is being produced now. I travel to Italy shortly to begin a new project and direction for me with a band called Silver Horses, a kind of blues [Led] Zeppelin thing. I have plans for a tour in 2013 and a solo album. Lots of things going on [...]

You don’t already own Motorhead’s Ace Of Spades album? Well Amazon has done you a huge favor and is offering the MP3 download for only $5.99.

Ace Of Spades contains the title track “Ace Of Spades.” Oh, you want more? It also has “Jailbait,” “(We Are) The Road Crew,” “Live To Win,” and “The Hammer.” The album also includes the three CD bonus tracks (“Dirty Love,” “Please Don’t Touch,” and “Emergency”) making 15 tracks of rock’n’roll carnage.

If you would prefer the CD format as a soundtrack to destruction, it is available for $9.79.

All this month the site is offering hundreds of great rock and metal albums for really great prices. Check out the rest of the March Is Metal stock HERE [...]

Swedish rock legends Europe will release their 9th studio album, Bag Of Bones, next month in the UK. Due to hit on April 30, 2012 (April 27 for the rest of Europe), the hard rock band most famous for 1986 hit “The Final Countdown” will release its newest album since 2009’s Last Look At Eden.

Featuring 11 new tracks, Bag Of Bones is produced by the man very much in demand: Kevin Shirley who has worked with everyone from Journey to Aerosmith to Rocket From The Crypt. Recently he brought supergroup Black Country Communion (featuring Glenn Hughes) to life [...]

As part of Amazon’s March Is Metal deals of the month they are offering hundreds of amazing metal albums at great prices.

One such album is Metallica’s …And Justice For All available on MP3 download for only $5.99 — a great price for the MP3, but if you would prefer a physical copy, the CD is available for $13.99.

…And Justice For All is Metallica’s fourth album and the band’s first full-length album to feature bassist Jason Newsted. Originally released in 1988, the album has thrash metal classics like “Blackened,” “Harvester of Sorrow,” and the incredible “One.” The MP3 version also includes two extra live tracks.

Check out the other great metal deals on the Amazon.com March Is Metal page HERE. The sales end at the end of March, so grab them now while you can! [...]

Flying Colors
Flying Colors
Mascot Label Group/Music Theories Recordings
Release date: March 26, 2012 (U.S.) CD | MP3
March 27, 2012 (UK) CD | MP3

When your band Dream Theatre or Deep Purple takes a rest, what is a man to do? Stroke your blond hair and cradle your guitar? Trim your beard and twiddle your drum sticks? Well, no. Late in the year 2010, guitarist Steve Morse and drummer Mike Portnoy decided to start a new band.

For facts’ sake, it was around this time that Portnoy and DT parted ways. But the prog-metal powerhouse and the hard rock fret flyer made for an impressive, if slightly unusual, pairing. The Flying Colors band started to stretch its wings with the addition of Neal Morse, the keyboard player from the spectactularly nerdy-named Spock’s Beard; bass player Dave LaRue; and lead vocalist Casey McPherson. In nine intensive days at the beginning of last year the album Flying Colors was finally recorded [...]