Never Say Die - Black Sabbath

Hellz yeah! \m/

Good evening Legions,

As I was updating myself about the recent occurrences within the world of Metal, I stumbled upon an interesting analysis, done by Tom from Terrorizer, about the upcoming return of the legendary Black Sabbath. Some of the questions discussed by him include:

Will this BS (Black Sabbath, that is) be an updated version of Heaven and Hell, with Ozzy?

If so, 

Do we really care? 

Or , 

Are we willing to compromise for the sake of having them back for good?

Will they be too rusty to play live?

If so,

What do we do?

What about the upcoming album? 

No pressure, right?

Either way, I will let you come up with your own conclusions.

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Never  say die - Black Sabbath

By Tom from Terrorizer

Will the Black Sabbath reunion end up being heaven or hell, and does it matter? We discuss.

So, the dust is beginning to settle on the Black Sabbath reunion. They're back, love it, like it, loathe it or not give a frozen fuck (I had never heard the expression frozen fuck but from now on I will be on a never-ending quest to use it - MM) about it. They're headlining Download and doing a new album (amongst other things). But will the founders of heavy metal be heaven or hell? Will they master reality or sabotage their legacy? Will I run out of shitty Sabbath-related puns by the end of this post? [Oh we hope so...- Ed]

Broadly, there are two entirely separate issues here. The first - will Sabbath be any good live? - should be a no-brainer up there with "do heavy metal fans like beer?" and "is 'Diabolus In Musica' a festering sack of shit that should be listened to by no one with ears and even the vaguest vestige of sanity or taste' ?". It's Black fucking Sabbath, ladies and gentleman.

Is there really anyone that doesn't want to see this again?

It's an occasionally overlooked point that this whole heavy metal malarkey that those now-legendary musicians invented probably wouldn't have taken off the same way - if at all - if Sabbath hadn't been stupendous. They may be revered as pioneers, but the "pioneer" bit is not a slightly backhanded compliment in the way that it sometimes is with other genre progenitors. "They did it before anyone" is not a sentence with a pregnant pause implying "...but someone else had to come along and perfect it" in this case. Black Sabbath did what they did perfectly (Amen to that - MM).

Those tunes haven't got worse in the act's absence. The reality is with this band is that they could play the first five albums in their entirety, back to back, and wouldn't leave an obvious place to run to the bar or the bog. More relevant, we know Tony and Geezer are in superb live form from their outings with Heaven & Hell (RIP, Ronnie - we still miss you), and Ozzy's in a better state vocally than he's been recently - not that it really matters, as the crowd are likely to be roaring the songs back at the band so loudly any bum notes or wrong words will be inaudible. Bill Ward's form is a bit of an unknown, but let's have some faith that he's still got it. Over and above all this, the band appear outwardly to be happy together, which should avoid any System Of A Down-esque looking-they-hate-each-other cringe-induction.

In short, their headline show at Download should fucking rule, whether you've seen them before or not - and, if we're honest, for a generation of metal fans that's probably "not".

This is what Tony and Geezer did last...

Another matter entirely is the prospect of a new album. The form guide leaves a fairly large margin for error. 'The Devil You Know' is killer, but in part that's down to Dio's astounding voice. 'Scream' was good, but there were precisely no songs you'd ditch 'Electric Funeral' or 'Hole In The Sky' from a live set to make way for. In reality, we don't have a fucking clue what will happen next - they haven't done an album together for nearly 34 years. Putting that into context, this month's cover star Shagrath was one year old at the time, Motorhead only had the one record out, black, death and thrash didn't exist yet and Dave Mustaine hadn't started any feuds yet.

...and this is what Ozzy did. Draw your own conclusions.

The album could end up being anything from Sabbath's 'Cold Lake' to their finest hour (admittedly unlikely, but possible) and everything in between. But when you get right down to it, that's not really the point.

The point is that this is likely to be the final chapter of heavy metal's first band, and one of its very finest. It should be great, but even if it isn't, at the very least it's a momentous set of events. Bring your cameras.

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-Stay Metal- 

MM Dre-dnklschwrz MMXI

THE EYE OF THE TIGER - Vital Remains

Dobyi vecher Almighty Legions,

I'm feeling Russian this evening for some odd reason (I may be craving a White Russian, or maybe 5 for that matter. I'm talking about the alcoholic beverage by the way, before you start speculating...).Before calling it a night, I am compelled to share with you some of the shots I took at the Vital Remains concert, in the city of Bogota, this past Sunday evening. Even though I have expressed several times that these are perhaps not the best shots I have ever taken (this Mama place, yes the same one from the HxC shows, is a really tough venue, particularly when you are not allowed to get close to the stage), people have responded quite well to them, which obviously makes yours truly really happy. As a matter of fact, they will be featured on the Factor Metal website this week -Hooray! Additionally, Mr. Tony Lazaro himself has chosen one of the my shots as his profile photo on CreepBook. EPIC WIN!

Overall remarks about the show:

I was left speechless by the band. Mind you, this was my first Vital Remains experience and, well, I must admit that it was quite exciting, and rather rewarding. Beside the band's quality, let me reiterate as I have expressed several times already, watching a Metal show in a country like Colombia is a bonus. The energy of the fans, the overcrowded venues, the gory mosh pits, the contentment of band members, among other factors, makes every single show an unforgettable experience! Oh, how I love this country... And apparently I am not the only one. 

As I was sharing tobacco with Mr.Gator Collier, he expressed the same passion for this nation, by unconsciously and voluntarily becoming an Ambassador of the Colombian Tourism campaign: Where the only risk is wanting to stay (By the way, I have seen this ad in airplanes, at the airport, on billboards, on buses, on TV, you name it... Call me crazy but I don't know if the genius behind this campaign is fostering a self-fulfilling prophecy in our heads on purpose (Either way, it has had its desired impact on me and on many other foreigners).

Yes, This campaign. If you have not seen it yet, Click Here

Aside from the it factor provided by the Latinness of the situation, the guys are truly committed to their music, as they have continued working for their fans and not for the sake of pleasing a record label, as it tends to happen quite often. The fruits of their efforts can be seen during the shows (well, at least I saw them this past Sunday). Something that I will always find gratifying, as one cannot simply deny one's roots, is their support and admiration for the Latin American scene, which happens to be a devotion of yours truly -sigh. Oh and, by the way, the guys are incredibly authentic, which becomes a relief when dealing with many artists. Even though I have been relatively idle when it comes to that aspect, I will never forget what dealing with a Metal Diva (I refuse to give names... oops!) feels like. In other words, it was a pleasure sharing air with the guys from Vital Remains. I truly look forward to my next VR experience |m|

For now, it's time for me to leave you with a song that is expected to break havoc anywhere, anytime. Please join me in headbanging motion, as we press play on the next track. 

One more thing: the Metal Horns are sooo last century. What's cool now a days is THE EYE OF THE TIGER! If you don't believe me, ask them ^.^

-Stay Metal-

Fraulein Andrea MMXI

11.11.11 is National Metal day!

Happy National Metal day Legions! \m/

Damn Right we have a Holiday! \m/

It was about time that someone (anyone organized enough, for that matter) got their beans together and declared a National celebration that would unite us all across the borders. Hooray for VH1 (even though every time I flip the channels and I end up in VH1, all I see is associated, in one way or another, with some serious booty rubbing/shaking and some fucker singing about how he wants to screw a woman - or multiple women, as he claims to have the stamina required- through every single orifice in her body... Charming, isn't it?)! While I rejoice here in my chair, daydreaming about how I am going to break havoc this evening, let me share with you what 11.11.11 is all about:

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Taken from BW&BK - VH1 Classic proclaims 11-11-11 as National Metal Day, a day-long celebration of all things Metal. The metal bonanza begins November 1st, 2011 with metal-focused concerts, specials, movies and videos each night leading up to grand finale on 11-11-11. On National Metal Day catch the highly anticipated premiere of Banger Films' groundbreaking documentary series, Metal Evolution at 10 PM ET/PT. 

Nobody is more metal than VH1 Classic," said Ben Zurier, EVP Programming Strategy, VH1 & VH1 Classic* (NB: I personally don't agree with this statement but w/e, they are getting shit done around here - MM). "Celebrating National Metal Day on 11-11-11 gives us a platform to honor metal artists, and take metal music one step further than anybody has before. We've lined up a tremendous collection of concerts, movies and specials, highlighted by the brand new series Metal Evolution"– the ultimate history of metal and the larger-than-life characters who have written it." 

Kicking off the countdown to National Metal Day, VH1 Classic will program The 11 Days of Metal, beginning November 1st, 2011, featuring one of metal's most influential artists each night. Artists including BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST, METALLICA, LEMMY, MÖTLEY CRÜE and more will be showcased in various VH1 Classic concerts and specials. Programming details will be announced in the coming months.

On National Metal Day, 11-11-11, metal maniacs can catch the premiere of Behind The Music Remastered: MEGADETH at 9 PM ET/PT followed by the premiere of Banger Films' (Metal: A Headbangers Journey, RUSH: Beyond The Lighted Stage) groundbreaking documentary series Metal Evolution at 10 PM ET/PT on VH1 Classic. The premiere episode of Metal Evolution will focus on Pre-Metal, the earliest sounds of metal that can be heard in the music of LED ZEPPELIN, DEEP PURPLE and JIMI HENDRIX. Subsequent episodes of the series will explore genres ranging from British Heavy Metal to Glam Metal to Thrash Metal, and artists from IRON MAIDEN to KISS to Metallica and more. New episodes of Metal Evolution will premiere every Friday night at 10 PM on VH1 Classic. 

Metal Evolution is an 11-episode docu-series produced by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn of Banger Films and is based on the groundbreaking Heavy Metal Family Tree. The Heavy Metal Family Tree is a 26 sub-genre genealogical chart which reveals the vast complex progeny of heavy metal – from early metal and shock rock to thrash, from progressive metal to grunge and nu metal. Using the chart as his road map, host/producer and metalhead turned anthropologist Dunn, crisscrosses the globe exploring the vast history of heavy metal across its 40+ year history and beyond. From bars and back alleys to the biggest open air festivals, Dunn will visit the pioneers of British and American hard rock who laid metal's sonic foundation, as well as the current leaders of contemporary metal. Whether you love metal, documentaries or just great stories, Metal Evolution will be the ultimate examination into the history of heavy metal music. 

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That does sound like a plan VH1! Thank you kindly, by the way. On a side note, if there is one person that knows how to educate us and entertain us both at the same time, when it comes to Metal, is Sam Dunn. I have a great admiration for his work, because he starts off from his humble fan perspective and then goes beyond that, in a way that, at least to me, makes me feel included in his Metal Journeys. Moreover, the fact that he is the sweetest man alive makes me like him 3 times more. 

Whether you choose to be a couch potato, order a delicious pizza and educate yourself at home, or you choose to be a bit more productive like yours truly, and commemorate this day by ingesting unbelievable amounts of booze, lest we forget about all the martyrs that have sacrificed their lives to bring us an important part of who we are today.

Lest we forget

-Stay Metal-

Fraulein Andrea MMXI

Photo Update - Leishmaniasis

Servus Mighty Legions,

All apologies for going MIA once again. Yes, I know I should stop doing that and not neglect this stupendous blog, but you know, shit happens.... You will be glad to know that my disappearance has not been purely in vain, as I have been working like a dog. Still, I have managed to spare some time to honor our glorious Metal -yes, yours truly is the queen of multitasking, sometimes. 

I am hoping to share the findings of my sporadic quests very soon, but for now I ought to focus on some serious proposal writing, completely non-Metal related unfortunately (yes, very sad but someone is gotta save the world, you know!).

On a more interesting note, I am here to share some of the shots I managed to capture at one of Leishmaniasis' rehearsals a few months ago. Yours truly had never worked in such an enclosed space, but that was not an issue. The guys were practicing for their upcoming album, and all I can say about that is that it is going to be freakin' brutal, which serves me some serious pleasure. I thought about capturing a tiny little sample to delight you but I thought that would have been a bit too abusive on my end, so you will all have to wait 'til the record is out.

In the meantime, enjoy injuring your while headbanging to Whore Smashing Hammer (Romantic, eh?).

Below, the shots I promised ^.^

-Stay Metal-

MM Dre-dnklschwrz MMXI