SINNER
"SANTA MUERTE"
Hard Rock/ AOR
Year:13.09.2019
(13TH PLANET)

- Produced by Mat Sinner and Dennis Ward (Amon Amarth, Helloween, Saltatio Mortis, Van Canto) [!]After having delivered a top-notch album with "Tequila Suicice" in 2017 (reaching #49 in the German charts), the band around mastermind Mat Sinner (Primal Fear, Voodoo Circle, Rock meets Classic, and more) has created another all-killer-no-filler album! Featuring guests like Ronnie Romero (Rainbow) and Ricky Warwick (Black Star Riders) "Santa Muerte" Comes with an additional surprise for all the listeners: SINNER introduce Giorgia Colleluori - a permanent new member to the band, sharing vocal duties with Mat Sinner.TRACKLIST CD/ 2LP:1. Shine On2. Fiesta Y Copas (feat. Ronnie Romero)3. Santa Muerte4. Last Exit Hell...

CORELEONI
"II"
Hard Rock/ AOR
Year:27.09.2019
(AFM RECORDS)

- CoreLeoni unleashes studioalbum no. 2. Gotthard founding-member Leo Leoni creates and celebrates music history with this new album. Singer is nobody less than Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Ex-Lords of The Black). It contains several Gotthard-Classics as well as 2 brandnew own songs & a cover of "Boom Boom Boom" by John Lee Hooker. Mixed by Paul Lani (e.g. Robbie Williams, Jon Bon Jovi, Rod Stewart, U2, Steve Vai) & mastered by 3-times Grammy winner Darcy Proper (e.g. Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Johnny Cash, Alicia Keys, etc.) [!]He is one of the truest and most passionate Rock musicians of the last decades. And though time stood never still for Gotthard founding member and guitarist Leo Leoni. CoreLeoni he named his passion for big, timeless Classic R...

HELLOWEEN
"UNITED ALIVE"
Power Heavy Metal
Year:04.10.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

What belonged together needed to be joined: PUMPKINS UNITED. However, this birth was never just an original line-up reunion, but the real deal. The ultimate cast consisting of all 7 metal heroes: Andi Deris, Michael Kiske, Michael Weikath, Kai Hansen, Markus Grosskopf, Sascha Gerstner, and Daniel Löble. Or in other words: A dream come true for fans from all over the world, who never stopped wishing for exactly this union. What followed, was a whoop of joy from North German river Elbe to Rio’s Sugar Loaf Mountain, and in fall 2017 the kick-off of the unbelievable Pumpkins United World Tour in Mexico.The shows celebrated the greatest hits from three decades and offered a breakneck trip through time and the entire HELLOWEEN repertoire – including songs, the ban...

CULT OF LUNA
"A DAWN TO FEAR"
Progressive Metal
Year:20.09.2019
(METAL BLADE RECORDS)

Building on twenty years of creating some of the most epic, emotive and inventive heavy music unleashed on the world, there is no denying that Cult Of Luna's A Dawn To Fear is a monster of a record. An album comprised of eight tracks running seventy-nine minutes, it embodies everything the band's faithful have come to expect from them while covering new ground. "We knew exactly the album we wanted to make, and that was the antithesis of everything we've done before," says vocalist/guitarist and lead songwriter Johannes Persson. "For pretty much every album there's been a very concrete theme. We've known from the start the kind of story we wanted to tell, and I didn't want that to be the case. I've seen a lot of subtle changes and patterns in my own beh...

WEDNESDAY 13
"NECROPHAZE"
Heavy Metal
Year:27.09.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

The Duke of Spook has returned once more from beyond the grave to reveal the »Necrophaze«!  This latest, full length offering from the ghouls of WEDNESDAY 13 will be available on September 27th, 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records. Heavily influenced by the real life night terror occurrences of Wednesday himself, historical serial killers, and a slew of 80’s horror films, the ideas behind »Necrophaze« are bizarrely familiar, frightening, and a hell of a lot of fun. Being a collector of both media and toys, Wednesday 13 was inspired by a craving for variety to create dual album artwork for this release. The covers showcase either end of the horror spectrum with a “Creepshow” comic book vibe for the LP artwork, and the eeriness of something akin t...

AS I LAY DYING
"SHAPED BY FIRE"
Death Metal/ Metalcore
Year:20.09.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

Flames fuel rebirth. In the wake of the conflagration, future possibilities flourish out of the ashes. Reigniting a brotherhood dating back nearly two decades, AS I LAY DYING rise together on their seventh full-length and debut for Nuclear Blast, the aptly titled »Shaped By Fire«. The San Diego quintet—Tim Lambesis [vocals], Jordan Mancino [drums], Phil Sgrosso [guitar], Nick Hipa [guitar], and Josh Gilbert [bass]—rally together and recharge the precise and pummelling metallic assault that transformed them into a turn-of-the-century heavy music phenomenon. These eleven tracks mark their first body of work together since 2012 and represent the dawn of a bold new era.“For me, this is the most meaningful AS I LAY DYING record,” st...

HAMMERFALL
"DOMINION"
True/ Heavy Metal
Year:18.08.2019
(NAPALM RECORDS)

These Swedes are in fine form and have forged an unforgettable metal manifesto!It will go down as a milestone in the career of HammerFall, of that we have absolutely not even a sliver of doubt.” Brave words – but you better believe, because they`re coming from the one and only gods of heavy metal! Mercilessly galloping opener ‘Never forgive, never forget‘ keeps that promise: The Swedes are in fine form and have forged an unforgettable steel manifesto! Dominion is hungry for blood and ready for battle with 12 new tracks: The title track is pure headbanging frenzy with epic backing vocals, ‘Testify‘ shreds like mad, and just to make one thing clear: ‘(We make) Sweden rock‘! Well, certainly not just Sweden will rock, because all o...

RAM
"THE THRONE WITHIN"
Heavy Metal
Year:13.09.2019
(METAL BLADE RECORDS)

There can be few better ways to mark the 20th anniversary of your band than releasing the finest record of your career. In RAM's instance, this comes in the form of The Throne Within, the Swedish quintet upping their game across the board to deliver a record with deep roots in classic heavy metal but wielding an energy and freshness to it that places it very much in the now. "It is unmistakable RAM, there are fast songs, heavy songs, mid-tempo and slower tempos as well. There's melody and there's grit. The arrangements are recognizable but some may be unorthodox," states founding guitarist Harry Granroth."This is a monumental album for us, and I am certain for our fans. We have worked very hard to bring our sound, songwriting and playing to the next level with...

HATE
"AURIC GATES OF VELES"
Blackened Death Metal
Year:14.06.2019
(METAL BLADE RECORDS)

Since 1991, Hate have lived up to their name, responsible for some of the angriest and most ruthless death metal unleashed upon the world. With 2017's Tremendum, they took a step toward a darker, more atmospheric, black metal-oriented style and began exploring Slavonic mysticism, and new album Auric Gates Of Veles boldly continues in that direction. Auric Gates Of Veles is a titanic record that is both more organic and dynamic sounding, and may well be the finest of their storied career.With the ominous rumble that heralds the commencement of opener "Seventh Manvantara" giving way to a squall of guitars and blastbeats, it is clear that Hate are playing at the top of their game. Progressing through the rampant thrashing and wide open spaces of "The Volga's Veins", t...

FLYING COLORS
"THIRD DEGREE"
Progressive Rock
Year:04.10.2019
(MASCOT LABEL GROUP)

- Flying Colors is a prog supergroup composed of Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater, The Winery Dogs, Adrenaline Mob), Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Band), Casey McPherson (Alpha Rev), Neal Morse (Transatlantic, Spock’s Beard), and Steve Morse (Deep Purple). Album art designed by Thomas Ewerhard (Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic, Symphony X, Amon Amarth, Kataklysm, Dimmu Borgir) [!]In chemistry, when certain galvanizing elements come together, they become quite explosive. In music, when certain galvanizing artists come together, they become Flying Colors. In fact, whenever the five gentlemen who encompass Flying Colors - guitarist Steve Morse, drummer Mike Portnoy, keyboardist/vocalist Neal Morse, bassist Dave LaRue, and powerhouse vocalist ...

DESTRUCTION
"BORN TO PERISH"
Thrash Metal
Year:09.08.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

“The old masters of German thrash find on BORN TO PERISH exactly the middleground between their own trademarks and surprising elements.Brutal, timeless, typical Destruction.“METAL HAMMER (D) | Marc HalupczokBorn to perish? This statement does not apply to the Thrash Metal legends DESTRUCTION, though their new album »Born To Perish« will certainly create a furore on August 9th. The brand-new line-up featuring the Canadian drum animal Randy Black and Swiss shred-master Damir Eskic, together with veterans Schmier and Mike, is here to bring you musical destruction. This is a new chapter in the long, impressive history of the band.»Born To Pe...

SUICIDAL ANGELS
"YEARS OF AGRESSION"
Thrash Metal
Year:09.08.2019
(NAPALM RECORDS)

Three years have passed since the SUICIDAL ANGELS swept across the Metal landscape with their latest Thrash hurricane. "Division Of Blood" left nothing but bone splinters and stormed uncompromisingly into the top 100 of the German album charts, just like its predecessors did. For two years, the Greek demolition command has been merciful and only ripped its concert visitors into a roaring inferno. But in 2018, the time has come for the work on the seventh studio album to take shape.Founding member, guitarist and singer Nick Melissourgos has prepared the songs, which were subsequently recorded in the Zero Gravity Studios in Athens, Greece, and, in case of the drums, in the Soundlodge Studios in Papenburg, Germany. The album was produced by the band itself, which has for the fi...

EXHORDER
"MOURN THE SOUTHERN SKIES"
Thrash Metal
Year:20.09.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

EXHORDER RELEASE ALBUM AFTER 27 YEARS!From the opening of the first track of »Mourn The Southern Skies«, we are reminded immediately just what EXHORDER is exactly through the spitting rage 'My Time' forces upon our ears. It is evident that the anger remains prevalent, with perhaps a different point of view that younger men could not possibly have understood on earlier albums. Sasha’s energy and punk influence fire the engines, with Jason locking down the foundation tightly. Vinnie once again has proven himself “The Godfather” of thrash riffs, which cut through like a high speed drill bit thanks to the stellar production. A lead guitar face-off in the solo not only exhibits Vinnie’s sometimes under-appreciated skills as a shredder...

FREEDOM CALL
"M.E.T.A.L."
Melodic Heavy Metal
Year:23.08.2019
(SPV)

Two excellent reasons to party for the Freedom Call camp: first, the band surrounding vocalist/guitarist Chris Bay are set to celebrate their 20th anniversary this summer; then, on 23 August 2019 they’re also scheduled to release their tenth studio album, featuring the promising title M.E.T.A.L. Since their 1999 debut Stairway To Fairyland, the act from southern Germany has been synonymous with anthemnic melodic metal, driving grooves and atmospheric messages as well as optimistic lyrics. M.E.T.A.L., a unanimously impressive offering with an unusual title, is marked by these familiar characteristics but also by lots of other features. According to Bay, the unconventional title is “tongue in cheek. After all, everybody knows that we don’t exactly play extremely raw deat...

AXEL RUDI PELL
"XXX ANNIVERSARY LIVE"
Hard Rock/ AOR
Year:07.06.2019
(SPV)

“XXX Anniversary Live”, his 30th album release in as many years, will see the light of day on June 7th 2019. A milestone by all accounts and a stunning document of his most recent tour which he did not plan at all, but the recordings, from Bochum and Budapest among others, were so good that he felt he just couldn’t scrap them. They are a worthy follow-up to “Magic Moments”, his 3-hour anniversary show at the ‘Bang Your Head’ festival in 2014, where he celebrated 25 years as a solo artist. BTW: Pell is planning to bring out another studio effort in spring 2020. The Swiss clock from the Ruhr area is till ticking. CD1:1. The Medieval Overture (Intro) 1:482. The Wild And The Young 4:413. Wildest Dreams 6:124...