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...

THE RODS
"BROTHERHOOD OF METAL"
Heavy Metal
Year:07.06.2019
(SPV)

- The first album since 8 years – the fans are waiting for that!!!!! 11 brandnew songs – US Heavy Rock at it’s best!! Artwork by Eric Phillipe (TNT, King Kobra, Mob Rules). Original Line-Up since 1980! THE RODS are a classic heavy metal trio that rocked their way through the 80's with classic albums like "The Rods", "Wild Dogs" and "In The Raw" [!]
Some statements are so unambiguous that they require no further explanation: “If you like the first song, then the odds are you’ll like the whole album. It’s balls-to-the-wall heavy metal, song after song. No ballads and nothing your mom will be humming,” promises Carl Canedy, drummer of legendary US metal act The Rods. Canedy is referring to the album’s...

THE 69 EYES
"WEST END"
Gothic/ Glam Rock
Year:13.09.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

And while the concept of time seems to play no role in the life of vampires, the year 2019 marks a reason to celebrate and blow out more candles on the cake than most other bands will ever be able to see flickering in front of their eyes. It’s time for the 30th anniversary of THE 69 EYES – and of course they prepared something special from the damp cold of their crypts.Leaving their dreams behind has never been an option for THE 69 EYES and their new anniversary album, »West End« has a truly apocalyptic taste to it and it seems that vocalist Jyrki, guitarists Bazie and Timo-Timo, bassist Archzie and drummer Jussi 69 are more alive than ever, while dancing in the ruins of our world:“The title »West End« evokes a dark image...

OPETH
"IN CAUDA VENENUM"
Progressive Metal
Year:27.09.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

Sweden’s OPETH are preparing to release their most important record to date with »In Cauda Venenum«. Certainly, fans and critics will have their opinion, but few records in the Swedes’ oeuvre are as engaging, delicate, panoramic, intense, and musical as OPETH’s lucky thirteenth. Sporting a clever Travis Smith cover – replete with inside jokes and a nod to KING DIAMOND – a masterful Park Studios (The Hellacopters, Graveyard) production, OPETH’s usual five-star musicianship, and lyrics entirely in Swedish, »In Cauda Venenum« raises the bar markedly. While a record in Swedish is a first—there’s also an English version—for frontman and founding member Mikael Åkerfeldt, the 10 songs on offer feel and sound co...

SABATON
"THE GREAT WAR"
True/ Heavy Metal
Year:19.07.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

As we speak, SABATON is reaching twentieth anniversary as a band. What would be the most appropriate way to celebrate this tremendous milestone – and set our targets on the future at the same time? Naturally, there is only one option: to unleash the ninth missile into the heart of heavy metal world. In other words, SABATON's new album – another concept record from the vaults of fascinating military history – is completed and we couldn't be more satisfied with it, says SABATON bassist and lyricist Pär Sundström – and continues: „The title of our new magnum opus is "The Great War", and within its rich musical and lyrical journey, we dive into the gloomy and bloody atmosphere of World War I. This frantic war shook the whole planet during 19...

ELVENKING
"READER OF THE RULES - DIVINATION"
Folk/ Power Metal
Year:30.08.2019
(AFM RECORDS)

- Tenth studio album by Italian veteran folk/power metal band ELVENKING. "Reader Of The Runes - Divination" is the beginning of a saga that will range over three albums. Excellent mix by Dan Swanö (Katatonia, Marduk, Opeth). Mastering by Tony Lindgren (Amorphis, Dragonforce, Eluveitie, Opeth). Cover artwork by Zsofia Dankova (Powerwolf) [!]"Considering the impressive history of ELVENKING, there is no chance to deny it: The Italian Folk Power Metal band belongs to the most important and unique bands of the scene. Founded in 1997, the musicians soon made their way and established themselves among the leading acts of Europa when it comes to powerful Metal music with Folk and Pagan influences. In 2019, the band releases their next and tenth masterpiece: &ld...

NORTHTALE
"WELCOME TO PARADISE"
Power Heavy Metal
Year:02.08.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

NORTHTALE - behind this illustrious name lies nothing less than a Swedish-American power metal supergroup! Formed by guitarist Bill Hudson (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, I AM MORBID, ex-U.D.O./DIRKSCHNEIDER), vocalist Christian Eriksson (ex-TWILIGHT FORCE), and drummer Patrick Johansson (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ex-W.A.S.P. etc.) in late 2017, the line-up was quickly completed by Mikael Planefeldt (bass) as well as keyboardist Jimmy Pitts.NORTHTALE was born out of the desire of three world class musicians to work with each other in creating a new power metal band, blending melodic, anthemic choruses with fast paced rhythms and technically challenging, often harmonized solos.Hudson met vocalist Christian Eriksson at a summer festival in Sweden, where both were performing ...

RIOT V
"LIVE IN JAPAN 2018"
Heavy Metal
Year:02.08.2019
(AFM RECORDS)

- High quality live recording & footage of one of the pioneering bands of US Heavy and Power Metal. DVD/BluRay and 2-CD have a combined playing time of nearly four hours. The cult classic album "Thundersteel" is played in its entirety! Throughout their four decade spanning career Riot V have performed in front of Millions of thrilled Heavy Metal fans. For fans of: Virgin Steele, Judas Priest, Vicious Rumors, Jag Panzer [!]AFM Records is proud to bring this live concert to the screen (and stereo) of heavy metal fans around the world. Riot (now named Riot V) have been a household name in the scene for over four decades and without a doubt left their mark, inspired countless emerging bands and artists worldwide and are still hungry for more....

LORDI
"RECORDEAD LIVE - SEXTOURCISM IN Z7"
Heavy Metal
Year:26.07.2019
(AFM RECORDS)

“Recordead Live - Sextourcism At Z7” was filmed at legendary Z7 in Pratteln and contains two hours of full-on LORDI action! Extensive bonus material: behind the scenes documentation & all Lordi music videos + highly exclusive: first ever made LORDI music video for the song "Inferno" from 1995. Mastering by Jacob Hansen (Pretty Maids, Amaranthe, Primal Fear).Tracklisting Blu-Ray/ DVD:01. Sexorcism02. Would You Love A Monsterman03. Missing Miss Charlene/House Of Ghosts04. Your Tongue's Got The Cat05. Heaven Sent Hell On Earth06. Mr. Killjoy07. Mana Solo08. Rock The Hell Outta You09. Blood Red Sandman10. It Snows In Hell11. Hella Solo12. She's A Demon13. Slashion Model ...

CARNIFEX
"WORLD WAR X"
Death Metal
Year:02.08.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

Colossal swells erupt from a vast ocean of human suffering and universal dread and in their wake present to us the latest offering from the minds of CARNIFEX: »World War X«. Soul darkening, eye-bloodying, flesh crushing death metal is to be expected from this group of musicians, yet with the new album comes a unique notion of unavoidable hopelessness; the inevitable rot of mankind. CARNIFEX has stoked the coals and breathed a distinct power into »World War X« that boils over into subjects and sounds of human degradation.Nine blistering tracks are contained within »World War X« and each song is compiled of multiple menacing layers which are substantially longer than previous CARNIFEX songs. There is a noticeable gain in the complexity of so...

THY ART IS MURDER
"HUMAN TARGET"
Death Metal
Year:26.07.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

- THE PERFECT SOUND FOR AN APOCALYPSE!Privatized prisons enforce police states, where nonviolent offenders languish for decades. Pharmaceuticals numb the mind. Social media distracts the spirit. All while the very planet lurches toward an inevitable climate disaster that will extinguish humanity. The Nightmare of Human Organ Harvesting? That’s not a gruesome song title from some forgotten old-school death metal record. It’s a headline from the Wall Street Journal.Against this backdrop of postmodern dystopia, chaos, and confusion, arrives Human Target, the earth-scorching fifth album from extreme metal titans THY ART IS MURDER.Australia’s most brutally alarming cultural export since George Miller’s Mad Max franchise makes music ...

D-A-D
"A PRAYER FOR THE LOUD"
Hard Rock/ AOR
Year:28.06.2019
(AFM RECORDS)

- Finally back with a new studio album after 8 years! Mastered by Ryan Smith, Sterling Sound (AC/DC, Keith Richards, Greta Van Fleet, Joe Bonamassa) [!]Eight years. That’s how long it’s been since Denmark’s most celebrated rock band D-A-D released their last studio album. But now the wait is over. The band’s legion of fans can start the countdown to May 31st when the Danish rock legends unveil their latest album, 'Prayer For The Loud’. It’s been a long time coming but it has been well worth it!The new album harks back to the core of what D-A-D does better than most: four guys who play thrilling rock music with ferocious energy, catchy songs and an infectious commitment. 'A Prayer For The Loud&rs...

BETH HART
"WAR IN MY MIND"
Blues/ Classic Rock
Year:27.09.2019
(MASCOT LABEL GROUP)

- Beth Hart sold over 1.7 million albums worldwide. - Followers: 400.000 Facebook, 70.000 Instagram and 40.000 Twitter. Over 120 million streams, 100 million YouTube views and 2,4 million streams per month on Spotify - Previous album charted in over 10 European countries: UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy  & more. - Beth’s name is on the rise still. 2018 was her biggest year to date. Ticket sales have increased massively, sold out iconic venues as Royal Albert Hall London, Ziggo Dome Amsterdam, Ryman Theatre Nashville, Town Hall New York, Olympia Paris, and more.&nb...

SUPERSONIC BLUES MACHINE Feat. Billy Gibbons
"ROAD CHRONICLES: LIVE!"
Blues/ Classic Rock
Year:17.07.2019
(MASCOT LABEL GROUP)

 - Supersonic Blues Machine is the magic combination of drumming legend Kenny Aronoff, bassist/producer Fabrizio Grossi & lead singer Kris Barras. Road Chronicles: Live! features ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons and classics from ZZ Top, Muddy Waters and Elmore James. The set list covers the two Supersonic albums: “West of Flushing, South of Frisco” and “Californisoul”.  Raving reviews of the band’s live performance: “Effortless panache...a festival highlight” - Blues in Britain,”Blues overdrive” - Record Collector [!]Supersonic Blues Machine announce they will be releasing their first live album, ‘Road Chronicles: Live!’ on 12th July 2019 via Provogue/Mascot Label Group. The...