THROWBACK THURSDAY - HEAVY COVERS

What does one make of cover songs?  It seems like a common response to most covers is, "this is terrible, the original is so much better".  Well obviously!  99 percent of the time a cover is not going to be as great as the original, but it seems to me that many people are not looking at it from the right perspective.  Instead of shitting on a cover song for not being as good as the original, people should really consider how cool it is that a classic song is being covered in the first place.  Heavy metal has its fair share of classics, and they're classics for a reason; they were influential.  Cover songs are interesting to listen to because it gives the listener an opportunity to discover some of the influences of their favorite bands.  Below are a collection of cover songs that I found to be particularly interesting.

1. Upon a Burning Body - 5 Minutes Alone (Pantera Cover)

Pantera is easily one of the most influential metal bands from the 1990's.  5 Minutes Alone is easily one of their crunchiest tunes.  It's only natural that the Texas based deathcore act Upon a Burning Body would cover this song. This is a cover that definitely did the original justice.  And the fact that they gave the late Dimebag Darrell a shout out in the middle of the the song is nothing short of heartwarming.  Check it out!

Links: Pantera Facebook // Official Website // iTunes
Upon A Burning Body Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

2. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Paranoid (Black Sabbath Cover)

Boy has this cover gotten shit over the years.  It's understandable; how can The Dillinger Escape Plan cover a Black Sabbath song?  Part of the beauty of this cover comes from the fact that they didn't try to stay true to the original.  Dillinger has their own unique sound and it seems as though they stick to that even while doing covers.  Yeah, it's gonna piss off some old school metal fans but this is a cover definitely worth checking out.

Links: The Dillinger Escape Plan Facebook // Twitter // Official Website
Black Sabbath Facebook // Official Website // iTunes

3. Periphery - New Millenium Cyanide Christ (Meshuggah Cover)

Djent dj djent dj djent dj djent djent djent bowww... Well, you know where I'm going with this.  Periphery covering a classic Meshuggah song, how appropriate!  Meshuggah is one of those bands that only comes around once in a life time.  They are responsible for the creation of the sound that is commonly referred to as djent, and Periphery is partially responsible for bringing that sound into the mainstream.  Two great bands, one awesome tone, and one excellent cover!

Links: Meshuggah Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Periphery Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

4. As I Lay Dying - Electric Eye (Judas Priest Cover)

"A Judas Priest cover? The nerve!  These little metalcore kids can't possible cover a song written by the metal gods". - elitist douche.

Yes, Judas Priest is awesome, but so is this cover.  In the contemporary metal scene, As I Lay Dying is one helluva band.  If anyone were to cover a Priest song I'm glad it was them.  As I Lay Dying demonstrates impressive technical skill, and as a whole, they are capable of covering some of the best heavy metal tunes.

Links: Judas Priest Facebook // Official Website // Twitter // iTunes 
As I Lay Dying Facebook // Official Website // iTunes

5. Children of Bodom - Aces High (Iron Maiden Cover)

If you spit in the air the chances are it's going to land on somebody that's an Iron Maiden fan.  Seriously though, who wasn't influenced by this band?  Just about every power metal and melodic death metal band was, therefore it wouldn't be surprising to hear band that embodies elements from both of those sub-genres cover a classic Maiden tune.  Children of Bodom not only did the original justice with this cover, they made it their own.  The keyboard especially added a nice touch.

Links: Iron Maiden Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Website
Children of Bodom Facebook // Official Website // Merch

6. Killswitch Engage - Holy Diver (Dio Cover)

It takes guts to even decide to record a cover of Dio.  The man's voice is legendary.  Well in 2007 Killswitch Engage pulled it off, successfully.  Obviously no mortal man can top Dio, but Howard Jones did a damn good job as far as cover standards are concerned (and I don't mean that in a condescending way, Howard is an excellent vocalist).  The cover was very well received by critics and fans, and six years later Killswitch is still playing it live.  I can't speak for the masses, but I hope it helped to turn the younger generation of metal heads onto the classic metal act that is Dio.

Links: DIO Facebook // Twitter // iTunesKillswitch Engage Facebook // Twitter // iTunes      

METAL PUMPKINS

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Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Website

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Twitter // iTunes

THE WEEKEND MOSH IV

THE WEEKEND MOSH III

Links: Facebook // Bandcamp // Myriad Records

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Merch // Subliminal Groove Records

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Website

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Ihsahn Facebook // Emperor Website

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Official Website

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Website

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Merch

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Official Website // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Merch

THROWBACK THURSDAY - IRON MAIDEN (PAUL DI'ANNO ERA)

Based on the title, you know what you're going to hear from this review.  That's right, the first two Iron Maiden albums, the self titled debut and "Killers".  I, as well as many diehard fans, love these albums.  There is a certain charm to the sound of these first two releases, possibly due to the feelings of nostalgia associated with certain tracks.  "Prowler" was one of the first songs that introduced me to this band back in the day.  But these albums have so many good qualities aside from just pure nostalgia.  So let's dive back into the early years of Iron Maiden.

I've talked to numerous people about these albums and one of the most common statements I hear is that "they had more of a punk rock sound on their early albums".  While I understand the legitimacy behind making that claim, I feel that a more appropriate description of the sound would be "raw".  These albums are pure raw metal.  This is in part due to the aggressiveness and unpolished vocals of Di'Anno, but you also have to take into consideration the speed of the music itself.  Aside from these two elements the band was pure heavy metal from the beginning.  The riffs were metallic, the solos were melodic, the arrangements were complex, and the sound had an overall more "epic" feel to it (listen to "Phantom of the Opera").

Another cool feature about these albums were the instrumentals.  Songs such as "Transylvania" and "Genghis Khan" added a really nice touch to their respective albums, and to this day, they remain as two of the very few instrumentals in Iron Maiden's discography.  The album "Killers" actually started out with an instrumental titled "The Ides of March", an appropriate title that foreshadowed the devastation to come.  And you can't discuss these albums without mentioning something about the late Clive Burr.  His drumming really helped to solidify the rhythm section along with Steve Harris's bass lines.  Clive managed to keep a steady pace while also throwing in all sorts of interesting drums fills and technical work.  The man was a beast behind the kit.

These are not albums to skip over, and if you've listened to them and cast them aside, then give them another listen.  There are so many classic songs on "Iron Maiden" and "Killers".  I saw Maiden live back in 2010, and even after 30 years they were still playing songs such as "Running Free", "Iron Maiden", and "Wrathchild" live.  Check out the songs below if you're new to Iron Maiden or just never bothered listening to anything before "Number of the Beast".

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Website

WOMEN WHO MOSH - THE IRON MAIDENS

Usually cover bands aren't my thing... But The Iron Maidens NEED to be recognized. As far as cover bands go, they are the cream of the crop. Period.

Honestly, what could be better than five insanely talented, good looking women playing dead on covers of your favorite songs from one of the best metal bands ever? I'll give you a clue... It doesn't get any better than that. Major respect to Kirsten Rosenberg (Bruce Chickinson), Linda McDonald (Nikki McBurrain), Wanda Ortiz (Steph Harris), Courtney Cox (Adriana Smith), and Nita Strauss (Mega Murray) for doing what they do and excelling at it.

Watch these ladies wreck stages down below. Sooo damn metal \m/

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Official Website

IRON MAIDEN BEER

Go ahead and read that headline again. Your eyes don't deceive you. Iron Maiden has released their own brand of beer! TROOPER BEER \m/

"TROOPER is a deep golden ale with citric hop notes and dominating malt flavours with a subtle hint of lemon. Real depth of character with complex hop notes using a combination of Goldings, Bobec and Cascade Hops."

It should be noted the beverage is currently only available in Europe. But will be spreading to the rest of the world as soon as possible. It's available for purchase here. You can read the official statement below for all the info and more.
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Trooper beer was officially launched yesterday at Robinsons Brewery in Cheshire, with a reception attended by brewing trade representatives from both the UK and Internationally. As fans may have read recently, the unprecedented upfront demand for the beer meant Robinsons had to brew three times a day, six days a week for the first time ever in the Brewery’s 175 year history to cope with pre-orders in excess of 300,000 pints.. Robinsons were overwhelmed by the number of enquiries they’d had from all over the world and sent us a comprehensive listing of whereabouts the interest had been – from a staggering 184 countries! So, a big thanks to all our fans and it’s great to know the Maiden family extends into so many places where the band have never even had a chance to play before! For anyone interested, below is the full list of those countries.

Bruce and Rod attended the Trade Launch, which began with Bruce conducting a tour of the Brewery to explain to everyone first-hand the process of exactly how Trooper beer is made. Robinsons Managing Director Oliver Robinson then gave a short speech about how the Iron Maiden/Robinsons collaboration came about and he presented Bruce with a specially engraved Brewery hand pump, in recognition of Trooper being the Fastest Ever Selling New Robinsons Beer. Bruce then pulled the first-ever pint of Trooper from the cask in the Brewery bar amid loud applause from the assembled crowd. Everyone then got down to the serious business of tasting the beer for themselves and it was very well received judging by the number of smiling faces and approving comments heard around the room. In fact Robinsons’ own head brewer, Martyn Weeks pronounced it his favourite beer, and renowned beer writer Pete Brown remarked how he found Trooper to be very good indeed and extremely drinkable.

Trooper is now available to order online throughout most of the EU, and Robinsons are working flat-out to ensure it will be available to the rest of the world as soon as possible. For updates on when Trooper is coming to a pub, bar or supermarket in your town/country keep checking www.ironmaidenbeer.com or follow IronMaidenBeer on Facebook or Twitter.

To find out more about just how much the Trooper beer impacted on Robinsons brewery business, visit their website.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Website

THE BATTLE OF SAN BERNARDINO - IRON MAIDEN, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, AND MORE!

THIS is one of those line ups that just makes your jaw drop. Might drool a bit too... Iron Maiden will be trekking through segments of the US on a 10 day tour with Megadeth, Anthrax, Testament, Sabaton, and Overkill. Yeah, you can go ahead and read that line-up again. For some metalheads out there, this is the show of dreams.

And these shows will be massive both musically and scale-wise. You can check the dates, the flyer, and music from all of the bands down below. And if you want to go (honestly, why wouldn't you?), you can grab your tickets right here! We'll see you in the mosh pit... IRONS UP! \m/

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09.03 – Raleigh, NC – Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
09.05 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
09.07 – Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
09.08 – St Louis, MO – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
09.10 – Austin, TX – Austin 360 Amphitheater
09.12 – Las Vegas, NV – Mandalay Bay Events Center
09.13 – San Bernardino, CA – San Manuel Amphitheatre
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Links: Iron Maiden Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Website
Megadeth Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Anthrax Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Testment Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

REVOLVER GOLDEN GODS 2013 PREDICTIONS PART V - BEST BASSIST / MOST DEDICATED FANS / MOST METAL ATHLETE

This is it, the last three categories for the Golden Gods. I hope that Mike and I have helped you decided who will be getting your vote this year. Don't forget to tune in to see who wins and to see Metallica, Tony Iommi, and Rob Zombie receive achievement awards. The Golden Gods will air May 2 on AXS TV as well as Facebook and Xbox Live.

Paul Gray Best Bassist

Geddy Lee - Rush
Jason Newsted - Newsted
Lemmy Kilmister - Motorhead
Rex Brown - Kill Devil Hill
Sergio Vega - Deftones
Steve Harris - Iron Maiden

Fe's Predictions

This award named after the deceased Paul Gray of Slipknot is truly an honor. Any of these nominees would deserve it. While my friends joke that bassists don't do anything for the band, I disagree. All of these men have proved that the bass is a staple in any band. This category definitely has veterans so it's hard to pick a winner.

If I had to pick, I think Steve Harris should walk away with the win. Iron Maiden is legendary and rocks hard, anyone knows that. I think that it will be a close pick between Harris and Geddy Lee of Rush though as his band is also well known and he rocks just as hard.

Mike Thall's Predictions

Everyone here is worthy of bass slappin' award. I'm betting either Lemmy, Geddy, or Steve Harris will walk away with it. But I'd really like to see Steve take home the prize. IRONS UP! \m/

Most Dedicated Fans

A Day To Remember
Black Label Society
Black Veil Brides
HIM
Rammstein
Slipknot

Fe's Predictions

This category will be a battle. Every fan base has their own notion of who is dedicated the most and every band knows a few super dedicated fans that might creep them out a little. Regardless, without these fans, these bands would not be as popular as they are. Let's be real though. A Day To Remember or Black Veil Brides will most likely take this one. Having a super obsessive fan base helps them here.

I would love to see Rammstein have the upset though or even HIM. These bands have been around for a while and still have a solid fan base. That is true dedication in my honest opinion.

Mike Thall's Predictions

Please... anyone but Black Veil Brides... This is another "meh" category from the Golden Gods. Nothing too exciting here. As Fe said, certain bands are much more inclined to win due to obsessive fan bases. In reality, I'm betting either Slipknot's maggots, A Day To Remember, or the emo children will win. But it would be awesome to see Black Label Society claim victory.

Most Metal Athlete

CJ Wilson- MLB LA Angels
Clay Guida- MMA/ UFC
Geoff Rowley- Skateboarding
Tanner Foust- Rally and drift car racing
Tom Crabtree- NFL Green Day Packers
Triple H- WWE

Fe's Predictions

Coming from Buffalo, I have a guilty pleasure for the NHL. Hockey is pretty metal, have you seen the beatings some of them take? Anyways, while I don't follow too many sports I can easily narrow down the winner for this category. To be a metal athlete, your sport has to be pretty tough. Therefore, I would either pick Triple H or Clay Guida to take home this last award.

Yes, the WWE might be deemed as a soap opera, but Triple H is pretty badass you can't deny that. I would be content with him or Guida winning this one. Taking a hit is pretty metal. Catching balls... not so much.

Mike Thall's Predictions

Baseball - not metal at all. Football - not metal (except for the hardcore tackles). Pretend, scripted wrestling - definitely not metal. Rally and drift racing - relatively metal if they crash. Skateboarding - kinda metal. Beating someones face in through Mixed Martial Arts - VERY FUCKING METAL \m/

Links: Facebook // Official Website

DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 2013

The line-up for Download Festival 2013 has officially been announced. No doubt some bands are much more appealing than others, but all in all it's looking like a great time waiting to happen.

The three headliners are IRON MAIDEN, Rammstein, and Slipknot. And there is plenty of great talent to back them up including Motorhead, Mastodon, Architects, Parkway Drive, Converge, Katatonia, Amon Amarth, The Ghost Inside, Turisas, After The Burial, and The Algorithm among many others.

There will be several stages boasting several artists over the course of three days in Nottingham, England. If this sounds like fun to you, check the flyer below, grab your tickets here, and get stoked for June!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Official Website

THROWBACK THURSDAY - IRON MAIDEN

Throw those irons up! \m/ We're taking a look back at some of the amazing and inspirational music Iron Maiden has released over the years. These power metal gods have put out a total of 15 albums and 7 live records in their successful 38 years of existence. They have explored the world and captured souls with their brand of metal. This was done through through classic albums such as "The Number of the Beast", "Powerslave", "Piece Of Mind", "Brave New World", "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", and so on. There's plenty of greatness to be experienced throughout the bands vast discography.

We had the absolute pleasure of seeing Iron Maiden and Dream Theater front row back in 2010. They hadn't lost their touch at all. It's the same old, great show with Bruce Dickinson running around the stage, Steve Harris gunning down the crowd with his almighty bass, and all the in your face solos and riffs one could possibly hope for. I also caught Nick McBrain's wrist band that he threw to the crowd. Pocketed it immediately as not to get mugged by the surrounding audience. It was a good day. And if you want to have a good day too, it's recommended you listen below!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Website