RHAPSODY OF FIRE “Distant Sky”, taken from the album “Into The Legend” (out January 15th (EU) / February 5th (US)). Mastered by Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering – California – U.S.A. / www.maorappelbaum.com

NUMENOR has done cover version of the legendary song ”Valhalla” from Blind Guardian’s full-length ”Follow the Blind”. The song will appear on forthcoming Stormspell Records 10th Anniversary CD Compilation

BORKNAGAR – Winter Thrice (feat. Kristoffer Rygg) [OFFICIAL VIDEO]. Directed by David Solbjørg & Kjetil Kolbjørnsrud for Twitchy Films. 

The first edition of SOFIA METAL FEST 2016 will be held on 9 and 10 April, 2016 in “Universiada” Hall, Sofia. The event is an Indoor fest, and combined with the functionality of the venue besides the assorted and various styled metal bands will offer another type of entertainment unusual for ordinary concerts. Organizer of the event is BGTSC, one of the most reliable well known promoters in Bulgaria.
Do not expect something UNIQUE, but do expect something GOOD and MEMORABLE!!!
Sofia, 2 days, 10 groups and limited number of tickets!
PARADISE LOST, British metal legends will close the program on April 9-th.
KREATOR are one of the most powerful bands with the most strong stage presence, despite their almost 30 year history! They will close the festival and the program on April 10-th.
KREATOR and PARADISE LOST, and also FINNTROLL and POWERWOLF on one stage! Be there!
Tickets for the age group of 7 to 14 years (inclusive) are 50% discount, while children under 7 years will enter free! All fans under 18 will be admitted only accompanied by an adult with filled indeclaration! Adult companion is every parent, guardian or third person responsible for the child, possessing a ticket! Each companion of minors under 18 years of age must carry filled in and signed in duplicate declaration, which you can download from here. Will not be allowed one companion of three (3) or more persons under 18 years!
Tickets are limited! Grab your ticket today!

British reigning kings of doom metal My Dying Bride are back with mighty fine new offering entitled Feel The Misery; for that occasion we have sent some questions to founding member, guitar player Andrew Craighan who told us everything we needed to know about the happenings in the band’s world. You can read the entire interview here: http://www.metal-sound.net/my-dying-bride-shivering-forver/

Rhapsody Of Fire: unveil “Into The Legend” cover artwork and tracklisting! Italian symphonic metal kings RHAPSODY OF FIRE are set to release their new album, titled “Into The Legend”, on January 15th.

Cover artwork and tracklisting have been unveiled now. Tracklisting: 01. In Principio 02. Distant Sky 03. Into The Legend 04. Winter’s Rain 05. A Voice In The Cold Wind 06. Valley Of Shadows 07. Shining Star 08. Realms Of Light 09. Rage Of Darkness 10. The Kiss Of Life Bonus tracks on ltd. Digipak: 11. Volar Sin Dolor + Video: Into The Legend

BORKNAGAR – The Rhymes of The Mountain (Lyric Video). For more info visit: http://borknagar.wpengine.com/
Taken from the album “Winter Thrice”. Release date: January 22nd, 2016. Century Media Records 2016.

PARADISE LOST – Symphony For The Lost (Trailer). Century Media Records 2015.

Founded in 1994 in the Swedish Säffle, Draconian gradually refined their sound of melodic Death Metal with elements of Black Metal, becoming more ponderous and doomy over time. Their style-defining 2003 debut LP ‘Where Lovers Mourn’ served a welcome alternative for fans of such classic doom artists like My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost. Contrary to many of their peers however, Draconian’s sound has remained steadfast to its origins, in particular, the powerful vocal growls of Anders Jakobsson, one of the band’s defining and most unique features, along with newcomer female vocalist Heike Langhans sensitively interwoven melodies. Draconian’s sixth studio album Sovran is no exception to this formula, and immediately convinces the listener with Beauty and the Beast-esque vocal contrasts, striking accents, and threatening moods. Sovran also features a guest appearance from Daniel Änghede (Crippled Black Phoenix) on the haunting track “Rivers Between Us”.

Polish death/black tank BEHEMOTH have launched a brand new video for the title track from »The Satanist« on the band’s homepage. The video, directed by Andrzej Dragan, is another ambitious and visually striking piece of art from the band that’s known for videos that remain a cut above standard metal music videos.

BEHEMOTH front man Nergal comments: “BEHEMOTH has always been about breaking boundaries, taboos, leaving its comfort zone and thinking out of the box! Here we go again with the brand new video from us. It’s already a fourth official clip off »The Satanist«… The concept came from the director, Andrzej Dragan. It’s situated in modern Warsaw in the present times. It’s where the carnal world meets the unknown… it’s where the ZOS meets KIA… It’s where SACRUM is rapes by PROFANUM…”

Director Andrzej Dragan adds: “This is a picture of alienation and ultimate rejection of an oversensitive character by an anonymous city.”

Portuguese pioneers Moonspell first brought the dark flames to their native country – and then set the rest of the world aflame with milestones such as Irreligious or Wolfheart. Indeed eleventh studio album Extinct erects another monument to sundowns and those dark hours and lets Fernando Ribeiro`s sombre vocals collide with modern riffing, blackened melodies and operatic grandeur. Always one step ahead of the rest, always resisting all genre boundaries!

Serbian epic symphonic dark metal band Númenor has just release the official video for the song “Dragonheart” taken from the upcoming album “Sword and Sorcery“ scheduled for release on September 15th 2015 via Stormspell Records

Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, CAULDRON has signed with High Roller Records (Europe) and The End Records (North America) to release their long-awaited fourth studio album, In Ruin. For the new album the trio returned to the Lincoln County Social Club recording studio in Toronto, where they recorded two of their previous albums, including Burning Fortune (2011) and Tomorrow’s Lost (2012). Co-produced by Chris Stringer (Rush, Timber Timbre), In Ruin, scheduled for an early 2016 release, is sure to deliver more riffs, more attitude and more modern heavy metal classics while laying waste to all of the genre’s imitators. “We are quite pumped to finally see our new album release plans come to light and are quite excited about our new endeavor with High Roller and The End Records. We were very proud of our last record Tomorrow’s Lost, so we had to take our time and make sure to top it with a proper follow up. I am confident we’ve accomplished that.” –Jason Decay,  ‘Feel the Misery’ is the 12th full studio album from the UK gods and marks the return of original guitarist Calvin Robertshaw to the fold. The album sees My Dying Bride celebrate its 25th anniversary in style with a landmark opus, sure to sate the thirst of fans both old and new. Spanning 8 tracks, these crushing Metallic epics laced with funereal atmosphere are undoubtedly among the band’s heaviest and darkest works to date, all while still exploring new realms of creativity. ‘Feel the Misery’ sees a notable return to the band’s old haunt, Academy Studios in Dewsbury West Yorkshire for recording, where all of My Dying Bride’s classic early albums were produced. This special edition is presented in a deluxe earbook format with a 40 page booklet, and includes a bonus disc featuring alternate mixes of album tracks, plus Feel the Misery on 10″ vinyl.  2015-08-21 – In anticipation of their upcoming record »Under The Red Cloud« (out worldwide September 4th via Nuclear Blast), melancholic metal masters AMORPHIS release their second single, incl. a video clip, for the song ‘Sacrifice’today. Guitar player Esa Holopainen commented:“’Sacrifice’ is the second release from »Under The Red Cloud« and it presents a bit more familiar AMORPHIS with catchy choruses and melodic touch. The video for ‘Sacrifice’ was shot in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna and follows the lyrical themes of the song. Like ‘Death Of A King’, ‘Sacrifice’ was pretty much Jens’ decision as a single track. The band finds it too difficult to pick up any single tracks. Haha!“ Summer Breeze 2015 will take place from 12-15 August and this particular festival is one amongst the others that our Metal Sound Team will visit. 2015-08-21 – Right before the European leg of the »Endless Forms Most Beautiful«tour kicks off, NIGHTWISH announce the release of a strictly limited (no re-prints!), special tour edition of their current record, coming with a bonus DVD, out on October 30th via Nuclear Blast.

The DVD contains all 21 making-of episodes, which came along before, during and after the album release. Besides those, the DVD includes two new, unreleased live clips for ‘Yours Is An Empty Hope’ and ‘Stargazers’ as well as five special clips incl. documentary scenes for the songs ‘Planet Hell’, ‘Last Of The Wilds’, ‘Storytime’, ‘Arabesque’ and ‘Last Ride Of The Day’. On top, there will be a huge photo gallery with more than 400 pictures, taken on the road and during the promotional period of »Endless Forms Most Beautiful«. 2015-08-21 – The pioneers of industrial-tinged extreme metal, FEAR FACTORY, released their much anticipated masterpiece Genexus worldwide this past Friday, via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The album charted in several countries around the globe, coming in at #13 on the World Top 40 Chart, and once again solidifying the band’s stature as an international force! In addition, Genexus has surpassed the band’s last two releases, Mechanize (2010) and The Industrialist (2012), in terms of first-week sales and chart numbers in the United States.

“Thank you to everyone who actively support their favorite artists,” commented the band from their current U.S. tour. “Also, thank you to Nuclear Blast’s fantastic performance in the promotion of Genexus! Because of your loyalty and diligence, we had a great first week, appearing on the charts across the globe! Please spread the word about our new album Genexus, for you are the ‘Genexus Generation’!”  Metal Days 2015 is one more festival where Metal Sound team will be presented as usual. If we count well this is the 6th time thta we are on Metal Days festival in Tolmin (Slovenia). Actually, everything has started with this festival years back. This time we are going to be out there at least for 3 days or more since there’s Wacken also to be visisted and after that Summer Breeze as well. Never the less we are more than eager to enjoy at this summer time fest once more. Hope to see you out there ! Wacken 2015: we would like to inform you that the full line up and running order for Wacken 2015 has been just published on line. Please for more info check out: wacken 2015. As it was the case with previous years Metal Sound team will be at Wacken 2015 from where you will get reports as it was the case with previous years. Our focus fro Wacken 2015 will be placed at Savatage and Running Wild returing shows but also there are some bands that will play the entire albums from their career like Amorphis and Samael. Also, there will be many other bands that will perform at Wacken 2015 which we are eager to see as Cradle of Filth, My Dying Bride, Annihilator, to Rob Zombie and alike. Aside of Wacken 2015, Metal Sound team we visist many other festivals during 2015: Summer Breeze, Metal Days, Bang Your Head and we have already been at Rockavaria in Munich. So, you can already to read the report from this awesome festival. Stay tuned for more to come. DREAM THEATER have revolutionized and defined Progressive Metal as it’s known and played today – a real exceptional band and THE big exception as well within our “Best of the Best” anniversary theme. Don’t miss DREAM THEATER joining you and us at Balingen for the very first time – at BANG YOUR HEAD!!! 2015! Nemačke heavy-power metal legende Blind Guardian nastupiće 19. maja u Belexpo centru u Beogradu. Publika će imati priliku da uživa u legendarnim hitovima kao i novim numerama sa njihovog jubilarnog desetog albuma „Beyond the red mirror“ Ovo će biti četvrti nastup benda u našem glavnom gradu, a za razliku od predhodnih, ovog puta će koncert biti održan u prostoru koji pruža znatno bolje tehničke uslove i samim tim veću mogućnost da se bend prezentuje u najboljem svetlu pred domaćom publikom. Izražavajući beskompromisno svoj umetnički stil, često inspirisan delima čuvenog Tolkina, vraćaju nas u svet pomalo zapostavljenih ljudskih vrlina u kojem je magija još uvek moguća. Za ovaj događaj je u prodaju pušteno svega 1.000 karata i kapacitet prostora će biti prilagođen broju posetilaca. Karte po ceni od 2.800 dinara se mogu kupiti putem sajta www.ddtickets.rs koji takođe vrši besplatnu isporuku na kućnu adresu na celoj teritoriji Srbije, kao i u svim Win Win radnjama širom zemlje. Više informacija na info@ddtickets.rs When SIRENIA mastermind Morten Veland starts composing, one thing is for sure: the Norwegian pours his heart and soul into a brand new escapist masterpiece! SIRENIA invite the listener on a cinematic journey with their new album The Seventh Life Path. This amazing new album is comfortably nestled between gothic metal and symphonic grandeur. The Seventh Life Path is a must-have for all lovers of the female fronted symphonic metal genre – and for everyone looking to leave their gray daily routine behind with remarkable and unforgettable melodies. Available from May 11th in the UK & May 12th US/CAN on Napalm Records!

Norwegian Black Metal legends SATYRICON have recently signed a worldwide deal with Austrian metal label Napalm Records for release of their upcoming DVD Live At The Opera!

This very special release of Satyricon‘s Live At The Opera will be unleashed in Europe on May 1st & on May 5th 2015 in North America via Napalm Records. It contains the full performance DVD and double CD of this exclusive and unique concert from the legendary Satyricon. Watch a preview of Live At The Opera here!

“This is not “Satyricon – Best Of from the Opera”, this is a show! The perfect parts need to go in there, but also the parts that are not so perfect. That`s the nature of it, that`s the real deal. It’s not a live album. It’s a celebration of what Satyricon stands for as a band.” commented mastermind Satyr.

To celebrate their upcoming DVD release, SATYRICON will be hitting the road for an extensive European tour alongside with Norwegian support acts in Oslo Faenskap and Vredehammer . Catch them live this April. All tour dates are listed below.

Extinct the brand new album by Portuguese Gothic Metal pioneers MOONSPELL entered the charts in Portugal at #1, Germany at #39, Switzerland at #32, Austria at #54, Finland at #47 (Indie List: #13), Belgium at #84, the Netherlands at #87 and France at #122, and this has been capped off by Metal Hammer Germany’s ranking Extinct as their Album Of The Month!

To celebrate this new release the band is currently hitting the road all over Europe and will continue on to the USA this May alongside Septicflesh.

Check out the tour trailer as well as their latest music video for the title track “Extinct”!

Stay entranced and under the spell and don’t forget to pick up your ticket to their European “Road to Extinction” headline tour with special guests SEPTIC FLESH. Find all tour dates below:

With the release of “One Man Army“, the forthcoming new studio offering from Finnish folk metal collective, ENSIFERUM, now just ten days away, today German Metal Hammer offers up “Heathen Horde,” for public consumption.

Captured by award-winning producer Anssi Kippo (Children Of Bodom, Impaled Nazarene, Entwine etc.) at Astia-Studios in Lappeenranta, Finland, the predominantly analog-recorded “One Man Army” wields eleven tracks of the band’s signature synthesis of Viking, folk and power metal swathed in fantastical themes of Scandinavian lore. Already reaping critical acclaim from media outlets globally, Metal Hammer gushes of the record: “ENSIFERUM have produced their most polished album to date; one that bulges with bombast and rages with frostbitten grit… these northern sword-wielders are close to finding the perfect recipe for taking folk into the mainstream of metal – all without losing a shred of authenticity.“

Sample “Heathen Horde” at THIS LOCATION.

Following recent performances at the 2015 edition of the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise, ENSIFERUM will pillage their way through Europe later this month, brandishing their swords alongside Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum.

Paradise Lost new album ‘The Plague Within’ will be released via CM on June 1st, 2015 in Europe and June 2nd, 2015 in North America!

Nick Holms, their vocalist,  has deed that they have written a very dark, yet melodic album, but this time many songs definitely have a death metal edge, which is something we haven’t done for a long long time in Paradise Lost… The Plague Within is produced and mixed by Jaime Gomez Arellano from Orgone Studios in London (Ghost BC, Ulver, Cathedral, Angel Witch).

Beyond the Red Mirror will be the title of the highly-anticipated tenth studio album by Germany’s favorite sons and metal’s most epic storytellers Blind Guardian.  Prepare to have your senses overwhelmed.  Four-and-a-half years in the making, the follow-up to 2010’s At the Edge of Time (which debuted at #2 on the German album charts and at #1 on the American Billboard Heatseekers chart & #108 on the American Billboard Top 200 Albums chart) is scheduled for release in Europe on January 30, 2015 and February 3, 2015 in North America.

Recorded at Twilight Hall Studio in Grefrath, Germany and produced by Charlie Bauerfeind (Saxon, Hammerfall, Helloween), Beyond the Red Mirror showcases Blind Guardian’s long-awaited collaborative work with three different classical choirs: one from the Czech Republic (Prague), one from Hungary (Budapest), and one from the United States (Boston).  Two grand orchestras – each featuring 90 musicians – also lend their brilliant talents to the new recordings with absolutely spellbinding results.

Transporting listeners via a mysteriously powerful red mirror into an otherworldly dimension that includes tyrants, gods, and the Holy Grail, the ten songs comprisingBeyond the Red Mirror’s story lines revolve around the young protagonist we first met twenty years ago in the 1995 tracks “Bright Eyes” and “And the Story Ends”.

“A story between science fiction and fantasy,” explains Blind Guardian vocalist & lyricist Hansi Kürsch. “The story begins with our 1995 album, Imaginations from the Other Side. The two worlds described therein have changed dramatically for the worse since then. While there used to be several passages between the worlds, there is only one gate left now: The Red Mirror. It has to be found at any cost.”

Asked to describe the band’s guiding principles for the creation of this new release, Blind Guardian guitarist André Olbrich shares: “We want to surprise and impress with our music. Nowadays, music tends to be arbitrary and predictable. But we want to keep developing our music.”

Opening with a tidal wave of surging emotion courtesy of a spine-tingling choirBeyond the Red Mirror unleashes its first gem, “The Ninth Wave”, a consciousness-expanding palette of landscapes and moods bearing the message of an urgent mission still seeking resolution. Closing with an explosion of heroic harmonies & choral glories with a nine-and-a-half minute, self-contained saga “Grand Parade” (called “the best song we have ever written” by Olbrich), the grandiose, uplifting, and ingenious storytelling in Beyond the Red Mirror is guaranteed to leave you breathless.

Come 2015, you will soon experience why Blind Guardian are so influential in their genre and without equal in the pantheon of heavy metal music.

The track listing for Beyond the Red Mirror is as follows:

1. The Ninth Wave
2. Twilight of the Gods
3. Prophecies
4. At the Edge of Time
5. Ashes of Eternity
6. Distant Memories (Bonus track)
7. The Holy Grail
8. The Throne
9. Sacred Mind
10. Miracle Machine
11. Grand Parade
12. Doom (Bonus track on Earbook version)

Hansi calls the album’s first single, “Twilight Of The Gods,” “a neck breaker… the pure definition of all that the band stands for: it is innovative, melodic and brutal.”  The mini-CD single includes two live tracks recorded at 2011’s Wacken Open Air festival in Germany and can be pre-ordered as a digi-pack or in white, blue, green or black vinyl from this location: http://smarturl.it/BLIND-GUARDIAN-Gods

BLIND GUARDIAN are back with a vengeance, “Twilight of the Gods” out on December 5, 2014! The wait is over! Blind Guardian is back! The world’s most popular fantasy metal band gives us Twilight of the Gods; the first single from their long-awaited new album, to be unleashed upon the world in January 2015.  “Twilight of the Gods”, the first creation of the Krefeld, Germany based band in more than four years will be released on December 5, 2014 via Nuclear Blast. Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kürsch assures, “this song is a statement about Blind Guardian. The pure definition of all that the band stands for: it is innovative, melodic and brutal.” And thus a perfect choice to get fans into the proper mood for the upcoming album. “Twilight of the Gods” is a “neck breaker” in the true tradition of Blind Guardian “that will captivate you with the most epic and catchy chorus we’ve ever written,” says Kürsch. In “Twilight of the Gods” Blind Guardian is singing about the deities’ waning power; no such times are in sight for the band. Blind Guardian is back with a vengeance; with an impressive single from an overwhelming record! ENSIFERUM have been locked away in Astia Studio (astiastudio.fi) in Lappeenranta in Finland with producer Anssi Kippo for three weeks. Drums, bass, and most of the guitar parts have been recorded. At the end of last week, guest musician Timo Väänänen tracked some takes with his kantele, and over the weekend, vocalist Petri Lindroos began tracking vocals! Bassist Sami Hinkka comments: “Hi folks! For last few days, Mahi and Pete have sweated their asses off while recording guitars. Songs sound, like our friends in UK would say, bloody awesome! Today (Friday, September 26) we recorded kantele and some special guitar tracks. Tomorrow it’s time to set up a microphone and start to record vocals. Things are proceeding as planned.“ The album is tentatively scheduled for release worldwide on Metal Blade Records in early 2015.

Swedish heavy metal icons, AMON AMARTH, have launched their brand new music video, the title track to their 2013 album, “Deceiver of the Gods.” The video features clips from the upcoming film,Northmen – A Viking Saga, which stars Tom Hopper, Ryan Kwanten, Ken Duken, and features Johan Hegg as Valli. The film is scheduled for release this autumn. It’s no surprise, given the level of talent and eye-catching visuals of the film that this will be the most remarkable AMON AMARTH video to date. Watch the video now at Metal Hammer HERE! For more information about Northmen – A Viking Saga, visit northmen-themovie.com and facebook.com/NorthmenMovie.

About Northmen – A Viking Saga: In the 9th century a group of Vikings, commanded by captain Asbjörn, is approaching Britain, aiming to plunder the rich monasteries in the north of the island. But their ship gets caught in a storm and is smashed to pieces on the rocks off the coast of Scotland, the only part of Britain without any Viking settlements. When Inghean, daughter of the Scottish King Dunchaid, by chance falls into Viking hands, they see the opportunity for demanding a large ransom. King Dunchaid immediately sets his “wolfpack” – a group of mercenaries well known for their savagery – on them. The Northmen with their hostage now have to force their way through the rough highlands, where they meet the brave and mysterious Christian monk Conall. Having the wolfpack close on their heels, a desperate race against time begins. A battle over life and death…

AMON AMARTH will be sailing to Tokyo, Japan for KNOTFEST 2014! The festival takes place on November 15th and November 16th, with Slipknot headlining both days. AMON AMARTH will be performing on the 16th along with Korn, Trivium, In Flames, Five Finger Death Punch, and more. Tickets, the complete line up, and more information can be found at http://knotfestjapan.com.

The band will also be re-conquering North America beginning this month. This time around, they will be bringing fellow Swedes, Sabaton, along for the ride. Additionally, Skeletonwitch will once again be opening the show, except in New York where fans will be treated to the first ever, and exclusive North American performance by extreme metal super group Vallenfyre*. In February of this year, fans in Los Angeles were treated to an exclusive appearance of the Viking ship stage set up. New York fans will bear witness to the Viking ship spectacle at the Best Buy Theatre on October 18, which also happens to be one of two Decibel Magazine 10th Anniversary shows in NYC that evening! Tickets are available now – visit amonamarth.com/tour for details.

“Deceiver of the Gods,” was released in June of 2013. The album debuted at #19 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, making it the band’s highest-charting album to date. Fans can listen to music and watch the epic video for “Father of the Wolf” at http://www.metalblade.com/amonamarth.

Twelve years after their last studio effort “Weiland”, Empyrium – the masters of natural ambiances set to music – return with a much-anticipated new album. Notwithstanding their creative break, “The Turn Of The Tides” is an Empyrium-album par excellence, although it bears strong testimony to the artistic and personal growth Schwadorf and Helm have undergone since 2002. The pre-published songs “The Days Before The Fall” (from the compilation “Whom The Moon A Nightsong Sings”, 2010) and “Dead Winter Ways (released in November 2013 as a limited vinyl-EP) have already implied that for their new material, Empyrium draw on different forms of musical expression more confidently than ever, yet do not shy away from the wide range their oeuvre has offered so far. Concurrently with the music, the conceptional aspect of “The Turn Of The Tides” attests to a mature and evolved elaboration on Empyrium’s essence. Nature and human emotion as reflected in it still remain subject matter of the songs, but here, too, Helm and Schwadorf choose a more abstract approach. “The Turn Of The Tides” adresses cycles, both within nature – the tides of the sea, the change of seasons, the eternal circulation of water – as well as human life, and insinuates how everything rediscovers itself in everything. Available editions: – CD in digipak – CD in hardcover book (ca. 18×18 cm, 48 pages) incl. liner notes and additional artwork; 777 copies available

There’s left around 40 days until we reach the new Wacken 2014. Many bands are already prepared to have their shows at Wacken festival ground, at the ground of the biggest Metal Festival in the world. Some bands will have their special shows at Wacken, one amongst them is Emperor. Come 2014, the band will celebrate the 20th anniversary of “In The Nightside Eclipse”, with a few exclusive performances. Beyond that, the future, as ever, is a mystery waiting to be unraveled…

Blind Guardian will be headlining the 2014 Metal Hammer Awards in Berlin, Germany on September 12, 2014. The show will be hosted by Doro Pesch and Martin Kesici and will feature two more, yet to be announced, live acts in addition to Blind Guardian.

All the details about the show can be found at www.metal-hammer.de/awards/.

At the above link you can also help choose the songs Blind Guardian will play that night. The band themselves have chosen 15 songs from which the fans can vote for 7. The seven most popular choices will be played that night (in addition to other songs). So, if you have ever wanted to tell Blind Guardian which songs to play live now is your chance! To go directly to the voting page just click HERE. Voting closes on August 6^th and the results will be posted soon after.

Tickets for the 2014 Metal Hammer Awards show can be purchased through Eventim orADticket.

Swedish Viking black metal-tinged act, KING OF ASGARD, have announced “Karg” as the title of their third album. “Karg” will be released the 22nd of July, 2014 via Metal Blade Records. Visitmetalblade.com/kingofasgard to stream the first single “The Runes Of Hel” and pre-order your copy of the album.

“Karg” is the third album of KING OF ASGARD, following “Fi’mbulvintr“, which was released in 2010 and “…to North” in 2012.“Karg” has again been recorded with Andy LaRocque at the infamous Sonic Train Studios. Comments Jonas Albrektsson and Karl Beckman: “After well over a year of intensive writing, we finally reached the point where everything is put into finish. When countless hours of hard work and careful consideration has been completed. This completion, being our third album which at an early stage was titled to “Karg”, in English, “Barren”.

A word which later on came to form the atmosphere of the whole album and a sense that meanders through more or less all the material. It’s darker, it is harsher and more stripped down than our previous releases. More mature, precise and well thought out. A challenge both for us as well as for the observer. Lyrically, we have come closer to our own immediate surrounding and ancestral heritage, based on old legends and tales from our home region, a tribute to our fair and historical countryside. Yet again everything was recorded and mixed in Sonic Train Studios with Andy LaRocque at the helm assisted by Olof Berggren. Even in the phase of recording we used the word Karg as a guideline… and thus, it is upon thee!”

“Karg” track listing: 01. The Runes of Hel 02. The Trickster 03. Highland Rebellion 04. Remnant of the Past 05. Omma 06. The Heritage Throne 07. Huldran 08. Rising 09. Total Destruction (Bonus Track) The band’s two previous, critically acclaimed albums are available worldwide on Metal Blade Records. Listen to the band on iTunes and Spotify to hear what Terrorizer Magazine called “intense blackened folk metal”. KING OF ASGARD: Karl Beckman – Guitar, Vocals Jonas Albrektsson – Bass Lars G Tängmark – Guitar Karsten Larsson –