Nick Menza documentary This Was My Life Screening dates announced

Everyone who was able to see drummer Nick Menza perform will remember his tight way of playing drums. He was one of those performers who knew how to put a spotlight on his drumming at the proper timing and to play the rhythm straight forward at other times.

A documentary has been put together that is described as a in-depth exploration of the life of Nick Menza, the former drummer of Megadeth, and one of the greatest thrash metal drummers of all time. It is a collection of stories from his childhood all the way through to the end of his life, recounted by those who knew him best. The documentary, authorized by the Menza family, will be the first to memorialize the drummer's legacy.

The poster for the Red Carpet premiere of "This Was My Life".

Two screening dates have been set up so far. The first one is going to happen on Thursday, April 10th at the Laemmle Royal theater in Los Angeles, CA. Located at 11523 Santa Monica Blvd. West L.A., CA 90025. Members of the cast and crew will be in attendance for a Q&A session after the screening of the film.  

Tickets for the screening are available at https://www.laemmle.com/film/was-my-life-nick-menzas-metal-memories-megadeth-and-beyond

The second one has been announced for Thursday, April 17th, at Hawthorne Theatre , located at 300 Lafayette Ave, Hawthorne, NJ 07506. Members of the cast and crew will be in attendance for a Q&A session after the screening of the film. 

Tickets for the event may be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/this-was-my-life-east-coast-premiere-hawthorne-theatre-tickets-1255857727269

Here is a trailer showing some scenes of the documentary.

Movie Review: Date From Hell (Horror Short, 2019)

Some dates are horrible. That's the way it looks like with the pair that can be seen in the beginning of the horror short movie "Date From Hell". The two have a little controversity going on (like so many have) and finally the man stands up. He had enough and leaves. She follows him and he disappears in a sideway.

The excellent cover for the horror short "Date From Hell"

Afterwards the movie starts a life of it's own. I won't spoiler anything here just saying that it will keep you shocked, laughing and wondering behind once you finish the full movie. I never thought it would be possible to do such a strong film in such a limited duration.

But this is in fact way better than many movies I've seen that last for the standard 90 minute format. This is even more surprising for me as I'm not the strongest horror movie fan at all - please take this as a sign for a strong recommendation to check "Date From Hell" out. For a first teaser I can give you a small look inside with the official trailer. You'll get a idea of what it is all about.

"Date From Hell" Horror Short Teaser Trailer from Amadon-Shannon Media Group on Vimeo.

I could even imagine this to be a new trend since time is always limited but sometimes you have a few spare minutes on your hands. That's the moment people may seek something like this. Anyway, make sure to visit a screening near you or stream it of the official sources.

The first screening will be September 13th 2019 at GAS MONKEY Bar & Grill in Dallas, TX, as part of their CORPSEPAINT SHOW PARTY benefiting FOUNDATION 45 Powered by FANGORIA, where the film can be viewed alongside "Satanic Panic" and "Road Trash".

The second screening, coinciding with the film's official release on ALTER, will be September 16th 2019 at Independence Brewing Company in Austin, TX. This will be coupled with the official INDIGNANT DOG FILMS formation party, celebrating the creation of IDF whose founders (Ven Scott, Brandon Torres, and Tracee Beebe) were thrown together for the production of Date From Hell.

Metalocalypstick Fest celebrates women in Metal

Some festivals have something special to offer. This particular one caught my attention with it's unusual wooden stage. In addition to that it has mountains as natural backdrop. A really special and cool location.

But what's even better is the fact that this Valemount, BC  Lone Butte, BC (Canada) (Explanation. I got a update in the mail today that the venue has moved.) based festival centers upon the female contribution to the world of Heavy music and has some band in it's line-up from countries you don't see often at festivals (Egypt, Mexico). Founded by Kaija Kinney of Vancouver’s Anarcheon after researching a lack of female based metal festivals to apply her band to, Kinney took matters into in her own and decided to produce the event.

Kinney comments:

“This festival means the celebration of both sexes coming together and creating something amazing. People like to say women in metal aren’t a big deal anymore and that we are all the same. I feel that is untrue, this is still a male dominated world and woman are still looked as lesser. I want to showcase all these bad ass ladies and celebrate the differences of men and woman rather than pretend we are all equal. Truth is we are different why can't we celebrate that?”

Check the short trailer below to find out how it's like to be at METALOCALYPSTICK FEST. Even if you can't make it there I recommend to watch the movie. It has some great band's rocking the stage so it's well worth checking it out.


METALOCALYPSTICK is being held during Canada Day weekend on July 1st and 2nd in Valemount, BC. Lone Butte, BC (Canada) at the outdoor grounds of the Interlakes Community Center in Lone Butte, BC. (Explanation. I got a update in the mail today that the venue has moved.)

This year's line up features bands from across Canada and beyond with Cabrakaan (Toluca, Mexico), Sovereign Council (Kingston, ON), Violent Betty (Saskatoon, SK), Atmora (Windsor, ON), Scythia (Calgary, AB), Massive Scar Era (Vancouver, BC / Cairo, Egypt) and many more.

There are day-tickets available (64 Candian Dollar) but there's also a option for both days (priced at 95 CAD including camping).

Poster created by Abradinfluence
https://www.facebook.com/abradinfluence/

Update 2017/04/26: The venue has moved. The festival will be held in Lone Butte, BC at the outdoor grounds of the Interlakes Community Center in Lone Butte, BC.

In addition to the festival celebrating women in metal, the METALOCALYPSTICK FEST gives back to the community by being a non-profit organization dedicated to raise funds and donating 100% of proceeds to local charities Girls Rock Camp, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, Earth Protectors plus an audience picked foundation.

For tickets and more info, please visit the following links:
  
www.metalocalypstickfest.rocks
www.facebook.com/metalocalypstickfest/
Event Page- www.facebook.com/events/1158984924137688/
Ride Share - www.facebook.com/groups/metalocalypstickfestrideshare/

Interview with Mistheria about Vivaldi Metal Project.com (2016)

(c) by Vivaldi Metal Project, used with kind permission

Short Introduction
 
The all-metal-stars VIVALDI METAL PROJECT involves 70+ world-famous musicians from all around the globe such as

Rick Wakeman (YES), Michael Lepond (SymphonyX), Fabio Lione (Rhapsody of Fire / Angra), Rob Rock (Impellitteri), Dani Loeble (Helloween), Marco Sfogli (J. LaBrie), Andreas Passmark (Royal Hunt), Chris Caffery (Trans Siberian Orchestra / Savatage), Steve Di Giorgio (Testament), Atma Anur (T. MacAlpine, G. Howe), Tommy Denander (Radioactive / Toto)

The Project will make a Metal version of Antonio Vivaldi's legendary masterpiece “THE FOUR SEASONS”. Moreover, the project features the "Sinfonietta Consonus Symphonic Orchestra" conducted by Szymon Morus and the "Academic Choir Manolov" conducted by Darena Popova. Here you can hear a short trailer:


The international Vivaldi Metal Project was launched at the end of 2013 by keyboardist, composer and producer Mistheria (solo artist who also worked with such top artists as Bruce Dickinson, Rob Rock, RoyZ among others) together with his co-producer, bassist/composer Alberto Rigoni (solo artist,TwinSpirits).
The album release is set on 2016. More names will be unveiled soon!

In the meantime, The Vivaldi Metal Project launched a crowdfunding campaign on PledgeMusic with the album pre-sales (will be available as mp3 for digital download or USB key and on CD) and various additional exclusive options such as autographed CDs, CD boxes, Skype interviews, online lessons and shows. A part of donations will be used for charity purposes. More information is available at this location: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/vivaldi-metal
The campaign is up and running so there's still a chance of picking up one of the exclusive offers.

Heavy Metal Underdogs was very curious when we first heard about the project. Happily we had the chance to talk to one of the masterminds behind the project (Mistheria). Find out how it's like to be when the production of such a massive project lies in your hands, the current status of the ongoing recording process and get to know about the further future plans in this interview. 

Heavy Metal Underdogs: Who had the initial idea to the project?

Mistheria: Hi Joern! I've started thinking to a symphonic-metal remake of the Vivaldi's "The Four Season" several years ago, then on 2013 I made a demo to check how it would have sounded, I liked the idea and moved ahead...

Why did you pick the four seasons suite?

M: I've been listening to this masterwork thousand of times during my life, simply I love it! Then I found a Piano reduction score (quite rare music sheet) and played it time by time for my personal enjoyment, but then the vigorous rhythmic, the wonderful melodies and metal-oriented harmonies convinced me to arrange them mixing my two favorite genres, Classical and Metal.

Is Vivaldi amongst your favorites / influences that made you start with music?

M: Definitely yes! I was a kid, and I found a Classical collection in the newsstand and asked to my parents to buy the first issue, it was dedicated to Bach, Handel and Vivaldi ...

Why did you decide to split up all the several parts to various musicians instead of sticking to only a few?

M: Because I think to Classical music and Vivaldi are an "universal world of music" that artists must live and enjoy together and give, each one, his/her own contribution, like in the real world each of us make possible the other people living through his/her own job and activity, in the same way each artist should contribute creating this metal-opera adding personal talent, musicality, feel and love.

Mistheria in the studio, (c) by Mistheria, used with kind permission

Can you please give a little overview on the steps that were necessary to build up such a massive project? I know at least that it needed around two years of preparation before the project could start into the recording phase.

M: The basic idea was that I'd have arranged the full opera and give the parts to the various artists, something I do for my solo albums. So I made couple arrangements but then I felt that it would have been a new album of mine instead to be a real “project”. So, one day I submitted my idea to involve other arrangers to my co-producer Alberto Rigoni, he loved the idea as well. So, I've started calling some friends that, I knew, they would have loved work on it as arranger and afterward we launched some contests to engage new arrangers. This took some months since I had to collect demos, listen and analyze them, give directions, suggesting changes, etc. Meanwhile, artists were invited as performers and we've started receiving lot of requests from any artists to participate (still arriving in our inbox as we talk...). A lot of material for me to check and sort out... We started recordings after year and half since the project has been launched.

Can you already give a little insight on who will exactly play which part of the suite or should it be kept as a surprise until the release of the record?

M: Well, time by time we post on our social networks about recordings progress and the most of time we also mention the songs that they have worked on... the exact lineup of each song is not complete yet so we cannot give it out, several artists are still recording, some parts can be switched among artists for production needs, etc. However, following us on www.facebook.com/vivaldimetalproject anyone can try to collect the info and for some songs maybe already get the final picture.. ;-)

Is the list of musicians contributing to the project already complete or can people who would be interested in joining the project still get in touch with you?

M: Let's say that the 90% of lineup is complete. We have a “waiting list” quite long of musicians (many of time very excellent artists) which already sent their request time ago, but, you know, it's pretty impossible to give a spot to everybody at the moment, because we're looking now to fill some very specific parts which require very specific requirements. Sometime I give a look back to the guest-list and pick some artist which I think can complete some parts still unassigned, etc. Some artists have been recalled after one year … sometime it is not a nice job to do for me and especially I hate to say no to someone which would have loved to participate, I thank always for understanding.

Mistheria and Alberto Rigoni, (c) by Mistheria and Alberto Rigoni, used with kind permission

  
How did you find the best fitting musician for each part of the suite?

M: As said, I needed and still need hours per day to analyze artists' skills, a proper study on their works and musical attitudes (of course except the well known artists which I've already worked with or that I simply know from their past albums). Then I write down some memos and immediately assign them to a song, although not as a definitive choice. Then, days after I'm back to that assignment, checking if I was right or maybe need to change it, etc. A long process, sometime choices are hard to make and at risk, but that's my job here...

Will the finished product also include parts of modern metal music (use of harsh effects, brutal production, low tuned guitars etc.) or do you prefer a more classic attempt on the songwriting?

M: I love some intersection of genres although keeping always tightly the final goal. I've required some harsh parts, low tuned guitars, etc. during the recordings, and during the mix we'll tune and add them even more.

Do you think their will be live-performances of the album with at  least some of the musicians that contributed to the project in the future?

M: There is already an idea about it and we've already got some interesting and nice proposals for live shows. I cannot focus on it right now, since my main job at the moment is to complete the recordings and mix the album. Several artists which recorded on the album have already given their availability for live performances. There are already some collaborators and agencies working on it, we'd really love the Vivaldi Metal Project live on stage!

Do you see the chance of putting together a DVD one day that shows the making of the recordings in detail?

M: This could be a very nice idea although it's the first time someone asks me about. Well, sure it'd be interesting as a “bonus” material and we've definitely to consider it, I'll pass your idea to my staff... thanks for such a great suggestion! ;-)


All the best and have a great rockin' weekend :)

M: Thanks to you Joern and to all Heavy Metal Underdogs readers! Please, keep following the Vivaldi Metal Project on www.vivaldimetalproject.com

Wacken 2014 and beyond - streams online and boxset coming

Life can only be understood in reverse. But must be lived forwards… This quote from the Megadeth song "Losing my senses" is a good statement in my eyes. We should focus on the here and now rather than on the past.

Anyway, sometimes you may also like to look back as some memories can also be pretty sweet. This often comes into play when thinking about visiting a festival like the Wacken Open Air.

The german TV station zdf kultur has re-uploaded some of the broadcasts of the past Wacken Open Air from 2014. So here's one more chance to see this stuff if you haven't already.

Kreator

Schandmaul

Amon Amarth

Hammerfall

In addition to that a mediabook package with 3 DVDs / Blu-rays is coming our way which will reflect upon the Wacken Open Airs of all the past years called „25 Years of Wacken – Snapshots, Scraps, Thoughts And Sounds“ .

The german Rock Hard megazine has been given the honour to exclusively present a first insight into the book on their website showing stuff from the years 1990 - 1994. Unfortunately it's in german but the pictures inside should be of interest to many people.

For more infos from the boxset and some snippets from the DVDs watch the trailer below.

Final line-up of Reverence Festival announced

Portuguese psych/ doom festival, Reverence has released its final heavy line-up with additions and a trailer to accompany it. The festival features the amazing HAWKWIND, PSYCHIC TV, SWERVEDRIVER, ELECTRIC WIZARD, GRAVEYEARD, RED FANG, THE WYTCHES, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX and many many more.

Check out the trailer below to find out which bands made it to the final line-up. For more information on the festival check out my previous post about it including info on location, prices and links to all the related websites.

Update 2014/07/11: The latest additions to the line-up have just been released! Completing the line-up for 2014 are Austin psych heroes The Black Angels, Sweedish heavy-metal four-piece Bombus, Lisbon trio Miss Lava, The Rising Sun Experience, The Jabberwocky Band & Celestial Bums.

Update 2014/06/04: More bands have been announced! With today's additions sixty bands playing over two days on four stages are now confirmed for this festival.
The latest additions to the line up include Brooklyn shoegaze pysch band A Place to Bury Strangers, The Black Angels's guitarist Christian Bland & the Revelatorsplaying for the first time in Europe and Austins Holy Wave. Portuguese acts Dreamweapon and 10000 Russos, Berlin's Francois Sky and DJ's Nuno Calado andTiago Castro complete the lost of acts just announced.

Update 2014/05/09: There are still bands added to the line-up! So there is even more value for money for everyone who decides to go to the festival. The latest additions to the line-up include pysche-rocker Bardo Pond and fellow Americans Sleepy Sun.

Trail of Murder - Swedish power metal band first trailer is up!

So nowadays it's hard for bands to grab the attention of the record company's to make them aware of their projects and get them to release the music they do. One of those bands, that still isn't signed is Trail of Murder.

Trail of Murder are:
Urban breed: Vocals (Pyramaze, ex-bloodbound, ex-Tad Morose)
Daniel Olsson: Guitars, backing vocals (Ex-Tad Morose)
Pelle Åkerlind: Drums, backing vocals (Morgana Lefay, bloodbound, LadyDie)
Hasse Eismar: Guitars, backing vocals Johan Bergquist: Bass, backing vocals
Johan Bergquist: Bass, backing vocals
 
The first trailer they did release sound great, so here's my attempt to help and spread the word a bit. Enjoy the fine music and tell others about it.


Update 2012/11/05: Having taken a look around I found out that the band has set up a little website with some info about the coming together of the band. At the end of the page there's also a link to their webshop where the album can be bought. There you can also check out the artwork of the CD.

The website of  the band's record company Metal Heaven has some short snippets for listening in their soundbytes section. Thought you guys out there wanna to know since I witnessed in my statistics that some of you had looked for info upon the band here on my blog. Amazon also lists the CD already! Great news all around! :-)