Hot on the heels of the new STRYPER release “No More Hell To Pay” I caught up with vocalist/guitarist/founder Michael Sweet and had a great conversation. Kevin Chiaramonte of PFA (Paul Freundlich Associates) set this up so many thanks to him. Michael and I had a nice, relaxing conversation about life and music. Here is the link to the interview:
Be sure to check out the new release from STRYPER “No More Hell To Pay” out on Frontiers Records
it’s loud, it’s inspiring, it’s STRYPER!
the Hellion
I have had the great pleasure of becoming friends with Jeff and Mike over the years. I have shared in the joy of their successes in the music industry. They released one of my favorite CD’s to date, Of The Earth, and collaborated with Frank Hannon (Tesla) on “SIX-STRING SOLDIERS”.
Now they are releasing a new single “It’s All I Need” in 2014.
Mike and Jeff have some pretty heavy hitters add their touch to this project as well. They have recruited bassist Kurt Arft (Die Hard Til Death, Mind Merchant) to law down the bottom end, Kurt is an amazing player and an awesome person to boot. Studio wizard Chris Collier (Music Producer, Pro Tools Engineer, Mixer, Session Drummer) will be producing and drumming on the track. With all of these factors in the equation it adds up to one hell of a project. Stay tuned to Jeff and Mike’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JeffandMikeMusic and the Hellion Rocks for updates.
it’s melodic, it’s beautiful, it’s Mike Araiza and Jeffery Sandoval
the Hellion
It has been a while since I have seen Jake E. Lee with such a smile on his face. I am glad he is returning with this exciting new project. It is definitely a release that I cannot wait for.
In case you’ve been in exile here is the official press release:
RED DRAGON CARTEL TO RELEASE THEIR SELF-TITLED DEBUT VIA FRONTIERS RECORDS
New Album by Band Comprised of Former Ozzy Osbourne/Badlands Guitar Legend Jake E. Lee, Bassist Ronnie Mancuso, Vocalist D.J. Smith and Drummer Jonas Fairley Set for Release on January 28th
(New York, NY – November 20, 2013) – The newest band ready to take aim at the creative void in the hard rock world, Red Dragon Cartel, are set to release their debut album via Frontiers Records. The self-titled debut by the band, made up of guitar legend Jake E. Lee, bassist Ronnie Mancuso, singer D.J. Smith and drummer Jonas Fairley is set for release on January 28th. Jake E. Lee is best known for his work in Badlands and as guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne on Bark at the Moon and The Ultimate Sin albums. Red Dragon Cartel also features various guest appearances from some of music’s most notable faces including legendary Cheap Trick vocalist Robin Zander, original Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di’Anno, Kill Devil Hill/Pantera bassist Rex Brown, Slash’s Conspirators Todd Kearns and Brent Fitz and In This Moment front woman Maria Brink. The album was produced by Ronnie Mancuso and Jake E. Lee and was executive produced, mixed and mastered by Kevin Churko (In This Moment, Ozzy Osbourne, Five Finger Death Punch).
From the opening riff of “Deceived” to final sustained piano chord of “Exquisite Tenderness,” it is clear Red Dragon Cartel has created an album that stands amongst some of the greatest hard rock albums of all time. Infectious songs such as “Shout It Out,” “Wasted” and “Slave” showcase the band’s ability to write memorable hooks and vocal melodies. Robin Zander of Cheap Trick lends his voice to the track “Feeder” and a lyric video for the song can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/FeederLyricVideo. Maria Brink of In This Moment lends her unique vocals to the track “Big Mouth.” Paul Di’Anno and Sass Jordan also lend their talents to the band’s debut. Jake E. Lee’s trademark playing style instantly shines through and picks up right where he left off. The album is available for pre-order on Amazon.com at http://amzn.to/1aYjMng or digitally on iTunes at http://smarturl.it/reddragoncartel that comes with an instant download of “Deceived.” Eddie Trunk is premiering “Deceived” in the 11:00PM hour Friday night on his weekly radio show that can be heard on Q104.3 in the NYC area, streaming on Q104.3 website or with the free iheartradio app for any smartphone.
The track listing for Red Dragon Cartel is:
1. Deceived
2. Shout It Out
3. Feeder with Robin Zander
4. Fall From The Sky (Seagull)
5. Wasted with Paul Di’Anno
6. Slave
7. Big Mouth with Maria Brink
8. War Machine
9. Redeem Me with Sass Jordan
10. Exquisite Tenderness
The band will be bringing these new powerhouse songs on the road playing a handful of dates before embarking on a full tour in 2014. The band will be stopping in Los Angeles, Tempe, San Diego and Las Vegas and is a must-see for anyone in those markets. Tickets are currently on-sale and all information can be found on the band’s website.
December 12th – Los Angeles, CA – Whisky A Go Go
December 14th – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theater (Support of Queensryche)
December 15th – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
December 20th – Las Vegas, NV – Count’s Vamp’d
Red Dragon Cartel – Official Website:http://reddragoncartel.com
Official Facebook:www.facebook.com/reddragoncartel
Official Twitter:https://twitter.com/reddragoncartel
There is nothing like a dose of thrash to get your heart racing and blood pumping. I got news this morning from HIRAX vocalist Katon W. De Pena of their impending new release Immortal Legacy. Here is the track listing:
1. Black Smoke
2. Hellion Rising
3. Victims of the Dead
4. The Conquest. Thunder Roar. La Boca de la Bestia (Mouth of the Beast)
5. Earth Shaker
6. Tied to the Gallows Pole
7. Deceiver
8. Immortal Legacy
9. Mass Hysteria
10. Mephistopheles
11. Sign of the Wolf “S.O.W.” part 2 (intro)
12. Violence of Action
13. Atlantis (Journey to Atlantis)
14. The World Will Burn (Suffer the World)
Imagine my great delight to hear the lead single, which will be officially released on 11/22/13 “Hellion Rising”. While coincidental, I think it is a great title. Here is the artwork for the single.
Stay tuned for continuing coverage of Hirax right here on the Hellion Rocks!
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s HIRAX!
-the HellionImmortal
Thanks to Paul Gargano from Century Media I found myself on the phone with Steve Asheim, one of the founding members of the influential Death metal band DEICIDE.
The band will drop its new record, In The Minds Of Evil on November 26th (I’m writing my review for it as well). It was an interesting interview with Steve, check it out here:
it’s loud, it’s evil, it’s DEICIDE!!!
the Hellion
Josh Eldridge from Victory Records brought SEEKER to my attention. It just so happened that they were also coming to my town. I managed to drag them away for 10 minutes and chat with them about music. I was able to shoot their set for review (coming soon). Check out this the interview right here:
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s SEEKER!!
-the Hellion
British Heavy Metal Legends SAXON Unleash Brand New “Unplugged and Strung Up” Album Teaser with Interview Footage
New Album of Alternative Takes on Classic Favorites Hits Stores on November 25, 2013
British heavy metal legends SAXON and UDR Music are pleased to reveal a brand new Unplugged and Strung Up album teaser, which also includes snippets of interviews with vocalist Biff Byford. Check out the exclusive new video via UDR Music’s YouTube page here:
Unplugged and Strung Up hits stores in the US on Monday, November 25th due to the holiday week, via UDR Music.
With Unplugged and Strung Up, SAXON introduces a carefully selected collection of unique, fresh and adventurous interpretations of material previously heard only with raw heavy metal thunder, the point is triumphantly underscored.
Unplugged and Strung Up reveals layers and pieces previously dormant in many of the 14 classic SAXON songs chosen for this makeover, thanks to some ear-catching new arrangements and mixes. Recorded, mixed and mastered with Andy Sneap in Derbyshire, UK earlier this year, Biff and co. re-evaluated, re-worked and re-energized the towering likes of ‘The Eagle Has Landed’ and ‘Crusader’ by introducing orchestral dynamics to offer added dimension. ‘Frozen Rainbow’ from the band’s 1979 debut, gets a stunning acoustic reprisal which transports it into a power ballad to be proud of, whilst ‘Red Star Falling’ soars and sweeps the emotions with its orchestrally-arranged dovetail.
As if this reinvention wasn’t enough, SAXON superfans and collectors can purchase a digipack version of the release which will include 2002’s storming set of full-volume, pedal-to-the-metal re-recorded hits Heavy Metal Thunder. Featuring staple SAXON stormers such as ‘Motorcycle Man’, ‘Strong Arm of the Law’ and ‘Dallas 1pm’, it is a quintessential part of any collection. Order your copy of the digipack version here via Amazon.
The full-track listing for Unplugged and Strung Up is as follows:
01 Stallions Of The Highway (Remix)
02 Crusader (Orchestrated Version)
03 Battle Cry
04 The Eagle Has Landed (Orchestrated Version)
05 Red Star Falling (Orchestrated Version)
06 Broken Heroes (Orchestrated Version)
07 Call To Arms (Orchestrated Version)
08 Militia Guard
09 Forever Free (Re-recorded Version)
10 Just Let Me Rock (Re-recorded Version)
11 Frozen Rainbow (Acoustic Version)
12 Iron Wheels (Live Acoustic Version)
13 Requiem (Acoustic Version)
14 Coming Home (Acoustic Version)
The full track-listing for Heavy Metal Thunder is as follows:
01 Heavy Metal Thunder
02 Strong Arm Of The Law
03 Power & The Glory
04 And The Bands Played On
05 Crusader
06 Dallas 1PM
07 Princess Of The Night
08 Wheels Of Steel
09 747 (Strangers In The Night)
10 Motorcycle Man
11 Never Surrender
12 Denim & Leather
13 Backs To The Wall
Formats:
– Limited Edition Digipack + Bonus Disc Heavy Metal Thunder
– CD Jewel Case
– Double Vinyl Gatefold LP
– Digital Download
– Exclusive D2C (Direct To Consumer) Package
For more information, please visit www.saxon747.com and www.udr-music.com.
What is music? Wow, what a question. I’ll try to tell you what it is to me.
I remember being alone a lot when I was younger, I also remember a painful childhood. Yet there was always a friend around to whisk me away from reality, music. I would often find myself listening to the world around me and the music it contained. There were birds chirping, the wind in the trees or against a building, the rain, sometimes the music of people going about their lives. That was natural music and it lives within us all, it is primal.
I remember radio becoming a close friend to me as well. I would listen to the various stations open minded to all that I was hearing. Through it all Rock N’ Roll called to me and welcomed me with open arms. There was such feeling in the music, and I identified with it. I was carried away from the everyday world by Rush, Van Halen, Boston, Peter Frampton, KISS….on an on. I was safe with them and I felt good. I give thanks to the live DJs who turned me on to the music they were listening to. I remember being able to call them up late night and discuss music with them and learn of bands and songs that still hold meaning to me today.
Ahhh the rock show, I have many fond memories here. When I was old enough I started going to live concerts and experiencing live music. What a joy to hear the songs I had come to know and love in a live setting. It was magical to see the songs being played to the moment. There is nothing like a live song played with the passion and emotions of the artist in the now. It was a party going to a live show, no fighting (well not like today, there were a few at times), no animosity, such a gathering for a good time. You could find out about bands you might not have heard of yet from others and you could turn them on to bands you have discovered. It was FUN!!! No cellphones, no leaving before the show was over, you were on from the first note to the end. Then the post show hangout and discussions, oh the times we had.
The event of a new release, yes I said event. Once upon a time there were music stores and that was their main focus. Many of us would read every scrap of print we could find in order to know about upcoming releases. We would hang around in the record store talking music, and about the bands we loved. When a new record came out we would eagerly shell out our hard earned bucks, race home heart pounding, rip off the plastic, smell the fresh vinyl, drop the needle, and escape into the album artwork and liner notes.
What is music? Well, to me it is life, love and who we are. Our styles and preferences may change throughout the years but that love lives on within us. It is a different world today, the demise of the big labels, record stores closing, live radio traded for corporate canned programming. And yet, I raise my horns high and rock on as I have always done. The spirit lives on in me as I know it does in others and I am taking it back from the corporate world and I am gonna pass this message on to the world. Go to a live show, buy a t-shirt, buy a physical copy of the bands music, read the liner notes, TALK to people at a show, live the music because it lives in you.
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s ROCK N’ ROLL (and I love it)
-the Hellion
Emperors and Elephants is releasing the debut album January 21st!!! Stayed tuned here for exclusive updates and news!!!
wanna teaser????:
are YOU ready?
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s EMPERORS AND ELEPHANTS!!!
-the Hellion
I cannot say enough good things about Kill Devil Hill. Paul Gargano of Century Media made sure I received the new CD Revolution Rise for review, set up an interview with vocalist Dewey Bragg, and arranged for me to shoot their show and meet with the guys. Thank you Paul and Century Media. Here is the interview link in case you missed it:
I have to give thanks to Rancid Savage Productions for making it possible for my very good friend guitarist Mike Araiza (Of The Earth, Frank Hannon Band) to attend the show with me.
ROADTRIP!!!
I want to thank my friends guitarist Mike Araiza (Of The Earth, Frank Hannon Band) and vocalist Dion Tejada (Scars Blue) for sharing this epic road trip with me. We talked music, life, and basically had a great time. It was reminiscent of the glory days of Rock concerts. The vibe were chill, the road music was great, and the conversation flowed.
We rolled up to the historic El Morro Theater in Gallup, NM and saw the infamous Dimebag tour bus. From that moment we knew we were in for a kickass night of Rock N’ Roll!
the Dime bus!
We parked the Hellionmobile and walked to the venue as cool as we could. As we passed a small cafe we saw the legendary Vinny Appice sitting there on his laptop. We got to the venue and found it locked and the guest list was not available yet so we just chilled a bit. I called my friend Rob Traynor (vocals/guitars for Black Water Rising who was on the bill) and he said he’d meet us in a few. It was then we were told to go around the back and come on in. The bands were still loading in and equipment was everywhere and we were geeked for a killer show. My brother Mike Araiza offered to use one of my cameras and shoot from a different angle than me. It was a welcome addition to my show shoot and Mike managed to squeeze in 2400 shots!! Thanks Mike, much love brother!
El Morro theater preshow!
First up on the bill was local Gallup band Testify. Identifying with their local heritage this young band brought some seriously good music to the mix. Definitely looking forward to more from these guys.
Testify
Ahhh BlinDDryve, a band near and dear to my heart. I have seen this Albuquerque band grow and evolve into the powerhouse that they are today. They delivered a great set today and left the crowd wanting more.
BlinDDryve
Revocation is a band new to me and I have already interviewed them and caught them twice. Hard, aggressive, and LOUD!!! Revocation is a band on the move in a big way. Kicking ass and taking name is their game. Don’t miss out on them if they come your way.
Revocation
I was busy with something menial the first time I heard Black Water Rising, and it grabbed my attention fully. “Brother Go On” was the track and I was hooked. I found the CD and stayed in touch with what they were up to. Eventually I was able to do a phone interview with vocalist/guitarist Rob Traynor. I stayed in touch with Rob and was excited to hear about their new release Pissed And Driven. It was with great pleasure when I heard they were on the bill for this show. I will be doing a feature piece on them and their set.
Black Water Rising
A lot of people were excited to see this band and they drew a positive crowd response. New, fresh, with solid shared vocals and hooks, this band has been making waves across the globe. A band for the new world Eyes Set To Kill is coming to your ears soon.
Eyes Set To Kill
Vinny Appice, Rex Brown, Dewey Bragg, and Mark Zavon are collectively known as Kill Devil Hill. The crew closed the curtains as the crowd prepared themselves for complete devastation from the band. The crowd roared as the curtains finally opened and the band exploded on stage.
Kill Devil Hill
Having heard both of the KDH records I knew the sound that the band had in the studio and was stoked to see what they sounded like live, I was not disappointed. The band was stellar with their live performance. While true to the songs from the records, they infused them with the magic one can only see in a live show. Rex Brown played to the crowd drawing them in to the show and feeding off of their energy.
Rex Brown firing up the crowd
The legendary Vinny Appice brought the thunder to Gallup, NM that night. Pure magic came from behind the kit as Vinny pounded out the songs of Kill Devil Hill. We owe Vinny a debt of gratitude for giving us this incredible new music.
Vinny Appice the legend!
Mark Zavon has some serious chops. This is guitarist that I feel is seriously underrated and then some. From shred to clean riffs Mark did it all effortlessly. Although Mark is a newcomer to most people, he took the stage with swagger and confidence many veterans of the stage do not. He is rapidly becoming one of my favorite players.
Mark Zavon owning the stage
And then there’s Dewey Bragg, my favorite new vocalist. There is a magic in his voice and you can feel it reach into you when you listen to the songs of Kill Devil Hill. From brain shattering screams to haunting harmonies Dewey hits it all. The thing about Dewey is that he sees his voice as an instrument and treats it accordingly, and it shows. Besides the voice and the company he keeps Dewey remains humble and grateful. I asked him in our recent interview if he ever looks around while on stage and says damn that’s Rex Brown and damn that’s Vinny Appice, his repsonse: : “Every Night”.
Dewey Bragg filling our ears with joy
Kill Devil Hill are a classy group of gentlemen indeed. After busting their asses onstage they took the time to hang out and meet the crowd, take pictures and sign stuff for them. The Crowd lined up in anticipation and you could see the joy on their faces as Rex, Vinny, Mark, and Dewey acknowledged them even if for only a moment.
Rex Brown and Dion Tejada
Vinny Appice with a fan
Kill Devil Hill with some VIP purchasers
Rex Brown with the Hellion
As a bonus to people attending these shows Rita Haney (DimebagzHag) is running the merch table for Kill Devil Hill. She took the time to talk, sign things, and take pictures with the fans. A class act indeed.
Rita Haney with a fan
Rita Haney with Mike Araiza
And then it was all over and everyone had to go back to their regular lives, but at least, they were all carrying the magic of the nights show with them into their dreams.
Thanks to all of the bands for delivering a great night of Rock N’ Roll!!! Thanks Mike Araiza and Dion Tejada for the company!
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s ROCK N’ ROLL
the Hellion
the Hellion Rocks 