Metal Alliance Already boasting a stellar lineup, the 2013 Metal Alliance Tour has just gotten crunchier. Off the heels of releasing their latest full-length masterpiece, ‘De Vermis Mysteriis,’ Californian sludge masters High on Fire have hopped on board the third installment of the trek. This year’s tour is shaping up to be absolutely insane. The previously announced bill already consisted of thrash masters Anthrax , Exodus and Municipal Waste , with a bit of heavy metal peppered in thanks to Holy Grail. Now, High on Fire will round off the lineup a bit more while melting the walls of each venue they hit with their brand of time-traveling, hallucinogenic sludge. Last year, High on Fire were scheduled to invade the 2012 Mayhem Festival but backed out of the trek when frontman Matt Pike chose to enter rehab for alcohol issues. After completing treatment and taking a break from the road, High on Fire embarked on a solid club tour with Goatwhore , Primate and Lo-Pan at the tail-end of 2012, which we were lucky enough to check out on its Brooklyn, N.Y, stop . As previously reported, the 2013 Metal Alliance Tour will feature Anthrax performing their classic 1987 album ‘Among the Living’ album in full. Be sure to check out this tour, as it is definitely shaping up to be one of this year’s must-see events. Check out the entire list of tour dates here . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/high-on-fire-hung-drawn-and-quartered-top-21st-century-metal-songs/” title=”High on Fire – Top 21st Century Metal Songs” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com The end of the year offers the perfect time to reflect on where you’re at in life, and you’d have to think that Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has a brighter outlook on things now than he did earlier in 2012. The guitarist confirms as much in a newly posted year-end update. Things appeared to be on the upswing for Iommi in 2011 as Black Sabbath had reunited and the band was preparing to work on their first new album in years, but then Iommi learned early this year that he had lymphoma that needed to be treated in order for his survival. Suddenly his focus for 2012 had changed, but thankfully his initial plans for the year still appear to be in reach as his post-chemotherapy recovery has gone well. In his year-end posting , Iommi states: What a year! Certainly not the one I was expecting. Thanks to you all for your massive help and support, it was very encouraging. I’m still working on the album and managed to play three shows, not bad given the news a year ago. I’m looking forward to next year, seeing what you think of the record and touring as much as we’re able. My best wishes to you all, I hope you have a great Christmas and New Year, most of all, stay positive. The guitarist did come through his treatment, worked closely with his bandmates on completing a new record which is now due in April and managed to make a handful of high profile shows in England and the U.S. despite the setback. As for what lies ahead in 2013, Iommi will get in his first extended touring since the reunion was announced. After his lymphoma battle, the guitarist also decided to go back and update his autobiography. The newly reissued paperback version of ‘Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven & Hell With Black Sabbath,’ includes a chapter on his treatment and recovery. In addition, he’s also recorded an audio book with one of his former bandmates providing the voice. He explained , “I had a go myself but wasn’t comfortable when I listened back. Normally you just get an actor to voice it but I didn’t want someone who didn’t know me or the music business so I asked my old mate Bev Bevan (former Black Sabbath / MOVE / ELO drummer) as he already has a radio show and lived some of the chapters with me! I’m really pleased how it’s turned out.” [button href=”http://loudwire.com/black-sabbath-tony-iommi-writing-chemotherapy/” title=”Next: Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi Discusses Writing During Chemotherapy” align=”center”]
If you missed Marilyn Manson and his band during their 2012 tour, you’ve got another shot to see them in 2013. Manson & Co. have just announced dates for a North American Winter 2013 trek. The tour kicks off Jan. 18 in Milwaukee and wraps up Feb. 23 in Las Vegas. Joining Marilyn Manson on the trek as special guests will be the Los Angeles band Butcher Babies. Marilyn Manson was recently nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for his track ‘No Reflection’ off his latest album, ‘Born Villain.’ He’s also competing for Rock Song of the Year, Rock Album of the Year and Rock Video of the Year in our very own 2012 Loudwire Music Awards. Voting is open here . See the dates for Marilyn Manson’s 2013 tour below. Visit Marilyn Manson’s website for ticket info. Marilyn Manson 2013 North American Tour Dates: 1/18 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom 1/19 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s 1/20 – Columbus, OH – The LC Pavilion 1/22 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore 1/23 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues 1/25 – Wallingford, CT – The Dome 1/26 – Boston, MA – House of Blues 1/28 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis 1/29 – Oshawa, ON – General Motors Centre 1/30 – Hamilton, ON – Hamilton Place Theatre 2/1 – Sudbury, ON – Sudbury Arena 2/4 – Winnipeg, MB – MTS Centre 2/5 – Moose Jaw, SK – Mosiac Place 2/6 – Saskatoon, SK – TCU Place 2/8 – Calgary, AB – Stampede Corral 2/9 – Edmonton, AB – Shaw Conference Centre 2/11 – Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth Theatre 2/12 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo 2/13 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theatre 2/15 – Modesto, CA – Modesto Centre Plaza Feb 17 – Reno, NV – Grand Sierra Resort 2/19 – San Francisco, CA – Warfield Theatre 2/20 – Anaheim, CA – The Grove of Anaheim 2/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Club Nokia 2/23 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues [button href=”http://loudwire.com/marilyn-manson-born-villain-is-my-comeback/” title=”Next: Read Loudwire’s Exclusive Interview With Marilyn Manson” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com North American fans will have only one chance to see Linkin Park live in 2013. The band has announced they will play their lone U.S. show of the year at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on Feb. 16. With this being Linkin Park’s one show of the year on the continent, demand will probably be through the roof. And having the show in a venue like Planet Hollywood, instead of an arena or stadium will make seats even more scarce. Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday (Dec. 14) at 10AM. Last weekend, Linkin Park performed at L.A. radio station KROQ’s ’23rd Annual Almost Acoustic Christmas.’ In an interview taped before the show, Chester Bennington talked about his first encounter with Kiss’ Gene Simmons. “So the first time I met Gene Simmons, I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s Gene Simmons. He’s like right here,’” Bennington explained. “So I went over and introduced myself. He grabs me by the shoulders, and he says, ‘You are a powerful and talented young man.’ He’s staring at me in my eyes and says, ‘If we were in prison, I would make love to you.’ I was like, ‘Oh.’” If you’re not able to make it to Vegas to see the band, you’ll have to travel across the world to see them in 2013. Linkin Park have dates scheduled in Australia and New Zealand next February and March. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/linkin-park-announce-clean-energy-promotion-rock-american-music-awards/” title=”Next: Linkin Park Announce Clean Energy Promotion” align=”center”]
Music is all about connectivity, and those who establish that connection in the deepest of ways will surely create a fan base of rabid devotees. The love projected from the fans, to the band and back again is most notable with the following nominees, and if you’re reading this, you will likely pledge your allegiance to one of these 10 acts. From veteran acts to new addictions, these are your choices for Most Devoted Fans. Check it out and be sure to vote in the poll below: ? Avenged Sevenfold It’s no secret that Avenged Sevenfold have some of the most dedicated fans on the planet. Regardless of universal acclaim, mainstream success or negative criticism, A7X fans will be in it for life through thick and thin. ? ? Black Veil Brides Black Veil Brides possessed a massive fan base long before their debut studio album, ‘We Stitch These Wounds.’ The band are experiencing massive success driven by fans reminiscent of the emo and post-hardcore scenes in the mid-2000s. ? ? Dir En Grey When it comes to pure dedication, Japanese metal band Dir En Grey could easily build a legitimate cult with their listeners. Although underdogs from the beginning, the fans of Dir En Grey united with unmatched force for our Extreme Metal Olympics feature, leading the band to a gold medal. ? ? Falling in Reverse Although controversy seems to follow vocalist Ronnie Radke wherever he finds himself, his new band Falling in Reverse have exploded as one of the present day’s most popular ‘scene’ bands. Since the release of ‘The Drug in Me is You’ last year, the band has seen rare success due to their rabid fans. ? Iron Maiden As one of metal’s undisputed greatest bands in history, Iron Maiden fans are a breed of their own. Spanning all generations, Maiden are one of the few New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands who are still releasing brilliant material. Their American fans came in droves during this year’s ‘Maiden England’ tour, boasting the band’s grandest stage show to date. Up the Irons! ? Metallica When you’re the most commercially successful metal band in history, you can do anything and everything you want. For Metallica , this came in the form of their own Orion Music + More festival, where they performed both ‘Ride the Lightning’ and the ‘Black Album’ in full. You don’t need to know much about metal to recognize the ridiculously large following Metallica have gained. ? Suicide Silence Suicide Silence have been one of deathcore’s premiere acts for a number of years, but with the sudden death of vocalist Mitch Lucker on Nov. 1, fans of the band came together by the thousands in unity to memorialize the late singer. ? ? Slipknot Slipknot ‘s fan base of ‘Maggots’ have an animalistic dedication to their masked heroes. Even when headlining over legendary acts such as Slayer, Motorhead and Anthrax, the crowd was noticeably more massive for Slipknot throughout the 2012 Mayhem Fest. Maggots also rushed to the band’s very own two-city Knotfest events in 2012. ? Tool Maynard James Keenan is the Charles Manson of music. He could easily lead his legions of fans into a coup d’etat of the entire world, but luckily, he seems to be content with making wine instead. Each member of Tool is a genuine master of their instrument, while acting as true visionaries through their songwriting, and this has created one of the most notable and naturally-acquired fan bases in history. ? X Japan We witnessed the rabid nature of X Japan fans during a run of Loudwire Cage Matches earlier this year. The band’s followers allowed X Japan to defeat Black Veil Brides, In Flames, the Used, Bush and Jane’s Addiction in consecutive wins, proving how deeply-rooted and powerful their fan base truly is. ? Voting for the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards closes on Jan. 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite band wins! Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/rock-song-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards” title=”Next Category: Rock Song of the Year” align=”center”] Get Notified When Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the daily Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of our full list of winners in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards, as well as the top stories in rock and metal. Email
Many will argue that the drummer is often the most important member of any band. Along with acting as a human metronome, drummers facilitate transitions, set the mood for each individual part of a song and add a tremendous amount of character to their band’s music. Simply put, drummers act as the foundation, provided they don’t spontaneously combust! The nominees in the Drummer of the Year category achieved great feats in 2012, driving their groups to new heights by adding a strong sense of identity of connectivity and using it as gunpowder. Check out the nominees below and be sure to vote in the poll below: ? Adam Jarvis, Pig Destroyer / Misery Index Adam Jarvis is a true force in the world of extreme metal. Not only does Jarvis possess the skills to play the most precise brands of metal in existence, he was recruited by Pig Destroyer for their 2012 album, ‘Book Burner.’ Jarvis’ drumming is incredibly strong on ‘Book Burner,’ bringing a noticeably nastier sound to the band. ? Arejay Hale, Halestorm Mainstream radio rock doesn’t tend to focus heavily on technical drumming, but Arejay Hale is an absolute exception. Fans who have seen Halestorm live bear witness to this fact, as Arejay regularly busts on monster drum solos while spinning his sticks like a veteran circus performer. ? Barry Kerch, Shinedown Berry Kerch has been holding down the drums for Shinedown since the band’s inception in 2001. Kerch’s skills have been broadcast on rock radio as much as any other drummer this year due to Shinedown’s domination of the airwaves. ? Blake Richardson, Between the Buried and Me The technicality displayed by Between the Buried and Me drummer Blake Richardson in ‘The Parallax II: Future Sequence in incredible, and his ability to transition the band’s complex music from part to part is extraordinary. Plus, to witness Richardson making a mistake live is like running into a Sasquatch. ? Chris Adler, Lamb of God Chris Adler put some impressive drumming onto tape with Lamb of God’s 2012 album, ‘Resolution.’ Not only does Adler remain tight and powerful, he also showcases his ability to write memorable drum parts, most notably heard in the intro of ‘Desolation.’ ? Gene Hoglan, Dethklok/Testament Gene Hoglan is a robot … actually he’s ‘The Atomic Clock,’ but either way he certainly is not human. The talent that Hoglan possesses is mind-boggling, and he lent his stellar abilities to Testament ‘s 2012 album, ‘Dark Roots of Earth’ and Dethklok ‘s ‘Dethalbum III.’ ? Mario Duplantier, Gojira The metal music community saw the rise of two brothers this year: the Duplantier brothers of Gojira . While Joe handles vocal and guitar duties, Mario Duplantier leads the rhythm section with pummeling drum lines. When listening to Gojira’s ‘L’Enfant Sauvage,’ the character Mario’s drumming adds to the band is unmistakeable. ? Matt Cameron, Soundgarden/Pearl Jam As if drumming for one legendary grunge band isn’t enough, Matt Cameron handles the sticks for both Soundgarden and Pearl Jam . Cameron has been most active with Soundgarden this year with the release of the band’s first full-length album since 1996, ‘King Animal.’ ? Roy Mayorga, Stone Sour Although vocalist Corey Taylor and guitarist Jim Root from Slipknot are funnily enough, the faces of Stone Sour , drummer Roy Mayorga deserves his share of praise. Mayorga’s drumming style is much different than that of Slipknot’s Joey Jordison, allowing Stone Sour to further develop their own sound. ? Vinnie Paul, Hellyeah/Pantera Vinnie Paul has turned 2012 into one of his definitive years with both Hellyeah and the legendary Pantera. With Paul working behind the drum kit, Hellyeah released their third full-length album, ‘Band of Brothers,’ while the legacy of Pantera continued with the release of the new song ‘Piss.’ ? Voting for the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards closes on Jan. 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite drummer wins! Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/rock-song-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards” title=”Next Category: Rock Song of the Year” align=”center”] Get Notified When Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the daily Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of our full list of winners in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards, as well as the top stories in rock and metal. Email
Although they can remain low-key, bassists are essential for holding down the rhythm section of a band. Despite a fewer amount of strings, there is something unique about watching or listening to a bassist shred with the same technical expertise as a guitarist. These low-end masters have helped define 2012 through their playing along with their songwriting abilities. Check out the nominees for Bassist of the Year and be sure to vote for your favorite in the poll below: ? Alex Webster, Cannibal Corpse Original Cannibal Corpse member and longtime songwriting force Alex Webster delivered disgusting bass lines within the band’s 12th studio album, ‘Torture.’ Along with his prowess behind a bass, Webster penned tracks such as ‘Scourge of Iron’ and ‘Intestinal Crank’ for the ‘Torture’ album. ? Dan Briggs, Between the Buried and Me If you like your metal bassists to dance around lead parts and create complex polyrhythms, Dan Briggs delivers like few can. His lines can be heard throughout Between the Buried and Me ‘s ‘Parallax II: Future Sequence,’ proving to be one of metal’s most valuable rhythm musicians. ? D.D. Verni, Overkill Along with the thrash-tastic parts showcased by Overkill ‘s D.D. Verni, the bassist is also the primary songwriter for the band. Creating the foundation for every track on Overkill’s must-hear 2012 album, ‘The Electric Age,’ there would be no ‘Come and Get It’ or ‘Electric Rattlesnake’ without the legendary bassist. ? Eric Bass, Shinedown Your name is Eric Bass and you play the bass?! Get right outta town! In fact, the Shinedown bassist has also contributed backing vocals and piano for the band since 2008. Bass also boasts writing credits for tracks such as ‘Unity’ and ‘Enemies’ from Shinedown’s 2012 album, ‘Amaryllis.’ ? Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers There are few bassists more talented and beloved than Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The band released ‘Look Around’ and ‘Brendan’s Death Song’ as singles this year, and although the band share writing credits for such tracks, there is no denying the massive contribution Flea has brought to the band. ? Frank Bello, Anthrax Anthrax bassist Frank Bello has led a stellar year in 2012. Along with headlining the second stage at this year’s Mayhem Festival, Bello took part in both the Los Angeles and New York City ‘Metal Masters’ clinics. ? Lemmy Kilmister, Motorhead Is it of popular opinion that Lemmy Kilmister is, in fact, God. Looking past his divine birth, Lemmy is one hell of a bassist and frontman. Motorhead were one of the 2012 Mayhem Festival’s marquee acts, and the band rocked it like no others can. ? Nikki Sixx, Motley Crue As one of the most beloved hard rock bassists in history, Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx saw success with the release of the single ‘Sex’ this year. Sixx also helped make Las Vegas history as Motley Crue completed a residency at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, a move that is quickly being adopted by bands such as Guns N’ Roses. ? Steve Harris, Iron Maiden / Solo Legendary Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris embarked on the incredible ‘Maiden England’ tour in 2012, along with releasing his debut solo album, ‘British Lion.’ Harris is showing no signs of slowing down, and his presence has been heavily felt in 2012. ? Wolfgang Van Halen, Tremonti / Van Halen As the son of Eddie Van Halen, there are some monstrous expectations placed above your head when you choose to pursue music. Wolfgang Van Halen has been doing his father proud as a member of Van Halen, but stepping in at the last minute as the touring bassist for Mark Tremonti’s solo project was truly remarkable. Voting for the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards closes on Jan. 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite bassist wins! Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/drummer-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards/” title=”Next Category: Drummer of the Year” align=”center”] Get Notified When Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the daily Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of our full list of winners in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards, as well as the top stories in rock and metal. Email