Mary Ouellette, shewillshootyou.com / Kevin Winter, Getty Images The departure of Anthrax lead guitarist Rob Caggiano came as a shock to the metal world, as the thrash legends had just begun to truly celebrate their comeback with classic vocalist Joey Belladonna . Having torn through the 2012 Mayhem Festival, headlined an unforgettable tour with Testament + Death Angel , earned a 2013 Grammy nomination and just finished tracking their ‘Anthems’ covers EP, Caggiano suddenly left the band, and guitarist Scott Ian has just offered some insight into Caggiano’s exit. Caggiano formally announced his departure from Anthrax on Jan. 4, revealing his desire to fixate his creativity upon producing. “The fact that Anthrax is at the top of their game right now and totally ‘out for blood’ after all these years is a testament to this band’s longevity and conviction!” states Caggiano. “I’m truly honored to have been a part of their brilliant legacy.” Although Caggiano’s exit was sudden, Anthrax assured fans that there were no hard feelings, wishing Caggiano the best with his future projects, which includes producing the new Volbeat album. Despite the brotherly send-off, Anthrax’s statement didn’t reveal any specific details about exactly how the guitarist left. In a new interview with MTV Hive , however, Scott Ian offers an explanation: We didn’t know he was planning on leaving while we were tracking this [‘Anthems’]. He was literally finishing solos in Berlin on the last days of the tour. It wasn’t until after the tour ended and we started having conversations, and just to put it in a nutshell, he just needs to do his own thing at this point in time. We knew he had a record that he was going to be doing possibly. We had already told him, if you need to take a hiatus, that’s fine. The best thing I can say is that he’s on a mission to do his own thing at this point. And I’m certainly not going to stand in his way. As for choosing Caggiano’s temporary replacement, Jon Donais of Shadows Fall, Ian says: It was actually Rob. He had already spoken to Jon and had kind of filled him in about what his plan was. He didn’t want to leave us hanging. As much as it sucks, this whole thing has been friendly. I may think Rob has made a mistake by leaving the band, but at the same time he’s my friend and I back his decision all the way in whatever he needs to do. He feels the same about us. We all know Jon. I’ve actually worked with him before on [comedian] Brian Posehn’s record. We all know he’s a great lead guitar player. And Jon said absolutely he wanted to do it. Anthrax are set to headline the 2013 Metal Alliance Tour , performing their classic album ‘Among the Living’ in full during each stop. The band will also cap off the first date of the 2013 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/volbeat-new-album-produced-by-former-anthrax-guitarist-rob-caggiano/” title=”Volbeat Prep New Album Produced by Rob Caggiano” align=”center”]
BaronessMusic.com Decibel Magazine recently celebrated their 100th issue with an insane concert in Philadelphia, a show we dedicated ourselves not to miss. The show’s lineup itself was incredible, presenting Converge , Pig Destroyer , Repulsion, Municipal Waste , Tombs + Evoken live, but the most incredible parts of the evening came from Baroness frontman John Baizley , who offered not only a surprise speech, but shared the stage with Converge for the song ‘Coral Blue.’ After Pig Destroyer grinded the Philly crowd into a brutal dust, John Baizley took a microphone right before Converge started their set to share his passion for the band and their newest album, ‘All We Love We Leave Behind.’ Having suffered through serious injuries after Baroness’ tour bus crashed in England last year, Baizley revealed how crucial ‘All We Love We Leave Behind’ was to both his physical and metal rehabilitation. Baizley addressed the crowd: About five months ago, I was in a f—ing bad wreck. I was laid up in the hospital for while; too long. I was going through what I would describe as the worst thing, mentally and physically, that one could go through, at least in my opinion. There came a point where I needed something to get past the hump that I was in, you know, just this state of depression or pain or whatever it was, and so I thought, ‘Well, music is this thing that’s meant to soothe the savage beast,’ and I had my wife bring me an iPod collection of mellow songs; Emmylou Harris, just old country stuff mostly. I put the headphones in and listened to it, and what was happening was not soothing at all in any way, shape or form. It was harsh and it was grating, and in that first moment when I was trying to listen to something relaxing and trying to get myself through a very difficult time, I became scared s–tless and I thought that I had lost the ability to enjoy music and I had lost the magic that music had over me. I think it was about three-and-a-half weeks after the crash, I had the new Converge record [‘All We Love We Leave Behind’] and I was like, ‘Well, Emmylou is not doing it for me, let’s try the opposite.’ And that record brought me back into the fold. Thank you for writing music that truly inspires, and I mean this when I say this, that truly rehabilitates, not just offers me a release from aggressions or from bulls–t, but something that helps me look forward to tomorrow when today is as tough as it gets. Near the end of Converge’s set, the band invited Baizley onstage to sing and play guitar for ‘Coral Blue,’ easily the most Baroness-like track from Converge’s 2012 album. As extra proof of Baroness’ massive desire to return in full-force, Baizley and fellow Baroness guitarist Pete Adams opened for the legendary Neurosis the night in Philly. Watch the footage from that show here . Check out both Baizley’s speech and his performance with Converge in the videos below. Keep feeling better, John! We can’t wait to see Baroness take the stage once again. John Baizley Addresses Crowd at Decibel’a 100th Issue Concert John Baizley Joins Converge Onstage for ‘Coral Blue’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/baroness-john-baizley-health-update-acoustic-jam/” title=”Baroness’ John Baizley Gives Update on Recovery” align=”center”]
Decibel Magazine Crushing! Absolutely crushing! Decibel Magazine brought an incredibly evil tour headlined by Behemoth last year and a massive celebration for their 100th issue with Converge and Pig Destroyer this past weekend, but the publication has outdone itself once again with a 2013 tour featuring Cannibal Corpse , Napalm Death and many more. If your skull just happens to be in one piece and you’d like to change that in the near future, we highly recommend these upcoming North American dates. Beginning on May 10 in Houston, Texas, Cannibal Corpse will headline the 2013 Decibel Magazine Tour along with support from legendary grinders Napalm Death and death metal maniacs Immolation along with Beyond Creation, Cretin and Magrudergrind. These acts are all truly awesome, and are certain to keep North American crowds energized and entertained at each stop. Cannibal Corpse remains as one of death metal’s most legendary acts, having released their 2012 full-length, ‘Torture,’ to acclaim from both audiences and critics. “We’re psyched to be headlining this year’s Decibel Magazine Tour along with Immolation and Napalm Death,” remarks Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster in a press release. “This is a lineup of bands that have been a consistent part of the death/grind scene for decades, and we’re proud to be a part of it. It will be a legendary night for extreme music.” Napalm Death also experienced a career-defining year in 2012, releasing the masterful ‘Utilitarian,’ which landed at No. 2 on our Top 10 Metal Albums of 2012 list. Check out the full list of tour dates below! 2013 Decibel Magazine Tour Dates: 5/10 – Houston, Texas @ Fitzgerald’s 5/11 – Dallas, Texas @ Trees 5/12 – San Antonio, Texas @ Backstage Live 5/14 – Tucson, Ariz. @ The Rock 5/15 – Ramona, Calif. @ Ramona Mainstage 5/16 – Santa Ana, Calif. @ The Observatory 5/17 – Oakland, Calif. @ Oakland Metro 5/18 – Portland, Ore. @ Wonder Ballroom 5/19 – Seattle, Wash. @ El Corazon 5/21 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Commodore Ballroom 5/22 – Calgary, Alberta @ MacEwan Ballroom 5/23 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Starlight Room 5/24 – Regina, Saskatchewan @ Riddell Centre 5/25 – Winnipeg, Manitoba @ The Garrick 5/26 – St. Paul, Minn. @ Mill City Nights 5/28 – Chicago, Ill. @ Bottom Lounge 5/29 – Detroit, Mich. @ Harpos 5/30 – Buffalo, N.Y. @ Town Ballroom 5/31 – Toronto, Ontario @ The Phoenix 6/01 – Montreal, Quebec @ Club Soda 6/02 – Boston, Mass. @ Royale 6/04 – New Haven, Conn. @ Toad’s Place 6/05 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 6/06 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Union Transfer 6/07 – Cleveland, Ohio @ Peabodys 6/09 – St. Louis, Mo. @ Pops 6/11 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade 6/12 – Orlando, Fla. @ Beacham [button href=”http://loudwire.com/new-england-metal-hardcore-festival-2013-must-see-metal-concerts/” title=”Check Out the Must-See Metal Concerts of 2013″ align=”center”]
YouTube Bring Me the Horizon kicked off the new year in blistering fashion by debuting the new single ‘ Shadow Moses .’ Now, they’ve just unveiled a stirring music video for song. The clip may be a little difficult to watch for those with motion sickness, but the quick-cutting camera trick definitely adds something to the video that makes it unique. The imagery of the band performing against stark backdrops like a snow-covered field or an ocean shore in winter provides striking visuals for the hard-hitting track and the usage of red flares is definitely eye-catching. ‘Shadow Moses’ is the lead single off of Bring Me the Horizon’s forthcoming album, ‘Sempiternal,’ due April 30. Singer Oli Sykes previously stated of the new disc, “I’ve never been so confident about an album. It makes our last record sound like s—. We’re doing stuff we could never dreamed of doing before.” For those wondering about the odd album title which is repeated in the song ‘Shadow Moses’ several times, it means “eternal and unchanging” or “everlasting.” Given that knowledge, the dark and cold imagery in the video makes the clip all the more intense. Watch Bring Me the Horizon’s ‘Shadow Moses’ Video [button href=”http://loudwire.com/bring-me-the-horizon-confirm-departure-guitarist-jona-weinhofen/” title=”Next: Bring Me the Horizon Split With Guitarist Jona Weinhofen” align=”center”]
Tooth & Nail Many people may know Brian ‘Head’ Welch as the former guitarist of Korn , but he takes on the role of frontman in his new band Love and Death , who have just unleashed their debut album ‘Between Here & Lost.’ “Wake up sleepy / Wide Awake” are the first words that Welch belts out to get the blood pumping in the first track ‘The Abandoning.’ With trippy guitar riffs and an incredible balance of aggression and beautiful harmony, this tune is just the start of the roller-coaster ride that is ‘Between Here & Lost.’ When one thinks of Devo’s ‘Whip It,’ a heavy cover of the song might not come to mind, but Welch and his band do an amazing job of turning this into a heavy hitting yet catchy rendition that is bound to be a guilty pleasure on this record. Welch shows off his vocal range with the softer song ‘By the Way,’ and then mixes groove and melody with heavy screams in tracks such as ‘Watching The Bottom,’ ‘Meltdown’ and ‘Fading Away.’ One of the strongest songs on the album is ‘Chemicals,’ which is on the more melodic side and is very catchy with blistering riffs. ‘Paralyzed’ kicks off with an eerie beginning and even though the track has verses with soft vocals, it blows up at the two and a half minute mark as Welch spits out, “Death before I give dishonor / Death before I disobey.” ‘My Disaster’ starts with very forceful guitar riffs that almost sound off like an alarm, not to mention Welch’s raspy vocals, as he sings the chorus, “Feeling everything / Crashing down on me / Lost and so afraid / It’s my disaster / Losing everything / Giving all of me / I feel so betrayed / In my disaster.” ‘I W8 4 U’ is one of the heaviest and best tracks on the record. For Today’s Mattie Montgomery’s is the guest vocalist on this song, giving it such dynamic power with the chorus, “I wait for you / Always will, always do / I wait for you / Burning, bleeding, dying / But I wait for you.” ‘Between Here & Lost’ ends with ‘Bruises,’ a track with incredible depth. With a piano melody and whispering vocals, the song spirals out and amps up with crashing cymbals and a whole lot of energy. Brian ‘Head’ Welch has grown into a dynamic frontman and ‘Between Here & Lost’ is an album that puts all emotions on the table and does so with a unique and hard hitting sound. ? [button href=”http://loudwire.com/brian-head-welch-interview-new-music-fatherhood-korn/” title=”Next: Brian ‘Head’ Welch Talks Music, Korn + More” align=”center”]
Facebook: A Day to Remember A Day to Remember teased a forthcoming tour with a list of dates and cities, the band has now revealed the venues and support acts for what they’re calling the ‘Right Back at It Again’ tour. The trek launches March 20 in Atlanta and currently runs through a May 4 finale in Miami. Of Mice and Men will provide support throughout the run, with the opening slot split between Chunk No Captain Chunk for the first half of the tour (March 20 – April 6) and Issues for the latter portion (Apr. 6 – May 4). Tickets for the tour are currently available here . The trek comes on the heels of A Day to Remember’s late 2012 single release, ‘Violence (Enough Is Enough).’ Singer Jeremy McKinnon stated at the time that the song was inspired by the horrible acts that people commit against each other and trying to get past the feeling of helplessness. ‘Violence’ is expected to turn up on the band’s in-progress next album. Though a firm title and release date has not been set, the group teased last summer that the disc could tentatively be titled ‘Common Courtesy.’ In addition to their spring tour, A Day to Remember have also booked an appearance at the Freehold, N.J. Skate & Surf Festival, which takes place the weekend of May 18 and 19. A Day to Remember’s ‘Right Back At It Again’ North American Tour: 3/20 — Atlanta, Ga. — Tabernacle 3/22 — Philadelphia, Pa. — Electric Factory 3/23 — Albany, N.Y. — Northern Lights 3/24 — Worcester, Mass. –Palladium 3/26 — New York City, N.Y. — Best Buy Theatre 3/27 — Rochester, N.Y. — Armory 3/28 — Pittsburgh, Pa. — Stage AE 3/30 — Detroit, Mich. — Royal Oak 3/31 — Grand Rapids, Mich. — Intersection 4/2 — Indianapolis, Ind. — Egyptian Room 4/3 — St. Louis, Mo. — Pageant 4/5 — Milwaukee, Wis. — Rave 4/6 — Chicago, Ill. — Congress 4/7 — Minneapolis, Minn. — Myth 4/9 — Denver, Colo. — Ogden 4/10 — Salt Lake City, Utah — Saltair 4/12 — Seattle, Wash. — Showbox SoDo 4/13 — Portland, Ore. — Roseland 4/15 — San Francisco, Calif. — Warfield 4/16 — Las Vegas, Nev. — The Pearl 4/17 — Los Angeles, Calif. — Wiltern 4/19 — Fresno, Calif. — Rainbow Room 4/20 — San Diego, Calif. — Soma 4/21 — Pomona, Calif. — Fox 4/22 — Phoenix, Ariz. — Marquis 4/24 — Oklahoma City, Okla. — Diamond 4/25 — Houston, Texas — Warehouse Live 4/26 — San Antonio, Texas — Backstage Live 4/30 — Nashville, Tenn. — Marathon Music Works 5/2 — Tampa, Fla. — Jannus 5/3 — Orlando, Fla. — Hard Rock 5/4 — Miami, Fla. — Fillmore [button href=”http://loudwire.com/alice-in-chains-2013-must-see-rock-concerts/” title=”Check Out the Must-See Rock Concerts of 2013″ align=”center”]
Ethan Miller, Getty Images / Kathy Flynn, WickedGoddessPhotography.com There is plenty of anticipation for Device ‘s debut album, especially given the star-studded lineup of guests that appear on the disc alongside David Draiman . The vocalist spoke to Revolver about one of his favorite collaborations — a duet cover with Lzzy Hale on the Ozzy Osbourne / Lita Ford classic ‘Close My Eyes Forever’ — and shared why the Halestorm vocalist was the right woman for the track. The singer explains, “For years I’d wanted to re-do ‘Close My Eyes Forever’ by Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne. I always thought it was a fantastic idea and needed the right combination of elements and events and needed to have the right woman to play the role of Lita in this song, and Lzzy Hale, in my opinion, is the strongest, most distinctive voice, female voice, in rock today. I think that she’s just as good as it gets.” In the video interview clip, Draiman goes on to praise all of his guests and states how blessed he feels to have gotten Glenn Hughes , Geezer Butler , Tom Morello and others to contribute to Device’s debut album. The band’s self-titled debut disc is due April 9. The lead single, ‘Vilify,’ is expected to arrive on Feb. 19. Watch David Draiman Discuss Lzzy Hale’s Contribution to Device’s New Album [button href=”http://loudwire.com/disturbed-david-draiman-five-song-titles-debut-device-album/” title=”Next: David Draiman Reveals Five Songs from Device’s Debut Album” align=”center”]