Author: Jay Saint G

The Top 10 Fictional Hard Rock/Metal Bands

Hard rock and heavy metal never seem to get the spotlight much in general. But over the modern era of movies and television, some of that media did have the balls to put metal and hard rock front and center. And when it came to light, various fictional bands were made for our viewing and listening pleasure that we all salivated over and just thought “man…if only they were REAL.” So now let’s take a look at the top ten fictional hard rock and metal bands.

10. Stillwater from ‘Almost Famous’ (2000)

This movie may not have been a box office smash, but did generate Oscar nominations and a Grammy for best movie soundtrack. The fictional band Stillwater was a 70’s hard rock band featured in this flick, as a young journalist follows them on the road. This movie has become a cult classic and has been praised by critics and fans alike.

9. The Foreskins from ‘How I Met Your Mother’

I was never a fan of this show, (GASP!) however, check out these hilarious sequences below. It’s nice to see that a primetime network sitcom had it in them to highlight heavy metal.

8. Wyld Stallyns from the ‘Bill And Ted’ movies (1989, 1991)

With so much buzz about Bill and Ted 3 a possibility in the near future, let’s take a look at the greatness that is the Wyld Stallyns and why they SHOULD have opened for Iron Maiden. We can’t wait to see what the Wyld Stallyns have been up to in present time.

7. Clam Daddy from ‘Pray For Rock & Roll’ (2003)

Someone once close to me showed me this movie years ago, and man, what an unforgettable and overlooked movie. It’s crammed with drama and unforgettable moments, but more importantly, it has lots of killer music. These chicks rock hard, but struggle trying to get that major label deal that every band wants. Check out the scene below.

6. Satan’s Night Out/The Vampire Lestat from ‘Queen Of The Damned’ 2001

If vampires were real, I hope they would put on a concert like this. (And maybe not sound like Jonathon Davis)

5. The Lone Rangers from ‘Airheads’ (1994)

I was a radio student in college and our professor MADE us watch this movie. If I didn’t include it on this list, someone would have hunted me down.

4. Crucial Taunt from the ‘Wayne’s World’ movies (1992,1993)

Everyone was in love with Cassandra Wong when these movies came out. And if Wayne and Garth were doing this in the YouTube era….watch out!

3. Steel Dragon from ‘Rockstar’ (2001)

SPOILER ALERT. Yes…this movie is really about Tim ‘The Ripper” Owens and his stint with Judas Priest. So if you know that whole ordeal then you know what to expect in this movie. However, it was awesome seeing Zakk Wylde and Jason Bonham in the same band. And yes that is Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge at this scene at the end.

2. Spinal Tap from ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ (1984)

I’m sure there’s a lot of pissed off metal heads right now for this not being number one. But hey, it’s on the list. ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ is like the holy Bible for metal heads and a hilarious movie.

1. Dethklok from ‘Metalocalypse’

This is the unquestionable greatest cartoon ever and the most powerful fictional band to ever slay the universe. There is no justifying this fictional band for being number one. Yes, there is a Dethklok that tours….but that doesn’t count.

So what order do you think this list should be in, and who is your number one fictional band. What fictional band would you include on this list that was not mentioned? Sound off in the comments below.

April 30, 2015
Hearing Aide: Misery Kills ‘My Ugly Insides’

Misery Kills (formally called Misery) is a metal band from the Long Island/New York City area that I never heard of until a couple of weeks ago when I caught a few metal shows down there while visiting family. Bassist Joe LoCasto, who plays in Misery Kills, also plays in a band with Joey Z of Life Of Agony called Zire’s War. After having the pleasure of witnessing Zire’s War, Joe LoCasto told me to check out Misery Kills, so after receiving their album My Ugly Insides, I had high expectations for this album, after listening to this album, I was not disappointed.

The album starts of with an instrumental intro entitled “Eight FortySix Thirty” then blazes into a devastating track called “Eyes Wide Open.” And when you hear the evil screeching roars of vocalist John LoCasto combined with dual guitars of Corey Schaefer and Duane Conlon, you know that this band means business. To top it off the bone crushing tracks from drummer Scott Borrero aided with underlying bass of Joe LoCasto gives this band a unique chemistry. The best way to describe the sound of this band…remember the circle charts from elementary school? Picture three interlocking circles representing three bands: Lamb Of God, Coal Chamber, and Agnostic Front. The gray area that the three bands I just mentioned share is what Misery Kills and this album reminds me of.

Now back to the album. The track that I fell in love with is “Poltroon.” That song makes me want to stomp someone the hell out, a great feel good aggressive song. Every track is solid, thrashy, and to the point. The quality and mixing of this album sounds retro, which I believe that producer Joey Z (Life Of Agony, Zire’s War) was going for when he was putting the finishing touches on this album.

The next track that gets me going has to be “Kills My Day,” it’s the fastest and most vulgar track on the album, it’s very blue-collar with no-nonsense. Right after that, the guitar work on the following two tracks “Sick Around You” and “White Trash” is absolutely top-notch. This band grabs you by the collar and makes you listen…and trust me, you will be hooked.
Towards the end of the album, you are graced with the track “Give Em Hell” which is a foot stomping anthem with catchy hooks and nasty breakdowns , then My Ugly Insides ends with the title track which is the cherry on the bloody sundae that this band serves. It’s a very appropriate and dark song to cap off to what is in my opinion, a very solid metal album from a very hard-working band. I was happy this band reached out to me, so do your ears, mind, body, and soul a favor and pick up this album.

You can purchase My Ugly Insides here. Check out the track “13 Miles” below.

Key Tracks: Poltroon, Kills My Day, Give Em Hell

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OdE60fKpWs&w=420&h=315]

April 16, 2015
Coal Chamber, Filter, Combichrist Annihilate The Emporium on Long Island

Going into Easter weekend, I took another weekend to visit Long Island and there I went to another kick ass venue The Emporium in Patchogue on Long Island. A rather big and spacious for a medium-sized venue that holds about 1100 people, multiple bars, serves food, with a decent sized pit are in front of the stage. The overall sound is great, so I would highly recommend to see a metal show there or any genre of music there.

American Head Charge was originally billed to appear on the lineup but was not there. No word on why. Not long after the doors opened, Saint Ridley from Detroit, Michigan opened the night with five songs. They were pretty good, excellent chemistry together. You could tell they were enjoying themselves on stage. They had guitar issues on stage, but they did an excellent job of not letting that interfere with their performance. I thought they were a darker version of Angels and Airwaves but more metal than punk.

Combichrist graced the stage afterwards. They were by far the most energetic band of the night. I didn’t know what to expect from them. I have never purchased an album or seen any videos, all I knew was they were a very dark and industrial band. To me, their sound and presence was a mix of Orgy, Nine Inch Nails, and Mindless Self Indulgence. They were absolutely superb. All their synthesizers were played on stage, not a prerecorded track over the PA. Some of the songs they played were “We Were Made To Love You”, “Maggots At The Party” and closed with “What The Fuck Is Wrong With You.” They definitely made me a fan after their set was over.

Filter certainly made an impression that night as well. Although the crowd was a lot more calm and tame compared to Combichrist, I absolutely loved what Filter did during their set. They chose to go deep into their catalog and play some obscure song sand tell the audience what each song was about. Interesting note: again, Filter has a new lineup. vocalist and mastermind Richard Patrick (younger brother of actor Robert Patrick and once an original member of Nine Inch Nails) has a different band around him; Oumi Kapila on guitar, Ashley Dzerigan on bass, Bobby Miller on keyboards and programming, and Chris Reeve on Drums. Funny thing about this lineup…Richard Patrick went on a few rants about how much he hates the current pop music scene in the US, and Ashley Dzerigan has played bass in lots of pop music groups such as Adam Lambert and Cee Lo Green. However, this lineup fits the music of Filters past, and now I’m curious to see if Richard Patrick will use this lineup for the upcoming Filter album that was recently announced. They opened with “You Walk Away” off The Amalgamut, then into “(Can’t You) Trip Like I Do,” off the movie soundtrack of Spawn. But the real highlight of the night was the other obscure classic “Jurassitol.” Every song performed Richard gave it his all, the use of fog machines and lights gave their set a trippy atmosphere. Filter closed their set with their original hit “Hey Man, Nice Shot” before ending with Title Of Record’s “Welcome To The Fold.” This band still has lots left in the tank. A headlining tour is eminent in their future.

The anticipation was killing me for Coal Chamber to rock the stage. And man did they bring it. Although they did a U.S. tour a couple of years ago, it still seemed that they were away from metal for way too long. And as soon as they stormed the stage with their anthem “Loco,” the chemistry and magic that this band had twenty years ago seemed to have never fade away. This time, their production was much, much bigger from their previous US tour. They had 2 large video screens behind them showcasing clips and montages of random b-movie horror films. The big highlights of their set had to have been “Rowboat,” brand new song from their upcoming album “Rivals,” and their disturbing classic “I.” They played a full fifteen song set with no encore. Their crowd was absolute bananas during every song. Frontman Dez Fafara even had to tell an audience member to calm the fuck down and stop taking cheap shots in the mosh pit. That was entertaining. Also the rest of band was so damn clutch, but it was drummer Mikey Cox who was an absolute machine behind the kit.

I would certainly hope that Coal Chamber is going to take advantage from the recaptured momentum that they have and with the new album Rivals due mid May, I believe the future is bright for Coal Chamber and every band that is part of this tour.

April 9, 2015
This Is Hardcore Festival Lineup Officially Announced

This week the official lineup for This Is Hardcore Festival in Philadelphia, PA was announced. Once again it will be held at the Union Transfer on July 23 and at the Electric Factory on July 24-26.

Tickets go on sale Friday April 3 at 12PM EST and can be purchased here.

This Lineup in alphabetical order is as follows:

Absolute Suffering, All Out War, American Nightmare, Bane (last TIHC appearance), Biohazard, Blistered, BreakAway, Chokehold (Reunion), Code Orange, CroMags, Cruel Hand, Defeater, Disengage, Eternal Sleep, The Exploited, Foreseen (Finland), Foundation, Fuck You Pay Me, The Geeks (Korea), H2O (20th Anniversary show), Homewrecker, Killing Time, Lifeless, Malice At the Palace, Mindset, the Misfits (playing Earth AD in its entirety), Morning Again, Nails, Negative Approach, Power Trip, Reach the Sky, Rival Mob, Sand (Japan), Slapshot, Snapcase, Suburban Scum, The Suicide File, Time Bomb, True Love, Turnstile, Twitching Tongues, Wisdom In Chains, and Xibalba

This should be a VERY exciting and dangerous show. Again if you are coming from anywhere in New York, do not wear any New York sports gear. You’ve been warned. But have fun and be careful!

What do you think of this years lineup? Sound off in the comment section below.

April 3, 2015
Biohazard, Sworn Enemy, Zire’s War Rock Revolution Music Hall In Long Island

To what was close to a homecoming show, hardcore veterans Biohazard and Sworn Enemy headlined a jam packed and spectacular night at Revolution Music Hall in Amityville, NY on March 27 to kickoff a brief US east coast run. There was also a special guest that played exclusively that night; Zire’s War, a new band lead by Life Of Agony guitarist Joey Zampella, who handles vocals and guitars. The night opened with sets from Diesel and Oath.

This was my first time at Revolution Music Hall. Make no mistake, this is a kick ass venue. It’s a pub with a small stage, a capacity of around 500, and a lot of cool monuments and posters to look at. The place has great sound, killer environment, and the best part, drinks and food are served during shows. And cleverly, they have curtains going around the front of the stage to keep closed between sets, which is not common at other similar sized venues around New York State.

The night started off with small set from Diesel, a local hardcore band from the area, who set the tone appropriately with six songs. Lots of energy, and very fitting to open for the headliners. Then the crowd was graced with a set from Oath, a metal band out of Hartford, CT. To be fair, as talented and entertaining this band was, they were out of place, however, the crowd was good to them.

Zire’s War was definitely a real treat to behold. If my research is accurate, this was the band’s second show ever, with their first being played back in October. They have no music released, just demos, but you can check out one of their songs here. I do believe this band will be big. It’s a lot different from Life Of Agony, certainly heavier than their later years. I don’t really know what to compare them to, I highly recommend to give them a listen and go see them when they announce more shows. Joey Zampella is a brutal vocalist and anchors a really talented band around him. They are clearly ready for more shows to play. The band started off with low tempo (but heavy) songs but finished with heavy, thrashier songs. The crowd absolutely loved them as did I. So be sure to follow this band close as 2015 rolls on.

After Zire’s War, Sworn Enemy ignited the crowd into a bloody knuckle fiasco. The floor erupted with dozens upon dozens of men slam dancing the fuck out of the venue. It did feel like a short setlist from Sworn Enemy, but there were some great fire starter songs in their set such as “We Hate,” “As Real As It Gets,” and their anthem “Sworn Enemy.” This band never disappoints.

Finally, Biohazard finished the night with a powerful set, playing songs from their first three (and best) albums. Kicking things off with “Shades Of Grey” and “What Makes Us Tick” they never fail to bring such a charismatic and energetic performance. I held the hope inside they would unleash new music, but obviously it wasn’t time yet. The big highlights of the set would definitely have to be “Urban Discipline,” “Love Denied,” and “Five Blocks To The Subway.” Even with some of the technical difficulties and other minor sound problems, they never let that get in the way of putting on a damn awesome show. They finished their set with their blockbuster anthem “Punishment” and their creed motto “Hold My Own.” Vocalist/guitarist Billy Graziadei thanked the crowd and said Biohazard will be back next year.

Overall a fantastic show for anyone looking to kick start their adrenaline or to get their hardcore jollies out of their system. My only complaint, it seemed like an awful long time to set up between bands, especially since every band minus Biohazard only played six to eight songs. But Revolution Music Hall is definitely a fitting venue for metal and hardcore shows. And now we eagerly await the next Biohazard and Sworn Enemy US tour, and the future of Zire’s War.

April 1, 2015
Metal Monthly Fix: Top Ten Metal Festivals To Go See In 2015
As the weather (finally) starts to clear up for all of New York State, we are gearing closer to festival season. However, for all you metal heads, there is PLENTY of great festivals in and outside New York State that one must go check out at least once in their lifetime. So we hope this list will help you make plans if you have time this summer to see a metal festival. So without further ado, here are the top ten most anticipated metal festivals that you need to check out in 2015.

Honorable Mention: GWAR-B-Q

With no official announcement for this year as of yet, GWAR-B-Q is GWAR’s hometown party in Richmond, VA that has been running five years strong every August, even post Dave Brockie. Last year’s featured Body Count, Hatebreed, Misfits, and more. But with nothing announced, we can only anticipate at the moment.
1. Maryland Deathfest
For those who love nothing but death metal, Maryland Deathfest is a wet dream come true for you. With 80 bands over four days (May 21-24) on three stages in Baltimore, MD, makes it the premiere death metal event. Some of the bands are Obituary, Napalm Death, Coke Bust, Suffocation, Amorphous, Skinless and much, much more.
1. Southeast Beach
If you plan on making a trip to Jacksonville, FL next month, be sure to catch Southeast Beast on April 4 and 5, which will be loaded with local CNY favorites such as Earth Crisis and GhostxShip, along with NYC veterans Cro-Mags, Biohazard, and Life Of Agony and more. So hardcore and nice Florida weather? Sounds like a no brainer!
1. This Is Hardcore
Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love will be the city of bloody knuckles from July 23-26 when This Is Hardcore brutally takes over the Electric Factory in downtown Philly. With no lineup announced yet, look for it to be announced early summer. And for your own safety, DO NOT WEAR ANY NEW YORK SPORTS GEAR OF ANY KIND IF YOU GO.
1. Carolina Rebellion
Rapidly growing bigger every year, Carolina Rebellion has become one of the premiere music festivals in the United States. With Slipknot, Korn, Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, In This Moment, and many more hard rock and metal bands filling the bill, it’s worth taking the weekend of May 2 and 3 down to Charlotte, NC.
1. Black N Blue Bowl
Brooklyn, NY is the perfect and ideal spot for Black N Blue Bowl, which features the best metal and hardcore in and outside of NYC. Webster Hall for two days, May 16 and 17 will be slaughtered by the likes of Madball, Earth Crisis, The Regulators, Crumbsuckers, Sick Of It All, Candiria, and many more.
1. **NEW FESTIVAL** Full Terror Assault
Recently announced, the United States FINALLY has an OPEN AIR FESTIVAL in Rock-In-Cave, Indiana called Full Terror Assault. The first annual festival will be running for 3 Days, September 10-12 and will feature 75 Bands including Fear Factory, Terrorizer, Broken Hope, Misery Index, and many more. And the kicker to this show…..BYOB.
1. Rockstar Mayhem Tour
Growing strong since 2008, Rockstar Mayhem Tour essentially replaced Ozzfest as the premiere traveling metal festival. Although no lineup officially announced, rumor has it Slayer and King Diamond will be headlining along with Thy Art Is Murder and Whitechappel. Look for the official announcement on April 13. It’s a safe bet plenty of venues across New York State will get stops including, SPAC and Darien Lake.
1. Rock On The Range
Since being founded in 2007, Rock On The Range has been rapidly growing, with bands of all kind just BEGGING to play in any slot. Always held a couple of weekends before memorial day, this year, they offer a very diverse lineup, Slipknot, Judas Priest, and Linkin Park lead to what will be guaranteed to be sold out like it has been every year. It has become easily a top 3 music festival in the United States.
1. New England Metal and Hardcore Festival
Always a steady landmark for all types of metal each year, this year’s New England Metal and Hardcore Festival in Worcester, MA is held April 17-19, with bands like Testament, Motionless In White, Cavalera Conspiracy, Between The Buried And Me, Corrosion Of Conformity, Exodus and much more. Easy to travel from just about anywhere in New York State, it is definitely a must go every year.
1. Heavy Montreal
It was hard to choose, but this festival every year has been just way to hard to ignore. But this year’s Heavy Montreal has Slipknot, Faith No More, Korn, Lamb Of God, Meshuggah, and Mastodon headlining over a heavy and diverse lineup. If you have a passport, you have to make the trip over the border this August 7-9.

What festivals on this list are you excited about? What festivals would you include on this list that is not mentioned? Sound off on the comments below.
March 18, 2015
Machine Head Tears Apart Town Ballroom In Buffalo

Going against the grain on what most metal bands are doing as far as touring these days, Machine Head is currently taking the bold approach and doing an “Evening With” headlining with no openers whatsoever, in support of their latest album Bloodstone & Diamonds, arguably one of their best to date, and easily the best metal album of 2014. Rob Flynn and the boys stopped at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo last Thursday night for the second time in three years, setting for what was an unforgettable night.

The bodies piled into the venue long before Machine Head hit the stage. By showtime, the crowd kept chanting “Machine Fucking Head! Machine Fucking Head” was nonstop during the whole show, The band stormed the stage opening with “Imperium.” Machine Head, although are getting up there in age, were performing like if they were in their prime – hungry and vicious. Their stage presence and energy have NEVER been better. They are giving their fans their money’s worth and putting other bands on notice.

Machine Head has gone through a slight lineup change since they appeared at the Town Ballroom back in February 2012. New bassist Jared MacEachern replaced Adam Duce this past year, so the big question is, does MacEachern fill the void? Adam Duce was a monster on the bass, but also had remarkable backing vocals to go with Flynn’s vocals. So when Duce was fired, I was saddened, and wondered how MacEachern could pull this gig off. And I will say I was blown away by MacEachern’s stage presence, skill, backing vocals were amazing! He has much more range than Duce had (although Duce does sound a lot like Flynn) but he pulled off vocal harmonies, grunts, growls, and sings VERY well, so he adds such a new and killer dynamic to Machine Head’s live show that they never had before. Dave McClain was a fiend behind the kit, and playing all those songs in a long set is no easy task. And lead guitarist Phil Demmel rifts and solos are unmatched. And his flying v Randy Rhoades black polka-dot guitar was gorgeous to look at. But vocalist guitarist Rob Flynn is the unquestionable all-star and leader of the band and no one anchors the band better, or gets the crowd psyched like no other. The most fascinating thing to watch on stage is watching Flynn and Demmel exchange guitar solos, as well as their harmonizing guitar solos…. it is such a spectacle to behold on stage.

As far as their set, they gave the fans what they deserved with a two-hour and fifteen minute set – with no intermission. We heard new songs like “Now We Die” and “Sail Into The Black” and were also treated to classics like ”Old” and “Ten Ton Hammer.” But really gave me a pleasant shock, early into their set, Machine Head played their nu-metal anthem “From This Day” for the first time in 13 years and the crowd went absolutely bananas. They managed to play at least one song from every album from their 20 year catalog. Closing with the unforgettable song “Halo” afterwards, not one person left this show disappointed. Machine Head told the crowd they will come back and said that they will do “evening with” again. It’s safe to say that Machine Head gave the fans their money’s worth and are truly a force to be reckoned with.

February 11, 2015
The Original Stuck Mojo Lineup Reunites, New Album on the Way

Atlanta, Georgia rap metal pioneers Stuck Mojo, who recently played in their hometown back in December, announced last week they are working on new material. This marks the first time since 1998’s Rising that the original lineup of Rich Ward (guitar), Frank Fontsere (drums), Bonz (vocals), and Corey Lowery (bass) have worked together.

Ward, who has kept busy with Fozzy with Fontsere has stated:

“[Bonz is] doing great, he looks great, we’re getting along great, and so far, knock on wood, he seems like he’s dealt with all his demons and he’s sorted that part of his life out that [he needed to take care of in order] for me to move forward with him. So I’m feeling good about it. And I also have four other partners in FOZZY that, obviously, are wanting to tour and stuff, so I need to be mindful and respectful to everything — not only the guys in STUCK MOJO, but also to my FOZZY family — and make sure that if I’m working on STUCK MOJO, it’s because Chris (Jericho) is back in the WWE doing a little, short run, which he does from time to time. And that works out good for me. That way he’s working on something else, and I can do the same.”

On Saturday, Stuck Mojo announced their second reunion show at the Amos’ Southend in Charlotte, NC on Friday April 17. No further shows announced as of yet.

February 11, 2015
Fans Petition for Creation of Late GWAR Frontman in Video Game ‘Mortal Kombat X’

Last year the metal community lost the great and charismatic musician Dave Brockie, better known as Oderus Urungus, the frontman of GWAR, to an accidental overdose in his home in Virginia. GWAR has battled on without their founding member, leaving blood and gore wherever they march. With that being said, who could be a better fit for a character for the next Mortal Kombat game?

Over the weekend, according to recent Bingo Tour reviews, fans created a petition for Netherrealm Studios, a branch of Warner Brothers Games, to create a downloadable character of Oderus Urungus as a playable character in the upcoming video game Mortal Kombat X.

It is most appropriate to have Oderus Urungus immortalized in the Mortal Kombat universe because of the gruesome and hilarious nature of GWAR. The band has always portrayed themselves as an “elite group of chaos warriors” who were banished to Earth for their “cosmic crimes.” After being reawakened by our planet’s pollution, they now dedicate themselves to the “destruction of the human race and the eradication of existence itself.” Netherrealm Studios should have no problem somehow tying in Oderus Urungus into the Mortal Kombat X storyline, along with his own special moves and (in)famous fatalities.

If you want to sign the petition, click this link.

You can view the latest gameplay trailer for Mortal Kombat X below. Mortal Kombat X is being released by Warner Brothers Games and developed by Netherrealm Studios and will be released April 14, 2015 on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

February 6, 2015
Metal Monthly Fix: Top Ten Most Anticipated 2015 Metal/Hard Rock Releases

With a month already into 2015, one of things to get excited about is upcoming album released we are expecting or hope to see the light of day. We expect big things from 2015 as far as heavy music, so without further ado, here are the top ten most anticipated metal/hard rock releases.

10. Biohazard

Brooklyn, NY hardcore metal outfit Biohazard is still as vital as ever, even with Evan Seinfeld out of the fold since 2012, which makes their yet to be titled tenth album, targeted for a 2015 release via Nuclear Blast USA, even more intriguing. This album would mark the first time with the lineup of Billy Graziadei, Bobby Hambel, Danny Schuler, and now Scott Roberts completing the lineup in place of Seinfeld. It will be interesting to see what this new line up of Biohazard brings to the table.

9. Tremonti

Back in 2012, Alter Bridge/Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti launched his solo project Tremonti with the debut album All I Was which was arguably one of the best albums of 2012. Now hard at work with the second album, Wolfgang Van Halen is officially a member of the band and playing bass for Tremonti.. Any lover of shred should be salivating at the thought of Mark Tremonti and Wolfgang Van Halen in the same band. This album will be solid.

8. Mastodon

What makes this release fascinating is Mastodon is always willing to take risks and making every album sound different which is why everyone should be excited for another Mastodon album.

7. Deftones

The last two albums from Deftones, Diamond Eyes and Koi No Yokan, are easily some of their best work to date, so high expectations are set for this yet to be titled album slated for a fall 2015 release. Also hope that someday their scrapped album Eros sees the light of day as well.

6. Lamb Of God

After all the things Randy Blythe and the rest of Lamb Of God went through with the trail and incarceration in Prague, you know that the band is coming back with a vengeance with this upcoming album. Blythe wrote a lot of music about his time in Prague, which is going to add such a compelling element to what will be the band’s eighth album. This makes Lamb of God one of the top ten most anticipated hard rock and metal releases of 2015

5. Coal Chamber

Set for an April release via Napalm Records, Coal Chamber’s comeback album is definitely the most interesting. After a much publicized split in 2002, it seemed highly unlikely Coal Chamber would ever get back together. Then a decade goes by, Coal Chamber reunited for select shows in Europe and Australia which led to a successful US tour in 2013 which ultimately set recording process for this album in motion. It’s amazing how frontman Dez Fafara has kept busy in the spotlight with DevilDriver, he still managed to bring Coal Chamber back in the spotlight. And to top it off, Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen is having a guest appearance on this album. It will be interesting to see how Coal Chamber will evolve its sound for 2015.

4. Anthrax

Anthrax set the world on fire back in 2011 with their comeback album Worship Music which saw the return of CNY’s Joey Belladonna back in the fold. Now after successful album sales, several laps around the world, the band has been hard at work with the next album which will be released sometime this year. If it’s even half as good as Worship Music was, this album can be and will be the best album of 2015. Expect nothing from great things from Anthrax.

3. Black Sabbath

This will be the last Black Sabbath album. Lots of bands always say “This is our last album/tour” but this time coming from Black Sabbath, who are all pushing 70, I would certainly say it’s a safe bet they mean it. Their comeback album 13, which saw Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler on an album together for the first time since 1978’s Never Say Die, was the most successful metal album of 2013. Iommi has been battling cancer but yet still touring with Sabbath, is still a riff machine and has solidified himself as one of the best guitarist that ever lived, said wants to bid farewell one last time with Sabbath with an album and farewell tour to follow. It would be nice to see the return of Bill Ward but that’s unlikely that will happen.

2. Faith No More

Already announced for a May release, Faith No More has made their long awaited return with their first album since 1997’s Album Of The Year and a US tour to kick off this spring including a headlining slot at Heavy Montreal, with more shows to be announced. 2015 is looking the year of Faith No More and fans around the world now wait in anticipation.

1. Tool*

I put an asterisk on this because this is the only album on this list where the band hasn’t made an official announcement. But I believe that 2015 is the year the new Tool album sees the light of day. The band has been quoted stating that there IS an album in the works and they have been recording. So we all ask….what the fuck is the hold up? The world needs another Tool album. It has been close to a decade since 10,000 Days and enough is enough.

So that rounds off the list of the top ten most anticipated hard rock and metal releases of 2015. What metal or hard rock album on this list are you excited about? What upcoming album do you think should be included on this list? Sound off in the comments below.

February 5, 2015