Arch Enemy is planning for a busy fall, 2018 and beyond. On the heels of announcing their new album, Will To Power, due out on 8th September via Century Media Records, and a co-headline tour of the USA with Trivium, the band has announced additional headline tour dates in Europe for early next year. Details can be found below:Continue reading
This past year was a huge one for music with so many bands releasing new material it was hard to keep up, even for us here at Ghost Cult. So many legacy bands, modern classic acts, and up and comers dropped new music this year, some may wish they had waited until 2017 to drop it like it’s hot. Without further ado, here are our picks for the new tunes you need in your life in 2017. Continue reading
Revolver Music Awards Black Carpet 12-14-2016
At Webster Hall, New York, NY
All Photos By Jonathan Arevalo Photography
Alissa White-Gluz is, without a doubt, one of the most versatile talents in the metal scene. From her early days with The Agonist, to her numerous guest appearances with the likes of Kamelot and Delain, and now as she fronts Arch Enemy, Alissa has proven to be a vital member of the metal community. Now she has something extra special in store for fans. Alissa White-Gluz has signed a new solo deal with Napalm Records, and will be releasing ALISSA in 2017!Continue reading
In part 2 of our interview with Mark Menghi of Metal Allegiance we discussed the recording sessions for the recent Fallen Heroes EP (Nuclear Blast). Mark went into details the choice of tracks and the singers they worked with.Continue reading
Despite arriving early a mix up over press passes meant that I caught only the last few minutes of Iron Swan’s set as I made my way down the long hall of the corporation, fighting through a dense crowd who were nodding appreciatively to gloomy doom offering.Continue reading
The heaviest tour of the summer rolls across the USA as the 9th annual Summer Slaughter package makes its way from sea to shining sea. We attended the Worcester MA date at the Palladium. Although there have been years past when the tour was much more brutal and years where the bands on the tour was more proggy, but the 2015 line-up ha proven to be solid. Touring behind 2014’s War Eternal (Century Media) album, Arch Enemy continue to be a worthy headline act for this type of tour. They have their full production with them and the showmanship of Alissa White-Gluz and guitarists Michael Amott and Jeff Loomis shows. Born of Osiris and Veil of Maya bring the deathcore fans out and into the pit. One of the highlights of the Worcester date was that for The Acacia Strain, it was practically a hometown show, in a venue they often fill up by themselves. As usual, it was a mix of carnage and hilarity. For a lot of people, the most anticipated band of the day was Cattle Decapitation. With their new album out, The Anthropocene Extinction (Metal Blade), this is just the beginning of a long cycle of tours for the band. Beyond Creation was also warmly received by the early crowd. The Worcester date was captured for Ghost Cult here by Meg Loyal of Meg Loyal Photography, and looks like it was a sick time all around.
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Cover Artwork by Stefan Heilemann
Kamelot have just released a new album, Haven, on their new label, Napalm Records. Taylor Phelps caught up with the bands’ venerable co-founder Thomas Youngblood on their tour bus outside the Worcester Palladium to discuss the all the new changes with the band’s business, the creative process of writing with guest musicians, and the history of Kamelot. Videography by MasterPhelps Photography.
Kamelot, by MasterPhelps Photography
Taylor Phelps and Thomas Youngblood, by MasterPhelps
Haven (Napalm), American Power Metal band Kamelot’s eleventh studio album and second since the departure of Roy Khan, is an album that sounds like a musical at heart, like it was fastidiously crafted to be performed on Broadway. Its stylings and symphonic groundings and Tommy Karevik’s leading man performance all point to it, and so effective is their dramatic voice, perhaps taking their work to the theatrical stage is the next step they need to take to fully realize a legacy that has been consolidated by consistency.
Historically, the Floridians have always been walked on safe, and not the wild, side. A touch of fantasy, a host of symphonics, with soaring, immaculate vocals on top, they have always delivered and always sounded utmost in their professionalism and musicianship, but never truly excited; a band that, while most definitely best in class (though perhaps by default), are at times too slick and lack the insanity/genius of a great.
The heady mix of Savatage, Dream Theater and Queensrÿche coupled with effective symphonics and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical theatrics is near-perfected in opening duo ‘Fallen Star’ and ‘Insomnia’, up there with the best tracks of the bands’ career, but it is with ‘Under Grey Skies’ and the addition of Charlotte Wessels’ (Delain) dreamy vocals and Troy Donockley (Nightwish)’s tin whistle that matters bloom and the full epic musical scale of the vision for the album begins to be realized. It sails close to the Eurovision ballad wind, but it’s a beautiful song fully suited to a soundtrack or a musical. Elsewhere, downtuned staccato rhythms underpin grandiose unveilings and Karevik dispels any notions that the band can’t succeed without Khan with an assured performance; actor, narrator, singer, frontman and further proof that the line between Kamelot’s albums and musical theatre is a thin one.
All the previous criticisms can apply: this is a slick, professional band, but on Haven Kamelot have once again verified they are best in class, and have found an emotional connection. No longer cold to the touch, they are bringing to life their vision most effectively and with genuine zest. While retaining all the expected hallmarks, it is most definitely meticulously put together (if the devil is in the detail, then Haven is positively Satanic) but there is something more to it; something exuberant bubbling through. You would expect a band entering their third decade to have the requisite chops, but you wouldn’t necessarily expect them to be injecting such vitality and vigour into the mix.
7.5/10
STEVE TOVEY
Symphonic metallers Kamelot is streaming their lyric video for “Veil Of Elysium” off of their forthcoming album Haven, out May 4, 2015 in North America via Napalm Records/ADA/Warner and May 8, 2015 for the rest of the world via Napalm Records/Universal. View it below.
The album was produced by acclaimed music producer Sascha Paeth and mastered by Jacob Hansen. Additional guests include Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Troy Donockley (Nightwish) and Charlotte Wessels (Delain). The cover and artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann and additional art/layout was done by Gustavo Sazes.
Haven Track Listing:
01: Fallen Star
02: Insomnia
03: Citizen Zero
04: Veil of Elysium
05: Under Grey Skies
06: My Therapy
07: Ecclesia
08: End of Innocence
09: Beautiful Apocalypse
10: Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
11: Here’s To The Fall
12: Revolution
13: Haven
Kamelot North American Tour With Special Guest Dragonforce:
Apr 27: Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
Apr 28: Trocadero Theater – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 29: Webster Hall – New York, NY
May 01: The Palladium – Worcester, MA
May 02: Metropolis – Montreal, QC
May 03: Phoenix Concert Theater – Toronto, ON
May 05: Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH
May 06: Mojoes – Joliet, IL
May 07: Mill City Nights – Minneapolis, MN
May 09: Garrick Centre – Winnipeg, MB
May 10: Louis Pub – Saskatoon, SK
May 11: MacEwan Hall – Calgary, AB
May 12: Union Hall – Edmonton, AB
May 14: Regency Center – San Francisco, CA
May 15: City National Grove – Anaheim, CA
May 16: The Marquee – Tempe, AZ
May 18: Ogden Theater – Denver, CO
May 20: Emo’s – Austin, TX
May 21: New Orleans Civic Theater – New Orleans, LA
May 22: Iron City Live – Birmingham, IL
May 23: House of Blues – Orlando, FL
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