Happy MetalTalk Christmas from Excess All Areas!

2012 is just round the corner, and so are a horde of bands of the metallic persuasion - ready to batter you into submission with releases, downloads, tours and more! Featuring A Pale Horse Named Death, Against All Evil, Dark New Day, Emilie Autumn, letlive., Snowy Shaw's Scandinavian all-star Metal extravaganza and MUCH MORE - plus a free Christmas prezzy from Basick Records. Get surfing for the New Year...

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Superior Dutch hardcore Metal bruisers BODYFARM will be releasing their new album, 'Malevolence', early next year through Abyss Records. Their video taster from the album, 'Slaves Of War', is already streaming, so check it out and prepare for more crushing metallic efficiency in the New Year!


Canadian Metallic rockers AGAINST ALL EVIL have hit me square between the eyes with their triplet of songs at http://signmeto.roadrunnerrecords.com/artists/against-all-evil. The superbly- crafted 'Dreamchaser', 'Modern Day Spartan' and 'Makeup Sex' demonstrate an awesome diversity and skill within a framework awash with soaring rock harmonies and blistering guitar solos. The top-notch production is as huge as any Nickelback track. If you like Linkin Park, you'll love Against All Evil. For more info, go to the above link.

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Much-praised genre-crossing post-core Metallers LETLIVE. release their highly-acclaimed 2011 debut album, 'Fake History', on vinyl through Epitaph on 16th February 2012, due to popular demand. The video for 'Renegade '86' off the album is streaming on YouTube. To coincide with the vinyl release, letlive. are playing the following gigs with New Found Glory and Sum 41:

February
04 Dublin Academy
05 Dublin Academy
07 Southampton Guildhall
08 Norwich UEA
10 Bristol O2 Academy
11 Cardiff Uni Great Hall
12 Newcastle O2 Academy
13 Glasgow O2 ABC
15 Manchester Academy
16 Birmingham O2 Academy
17 London Roundhouse

letlive.

A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH, the band formed and led by Life Of Agony drummer and Type O Negative co-founder Sal Abruscato, follow the huge success of their 2011 debut SPV/Steamhammer album, 'And Hell Will Follow Me', with a UK tour in January. Guitarist Eddie Heedles (who's worked with Living Colour's Corey Glover, Vernon Reid) replaces Biohazard's Bobby Hambel for the tour:

January
20 Dublin The Point
21 Belfast Spring & Airbrake
22 Manchester Moho Live
24 Wrexham Central Station
26 Wolverhampton Slade Rooms
27 London The Borderline

A Pale Horse Named Death

Awesome veteran hard rockers with a twist DARK NEW DAY have just signed to Goomba Music and release a pretty special album in February 2012. The band feature Will Hunt (Evanescence), Clint Lowery (Sevendust), Brett Hestla (Virgos Merlot), Troy McLawhorn (Evanescence) and Corey Lowery (Stereomud, Eye Empire). The new album, which they're releasing as a 'thank you' to all their loyal fans, will feature some of the band's finest material to date. If you haven't heard Dark New Day yet, go to: http://www.myspace.com/darknewday immediately! Stunning stuff...

Dark New Day

Check out rocking little punk band TEN POUND on the circuit in the New Year. The four-piece, who call themselves 'Indie Chav Rock', have a self-released five-track EP. Go to: www.youtube.co.uk/tennpound and www.facebook.com/tennpound to see what they're all about.

Moodrock with a vengeance! THE GETAWAY PLAN from downunder precede the release of their 2012 album, 'Requiem', with an uncensored video taster for the huge, dark and moving 'The Reckoning' (think Evanescence, if anything). The album is the product of four months in the studio in Toronto with Grammy award-winning producer David Bottril (Muse, Placebo, Tool, Silverchair). For a free download of 'The Reckoning': soundcloud.com/req24/01-the-reckoning.


THE MERCY HOUSE are already causing a stir in and around the capital, and I'm not surprised. Their blend of intense Alice In Chains-esque rock and hungry, post-industrial attitude makes for a dark, infectious concoction of mega-heavy rock. Fronted by the awesomely diverse vocals of Drew Davies, The Mercy House are currently working on their debut album, for release early next year. Go to: www.facebook.com/themercyhouse and www.myspace.com /themercyhouse.

The Mercy House

'Fight Like A Girl' indeed! Hugely eccentric, burlesque Metal violinist EMILIE AUTUMN returns to the UK for her 'Fight Like A Girl' 2012 tour. Taken from the name of the title track and album title of her forthcoming album, the tour runs through March and April, as follows:

March
09 Glasgow Garage
10 Nottingham Rock City
11 Bristol 02 Academy

April
13 London Electric Ballroom
14 Manchester Ritz

For more info about Emilie, including her book 'The Asylum For Wayward Victorian Girls', go to: www.emilieautumn.com.

Emilie Autumn

Essex indie rockers JOHNNY GET THE GUN are currently recording an album with Enter Shikari producer John Mitchell. The album will be out early next year but, meanwhile, here’s their 'Good As It Gets' video. Expect top stuff from these guys next year.


American punk Metallers JUICEHEAD, nurtured and revered by the Misfits, are anticipating a mental 2012. Not only are they releasing their album, 'How To Sail A Sinking Ship', produced by Misfits/Ramones collaborator John Cafiero, on 14th February, but they're also touring with their mentors the same month. Watch out Green Day. These guys have got real punk attitude in their blood.

Misfits/Juicehead tour dates: www.metaltalk.net/news2012/2012377.php. Juicehead info, music/album orders: www.Juiceheadmusic.com.


If your kinda rock is more indie-pop infused, check out London's THE FUSE. Previously known as Lato, they first got together in 2006. After releasing their debut album, 'Freedom Of The City' (available at CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon), the band have received enviable radio airplay (including a live interview on Gosh! Radio in the US) and 50,000 YouTube hits. The Fuse have also been doing their bit to Save The Rainforest by requesting hits via their website: www.thefusemusic.com, which you should visit for gig dates, music, etc.

Multi-talented Swedish singer, drummer, guitarist, bassist and keyboardist SNOWY SHAW releases his 'Snowy Shaw Is Alive!' album on iTunes just before Christmas. For this live album, he invited some 'good old friends' from the Scandinavian Metal scene for guest appearances: Andy La Rocque and Hal Patino (King Diamond), Mike Wead (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond), Mats Leven (Therion, Yngwie Malmsteen), Kee Marcello (Europe, K2) and Thomas Vikstrom (Therion, Candlemass).


If you like your Metal brutal but technical, ENTHRALLMENT should tickle your fancy. Hailing from Belgian, the band have just signed to United Guttural Records, although they've been around for more than a decade, playing with the likes of Deicide, Obituary and Napalm Death. The five-piece (below) are currently working on a new album, which will be out early in 2012. Go to: http://www.myspace.com/enthrallment.

Enthrallment

Last but definitely not least, BASICK RECORDS, who specialise in prog Metal, have released a free 40-minute mp3 sampler encompassing twelve different releases from their international artist roster. The sampler, which is free to download from basickrecords.bandcamp.com/album/basick-2012-sampler, features the following tracks:

1. CHIMP SPANNER Dark: Age Of Technology
2. CIRCLES: Act III
3. MONUMENTS: The Uncollective (instrumental)
4. SKYHARBOR: Celestial (edit)
5. UNEVEN STRUCTURE: Awaken (edit)
6. 7 HORNS 7 EYES: The Winnowing
7. BLOTTED SCIENCE: A Sting Operation - Human Barbequed
8. ION DISSONANCE: This Is The Last Time I Repeat Myself
9. THE ARUSHA ACCORD: The Resurgent
10. ALIASES: The Reality Of Beliefs
11. VISIONS: Oceans
12. THE ALGORITHM: Isometry

BASICK will also host their first label showcase, in conjunction with HMV, in London on 6th February with live sets from Chimp Spanner, Uneven Structure and The Algorithm.
Basick Record's Chimp Spanner