kamelot

Kamelot Announce North American Spring Tour

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TLDR

Modern Symphonic Metal Icons KAMELOT Announce
North American “Kamelot: Awaken The World Tour 2024”

Featuring Support from HammerFall and AD INFINITUM

Beginning April 25 in Baltimore, MD | Tickets On Sale Friday, January 19

New KAMELOT Album, The Awakening, Out Now | Order HERE[photo credit: Tom Couture] Modern heavy symphonic metal leaders KAMELOT continue to celebrate their latest top-charting full-length album, The Awakening, in grandiose style! Today, the band is thrilled to announce their upcoming North American “Kamelot: Awaken The World Tour 2024”, featuring direct support from Swedish heavy metal frontrunners HammerFall. Fast-rising modern symphonic metal band and Napalm Records label mates AD INFINITUM will kick off each enchanting night, featuring KAMELOT touring guest vocalist Melissa Bonny! 

The tour will begin on April 25 in Baltimore, MD and will cross North America and back, coming to an end a month later in Tampa, FL on May 25. Tickets for this unmissable trek go on sale to the general public this Friday, January 19 at 10:00am local time, following an exclusive Blabbermouth pre-sale beginning on Wednesday, January 17 at 10:00am Eastern time. VIP upgrades will be available in select cities, and can be ordered via www.kamelot.com/VIP2024. Get your tickets now – they will go fast!

Guitarist/Founder of KAMELOT, Thomas Youngblood, says:
“We are beyond excited about the upcoming North American tour with our friends HammerFall and AD INFINITUM! We have been to Europe, Japan and South America as part of our AWAKEN THE WORLD tour, and we will come back to North America for some cities we didn’t get to visit on the first leg. Get ready for some amazing nights on this epic Symphonic Metal package!” 

KAMELOT: Awaken The World Tour 2024 North American tour dates:
** = Featuring Seven Spires, No HammerFall

4.25.24 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head **
4.26.24 – Huntington, NY – Paramount **
4.27.24 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live **
4.28.24 – Quebec City, QC – Theatre Capitole **
4.30.24 – Harrisburg, PA – HMAC 
5.1.24 – Montclair, NJ – Wellmont Theatre 
5.3.24 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone
5.4.24 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
5.6.24 – Fort Worth, TX – Tannahill’s
5.7.24 – San Antonio, TX – Vibes Event Center
5.9.24 – Albuquerque, NM – El Rey Theater
5.10.24 – Tucson, AZ – Encore
5.11.24 – Anaheim, CA – City National Grove 
5.12.24 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
5.14.24 – Denver, CO – The Summit 
5.16.24 – St. Paul, MN – Myth
5.17.24 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom/Milwaukee Metal Fest (no AD INFINITUM)
5.18.24 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
5.20.24 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian 
5.21.24 – Richmond, VA – The National
5.23.24 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts
5.24.24 – Atlanta, GA – Heaven – Masquerade 
5.25.24 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Landing

KAMELOT‘s latest album, The Awakening, debuted at #2 on the US Current Hard Music Albums chart and #27 on the Current Album Sales chart, and connected with fans and critics alike – touted by many as the best late-era KAMELOT release to date! The album enters the band’s legacy as their most massive and diverse offering yet – mixing symphonic, gothic, melodic, progressive and power metal styles while yielding some of the heaviest tracks in the band’s history. Having reigned supreme with the release of internationally top-charting melodic metal pinnacles such as The Fourth Legacy (1999), The Black Halo (2005), Silverthorn (2012), Haven (2015, #1 US Hard Rock Albums), and most recently 2018’s acclaimed The Shadow Theory (#2 US Hard Music Albums), KAMELOT’s intense brand of ultramodern gothic and symphonic theatricality is amplified further and with more emotionalism than ever on The Awakening.

Showcasing the incomparable, stage-seasoned vocal acrobatics of Tommy Karevik and increasingly airtight, renowned technical teamwork of guitarist Thomas Youngblood, drummer Alex Landenburg, keyboardist Oliver Palotai and bassist Sean Tibbetts, KAMELOT’s score-like 13th studio album is accented by guest contributions from the likes of Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum) and renowned instrumentalists like violinist Florian Janoske and cellist Tina Guo. The Awakening features crystal clear modern production helmed by the band and longtime producer Sascha Paeth, plus mixing and mastering by Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios.

“10/10 “Masterpiece!”
– Metal-Temple

“The Awakening is KAMELOT’s best album in almost 20 years…”
– The Prog Mind (US), 9/10

“The Awakening is KAMELOT performing at the top of their game.”
– New Noise Magazine (US)

“The Awakening is probably the hottest candidate for the (melodic) metal album of the year.”
– Rock It! (DE) – 10/10   Order The Awakening HERE:

Watch the music video for “Eventide”HERE:

KAMELOT are:
Tommy Karevik – Vocals
Thomas Youngblood – Guitars
Oliver Palotai – Keyboards
Sean Tibbetts – Bass
Alex Landenburg – Drums

KAMELOT online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
NAPALM RECORDS

Serenity Nemesis AD Review 2023

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Releases November 3rd via Napalm Records

Austrian Symphonic Metal band Serenity have been an underrated cornerstone of their genre for nearly two decades. They’ve crafted beautiful melodies, catchy battle tunes, bombastic rhythmic sections, and historical Metal and reached new heights with previous album “The Last Knight” which hit #25 on German album charts. I have loved every release since, but the expectations for this album are extremely high with the addition of Marco Pastorino of Temperance, Fallen Sanctuary, and his solo work, it seems like this guy is everywhere right now. Pastorino is known for elevating music to its maximum potential and Serenity working with him and Ancient Bards’ orchestral composer, Daniele Mazza, this album can’t be anything but incredible.

Nemesis AD is a history lesson once again, this time heavily focusing on Albrecht Durer, the great German Painter and Theologian. This topic seems to bring the most passion out of this band, as Nemesis AD is emotionally and musically profound throughout each track. Don’t let the soft choirs and chamber orchestration on opener “Memoriae Alberti Dureri” fool you, this album is huge in sound and heavy as ever. “The Fall of Man” features ex-Kamelot Tenor extraordinaire, Roy Khan, and the harmonies with the piercing voice of Georg Neuhauser is sure to send chills up your spine. A lot of songs stand out as well with “Ritter, Tod, and Teufel” based on the Durer painting, “Sun of Justice” which is fast and heart-pounding as well as catchy, and “The End of Babylon” which is a lyrical and chorus triumph. Overall, the album has a lot of gems and the usual Serenity feel and it’s a very good record, but one track stands out far above the rest for me. “Reflections (of AD)” is a masterpiece, maybe the greatest song the band has ever produced. This song is a grand, orchestral, and airy tribute to Durer and his legacy. This song is one of the most beautiful compositions I have ever heard, lyrically, emotionally, orchestral, and vocally. The ability to emote from Neuhauser and Pastorino is a diamond in today’s music. The grand level of emotions and yet so much space in the music does not appear in most modern music. This space occurs in the symphonic sound and the breakdown part that works so well with the video. This is a track that may stay with me the rest of my life and certainly the rest of the year.

Nemesis AD is a more melodious and symphonic album than past albums, but it has heavy guitars from Pastorino and Hermsdoerfer and excellent solos. It definitely strays from the path of being formulaic or too Pop sounding. It may not be their best overall album, but it will cater to the older Serenity fans as well as original Kamelot fans. If you’re not a fan of recent Kamelot offerings, Serenity could be a classic stand in. All the songs have a Khan era feel, especially “Nemesis”, which has some Eastern influence that adds a completely different feel and breaks up the soaring-Symphonic sound from being repetitive. The whole album is worth a listen all the way through and a couple of the tracks will stick in your head.

Rating 7/10 Overall, a good Symphonic Metal Album but lacked some power and awe factor that previous albums had. Reflections (of AD) is one of my tracks of the year, however, and is a modern classic of the genre.

Links:

SERENITY

Serenity 2023 by Matthias Schwaighofer
Photo by Matthias Schwaighofer

Epica Tease New Collaboration Album with Some Familiar Faces

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Sven de Caluwe
Phil Lanzon
Roel van Helden
Niilo Sevänen
Jørgen Munkeby
Bjorn Strid
Myrkur
Asim Searah
Henri Sattler
Frank Schiphorst
Fleshgod Apocalypse
Tommy Karevik
Charlotte Wessels

Here are all the announced guests on the upcoming Epica collaboration album! I am pleasantly surprised by the familiar faces and know this will be an absolutely incredible record. According to lead singer Simone Simons, the album is expected to be released this December. This concept is a complete surprise to me, because it’s a very modern approach. It seems to be a more mainstream venture from the band, just based on the guests and new song performed on the 20th Anniversary show with singer and Saxophonist, Jørgen Munkeby from Shining. I listed all the guests in the captions on the photos. Below is a comprehensive list with songs so you can see what each guest sounds like!

– Tommy Karevik

– Fleshgod Apocalypse

– Frank Schiphorst

– Roel van Helden

– Asim Searah

– Phil Lanzon

– Henri Sattler

– Sven de Caluwé

A Metal Insight to 2015

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2015 brings in a whole new year of Metal to look forward to as many bands have already announced new releases as well as amazing tours.  After an exploding year of Metal in 2014, I’m guessing this ever diverse musical genre can only get better.  Whether you like Death, Thrash, Symphonic, or Black there’s probably going to be a release for you in the next coming year.  I say this because the genre has recently grown exponentially, adding thousands of all new bands and a resurgence of Metal popularity.  Also, old classics are coming back strong this year, which means a ton of new music for everyone in the new year.   There are negative sides to it growing and getting more recognition however, as Black Veil Brides is still alive and decently thriving.   Below I will list and expand on some releases and tours that you can look forward to that don’t involve your typical Emo-Rock boy bands.

 

Dark Tranquility With Insomnium North American Tour

 

In late December, Dark Tranquility announced a North American tour with Finnish Melodic Death Metal band, Insomnium.  The tour has already embarked but you can check out the remaining dates below.  I have seen both bands live before and highly suggest them one hundred percent.

 

Kamelot with Dragonforce North American tour

 

A night of Power Metal at its best, what more do you want in 2015?  Kamelot are also currently in production of a new album, sadly without much detail yet.  Check out tour dates below.

 

http://enterthevault.com/artist.php?id=47

Nightwish Endless Forms Most Beautiful, NA Tour With Sabaton/Delain

 

2015 is set to be the biggest year for Nightwish since the release of Imaginaerum in 2011, with a brand new album with a new vocalist and a new drummer, but also a massive North American tour.  Nightwish is easily the most revered Symphonic Metal band of all time, so the wait for a new album has been seemingly long.  “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” is said to utilize the softer and beautiful intricacies of Floor Jansen’s vocals.  The title is inspired by a quote from Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species. The album is also said to have a whole new sound that we’ve never heard from the band.  From the “Making Of” videos for the new album, you can see how hard Tuomas worked to make the new album and truly put everything he had into it.  The entire band has a level of musicianship that is unmatched, so I honestly expect nothing less than a total masterpiece from this album.

 

Nightwish are also embarking on a month long North American tour upon the release of their new album.  This tour is all over the country and features two of the best metal bands right now, Power Metal band Sabaton and Gothic Symphonic Metal band Delain.  There is not going to be a better European tour in the US this year, so I highly recommend buying your tickets as soon as possible. Do not miss this tour.

 

http://nightwish.com/en/news

 

http://enterthevault.com/

 

Battle Beast Unholy Savior  

 

Finnish Female Fronted Power Metal band, Battle Beast, is back in 2015 with new traditional influenced album.  “Unholy Savior” comes out early, January 13th to be exact.  The album features a broader range of styles and different emotional influences than previous albums.  Guitarist and writer Anton wanted to go farther on his “spiritual journey” of music and expand the horizons of Battle Beast’s sound.

 

The Track listing for UNHOLY SAVIOR will be as follows:

 

  1. Lionheart
  2. Unholy Savior
  3. I Want The World….And Everything In It
  4. Madness
  5. Sea Of Dreams
  6. Speed And Danger
  7. Touch In The Night
  8. The Black Swordsman
  9. Hero’s Quest
  10. Far Far Away
  11. Angel Cry

 

http://www.battlebeast.fi/

Sylosis Dormant Heart

Progressive Death Metal band Sylosis are back in 2015 with a crazy technical and shredding album “Dormant Heart”.  With a new drummer, Ali Richardson from DevilDriver, the band aims to come back heavier and darker than ever.  The album drops January 17th via Nuclear Blast Records, but you can preorder it still on their site.

 

http://sylosis.com/

Blind Guardian Beyond the Red Mirror

German Power Metal band are releasing their 10th studio album January 30th, 2015.  “A story between science fiction and fantasy,” explains Blind Guardian vocalist and lyricist Hansi Kürsch. “The story begins with our 1995 album, Imaginations from the Other Side. The two worlds described therein have changed dramatically for the worse since then. While there used to be several passages between the worlds, there is only one gate left now: The Red Mirror. It has to be found at any cost.”  It is their first release in five years and is highly anticipated, because of its recent high mark reviews from Blabbermouth and other popular sites.  For the hardcore fans of Power Metal I can say that this album will be everything you expect from Blind Guardian, no tricks or frills here.

 

Halestorm

 

If you caught any of Halestorm’s studio diary videos or their recent live shows, you know they’ve got a screamer of an album coming very soon this year.  You also know the band is teasing the new album picture by picture, purposely torturing the fans.  The reveal however is set for January 13th.  There are no more details beyond the date and song titles.  Check out more below.

 

http://www.halestormrocks.com/11315

 

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/halestorms-lzzy-hale-on-upcoming-album-its-very-organic-and-unapologetically-us/

Bands in Production

 

Kamelot

Deftones

Soilwork

Fear Factory

Decide

Five Finger Death Punch

Stone Sour

Symphony X

Dimmu Borgir

Soulfly

Paradise Lost

For a full comprehensive list of heavy metal releases go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_in_heavy_metal_music