A roundup of the latest news from Nuclear Blast Records including updates on Blind Guardian, Rage, Municipal Waste, Edguy and Wintersun
Krefeld, Germany-based progressive power metallers BLIND GUARDIAN announced the release of their first live record in 14 years just a few weeks ago. Guitarist André Olbrich reveals why the time has come for »Live Beyond The Spheres«:
“There’s several different reasons why it’s about time to release a live album. We’ve had a new rhythm section in the band – Frederik and Bahrend – for a couple of years now. Our interaction improved a lot by their joining and our songs developed a better groove and became more dynamic. The appearance of digital amp profilers and digital recording techniques also made it possible to create a fairly similar sonic image in different venues and to fulfil our image of what a perfect live album should be. Last but not least; we released three studio albums since our previous live album, and we didn’t have any live recordings from our relatively current studio material. By compiling a 3-disc package, we were able to create a very extensive and varied set list to reflect our 30-year career with an optimal performances.”
The 22-song package entitled »Live Beyond The Spheres«, will be purchasable as a 3CD-DIGI as well as a 4LP-BOX. Besides all-time classics such as ‘The Bard’s Song (In The Forest)’, ‘Valhalla’ and ‘Mirror Mirror’, rather rarely performed songs like ‘And Then There Was Silence’ are also a part of this live record.
“We compiled one “show” out of the best tracks from more than 40 live performances, recorded during our European tour in 2015. That’s how we pinned down the most beautiful and atmospheric moments on this medium,” he adds.
With the live version of ‘Mirror Mirror’, BLIND GUARDIAN releases one of the above-mentioned classics from »Live Beyond The Spheres« today. The track plus video material from the past tour can be watched over on YouTube.
André comments on the track:
“‘Mirror Mirror’ is one of the biggest classics from BG; known for being celebrated by both, band and fans, at the end of every live show.”
Check out the clip, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVg8eP7KPNQ
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The creativity and productivity of the German heavy metal trio RAGE seems to have no limits. Only 14 months after the successful »The Devil Strikes Again« neckbreaker, RAGE deliver their new, 23rd studio album called »Seasons Of The Black«, which will be released on July 28th!
“Our fans are getting RAGE metal of the very first grade. We’ve been able to bring the band’s typical trademarks into eleven new songs, and we’re sticking to the course that we forged on the last album! This means hard and very catchy compositions that also sound thrash, aggressive and epic”, tells band leader Peavy.
Today, RAGE already publish the first single of their new album, entitled ‘Blackened Karma’. Watch the video of this song, here: https://youtu.be/f_OB6hO9ONE
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In February 1992, a bunch of German kids set out from the middle of nowhere and founded a band that would conquer the hearts of a whole new generation of fans around the globe!
Today, 25 years later, founding members Tobias Sammet (AVANTASIA) and the two guitarists Jens Ludwig and Dirk Sauer, as well as Tobias “Eggi” Exxel (bass) and Felix Bohnke (drums), who joined the band 20 years ago, can look back at their hugely successful career to shows in more than 40 countries, countless tours in Asia, Australia and America, ten studio albums and top 10 chart entries from all over the world.
To celebrate such an exceptional career with their fans, EDGUY will get back on the road. And while the live program will only contain the best material of their entire career, the new release will not be just a ‘Greatest Hits’ album one would expect to accompany such a tour: The 2-CD/DVD-package »Monuments« (release: July 14th) will include brand new material, their best tracks of the last 25 years, and old rarities that have never been published before! In addition, the DVD includes an entire show from their »Hellfire Club« tour in 2004 as well as the complete collection of their video clips. The limited edition will include an extensive coffee-table book containing material from throughout the entire history of EDGUY!
Today, the band reveals the first single as well as the lyric video for the brand new song ‘Ravenblack’. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzjxZ0JBasU
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The waiting seemed to be endless, but now Finnish epic metallers WINTERSUN can finally give the go-ahead: Their long-awaited third studio album »The Forest Seasons«, will be released on July 21st through Nuclear Blast. Additionally, the live album »Wintersun live @ Tuska Festival 2013« will be released on vinyl.
Pre-order now: http://nblast.de/WSForestSeasonsNB
Pre-order digitally: http://nblast.de/WintersunDigital
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Richmond, Virginia‘s MUNICIPAL WASTE will unleash their latest piece of toxic detritus, »Slime And Punishment« on June 23rd via Nuclear Blast Records.
Today, the band releases the brand new single and title track off the upcoming album. Watch the 360 visualizer for the song here:
