Who's the best Iron Maiden opening act?

With the announcement of the upcoming Iron Maiden tour with very special guests, Dream Theater.  I started to think about, what opening acts were my favorite to open for the british legends.

Up until now, seeing Anthrax support the "Persistence of Time" album in the opening slot for Maiden on the No Prayer for the Dying tour was my favorite.  Metallica and Helloween also get a vote.

However, now that they announced Dream Theater, I think a new number 1 has emerged.  It's not that Dream Theater is necessarily better than those other bands, it's the fact that they are at the prime of their career having released one of their best albums to date in Black Clouds & Silver Lining.

What band do you think is the best to open for Iron Maiden?

To help, here is an un-official list of some of the more popular bands that have opened up for Maiden:

Toad the Wet Sprocket
Raven
Fist
Samson
Praying Mantis
Urchin
Accept
Whitesnake
Saxon
Quiet Riot
Vinnie Vincent
Accept
Twisted Sister
Motley Crue
Queensryche
Ratt
Killer Dwarfs
Yngwie Malmsteen
Kiss (yes, that's right....)
WASP
Anthrax
Metallica
Megadeth
Guns n' Roses
David Lee Roth
LA Guns
Helloween
Ace Frehley's Comet
Wolfsbane
Kings X
The Almighty
Skid Row
Slayer
Dream Theater
Testament
Pantera
Warrant
Fear Factory
Entombed
Arch Enemy
Dio
Motorhead
Halford
Bullet for my Valentine
Trivium
In Flames
Mastodon
Avenged Sevenfold
Atreyu
Kamelot
Morbid Angel
Dragonforce
Kreator
Nightwish
Behemoth
Marilyn Manson
Primal Fear
Rob Zombie
Shakra
Funeral for a Friend
Rollins Band
System of a Down
Clutch
Voivod

Revocation
"Dismantle the Dictator" (mp3)
from "Existence Is Futile"
(Relapse Records)

Click on above to get a FREE download of "Enter the Hall from EXISTENCE IS FUTILE album.

Buy Album or other trax on LoudTrax.com (Rock, Metal, Punk downloads)

Boston's thrash / death metal band Revocation unleashed their 2nd album and first on Relapse Records in Sept 2009.  They refer to their style as DOUCHE THRASH.  We'll need a few more bands in this genre to create it's own section on LoudTrax.com! 

The very talented trio is technical and tight.   You can hear the Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer inspirations.  However the band is not just another thrash / death metal band.  They have carved out their own sound that contains several time changes, syncho-pated rhythms and good old rock guitar solos which all blends together beautifully.  Some great guitar solos on this including some cool finger tapping.  "Existence is Futile" keeps the interest level high with no weak songs, solid and interesting from start to finish. 

The lead off track, and featured free download, "Enter the Hall" is a perfect intro and sets the tone for this modern classic.  "Deathonomics" is a head banging thrash metal anthem, with a cool little jazzy outbreak, emerging back with heavy, grooving riffs.  The track "Leviathan Awaits" has some great harmonized riffs which bring us back to the heyday of metal. 

Wish i had discovered these guys before!

Upcoming Revocation tour dates:

7 Mar 2010    20:00 242 Main    Burlington, Vermont
5 Apr 2010    19:00 JAPANESE TOUR W/ BEHEMOTH, JOB FOR A COWBOY    Osaka
5 Apr 2010    20:00 Club Quattro    Osaka
6 Apr 2010    20:00 Club Quattro    Nagoya
7 Apr 2010    20:00 Club Quattro    Tokyo
9 Apr 2010    19:00 THRASH AND BURN EUROPEAN TOUR W/ DYING FETUS, ORIGIN, BENEATH THE MASSCRE AND MAN MUST DIE    Karlsruhe
9 Apr 2010    20:00 Substage    Karlsruhe
10 Apr 2010    20:00 Turock    Essen
11 Apr 2010    20:00 Markthalle    Hamburg
13 Apr 2010    20:00 The Rock    Copenhagen
14 Apr 2010    20:00 SO36    Berlin
15 Apr 2010    20:00 Nova Pekaren    Nitra
16 Apr 2010    20:00 Theaterfabrik    Leipzig
17 Apr 2010    20:00 Posthalle    Wurzburg
18 Apr 2010    20:00 Arena    Wien
19 Apr 2010    20:00 Feierwerk    Munchen
20 Apr 2010    20:00 Orpheum/Seifenfabrik    Graz
21 Apr 2010    20:00 Estragon    Bologna
22 Apr 2010    20:00 Tunnel    Milan
23 Apr 2010    20:00 Transilvania Live club    Erstfeld
24 Apr 2010    20:00 L’Empreinte    Savigny Le Temple
25 Apr 2010    20:00 Ubu    Rennes
26 Apr 2010    20:00 Minus One    Gent
27 Apr 2010    20:00 Underworld    London
28 Apr 2010    20:00 TJs    Newport
29 Apr 2010    20:00 Club Academy    Manchester
30 Apr 2010    20:00 02 Academy 2    Birmingham
1 May 2010    20:00 013, Neurotic Death Fest    Tilburg
6 May 2010    20:00 Tip Top Tavern    Indianapolis, Indiana
7 May 2010    20:00 The Picador    Iowa City, Iowa
8 May 2010    20:00 Triple Rock Social Club    Minneapolis, Minnesota
9 May 2010    20:00 Warehouse    La Crosse, Wisconsin
10 May 2010    20:00 Brass Rail    Peoria, Illinois
11 May 2010    20:00 Outland Ballroom    Springfield, Missouri
12 May 2010    20:00 Marquee    Tulsa, Oklahoma
13 May 2010    20:00 War Legion Underground    Amarillo, Texas
14 May 2010    20:00 Downtown Greenhouse    Flagstaff, Arizona
16 May 2010    19:00 The Boardwalk    Orangevale, CA.
17 May 2010    19:00 Hawthorne Theater    Portland, OR.
18 May 2010    19:00 El Corazon    Seattle, WA.
19 May 2010    19:00 Icon    Pocatello, ID.
20 May 2010    19:00 In the Venue    Salt Lake City, Utah
21 May 2010    19:00 The Black Sheep    Colorado Springs, CO.
22 May 2010    19:00 Bottleneck    Lawrence, KS.
23 May 2010    18:00 The Hanger (TX)    Wichita Falls, TX.
24 May 2010    19:00 Emo’s Inside    Austin, TX.
25 May 2010    18:00 Dos Amigos    Odessa, TX.
26 May 2010    19:00 Launchpad    Albuquerque, NM.
27 May 2010    19:00 The Clubhouse Music Venue    Tempe, AZ.

In 1989, Dream Theater released their debut album “When Dream and Day Unite” with Charlie Dominici on lead vocals.  They parted ways after that and Charlie was only seen again on the music forefront in 2005 when he released the first part of the “O3 A Trilogy” under the artist name “DOMINICI”.  The 2nd part followed in 2007 and the final part, in 2008.  I hooked up with Charlie for an interview to see what’s new with the famed Progressive Metal vocalist and composer.

LT Well Charlie, thank you very much for taking the time to answer a few questions for LoudTrax.com.  Tell us what you have been up to since the release of the final part of the Trilogy in 2008.

CD Things have been pretty difficult for me since part 3 came out. My cat was killed, I left my wife, moved back to San Diego and spent the last year and a half trying to put my financial life back together piece by piece-other than that things are good!

LT From 2005 to 2008, DOMINICI released a 3 album Trilogy “O3 – A Trilogy”.  Looking back today with a couple years gone by, tell us about your favorite parts and songs from the Trilogy.

CD Actually my favorite is part 3. Mainly because it is the heaviest but also because of the way it was written and recorded. It was done almost on-the-fly because we wrote and recorded the entire CD as we went. No lyrics were written before I went to Italy to work with the band. We also wrote all of the music when I got there with the exception of 2 songs that the guys had already worked on previously before I arrived. We just went into the studio, where I also slept every night, and hammered it all out.

LT  There was such a long time lapse from the When Dream and Day Unite album to the first album in the trilogy.  However, the result was well received by fans and critics, with Part 3 being considered by many as a "must have" Progressive Metal album.

Are you planning a new release / project?  If not, what would inspire to work on another project?

CD I’m letting things progress as they may. I would like to do another CD and most of all I would love to go on tour. Unfortunately, these decisions are not entirely up to me. The band is in Italy and I am in California. The record label has gone bankrupt and since has been bought up by another company in Germany. We’ll see what develops. That said, I have been leaning towards doing something a bit more like what people expect from a CD and not a concept album at all.

Maybe just a balls-to-the-wall prog metal CD full of rocking songs that are not connected like the trilogy.

LT  Have you written much since the Part 3 album?

CD I’m always full of ideas. I prefer to complete these ideas when I’m in the presence of the musicians that are playing the stuff with me. That keeps things more fresh and most of all it always makes for a better recording when it is collaboration.

LT  You have a forum on your website in which you are very active in.  How important is it to you to talk directly to your fans?

CD I love doing that but lately my time has been very limited. There is a lot of other stuff I need to do to keep things going and the forum is very time consuming.

LT  After the departure from DT, had you considered joining other bands at that time?

CD Not really. I stayed to myself and waited for an inspiration which obviously came in 2005.

LT  Tell fans who do not have copies of the trilogy how can they get a hold of them.

CD Email me!  charlie@dominici.com

If you haven't had a chance to check out the Trilogy, listen to songs on the DOMINICI MySpace Page or pick up a copy.  Fans will not be disappointed!

My buddy had a fun topic in mind.  He mentioned how on Valentine's, people always focus on the "nice" songs.  Well, here is another take on that!  Some Rock songs that send a different message. 

by Marco C.

With Valentine's Day past, some people might feel a little relieved. Relieved because they don't have to answer that oh-so-annoying question, (to some), "What are your plans for Valentine's Day?"
On top of it, we're stuck with sappy love songs saturating pop radio every Valentine's Day week-end, so, we thought we'd take a look at a few songs that deal with heart-break and songs that let the other person know, "You know what? I don't f&^king need you!"
 
Warrant: Stronger Now (Ultraphobic)
 
Perhaps one of Jani Lane's best composition ever, this song tells your former siginificant other than you're much better off without them. Check out this fan-made video HERE:

 
Tesla: We're no Good Together (Mechanical Resonance)
 
Sometimes, we're just not meant to be, but letting the other person know can be a real bitch. So, why not send them a copy of Tesla's "We're No Good Together", from their classic first album.  Although mostly known for their cover of "Signs" and "Love Song", this Tesla classic let's them know that, "We've had a good run, now let's move on with our lives."
Catch Tesla performing this song during one of their soundchecks right HERE: 

Cinderella: Don't Know What You've Got {Till it's Gone} (Long Cold Winter)
 
We've all made the mistake of letting someone go too early, and when it's too late, you realize what you've lost. By then, it's too late! This classic 80's power ballad let's us know all about it.
Watch the original video HERE:

 
Motley Crue: You're all I Need (Girls, Girls, Girls)
 
Every time I hear this song, I think, "This would be the perfect theme song for O.J. Simpson!"
In case you haven't heard, O.J. was "suspected" of killing his wife, Nicole Brown, back in the 1990's.  Nikki Sixx wrote thise song a few years earlier when he found out his ex-girlfriend had been cheating on him with Jack Wagner from General Hospital fame; Wagner also had a hit on the radio called "You're all I need".  So, Sixx thought it would be funny to write a song about a guy killing his girlfriend and dedicated this one to his ex. Some sense of humor!
Still, for those who don't understand English, the chorus on this song will make you melt.
Watch the video MTV thought was too violent, right HERE:

Poison: Life Goes On (Flesh & Blood)
 
This one screams, "I miss you!"  From Poison's third album, "Life Goes On" deals with that feeling you get when you know your partner's just not that into you anymore, but you can't face the truth, so you pretend everything's going to be alright...  see video HERE

Let us know if there are any other songs that should have made this list! 

Jordan Rudess
"Piece of the Pii" (mp3)
from "The Road Home"
(Magna Carta Records)

CLICK ON THE above to get a FREE download of "Piece of Pii" from THE ROAD HOME album.

Jordan Rudess'' 2007 "The Road Home" album showcases the Dream Theater keyboardist covering and reworking some of his favorite Prog Rock classics.  Be warned, these are not your average "covers".  Rudess re-arranged and transformed the songs into his own personal interpretations.  “I wanted to play the right pieces and play the parts that I felt were really important to the composition,” says Rudess, who penned the original “A Piece of the Pii” for The Road Home. “I also added my own sections that aren’t there at all [in the original songs]. So there is a lot of originality even within these new arrangements.”

Here are a list of songs on The Road Home with the original artist in ( ).

Sound Chaser (YES)
Dance on a Volcano (Genesis)
Just The Same (Gentle Giant)
Piece of the Pii (Jordan Rudess)
Tarkus (Emerson, Lake & Palmer)

"Piano Medley" merges bits of the Jon Anderson vocal showpiece “Soon”, King Crimson’s gentle, supernatural “I Talk to the Wind” (with vocals by Rudess), Yes’ “And You And I”, and Genesis’ sprawling “Supper’s Ready.”

Rudess, who is used to being surrounded by immense musical talent, had some help on this record from leading prog talents.  Guests include Spock's Beard vocalist Neal Morse, Kip Winger, Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson, Bumblefoot (Guns 'n Roses), Ozric Tentacles' Ed Wayne, and drummer Rod Morgenstein. 

A fusion which results in an all star "prog tribute album" by one of the genres' leading keyboardists.

Song clips and BUY the album HERE.  See Jordan Rudess artist page HERE

Jordan put out these cool videos describing the making and inspiration for each song.  see the first video below, there are 6 in all.

We go back to October 1970.  The Beatles had released their twelfth and final studio album "Let It Be" in May of that year, Pink Floyd was still 3 years away from releasing "Dark Side of the Moon", and now legendary bands like Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Dream Theater were years and decades away.

"Led Zeppelin III" not only serves as a great source of pleasure, but also demonstrates the degree of influence Plant, Page, Bonham and Jones have, not only on Rock, but on all the other genres which then emerged from Rock.

What would music in 2010 sound like if bands like Led Zeppelin did not release albums like "Led Zeppelin III".  Music as we know it would not be the same.

Along with the classics featured on this album, there a couple under-rated pieces like "Out On the Tiles", "That's The Way" and "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp".

Jon Oliva's Pain is getting set to release their 4th studio album "Festival" on February 19, 2010 on German label AFM Records.  "Festival" will be availble in a Limited Edition Digipack, Jewel Case, and Gatefold Picture Vinyl (vinyl limited to 500 copies).  The digital download version will also be available on select sites including www.loudtrax.com

Jon Oliva is joined by Circle II Circle; musicians Christopher Kinder, Kevin Rothney and John Zahner.

It is remarkable how vast Oliva's catalog is becoming.  Going back to the 12 Savatage studio albums, 5 Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums, Doctor Butcher, and 4 Jon Oliva's Pain.  What's even more remarkable is the quality he achieves in almost every release.

It will be a busy year ahead for JOP.  After launching "Festival", the band also plans on releasing a live DVD in October 2010 which will be filmed at the 013 in Tilburg, Holland.  Meanwhile, JOP's summer Euro Festival Tour continues to move forward with Bang Your Head and Graspop festivals already confirmed.

JOP's U.S. CD release concert is set for Saturday, April 24th at Bourbon Street Nightclub- New Port Richey, Florida prior to their appearance on the TRITON POWER CRUISE (April 20-May 3). JOP is also finalizing May tour dates for Brazil/South America. 

A busy year indeed. 

VOIVOD: Announce North American Tour Dates

    Legendary Canadian metal band VOIVOD have announced two-weeks worth of tour dates in support of their latest release "Infini". This tour will kick-off in early March and include guests KREATOR, NACHTMYSTIUM, EVILE and LAZARUS A.D.. A listing of confirmed tour dates and cities can be found below with more details to be announced soon.
 
    "Infini" was released last June and includes the last 13 VOIVOD tracks to be written with late guitarist Denis “Piggy” D’Amour.  VOIVOD’s touring lineup includes Denis “Snake” Bélanger (vocals), Michel “Away” Langevin (drums), Jean-Yves “Blacky” Thériault (bass) and MARTYR’s Dan Mongrain (guitars).
 

Listen to preview clips of the new album INFINI HERE

VOIVOD Tour Dates:
 
***All dates from March 3 thru 14 w/ KREATOR, NACHTMYSTIUM, EVILE, LAZARUS A.D.***
 
March 3      Springfield, VA               Jaxx
March 4      Philadelphia, PA            The Trocadero
March 5      Worcester, MA              Palladium
March 6      New York, NY                Nokia Theatre
March 7      Montreal, QC                 Club Soda
March 8      Quebec City, QC           L’Imperial
March 9      Toronto, ON                   Opera House
March 10    Cleveland, OH                Peabody’s
March 11    Detroit, MI                     Blondies
March 12    Chicago, IL                    Bottom Lounge
March 14    St. Paul, MN                 Station 4

Source: Betsey Cichoracki / Relapse Records

There were many important Heavy Metal releases in 2009.  This is a list of what I consider to be the cream of crop.  It includes Thrash Metal, Hardcore, and straight forward Metal releases.  Comments welcomed.

1. Goatwhore - Carving Out the Eyes of God

"Carving Out the Eyes of God" is will be marked down as Goatwhore's "Dark Side of the Moon".  Many great metal bands emerged this year with quality albums, and Goatwhore was among the top of that list.  The album is raw, punk, thrash metal, black metal and screaming with anthems such as "Razor Fleshed Devoured" & "Provoking the Ritual Of Death"

Be warned, this album is HEAVY!

for previews, click HERE.

Favorite song:  Apocalyptic Havoc

2 Dark Age - Acedia

Hamburg natives released this gem in November 09 and it only took one listen to convince it was a powerful metal album.  It combines growling & melodic vocals, really phat guitar riffs, and keyboards to hold the whole together.  Simply put, it's fun to listen to!

Hope to hear more from this artist in 2010.

for previews, click HERE.

Favorite song:  Zeitgeist (Ghost in a Machine)

3 Lazarus A.D. - The Onslaught

Lazarus A.D. stormed out of the gates and has become one of the hottest new thrash metal bands around.  The band has been working hard on the road, opening up for Testament and now headlining their own shows.

Tracks like "Lust", "Absolute Power" and "Who I Really Am" are examples are good old fashioned metal.

for previews, click HERE.

Favorite song:  Who I Really Am

4 Slayer - World Painted Blood

Slayer unleashed this intense and blood filled beast.  Every time a major metal act releases a new album, expectations are high, not only for the fans, but for the entire metal community.  Slayer did not disappoint with "World Painted Blood".

It's fast, heavy and everything you would expect from the thrash metal legends.

Favorite Song: Human Strain

5. Hatebreed - Hatebreed

Hatebreed's popularity continued to explode in 2009.  They were the first Hardcore Metal band to sell over 1 million copies in the US alone with this 2009 self titled release.

This is album drives from beginning to end.  It's aggressiveness will lift and smash any mosh pit.   Hatebreed combines a melting pot of Hardcore, Thrash Metal, even a cool instrumental piece "Undiminished" and a few Slayer inspired trax ("Between Hell and a Heartbeat" & "Hands of a Dying Man").

Favorite song:  No Halos for the Heartless

Here are what I consider the Top 5 Hard Rock albums released in 2009.  Some great albums on this list. 

1. Baroness - Blue Record

Baroness' Blue Record is just off the charts, one of the great albums of 2009 in any genre!

The Red Album was a revelation for many who discovered Baroness for the first time.  If someone told me then, that the same band would release an album even better than "Red Album" in 2009, it would have been hard to believe.  Well, they did it.  I beg you, if you have not discovered this band yet, please put it on your 2010 dues list.

From the first notes on "Bullhead's Psalm", to the high octane energy of "A Horse Called Golgotha"  &  "O'er Hell and Hide",  Blue Record is filled with all the elements of a Classic Album.

If they keep releasing albums as high quality as the last 2, Baroness will be one of the great Rock bands of the next decade.

Blue Record song clips, click HERE.

Favorite Track:  I can't pick just 1, they all kick major ass!

2. Priestess - Prior to The Fire

Priestess' sophmore album is as in your face, hard - heavy rockin' album as you can get!   Songs like "Ladykiller", "It Baffles The Mind", & "We Ride" are meant to crank loud!  This is raw, pure good Heavy Rock!  Plain and simple.

We look forward to hearing what future releases hold for the Montreal rockers!

Favorite Song:  Trapped In Space and Time

3. Chickenfoot

As the name suggests, this album is COOL.  Let's face it, we knew it would be something memorable when you saw the line up - Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith!

Aside from the great musicianship, the album consists of well written, well produced and guitar heavy driven Rock!  Michael Anthony shows why he was the special ingredient in Van Halen and the Satch man just lets it rip on these songs.  A must.

Click HERE for song clips

Favorite song: Learning to Fall

4. Them Crooked Vultures

Supergroup consisting of Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones and Joshua Homme.  After first reviewing it a few months ago, this album has really grown on me and even songs I found average are becoming favorites.  This is an album for music fans.  One can really appreciate the collective energy and experience from the different generations of Rock stars.  A collective born from one of the greatest bands in the world,  to the groundbreaking Nirvana, to Queens of the Stone Age who have made their way as respected force in Rock.

There are inspiring jam sessions, ultra cool organ parts, but overall, the songs here just groove as you would expect from John Paul Jones.

Favorite song is still: Scumbag Blues

5. Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue

Alice In Chains' 2009 release got some critics complaining that the band got a Layne Staley soundalike.  Who cares!?  William DuVall is good, and the songs are good.  If anything, it gives fans a welcoming familiar sound.  DuVall gives a new life to Alice in Chains and leads them forward without compromising the signature Alice In Chains sound.

The guitars riffs are addictive with subtle nuances.  Overall great album, with key trax including "Check My Brain", "Acid Bubble", "Private Hell".

Favorite Song:  "All Secrets Known"