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