CHRIS ADLER JOINS FORCES WITH MEGADETH
It’s official: Megadeth has confirmed speculation that Chris Adler of Lamb of God is playing drums on their next album. Adler won’t be joining as a full-time member, and the band’s new lead guitarist has yet to be announced. The official announcement was made via a memory game on the Megadeth website: match two images and they fade away to reveal part of a pic of Adler in a Megadeth shirt. The images were of Megadeth album covers, lambs, and depictions of God from films (Morgan Freeman, George Burns and Alanis Morissette – clever). Adler is a huge Megadeth fan and the band has begun drip-feeding little snippets of video of him in the studio. So far so good, so awesome.
METAL AT BENDIGO HOTEL
Catch Decimatus, Envenomed, Alkira and Cryptic Abyss smashing it at Bendigo Hotel on Easter Sunday.
2015 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW
The 2015 Melbourne Guitar Show on Saturday August 8 and Sunday August 9 will showcase our best brands with a monster exhibition of electric and acoustic guitars, ukes, effects and amps, and much more. It’ll feature the best in home-grown manufacture and craftsmanship, plus the cream of Australia’s guitar talent in live performances and educational seminars. Australianmusician.com.au will present the event at Melbourne’s Caulfield Racecourse, and anyone needing any further information should contact organiser Rob Walker at [email protected].
THE HAUNTED & INSOMNIUM TOUR
Sweden’s The Haunted and Finland’s Insomnium are teaming up for three very special shows in May. The Haunted (featuring guitarist Ola Englund, who also divides his time between Six Feet Under and Feared) is considered one of the benchmarks of the genre, with a highly successful career spanning close to 20 years playing in front of millions all over the world. Insomnium have made themselves a household name among the melodic death metal legions and have redefined and reset the boundaries of the genre and evolved constantly throughout their 18-year career and are finally making their very first (and highly awaited) visit to Australia. They’ll be at The Hi-Fi on Friday May 15. Tickets are on sale now and VIP meet and greet tickets are also available for each band (separately).
NEW VAN HALEN LIVE ALBUM
This Friday, Van Halen will release Tokyo Dome Live In Concert, a two-disc set recorded in Japan in 2012. I’ve heard an advance copy and it’s freaking amazing. David Lee Roth is as loose and free-form as he was in the ‘80s (it wouldn’t be live VH without Dave forgetting the words), Eddie’s playing is godly, and his son Wolfgang Van Halen does a killer job on bass and backing vocals. VH are touring North America in the northern summer. Anyone else thinking of flying over to check them out?
TWO FROM COSMIC PSYCHOS
Cosmic Psychos pop their heads up for two shows at The Bridge Hotel in Castlemaine on Thursday April 2 and Saturday April 4 at the Riverview Hotel in Tarwin Lower. Rumour has it Ross Knight may have come up with a few more words to rhyme with ‘beer’ and ‘pub,’ and the boys will be playing some new songs. They say they’ll sound like the old ones, just new. Dragged along by their ears, Bendigo louts Black Aces will join them for both gigs. Tickets on sale now through oztix.com.au for $20 or it’s $25 at the door if available. Doors open at 8.30pm.
YNGWIE OR THE HIGHWIE
Don’t forget: Swedish shred legend Yngwie J Malmsteen hits Australia in June for a run of shows including Wednesday June 10 at 170 Russell. Yngwie is unquestionably one of the greatest guitarists in the world and has been the inspiration for a legion of imitators over the years: so much so that he jokes that he started including the ‘J’ in Yngwie J Malmsteen to distinguish him from all the other Yngwie Malmsteens who sprung up in his wake. Tickets from tombowler.com.au/yngwiemalmsteen.
NEW TONY MACALPINE ALBUM
Speaking of guitar virtuosi, Tony MacAlpine’s new album Concrete Gardens will be released on Tuesday April 21, and you can now pre-order it in digital download, standard edition CD, and special edition CD/DVD versions at tonymacalpine.spinshop.com. In addition to MacAlpine on guitars and keys, Concrete Gardens features Aquiles Priester on drums, a guest guitar solo from Jeff Loomis, and bass duties divided between Tony, Pete Griffin (Zappa Plays Zappa, Dethklok), Lucky Islam and Sean Delson.
