FINNTROLL and BLACKGUARD To Embark On Extensive North American Assault, Play Minneapolis November 14

Finnish folk metal band Finntroll will bring along Canadian special guests Blackguard and Metsatöll for a North American tour that starts November 4 in West Springfield, Virginia and winds up December 9 in Baltimore. The tour includes a stop in Minneapolis at Mill City Nights on Thursday, November 14 with local support from Cold Colours, and tickets are on sale now through AXS.

November 4 – West Springfield, VA, Empire

November 5 – New York, NY, Stage 48

November 9 – Worcester, MA, The Palladium

November 10 – Pittsburgh, PA, Altar Bar

November 11 – Cleveland, OH, Peabody’s Downunder

November 13 – Joliet, IL, Mojoes

November 14 – Minneapolis, MN, Mill City Nights, w/Cold Colours

November 15 – Winnipeg, MB, The Zoo

November 16 – Regina, SK, The Exchange

November 17 – Calgary, AB, The Republik

November 18 – Edmonton, AB, Pawn Shop

November 20 – Vancouver, BC, Red Room

November 21 – Seattle, WA, El Corazon

November 22 – Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theatre

November 23 – San Francisco, CA, Slim’s

November 24 – Anaheim, CA, The Grove

November 26 – Las Vegas, NV, LVCS

November 27 – Tempe, AZ, Rocky Point Cantina

November 29 – Salt Lake City, UT, In the Venue

November 30 – Denver, CO, Bluebird Theater

December 1 – Lawrence, KS, Granada Theater

December 2 – Dallas, TX, Trees

December 3 – San Antonio, TX, Backstage Live

December 4 – Houston, TX, Scout Bar

December 6 – Tampa, FL, Orpheum

December 7 – Atlanta, GA, The Masquerade

December 8 – Louisville, KY, Diamond Pub and Billiards

December 9 – Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Soundstage

Tonight - SOILWORK; HINDER; BLACKTHORNE

There's three shows of note tonight - the big one is Sweden's Soilwork at Station 4 in St. Paul (I reviewed their The Living Infinite album here, 5/10). Opening up the show is former Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis, Blackguard, The Browning, and Wretched. Doors are early at 6:00 pm for this 16+ show, and it's $20 at the door.

Commercial hard rock fans will want to get down to First Avenue in Minneapolis tonight for Hinder (review of the Welcome To The Freakshow album is here, 1/10), The Last Vegas, and Acidic. Things get underway at 7:00 - it's an 18+ show and tickets are $25 at the door.

At the Cause Spirits & Soundbar in Uptown Minneapolis, you can catch local extreme hardcore band Blackthorne and Bisento. There's no cover charge for this 21+ show.

In Concert This Week - March 21, 2013

There’s a huge number of concerts coming town  over the next three weeks, so brace yourself!

On Sunday, March 24, former Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz brings his new band Red Lamb to Station 4 in St. Paul as part of the band’s inaugural tour which benefits children with autism. Local support will come from Candy Machine Guns, Prophets Of Aether, Monster Of Creation, and Pandemic. This is a 16+ show.

Also playing on Sunday, March 24 at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis is sludge doom band Jucifer together with local sludge monsters Witchden for an 18+ show.

Long running German industrial dance troupe KMFDM returns to First Avenue in Minneapolis on Monday, March 25 for an 18+ show with Legion Within and Czar.

A big night of metal will ensue Wednesday, March 27 when Sweden’s Soilwork returns to Station 4 in St. Paul with former Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis, Blackguard, The Browning, and Wretched for a 16+ show.

Commercial hard rock heroes Hinder bring The Last Vegas and Acidic with them to First Avenue in Minneapolis on Wednesday, March 27 for an 18+ show.

Wednesday, March 27 also has locals Blackthorne and Bisento playing Cause Spirits & Soundbar for a free 21+ show.

Twin Cities-based Prosthetic Records recording artist Ambassador Gun will unleash their insanity at The Nether Bar in Mill City Nights in Minneapolis on Thursday, March 28. This is an 18+ show, and support will come from Nerves, Much Worse, and Call Of The Void.

If you’re up north, Hinder and Acidic play a 21+ show in Duluth at Clyde Iron Works on Thursday, March 28.

Weekly Concert Update - KITTIE Concert Announced, SCOTT WEILAND Cancelled

There's only a couple things to report with regard to concert announcements. In what seems like one of the oddest billings I've seen in a while, Kittie is teaming up with Blackguard, The Agonist, and Bonded By Blood for a tour that brings them to St. Paul at Station 4 on Wednesday, April 18. This is an all ages show, and tickets will be $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

Diamond Plate has now been confirmed as main support for D.R.I. on the promoter's Facebook page for their show on Friday, December 9 at Station 4 in St. Paul. Although they are not listed on the flyer, they will be there!

Lastly in concert news, Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland has cancelled his December 6 show at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. Weiland hand only a handful of dates booked in December, and I'm not sure if other shows have also been cancelled.


During the coming week, there's a hard rock/metal show nearly every night so get out to something that interests you! Here's the quick rundown of the next week's shows.
Tonight, Friday, December 2, 80s heavyweights Warrant and Firehouse are joining forces for a co-headling show at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina with local openers Scarlet Haze. A little bit to the south of the Cities, local legends Gemini are doing one of their occasional reunion shows at the Wicked Moose Bar and Grill in Rochester tonight.

Saturday, December 3 brings Avenged Sevenfold, Hollywood Undead, Asking Alexandria, and Black Veil Brides to Minneapolis at the Target Center. Also on Sunday, a ton of local bands are gathering for a big show at Club Underground in Minneapolis, including The Black Light, OBCT, Thought Thieves, As/Of, The Night, Kether, Thosquanta, Avenpitch, Albuterol, and Oneneoeon.


Sunday, December 4 is a big day that starts early with Trans-Siberian Orchestra performing two shows at 3:30 and 7:30 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Also in St. Paul that night at Station 4 are 80s rockers Enuff Z'Nuff with The Regenerators, The Grande Machine, and Crashmatic. Enuff Z'Nuff really is so underrated and different than other hard rock and metal bands from this time. I saw them once at The Filling Station in Kansas City around 1998, and they are phenomenal live. Tantric also plays on Sunday in Burnsville at Primetime Sports Bar & Grill with Man Made Machine, Underride, and Eve To Adam.

Sevendust returns on Monday, December 5, this time at Myth in St. Paul with support from Eye Empire, Candlelight Red, and Seven Day Sonnet.

Wednesday, December 7 sees As I Lay Dying at First Avenue in Minneapolis with Of Mice & Men, The Ghost Inside, Iwrestledabearonce, and Sylosis. For those up north, the Avenged Sevenfold tour lands at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth on Wednesday.

Lastly, The Dreaming, featuring Stabbing Westward vocalist Christopher Hall, plays Station 4 in St. Paul on Thursday, December 8 with Killing Floor, Withering Deity, and Create Control.


Check the details on the concert calendar to the right for additional details about these and other shows.

SYMPHONY X Announces Spring 2011 North American Tour With NEVERMORE, SOILWORK, POWERGLOVE, And BLACKGUARD

Long-dormant progressive metal band Symphony X have announced a Spring 2010 North American tour with one of the most impressive bills seen in some time. Joining as support on tour are Nevermore, Soilwork, Powerglove, and Blackguard. The month-long jaunt will hit most areas of the US, including a stop at Station 4 in St. Paul on Monday, May 2. Here is the complete itinerary:

April 21 - Philadelphia, PA, The Trocadero
April 22 - New York, NY, Best Buy Theatre
April 23 - Worcester, MA, The Palladium
April 25 - Montreal, QC, Metropolis
April 26 - Quebec City, QC, Salle Albert Rosseau
April 27 - Toronto, ON, The Opera House
April 29 - Cleveland, OH, Peabody's
April 30 - Detroit, MI, Blondie's
May 1 - Chicago, IL, Bottom Lounge
May 2 - St. Paul, MN, Station 4
May 4 - Denver, CO, Ogden Theater
May 6 - Seattle, WA, Showbox
May 7 - Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theatre
May 8 - San Francisco, CA, The Grand Ballroom
May 10 - Los Angeles, CA, Wiltern Theater
May 11 - Tempe, AZ, Marquee Theatre
May 13 - Dallas, TX, Trees
May 14 - Houston, TX, Scout Bar
May 15 - San Antonio, TX, Backstage Live
May 17 - Orlando, FL, The Club at Firestone
May 18 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Culture Room
May 19 - Atlanta, GA, The Masquerade
May 20 - Raleigh, NC, Volume 11
May 21 - Charlotte, NC, Tremont Music Hall
May 22 - West Springfield, VA, Jaxx
Tweet

KAMELOT Postpones North American Tour; ProgPower USA XI Performance Still On

I'm currently in Europe until the end of the week, so I haven't had the chance to update the site with some news in the last couple days. First up is yesterday's news from Kamelot that they are postponing their North American tour a couple days after announcing that vocalist Michael Eriksen from Circus Maximus would substitute for the ill Roy Khan. Despite this, Kamelot will still headline the ProgPower USA XI festival in Atlanta, Georgia this Friday, September 10. Leaves' Eyes and Blackguard, who were slated to support the Kamelot tour, will also still be performing at ProgPower this Friday.

Additionally, although ProgPower is sold out, the promoter has released 25 extra tickets for Kamelot fans. For more information about how to get one of these tickets visit the ProgPower website.

Here's the complete statement from Kamelot about the tour cancellation that was sent out by press release:

"Hi Kamelot Nation.

As many of you know, Roy has fallen ill and could not make the North American tour. We have been rehearsing like madmen here in Tampa -- the band is tighter than ever and Michael from Circus Maximus is truly an amazing singer; if there is one male vocalist in this world who is on par with Roy, it is Michael! However, after today's rehearsal, we all decided that we do not feel right about doing the North American tour as anything less than a 100% Kamelot Experience. We appreciate that many fans have waited more than 2 years for new material and to see us perform together. Our new album, Poetry for the Poisoned represents a labor of love from us, and to present it at anything less than full strength seems a disservice to all involved.

Though we will suffer financial losses on this late hour cancellation, we still feel it’s the right decision for us as a band to make – we regret disappointing all those who worked so hard to shape this tour, and especially those fans who were still so willing to come through and support us despite Roy’s absence. We are humbled by that type of support, and we sincerely hope that our return in full form Kamelot strength will be more reward for your unwavering loyalty!  We will reschedule all shows in the near future, once Roy is able to return. To thank Michael for his effort, the band will still appear at the sold-out Progpower Festival, as a one off show with him and many special guest singers from the festival. Again, we want to thank all of you for your amazing support!!"

Share Tweet

Illness Forces KAMELOT Singer Roy Khan To Miss North American Tour

Progressive/power metal band Kamelot issued a press release stating that vocalist Roy Khan was recently striken with an undiagnosed illness during tour rehearsals in Tampa, Florida, and has returned home to Norway to recover. Rather than cancel the tour on the eve of its start, Kamelot has drafted Michael Eriksen from Norway's Circus Maximus to sing on this tour with Roy's "full and unconditional blessing." Also joining the band for this outing will be Elize Ryd, Swedish vocalist for Amaranthe.

Kamelot also announced that an ESP guitar autographed by Thomas Youngblood will be given away at the end of the North American tour. You can enter the drawing for the guitar only at each of the shows. After nearly selling out Station 4 the last time through St. Paul, Kamelot steps up to the main room at First Avenue in Minneapolis on September 25, and the full tour itinerary is listed below. Support on the Minneapolis date will come from Leaves' Eyes, Blackguard, and Dawn Of Valor. Kamelot's new album, Poetry For The Poisoned, will be released in the United States on September 10.

September 8 - Lake Buena Vista, FL, House Of Blues

September 10 - Atlanta, GA, Progpower USA Festival

September 11 - Springfield, VA, Jaxx

September 14 - Philadelphia, PA, The Tracadero

September 15 - New York, NY, Nokia Theatre, Record release show

September 17 - Worcester, MA, The Palladium

September 18 - Montreal, QC, Club Soda

September 19 - Toronto, ON, The Opera House

September 21 - Cleveland, OH, Peabody's

September 22 - Milwaukee, WI, The Rave

September 24 - Chicago, IL, Logan Square Auditorium

September 25 - Minneapolis, MN, First Avenue w/Leaves' Eyes, Blackguard, Dawn Of Valor

September 27 - Denver, CO, Bluebird Theatre

September 29 - San Francisco, CA, Slim's

October 1 - Hollywood, CA, House Of Blues

October 2 - San Diego, CA, House Of Blues

Share Tweet

Album Review Recap

There's at least one show on the concert calendar (below right) every night for the rest of May, so I thought it'd be useful to provide handy links to recent album reviews for many of these bands. There's some great bands coming to town, so hopefully you have a chance to catch a couple of these!

Echoterra - In Your Eyes EP, 7/10

Echoterra - The Law Of One, 8/10

Echoterra plays their first headlining show tonight, Friday, May 21 at 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis with Alation, Hollowstone, and Dance Of The Mourning Child. The band will also perform Saturday, May 22 at Station 4 in St. Paul as part of the Earl Root Memorial Metal Massacre 2 fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Read the review of Echoterra's first performance (with pictures and video) while supporting Epica with Threat Signal, Blackguard, and Gracepoint

Slash - Slash, 7/10

Slash with Myles Kennedy singing plays tonight, Friday, May 21 at Northern Lights Casino in Walker, Minnesota.

Hypocrisy -A Taste Of Extreme Divinity, 8/10

Scar Symmetry -Dark Matter Dimensions, 8/10

Blackguard - Profugus Mortis, 7/10

Hypocrisy, Scar Symmetry, and Blackguard will perform with Hate and Swashbuckle on Sunday, May 23 at Station 4 in St. Paul.

Read the review of Blackguard's recent show (with pictures and video) while supporting Epica with Threat Signal, Echoterra, and Gracepoint.

Arsis - Starve For The Devil, 9/10

Misery Index - Heirs To Thievery, 9/10

Annotations Of An Autopsy - II: The Reign Of Darkness, 4/10

Arsis, Misery Index, and Annotations Of An Autopsy will be supporting Dying Fetus with Demonicon on Monday, May 24 at The Rock in Maplewood.

Read the review of Arsis's recent show (with pictures) while supporting Arch Enemy and Exodus.

Breaking Benjamin - Dear Agony, 6/10

Breaking Benjamin will support Nickelback with Shinedown and Sick Puppies at Target Center in Minneapolis on Monday, May 24.

The Crinn - Dreaming Saturn, 9/10

The Crinn headlines the bill on Saturday, May 29 at Station 4 in St. Paul with Dead By Wednesday, We Are Legion, Expyre, This Will Not End Well, and She Fach Dahm.

Read the review of The Crinn's Dreaming Saturn record release show with Ambassador Gun.

Primal Fear - 16.6 - Before The Devil Knows You're Dead, 7/10

Primal Fear plays on Sunday, May 30 at Station 4 in St. Paul with Havok, Avian, and Dawn Of Valor.

Read the review of Primal Fear's show at Minnesota MetalFest last year with Athiest, Novembers Doom, Destroy Destroy Destroy, Gnostic, Avian, and Gracepoint.

Blackguard Album Review

Blackguard – Profugus Mortis

Sumerian, 2009

7/10

Profugus Mortis seems to have evoked mixed opinions in the metal community, but I’m on board as a believer in this powerful group from Montreal. Lazy opinions frequently compare Blackguard to Children of Bodom, but apart from insanely fast songs and a keyboardist in the band I don’t hear any resemblance. Others refer to Blackguard as folk metal – maybe they’ve only seen the band’s promotional pictures where they hold mugs and horns because this certainly sounds nothing like folk metal bands. Six of the nine songs on Profugus Mortis were previously released on 2008’s Another Round EP as Profugus Mortis. An apt description of Blackguard would be a speed metal band that incorporates keyboards with heavy, screaming vocals. If a single word had to be used to describe the album it would be intense. Every song is fast, heavy, and grabs you by the throat. The opening two tracks lead into the three best songs on the album, “Allegiance”, “I Demon”, and “The Sword”. The remainder of the album drops off a bit, but interesting arrangements and plenty of solos keep one’s attention throughout. It is fair to criticize Profugus Mortis for being a bit one-dimensional, but it could also be said that the band sticks with a clear consistent style. The biggest weakness of the album is the poor engineering sound. Vocals are too far back in the mix, and the guitars and keyboards tend to be too prominent. Nevertheless, I’m excited about the prospects and potential for Blackguard, and believe that a better-sounding sophomore album will go a long way towards establishing the band with a bright future. Blackguard continues to tour relentlessly, and live on stage is where the band demonstrates their full potential. Profugus Mortis isn’t a perfect album, but Blackguard undoubtedly is poised for great things.

Click here to view video, pictures, and a review from Blackguard’s show on February 6 with Epica, Threat Signal, Gracepoint, and Echoterra at Station 4 in St. Paul.

Blackguard will be appearing as support to Hypocrisy at Station 4 in St. Paul on Sunday, May 23. Additional support will come from Scar Symmetry, Hate, and Swashbuckle.

Blackguard returns on Saturday, September 25 to First Avenue in Minneapolis as support to Kamelot with Leaves’ Eyes.

Epica/Threat Signal/Blackguard/Gracepoint/Echoterra Concert Review With Photos And Video

Epica, Threat Signal, Blackguard, Gracepoint, Echoterra

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Station 4, St. Paul, MN

Tonight was the debut live performance of Echoterra, the new band featuring members of Avian and Pyramaze and new vocalist Melissa Ferlaak (ex-Visions Of Atlantis). Despite the early start time, Station 4 was already packed to near-capacity when Echoterra took the stage with “Manifest Eternity”. The band made the most of their time and managed to get through most of their album, The Law Of One. “A Tear Of Her Heart” and “In Your Eyes” went over especially well with the crowd. Bassist Brian Hollenbeck took over the vocals for “Say, Try, Lie, Die” and surprised everyone with his great voice. The experience of the band members showed as everyone looked at ease in front of a crowd for the first time and sound-wise things sounded great. Hopefully tonight was just the beginning of Echoterra playing locally on a regular basis.

Click picture for more photos of Echoterra (14).

Click to watch Echoterra play "In Your Eyes".

Locals Gracepoint were up next with a short set of their technical, groove-laden thrash metal. The band’s musicianship is solid but the band’s weak point is the vocalist, whose aggressive approach doesn’t seem to fit the style of the band at times. Nevertheless, Gracepoint puts on a decent show and they remain a decent opening band for big shows like this.

Click picture for more photos of Gracepoint (5).

Problems with setting up Blackguard’s keyboards delayed the start of their set, but once they took the stage the club erupted into pandemonium. Blackguard is one of the most energetic live bands and their explosive stage presence whipped the crowd into a frenzy. This was first hearing Blackguard, so without any preconceived expectations I was blown away. The band was tight, and made a huge impressive with songs like “This Round’s On Me” and “In Time”. Not enough bands play new songs live, so it was cool that Blackguard played “Farewell”, a song written for their next album. Blackguard is potent live force, and it’s easy to see why they have so many excellent already booked for 2010.

Click picture for more photos of Blackguard (10).

Click to watch Blackguard play "Farewell".

It would be difficult for most bands to follow performance like that just given by Blackguard, and Threat Signal followed with an impressive show of their own. They didn’t elicit quite the same crowd response, and it was a shame that Threat Signal’s set was limited to 35 minutes. “Afterlife” and “Through My Eyes” from the outstanding Vigilance album opened the show, and three tracks from Under Reprisal (“A New Beginning”, Counterbalance”, and “Rational Eyes”) were interspersed into the set. Another new song, “The Beginning Of The End”, was especially well-received. By the time Threat Signal was done I was left wanting more, so hopefully a headlining tour is in the works.

Click picture for more photos of Threat Signal (10).

Click to watch Threat Signal play "Severed".

Click to watch Threat Signal play "Rational Eyes".

The last time Epica played Station 4 two and a half years ago, singer Simone Simons spent the day at the hospital being treated for a bacterial leg infection and took the stage on crutches and sang while seated on a stool. Back in full health, she and Epica were greeted by a near-sellout crowd that was hungry to hear songs their latest masterpiece, Design Your Universe. The first half of the set primarily featured songs from Design Your Universe, opening with “Resign To Surrender” and continuing with “Unleashed”, “Martyr Of The Free World”. “Sensorium” and “The Imperial March” (featured on The Classical Conspiracy) rounded out the early part of the show. Oliver Palotal from Kamelot took over keyboards for this tour, and a brief piano solo from him led into a stunning version of the ballad “Tides Of Time”. More of the Epica catalog was represented in the second half of the show, with songs from The Divine Conspiracy (“Sancta Terra”, “Menace Of Vanity”, and “The Obsessive Devotion”), Consign To Oblivion (“Quietus” and “Consign To Oblivion”), and The Phantom Agony (“Seif Al Din” and “Cry For The Moon”) all being played. The epic “Design Your Universe” and “Cry For The Moon” were both big highlights of the show, and guitarist Mark Jansen got fired up for the fast, heavy parts of these songs. The whole band sounded amazing tonight, and they clearly were having fun on stage. This was a long night of quality metal, so everyone left exhausted and satisfied. Epica is one of the best symphonic metal bands around, so don’t miss them during their yet-to-be-announced North American tour in November.

 Click picture for more photos of Epica (20).

 

Click to watch Epica play "Tides Of Time".