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“FOREVER STRONGER THAN ALL”
R E m e m b ere d
JANUARY 2015
PRINTED IN THE UK
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ONE IN A MILLION 30 A decade gone, but never to be forgotten. Dimebag Darrell We raise a A decade gone, but never to be forgotten. We raiseglass to a glass to celebrate the life of Dimebag Darrell celebrate the Abbott and discover the man behind the myth.
ONE IN A MILLION 30
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ROB ZOMBIE
No one likes a good splatterfest like Sir Rob of Zombie, so we got the gore metal maestro to give us the ultimate guide to horror movie making. Best grab an apron…
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CANCER BATS
CRITICS’ POLL 2014
Taking the biggest risk of their career, Canada’s greatest exports locked horns with notorious producer Ross Robinson... and the results are divisive.
Who ruled? Who drooled? And who predicted that Babymetal would happen?! We run through another crazy 12 months in metal, plus reveal our top 50 albums of the year!
Fests heat up 10
Festival season 2015 is officially underway, and it’s off to a flying start!
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Editorial Editor-In-Chief alexander milas alexander.milas@teamrock.com Deputy EDITOR merlin alderslade merlin.alderslade@teamrock.com production EDITOR vanessa thorpe vanessa.thorpe@teamrock.com REVIEWS and subterranea EDITOR JONATHAN SELZER jonathan.selzer@teamrock.com
One of the year’s most fascinating metal documentaries deserves your attention.
Meet VALES 13
Rumours of UK hardcore’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, and Vales might just be its brightest new hopes.
online EDITOR luke morton luke.morton@teamrock.com EDITOR-at-large dom lawson dom.lawson@teamrock.com
18 PROTEST THE HERO
Why QUEEN rule
’s Whaotur y on CD? free.14 P
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Protest The Hero’s Rody Walker is the biggest Freddie Mercury fanboy going – and he’s here to explain why you should feel the same.
Contributors: Terry Bezer, Paul Brannigan, Dean Brown,Daniel Cairns, Cheryl Carter, Chris Chantler, Toby Cook, Joe Daly, Malcolm Dome, John Doran, Jerry Ewing, Connie Gordon, Jason Hicks, Stephen Hill, Emma Johnston, Dave Ling, Gavin Lloyd, Edwin McFee, Chris McGarel, Ken McIntyre, Joel McIver, Greg Moffitt, Mörat, Catherine Morris, Ben Myers, Dayal Patterson, Avi Pitchon, Adam Rees, Alastair Riddell, Sarah Worsley, Holly Wright, Nik Young. Subbing: Jayne Nelson. Design: John Woolford PHOTOGRAPHERS: Derek Bremner, Stephanie Cabral, Mick Hutson, Will Ireland, Tina Korhonen, John McMurtrie, Kevin Nixon, Jake Owens, Ester Segarra, James Sharrock, Travis Shinn
senior editorial team Editorial director Scott Rowley creative director Brad MERRETT Editor-In-Chief alexander milas Editorial operations manager ALEX BURROWS
Digital team DIGITAL PRODUCTION EDITOR EMMA JOHNSTON DIGITAL ART EDITOR AARON STANDEN DIGITAL ART EDITOR MARK CRITCHELL EditorIAL DESIGNER JEFF LEE
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With the third and final Hobbit film looming, we chat to the power metal heavyweights about Tolkien’s enduring influence.
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PERIPHERY
Djent’s finest are preparing their boldest outing yet and we sneaked into the studio.
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XENA 26
Yes, you read that right. We get legendary sci-fi, action and fantasy actress Lucy Lawless to open up her record collection!
marketing & Circulation
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Frontman Josh Middleton wants a revolution, and the Reading thrashers’ new opus could provide the ideal soundtrack.
AC/DC 82
With all the recent turmoil, it’s easy to forget that AC/DC have a new album out! But is it actually any good? Find out on page 82.
Directors
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Art director JAMES ISAACS james.isaacs@teamrock.com Art Editor LEWIS SOMERSCALES lewis.somerscales@teamrock.com Deputy Art Editor Louise Brock louise.brock@teamrock.com
cover: Neil Zlozower cover manipulation: MagicTorch
BLIND GUARDIAN 22
Art
Alissa’s lowdown on life on the tour bus with melodic death metal’s most famous band.
GOING UND ERG RO
UN D
Bloodbath
116 Nick Holmes goes old school!
11Paranoias
120 Drugged out doom dementia!
PLUS DAMNATION, 1349, TAAKE, ULVER, ZOM, CRETIN & more
102 ASKING ALEXANDRIA
Su sc anb d s ribe ££ ave P.12£s! 9
REVIEWS Asking Alexandria 102 York’s wanton rockers take another step up.
AC/DC, FOO FIGHTERS, ANTHRAX, IRON MAIDEN, WITHIN TEMPTATION, SUICIDE SILENCE, LORDS OF THE RIFF, SIKTH
CHAIRMAN JOHN MYERS CEO BILLY ANDERSON chief operations director alan clarke managing director CHRIS INGHAM Commercial director Jimmy Docherty finance director stuart kilby insight director Cameron pirie chief digital & INNOVATION DIRECTOR CiarÁn o'toole head of radio hugh 'moose' evans head of tv stephen mccreath hr director jill johnston
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DIMEBAG
Darrell abbott was a force of nature, a tornado of creativity Dimebag: we will never see his like again
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THE REAL DEAL Musician. Artist. Brother. Friend. Man. Darrell ‘Dimebag’ Abbott was so much more than a great guitarist. With a little help from those closest to him, we explore the true identity of one of metal’s most beloved figures.
F Main Image: Neil Zlozower. InSET IMAGE: Eddie Malluk/AtlasIcons.com
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DIMEBAG
W O R D S : D O M L AW S O N .
ew of us that regard ourselves as metalheads could forget the horrific news that broke on the morning of December 9, 2004. The previous night, ‘Dimebag’ Darrell Abbott had been gunned down during a show with his band Damageplan at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. Three more people were killed as the gunman opened fire. We mourned their loss, too, but there was no escaping the horrifying realisation that one of the greatest and best-loved musicians ever to fly the metal flag had been taken from us – and, crucially, from his girlfriend Rita, his family and his friends – at the sickeningly early age of 38. Very much a legend in his own lifetime, Dimebag had grabbed heavy music by the scruff of the neck and dragged it, kicking and screaming, into a new era. Without his unique and enduring contribution to metal, the musical landscape of 2014 would look entirely different, not to mention a lot less exciting. Dime bent and broke the rules at will and we all went along for the ride, because his dedication to our world and our values was absolute and beyond dispute. The entire metal scene reverberated to the hollow, chilling clang of the revered guitarist’s untimely passing. What followed was a prolonged period of pain and confusion, not helped by the coincidental publication of an interview with former Pantera vocalist Philip Anselmo (published before Dime’s death) in Metal Hammer in December 2004, wherein he said some pretty brutal things about his former bandmate and the state of Pantera towards the end of the band’s career, exacerbating the somewhat sour relationship between himself and Dime’s grieving brother, Vinnie Paul, in the process. Of course, Anselmo has since made it perfectly clear just how much love and respect he has for his fallen comrade and those old wounds have begun to heal. As we commemorate the 10th Pantera and Dimebag in 1990, with so much anniversary of Dimebag’s ahead of them death, everyone involved has
moved on to such an extent that the rumours of a muchhoped-for Pantera reunion – with, most of us assume, Zakk Wylde replacing his old friend – continue to gain momentum. Time will tell whether the remaining three Pantera members will ever share a stage again, but the fact that we still care enough to speculate about such an unlikely reunion says it all. So many of the songs Dime wrote with his Pantera brothers are immortal classics: to hear them performed again would be a moment to cherish and a chance to celebrate the life of a true musical hero. But perhaps the most important thing to acknowledge on this sobering anniversary is precisely how vast Dimebag Darrell’s impact and influence on metal has been, even in the years since his death. Tributes will always flood in when a popular musician passes away, of course, but Dime was so much more than just another hard-working musician with a big fanbase. Aside from his colossal contribution to the evolution of metal, his arsenal of immortal and inspirational riffs and solos, and his hard-earned reputation as the ultimate heavy metal party animal, Darrell Abbott was a force of nature, a tornado of creativity and a living symbol of everything that metal fans hold close to their hearts. He lived, breathed and shat music like no one has, before or since. He spread good times and the inevitable legacy of brutal hangovers wherever he went. Most of all, Dimebag was one of us, albeit with a level of instinctive and natural talent that most of us could only dream about. He shared that talent with us, always looking like he was having the time of his life, and we loved him for it. Ten years have passed terrifyingly quickly and the world has changed a lot during that time, but one thing that remains is the metal world’s love for an all-time great. Over the next few pages we dig deep into Dimebag’s life and times, speaking with his family, his friends, his fellow musicians and some of those who cite the great man as an unerring inspiration. We will never see his like again. Brother Dime, we salute you.
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o t n r u t re s ’ Maiden s u o y o j s wa h t knebwor
Bruce Dickinson leading the WWI dogfight before Maiden’s Sonisphere set
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N I R A YE W E I V RE
TRAVIS SHINN
The Mothe twerk it, barload video: by!
Mastodon gave us a lovely controversial video to argue over for weeks
Through highs, lows and everything in between, it’s been another dizzying year in the world of Hammer. Here’s what went down...
I
t was a year in which metal’s biggest band continued to break new ground while a hotly contested newcomer provided one of the most controversial albums of recent times. Oh, and something called Babymetal happened. Yes, 2014 has been a typically bonkers and brilliant 12 months for metal, so, without further ado, it’s time to cast an eye on the big talking points from the year that was. Oh, memories...
SHADES OF GRAY
Arguably the biggest story of the year has been the long-awaited return of Slipknot. Iowa’s finest had been bouncing around various festivals for a few years since the shocking loss of Paul Gray, but it was an album that we all wanted to hear. And, despite the additional setback of Joey Jordison leaving the fold late last year, the Des Moines heavyweights came up trumps. With new masks, new incarnations of Knotfest and some cracking new songs in their arsenal, the future suddenly looks very bright indeed for the most important metal band of recent times. Bring on that January tour.
CHOC ’N’ ROLL
It started with a video. It ended with an appearance at one of the UK’s biggest festivals and
a batshit insane follow-up gig at Brixton fucking Academy. If there’s any band that can sum up just how crazy a year it’s been, then Babymetal are most definitely it. Gimme Chocolate! was released onto an unsuspecting public back in February, eventually racking up nearly 18m views (and counting) on YouTube and installing the Japanese kiddy-metal heroines as the world’s new favourite cult band. With no sign of the phenomenon running dry yet, this is still looking like much more than a fad band. Satan help us all.
GLASTO GETS HEAVY
Without a doubt the most mainstream attention-grabbing event that metal has offered up since The Osbournes was a thing, Metallica’s history-making debut at Glastonbury in June was either a majestic triumph or a curious distraction, depending on who you ask. “I’ve played almost every festival on the planet,” beamed Lars, “and I can tell you, there’s no other experience
like playing Glastonbury.” Just how big an impact their set at Europe’s biggest festival has had will remain to be seen (though those AC/DC rumours for next year don’t seem to want to go away), but one thing is for certain: once again, Metallica proved that they’ll continue to do whatever the hell they want, whenever they fancy it.
LONG LIVE THE KING
What happens when a supremely gifted band clashes with a backstory that’d make Freddy Krueger wince? One of the most fascinating, controversial and, ultimately, brilliantly crafted metal debuts of the decade. Few bands have been subject to as much heated debate as King 810 following our eye-opening feature from the band’s troubled hometown of Flint, Michigan in July, but once the dust had settled and the music was left to do the talking, only a wally would doubt the force that we had on our hands. Where David Gunn and his crew will go from here remains
to be seen, but as far as 2014 talking points go, few have overshadowed these guys.
RONNIE BE GOOD
Covers albums are always an interesting idea, but when many of metal and rock’s greatest names combined to produce a world-class tribute to the late, incomparably great Ronnie James Dio, everyone took notice. As well as the ace resulting album, This Is Your Life (our highlight is still Papa Het smashing Stargazer like an absolute pro), there was also this year’s heartwarming Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund gig, featuring appearances from the likes of Corey Taylor, Lzzy Hale, Scott Ian and many more covering a host of Dio classics. We can’t help but think the man himself would have been rather proud.
TWERK IT OUT
A rather unexpected talking point of the year centred around Mastodon’s not-so-subtle video for flawless banger The Motherload. Starring a not-socamera-shy horde of furiously twerking ladies – all filmed in rather eye-popping slo-mo – the clip caused a sexism debate that ended up running for months. While no side of the argument showed any signs of backing down, at least we could
Babymetal: resistance is futile! You will SMILE!
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