FLASHBACKS

Watching a video posted by a friend on Facebook I felt compelled to go looking for video rips of one year ago IRON MAIDEN gig at Irvine (CA), when me and J13 met the guys back stage! I spent more than one hour re-living thos emoments! Check out the live report of May 30th 2008 on the blog...
Here to follow two of the best vids of the best momets... Rime of the Ancient Mariner & Powerslave. Cpt. all times best!

Holy ship: we were there! In front of them too!

EXIST†TRANCE PROMO STUFF

"Pirate Union" offers sometimes promo DVD/CD of new-kids-on-the-blocks material. Sometimes kids aren not so kids... sometimes even not so new...

Anyway, here you have a single track DVD video by EXIST†TRANCE, a gothic "visual-key" band form around here (the cover you see is from the new full-lenght VANGUARD of the muses). Serious hard-core bangers can quit immediately reading... 'cause it's nothing for you! But Japan-stuff & frieekeries lovers may appreciate them quite a bit. Indeed it's a chicks based group - from the names, I suspect one is a guy... but as you can see from the image, you wouldn't bet your ass on who's the one! The matter is, all of them looks pretty cute dressed up like that. And the one and only tune we are given to try, "Vanguard" ain't bad at all (check out their site... under the RELASES menu you can get listening trials of other tracks). Spinning it a coupe of time you may even like it! Certainly their appearance is catchy... So much that I'm thinking about going to check them out live for some different pics. Just curiosity!

Opensesami is: portroyal.

READY FOR BOARDING

Yes dudes! Get ready for boarding!
Three / four events to keep track of...

HELLHOUND May, 3rd at Live House MISSIONS (Koenji, Tokyo)
Mandatory... it's Hellhound and... all you can drink!

SKYLARK May, 4th at ROCK INN CURRENT (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
It is not properly my style, but let's see the mood.

ONMYOZA, CONCERTO MOON, SEX MACHINEGUNS GALNERYUS
«PURE ROCK JAPAN LIVE» 2009 May 30th at CLUB CITTÀ (Kawasaki)
This is crazy: all the main Jap. shooters at once! Same place, same time! Won't miss it for anything.

RAVEN June 11th , at O-EAST (Shibuya, Tokyo)
Whoooooooo (Rick Flair style...) attendance is mandatory!

Stay tuned!

BRASILIAN BOOTY

It has been a while since the last music review, uh?
So here you are with today's pick: a re-issue of one of my all-times favorite Brasilian thrash bands, Chakal. I found it - with much surprise, I'd say - a couple of days ago at the "Pirate Union" market. The price didn't look so fair, so I had to exploit all the charm of my buccaneer discount tickets! But later on I discovered why!
Indeed, the cover did not show any sign or writing whatsoever, but upon checking the content, the disc revealed to contain both the second and third Chakal's albums! I mean "Say it, guys!" Anyway, lucky me... and the other sucker who's got the other copy left!

CHAKAL-The Man is his own Jackal (1990)+Death is a lonely business (1991)

As I told you many times (cf. previous post about them): Brasilian thrash has something special!, at least for the Cpt.! And despite these two records may not boast such a great deal of speed & laser precision technique, they deliver a full load of good old times feelings. (hey , in case you didn't notice it yet: '90s is "old" by now)! How to say... early Carnivore or Venom-like... genuine brutality, immediate, simple, rough sounding (rough meaning "old fashioned") groovy thrash metal! Rythm, pounding and a bastard melody dragging you from track to track. Love to death this shit! Ah, yes... buddy Junior, who knows Vladimir Korg, the singer, told me they're working (read as "recording") new stuff! I'm already salivating...!
Absolutely to try: "Acme Dead End Road", "Hangover", "Fear of Death", "Choked".
Opensesami: portroyal.

J13 & THE HAUNTED

While Cpt. was stuck with his ship in the Port for some minor repairs, J13 has been raging all around California...! That lucky bastard! Actually he's gone really bombastic lately. And quite understandably: who wouldn't, knowing that in weeks his ass will be sitting front stage, back-stage, everywhere to virtually all band's gigs of Sweden Rock Fest! Lucky bastard x2!!! [Just kidding! I love you J13!]
Here you go with his reort and a few pics from one of his lates raids: THE HAUNTED! (with The Agonist and Marauder)

«The Haunted at the Key Club (Hollywood,CA) on Friday April 3, 2009 was as expected.
All the famous heads/friends were there. Good friend Jim Durkin (Dark Angel/Ruthless/Dreams of Damnation) was there with his fun girl Annie. Oh yeah Ruthless is heading out on a 6 date tour (Pipes! Control yourself!).
The Agonist was quite good they had quite the singer. She really captivated an audience.
However THE HAUNTED! One of Johnny's top 3 bands delivered a punishing set. They were competing with another show across town (Children of Bodom, Lamb of God, God Forbid, and Municipal Waste). The true metallers supported the Haunted. Thanks to Boris from Letum Acensus for hooking up the nice ins and hook ups! I really reconnected with old friends and The Haunted tore everyones face off to a decent crowd! It was a fun night, almost a private show! see pics...»

And... if you want some serious pics and set-list, head to THE HAUNTED! official page! Cool stuff there! Stay tuned!

STEEL MEETS STEEL 7 (Report)

Wow!

Great night yesterday at Crescendo "cave"-house! "Steel meets Steel #7", organized & sponsored by MASTERMIND. The band itself is already a trademark of quality here, but for the occasion it has put together a bunch of very talented people. I'm talking about LONGINUS, UNTRAD, ARGUMENT SOUL and SCREAMING SYMPHONY. All fellas from around here...
For those of you that have been following these pages, it will be no news Cpt. passion for Mastermind and Longinus. And as a matter of fact it is for them that I signed yesterday. Nonetheless all the others - that I virtually ignored before yesterday - turned out to be three aces in the game (clicking their names will get you to the relative home-pages).

UNTRAD: horns up! Quartet from Tokyo(?), which plays fu*king good heavy metal! Great rythm, great sound, great tunes, plus a Halford-like singer with Cpt.'s dreams voice! I really like their stuff and want more of it! Such a pity that their next concert is scheduled close to summer.

ARGUMENT SOUL: horns up! A quintet originating from Nagoya delivering a fast, precise and powerful metallic assault a-la Dragonforce (but without that senseless cheese). The singer, young Toshinori Kamiya, is a monstrous spitfire machine! Really impressive the resemblance of his high pitch screems with Loudness's Minoru Niihara! Or was I drunk? Yes, because on usual singing he doesn't sound like that...
By the way, interesting to know (doing some more homework) that axeman Yoshiyasu Maruyama played live with DUNGEON too, back on May 2005 in Sydney!

SCREAMING SYMPHONY: hell yeah! Another quintet from... uhm... Fukuoka (?) [Myspace says "western island of Kyushu"] it should be this time. They play a thundering heavy/power metal, but with some more modern and groovy influences. Nasty enough, but not too much! Shortly: hot stuff! Pics were so-so...

LONGINUS: outstanding performance, as usual, but with a novelty. Masaki-san laser-precision axe grinding has been replaced on the occasion by... a new look Masaki-san! Precision grinding was unchanged!

MASTERMIND: a very long time no see for the Cpt.! But always a great pleasure: they delivered a hell of a power/speed metal show with the kick-ass singing of Noriyo-san... that you should remember from Hellhound. I love these guys! On the guitar, temporary guest - I guess - in place of Yoshiyuki Watarai - recovering from an injury - Inspire axeman Tsutomu Aruga (thanks Noriyo!). Very skilled dude! Anyway, as you can see from the pics, Yoshiyuki-san joined the party at the end too, just for a couple of song.　Set list as follows:

1.Phoenix Rising
2.Loud And Proud
3.Fight To Survive
4.Note Of Glory
5.Heroes
6.Eye Of The Riot
7.Departure〜Say Your Prayer
8.Never Say Never
9.The Way I Go
10.Run For Your Life
-encore-
11.Never Die(カバー）

I'll tell you: it was a long time since I last went home tired and neck-broken from a gig, waking up in the morning as if I went working out! But it's an hell of a good sensation! Oh... almost forgot it: they got us a special posing... only for PORT ROYAL fans! You know, they won't be concerting for a while...

(Naoyuki, Yushiya, Noriyo, Tsutomu, Yoshiyuki, Shinichi)

«Come! Get some!» [Duke Nukem]

Here you are!
While German singing ABROGATION are still raging on Cpt.'s iPod and work-out Shuffle, somebody left unattended on Port's dock two very precious jewels: a most unexpected HERMAN FRANK album and a MANOWAR video exerience I was still missing. Both forced me back to homework...! Serious stuff!

HERMAN FRANK-Loyal to None (2009)

While many of you - as it was for myself - may be quite familiar with titles such as Restless and Wild, Instinct, Temples of Gold, Balls to The Wall, it may happen that you missed his presence and his name. Indeed he is that Herman Frank, the guitar virtuoso known from bands such as ACCEPT, VICTORY and MOON’DOC and others. This most unexpected solo performance is an awesome album! One of the most lively and pleasant things to listen I've come across lately! It’s a 10 track injection of pure Heavy Metal from the heart, traditional, classic, '80s sounding... a blow away. Heavy riffing and all-time-classic vocal lines by the voice of Jiotis Parachidis, a Ted Bullet-ized (Thunderhead) Minoru Niihara (Loudness) for a breathless 47 minutes rush! Telling the truth, there is nothing really new in it. Yet you don’t have always to go searching for break outs and novelties: sometimes it is better just enjoying the tunes with pure transport and feelings. And that’s exactly what this album is. Production is top-notch, guaranted by Herman himself, who apparently worked as a producer and engineer for Saxon, Molly Hatchet, Rose Tatto, Victory and others. Guest musicians also enhance the listening pleasure and the value of this disc: scream-machine - as said - is Parachidis (Victory, Human Fortress); Peter Pichl on bass (Running Wild) and on drum Stefan Schwarzmann... well, if you don't know him, you'd better suicide. Cover also is nasty, don't you think? Running Wilde-like... Fasten seat belts and enjoy!

MANOWAR-Magic Circle Festival (DVDx2) [Audio rip]

Manowar are always to be experienced live! But when you don't have the chance - as it happens - a good DVD can supply that feeling quite sufficiently. And Manowar got real expert in the business! In the past I introduced you an audio rip of The Day The Earth Shook - The Absolute Power 3 DVD box set: a real pearl; a must-have for any serious banger and one of my all-time favorite metal DVD (very few indeed)! This one also follows on the same trail. Recorded on the occasion of Magic Circle Festival on the 6th and 7th of July 2007, it reproposes the magic of the 2005 bombastic production: bands and fans gathered in Bad Arolsen (Germany) were witness of a spectacle that solicited openly for a place in the Guinness Book of Records: a stage 40 meters wide and 16 meters deep, thousands of watts for sound and lighting and besides Manowar, some bands chosen by Manowar themeselves to perform (Magic Circle is indeed the label of Joey De Maio). Furthere words are useless: it's a Manowar live and it's awesome! But, yes... just one thing: here you have a very rare selection of oldies not often played by them at other shows. And for people like me, used to enjoy them mostly from "Fighting the World" onward, it is a chance not to be missed! [Note that the two covers stand for "DVD 1" and "DVD 2"]