Today in 2017 Wargasm released the EP Suicide Squad / Power of the Hunter
Boston, Massachusetts Thrash Metal
Status:Active
Years active :1982-1985 (as Overkill), 1985-1986 (as Maniac), 1986-1995, 2004, 2008
A classic early-nineties thrash band, Wargasm managed a reasonably successful career though, like many other thrash bands of the time, were not quite able to attain superstar status. Though the band broke up in 1995, there was talk of a final release of some covers and odds and ends, though nothing definite is planned.
Today in 1994 Solitude Aeturnus released the album Through the Darkest Hour
Arlington, Texas Epic Doom Metal
Status:Active
Years active: 1987-1988 (as Solitude), 1988-present
Solitude Aeturnus remains one of the most respected names in the doom metal field, with a style that borrows from classic doom (a la old Candlemass) as well as progressive metal tendencies along the lines of early Fates Warning, topped by the excellent vocals of Robert Lowe. After five solid albums recorded between 1991 and 1998, the band was largely dormant for some time, and with core members Edgar Rivera and John Covington eventually leaving the band (in 2001 and 2003, respectively), all seemed lost. But in fact the band is still alive and kicking, and with a revamped stable lineup, finally released their sixth album (and first in eight years), Alone, in late 2006. Also of note is the news that vocalist Robert Lowe had been named the new vocalist for none other than Candlemass, though he remains on board here.
Pavement Music
WolfDrums
Edgar RiveraGuitars
Robert LoweVocals
LyleBass
John PerezGuitars
Guest/Session
Shaun MatthewSitar (track 4)
1.Falling04:07
2.Haunting the Obscure05:32
3.The 8th Day: Mourning06:07
4.The 9th Day: Awakening05:03
5.Pain07:06
6.Pawns of Anger06:36
7.Eternal (Dreams Part II)07:51
8.Perfect Insanity06:15
9.Shattered My Spirit08:27
57:04
Shaun Matthew (Saddar Bazaar) - Sitar on "The 9th Day" (Shaun appears courtesy of Delirium Records).
Cover art by Leilah Wendell.
Photography by Stu Taylor.
Layout and design by IQ Talent.
Re-released by System Shock / Pavement as a 2CD digipak together with the Downfall album.
Re-released in 2008 by Metal Mind Productions in digipak format. Limited to 2000 copies. Bonus tracks: (Live at Stodola Club, Warsaw, Poland, 12th February 2007)
1. The 9th Day: Awakening
2. Pawns of Anger
Recording information:
Produced by Solitude Aeturnus & Paul Johnston.
Recorded May 1994 at Rhythm Studios, Bidford on Avon, Warwickshire, England.
Today in 1993 Deep Purple released the Live album Live in Japan
Hertford, England Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Status:Active
Years active: 1968-1976, 1984-present
One of the first, and most popular, hard rock/metal groups of the early seventies, Deep Purple will forever be remembered for their massive hit "Smoke On The Water" (featuring one of the most well-known riffs ever recorded) as well as oft-covered classics such as "Highway Star", "Burn", and countless others. Their most well-known albums would probably be Machine Head and In Rock, but the 1984 comeback album Perfect Stranger deserves mention, as not only is it one of their better efforts but one of the best examples of how a band actually can come back together after years apart and release something relevant without just cashing in on past glories. Since that reunion the band has continued to tour and occasionally record, maintaining a fan base an astonishing 40 years after their inception.
EMI Music
Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
Ian Gillan - vocals, harmonica, percussion
Roger Glover - bass
Jon Lord (R.I.P. 2012) - organ, keyboards
Ian Paice - drums, percussion
CD 1: Good Morning (Osaka, 15 August 1972)
1. Highway Star (7:37)
2. Child in Time (11:51)
3. The Mule (9:36)
4. Strange Kind of Woman (8:50)
5. Lazy (10:26)
6. Space Truckin' (21:35)
7. Black Night (6:25)
Total Time: 76:22
CD 2: Next week, we're turning professional (Osaka, 16 August 1972)
1. Highway Star (7:07)
2. Smoke on the Water (7:25)
3. Child in Time (12:30)
4. The Mule (10:21)
5. Strange Kind of Woman (10:35)
6. Lazy (10:21)
7. Space Truckin' (20:13)
Total Time: 78:35
CD 3: Can we have everything louder than everything else? (Tokyo, 17 August 1972)
1. Highway Star (7:15)
2. Smoke on the Water (7:06)
3. Child in Time (11:32)
4. Strange Kind of Woman (11:26)
5. Lazy (11:16)
6. Space Truckin' (19:19)
7. Speed King (7:55)
Total Time: 75:52
Recorded live during 15-17 August 1972 in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. Original recording engineered by Martin Birch. Mixed at Abbey Road in London by Darron Godwin; assisted by Simon Robinson during July 1993. Tapes edited, cleaned and mastered at Abbey Road in London by Peter Mew during September 1993.
Album co-ordinated by Tim Chacksfield and compiled/researched by Simon Robinson.
This 3CD set contains almost three full concerts; the same three gigs that supplied the contents to the classic "Made in Japan" 1972. Two of the tracks included there ("Smoke on the Water" from the 15th and "The Mule" from the 17th) have not been included on this release. In addition, neither encore from the 16th ("Black Night" & "Lucille") is included, nor are the encores from the 17th ("Black Night" & "Speed King"); the first of which is available on a variety of singles, EPs and compilations. Both encores from the 15th are included.
"Speed King" (encore) on Disc 3 was recorded on the 15th, but stacked there due to space reasons.
Live in Japan is a triple live album by English rock group Deep Purple, released on CD in November 1993. The album was recorded over three nights in August 1972 in Japan. It's a "Twenty-first anniversary collectors 3CD set" of Made in Japan. All 21 tracks were mixed in 1993.
The tracks on the album are mostly from their studio album Machine Head, which was released a few months earlier. According to the liner notes, unlike many live albums, there were "No studio overdubs, no splicing in of solos from other shows, and no fake applause." Recorded live 15, 16 and 17 August 1972 in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan
Today in 1992 Mucky Pup released the album Act Of Faith
Bergenfield, New Jersey Crossover/Thrash Metal (early), Hardcore/Punk Rock (later)
Status:Active
Years active:1986-1996, 1999-2003, 2009-present
New Jersey comedic hardcore metallists Mucky Pup paved the way for such future juvenile acts as the Bloodhound Gang (look no further than some of their song titles -- "Death by Cholesterol," "Hippies Hate Water," "She Quieffed," etc.). The group originally formed in the mid-'80s, comprised of members Dan Nastasi (guitar), John Milnes (drums), Chris Milnes (vocals), and Scott LePage (bass), which led to numerous local shows and two demos that sold well. This led to a deal with the independent Torrid label, as the group issued albums on a steady basis for nearly ten years: 1987's Can't You Take a Joke?, 1989's A Boy in a Man's World, 1991's Now, 1992's Act of Faith, 1993's Lemonade, 1995's in-concert Alive and Well, and 1996's Five Guys in a Really Hot Garage. Although Mucky Pup never broke out of the metal/hardcore underground in the U.S., they achieved much greater success overseas in Europe. The group split up by the late '90s, as founder Nastasi (who had left the group a few years prior) achieved moderate success with a similarly styled outfit, Dog Eat Dog. In February of 2000, Mucky Pup reunited for a one-off show in New Jersey.
Century Media Records
John Milnes Drums
Dan Nastasi Guitars
Kevin Powers Keyboards
Chris Milnes Vocals
Christopher LaPlante Bass
1. Freakin' at the Peep Show 04:31
2. Mr. Hand 02:46
3. Understand 03:02
4. Please Don't Burn the Johnson 02:57
5. I Am 04:11
6. Summertime 03:21
7. Gotta Go 03:52
8. Angry Song 04:49
9. Mucky Pumpin' Motion 02:44
10. The Skinheads Broke My Walkmen 02:18
11. Blowtorch 03:36
12. Lonely as Me 03:18
41:25
Recorded and mixed at Showplace Studios, Dover N.J.
Today in 1992 Marty Friedman released the album Scenes
Washington, District of Columbia (early); Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan (now) Progressive Rock/Metal, Shred
Status:Active
Years active: 1987-present
One of the ultimate '80s guitar shredders, Marty Friedman first made his name with the speed-burning virtuoso outfit Cacophony, but landed his most widely renowned gig as the lead guitarist of Megadeth during the thrash legends' greatest period of popularity. Friedman was born in 1962 and grew up in the Baltimore area; he began playing guitar at age 15 in a band called Deuce, shortly before his family moved to Hawaii. While in Hawaii, Friedman hooked up with a local band (which changed names and personnel fairly often) and recorded with them on three different albums. Friedman studied guitar in earnest, going so far as to explore ethnic music (particularly Asian and Middle Eastern) in search of new, exotic scales to incorporate into his lead playing. He initially connected with the shred-guitar label Shrapnel in 1981, but it wasn't until 1987 that he, along with friend Jason Becker, made an impact on the larger guitar community. The twin-guitar heroics of their debut album as Cacophony, Speed Metal Symphony, made an instant splash, and both took the opportunity to record the solo albums they'd been working on individually prior to the genesis of Cacophony. Friedman's solo debut, Dragon's Kiss, was released on Shrapnel in 1988, and it was stylistically similar to his Cacophony material. After one further Cacophony album, 1989's Go Off!, Friedman and Becker went their separate ways. Friedman joined Megadeth in late 1990, becoming their third lead guitarist in four albums; however, he managed to bring some stability to the position, remaining with the band for ten years. His debut with the band, Rust in Peace, demonstrated his immediate impact on the rest of the group, still standing as one of the most technically accomplished albums in all of thrash metal. His second album with Megadeth, Countdown to Extinction, was the band's popular breakthrough, making them one of the biggest heavy metal groups in the world. In 1992, Friedman capitalized on the group's popularity as an opportunity to do something different: he stunned metal fans by hooking up with new age star Kitaro for a reflective, Asian-tinged instrumental album titled Scenes, which also appeared on Shrapnel. Pleased with the results, Friedman continued in that vein with his second contemporary instrumental album, 1994's Introduction, which boasted an even stronger Japanese flavor. Friedman continued to pursue his solo career as an outlet for less aggressive sounds, releasing True Obsession in 1996. Friedman left Megadeth in 2000, about a year after the release of their Risk album. He released Music for Speeding in 2003, followed by an instructional video called 99 Secret Lead Guitar Phrases in 2006. Loudspeaker and Future Addict arrived in early 2006 and 2008, respectively, and in 2009 he dropped a collection of Japanese covers, the aptly named Tokyo Jukebox. A second set of covers, Tokyo Jukebox 2, arrived in 2011, followed by an all-new set of originals, Inferno, in 2014. 2017's Wall of Sound saw Friedman joined by a host of guests, including Jinxx from Black Veil Brides, Shiv Mehra from Deafheaven, and Jørgen Munkeby from Shining.
Shrapnel Records
Marty Friedman – guitar, bass, production
Brian BecVar – keyboard, percussion
Nick Menza – drums(R.I.P. 2016)
1."Tibet" 2:35
2."Angel" 3:39
3."Valley of Eternity" 8:14
4."Night" 6:39
5."Realm of the Senses" 5:32
6."West" 5:44
7."Trance" 1:56
8."Triumph" 5:41
Total length:40:00
Recorded and mixed at Goodnight L.A.B., Panorama City, CA; Kitaro's studio, Ward, CO and at Devonshire studios, North Hollywood, CA
Mastered at Rocket Lab, San Francisco, CA
Scenes is the second studio album by guitarist Marty Friedman, released on November 17, 1992 through Shrapnel Records (United States) and Roadrunner Records (Europe). It is a notable stylistic departure from Friedman's previous album, Dragon's Kiss (1988), as well as his heavier work with Cacophony and Megadeth, in that it predominantly features mellow, clean-tone playing instead of his usual distortion. The final track, "Triumph", is a remake of "Thunder March" from Dragon's Kiss. It also featured fellow Megadeth bandmate Nick Menza on drums
Today in 1991 The Crucified released the album The Pillars Of Humanity
Fresno, California Thrash Metal/Crossover
Status:Active
Years active:1984-1985 (as KGB (Kids in God's Blessing)), 1985-1993, 2009-present
Christian hardcore/thrash band, leaning more toward the former than the latter, especially the vocals which were either shouted or spoken. Two members later went on to form the more rock-oriented band Stavesacre.
Ocean
Jim Chaffin Drums
Greg Minier Guitars
Mark Salomon Vocals
Jeff Bellew Bass
1. Intro / Hateworld 05:21
2. It's All About Fear 02:30
3. The Wrong One 03:41
4. Mindbender 03:54
5. Path to Sorrow 04:02
6. Fellowship of Thieves 03:12
7. Focus 02:33
8. The Strength 03:53
9. Blackstone / So-called Living, 1991 03:17
10. The Pillars of Humanity 02:58
35:21
Re-released by Broken Circles on white vinyl with new artwork. Limited to 150 hand-numbered copies.
Today in 1990 Bulldozer released the Live album Alive...in Poland
Milan, Lombardy,Italy Black/Speed/Thrash Metal
Status:Active
Bulldozer was frequently referred to as Italy's answer to Venom, and on the strength of their debut album, 1985's Day Of Wrath (produced by Algy Ward of Tank), it's easy to see why this was the case. Alberto Contini's bass and vocals both strongly resembled his Venom counterpart Cronos, and the band's messy Satanic pre-thrash metal was indeed quite similar to Venom's first couple of albums. They survived for a few more years and released three more albums that no doubt diverged from the Venom sound (they are not reviewed here), but for right or wrong, they never really managed to escape the Venom tag. Some twenty years after the release of their last album, the core pair of Contini and Andy Panigada announced that they were reforming the band, and a new album came out in 2009.
Metal Master Records
Andy Panigada Guitars
A.C. Wild Keyboards, Vocals, Bass
Rob "Klister" Cabrini Drums
1.IX
2.Desert!
3.Ilona the Very Best
4.Impotence
5.The Derby
6.Heaven's Jail
7.Minkions
8.Mors Tua Vita Mea
9.Overkill (Motörhead cover)
10.Willfull Death (You'll Be Recalled)
Recorded in the Sport Hall in Zabrze for over 5,000 people in November 17th 1989.
Released as gatefold-vinyl and CD.
CD version has bonus tracks:
8. Don't Trust the Saint
9. The Cave
11. The Final Separation
There is also a bootleg CD version called 'Greetings from Poland', which adds some extra studio tracks from the 'IX' album.
Remastered by Metal Mind Records (digipack version, limited to 2000 copies) on the 6th of April, 2009.
