Thrashline: Bonded By Blood to record, New Overkill announced, Scornforger's metal tribute, and more!

In two weeks NWOTM big boys BONDED BY BLOOD will begin recording with their revamped line-up. As most of you know, this will be vocalist Mauro Gonzalez's first album with BBB, and I'm excited to hear him belt out the new tunes.

Ex-BBB vocalist Jose Barrales posted the following on the band's Facebook page:

"I honestly can't wait to hear this. Very intrigued and a little skeptical. I know Juan will sound ace, he's a very legit guitarist. I just need to hear everything together. With Jessie and Mauro being new, I'm sure it will bring a different vibe. I'm actually very, very intrigued on how the vocals will sound and what the lyrics are all about. Good luck."

I might be wrong, but Barrales sounds a little bit…doubtful?…regarding the news about a new BBB record. Terms like "intrigued" and "skeptical" don't sound encouraging and warm, but I don't blame him if that's the case. BBB was his baby for roughly 5 years and it probably isn't easy to see others pick up the flag and run with it.

However, it's cool that Barrales put in his two cents. Meanwhile, I'm eagerly awaiting to hear some tunes from his new band WORMHOLE!
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Thrash legends OVERKILL have named their next album The Electric Age, to be released on March 27th. I'm excited for this news because I have been on an Overkill bender this week, unable to vanquish what thirst I have for their brand of neck-snapping thrash metal.

The bonus is that the album will be out nearly a month before they trek on into my town on their Killfest tour. That'll afford me some quality time to lube up the old ears for some new tunes before hearing them live. That sounded gross.
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SHRAPNEL out of Norwich, England is now looking for a new bass player. Those interested should get in touch with the band through their Facebook page (where you can find all of Shrapnel's contact info).

If you have yet to hear the crushing power of Shrapnel, listen below and then buy their The Devastation to Come ep. Killer, bad-ass thrash metal.


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Polish metal heads HEADBANGER will begin recording their new album at the beginning of July. If you haven't heard these guys yet, get on the ball! I am addicted to their Nuclear Devastation ep. Listen below and then hit Headbanger up on Facebook.


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There is a new thrash blog on the block called GLOBAL THRASH ASSAULT. This blog provides quick, kick-ass reviews and commentary on all things thrash. It's amazing at the amount of material they put out in such a short amount of time. You can almost bet that you'll find new posts there every day (something I aspire to do one day when earth moves up to a 42 hour-a-day schedule).

Check out the Global Thrash Assault blog here and go "like" their HQ on Facebook.
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The Forward Into Battle Tour has added some new dates, including one in Kansas City on March 13th! In case you're in the dark about this tour, the line-up includes English Dogs, The Casualties, Toxic Holocaust, and Havok!!!

This is beginning to be a killer year in metal for me. This week is the Anthrax/Testament/Death Angel show. In March, I'll hit the Forward Into Battle Tour, and then in April…OVERKILL!

Yes, I am lucky.

If you're in the path of the English Dogs tour, mark your calendar. Check here for dates.
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Johnson, TN's master thrashers BACALOU are in search of a new vocalist. These guys jam some bad ass old-school influenced thrash metal. Interested parties can contact Bacalou through their Facebook page.

Meanwhile, check out one of their tunes below.



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Last bit I want to mention:

Check out this killer tribute to metal from the band SCORNFORGER! Cool video to a killer song. If you dig it, keep up with these guys on Facebook.

THRASH TILL YOU PUKE!!!!

Bonded By Blood round 3

So here I wrote about a rumor regarding Bonded By Blood guitarist Alex Lee leaving the band. Then I wrote a post with the news that Alex was not leaving, as well as offering all of you my heartfelt apology for taking part in rumor-talk.

However, the rumor mill kept a-turning, especially over at Thrash Unlimited, about Alex's departure. I wrote Dan from New World Horror to find out if all this mess was true. As you may or may not know, N.W.H. is playing with BBB on April 17th, so I figure it would be easy for Dan to get the info.

He wrote me back the same day, confirming the worst (and getting the info sooner than expected). THEN I read about it over at BW&BK.

So, I take back my stupid apology.

As everyone probably knows by now, Alex as well as bassist Jerry Garcia are both leaving BBB. I won't echo the band's statement, but you can read about it here.

I'm interested in the future of BBB and how they are going to rise from this. According to their statement, it appears that they really want to forge ahead, so I wish them success when they find permanent members.

Also, a hearty good luck to Alex and Jerry.

As for me - I'm gonna go eat a bowl of cereal.

Cheers!

Bonded By Blood rumor put to rest

As I posted here a while back, there were rumors about Alex leaving Bonded By Blood. Well, for those of you who were actually worried about one of the staple bands of the NWOTM losing a key member, ya'll can breathe a sigh of relief.

Thanks goes to Jordan W Neely for sending me a post made on Alex's YouTube page. Alex posted that the rumors are not true, calling it all "nonsense talk."

Good to know.

Now, in my prior post, I did mention that you should "chalk this up to the rumor mill," but I also said that if it turns out to be false, that I will apologize on this here blog about contributing to such, as Alex put it, nonsense talk.

I'm sorry.

There. I promise it will not happen again until next time it happens. :D

So thanks again to Jordan for the tip, thanks to Bonded By Blood for kicking ass, and good luck to the Buffalo NY thrashers New World Horror who will open for them on April 17th (hey, Dan - I had to throw that in!).

METAL!

Why do I listen to it? An eloquent answer.

Over at the Lunar Hypnosis blog, in a review for Bonded by Blood's Feed the Beast, J.M. writes the following:

"I know what your thinking and the purists have been saying it for a couple of years now too. Your thinking to yourself, "Why should I listen to a thrash metal album from 2008 when I can listen to one from 1988?" The answer is simple, friends:

BECAUSE ITS GODDAMN THRASH METAL AND IT FUCKING RULES!"


'Nuff said.

Is Alex leaving Bonded By Blood??

Chalk this up to the rumor mill, but there is talk among the natives here and here that Alex Lee is leaving Bonded By Blood.

If this is true, Alex will be the third original member to leave the Pomona thrash group, which is a bummer, man.

I hope this is all b.s., because although Exiled to Earth is still a rather fresh offering, I am ready to hear what new vocalist Mauro Gonzales will bring to a new BBB record. Not that they couldn't find a new guitarist but such a move will definitely change the sound of the band, and I already love their music as is.

I guess I shouldn't worry too much. Bands such as Testament and Overkill have lost key members in the past and still churned out killer slabs of metal. Right? Right.

If the rumors turn out to be false, I'll breath a sigh of relief and sit my butt down and apologize on this blog for contributing to rumor-talk.

If it's true, then...well, crappy.