January 2012 – http://hardrockhaven.net/online

Nightwish | Imaginaerum

January 31, 2012 Publisher 1

by Nikiforos Skoumas Staff Writer — Back in 2007, when Nightwish introduced Anette Olzon as their new lead singer, a major part of the press came to label the move as the ‘greatest risk in […]

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — Prelude to Tragedy is the debut EP from Indiana-based progressive/power metal band Draekon. Indiana is hardly the first place you think of when it comes to progressive and power […]

Zodiac n Black | The Aftermyth

January 30, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Alissa Ordabai Staff Writer — There are glimpses of earnest striving on this collection of demos, jams and half-baked ideas, which is, curiously, packaged and presented as a finished album. But a finished album […]

Mr. Big | Live from the Living Room

January 30, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Alissa Ordabai Staff Writer — Few rock bands have ever managed to successfully convey the spirit of their songs in the unplugged live show scenario. Not for the lack of trying, but perhaps due […]

Fiona | Unbroken

January 29, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Nikiforos Skoumas Staff Writer — Though troubled the music industry may be, it has been well documented throughout the past decade that just about any musical comeback is possible. On this occasion the AOR […]

Will Wallner & Vivien Vain

January 29, 2012 Publisher 2

by Nikiforos Skoumas Staff Writer — Coming on February 1st is the debut album of British guitarist Will Wallner and Croatian singer Vivien Vain. Having both relocated to the United States; Los Angeles, CA., in […]

Danny Tomb of 4ARM

January 28, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Cameron Edney Guest Staff Writer — 4ARM’s Danny Tomb Talks about the new album, touring and much more. Australian thrash metallers 4ARM have certainly done the hard yards to get to the point they’re […]

The Voyage To Hell: 70,000 Tons of Metal 2012

January 27, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Chris A. Staff Writer — For the past five days, the Caribbean has been under a musical siege of epic proportions in the form of the second 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise. Forty-two Metal […]

Lacuna Coil | Dark Adrenaline

January 27, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by John Kindred Staff Writer — Merging a woman with a pretty face and a smooth silky voice, who wears tight black leather pants with raging, distorted guitars and heavy percussion doesn’t really equate to […]

Casablanca | Apocalyptic Youth

January 27, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Mark Allen Staff Writer — Hailing from Sweden (though the band does feature American guitarist Ryan Roxie of Alice Cooper/Electric Angels fame) and with knob-maestro Chris Laney at the production helm, it would have […]

LIVE! | Anthrax

January 27, 2012 Publisher 3

by Jonathan Staff Writer — January 26, 2012 at Midland Theater in Kansas City, MO Anthrax live at the Midland theater in Kansas City, Missouri was a unique performance and definitely a night to remember. […]

Battle Beast | Steel

January 26, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Nikiforos Skoumas Staff Writer — And just when you thought major labels no longer invest on newcomer acts, comes Battle Beast. The plainly titled Steel is their debut album, issued by Nuclear Blast in […]

Chakras | Cedric

January 26, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Joe Mis Staff Writer — Cedric is the debut release from Cincinnati-based alternative/heavy/goth rockers Chakras. Formed and fronted by singer Andrea Simler DeGolier, Chakras blends elements of alternative rock, metal, gothic rock and a […]

Various Artists | New Year Killing Spree 2011

January 26, 2012 Publisher 1

by Alissa Ordabai Staff Writer — AA country with a vast and incredibly diverse cultural heritage, India – strangely enough – offers rather slim pickings when it comes to metal. Or at least this is […]

On Top | Top Heavy

January 24, 2012 Publisher 1

by Nikiforos Skoumas Staff Writer — Top Heavy is the brand debut album by American sleaze-glam-metal band On Top. Lets get this out of the way before moving to the heart of the matter; what […]

Blessed By A Broken Heart | Feel the Power

January 24, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Mark Allen Staff Writer — Those of us lucky enough to grow up amidst the excess of the ‘80s fondly recall when Aqua Net and spandex ruled the metal world, when bands like Poison, […]

Seasons of the Wolf | Lost in Hell

January 23, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — We’ve all seen the recent trend of traditional metal revival bands emerge in the past few years. There’s even a catchy moniker – NWOTM – to describe bands like […]

Dario Mollo and Tony Martin | The Third Cage

January 23, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — It took a full decade, but guitarist Dario Mollo and vocalist Tony Martin have finally delivered another collaboration under the Cage moniker. Their third release together, the appropriately titled […]

The Elves | And Before Elf…There Were Elves

January 23, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — One of the more interesting chapters in the early history of the late Ronnie James Dio’s storied career, and the one that is perhaps least in line with the […]

Karl Demata

January 23, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Alissa Ordabai Staff Writer — Best known for being a member of the British prog-rock outfit Crippled Black Phoenix, Karl Demata has also recently been receiving acclaim as a solo artist following the release […]

LIVE! | Anthrax & Testament

January 23, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Deb Rao Staff Writer — January 23, 2012 at House of Blues in Las Vegas, NV The second leg of the Anthrax/Testament Tour kicked off on Sunday, Jan. 23 in Las Vegas at the […]

Age of Distrust | Whispers of War

January 22, 2012 Publisher 2

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — The 6-song EP Whispers of War is the debut release from Ohio-based metal band Age of Distrust. The band plays high speed, high aggression, heavy metal with one foot […]

Arch Enemy | Khaos Legions

January 22, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Nikiforos Skoumas Staff Writer — Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy have returned with their ninth studio album Khaos Legions. Over the past decade, fans and media have attached multiple labels to the […]

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster | Exegesis

January 20, 2012 Publisher 1

by Joe Mis Staff Writer — Despite being named after one of the more memorable tragedies in American history, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster is actually a five-piece “atmospheric art metal” act hailing from London, […]

Jack Starr’s Burning Starr | Land of the Dead

January 19, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by John Kindred Staff Writer — Embodying the spirit of Warrior-Metal, Jack Starr’s Burning Starr returns with their latest offering Land of the Dead. Starr, who cut his teeth in the band Virgin Steele in […]

Oceans of Night | Domain

January 18, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — Domain is the second album from Oceans of Night, and the latest in a series of collaborations between songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Scott Mosher and vocalist Scott Oliva. Under the Oceans of […]

Five Essential Tips for your 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise

January 16, 2012 Publisher 1

by Chris A. Staff Writer Sailing aboard a 70,000-ton cruise ship, carrying 40 heavy metal bands and 2,000 fans in the Caribbean isn’t your typical holiday; in fact, it’s an adventure of epic proportions. In […]

LIVE! | Chickenfoot

January 16, 2012 Publisher 2

by Alissa Ordabai Staff Writer January 14, 2012 at Brixton Academy in London, United Kingdom This was Chickenfoot’s second ever show in London, the band having played here previously in June 2009. During between-the-songs banter […]

Tony MacAlpine | Tony MacAlpine

January 16, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Alissa Ordabai Staff Writer On his new solo release – the first in 10 years – Tony MacAlpine presents his classically inspired experimental rock in an edgier, more complex and sombre mood than ever […]

Freedom Call | Land of the Crimson Dawn

January 16, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Mark Allen Staff Writer German melodic power metal outfit Freedom Call return with a new album that instantly rates as one of the best power metal releases of 2012. Okay, the year is less […]

LIVE! | Hotel Diablo

January 13, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Deb Rao Staff Writer — January 13, 2012 at Vampd in Las Vegas, NV Every once in a blue moon a band comes along and makes you take notice. Newly formed California based band […]

Whitechapel | Recorrupted

January 12, 2012 Publisher 2

by Cynthia Jo Staff Writer Deathcore overall has that evocative, too many breakdowns, monotonous, boring beats, and the heavy synths overuse. One band that puts that into good use is Knoxville sextet, Whitechapel. Their latest […]

Steve Blaze of Lillian Axe

January 11, 2012 Managing Editor 1

by Derric Miller Staff Writer — Lillian Axe guitarist Steve Blaze checked in to talk about their upcoming studio release The Days Before Tomorrow; the journey of finding and recording with a new singer in […]

THE BUZZ IS GETTING LOUDER!

January 11, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Chris Danielson Guest Writer — SED RECORDS TO SHOWCASE UP AND COMING ROCK BANDS: HORNET, DAMN DICE & WESTERN SAND; THURSDAY 23RD FEBRUARY 2012, AT THE THE INTREPID FOX, SOHO London based independent record […]

Reckless Love | Animal Attraction

January 10, 2012 Publisher 1

by Nikiforos Skoumas Staff Writer — Along with Steel Panther, Reckless Love is the second part of the plan devised by Universal Music to take over the international melodic rock/glam metal scene. Through their debut […]

Anchored | Listen To This

January 10, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Mark Allen Staff Writer — With riffs large enough to rattle a cruise ship and more hooks than a fishing derby, Anchored could very well be the next big thing in modern hard rock. […]

Paisty Jenny | Head in a Haze

January 10, 2012 Managing Editor Comments Off

by Derric Miller Staff Writer — Cranking a good drinking song can sometimes be more cathartic than going to confession if you are Catholic or refilling your Viagra prescription if you are … one of […]

Dogbane | Residual Alcatraz

January 7, 2012 Publisher 1

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — Residual Alcatraz is the debut album from North Carolina-based traditional/doom metallers Dogbane, the latest band signed to Heaven and Hell Records. Like most bands in the Heaven and Hell […]

Strange Karma | Volume 1

January 7, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — The appropriately-titled Volume 1 is the debut album from Australian hard rockers Strange Karma. The Sydney-based band is one of a host of new bands that takes its cues […]

Primal Fear | Unbreakable

January 6, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — Easily one of the most highly anticipated power metal releases of 2011 (or 2012, depending on the release schedule in your part of the world), Unbreakable is the ninth […]

In Defense of the New: An Interview with Oath of Insanity

January 6, 2012 Publisher 1

by Alex Barbieri Staff Writer — In the Disney/Pixar film Ratatouille, food critic Anton Ego said, “There are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the […]

Dale Stewart of Seether

January 6, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Cameron Edney Guest Staff Writer — Seether’s Stewart Talks Touring Australia, Fans and latest album. Forming in South Africa in 1999 and spending most of their time these days in the United States, post-Grunge […]

77 | High Decibels

January 5, 2012 Publisher 1

by John Kindred Staff Writer — We have been down this road before; bands paying homage to the past, attempting to recreate and recapture the essence of an era long gone by. Spanish hard rock […]

Greg Puciato of The Dillinger Escape Plan

January 5, 2012 Publisher 1

by Cameron Edney Guest Staff Writer — In February American Metallers The Dillinger Escape Plan will once again return to Australia to take part in the Soundwave Festival’s. No stranger to touring Australia and our […]

Defuse | Bangkok Addiction

January 2, 2012 Publisher 1

by Mark Allen Staff Writer — There is a lot to like, little to loathe, and a certain amount of ambivalence generated on this latest album from this Finnish band. The modern sleaze-rock fuse they […]

Candlelight Red | The Wreckage

January 1, 2012 Publisher Comments Off

by Justin Gaines Staff Writer — The Wreckage is the latest offering from up-and-coming modern rock band Candlelight Red. The band, which hails from central Pennsylvania, has enjoyed a measure of success lately. They’ve toured […]