Rob Thom is a singer-songwriter who currently divides his time between London and Kansas City, in recent times he’s been busy crafting together his debut album, Trapped & Free whilst performing across our capitol’s live circuit.

Just The Kind Of Thing is the first taster from the aforementioned album and it serves as a memorable introduction to a wonderfully charming performer. The song is an upbeat combination of acoustic guitars and mandolin, whilst Rob’s vocals are a gorgeous light and breezy croon that’s instantly likeable. Just The Kind Of Thing contains an all important hook, a contagious melody and leaves you wanting to hear more of Rob’s material, which is exactly what a debut single should do.

If the forthcoming full-lengther manages to continue in the rich vein of Just The Kind Of Thing, we could be hearing a great deal more from Rob Thom and I for one can’t wait, if you like a catchy tune, a bit of dueling guitar and mandolin and a touch of folky pop or singer-songwriter action I’m sure you’ll love Rob’s debut just as much as me.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 9

www.robthom.co.uk

METALFEST 2012 announces a killer Desert/Doom/Occult-package! Legendary Kyuss are back, plus five more superb acts! Riffs, rock and coolness!
 
Kyuss Lives!, Grand Magus, Graveyard, Orange Goblin, Witchcraft and My Sleeping Karma confirmed!

Presented by: Noizeletter, Legacy, Hellraiser, Piranha, Musix, Metalflirt.de, Rock Tribune, Metallian, Earshot.at, Lords of Metal, Biker, Blast!

KYUSS LIVES! <http://www.kyusslives.com/>
If there had never been the legendary KYUSS, we wouldn’t know this present form of today’s stoner rock we love so much! The Californian masters belong to the true pioneers and trailblazers of this savoury subgenre in the landscape of heavy but hearty rock-music. Cult releases such as „Blues For The Red Sun” and „Welcome To Sky Valley” still make the mouth of rock-fans damned water. Due to John Garcia – bandleader, mastermind and singer – fans of psychedelic groove-sounds get the chance to enjoy the band’s first-class-stoner-hymns since a very long time. Under the obvious declared banner KYUSS LIVES! the charismatic frontman reached to reconstitute almost the complete line-up (inter alia with Nick Oliveri and Brant Bjork) for performing kind of „Best of KYUSS”-sets at some selected festival- and concert-shows. Now you’ll get the offer to live the „stoner-dream” at METALFEST to get your blood boiled. If you miss this unique show, you better bury yourself alive!

The legend is back! KYUSS LIVES! live clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdOi7PxQ2w8&feature=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdOi7PxQ2w8&amp;feature=related>

GRAND MAGUS < http://www.grandmagus.com/>
When the auspicious wolves of GRAND MAGUS start to rock, every skull begins to crumble. The Swedish group around frontman Janne „JB” Christoffersson catapults the hammer of the North towards METALFEST and announces a brute doom/stoner metal storm, that´ll take your live away. Black hearted and driven by old school attitude, this trio infernal copes with topics like nature, death and the history of Sweden within their Songs. Inspired by these dark backgrounds, GRAND MAGUS create apocalyptic rock, which sounds as if it comes out straight from hell. Rapturing guitar-riffs, electrifying bass-lines and murderous grooves make stoner-fans feel bigger than the devil. This is obviously one of the reasons why GRAND MAGUS reached to become a cult-act within the doom/stoner-scene. Get bitten by these mad wolves at METALFEST!

GRAND MAGUS Video „Hammer of the North“:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPLiZ2ePZTs&feature=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPLiZ2ePZTs&amp;feature=related>

GRAVEYARD <http://www.facebook.com/graveyardofficial>
With their tremendous songs, which definitely rip off your skin, the creative quartet of GRAVEYARD makes clear that Sweden is not only home of death metal. Especially the band’s wide-ranged repertoire of styles, which consists of classical rock, jazz and blues music, leaves you astonished. Within their sound, GRAVEYARD unleash emotions, feelings and moods, which could neither be more manifold nor more far-reaching. It’s not a surprise when the press refer GRAVEYARDs music as follows: Black Sabbath meets Led Zeppelin meets Rolling Stones! While a lot of other bands of the stoner and 70ies rock genre focus a neo-satanic imagery, GRAVEYARD follow the traditional path. Do you fancy a wide retro-rock-performance, now? Then get your ass to METALFEST…!

GRAVEYARD “Hisingen Blues” live clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR-FI9X3oO8 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR-FI9X3oO8>

ORANGE GOBLIN < http://www.orange-goblin.com/>
It’s time to get the guitars smashed and indulge the mighty horned god! The party-possessed Brits of ORANGE GOBLIN couldn’t live out the music and lifestyle of rock more authentically. Wherever they appear, the rock’n’roll-barometer reaches highest levels. ORANGE GOBLIN represent all things you associate with heavy metal. Sex, drugs and rock’n’roll  - if you’re looking for an overdose of rock music, these crazy booze’n’groove-maniacs let your dirtiest dreams come true. ORANGE GOBLIN never hesitate and live the heavy-metal-spirit in its purest form. Their sources of inspiration are unmistakable elements in the combo’s sound, which remind on classics like Motörhead, Thin Lizzy, Danzig, Black Sabbath or Celtic Frost. Be sure, these bastards know how to break through your auditory canals. The way’s free for an excessive rock-party at METALFEST! Hell fuckin’ yeah!

ORANGE GOBLIN video „Aquatic Fanatic“:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d8_uDhB94Q&feature=related < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d8_uDhB94Q&amp;feature=related>

WITCHCRAFT <http://www.myspace.com/witchcraftswe>
Cursed should be those, who do not believe in the power of psychedelic heavy/doom metal. WITCHCRAFT is and will always be a cult-formation, who knows how to indulge your senses with extraordinary rock-flavours. The master of doom himself – Lee Dorian – ignited the flame of this Swedish act burning with his label Rise Above Records. WITCHCRAFT stands for heavy rock that takes your soul on the way to the underworld. Funky but occult the band makes you feel suffer like a drug addict with their Seventies-flavoured style of stoner rock. WITCHCRAFT sound like Satan being on cocaine… Let this sound-experience flow through your veins…

WITCHCRAFT Live Clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnB8sE6HR6A&feature=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnB8sE6HR6A&amp;feature=related>

MY SLEEPING KARMA < http://www.mysleepingkarma.eu/>
MY SLEEPING KARMA combines the organic aspect of psychedelic groove rock with emotional shades of aphasian landscapes. That was the intention of the debut album and it still remains. Guitar, bass and drums in love with a soundboard. On MY SLEEPING KARMA´s album, time is the major keyword in the context of “Satya”. The conditioned mind is always moving between the past and future, and this movement activity creates the illusion of time. Use your illusion and you will discover the voice within. MY SLEEPING KARMA is enlightenment.

MY SLEEPING KARMA live clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuNnOeDtQY0

So far these bands have been confirmed to play METALFEST 2012:

MEGADETH <http://www.megadeth.com/> – exclusive festival shows 2012!
IN EXTREMO < http://www.inextremo.de/home.php>
BLIND GUARDIAN <http://www.blind-guardian.com/>
KREATOR <http://www.kreator-terrorzone.de/>  – exclusive festival shows 2012!
KYUSS LIVES! < http://www.kyusslives.com/>
W.A.S.P. <http://www.waspnation.com/> 30th Anniversary Show!
BEHEMOTH <http://www.behemoth.pl/>
EDGUY <http://www.edguy.net/>
FEAR FACTORY < http://www.fearfactory.com/>
HYPOCRISY <http://www.hypocrisy.tv/>  – exclusive festival shows 2012!
LEGION OF THE DAMNED <http://www.myspace.com/legionofthedamned>
DARK TRANQUILLITY < http://www.darktranquillity.com/>
SALTATIO MORTIS <http://www.saltatio-mortis.com/>
ENSIFERUM <http://www.ensiferum.com/>
POWERWOLF < http://www.powerwolf.net/>
MOONSPELL <http://www.facebook.com/moonspellband> – Album-Release-Show „Alpha Noir“
ALESTORM <http://www.alestorm.net/>
GRAND MAGUS < http://www.grandmagus.com/>
GRAVEYARD <http://www.facebook.com/graveyardofficial>
EPICA <http://www.epica.nl/>
DEATH ANGEL < http://www.myspace.com/deathangel> – “The Ultra Violence” Set!
TRIPTYKON <http://www.triptykon.net/>
LAKE OF TEARS <http://www.lakeoftears.net/>
VADER < http://www.vader.pl/>
ORANGE GOBLIN <http://www.orange-goblin.com/>
SWALLOW THE SUN <http://www.swallowthesun.net/>
WITCHCRAFT < http://www.myspace.com/witchcraftswe>
SEPTICFLESH <http://www.septicflesh.com/>
MY SLEEPING KARMA <http://www.mysleepingkarma.eu/>
SKULL FIST < http://www.facebook.com/skullfisted>
HATE <http://www.hate-metal.com>
FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE < http://www.facebook.com/fleshgodapocalypse>
FEUERSCHWANZ <http://www.feuerschwanz.de>
MYSTIC PROPHECY <http://www.mysticprophecy.net/>
NACHTBLUT < http://www.nachtblut.com/>

+ many more!

ATTENTION, please note the following info:

- Blind Guardian will not play at Metalfest Dessau/Germany!
- Orange Goblin, Witchcraft, My Sleeping Karma, Saltatio Mortis, Feuerschwanz, Mystic Prohphecy, Nachtblut will only play Metalfest Germany and Austria!
- Megadeth and In Extremo will not play at Metalfest Switzerland!
- W.A.S.P. will not play at Metalfest Loreley/Germany!
- Lake of Tears will only play Metalfest Germany, Austria and Croatia!
- Swallow The Sun will only play Metalfest Germany, Austria and Switzerland!
- Epica will only play Metalfest Loreley!
- Moonspell will only play Metalfest Germany, Austria, Croatia, Poland and Switzerland!
- Edguy will only play Metalfest Germany (Loreley/Dessau)!
- Kyuss Lives will only play Metalfest Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland!
- Graveyard will only play Metalfest Dessau and Austria!

Next Friday, February 3rd we´ll be announcing more new bands to play METALFEST 2012!

TICKETS and FANPACKS:

Order the Metalfest fanpack for only 69,00 Euro, including Ticket, shirt and CD now at www.hardticket.eu <http://www.hardticket.eu/ >

METALFEST 2012 dates:

31.05.-02.06.2012 Mining, Metalfest Austria
31.05.-02.06.2012 Dessau, Metalfest Germany/East
01.06.-03.06.2012 Jaworzno, Metalfest Poland
02.06.-05.06.2012 Zadar, Metalfest Croatia
05.06.-07.06.2012 Milan, Metalfest Italy
07.06.-09.06.2012 Loreley, Metalfest Germany/West
07.06.-10.06.2012 Pratteln, Metalfest Switzerland
08.06.-10.06.2012 Plzen, Metalfest Czech Republic

2012 again the motto is: IN METAL WE TRUST!

www.metalfest.eu <http://www.metalfest.eu/>
www.facebook.com/metalfestopenairs < http://www.facebook.com/metalfestopenairs>

ELVIS JACKSON return to the UK for Spring 2012 tour + announce new single ‘This Time’

After their successful first UK concert tour in October 2011, Elvis Jackson will return to our shores in March 2012, this time for a total of 14 dates.

Taking place from 15th to 31st March 2012. In addition to the concert in London, the concerts in Dover, Leeds, Derby, Basingstoke, Hastings, York, Southampton, Huddersfield, Bristol, and Birmingham have been confirmed.

Slovenia’s leading punk rock band continue to attracted large audiences at home and abroad. In addition to their spectacular performance in KRIZANKE in Ljubljana (2.500 people), they performed at well-known European festivals, such as the T-MOBILE IN MUSIC festival in Zagreb (Croatia), DUNAUINSELFEST in Vienna (Austria) and SZIGET festival in Hungary. Their tours in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic and England attracted a great attention of the foreign audience. The fact that at the end of 2011 Elvis Jackson was awarded the Best Group and the Best Rock Group of the Year Award by the readers and listeners of the English magazine and radio, Somojo Magazine, shows that the group is becoming increasingly popular also in Great Britain.     (http://www.somojomagazine.com/index.php/music/music-news/849-somojo-artist-of-the-year-awrads-2011-results.html).

Full UK Dates:

15 March 2012 (UK) DOVER/ Priory Hotel

16 March 2012 (UK) HASTINGS/ Tubman

17 March 2012 (UK) BASINGSTOKE/ Sanctuary

18 March 2012 (UK) SOUTHAMPTON/ Radio Station (acoustic set and interview)

19 March 2012 (UK) GUILDFORD tbc

21 March 2012 (UK) LONDON/ The Purple Turtle

22 March 2012 (UK) PETERBOROUGH/ Met Lounge

23 March 2012 (UK) DERBY/ Old Bell

24 March 2012 (UK) LEEDS/ The Cockpit /+ Mr Shiraz

25 March 2012 (UK) HUDDERSFIELD/ Parish / + Mr Shiraz

27 March 2012 (UK) YORK/ Stereo / Mr Shiraz

29 March 2012 (UK) BRISTOL/ Tunnel

30 March 2012 (UK) BIRMINGHAM/ Vudu

31 March 2012 (UK) SOUTHAMPTON/ Guava

The March 2012 tour will be announced by the hit single “This Time”, that looks set to do well at UK rock radio stations. Talking of their upcoming tour, the band said;

“Our tour in the UK in October was the first time we performed in the UK. We had no expectations at all. We played seven gigs and were really surprised to get such a positive response. The tour was truly a great experience. We realised that it’s totally different from other parts in Europe, where we play quite often. We are very glad to be asked to return and can’t wait to tour in March 2012. We will try to come back again and again, and please, spread the news that Elvis Jackson are coming to party & rock the house again!” 

Media partner of the tour is the Big Cheese Magazine, while the distribution of all Elvis Jackson releases in Great Britain will be taken care for by the Code 7 distribution company. You will be able to find the album “Against The Gravity” in the shops in Great Britain on 30 January 2012.

Press for Elvis Jackson: 

There’s echoes of early Offspring and Blink 182, EJ are band with such positive music and the wide-eyed self confidence to carry it off to a chance of success – KERRANG!

EJ have a knack for writing particularly catchy songs that transcend various genres. If FNM, Pennywise and Devildriver had kids.. well, you get the idea – BIG CHEESE

ROCK THE NATION presents: 

PAGANFEST TOUR 2012 – Official trailer available! Exclusive preview of new ELUVEITIE video clip!

The Paganfest Tour returns – and if you thought it can´t get any better than 2011… it sure can! ELUVEITIE, PRIMORDIAL, NEGURA BUNGET, HEIDEVOLK and SOLSTAFIR make for a very strong package and KORPIKLAANI as well as EQUILIBRIUM will be two great special guests on the extended shows!

Seven fantastic bands, who all in a way are from the same musical genre, but still all of them sound unique and outstanding. Make sure to catch this killer-package on the PAGANFEST TOUR 2012!

Watch the official tour trailer here!
http://youtu.be/nxDh-LSKBw8

With EXCLUSIVE preview of the brand new ELUVEITIE video for the song „Havoc“. Be the first ones to see it!

The new ELUVEITIE album „Helvetios“ will be out February 10th via Nuclear Blast!

16.03. DE Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle *Extended*
17.03. DE Stuttgart, LKA Longhorn *Extended*
18.03. NL Tilburg, O13 *Extended* only Equilibrium
19.03. DE Herford, X
20.03. CH Pratteln, Z7
21.03. IT Bologna, Estragon
22.03. AT Graz, PPC
23.03. AT Wien, Arena *Extended*
24.03. DE Munich, Backstage *Extended*
25.03. DE Leipzig, Hellraiser
26.03. DE Hamburg, Markthalle
27.03. DE Berlin, Postbahnhof
28.03. NL Haarlem, Patronaat
29.03. DE Saarbrücken, Garage
30.03. DE Gießen, Hessenhalle *Extended*
31.03. DE Geiselwind, Music Hall *Extended*
01.04. BE Antwerpen, Trix

www.paganfest.eu
www.hardticket.eu

PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION – THE NEW STUDIO PROJECT FEATURING IRON MAIDEN GUITARIST ADRIAN SMITH & FORMER SIKTH FRONT-MAN MIKEE GOODMAN – COLLABORATES WITH US ARTIST & ANIMATOR MEATS MEIER FOR ‘MONSTROUS’ DEBUT VIDEO, ‘NO PLACE LIKE HOME’, PREMIERING NOW ON VEVO!

PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION release their debut single, ‘No Place Like Home’, via Spinefarm Records on Monday 6^th  February 2012.  The single will be released as a Limited Edition 10” coloured vinyl and digital download.

The video accompanying the song has been co-directed by Mikee Goodman and Meats Meier,

a renowned CGI artist based in Los Angeles who provided the illustrations for both the single and album artwork.

The album, ‘Awoken Broken’, features ‘No Place Like Home’ along with 11 other tracks, and has been co-produced by Adrian & Mikee; it is set for release on February 27^th.

‘Awoken Broken’ was heralded with a free download track, ‘I See Lights’, which can be found on www.primalrockrebellion.com

The video for ‘No Place Like Home’ is showcasing now on Vevo, and can be viewed

at www.primalrockrebellion.com