Metal Bulletin Zine

Monday, October 19, 2026

1980s RUSH prog anniversary

October 19, 1987: Rush - Time Stand Still (single)- Mercury Records

"'Time Stand Still' is a song by Canadian progressive rock band Rush, released in 1987 as the lead single from their twelfth studio album Hold Your Fire. The song features American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann. It peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart on November 6, 1987, and was a minor hit single in the United Kingdom, peaking at No. 42 on the UK Singles Chart. A music video for the song was directed by Zbigniew Rybczyński. On June 7, 2026, Aimee Mann joined Rush on stage to play the song live for the first time without the use of a backing track." -Wikipedia

Rush - Time Stand Still (Official Music Video)

Wintersun - a great album from 2012 anniversary

October 19, 2012: Wintersun - Time I - Nuclear Blast Records

"Time I is the second studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Wintersun ... As of the commencement of recording, Jari Mäenpää stated that the album length would run over 65 minutes, and that it would be a concept album. Furthermore, according to Mäenpää, the album's sound was to be highly intricate. Each song was said to contain about 200 tracks ... The album's complexity was one of the main reasons for its slow production process. As of April 2007, drums, bass and all the guitars had been recorded. Kai Hahto stated on the official site that due to studio intervention, progress was being made, but also announced that they would not be giving any more release dates at that time, so as not to disappoint fans if they were not met." -Wikipedia

Wintersun - Sons of Winter and Stars

MANOWAR - anniversary of fighting the world with true heavy metal wearing jeans and leather not cracker jack clothes for the triumph of steel with the warriors of the world the manowarriors

October 19, 2012: Manowar > The Lord of Steel > 2012, CD, Magic Circle Music

"The Lord of Steel is the eleventh studio album of the American heavy metal band Manowar. It was first released as a download on June 16, 2012, and the limited-edition pre-release special edition CD of the British heavy metal magazine Metal Hammer on June 26, 2012. The retail edition of the album was available as CD, limited-edition vinyl and digital album. It featured cover art by Ken Kelly who has worked on many previous Manowar covers. It marks a change in the band's sound, moving away from the symphonic sound of Gods of War and going back to the style of Louder than Hell with the production quality of Thunder in the Sky." -Wikipedia

MANOWAR - Annihilation

Happy birthday to Gojira guitarist vocalist Joe Duplantier!

October 19, 1976: Joe Duplantier (Joseph Andrew Duplantier) - birthday

"Joseph Andrew Duplantier (born 19 October 1976) is a French and American musician, best known as the vocalist, guitarist, and lyricist of heavy metal band Gojira. He is also a record producer and environmental activist." -Wikipedia

Gojira - Stranded [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

Happy birthday to multi-genre bassist extraordinaire Oliver Holzwarth!

October 19, 1967: Oliver Holzwarth - birthday

The Metal Archives that Oliver has worked with: Abracadabra, Coldseed, Sieges Even, Paradox, Pergana, Power Quest, Rhapsody of Fire, Tragul, Blind Guardian, Chinchilla, Leaves' Eyes, Tarja, Demons & Wizards, Brutal Godz, Looking-Glass-Self, Myrkgand, ex-Val'Paraiso, amongst other bands and projects.

Speaking for myself, the work I know best is Sieges Even and Rhapsody. I really like the first Sieges Even album Lifecycle (1988), but in truth there is a lot to explore with Sieges Even which was active: 1982-1985 (as Sodom), 1985-1997, 1999-2002 (as Looking-Glass-Self), 2002-2003 (as Val'Paraiso), 2003-2008; and seven albums.

Sieges Even - Apocalyptic Disposition (from Lifecycle album 1988)

1990S RUSH prog anniversary

October 19, 1993: Rush > Counterparts > 1993, Cassette, Atlantic Records

"Counterparts is the fifteenth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released October 18, 1993, in the UK and October 19 worldwide, through Anthem Records ... Counterparts reached No. 2 in the United States, one of the band's two highest-charting albums in the country, and No. 6 in Canada. The first single, 'Stick It Out', was No. 1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart for four weeks." -Wikipedia

RUSH - Stick It Out (2004 Remaster)

Elgibbor – lo-fi, barbed-wire, vocal-cord-destroying, mountain-cave-gremlin, tape-hiss-drenched, frost-bitten, basement-dwelling, cauldron-stirring raw black metal anniversary

October 19, 2016: Elgibbor - The Roots of Blood

"The name of the project means, 'God Almighty'. Jarek, before becoming a Christian, was a Satanist. Since becoming a Christian, his faith has been the foundation of his band. Although Elgibbor is a one-man band, founded by Fire, the band played out live at Audiofeed Festival 2017, with the lineup of Fire on guitar, former Frost Like Ashes bandmates Azahel on vocals and Sebat on guitar, Ruah on bass, and bandmate Taberah of Katharos on drums. In 2020, the band reconvened with many of the live members returning - Azahel on vocals, Fire on guitars, Sebat on guitars, Ruah on bass, and Pathøs." -Wikipedia

"The Blood of Messiah ransoms our souls from death, bring us near to the divine presence and cleanses us from all sin. The voice of His blood cries out on our behalf, and His life was given in exchange for ours. Life is in the blood; the blood of the sacrifice was given in exchange for the life of worshipers. Come now and ransom with the Lord; though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." -"The Blood" - Elgibbor

NECROPHAGIST wrist-breaking tendonitis-inducing technical death metal anniversary - Japan version

October 19, 2005: Necrophagist: Epitaph (2005), CD, Relapse Japan (Japan) [original year of release: 2004]

"Epitaph is the second and final studio album by German death metal band Necrophagist released by Relapse Records on August 3, 2004. Unlike on Onset of Putrefaction, guitarist and vocalist Muhammed Suiçmez recorded the album alongside a full band instead of recording it by himself." -Wikipedia

SOULFLY - Max Cavalera anniversary - groove thrash metal anniversary

October 19, 2018: Soulfly - Ritual - Nuclear Blast Entertainment

Wikipedia notes:

Ritual is the eleventh studio album by American heavy metal band Soulfly, released on October 19, 2018, through Nuclear Blast. It is the third Soulfly album with Max Cavalera's son Zyon on drums and the last to feature lead guitarist Marc Rizzo. It features musical guests Randy Blythe of Lamb of God, Ross Dolan of Immolation, and Mark Damon of The Pretty Reckless. Four singles were released from the album— "Evil Empowered", title track "Ritual", "Dead Behind the Eyes", and "Under Rapture".

DORO - heavy metal anniversary

October 19, 2012: Doro - Raise Your Fist - Nuclear Blast Records

"Raise Your Fist is the twelfth studio album by the German female heavy metal singer Doro, released on 19 October 2012 and 6 November 2012 in USA through Nuclear Blast Records. The song 'Hero' is dedicated to the late Ronnie James Dio." -Wikipedia

DISTURBED anniversary

October 19, 2018: Disturbed – Evolution - Reprise Records

"Evolution is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Disturbed. It was released on October 19, 2018, by Reprise Records. The album's first single, 'Are You Ready', was released before the album in August 2018, while the second single, 'A Reason to Fight', was released a month later. The third single, 'No More', was released on June 2, 2019." -Wikipedia

Saturday, October 17, 2026

OBSCURA - anniversary repress of technical progressive extreme metal quality of the best in the world - safety helmet recommended

October 17, 2013: Obscura > Omnivium > 2013, CD, Relapse Records (Repress) [original release year 2011]

On The Metal Archives the reviewer mason_voorhees on January 20th, 2016 writes: Technical Perfection - 100%. Obscura's 2011 release Omnivium is without a doubt one of the best releases from the band and truly showcases why this band, its members, and releases have become staples of the technical death metal world. Obscura is no stranger to technicality as they've showed with their past releases (especially on their 2009 release Cosmogenesis) but they really went for more than sheer technicality with Omnivium. Omnivium contains just as many beautiful acoustic sections as well as clean vocal sections as it does sweeps and blast beats. The clean vocals done by Steffen ran through a vocoder on such tracks as Prismal Dawn and Celestial Spheres give the listener a sense of euphoria and beauty while tracks such as Ocean Gateways and Vortex Omnivium still broadcast that sheer death metal brutality that brings in many listeners in the first place ... All the members and their musical abilities truly come together in Omnivium and form an over all perfect tone and feeling with it. Omnivium is easily one of the best albums within the technical death metal genre and will live on as such for years to come."

Relapse Records has the entire album on YouTube.

OBSCURA - 'Omnivium' (Full Album Stream)

Manowar - Louder than Hell reissue anniversary

MANOWAR - anniversary 1990s louder than hell warriors' fight the falseness with marbled red wax' in name of truest hevy metall to die the false!

October 17, 2025: Manowar > Louder than Hell > 2025, 2 12" vinyls, Geffen Records (Limited edition, Reissue, Transparent red/black marbled vinyl) [reissue of 1996]

On The Metal Archives the reviewer Need4Power on February 27th, 2014 declares: "It delivers exactly what it attempts to deliver - 92%. It is Manowar doing what they've always done, just even more extreme in their beliefs than ever before. To the general public, this is probably not much of anything, but to real, serious, true heavy metal fans, this is one of the greatest things ever. Not everyone will understand, but I do."

MANOWAR - Return Of The Warlord

Thursday, October 15, 2026

Review: SHORES OF NULL - Homesick - Dusktone - 16 October 2026

SHORES OF NULL - Homesick - Dusktone - 16 October 2026

Dorothy, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.

Strong with this one, the doom and gloom is. On their fifth album, hold back they do not in delivering their special brand of doom and gloom, loading every song with the two things that best they do: melancholy and melody.

The music is melodic-gothic uptempo death doom, uptempo enough that it is not really the trudging of death doom and with a slight feel of a depressive-progressive vibe. However, they're not crazy! It is ten songs in 47 minutes, with only one song reaching the six-minute mark: most of the songs stay within the timeframe of four minutes to 5:30. Very reasonable. Gloomy? Yes. Yes, but it is engaging, melodic extreme and melodic metal. You'd be surprised that this album will not be setting you up to enter a deep depression at all. You might feel joy!

The band works their signature sad-melodic, that heavy-melodic sound with riffs that sound and feel good, and the heavy vocals with good singing. The album moves well between the lines of gothic and doom death metal, and heavy metal, albeit melancholic heavy metal, and the result is melodies that I remember, and want to hear again. I am pleased with the general quality of the album as an entire work.

https://www.facebook.com/shoresofnull

Shores Of Null - The Numbing Void (Official Video)

Shores Of Null - Bleed to Life (Official Video)

Review: IAPETUS - The Mother Void - Willowtip Records - 16 October 2026

Just trust, and know that you won't understand right now, but you will understand later, little by little, and it may take years to comprehend in a deeper way.

Do you like songs that are 17 minutes long? Are you interested in the idea of 18 minutes for a composition? This album features, amongst other shorter tracks, "The Mother Void" and its length is 12:54. Another song is called "Aniara" and the duration is 17:13. The length for "Red Giant" is 11:59 and for "TON" is 18:44. Now, of course, consider those details and observe that this release is from Willowtip Records, which holds a reputation for complex, forward-thinking, and uncompromisingly heavy music.

This album is probably everything that devoted prog metal fans enjoy, and everything that fans who truly hate prog metal and prog rock will despise. This project's previous album is from 2019. Yes, it probably does take a long time to put together all the pieces for an album like this: loud and quiet segments, various singing and various screaming, high-speed moments and super mellow, spacey moments, everything, just everything in the kitchen sink, and more.

I do not understand this album. Why would I! It's a new album and it's very progressive and there are many things happening in it. If you think about it, it would be insulting to these musicians to claim that what took them seven years to make, took me only several listens to comprehend. I trust that it takes a long time to understand the album, and by the time I get more comfortable with it, it will probably be time for a new IAPETUS album. I don't regret the time I have spent listening to this album. I will not be getting rid of it. I am confident with repeated listens this album will make more sense. One last thing: This is not some crazy, experimental, whackjob of an album. It is not a technical album, either. There is melody and melancholy. There are things that are memorable, but there is just a whole lot of everything happening in songs that are this long.

Iron Maiden 1980s live heavy metal anniversary

October 14, 1985: Iron Maiden - Live After Death - EMI Records

Happy birthday to NARNIA guitarist CJ Grimmark!

October 14, 1977: CJ Grimmark (Carl-Johan Grimmark guitarist for Narnia) – birthday

"Carl Johan Grimmark (born 14 October 1977) is a Swedish guitarist. He has appeared with several influential Christian metal bands including Narnia, Saviour Machine, and Rob Rock. He joined the band Beautiful Sin in 2006. He has also played with Jerusalem on several occasions including Sweden rock in 2015. He's been a special guest guitarist on fellow Narnia bandmate Christian Liljegren's side projects Divinefire and Audiovision. He recorded his debut solo album titled Grimmark, where he also handles the lead vocals. Grimmark's style of playing, especially on Narnia's earlier work, is often compared to the neoclassical metal stylings of Yngwie Malmsteen, or under a more broad genre, neoclassicism." -Wikipedia

NARNIA - I STILL BELIEVE (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO HD) 2016

A hunger deep inside wakes me up at night

Where are we going

We’re far away from home

Like a blind leading a blind

We sail away from all responsibilities

Far away from home

Tearing it down stone by stone

Raise an altar of pride, leave the worries behind

I still believe in the Maker

One by one, we all must bow down

I still believe in the Father, the Son and the Fire

Burning on, I still believe

Turning the tide, following the winds of change,

Denying everything we know

I’ve heard enough.

Your silence is deafening to my ears

Did I ever know you?

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Happy birthday to singer Kobra Paige!

October 14, 1988: Kobra Paige - birthday Kobra Paige is the singer for Kobra and the Lotus. "Kobra and the Lotus (also initialized as KATL) is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in 2009 by lead vocalist and songwriter Kobra Paige." -Wikipedia

KOBRA AND THE LOTUS - You Don't Know (Official Video) | Napalm Records

SANCTUARY Seattle metal anniversary

October 14, 2014: Sanctuary > The Year the Sun Died > 2014, CD, Century Media Records (US)

The Year the Sun Died

MEGADETH 1980s classic thrash anniversary

"What do you mean I don't believe in God? I talk to him every day!"

October 14, 2003: Megadeth > Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? > 2003, DVD, Capitol Records [reissue of 1986]

About this reissue: "Audio tracks featured in DVD-A 5.1 surround, DTS 5.1 surround, and PCM 2.0 stereo, all with 96K sample rate and 24 bit depth. Bonus features include exclusive interview footage and 'Play Along' versions of 'Devils Island' (different tracks of the song). Also has lyrics and photo gallery." -The Metal Archives

Wikipedia observes: "In the liner notes on the 25th anniversary reissue, Lars Ulrich gave his praise for the album, 'Whether you heard this record for the first time in 1986, or you hear this record for the first time today or tomorrow, Peace Sells is a great heavy metal album. Nothing more, nothing less. It has stood the test of time. And will continue to do so.'"

Wikipedia also notes: "According to Ellefson, he was once approached by Dimebag Darrell giving his approval of the album, 'We went out, drank hard, a good time, and Dimebag – who was known as Diamond Darrell at that time – after we had been drinking all night, he comes up to me and he looks me dead in the eye and he goes, ---David, I just want to tell you the Peace Sells album changed my life.--- And I kind of shrugged it off like, 'Oh, thanks, man. Appreciate it.' And I remember he put his hand on my shoulder. He goes, ---No, it changed my life.--- It was like a sobering moment right there when he said that.'"

Megadeth - Peace Sells

Happy birthday to DREAMS OF GRAY vocalist guitarist Luis Rivera!

October 14: Luis Rivera – birthday

The city of Chicago, Illinois, USA is home base for the melodic death metal of DREAMS OF GRAY. When I look online for reviews, I find nothing but positive reception for their previous EPs, and on December 4, 2026, their third EP, titled In the Shadow of the Storm, comes out. The first song is called "Edges of Thought" and it is available for listening now.

DREAMS OF GRAY delivers efficient, compact songwriting: the new track features some classic-style feral, snarling death metal vocals to begin, then moves on to midrange singing, including both a higher, more melodic tone and a lower register—and all these vocal styles are remarkably easy to make out due to the great effort put into clear enunciation. The music features headbanging, thrash-based death metal riffs with catchy, melodic hooks.

DREAMS OF GRAY also uses a whole bunch of subtle elements that take a few listens to identify: there is melancholy woven into this song, including a certain feeling of a gothic doom atmosphere, and it is done with guitars, not keyboards. All these things happen in a song that is only four minutes and 14 seconds! In addition, expect intelligent, real, heartfelt lyrics—in this case, exploring what happens when the mind races nonstop, disrupting all trains of thought and refusing to let you focus or sleep.

In the Shadow of the Storm EP track list:

1. Edges of Thought 4:14

2. Shadow of the Storm 5:08

3. Venas Abiertas 4:31

DREAMS OF GRAY - Edges of Thought

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090219272895

https://www.instagram.com/dreamsofgray

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Happy birthday to the Red Rocker!

October 13, 1947: Sammy Hagar (Samuel Roy Hagar) - birthday

"Samuel Roy Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose before launching a successful solo career, scoring a hit in 1984 with "I Can't Drive 55". He enjoyed further commercial success as the second lead vocalist of Van Halen from 1985 through 1996, and from 2003 to 2005. In 2007 Hagar was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Van Halen. His musical style primarily consists of hard rock and heavy metal. A lifelong entrepreneur, Hagar has founded four spirits brands and 13 restaurants. In 2008, with his wife, Kari Hagar, he founded a private non-profit focused on children's causes and hunger relief, the Hagar Family Foundation." -Wikipedia

Sammy Hagar - VOA (Voice of America)

Extol metal anniversary

October 12, 2023: Extol — Labyrinth of Ill / Exigency [EP] - Indie Recordings

"Extol is a Norwegian Christian metal band from Bekkestua, formed in 1993. The band is known for playing different styles of metal, including progressive metal, death metal, black metal and thrash metal. Over the course of their career, the band has released five studio albums and two EPs, beginning with their debut, Burial, in 1998. The band are noted for their precise, technical musicianship. The fourth album, The Blueprint Dives, received a Spellemannsprisen nomination for Best Metal Album of 2005. Extol has toured the United States and Europe several times with such bands as Mastodon, God Forbid and Opeth. Extol has sold over 500,000 albums worldwide." -Wikipedia

Extol - Labyrinth Of Ill (Official Visualizer)

All That Remains anniversary of melodic metalcore, hard rock, heavy metal, melodic death metal

October 12, 2010: All That Remains - For We Are Many - Prosthetic Records / Razor & Tie

"For We Are Many (stylized as ...For We Are Many) is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band All That Remains. Released on October 12, 2010, it is the third album by the band to be produced by the Killswitch Engage guitarist, Adam Dutkiewicz, who also produced This Darkened Heart and The Fall of Ideals." -Wikipedia

All That Remains - "For We Are Many"

Terrorizer grindcore anniversary

Terrorizer studio album number 4

October 12, 2018: Terrorizer - Caustic Attack - The End Records

Terrorizer - Caustic Attack

in memory of 1980s heavy metal bassist Jody Henry (OMEN)

October 12, 2025: RIP Jody Henry (1962-October 12, 2025) (Omen bassist 1983-1989)

Jody Henry was an American musician best known as the original bassist and a founding member of the Los Angeles heavy metal band Omen. Originally a guitarist, he made the switch to bass when he joined forces with guitarist Kenny Powell, vocalist J.D. Kimball, and drummer Steve Wittig in 1983. Together, they established Omen as one of the defining acts of the early U.S. power metal scene. During his initial run with the band from 1983 to 1989, Henry played bass and provided backing vocals on all of Omen's classic early releases. His work featured on the albums Battle Cry (1984), Warning of Danger (1985), The Curse (1986), and Escape to Nowhere (1988), as well as the 1987 EP Nightmares.

The 1986 album The Curse is a personal favorite of mine. Here is song number three from said album.

OMEN - Holy Martyr

McAuley Schenker Group anniversary

Michael Schenker 1980s heavy metal anniversary

Michael Schenker 1980s hard rock anniversary

October 12, 1987: McAuley Schenker Group - Perfect Timing - Capitol / EMI Records

"Perfect Timing is the debut album recorded by the McAuley Schenker Group. It was the first collaboration between Michael Schenker and Robin McAuley (ex-Grand Prix and Far Corporation), resulting in Schenker's first top 100 US hit with the song 'Gimme Your Love.'" -Wikipedia

Robin McAuley – lead vocals; Michael Schenker – lead guitar; Mitch Perry – rhythm guitar, additional lead guitar on tracks 1 and 6, backing vocals; Rocky Newton – bass guitar, backing vocals; Bodo Schopf – drums; additional musicians: Steve Mann – keyboards and rhythm guitars

Gimme Your Love - Here Today Gone Tomorrow - Don't Stop Me Now - No Time for Losers - Follow the Night- Get Out - Love Is Not a Game - Time - I Don't Wanna Lose - Rock 'Til You're Crazy

McAuley Schenker Group - Gimme Your Love

Monday, October 12, 2026

Mortification death metal anniversary

October 12, 1991: Mortification - Mortification - Intense Records

"Mortification is the debut studio album by Australian Christian death metal band Mortification. It was released on 12 October 1991. This album leans more towards death metal than the band's demo album Break the Curse, but retains thrash metal elements. Five songs from the demo album were re-recorded for Mortification. In 2002, The Billboard Guide to Contemporary Christian Music described the album's sound as 'punk-meets-metal grind-core'. A bundle containing Mortification and Scrolls of the Megilloth was released on KMG Records in 1998 and on Rowe Productions in 2015, with the latter being exclusively on cassette. Soundmass Records re-released the album with five bonus tracks in 2020, and again in 2022 with new remastering and nine bonus tracks recorded at Q.U.T. Campus Club in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 27 September 1991." -Wikipedia Mortification - Until the End

in memory of BLUE CHEER's Dickie Peterson

October 12, 2009: RIP Dickie Peterson (Richard Allan Peterson (September 12, 1946 – October 12, 2009)

"Richard Allan Peterson(September 12, 1946 – October 12, 2009) known as Dickie Peterson was an American musician, best known as the bassist, lead singer and only constant member of Blue Cheer." -Wikipedia

"Blue Cheer was an American rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009. Based in San Francisco, Blue Cheer played in a psychedelic blues rock or acid rock style. They are also credited as being some of the earliest pioneers of heavy metal, with their cover of 'Summertime Blues' sometimes cited as the first in the genre. They have also been noted as influential in the development of genres as disparate as stoner rock, experimental rock, and grunge." -Wikipedia

Blue Cheer - Summertime Blues (American Bandstand,1968)

BARQUE OF DANTE remembers this very important date in history: the great explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus reaches the Americas!!!

October 12, 1492: Christopher Columbus's first expedition makes landfall on San Salvador Island in the Caribbean

Christopher Columbus lands in the Americas on October 12, 1492 connecting two parts of the world that did not know each other. This single event changed human history forever. Before 1492, people in Europe, Asia, and Africa knew nothing about the Americas, and native people in the Americas knew nothing about them. Plants, animals, and foods moved across the ocean. American foods like potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and chocolate moved to Europe and Asia, feeding millions and growing the world's population. In return, horses, cows, wheat, and coffee came to the Americas. Trade exploded across the Atlantic Ocean. Ships carried goods, silver, and people across the sea, creating the very first truly global economy and kicking off modern science, travel, and mapmaking. Christopher Columbus was a intrepid navigator whose bold 1492 transatlantic voyage permanently linked the Old World and New World, fundamentally altering the course of human history.

Columbus by Barque of Dante (2023 album)