CHICAGO OPEN AIR Brings Amazing Metal Lineup to Windy City!

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So I’ll admit that I was totally on board for Chicago Open Air when the only band they had announced was German power house Rammestein. But….. Once they revealed the rest of the lineup it sent chills down my spine. I think this is likely the heaviest festival that DWP has put on EVER. The rest of the bands added are over the top and make this inagural year for the festival one that you will not want to miss. It will be the go to event for metal heads that like their metal just a little on the heavy side. Overall, Chicago Open Air will feature performances by more than 40 bands, including Rammstein (did I mention it’s the group’s only 2016 U.S. performance and first Chicago show since 2012), Chicago’s own Disturbed (who recently returned from a 4-year hiatus with their #1 album Immortalized), global rock juggernauts Slipknot, Chevelle, Korn, Five Finger Death Punch, Ministry, Breaking Benjamin, Marilyn Manson, Gojira, Meshuggah, COC, Carcass, Hatebreed, and many more. The festival will also include Gourmet Man Food featuring local and regional cuisine, a craft beer village highlighting top brews from the region, other entertainment and fan experiences, and will be hosted by the metal ambassador himself Jose Mangin from SiriusXM.

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Are you sitting down? Because things just got better! There is now an official pre-party for Chicago Open Air as well that includes more amazingly talented bands. The Chicago Open Air Pre-Party: The official Chicago Open Air Pre-Party presented by 95 WIIL Rock and 100.7 QRock will be held at Concord Music Hall on Thursday, July 14. Otep headlines the show with Shaman’s Harvest, Islander and Through Fire supporting. Chicago Open Air ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets in advance for $10. Regular tickets are $17. Go here for tickets. If you haven’t seen Islander they are one of the best up and coming live acts.

We wouldn’t miss this weekend of shows for anything. If we are still breathing we will be there, and if you call yourself a metal head you better be there too!

Website: www.ChicagoOpenAir.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/chiopenair

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chiopenair

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiopenair

Anniversary Giveaway!!!!

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This week (June 11th) makes one year ago that Metal Nexus first hit the interwebs, but music has been coursing through our veins since birth. We didn’t expect to amass the amount of readers that we have in our first year. Without all of YOU this would all be for nothing. Our goal has always been to bring new bands and music to your ears that you may not have found otherwise. As a way for us to show our appreciation to you we are giving away 4 huge prize packages to 4 lucky readers. Help us kick off year two with a bang. All of us at Metal Nexus appreciate YOU! Continue reading

PLACE OF SKULLS Announce Tour!

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Victor Griffin famously of Pentagram has announced some tour dates over the next few months for his other extremely kick ass band Place of Skulls. Founded in 2000 by Griffin, bass player Lee Abney and drummer Tim Tomacelli the three piece has turned heads since their debut. The tour will kick off on June 23rd in Harrisonburg, VA. They will make an appearance at the 2015 Maryland Doom Festival (See Below) which is a must see for any doom lover and then the tour will come to an end on August 20th in Murfreesboro, TN at the Tennessean Sludge Fest (See Below). The band is working on new material and we can’t wait to hear it. Don’t miss this opportunity to see them live if they are in your region. Continue reading

-(16)- Release Video For “Peaches, Cream And The Placenta”

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California sludge masters -(16)- release video for “Peaches, Cream and the Placenta” from their upcoming album ‘Lifespan Of A Moth’ which is set for release this July 15th via Relapse Records. Lifespan Of A Moth is the band’s heaviest, darkest, and most complex material to date. Self-produced by the band and recorded with Jeff Forrest (Cattle Decapitation, The Locust) at Doubletime Recording Studio in San Diego, California, Lifespan Of A Moth sees the band sounding uglier, rawer, and more visceral than ever. Down-tuned, feedback-driven riffs and bludgeoning rhythms violently clash with vocalist Cris Jerue’s distorted, tortured howls across eight tracks of -(16)-‘s signature blend of hardcore punk, thrash, and sludge. Lifespan Of A Moth is the sound of a band that has spent twenty-five years wallowing in addiction and anguish, and will leave you feeling crushed and confronted by the negativity of existence. This is an album you do not want to miss. Physical preorders via Relapse.com can be found HERE; digital preorders are available through -(16)-‘s BandCamp page at THIS LOCATION.

SEVENDUST Announce Tour With CROBOT, RED TIDE RISING!

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Sevendust still touring in support of their amazing album ‘Kill The Flaw’ has booked an amazing tour with killer cast of opening acts. The tour will kick off in Bloomington, Illinois on August 2nd with supporting acts Crobot and Red Tide Rising. Sevendust is riding high from their recent Grammy Nominated song “Thank You.” The special treat of this tour is the final date in Columbia, Missouri on August 20th which will feature a one off show that also includes Killswitch Engage.  Continue reading

SAINT VITUS Announces U.S. Tour With Scott Reagers!

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Heavy metal legends Saint Vitus have announced a headlining US tour with their classic front-man, Scott Reagers. The tour, which begins on September 27 in Austin, sees the band trek across the US before concluding on October 23. Support on this tour comes from The Skull and Witch Mountain. A full list of confirmed tour dates can be found below.

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Continue reading

CROWBAR Announce New Bassist…

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Less than 24 hours after the departure of Jeff Golden, Crowbar has announced the person filling the role of bass player will be none other than “Sexy T” Todd Strange. Some may be familiar with Todd as he was formerly the bassist for Down and also a founding member of Crowbar. He was a member of Crowbar from 1989–2000 and was a member of Down from 1991–1999. Todd and Kirk have some of the best chemistry together when it comes to making music. Welcome back Todd, we can’t wait to see you kicking ass in the mighty Crowbar again. Continue reading

Jeff Golden No Longer Member Of CROWBAR

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Photo Credit: Robin Windstein

There hasn’t been an announcement yet from Crowbar but bassist Jeff Golden posted via Facebook that he is no longer a member of Crowbar. Jeff became a member of the band in 2013 when Pat Bruders exited the band and simultaneously Kirk Windstein left Down. Jeff stated: Continue reading

The WATCHERS Unveil First Song “Sabbath Highway”

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The recently formed Bay Area band The Watchers have relinquished their first song for our listening pleasure. The track “Sabbath Highway” just sets an expectation of greatness simply by the name. The band first began with Tim Narducci and Chris “Cornbread” Lombardo as they exited their previous project Spiral Arms. With this duo keeping their musical chemistry together it raised the bar of what is expected from the new project we now know as The Watchers. You add Ex-Orchid drummer Carter Kennedy and The Venting Machine guitarist Jeremy Von Eppic to the band and my ears are expecting to hear great things. Let me tell you now that I wasn’t let down and I am highly anticipating the rest of their debut and seeing them in live. Check out “Sabbath Highway” below and you will likely become an instant fan.

You can keep up with The Watchers on Facebook here, and we will keep you posted as well.

WAKRAT featuring RATM’S Tim Commerford Release New Song [Streaming]

Photo Credit: Ashley Beliveau

Photo Credit: Ashley Beliveau

Recently you have probably heard more about Tim Commerford’s other project Prophets of Rage than WAKRAT, but don’t let that fool you. WAKRAT isn’t going on the back burner and we are very thankful for that. They had already released a video for “Knucklehead” which you can see here. The band recently signed to Earache Records and is expected to release their debut album later this year and no one is more excited about the release than us. In the meantime we have been blessed with another Wakrat track to get us through until we can enjoy the album in it’s entirety. About the debut album Commerford stated: “We are gearing up to be on the offensive, assaulting the populous with our debut album on Earache Records. We have put a shit load of blood and sweat into this and we want it back! Our mission is to attack modern music and smash the grid. Unapologetic, unrelenting, unbridled and uncensored. Understood?” Continue reading