Several new titles are on the horizon from Metal Mind, beginning with Pestilence due out August 20 in Europe and October 15 in the US (via MVD Audio). "Pestilence doesn't require any introduction. Known for mixing various influences, from thrash to jazz, from fusion to classic death metal, the band has become a legend long before its final split-up in 1993. Patrick Mameli (guitar, vocals), Randy Meinhard (guitar) and Marco Foddis (drums) recorded their first demo, Dysentery, in 1986. However, it was only after The Penance, recorded in 1987 with a new member Martin van Drunen (bass/vocals), that the band caught the attention of Roadrunner Records, who agreed to release their first official album Malleus Malficarum (1988). Pestilence released four studio albums during their career. The final one - Spheres from 1993 - brought along a thrilling mixture of jazz-fusion elements with death metal and, thanks to the extensive use of synth guitars, constituted a totally new quality in aggressive music.
Today, Metal Mind Productions presents the re-release of Spheres: classic material from Roadrunner Records' archives, released in a new digipack edition, limited to numerated 2000 copies. The new version includes bonus material. It is released with new artwork: this, in fact, is the original artwork, done by a UK artist Dan Seagrave, that wasn't used on the first pressing of the album.
"Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process, released on a golden disc."
Tracklist: "Mind Reflections," "Multiple Beings," "The Level Of Perception," "Aurian Eyes," "Soul Search," "Personal Energy," "Voices From Within," "Sphere," "Changing Perspective," "Phileas," "Demise Of Time"
Bonus tracks: "Demise Of Time (Remix)," "Soul Search (Remix)," "Mind Reflections (live)," "Multiple Beings (live)."
Next, there's Blaze Bayley - "Metal Mind Productions is proud to present a veritable treat for fans of melodic heavy-metal: legendary Blaze Bayley (ex-Wolfsbane, ex-Iron Maiden) on his first live DVD -Alive In Poland! Recorded during the 21st edition of the Metalmania Festival in Katowice (Poland), the footage documents a fantastic, over 1.5 hour show during which he presented the best tracks taken from Blaze's discography as well as selected tracks of his previous band - Iron Maiden ("Man On The Edge," "Futureal"). This energetic performance was one of the highlights of the festival. The DVD also includes many great bonus features such as an interview with Blaze Bayley, an interview with all members of Blaze's band (featuring footage filmed during their visit to Poland) and more. The title is also available in a limited edition - including a CD with songs recorded at the concert!
"Bayley was Iron Maiden's lead singer for five years. During that period he recorded two albums, the X-Factor (1995) and Virtual XI (1998). After parting ways with Iron Maiden in early 1999, Blaze Bayley put his own band together called BLAZE. They have recorded three studio albums so far, Silicon Messiah (2000), Tenth Dimension (2002), Blood And Belief (2004) and a live CD As Live As It Gets (2003). The band's new album will be released in autumn 2007."
We previously reported on this title in May. New release date for Europe was July 30; August 28 for the US.
"Metal Mind Productions presents a unique mixture of classical compositions and speed-metal madness - re-releases of Worship Me Or Die! and Beethoven On Speed by The Great Kat.
"The debut album, Worship Me Or Die!, was Great Kat's ferocious initiation into the speed metal scene. Recorded in 1987 for Roadrunner Records, the album featured eleven original tracks, all showcasing Kat's impressive guitar skills, later on used to bring back classical music to the masses. This material was a bit of a boot camp for Kat's future achievements, but valuable enough to deliver a heavy dose of powerful, inspiring music."
Release date: August 20, 2007 in Europe; October 15, 2007 in the US
Tracklist: "Metal Messiah," "Kat Possessed," "Death To You," "Satan Goes To Church," "Worship Me Or Die," "Demons," "Speed Death," "Kill The Mothers," "Ashes To Dust," "Satan Says," "Metal Massacre."
"Beethoven On Speed was the second album for Roadrunner Records and the first to showcase her unique mixture of classical compositions an speed-metal madness. Based on the works of her greatest inspiration, Ludwig Van Beethoven (with an addition of one song by Paganini), the record featured over 30 minutes of insanely fast guitar shreds and a powerful message to stimulate the listeners' minds with the metal reincarnation of classical motifs. Songs such as the title track, the extremely fast "Flight Of The Bumble-Bee", "Beethoven Mosh" and "Funeral March" presented a brand new vision of classical music, while Kat's original head-banging songs showcased astonishing skills in the arts of rough speed metal."
Release date: August 20, 2007 in Europe; October 15, 2007 in the US
Tracklist: "Beethoven On Speed," "Ultra-Dead," "Flight Of The Bumble-Bee," "Revenge Mongrel," "Funeral March," "Kat-Abuse," "God!," "Made In Japan," "Sex & Violins," "Beethoven Mosh (5th Symphony)," "Gripping Obsession," "Paganini's 24th Caprice," "Worshipping Bodies," "Guitar Concerto In Blood Minor," "Total Tyrant," "Bach To The Future: For Geniuses Only!"
"Both titles will be available in a new digipack edition, limited to numerated 2000 copies, digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on golden discs."
Bio: "The Great Kat (real name Katherine Thomas) was born in England, in a U.S. Air Force Base Military Hospital. She was 3 years old when her parents moved back to America and settled in New York. From her early childhood Kat was fascinated with the classical works of Beethoven, so it soon became clear that she was meant to become a composer and musical revolutionary as well.
"After graduating with honors from the prestigious Juilliard School The Great Kat began performing, first as a classical violin soloist at Carnegie Recital Hall and then soloing extensively in Mexico, the U.S. and Europe. In the meantime Kat was getting more into guitar lessons, playing mostly classical songs. After touring all over the world The Great Kat realized that classical music was pretty much dead and begun to thinking of a way to bring it back to glory. She turned her attention to speed metal and decided to use it for her own groundbreaking creation. As she explains herself: 'After graduating from The Juilliard School and realizing that classical music was dead, I searched ALL forms of popular music and came across speed metal!! The power and energy and virtuosity of speed metal is the only form of music that actually fits with the complexity and virtuosity of Classical Music!! Some of the first bands I heard was AC/DC, Megadeth, and others.'
"Soon a new genre was born: 'SHRED/CLASSICAL' music - fast, furious, and virtuosic. Her first demo, 'Satan Says' was released in 1986 and got quickly noticed by Roadrunner Records, who signed a deal with the young metal mistress. Her debut album, Worship Me Or Die hit the stores in 1987. The material included 100% original compositions, but already showcased Kat's inspirations with classical composers and, what's most important, with insane speed! The Great Kat begun performing live and shocking the audience with both her music and her appearance, influenced, as she claims, by Van Gogh, William Blake, Richard Wagner and 'other psycho geniuses!!.'
The second album, Beethoven On Speed (1990) finally showcased her true goal to unite classical music and insanely fast speed metal. Taking the most popular compositions by Ludwig Van Beethoven and turning them into powerful metal tracks has confirmed Kat's status of a musical revolutionary. Praised in various magazines as the new Queen of Speed Metal, Kat astonished both the reviewers and the fans with her impressive musical skills and groundbreaking ideas. The Great Kat herself announced that she is the reincarnation of Beethoven and spread her message world-wide: 'The Great Kat is maniacally spreading the word of shred/classical to the pathetic, lethargic moron masses, who would rather sit on their lazy asses and be losers, rather than kick ass and become geniuses!!' The fans had to wait six whole years before the next release, Digital Beethoven On Cyberspeed (Blood and Guts Music), which continued the ideas from the previous album and presented new versions of classic works by Bach, Paganini and Wagner. Despite its short running time (a little over 10 minutes), the record was digitally enhanced with some additional material such as videos, biographies and multimedia presentations.
"Further recordings included Guitar Goddess (1997), Bloody Vivaldi (1998), Rossini's Rape (2000) and the famous Wagner's War (2002), commenting on the tragic World Trade Center assault on 11th September 2001 (the album's length was exactly 11 minutes).
"The Great Kat was included in the 'Top 10 Fastest Shredders of all Time' by Guitar One Magazine and 'The 100 Wildest Guitar Heroes' by Classic Rock Magazine, as well as mentioned in such magazines as Spin Magazine, Guitar One Magazine, New York Times, Guitar World, Entertainment Weekly, Guitar Player, Billboard, Classic Rock Magazine, and much more. Named 'The High Priestess of Guitar Shred,' The Great Kat does not stop to impress her fans with new 'shred/classical' material, remaining one of the most impressive female guitarists in the world, and definitely the fastest one! And if you'll understand the genius of her compositions, you too may become a member of the Kat Slave Army!"