Metal Health All Things Hard Rock and Heavy Metal
New Metal Bands of 2014! 10-Year Anniversary of Dimebag Darrell’s Death Best Metal Manes of the 80’s “On the way to the top”
Interview with band members from Observe the 93rd
“A Passion for the Music” Exclusive interview with band Cease the Sky
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Metal Health Magazine Issue #4 Vol. #1 Quarterly Magazine Subscription Cost: $29.95 Per Issue Cost: $4.95
Editorial
Editor- Evan Shaffer Publisher-Evan Shaffer Web Designer-Dick Lewiston Photographer-Jerry Spinelli Contact Info: 666 Hollywood Blvd. Web Designer-Buzz Killington 213-456-7856 Contributers-Peter Griffin metalhealthmag@gmail.com Joe Swanson Website: www.metalhealthmag.com Writers-Joe Schmoe Social Media: Instagram and Kyle Gass Facebook
Contents
Find out what guitars suit your interests...............................................Pg.4 New and upcoming metal bands of 2014...............................................Pg.7 10 year anniversary of Dimebag Darrell’s death...................................Pg.10 Shows worth attending in 2014...........................................................Pg.12 Best Metal Manes of the 80’s...............................................................Pg. 15 “On the way to the top” exclusive interviews with Observe the 93rd.....Pg. 17 Guitar tabs brought to you by Ultimate_guitar.com.............................Pg.20 “A Passion for the Music”..................................................................Pg.24 A Dose of ‘Rat Poison’........................................................................Pg.27 Heavy metal book review...................................................................Pg.30 Vote for the next cover.......................................................................Pg.31
Letter from the Editor
What’s up Metal Health readers, you’re now about to enjoy yet another issue of the most rockin’ magazine around. I’m Evan Shaffer and growing up I have always been a metal head. Our goal with this magazine is to catch all of you metal heads up with the lastest news. The idea behind this magazine is to incorporate a little of the old metal and the new metal and intertwine them to provide a broad range of information for the readers. I chose to do my feature story on a local Pennsylvania band named Observe the 93rd. The reason I chose to do a story of the sorts is to inform the readers of a new and upcoming band that relates to the content of the magazine. Metal music was once on the forefront of the music industry, and through the decades it has become boggled down by genres such as grunge, pop, and electronic music. The goal is to try and liven up this genre once again and get people interested and talking about the music. So get ready to rock n’ roll as you read through Metal Health.
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Want to be a guitar god? Hear some reviews and find out which guitar suits your interest
Gibson Les Paul Flying V Guitar
Gibson SG
The introduction of the remodeled Historically accurate reproducThe Gibson Les Paul Standard 2014 Electric Les Paul models of the early 1960s tion of a 1959 Gibson Flying V, Guitar celebrates Gibson’s 120th Anniversary sought to bolster Gibson’s reputawith mahogany replacing the in style. It has a mahogany body with modern tion as a quality builder of electric weight relief. The mahogany neck has a ‘60s original korina for the body and solid body guitars, something the slim taper. The compound radius rosewood neck. The guitar is hand-finished Les Pauls of the late 1950s had failed in VOS (Vintage Original Spec) to do. And although those Les Paul fingerboard has undercut frets over the models of the late 1950s would to give the look of a new guitar, binding for extra playing surface and sports eventually become the world’s most a 120th Anniversary banner at the 12th fret. some decades old, that has been iconic six-stringed instruments, stored and played very little. Other key features include Burst Bucker Pro the introduction of the redesigned 1+2 pickups with coil-splitting and phase models in 1961 would also signal an changing, reverse polarity rear pickup, max important new era in electric solid body design. grip speed knobs, the Min-ETune system, Graph Tech nut and TonePros locking tuneo-matic bridge.
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New and Upcoming Metal Bands of 2014 Animals as Leaders is an American instrumental progressive metal band formed by guitarist Tosin Abasi in 2007. It currently features guitarist Javier Reyes and drummer Matt Garstka, apart from Tosin. Prosthetic Records released the band’s self-titled debut album in 2009. They went on to release the albums Weightless (2011) and The Joy of Motion (2014).
Animals as Leaders Axeslasher were born out of an unsettling love for 80s slasher flicks and its associated gore, the deep and dark nature of human morality and the desire to play with a great set of boobs. The trio formed in late 2011 and for the most part, the band came into being in Denver, Colorado. Comprised of Justin Lascelle (Death Destruction Chaos, Enemy Reign) on vocals/ guitar, Jake Kauffman (Speedwolf, Matawan) on bass, and Norwegian member Brynjar Helgetun (Crypticus, The Grotesquery, Liklukt) on drums, Axeslasher take the elements of the bands unnatural focus and imbue them with a fiery thrash tone.
Axeslasher Russian Circles is an American three piece instrumental rock/metal band from Chicago. Mostly headlining now, in their earlier days they toured with Boris, Isis, Red Sparowes, Minus the Bear, Daughters, Coheed & Cambria, Mono, and Pelican as well as appearances at the 2006 SXSW, and 2009’s Bonnaroo. [1] They were also the opening band for Tool while playing their first tour in the United Kingdom in 2007. Their name is taken from a drill exercise used in the game of ice hockey.
Russian Circles 7
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Remembering Dimebag 8/20/66-12/8/04
It was a year ago this week that heavy metal lost one of its most influential and beloved figures to a crazed gunman. “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, a larger-than-life guitarist who first wielded his axe for Pantera, and later as a member of Damageplan, was murdered onstage on December 8, 2004, by a distraught fan, 25-year-old Nathan Gale. Before a police officer brought the rampage to an end with a single shotgun blast to Gale’s head, four people had been killed and three others wounded. Investigators speculated it was the disbanding of Pantera two years earlier that fueled Gale’s shooting spree, but the world will never know for sure.
Dimebag’s sudden death at age 38 — perhaps the most significant loss for the metal genre since Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads died in a 1982 plane crash — shook the tight-knit heavy-music community to its very core, and left everyone wondering how something so unthinkable could’ve happened. MTV News spoke with members of some 30 hard rock and metal bands about the Dimebag they remember. They told us how much he’d meant to them, they shared fond memories and spoke of the impact he made on their lives and their music. Many of those we spoke with knew the man behind the guitar hero — the genuine, amusing human being who was rarely spotted without his favorite drink, the “black tooth grin” — a splash of Coca-Cola and two shots of whiskey. They knew Dime offstage, away from the devil-horn salute that greeted him every time he strapped on a shredder. These were his friends — people who reveled in Dime’s presence and
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Ready for a Live Show? Check out which live shows are worth attending in 2014! In the event you were looking to drop out of 2014 with bong in hand all Sleepstyle, then do we have some good news for you! Cannabis Corpse, Mammoth Grinder and Inanimate Existence will be touring all throughout the U.S. starting late November into late December. Surely you’ll be able to find the venues they’ll be performing at due to the enormous clouds of weed smoke pouring out of each venue’s orifices.
Volbeat appeared to be winding down their support of their ‘Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies’ album, but the band just booked another leg of dates for the spring featuring support from metal icons Anthrax and red hot rising rockers Crobot opening the run. The tour launches April 24 in Denver with shows booked through a June 2 tour finale in New York City. There will be a pre-sale that goes live this Wednesday (Oct. 29) at 10AM local time in all markets.Visit the band’s website for presale details. Meanwhile, the general on-sale date for all markets is Halloween (Oct. 31), with all markets going on sale at 10AM local time with the exception of Grand Forks (9AM) and Oshawa and Ottawa in Canada (Noon). Slipknot will be taking out Korn and King 810 on the Prepare For Hell tour. I know firsthand that Slipknot have been trying to book a tour with Korn for many many years and finally their schedules aligned where it works out for both parties. It’s a bit surreal to see Slipknot headlining over Korn as during their peak, Korn were miles ahead of Slipknot, but times they have changed. As for King 810, this is clearly the biggest touring opportunity the band will ever have. Find more about concerts and tickets go to www.ticketmaster.com 12
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Best Metal Manes of the 80’s
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Bret Michaels
Kip Winger
Stephen Pearcy
Vince Neil
Jani Lane
Jon Bon Jovi
David Lee Roth
Tom Keifer
Dee Snider
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p o t the
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o t y a w the Exclusive interview with new band ‘Observe the 93rd’
Ready for a high-energy band that is ready to blow minds with their unique style of rock n’ roll? Observe the 93rd is a melodic hard rock band that is finally moving up in the music industry. This band originates out of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and has been playing locally for several years. The band has four members, Tyler Davis (bass guitar), Derek Henry (vocals and lead guitar), Dylan Zepp (percussion) and Elliott Hertzler (vocals and keyboard). The band initially became popular with their high school classmates and is now gaining a lot of support from people all over the area. Metal Health recently headed to Mechanicsburg to catch up with the band, and asked Derek about their latest show. “We actually just performed a gig at Johnny Joe’s which was just a local show that a lot of our old friends came out for. It was a blast to see old faces again,” he said. The band has accomplished many goals since graduating high school. They hope to keep building off this momentum and choose to pursue a career in music over college. “School is definitely an important thing and I am proud of myself for graduating, but music is my passion and I thought of myself as more of a musician rather than a scholar. We saw how many people gravitated toward our music and we figured pursing a career with it was the right thing to do,” he said. The band now lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and makes music daily. They recently released an EP called Attracted to the Abstracted. “Once Attracted to the Abstracted was released we received an award for ‘Album of the Year’ at the 717 Music Awards. It really made us feel a sense of accomplishment and gave us the sense that we are actually going places, which was very kick ass,” he said. The drummer Dylan Zepp also discussed the progress of OT93. “Things are going well with us. For a while, I contemplated leaving the band because I wasn’t sure if we were going to be able to pursue anything further, but I stuck to my guns and continued
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drumming away,” he said. Dylan has been known to perform live wearing nothing but a one-piece tie-dye outfit. The exotic outfit has fans asking where his inspiration came from. “Well, I wouldn’t say there was much inspiration behind the whole get up. I just like to be the funny guy and get a laugh out of everyone on and off the stage,” he said. The band does attribute many musical inspirations to process writing and recording songs. Two years ago, they played a huge show at Hershey Stadium called the Rock Allegiance Tour where they performed a set list of songs including, Eisegesis and Visionary. The show featured bands such as Daughtry, Puddle of Mudd, Foxy Shazam, Buckcherry, Fuel, Seether, Three Days Grace, and Stone Temple Pilots. To Dylan, being a part of that show was a dream come true. “So many of those bands have been such a huge influence to us, and getting to meet and play with them was absolutely incredible. I feel like it also helped us become better musicians because we were able to get feedback from these iconic bands,” he said. The band currently is touring across Pennsylvania and has established more fans. Their goal is to play obscurely and get the crowd involved. The music they play is edgy and melodic, and sounds similar to bands like Incubus and Puddle of Mudd. Check it out on the Observe the 93rd Facebook page that frequently posts dates for upcoming shows, songs and photos from recent performances. The band is passionate about their music and love getting support from their fans. If you’re looking for an energetic rock n’ roll show, check these guys out, and see what they have to offer.
‘Attracted to the Abstracted’ EP 19
Observe the 93rd at a photoshoot
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Want to Learn Some Licks? Guitar tabs brought to you by ‘Ultimate Guitar’ ‘Breaking the Chains’ by Dokken INTRO |---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-9-9-\-7----------7-7-\--5-------------|-5-5-/-7--------7--7--/------9---------| |-9-9-\-7----------7-7-\--5-------------|-5-5-/-7--------7--7--/------9---------| |-7-7-\-5----------5-5-\--3-------------|-3-3-/-5--------5--5--/------7---------| |---------0-0-0-0---------------0-0-0-0-|--------0-0-0-0----------------0-0-0-0-| OCTAVE PART |---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-9-9-/--11-x-x-11-x-x-11-x-x--11-x-x---|-12-x-x-12-x-x--12-x-x---12-x-x-------| |---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-7-7-/--9--x-x-9--x-x-9--xx---9--x-x---|-10-x-x-10-x-x--10-x-x---10-x-x-------| |---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |--------------------------------------|----------------[12]---17----19-~-~-~--| |--------------------------------------|----------[12]-------------------------| |--14-x-x-14-x-x---14-x-x-----14-x--x--|---16----------------------------------| |--------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |--12-x-x-12-x-x---12-x-x-----12-x--x--|---14----------------------------------| |--------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| VERSE |---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-9-9-\-7----------7-7-\--5-------------|-5-5-/-7---------7--7--/-----9---------| |-9-9-\-7----------7-7-\--5-------------|-5-5-/-7---------7--7--/-----9---------| |-7-7-\-5----------5-5-\--3-------------|-3-3-/-5---------5--5--/-----7---------| |---------0-0-0-0---------------0-0-0-0-|---------0-0-0-0---------------0-0-0-0-|
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‘Madhouse’ by Anthrax Riff 1 e|------------------------------------------------| B|------------------------------------------------| G|------------------------------------------------| D|------------------------------------------------| A|-2-----------------------------7----6---5---4---| E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----7---6---5---4-| ************** x6 e|--------------------------------| B|--------------------------------| G|--------------------------------| D|--------------------------------| A|-2-------------7----6---5---4---| E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----7---6---5---4-| ****** e|---------------| B|---------------| G|---------------| D|---------------| A|-2-------------| E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| ****** Riff 2 e|---------------------------------| B|------3------------------------3-| G|------2------------------------2-| D|-4----0--2--4---------------5--0-| A|-2-------0--2--2-2-2-2-2-2--2--0-| E|---------------------------------| ****** "White coats..." e|--------------------------------------------| B|-----------------3------------------------3-| G|-----------------2------------------------2-| D|-4---------------0--2--4---------------5--0-| A|-2--2-2-2-2-2-2-----0--2--2-2-2-2-2-2--2--0-| E|--------------------------------------------| ****** ****** "I live alone..."
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‘Lay it Down’ by Ratt INTRO --------------------------------------------------------------------| ---------------8-p-7------------------------------------------------| --7------------7------------9-p-7--------9-----10-------------------| --7------------7------------7------------7-----8--------------------| --5------------5------------5---------------------------------------| ---------0--0---------0--0---------0--0-----0-----------------------| ___________________________________________________________________ _ --------------------------------------------------------------------| -----------------------------------------8-p-7----------------------| --------10--------5-----5-----7----------7------------9-p-7---------| --------8---------5-----5-----7----------7------------7-------------| --5--5-------5/7--------------5----------5------------5-------------| ---------------------0-----0-------0--0---------0--0---------0--0---| ___________________________________________________________________ _ | Drums enter here --------------------------------------------------------------------| --------------------------------------------------------------------| --5-----10-------------------------------------------7--------------| --7-----8--------------------------------------------7--------------| --9-----5-------0--0--0--2--2--2--2/3--3--3--3/5-----5--------------| -----0----------0--0--0--2--2--2--2/3--3--3--3/5--0-----------------| __________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------| --------8-p-7-----------------------------------------------8-------| --------7------------9-p-7--------9-----10---------10-------5-------| --------7------------7------------7-----8----------8--------5-------| --------5------------5------------5-----5----5--5------5/7--7-------| --0--0---------0--0---------0--0-----0------------------------------| ____________________________________________________________ “You know you really want to. . . “ ----------------------------------------------------------------------| --------------------------------8--6------------6--------5------------| ----------------7---------------7--5------------5--------5------------| ----------------5-----------------------------------------------------| --2--3----------------------------------------------------------------| --2--3--------------------3--3------------3--3-----5--5-----5-5-5-5-5-| ___________________________________________________________________
To learn more guitar tabs go to www.ultimateguitar.com 23
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A Passion for the Music Interview with Tyler Newell from local Harrisburg band ‘Cease the Sky’ Tyler Newell has a passion for music. Not only does he have a passion to listen to music, but he is also driven to perform. Newell is a member of local metal band Cease the Sky, out of the Harrisburg area. He believes that music is deeper than just the sounds. To Newell, his band goes beyond the music and into the meaning of the songs and how they are performed because it is what matters to him and his band. Newell’s passion for heavy metal music comes from his love of the style. When asked about why this genre of music has an impact on him, Newell responded, “I just really love the style of music. I like how you can incorporate all different types of instruments and make all kinds of unique sounds. I really enjoy the power that hard rock and heavy metal music has behind it. I love how the music is raw and edgy.” In Newell’s opinion, heavy metal music has dwindled in popularity over the years. He attributes this to heavy metal music being considered a fad throughout the 1970s and 1980s and dropping from mainstream music since then. Newell is not a fan of today’s mainstream music because of the lack of raw talent that is demonstrated. “I really don’t enjoy that type of music. There are catchy songs here and there but all in all they are just pointless to listen to. These artists are making millions of dollars and they can’t even sing or play an instrument. That takes no talent at all. I’m good with computers, so if I make a beat online using some software, shouldn’t I be famous?” Newell’s biggest influences in his music career throughout his life are Attack Attack and Upon A Burning Body. He said that both bands have a unique style to them, and he often tries to incorporate that style into the songs played by his band. He is a vocalist in Cease the Sky but can also rock out on the drums. Cease the Sky performing in Harrisburg, PA 25
Though Cease the Sky is a local band and is a way for the members to have fun doing what they love, they have had few gigs and have recently released a short EP called Relentless. He really wasn’t “Taking influence sure of what he would like to do about taking the band further. “It would be from everything in really cool to try and our daily lives, you will make it big, but at the same time I feel as though gladly relate to what we it just wouldn’t be as fun. It would be nice to make music for a living, but it’s also have in store.” really just a good time going home on breaks and playing small gigs with the band. We all just get along and mess around with our instruments, and I wouldn’t want to take that away from the band.” According to Cease the Sky’s Facebook page, the band strives to use influence in their music. It says, “Taking influence from everything in our daily lives, you will gladly relate to what we have in store.” Making heavy metal music relatable and keeping the songs about issues that are important is part of what makes the genre so important for the music industry.
Cease the Sky’s EP cover
Cease the Sky performing
To find out more about the band check out the ‘Cease the Sky’ Facebook page www.facebook.com/ceasethesky 26
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Heavy Metal Book Review I’m the Man is the fast–paced, humorous, and revealing memoir from the man who co-founded Anthrax, the band that proved to the masses that brutality and fun didn’t have to be mutually exclusive. Through various lineup shifts, label snafus, rock ‘n’ roll mayhem, and unforeseen circumstances galore, Scott Ian has approached life and music with a smile, viewing the band with deadly seriousness while recognizing the ridiculousness of the entertainment industry. Always performing with abundant energy that revealed his passion for his craft, Ian has never let the gravity of being a rock star go to his shaven, goateed head.
He was just a boy from the Bronx with stars in his eyes. But when he picked up his guitar and painted stars on his face, Ace Frehley transformed into “The Spaceman”—and helped turn KISS into one of the top-selling bands of all time. Now, for the first time, the beloved rock icon reveals his side of the story with no-holds-barred honesty . . . and no regrets. For KISS fans, Ace offers a rare behind-the-makeup look at the band’s legendary origins, including the lightning-bolt logo he designed and the outfits his mother sewed.
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The definitive oral history of heavy metal, Louder Than Hell by renowned music journalists Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman includes hundreds of interviews with the giants of the movement, conducted over the past 25 years. Unlike many forms of popular music, metalheads tend to embrace their favorite bands and follow them over decades. Metal is not only a pastime for the true aficionados; it’s a lifestyle and obsession that permeates every aspect of their being.
There is much that can and should be said about this book. Initially I intended to unveil all the lies in this book in a thorough and systematic review, but when I had written twelve pages and still had only gone through 80 pages of the 400-page book I gave up. There are better things to do in life than diving into such a pool of mud. I dare say the vast majority of all the statements made in this book are either misinterpretations; taken out of context; misunderstandings; malicious lies made by enemies; a result of ignorance; extreme exaggerations; and/or third-hand information at best. This includes the statements attributed to me!
One of the hardest headbangers of heavy metal shares his uplifting and empowering memoir about overcoming addiction and discovering a life of faith. In My Life with Deth, cofounder and bassist of Megadeth David Ellefson reveals the behind-the-scenes details of life in one of the world’s most popular heavy metal bands. If you’re looking for eye-opening revelations, they’re here, including the drug habits that brought the band members to their knees.
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