The UK has gone metal thrashing (tour) mad

BIG UPDATE

When I first wrote this, little did I know that 6 or 7 tours were going to be announced in the days immediately following this post, so with this in mind, I have done a major update with a vastly increased calendar at the bottom. Despite the fact the paragraph below refers to this as a brief update, it is now nothing of the sort.

Whilst I should be writing far more important things than this brief update, that also requires considerable effort, so I just wanted to make people aware of some really good shows coming up in the next few months, and have a mini-rant (why must they all take place so close to each other, a paycheck will only stretch to show many tickets a month lol)

First up, and arguably pick of the bunch is the Progressive Nation tour featuring the always fantastic Dream Theater & Opeth. You can catch this at Wembley Arena on the 10th of October (and also in Glasgow and somewhere else - maybe Manchester?). Dream Theater and Opeth are always worth seeing so seeing them together justifies the rather hefty ticket price, cannot wait for this one, only about 6 weeks to go!

Following very quickly from this, Monday the 12th of October will witness the only UK show of a tour that has been rumoured for months. Chimaira & Unearth co-headlining the tour, with very capable support from Throwdown and Daath. I'd love to go to this, but 3 gigs in a week just isn't feasible for me these days, so unfortunately I am going to miss it. All you nice people out there reading this go enjoy it for me lol.

Very closely following this is what has come to be known amongst my group of friends as The Devildriver supershow hitting the Garage in Highbury on the 16th and 17th of October (we are going along on the 16th). This features Devildriver promoting their new album, "Pray for Villains", along with one of the heaviest bands on the planet, Behemoth, as main support, plus Trigger the Bloodshed, Suicide Silence and Reading locals Malefice. All for around 15 quid - you cannot go wrong. Unfortunately for any London people without tickets, both dates are now sold out. Catch them around the rest of the country in the week or so that follows the London shows.

For anyone who is into their post-metal or ambient metal, Isis are always a treat live. Expect a full range of tracks from across their albums with some new songs from latest album Wavering Radiant thrown in for a very chilled good time. Experience them at Koko on October 21st.

Whilst they may not be considered metal anymore, Lostprophets are still one of the biggest British rock bands around and they are playing a Q Awards promoted show at the The Forum in Kentish Town on October 22nd promoting their upcoming new single and album (which is due end of the year or start of next), support TBC.

If you want to celebrate Halloween in true metal style, get along to Koko and spend it with the mighty Amon Amarth. I first saw these Viking Metal juggernauts on tour with the now seemingly in turmoil Dimmu Borgir (see blabbermouth for the latest on those developments) and was blown away. Support comes from UK thrashers Evile so that promises to be a great show, I personally cannot make that one so get along and then let me know what I missed!

Kicking off the shows in November are a band that really impressed me at Sonisphere, Yorkshire's own Paradise Lost. Being supported by scandanavian favourites and fellow doom metallers Katatonia, this is a treat for any fans of Doom or Gothic Metal. Catch them at Carling Academy Islington on November 3rd and other venues around the UK that week.

Arguably the world's greatest grunge band (No I will not consider Nirvana), Alice in Chains return to the UK after their great set at Sonisphere to promote long awaited new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue". Catch them in Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, and 2 nights at The Forum (Kentish Town) in Mid November. Support on all the shows will come from Brit rockers Little Fish.

Currently the only metal band I am aware of hailing from Gibraltar (and the architects of flamenco metal), Breed 77 tour the UK in late November in support of upcoming album Insects. They always put on a great show and are one of the hardest working bands going so go out and support them if you can. Catch them at various locations, ending at The Garage in Highbury on the 22nd of November.

Thrash veterans Slayer hit the UK in late November to promote their new album, "World Painted Blood". They kick off at Rock City in Nottingham before hitting various other places such as the Barrowlands in Glasgow, and Leeds before finishing up with 2 nights at The Forum in Kentish Town, London on the 25th and 26th of November. Support on this tour will come from Swedish veterans The Haunted.

Another tour that I am greatly looking forward to is the Five Finger Death Punch & Shadows Fall tour. I won''t talk about this much as it has already been discussed here - (5FDP & Shadows Fall to tour the UK).

Then, kicking off December is the Taste of Chaos tour. These have a bit of a reputation of being a bit dodgy in terms of band selection (at least from the point of view of my musical taste) but with Killswitch Engage and In Flames co-headlining this year it looks like the best one yet, with support from Every Time I Die (yawn) and Swedish newcomers Dead by April (sweet!), get yourselves to the Hammersmith Apollo on December 3rd, and other places too.

If Killswitch and In Flames are not your cup of tea, fear not, for Londoners have another choice on the 3rd of December. Scandinavian power metallers Sonata Arctica are playing a one off show at the Carling Academy Islington, followed by another one off show at JB's in Dudley 2 days later.

Everyone's favourite Goth shock rocker Marilyn Manson is returning to the UK in mid December to promote his new album "The High End Of Low" and is playing a few dates across the country, kicking off at Brixton Academy on the 9th of December. After a very poor performance good old Brian has got some way to go to redeem himself, can he pull it off? *Update* The tour is obviously selling well, as another date has been added at Brixton Academy.

If droney, ambient music is your thing, then you might want to make your way to Koko on the 14th of December for the visit of Sunn o))), fresh from playing the 10th anniversary of All Tomorrows Parties at Butlins in Minehead. If you are not making the long trip down to Minehead, catch them in London if you so desire.

If you like your metal heavy, and I mean rediculously heavy, then the visit of American death metal juggernauts Nile to the Scala on the 15th of December should keep you very happy indeed. This is their only UK show in the rest of 2009, and your first and only chance any time soon to hear new songs from the upcoming Those Whom the Gods Detest album live.

Since their last album Riot! came out, Paramore just keep on getting more and more popular - I'm sure being closely associated with the Twilight phenomenon has not done them any harm either! As a result, they are back just before Christmas to play their first Arena tour in the UK. Catch them across the country from Mid December starting off in Glasgow and Brighton and finishing up at Wembley Arena on the 18th of December.

The last show I will mention before Christmas is another show at the Garage, this time featuring another band to come out of Readings promising metal scene, Sylosis. They will be looking to try and (somehow) top their performances from Download and Sonisphere, and I very much look forward to watching them try. Tickets are only 7 or 8 quid, so as many of you as possible get yourselves along to support one of the best of the new wave of British metal bands. Support comes from Ted Maul and London Thrashers Savage Messiah.

2010

Moving into 2010, more tours have been announced even since I started writing this post! German Industrial metal giants Rammstein have announced their first UK tour in some time, hitting Manchester, Birmingham, and Wembley Arena on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of February. If you haven't seen the video for their new song "Pussy", check it out, but make sure you are either alone or with people who will not get offended easily!

Virginia's finest Lamb of God have just announced a new UK tour, taking in Brixton Academy on the 13th of February in addition to 4 or 5 other shows. Lamb of God seem to have bad timing in London for those of us with wives or girlfriends, the London date of Defenders of the Faith II (when they toured the UK last time with Dimmu Borgir, Unearth and 5FDP) fell on valentines day 2009. Support for this time around comes from deathcore outfit Job For A Cowboy and prog metallers Between The Buried and Me, expect a thoroughly bruising show.

Ask many people who the best live metal band they have seen is, particularly at a festival, and you wouldn't be surprised to get the response - Machine F**king Head! Robb Flynn and co are back with their final tour based off The Blackening album entitled "The Black Precession". Joining them on their travels in late February are Hatebreed, Bleeding Through, and All Shall Perish. I'sm sure as hell staying out of the pit on this show as there will be hardcore pits aplenty at this one. Machine Head return to the sight of some of their past triumphs (including their live album Hellalive and their DVD Elegies), the Brixton Academy on Feb 18th 2010.

British favourite thrashers Trivium return in March 2010 for a massive UK tour, taking in about 15 different venues including 2 nights at Koko on the 17th and 18th (I am heading down on the 18th). This is the first headlining tour for them in the UK off the awesome Shogun album and they are always spot on live so this promises to be a great show in a fantastic venue. Great news for this tour as Chimaira have been announced as main support, and Whitechapel are also coming along for the ride.

Rounding things off 10 days after Trivium are at Koko, Scandinavian power metallers Kamelot make their first UK appearance of 2010, hopefully to promote their new album which should be out by then. Kamelot are my personal second favourite band (after Metallica) so aside from the Dream Theater & Opeth show, this is the one I am most looking forward to, having been blown away by them in Islington about 18 months ago.

So, to recap:

Progressive Nation - Dream Theater, Opeth, Bigelf and Unexpect - Wembley Arena, October 10th
Chimaira, Unearth (+ Throwdown and Daath?) - Electric Ballroom, Camden - October 12th
Devildriver, Behemoth, Trigger the Bloodshed, Suicide Silence and Malefice - Relentless Garage, October 16th
Isis - Koko - October 21st
Lostprophets - The Forum, Kentish Town - October 22nd
Amon Amarth, Evile and guests - Koko, October 31st
Paradise Lost and Katatonia, Islington Academy, November 3rd
Alice in Chains - Various including The Forum, Kentish Town - November 16th and 17th.
Breed 77 - Various including the Garage, Highbury - November 22nd
Slayer & The Haunted - Various including The Forum, Kentish Town - November 25th and 26th
Five Finger Death Punch and Shadows Fall, Electric Ballroom Camden, November 27th
Taste of Chaos - Killswitch Engage, In Flames, Every Time I Die and Dead by April - Hammersmith Apollo - 3rd December
Sonata Arctica - Carling Academy Islington - 3rd December
Marilyn Manson - Brixton Academy and others - 9th of December onwards
Sunn o))) - Koko - 14th December
Nile - Scala (Kings Cross) - 15th December
Sylosis, Ted Maul, Savage Messiah - Relentless Garage - 16th December
Paramore - Wembley Arena and others - 12th to the 18th of December
Rammstein - Birmingham, Manchester and Wembley Arena - February 2nd - 4th
Lamb of God, Job For a Cowboy, Between The Buried and Me - Brixton Academy - February 13th 2010
The Black Procession - Machine Head, Hatebreed, Bleeding Through & All Shall Perish - Brixton Academy - February 18th 2010
Trivium, Chimaira, Whitechapel - Across the UK including Koko on March 17th/18th - March 2010
Kamelot - Koko - March 28th 2010