The 36th annual Beale Street Music Festival runs May 4-6th at Tom Lee Park in Memphis, Tennessee. The festival usually has an eclectic lineup and this year is no different. My Morning Jacket, Florence and the Machine, Jane’s Addiction, Girl Talk, and Primus top the bill, and they’ll be joined by Megadeth, Lupe Fiasco, Al Green, Wiz Khalifa, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and Bush.

Also playing are Coheed and Cambria, Childish Gambino, Three 6 Mafia, Buddy Guy, The Cult, Cold War Kids, The Head and the Heart, Dr. Dog, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Big K.R.I.T., Black Lips, The Civil Wars, Son Volt, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Volbeat, Gary Clark Jr., Old 97s, and Zoogma, among others.

Single-day, three-day and VIP packages are now available via the festival’s website.

The sixth annual Rock on the Range Music Festival returns to Columbus, Ohio’s Columbus Crew Stadium from May 18-20th. This year’s bill boasts names like Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Megadeth, Mastodon, Incubus, Slash, The Darkness Volbeat, Cypress Hill, Trivium, and Lacuna Coil, among others. Check out the entire lineup at Festival Outlook.

GA and VIP passes go on sale Friday, February 10th at 10:00 am ET via the festival’s website.

“Sudden Death” is a choppy introduction, saved moments later by Al Capone-inspired lead single “Public Enemy No. 1″. “Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)” marches into the fold on Misfits-esque guitars, entering familiar melodic territory before “We The People” cross-breeds “Sweating Bullets” and an unrelenting apocalypse with zero mercy. One common thread throughout the whole of TH1RT3EN is an embrace of mild punk, an infusion of old school ’80s metal (“Never Dead”, “Millennium Of The Blind”), and a metamorphosis of Mustaine’s typical malicious grin into a lycanthropic sneer (“Deadly Nightshade”), a series of attributes that one could see reinvigorating anybody, really.

Subtracting pretentious weight from a band that boasts several loose concept records in its catalog, TH1RT3EN might not don a full sense of humor, but it is 13 tracks of unadulterated hard rock in a classic package. Even as “Wrecker” steps in to try laughing manically at an old joke, it comes across less like good fun and more in the spirit of a serial killer.

The biggest flaw TH1RT3EN ever truly spits out is its lack of closure. The semi-titular finale does not seem to button anything, something tacked on purely to round everything up, and failing miserably at that. It shares a familiar tone at the bridge with co-existing rock act Metallica, and the minor nostalgia saves nothing. Thankfully, you could play this alongside Megadeth’s greatest hits and never miss a beat; seeing how TH1RT3EN came about to begin with, ’tis a fine achievement on its own merits.

Essential Tracks: “Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)”, “Public Enemy No. 1″, and “We The People”.

Photo by Robert Kidd

After a three-year hiatus, Megadeth’s ’Gigantour’ will return to the stage in early 2012. Kicking off in Camden, NJ on January 26th, the latest iteration also features metal titans Motörhead along with Volbeat and Lacuna Coil. Check out the complete tour schedule below.

In related news, Megadeth’s latest LP, TH1RT3EN, is out today via Roadrunner Records. Further down the page, you’ll find video of the band’s Halloween performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where they performed “Public Enemy No. 1″ and “Symphony of Destruction”.

Gigantour 2012:
01/26 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
01/27 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
01/28 – New York, NY @ Theater at Madison Square Garden
01/29 – Lowell, MA @ Tsongas Arena
02/01 – Glens Falls, NY @ Glens Falls Civic Center
02/02 – Quebec City, QC @ Colisee Pepsi Arena
02/03 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
02/05 – Kingston, ON @ K-Rock Centre
02/07 – Oshawa, ON @ General Motors Centre
02/08 - Hamilton, ON @ Copps Coliseum
02/09 – Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills
02/10 – Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
02/12 – Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
02/14 – St. Paul, MN @ Myth
02/16 – Saskatoon, SK @ Prairieland
02/17 – Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Conference Centre
02/18 – Calgary, AB @ Big 4 Building
02/20 – Abbotsford, BC @ Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre
02/21 – Kent, WA @ Showare Center
02/23 – San Jose, CA @ Events Center
02/24 – Universal City, CA @ Gibson Ampitheatre
02/25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
02/26 – Albuquerque, NM @ Tingley Coliseum
02/28 – Denver, CO @ The Fillmore

“Public Enemy No. 1″:

“Symphony of Destruction”:

Yankee Stadium 2.0 is a real cage for a real monster of a line-up — Slayer, Megadeth, NYC’s own Anthrax, and the one and only Metallica–and though the show got off to a rocky start, it doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to spot a downhill snowball getting bigger than Jack Frost as time goes by (and I don’t mean “as portrayed by Michael Keaton”).

Photo by Robert Kidd

At square one, Anthrax loses brownie points for only pulling a third of the venue’s capacity in its own hometown backyard. Nine songs ran the gamut from all-time favorite “Got The Time” to new release “The Devil You Know” to Judge Dredd nostalgia trip “I Am The Law”. The boys donned mock Yankees stripes bearing the band’s title, showing all sorts of love. In the grander scheme of things, this set should have been an all-out war zone; it was disappointing, though also somewhat humbling.

I still can’t wait to hear the new record, and it’s always nice to know that Anthrax is still willing to play any gig anywhere–just ask the folks who hit up their secret show earlier in the week.

Photo by Robert Kidd

Following both a devastatingly awesome 20th anniversary tour for Rust In Peace– and a lame duck we like to call Mayhem Festival shortly thereafter– Megadeth was poised to make a return with the odds 2:1 in its favor. Sadly, a shoulder injury has left Dave Mustaine rather immobile, and a setlist virtually identical to the Mayhem disaster rendered a highly-anticipated Big 4 presence almost devoid of “oomph”. I personally never really tire of hearing “Symphony Of Destruction” or “Peace Sells” live, as they are classics of the thrash genre and Megadeth’s canon, but this was the Big 4! Where were the deep cuts? Where was the spontaneity? Where were the pyrotechnics? Did it all get spent on Sonisphere? For shame.

Enter Slayer.

Photo by Robert Kidd

By this point, the Stadium you know and love magically appeared to have sucked in most of the Bronx’s population, and as Slayer entered the ring for massive bloodshed, everything went according to plan. A hefty sum of World Painted Blood tracks made their grand entry via Tom Araya’s distinctive screaming as though he were calling billiards pockets; the force known as Slayer gave no quarter to the moshing madness that ensued during staple inclusions like “Raining Blood” and the pièce de résistance that will always be “War Ensemble”.

Rarely does the Slayer setlist shift course to rarities, save for the Seasons of the Abyss celebratory spot during Jagermeister Music Tour. The fact is that almost every song in the Slayer catalog is verifiable head-banging material, except for maybe “South Of Heaven” and “Snuff”. It really doesn’t matter what song they choose to play, because everyone there will divebomb and crowdsurf and beat each other senseless with zero remorse; such is the price when a band like this gets involved, and we were all quite happy to see the beast resuscitated in such a depraved, Marshall-heavy fashion.

Photo by Robert Kidd

To close out the evening, however, we needed the West Coast takeover to bring a little “San Frantic” to the boroughs.

Metallica, acting as though 2003′s St. Anger had never existed, brought the noise of several early works to the center stage. Opener “Creeping Death” was met with uproarious applause and bridge-worthy audience participation; Hetfield-favorite “Fuel” pounded and thrust its way into the cranium; two Death Magnetic cuts–”Cyanide”, “All Nightmare Long”–seemed right at home amidst every superior mainstay on the docket; “Nothing Else Matters” and “Orion” both remained relatively somber, while closing encore “Seek & Destroy” tore the diamond down to carbon atoms.

Photo by Robert Kidd

Is there anything else like Metallica? As the sole band on site who bothered with pyrotechnics or video introductions (see: “The Ecstacy Of Gold”), is it any wonder that the Californian metal act managed to live up to its epic reputation? In the mainstream and in the eyes of metal fans, for anyone who may have still had some semblance of doubt about Metallica’s gargantuan return to thrash roots, the Big 4 at Yankee Stadium was a big middle finger to you. If only the first half had been so undeniably raucous.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a Greyhound to catch, a melted face to reconstitute, and a wheelchair-bound metal fan to salute for surfin’ in his seat. Horns up, folks!

Photography by Robert Kidd.
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Gallery by Robert Kidd

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Metal’s Big Four — Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, and Lou Reed’s new BFFs — played their second-ever U.S. show last night at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Past performances concluded with all four outfits appearing together on stage for one epic collaborative send-off, and last night was no different. Below, check out footage of the Big Four covering Motörhead’s 1979 classic, “Overkill”.

Stay tuned for our complete coverage of this year’s Big Four performance at Yankees Stadium, which should be up shortly.

“Do you have any Megadeth?” Pretty soon, you will. After frontman Dave Mustaine hinted at a possible new LP this past summer, fans have been waiting anxiously for details. Here they are (via Exclaim.ca): Yes, Megadeth will have a new release this year. It’s their 13th studio LP. It’s titled Thirt3en. There’s 13 tracks on it. And, the 13th track is titled, “13″. Say something about 13?

Due out November 1st (via Roadrunner Records), the follow up to 2009′s Endgame will be available on CD, as a digital download, and as a limited-edition, double picture-disc vinyl set. So, choose your own metal-influenced adventure. If it’s any consideration, bassist David Ellefson recently spoke with Expression TV and likened the new LP to 1992′s Countdown to Extinction, insisting fans “will dig it.”

Peep the tracklist below, and check out the album’s opening track, “Public Enemy No. 1″. No, Chuck D does not guest on it. Wouldn’t that be unreal?

“Public Enemy No. 1″

Thirt3en Tracklist:
01. Sudden Death
02. Public Enemy No. 1
03. Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
04. We The People
05. Guns, Drugs & Money
06. Never Dead
07. New World Order
08. Fast Lane
09. Black Swan
10. Wrecker
11. Millennium Of The Blind
12. Deadly Nightshade
13. 13

Mayhem Festival is at its fourth touring run, which past experience dictates to be its point of graduating to full-on definitive metal festival of the summer season. With Ozzfest essentially a thing of the past, Mayhem has taken the torch and ran with it, implying all else prior was merely foreplay and build-up. There were slices of diversity, like hard rock stoner throwbacks Red Fang, or the female-fronted metal powerhouse, Straight Line Stitch. There were moments where the line up became redundant, primarily revolving around the return of Disturbed and a crowd-friendly Machine Head to the fest. There was breaking news of Megadeth‘s pending October album, appropriately titled TH1rt3EN; according to bassist Dave Ellefson the band recorded the whole album in just 10 weeks.

Despite what amounted to lots of otherwise great news for later dates, Mayhem’s 2011 climax unfortunately felt a tad limp given its hyped potential, and Bizkit wasn’t even booked. Maybe this is Mayhem’s version of Senioritis? We’ll see.

-David Buchanan
Senior Staff Writer

Sidenote: In Flames was reportedly absent from this tour stop due to a death in a band member’s family, so sorry to say they were not included. Our best goes out to the band, and we hope to see it come around these parts again.

Red Fang

I’m not entirely sure how Red Fang managed to steep itself in some of the chaos attached to Mayhem, nor am I certain how such awesomeness resigned itself to a mere side stage while Machine Head was getting promoted. Cruel and unusual practices are just part of the game, I suppose.

Red Fang is easily the most left-field member of this Mayhem roster, cherry-topping a relentless pursuit of hardcore and modern metal with stoned sludge a Kyuss fan might definitely enjoy. Clearly, the current mainstream metal scene is warming to our friends of the static doom persuasions, and we are ever thankful. Having managed to cull two deliciously heavy albums from its core, Oregon-based Red Fang takes cues from its Western US roots quite seriously, donating six songs split between an eponymous 2009 release and 2011′s Murder The Mountains, respectively.

The ferocity of “Sharks” and “Malverde”, the QOTSA/CKY flavored “Wires”, gave a surrealistic second wind to anyone who tasted fatigue from moshes, but instead wished to completely dip in zen. It was a fucking godsend in 100 degree heat, though we could’ve used a few more illicit activities in tow. Wink-wink, nudge-nudge.

Straight Line Stitch

Once vocalist Alexis Brown joined Straight Line Stitch in 2003 the Tennessee metal act became the equivalent of Wicked Wisdom birthing Ankla’s hell-spawn, producing most excellent results. With three full-lengths, a fan favorite EP, and a tightened lineup to back them up the band ascended metal ranks to join Mayhem this year. What’s our end result?

While the set was remarkably light on material from To Be Godlike, it was in fairness of promoting new songs and pumping up their sophomore release predecessor, When Skies Wash Ashore. Violence ensued through everything metal, via “Conversion” and “Black Veil” and a maniacal rendition of “Laughing In The Rearview” — this constant snowball of brutality reminding all of those present why Mayhem is (for the side stages, at least) less neutered than its counterpart radio rock summer festival, Uproar.

Keep it up, mountaineers of metal!

Machine Head

Speed, percussion, conversation, speed, percussion, conversation. It’s bad enough that Robert Flynn is a terrible vocalist with a stupid sense of humor, but to drag guitarist Phil Demmel along for the ride, as talented as he is? Machine Head is allegedly a pioneer of the New Wave of American metal previously discussed around acts like Lamb Of God and so on; while this is actually true — it’s a pity that Machine Head is just not all that good. I respect the musicians, I respect the calling, but quite honestly this travesty sucked in 2008, and it sucks now.

I have nothing more to report. The guy threw beer to a half capacity seated area and lawn as if he was rock royalty, and call-and-response yielded virtually nada. That just stinks of “has been” far too soon, but then again…

Megadeth

Between 2009′s Endgame and last year’s spot on the Jagermeister MusicTour alongside Anthrax and Slayer, Megadeth must be in an extremely celebratory mood. I guess quashing the beef with Hetfield, compounded by the anniversaries of Rust In Peace and Peace Sells… could certainly warrant some kegs, wouldn’t you agree?

The news around the campfire now was the official announcement of Megadeth’s new album, TH1RT3EN, hitting shelves this fall. Everyone loves good metal music from legends in the field itself. So, all that under the belt, and what is the audience’s glorious payoff? New song, check (“Public Enemy No. 1″). Rust In Peace mask, check (again). Staple classics, check (“Headcrusher”, “Symphony Of Destruction”, “Sweating Bullets”).

The catch? Showmanship has officially perished.

Compared to the zany antics of Machine Head’s obnoxious front man, Dave Mustaine’s stage presence was wooden. He left bassist Ellefson a bit inconvenienced, while the guitars that tried to alternate phenomenal licks felt unsure of where they were headed and by whom. In the grander scope of the prior Rust In Peace live anniversary release, it seems Megadeth has grown listless playing these long-standing hits over and over, which tremendously shows. I could partially blame an overstretched and overheated audience for lack of enthusiasm, but they knew coming out what to expect. There were similar problems last year during KoRn and Rob Zombie’s sets.

I wish it was something to write home about, I wish it was something unique, but alas, Megadeth does not belong in an opening spot. Let alone a opening spot for Godsmack. C’mon, I like “Voodoo” as much as the next guy, but this is Mustaine! Seriously, who’s buying this? Ignorance is not excusable, but neither is a legendary outfit playing as if they were statues in the “Small World” Disney attraction. For what it’s worth, I’d have as much fun simply playing the singles in my burned out Kia Spectra.

Godsmack

Ah, Godsmack.

I have a sort of love/hate relationship with the boys whose name hearkens back to an Alice in Chains song Sully Erna probably pays royalties for each year. Truthfully, I dug a lot of this band’s output up until IV, though hearing “Awake” get replayed incessantly during US Navy commercials did start to grind at me after some time due to repetition. It’s no secret that Godsmack is the working man’s heavy metal: the lyrics are easy to follow and get psyched up to, there are currently two highly-skilled percussionists sharing those duties for maximum noise, they consistently support the military, and who can really say that “Voodoo” is not severely infectious, let alone a well-rounded hard rock song in general?

This is a band that makes tribal signs slightly less cheesy, as much as Slipknot popularized its “S” logo back in ’99.

Of all the main performances witnessed this evening, Godsmack trumped everyone by hitting each mark it intended to strike, one after the other. Song choices like “Forever Shamed” and “Keep Away” never waned for a second, Erna took on drummer Shannon Larkin in a massive and flaunting drum-off, even the “I Stand Alone” sing-along wasn’t too terrible. As modern rock bands go, one thing I’ve always admired about Godsmack is its ability to rein in the fan base with charisma and live flair. This night was no exception to the rule, so if Erna keeps his word, Chicago will be called a pussy compared to Raleigh by tour’s end.

Disturbed

Disturbed is supposedly going on hiatus once the festival touring circuit comes to a close. I’m not entirely sure if that was going to make seeing them a second time around any more intense, but based on the night’s performance, I concur that it’s at least time to take a break (assuming they don’t just come back four years from now).

Yes, Disturbed. Much like Machine Head, the band is part of the ’08 Mayhem debut alumni, and this comes back to my redundancy remark. Since the tour kicked off the band has put out a new album, and said title Asylum is extraordinarily weak on its own merits for a Disturbed piece, but wow. Draiman makes his lengthy entrance, backed by custom video footage to coincide with the latest record’s titular single — following that up with “The Game”, “Liberate”, and “Into The Fire”, we notice right off the bat how annoying the man has become, squawking rather than roaring, losing his place at key intervals.

Reflecting back on a previous article regarding Marilyn Manson’s Mayhem set, David Draiman is left to do all the posturing, with the spotlight directed onto him 90% of the time. Why? He’s over-eager, appears mildly narcissistic, and with big-ass LED screens flashing around all the other band members, it might as well be him and a boombox a la Andrew WK. Can we say “for whom the bell tolls”? I think it’s relatively safe to assume that Disturbed, as a product, has reached a pure zenith and rolled on downhill.

At least their ’80s and ’90s cover songs are pretty decent stuff. Anyone for some FNM’s “Midlife Crisis”?

Photography by Amanda Lawson.

The Big Four of Thrash (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax) announce New York City show, a new song from Tyler, The Creator, The Flaming Lips release a gummy skull with a marijuana flavored brain and Mike Watt reunites with Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and Eddie Vedder.

Hosted and Edited by : Sami Jarroush

Read the stories here:

• Metal’s Big Four schedule New York City show
• Check Out: Tyler, the Creator – “Tron Cat”
• The Flaming Lips’ gummy skull now features marijuana flavored brain
• Watch: Grohl, Vedder, Smear join Mike Watt on “Big Train”

Though the four outfits have played a series of shows together throughout Europe, last weekend’s performance at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, CA marked their first U.S. performance. When asked last why the Big 4 had chosen to schedule just one U.S. show, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich said, “If there is enough demand for it, obviously there’s a very strong possibility that there’ll be more shows, but we don’t wanna overextend the welcome and we also don’t wanna turn it into something that becomes this whole nostalgia trip that’s gonna sort of be, ‘Okay, now it’s just gonna be this for the next few years,’ and ‘Celebrate the past.’ So it’s a balancing act, you know.”

“Listen, we don’t wanna cram this down people’s throats. We don’t wanna sort of overstay the welcome, and we don’t know what kind of response there’s gonna be to this in America, so we’re starting, obviously, without being disrespectful to the rest of the wonderful country…”

– Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich explains to KROQ why the Big Four’s U.S. itinerary consists of only an April 23rd one-off in Indio, California. He then added, “If there is enough demand for it, obviously there’s a very strong possibility that there’ll be more shows, but we don’t wanna overextend the welcome and we also don’t wanna turn it into something that becomes this whole nostalgia trip that’s gonna sort of be, ‘Okay, now it’s just gonna be this for the next few years,’ and ‘Celebrate the past.’ So it’s a balancing act, you know.” In other words, buy your tickets now, get more shows later.

Deluxe edition DVDs are nice and all, but they don’t really compensate for the fact that metal’s big four chose to play their first-ever shows together in Europe. That said, when talking about a tour featuring Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, we’ll of course take sloppy seconds. After spending 2010 in Europe, the Big Four will come together once again, this time for a massive one-off at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, California (aka the site of the Coachella Music Festival).

MyDesert.com reports that the concert still needs to be approved Indio City Council, but promoters GoldenVoice intend to hold the event on the April 23rd — the Saturday between their other two major events, Coachella and the Stagecoach Music Festival. The current proposal has the concert running from 4 to 11 p.m. and tickets will cost $99.00. A general on-sale has been set for Friday, 10 a.m. PST Friday through Ticketmaster.

We’ll update you when everything’s officially official. In the meantime, here’s a reason to go:

P.S. I recommend investing in an extended stay hotel room in Indio.

For the second straight summer, metal’s Big Four will play a show together. On the heels of their 2010 European tour, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax have been confirmed to play next summer’s Sonisphere Festival UK. Set to take place from July 8-11 in Hertfordshire, England, the festival will also feature performances from Slipknot and Biffy Clyro. Additional acts will be announced in the near future, and a limited number of three-day non-camping tickets are available from £140.

There’s no word on whether the Big Four are planning additional 2011 tour dates, but the groups’ members have already expressed a desire to follow up their 2010 venture. Either way, fans can take solace in the fact there’s a Big Four DVD available as a potential stocking stuffer.

We know you weren’t good this year. At CoS, we know our readers and figure that a good portion of the naughty list finds a way to stop by our website regularly. But, we embrace our own kind. We figure that no matter how many drunk tanks you’ve awoken in, how many boyfriend’s you have cheated on, or how many Justin Bieber songs you can recall by name, you will still get presents.

Music has always been a go-to for me, because it is easily located and something you know for sure that the person would never spend their own money on. Plus, back in the day, there was the clever tactic of buying people CD’s that you also wanted and then asking them to burn you a copy. Before the internet, you had to be creative as well as shady to get free music. So CoS used its “all encompassing” knowledge to create a gift guide that can appeal to all types of music fans.

If you’re shopping for the picky-as-hell, vinyl-only, pretentious know-it-all in the family, you might be willing to fork over the cash for 69 Love Songs on vinyl. Or maybe you have a rock and roll die-hard sharing your bedroom. Check out the Bruce Springsteen reissue or, perhaps, the Green Day singles box set. They’ll love you forever. And what about the millions who logged on every G.O.O.D. Friday? Apparently there’s a pretty big record around the bend. But if less effort is preferred, why not play it safe with Michael McDonald’s This Christmas? A holiday record from everyone’s favorite former Doobie? Done deal.

And we’re just dipping our toes in here. Check out the CoS gift guide and have a happy end to your year.

Note: We’ll be adding new items to the guide throughout the holiday season, so please check back often.

Collectibles

How do you know you should be shopping for collectible music items for your loved one? If they even know how to use a record player, this section is a safe bet. Another tip-off could be their insistence on decorating with posters, despite being over the age of 22. For people like this, the holiday season brings a host of new releases featuring colored vinyls, gate-fold packaging, individually numbered artwork, and complete discographies whose most notable trait is that they come in a box. The holiday season also brings people willing to buy this often ridiculous, but often awesome, indulgence. Check out some must-haves for the most serious of music-fans, ranging from the individual reissue to the absurdly extensive demo collections.

Joy Division – + -

Joy Division to the world! For a band that existed for around four years, released one album during that time and one post-humous one, all more than 30 years ago, these always seems to be more music seeing the light of day. This collection contains 10 7-inch remastered singles from the bands brief history and is limited to 5,000 copies. The first 500 sold also receive an art piece from Peter Saville. This is for the rabid fan, but will surely be appreciated. Order here.

Price: Sold Out, but you can try eBay…
Buy: Again, try eBay!

Bruce Springsteen – The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story

This collection is already out and its new tracks are getting solid reviews, from what I’ve seen. But did you need someone to tell you that The Boss released something worth listening to? One of rocks most consistent and genuine voices put together six discs to tell the story of one of his classic albums. Yeah, that’s a long story, but the Boss can talk for hours once he gets going. Twenty-one new tracks populate the set, along with live concert footage and a reproduction of his notebook, complete with notes. Perfect for your dad or an aspiring stalker. Or just get the abridged version (two CD’s of the new stuff) for fans of reasonable enthusiasm.

Price: $79.99
Buy: Amazon

The Decemberists – The King is Dead Box Set

Okay, so it’s not out until January, but c’mon, it’s The Decemberists. Arguably set to be next month’s hottest release, The King is Dead is another agreeable foray into Colin Meloy’s trademark folk rock. This time around, however, fans can expect a sound that hearkens back to the early days of R.E.M., which makes sense given that R.E.M.’s Peter Buck appears on three tracks. If you know a certain someone who enjoys either party, then you might reckon on nabbing this ambitious box set. In addition to being limited in number (2500, to be exact), you’ll receive “a one-of-a-kind Polaroid photograph by Autumn de Wilde from the Impossible Project/Decemberists series, a 72 page hardcover book featuring over 250 unique Polaroid photographs by Autumn de Wilde and illustrations by Carson Ellis, Pendarvia DVD – a 30 minute short film by Aaron Rose, documenting the making of the album, a limited edition Giclée print illustrated by Carson Ellis,” in addition to the actual album on both CD and 180 gram white vinyl. There’s more, but go check it out for yourself. Think of it as an adventure.

Price: $165, $180 (w/ shirt)
Buy: The Decemberists.com

T-Rex – The Slider

Originally re-released in 1972 and out of print since 2003, this reissue of the classic album is the first in a series of reissues and a good gift option that won’t break the bank.T-Rex is beloved by both hipster trash and middle-aged accountants, so both the compact disc and remastered vinyl are available for their intended audience. Order from Fat Possum.

Price: $15.18
Buy: Amazon.com

Score! 20 Years of Merge Records (Box Set)

Released last year to honor one of the generations most influential record labels, this set offers a host of rare tunes for the indie fan in your life. Fourteen CDs with original cover art and bonus content from curators such as Kara Walker, David Byrne, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, and more. Bonus content includes exclusive new recordings from The Minus 5, Lou Barlow, Destroyer, and others. Andrea Zittel, Zach Galifianakis, David Chang, Miranda July, and Phil Morrison provide exclusive videos for their comps. Plus a covers album, remixes album, poster, book and a box to put it all in. Yeah, it’s cool, but there are only 200 copies remaining.

Price: $219.00
Buy: Merge Records

The Magnetic Fields – 69 Love Songs vinyl box set

This has been on my wishlist for a couple years now. One of the landmark albums of all-time, this contains all 69 love songs remastered for vinyl on six 10″ vinyl records, all housed in a super-sized 69 Love Songs box, with a 10″ version of the original booklet featuring liner notes written by Lemony Snicket author Daniel Handler. If you have yet to discover this album, trust me and know that it will make most music fans very happy as a gift.

Price: $99.98
Buy: Merge Records

The White Stripes – Under The Great Northern Lights Box Set

Alex Young is probably angling someone for this. Released last March, this set sees the duo on tour in Canada circa 2007, for which a documentary of the same name was filmed. The set includes a DVD of the film itself, a DVD of White Stripes 10th anniversary show (dubbed The White Stripes Under Nova Scotian Lights), a 16-track White Stripes live album recorded during the Canadian trek on both 180 gram vinyl and CD, a live 7″ (featuring “Icky Thump” and “The Wheels on the Bus”), a 208-page book with photos from the tour by Autumn de Wilde (and a foreword by Jim Jarmusch), and a silk screen print. That’s a lot of stuff, but these White Stripes fans might be temporarily satiated by the haul.

Price: $229.00
Buy: Amazon

The National – High Violet Expanded Edition

One of the more celebrated releases of this year gets the deluxe treatment and includes the new version of “Terrible Love” that Alex Young got a surprisingly reasonable explanation for in his recent interview with Aaron Dresner. Seven other bonus tracks populate the two disc collection, which will be available on November 23rd from 4AD.

Price: $13.99
Buy: Amazon

Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz (LP)

Another one of 2010′s standouts might have worried some of the vinyl collectors when only the cd version was released in October. But, alas, the double-vinyl edition has hit stores and will be a great afordable gift for the music fan in your family. Maybe give it to non-music fans as well, it will probably blow their minds.

Price: $18.99
Buy: Amazon

Tom Waits Reissues

While many of our gift options come with choices of the format you wish to receive, T0m Waits makes it easy to decide by only offering vinyl for his albums. Waits is serving up his first four albums — his 1973 debut Closing Time, 1974’s The Heart of Saturday Night, 1975’s Nighthawks at the Diner, and 1976’s Small Change — on 180-gram heavy vinyl, with each LP featuring its original artwork. Early birds can get red vinyl (first 1,000) but later birds get guaranteed pre-Christmas delivery for orders made before December 18th.

Price: Ranges from $24.99 – $37.99 depending on the release
Buy: Kings Road Merch

Modest Mouse Reissues

While many reissues highlight great releases that have been forgotten by time, Modest Mouse offers up up works for the completest only, The Fruit that Ate Itself and Sad Sappy Sucker. But the album that fortunately wasn’t their debut and their early E.P. show young men finding their voice and hinting at future greatness. Non-fans will be bewildered, but devoted mouse-heads will be thrilled by the collections.

Price: $14.98 (CD); $21.98 (LP)
Buy: Glacial Place Recordings

Green Day – 7-Inch Singles Collection Box Set

Michael Roffman was drooling over this gathering of the Bay Area’s rebels’ singles, all on 7-inch vinyl and grouped in a cool carrying box. 42 songs are spread over 21 records, including nine #1 hits. Your boyfriend can bring it to a high-school dance and pretend that you’re living in the 60′s. And that you are still in high school. He might be arrested. But waiting for him in 36 hours will be his Green Day singles. Order them here.

Price: $150
Buy: Green Day Music

The Tim Burton and Danny Elfman 25th Anniversary Box Set

The famous collaboration between filmmaker and musician turns 25, with a commemorative box set available for Christmas and other seasonal holidays. The list of what is included is impossibly long, but 16 cds with original Tim Burton artwork are the meat of the collection. Good for a close relative who is more of a movie buff than a music fan. Or just send it to me. Please. I’ll even tell you where to order it…

Price: $499
Buy: Burtonelfman.com

Tegan and Sara – The Official Vinyl Collection

I’m not sure if there is an unofficial vinyl collection floating around, or if maybe only Tegan approved an older version, but not Sara. Regardless, this is the official collection . The set offers six albums (Sainthood, The Con, So Jealous, If It Was You, This Business Of Art) and the exclusive bonus record, Home Recordings, which features nine demo tracks.

Price: $99
Buy: Because Sound Matters

Bad Religion 30th Anniversary Box Set

Another vinyl-only offering, but this one is limited to only 3,000 sets. Basically, it is every Bad Religion album ever produced on red vinyl and then put in a cool box because everyone loves things in boxes. If you are wondering about the quantity of records, because Bad Religion has been around for 30 years, well, you are right, there are a lot of records in the collection – 15 in fact. Get the records for your husband, keep the box for yourself. Order here.

Price: $224.99
Buy: Kings Road Merch

Matador at 21 Box Set

Released in conjunction with one of the best music festivals of the year, this box set is one of the rare occasions where the CD edition is more collectible than the vinyl – especially given that the CD set is currently out of stock (which should be available soon). In addition to 6 CDs, all spanning the label’s history, the set is boxed with 36 custom poker chips in three values, an 85-page perfect bound book with history of the label, photos, ephemera, emails, and more. The vinyl edition, however, only features disc five of the set, but it’s also much less money and, arguably, could be a creative gift for the hard-to-shop-for type. Get it here.

Price: $12.00 (Double LP); $35 (CD)
Buy: Matador Records

Linkin Park – A Thousand Suns Deluxe Fan Edition Box Set

While many of the other gift ideas offer choices in the format you wish to order, Linkin Park says why not have them all. For the hard rock or rap fan and particularly for fans of both, this gift includes a custom hinged box, two 12 vinyl records, a CD Digipak of A Thousand Suns, a DVD Digipack of the documentary Meeting Of A Thousand Suns and a hardcover art book. Fans of the band will be pumped. Non-fans will give you a strange look while thinking “they don’t know me at all.” But hey, no risk, no reward.

Price: $99.99
Buy: Linkinpark.com

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: California 2019 Edition

Judging by internet chatter and pure speculation, the new My Chemical Romance album finds the group having to rebuild a little after such a long absence. But they still have a loyal following, and this deluxe version of the new album will probably excite them more than you’d imagine. Along with the album, this set comes with “1 of four different 12-inch collectible ray guns made out of poly resin with four separate color schemes representing each band member’s gun with a clear acrylic stand and placard for display, an exclusive EP with three songs by The Mad Gear & Missile Kid, 1 of 4 wearable masks, 1 ‘Bad Luck Beads’ wooden bracelet, a 48-page photo booklet entitled Art Is The Weapon.” Actually seems like a good deal compared to some of this other stuff. Order it here.

Price: $69.99
Buy: Mychemicalromance.com

Music of The Beatles

Yes, I know, music from the fabulous four is by no means new. But in the week since Apple announced they had convinced The Beatles to come to iTunes, nearly 45,000 Beatles albums have been sold. So even if you own their entire discography, quite a few people apparently do not. That it mind, let’s be honest: tangible compact disks are still reasonable choices, and chances are whoever you are buying for is savvy enough to place that CD into their computer and upload the songs, then add them to their mobile device. And sure this sounds like work, but it also sounds like you get more for your money, like album art and something to open on Christmas morning. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Price: $1.49 and up.
Buy: iTunes (Digitally); Amazon (Physically)

Weezer – Pinkerton Deluxe Edition

Odds are you own this already. But, in the slight chance you don’t, there isn’t a beter time to pick up this classic than now. Originally panned by fans and critics alike, Weezer‘s sophomore diamond, Pinkerton, remains one of the most definitive albums in alternative rock. For physical enthusiasts – which should be all of you – you’re in for a treat. Not only do you get the original album remastered, but you also have the opportunity to enjoy 25 additional tracks, which includes unreleased tunes like “Tragic Girl”, some B-sides, and a slew of live material. Maybe it’ll get you jazzed enough to check the band out on their Blinkerton Tour. They do have some pretty sick openers.

Price: $20.46 (CD), $52.12 (Vinyl)
Buy: Amazon

November 22nd and Beyond

Reissues are not the only gifts for the music lover in your life. In fact, a good haul of new music has still yet to see the light of day in 2010. Here is a very brief rundown of a few highlights that would make for affordable and desirable presents for people of all ages…mostly for younger folks though.

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Never heard of it? Well it’s supposed to be good, you know, for “rap”. In truth, if you just bought this for everyone you know, the world would be an interesting place. And it is a shame that many people will ignore this album based on who Kanye is (or who they think he is), when I have never heard the phrase “I hate him, but that album its really good” more often…

Price: $9.99
Buy: Amazon

Jay-Z – The Hits Collection Volume 1

Jay-Z will be competing against himself, as he is featured prominently on the Kanye West album. But this hits compilation is looking for more of an endurance race, setting itself up to be one of those classic records that introduces the next generation to the New York rapper. There are multiple packages ranging from modest CD’s to a collector’s edition box set.

Price: $17.99 – $199.98 depending on package
Buy: Island Def Jam

Daft Punk – Tron: Legacy Soundtrack

Something for a different fan base (or not, Kanye did use Daft Punk prominently at one time), Daft Punk return to the scene with their score of the new Tron movie. While it is hard to imagine it being successful as both a dance album and a soundtrack, if anyone could pull it off, it is Daft Punk. Order the album for a hip stocking stuffer today.

Price: $11.99
Buy: Amazon

Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday

And look, another Kanye collaborator, it’s like six degrees of Kevin Bacon, but it’s one degree of Kanye. Much less fun than the original game. But this album has the possibility to be just as big as the more established names listed here. Expect to hear this name a lot in the coming years.

Price: $12.99
Buy: Amazon

Christmas Albums

Yeah, we know that holiday albums can be the worst things in the fucking world. When I was growing up, the rotation was John Denver (actually not so bad), Johnny Mathis (yuck!), and Willie Nelson (yeah, this should be the coolest, but it was the worst. Willie just has a bad playlist). But Christmas doesn’t have to be so bad. Many of your favorite bands have made Christmas singles over the years, but few have made full-on Christmas albums. Here are a few of our picks to piss off your parents the one time of year when you usually have no say on the music.

The Raveonettes – Wishing You A Rave Christmas

This mini-album from a couple years back offers a choice in Christmas tunes for the more rebellious members of your family. A perfect, digital stocking stuffer for the teens.

Price: $3.33
Buy: Zunior

Bright Eyes – A Christmas Album

In 2002, Bright Eyes was Conor Oberst on the verge of manhood, struggling with all the complexities in life, only more vocally than most. This Christmas collection was made around the time Lifted... was being supported, so that makes Oberst a 22-year-old making one of the most mature of career moves. Get this for the younger music fans in your life and watch them enjoy this sort of time capsule from one of our most intriguing artists, who now is hardly the same as the boy on this record.

Price: $11.00
Buy: Saddle Creek

Sufjan Stevens – Songs for Christmas

This is an old set, but, well, there just aren’t a lot of Christmas albums by artists that young people like. So why not revisit this Sufjan Stevens holiday collection. A fun fact is that Stevens actually hated Christmas carols and took on creating a new CD of Christmas tunes nearly every year, beginning in 2001 until 2005. This is the collection of that work, for a very reasonable price. Enjoy one of America’s great artists tackling one of our great traditions and order here.

Price: $13.99
Buy: Amazon

Low – Christmas

This is another older collection, but is notable this year in that Low is touring in December behind the first ever vinyl release of Christmas. The record features a mix of classic tunes with Low originals. all with seasonal messages and or implications. Order it here.

Price: $7.81
Buy: Amazon

Michael McDonald – This Christmas

If you have a secret Santa, get them the Michael McDonald Christmas album, titled This Christmas. Then write in the comments field what their reaction was. It will be funny, right?

Price: $9.99
Buy: Amazon

Gift Wrapped 2: Snowed In

When I originally put the gift guide together, it was hard to find many Christmas albums that I could recommend to our younger audience, so I was pleased to see the announcement of Gift Wrapped II: Snowed In, a new Christmas record featuring up and coming artists next to the biggest names in the music world. Of note: Tegan and Sara take on “The Chimpmunk Song” anf The Flaming Lips offer their live-take on “The Little Drummer Boy”. Neil Young, Regina Spector, and Devo also appear, so buying this for your mom could be a smart long-term investment for your continued mental sanity as the years filled with the same music start to add up

Price: $8.99
Buy: Amazon

Record Store Day

Record Store Day returns with another event for music fans (this should really be called Record Store Days). I could list out everything that is going to be at your local record shop on Black Friday, but that is another post altogether, so let me just highlight a few of the best gifts that are only available through certain stores and in limited capacity. All the relevant information you could want is available at Record Store Day’s website. Here is just a bit of what you can find:

– Soundgarden - Telephantasm 7″ featuring the previously unreleased track “The Telephantasm” , and previously unreleased live version of “Gun.

– The Gaslight Anthem  -Tumblin Dice 7″ Never before released cover of Rolling Stones song. B-side is NOT the Beatles song, it’s an original Gaslight anthem song. Four colors of vinyl; cover art matches vinyl color. Randomly distributed.

– The Black Keys - Brothers Double 12″ with bonus 10″. The six tracks on the 10″ are live tracks, all performed by the quartet: Side A:” Everlasting Light,” “Next Girl,” “Tighten Up” Side B: “Howlin’For You”, “She’s Long Gone”, “Too Afraid To Love You”.

– Frank Sinatra – Jolly Christmas 12” vinyl reissue. Originally released in 1957, Sinatra’s first holiday release has been certified platinum, and is released for the first time in 40 years on vinyl, exclusively to indie stores.

– Jimi Hendrix – Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 10″ green vinyl single

– Pantera- Cowboys from Hell: The Demos on 180 gram vinyl

Maybe Something Practical

While box sets and vinyl are awesome, they are more appreciated for their value and rarity than their actual functionality. And I don’t know about your corner of the country, but mine is still having some hard times. And though it might not be as sexy, sometimes a practical gift that will actually save your loved one time and/or money is the better way to go. Here are some of our more reasonable gift ideas.

Rhapsody

Rhapsody is a music lovers dream resource, all for a lower price than nearly everything in the “Collectibles” section. More than 10 million songs are available to hear on you phone, computer, MP3 player, iPad, car stereo, or pager (probably not). Unlimited downloads are now available for iPhones and Droids, and soon for Blackberrys. Plus you can gift it for 10 bucks a month. Kind of a no-brainer for pleasing a relative without having to know, really, anything about them. Also a safe bet for people you suspect do not know how to download free music illegally (i.e. not men 14-25). But for the rather large demographic that are  a not these men, order it here.

Record Stores

Though we have readers everywhere, we want to encourage supporting your local record stores. We obviously can’t list them from everywhere, but here are some links to find gift certificates or other items on this list.

Chicago

• Dave’s Records
• Reckless Records
• Laurie’s Planet of Sound
• Vintage Vinyl Records
• Jazz Record Mart
• Dusty Groove America
• Permanent Records

New York

• Other Music
• Generation Records
• Sound Fix
• Earwax Records
• Academy Annex

Los Angeles

• Origami

LA/Bay Area

• Amoeba

Concert Tickets

How is seeing live entertainment practical? Concerts can lift the spirit, create a sense of belonging, and offer up lasting memories, which says more than I can say about box sets. In defense of box sets, they do come in cool boxes. But check out the wide range of tickets available at Seat Geek and put them in a cool box. It’s the best of both worlds. Shop here.

Subpop Winter Wear

My favorite thing to do when I get a sweater as a gift is to pretend I’m El Guapo from three amigos, and announce “It’s a sweater!”. It gets a laugh, I let the person know that I think their gift is worth joking about, and, in the end, I have a practical keeper of warmth that I will never truly appreciate. If it said Sub Pop on it, I would like it more. Buy something here.

Sub Pop Auction Items

On a somber note, Sub Pop recnet lost one of their own to a car accident recently. The music community seems to really be banding together to raise some money for Andy Kotowicz’s wife and daughter, to try to make this difficult time even slightly easier. The auction is already underway, and features items from Pearl Jam, Muse, The White Stripes and tons more. For those seeking one of a kind music items, the money will help bring happiness to the gift recipient and comfort to the Kotowicz’s.

Also for people near Seattle or Ann Arbor, a great idea would be to take the family to one of the benefit concerts that Sub Pop has planned. Fruit Bats, Vetiver and Mudhoney are just a few of the bands involved.

Price: Seattle on December 4th – $20, Ann Arbor on Decemeber 8th – $5
Buy: Seattle Tickets
Ann Arbor Tickets
Auction

Animal Collective shoes

Anyone who thinks shoes and music are strange companions hasn’t seen my badass No Age sneakers. Animal Collective is in on the shoe game as well, with each member designing a shoe to raise money for Socorro Island Conservation Fund. More importantly, the shoes look cool and come with a cassette tape featuring one new song from each member, I like Panda’s camouflage ones. Pre-order for March shipping here.

Mastadon Backpack

People who like metal also like wearing backpacks, it’s a weird bit of chemistry. Or maybe most people grow out of metal about the time they stop needing a backpack for school. One thing is for certain, though, no one is too old for Mastadon or a Mastadon backpack. Buy it here and give the gift of storage for the person on the go. Or for students.

Wavves… uh… shirts?

Well, it’s practical! Though it is hard to find right now, the Wavves weed grinder is probably the coolest merch item around and would be a good collectors item for the non-420 friendly. Wavves also sells shirts. Oh, and music. He also sells music here.

Not Just Albums

Because sometimes, just sometimes, it’s nice to give the ears a rest and the eyes a treat. Plus, what else are you going to do wrapped up in that Weezer snuggie (that was so last year, by the way) on the couch? Exactly.

When You’re Strange: A Film About The Doors

Directed by Tom DiCillo, and narrated by Johnny Depp, this film sets out to capture The Doors exactly how they were. If you’re still distraught and up in arms over the 1991 bio-pic from Oliver Stone, then this film’s for you. It’s filled with rare archival footage, which really gives you a personal and intimate look at the group. So, if you’re still convinced Jim Morrison was nothing but a “drunken bafoon”, well, here’s something to settle the score. Sort of.

Price: $13.99
Buy: Amazon

Regina Spector – Live in London

Of course we have to give a nod to the person our website is named for. She has her first live album now available for Channukah gifts for all your extended family. She is the best ever, so buy, like, 20.

Price: $22.99
Buy: Amazon

Phish – Alpine Valley 2010

Phish fans are a special breed. I’m sure most of them have this set on cassette tape with soundboard quality audio that they traded by mail for a bag of oats. But in case you have a loved one who may not have this particular Phish concert, a DVD/CD combo of it would be a hell of a gift. This will also make for a good last-minute shopping item, as it will be released on December 14th and should still be in stock around Christmas.

Buy: $19.22
Price: Amazon

The Merge Records Companion and Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records

Though nothing says “I’m a nerd” like reading, this might be a good gift for someone in your life who needs to toughen up. This book will surely bring ridicule and scorn to them, but it might be a growing experience. Plus, if you must read, these books are good place to do it, offering histories of Merge and the records that make it elite. Order them together and keep one for yourself.

Price: $30.98
Buy: Merge Records

The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria DVD

If you are not familiar with the Big Four, it’s a grouping of the four biggest and baddest metal reputations to ever come to fruition. Just the names alone would strike fear in my young heart in the 80′s, especially my brother Ride The Lightning shirt. Not as scary as his Iron Maiden gear, but still intimidating. Well, this golden marketing scheme that put all of these groups together gets a DVD set for anyone who missed the events. The viewable music pieces come with five audio pieces, which could mean one nastily headache after many hours of straight headbanging.

Price: $55.99
Buy: Amazon

Velvet Revolver – Live In Houston DVD

Relatives come in all shapes and sizes. The ones who you just can’t peg, who might be motorcycle rider or a homeless heroin addict, they are equally hard to shop for as they are to show up for their court date. But I know the type and one thing they love…is Guns N’ Roses. But Velvet Revolver is also probably up there and this live DVD would be a great present to have waiting when they get outta the slammer in August.

Price: $13.99
Buy: Amazon

Jonsi - Go Live

Though it seems a little early to remember this tour, Jonsi wants you to remember it nonetheless. While you won’t experience him in a small room anytime soon, with Go Live, you can watch it with the recipient of the DVD/CD set in any small room you want. And for our grandparents out there, if you notice a young person in your family taking a liking to Indian-inspired attire, this is the gift for them. Trust me.

Price: $15 (Digital); $20 (Physical)
Buy: Jonsi.com

Feist – Look at What the Light Did Now

When Feist had her screening of Look at What the Light Did Now in LA, it happened to be the same night LCD Soundsystem played the bowl. But now me and the millions of others across the nation who didn’t get to see her one-off screenings will be able to purchase the documentary. If you have a Feist fan on you shopping list, there is a quite good chance that they have not seen this film. If they have, though, then you could probably buy it for them pretty safely, anyhow, as any fan would want this. Order it today!

Price: $24.49
Buy: Amazon

Roky Erickson & The Black Angels – Night Of The Vampire

Though Okkervil River brought the legendary 13th Floor Elevator’s singer Roky Erickson back to a largest audience this year, it was The Black Angels who helped him regain his performance footing with a full band, which is documented on this DVD made available for Record Store Day and continuing sales at local record shops. The film, directed by Grant James, captures a Halloween concert from the two artists at L.A.’s El Rey Theater in 2008, mixing live footage, interviews and backstage footage. What was surely a special night can be relived by your lovable stoner nephew, and it could work as both inspiration and entertainment for the little dead-beat.

Price: Unknown
Buy: Your Local Record Store, try here after Friday.

Ridiculous/Fun

Wherever there is money, there will always be pointless merchandise. But sometimes, this is the best kind of gift because it could inspire laughter or even sentimentality. Though they are often completely useless, the thought that goes into getting them for the right person is often better than the actual gift.

CBGB

Sure, you could get the punk fan in your life a shirt or some records from the late 70′s, but the ultimate in punk nostalgia is available to the highest bidder. Yes, it is CBGB. No you don’t get the historic club. What you do get is the marketing rights and the name to do as you wish. Just don’t screw it up or you’ll have to give it back. No word yet on when the bidding begins, but if I know anything about eBay and auctions, making an offer soon is for the best.

Daft Punk Tron Edition Headphones

Have you ever watched old Daft Punk performances and thought, “Goddammit, I wish I could look that cool.” Well, odds are, you’ll probably never be that cool. But, there’s a slim chance you might at least feel cool – even if it’s for a few minutes. This Christmas, in light of the new film Tron: Legacy, Daft Punk has issued a set of headphones (seems to be the trend these days) in the style of the new Disney event. For the “easy” price of $349.95, you can be the coolest cat in your neighborhood. Then again, as Dana Grossman pointed out recently, “This could either be very fun (if you’re alone) or incredibly annoying (if I’m sitting next to you on the subway), so keep that in mind.” Also, if $349.95 isn’t in your budget, then perhaps $299.95 is? Amazon.com is selling a strictly Tron-edition set, with no affiliation to Daft Punk, that’s more geared towards gaming. However, looking at the two headphones, they’re essentially the same thing. To quote Lindsay Buckingham, “You can go your own way.”

Devo Energy Dome DJ Headphones

We are not men, we are Devo consumers. Pretty shiny stuff catches our eye all the time. Devo’s Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh understand that. They also know how crucial high-definition audio is to the dedicated listener. That’s why they’ve taken their trademark Energy Domes and have designed a sleek, retro pair of Devo-endorsed headphones. Their website insists they’re “made to channel a mix of quality audio & hearty orgone energy to your head”, so by all means get your energy fix today. They do cost a penny or two ($50), but quality doesn’t come cheap, ya’ll.

The White Stripes… Whatever This Is.

First of all, the idea of anyone spending 500 bucks on records is crazy to me. But if someone wants to buy this pretty damn cool, in the completely frivolous kind of way, collection, I would gladly accept (and then sell it for $400). The turntable explains the cost, but fanatics of boxes receive two here, so, yes, it pretty much is the ultimate box set. Only 333 were made, so be sure that your Jack White fan gets what his little heart desires. Order here.

Third Man Records Custom ‘Master Blaster’ Headphones

Between The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather, there are more than a few ways to support Jack White and his commitment to the arts. And his commitment to rocking. Well, he also has a record label which could use some of your supporting. These Third Man Records headphones both look cool and and have all kinds of technical information which leads me to believe they work well, too. But who cares if they work well as long as they look cool. Order them here and give the gift of social acceptance this holiday season.

Sub Pop Slip Mat

If a cover for your record player’s platter seems pointless, read this frightening product description from Sub Pop:”Let’s face it, one of the greatest problems facing our nation—our world, even—is an unadorned turntable platter. Records are scratched due to harsh platters—or worse yet, records aren’t scratched because of too much friction from platters!” Yeah, well I think it might not be totally needed, but it says Sub Pop. Order it now.

Foxy Shazam Stuff

I have found no evidence that this exists, other than the picture. I suggest looking toward Warner, as they are the ones who are pushing it. Totally awesome.

Paul Westerberg & The Replacements Tab Book

Ever find yourself walking home alone, wasted after a night with friends, only to turn to your guitar (and drink some more)? If you’re a sappy, wishful songwriter, sure you have. Well, now you can perfectly soundtrack the night yourself, all thanks to Hal Leonard. He recently published Paul Westerberg & The Replacements, a guitar tab book featuring some of Westie’s best stuff. You can learn “I’ll Be You”, hum over the right chords for “Dyslexic Heart”, and then moan unintelligibly over a (most likely) horrible rendition of “Unsatisfied”. Who says being alone on a Friday night, doing the whole frozen pizza thing, is a bad idea? It isn’t now! Pick up the book here.

Taylor Swift Guitar Picks

If your family gatherings tend to be long and boring, why not try to spice it up with Taylor Swift guitar picks. When your sister pulls them out of her stocking, stand up and announce that your cousin Sandy should have the picks because she is a better guitar player than your sister. And because you are drunk. Laugh hysterically while your sister runs away crying and finally, keep the picks for yourself. Start this chain of events today by shopping here.

Fatburger

With their tasty egg and bacon sandwiches, kind of creepy but strangely filing Island Banana shakes and of course, the King Burgers, it’s no surprise that everyone wants to own their own Fatburger. But now that Kanye West is in on the franchise, it will be a much different situation.

When the kids see that Kanye got himself a Fatburger, the restaurant might become the new pony for kids under the age of eight, a gift desired for the sole reason of wanting to make their parents feel inadequate. I just want more Fatburgers. Yum.

Price: Everyone will hate you and take shots at you at any opportunity, despite the quality of your work.
Buy: Fatburger

The DVD will feature the entire rocking concert that brought together Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. It’ll also be released as a “Super Deluxe” Box Set, which just happens to contain the two-DVD set, five CDs of over five hours of music (including two hours of material not heard in theaters), the standard photo package and booklet, and a collectible Big Four pick for you to start that imaginary metal band with.

Enjoy the rocking good time here. More clips are bound to premiere before the DVD’s November 2nd release; in the mean time, you can also watch the trailer for the 400th time below. As always, stay tuned for more news as it’s announced.

Jagermeister Music Tour 2010 has resurrected the 1991 United States leg of the Clash Of The Titans Tour: Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Notably, Alice In Chains is missing from this listing; however, they are currently booked with Black Diamond Skye, and Anthrax has Belladonna back, so all is forgiven. A fair turnout of fans were loyal to the tail end. The generational spectrum went from eight-year-old kids rocking over-sized Mohawks to my age group (in all of its sweat-stained, rock shirt glory) to formerly infatuated groupies turned soccer moms. Did the Titans get their just worship at the altar of metal? It wasn’t a packed house, but the air was thick with loyalty and beer. While the bands in question deserved a much more bombastic send-off than was provided, I joined the floor show enough to know that I appreciated what they brought to our humble American coastline, and my muscles still feel the burn.

Anthrax opened proceedings on a graceful note. Band members entered one by one via an introduction from the tour’s emcee, the highly enthusiastic pharmacist-turned-DJ Jose Mangin of Sirius’s Liquid Metal. During their stringently short setlist, Anthrax’s big selling point of the night was Joey Belladonna’s return and the promise of a new Anthrax CD come 2011; making it work to every advantage, Anthrax culled single after single from Return Of The Killer A’s, striking up “Antisocial”, “Madhouse”, “I Am The Law”, “Indians”, and “Caught In A Mosh”. While the majority of attendees came for the two co-headliners, Anthrax displayed pure professionalism on all fronts; the technical aspects were squared, though frankly, a tuned-down microphone on Belladonna would not have hindered the man much.

Anthrax’s guitarists — the infamous Scott Ian and newcomer Rob Caggiano — played their parts respectfully, the former remaining a steadfast rhythm with courteous backing vocals. With Belladonna returning in full form, the New York thrash and punk outfit was rife with enough energy to hold its own headlining stint. Alas, the set was much shorter than anticipated, due to Anthrax having been included last minute (I know that feeling all too well). This being my first time seeing Anthrax perform, I was left wanting, but the short burst I received got a warm welcome from everyone present.

Both co-headliners were to perform esteemed records in their entirety: Megadeth’s Rust In Peace and Slayer’s Seasons In The Abyss. As previously mentioned in my Rust In Peace: Live album review, the experience is something one should have in person, and here we stand delighted. Megadeth entered the fully decorated stage during a prerecorded voice announcing the enactment of Martial Law (military law, for those not in the know), and suddenly it was a virtual heavy metal opera. Much like the album mentioned, I relived the performance almost spot-on without hesitation.

From opening leviathan “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due” to the bass notes of “Dawn Patrol” (featuring someone costumed as its album cover’s main antagonist) to the titular closing track, no one missed a step. The down side? Hearing Mustaine over everything else going on was damn near impossible during the Rust In Peace portion, although he truly played to the crowd from A to Z. Highlights of the Rust set were covered in about the first half of the namesake album, particularly “Hangar 18″, “Holy Wars”, and “Five Magics”, though “Dawn Patrol” was short and sweet awesomeness in and of itself. Megadeth gave a finale of standards like “Symphony Of Destruction”, a revenge-laced “Headcrusher”, a “Peace Sells” encore, and a biting interlude from Mustaine about talking French to women before entering “A Tout La Monde”. A fond farewell, a thousand thanks, and it’s on to the next one.

A troll on my ’09 Mayhem Festival review went on to state that a stack of Marshall amplifiers does not make a metal show, and he is partially correct. The Marshall stacks cannot do all the work. They can only provide your ears with appropriate amounts of deafening roars and deadly decibels. Slayer is and always will be metal, both on and off the records, and tonight was no exception. Unlike Megadeth, Slayer opened with two tracks from its latest offering (“World Painted Blood” and “Hate Worldwide”) before launching right into Seasons In The Abyss — the release noted for introducing the world to “War Ensemble”, amongst others — and book-ending with a finale of “Aggressive Perfector” and ”Angel Of Death”.

Aside from Hanneman’s guitar hitting a technical snag during “World Painted Blood” and the near incoherence of Tom Araya throughout the set, most of Slayer was sheer noise and moshes, an unadulterated frenzy as expected from the band whose notoriety in the mainstream stems from a song about a sadistic scientist at the Holocaust encampments. Like Seasons ought to be, the energy of every song never waned for a second; the punch of “Expendable Youth”, the derision of “Dead Skin Mask”, the titular track’s mighty closing echoes–the King/Hanneman solos, the sheer loudness of everything going on around me, even in a partially filled theater. This is metal, ladies, pure and simple.

For a summation of the evening’s overall tone, please refer to Rust In Peace: Live, Slayer’s Seasons In The Abyss and World Painted Blood, or get some balls and catch Jagermeister Music Tour yourself. Also…drink responsibly, or the hyperactive Bill & Ted reenactment known as Jose Mangin will come to your house and scalp you like a savage with a…linoleum knife! Metal, bitches. Also, another shout-out to Dave Lombardo for totally holding up his end of the percussion during Slayer’s set — always a pleasure, man.

Photography by David Gomez.

Jagermeister Music Tour 2010 Setlists:

Anthrax
Caught in a Mosh
Madhouse
Antisocial
Indians
A.I.R.
Metal Thrashing Mad
I Am the Law

Megadeth
Holy Wars…The Punishment Due
Hangar 18
Take No Prisoners
Five Magics
Poison Was the Cure
Lucretia
Tornado of Souls
Dawn Patrol
Rust in Peace…Polaris
Trust
Headcrusher
A Tout Le Monde
Symphony of Destruction
Peace Sells/Holy Wars Reprise

Slayer
World Painted Blood
Hate Worldwide
War Ensemble
Blood Red
Spirit in Black
Expendable Youth
Dead Skin Mask
Hallowed Point
Skeletons of Society
Temptation
Born of Fire
Seasons in the Abyss
South of Heaven
Raining Blood
Aggressive Perfector
Angel of Death
——

Gallery by David Gomez

[nggallery id=127]

Who’s the most metal of all up there? Who has the widest metal stance? If there were a “Big 5″, who would you add? How close were they to putting a wig on Scott Ian so he would fit in? Could the members of The Big Four cover any song and make it metal? Even Wham’s “Careless Whispers”? Would the sax part in “Careless Whispers” sound metal if it came out of Hammett’s Ibanez? Do you kind of want to see James Murphy come up to that retro microphone and start rambling about how he’s “losing his edge”?  Do you think Dave Mustaine would call James Murphy a “pussy?” Do you still pirate Metallica albums just to stick it to Lars? Would you pirate this DVD, even though Lars is only involved in about 1/16th of it?

I think that’s plenty to mull over while you watch this amazing, professional video from The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria DVD, which will be shipping to homes everywhere October 19th.

Also, don’t pirate this DVD.

“Am I Evil?”

What we get on Rust In Peace: Live is no laughing matter, nor is it mere runoff from the success of Megadeth’s recent return to the mainstream eye. This is unadulterated awesomeness, some of which has never ever been played live until now (“Five Magics”, “Poison Was The Cure”, and “Rust In Peace…Polaris”), plus finishing festivities off with choice cuts from other records to round everything out (“Symphony Of Destruction”, “Skin O’ My Teeth”, “Peace Sells”).

As with the studio version, my favorite tracks such as “Poison Was The Cure”, “Take No Prisoners”, and “Holy Wars” shine with the utmost potency. My only regret is not having been there during the performance itself, because if there is one thing any concert goer cam attest to, it is this: how many times have you gone to a rock show and said, “I wish they’d play [insert 'deep cut' title here] instead of all their singles”? That is the good news about tribute anniversary projects like this – when they are legitimately sincere whilst playing of a recent resurgence in popularity, catching a tour of such caliber and seeing never-before-performed live material is like a bated breath finally being released, such as when I caught Slipknot for the second time and received longtime favorite “Eyeless”, watching the masses fully succumb alongside myself.

Rust In Peace: Live does not disappoint in any capacity; every track from its namesake release gets due diligence and enormous fanfare, every musician does their duty to a “T”.  Under normal circumstances, I could bitch about the convenience of putting out this kind of live album so soon after the previously stated Sonisphere appearance and Endgame promotion, but that is the point. Upon hearing Rust In Peace: Live, everything goes out the window in favor of sinking into the unheard of live tracks, the increased level of audience reception on more familiar fare (“Tornado Of Souls” being a primary example), the entirety feels thought out and preserved like a piece of history in the making.

By the time you get past the signature “Hangar 18″ or the haunting bass chugger “Dawn Patrol” and on into the less-genius-more-rock conclusions of “Rust In Peace…Polaris” and “Holy Wars (Reprise)”, the latter of which is a non-album track and is absolutely a must-hear, you feel like a kid whose precious djiin has given the breath of life to a paper crane you spent years trying to perfect (complete with evil cackling vocals). Typically, it takes a lot to get me involved on a live recording; perhaps some jamming improv gets thrown in, maybe some fresh banter betwixt band and audience gets snagged on tape, something unique to the concert itself (think Allman Brothers’ At Fillmore East). Rust In Peace has its mark here, the undeniable fact that this is a landmark record given the true epic treatment.

To touch on the non-album closing scenes, we refer you to one simple truth: What the hell would a Megadeth show be without fucking “Symphony Of Destruction”? The very song that beckoned me to the fold to begin with? Enough said about that.

If you are one of those who have never fully engulfed themselves in the sci-fi conspiracy theorist and nuke paranoia majesty that is Rust In Peace, then I highly suggest that you do so before picking this up. The full-on live rendition from beginning to end does said album justice, but to catch the subtle nuances and to appreciate the intensity, one must go back to move forward. On that note, you need not be a raging fanboy to see why this record is such a staple amongst the metal canon; every riff is superbly crafted, every drum rhythm a stream-of-consciousness ground pound into the soul. There is a reason that Mustaine props his work up egotistically on Rust In Peace — he damn well earned the right.

Rust In Peace: Live respects the fans, pays tribute to a great album, and in the course of things, manages to prove why Megadeth should never be considered second rate. God forbid a mainstream metal act not continuously cater to terrestrial radio.

In closing…”that was Rust In Peace.”

The Vinyl Conflict will feature 10 albums (Reign In Blood, South of Heaven, Seasons In The Abyss, Decade of Aggression [a double LP], Divine Intervention, Undisputed Attitude, God Hates Us All, Christ Illusion, and World Painted Blood) on 11 discs. Each effort has been remastered and will be printed on 180-gram audiophile vinyl. As well, each album will feature its original artwork converted to 12X12 inserts. Enjoy a shot of the set in all its glory below. And if that weren’t enough, according to the PR Newswire, the band’s in-concert DVDs (Live Intrusion, War at the Warfield, and Still Reigning) will be released individually and as a box set starting today. Despite the beards and devil music, Slayer truly loves you.

The Vinyl Conflict will hit stores October 12th. The band is currently on tour with Megadeth and Anthrax on the American Carnage Tour through September 4th.

Need I say more?

And don’t forget everything else in between. That’s why we’re here after all: to help you sort through everything major and not so much.

Before we begin, here’s a brief look at what happened while everyone else was out at Pitchfork:

– Rumors of a Janis Joplin biopic starring Amy Adams surfaced. This should pair nicely with the Jerry Garcia biopic that’s also reportedly in the works.

– Roxy Music will tour for the first time in a decade.

– Let’s just say that Van Halen fans might want to get their hopes up after all.

– Clinic are back.

See? You didn’t miss that much. And now for this week’s news…

– The list of nominees for the prestigious Mercury Prize went public.

– Virgin Mobile FreeFest revealed its 2010 lineup.

– Love Arcade Fire but don’t want to pay an arm and a limb to see them play Madison Square Garden in August? Check out the YouTube webcast that night.

– As always, there are plenty of Arcade Fire-related items to report. The Suburbs drops early next month, but this week 30-second samples of the tracks became available. Oh, and apparently it’s better than OK Computer.

– Guns N’ Roses (or what’s left of them) will play their first stateside gig in four years.

– Metalheads have another reason to rejoyce: Big Four might make a few stops in the US in 2011.

– Gorillaz announced plans to tour North America.

– Daft Punk‘s contributions to the forthcoming Tron remark have sparked a lot of speculation. Now you can actually hear some of it.

– Fans couldn’t wait for the new Lupe Fiasco album, so they took action.

– The Nigel Godrich-helmed soundtrack for Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World got detailed.

– This really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, David Byrne has been up to a lot lately.

– Crystal Castles can never stay out of trouble. This week was no exception.

– Solange Knowles collaborated with Of Montreal. Whether or not this tops her cover of “Stillness Is the Move” is up for debate.

– While we’re on the subject, don’t download Of Montreal‘s new album yet. You’ll be sorry if you do. Trust me.

– Big Star bassist Andy Hummel passed away.

– It’s as though everyone’s working with Dirty Projectors nowadays, including Bjork. Here’s what Carson O’Shoney had to say about Mount Wittenberg Orca, their first collaborative effort.

– The Books are back with their first LP since 2005′s Lost and Safe. Philip Cosores shared his thoughts on the duo’s highly anticipated release.

– Jeremy Larson went to Pitchfork so you didn’t have to. Read his report here.

– Karina Halle covered Ilosaarirock , a Finnish festival whose 2010 lineup included the likes of Faith No More and Imogen Heap.

– Remember our Ultimate Giveaway? The results are in. See for yourself how creative and devoted your fellow readers really are.

– We’re supporting the Philadelphia Film and Music Festival.  Get your tickets for our showcase now.

Among the tickets on sale Friday include !!!, Blonde Redhead, Brandon Flowers, Broken Bells, Pennywise, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, The Dandy Warhols, The Gaslight Anthem, and Thirty Seconds to Mars. American Carnage tickets are also available to the general public.

Editors Note: Ticketmaster efficiently killed its Affiliate Program this week, putting a halt on all commissions from concert tickets sold within the first 24 hours of their on-sale date. (90 – 95% of all commissions made come during this window.) As a result, this is the last week you can support CoS by purchasing tickets, so please buy while you can!

!!!:

What: North American tour

When: September – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

30 Seconds to Mars:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

American Carnage:

What: North American Tour featuring Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Blonde Redhead:

What: North American tour

When: September – December

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Brandon Flowers (of The Killers):

What: North American warm-up tour

When: August

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Broken Bells:

What: Tour dates for Los Angeles and New York City

When: October 6th and 11th, respectively

Tixs: $27.50 – $32.50

Buy: Ticketmaster at 12:00 PM Local Time

The Dandy Warhols:

What: North American tour

When: November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

The Gaslight Anthem:

What: North American tour

When: September

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s:

What: North American tour

When: September – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Pennywise:

What: North American tour

When: September

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Rodrigo Y Gabriela:

What: North American tour

When: August – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Are we missing anything? Let us know below! Also, if you’re looking for shows for an already sold-out show, try our partner site Seatgeek.com.

Among the tickets on sale Friday include The Airborne Toxic Event, Band of Horses, The Black Crowes, Corin Tucker Band, Dr. Dog, Foals, Frightened Rabbit, Ghostland Observatory, Guided By Voices, The Hold Steady, Klaxons, MGMT, Queens of the Stone Age, and The Vaselines. Plus, American Carnage and FYF Fest tickets are also up for grabs.

The Airborne Toxic Event:

What: North American tour

When: September

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

American Carnage:

What: Tour featuring Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster or Live Nation at 10:00 AM Local Time

Band of Horses:

What: North American tour

When: October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

The Black Crowes:

What: North American tour

When: December

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Corin Tucker Band:

What: North American tour, New York

When: October 25th

Tixs: $15.00

Buy: Ticketmaster at 12:00 PM EST

Dr. Dog w/Here We Go Magic:

What: North American tour

When: October – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Foals:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Band’s website or Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Frightened Rabbit:

What: North American tour

When: October – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster or Live Nation at 10:00 AM Local Time

FYF Fest:

What: LA-based festival featuring The Rapture, Panda Bear, Sleep, and more

When: September 4th

Tixs: $25.00

Buy: Ticketweb at 12:00 AM PST

Ghostland Observatory:

What: North American tour

When: September – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:oo AM Local Time

Guided By Voices:

What: Tour dates for Austin, TX; Minneapolis, MN; Newport, KY; & Carrboro, NC

When: October – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:oo AM Local Time

The Hold Steady:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Klaxons:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

MGMT:

What: North American tour

When: October – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster or Live Nation at 10:00 AM Local Time

Queens of the Stone Age w/ Eagles of Death Metal:

What: North American tour, Los Angles date

When: August 12th

Tixs: $50.00

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM PST

The Vaselines:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

This particular endeavor is set to begin on September 24th in Dallas and will take the bands to locations across the United States south, including Florida. After making their way up north with dates in Baltimore, Long Island, and Scranton, the metal gods will turn west, traveling through mid-west cities like Columbus, Grand Rapids, and Milwaukee, before coming to a conclusion on October 21st in Hollwood, CA.

The second leg will once again see Megadeth and Slayer revisit its respective 1990 classics, Rust in Peace and Seasons in the Abyss, as both albums will be performed in their entirety at each date.

A special pre-sale will launch this Wednesday, July 14th. The public on sale date will follow on July 23rd in most markets.

“In the spirit of beating the recession,” there will be special pre-sale discounts on all tickets in most markets (see below for more details), plus a limited amount of $10 tickets will be available in many cities — log onto any of the bands’ websites or onto Ticketmaster‘s site for those details. What’s more, Megadeth has teamed up with iloveallaccess.com to provide fans with VIP experiences including priority venue access, meet and greets, parties, exclusive gifts and more. Click here for more info. Plus, fans who purchase their tickets online at either www.slayer.net or Ticketmaster – will receive a free download of the live audio track “War Ensemble”, set to be included on Slayer’s forthcoming, as yet unannounced, Live Intrusion DVD release.

Of course, all this comes in addition to the previously announced DVD featuring footage from the aforementioned Sonisphere Bulgaria concert. A September release is expected.

American Carnage 2010 Tour Dates:
07/23 – Quebec City, QC @ Pavillon de la Jeunesse *
07/24 – Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean-Drapeau *
07/26 – Halifax, NS @ Metro Centre *
07/27 – Moncton, NB @ Moncton Coliseum *
07/29 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre *
07/30 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre Center *
08/11 – Glenn Falls, NY @ Glens Falls Civic Center *
08/12 – E. Rutherford, NJ @ IZOD Center *
08/14 – Boston, MA @ Tsongas Arena *
08/15 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center *
08/16 – Wallingford, CT @ Chevrolet Theatre *
08/18 – Cleveland, OH @ Tower City Amphitheatre *
08/19 – Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena *
08/20 – Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion *
08/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium *
08/23 – Kansas City, KS @ Cap Fed Park *
08/25 – Denver, CO @ Magness Arena *
08/26 – Albuquerque, NM @ TIngley Coliseum *
08/27 – Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre *
08/29 – San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre *
08/30 – Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Arena *
08/31 – San Francisco, CA @ Cow Palace *
09/01 – Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena *
09/03 – Seattle, WA @ Wamu Theatre *
09/04 – Portland, OR @ Washington County Fairgrounds *
09/24 – Dallas, TX @ Verizon Wireless Theatre
09/25 – San Antonio, TX @ AT&T  Center
09/26 – Houston, TX @ Verizon Wireless Theatre
09/28 – New Orleans, LA @ Lakefront Arena
09/30 – Knoxville, TN @ Civic Coliseum
10/01 – Atlanta, GA @ The Arena at Gwinnett Center
10/02 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
10/03 – Miami, FL @ Bayfront Park Amphitheatre
10/05 – Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
10/06 – Baltimore, MD @ Mariner Arena
10/08 – Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
10/09 – Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion
10/10 – Columbus, OH @ Montage Mountain
10/12 – Louisville, KY @ Freedom Hall
10/14 – Ft. Wayne, IN @ War Memorial Coliseum
10/15 – Grand Rapids, MI @ DeltaPlex
10/16 – Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
10/19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ E Center
10/20 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl
10/21 – Hollywood, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre

* = Featuring Testament instead of Anthrax

According to NME, the newest game will feature some of the heaviest rockers in the music world, including AFI, DragonForce, Drowning Pool, Foo Fighters, KISS, Metallica, Slipknot, Slayer,  The Rolling Stones, and many others. Not to mention, there’ll be slightly less intense acts to rock with, like Muse, Queen, and Silversun Pickups. And somehow Foreigner and Night Ranger made it to the final list, which you can peep below. Speaking of KISS, the developers also created a storyline mode that’s narrated by KISS’ own Gene Simmons. So, expect lots of bad sexual innuendos, gamers.

Stay tuned for more news, including any more big name additions. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock hits shelves on September 28th.

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock Tracklist:
01. AFI – Dancing Through Sunday
02. Anthrax – Indians
03. Avenged Sevenfold – Bat Country
04. Black Sabbath – Children Of The Grave
05. Buzzcocks – What Do I Get?
06. Children Of Bodom – If You Want Peace… Prepare For War
07. The Cure – Fascination Street
08. Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me (Live)
09. Dethklok – Bloodlines
10. Dire Straits – Money For Nothing
11. DragonForce – Fury Of The Storm
12. Drowning Pool – Bodies
13. Fall Out Boy – Dance, Dance
14. Foo Fighters – No Way Back
15. Foreigner – Feels Like The First Time
16. The Hives – Tick Tick Boom
17. Jane’s Addiction – Been Caught Stealing
18. Jethro Tull – Aqualung
19. KISS – Love Gun
20. Linkin Park – Bleed It Out
21. Megadeth – Sudden Death
22. Metallica & Ozzy Osbourne – Paranoid (Live)
23. Muse – Uprising
24. My Chemical Romance – I’m Not Okay (I Promise)
25. Night Ranger – (You Can Still) Rock In America
26. Nine Inch Nails – Wish
27. The Offspring – Self Esteem
28. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
29. Rammstein – Waidmanns Heil
30. The Rolling Stones – Stray Cat Blues
31. Silversun Pickups – There’s No Secrets This Year
32. Slayer – Chemical Warfare
33. Slipknot – Psychosocial
34. Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song
35. ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man (Live)

More good news? The final show was recorded for CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray, due to be released September 7th, 2010. Rust In Peace, considered in many metal circles as a landmark record for both Megadeth and their genre in general, debuted on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart in the U.S. at #23 (#8 in the UK, where they have Judas Priest, for fuck’s sake). We have ourselves a classic, ladies and gentlemen. The Rust In Peace performances included that very signature album played in its entirety, plus a few bonus songs like “Symphony Of Destruction” and “Peace Sells” for the metal-headed kiddies inside us all; all of this and more can be found on the soon-to-be-released live album and video.

Food for thought, Shout! Factory and all of you other thrasher labels out there: Can somebody please release the “big four” performances on DVD? Oh, what’s that? Sorry, I think my inner fanboy just head-banged into Brutal Legend territory — call the medic.

Good ol’ Mustaine had this to say about RIP LIVE:

“We are pumped to be able to share the RIP Live concert with you all around the world.  The anniversary and David Ellefson coming back was better than a facelift and a bottle of Viagra for old Vic.”

There’s no word yet on pricing for recordings of the 80-minute live event, which will include bonus footage and a peek backstage at dressing rooms and rehearsals. Yes, I know; we are excited, too… besides, it has to be a sight better than Creed’s live DVD. After all, who cares to see Scott Stapp do an impression of Aaron Lewis with Down’s when you’ve got Mustaine to contend with?

RIP LIVE Tracklist:
Holy Wars…The Punishment Due
Hangar 18
Take No Prisoners
Five Magics
Poison Was The Cure
Lucretia
Tornado Of Souls
Dawn Patrol
Rust In Peace…Polaris

Bonus Content:
Skin O’ My Teeth (Countdown To Extinction)
In My Darkest Hour (So Far, So Good…So What!)
She-Wolf (Cryptic Writings)
Trust (Cryptic Writings)
Symphony Of Destruction (Countdown To Extinction)
Peace Sells (Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?)
Holy Wars – Reprise (Rust In Peace)

And if you missed the show, or missed the broadcast of the shows at your local cineplex, then worry not, because it will be immortalized for all time in the canon of metal. According to BW&BK, the Bulgaria concert will see a DVD/Blu-Ray release showcasing the entire concert including 2 hours of Metallica, and 1 hour each of Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer. The 2-disc package is due out in September and will include the “Am I Evil” jam, backstage footage, and, Lord willing, a group commentary.

To solidify the decision to make this purchase, check out the big jam session here. Also, listed below are the set lists from the concerts. Real choice stuff from all, especially Metallica opening with “Creeping Death” again.

And, for the sake of fun, next time you’re on the train or at a public fountain or something, arm yourself with your best Dave Mustaine impression and recite one of the verses from “Sweating Bullets” real loud. Everyone will probably ignore you, but you’ll know the real score. Metal forever!

Metallica setlist:
Creeping Death
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Fuel
Harvester Of Sorrow
Fade To Black
That Was Just Your Life
Cyanide
Sad But True
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
All Nightmare Long
One
Master Of Puppets
Blackened
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman

Encore:
Am I Evil? (with the Big Four)
Hit The Lights
Seek and Destroy

Slayer setlist:
World Painted Blood
Jihad
War Ensemble
Hate Worldwide
Seasons In The Abyss
Angel of Death
Beauty Through Order
Disciple
Mandatory Suicide
Chemical Warfare
South of Heaven
Raining Blood

Megadeth setlest:
Holy Wars… The Punishment Due
Hangar 18
Wake Up Dead
Headcrusher
In My Darkest Hour
Skin O’ My Teeth
A Tout Le Monde
Hook In Mouth
Trust
Sweating Bullets
Symphony Of Destruction
Peace Sells

Anthrax setlist:
Caught In A Mosh
Got the Time
Madhouse
Be All, End All
Antisocial
Indians
Medusa
Only
Metal Thrashing Mad
I Am The Law

Ladies and gentlemen, the definition of “epic” now follows, courtesy of Rock It Out! Blog and Scott Ian’s Twitter:

“After 29 years of doing this to reach this apex is just so fucking cool. It was a monumental moment of epic proportions. I’m so high from the experience I can’t sleep.”

Members from all four bands performed our finale piece, while three bands’ vocalists — James Hetfield (Metallica), Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), and Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) — alternated verses. The song chosen? Diamond Head’s 1980 classic, “Am I Evil?” (a song previously covered by Metallica on their covers release, Garage, Inc.). It should be noted that this show took place despite varying degrees of past tension between different members of each band, most notably Hetfield and Mustaine, who were former band mates during the early Metallica days circa Kill ‘Em All.

None of that matters tonight. Zero, zip, nada. Why? Witness the “epic”.

So what are metal fans in the rest of the world supposed to do? How about go to the movies? After all, on June 24th, the metal greats will broadcast their concert at the Sonisphere Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria in a movie theater near you. One-day only screenings are currently set for 450 theaters in more than 140 markets in the U.S., as well as in Europe, Canada, and Latin America. Plus, delayed screenings are planned in Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.

According to Billboard, showtime will be 7:30 p.m. in each respective time zone, and the film will feature each group’s full sets — 75 minutes for Metallica, 45 minutes for the other groups.

Tickets go on sale starting today Friday, May 21st in the U.S. and internationally starting Friday, May 28th at participating theater box offices and at thebigfourlive.com. Below, we have a trailer for you, just in case you need one.

The Big Four 2010 Tour Dates:
06/16 – Warsaw, PL @ Sonisphere Poland
06/18 – Zurich, CH @ Sonisphere Switzerland
06/19 – Prague, CZ @ Sonisphere Czech Republic
06/22 – Sofia, BG @ Sonisphere Bulgaria
06/24 – Athens, GR @ Sonisphere Greece
06/26 – Bucharest, RO @ Sonisphere Romania
06/27 – Istanbul, TR @ Sonisphere Turkey

This decision makes a lot of sense, being that Slayer and Megadeth last toured together 19 years ago for the “Clash of the Titans” tour. Naturally, this is a perfect opportunity to pretend you were there, even if you weren’t born yet. Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine says just as much: “If you missed us playing with our friends Slayer back in the 90s, well, here’s your chance to make it up to yourself. If you miss it this time, well then you ain’t metal anyway!” Touché, Mustaine.

Slayer’s Seasons in the Abyss was the thrash metal band’s first album to hit the Top 40, while Megadeth’s Rust in Peace found its first appearance in the Top 25. Both are widely considered to be thrash metal classics.

The American Carnage tour (and six-date Canadian Carnage tour) was postponed back in January thanks to Slayer bassist Tom Araya’s back surgery, and then rescheduled the following month. The tour is certainly looking worth the wait, especially for any Americans a little pissed off about the lack of Big Four Tour dates in the States.

American Carnage 2010 Tour Dates:
07/23 – Quebec City, QC @ Pavillon de la Jeunesse
07/24 – Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean-Drapeau
07/26 – Halifax, NS @ Metro Centre
07/27 – Moncton, NB @ Moncton Coliseum
07/29 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
07/30 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre Center
08/11 – Glenn Falls, NY @ Glens Falls Civic Center
08/12 – E. Rutherford, NJ @ IZOD Center
08/14 – Boston, MA @ Tsongas Arena
08/15 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
08/16 – Wallingford, CT @ Chevrolet Theatre
08/18 – Cleveland, OH @ Tower City Amphitheatre
08/19 – Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena
08/20 – Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion
08/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
08/23 – Kansas City, KS @ Cap Fed Park
08/25 – Denver, CO @ Magness Arena
08/26 – Albuquerque, NM @ Tingley Coliseum
08/27 – Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre
08/29 – San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
08/30 – Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Arena
08/31 – San Francisco, CA @ Cow Palace
09/01 – Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
09/03 – Seattle, WA @ Wamu Theatre
09/04 – Portland, OR @ Washington County Fairgrounds

On May 17, 1995, a U.S. Army veteran and unemployed plumber in San Diego, Shawn Timothy Nelson, snapped and stole an M60 Patton tank from a nearby National Guard Armory. He drove down the highway, crushing cars, fire hydrants and an RV before he was stopped and killed by police.

The headline-grabbing story forms the basis of Megadeth’s new video for ‘The Right to Go Insane,’ the second single from the band’s acclaimed 2009 disc Endgame.

Anyone who remembers reading about the above-mentioned news in 1995 or beyond could definitely see the correlation between it and the song this music video complements. Megadeth‘s Endgame, lovingly named on our Top 100 Albums Of The Decade list,  leaves no real room for interpretation regarding subject matter, so the second single “The Right To Go Insane” deserves no less obviousness in its visual homage. The video takes Megadeth leading man Dave Mustaine and puts him in Mr. Nelson’s place as the man who lost his marbles and stole a tank for a joyride into oblivion (or at least through California).

I am not absolutely positive that, given Mustaine’s lyrical history, he would not in fact do this in real life, but with such great imagery and a killer track to highlight the madness forthcoming, would anyone really object? I didn’t think so. Does anyone else think the current tour’s slogans of Endgame and American Carnage are all too appropriate here? Though with Testament and Slayer involved, who needs a tank?

Megadeth 2010 Tour Dates:
04/17 - Mexico City, MX @ Sports Palace
04/20 - Recife, BR @ Clube Portugues
04/22 - Brasilia, BR @ Ginasio Nilson Nelson
04/24 - Sao Paulo, BR @ Credicard Hall
04/26 - Porto Alegre, BR @ Pepsi on Stage
04/28 - Buenos Aires, AR @ Luna Park
04/30 - Santiago, CL @ Movistar Arena
05/02 – Lima, PE @ Explanada del Monumental
05/04 - Quito, EC @ El Coliseo
05/06 - Caracas, VE @ CIEC Metropolitan University
05/09 - San Jose, CR @ Autodromo La Guacima
05/13 - Guatemala City, GT @ Forum Mundo E
05/15 – San Salvador, SV @ Anfiteatro Cifco
05/30 - Lisbon, PT @ Rock in Rio
06/01 – Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz 1
06/03 – Bologna, IT @ Estragon
06/04 - Rome, IT @ Atlantico
06/05 - Milan, IT @ Alcatraz
06/07 - Tilburg, HL @ 013
06/08 – Brussels, BE @ AB
06/09 - Lille, FR @ Aeronef
06/11 - Copenhagen, DK @ Copenhell Festival
06/12 – Derbyshire, UK @ Download Festival
06/14 – Cork, IE @ Live At The Marquee
06/16 – Warsaw, PL @ Sonisphere Poland
06/18 - Zurich, CH @ Sonisphere Switzerland
06/19 - Mimon nr Prague, CZ @ Sonisphere Czech Republic
06/20 - Budapest, HU @ Petofi Hall
06/22 - Sofia, BG @ Sonisphere – Levski Stadium
06/24 - Athens, GR @ Sonisphere Greece
06/26 - Bucharest, RO @ Sonisphere Romania
06/27 – Istanbul, TR @ Sonisphere Turkey
06/29 - Ljubljana, SI @ Kino Siska
06/30 - Zagreb, HR @ Boogaloo Club
07/01 - Vienna, AT @ Gasometer
07/02 - Nove Mesto Nad Vahom, SL @ Topfest
07/04 – Helsinki, FI @ Kaisaneimi
07/07 – Kvinesdal, NO @ Norway Rocks Festival
07/08 – Gavle, SE @ Getaway Rock Festival
07/10 - Madrid, ES @ Sonisphere Spain
07/13 - Moscow, RU @ B1 Maximum
07/14 – Moscow, RU @ B1 Maximum
07/16 - Haapsalu, ET @ Castle Rock
07/23 - Quebec City, QC @ Pavillon de La Jeunesse *
07/24 - Montreal, QC @ Heavy MTL Festival *
07/26 - Halifax, NS @ Metro Centre *
07/27 - Moncton, NB @ Moncton Coliseum *
07/29 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre *
07/30 - London, ON @ John Labatt Centre *
08/11 – Glens Falls, NY @ Glens Falls Civic Center *
08/12 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center *
08/14 - Lowell, MA @ Tsongas Arena *
08/15 - Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Center *
08/16 - Wallingford, CT @ Oakdale Theatre *
08/18 - Cleveland, OH @ Tower City Amphitheater *
08/19 - Detroit, MI @ Cobo Arena *
08/20 - Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion *
08/21 - Minneapolis, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium *
08/23 - Kansas City, KS @ Sandstone *
08/25 - Denver, CO @ Magness Arena *
08/26 - Albuquerque, NM @ Tingley Coliseum *
08/27 - Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre *
08/29 - San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless *
08/30 – Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Arena *
08/31 - San Francisco, CA @ Cow Palace *
09/01 - Sacramento, CA @ Arco Arena *
09/03 – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theatre *
09/04 - Portland, OR @ Wash County Fairgrounds *

* = American Carnage Make-ups w/ Testament & Slayer