MASTER Confirmed for Obscene Extreme Fest

Death metal pioneers MASTER have been confirmed to play next year's Obscene Extreme Festival at Trutnov-Battlefield, Czech Republic. The fest runs July 16 - 19, with MASTER's exact spot to be confirmed soon.

For more on Obscene Extreme, visit obsceneextreme.cz. 

Earlier this year, MASTER released their landmark 12th album, The Witchhunt, on German death metal label FDA Rekotz. The album features 11 brand new tracks of classic and catchy death metal played with the intensity and attitude that MASTER fans have come to rely upon over the years. The album's thick, massive production demonstrates the band's superb musicianship and songwriting skills. This is an album that sees MASTER at the top of their 20+ year career. Stream album track "Another Suicide".

For ordering info, visit fda-rekotz. 

MASTER Live: 

12/06 @ SVJH Ost - Wolfsburg, Ger. w/ Bones, Disemboweled, Bregraven   

12/07 @ K17 - Berlin, Ger. Nocturnus Festival

w/ DEHUMAN & HANGED  

12/12 @ Havana, Skopje, Mac.

12/14 @ Klub Mini Teatr - Osijek, Cro.

12/15 @Gun Club - Beograd, Ser.

12/16 @8Ball Club - Sofia, Bul.

12/17 @TBA - Sibiu, Rom.

12/18 @TBA - Cluj-Napoca, Rom.

12/19 @Private Hell Club - Bucharest, Rom.

South American Tour 2014

01/17 @ Asbury Bar - Buenos Aires

01/18 @ Arena Recoleta - Santiago

01/19 @ Gimnasio Lintz - Puerto Mont

01/24 @  TBA - Recife

01/25 @ TBA - Joinville

01/26 @ Principios Bar - São Bernardo do Campo

01/31 @ Fofinho Rock Bar - São Paulo

02/01 @ Paulistania Rock - Riberão Preto

02/02 @ Bar Montanha - Limeira

02/05 - 02/08 @ TBA - Colombia

05/09 @ Nice To Eat You Deathfest - Czech Republic

07/16 - 07/19 @ Obscene Extreme Festival - Czech Republic  

MASTER stream "Another Suicide"

Death metal pioneers MASTER have chosen "Another Suicide" as the newest streaming single off their latest release, The Witchhunt. MASTER's landmark 12th album, The Witchhunt, was released September 27 on German death metal label FDA Rekotz and features 11 brand new tracks of classic and catchy death metal played with the intensity and attitude that MASTER fans have come to rely upon over the years. The album's thick, massive production demonstrates the band's superb musicianship and songwriting skills. This is an album that sees MASTER at the top of their 20+ year career. Stream "Another Suicide" BELOW.

MASTER just wrapped up a massive European tour that kept the band on the road for nearly a month in support of The Witchhunt. After a brief period of downtime, the Paul Speckmann-led trio will head back on the road, this time with Belgian deathsquad DEHUMAN and HANGED as support acts. Footage taken from the Halloween gig at Club New York in Vilnius, Lithuania has been posted HERE.    

MASTER w/ DEHUMAN and HANGED tour dates:

12/06 @ SVJH Ost - Wolfsburg, Ger. w/ Bones, Disemboweled, Bregraven *

12/07 @ K17 - Berlin, Ger. Nocturnus Festival * 

12/12 @ Havana, Skopje, Mac.

12/14 @ Klub Mini Teatr - Osijek, Cro.

12/15 @Gun Club - Beograd, Ser.

12/16 @8Ball Club - Sofia, Bul.

12/17 @TBA - Sibiu, Rom.

12/18 @TBA - Cluj-Napoca, Rom.

12/19 @Private Hell Club - Bucharest, Rom.

* - No Dehuman & Hanged   

Master: „The Witchhunt“ As An Album Of The Month! here in HeavyHardMetalmania.

The Witchhunt is available worldwide and can be ordered directly from the label at fda-rekotz.com.

Master: „The Witchhunt“ As An Album Of The Month!

Master is one of those bands that I never really took the time to listen to. Why? Well I don't know to be honest. The are just to many bands out there I guess, you can't keep track of them all.

But as things had it I saw that Master where playing in a town close to where (Malmö to be more precise)  I live so I decided to check out the show. And I'm glad I did, cause DAMN! What a show! I have not been blown away by a concert in years. Paul Speckmann (singer,bass player and band leader) is one hell of a front man, the charisma of this man is unbelievable. The show left me very intrigued and hungry to check out more from this death metal titan that is called Master.

And together with veterans Zdeněk Pradlovský and Ales Nejezchleba you can't really go wrong.  So when I was presented with the opportunity to review Masters new album “The Witchhunt” I was more then happy to do so.

What greets me when I press play is a barrage of old school death metal in it's meanest way. It is primitive dirty and raw. Okey calling it primitive is not entirely true since some of the riffs are probably not that easy to play. But of course we are not talking anything to technical, but as anyone who has picked up an instrument and tried to play death metal knows, it is not the easiest style to play (I was so close to write a little funny thing here that I think you can figure out, but I kept myself in check, a hint it rhymes with Faster). Any way! The music is mainly fast pasted, a lot of thrash/punk beats on the drums, some blast beats here and there and of course some more standard beats aswell. Nothing is to blistering fast, it is old school stuff after all, not a land speed record attempt. Yeah did I mention the thrash beats, I did? Well there is a lot of that commodity.

When we come to the riffing we are treated to the usual suspects. Power chords aplenty and tremolo riffing galore! The riffs are killer by the way, it is really clear that this is an expertly crafted record, done by someone who has been doing this since before it was cool. There are no pretensions here just a love for the art of death metal. Nothing feels done just to check it of a list, every riff feels like it is done with love and that it is there because it should be not because it has to be. Many of the riffs has a very sinister feel to them, this is a pissed of record that has a lot on it's mind. This is not a record for the background, this record wants to be heard it wants you to pay full attention and take in every note.

As I said before this is old school death metal, and as you know that this means that there is a strong thrash vibe aswell. You can hear it in the drumming, the riffing and the soloing, but no where is it as apparent as in the vocals. The vocals are like a mix of the grunts of the more brutal thrash bands, think Sodom or Destruction but taken to the next logical level. But there is something ells lurking in the vocals and it took me a while to realize what it was. And then it hit me, Lemmy(Motörhead)!!! The vocals actually sounds rather similar to Lemmy's vocals. But obviously a lot more aggressive. But I do think that there is a certain Motörhead vibe over the entire record. It has a touch of dirty rock n roll and punk. Maybe it is the pissed of feeling that brings out these ideas in me. But there is another thing on this record that makes me think of this reference. And I'm not gonna tell you just yet!  the vocals are often for the most part double tracked which makes them extra thick  and more aggressive in my opinion. Some times there is only one voice but for the most part there are two. On the track Manipulated to exterminate there is a spoken word part. Really cool and thought provoking stuff actually.

The songs are all very strong, catchy and headbanging friendly. Some has a more of a thrash vibe and some are more straight up old school death metal, what keeps them all together is stellar musicianship and wicked riffs. And of course Paul's wicked voice. I can't find a weak track on the entire album, all of them have a high standard. As you might have guessed by now, this album is nothing groundbreaking or new. But why should it! It is an album by one of the creators of the genera. These guys are following no one, they are just keeping on doing what they have been doing for years. I mean this is their 12th album, just think of that. 12th album by a death metal band, that is pretty damn impressive. And what is more impressive is that they are keeping true to their style. They are doing what they love and getting better at it with every release. This kind of dedication is so remarkable to me, keeping doing their stuff in a time where everyone is mellowing their sound to sell more copies. But not Master they are hammering away and are not showing any signs of slowing down.

All of the players on this albums are really skilled at their instruments and it shows so well that we are dealing with guys that have been doing this for the better part of their lives. What I especially like is that there is an honesty to this album, and what I mean by this is that there is no sense of show off at all. Everything is played with heart and I think that is something that is sometimes getting lost. Instead of concentrating in writing good songs and playing in away that is nice to listen to a lot of bands get lost in the race to be fastest and most technically proficient. But not here, everything is played with a precision of a surgeon but it is still done for the sake of the song, not for the sake of showing off. I think is something that only a really seasoned musician can do, loose all pretension and just write good songs. Of course there is virtuosity on this record, the guitarist is sharp as a scalpel, his solos are fast and really impressive but still tastefully done. They are in the old school way, with wahwah and even some bluesy licks here and there. There are even some really tasteful harmony work in the solos, check out the songs “plans of hate” and “wipe out the aggressor”.

So before I said that there where something ells that reminded me of Motörhead on this album, and besides from some of the solos. I'm talking about the sound and mainly the drum sound. Cause boy we are talking and old school sound here, and I do by no way mean that they sound bad. I think they sound fantastic, but they sound like drums did before tiggering and digital polish. I think the drum sound makes this album sound the more genuine. What I mean is that it really sounds like what drums sound like when they are recorded and not fucked around with, not like a digital sample.

The overall sound is old school but good old school, not recorded in a garage with a boom box old school. Everything sounds heavy and crushing, yet clear and precise. You can hear everything and you can keep track of what is going on. Everything is loud in the mix and nothing feels overpowering. This is truly what a death metal should sound like. Just one more thought about the drums, I can't shake the mental image of seeing the drummer dude from Bill Withers video for “Ain't no sunshine when she is gone” playing drums on this album because of the drum sound.

So do you like Master? Then you have already bought this album and you don't need me to sell it to you. But if you haven't heard Master and like old school death metal or even the more brutal forms of thrash, do yourself a favor and get their new album “The Witchhunt” cause you will love it, over and over again.

01. The Witchhunt

02. Plans of Hate

03. Another Suicide

04. Waiting to Die

05. The Parable

06. God of Thunder

07. Remove the Clowns

08. Raise your Sword

09. Wipe out the Aggressor

10. Manipulated to Exterminate

11. The American Dream

Sweden`s Wilhelm Lindh*, "Portuguese by adoption," guitar player,  composer and owner of the Doom / Death Metal band The Gardnerz, reviews here in HeavyHardMetalmania.net. Careful and professional analysis to the music and albums with suggestions of what there is to see and hear ... not to be missed. "The wisdom is found in the extremes, all extreme Metal here!".

„The Witchhunt“, is scheduled for September 27th. via FDARekotz on CD and LP. The album comes with fantastic artwork by ArtWars Mediadesign. Besides the regular black vinyl, inlay, 140 gram vinyl, 350gsm sleeve cover there will be 2 different limited colored versions. 100 copies in blue transparent vinyl + A2 poster + embroidered MASTER patch, inlay, 350gsm sleeve cover 200 copies in white vinyl + A2 poster, inlay, 350gsm sleeve cover

Paul Speckmann - Bass and Vocals

Alex Nejezchleba - Lead and Rhythm Guitars

Zdenek Pradlovsky - Drums

MASTER Signs With FDA Rekotz; New Album Due In September

Death metal pioneers MASTER have inked a deal with German extreme music label FDA Rekotz for the band's landmark 12th full-length album, which is scheduled for a late September release.

MASTER's legendary founder and frontman, Paul Speckmann, commented, "We are proud to be working with Rico and FDA and look forward to a solid future together.Watch for the next masterpiece to be unleashed on September 27th, 2013." 

FDA Rekotz has posted a video teaser for the upcoming album at this location.

After releasing The New Elite last year to widespread critical acclaim, Speckmann and MASTER waged war on false metal across the world with an ambitious string of dates that saw the band ravage audiences across Europe and North America.

As the saying goes, there is no rest for the wicked, and MASTER is back in action for the True Underground Warriors Tour with ENTRAPMENT, bookended by select European festival dates. More details on MASTER's upcoming FDA Rekotz debut to come.

For a full list of MASTER live dates visit master-speckmetal.net/live.html.

facebook.Master 

Unreleased MASTER debut album (1985!!) re-issue

On December 31, 1984 Chicago based metal act MASTER signed with US metal label COMBAT (Death, Possessed) and soon afterwards started recording what should have been the band’s first full length album. Due to inseparable differences over the negotiations with Combat and mainly drummer Schmidt's insecurities, the contract was torn up. The 1985 album recordings were tape-traded in the underground scene, serving as a heavy influence for many (later) important bands from the death, black and thrash metal scene. Exclusively for vic records new painted cover art by Richard Schouten (Achrostichon, Pentagram, Abomination). New designed booklet and liner notes  from Paul Speckmann and rare mid 80’s Master pictures. Out 10 June.

facebook.Master

MASTER's North American Detonation Tour Starts Today

Old School death metal legends MASTER are set to kick off the 32-date North American Detonation Tour with California death thrashers SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER and Philly death metallers FISTHAMMER.

Things get underway tonight in Los Angeles as part of the "Age ov the Gods" Metalfest on March 1st  and ends in Long Beach, CA on April 1st. Other notable appearances include MASTER's return to Chicago on March 11th, the "Philthadelphia Infest" w/ DEVOURMENT and many more on March 16th, "Masters of Death" festival w/ NCANTATION on March 23rd and the tour's only stop south of the border at "Baja Deathfest VII" in Mexicali.

For more on all three bands visit the links below:
MASTER - www.master-speckmetal.net
SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER - www.facebook.com/sacrificialslaughter
FISTHAMMER - www.facebook.com/fisthammerband 

"NORTH AMERICAN DETONATION TOUR"

MASTER - SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER - FISTHAMMER

Fri. March 1st - Los Angeles, CA @ The Joint

Sat.March 2nd - Oakland, CA @ Oakland Metro

Sun.March 3rd - Portland, OR @ The Branx

Mon.March 4th - Seattle, WA @ 2 Bit Saloon

Tue. March 5th - Boise, ID @ The Shredder

Wed.March 6th - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

Thu. March 7th - Cheyenne, WY @ Forum 619

Fri. March 8th - Topeka, KS @ The Boobie Trap

Sat.March 9th - St. Louis, MO @ Fubar

Sun.March 10th - Madison, WI @ The Frequency

Mon.March 11th - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club

Tue. March 12th - Warren, MI @ The Ritz

Wed. March 13th - Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar

Thu. March 14th - Providence, RI @ Firehouse 13

Fri. March 15th - Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus Bar

Sat. March 16th - Philadelphia, PA @ Gunners Run

Sun. March 17th - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar

Mon. March 18th - Asheville, NC @ Static Age Records

Tue. March 19th - Dothan, AL @ Herman's Billiards

Wed.March 20th - New Orleans, LA @ Siberia

Thu. March 21st - Fort Worth, TX @ Tomcats West

Fri. March 22nd - Oklahoma City, OK @ Chameleon Room

Sat. March 23rd - Houston, TX @ BFE Rock Club

Sun. March 24th - Austin, TX @ Beerland

Mon. March 25th - San Antonio, TX @ Zombies 

Tue. March 26th - Midland, TX @ Pine Box 

Wed.March 27th - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad

Thu. March 28th - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock 

Fri. March 29th - Mexicali, MX @ Bar El Andariego

Sat. March 30th - Pomona, CA @ Characters Sports bar

Sun. March 31st - Oceanside, CA @ The Royal Dive *

Mon.April 1st - Long Beach, CA @ Alex's Bar *

* = NO Fisthammer

MASTER is touring in support of their 11th studio album The New Elite, available now from Pulverized Records (www.pulverised.net). Check out album track "Smile As You're Told" below.

SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER is touring in support of their  Sophomore release The Great Oppression, available from Ossuary Industries / Hammerheart Records. An album trailer for The Great Oppression has been posted below. 

MASTER To Kick Off US Tour With SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER And FISTHAMMER Next Week

Old School death metal legends MASTER are pleased to announce a 32 date US trek with California death thrashers SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER. 

The 32 date journey will kick off in Los Angeles as part of the "Age ov the Gods" Metalfest on March 1st  and end in Long Beach, CA on April 1st. Support will be provided by Philadelphia's up and coming death metal outfit FISTHAMMER.Other notable appearances include Masters return to Chicago March 11th, the "Philthadelphia Infest" w/ Devourment March 16th, "Masters of Death" festival w/ Incantation March 23rd and the tours only stop south of the border at "Baja Deathfest VII" in Mexicali.   

For more on all three bands visit the links below:

MASTER - www.master-speckmetal.net

SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER - www.facebook.com/sacrificialslaughter

FISTHAMMER - www.facebook.com/fisthammerband 

"NORTH AMERICAN DETONATION TOUR"

MASTER - SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER - FISTHAMMER

Fri. March 1st - Los Angeles, CA @ The Joint

Sat.March 2nd - Oakland, CA @ Oakland Metro

Sun.March 3rd - Portland, OR @ The Branx

Mon.March 4th - Seattle, WA @ 2 Bit Saloon

Tue. March 5th - Boise, ID @ The Shredder

Wed.March 6th - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

Thu. March 7th - Cheyenne, WY @ Forum 619

Fri. March 8th - Topeka, KS @ The Boobie Trap

Sat.March 9th - St. Louis, MO @ Fubar

Sun.March 10th - Madison, WI @ The Frequency

Mon.March 11th - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club

Tue. March 12th - Warren, MI @ The Ritz

Wed. March 13th - Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar

Thu. March 14th - Providence, RI @ Firehouse 13

Fri. March 15th - Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus Bar

Sat. March 16th - Philadelphia, PA @ Gunners Run

Sun. March 17th - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar

Mon. March 18th - Asheville, NC @ Static Age Records

Tue. March 19th - Dothan, AL @ Herman's Billiards

Wed.March 20th - New Orleans, LA @ Siberia

Thu. March 21st - Fort Worth, TX @ Tomcats West

Fri. March 22nd - Oklahoma City, OK @ Chameleon Room

Sat. March 23rd - Houston, TX @ BFE Rock Club

Sun. March 24th - Austin, TX @ Beerland

Mon. March 25th - San Antonio, TX @ Zombies 

Tue. March 26th - Midland, TX @ Pine Box 

Wed.March 27th - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad

Thu. March 28th - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock 

Fri. March 29th - Mexicali, MX @ Bar El Andariego

Sat. March 30th - Pomona, CA @ Characters Sports bar

Sun. March 31st - Oceanside, CA @ The Royal Dive *

Mon.April 1st - Long Beach, CA @ Alex's Bar *

* = NO Fisthammer

MASTER is touring in support of their 11th studio album The New Elite, available now from Pulverized Records (www.pulverised.net). Check out album track "Smile As You're Told" below.

SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER is touring in support of their  Sophomore release The Great Oppression, available from Ossuary Industries / Hammerheart Records. An album trailer for The Great Oppression has been posted below. 

MASTER - "The New Elite" CD

The unsurpassed Death Metal monarchs MASTER returns with their eleventh full-length album "The New Elite", an odious showcase of brick-wall musical integrity that has been quintessential MASTER even during the band's early inception. Now with 30 years on, Paul Speckmann and his insult-brigade have shown no signs on mellowing, but only more hateful than ever! 

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Shaark Studios (Root, Fleshless, etc) and with the emblematic artwork and layout designed by German graphic artist Mark Bridgeman, "The New Elite" is a bulldozing 45-minute audio-violence of social travesty and political coercion. Vehemently honest and the cruel truth does cut like a knife. This is MASTER! Period.  

9th July 2012 (Europe) 
14th August 2012 (North America) 
CD Format: Super Jewel Box CD

Click here to purchase "The New Elite" at the Pulverised Records Online Store
Click here to purchase "The New Elite" at the Pulverised Records eBay Store

 

 

MASTER is:

Paul Speckmann – Vocals, Bass

Alex Nejezchleba – Guitars

 Zdenek Pradlovsky - Drums

 

SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER To Join MASTER For "North American Detonation Tour"

Death thrashers SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER are confirmed to join death metal pioneers MASTER for the "North American Detonation Tour," set to take place in March of 2013. The tour is being put together by Precision Metal Booking. For more info and updates visit www.facebook.com/PrecisionMetalBooking. Confirmed dates and cities are as follows:

PRECISION METAL BOOKING PRESENTS:

"NORTH AMERICAN DETONATION TOUR"
MASTER + SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER + TBA

Fri. March 1st - Los Angeles, CA
Sat.March 2nd - Sacramento, CA
Sun.March 3rd - Portland, OR
Mon.March 4th - Seattle, WA
Tue. March 5th - Boise, ID
Wed March 6th - Salt Lake City, UT
Thu. March 7th - Cheyenne, WY
Fri. March 8th - Omaha, NE
Sat.March 9th - St. Paul, MN
Sun.March 10th - Madison, WI
Mon.March 11th - Chicago, IL
Tue. March 12th - Cleveland, OH
Wed. March 13th - Albany, NY
Thu. March 14th - Boston, MA
Fri. March 15th - Poughkeepsie, NY
Sat. March 16th - Philadelphia, PA
Sun. March 17th - Baltimore, MD
Mon March 18th - OFF DAY -
Tue. March 19th - Nashville, TN

 Wed.March 20th - New Orleans, LA
Thu. March 21st - Little Rock, AR
Fri. March 22nd - Oklahoma City, OK
Sat. March 23rd - Ft. Worth, TX
Sun. March 24th - Austin, TX
Mon. March 25th - Midland, TX
Tue. March 26th - El Paso, TX
Wed.March 27th - Tucson, AZ
Thu. March 28th - Phoenix, AZ
Fri. March 29th - Mexicali, MX
Sat. March 30th - Corona, CA
Sun. March 31st - Las Vegas, NV

Precision Metal Booking has room for one more support act. Bands interested in being a part of the North American Detonation Tour are urged to contact Steve Worley at sacrificial2000@gmail.com as soon as possible for information. Serious inquiries only.

 www.facebook.com/PrecisionMetalBooking. 

SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER's most recent offering, the American Death Thrash split with Oklahoma's ENFUNERATION, was released last year by Horror Pain Gore Death Productions and is available at this location.

 

 

 www.facebook.com/sacrificialslaughter

 

MASTER: Death Metal Legends Forced To Cancel Headlining Tour

Death metal legends MASTER, who were scheduled to kick off their long-anticipated U.S. headlining tour  earlier this week with support from Lightning Swords Of Death and Mobile Deathcamp, were denied entry into the country and forced to return to the Czech Republic.

 

Said MASTER mainman Paul Speckmann in a statement: "We arrived Tuesday morning in Holland and after intense questioning we proceeded to the eye and body scan machine. Along with the other passengers, we proceeded to the plane. We arrived in Detroit and went to passport control. I waited for about two hours for any word on the guys. The police came to explain that the visa waiver program didn't apply to musicians. So they sent me to customs and proceeded to tear apart everything and sent me on my way. I waited for six hours to get on another airplane and return to Europe. Thankfully the lady at the Delta checkout counter was very helpful and confirmed that the guys would be on the next plane in the evening and I could return with them. The guys were escorted to the plane by four police officers and returned their passports when we arrived in Amsterdam. Since when are musicians and terrorists in the same category? Again I apologize to all the bands, organizers and fans of course. I guess the CD cover of the Human Machine CD has become a reality!"

 

Due to the financial loss, MASTER U.S. tour merch, a CD/T-shirt combo is being sold domestically for $20.00 US/ $30.00 EU via PayPal (agnosticzac@gmail.com).

 

http://www.myspace.com/masterspeckmann

http://www.myspace.com/pulverisedrecords