Slayer release “Pride In Prejudice” as the final chapter in the “Repentless” Video Trilogy

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE…

SLAYER’S “PRIDE IN PREJUDICE”

COMPLETES THE BRUTAL
REPENTLESS VIDEO TRILOGY

LOS ANGELES, CA – Tuesday, September 6, 2016 — A convicted prisoner on death row…a cookie-cutter, white-bread family unit putting up the Christmas decorations… two worlds, lightness and darkness colliding…white supremacists…ruthless murders…Slayer’s “Pride in Prejudice” music video.

Directed by BJ McDonnell

Produced by Felissa Rose

Edited by Ed Marx and Andrea Porter

Director of Photography – Eric Leach

Tony Gardner/Alterian FX for Special FX Makeup

Jason Trost (“Hatchet III”) – Wyatt

Danny Trejo (“Machete,” “From Dusk Til Dawn”)

Bill Moseley – the Dad (“House of 1000 Corpses,” “The Devil’s Rejects”)

Caroline Williams – the Mom (“Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens”, “Hatchett III”)

Richard Speight, Jr. – returning as the ultimate Bad Guy (“CSI,” “Jericho,” “Supernatural”)

Filmed during the winter of 2016 in the mountains of Wrightwood, CA

“I’m particularly excited about this third video,” said McDonnell, “because we played with stylistic differences with the trilogy. Where one video plays like an action film, this third one is more of a dramatic piece. The final story takes us into a world that is especially sinister in tone, with the dark and the light colliding. The conclusion is visually cinematic and harsh, with Slayer conducting us through it all with ‘Pride In Prejudice.'”

“It was a pleasure working with BJ on this project,” said Slayer’s Kerry King. “Slayer is notorious for letting the artist be the artist, the producer be the producer, and the director be the director, etc. By doing this we get a completely unique perspective that never really strays far from our own. Get ready for video three. It’s my favorite!!”

*****

SLAYER AND THE “REPENTLESS” VIDEO TRILOGY

With the premiere of “Pride in Prejudice,” Slayer completes the Repentless music video trilogy.

The first video, “Repentless,” was released 9/11/15 and has accumulated more than 9.8 million views to date. It introduced us to Wyatt, the eyepatched rebel inmate (Jason Trost/”Hatchet III”), and a host of nefarious prisoners played by some of today’s most iconic horror film actors including Danny Trejo/”Machete,” “From Dusk Till Dawn”, Tony Moran/”Halloween’s” Michael Myers, “American Poltergeist,” Derek Mears/”Predators,” “Friday the 13th,” Tyler Mane/”Halloween,” Sean Whalen/”Men In Black,” “Halloween II,” and Vernon Wells/”Mad Max 2,” “Commando,” “Weird Science.” “Repentless” was shot at the Sybil Brand Institute in East Los Angeles and has Slayer performing the song in the prison yard while a riot breaks out, blood flowing in abundance, inmates and prison guards brutally slaughtered.

From the very first frame, “You Against You,” the gore, the violence, the carnage begins and just never ends. While the second video in the trilogy, it is the prequel to “Repentless,” telling the story of the circumstances that led to Wyatt’s erroneous arrest and imprisonment. Slayer’s performance for “You Against You” was shot at a graveyard of jets, airliners and helicopters in California’s Mojave Desert.

“You Against You” premiered 3/16/16 and has accumulated more than 4.8 million YouTube views.

The “Repentless” video trilogy was conceived and directed by BJ McDonnell who directed the 2013 horror film “Hatchett III.” His rich resume as a motion picture cameraman includes “Jack Reacher,” “Tomorrowland” and “The Interview,” and just wrapped filming for the upcoming “Annabelle 2.”

In September 2015, Slayer released Repentless, the band’s 12th studio album, the first without founding member Jeff Hanneman and first with producer Terry Date, to widespread rave reviews and the highest chart debut of the band’s career. The band – Tom Araya/vocals & bass, Kerry King/guitars, Paul Bostaph/drums and Exodus/Slayer touring guitarist Gary Holt – has toured near-non-stop since the album’s release, and heads out on the road starting September 9 with a seven-week North American trek with Anthrax and Death Angel. This fall, Dark Horse Comics will publish a three-issue comic book series based on McDonnell’s original concept for the “Repentless” video trilogy and written by Jon Schnepp. In addition, October will see the release of Slayer’s “Cradle To Grave” BMX Bikes/Subrosa four-bike collection. Comprised of the Slayer Balance, Slayer 20, Slayer 26 and the Slayer Urban Terrain Bike, all are intended for BMX riders to “use and abuse.”

Slayer Official Website

 

SLAYER talk about fall tour in new video clip

SLAYER’S ARAYA AND KING: Talk About Fall Tour on New Video Clip

LOS ANGELES, CA – August 12, 2016 — SLAYER has just released a brand new video clip with Tom Araya and Kerry King talking about the band’s upcoming Fall tour of North America. Fellow Big Four members Anthrax will Special Guest, and Death Angel will support.

Check the clip out here – tour dates are below.

SEPTEMBER

9 Jacob’s Pavilion, Cleveland, OH

10 Freedom Hill Amphitheatre, Detroit, MI

12 Sound Academy, Toronto, ON

13 Metropolis, Montreal, PQ

15 Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA

17 Revolution Rock Fest., Mashantucket, CT

18 Rock Allegiance Festival, Chester, PA

20 Egyptian Room, Indianapolis, IN

22 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO

24 Houston Open Air Festival, Houston

25 Knotfest, Devore, CA

27 Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL

28 Fillmore, Miami, FL

30 Horseshoe Casino Tunica, Tunica, MS

OCTOBER

1 Louder Than Life Festival, Louisville, KY

3 Norva, Norfolk, VA

5 Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA

7 Gas Monkey Live, Dallas, TX

8 ACL at the Moody Theatre, Austin, TX

10 Fillmore, Denver, CO

11 The Complex, Salt Lake City, UT

13 The Wilma Theatre, Missoula, MT

17 ENMAX Centre, Lethbridge, AB

19 S. Okanagan Cvents Centre, Penticton, BC

20 Abbotsford Centre, Abbotsford, BC

22 Aftershock Festival, Sacramento, CA

23 Reno Events Center, Reno, NV

27 El Paso County Coliseum, El Paso, TX**

LAMB OF GOD Reveals New Music Video for “Embers”

LAMB OF GOD Reveals New Music Video for “Embers”, Latest Single from VII: Sturm Und Drang

Read Guitarist Mark Morton’s Op-Ed & Watch “Embers” Now, Exclusively via Vice/Noisey

www.Lamb-Of-God.com

Last summer, internationally-renowned heavy rock band LAMB OF GOD released their latest Grammy-nominated full-length album, VII: Sturm Und Drang, which includes the emotive anthem “Embers” featuring Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno.

In order to further illustrate the story behind “Embers”, LAMB OF GOD has revealed the official music video for the track. The video is directed by Zev Deans, also recognized for directing videos for Ghost, Behemoth, Chelsea Wolfe, and others.

Watch the “Embers” Video and Read a Personal Op-Ed by Mark Morton via Vice/Noisey Here
LAMB OF GOD will perform in their hometown on August 20th at Gwar BQ 2016 in Richmond, VA. Tickets are available here.

VII: Sturm Und Drang landed a #2 first week debut on the Billboard U.S. Top Current Albums chart, #3 on the Top 200, and #1 on both the Rock Album and Hard Rock Album charts. Get your copy of VII: Sturm Und Drang here: Lamb-of-God.com | iTunes | Amazon | Google Play

LAMB OF GOD is: Randy Blythe (vocals), Mark Morton (guitar), Willie Adler (guitar), John Campbell (bass), and Chris Adler (drums).

For more information about LAMB OF GOD, please visit:
www.lamb-of-god.com
www.facebook.com/lambofgod
https://twitter.com/lambofgod
http://instagram.com/lambofgod

 

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ANTHRAX release new lyric video and announce Festival show/North American Fall Tour

 ANTHRAX REVS UP BAND’S 35th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

WITH A NEW LYRIC VIDEO, MAJOR FESTIVAL & HEADLINE GIGS
ACROSS THE GLOBE, AND A NORTH AMERICAN FALL CLASSIC
WITH FELLOW BIG FOUR MEMBERS, SLAYER
Band Announces Special VIP Tour Packages That Include
Choice of Band Members’ Signature Guitar, Bass or Snare Drum

LOS ANGELES, CA — (TUESDAY, June 21, 2016) – Celebrating 35 years as a band, 2016 is proving to be a very good time for thrash/metal icons Anthrax, and the festivities are intensifying. First, today Anthrax is releasing the third lyric video from their new album For All Kings, this one for the track “Zero Tolerance.” The song closes the album and its message is very personal and particularly timely in today’s society, with the horrific rise in mass shootings and other forms of terrorism. In the words of Anthrax lyricist Scott Ian, “‘Zero Tolerance’ sums it all up. It’s about doing anything to protect your small circle of family and friends from the insanity of the world.” Check out the lyric video for “Zero Tolerance” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1_HKsoql1Y

The truth of humanity is far from insane
It’s focused, it’s cruel, it’s hearbreak and pain
As if I needed more reasons to hate
A savage decision that’s not hard to make
Family and friends, dare to threaten what’s mine
I kill motherfuckers for crossing the line
Tighten the noose round my life and I choose
Murder and mayhem ’cause I’m worse than you

 

Clockwise from left: Scott Ian, Charlie Benante, Jon Donais, Frank Bello, Joey Belladonna

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Anthrax’s 35th anniversary year will also see the band spending the bulk of June, July and August playing major music festivals throughout Europe. These will include France’s Hellfest and Download, SwedenRock, Graspop in Belgium, and the UK’s Bloodstock, as well as playing select dates with Slayer, Iron Maiden, and a handful of headline shows.

Then, the 35th anniversary will culminate beginning September 9 in Cleveland when Anthrax will join forces with Big Four comrades Slayer for a seven-week North American tour of major and secondary markets. This trek will also include appearances at several major North American music festivals including Ozzfest Meets Knotfest on September 25 in San Bernardino, CA.

“I find it hard to believe that all this time has gone by,” said Anthrax’s Charlie Benante. “I still feel like I did when we were first recording our Spreading the Disease album. For All Kings has been so well received, it really does make us want to take this to another level. I think it’s all so encouraging that, after all these years, here we are hanging out with out metal alumni Slayer. The two bands have never been better at what we do, that’s encouraging for the future of music.”

Added Scott Ian, “July 18, 1981 is the day I started playing rhythm guitar in Anthrax. Thirty-five years have passed since that day and my life has changed profoundly. I am a husband, I am a father. I am a long way from the 17-year-old soon to be college dropout that co-founded a heavy metal band. The only thing that hasn’t changed in 35 years, the one constant, I am still the rhythm guitar player in Anthrax. It’s what I GET to do. I GET to play in a band and I never take that for granted. It is a privilege. And the reason I GET to be in Anthrax is because for 35 years, people all over this planet have connected with what we do. There wouldn’t be an Anthrax if it wasn’t for the fans that heard something in our sound that made them want to bang their heads all those years ago. Together over these 35 years, we became part of something that changed the history of music and I am deeply proud of that. So to quote the Scottish poet Robbie Burns, “Here’s to us; who is as good as us? Damn few, and they’re all dead.” Thank you my friends…35 and counting.”

For the September/October dates with Slayer, Anthrax is making available a limited number of “VIP Kings Ensemble Packages.” In addition to the band’s new For All Kings CD, access to the band’s Meet’n’Greet, a personal photo with the band, early entry into the venue, and much more, these special packages will include the buyer’s choice of a Scott Ian Signature Guitar, Charlie Benante Signature Series Snare, or a Frank Bello Signature Series LTD Bass Guitar. Only 10 of these Ensemble Packages will be available. For more info on all of the Anthrax VIP Packages, go to http://anthrax.com/vip-info/

Confirmed dates for Anthrax’s 35th anniversary tour are as follows:

JUNE
25 Amnesia Rockfest, Montebello, Canada

JULY
2 Tuska Open Air, Helsinki, Finland
3 Wroclaw Stadium, Wroclaw, Poland (w/ Iron Maiden)
5 USF Verftet, Bergen, Norway
6 Terminalen, Alesund, Norway
7 Parkteatret Scene, Oslo, Norway
9 Jalometalli Festival, Oulu, Finland
11 Pumpehuset, Copenhagen West, Denmark
12 Live Music Hall, Koln, Germany
13 Skaters Palace, Munster, Germany
15 Gefle Metal Festival, Gavle, Sweden
16 Dynamo Metalfest, Eindhoven, Netherlands
17 Rock Fest Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
19 Castrelos, Vigo, Spain
20 Sala Arena, Madrid, Spain
22 Area Concerti Festival Majano, Majano, Italy
23 Fosch Fest, Bagnatica, Italy
24 Rock in Rome, Roma, Italy

AUGUST
11 Leyendas del Rock Festival, Villena, Spain
14 Bloodstock, Walton-On-Trent, UK
21 Pain In The Grass, Auburn, WA

SEPTEMBER
9 Jacob’s Pavilion, Cleveland, OH
10 Freedom Hill Amphitheatre, Detroit, MI
11 Ground Zero, Travers City, MI*
12 Sound Academy, Toronto, ON
13 Metropolis, Montreal, PQ
15 Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA
16 Anthology, Rochester, NY*
17 Revolution Rock Fest., Mashantucket, CT
18 Rock Allegiance Festival, Chester, PA
20 Egyptian Room, Indianapolis, IN
21 Concord Music Hall, Chicago, IL*
22 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
24 Houston Open Air Festival, Houston
25 Knotfest, Devore, CA
27 Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL
28 Fillmore, Miami, FL
29 Club L.A., Destin, FL*
30 Horseshoe Casino Tunica, Tunica, MS

OCTOBER
1 Louder Than Life Festival, Louisville, KY
3 Norva, Norfolk, VA
4 Orange Peel, Ashveille, NC*
5 Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
6 Varsity Theatre, Baton Rouge, LA*
7 Gas Monkey Live, Dallas, TX
8 ACL at the Moody Theatre, Austin, TX
10 Fillmore, Denver, CO
11 The Complex, Salt Lake City, UT
12 Rev Hall, Boise, ID*
13 The Wilma Theatre, Missoula, MT
14 The Hill event Center, Idaho Falls, ID*
15 Revolution Concert House, Garden City, ID
16 Knitting Factory, Spokane, WA* (offer)
17 ENMAX Centre, Lethbridge, AB
19 S. Okanagan Cvents Centre, Penticton, BC
20 Abbotsford Centre, Abbotsford, BC
21 Hawthorn Theatre, Portland, OR*
22 Discovery Park, Elverta, CA (w/Aftershock)
23 Reno Events Center, Reno, NV
22 Aftershock Festival, Sacramento, CA
25 Orpheum Theatre, Flagstaff, AZ*
26 Top Deck, Famington, NM* (offer)
27 El Paso County Coliseum, El Paso, TX**

* Anthrax & Death Angel

ABOUT ANTHRAX:
This year, Anthrax celebrates its 35th anniversary as a band with the release of one of the year’s most-anticipated metal/thrash albums, For All Kings, (February 26, Megaforce in North America/Nuclear Blast internationally). The eleven-song crusher that the band’s drummer Charlie Benante has described as “aggressive and super-thrashy,” was written by Benante, bassist Frank Bello and rhythm guitarist Scott Ian, the dynamic triumvirate whose unique composition chemistry is, in part, what sets Anthrax’s music apart from other bands’ in the same genre. Add to that Joey Belladonna’s breathtaking vocals and the searing guitar leads by newest member Jonathan Donais, and it’s no wonder the band has been so excited about its 11th studio album.

For All Kings debuted at #9 on Billboard’s Top 200, becoming Anthrax’s highest-charting album in more than two decades. A first-quarter U.S. tour with Lamb of God consistently resulted in some of the exceptional live reviews Anthrax has received in its career.

Over its 35-year career, Anthrax has been a pioneering band with its unique style, sound and heavy brand of thrash metal, and, as Metallica’s Kirk Hammett put it, “one can hear their influence on any number of up and coming bands.” The band has sold in excess of 10-million units, received multiple Gold and Platinum certifications, six Grammy nominations and a host of other accolades from the media, industry and fans. From the race and genre barriers Anthrax helped break down in 1988 when they collaborated with Public Enemy on “Bring The Noise,” to becoming a card-carrying member of The Big Four – with Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth – as one of the four bands that defined the speed/thrash metal genre, to being the first metal band to have its music heard on Mars when NASA played “Got The Time” to wake up the Mars Rover, Anthrax continues to demonstrate it’s just all about the music.

Anthrax Official Website

 

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Dr. Dilznik and the Last Rekrute Release the First Video from Their New Album

MediaMikes favorite hip-hop duo, Kansas City based Dr. Dilznik and the Last Rekrute, have released the video for the first single off their upcoming album, “SOS – Stuck on Stoopit,” the fourth and final installment of the Stoopit series, scheduled for release this coming Spring.

The song, “Adios Caballos,’ was produced, mixed and mastered by legendary Kansas City producer S.G. and samples the song “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazzurus, best known for it’s inclusion in the film “The Silence of the Lambs.”

Check out their new video here:

Latest Video for “The Blame Game” from City of the Weak


“The Blame Game” is the latest video from the Minneapolis, MN based rock band City of the Weak. Directed / Edited by: Cody Hoffman & City of the Weak the video showcases not only the band’s music but also the immense visual appeal that the band carries. The group is currently touring the US through October as special guests on the “Not So Sound” tour with Solice. Be sure to check https://www.cityoftheweak.wordpress.com for a full list of dates.

Dr. Dilznik and the Last Rekrute Relese Their New Video, “Still the Same”

Nintendo 3DS Video Game Review “Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay”

Release Date: October 23, 2014
E10+ for Everyone 10 and older: Cartoon Violence
Genre: Platformer
Publisher: Game Mill Entertainment
Developer: 1st Playable Productions

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

Right from the start, “Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay” was off to a bad start. I thought there was something wrong with my 3DS and it turned out the game isn’t presented with 3D effects. I mean come on, there are indie games that are coming out in 3D and a big game like “Big Hero 6” is not. Very disappointing. The game difficulty is extremely easy. The bad guys are no challenge at all, in fact I beat the first boss while checking my email on my phone. You play as each of the five main characters mixed up throughout the game’s 20 levels, which will take the average gamer about an hour or two to beat. The other main issue is that Baymax, who is the best character in the movie is merely background noise. Big miss here for sure.

Official Premise: Following on the heels of their super hero debut, the Big Hero 6 team has targeted a dangerous gangster named Yama and his legion of out of control fighting robots! Take control of the stars of the film in this action packed combat platformer! Send robot’s flying across the screen as Hiro with his electro-mag gauntlets! Zoom through levels at top speed as Go ! Slice and dice as Wasabi with his plasma blades! Smash and burn as Fred in his Kaiju monster super suit!

“Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay” features no spoken dialogue or cut scenes at all along with bland and repetitive sound design. One thing this game does have though to add slightly more game play instead of jump flying through each level is that there is some in-game collectibles. You can collect various hidden items in each level including a cat, a plus symbol consisting of five cubes and the word HERO spelled out. Finding these items will provide health upgrades as well as trophies, art work and more. Unless you are completely obsessed with “Big Hero 6” and need to have everything from the movie, this is a definite pass.

 

XBOX 360 Video Game Review “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved”

Platform: XBOX 360
Developer: Harmonix
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Rating: E+10
Release date: October 21, 2014

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

It has been a few years since I have played games like “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero”, but when those games were big, I used to be mega huge into those games. We had a band and competed online. It was a blast. Those games seemed to have tapered off in the last few years…until now (sort of). “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved” is the latest game from Harmonix, the team behind games like “Rock Band”. This game is an XBOX One and XBOX 360 exclusive game. The game is totally hands free and uses the KINECT in order to control. The game itself is quite unique. Your hands are the instruments. I think that is pretty rad, this game would have a perfect score except the choice of the songs are a disappointment since they filled with trendy hits and no classics. Still a fun time and a great pleaser during parties.

Official Premise: Players enter the magical realm of Fantasia selected by the legendary sorcerer Yen Sid to hone their musical and magical prowess as his new apprentice. Perform to hit songs by using natural gesture-based motion gameplay. Tracks from Bruno Mars Queen Fun. Kimbra and AVICII and other top artists. Transform and remix music via magical manipulators in real-time like never before. Explore breathtaking environments with a motion controlled “muse”. Discover worlds filled with hidden musical interactions designed to engage players and encourage creativity.

While you are playing a song, you have two basic ways of interacting either swiping and punching. You are scored in points based on the accuracy of your movement. While playing you collect magical energy, which is used to unlock items to use throughout the game. I was certain quite exhausted after a few go-rounds at this game but it is quite fun. If you are used to the the regular rhythm-action games, this is a whole new experience. The music is blended well with the animation.

Here is the full tracklist included at launch for “Fantasia: Music Evolved”: Dvořák – “Symphony No. 9 from the New World”; Vivaldi – “The Four Seasons: Winter, 1st Movement”; Avicii– “Levels”; J.S. Bach – “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor”; Bruno Mars – “Locked Out of Heaven”; Cee Lo Green – “Forget You”; David Bowie – “Ziggy Stardust”; Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence”; Drake – “Take Care” (ft. Rihanna); Elton John – “Rocket Man”; The Flaming Lips “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 1”; Fun. – “Some Nights”; Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”; Imagine Dragons “Radioactive”; Inon Zur – “Scout’s Theme” (ft. Lindsey Stirling);
Jimi Hendrix “Fire”; Kimbra – “Settle Down”…

…whew! [deep breath] Lady Gaga “Applause”; Liszt “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2”; Lorde – “Royals”; M.I.A. – “Galang”; Missy Elliot “Get Ur Freak On”; Mussorgsky – “Night on Bald Mountain”; New Order – “Blue Monday”; Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”; Peter Gabriel – “In Your Eyes”; Police – “Message in a Bottle”; Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”; Tchaikovsky – “The Nutcracker Medley”; The Who – “The Real Me”; The White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army” and Mozart – “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”

If this game is anything like “Rock Band”, Harmonix is going to expanding upon these track list probably weekly most likely. I hope that they steer away from the trendy pop hits and get some real good songs in the mix. I can easily see myself revisiting this day often. It is a fun way to just let loose and just a really cool idea to be able to control the music with your hands. You always looks at a conductor in a band and think “Wow, he is running the show here”. Well with “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved”, you are the conductor.

Playstation 4 Video Game Review “Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes – 2.0 Edition”

Platform: Playstation 4
Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Release date: September 23, 2014
Rating: Everyone 10+

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Disney Infinity” is back and better for its second edition called “Marvel Super Heroes”. Superheroes have never been bigger and this latest 2.0 edition features 16 Marvel figurines and 40 power discs (82 in total to be released in future wave), so there’s no shortage of options at all. After playing the original “Disney Infinity”, I found myself picking it apart quite a bit. This game really improves on the first games issues and delivers a mush more fun and content filled game. It is still not perfect but it is a blast to play and I have a feeling I will be playing this for many months to come.

“Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes” is split up into different two game modes much like the original. There is the Playset mode and Toybox mode. In the playset mode, you can transport into the world of one of the hit franchises from the game and generally run anywhere between 6–10 hours in length, so they are no incredible long but do back some great content. The Toybox mode still allows players to create their own games and worlds, using items unlocked in Playset mode.

When it comes to figures, we get the following three franchises covered to start including “The Avengers”, “Spider-Man” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”. In the Starter Pack, we get Iron Man, Black Widow and Thor. Captain America, Hawkeye and Hulk are available in single character packs and complete the roster for “The Avengers”. I cannot wait for Wave 2 to come for this franchise since Loki and Falcon have been confirmed!

Next up is “Spider-Man”, only with the web slinger himself, we also have Nova, who is included in the play set. Venom, Iron Fist and Nick Fury are available as single character packs. I am a bit taken back that Nick Fury is seated with Spider-Man. I am sure some young kids aren’t going to make the connection just yet since he is primarily seen with “The Avengers” in the film and TV series.

Lastly and easily my favorite film of the year, we have Guardians of the Galaxy. Included in the playset is Star-Lord and Gamora, while Drax, Groot and Rocket Raccoon are available in single character packs. Future wave 2 release for this series include Ronan and Yondu, so there is plenty of growth and expansion available here as well.

Unlike the first game, you are only able to play specific characters in specific playsets. This new edition allows you to collected “Cross Over Tokens” scattered throughout levels in order to bring character like Nova, Iron Man, Rocket Raccoon and Hulk into more than one playset. This gives the game and entirely new dynamic and I really enjoyed it.

These new figures are really a big improvement over the first game. I really enjoyed the “Guardians of the Galaxy” characters. The abilities were great and really run to play with. My real surprise honestly has to be Nova from “Spider-Man” play set. I really enjoyed him as well. With “The Avengers” each of them are equally amazing. Hulk has a great special move. Iron Man can sort of glide. Captain America has his shield to through around. There are 16 characters and I spent a lot of time just fighting with myself to figure out who I should try first.

Since there are 40 power discs in wave one, I will highly a few of my favorite. S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier Strike is a great ability. Infinity Gauntlet is a rare and very powerful disc. If you are an “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” fan, getting to ride in Lola is a blast. There is also Ability discs that allow Team Up with characters like YOndu, Winter Soldier and Ant-Man. In the toy box, the customization for “Guardians of the Galaxy” is pretty cool with Groot’s View and Groot’s Roots.

Also a very cool expansion feature is that you are able to take all of your original Disney Infinity figures and power discs and they can still be used in the Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition) toy box. You cannot use original play sets though with the 2.0 gam though. This adds a lot more ability to play with this new game and to have original Disney Infinity characters meeting 2.0 edition characters.

The control are a bit tighter in this new edition. I felt that the driving in the first game was absolutely horridenous and this time around it is much smoother. The violence is not too bad but I am honestly not a fan of the ability to turn on civilians in the game. You are able to drive down the street and literally plow down people. I am sorry but this isn’t “Grand Theft Auto”. There isn’t any blood or anything, so it doesn’t seem that bad but still could have been tamed a bit and feels very unnecessary.

November 4th brings us a new wave of Disney Original figures for use in the Toy Box. Included characters in the first batch are Donald Duck, Aladdin, Jasmine, Tinker Bell, Stitch, Hiro Hamada & Baymax from Big Hero 6, Merida and Maleficent. I can’t wait to check these characters out. Hopefully in the the next edition of “Disney Infinity” isn’t to far, far away 😉 Fingers crossed Disney! Cross over to the Dark Side!

Troy Baker talks about video games, voice acting and “Mythos” concert

Troy Baker is one of most well known voice actors in the business. He is known for his roles as Booker DeWitt in “BioShock Infinite”, Joel in “The Last of Us”, Kanji Tatsumi in “Persona 4”, Pain in “Naruto Shippuden”, Hawkeye & Loki in “Avengers Assemble” and The Joker in “Batman: Arkham Origins” and “Batman: Assault on Arkham”. In conjunction with New York Comic Con 2014 and the first annual New York Super Week Festival, Tina Guo will be performing as a guest artist in MYTHOS! A thrilling and unique concert experience, MYTHOS, showcases great music from across the spectrum of modern orchestral genres – inclusive of music from the concert stage, television and film, and video games – featuring the all-star orchestra The Third Estate, conducted by Grammy Award nominee, Austin Wintory, composer of Journey, as well as vocalists from Choral Chameleon.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your involvement with “Mythos” video game concert?
Troy Baker: This counts as a win in my book for social media and for the community of gamers. I was a fan of Journey and especially the music. I reached out to Austin Wintory to compliment him not only on his amazing score but also his subsequent success. That began a long Twitter conversation back and forth about games and how we should collaborate on something musically. Also, competitive cat pictures might have been involved. This happened over at least a year and has culminated into this amazing event.

MG: What do you think that video game music is so important to its fans?
TB: The entire soundscape of a game plays such an integral part in the overall interactive experience. The same is true with movies. Dramatic moments are supported by a musical movement. Games are no different. Everyone can hum the underground tune from Mario Bros, some of us can hum selected themes from Final Fantasy of Metal Gear. What we’ve seen recently is how these thematic musical elements play such a crucial element, almost a character in these games. The main theme and even all the music from The Last of Us is a perfect example of this. Look how much of a role the music in Bioshock Infinite played in the overall experience!

MG: You have voiced many great video games including “Persona 4”, “Diablo III” and upcoming “Batman: Arkham Knight”; what do you enjoy most about video games?
TB: First and foremost I love being a part of making something that I’m going to geek out over later. As a gamer, I get to experience these games on two completely different levels and both are equally magical, first as an actor, then as a player. There’s not too many jobs that can boast that kind of benefit. I love that in the gamespace some no name kid from Texas can be a “leading man” in a huge franchise and maintain some anonymity that allows me to hide behind the character. I always want the role I am playing to take center stage, not me.

MG: Ranging from anime to video games; which is more challenging to work in?
TB: Both have their intrinsic challenges and each job requires a certain skill set. I view myself as a carpenter. I come into every job with my toolbox and I pull out the necessary tool for the job. At it’s root, however, everything I do has a foundation in just being an actor. Sometimes you’ll only use your voice and allow the animators to interpret your performance, others the onus is on you to present that character soup to nuts in your performance.

MG: How was it taking on the role of such an iconic character as The Joker in “Batman: Assault on Arkham”?
TB: In a single word: “humbling”. I grew up on Batman. It was my first comic I ever purchased. I’ve seen everyone from Caesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and, of course, Mark Hamill portray that role. To in any way be counted among those people, to have stepped into those shoes in any way, is an honor. I would rush home from school to make sure I caught Batman: The Animated Series on TV. Which to me, changed mover animation and how we tell a story in that medium. That show is unparalleled. To be directed by Andrea Romano was nothing short of a dream come true.

MG: What was the best part of getting to voice both Hawkeye and Loki in “Avengers Assemble”?
TB: The fact that they let me! I was cast as Loki first and really thought I would be recast as soon as I was cast in Avengers Assemble as Hawkeye. I’ve always loved Hawkeye, especially after The Ultimates series, because you got to see him as just a guy. Not a superhero with crazy powers, but just someone who is really REALLY good at what they do and can fight shoulder to shoulder along side a god, a gamma freak and a billionaire in an iron suit.

MG: Tell us about your first solo album “Sitting in the Fire”?
TB: It’s been such a labor of love. Some of these songs have been gestating for almost 10 years, waiting for the right time, right place. We finally found both. Our producer, Johnny What, our engineer and mixer Rob King and I, along with our musicians went up into the mountains of Big Bear, California with almost a half a million dollars in gear and tracked this record in an amazing cabin. It was a truly remarkable experience. Death bed moment for me. I’m proud and excited that the album is finally coming out. It’ll be available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and all digital retailers as well as an actual “digital LP” physical copy in select stores October 14th.

Tina Guo talks about music, video games and concert “Mythos”

Tina Guo has developed an international multi-faceted performance and recording career as a classical cellist and heavy metal electric cellist, erhuist, and composer known for her distinctive sound and improvisatory style in major motion picture, television, and game scores. Tina toured with Japanese superstar Yoshiki of X Japan on his Classical World Tour, and recently appeared with the Tenerife Symphony and Choir in the Canary Islands performing “Batman: The Dark Knight” Suite at the 2014 Tenerife International Film Festival, featured on Electric Cello. In conjunction with New York Comic Con 2014 and the first annual New York Super Week Festival, Tina Guo will be performing as a guest artist in MYTHOS! A thrilling and unique concert experience, MYTHOS, showcases great music from across the spectrum of modern orchestral genres – inclusive of music from the concert stage, television and film, and video games – featuring the all-star orchestra The Third Estate, conducted by Grammy Award nominee, Austin Wintory, composer of Journey, as well as vocalists from Choral Chameleon.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your involvement with “Mythos” video game concert?
Tina Guo: I’ve known Austin (Wintory) since University at USC and have enjoyed working with him over the years on all kinds of musical projects! In the Mythos concert, I will be playing cello on 3 different tracks that are based around the music from his Grammy-nominated score for the PS3 game, Journey, on which I did the original solos as well. I’m super excited and can’t wait to perform these completely new arrangements with a fantastic group of musicians in NYC!

MG: How much of a difference is there between the worlds of a classical cellist and heavy metal electric cellist?
TG: All music is music… for me there’s no difference between genres or even in different kinds of art, whether it be playing the cello, singing, dancing, painting… any kind of expression is expression, and some genres or ways of expression may be more suited to expressing different feelings or energies than others, but in the end, everything is simply a reflection of ourselves. I love dichotomy and extremes, and although there are some extremes between classical music and industrial metal, there are also heavy similarities. For me, the passion, depth, and fury expressed in these two genres make them siblings rather than opposite polarities.

MG: You have worked on various video games including “Diablo III” and “Call of Duty: Black Ops II”, what do you enjoy most about the genre?
TG: I love to work on all kinds of recording projects- on the Video Game Scores, working with the composers to create a feeling and bringing their notes and their ideas with what the cello and electric cello can bring mood-wise to the score is super fun! Video Games are an important and popular form of entertainment, and the music is such an integral part of it.

MG: Tell us about your one night only solo show “A Journey Through Music”?
TG: That’s my solo show at the Center for the Arts in Escondido, CA which is a gorgeous 1500 seat theatre in the San Diego area. I’ll be playing everything from classical works by Bach and Vivaldi to my Industrial Metal “Queen Bee” to covers of Beatles and Game of Thrones music. (I love Game of Thrones!!) I’ll be joined by a chamber ensemble of amazing musician friends from Los Angeles, my dad will be making a guest appearance to play the Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto, wonderfully talented Uyanga who is an ethnic Mongolian singer will be performing a few pieces with me, and my husband who composed the final two pieces in the show will be joining us onstage as well on keyboard/samples/electronics for those Trailer Music “Epic Music” songs. The show is sponsored by the Asian Heritage Awards, which is the evening before my show in which I will be receiving the 2014 Award in Innovation. I feel very honored and a little intimidated to be among the award recipients, who include molecular biologists, the scientist who discovered the greenhouse effect of halocarbons and led the first NASA assessment on the climate effects of non-CO2 greenhouse gasses, a California Assembly Speaker, the founder of the UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy and scientist responsible for uncovering the structure of neuroligin, the founders of the Global Institute of Stem Cello Therapy and Research… etc… and then… there’s me… Tina, the girl who saws wood. *hand to forehead* I’m very grateful for the Asian Heritage Society for sponsoring my solo show however, and I hope that I can express through the multimedia performance my version of Innovation through music and art. You can find more info here: http://artcenter.org/event/tina-guo/

MG: Tell us about your upcoming albums?
TG: I just released an album on Oct 1, 2014 called “Tina Guo & Composers for Charity” which is available on iTunes, Loudr.fm, Google Play, and other digital retailers. 100% of the album proceeds are going directly to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation to support music education in our underfunded music programs here in America. 13 amazing Film, TV, and Video Game Composers (including Austin Wintory) contributed original pieces that feature the cello for the CD.  In February 2015, I will be releasing a Heavy Metal EP of Metal Classics played on Electric Cello with a full band- Raining Blood, Sanitarium, The Trooper, Iron Man, and Cowboys from Hell. The EP features guest guitarists on a few tracks, including my friends Al Di Meola, Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit, and Nita Strauss.

Austin Wintory talks about scoring video games like “Journey” and the concert “Mythos”

Austin Wintory is a composer known best for his scores to the acclaimed video game titles “flOw” and “Journey”. His score for “Journey” was the first video game to ever be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media. Austin is currently taking the role of conductor for the upcoming concert called “Mythos”, which is a 70 minute continuous musical presentation played by a 15 piece classical ensemble performing live the music of composers for Film, TV and Video Games. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Austin about the concert and what can we expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with conducting the concert “Mythos”?
Austin Wintory: “Mythos” is a concept I first had in 2011, which I conducted as part of a fundraiser for my non-profit Education Through Music – Los Angeles. The idea behind it was to mix together some of the most interesting, engaging music in today’s scene, totally regardless of the media from which it came. I was approached by Peter Sachon about performing video game music during New York Comic Con, and pitched back the idea of reprising “Mythos.” And here we are!

MG: Having done scores for video games like “flOw” and “Journey”; was this a natural transition for you?
AW: Yes I’m fortunate to have lots of conducting opportunities, which I love taking advantage of in the midst of composing commissions. I grew up conducting in concert, but eventually my primary outlet for it was in the recording studio for films or games, so the onslaught of concerts lately has been a joyous return!

MG: When you did the score to “Journey”, did you ever think that this would become a Grammy-nominated score and the only video game every to be nominated in the “Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media” category?
AW: Needless to say, not in the slightest. And now, almost two years later, it’s not really sunken in. It’s no less surreal than it was that day.

MG: What is the video game(s) that influenced you to do what you do?
AW: The infectious and witty nature of Tim Schafer’s games was a big part of my early gaming, and the music Peter McConnell wrote for them was basically the first game music I truly loved. It all culminated in Grim Fandango, which I think is one of the greatest games ever made, and with a score to match. It’s such soulful, passionate music and all around brilliant game.

MG: Why do you think that 8-bit music has stood the test of time and still resonates with fans?
AW: Chiptunes, those authentic early 8-bit hardware-based scores, were a huge musical contribution. There was nothing really like it before then. Electronic music was, before then, an extension of either the classical or rock scenes, using analog synths and tape manipulation and such. This, in games, was something now totally different. I think a big part of why it still resonates today is that the music was forced to distill a lot of dramatic intention into a very narrow bandwidth. But also a lot of game developers AND gamers alike are nostalgic to the games – and game scores – of their childhoods. So it’s gotten a revival as children of the 80s now enter the mainstream of professional game development.

MG: Can you tell us about little bit about what we can expect from upcoming game “ABZÛ”?
AW: Only that it’s still very early, and a massive delight to be re-teaming with Journey’s art director Matt Nava. I’m very very excited about this one!

MG: What can you tell us about your project “Our Curiosity”?
AW: This was a really special and wonderful experience. I’m a die-hard about NASA and scientific literacy in the general public, and this opportunity emerged to pay tribute to the Curiosity Mars Rover. An old friend, astrobiologist Jeff Marlow, had been working directly with the Curiosity team and so were able to get green lit to produce the tribute. We co-wrote the script, and then recorded our two narrators, actress Felicia Day, and acclaimed science educator Neil deGrasse Tyson. After that I wrote the score around the VO performances, and recorded it with a fantastic orchestra in Nashville. We co-directed the film and tossed it back to NASA who put it on YouTube. I like to think of it as an officially-sanctioned fan love letter.

MG: What else do you have in the works for the rest of the year and 2015?
AW: Lots and lots! But I will say, *hopefully* more Mythos performances!

Former Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver drummer releases new video for his song “Ode to Nick”

Drummer/Frontman Matt Sorum has just released a new video for his song “Ode to Nick”. The somber track is the latest in a series of video releases from Sorums new solo project “Matt Sorum’s Fierce Joy” and come in the wake of the group’s debut album “Stratosphere” which was released in March of this year.

Sorum recently had this to say about the new video: “Ode to Nick was written as a love song to my wife Ace. I have always loved Nick Drake from the first time I heard the Song “Riverman” from the “Five Leaves Left” album. His poetry was beautiful, deep and honest – the way love should be. I used Nick Drake as a metaphor for love, and the romantic sentiment of his song titles are used throughout. I thought of the most peaceful place that I spent my childhood, at my grandmother’s lake house on Green Lake, Minnesota and the sound I would hear in the distance … a loon. Hence the chorus, “Love is a boat on a lake, Just you and me and Nick Drake”.

“I’d like to dedicate this video to the actor that played the Riverman on the bus stop bench Vince Guarino who passed away August 5, 2014. “There are things behind the sun.”

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Enter to Win a Blu-ray for “Heavenly Sword”, based on Playstation video game series [ENDED]

To celebrate the release of the movie “Heavenly Sword”, based on the Playstation video game series, Media Mikes is excited to giveaway one (1) copy of the film on Blu-ray to our readers. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of this prize, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite character from the series. This giveaway will remain open until September 26th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to all of our Media Mikes readers worldwide. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Nariko’s clan has long protected the “Heavenly Sword,” a god’s blade of immense power that drains its wielder of their life force. A power-hungry ruler known as the evil King Bohan seeks to obtain the sword to gain its devastating power. As the impending apocalypse nears, it remains to be seen how long Nariko can resist the sword’s deadly curse.