Category: 2020

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What Happened to The Thrash Metal Band Heathen? (Breaking The Silence)

heathen band 1987

Just the other day, I was wondering what happened to the San Fransisco thrash metal band Heathen. So after spinning a copy of Breaking The Silence, I decided to find out. It seemed that Heathen has being groomed for success. They were in the right place at the right time (in the Golden Era of thrash metal), they got on all the suitable tours, had big-name rock producers (Ronny Montrose) producing them, and even seemed to be getting a push from the record company?

Breaking The Silence Full Album

So what happened? Why did thrash metal success elude Heathen?

I was aware that the only two albums were Breaking the Silence (1987) and Victims of Deception (1991). Victims came out right as the thrash metal scene was wiped out by grunge, but Breaking the Silence had a small amount of airplay and even a video for the Sweet cover “Set Me Free” in rotation on Headbangers Ball.

During the “Breaking” heyday of the band, they were plagued with lineup changes, which led to the long period between their first two records. Guitarist (and absolute shedder) Lee Atlus was the only stable member during that time.

Victim Of Deception Full Album

In 2005 Lee Atlus replaced Rick Hunolt on guitar in Exodus, which he still plays with to this day.

Reunions 2009 / 2020

In 2009 the band reunited and released The Evolution Of Chaos. Heathen toured for a few months before again being hit with more lineup changes, which lead to further inactivity.

In 2020, Heathen reformed again and released Empire Of The Blind, though the band is skeptical about how much they will be able to tour to support the album due to the glut of bands wanting to get on the road after COVID.

I hope that brings your up to date!

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The Top 10 Most Expensive Metal CDs Of 2020 We’ve Encountered

top 10 metal cds most expensive

This list is compiled from CDs acquired while buying metal CD collections in the year 2020. It is by no means a comprehensive list of every metal CD out there; these are just ones we have first-hand experience with. The values we had assigned are based on what we have sold them for and are not an aggregate.

1. Urn ‎– 666 Megatons CD 2006 No Sign Of Life ‎– NSOL001

1. Urn ‎– 666 Megatons CD 2006 No Sign Of Life ‎– NSOL001

Urn ‎– 666 Megatons CD 2006 No Sign Of Life ‎– NSOL00 – the special edition from this Finish thrash/black metal band that includes the DVD is RARE. Urn was a cool proto-Black Metal sound similar to “Show NoMercy” era Slayer – the full edition, which includes a live DVD, is almost impossible to find and goes for north of 100 bucks on a regular basis.

Sold 10/1 $159.00

2. The Black ‎– The Priest Of Satan CD 1994 Necropolis Records ‎NR 003

2. The Black ‎– The Priest Of Satan CD 1994 Necropolis Records ‎NR 003

The Black ‎– The Priest Of Satan CD 1994 Necropolis Records ‎NR 003 – This CD has been re-issued several times, including more recently on Osmose Productions – if you can find the original on Necropolis Records, it can be worth a pretty penny.

Sold 9/11 $99.95

3. Swans ‎– Swans Are Dead CD 1998 Young God Records ‎– YG03

3. Swans ‎– Swans Are Dead CD 1998 Young God Records ‎– YG03

Swans ‎– Swans Are Dead CD 1998 Young God Records ‎– YG03 – Although The Swans are not technically a metal band, it is quite common to see their brand of gothic rock turning up in the collections we buy. The original pressing of their CDs is very hard to come by, and reissues aren’t that common either, making almost every CD in their catalog quite valuable.

Sold 8/8 – $79.95

4. Ingested – The Surreption CD 2012 Siege of Amida Records

4. Ingested - The Surreption CD 2012 Siege of Amida Records $99.95

Ingested – The Surreption CD 2012 Siege of Amida Records – I will be honest: when I first saw this one, I thought it might be a fluke, but upon some investigation, copies of those are really scarce and sell for north of $100 on Discogs on a monthly basis. It is also worth noting that Ingested sounds like a $99 per CD band; they play some ridiculously tight technical death metal and are one of my new favorites.

Sold 12/29 – $99.95

5. Xibalba – Ah Dzam Poop Ek CD 2005 Guttural Records ‎– CDGR002

5. Xibalba – Ah Dzam Poop Ek CD 2005 Guttural Records ‎– CDGR002

Xibalba – Ah Dzam Poop Ek CD 2005 Guttural Records ‎– CDGR002 Mexico – the original pricing from Mexico only lists eight tracks; there are later reissues, but if you can find the first one, it is quite valuable.

Sold 7/11 – $74.99

6. Baphomet – Death In The Beginning CD 2012 Sevared Records ‎– SR-216 $74.95

6. Baphomet – Death In The Beginning CD 2012 Sevared Records ‎– SR-216 $74.95

Baphomet – Death In The Beginning CD 2012 Sevared Records ‎– SR-216 – Includes the advance tape from 1990. Many songs were subsequently renamed, including the “Boiled in Blood” live 7″ as a bonus.

Sold 9/10 – $74.95

7. Devourment ‎– Molesting The Decapitated CD 1999 United Guttural UGR 005

7. Devourment ‎– Molesting The Decapitated CD 1999 United Guttural UGR 005

Devourment ‎– Molesting The Decapitated CD 1999 United Guttural UGR 005 – I was actually surprised that this one didn’t sell for more; this is the original version of this death metal classic from this brutal Texas-based outfit. Beware, there are many bootlegs floating around of this release.

Sold 8/9 $74.95

8. Suffocation – Effigy of the Forgotten/Pierced from Within CD 2003 Roadrunner

8. Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten/Pierced from Within CD 2003 Roadrunner

Suffocation – Effigy of the Forgotten/Pierced from Within 2x CD 2003 Roadrunner (2 From The Vault Series) – almost all of the CDs from Roadrunner’s discontinued “2 From The Vault” series fetch a pretty penny. Some other big ones to look for are Obituary and Exhorder.

Sold 7/7 – $74.95

9. Ancient Wisdom – For Snow Covered The Northland CD 1996 Avantgarde Music

9. Ancient Wisdom - For Snow Covered The Northland CD 1996 Avantgarde Music

Ancient Wisdom – For Snow Covered The Northland CD 1996 Avantgarde Music – This CD from an obscure but extremely talented Italian progressive black metal band is extremely hard to find, not to mention the music is amazing. These guys should’ve been much bigger!

Sold 6/6/ – $69.95

10. Amebix – No Sanctuary: The Spiderleg Recordings CD 2008 Revolver USA

10. Amebix - No Sanctuary: The Spiderleg Recordings CD 2008 Revolver USA

Amebix – No Sanctuary: The Spiderleg Recordings CD [Digipak] 2008 Revolver USA – Although this one might fall more into the crust punk genre, Ambix is still quite popular among the metal crown. This gym was in wider distribution on Alternative Tentacles, but if you can find the original, it’s worth quite a bit.

SOLD 11/11 $66.95

New update – see the 2021 and 2023 list of most expensive CDs here.

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CHUCK BILLY from TESTAMENT Tests Positive For Coronavirus

chuck-billy tests positive for cover 19

TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

The band said he received his test results on Saturday (March 21).

According to TESTAMENT, Billy had “been feeling unwell” since returning home to the San Francisco Bay Area last week following the completion of “The Bay Strikes Back 2020”European tour with EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL.

Billy, who didn’t reveal if he had any idea how he contracted the virus, says he has been quarantined since arriving home.

TESTAMENT‘s full statement reads as follows:

“As many of you already know, after returning from the ‘Bay Strikes Back’ over Europe Tour last week, some of us in TESTAMENT have been feeling unwell and have made the decision along with our Doctors to be tested for the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. As of yesterday morning, Chuck and [his wife] Tiffany Billy‘s tests have come back positive as well as some crew members.

“We wanted to reach out to everyone who has been supporting us and expressing concern to inform you that we are doing what’s right, and what’s safe, and have all been quarantining ourselves since our return home; since before we were even tested. We are of course concerned for our families, our friends, our crew, our fellow musicians, and our fans. We’ve reached out to support our fellow Bay Area Bands who are also being proactive in their own camps, staying quarantined and safe, and will speak on their individual situations if and when they are ready to.

“At this moment we are currently focused on staying safe and quarantined, resting, getting ourselves back to health, and of course, sending well wishes, prayers, and positive energy towards our friends who are also sick. We also want to send well wishes to all of our fans and supporters in this time of crisis. We’re taking all the necessary steps to stay safe at home and we ask our friends and fans to do the same. Please take care of each other, and stay healthy so we can continue to thrash in the not so distant future!”

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt revealed earlier in the week that he was exhibiting all the symptoms of COVID-19.

Holt said that he and his wife underwent coronavirus testing on Friday (March 20) but added that they will have to wait “seven to 10 days” for results.

DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll has been in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital since Wednesday (March 18) after being taken “very ill” following the completion of “The Bay Strikes Back 2020” trek.

TESTAMENT, EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL canceled at least two shows on “The Bay Strikes Back 2020” tour due to the fast-spreading outbreak of the new coronavirus: February 25 in Milan, Italy; and March 11 in Hannover, Germany.

More than 329,000 coronavirus cases have been reported worldwide and more than 24,000 deaths so far, putting public health systems and emergency services under immense pressure.

The fatality rate of the new coronavirus is believed to about 1 percent. “It’s about ten times more lethal than the seasonal flu,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes Of Allergy And Infectious Disease, said in congressional testimony on March 11.

U.S. officials have repeatedly urged Americans to heed what federal, state and local officials are asking of them in order to curtail the spread and dampen the impact of the virus on the population.

California recently estimated that more than half of the state — 25.5 million people — will get the new coronavirus over the next eight weeks.

A new CDC report has offered proof that younger adults are just as likely as anyone to contract the virus, with nearly 40 percent of COVID-19 cases found between the ages of 20 and 54.

“I think everyone should be paying attention to this,” Stephen Morse, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University, told The New York Times about the study. “It’s not just going to be the elderly. There will be people age 20 and up. They do have to be careful, even if they think that they’re young and healthy.”

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Dave Mustaine: “I’m 100% Cancer-Free”

MEGADETH BAND PHOTO

Dave Mustaine said he is “100 percent” cancer-free during Megadeth’s concert at the SSE Arena in London Friday, January 31st.
Halfway through the band’s set, Mustaine told the crowd about his throat cancer diagnosis last year as Megadeth was recording their new album. “At first, I thought, ‘Am I afraid?'” Mustaine recalled. “And then I said, ‘No. I’m fucking pissed.’ And we stopped the record, we stopped everything.”

Dave mustaine

Mustaine said he underwent 51 radiation treatments and nine chemotherapy treatments after his diagnosis, noting that he was determined to beat the disease so he could play music again. October 16th, he went to go see the doctor, and he said, ‘You’re 100 percent free of cancer.'”

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