Guitar Hero: Metallica
The new issue of Game Informer magazine, which has made its way to subscribers, has reportedly offered an exclusive first-look at the upcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica.
According to 1UP.com, the METALLICA-branded game follows the World Tour philosophy by allowing for full band play — drums, guitar, vocals, bass. In addition, the game will sport a new difficulty level for drummers — one that allows for use of double kick pedals — along with new METALLICA tones for the included GHTunes music creator. Also — like Guitar Hero: Aerosmith before it — this game's roughly 45-song tracklist will be comprised of more than just METALLICA songs, including other bands that have been influential throughout the metal group's nearly 30-year history.
Rumored Guitar Hero: Metallica tracks:
Songs by METALLICA:
* "Enter Sandman"
* "For Whom The Bell Tolls"
* "Fuel"
* "Hit The Lights"
* "King Nothing"
* "Master of Puppets"
* "No Leaf Clover"
* "Nothing Else Matters"
* "Sad But True"
* "The Unforgiven"
* "Where I May Roam"
Songs by other artists:
* "No Excuses" by ALICE IN CHAINS
* "Turn The Page" by BOB SEGER
* "Hell Bent For Leather" by JUDAS PRIEST
* "Demon Cleaner" by KYUSS
* "Tuesdays Gone" by LYNYRD SKYNYRD
* "Blood and Thunder" by MASTODON
* "Armed and Ready" by MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP
* "Mother of Mercy" by SAMHAIN
* "Black River" by THE SWORD
* Additional songs from FOO FIGHTERS, QUEEN and SLAYER
Other highlights include METALLICA- and SLAYER-inspired audio samples for custom songs in GHTunes, a new freestyle drum mode, and DVD-style special features like tour footage and photos. Also, for the crazies who find Expert too easy, the implementation of an Expert Plus mode for drums is incoming, which will allow players to take advantage of an additional bass pedal. At long last, we can finally take advantage of double-base songs.
Guitar Hero: Metallica, which was first revealed via an Activision earnings report in June, will be the second band-based game in the Guitar Hero series. The first, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, was released this past June for the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3.
METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich is a huge proponent of music-based video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band and plays both with his kids. "It works on a couple of fronts," he said. "It works on the front of sharing the experiences with your kids. It works on exposing your kids to music. And it also helps Dad a little bit, because all of a sudden Dad's in the video game, and that helps balance the perception of Dad when Dad spends a lot of time talking about doing homework and eating vegetables and all this other stuff, you know what I mean?"
When it came time for METALLICA to partner with one of the games, Ulrich told The Pulse of Radio why the band went with Guitar Hero. "We had to make a decision, and it was one or the other, and we felt that Guitar Hero were more suited for what we were looking for," he said. "They were ready to step up on a number of fronts and it's been great."
All the songs on METALLICA's new album, "Death Magnetic", are downloadable for the new Guitar Hero: World Tour, which arrived in stores on October 26. METALLICA also created a special "extended" version of a "Death Magnetic" track called "Suicide and Redemption" for playing on Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.
ALICE IN CHAINS STUDIO UPDATE:
The sixth in a series of video clips featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for the new ALICE IN CHAINS album can be viewed below.
Jerry Cantrell (vocals, lead guitar), Mike Inez (bass), Sean Kinney (drums) and William DuVall (vocals, guitar) are hunkered down in a Los Angeles studio crafting their latest opus. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH, STONE SOUR, TRIVIUM, SHADOWS FALL, DEATH ANGEL), the album promises to be a sonic journey guided by eerily psychedelic solos, and unforgettable riffs.
ALICE IN CHAINS' manager, David Benveniste (Beno) of Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group, previously stated, "Our collective vision is to extend ALICE IN CHAINS into phase two of their career worldwide. They have tremendous heritage, having sold some 15 million records, and an amazing repertoire of new material that they've written. Most importantly, ALICE IN CHAINS will be on the road in 2009 bringing new music to fans everywhere."
The new disc will mark the recording debut with ALICE IN CHAINS of frontman William DuVall, who has been singing with the group since they officially reunited in 2006. Original vocalist Layne Staley died in April 2002.
ALICE IN CHAINS will kick off 2009 with a main-stage slot on Australia's Soundwave Festival (February 21 - March 1) alongside such acts as NINE INCH NAILS, LAMB OF GOD, ALKALINE TRIO, THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS and more.
ALICE IN CHAINS has mostly stayed off the road since last year, but played at a radio station festival in Peoria, Arizona on September 20.
Week 6 Update
