NEW YORK (Top40 Charts/ Image Entertainment) - The second coming of MEGADETH's acclaimed traveling metal festival GIGANTOUR arrives on both DVD and CD April 22 via Image Entertainment-just ten days after GIGANTOUR's latest incarnation begins its North American invasion April 12 in Denver. Conceived in 2005 by MEGADETH frontman DAVE MUSTAINE, GIGANTOUR- proclaimed "the mother of all shred fests" by
Revolver magazine-resurrects metal's focus on stellar musicianship.
The GIGANTOUR 2 DVD and CD follow Image Entertainment's fall 2006 release of the debut GIGANTOUR CD and DVD which featured unforgettable performances by MEGADETH, Dream Theater, Fear Factory, Anthrax (CD only), Nevermore, Life of Agony, Symphony X, Dry Kill Logic and Bobaflex.
GIGANTOUR 2 features over an hour of blistering performances by iconic and influential heavy metal pioneers MEGADETH-who have sold more than 20 million albums worldwide in a career now spanning 25 years-along with Lamb of God, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Overkill, The Smashup, and Into Eternity. Recorded in DTS 5.1 surround sound, the DVD version also features a behind the scenes look at the 2006 tour, while both the DVD and CD offer a hidden bonus track-MEGADETH's ever-relevant "Peace Sells."
"Mr. Mustaine was one of speed-metal's originators, and his double-time riffs are propulsive," wrote Ben Ratliff of The New York Times in a review of the 2006 GIGANTOUR. "Bending over his guitar, long blond tresses hanging down, he gives his solos the direct feeling of wrestling with the music as he plays it, with some chaos and aggression."
"Megadeth might be counting its history in decades now, but one would never have gathered that from their career-spanning set," concurred Paul Andersen of the L.A. Daily News. "Mustaine and crew played with a passion and intensity that fed directly from the adoring crowd, and throughout their 90-minute set, no one sat, as this was a day-and night-that demanded movement."
The release of the GIGANTOUR 2 DVD and CD coincides with this year's Earth Day-perfect, really, since MUSTAINE has said, with a laugh, about GIGANTOUR's mission of emphasizing true musicianship and virtuosity: "I think that in a small way, we are cleaning up the environment of crappy bands."
Meanwhile, in February MEGADETH heads to Europe-where recently announced new guitarist CHRIS BRODERICK (Nevermore, Jag Panzer) will make his debut with the band alongside MUSTAINE, drummer SHAWN DROVER, and bassist JAMES LOMENZO-before returning for this year's GIGANTOUR.
The 29-date North American trek kicks off April 12 at The Fillmore in Denver and criss-crosses the U.S. and Canada until its May 22 finale at the Mesa Amphitheatre in Phoenix. Joining MEGADETH on this year's tour are Scandinavian death metal band In Flames, Finland's Children of Bodom, Arizona's modern extreme Job for a Cowboy, and Oakland, CA heavy power trio High on Fire.
