Emerging from the caustic burrows of Chicago comes the monolith of metal known as LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR, a sonic "fuck you" to the current trends and sub-genres of metal who carry the torch of metal's roots (CELTIC FROST, SLAYER, MOTÖRHEAD) with a death breath of fresh air, and spitting gas on the flames.
The Greek mythology-inspired carnage continues on LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR's upcoming fourth full-length, "Evil Power". The CD and digital download will be released on April 13, 2010 on The Grind-House Records, an independent record label started by Steve Rathbone, Chris Wozniak (both from LOTM) and Josh Diebel (former head of Alleysweeper Records). The record will be distributed by Southern Lord Records, who have released the band's previous three albums on CD and vinyl, two EPs and DVD.
"Evil Power" lays all in its path to waste with an approach as heavy as the Kraken, while showing off the band's heavy rock and punk influences. A deluxe LP version will be released in late summer 2010, featuring a bonus track not available on CD or digital download.
"Evil Power" track listing:
01. Attack the Gods 02. Let's Kill These Motherfuckers 03. Riders of Skullhammer, We Ride the Night 04. Evil Power 05. Goatstorm 06. Hunt and Devour 07. Metal Titans 08. Blood From the Witch's Vein 09. We Are Hades 10. Death March of the Conquerors 11. The Violent Iron Age of Man
Check out the track "We Are Hades" at the band's MySpace page.
"Evil Power" was recorded in the dead of winter in Chicago at Semaphore Studios by Sanford Parker, and mastered by Scott Hull. Rathbone states, "If 'War Metal Battle Master' was the war, 'Evil Power' is the party after a bloody victory."
The album features new bassist, Nate Olp (vocalist/bassist of DEMIRICOUS) and guest backing vocals by General Diabolical Slaughter (USURPER), bringing mucho mayhem to the fold.
A new video for the title track, "Evil Power", will be released with the album. Rathbone warns, "There will be blood! This video is unrelentingly brutal." Directed by Ryan Oliver, the special-effects master behind the "War Metal Battle Master" clip and head of Chicago-based Deathblow Productions, the video's horror theme graphically details the torment of some unlucky virgins, sacrificed to the mighty MINOTAUR. An uncut version will be available on the web (also in HD), and a TV edit will be shown on MTV2's "Headbangers Ball", Fuse and On Demand.
Coinciding with the release, the band is headlining a U.S. tour through the Midwest and East Coast in April:
April 16 - Melody Inn - Indianapolis, IN April 17 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH April 19 - M Room - Philadelphia, PA April 20 - Sonar - Baltimore, MD April 21 - The Charleston - Brooklyn, NY April 22 - Velvet Lounge - Washington DC April 23 - Broadway Joe's - Buffalo, NY April 24 - The Summit - Columbus, OH
Ohio's WOE OF TYRANTS will release its third album, "Threnody", on April 13 via Metal Blade Records. According to a press release from the label, "This time around, the guys have seriously turned up the shred-knob and churned out some of the most exciting songs we've heard swirling around the Metal Blade offices in quite some time. On this record, you'll find equal parts speed, groove and over-the-top guitar soloing. Headbanging will be mandatory."
Commented vocalist Chris Catanzaro: "We have a brand-baby-spankin'-new record that we finished recording at the end of 2009 with Jamie King producing, and to embrace the cliché, 'This is the most epic brutal stuff we've ever done and we're stoked on it!'
"For those of us who do not know what [the] word ['threnody'] means right off hand (I had to look it up as I was reading a passage from Ralph Waldo Emerson long ago), a threnody is a song or hymn inspired by the grief of losing someone you love.
"The album tells a story of a non-specific individual traveling between planets searching for answers, while paralleling Satan's fall from grace to damnation at the same time.
"We all experience a change at some point as we travel through life, albeit not of the same magnitude as Lucifer, that will render us either content, or disgusted. When disgust is the feeling, then we begin to miss our former self as if they were an entirely different person.
"I'd like to be clear that I'm not referring specifically to Christians, or Muslims, or Amish or whatever else the kids are doing these days. 'Threnody', as we are using it, is a story of grief over losing oneself.
"This album will surprise those familiar with our band, and hopefully surpass any preconceived notions of those who are listening to us for the first time.
"If you have expectations for this record to sound like our last two albums, it doesn't. Well, a little like the others, as we still prefer playing leads over doing breakdowns, and we still wish we were WINTERSUN or DECAPITATED. But, for the most part, this record is new territory for us and we are excited to unleash it."
"Threnody" track listing:
01. Tetelestai 02. Creatures Of The Mire 03. Venom Eye 04. Tempting The Wretch 05. Threnody 06. Bloodsmear 07. The Venus Orbit 08. Lightning Over Atlantis 09. Singing The Surrender 10. Descendit Ad Inferos (The Harrowing Of Hell)
WOE OF TYRANTS will support OVERKILL on the band's 25th anniversary North American tour, dubbed Killfest 2010, in April/May 2010. The trek will span the length of the U.S., hitting spots in Canada, with one final show at New York City's Nokia Theater. Additional support on the tour will come from VADER, GOD DETHRONED, WARBRINGER and EVILE.
WOE OF TYRANTS' second album, "Kingdom Of Might", was released in January 2009 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was engineered in its entirety by Joey Sturgis of Foundation Studios (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, GWEN STACY, BROTHER VON DOOM).
Multinational melodic metallers EDEN'S CURSE will film/record their first live DVD and album in the USA in May.
The band was approached by MelodicRock.com owner Andrew McNeice to appear at his Melodic Rock Fest 2 concert event, which is scheduled to take place at The Roadhouse in Elgin, Illinois, within minutes of downtown Chicago on the weekend of April 30 to May 2, 2010.
"MelodicRock.com wanted diversity with this lineup and he shall have it," says Michael Eden, the band's singer. He adds "When Andrew requested the CURSE, we just couldn't say no! The wheels will be greased and the band will be firing on all cylinders. This should make an interesting few days sharing the stage with Y&T, WINGER, DANGER DANGER, JIMI JAMISON (SURVIVOR), CROWN OF THORNS, ALIAS and, of course, one-time JOURNEY vocalist Jeff Scott Soto's new band W.E.T., among many others. The CURSE has wanted to play in America for quite some time and now we will do that along with capturing it live in a city I've played many times in the last twenty-plus years."
EDEN'S CURSE is also nearing completion of the writing phase for its third album, to be titled "Trinity", which will be recorded in the spring with the band's longtime producer Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69, ANGRA, KROKUS) once again at the helm. "Trinity" will mark the band's recording debut with new keyboard player Alessandro Del Vecchio (GLENN HUGHES, IAN PAICE, MOONSTONE PROJECT, EDGE OF FOREVER). A fall 2010 release is planned, with full promotion to follow.
"Dance (Before The Night Is Over)", the new video from ROCK, the Finnish band featuring members of TWILIGHTNING, LULLACRY and MALPRACTICE, can be viewed below. This track was apparently the first song ever composed by the project. The clip was directed by Richard Iljevich Gunnand was shot on the road and live in June 2009 at the Jagger club in St. Petersburg, Russia.
ROCK recently completed work on its debut album and "we could not be more satisfied with the results," says the band.
The group is currently searching for suitable record label to release the CD, which is expected this spring.
According to the band's official bio, ROCK is "a mix of music played by the evil big brothers of THE RASMUS or when MÖTLEY CRUE plays BACKSTREET BOYS. . . They are not just rock, but a touch of metal, pop and even elements of dance music."
ROCK is:
Heikki Pöyhiä (TWILIGHTNING) - Vocals Sami Vauhkonen (LULLACRY) - Guitar Anssi Kippo (producer for CHILDREN OF BODOM, NORTHER) - Bass Toni Paananen (MALPRACTICE, REVERSION) - Drums
Vocalist Randy Blythe of Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD recently spoke to Rick Florino of Bloody-Disgusting.com about his favorite horror movies.
Blythe's Top 5 favorite horror films:
01. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 02. Children of the Corn 03. The Blair Witch Project 04. The Devil's Rejects 05. Ringu
To read Blythe's comments on each one of his selections, go to this location.
LAMB OF GOD is planning on filming its upcoming shows for a tour documentary, presumably to be included with the band's next DVD release.
"We are out on tour until October, and we will go to crazy places," LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler told AOL's Noisecreep. "Since we started touring for this cycle in December 2008, we've basically gone around the world twice, and in this next year we will again — to China, Russia, South America. We've done DVDs in the past, with concerts and behind the scenes. This time, we will bring a film crew on these runs with us, since we will be in such bizarre places like Singapore, where they don't even sell our records, but 10,000 kids will still show up. We want to document this music and how what we do crosses the language and commerce barriers. Hopefully, we will find some trouble along, and if someone gets in jail, it won't be too much trouble to get him out. It'll probably be Randy!"
Having recently wrapped up U.S. their tour with METALLICA, LAMB OF GOD received a second Grammy Award nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category — for the track "Set to Fail" from their latest album, "Wrath", which came out last year on Epic Records.
LAMB OF GOD was previously nominated in the "Best Metal Performance" category for the song "Redneck" from the band's 2006 album "Sacrament".
"Wrath" landed at position No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart back in February 2009 with first-week sales of over 67,000 copies.
Swedish glam-rock band CRASHDIET performed its brand new single, "Generation Wild", at this year's edition of the Rest In Sleaze festival, which took place this past Saturday night (February 6) at Fryshuset in Stockholm, Sweden. CRASHDIET also played its debut album, "Rest in Sleaze", in its entirety at the event, which was launched in 2007 as a tribute to former CRASHDIET singer David Hellman (a.k.a. Dave Lepard).
Watch fan-filmed video footage of the performance below.
Hellman was found dead on January 20, 2006 at his apartment in the Swedish city of Uppsala, north of Stockholm. It was reported in several places that he hanged himself, although this was never officially confirmed.
"Rest in Sleaze" entered the Swedish national album chart at position No. 12 back in 2005.
For more information on Dave's passing, click here.
More details on the Rest In Sleaze festival can be found at this location.
The "Generation Wild" single premiered on January 29 on Sweden's Bandit Rock radio.
The single will be released exclusively with Sweden Rock magazine in the last week of February. If you're a subscriber of the magazine, you are guaranteed a copy!
CRASHDIET's new album, also entitled "Generation Wild", will be released through Gain/Sony Music on April 14. The 10-song CD was helmed by RamPac, the production and songwriting team formed by Johan Ramström and Patrik Magnusson, in Gröndal, Sweden and was mixed by Tobias Lindell.
"Generation Wild" track listing:
01. Armageddon 02. So Alive 03. Generation Wild 04. Rebel 05. Save Her 06. Down With The Dust 07. Native Nature 08. Chemical 09. Bound To Fall 10. Beautiful Pain
Commented the band: "We are extremely satisfied with this album. After writing over 50 songs, we have chosen the 10 absolute finest for the album. Now we're ready to tour the world!"
CRASHDIET last year announced the addition of Simon "Simme" Cruz from the Stockholm act JAILBAIT as the group's new lead singer.
The band parted ways with its last vocalist, the Finland-based H. Olliver Twisted, in July 2008.
CRASHDIET's sophomore album, "The Unattractive Revolution", entered the Swedish chart at position No. 11 back in October 2007. The CD was mixed in the United States by Kevin Churko.
"The Unattractive Revolution" featured a guest appearance on two tracks by MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars, who flew into Stockholm, Sweden in June 2007 to help CRASHDIET write some of the material.
The AskOurMusicians.com team stopped by the Ludwig booth at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show in Anaheim, California and caught Bobby Rondinelli (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH) rippin' a drum solo with the help of the Ludwig team. Watch the footage below.
Bobby started playing drums when he was 11 years old. He joined a band called THE WANDERS at 13 and they played school dances and fraternity parties. Later in his teens, Bobby and his brother Teddy started their first band TUSK. "I was in a band called SAMANTHA when Ritchie Blackmore asked me to join RAINBOW," he said.
Rondinelli, who is currently with THE LIZARDS, is one of the most noted drummers in the industry today. He is a drummer's drummer, whose resume includes RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, DORO, QUIET RIOT, THE LIZARDS, SCORPIONS, SUN RED SUN, RONDINELLI, RIOT, PYRAMID, THE SIGN, ZEBRA and DANIEL WENTWORTH.
In addition to critically acclaimed solo projects, Bobby has recorded with the SCORPIONS on their multi-platinum "Love At First Sting" LP and toured with AEROSMITH and ZEBRA when their drummers were ill.
Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke is recovering at home from injuries he sustained in a hit-and-run accident on his motorcycle on January 10. He suffered three broken bones in his left foot/ankle and a broken bone in his right foot. He had his second surgery last week during which "they put in a rod, plate and lots of screws," he writes on his blog. He adds, "Everything is healing well; it's a good thing I was healthy going in. I had my check up on Friday [February 5] and they took off my cast and removed the staples. In a month I can start trying to walk. Once again, all the support from my friends has made the bad days good."
Former MTV "Headbangers Ball" host Riki Rachtman posted a message on Twitter last month asking people to contact him if they know anything about the accident.
According to Riki, the incident occurred at around 5 p.m. PT when Clarke was making his way through Sherman Oaks, California. "He was riding south on Woodman and at the intersection of Moorpark, some idiot turned left right in front of him," Rachtman explained. "Gilby hit the passenger side of the vehicle. The driver took off."
He added, "Here is what we know so far. [The vehicle was a pickup] truck, light color tan perhaps silver. There was a male driver and possibly a female passenger [who] could be Hispanic, but not sure. The truck looked fairly new and has damage on the passenger side."
Greek metallers NIGHTFALL have reformed and have commenced work on a brand new studio album, "Astron Black and the Thirty Tyrants", tentatively due later in the year via an as-yet-undisclosed record label. Joining frontman and lyricist Efthimis Karadimas in the band's new lineup are Evan Hensley on guitar, Stathis Kassios on keyboards and Jörg Uken on drums. According to a press release, "these four tyrants are currently in the process of inking a record deal to spread their message through the universe."
NIGHTFALL's seventh full-length album, "Lyssa: Rural Gods and Astonishing Punishments" was released in 2005 through Black Lotus Records.
MORTEMIA, the new project led by Norwegian gothic metal icon Morten Veland (TRISTANIA, SIRENIA), will release its debut album, "Misere Mortem", on February 26 via Napalm Records. Another song from the CD, "The New Desire", is now available for streaming on the new band's MySpace page.
"Misere Mortem" track listing:
01. The One I Once Was 02. The Pain Infernal And The Fall Eternal 03. The Eye Of The Storm 04. The Malice Of Life's Cruel Ways 05. The Wheel Of Fire 06. The Chains That Wield My Mind 07. The New Desire 08. The Vile Bringer Of Self Destructive Thoughts 09. The Candle At The Tunnel's End
According to a press release, "MORTEMIA's musical concept is based on a balanced mixture of metal and classical music. The album is filled with bombastic songs where the classical orchestrations are perfectly blended with the massive and powerful basis of a metal band. The guitar work is probably more dominating here than in any of [Morten's] previous projects. MORTEMIA bursts of powerful guitar riffs accompanied by melodic leads and solos.
"The vocal concept in MORTEMIA is based on an interaction between Morten's extreme vocals and the dramatic choirs. The interaction between the vocals adds diversity and dynamics to the songs.
"Morten decided to leave out the female lead vocals in this project to make it sound different to his other bands, but he also wanted MORTEMIA to stand out from the huge amount of female-fronted gothic bands out there these days.
"MORTEMIA's debut album is a new start for Morten in many ways. It's his first album where he is credited as the sole producer, in addition to also engineering and mixing the album on his own.
"The recording sessions and the mixing took place in Morten's own Audio Avenue Studios in Stavanger, Norway. The additional recordings of choirs were tracked in Sound Suite Studios in France. Morten performed and programmed every instrument on the album. The only additional contribution he got from the outside was that of a French choir."
A light-hearted instructional video on the art of grind drumming has been released by Richard Hoak (BRUTAL TRUTH, TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION) and can be viewed below. The clip was directed by noted surf-and-skate filmmaker Tyson Montrucchio, who has previously worked on music videos for BRUTAL TRUTH, CATTLE DECAPITATION, GOD FORBID, LAMB OF GOD, 16, and more.
Hoak's avant-grindcore band TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION is currently hard at work on the follow-up to 2008's "Peace, Love, and Total Fucking Destruction" and is preparing to decimate Baltimore as part of this year's Maryland Deathfest in May.
BRUTAL TRUTH released the "Evolution In One Take: For Grindfreaks Only! Volume 2" CD on December 22 via Relapse Records.
"Evolution In One Take…" is an audio recording of the band playing its most recent album, "Evolution Through Revolution", from beginning to end in one live take at Mark It Zero studios with engineer Dan O'Hare.
"Evolution In One Take…" comes with a limited-edition patch and is strictly limited to 2,000 copies worldwide. Additional release details can be found here.
"Evolution Through Revolution", the first full-length album in 10 years from BRUTAL TRUTH, sold around 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD debuted at No. 65 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
BRUTAL TRUTH released its first-ever DVD, "For the Ugly and Unwanted - This is Grindcore", in Europe on June 22, 2009 via Season of Mist (June 2 in the U.S.). The disc contains a full show shot with five cameras at the Obscene Extreme Festival 2007 in Czech Republic and four more full shows from the "Sounds of the Animal Kindgom" tour as extras.
Oakland, California-based power trio HIGH ON FIRE has premiered the eight-minute title track from its forthcoming album, "Snakes for the Divine", via SPIN.com. The song sees the band at the peak of its powers, injecting a progressive mien into its steamroller sound while guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike conjures symbols describing "venomous reptiles, night goats, ancient crimes and endless time."
When asked for comment on "Snakes for the Divine", Pike described the song as "A tale of the atmospheric union of alien crossbreeding with man's DNA and the creation of all Earth's religion by the reptilian agenda." He continued, "It will also kick your ass!"
HIGH ON FIRE has announced a spring U.S. headlining tour. The three-week trek will launch on March 31 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and will include support from PRIESTESS, BLACK COBRA and BISON B.C.
The dates are as follows:
Mar. 31 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club Apr. 01 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon Apr. 02 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall Apr. 03 - Columbus, OH - Skully's Music Diner Apr. 05 - Morgantown, WV - 123 Pleasant St Apr. 06 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church Apr. 07 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East Apr. 08 - Milford, CT - Daniel St Apr. 09 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater Apr. 11 - Washington, DC - Black Cat Apr. 13 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall Apr. 14 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade Apr. 15 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jack’s Apr. 16 - Houston, TX - Walter’s on Washington Apr. 17 - Austin, TX - Emo's Apr. 18 - Dallas, TX - The Loft Apr. 20 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theater Apr. 22 - Tempe, AZ - Club House Apr. 23 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre Apr. 24 - Costa Mesa, CA - Detroit Bar Apr. 25 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
"Snakes for the Divine" will be released on February 23 via E1 Music. The follow-up to 2007's "Death is This Communion" was recorded at The Pass Studios in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman and is described in a press release as "HIGH ON FIRE's magnum opus, capturing every nuance of the legendary band's ongoing musical progression and evolution into one of heavy music's all-time greats. Sharper, faster and darker than anything the group has ever recorded, 'Snakes for the Divine' is an unrelenting tour de force, showcasing cult guitar hero Matt Pike's utterly unique and inventive musicianship and the band's epic, thundering sound. Premium production by Fidelman — the man who produced SLAYER's 'World Painted Blood' and is mixing the upcoming METALLICA live album — boosts HIGH ON FIRE's strength and power while blackened lyrical tales of ancient wars, frozen planets and doomed societies emerge from Pike's bellowing barks and throaty war cries. From the moment the leviathan-like title track explodes to kick off the album, it is immediately evident that HIGH ON FIRE is determined to push modern heavy metal into new and uncharted realms."
"Snakes for the Divine" can be pre-ordered at iTunes now. The pre-order version will include two bonus tracks; a live version of "Blood from Zion" (a song from the band’s 2000 release, "The Art of Self Defense") recorded at the 2009 Bonnaroo music festival as well as a demo version of the new track "Fire, Flood & Plague". The new album will also be a part of Best Buy's "Find 'Em First" program and will be a specially priced at $7.99 for a limited time. The version will exclusively feature three extra bonus tracks, including the new song "Mystery of Helm" plus live versions of the HIGH ON FIRE favorites "Eyes and Teeth" and "Cometh Down Hessian".
"Snakes for the Divine" track listing:
01. Snakes for the Divine 02. Frost Hammer 03. Bastard Samurai 04. Ghost Neck 05. Fire, Flood & Plague 06. How Dark We Pray 07. Holy Flames of the Fire Spitter 08. Mystery of Helm
The "Snakes for the Divine" album artwork, which can be viewed below, was brought to life by longtime HIGH ON FIRE cover artist Arik Moonhawk Roper.
The sound engineer for Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA has posted the second in a series of weekly behind-the-scenes video clips from the band's current North American tour. Watch them below.
Keyboardist Coen Janssen was forced to sit out EPICA's current North American headlining tour because of "personal reasons." He was replaced by Simone's boyfriend Oliver Palotai (KAMELOT, SONS OF SEASONS, DORO).
EPICA's latest album, "Design Your Universe", landed at position No. 12 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash has contributed a guitar solo to the forthcoming solo album from ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy. "As always, he knocked it out of the park!" Myles states. "They don't call him one of the best guitarists of all time for nothing."
Slash recently announced via his MySpace page that he has tapped Kennedy as the lead singer for his upcoming solo tour, which will take place this spring following the release of Slash's self-titled solo debut. Slash wrote, "Myles sang a killer track on the record and I think he is by far one of the best rock and roll singers out there today. I'm really honored and proud to be working with him. I will announce the other band members shortly."
Slash's solo album is due out on April 6 and features a guest vocalist on every track, including Ozzy Osbourne, M. Shadows, Kid Rock, Chris Cornell, Dave Grohl, Fergie and others in addition to Kennedy.
Kennedy was the frontrunner to sing with a possible LED ZEPPELIN offshoot band in 2008, although that project ultimately never got off the ground. ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti told The Pulse of Radio that he's not surprised that other artists are interested in working with Kennedy. "There's been a few people on his tail, you know, which makes me think that we made the, definitely the right decision on Myles in the first place," he said. "I think he's one of the most talented guys I've ever known."
Slash, meanwhile, added that the routing of his solo tour is underway, adding, "I want all my fans to follow me on Twitter and tell me what city/country they're from and to tell all their friends and family in that city/country, who are fans, to do the same. I want to get a really good idea on where my fans are, even the obvious major cities and focus the tour around that."
The former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist played a benefit to raise money for victims of the Haitian earthquake on Thursday night (February 4) in Los Angeles.
According to DIRTY LOOKS' official European web site, the band's bassist, Gregory Pianka, was killed in a bar stabbing on February 5.
Pianka joined DIRTY LOOKS in 2009 and was working on the group's upcoming CD, "I.C.U."
Millcreek police charged Joseph Lumsden Jr., 64, with criminal homicide and a number of other offenses, according to GoErie.com. Lumsden was arraigned before District Judge Paul Manzi, of Millcreek Township, and taken to the Erie County Prison, where he is being held without bail.
Police said Lumsden stabbed Gregory Pianka, 35, at the Hi & Dri Pub, 3077 West Ridge Road, at about 11:40 p.m. Friday. Pianka was taken to Hamot Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Toronto's WARMACHINE will support W.A.S.P. on the following dates:
March 04 - Lincolnshire, IL - The Cubby Bear March 05 - Columbus, OH - Alrosa Villa March 06 - Detroit, MI - Harpos March 07 - Middleton, WI - Scatz Nightclub March 09 - Foxboro, MA - Showcase Live March 10 - Wantagh, NY - Mulcahys March 11 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater March 12 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom March 14 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance March 15 - Allentown, PA - Crocodile Rock
WARMACHINE recently completed work on its new album, "Left For Dead", for a 2010 release. The CD was once again produced by Murray Daigle and was recorded in Canada.
The track listing is as follows:
01. Moving On 02. We're The Chemical 03. Chalk Lines and Bones 04. Alive 05. Fallacy 06. Too Late 07. Inevitable Crash 08. Loved and Lost 09. Forgive and Forget You 10. Left for Dead 11. A New Beginning
Several of the songs are now available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.
WARMACHINE's "Raw in the Hammer" DVD contains footage from the band's January 20, 2007 concert at The Underground in Hamilton, a documentary on the band's history, behind-the-scenes footage and more.
WARMACHINE's debut album, "The Beginning of the End", was released in 2006 in North America via Nightmare Records.
"The Beginning of the End" features a guest appearance on three tracks ("Betrayed", "Empty" and "Taunted Souls") by MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson.
A sneak peek video of the making of SEVENDUST's new album, "Cold Day Memory", can be viewed below.
SEVENDUST's new song "Forever Dead" is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The track comes off "Cold Day Memory", which is scheduled for release in the spring.
"Cold Day Memory" track listing:
01. Splinter 02. Forever Dead 03. Unraveling 04. Last Breath 05. Karma 06. Ride Insane 07. Confessions (Without Faith) 08. Nowhere 09. Here And Now 10. The End Is Coming 11. Better Place 12. Strong Arm Broken
"Cold Day Memory" was recorded at Groovemaster Studios in Chicago, Illinois with producer Johnny K (DISTURBED, STAIND, MACHINE HEAD).
Prior to hooking up with Johnny K for the new album recording sessions, SEVENDUST spent time writing and recording demos with Corey Lowery (former member of DARK NEW DAY, STEREOMUD and STUCK MOJO and brother of SEVENDUST guitarist Clint Lowery) engineering.
SEVENDUST released a very limited-edition box set in November 2008 entitled "Packaged Goods". Each five-disc set was personally autographed by the entire band. The box set included SEVENDUST's 2005 release "Next", 2007's "Alpha", 2007's "Retrospective 2" (CD + DVD), and 2008's "Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow".
SEVENDUST's last album, "Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow" (7Bros/Asylum), came out in April 2008. The CD sold 25,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release to land at position No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart.
Jarrod Dicker of Stay Thirsty recently conducted an interview with legendary BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Stay Thirsty: What are you currently involved in musically? Does the Bill Ward band still participate in the modern music scene?
Bill Ward: Oh, yeah! This year [2009] I've worked non-stop. I'm in the process of finishing up three albums, which are ALL my albums. When I write songs, I usually write everything (tracks), so I compose in guitar, bass, keyboards, melody arrangements, the vocals…just everything really. So I'm really active inside my own music…
Stay Thirsty: And I'm assuming drums as well?
Bill Ward: And drums of course [laughs], forgot all about the drums. But that's what I've been doing throughout the year and I'm hoping to bring out three fresh albums in 2010. The first one hopefully in the spring, then one in the summer and then trying to get one towards the end of October, right before Halloween. So that's what I'm doing right now. Well I go back into the studio on Tuesday, making sure the tracks are ready for 2010. I'm always busy.
Stay Thirsty: On these upcoming albums, are you the sole musician or do you have a group accompanying you on the tracks?
Bill Ward: When I say I write, I write the parts and so forth, but I have other players that play the music. On the newest work, that's coming out in the spring, Keith Lynch (Bill Ward band veteran) is playing guitar. Paul Ill is playing some bass and then I have a couple of other guys that will play bass as well. Paul's also from early years of the Bill Ward band. And then I have my own drummer, Ronnie Ciago, who's playing on several tracks. I'm playing drums on several tracks too, so it's pretty much a band album if you'd like. There are some guests coming onto the following two albums after the spring one, but it's all under wraps right now [laughs]. They're rock and rollers, man… so they agreed to do it but now let's get them all together in a room and nail it!
Stay Thirsty: Currently, how is your relationship with BLACK SABBATH alumni Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi?
Bill Ward: My relationship with Ozzy is brilliant. I am picking Ozzy first because I speak with him the most often. I talked to Oz a couple days ago. We speak once or twice a week, so we're always in contact with each other. My relationship with Tony is very good at the moment. I spoke with him last week as well. And Geezer never talks on the telephone so I e-mailed Geez, I don't know, just a few weeks ago. I'm in constant contact with all of them, pretty much.
Stay Thirsty: Do you still hold a relationship with Ronnie James Dio? Recent news revealed that he is battling cancer…
Bill Ward: Oh shit yea. For quite a while we did the whole "Heaven and Hell" album together, so I felt like I spent a lot of time with him. We wrote together and played together and did some of the business things together. I also spent a lot of social time with him and his family as well.
Stay Thirsty: In 1979, SABBATH made the decision to fire Ozzy claiming pressure from the record label and various other complications and frustrations. It was you who was chosen to break the news to Ozzy. Why so?
Bill Ward: I just thought that it would be easier if I just did it. I've been in that position before with other musicians; I just felt that I ought to do it. It just felt like the right thing to do at the time. It was a very difficult and depressing time for all of us. I felt it was the right thing to do, for me to talk to Oz. We were close. I volunteered myself.
Stay Thirsty: You left (fired) BLACK SABBATH one year after Ozzy's dismissal. How difficult of a time was this for you; 1) the separation from Ozzy and 2) your constant battle with addiction?
Bill Ward: Yes, it was a very difficult time. I was indeed feeling the loss of not having Ozzy in the band. I also had something happen to me, which had nothing to do with Ronnie or BLACK SABBATH or anything. I'm an alcoholic and a drug addict and my addiction was running rampant with me. I was losing all "control." I thought I had control of it and I did not. I was completely hit so hard with everything that I was unable to function properly. So I reached a point where I put the alcohol and the narcotics before the band and that had never happened before in my life (1980). This is something that I am not proud of, but it is something that happened to me. It actually became more important for me to drink and get high than to perform on stage. That's changed a lot since; my priorities are the right way round again. But back in 1980 it was very bad…very, very bad.
Stay Thirsty: As previously mentioned by other music critics and historians, the drumming style you use doubles the bass and guitar riffs played by accompanying band members. How did you step into this method? Who inspired you to play this particular way?
Bill Ward: As far as drummers are concerned, when I was a child growing up I was really attracted to artists like Gene Kupra and Louis Bellson and Buddy Rich; a lot of the drummers that played in the popular big bands of the '40s. I would listen to their records. My mother and father listened to them because the GIs in World War II had brought that music over with them. So my mother and father became real quick fans of American music. When I was growing up in the early '50s, four or five years old, I listened to these bands and thought it was great. It was pretty much all we had, except for the early rock and roll like THE PLATTERS and a few other bands that were still doing the "crooner"-type ballads.
Stay Thirsty: This is a question I like to ask older, more established musicians: Now that we are in the digital age of mp3's and music piracy, it seems that the concept and idea around a record has vanished. Fans prefer to buy singles rather than listen to the entire piece of work. What are your particular feelings on this matter?
Bill Ward: I have some feelings about it. If I say anything, I must preface it by saying that we [SABBATH] were all brought up in the age of the '60s at a time when how you made a record was that you would release it out and people actually bought it. [laughs] So it's very different today. It can be a little bit frustrating. I think it's a shame that we get bootlegged so much, we were always bootlegged anyway, but now people are just grabbing a copy downloading it and not thinking twice about it. It's just difficult for me to be supportive of that. I mean, it's always been music first and money somewhere down the line. But now, it's really tough to actually make a living in this business.
Stay Thirsty: As I said before, we are in a more digital age. Do you think that music piracy and "ripping off" musicians is a product of the times?
Bill Ward: Now it's this ruthless dog-bite-dog world, but it was definitely like that before the whole "age" you speak of. The '60s and the '70s had their assholes as well. What really pisses me off isn't what necessarily is happening with me, but what is happening with younger bands. They're some great musicians who need to be cut a break, man, and someone needs to invest some time in them. The only ones that invest time in them, what once was enormous record companies, are falling like broken giants now. I see a lot of the casualties coming out of it. It's a shame, there's a lot of people in the industry who I wish weren't in the industry because they don't know anything about the industry or music or anything. You asked me a question there, and a little long and drawn out answer but there it is…
Canada's hardcore/metal band CANCER BATS has posted a brand new track titled "Scared To Death" on the group's MySpace page. The song is taken from CANCER BATS's forthcoming album, "Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones", which will be released in the United States and Canada on April 13.
CANCER BATS has also announced that it will issue a digital EP ahead of the album release. The EP will contain "Scared To Death" and the band's take on the BEASTIE BOYS classic "Sabotage". It will be available from iTunes as of March 1.
CANCER BATS's sophomore full-length CD, "Hail Destroyer", came out in 2008 via Black Market Activities. The album was co-produced by Eric Ratz (BIG SUGAR, THEORY OF A DEAD MAN, BILLY TALENT), Kenny Luong (BILLY TALENT), and Greg Below (ALEXISONFIRE) and recorded at Vespa Studios.
Berlin, Germany's PitCam Production conducted an interview with CANCER BATS vocalist Liam Cormier when the group played in Berlin on November 23, 2009. Watch the chat below.
Acclaimed metal drummer Richard Christy (ICED EARTH, DEATH, LEASH LAW, CONTROL DENIED, BURNING INSIDE) was interviewed on the latest edition of Metal Rules! Radio about his new project, CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED. You can now listen to the program using the audio player below.
Metal Rules! Radio (formerly Metal Rules! Magazine) is a weekly metal show with new shows every Sunday. It focuses on interviews, reviews and a healthy dash of humor. All episodes are available for free on iTunes as well.
CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED's self-titled debut album was released on February 2 via Metal Blade Records. The CD contains nine tracks, a bonus DVD ("The Making of Charred Walls of the Damned"), and comes in a digipack.
The recording sessions for the CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED CD took place at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof, who has previously worked with TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, BURY YOUR DEAD, AUGUST BURNS RED, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DAATH, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER and GOD FORBID, among others.
CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED is:
* Richard Christy - Drums * Jason Suecof - Guitar, Producer * Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ICED EARTH) - Vocals * Steve DiGiorgio (SADUS, TESTAMENT) - Bass
"Charred Walls Of The Damned" track listing:
01. Ghost Town 02. From The Abyss 03. Creating Our Machine 04. Blood on Wood 05. In a World So Cruel 06. Manifestations 07. Voices Within the Walls 08. The Darkest Eyes 09. Fear in the Sky + Bonus DVD - "The Making of Charred Walls of the Damned"
CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED recorded a cover of the song "Nice Dreams" by the Minneapolis metal band POWERMAD as a bonus track for the Japanese version of "Charred Walls Of The Damned". U.S. fans have the chance to buy this track as well, as "Nice Dreams" was made available on iTunes the day the album is released in the States.
"Ghost Town", the first video from CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED, can be viewed below.
Underground death metal legends DECEASED will embark on a short West Coast tour in early August. Support on the trek will come from RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER. This will mark DECEASED's first appearance in most of these cities after 25 years of playing live.
The dates are as follows:
Aug. 06 - Las Vegas, NV @ Cheyanne Saloon Aug. 07 - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock Aug. 08 - Mesa , AZ @ U.B.'s Aug. 10 - Ramona , CA @ Ramona Mainstage Aug. 11 - Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction Aug. 12 - West Hollywood , CA @ Whisky A Go Go Aug. 13 - San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside Aug. 14 - Portland, OR @ Satyricon Aug. 15 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Tickets go on sale today at EnterTheVault.com exclusively until March 1, at which point they will be made available through all normal ticketing systems.
DECEASED and Chicago beer-metal derelicts SUPERCHRIST will join forces on the "Slaves To The Grave" tour in April.
Latvian Pagan metal kings SKYFORGER have been confirmed for this year's Ragnarök Festival, set to take place April 30 - May 1, 2010 at Ostbayernhalle in Rieden/Kreuth, Germany. They will celebrate the release of their new album, "Kurbads", and will — for the first time in Germany — also play a very rare folk set.
Gian Erguiza of FrantikMag.com recently conducted an interview with frontman Mike Muir of the long-running Venice Beach, California thrash/punk band SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
FrantikMag.com: I was wondering if you guys were working on a new SUICIDAL CD for 2010 by any chance.
Muir: Yeah, we've got two CDs coming out this year. One is a re-make of NO MERCY songs, band where Mike Clark and I were in before Clark joined SUICIDAL. Clark joined after "Join The Army", so there's also old songs from "Join the Army". In the fall, we have the actual SUICIDAL record coming out.
FrantikMag.com: What can your fans expect from this new CD? Are you guys going back to your earlier, thrash roots or more rock?
Muir: You know, every record we do people always ask us what it's going to be and I think that the important thing is that it's different stuff. Years later when you play a live show, it all fits in. When we did our first record we had big problems. When we did our second record, we had big problems. And then we did our third and that's life. Some people are just used to everybody regurgitating the same thing, doing what's popular at the time. I think that's something that's definitely not needed. There's a lot of people doing the exact same thing. I think that whatever we do, we put the SUICIDAL signature on it. For us, the parameter of what a great record is not how it fits in at the time to what music's around at the time, it's how many people are still listening 20 years later and how it fits into music then.
FrantikMag.com: How did you pick which songs were going to end up on [the recently released "Live At The Olympic Auditorium"] DVD and how come "You Can't Bring Me Down" or nothing from "Art Of Rebellion" made it onto the DVD?
Muir: Basically, the Olympic Auditorium, if you go back to the history of that place, it was where all the big punk shows were in the early '80s. It was the only place where they had big punk shows. We played there in '84 and '85, and basically, we got a call from someone that wanted to promote the show whom said, "Hey, the place is closing down, and it's being bought by a Korean church." As like the Forum and a lot of places, like an Arena in Houston, they were being bought by churches. It would basically be the last time we could do a show there. I had back surgery and we hadn't been playing but we got a chance to headline a show in Colombia in front of 95,000 people and the Olympic show was right after it so we did that. The thing with the Olympic Auditorium is kind of like a legacy, a history of where we came from so all the songs that we played are from stuff that we had done when the first record was out. We opened for ANTHRAX at the Olympic Auditorium back in '85 and we did "War Inside My Head" together and I think in Johnny D's book, he writes about how it was the most scared in his life he was when he came on the stage with the crowd. We played "Waking The Dead", a NO MERCY song and "Possessed To Skate", obviously. Then we did a couple of the newer songs that we felt were reflective of that time and period so it kind of fit in. "You Can't Bring Me Down" that was much later and that wasn't really what was going on at that time. For us, it was much more than a SUICIDAL show, it was a moment, kind of like a one-off show.
Professionally filmed video footage of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' December 19, 2009 performance at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California as part of the Affliction $5.00 Christmas Concert can be viewed below.
MEGADETH founder and frontman Dave Mustaine has announced the return of original bassist David Ellefson (1983-2002) to the iconic multi-platinum group. This reunion is appropriately timed to MEGADETH's upcoming historic month-long "Rust In Peace" 20th anniversary tour which launches March 1 in Spokane, WA. At these incredibly special shows, MEGADETH will play their landmark, genre-defining 1990 album "Rust In Peace" in its entirety, in addition to other MEGADETH favorites.
"This shows the power of brotherly love and forgiveness," Mustaine says. "David Ellefson belongs in MEGADETH. Next we are going to show you the power of getting your asses kicked...HARD!"
David Ellefson concurs: "This is a huge moment for all of us, band and fans alike. It is a great celebration of the music from one of the biggest landmark albums of our career."
Ellefson will join Mustaine and MEGADETH band members Shawn Drover (drums) and Chris Broderick (guitar) on tour in support of the group's current CD, "Endgame", which has received some of the highest critical accolades of the band's career.
"We'd like to thank James Lomenzo for several years of loyal service on the bass, and wish him the very best," Mustaine adds.
Ellefson filed suit against Mustaine in 2004, claiming, among other things, breach of fiduciary obligation, libel and emotional distress.
Speaking to Cindy Scull of the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas radio station 97.1 The Eagle Rocks in September 2009, Dave Mustaine stated about Lomenzo's addition to MEGADETH, "When Junior [Ellefson] and I parted ways, I thought, well, even though I don't care for this guy anymore after suing me, I certainly know it's gonna be some big shoes to fill. . . And when James Lomenzo came in... I was comparing James MacDonough [Ellefson's initial replacement in MEGADETH] to Junior a lot, and it wasn't working. But when Lomenzo came in, he plays as good as Junior does, and he sings better, because Junior couldn't sing. James was part of that WHITE LION thing way back in the '80s, and he can sing, man — he can sing really good."
In a fall 2009 interview with Eddie Trunk's "Friday Night Rocks" radio show on New York's Q104.3 FM, Dave Mustaine was asked whether he and Ellefson have mended their differences. "Well, I forgave him, but I'll never play with him again," Mustaine replied. "I talked to him a little while ago about coming back and playing with us when I first took MEGADETH out of the ashes, and then there was a period after that where we discussed it again. It's just not right, [and] it'll never be right. The guy, his butt grew together when I called him Junior, and I'm thinking, 'What the hell is wrong with that?' If it's that nit-picky where you can't even call somebody a nickname he's had for 20 frickin' years, it's like, things have changed. I mean, like I said, he's a good bass player. I'm sure his band... whatever it's called... I think it's F5 or something. There's several F5s, though. So he's the one in the band without the girl singer. But I'm sure that if it's meant to be for him, he's gonna be successful again; if not, I know he's happy doing his thing [working as an as an artist relations representative] with Peavey [manufacturer of musical equipment, gear and accessories]. The bottom line is I still respect and appreciate what he did for me being the bass player in MEGADETH for so long. Although what he did to me was very, very hurtful — especially airing all of the stuff that happened, because a lot of the stuff wasn't true; some of it was true, and I made mistakes — I'm human; I make mistakes — and I made amends for it. But even still, having made amends, it didn't matter; I was still in this lawsuit [that Ellefson filed against Mustaine shortly after Mustaine announced that he was reforming MEGADETH with a new lineup]. And that was kind of hurtful. But the bottom line is I went out to Arizona and I met him, and I said, 'I forgive you.' When I became a Christian, I really, really [didn't wanna] be another one of these idiots that are Christians who walk around and they embarrass themselves. I don't tell people how to live their lives, I don't tell people, 'You need to go to church,' 'cause that's not my place; I've got enough wrong with me right now where I would be a complete hypocrite. But I did know that if I continued to hold on to that bitterness for him, who would be hurting? Me. Because [Ellefson] doesn't care if I forgive him or not. I mean, I'm sure it made him feel better, because when he lost, he lost a lot — he lost me, he lost the band, he lost a lot of fans, he lost a lot of money... He had to pay all my court costs and everything. But the bottom line, again, I forgave him. Now, does that mean we're gonna swap spit and Christmas cards and stuff like that? No."
Barbaranne Wylde, wife and co-manager of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY frontman Zakk Wylde, has confirmed that drummer Craig Nunenmacher has left BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. She writes on her Twitter profile, "[Zakk] was going to share, but I guess I will... Craig has quit the band and we will have a new drummer very soon."
Roadrunner Records recently re-signed BLACK LABEL SOCIETY exclusively for the European territory. The band's as-yet-untitled studio album is due for release this summer.
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY is preparing to enter Zakk's newly completed mountain-top recording studio to record its latest slab of uncompromising, unfiltered, and unrestrained rock and roll. Recording is slated to start later this month and with the new flexibility of having a studio literally outside his home, Wylde expects to deliver his best material yet. "With the home studio I have this flexibility when inspiration hits to lay down new ideas at anytime — day or night — for re-recording later," he says. "This freshness should prove inspiring — and some of these first takes might even make it on the album," he enthuses.
Zakk continues, "I'm ready to work with our BLACK LABEL brothers and sisters at Roadrunner in Europe! They share the same Strength, Determination, Merciless, Forever attitude as BLACK LABEL SOCIETY does so it only seems natural to continue working together!"
Zakk's new studio was built by Zack Fagan of Under The Wire, a Studio City, California-based company which specializes in the installation of commercial and private recording studios and post-production complexes.
E1 Music recently announced the addition of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY to its rock and metal roster. The two-album deal covers North America exclusively.
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's last studio album, "Shot to Hell" (2006), sold just under 32,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release — less than the 45,000 copies shifted by BLS's "Mafia" (Artemis) back in March 2005 — to land at position No. 21 on The Billboard 200 chart.
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's "Skullage" DVD package sold 5,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 1 on the Top Music Videos chart. Released April 21, 2009 in three different configurations — CD, DVD and CD/DVD — this collection features the best of Zakk Wylde & Co. This massive greatest hits package is chock-full of live material, music videos, interviews, and a vivid cross-section of brutal and introspective tracks, from amped-up blazers like "Fire It Up" and "Suicide Messiah" to raw power ballads like "In This River" and "Spoke In The Wheel".
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY is managed by Bob Ringe at Survival Management.
Y&T, WINGER, W.E.T. and DANGER DANGER are among the confirmed bands for this year's installment of the Melodic Rock Fest, set to take palce May 1-2, 2010 at The Roadhouse in Elgin, Illinois (northwest of downtown Chicago).
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
Y&T WINGER W.E.T. DANGER DANGER TALON TED POLEY JIMI JAMISON ECLIPSE BOMBAY BLACK EDEN'S CURSE MECCA KEVIN CHALFANT 7TH HEAVEN ALIAS TERRY BROCK with VALENTINE FARCRY CROWN OF THORNS
Seattle's BLACK BREATH have stormed the scene with their uncompromising energy and infectious brutality. The band has played heavily alongside NACHTMYSTIUM, THE ACCÜSED, VICTIMS, TRAP THEM and tons more across the U.S. through 2009, and in November Southern Lord released the first recordings from the young act in the form of the potent "Razor to Oblivion" EP, creating a deafening buzz immediately.
The next logical step, of course — a full-length BLACK BREATH release. They traveled to the opposite coast, shacking up at Kurt Ballou's Godcity Studios (CONVERGE, TRAP THEM, DISFEAR) to create the 10-track jaw-dropper dubbed "Heavy Breathing", due out March 30 on Southern Lord. The massive album picks up where "Razor..." EP left off, infusing the band's rabid punk, metal and hardcore influences to create truly memorable hooks and buildups, yet incorporating more death metal influences this time around. The more brutal, metallic direction of "Heavy Breathing" is like a fired-up blend of POISON IDEA on a whiskey-soaked DISMEMBER bender...
A top label priority for 2010, BLACK BREATH will assault the masses on a major scale this year, touring constantly. The next major offensive has been planned, as the band will hit the road in May alongside CONVERGE, with contributions from GAZA, COALESCE, LEWD ACTS, HARVEY MILK and more.
Swedish death metal veterans UNLEASHED will release their tenth full-length album, "As Yggdrasil Trembles", on March 19 in Europe and April 6 in the U.S. via Nuclear Blast Records. According to the band, the musical direction of the forthcoming CD, which was recorded at guitarist Fredrik Folkare's Chrome studio, is "the logical continuation from 'Midvinterblot' [2006] and 'Hammer Battalion' [2008]. Lyrically, you will recognize what has become the UNLEASHED trademark since more than 20 years, the combination of the past, present and future of viking struggle and way of life. A few of the songs also mark the beginning of a story never before told."
"As Yggdrasil Trembles" track listing:
01. Courage Today, Victory Tomorrow! 02. So It Begins 03. As Yggdrasil Trembles 04. Wir Kapitulieren Niemals 05. This Time We Fight 06. Master Of The Ancient Art 07. Chief Einherjar 08. Return Fire 09. Far Beyond Hell 10. Dead To Me 11. Yahweh And The Chosen Ones 12. Cannibalistic Epidemic Continues 13. Evil Dead (DEATH cover) (bonus track)
The song "Wir Kapitulieren Niemals" is available for streaming at this location.
Boston, Massachusetts metallers THE RED CHORD will perform with original drummer Michael Justian at all upcoming shows. Justian has not publicly performed with the group since the Maryland Deathfest of 2004 and replaces recently departed drummer Brad Fickeisen.
Justian left THE RED CHORD at the end of 2003, joined UNEARTH in 2004 and also spent time filling in for TRAP THEM, EARTH CRISIS, SHAI HULUD and 108 in the interim.
Commented guitarist Mike McKenzie: "It's great to be jamming with Mike again. His approach to drumming is truly unique and amazing. Even though it has been about six years since he has played this stuff, his playing is stronger than ever. We've rehearsed almost every day for the last month and we can't wait to do this live again."
The first show with the adjusted lineup will be this Wednesday, February 10 at the Hideaway in Johnson City, Tennessee before meeting up with MY CHILDREN MY BRIDE, CHELSEA GRIN and THOSE WHO LIE BENEATH on the "Burgers and Bowling Tour".
"Fed Through the Teeth Machine", the fourth full-length album from THE RED CHORD, sold around 2,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 180 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at position No. 6 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"Fed Through the Teeth Machine" was released on October 27, 2009 in the U.S. via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Jonny Fay Backyard Studios, which is owned by the band's former guitarist Jonny Fay, and it was mixed and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who has previously worked with HATEBREED and SHADOWS ALL, among others.
THE RED CHORD is:
Guy Kozowyk - Vocals Mike "Gunface" McKenzie - Guitar Greg Weeks - Bass Michael Justian - Drums
Comedian/actor Brian Posehn will release his brand new stand-up comedy album, "Fart And Wiener Jokes", on April 27 via Relapse Records. The follow-up to his "Live In: Nerd Rage" debut was recorded at various live gigs across the U.S. during 2009. The record will also include two musical tracks, "More Metal Than You" and a cover of the KENNY ROGERS classic "The Gambler". Posehn recorded these songs with the help of a number of "metal" all-stars, including Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED, KINGDOM OF SORROW), Mark Morton (LAMB OF GOD), John Tempesta (EXODUS, THE CULT), Russ Parrish (STEEL PANTHER), and more.
In other news, Posehn will be headlining club shows throughout the month of February. He is currently booked for multiple shows in Louisville, Kentucky and Peoria, Illinois with a special one-off show in Flint, Michigan. Posehn will also co-headline the 2010 Relapse Records SXSW showcase along with metal legends VOIVOD on March 17 in Austin, Texas.
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