Bryan Odell, a 19-year-old reporter from Lincoln, Nebraska, conducted an interview with artist and activist Otep Shamaya of the California-based band OTEP last fall when the group played Omaha, Nebraska with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. Watch the chat below.
Shamaya has been nominated for "Outstanding Music Artist" in the 21st annual Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Media Awards.
An outspoken advocate of gay rights, Shamaya serves as a key figure in the movement to promote fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
OTEP is about to set the nation on fire with the upcoming "Rise Rebel Resist Tour" alongside Victory Records labelmates BURY YOUR DEAD and DESTROPHY, with special guests THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD.
OTEP is promoting its fourth full-length studio album, "Smash The Control Machine", which sold around 10,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 47 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on August 18, 2009 via Victory Records.
Due to "scheduling conflicts," former WARRANT singer Jani Lane has cancelled his appearance at the inaugural edition of the Stockholm Rock Out festival, set to take place April 30 - May 1, 2010 at Gamla Tryckeriet in Alvik, Sweden. Replacing Lane on the bill are GREAT WHITE and KIX, both of whom will be making their exclusive European appearances.
"Fans will not be disappointed," Stockholm Rock Out's Chris LeMon said. "This will be the first time ever KIX has played Scandinavia. GREAT WHITE is celebrating 25 years of making blues rock together. Both bands will play their hits. This is the only place to see them in Europe."
The festival billing is now shaping up as follows:
SLAUGHTER (US) GREAT WHITE (US) STEELHEART (US) KIX (US) KEEL (US) DIZZY REED (US) PRETTY BOY FLOYD (US) BULLETBOYS (US) XYZ (US) VAINS OF JENNA (SE) NASTY IDOLS (SE) M.ILL.ION (SE) TUFF (US) SHAMELESS (US/DE) CHRIS LANEY (SE) BADMOUTH (SE) DYNAZTY (SE) KILLER CLAN OF F.U.N. (SE)
CRYSTAVOX, one of Christian metal's loudest bands, and Roxx Productions have revealed the full details and new cover art for the group's brand new limited-edition release, "The Twenty Year Mix". Due on May 25, the two-disc set will consist of both a full-length CD and a very special DVD release.
First up, disc one will be a completely remastered "Best Of" CD consisting of many of your favorite CRYSTAVOX tracks, including "Sacrifice", "Home Again", "Power Games", "It's All Right", "Shame", "Big Picture", "Snakes", "Paradise", "No Boundaries", "Guns", "Break Down The Walls" and "Cry Out". All these tracks were taken straight from the master tapes that had been sitting in storage in the Ocean Records archives for close to twenty years. These tracks have been completely remastered and totally redone; new guitars, drums and an over-sampling method vastly increasing the mastered volume of each song to today's standards making for an optimal sound that brings these tracks straight in to the modern day.
Disc two will be a very special DVD release consisting of a recently discovered "never-before-released" live concert footage and also several MTV-style video clips that have never before been officially released. All footage has had the color completely corrected and restored and has been completely remastered in the 16:9 format. In addition to all of this, classic remastered video footage the DVD will also include a recently recorded "Where Are They Now" segment — shot in HD, and featuring the band "self-narrating" the story of CRYSTAVOX!
If all that isn't enough for you, then you will definitely want to get your order in early as everyone that gets in on the pre-order will receive an exclusive third disc that will only be made available to those that pre-order. This bonus disc is a live EP of a behind-the-scenes recording taken straight from the soundboard at a New Year's Eve show in San Diego, California on December 31, 1992. This would ultimately be the last and only live audio recording CRYSTAVOX would ever do.
Head over to www.roxxproductions.com to get your order in early and take advantage of this strictly limited-edition bonus disc. Also be sure to visit the brand new custom, state-of-the-art media web site showcasing some of the best audio and video performances from throughout the band's career at www.crystavox.com.
Finnish dark-alternative-metal band REFLEXION will release its third album, "Edge", on February 17 in Finland and February 19 in the rest of Europe via Mach XX/Out of Line Records. According to a press release, "Thudding tribal drums and massive, deep guitar riffs infuse the band's dark melodic hit tunes with a refreshing kick that pleasantly distinguishes itself from the over produced kitsch that most of their fellow countrymen are sporting. This time around REFLEXION are playing it rough, spiffing up even their slow songs with SABBATH-esque doom riffs and toying with complex song structures that often border on prog metal, but without ever losing track of the catchy, often gloomy melodies that have made their first two albums nearly impossible to resist. 'Edge' is reveling in dark atmosphere and hit qualities but will probably cause some serious head banging attacks with metal veterans as well, due to a much harder approach."
"Edge" track listing:
01. Morning Sickness 02. Moscow Nights 03. Written on My Skin 04. Unbreakable 05. Generation Kill 06. Couldn't Care Less (THE CARDIGANS cover) 07. On This Dawn 08. No Roots on the Ground 09. Undress the Beauty 10. The Cage 11. Blind for Tomorrow 12. I've Burned Everything I've Got
REFLEXION is:
Juha Kylmänen - Vocals Ilkka Jolma - Guitar Juhani Heikka - Guitar Mikko Uusimaa - Bass Ilkka Leskelä - Drums
Guitarist Scott Waldrop of TWISTED TOWER DIRE has released the following statement regarding he passing of the band's former singer, Anthony "Tony" Taylor:
"As many of you already know, our former vocalist Tony Taylor passed last Saturday [February 6] night in a motorcycle accident. I'm still having trouble believing it. He and I wrote a lot of music together, traveled all over and even worked construction together outside of the band over the course of 10 years.
"Thanks for everyone's condolences, but please keep his wife and kids in your thoughts/prayers as their loss is unimaginable to me. He was one of my closest friends (like a big brother), but after personal problems, he split from the band and moved to Florida three years ago. I hadn't spoken with him since.
"Make peace with your family and friends. Life and death are random and you may never get the chance settle petty differences."
Taylor played the Everglades Seafood Festival on Saturday afternoon with his new band, the DOWN SOUTH ROCKERS.
"We were all there," Taylor's wife, Charry Taylor, told NaplesNews.com. "His friends were there. His family was there. He had a great last day. He did what he loved most. He was singing. He was with his family and friends. And he loved riding (his motorcycle)."
Around 11 p.m., while on his way home from the festival, Taylor wrecked his 1996 Harley Davidson on Nighthawk Drive in North Naples, not more than a few blocks from the home he shared with his wife and two children, son Tanis, 14, and daughter Tasmin, 12.
According to Florida Highway Patrol reports, Taylor lost control of the bike, causing it to overturn, slide about 45 feet, strike a curb and hit a palm tree. Taylor, who was wearing a helmet, was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, where he was pronounced dead.
Puerto Rico's epic doom metallers DANTESCO have posted their cover version of the CANDLEMASS classic "Darkness In Paradise" on their MySpace page. The track will appear on the band's new covers CD, "The Ten Commandments Of Metal", which will be released later in the year via Cruz Del Sur Music. The album will feature additional songs from BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, MERCYFUL FATE, SANCTUARY, WARLORD, SAVATAGE, METAL CHURCH, SORCERER and MANOWAR.
DANTESCO's new studio album, "We Dont Fear You God", will be released later this year through Cruz Del Sur Music. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Betrayer", "The Blood Of The Saints", "The Conqueror Worm" and "We Dont Fear You God". The album's cover artwork can be viewed below.
Also on the DANTESCO front, the band's first demo, one previously unreleased cut and four new tracks will be made available via Stormspell Records under the title "Seven Years Of Battle".
DANTESCO will take part in the Up The Hammers festival in Athens, Greece on March 5-6, 2010 alongside such acts as SAVAGE GRACE, SLAUTER XTROYES, DOOMSWORD and PRAYING MANTIS.
Swedish hard rockers VIOLENT DIVINE will release their third album "Release The Hounds", on March 11 via Swedmetal Records. The label states, "This will be one of 2010 best albums in this genre. Fantastic raw hard-driving melodic rock 'n' roll — just the way it's meant to be!"
"Release The Hounds" track listing:
01. Nitro 02. Welcome To The Divine 03. Burn 04. Retribution 05. Sweet Blood 06. Until Death 07. For The First Time 08. Asleep 09. One By One 10. Eternity 11. Get It All Out 12. Bleed Like Me 13. Release The Hounds 14. This Heart Is About To Be Broken
Commented VIOLENT DIVINE's Gus Divine: "'Release The Hounds' is the perfect hybrid of the glam vibe from the debut album and the dark, gothic/metal vibe from the second album 'In Harm's Way'. 'Release The Hounds' is definitely the first choice to get the party started!"
VIOLENT DIVINE's "Blackheart" video can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's sophomore album, "In Harm's Way", which was released on January 31, 2009 via Misty Recordings. The CD was mixed and produced by Pontus Norgren, guitarist of Swedish metal act HAMMERFALL.
Formed in late 2005, VIOLENT DIVINE received critical praise for its 2006 debut album which spawned three singles: "Rush You", "Let's Go" and "Levitate".
M.A.N — the group formed out of the ashes of Sweden's TRANSPORT LEAGUE (featuring former MNEMIC frontman Tony Jelencovich) — will release its third album, "Massive Audio Nerve", on March 26 via the German label Tiefdruck Musik. The CD was recorded at Grand Recordings in Gothenburg, Sweden with engineer Svein Jensen and was mixed by Ulrich Wild, who has previously worked with WHITE ZOMBIE, STAIND, STATIC-X, DEFTONES, PANTERA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others. The mastering was handled by Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering in Encino, California. The band states, "The sound is insanily good; we are very VERY happy with the outcome."
"Massive Audio Nerve" track listing:
01. Dead Set 02. Don't Wake Up 03. Logocide 04. Last Light Drains 05. Vivid Heart 06. Identical Abuse 07. False Memory Syndrome Pt 1 & 2 08. Slave Program 09. Mock At My Motion 10. Falling, Zero Status Zero
Check out the cover artwork below.
M.A.N will support FEAR FACTORY on the following dates:
Feb. 27 - KB - Malmö, Sweden Feb. 28 - Brewhouse - Gothenburg, Sweden Mar. 01 - Debaser Medis - Stockholm, Sweden Mar. 03 - Nosturi - Helsinki, Finland Mar. 05 - Pumpehuset - Copenhagen, Denmark
A video for the track "Logocide" will be filmed this coming weekend (February 13-14) at Redbergs Theatre in Gothenburg with director Gabriel Engberg.
M.A.N recently declared itself the very first metal band ever to have incorporated what it calls the "Full Scale Quarter Tone System" into its music — and metal music genre as a whole. According to the group, "'Full Scale Quarter Tone Systems' [our own term] means that there are 24 quarter semi tones, instead of 12 'ordinary' semi tones, within reach of an octave [1200 cent]. This has led to new kinds of expressions and possibilities that have never been heard before, especially when this concept — cultivated and formed by M.A.N — is featured by more than just a solistic issue in order of solo instrumentalist matter or a solo part, but covered by the string instrument section in whole songs, with state of equilibrium with the ordinary semi tone system."
ARTISTdirect.com editor Rick Florino recently conducted an interview with vocalist Ville Valo of Finnish "love" metallers HIM. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
ARTISTdirect.com: "Screamworks: Love in Theory and in Practice" is definitely your best record.
Valo: Oh, wow! [Laughs] That's a compliment, thank you very much. I put a lot of energy into this one and really worked hard on it. It's kind of scary. I'm feeling all giddy and nervous about it. I'm getting butterflies, waiting to see how people will respond to the album. We've done the best we can. We're proud of it obviously, but it'll affect the next couple years of how the band's going to live and how we're going to tour. Obviously, it's important for the album to do well, if possible.
ARTISTdirect.com: The record feels like one complete vision. Did you go into recording knowing what you wanted from start to finish?
Valo: To set things down, you've got to go with the flow. I think you've got to follow your gut instinct. To a certain extent, it's good to have certain guidelines and a certain framework when you're working on an album. It usually happens organically when you start working on the first couple tracks and they start getting closer to being ready. All of a sudden, you see the little parts of music forming a bigger piece, and that leads to what will happen next. It's the same thing with production; when you get a few songs done, you know what you need. We had the great opportunity of working with Matt Squire, who was just the guy we needed for this one. I can't complain at all. The process of the album happened under lucky stars, so far. Everything has been going really well. It's been tons of work, but it's been really enjoyable work.
ARTISTdirect.com: You take such dark subject matter and a dark perspective on love and make it poppy and palatable.
Valo: I guess it could be genetics, I don't know [Laughs]. I think that love is catchy, yet it's very dark. At least when it comes to writing music, I've never been huge fan of aggressive music. To me, melody is key. It's a huge factor of each song. I grew up in the '80s, so I grew up listening to DURAN DURAN, DEPECHE MODE and a lot of hair metal bands — most of them from L.A. It's a combination of that. I naturally write songs that are very melodic, yet very melancholy. I've always hated the idea of happy songs. When you're extremely happy and content with what you have, that's when you don't work on music. Usually, you pick up a guitar when something's bugging you and you don't know what it is. When it's hard to express an emotion in conversation, that's when I always pick up a guitar, and it's easy for me to convey the emotion through a song. That's how it happens for me. I think what we have happening on this album is a nice balance. When we were working with Matt, we more or less made a conscious decision. The names we kept on dropping were DEPECHE MODE, THE CULT and GUNS N' ROSES. I wanted the album to have European melancholy happening at the same time that there would be this really straightforward, direct and accessible rock sound. "Screamworks" is kind of like a David Lynch movie in a way. If you don't know anything about "Blue Velvet", you go into a cinema and see the beginning and say, "It starts pretty ordinary." All of a sudden, this weird stuff starts to happen, and you're so mesmerized by the film that at the end you're just blown away. That's the kind of music I like — it takes you on a trip somewhere a bit left of center, but it uses traditional methods to get you there so it's not just, "Art for art's sake."
ARTISTdirect.com: "Venus Doom" had an L.A. vibe because you'd written a lot of there. Is "Screamworks" tied more to feelings instead of a particular location?
Valo: To be honest with you, I don't know. Since I wrote the songs, I don't necessarily think a certain place affects them. I work on a song for such a long time usually that I work on it in a couple places. It's never like one single city or country in the world would inspire me to write a track. It's always a combination of a lot of stuff going on — the music I'm listening to, the influences I have at the moment — everything affects. I like the fact that most of the album was worked on in freezing Helsinki in the middle of the winter where it was all dark and cold. During summer, we flew over to L.A. and it was just such a different mindset and different climate. It was cool to find, let's say, the lighter shades of black.
Fan-filmed video footage of ANAAL NATHRAKH performing the song "In the Constellation of the Black Widow" on February 5, 2010 at Rio's in Leeds, United Kingdom can be viewed below (courtesy of Dave Ingham a.k.a. YouTube user "triptykon").
ANAAL NATHRAKH's latest album, "In The Constellation Of The Black Widow", was released in June 2009 via Candlelight Records. A limited-edition gatefold colored vinyl version of the effort was made available at the same time via Feto Records (the label run by NAPALM DEATH's Shane Embury and ANAAL NATHRAKH's Mick Kenney).
Check out an e-card for the effort at this location.
Formed in 1998, ANAAL NATHRAKH sonically fuses traditional black metal with elements of industrial, grindcore, and early-day death metal resulting in a one-of-a-kind soundscape that has earned it high acclaim from media and fans around the globe.
MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx launched his national radio program "Sixx Sense" last night (Monday, February 8) on over 30 rock stations. Jared Leto joined Sixx as Nikki's first in-studio guest before embarking on a European tour with 30 SECONDS TO MARS.
An audio excerpt from yesterday's show can be streamed using the audio player below.
"Sixx Sense" is hosted by Sixx and multimedia personality, producer and writer Kerri Kasem
From radio to TV, entertainment to sports, Kasem is an established broadcaster with a proven talent to excel in any arena. Her career has included hosting and producing several successful national and local radio shows, as well as programs for networks such as MTV, E!, ESPN and Spike.
"Sixx Sense" is broadcasting Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. to midnight local time. Host Nikki Sixx — co-founder/bassist/songwriter of MÖTLEY CRÜE and chart-topping band SIXX: A.M., producer, clothing designer, philanthropist and best-selling author — discusses music and lifestyle topics as he gives listeners a backstage look at the world and mind of a rock star. Joined by co-host Kerri Kasem, Sixx provides his unique perspective and attitude as the duo welcomes celebrity guests, recording artists and fascinating characters from all walks of life. All this and more will be coupled with radio station playlists.
American/German producer Dennis Ward (ANGRA, PINK CREAM 69, PRIMAL FEAR) will helm the new album from Italian metallers ELVENKING. The recordings will start on March 20 at Piranha studios in Karsdolf, Germany. Mat Sinner (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER) will executive-produce the CD, which is tentatively due in September.
On the live front, ELVENKING will play at the Italian Headbangers Fest with 10 other Italian bands like DGM, SECRET SPHERE and TRICK OR TREAT. The dates are as follows:
April 24 - Stazione Birra - Rome, ITA April 25 - Matrioska – Modena, ITA
ELVENKING last fall announced the addition of session violin player Lethien to the group's ranks.
Back in September, 2007, ELVENKING explained that Elyghen had temporarily moved to Ireland for working reasons. They emphasized that he wasn't leaving the band and that Eleonora (the girl who had played the violin in the quartet that performed on ELVENKING albums) would help the band out on live dates that Elyghen couldn't be present for.
ELVENKING released an acoustic album, "Two Tragedy Poets (...And A Caravan Of Weird Figures)", in Europe on November 14, 2008 via AFM Records. The CD was issued in digipack and jewel case formats.
ELVENKING's last "electric" album, "The Scythe", was released in Europe in September 2007 via AFM Records.
The band's video for the song "The Divided Heart" can be viewed below. The clip was shot with director Mirco Andreis (ELDRITCH, MACBETH, DISARMONIA MUNDI).
"The Scythe" was mixed at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland. The mastering took place at Finnvox Studios with Mika Jussila and Nino Laurenne.
Acclaimed metal drummer Richard Christy (ICED EARTH, DEATH, LEASH LAW, CONTROL DENIED, BURNING INSIDE) was interviewed late last month on WSCA 106.1 FM's "Black Night Meditations" show. Topics discussed include Christy's new band CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED, his work on "The Howard Stern Show", WRATHCHILD AMERICA, and much more.
The 52-minute discussion is now available for streaming using the audio player below.
"Black Night Meditations" is a four-hour show focusing on black, death, thrash, folk, shred, power and traditional metal, broadcasting on WSCA 106.1 FM in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Richard Christy interviewed on WSCA 106.1 FM's "Black Night Meditations" show (click on player below to launch audio):
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.
Returning MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson will be the special guest on tonight's (Tuesday, February 9) edition of "Talking Metal Live". David's live interview will take place at 7 p.m. EST / 4:00 p.m. PST. The program will also feature interviews hosts Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy will conduct with Bruce Kulick (GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, ex-KISS), Richard Christy (CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED, "The Howard Stern Show"), Annick the Morbid Chef, and the all-female JUDAS PRIEST tribute band JUDAS PRIESTESS.
The episode will air from 7 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time (4 to 7 p.m. Pacific Time) and can be heard live online at TalkingMetalLive.com as well as on iTunes at Mark Strigl Radio.
Ellefson last year launched "David Ellefson's Rock Shop", an ongoing YouTube video series hosted by the bassist himself.
"I'm always asked questions from fans and other musicians about playing the bass, the business side of our industry, and music in general. So, I decided to create these regular video webisodes as a way to inform and respond to many of those questions," he said.
In addition to numerous gold and platinum records and seven Grammy-nominated works, David is the author of the book "Making Music Your Business" and has two metal bass guitar instructional DVDs through Rock House Method entitled "Metal Bass Vol. 1" and "Vol. 2". He is also a featured bass clinician, keynote speaker and panelist on the subject of music and the music industry.
"David Ellefson's Rock Shop" episodes can be viewed at this location.
Ozzy Osbourne will sign copies of his long-awaited memoir, "I Am Ozzy", at the following locations: February 18 Borders 6521 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
February 19 Warwick's 7812 Girard Avenue La Jolla, CA 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
February 20 Changing Hands 6428 S. McClintock Drive Tempe, AZ 3 p.m.
February 21 Book Passage 1 Ferry Building San Francisco, CA 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
February 26 Barnes & Noble 12405 N. Kendall Drive Miami, FL 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
February 27 Barnes & Noble 7700 West Northwest Hwy Dallas, TX 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
"I Am Ozzy", debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times' hardcover non-fiction best-seller list this past weekend. The book was published on January 25 in the U.S., nearly two years after it was first expected to arrive. "I Am Ozzy" chronicles the legendary metal icon's life from his working-class beginnings in Birmingham, England to his initial fame with BLACK SABBATH to his massive solo career and forays into television.
Although the book delves into Ozzy's battles with drugs and tragedies such as the death of his guitarist Randy Rhoads, he told The Pulse of Radio what makes his memoir different from those of other rock stars. "Whenever you read a rock 'n' roll celebrity's book, it's always about the sex, the drugs, the rock 'n' roll and all the rest of it," he said. "My story is that the humor has kept my head above water from time to time. There's a lot of tongue-in-cheek stuff about it. Even with counting the tragedies that happened along the way, I tried to be a little bit light-hearted about it, you know?"
Ozzy is currently finishing up his new studio album, which was first called "Soul Sucka" but will now go out under a different title.
Ozzy also says that his long-running Ozzfest tour will be back this summer after a one-year hiatus.
Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick will be the special guest at the 2010 Cleveland KISS Expo, set to take place Sunday, March 28 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. (12 p.m. for VIP holders) at the Holiday Inn Cleveland South Independence in Independence, Ohio. Bruce will take part in a question-and-answer session and be available for photos and autographs throughout the day.
Holiday Inn Cleveland South Independence 6001 Rockside Road Independence, OH 44131
For hotel rooms, call 216-524-8050 and ask for the special KISS Expo rate. Cutoff for the special rate is February 26.
Commented Bruce: "I am very excited to announce my appearance at the Cleveland KISS Expo on March 28. I hope to share with you all exciting details of my 'BK3' release, which is available February 2 at all major chains (Best Buy, Walmart, FYE) and online at Amazon.com and iTunes and more. The new CD features Gene Simmons and his son Nick, Eric Singer and John Corabi and many other featured guests. I hope you enjoy the new CD and please come say hello in Cleveland. We will have a great time at the expo!"
THULCANDRA — the reactivated German black/death metal band featuring members of OBSCURA, DARK FORTRESS and HELFAHRT — has tapped Kristian Wåhlin (a.k.a. Necrolord; AT THE GATES, DISSECTION, EDGE OF SANITY, EMPEROR, DARK FUNERAL, SACRAMENTUM) to create the artwork for the group's new album, "Fallen Angels Dominion". The CD was recorded at Woodshed Studios with producers V. Santura and Steffen Kummerer for a 2010 release via Napalm Records. A full European tour will follow later this year.
THULCANDRA is:
Steffen Kummerer - Vocals, Guitar Sebastian Ludwig - Guitar Tobias Ludwig - Bass Seraph - Session Drums
THULCANDRA was founded back in 2003 by Steffen Kummerer (OBSCURA) and Jürgen Zintz with the intention of writing music in the vein of DISSECTION and UNANIMATED, the "old way of Swedish blackened death metal." When Jürgen committed suicide at the end of 2005, the band went on a hiatus. THULCANDRA was revived when the evil twins Tobias and Sebastian Ludwig, both known for their guitar and bass duties in the German pagan/black metal band HELFAHRT, joined the fold and Seraph of the mighty DARK FORTRESS stepped in as a session drummer.
For more information, visit the band's MySpace page.
"The World Is A Thorn", the new album from Seattle-based Christian metallers DEMON HUNTER, is scheduled for release on March 9. The band's fifth album follows the landmark documentary "45 Days", last year's "Live In Nashville" collection and a catalog of landmark releases that have made the band one of the most important in the genre.
"The World Is A Thorn" was produced by the band's longtime collaborator Aaron Sprinkle (ACCEPTANCE, ANBERLIN, THE ALMOST) and mixed by powerhouse producer Jason Suecof (ALL THAT REMAINS, TRIVIUM). It's a pairing emblematic of how skillfully DEMON HUNTER has always blended metallic might with melody.
"The World Is A Thorn" track listing:
01. Descending Upon Us 02. LifeWar 03. Collapsing 04. This Is The Line 05. Driving Nails 06. The World Is A Thorn 07. Tie This Around Your Neck 08. Just Breathe 09. Shallow Water 10. Feel As Though You Could 11. Blood In The Tears
The song "The World Is A Thorn" is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.
The deluxe-edition box includes:
* CD with two exclusive bonus tracks * DVD featuring the making of "The World Is A Thorn", and a live acoustic set * 20-page booklet with exclusive artwork, photos, and handwritten lyrics * Two fold-out posters featuring original artwork by metal visionary Dan Seagrave * Three photo cards * DEMON HUNTER handkerchief * Set of four buttons * Sticker
It's a well-worn cliche these days for a band to say their new album is "our heaviest but also our most melodic," but DEMON HUNTER delivers in spades with this release. Songs like "Descending Upon Us", "Lifewar" and the title track are by far the most aggressive of the band's career; "This is the Line" and "Collapsing" are a couple of the fist-pumping but still hard-driving anthems; and "Driving Nails" is one of two ballads on the album the likes of which their fans have come to both expect and cherish.
The album formally introduces guitarists Patrick Judge (who joined the band as a touring guitarist in 2008 and is now a full-time member) and Ryan Helm (of THE ASCENDICATE) with a new batch of songs written by co-founder and vocalist Ryan Clark. Yogi Watts returns with another jaw-dropping drum performance, backed up by longtime bass player Jonathan Dunn.
"The World Is A Thorn" is a definitive mission statement from a band at a creative apex, firing on all cylinders with awe-inspiring intensity.
"The album title refers to the often harmful and destructive world that we live in," explains Clark. "Most of the songs deal with the current state of the nation and the world as a whole. In particular, the lyrics take aim at the ideals of a Godless people and the depletion of our morals and values."
DEMON HUNTER has always been a Christian band and has represented their point of view strongly, despite the larger trend of watered down philosophies that straddle the line for popularity's sake. This stance has won them respect from fellow believers and opposite points of view alike.
"In this age it has seemingly become more and more detestable to be a Christian," Clark elaborates. "Our opinions on social and political issues are no longer tolerated as valid and we are commonly viewed as the enemy. Subjective truth, self-love, unrestricted perversion, the destruction of morality: these are the things that have ultimately brought us to a place of depression and madness.
"This album is the antithesis of the modern way of life."
"The World Is A Thorn" follows previous studio albums "Storm The Gates Of Hell" (2007), "The Triptych" (2005), "Summer Of Darkness" (2004) and "Demon Hunter" (2002), as well as the live album and three-disc CD/DVD set "45 Days", which have sold close to a combined half a million copies. It's an incredible feat for a band that has yet to venture from North America and has never toured regularly.
"Fading Away", the first video/single from "Storm The Gates Of Hell", has received over one million views on YouTube. That song, "Carry Me Down", "Undying", "One Thousand Apologies", "Not Ready to Die" and "Infected" — to name a few — have all been staples of Christian, college and speciality radio and featured continuously on MTV2's "Headbangers Ball" and Fuse. Ryan Clark was featured on the cover of Revolver in 2006 as part of their "Christian Metal" cover story and they are regularly a huge draw at festivals.
The "Hunters" in the "Blessed Resistance," as the band's most devoted fans are known, have championed the cause since day one and are making their voices heard throughout the underground.
DEMON HUNTER's level of commitment to the quality and presentation of their music is matched only by their attention of detail to their packaging and overall aesthetics. Ryan Clark's graphic design firm he co-owns with his brother Don (formerly of DEMON HUNTER), Invisible Creature, has racked up several Grammy nominations in the packaging category. The fans match that passion and dedication, proudly displaying the group's symbol on their social networking pages and tattooing it on their bodies.
"Sapari", the new video from Israeli progressive folk metal masters ORPHANED LAND, can be viewed below (courtesy of AOL's Noisecreep).
Commented ORPHANED LAND vocalist Kobi Farhi: "With the video clip, we are trying to reflect this inner search of a man and his spirit. The actor, Matti Atlas, was filmed in a room, sitting in a box, writing scared stuff. This is the exact way they used to sit and write in the old days in Yemen. He is writing… searching. At some point, he starts to freak out; to write on the walls, on his body, getting even possessed in a way. He is alone, confused, searching for answers and meaning, just as we all are.
"Sapari (means 'tell me' in Hebrew) is a 17th-century poem written by Sa'adia ben Amram, a jewish poet who lived in Yemen back then. The song is a duet between the poet and his soul. The poet seeks for his soul and asks her where is 'she.' The soul, described as a dove in the song, answers that she is at the high chamber, heavens, preparing herself to wear the shape of a human body.
"In a way, this song reflects the inner search that every human is going through. We are getting to know our self more and more each and every day, and our journey here is far from being easy."
ORPHANED LAND celebrated the release of its new album, "The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR", with a special "launch party" on February 4 at the Theatre Club in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
ORPHANED LAND will return to North America this March as direct support to SUIDAKRA. This tour is not to be missed as it's only hitting the following four cities:
March 08 - B.B. King Blues Club & Grill - New York, NY March 10 - Les Foufounes Electriques - Montreal, QC March 13 - Wreck Room - Toronto, ON March 14 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
ORPHANED LAND's fourth album, "The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR", was released in Europe on January 25. Mixed by Steven Wilson (PORCUPINE TREE, OPETH), who is also responsible for several keyboard parts on the new CD, the effort — which is being made available in the U.S. on February 9 via Century Media Records — is a sophisticated concept album which takes ORPHANED LAND's unique brand of exotic, heavy music to soaring new heights in terms of complexity and catchiness.
The CD's artwork was created by Zen Two and Native.
The End Records, under exclusive license from Sony Music Entertainment Germany, has set an April 27 North American release date for "Truth Or Dare" from OOMPH!
With a career spanning 20 years and 12 albums provided by the original lineup, OOMPH! has remained an innovative driving force in the German rock scene. After their 20th anniversary in 2009, the band didn't think of taking it easy but instead began looking ahead towards the new decade.
What do you do when you've already reached the top on the ladder of success? Well, just start all over again — but elsewhere!
"Truth Or Dare" is OOMPH!'s greatest-hits collection and will feature re-recorded versions of the band's most popular songs performed in English.
Incorporating many styles of music such as metal, industrial, electronica, alternative, and goth to create their distinct sound, the band has dominated the charts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the rest of Europe.
"Truth Or Dare" will mark the band's first full-length album recorded in English.
The first video for the release, "Ready Or Not (I'm Coming)", premiered on MySpace today. Watch it below.
"Truth Or Dare" track listing:
01. Ready Or Not (I'm Coming) 02. Burning Desire 03. Song Of Death 04. Labyrinth 05. Sandman 06. The Final Match 07. God Is A Popstar 08. Wake Up 09. Land Ahead (feat. WITHIN TEMPTATION's Sharon den Adel) 10. Sex Is Not Enough 11. Crucified 12. The Power Of Love 13. True Beauty Is So Painful 14. The First Time Always Hurts 15. Dream Here (With Me) 16. On Course
Swedish death metal supergroup BLOODBATH has confirmed its first-ever U.K. appearance at the 10th-anniversary edition of the Bloodstock festival, set to take place August 13-15, 2010 at Catton Hall, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. The band has chosen Bloodstock as its debut U.K. performance, and its only show in Britain in 2010.
Says guitarist Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström: "A bloodbath over Bloodstock! What could be a better way to celebrate this mighty festival's 10th year anniversary! It will be our first time on U.K. soil and it will be happening on Friday the 13th, so it seems we get to kill two birds with one stone!"
BLOODBATH is:
* Mikael Åkerfeldt (OPETH) - Vocals * Martin "Axe" Axenrot (OPETH) - Drums * Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström (KATATONIA) - Guitar * Jonas Renkse (KATATONIA) - Bass * Per "Sodomizer" Eriksson (ex-21 LUCIFERS, GENOCRUSH FEROX) – Guitar
Other new acts confirmed for Bloodstock are GORGOROTH and BLACK SPIDERS.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
AMORPHIS ANDROMEDA BEHEMOTH BLACK SPIDERS BLOODBATH CANNIBAL CORPSE CHILDREN OF BODOM DEVIN TOWNSEND DORO DREAM EVIL FEAR FACTORY GOJIRA GORGOROTH GWAR HEAVEN & HELL KORPIKLAANI LEAVES' EYES OBITUARY RAGE ROSS THE BOSS SONATA ARCTICA SUFFOCATION
KORN, PAPA ROACH and HELLYEAH are among the confirmed bands for WJRR's Earthday Birthday 17: Almost Legal, set to take place Saturday, May 1, 2010 at Tinker Field in Orlando, Florida.
The festival billing is as follows:
KORN PAPA ROACH CHEVELLE HELLYEAH FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH HALESTORM TRIVIUM
You can grab discounted tickets right now on pre-sale at WJRR.com until February 11 at 12 a.m. using the special password "WJRR."
DROID singer James Eason has announced that he has left the band and is currently exploring other projects in the music world. His statement on his departure can be read below.
"I have spent the last 10-plus years in the band DROID so this is no easy decision for me.
"To make it simple, the past 10 years in DROID have had their great and memorable moments and their not-so-memorable moments.
"I have chosen to move on in positive direction... This being said, my #1 priority has and always will be to make music and give 100% commitment of myself to my music. Music is my #1 priority and always has been... I stand strong in my commitment.
"My #1 regret is that the DROID fans have had to wait soooooooooooooo long for a second record, and then receive this news.
Wherever I end up, I promise to make up for their super-long wait. You can count on that; I will always stay true to my word…
"I am looking for musicians who are driven, focused and hungry — these are the kinds of musicians I am looking for to play with as of now…
"Any interested musicians or bands please feel free to contact me; I can be reached at droidmetal@yahoo.com."
DROID's debut album was released in 2007 on Emotional Syphon Recordings, James "Munky" Shaffer of KORN's record label.
The Long Beach five-piece, consisting of Eason, guitarists Bruce Child and Jamie Teissere, bassist Ryan Burchfield and drummer Nick McWells, blended the syncopated, bludgeoning rhythm and riff assault of LAMB OF GOD with guttural HATEBREED-style screams for a volatile blend of metal. "We're aiming for a groove," Eason told Ruin magazine. "I'm a fan of real shred masters, but also bands with more of a groove like MASTODON. We're trying to fit our own little groove in there and stand out without having to copy everybody else. You don't really have to shred to be metal these days. You can shred with a groove too, and that's what we're going for."
GUNS N' ROSES has scheduled the following South American tour dates:
Mar. 07 - Brasília, Brazil - Ginásio Nilson Nelson Mar. 10 - Belo Horizonte, Brazil - Ginásio Jornalista Felipe Drumond (Mineirinho) Mar. 13 - São Paulo, Brazil - Palestra Itália Stadium Mar. 14 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Praça da Apoteose Mar. 16 - Porto Alegre, Brazil - Ginásio Gigantinho Mar. 18 - Montevideo, Uruguay - Estadio Centenario Mar. 20 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Estadio River Plate Mar. 22 - Santiago, Chile - Club Hipico de Santiago Mar. 25 - Lima, Peru - La Explanada Sur del Estadio Monumental Mar. 30 - Bogotá, Colombia - Simón Bolívar Park Apr. 01 - Quito, Ecuador - Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa
GUNS N' ROSES completed a four-date tour of Asia in December and a Canadian tour earlier this month.
The band has not booked any U.S. dates yet.
GUNS N' ROSES' last world tour, in 2006 and 2007, took in 60 shows in 26 countries and was the band's first full tour since 1993.
In addition to sole original member Rose, the current lineup of the band includes guitarists DJ Ashba, Ron Thal and Richard Fortus, bassist Tommy Stinson, keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman and drummer Frank Ferrer.
GUNS N' ROSES' latest album, "Chinese Democracy", was released in November 2008 as a Best Buy exclusive, 17 years after the last all-original GUNS sets, "Use Your Illusion I" and "II". The album was a commercial disappointment, selling less than one million copies in the U.S. (according to Nielsen SoundScan) despite the long wait.
Vocalist Burton C. Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares of FEAR FACTORY were recently interviewed by Andrew Haug of Triple J's "The Racket". Listen to the program in streaming audio at the Triple J web site: Windows Media, Real Media (NOTE: The first part of the FEAR FACTORY interview begins around the 41-minute mark). Check out the program's entire playlist at this location.
FEAR FACTORY will embark on a U.S. headling tour in late March. Support on the trek will come from WINDS OF PLAGUE, DIRGE WITHIN, PERIPHERY and, on select shows, DIVINE HERESY (the band featuring FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares). Exact cities and dates will be announced soon.
FEAR FACTORY's new album, "Mechanize", will be released in the U.S. on February 9, 2010 via Candlelight Records. The CD, which was co-produced by the band with Rhys Fulber (FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, PARADISE LOST), was recently mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, SKINNY PUPPY).
FEAR FACTORY's current lineup — featuring original FF members Dino Cazares (guitar) and Burton C. Bell (vocals) alongside bassist Byron Stroud (who was credited on the last two FEAR FACTORY albums in addition to touring and recording with STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and ZIMMERS HOLE) and legendary drummer Gene Hoglan (DETHKLOK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, DARK ANGEL, DEATH, TESTAMENT) — made its live debut on December 4, 2009 at Espaço Lux in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil.
U.K. thrashers ONSLAUGHT will take a break from the writing process for their new full-length album to play a few Swedish shows along with Mike Wead's BIBLEBLACK and SCAAR. The dates are as follows:
March 17 - Henriksberg - Gothenburg, Sweden March 18 - The Cave - Stockholm, Sweden March 19 - Deströyer - Sundsvall, Sweden March 20 - Maxim - Gavle, Sweden
ONSLAUGHT recorded its performance at the Damnation Festival on November 22, 2008 in Leeds, U.K. for a live CD, "Live Damnation", which was released on July 20, 2009 through Candlelight Records.
An e-card for the album can be accessed at this location.
ONSLAUGHT is currently writing material for the follow-up to 2007's "Killing Peace", tentatively due later this year.
"Killing Peace" was released in March 2007 via Candlelight Records. The CD was recorded at Backstage studio in Derbyshire, England with producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE).
Ozzy Osbourne and his family — wife/manager Sharon, son Jack and daughter Kelly — were interviewed on this past Friday's (February 5) edition of "The Ellen Degeneres Show". Watch video of their appearance below.
Ozzy's just-published memoir, "I Am Ozzy", debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times' hardcover non-fiction best-seller list this past weekend. The book was published on January 25 in the U.S., nearly two years after it was first expected to arrive. "I Am Ozzy" chronicles the legendary metal icon's life from his working-class beginnings in Birmingham, England to his initial fame with BLACK SABBATH to his massive solo career and forays into television.
Although the book delves into Ozzy's battles with drugs and tragedies such as the death of his guitarist Randy Rhoads, he told The Pulse of Radio what makes his memoir different from those of other rock stars. "Whenever you read a rock 'n' roll celebrity's book, it's always about the sex, the drugs, the rock 'n' roll and all the rest of it," he said. "My story is that the humor has kept my head above water from time to time. There's a lot of tongue-in-cheek stuff about it. Even with counting the tragedies that happened along the way, I tried to be a little bit light-hearted about it, you know?"
Ozzy recently completed a short book-signing tour to promote the release of "I Am Ozzy".
He is currently finishing up his new studio album, which was first called "Soul Sucka" but will now go out under a different title.
Ozzy also says that his long-running Ozzfest tour will be back this summer after a one-year hiatus.
SLAYER guitarist Kerry King attended a private Super Bowl party this past Sunday (February 7) at Duff's Brooklyn in Williamsburg, New York. Check out photos at this location.
SLAYER's track "Hate Worldwide" was nominated for a Grammy Award in the "Best Metal Performance" category. The award eventually went to British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST, who were honored for the track "Dissident Aggressor", from the band's 2009 live album "A Touch of Evil: Live".
SLAYER and MEGADETH have announced the new, confirmed routing for the "American Carnage" North American Tour, which will commence with the rescheduled "Canadian Carnage East" dates in Quebec City on Friday, July 23. SLAYER will then head to Europe for a run of festival dates, returning to kick off the "American Carnage" leg in Albany, NY on August 11.
"American Carnage" will play 26 dates across the United States and Eastern Canada up to the Labor Day weekend, ending in Portland, Oregon on September 4. TESTAMENT will be special guest on all shows. Tickets purchased for the "American Carnage" shows when they first went on sale late last year will be honored for these rescheduled dates.
Due to venue availability and other conflicts, the shows originally scheduled in El Paso, Houston, Nashville, Duluth, and Louisville cannot be rescheduled at this time, and ticket holders may obtain refunds at point of purchase. However, new cities have been added to the "American Carnage" itinerary, with dates now scheduled in Cleveland, Kansas City, San Diego, and Sacramento.
The "American Carnage" tour, originally scheduled to take place in January and February, had to be put on hold due to SLAYER's vocalist/bassist Tom Araya's ongoing, minimally-invasive treatments for what was diagnosed as a cervical radiculopathy, an occupational hazard for the rocker who is known for aggressively swinging his long mane of hair while performing. Right after the first of the year, Araya made the difficult decision to undergo a surgical procedure, called an anterior cervical discectomy with fusion, a relatively routine practice with an excellent recovery rate. That surgery took place last month.
Sarjoo Devani of the Explicitly Intense web site recently conducted an interview with vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth of veteran New Jersey thrashers OVERKILL. The chat is now available for streaming using the audio player below.
OVERKILL kicked off its European tour this past Saturday night (February 6) at De Pul in Uden, The Netherlands. Support at the gig came from SUICIDAL ANGELS, SAVAGE MESSIAH and CRIPPER.
A number of high-quality photos from the show can be found at Metal-Experience.com.
OVERKILL's setlist was as follows:
01. The Green And Black 02. Rotten To The Core 03. Battle 04. Powersurge 05. Hello From The Gutter 06. Overkill 07. Ironbound 08. In Union We Stand 09. Bare Bones 10. Feel The Fire 11. Skull And Bones 12. Gasoline Dream 13. Bring Me The Night 14. Elimination
Encore:
15. Necroshine 16. Old School 17. Fuck You / Sonic Reducer
OVERKILL filmed a video for the song "Bring Me The Night" on January 9 in Brooklyn, New York with director Kevin Custer (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, SUFFOCATION).
"Bring Me The Night" comes off OVERKILL's new album, "Ironbound", which is scheduled for release on February 9 via E1 Music (formerly KOCH Records). The CD, which will be issued in Europe on January 29, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was mixed by PAIN/HYPOCRISY mainman Peter Tägtgren and is described in a press release as "a true thrasher-piece."
OVERKILL will embark on its 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. Support on the tour will come from VADER, GOD DETHRONED, WARBRINGER, EVILE and WOE OF TYRANTS.
Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth interviewed by Explicitly Intense (click on player below to launch audio):
VintageRock.com conducted an interview with legendary rock bassist Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE, QUIET RIOT, DIO, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT) at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, which was held January 14-17, 2010 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Watch the chat below.
A collector's edition of Rudy's book, "Off the Rails: Aboard the Crazy Train in the Blizzard of Ozz", was released in August 2008 via TooSmart! Publishing. According to Sarzo, "The new edition is beautiful and includes many more pictures throughout the book as well as a 16-page glossy spread of Ross Halfin photos from the beginning of our tour."
"Off the Rails" includes a first-person account from Rudy's personal day-by-day diary of events while touring with Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads in the early Eighties. The book was originally due in 2005 but was delayed after Sharon Osbourne allegedly applied pressure to have it pulled.
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