L.A. GUNS vocalist Phil Lewis and guitarist Stacey Blades will take part in a special acoustic performance on Wednesday, November 25 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.
For more information, see the image below.
L.A. GUNS' latest album, "Tales from the Strip", was released in August 2005 in the U.S. via Shrapnel Records. The CD, which was produced by Andy Johns (LED ZEPPELIN, THE ROLLING STONES), was lyrically inspired by a historically significant rock scene that L.A. GUNS had a strong hand in creating.
Phil Lewis' L.A. GUNS is not to be confused with the Tracii Guns-led version of the group, which is also continuing to record and perform under the L.A. GUNS moniker.
Keith Carman of Exclaim.ca recently conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
One recording a Christmas album with the HALFORD band:
"Just by association, I think that when everybody heard that the Metal God was doing a Christmas album, they had a sharp taking [in] of breath. But that's to be expected. The fact of the matter is that I've the luxury of a solo career that lets me do the unexpected. Having said that, like everybody else, I just love the Christmas holidays. I do the same things that everyone else does. In my mind, it's not that much of a stretch."
"I did this for a few reasons but the main genesis was a moment for me personally to express myself in a way that I've never done before. I just want to do what's important to me. As a musician, that's the way it should be. You stand by your choices. It just took a while to get to the point where we all wanted to do it. Once that decision was made, we ran with it.
"When you're covering such great composers, it's inspiring to have the opportunity to cover work that's already established and given various kinds of treatments. And for you to enjoy the challenge of putting your distinctive approach on the arrangements. That was important for us when we put this together: to make sure we could give it the HALFORD band stamp."
On the band's ability to pen some thematically similar yet equally epic and raucous originals for the Christmas record:
"When we first agreed to do this type of record, there wasn't any inclination to go into self-composing mode because there's so much great material already out there. But the ideas started to flow forth and we were all so excited and inspired by the music we were covering that it was natural to be motivated and noodle around with ideas that came. You feed off each other's creativity. It was unexpected but it was great. It was a treat to show that as a band, we can also step forward in the spirit of the season and make music that fits with everything else we've done."
On a potential sophomore holiday affair should the opportunity arise again:
"I had so much fun making this record. They're very uplifting songs. We'll see how it goes. The global reception has been strong so far and there were many other tracks/opportunities to cover in this vein that we didn't get to this time. If we've got enough to make full release, maybe we'll go for it."
HALFORD's new album, "Halford III - Winter Songs", sold 1,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD landed at position No. 26 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.
HALFORD's first holiday CD, "Halford III - Winter Songs" is being released via Rob's new label Metal God Records, distributed globally by ADA Global/Warner Music Group, Fontana/Universal Music Group, Conveyor/Universal Music Canada and Sony Music Japan.
"Halford III - Winter Songs" is Rob's first solo release in more than seven years, and includes a collection of new Halford-penned tracks plus traditional holiday favorites presented with original arrangements by HALFORD (Rob Halford on vocals, Roy Z. on guitar, Metal Mike Chlasciak on guitar, Mike Davis on bass and Bobby Jarzombek on drums).
Written, arranged and recorded during 2008 and 2009, "Halford III - Winter Songs" celebrates one of the most exciting holiday periods of the year.
"Halford III - Winter Songs" debuts new HALFORD tracks "Get Into The Spirit", "When Christmas Comes For Everyone", "Light Of The World", "What Child Is This", "Oh Holy Night", "Come All Ye Faithful" and more.
MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has posted the following message in the "Forums" section of the band's official web site:
"I hope that everyone that is in a band and has been watching how things have transpired are taking notes. This record [MEGADETH's 'Endgame'] has been out for weeks and weeks, and no radio play from the radio person at Roadrunner [Records, MEGADETH's record label], nothing. Zero.
"But that should be expected; this is the same guy I HAD TO ASK to get me interviews. Talk about a Gomer moment!
"Now, I am going to be forced to rely on my own radio station to play MEGADETH, but that's OK, I seem to be doing the label's job every day, in every city, and I am used to it after these last two records.
"I am waiting to talk to the owner of Roadrunner, and all I ask is that you pray that this guy has even a modicum of respect for me and how hard I have been working for him. And he gets the lion's share of the revenue, while I get news that with the best record I have recorded in decades has now dropped off of the charts.
"Kudos, Roadrunner, the is the first worldwide critically acclaimed record by the press, and the fans, and you just can't seem to get this right. This is the first time that everyone likes a record of mine, and you can't get us on the radio or into the stores.
"I can't tell you how many stores I go into while on tour and I see nothing. And all I hear from Roadrunner is we are committed to the record.
"My ass."
"Endgame" has sold around 87,000 copies in the United States since its release nine weeks ago. The CD registered the following U.S. weekly sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan:
AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry has joined forces with SanDisk to help fund music in schools.
SanDisk's slotRadio is a brand new way to enjoy music effortlessly through memory cards while also contributing to the Grammy Foundation.
According to RadarOnline.com, Perry is teaming up with with SanDisk for a promotion that will send $1 for every slotRadio card purchased this holiday season, up until the end of January to the Grammy Foundation, a charity that helps kids learn music in schools.
Perry will have a slotRadio card filled with some of his greatest hits this winter; other pre-loaded slotRadio cards are available in genres including country, hip hop, health & fitness, christmas, oldies, '80s/'90s and more.
Roxx Records has announced the signing of THE SACRIFICED. The band's full-length debut, "2012", will be released in the spring.
THE SACRIFICED, based in Lakeland, Florida, has been together since 2005 and previously released an independent demo CD entitled "The Da Vinci Hoax". The demo sold well and the band has been playing and getting rave reviews ever since.
While reminiscent of bands such as early QUEENSRŸCHE, SACRED WARRIOR, HAVEN and DELIVERANCE, "these boys are no copycats or tribute band," according to a press relase. "THE SACRIFICED are not afraid to tell the truth, with brave, inspirational lyrics that illustrate their strong stance for what they believe in. Combine all this with a classic power metal sound and '2012' is sure to please."
Pre-orders are going now, and you will want to get in early as the first 100 copies only will come with an exclusive demo disc comprised of the "The Da Vinci Hoax" and demos compiled from the band's pre-THE SACRIFICED days when they were known as SEALED FATE and SCEPTRE.
Swedish glam-rock band CRASHDIET entered the studio tomorrow on Friday, November 13 with RamPac, the production and songwriting team formed by Johan Ramström and Patrik Magnusson, to begin recording its third album for an early 2010 release.
Video footage from the studio can be viewed below.
CRASHDIET recently announced the addition of Simon "Simme" Cruz from the Stockholm act JAILBAIT as the group's new lead singer. A new demo track, "Caught In Despair", featuring the band's latest addition is available for streaming below.
CRASHDIET parted ways with its last vocalist, the Finland-based H. Olliver Twisted, in July 2008. "We need a singer who can commit 100%, which unfortunately Olli couldn't live up to," the group stated at the time. "He, as many know about, has another band in Finland and we couldn't settle for sharing our time. We want to go further than any band has done before and we can't afford to spend time just waiting. We need to function as a full unit, all the time!"
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" features 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.
H. Olliver Twisted joined CRASHDIET as the replacement for David Hellman (a.k.a. Dave Lepard), who committed suicide in January 2006.
Fan-filmed video footage of IN FLAMES' November 19, 2009 performance in Milan, Italy can be viewed below.
Photos of the concert at the sold-out Live Club (Trezzo D'Adda) are available on the news blog Musica Metal.
The group's setlist was as follows:
01. Cloud Connected 02. Embody The Invisible 03. Pinball Map 04. Delight And Angers 05. Disconnected 06. Square Nothing 07. Trigger 08. The Hive 09. Only For The Weak 10. Drifter 11. Clayman 12. Come Clarity 13. Leeches 14. Alias 15. The Mirror's Truth 16. The Quiet Place 17. Take This Life 18. My Sweet Shadow
According to Musica Metal, frontman Anders Fridèn announced from the stage that the Milan concert would mark IN FLAMES' last performance in Italy for a long while because they were due to begin work on a new studio album in their hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Halfway through the set, Fridèn invited a fan onstage to sing "Clayman", but when the intro riff ended, the fan didn't know the lyrics to the song and kept headbanging and pulling an embarassed face next to guitarist Björn Gelotte while the crowd started booing and mocking him until he ran offstage. Anders came to the rescue and ended the song, but the audience kept booing the guy right until the start of the following track, "Come Clarity".
According to Hits Daily Double, the companion web site of music industry tip sheet HITS, THEM CROOKED VULTURES' self-titled debut album is on track to sell between 70,000 and 75,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release.
THEM CROOKED VULTURES consists of FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl on drums, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE singer/guitarist Josh Homme and LED ZEPPELIN bass player John Paul Jones.
"Them Crooked Vultures" was released on November 17 via DGC/Interscope Records.
The track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. No One Loves Me & Neither Do I 02. Mind Eraser, No Chaser 03. New Fang 04. Dead End Friends 05. Elephants 06. Scumbag Blues 07. Bandoliers 08. Reptiles 09. Interlude with Ludes 10. Warsaw Or The First Breath You Take After You Give Up 11. Caligulove 12. Gunman 13. Spinning in Daffodils
Following their first North American tour of mostly East Coast cities in October, the group will next head west for four gigs this month. The band will perform on November 19 in Oakland, November 21 in Seattle, and November 22 in Portland, Oregon.
THEM CROOKED VULTURES taped a performance for the Austin City Limits TV program on September 30.
According to People.com, Alex Santana, the singer of the Los Angeles-based death metal band BLOOD MONEY, married actor Jim Carrey's rock musician daughter Jane Carrey in a ceremony this past weekend.
"It was a beautiful day. Simple and sweet," Jim Carrey told People.com in a statement. "I wish them everything that love has given us."
Carrey also shared his joy on Twitter Wednesday night. "My Jane is a married woman. Days ago her and my new son-in-law Alex got hitched," he wrote. "The day was simply perfect... lots of love there.. :)"
Jane, 22, and Santana, 24, are expecting a child in March. The grandfather-to-be said he was "very excited" back in July about the news. "Jane is going to be a great mom."
Jane sings for the JANE CARREY BAND, and is the "Liar Liar" star's daughter with his first wife Melissa.
Jim Carrey was rumored to be to be a fan of the death metal band CANNIBAL CORPSE, who made a cameo appearance in Carrey's 1994 movie "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective". However, in a July 10, 2009 posting on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Santana himself put the rumor to rest, writing, "For the record, Jim hates death metal... He'd never heard of CANNIBAL until doin' that movie. Trust me, it's the first thing I asked him when we met."
According to BLOOD MONEY's official bio, the band's goal is very simple: "Make heavy music and share it with the world. Be it death, thrash, grind, etc. You will hear it in BLOOD MONEY. From PANTERA to SEPULTURA, or DECAPITATED to NAPALM DEATH. You will feel their intensity in BLOOD MONEY. But even though we play with their strengths, we write with our own. A new breed of metal, a stew of genres, a story in every song. Stories that tell of the world we live in, the struggles of power and the belief of expression."
The band adds: "We are a group of four guys from L.A. who love to play metal. A group that writes songs together, sharing riffs and rhythms. And when all is said and done, BLOOD MONEY writes epic songs. Songs to begin an album and songs to end an album. This fact was proven with the 2008 release of 'One Nation Under Hate'. A relentless force of a record, that beckons for the throne of progressive death metal. But more importantly, BLOOD MONEY was born to play live, delivering arguably the most compelling, brutal, and infamous shows in the Los Angeles underground. We play to abolish the norm… We play to cultivate the doubtful… We play to incite riots. We play as one machine."
For more information on BLOOD MONEY, visit the band's MySpace page.
Photo of the happy couple (courtesy of the father-to-be's MySpace page):
Power metal acts CIRCLE II CIRCLE and CAGE will team up for a three-show tour of Texas, dubbed the "Texas Metal Allegiance Tour", in December.
The dates are as follows:
Dec. 10 - Houston @ Fitzgeralds Dec. 11 - San Antonio @ Zombies Dec. 12 - Fort Worth @ Ridglea Theater (w/ HELSTAR, WARBEAST)
CIRCLE II CIRCLE, featuring former SAVATAGE lead singer Zak Stevens, will begin recording its fifth album in early 2010 and is featured on the Triton Power Cruise setting sail April 30, 2010.
CAGE will bring its "Science of Annihilation" show for its first-ever run in the Lone Star State. The band is coming off of a very successful showing at ProgPower USA in Atlanta, Georgia.
CAGE is the headlining act on the Triton Power Cruise pre-party on April 29, 2010.
The pairing of CIRCLE II CIRCLE and CAGE brings together two of progressive and power metal's finest acts for these three unique shows. The addition of legendary Texas-based HELSTAR will make the Fort Worth show a very special, one-of-a-kind event not to be missed.
Contact the venues for advance ticketing information.
CAMP FREDDY — the Los Angeles-based "jam" group featuring Dave Navarro (ex-JANE'S ADDICTION, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), Billy Morrison (ex-THE CULT bassist, current CIRCUS DIABLO vocalist), Matt Sorum (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES), Donovan Leitch (son of legendary folk singer Donovan), and Chris Chaney (JANE'S ADDICTION, ALANIS MORRISETTE) — has announced another residency at the Roxy Theater in West Hollywood, California. This will be the third set of dates that the band has performed at the venue in the last two years.
Presented by Monster Energy Drink and Onitsuka Tiger, the second annual Christmas CAMP FREDDY residency will be called "Decades" and will feature a '70s set on Friday, December 4; an '80s set on Friday, December 11; and a '90s set on Friday, December 18.
The band promises to bring their friends out and celebrate the holiday season in the usual way.
Tickets are available from The Roxy or Ticketmaster. There are also limited numbers of Golden Tickets available from the same places, which buys all three shows, plus an exclusive meet-and-greet/hangout at the soundcheck on December 11, signed 8x10 print, and personal photo opps etc.
CAMP FREDDY last year parted ways with Los Angeles' acclaimed Indie 103.1 radio station, which has aired the band's weekly show every Saturday for nearly five years.
Since its formation seven years ago when they rocked the opening of The Standard Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles at the invitation of Brent Bolthouse, CAMP FREDDY has performed on both coasts of America and on national television shows ("The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", "Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn", "Last Call with Carson Daly").
The Bay Area's AGENDA OF SWINE (Pete Ponitkoff - vocals, Jeff Lenormand – guitar, Jason Behan – guitar, Emad Jaghab – bass, John Gotelli – drums) has posted a brand new track, "Rooted In Spite", on the band's MySpace page. This previously unreleased track was recorded for a split seven-inch single that is due out next year.
AGENDA OF SWINE released its debut album, "Waves of Human Suffering", last year via Relapse. The CD was recorded with engineer Zach Ohren at Castle Ultimate Studios (ANIMOSITY, ALL SHALL PERISH, LIGHT THIS CITY) in Oakland, California.
AGENDA OF SWINE formed after vocalist Pete Ponitkoff disbanded previous project BENUMB and guitarist Jeff Lenormand and drummer John Gotelli placed VULGAR PIGEONS on hiatus.
German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS have announced the following dates as part of their "Get Your Sting And Blackout" world tour:
May 07 - Leipzig, Germany - Arena May 08 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle May 12 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle May 14 - Stuttgart, Germany - Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle May 29 - Berlin, Germany - O2 World May 30 - Zwickau, Germany - Stadthalle Jun. 01 - Hannover, Germany - TUI Arena
2009 was the year of the SCORPIONS: they received the German lifetime achievement ECHO, collected many other awards, and undertook a grand tour through Russia, the U.S. and Europe. However, it is 2010 that will set a milestone for the career of the most successful international rock band from Germany. The SCORPIONS will be touring the world for the next two years and performing in the largest venues and stadiums that cross their path. The mammoth tour will be launched for the first time in many years in Germany. "It was important for us to give our fans a chance to celebrate a never-to-forget party with us," said band founder/guitarist Rudolf Schenker. Vocalist Klaus Meine added, "2010 is going to be a very special year for the SCORPIONS, so it is an especially good feeling to be able to start this tour at home."
To top it all off, the SCORPIONS are planning on releasing a sensational statement this January at a press conference.
The performances in Germany will be followed by concerts in the U.S., South America, Asia, Russia and various countries in Europe.
Guitarist Matthias Jabs remarked about the tour, "We are very excited to be touring the globe for the next two years. The SCORPIONS want to rock the world once again!"
SCORPIONS are currently in the recording studio working on their upcoming album that will also be released in 2010. The brand new DVD, "Amazonia - Live In The Jungle" — a live recording of the SCORPIONS concerts in Manaus and Recife, Brazil — is in stores now.
SCORPIONS recently extended their record deal with Ariola, which is part of the international media conglomerate Sony BMG Music Entertainment.
The band's latest CD, "Humanity - Hour 1", was produced by James Michael and co-produced by songwriter/producer Desmond Child, who has worked with such high-profile pop/rock artists as AEROSMITH, BON JOVI, ALICE COOPER, KISS, RICKY MARTIN, CHER, MICHAEL BOLTON and BONNIE TYLER.
Schenker released his official German-language autobiography, "Rock Your Life", in Germany on October 14. An English-language version is also planned. More details will be revealed soon.
SCORPIONS took part in a special concert, dubbed "A Night To Remember", on October 2 at the Grugahalle in Essen, Germany, with special guests, former members/guitarists Uli Jon Roth and Michael Schenker.
Santa Barbara, California's DEVILDRIVER will embark on a five-week North American headlining tour in January. Direct support on the dates will come from New York extreme metal legends SUFFOCATION.
Commented SUFFOCATION in a statement: "SUFFOCATION is very excited to be touring with DEVILDRIVER. We know this will be an incredible tour, and encourage the fans to come out and see this amazing lineup!"
Although the full lineup for DEVILDRIVER's headlining trek has not yet been announced, THY WILL BE DONE revealed from the stage at last week's concert in Farmingdale, New York (with MACHINE HEAD) that they will be taking part in the tour, alongside GOATWHORE. It should be noted, however, that this information has not yet been corroborated by an official source and should be treated as a rumor only at this point.
The first ten shows are as follows (more dates to be announced soon):
Jan. 07 - Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse Jan. 08 - San Francisco, CA @ Slims Jan. 09 - Ventura, CA @ Majestic Ventura Theater Jan. 11 - Portland, OR @ Peter's Room at Roseland Theater Jan. 12 - Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven Jan. 13 - Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre Jan. 15 - Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater Jan. 16 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre Jan. 18 - Maplewood, MN @ The Rock Jan. 19 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
According to a new online post by DEVILDRIVER bassist Jon Miller, the Santa Barbara, California-based metallers have six songs "in the bag" for the group's forthcoming album, which they "are looking to record sooner than later." He added, "We want to go faster and heavier on this one to answer any question on a 'direction' that we may be undertaking."
DEVILDRIVER drummer John Boecklin elaborated further on the status of the songwriting sessions for the band's next CD. Writing on the group's official MySpace blog, Boecklin stated, "On our last record, I would say we stretched as far as we could outside of what we had done in the past, trying new and slower songs with vocal melody like 'It's In The Cards' or the rock like feel of songs like 'Back With A Vengeance' and 'Teach Me To Whisper'. For our latest effort, we feel like musically going for the throat, so to speak.
"Are we gonna make a death metal album? No! We always have a heavy emphasis on groove and hook. That will not change. We just feel we have a certain anger edge about us and the songs we are writing compared to our last one. It will not be rushed and if you are a fan, you will not be let down!!"
Video footage of DEVILDRIVER's November 7, 2009 performance in Munich, Germany can be viewed below (courtesy of "eblinternational").
DEVILDRIVER's latest album, "Pray For Villains", sold around 14,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.
DEVILDRIVER's previous CD, 2007's "The Last Kind Words", shifted a little more than 14,000 copies during its first week of release to debut at No. 48 — around 40 percent more than the opening-week number of 2005's "The Fury of Our Maker's Hand", which premiered at No. 177 with sales of 10,400.
"Pray For Villains" was released on July 14 via Roadrunner Records. The effort — which was also made available as a special-edition CD/DVD package featuring three bonus tracks, a behind-the-scenes DVD and expanded artwork — was recorded at Edge of the Earth studios in Los Angeles with producer Logan Mader (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, GOJIRA, DIVINE HERESY).
According to the Italian news blog Musica Metal, Friar Cesare Bonizzi, the 63-year-old Italian self-described "preacher-singer" who has released a couple of albums with his heavy metal band FRATELLO METALLO (Metal Brother), took part in a live videochat yesterday hosted by Virgin Radio Italy, sporting his newly trimmed beard and hair, and discussing last week's news that he would retire from the limelight. During the chat, Bonizzi stated that he was not retiring from the music world but that the "Brother Metal" character had to be put to rest because it had grown too famous. He added that too much attention from the media had been placed on his long mane and white beard, so he cut them off to reduce the impact of his image. He also announced that he would release a new album sometime next year.
Bonizzi, who fell in love with heavy metal when he attended a METALLICA concert some 15 years ago, told Reuters fame had put him on the wrong path. But he still thinks heavy metal can be a means to spread the gospel message of pace and love.
"I think that metal is the strength of music itself. Metal is a brother," he said.
The U.K. branch of Roadrunner Records conducted an interview with guitarist Fredrik Åkesson and Per Wiberg of Swedish progressive metallers OPETH when the band played London, England with DREAM THEATER on October 10, 2009. The chat can be viewed below.
OPETH's tour bus was involved in a road crash last month after the driver of the other car made a U-turn in the middle of the highway. According to guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt, who was not travelling on the bus at the time of the incident, "it seems as if [the incident] was a deliberate death stunt [on the part of the other car's driver] as the police had found a suicide letter in the car wreck."
OPETH's tour bus was travelling from Dublin, Ireland to Brussels, Belgium when the incident occurred.
Bassist Martin Mendez and Per Wiberg were the only two members of OPETH that were present on the bus at the time of the crash.
Åkerfeldt, drummer Martin "Axe" Axenrot and Fredrik Åkesson had opted to fly home to their families for a few days while the band had three days off before its next concert (October 17 in Brussels as part of the Progressive Nation 2009 tour with DREAM THEATER, BIGELF and UNEXPECT).
None of the OPETH musicians or members of their road crew were injured in the incident.
German industrial metallers RAMMSTEIN have been confirmed for next year's Nova Rock festival, set to take place June 11-13, 2010 on the Pannonia Fields in Burgenland, the easternmost federal state of Austria (near Nickelsdorf and the Hungarian and Slovak borders). More acts will be announced soon.
"Liebe Ist Für Alle Da", the new album from RAMMSTEIN, sold 22,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 13 on The Billboard 200 chart. Previously, the group's best rank came with its 1998 chart debut, "Sehnsucht", which peaked at No. 45 off the strength of its only U.S. radio chart hit, "Du Hast". Although the band just had its highest chart debut, "Reise, Reise" sold over 26,000 copies in the U.S. its opening week of sales.
Worldwide chart positions reaffirm RAMMSTEIN's status as one of the most internationally popular rock bands with seven #1 sales chart positions including their native Germany as well as platinum and gold certifications already awarded for numerous European countries.
"Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" arrived in stores on October 20 through a marketing and distribution deal with Vagrant Records and Universal Music Germany. The album was produced by Jacob Hellner and RAMMSTEIN, with recording done at Northern California's Sonoma Mountain Studio. The first single from the 11-track release is "Pussy", which was released as a digital single on September 22 and accompanied by one of the year's most viral videos.
RAMMSTEIN is:
Till Lindemann - Vocals Paul Landers - Guitar Richard Z. Kruspe - Guitar Oliver Riedel - Bass Christoph Schneider - Drums Flake Lorenz - Keyboards
Anneke van Giersbergen (AGUA DE ANNIQUE, ex-THE GATHERING) and Danny Cavanagh (ANATHEMA, LEAFBLADE) will team up for four acoustic shows this Christmas in support of their brand new album, "In Parallel". The details are as follows:
Dec. 26 - Ankara, Turkey - 312 Arena Dec. 27 - Istanbul, Turkey - Studio Live Dec. 28 - Budapest, Hungary - FMH Dec. 29 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Slavjanska Beseda
Video footage of Anneke van Giersbergen and Danny Cavanagh performing an acoustic version of Anneke's new single, "Hey Okay!", on September 25, 2009 at Dynamo in Eindhoven, Holland can be viewed below.
"In Parallel" was released on September 10 via Angelic Recordings. The CD, recorded in March 2009 at the Little Devil in Tilburg, Holland, features some stunning moments from the musicians' collaborations on stage, including songs from both their careers.
The track listing is as follows:
01. Teardrop 02. You Learn About It 03. Temporary Peace 04. Yalin 05. Songbird 06. Big Love 07. The Blower's Daughter 08. One Last Goodbye 09. Are You There? 10. Day After Yesterday 11. A Natural Disaster 12. Lost and Found 13. Flying 14. Jolene
"Teardrop" and the ANATHEMA song "A Natural Disaster" are available for streaming at this location.
Video footage of BIBLEBLACK — the new Swedish band featuring members of KING DIAMOND and MEMORY GARDEN — performing the song "Mourning Becomes Me" on November 13, 2009 at Sticky Fingers in Gothenburg, Sweden can be viewed below.
BIBLEBLACK recently parted ways with drummer Tobhias Ljung and replaced him with Staffan Lundholm (CIRCLE OF CHAOS).
BIBLEBLACK's debut album, "The Black Swan Epilogue", was released in May via Vic Records. The LP was made available in two different versions — a jewel-case double-disc containing a bonus DVD and a digipack featuring additional artwork.
BIBLEBLACK's video for the song "Bleed" was directed by Owe Lingvall of Village Road Film.
BIBLEBLACK is:
Kacper Rozanski - The Voice Mike Wead (KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE) - Lead Guitar Simon Johansson (MEMORY GARDEN, ABSTRAKT ALGEBRA) - Rhythm Guitar Jonaz Bülund - Electric Bass Guitar Staffan Lundholm (CIRCLE OF CHAOS) - Drums
Berlin, Germany's PitCam Production conducted an interview with vocalist Nick Holmes of British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST when the band played the Columbia Halle in Berlin on November 13, 2009. Watch the chat below.
PARADISE LOST's new album, "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us", registered the following first-week chart positions:
The limited formats of this landmark gothic metal opus include two orchestral versions of the album tracks "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" and "Last Regret", which were recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra in July 2008.
The limited-edition deluxe two-CD includes special packaging (DVD-sized Mediabook with O-Card in a special leather look) and a bonus track, "Cardinal Zero", on Disc 1 plus a separate bonus CD featuring the "Lost In Prague" tracks. All vinyl lovers will be delighted to hear that the album is available as a limited-edition gatefold LP, including the bonus track "Cardinal Zero", the orchestra mixes on a separate bonus 7" EP, the entire album on CD (in a blank sleeve), and an exclusive poster.
The highly anticipated follow-up to 2007's "In Requiem", "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren.
The album's artwork, which is based upon a "Danse Macabre" woodcut by Hans Holbein the Younger (first published in 1538), was created by Stefan Wibbeke at Medialogistics (LACUNA COIL, POISONBLACK).
PARADISE LOST was forced to postone six shows on its current European tour due to a serious illness within guitarist Greg Mackintosh's family.
Legendary old-school death metallers MASTER will embark on a five-week South American tour. Dubbed the "Masters Of Hate Tour", the trek will commence on January 14, 2010, with the final destination ending at the Otacílio Rock Festival in Santa Catarina, Brazil on February 21. Joining MASTER as tour support throughout will be U.K. modern metallers AFTER DEATH and Brazilian death metallers PREDATOR.
"Masters Of Hate Tour" dates (venue details to be announced):
MASTER has set "The Human Machine" as the title of its tenth full-length album. The band has also tapped in Israeli artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, AGHORA, TO-MERA, GWAR, SICKENING HORROR) to work on the CD's visual aspects.
MASTER will enter the studio in December to begin recording the CD for an early 2010 release via Pulverised Records.
In a recent interview with U.K.'s Terrorizer magazine, MASTER mainman Paul Speckmann stated about the forthcoming album, "I have written about ten tracks and guitarist Aleš Nejezchleba has about six tracks to offer me at the moment for the new CD. We will get together after the next tours of Mexico and South America with the drummer Pradlovsky and begin the arrangements for the CD. This is really the first time where we are taking our time on an album. But expect a killer production on this one of course."
He continued, "It will sound like MASTER always do: killer and aggressive. I suppose you'll have to wait and see. It will definitely be an original MASTER album. We never change for the trends as most of the successful scene does. MASTER still play the same original style we always has since the incarnation of the band in 1983. It certainly surprises me that many of the bands today jump on the current trends, and have success with this. For me there is nothing like the original bands." Regarding the new CD title, Speckmann said, "People have become slaves to the greater machine called the government in every city of the world and it's a real pity to see this bullshit. Big Brother gets stronger with every waking moment and soon freedom for the masses will be a thing of the past as George Orwell predicted in 1984. Soon the masses will have a rebellion or it's finished."
WARRANT guitarist Erik Turner will join Las Vegas, Nevada's SIN CITY SINNERS — which consists of Brent Muscat (formerly of FASTER PUSSYCAT), Todd Kerns (AGE OF ELECTRIC), Mike Eliis, and Rob Cournoyer (RAGING SLAB) — for the following shows:
Nov. 20 - Railhead @ Boulder Station - Las Vegas, NV Nov. 21 - Ovation @ Green Valley Ranch - Las Vegas, NV
SIN CITY SINNERS will release a CD of original songs, titled "Exile on Fremont St.", on December 11.
SIN CITY SINNERS is best known for having a special celebrity guest jam with the band each week.
The group has been taking Las Vegas by storm in 2009. They were voted "Best Local Band," second only to THE KILLERS in the Las Vegas Review-Journal's "Best Of Vegas" readers' poll.
Steve Wildsmith of TheDailyTimes.com recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.
On becoming a Christian:
"There was a moment of reckoning when my arm was destroyed, and I was up on this hill, and there was a cross at the top of it. It was just one of those thoughts — I was baptized a Lutheran, brought up as a Jehovah's Witness, got into witchcraft and Satanism and practicing black magic. My wife was in another thing, and I was thinking that was a cult, so I'd gone back to being a Jehovah's Witness, but I wasn't happy.
"Looking up at that cross, I said six simple words — 'What have I got to lose?' And my whole life has changed. It's been hard, but I wouldn't change it for anything. I'd rather ... go my whole life believing that there is a God and find out there isn't than live my whole life thinking there isn't a God and then find out, when I die, that there is."
On how metal itself has splintered into dozens of different sub-genres, all of which owe a little something to MEGADETH — or, according to Mustaine, a lot:
"A lot of these sub-genres are developed to position people who can do no better than No. 2. If you have a sub-genre, all of the also-rans have a place to show off. If you have sub-genres, everybody's got their place in the sun, but it's confusing because of all of that fragmentation. I say we put all of these sub-categories back into hard rock and heavy metal and see where we all stand.
"We're always getting labelled — people call us power metal, thrash, speed; at the Grammys, they called [MEGADETH] heritage metal. Personally, I don't care what people call us. This is a band with a guitar player who grew up listening to British Invasion and likes punk rock, classical music and jazz — and that comes out in my music."
On people who derided his conversion to Christianity as selling out:
"People were calling me out, saying I was (weak) or that I was trying to be cool. People were saying stuff about the bands I chose to play with. The thing is, I didn't want to start out on the wrong foot — I wanted to live by that old saying, 'When in doubt, leave it out.'
"I didn't want to go into this and live my life like I was. When I got saved, I really wanted to make a change. I understand now that things aren't quite as heavy as I thought they were back then, but I'm glad I protected myself (in the beginning). It's no secret that there are a lot of people who are haters — people who troll around the Internet, trying to hurt me and my band.
"The only reason it hurts me is because my daughter reads that stuff, and I think if I just sat down and talked to them, they'd say, 'Wow — I didn't even think about that.'"
"All these people who post all of the negative stuff on all of these web sites, I own them — they would be nothing without me. I'm their total higher power. I've got absolute 100 percent control over them, because they can't go a day without talking about me.
"It ain't hurting anybody, me being a nice guy. If being a Christian is going to water down my music, then [MEGADETH's new album] 'Endgame' must've slipped through the cracks, didn't it?"
SUICIDE OF DEMONS, the Belgian band featuring NIGHTRAGE drummer Jo Nunez, released its debut album, "Before Our Eyes", in the Benelux countries on November 1 through Sonic Rendez-Vous.
A trailer for the CD can be viewed below.
Guitarist Fern Nunez states, "Unfortunately, due to contractual issues, the album will be available only in Benelux for the time being, but we're working hard to try to make its release possible in other territories."
SUICIDE OF DEMONS has signed a new deal with Fakto Records for the release of the band's second CD, which the group hopes to begin recording in January. Fern Nunez states, "This album will contain a few surprises as well as some awesome guests."
If you ever play Six Degrees of Bruce Kulick, the former KISS/current GRAND FUNK RAILROAD guitarist's résumé will keep you happily busy for hours. Having been tapped by artists as diverse as Meat Loaf and Kanye West, the veteran axeman's boundless creative energy permeates his third solo LP, "BK3". In the works for nearly six years and produced by Jeremy Rubolino, "BK3" delivers explosive hard rock arrangements and addictive pop melodies that honor both Kulick's singular past and bright future. And then there's the jaw-dropping guest list, boasting members of KISS, THE KNACK, TOTO, MÖTLEY CRÜE and more.
"Bruce was to KISS what Ronnie Wood is to the STONES," says Rocket Science GM & Fanboy Enterprises A&R executive Ken Gullic. "The new guy to one generation, and the long-standing stable horse to another."
After getting his solo feet wet with 2001's "Audio Dog" and 2003's "Transformer", Kulick — the often unheralded driving force on 12 years of classic KISS records, from 1984's "Animalize" to 1992's "Revenge" — assembled his own rock 'n' roll dream team. The roster: KISS icon Gene Simmons and up-and-coming son Nick (each vocally appearing separately), longtime friend John Corabi (MÖTLEY CRÜE, Kulick's own UNION), KNACK mainman Doug Fieger, TOTO axe authoritarian Steve Lukather, EDGUY power metal stalwart Tobias Sammet and even current KISS drummer Eric Singer.
"Many albums lack cohesion with different vocalists, but I know that my guitar playing is the glue on 'BK3'," Kulick says. "There was the clear goal of making absolutely the best record that I could put together. I feel like this is my 'Revenge'."
"BK3" will be released on February 16 on Twenty 4 Records/Rocket Science Ventures.
"BK3" track listing:
01. Fate 02. Ain't Gonna Die (featuring Gene Simmons) 03. No Friend Of Mine (featuring John Corabi) 04. Hand of the King (featuring Nick Simmons) 05. I'll Survive 06. Dirty Girl (featuring Doug Fieger) 07. Final Mile 08. I'm The Animal (featuring Tobias Sammet & Eric Singer) 09. And I Know 10. Between The Lines (featuring Steve Lukather) 11. Life
The limited-edition EP that was created especially for Kulick's last Australian guitar clinic tour can be heard on Kulick.net. The three tracks are also available for purchase via iTunes.
Possum of Rock On Altitude recently conducted an interview with MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer/METHODS OF MAYHEM frontman Tommy Lee at Lee's recording studio called The Atrium in Calabasas, California. Watch the chat below.
MÖTLEY CRÜE's new "greatest-hits" collection, suitably titled "Greatest Hits", is available for streaming in its entirety at this location. Released on November 17 via Eleven Seven Music/Mötley Records, the package features the following track listing:
01. Too Fast for Love 02. Shout at the Devil 03. Looks that Kill 04. Too Young to Fall in Love 05. Smokin' in the Boys Room 06. Home Sweet Home 07. Wild Side 08. Girls, Girls, Girls 09. Dr. Feelgood 10. Kickstart My Heart 11. Same 'Ol Situation 12. Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) 13. Without You 14. Primal Scream 15. Sick Love Song 16. Afraid 17. If I Die Tomorrow 18. Saints of Los Angeles 19. The Animal In Me (Remix)
Best Buy features an exclusive CD/DVD package of the new collection with a 20-minute behind-the-scenes documentary filmed at "Crüe Fest 2", the sophomore outing of the band's summer festival tour.
CRÜE performed its classic 1989 album, "Dr. Feelgood", in its entirety on Crüe Fest 2 to celebrate the record's 20th anniversary.
Eleven Seven Music/Mötley Records re-released "Dr. Feelgood" on September 21.
Originally issued on September 1, 1989, "Dr. Feelgood" reached #1 on the Billboard chart and went on to sell more than seven million copies worldwide. The title track reached No. 7 on the Hot 100 and earned the band their first two Grammy nominations (Best Hard Rock Performance: "Dr Feelgood" in 1989 and "Kickstart My Heart" in 1990). Twenty years later, the band was nominated for another Grammy Award and is celebrating its hit album "Saints of Los Angeles" on an arena tour of the U.S.
"Dr. Feelgood" was released as a deluxe version incorporating two CDs. The original version of "Dr. Feelgood" on one CD, and on the other a smorgasbord of delights! — four original demos from the "Dr. Feelgood" sessions, four tracks recorded live when the band played in Russia, plus a remix of "Get It For Free".
According to The Pulse of Radio, Slash took to Twitter to defend BLACK EYED PEAS singer Fergie's (a.k.a. Stacy Ann Ferguson) vocal performance on a new recording she did with Slash of the GUNS N' ROSES classic "Paradise City", also featuring CYPRESS HILL. A copy of the recording surfaced online last week (hear audio below), while Slash is contemplating whether to include it on his new solo album. The former GUNS guitarist tweeted, "Until now, not too many people have heard Fergie sing rock & roll but she sings it better (than) most dudes I know. She's a screamer at heart."
The self-titled record is tentatively due out in March 2010.
Among the other guests appearing on the album are Dave Grohl, Flea, Chris Cornell, Duff McKagan, WOLFMOTHER's Andrew Stockdale, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, Nicole Scherzinger, Meat Loaf, MAROON 5's Adam Levine and Ozzy Osbourne, who contributes vocals to the first single.
Slash told MusicRadar.com earlier this month that he got almost every special guest he wanted to appear on his upcoming solo album, except for one: WHITE STRIPES singer/guitarist and DEAD WEATHER drummer Jack White. Slash revealed, "I wanted to get Jack White to sing on something, but he didn't want to sing. He said I'll play drums, I'll play guitar, but I don't wanna sing. He was one guy that I wanted to work with. Pretty much everyone else that I went after I managed to get."
"I don't even remember that request, but I love Slash — 'Appetite' ['for Destruction'] is one of the best rock albums of the past 20-30 years," White told MTV.com. "I don't remember exactly what that request was, but, you know, I don't really like those albums where every song is a different person — that Santana thing, that's not interesting to me. But I think he's a really interesting guitar player."
"Paradise City" (featuring CYPRESS HILL and Fergie [a.k.a. Stacy Ann Ferguson] of the BLACK EYED PEAS):
Bassist Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud of Norwegian black metallers MAYHEM spoke to Norway's Dagbladet.no about the incident this past weekend in Tilburg, Holland when members of the group and their crew were arrested for allegedly causing several thousand dollars in damage to a hotel room.
On MAYHEM's record label, Season Of Mist, which wrote on its Facebook page following the Tilburg incident, "We're really proud when an established band of 40-year-olds behave like a bunch of inexperienced punks!":
Necrobutcher: "They are so square, they prefer not to have anything to do with guys like us."
On how what led to the hotel trashing:
Necrobutcher: "It was the last night of a three-four day tour, and we were gonna celebrate a little with the guys who had travelled with us. Unfortunately, the hotel room had to pay for this.
"Our rider says that we should get single rooms in three-star hotels. But the local promoter put us in double rooms in a hotel that hadn't been refurbished in sixty or seventy years. When one of us sat down on the bed, it broke. After that, a mirror went, somebody cut themselves a little, there was some blood, and some more stuff got broken.
"We weren't really sober, and we were nine guys: the band, the crew and two Dutch drivers. In the morning, when we finally fell asleep, the police arrived. They saw all the broken rooms, and water was flooding out of some of the pipes. They didn't bother to do any interrogations, they just arrested everybody. Because it was early in the morning, everybody wasn't sober and somebody became a little aggressive. The mood wasn't really great when we were arrested.
"I mentioned to the police that I at some point thought things had gone too far. I think it was when the TV went. For the prosecution, it became a point that I had tried to stop the whole thing. Everybody else was found guilty of complicity."
Joe Matera of Ultimate-Guitar.com recently conducted an interview with bassist Michael Anthony (CHICKENFOOT, VAN HALEN). An excerpt from the chat follows below.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: The CHICKENFOOT album oozes such a strong sense of fun and excitement, something that reminds a lot of what was captured on the early VAN HALEN records.
Michael Anthony: You hit that one right on the head. Obviously playing in a new group situation like this really inspires you to play differently. And these guys are great musicians and I don't have to tell you that. And so we're all good friends having a great time. And it is exactly like what it was in the early days of VAN HALEN because later on, everybody was kind of doing their own thing. But it makes me remember why I got into this business in the first place. And that is that you can have fun doing it.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: As a bass player, having played with Alex Van Halen for many years, was it challenging for you to play with Chad Smith, who's more of a funk player than the sort you're used to?
Michael Anthony: It is definitely an unusual mix of characters that make up this band. Chad is such a great guy. I actually first met him about four years ago, down in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. He's got a house down there and that was actually where Sammy met him also for the first time. The three of us have camped down there numerous times, and obviously before the CHICKENFOOT thing, I'd jam with Chad on many occasions. And he has this funk and unconventional rock style that he plays, which is really cool and which he brings to the band.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: Listening to the album, it feels like the music and songs came together from more of a loose jam type situation with each other than any sort of structured songwriting format?
Michael Anthony: Yeah. Actually we first jammed almost two years ago now and the magic and the fire, was great from that initial jam. It was then that we said, "We've got to take this to see where it goes," and so we went into the studio but without a producer or anybody. We did this for ourselves. We didn't have any type of supergroup in mind when we were first thinking of putting it together as we were just four friends jamming. And because Joe [Satriani] had just put his last solo album out, he was ready to go out on the road so it wasn't like we had a lot of time to go into the studio. We only had about three days over a weekend and so we went in and just jammed and came up with about six or seven ideas. Then whenever we could, we would just get together and basically jam and work on ideas that we had and also come up with different ideas.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: Was it a total difference approach making this album compared to how you and Sammy made the VAN HALEN records?
Michael Anthony: It was much closer to how we did the music in the early days of VAN HALEN where somebody had an idea. Like Joe came up with most of the basic guitar riff ideas for this album, and then we would all just throw our own two cents into mix. Nobody during the recording and rehearsing of this whole thing ever told anybody else what they thought they should play.
KORN drummer Ray Luzier told Unwired TV in a recent interview (see video below) that the band might headline next year's edition of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour. Also rumored to take part in the trek are Connecticut hardcore/metal masters HATEBREED, whose frontman, Jamey Jasta, told Metal Mark of SkullsNBones.com in a November 16, 2009 interview, "We're gonna be on a very big summer tour, which I just can't say just yet, but most people will probably guess."
Last year's installment of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival featured SLAYER, MARILYN MANSON, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, BEHEMOTH, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, JOB FOR A COWBOY and more.
This summer, AOL's Noisecreep spoke with KORN frontman Jonathan Davis about the band's forthcoming disc, which is said to be a return to the group's earlier sound.
"It's really like the old school stuff ... like the first two records," Davis said. "It's just going back to our roots, working with [producer] Ross [Robinson, who also helmed the band's first two albums] ... It's just been amazing, and it sounds like nothing we've ever done. It's more in the vein of the first two records, and we're really excited about it. And working with Ross, it just sort of evolved out of us, naturally. He's got us going back to the old school-style of how we were writing, and how we all just sat in a room together and did all this stuff so. We're excited ... It's just how its been taking shape."
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