Austrian melodic death metallers DEVANIC are once again searching for a new lead guitarist. The band states, "After some months of working together with Erik [Bay, who joined the group in January 2009], the band decided that it doesn't make sense to go any further. So, if you are a lead guitarist and willing to compose and work on new material, don't hesitate to get in contact!"
DEVANIC was formed in May 2004 by the group's now-former guitarist Nikolaus Vuckovic and vocalist Andreas Danzer "with the goal to play ambitious, catchy, multifarious and blasting melodic death metal. Nikolaus was looking for some people to realize his compositions, especially for someone to do the vocals. With Andreas, the right frontman was found. The songwriting, the lyrics and vocal arrangements of those two guys seem to be the perfect combination."
DEVANIC's debut album, "Mask Industries", was released in April 2006.
Guitarist/vocalist Joseph Duplantier of French progressive metallers GOJIRA has recorded a guest appearance on the forthcoming fourth album from Swiss noise-mongers KRUGER, entitled "For Death, Glory And The End Of The World". According to KRUGER, Duplantier laid down "a few main vocal parts" in the song "Muscle".
"For Death, Glory And The End Of The World" is scheduled for release in February 2010 via Listenable Records. The CD was recorded at Déclanché studio in Yverdon, Switzerland and will be mixed at Godcity studios in Salem, Massachusetts by Kurt Ballou (DISFEAR, COLISEUM, GENGHIS TRON) between November 28 and December 4.
The "For Death, Glory And The End Of The World" artwork can be seen below. The band states, "Connoisseurs and art students will unmask the shameful theft of Jérôme Bosch' 'Jardin des délices', which fits the heaviness epic character of this new piece pretty well."
KRUGER's third album "Redemption through Looseness" was mixed at Godcity by Kurt Ballou and was mastered by Alan Douches (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, NILE, MASTODON). It was released in 2007 in Europe and North America via Listenable Records.
KYPCK ("Kursk" in the western alphabet) — the Russian-singing Finnish doom metal band featuring former SENTENCED guitarist Sami Lopakka (a.k.a. S.S. Lopakka) — has entered the studio to begin recording its second album. More details will be revealed soon.
KYPCK's "Stalingrad" video can be viewed below. The song comes off the group's debut album, "Cherno", which was completed during 2007 and was originally released through the Finnish label UHO Production in March 2008. Despite the album's crushing, doomy nature and Russian lyrics, it went straight to No. 11 on the Finnish chart.
KYPCK's lineup includes Lopakka, vocalist E. Seppänen, bassist J. T. Ylä-Rautio and renowned producer Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, APOCALYPTICA, SENTENCED, etc.), who plays drums in the band under the name K. H. M. Hiilesmaa. It was only logical for Hiilesmaa to take charge of KYPCK's heavy and (in its original sense) grinding production.
E. Seppänen lived in Russia for 2.5 years, studied in St. Petersburg and worked at the embassy in Moscow. He got his degree from Oxford, and teaches Russian part-time in Tampere, Finland. Hence, he is more than capable of singing in Russian.
"Obfuscation", the new video from the Raleigh, North Carolina-based progressive metalcore quintet BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's new album, "The Great Misdirect", which sold 13,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 36 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"The Great Misdirect" was released on October 27 via Victory Records.
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME vocalist Tommy Rogers recently told Noisecreep about the group's Jamie King-produced follow-up to 2007's "Colors", "It's definitely a step forward for us, I think. I don't know ... when we write records, we never want to repeat ourselves, and we definitely have done that. So, I was worried when we started writing this record that we were just going to end up with something that sounds like 'Colors', and that's definitely not the case."
According to Rogers, "The Great Misdirect" is "more dynamic than we've ever been." The band, he said, tried "different things" on this record, resulting in a rather equal mix of "mellow stuff and more intense stuff. It's definitely BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME," Rogers added. "That's the coolest thing about our records. No matter what we do, it still sounds like us."
He continued, "It's a little over an hour of material, and it's definitely a lot of music. The thing with us is — yeah, we do have long songs, but we just try to never have a lot of filler. Some bands will have long songs, but half of the song will be a lot of filler. On 'Swim to the Moon' [the last track on the disc, which clocks in at over 18 minutes], there's no downtime. We try to pack everything with music, because we like to give people their money's worth."
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME will kick off a North American headlining tour on January 8, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. Support on the trek will come from CYNIC, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and SCALE THE SUMMIT.
Guitarist Todd Youth (MURPHY'S LAW, D-GENERATION, DANZIG) has launched two new bands, THE ROYAL HIGHNESS and CAPRICORN.
Commented Youth: "THE ROYAL HIGHNESS is my new band. All the members have worked together before. Skye (lead vocals, ex-BULLETS AND OCTANE) had been in THE CHELSEA SMILES and sang on the last SON OF SAM record that I did. Karl Rosqvist has played drums on almost everything I've done the past few years (SON OF SAM, THE CHELSEA SMILES, CAPRICORN, DANZIG touring drummer in 2006), Johnny Martin (bass) was also in the SMILES,and I know RJ Ronquillo (guitar) from doing session work; he's an amazing musician and has played with Stevie Wonder, Santana and Ricky Martin, to name a few, but he's a Detroit rock and roller at heart! He also did the last SMILES tour of the U.K."
He added, "We wanted to have a fresh start without all the baggage that came with THE CHELSEA SMILES (bad record deals, bad management, etc.), so we wrote all new material and I couldn't be happier."
THE ROYAL HIGHNESS is currently in the studio recording its debut album with producer Howard Willing (SMASHING PUMKINS, OK GO, CHEAP TRICK). The band will also make its live debut on December 4 at the Viper Room in West Hollywood, California as the support act for FIREBALL MINISTRY.
THE ROYAL HIGHNESS has one track up on its MySpace page, and the first 500 people who e-mail the band at theroyalhighnessband@gmail.com will receive a free MP3 of the song "Two Steps Back".
CAPRICORN is a project that Youth and MONSTER MAGNET guitarist Phil Caivano have been working on for a while and which was originally set to feature ex-MOTÖRHEAD drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and former NASHVILLE PUSSY bassist Corey Parks.
"I've been trying to get CAPRICORN off the ground ever since I filled in on guitar for MOTÖRHEAD on the 'Hammered' tour," said Youth. "We finally made it into the studio last month and recorded a few songs."
CAPRICORN, whose music is described by Youth as "killer dirty, speed-freak rock 'n' roll," will release a seven-inch single on the Swedish label Deleted Art.
"After a couple of false starts, we decided to record it as a trio with Phil and myself doing all the guitars and bass, along with my right-hand man Karl Rosqvist on drums," said Youth.
You can hear two songs from CAPRICORN on the band's MySpace page.
Los Angeles-based progressive metal band REDEMPTION has scheduled the following dates:
Feb. 04 - Whisky A Go Go - West Hollywood, CA Feb. 05 - U.B's - Mesa, AZ
Commented REDEMPTION guitarist/songwriter Nicolas van Dyk: "These will in all likelihood be the only headlining shows we play in the States in 2010, so they will feature our longest set times of any domestic performance next year.
"We are extremely excited to get out and play for you all, and to showcase some of our new CD, 'Snowfall On Judgment Day'."
Tickets are now on sale through EnterTheVault.com and all other ticketing outlets.
REDEMPTION will join PRIMAL FEAR for a few shows on the German power metal band's May - June 2010 U.S. tour which will be announced shortly.
In November 2008, Nicolas van Dyk was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which he describes as "a particularly bad form of blood cancer which is generally considered incurable and which has a five-year survival rate of 34%."
Nicolas' lengthy online post regarding his condition and prognosis can be found at this location.
REDEMPTION — which also features in its ranks vocal legend Ray Alder of FATES WARNING — released its fourth CD, "Snowfall on Judgment Day", on October 6 through Inside Out Music. The album was mixed and mastered by Tommy Newton, who produced the group's last two CDs, at Area 51 Studios in Celle, Germany. The artwork was once again created by Travis Smith.
A video teaser for the album can be viewed below.
Commented the band: "Musically, we have continued to grow and expand on the basic REDEMPTION formula. We have continued to push the envelope of heaviness combined with strong melody and emotional urgency in the music and I think the collection of songs is very strong, with some very in-your-face tunes that are among the heaviest in prog metal to some quieter, more elaborate moments, with technical thrown in where it belongs."
REDEMPTION is:
Ray Alder - Vocals Nick van Dyk - Guitar, Keyboards Bernie Versailles - Guitar Sean Andrews - Bass Chris Quirarte - Drums Greg Hosharian - Keyboards
REDEMPTION released a concert DVD, "Frozen in the Moment: Live in Atlanta", in late February/early March. The disc contains a five-camera, high-definition shoot of the band's ProgPower USA VIII festival appearance in Atlanta, Georgia in October 2007. In addition, there is a 12-minute video and photo tour diary set to the band's previously unreleased instrumental from the DREAM THEATER songwriting contest that REDEMPTION wrote back in 2003.
Video footage of SATAN'S HOST's October 31, 2009 performance at the Iliff Park Saloon in Denver, Colorado can be viewed below.
SATAN'S HOST's new album, "Power ~ Purity ~ Perfection: 999", was released in October via Moribund Records. The CD was recorded at Flatline Audio with producer Dave Otero and features the group's latest additions, D. Monic (ex-AND HELL FOLLOWS) on bass and Evil Little Hobbit (a.k.a. Anthony Lopez, ex-TORRID FLESH) on drums.
According to the band, "The metal on this new project is very diverse. From different modes, to different keys. There are eight full-length songs, from five minutes to eight-and-a-half minutes [in length], as [well] two acoustical interludes which separate the whole, three-part concept" of the CD. "There is a wide array of dark melodies, which fill the demonic soul with a serenade unto the dark lord. Very empowering rhythms, filled with groove and speed, which encapsulates the purist Satanic metal essence in the scene today, as with generations to be."
SATAN'S HOST's current lineup:
Patrick Evil - Guitar Eli Elixir L.C.F. - Vocals D. Monic - Bass Evil Little Hobbit - Drums
Louisiana-based progressive metal quartet TETRAFUSION has unveiled the artwork and track listing for its sophomore effort, entitled "Altered State".
Due in early 2010, the follow-up to TETRAFUSION's self-financed, full-length debut, "Absolute Zero", will be the band's first CD to feature vocals (handled by keyboardist Gary Tubbs).
"Altered State" track listing:
01. Collage of the Present 02. Monologue 03. Last Chance 04. The Deserter 05. Altered State 06. Shadows 07. Tears of the Past
Toshiba has teamed up with GQ magazine to auction off notebooks designed by four famous men. The "artists" include AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, actor and writer Rainn Wilson, and actor and producer Omar Epps, with each designing the exterior and interior look of four different Toshiba Satellite notebooks.
Joe Perry chose a classic black and white image for the exterior of the 18.4-inch Qosmio X505. Ward's design includes a rendition of him as a football player on the outside lid of the 18.4-inch Satellite P505 multimedia notebook. Rain Wilson chose illustrator Mike Mitchell to design the look of the 14-inch Toshiba Satellite M505, while Omar Epps shows off Brooklyn Bridge on the 16-inch A505 to pay homage to his hometown.
The auction started on November 27.
Proceeds from the sale of the limited-edition notebooks will go to each designer's chosen charity, including the Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation, MONA Foundation, Project AWARE and the Mount Calvary AME Church.
Drummer Vinny Appice (HEAVEN & HELL, DIO, BLACK SABBATH) will undergo surgery on his right shoulder on Monday, November 30 for an injury sustained during the last HEAVEN & HELL tour.
Commented Vinny: "You can't face the audience and hit drums directly behind you night after night at an extreme volume [referring to his monstrous drum kit that surrounded him with drums — Ed.]"
The surgeon expects Vinny to be back behind the kit in about five months.
HEAVEN & HELL singer Ronnie James Dio was just diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer while the band's guitarist, Tony Iommi, recently underwent stem-cell treatment on an injured hand.
HEAVEN & HELL's debut album, "The Devil You Know", entered The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 8 with first-week sales of 30,000 units.
The band's June 16, 2009 concert at Museumsmeile in Bonn, Germany was professionally filmed by WDR's (German public TV) series "Rockpalast" and was premiered on July 13. Watch the "Follow The Tears" performance below.
HEAVEN & HELL was forced to cancel its June 21, 2009 appearance at the Metalway Festival in Zaragoza, Spain due to back pain suffered by Iommi.
OV HELL, the new black metal project featuring DIMMU BORGIR vocalist Shagrath and ex-GORGOROTH bassist King, has completed work on its debut album, "The Underworld Regime", for a February 2010 release via Indie Recordings. The CD was recorded at Earshot Studio and features Shagrath on vocals, King on bass, Frost (SATYRICON) on drums, Ice Dale (ENSLAVED) on guitar and Teloch (NIDINGR, GOD SEED) on guitar. The album was produced by Herbrand Larsen and mastered at the Livingroom studios by Espen Berg and Shagrath in November 2009. King composed all of the music for "The Underworld Regime", while Shagrath wrote all lyrics, with contributions from Silenoz and Sarah Owens.
"The Underworld Regime" track listing:
01. Devil’s Harlot 02. Post Modern Sadist 03. Invoker 04. Perpetual Night 05. Ghosting 06. Acts of Sin 07. Krigsatte Faner 08. Hill Norge
Commented Shagrath: "The majestic OV HELL has become a band that reflects our roots — raw, ugly, arrogantly blasphemous — with uncompromising truth from two influential Norwegian musicians needing to express our primitive side, straight out OV HELL."
Added King: "It's been a little hell to actually see this music form into a band, but when I'm now listening to the final result, it has been worth the hard work we have put into this album!"
Two rough-mix sample tracks from "The Underworld Regime" can be heard on the band's MySpace page.
In a recent interview with MetalNews.pl, King stated about OV HELL's debut album, "It is always hard to describe your own music and it usually ends up like meaningless self-promotion of your own album. It will, however, contain music most people would define as black metal. I'm not claiming we have reinvented the wheel, but I don't think have heard any band to date we could be seen as copycats of. I have not heard all the bands in the world and can, of course, be mistaken.
"The album will contain a mixture of our different musical preferences and the personalities involved, which hopefully will lead to something original and new. I have to say, though, that I am more occupied of developing myself spiritually and musically than strive to be viewed as original by fans."
"The will to relive 1994 in black metal these days should be against all that black metal is all about. Presenting others' art and ideas almost 15 years later, mostly based on nostalgic reflections, show that you don't have the capacity to adapt to your own chaos and so on develop to a strong individual unique being. Recycling your own ideas will show that you are not capable of change and in other words should be viewed as dead.
"A person who is not able to change opinions, learn from his mistakes and have the ability to grow and change should not shout for people's attention but be quiet.
"I am grateful that I have had musicians with me on this record that do NOT possess these qualities."
The newly revamped lineup of the NWOBHM band TOKYO BLADE, featuring Andy Boulton (guitar) alongside John Wiggins (guitar) and bassist Andy Wrighton (bass), has announced the addition of singer Chris Gillen to the group's ranks. The band's new drummer will be announced shortly.
TOKYO BLADE released the "Live In Germany" CD and DVD on October 27 through Razar Ice Records. The effort was recorded in November 2008 at the Keep It True festival in Würzburg, Germany during the band's "Die By The Sword" tour.
"Live In Germany" was mixed and mastered by Sid Garcia at Sight 16 Studios in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The DVD contains bonus material, including tour rehearsal, candid footage with the band and additional live songs from throughout the 2008 tour.
A promotional clip for "The Ultimate War", the forthcoming DVD from Israel's "Mesopotamian black metal" band ARALLU, can be viewed below.
ARALLU's fourth album, "Desert Battles - Descending to the Sands", was released in March via Raven Music. The CD was mastered at Maor Appelbaum Mastering in California and contains 11 tracks, including a live video for the song "Battleground" taken from the group's forthcoming DVD. The art was created by Nir Gutraiman and Yosi Darmon.
The group's third CD, "The Demon from the Ancient World", was released in 2005 via the Czech label Epidemie Records.
Some of the dates on OBITUARY's South American tour are being rescheduled for January or February 2010 because of work visa issues.
OBITUARY will perform the following shows in Brazil (with BELPHEGOR) next week as scheduled:
Dec. 02 - Porto Alegre/RS - Brazil - Bar Opinião Dec. 04 - São Paulo/SP, Brazil - Hangar 110 Dec. 05 - Belo Horizonte/MG, Brazil - Bar Brasil Dec. 06 - Brasilia/DF, Brazil
The tickets that fans have purchased for the other South American dates are 100% valid for the rescheduled shows in 2010.
According to the band, "Neither OBITUARY [no]or the promoters from Ecuador, Venezuela and Perú, are responsible for this inconvenience."
"Live Xecution - Party.San 2008", the new concert DVD from OBITUARY, will receive a U.S. release in January 2010 via Regain. The footage for the disc was filmed at last year's Party.San Open Air festival, which was held August 7-9, 2008 in Bad Berka, Germany.
Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records recently released a limited-edition vinyl version of OBITUARY's "Left To Die" EP. Only 500 hand-numbered copies were made available on hand-splattered bloody vinyl, including an insert.
"Left to Die" contains four songs: two new originals ("Forces Realign" and "Left To Die"), a 2008 studio recording of "Slowly We Rot", and a cover of "Dethroned Emperor" by CELTIC FROST.
"Darkest Day", the new album from OBITUARY, landed at position No. 32 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.
Greece's E-Rock.gr recently conducted an interview with vocalist Mikael Stanne of Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY. The interview is now available for streaming in two parts below.
DARK TRANQUILLITY has set "We Are The Void" as the title of its ninth album, due in Europe on March 1, 2010 via Century Media Records. The drums for the CD were recorded at bassist Daniel Antonsson's studio, while the remaining instruments were tracked at Martin Brändström's (electronics) newly renovated Rogue music facility. The mixing duties are once again being handled by Tue Madsen (HALFORD, BEHEMOTH, KATAKLYSM, THE HAUNTED) at his Antfarm studio in Århus, Denmark. Working songtitles set to appear on the CD include "I Am The Void", "Zero Distance", "The Burden Of Love Alive", "Archangelsk" and "Memories In Reverse".
Regarding the musical direction of the band's new material, DARK TRANQUILLITY previously said, "It's a bit too early to delve into details, but the material feels diverse and fresh and covers all the facets of the DARK TRANQUILLITY sound. Those who are familiar with our songwriting process know that we always keep re-arranging and experimenting with the material until the recording starts, and while we currently have the basic foundations for around 10 songs, many things are still open. The final result is likely to surprise ourselves as well as you people."
DARK TRANQUILLITY,'s new DVD, "Where Death Is Most Alive", entered the Music DVD chart in the band's home country at position No. 1.
The "Where Death Is Most Alive" CD/DVD was released on October 26 in Europe (November 17 in the U.S.) via Century Media Records. The footage was filmed on October 31, 2008 in Milan, Italy — a concert which makes up the DVD's main feature. Disc 1 contains 20 tracks recorded at the Milan show while disc 2 offers the "Out Of Nothing"DARK TRANQUILLITY documentary, another 21 rare live videos and all of the band's previously released promotional clips.
"Where Death Is Most Alive" was released as limited kingsize mediabook 2DVD/2CD, 2DVD, 2CD and digital download. The audio formats consist of the main show's material, mixed by Tue Madsen.
PRISTINA, the band featuring former members of 100 DEMONS, A THOUSAND FALLING SKIES and INVOCATION OF NEHEK, will release its long-delayed new album, "The Drought (Ov Salt and Sorrow)", in February 2010 via Bombfarm Records. The CD was recorded by singer Brendan K. Duff and Steve Austin (TODAY IS THE DAY), who also mixed and engineered the effort. Guest musicians on "The Drought" include Austin, Rennie Resmini (STARKWEATHER) and Scott Angelicos (BLOODLET).
"The Drought (Ov Salt and Sorrow)" track listing:
01. The Drought (Ov Salt and Sorrow) 02. Moonshiner 03. Temple of the Morning Star (TODAY IS THE DAY cover) 04. Salt Water Cthulhu 05. Because I Can Kill You
The album will also be made available on limited-edition vinyl.
In other news, PRISTINA is halfway finished with the songwriting process for another full-length, tentatively due in 2010. The as-yet-untitled CD will most likely be produced by Jimmy Bower of EYEHATEGOD/DOWN fame.
PRISTINA recently welcomed a new second guitar player — J.P. Fernandes from singer Brendan's former band A THOUSAND FALLING SKIES.
Former ELEGY/VENGEANCE singer Ian Parry has set "Species" as the title of the fifth and final part of the CONSORTIUM PROJECT concept story. Joining Ian in the studio will be KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo, DAWN OF DESTINY bass player Jens Faber and INFINITY OVERTURE guitarist Niels Vejlyt, who has already laid down some ripping guitar tracks on a number of CONSORTIUM V songs during Ian's recent visit to Copenhagen in October.
Newcomers to CONSORTIUM PROJECT are two female vocalists — Bulgarian rock singer Anna Lozanova and gothic metal vocalist Lene Petersen (INFINITY OVERTURE).
Ian hopes to have the CONSORTIUM V "Species" album finished by the middle of next year, with a release — which will include his Consortium Quadrilogy — around September 2010.
Commented Ian: "It is a challenge this time around to write and produce the best and heaviest of all five CONSORTIUM albums. I really want to emphasis the fact that in my conceptual story women save the world. This is why I want more involvement from the great female vocalists on CONSORTIUM V 'Species'.
"It's great to have Casey Grillo back on drums doing an incredible job like he did on CONSORTIUM III and my solo CD, 'Visions', and this time I have a fantastic young kick-ass bass player Jens Faber completing the rhythm section. So with rip-roaring solos from Danish guitarist Niels Vejlyt, it's going to be a killer album with a mix of everything that is cool in rock and metal."
CONSORTIUM PROJECT's video for the song "Enigma" can be viewed below. The track comes off the group's last album, entitled "Children of Tomorrow", which was issued in North America in July 2007 on ProgRock Records. The label also released Parry's last solo album, "Visions", which came out in Europe in 2006.
Unlike Parry's previous CONSORTIUM PROJECT releases, "Children of Tomorrow" was said to be "a more diverse rock metal production with progressive elements reminiscent of his earlier productions." Parry spent more than a year on this epic production, writing, recording and mixing with former ELEGY bandmate/keyboard player Joshua Dutrieux. The songs were written as a collaboration between Parry, Dutrieux and the latest addition to the CONSORTIUM family, ex-WITHIN TEMPTATION drummer Ivar de Graaf.
NIGHTWISH frontwoman Anette Olzon joined the Finnish rock band THE RASMUS this week on the Finnish TV show "Ne Salmiset" to perform THE RASMUS' new single, "October & April". The performance was broadcast earlier today (Saturday, November 28) on Finland's MTV3 and can be viewed below (a separate interview with Olzon and THE RASMUS singer Lauri Ylönen is also included).
Olzon previously teamed up with THE RASMUS on stage on November 20 at The Dome 52 in Graz, Austria to perform "October & April". That performance was broadcast on Germany's RTL 2 station on November 27 and can also be seen below.
In a September 2008 interview with Italy's Musica Metal, Ylönen stated that the idea for the song came to him nine years ago when Tarja Turunen was still the lead singer of NIGHTWISH, but he only got around to recording the track during the sessions for last year's "Black Roses" CD. "I actually asked Tarja, but she said no!" Lauri revealed. "Then I called Anette, and she was like, 'Yeah, I would love to sing a song with you, I'm a big RASMUS fan, actually two years ago before I joined NIGHTWISH, I was singing THE RASMUS songs in karaoke bars!' so we went with her."
"October & April" was not included on "Black Roses" because the CD was a concept effort and the song didn't fit in with the overall idea for the album. Instead, the track will make its debut on THE RASMUS' "Best of 2001-2009", a compilation of all the hit songs from their four latest albums, including the million-selling "In The Shadows", most of the singles and a few rarities.
Released on November 25, "Best of 2001-2009" features the following track listing:
01. In The Shadows 02. No Fear 03. Guilty (U.S. mix) 04. October & April (featuring Anette Olzon) 05. First Day Of My Life 06. Livin' In A World Without You 07. F-F-F-Falling 08. Chill 09. Immortal 10. Justify 11. Shot 12. Funeral Song 13. Ghost of Love 14. Open My Eyes (acoustic version) 15. In My Life 16. Ten Black Roses 17. Sail Away
Commented Lauri: "We felt it was time to sum up these past ten years. Eero said, let's call the album, 'This is how I spent my twenties.' No matter how stupid it sounded, that is pretty much the truth. We went on this crazy rollercoaster ride; it has been an amazing time. We have travelled to more than 60 countries, from India to Siberia, met thousands of fans all over the world and enthusiastic people working with our records. And when I look back on these last four records, I feel very proud of them. We decided to include most of the singles to the album with a couple of our favorite album tracks, and the new song 'October & April'."
"Ne Salmiset" interview:
"Ne Salmiset" performance:
November 20 performance at The Dome 52 in Graz, Austria:
Riff Magazine has uploaded video footage of THANATOSCHIZO's performance at this year's Ilha do Ermal festival, which was held August 28-30 in Vieira do Minho, Portugal. The nine-minute clip, which can be viewed below, also includes a Portuguese-language interview with the band's guitarist, Guilhermino Martins.
THANATOSCHIZO is currently recording a new, semi-acoustic album for an early 2010 release. The CD is being tracked in two different facilities: Teatro de Vila Real in their hometown, Vila Real; and the group's own Blind & Lost Studios in Santa Marta de Penaguião, Portugal. For the first time, the bandmembers are assuming the production duties themselves and are being assisted by sound engineers Pedro Cabral and Paulo Almeida.
The as-yet-untitled CD will contain reworked songs from all THANATOSCHIZO albums — "Schizo Level", "InsomniousNightLift", "Turbulence" and "Zoom Code" — featuring an even more avant-garde approach with ethnical and progressive distinctive touches, already hinted on the band's "regular" releases.
The CD will be released by Major Label Industries and will contain some collaborations that the band will announce in due course.
THANATOSCHIZO's fourth album, "Zoom Code", was released in March 2008 via My Kingdom Music (Recital Records in Portugal). The CD was produced by Luis Barros (TARANTULA) and was mastered by Tommy Newton (CONCEPTION, HELLOWEEN). It featured guest appearances by Svein Egil Hatlevik (ZWEIZZ, FLEURETY, ex-DØDHEIMSGARD) and Timb Harris of ESTRADASPHERE/SECRET CHIEFS 3.
ATLANTIC TIDE, the new Swedish project featuring guitarist Freddie Eugene (UNLEASHED, TERRA FIRMA, LOUD PIPES, HARMS WAY) alongside ex-TERRA FIRMA bassist Izmo Ledderfejs and former BLACKSHINE axeman Stabel Miserabel, released its first-ever seven-inch single, "Bad Acid Queen", on November 16 through High Roller Records. The single, which includes the title track and a song called "Eyestroids", comes in two different versions — green and black — and features layout by Trident Arts. It is strictly limited to 500 copies.
Swedish death metal veterans UNLEASHED have entered guitarist Fredrik Folkare's Chrome studio to begin recording their tenth full-length album for an early 2010 release via Nuclear Blast Records. According to the band, the musical direction of the forthcoming CD will be "the logical continuation from 'Midvinterblot' [2006] and 'Hammer Battalion' [2008]. Lyrically, you will recognize what has become the UNLEASHED trademark since more than 20 years, the combination of the past, present and future of viking struggle and way of life. A few of the songs also mark the beginning of a story never before told."
UNLEASHED's ninth full-length album, "Hammer Battalion", was recorded in Sweden and produced by Folkare, "Hammer Battalion" took a battle-hardened axe to the misguided concepts of self-subjugation, transparent corruption and unneeded suffering in the name of religious figureheads and provides a perfect link between the ancient struggles of their Nordic forefathers and the ills of our modern society. The blistering "The Greatest Of All Lies" and "Long Before Winter's Call" took on old religious myths re-cast as pure fact, while "Your Children Will Burn" served as a warning of the consequences of blind faith. "Whatever is done in the name of different religions is often done against Mother Nature," noted vocalist/bassist Johnny Hedlund. "And she has the means of striking back."
UNLEASHED's current lineup:
Johnny Hedlund: Bass, Vocals Tomas Måsgard: Guitar Fredrik Folkare: Guitar Anders Schultz: Drums
Quality fan-filmed video footage of UNLEASHED performing at this year's Neurotic Deathfest, which was held May 29-30 at 013 in Tilburg, Holland, can be viewed below (courtesy of "letthemetalflow").
Polish death metal/hardcore act IN TWILIGHT'S EMBRACE will enter the studio in early December to begin recording its sophomore album for a 2010 release. The drums will be laid down at JET Studio in Northern Poland, the guitar and bass will be tracked in Warsaw with Marcin Czajka at helm, the vocals will be recorded in Poznan with Migdal at his mobile studio and the whole thing will be mixed by Vlad at Aesthetic Studio.
IN TWILIGHT'S EMBRACE is one of Poland's longest-running metal/hardcore bands. Formed in 2002, the group has seen its music evolve from a pure hardcore punk sound to a more metal-influenced direction.
After the release of IN TWILIGHT'S EMBRACE's first CD, "Buried in Between" (2006), and the departure of its original singer, the band faced numerous difficulties finding a replacement vocalist. They eventually recruited Kamil Zielinski and released a three-track promo EP in January 2009.
The EP is available for streaming and downloading in its entirety on the band's MySpace page.
Norway's THE KONSORTIUM will enter SOS studios in Stavanger next week with producers Arne Hovda and Ashley Stubbert to begin recording the band's full-length debut, tentatively due in early 2010 via Agonia Records. The group states, "We'll start with drums and bass, and in January it's time to start working on guitars and vocals."
THE KONSORTIUM recently announced the addition of guitarist Teloch (NIDINGR, UMORAL, NUNFUCKRITUAL, ORCUSTUS, GOD SEED, 1349, GORGOROTH) to the group's ranks.
According to a press release, THE KONSORTIUM performs "black metal with various thrash, avant-garde and non-metal influences creating [its] own atmosphere and identity. THE KONSORTIUM features various members. Some of them better and some of them [not as well] known to the metal (but not only) community."
Former FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and W.A.S.P. guitarist Darrell Roberts has launched a brand new new band/project called SINTANIC. A full CD of music is being recorded now, with hopes for a spring 2010 release date and extensive touring to follow. The album is being recorded at Darrell's home studio as well as The Steakhouse in North Hollywood, California with producer/engineer Brent Woods.
"Starting something new is kinda scary and super-exciting at the same time," stated Darrell. "It's like standing at the bottom of Mt. Everest wearing flip flops!"
After years of touring the world with some of the biggest bands on the planet, Roberts is finally doing things his way. "I mean no disrespect to anyone I have worked with in the past because I regret nothing!" he said. "It was invaluable, a learning experience and I thank you all for the opportunity, but it was really time to let my creative side roam free and record my music."
The first three songs from SINTANIC are available for streaming on the project's MySpace page.
Irish rockers THE ANSWER will be IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson's guest on Friday, December 18 during Bruce's weekly BBC 6 Music radio program, dubbed "The Bruce Dickinson Friday Rock Show". Listen to the broadcast live via the Internet between 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. (midnight) U.K. time at BBC.co.uk.
THE ANSWER recently completed another run as the only opening act for the final North American encore leg of AC/DC's Black Ice world tour.
THE ANSWER's mammoth sound is often compared to THE BLACK CROWES and FREE, and is fully primed for stadium and arena shows. In Europe, they've opened concerts for THE ROLLING STONES, THE WHO and AEROSMITH, and have headlined tours in the U.K., Europe, Japan and Australia.
On September 2, 2009, THE ANSWER performed acoustically on Santa Rosa, California's 101.7 The Fox radio station inside the "Less Is More Lounge." Watch video footage of their appearance below.
"Everyday Demons", the new album from THE ANSWER, was released digitally on March 10 exclusively at iTunes. The digital copy includes two bonus studio tracks — the Celtic thumper "Lost" and "Revolutions", along with a live version of "Under The Sky" and a digital CD booklet featuring an alternate cover. The album was released in physical retail outlets March 31 on The End Records, distributed through RED. The CD was produced by John Travis (KID ROCK, STATIC-X, etc.) and mixed by Tim Palmer and Mike Fraser (who recently mixed AC/DC's "Black Ice").
Rock and roll photographer Neil Zlozower will sign copies of "Six-String Heroes" (Chronicle Books), his new book that showcases 150 of the greatest guitar players in history, on Saturday, December 5 between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at Mr Musichead Gallery (7511 W. Sunset Blvd.) in Hollywood, California.
With a forty-year career as a top rock and roll photographer, Neil Zlozower has seen and done it all, and then some. Simply stated, if you know anything about music, then you have most certainly heard of "Zloz." Known around the world for hundreds of magazine and album covers, his images have often solidified the iconic visual images of many music idols and lent the man himself to reach his own legendary rock and roll status.
The most recognized rock photographer from the '70s and '80s, Zlozower toured extensively with VAN HALEN and MÖTLEY CRÜE and in their heyday. These raucous experiences lent to Zlozower's two previously released books, both aptly titled "A Visual History", and published by Chronicle Books in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Zlozower's "Fuck You: Rock and Roll Portraits" was also released by Chronicle Books in 2008 and features a veritable rock and roll hall of fame of musicians such as GUNS N' ROSES, BON JOVI, AEROSMITH, POISON, and Zakk Wylde flipping Zlozower the bird as a playful celebration of rock and roll attitude. With a studio located in the heart of Hollywood since the '70s, Zloz is a guy that remains true to his L.A. roots.
His newest release, "Six-String Heroes", is a stripped down collection of live, candid and studio shots of 150 of the greatest guitar players to ever live. The book is a must-have for every guitar enthusiast and anyone who knows one. The dynamic assortment of players includes Eric Clapton, LED ZEPPELIN, Jeff Beck, John Frusciante, Les Paul, Slash, Joe Satriani, Dimebag Darrell, Chuck Berry, Zakk Wylde, Tom Waits, RATT and countless others. "Six-String Heroes" features a foreword by Steve Vai and includes text from countless unpublished interviews throughout the book by music journalist Steven Rosen.
The December book event co-sponsored by Guitar Center will feature all of Zlozower's books. Fine art photographs of famous Zlozower images will be on display.
Zloz has invited MANY special friends to the event…with him it's clear that this could mean anyone and everyone, and clearly it's sure to be a great time!!!
An "unmasked" Mick Thomson of SLIPKNOT recently walked Bryan Kehoe and DunlopTV through his guitar rig on stage in Los Angeles and talked about the advantages of the new Carbon Fiber Max Grip Jazz III pick he has been testing for Jim Dunlop USA.
The special-edition CD/DVD reissue of SLIPKNOT's self-titled debut album sold around 4,600 copies in the United States in its first, shortened week of release (the set came out on Wednesday, September 9 whereas new albums usually go on sale on Tuesdays in the U.S.). The album has now shifted more than two million units domestically, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The CD portion of the "Slipknot" reissue features 25 tracks, including the original album as well as rare demos, remixes, rare b-sides and more. A companion documentary, entitled "of the (sic): Your Nightmares, Our Dreams", is packed with behind the scenes footage of SLIPKNOT from 1999. This inside look features both live and backstage footage from around the world. The DVD also features a never-before-seen concert and all the music videos from their debut cycle, as well as other surprises.
In the decade since the release of "Slipknot", the band has amassed accolades that changed the face of metal. SLIPKNOT has gone on to sell over 10 million albums worldwide, win a Grammy, headline Madison Square Garden and Download festival, have numerous #1 and top 5 rock tracks and videos, as well as debut at #1 on The Billboard 200 chart.
David E. Gehlke and George Pacheco of Blistering.com recently conducted an interview with KATATONIA guitarist Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Blistering.com: Reports indicated you hit writer's block when compiling material for the new album. If that was the case, how did you get around it and what do you think the initial problem was?
Nyström: The problem was that I set my own ambition bar too high, while in general, also having very little motivation. It led to a stalemate. Jamming wasn't exciting and I felt less and less meaning with everything. I had a musical depression and started avoiding even to pick up the guitar most of the time. My discipline was in the gutter, so was my passion as I was still handling all the business for the band and had been doing this a long time. It totally killed the magic for me being an artist and KATATONIA only turned into strategy, numbers and dealing with assholes and forcing me to become one as well. However, a solution was luckily just around the corner. We agreed that I'd no longer manage the band and put all the paperwork and logistical bullshit over to the hands of a professional management and try to focus on what my intent and position really was about from the beginning — a guitar player and song composer. The other big thing happening at this time was Jonas [Renkse, vocals] showed his motivation was definitely in fine shape as he'd been sitting every day for weeks and weeks jamming out stuff constantly. When I heard all his audio bits and pieces, I realized this could very well prove to be enough material that would make the foundation for our eighth album. With that fact dawning on us, the burden was finally coming off my shoulders and I felt a conviction. We were gonna be able to top our last album. I put a lot of analysis on Jonas's material and we'd agreed what to keep and from there on the rest of the songs pretty much wrote themselves. A few we did together. I did a little bit of stuff on my own and Jonas kept up his own writing crusade. So, the majority of material on this album is actually his stuff and I think that proves that KATATONIA is no longer trapped in the old alley with me notoriously behind the music and him behind the lyrics; it's all equal now and will serve a healthy purpose of variation, creativity and progression. Now, if we only had the other guys as active as we are, we'd be able to come out with a new album every year instead of every third, or more.
Blistering.com: How would you describe the personal dynamic between yourself and Jonas, both with how you compose and perform within the band? Is there something unspoken and special with someone with whom you've written for so long?
Nyström: We're not very similar personality-wise, but we're very like-minded on a few important things such as sharing a vision for music and art for KATATONIA. It's almost like different political parties allied in the government with different agendas and work methods, but with the same ultimate goal in mind. We complement each other's weaknesses and allow for ideas to be born that wouldn't come naturally on our own. I think these days, we're also more open to let each person have his way particularly in one's own song rather than tearing it apart. You gotta trust the end result if there is a firm belief behind it and also respect the feelings and the message behind the creation, but it ain't always rays of sunshine. It's very easy to feel trampled on and conflicts arise along the way, but I think the day I don't feel offended anymore is the day my heart ain't in it either.
Blistering.com: Do you see further experimentation in the future with the loops and drum patterns found here on this album? Or, inversely, do you think KATATONIA would ever take the "regress to progress" avenue and re-filter in any of those early techniques and influences?
Nyström: We won't go back too far. Some things just had their time and place as a part of the past, i.e. exchanging the clean vocals for growls is something you won't see happening again, but I see it possible and maybe necessary to make more unorthodox lengths and progressive song arrangements again. I also don't see a problem with both going more aggressive and exploring riff-based metal and taking the best parts of that, but right now, the atmospheric sound picture is what sticks closest to my heart. It doesn't have to me mellow ballads just because it's atmospheric, it can be the anthem to your very funeral.
Vocalist/guitarist Neil Fallon and bassist Dan Maines of Maryland rockers CLUTCH were the featured guests on last night's (Friday, November 27) edition of IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson's weekly BBC 6 Music radio program, dubbed "The Bruce Dickinson Friday Rock Show".
You can now listen to the show for the next seven days at BBC.co.uk.
Whereas most rock and roll bands take the end of year holidays off for a breather, December will indeed be a busy month for CLUTCH. Not only will the veteran foursome end the calendar year with FIVE high-profile concerts to be filmed for their forthcoming DVD, they will celebrate the release of FOUR projects, which, in essence, have been a long time coming!
On December 15, CLUTCH will issue a double vinyl package of their latest studio effort, "Strange Cousins From the West", through the band's self-owned label Weathermaker Music. This vinyl edition will feature two tracks that cannot be found on the CD version of "Strange Cousins..." The first track is the recently recorded "Metroliner Special" and the second is an extended version of the band's latest single and video, "50,000 Unstoppable Watts".
The first 4,000 pieces of "Strange Cousins" vinyl will include a coupon for a free digital download of all 12 songs through the band's web site, www.pro-rock.com.
Also this fall, Weathermaker will make available for digital purchase the former DRT Entertainment catalog, which includes "Blast Tyrant" (2004), "Robot Hive/Exodus" (2005) and "From Beale Street to Oblivion" (2007). Weathermaker plans to reissue all three of these in 2010 with a heavy dose of bonus material. Double vinyl packages are in the works for these as well.
For now, look for the digital release of "Robot Hive/Exodus" on November 30 to be followed by "Blast Tyrant" on December 18. Due to the high amount of digital demand for the band's 2007 single "Electric Worry", Weathermaker has already issued "From Beale Street to Oblivion" on November 7 to coincide with the song's inclusion in the popular video game "Left 4 Dead 2" and its television commercial.
To end 2009, CLUTCH will headline shows in Washington, D.C.; Sayerville, NJ; Charlotte, NC; Boston, MA; and Albany, NY. These concerts will be filmed by producer and director extraodinaire Agent Ogden and featured on the "Strange Cousins From the West" DVD package to be released in the spring of 2010.
The dates are as follows:
Dec. 27 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos' Southend Dec. 28 - Washington DC @ 9:30 Club Dec. 29 - Clifton Park, NY (Albany) @ Northern Lights Dec. 30 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues Dec. 31 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
MY RUIN — the Los Angeles based rock duo featuring lead screamer Tairrie B and husband/guitarist Mick Murphy — has been hard at work in the studio last month recording its sixth full-length album, "Ghosts and Good Stories", for an early 2010 release via Tiefdruck-Musik.
Commented Mick: "I've recently finished recording all of the guitar tracks which has been a lot of fun, and a very relaxed and productive experience working with Josh Lynch [who is co-engineering and co-producing this with me]. He is a true professional with a trained ear, strong production skills and a great sense of humor.
"I've known Josh for over a decade because we both worked at a Hollywood recording studio back in the late '90s. We had a blast tracking guitars and got some sick and smokin' tones. Once we started recording, we just clicked in and worked really quickly and efficiently together.
"Entourage is a very high-quality old school studio with all the right gear to get the warmest and biggest sounds which is exactly what we're looking for.
"I'm very excited about the new material and we have 12 original songs plus one cover that make a strong 13-track record with lots of good loud rock and a few unexpected surprises."
Video footage from the guitar-tracking sessions can be viewed below.
BLABBERMOUTH.NET is run and operated independently of Roadrunner Records. The accuracy of the information
contained herein is neither confirmed nor guaranteed by Roadrunner Records, and the views and opinions of
authors expressed on these pages do not necessarily state or reflect those of Roadrunner Records or its employees.
