Drummer Craig Nielsen of Arizona-based metal veterans FLOTSAM AND JETSAM has issued the following update:
"The band wanted to wait until it was for sure, and now that it is, we would like to announce that original guitarist Michael Gilbert has rejoined the band after Ed Carlson has officially decided to no longer tour or record.
"There was absolutuly zero bad blood in this development. Ed Carlson is a brother to all of us and his unique musical genius will be deeply missed.
"Michael is 100% in it. His playing is on fire as is his spirit for the band that he was so important in putting on the scene. He will be joining the band on the upcoming European tour, starting April 1 in Holland.
"As for the very delayed record, 'The Cold', it has been confirmed and reconfirmed that the mix and final mastering will finally happen this month. The tracking has been complete for some time now and because of a series of unfortunate but unavoidable delays, this record will have a release date decided on this month.
"Finally, the band has just confirmed a headline show at The Galaxy Theater in Orange County, California on Saturday, May 1. The last show the band played there was the California Metalfest with TESTAMENT. That was a GREAT show.
"Come down and see us with the O.G. Mike Gilbert!!"
"The Cold" will be released via Driven Music Group, the label created by former KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch. According to guitarist Mark Simpson, the CD will feature "10 songs — ALL brutal, ALL killer, NO filler!!" Songtitles set to appear on the album include "Black Cloud", "Secret Life", "Hypocrite", "Falling Short" and "Take". The cover artwork will once again be created by Travis Smith (OPETH, NEVERMORE), "which we are extremely excited about because of his amazing skill and vision," says Simpson. "The cover will also feature the debut of an up-and-coming new talent."
Metal Mind Productions released FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's latest DVD, entitled "Once in a Deathtime", in Europe on June 16, 2008. The disc contains footage of the band's March 8, 2008 performance at Metalmania Festival in Katowice, Poland, including live renditions of such classic songs as "Doomsday for the Deceiver", "No Place for Disgrace", and "I Live You Die". The DVD also features an interview with Craig Neilsen (drums) and Ed Carlson (guitar), biography, discography, photo gallery, desktop images and weblinks. A limited-edition version of the DVD includes an audio CD containing songs recorded at the Metalmania Festival.
Mikael Stanne of DARK TRANQUILLITY and Trevor Strnad of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER will guest on this weekend's (March 12-14) edition of Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show.
To see a full list of stations carrying the program and when it airs, go to FullMetalJackieRadio.com.
Full Metal Jackie began her radio career as a DJ at WSOU Pirate Radio, Seton Hall University's legendary metal station. Instantly addicted to the excitement of life behind the mic, she graduated Pirate Radio (and Seton Hall), to become an on-air personality at WHTG (Neptune, NJ), and later at WDHA (Dover, NJ).
Not content to limit her exposure to New Jersey, Jackie set her sights on bigger markets (and warmer climates!), making her way west to California's gold coast. Establishing herself in Los Angeles, she learned the business side of radio and promotions while working for one of the music industry's largest management companies. After a short stint as on-air host at San Diego's 94.9 KBZT, Jackie landed the opportunity she had been working toward since her early WSOU days: host and producer of her own (and L.A.'s only) commercial heavy metal radio show, "Chaos", on Indie 103.1. Working alongside other Indie 103.1 hosts such as Steve Jones (of the SEX PISTOLS), Henry Rollins and Dave Navarro, Jackie quickly brought "Chaos" to the station's forefront.
Today, Full Metal Jackie's show continues to air on Indie 103.1 every Sunday night from 8 to 10 p.m., and can be heard online at www.indie1031.com, as well as in syndicated markets around the country through Envision Radio.
Tonight's (Thursday, March 11) W.A.S.P. concert at the Blender Theater at Gramercy in New York City has been cancelled, according to Live Nation. One person who had a ticket to the show has submitted the following report to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:
"My sons and I were waiting for the doors of the theater to open when [W.A.S.P. mainman] Blackie [Lawless] walked by in what seemed to be a foul mood. Shortly after, I was told by a person waiting on the line that the show has been cancelled. Then we found out that Blackie was at the tour bus and would sign autographs for everyone. And to his credit, he did. He signed many autographs and allowed pictures to be taken.
"Blackie was very nice to everyone but upset that the band would not be performing.
"I do not know the details but from what I overheard, the [band] was [not] at fault."
In a recent interview with Greg Olma of 69 Faces Of Rock, Blackie Lawless was asked if there are any plans on filming W.A.S.P.'s current tour for a possible CD or DVD release. "I don't know," he replied. "We just finished three months in Europe and we did a lot of stuff over there. Some of it is actually really, really impressive-looking.
"This show that we're doing now has a movie screen behind us. We're running a lot of the old promo videos from the past and when you see 'Wild Child' or something like that, you see the old video behind us and it's in sync. You see me singing in the video from 20 years ago but you also see it in 3-D as I'm standing there singing in real time. It's got kind of a neat effect.
"When you see the presentation, it's pretty impressive and there is some really good stuff that we have, but I just don't know.
"The world has changed as far as the way bands approach making studio records and live records. I think live records are something you are going to see less and less of because labels aren't really interested in doing that anymore.
"Historically, a live record would have represented ½ of what a new studio release would have done. It's not just what bands want to do. You have a whole retail world that you have to take into consideration. Is Best Buy going to want to take that thing? There are all kinds of considerations that the people never think about. They think the artists make the sole decision and it's not always like that."
The Noise Pollution has uploaded video footage of W.A.S.P.'s March 9, 2010 concert at Showcase Live in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Watch the clips below.
Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal of Metal Assault conducted an interview with vocalist Chuck Billy of San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT on March 11 in Los Angeles, California. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Metal Assault: Considering the circumstances today, is constant touring more of a necessity, especially for metal bands?
Chuck: Not more than ever before, but touring is always the most important thing because for most bands, that's how they have to make their money, through touring and selling t-shirts. It is not about the record sales anymore. The record business is not what it used to be. The Internet and all that stuff is involved. It's not as big as it was.
Metal Assault: These days we get tours with a whole variety of bands packaged together. Don't you think we need more tours like this one [with MEGADETH and EXODUS], which is an out-and-out thrash fest?
Chuck: I think we do! It says a lot about this tour for Dave Mustaine and even the guys from SLAYER, who decided, "I don't want to listen to the record company who are telling me to take out a new band on tour that nobody knows." That's the way the record companies' business works. With this tour, it is more like "No, this is the band I want to tour with and I'm just going to do it." It ends up pleasing the fans more than the record company, which is more important.
Metal Assault: Your style of thrash vocals is quite unique, but you got mixed reactions when you first incorporated the "growl"-type sound into it. What did it take to deal with that and eventually being successful with it?
Chuck: I never really thought about it. I just kind of came into my own. Everyone has his or her opinion, that's the thing about the music business or being in the public's eye in general. You can't please everybody. So you can't really let it get to you, you've just got to do it. That's what you can do, to do your best and to give it your 100 percent out there.
Metal Assault: The bands on this tour played together a pretty long while back. Does this tour make you think back to or talk about those years at all?
Chuck: We haven't really discussed it amongst ourselves. It's more about discussing it with the fans, talking about going to the tour back then and now they are bringing their new friends, bringing their children to the show now (laughs). So it is cool. For such fans its like 'I saw this tour back then and now here's my son who is going to see pretty much the same show twenty years later!'
Metal Assault: Jeff Paulick of LAZARUS A.D. [who toured with TESTAMENT in 2009] told me that bands should really learn from TESTAMENT about how to treat opening bands. How important you think it is to do that?
Chuck: Oh, it is as important as anything! All the tours that we've done for twenty-five years with JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, Ronnie James Dio, BLACK SABBATH, all of those guys were total professionals and treated their bands well. They never played games like not letting us put their lights and none of that kind of stuff. They are confident in their own performance and you get to learn that from them. So it is always nice to have that feeling. So whenever I have the opportunity to go out and headline and somebody's supporting us, it makes you think that, yeah, you want to do it right, because that's just the way you do it! (laughs)
SHEAR, the new Helsinki, Finland-based six-piece metal act featuring former/current members of AMORAL, OMNIUM GATHERUM, IMPERANON, ELENIUM and CRYSTAL BLAZE, has made its entire four-song EP, "In Solitude", available for free download on the group's official web site. The CD was recorded in August-September 2009 at Arcada Studios by Mikael Grönroos and was mastered at Chartmakers studios.
"In Solitude" track listing:
01. In Solitude 02. Scorched 03. Trapped in A Shell 04. Mistakes
"In Solitude" audio stream:
"Scorched" audio stream:
"Trapped in A Shell" audio stream:
"Mistakes" audio stream:
SHEAR is:
* Alexa Leroux - Vocals * Mikael Grönroos (CRYSTAL BLAZE) - Guitar * Lauri Koskenniemi (THE NIBIRUAN, ELENIUM, CRYSTAL BLAZE, ex-IMPERANON) - Guitar * Eerik Purdon (THE NIBIRUAN, CRYSTAL BLAZE, ex-OMNIUM GATHERUM) - Bass * Lari Sorvo (CRYSTAL BLAZE) - Keyboards * Juhana Karlsson (AMORAL, CRYSTAL BLAZE) - Drums
Belgian grindcore act LENG TCH'E has set "Hypomanic" as the title of its new album, tentatively due in North America on June 8 via Season of Mist. The CD was recorded at Parlour Studio in Kettering, United Kingdom with producer Russ Russell.
LENG TCH'E recently stated about the group's forthcoming album, "This is by far the heaviest and most extreme record we've ever made, and if that wasn't enough, the legendary Mr. Barney Greenway [NAPALM DEATH] himself laid down some guest vocals on a little song called 'Totalitarian'. Brutal as fuck, as they apparently say in the Midlands."
LENG TCH'E in 2008 parted ways with vocalist Boris Cornelissen and replaced him with Serge Kasongo from southern Belgian band ACKROS. The group's split CD/7" with FUCK THE FACTS came out through Power It Up Records. The album, which marked LENG TCH'E's first release with Kasongo, was recorded at Korbiar Studio in Belgium and mixed and mastered by Matthew Ellard at Bubble & Squeak Studio in Boston, Massachusetts.
LENG TCH'E's latest CD on Relapse Records, "Marasmus", was recorded in September 2006 at CCR studios in Belgium and was mixed at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden with producer Fredrik Nordström. Mastering was done by Alan Douches at West West Side Music in New York.
ENSIFERUM, EQUILIBRIUM, SWASHBUCKLE and HEIDEVOLK will join forces for the Heidenfest 2010 European tour, which will take place in September/October. An as-yet-announced "special guest" will also take part in the trek.
Very Special Guest - To Be Announced ENSIFERUM EQUILIBRIUM SWASHBUCKLE HEIDEVOLK
So far the following shows have been announced:
Sep. 25 - Gasometer - Wien, AUS (extended show) Oct. 01 - Hafen - Innsbruck, AUS Oct. 02 - Posthof - Linz, AUS
PENDRAGON, DEATH ANGEL, MICHAEL MONROE, DUNDERTÅGET, SATOR, BLACKBERRY SMOKE, THE ITCH and DAMN DELICIOUS have been confirmed for this year's Sweden Rock Festival festival, set to take place June 9-12, 2010 in Sölvesborg in southern Sweden.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
AEROSMITH (US) ALDO NOVA (CAN) ALESTORM (UK) ANVIL (CAN) BACHMAN & TURNER (CAN) BEHEMOTH (PL) BIGELF (US) BILLY IDOL (UK) BLACKBERRY SMOKE (US) CINDERELLA (US) D-A-D (DK) DAMN DELICIOUS (S) DANZIG (US) DEATH ANGEL (US) DUNDERTÅGET F.K.Ü. (S) FATES WARNING (US) GARY MOORE (UK) GRAVE DIGGER (D) GUNS N' ROSES (US) JORN (N) MAGNUM (UK) MASTODON (US) MICHAEL MONROE (FIN) MOTHER'S FINEST (US) NAZARETH (UK) OPETH (S) PENDRAGON (UK) POINT BLANK (US) RATT (US) RAVEN (UK/US) RICK SPRINGFIELD (AUS/US) SABATON (S) SAGA (CAN) SATOR (S) SLAYER (US) STEEL PANTHER (US) STEELWING (S) STRATOVARIUS (FIN) SUICIDAL TENDENCIES (US) THE ITCH (S) THE QUIREBOYS (UK) U.D.O. (D) UNISONIC (D) W.A.S.P. (US) WATAIN (S) WINGER (US) Y&T (US)
Last year's festival was attended by 35,200 people, but in 2010 the maximum number of visitors will be limited to 33,000.
Agent Ex of the Bare Bones Music Network recently conducted an interview with guitarist Ben Weinman of vocalist Greg Puciato of critically acclaimed rockers THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN. Watch the chat below.
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN's new album, "Option Paralysis", will be released on March 23. The opus, recorded in Orange County, California with longtime collaborator/producer Steve Evetts (THE USED, GLASSJAW, EVERY TIME I DIE), will be the debut release for the band's brand new label Party Smasher Inc./Season Of Mist.
"Option Paralysis" track listing:
01. Farewell, Mona Lisa 02. Good Neighbor 03. Gold Teeth On A Bum 04. Crystal Morning 05. Endless Endings 06. Widower 07. Room Full Of Eyes 08. Chinese Whispers 09. I Wouldn't If You Didn't 10. Parasitic Twins
"Farewell, Mona Lisa", the new video from THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, can be viewed below. The song was premiered this past Christmas exclusively on Sirius XM's Liquid Metal. The track is now available for digital download with exclusive artwork on iTunes, Amazon and all major download platforms worldwide.
Florida death metallers OBITUARY have been confirmed for the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, which is set to sail from Miami, Florida to Cozumel, Mexico on January 24, 2011 and return four days later. A total of 40 acts will appear at the event.
SAXON will play two unique shows. One night they will perform the "Wheels Of Steel" LP in its entirety and on a different night, for the second show, they will play "Strong Arm Of The Law" from start to finish.
70000 Tons Of Metal will sail Monday, January 24, 2011 aboard the Royal Caribbean "Majesty of the Seas" from Miami, Florida to Cozumel, Mexico and will not return you to the real world for four days until Friday, January 28, 2011.
Make no mistake, 70000 Tons Of Metal is not your grandma's cruise. It's also not one of the cruises that share the ship with normal cruise guests. This is an all-ship heavy metal cruise! Can you imagine that? A whole luxury cruise ship full of metalheads? And since there is no backstage area you will have the opportunity to mingle side-by-side with the artists in this incredibly fan-friendly scenario that has no comparison. It's like everyone has a backstage pass and you might even need a vacation from this vacation when all is said and done!
Ticket prices start at US$666 plus US$249 taxes and fees per person and include all on-board entertainment, all meals and non-alcoholic and non-carbonated drinks at the on-board restaurants and 24-hour room service!
Legendary guitarist Slash (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER) took part in a very special "celebrity interview" this morning (Thursday, March 11) at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as part of Canadian Music Week. According to Jane Stevenson of the Toronto Sun, Slash was surprisingly complimentary of his onetime bandmate and GN'R's lead singer, Axl Rose, during the chat with CNN anchors and real-life couple John Roberts and Kyra Phillips.
"You have to attempt to understand him as a human being and where he's coming from," said Slash.
"I see things very black and white. That's just me. And that doesn't necessarily mean that that's right. And he sees things in a very colorful kind of way, and I can't really knock it, 'cause that's just him. So I try not to sit there and say derogatory things about his personality, because it's his personality that makes him so fucking great, and just difficult to deal with."
On his upcoming solo debut album, "Slash", due in stores April 6:
Slash: "Working side by side with Ozzy [Osbourne], which is a voice that I had been listening to since my early rebellious days, taking acid and being 13, and listening to 'Iron Man' and shit, was a really great experience."
On the fact that he has only been sober for three-and-a-half years, despite being a married father of two young boys — aged five and seven:
Slash: "When Perla [Slash's wife] announced that she was pregnant, I was loaded on Oxycontin going to an AEROSMITH gig, and I was out-of-my-mind high that night. And I was like, 'Okay, so now it's time to start taking care of this issue,' but I thought I could juggle it, which I did up until about three-and-a-half years ago. So really the sobriety thing is relatively new, and it's almost like you could fall off any second. But I've been holding on to it because I want to be attentive to the responsibilities that I have, and also because after years and years of doing it, it starts to get old."
On Michael Jackson's drug-related death:
Slash: "It's sad that he's not here ... When all that stuff happened in 2001 or whenever it was, he got all of those (accusations) and stuff, the one thing that Michael really wanted, and the one thing that made him happy, was he wanted everybody to like him. And so all of the sudden he was completely ostracized, pretty much by North America, for all these accusations (even) though he was acquitted, and it sort of just killed him."
"Hammer And Life", a brand new song from San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans EXODUS, is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The track comes off the band's ninth album, "Exhibit B: The Human Condition", which is scheduled for release in North America on May 18 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Guitarist/songwriter Gary Holt shares the background on the new song: "We decided to put up an early rough mix of 'Hammer And Life' to give everybody a little taste of the new record. The really fast songs you'll get soon enough!
"This song is inspired by the one and only [original vocalist] Paul Baloff, our ode to him.
"Paul was always the hammer in EXODUS and he lived for metal more than anyone I've ever known. R.I.P."
"Exhibit B: The Human Condition" track listing:
01. The Ballad Of Leonard And Charles 02. Beyond The Pale 03. Hammer And Life 04. Class Dismissed (A Hate Primer) 05. Downfall 06. March Of The Sycophants 07. Nanking 08. Burn, Hollywood, Burn 09. Democide 10. The Sun Is My Destroyer 11. A Perpetual State Of Indifference 12. Good Riddance
Nuclear Blast USA's webshop will be issuing an exclusive mail-order edition of the album featuring a slipcase with different artwork (to be unveiled soon) plus the North American bonus track, "Devil's Teeth".
Regarding the "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" cover artwork, which can be viewed below, Holt recently stated, "We wanted to portray the violence of man at its finest, so we started with our own version of the Leonardo da Vinci sketch [of 'Vitruvian Man'], but done the 'EXODUS' way! I was pointed in the direction of Colin Larks of Rainsong Design for the cover and he killed it! To me, the artwork represents man and his affinity for bloodshed, ignorance, and all-around ability to be led like sheep to the slaughter. The image fits the songs on this record perfectly. The whole layout is going to as sick as the record itself!"
"Exhibit B: The Human Condition" was recorded this past December in Northern California with producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, ARCH ENEMY, KREATOR).
In a recent interview with Way Too Loud!, EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson stated about the upcoming CD, "There's a couple [of songs] that are long, and a couple that are shorter, too. Song kind of write themselves. Anyone who creates music or art, and even people who write stories — it takes on its own life. If it's an epic tune, it's a crime to cut it short thinking it could be on the radio or whatever. Especially in today's day and age, radio and video don't mean shit. Radio has never meant anything to a band like us. Maybe now that there's XM satellite radio with real metal stations. We really wouldn't unwrite a song so it could be on the radio. The songs are just the way they come out. The new album has a couple short sweet ones, and I think one of 'em is 10 fucking minutes long! . . . Lyrically, it has to do with the depravity of man, how fucked up things have gotten, and how perverted in the dark corners of everything from religion to politics."
EXODUS is currently on the "Rust In Peace 20th Anniversary Tour" with MEGADETH and TESTAMENT.
METALLICA, HEAVEN & HELL, RAMMSTEIN and ALICE IN CHAINS are among the confirmed bands for the Romanian edition of the Sonisphere festival, set to take place June 25-27, 2010 at at ROMEXPO Exhibitions Centre in Bucharest.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
METALLICA SLAYER MEGADETH ANTHRAX HEAVEN & HELL MANOWAR ALICE IN CHAINS RAMMSTEIN STONE SOUR MASTODON VOLBEAT
A six-minute video clip featuring behind-the-scenes footage from AFTER ALL's recent dates in Holland and Belgium with FEAR FACTORY can be viewed below.
AFTER ALL recently parted ways with vocalist Piet Focroul and bassist Erwin Casier and have replaced them with Sammy Peleman (SEPTEMBER SYN) and Frederik Vanmassenhove (ex-ABORTED), respectively.
AFTER ALL 2010 is:
Sammy Peleman - Vocals Dries Van Damme - Guitar Christophe Depree - Guitar Frederik Vanmassenhove - Bass Kevin Strubbe - Drums
AFTER ALL's latest album, "Cult Of Sin", was released in early 2009 via Dockyard 1 in Europe (Locomotive Records in the U.S.).
The first of several planned in-store/meet-and-greets with FEAR FACTORY on the band's upcoming "Fear Campaign American Tour 2010" will take place on Tuesday, March 23 at Hastings Entertainment, located at 4315 Wyoming Northeast, in Albuquerque, New Mexico beginning at 6 p.m. This will be the first opportunity for fans to meet the band, which will be touring the U.S. for the first time in nearly three years. Visit www.gohastings.com to also enter to win a fully autographed Ibanez guitar (no purchase necessary).
FEAR FACTORY's first American tour in support of the band's new album, "Mechanize", will kick off on March 22 in Tempe, Arizona. Tickets for all shows are on sale now through all major ticket agencies and individual venue ticket box offices.
FEAR FACTORY recently announced two special VIP ticket packages now on sale exclusively via ArtistArena.com. Each package contains a ticket to the show granting early admission, plus a t-shirt and other special items. VIP packages are available for each of the shows on the upcoming tour, which also features WINDS OF PLAGUE, DIRGE WITHIN and PERIPHERY.
"Mechanize" was released in the U.S. on February 9, 2010 via Candlelight Records. The CD, which was co-produced by the band with Rhys Fulber (FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, PARADISE LOST), was mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, SKINNY PUPPY).
FEAR FACTORY's current lineup — featuring original FF members Dino Cazares (guitar) and Burton C. Bell (vocals) alongside bassist Byron Stroud (who was credited on the last two FEAR FACTORY albums in addition to touring and recording with STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and ZIMMERS HOLE) and legendary drummer Gene Hoglan (DETHKLOK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, DARK ANGEL, DEATH, TESTAMENT) — made its live debut on December 4, 2009 at Espaço Lux in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil.
San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans EXODUS will make an in-store appearance at Atomic Comics Superstore in Mesa, Arizona on Tuesday, March 30 from noon to 3 p.m. The band will be available to autograph copies of its Terminal Press comic book titles, Exodus: Death Begets Death and Rob Dukes' I Am Become God, in addition to its new DVD, "Shovel Headed Tour Machine: Live At Wacken".
Time: Noon - 3:00 p.m. Atomic Mesa Superstore 1120 South Country Club #105 Mesa, AZ 85210 (480) 649-0807 www.atomiccomics.com
EXODUS is currently on the road with MEGADETH and TESTAMENT as part of the "Rust In Peace 20th Anniversary Tour".
On January 27, Gary Holt and drummer Tom Hunting of EXODUS were interviewed for an episode of "Hard" on the AUX music channel out of Canada. The segment can be viewed below.
Metal Mark of SkullsNBones.com conducted an interview with SOULFLY mainman Max Cavalera before the band's March 9, 2010 concert in Atlanta, Georgia. Watch the chat below.
SOULFLY will film a video for the song "Rise Of The Fallen" during the band's March 17, 2010 live performance at the Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie, New York. Directing the clip will be Dale "Rage" Resteghini, who has helmed over 550 music videos since 2003, including clips for such metal bands as MUDVAYNE, HATEBREED, ANTHRAX, and SHADOWS FALL. Rage has also directed videos for some of the biggest names in the hip hop world, including Lil Wayne, Diddy, Snoop Dog, and Ice Cube.
"Rise Of The Fallen" will appear on SOULFLY's seventh album, "Omen", which is scheduled for release on May 25 via Roadrunner Records.
SOULFLY is currently touring North America with PRONG, INCITE and ROTTING CORPSE.
"Omen" was recorded at Edge Of The Earth studios in Hollywood, California with co-producer Logan Mader (MACHINE HEAD, DIVINE HERESY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, GOJIRA, DEVILDRIVER) and it features guest appearances by THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN frontman Greg Puciato and PRONG mainman Tommy Victor.
Of the collaborations, guitarist/vocalist Max Cavalera says, "The first one is a song with Tommy Victor from PRONG sharing vocals on a song called 'Lethal Injection'. The other is 'Rise of the Fallen', with shared vocals from Greg Puciato, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN's singer. I also recorded two B-sides with both of my sons playing drums. Igor Cavalera plays on EXCEL's 'Your Life, My Life', and Zyon Cavalera plays on SEPULTURA's 'Refuse/Resist' cover."
"Omen" track listing:
01. Bloodbath & Beyond 02. Rise of the Fallen 03. Counter Sabotage 04. Jeffrey Dahmer 05. Lethal Injection 06. Great Depression 07. Mega-Doom 08. Kingdom 09. Off With Their Heads 10. Vulture Culture 11. Soulfly 7
Bonus / B-side tracks:
* Four Sticks (LED ZEPPELIN cover) * Refuse/Resist (SEPULTURA cover; feat. Max's son Zyon on drums) * Your Life, My Life (EXCEL cover; feat. Max's son Igor on drums)
DELAIN — the Dutch gothic rock/metal project founded by ex-WITHIN TEMPTATION keyboardist Martijn Westerholt (brother of WITHIN TEMPTATION's Robert Westerholt) — has announced the addition of bassist Otto "The Baron" Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (DETONATION) to the group's ranks. He will make his live debut with DELAIN on the band's upcoming U.K. tour, which is scheduled to kick off on March 21 in London.
Otto "The Baron" Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (pictured below) joins DELAIN as the replacement for Rob van der Loo, who will perform with DELAIN for the last time on April 8 in Breda, Holland.
DELAIN's second album, "April Rain", was released in North America on June 30, 2009 via Sensory Records (with U.S. distribution through Ryko and Canadian distribution through Sonic Unyon). The North American version of the album features a bonus track — "Come Closer" — which was previously only available on the limited-edition digipack version of the LP.
DELAIN last year parted ways with guitarist Ronald Landa due to musical differences. He has since been replaced by Ewout Pieters.
"April Rain" benefits from the return of NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala who sings male vocals on two tracks, as well as world-renowned cellist Maria Ahn.
Roadrunner Records/Loud & Proud Records has announced the signing of MEAT LOAF. His new album, "Hang Cool Teddy Bear", whose title was taken from a line in "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls", is 13 tracks of classic Meat Loaf, primed and ready for the 21st century. More than four decades into his career, the man and his voice are as big, bold and relevant as ever. The album features a hot producer, a slew of impressive guest appearances, ranging from guitar god Steve Vai to actor Hugh Laurie, and of course, Meat Loaf's signature pipes!
Meat Loaf has been a towering monument on the musical landscape for the past 35 years and his new deal with Roadrunner/Loud & Proud will allow him to retain his post as the pre-eminent voice in rock music and beyond.
"I wanted it big, I wanted it dramatic, I wanted a rock record," Meat Loaf said about the new album. "Yes, it sounds like a Meat Loaf record. But it sounds different too: it sounds new, it sounds fresh. It speaks to you in a different way." For "Hang Cool Teddy Bear", Meat Loaf's creativity was sparked by working with a new collaborator, producer Rob Cavallo (GREEN DAY, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, PARAMORE, FLEETWOOD MAC), a lifelong MEAT LOAF fan who has worked with some of the most explosive names in rock music and who helped to foster a modern and contemporary vibe for the album. Of their relationship, Meat Loaf said, "Rob is the number one rock producer in the world because he leaves his ego out of the equation and gives an artist his voice, making it sound better than the artist could even imagine."
Regarding Roadrunner/Loud & Proud, Meat Loaf is excited about his new label digs, saying, "In my bones, I've always been a rocker and I finally found a home that rocks." Loud & Proud President Tom Lipsky also commented on the signing, saying "Meat Loaf has once again created a masterpiece and we are excited and proud to be his new label partner."
Thematically, like most Meat Loaf albums, "Hang Cool Teddy Bear" has a larger concept and was inspired by a short story written by Los Angeles screenwriter, director and longtime Meat Loaf friend Kilian Kerwin.
"It's the story of a soldier," revealed Meat Loaf. "He's been in battle and he's lying face down on the ground. He can't move, but he turns his head and starts to see blood run across the ground, and so he thinks he's going to die. They always say you see your life flash backward when you're about to die. But his life flashes forward — into what possibly could happen. He sees what his life could be: the good and the bad. The songs are the different scenarios he finds himself in. It's not always the same time or the same place, but it's always the same woman. But I don't want to give too much away. I want people to work it out for themselves."
"Hang Cool Teddy Bear" features a stellar array of big-name guests, including Steve Vai (who appears on "Love is Not Real"), QUEEN guitarist Brian May (who appears on "Song of Madness" and "Love is Not Real"), "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi (who co-wrote and sings on "If I Can't Have You") and Hollywood star Jack Black, who duets with Meat Loaf on "Like a Rose". Additionally, English actor Hugh Laurie of TV's "House" fame has a cameo on the album, playing piano on "If I Can't Have You". The pair met after Meat Loaf guested on Laurie's hit series and discovered the star was a classically trained pianist.
For "Hang Cool Teddy Bear", the singer enlisted elite musicians, including THE DARKNESS frontman Justin Hawkins, who co-wrote two songs for the album, guitarists Tim Pierce, Paul Crook and Randy Flowers, legendary bass players Chris Chaney and Kasim Sulton, genius keyboardist Jamie Mulhoberac and one of the world's greatest rock drummers, John Micelli.
"Hang Cool Teddy Bear" is due out May 11 in the U.S.
Canadian extreme metallers KATAKLYSM have completed the songwriting process for their new album, "Heaven's Venom", for a tentative fall release via Nuclear Blast Records.
Commented vocalist Maurizio Iacono: "It's done after two years of hard work! We really made sure we had every element covered, going over all the riffs and arrangements hundreds of times to make it the best it could be.
"Our fans have given us so much over the years and it was time for us, without any label pressure or time limit, to give back with the album they have been waiting for. We think we've accomplished something special, but we are not going to say this is the heaviest or best KATAKLYSM and all that stuff. The fans will decide that. I just know the mission is accomplished when all of us have big cheesy smiles on our faces!
"We're going to take a little break now and hit the road with KREATOR, which should be a lot of fun! As soon as we are back, we will give the album one last check-up and then start recording this beast. Should be wrapped up and mixed by this summer.
"Next year it will be the band's 20th anniversary so you can bet that we will deliver the goods. We promise! Lots of cool surprises ahead."
Tentative songtitles set to appear on "Heaven's Venom" include "Soul Made of Shrapnel", "Blind Savior", "Hail the Renegade" and "Push the Venom".
The follow-up to 2008's "Prevail", "Heaven's Venom" will once again be recorded by guitarist Jean-Francois Dagenais (MALEVOLENT CREATION, MISERY INDEX) while Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, SUICIDE SILENCE, WINDS OF PLAGUE, DARK TRANQUILLITY) will handle mixing duties.
Video footage of KATAKLYSM's January 31, 2009 performance at Melkweg in Amsterdam, Holland can be viewed below (courtesy of "letthedeathmetalflow").
Reformed Greek metallers NIGHTFALL have entered the studio to begin recording their new album, "Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants", tentatively due later in the year via an as-yet-undisclosed record label. Joining frontman and lyricist Efthimis Karadimas in the band's new lineup are Evan Hensley on guitar, Stathis Kassios on keyboards and Jörg Uken on drums.
Regarding the new CD title, the group states, "Tyrants represent the punishment accrued from our own actions, the allegoric way. But what about the first part of the title, Astron Black?
"The Astron refers to the bearer of light, the sun, life itself and phos that allows no secret to remain hidden for ever, the hope, the hunter, the ray slashing the monotony of nothing, the effort to breathe to cry to understand to communicate and ultimately to create, the god, the gods, the man!
"The Black refers to the endless, the eternal warm nest either within us or far above, the mystery, the epitome of arcane that asks to be conquered and the challenge that cannot be regretted, the deep, the soul attractor and fears the force’s being made of, the vessel of creation, the goddess, the womb, the woman!
"Astron Black is a fiction persona in human like body shape. Moving throughout centuries, being inspired and eventually driven by its needs and wills, this beast-cum-beauty and vice versa creature moves violently in harmonious circles known as Time. That Aenaon creature symbolises the opposite natures in universe, the duality that characterises every form of life and action whose motion generates aural waves, inking the pages of collective subconscious chronicles."
NIGHTFALL's seventh full-length album, "Lyssa: Rural Gods and Astonishing Punishments" was released in 2005 through Black Lotus Records.
Tribunal Records has set an April 13 release date for the reissue of the 1990 self-titled debut album from the German hard rock band CASANOVA.
Though CASANOVA may not have become a household name in the '90s hard rock scene, it wasn't for a lack of great songs and drive to succeed.
CASANOVA's roots began in such classic and esteemed German hard rock/heavy metal bands such as MAD MAX and WARLOCK.
Formed in 1990 when WARLOCK super-producer Henry Staroste brought Michael Voss and Michael Eurich together, CASANOVA's debut album eventually sold 170,000 copies.
"Casanova" has been out of print for years and was never actually released in the United States until now. With supplies diminishing over the years, the price of obtaining an original copy of "Casanova" has skyrocketed to prices exceeding the $100 mark. So with it being the band's 20th anniversary, Tribunal has decided to present a new deluxe edition of the album which includes not only remastered audio, but seven bonus tracks.
Points of interest:
* Features former members of WARLOCK and MAD MAX * Contains 7 bonus tracks (five of which were never available outside Japan) * Out of print for years/original version highly collectible * Never released in the U.S. before now * Limited edition of 1000 (CD only) * Band celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2010 * First time all original 14 recorded album tracks compiled together * All tracks remastered in 2010 by Jamie King
"Casanova" (deluxe edition) track listing:
01. Don't Talk About Love 02. Burning Love 03. Living A Lie 04. The Girl Is Mine 05. Rome Burns 06. Love Lies 07. Bang Bang 08. Sticky Sweet 09. Back To The Wall 10. Ride The Wings Of Freedom 11. Hollywood Angels 12. Heaven Can Wait
Bonus tracks:
13. Hot Legs 14. Written In My Heart 15. Hollywood Angels (Acoustic) 16. Love Lies (Acoustic) 17. Don't Talk About Love (Live) 18. Burning Love (Live) 19. Ride The Wings Of Freedom (Live)
ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN, the new band featuring former BRAND NEW SIN members Joe Altier and Brian "Slider" Azzoto, will make its official live debut on April 10 at the Lost Horizon in Syracuse, New York. Also scheduled to appear are DIRTY SPEAKER, FROM RUINS and BRASS KNUCKLE INTERCOURSE.
Formed in January of 2009, ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN spent a year writing, recording and finding its "sound." The debut show will feature the songs that have been written during the past year and give fans a sneak peek at what the band's upcoming full-length CD will sound like.
ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN is:
Joe Altier - Vocals Brian "Slider" Azzoto - Guitar, Backing Vocals John Hanus - Guitar Lewk Detor - Drums Dave Hoyt - Bass
In an interview with D.T.D. Entertainment, Altier stated about ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN's musical direction, "I think its gonna be tough to NOT sound a little like BRAND NEW SIN considering it's my voice and Slider's riffs (which were a big part of the first BRAND NEW SIN CD)… but we wanted a more ROCK feel. In BRAND NEW SIN we always teetered on the fence of rock and metal. Slider and I really wanted to just be a true rock band. We had no idea what exactly it would sound like but as the year has rolled on we have found a 'sound,' I think. In my opinion, it is very classic-sounding. '70s rock and roll — very bluesy and just plain old no-frills rock and roll!"
Regarding ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN's upcoming debut CD, Altier said, "We are in the process of recording it as we speak. Drums are done, guitars and bass are being tracked now and I see my vocals starting sometime early January. We also have plans of adding a lot of piano/organ parts and maybe even some strings on a few.
"It's cool to be on no real time schedule for this CD. In the past when I was in BRAND NEW SIN, we always had a 'deadline' or 'time frame.' For the first time I am on my own 'time frame.' So it gives us time to really take each step with thought and give us a chance to digest it all."
"Let There Be Rock" recently conducted an interview with KOTTAK (formerly KRUNK) — the band featuring singer/songwriter/guitarist Jimmy Ratchitt (a.k.a. former KINGDOM COME and current SCORPIONS drummer James Kottak) and his wife Athena (sister of MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee) on drums. The chat is now available for streaming using the audio player below.
"Sunset Blvd.", the new video from KOTTAK, can be viewed below. The clip was directed and photographed by Steve Macia and it was edited by Paul DeNigris. The song comes comes off the group's new album, "Scream With Me", which was produced by Tommy Henriksen (DAUGHTRY, B.C. JEAN)
KOTTAK recently completed a three-week European concert tour with the Swedish band BLOWSIGHT as support.
SCORPIONS guitarist Rudolf Schenker apparently agreed to help promote the tour via "Rock Your Life", his recently published autobiography. Schenker did not perform with KOTTAK on stage during the trek, but teamed with the band during various press and radio opportunities to promote both his book and the tour.
"It's such an honor to have Rudolf want to get involved with our little tour," said Jimmy Ratchitt. "KOTTAK is my band — something completely separate from what I do as a member of the SCORPIONS. But Rudolf Schenker is one of those people who like to champion other people's success, as well as his own. He doesn't just preach about rocking your life, he helps you do it!"
KOTTAK also includes Johnny Lucas on lead guitar and Price Vernon on bass.
With their debut CD, "Greatist Hits" [sic], and critically acclaimed follow-up CD, "Therupy", KOTTAK established itself as more than just a band with a spelling problem. Several tours of Japan, Europe, Mexico, and countless West Coast runs have yielded a reputation as a rock solid act.
Forerunners in the heavy metal scene since its humble beginnings in the early eighties, Metal Blade Records is once again spreading the word of heavy metal to the world now through the label's brand new site, Metal Blade TV. Metal Blade TV will be a place for metalheads to go and see video interviews and segments from some of their favorite Metal Blade artists in addition to other notable metal musicians and bands. Metal Blade is doing this because the label is not only about exposing its own bands to the metal community, but also bringing attention to the talents of all metal musicians out there on the scene working hard to give you music to bang your heads and pump your fists to.
Chairman and CEO of Metal Blade Records, Brian Slagel comments; "We are very excited about the launch of our own TV channel, Metal Blade TV! We are going to bring you not only content from Metal Blade artists, but from the entire world of heavy metal. We want to take you behind the scenes and see all the bands in a different way. Also there will be a lot of rare live video clips too! We really hope you enjoy this new venture from Metal Blade Records!"
As Brian Slagel stated above, Metal Blade TV will also host rare video clips from his illustrious collection that spans 30 years of heavy metal shows. There are sure to be some very interesting and never-seen footage so be sure to stay tuned to Metal Blade TV to catch of glimpse of heavy metal history.
Coming on March 29 is "The Very Best Of Free & Bad Company Featuring Paul Rodgers". The 15-track British import will also be released as a 26-track expanded iTunes version featuring solo tracks along with those by THE FIRM — Rodgers' 1980s band with Jimmy Page, and THE LAW — his 1990s short-lived team up with THE FACES and THE WHO drummer Kenney Jones. The full 26-track online version marks the first time Rodgers' entire career has been chronicled on one collection.
The full iTunes track listing for "The Very Best Of Free & Bad Company Featuring Paul Rodgers" is:
BAD COMPANY:
* Can't Get Enough * Rock Steady * Feel Like Makin' Love * Rock N' Roll Fantasy * Run With The Pack * Seagull * Shooting Star
FREE:
* My Brother Jake * Be My Friend * The Hunter * Little Bit Of Love * Fire And Water * All Right Now
Other:
* Satisfaction Guaranteed (The Firm) * Muddy Water Blues (acoustic) (Paul Rodgers) * Soul Of Love (Paul Rodgers) * Radioactive (12" Mix) (The Firm) * Live In Peace (Live) (The Firm) * The Hunter (Live from BBC) (Paul Rodgers) * Saving Grace (Paul Rodgers) * Midnight Moonlight Lady (Live at Wembley 1985) (The Firm) * Over You (Paul Rodgers) * Laying Down The Law * Missing You Bad Girl (The Law)
Rodgers told The Pulse of Radio that during his stints in all four bands — and on his own — the one musical inspiration has always been the blues. "You used to look around and think, 'God, is there no other way?', you know?" he said. "And then I heard these blues guys singing about jumping on the first train smoking, and heading out of town, you know, and my friends can have my room. And I thought, 'Wouldn't it be great if you could just do that?' And that drew me to playing and singing blues. And it's actually what I did, and I'm still doing."
Paul Rodgers tour dates (subject to change):
June 05 - Temecula, CA - Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Fest Lake Skinner June 17 - Lemoore, CA - Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino June 18 Santa Ynez, CA - Chumash Casino June 25, 26 - Walker, MN - Northern Lights Casino July 04 - Pennsauken, NJ - Cooper River Park
Drummer Gonzo Sandoval of California metal veterans ARMORED SAINT will guest on the "Heavy Metal Mayhem" radio show with Mike "The Big Cheese". The interview will take place during the Sunday, March 14 broadcast from 6 to 8 p.m. EST.
ARMORED SAINT will release its new album, "La Raza", on March 16 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Burbank, California's Tranzformer Studios, which is owned by Dave Jerdan (ALICE IN CHAINS, JANE'S ADDICTION), who produced ARMORED SAINT's 1991 classic "Symbol of Salvation" and Bryan Carlstrom, who engineered the same album. The band's first new release since 2001's "Nod to the Old School" was produced by bassist Joey Vera and engineered by Carlstrom and his assistant John Nuss.
To complete the package, the band employed photographer Stephanie Cabral and Metal Blade's own Brian Ames. Vera states, "Metal Blade is doing a really cool digipack package for us. We felt like the city of Los Angeles is such a big part of our fabric that we wanted to use that in the design of the artwork. So with the help of our good friend and photographer Stephanie Cabral and Brian Ames from the Metal Blade art department, we came up with a really cool package that represents our band and the music on this record. We also wanted to incorporate a 'green' action by leaving out the plastic CD tray and using recycled paper. The result is a classy and poignant package."
"La Raza" track listing:
01. Loose Cannon 02. Head On 03. Left Hook From Right Field 04. Get Off the Fence 05. Chilled 06. La Raza 07. Black Feet 08. Little Monkey 09. Blues 10. Bandit Country
The song "Left Hook From Right Field" is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.
Vera comments on the unique recording process for "La Raza": "We used nothing but analog gear, most of which was custom-built by Rupert Neve for Bryan Carlstrom. We hit every signal (drum mics, guitars, vocals) with custom or vintage analog gear before recording into Pro Tools. We even used rare vintage amps for most of the guitar overdubs. At mix time, we mixed on an SSL 4000E console and went to a one-inch tape reel (one of only two on the West Coast) for our final masters. Uh…you DO know what tape is, don't you?
"What does this all mean? It means we spit in the ear of the age of the mp3, teenie, tiny ear bud listening culture that has turned its back on what it means to experience music. This record is FAT. We mean, obese! Full-on cardiovascular failure stuff! Old school, baby!"
Vera previously stated about ARMORED SAINT's new LP, "The result is just amazing, and I may be hasty when I say that this may be our best record ever. But all dopes in bands say that right? Well, this time I think it's true and although my reasons may be purely personal, I still deem it truth. The songs are great and it sounds great."
The band's current lineup is the same as the one on 2000's "Revelation" and 1992's "Symbol of Salvation" LPs:
John Bush (vocals) Jeff Duncan (guitar) Phil Sandoval (guitar) Joey Vera (bass) Gonzo Sandoval (drums)
Behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot for "Collapsing", the new video from Seattle-based Christian metallers DEMON HUNTER, can be viewed below. The clip was filmed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Endeavor Media (ANBERLIN, OWL CITY) and features Björn "Speed" Strid of Swedish metal band SOILWORK, who contributes guest vocals to the song. "We're all huge SOILWORK fans so this was an honor for us," says DEMON HUNTER vocalist Ryan Clark. "Speed was on a very short wish list of ours for guys that we would want to have do vocals on the record so we were really, really excited when he agreed to do it."
"Collapsing" comes off DEMON HUNTER's new album, "The World Is A Thorn", which was released on March 9. The band's fifth CD follows the landmark documentary "45 Days", last year's "Live In Nashville" collection and a catalog of landmark releases that have made the band one of the most important in the genre.
"The World Is A Thorn" was produced by the band's longtime collaborator Aaron Sprinkle (ACCEPTANCE, ANBERLIN, THE ALMOST) and mixed by powerhouse producer Jason Suecof (ALL THAT REMAINS, TRIVIUM). It's a pairing emblematic of how skillfully DEMON HUNTER has always blended metallic might with melody.
"The World Is A Thorn" track listing:
01. Descending Upon Us 02. LifeWar 03. Collapsing 04. This Is The Line 05. Driving Nails 06. The World Is A Thorn 07. Tie This Around Your Neck 08. Just Breathe 09. Shallow Water 10. Feel As Though You Could 11. Blood In The Tears
DEMON HUNTER will take part in acoustic performances and signing sessions at the following stores:
Friday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. Easy Street - Mercer Street 20 Mercer Street Seattle, WA
Saturday, March 13 at 4:00 p.m. Best Buy 3305 SW Cedar Hill Blvd Beaverton, OR
"The World Is A Thorn" formally introduces guitarists Patrick Judge (who joined the band as a touring guitarist in 2008 and is now a full-time member) and Ryan Helm (of THE ASCENDICATE) with a new batch of songs written by co-founder and vocalist Ryan Clark. Yogi Watts returns with another jaw-dropping drum performance, backed up by longtime bass player Jonathan Dunn.
"The World Is A Thorn" follows previous studio albums "Storm The Gates Of Hell" (2007), "The Triptych" (2005), "Summer Of Darkness" (2004) and "Demon Hunter" (2002), as well as the live album and three-disc CD/DVD set "45 Days", which have sold close to a combined half a million copies. It's an incredible feat for a band that has yet to venture from North America and has never toured regularly.
"Worship The Sun", a brand new song from the legendary death metal band MASTER, is available for streaming at this location. The track comes off the group's tenth full-length album, "The Human Machine", which is due later in the year via Pulverised Records. The CD was tracked at Shaark Studios in Bzenec, Czech Republic with Petr Nejezchleba and Pavel Hlavica at the engineering helm. Produced by Paul Speckmann, Alex Nejezchleba and Zdenek Pradlovsky, it features the following tracks:
01. The Human Machine 02. It's What Your Country Can Do For You 03. Twisted Truth 04. True Color 05. Suppress Free Thinking 06. A Replica Of Invention 07. Faceless Victims Expelled 08. Worship The Sun 09. The Lack Of Space 10. Impale To Kill
A 50-second video trailer for "The Human Machine", which includes audio snippets from the new album, is available below.
"The Human Machine" artwork was created by Israeli artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, AGHORA, TO-MERA, GWAR, SICKENING HORROR).
In a recent interview with U.K.'s Terrorizer magazine, Speckmann stated about the forthcoming CD, "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."
MASTER is:
Paul Speckmann - Vocals, Bass Alex Nejezchleba - Guitar Zdenek Pradlovsky - Drums
Vocalist Eric "A.K." Knutson of the legendary Arizona heavy metal band FLOTSAM AND JETSAM has joined THE HUMAN CONDITION, the group led by SACRED REICH guitarist Wiley Arnett.
THE HUMAN CONDITION's new lineup made its live debut by performing a surprise five-song set at the Nino Notaro Memorial Concert on February 20 at Club Stratus in Phoenix, Arizona.
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM was scheduled to share a stage with SACRED REICH for the first time in nearly 18 years, and about 1,500 of Arizona's core metal family members came together to celebrate the life of Nino Notaro at the event.
For the unenlightened, Nino was an amazingly talented sound engineer that worked with a number of bands — including FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, SACRED REICH, SEPULTURA and SOULFLY — over the years. The event raised money for Nino's daughter Sophie to start an education fund.
When THE HUMAN CONDITION initially took the stage, metalheads in attendance seemed a bit confused to see Wiley strap on his guitar and Eric begin checking the mic. THE HUMAN CONDITION drummer Muley counted off three stick clicks and they were off, and by the second song it was clear there was a new band out of Arizona to consider.
With the addition of Eric on vocals and Johnny Urwin on bass, THE HUMAN CONDITION has returned to the scene with renewed vigor. Anyone that witnessed the debut performance would agree that THE HUMAN CONDITION is fresh, relevant and rooted in a bit of metal history.
THE HUMAN CONDITION is busy writing and has added a sixth song to its setlist since the show.
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.
.jpg)
.jpg)
