Norwegian act SHINING (not to be confused with the Swedish black metal band of the same name) will release its new album, "Blackjazz", in Europe on January 25 via Indie Recordings and in North America on February 2 through The End Records.
The track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. The Madness And The Damage Done 02. Fisheye 03. Exit Sun 04. Exit Sun 05. Healter Skelter 06. The Madness And The Damage Done 07. Blackjazz Deathtrance 08. Omen 09. 21st Century Schizoid Man
Over the course of its impressive 10-year career, SHINING has created its own unique and bizarre hybrid of jazz and extreme metal, which is easily distinguishable from the musical world of their Swedish labelmates sharing the same band name.
Commented Indie in a statement: "With their one-of-a kind-sound and extreme approach to music, [SHINING] are the perfect match for Indie Recordings. SHINING adds the experimentalism, variety and boldness we have been wanting to add to our roster for a long time, and we are confident SHINING will continue to push the borders of what is happening in the scene!"
SHINING's Jørgen Munkeby comments: "After 10 merciless years and four ground-breaking and critically acclaimed albums, our sound is more punishing and extreme than ever before, and our fan-base bigger than ever. For 'Blackjazz', we needed a label that would match our aggressiveness, along with our taste for catchiness. We needed people who shared our dedication to music and art, along with our ambitions of reaching a vast number of people, a label that would match our constantly growing numbers of fans worldwide and the ever expanding interest for our musical mission. Indie Recordings is the perfect match for SHINING's 'Blackjazz'! Their knowledge of the music industry is as immense as their love for good music. It will be a great pleasure to be working with this marvelous and ambitious label in the future!"
Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of extreme modern metal act SYSTEM DIVIDE, featuring Sven De Caluwé (ABORTED) and Miri Milman (ex-DISTORTED) on vocals, Cole Martinez (ex-YEARS OF FIRE, ANTENORA) and Joseph Spiller (ex-THE BINARY CODE) on guitars, Andrew Lenthe (ANTENORA) on bass, and Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY) on drums. SYSTEM DIVIDE has already completed a video for the song "The Apex Doctrine" off the band's current EP, which will also be on the band's full-length Metal Blade debut. Check out a trailer for the new video below and be sure to head over to SYSTEM DIVIDE's MySpace page to listen to the tracks "The Apex Doctrine" and "(n)Ether". Stay tuned for more information including when and where the video for "The Apex Doctrine" will premiere, track listing and release date of the band's debut full-length album, "The Conscious Sedation", and tour dates.
Vocalist Sven De Caluwé commented: "We couldn't be more thrilled to be part of the Metal Blade roster, a label that has been pushing the boundaries of extreme music and putting lots of great new acts in the spotlight. We know SYSTEM DIVIDE is in the hands of a competent team of driven music FANS in the first place who believe in what we do, and we're going to give them their money's worth!!
"We are completing the songwriting for our first album, 'The Conscious Sedation', and are about to enter the studio to start tracking by the end of the month, for those who checked out our EP, get ready for some surprises and more extreme modern metal madness! Rock 'n roll!!"
Added Michael Faley of Metal Blade Records: "Heavy, brutal, extreme, melodic in-your-face metal. These ingredients result in a unique visual and audio assault that numbs the senses. Sven De Caluwé and Miri Milman deliver a one-two punch unseen in metal. We are very proud to add them to the Metal Blade Records family."
SYSTEM DIVIDE's "The Collapse" EP was produced and engineered by guitarist Cole Martinez and was mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen (ABORTED, MERCENARY, RAUNCHY, HATESPHERE, VOLBEAT).
"The Apex Doctrine" video was filmed in New York with director Kevin Custer (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, DYING FETUS, SUFFOCATION).
According to a press release, SYSTEM DIVIDE "unites a myriad of sounds, going from STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, SOILWORK, LACUNA COIL, DIMMU BORGIR, CHIMAIRA to even MORBID ANGEL. Prepare for the unexpected!"
Founded in summer 2008, SYSTEM DIVIDE features in its ranks vocalists Sven de Caluwé (ABORTED) and Miri Milman (ex-DISTORTED) along with longtime friends Cole Martinez (ex-YEARS OF FIRE, ANTENORA), Andrew Lenthe (ANTENORA), and Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY). SYSTEM DIVIDE set out to revolutionize the conventions of the over-saturated melodic death metal genre, proving that extreme metal can have more depth than blast beats, while female vocals do not have to conform to the precepts of the "goth" genre. In mixing many styles, "The Collapse" breaks all the rules of extreme metal and is a landmark release for the young band.
As opposed to interjecting simple, predictable clean choruses into contrived song structures, SYSTEM DIVIDE unites serene female vocals and extreme vocals driven by lyrical themes that confront and seek to break everyday themes of disillusionment, societal materialism, and individual apathy. Musically, the band delivers myriad styles of riffing and grooves, while augmenting the entrancing soundscapes with hard-hitting drums and intricate bass lines. These elements together define the unique, spell binding, hypnotic sound of SYSTEM DIVIDE.
In order to achieve this complex calculus of sounds on "The Collapse", Cole Martinez handled tracking duties at Conquistador Recordings. Artwork for "The Collapse" was completed by Colin Marks (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, ABORTED, NEVERMORE).
GAMMA RAY, FREEDOM CALL and SECRET SPHERE will team up for the "To The Metal" European tour in February/March.
Confirmed dates are as follows:
Feb. 06 - Dock's - Hamburg, Germany Feb. 07 - Biebob - Vosselaar, Belgium Feb. 09 - Zeche - Bochum, Germany Feb. 10 - Le Trabendo - Paris, France Feb. 12 - Sala Totem - Navarra, Spain Feb. 13 - La Riviera - Madrid, Spain Feb. 14 - Sala Apolo - Barcelona, Spain Feb. 16 - Magazzini Generali - Mailand, Italy Feb. 19 - Gagarin 205 - Athens, Greece Feb. 20 - Block 33 - Thessaloniki, Greece Feb. 21 - Blue Box Club - Sofia, Bulgaria Feb. 23 - SKC - Belgrade, Serbia Feb. 24 - Boogaloo - Zagreb, Croatia Feb. 26 - Sport Hall - Presov, Slovakia Feb. 27 - MSK Centrum - Ziad Nad Hronom, Slovakia Feb. 28 - PKO - Bratislava, Slovakia Mar. 12 - H2O Halle - Reichenbach, Germany Mar. 13 - Kaminwerk - Memmingen, Germany Mar. 14 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland Mar. 16 - Garage - Saarbrucken, Germany Mar. 18 - Stadthalle Langen - Langen, Germany Mar. 19 - Stadthalle Lichenfels - Lichtenfels, Germany Mar. 20 - [to be announced] - Prague, Czech Republic
Both GAMMA RAY and FREEDOM CALL will have new albums out in January — GAMMA RAY through earMUSIC/Edel Germany GmbH and FREEDOM CALL's "Legend Of The Shadowking" via SPV (official release date: January 25).
Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal of Full Metal Rock recently conducted an interview with guitarist Oz Fox of Christian hard rockers STRYPER. The chat is now available for streaming at this location.
STRYPER was recently forced to cancel several shows in Texas due to singer/rhythm guitarist Michael Sweet's bout with the flu. The band's concerts in Dallas and Houston have been rescheduled for December 22 and December 21, respectively. They will feature a special Christmas segment that will include the performance of "Winter Wonderland" and their classic holiday tune "Reason for the Season", which the band says it has never performed live.
Ulterium Records (through an arrangement with the Italian label Frontiers Records) will release a limited 12" picture-disc edition of the latest STRYPER album, "Murder By Pride", in Europe on December 4. The LP will be strictly limited to 500 copies, and will come with a full color poster inlay.
"Murder By Pride" sold 5,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 73 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released in Europe on August 28 via Frontiers Records. It was made available in the U.S. on July 21 through Big 3 Records.
STRYPER kicked off its 25th-anniversary tour on September 11 at the House Of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts. Quality video footage of the performance can be viewed at this location. One of the clips is available below.
Vicky Bradley (a.k.a. Vix the Angel Of Metal) recently conducted an interview with British vocalist Martin Walkyier (SABBAT, SKYCLAD). The chat is now available for streaming using the audio player below.
In late October, Walkyier issued the following update regarding his current musical activities:
"It is my great pleasure to announce that I am currently working upon writing and recording some brand-new material for THE CLAN DESTINED.
"Due to the literally thousands of emails and messages I've received from you kind people via the THE CLAN DESTINED website and my MySpace page, I have now decided that the time has come to compose a follow-up to the critically acclaimed 'In The Big Ending...' CD and DVD release. I also promised my father that I would write something to honour his memory just one week before he died in February 2007; and as I'm sure you will all appreciate, this was a very heartfelt oath that I feel morally obliged to fulfil.
"I am both honoured and privileged to have recently recruited the exceptionally talented guitarist and composer Jacqui Taylor to THE CLAN DESTINED cause. Jacqui is precisely the kind of musician that I have always dreamed of eventually meeting for very many years now, the type of person who takes her music as seriously as I have always done. Jacqui practices her guitar for at least eight hours per day, which is the kind of sincere dedication we're talking about here!
"Working together with Jacqui Taylor is truly a breath of fresh air and a brand-new beginning for both myself and THE CLAN DESTINED. Anyone who doubts what I'm saying is more than welcome to visit Jacqui's website to see just why I'm so intensely excited about our current collaboration.
"Despite the fact that I have never earned a vast fortune from making my music, my sincere and honest approach to my creativity thankfully means that I have the support of a small army of fans and a few loyal friends. One person undoubtedly worthy of mention is my old comrade and fellow band-mate in SKYCLAD and RETURN TO THE SABBAT, the drummer Jay Graham, who presently is battering the skins with his band RAVENS CREED. Jay will be recording the drums and percussion (and maybe also playing some keyboards) on the new recordings from THE CLAN DESTINED.
"I'm currently looking for people who have what it takes to join together with me in this creative endeavour, both in the studio and at live THE CLAN DESTINED concerts (you know who you are!).
"If you feel that you have what it takes to be a member of THE CLAN DESTINED, then please don't hesitate to get in contact me via the official website, www.theclandestined.com.
"I've also spent the last few months setting up my own 24-track recording studio, to facilitate the composition and recording of these new THE CLAN DESTINED demo tracks for you all. As I'm sure you can imagine, for a man normally accustomed to working with words, competent sound engineering is a skill that I have as yet to acquire. Yet, as with my understanding of the German language; this is something that only time, patience, good ears and just the few active brain cells remaining to me will undoubtedly learn to fully comprehend."
TONS — the new band featuring the remaining members of the reformed legendary Santa Barbara metal/punk rock hybrid SNOT (Mike Doling on guitar, John "Tumor" Fahnestock on bass and Jamie Miller on drums) alongside new vocalist Brandon — has posted the first two tracks on its MySpace page. Check out the songs "Ability & Control" and "1,000 Ways Of Pain" at this location.
SNOT parted ways with frontman Tommy Vext (a.k.a. Tommy Cummings) and axeman Sonny Mayo earlier in the year after a five-month songwriting period which produced "a lot of strain on relationships within the band," according to Doling.
Regarding TONS' latest addition, Doling wrote in a June 2009 post, "He's blowing our fucking minds... It's been such an amazing time working as a four-piece...
"The writing is going smoooooth!! I do gotta say, I miss my friends Sonny and Tommy. Like I said, I wish the best for them!! This seems like it was meant to be this way somehow.
"We are writing punk fuckin' rock and funky grooves... the way SNOT is supposed to sound."
SNOT disbanded in 1998 following the death of the group's lead singer, Lynn Strait. Lynn died in a car accident in December 1998, putting an end to a career that generated considerable promise but only one studio album, the 1997 Geffen Records release "Get Some". Also killed was the band's mascot Dobbs, Strait's dog who adorned the cover of SNOT's debut album. The band had been writing material for its sophomore CD and had completed 10 songs at the time of Strait's tragic passing. As a memorial to Strait, SNOT eventually decided to release those tracks, with lyrics and guest vocals provided by a host of stars from the alt-metal community. The resulting album, "Strait Up", was a fitting tribute from Strait's peers and friends, featuring members of LIMP BIZKIT, KORN, SLIPKNOT, SEVENDUST, (HED) P.E., COAL CHAMBER, SUGAR RAY, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, SOULFLY, and more.
"An Acoustic Night At The Theatre", the new live album from Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION, will be released in North America on December 15 via Roadrunner Records. The release will be available via all digital music providers, while physical copies will be available exclusively at the newly launched Roadrunner Recordsweb store.
In November 2008, WITHIN TEMPTATION embarked on a sold-out, intimate theatre tour of Europe, complete with seated audiences. The setup afforded the band the opportunity to rearrange several classics from its extensive catalogue to suit an acoustic performance. The album was recorded at the Muziekcentrum Frits Philips in Eindhoven, Holland on November 30 of last year. The performance was beautifully captured and demonstrates the simplified and stripped down side of the band.
Guitarist Robert Westerholt explained, "I was fascinated by the idea of giving our audience a much more individual experience by focusing on the essence of our songs and reducing the show to a minimum. At the same time the acoustic arrangements and sounds let you hear different influences in our music. For example, some Celtic elements which I think come out best when played acoustically." Vocalist Sharon den Adel adds, "To show this other side of WITHIN TEMPTATION has been a dream of mine for quite some time. It was great to see that not only our existing fans but also people seeing us for the first time enjoyed it so much."
Special guests include LIFE OF AGONY's vocalist Keith Caputo for the single "What Have You Done". Caputo guested on the album version, so it was only appropriate that he contributed to the live song, as well. Additionally, THE GATHERING's Anneke van Giersbergen joins den Adel for a powerful partnership on "Somewhere".
Of additional note, the album also contains the brand new song "Utopia", written during the rehearsals for the theatre tour. A duet with U.K. singer-songwriter Chris Jones (whom Sharon met while working with world-famous DJ Armin van Buuren on his track "In And Out Of Love"), "Utopia" will also be available as a digital single prior to the album release. The band are set to film a video shortly with director Oscar Verpoort. Poignantly written, "Utopia" is about two lovers who can't be together because they are separated by their contrasting dreams of the ideal life. "The only way to be together is for one of them to sacrifice their dream," clarifies Sharon. "It really is about this one moment that we each inevitably experience: reaching a point in your life where you have to decide what you want your future to look like."
An EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for "An Acoustic Night At The Theatre" can be viewed below.
"An Acoustic Night At The Theatre" track listing:
01. Towards The End 02. Stand My Ground 03. Caged 04. All I Need 05. Frozen 06. Somewhere (feat. Anneke van Giersbergen) 07. The Cross 08. Pale 09. What Have You Done (feat. Keith Caputo) 10. Memories 11. Forgiven 12. Utopia (feat. Chris Jones)
WITHIN TEMPTATION states: "In April next year we will be doing a rerun of [the acoustic] tour, where we will be doing this particular show for the last time. After that, we will prepare ourselves for the new album, new show, etc."
Sharon den Adel and WITHIN TEMPTATION guitarist Robert Westerholt welcomed their second child, Robin Aiden Westerholt, on June 1. The couple also has a three-year old daughter named Eva Luna den Adel.
WITHIN TEMPTATION released a double-DVD, titled "Black Symphony", on September 22, 2008. It is also available as a double-CD.
Santa Barbara, California metallers DEVILDRIVER recently recorded several songs at the legendary BBC Maida Vale Studios in London, England for an exclusive BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" session which will air next Monday night (November 23) as part of Daniel Carter's program. Vocalist Dez Fafara will also be on the phone talking about recording the session and life in general.
The show will be available for streaming for seven days after the initial broadcast at this location.
DEVILDRIVER will embark on a five-week North American headlining tour in January. Direct support on the dates will come from New York extreme metal legends SUFFOCATION.
Although the full lineup for DEVILDRIVER's headlining trek has not yet been announced, THY WILL BE DONE revealed from the stage at last week's concert in Farmingdale, New York (with MACHINE HEAD) that they will be taking part in the tour, alongside GOATWHORE. It should be noted, however, that this information has not yet been corroborated by an official source and should be treated as a rumor only at this point.
According to a new online post by DEVILDRIVER bassist Jon Miller, the Santa Barbara, California-based metallers have six songs "in the bag" for the group's forthcoming album, which they "are looking to record sooner than later." He added, "We want to go faster and heavier on this one to answer any question on a 'direction' that we may be undertaking."
DEVILDRIVER drummer John Boecklin elaborated further on the status of the songwriting sessions for the band's next CD. Writing on the group's official MySpace blog, Boecklin stated, "On our last record, I would say we stretched as far as we could outside of what we had done in the past, trying new and slower songs with vocal melody like 'It's In The Cards' or the rock like feel of songs like 'Back With A Vengeance' and 'Teach Me To Whisper'. For our latest effort, we feel like musically going for the throat, so to speak.
"Are we gonna make a death metal album? No! We always have a heavy emphasis on groove and hook. That will not change. We just feel we have a certain anger edge about us and the songs we are writing compared to our last one. It will not be rushed and if you are a fan, you will not be let down!!"
Video footage of DEVILDRIVER's November 7, 2009 performance in Munich, Germany can be viewed below (courtesy of "eblinternational").
DEVILDRIVER's latest album, "Pray For Villains", sold around 14,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.
Earlier this week,DIO — the band fronted by legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW) — cancelled its European tour after Ronnie was taken ill. An update on Ronnie's official web site reads as follows:
"Wendy Dio [Ronnie's wife/manager] would like to thank all of our friends and fans that have sent emails, cards, and blogs on Blabbermouth and let you know that she has passed them all on to Ronnie.
"Wendy always reads Blabbermouth and gives Ronnieall the kind words the fans send. Any mean ones she throws in the trash, where is where they belong."
DIO's lineup for the European tour was supposed to include WHITESNAKE/ex-DIO axeman Doug Aldrich due to the fact that the band's regular guitarist, Craig Goldy, had prior touring commitments with BUDGIE in Australia.
DIO's "Killing The Dragon" album from 2002 was released in June on limited-edition vinyl with a gatefold pop-up cover via Night Of The Vinyl Dead. Only 500 hand-numbered copies were manufactured.
"Killing The Dragon" was originally released by Spitfire Records.
DIO's "The Very Beast of Dio" was officially certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 11, 2009 for shipments in the United States in excess of 500,000 copies.
Issued in October 2000, "The Very Beast of Dio" is the second greatest-hits collection CD — and the first to be released in the U.S. — from the Ronnie James Dio-fronted band.
DIO's last release was the "Holy Diver Live" CD, featuring a performance of the classic "Holy Diver" album in its entirety, from start to finish, recorded live for the very first time in 2005 in front of a sold-out London crowd. It also includes, among others, "Heaven & Hell", "Sign of the Southern Cross" and "Mob Rules" from vocalist Ronnie James Dio's BLACK SABBATH days, "Tarot Woman", "Man on the Silver Mountain" and "Long Live Rock 'N' Roll" from the RAINBOW era and "We Rock" from his solo career.
Video footage of DIO's May 30, 2008 performance in Oslo, Norway can be viewed below.
The original lineup of the Bakersfield, California rock band ADEMA — Marky Chavez (vocals), David Deroo (bass), Tim Fluckey (guitar), Mike Ransom (guitar), and Kris Kohls (drums) — will play its first live shows in over five years in January. The details are as follows:
Jan. 14 - Whisky A Go Go - West Hollywood, CA Jan. 15 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
ADEMA is currently putting together its first-ever DVD, due early next year. The set will contain material from the group's original lineup and will feature "tons of hard-to-find, rare and never-before-seen footage, including videos, live and rehearsal footage, TV appearances, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the making of [the albums] 'Adema' [2001] and 'Unstable' [2003]." The band adds, "We're not sure EXACTLY what will be on it as we are working on clearances, etc., but expect it to be nothing short of awesome."
ADEMA's latest album, "Kill the Headlights", was released in August 2007 via Immortal Records. The CD was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Marshall Altman (MARC BROUSSARD, ZEBRAHEAD). Mastering duties were handled by Eddie Schreyer at Oasis Mastering in Burbank.
ADEMA in 2006 announced the addition of vocalist Bobby Reeves of the Los Angeles-based band LEVEL to the group's ranks. Reeves joined ADEMA as the replacement for Luke Caraccioli, who left the band in October 2005 — only six months after the release of their first album ("Planets") without the contributions of Chavez.
DEAD TO THIS WORLD — the speed/thrash/black metal project led by former IMMORTAL bassist Iscariah — has issued the following update:
"We are proud to announce that Skyggen (GORGOROTH, THUNDERBOLT, VELES) will be joining us on guitar for upcoming live desecrations starting on come 27th of November in Bergen. Let it be known. This event will be shared by Aussie devil-worshippers NOCTURNAL GRAVES."
DEAD TO THIS WORLD recently entered the studio to begin recording a five-song mini-CD with a running time of close to 30 minutes. The as-yet-untitled effort will be released through Vàn Records on both CD and vinyl format sometime in early 2010.
DEAD TO THIS WORLD is:
Iscariah - Supreme Necromancer of the Apocalypse m:A Fog - Drums of War Thurzur - Black God of Infamous Circle
DEAD TO THIS WORLD's debut album, "First Strike for Spiritual Renewance", was released in November 2007 via Dark Essence Records. The CD was produced by Bjørnar E Nielsen at Nielsen's Conclave Media Studios in Bergen.
DEAD TO THIS WORLD was originally founded by Iscariah (NECROPHAGIA, ex-IMMORTAL) as a solo project, but was expanded to a full lineup, releasing a three-track demo in 2005.
MALEFICE, RISE TO REMAIN, WARPATH, CONQUEST OF STEEL, ECHOVIRUS, MAN MUST DIE, SONDURA, NO MADE SENSE and CARS ON FIRE have been confirmed for next year's Hammerfest II festival, set to take place March 11-13, 2010 at Pontins, Prestatyn Sands, North Wales, United Kingdom.
The festival billing is now shaping up as follows:
AKERCOCKE ATTICA RAGE BELLIGERENCE CARS ON FIRE CONQUEST OF STEEL DARK FUNERAL ECHOVIRUS EPICA GODSIZED HELLFIGHTER HURON ICED EARTH ISOLYSIS MALEFICE MAN MUST DIE MARSHALL LAW NAPALM DEATH NO MADE SENSE ORANGE GOBLIN PANIC CELL RISE TO REMAIN SHINING SKINDRED SONDURA THE MORE I SEE WARPATH ZICO CHAIN
The original Hammerfest brought together some of the biggest names in metal for a truly memorable weekend at Pontins, Prestatyn Sands, North Wales. Headliners OPETH, SEPULTURA and SAXON were joined by the likes of HAMMERFALL, PARADISE LOST, SKINDRED, CATHEDRAL, ARCHITECTS and many more…
In addition to the usual Friday and Saturday night lineup, Hammerfest II will also feature an extra night's entertainment on Thursday, March 11. This comes included in VIP packages or can be purchased separately with Gold or Silver packages.
Hammerfest II is put together by Hard Rock Hell (the people behind the hugely successful Hard Rock Hell in 2007, Hard Rock Hell II in 2008 and forthcoming Hard Rock Hell III in December 2009) and the legendary Metal Hammer magazine.
Hammerfest II will be an event not to be missed. The festival will include a bumper lineup of established metal and rock acts — with celebrated veterans rubbing shoulders with the metal scenesters of today — alongside the future of metal’s upcoming talent, as championed by Metal Hammer.
Robert Gray of Ultimate-Guitar.com recently conducted an interview with former ANTHRAX singer Dan Nelson. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: OK. First of all, it's alleged that on July 16th, 2009 you informed ANTHRAX that you were seriously ill, and couldn't perform. What are your thoughts on that?
Dan: About the band saying that I was ill? I don't know why they said that — I was never sick. I was fine, and ready to do all of the gigs, but I think they wanted to go a different way with John Bush. That's what's going on with that.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: Were you really looking forward to ANTHRAX's European tour, which was eventually scrapped?
Dan: I did the first leg of Europe with ANTHRAX, and yeah, I was looking forward to returning, and doing the second leg. I was looking forward to the SLIPKNOT dates that they had planned for September, as well — August and September were when the SLIPKNOT dates were planned for, I believe. So yeah, I was disappointed, but you know, shit happens (laughs).
Ultimate-Guitar.com: Though did you hope to record one to two albums as part of ANTHRAX, part amicably, and then each party go their separate way? When they possibly wanted to reunite with John [Bush] or Joey [Belladonna]?
Dan: I think ANTHRAX would've went back to John even sooner if he would've said "Yes". Me, personally, I'd like "Worship Music" to come out as it is because it's a phenomenal album, but I don't know if that will happen. I just think ANTHRAX have a tendency to stay in their safe zone, and their safe zones have always been either a reunion of the older incarnation with Joey, or to stay with that sound with John. Charlie [Benante], as ANTHRAX's primary songwriter, feels comfortable with John because he's been with him for so long. It was thirteen years, I think, and John has been the voice for his writing for the last thirteen years, so that's where he wanted to go. I assume as soon as that door opened for them again, they jumped at it.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: Do you feel ANTHRAX reunited with John Bush with their tail between their legs? ANTHRAX reunited with Joey Belladonna, but that didn't work out. Because of that, do you feel they thought "Shit, we should've stayed with John," as that would've been the better decision in the long term?
Dan: I think the reunion thing with Joey didn't work out the way they thought, and they wanted to go back to John. He wasn't interested, so they decided to get someone new and fresh, and tried to breathe new life into the band, which I like to think I did. ANTHRAX definitely got a lot of press, and a lot of popularity, while I was in the band for two years. We had a very successful tour run, and "Worship Music" got great reviews over in Europe. It was looking great.. I don't know (laughs). I don't know why ANTHRAX did what they did. It's kind of strange, but the history of the band is strange. I wish them nothing but the best. Like I've said before, they're family guys, and they have their own lives to take care of. ANTHRAX have to do what's best for them, and I have to do what's best for me and my family. I'm just pushing on, and have to move onto the next step.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: The news item which alleges that on July 16th, 2009 you informed ANTHRAX that you were seriously ill, and couldn't perform, surfaced on July 17th. What were your thoughts when you became aware of that news item? Maybe you were on your computer, and read.. Dan: No. I'll tell you exactly where I was. I was at my ten-year-old Godson's baseball game, little league game, and I got a phone call from a friend of mine who said "Are you sick? Are you no longer in ANTHRAX?". I was like "What?". It was just weird. I was supposed to be on a flight to Sweden I think, and the next thing I knew, the flights were cancelled. The flights were booked for later initially, but then they were cancelled, and we just weren't going. Nobody answered my emails or my calls, and it pretty much went like that for about four days. I didn't hear anything for four days, and then it was announced that ANTHRAX were playing a show with John Bush. That's exactly what happened. What can you do? You just gotta say "OK," close that chapter, and open a new one.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: So basically, ANTHRAX cut off all lines of communication?
Dan: Yes. Everything went black. I hadn't heard from them at all for four days, I think. The last person I had spoken to was Scott [Ian], and to someone else from ANTHRAX's camp, saying that they were going to push the flights back to a later time. When I checked my flight online though, it was cancelled. That's the last I heard.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: But when you had your last conversation with Scott, you had the impression that him and the rest of ANTHRAX's members wished to move forward with you as their vocalist?
Dan: The last conversation I had with Scott was about the flights being changed, and not that I wasn't their singer anymore. I don't know how it went from the flights being pushed back to me not being their singer, so yeah, he definitely didn't say "You're no longer our singer" (laughs). The next thing, I then found out on the Internet that I wasn't their singer.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: On July 21st, ANTHRAX's manager said you'd parted ways with the group, and in a later interview, Scott Ian said that you had quit ANTHRAX. So obviously, you're saying that isn't true then? Just to confirm.
Dan: I would like to know where they heard me say I quit the band (laughs). Usually someone has to say they quit. I never quit the band. I had my manager and my lawyer both contact them, who said I was willing to do the dates — I believe it was July 18th, the day after they announced that I was supposedly sick. My manager and my lawyer contacted them, and said "He's willing, ready and able to do these dates. What's going on?", but there was no response. When someone doesn't give a response, there's not really much you can do. You're left in the dark, and left without any power. You're just left thinking "What's going on?", and that's where I was. I didn't know what was going on. I still don't know what happened, but at this point, I don't care. I really don't care. Like I said, I wish ANTHRAX nothing but the best. I don't wish them anything ill, but I don't care either. I couldn't tell you what ANTHRAX are doing with "Worship Music", and I couldn't tell you what they're doing with tours, because I just don't care. I've moved on from that onto new music, and onto other new things in my life. I have a lot of stuff going on other than music in my life. My life no longer revolves around ANTHRAX. I put my heart and soul into that band for two years, writing, flying, recording, touring, keeping myself in physical shape for the band, and dealing with all the drama that goes with being in a band, especially being a new guy. It's just too much to even bother with anymore. I just don't care. I hate to say it, but it's someone else's problem now.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: When ANTHRAX hired you, did you ever feel as though you were measured against John Bush and Joey Belladonna?
Dan: Yes and no. I don't think I really had much in common with them vocally, or in terms of stage presence, so it was an old/new ANTHRAX somewhat, which I thought the fans were really enjoying. It just seemed like the energy that ANTHRAX had when I was in the band, compared to with Joey and John, was way higher. The energy level was just.. we were on top of our game. If you watch a video of the five of us onstage, then it was a great show every night. The energy was there, and those guys looked reinvigorated. I brought it every night, and it was just a totally different ANTHRAX — it was a younger, crazier and heavier version of what ANTHRAX was. I think, in these modern times of metal, it really was going over well. I guess it's a strange decision that they've made, moving forward another way, but like I said, they're entitled to their vision.
Video footage of ANTHRAX's June 28, 2009 concert (with soundboard-quality audio) at the Graspop Metal Meeting on the festival grounds of the Boeretang in Dessel, Belgium can be viewed below.
The new issue of Rhythm magazine, available from November 24, features an in-depth interview with SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo. In the feature, written by SLAYER biographer Joel McIver, Lombardo discusses his Cuban roots, his early influences and the high points of his 28-year career all the way up to the release of the Los Angeles thrash quartet's latest album, "World Painted Blood". Excerpts from the interview follow.
Rhythm: Tell us about the drumming on "World Painted Blood".
Lombardo: "Man, I can't tell you how pleased I am with it! The producer, Greg Fidelman, is an all-round musician as far as I know, but he's especially keen on drums and very, very good at recording them. I swear to you, there were times when I'd record a dozen fills and he'd sit down with me and dissect each one — stroke by stroke! Literally one hit, and then another hit, and then another one — and then we'd decide whether to use this fill or that roll or whatever. It was incredible."
Rhythm: Playing with METALLICA at Download in 2004 must have been quite an experience. (See/hear video/audio footage below.)
Lombardo: "Yeah. Show 'em how it's done! No disrespect to Lars [Ulrich], because Lars is great and he's a very nice guy, but he needs to spend a week at my house and we need to sit down and play. I could show him — 'No, Lars, like this!'… 'Let's chill, let's relax, have some coffee and let's play!' Hahahahaha!"
Rhythm: When you played blastbeats on the song "Supremist", on the 2006 album "Christ Illusion", everybody wondered if SLAYER were going to turn death metal…
Lombardo: "It's what the riff demanded. See, that's my thing — I can't close the door on other music. I expose myself to this stuff to stay on top and to let people know, 'Hey, I'm aware of what's going on!' Just because I don't play it, doesn't mean I'm not aware of it. I'll throw in little tidbits here and there. For example, I've been listening to all this jungle [hums frantic drum'n'bass pattern] To me it's like England's rap. It's very cool. I love that music — I really enjoy it because it's fast, and it moves."
Rhythm: So have you heard CANNIBAL CORPSE and the other death metal bands doing blastbeats?
Lombardo: "I've heard it. Does it impress me? No, because too much is over-redundant. I can't tolerate it, it's just [hums series of machine-like blasts]… there's no feeling."
Rhythm: It was rumored a while back that you had a problem with your thyroid gland from drinking too much caffeine. True?
Lombardo: "I don't know if it was the coffee. I doubt it. I think it was just too much touring. I started noticing that I was losing a lot of weight, and my heart was beating at 170 beats a minute — just while I was sitting down! I would wake up in the middle of the night and my bed would be soaking wet, because I would be tossing and turning and really hot. It was really bad. I turned into a complete skeleton, it was insane. So they zapped me with radio-iodine, I took this radioactive pill, and I think it shrunk it [my thyroid gland] down, because I feel great and I've gained weight. The only nervousness or agitation I feel is if I drink a little too much coffee. Actually I was taking more caffeine while I was sick, because having your heart rate go that fast, 24 hours a day, you get tired — so I'd drink Red Bull and coffee and more on top of that!"
Rhythm magazine is available from the usual stores and at this location.
Seventh Rule Recordings has announced the signing of Scandinavian doom lords KONGH.
Hailing from Sweden, KONGH churns out doom metal with a progressive melting pot of ideas whose origins stem from the spirit of their godfathers — MELVINS, YOB, and CANDLEMASS.
The follow-up to their critically acclaimed "Counting Heartbeats" debut, "Shadows of the Shapeless" will be released by Seventh Rule to the North American region in early 2010.
"Shadows of the Shapeless" was recorded and mixed in Sweden by Peter Lundin and mastered by Peter In De Betou (ENTOMBED, MESHUGGAH).
KONGH will be touring throughout 2010, including dates in Europe and the United States.
Causecast has posted a video clip of legendary guitarist Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) talking about the upcoming LAYN Rocks! benefit concert on November 22 at the Avalon in Hollywood, California. Watch it below.
Hosted by comedian George Lopez, LAYN Rocks! will unite musical talents Slash, Ozzy Osbourne, Perry Farrell, Tom Morello, Billy Idol, Chester Bennington of LINKIN PARK, Travis Barker, Andrew Stockdale of WOLFMOTHER, Dave Navarro, and many others for a night of great music and a step toward eradicating youth homelessness.
The Los Angeles Youth Network (LAYN) is a volunteer driven nonprofit organization based on helping over 10,000 homeless adolescents become self-sufficient by providing shelter, food, and counseling for the abused, neglected, and abandoned. An incredible lineup of passionate artists has been recruited, linking social awareness and entertainment together under one roof.
In a recent interview with ARTISTdirect.com, Slash stated about his involvement with LAYN Rocks!, "My wife, Perla, and I support LAYN. She's actually on the board. We're trying to raise money to keep it going, and we've been doing these 'Slash & Friends' gigs recently. Basically, we get a bunch of people together and put on a concert. Perla had asked me if I'd be interested in doing it to support LAYN, and I was fully into it! This will actually be the first 'Slash & Friends' gig I've done in Los Angeles. Basically, I wanted to put together something that would be a really big blowout, and that's what we've done! We've got all these different artists, and it should be an amazing event."
Reactivated legendary New Orleans metallers EXHORDER — cited by many as the originators of the riff-heavy power-groove approach popularized by PANTERA (photo) — will perform at The City Club in Houma, Louisiana on December 12. Support at the show will come from BLACKWATER BURIAL.
EXHORDER returned to the live arena this past Saturday, November 14 at Southport Hall in Jefferson, Louisiana. This marked the band's first live performance since EXHORDER's March 2001 reunion shows at Zeppelin's in Metairie, Louisiana.
The group's encore consisted of a medley of S.O.D.'s "March of the S.O.D.", "Sargent D and the S.O.D." and "United Forces", a cover of the punk rock classic "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight" (by THE REZILLOS) and "Ripping Flesh" from EXHORDER's 1986 "Get Rude" demo — a song they hadn't played since 1989.
EXHORDER's lineup for the Southport Hall date was as follows:
Kyle Thomas - Vocals Vinnie Labella - Guitar Jay Ceravolo - Guitar Chris Nail - Drums Frankie Sparcello - Bass
Photos of the concert can be found on NolaUnderground.com (scroll down for several sets of pictures). One of the shots can be viewed below (courtesy of Al Hodge).
Poland's Metal Mind Productions re-released the two albums (1990's "Slaughter in the Vatican" and 1992's "The Law") from EXHORDER in May 2008. Each limited-edition digipack title (limited to 2,000 copies) was made available on golden disc, digitally remastered using 24-bit technology.
MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's autobiography, "Hello Me... Meet The Real Me", is due next year via HarperCollins. The book was co-written by New York Times journalist Joe Layden who also authored "The Last Great Fight" about what is considered by many to be the biggest upset in the history of boxing: James "Buster" Douglas' tenth-round knockout win over Mike Tyson in 1990.
Mustaine writes on MEGADETH's official forum:
"I really need a favor and I really need it fast!
"My amazing editor, Mauro DiPreta, over at HarperCollins has given me the green light to assemble pictures and stuff for the center and various other locations throughout the upcoming new release of my autobiography.
"Here's where is gets cool. . . If you are a professional photographer and you have any shots of me from the following time periods, please contact my management or our beloved webmaster here at Megadeth.com with your photos and so we can discuss permissions. However, if you are just a Droogie with some cool shots, or an old friend with pictures from back we were together growing up, well, we'll just have to see who you are and whatcha got!
* My childhood (I got this) * My teen years (this too) * PANIC * METALLICA * Early MEGADETH
"I look forward to hearing from our professional friends and discussing how to get you involved, as well as seeing if there are any collectors or old friends thatt may have some rare or funny shots.
"I hope to find the shot of me feeding the pidgeons at Central Park in NYC."
Mustaine recently told AOL's Noisecreep about his upcoming autobiography, "It's easy to hate somebody that you don't like. But you know what? People don't know who I am. Who they think I am is not really who I am, because they guy that they've continued to vilify in the press, that guy's been gone a long time. And I think anyone who reads this book will see that."
According to Mustaine, part of the book reveals how he practiced black magic as a teenager, and how the experience — which inspired the 1986 song "The Conjuring" — affected his life for years after.
"I put two hexes on people, and they both worked and the result was just what I was asking for," he explains. "Now, it took forever to get that Satanic depression off of me because it's just like playing with a Ouija board. You open the doorway to the dark side, and spirits come through. It took almost 20 years to get rid of that Satanic depression. I did it when I was 15, and I don't think I got free of it until I was in my mid-30s.You ask yourself, 'How is it possible that this is happening to me?' Well, because you flirted with the devil and you put a hex on somebody and you put another hex on somebody, and, well, you owe him. And that's why I have a problem playing 'The Conjuring' today."
Norway's Lydverket blog conducted an interview with Mustaine on August 7, 2009 at the Langham Hotel in London, England. The first clip from the chat, in which he discusses his upcoming autobiography, can be viewed below.
RISE AND FALL, SEPTYCAL GORGE, BURNING SKIES and BENIGHTED have been confirmed for next year's edition of the Neurotic Deathfest, set to take place April 30 - May 1, 2010 at 013 in Tilburg, Holland.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
ANNOTATIONS OF AN AUTOPSY BEHEADED BENEATH THE MASSACRE BENIGHTED BOLT THROWER BURNING SKIES CARCASS DEFEATED SANITY DR DOOM DYING FETUS ENEMY REIGN HUMAN MINCER INSIDIOUS DECREPANCY INSISION KICKBACK LOCK UP NAPALM DEATH NOX ORIGIN REVOCATION RISE AND FALL SEPTYCAL GORGE SIX FEET UNDER VIRAL LOAD
A total of around 40 acts will perform at the two-day event.
German Viking horde VARG willreleas its highly anticipated sophomore album, "Blutaar", on January 22, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.
The track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. Wolfsmond 02. Viel Feind Viel Ehr 03. Invictus 04. Sieg oder Niedergang 05. Blutaar 06. Seele 07. Nebelleben 08. Zeichen der Zeit 09. Wilde Jagd 10. Alter Feind 11. Blutdienst II
Commented frontman Freki: "Now we have finished the recordings of 'Blutaar', which is ready to spread its blood-dripping wings over the listeners.
"All of us are excited about this album and the collaboration with our producer Andy Classen (BELPHEGOR, LEGION OF THE DAMNED, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER). The sound is like chalk and cheese together and still warm and natural despite of the brutality.
"This output doesn't have a polished production, but rather is a rad, aggressive, honest-to-the-bone album!
"Our music and textures come deep from our hearts and you will hear that during every second. In times when most of the music sounds like plastic pop, the fans will love and appreciate the honest sound.
"January 22nd is a red letter day cause on this day 'Blutaar' will be unleashed and go for the throats of all metalheads and fans worldwide.
Tom Gabriel Warrior, the founder of Swiss pioneers HELLHAMMER, CELTIC FROST and now TRIPTYKON, has announced more bands that will appear at his curated event, titled Only Death Is Real, during Roadburn Festival 2010 in Tilburg, Netherlands on Friday, April 16.
Following is a list of the newly confirmed artists (along with THORR'S HAMMER, TRINACRIA and NWOBHM legends WITCHFYNDE), each of which were handpicked by Tom:
JESU EVOKEN PAGAN ALTAR VALBORG SERPENTCULT SHEVER NONEUCLID
Comments from bands regarding their participation in Only Death Is Real:
JESU: "Of course, it is an honour for JESU to be personally invited by Tom G. Warrior to perform at his individually curated 'Only Death Is Real' event at Roadburn 2010. It goes without saying, that the music of Tom G. Warrior has had an immense impact on the music, I, Justin K Broadrick, have been producing since 1985, in all of my guises, be it NAPALM DEATH in the Eighties, GODFLESH in the Eighties and Nineties, and JESU currently…"
EVOKEN: "It's truly an honor to be invited to play at Tom Gabriel Warrior's 'Only Death is Real' at Roadburn 2010. Tom G Warrior's playing, as well as his work in CELTIC FROST and HELLHAMMER, are not only a staple in the metal world, but one of our main influences and reasons why EVOKEN exists today. When we started EVOKEN, never in our dark imaginations would we have thought this day would EVER come. To be invited by our main influence in metal, who all will agree is one of the most well-respected and talented individuals... Tom Gabriel Warrior. We accept this dark gift in complete honor. We shall deliver nothing less than uncompromising, soul-crushing heaviness that EVOKEN can only bring forth... Be warned!"
PAGAN ALTAR: "The call from Tom G Warrior to join him at Roadburn came as a complete and utter surprise to Al and I as we had not the slightest inclination we would be asked. Recognition from one musician to another to us is one of the highest accolades we can think of and so would like to say thanks to Tom for asking us. PAGAN ALTAR as a band are really up for it and looking forward to playing at Tom's 'Only Death Is Real' show and are indeed proud to share a stage with these guys!"
VALBORG: "We met Tom and TRYPTIKON bass player Vanja in Switzerland before a VALBORG concert and had some really great conversations. So it was indeed a very special honour that we got invited by Tom to play at the Roadburn 2010. In the midst of irrelevance, Tom G. Warrior gave us more confidence to go ahead on the path we chose. We are still fans and he is the master of extreme metal. So, we will slay the world to pieces at the Roadburn Festival to honour his almighty work. Be prepared motherfuckers! Feel the aggression rise."
SERPENTCULT: "We were speechless, but extremely honoured and humbled when we got the invitation by Tom to perform at the next edition of Roadburn. CELTIC FROST and HELLHAMMER had such an important impact on us that it inspired us to pick up our guitars many years ago. Now we find ourselves being invited to Roadburn, by the very creator of this music himself. We can't wait to head back to the stages of the 013 venue! Our appearance at the festival will also give us the opportunity to present our new album 'Raised By Wolves' to the world."
SHEVER: "Tom always supported us to continue in our chosen musical way. We feel very honored and happy about his invitation to Roadburn 2010, and having the possibility to contribute some evil witch doom to this unique event — a dream came true, and we're ready to give all we have for this show!"
NONEUCLID: "We are very honored to be part of this festival, and this special night. I have been into CELTIC FROST since I was 13. I had just started playing guitar, and they were my first contact with non-tonal music — a fact that had far-reaching consequences, since life took me to become a contemporary composer. CELTIC FROST's approach to their lyrics also made a mark on us all; their taking the listener into rotten evil worlds while maintaining a high level of dignity made 90% of metal bands look like embarrassing adolescents in my young eyes, and they set the bar high in the black sonic arts for everyone who came after. When V Santura joined them as touring guitarist, that was the biggest thing ever to happen in the music scene of our home town... it seems unreal that now, so many years after, the mighty Tom G. Warrior tells us he's into our little band. So when The Warrior calls, there can only be one answer from us and that's 'Yes, sir, with pleasure!'"
Roadburn festival 2010, including Tom Gabriel Warrior's Only Death Is Real, a GOATSNAKE reunion, CANDLEMASS 25th-anniversary show and ENSLAVED as "artists in residence," will run for three days. There will be an additional afterburner event on Sunday, April 18, 2010.
CANDLEMASS will perform its classic album, "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus", in its entirety, with Johan Längquist (who sang on the original LP) on vocals. There will be a special part of the set that will incorporate new singer Robert Lowe as well.
Tickets for Roadburn will go on sale Saturday, November 28 at 10:00 Central European Time.
Long Island-based hardcore/metal band THIS IS HELL has recorded a cover version of an as-yet-undisclosed PANTERA song for the forthcoming "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott (PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN) tribute album. The collection, which is being put together by U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine for a special issue that will coincide with the five-year anniversary of Dimebag's passing, is expected to include the following artists/cuts, among others:
* MACHINE HEAD - "Fucking Hostile" * CHIMAIRA - "Slaughtered" * EVILE - "Cemetery Gates" * THROWDOWN - [to be announced] * ZAKK WYLDE - "Suicide Note Pt. 1" * THIS IS HELL - [to be announced]
THIS IS HELL's most recent CD, titled "Misfortunes", was released in February 2008 through Trustkill Records. The follow-up to "Sundowning" was recorded at Killingsworth Studio in Long Island, New York with Tomas Costanza (DIFFUSER, BEDLIGHT FOR BLUE EYES) and Full Force Studios in Port Jefferson with the acclaimed producer Joe Cincotta (OBITUARY, SUFFOCATION, ANIMOSITY).
THIS IS HELL recently inked a deal with Rise Records. The band's first CD for the label is expected to arrive in the spring.
Fans of Dimebag are in an uproar over the resurfacing of a 2005 painting called "The Assassination Of Dimebag Darrell". Done by New York-based artist Tom Sanford, the picture is a graphic depiction of the fatal onstage shooting of Abbott in December 2004 by Nathan Gale at a Columbus, Ohio rock club. The controversy over the painting has erupted again now that the picture is set to be auctioned off on November 21 by the London-based Phillips de Pury & Company.
Sanford has done other paintings chronicling violence in the lives of musicians, including one of a stabbing incident at the 2004 Vibe Awards and another showing rapper 50 Cent in an altercation involving a knife.
In a lengthy statement posted at his web site, Sanford wrote: "The painting is certainly in poor taste, but I think that when one is describing a mass murder, etiquette is really not an issue. Poor taste is pretty much the baseline criteria for my work, so fundamental to my project that I really do not consider it when I make a painting. I have no interest in being in good taste. My work is always subjective, inaccurate and incorrect, and I stand behind this position."
Australian melodic power metal band BLACK MAJESTY has set "In Your Honour" as the title of its forthcoming album. Roland Grapow (MASTERPLAN, ex-HELLOWEEN) will mix the effort at his Grapow studios in Slovakia for an early 2010 release through Germany's Limb Music. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Far Beyond", "Millenium", "Further Than Insane", "End of Time" and "Break These Chains".
BLACK MAJESTY's video for the song "Forever Damned", shot in 2007 at the Benatska Noc Festival in Czech Republic, can be viewed below.
BLACK MAJESTY supported its last album, "Tomorrowland", with appearances at major heavy metal festivals, including Wacken Open Air in Germany, Masters of Rock in the Czech Republic and Metal Universe in Slovakia.
Guitarist Waclaw "Vogg" Kieltyka of Polish extreme metallers DECAPITATED has announced the band's brand new lineup, which will hit the road starting in February 2010. It is as follows:
DECAPITATED drummer Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka died on November 2, 2007 in a Russian hospital from injuries sustained in a road collision. DECAPITATED singer Covan (real name: Adrian Kowanek) was also hurt in the accident, which involved the band's tour bus and a truck carrying wood in Gomel, on the Russia/Belarus border.
The new DECAPITATED lineup will embark on a co-headlining U.K. tour in February with Nuclear Blast labelmates KATAKLYSM.
Commented Vogg: "As you all know, two years after the tragedies we had to suffer, I decided to continue the band. There's no sense in stopping this amazing thing we built up so many years ago together with Witek, Sauron, Martin and Covan.
"We chose to do our first tour in the U.K. because we have only good memories from this place and we are sure that you guys will support us… we need you!!
"I am very pleased to announce the new killer lineup ofDECAPITATED: Kerim 'Krimh' Lechner on drums — he's a new blood, very talented and used to play in bands like THORNS OF IVY and TONE INTIMACY; amazing Rafal Piotrowski comes from bands like KETHA and FORGOTTEN SOULS and will take over vocal duties; where masterous Filip 'Heinrich' Halucha from VESENIA, ROOTWATER, UNSUN and MASACHIST will be destroying the bass!
"See you all soon! We honestly can't wait!"
Metal Mind Productions released the first-ever DVD from DECAPITATED, entitled "Human's Dust", in June 2008. The DVD was made available in two versions: as a standard DVD and as a very unique star metalpack DVD edition limited to 3,000 copies. The main feature of the DVD consists of the band's October 2002 gig in Krakow, which was a part of their European tour with VADER and KRISIUN. Bonus material includes two live performances recorded during Ozzfest in Poland (May 2002) and Metalmania festival (March 2004), the "Winds of Creation" video clip, plus three interviews recorded at various locations: Kraków in 2002 (Vitek and Vogg); Ozzfest in Katowice, 2002 (Vogg and Sauron); Metalmania in Katowice, 2004 (Sauron and Martin). Also included are a photo gallery, biography, discography, desktop images, weblinks.
HardcoreSounds.net conducted an interview with vocalist Mike Hranica of the Dayton, Ohio Christian metalcore band THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA prior to the band's November 9, 2009 concert at Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland. Watch the chat below.
Armed with the critically acclaimed CD "With Roots Above and Branches Below", which was released earlier this year, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA — Hranica, guitarist/vocalist Jeremy DePoyster, guitarist Chris Rubey, bassist Andy Trick, keyboardist James Baney, and Daniel Williams on drums — kick off the 2009 edition of the Napalm & Noise Tour tonight in Rochester, New York at the Water Street Music Hall. The band, who Alternative Press called "one of American metal's brightest lights," will co-headline the month-long metal extravaganza with ALL THAT REMAINS. STORY OF THE YEAR and HASTE THE DAY provide heavyweight support, making this a "must-see" tour for any and all metal fans.
Napalm & Noise is the first tour THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA has headlined since their 43-date, completely-sold-out jaunt last spring, which coincided with the release of "With Roots Above and Branches Below" (Ferret Music), and its #11 debut on The Billboard 200 album chart. Since then, the band played the Vans Warped Tour main stage, and found itself on the cover of Outburn, Alternative Press, HM and AMP, to name just a few.
Live, the six-piece THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA presents a powerful intensity that many other metalcore bands never quite achieve, with savage riffs, bulldozing guitar, thunderous beats, manic synths, and an assault of abrasive vocals. On this tour, the band will perform songs from all three of their releases — 2006's "Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord", 2007's "Plagues", and the new "With Roots Above and Branches Below", including the video track "Danger: Wildman".
Jason Saulnier of the "Good Time Metal Oldies" radio show conducted an interview with vocalist Brian Vollmer of Canadian hard rock veterans HELIX on November 10, 2009. Listen to the six-minute chat below.
"Good Time Metal Oldies" airs Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. EST on CIFA 104.1 FM in Nova Scotia and Tuesday nights at 9:00 p.m. EST on 95X in the Republic of El Salvador.
HELIX released its new album, "Vagabond Bones", on November 17 in Canada via Universal/Fontana and in the U.S. through Perris Records. Vollmer has been collaborating with Sean Kelly (CRASH KELLY) on material for the CD, which was mixed by engineer Aaron Murray.
"Vagabond Bones" track listing:
01. The Animal Inside (Won't Be Denied) 02. Go Hard or Go Home 03. Vagabond Bones 04. Monday Morning Meltdown 05. When The Bitter's Got The Better Of You 06. Hung Over But Still Hanging In 07. Best Mistake I Never Made 08. Make 'Em Dance 09. Jack It Up
Vollmer's track-by-track description of "Vagabond Bones" can be found on the band's officialweb site.
HELIX has been active in the past several years with several releases. The band's previous collection of original material, "The Power of Rock and Roll", came out in 2007. Their latest CD, "A Heavy Mental Christmas", was made available in all Canadian Wal-Mart stores last November and received airplay worldwide. The CD also received great reviews from the critics.
The all-star band HAIL! — comprised of bassist David Ellefson (MEGADETH, F5), guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA), Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ICED EARTH) and newly announced sticksman Paul Bostaph (TESTAMENT, SLAYER, EXODUS) — will be the first metal band to ever play live in Lebanon. On November 20, HAIL! will perform at the historic concert at Hektic Hall in the capital city of Beirut.
Video footage from the band's VIP party and signing session in Beirut can be viewed below.
Commented Ellefson: "This truly is a monumental occasion — to do something for the first time ever is a rare and special opportunity. I can't believe that it was 25 years ago, but remember how astounding it was when IRON MAIDEN went behind the Iron Curtain and played in the Eastern Bloc? I relate it to that and I am thrilled to be a part of something that has this kind of historic significance."
Ellefson continued: "We're just a fun-loving metal band; we have no agenda. We all come from very different backgrounds and no matter where we are playing, everybody in the building shares the same music. Music is the message. We all love the same music and that's the beauty of unity…that's the beauty of HAIL!"
Asked how Bostaph came to play with HAIL!, Ellefson replied, "After Jimmy DeGrasso became unavailable due to his touring commitments with ALICE COOPER, Roy Mayorga came aboard and just slammed for us. His playing throughout the Scandinavian dates was unbelievable, but now he's heading back into the studio with STONE SOUR, so he's unavailable for the next round of shows. We immediately thought of Paul. With Alex Skolnick out playing with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA a small window opened in the TESTAMENT schedule where Paul became available and we jumped at the opportunity."
Kisser chimed in, "Come on, he's Paul Bostaph! Think about it, he's played with three of the greatest thrash bands of all-time, SLAYER, TESTAMENT and EXODUS. What symbolizes more of the spirit of HAIL! than that?! It's an honor to play with him."
Swedish progressive/experimental metallers THERION have issued the following update:
"It has been a long time since you have heard anything new from THERION now, so I thought I should give a few updates.
"As you may or may not know, THERION is in progress of recording a new album. As usual, THERION is being very secretive about the entire process, but I will reveal some details:
"A new studio has been built for most of the recording of this album. The mix, and a few recordings, will be done at another studio — 'A truly legendary studio!' according to Chris [mainman Christofer Johnsson]. Expect something spectacular, even by THERION's standards!
"The recording will continue for the rest of the year, and probably also through January."
Christofer Johnsson announced in May that vocalist Thomas Vikström (ex-CANDLEMASS) had become a permanent member of THERION.
THERION's new rhythm section is comprised of Johan Koleberg (ANIMAL, ZAN CLAN, LION'S SHARE) on drums and Nalle "Grizzly" Påhlsson (TREAT, ZAN CLAN, VINDICTIV) on bass guitar.
THERION's latest CD/DVD, "The Miskolc Experience", was released in June via Nuclear Blast Records.
The set's description reads as follows: "After the phenomenal last studio album 'Gothic Kabbalah' (2007), easily THERION's most stunning effort since 'Theli', and the follow-up live CD 'Live Gothic' (2008), THERION mastermind and only remaining founding member Christofer Johnsson decided to go for a rather special project: the band's appearance at the remarkable and renowned International Opera Festival in Miskolc, Hungary in 2007 was taped on and off stage to preserve a truly unique classic metal event for the THERION fanbase! The first part — dubbed 'Classical Adventures' — features some of Christofer's favourite composers (especially his all-time fave, Wagner) and does completely without guitars or any metal instrumentation whatsoever. Just orchestra and choir. Part two, 'Therion Songs', delivers exactly that: finest THERION material performed by the band, a huge orchestra and choir. Rounding off 'The Miskolc Experience' is an entertaining documentary which gives insight in the complicated organisation and the no less complicated execution with all ups and downs for the involved crew and musicians.
"'The Miskolc Experience' is the testimony of the brilliant Johnsson/Niemann/Niemann/KarlssonTHERION lineup which Christofer Johnsson decided to dissolve in late 2008. This chapter of THERION is closed, a new era is about to begin — and THERION will soon open the book once again!"
"Your Decision", the new video from ALICE IN CHAINS, will make its debut on December 1 via iTunes. The clip was directed by Stephen Schuster, who previously worked with ALICE IN CHAINS on the "A Looking In View" video, and it features an appearance by "Project Runway" season three model Amanda Fields.
Check out a teaser for the "Your Decision" video below.
In a posting on Blogging Project Runway, Fields recently wrote about the video shoot, "It was so much fun and I felt like I was dreaming — the location was so surreal! It was this giant house between Santa Monica and Malibu off of the Pacific Coast Highway. You look out the window and see the beautiful blue Pacific!
"The band members, Jerry, Sean, Mike and William, were fun to work with and the director had such an incredible vision. The stylist, a friend of mine, Cory Savage, really knows how to make a rock video couture! The band members all wore crisp expertly tailored suits and the string quartet wore flowing white dresses with black lace blindfolds!! My wig was made out of feathers!"
Check out of a photo from the video set below.
"Your Decision" is the second single to be lifted from band's first all-new album in 14 years, titled "Black Gives Way To Blue", which sold 126,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 5 on The Billboard 200 chart (behind latest albums from PARAMORE, MARIAH CAREY, BARBRA STREISAND and BREAKING BENJAMIN).
ALICE IN CHAINS recruited pop legend Elton John to contribute piano to the CD's title track, which is written in tribute to Staley.
Singer William DuVall had played with his own group, COMES WITH THE FALL, as well as in Jerry Cantrell's solo band, before joining up with ALICE IN CHAINS in 2006.
"Black Gives Way to Blue" was recorded with producer Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH) at the Northridge, California studio of FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl.
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