Reunited California metallers DÉTENTE — featuring original members Dennis Butler (drums), Caleb Quinn (guitar) and Steve Hochheiser (bass) — have parted ways with vocalist Ann Boleyn (HELLION) and have replaced her with Tiina Teal(pictured below).
Having originally started out behind the kit as a drummer, Tiina has been singing and screaming for the last 10 years. With influences ranging from Jarboe to Nina Simone as well as STRAPPING YOUNG LAD's Devin Townsend, she has collaborated with various musicians and bands in Los Angeles and was named "Best Anti-War Band" with her metal group BURN THE EMPIRE.
Commented DÉTENTE: "We have already put down four of the nine new tracks with [Tiina] and can tell you that both old and new supporters of the band will be blown away by her and the new tracks.
"[The new DÉTENTE] 'Decline' is coming along very well, taking longer than expected but it will be worth it; we should have an official street date announcement mid-December."
"Decline" is being recorded with engineer Bill Metoyer, who has previously worked with SLAYER, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, D.R.I. and SACRED REICH, among others.
The cover artwork for "Decline" can be viewed below. The cover was painted by Michael Leone, with additional graphic work performed by Christopher Leone.
Hochheiser previously stated about DÉTENTE's new material, "For those of you wondering what [the new songs] might sound like... well. it sounds like DÉTENTE. I did write 'Holy War', 'It's Your Fate', and 'Catalepsy' alone, as well as sharing 'Widow's Walk' and 'Losers' credits; and, of course, the vicious drumming of Dennis gave the punk edge to our music. The new material is probably closer to the demo days in approach, though; Dennis and I tend to lean in the hardcore direction, so we will keep it raw."
DÉTENTE's classic album "Recognize No Authority" was reissued in July 2007 via MVD Audio.
"Recognize No Authority" was a critically acclaimed recording that maintains a cult following to this day. It was also the launching ground for nu-metal metal producer Ross Robinson (KORN, SLIPKNOT, FEAR FACTORY, SOULFLY) who plays guitar on the album. The CD also marked the first full-length release by FEAR OF GOD's Dawn Crosby, who sadly passed away on December 15, 1996.
MANOWAR director Neil Johnson — who is responsible for overseeing all of the band's DVDs and music videos — has posted a preview of the packaging of MANOWAR's long-awaited new DVD in the "Hell On Earth" series. Check it out below.
Due on November 27, "Hell On Earth V" will cover MANOWAR's recent world tours including Germany, Norway, Spain, Finland, Russia, Romania, Turkey, USA and Canada. It will feature live performances of old and new classics such as "Gloves Of Metal", "The Crown And The Ring", "Hand Of Doom", "Hymn Of The Immortal Warrior", "Father", "God Or Man" and many others.
Johnson comments: "Picking up where the Earthshaker left off.... 'Hell On Earth V' covers the amazing 'Demons Dragons & Warriors Tour' complete with onstage Vikings and all the craziness that happens behind the scenes of a MANOWAR show.
"I have done my best to show new and classic songs never captured on camera before, including the much-requested 'Mountains' and songs from the new EP, 'Thunder In The Sky'. It will be a step above 'Hell On Earth IV' in quality and spectacle."
"Father", the first song released from MANOWAR's new EP, "Hammer Of The Gods", was recorded in 16 languages and was included as a bonus CD with the band's new EP, "Thunder In The Sky".
Destined to be a collector's item, the tour edition of the EP was made available at all the festivals MANOWAR headlined on the "Death to Infidels Tour!". In addition, the EP is available for sale online in high-quality, DMR-free, MP3 format only at The Kingdom Of Steel online store. The downloadable version of the EP contains the exact same content as the version on sale during the tour.
MANOWAR's new album, "Hammer Of The Gods", which is the first installment of "The Asgard Saga", the band's unique multimedia fantasy adventure with best-selling author Wolfgang Hohlbein, is tentatively in early 2010.
Finnish "love" metallers HIM will release their new album, "Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice", in the U.S. on February 9, 2010. The CD was recorded at a Los Angeles studio with producer Matt Squire (TAKING BACK SUNDAY, THE USED, PANIC AT THE DISCO, BOYS LIKE GIRLS, THRICE).
"Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice" track listing:
01. In Venere Veritas 02. Scared To Death 03. Heartkiller 04. Dying Song 05. Disarm Me (With Your Loneliness) 06. Love, The Hardest Way 07. Katherine Wheel 08. In The Arms Of Rain 09. Ode To Solitude 10. Shatter Me With Hope 11. Acoustic Funeral (For Love In Limbo) 12. Like St. Valentine 13. The Foreboding Sense Of Impending Happiness
The images you see before you are the new album cover and HIM frontman Ville Valo wearing the new album cover t-shirt.
Valo recently told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine about the forthcoming CD, "Lyrically, it's the most sexual [album], the most horny one, we've ever made. The horny and the horned. Like the IMPALED NAZARENE song. It's got that and a sense of immediacy: 'I want it now, now, now.' It's not about being poetic or forlorn about something that is about to happen, it's actually about something that is happening at this very moment in time."
He added, "I like the immediacy of it. There's a lot of information put in short songs and they don't let go. That was the whole vibe for me. You should have seen me working the vocals out in the middle of the night, amongst my taxidermy owls in the tower screaming my guts out, unable to stop until 9:00 a.m. and then sleeping on a couch for two hours before starting again. So the whole process of the album is very close to that mental boner that just didn't go away."
U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine has posted a track-by-track review of "Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice". Read it at this location.
HIM's last studio album, "Venus Doom", sold 38,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. Its predecessor, "Dark Light", has shifted more than 500,000 units in the U.S. to date.
HIM's CD/DVD set, "Digital Versatile Doom: Live at the Orpheum Theatre", was released in April 2008. The live portion of the DVD was recorded/filmed at the band's November 14-15, 2007 concerts at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. "Digital Versatile Doom" also features a second disc, with the full live performance from The Orpheum Theater and a 16-page booklet of original art and images.
ThisIsNottingham.co.uk recently conducted an interview with ALICE IN CHAINS singer William DuVall. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.
On being chosen to sing for ALICE IN CHAINS:
"It's a great honor and it's a great responsibility. But at the same time, it's a band, and in that respect I'm going to give my all no matter what I'm doing or what band I'm in.
"This is obviously a really great thing but it's more about moving ahead than looking back. This is not about nostalgia; it's about building a new template for how to be ALICE IN CHAINS. It's a completely different band now to what it was."
On the differences between old and new:
"There's a lot of elements that make it different and despite what people say, I don't think I sound like Layne Staley. I don't think I could sound like Layne Staley if I tried. I'm not trying to imitate anybody to begin with, I'm just trying to go out there and do these songs my way. If there's a resemblance to what happened before that's purely because that's the song people have known for years."
"I'm not going to take all of these extreme liberties with the melody and get all 'American Idol' on it. I'm going to do it the way it should be done and I'm going to sing it from my own experience.
"It's going to be coming from my own place of truth. If that resonates with the listener then maybe that's what makes them think, 'He sounds like Layne!' It's because they're getting the same feeling of truth that they got when he sang it. In reality I don't sound any more like Layne than I look like Layne."
"It's respect for Layne too. He was great because, in part, he was such an individual, and I'm an individual. I loved what he did so much that I'm going to put my own spin on it. That's the only respectful thing to do, for myself, for the fans, for Layne and for this band."
On ALICE IN CHAINS' new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue":
"The album is out because we thought it was worth putting out. We dig it. This was about proving something to ourselves first, and I think a by-product of that is that perhaps we might provide an example for possibilities for other people within their own lives.
"We all experience tragedy at some point and what do you do? Do you lay down and die or do you get up and go with your head up and find a new way to be bad ass?"
"Our story has a dimension to it that makes it quite different from any other. The list of bands that have had to bounce back and triumph over the adversity of losing a singer is pretty short."
On ALICE IN CHAINS' future:
"We're on a mission. We're proving something to ourselves and we're proving something to a lot of people."
Reformed old-school death/doom metallers DIVINE EVE will play thier first live shows in over 14 years as part of the European tour in January 2010 with INCANTATION and HATE.
Commented the band: "We are very eager to perform in many places we have long held friends, comrades, fans, fellow bands, and old tape-traders! Unfortunately, Matt Killen is unable to participate on this tour so Kyle Severn (INCANTATION) has volunteered his skills in Matt's place behind the drum kit. Handling bass guitar duties will be Scott Cooksey, a longtime comrade and quite suitable live member to complete DIVINE EVE for this tour."
DIVINE EVE 2010 touring lineup:
Xan Hammack - Lead Guitar/Vocals Michael Sleavin - Guitar/Vocals Scott Cooksey - Bass Kyle Severn - Drums
DIVINE EVE will release a split seven-inch single with VEX through Horror Pain Gore Death Productions in January 2010.
One of the most crushing death/doom metal bands ever to emerge, DIVINE EVE has returned with its first new material since 1994! Musically influenced by BLACK SABBATH, CELTIC FROST, HELLHAMMER, SODOM, VENOM, BATHORY, ENTOMBED's "Left Hand Path" album and CATHEDRAL's "Forest Of Equilibrium" album, DIVINE EVE has been often imitated but never duplicated. Lyrically they draw inspiration from pure visions of ancient Pagan history, novel heretical ideologies and dismal shrouded dreams.
DIVINE EVE's impact can be heard in many current acts today but no one can hold a candle to the originators who are finally resurrected from the grave!
The single is pressed on mixed marble vinyl and packaged in a glue pocket jacket with full-color insert.
You can pre-order your copy for only $6 at this location.
Rock My Monkey recently conducted an interview with guitarist Mark Jansen of Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers EPICA. The chat is now available for streaming using the audio player below.
EPICA's latest album, "Design Your Universe", sold 2,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD landed at position No. 12 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"Design Your Universe" was released in Europe on October 16 . The follow-up to 2007's "The Divine Conspiracy" was recorded at Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany with producer Sascha Paeth.
EPICA will return to North America for a headlining tour in the beginning of 2010, with THREAT SIGNAL and BLACKGUARD as support. EPICA will offer fans a special VIP ticket which will grant them access to the venue an hour before door times, a pre-show meet-and-greet with EPICA and a event poster customized for the city of the show. Fans are urged to purchase these VIP tickets as only 50 are being allotted for each show.
Quality fan-filmed video footage of EPICA's November 3, 2009 performance in Toulouse, France can be viewed below (courtesy of "MetalDenCR").
Chester Bennington isn't shy about exposing the cruelty of the fur industry — or his body. The LINKIN PARK and DEAD BY SUNRISE frontman has teamed up with peta2 for a brand-new "Ink, Not Mink" ad campaign in which he shows off his tattooed physique above the tagline "Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin, and Let Animals Keep Theirs."
Bennington — whose debut album with DEAD BY SUNRISE, "Out of Ashes", launched this fall — also sat down for an exclusive interview with peta2, the world's largest youth animal rights organization, in which he discussed the fur industry. "What's really important … for people to understand is the cruelty behind the fur industry," he said. "Electrocuting animals, skinning them while they're alive—these are … acts of inhumanity." Bennington continued, "Because it's out of sight, it's usually out of mind for most people, and we need to show our respect … for all creatures of this world."
A "big believer" in animal rights, Bennington is also concerned about dog and cat overpopulation. He encourages potential dog and cat guardians to adopt from an animal shelter instead of buying from a breeder or pet store, and he says that "making sure that you get your pets spayed and neutered is extremely important." His wife, who worked in an animal shelter, saw the tragedy of animal overpopulation firsthand. Large numbers of animals — about 4 million dogs and cats — are euthanized every year because there aren't enough suitable homes for all of them.
Bennington, a co-owner of Club Tattoo (a chain of tattoo shops that opened its newest location in Las Vegas earlier this year), joins a growing list of celebrities — including COBRA STARSHIP's Gabe Saporta, "Twilight" star Christian Serratos, and GYM CLASS HEROES' Travis McCoy — who have starred in peta2's anti-fur campaigns.
Vinnie Paul Abbott (HELLYEAH, PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN), Dizzy Reed (GUNS N' ROSES) and guest host Brandi M ("Rock of Love", "Charm School") will join Las Vegas, Nevada's SIN CITY SINNERS — which consists of Brent Muscat (formerly of FASTER PUSSYCAT), Todd Kerns (AGE OF ELECTRIC), Mike Eliis, and Rob Cournoyer (RAGING SLAB) — for their New Year's Eve (December 31) show at the Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tickets can be purchased in person at Station Casinos' Reward Centers, by phone at (702) 547-5300 and online at this location.
SIN CITY SINNERS will release a CD of original songs, titled "Exile on Fremont St.", on December 11.
SIN CITY SINNERS is best known for having a special celebrity guest jam with the band each week.
The group has been taking Las Vegas by storm in 2009. They were voted "Best Local Band," second only to THE KILLERS in the Las Vegas Review-Journal's "Best Of Vegas" readers' poll.
Swedish "art rockers" CULT OF LUNA have scheduled the following dates:
Feb. 25 - Close-Up Båten - Stockholm, Sweden Feb. 26 - Tavastia - Helsinki, Finland Feb. 27 - Lutakko - Jyväskylä, Finland
Commented the band: "[This] will be, if not the only, a very rare occasion to see CULT OF LUNA live in 2010."
CULT OF LUNA recently announced plans to release a book. According to the group, it will be "a short story covering the life and times of Mr. Holger Nilsson, the full story behind the 'Eternal Kingdom' [CULT OF LUNA's latest album] theme. The book will be bilingual, written in Swedish and translated into English. The hardback book includes an audiobook. The narrated versions of this short story is accompanied by newly written CULT OF LUNA pieces and soundscapes."
The hardback book/audiobook called "Eviga Riket" will be released in early 2010 by C.O.L Press.
"Eternal Kingdom" is based on an actual journal found in an old mental home. The CD takes listeners on a weird and wonderful journey through the mind of a former patient as he tells the tale of how his wife came to be murdered, and of the mythical creatures he claims to have encountered during the time of the harrowing event.
CULT OF LUNA's DVD, "Fire Was Born", was released on April 27 via Earache Records). Along with an epic live show recorded on July 1, 2008 at Scala in London, England, the disc — which was mixed, edited and designed by the band — features footage of mainman Johannes Persson and Anders Teglund (keyboards) answering questions from fans all around the world and the videos for "The Watchtower", "Leave Me Here" and "Back To Chapel Town".
A video clip for the song "Adrift" taken from the "Fire Was Born" DVD can be viewed below.
Danish metal quintet CHAINFIST, which features in its ranks guitarist Michael Kopietz (FROZEN SUN, PANZERCHRIST), has posted three new songs — "Free Me", "Have You Ever" and "Evolution" — on the band's MySpace page. The tracks, which can also be streamed using the widget below, are the group's first recordings to feature new singer Jackie Petersen, who joined CHAINFIST earlier this year.
Commented Michael: "It is awesome to hear the great feedback we are receiving from Jackie's vocals on the songs live and studio.
"We just finished the recordings of 11 songs and we also invited Jakob 'Batten' Hansen from ILLDISPOSED to this record, and, as always, did some serious badass solos!!!
"We hope to find the right label soon and put this baby on the market!"
AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry will be a presenter at the 37th annual American Music Awards. The show will take place tonight (Sunday, November 22) at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre and will air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET. Word has it Perry will be presenting the fourth award of the night.
The 2009 American Music Awards will honor artists in the categories of pop/rock, country, rap/hip-hop, soul/r&b, alternative, adult contemporary, Latin and contemporary inspirational. For the third year in a row, winners were determined by online voting.
Polish experimental black metallers STROMMOUSSHELD will release their brand-new single on November 29. Entitled "Connective Tissue", it will be available as a free download digital release in a variety of formats, including high-quality MP3 and lossless CD-quality FLAC. Downloads include DIY paper CD sleeves and stickers, press release information and flyers.
"Connective Tissue" track listing:
01. Long Ago Gone 02. Connective Tissue 03. We Are Time (LAIBACH cover) (bonus track)
STROMMOUSSHELD issued its last EP, "Halfdecadance", in 2004 via Metal Mind Productions.
FINNTROLL, ELUVEITIE, DORNENREICH, VARG and ARKONA will team up for next year's Paganfest tour of Europe. Confirmed dates are as follows:
Feb. 19 - CH - Pratteln Z7 Feb. 20 - AT - Linz Posthof Feb. 21 - DE - Berlin Postbahnhof Feb. 23 - DE - Hamburg Markthalle Feb. 25 - DE - Nürnberg Hirsch Feb. 26 - DE - München Backstage Feb. 27 - AT - Wien Gasometer Feb. 28 - SK - Bratislava [to be announced] Mar. 01 - AT - Graz Seifenfabrik Mar. 04 - DE - Frankfurt Batschkapp Mar. 05 - DE - Leipzig Hellraiser Mar. 06 - DE - Stuttgart LKA Longhorn (w/ EQUILIBRIUM, ALESTORM) Mar. 07 - NL - Tilburg 013 (w/ EQUILIBRIUM, ALESTORM) Mar. 09 - FR - Rennes Antipode Mar. 10 - FR - Paris Elysee Montmartre Mar. 11 - FR - Lyon Ninkasi Kao Mar. 12 - DE - Bochum Ruhrcongress (w/ EQUILIBRIUM, ALESTORM) Mar. 13 - NL - Amsterdam Melkweg Mar. 14 - BE - Antwerpen Hof Ter Loo (w/ EQUILIBRIUM, ALESTORM)
"Pentagramnation", the new video from the Los Angeles-based blackened death metal band RISE, can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Robyn VonSwank, produced by Nick Plotquin, and co-produced and edited by Jonathan Sims.
"Pentagramnation" is the title track of RISE's fourth studio album, which was released in the U.S. and Canada on October 13, 2009 via Hymnus Records. The CD was produced, mixed and mastered by legendary guitarist-turned-producer James Murphy (DEATH, OBITUARY, DISINCARNATE) and it features guest appearances by Angela Gossow (ARCH ENEMY), Dave Suzuki (VITAL REMAINS) and James Murphy.
Misantrof, the label that was founded and headed by CARPATHIAN FOREST bass player Daniel Vrangsinn, and which makes all its releases available for free download, has branched out into films by joining forces with Danish horror filmmaker Kim Sønderholm and Cetus Productions. Misantrof will release three of Sønderholm's films over the coming months, starting on November 22, with "The Horror Vault 1", which comprises "nine tales of human cruelty, nine tales of human depravity, nine tales of true horror." The titles of the nine tales are: "When John Met Julia", "Delusion", "Alone", "Mental Distortion", "Dead To The World", "Disconnected", "Echoes", "The Demon", "Retina", and the film is available to download in its entirety at the.horror.vault.misantrof.net.
The cooperation between Misantrof and the filmmaker began when some of Vrangsinn's music was used in "The Horror Vault", and again in Sønderholm's 2009 release "Rovdrift" (English title: "Bleed With Me"), which debuted at the 13th international Weekend of Fear film festival in Germany. A spokesperson for Misantrof commented: "It's not such a big leap for Misantrof to go into making films available. It was always the intention that Misantrof would eventually be a venue for all forms of artistic expression and we are always interested in seeing how far we will be able to take things. This cooperation with Kim and Cetus Productions has given us the opportunity to expand into the area of film, and we are delighted that a filmmaker of his skill and experience chose to work with us."
Below you can see the official trailer for "The Horror Vault" in both adult or PG-rated versions.
Blas Elias (SLAUGHTER) and Michael Angelo Batio (NITRO) were interviewed on the latest edition of Metal Rules! Radio. You can now listen to the program using the audio player below.
Metal Rules! Radio (formerly Metal Rules! Magazine) is a weekly metal show with new shows every Sunday. It focuses on interviews, reviews and a healthy dash of humor. All episodes are available for free on iTunes as well.
THORNBOUND, the Norwegian band featuring former members of SPIRAL ARCHITECT, BORKNAGAR and SATYRICON, has posted a new song, entitled "Hatred", on the group's MySpace page.
Commented the band: "Time has come to finally show what we have been up to since we recorded the demo some years ago. The band lineup changed radically after that demo, so we have slowly changed and improved our style of death metal. The new stuff is a lot faster, a lot slower, more technical and just a lot more brutal! The 'new' members have certainly added a refreshing and much needed touch to the songwriting.
"We are currently recording a pre-production for an album and we will upload a couple of songs from this production to show you how we sound these days.
"The first song is called 'Hatred' and is a thrashy death metal monster."
Drummer Brian Tichy (FOREIGNER, BILLY IDOL, OZZY OSBOURNE, VELVET REVOLVER) and bassist Michael "Denim" Devin (KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD) have joined LYNCH MOB as the band's new touring rhythm section.
Commented Tichy: "It will be fun to get loud and powerful with George [Lynch], Oni [Logan] and Denim as I've always been a fan and I'd be a liar if I was to say I didn't attempt to learn all his rhythms and leads on 'Tooth and Nail' [DOKKEN] in high school when I was 16! C'mon, he was tearing it up! I was obsessed with guitar back then, as I am now, and he was one of the cats... Well, he still is as so many people nowadays were influenced by him.
"George is so cool that he came over my house with a little rig and he, myself and Denim had two days of jammin the tunes in my bedroom turned drum room. There was barely any space but we had a great time. Total high school vibe! I should have gotten a picture."
Upcoming LYNCH MOB shows:
Nov. 27 - Hollywood, CA - House Of Blues (w/ DOKKEN) Nov. 28 - San Diego, CA - The 4th and B (w/ DOKKEN) Nov. 29 - Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues (w/ DOKKEN) Dec. 12 - Las Vegas, NV - Feelgoods Jan. 23 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Manifesto Jan. 24 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Hard Rock Cafe
Audio samples of all 13 songs that appear on LYNCH MOB's comeback album, "Smoke And Mirrors", are available for download at HeavyHarmonies.com (scroll down). The CD was released in Europe on September 18 (October 13 in the U.S.) via Frontiers Records.
LYNCH MOB's recording lineup on "Smoke And Mirrors" included Logan and Lynch alongside bassist Marco Mendoza (WHITESNAKE, THIN LIZZY) and drummer Scot Coogan (BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION, ACE FREHLEY).
Former JUGGERNAUT vocalist Harlan Glenn will host "Battle Rats: Iwo Jima", which premieres Sunday, November 22 at 10:00 p.m. and repeats at 1:00 a.m. the following day on the Military Channel. A trailer for the show can be viewed below.
Glenn, an expert on military history, is a published author of several books, including 1998's "For King and Country" and 2009's "782 Gear", and has amassed numerous research, segment producer, and co-directing credits working for the History and Discovery channels. In addition to hosting duties, Glenn wrote, directed and produced "Battle Rats: Iwo Jima".
"Military history has been a lifelong passion of mine. Getting to host my own concept series is my dream job," states Glenn who grew up as an Army brat on different U.S. bases all around the world. "It's been 17 years of paying my dues in the television and film industry and I'm getting an incredible opportunity to take the world by storm! It was a lot of hard work and long hours getting this particular show together and off the ground but I hope military buffs and history enthusiasts get as much of a kick out of watching it as I've had making it. There are plans for further installments if things go accordingly. I already have things mapped out in my head on what to tackle next."
Harlan Glenn left JUGGERNAUT after the release of their 1986 Metal Blade debut album, "Baptism Under Fire", which also featured noted drummer Bobby Jarzombek (HALFORD, RIOT), and went on to front several California-based bands before segueing into acting and eventually behind-the-scenes work.
Japanese metal veterans OUTRAGE will release their new, self-titled album on Japan on November 25. The CD was recorded with producer Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden.
"Outrage" track listing:
01. Rise 02. You Care? I Don't Care 03. Reign 04. Until You Are Dead 05. Fists Full Of Sand 06. Shells Rain Down 07. Landshark 08. Shine On 09. Tor 10. Terrorizer OUTRAGE reunited with estranged vocalist Naoki Hashimoto, who had left the band in 1999, for the 20th anniversary tour in 2007. After completing the successful tour, Hashimoto officially rejoined the band in February 2008.
OUTRAGE released the limited-edition double live CD "Awakening 2008" in Japan in June 2008 through JVC Victor. Recorded during the three-night special show of the same name in Tokyo in March 2008, the first disc features the entire "The Final Day" album (1991) in live form and the entire "Life Until Deaf" album (1995) in live form on the second disc.
Guitarist Paul Allender of British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH has issued the following update:
"I'm about half way through writing the material [for the new CRADLE OF FILTH album] and it's turning out just the way I wanted it. I've mentioned to a few people that it's a lot faster and heavier than [2008's 'Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder']. Well, to be honest, the new material has been taken up quite a few gears."
"Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 37. The CD sold a little over 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 48 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder" was the follow-up to "Thornography", which shifted nearly 13,000 copies in the U.S. the first week out to enter The Billboard chart at No. 66. This was roughly in line with the performance of its predecessor, "Nymphetamine", which premiered with almost 14,000 copies back in October 2004.
"Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder" was conceptual and is based on the well-documented, true-life fall from grace of a shadowy historical figure named Gilles de Rais, a wealthy French nobleman who was one of Joan of Arc's brothers-in-arms. He was best known, however, as a prolific serial killer who mixed prayers with his nightly murders as well as an aspiring alchemist. He was accused of a panoply of crimes, among them heresy, demonology and kidnapping. There's even an extreme fringe sect of historians who question de Rais' true status, with some convinced he was framed.
Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA will embark on a tour of Japan in January. Confirmed dates are as follows:
Jan. 13 - Osaka, JPN - Club Quattro Jan. 15 - Hiroshima, JPN - Club Quattro Jan. 16 - Nagoya, JPN - Club Quattro Jan. 18 - Tokyo, JPN - O-East Jan. 19 - Tokyo, JPN - O East
SONATA ARCTICA was forced to cancel three shows this past week (Graz, Vienna and Munich) due to singer Tony Kakko's infection of vocal cords.
SONATA ARCTICA will embark on a North American headlining tour in the spring. Support will come from MUTINY WITHIN and POWERGLOVE. Tickets are on sale exclusively through EnterTheVault.com until December 3, at which point they will be made available through all normal ticketing systems.
"The Days Of Grays", the new album from SONATA ARCTICA, sold around 2,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD landed at position No. 19 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"The Days Of Grays" was released on September 22 in North America through Nuclear Blast Records.
Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT recently entered Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark to record a song for Danish boxing champion Mikkel Kessler. Kessler is using the track, entitled "A Warrior's Call", as an intro to his fights as part of the "Super Six" tournament. VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulsen is a huge boxing aficianado, so when Mikkel asked the band to write his theme song, they immediately accepted. Michael says, "'I'm a big fan of boxing and I've been following Kessler closely through the years.
"It's a huge honor to be able to support Kessler this way and be part of one of boxing's biggest events."
Mikkel Kessler is thrilled about the cooperation as he is a huge VOLBEAT fan himself. "I have been able to watch VOLBEAT live two times and they really get me going; nothing can psyche me up better than VOLBEAT," Kessler says.
A "making-of" video featuring the band and Kessler on the mic together can be viewed below.
VOLBEAT recently entered Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark to record a song for Danish boxing champion Mikkel Kessler. Kessler will use the recording as an intro to his upcoming fights as part of the "Super Six" tournament.
"Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood", the third studio album from VOLBEAT, received a U.S. release on March 17 via Mascot Records. The follow-up to "Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil" features 14 tracks, including a SOCIAL DISTORTION cover as a bonus cut on all editions. Seven of the songs share a common lyrical theme, which will be continued on future records, and the artwork is also based on this storyline. The CD was recorded at Hansen Studios with producer Jacob Hansen, who also worked with the group on its previous two records.
An e-card for "Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood" can be found at this location.
"Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood" was certified gold in Denmark for sales in excess of 20,000 copies less than a month after its release,. The CD entered the Danish chart at No. 1, and was beaten only by METALLICA's "Death Magnetic" in its second week of release.
Fan-filmed video footage of Viking metallers AMON AMARTH performing "Where Silent Gods Stand Guard" in Milan on Tuesday, November 17 can be viewed below.
Photos of the concert at the soldout Alcatraz Club are available on the news blog Musica Metal.
The group's setlist was as follows:
01. Twilight of the Thunder God 02. Tattered Banners and Bloody Thorns 03. Valkyries Ride 04. Varyags of Miklagaard 05. Asator 06. The Dragon's Flight Across The Waves 07. Guardians of Asgaard 08. Where Silent Gods Stand Guard 09. Live for the Kill 10. Embrace of The Endless 11. Gods Of War Arise 12. Bleed For Ancient Gods 13. Hermods Ride To Hel 14. Death In Fire ----------------------------- 15. Cry of the Blackbirds 16. Runes to My Memory 17. Pursuit of Vikings
According to Musica Metal, AMON AMARTH frontman Johan Hegg dedicated the song "Embrace Of The Endless" to the memory of Mike Alexander, EVILE's bassist who tragically passed away on October 5, just two days into EVILE's tour as the opening act for AMON AMARTH. Italian death metallers SADIST were called in to replace EVILE on the bill for the three Italian shows, and SADIST also dedicated a song to Mike Alexander during their set.
Danish hard rock veterans PRETTY MAIDS are planning to enter the studio in January to begin recording their new album for a late spring/early summer release. The band is said to be currently negotiating new recording deals for Europe and Asia.
PRETTY MAIDS' "comeback" album, entitled "Wake Up To The Real World", was released in November 2006 via Frontiers Records. Singer Ronnie Atkins stated about the CD, "The new record has all the trademarks a good PRETTY MAIDS album should have, and that's the overall combination of good melodies and strong guitar riffs. But the key word, as far as I'm concerned, is it's gotta be melodic: whether it's the heavier and faster tracks or the more ballad/AOR-oriented kind of stuff; in other words 'good songs', and I think the album has got that!"
PRETTY MAIDS is a legendary hard rock/heavy metal combo from Denmark founded in early 1982 by Atkins and guitarist Ken Hammer.
After 10 studio albums, two EPs, one "best of" collection and two live albums, the band in 2002 celebrated its 20th anniversary with the release of the album "Planet Panic", followed by a successful European tour. But at the end of the same year they decided to take a long break from recording and touring.
Erik Grönwall, a 21-year-old finalist in the 2009 season of "Idol", Sweden's annual reality show and singing competition, recently performed and recorded a cover version of the SKID ROW classic "18 And Life". Watch the video and hear the audio below.
Grönwall, born 1988, previously auditioned for "Idol" in 2007, but reportedly didn't make it to the qualifying rounds.
A new audio interview with guitarist Cristiano "Pizza" Migliore of the Italian rock/metal band LACUNA COIL, conducted on November 19, 2009 by "Démentièllement Vôtre" on Québec City's CKRL 89.1 FM, has been posted online at this location. It can also be streamed using the audio player below.
"Démentièllement Vôtre" is a metal radio show on the oldest independant Francophone radio station in North America. The program has been airing since 2003 and can be heard every Friday night from midnight to 6:00 a.m.
Three unique artists were approached to remix LACUNA COIL's "I Like It" track for a single, which was made available digitally only on September 21 in Europe and Australia.
Interface: One of New York's longest-running electronic music acts, Interface combines the sonic edge of industrial, the club energy of trance, and a melodic sensibility for a unique experience.
Das Basslaster: Das Basslaster, synthies/samples/computer and vocals as well as producer for electro/pop/emo/trash darlings FRITTENBUDE, went for a more pop mix of the song.
Dan Peace: 20-year-old underground electro/big bass producer and DJ from the Northeast England, Dan Peace emerged from the bedroom mid-September 2008. He has since been knocking out his own brand of dance music and DJing regularly.
LACUNA COIL's latest album, "Shallow Life", was recorded in September/October 2008 at NRG Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Don Gilmore, who has previously worked with LINKIN PARK, TRAPT, AVRIL LAVIGNE, GOOD CHARLOTTE, THE VERONICAS, PEARL JAM, TRUST COMPANY and DURAN DURAN.
LACUNA COIL recently toured North America as part of the "HardDrive Live Tour", which also featured ALL THAT REMAINS, MAYLENE AND THE SONS OF DISASTER, FROM SWORD TO SUNRISE (first leg) and TAKING DAWN (second leg).
Berlin, Germany's PitCam Production and More-Metal.com have posted professionally filmed, multi-camera video footage of legendary Chicago doomsters TROUBLE performing five songs — including the brand new track "Hunters Of Doom", from the group's forthcoming CD, "The Dark Riff" — on November 30, 2009 at the Magnet club in Berlin. Watch the clips below.
The band previously stated that the material that is set to appear on "The Dark Riff" features "massive, killer riffs" that are "sure to please ANY TROUBLE fan . . . As you can tell by the [new album's] title, IT'S HEAVY! The band is resorting to the root of what made TROUBLE in the first place and what they are best at, DOOM! This will no doubt be the heaviest TROUBLE release since the mid-'80s when they crushed the masses with what is now known as 'Psalm 9' and 'The Skull'."
TROUBLE's forthcoming album will be the group's first to feature new singer Kory Clarke (WARRIOR SOUL), who joined the band last year as the replacement for Eric Wagner.
TROUBLE's recently released live album, "Live In L.A.", was recorded in Los Angeles and is available at NewTrouble.com.
Eric Wagner left TROUBLE in April 2008, citing his disdain for the touring life as the main reason for his departure.
Swedish rockers VAINS OF JENNA were involved in a freeway accident while on tour Friday, November 20 in Tempe, Arizona.
The band was driving to an in-store appearance before its show with DAYS OF THE NEW at Club Red when a runaway tire caused a traffic nightmare. It appears as if though another vehicle lost its spare tire and that was the cause of the accident, according to a press release. "Cars were swerving, drivers slammed on their brakes but unfortunately our van got the worst of it," says Jacki Stone. "The band and crew are all okay, but the van is not."
"We're not sure what damage totals are yet, but nobody was killed and we're thankful for that," adds singer Lizzy DeVine. "Our van is in a tow yard and we're headed to California in a rental."
VAINS OF JENNA will perform at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, California on Saturday, November 21 2009 and is on the final week of a 50-show U.S. club tour with DIRTY PENNY in support of the band's new release, "The Art of Telling Lies".
BLACKFINGER, the new project featuring ex-TROUBLE vocalist Eric Wagner, has a show scheduled on Saturday, December 12 at Vnuk's Lounge in Cudahy, Wisconsin. Support at the gig will come from Chicago's EARTHEN GRAVE, featuring ex-TROUBLE bassist Ron Holzner and renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine.
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