IRON MAIDEN's new album, "The Final Frontier", is likely to sell between 65,000 and 70,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on August 17. That number will be good enough to secure the veteran British heavy metal band a No. 3 spot on next week's The Billboard 200 chart — behind EMINEM's "Recovery" and Detroit-raised R&B star KEM's "Intimacy: Album III".
IRON MAIDEN's previous album, 2006's "A Matter Of Life And Death", opened with 56,000 units to land at position No. 9 on The Billboard 200 chart. This was a notable increase from the 40,000 first-week tally registered by its predecessor, 2003's "Dance of Death" (which landed at No. 18 on The Billboard 200 chart), and that of "Brave New World", which moved 38,000 copies in June 2000 to land at No. 39 on The Billboard 200 chart.
According to Music Week, IRON MAIDEN is on track to have a No. 1 album in the U.K. this Sunday, with "The Final Frontier" selling more than three times as many as its nearest competitor, EMINEM's "Recovery" (Interscope), so far this week.
"The Final Frontier", the band's 15th studio album, has sold more than 22,000 copies, while "Recovery" has sold around 7,000 this week in the U.K., according to Official Charts Company midweek figures.
"The Final Frontier" was released in North America on August 17 via Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). The effort was made available in a unique limited-edition collectors' "Mission Edition" CD case and features access to extra bonus content, including the director's cut of a video for the edited version of the opening song on the album, entitled "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier"; band "Mission Debrief" interview footage; wallpapers; photos; and the exclusive game "Mission II : Rescue & Revenge". MAIDEN is also for the first time making the album available as an iTunes LP with bonus content as well as the traditional digital format. There is also a limited-edition double picture disc.
The band reunited with long-time MAIDEN producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley in early 2010 at Compass Point Studios, Nassau to record the album and then moved to The Cave Studios in Malibu, California to finish the recording and do the mixing. Compass Point Studio is very familiar to the band, it was where they recorded the "Piece Of Mind" (1983), "Powerslave" (1984) and "Somewhere In Time" (1986) albums.
"The Final Frontier" features artwork illustrated by Melvyn Grant.
The track listing for the CD is as follows (total running time 76:35):
01. Satellite 15....The Final Frontier (Smith/Harris) (8:40)
02. El Dorado (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (6:49)
03. Mother Of Mercy (Smith/Harris) (5:20)
04. Coming Home (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (5:52)
05. The Alchemist (Gers/Harris/Dickinson) (4:29)
06. Isle Of Avalon (Smith/Harris) (9:06)
07. Starblind (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (7:48)
08. The Talisman (Gers/Harris) (9:03)
09. The Man Who Would Be King (Murray/Harris) (8:28)
Phil Freeman of MSN's metal music section Headbang recently conducted an interview with IRON MAIDEN guitarist Janick Gers. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Headbang: The band's been doing these themed tours recently — playing the first four albums, then the next four, and now the four most recent albums. Now that you're completely caught up, what's the next move?
Gers: Well, the next move is, we've got a new album out. So the minute we go out on tour, it'll be based on the new album. It won't be the full album like we did with "A Matter of Life and Death", because that was just a point in time where we felt we needed to do that. I think to do that was a great move. Because we went out and kind of put our feet down and said, this is where we are now. And we played a set that sold out nearly everywhere in the world. That album went gold in about fifteen different countries. Which for a band like us, we're an underground band, we don't get radio play, we don't get TV, we don't get a lot of media, we get a bit of media, so we kind of rely on our live show. We go out and play good gigs; we're a good live band. So we went out and played our new album in its entirety, and sure, a lot of kids wanted to hear "The Trooper", wanted to hear this, wanted to hear that, well, you know what? You can't, you're gonna have to come
next time. What we're playing now is "A Matter of Life and Death", and that's the way it has to be. Otherwise you turn into one of these cabaret bands that go around every year playing their favorite album. And that's not what we're about.
Headbang: Some people have been worried about this being it for the band, with the title "The Final Frontier", and the lyrics to that song, with Bruce [Dickinson] singing about how he's accomplished everything he ever wanted to… what's the deal? This isn't the band's last hurrah or anything, is it?
Gers: Well, I don't know. I hope not. I'm enjoying it, I think everybody else is enjoying it, and I wouldn't like to think this is the end, but you never know. You just never know when your last gig's gonna be. It's like a heavyweight boxer, he's at the peak of his game and he goes out and he gets knocked out. You believe you can go on forever. I believe we're a really good band, and as long as it's fun, and as long as we're cutting it, and as long as we're valid, I wanna go out and play. But I don't wanna end up doing a cabaret set with a load of other bands playing the greatest hits album all the time. That's part of it, having the hunger for what we do, and I think everybody in the band does. And as long as we're cutting it, and bringing great songs in, trying to go down different paths and further ourselves musically, then I think we carry on.
Headbang: It's funny; people talk about the concert business being in trouble, but you guys sell out almost every show. Why do you think the band is such a draw?
Gers: I don't know why it is. All I can say is, we're very honest about what we do, we give a hundred and twenty percent every night, we just couldn't give any more, we give the best show we can, everybody in the band's a really good musician and we really have a tremendous will to do well. And we've always stuck to our guns, we've always done what we believe in, and I think there's an honesty about the band. So maybe that has partly to do with it. We're honored whenever we put a gig on and it sells out. It's a tremendous achievement. We're playing in a place called Bergen in Norway tonight and we've got maybe 25,000 people coming. And it's a tiny little place, it's not a massive place. I'm always amazed when we play and that many people turn up. It humbles you a little bit. But I think we're honest, we have a lot of integrity, and we're a very good live band. We've got some good songs as well.
Headbang: IRON MAIDEN seems to continue to attract young fans, too. When I saw you in New York in August, there were eight-, nine-, ten-year-old kids there with their dads.
Gers: You're right. And everywhere else in the world, it's always been like that. Brazil, Costa Rica, all these wild and wonderful places, we've always had lots of young kids there. All of Europe, there's always been lots of young kids there, Scandinavia particularly, half the audience are really young. And it's something that in America we didn't really cross over to. I don't know what it was, something to do with the '80s, but mostly older people came. Which is great, but there's nothing better to me than playing to young kids who've never seen it before. That to me is what it's all about. If you've seen it once, you've seen it twice, you've got an inkling of what's gonna happen. If you're a young kid and you turn up at a MAIDEN gig, you haven't got a clue what's gonna happen, and that's really exciting for the band, and that keeps the band vibrant as well. Getting the young people in is really important. You're right, I think on this last tour in
America we had a lot of young people there. I think that's tremendous.
The Monday night, August 23 (technically early Tuesday morning, August 24) edition of MTV2's "Headbangers Ball" will feature IRON MAIDEN music videos. The show, which airs at 3:00 a.m., will also include exclusive interview clips with Janick Gers, Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER) and "Talking Metal"'s John Ostronomy. Janick shares some great memories of filming such videos as "The Wicker Man" and discusses the new IRON MAIDEN album, "The Final Frontier".
According to Music Week, IRON MAIDEN is on track to have a No. 1 album in the U.K. this Sunday, with the band's latest effort, "The Final Frontier" (EMI), selling more than three times as many as its nearest competitor, EMINEM's "Recovery" (Interscope), so far this week.
"The Final Frontier", the band's 15th studio album, has sold more than 22,000 copies, while "Recovery" has sold around 7,000 this week in the U.K., according to Official Charts Company midweek figures.
"The Final Frontier" was released in North America on August 17 via Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). The effort was made available in a unique limited-edition collectors' "Mission Edition" CD case and features access to extra bonus content, including the director's cut of a video for the edited version of the opening song on the album, entitled "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier"; band "Mission Debrief" interview footage; wallpapers; photos; and the exclusive game "Mission II : Rescue & Revenge". MAIDEN is also for the first time making the album available as an iTunes LP with bonus content as well as the traditional digital format. There is also a limited-edition double picture disc.
Aaron Lefkove of Vice magazine recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Vice: When you started MEGADETH you claimed to have a distinct vision of what a heavy metal band should look like — long hair, leather, studs, muscles — and through 23 lineup changes you've more or less stuck with that vision, but do you still feel the same way? Specifically about the long hair thing.
Mustaine: I think if you're honest with your fans, then whatever the initial ideas you had when you set out will have room to grow. If you're not and you try to do a SPINAL TAP Mark II kind of thing it doesn't work — it backfires. There's been a lot of bands that have done that. We came close to making a serious career-ending mistake with "Risk". I like that record, and a lot of other people do too, but our hardcore fans don't. They prefer more the heavier, faster stuff. Because the album said "Megadeth" they expected a certain type of thing and it wasn't what they expected.
Vice: [Your recently published autobiography, "Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir"] also barely touched on the evolution of [MEGADETH's mascot] Vic Rattlehead. Old Vic has seen a lot of changes over the years…
Mustaine: Vic was something that was germinated from an idea for a tattoo. As a kid, I had seen those junkstore three monkeys with their hands over their ears and face and mouth; the whole "see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil" thing. That was one of the things I thought was really funny when I was getting ready to do the first album cover. I wanted to have that on the album cover, but I got the record back and it was totally not that.
Vice: So where exactly does Vic stand in the pantheon of heavy metal mascots?
Mustaine: Oh, I think he is definitely in the top five. I mean there's Eddie, there's Vic, the pinhead from the RAMONES, the lips from the STONES… I mean, what else is there?
Vice: Well, Danzig has his skull and MOTÖRHEAD have the snaggletooth but those are actually more just disembodied heads.
Mustaine: Yeah, those are just like two-dimensional things.
Jägermeister, the brand known for decades of involvement with rock and metal bands, continues to own the concert circuit with the announcement of the 2010 Fall Jägermeister Music Tour, North America's biggest thrash tour in 20 years with the 1991 original Clash Of The Titans lineup - SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX.
The brand's 17th Music Tour will bring three of the hardest hitting metal bands in the world to one stage and will feature complete performances of Slayer's much lauded Seasons In The Abyss album from 1990, Megadeth's landmark 1990 album Rust In Peace, and the return of Anthrax's singer Joey Belladonna.
The tour kicks off September 24th and will play 20 venues across the nation.
"I've been working with Jägermeister since 2004 to try to make the first Jägermeister Music Tour Trifecta happen," said guitarist Kerry King of Slayer. "I always have such a killer time on the Jägermeister Music Tour, and this time we're coming through with Megadeth and Anthrax so you know everyone will be on the top of their game for these shows."
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine adds, "It is a rush to finally be a part of the Jägermeister Music Tour!"
"Slayer has been a long time friend and supporter of the brand," says Bill Henderson, Senior Vice President Marketing and Advertising at Sidney Frank Importing Company, Inc. "Jägermeister has been sponsoring them since 2001 and named them as headliner of both the 2003 and 2004 Fall Music Tours. It is great to work with them again and know that adding Megadeth and Anthrax to the program will make this a tour to remember."
The Jägermeister Fall Music Tour will feature Jägermeister custom prizes from tour sponsors Schecter Guitars and Peavey Electronics. In addition, Jägermeister will be hosting nightly text-to-win giveaways including Tap machines and other branded POS. Giveaways are subject to state and local laws and participants must be of legal drinking age or older. The Jägermeister Fall MusicTour will be produced by Synergy Global Entertainment, Inc.
Register to win VIP tickets and backstage access, where legal at this location.
Tour dates include:
September
24 - Superpages.com Center - Dallas, TX
25 - AT&T Center - San Antonio, TX
26 - Verizon Wireless Theatre - Houston, TX
28 - Lakefront Arena - New Orleans, LA
30 - Civic Coliseum - Knoxville, TN
October
1 - The Arena at Gwinnett Center - Atlanta, GA
2 - Hard Rock Live - Orlando, FL
3 - Bayfront Park Amphitheatre - Miami, FL
5 - Hampton Coliseum - Hampton, VA
6 - 1st Mariner Arena - Baltimore, MD
8 - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Uniondale, Long Island , NY
9 - Toyota Pavilion @ Montage Mountain - Scranton, PA
10 - LC Pavilion - Columbus, OH
12 - Freedom Hall - Louisville, KY
14 - War Memorial Coliseum - Ft. Wayne, IN
15 - DeltaPlex - Grand Rapids, MI
16 - Eagles Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI
19 - Maverik Center - Salt Lake City, UT
20 - The Pearl - Las Vegas, NV
21 - Gibson Amphitheatre - Hollywood, CA
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS guitarist Dean DeLeo tells Consequence Of Sound that the band initially received resistance from its record company when the group made the choice to self-produce its latest album. "Our label [Atlantic Records] refused to let us produce it," DeLeo says, adding Atlantic told STP, "'We want a big-name producer.' You know what we told them? Fuck off."
Atlantic Records filed a lawsuit in June 2008 claiming that STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland and drummer Eric Kretz had threatened to stop performing and wanted to terminate their contract with the label unless it was changed. DeLeo tells Consequence Of Sound of the band's relationship with Atlantic, "It just seemed funny that every label but our own contacted us to write songs for other artists. Our own fucking label didn't even know what they had in their back pocket for the last decade." Furthermore, according to DeLeo, the band won't be working with Atlantic much longer. "Their loss. They have us for one more record," he says. "I think it's only because we managed to sell a lot of records that we've had a pretty good relationship with them."
RATT has had its share of ups and downs since the halcyon days of the '80s Sunset Strip scene, but 2010 has been simply incredible for the band. First, they released the brilliant hard-rocking album, Infestation, that garnered almost unanimous praise and positive reviews and then they hit the road with hard rock icons the Scorpions while also headlining shows across the globe. You'd think with all that success and hard work, lead singer Stephen Pearcy would welcome their upcoming break in the schedule to get re-acquainted with his California home, but no. As the Ratt machine winds down for 2010, Pearcy is prepping albums by bands signed to his Top Fuel Records label, is planning a new outfit tentatively called BATTERING RAMM, is hoping to record a new solo album (that he wrote while on the road this summer) and will be hitting the road with his RAT BASTARDS solo band (playing the best of ARCADE, RATT, VICIOUS DELITE and more). BraveWords.com sat down
with Pearcy recently to discuss his future plans.
BraveWords.com: What's next for Ratt?
Stephen Pearcy: "First, we have to finish the few dates we have left on the table and we did some filming a couple of nights back for our next single, 'Eat Me Up Alive'. It'll be a live montage kind of video and then I have to take care of some unfinished business with the band and me. After, that I'm off and running doing some solo stuff and a new project. I'm also going to get the label (Top Fuel Records) in gear and get the RIOT BRIDES back in the studio. Their EP is out and the girls are selling some records."
BraveWords.com: Now, that you are back in Ratt is Stephen Pearcy solo finished or on hiatus?
Pearcy: "No, I'm just starting. Like I said, I have some unfinished business with the band because as usual it's complicated and dysfunctional. Things just didn't fall into place and I've left my options open. So, I'll continue to pursue my solo stuff and do another solo record, but first and foremost I'm a guitar player and I'm going to be putting together a band/ project tentatively called BATTERING RAMM. The stuff that I'm writing for this project along with Rat Bastard guitarist Erik Ferentinos is way heavy and ass-kicking, but I won't be singing (which will probably make some people happy {laughs}). I'll only play guitar. I'll get a singer, some established players and we'll put out some songs."
BraveWords.com: I'm sure that will make a lot of people unhappy actually.
Pearcy: "I'll still go out and shake it up with the Rat Bastards and sing. That's not going to stop. In fact, I already have a few dates posted. I plan on spending months and months with these things (projects). I'm real excited about getting the Top Fuel Records projects going. I've been writing Ratt songs since day one and the EP was my early MICKEY RATT music. So, I've got a new Mickey Ratt compilation coming out later this year which will lead, hopefully, into a new solo record and then there will be the Battering Ramm record. The music for that is insane – it's Vicious Delite meets my solo stuff meets hard core Ratt meets new music all into one. Like I said, it'll be ass-kicking."
BraveWords.com: That's great news. A lot of bands (BON JOVI for example), as they've gotten older, have toned it down and become all "ballad-y", but not you. You've only gotten harder and darker. Will you be giving up the 'metal' anytime soon?
Stephen Pearcy: "Oh, no. No no no, especially when I have the opportunity to play guitar and Battering Ramm will be a hardcore project. I'll put out the Battering Ramm record and we'll see where it goes. If it gets to be a band after the recording; it'll be a five piece metal assault."
BraveWords.com: How does this work in with the Ratt schedule? There's obviously going to be another album and tour in 2011, right?
Stephen Pearcy: "We'll see what happens. I'm not looking at that right now. I just want to finish up and take a break. I want to get my health together. I'm still not 100%. I'm not jumping off the risers just yet and to sing after a hernia surgery is a whole painstaking thing."
BraveWords.com: Still you managed to get the SCORPIONS dates done.
Stephen Pearcy: "We had a great tour with them. We jammed with them the last night and it was very very cool. They are just the utmost professionals and hopefully they won't retire. There is chatter of doing more stuff, but I just want to finish up the Ratt stuff for now. There seems to be different agendas. I came back into the fold to take care of business first and foremost. I'm very happy with the new record (Infestation) and it's still selling very well. Carlos (Cavazo – ex-QUIET RIOT) and I unleashed the first two singles ('Best Of Me' and 'Eat Me Up Alive')."
BraveWords.com: Carlos is an incredible addition to the band.
Stephen Pearcy: "He's perfect. He's a great great guy. He's a total pro who just wants to play and he CAN play. He's got the freedom to play and we're getting back to that Robbin (Crosby - late guitarist)/Warren (DeMartini) lead solo stuff that we haven't done in ages. That's a big plus and I look forward to a lot of good things, but there's also a lot of things I don't look forward to in Ratt that it's become redundant."
BraveWords.com: Let me ask you about the down side of Ratt. I don't want to get too negative, but your drummer, Bobby Blotzer, just released a book…
Stephen Pearcy: "Is that what you call it {laughs}?)"
BraveWords.com: It's a 'collection of words' and some of things that were said in it… well, it might have been a good idea to wait until the band had broken up for good or maybe make sure you've out lived your band mates…
Stephen Pearcy: "I'll keep a lot of things to myself 'cause I don't need to give that book any more attention than it deserves. I've been working on something called Rat Tales (which is still on the table) and lo and behold Tales Of Rat by Bobby Blotzer comes out. It's not too original, but anyways. There are some things that I find very misleading and he speaks for us on some things that are so far from the truth. He spent a lot of time out there devoted to his agenda and should have taken care of the Ratt agenda instead."
BraveWords.com: It did seem like bad timing to be focusing on a personal book when you've just reunited with your original singer and had a killer new album come out.
Stephen Pearcy: "Well, you know how it works and it was quite upsetting to a few of us including the fans at the meet n' greets."
BraveWords.com: The record business is so hard these days. You can't be out there promoting you're new reality TV series or book or whatever when you have a new record out. It just doesn't work. You have to focus on just selling the album…
Stephen Pearcy: "Like I said, I don't need to be giving the book any attention, but I can say that he doesn't know our personal… He doesn't know my personal financial status. For him to speak about it or people that were never enemies of the band… It was disheartening to say the least."
BraveWords.com: Let's move on… Ratt's first ever live album is coming out in Japan on September 22nd, but it's wrapped up in mystery…
Stephen Pearcy: "We knew something was coming out, but I don't know if it's going to go back to the days of Robbin and Juan (Croucier - former bassist) or now. It's a surprise to some of us."
BraveWords.com: It's going to be great… Will it be released in other territories?
Stephen Pearcy: "As far as I know it won't be or at least not right now. That's what I meant before, there are a lot of things as far as I'm concerned that aren't properly in place or haven't been in place since I got back (in the band). There needs to be a whole restructuring of a lot of things before I'm comfortable back in MY band. I'd rather take care of my brand and my business. I can live with my legacy. I don't need to stroke it every ten minutes to prove I'm in Ratt or what I've done. It's in the 'books' so to speak. There are a lot of things that aren't as straight ahead or taken care of to my liking just to be comfortable yet. I'm looking forward to a break (from Ratt). I've been writing everyday out there (on the road) and I'm ready to go with new solo stuff with the Rat Bastards and Battering Ramm (which will be insane). I'll be playing guitar and we've got some great songs. Will we do another Ratt
record? I don't know. We'll see what happens."
In the meantime, Pearcy ends by saying that he's looking for a new agent and entertaining new management, writing like a madman and will be announcing more solo tour dates soon.
To find out what's happening with Pearcy visit: Stephen-pearcy.com and Topfuelrecords.com.
Upcoming Stephen Pearcy solo dates include:
October
28 - The Cube - Newark, DE
29 - Penn's Peak - Jim Thorpe, PA
30 - Deerfoot Casino - Calgary, AB
Legendary punk rock act SEX PISTOLS has teamed up with perfume company Etat Libre D'Orange to launch its own official band fragrance. According to the company, the scent offers "a fresh, restless bite of lemon, sharpened and intensified by deiant black pepper. It's the unruly turbulence of a prune and an in-your-face ambrette."
The company adds: "Electrified by aldehydes, you can feel the pure energy, pared down and pumped up by leather, shot through with heliotrope and brought back down to earth by a raunchy patchouli."
The perfume will be available exclusively through The Fragrance Shop.
Vocalist Andy Pyke has left long-running Birmingham, U.K. metallers MARSHALL LAW.
After a period of reflection, Andy is now looking for a new challenge/band/project and is ready to consider any offers out there in the metal world, preferably a named
band seeking vocalist/frontman. Interested parties should contact Andy's management at info@lycanmedia.co.uk.
MARSHALL LAW's sixth studio album, "Razorhead", was released in November 2008 via Global Music's imprint label DR2 Records. According to a press release, the CD was "the result of three years writing and recording and is a dark and intense journey that undoubtedly contains the bands best material to date. . . An adrenalin-infused blend of intense rhythms and massive riffs, screaming dual guitar leads and powerful vocals. Unashamedly 'metal', dark and unrelenting."
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's new album, "Order Of The Black", sold around 33,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 4.
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's previous album, "Shot to Hell", opened with 32,000 units to land at No. 21. This was less than the 45,000 copies shifted by BLS's "Mafia" (Artemis) back in March 2005 to debut at No. 15.
"Order Of The Black" was released in North America via E1 Music. The CD features four unique covers designed by Zakk Wylde himself — one for each territory: North America, Europe, Asia and Australia/New Zealand.
An e-card for "Order Of The Black" is available at this location.
On Tuesday, August 10, "Order Of The Black" was made available in multiple configurations. At Target, an exclusive limited edition CD/DVD combo package contains the CD plus 50 minutes of bonus video and can be ordered here. The CD/DVD configuration is available while supplies last. A special version is also available from Best Buy as a limited-edition package to include the CD with two bonus tracks and a BLACK LABEL SOCIETY t-shirt (it can be ordered here). At iTunes, the album is available as a special deluxe digital download bundle with the complete album plus 50 minutes of bonus video content (order it here).
"Order Of The Black" track listing:
01. Crazy Horse
02. Overlord
03. Parade Of The Dead
04. Darkest Days
05. Black Sunday
06. Southern Dissolution
07. Time Waits For No One
08. Godspeed Hell Bound
09. War Of Heaven
10. Shallow Grave
11. Chupacabra
12. Riders Of The Damned
13. January
Orange County Choppers has announced a free performance by guitar icon Zakk Wylde and his BLACK LABEL SOCIETY on Monday, August 23 at 9 p.m. at OCC's retail store and showroom (14 Crossroads Court, Newburgh, NY 12550). The free show will be taped for an upcoming episode of "American Chopper", which airs on Thursday nights at 9 p.m. on TLC .
"My blood is pumping just thinking about the BLACK LABEL SOCIETY performance here at OCC. From what I hear, Zakk and his crew put on a great show," said Paul Teutul, Sr. "We look forward to welcoming the band and the Berserkers to OCC."
As previously reported, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will headline the "Black Label Berzerkus" tour this fall. The two-month North American trek will feature CLUTCH, CHILDREN OF BODOM and 2CENTS, with the first two bands sharing the main support slot.
San Francisco's classic metal kings SLOUGH FEG are putting the finishing touches on their eighth full-length album, "The Animal Spirits", for an early 2011 release via Cruz Del Sur Music. According to a press relase, the CD "will probably take everyone by surprise, as always, when SLOUGH FEG is involved. 'The Animal Spirits' appears to be a new step in the eclectic, powerful style choice of SLOUGH FEG, and the artwork will also reflect some changes. Unlike their previous releases, the artwork will be more simple and immediate to fit the album atmosphere better."
"The Animal Spirits" track listing:
01. Trick the Vicar
02. The 95 Thesis
03. Ask the Casket
04. Heavyworlder
05. Materia Primia
06. Lycanthropic Fantasies
07. Second Coming
08. Free Market Barbarian
09. Tactical Air-War
SLOUGH FEG will appear at the 2011 edition of the Headbangers Open Air festival in Germany and is looking for additional dates to wrap around this festival appearance in order to promote "The Animal Spirits" in Europe. Interested European promoters are invited to get in touch with Cruz Del Sur Music with their offers.
HAIL! — a global touring machine composed of a tight-knit brotherhood of music's most highly respected and talented artists — performed a very special one-off concert on August 14, 2010 at the G-Taranaki festival in Taranaki/New Plymouth, New Zealand with a lineup featuring vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ICED EARTH), guitar virtuoso Tony Macalpine, legendary bassist Tony Franklin (THE FIRM, BLUE MURDER, WHITESNAKE) and JUDAS PRIEST drummer Scott Travis.
The band has issued the following recap of the experience:
"We had a great time at the G-Taranaki festival this past week.
"Our newest HAIL! brothers, Scott Travis, Tony Franklin and Tony Macalpine, CRUSHED it.
"With only one short rehearsal and an unworldly impromptu 'talk-through' kind of jam in the dressing room (highlighted by Scott playing a lounge chair and a light stand!), the night went off in amazing fashion.
"It is such an honor and privilege to witness and experience these types of magical moments that happen when musicians of this caliber just close their eyes and flow together. It truly is the magic of music.
"We played two shows, the main set at TSB Stadium and then a more intimate VIP type 'midnight session' at the Puke Ariki Museum.
"In HAIL! tradition, we love to invite our friends and compatriots to join us and tonight was no exception.
"Our motive has always been to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the fans to see something unique and special. It is also our belief that an open door fosters friendships and we all benefit from these artistic and personal pairings because it produces a genuine feeling of connection between people and styles. Plain and simple, it's fun for all of us.
"Talk about great fortune: We had ex-SCORPIONS guitarist (and Abba's [HAIL!'s organizer/manager Mark Abbatista, NOT the band!] all-time favorite guitarist) Uli Jon Roth join us for a scorching rendition of RAINBOW's 'Man On The Silver Mountain'; MICHAEL JACKSON guitarist Jennifer Batten ripped through THE FIRM's 'Radioactive' (which also included an awesome bass solo from Tony Franklin); and UFO shredder Vinnie Moore closed the show with us by crushing BLACK SABBATH favorite 'Paranoid' (we ran out of time for 'TNT', but we played it later).
"To witness Tony Macalpine trading screaming leads with these folks was awesome!
"We had a great set, the crowd was fantastic and the overall vibe was outstanding and warm.
"We hung around to watch Slash's set. Predictably, he was great, and then we all headed over to the midnight sessions.
"In the spirit of the jam, we didn't have any real plan so what better way to kick start things then with a Lemmy-sized boot to the face?! …and 'Ace Of Spades' did just that. We followed that with the fan-friendly sing along of AC/DC's 'TNT' (OY!), BLACK SABBATH's 'Heaven And Hell' and 'Mob Rules'. Jennifer Batten rejoined us for 'Living After Midnight' and another guitar assault of trading volleys with Tony and then Slash, Uli, Tony Franklin and Brent Fitz jammed the rest of the evening away in a guitar lesson that won't be forgotten.
"The playing tonight was sick!
"We had a wonderful time in New Zealand and thank all the people who worked so hard to make this happen especially event producer Dan Allen and the spirit of Garry Sharpe-Young. Special thanks and heartfelt appreciation goes out to the Gulliver girls — Therese, Lucinda, Francine and Sonja — who made our whole experience unforgettable."
NUCLEAR ASSAULT and WHYTE ASH have been confirmed for next year's edition of the Metal Merchants Festival, set to take place January 28-29, 2011 at John Dee in Oslo, Norway.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
ASOMVEL
BLIZZARD
BROCAS HELM
CONVIXION
ELIXIR
JAGUAR
NUCLEAR ASSAULT
SOLSTICE
WHYTE ASH
For more information, visit www.metalmerchantsfestival.com.
Brenna Gray, wife of late SLIPKNOT bassist Paul Gray, gave birth to the couple's first child, a baby daughter named October Dedrick Gray, on Tuesday, August 17 at 11:10 p.m. October, who "looks very much like her daddy," weighed in at five pounds, 14 ounces and measured 19 inches long. According to a SLIPKNOT spokesperson, the mother and the baby "are doing great."
Paul Gray's body was found on May 24 in a hotel room in a Des Moines, Iowa suburb. A coroner ruled that the 38-year-old musician died of an accidental overdose of morphine.
Private funeral services for Gray were held on May 28 in Des Moines, Iowa.
The eight surviving members of SLIPKNOT held a news conference on May 25 at Wells Fargo Arena in the band's native stomping grounds of Des Moines, Iowa to address Gray's death. Also present at the event was Gray's brother Tony and Brenna, who spoke briefly at the end of the conference.
"He was everything that was wonderful about this band and about this group of people," frontman Corey Taylor said. "The only way I can sum up Paul Gray is 'love.' Everything he did, he did for everyone around him whether he knew you or not ... and that's what he's left behind for us: absolute love. I will miss him with every fiber of my heart, as will everybody at this table and everyone who knew him. He was the best of us."
"It's very important that everybody on the outside of us understands that Paul Gray was the essence of the band SLIPKNOT. ... Paul was there from the very, very beginning, and none of us would be on the path that we're on now in life or have the sorts of life that we have without him," percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan added. "Paul loved the fans. He was kind of the person in the band that really wanted everybody in the band to always get along and just concentrate on the band. He was a really great friend and a really great person. He's going to be sadly missed, and the world is going to be a different place without him."
"It's very hard for me right now," added drummer Joey Jordison. "I just want to say that I love you, Paul, very much. You'll be sorely missed by the world over."
Sid Wilson, the band's DJ, credited Gray with introducing him to the band, which he described as a family.
"To me, that's the most important thing," Wilson said. "That in everyone he met there was a change in their life. He was so good at giving everyone a different perspective, and I love him for that."
Percussionist Chris Fehn said when Gray called "you just felt good," and he remembered the bass player as giving "the best hugs out of everyone I ever hugged. When he grabbed on to you, you could feel the love he had for you."
Brenna Gray spoke last, mentioning the couple's then-unborn child while discussing her husband.
"Paul was my husband, an amazing person, and I want people to remember him for that," Brenna said. "And his daughter will remember him for the way he was."
Corey Taylor has been saying in recent interviews that it's "too soon" for the band to decide its next steps following Gray's passing. Taylor told England's NME TV, "As far the future . . . it's really soon to tell. None of us can even fathom what to do yet. But as soon as we do, the world will be the first to know. It's not that we don't want to, it's just like, how do you do what makes sense when such a big piece of that puzzle is gone?"
Taylor added that Gray "was the spirit of SLIPKNOT. He wrote most of the music. Not a lot of people know that, so I've really been trying to get the word out about him and give him the recognition that he deserves."
The singer also said that he and his wife "have been taking care of" Gray's family.
Mikko "Linde" Lindström, guitarist for the Finnish "love metal" band HIM, became engaged to Toni-Marie Iommi, HALO/ex-LUNARMILE singer and daughter of BLACK SABBATH guitar legend Tony Iommi, on Friday, August 13.
Lindström, 34, has a seven-year-old daughter named Olivia with his ex-wife, Finnish singer Mariam "Manna" Jäntti.
Toni, 27, was born in Solihull, United Kingdom and spent the first few years of her life living with her mother who is part native American. At the age of 15, she moved to England to live with her father.
In an interview with His Infernal Magazine, the online magazine of HIM - The Crimson Gate Official Italian Street Team, Toni stated about her upbringing, "Moving to live with my father has been a great turn for the good. My father, being a well-respected musician, taught me so much about life and music.
"People say to me, 'Wow! You are so lucky to have Tony Iommi as your father.' That always makes me laugh. Yes, I am lucky! What people don't see [is that] my father is DAD. To me, just like any other father, he sets rules, he worries about me when I'm out and about and he wants what's best for me, etc."
When asked how she would describe her father as a person, Toni said, "To sum my father up in so many words would be he is a very generous guy whose heart is never black, but loving and warm. He loves animals and is very grounded as a person. He loves jokes and pranks!
"Living at home with dad was sometimes annoying. I say that only as a daughter to her father. Just when I'd think it was safe, dad would pull a prank on me! His favorite of all... Opening my bedroom door just enough to make a gap, then he would balance a shoe in the top corner. As soon as I'd push the door open, it would fall from the top and scare the hell out of me! So, not only is dad talented but he is an amazing father and person."
Toni currently resides in Finland with Lindström and fronts a new band called HALO (MySpace page), which also features three Finnish guys and a British girl.
Happy couple
The Scream Queen recently conducted an interview with vocalist Brian Fair of Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
The Scream Queen: Are you guys working on a new album?
Brian: You know, we're just going to be touring until the end of this run and then probably heading home for a little bit with some time off and then start working on it. I can't imagine us not really getting down to doing anything until early next year. By the end of the year, we'll start writing some stuff; start like demos in early 2011.
The Scream Queen: I heard that Matt [Bachand, guitar] is doing a side project?
Brian: Yeah, actually, Matt and Jon [Donais, guitar] have a little… it's like, like a… it's still kind of metal, it's a little more on the rock side, and a lot less thrashy, it would probably be a little too rock 'n' roll for the SHADOWS FALL stuff, but they're working with Derek from UNEARTH on drums, and they're just looking for a singer right now.
The Scream Queen: I've been reading several rumors saying that this new side project may be the end of SHADOWS FALL. Can you clarify that for me?
Brian: I doubt it. Yeah, they've been working on this for a little while so — everyone always has side projects.
The Scream Queen: You guys have a DVD coming out?
Brian: We don't know the release date yet, but we're hoping for the end of October, but we just found a bunch of other footage that we're actually trying to include now. So, it was shot live in the Philippines, in Manila. It was a big festival, you know, like huge show, multi cameras, all that stuff. So, and then there should be like a whole other bonus thing. We did a trip to Korea, we want to include some of that and a few other things, so trying to get it all together to come out hopefully in October at the latest, but we'll see what happens. Maybe a little sooner.
The Scream Queen: How do you feel the camera captured your stage presence and energy?
Brian: You know, it does what it can do, you're never going to really be able to get all of the energy of a live show, which is also what the Internet can't steal, you can't steal the live experience, but at least you can… It's a way to showcase what we're all about on stage. So, it's a real cool set list of mixes and stuff, it was the first time we had ever played "War", it was the first time we'd ever played "Public Execution", but also we played stuff from the first album, too. So, it was kind of a cool set list that way and just, we had tons of pyro and explosions and all of that stuff, so it's definitely cool; it came out pretty cool.
Swedish metallers ASTRAL DOORS will release a new collection, "Testament Of Rock - The Best Of Astral Doors", in November. The compilation will contain 14 classics picked by the band. A very special bonus will come in the shape of the English-language version a song previously only released as a Swedish-language single in Sweden, "Victory".
Guitarist Martin Haglund left ASTRAL DOORS in April 2010 in order to focus on his family life. The band has opted to remain a five-piece, with founding member Joachim Nordlund handling all guitars himself.
ASTRAL DOORS released its fifth album, "Requiem Of Time" in Europe on January 29 and in North America on February 16 through Metalville, the band and label pool launched by the Cologne, Germany-based company Flying Dolphin Entertainment Group UG.
According to the band, "'Requiem Of Time' is a mixture of classic hard rock, like on the debut, 'Of The Son And The Father', and more modern metal like on the previous disc, 'New Revelation'. Call it what you want; it contains the best songs the band has ever written."
ASTRAL DOORS last year parted ways with bassist Mika Itaranta and replaced him with Ulf Lagerström (LUNATIC PARADE, BARFLY)
Australian progressive metallers VANISHING POINT have issued the following update:
"This is kind of a hard letter to type because we like to focus on the positives and not get into negative thinking so we aren't going to leave you guys guessing anymore with what's happening with VANISHING POINT .
"Straight up, after much thought and telling it like it is , we wish to let you all know that Tommy [Vucur, guitar], Adrian [Alimic, bass] and Jake [Lowe, keyboards] are no longer members of VANISHING POINT .
"Sometimes musical directions and visions pull people in different directions and sometimes it brings people closer together musically. With Tommy and Adrian there was a growing gap in which they wanted to explore different avenues of music yet the rest of us wanted to keep writing melodic metal music , so after a while and much time passing it was evident that things weren't going well in regards to writing the new album and where the rest of us felt that VANISHING POINT should go. The end result was that Tommy and Adrian chose to leave the band , on good terms.
"We wish to point there is no bad blood or harsh words. Put simply, when it doesn't work, then why continue struggling and pushing friendships into the ground?
"We sincerely wish the guys well in their creative pursuits. We know that whatever they come up with in the future will be great. We sincerely hope that you guys out there will support them in the future as you have for many years.
"Now , what brings us forward. We want to let you guys know that we are not disbanding or shelving VANISHING POINT by any means. Although things have slowed up and some of the new songs had to have some small parts rearranged, we are still going strong and we have just under an album's worth of songs, many close to completion, many still with much to do and many already completed musically.
"We are planning in the near future to enter the studio and when we do we will let you guys know. So far the songs are sounding great (we think anyways, heh heh) and they are the type of songs you would expect from VANISHING POINT with some minor twists and turns musically .
"We can't say too much at the moment , yet we ask you to please be patient with us and understand that although things have slowed down a little for the time being , we are working on the next album right now and have been for the last few months .
"In regards to new members, we have nobody as yet and to be honest have not done much searching , yet if anybody is interested to try out for VANISHING POINT, then please forward on any info, bios, etc., to chrisvp71@bigpond.com. A hard-work ethic, can-do attitude is what we are looking for in a bass player and guitarist."
VANISHING POINT's last CD, "The Fourth Season", was released in August 2007 via Dockyard 1. The follow-up to 2005's "Embrace the Silence" was once again recorded with Endel Rivers at Palm studios in the band's hometown of Melbourne. Mastering duties were handled by legendary Mika Jussila (STRATOVARIUS, NIGHTWISH, SONATA ARCTICA) at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland.
Thrash metal veterans HELLHOUND have released the following statement:
"HELLHOUND bids a fond farewell to guitarist Robert Kolowitz and drummer Wayne Devecchi, who have accepted permanent positions in San Jose's metal monsters IMAGIKA. Please join us in wishing them the very best and supporting them in their new endeavor. IMAGIKA are a great band, and we look forward to tearing up some stages with them in the future.
"As a result of these changes, Joe [Liszt] will take on guitar duties in addition to vocals, and HELLHOUND will move its base of operations to Sacramento, where two-thirds of the band is already located. We are currently auditioning new drummers in that area, as well as completing the writing for the full-length CD we'll record at year's end."
Formed in the early '80s and based in San Francisco's South Bay area, HELLHOUND developed concurrently but independently of North and East Bay acts such as LEGACY (pre-TESTAMENT), DEATH ANGEL, FORBIDDEN EVIL (pre-FORBIDDEN) and HEATHEN. HELLHOUND eventually shared stages with all these bands during the thriving thrash scene of the mid-Eighties. Before disbanding in 1988, they had played shows with the likes of SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX.
Since its untimely demise, HELLHOUND has built a strong cult following due to CD releases of their classic demo tapes. It was after the most recent release, on Stormspell Records, that four out of the five original members decided to finally reunite and expose a new generation of metal fans to the music of HELLHOUND.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/hellhoundusa.
Metalgeek recently conducted an interview with former TYPE O NEGATIVE and current LIFE OF AGONY drummer Sal Abruscato. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Metalgeek: How did you eventually get to know Peter Steele?
Sal: I was hanging out with Louie Beato from CARNIVORE, because when I was a kid I took drum lessons from Louie, he lived up the block from me. He was my idol when I was 14 and he used to take me to the CARNIVORE rehearsals and that's where I first met Peter — in his basement, because that's where they were rehearsing. I was like the little brother for them, they took me with them — it was cool. So I used to hang out with CARNIVORE, going to the shows, helping out … I was exposed to these guys from a very young age.
Metalgeek: And how did you end up in TYPE O NEGATIVE after CARNIVORE disbanded?
Sal: When CARNIVORE broke up I asked Peter if he wanted to hang out and jam — and then it became this whole fucking craziness! We had like four different band names and then finally it was TYPE O NEGATIVE. The other options were NEW MINORITY, SUBZERO and REPULSION.
Metalgeek: You left TYPE O NEGATIVE after the release of "Bloody Kisses". How did that come along?
Sal: From the time we started TYPE O NEGATIVE until the release of "Bloody Kisses" — that's about four years — we did two little stupid tours. "Slow, Deep And Hard" didn't sell well and it just looked like it wasn't gonna go anywhere maybe. At the time of the release of "Bloody Kisses" nobody knew what was gonna happen. And as I told you before, Peter didn't want to give up his day job and we had many fights … What I regret about it is that we were immature, me and Peter. Both too proud to give in. Peter was very bossy and very demanding — he would want to dictate every little fucking thing and I had to fight it. On "Bloody Kisses" I did all the drums on my own, I was doing what I felt. I was like, "You are writing the music but I wanna do the beats that I feel complemented the music best." We used to fight about lots of stupid stuff. When you're young, in your twenties, and you're doing an album, you don't know what you're doing. You got a big
mouth, you fucking talk a lot of shit…
Metalgeek: Did you ever regret leaving TYPE O NEGATIVE?
Sal: Yeah, sure! There were some times after I left that I thought, "Ah, man, now they decide to do all these big tours…" The TYPE O albums after "Bloody Kisses" started to sound a little bit the same, but that's just how Peter wrote. He did what he did as an artist. But for me, "Bloody Kisses" was the pinnacle. It had a lot to do with the chemistry at the moment, it became what it became.
Metalgeek: Did you at any point notice that Peter had a drug problem?
Sal: Pete wasn't doing drugs when I was in the band. That shit didn't start until after I was gone. And I think if I was in the band, I wouldn't have allowed it to get to him like it did. He used to be straight! All the time! He just used to drink a little bit. He used to criticise the rest of the band for smoking weed! He used to call us "hippie drug addicts!" When I heard about all that kind of crap (Peter's drug problem) I couldn't believe it!
Metalgeek: When did you last see Peter?
Sal: I saw him in person in october when he did a show with TYPE O NEGATIVE. In February we were talking on the phone, because he wanted to do another version of CARNIVORE. And he had asked me to play the drums in that version of CARNIVORE. He wanted to play some shows in Europe now, in the summertime … so we were talking about that. Then I had to go to Europe for a couple of weeks with LIFE OF AGONY. When I came home I got this phone call … that he passed away. I was at the wake every day and I went to the ceremony because I knew his sisters for a very long time. The funeral procession … being at the grave, everything. The last time I actually saw him was when I touched his shoulder when he was laying there in the funeral home.
Metalgeek: Did you think that Peter knew he could be facing death due to his previous drug abuse?
Sal: I don't think he did expect to die. There was things going on with him but I think death did surprise him at that very moment. He was nine months sober and he was clean and he wasn't drinking and he was really working hard to get back on his feet and back on top with TYPE O, CARNIVORE and everything … nine months really working hard and that's when he died. That's from all the years of abuse, things that went wrong. He had some things going on inside his head which people didn't know. His mind was restless.
BIOHAZARD has finished writing 80 percent of the music and about 40 percent of the lyrics for the band's next album, according to a brand new interview bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld gave to Chris Harris of Gun Shy Assassin. The follow-up to 2005's "Means To An End" will be produced by Toby Wright, who has previously worked with KORN, SLAYER, MÖTLEY CRÜE, KISS, FEAR FACTORY, IN FLAMES, STONE SOUR and OZZY OSBOURNE , among others. Seinfeld describes the new material as "big, nasty, metal and hardcore" with "melody and hooks, which we've never had before," and promises that the new stuff is heavy, with "moments that feel like 'Urban Discipline' [1991] or 'State of the World Address' [1994]." He says it's "pissed off and thrashy and there are a lot of those intense old-school moments."
In other news, Seinfeld has finished recording the debut album from his long-in-the-works side-project THE SPYDERZ, which also features John Monte, formerly of MINISTRY and M.O.D.
"This is something I have always wanted to do, and it's taken time for me to let it organically develop," Seinfeld tells Gun Shy Assassin.
"I don't know if it sounds like any of these things but the intentions of it come from THE ROLLING STONES and THE WHO, SOCIAL DISTORTION, LYNYRD SKYNYRD. Some people have said it sounds like THE CULT and old GUNS N' ROSES. It has some acoustic ballads.
"Very few people — maybe nobody — will hear it and think, 'That's the guy from BIOHAZARD.'
"You know, even people I am friends with, they play in a band and then they go start another band and it sounds like the first band. Jamey Jasta has five bands that sound like HATEBREED .
"I love Jamey, I love his energy, and I love what he does, but anything I could do in BIOHAZARD, I would do in BIOHAZARD."
"Asleep Next To Science", the debut album from ORBS, is now available in stores and online.
ORBS is made up of Dan Briggs (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME), Ashley Ellyllon (ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, CRADLE OF FILTH ), Adam Fisher and Clayton "Goose" Holyoak (FEAR BEFORE), and Chuck Johnson (TORCH RUNNER).
With dark, whimsical stories expressed through space-rock interludes and the seamless infusion of ethereal lyrics over delicate piano work, ORBS effortlessly showcase their distinctly cinematic sound on the new album. "Asleep Next To Science" steps outside of traditional song structure and envelops listeners into a whole new realm of sounds and musical experiences that unite emotion, nature, and space through quirky, unexpected rhythms, melodies, and experimental progressions.
Revolver magazine has described the album as "one of the most ambitious debuts in recent memory" with moments that are "utterly breathtaking." Alternative Press notes the dramatic nature of the album comparing it to "the most involved and twisted nursery rhyme you've never heard."
ORBS will head out on tour with JUNIUS (August 19 - September 5) and with TROPHY SCARS (September 6 - September 12). The fall tour will kick off with the band's CD-release show this Thursday, August 19 at Legitimate Business in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Guitarist and co-founder Dan Briggs states of the release, "It's been three years since Ashley and I started writing 'Asleep Next To Science' together and it's amazing that the album is finally out for everyone to discover. I hope that everyone enjoys the adventure!"
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/orbsband.
Restricted Release, in cooperation with Angle Side Side, has set an October 26 North American release date for "One Little Light Year", the debut album from New England-based TANGENTS.
Recorded and mixed at Stillwork Recording Studio in Holyoke, Massachusetts, the CD was produced by the band with producer/engineer Benjamin Jon (ALL THAT REMAINS, THE ACACIA STRAIN).
TANGENTS is not what most will expect musically from drummer Derek Kerswill (UNEARTH, SEEMLESS) and Dave Witham (OF THE HOUR, FLAT-12). Kerswill's musical diversity and rhythmic approach provides a solid foundation for the album, propelling the tracks forward with great intensity. Add to it the lush and organic sound of vocalist/guitarist Dave Witham and TANGENTS soars in the vein of JEFF BUCKLEY, AS TALL AS LIONS, even RADIOHEAD. Witham's magnificent voice rises over a spiraling sonic backdrop with dazzling control and splendor. The album's ambitious songwriting creates the catchiest music either musician has released to date.
Over a year of intense effort went into the creation of "One Little Light Year". Witham reveals, "The recording process was unlike one we have ever been a part of before. We did a lot of work remotely. In fact, the only time Derek and I really got together was to do some of the pre-production work and when we were tracking the drums. It came out remarkably well considering the limited amount of time we actually spent together in the same room."
"Recording this album was one of the greatest recording experiences of my life," says Kerswill. "We worked on pre-production together for awhile, which made recording the record so much easier. I was so well-versed in what I was doing drum-wise that I tracked ten of the twelve songs on the first take with zero edits. After drums were done, Dave pretty much tracked everything else."
Awareness regarding TANGENTS has been on the rise for months. The obvious queries have revolved around the band's sound. Kerswill reveals, "a lot of my peers and 'music' friends know that although I play metal and have been involved with many 'aggressive' projects and bands, metal is probably the least of what I actually listen to. My biggest influences songwriting and style-wise," he says, "have always been classic rock, whether it be LED ZEPPELIN and YES, or ZZ TOP and ALLMAN BROS. But in the mid-'90s, RADIOHEAD and JEFF BUCKLEY pretty much changed my life and there was a whole knew place I wanted to take myself musically."
Witham notes, "I think that we pretty much wear our influences upon our collective sleeves as far as inspiration for the writing of the album. JEFF BUCKLEY, RADIOHEAD, and MUSE are the most obvious influences on the surface. But we are both avid, freakishly nerdy fans of FIONA APPLE, JON BRION, and tons of others that I feel quietly shine through on this particular album."
TANGENTS has yet to make their live debut but are planning several performances close to the album's release date. In the meantime Kerswill will be touring with UNEARTH and spreading the world of TANGENTS to all in earshot. He shares, "TANGENTS is my dream project. It is the music I've always wanted to play with a dude that I've always wanted to be in a band with."
In celebration of the album's completion and forthcoming retail release, the duo has already launched pre-orders for the record. Early fans will have opportunity to receive the record in advance of its scheduled release date by visiting this location.
"One Little Light Year" track listing:
01. Arrow In The Heart
02. Homecoming (Victory Song)
03. Fall Asleep Again
04. Static
05. (Missing) One Little Light Year
06. The Pieces Fall
07. Nothing Left Undone
08. When Will It End?
09. Hyde
10. What The Scanners See
11. Blind Spots
12. Watch You Go
For more information,visit www.myspace.com/tangentsofficial.
ALL SHALL PERISH's new guitarist and Berklee College of Music graduate, Francesco Artusato, has partnered up with Guitar World magazine to present an in-depth instructional video lesson series breaking down how to play some of the most intricate parts from his all-instrumental solo endeavor entitled "Chaos And The Primordial". The disc is described as "an all-out technical shred fest featuring 10 truly diverse tracks that take the listener on an all-encompassing musical journey."
Click here to watch the first lesson now and stay tuned for additional episodes over the coming weeks.
Commented Artusato: "In this first lesson I'm going to show a few examples from three different songs from my new solo album. The tracks are 'Quantum Tunneling', 'Layers of Corrosion' and 'The Metamorphosis'. I'm playing the examples first at normal speed and then slowed down with an explanation of what I am doing.
"I want to thank Guitar World for hosting these lessons as it's a true honor and privilege to be on this site."
ALL SHALL PERISH recently parted ways with original drummer Matt Kuykendall and replaced him with Adam Pierce. The group stated at the time, "It's always tough to part ways with a longtime member and friend, but it was absolutely necessary in order to maintain forward progress."
ALL SHALL PERISH's most recent lead guitarist, Jason Richardson, left the band and joined BORN OF OSIRIS. He has since been replaced by Artusato.
"Awaken The Dreamers", the latest CD from ALL SHALL PERISH, was released on vinyl for the first time on March 16 via Pure Noise. An extremely limited pressing, it is available in two eye-striking patterns; 300 copies are clear with red splatter and 600 are half black/half red, literally split in half between the two colors.
METALLICA's Kirk Hammett named "Awaken The Dreamers" as one of his 25 favorite albums of the past decade in an issue of Rolling Stone magazine.
"Awaken The Dreamers" sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 126. The follow-up to "The Price of Existence" was recorded once again at Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland with producer Zack Ohren.
"Exiled To Earth", the new album from Pomona, California thrashers BONDED BY BLOOD, sold around 600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 86 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.
"Exiled To Earth" was released on August 10 in North America and August 16 in Europe via Earache Records. The effort was made available as a limited-edition CD with a free patch, limited-edition colored vinyl, and a special, low-priced CD version.
The limited-edition vinyl is available in the following colors:
* Lazer Explosion Purple - 100 copies
* Crong Green - 200 copies
* Revolution Red - 300
* Black – 900
LIQUID GRAVEYARD, the new band featuring former CANCER frontman John Walker, has inked a deal with the British record label Rising Records. The group is finishing up the songwriting process for its second album, which will be recorded and mixed at Sadman Studios in Madrid, Spain and mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland. An early 2011 release is expected.
LIQUID GRAVEYARD's debut album, "On Evil Days", was released last year via My Kingdom Music.
LIQUID GRAVEYARD's lineup is completed by Raquel Walker (ex-ABFYS) on vocals, Acaymo Delgado on drums and Adrian De Buitléar (MOURNING BELOVETH) on bass. Playing a style ranging betwen avantgarde death metal, alternative and progressive rock, this new group is "a giant step forward from [CANCER's] 'Black Faith' and 'Spirit in Flames' albums," according to a press release.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/liquidgraveyard.
Atlanta-based quintet DAATH will release its third, self-titled full-length album on October 26 via Century Media Records. Drummer Kevin Talley (ex-CHIMAIRA, DYING FETUS) began laying down his tracks in Atlanta on June 7 with renowned producer Mark Lewis (ALL THAT REMAINS, TRIVIUM, DEVILDRIVER) and co-producer Eyal Levi (guitar) at the helm.
"Daath" track listing:
01. Genocidal Maniac
02. Destruction/Restoration
03. Indestructible Overdose
04. Double Tap Suicide
05. The Decider
06. Exit Plan
07. Oxygen Burn
08. Accelerant
09. Arch {Enemy} Misanthrope
10. Manufactured Insomnia
11. A Cold Devotion
12. N.A.T.G.O.D.
13. Terminal Now
Metal Mark from Skulls N Bones recently spent some time in the studio with DAATH and compiled a video series documenting the recording process. You can now watch the third episode below.
Commented vocalist Sean Z.: "This album will definitely be the most real thing this band has put out to date. It's on a level everyone can relate to. The lyrics have taken a brand new direction and the music compliments the insanity creating a fucking masterpiece of a way different kind."
DAATH's sophomore album, "The Concealers", sold around 1,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD debuted at No. 35 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 Concealers" was released in April 2009 through Century Media Records (via a partnership with Roadrunner Records). The album was produced and mixed by Jason Suecof and Mark Lewis (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, DEVILDRIVER).
Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Chris "OJ" Ojeda of reuntied West Virginia metallers BYZANTINE has issued the following update:
"We have been receiving a lot of emails and texts lately about a rumor regarding us losing a band member. Well, the rumors are TRUE.
"First, let me backtrack a little and give you the full story.
"After the three BYZANTINE 'reunion shows' we had back in March 2010, a couple of us kicked around the idea of not hanging it up. We thought it would be awesome to keep playing, albeit back in the local West Virginia music scene, unsigned and happy as hell.
"We had two major stumbling blocks that we needed to cross first. Skip [bassist Michael 'Skip' Cromer] had moved back to Trafford, Pennsylvania to pursue a career in the IT field and Tony [Rohrbough, guitar] moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to try his hand at warmer weather.
"Skip immediately was on board. We asked Tony and, after some thought, he decided to not return back to playing in BYZANTINE.
"We respect Tony's decision to move on with other musical endeavors just as Tony respects our decision to continue under the name BYZANTINE. Skip, [Matt] Wolfe [drums] and myself simply are having too much fun to quit for good.
"Tony and I started BYZANTINE 10 years ago. Tony's writing style and lead guitar technique are an intergral part of the BYZANTINE sound. But, over the course of three studio albums, we had three different writing teams which produced three different-sounding albums.
"In no way are we going to try to bring in another Tony. With that being said, we would like to introduce our newest lead guitarist, Brian Henderson!!! Brian has been an easily recognizable figure in the West Virginia music scene as he currently is the lead guitarist for the Ashland, Kentucky-based rock band SPLIT NIXON. Brian will be handling both duties for BYZANTINE and SPLIT NIXON.
"We are very honored and excited to be playing with such a great guitarist and an even greater friend! So if you attend a future BYZANTINE show, buy Brian a beer. He likes beer. 'Till then!!!"
BYZANTINE played three reunion shows in March 2010 in the band's home state.
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