According to the unofficial BLACK SABBATH web site Black-Sabbath.com, Universal/Sanctuary has set a February 7 release date for the deluxe edition of BLACK SABBATH's "Dehumanizer". Originally issued in 1992, the LP was the first SABBATH effort to feature the vocals of the late, great Ronnie James Dio since 1981's "Mob Rules". With a lineup completed by founding members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, and drumming duties carried out by Vinny Appice, "Dehumanizer" is arguably one of SABBATH's heaviest albums. This edition is expanded with the single edit of "Master Of Insanity", an alternate version of "Letters From Earth" that originally appeared as the B-side to the "TV Crimes" single, and a version of "Time Machine" originally recorded for the soundtrack to the movie "Wayne's World". In addition, the set includes five rare live tracks from Florida's Sundome recorded at the beginning of the "Dehumanizer" tour in July 1992, including a previously unreleased live version of "Master Of Insanity".
The set includes liner notes from Metal Hammer's Dom Lawson, based on new interviews with Tony Iommi.
"Dehumanizer" deluxe edition track listing:
Disc One (Original Album 1992)
01. Computer God
02. After All (The Dead)
03. TV Crimes
04. Letters From Earth
05. Master Of Insanity
06. Time Machine
07. Sins Of The Father
08. Too Late
09. I
10. Buried Alive
Disc Two (Bonus Tracks)
01. Master Of Insanity (Single Edit)
02. Letters From Earth (B-Side Version)
03. Time Machine (Wayne's World Version)
Live at The Sundome,Tampa, Florida 25th July 1992:
01. Children Of The Sea
02. Die Young
03. TV Crimes
04. Master Of Insanity
05. Neon Knights
Judas Priest and Halford singer Rob Halford spoke by phone for 30 minutes, from a tour stop in Chicago, on Dec. 8. (Click here to read our feature story on Halford.)
QUESTION: So, where are you today?
HALFORD: Chicago. We're slowly making our way back to the West Coast. All I can see out the hotel window is frost and snow and ice, so I'm looking forward to some of that gorgeous San Diego weather.
Q: Well, it's sunny and blue and in the low `70s here today.
HALFORD: We've had some extremes on this tour – it was minus 25 in Edmonton in Canada, and that's too cold to even walk around the block -- you find your nostril hair freezing as you breathe in! That's one of the joys of coming back to San Diego; you have something like paradise to come back to.
Q: You'll be playing here with your band, Halford, at 4th&B, a venue I don't recall you performing in before.
HALFORD: I've never played 4th&B, so it will be exciting for me. It's kind of like a home gig for me. And 4th&b has an established reputation on the rock `n' roll circuit, so I'm especially happy to be coming back for a local gig.
Q: So, will you have an enormous guest list for the show here?
HALFORD: (Laughs.) Exactly! My friends in San Diego know a little more about the business I'm in than most people, so they're aware that if they come along, it won't be with a heavy metal posse. I do have some friends from the 32nd Street Naval base. I think I might have told you, I was given a private tour of the USS Milius, which is a destroyer, and I've always been a very strong supporter of what people in military service do.
We, as civilians, can't do enough in return for them, so it's been kind of an exchange going on, particularly in Judas Priest, over the years. We try and hook up as many military members as we can, to give them free tickets, backstage passes, photo opportunities and T-shirts and swag.
Q: How did your tour of the USS Milius go?
HALFORD: It was very emotional for me, because I'm really very strong in my support for what these strong men and women do for us. So to go up the gang plank and be met by the captain, in his white uniform, and all the crew, and get a two-bell welcome was a real thrill. And I believe some of those guys and gals (from the ship) will come to the 4th&B gig.
So, I've got some of the Navy coming by, and I also have friends in the San Diego police department coming, so we'll have a diverse array of San Diego metal heads. It will be a great homecoming thing for me. It's also nice to do these important things for friends we have in different branches of the military.
Q: How does it feel having this be the 10th anniversary of your band, Halford?
HALFORD: Wow. Well only George Varga would know that. You could well be right. In my metal life, careening about as much as I do, I tend to lose track of things. You could be right. That's an extra milestone in the metal band (legacy). Has it been 10 years? I guess it has been. Its been 7 or 8 years since the Halford band went out on tour – I've been back with Priest (since 2003) – so, if you include (Halford's 2000 debut album) `Resurrection,' yes, 10 years. That's pretty amazing.
Q: Does it feel like the start of a new chapter with the second decade of the Halford band starting, and the looming end of an old chapter, with Judas Priest having recently announced its farewell tour in 2011?
HALFORD: I suppose the way I perceive my life as a musician is that I'll just continue doing what I've always done. Of course, the bulk of my metal life has been with Judas Priest, and, yes, we are making this farewell tour next year and probably into 2012. But we do have a few more things we want to say What we'd rather do, for the time being, is let this information settle, because its very big news for a lot of fans.
So, we want to let the firestorm settle down. For all intents and purposes, it is the farewell tour.
Q: Why?
HALFORD: I don't know really. It really is for a lot of reasons. I suppose retirement or slowing down, if you want to call it that, I don't know. I think you have to face mortality, that's for sure. Some bands keep going and going, some bands ease off a bit, and some bands stop altogether. It happens to all bands, eventually, and now this is something we're facing in Judas Priest. So, what we want to do is leave on what we feel are respectable terms, musically.
Q: But Judas Priest is still playing well and sounding good and continues to be popular around much of the world. Why quit now?
HALFORD: It's what I call the `Muhammad Ali syndrome.' If you get in the ring too much, the whole thing can become really sad to look at and listen to. And you have to ensure that doesn't happen as a musician, especially in the extreme world of heavy metal, because it's very demanding to carry these old bodies all over the place. You try to do the things you could easily do 30 years ago and it's not so easy.
What we would like our fans to do is consider that this something to celebrate and not feel sad or depressed about. It won't be all over in a flash.
Q: Does this mean you'll be cutting back from performing with the Halford band, too?
HALFORD: I don't really know. Again, in regards to the comment I made regarding making sure you can go into it and give the kind of performance you do, without letting the fans down – I'm having a great time. Vocally, I'm very strong; I have a lot of energy and I'm doing all the things that are important. So, it's only right to treat both bands respectfully and differently. So, my intention, no matter where I go and what I do, is to keep making metal on personal level.
Q: I know from our previous interviews that you're a fan of some very non-heavy metal artists, such as Cole Porter and Michael Feinstein. Might there be a Rob Halford solo album in your future that would show a very different side of your musical personality than we've heard before?
HALFORD: Oh yeah, when I listen to the work of Michael Feinstein or Michaal Buble, I'm just mesmerized by the songs they perform, the arrangements, the (vocal) delivery. That's just me, (reacting) as a musician. I think my heart will always be made of metal, but it would be ignorant of me and kind of foolish to ignore the other emotional connections you can make in all kinds of music. I was listening to (a recording of) Tammy Wynette the other night, before I went on stage. She was a revolutionary singer, because she was saying things that never came out of a woman's voice in country music before her.
Q: Like singing about the pill.
HALFORD: Yeah, the pill and sleeping around as a woman. She was revolutionary for me. For me, it's the singer I'm attracted to. I don't pitch all of my (listening) on metal singers. Because I have a voice that is versatile and does quiet a few different things, I'm always intrigued by what's left to do. So, I don't discount anything, quite frankly, and maybe as I'm getting older in life my own feelings and the feelings of my fans will be a little more broad.
Q: So, there might be a Rob Halford sings old standards album one day?
HALFORD: I don't know where I'm going to end up. It will still be a combination of the love I have for metal music -- but there are so many things I don't enjoy. I'm still very inquisitive, a curious adventurer, when it comes to singers and the way they sing their songs. I'm glad I feel that way, after being in rock `n' roll for almost 40 years.
Q: The last time I interviewed you, in 2009, you talked about how you like to shop at Ralph's in Hilllcrest or go grab lunch at Ichiban. When you do that, do people recognize you, or can you go about your day anonymously as a San Diego resident?
HALFORD: It's a mixture. The friends and people that know me are respectful because they know that if I'm doing that (shopping or dining), that it's a day off from the office, as we say. I'm lucky, really. And because I spend quite a bit of time around that area with my gay and lesbian friends, and -- by association --with the drama we have in our lives, I suppose people who see me say: `Oh, there's Rob, give him a break' (from being in the spotlight). It's nice to just do that without any hassle.
Q: Earlier in this conversation, you mentioned your friends in the military and the respect you have for service men and women. How do you feel about the current `Don't ask, don't tell' controversy?
HALFORD: Well, just talking as a gay man and not as an American citizen, just as a guy that's traveled the world extensively and has been in countries where gay and lesbian people can serve openly -- like in the U.K. and throughout most of Europe, South America, Australia and elsewhere, the actual debate about the effectiveness of the morale in the military being disrupted by openly gay individuals who are serving is an absolute myth. You just have to look at what's gong on around the rest of the world and that deflates the argument.
But America is America and you can't do something just because another country does. The way this is proceeding is the way it should, through the right channels. It's slow, but it's the most democratic process. The vast majority -- not all -- of people serving in the military could care less if someone's gay; that's the most encouraging thing I've seen.
If you're bleeding to death and there's a gay medic serving who's working to save your life, what's the difference if they're gay or not?
Q: You mentioned taking a tour of the USS Milius here in San Diego, which is a destroyer. "Destroyer' would make a great song or album title for Judas Priest or Halford, but I'm afraid Kiss beat you to the punch.
HALFORD: That's a Kiss album, isn't it?
Q: I'm afraid it is.
HALFORD: (Chuckles)
Q: On your current tour with Halford, you only do one Judas Priest song, and two other songs – Joan Baez's `Diamonds and Rust' and the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac's `Green Manalishi' -- that Priest recorded, but didn't write. Is that because you make a conscious decision to keep the Halford band and Judas Priest separated, in fans' minds and your own?
HALFORD: Well, I'm very protective of Judas Priest, as all of us are in the band. That's just a natural cocoon you throw around the music and songs. Having said that, much like Ozzy (Osbourne) – and Ozzy and I have talked about this recently -- if he didn't do a few (black) Sabbath songs, the fans would be very upset. And it's the same with me and Priest songs.
I won't go out with Halford and do `Electric Eye, `Turbo Lover,' `Breaking the Law,' and all those super Priest songs. I've said many times that if you want (to hear) that, why don't you wait for the true source, rather than the tribute acts of the world? So, I've picked the songs we do at Halford shows with a lot of thought, which is why we do `Diamonds and Rust' and `Green Manalishi' by Peter Green. And I do put in a little of `Jawbreaker,' which is a great Priest song – I was looking for something of that tempo to flow into the set.
So, that's a song I feel OK about doing, although it was a difficult choice. It's important for people to appreciate that Halford is a different band with a completely different set of musicians. If you want Judas Priest, go and see Judas Priest. That's pretty much the way it must be for most people who have the luxury of a second career, away from their main place (of work), so to speak. And it's working; the fans are very appreciative that we're playing some Priest songs. But, mainly, the Halford fans just want to hear music from te `Resurrection' album.
Q: What qualities do you look for in your band members?
HALFORD: To have the same passion and dedication I do...Playing live is rock 'n' roll, so there you go. I know everyone in this Halford band is dong what they do for the right reasons. If you have one person not giving as much as the rest and the thing becomes unbalanced, you have to address it. Everyone has to work really hard to produce the best moment in every song. You all have to give 1000 percent,or its not real. Otherwise, there's something lacking in the soul and spirit. With the guys in Halford, I don't ever feel that missing. It's very solid, night after night
Q: Do you have dual U.S. and British citizenship yet?
HALFORD: I'm still gong through it; I just received an e-mail yesterday from my immigration attorney. The next step is to get my green card, which shouldn't to difficult. I am very slowly progressing through all that paper work. I may have to wait a few more years, but it's something very important to me and I really look forward to it.
Q: What do you call a drummer in a coat and necktie?
HALFORD: I don't know.
Q: The defendant. Do you have any favorites jokes?
HALFORD: (laughs) No, I don't. (laughs again). That was a good one, George. Don't lose your day job!
As we bid farewell to a year full of tragedy, the new issue of Revolver magazine — available on newsstands everywhere on December 21 — remembers many of hard rock and metal's most dearly departed.
The cover features a stunning painting by legendary comic-book artist J.G. Jones (Superman, Batman, Wanted). Jones depicts Ronnie James Dio, SLIPKNOT's Paul Gray, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's The Rev, TYPE O NEGATIVE's Peter Steele, PANTERA's Dimebag Darrell, METALLICA's Cliff Burton, NIRVANA's Kurt Cobain, OZZY OSBOURNE's Randy Rhoads, QUEEN's Freddie Mercury, and ALICE IN CHAINS' Layne Staley rocking together in heaven. The cover painting also appears as a free poster with the issue.
Inside the issue, Revolver remembers the cover artists and many of hard rock and metal's other fallen heroes via exclusive interviews with members of SLIPKNOT and TYPE O NEGATIVE, Dio's wife and manager Wendy Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, METALLICA's Lars Ulrich, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's M. Shadows, JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford, ALICE IN CHAINS' Mike Inez, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's Zakk Wylde, RAMONES' Marky Ramone, MELVINS' Buzz Osborne, rapper Ice-T, and more.
God helps those who help themselves, as Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine is finding out. Written by John Doran and originally published in The Stool Pigeon
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Dave Mustaine is a ray of sunshine. Perhaps it's because Jesus wants him for a sunbeam.
As soon as he picks up the phone, his infectious enthusiasm hits you, even though he's grumbling amiably about jazz: "I need to have a melody and a beat for me to relate to a song. Imagine if you were watching Led Zeppelin doing 'Stairway To Heaven', it was coming up to the solo and Jimmy Page went..." He starts honking and skrakking like John Coltrane and Derek Bailey in chain mail falling down a flight of iron steps. "The fans would be outraged!"
God damn it! He's right. Don't jazz up 'Stairway', you maniacs! And here we were expecting heavy metal's least-happy son to crawl straight down the telephone wire, come bulging out of the receiver and attack us like Freddy Krueger. But something must have happened to this guitar hero in the six years since his dour and depressing appearance in the Metallica documentary Some Kind Of Monster because he seems, well... happy.
Mustaine, a flame-haired, 49-year-old Californian, the sole driving force behind Megadeth, one of the most revered thrash metal bands ever, is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity thanks to the recent 'Big Four' gigs and a reconciliation with founding member Dave Ellefson for the 20th anniversary Rust In Peace tour. He is also a key early member of Metallica — the most successful heavy metal group of all time. He co-wrote half of their first album before he was kicked out for drink and drug problems in 1983, just before they became famous.
He has lived his whole adult life in a strange bubble of ultra-permission. Alcoholism, fame and heroin addiction meant he got most of the way to his current age without being encumbered with the need to grow up. Until recently he existed solely in the universe of heavy metal where there is nothing weird about wealthy middle-aged men publicly threatening to kick each other's asses for the entertainment of teenagers. And until recently, in this universe, he was the dark knight of the untrammelled male ego and the fully wakened and destabilised male id. He was, in short, metal's king of beef.
Most rock musicians on Wikipedia get a separate page for their discographies. Mustaine is no exception. His 12 studio and five live albums as Megadeth's mainstay have sold 25 million copies alone. But he has another separate page: 'Dave Mustaine's Feuds And Rivalries'. The most notable thing about this curious resource is not that it exists, but how woefully inadequate it is at detailing Mustaine's venomous and bountiful anger at other musicians. It covers his numerous, decade-straddling fights with various members of Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth and, of course, Rotting Christ, but trails off pusillanimously after barely scratching the surface of his ire. Nowhere does it mention, for example, Jon Nödtveidt, from Dissection. Back in the day, you see, Dave was an avenging ginger angel of metal retribution, literally traversing the globe, ready to kick the ass of any chump fool enough to cross him.
Dave tries to close down the discussion with a brusque: "I went all the way to France to fight him, but he didn't show up." When pressed, he says: "I'm a Christian and a headliner who has been playing for 30 years. That gives me the right to pick who I want to play with. So if it's my concert and there's someone on the bill who I don't want to play with, then I should be able to say, 'I don't want 'em on there.' If it's a festival, well, that's kind of different. But I told my agent, 'Don't book me with any satanic bands.'"
The reason Dave didn't want to appear on the same bill as Dissection was his religious conversion in 2003, something that helped him finally kick his crippling habits. Just a few months later his agent, who either didn't receive or didn't understand the memo, booked him on the same festival bill as the notorious Swedish satanic thrash band. Nödtveidt, the frontman of the group, was a member of the Misanthropic Luciferian Order who believed in extreme militant nihilism. In 2003, they had just come out of a six-year hiatus while Nödtveidt served a prison sentence for helping murder a gay man.
Dave continues the story with a Christian joke: "There's darkness in all of us, dude. I'm a sinner and for me to think that I'm not going to play with any sinners, then I might as well quit right now because I play with three of them beside myself."
He claims that his manager got Dissection kicked off the bill, but he wanted them back: "I told him, 'It's hard enough getting gigs as it is now [because of his conversion to Christianity], I'll step down.'"
By this point, however, the damage was done and the customary war of words erupted in the pages of the metal press, with the heavily tattooed devil worshipper bad mouthing the newly saved God botherer. So they took the only course of action that seemed reasonable and organised a fight... in France. Dave, with the righteous might of the Lord on his side, made the journey: "Rumour had it that he'd murdered two people. But, you know, if I'm supposed to die because some guy who is in a satanic band doesn't like me, then I guess I'm supposed to die."
When he got there it was a no-show, which was perhaps the only sensible decision the Swede made in a short life packed full of very bad decisions. In a way, that's a shame, because it would have been like the thrash metal version of Grace Jones versus Timothy Dalton up the Eiffel Tower. Instead, the net effect was thus: Misanthropic Lucifer, 0 — God, 1, even if it was a win by default.
There was to be no rematch. Three years later the satanist was found dead in his apartment inside a circle of lit candles, clutching the Misanthropic Luciferian Order's bible in one hand and a discharged revolver in the other.
Had he turned up there's a chance Dave may have kicked some sense into him, because it doesn't seem likely that Mustaine would have lost. He quickly sketches his legal fighting history: "I have a first degree in Ukidokan karate. My sensei — Benny 'The Jet' Urquidez — has the style of karate, kung-fu, aikido, judo, ju-jitsu, taekwondo, Greco-Roman wrestling, Muay Thai boxing and American boxing. So it's all those things rolled into one. It's a nine-style discipline. My second black belt is in Songham taekwondo and I was an assistant instructor in that style, and then I taught it privately for a while."
It seems that Mustaine excels at pretty much everything he does, driven perhaps by fear of rejection and failure as well as overwhelming competitiveness, most of which stems back to him being kicked out of Metallica. And it is this that has made him as hard as particularly brutal nails, as well as a quicksilver guitarist. But if there's a connection between his fist work and fret work, he's not up for over-analysing it. He drawls laconically: "What are the similarities between playing guitar and fighting? Well, I think the goal is to be great at both but not to have to do either..."
So not only would he certainly have kicked Nödtveidt's ass, afterwards, when the horned one's foot soldier was lying on the floor with a big bloody bubble of snot expanding from the end of his nose, Dave would have picked up his guitar of choice — a BC Rich Bich Perfect 10 — and fired off a lightning speed solo with palm muting and pinch harmonics that would put his peers to shame. Let's put it this way: it didn't come as a universal surprise last year when he was named as the world's best guitarist in occasional Stool Pigeon writer Joel McIver's book, The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.
But there was a time when he was only happy on stage shredding. He confirms that Japanese fans used to call him 'The Red Devil' because of his flying, flowing copper locks. If you wanted to see him smiling you'd have to take his photograph on stage. Caught mid-headbang, his crimson tresses flying up in front of a white arc of light, you might have snapped him during that split second where he resembled a grinning Japanese flag. The rest of his life was simply a grind of bitterness, recrimination, intoxication and anger.
Now Dave Mustaine is a ray of sunshine... in comparative terms at least. He laughs off the idea that his former lack of happiness may have been necessary to his talent: "No, no, no, no. No, no, no, no! Listen dude, the last break we just had, we went home for three weeks and it was the most enjoyable three weeks I ever had. Because the career is going so fast and furious at the moment and everything is going so well. We're playing good, we've got a great band, we've got a great crew, our shows are really good... what have I got to complain about? And I was thinking, 'Wow. This is the greatest period of my life.' I was sitting there holding my wife with my kids lying on me, we were watching TV on the couch and I was thinking, 'I wouldn't change a thing. I would go and do the same 30 years of work to have this same exact freedom that I have right now.'"
Because the Devil may still have all the best tunes, but God... well, he has the best solos. That dude shreds.
MEGADETH will headline the second annual Dean Guitars NAMM Jam on Friday, January 14 at the Grove of Anaheim in Anaheim, California. Also scheduled to appear is HELLYEAH. The party will open with a star-studded all-star legends jam with some of the greatest guitarists in the business, including Michael Schenker, Leslie West of MOUNTAIN, Michael Angelo Batio and more. And if that isn't enough, the night will be topped of with the always eye-catching Coffin Case/Dean Girl Fashion Show. Popular Sirius XM on-air personality and MTV "Headbangers Ball" host Jose Mangin will MC the evening.
The Dean Guitars NAMM Jam is an invitation-only event. However, the Dean TV crew will be on site, webcasting live from the Grove from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Friday, January 14, so fans at home get a backstage pass to all the action.
15 seconds of a previously unreleased PANTERA track, "Piss", will open this Saturday's (December 18) episode of "Headbangers Ball: The Year In Metal" at midnight EST on MTV2.
"Piss" will be included on PANTERA's upcoming "Vulgar Display Of Power" 20th-anniversary reissue package, which is coming in 2011.
"Headbangers Ball: The Year In Metal" is a look back at the biggest tours, craziest stories and top metal releases of 2010. The episode will include interviews with ANTHRAX and Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) and a roundtable discussion with Revolver and Decibel magazines, members of IN THIS MOMENT and bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE); plus a very special performance by Brooklyn's own LIFE OF AGONY.
According to NFL.com Blogs, JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE — which celebrates the life and music of Jason's father, the legendary LED ZEPPELIN drummer John Bonham — will take part in a special, abbreviated four-song performance prior to Sunday's (December 19) Dolphins-Bills game at the Land Shark Tailgate Stage on the AT&T Grand Plaza at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The exclusive pre-game Tailgate concert will begin at noon ET.
"We're looking forward to performing our tribute on the Land Shark Tailgate Stage at Sun Life Stadium," said Bonham. "This South Florida appearance is a culmination of our successful 2010 tour across the U.S and Canada and will give fans a glimpse of what the full show is all about, which has truly been a labor of love for me."
Fans can visit MiamiDolphins.com or call 1-888-FINS-TIX (1-888-346-7849) to purchase tickets.
Due to the overwhelming success and positive feedback from the audience and drummers at the first "Bonzo: The Groove Remains The Same" John Bonham tribute show on September 25, 2010, Brian Tichy and Joe Sutton agreed to look into doing it again. The problem was Tichy would be on tour next year with WHITESNAKE for most of 2011 into 2012. The only way to go for it again was to have the show sooner than later. And while looking into this, two back-to-back dates came up! The drummers all agreed two shows are better than one. Most of the drummers are back as well.
Commented Tichy: "Hey, we all had a great night! It was a huge success and we wanted to do it again. The time and energy that was put into the show made it all the more easy to set back up and hit again! We have the Amber Vistalite drumkit and three-ring-logo backdrop, so why let it collect dust! It's all about tributing to rock's greatest drummer, John Henry Bonham. That is a timeless endeavor! The communal spirit of the rehearsals and show bonded us and solidified the common reasons why we all chose drumming as a way of life. Yeah! Plus, LED ZEPPELIN is the best, there are lots of people that wanted to see it but couldn't, and there's never anything wrong with giving it up to John Bonham! Legendary disc jockey, KLOS's own Uncle Joe Benson is also back hosting both nights!"
"Bonzo: The Groove Remains The Same: A Double Encore!" will take place on Wednesday, January 12 at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California and on Thursday, January 13 at the Galaxy Theater in Anaheim, California.
Drummers performing over the two nights include:
* Steven Adler (GUNS N' ROSES, ADLER'S APPETITE)
* Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE, ROD STEWART, OZZY OSBOURNE)
* Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, DIO, HEAVEN & HELL)
* Kenny Aronoff (JOHN COUGAR, SMASHING PUMPKINS)
* Frankie Banali (QUIET RIOT)
* Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) **
* Bobby Blotzer (RATT)
* Fred Coury (CINDERELLA)
* Jimmy D'Anda (BULLETBOYS)
* James Kottak (SCORPIONS)
* Abe Laboriel (PAUL MCCARTNEY, STING)
* Khurt Maier (SALTY DOG)
* Xavier Muriel (BUCKCHERRY) **
* Stephen Perkins (JANE'S ADDICTION) *
* Chris Slade (AC/DC, THE FIRM)
* Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, CHICKENFOOT)
* Jason Sutter (FOREIGNER, CHRIS CORNELL) *
* John Tempesta (WHITE ZOMBIE, THE CULT, TESTAMENT) *
* Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER, BILLY IDOL, OZZY OSBOURNE)
* Joe Travers (ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA, DURAN DURAN)
* Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO)
* at Key Club
** at Galaxy only
The infamous house band THE MOBY DICKS — featuring Brent Woods on guitar, Michael "Denim" Devin on bass, Keith St. John on vocals and Stephen LeBlanc on keyboards — will be back in action.
Go to www.briantichy.com for all updates and information.
Swedish fans of the legendary Canadian heavy metal band ANVIL have launched a Facebook campaign to put the band's classic song "Metal On Metal" at the top of Sweden's single chart in time for Christmas. Dubbed "Anvil Aid", the campaign was started "out of love for and devotion to the band," and is meant to prevent yet another insipid song from the "Idol" reality show and singing competition from hitting No. 1.
To take part in the campaign, all you need to do is to purchase the standalone track "Metal On Metal" on iTunes at a cost of 9 SEK (approximately $1.3).
The campaign started yesterday (Wednesday, December 15) and will end on December 22. 7,000 people have reportedly already purchased the track, making "Metal On Metal" the No. 1 song in the Swedish iTunes store.
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's "Killing In The Name" topped the U.K. chart last year following a Facebook campign which was widely seen as a backlash against the manufactured, disposable pop promoted by shows like "The X Factor" and "American Idol".
ANVIL recently signed a new recording contract with The End Records. The band is currently recording its new album, entitled "Juggernaut of Justice", at Dave Grohl's (NIRVANA, FOO FIGHTERS) Studio 606 in Northridge, California with famed producer Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, AIRBOURNE, FILTER, ATREYU, ALICE COOPER). A spring 2011 relase is expected. Prior to the arrival of the new CD, The End will release the definitive ANVIL anthology. The collection will be comprised of classics old and new, with some surprises, and will showcase the band's entire career spanning back to 1978.
Former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has released the following statement:
"Yes, the rumors are true... Sadly my time with AVENGED SEVENFOLD has come to an end... The band has decided to carry on into 2011 without me...
"I had a great time with them throughout 2010, but it was their choice to end the relationship at the end of 2010 as was always the initial plan....
"I had an awesome time on stage with the guys every night and have so many cool memories from the experience with them... I am proud to always be part of the AVENGED SEVENFOLD family and history. I also adore the AVENGED SEVENFOLD fans and totally appreciate the way they welcomed me aboard and were so loving and supportive during my time with the band...thank you!
"As far as my future, I am excited by the endless musical possibilities that lie ahead of me...my love for music runs very deep and my taste is very broad and ecclectic which will give me the chance to explore many different things and collaborate with many great friends and artists I admire and respect...
"Happy holidaze to you all and c-ya in the New Year."
Drum-cam footage of Mike Portnoy performing the songs "Almost Easy" and "Welcome To The Family" with AVENGED SEVENFOLD on November 20, 2010 in Stockholm, Sweden and November 14, 2010 in Paris, France, respectively, can be viewed below.
AVENGED recruited Portnoy to play on its new album, "Nightmare", following the death last December of the band's drummer, James "The Rev" Sullivan. Portnoy was Sullivan's favorite drummer.
Portnoy recently stated about his involvement with AVENGED SEVENFOLD (see video below), "The relationship started as a tribute for Jimmy, and as a result of the musical and personal chemistry making the record, it's blossomed into being on the road with them. Originally that was only going to be for a couple of months until I went back to DREAM THEATER. Now because of the way the DREAM THEATER story unfolded, I will remain out with AVENGED SEVENFOLD into 2011, and stay on the road with them through the whole album cycle."
He added, "Although I'm not a band member [of AVENGED SEVENFOLD], I'm definitely part of the onstage presentation and chemistry. During the first couple of shows I played I was trying to lean back and be respectful. I was thinking, 'This is Jimmy's drum throne, this is his space.' But they were like, 'No! Be yourself, do your thing.' I came out of my shell and now I'm totally at home with these guys. We have a great chemistry, musically and personally."
Portnoy added one of Sullivan's cymbals to his touring kit: a Sabian ride The Rev had owned for years which the company had refurbished, but hadn't been able to return before his death.
Portnoy made his concert debut with AVENGED SEVENFOLD on July 25 as they played live for the first time since Sullivan's death at the Heavy MTL festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
One cannot think of a better location to loudly celebrate a metal anniversary than the legendary Wacken Open Air festival. German power metallers GRAVE DIGGER never thought twice than to mark their 30th anniversary with a metal extravaganza that would allow their most loyal fans to celebrate with them at the metal Mecca. This once-in-a-lifetime evening delivered the band's classic "Tunes of War" in its entirety. Thousands of headbangers shared in the enjoyment of timeless anthems such as "Scotland United", "The Dark Of The Sun", and, of course, "Rebellion". Staying true to the evening's theme, frontman Chris Boltendahl performed in "Braveheart"-inspired garb. Yet he had more surprises up his sleeve, as he welcomed guest artists VAN CANTO, Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN), and metal queen Doro Pesch to join him on stage.
Due on March 7, 2011 via Napalm Records, "The Clans Are Still Marching" DVD captures the energy of this unique evening and delivers it to living rooms everywhere. The DVD also comprises backstage footage, interviews, the video of "Highland Farewell" and its respective "Making of...", as well as all the live tracks on CD.
Check out the "Rebellion" performance clip from the "The Clans Are Still Marching" DVD below.
DVD
01. Intro: Scotland The Brave (feat. Bauluy Muluy Pipes & Drums Band)
02. Scotland United
03. The Dark Of The Sun
04. William Wallace (Braveheart)
05. The Bruce
06. The Battle Of Flodden
07. The Ballad Of Mary (feat. Doro)
08. The Truth
09. Cry For Freedom
10. Killing Time
11. Rebellion (feat. Hansi Kürsch)
12. Culloden Muir
13. Ballad Of A Hangman
14. Excalibur
15. Heavy Metal Breakdown
Bonus material:
* Behind the scenes
* Interview in English
* Interview in German
* Axel Ritt's iPhone clips
* "Highland Farewell" video clip
* Photo galleries
CD:
01. Intro: Scotland The Brave (feat. Bauluy Muluy Pipes & Drums Band)
02. Scotland United
03. The Dark Of The Sun
04. William Wallace (Braveheart)
05. The Bruce
06. The Battle Of Flodden
07. The Ballad Of Mary (feat. Doro)
08. The Truth
09. Cry For Freedom
10. Killing Time
11. Rebellion (feat. Hansi Kürsch)
12. Culloden Muir
13. Ballad Of A Hangman
14. Excalibur
15. Heavy Metal Breakdown
GRAVE DIGGER's latest album, "The Clans Will Rise Again", was released in Europe on October 1 via Napalm Records. The CD was recorded between mid-May and mid-July at the Meadow Studios, which is owned by GRAVE DIGGER's new guitarist Axel Ritt, and Principal Studios, where all of GRAVE DIGGER albums since 1995's "Heart Of Darkness" have been tracked. It was produced by Chris Boltendahl and mixed by Jörg Umbreit.
The MELVINS will perform each Friday throughout January at Spaceland in Silver Lake, California with a different set and featured albums including the band's current lineup, a 1983 incarnation with Mike Dillard and several albums in their entirety.
The band's most recent release, "The Bride Screamed Murder", was released by Ipecac Recordings in June. A limited-edition vinyl version of the album will be on sale at the shows, with each handcrafted album featuring detachable artwork from one of ten different artists.
Performance information is as follows:
Jan. 7:
MELVINS set (current line-up performing songs from "Colossus Of Destiny"); "Lysol" and "Eggnog" records in their entirety
Jan. 14:
MELVINS 1983 (Buzz, Dale and Mike Dillard); MELVINS set (current lineup performing normal set) and "Houdini" in its entirety
Jan. 21:
MELVINS Lite (Buzz and Dale only); MELVINS set (current lineup performing normal set) and "Bullhead" in its entirety
Jan. 28:
MELVINS set (current lineup performing normal set) and "Stoner Witch" in its entirety
For ticket information, please visit ClubSpaceland.com or call (323) 661-4380.
In February, the MELVINS head to Australia and New Zealand to perform at the Soundwave Festival. The band visits Japan and Mexico in March.
He is the multi-platinum Red Rocker — the outgoing, bombastic front man of hard rock champions VAN HALEN, the man who won't drive 55, and the man currently fronting his own supergroup, CHICKENFOOT. Better known as Sammy Hagar to the masses, he is one of rock music's most successful and notorious singers. On Saturday, March 12, he will be the subject on an exclusive interview at Canadian Music Week — taking place at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto — sharing the stories of his formidable rise through rock music and private enterprise.
For over 30 years, Sammy Hagar, also known as "The Red Rocker," has been a fixture in rock music. From the MONTROSE albums that are an essential part of the foundation of what became heavy metal, through a solo career that produced such hits as "I Can't Drive 55", to his decade long stint as the frontman for VAN HALEN, Hagar has sold millions of albums all over the world.
Taking over for VAN HALEN's original singer David Lee Roth in 1985, Hagar took the band to unprecedented heights, including four consecutive No. 1 albums, before being unceremoniously fired in 1996. Eight years later, he returned triumphant, leading the band on a reunion tour that was a box office smash.
Throughout his career, Hagar, a guitarist himself, has played with a succession of genius guitar players; from Ronnie Montrose and Neal Schon to Eddie Van Halen and Joe Satriani from his current group, CHICKENFOOT, which also features former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith. Endorsed by Gibson, the guitar company introduced a new signature Les Paul for Hagar earlier this year in celebration of his role in CHICKENFOOT's success. The guitar features a look and appointments chosen by Hagar.
As a songwriter, his songs have been covered by other artists, including Bette Midler and Rick Springfield, whose 1981 Top Ten hit "I've Done Everything For You" was written by Hagar.
In addition to his legendary status among rock stars, he is the masterful entrepreneur behind the Mexican resort Cabo Wabo Cantina he founded in 1990 and home of the handmade premium Cabo Wabo tequila — the most successful new tequila brand in the liquor business in years. Hagar has since expanded his restaurant chain with Cabo Wabo Cantinas in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe and a series of airport restaurants, Sammy's Beach Bar and Grill that raise money for local charities.
In his autobiography "RED: My Uncensored Life In Rock", set for release on Saturday, March 12 through HarperCollins, Hagar tells the outrageous and unbelievable stories of his rise through rock music, detailing how his voice became instantly recognizable all over the world. Lavishing readers with behind the scenes stories from VAN HALEN, one of the biggest rock groups in history, Hagar tells of the global stadium tours, private jets, parties, and of course the ups and downs that came with fame and success.
For a rare look into the life behind the man, visit the Canadian Music Week web site — www.cmw.net — to register for your Canadian Music Week delegate pass.
Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL will return to the stage this weekend for an exclusive pair of dates in New York and New Jersey just in time for the holidays.
Commented vocalist Brian Fair: "Can't wait for the shows this weekend in New York and New Jersey! These will be our last two shows before we go into writing mode and a perfect way to end our tour cycle for 'Retribution'.
"SHADOWS FALL has not played a show in New York City for way too long and a spot like Santos Party House is the perfect place for an up-close-and-chaotic metal show. We head to Starland Ballroom in New Jersey the next day, a venue that has always been one of our favorite places to play and always an amazing crowd. Both shows are early, so no slacking. Get down early and get the party started."
The dates are as follows:
Dec. 18 - Santos Party House - New York, NY
Dec. 19 - Starland Ballroom - Sayerville, NJ
SHADOWS FALL's "Madness In Manila: Shadows Fall Live In The Philippines 2009" concert DVD/CD was released on October 25 via Everblack Industries/Ferret Music. The set includes over 60 minutes of footage that was shot on April 30, 2009 at the Pulp Summer Slam in Manila, Philippines as well as a live audio CD.
SHADOWS FALL's latest album, "Retribution", came out on September 15, 2009. The CD sold around 13,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart. The effort was made available via Everblack Industries, the label SHADOWS FALL created in conjunction with Warner Music Group's ILG, Ferret Music and ChannelZERO Entertainment.
Louisiana rockers LILLIAN AXE, who parted ways with singer Ronny Munroe (ex-METAL CHURCH) in early October, have issued the following update:
"We now have narrowed our search for a new singer down to two candidates and we will be announcing our new singer in January.
"We, along with our manager took our time going through numerous submissions and auditions to find the right man for the job and we are almost there.
"Please be patient and we know you will not be disappointed.
"We just wanted to make sure we have the right singer to help move LILLIAN AXE forward and to continue to make great music.
"We are going to start 2011 with a full-throttle assault. We are going to record a new song with our new singer that will be available for download so everyone can hear some new LILLIAN AXE! Then we will be hitting the road to tour and finally support [the latest LILLIAN AXE album] 'Deep Red Shadows' with a new setlist and stage production with the same LILLIAN AXE intensity that will blow your minds.
"The new Cuba Gooding Jr. movie 'The Hit List' will finally be released in March and features the single '47 Ways To Die' as the main song in the movie."
LILLIAN AXE's tenth album, "Deep Red Shadows", was released on July 20 via Love & War Records. The CD, which featured Munroe's predecessor Derrick LeFevre on vocals, was recorded at Sound Landing Studios in Covington, Louisiana and was produced by guitarist Steve Blaze, mixed by Rob Hovey and mastered by Ty Tabor of KING'S X. The song "47 Ways To Die" was mixed by Sylvia Massy, who is best known for her work with TOOL, GREEN JELLY, POWERMAN 5000 and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. Tabor is the special guest on the song "The Quenching Of Human Life", adding an "amazing" guitar solo to the track.
WARRIOR SOUL will enter the studio in January to begin recording its new album. No further details are currently available.
WARRIOR SOUL's first album in 15 years, "Destroy The War Machine", was released in March through FRW Records. The eight-song album, which was originally made available in 2008 under the title "Chinese Democracy", includes a cover of IGGY POP's "Knocking 'Em Down (In The City)".
WARRIOR SOUL bassist Janne Jarvis previously stated about "Destroy The War Machine": "[This album] has everything a WARRIOR SOUL fan should expect from a WARRIOR SOUL record. It has an ear for an argument, puke on its shoes and remains untouched by trends or the long-arm of the corporations."
WARRIOR SOUL's current lineup is as follows:
Kory Clarke - Vocals
Rille Lundell - Guitar
Johnny H - Guitar
Janne Jarvis - Bass
Freddie Cocker Kvarnebrink - Drums
American/Norwegian melodic metallers KAMELOT have released the following statement:
"Unfortunately, we have been informed that, due to continuing medical and
personal issues, [vocalist] Roy Khan [full name: Roy Sætre Khantatat] will not be able to finish the remaining touring in support of [KAMELOT's latest album] 'Poetry For The Poisoned'. However, we are pleased to announce that metal icon Fabio Lione (RHAPSODY OF FIRE) will be joining the tour and handling the lead vocal duties. There will also be guest vocal appearances throughout the tour by Simone Simons (EPICA), Tommy Karevik (SEVENTH WONDER), and many more surprise guests throughout this very special and rare tour."
Fabio Lione is eager to get on the road, stating, "I am excited and pleased to be part of the next KAMELOT tour..I always loved the sound of the band..and I think this will be a great experience for me, the band and for all the fans of great music and KAMELOT... See you soon on tour and let's rock!!!"
KAMELOT has announced the following two shows as part of what will be a full U.S. tour.
Aug. 30 - Grammercy Theater - New York, NY
Sep. 02 - Club Soda - Montreal , Quebec Canada
Promoters will offer a special VIP ticket for these shows. This will include a pre-show meet-and-greet, and an autographed poster commemorating the show.
Both shows go on sale today exclusively through EnterTheVault.com until January 22, when they will become available everywhere.
KAMELOT recently announced its highly anticipated return to Europe on the heels of "Poetry for the Poisoned". The 2011 European leg of "The Pandemonium Tour" will begin on April 22 at Paris' famous Elysee Montmartre venue, taking the band's spectacular show to 18 top venues and a host of new cities in Europe.
In keeping with KAMELOT's flair for the theatrical, as well as their innovative and creative spirit, the second leg of the tour promises to push the limits of the live concert experience, bringing fans a spectacle even more eye-popping than what they experienced during the thrilling first leg of "The Pandemonium Over Europe Part 1". "It's still called 'The Pandemonium Tour', but it's more theatrical and visual than before," guitarist Thomas Youngblood said in a October interview. "It has a dark theme, a new stage design and more surprises for the KAMELOT fans!"
"Poetry For The Poisoned" sold around 6,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD was released in North America on September 14 via the group's own label, Kamelot Media Group (KMG Recordings), and in Europe on September 10 through earMUSIC/Edel. Marquee/Avalon Records made the CD available in Japan.
Recordings took place in the familiar Gate Studios in Wolfsburg, Germany with producers Sascha Paeth and Miro. Additional tracking also took place in Tampa, Florida as well as various studios in Sweden, Greece and the U.S.
"Poetry for the Poisoned" features guest appearances by Simone Simons (EPICA), Gus G. (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIREWIND), Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) and Jon Oliva (SAVATAGE, JON OLIVA'S PAIN). The artwork was created by many great artists, including Seth Siro Anton, Natalie Shau and Michal Loranc.
SLIPKNOT has been confirmed as one of the headliners of the French edition of the Sonisphere festival, set to take place July 8-9, 2011 in Amnéville. Other acts for the event will be announced soon.
For more information, go to this location.
SLIPKNOT recently announced that it will make a number festival appearances next summer, including the U.K.'s Sonisphere, Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting and Brazil's Rock In Rio. These will mark the band's first shows without late bassist Paul Gray, who was found dead in a hotel room in a Des Moines, Iowa suburb last May at the age of 38 from an overdose of morphine.
Speaking to the Artisan News Service, SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor admitted that he is still unsure going back out and performing live without Gray is the right thing to do. "It was a big decision," he said. "There's still a part of me that's kind of on the fence about it. It all comes down to the band at the end of the day and how we handle it. And if we can come together as men and handle it the right way and do it for the right reasons — do it for the fans, do it for the family — it could be the first of baby steps to see what happens in the future." He added, "The wonderful thing and the worst thing about this band is that there's no other band like SLIPKNOT, so we handle things the way we handle it."
If the band sticks to the plan revealed to The Pulse Of Radio by drummer Joey Jordison, SLIPKNOT will use a touring bassist for live work but will remain an eight-piece onstage. "We're not gonna have anyone on stage right now," Jordison said. "The bass player, he'll be behind me, you know, when I'm playing to lock in with me, but there's no one right now to go onstage. There's no replacement for Paul right now."
Jordison said last month that he and other members of the eight-piece band were already separately recording demos of new material, which he hoped to begin recording sometime in early 2011.
But Taylor disputed that, saying he has "no plans" to make a new album with the band anytime soon.
Following the announcement of the Sonisphere show, Taylor tweeted, "Honestly, I don't know how to feel about the tour. But it's for the fans, and for the family. We'll see. I don't know WHEN I'll be ready to make an album. Might not be for years. But we will definitely play shows. We'll see what happens."
Taylor and SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root have been on the road with their other band, STONE SOUR, since early summer.
Jordison has toured with ROB ZOMBIE and recorded a new album with his band MURDERDOLLS, although that group recently canceled a tour.
Orange County, California's AVENGED SEVENFOLD has pulled out of the 2011 edition of Australia's Soundwave festival, set to take place in late February/early March.
The band's official statement on the matter reads as follows:
"AVENGED SEVENFOLD regretfully announce they will not be performing at the upcoming Soundwave in Australia. After much effort, the band decided that they could not offer fans the live experience they have come to expect and didn't want to disappoint them. AVENGED SEVENFOLD will return to Australia soon to headline their own tour."
Soundwave festival dates are as follows:
Feb. 26 - Brisbane, Showgrounds
Feb. 27 - Sydney, Eastern Creek Raceway
Mar. 04 - Melbourne, Showgrounds
Mar. 05 - Adelaide, Bonython Park
Mar. 07 - Perth, Steel Blue Oval
AVENGED SEVENFOLD will begin a new trek with STONE SOUR and HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, called "The Nightmare Before Christmas", on January 20 in Reading, Pennsylvania.
AVENGED SEVENFOLD continues to tour behind its fifth album, "Nightmare", which came out this past July.
"Nightmare", the fifth album from AVENGED SEVENFOLD, sold 162,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at the top of The Billboard 200 chart.
AVENGED SEVENFOLD's self-titled fourth album opened with 94,000 units back in November 2007, nearly three times what its 2005 effort, "City of Evil", sold in its biggest week on the chart.
"Nightmare" was completed after the death of drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, who passed away last December following an overdose of prescription drugs and alcohol.
The band recruited DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy to play on the new album and all the band's 2010 tour dates.
Portnoy made his concert debut with the band on July 25 as they played live for the first time since Sullivan's death at the Heavy MTL festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Driven Music Group, the label created by former KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch, has announced a licensing deal with Nuclear Blast Records in Germany for FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's new album, "The Cold". Nuclear Blast will handle distribution and marketing for the album in Europe, Japan and Australia.
"The Cold" was released on September 14. The CD's cover artwork, which can be viewed below, was created by Travis Smith, who has previously worked with OPETH, NEVERMORE, AMORPHIS and KING DIAMOND, among others.
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM will perform at club Caradura in Mexico City, Mexico on January 14 and January 15. The band's lineup for the concerts will include guitarists Michael Gilbert and Edward Carlson, who will share the stage for the first time in about 14 years.
Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) was interviewed for the "The Year In Metal" special edition of MTV2's "Headbangers Ball". A clip from the episode can be viewed below.
When asked about the persistent rumors of a reunion of SEPULTURA's classic lineup (featuring Max on guitar/lead vocals and his brother, Igor Cavalera, on drums), Max said, "I'd like to do it; everybody knows that. When the classic four was together, it was really powerful. And I tried my best — I convinced Igor to go back; I said, 'Would you come if I was involved?' And I talked to Andreas [Kisser, SEPULTURA guitarist]. And Andreas seemed interested at first and then after that it got weird; lawyers started getting involved and shit like that. So I don't know. And I read somewhere that the one that doesn't wanna do it is Paulo [Xisto Pinto Jr.; bass]. [Laughs] Which is, like... I don't know what his gig is; I don't know what his problem is. I would just like to [reunite the classic SEPULTURA lineup] — just for my fans. Show them what this band was all about."
The current lineup of SEPULTURA released a video message earlier this week in which it urged fans not to "listen to fucking rumors anymore." The group added, "We are tired of listening to this fucking bullshit that Max is saying all over the world, that there's gonna be a reunion [of SEPULTURA's classic lineup] and this and that. We're here to say there's no communication, there's no talks about any type of reunion or any show with the Cavaleras. Igor is doing his job, Max is supposed to do his job, and we are doing our job. We are SEPULTURA for 26 years and we celebrating this with a new album, a new deal and a new world tour. And [we] hope this is the end of fucking rumors and fucking lies, OK?!"
SEPULTURA will return to North America for a massive headlining tour next April/May in support of their upcoming Nuclear Blast Records debut. Joining them will be a veritable united nations on metal in the form of Austria's BELPHEGOR, Norway's KEEP OF KALESSIN, Poland's HATE, Canada's NEURAXIS, and California's BONDED BY BLOOD. Starting May 23, Seattle's own NEVERMORE will replace BELPHEGOR to finish out the tour.
SEPULTURA debuted a brand new song from its upcoming album during its October 17 appearance at the Fúria Festival at HSBC Brasil in São Paulo, Brazil.
MIDAS FATE, the band featuring former RIOT/MASTERPLAN frontman Mike DiMeo, will release a new single, "What Dreams May Come", on January 25, 2011. It was mixed by Paulo Brancaccio at Diesel Studio and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studio.
The track listing is as follows:
01. What Dreams May Come
02. Liars In The Name Of Faith
03. History Repeats Itself (exclusive single track)
The song "Liars In The Name Of Faith" is avaliable for streaming at www.midasfate.com.
MIDAS FATE is:
Mike DiMeo - Lead Vocals, Choir
Vitor Campos - Guitar, Choir
Renato Videira - Bass, Choir
Felipe Vieira - Drums, Choir
Guest musicians:
Christian Trivelatto: Piano, Keyboards
Rafael Videira: Violin, Viola
Swedish metallers WOLF will be main support for metal legends ACCEPT on a U.K. tour that will take place March 17-22, 2011. WOLF comments: "We are thrilled to tour with one of the classic bands who made a huge impact on the metal scene in the '80s and has been a great influence on us. We share the same straight-forward, no-bullshit attitude in our music and it's an honor to tour with them. ACCEPT and WOLF — this perfect package should satisfy the appetite of the hungry metal heads, and still leave them craving for more."
WOLF will release its sixth studio album in the spring via Century Media Records. Entitled "Legions Of Bastards", the CD is described in a press release as "heavy" and "metal." Nothing more, nothing less. Producer Pelle Saether of Studio Underground in Sweden has given the album a heavy and raw sound that these excellent new tracks deserve. Fans of WOLF's previous efforts such as "Evil Star", "The Black Flame" and "Ravenous" will not be disappointed, as the band kept true to its vision of what good ol' in-your-face heavy metal is about.
WOLF supporting ACCEPT:
March 17 - London (UK), Garage
March 18 - Prestatyn (UK), Hammer Festival
March 19 - Dublin (IRE), The Village
March 20 - Belfast (UK), Spring & Airbreak
March 22 - Sheffield (UK), Corporation
TUCK FROM HELL, the Swedish metal band featuring drummer Nils Fredrik Johansson — son of LION'S SHARE/ASTRAL DOORS singer Nils Patrik Johansson — will release its debut album, "Thrashing", on January 25, 2011 via Metalville Records.
In 2007, five young metalheads decided to join forces in a band to create some serious metal in the Bay Area thrash style. The band quickly earned a reputation of being a wild live unit and soon the fan base increased. Their fans call themselves "Tuckers" and wherever TUCK FROM HELL performs, the "Tuckers" are there in the pit.
In 2008 they went to the Darkside, the studio run by Martin Haglund, formerly of ASTRAL DOORS. There they recorded a four-track demo entitled "Barbeque Beast". It received great reviews in many European metal magazines, including Sweden Rock.
The year 2009 saw the band once again playing a ton of live shows. They were support act to bands like ASTRAL DOORS, HELLFUELED and LION'S SHARE and also had a successful headlining run of their own. Later that year, TUCK FROM HELL started writing new songs. Bay Area thrash was still their main influence, but they wanted to bring something new to the genre: strong and catchy sing a long choruses.
January 2010, the guys, all born 1988, entered Darkside studio once again to record their debut album. Three months later they came out with a debut album that is sure to be a favorite for metal heads across the globe,.
Led by Johansson, the charismatic singer Niclas Ingels, guitar wiz kid Petrus Granar, insane rhythm guitarist Polo Bengts and bass player Tomas Sonesson, TUCK plans on dominating the thrash scene for many years to come.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/tuckfromhell.
DIRGE WITHIN/ex-SOIL guitarist Shaun Glass has issued the following update:
"Well, here we are nearing the end of 2010, and as most know, we [DIRGE WITHIN] have been fully focused on the writing of our next album and all is flowing nicely on that end. I think the songs are more powerful and musical than some of the past tracks but still remaining true to our sound. We have been doing some [pre-production] demos and all is sounding amazingly solid. If all goes as planned, we're looking at starting [to record] the album late February/March of 2011. Also, we have been asked by the dudes from NONPOINT to start the New Year off with a nice mini-run of dates so this may be a good place for us to test a few new songs in our live set. So try and make a show if one is nearby!"
DIRGE WITHIN dates with NONPOINT:
Jan. 31 - Libertyville, IL @ Austin's Fuel Room
Feb. 02 - Memphis, TN @ Newby's
Feb. 03 - Tupelo, MS @ Lucky Joe's
Feb. 04 - New Orleans, LA @ The Hangar
Feb. 05 - Jackson, MS @ The Fire
In addition to Glass, DIRGE WITHIN features vocalist Jeremy "Jerms" Genske, guitarist Matt Szlachta, bassist James Pezanoski (ex-FROM ALL WITHIN), and drummer Frankie Harchut (ex-THE DOOMSDAY CATALYST).
The band released a new digital EP on September 14 via iTunes featuring the rare track "Eulogy" as well as a re-recorded version of an old demo song, "Ties That Bind".
DIRGE WITHIN's debut album, "Force Fed Lies", came out on September 1, 2009 via E1 Music (formerly Koch Records). The CD was mixed by Jeff Rose and Martin "Ginge" Ford of Nott-In-Pill studios in Newport, Wales, United Kingdom. Edsel Dope (DOPE) produced the effort alongside Chris Djuricic (Studio One). The album features guest appearances by Corey Beaulieu of TRIVUM and Michael Angelo Batio of NITRO fame. The cover artwork was created by Stephen Jensen from F3 studios.
The Athens, Georgia-based melodic metal band THEOCRACY has just released a Christmas single called "All I Want For Christmas".
The track is available at YouTube, iTunes and in the "Club of Souls" section at the THEOCRACY web site.
Ulterium Records released a limited-edition, 12-inch, picture-disc edition of the THEOCRACY album "Mirror of Souls" in April 2009. The LP was strictly limited to 250 copies.
"Mirror of Souls" was released in Europe on November 21, 2008 via Ulterium Records. The CD was made available in the U.S. on December 9 through Nightmare Records. The Japanese version, which came out on November 25, 2008 through Soundholic, contains the exclusive bonus track "Wages of Sin".
"Mirror of Souls" was mastered by Mika Jussila (NIGHTWISH, STRATOVARIUS, CHILDREN OF BODOM) and the booklet was designed by Felipe Machado Franco (ICED EARTH, AYREON, AT VANCE).
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/theocracyband.
After annihilating the masses on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival throughout the summer of 2010, Southern California metallers WINDS OF PLAGUE will further spread their carnage across North America on the Vans Warped Tour in the summer of 2011. This is a huge opportunity for the band to perform in front of a different crowd while definitely bringing something unique to this festival to separate itself from the pack. Expect big circle pits and one of the most energetic performances of the day.
"The Warped Tour has been an event I have been attending since I started going to shows and needless to say, I have always wanted to participate in it, so we are very excited to say the least," stated vocalist Johnathan "Johnny Plague" Cooke. "Warped has always been known for the eclectic lineups and I am anxious to get in front of a new crowd and continue to build the WINDS OF PLAGUE army. It's going to be a wild summer, so we hope you can all come and hang with us."
The members of WINDS OF PLAGUE are certainly in the spirit of the holiday season, which is extremely evident in a "hilarious" video they recently filmed on their current "December Decimation" headlining tour. Check out the clip below.
WINDS OF PLAGUE recently entered a Los Angeles studio with renowned producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, HATEBREED) to begin recording its new album for an early 2011 release via Century Media Records. Cooke previously stated about the effort, "I can confidently say this will be our best offering yet. Both fans of 'Decimate The Weak' and 'The Great Stone War' will be pleased for we haven't altered the formula or strayed from our roots, but injected them with rage and fury. The game certainly will change in 2011."
"The Great Stone War", the latest album from WINDS OF PLAGUE, sold 6,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 73 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on August 11, 2009 in the U.S. via Century Media Records.
ONE-WAY MIRROR — the French band featuring Guillaume Bideau (MNEMIC), David and Franck Potvin (LYZANXIA, PHAZE I), Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK) and Loic Colin (SCARVE, WATCHA) — is working on material for its sophomore album, tentatively due mid-2011.
ONE-WAY MIRROR's self-titled debut album was released in June 2008 via Metal Blade Records. According to a press release, the CD "is nothing less than a killing machine with potential megahits, including future anthems 'Empty Spaces', 'As You Are Now', 'Destination Device' as well as a mindblowing rock version of 'Relax' by Eighties band FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD!" ONE-WAY MIRROR recorded the drums for the album with Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES) at the Dug-Out Studio while everything else was recorded later on at LYZANXIA's Dome Studio and Guillaume Bideau's Dogs In The House Studio and produced by Guillaume Bideau and David Potvin. The band then went to Denmark to get the tracks mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (SICK OF IT ALL, DARK TRANQUILLITY, MNEMIC, MOONSPELL) at the Antfarm Studio.
ONE-WAY MIRROR is:
Guillaume Bideau - Vocals
David Potvin - Lead Guitar
Franck Potvin - Rhythm Guitar
Dirk Verbeuren - Drums
Loic Colin – Bass
THE PROPHECY²³ and SMACK BALLZ have been confirmed for next year's edition of the Wacken Open Air festival, set to take place August 4-6, 2011 in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany.
The festival billing is now shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
ACCU§ER
APOCALYPTICA
AVANTASIA
BLAAS OF GLORY
BLIND GUARDIAN
EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS
HEAVEN SHALL BURN
HAYSEED DIXIE
IN SOLITUDE
JUDAS PRIEST
KHOLD
KNORKATOR
MAYHEM
MOTÖRHEAD
OZZY OSBOURNE
PRIMAL FEAR
RHAPSODY OF FIRE
RUSSKAJA
SEPULTURA
SKÁLMÖLD
SKI KING
SMACK BALLZ
SODOM
STIER
SUBWAY TO SALLY
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
THE PROPHECY²³
TOKYO BLADE
TRIVIUM
WARRANT
Wacken Open Air was first held in 1990 as a small event for local German bands. By 1998 the event had become the major festival on the European metal calendar and has included over 70 bands from all over Europe, North America and Australia.
Wacken Open Air is usually held at the beginning of August and lasts three days, during which the festival-goers camp on several large camping grounds surrounding the actual festival area. The 70 or more bands perform across four separate stages over the course of the event.
The 2009 edition of Wacken Open Air set a sales record; it sold out on December 30, 2008. All 70,000 tickets were sold over 200 days before the start of the festival.
Wacken Open Air, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, was honored with a Live Entertainment Award in 2008 in the "Festival Of The Year" category. This award recognizes distinguished achievements in live entertainment and is given out by Live Entertainment Award (LEA) committee.
POISON frontman Bret Michaels has made People's "25 Most Intriguing People" list, found in the magazine's new issue (cover pictured below), which will hit newsstands on Friday (December 17).
Michaels, who survived a near-fatal brain hemorrhage in April, told the magazine, "I don't want my legacy to be a hemorrhage. I want it to be: I'm a fighter, I'm passionate, I'm hardworking and I love music."
Kelley Simms of Hails & Horns recently conducted an interview with drummer Steve Asheim of Florida death metal veterans DEICIDE. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Hails & Horns: A new DEICIDE album will be released soon. Are you done recording and mixing already, and how did the whole process go?
Steve: Yeah, It's coming out February 15. It's called "To Hell With God". 10 songs. It was quite a time getting this one done. Then again, better to take your time than rush it and not be happy with it. But we got to a point with it where everyone seems happy with the results, so it must be done. And yeah, it'll be crazy! Lots of crazy drums and guitars. And vocals. Should be a good one. We're actually finalizing the mixes now and it should be off to master soon.
Hails & Horns: What was your mindset while writing it, and what direction musically did it head in?
Steve: My mindest for writing varies from song to song depending on what we need for the record, texture-wise. There is one constant mindset of overall creation, you know, that drive to come up with material. Then just honing in on specific elements and refining them, it's a process of elimination, really. The direction of the record is kind of a culmination of recent stuff while trying to recapture some old school vibe as well. It's tough to go back to where you've been before when you naturally progress over time but it's all about mindset.
Hails & Horns: Guitarists have come and gone in deicide over the years, but yourself and Glen [Benton, bass/vocals] are the remaining original members. Do you guys still share a connection with the direction and integrity of DEICIDE?
Steve: Yes, of course we do. As we say, we're the last of the Mohicans. If it weren't for us, the shop would have closed up a long time ago. It would have been easy to change direction and fade away, but it is indeed our shared objective to keep creating the sickest metal we can make. It's our job, our livelihoods and our passion. I still can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing. So, I intend to keep making records as long as I keep getting offers from labels to do so, and to keep doing gigs as long as we keep getting offers from agents.
Hails & Horns: It seems like you guys have been kind of waiting around for Glen to sort out a few problems. Is that why you created ORDER OF ENNEAD in your down time?
Steve: Yeah, well we're not 20-year-old kids who can just up a run off around the world without a care anymore. We've got families and sometimes being home is more important than being on the road. That being said, I still very much enjoy heading out and gigging, making albums and such. And the older I get, the busier I like to keep. So the ORDER OF ENNEAD project is a great thing to keep me active and practiced at what I do while DEICIDE takes some down time, which everyone has a right to, of course.
Hails & Horns: What's next for DEICIDE?
Steve: Well, we're gonna get this new record mastered and out on the market. Century Media wants a video shoot for a song from the record, so be on the lookout for that. We plan some tours for '11, U.S. and Europe, maybe some Japan and stuff out east. There's some talk but we'll see. Obviously, I'd like to get out there as much and as often as possible, so hopefully that all happens.
Former DEICIDE members Eric Hoffmann (guitar) and Brian Hoffman (guitar) have resurrected their pre-DEICIDE band AMON with Jesse "Jecheal" Jolly (PROMETHEAN HORDE, DIABOLIC, SUCCESS WILL WRITE APOCALYPSE ACROSS THE SKY, AFTER DEATH) on vocals/bass and and Mike Petrak (LEPROSY, SUCCESS WILL WRITE APOCALYPSE ACROSS THE SKY) on drums. The Florida-based quartet entered RedRoom Recorders in Tampa on December 10 with producer Mark Prator to begin recording its new album, entitled "Liar In Wait". The CD will consist of nine songs and will be made available in early 2011 via AMON's own record label. Eric tells BLABBERMOUTH.NET, "Mark Prator is doing a great job! Drums sound awesome!"
When asked how the musical direction of AMON will be different to that of DEICIDE, Eric said simply, "The music will speak for itself."
AMON recorded two demos — 1987's "Feasting The Beast" and 1989's "Sacrifical" — before signing with Roadrunner Records and changing its name to DEICIDE. After producing two extremely successful albums as DEICIDE, the band chose to make the AMON demos available on CD in 1993 under the title "Amon: Feasting The Beast".
The Hoffman brothers parted ways with DEICIDE in 2004 after becoming embroiled in a bitter dispute with DEICIDE bassist/vocalist Glen Benton over royalties and publishing issues.
KYLESA, RISING DREAM and KALMAH have been confirmed for next year's edition of the Metalcamp festival, set to take place July 11-16, 2011 in Tolmin, Slovenia.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
ABINCHOVA
ALESTORM
AMORPHIS
ARKONA
BREZNO
HEAVEN GREY
IN SOLITUDE
KALMAH
KYLESA
MOONSORROW
MOONSPELL
RISING DREAM
VANDERBUYST
WATAIN
WINTERSUN
For more information, visit www.metalcamp.com.
GORGUTS, VADER, EXHUMED, TRIPTYKON and DORDEDUH have been confirmed for next year's edition of the Brutal Assault festival, set to take place August 11-13, 2011 inside the Old Army Fotress in Josefov, Czech Republic.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
DORDEDUH
EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS
EXHUMED
GORGUTS
KVELERTAK
MORBID ANGEL
SKELETONWITCH
SKYFORGER
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED
TRIPTYKON
VADER
For more information, visit BrutalAssault.cz.
Florida-based death metal veterans MALEVOLENT CREATION will embark on the "United Hate Across America Tour" in February with support from FULL BLOWN CHAOS, THE ABSENCE, HAVOK and BEYOND TERROR BEYOND GRACE. Confirmed dates are as follows:
Feb. 11 - Tampa, FL - Brass Mug
Feb. 12 - Raleigh, NC - Volume 11
Feb. 13 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
Feb. 14 - Virginia Beach, VA - Buddha's Place
Feb. 15 - Stamford, CT - Warehouse 66
Feb. 16 - Albany, NY - Bogie's
Feb. 17 - Trenton, NJ - Championship Bar & Grill
Feb. 18 - Buffalo, NY - Evening Star
Feb. 19 - Detroit, MI - Harpo's
Feb. 20 - Steger, IL - Hole In The Wall
Feb. 22 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
Feb. 23 - St. Paul, MN - Station 4
Feb. 24 - Madison, WI - The Annex
Feb. 25 - St. Louis, MO - Fubar
Feb. 26 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
Feb. 27 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
Feb. 28 - Salt Lake City, UT - Club Vegas
Mar. 01 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
Mar. 02 - Portland, OR - Branx
Mar. 04 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
Mar. 05 - Las Vegas, NV - Cheyenne Saloon
Mar. 06 - Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse
Mar. 08 - Dallas, TX - Reno's Chop Shop
Mar. 09 - Austin, TX - Emo's
Mar. 10 - Shreveport, LA - Riverside Warehouse
Mar. 11 - Orlando, FL - The Haven
MALEVOLENT CREATION's eleventh album, "Invidious Dominion", was released on August 24 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records (three days later in Europe through Massacre). The effort was made available in various territories as a regular CD; digipack with bonus material; and vinyl LP.
"Invidious Dominion" was recorded at Mana Recording Studios (CANNIBAL CORPSE, VITAL REMAINS, GOATWHORE) in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Erik Rutan (MORBID ANGEL, HATE ETERNAL, CANNIBAL CORPSE). The band has also just signed a management deal with Extreme Management Group (SUFFOCATION, ORIGIN).
The album's cover art was created by renowned artist Pär Olofsson (THE FACELESS, IMMORTAL, ABYSMAL DAWN).
MALEVOLENT CREATION was recently rejoined by original bassist Jason Blachowicz.
Den Bosch, Netherlands-based thrash/death quintet PERSISTENSE (a contraction of the words "to persist" and "intense") has extended its agreement with Deity Down Records. The band's sophomore album is tentatively due in late 2011.
During the first half of next year, PERSISTENSE will focus on touring extensively and putting the finishing touches on the new material.
PERSISTENSE recently parted ways with guitarist Jacques Maas and replaced him with Hein Willekens.
The band's full-length debut, "In Blood And Heart", came out in September 2009 via Deity Down.
For more information, visit www.persistense.nl.
Guitarist Christian Muenzner of German progressive death metallers OBSCURA is working on an instrumental guitar record for a tentative spring release. The album will feature Hannes Grossmann (OBSCURA, BLOTTED SCIENCE) on drums, Steve DiGiorgio (SADUS, DEATH, ICED EARTH) on bass and Daniel Galmarini (MERCURY FALLING) on keyboards, with guest appearances by Ryan Knight (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, ex-ARSIS), Per Nilsson (SCAR SYMMETRY, KAIPA) and Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND). Vic Santura (DARK FORTRESS, TRIPTYKON) will handle the production duties on the CD, the drums for which will be laid down starting on December 27.
Commented Muenzner: "Being a fan of instrumental guitar music for many years, this has always been a dream of mine.
"After I finished recording my guitar parts for the upcoming OBSCURA album 'Omnivium', I felt quite inspired and spent all of my free time working on the songs for this project.
"The CD is gonna contain 12 instrumental songs. Stylistically, the music is quite diverse and has influences from various genres such as neoclassical shred, fusion, power metal, hard rock, prog and thrash metal. And, of course, the songs will have guitar all over it! I like to describe it as '80s Shrapnel Records shred meets modern metal.
"I am super-happy and honored that some of the world's best metal musicians agreed to work on this album with me!
"I'm very excited and can't wait to hear their contributions!"
Ever since Century Media Records released the "1987-1997: The Best Of Morgoth" compilation in 2005 and reissued the 1991 MORGOTH album "Cursed" the following year, there have been rumors about a possible reunion tour by the German death metal band. After receiving several offers from festival promoters, MORGOTH decided to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original release of "Cursed" by making several festival appearances in 2011. The setlist will primarily consist of songs from "Cursed" but will also include cuts from the classic EPs "Resurrection Absurd" (1989) and "The Eternal Fall". The band's lineup for these special shows will consist of Marc Grewe (vocals), Harry Busse (guitar), Sebastian Swart (guitar), Thilo Mellies (bass) as well as a soon-to-be-announced "great" drummer.
Commented Grewe: "Throughout the next months we will make sure to prepare a great show for us all to celebrate together in 2011. We seriously look forward to seeing old friends, peers and faithful supporters of the band again as well as playing to new audiences during the upcoming string of festival shows."
MORGOTH's first confirmed appearance will be as one of the headliners at the fifth edition of the Death Feast Open Air festival, set to take place June 23-25, 2011 in Hünxe, Germany. More shows will be announced soon.
Swedish death metallers INSISION have parted ways with guitarist Magnus Martinsson due to his "involvement and focus on other bands and projects" and have recruited death metal/jazz-influenced axeman Tobias Alpadie as a session member.
Commented Tobias: "Since their release of 'Beneath The Folds Of Flesh' I've been a fan of INSISION and feel honored that the band wants me as a session member. I really feel stoked about this and can't wait to start rehearsing with the guys in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully everything will turn out just great."
INSISION recently inked a deal with the U.S. label Sevared Records. The band's new EP was recorded at Off Beat Studio in Stockholm with engineer Anders Eriksson and is scheduled for release in early 2011. The group states, "It has been brutal and fun working with this new material and we're all excited about the release. We felt a need to get it out there while writing our next full-length album, mainly for the fans supporting us down the years as it has been just too fucking long since our last release. But now finally, we're here. This time it's going to be a five-track release, giving you four completely new killer tracks, the fifth bonus track being a remake of a song from our early days. It's just a brutal beating, a package delivering brutal and aggressive death metal, the INSISION way, of course!! This one will break your necks for sure!!"
Commented Sevared Records in a statement: "Sevared Records is very honored to sign the mighty INSISION!! I personally have been a huge fan of this incredible band since the first mini-CD. I'm extremely excited to release the new mini-CD and the following full-length CD, I know these brutal death metal veterans will crush every fan of brutal death metal skulls in!! And finally get the recognition of brutality they deserve!!"
INSISION's third album, "Ikon", was released in Europe on September 26, 2007 via Dental Records. The CD was recorded at Black Lounge studios (SCAR SYMMETRY, CENTINEX) in Avesta, Sweden. Mick Usher, who worked on INSISION's previous album, "Revealed & Worshipped", designed the new CD cover.
Bassist Daniel Ekeroth left INSISION in May 2009 and was replaced by Joel Andersson, who previously played with IMMERSED IN BLOOD.
INSISION is:
Carl Birath - Vocals
Roger Johansson - Guitar
Tobias Alpadie - Session Guitar
Joel Andersson - Bass
Marcus Jonsson - Drums
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/insision.
Santa Cruz, California-based progressive hardcore/death metallers ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS are preparing to enter Castle Ultimate studios in Fremont, California with producer Zack Ohren (AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK, ALL SHALL PERISH) to begin recording their fourth album for a mid-2011 release via Century Media Records.
Commented vocalist Jared Monnette: "This record is packed with a metric shit-ton of different sounds, directions, styles and grind. We've really tried to incorporate a new sound while keeping the important elements of ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS, while letting the past year and half's experience and stories of tour steer the rest of the album.
"We've been through quite a bit in the recent year, and it's almost impossible to not incorporate all of our travel tales into the new sound. Every song has something special to offer, or a new story to tell that allows anyone listening a temporary escape. If its not the first song that you'll enjoy, then it will be the next.
"We've taken the next step in progressing our music, and it may be the first into a full sprint."
ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS' latest album, "Portals", was released in July 2009 via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded by Zack Ohren and features 11 glorious grinders like "My Cup's Half Empty" and "Violence in Fluid - Triceratops".
According to a press release, "Portals" sees ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS "in new form, now using only one vocalist instead of their previous two-singer attack. The presence of the one vocalist serves to sharpen the band's straight-ahead metal attack and more importantly creates a cohesive album the flows perfectly from start to finish."
For a list of upcoming ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS shows, go to www.myspace.com/agatg.
Massacre Records has set a March 25, 2011 European release date for the as-yet-untitled new album from Danish extreme metallers ILLDISPOSED. The band will enter the studio on January 8, 2011 to begin recording the CD.
ILLDISPOSED's last album, "To Those Who Walk Behind Us", entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 32. This was the group's highest-ever chart position in Denmark.
"To Those Who Walk Behind Us" was released on August 28, 2009 via Massacre Records. The CD was recorded at AB Studio in Aarhus, Denmark and was mixed at Fredman Studio in Sweden with Fredrik Nordström. The cover artwork was created by René Asmussen (EVERGREY).
ILLDISPOSED last year inked a new publishing deal with Warner Chappell. The band was previously partnered with EMI Music Publishing.
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