Yahoo! Music's "List Of The Day" music blog has published legendary heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne's list of top metal albums of 2010. It is as follows:
01. OZZY OSBOURNE - "Scream"
02. BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - "Order of the Black"
03. MOTÖRHEAD - "The Wörld is Yours"
04. SLASH - "Slash"
05. HALFORD - "Made of Metal"
06. KORN - "III: Remember Who You Are"
07. PANTERA - "Cowboys from Hell" (reissue)
08. LAMB OF GOD - "Hourglass" box set
09. FIREWIND - "Days of Defiance"
10. AC/DC - "Iron Man 2"
Ozzy Osbourne will publish a new book called "Ask Dr. Ozzy" next year. The book will be co-written with Chris Ayres, who collaborated with Ozzy on his memoir "I Am Ozzy", and is a spin-off of the singer's ongoing column in England's Sunday Times in which he offers medical advice.
According to the publisher, the book will "tell incredible survival stories not found in his memoir, offer advice that no human should follow, and shed light on his seemingly superhuman ability to keep breathing." An October 2011 release is expected.
Osbourne has announced a second leg of U.S. dates which will get underway January 16, 2011 in Omaha, Nebraska. The six-week 2011 trek, part of the multi-platinum Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inductee's in-progress 18-month world tour, will include a pair of intimate shows: January 26 at the Dodge Theater in Phoenix and February 1 at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Ozzy's longtime friend and musical collaborator Slash will open all the concerts on the second leg.
On Tuesday, December 7, Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST/HALFORD frontman Rob Halford. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.
On the optimism expressed in the lyrics on HALFORD's new CD, "Halford IV: Made of Metal", which he calls "the most personal release of my solo career":
"I'm not one of these musicians that put moaning into their songs. I'm not really the kind of guy to reflect on my painful experiences. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel. I have an optimistic streak in life. I got it from my mother. No matter what you go through it's all relative. There's always somebody in a worse position. If you've got two arms, two legs and two eyes, then stop complaining. That's a little rallying cry that is part of my character."
On JUDAS PRIEST's upcoming 2011 trek, dubbed "Epitaph", which will be its farewell world tour:
"I'd like to think that PRIEST and all of metal isn't one-dimensional. Everything doesn't have to be connected to leather. We tried to create with PRIEST a really entrenching, varied, exciting heavy-metal band. By definition we've always called ourselves a heavy-metal band, but we've done many, many things in our music. The legacy of JUDAS PRIEST is the songs that we've made. It's been a fantastic journey for 40 years."
On feeling fortunate that he's never had to forgo his livelihood even after publicly announcing his homosexuality in 1998:
"I'm just going through my life like we all do regardless of what we are and what we do. If I do reflect upon the trials and tribulations ... it's to empower myself. You can make yourself stronger by being most honest and truthful. Some people can't make the decisions that I made. It's very important to respect everybody's final choice and how they want to go through their sexual orientation. It just displayed the passion ... and the tolerance of metal fans around the world. They don't care about that."
Former GUNS N' ROSES and current VELVET REVOLVER bassist Duff McKagan was asked by a reader of his column, which appears on Reverb at SeattleWeekly.com, what happened to cause the end of his brief collaboration with JANE'S ADDICTION.
"Last year at about this time, I was asked by Perry [Farrell, JANE'S ADDICTION singer] if I wouldn't want to come in and lend a hand in the writing of a new JANE'S record. I was and AM indeed honored.
"We started that process, and the rumors started to swirl, ebb, and flow to the MAX! I was just trying to keep my head down the whole time and do that band as much service as I could. They are great and gentle men, all of them. A nicer group of dudes would be hard to find.
"Alas, the time came for me to depart and get back to my thing, which is LOADED all the time, writing my book, developing a new business, and the ever-present hunt for a VELVER REVOLVER singer. The press blew the whole thing out of proportion to begin with, and in the end I was left to try and explain my way out of a situation that was just so simple. Creative guys . . . getting creative."
U.S. rockers STONE TEMPLE PILOTS will embark on their first-ever tour of Australia and New Zealand in March 2011.
The dates are as follows:
March 16 - Challenge Stadium, Perth, AUS (all ages)
March 19 - Festival Hall, Melbourne, AUS (all ages)
March 20 - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, AUS (all ages)
March 23 - Riverstage, Brisbane, AUS (18+)
March 24 - Newcastle Entertainment Centre, AUS (all ages)
March 26 - Vector Arena, Auckland, NZ (all ages)
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS drummer Eric Kretz told the Ventura County Star that the band has already started working on a new album less than a year after the release of its self-titled sixth studio effort. Kretz said to the newspaper, "We took quite a long hiatus (from the studio) and then we started touring for about nine months straight. It was just a natural progression to say, 'Let's jump back in and go back in the studio and continue the writing thing.'" Kretz added that fans can expect the record "very soon" but did not offer any specific release plans.
Kretz also said that having enough songs for an album is not a problem, explaining, "There is never a shortage of material. It's just a matter of sifting through it and working with everyone's schedule."
STP released its sixth album earlier this year after a nine-year break from the studio. The band's last effort before that, "Shangri-La-Dee-Da", came out in 2001.
The quartet reunited in 2008 for a successful world tour following a six-year hiatus.
Kretz said that the group hopes to get its new album out sometime next year and is also "looking at . . . trying new ideas of how to present music, especially for downloading."
The Detroit Rock Blog recently conducted an interview with THE CULT frontman Ian Astbury. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Detroit Rock Blog: Does the advent of the capsule format mean an end to THE CULT albums? Going forward, will THE CULT only release singles?
Astbury: I think those formats, those terms — single, album, EP — really belong in the 20th century. They describe a specific arcane format, and the industry is still holding on to some of that 20th-century pre-Internet communication, really traditional way of doing things. It's up for debate if there's still an audience who are quite happy to indulge in those formats. But having said that, the idea of capsule as a 21st-century format. . essentially with the capsule you can make it whatever you wanna make it. You can make it 20 songs, we can make it one song or a film, we can make four songs and a book. . I mean, we're gonna see the capsule application as being the new format for release of a body of a work. Maybe the word album will go away and we'll just say, "Have you got a new app by so and so?" Applications are coming, no question, and artists will (eventually) release their music through an app format. Apple is pushing that app format heavily.
And who knows where that's going to lead? A subscription module? Maybe you buy the band's app and then you update it with new material or new products. I think web sites will probably go away or probably go to applications again, whereby you have to sign up. You have to pay a fee just to be a member of the fan club. Or you at least have to give up your e-mail address. That's really what people are interested in, getting your e-mail, personal details. So then they can inundate you with requests to buy the wonderful things that we create.
Detroit Rock Blog: When you hear the back and forth banter between Keith [Richards] and Mick [Jagger of THE ROLLING STONES], after all those years together, does it give you a good feeling in regards to the kind of relationship you have with Billy [Duffy, THE CULT guitarist]?
Astbury: Well, ultimately, at the end of the day, we're very different people, but we have a mutual respect. There's a underlying respect and we're able to travel and work in the same environment. If we've got something to say to each other, we say it. Even though we may have completely different perspectives, under THE CULT umbrella, we work it out. Sometimes that can be very uncomfortable, it can be very heated, but there's no lack of passion there. Over the past a few years we've been making the best possible music we can make and whether or not we're (achieving) that, it's definitely our intention. That's what we're going for, and sometimes, you end up doing your dirty laundry in public. But I'd like to think were both mature enough to have the balls to get in the room and have it out with each other. It's not high school. High school finished a long time ago for us. This is our life, I mean for life, and we're fully invested in it. I'm under no
delusion that we're a brand like THE ROLLING STONES or even U2. We come from a completely different ethic, ethos, where at the end of the day it's blue-collar punk rock. There's a real grounding in that. We're under no delusions that anybody's gonna give us anything, we're gonna have to fight. We're not the kind of band to go looking for accolades either, and we're not great self-promoters. We usually call it like we see it and that's the generation we came out of. I think maybe when we were younger and we went through the "Sonic Temple" period, it was a very intensely commercial period, it grew into that. It was like, we keep making choices until we were in a cul-de-sac, and then we broke out of that again. We broke out on that with the self-titled album in '94. . . When you sign to a major record label and there's always a set of conditions that revolve around that. It was a high investment and high expectation and a high return. So we end up being in
the studio with . . There's always the outside influence of the A&R guy who's monitoring your progress and really does affect ecosystem of a band. I guess we also kind of grew out of a different thing. We grew out of more of a single ethos as opposed to an album ethos. We grew up with the seven-inch single as the resident product in the market place. Because we didn't have any idea there's any longevity in this. It's about making one song at a time, but then you get in the business of making albums, getting that more commercial element. It becomes a very different animal to contend with on a daily basis, when going out and doing 200 dates a year and releasing an album. Coming off the road, then going right back in the studio. If you do that for 12 years and you've only buried about five or six people, you've done okay.
Detroit Rock Blog: THE CULT had been lumped in with the hair metal movement [in the late '80s].
Astbury: I think everybody had long hair, but the thing was, I had the best long hair. Nobody had better hair than me. And they were all try to mimic it. I mean, Axl Rose was wearing MY bandana that my girlfriend at the time put on him. Straightened his hair out, put my bandana on him for a QUEEN photo shoot. That was MY look.
British punk legends THE DAMNED have been confirmed for next year's edition of the Sweden Rock Festival, set to take place June 8-11, 2011 in Sölvesborg in southern Sweden.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
AGENT STEEL
DAN REED BAND
DESTRUCTION
FLÄSKET BRINNER
GHOST
GROUNDHOGS
JASON & THE SCORCHERS
JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS
JUDAS PRIEST
MASON RUFFNER
MOONSPELL
MUSTASCH
OVERKILL
OZZY OSBOURNE
RAGE (acoustic)
RAUBTIER
RHAPSODY OF FIRE
SAXON
STYX
THE DAMNED
THE HAUNTED
WALTER TROUT
SAXON will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its classic album "Denim And Leather" by performing it in its entirety at the event, "spiced with a lot of other immortal SAXON classics and yes, they will bring the eagle!"
Guitarist John Petrucci of progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER has issued the following update:
"Hey, everyone. Wanted to quickly let you all know what's been happening lately.
"I know that the big question is 'Who is the new DREAM THEATER drummer?' I also realize that some people are getting frustrated waiting for the news.
"Well, auditions went great and we do have someone but we are spending some time getting everything in order before making an official announcement. Let me just say that we are all incredibly excited about our choice and just bursting at the seams to let the world know!
"The Long Island Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony was a lot of fun and truly an incredible honor. DREAM THEATER is so thankful to the board to be recognized in that way.
"I've been demoing tunes for my next solo record at my home as well as writing and cataloguing riffs and ideas for the new DREAM THEATER album. We'll be in the studio come January which is already just around the corner. Can't wait!
"Been working on and developing a few new signature products which will be released soon. Stay tuned for details. Also, I've recorded a few demo videos for some of the gear companies I endorse which should be available to view soon. The one for the Zoom Q3HD is already up [see below].
"Besides that, just practicing, lifting and taking care of the family.
"Life is great.
"I hope this message finds everyone well and again, thanks so much for the tremendous support."
DREAM THEATER will co-headline next year's edition of Classic Rock magazine's award-winning High Voltage festival, set to take place Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24, 2011 in Victoria Park, London, England. The band will headline the main stage on July 24. High Voltage 2011 will mark the first U.K. performance of the group's new lineup following the departure of drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy.
Portnoy, who is currently out with AVENGED SEVENFOLD as their touring drummer, previously said of his decision to quit DREAM THEATER, "Please believe me that it is not a hasty decision . . . it is something I have struggled with for the last year or so . . . After having had such amazing experiences playing with HAIL!, TRANSATLANTIC and AVENGED SEVENFOLD this past year, I have sadly come to the conclusion that I have recently had more fun and better personal relations with these other projects than I have for a while now in DREAM THEATER."
Portnoy added, "I love the DREAM THEATER guys dearly and have a long history, friendship and bond that runs incredibly deep with them — it's just that I think we are in serious need of a little break."
The drummer said that DREAM THEATER's "endless write/record/tour cycle for almost 20 years" was the main factor in his decision. He said he wanted a "break," not a "split," but that the band decided to move forward without him.
Portnoy added in a separate post on Facebook that his current gig with AVENGED SEVENFOLD had nothing to do with his departure from DREAM THEATER, writing, "They are just as shocked as you guys."
According to the unofficial VAN HALEN site Van Halen News Desk, VAN HALEN has tapped producer/songwriter/musician John Shanks (whom Clive Davis calls "the father of that guitar-driven kind of pop sound") to helm the band's upcoming studio album, which the group plans to begin recording in January. "Sources" tell the Van Halen News Desk that the members of VAN HALEN are "very eager to tour, and that they want to tour behind new material. Eddie Van Halen has been very busy during most of 2010 writing music," reads a posting on the site. "Alex and Wolfgang Van Halen often join Eddie in the 5150 studio and the three of them have been hard at work jamming and recording demos. The three Van Halens have been sending the music to David Lee Roth, who's adding the lyrics." Two of the site's "sources" have "heard some of the early versions of the tracks (without vocals) and were very pleased. The music is said to sound like straight ahead rock 'n' roll and 'very
VAN HALEN.'" In addition, "the band is re-exploring Eddie's extensive library of unreleased songs and riffs, even reaching back to their early unreleased demos for added inspiration. The band is retooling and tweaking some of this mostly-unheard, incredible music, which have completely new lyrics from Roth. Eddie is even considering developing a song or two from the material that he wrote for 'The Wild Life' movie score in the mid-1980s."
Interestingly, VAN HALEN is allegedly planning on recording the next CD at John Shanks' Henson studio as well as the band's 5150 studio, making it the first time VAN HALEN will track an LP outside its own studio since it was built in 1983.
Larry Solters, the spokesman for VAN HALEN, recently dismissed as "untrue" a report the MelodicRock.com web site that indicated that work on the first VAN HALEN album in more than 25 years with David Lee Roth on vocals was moving forward. The site reported last month that the band had tapped producer Ross Hogarth (MÖTLEY CRÜE, COAL CHAMBER, FASTER PUSSYCAT, DEVILDRIVER) for the record, which was tentatively due out sometime in 2011. The report also stated that Roth was recording his vocal tracks at a different location than guitarist Eddie Van Halen's "5150" studio, adding that Eddie is "receiving various vocal tracks from the singer, but not always to the guitarist's satisfaction...it's a work in progress between Eddie and Dave."
The report also stated that Eddie had recorded most of the bass parts for the album. The band's touring bassist is his son, Wolfgang, who replaced founding member Michael Anthony.
Solters told MelodicRock.com that there is "no tour on the books" right now and "no new album on the books." He did, however, concede that the guys hung out together "working on stuff," but as of right now — there will be no album or tour in 2011.
Music publishing company Warner/Chappell Music announced in August that it had extended its publishing administration contract with guitarist Eddie Van Halen and drummer Alex Van Halen, noting that the band "is currently in the studio recording an album with (singer David Lee) Roth that is due for release in 2011."
Meanwhile, according to Billboard.com, VAN HALEN manager Irving Azoff, who is also the executive chairman of Live Nation, mentioned on two separate conference calls that VAN HALEN was expected to hit the road next year, presumably in support of a new record.
Word of a new VAN HALEN album, the band's first with David Lee Roth on the mic since 1983, first began circulating in late June when MelodicRock.com reported from an unnamed source that the project was halfway completed.
VAN HALEN spokesperson Janie Van Halen, Eddie's wife, denied the rumors, telling Rolling Stone, "I don't have any updates at this time."
Eddie himself told Rolling Stone last year that he was working on material for a new record, but was waiting for his hand to heal from surgery and for Wolfgang to graduate from high school.
A new VAN HALEN record would be the band's first full studio effort since 1998's "Van Halen III", which featured Gary Cherone on lead vocals.
VAN HALEN's 2008 reunion tour with Roth grossed more than $93 million and drew nearly one million fans to 74 shows.
Former PANTERA and current HELLYEAH drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott has released the following statement on the six-year anniversary of the death of his brother, PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott:
"I wanna thank you all for remembering and celebrating the life of my best friend and brother, Mr. Dimebag Darrell! His spirit and energy is always with us and inspires us to be the best we can be! His legacy lives on bigger than ever, so on this day of sadness let's crank up his tunes, watch his videos, do some blacktooth grins and carry on in his honor! That would put a smile on his face!
"I love and miss you, brother.
"This is one of my best memories on my birthday — March 11, 2004 in Las Vegas — when me and Dime got up and jammed with Sammy Hagar and THE WABORITAS.
"Growing up being huge VAN HALEN and Sammy Hagar fans, this was a huge honor and a blast for both of us. We played 'You Really Got Me' and 'Ain't Talkin Bout Love', which we knew inside out and nailed it, then Sammy yells, 'Dimebag, 'Wild Thing' in the key of E,' and we both looked at each other like, 'Uh, oh oh.' It was a song we have never played... So Sammy leaned over Dime and showed him the three chords and we faked our way through it and it was actually pretty kick-ass...
'It was a dream come true!
"This is a photo [see below] of us havin' some Cabo Wabo tequilla and shootin' the shit backstage after the show!"
Abbott, one of the most beloved and respected musicians in hard rock, was shot onstage during a DAMAGEPLAN concert at the Alrosa Villa club in Columbus, Ohio by a 25-year-old ex-Marine named Nathan Gale. Gale murdered a total of four people and wounded three others before being killed himself by police officer James D. Niggemeyer, who arrived on the scene minutes after Gale began his rampage.
German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR and Florida metallers TRIVIUM 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):
APOCALYPTICA
AVANTASIA
BLIND GUARDIAN
EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS
IN SOLITUDE
JUDAS PRIEST
KHOLD
KNORKATOR
MAYHEM
OZZY OSBOURNE
PRIMAL FEAR
SEPULTURA
SKÁLMÖLD
SODOM
STIER
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
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.
Long-running Venice Beach, California thrash/punk band SUICIDAL TENDENCIES will embark on an Australian tour in May 2011. The dates are as follows:
May 12 - Gold Coast, AUS @ Coolangatta Hotel ( 18+)
May 13 - Brisbane, AUS @ The Hi-Fi (18+)
May 14 - Sydney, AUS @ The Metro (LIC A/A)
May 15 - Melbourne, AUS @ Billboard ( 18+)
May 17 - Adelaide, AUS @ Fowlers (LIC A/A)
May 18 - Perth, AUS @ The Capitol (18+)
Tickets go on sale on Thursday, December 16 at 9:00 a.m.
The final cover artwork for "Scourge Of The Light", the new album from Colorado power metallers JAG PANZER, can be viewed below. It was painted by Los Angeles artist Justin Yun.
"Scourge Of The Light" will be released on February 28, 2011 in Europe (except in Germany, where it will arrive three days earlier) and on March 8, 2011 in the U.S. via SPV/Steamhammer Records. The band was previously signed to Century Media.
For the original band members Harry Conklin (vocals), Mark Briody (guitar) and John Tetley (bass), JAG PANZER has always been something they held close to their hearts. "We've known each other from our earliest childhood and have never lost sight of the idea that this band is based on," Tetley explains. "I don't exactly want to use the term 'spiritual', but the three of us are connected with this band by a very special relationship. You could say that our lives are inseparably linked with the history of JAG PANZER."
This heartfelt passion has always been apparent in their songs, however: the American band has never sounded as impressive, mature and accomplished as on their latest album, "The Scourge Of The Light".
The reasons? Well, there are probably a number of them. Without a doubt, the band's two main songwriters, guitarists Mark Briody and Christian Lasegue, have never been in better form. Every one of their extremely dynamic riffs sounds haunting, every melody cuts their listeners to the core. It may sound like a contradiction, but since guitarist Chris Broderick, who was a bandmember between 1997 and 2007, left to join MEGADETH, JAG PANZER have returned to their old roots. "There can be no question that Chris Broderick is an amazing guitarist, and we were really happy for him that he got this chance with MEGADETH. But we feel that thanks to Christian Lasegue, JAG PANZER's classic, clearly more melodic power metal style has returned and that the fans will definitely be happy about this." Tetley may well be right since JAG PANZER's most recent studio recording "Casting The Stones" (2004) was criticized, especially in Europe, for its noticeably harsher
direction. "We knew that Christian was the best man for the job; after all he was a band member for three years in the mid-1980s," the band says.
But there are other reasons, too, why "The Scourge Of The Light" sounds so impressive. Despite their limited production budget, JAG PANZER spared no expense or effort to give their ten fantastic new songs a driving their trademark sound. For this reason, they asked Jim Morris to mix the recordings at his legendary Morrisound Studios in Florida and sent the result to New York's renowned Sterling Sound for mastering. The result is a real ear catcher, without any ifs and buts.
"I feel 'The Scourge Of The Light' is the best-sounding album in the history of JAG PANZER," Tetley says.
"Scourge Of The Light" track listing:
01. Condemned To Fight
02. The Setting Of The Sun
03. Bringing On The End
04. Call To Arms
05. Cycles
06. Overlord
07. Let It Out
08. Union
09. Burn
10. The Book Of Kells
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/reviewpics/panzerscourgefinal.jpg
ABYSMALIA, the Finnish modern thrash/progressive metal project formed by Jouni Koskela (CLOCK PARADOX, NOME, LIQUORWORKS), is currently writing material for its fourth album, tentatively titled "Amid Adversities". Whereas previous CDs were solely written by Koskela, the songwriting on "Amid Adversities" will feature contributions from Antti Jylhä and Marko Nikula.
Commented the band: "We are hoping to finish songwriting in January, so that we can rehearse couple of months and start recording around February-March 2011 for a summer release. Some tracks are already finished, [including] 'Scarred In Subliminal Slumber' and 'Endeavours Inane', and the band aims, as usual, for a seven-piece conceptual album clocking a bit over half an hour of audial chaos.
"The material that has been put together thus far is more accessible than our previous works. Not necessarily as straightforward or focused as [ABYSMALIA's second album, 2009's] 'Quid Humanum Est' was, but definitely easier on the listener than [2010's] 'Replenish Entirety'. This, however, does not mean a decrease in aggression — quite the contrary."
ABYSMALIA started out as a one-man project, having recorded its debut EP, "The Sewage of Lies", in 2007.
Brandon Marshall of Sonic Excess recently conducted an interview with SOULFLY/CAVALERA CONSPIRACY frontman Max Cavalera. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Sonic Excess: How was it to perform in Brazil [with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY on October 11, 2010 at the SWU Music and Arts Festival at the Maeda Farm in Itú, about 43.5 miles away from São Paulo] after so many years, and meet the Brazilian fans again, and were you overwhelmed by the response you got?
Max: Amazing! It was so good to go back. It was a great festival, and to be honest, I was nervous because it was my first time in Brazil since 2002, and it was my first show with Igor [Cavalera, Max's brother and CAVALERA CONSPIRACY/ex-SEPULTURA drummer] in Brazil since I split up with SEPULTURA. The minute the first note was played, the crowd just went crazy. I heard from some people that the show got really good reviews saying our show was one of the best of the festival. So, I was really happy to hear that.
Sonic Excess: Members of SEPULTURA (guitarist Andreas Kisser and bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr.) were in the audience for the [CAVALERA CONSPIRACY] show in Brazil. Did you have a chance to talk with them, or did you see them in the crowd?
Max: No, I saw pictures. It was actually kind of funny. One guy wrote underneath [referring to the comments section of BLABBERMOUTH.NET], "How cute, Andreas brought his father to the show." It was Paulo, and I guess Paulo looks really old these days. (laughs) But I did not see them, even though I was walking around backstage. I saw some other friends from Brazil, from my old times from when I lived there, but I didn't see those guys.
Sonic Excess: Will SOULFLY or CAVALERA CONSPIRACY be going back to Brazil?
Max: I really hope so. It would be really great to have SOULFLY down there, because the last time we played Brazil was in 2002 in Recife. It was a great show. We went on at around 2:00 a.m., and people went fucking nuts.
Sonic Excess: [SOULFLY] recently parted [ways] with Bobby Burns (bass). Why was that?
Max: He just wasn't feeling it anymore. Even though I think he regrets it now, because he sent some emails about how much he missed the SOULFLY camp and the activities. He wasn't there for us anymore. He was very distant and not feeling the same way that we felt. When you're in SOULFLY, it's part of a family, it's a hardcore routine. If it's a show with 10 people or 10,000 people, I want them to play the same, with no rock-star bullshit. Bobby started drinking and missing notes, so that became a problem. All that accumulated into, like, enough was enough. We thought it was better if he left, so we could get someone in this band to make it more powerful.
Sonic Excess: But Johny Chow is working out great now, right?
Max: For the moment. He [also] plays for CAVALERA CONSPIRACY so he knew all the songs, and he was available at the last minute. We took him to Europe, and now to the states, but we are meeting with some more base players, and we hope to have someone by the beginning of next year.
Sonic Excess: The classic SEPULTURA lineup reunion is always a subject, and it almost happened. Why did it fall though? I also heard that you will join SEPULTURA for Rock in Rio III. If this is true, will Igor be joining you?
Max: I have not heard anything about that, as far as trying to get SEPULTURA back together. I did call Andreas, and I had a real good talk with him. It sounded like he wanted to do it, and I had Igor onboard for the reunion. I think the only person preventing it is Paulo. I don't know why, but I think Paulo is really against the reunion. People should ask him why he is so against it, because I think it would be a great think for the fans to see the original lineup. SEPULTURA was one of the most important bands in the metal scene, and it would have been really cool to do it. I don't need a reunion, because SOULFLY and CAVALERA CONSPIRACY are doing great, but I would like to do it for the fans to show them we had this kick-ass band. We can do it again, but people should ask Paulo why it doesn't appeal to him.
Sonic Excess: Have you listened to the new SEPULTURA CDs? If so, what is your opinion on them?
Max: No, I never felt like I wanted to. I never got the chance, or the albums, not even the stuff that Igor did. I never got to hear that. I don't know, not familiar with it man. To me it's really weird, SEPULTURA, to me, has a name. It was something I created in high school, and it was like my baby for all these years. I came up with the name, and I wrote a lot of the songs. When I left, it was really hard for me to go and listen to something called "SEPULTURA."
Sonic Excess: Do you think it's appropriate, with you and Igor not in the band anymore, for it to still be called SEPULTURA?
Max: The original band is not in the band anymore, me and Igor are out. Igor was original, because he was there in the beginning. But, now that we both are out, I don't see the credibility.
In addition, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES will take part in the Punkspring festival in Japan in early April.
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES recently canceled the remaining dates on its U.S. tour because a parent of one of the bandmembers passed away and he needed to fly home to be with his family in this difficult time and handle all the funeral arrangements.
Another treat from the Suicidal Records stable, "No Mercy Fool!/The Suicidal Family" was released via Suicidal Records on September 7. The CD features re-recorded tracks from SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' second album, "Join The Army", as well as tunes from the second full-length from NO MERCY, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' guitarist Mike Clark's speed metal band (which found SUICIDAL TENDENCIES vocalist Mike Muir on vocals) from 1986.
Since its beginnings in Venice, California in the early '80s, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES has led the charge in the skate punk/thrash metal movement, consequently influencing an entire generation of bands along the way. Now, over two decades later, the time was right to unleash these lost gems, re-recorded and released for fans old and new to enjoy for the very first time. Also included is a new version of the classic SUICIDAL TENDENCIES track "Possessed To Skate".
Norwegian melodic metallers THUNDERBOLT have inked a deal with Germany's Rock It Up Records. The band's third album, "Dung Idols", will be released in February/March 2011.
The forthcoming THUNDERBOLT LP will tentatively feature the following tracks:
* Majestic Travesty
* Fight
* Land of the Living
* Metal Tide
* Black Horde
* Special
* Crime Of The Sentry
* Dung Idols
* The Moderators
* Heel Run
THUNDERBOLT was the main support for powerhouse American vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, ex-JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) on his European solo tour in September.
THUNDERBOLT's sophomore album, "Love and Destruction", was released in May 2006 via Massacre Records.
The band's debut LP, "Demons and Diamonds", came out in 2003.
TOXIC HOLOCAUST has entered Dexters Lab in Milford, Connecticut with TOXIC HOLOCAUST/KINGDOM OF SORROW drummer and engineer Nick Bellmore (HATEBREED, PHANTOMS, FULL BLOWN CHAOS) to begin recording its new album for a late spring release via Relapse Records.
TOXIC HOLOCAUST frontman Joel Grind recently checked in from the studio with the following update: "We are on Day 4 of recording the new record. Everything is coming together quickly and smoothly. Drums are finished and we have started on guitar tracks.
"I'm excited for people to hear this new stuff. It's not going to alienate old fans, by any means, but I think it might attract some new ones. It's definitely a step up from what we've done, and this time around we've increased the evil tenfold. The lyrics on this record are a little darker, including lots of occult themes as well as real-life shit that is stranger than fiction could ever be."
TOXIC HOLOCAUST has announced a run of January tour dates following the band's current recording session. The group will kick off the headlining run on January 12 in Brooklyn, New York before working its way west.
TOXIC HOLOCAUST tour dates:
Jan. 12 - Brooklyn, NY - The Acheron
Jan. 13 - Milford, CT - Daniel Street
Jan. 14 - Pittsburgh, PA - Kopecs Korner Bar
Stinky of Capital Chaos conducted an interview with bassist Phil Zeller of TOXIC HOLOCAUST on November 19, 2010 at Club 916 in Citrus Heights, California. You can now watch the chat below.
THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT — the band led by Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, STEVE VAI, LAMB OF GOD, DARKEST HOUR, GWAR) — will embark on a European headlining tour in March. The dates are as follows:
March 03 - The Brook, Southampton, United Kingdom
March 04 - The Fleece, Bristol, United Kingdom
March 05 - Rock City, Nottingham, United Kingdom
March 06 - Academy 2, Manchester, United Kingdom
March 07 - Garage, Glasgow, United Kingdom
March 09 - Grunspan, Hamburg, Germany
March 10 - Voxhall, Århus, Denmark
March 11 - Sticky Fingers, Gothenburg, Sweden
March 12 - Betong, Oslo, Norway
March 13 - Debaser, Stockholm, Sweden
March 15 - The Rock, Copenhagen, Denmark
March 16 - Tivoli, Utrecht, Netherlands
March 17 - Matrix, Bochum, Germany
March 18 - Moshpit Music Club, Naters, Switzerland
March 19 - Magazzini Generale, Milan, Italy
March 21 - Szene Wien, Vienna, Austria
March 22 - Roxy, Prague, Czech Republic
March 23 - Colos-saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany
March 24 - Biebob, Vosselaar, Belgium
March 25 - Elysee Montmatre, Paris, France
March 26 - O2 Islington Academy, London, United Kingdom
March 28 - De Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands
March 29 - De Kade, Zaandam, Netherlands
March 30 - Cable Factory, Helsinki, Finland
March 31 - Club Teatria, Oulu, Finland
Townsend is currently working on THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT's third and fourth CDs, "Deconstruction" and "Ghost".
Even though "Ghost" is the fourth album to be made available under THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT moniker, Devin recorded it third, because "Deconstruction" (the third album) is "a nightmare technically and I wanted to make something lovely before diving into that," Devin previously said.
According to Devin, "'Ghost' is the mellowest (by far) and prettiest record I've done so far" with a "very wonderful vibe." It will be released with "the shitstorm that is 'Deconstruction' simultaneously" — possibly in early April 2011.
Songtitles set to appear on "Ghost" include:
* Feather
* Radial Highway
* Fly
* Monsoon
* Infinite Ocean
* Moonshine
* Texada
* Blackberry
Townsend performed his "Ziltoid The Omniscient" concept album in its entirety on July 2 at Tuska as a special one-off world-exclusive show. His DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT also played a set the following day at the festival, which featured additional appearances by TESTAMENT and OBITUARY, among many others.
"Addicted", the second in a series of albums from Townsend to be made available under the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT moniker, came out in November 2009 and has become the fastest-selling solo record in Devin's career.
ECHOTERRA — the new female-fronted symphonic rock/metal band featuring vocalist Melissa Ferlaak (VISIONS OF ATLANTIS), keyboardist Jonah Weingarten (PYRAMAZE), guitarist Yan Leviathan (AVIAN), bassist Brian Hollenbeck and drummer Adam Sagan (INTO ETERNITY) — has issued the following update:
"We have just completed recording and mixing all of the keyboards for our next album. We are currently working on drums and once those are done, we will record the bass and guitars.
"We are very close on deciding on a title and we will let you all know in the very near future.
"We expect the album to be completed by early spring and are targeting a release date of early summer 2011.
"This will mark the full-length debut of our new singer Melissa Ferlaak and those of you familiar with our 'In Your Eyes' EP, know as well as us that she will deliver a phenomenal performance on the album.
"Musically, the album will be a little more diverse than the last one; we will have a nice mix of melodic songs, fast and heavy songs, as well as epic ones full of huge orchestral arrangements.
"Once the album is completed, we will do some live shows in the U.S. and then we will do some dates in Europe during the fall highlighted by our performance at Metal Female Voices Fest in Belgium."
Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen will perform as a guest soprano at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Savonlinna, Finland. She will appear on July 17 with world-famous Argentinean tenor José Cura and the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra.
More than 300 artists from 12 countries will perform during the 2011 edition of the Savonlinna Opera Festival, which will take place between July 1 and July 27.
For more details and ticket information, go to this location.
Tarja's sophomore solo album, "What Lies Beneath", sold around 1,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 24 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.
"What Lies Beneath" was released in North America on September 14 via The End Records. The CD's first single, "Falling Awake" (featuring Jason Hook from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH), was released August 17 as a limited-edition seven-inch single through The Omega Order and available August 24 at all digital outlets . The track is backed with "The Good Die Young" — a song from the SCORPIONS' most recent album that features Tarja's vocals.
Featuring U.S.-exclusive artwork and a bonus track, "What Lies Beneath" was recorded and produced by Tarja and mixed by Tim Palmer (PEARL JAM, THE CURE, ROBERT PLANT), Colin Richardson (SLIPKNOT, MACHINE HEAD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) and Slamm Andrews (scores of "Angels & Demon", "Pirates of The Caribbean", "Gladiator"). Special guests on ther CD include Phil Labonte (ALL THAT REMAINS), Joe Satriani, Jason Hook (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH), Will Calhoun (LIVING COLOUR), Slovak National Symphony Orchestra and Choir and more.
ECHOTERRA made its live debut on February 6, 2010 as the support act for EPICA, THREAT SIGNAL and BLACKGUARD.
ECHOTERRA's latest EP, "In Your Eyes" features Ferlaak on the three re-recorded songs from the band's debut CD — "In Your Eyes", "A Tear of Her Heart" and "Say, Try, Lie, Die". The EP also includes an orchestral version of "Bear Mountain", a song that will be featured on ECHOTERRA's next full-length album. "The Echoterra Overture".
ECHOTERRA last year parted ways with singer Suvi Virtanen for the sole reason that she is located in Sweden while the rest of the band is located in the U.S., which makes it very difficult to perform live.
Adam joined ECHOTERRA as the replacement for John Gensmer, since John is busy with his main band EPICUREAN and will not have the time to dedicate to ECHOTERRA.
ECHOTERRA's debut album, "The Law Of One", was released on September 15, 2009 via Blinding Force Recordings.
SKINNER, the new band featuring Rob Kolowitz (IMAGIKA, RAPID FIRE, HELLHOUND, BLACKSTORM), Jim Pegram (IMAGIKA, NITEMARE, BAPHOMET, HARUM SCARUM), Ramon Ochoa (TOTAL ECLIPSE, MALADICTION, DOWN FACTOR, CRYPTOREUM, MACHINE.CALLED.MAN) and Norman Skinner (TRAMONTANE, UTOPIAN TRAP, CONSEQUENCE OF CHAOS, MACHINE.CALLED.MAN, IMAGIKA), has begun writing material for its debut album. The group, which is currently seeking a second guitarist, plans to start playing out next spring.
Baltimore's MISERY INDEX has been confirmed for next year's edition of the With Full Force festival, set to take place July 1-3, 2011 at Flugplatz Roitzschjora in Löbnitz, Germany (near Leipzig).
The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
CARNIFEX
DEEZ NUTS
DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER
ELÄKELÄISET
MISERY INDEX
PARKWAY DRIVE
PETER PAN SPEEDROCK
TERROR
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
MIDNATTSOL — the German-Norwegian band featuring vocalist Carmen Elise Espenaes (the younger sister of LEAVES' EYES singer Liv Kristine) — will release its third album, "The Metamorphosis Melody", on March 25, 2011. The CD was recorded at Studio E (THE VISION BLEAK, LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE, SECRETS OF THE MOON) with producer Markus Stock. The group states, "In addition to 11 brand new songs with almost an hour playtime, we have made a limited edition for you as well, this time with both a bonus DVD and a bonus track, sung by [guitarist] Daniel Droste."
In other news, guitarist Daniel Droste recently left MIDNATTSOL in order to concentrate on his other band, AHAB. MIDNATTSOL says in a statement, "We want to thank Daniel from the bottom of our heart for all the awesome and funny moments together with him in the rehearsal room, studio, tour bus and, of course, on stage and wish him all the best for the future, both regarding his musical career and private life."
The group adds, "In order to be a complete band again, we are now in search of a new guitarist."
Regarding the new album's title, Carmen stated in a recent video message (see below), "On one side it stands as a great symbol for what we in MIDNATTSOL have experienced in the last months since the release of our last album.
"We've gone through a big change regarding band structure, and like you know, we've got a fantastic new guitarist, Alex [Kautz], and this had an immense influence on our music; I think you can hear that in the new songs. And at the same time it stands as great symbol for the individual change that each single member of MIDNATTSOL has gone through, so it's like a personal change as well. But like on all our albums, there is a deeper meaning of the title as well, and the thing is that I don't want to reveal too much because I want you, the listeners, to make your own interpretations. But what I can say is that the new album should be an encouragement to change, both personally and globally.
"All of the bandmembers in MIDNATTSOL think that this album is the best album we have ever made, so I really, really hope that you feel that as well."
MIDNATTSOL's second album, "Nordlys" (translated: Northern Light), was released in March 2009 via Napalm Records. The CD was mixed by Tue Madsen and was mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland with Mika Jusilla.
MIDNATTSOL's debut album, "Where Twilight Dwells", was released in 2005 via Napalm Records.
Former BROKEN HOPE/current LUPARA guitarist and author Jeremy Wagner has signed a book deal for his debut novel, "The Armageddon Chord". The book is slated for release in August 2011 in digital format, trade paperback, and a special, limited-edition hardcover through kRP Publishing.
Book synopsis: An ancient and evil song written in hieroglyphics is discovered; once transcribed and performed, the song will bring the Apocalypse upon the Earth and a gifted guitarist finds himself caught between the forces of good and evil."
Jeremy became an official, affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA) this past year.
Outside of writing and music, Jeremy will be launching an artist management company in 2011 with his close friend and manager, Frank Mastalerz of FM Entertainment. The as-yet-unnamed company will encapsulate artist development, booking, record company operations, and more.
For more information, visit Jeremy-Wagner.com.
Canadian epic black metal band ECLIPSE ETERNAL has finished recording its new album for a tentative early 2011 release. The group states, "It seems to have taken forever, but we're satisfied with everything and will soon enter the mixing phase. As of now, Glen [Drover; ex-MEGADETH/KING DIAMOND guitarist] is doing some preliminary editing, and then in the New Year we will get down to actually mixing everything."
ECLIPSE ETERNAL's most recent album, "Ubermensch: Evolution Beyond The Species", was mixed in Sweden by Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, ZYKLON, OLD MAN'S CHILD). The CD is available through The End Records distribution.
Northwest death metal band DRAWN AND QUARTERED has issued the following update:
"The principal recording for the [sixth full-length DRAWN AND QUARTERED] album has been completed! Aside from a few additions or last-minute tweaks , we will schedule time to start the mixing process. And for those of you that really want to know, we've already begun the writing process for the next record. This time we're streamlining the writing process with more pre-production and fine-tuning before committing to 'tape.' I'm thinking we get a little bit more brutal as well, and strive to get good fun songs as we always try to do.
"Next up we have some shows scheduled for 2011, namely the February 19th show at the Funhouse in Seattle with SCORCHED EARTH and INQUISITION. EMBRYONIC DEVOURMENT is heading to town in March, so I'll announce that and any future shows as they become official.
"Finally, we're still waiting for the 'evil death metal' 7" series from Relapse Records. I've seen all the artwork and layouts, and it is really cool, and very old school. There are a series of split 7" records, culminating into a compilation CD and a T-shirt, as well most likely. Our song 'Conqerors of Sodom', was recorded last year. I'd like to see it out someday, as it would be the only DRAWN AND QUARTERED on a 7" to date."
DRAWN AND QUARTERED's fifth album, "Merciless Hammer of Lucifer", was released in June 2007 via Moribund Records. The CD was recorded at the Autopsy Room with Jesse O' Donnell and was mastered by Kevin Nettlingham. The album contained three videos, including the clip for the title track (see below), and the first 3,000 copies came with a bonus CD of rare and unreleased tracks, including the hard-to-find 2002 EP "Crusaders of Blasphemy". The cover art was created by Gabriel Byrne.
Reformed Dutch death metal outfit ASPHYX and German melodic metallers SYMPHORCE are the first two confirmed bands for next year's edition of the Elsrock festival, set to take place August 27, 2011 in Rijssen, Netherlands.
The so-called "early-bird" ticket sales started on Saturday. December 4.
For more information, visit www.elsrock.nl.
Legendary Dutch death metal vocalist Martin Van Drunen (PESTILENCE, ASPHYX, HAIL OF BULLETS) will perform a few "Consuming Impulse"-era PESTILENCE songs with California death metallers RITUAL TORTURE on December 13, 2010 at the Ruby Room in San Diego, California. This will be his first time performing live in California since touring with DEATH and CARCASS in 1990.
RITUAL TORTURE guitarist Jeff Gutrot (a.k.a. Jeff Koretke) tells BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "Martin is a friend of mine and will be in town visiting his girlfriend. He asked me if we would want to do this last week and, of course, we agreed."
Icelandic death metallers BENEATH have inked a deal with Unique Leader Records. The band's new album will be released in early 2011. The CD will contain nine songs and will be mixed by Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, BEHEMOTH, IN FLAMES, DARK FUNERAL). The artwork will be created by Raymond Swanland.
According to a press release, BENEATH mixes "furious speed and technicality with song structures and melodies, resulting in a distinctively Icelandic brand of extreme metal. Not afraid to draw influences from other genres, BENEATH infuses old-school vibe into modern death metal while creating soundtracks to their apocalyptic and anti-religious lyrical content."
BENEATH's debut EP, "Hollow Empty Void", was released in February via Mordbrann Musikk. The CD was recorded, mixed and mastered by guitarist Johann Ingi Sigurdsson at Fossland Studio in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.
BENEATH is:
Gisli Sigmundsson - Vocals
Johann Ingi Sigurdsson - Guitar
Unnar Sigurdsson - Guitar
Gisli Runar Gudmundsson - Bass
Ragnar Sverrisson - Drums
For more information, visit www.beneathmetal.com.
Nailboard Records has set a January 11, 2011 release date for the debut album from the up-and-coming Estonian melodic death metal band CEREMONIAL PERFECTION. To support the release, the band will embark upon a 15-day tour of Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
CEREMONIAL PERFECTION is an five-piece from Tallinn, Estonia, formed in late 2007. The band's ascent is impressive, especially considering the members' average age of under 20. In a mere three years they have played extensively in Estonia, while also managing a scattering of performances abroad, including a successful two-and-a-half-week tour of Russia, sharing stages with Finland's massively renowned NORTHER. The melodic foundation of the band's music is suffused in heavy riffs and atmospheric keys, thus making the concordant essence of their songs embraceable both by headbangers as well as those wholly unfamiliar with metal.
Work on the band's debut full-length began in the spring of 2010. "Alone in the End" was recorded at Sinusoid Studios, the birthplace of the best-sounding records in Estonia, produced and co-arranged by Kristo Kotkas, a top sound engineer sought-after in all of Scandinavia. Artwork for the eight-page booklet was crafted by one of the best graphic masters in Europe, Björn Gosses of Killustrations Studio, famous for designs implemented, among other top acts, by AMON AMARTH, KATAKLYSM and SIX FEET UNDER.
"Alone in the End" will be released by Nailboard Records in Estonia and Fono Ltd. in Russia/CIS. The Nailboard Records release entails two versions: a color digipak and a deluxe box, which includes the album, a t-shirt, a patch and a poster.
"Alone in the End" track listing:
01. Intro
02. Symbols and Processes
03. Blinding White
04. Havoc
05. Autumn of Memories
06. Through Your Devil Nature
07. My Labyrinth
08. Asymmetry
09. Tomorrow of Today
Italian deathsters HUMANGLED have parted ways with bassist Tat0 and drummer Raffaele Pezzella due to "purely logistical reasons" and have replaced them with Frank Nichols and drummer Valdaster, respectively. The band is currently working hard material for the follow-up to its debut album, "Fractal", which was released earlier this year via Abyss Records.
In other news, HUMANGLED's video for the song "Liquidfire" can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Vincenzo "Vinx" Ricchiuto and stars Italian actresses Arianna Neri Alice Iozzelli and Paola Giuntoli.
"Liquidfire" comes off "Fractal", which came out in May. The CD was recorded in Italy and mixed/mastered at Unisound Studio in Örebro, Sweden by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, HAIL OF BULLETS, NOVEMBERS DOOM).
HAIL OF BULLETS — the Dutch death metal band featuring GOREFEST drummer Ed Warby, THANATOS guitarists Stephan Gebédi and Paul Baayens, former PESTILENCE/ASPHYX singer Martin Van Drunen and former HOUWITSER bass player Theo van Eekelen — has been confirmed for next year's installment of the Summer Breeze festival, set to take place August 18-20, 2011 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
ARCH ENEMY
BOLT THROWER
CALIBAN
FARMER BOYS
HAIL OF BULLETS
J.B.O.
KALMAH
KVELERTAK
PRIMORDIAL
SALTATIO MORTIS
THE HAUNTED
TÝR
VOMITORY
WITCHERY
Tickets can be purchased for 72 euros (excluding pre-sale fees, including parking/camping) at Silverdust-Shop.de. The first 10,000 tickets get a free DVD with live footage and impressions from the 2009 edition of the festival.
French brutal death metallers BENIGHTED have inked a deal with Season of Mist. The band's as-yet-untitled sixth album is tentatively due on April 18, 2011. The follow-up to 2007's "Icon" was recorded at Kohlekeller Studios in Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany and features guest vocals from ABORTED's Sven de Caluwé and Mike Majewski of DEVOURMENT.
Commented the group: "BENIGHTED is back from the psychiatric hospital and is very proud to announce the signing with Season of Mist for the new album — 12 tracks mixing brutality and groove, a new concept album telling the story of a schizophrenic and the abysses of his delirium about Josef Fritz in his own cave."
"Icon" was released in October 2007 via Osmose Productions. The CD was recorded, mixed and mastered at Kohlekeller Studios and featured a guest appearance by Jagger from DISBELIEF. The artwork was created by Phlegeton (MORTICIAN, AVULSED).
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