METALLICA's concert on the Garrisons Grounds of Citadel Hill in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on July 14 has been officially announced via the band's web site. The relatively new Rock The Hill festival will also include MATT MAYS, PROTEST THE HERO, SEETHER and COHEED AND CAMBRIA. Tickets go on sale Thursday, May 12 at noon local time and will be available at RockTheHill.ca or by phone at 1-877-569-7767. General-admission tickets are $99.50 and there are a limited number of VIP tickets for $199.50. Service charges and taxes will apply to all ticket orders. VIP ticket holders will have access to the front of stage pit, their own entrance and concessions, and the all-important special washrooms.
As previously reported, METALLICA has been officially confirmed for this year's edition of Quebec's Summer Festival (Festival d'été de Québec). The event runs July 7-17 in Québec City, Québec, Canada, with an amazing 300 shows spanning 11 days, making it Canada's biggest outdoor artistic festival. METALLICA will perform on Saturday, July 16.
METALLICA finished out its "Death Magnetic" touring cycle in November in New Zealand and Australia and played in Indio, California on April 23. The band is already confirmed to headline the Rock In Rio festival in Brazil on September 24. "Big Four" dates in New York and parts of Europe are also scheduled.
According to CBC News, concert promoter Harold MacKay says Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada will see millions of dollars of economic spinoff from this summer's METALLICA concert.
"This show we think can draw anywhere from 20,000 to 25,000 people based on the performances of METALLICA around the world," MacKay said. "I think we got the right band this time."
METALLICA's concert on the Garrisons Grounds of Citadel Hill in Halifax on July 14 is part of the new Rock The Hill festival, which will also include MATT MAYS, PROTEST THE HERO, SEETHER and COHEED AND CAMBRIA. Tickets go on sale Thursday, May 12 at noon local time and will be available at RockTheHill.ca or by phone at 1-877-569-7767. General-admission tickets are $99.50 and there are a limited number of VIP tickets for $199.50. Service charges and taxes will apply to all ticket orders. VIP ticket holders will have access to the front of stage pit, their own entrance and concessions, and the all-important special washrooms.
"We've been trying to prove to international artists that the Maritimes is the place to come," MacKay said Monday.
This summer's Rock The Hill event is being funded entirely by private investors, MacKay said. On Friday, city officials confirmed they are not contributing any funds to the concert.
MEGADETH has tapped Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis; DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD, STAIND) to produce the band's new album, tentatively due this fall via Roadrunner Records. The drum tracking for the CD is scheduled to begin next week, with the entire recording process expected to be completed by the time the group hits the road this summer as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival with DISTURBED and GODSMACK.
Although British producer Andy Sneap — who helmed MEGADETH's 2009 album "Endgame" — was initially supposed to reteam with the band for the forthcoming album, has was forced to pull out of the project due to scheduling conflicts. He explained in a recent interview with Ultimate-Guitar.com, "I'm doing another project that I also play guitar in called HELL and we're doing some summer festivals this year so it kind of cut into the whole schedule that was planned with MEGADETH."
When asked about what fans can expect from MEGADETH's next album, bassist David Ellefson recently told UGO, "We are working on it now so it's a bit early to encapsulate what the final will ultimately sound like. I think we know the punch and impact we want it to have but also not be afraid to let new ideas develop, too. Just know it will be heavy, hooky, and have the trademarks you'd come to expect from us."
MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine said in a recent interview that the band's new album is shaping up to be "more like 'Endgame', maybe sticking in that vein and going a little forward toward what I like."
Speaking to Australia's FasterLouder, Mustaine said he preferred "Endgame"'s more aggressive moments. "We were forced, in a way, to have to do certain things and it's really easy for me to blame somebody, but at the end of the day it was my fault, I could have said no, but I didn't," he said. "I was nervous that we were going to end up getting kicked off the label. I figured I would rather go underground and play what I like, and not sell as many records, but still be able to look myself in the face in the morning."
"Endgame" has sold around 150,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
MEGADETH's platinum-certified 1986 masterpiece, "Peace Sells… But Who's Buying?", has been digitally remastered for the first time and expanded for a special 25th-anniversary release in multiple configurations. It will be released July 12 by Capitol/EMI.
All of the versions, including a 2CD lift-top box, digital album and a deluxe 5Disc+3LP box set, contain a previously unreleased 1987 concert from the band's first world tour and new liner notes written by Mustaine and METALLICA's Lars Ulrich.
MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has joined forces with former ANTHRAX guitarist Dan Spitz in a brand new project called RED LAMB. The band's debut release, which will consist largely of the music Spitz previously recorded under the DEUXMONKEY banner with vocalist Wade Black (CRIMSON GLORY, SEVEN WITCHES, LEATHERWOLF), ACCEPT bassist Peter Baltes and drummer Patrick Johansson (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, W.A.S.P.), will be mixed by Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis; DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD, STAIND).
Black announced his departure from DEUXMONKEY in April, explaining that the band's "songs were not up to my standards." He added that he gave Spitz "a verbal cease-and-desist on all my lyrics and vocals" in order to ensure that Wade's contributions would be completely wiped off the project's debut release.
In a December 2010 interview, Mustaine revealed that he helped fine-tune the songs on DEUXMONKEY's debut album after hearing some of the material in its early stages of development.
"[Dan] was working on a little side project, and I'd heard it a while ago and it kind of went by in passing 'cause he was just starting it," Mustaine said. "And I heard it about three weeks ago; he was almost done. And I said, 'Man, I love this record.' I said, 'And do you think it's done?' And he goes, 'Yeah.' And he goes, 'Why? What do you think?' And I said, 'Well, I would kind of do this and that.' And he goes, 'Really? Go ahead.' And I went, 'Really?' So I rolled up my sleeves and I completely dedicated myself to Danny's record for the last three weeks, working tirelessly in my studio on this record with him. And it's that good. I heard it and I just went, 'Oh my God!' It's like a cross between, say, DISTURBED, SOUNDGARDEN and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE kind of thing. Little bit of some smatterings of ANTHRAX because of the speed stuff, but it's much more modern and much more heavy sounding."
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/mustainespitz.jpg
According to StaffsLive, legendary guitarist Slash's (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES) "homecoming" gig in the Midlands region of England this summer sold out in less than two hours.
Tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. Friday morning (May 6) for the concert on July 24 at the Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent, the town where Slash was raised.
Over 1,500 fans will attend the show, which marks Slash's first-ever concert in his hometown.
David Bradbury, Group Press Officer of the Ambassador Theatre Group, told StaffsLive, "We always knew the gig was going to be popular and the fact that the gig sold out in less than two hours is brilliant.
"Slash is a local hero, he's from Stoke-on-Trent and not a lot of people know that. I think he lived here until he was 11 so this is a bit of a homecoming gig."
Eagle Rock Entertainment, through its Armoury Records subsidiary, will re-release DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED's second album, "Sick", as a special edition on May 24. The specially-packaged double-disc comes complete with two additional bonus tracks on the CD — "Roll Away" and an acoustic version of "Wasted Heart" — plus a 94-minute bonus DVD featuring the band in full force from The Garage in 2008 Glasgow, Scotland. The DVD also features the band's "No More" music video and five webisodes, four on the making of "Sick" and one of the 2008 U.K. tour.
"Sick", originally released in 2009, strikes a precarious balance at the juncture of metal, punk and grunge.
Originally formed in 1998, LOADED is fronted by Grammy/American Music Award-winning songwriter/recording artist/bassist Duff McKagan — a founding member of GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER. With Duff stepping up to the front as lead vocalist and guitarist, bassist Jeff Rouse picks up the low end duties. Guitarist Mike Squires and drummer Geoff Reading round out the band lineup on "Sick" (Reading was replaced by drummer Isaac Carpenter before the release of the band's latest album, "The Taking").
"Sick" reissue track listing:
CD
01. Sick
02. Sleaze Factory
03. Flatline
04. IOU
05. The Slide
06. Translucent
07. Mother's Day
08. I See Through You
09. Forgive Me
10. No Shame
11. Blind Date Girl
12. Wasted Heart
13. No More
Bonus tracks:
14. Roll Away
15. Wasted Heart (acoustic)
DVD
01. Sick
02. Queen Joanasophina
03. IOU
04. No More
05. Dark Days
06. Superman
07. Sleaze Factory
08. Executioner's Song
09. 10 Years
10. Translucent
11. I Wanna Be Your Dog
While the rumored team-up of STONE SOUR/SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor with VELVET REVOLVER never officially took off, VELVET guitarist Slash did confirm that the band got together with Taylor to jam and even record some new material. The Pulse Of Radio asked Taylor what they worked on at those sessions. "We did a bunch of stuff, you know," he said. "We did a bunch of stuff from the first album, we did a bunch of stuff that we had been kind of demoing back and forth and whatnot, seeing if it would work, you know, just like that, and it was a lot of fun, man. You know, we ended up writing a bunch of stuff as well and just kind of seeing what would happen in that creative sense, you know."
Slash admitted in a recent interview that he was the main reason why Taylor didn't get the frontman job, explaining, "It just didn't seem to fit right to me. And he's great, and I love Corey, but it didn't seem like the answer to the VELVET REVOLVER problem."
Taylor told a Canadian radio station after hearing of Slash's comments, "I guess it just wasn't working for him, which . . . He's Slash and he's entitled to have that, and I'm not gonna argue with him. But it was cool to just be able to get together and jam with those guys and I made some really cool friends."
VELVET REVOLVER doesn't look likely to hire anyone to sing for them for a while, with Slash prepping a second solo album and bassist Duff McKagan on the road with his own side band, LOADED.
STONE SOUR is on the road and plays in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Friday (May 13). Taylor will reunite with SLIPKNOT for a series of summer festival gigs in Europe.
Reformed heavy metal legends ACCEPT were forced to play as a four-piece during their concert in Houston, Texas this past Saturday, May 7 after the band's guitarist, Herman Frank, suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung in a stage fall the previous night in San Antonio.
Commented bassist Peter Baltes: "Unfortunately, Herman had an accident during [Friday] night's show in San Antonio. He tripped and landed hard on his back. Even though he managed to finish the show, his pain became unbearable as we arrived in Houston (for the band's final night of the American portion of its tour). He was taken to the emergency room, where the doctors discovered four broken ribs and a punctured lung. He will remain at the hospital for now. Considering his condition, his spirit is great, and we all need to give our support to him as he recovers from his injuries. In the meantime, the band will continue the tour, and Herman will rejoin us as soon as he is all healed up and good to go."
Fan-filmed video footage of Frank falling down backwards while playing the song "Bulletproof" during the San Antonio concert can be viewed below. (Note: The incident in question occurs around the one-minute, 25-second mark.)
ACCEPT kicked off its massive "Blood Of The Nations 2011 Tour" of Europe on January 14.
The entire "Blood Of the Nations 2011 Tour" will involve over 80 mind-blowing concerts around the globe.
Greece's Rockpages.gr recently conducted an interview with former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. frontman Udo Dirkschneider. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Rockpages.gr: I am sure that you learned about ACCEPT's comeback [with new singer Mark Tornillo]. Did you listen to the album ["Blood Of The Nations"]?
Udo Dirkschneider: Of course. It's a good album and the singer's doing a pretty good job. I will tell you this… I was expecting that Wolf (Hoffmann, guitar) and Peter (Baltes, bass) would make a remarkable record and I am glad that the tour is successful. It's been so many years since they last did this. But let me say something on the record. I read somewhere that Wolf says that I go around and say to the journalists that ACCEPT cannot write great music anymore. That's absolutely bullshit… I never said that ACCEPT cannot write good songs anymore. It's like a kindergarten. But I wish them luck.
Rockpages.gr: Did you feel extra pressure due to the fact that there will be made comparisons between the [new U.D.O. album "Rev-Raptor" and "Blood Of The Nations"]?
Udo Dirkschneider: No! After all, "Rev-Raptor" was completed before ACCEPT's album [was released]. It is only natural to sound a little bit like ACCEPT in a way… two members of U.D.O. were important members of ACCEPT in the '80s. But you know what I think… The world is a big place to fit both ACCEPT and U.D.O.
Rockpages.gr: In my opinion, "Rev-Raptor" carries on from where "Mastercutor" and "Dominator" stopped and it features more or less the same songwriting and production style. Do you agree with this?
Udo Dirkschneider: Absolutely. You are right and that's what we wanted to achieve right from the beginning of the rehearsals. But, on the other hand, I believe that there are more melodies in there… more twin solos and the ballads were written in a kind of different way.
Rockpages.gr: Once again, the album bears all the traditional U.D.O. elements in a modern environment… especially the guitar sound — once again — may be melodic yet is sharp and quite distorted. Do you want to keep the band up to date with all that's going on in nowadays technology?
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes! This is the third album in a row that you make extensive use of the modern technology without losing our signature sound… the classic U.D.O. sound. There is a new generation that listens to music in a different way than what was going on in the '80s. I mean, there is the Internet, the file sharing and all that stuff. But, also, the '80s sound may not be so appealing to them anymore. We don't want to be static and rely only on our past albums and the '80s.
Rockpages.gr: Do you fear about the reaction of the old-school, die-hard U.D.O. fans?
Udo Dirkschneider: (laughs) Of course… always! But, as I said, the classic sound is still present but in a more modern package.
By Andrew Lentz of DRUMmagazine.com
After enduring a six-month-long gag order, Mike Mangini has finally come clean about the DREAM THEATER audition process and the hoops he jumped through to land the coveted drum chair. With Mangini going up against the world's most ridiculously dexterous drummers, the competition was fierce to say the least.
DRUMmagazine.com reached the world's fastest drummer and former Steve Vai sideman on April 29 at his home in Boston, only hours after DREAM THEATER revealed Mangini as their new drummer. He graciously squeezed in our extended conversation while celebrating the good news with his family — so here is the very first long-form interview Mangini granted following the band's announcement.
DRUMmagazine.com: What did you have that Thomas Lang, Marco Minneman, Virgil Donati, Derek Roddy, Aquiles Priester, and Pete Wildoer didn't?
Mangini: I may have been chosen for the way that I hit those drums with respect to meshing the pre-existing drum parts with embellishments of them at times when I wanted to orchestrate something I was hearing one of the other bandmembers playing. I don't know of any other reason it could be because every one of those drummers can do something uniquely "the best." By the way, I think of this as wanting to be in a marriage, not a "gig" in the normal sense of that term. With regard to my sound, I took time to examine what I sound like from outside of myself on the drum set via a video camera. Based on what I didn't like that I did and what I could now do as the result of a repaired right knee, I've been working on to strike with more power than it appears I am and how to not rush figures like I used to. Those things must have added up into what works for DREAM THEATER. I was a step ahead of everything I was asked to do. Everything. I got all those tests
straight off after writing them on a piece of scrap paper — bang! — and I played every note in every song [to the best of my knowledge] along with also knowing every note everybody was playing. In addition to jamming and getting all the tests very naturally, one difference between everyone and me may have been the fact that I played Portnoy's parts with the infusion of the others' parts. I played the beats Mike recorded, but I also added a triplet here and there if Rudess or Petrucci played a triplet. The core of it all is that I love what DREAM THEATER recorded. I still want to play the song as it is recorded. It is like preserving Mike's legacy and I take that very seriously.
DRUMmagazine.com: Did you know about the competition beforehand?
Mangini: We all found out about each other through an e-mail. And I'll never forget when I read it because my first thought was, "Oh no, I don't want to know this. Now I'm going to worry about them instead of worry about what I'm going to do." After I looked at the list I said, "Oh, no. This guy's great at this. This guy's great at that. This guy's the best at this. This guy's the best at that. What am I going to do?" Blah blah blah. Then I said, "No, I'm glad I know who it is and I'm just going to go focus on myself, things that are in my control and not question who's coming down." I made checklist after checklist and just accomplished what I could each day. You know what was very helpful about seeing the names? It gave me a sense of [DREAM THEATER's] direction. So just knowing who was invited gave me a sense of what the band were looking for.
DRUMmagazine.com: Break down the audition process step by step.?
Mangini: With no warm-up, I immediately played three songs: "Nightmare To Remember", "The Dance Of Eternity" and "The Spirit Carries On". If memory serves me, the three songs add up to about 30 minutes. That was one part. We also jammed for a while, and then I was given time signature tests to play on the spot. One phrase would be: 2/4, 7/16, 3/4, 4/4, 5/8, etc. Not only were there time signatures through the entire phrases, but the time signatures only happened once and you would go back and repeat a main theme and then it would be a different time signature somewhere within the phrase. But the way I did it, which allowed me to get it every time, was I asked Jordan [Rudess, keyboardist] to simply give me the numbers. When they said we were going to have a test, I looked directly at Jordan and I said just please give me the numbers, and he gave me the numbers, and I played it.
DRUMmagazine.com: What was one of the biggest challenges?
Mangini: Managing my immediate reaction when I realized that they were not leaving that room for me to work things out on the kit alone or warm up first. Meaning, I had no warm-up whatsoever because they were all in the room, and I was supposed to have 90 minutes in there, but then the band had to work on a soundcheck and I wasn't about to sit there and put on the iPod and just start wailing on the drums and practice the songs, you know? I'm a classically trained musician — you don't do those things. The other toughest moment was when I had to open my mouth and talk. [laughs] I'm not kidding, because I was overwhelmed with joy and it's not drum joy and it's not just personal joy. It is joy for the future; one of reflecting their musical expressions through my drum parts. Anybody that's ever played in a band with me, if they've ever accused me of overplaying it's usually because I played their parts, too. But for me even to be in the room with them was
special. There was this kind of spirit carrying me through with this sort of trust in my heart.
DRUMmagazine.com: Any mistakes during the song-list part of the audition?
Mangini: At the beginning of "Nightmare", I smashed one of the cymbals so hard that I disengaged the cymbal tilt. I stood up to fix it and hurried to sit down again and I didn't seem to miss any notes, but I must have lost a step. Actually, I think I missed the splash cymbal and hit the air! In my opening drum fill, I played the Octobons instead of the snare drum. Oh, well. You have to realize I was playing on drums that I have never played before that were set up differently, cymbals in different places, toms were in different place, and the kicks were spread out further than I had been used to. That moment lasted about an hour in my head, that was really about only two seconds.
DRUMmagazine.com: Did you already know the songs or have to start from scratch?
Mangini: Oh, no, I didn't know them. I've enjoyed their music many, many times, but I've never learned a DREAM THEATER song in my life. I was just all business about it when I got the songs. I grabbed the nearest pencil and paper and got to work. I then bought these big pencils for kids with big erasers on them. [laughs] I wrote everything out. Then I listened to them at half speed; at 75 percent speed; at full speed; at 40 percent speed before even practicing them with the slow-downer software [Amazing X] and it doesn't change the pitch. I can't imagine what all the people these days have for tools: lessons online, slow-down tools, zoom-in tools, multi angle — are you kidding me? No wonder there are so many people getting better so much more quickly.
DRUMmagazine.com: Did you take any liberties??
Mangini: If anyone was to just see me play or look at audition videos or something, they might say, "Hey, man, I thought you said he played every note exactly as written," because maybe I hit a different cymbal or something — I don't know. I hit everything I thought was the right thing. If I hit a hi-hat versus a splash, hey, I'm sorry. That's because my hearing at 3K and up is limited and I am on a waiting list for hearing aids at this time. I practiced a million hours a day when I was a child and I had a stereo blasting. My stereo system speakers, those were my headphones, no earplugs. Maybe I learned to put toilet paper in them because my ears started to hurt, but you put 30 years of that into the mix and your ears are not going to take it.
DRUMmagazine.com: Did you second-guess what you played after it was all over?
Mangini: I was running through the jams and tests in my mind afterwards, and although I did have a quick thought of "Man, I should have done this; I could have done that." That quickly went out of my head because then I calmed myself down thinking, "Wait a minute. I just nailed it, shut up and have some food." The waiting part was awful in this "Twilight Zone" kind of way. I almost threw up between classes at Berklee — probably that was during Marco's audition, as I know what time he auditioned and that is the time I got ill. And I was really wrecked because I wanted it so badly. I had a lot of heartfelt reasons for wanting to do this, not that the other guys didn't, it's just that I didn't know where they're coming from. What was hard for me was thinking about my life without [DREAM THEATER]. Those four guys made me feel comfortable and [after it was all over] I missed them because it was a classy move for them to treat everyone so well, actually. So
it was painful for me, because I didn't tell anybody — not even my parents or my siblings knew that I won the spot, but they knew I auditioned, which made it worse for them. When they asked me, I just went mum, I went completely silent on everybody. And so it was extremely difficult. But before I got the call from them saying that I indeed won the audition I got white hair on my head.
DRUMmagazine.com: Were you involved in writing new DREAM THEATER songs??
Mangini: I was zero involved in it. It's the four of them. This new material is stuff that they've never had the opportunity to do without a drummer. My involvement is going to be worrying about the drums and backing this band. I have too much work to do, you know? I've been off the stage as a full-time job for much too long. I just want to sit on a drum stool. I want to see those orange and magenta lights reflecting off my drums. I want to hear the crowd. I want to play drums — that's what I want to do right now. That's all I want to do. I didn't want to get involved in anything at that time. If I have strengths to offer the band, those will show themselves in time.
DRUMmagazine.com: Any new songs that were especially difficult??
Mangini: The one where I put the most amount of psychotic, two-things-at-the-same-time type of drumming would be track six [still unnamed as of press time]. While multi-time signature shifts were going on, I was playing in a time signature that was completely different from those with one limb on one side of my body. And I was really hitting the drums. I'm very proud of it, but they liked it musically. I wouldn't do it just to throw it in. I didn't do it for that reason. I did it because I had a mathematical joy out of it. Oh, my gosh, it would be amazing to play in 7/16 here, but yet it's changing time signatures 18 times or something. When I got [in the tracking room, guitarist] John Petrucci just bled his soul through mine and into the drums — it wasn't me. I mean, it was me, but he brought out of me this intro to one of the songs and it was actually so hard to come up with the best possible thing with all the choices I had in my mind, that I didn't
do it all by myself. I did it with John Petrucci, so it was really something. So that kind of established the protocol for our relationship, which was wonderful. I was just like, "Man, I don't want this to be about me. I'm not happy with my [input] alone. Sometimes I can't get away from me. I want this to be about us."
DRUMmagazine.com: Will you miss teaching at Berklee??
Mangini: I'm grateful for it, had a lot of great times and I'll always miss a ton of people I worked with there. Put it this way: I got along well with a lot of people there for a reason, and I felt honored to be a part of that awesome Percussion Department. I'd take a ride in there to hang out in a heartbeat when the chaos slows down. I really want to add that I am so proud of the students that I had, especially in my last semester there. They would never think this of me, but [some people] might think I thought, "Gee, I got a new gig. See you later." Students for the last few years knew I was missing the stage. Still, they need to know that I did not tell my parents that I won the audition until a week before the documentary appeared online, so they, or anybody should not feel left out of the news if interested in it. My students didn't impose on me. I need to stress "my." They didn't poke at me, or cross boundaries. That doesn't mean everybody, in and
out of Berklee, spared me. I say the following to contrast how classy the students were: In one case, a visitor that I never even met walked up to me while I was minding my own business, and busy, where my boss was about nine feet from me and another faculty was next to him. The guy interrupted what I was doing — the kind of person that gets too physically close — and says, "Hey, man, congratulations on getting some gig, what, DREAM THEATER, I think? Cool! Yeah, man, so what are you going to do about working here?" What an intrusive, rude, and boundary-crossing thing to say when I am at the place of my employment around people I care about. I didn't even get "the call" at that point. Additionally, I suffered a few instances of my getting intruded upon in different forms, very few, but I wasn't surprised; they're probably the ones always hitting "Reply All" all the time. On the flip side of some suffering, the students knew that the DREAM THEATER
drummer audition was going down because the news of their search was public, but they respected my privacy suspecting that I would get a call to audition. Who auditioned was private for months afterwards. I was so impressed with their strength. I love them a lot for that. I was torn about having to not tell them once I knew I was the guy. I didn't want to say anything to them in part because I didn't want it to interfere with our studies, because no matter what you say, it changes things. But on the other side, I wanted to tell them screaming at the top of my lungs with joy saying, "You see? The methods, they work!" Well, I used to say that a lot anyway, but winning this audition helps validate some things.
German melodic metallers EDGUY have set "Age Of The Joker" as the title of their new album, due in August via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Peppermint Park studio (SCORPIONS, PHIL COLLINS) in Hannover, which was previously described by the group as "a recording temple with a tremendously great-sounding room."
Regarding the band's forthcoming album, EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet recently said, "The new songs sound great, we have thirteen of them, and we'll pick maybe ten and put them on the album. We have anthemic melodies, although it's not kitsch.
"When you record anthemic music, you tend to be dangerously close to kitsch, it's a fine line and I think we balance on that fine line pretty well.
"To cut a long story a little insignificantly shorter: I just think it is great, and that's what counts. Real music, you know?"
"We were always striving for a powerful but natural sound. I guess we had a good sound recently, but I think there is always room to improve.
"The more I listen to what's going on in the heavy metal world these days, the more I long for drums that sound like drums. I want them to sound powerful without sounding like Atari."
EDGUY will embark on a European headlining tour in September with support from KOTTAK (the band fronted by SCORPIONS drummer James Kottak).
The dates are as follows:
Sep. 23 - SWE - Malmö, KB
Sep. 24 - SWE - Gothenborg, Trädgarn
Sep. 25 - SWE - Stockholm, Tyrol
Sep. 27 - GER - Hamburg, Docks
Sep. 28 - GER - Berlin, Columbia Club
Sep. 30 - GER - Essen, Grugahalle
Oct. 01 - GER - Fulda, Wartenberg Oval
Oct. 02 - GER - Bamberg, Arena
Oct. 04 - GER - Filderstadt, Filharmonie
Oct. 06 - CZE - Prague, KD Vitavska
Oct. 07 - GER - Langen, Stadthalle
Oct. 10 - ITA - Milan, Alcatraz
Oct. 11 - SUI - Pratteln, Z7
Oct. 12 - FRA - Lyon, Transbordeur
Oct. 14 - ESP - Madrid, Heineken
Oct. 15 - ESP - Barcelona, Apollo
Oct. 16 - ESP - Bilbao, Rock Star
Oct. 18 - GER - Saarbrücken, Garage
Oct. 19 - FRA - Paris, Bataclan
Oct. 21 - GER - Memmingen, Kaminwerk
Oct. 22 - GER - Straubing, Messehalle
Oct. 23 - CZE - Zlin, Rock Cafe
"Tinnitus Sanctus" sold around 600 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD debuted at No. 88 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.
"Tinnitus Sanctus" registered the following first-week chart positions in Europe:
Germany: #19
Austria: #50
Ken Kelley of Times & Transcript recently conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow of Canadian heavy metal legends ANVIL. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
On how the success of ANVIL's documentary, "Anvil: The Story Of Anvil", influenced the creative process behind the band's new album, "Juggernaut Of Justice":
Lips: "We began the writing process for the new record before the documentary came out, but it was while the movie was being edited that writing really took off. My thoughts during that time were that we had better get the greatest record we had ever done completed because I just knew that after the film's release, we were going to become extraordinarily famous."
"Writing the new record was much like our moment of truth. Everything we had worked for was culminating in the making of this record. It took 30 years to get there and we knew the eyes of the world were going to be on us and that we had better be glowing."
On the spontaneity of having to come up with something under pressure:
Lips: "I realized that spontaneity is where it's at because in being spontaneous, you are not confined to your own parameters. As soon as you lock yourself into something, you are not opening yourself to the possibilities that could end up being more impressive. When you are inspired to create something, that urgency is the fire that motivates you."
On how the heavy metal genre allows bands like ANVIL to reap the fruits of their labor despite the fact that they are not spring chickens:
Lips: "I feel that many fans respect the fact that the metal genre is old and that there is no age barrier when it comes right down to it. The music has timelessness to it and garners so much respect because you have got guys like Ronnie James Dio who lived and played heavy metal until he died last year."
On ANVIL's audience in 2011:
Lips: "These days, we find that it is the demographic of the movie coming out to our shows; people that saw the movie that want to see what we are about. I find it incredibly remarkable but I feel a little odd sometimes though, playing to older people and I am swearing throughout the show."
CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and NAPALM DEATH are among the confirmed bands for the 11th edition of the Trois-Rivières Metalfest, set to take place Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15, 2011 at the Bâtisse Industrielle (1760 av. Gilles-Villeneuve) in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. Also scheduled to appear are BENEATH THE MASSACRE (Montreal), L'ESPRIT DU CLAN (France), KALTER (Quebec) and INSURRECTION (Gatineau).
The remaining eight bands that will perform at this year's Trois-Rivières Metalfest will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information, visit www.troisrivieresmetal.com.
WHERE ANGELS SUFFER (W.A.S.) has parted ways with guitarist Randy Piper (ANIMAL, W.A.S.P.) and has replaced him with Ira Black (METAL CHURCH, LIZZY BORDEN, HEATHEN).
WHERE ANGELS SUFFER's current is rounded out by Chris Holmes (guitar; ex-W.A.S.P.), Steve Unger (bass; ex-METAL CHURCH), Rich Lewis (vocals; ANIMAL) and Stet Howland (drums; ex-W.A.S.P.).
The band's setlist was as follows:
01. Eye of the Storm
02. Crying Eagle
03. Wild Child
04. Judgement Day
05. Morning After
06. Cardiac Arrest
07. Gods of Wrath
08. Don't Wanna Die
09. Hellion
10. L.O.V.E. Machine
11. Blind In Texas
12. I Wanna Be Somebody
13. Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)
WHERE ANGELS SUFFER's debut album, "Purgatory", was released on October 31, 2010.
The band is currently working on material for its second album while also scheduling East Coast dates for June and West Coast shows in July.
According to a press release, the members of WHERE ANGELS SUFFER "embrace their metal history while simultaneously astounding their fans with groundbreaking original songs that could only be created by the exceptional chemistry and passion these professional musicians discovered when they came together again."
Holmes has etched out a stellar career which can be traced back to the early days of the metal scene that infiltrated L.A. and the Sunset Strip. A California native himself, Holmes is also well known for his role in "The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years" and other projects, both in film and music, having played with the "A" list of metal musicians.
Longtime drummer of W.A.S.P., Howland was featured on ten albums (studio and live) and has toured with all the top metal acts, including BLACK SABBATH, a personal highlight during his W.A.S.P. years. Aside from W.A.S.P., the ever-active Howland's resume includes TEMPLE OF BRUTALITY, RUN 21, KILLING MACHINE, BELLADONNA, BLACKFOOT and LITA FORD, just to name a few. Howland resides in Florida, where he has a recording studio to keep him busy on a variety of projects.
Steve Unger, who played with METAL CHURCH, is a talented bassist in his own right: his contribution to WHERE ANGELS SUFFER completes the dynamic of the band.
Unger, who comes from Seattle, Washington, has had a long career with METAL CHURCH and has been a key contributor to their success over the years. He believes WHERE ANGELS SUFFER is one of the best culminations of talent the metal scene has seen in a long time. Unger commented that the music is so relevant today because it is "a high-bred cross-breed between old and new."
Lewis was a natural choice for WHERE ANGELS SUFFER frontman and has become a key component to this venture. He has been compared to greats like Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson and Lawless, but his signature style has blended with the dynamic sound of his bandmates that sets this album apart from the rest.
L.A. GUNS/ex-GIRL vocalist Phil Lewis has joined the U.K. cult band HEAVY METAL KIDS as the group's new frontman.
John Altman (a.k.a. Johnny Rio and "EastEnders"' "Nasty" Nick Cotton) took over the vocals in HEAVY METAL KIDS after a long hiatus and several lineup changes from the late original singer and his friend Gary Holton, also known from the '80s TV series "Auf Wiedersehen Pet". Unfortunately, John has had to step down from the role of HEAVY METAL KIDS singer due to prior acting commitments.
HEAVY METAL KIDS has lined up a two-night stint at the 2011 Harley-Davidson Festival in Biograd, Croatia on May 26-27, to be followed by an exclusive U.K. appearance at the Camden Underworld on Sunday, May 29. More shows will be announced soon.
Sweden's THE QUILL has inked a deal with Metalville for the release of the band's new album, "Full Circle". Due on June 24, the CD "is packed with heavy rock firmly rooted in the Seventies but vibrant and updated rather than retro," according to a press release. "Yes, there's a new twist to the sound. Less is more, if you will. The songs are sharp, direct and catchy, built around big riffs, big grooves and big hooks. Just check out 'Sleeping With Your Enemy' and try to get that chorus out of your head. Surrender to the up-tempo outburst of energy that is 'Medicine'. And physically feel how 'Bring It On' simply rocks like a motherfucker. Very much classic rock and yet contemporary in the FOO FIGHTERS / QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE vein. Needless to say, THE QUILL is a band reborn."
"Full Circle" was mixed by songwriter/producer/artist Chris Laney (real name: Ulf Larsson).
Three new songs from THE QUILL — "Bring It On", "Medicine" and "Sleeping With The Enemy" — are available for streaming using the ReverbNation TuneWidget below (click on "Songs" tab).
With the touring cycle for THE QUILL's fifth album, "In Triumph", completed, the band and singer Magnus Ekwall parted ways and THE QUILL was put on the backburner. Drummer Jolle Atlagic joined now-defunct Finnish glam legends HANOI ROCKS — touring Europe and Japan in the process — and also did a stint in THE REAL MCCOY band alongside FOO FIGHTERS guitarist Chris Shiflett. Christian Carlsson (guitar) and Robert Triches (bass) also kept busy with other projects. In early 2010, it was THE QUILL time again. Songs were written and Magz Arnar filled the vacant vocalist spot. It was a perfect match. The versatile singer has heaps of energy and a powerful voice that fits THE QUILL like a glove. Magz has the required range to sing the old stuff but also a rawness that the band was looking for.
THE QUILL 2011 is:
Magz Arnar (vocals)
Christian Carlsson (guitar)
Jolle Atlagic (drums)
Hot Señor Rob (bass)
"In Triumph" was released in April 2006 via SPV/Steamhammer. The CD was recorded at Area 51 studios in Celle, Germany with producer Tommy Newton (VICTORY, UFO, HELLOWEEN).
Massachusetts metallers UNEARTH will release their new album, "Darkness In The Light", in Europe on July 4 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Zing Studios in Westfield, Massachusetts with producer (and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist) Adam Dutkiewicz. Sitting in on drums during the sessions was Justin Foley of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE/BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED. The effort was mixed by Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, TRIVIUM) from Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida.
"Darkness In The Light" track listing:
01. Watch It Burn (4:06)
02. Ruination Of The Lost (3:35)
03. Shadows Of The Light (3:45)
04. Eyes Of Black (3:53)
05. Last Wish (3:06)
06. Arise The War Cry (3:55)
07. Equinox (2:58)
08. Coming Of The Dark (3:07)
09. The Fallen (3:35)
10. Overcome (3:11)
11. Disillusion (3:37)
Regarding the band's decision to work with Foley on the new CD, UNEARTH previously said in a statement, "Foley was an obvious choice for this album for many reasons, but mainly because of his abilities and knowledge of heavy music as well as his longtime friendship with the band. A decade-plus of friendship has made this an easy transition for the band, Foley and our producer/engineer Adam."
UNEARTH last fall parted ways with drummer Derek Kerswill due to "creative differences." The band stated at the time, "The differences between Kerswill and the band started off as subtle, but became increasingly obvious over the past few months and it was time for both parties to go their separate ways."
UNEARTH recruited drummer Branden Morgan of MISERY SIGNALS to sit behind the kit for the band's European dates as part of last year's Persistence Tour.
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ISIS, who disbanded in May of last year, is set to release a series of five live albums that span the Los Angeles-by-way-of-Boston band's thirteen year career.
The digital releases begin with "Live I 9.23.03", a four-song, forty-minute recording from a performance at The Fillmore in San Francisco, which will be available on May 31. Each subsequent recording will be released at two week intervals with dates and album specifics listed below.
Pre-order packages bundling downloads of all five releases as well as long-out-of-print merch items including the popular "inaugural" t-shirt and hoodie, as well as the 2006 "Clearing The Eye" DVD are now available at IsisTheBand.com. Full package information and prices are listed below.
The former members of ISIS are busy working on new music with Mike Gallagher scoring films (most recently "22nd of May") and creating music under the MGR moniker, Aaron Turner working with Faith Coloccia on MAMIFFER and HOUSE OF LOW CULTURE, Jeff Caxide creating CRONE with a release forthcoming, Clifford Meyer working on two new projects: WINDMILLS BY THE OCEAN and TAIGA as well as continuing with RED SPAROWES and Aaron Harris continuing his production career as he currently wraps up work on LESSER KEY's upcoming album.
ISIS' final studio album was "Wavering Radiant", released by Ipecac Recordings in April 2009.
Upcoming ISIS live releases:
"Live I 9.23.03"
Release date: May 31, 2011
Recorded at The Fillmore (San Francisco)
Track listing:
01. Carry
02. Weight
03. Hym
04. The Beginning and the End
"Live II 03.19.03"
Release date: June 14, 2011
Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden
Track listing:
01. From Sinking
02. Glisten
03. Carry
04. Weight
05. The Beginning and the End
06. Celestial (Ext./Alt. Version)
"Live III 12.17.04"
Release date: June 28, 2011
Recorded at The Launchpad (Albuquerque)
Track listing:
01. So Did We
02. Backlit
03. The Beginning and the End
04. In Fiction
05. Wills Dissolve
06. Grinning Mouths
07. Altered Course
"Live IV Selections 2001 – 2005"
Release date: July 12, 2011
Recorded: Various dates (2001, 2002 and 2005) at WMBR (Boston), The Troubadour (Los Angeles), CBGB's (New York), The Rotunda (Philadelphia) and The Middle East (Boston)
Track listing:
01. Gentle Time
02. Glisten
03. CFT
04. Celestial
05. Improv 1 (Endless Nameless)
06. False Light
07. The Weight (feat. Justin Chancellor and Troy Ziegler)
"Live V 07.23.06"
Release date: July 26, 2011
Recorded at Koko's (London)
Track listing:
01. The Beginning and the End
02. The Other
03. False Light
04. Carry
05. -/Maritime
06. Weight
07. From Sinking
08. Hym
Pre-order packages available at Isistheband.com:
* $5.99 - Digital download of each individual album
* $20 - Digital download of all five albums
* $36 - ISIS Inaugural t-shirt and digital download of all five albums
* $51 - ISIS Inaugural t-shirt, "Clearing The Eye" DVD and digital download of all five albums
* $56 - ISIS Inaugural hoodie and digital download of all five albums
* $71 - ISIS Inaugural hoodie, "Clearing The Eye" DVD and digital download of all five albums
Redemption codes for each album purchase will be sent to purchaser on the respective album release date.
Rocks-Off, one of the most infamous concert promoters in New York (famed for its live rock boat shows), has launched a series of walking tours in New York City. The two inaugural walking tours include "The History Of Art, Crime, Drugs And Punk Rock On The Lower East Side" (a guided tour given by John Joseph of the legendary CRO-MAGS) and "The Past, Present And Future Of Rock & Roll In New York City" (given by Jake Szufnarowski, owner of Rocks-Off, talent buyer and concert promoter for many legendary clubs in New York City and frontman of international touring juggernaut TRAGEDY, "A Metal Tribute To The Bee Gee's."
John Joseph, who detailed his infamous life in his celebrated 2008 autobiography "The Evolution Of A Cro-Magnon", has been a first-hand participant in the history of punk and its ground zero in New York, the Lower East Side, since 1977. In that time he witnessed some of the most infamous shows at clubs of legend like Max's Kansas City, Great Gildersleeves, The Mudd Club and CBGB, roadied for the BAD BRAINS in their legendary rise, slam danced with John Belushi, was one of the first people to stage dive on national TV ("Saturday Night Live"), defined and re-defined hardcore music with the CRO-MAGS.
As a resident of the Lower East Side, Joseph squatted in condemned tenements, lived below a murderer (the Alphabet City butcher Daniel Rakowitz), scuffled with the Guardian of St. Marks Ave. John Spacely and witnessed the Tompkins Square police riot. While still a teen, Joseph survived life on the streets acting as a heroin mule and pulling cons. He spent close to two years in the worst juvenile prisons in New York state Spafford and Lincolndale.
Of the tour, Joseph says, "There is a lot of history in the Lower East Side and a lot of its culture and significance has been lost in recent years with the gentrification of the city. Some of the best artists in the world came out of there and some of the most storied crime lore came from there as well, and those two elements co-existed side by side. I feel like an archeologist, digging up and exposing the real Lower East Side for new generations before it becomes completely fossilized."
Jake Szufnarowski has been promoting shows in New York since 1997, and he has put on some the best shows at such clubs as the Wetlands, Brownies, Webster Hall and CBGB (where he booked the last 100 shows before it closed). However, one of his first passions was being a tour guide. Szufnarowski recalls, "I've always been a history buff; I started giving tours at the age of fifteen for the National Parks Foundation in Massachusetts, showing people around the mills there.
"When I moved to New York, I took a class at the New School to be a tour guide here but life just got in the way, until I read John Joseph's book. In one chapter he tells the reader how he sees the white bread tours that roll through town and how he would give the John Joseph tour, the real-deal tour and gives a lowdown on the areas of the village and what really went down there. I called him up and asked, 'Are you serious about this tour?' and he said he was and I said let's do it!"
Szufnarowski's tour walks you through the hot downtown spots for music over the past fifty years. From CBGB, where you will learn stories of its heroes like the RAMONES and how to properly go #2 in the CBGB bathroom, you'll see the spots where groups like RANCID, SOCIAL DISTORTION, THE BEASTIE BOYS and THE REPLACEMENTS hung out and played secret shows. You'll see where Gibby Haynes of THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS beat up a soundguy mid show, see where the Hells Angels are headquartered and find out which famous rock and roll outlaw they kept out of New York City for 28 years. You'll also see the future of rock and roll like Piano's, The Cake Shop and Arlene's Grocery, where newcomers like THE STROKES, INTERPOL and THE YEAH YEAH YEAHS honed their chops.
Both tours are given weekly in-between Thursday and Sunday.
Tickets for the tours can be bought at rocksoff.com/walkingtours.
Singer Sandra Schleret has left Liechtenstein-based gothic metallers ELIS. Her statement on the matter reads as follows:
"More than four years ago I joined ELIS as their new singer. Our journey was very special to me, and I think that we found one another at a time when we really needed it the most. I gave my best to honor [former ELIS singer] Sabine's [Dünser] legacy [Sabine suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on July 7, 2006 during rehearsal and passed away the following day in hospital. — Ed.] and nevertheless stay true to myself and open a new chapter together with the band.
"I am sorry to say that we have reached a point where this chapter now comes to an end.
"We had an amazing and exciting time and the guys really touched my heart. We made a great album in which I've put all of my heart and which means a lot to me.
"We sat together and talked long about everything, and we concluded that it is better to go separate ways from now on. I simply feel the need to devote myself to my own music, my aims and tasks, and the guys can not accompany me on that way because they have their own aims, ideas and expectations. I am sure that it's the right decision, because it is very important to me to dedicate myself to everything I do with full heart and soul. Now that I cannot ensure this anymore I think it's only fair to say it freely.
"ELIS will always have my full support and my friendship will guide them on their way.
"The guys have found a great new singer and so I am leaving with a good feeling, though I am very sad about the end of our time together.
"I dearly want to thank all the ELIS fans, who gave me such a warm welcome! I hope we will see each other again!"
ELIS's most recent album, "Catharsis", was released in November 2009 via Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Griefshire", "Catharsis" was recorded at Mastersound Studio in Germany with producer Alex Krull (ATROCITY, LEAVES' EYES) and marked the band's first — and now only — full-length recording with Schleret.
Old-school thrashers SPEED\KILL/HATE — who feature in their ranks OVERKILL guitarist Dave Linsk — have released their long-awaited sophomore album, "Out For Blood", via Hammerfist Records. The CD was recorded and mixed by Dave Linsk at SKH Studios and was mastered by Roger Lian at Masterdisk in New York.
"Out For Blood" track listing:
01. No Remorse
02. Breeding Hate
03. Written in Blood
04. Behind the Mask
05. Deceiver
06. Slain
07. Mark Of Judas
08. Brotherhood Of Arms
09. Stains of Callous
10. The Cleansing
The video for the song "No Remorse" can be viewed below.
SPEED\KILL/HATE's current lineup:
Bob Barnak: Vocals
Dave Linsk: Guitar
Tony Ochoa: Drums
Dave Bizzigotti: Bass
SPEED\KILL/HATE's style definitely fits in with the thrash community, but at the same time trying to do something a little different. Bridging the old with the new and adding in some death elements into the mix. Some people actually are saying these guys have started up something new called thrashcore. But one of the most impressive elements concerning "Out For Blood" is its tight but evident versatility, the album sequenced for maximum headbanging blood-rushed playability, the band's obvious wealth of experience serving to make the record ebb and flow while still remaining uncompromising and hard.
Turns out that fan reaction has affirmed this stated sentiment, that a profusion of compositions spill forth when folks are surveyed for their faves. "Absolutely, everybody has a different opinion," says Dave. "It depends on what style of music you really like best. If you're the straight-up old-school thrash metal kind of guy, something like 'Written in Blood' seems to hit home with a lot of people. If you are more of a SLAYER kind of guy, more up-tempo, maybe something like 'No Remorse'. I personally like the song 'Slain', which is kind of a hybrid of both. There's something different going on in each one that would have someone focus in on what they think is the best one. But then again you do hear that people like 'Breeding Hate' quite often. Still, it's kind of strange to not hear the same song come out every time."
Indeed, "No Remorse" itself is a microcosm of the album as a whole — the band's grooves are there, as well as the technicality and a cogent hardcore punk vibe. "Slain" moves briskly like classic mosh-mad SLAYER, while "Stains Of Callous" mixes powerful militaristic beats with chord washes and locked-down rhythm guitar thunder. "Breeding Hate" again stomps the sweet spot between hardcore and old school thrash, with a killer collapse into one of the album's most anthemic moments as Bob barks out "I'm breeding hate for you" to a merciless machine gun riff 'n' rhythm from Dave.
Bob's razor-lined bark serves as the perfect adjunct — even an anchor — to the noticeably spontaneous and fired-up performance boiling and roiling behind him. Dave agrees that there was a certain magic to the mayhem enclosed. "There was some kind of... let's just call it hunger, in what went down. And note with caution, this is a band on the move. Dave wants to emphasize that this is no project band at all. "We want this band to escalate quickly and go as far as it can," says Linsk in closing. "There have been some necessary changes.
Bassist Dave Bizzigotti replaced Derek Tailer (also in OVERKILL) in September 2007 after Tailer was dismissed from the group due to "questionable availability and uncertain commitment," according to a posting on the band's web site.
SPEED\KILL/HATE's debut album, "Acts of Insanity", was released in Europe in February 2005 via Listenable Records.
For more information, visit www.speedkillhate.com.
Brazilian female-fronted metallers SHADOWSIDE will release their third album, "Inner Monster Out", on June 7 via SHP Records. The CD was produced, mixed and mastered at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden by Fredrik Nordström, who has previously worked with AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, ARCH ENEMY, SOILWORK and BRING ME THE HORIZON, among others. It features guest vocals from Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK), Mikael Stanne (DARK TRANQUILLITY), and Niklas Isfeldt (DREAM EVIL).
"Inner Monster Out" track listing:
01. Gag Order
02. Angel with Horns
03. Habitchual
04. In the Name of Love
05. Inner Monster Out (feat. Björn "Speed" Strid, Mikael Stanne, Niklas Isfeldt)
06. I'm Your Mind
07. My Disrupted Reality
08. A Smile Upon Death
09. Whatever Our Fortune
10. A.D.D.
11. Waste of Life
The artwork for the digital release comes courtesy of Felipe Machado of New Dimensions Art (BLIND GUARDIAN, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, JORN, PAGAN'S MIND) and can be seen below.
SHADOWSIDE will film a video for the first single, "Angel With Horns", later this month in Campinas, Brazil with director Thiago Pinheiro of Studio Kaiowas.
"The song is about someone trying to escape their own boring reality by putting their hopes in one disturbing and mysterious person that's pure evil, though innocent as an angel at the same time," said vocalist Dani Nolden.
"I believe it's safe to say this is our best material to date," Nolden stated about the 11 new tracks on "Inner Monster Out". "It's very heavy and angry, but also very musical. We worked a lot on the melodies to make them catchy, yet elaborate, just to the right extent."
She added, "Working with Fredrik was fantastic and everything went smoothly. He is a perfectionist, and really helped push ourselves to our best. We were pretty much living in the studio for a month, so the whole band was completely focused on the album and on nothing else.
"I can't wait to have this album out and play these songs live. That's what they were written for!"
Nolden previously stated about SHADOWSIDE's new CD, "'Inner Monster Out' is about letting your hidden persona show through, and about everything we always classify as not normal in human beings. The lyrics deal with everyone's fears, reactions, perversions, personality disorders and although it can be seen as a dark album, it also makes it clear that we all have a little bit of crazy and disturbed in a certain way. It's a musically intense album, with lots of angry guitars, bringing together the best of 'Dare To Dream' and 'Theatre Of Shadows', but with new and better things that we didn't try before. I'm especially proud and happy about the result we achieved on this album... we wrote and recorded songs that we like to hear and play and it's by far our best material so far."
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/shadowsideband.
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"Naan Kadavul", a new track from the Rochester, New York-based black metal band NOKTURNAL HELLSTORM — featuring Danny Lilker (BRUTAL TRUTH, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, ANTHRAX) on bass, guitarists Quartaro and Rague, drummer Sno, keyboardist/vocalist Greenwood and frontman Blackwell — can be streamed at DecibelMagazine.com.
When asked how NOKTURNAL HELLSTORM came together, Lilker told Decibel magazine, "In a way, it's similar to how BRUTAL TRUTH began way back in '90, with me working in my home studio. I wrote the music, programmed the drums and played all the instruments (no vocals, though). I asked Ron from CRUCIFIST to write and record vocals for this project, but before he got around to it, the band came to life when I realized that some of my friends from the Rochester melodic black/death band SARCOUS would be able to play this material. So, we took the three songs I had written — one of which is 'Naan Kadavul' — wrote another song together, and recorded what we had. That's the essence of how the band started, and as far as the impetus; well some may remember a black metal band I played in called HEMLOCK from New York City in the mid-to-late '90s. We broke up in 2001 and I relocated to Rochester a year after that. Although CRUCIFIST embodies elements of black
metal, I wanted to play pure black metal again. I was quite inspired by the early '90s Scandinavian black metal scene, which re-lit the fire that had gone out when the original black metal bands from the '80s lost their direction or broke up. While a lot of people were simply drawn to the more sensational aspects of this scene and lost interest when all that died down, I still was drawn to the music, so NOKTURNAL HELLSTORM is, for me anyway, an homage to that era. We are not reinventing the wheel here."
Regarding when fans can expect to hear a full-length release from NOKTURNAL HELLSTORM, Lilker said, "At the moment we still have to write one more song to have enough for a full-length, then we will record songs five to eight, and then see who's interested in releasing it. The songwriting has temporarily taken a back seat to rehearsing for our first two shows, which are coming up quite soon. Some of our newer songs were written quite recently, so for now the priority is to ensure that we know all our material quite well so we can totally slay onstage. So, no timetable for now."
ABOMINATION, the 1990s band formed by MASTER mainman Paul Speckmann, will reform for a 17-date European tour in November 2011.
Anyone interested in supporting this tour — clubs, bookers and bands — can contact Falko at bruchsteinrec@aol.com.
When asked about ABOMINATION's split and the possibility of a reunion, Speckmann stated in a 2009 interview, "Management played a big part in the fall of ABOMINATION and [the band's record label] Nuclear Blast made many mistakes as well. As for a reunion, this will never happen as guitarist Dean Chioles died of multiple sclerosis many years ago and this was a sad loss for all."
Regarding what significance ABOMINATION has had for him personally and musically, Speckmann said, "ABOMINATION was a group that experimented with many genres of music and wasn't afraid to try new ideas out and this was a chance to try out many of my crazy changes and the band would successfully implement them in their songs. I had the pleasure of bringing my ABOMINATION vision to Europe one time only for 26 performances and I will never forget this."
Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of France's GLORIOR BELLI. The band's new album, "The Great Southern Darkness", will be released in the fall.
Comments the group: "We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with the folks of Metal Blade Records, who put out some of the best metal in the past decades, and it's only fair given the efforts and determination of GLORIOR BELLI into making genuine music that stands the test of time."
GLORIOR BELLI swamped out from the temperamental suburbs of Paris in December 2002. What started as a notorious duo soon became a remarkable beast, acting as a beacon for everyone looking to free themselves of the influence of the Demiurge.
A symbolic demo, "Evil Archaic Order", was released in June 2004, followed by the band's first full-length album, "Ô Lavdate Dominvs", in May 2005. GLORIOR BELLI's sophomore album, "Manifesting The Raging Beast", was issued in June 2007 via Southern Lord Records and their latest offering, "Meet Us At The Southern Sign", arrived in June 2009 via Candlelight Records.
Lyrics and themes explored over the years reveal a sincere inclination for rebel-ism and developed sense of poetry, an intriguing and almost hypnotic journey through dark deserts and evil fields with Lucifer as personal guide.
At this point the French band has garnered a stellar reputation in the extreme music community for mixing desert-rock textures with the brutal, ominous, doom-laden vibe typical of black metal. But don't bother trying to restrain that which cannot be confined, for this is merely the greatest curse of the cosmic scheme.
GLORIOR BELLI is:
J. - Vocals + Guitar
G. - Drums
H. - Guitar
T. - Bass
For more information, visit www.gloriorbelli.com.
EVANESCENCE and SYSTEM OF A DOWN have been confirmed for this year's Rock In Rio festival, which will take place September 23 - October 2 in "The City Of Rock" in Olympic Park, Barra da Tijuca/Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Also scheduled to appear are GUNS N' ROSES, ANGRA, COHEED AND CAMBRIA, METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD, SEPULTURA and SLIPKNOT, among others.
The Rock In Rio festivals are massive events, drawing millions of people and a diverse roster of local and international artists.
Tickets are on sale now at the Rock in Rio official web site, www.rockinrio.com.br.
Brian Fischer-Giffin of Australia's Loud magazine recently conducted an interview with bassist/vocalist David Vincent of Florida-based extreme metal veterans MORBID ANGEL. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
On MORBID ANGEL's new album, "Illud Divinum Insanus":
"It has been a long time between records. There's probably a million excuses why, but it's the right time and it's done and I'm really looking forward to the shows."
"We've always pushed ourselves with everything we've done in the past. I think we've pushed ourselves even more this time. It was a very interesting experience. I wasn't used to working with Tim [Yeung, drums] or Thor ['Destructhor' Anders Myrhen, guitar]. But it really was a group effort. Everyone contributed a lot. I think the sound of this album is unique, and I'd like to think that's something we've always done. And the challenge for us is that we are challenging our audience as well."
On the band's split with drummer Pete Sandoval:
"Initially we were working with him, but he got to a point where he was in so much pain [after extensive back surgery to repair a prolapsed disc] he just couldn't play. He'd take a few days off and it just wasn't getting any better. And that's when he said, 'I'm just gonna have to go and have the surgery. You guys are gonna have to get someone to do the record.' And we did."
"Hopefully he will continue to follow the directions of his caregiver, and do the procedures and do the things they tell him to do and not to the things they tell him not to do. We're looking forward to him getting better and I'm sure he's looking forward to it, too."
On new MORBID ANGEL drummer Tim Yeung (HATE ETERNAL, DIVINE HERESY, DECREPIT BIRTH, NILE, VITAL REMAINS):
"I like Tim a lot. He's a great guy; he's a fantastic player. And I like him as person as well. That helps."
On the "Illud Divinum Insanus" artwork, which was created by Gustavo Sazes:
"I love the color. That piece of art literally looks like [how] the record sounds to me. Everyone who's seen it says that it's fucking cool. The cool thing is, we had separate email chains going about this, and when Trey [Azagthoth, guitar] saw it, that's the first thing he said, too: 'I love this. We gotta have it.' He and I hadn't talked about it. We essentially agreed about it without even knowing. It's very interesting. It's religious, but it's beyond religion. We had to do a couple minor suggestions about it, but I just felt that the color and the atmosphere of what he came up with was really excellent."
On the first single from the new album, "Nevermore", which also features a version of "Destructos vs. the Earth/Attack", remixed by aggrotech exponents COMBICHRIST:
"To me, it doesn't sound like the album version — why would it? The band that did the remix, they're a very bright burning candle in their own right. Obviously they're not a metal act, but I think it's really cool. Honestly, we were just trying to broaden the horizons of extreme music, and our ways of doing it. We're exploring at the same time; we always have. This is just one more step."
On trying to expand the boundaries of extreme music:
"I'm trying to broaden the definition. When we say death metal, that's a term that I would have used... we all like to put things in a box, we all would say this style of music is death metal, black metal, progressive metal, thrash... there's all these little determiner words that people use to describe stuff. I'm just at that point where I say we play extreme music. Because there's elements of all sorts of stuff in there and I hate to limit it to just one thing: death metal. I think there's an audience for extreme music, whether it's death metal or whatever it is being created. People are going to go off, and I'm part of that audience."
Robert Gray of Ultimate-Guitar.com recently conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski of Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: BEHEMOTH recently held its first meeting since your December 2010 bone marrow transplant. How did that meeting go?
Nergal: It went fine. I was hooking up with Inferno once in awhile, and I would meet Orion when I came down to Warsaw — he lives in Warsaw, and I live in Gdansk. I was meeting the guys occasionally here and there. We'd be on the phone pretty much every second or third day, so everyone was in the loop on what was happening. It was actually the first time that we all physically met since my operation, though. No other people, no computers. We met in a small wooden convenience deep in the woods, so there was no mobile reception there. We were all just talking and having a good time, having a barbecue and just talking about the future of the band, setting out a plan for the next year and a half. Everyone seems to be getting into things again. It was a good experience, man. Everyone's really into just going back on the road and playing again.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: It sounds as though BEHEMOTH's members were very supportive of you during your ordeal.
Nergal: Totally, totally. I have the best bandmates on the planet, man; they're very supportive, and I know that they're people I can depend on. I can tell you that they can depend on me even more than ever nowadays. I'm very thankful for being in the band. We are all individual. We are all pretty much different, but I'm really happy to see that we all speak the same language.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: During BEHEMOTH's recent band meeting, what did you all collectively decide would be the future for the next year and a half for the group?
Nergal: First of all, we start rehearsing next month. We are basically refreshing the set list, and we wanna come up with the greatest and most insane show with crazy gear, pyro and all this stuff. After our so-called comeback — whatever, return to the whole touring thing — we want to make sure that people are gonna see the band's stronger than ever, and there's no question about that. We're coming back to dominate, and that's that. We're gonna take no prisoners. There's gonna be no compromise whatsoever, and that's the plan. We're gonna start touring in Poland. First we're doing just weekends just to warm up so to speak, and afterwards we will be touring Asia, Australia and some other crazy countries. I mean, we already have plans for a U.S. tour, European tour — first a European tour and then a U.S. tour. Then we wanna do Russia, then we're gonna do the festival season next summer. That's plenty of work, and in the meantime when we're rehearsing,
there's gonna be a lot of new ideas and new stuff coming up too. There's no set-up for a new album yet because we need to get to know each other again, and get the chemistry back and so on. I can't predict if it's gonna happen in a month or in six months, but we're definitely looking towards making a new, exciting record, that's for sure.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: So it could be that if BEHEMOTH jams on some new ideas next month and in the coming months during rehearsals, there'll be the seeds of a new record?
Nergal: Yeah. We'll see. Whatever happens, happens (laughs).
Ultimate-Guitar.com: Which songs are BEHEMOTH considering playing at upcoming shows, songs the group have yet to play live? You mentioned how BEHEMOTH is freshening the setlist.
Nergal: We want to keep the new set list a surprise, but there's gonna be a lot of stuff that we haven't played live at all. There's gonna be a lot of stuff that we played ten years ago or six years ago, and there's gonna be a lot of stuff that we'll be playing for the first time ever. It's just super-exciting for both us and the audience. People will be like, "Fuck, I never expected them to play that song or that song." We wanna keep it very fresh and inspiring and passionate, and that's what it's gonna be.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: What do you hope to achieve with BEHEMOTH in the near future?
Nergal: Well, first of all. man, we are coming back and we are totally excited about it. This band has always been about expressing ourselves — we can always come and say pretty much whatever we want. When we faced the fact that we might've lost this forever, it made us realize how important the whole BEHEMOTH experience is for us in our lives. It's the perfect combination of passion, aggression, fury, love and hate. You name it, and that's what BEHEMOTH is for us. We fucking breathe and shit and eat it. It's the core of our lives, and there's nothing that can stop us now. Only health problems, but nothing else. We want to bring it back on the same track and just fucking roll with it as long as we can. As long as it takes, as long as we enjoy it, and as long as we need it. BEHEMOTH is all throughout our lives, that's for sure.
HARADWAITH, the German black metal band featuring former ENDSTILLE frontman Iblis, has issued the following update:
"It has been quiet some time since the last update. However, this neither means that nothing's been going on nor that we've been lazy. So let's fill you in on some details about our latest actions.
"As you all know, we are currently working on our second album and so far it looks like it will contain six main songs and some instrumental parts.
"We are really excited about the way things work out and hope to enter the studio at the end of the year."
HARADWAITH's debut album, "Creating Hell", came out last November via Black Bards Entertainment. The CD was recorded at Jak's Hell studio in Germany, where all the ENDSTILLE albums were tracked.
HARADWAITH is:
Iblis - Vocals
Raudhrskal - Guitar
Slaktare - Guitar
Vorst - Bass
Erebor – Drums
"Heimvegen", a brand new song from Norwegian progressive/psychedelic black metallers ENSLAVED, is available for streaming at MetalInjection.net. The track comes off the band's new EP, "The Sleeping Gods", which will be released for free via Scion A/V in the near future.
Over the course of five tracks and 28 minutes, "The Sleeping Gods" serves up a diverse feast of blackened Viking folk, prog and ambient psychedelia that will engage and challenge your metal mind. These tracks display the superlative songwriting skills we've come to expect from ENSLAVED, delivered with addictive, headbanging immediacy.
"The Sleeping Gods" track listing:
01. Heimvegen
02. Alu Misyrki
03. Synthesis
04. Nordlys
05. The Sleeping Gods
ENSLAVED was honored in the "Metal" category at the 39th annual Spellemann awards (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards). The largest and oldest Norwegian music awards show was held on March 5 at the Spektrum in Oslo, Norway and was broadcast live on the Norwegian channel TV2.
This marks the fourth consecutive time that ENSLAVED won the Spellemann award in the "Metal" category.
"Axioma Ethica Odini", the eleventh studio album from ENSLAVED, sold around 1,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 16 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.
"Axioma Ethica Odini" was released in Norway on September 20, 2010, in the rest of Europe on September 27, 2010 and in North America on September 28, 2010.
Norwegian black metal overlords VREID will embark on a North American headlining tour this August. Dubbed "The Black Path Of America Tour 2011", the trek will commence on August 25 in Toronto and trample through 14 cities before coming to a ceremonious close on September 10 in San Diego. VREID will be joined by pagan black metal co-headliners KAMPFAR and Canadian death metal ensemble NECRONOMICON.
Commented VREID bassist Hváll: "It is with great joy we can announce our first headlining tour in North America. 'The Black Path Of America' tour is packed with ten U.S. and six Canadian shows.
"We did our first full North America tour in 2009 on the Heathen Fest, and the reaction we got was overwhelming. We had amazing shows in Montreal, Cleveland and San Francisco — to name just a few — and are glad to see all those cities plus many more on the list for our upcoming tour.
"Our latest album, 'V', is doing fantastic, and has become a monumental release for us.
"We can't wait to return to the Wild West to unleash songs new and old with our own production.
"Joining us on this tour are our good Norwegian friends of the legendary KAMPFAR and NECRONOMICON from Canada. It's a killer lineup, and we hope to see as many of you as possible at the shows."
"The Black Path Of America Tour 2011" featuring VREID, KAMPFAR, NECRONOMICON:
Aug. 25 - The Wreck Room - Toronto, ON
Aug. 26 - Les Foufounes Electriques - Montreal, QC
Aug. 27 - The Basement - Kingston, NY
Aug. 28 - Europa - New York, NY
Aug. 29 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH
Aug. 30 - Reggie's - Chicago, IL
Aug. 31 - Station 4 - St Paul, MN
Sep. 01 - Royal Albert - Winnipeg, MN
Sep. 02 - The Exchange - Regina, SK
Sep. 03 - Pawn Shop - Edmonton, AB
Sep. 05 - Rickshaw Theater - Vancouver, BC
Sep. 06 - Studio Seven - Seattle, WA
Sep. 07 - The Branx - Portland, OR
Sep. 08 - Thee Parkside - San Francisco, CA
Sep. 09 - The Whisky - Hollywood, CA
Sep. 10 - JT's Limelight - San Diego, CA
Polish technical death metal band DECAPITATED have set "Carnival Is Forever" as the title of their fifth studio album, due later in the year via Nuclear Blast Records.
Commented DECAPITATED guitarist Waclaw "Vogg" Kieltyka: "Carnival: war, rape, lies, pathology, evil displayed through certain events and situations of the latest years in the world. Is Forever — I guess it doesn't need explaining. Both in the text and the title, there is bitter irony. The author of the title and all lyrics is Jarek Szubrycht (Lex Occulta, author of "No Mercy", the world's first biography of thrash metal legends SLAYER."
The follow-up to 2006's "Organic Hallucinosis", "Carnival Is Forever" was recorded at Radio Gdansk Studio in Poland with producer Wacek Kieltyka and engineer Malta Arkadiusz Malczewski. Drums were tracked with Daniel Bergstrand (BEHEMOTH, MESHUGGAH, DIMMU BORGIR, KEEP OF KALESSIN, DEFLESHED), who also handled mixing duties.
DECAPITATED's new album will be released through Nuclear Blast Records in all territories except the band's home country where the group will make the CD available via its own label.
DECAPITATED's lineup includes Waclaw "Vogg" Kieltyka on guitar, Kerim "Krimh" Lechner (THORNS OF IVY, TONE INTIMACY) on drums, Rafal Piotrowski (KETHA, FORGOTTEN SOULS) on lead vocals, and Filip "Heinrich" Halucha (VESENIA, ROOTWATER, UNSUN, MASACHIST) on bass.
DEATH BREATH — the Swedish old-school death metal project featuring former ENTOMBED drummer and main songwriter Nicke Andersson (most recently the frontman of THE HELLACOPTERS and IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC) — has canceled its appearance at the Maryland Deathfest IX, set to take place May 26-29 in Baltimore.
Commented the band: "We are really sorry, but we can't make it to the Maryland Deathfest this year. Production difficulties with the complexity of the band being spread all over the world made an error in the schedule, so we simply had to cancel as we felt we couldn't achieve a good performance. To do a one-off show is actually more difficult than we thought. We are very sorry for this and wanna say thanks for understanding to the fans and the promoter."
An unmixed version of a new DEATH BREATH track, "Obsessed By Sodomy", is available for streaming on the group's MySpace page.
DEATH BREATH's latest EP, "Let It Stink", was released in the U.S. in August 2007 via Relapse Records.
"Let It Stink" featured four brand new songs as well as three covers by BATHORY ("Sacrifice"), G.B.H. ("Lycantrophy") and DISCHARGE ("Maimed And Slaughtered"). The CD version of "Let It Stink" contained a brand new version of the video for the song "Death Breath" as well as the original one.
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