With
Mick Jagger's new band and Keith Richard's autobiography, the Rolling Stones
barely have time for new projects together.
But
the ageing rockers made a rare appearance together yesterday, sparking rumours
a new tour or album was in the pipeline.
Frontman
Mick, 68, guitarists Keith, 67, and Ronnie Wood, 64, and drummer Charlie Watts,
70, were spotted leaving an office in London.
And
the band still showed they had star power, nearly 50 years after they were
formed by Mick, Keith and former members Brian Jones and Ian Stewart.
A fan was seen smiling enthusiastically as he touched Ronnie Wood
on the shoulder as he was ushered into a waiting car.
A photographer is seen snapping away.
Ronnie, who was in The Jeff Beck Group and Faces with Rod Stewart,
still refused to dress his age, donning a velvet blue blazer paired with skinny
black jeans.
Keith joined his bandmate in the young-dressing stakes, donning
one of his trademark headscarves underneath a stylish hat.
He was flanked by a burly tattooed man, thought to be his
bodyguard.
Mick wasn't dressed like his usual flamboyant self, wearing a
simple navy blazer, jeans and sneakers.
And Charlie also opted for casual-wear.
Rumours circulated in May that talks over plans for a 50th
anniversary tour and album next year had broken down amid Mick's launch of a
new 'supergroup'.
SuperHeavy includes singer Joss Stone, Bob Marley's son Damian,
Eurythmics star Dave Stewart and A.R. Rahman, the Indian musician and composer
who won two Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire.
Jagger was also said to be furious over the way he was ridiculed
in Richards' best-selling autobiography, Life
The memoir, which Keith was paid £4.3million in advance for, has
sold more than a million copies.
Meanwhile all 17 of the Rolling Stones performances on The Ed
Sullivan Show are to be released on November 1.
It includes several performances that have never been released,
including their final appearance on the variety show on November. 23, 1969.
Andrew Solt, of Sofa Entertainment, said: 'The best Rolling Stones
TV performances are on these shows.
'On the concert films and on other shows you don't get the same
production values, and here the sound is as good as the visuals.
'Groups knew they would appear in front of 35 million people so
they rehearsed and made sure they would look good before doing on. Knowing they
were playing live on TV made them do their best.'
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Jeff Beck will follow in the footsteps of such greats
as Jimmy Page, Lemmy, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and Ozzy
Osbourne as the recipient of the coveted "Living Legend" award at
this year's Classic Rock Roll Of Honour
Says Beck: "The Classic Rock Roll Of Honour has always been
about great music that inspires and excites others. To be named as a 'Living
Legend' amongst so many fantastic musicians is an honor.
"When I was a 6-year-old boy, I heard Les Paul's 'How High The
Moon' over the radio and from that moment on I knew that I wanted to play
the guitar and make music. That moment has led me to where I am today.
"Rock music continues to evolve and it's great how established acts
inspire the upcoming bands and vice versa, producing more and more great music.
"I am proud to be a small part of this."
KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons will host the event at The
Roundhouse in London
on Wednesday, November 9.
Comments Gene: "On that momentous occasion, the planets will align,
living legends will gather to honor their own and London will become the center of the rock and
roll universe.
"It's one thing being a voracious and loyal reader of Classic Rock,
but it's another to be in the same room as the people who have inspired me to
stop flipping burgers and jump up on stage and have a go at it myself."
Versailles Records has announced plans for the spring
2012 release of "No More Tears: A Millennium Tribute To Ozzy
Osbourne". Featuring a collection of hits and fan favorites covering
every era of Ozzy's solo and BLACK SABBATH catalog, this album
will feature current/former members of BLACK SABBATH, MÖTLEY CRÜE, KISS, SLAUGHTER, NIGHT RANGER, OZZY OSBOURNE, BADLANDS, ALICE COOPER, THE CULT, L.A. GUNS, WARRANT, DOKKEN, STEVE VAI, SPINAL TAP, DAVID LEE ROTH, SANTANA, and
a host of others to be announced. Along with the aforementioned name artists,
the label is keeping in its tradition of featuring a number of adding a limited
number of cover song slots with original millennium metal bands influenced by Ozzy.
Interested bands should e-mail Versaillesrecords2006@yahoo.com with a web link
(Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, etc.).
According to RollingStone.com, British heavy metal legends JUDAS
PRIEST will release a new compilation album, "The Chosen
Few", on October 11 via Legacy/Sony. The collection
contains songs that were selected by some of the biggest names of the hard
rock/heavy metal world, including KISS' Gene Simmons, Ozzy
Osbourne, Slash, METALLICA's James Hetfield and Lars
Ulrich, Alice Cooper and SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor.
"This is a collection of songs chosen by our friends and respected
peers," PRIEST frontman Rob Halford tells RollingStone.com.
"So we hope all the metal maniacs out there will rock out to the tunes
enjoyed by metal legends."
"The Chosen Few" will contain explanations from the artists
about each of their selections, including Taylor making the argument
that PRIEST's early MTV anthem "You've Got Another Thing
Coming" established the group as "the blueprint for the ultimate
heavy metal band."
"The Chosen Few" track listing:
01. Diamonds And Rust (1977) - chosen by Joe Elliott (DEF LEPPARD)
02. Dissident Aggressor (1977) - chosen by Steve Vai and Geoff Tate
(QUEENSRŸCHE)
03. Exciter (1978) - chosen by ACCEPT
04. Beyond The Realms Of Death (1978) - chosen by Lars Ulrich
(METALLICA)
05. Delivering The Goods (1979) - chosen by Kerry King (SLAYER)
06. The Green Manalishi (with the Two-Pronged Crown) (1979) - chosen by
David Coverdale (WHITESNAKE) and Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD)
07. The Ripper (1979) - chosen by Ozzy Osbourne
08. Victim Of Changes (1979) - chosen by James Hetfield (METALLICA)
09. Breaking The Law (1980) - chosen by Lemmy (MOTÖRHEAD)
10. Rapid Fire (1980) - chosen by Vinnie Paul (PANTERA, HELLYEAH)
11. Grinder (1980) - chosen by Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY)
12. Living After Midnight (1980) - chosen by Alice Cooper and Geezer
Butler (BLACK SABBATH)
13. Screaming For Vengeance (1982) - chosen by Slash (GUNS N ROSES)
14. You've Got Another Thing Coming (1982) - chosen by Klaus Meine
(SCORPIONS) & Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT)
15. The Sentinel (1984) - chosen by Chris Jericho (FOZZY)
16. Turbo Lover (1986) - chosen by Jonathan Davis (KORN)
17. Painkiller (1990) - chosen by Joe Satriani
When Alice Cooper decided to write a few songs with an
old friend named Bob Ezrin, he had no idea that it would end up being a musical
episode of This is Your Life.
The famous producer and the man named Alice
soon conjured up the images of the original Welcome to My Nightmare album that they co-wrote in the 1970's when Alice left his band for a solo career. Soon,
the two men began wondering what Alice's
nightmares would be like as an older man. The creative juices began flowing,
and before they new it, they had song ideas. It wasn't long before the living members
of the original band came to Cooper's mind and they started writing songs with
them.
By the end of the journey, Cooper and Ezrin, with help
from Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith, Michael Bruce, Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner,
all Coop alumni, has the sequel to the original album. While most sequels fail
miserably, the premise behind this one, and the time span between the two, make
the album very interesting. With major label support behind it, and a few bucks
for marketing, the world may actually hear new music from a classic rock
artist.
Welcome 2 My Nightmareis an album
that sees Cooper at the top of his game, once again. Once the evil Alice is channeled into the normal, golf-loving Alice, then the games
begin. With tantalizing titles that include "I'll Bite Your Face Off," "Disco
Blood Bath" and "Ghouls Gone Wild" one can see the nightmare is in full swing.
The creative visualization used in the lyrics will make you think you're in REM
sleep, as the imagery comes out in full 3D color.
In the interview that follows, Cooper discusses the album
in depth. He explains why he choose to record with a 22 year old diva and how
Ezrin, and himself, came up with the crazy ideas that make the storyline of The
Nightmare so compelling. We also talk about the day Ezrin first visited Alice
Cooper back in the early 1970's and why, that day, Dennis Dunaway was wearing a
frog head and would only say 'ribbit.'
Jeb: I have been listening to Welcome 2 My Nightmare and
loving it.
Alice: Bob
Ezrin always brings out the worst in me and I always bring out the worst in
him. When we get together, our creative juices get really done.
Jeb: When did the idea come up to do a sequel?
Alice: Its
funny, we weren't even going to do this; it wasn't the original idea. I was
just going to write some songs with Bob. We started talking and it was the 35th anniversary of the album Welcome to My Nightmare. We started wondering
what Alice's
nightmares would be 35 years later. One thing led to another and pretty soon we
were writing songs. Seventeen songs later, we had an album. We weren't there to
write an album and, out of nowhere, we had one. Not only that, but it was one
of the five best albums we've ever done. We were kind of surprised that so many
good things came out of it.
Jeb: How is it different writing for the character Alice then it is for a
normal album?
Alice: When
you're writing for a character, for somebody other than yourself, then it's
different. I might write the greatest song that I've ever written and, then, I
will realize that Alice
would never sing this. It could be a great song for Guns N Roses, or the Foo
Fighters, but it is not a song that Alice
would ever sing. Being a songwriter, you just write the song and it comes out
the way that it is. If it's usable, then a lot of times we can twist the lyrics
around enough to make it sound like Alice,
but a lot of times you can't.
Bob and I would sit there and be very objective about Alice. We'd talk about
him in the third person without getting personal about it. I would say, "Bob,
that whole second section there is not Alice."
Bob would listen to it and say, "You know, you're right. Lets change that." If
I were writing for Captain Hook then I would be able to do it because I kind of
know how he thinks about things, but you couldn't just write anything and have
Captain Hook sing it.
Jeb: Tell me about the song you did with Ke$ha? When I
saw her name on the album I went, "What the hell?"
Alice: I
sometimes rebel against my own fans. When my fans come up to me and go, "You
can't have someone like her on your record." Then I go, "I can't? Why?" If
someone tells me that I can't have Vince Gill play lead on a song, then I say,
"Why?" If he plays the greatest guitar solo that you ever heard then who cares?
I met Ke$ha at the Grammys and she never looked, to me,
like a Diva, she looked like a rock singer. I told her, "Eventually, everyone
leaves the Divas. There is no way you can have a long lasting career as no one
ends up loving the Divas forever. However, everybody loves a rock band." It's
true, no one ever says anything bad about Chrissie Hynde. I am trying to talk
her into getting a real rock band behind her.
When I met her, I had an idea for a song. I needed a
character to play the devil. In the song, she finally has enough, and its time
for Alice to
pay her with his soul. We decided to call it 'What Baby Wants Baby Gets"
because in the song he tries to say, "Hey, that wasn't part of the deal" and
she says, "No, no, no, you don't understand, what baby wants, baby gets!" For
me, it was a perfect line for her to say. .
Jeb: I have heard she even calls you 'dad,' is that true?
Alice:
Yeah, I'm kind of like her dad. She comes in the studio and she is wearing next
to nothing and I'm like, "Put a sweater on." I have two daughters and I'm
always telling them that. I'm trying to tell a 22-year-old what to do. Bob
Ezrin does the same thing. Bob and I really are like her two dads. She does
respect us, which is good.
Jeb: What was it like to bring back Dennis Dunaway,
Michael Bruce and Neal Smith back for three songs? This is the original Alice
Cooper Group!
Alice: When
we got into the Hall of Fame, we realized that we were going to have to do some
songs. We had a very strange breakup back in 1974, in the fact that nobody was
angry, nobody took a swing at anybody and there was no bad blood. Everybody
knew that I wanted to be more theatrical, and that they wanted to go in a
different direction, and that was it. We were always in touch with each other.
When the Hall of Fame thing came along, then I thought we
should do some songs with Bob Ezrin producing. The band was just the same as it
was in 1974. I didn't want to change anything. When the idea for this album
came up, I said to Bob, "Wouldn't it be great to get Dennis, Mike and Neal on
the album? Lets get them to write some songs so we can write with them." We
wrote a song with Neal, we wrote a song with Dennis, and we wrote a song with
Mike, and all three of the songs ended up on the album. To me, it's sort of
wrapping up all of the loose ends.
Jeb: Steve Hunter, who was on the original Welcome to
My Nightmare is also on the album.
Alice: So
is Dick Wagner. Steve Hunter is now back in my touring band.
Jeb: When you write a song like "Last Man On Earth" then
you and Ezrin must just be smiling and laughing all the way.
Alice: Bob
and I learned a long time ago that when you start writing a song, and it starts
developing it's own personality; you just have to let it be what it is. You
can't try to force a round peg in a square hole. Just write the song, see what
it ends up being and then see if it works. You can't start trying to twist it
into what you want it to be. Bob and I started writing this song, "Last Man On
Earth" and it ended up being a Tom Waits song – I sing it somewhere between Tom
Waits and Jimmy Durante. When I saw Tom at the Hall of Fame I said, "Tom, this
is going to sound weird, but I've always been a big fan of yours. I have
written a new song that, coincidently, is a tip of the hat to you. When you
hear it, you will know which song I am talking about." That song really ended
up coming out well and it really fit the story line well. It reminds of that
old Twilight Zone with Burgess Meredith where he ends up in the basement
because of an atomic explosion. When he finally goes upstairs, he's now got all
of the books in the world but he then breaks his glasses and now he can't read
them. That was kind of this idea. Alice
is the last man on earth. He can stink, he can swear and he can do anything he
wants to do because there is no one there to tell him 'yes' or 'no'.
Jeb: The original Welcome to My Nightmare had an
incredible stage show that is now very famous. What are we going to see with 2?
Alice: I am
currently on tour now. The album is going to come out right in the middle of
this tour. We're going to add some of the songs in but I think it will be the
tour after this when we're going to go all out for the Nightmare Returns tour.
It will probably be as theatrical as the first one.
Jeb: Last one: I am friends with Dennis Dunaway. He once
told me that the first day that Bob Ezrin came over to meet the band, for some
reason, he decided to be a frog that day and was wearing a frog head. As luck
would have it, he answered the door and just said, "ribbit" to Ezrin. Did you know
that? Do you ever feel lucky that Bob went ahead and came inside instead of
running away?
Alice: It
didn't surprise me at all to walk downstairs and find Dennis in a frog outfit.
When that sort of thing happened you would just walk by him and go, "Oh, hi
Dennis." It never occurred to any of the rest of us that such a thing would
ever be odd to anyone else. If you knew Dennis then you were used to that sort
of thing. It must have been a bit of a shock to Bob. Imagine just walking in
and finding a frog. And then he would discover that everyone else in the band
had very distinct personalities. Luckily, we all worked well as a unit. .
www.alicecooper.com
AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler's father, Victor
Tallarico, died Saturday in Nashua, New Hampshire at the age of 95.
According to Victor's online obituary, he was surrounded by family when
he died peacefully on Saturday, September 10.
"Victor was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Susan Ray (Blancha) Tallarico. He leaves a brother, Ernest Tallarico, of Tampa, Florida,
two children, Steven and Lynda; seven grandchildren, two
great-grandchildren and many friends," the obituary reads.
"Among Victor's proudest accomplishments were his offspring: Lynda,
a retired teacher who resides in southern Vermont, and Steven, who, having been
well launched into the music business by Victor, became famous as Steven
Tyler, the lead singer of the rock band AEROSMITH."
In a 2010 profile, Tallarico told the Nashua Telegraph about his
famous son, "My favorite song of his? 'Dream On'. Because it's not
really a rock song. Of course, I'm proud of him. [He's] number one in the rock
field. There is no one like him. There will never be. He, as far as I'm
concerned, is a genius."
AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry and a surprise
guest star are joining the Woodstock
area on Sunday, September 18 at 4 p.m.at the Woodstock VT Town Hall Theater to
thank the rescue workers and volunteers, and raise funds for the hardest-hit
househoulds.
The "Irene Good Bye" cabaret benefit is free, for all ages,
and includes a free will contribution. 100 percent of all proceeds will go to
the Woodstock VT Area Flood Relief Fund Of Sustainable Woodstock.
You can contribute to the fund online at www.SustainableWoodstock.org or via mail:
Woodstock VT Area Flood Relief Fund
PO Box 611
Woodstock, VT, 05091
Phone: 802-457-2911
Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced the U.S. release of Slash's (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES) first-ever
live solo album, "Made In Stoke 24/7/11". The double-disc CD,
and a special-edition 2CD+DVD package (featuring five bonus tracks and an
exclusive interview with Slash) hits stores November 15.
The iconic, Grammy-winning rock guitarist and songwriter Slash has perfected the science of the six-string for over 20 years as an integral
component of GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER and as a hugely
successful solo artist. On July 24, 2011, he made a very special visit to in
the British town of Stoke-On-Trent,
where he was raised until he was five, at the end of the 2010-2011 tour in
support of his globally chart topping and critically acclaimed self-titled solo
debut.
Captured at Victoria Hall as part of an intensive world tour, this 21-song set
is a celebration of a legendary career. Joined by Myles Kennedy of ALTERBRIDGE on vocals, Slash ripped through cuts culled from his GN'R days, VELVET REVOLVER, SLASH'S
SNAKEPIT, and his solo album, (including the single "By The
Sword"). His band lineup included bassist Todd Kerns, drummer Brent
Fitz and guitarist Bobby Schneck.
With favorites like "Back From Cali", "Slither", "Sweet Child O' Mine", and many
more reverberating the crowd-filled rafters, this proved to be one rockin'
homecoming.
The track listing is as follows:
01. Been There Lately (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT song)
02. Nightrain (GUNS N' ROSES song)
03. Ghost
04. Mean Bone (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT song)
05. Back From Cali
06. Rocket Queen (GUNS N' ROSES song)
07. Civil War (GUNS N' ROSES song)
08. Nothing To Say
09. Starlight
10. Promise
11. Doctor Alibi (with Todd Kerns on vocals)
12. Speed Parade (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT song)
13. Watch This
14. Beggars & Hangers-On (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT song)
15. Patience (GUNS N' ROSES song)
16. Guitar Solo / Godfather Theme
17. Sweet Child O' Mine (GUNS N' ROSES song)
18. Slither (VELVET REVOLVER song)
19. By The Sword
20. Mr. Brownstone (GUNS N' ROSES song)
21. ParadiseCity (GUNS N' ROSES
song)
Bonus DVD:
* Ghost
* Back From Cali
* Beggars & Hangers-On
* Been There Lately
* Starlight
* Interview with Slash
Check out the cover artwork below.
"I've been wanting to do this for a long time and for some reason it just
never seemed possible," said Slash.
"One of the things about doing the solo record and setting up my own tour
was that I told the powers-that-be that I wanted to play in places I'd never
played before. And so Stoke was something that was high on my list and I told
them just make it happen."
Slash, whose real name is Saul Hudson, left Stoke-on-Trent
when he was five years old. But he said he still had "vivid memories"
of the city.
"I have memories that I went to school there, of the basic neighbourhood
that I lived in. I remember exactly what the house looked like. Just everything
in general, for some reason my memory is really clear. Better than my memory of
later years."
The Stoke-on-Trent concert sold out in less
than two hours after tickets went on sale on May 6.
Over 1,500 fans attended the show, which marked 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."
Slash stated after the concert: "Stoke was a [fuckin'] blast!!
Great vibe and energy. It's going to make a killer DVD. We'll be back next year
definitely!"
Although ALTER BRIDGE vocalist Myles Kennedy sang just two tracks
on Slash's self-titled solo debut, Slash recently confirmed that Myles will sing everything on the guitarist's next solo effort.
In an interview with The Pulse Of Radio, Kennedy said about the fact
that Slash would like him to handle the lead vocals on the guitarist's
next CD, "It's very flattering. I think there's kind of a cool thing we
got going. We really enjoy working with each other."
Slash's debut disc came out last year and featured a different singer on
each track, including Chris Cornell, Ozzy Osbourne, M. Shadows and others.
According to Here
Today… Gone To Hell!, GUNS N' ROSES will perform the following U.S.
shows in October/November:
Oct. 28 - Amway Center - Orlando, FL
Oct. 29 - AmericanAirlines Arena - Miami, FL
Nov. 12 - Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO
Nov. 13 - Target Center - Minneapolis, MN
Nov. 15 - Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL
More dates will be announced soon.
GUNS N' ROSES made its first U.S.
concert appearance in four years and only one of 2010 when it headlined the
fifth and final night of the Rock 'N Rev Festival at the 70th annual Sturgis
Bike Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 13, 2010.
GUNS N' ROSES last toured the U.S. in 2006, and has not played
any other American shows since the November 2008 release of its "Chinese
Democracy" album.
"Chinese Democracy" was made available exclusively through Best
Buy. The long-in-the-making, 14-song CD finally arrived 17 years after the
last full-length collections of original GUNS material, "Use
Your Illusion I" and "II", were released, and nine
years after the non-album track "Oh My God" surfaced on the
soundtrack of the movie "End Of Days".
METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich will guest on
tomorrow morning's (Tuesday, September 13) edition of "The Howard Stern
Show" on SiriusXM satellite radio.
As previously reported, METALLICA and Lou Reed will be among the
guests on the BBC television series "Later...With Jools
Holland" when it returns with a new series of shows this fall,
according to Music Week. There's no date specified for when Reed and the band will appear, but they will perform music from their collaborative
album, "Lulu", which arrives worldwide on October 31 and in North America on November 1.
There's no word yet on whether METALLICA and Reed will perform
together on any U.S. TV shows or tour behind the record.
Reed first suggested that he and METALLICA make an album after
they performed together at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25th
anniversary shows in New York City
in October 2009.
While the set was first conceived as a re-recorded collection of Reed's
older material, it soon changed into a plan to record a series of songs that Reed had composed for a theater piece based on "The Lulu Plays",
written between 1895 and 1904 by German playwright Frank Wedekind.
METALLICA frontman James Hetfield said, "We were very
interested in working with Lou. I had these giant question marks: What's
it going to be like? What's going to happen? So it was great when he sent us
the lyrics for the 'Lulu' body of work. It was something we could sink
our teeth into."
Reed added, "We played together, and I knew it: dream come true.
This is the best thing I ever did. And I did it with the best group I could
possibly find."
METALLICA's Lars Ulrich, KREATOR's Mille
Petrozza, IN FLAMES and VOLBEAT are among the artists who
were honored at the German edition of the Metal Hammer Awards this past
Friday night (September 9) at Kesselhaus in Berlin.
For the first time, the German Metal Hammer Awards took place as a
full-fledged party after being hosted at Wacken Open Air's main stage
for two years. The ceremony was hosted by Vito and Hannes of
German comedy metallers J.B.O. and included performances by DIE
APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, CALIBAN, PRIMAL FEAR and AUDREY
HORNE.
Metal Hammer Awards 2011 winners:
* Best Album: "Surtur Rising" by AMON AMARTH
* Best Debut: "Kvelertak" by KVELERTAK
* Best German Band: HEAVEN SHALL BURN
* Best International Band: VOLBEAT
* Best Live Act: IN FLAMES
* God Of Riffs: Mille Petrozza (KREATOR)
* Legend: Lars Ulrich (METALLICA)
* Maximum Metal: Adam "Nergal" Darski (BEHEMOTH)
* Metal Anthem: "Teutonic Terror" by ACCEPT
* Up-And-Coming Band: AUDREY HORNE
**UPDATE** BLABBERMOUTH.NET has received word that MEGADETH will, in fact, take part in this Wednesday's concert as scheduled. A brand new
video message from MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson confirming the
band's intention to play the show can be seen below.***
The original article follows below.
MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson revealed earlier tonight that the
band may not play the "Big Four" show on Wednesday, September 14 at
the new Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. While being interviewed by Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) for METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX — played their first U.S.
show in Indio, California on April 23.
In a 2010 interview with Austria's Stormbringer.at webzine, Mustaine was asked if the "Big Four" shows represented something special for
him or if he saw them as just "another MEGADETH tour."
"Of course it's special," he replied. "It's historical. It's
life-changing for a lot of people that were there. And I think the bragging
rights for people who actually witnessed it versus somebody who saw it on YouTube or saw it in a movie theater or is gonna see it on the DVD that's coming up…
they weren't there. So to actually watch it was a fantastic thing.
"Standing up on stage where I was [during the 'Big Four' jam at the Sonisphere festival in Sofia, Bulgaria on June 22, 2010], being able to look next to me,
on either side being flanked by so much tremendous talent, it was great. It's
just one of those things where in the moment it doesn't seem as enormous as it
really is. After the fact, you look back and you're like… You know, like when
you survive a car crash, you don't think it's such a big deal until you watch
it in slow motion, you're thinking, 'Oh, my god, I can't believe I survived.'
So going up on stage was really, really amazing. Especially when I looked back
and saw how everybody was embracing everyone and how I think that… If you were
there, you would have heard when, through all the goodbyes and everything at
the end, when James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] and I
embraced, the whole audience went [wild], 'cause it's what they've been waiting
for. It's what I think James and I both have been waiting for, too, so
it's a good thing. . . But yeah, I think it was really fun because of what we
stand for in heavy metal. Me and James are like the 'big daddies' of
this whole thing — we were the two guitar players that set the wheels in motion
when the first tapes were made of METALLICA. I think it's exciting now
to look back and see all the millions of bands that have been created off what
me and James did sitting in a room in Norwalk [California]."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tI5ILniUYuU
Philip
Anselmo(DOWN, PANTERA, ARSON ANTHEM, SUPERJOINT RITUAL)
joined Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), David Ellefson (MEGADETH), Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER), Frank Bello (ANTHRAX), Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) and Kerry King (SLAYER)
on stage earlier this evening (Monday, September 12) at the second Metal
Masters Clinic at the Best Buy Theater in New York City to perform two PANTERA classics: "A New Level" and "Fucking Hostile".
Photos of his appearance can be seen below.
Rita Haney, the girlfriend of late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag"
Darrell Abbott, recently called on former PANTERA drummer Vinnie
Paul Abbott and singer Philip Anselmo to settle their differences in
honor of Dimebag, who was shot and killed by a crazed gunman while
performing with DAMAGEPLAN at a Columbus, Ohio rock club in December
2004.
Vinnie, who is Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo have not
spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more
acrimonious when Vinnie indirectly blamed Philip for Dimebag's
death, suggesting that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.
Now Haney has spoken out about the long-running feud, saying,
"Everybody still has resentment towards each other about things in the
past. It's easy to direct your anger at the wrong people. Philip didn't
murder Darrell and [he] would never have wanted that."
Haney added, "Yeah, I resent Philip for becoming a jackass
and a drug addict, and I'm a little sketchy about trusting him all the way yet.
But some of the things he's emailed and some of the thing he's said — that's
the Philip I know, the 'stronger than all.' There's always room in my
heart for him — I love him."
Haney admitted that Vinnie is not happy that she's been in touch
with Anselmo, saying, "I just hope some day he sees the light that
I know Darrell is about, which is forgiving. I know it'll come in time —
you've got to let go to continue on."
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/philking.jpg
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/anselmoking.jpg
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/anselmoking2.jpg
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/anselmoking3.jpg
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/anselmoking4.jpg
ANTHRAX members Scott Ian (guitar), Charlie
Benante (drums) and Frank Bello (bass) were interviewed earlier today
on Fox News. You can now watch video footage of their appearance below.
As previously reported, ANTHRAX will play a very exclusive show under
the name SATAN'S LOUNGE BAND tonight (Monday, September 12) at the Best
Buy Theater in New York City.
To redeem your free ticket for the concert, enter the unique order number found
on your confirmation e-mail when you pre-order the new ANTHRAX album, "Worship
Music", via a special web site which has been launched at this location.
ANTHRAX's new album, "Worship Music", will be released
in the U.S. on September 13
via Megaforce Records (three days later in Germany through Nuclear Blast
Records). The band's first studio release in eight years marks the return
of vocalist Joey Belladonna, whose last full-length studio work with the
group was 1990's "Persistence Of Time".
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=163171
Radio personality Full Metal
Jackie talked to Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie on this past weekend's
show about the band's new album, 'A Dramatic Turn of Events,' which hits stores
Tuesday (Sept. 13). The pair also discussed the group's new drummer Mike
Mangini and Dream Theater's upcoming headlining tour with Trivium. If you
missed the radio show, you can read Full Metal Jackie's interview with LaBrie
below:
What's happening James?
Hey, how are you? I'm doing good.
I'm doing great, I'm so happy to have you on the show; I've been a big fan
of Dream Theater for a long time and really excited about this brand new record
coming out and you guys have a tour coming up in the fall as well. You guys are
going to be out with Trivium correct?
Yeah, we're going to be out and we're taking Trivium with us, our
labelmates, and we're looking forward to it. We start on the 24th of September
and it's something we're all pretty excited about. I mean we just finished
playing through Europe doing the festival tour
and it was great just to get out and get rid of the cobwebs and all of that
stuff, but more importantly it was our first outing with our new drummer Mike
Mangini and it's great to get those gigs under our belt, so to speak.
Everything went great, everything was fantastic and fans' reaction was so
positive and overwhelmingly receptive and, hey, we couldn't be more blessed. It
was all great.
Let's talk about that. Obviously, Mike Portnoy was an integral part of
Dream Theater since its inception, not somebody replaceable by simply hiring
another drummer. At what point during his audition did you know Mike Mangini
would be your man?
[Laughs] I think after the first three minutes. No, I mean he came there
with so much enthusiasm and he made it quite clear, quite apparent to us that,
"I'm coming after this gig and I'm putting my all into it and I'm very focused.
I'm very prepared and I'm going to make it undeniably obvious to you that I
want this gig more than anyone and I deserve it more than anyone."
We played three songs from previous albums and, seriously, even after the
first song it was just so obvious that this guy was unique, he was world class
and I think the other thing that really was what drove it home for us was that
it felt so natural; it just felt really natural. You would turn, if you weren't
looking at him and you turned away and you were just taking in the music and
how it felt, it felt very natural, it felt synergistic.
We were all joking after the audition saying we could have played a gig
[that night]. We literally could've walked on stage and played a gig, that's
how tight and in control he was, with playing through the songs.
The other drummers were phenomenal; the other drummers were unique in their
own way. They all had their own style and their own interpretation, incredible
drummers, but the way that he felt, it was the right chemistry, the way he
engaged in conversation with us, he's very intelligent.
I mean I've known Mike Mangini for 13 years and he played on three of my
solo albums, so I was privy to have worked with him in the past and I knew that
this was a guy who's going to come in; he's going to play and I'm pretty darn
sure he's going to have the other guys with their jaws on the floor and he did.
That being said, I know that there's been some talk out there of everybody
going, "Well, I'm sure that once Mike Mangini played that they were kind of
closed down to the other drummers presenting themselves and giving them a fair
shake" and I can tell you that we all stayed openminded listening to the other
six drummers. It was just when we went back and started looking and reviewing
the auditions of each drummer, we just kept coming back to Mike Mangini and
there was just something there, it's magic.
James, most of the songs are said to have been written prior to Mike
Mangini joining the band. How did you account for new chemistry that would
ultimately impact the music? Were the song crafted to specifically allow room
for someone new to make their mark?
Yeah, Absolutely. I think the accurate way of saying that is that, yes, it
was only the four of us in the studio; Mike Mangini wasn't in the studio with
us while we were writing the album. What would happen is that the songs came
together in their own unique way by us tossing ideas back and forth and whether
it was a riff or notes coming from John Myung or Jordan [Rudess] or John
Petrucci or riffs that I had in my head that I was throwing at them, that's how
the music came together.
Once we were sure that we had a song idea down and a song beginning to end,
what would happen in the studio is that John Petrucci would do the drum
programs, we did this through a computer, so he would program the drums and
then we would send that song to, completed with drums on there, via synthetic
drummer, we would send to Mike Mangini and then he would take it from there. He
would craft it into what he felt was necessary in the way that the drums would
unfold on each and every song and that's how the whole process is done.
By the time that Mike Mangini came into the studio to do his tracks he was
very sure of where he wanted to go; that being said, too, him and John Petrucci
were bouncing ideas throughout each and every song, trying new things or trying
something that might even make it much more strong or powerful. So that's kind
of the way it came up but we did give Mike Mangini absolute freedom in the kind
of drummer that he is, his style is very apparent; he's very intuitive, he's
very musical. He's proven himself over many years that he is world class and he
is unique in the way that he plays drums, so we wanted to capture that, we
didn't want to suffocate any of those elements that make him truly a gem as a
drummer. So, we did allow a lot of liberty from him as far as how he wanted to
express himself.
I want to premiere a new song from the album right now it's called 'Build
Me Up.' James, what could you tell us about this song?
It's great! [Laughs] Well, I'd say this one song, definitely, it really
speaks loudly. If there's ever going to be a Dream Theater song that's meant to
be played on radio, this has a very powerful hook melody throughout the entire
song, especially on the chorus. It's talking about how people basically are
built up to be something, that they're great and people wait for an opportunity
to knock them down, to kick them when they're down, you know whether it be
celebrity figures or anybody that has obtained great success. For whatever
reason human beings seem to feed off of someone else's misery and so it's just
kind of twisted in how we get off on that. So this song lyrically without
diving into it any deeper is dealing with that subject matter.
But I think musically, it's just a really cool tune. It's heavy, it's
grinding, it's very powerful even in the way the drums are pushing it forward
like a locomotive and I think melodically, too, it's exuding a lot of great
hooks. Hopefully, it'll be something everyone can sink into which I'm pretty
confident it will be.
James, the departure of someone like Portnoy, hands on in so many aspects
of how Dream Theater functioned must have meant a total restructuring of the
band mechanism. Does such restructuring come at the benefit of shaking up the
complacency of routine?
Yeah, I would think so. I think it allowed us to really rethink how we exist.
I think one thing to be noted is that musically we were pretty sure, we knew
what kind of album we wanted to make when we were coming into the studio which
ended up being 'A Dramatic Turn of Events.' The music on this album, we knew
that we really wanted to get back to our musical roots and we really wanted to
recreate keeping it contemporary and keeping it new obviously.
What really put us on the map internationally and that was the progressive
element of Dream Theater and the heavy metal element but keeping it in a very
controlled and complimenting way for each element to speak loudly but not
overtaking the other.
Beyond that, we also knew that there are a lot of behind the scenes
operations that make a band what it is and there's so many things going on
whether it's promotion, whether it's artwork or just every day to day duties
that need to be done that will enable a band to stay in the minds of the fans
and in the industry in a very positive and healthy way.
So, we knew right away that we wanted to make it a unified venture from this
moment on so that it wasn't one person calling the shots; it wasn't one person
taking the responsibilities of the band because that just tends to kind of
leave you out in the dark and there can be too many moments that can be
somewhat surprising to you. "Oh, I didn't know we were doing that or I didn't
know that, that was going on or how did this come about." So knew that we never
wanted to be, maybe, in that situation ever again.
So, transparency was the first thing that we said this band had to exist on
and the fact that we were all going to discuss any move that was going to be
made and it's been great and it hasn't been complicated, because the way we
looked at it in the past was that, "Well you get everybody in, there's too many
chefs in the kitchen or there's too many chiefs" or whatever. It hasn't ever
been a situation like that if anything it's something that's easily discussed,
we all know what's best for the band, we all know what we want, ultimately we
want success and we want to continue building this so that it gets bigger and
better.
So, we're able to discuss things and it's an open dialogue and I think
because of that we all feel much more connected and much more free and calm and
spirited and I think that even comes out; well we know it does, because fans
are talking about it, that there seems to be a whole new unity going on within
the band, a whole new spirit on stage and everyone's roles are speaking loudly
as far as the way you see a band and view a band. And so I think it's all great
you know, it's all really taking us to a better place.
We've been playing this song on the show for a couple weeks now. James what
could you tell us about the song 'On the Backs of Angels?'
Well, 'On the Backs of Angels' is dealing with, in society we have, people
always pushing themselves to be bigger and better, entrepreneurial individuals
looking to say something and make something different, something that puts them
up to create a very successful situation for themselves. And on the other end
of the spectrum we have people that kind of suck or bleed the system and want
to somewhat break down anything that is positive or complacency seems to be
their mote and it's unfortunate and it's very destructive and it's very
negative. So, there's two things going within this song but aside from that, I
think it's another song on the album that proves that we're maintaining the
identity of Dream Theater loud and clear.
What's the setlist going to be like? At this point you guys have so many
records under your belt, what could we expect from the setlist?
Yeah, well we thought it's important that our previous albums are maintained
and they do have moments throughout the night that they're brought forth. So,
with that being said there will be a song or two from the previous albums going
right through the catalog and then obviously there's going to be a bit more
support and focus on the new album where we're going to play a few more songs
than we would from the other albums. But, I think the way we have it
structured, will make for a very exciting night musically and I think very
fulfilling and gratifying to our fans that have been with us from the very
beginning right up to the newer fans that are coming on board now or have just
recently come on board in the last few years. So, it will make for a very
exciting evening musically.
And we are a devoted bunch of fans I will say.
There's no doubt about it, that we are blessed with the kind of fan base we
have worldwide and we realize that and we witness it every single night we walk
on stage. It's just phenomenal, the energy and the kind of reception that we
receive each and every night, it's just it's overwhelming.
James, how do you think 'A Dramatic Turn of Events' would have turned out
differently and sounded different, if not the world wind that has been the last
12 months.
Yeah, I don't think it would be the album that it is. There's no doubt in my
mind. I think this really availed itself to us being able to really come at
this differently. I think the fact that we didn't have the usual construction
going into the studio, maybe having some pre-conceived ideas musically and the
jamming out the ideas, I think that the fact that the drums weren't there at
this particular time really allowed the ideas to breathe. We were really able
to analyze them in a naked sense because you were just hearing the riffs, the
notes and you were really able to hear it for what its true essence is in that
kind of presentation and later on putting percussion around it just even
embellished it and reassured us that it was a right move.
It also just allowed us to communicate to one another differently what our
ideas were and where we felt it was necessary to go as a band musically and one
of those things was definitely we wanted to get in touch with getting back to
what really put us on the map internationally. But beyond that it was just a
very strong and relaxed and calm communication that was going on and I don't
think that would've been the case if we had gone back into the studio like we
had with previous albums, going down the road that we thought was sure to work
for us.
This was a whole new approach and I think it really allowed us to come up
with the music and to come up with the direction musically and the sound and energy
and vibe that came out on this album, so it definitely did create something
new.
James, I really appreciate you being on the show, as I said, long time fan
and I'm looking forward to seeing you guys out on this tour. Dream Theater's
tour is kicking off Sept. 24, most of the dates with Trivium. You can go online
to see a full
list of dates and 'A Dramatic Turn of Events' comes out in stores Sept. 13.
James thank you once again, I appreciate it.
Thank you. I appreciate it, Full Metal Jackie! Yeah!
This coming weekend, Full Metal Jackie
Radio celebrates the North American Khaos tour with interviews with Michael
Amott of Arch Enemy and Freddy Lim of Chthonic. The current North American Khaos
2011 Tour features Arch Enemy, Devildriver, Chthonic & Skeletonwitch. Also,
Jackie will be premiering new music from Machine Head and Charred Walls of the
Damned. Full Metal Jackie can be heard on radio stations around the
country — for a full list of stations, go to fullmetaljackieradio.com.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Dream Theater
Released An Album Whose Artwork Eerily Reflected The Twin Towers
Tragedy. Guitarist John Petrucci Shares His Recollections From That Momentous
Day.
by Christa Titus
John Petrucci, Live 2010
As the United States pays
tribute to those who were lost and injured on Sept. 11, 2001, the country also
remembers what it was doing that clear morning when it learned the World Trade Center had been attacked.
Daily routines were suddenly, shockingly halted as the news spread. Parents
pulled their children from schools, and educational facilities closed early
because of the day's uncertainly. Planned commutes into Manhattan were aborted when bridges and
tunnels were shut down.
It was no different for the music industry, especially with New York being one of
its meccas. Sept. 11 fell on a Tuesday that year, the day that albums are
traditionally released. Normally the community would be abuzz with promo
activities like last-minute interviews and release parties. Now, news of which
titles debuted that day and who was outselling who was practically forgotten.
Despite the chaos that was unfolding, rock band Dream Theater couldn't
ignore the fact that its record "Live Scenes From New York" hit the streets
that day. That's because, in an almost unbelievable coincidence, the artwork on
the album's cover contained a picture of the Twin Towers.
And they were on fire.
"We wanted to illustrate New York, so we had the iconic World Trade Center,"
Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci says of the concept behind the album
cover, "and another thing we'd used in the past, starting from [our album
"Images and Words"]; it's the heart with the fire."
Petrucci is referring to the sacred heart, a picture of a heart engulfed in
flames and wrapped in barbed wire. The band had a graphic designer substitute
the heart for an apple to represent the Big Apple, with the Manhattan skyline featuring the Towers (and
the Statue of Liberty) sitting on top it.
"We tried to sort of tie together all the images, obviously not at all
anticipating what the horrible coincidence would be when it came out," he says.
Dream Theater wasn't the only group that day to release an album whose
content unintentionally paralleled the tragedy that unfolded. Biohazard dropped
its set called "Uncivilization," Slayer debuted "God Hates Us All," and indie
rocker Adam Schmitt introduced "Demolition." Scheduled for reissue were four
Motorhead albums: "Another Perfect Day," "Bomber," "Iron Fist" and "Overkill."
Rap act the Coup faced the same predicament as Dream Theater: Preliminary
artwork for its "Party Music" album (a picture of the Twin Towers
exploding) was posted on its website ahead of its November 2001 arrival. The
photo was removed by the day's end on Sept. 11.
Whether they are the product of the human imagination or something else,
coincidences also dog Dream Theater's newest album a decade later. Just days
after the 10th anniversary of the attacks, Dream Theater will release "A
Dramatic Turn of Events." It contains a track called "Lost, Not Forgotten."
Neither are a reference to Sept. 11, nor to the departure of band
co-founder/drummer Mike Portnoy, who left the group last year. Petrucci
understands how people could draw those parallels though. "When we were writing
the record, coming up with the song titles, subject matter, the album title and
everything, the album was supposed to come out sooner [than it is now], so we
didn't have a release date in mind," he says. "Things kind of line up in a
strange way."
Below, Petrucci remembers recounts what he was doing that day and the band's
response to recalling "Live Scenes From New York." (Please note: This following
passage has been edited and organized for clarity and brevity.)
"The reason the whole band had come in [to the five boroughs] the day
before, we were getting our ear molds for our inner-ear monitor system, which
we had never used before. There was an audiologist that came into the mixing
studio, it was a good meeting place and that's why we were all in because we're
not normally all in. Our singer [Canadian James LaBrie] was in town, so he was
staying in the city. He was probably at least Midtown. Maybe by the Times Square area. I don't remember exactly what the
hotel was. We were probably mixing on the West Side
around 54th or 53rd Street,
somewhere around there.
I was home. Obviously, it was in the morning. We were mixing another record
in the city that week, "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence." I was planning on
going into the city for day two of the mix. It was just morning and I was kind
of drinking coffee and watching television and I'll never forget that, of
course.
Within minutes it was just all over the news, it was everywhere. The feeling
was a couple of things. One, we were being attacked. I had this horrible
feeling, because you don't really know what's going on, so I just felt like the
country was being attacked, and then the second thing was obviously watching it
all happen and the buildings fall. I couldn't believe it, what was going on
before my eyes. It didn't seem possible in any way. Completely unreal.
The day before, I had brought my daughter in. She was 3 years old at the
time, and we would drive in from Long Island.
You're coming in and you kind of see the reveal of the city. I remember it
being a gorgeous, gorgeous day, crystal clear the day before, and seeing the
skyline and pointing out all the buildings to her and everything, and the next
day everything changed.
I have three children. She was my youngest. I have twins that are 15 now.
The youngest was in dance class that day. We had to go to the dance class and
take her out, and the other two were in school. We had to go and take them,
because you don't really know what's going on. You're like, "Are we being
attacked? What's happening next? Are bombs gonna start?" You don't really know.
So the first thing we did was get the kids and bring them home.
I remember [James] being really, really freaked out just being there. I
think it might have taken him a while to get back home. Obviously it did—he
lives in Canada,
so he couldn't get any flights.
We [realized the issue with the album] as soon as it happened, and it was
like, the calls were immediate. I don't remember what time it was but I
remember being called and speaking to each other like, "My God, this can't be
happening, and we have to change this immediately," so the fact that that was
released on Sept. 11 and had that album cover just freaked us out beyond
belief. Just the total coincidence and we were really, really upset by it,
really disturbed by it. Our first reaction was that we gotta change this cover
immediately, pull anything that's out there and get rid of this right away.
Unfortunately some were sold already, so they're actually out there.
There was no argument. Everyone felt the same way. Everyone was on the same
page: It needs to be changed, it needs to be pulled. Get whatever is out there
get sent back and changed immediately. There was no hesitation or resistance on
anybody's part. It just had to be done.
I see [the albums in the original covers] from time to time. Fans have them,
they want them signed or whatever. I don't know the exact number. It was a live
album, so they don't generally sell as many, so maybe it wasn't so bad.
[Recalling the album] probably did affect its overall sales. Not only that, but
just everything that was happening in the country, in the world at that time,
just so many things on hold and certainly buying music wasn't at the top of
everybody's list. Everything obviously changed from that day moving forward.
I don't think [there was] much [media attention about the album cover].
There was something in a magazine where I saw they had the other album cover you
were talking about with those other guys [ the Coup's "Party Music"]
and our cover. I didn't see a ton of media attention with it, but I did see a
little bit. I think there was so much more to talk about at the time it was
like a little side story, coincidence.
It still freaks me out. It's just a horrible coincidence. It freaks me out
still even talking to you, that it was released on that same day with the
buildings on the cover. It's just bizarre. Really, really, really bizarre . . .
we don't have violent song titles. The whole album was a live album based on
"Scenes From a Memory," which was a concept album, a whole story about
reincarnation. It's like this murder mystery. It's fiction, it's nothing
gruesome, violent about it. Again, the collage of that scene was just to
illustrate that this was a live concert that happened in New York using an iconic image and
superimposing another image we used in the past. It's crazy.
Somehow you know somebody who had somebody directly [affected by Sept. 11],
whether they were firefighters, friends that were family members of
firefighters that were there, policemen who were there who got called in and
stuff, but I didn't personally know anybody who was lost that day. They're
building in the town that I live in a 9/11 memorial, not even a couple of
blocks away in front of a firehouse. They're supposed to have it ready for 9/11
and my daughters are going to do some sort of tribute with their dance company.
A sign language tribute to the troops to dedicate the memorial.
[In the weeks after it happened], I remember everything in life standing
still. Just being glued to the TV and the news. Wanting to know as much as we
can and watching the horrible footage over and over. It's just like everything
got put on hold, like life got put on hold. I remember just not leaving our
house, sitting there, watching TV for however long we did, trying to get a
sense on what was gonna happen, not only in New York but in the country and the
world. Not only was it shocking and scary, because it's the type of thing
that's really never happened, I remember a lot of uncertainly with everything,
feeling like, "Wow, what's going on? How's everything gonna change? How we
gonna do this or that? How are we ever gonna fly again, how's the country ever going
to recover from this or respond?" Thinking about all those people that died and
what it must have been like being there or being in the building, not being
able to get out—just thinking about that over and over and over.
Every year they play the footage of the anniversary and you're watching it,
you're brought right back to that day, [you] just get this big feeling. It's
had such a psychological and emotional impact on everybody, not only the people
whose families were directly affected—it's the whole country and us as New
Yorkers. Especially in the whole world, everything changed. The world really
changed from that day forward."
DARK FUNERAL, EDGUY, KAMELOT and SAMAEL are among the first confirmed bands for the Forces Of Metal festival,
set to take place June 8-9, 2012 at the E3 beach in Eersel, The Netherlands.
The two-day event will feature three stages, a campsite, and a market.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
CHROME DIVISION
CRASHDIET
DARK FUNERAL
DRACONIAN
EDGUY
JETT BLACK
KAMELOT
THE POODLES
ROCK SUGAR
SAINT DEAMON
SAMAEL
STEELHEART
For more information, visit www.forcesofmetal.com.
Guitarist Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT, SAVATAGE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO) has posted the
following message on his
official web site:
"As I trudged up the streets of Manhattan away from the two spheres of
smoke, black serpents in the sky, I saw scores of fellow New Yorkers filing out
of buildings like one of those school fire drills from my youth. But this was
no drill, this was real. We were all grown up now.
"It was a fluke that I'd even been downtown. Jury duty: 8:30 a.m.,
Tuesday, September 11, 2001.
"On the tenth floor of the Lower Manhattan
courthouse, while watching an orientation film for prospective jurors, we'd
heard a distant explosion. The rumble lasted a little too long.
"A few among us had been disinterestedly ignoring the film. Like naughty
schoolkids, they'd been listening to their portable radios with headphones,
hoping not to get caught. These disobedient fellow jurors suddenly became unintentional
ministers of information, whispering to those seated next to them that New York's morning radio
shows were being interrupted by breaking news. Soon, quiet murmurs had spread
throughout the courtroom: a plane had crashed into World Trade
Center.
"Everyone figured it must be a small private plane.
"When the film ended a few minutes later, a bailiff appeared and announced
that we were all being released for the day. At first, we were happy about
this. But soon, we'd wish we were back in that courtroom and for everything to
be normal again. Nervously filing into elevators, it quickly dawned on us that
this might be serious, especially if it had something to do with that explosion
and those cryptic news reports.
"Just how serious things were became apparent when the elevator doors
opened to reveal an NYPD SWAT team who'd secured the premises. A police
commander barked at us to evacuate immediately and head uptown. On the way out,
someone said that while we'd been in the elevator and out of earshot, a second
plane had crashed into the towers. These weren't prop planes, single engines or
Cessnas — they were jumbo jets.
"Outside, chaotic dissonance: wailing sirens, car alarms, fire alarms,
megaphones, walkie-talkies and bullhorns. Traffic was a gridlock of emergency
vehicles, all heading downtown. No one could know at that moment how many of
these rescue workers would never be seen again.
"Back upstairs, I'd bumped into someone I knew: John, a classical
guitarist who despite being in his early 50s, was quite youthful. One minute,
we'd been high-fiving each other, overjoyed to have a buddy with whom to wile
away the long hours of jury duty; the next, we were caught up in an unthinkable
event; a real life disaster movie.
"With no taxis available and the shutdown of the subways, there was no
choice but for John and I to walk, joining the growing exodus of people
on the streets, doing what we were instructed to do by police: head north.
Along the way, we'd stop and join various small crowds gathered around parked
cars, the doors open and the radio news coming out of the speakers. These
impromptu community gatherings would give everyone within earshot a semblance
of how things were being reported. It would still be unclear just what was
happening. But by this time, there would be news of two more planes crashing:
one in Pennsylvania and more chillingly, one
in Washington DC, slamming into The Pentagon.
"This was war.
"Every time we heard a helicopter or other aircraft above there was a
sense of fear, as though another attack could happen. Nothing was far-fetched
anymore.
"Onward we'd walk.
"We'd meet a lot of fellow New Yorkers along the way, everyone sharing
stories. There was no pretense. Occupation, education, appearance or social
status no longer mattered. We all needed each other now.
"At one point, there would be pandemonium on the streets with everyone
turning around, pointing fingers, gasping and weeping. We'd look behind and
watch as miles in the distance, the first of our critically wounded landmarks
crumbled to the ground. One could only faintly imagine what it must be like to
be closer to the buildings or even worse, trapped inside. A little while later,
the process would repeat itself as the beloved second tower fell. Each time,
we'd hug — strangers and friends alike-then continue walking uptown.
"John and I would walk as far as a coffeehouse near Union Square, where
we'd seek refuge. Outside, where once there had been a perfect view of the
towers, would be two enormous smoldering billows of smoke and ash in the
distance. Inside, three big screen television sets would confirm that we
weren't imagining any of this. We'd now see how it looked to the rest of the
world, who by now, had to be tuning in. The first TV would mirror the smoking
ruins exactly as we could see them outside the cafe; the second TV would replay
the footage of each plane crash at the Trade Center; the third would between
live footage of the Pentagon in Washington, a section of which was still
smoldering and on the live updates from Pennsylvania. The cafe would be packed
with silent figures, in wide eyed disbelief, glaring at the TVs.
"After catching our breath, gathering our wits and seeking much-needed
refreshment, John would head home in the East Village,
nearby. I'd stick around a bit longer before continuing the long journey to the
upper 90s, walking more than a hundred blocks. Much later it would occur to me
that, despite moving from Northern California
just three years earlier, I'd become a true New Yorker — not even an event like
this would cause me to twice about moving away. We'd have our lives, but life
would never be the same.
"For those of us lucky enough to be out of harm's way, it was a journey
uptown, into a changed world."
Former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach will
take part in a signing session on Tuesday, September 27 at 6 p.m. at Vintage
Vinyl in Fords, New Jersey.
Pre-order Bach's new album, "Kicking & Screaming", from
the store to receive a wristband that will grant you access to the event.
For more information, visit www.vvinyl.com.
An Electronic Press Kit (EPK) for "Kicking & Screaming" can be seen below. Due on September 27 via Frontiers Records, the CD was
produced by Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, SHINEDOWN, ATREYU, FILTER) and
features young virtuosic guitarist Nick Sterling and drum pro Bobby
Jarzombek (HALFORD, RIOT, ICED EARTH). The follow-up
to 2007's "Angel Down" was mastered at Precision Mastering in Los Angeles
with Tom Baker. A digital single containing the album's title track will
precede the full-length effort on August 23.
"Kicking & Screaming" track listing:
01. Kicking & Screaming
02. My Own Worst Enemy
03. TunnelVision (featuring John 5)
04. Dance On Your Grave
05. Caught In A Dream
06. As Long As I Got The Music
07. I'm Alive
08. Dirty Power
09. Live The Life
10. Dream Forever
11. One Good Reason
12. Lost In The Light
13. Wishin'
Bonus tracks:
14. Jumpin' Off The Wagon (on physical CD/DVD editions only)
15. Ain't There Yet (iTunes exclusive)
The "Kicking & Screaming" video can be seen below.
According to a press release, the clip — which is one of two videos that the
singer filmed on June 28 in Hollywood, California with director Devin
DeHaven of Fortress Entertainment (PAPA ROACH, WHITESNAKE, METHOD MAN, TALIB KWELI) — shows Bach "in fine
form highlighting his inimitable vocal prowess, as well as the bone-crunching
riffs and catchy hooks of the single."
Commented Sebastian: "I could not be happier with the video for 'Kicking
& Screaming'. Director Devin DeHaven did a great job and this
video has a lot of energy and power, just like the song. Plus, this video is
FUN! Just what rock 'n' roll is about."
Bach stated about his new solo material, "This CD will follow along
the lines of 'Skid Row', 'Slave To The Grind', 'Subhuman Race' and 'Angel Down'. If you like rockin' guitar riffs, high-energy songs
and performances, deadly drums of doom, and ear-shattering screams, we got your
rock right here!" He also described the songs as "heavy, interesting,
classic sounding, modern sounding, completely rock 'n' roll — just how we like
it!"
Today (Sunday, September 11) marks the 10th anniversary of
the horrific terrorist attacks on the World
Trade Center
and the Pentagon that brought down the Twin
Towers, killed 3,000 people and
forever changed both the future of the United States and the course of
history.
In celebration of the much-anticipated release of their new
album, "Unto The Locust", San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE
HEAD will attend four listening events in Los Angeles,
New York, Chicago
and Oakland.
These events provide fans with an opportunity to hear the acclaimed new album
in its entirety, already being hailed by music journalists worldwide as MACHINE
HEAD's best offering to date.
MACHINE HEAD will join fans, friends and industry at all four events,
each unique in its own way, but every one promises to be a night to remember. (**
Please note, MACHINE HEAD will not be performing at any of the
events.**)
Says vocalist/guitarist Robb Flynn of the festivities, "There are
listening parties being held for this release all over the world, but we felt
that putting a handful of events together here in the States and attending them
ourselves would be a great way to give our fans and friends across the country
a chance to hear the album before its release, and us a chance to hang with all
of them as that's happening. We can't wait!"
These events will be free to attend, but space is limited at some of these
venues so please arrive early to ensure entry. Look for more details to come
about additions to the festivities such as presenters, prize giveaways, etc.
The dates for all four events are as follows:
Thursday, September 22
On The Rox (upstairs at The Roxy Theatre)
9009 West Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Presented by Full Metal Jackie - 10:00 p.m., 21 and over
Saturday, September 24
Last Rites Tattoo Theatre & Gallery
511 West 33rd St., 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10001
9:00 p.m., All Ages, refreshments will be served
Sunday, September 25
Exit
1315 West North Ave.
Chicago, Il 60622
Presented by The Chicago Metal Factory - 9:00 p.m., 21 and over.
Tuesday, September 27
Oakland Metro Operahouse
630 3rd St.
Oakland, CA 94607
8:00 p.m., all ages
"Unto The Locust", will be made available on September 27 via
the band's longtime label Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at JingleTown
Studios in Oakland,
with frontman Robb Flynn producing, and it is sure to level anything and
everything that happens upon its path. Flynn stated about the new album
in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, "I think we've
really taken our music to the next level with this. We feel super-excited about
it. I started taking some singing lessons with the guy who worked with Mick
Jagger and Lady Gaga. And then I took some classical guitar. I
wanted to feel like a beginner again and not be comfortable and see what that
brought out. There's definitely a big neoclassical vibe on the record between
all the brutality."
Metal Hammer magazine will release "Unto The Locust" in
the U.K.
with a special-edition fan pack. Complete with 132–page special issue with
exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the making of the new album, extensive
interviews with every member, never-before-seen historic shots from the band's
personal collections, a guide to their custom rigs, and a diary of their
massive Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour happening this
summer, this is the ultimate companion to the long-awaited follow-up to "The
Blackening", Metal Hammer's "album of the decade."
And that's not all. This exclusive fan pack also includes a 100% official
patch, sticker sheet and poster. This is your chance to be part of MACHINE
HEAD history!
Vocalist Randy Blythe of Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD shared his thoughts
on 9/11 via Twitter:
"10 years ago today I woke up late as usual, drank some coffee and walked
to my cooking job at Avalon restaurant in Richmond,
Virginia. I was in a good mood. I
came in and saw my buddy Steve (born and raised in New York City) and said, 'Wassup, man,' and
he said, 'I guess we're at war again, man.' I looked up at the TV. I saw the
planes fly into the towers again and again. I didn't really understand it at
first.
"Didn't open the restaurant that day. We watched. As the day wore on, I
watched the TV, it sank in what had happened to all those people and I remember
thinking, 'Things will never be the same. Finally at some point in the day, it
REALLY sunk in and I began to cry. New
York City, the Pentagon, the passengers on [Flight] 93
who fought them to the ground. I wanted the images to stop, and at some point I
stopped watching TV. But the images wouldn't stop, and have shaped my life
since in many ways.
"A lot of ugly things happened after 9/11, but for a brief time there was
a spirit of unity amongst my people, OUR people, the American people.
"Today I think should be a solemn day of reflection, not just on those
lost and their kin, but on the meaning of what it is to be one of us.
"I have been literally around the world several times, and I remain
convinced that the United
States of America is the greatest nation on
Earth. We are ONE nation made up of MANY people. Let us remember that and try
to act accordingly. It should not take a tragedy to remind us of that.
"Ten years later, I'm in New York
City having my coffee, then I'll go to work just like
in 2001. But first I'll stop by Ground Zero to pay my respects.
"So it's a sad day, but it's good for me to be here. New York City still stands tall, as does D.C.
near my Virginian home. We ain't going away and we WONT go away as long as we
remain UNITED. THINK about it, and be good to each other.
"I'm off to Ground Zero. Have a good day."
MASTODON, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and RED
FANG will join forces for a U.S.
tour in the fall. The dates are as follows:
Oct. 25 - Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa
Oct. 27 - Houston, TX - Fitzgeralds
Nov. 01 - Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre
Nov. 02 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
Nov. 03 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
Nov. 05 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre
Nov. 06 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
Nov. 07 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
Nov. 08 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
Nov. 09 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Nov. 11 - Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
Nov. 12 - Milwaukee, WI - Rave Ballroom
Nov. 13 - Sauget, IL - Pop's
Nov. 14 - Kansas City, MO - The Beaumont
Nov. 16 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Detroit
Nov. 17 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room
Nov. 19 - New York City, NY - Terminal 5
Nov. 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
Nov. 21 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
Nov. 23 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis
Nov. 25 - Toronto, ON - Kool Haus
Nov. 26 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
Nov. 27 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Nov. 28 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
Nov. 29 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
Dec. 01 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
Dec. 02 – [to be announced]
In other news, MASTODON will perform the song "Curl Of The
Burl" on the October 5 edition of CBS-TV's "Late Show
With David Letterman" at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. Check local listings for
details.
MASTODON's new album, "The Hunter", will be released in
several configurations that feature an exciting interactive 3D experience known
as Augmented Reality. The technology, created by Los Angeles-based company Total
Immersion, combines virtual and real worlds to create a 3D one-of-a-kind
interactive experience that users can control. Just by using a camera on a
computer, their own face and the cover art on "The Hunter",
the user can turn themselves into "The Hunter" sculpture that
is pictured on the cover.
The physical configurations for "The Hunter", which will be
released by Reprise Records on September 27, are as follows:
* Standard CD: Includes the album's 13 tracks, plus a basic Augmented Reality
Experience in which the users head becomes the "creature" on the
album's front cover in full 3D.
* Deluxe Physical CD/DVD: Sold as a 13-song digipack with an alternative cover,
this package includes the standard CD, with the basic Augmented Reality
Experience, plus a DVD that includes a track-by-track, psychedelic visualizer,
the "Deathbound" and "Black Tongue" videos.
* Direct-To-Fan Package: This exclusive package will be comprised of the
complete 13-song digipack album. Additionally, buyers will receive two digital
bonus tracks on day of release (more on that soon). An exclusive insert will be
included which triggers an enhanced Augmented Reality Experience and contains
additional embedded content (again, more on the subject to be revealed
shortly). Also included is a 20" x 30" lenticular poster of the
standard album cover artwork.
"The Hunter" track listing:
01. Black Tongue
02. Curl Of The Burl
03. Blasteroid
04. Stargasm
05. Octopus Has No Friends
06. All The Heavy Lifting
07. The Hunter
08. DryBone Valley
09. Thickening
10. Creature Lives
11. Spectrelight
12. Bedazzled Fingernails
13. The Sparrow
14. The Ruiner (limited-edition bonus track)
15. Deathbound (limited-edition bonus track)
The follow-up to 2009's "Crack The Skye" will be MASTODON's
third studio CD to be made available on Reprise Records in the U.S. and
Canada and the band's first to be issued through Roadrunner Records outside of North America.
"The Hunter" was recorded at Doppler Studios in Atlanta with producer Mike
Elizondo. Drum tracks were previously completed in Los Angeles at the legendary Sound City
Studios where NIRVANA's masterwork "Nevermind" was
recorded.
Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT will release
the "Live From Beyond Hell/Above Heaven" in Europe on November
21 via Vertigo/Universal on double DVD, Blu-ray, limited double
DVD + audio CD, CD, digital download and VOD.
With engines revving, VOLBEAT takes "Live From Beyond Hell/Above
Heaven" into overdrive and jacks up their musical ride with footage
from their sold-out show in front of 10,000 fervent fans at the Forum in
Copenhagen, to the House of Blues in Anaheim, California and the Rock Am Ring
show in Germany. It's VOLBEAT conquering performance territory Stateside
and across Europe, showing fans that the band is just as comfortable, charged
and throttled in front of an audience as intimate as 1,100 or as vast as
80,000.
Filmed on 11 cameras, leaving no musical stone unturned, this is as close to a
backstage pass as you can get. And joined by such musical greats as Scott
Ian and Rob Caggiano of ANTHRAX/THE DAMNED THINGS, Michael
Denner (MERCYFUL FATE), Mille Petrozza (KREATOR), Jacob
Øelund, and L.G. Petrov (ENTOMBED), viewers also witness VOLBEAT in a rock and metal Hall Of Fame.
The exact track listing for "Live From Beyond Hell/Above Heaven" and American/Canadian release dates will be announced soon.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/volbeatdvd.jpg
2011 marks the 25th anniversary of New York's finest hardcore export SICK OF
IT ALL.
Since 1986 SICK OF IT ALL has been thrashing out classic hardcore
anthems and touring the globe without ever taking much of a break. As a special
release further celebrating this anniversary, SICK OF IT ALL will
release "Nonstop" in Europe
on October 31 via Century Media Records.
After the release of the highly acclaimed "Based On A True Story" (2010), SICK OF IT ALL took a short break from relentlessly touring this
record earlier this year to hit Antfarm Studio again with Tue Madsen in order to celebrate their 25th anniversary with re-recordings of classic hits
for "Nonstop". Drummer Armand Majidi says, "This
whole thing is partially because of working with Tue Madsen — the man
who has finally made SICK OF IT ALL sound the way we should in the
studio."
The band added, "It was a fun recording session, and a relatively easy one
because we're so used to playing so many of these songs live. They're like
second nature. Most of these songs make their way into our live sets all the
time, so they're current — they reach new ears and are constantly refreshed by
their exposure to a brand new audience. It's not like they had to be dusted
off.
"We changed tempos mostly and some of the arrangements, but we didn't want
to do anything too drastic. We wanted to keep most of the songs true to the
originals, but with a more powerful sound that we feel makes them all they can
be."
"Nonstop" track listing:
01. Clobberin' Time
02. Injustice System!
03. Sanctuary
04. Scratch The Surface
05. Us Vs. Them
06. The Deal
07. Just Look Around
08. Ratpack
09. World Full Of Hate
10. Pushed Too Far
11. GI Joe Headstomp
12. Never Measure Up
13. Chip Away
14. Busted
15. Locomotive
16. My Life
17. Friends Like You
18. Relentless
19. No Labels
20. Built To Last
KRASHKARMA, the band featuring Ralf Dietel —
who had a 30-day stint as the guitarist in NINE INCH NAILS in 2005
before venturing off on his own endeavors — will release its debut album, "Straight
To The Blood", on October 4 through EMI.
"The album represents our ever-evolving creative path as it was recorded
in Los Angeles, New York,
Stuttgart and Berlin, Germany.
It was amazing to watch it grow from the first riffs into the monster that came
to life during the final mixes," states Dietel of the recording
process.
Having played over 250 shows worldwide since its conception in 2009, KRASHKARMA mixes "alternative, rock, metal, and electronica all in one package,"
according to a press release. "Addictive melodies and provocative lyrics
bring the record to life as you feel every thump and beat throughout the
tracks. This unique band really brings things to a whole new level on the
musical horizon. From thick and heavy guitars from Dietel, to the energy
filled drumming and smooth but powerful voice of Niki Skistimas, KRASHKARMA is a force to be reckoned with."
For more information, visit www.krashkarma.com.
STATIC-X frontman Wayne Static recently spoke
to Revolver magazine about his first solo album, "Pighammer",
which will be released on October 4 via Dirthouse Records.
"I've wanted to do a solo album since 2000 when I was writing songs for
the 'Machine' record," Wayne said. "Even in those early years of STATIC-X, there was a pattern
emerging where I would spend all my free time writing songs for STATIC-X and the other guys in the band spent their free time working on their other
projects. I was a bit jealous that they had time to do more than one thing,
but, being the band's main songwriter, I knew that if I were to do a solo
album, I would have to put STATIC-X on hold, and it wasn't until
recently that I've been willing to do that. After the 2009 'Cult Of Static' touring cycle ended, I felt that, as a band, STATIC-X had accomplished
everything we set out to accomplish, and now I could finally take the time to
do my own thing and make a record that is completely my vision without
compromising for anyone or anything."
When asked what he wanted to do differently with his solo project than what he
has done with STATIC-X, Wayne said, "Mainly, I didn't want to compromise. Don't get me wrong: I love the
great times I had with STATIC-X, but sometimes the writing/recording
process was frustrating for me. I would spend months by myself writing and recording
demos, then hand them over to the band, then we would rehearse for weeks during
which time everyone changed parts and added their own ideas. By the end of the
process, I always felt some of my original vision and passion was lost. This
time I wrote and recorded everything on my own, playing all the instruments
myself, and did not compromise with anyone."
Read more from Revolver magazine.
According to a press release, "Pighammer" "has a
disarming raw quality of heavy driving guitar riffs and lyrics that will take
hold of your bowels and into the mind of Static's dark past and warped
mind. This is blatant, as the first single, 'Assassins Of Youth', was
inspired by Wayne Static's last days of drugs and partying.
"The 'Pighammer' concept conjures up bizarre images," Static explains. "It's about a mad plastic surgeon, with a pig fetish, that likes
to convert hot chicks into pigs. It is the total opposite if what a plastic
surgeon would do. He has this crazy hammer device made from a pig foot. The
images of the surgery in the CD package are only a dark comedic visualization
of the real theme of the album, which is my transformation."
"Pighammer" track listing:
01. Pighammer
02. Around The Turn
03. Assassins Of Youth
04. Thunder Invader
05. Static Killer
06. She
07. Get It Together
08. Chrome Nation
09. Shifter
10. Slave
11. The Creatures Are Everywhere
12. Behind The Sky
Wayne Static will embark on a string of dates this fall in support of "Pighammer". Static will be accompanied by special guests EYE EMPIRE, KYNG, ONE EYED DOLL and GEMINI SYNDROME. He will play select tracks off
his solo CD and a number of classic STATIC-X songs, giving fans the hard
driving metal they crave.
Gothenburg, Sweden-based metal sextet MARIONETTE will
release its third album, "Nerve", on November 14. The CD will
be made available in individually numbered high-quality digipacks featuring
never-before-seen photos, videos, and exclusive bonus material tracks. Artwork
will be handled entirely by Gustavo Sazes from Abstrata Design (ARCH
ENEMY, FIREWIND).
"Nerve" will be released digitally through all major
web-retail outlets and streaming services via Pivotal Rockordings on the
week of release.
"Nerve" track listing:
01. From Marionette With Love
02. Stand In Line
03. Act Of Violence
04. Remember Your Name
05. Revelation 6:8
06. A New High
07. Something Forgotten
08. Smile Or Die Trying
09. The Last
10. När Du Ruttnar Bort
11. Brand New Day
12. Lights Out
13. Overdose *
14. The Sun, The Skies, The Clarity And Light *
* Only available on physical album version.
Commented MARIONETTE guitarist and founding member Aron Parmerud:
"This album has a very special place in our hearts not only because it is
our strongest and most diverse material to date, but also because we spent a
good deal of time figuring out the most relevant way to present the album to
our fans. In doing so, we decided to forego a traditional release through a
label and instead release 'Nerve' on our own."
"Nerve" was recorded at Studio Fredman with producer Fredrik
Nordström (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, AT THE GATES),
mixed by DEAD BY APRIL songwriter Pontus Hjelm at Studio PH in Gothenburg, and mastered by Erik Broheden (RAMMSTEIN, TURBONEGRO, WITHIN TEMPTATION) at Masters Of Audio Studio in Stockholm,
Sweden in autumn 2010 and early 2011, respectively.
Norwegian metallers TOMORROW'S OUTLOOK have revealed
the official promo and digipack/booklet artwork for their upcoming release, "34613".
It's all unleashed in a three-and-a-half –minute-long YouTube teaser
which also contains a few tracks from the forthcoming CD.
TOMORROW'S OUTLOOK is about to sign a deal with Australia's
leading heavy metal label, Battlegod Productions.
"34613", which features guest appearances by such world-class
singers as Michael Kiske (HELLOWEEN) and Graham Bonnet (ALCATRAZZ, RAINBOW, MSG) has no release-date as of yet, but it's expected to
arrive sometime this year.
01. Intro
02. Gate To Freedom
03. IceMountain
04. A Song For You
05. Doubt
06. The Ethereal Dream
07. 34613 (instrumental)
08. White Lightning
09. Liquid Scream
10. Kill Again
11. March Of The Demons
12. Red Rum (LIZZY BORDEN cover)
13. The Ethereal Dream (feat. Michael Kiske)
Musicians:
Andreas Stenseth (Bass)
Mike Haid (Drums)
Charlie Zeleny (Drums)
Sami Saarinen (Guitar)
Michael Harris (Guitar)
Oystein K. Hanssen (Guitar)
Mike Gorham (Vocal)
Norman Kiersnowski (Ski) (Vocal)
Scott Oliva (Vocal)
Graham Bonnet (Vocal)
Michael Kiske (Vocal)
Songwriters:
Trond Nicolaisen (Music, Lyrics)
Andreas Stenseth (Music)
Mike Gorham (Lyrics)
Norman Kiersnowski (Ski) (Lyrics)
Oystein K. Hanssen (Lyrics)
Graham Bonnet (Lyrics)
THE MAN-EATING TREE — the atmospheric metal band
featuring former SENTENCED drummer Vesa Ranta alongside
current/former members of POISONBLACK, REFLEXION and EMBRAZE — has completed work on its sophomore album, "Harvest", to be
released in the coming months via Century Media Records. The CD was once
again helmed by producer Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, SENTENCED, AMORPHIS)
and marks the recording debut of guitarist Antti Karhu.
Commented vocalist Tuomas Tuominen: "Some of you already got the
chance to meet [Antti] briefly on our late summer shows. The fine young
man was welcomed to our lineup during the spring to play some mean guitar. He
brings a style of playing that ranges through the far reaches of our music with
ease. Soulful in one moment, packing all the needed punch in the next.
"The new recording and the strengthened lineup are not the only things
that have come to a completion during the past few months.
"The album will be released worldwide through Century Media Records,
with whom we inked a record deal in the summer.
"Good to work with the Century Media people; the warmth and
dedication in their work matches that of ours."
THE MAN-EATING TREE's debut album, "Vine", was released
in Finland
on September 22, 2010 via Cobra Records and in other territories through Century Media Records. The CD was recorded at Mastervox Studio in
Oulu, Finland with producer Hiili
Hiilesmaa (HIM, SENTENCED, AMORPHIS).
According to the group's official bio, THE MAN-EATING TREE was formed
when "Vesa Ranta, having taken a break from music after SENTENCED,
began to overcome his post-SENTENCED battle fatigue and lack of musical
motivation. The idea of a new band — or bands — was eventually brainstormed
over a period of time between Vesa and his friends, including gentlemen Miika
Tenkula, Aaron Rantonen, Janne Markus and Mikko Uusimaa.
Plans were made reality in 2009; the outfit was completed by the addition of Tuomas
Tuominen as a vocalist and Heidi Määttä as a keyboard player. First
demo recordings were made in the spring and summer of 2009.
THE MAN-EATING TREE is:
Tuomas Tuominen (ex-FALL OF THE LEAFE) - Vocals
Janne Markus (POISONBLACK) – Guitar
Antti Karhu - Guitar
Mikko Uusimaa (REFLEXION) - Bass
Heidi Määttä (ex-EMBRAZE) - Keyboards
Vesa Ranta (ex-SENTENCED) - Drums
For more information, visit www.themaneatingtree.com.
FATALIST, the traditional death metal band from Ventura, California,
has parted ways with Ibex Moon Records and is looking for a new label
home.
Commented FATALIST guitarist/vocalist Neil Burkdoll: "We
would like to thank John and Ibex Moon for everything they have
done for us in the past, but it is time for us to try something new."
Any interested labels should contact the band at stumpsical@yahoo.com or via www.facebook.com/fatalistband.
FATALIST's full-length debut, "The Depths Of Inhumanity",
was released in the fall of 2009 via Ibex Moon.
On the night of September 9, Jonas Bergqvist (a.k.a. B)
— the founding member, main composer, and guitarist of the Swedish
"narcotic metal" band LIFELOVER — died unexpectedly. The cause
of his death is still unclear and has yet to be established.
Commented the group's record label, Prophecy Productions, in a
statement: "The message of Jonas's passing came as a surprise to
the Prophecy team. Hence we lack the appropriate words for this tragic
event.
"To us, Jonas wasn't just a very creative artist, but also a
pleasant and enthusiastic person. It is for certain that we won't be the only
ones missing his character, his passion, and his unique musical language.
"In the face of this tragic loss, we would very much like to extend our
heartfelt condolence towards Jonas's family, his friends, and the
remaining musicians of LIFELOVER."
German grindcore/death metal act MILKING THE GOATMACHINE will release its new concept album, "Clockwork Udder", on
November 18 via NoiseArt Records.
According to a press release, "The killer production really nails it to
the point; it's a hard-slamming, riff-shitting, grind-shouting record with a
massive wall of guitars, goatdowns, mosh parts and ferocity. Tracks such as the
epic brutal opener 'We Want You' probably the new anthem of the goat
supporters around the world, the mighty 'Raise Your Horns' or the
ingenious cover of CULTURE BEAT's 'Vain Killer' — simply
goatastic! The humor of the band seems to be never ending and furthermore is
exactly what their fans expect and love so much about them in the too-serious
metal biz nowadays. Thank goat for MILKING THE GOATMACHINE!"
MILKING THE GOATMACHINE will take part in this year's Hatefest tour in December alongside KATAKLYSM, TRIPTYKON, MARDUK, AZARATH and DAWN OF DISEASE.
"Clockwork Udder" track listing:
01. We Want You
02. Greatest of All Times
03. Human Domestication
04. Knock Knock Vol. 1
05. Clockwork Udder
06. Trappings of Power
07. Raise Your Horns
08. StrawPalace
09. Knock Knock Vol. 2
10. In Combat Column March
11. The Milky Way
12. Make It Or Break It
13. Knock Knock Vol. 3
14. More Humour Than Human
15. New Broom Sweeps Clean
16. In Hardest Conditions
Digipack bonus tracks:
17. Vain Killer
18. Modus Vivendi
19. The Augury
20. The Shaped Ape Blues
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