According to L&Si Online, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson will be a guest speaker when PLASA — "the lead professional trade association representing the worldwide entertainment, event, and installation technology industries" — hosts its 2012 European AGM and Members' Lunch on Tuesday, May 29 at BAFTA in Central London. Over 200 members and guests are expected to take part in the event, which includes the opportunity to feedback on the work that PLASA is doing, contribute to the future direction of the Association, and enjoy networking with fellow members.
Dickinson's entrepreneurial spirit has seen him obtain government funding to create an aircraft maintenance company creating 1,500 jobs in Wales and he is also involved in an airship venture to manufacture drones which have both a military and a commercial application.
For more information, visit Plasa.org.
Dickinson announced in November that he will be doing more rather than less in the aviation industry following the closure of Astraeus Airlines, with whom he was a Boeing 757 captain.
Gatwick-based Astraeus went into administration on November 21 — and by coincidence Dickinson was captain on the very last flight, operated on behalf of BMI, from Jeddah to Manchester.
Dickinson's entrepreneurial spirit has seen him obtain government funding to create an aircraft maintenance company creating 1,500 jobs in Wales and he is also involved in an airship venture to manufacture drones which have both a military and a commercial application.
For more information, visit Plasa.org.
Dickinson announced in November that he will be doing more rather than less in the aviation industry following the closure of Astraeus Airlines, with whom he was a Boeing 757 captain.
Gatwick-based Astraeus went into administration on November 21 — and by coincidence Dickinson was captain on the very last flight, operated on behalf of BMI, from Jeddah to Manchester.
During a brand new interview with GlideMagazine.com, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Richard Fortus was asked what has been the most important thing that he has learned from working with Axl Rose. "You know, that guy has more integrity than any artist I have ever worked with, and I have played with a lot of people," Richard replied. "But he has more integrity and that is really something that I find incredibly admirable. He is all about the music and that is all that matters to him, that's what it's about and that's all it should be about. What matters is that it's the best it can be. That is how Axl rolls. He's not about the money. He is about the art of it and I think that is what I've learned more than anything."
He added, "And I'll tell you what else, that guy listens more than any other singer I've ever worked with. He listens to musicians. When we're onstage, and the songs are different every night, so he's listening to you for when you finish a phrase before he comes in. He totally pays attention and it's really cool. It's great to work with someone like that."
A former member of LOVE SPIT LOVE and PSYCHEDELIC FURS, Fortus joined GUNS N' ROSES in July 2002 as the replacement for Paul Huge (a.k.a. Paul Tobias).
In addition to LOVE SPIT LOVE and PSYCHEDELIC FURS, Fortus has done extensive session work with acts like BT, GRAVITY KILLS, 'N SYNC and ENRIQUE IGLESIAS.
Fortus joined legendary rockers THIN LIZZY for a number of shows last year as the replacement for Vivian Campbell, who returned to his full-time gig as the guitarist for DEF LEPPARD.
When asked how he got involved with THIN LIZZY, Fortus told GlideMagazine.com, "I received a call from them around April of last year. They had been touring with Vivian Campbell and he was going back to DEF LEPPARD. They asked if I'd be available to fill in for him for the summer. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to play with one of my all-time favorite bands. Before we'd even done our first gig, they asked me to join as a full-time member. Unfortunately, I couldn't do it because of conflicts with GN'R's schedule. However, I've managed to have them open for us this summer! So hopefully I'll be able to play a song or two with them. Playing with THIN LIZZY was one of the greatest moments of my career. They are like family and it was an absolute honor and a pleasure to be a part of that rock n' roll lineage."
He added, "And I'll tell you what else, that guy listens more than any other singer I've ever worked with. He listens to musicians. When we're onstage, and the songs are different every night, so he's listening to you for when you finish a phrase before he comes in. He totally pays attention and it's really cool. It's great to work with someone like that."
A former member of LOVE SPIT LOVE and PSYCHEDELIC FURS, Fortus joined GUNS N' ROSES in July 2002 as the replacement for Paul Huge (a.k.a. Paul Tobias).
In addition to LOVE SPIT LOVE and PSYCHEDELIC FURS, Fortus has done extensive session work with acts like BT, GRAVITY KILLS, 'N SYNC and ENRIQUE IGLESIAS.
Fortus joined legendary rockers THIN LIZZY for a number of shows last year as the replacement for Vivian Campbell, who returned to his full-time gig as the guitarist for DEF LEPPARD.
When asked how he got involved with THIN LIZZY, Fortus told GlideMagazine.com, "I received a call from them around April of last year. They had been touring with Vivian Campbell and he was going back to DEF LEPPARD. They asked if I'd be available to fill in for him for the summer. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to play with one of my all-time favorite bands. Before we'd even done our first gig, they asked me to join as a full-time member. Unfortunately, I couldn't do it because of conflicts with GN'R's schedule. However, I've managed to have them open for us this summer! So hopefully I'll be able to play a song or two with them. Playing with THIN LIZZY was one of the greatest moments of my career. They are like family and it was an absolute honor and a pleasure to be a part of that rock n' roll lineage."
Universal Music has set a May 21 release date for the SOUNDGARDEN classic album box set called "The Classic Album Selection". The box set will contain the original A&M recordings of SOUNDGARDEN's seminal albums, "Louder Than Love" (1989), "Badmotorfinger" (1991), "Superunknown" (1994) and "Down On The Upside" (1996) plus last year's live record of the band's 1996 West Coast tour, "Live On I-5" (2011). The albums will be presented as a set of mini-LPs in gatefold wallets with booklets and exclusive new artwork designed by widely acclaimed designer and long-term SOUNDGARDEN collaborator Josh Graham.
"The Classic Album Selection" box set features:
* Louder Than Love
* Badmotorfinger
* Superunknown
* Down On The Upside
* Live On I-5
The first new SOUNDGARDEN song in almost 16 years, "Live To Rise", was made available as a free download on iTunes beginning April 17 as part of the promotion of "Marvel's The Avengers". The seven-day promotion includes an exclusive clip, "The Face Off", from the superhero team-up movie coming out on May 4.
"Live To Rise" was written specifically for "Marvel's The Avengers" after SOUNDGARDEN was approached about contributing a song to the film.
SOUNDGARDEN officially reunited in early 2010 after disbanding in 1997. Since then, the group has played one full-length North American tour, a batch of festival and club gigs, and some overseas shows.
The group also released a career retrospective called "Telephantasm" as well as a concert album titled "Live On I5", which was recorded on its last tour before breaking up.
A release date and title for the new SOUNDGARDEN studio album have yet to be announced.
"The Classic Album Selection" box set features:
* Louder Than Love
* Badmotorfinger
* Superunknown
* Down On The Upside
* Live On I-5
The first new SOUNDGARDEN song in almost 16 years, "Live To Rise", was made available as a free download on iTunes beginning April 17 as part of the promotion of "Marvel's The Avengers". The seven-day promotion includes an exclusive clip, "The Face Off", from the superhero team-up movie coming out on May 4.
"Live To Rise" was written specifically for "Marvel's The Avengers" after SOUNDGARDEN was approached about contributing a song to the film.
SOUNDGARDEN officially reunited in early 2010 after disbanding in 1997. Since then, the group has played one full-length North American tour, a batch of festival and club gigs, and some overseas shows.
The group also released a career retrospective called "Telephantasm" as well as a concert album titled "Live On I5", which was recorded on its last tour before breaking up.
A release date and title for the new SOUNDGARDEN studio album have yet to be announced.
ANTHRAX will support MOTÖRHEAD on their annual fall U.K. tour in November.
The dates are as follows:
Nov. 05 - Wolverhampton, UK - Civic Hall
Nov. 06 - Manchester, UK - 02 Apollo
Nov. 08 - Newcastle, UK - City Hall
Nov. 09 - Glasgow, UK - 02 Academy
Nov. 11 - Leicester, UK - Demontford Hall
Nov. 12 - Cambridge, UK - Corn Exchange
Nov. 14 - Portsmouth, UK - Gulidhall
Nov. 15 - Bournemouth, UK - Solent
Nov. 17 - London, UK - 02 Academy Brixton
Nov. 18 - Bristol, UK - Colston Hall
ANTHRAX's sold-out March 15 concert at O2 Islington Academy in London, England was filmed for an upcoming DVD.
ANTHRAX's latest album, "Worship Music", sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous studio CD, 2003's "We've Come For You All", opened with just under 10,000 units to debut at No. 122.
The CD cover artwork for "Worship Music" was handled by renowned comic book artist Alex Ross, who has worked with Marvel Comics and DC Comics and is known for his "Marvels", "Kingdom Come", and "Astro City" illustrations. Ross also did the original artwork for ANTHRAX's "We've Come For You All" and "Music Of Mass Destruction" albums.
ANTHRAX recently completed the second leg of its U.S. tour with TESTAMENT and DEATH ANGEL.
The dates are as follows:
Nov. 05 - Wolverhampton, UK - Civic Hall
Nov. 06 - Manchester, UK - 02 Apollo
Nov. 08 - Newcastle, UK - City Hall
Nov. 09 - Glasgow, UK - 02 Academy
Nov. 11 - Leicester, UK - Demontford Hall
Nov. 12 - Cambridge, UK - Corn Exchange
Nov. 14 - Portsmouth, UK - Gulidhall
Nov. 15 - Bournemouth, UK - Solent
Nov. 17 - London, UK - 02 Academy Brixton
Nov. 18 - Bristol, UK - Colston Hall
ANTHRAX's sold-out March 15 concert at O2 Islington Academy in London, England was filmed for an upcoming DVD.
ANTHRAX's latest album, "Worship Music", sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous studio CD, 2003's "We've Come For You All", opened with just under 10,000 units to debut at No. 122.
The CD cover artwork for "Worship Music" was handled by renowned comic book artist Alex Ross, who has worked with Marvel Comics and DC Comics and is known for his "Marvels", "Kingdom Come", and "Astro City" illustrations. Ross also did the original artwork for ANTHRAX's "We've Come For You All" and "Music Of Mass Destruction" albums.
ANTHRAX recently completed the second leg of its U.S. tour with TESTAMENT and DEATH ANGEL.
On April 20, Aniruddh Bansal of Metal Assault conducted an interview with with former HELLOWEEN and current UNISONIC singer Michael Kiske. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Metal Assault: Did you feel that the songwriting [for the UNISONIC debut album] went through a big change when Kai [Hansen, former HELLOWEEN and current GAMMA RAY guitarist/vocalist] arrived in the band?
Kiske: Well, he has his own ways. I like him and his songwriting anyway, and I know him for a number of years now. I was always a fan of the things he was doing. When he comes into a band like UNISONIC and starts working on material, he does it in his own way. Dennis Ward, who is an American, he also has his own ways and he writes beautiful songs. It's not that Dennis can't write great songs, but Kai has his own style of pushing things around, and as soon as he has his hand involved, things get more interesting, at least for my ears. It just gets more of an edge. Kai has a talent for nailing things down to the basics and throw out useless stuff. I think pretty much all the songs gained a lot after he joined the band. It's just my personal opinion. Maybe there are people who don't see this as dramatically as I do, but I really think Kai is a huge plus to UNISONIC.
Metal Assault: The main question in the fans' minds would be, how does UNISONIC's music compare to the HELLOWEEN material that you did a number of years back?
Kiske: To me, there's not much of a difference. I'm still myself, you know. I'm a different person, of course, it's been 23 years since the "Keeper" days. Kai has changed, too. I think when I sing stuff that he has written, it always sounds like HELLOWEEN in a certain way, because that's just how we sound. I don't believe in a record production that attempts to sound like records of the past, trying to fake the sound on purpose. I would never go for that. I think that's really wrong, but we're just ourselves, and as much as that's the case, I think we do sound the way we always sounded. Of course, there are other people in the band now. Mandy, Dennis and Kosta are different people as compared to Michael Weikath, Ingo and Markus [members of HELLOWEEN's "Keeper" lineup]. So, for that matter, it sounds different, but nobody knows what the next HELLOWEEN record after "Keeper II" would have sounded like, if Kai was still in the band at that time. It might have sounded like that, but we were never the type of band that repeated itself, you know. We always tried to break some new grounds creatively, and I think that's why those "Keeper" records, even to this day, appeal to younger people. There was some kind of a "no-fear" spirit going on, just enjoying the time and making the best out of each song, not worrying too much, and that's what I loved about that time. To a certain extent, it's still the same way with UNISONIC. There is still a spirit going on between me and Kai, which reminds me a lot of that time.
Metal Assault: Vocally, have you done anything different on this album, or is it the same style that we've known you for over the years?
Kiske: I think I'm a lot better now (laughs). I can't really listen to myself on the "Keeper I" and "II" records. I was a baby then. I was like eighteen years old when I did the vocals for "Keeper I". Same for "Keeper II", I was nineteen at the time. The vocal cords were not fully developed when you're at that age. For a man, you have to cross the age of 30 for your vocal cords to really develop. So I think in terms of the sound of my voice, I'm a lot better these days than I was back then. I sound a lot fuller, and I don't have to kick my ass that much to sound good out there, you know. Of course as a person I have developed, so my singing has improved. The vocal performance always depends on the personality. I'm 44 years old now, and I've been through experiences. I'm not a teenager anymore. I'm a grown man now, and I think all that benefits the performance I'm able to give.
Metal Assault: Obviously, you got better with age in terms of your voice. But not every singer is able to do that. Some get worse with age. Do you think that's just natural, or is there something singers can do to improve with age?
Kiske: Absolutely. I mean, singing has a lot to do with your head. I don't have problems with my voice unless I'm having a bad time. When my soul is down, then I begin to have problems with voice, but when I feel good about things, I can sing without any problem. I think it's pretty much the same for every singer when it comes to technique. If you do things right, there is no reason you'd lose your voice. It will change over the years, but not necessarily in a bad way, and if you're aware of what you're doing, you'll be capable of singing great, and you'll be able to do everything you used to do when you were young. As long as you deal with the changes in your voice and learn how to do things differently, you can enjoy singing your whole life, actually. When singers lose their voice, either it's a mental problem, or they do something wrong to burn the voice. You should always try to avoid violating your voice as a singer.
Metal Assault: Did you feel that the songwriting [for the UNISONIC debut album] went through a big change when Kai [Hansen, former HELLOWEEN and current GAMMA RAY guitarist/vocalist] arrived in the band?
Kiske: Well, he has his own ways. I like him and his songwriting anyway, and I know him for a number of years now. I was always a fan of the things he was doing. When he comes into a band like UNISONIC and starts working on material, he does it in his own way. Dennis Ward, who is an American, he also has his own ways and he writes beautiful songs. It's not that Dennis can't write great songs, but Kai has his own style of pushing things around, and as soon as he has his hand involved, things get more interesting, at least for my ears. It just gets more of an edge. Kai has a talent for nailing things down to the basics and throw out useless stuff. I think pretty much all the songs gained a lot after he joined the band. It's just my personal opinion. Maybe there are people who don't see this as dramatically as I do, but I really think Kai is a huge plus to UNISONIC.
Metal Assault: The main question in the fans' minds would be, how does UNISONIC's music compare to the HELLOWEEN material that you did a number of years back?
Kiske: To me, there's not much of a difference. I'm still myself, you know. I'm a different person, of course, it's been 23 years since the "Keeper" days. Kai has changed, too. I think when I sing stuff that he has written, it always sounds like HELLOWEEN in a certain way, because that's just how we sound. I don't believe in a record production that attempts to sound like records of the past, trying to fake the sound on purpose. I would never go for that. I think that's really wrong, but we're just ourselves, and as much as that's the case, I think we do sound the way we always sounded. Of course, there are other people in the band now. Mandy, Dennis and Kosta are different people as compared to Michael Weikath, Ingo and Markus [members of HELLOWEEN's "Keeper" lineup]. So, for that matter, it sounds different, but nobody knows what the next HELLOWEEN record after "Keeper II" would have sounded like, if Kai was still in the band at that time. It might have sounded like that, but we were never the type of band that repeated itself, you know. We always tried to break some new grounds creatively, and I think that's why those "Keeper" records, even to this day, appeal to younger people. There was some kind of a "no-fear" spirit going on, just enjoying the time and making the best out of each song, not worrying too much, and that's what I loved about that time. To a certain extent, it's still the same way with UNISONIC. There is still a spirit going on between me and Kai, which reminds me a lot of that time.
Metal Assault: Vocally, have you done anything different on this album, or is it the same style that we've known you for over the years?
Kiske: I think I'm a lot better now (laughs). I can't really listen to myself on the "Keeper I" and "II" records. I was a baby then. I was like eighteen years old when I did the vocals for "Keeper I". Same for "Keeper II", I was nineteen at the time. The vocal cords were not fully developed when you're at that age. For a man, you have to cross the age of 30 for your vocal cords to really develop. So I think in terms of the sound of my voice, I'm a lot better these days than I was back then. I sound a lot fuller, and I don't have to kick my ass that much to sound good out there, you know. Of course as a person I have developed, so my singing has improved. The vocal performance always depends on the personality. I'm 44 years old now, and I've been through experiences. I'm not a teenager anymore. I'm a grown man now, and I think all that benefits the performance I'm able to give.
Metal Assault: Obviously, you got better with age in terms of your voice. But not every singer is able to do that. Some get worse with age. Do you think that's just natural, or is there something singers can do to improve with age?
Kiske: Absolutely. I mean, singing has a lot to do with your head. I don't have problems with my voice unless I'm having a bad time. When my soul is down, then I begin to have problems with voice, but when I feel good about things, I can sing without any problem. I think it's pretty much the same for every singer when it comes to technique. If you do things right, there is no reason you'd lose your voice. It will change over the years, but not necessarily in a bad way, and if you're aware of what you're doing, you'll be capable of singing great, and you'll be able to do everything you used to do when you were young. As long as you deal with the changes in your voice and learn how to do things differently, you can enjoy singing your whole life, actually. When singers lose their voice, either it's a mental problem, or they do something wrong to burn the voice. You should always try to avoid violating your voice as a singer.
California rockers BUCKCHERRY have set "Confessions" as the title of their new album, tentatively due in September. "It's gonna be a little bit different [than our previous albums]," BUCKCHERRY singer Josh Todd told Oklahoma's Z94 radio station in a new interview. "It's definitely a heavier, musically, record than we've ever had, and more melodic. It's pretty intense, but everybody's gonna love it — it's quintessential BUCKCHERRY at the end of the day. But we have all those peaks and valleys. That's what we want on all our records — dynamics — and I think people are gonna dig it."
He added, "At the end of the day, we're a rock and roll band, and we know that. And these are the type of records that we wanna listen to, so that's what we wanna create. We don't wanna make it hard for the listener to figure it all out; that's just a drag. I hate it when I get records that I'm just like, 'I don't get it. I don't understand what they're doing here.' We don't want that. We want it to be really easy to remember, but have substance and all of that, and it's tricky. That art of doing that is you have to write a lot of songs."
In addition to writing and recording the new album, BUCKCHERRY is also planning to shoot a short movie to go along with the new CD release. "[It's] really cool [and] that's something we're really looking forward to," Todd said. "We're still working on all the details of that, but the plan is, hopefully, to release it at small film festivals and do shows around those film festivals as well, and perform the record in its entirety. Because the record is really the soundtrack to the movie. I wrote the screenplay to the movie, and it's based around the seven sins and true events that happened in my life as well, when I was younger. So I think it's gonna be a real treat for people who love this band and people who are just discovering BUCKCHERRY for the first time."
He added, "You've gotta think outside of the box in this rapidly changing business that we're in — the music business — so we thought that this would be a really cool way to go for this record, because it's something that we'd never done and it was challenging. And because of it, I think we made the best record we've ever done together as a band, so we're excited."
When asked if he wrote the album and the screenplay for the "Confessions" movie at the same time, Todd said, "I kind of did it all together. I was writing the screenplay when we were writing songs. We always had the idea of incorporating the seven sins into the record, so that was a lot of fun for me as a lyricist and a writer, because I'm always good when I have a subject."
On the topic of whether he will also be starring in the "Confessions" film, Josh said, "We have a great lead character; I'm not gonna give it away. He's an unknown anyway, so nobody knows him. But he's gonna be great in this film. I'm gonna be in the film, but I won't be playing myself. All the members of BUCKCHERRY will be in the film somewhere."
He added, "We haven't actually shot the film. We're gonna shoot it in June. But we have a director. His name is Billy Jayne. He actually did a viral video with Shaquille O'Neal and Betty White that we did for Childhelp.org. That went really well and we just hit it off and I knew he was the right guy for this project. We started banging the script into shape. He's already got all the locations. Now we've just gotta shoot it."
A new BUCKCHERRY song, "Wherever I Go", can be streamed using the ReverbNation player below. The track will appear on the upcoming soundtrack to this year's highly anticipated movie, "Marvel's The Avengers". "Wherever I Go" is included on "Avengers Assemble", a 14-track compilation of music from and inspired by the film. "Avengers Assemble" will be released on May 1.
Commented Todd: "We're gonna be [playing] 'Wherever I Go' on this next run [of shows], so that will be cool for everybody; we'll at least get to play one new song because we can't play the record material yet until it gets closer [to the release date]."
When asked how BUCKCHERRY's involvement with the "Marvel's The Avengers" film came about, Todd said, "They talked to us about doing a song, and we were super-excited because we are fans. I think [the movie] is gonna be a big hit. And then I just put myself in the third person. When I sat down and I had the music [to write the lyrics to], I was like, 'OK, if I had super powers, what would life be like?' It would be kind of hard coping in society knowing that you had all these powers that you could use at any point in time that you kind of blend in. So that's what the song is about. It's pretty cool. And we were just happy that when we turned the song in, they really liked it, and we knew that we accomplished our goal."
He added, "At the end of the day, we're a rock and roll band, and we know that. And these are the type of records that we wanna listen to, so that's what we wanna create. We don't wanna make it hard for the listener to figure it all out; that's just a drag. I hate it when I get records that I'm just like, 'I don't get it. I don't understand what they're doing here.' We don't want that. We want it to be really easy to remember, but have substance and all of that, and it's tricky. That art of doing that is you have to write a lot of songs."
In addition to writing and recording the new album, BUCKCHERRY is also planning to shoot a short movie to go along with the new CD release. "[It's] really cool [and] that's something we're really looking forward to," Todd said. "We're still working on all the details of that, but the plan is, hopefully, to release it at small film festivals and do shows around those film festivals as well, and perform the record in its entirety. Because the record is really the soundtrack to the movie. I wrote the screenplay to the movie, and it's based around the seven sins and true events that happened in my life as well, when I was younger. So I think it's gonna be a real treat for people who love this band and people who are just discovering BUCKCHERRY for the first time."
He added, "You've gotta think outside of the box in this rapidly changing business that we're in — the music business — so we thought that this would be a really cool way to go for this record, because it's something that we'd never done and it was challenging. And because of it, I think we made the best record we've ever done together as a band, so we're excited."
When asked if he wrote the album and the screenplay for the "Confessions" movie at the same time, Todd said, "I kind of did it all together. I was writing the screenplay when we were writing songs. We always had the idea of incorporating the seven sins into the record, so that was a lot of fun for me as a lyricist and a writer, because I'm always good when I have a subject."
On the topic of whether he will also be starring in the "Confessions" film, Josh said, "We have a great lead character; I'm not gonna give it away. He's an unknown anyway, so nobody knows him. But he's gonna be great in this film. I'm gonna be in the film, but I won't be playing myself. All the members of BUCKCHERRY will be in the film somewhere."
He added, "We haven't actually shot the film. We're gonna shoot it in June. But we have a director. His name is Billy Jayne. He actually did a viral video with Shaquille O'Neal and Betty White that we did for Childhelp.org. That went really well and we just hit it off and I knew he was the right guy for this project. We started banging the script into shape. He's already got all the locations. Now we've just gotta shoot it."
A new BUCKCHERRY song, "Wherever I Go", can be streamed using the ReverbNation player below. The track will appear on the upcoming soundtrack to this year's highly anticipated movie, "Marvel's The Avengers". "Wherever I Go" is included on "Avengers Assemble", a 14-track compilation of music from and inspired by the film. "Avengers Assemble" will be released on May 1.
Commented Todd: "We're gonna be [playing] 'Wherever I Go' on this next run [of shows], so that will be cool for everybody; we'll at least get to play one new song because we can't play the record material yet until it gets closer [to the release date]."
When asked how BUCKCHERRY's involvement with the "Marvel's The Avengers" film came about, Todd said, "They talked to us about doing a song, and we were super-excited because we are fans. I think [the movie] is gonna be a big hit. And then I just put myself in the third person. When I sat down and I had the music [to write the lyrics to], I was like, 'OK, if I had super powers, what would life be like?' It would be kind of hard coping in society knowing that you had all these powers that you could use at any point in time that you kind of blend in. So that's what the song is about. It's pretty cool. And we were just happy that when we turned the song in, they really liked it, and we knew that we accomplished our goal."
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, TRIVIUM, POP EVIL, EMMURE, GOD FORBID and BATTLECROSS will join forces for the "Trespass America Festival" tour in July/August. The trek is expected to be officially announced this afternoon (Tuesday, April 24) during a press conference at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California.
The dates are as follows:
Jul. 13 - Broomfield, CO @ 1st Bank Center
Jul. 15 - Billings, MT @ MetraPark Arena
Jul. 16 - Bismarck, ND @ Bismarck Civic Center
Jul. 17 - Sioux Falls, SD @ Sioux Falls Arena
Jul. 19 - Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
Jul. 21 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Allen County Expo Center
Jul. 24 - Lubbock, TX @ Lonestar Amphitheater
Jul. 25 - Belton, TX @ Bell County Expo Center
Jul. 27 - San Antonio, TX @ Freeman Coliseum
Jul. 28 - Beaumont, TX @ Ford Pavilion
Jul. 30 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
Aug. 03 - Battle Creek, MI @ Kellogg Arena
Aug. 07 - Syracuse, NY @ SRC Arena
Aug. 08 - Glens Falls, NY @ Glens Falls Civic Center
Aug. 10 - Scarborough, ME @ Scarborough Downs
Aug. 14 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Aug. 15 - Wallingford, CT @ Oakdale Theatre
Aug. 17 - Worcester, MA @ DCU Center
Aug. 18 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
Aug. 19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Penn's Landing
Aug. 22 - Knoxville, TN @ Knoxville Civic Coliseum
Aug. 25 - Rio Rancho, NM @ Santa Ana Star Center
Aug. 26 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
Aug. 28 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's third album, "American Capitalist", debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart, selling 91,000 copies in its first week of release. Both the chart and sales numbers were career highs for the group.
"American Capitalist" was released as a standard CD, and a limited-edition deluxe CD format complete with special packaging plus second disc containing a number of exclusive remixes, including one for "Under And Over It". Meanwhile, the iTunes version carries the bonus track "The Tragic Truth".
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE was recently rejoined by original vocalist Jesse Leach following the departure of Howard Jones.
Leach sang on the band's first self-titled album, which came out in 2000, and on their landmark 2002 Roadrunner debut "Alive Or Just Breathing". Leach left the band in 2002 and was replaced by Jones, but his work on "Alive Or Just Breathing" has always been revered by diehard, longtime KILLSWITCH ENGAGE fans.
The dates are as follows:
Jul. 13 - Broomfield, CO @ 1st Bank Center
Jul. 15 - Billings, MT @ MetraPark Arena
Jul. 16 - Bismarck, ND @ Bismarck Civic Center
Jul. 17 - Sioux Falls, SD @ Sioux Falls Arena
Jul. 19 - Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
Jul. 21 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Allen County Expo Center
Jul. 24 - Lubbock, TX @ Lonestar Amphitheater
Jul. 25 - Belton, TX @ Bell County Expo Center
Jul. 27 - San Antonio, TX @ Freeman Coliseum
Jul. 28 - Beaumont, TX @ Ford Pavilion
Jul. 30 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
Aug. 03 - Battle Creek, MI @ Kellogg Arena
Aug. 07 - Syracuse, NY @ SRC Arena
Aug. 08 - Glens Falls, NY @ Glens Falls Civic Center
Aug. 10 - Scarborough, ME @ Scarborough Downs
Aug. 14 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Aug. 15 - Wallingford, CT @ Oakdale Theatre
Aug. 17 - Worcester, MA @ DCU Center
Aug. 18 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
Aug. 19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Penn's Landing
Aug. 22 - Knoxville, TN @ Knoxville Civic Coliseum
Aug. 25 - Rio Rancho, NM @ Santa Ana Star Center
Aug. 26 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
Aug. 28 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's third album, "American Capitalist", debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart, selling 91,000 copies in its first week of release. Both the chart and sales numbers were career highs for the group.
"American Capitalist" was released as a standard CD, and a limited-edition deluxe CD format complete with special packaging plus second disc containing a number of exclusive remixes, including one for "Under And Over It". Meanwhile, the iTunes version carries the bonus track "The Tragic Truth".
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE was recently rejoined by original vocalist Jesse Leach following the departure of Howard Jones.
Leach sang on the band's first self-titled album, which came out in 2000, and on their landmark 2002 Roadrunner debut "Alive Or Just Breathing". Leach left the band in 2002 and was replaced by Jones, but his work on "Alive Or Just Breathing" has always been revered by diehard, longtime KILLSWITCH ENGAGE fans.
Introducing Trespass America, a newly-minted music festival set on revitalizing the metal scene with some of the most current and credible bands in hard rock/metal. A co-production with Trespass America and Metal Hammer, the biggest metal magazine in the U.K., the tour kicks off July 13 at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado, and will cover 31 cities in two months between July and August with stops across the United States. Ticket on-sales begin this Friday, April 27; log onto www.trespassamerica.com for complete details.
Opening the show will be newcomers BATTLECROSS, the most-played new band on the SiriusXM channel Liquid Metal. New Jersey monsters GOD FORBID, who just released a brand new album, "Equilibrium", will stir up the circle pits with new songs and hits spanning their long career. Deathcore masters EMMURE are coming out swinging in support of their new album, "Slave To The Game". Michigan's POP EVIL will carry the torch of grassroots hard rock to the crowd, while the melodic guitar thrash of TRIVIUM and the reunited lineup of metalcore legends KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will bring a crushing intensity to Trespass America.
Headlining the power-packed Trespass America Festival is FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, the new heavyweight champs of the metal scene, with nine consecutive Top Ten radio hits, four Golden God awards, two certified-gold records (and a third in the making). Monstrous light shows and sold-out arenas have marked the path of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's meteoric rise. In a few short years, the band knocked down the tightly shut gates of mainstream media and turned the non-believers into believers as they marched to bring a message from the underground.
As FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's Zoltan Bathory, who helped spearhead the festival concept, put it, "We will carry the flag into mainstream territory; we will trespass on their turf all across America. The combined power of Metal Hammer and all these bands enable us to make a statement, a really loud one. Heavy music wants its place back in the limelight, so get ready, because we are coming, and we are coming in numbers."
"By bringing the Trespass Festival to North America," said Metal Hammer's editor Alexander Milas, "we're not only promoting the music we believe in, we're investing in it. We're now doing in America what we've done for years in Europe and the U.K." Indeed, Metal Hammer has a long history of flying the flag for the bands it believes in, and over the course of 25 years, has been involved with a number of events, most recently the Defenders Of The Faith tour that covered the spectrum of metal and helped support the music U.K. scene. Metal Hammer is partners with Bloodstock Open Air and Download Festival and has its very own Hammerfest festivals in the U.K. "It has become increasingly apparent to us that supporters of Metal Hammer stretch well beyond the U.K. Thanks to the iPad, American metal fans can now get the magazine at the same time U.K. fans do, but by taking on this tour, we're moving beyond our physical borders."
The idea for Trespass America came about as a way to bring heavy music to big venues across the country. Bathory explained, "When you walk through the Trespass America gate, you will be in a different territory, a new environment. You're not just coming to see a band. It's going to be a traveling circus that has all the attraction and excitement that creates an experience. We wanted to build the biggest stage we could and make this festival as visually unforgettable as possible, really give fans their money's worth, give them an experience where they will want to say, 'I was there.' We also wanted to play as many indoor venues as possible so all bands on the bill, no matter how early they play, would have a full light show with full production. We want to make Trespass America a theme-park-thrill-ride for metalheads."
Opening the show will be newcomers BATTLECROSS, the most-played new band on the SiriusXM channel Liquid Metal. New Jersey monsters GOD FORBID, who just released a brand new album, "Equilibrium", will stir up the circle pits with new songs and hits spanning their long career. Deathcore masters EMMURE are coming out swinging in support of their new album, "Slave To The Game". Michigan's POP EVIL will carry the torch of grassroots hard rock to the crowd, while the melodic guitar thrash of TRIVIUM and the reunited lineup of metalcore legends KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will bring a crushing intensity to Trespass America.
Headlining the power-packed Trespass America Festival is FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, the new heavyweight champs of the metal scene, with nine consecutive Top Ten radio hits, four Golden God awards, two certified-gold records (and a third in the making). Monstrous light shows and sold-out arenas have marked the path of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's meteoric rise. In a few short years, the band knocked down the tightly shut gates of mainstream media and turned the non-believers into believers as they marched to bring a message from the underground.
As FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's Zoltan Bathory, who helped spearhead the festival concept, put it, "We will carry the flag into mainstream territory; we will trespass on their turf all across America. The combined power of Metal Hammer and all these bands enable us to make a statement, a really loud one. Heavy music wants its place back in the limelight, so get ready, because we are coming, and we are coming in numbers."
"By bringing the Trespass Festival to North America," said Metal Hammer's editor Alexander Milas, "we're not only promoting the music we believe in, we're investing in it. We're now doing in America what we've done for years in Europe and the U.K." Indeed, Metal Hammer has a long history of flying the flag for the bands it believes in, and over the course of 25 years, has been involved with a number of events, most recently the Defenders Of The Faith tour that covered the spectrum of metal and helped support the music U.K. scene. Metal Hammer is partners with Bloodstock Open Air and Download Festival and has its very own Hammerfest festivals in the U.K. "It has become increasingly apparent to us that supporters of Metal Hammer stretch well beyond the U.K. Thanks to the iPad, American metal fans can now get the magazine at the same time U.K. fans do, but by taking on this tour, we're moving beyond our physical borders."
The idea for Trespass America came about as a way to bring heavy music to big venues across the country. Bathory explained, "When you walk through the Trespass America gate, you will be in a different territory, a new environment. You're not just coming to see a band. It's going to be a traveling circus that has all the attraction and excitement that creates an experience. We wanted to build the biggest stage we could and make this festival as visually unforgettable as possible, really give fans their money's worth, give them an experience where they will want to say, 'I was there.' We also wanted to play as many indoor venues as possible so all bands on the bill, no matter how early they play, would have a full light show with full production. We want to make Trespass America a theme-park-thrill-ride for metalheads."
Ruben Mosqueda of Oregon Music News recently conducted an interview with Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, ex-SEPULTURA). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Oregon Music News: On your new album, "Enslaved", you have a couple of new members joining you and guitarist Marc Rizzo. You have bassist Tony Campos replacing Bobby Burns and drummer David Kinkade replacing Joe Nunez. Did you know who you wanted or was there an audition process?
Max: Last year, we parted ways with our bass player, then shortly after, our drummer quit. It was perfect because it gave me an opportunity to reorganize SOULFLY; it gave me an opportunity to pick some very cool guys and make a great record with. I specifically picked Tony and David because they are a great fit for this kind of band — they have played extreme metal, death metal and they're perfect for SOULFLY. When the other guys left I was already beginning to envision SOULFLY would go into the direction of death metal.
Oregon Music News: So it sounds like there were no auditions and you simply knew who you wanted on board?
Max: Right. I knew what they were capable of. Tony is a solid bass player; he approaches the bass like a guitarist does. It's almost like we have three guitar players in the band now. David is a great extreme drummer; he was playing with BORKNAGAR in Norway — a death metal band there. David is great with double bass and blasting beats. It's really exciting for me to play with new guys and make a heavy record like ENSLAVED. The whole process was very exciting for me; I really dig reading what people think of the record.
Oregon Music News: Obviously there will be more CAVALERA CONSPIRACY music. When do you foresee that taking shape?
Max: It will happen, but much later. I have a new project that I'm working with Greg Puciato from THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, which is in the vein of NAILBOMB. We're not going to tour behind that; we're just going to do a couple of shows. We'll be putting the record out there just like we did with NAILBOMB — just the record with little promotion and a couple of live shows. CAVALERA will take place after that so right now it won't be until 2013 until you see a new CAVALERA CONSPIRACY record.
Oregon Music News: The last time we spoke you talked about how you reunited with [your brother and former SEPULTURA drummer] Igor. One of the things that is on the minds of the fans, myself included, is how close you, Igor, [and other members of SEPULTURA's classic lineup] Andreas Kisser and Paulo Jr. are to being on speaking terms?
Max: [Pause] I'm just waiting to see what happens. If it's meant to happen, it will happen. Right now, I feel like it won't happen. I'm not counting on it. If it happens great, I'd be excited to do it. If it doesn't happen, I'm happy with SOULFLY, CAVELERA CONSPIRACY, the project with Greg — my plate is full.
Oregon Music News: On your new album, "Enslaved", you have a couple of new members joining you and guitarist Marc Rizzo. You have bassist Tony Campos replacing Bobby Burns and drummer David Kinkade replacing Joe Nunez. Did you know who you wanted or was there an audition process?
Max: Last year, we parted ways with our bass player, then shortly after, our drummer quit. It was perfect because it gave me an opportunity to reorganize SOULFLY; it gave me an opportunity to pick some very cool guys and make a great record with. I specifically picked Tony and David because they are a great fit for this kind of band — they have played extreme metal, death metal and they're perfect for SOULFLY. When the other guys left I was already beginning to envision SOULFLY would go into the direction of death metal.
Oregon Music News: So it sounds like there were no auditions and you simply knew who you wanted on board?
Max: Right. I knew what they were capable of. Tony is a solid bass player; he approaches the bass like a guitarist does. It's almost like we have three guitar players in the band now. David is a great extreme drummer; he was playing with BORKNAGAR in Norway — a death metal band there. David is great with double bass and blasting beats. It's really exciting for me to play with new guys and make a heavy record like ENSLAVED. The whole process was very exciting for me; I really dig reading what people think of the record.
Oregon Music News: Obviously there will be more CAVALERA CONSPIRACY music. When do you foresee that taking shape?
Max: It will happen, but much later. I have a new project that I'm working with Greg Puciato from THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, which is in the vein of NAILBOMB. We're not going to tour behind that; we're just going to do a couple of shows. We'll be putting the record out there just like we did with NAILBOMB — just the record with little promotion and a couple of live shows. CAVALERA will take place after that so right now it won't be until 2013 until you see a new CAVALERA CONSPIRACY record.
Oregon Music News: The last time we spoke you talked about how you reunited with [your brother and former SEPULTURA drummer] Igor. One of the things that is on the minds of the fans, myself included, is how close you, Igor, [and other members of SEPULTURA's classic lineup] Andreas Kisser and Paulo Jr. are to being on speaking terms?
Max: [Pause] I'm just waiting to see what happens. If it's meant to happen, it will happen. Right now, I feel like it won't happen. I'm not counting on it. If it happens great, I'd be excited to do it. If it doesn't happen, I'm happy with SOULFLY, CAVELERA CONSPIRACY, the project with Greg — my plate is full.
"Recharger", the new single from Los Angeles cyber metallers FEAR FACTORY, can be purchased via iTunes. The track comes off the band's new album, "The Industrialist", which is due in North America on June 5 via Candlelight Records. The CD is a conceptual record based around a story written by vocalist Burton C. Bell. Lyrics to the album's ten songs divulge the narrative as discussed recently by Bell with Decibel magazine. The album's artwork was created by American designer Anthony Clarkson with additional direction from the band. The album will be available on three formats — standard CD, a limited edition deluxe digi-book (featuring two additional songs), and 180-gram double vinyl.
Bell notes, "The protagonist (The Industrialist) is the incarnation of all industries in the form of an automaton. The mechanical, technological, and scientific advances through the industrial age led to the creation of The Industrialist. In the story, the automaton becomes sentient as it collects memories with each passing day. Through observation and learning, it gains the will to exist. What was meant to help man, will eventually be man's demise."
"The Industrialist" again pairs FEAR FACTORY with producer Rhys Fulber. Mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, SKINNY PUPPY, MACHINE HEAD), with additional tracking by Logan Mader (GOJIRA, DIVINE HERESY), the album is the second written by Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares since reuniting in 2009 after a seven-year split. Cazares says, "Collaborating with Burton again on the new album was like magic. Everything just fell into place naturally. It felt good to recapture the true sound of FEAR FACTORY, taking it back to where it all started while raising it to new levels." Regarding Fulber, Cazares says, "Rhys has been our secret member. He is the one producer who has been able to understand what we have been trying to accomplish from the beginning and has opened our eyes to new things without sacrificing our original sound. His production and keyboard talents has made FEAR FACTORY stand out amongst the many bands of our genre."
"The Industrialist" track listing:
01. The Industrialist
02. Recharger
03. New Messiah
04. God Eater
05. Depraved Mind Murder
06. Virus of Faith
07. Difference Engine
08. Dissemble
09. Religion is Flawed Because Man is Flawed
10. Human Augmentation
11. Blush Response (Difference Engine) *
12. Landfill *
* Available on deluxe digibook only
FEAR FACTORY has tapped Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY, SYSTEM DIVIDE) as its new touring drummer.
Commented Heller: "It is an incredible honor to be chosen as the new drummer for FEAR FACTORY! It's something I never would have dreamt of as a kid listening to 'Soul Of A New Machine' and 'Demanufacture' over and over again in middle school. It's also an incredible honor to be following in the footsteps of two of the most amazing and influential drummers in metal drumming history. I hope to continue their legacy, creating some of the most forward-thinking and innovative music available today."
FEAR FACTORY's first tour dates since 2011 kick off with four performances in South America, including Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, before starting American dates in San Antonio on May 1. Support on the trek will come from SHADOWS FALL, THE BROWNING, THE DEVASTED and LEGACY OF DISORDER.
Bell notes, "The protagonist (The Industrialist) is the incarnation of all industries in the form of an automaton. The mechanical, technological, and scientific advances through the industrial age led to the creation of The Industrialist. In the story, the automaton becomes sentient as it collects memories with each passing day. Through observation and learning, it gains the will to exist. What was meant to help man, will eventually be man's demise."
"The Industrialist" again pairs FEAR FACTORY with producer Rhys Fulber. Mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, SKINNY PUPPY, MACHINE HEAD), with additional tracking by Logan Mader (GOJIRA, DIVINE HERESY), the album is the second written by Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares since reuniting in 2009 after a seven-year split. Cazares says, "Collaborating with Burton again on the new album was like magic. Everything just fell into place naturally. It felt good to recapture the true sound of FEAR FACTORY, taking it back to where it all started while raising it to new levels." Regarding Fulber, Cazares says, "Rhys has been our secret member. He is the one producer who has been able to understand what we have been trying to accomplish from the beginning and has opened our eyes to new things without sacrificing our original sound. His production and keyboard talents has made FEAR FACTORY stand out amongst the many bands of our genre."
"The Industrialist" track listing:
01. The Industrialist
02. Recharger
03. New Messiah
04. God Eater
05. Depraved Mind Murder
06. Virus of Faith
07. Difference Engine
08. Dissemble
09. Religion is Flawed Because Man is Flawed
10. Human Augmentation
11. Blush Response (Difference Engine) *
12. Landfill *
* Available on deluxe digibook only
FEAR FACTORY has tapped Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY, SYSTEM DIVIDE) as its new touring drummer.
Commented Heller: "It is an incredible honor to be chosen as the new drummer for FEAR FACTORY! It's something I never would have dreamt of as a kid listening to 'Soul Of A New Machine' and 'Demanufacture' over and over again in middle school. It's also an incredible honor to be following in the footsteps of two of the most amazing and influential drummers in metal drumming history. I hope to continue their legacy, creating some of the most forward-thinking and innovative music available today."
FEAR FACTORY's first tour dates since 2011 kick off with four performances in South America, including Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, before starting American dates in San Antonio on May 1. Support on the trek will come from SHADOWS FALL, THE BROWNING, THE DEVASTED and LEGACY OF DISORDER.
Former HEATHEN guitarist Doug Piercy has rejoined the influential '80s progressive NWOSFHM (New Wave of San Francisco Heavy Metal) band ANVIL CHORUS.
The guitar team of Thaen Rasmussen and Piercy was one of the greatest under the radar metal duos of the '80s.
The first explosive performance of this newly reunited guitar team was back on February 24 when they played with DEATH ANGEL at Slim's in San Francisco (see video below).
ANVIL CHORUS is currently working on the follow up to 2009's phenomenal return to action, "The Killing Sun". While this album featured original tracks written during the band's 80s heyday, the new album will contain all newly written tracks such as "Solar Flux", "Blood Memory", "Colossus", "Moonstroke" and more and promises to be another thundering release that solidly establishes the group's return.
Watch for the long-awaited double vinyl release of "The Killing Sun" coming later in 2012.
"The Killing Sun" featured a 16-page color booklet with liner notes written by San Francisco metal legend Ron Quintana (KUSF radio, Metal Mania fanzine) and cover art by Mark Devito (MOTÖRHEAD), packed with lyrics, photos and memories.
The guitar team of Thaen Rasmussen and Piercy was one of the greatest under the radar metal duos of the '80s.
The first explosive performance of this newly reunited guitar team was back on February 24 when they played with DEATH ANGEL at Slim's in San Francisco (see video below).
ANVIL CHORUS is currently working on the follow up to 2009's phenomenal return to action, "The Killing Sun". While this album featured original tracks written during the band's 80s heyday, the new album will contain all newly written tracks such as "Solar Flux", "Blood Memory", "Colossus", "Moonstroke" and more and promises to be another thundering release that solidly establishes the group's return.
Watch for the long-awaited double vinyl release of "The Killing Sun" coming later in 2012.
"The Killing Sun" featured a 16-page color booklet with liner notes written by San Francisco metal legend Ron Quintana (KUSF radio, Metal Mania fanzine) and cover art by Mark Devito (MOTÖRHEAD), packed with lyrics, photos and memories.
Swedish vocalist Elize Ryd of AMARANTHE has once again been selected to fill the female singer spot on KAMELOT's upcoming North American tour with NIGHTWISH in September/October.
Commented KAMELOT: "Elize has been touring with KAMELOT since 2010 and will once again join the band for a very special tour throughout North America."
AMARANTHE's self-titled debut album was released in Europe in April 2011 via Spinefarm Records.
KAMELOT's recently completed North American, South American and European tours featured guest singer Fabio Lione of RHAPSODY OF FIRE following the departure of KAMELOT's longtime frontman, Roy Khan. A permanent replacement for Khan has not yet been announced.
KAMELOT returned to Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany in January with Sascha Paeth producing, to begin recording its new album. The production is expected to be several months long and will include special guests, orchestra arrangements and much more.
Commented KAMELOT: "Elize has been touring with KAMELOT since 2010 and will once again join the band for a very special tour throughout North America."
AMARANTHE's self-titled debut album was released in Europe in April 2011 via Spinefarm Records.
KAMELOT's recently completed North American, South American and European tours featured guest singer Fabio Lione of RHAPSODY OF FIRE following the departure of KAMELOT's longtime frontman, Roy Khan. A permanent replacement for Khan has not yet been announced.
KAMELOT returned to Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany in January with Sascha Paeth producing, to begin recording its new album. The production is expected to be several months long and will include special guests, orchestra arrangements and much more.
CALL ME NO ONE — the new project featuring SEVENDUST drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist Clint Lowery — has announced the addition of bassist Rek Mohr (HURT) and guitarist Alan Price (SOULS HARBOR, SHINEDOWN) to the group's ranks.
CALL ME NO ONE's debut album, "Last Parade", will arrive on June 5. The CD's first single, "Biggest Fan", will be available to purchase on iTunes on April 24.
"Last Parade" track listing:
01. The World Is Dead
02. Thunderbird
03. Soapbox
04. Hillbilly
05. Alls Well
06. Biggest Fan
07. Please To Meet You
08. Broken Record
09. War Song
10. Last Parade
The record will also include two bonus tracks.
Rose told The Pulse Of Radio that CALL ME NO ONE has turned into something bigger than he and Lowery first envisioned. "This isn't really a side project. This is another band," he said. "I mean, other people have done it, but I guess that the closest thing we could compare it to is like STONE SOUR to SLIPKNOT, you know. I mean, we're gonna go ahead and do this, then when this runs its course, it should be right on time for SEVENDUST to get back and rolling."
Lowery recently described the sound of CALL ME NO ONE as "kind of NINE INCH NAILS meets FOO FIGHTERS."
SEVENDUST guitarist John Connolly and bassist Vince Hornsby also recently launched a new project, joining forces with CREED/ALTER BRIDGE drummer Scott Phillips in a new outfit called PROJECTED.
PROJECTED has already entered the studio to begin recording its debut disc, to be made available later in the year.
SEVENDUST itself will begin writing its ninth studio effort this summer, with plans for an early 2013 release. SEVENDUST issued its most recent outing, "Cold Day Memory", in April 2010.
CALL ME NO ONE's debut album, "Last Parade", will arrive on June 5. The CD's first single, "Biggest Fan", will be available to purchase on iTunes on April 24.
"Last Parade" track listing:
01. The World Is Dead
02. Thunderbird
03. Soapbox
04. Hillbilly
05. Alls Well
06. Biggest Fan
07. Please To Meet You
08. Broken Record
09. War Song
10. Last Parade
The record will also include two bonus tracks.
Rose told The Pulse Of Radio that CALL ME NO ONE has turned into something bigger than he and Lowery first envisioned. "This isn't really a side project. This is another band," he said. "I mean, other people have done it, but I guess that the closest thing we could compare it to is like STONE SOUR to SLIPKNOT, you know. I mean, we're gonna go ahead and do this, then when this runs its course, it should be right on time for SEVENDUST to get back and rolling."
Lowery recently described the sound of CALL ME NO ONE as "kind of NINE INCH NAILS meets FOO FIGHTERS."
SEVENDUST guitarist John Connolly and bassist Vince Hornsby also recently launched a new project, joining forces with CREED/ALTER BRIDGE drummer Scott Phillips in a new outfit called PROJECTED.
PROJECTED has already entered the studio to begin recording its debut disc, to be made available later in the year.
SEVENDUST itself will begin writing its ninth studio effort this summer, with plans for an early 2013 release. SEVENDUST issued its most recent outing, "Cold Day Memory", in April 2010.
German thrashers DEW-SCENTED have finished recording their new album at Soundlodge Studio in the deepest heart of Northern Germany with Jörg Uken (GOD DETHRONED, SUICIDAL ANGELS, NIGHTFALL) as producer. The band states, "We have worked with Jörg already on 'Incinerate' for the recordings and then on the previous album, 'Invocation', for recordings and mix. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to team up with him again and the time we worked on the new music together in his halls pretty much went flying by! The best part however is: The final mix turned out really, really HEAVY, so much we can tell you already!!! Some songtitles off the new album are: 'Sworn To Obey', 'Reawakening', 'Storm Within' and 'Gleaming Like Silver'."
The group adds, "The new album will be released by late July 2012 via our good partners Metal Blade Records in Europe and Prosthetic Records in North America. The artwork was once again created by our buddie Björn Goosses / Killustrations, who we have actually partnered with since 2003's 'Impact' release, so it's been almost a full decade! Wow! The new album's artwork looks totally stunning and we can't wait to share it with all of you soon! We are right now finishing off the work on the layouts and just did a promo photo session this past weekend, so all things are rolling forwards…"
On the live front, DEW-SCENTED was forced to cancel its previously announced appearance at Chronical Moshers open air festival on June 9 "due to logistical complications on our end." The band will also support Metal Blade labelmates SIX FEET UNDER on a run of shows in August.
For a complete list of upcoming dates, visit www.dew-scented.net.
DEW-SCENTED's latest album, "Invocation", was released on May 24, 2010 in Europe via Metal Blade Records and May 25, 2010 in North America through Prosthetic Records.
The group adds, "The new album will be released by late July 2012 via our good partners Metal Blade Records in Europe and Prosthetic Records in North America. The artwork was once again created by our buddie Björn Goosses / Killustrations, who we have actually partnered with since 2003's 'Impact' release, so it's been almost a full decade! Wow! The new album's artwork looks totally stunning and we can't wait to share it with all of you soon! We are right now finishing off the work on the layouts and just did a promo photo session this past weekend, so all things are rolling forwards…"
On the live front, DEW-SCENTED was forced to cancel its previously announced appearance at Chronical Moshers open air festival on June 9 "due to logistical complications on our end." The band will also support Metal Blade labelmates SIX FEET UNDER on a run of shows in August.
For a complete list of upcoming dates, visit www.dew-scented.net.
DEW-SCENTED's latest album, "Invocation", was released on May 24, 2010 in Europe via Metal Blade Records and May 25, 2010 in North America through Prosthetic Records.
End Of The Light Records will re-release EXUMER's "Possessed By Fire" (1986) and "Rising From The Sea" (1987) albums as "CD deluxe" versions on June 19. Both reissues will contain the original 10 tracks plus three bonus cuts — unreleased demo versions of songs, some of which were originally cut from the final albums. .
EXUMER is excited about the reissue through End Of The Light in North America and Canada. The band stated, "It's an honor for us to finally see our albums to be re-released in the U.S., Spreading the fire from our early days. Thank you, guys!"
"Possessed By Fire" track listing:
01. Intro
02. Possessed By Fire
03. Destructive Solution
04. Fallen Saint
05. A Mortal In Black
06. Sorrows Of The Judgement
07. Xiron Dark Star
08. Reign Of Sadness
09. Journey To Oblivion
10. Silent Death
11. A Mortal In Black (Demo)
12. Scanners (Demo)
13. Silent Death (Demo)
"Rising From The Sea" track listing:
01. Intro
02. Winds Of Death
03. Rising From The Sea
04. Decimation
05. The First Super
06. Unearthed
07. Shadows Of The Past
08. Are You Deaf?
09. I Dare You
10. Ascension Day
11. Whips & Chains (Demo)
12. Lil Ol'Me (Demo)
13. Time Out (Demo)
EXUMER's first album in 24 years , "Fire & Damnation", was released in North America on April 10 via Metal Blade Records. The 10-track CD, which was recorded with renowned producer Waldemar Sorychta (GRIP INC., THERION, SODOM, MOONSPELL), "combines a punishing production with aggressive songwriting," according to a press release. "EXUMER manages to capture the intensity and feel of the 1980s thrash metal gems and yet sound up to date on their latest output."
EXUMER is excited about the reissue through End Of The Light in North America and Canada. The band stated, "It's an honor for us to finally see our albums to be re-released in the U.S., Spreading the fire from our early days. Thank you, guys!"
"Possessed By Fire" track listing:
01. Intro
02. Possessed By Fire
03. Destructive Solution
04. Fallen Saint
05. A Mortal In Black
06. Sorrows Of The Judgement
07. Xiron Dark Star
08. Reign Of Sadness
09. Journey To Oblivion
10. Silent Death
11. A Mortal In Black (Demo)
12. Scanners (Demo)
13. Silent Death (Demo)
"Rising From The Sea" track listing:
01. Intro
02. Winds Of Death
03. Rising From The Sea
04. Decimation
05. The First Super
06. Unearthed
07. Shadows Of The Past
08. Are You Deaf?
09. I Dare You
10. Ascension Day
11. Whips & Chains (Demo)
12. Lil Ol'Me (Demo)
13. Time Out (Demo)
EXUMER's first album in 24 years , "Fire & Damnation", was released in North America on April 10 via Metal Blade Records. The 10-track CD, which was recorded with renowned producer Waldemar Sorychta (GRIP INC., THERION, SODOM, MOONSPELL), "combines a punishing production with aggressive songwriting," according to a press release. "EXUMER manages to capture the intensity and feel of the 1980s thrash metal gems and yet sound up to date on their latest output."
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/exumerposs.jpg
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/exumerrising.jpg
Swedish "punk ass rot 'n' roll" band HELLTRAIN will release its new album, "Death Is Coming", digitally on May 15 through iTunes, Spotify and other digital music sites. The effort will also be made available as a free download from the band's official web site. Physical albums will be released by TPL Records (Scandinavia) and Metalism Records (Russia, Baltic states). The group syas, "We are looking into options for physical release for the rest of Europe as well. Still, if we have no label for physical albums for Europe at the date, TPL Records will handle mail-orders for it."
HELLTRAIN's new album was finalized at Dug Out Productions with producer Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, BEHEMOTH, IN FLAMES) at the helm.
A promotional clip for "Death Is Coming" featuring the song "The Killer Come" is available below.
Ever since parting ways with Jimmy Franks Recording Company, the record label owned by BLOODHOUND GANG lead singer Jimmy Pop, HELLTRAIN has been working hard on establishing its own indepence. The group has built its own studio and is working with a model where fans can get HELLTRAIN's music for free.
HELLTRAIN's new album was finalized at Dug Out Productions with producer Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, BEHEMOTH, IN FLAMES) at the helm.
A promotional clip for "Death Is Coming" featuring the song "The Killer Come" is available below.
Ever since parting ways with Jimmy Franks Recording Company, the record label owned by BLOODHOUND GANG lead singer Jimmy Pop, HELLTRAIN has been working hard on establishing its own indepence. The group has built its own studio and is working with a model where fans can get HELLTRAIN's music for free.
Swedish deathcrust ensemble BOMBS OF HADES has completed work on its second full-length album, "The Serpent's Redemption", for a summer release via Pulverised Records. The cover artwork was conceptualized by Polish illustrator Rafal Kruszyk, who had previously worked with such bands as INTERMENT, HOODED MENACE, MACHETAZO and CIANIDE.
"The Serpent's Redemption" track listing:
01. Crawl Away And Bleed Forever
02. Darkness, My Soul
03. Burn
04. The Serpent's Redemption
05. Forgotten In Graves
06. Incubus Descending
07. Skull Collector
08. Scorched Earth
Part 1: Into Chaos
Part 2: The Throne Of Flesh
Part 3: Rapture
Spawned in 2002 as a crustpunk act, BOMBS OF HADES quickly mutated into a gristly old-school Swedish death metal direction, while still retaining a strong d-beat/crust vibe. Fronted by Jonas Stålhammar (GOD MACABRE, UTUMNO) who recently served briefly with legendary Swedish thrashers THE CROWN, the band released its debut album, "Chambers Of Abominations", in 2010 through Blood Harvest Records.
Commented Stålhammar: "BOMBS OF HADES are psyched to have the next album released through Pulverised.
"'A Serpent's Redemption' will satisfy souls starved for some true old-school death metal and will be unleashed before the summer of 2012."
Added Pulverised Records A&R manager Calvin Chiang: "BOMBS OF HADES are one band that have been on our radar for some time now. We finally thought it was time to seize the opportunity to grab them for a brand new record. To further confirm that our gut feeling was correct, our good old friend Ayong (founder of Pulverised Records) coincidentally recommended the band and strongly insisted we get BOMBS OF HADES on our roster by hook or by crook! Expect full-blown death metal abomination!"
BOMBS OF HADES is:
Jonas Stålhammar – Vocals, Guitar
P-O Söderback - Guitar
Magnus Forsberg - Drums
Anders Ekman - Bass
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/bombsofhades.
"The Serpent's Redemption" track listing:
01. Crawl Away And Bleed Forever
02. Darkness, My Soul
03. Burn
04. The Serpent's Redemption
05. Forgotten In Graves
06. Incubus Descending
07. Skull Collector
08. Scorched Earth
Part 1: Into Chaos
Part 2: The Throne Of Flesh
Part 3: Rapture
Spawned in 2002 as a crustpunk act, BOMBS OF HADES quickly mutated into a gristly old-school Swedish death metal direction, while still retaining a strong d-beat/crust vibe. Fronted by Jonas Stålhammar (GOD MACABRE, UTUMNO) who recently served briefly with legendary Swedish thrashers THE CROWN, the band released its debut album, "Chambers Of Abominations", in 2010 through Blood Harvest Records.
Commented Stålhammar: "BOMBS OF HADES are psyched to have the next album released through Pulverised.
"'A Serpent's Redemption' will satisfy souls starved for some true old-school death metal and will be unleashed before the summer of 2012."
Added Pulverised Records A&R manager Calvin Chiang: "BOMBS OF HADES are one band that have been on our radar for some time now. We finally thought it was time to seize the opportunity to grab them for a brand new record. To further confirm that our gut feeling was correct, our good old friend Ayong (founder of Pulverised Records) coincidentally recommended the band and strongly insisted we get BOMBS OF HADES on our roster by hook or by crook! Expect full-blown death metal abomination!"
BOMBS OF HADES is:
Jonas Stålhammar – Vocals, Guitar
P-O Söderback - Guitar
Magnus Forsberg - Drums
Anders Ekman - Bass
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/bombsofhades.
South Carolina-based extreme technical death metallers NILE will release their seventh full-length album, "At The Gate Of Sethu", on July 3 via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2009's "Those Whom The Gods Detest" was once again produced and mixed by Neil Kernon, who has previously worked with NEVERMORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, QUEENSRŸCHE and DEICIDE, among many others.
In a recent interview with CobraMetal.net, NILE's Karl Sanders stated about the band's forthcoming CD, "Well, we started [working on it] in May of last year (2011) after we finished our European tour. We worked on that fucking record for 10 months straight, to the exclusion of all else. (Laughs) Long hours, every day."
Regarding the new album's concept, Karl said, "It's in similar territory to other NILE records in that a lot of it stems from Ancient Egyptology and sort of has underlying modern themes tied in. We haven't abandoned our identity and I don't believe you should fuck over your fans. If your fans like what you do, and you change too much of what you do, fans don't like it. What matters to me is when I'm out on tour and I meet the actual fans and they share their thoughts…those are the people that I listen to. There's a lot of new ideas within the realm of what we do that we tried to incorporate. We studied real hard on the guitar and have lots of new riffs and musical ideas. There are a lot of surprises on the record."
When asked if fans can expect any guest appearances on the new NILE CD, Karl said, "Jon Vesano is all over this record. (Our former singer and bass guitarist who we're still good friends with.) Jon did some guest vocals on "Those Whom The Gods Detest" and it made us realize all over again all the things we really liked about Jon's vocals. We wanted to incorporate some of his insanity. [laughs] He's wicked, man. He knows how to channel that inner possession. He finds a way to summon it. It's great stuff."
In a recent interview with CobraMetal.net, NILE's Karl Sanders stated about the band's forthcoming CD, "Well, we started [working on it] in May of last year (2011) after we finished our European tour. We worked on that fucking record for 10 months straight, to the exclusion of all else. (Laughs) Long hours, every day."
Regarding the new album's concept, Karl said, "It's in similar territory to other NILE records in that a lot of it stems from Ancient Egyptology and sort of has underlying modern themes tied in. We haven't abandoned our identity and I don't believe you should fuck over your fans. If your fans like what you do, and you change too much of what you do, fans don't like it. What matters to me is when I'm out on tour and I meet the actual fans and they share their thoughts…those are the people that I listen to. There's a lot of new ideas within the realm of what we do that we tried to incorporate. We studied real hard on the guitar and have lots of new riffs and musical ideas. There are a lot of surprises on the record."
When asked if fans can expect any guest appearances on the new NILE CD, Karl said, "Jon Vesano is all over this record. (Our former singer and bass guitarist who we're still good friends with.) Jon did some guest vocals on "Those Whom The Gods Detest" and it made us realize all over again all the things we really liked about Jon's vocals. We wanted to incorporate some of his insanity. [laughs] He's wicked, man. He knows how to channel that inner possession. He finds a way to summon it. It's great stuff."
Australian extreme noise metal collective THE AMENTA will release its latest digital offering, "Chokehold", mid-May through France's Listenable Records. The effort features two brand new songs from the band, the title track "Chokehold" and a cover of the GODFLESH track "Christbait Rising". Both songs were recorded and produced with a modern take on GODFLESH's influential "Streetcleaner" album's sound and aesthetic. The EP also features two live tracks taken from the bands 2011 "V01D" Australian tour as well as a remix of the track "V01D".
In other news, THE AMENTA has released an official video clip for the track "V01D", consisting of footage taken from the band's 2011 Australian tour in support of the online release of the same name. "V01D" was filmed and edited by Shane "Swanee" Thomson. Check it out below.
THE AMENTA is working on material for its third album for a late 2012 release. Tentatively titled "Flesh Is Heir", the follow-up to 2008's "n0n" is a crystallization of THE AMENTA's methods. Featuring the expansive, aggressive riffing of the "Occasus" album and the ambient electronic destruction of "n0n", "Flesh Is Heir" also introduces a new eeriness courtesy of Cressall and the unique musical and visual element he brings to the band. Lyrically, "Flesh Is Heir" deals with the two warring sides of the human psyche: The Obliterate (the part of the human thats seeks to escape wordly woes by destroying the concept of self) and the Realist (the part that embraces pain, seeing it as a challenge, the meeting of which creates a better human).
"n0n" received a U.S. release on February 10, 2009 via Listenable Records. The CD, which came out in Europe in October 2008, was mixed at The Vault Studios in Sydney, Australia with longtime engineer Lachlan Mitchell (NAZXUL). Mastering for the album took place at Studios 301 with Steve Smart.
In other news, THE AMENTA has released an official video clip for the track "V01D", consisting of footage taken from the band's 2011 Australian tour in support of the online release of the same name. "V01D" was filmed and edited by Shane "Swanee" Thomson. Check it out below.
THE AMENTA is working on material for its third album for a late 2012 release. Tentatively titled "Flesh Is Heir", the follow-up to 2008's "n0n" is a crystallization of THE AMENTA's methods. Featuring the expansive, aggressive riffing of the "Occasus" album and the ambient electronic destruction of "n0n", "Flesh Is Heir" also introduces a new eeriness courtesy of Cressall and the unique musical and visual element he brings to the band. Lyrically, "Flesh Is Heir" deals with the two warring sides of the human psyche: The Obliterate (the part of the human thats seeks to escape wordly woes by destroying the concept of self) and the Realist (the part that embraces pain, seeing it as a challenge, the meeting of which creates a better human).
"n0n" received a U.S. release on February 10, 2009 via Listenable Records. The CD, which came out in Europe in October 2008, was mixed at The Vault Studios in Sydney, Australia with longtime engineer Lachlan Mitchell (NAZXUL). Mastering for the album took place at Studios 301 with Steve Smart.
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