BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward has released the following statement:
"Dear SABBATH fans and fellow musicians,
"I sincerely regret to inform you that after a final effort to participate in the upcoming SABBATH shows, a failure to agree has continued. At this time I have to inform you that I won't be playing with BLACK SABBATH at the Birmingham gig dated May 19th, 2012, nor will I be playing at [U.K.'s] Download [festival] on June 10th, 2012. Further, I will not be playing at Lollapalooza [festival] on August 3, 2012.
"It is with a very sad heart that I bring you this news. I am sincerely passionate in my desire to play with the band, and I'm very, very sorry that it's fallen to this. This statement is even more painstaking to write, as I was particularly excited to play alongside Tony Iommi after the recent treatments he underwent. I wanted that to become a reality.
"To express my thoughts about you, the SABBATH fans, I'm going to speak to you all through an experience my brother James had recently. My brother Jimmy lives in the U.K. When speaking with him a couple of days ago, he told me that an acquaintance had stopped him on the street and confronted him, 'Is your brother playing Birmingham? What's going on? I waited in line with my son and paid X amount for the concert tickets.'
"The man's son is a young drummer. He's going to see SABBATH, and he wants to see Bill Ward play drums.
"Upon hearing this news, I felt horrible. I couldn't help feeling some resentment towards the failure to reach an agreement, the failure to remember where we came from, the failure to be as brothers, as we once were.
"To be clear, I'm not blaming the other guys or finding any faults with them. I would think it can't be easy for them either, but this situation is just really sad. It's sad that it's come to this. 'This' will surely leave a mark and be unwelcome to the memory. Hopefully 'this' will heal and pass in time.
"My heart sank when Jimmy told me about this young boy. I know this boy is going to be disappointed, and I don't know how to amend it, other than to put my arms around the boy and tell him I love him.
"SABBATH fans have a voice and a face. To me you're human, you have families and despair. You have ferocity and emotions and graciousness, and at this moment, as far as I'm concerned, you are also that young boy in England. I don't know how to amend my part in these failings other than to put my arms around you and say I love you and let you know I'm very, very sorry.
"Throughout this process, which began over a year ago, I have had to stand up for myself time and time again. I have had to stand up for myself and in doing so realize my actions indirectly, although unintentionally, are upsetting and hurting a lot of you. I know in my heart I couldn't have done these concerts by agreeing the terms suggested. I made a solemn vow after the last European and Ozzfest concerts that I would never again enter into what was, in my opinion, a totally unsatisfactory contract. I have to stand for something, and as painful as it is, I'm doing it.
"Earlier in April 2012, I'd been asked to participate 'minimally' in the Download festival. I believe I'd been offered no more than three songs to play while another drummer presumably played the rest of the show with BLACK SABBATH. I was not willing to participate in that offer. I was not prepared to watch another drummer play a SABBATH set, while I was to play only three songs.
"I found out about the Birmingham gig on Monday, April 30 through the Internet ad. I was taken aback somewhat by the date, and the fact it was Birmingham. Knowing the 'signable' contract negotiations were at best in shreds, I was upset by the idea that the band was going to play Birmingham and play it assumedly without me. I had no prior knowledge of the date and location, and I felt totally excluded. We contacted the representative for BLACK SABBATH to see if something could be worked out. In the meantime, my drum crew and I, along with our U.S. endorsers, finished all the necessary planning for a swift departure to the U.K. There wasn't a whole lot to complete; we'd all been on standby more or less since mid-January 2012. The remaining work in the U.K. was confirmed done by our European and U.K. endorsers and we were good to go by Friday, May 4 2012. There were two stress points: firstly, getting an agreement in place, and secondly, getting to England in a timely manner. Jetlag time was taken into account as well as drum practice, a drum practice room in the heart of Birmingham, accommodation, and travel arrangements were all in place to meet with any band rehearsals that may have transpired before the Birmingham show. So far everything that had been arranged was on my dime, but we didn't move ahead without a realistic confirmation.
"Communications between the representative and my lawyer continued through the weekend of May 5, finalizing on Wednesday, May 9. The offer we received on May 9 was, 'Come to the U.K., play for free and see how the first show goes.' I was tempted. Playing for free would not have been a problem for me, but 'seeing how the first show goes' left an element of risk which could have affected Download. My ideal thought was to play in full the Birmingham show, in full Download, and in full Lollapalooza.
"I had notified the representative that May 10 was my cutoff day in order to have good lead-in time for England. On the night of May 9, I asked for a brief letter to be sent to the representative asking to find out if we were at an end. On the morning of Thursday, May 10, I received a reply in the affirmative. After consulting with my advisors and crew, a decision was made to let go and stop.
"I can't prioritize the SABBATH fans making one show more important than the other. I can't do that. All of you are important. It's all the gigs or none at all. I can't come to Birmingham and 'see what happens' knowing there is a risk of not being able to play Download or Lollapalooza. Again, for me, it's all or nothing. I had to say 'no' to Birmingham on the principle of wanting to play all the shows.
"Saying no to Birmingham is very difficult for me. My family grew up in Birmingham. BLACK SABBATH grew up in Birmingham. It's still my hometown and I resent having to arrive at such a difficult choice.
"Although the statement was made that 'the door is always open' for me, as explained above, walking through that door is not always as easy as it sounds. There are many complicated issues and unseen and unspoken agendas on hand. I can assure you, my criteria for a 'signable' contract is based in mindful principles, respectability, and acknowledgement of my history within the band.
"I hold no malice or resentment towards the other band members. I love them; I'm tolerant of them; I'm frustrated with them, as they may be with me. My fight has never been with them. I'll love them forever. In my opinion, nobody wins this time; the band doesn't win; the fans for an original lineup don't win. Nobody wins, nobody. Even the ones who thought they did.
"I didn't want to make this decision, but I have to be honest and transparent. This is the statement I didn't want to write; it's the last thing I wanted to do. But, I have written it, and now it can go into the universe.
"Since spring of 2011, I've waited patiently and hopefully for a signable contract, you know the rest. I stand for the boy in the U.K., for the coming drum student, for all the drummers, who write their parts out and get stiffed on the publishing, I stand with the SABBATH fans chanting 'Bill Ward' and asking 'why?' and I stand with Tony and Geezer and Ozzy.
"On a final note, even though I'm at an end with the upcoming announced concerts, I will remain with an open mind and a position of willingness to negotiate 'signable' terms with SABBATH's representatives in the future.
"Stay strong. Stay safe.
"With all my heart and strength, I love you, Bill Ward.
"Following on a separate page is a thank you message to some very extraordinary people."
Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager, Sharon, said recently that SABBATH would now play just one date each in North America and the U.K.
Ozzy, Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler recently spent time in London recording their first album together in 33 years, although without drummer Bill Ward it is not the original SABBATH reunion announced last November.
Ward has been sitting out the sessions due to being offered what he called "an unsignable contract" in an open letter to SABBATH fans.
The rest of SABBATH's scheduled European summer gigs will be replaced by "Ozzy And Friends", at which the singer will be joined by Butler, former Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde and other special guests, including Slash on selected dates.
"Dear SABBATH fans and fellow musicians,
"I sincerely regret to inform you that after a final effort to participate in the upcoming SABBATH shows, a failure to agree has continued. At this time I have to inform you that I won't be playing with BLACK SABBATH at the Birmingham gig dated May 19th, 2012, nor will I be playing at [U.K.'s] Download [festival] on June 10th, 2012. Further, I will not be playing at Lollapalooza [festival] on August 3, 2012.
"It is with a very sad heart that I bring you this news. I am sincerely passionate in my desire to play with the band, and I'm very, very sorry that it's fallen to this. This statement is even more painstaking to write, as I was particularly excited to play alongside Tony Iommi after the recent treatments he underwent. I wanted that to become a reality.
"To express my thoughts about you, the SABBATH fans, I'm going to speak to you all through an experience my brother James had recently. My brother Jimmy lives in the U.K. When speaking with him a couple of days ago, he told me that an acquaintance had stopped him on the street and confronted him, 'Is your brother playing Birmingham? What's going on? I waited in line with my son and paid X amount for the concert tickets.'
"The man's son is a young drummer. He's going to see SABBATH, and he wants to see Bill Ward play drums.
"Upon hearing this news, I felt horrible. I couldn't help feeling some resentment towards the failure to reach an agreement, the failure to remember where we came from, the failure to be as brothers, as we once were.
"To be clear, I'm not blaming the other guys or finding any faults with them. I would think it can't be easy for them either, but this situation is just really sad. It's sad that it's come to this. 'This' will surely leave a mark and be unwelcome to the memory. Hopefully 'this' will heal and pass in time.
"My heart sank when Jimmy told me about this young boy. I know this boy is going to be disappointed, and I don't know how to amend it, other than to put my arms around the boy and tell him I love him.
"SABBATH fans have a voice and a face. To me you're human, you have families and despair. You have ferocity and emotions and graciousness, and at this moment, as far as I'm concerned, you are also that young boy in England. I don't know how to amend my part in these failings other than to put my arms around you and say I love you and let you know I'm very, very sorry.
"Throughout this process, which began over a year ago, I have had to stand up for myself time and time again. I have had to stand up for myself and in doing so realize my actions indirectly, although unintentionally, are upsetting and hurting a lot of you. I know in my heart I couldn't have done these concerts by agreeing the terms suggested. I made a solemn vow after the last European and Ozzfest concerts that I would never again enter into what was, in my opinion, a totally unsatisfactory contract. I have to stand for something, and as painful as it is, I'm doing it.
"Earlier in April 2012, I'd been asked to participate 'minimally' in the Download festival. I believe I'd been offered no more than three songs to play while another drummer presumably played the rest of the show with BLACK SABBATH. I was not willing to participate in that offer. I was not prepared to watch another drummer play a SABBATH set, while I was to play only three songs.
"I found out about the Birmingham gig on Monday, April 30 through the Internet ad. I was taken aback somewhat by the date, and the fact it was Birmingham. Knowing the 'signable' contract negotiations were at best in shreds, I was upset by the idea that the band was going to play Birmingham and play it assumedly without me. I had no prior knowledge of the date and location, and I felt totally excluded. We contacted the representative for BLACK SABBATH to see if something could be worked out. In the meantime, my drum crew and I, along with our U.S. endorsers, finished all the necessary planning for a swift departure to the U.K. There wasn't a whole lot to complete; we'd all been on standby more or less since mid-January 2012. The remaining work in the U.K. was confirmed done by our European and U.K. endorsers and we were good to go by Friday, May 4 2012. There were two stress points: firstly, getting an agreement in place, and secondly, getting to England in a timely manner. Jetlag time was taken into account as well as drum practice, a drum practice room in the heart of Birmingham, accommodation, and travel arrangements were all in place to meet with any band rehearsals that may have transpired before the Birmingham show. So far everything that had been arranged was on my dime, but we didn't move ahead without a realistic confirmation.
"Communications between the representative and my lawyer continued through the weekend of May 5, finalizing on Wednesday, May 9. The offer we received on May 9 was, 'Come to the U.K., play for free and see how the first show goes.' I was tempted. Playing for free would not have been a problem for me, but 'seeing how the first show goes' left an element of risk which could have affected Download. My ideal thought was to play in full the Birmingham show, in full Download, and in full Lollapalooza.
"I had notified the representative that May 10 was my cutoff day in order to have good lead-in time for England. On the night of May 9, I asked for a brief letter to be sent to the representative asking to find out if we were at an end. On the morning of Thursday, May 10, I received a reply in the affirmative. After consulting with my advisors and crew, a decision was made to let go and stop.
"I can't prioritize the SABBATH fans making one show more important than the other. I can't do that. All of you are important. It's all the gigs or none at all. I can't come to Birmingham and 'see what happens' knowing there is a risk of not being able to play Download or Lollapalooza. Again, for me, it's all or nothing. I had to say 'no' to Birmingham on the principle of wanting to play all the shows.
"Saying no to Birmingham is very difficult for me. My family grew up in Birmingham. BLACK SABBATH grew up in Birmingham. It's still my hometown and I resent having to arrive at such a difficult choice.
"Although the statement was made that 'the door is always open' for me, as explained above, walking through that door is not always as easy as it sounds. There are many complicated issues and unseen and unspoken agendas on hand. I can assure you, my criteria for a 'signable' contract is based in mindful principles, respectability, and acknowledgement of my history within the band.
"I hold no malice or resentment towards the other band members. I love them; I'm tolerant of them; I'm frustrated with them, as they may be with me. My fight has never been with them. I'll love them forever. In my opinion, nobody wins this time; the band doesn't win; the fans for an original lineup don't win. Nobody wins, nobody. Even the ones who thought they did.
"I didn't want to make this decision, but I have to be honest and transparent. This is the statement I didn't want to write; it's the last thing I wanted to do. But, I have written it, and now it can go into the universe.
"Since spring of 2011, I've waited patiently and hopefully for a signable contract, you know the rest. I stand for the boy in the U.K., for the coming drum student, for all the drummers, who write their parts out and get stiffed on the publishing, I stand with the SABBATH fans chanting 'Bill Ward' and asking 'why?' and I stand with Tony and Geezer and Ozzy.
"On a final note, even though I'm at an end with the upcoming announced concerts, I will remain with an open mind and a position of willingness to negotiate 'signable' terms with SABBATH's representatives in the future.
"Stay strong. Stay safe.
"With all my heart and strength, I love you, Bill Ward.
"Following on a separate page is a thank you message to some very extraordinary people."
Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager, Sharon, said recently that SABBATH would now play just one date each in North America and the U.K.
Ozzy, Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler recently spent time in London recording their first album together in 33 years, although without drummer Bill Ward it is not the original SABBATH reunion announced last November.
Ward has been sitting out the sessions due to being offered what he called "an unsignable contract" in an open letter to SABBATH fans.
The rest of SABBATH's scheduled European summer gigs will be replaced by "Ozzy And Friends", at which the singer will be joined by Butler, former Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde and other special guests, including Slash on selected dates.
"The one guy I always wanted to work with was Dimebag," says singer Tim "Ripper" Owens of Judas Priest, Iced Earth and Yngwie Malmsteen fame and latterly a pretty big name in his own right. "I always thought that he was the one guitar player that my voice and his guitar playing would have worked well together. I'm pretty fortunate. I've worked with a lot of people."
That certainly isn't overstating things. Since he was plucked from relative obscurity to replace Rob Halford in Judas Priest, Owens has shared both the stage and the studio with dozens of rock and metal's best known musicians. His 2009 solo album Play My Game featured a laundry list of luminaries that included Jeff Loomis, Dave Ellefson, Bruce Kulick, Craig Goldy, Michael Wilton, Chris Caffery, Vinnie Appice, Bobby Jarzombek and more. He tours regularly with bands like Hail and Charred Walls of the Damned - both "supergroup" type deals - and is currently Yngwie Malmsteen's vocalist.
"Man, at this part of my life I thought I'd be golfing more," he says with what sounds like a sigh of disbelief. "I thought when I came home from tours my kids would be at school and I'd hit the golf course and I don't even golf anymore because I don't have time. I can't say no. That seems to be my problem. It's a good thing! Next year I need to slow down a bit, but man, the friends I have now are people I love, a lot of them are people I listened to when I was growing up, so that's kind of amazing."
The unassuming and accomodating singer will be in Australia this month for his only trip since 2001, when he was fronting Priest on that band's first ever tour of this country. Since then, the 44-year old has enjoyed a tumultuous career that's seen him be replaced by the men he took over from not once but twice, which must be something of a unique achievement in any field outside of either politics or sport.
"Well, you know, we all knew that Rob [Halford] would come back eventually," Owens says of Judas Priest. "That was a given. I love the guys in Priest, and if there's anything where I look back and wish, "Oh man I wish it could have worked out," that would probably be it. I was glad to see Rob come back, [but] I do wish they would play some of my material when they're out there."
His departure from Iced Earth he is at first reticent to say much about.
"I'm the sort of person, you don't burn bridges, you just move along," he begins. "If you don't have anything nice to say, you probably shouldn't say anything at all, really, so that's probably why I don't say a lot about Iced Earth!"
With a chuckle, he continues: "It is what it is. It was handled poorly, I think, the situation. It could've been handled good and everybody could've looked good in the situation. But it was handled poorly I think."
This writer last spoke to Ripper in November 2007, the week before he was due to head to Indiana to record what was meant to be his third Iced Earth record. At the time, he was bouyant and excited to be making a start on the second half of the band's Something Wicked saga. For those who came in late, Iced Earth leader Jon Schaffer fired Owens by email, at the same time he was announcing on the Internet that Matt Barlow was back in the band. In a radio interview he gave in January 2008, Ripper revealed that he only checked his email right before he was about to set off on the 400 kilometre drive to Schaffer's studio because he hadn't yet heard anything from him.
"The difference with Judas Priest is that they knew they had to get Rob back," Ripper says. "And all the blame wasn't on me. It's just that they needed Rob back: Judas Priest was Rob. But Iced Earth... I started getting all the blame when things weren't the same. Or things weren't what Jon thought they could be. And then, of course, it all came down on me. None of the blame ever came down on Jon. I'm fine with that, but the funny thing is that nothing really changed when I left anyway. I read numbers and I talk to agents, and the crowds are the same or smaller now."
While it wouldn't be fair to suggest that Iced Earth's dip in popularity was completely Ripper's fault - reviewers typically praised his efforts on The Glorious Burden while generally panning it musically - he does offer to shoulder some of the blame.
"I think it was also me wandering a bit, knowing that Iced Earth was kind of like a solo project. It's really Schaffer's band, and I knew that. And I started having my own: I started doing Beyond Fear, and pushing Beyond Fear when probably I should have been talking about Iced Earth," he admits. "I think Jon read a lot of that and he read into it that my heart and soul wasn't into Iced Earth. I have nothing against what happened. I think it should have happened. Matt [Barlow] and I are friends. Matt and I are talking about maybe doing something together. He just left a message on my Facebook saying that he should come out to my restaurant and hang out."
He's eager to point out that, in hindsight, it probably was time for him to move on.
"To be honest, I didn't want to be in Iced Earth any longer. It's almost like in Judas Priest. At that time, I didn't want to be there anymore. I wasn't making the money, in either one of the bands, that I thought I could have been making on my own. Creatively, I wasn't able to do things. Now, whether people like my music or not, they get it because I'm doing it."
Along with his solo release, Owens has made two albums with the aforementioned Charred Walls of the Damned, a band that includes other former Iced Earth members drummer Richard Christy and journeyman bassist Steve DiGiorgio, and guitarist/producer Jason Suecof. He's also been with Yngwie Malmsteen since 2008.
"I've naught but good things to say about him, the way he treats me," Owens says. "We get along. He's definitely the most talented guitar player that I've been with and he's the most passionate guitar player I've been with. That's cool. He loves to play guitar. Yngwie and I love working together. He's a funny guy. When I worked in the studio with him, it was a great, great time. Touring with him is great."
The Swedish guitarist's volatility is legendary and he's left a long and impressive string of vocalists behind, Jeff Scott Soto and Joe Lynn Turner among them. But Ripper claims that if he parts company with Malmsteen it will because he simply can't devote the time to him any more.
"I'm touring so much this year solo, and I have the show Dio's Disciples, and a show with Charred Walls of the Damned. I'm probably doing 60 solo shows this year. More. If I stop doing Yngwie, that would be the reason."
Getting back to the solo shows, Ripper promises it will be a metalhead's delight.
"It's gonna be a great set list," he vows. "There are songs I'm going to be doing that I haven't sang in a long time. Judas Priest – my era and classic Judas Priest songs like "Victim of Changes" – and I have my solo stuff, Beyond Fear stuff, and I might throw in an Iced Earth tune and an Yngwie tune, a Dio, Sabbath, Maiden… I always look at set lists and try to give people variety so they'll have fun."
With so much to choose from, there's bound to be stuff that misses out, and Ripper chuckles as he discovers an online interview has asked him if he'll be doing any Charred Walls songs while he's here.
"When I made the setlist up, I forgot about putting a song in there from them," he says. "Sometimes you never know if you can get the CDs there, or if they've gotten it, and that [album] actually got the best response that I've got in a long time. But it's also a little more technical. This band that I have, the members I have, on this Australian run, they can do it! We're gonna have a few days rehearsal too, so I probably should have picked one of them out."
In spite of all the ups and downs, Ripper Owens couldn't be happier with his life. After all, there aren't too many people who go from virtual obscurity to super stardom overnight at the relatively late age of 29, inspire a Hollywood film and subsequently end up on the world's largest stages singing with one's heroes.
"I think of who I have worked with, and who I still work with. Every day it's somebody wanting to get a hold of me to work on something. It's kinda crazy, being able to do this thing. Doing the Dio Disciples thing and celebrating Dio and his legacy and his music and doing that every night with Rudy Sarzo and Simon Wright and Craig Goldy and Scott Warren… it's amazing you know."
Tim "Ripper" Owens is playing in Australia at the following shows:
17/5: HiFi Bar, Melbourne VIC
18/5: Brisbane Hotel, Hobart TAS
19/5: HiFi Bar, Brisbane QLD
20/5: Fowlers Live, Adelaide SA (A/A)
24/5: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle NSW
25/5: The Basement, Canberra ACT
26/5: HiFi Bar, Sydney NSW
27/5: Cabbage Tree Hotel, Wollongong NSW
That certainly isn't overstating things. Since he was plucked from relative obscurity to replace Rob Halford in Judas Priest, Owens has shared both the stage and the studio with dozens of rock and metal's best known musicians. His 2009 solo album Play My Game featured a laundry list of luminaries that included Jeff Loomis, Dave Ellefson, Bruce Kulick, Craig Goldy, Michael Wilton, Chris Caffery, Vinnie Appice, Bobby Jarzombek and more. He tours regularly with bands like Hail and Charred Walls of the Damned - both "supergroup" type deals - and is currently Yngwie Malmsteen's vocalist.
"Man, at this part of my life I thought I'd be golfing more," he says with what sounds like a sigh of disbelief. "I thought when I came home from tours my kids would be at school and I'd hit the golf course and I don't even golf anymore because I don't have time. I can't say no. That seems to be my problem. It's a good thing! Next year I need to slow down a bit, but man, the friends I have now are people I love, a lot of them are people I listened to when I was growing up, so that's kind of amazing."
The unassuming and accomodating singer will be in Australia this month for his only trip since 2001, when he was fronting Priest on that band's first ever tour of this country. Since then, the 44-year old has enjoyed a tumultuous career that's seen him be replaced by the men he took over from not once but twice, which must be something of a unique achievement in any field outside of either politics or sport.
"Well, you know, we all knew that Rob [Halford] would come back eventually," Owens says of Judas Priest. "That was a given. I love the guys in Priest, and if there's anything where I look back and wish, "Oh man I wish it could have worked out," that would probably be it. I was glad to see Rob come back, [but] I do wish they would play some of my material when they're out there."
His departure from Iced Earth he is at first reticent to say much about.
"I'm the sort of person, you don't burn bridges, you just move along," he begins. "If you don't have anything nice to say, you probably shouldn't say anything at all, really, so that's probably why I don't say a lot about Iced Earth!"
With a chuckle, he continues: "It is what it is. It was handled poorly, I think, the situation. It could've been handled good and everybody could've looked good in the situation. But it was handled poorly I think."
This writer last spoke to Ripper in November 2007, the week before he was due to head to Indiana to record what was meant to be his third Iced Earth record. At the time, he was bouyant and excited to be making a start on the second half of the band's Something Wicked saga. For those who came in late, Iced Earth leader Jon Schaffer fired Owens by email, at the same time he was announcing on the Internet that Matt Barlow was back in the band. In a radio interview he gave in January 2008, Ripper revealed that he only checked his email right before he was about to set off on the 400 kilometre drive to Schaffer's studio because he hadn't yet heard anything from him.
"The difference with Judas Priest is that they knew they had to get Rob back," Ripper says. "And all the blame wasn't on me. It's just that they needed Rob back: Judas Priest was Rob. But Iced Earth... I started getting all the blame when things weren't the same. Or things weren't what Jon thought they could be. And then, of course, it all came down on me. None of the blame ever came down on Jon. I'm fine with that, but the funny thing is that nothing really changed when I left anyway. I read numbers and I talk to agents, and the crowds are the same or smaller now."
While it wouldn't be fair to suggest that Iced Earth's dip in popularity was completely Ripper's fault - reviewers typically praised his efforts on The Glorious Burden while generally panning it musically - he does offer to shoulder some of the blame.
"I think it was also me wandering a bit, knowing that Iced Earth was kind of like a solo project. It's really Schaffer's band, and I knew that. And I started having my own: I started doing Beyond Fear, and pushing Beyond Fear when probably I should have been talking about Iced Earth," he admits. "I think Jon read a lot of that and he read into it that my heart and soul wasn't into Iced Earth. I have nothing against what happened. I think it should have happened. Matt [Barlow] and I are friends. Matt and I are talking about maybe doing something together. He just left a message on my Facebook saying that he should come out to my restaurant and hang out."
He's eager to point out that, in hindsight, it probably was time for him to move on.
"To be honest, I didn't want to be in Iced Earth any longer. It's almost like in Judas Priest. At that time, I didn't want to be there anymore. I wasn't making the money, in either one of the bands, that I thought I could have been making on my own. Creatively, I wasn't able to do things. Now, whether people like my music or not, they get it because I'm doing it."
Along with his solo release, Owens has made two albums with the aforementioned Charred Walls of the Damned, a band that includes other former Iced Earth members drummer Richard Christy and journeyman bassist Steve DiGiorgio, and guitarist/producer Jason Suecof. He's also been with Yngwie Malmsteen since 2008.
"I've naught but good things to say about him, the way he treats me," Owens says. "We get along. He's definitely the most talented guitar player that I've been with and he's the most passionate guitar player I've been with. That's cool. He loves to play guitar. Yngwie and I love working together. He's a funny guy. When I worked in the studio with him, it was a great, great time. Touring with him is great."
The Swedish guitarist's volatility is legendary and he's left a long and impressive string of vocalists behind, Jeff Scott Soto and Joe Lynn Turner among them. But Ripper claims that if he parts company with Malmsteen it will because he simply can't devote the time to him any more.
"I'm touring so much this year solo, and I have the show Dio's Disciples, and a show with Charred Walls of the Damned. I'm probably doing 60 solo shows this year. More. If I stop doing Yngwie, that would be the reason."
Getting back to the solo shows, Ripper promises it will be a metalhead's delight.
"It's gonna be a great set list," he vows. "There are songs I'm going to be doing that I haven't sang in a long time. Judas Priest – my era and classic Judas Priest songs like "Victim of Changes" – and I have my solo stuff, Beyond Fear stuff, and I might throw in an Iced Earth tune and an Yngwie tune, a Dio, Sabbath, Maiden… I always look at set lists and try to give people variety so they'll have fun."
With so much to choose from, there's bound to be stuff that misses out, and Ripper chuckles as he discovers an online interview has asked him if he'll be doing any Charred Walls songs while he's here.
"When I made the setlist up, I forgot about putting a song in there from them," he says. "Sometimes you never know if you can get the CDs there, or if they've gotten it, and that [album] actually got the best response that I've got in a long time. But it's also a little more technical. This band that I have, the members I have, on this Australian run, they can do it! We're gonna have a few days rehearsal too, so I probably should have picked one of them out."
In spite of all the ups and downs, Ripper Owens couldn't be happier with his life. After all, there aren't too many people who go from virtual obscurity to super stardom overnight at the relatively late age of 29, inspire a Hollywood film and subsequently end up on the world's largest stages singing with one's heroes.
"I think of who I have worked with, and who I still work with. Every day it's somebody wanting to get a hold of me to work on something. It's kinda crazy, being able to do this thing. Doing the Dio Disciples thing and celebrating Dio and his legacy and his music and doing that every night with Rudy Sarzo and Simon Wright and Craig Goldy and Scott Warren… it's amazing you know."
Tim "Ripper" Owens is playing in Australia at the following shows:
17/5: HiFi Bar, Melbourne VIC
18/5: Brisbane Hotel, Hobart TAS
19/5: HiFi Bar, Brisbane QLD
20/5: Fowlers Live, Adelaide SA (A/A)
24/5: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle NSW
25/5: The Basement, Canberra ACT
26/5: HiFi Bar, Sydney NSW
27/5: Cabbage Tree Hotel, Wollongong NSW
Looking for a new flavor or a new way of spicing up your life? Well, look no more. Stephen Pearcy of the legendary California hard rock band RATT has just released his Top Fuel Verde Sauce through High River Sauces in collaboration with Chris Santos from the chef of the Food Network's highest-rated show "Chopped".
To celebrate the release of the Top Fuel Verde Sauce, Stephen will be doing a tasting and signing at Hot Licks hot sauce store in San Diego, California on May 26 at 2 p.m. PST.
"I love heating up all my foods. From eggs for breakfast, to Mexican, hamburgers, chili, you name it, I love my hot sauce," says Stephen Pearcy about his passion for fiery foods. "I've been wanting to release my own hot sauce for some time now and with a blink of an eye, I'm talking to Steve Seabury from High River Sauces and fellow rocker and amazing chef Chris Santos about the Top Fuel Verde Sauce."
Santos is the co-owner of The Stanton Social restaurant, Beauty & Essex restaurant, which was recently named "the hottest new restaurant in America" by Zagat. Chris was also awarded the prestigious "Rising Star" award from Star Chefs magazine for his work at The Stanton Social.
"Collaborating with Steve from High River Sauce and Stephen Pearcy has been such a 'way cool' experience," says Santos. "At the age of 14, my brother took me to see RATT for my first concert at the Providence Civic Center. That night changed my life, in the cheap seats, surrounded my 10,000 metal heads. Of the thousands of shows I've seen since — you don't forget your first. So to be working with Stephen is pretty fucking cool."
Top Fuel Verde Sauce will ignite your taste buds with its garden fresh flavors and the perfect amount of heat. Makes an excellent choice for grilled steaks, chicken, fish, tacos and nachos. This sauce will enhance all of your favorite dishes! It's deliciously addictive; you will not be able to put it away.
For more information, visit www.stephen-pearcy.com.
To celebrate the release of the Top Fuel Verde Sauce, Stephen will be doing a tasting and signing at Hot Licks hot sauce store in San Diego, California on May 26 at 2 p.m. PST.
"I love heating up all my foods. From eggs for breakfast, to Mexican, hamburgers, chili, you name it, I love my hot sauce," says Stephen Pearcy about his passion for fiery foods. "I've been wanting to release my own hot sauce for some time now and with a blink of an eye, I'm talking to Steve Seabury from High River Sauces and fellow rocker and amazing chef Chris Santos about the Top Fuel Verde Sauce."
Santos is the co-owner of The Stanton Social restaurant, Beauty & Essex restaurant, which was recently named "the hottest new restaurant in America" by Zagat. Chris was also awarded the prestigious "Rising Star" award from Star Chefs magazine for his work at The Stanton Social.
"Collaborating with Steve from High River Sauce and Stephen Pearcy has been such a 'way cool' experience," says Santos. "At the age of 14, my brother took me to see RATT for my first concert at the Providence Civic Center. That night changed my life, in the cheap seats, surrounded my 10,000 metal heads. Of the thousands of shows I've seen since — you don't forget your first. So to be working with Stephen is pretty fucking cool."
Top Fuel Verde Sauce will ignite your taste buds with its garden fresh flavors and the perfect amount of heat. Makes an excellent choice for grilled steaks, chicken, fish, tacos and nachos. This sauce will enhance all of your favorite dishes! It's deliciously addictive; you will not be able to put it away.
For more information, visit www.stephen-pearcy.com.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/pearcyhotsauce.jpg
Nuclear Blast Records has set a July 31 North American release date (one day earlier internationally) for "Dark Roots Of Earth", the new album from San Francisco Bay Area metallers TESTAMENT. The CD was produced, mixed and mastered by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, ACCEPT, EXODUS). Special bonus tracks were recorded, mixed and mastered by Juan Urteaga (CATTLE DECAPITATION, HEATHEN, VILE, SADUS) at his Trident Studios. =The cover artwork for the effort (see below) was painted by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.
"Dark Roots Of Earth" jewel case CD track listing:
01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth
04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace
07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence
"Dark Roots Of Earth" CD/DVD track listing:
01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth
04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace
07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence
Bonus:
10. Dragon Attack (QUEEN cover)
11. Animal Magnetism (SCORPIONS cover)
12. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN cover)
13. Throne Of Thornes (extended version)
+ Bonus DVD
"Dark Roots Of Earth" vinyl track listing:
Side A:
01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth
Side B:
04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace
Side C:
07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence
Side D (Bonus):
10. Dragon Attack (QUEEN cover)
11. Animal Magnetism (SCORPIONS cover)
12. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN cover)
In a recent interview with Decibel magazine, TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy stated about "Dark Roots Of Earth", "We [recorded] it at our place in Oakland and at Trident Studios and Andy [Sneap, producer] came out and did all the recordings with us — as much as he could — and then we finished off some vocals and guitars at Trident studios. I think over the years Andy really knows the sound of this band, and kinda knows what we want. We've mixed stuff with Andy, so I think he knows without has having to be there physically with him what we are looking for. And I just haven't heard anybody in metal come out with any better mixes! Honesty!"
Regarding some of the songs that will appear on "Dark Roots Of Earth", Billy said, "Well, there's a song called 'Native Blood', which is basically a song about my Native heritage. It's almost like a protest song, that the Native Americans have a voice that needs to be heard — that's the chorus of the song. There's another called 'True American Hate', which was kinds inspired by when we sent all our troops overseas there, and we were just seeing in the news when all that was going on a lot of young kids, under 10 years old, out there with their families burning American flags. And that was a pretty shocking thing to see, to see that generation, a kid that young being taught to hate that much. It makes you think what's going to happen, 10 to 15 years from now when the majority of these kids have just been raised to hate? It struck me as a little odd. There's a song called 'Cold Embrace', which we kinda hoped we'd be able to pitch the song into one of the 'Twilight' series movies; it's a song about a girl becoming a vampire and never being able to see the sun again. 'Dark Roots Of Earth' is kind of a play on the band we have together, just like a metaphor, like TESTAMENT is a tree and all of us in this group are really embedded in the planet, in the earth, the environment and our surroundings. It was kind of a play on that. 'Rise Up' is more of a war song, like you're preparing yourself for war, going into battle. There is a lot of cool stuff there."
Due to a "serious injury," TESTAMENT drummer Paul Bostaph was unable to take part in the recording sessions for the CD and was replaced by Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan (DARK ANGEL, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK). Bostaph has since announced his departure from the group.
When asked if Hoglan — who is currently touring with TESTAMENT — will become a permanent member of the band, Billy told Horns Up Rocks!, "We'd like him to be, but I think right now we're just taking it tour by tour. We don't know yet. We just kind of unexpected had to do this tour before the record came out, so we haven't really thought about it yet."
Regarding how different it is playing with Gene compared to working with Bostaph, Chuck said, "We played with Gene before on our 'Demonic' record [1997], so we knew exactly what Gene was capable of and what he would bring to the table. We knew that it would definitely bring a different style of drumming, 'cause Gene's a different player than Paul. I think it just worked out. Eric [Peterson, TESTAMENT guitarist] had a lot of the [basic drum patterns] already done [for the new album], and Gene just had to kind of put his style on it."
Irish rockers THE ANSWER will release a new EP, "Rise", named after their previously unreleased track, on July 2 via their own The Answer Productions label. The EP will consist of a new 2012 radio edit mix of "Rise", an extended full-length version, a very special acoustic/orchestral version and a brand new mix of another rockin' gem called "Lost".
Commented the band, "['Rise'] is different to anything you may have heard from us in the past and we love it! To mark the occasion we'll be playing a special one-off performance of the 'Rise' album from start to finish in Belfast's Empire Music Hall on July 5."
In other news, THE ANSWER will perform a special concert at Belfast's The Ulster Hall as part of the BBC televised 150th anniversary celebration of the legendary venue. The band says, "This show is a massive event in our native Ulster and we're incredibly thrilled to be able to announce that on May 22nd, we will be performing our much requested song 'Rise' in a special arrangement with the Ulster Orchestra. We've played a few momentous gigs in Northern Ireland's most famous venue before, but this one will be unlike anything you've seen us do before. It will be a truly spectacular experience performing with one of the finest symphony orchestras in the world and to also finally get to perform a song that we have loved but never released — until now, that is."
"Rise" EP track listing:
01. Rise (radio edit)
02. Lost (2012 mix)
03. Rise (full version)
04. Rise (acoustic / orchestral version)
Commented the band, "['Rise'] is different to anything you may have heard from us in the past and we love it! To mark the occasion we'll be playing a special one-off performance of the 'Rise' album from start to finish in Belfast's Empire Music Hall on July 5."
In other news, THE ANSWER will perform a special concert at Belfast's The Ulster Hall as part of the BBC televised 150th anniversary celebration of the legendary venue. The band says, "This show is a massive event in our native Ulster and we're incredibly thrilled to be able to announce that on May 22nd, we will be performing our much requested song 'Rise' in a special arrangement with the Ulster Orchestra. We've played a few momentous gigs in Northern Ireland's most famous venue before, but this one will be unlike anything you've seen us do before. It will be a truly spectacular experience performing with one of the finest symphony orchestras in the world and to also finally get to perform a song that we have loved but never released — until now, that is."
"Rise" EP track listing:
01. Rise (radio edit)
02. Lost (2012 mix)
03. Rise (full version)
04. Rise (acoustic / orchestral version)
Five Finger Death Punch will be one of the headlining acts of Rock in the Range this year, one of the nation's biggest Hard Rock and Metal festivals that takes place in Columbus this weekend. They have become known for their "active" show encouraging crowd participation that can get on the edge of out of hand at times. The band released their third studio album last year American Capitalist which quickly shot to the top of all Rock and Metal charts.
Amy caught up with drummer Jeremy Spencer to preview next week's festival. The two discussed the grueling nature of the industry especially as a drummer and the advice that has driven him to be in the position of leading the rhythm and timing of Five Finger Death Punch. They will be taking the stage Saturday night on the Main stage in Columbus.
Amy: I was excited to talk to you because I know you just won the Golden God award for Best Drummer. How was that experience for you?
Jeremy: It was really great because I am a fan of all those drummers in the category and to be put in the same category was humbling already and then to win, it was "Wow, this is really cool." We couldn't be at the show because we were out on tour. I got a call saying, "You know he won and if you could put together a video for the acceptance that would great." So I made this really ridiculous acceptance speech video where I dressed up as redneck fans mocking me giving a speech so I did a multi-character video for winning the award and it was really funny. It is all over the internet in case you get a chance to see it. Everyone got a kick out of it, but overall it was a really humbling experience and really cool.
Amy: You guys just made another trip to Kuwait as well. I know it is really important to the band to support the troops. What was your most memorable experience this time around?
Jeremy: We got to hang out with the troops a lot during the day and talk to people and we do extensive signings for them. The shows were pretty crazy. They don't get a lot of entertainment over there so they are really excited when we get to come and play. And it is exciting for us too because they are such huge supporters of the band so it is the least we can do to give back to them because they sacrifice so much to be away from their families. It was very cool. The only thing that wasn't cool is that there is an 18 hour plane flight to and from Kuwait. That is the only brutal part but the rest of it was incredible.
Amy: I actually did see some of the Youtube videos from the shows over there that were posted and they looked like they were crazy with the crowd surfing and the moshing and they really go into it.
Jeremy: They really do. They get after it. It's insane, like I said it is all pent up energy so they really get after it.
Amy: I have listened to the album since it came out but in a lot of the recent songs there is serious hardcore drumming action. How do you stay in shape and how do you condition for that kind of hitting?
Jeremy: I do a lot of stretching. That is the thing I didn't do much growing up but now as I am getting older I have realized that stretching is vital. It is almost like doing yoga really. I use hard foam rollers to roll out my muscles and get the knots out. Stretching is key; any drummers that are doing this I would recommend doing that starting as young as you can. I also don't party anymore. I try to take care of myself. I try to eat things that are relatively healthy. So that is pretty much what I do.
Amy: I think that is a misconception for a lot of people. I talk to a lot of bands from a lot of different genres and I think people think the road is a continuous party and for some bands it is, but for a lot of bands it is about having a healthy lifestyle because it is so grueling.
Jeremy: It really is. We are kind of like athletes. We have to get up there and perform for 75 minutes sometimes or 90 minutes and it takes a toll on you physically. We are not playing pop music. It is pretty aggressive. It is physically demanding. When we started out, we definitely participated in that party lifestyle. I am one to try it, but if you are going to be successful and have a long career then you can't get wrapped up in that stuff. Rarely does it work so I figured it was time to treat this like a job. It is a job but it is a great job.
Amy: Let's talk about Rock on the Range. I have seen you play there before a couple years ago. It is always a good time. Is there anything that you are looking forward to specifically around that show?
Jeremy: Last time, we had one of the biggest crowd surfing experiences that Rock on the Range had ever experienced and it is well documented on Youtube. So we will see how crazy the fans can get there this time. We certainly enjoy it. Every time we play there, it has been great. And you know, all the other great bands, and hanging out with our friends, it has always been a positive experience and I look forward to getting back there and doing it again this year.
Amy: I was there last time. I am a photographer so I am always down in front for the beginning parts so it is always a little sketchy with the crowd surfing for us.
Jeremy: Absolutely, you might want to wear a helmet or something.
Amy: You guys just announced your summer tour. You did it in a kind of crazy way with the prisoner-style roll down Sunset Blvd to announce the Trespass America festival. How did you choose bands for the summer tour and how did you go about coming up with that scheme to roll it out and make the announcement?
Jeremy: We have been fans of these bands forever. We have listened to the records and we are friends with some of them and have done shows with some of them. They were the bands that were available too. We talked about taking bands that were more Indie and bringing them together for one show and kind of going into mainstream territories and arenas and it is kind of like trespassing on that territory so it fits with that theme. And as far as the military escort in, we shut down Sunset Blvd or part of it and we were drug in on military trucks in handcuffs and hoods and they took us into the Key Club and then released us one at a time per band. It was something that had not been done before and we decided we wanted to make a big splash with the press conference and that was Zoltan's idea, our guitar player. It turned out really good and it was a fun day. I am excited about this lineup. I think it is going to be really cool. A lot of the shows are indoors as well so you won't burn up outside because it is summer, and the opening bands will have a light show and a production which if you go to some festivals the first band is on at two in the afternoon with no production in the broad daylight so this time everyone gets a shot to bring their show and it makes it that much more special for the fans.
Amy: I love Pop Evil and Trivium. Those guys are awesome and I am sure it will be a great show.
Jeremy: Oh yeah. We are excited.
Amy: Can you tell me the story behind the new single "Coming Down?"
Jeremy: It was a song that Jason came to the table with musically. It stuck out to me as being something special we hadn't really had before with the acoustic beginning which I thought was really cool. It was fun for me because basically in the middle section there is a big drum solo which to hear that pump out on the air waves of radio is rare and that is fun for me. I am excited. It just came out. The video should be done within a week or so to coincide with that single. It looks like it is going to be another big one for us. We have been really fortunate to have success at radio and have people call in and respond and request Death Punch. We'll take it because without radio today it is tough to sell records. Even with radio it is tough to sell records. We are very fortunate that people are buying the Death Punch record in a day and age where they are stealing the other records online.
Amy: What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Jeremy: It was always my parents. They have always been supportive. No matter what I did, they said it was going to take time and be patient. It is probably not going to be on your time schedule for you to have success but if you stick with it and do what is honest, at the end of the day nothing else really matters if you have a breakthrough or not as long as you feel good about what you have done then the rest is just like icing on the cake. They were always supportive and pushing me as positive as possible which is really nice.
Amy: Yeah, it's hard when your kids have drums in the house.
Jeremy: You know they let me jam in the house for years, obnoxious banging drums and having loud bands in there and they were always cool about it so I was real fortunate. The neighbors most certainly hated me but I was fortunate to have cool enough parents to let me jam away in the house.
Amy: What can we tell the fans to expect at Rock on the Range from you guys?
Jeremy: Just get there early and get your place up front because I am pretty sure they will get knocked around out of there but we look forward to bringing an exciting show with cool production. We look forward to seeing familiar faces and new ones.
Rockers THE LAST VEGAS have inked a deal with FrostByte Media for the release of their fourth full-length album. Due on August 28, "Bad Decisions" was produced by Johnny K (MEGADETH, DISTURBED, 3 DOORS DOWN, AIRBOURNE) n the band's hometown of Chicago and contains the straight-up-rock-'n'-roll-meets-garage/punk-rock sound for which the band has come to be known. Lead singer Chad Cherry referred to the new tracks as "a little more raw, a little more groovy and more LAST VEGAS than the previous album...", while guitarist Adam Arling declared with DIY fervor, that the album contains "no samples, loops, backing this, that, whatever a lot of bands do nowadays. Just five guys rocking."
Hailing from Chicago and formed in 2005, THE LAST VEGAS cut its teeth relentlessly playing in support of two independent releases. In 2009, the band burst on to the national scene when MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx saw them play live in Los Angeles and subsequently co-produced their third album, "Whatever Gets You Off". More touring followed, including a stint opening MÖTLEY CRÜE's "Saints Of Los Angeles" tour. Now recharged, with an album that returns to their raw rock n' roll roots, THE LAST VEGAS is ready to hit the road again in support of "Bad Decisions". The Onion referred to their sound as "Swaggering, stomping, balls-out guitar rock," while The Chicago Sun-Times declared them to be "red hot garage-rockers."
THE LAST VEGAS is: Chad Cherry (vocals), Adam Arling (guitars), Danny Smash (bass), Nate Arling (drums) and Johnny Wator (guitars).
"Bad Decisions" track listing:
01. Beat To Hell
02. Other Side
03. Bad Decisions
04. Evil Eyes
05. Don't Take It So Hard
06. She's My Confusion
07. It Ain't Easy
08. My Way Forever
09. Leonida
10. Devil In You
11. You Are The One
12. Good Night
Hailing from Chicago and formed in 2005, THE LAST VEGAS cut its teeth relentlessly playing in support of two independent releases. In 2009, the band burst on to the national scene when MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx saw them play live in Los Angeles and subsequently co-produced their third album, "Whatever Gets You Off". More touring followed, including a stint opening MÖTLEY CRÜE's "Saints Of Los Angeles" tour. Now recharged, with an album that returns to their raw rock n' roll roots, THE LAST VEGAS is ready to hit the road again in support of "Bad Decisions". The Onion referred to their sound as "Swaggering, stomping, balls-out guitar rock," while The Chicago Sun-Times declared them to be "red hot garage-rockers."
THE LAST VEGAS is: Chad Cherry (vocals), Adam Arling (guitars), Danny Smash (bass), Nate Arling (drums) and Johnny Wator (guitars).
"Bad Decisions" track listing:
01. Beat To Hell
02. Other Side
03. Bad Decisions
04. Evil Eyes
05. Don't Take It So Hard
06. She's My Confusion
07. It Ain't Easy
08. My Way Forever
09. Leonida
10. Devil In You
11. You Are The One
12. Good Night
Red-dirt metal rockers TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION will release their long-awaited new album, "Peacemaker", this summer via Carved Records. This is the third studio CD for TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION, which features the recording lineup of Big Dad Ritch (vocals), Randy Cooper (guitar), John Exall (bass), Wes Wallace (guitar) and Timmy Braun (drums).
Recorded in Los Angeles, "Peacemaker" was helmed by acclaimed producer Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, ALICE COOPER, ANVIL, SALIVA, FILTER), who helped TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION further explore their capabilities. The result: eleven highly charged songs brimming with TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION's signature sound of Southern-fried classic rock, outlaw country and Texas metal.
"We have a new producer and we already know who we are and what our brand is, so with this album, we decided that the boundaries we set for ourselves [are] in the past. We would cut that barbed wire and explore beyond those fences," says TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION's frontman Big Dad Ritch.
Drawing inspiration from legendary rock 'n' roll outlaws and classic rockers including Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and ZZ TOP, TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION has hit its stride on "Peacemaker" while paying homage to Southern rock's and country's cultural milemarkers.
"Top of my head, tip of my tongue, deep in my heart, in the bottom of my lungs, that's where songs come from. There is no blueprint," Big Dad Ritch said. "The outlaw spirit is still alive today. That is our goal: Bring it back."
On "Peacemaker", the visceral "Damn You To Hell" is arguably the heaviest song TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION has written. "Think Of Me" is admittedly "the closest thing to a love song that this band would ever do." Other songs that typify Red Dirt Metal include "8 Seconds" and "You Ain't Seen Me", which Ritch also admits is "as southern-fried as LYNYRD SKYNYRD and MOLLY HATCHET."
The title song is a brilliantly written tune, told from the perspective of a gun. Ritch said, "I thought, 'What would that gun say to people?'" That's not something you come across every day in rock music, and it's further evidence of how TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION are rewriting the rule book.
TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION's explosive new single, "Turn It Up", will be available for purchase on May 15 and impacts radio on May 22. Check out a preview below.
TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION was Carved Records' inaugural signing in 2009. Their anthemic single, "Pissed Off And Mad About It", landed in the Top Ten of the CMJ Loud Rock Chart and generated extensive radio play all across the country.
"Peacemaker" track listing:
01. Hands Up
02. Damn You To Hell
03. 8 Seconds
04. Outlaw
05. Turn It Up
06. Wicked
07. Don't Come Lookin
08. Sex & Drugs & Rock and Roll
09. Paw Paw Hill
10. Peacemaker
11. Think of Me
Recorded in Los Angeles, "Peacemaker" was helmed by acclaimed producer Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, ALICE COOPER, ANVIL, SALIVA, FILTER), who helped TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION further explore their capabilities. The result: eleven highly charged songs brimming with TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION's signature sound of Southern-fried classic rock, outlaw country and Texas metal.
"We have a new producer and we already know who we are and what our brand is, so with this album, we decided that the boundaries we set for ourselves [are] in the past. We would cut that barbed wire and explore beyond those fences," says TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION's frontman Big Dad Ritch.
Drawing inspiration from legendary rock 'n' roll outlaws and classic rockers including Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and ZZ TOP, TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION has hit its stride on "Peacemaker" while paying homage to Southern rock's and country's cultural milemarkers.
"Top of my head, tip of my tongue, deep in my heart, in the bottom of my lungs, that's where songs come from. There is no blueprint," Big Dad Ritch said. "The outlaw spirit is still alive today. That is our goal: Bring it back."
On "Peacemaker", the visceral "Damn You To Hell" is arguably the heaviest song TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION has written. "Think Of Me" is admittedly "the closest thing to a love song that this band would ever do." Other songs that typify Red Dirt Metal include "8 Seconds" and "You Ain't Seen Me", which Ritch also admits is "as southern-fried as LYNYRD SKYNYRD and MOLLY HATCHET."
The title song is a brilliantly written tune, told from the perspective of a gun. Ritch said, "I thought, 'What would that gun say to people?'" That's not something you come across every day in rock music, and it's further evidence of how TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION are rewriting the rule book.
TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION's explosive new single, "Turn It Up", will be available for purchase on May 15 and impacts radio on May 22. Check out a preview below.
TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION was Carved Records' inaugural signing in 2009. Their anthemic single, "Pissed Off And Mad About It", landed in the Top Ten of the CMJ Loud Rock Chart and generated extensive radio play all across the country.
"Peacemaker" track listing:
01. Hands Up
02. Damn You To Hell
03. 8 Seconds
04. Outlaw
05. Turn It Up
06. Wicked
07. Don't Come Lookin
08. Sex & Drugs & Rock and Roll
09. Paw Paw Hill
10. Peacemaker
11. Think of Me
Los Angeles-based goth-metallers VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE! will film a brand new video on Sunday, May 20 at Bar Sinister in Hollywood, California. Producing the clip will be Robby Starbuck, who has previously worked with TIMES OF GRACE, AUGUST BURNS RED, SILVERSTEIN, A STATIC LULLABY and A SKYLIT DRIVE.
VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!'s new album, "Hellbound And Heartless", will be released on June 19 via Hollywood Waste Records. According to a press release, the CD "showcases the darker side of VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!, focusing on message-driven lyrics and deriving musical influence from industrial rock icons such as MARILYN MANSON and ROB ZOMBIE. "
"Hellbound And Heartless" was co-produced by the band and Mike Sarkisyan and Tommy Decker, both members of Grammy-nominated alternative-metal act SPINESHANK. Every song on the album presents a fresh, new morsel of gothic darkness for fans to sink their teeth into.
"I Can't Breathe", the first track to be revealed from the new album, recently premiered with Alternative Press and received an overwhelming positive response.
VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE! recently parted ways with bassist Philip Kross. Filling in on bass for the Vans Warped Tour this summer will be Adam Vex (SUFFER WELL, AESTHETIC PERFECTION, IMPERATIVE REACTION).
VAMPIRES EVERWHERE!'s full-length debut, "Kiss The Sun Goodbye", was released in May 2011 through Hollywood Waste/Century Media Records. The CD was recorded with producer Fred Archambault, who has previously worked with AVENGED SEVENFOLD and DEFTONES.
VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!'s new album, "Hellbound And Heartless", will be released on June 19 via Hollywood Waste Records. According to a press release, the CD "showcases the darker side of VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!, focusing on message-driven lyrics and deriving musical influence from industrial rock icons such as MARILYN MANSON and ROB ZOMBIE. "
"Hellbound And Heartless" was co-produced by the band and Mike Sarkisyan and Tommy Decker, both members of Grammy-nominated alternative-metal act SPINESHANK. Every song on the album presents a fresh, new morsel of gothic darkness for fans to sink their teeth into.
"I Can't Breathe", the first track to be revealed from the new album, recently premiered with Alternative Press and received an overwhelming positive response.
VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE! recently parted ways with bassist Philip Kross. Filling in on bass for the Vans Warped Tour this summer will be Adam Vex (SUFFER WELL, AESTHETIC PERFECTION, IMPERATIVE REACTION).
VAMPIRES EVERWHERE!'s full-length debut, "Kiss The Sun Goodbye", was released in May 2011 through Hollywood Waste/Century Media Records. The CD was recorded with producer Fred Archambault, who has previously worked with AVENGED SEVENFOLD and DEFTONES.
U.K. metallers NEVERBORNE released their new album, "Self Destruct Syndrome", on April 30 via Glasstone Records.
Formed in 2007, NEVERBORNE recorded its debut EP, "In Absence Of Fear", with producer Karl Groom (DRAGONFORCE, HAMMERFALL) for a November 2009 release. In 2010, again under producer Karl Groom's auspices, NEVERBORNE re-entered Thin Ice Studios to record 11 new tracks for "Self Destruct Syndrome", enlisting two guest musicians, Henrik Danhage (EVERGREY) and Antony Hämäläinen (NIGHTRAGE), to appear on the songs "The Enemy That We Keep" and "Mechanical Ruin", respectively.
Sweden's Studio Fredman (IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, ARCH ENEMY) delivered the new NEVERBORNE album's final masters.
NEVERBORNE has shared stage with such international bands as ILL NINO, KATATONIA and BREED 77 across venues and festivals throughout the U.K.
NEVERBORNE is:
Warren McManus - Vocals
Stuart Manicom - Guitar
Jacques Fourie - Guitar
Marek Bero Haruštiak - Bass
Jimmy Anderson – Drums
Formed in 2007, NEVERBORNE recorded its debut EP, "In Absence Of Fear", with producer Karl Groom (DRAGONFORCE, HAMMERFALL) for a November 2009 release. In 2010, again under producer Karl Groom's auspices, NEVERBORNE re-entered Thin Ice Studios to record 11 new tracks for "Self Destruct Syndrome", enlisting two guest musicians, Henrik Danhage (EVERGREY) and Antony Hämäläinen (NIGHTRAGE), to appear on the songs "The Enemy That We Keep" and "Mechanical Ruin", respectively.
Sweden's Studio Fredman (IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, ARCH ENEMY) delivered the new NEVERBORNE album's final masters.
NEVERBORNE has shared stage with such international bands as ILL NINO, KATATONIA and BREED 77 across venues and festivals throughout the U.K.
NEVERBORNE is:
Warren McManus - Vocals
Stuart Manicom - Guitar
Jacques Fourie - Guitar
Marek Bero Haruštiak - Bass
Jimmy Anderson – Drums
Sacramento, California-based metallers DEADLANDS have inked a deal with Massacre Records. The band's debut album, "Evilution", which was originally made available on February 1 via Molten Metal Records, will be re-released later in the year. The CD was mixed and mastered at Trident Studios by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, TESTAMENT). The cover artwork was created by Erick Zombie.
Commented DEADLANDS: "We are excited to be part of the Massacre Records family and look forward to our worldwide release with them."
"Evilution" track listing:
01. Pandemic Genocide
02. Deadlands
03. Ground And Pound
04. Final Solution
05. She's On Fire
06. Asphyxiate The Masses
07. Path We've Chosen
08. Gone Wrong
09. Legions Of The Damned
10. Shed My Skin
Some amazing guest legendary metal guitarists can be heard soloing on two songs from "Evilution". The track "Final Solution" features Hank Shermann (MERCYFUL FATE), Michael Denner (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND), Andy LaRocque (KING DIAMOND), Claudeous Creamer (SERPENT & SERAPH, DRAGONLORD) and Mike Wead (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND); while "Path We've Chosen" contains contributions from Glen Alvelais (FORBIDDEN, TESTAMENT, LD50) and Steve Smyth (NEVERMORE, FORBIDDEN).
DEADLANDS is:
Brian O'Connor - Vocals
Michael J. Gardner - Lead Guitar
Kevin Rohr - Lead Guitar
Steve "Dedbass" Northam - Bass
Danny Sablan - Drums
For more information, visit www.deadlandsmusic.com.
Commented DEADLANDS: "We are excited to be part of the Massacre Records family and look forward to our worldwide release with them."
"Evilution" track listing:
01. Pandemic Genocide
02. Deadlands
03. Ground And Pound
04. Final Solution
05. She's On Fire
06. Asphyxiate The Masses
07. Path We've Chosen
08. Gone Wrong
09. Legions Of The Damned
10. Shed My Skin
Some amazing guest legendary metal guitarists can be heard soloing on two songs from "Evilution". The track "Final Solution" features Hank Shermann (MERCYFUL FATE), Michael Denner (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND), Andy LaRocque (KING DIAMOND), Claudeous Creamer (SERPENT & SERAPH, DRAGONLORD) and Mike Wead (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND); while "Path We've Chosen" contains contributions from Glen Alvelais (FORBIDDEN, TESTAMENT, LD50) and Steve Smyth (NEVERMORE, FORBIDDEN).
DEADLANDS is:
Brian O'Connor - Vocals
Michael J. Gardner - Lead Guitar
Kevin Rohr - Lead Guitar
Steve "Dedbass" Northam - Bass
Danny Sablan - Drums
For more information, visit www.deadlandsmusic.com.
Stuttgart, Germany-based sleaze metal band HELLDORADOS will release its self-titled debut album on July 13 via Massacre Records/Soulfood. The CD was recorded between February and April at the legendary Horus Sound Studios (SCORPIONS, HELLOWEEN, KREATOR, VICTORY, GUANO APES) in Hannover, Germany with producer Mirko Hofmann, who previously worked with the group on a four-song promotional EP in 2011. ELOY frontman and founder of the Horus Sound Studios, Frank Bornemann, acted as "a godfather." The cover artwork was created by the Unesco prize winner Timo Wuerz.
Commented HELLDORADOS singer Pierre: "We got to know Timo Wuerz by accident at an art and commerce congress. Between all of the geeks, he looked more like us." They discovered that they had many things in common — including a love for rock music and art. "Moreover, we both grew up in the same small town. That probably [had something to do with it]."
According to a press release, HELLDORADOS' sound are somewhere between the hit potential of a catchy ABBA tune, the sleaze of GUNS N' ROSES and the striking force of PANTERA. A strange mixture but it seems to function."
"Helldorados" track listing:
01. In The Beginning
02. Never Gonna Stop
03. You Live, You Learn, You Die
04. Go To Hell
05. Changes
06. Shout Out
07. Hunter
08. Double Dealer
09. Gone
10. Torture Is My Name
11. Girls
12. Got Laid
Commented HELLDORADOS singer Pierre: "We got to know Timo Wuerz by accident at an art and commerce congress. Between all of the geeks, he looked more like us." They discovered that they had many things in common — including a love for rock music and art. "Moreover, we both grew up in the same small town. That probably [had something to do with it]."
According to a press release, HELLDORADOS' sound are somewhere between the hit potential of a catchy ABBA tune, the sleaze of GUNS N' ROSES and the striking force of PANTERA. A strange mixture but it seems to function."
"Helldorados" track listing:
01. In The Beginning
02. Never Gonna Stop
03. You Live, You Learn, You Die
04. Go To Hell
05. Changes
06. Shout Out
07. Hunter
08. Double Dealer
09. Gone
10. Torture Is My Name
11. Girls
12. Got Laid
Guitarist John Petrucci of progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER has contributed a guest guitar solo to the forthcoming sophomore full-length album from the Maryland-based experimental, progressive metallers PERIPHERY. According to an advertisement in the latest issue of Revolver magazine (see below), the CD is scheduled for a July 3 release via Sumerian Records.
PERIPHERY supported DREAM THEATER for two U.S. shows last October and a full-length European tour in January and February.
In a September 2011 interview with Metal Assault, PERIPHERY guitarist Misha Mansoor stated about Petrucci, "John Petrucci is the reason why I have a seven-string. John Petrucci is who I wanted to be when I started taking guitar seriously. I learned all the songs off [1999's] 'Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory' and played them horribly. But it really challenged me and showed me… I wanted to be him… I wanted to be John Petrucci so badly. I didn't even wanna be like him; I just wanted to be him. And I figured if I learned every song and solo, I'd get in his head and figure out how he wrote the amazing parts that he did and I'd understand how to be a better musician. I kind of got over that eventually when I realized I just didn't have the technical prowess to pull that off. But it definitely made a very big mark on me in many ways — in his approach to lead playing and arrangements and songwriting, in riff writing… everything. He's just such a balanced player and such a huge influence to me."
Bassist Tom Murphy last year announced his departure from PERIPHERY "to pursue something new." Adam "Nolly" Getgood of RED SEAS FIRE has been filling in on bass while Mark Holcomb took up his position as the full-time guitarist on the band's most recent tour.
PERIPHERY supported DREAM THEATER for two U.S. shows last October and a full-length European tour in January and February.
In a September 2011 interview with Metal Assault, PERIPHERY guitarist Misha Mansoor stated about Petrucci, "John Petrucci is the reason why I have a seven-string. John Petrucci is who I wanted to be when I started taking guitar seriously. I learned all the songs off [1999's] 'Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory' and played them horribly. But it really challenged me and showed me… I wanted to be him… I wanted to be John Petrucci so badly. I didn't even wanna be like him; I just wanted to be him. And I figured if I learned every song and solo, I'd get in his head and figure out how he wrote the amazing parts that he did and I'd understand how to be a better musician. I kind of got over that eventually when I realized I just didn't have the technical prowess to pull that off. But it definitely made a very big mark on me in many ways — in his approach to lead playing and arrangements and songwriting, in riff writing… everything. He's just such a balanced player and such a huge influence to me."
Bassist Tom Murphy last year announced his departure from PERIPHERY "to pursue something new." Adam "Nolly" Getgood of RED SEAS FIRE has been filling in on bass while Mark Holcomb took up his position as the full-time guitarist on the band's most recent tour.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the recording of their debut album, "Feel The Shake", the four original members of JETBOY — Mickey Finn, Billy Rowe, Fernie Rod and Ron Tostenson — will reunite for one night only on June 1 at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles, California. The lineup for this one-off concert will include bass player Charles Norman, who joined JETBOY after the departure of Sam Yaffa in 1990.
"This is as close to an original lineup the band has done since then," said Finn.
"When the Whisky called us with the idea, we never thought we could make it happen, but everyone was up for it," says Fernie Rod. "It's just flat-out exciting to think that after all this time, the original members can get back in the saddle for one more ride and help Los Angeles to 'Feel The Shake'!"
JETBOY's reunion concert will also mark the 25-year anniversary of the passing of the band's original bass player, Todd Crew. "We, as his friends, thought that it would be a fitting tribute to not only celebrate the anniversary of 'Feel The Shake', but also our friend Todd Crew… a life taken way too soon," JETBOY said in a statement.
In recent years, a "rejuvenated lineup" of JETBOY continued to play major festivals in the United States such as Rocklahoma, Rock On The Range, M3 Rock Festival and Rock the Bayou.
"This is as close to an original lineup the band has done since then," said Finn.
"When the Whisky called us with the idea, we never thought we could make it happen, but everyone was up for it," says Fernie Rod. "It's just flat-out exciting to think that after all this time, the original members can get back in the saddle for one more ride and help Los Angeles to 'Feel The Shake'!"
JETBOY's reunion concert will also mark the 25-year anniversary of the passing of the band's original bass player, Todd Crew. "We, as his friends, thought that it would be a fitting tribute to not only celebrate the anniversary of 'Feel The Shake', but also our friend Todd Crew… a life taken way too soon," JETBOY said in a statement.
In recent years, a "rejuvenated lineup" of JETBOY continued to play major festivals in the United States such as Rocklahoma, Rock On The Range, M3 Rock Festival and Rock the Bayou.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/jetboyreunion.jpg
Oraganizers of Tony Awards have settled a lawsuit filed by POISON singer Bret Michaels over a mishap that occurred during a production number featuring the "Rock Of Ages" cast, which resulted in a head injury for Michaels. The terms of the settlement will not be made public.
"Mr. Michaels would like to thank his fans for their continued support," Bret's attorney, Alex Weingarten, said of the settlement.
The suit, originally filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, states that Michaels was told by the producers that he should simply exit from the stage rear after he was done with his performance. The suit states that Michaels was never told the scenery piece would be descending or given "any warning of the existence of the dangers it presented."
According to the lawsuit, Bret nearly died in April 2010 from a subarachnoid brain hemorrhage, which he believed was caused by the injuries he suffered at the Tony Awards. In his suit, Michaels claims, "One of the most common causes of this type of hemorrhage is head trauma — exactly like the one Michaels suffered at the hands of the Tony Awards." Michaels notes, "Through his sheer will to live, to see his children grow up, [he] was able to survive this trauma."
Shortly after the Tony Awards incident, Tonys spokeswoman Christina Stejskal said the rocker "missed his mark," which resulted in him failing to get back to the stage in time (as did the rest of POISON) and trying to jump up, only to have a descending set piece smack him on the head and knock him to the ground.
Back in June 2009, Michaels told People.com that he had no plans to file a lawsuit over the Tony Awards incident, insisting, "I want to make very clear to everybody that — first and foremost — I was honored to be asked to be at the Tonys. I'd never done it before and in all my life it's not something I thought I'd be on. I was really excited. There's no lawsuit. I'm not doing any of that. I'm taking the high road."
Michaels' neurologist Dr. Joseph Zabramski held a press conference for reporters in May 2010 and responded to speculation that the POISON frontman's brain hemorrhage could be related to his onstage injury at the Tony Awards. "I do not believe that that [a connection between the brain hemorrhage and the Tony Awards injury] is a possibility at all," said Zabramski. The doctor added that far too much time had passed for the incidents to be related. "A hit in the head can cause a subacute hemorrhage, but it causes it immediately," Zabramski explained. "If that had caused a problem that led to this hemorrhage, we would have seen a problem with his blood vessels."
"Mr. Michaels would like to thank his fans for their continued support," Bret's attorney, Alex Weingarten, said of the settlement.
The suit, originally filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, states that Michaels was told by the producers that he should simply exit from the stage rear after he was done with his performance. The suit states that Michaels was never told the scenery piece would be descending or given "any warning of the existence of the dangers it presented."
According to the lawsuit, Bret nearly died in April 2010 from a subarachnoid brain hemorrhage, which he believed was caused by the injuries he suffered at the Tony Awards. In his suit, Michaels claims, "One of the most common causes of this type of hemorrhage is head trauma — exactly like the one Michaels suffered at the hands of the Tony Awards." Michaels notes, "Through his sheer will to live, to see his children grow up, [he] was able to survive this trauma."
Shortly after the Tony Awards incident, Tonys spokeswoman Christina Stejskal said the rocker "missed his mark," which resulted in him failing to get back to the stage in time (as did the rest of POISON) and trying to jump up, only to have a descending set piece smack him on the head and knock him to the ground.
Back in June 2009, Michaels told People.com that he had no plans to file a lawsuit over the Tony Awards incident, insisting, "I want to make very clear to everybody that — first and foremost — I was honored to be asked to be at the Tonys. I'd never done it before and in all my life it's not something I thought I'd be on. I was really excited. There's no lawsuit. I'm not doing any of that. I'm taking the high road."
Michaels' neurologist Dr. Joseph Zabramski held a press conference for reporters in May 2010 and responded to speculation that the POISON frontman's brain hemorrhage could be related to his onstage injury at the Tony Awards. "I do not believe that that [a connection between the brain hemorrhage and the Tony Awards injury] is a possibility at all," said Zabramski. The doctor added that far too much time had passed for the incidents to be related. "A hit in the head can cause a subacute hemorrhage, but it causes it immediately," Zabramski explained. "If that had caused a problem that led to this hemorrhage, we would have seen a problem with his blood vessels."
Maryland bands never fall short on extremity. Since the mid-'90s STRONG INTENTION have been punishing the underground with their own blend of New York-influenced hardcore breakdowns and blistering grindcore. Their unique sound has allowed them the longevity to play out and tour with such acts as CRIPPLE BASTARDS, DISFEAR, PHOBIA, EXTREME NOISE TERROR, ROTTEN SOUND, D.R.I., LOCK UP and MISERY INDEX, among others, over their extensive career… and they're just getting started.
STRONG INTENTION have an extensive back-catalog of releases behind them and their latest slab of audio discontent is hardly an exception. Entitled "Razorblade Express", the six-track behemoth features a bass work by CATTLE DECAPITATION's Derek Engemann as well as a guest appearance by EYEHATEGOD frontman Mike IX Williams on the title track and "3rd Space Gorilla Generator". With the first press limited to just 500 copies, this isn't one to sleep on.
Comments STRONG INTENTION founding frontman Zac Ohler: "It's been far too long since we put out a record, so having these six songs of 'no hope/no future distort' released by a killer label and having long time friend Mike IX join us in this act of terrorism seems to be the perfect fit. It's time to rise and grind!"
Due on June 1 via PATAC Records, "Razorblade Express" will feature the following track listing:
01. Razorblade Express (featuring Mike IX Williams)
02. Messiah Whore
03. Holes In The Wall
04. 3rd Space Gorilla Generator (featuring Mike IX Williams)
05. Rat Factory
06. Slaughter Intelligence
In conjunction with the release, STRONG INTENTION will drag their filth to the stage alongside fellow grind heathens, PHOBIA. The East Coast Filth Tour 2012 will commence June 3 in Detroit.
STRONG INTENTION have an extensive back-catalog of releases behind them and their latest slab of audio discontent is hardly an exception. Entitled "Razorblade Express", the six-track behemoth features a bass work by CATTLE DECAPITATION's Derek Engemann as well as a guest appearance by EYEHATEGOD frontman Mike IX Williams on the title track and "3rd Space Gorilla Generator". With the first press limited to just 500 copies, this isn't one to sleep on.
Comments STRONG INTENTION founding frontman Zac Ohler: "It's been far too long since we put out a record, so having these six songs of 'no hope/no future distort' released by a killer label and having long time friend Mike IX join us in this act of terrorism seems to be the perfect fit. It's time to rise and grind!"
Due on June 1 via PATAC Records, "Razorblade Express" will feature the following track listing:
01. Razorblade Express (featuring Mike IX Williams)
02. Messiah Whore
03. Holes In The Wall
04. 3rd Space Gorilla Generator (featuring Mike IX Williams)
05. Rat Factory
06. Slaughter Intelligence
In conjunction with the release, STRONG INTENTION will drag their filth to the stage alongside fellow grind heathens, PHOBIA. The East Coast Filth Tour 2012 will commence June 3 in Detroit.
Norwegian metallers KRÅKE will release their new album, "Conquering Death", on June 29 via Indie Recordings. The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below.
Original founders and brothers, Dreugh and Beist, conceived KRÅKE in 2007. From the brothers hailing from Kopervik on the west coast of Norway, the idea was to create the best possible symphonic and atmospheric black metal they could possibly achieve. It took five years to turn their vision into reality, but the result is nothing short of impressive.
KRÅKE is Norwegian for "crow," an animal known as a mythical creature throughout history and cultures especially as a herald of woe, a sign of death, but also wisdom. Inspired by this, the band strives to compose music that covers a wide variety of emotions, from anger and pride to anguish and despair. Inspiration is also sought from any source better enabling them to produce the music they want to create, be it classical and soundtrack music, literature and nature imagery. The lyrical themes are based around the darker aspects of life and the certainty of death. As for the actual music, you will find links to bands like DIMMU BORGIR, OLD MAN'S CHILD, BAL-SAGOTH and even bands like TYPE O NEGATIVE.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/krakeconquering.jpg
Original founders and brothers, Dreugh and Beist, conceived KRÅKE in 2007. From the brothers hailing from Kopervik on the west coast of Norway, the idea was to create the best possible symphonic and atmospheric black metal they could possibly achieve. It took five years to turn their vision into reality, but the result is nothing short of impressive.
KRÅKE is Norwegian for "crow," an animal known as a mythical creature throughout history and cultures especially as a herald of woe, a sign of death, but also wisdom. Inspired by this, the band strives to compose music that covers a wide variety of emotions, from anger and pride to anguish and despair. Inspiration is also sought from any source better enabling them to produce the music they want to create, be it classical and soundtrack music, literature and nature imagery. The lyrical themes are based around the darker aspects of life and the certainty of death. As for the actual music, you will find links to bands like DIMMU BORGIR, OLD MAN'S CHILD, BAL-SAGOTH and even bands like TYPE O NEGATIVE.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/krakeconquering.jpg
According to Naviny.by, the Prosecutor General's Office has banned Swedish black metal band MARDUK from playing a show in Minsk, Belarus.
Pavel Radzivonaw, a departmental head at the Prosecutor General's Office, told reporters on Monday that MARDUK's concert, scheduled for May 22, would not take place.
"The band preaches Satanism, which has nothing to do with art. This is an affront to Christian values, they preach the ideas of death, of the Third Reich," he said, describing the band's songs as "destructive."
Four other groups that were scheduled to appear with MARDUK at the Re:Public club — including KATAKLYSM and VADER — will be allowed to perform. However, Radzivonaw warned, their concerts may be stopped if they involve violations of laws.
"Souls For Belial", the new Håkan Sjödin-directed video from MARDUK, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's 12th studio album, "Serpent Sermon", which will be released via Blooddawn Productions/Century Media Records on the following dates:
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway: Friday, May 25
Rest Of Europe: Monday, May 28
Spain, Italy: Tuesday, May 29
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, May 30
Australia, New Zealand: Friday, June 1
USA/Canada: June 5
"Serpent Sermon" track listing:
01. Serpent Sermon
02. Messianic Pestilence
03. Souls For Belial
04. Into Second Death
05. Temple Of Decay
06. Damnation's Gold
07. Hail Mary (Piss-Soaked Genuflexion)
08. M.A.M.M.O.N.
09. Gospel Of The Worm
10. World Of Blades
The album will be made available as standard CD, vinyl and limited-edition media book with an exclusive bonus track entitled "Coram Satanae".
Pavel Radzivonaw, a departmental head at the Prosecutor General's Office, told reporters on Monday that MARDUK's concert, scheduled for May 22, would not take place.
"The band preaches Satanism, which has nothing to do with art. This is an affront to Christian values, they preach the ideas of death, of the Third Reich," he said, describing the band's songs as "destructive."
Four other groups that were scheduled to appear with MARDUK at the Re:Public club — including KATAKLYSM and VADER — will be allowed to perform. However, Radzivonaw warned, their concerts may be stopped if they involve violations of laws.
"Souls For Belial", the new Håkan Sjödin-directed video from MARDUK, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's 12th studio album, "Serpent Sermon", which will be released via Blooddawn Productions/Century Media Records on the following dates:
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway: Friday, May 25
Rest Of Europe: Monday, May 28
Spain, Italy: Tuesday, May 29
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, May 30
Australia, New Zealand: Friday, June 1
USA/Canada: June 5
"Serpent Sermon" track listing:
01. Serpent Sermon
02. Messianic Pestilence
03. Souls For Belial
04. Into Second Death
05. Temple Of Decay
06. Damnation's Gold
07. Hail Mary (Piss-Soaked Genuflexion)
08. M.A.M.M.O.N.
09. Gospel Of The Worm
10. World Of Blades
The album will be made available as standard CD, vinyl and limited-edition media book with an exclusive bonus track entitled "Coram Satanae".
Giorgos Germenis, who plays bass in Greek black metal band NAER MATARON, has been elected to the country's parliament.
Germenis, who is known by the stage name "Kaiadas," will represent the extremist Golden Dawn party, which is described as perhaps the most extreme of the far-right parties in all of Europe. Comparisons are made to Germany's neo-Nazi National Democratic Party and many say Golden Dawn's logo (see below) resembles a swastika.
Stefanos Stefanopolous from the Rockway.gr webzine tells PRI's The World, "[Giorgos] wasn't a well-known musician here in Greece. And to be honest, not many webzines were paying attention to NAER MATARON. It was just another black metal band, a mediocre one, so no one was really paying attention."
Golden Dawn, an extreme right nationalist party with patriotic symbolism and an anti-immigrant stance, won between 5 and 7 per cent of the vote in Greece's general elections on May 6, enough for them to gain representation in parliament for the first time in Greek history.
Germenis says there's an easy solution for Greece's myriad economic problems. First, he says, "Greek factories must be reborn, Their chimneys must be filled with smoke once more, and of course all illegal immigrants must leave. If all the illegal immigrants left — and there are more than three million — there would be three million jobs for Greeks." Germenis was also quoted by PRI's The World as saying, "We Golden Dawn say that Greece is a rich country. In order to rebuild Greece, we also need to revitalize our factories and small workshops. In this way, Greece can stand on its own two feet. We won't need the European Union or anyone else. We'll just need Greeks."
Germenis, who is known by the stage name "Kaiadas," will represent the extremist Golden Dawn party, which is described as perhaps the most extreme of the far-right parties in all of Europe. Comparisons are made to Germany's neo-Nazi National Democratic Party and many say Golden Dawn's logo (see below) resembles a swastika.
Stefanos Stefanopolous from the Rockway.gr webzine tells PRI's The World, "[Giorgos] wasn't a well-known musician here in Greece. And to be honest, not many webzines were paying attention to NAER MATARON. It was just another black metal band, a mediocre one, so no one was really paying attention."
Golden Dawn, an extreme right nationalist party with patriotic symbolism and an anti-immigrant stance, won between 5 and 7 per cent of the vote in Greece's general elections on May 6, enough for them to gain representation in parliament for the first time in Greek history.
Germenis says there's an easy solution for Greece's myriad economic problems. First, he says, "Greek factories must be reborn, Their chimneys must be filled with smoke once more, and of course all illegal immigrants must leave. If all the illegal immigrants left — and there are more than three million — there would be three million jobs for Greeks." Germenis was also quoted by PRI's The World as saying, "We Golden Dawn say that Greece is a rich country. In order to rebuild Greece, we also need to revitalize our factories and small workshops. In this way, Greece can stand on its own two feet. We won't need the European Union or anyone else. We'll just need Greeks."
Swedish death metallers SARGATANAS REIGN have announced that Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES, SKITSYSTEM, THE CROWN, LOCK UP) will guest on their upcoming album, "Godwork". The band states, "This man has been around for many years and is still going strong! He has done so much in his career and made important contributions. And what an amazing job he did for us! His voice is like a rusty chainsaw which leaves no one untouched!"
Also making guest appearances on "Godwork" are Joakim Göthberg, the former frontman for DIMENSION ZERO and MARDUK; Mathias Lillmåns, the vocalist of FINNTROLL, THE INIQUITY DECENT and MAGENTA HARVEST; and SCAR SYMMETRY singer Roberth Karlsson.
SARGATANAS REIGN's sophomore album, "Bloodwork - Techniques Of Torture", came out in 2005 via Blooddawn Productions/Regain Records.
According to the band's official bio, SARGATANAS REIGN's take on old-school American death metal creates a unique blend that is sure to attract fans of the most brutal metal and more commercial metal genres alike.
After the release of "Bloodwork", bassist Niklas Samuelsson and vocalist Jonas Matsson left SARGATANAS REIGN due to personal reasons.
Also making guest appearances on "Godwork" are Joakim Göthberg, the former frontman for DIMENSION ZERO and MARDUK; Mathias Lillmåns, the vocalist of FINNTROLL, THE INIQUITY DECENT and MAGENTA HARVEST; and SCAR SYMMETRY singer Roberth Karlsson.
SARGATANAS REIGN's sophomore album, "Bloodwork - Techniques Of Torture", came out in 2005 via Blooddawn Productions/Regain Records.
According to the band's official bio, SARGATANAS REIGN's take on old-school American death metal creates a unique blend that is sure to attract fans of the most brutal metal and more commercial metal genres alike.
After the release of "Bloodwork", bassist Niklas Samuelsson and vocalist Jonas Matsson left SARGATANAS REIGN due to personal reasons.
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1 comments:
nice written
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