Giorgio Mustica of The Aquarian Weekly recently conducted an interview with THE CULT singer Ian Astbury. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
The Aquarian Weekly: What was it like working with producer Bob Rock again?
Astbury: Well, working with Bob is always a pleasure. He's a friend but he's also a very strong taskmaster. He doesn't allow for any whining in the studio. He will not tolerate any diva behavior. It's like, you're in there, it's about business, it's about getting down to brass tacks. I'll say that Bob was very gracious in taking over from Chris Goss. Chris Goss really did kinda like the lion's share of the work on the record. We worked through Chris for the "capsule" collections, which we did in 2010 to 2011, and that's what really helped [the band] make another album, because the material we were running through with Chris was so strong and we really just wanted to continue that relationship. But the relationship was very, kind of like, much more in the realm of kind of gathering raw material and developing that into raw structures and there's a point when it needed some kind of finessing, not polishing, but kinda more…needed some conclusion, needed to be completed. We were kind of like, out there for a while with Chris and we'd all pretty much exhausted the room and I thought there was only one person that could really get in here, get in deep with us very quickly, and that was Bob Rock because Bob knows us very well — this is our fourth record with him, so yeah.
The Aquarian Weekly: Do you think this album ["Choice Of Weapon"] compares with any others from THE CULT?
Astbury: You can probably compare it to everything if you wanted to. Maybe for comparisons for the perspective of being subjective and trying to explain it to somebody or share with it, but there's no intention of trying to emulate any of our previous recordings. We were very adamant about going in, seeing where we were at right now, and we wanted to capture that as authentically as possible so the real focus was really on the now. It was really on the now and I think that's one of the reasons we kind of like — we've been through periods, I think the period between "Sonic Temple" and "Ceremony" showed that when you kind of like, look in the rearview mirror a bit and there's expectations out there and you start listening a little bit to those Twitterers, so to speak, that you can kind of get in the head game. You start second guessing yourself and doubting and you start making some choices based upon, maybe, external opinions or even assumptions on our part. I think "Ceremony" was kinda like "Sonic Temple" part two or "Sonic Temple" the outtakes with so many good songs on it and I think that's why when we did the '94 record ["The Cult"], we basically scrapped everything, destroyed everything, and went back to kind of like, a garage record, for all intents and purposes. We've learned a lot over the years and I think this record is a really balanced, authentic document of where we're at right now and it's relevant, certainly in terms of its subject material, the tonalities, the sentiment of the record, the performances — it's all done to the best of our abilities and it's done, it's in the can, and now we're gonna go out and perform it live.
The Aquarian Weekly: You previously stated that "Born Into This" was likely to be your last album yet here we are with "Choice Of Weapon". What made you want to record another CD?
Astbury: I don't know, it's like saying you're not going to have another kid. It's like, that's it. And I think it was really my reaction to the music industry's demise. We decided we're going to take the reins into our own hands. I wanted to create a format for the 21st century so I came up with the idea of the capsules — releasing music every three months, two new songs, two new live songs recorded and a visual element on all formats and I thought it was a great way of releasing music. I thought that could be the new standard of releasing music, a new precedent set. But then, in some ways, it was ahead of the curve, and we didn't have the infrastructure to support it. We didn't have a label, we were doing it ourselves, a lot of industry was going into it and it was just so much industry. You think you release a record, it's easy. You release it and it goes out, but somebody has to do publicity, somebody has to do marketing, etc. — the fact that we've become a label, we were looking at each other going, "This is just a lot of hassle." And then we've got people banging on the door saying they want to do an album, labels, and then we have hardcore CULT devotees going, "This is incredible, we want more, we want it now." So then we're in the room with Chris Goss and Chris is going, "I'm going to keep going with you guys, did you want to keep going?" And we're like, "Okay, cool, let's do it." So I capitulated, threw up the white flag and said, "Okay, I know I'm going to take a beating for this but…" And it was actually really cathartic, it's more difficult to say yes than it was no, so I said yes. I made the difficult choice and I felt like I was going back on my laurels in some way but then once I got in the room with Goss and we started doing things like "Life > Death", "Elemental Light", "This Night In The City Forever", "Wilderness Now", we were getting into deep songs and I was like, "Whoaaaa." We've never been here before and this is exciting so I was like, we're staying with this. Let's see where this is going to go.
The Aquarian Weekly: What was it like working with producer Bob Rock again?
Astbury: Well, working with Bob is always a pleasure. He's a friend but he's also a very strong taskmaster. He doesn't allow for any whining in the studio. He will not tolerate any diva behavior. It's like, you're in there, it's about business, it's about getting down to brass tacks. I'll say that Bob was very gracious in taking over from Chris Goss. Chris Goss really did kinda like the lion's share of the work on the record. We worked through Chris for the "capsule" collections, which we did in 2010 to 2011, and that's what really helped [the band] make another album, because the material we were running through with Chris was so strong and we really just wanted to continue that relationship. But the relationship was very, kind of like, much more in the realm of kind of gathering raw material and developing that into raw structures and there's a point when it needed some kind of finessing, not polishing, but kinda more…needed some conclusion, needed to be completed. We were kind of like, out there for a while with Chris and we'd all pretty much exhausted the room and I thought there was only one person that could really get in here, get in deep with us very quickly, and that was Bob Rock because Bob knows us very well — this is our fourth record with him, so yeah.
The Aquarian Weekly: Do you think this album ["Choice Of Weapon"] compares with any others from THE CULT?
Astbury: You can probably compare it to everything if you wanted to. Maybe for comparisons for the perspective of being subjective and trying to explain it to somebody or share with it, but there's no intention of trying to emulate any of our previous recordings. We were very adamant about going in, seeing where we were at right now, and we wanted to capture that as authentically as possible so the real focus was really on the now. It was really on the now and I think that's one of the reasons we kind of like — we've been through periods, I think the period between "Sonic Temple" and "Ceremony" showed that when you kind of like, look in the rearview mirror a bit and there's expectations out there and you start listening a little bit to those Twitterers, so to speak, that you can kind of get in the head game. You start second guessing yourself and doubting and you start making some choices based upon, maybe, external opinions or even assumptions on our part. I think "Ceremony" was kinda like "Sonic Temple" part two or "Sonic Temple" the outtakes with so many good songs on it and I think that's why when we did the '94 record ["The Cult"], we basically scrapped everything, destroyed everything, and went back to kind of like, a garage record, for all intents and purposes. We've learned a lot over the years and I think this record is a really balanced, authentic document of where we're at right now and it's relevant, certainly in terms of its subject material, the tonalities, the sentiment of the record, the performances — it's all done to the best of our abilities and it's done, it's in the can, and now we're gonna go out and perform it live.
The Aquarian Weekly: You previously stated that "Born Into This" was likely to be your last album yet here we are with "Choice Of Weapon". What made you want to record another CD?
Astbury: I don't know, it's like saying you're not going to have another kid. It's like, that's it. And I think it was really my reaction to the music industry's demise. We decided we're going to take the reins into our own hands. I wanted to create a format for the 21st century so I came up with the idea of the capsules — releasing music every three months, two new songs, two new live songs recorded and a visual element on all formats and I thought it was a great way of releasing music. I thought that could be the new standard of releasing music, a new precedent set. But then, in some ways, it was ahead of the curve, and we didn't have the infrastructure to support it. We didn't have a label, we were doing it ourselves, a lot of industry was going into it and it was just so much industry. You think you release a record, it's easy. You release it and it goes out, but somebody has to do publicity, somebody has to do marketing, etc. — the fact that we've become a label, we were looking at each other going, "This is just a lot of hassle." And then we've got people banging on the door saying they want to do an album, labels, and then we have hardcore CULT devotees going, "This is incredible, we want more, we want it now." So then we're in the room with Chris Goss and Chris is going, "I'm going to keep going with you guys, did you want to keep going?" And we're like, "Okay, cool, let's do it." So I capitulated, threw up the white flag and said, "Okay, I know I'm going to take a beating for this but…" And it was actually really cathartic, it's more difficult to say yes than it was no, so I said yes. I made the difficult choice and I felt like I was going back on my laurels in some way but then once I got in the room with Goss and we started doing things like "Life > Death", "Elemental Light", "This Night In The City Forever", "Wilderness Now", we were getting into deep songs and I was like, "Whoaaaa." We've never been here before and this is exciting so I was like, we're staying with this. Let's see where this is going to go.
British melodic rock legends MAGNUM are putting the finishing touches on their new album, "On The 13th Day", for a September 25 release (one day earlier internationally) through SPV/Steamhammer. A single, "So Let It Rain", will precede the full-length effort at the end of August.
"On The 13th Day" will be made available as a limited-edition digipak with a bonus CD featuring previously unreleased, acoustic and live tracks from the MAGNUM vaults; a double gatefold LP version with colored vinyl; standard edition; and as a digital download. The cover will be created once more by famous fantasy artist Rodney Matthews (ASIA, NAZARETH, ELOY).
A new video message from MAGNUM singer Bob Catley in which he reveals more details about the upcoming album can be seen below.
MAGNUM will embark on a full European tour in late October.
MAGNUM is:
Tony Clarkin - Guitar
Bob Catley - Vocals
Mark Stanway - Keyboards
Al Barrow - Bass
Harry James – Drums
"On The 13th Day" will be made available as a limited-edition digipak with a bonus CD featuring previously unreleased, acoustic and live tracks from the MAGNUM vaults; a double gatefold LP version with colored vinyl; standard edition; and as a digital download. The cover will be created once more by famous fantasy artist Rodney Matthews (ASIA, NAZARETH, ELOY).
A new video message from MAGNUM singer Bob Catley in which he reveals more details about the upcoming album can be seen below.
MAGNUM will embark on a full European tour in late October.
MAGNUM is:
Tony Clarkin - Guitar
Bob Catley - Vocals
Mark Stanway - Keyboards
Al Barrow - Bass
Harry James – Drums
In a brand new interview with Guitar International, legendary guitarist George Lynch spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the debut album from T&N (formerly TOOTH AND NAIL), the new project featuring current and former members of DOKKEN, Lynch, Jeff Pilson (bass), and Mick Brown (drums). "The record, 'Slave To The Empire', is being mixed as we speak," he said. "We actually did two records. The first one, which will be released in September, and then the band will go out on the road at the beginning of October. We'll do a short West Coast tour, then play Loud Park festival in Japan as well as visit a few other Asian cities before heading to Europe for a couple weeks. Then it's back to the States and we will finish up before Christmas."
A four-minute promotional video for T&N can be seen below.
T&N was recently forced to shorten its name from TOOTH AND NAIL for legal reasons. The band stated, "We cannot keep [the name] as TOOTH AND NAIL as there is a label that has it trademarked. [Fans] can still call us TO$%H AND NA$L... We can't."
T&N's debut album is expected to feature new original material as well as reworked versions of around five or six DOKKEN classics. Pilson has contributed vocals to a new track title "When Eagles Die", with additional lead vocal duties on the CD by former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach (on DOKKEN's "Alone Again"), Doug Pinnick (KING'S X), Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, DIO DISCIPLES on a killer new version of DOKKEN's "Kiss Of Death" in what is described as a Ronnie James Dio-inspired performance) and Mick Brown (on DOKKEN's "When Heaven Comes Down"). The drum tracks on the new, original compositions were laid down by Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER).
Regarding how T&N came together, Pilson said in an August 2011 interview, "The DOKKEN [original lineup] reunion has been scrapped, and I take a lot of the initial responsibility for that because of my schedule and commitment to FOREIGNER. . . Then George asked me about working with him on the next LYNCH MOB record — and I jumped at the chance. He and I started writing, got into a groove and wrote an album's worth of stuff, all with the intention of Oni [Logan, LYNCH MOB singer] writing lyrics and it being their next record. Brian Tichy laid down some incredible drums at his studio (and co-wrote some music on one track) and we had an incredibly strong start. Then Oni just wasn't feeling the music as being LYNCH MOB, so it was shelved. We figured it'd be the start of another LYNCH/PILSON record some day. Then, actually, it was Brian who had the idea that Mick, George and I should do a band, similar to what HEAVEN & HELL was to BLACK SABBATH, and call it TOOTH AND NAIL. Because of everything else we have going, it'll be just a recording project at first, but sure sounds fun. We'd record the classics keeping true to the originals but make them fresh and organic. Then the idea of doing new songs came up, and it grew from there."
He added, "I have absolute belief that the music George and I make together (along with Brian Tichy in this case) is real and inspired, and that's what it's really all about. So out of a mess of a reunion attempt, I think we'll end up with a really fabulous record, and what could be better than that?"
When asked if T&N is basically DOKKEN without Don, Pilson said, "Don is, and will always be, the singer of DOKKEN and an invaluable part of the DOKKEN chemistry. No one ever wants to take that away or dispute it one iota. But the three of us do have time tested amazing chemistry, and because we were writers on these songs, I feel we have a lot to express. If anything I think this will be a show of respect for Don, not some kind of competition. I only hope people enjoy it in the spirit for which it's intended . . . Don't think of this as DOKKEN without Don... that's misleading. Think of it as a band with great chemistry coming up with new music that excites them, and also paying tribute to DOKKEN — music which the members all are heavily invested in emotionally."
A four-minute promotional video for T&N can be seen below.
T&N was recently forced to shorten its name from TOOTH AND NAIL for legal reasons. The band stated, "We cannot keep [the name] as TOOTH AND NAIL as there is a label that has it trademarked. [Fans] can still call us TO$%H AND NA$L... We can't."
T&N's debut album is expected to feature new original material as well as reworked versions of around five or six DOKKEN classics. Pilson has contributed vocals to a new track title "When Eagles Die", with additional lead vocal duties on the CD by former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach (on DOKKEN's "Alone Again"), Doug Pinnick (KING'S X), Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, DIO DISCIPLES on a killer new version of DOKKEN's "Kiss Of Death" in what is described as a Ronnie James Dio-inspired performance) and Mick Brown (on DOKKEN's "When Heaven Comes Down"). The drum tracks on the new, original compositions were laid down by Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER).
Regarding how T&N came together, Pilson said in an August 2011 interview, "The DOKKEN [original lineup] reunion has been scrapped, and I take a lot of the initial responsibility for that because of my schedule and commitment to FOREIGNER. . . Then George asked me about working with him on the next LYNCH MOB record — and I jumped at the chance. He and I started writing, got into a groove and wrote an album's worth of stuff, all with the intention of Oni [Logan, LYNCH MOB singer] writing lyrics and it being their next record. Brian Tichy laid down some incredible drums at his studio (and co-wrote some music on one track) and we had an incredibly strong start. Then Oni just wasn't feeling the music as being LYNCH MOB, so it was shelved. We figured it'd be the start of another LYNCH/PILSON record some day. Then, actually, it was Brian who had the idea that Mick, George and I should do a band, similar to what HEAVEN & HELL was to BLACK SABBATH, and call it TOOTH AND NAIL. Because of everything else we have going, it'll be just a recording project at first, but sure sounds fun. We'd record the classics keeping true to the originals but make them fresh and organic. Then the idea of doing new songs came up, and it grew from there."
He added, "I have absolute belief that the music George and I make together (along with Brian Tichy in this case) is real and inspired, and that's what it's really all about. So out of a mess of a reunion attempt, I think we'll end up with a really fabulous record, and what could be better than that?"
When asked if T&N is basically DOKKEN without Don, Pilson said, "Don is, and will always be, the singer of DOKKEN and an invaluable part of the DOKKEN chemistry. No one ever wants to take that away or dispute it one iota. But the three of us do have time tested amazing chemistry, and because we were writers on these songs, I feel we have a lot to express. If anything I think this will be a show of respect for Don, not some kind of competition. I only hope people enjoy it in the spirit for which it's intended . . . Don't think of this as DOKKEN without Don... that's misleading. Think of it as a band with great chemistry coming up with new music that excites them, and also paying tribute to DOKKEN — music which the members all are heavily invested in emotionally."
Connecticut hardcore/metal masters HATEBREED have announced the "10 Years Of Perseverance" fall tour, a United States headline tour to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the band's 2002 major-label debut, "Perseverance". The trek will feature direct support from WHITECHAPEL and special guests ALL SHALL PERISH and DEEZ NUTS, and kick off on September 13 in Clifton Park, New York. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, June 8. In addition, an exclusive pre-sale will begin on Wednesday, June 6. HATEBREED will also be offering an exclusive VIP Diehard Package that includes a meet-and-greet, commemorative diehard laminate, poster and more! Make sure to head over to www.hatebreed.com/VIP for all ticketing and VIP Diehard details.
"Perseverance" is recognized worldwide as a landmark album in HATEBREED's musical catalog — an album that skyrocketed the band to immediate leader-of-the-pack status. Released on March 26, 2002, the band's second full-length studio album blasted open the doors of American DIY hardcore in mainstream culture with songs such as "I Will Be Heard", "A Call For Blood" and the album's title track, "Perseverance". Since the release of "Perseverance", the fusion of hardcore and metal has been emulated and evolved relentlessly, but never duplicated with the same originality and brutality that HATEBREED accomplished with their first major-label release.
"Perseverance" debuted within the top 50 of The Billboard 200 chart and has since gone on to sell roughly half a million copies worldwide.
HATEBREED with WHITECHAPEL, ALL SHALL PERISH and DEEZ NUTS:
Sep. 13 - Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
Sep. 14 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
Sep. 15 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
Sep. 16 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Sep. 17 - Buffalo, NY @ The Town Ballroom
Sep. 18 - Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
Sep. 19 - Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
Sep. 20 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater
Sep. 21 - Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
Sep. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
Sep. 23 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
Sep. 24 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House
Sep. 25 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market
Sep. 26 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
Sep. 27 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
Sep. 28 - San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
Sep. 29 - Pomona, CA @ The Fox Theater
Sep. 30 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Oct. 01 - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
Oct. 03 - Austin, TX @ Emo's East
Oct. 04 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
Oct. 05 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
Oct. 06 - New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
Oct. 07 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Oct. 08 - Jacksonville, NC @ Hooligans
Oct. 09 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos' Southend
Oct. 10 - Richmond, VA @ The National
Oct. 11 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Oct. 12 - Detroit, MI @ Harpo's
HATEBREED recently entered the studio with co-producers Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA) and Chris "Zeuss" Harris to begin recording its new album for a late 2012 release.
Regarding the musical direction of the new HATEBREED material, vocalist Jamey Jasta told "Maximum Threshold", "We did enough experimenting, I think, on the last record… A lot of people really liked that record and it did gain us a lot of new fans, but on this record, with the 10-year anniversary of [HATEBREED's 2002 album] 'Perseverance' and with Wayne [Lozinak, guitar] being back in the band — this will be his second record with us — it's just fun to kind of keep with the old-school influences. I hear more CRO-MAGS and KILLING TIME and SHEER TERROR and OBITUARY and BOLT THROWER and SLAYER and ENTOMBED and those kind of '80s and '90s influences in there. Which is fun for us, because we emulate the bands that we love. We try to make it our own sound and make it our own style, but at the end of the day, we're just fans of those styles of bands."
The self-titled album from HATEBREED sold 15,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 37 on The Billboard 200 chart.
HATEBREED's previous collection of new material, "Supremacy", opened with around 27,000 copies back in September 2006 to land at No. 31. This number was roughly in line with the first-week tally registered by its predecessor, "Rise Of Brutality", which shifted more than 32,000 copies back in November 2003 to debut at No. 30.
HATEBREED's covers album, entitled "For The Lions", sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release back in May 2009 to debut at position No. 58 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"Hatebreed" was released in North America on September 29, 2009 via E1 Music (formerly KOCH Records). The effort was made available on CD, digital download, vinyl and special edition with a bonus 65-minute DVD. "Hatebreed" was issued on Roadrunner in all other territories
"Perseverance" is recognized worldwide as a landmark album in HATEBREED's musical catalog — an album that skyrocketed the band to immediate leader-of-the-pack status. Released on March 26, 2002, the band's second full-length studio album blasted open the doors of American DIY hardcore in mainstream culture with songs such as "I Will Be Heard", "A Call For Blood" and the album's title track, "Perseverance". Since the release of "Perseverance", the fusion of hardcore and metal has been emulated and evolved relentlessly, but never duplicated with the same originality and brutality that HATEBREED accomplished with their first major-label release.
"Perseverance" debuted within the top 50 of The Billboard 200 chart and has since gone on to sell roughly half a million copies worldwide.
HATEBREED with WHITECHAPEL, ALL SHALL PERISH and DEEZ NUTS:
Sep. 13 - Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
Sep. 14 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
Sep. 15 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
Sep. 16 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Sep. 17 - Buffalo, NY @ The Town Ballroom
Sep. 18 - Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
Sep. 19 - Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
Sep. 20 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater
Sep. 21 - Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
Sep. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
Sep. 23 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
Sep. 24 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House
Sep. 25 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market
Sep. 26 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
Sep. 27 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
Sep. 28 - San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
Sep. 29 - Pomona, CA @ The Fox Theater
Sep. 30 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Oct. 01 - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
Oct. 03 - Austin, TX @ Emo's East
Oct. 04 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
Oct. 05 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
Oct. 06 - New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
Oct. 07 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Oct. 08 - Jacksonville, NC @ Hooligans
Oct. 09 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos' Southend
Oct. 10 - Richmond, VA @ The National
Oct. 11 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Oct. 12 - Detroit, MI @ Harpo's
HATEBREED recently entered the studio with co-producers Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA) and Chris "Zeuss" Harris to begin recording its new album for a late 2012 release.
Regarding the musical direction of the new HATEBREED material, vocalist Jamey Jasta told "Maximum Threshold", "We did enough experimenting, I think, on the last record… A lot of people really liked that record and it did gain us a lot of new fans, but on this record, with the 10-year anniversary of [HATEBREED's 2002 album] 'Perseverance' and with Wayne [Lozinak, guitar] being back in the band — this will be his second record with us — it's just fun to kind of keep with the old-school influences. I hear more CRO-MAGS and KILLING TIME and SHEER TERROR and OBITUARY and BOLT THROWER and SLAYER and ENTOMBED and those kind of '80s and '90s influences in there. Which is fun for us, because we emulate the bands that we love. We try to make it our own sound and make it our own style, but at the end of the day, we're just fans of those styles of bands."
The self-titled album from HATEBREED sold 15,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 37 on The Billboard 200 chart.
HATEBREED's previous collection of new material, "Supremacy", opened with around 27,000 copies back in September 2006 to land at No. 31. This number was roughly in line with the first-week tally registered by its predecessor, "Rise Of Brutality", which shifted more than 32,000 copies back in November 2003 to debut at No. 30.
HATEBREED's covers album, entitled "For The Lions", sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release back in May 2009 to debut at position No. 58 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"Hatebreed" was released in North America on September 29, 2009 via E1 Music (formerly KOCH Records). The effort was made available on CD, digital download, vinyl and special edition with a bonus 65-minute DVD. "Hatebreed" was issued on Roadrunner in all other territories
To celebrate the arrival of Metal Hammer's immense 172-page BLACK SABBATH tribute, the magazine asked TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson to name his favorite BLACK SABBATH tracks.
"BLACK SABBATH are one of my favorite bands of all time," he said. "It's so hard to pick a favorite track… I guess 'Into The Void' is my favourite because it kicks into this high gear and then has all these crazy time changes; it's where the elements of thrash metal started. I also love 'Heaven And Hell' because they really reinvented themselves and made it work. You can't forget about 'Symptom Of The Universe' either!
"You can sing all their riffs, that's how amazing they are.
"Can you imagine a world without BLACK SABBATH? We'd still be psychedelic, groovy and far out, man! They got rid of all the peace people. [Laughs]
"We just finished doing shows with IRON MAIDEN on the 'Fear Of The Dark' tour and then got invited to do some shows with BLACK SABBATH on their 'Dehumanizer' tour. We got to do something like 15 shows in the U.K. I didn't even know you could play that many shows in the U.K., which was amazing.
"BLACK SABBATH were so cool. On the first night, we walked around backstage and bumped into Geezer [Butler, bass] and Tony [Iommi, guitar]. They shared a joint with us! I was literally shaking… I couldn't believe I was about to smoke the same 'sweet leaf' as Tony Iommi. I think I dropped it, got on my knees and told them I wasn't worthy!
"[They are] still the coolest guys, really humble and down to earth after all these years."
Ahead of BLACK SABBATH's history-making Download festival appearance, the massive, 172-page new issue of Metal Hammer is a tribute to the legendary heavy metal act, paying homage to one of the greatest, heaviest and most influential bands to ever walk this earth. Metal Hammer talks to SABBATH members themselves as they look back on an unmatched legacy as the most influential and innovative band in metal's history, and looks to some of the biggest names in rock music to help them commemorate the masters' return. Members of METALLICA, SLAYER, MACHINE HEAD, PANTERA, MANOWAR, MASTODON, DIMMU BORGIR, DEVILDRIVER, KISS, RUSH, BEHEMOTH, SLASH, ALICE COOPER, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, RAMMSTEIN, GHOST, STEEL PANTHER and more all join Metal Hammer in gauging BLACK SABBATH's seminal impact on rock 'n' roll, and well as picking their favorite SABBATH hits and memories.
And, to top off the SABBATH worship, Metal Hammer is giving away a free "Sons Of Sabbath" CD with the issue, featuring choice, riff-filled, heavy-as-a-philosophizing-T-fucking-Rex cuts from the discographies of some of the finest bands to have been inspired by the hand of Iommi et al, including ELECTRIC WIZARD, CHURCH OF MISERY, BLOOD CEREMONY, WITCHCRAFT, GRAVEYARD, REVEREND BIZARRE and many more.
"BLACK SABBATH are one of my favorite bands of all time," he said. "It's so hard to pick a favorite track… I guess 'Into The Void' is my favourite because it kicks into this high gear and then has all these crazy time changes; it's where the elements of thrash metal started. I also love 'Heaven And Hell' because they really reinvented themselves and made it work. You can't forget about 'Symptom Of The Universe' either!
"You can sing all their riffs, that's how amazing they are.
"Can you imagine a world without BLACK SABBATH? We'd still be psychedelic, groovy and far out, man! They got rid of all the peace people. [Laughs]
"We just finished doing shows with IRON MAIDEN on the 'Fear Of The Dark' tour and then got invited to do some shows with BLACK SABBATH on their 'Dehumanizer' tour. We got to do something like 15 shows in the U.K. I didn't even know you could play that many shows in the U.K., which was amazing.
"BLACK SABBATH were so cool. On the first night, we walked around backstage and bumped into Geezer [Butler, bass] and Tony [Iommi, guitar]. They shared a joint with us! I was literally shaking… I couldn't believe I was about to smoke the same 'sweet leaf' as Tony Iommi. I think I dropped it, got on my knees and told them I wasn't worthy!
"[They are] still the coolest guys, really humble and down to earth after all these years."
Ahead of BLACK SABBATH's history-making Download festival appearance, the massive, 172-page new issue of Metal Hammer is a tribute to the legendary heavy metal act, paying homage to one of the greatest, heaviest and most influential bands to ever walk this earth. Metal Hammer talks to SABBATH members themselves as they look back on an unmatched legacy as the most influential and innovative band in metal's history, and looks to some of the biggest names in rock music to help them commemorate the masters' return. Members of METALLICA, SLAYER, MACHINE HEAD, PANTERA, MANOWAR, MASTODON, DIMMU BORGIR, DEVILDRIVER, KISS, RUSH, BEHEMOTH, SLASH, ALICE COOPER, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, RAMMSTEIN, GHOST, STEEL PANTHER and more all join Metal Hammer in gauging BLACK SABBATH's seminal impact on rock 'n' roll, and well as picking their favorite SABBATH hits and memories.
And, to top off the SABBATH worship, Metal Hammer is giving away a free "Sons Of Sabbath" CD with the issue, featuring choice, riff-filled, heavy-as-a-philosophizing-T-fucking-Rex cuts from the discographies of some of the finest bands to have been inspired by the hand of Iommi et al, including ELECTRIC WIZARD, CHURCH OF MISERY, BLOOD CEREMONY, WITCHCRAFT, GRAVEYARD, REVEREND BIZARRE and many more.
Josh Hart of GuitarWorld.com recently conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Mille Petrozza of German thrash metal veterans KREATOR. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
GuitarWorld.com: On [2009's] "Hordes Of Chaos", you took a very old-school approach to recording. Did you approach the new album ["Phantom Antichrist"] similarly?
Mille: We did a lot of analog stuff on the new record and a lot of vintage equipment. Jens Bogren, our producer, has a lot of goodies in his studio and we definitely used a lot of ancient, very cool-sounding equipment. And also, it was very important that we recorded the album in one room as a band, just like on "Hordes Of Chaos". It was the same kind of recording procedure, but instead of using all of the basic tracks — including guitars — we only ended up using the bass and the drums tracks, and then went on to do overdubs for the lead and rhythm guitars, which he hadn't done on "Hordes Of Chaos". On that album you hear all the rhythm guitars record live and this time we recorded the bass and drums live, all in one room recording. It definitely had the same vibe to it.
GuitarWorld.com: All of the signature KREATOR lyrical themes are present on this album, but one has to ask: What is a "phantom antichrist"?
Mille: The title came from a radio program I was listening to in Germany where they were talking about how Osama Bin Laden got killed and then thrown into the ocean — for religious religions. And there is no such thing as a sea burial in the Muslim religion, as far as I know. And that's where I got the inspiration for the title from. But the song itself isn't really a political thing. It's more about a force that comes to earth, destroys all life and a new beginning starts with a new consciousness. The thing could be really anything. It's a metaphor for a very, very brutal force that could be destructive but creative too. Basically, what it's about — and what this album is about — is mass media manipulation. There's a lot of lyrical variety on the album. You, of course, get the KREATOR treatment where I talk about politics — sometimes — but not in the sense of preaching politics, because I'm not a fan of that. I write songs that are more inspired by political issues rather than talking about my opinion, because politics are boring in my opinion. But there's a lot of injustice and a lot of oppression, which is being supported by certain politicians and governments. That's something KREATOR has been writing about forever and it's always going to be a part of our lyrical themes. You can find anything from fiction to personal stuff to more social issues ... like I said, the full KREATOR treatment.
GuitarWorld.com: I know "progressive" can sometimes be a dirty word, but I can't help but notice that the new album pushes into some new territory for KREATOR. Would you agree there are some progressive elements present?
Mille: Not in the sense of DREAM THEATER progressive. [laughs] Progressive in the sense of longer songs, yes. Progressive for the sake of being progressive, no. Because that's what I don't like about a lot of bands. I'm a big RUSH fan, but I think RUSH songs — especially the early albums — definitely has a soul to it. It's progressive music, but it's a good song. If anything we've been influenced by band like RUSH more than bands like DREAM THEATER, with only the technical stuff. The album definitely has some progressive moments, but not in any technically, showing-off way. More of adding to the song.
GuitarWorld.com: For the B-side to the single version of "Phantom Antichrist" you included a cover of IRON MAIDEN's "The Number of the Beast". How did you go about putting your own stamp on such a classic song?
Mille: We got asked to do a cover version for a magazine. They were doing a tribute to "The Number Of The Beast" and asked if we would like to do the title track. I don't know what happened to that, it kind of fell apart, I think. At least we never heard back from them. We were very concerned, because there are some songs that you should not cover, that you shouldn't try to put your own stamp on. Let me put it this way: It's really not necessary to cover a song sometimes. In my opinion, the IRON MAIDEN version of "The Number Of The Beast" Is perfect how it is, and it's very hard to make a perfect song more perfect. Like you said, the trick is to put your own stamp on it and make it ... not your own song, but make it sound like KREATOR playing it. I think we managed to do that. I can you definitely hear that it's KREATOR playing IRON MAIDEN instead of KREATOR trying to be IRON MAIDEN, if you know what I mean.
GuitarWorld.com: On [2009's] "Hordes Of Chaos", you took a very old-school approach to recording. Did you approach the new album ["Phantom Antichrist"] similarly?
Mille: We did a lot of analog stuff on the new record and a lot of vintage equipment. Jens Bogren, our producer, has a lot of goodies in his studio and we definitely used a lot of ancient, very cool-sounding equipment. And also, it was very important that we recorded the album in one room as a band, just like on "Hordes Of Chaos". It was the same kind of recording procedure, but instead of using all of the basic tracks — including guitars — we only ended up using the bass and the drums tracks, and then went on to do overdubs for the lead and rhythm guitars, which he hadn't done on "Hordes Of Chaos". On that album you hear all the rhythm guitars record live and this time we recorded the bass and drums live, all in one room recording. It definitely had the same vibe to it.
GuitarWorld.com: All of the signature KREATOR lyrical themes are present on this album, but one has to ask: What is a "phantom antichrist"?
Mille: The title came from a radio program I was listening to in Germany where they were talking about how Osama Bin Laden got killed and then thrown into the ocean — for religious religions. And there is no such thing as a sea burial in the Muslim religion, as far as I know. And that's where I got the inspiration for the title from. But the song itself isn't really a political thing. It's more about a force that comes to earth, destroys all life and a new beginning starts with a new consciousness. The thing could be really anything. It's a metaphor for a very, very brutal force that could be destructive but creative too. Basically, what it's about — and what this album is about — is mass media manipulation. There's a lot of lyrical variety on the album. You, of course, get the KREATOR treatment where I talk about politics — sometimes — but not in the sense of preaching politics, because I'm not a fan of that. I write songs that are more inspired by political issues rather than talking about my opinion, because politics are boring in my opinion. But there's a lot of injustice and a lot of oppression, which is being supported by certain politicians and governments. That's something KREATOR has been writing about forever and it's always going to be a part of our lyrical themes. You can find anything from fiction to personal stuff to more social issues ... like I said, the full KREATOR treatment.
GuitarWorld.com: I know "progressive" can sometimes be a dirty word, but I can't help but notice that the new album pushes into some new territory for KREATOR. Would you agree there are some progressive elements present?
Mille: Not in the sense of DREAM THEATER progressive. [laughs] Progressive in the sense of longer songs, yes. Progressive for the sake of being progressive, no. Because that's what I don't like about a lot of bands. I'm a big RUSH fan, but I think RUSH songs — especially the early albums — definitely has a soul to it. It's progressive music, but it's a good song. If anything we've been influenced by band like RUSH more than bands like DREAM THEATER, with only the technical stuff. The album definitely has some progressive moments, but not in any technically, showing-off way. More of adding to the song.
GuitarWorld.com: For the B-side to the single version of "Phantom Antichrist" you included a cover of IRON MAIDEN's "The Number of the Beast". How did you go about putting your own stamp on such a classic song?
Mille: We got asked to do a cover version for a magazine. They were doing a tribute to "The Number Of The Beast" and asked if we would like to do the title track. I don't know what happened to that, it kind of fell apart, I think. At least we never heard back from them. We were very concerned, because there are some songs that you should not cover, that you shouldn't try to put your own stamp on. Let me put it this way: It's really not necessary to cover a song sometimes. In my opinion, the IRON MAIDEN version of "The Number Of The Beast" Is perfect how it is, and it's very hard to make a perfect song more perfect. Like you said, the trick is to put your own stamp on it and make it ... not your own song, but make it sound like KREATOR playing it. I think we managed to do that. I can you definitely hear that it's KREATOR playing IRON MAIDEN instead of KREATOR trying to be IRON MAIDEN, if you know what I mean.
Legendary Swedish doom metallers CANDLEMASS have parted ways with singer Robert Lowe. According to the band, this was "a very difficult decision" to make and "has mainly to do with the quality of the live performances."
For the upcoming shows, Robert will be replaced by Mats Levén, a former member of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION and TREAT, who also plays with CANDLEMASS bassist/mainman Leif Edling in KRUX (see video below).
In a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Mats said, "I'm helping my friends in CANDLEMASS with the shows booked so far. Looking forward to that, for sure. [However], the only band I'm a permanent member of is KRUX."
CANDLEMASS is currently rehearsing new and old songs with Mats and "we know that nobody attending the gigs at Debaser Slussen, Metaltown, Borås or Southern Discomfort will be disappointed," the band says.
Also joining the group for the upcoming live performances will be keyboard player Per Wiberg (OPETH, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS).
Lowe — who is still a member of SOLITUDE AETERNUS — joined CANDLEMASS in January 2007 and sang on the band's last three studio albums: "King Of The Grey Islands" (2007), "Death Magic Doom" (2009) and "Psalms For The Dead" (2012).
CANDLEMASS will release its 11th and final album, "Psalms For The Dead", on June 8 via Napalm Records. A limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single contaning two album tracks —"Dancing In The Temple Of The Mad Queen Bee" and "The Killing Of The Sun" — preceded the full-length effort on April 13.
CANDLEMASS will celebrate the release of the new album with June 5 performance at Debaser Slussen in Stockholm, Sweden. The band will play a full set that will contain songs from the new CD, a few surprises and some classics.
For the upcoming shows, Robert will be replaced by Mats Levén, a former member of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION and TREAT, who also plays with CANDLEMASS bassist/mainman Leif Edling in KRUX (see video below).
In a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Mats said, "I'm helping my friends in CANDLEMASS with the shows booked so far. Looking forward to that, for sure. [However], the only band I'm a permanent member of is KRUX."
CANDLEMASS is currently rehearsing new and old songs with Mats and "we know that nobody attending the gigs at Debaser Slussen, Metaltown, Borås or Southern Discomfort will be disappointed," the band says.
Also joining the group for the upcoming live performances will be keyboard player Per Wiberg (OPETH, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS).
Lowe — who is still a member of SOLITUDE AETERNUS — joined CANDLEMASS in January 2007 and sang on the band's last three studio albums: "King Of The Grey Islands" (2007), "Death Magic Doom" (2009) and "Psalms For The Dead" (2012).
CANDLEMASS will release its 11th and final album, "Psalms For The Dead", on June 8 via Napalm Records. A limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single contaning two album tracks —"Dancing In The Temple Of The Mad Queen Bee" and "The Killing Of The Sun" — preceded the full-length effort on April 13.
CANDLEMASS will celebrate the release of the new album with June 5 performance at Debaser Slussen in Stockholm, Sweden. The band will play a full set that will contain songs from the new CD, a few surprises and some classics.
Step into an apocalyptic underworld where firebreathers, nightmarish creatures on stilts, fire and percussive light, and stunning visuals set the stage for an intoxicating and unforgettably sinister concert experience. The first-ever Knotfest — an extraordinary two-day metal and hard rock destination festival — will feature performances from SLIPKNOT, DEFTONES, LAMB OF GOD, DETHKLOK, SERJ TANKIAN, CANNIBAL CORPSE, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, THE URGE, PRONG, GOJIRA and more. Knotfest will debut in the heart of America on Friday, August 17 in Council Bluffs, Iowa at Mid America Motorplex and Saturday, August 18 in Somerset, Wisconsin/Minneapolis, Minnesota at Somerset Amphitheater.
"Knotfest is a chance for us to bring the sensory-overload of a wild European carnival fest to the heart of America," explains SLIPKNOT's M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown). "We're thrilled to delve deep into our catalogue and play a long set for fans. This festival is meant to be touched, felt, smelled and experienced by everyone on top of seeing an amazing day of rock and metal."
Featuring two heavy-hitting stages of hard music, Knotfest will create an intoxicating spectacle, as fans descend into a decadent apocalyptic underworld featuring circus big-top tents, pillars of fire, and amusement park rides — including the legendary Ring of Fire carnival ride (Saturday only — while masked performers, firebreathers and nightmarish stilt-walkers roam the festival grounds. Interactive graffiti walls and a drum circle made of junkyard cars will entertain fans and artists alike in the immersive, dark apocalyptic atmosphere. Upon entering the gates, sinister surprises including a SLIPKNOT museum and powerful, vibrant art installations await around every corner for fans to discover and explore.
Tickets for Knotfest go on sale Friday, June 8 at 10:00 a.m. CDT at the festival's web site, Ticketmaster and the box office. General-admission tickets and a limited number of VIP packages will be available with amenities ranging from early entrance, a shaded VIP bar and lounge with a main stage viewing area (21+ only), VIP catered meals, preferred parking and a meet-and-greet with SLIPKNOT.
To view all ticket and VIP options for both dates, visit www.knotfest.com.
Knotfest, Pacific Junction, Iowa – August 17 lineup:
SLIPKNOT
DEFTONES
LAMB OF GOD
DETHKLOK
SERJ TANKIAN
THE URGE
PRONG
DIRTFEDD
Knotfest, Somerset, Wisconsin – August 18 lineup:
SLIPKNOT
DEFTONES
LAMB OF GOD
DETHKLOK
SERJ TANKIAN
CANNIBAL CORPSE
PRONG
GOJIRA
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
"It's all about having fun and bringing something to the world of rock & roll, bringing it to the standard it used to be," Crahan tells RollingStone.com. "It's time for us to really engulf this idea known as Knotfest where we're in control, we make a day devoted to our mindset, our ideas, the people that we want to play with, the people that we think our fans want to be around. . . When everyone leaves, their senses [will be] overloaded, and I'm talking about smells, sights, hearing, your body, everything is overloaded with stimulation, because that's what SLIPKNOT does."
As previously announced, SLIPKNOT's greatest-hits album, "Antennas To Hell", is scheduled for release on July 17 via Roadrunner Records.
There is no word yet on which tracks will be included on "Antennas To Hell", and if it will contain any previously unheard music or other bonus content.
SLIPKNOT will headline the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour this summer in the U.S., starting on June 30 in Devore, California.
"Knotfest is a chance for us to bring the sensory-overload of a wild European carnival fest to the heart of America," explains SLIPKNOT's M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown). "We're thrilled to delve deep into our catalogue and play a long set for fans. This festival is meant to be touched, felt, smelled and experienced by everyone on top of seeing an amazing day of rock and metal."
Featuring two heavy-hitting stages of hard music, Knotfest will create an intoxicating spectacle, as fans descend into a decadent apocalyptic underworld featuring circus big-top tents, pillars of fire, and amusement park rides — including the legendary Ring of Fire carnival ride (Saturday only — while masked performers, firebreathers and nightmarish stilt-walkers roam the festival grounds. Interactive graffiti walls and a drum circle made of junkyard cars will entertain fans and artists alike in the immersive, dark apocalyptic atmosphere. Upon entering the gates, sinister surprises including a SLIPKNOT museum and powerful, vibrant art installations await around every corner for fans to discover and explore.
Tickets for Knotfest go on sale Friday, June 8 at 10:00 a.m. CDT at the festival's web site, Ticketmaster and the box office. General-admission tickets and a limited number of VIP packages will be available with amenities ranging from early entrance, a shaded VIP bar and lounge with a main stage viewing area (21+ only), VIP catered meals, preferred parking and a meet-and-greet with SLIPKNOT.
To view all ticket and VIP options for both dates, visit www.knotfest.com.
Knotfest, Pacific Junction, Iowa – August 17 lineup:
SLIPKNOT
DEFTONES
LAMB OF GOD
DETHKLOK
SERJ TANKIAN
THE URGE
PRONG
DIRTFEDD
Knotfest, Somerset, Wisconsin – August 18 lineup:
SLIPKNOT
DEFTONES
LAMB OF GOD
DETHKLOK
SERJ TANKIAN
CANNIBAL CORPSE
PRONG
GOJIRA
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
"It's all about having fun and bringing something to the world of rock & roll, bringing it to the standard it used to be," Crahan tells RollingStone.com. "It's time for us to really engulf this idea known as Knotfest where we're in control, we make a day devoted to our mindset, our ideas, the people that we want to play with, the people that we think our fans want to be around. . . When everyone leaves, their senses [will be] overloaded, and I'm talking about smells, sights, hearing, your body, everything is overloaded with stimulation, because that's what SLIPKNOT does."
As previously announced, SLIPKNOT's greatest-hits album, "Antennas To Hell", is scheduled for release on July 17 via Roadrunner Records.
There is no word yet on which tracks will be included on "Antennas To Hell", and if it will contain any previously unheard music or other bonus content.
SLIPKNOT will headline the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour this summer in the U.S., starting on June 30 in Devore, California.
Finnish atmospheric rock act THE CHANT has inked a deal with Lifeforce Records. The band's third album, "A Healing Place", will be released on the following dates:
August 14: North America + digital
August 17: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
August 20: Europe excluding Finland
August 22: Scandinavia
"Since I was in touch with Jussi Hämäläinen about his other very promising band HANGING GARDEN for a while already, it was only logical I gave THE CHANT a fair chance and I must admit I was sold after the first listen!" comments Lifeforce Records owner Stefan Lüdicke. "Being a huge fan of similar bands such as ANATHEMA, KATATONIA and PARADISE LOST, my decision to want to work with THE CHANT was made within a glimpse of an eye and their upcoming album, 'A Healing Place', is on heavy rotation in my stereo since then!"
THE CHANT is a seven-member band from Finland. The current lineup has been existence since 1999, but it took some years and a couple of demo recordings before the group's debut album, "Ghostlines", was released in 2008. It already based on this unique melancholic music full of beautiful melodies and harmonies, THE CHANT have become known for. With "This is The World We Know" (2010), the Finns strengthened their approach of playing atmospheric rock with gothic and progressive influences.
The majority of the songs for "A Healing Place" were recorded by THE CHANT themselves and showcase a band going deeper into an even more complexand layered sound with unexpected twists and an arcane ambience. The Finns take their listeners into a place where they have to fumble ingrey mist, before being able to see all the shades of color. The agonizing sides of life have to be faced, before being able to clean oneself from them. The seemingly positive exterior of "A Healing Place" hides bitter and dismal moods.
With "A Healing Place", the Helsinki-based septet takes a stand as one of Finland's progressive rock bands people have to be aware of. Based on a deeply atmospheric, almost cinematic sound, THE CHANT rely on dreamy guitarmelodies, spherical piano-playing and a remarkable voice. This album full of soundscape-driven, ambitious rock music should please fans of ANATHEMA, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA, PORCUPINE TREE and A PERFECT CIRCLE.
August 14: North America + digital
August 17: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
August 20: Europe excluding Finland
August 22: Scandinavia
"Since I was in touch with Jussi Hämäläinen about his other very promising band HANGING GARDEN for a while already, it was only logical I gave THE CHANT a fair chance and I must admit I was sold after the first listen!" comments Lifeforce Records owner Stefan Lüdicke. "Being a huge fan of similar bands such as ANATHEMA, KATATONIA and PARADISE LOST, my decision to want to work with THE CHANT was made within a glimpse of an eye and their upcoming album, 'A Healing Place', is on heavy rotation in my stereo since then!"
THE CHANT is a seven-member band from Finland. The current lineup has been existence since 1999, but it took some years and a couple of demo recordings before the group's debut album, "Ghostlines", was released in 2008. It already based on this unique melancholic music full of beautiful melodies and harmonies, THE CHANT have become known for. With "This is The World We Know" (2010), the Finns strengthened their approach of playing atmospheric rock with gothic and progressive influences.
The majority of the songs for "A Healing Place" were recorded by THE CHANT themselves and showcase a band going deeper into an even more complexand layered sound with unexpected twists and an arcane ambience. The Finns take their listeners into a place where they have to fumble ingrey mist, before being able to see all the shades of color. The agonizing sides of life have to be faced, before being able to clean oneself from them. The seemingly positive exterior of "A Healing Place" hides bitter and dismal moods.
With "A Healing Place", the Helsinki-based septet takes a stand as one of Finland's progressive rock bands people have to be aware of. Based on a deeply atmospheric, almost cinematic sound, THE CHANT rely on dreamy guitarmelodies, spherical piano-playing and a remarkable voice. This album full of soundscape-driven, ambitious rock music should please fans of ANATHEMA, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA, PORCUPINE TREE and A PERFECT CIRCLE.
WORLD FIRE BRIGADE, the new band featuring Brett Scallions (frontman of FUEL, as well as lead vocalist with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of THE DOORS), Sean Danielsen (lead singer/guitarist of SMILE EMPTY SOUL) and Eddie Wohl (producer/mixer for ANTHRAX, ILL NINO, SMILE EMPTY SOUL, JESSE MALIN, 36 CRAZYFISTS and more), has inked a deal with FrostByte Media. The group's debut album, "Spreading My Wings", will be released on August 28.
Of "Spreading My Wings", Scallions commented, "This is a record filled with all emotions, songs that fall back and forth from major to minor. I love that it's a heavy record with sing-a-long melodies. You don't hear that too much in this style of music."
Originally conceived as a songwriting vehicle for delivering world-class hard rock songs to other artists, WORLD FIRE BRIGADE evolved into its own group when it became clear that their powerful material was meant to be performed by Scallions, Danielsen and Wohl themselves. Ken Schalk (FUEL, CANDIRIA) provides all the drums on "Spreading My Wings" and the album also features guest appearances by PEARL JAM's Mike McCready, ANTHRAX's Rob Caggiano, and Andy Andersson (FUEL, BLACK ROBOT).
WORLD FIRE BRIGADE is: Brett Scallions (vocals), Sean Danielsen (vocals/lead guitar) and Eddie Wohl (keyboards).
"Spreading My Wings" track listing:
01. The End Of Silence
02. Spreading My Wings
03. All You Know
04. Weight Of The World
05. Shell Of Me (featuring Mike McCready)
06. Fly
07. Don't Walk Away
08. Take Me Away (featuring Rob Caggiano)
09. Shot Down
10. All My Demands
11. The Beginning Of Madness
12. Never Saw The Wall (featuring Rob Caggiano)
13. Free And Sane (featuring Andy Andersson)
14. One
Of "Spreading My Wings", Scallions commented, "This is a record filled with all emotions, songs that fall back and forth from major to minor. I love that it's a heavy record with sing-a-long melodies. You don't hear that too much in this style of music."
Originally conceived as a songwriting vehicle for delivering world-class hard rock songs to other artists, WORLD FIRE BRIGADE evolved into its own group when it became clear that their powerful material was meant to be performed by Scallions, Danielsen and Wohl themselves. Ken Schalk (FUEL, CANDIRIA) provides all the drums on "Spreading My Wings" and the album also features guest appearances by PEARL JAM's Mike McCready, ANTHRAX's Rob Caggiano, and Andy Andersson (FUEL, BLACK ROBOT).
WORLD FIRE BRIGADE is: Brett Scallions (vocals), Sean Danielsen (vocals/lead guitar) and Eddie Wohl (keyboards).
"Spreading My Wings" track listing:
01. The End Of Silence
02. Spreading My Wings
03. All You Know
04. Weight Of The World
05. Shell Of Me (featuring Mike McCready)
06. Fly
07. Don't Walk Away
08. Take Me Away (featuring Rob Caggiano)
09. Shot Down
10. All My Demands
11. The Beginning Of Madness
12. Never Saw The Wall (featuring Rob Caggiano)
13. Free And Sane (featuring Andy Andersson)
14. One
According to The Pulse Of Radio, former Warner Bros. Records executive Ted Cohen aleges in a new LA Weekly interview that VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen's first wife, actress Valerie Bertinelli, was at least partly responsible for the group's 1985 split with singer David Lee Roth. Cohen, who was an artist development director at the label during the band's early years, said that the arrival of Bertinelli in Eddie's life around 1980 began to drive a wedge between the guitarist and his bandmates.
Cohen said that Bertinelli believed that Eddie should receive the bulk of the credit for the band's success, with Roth being replaceable. Cohen disagreed, saying, "David was an integral part of the band's success. He was brilliant." Cohen added that Eddie began to distance himself from the rest of the band, although he claims that Eddie finally admitted to Cohen one night at a bar that marrying Bertinelli was a "terrible mistake."
Although the couple stayed together for more than two decades, Cohen said it was no surprise that Roth returned to the group in 2007, two years after Eddie and Bertinelli divorced. Cohen said, "If Valerie had never appeared on the scene, David would probably have never been kicked out in the first place."
Reps for both VAN HALEN and Bertinelli did not respond to L.A. Weekly's requests for a comment.
Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli had one child, Wolfgang, who is now the bass player in VAN HALEN alongside his father.
In a March 2012 interview with the Detroit radio station WRIF, Bertinelli was asked if she had any words of warning for Roth about how to treat her child on the road. "No, Dave doesn't need to have any words from me," she replied. "He's a grown man, he knows how to treat people. Everything with Dave is water under the bridge. I think he's doing an amazing job. I run into him very infrequently, but when we do, it's always pleasant."
Eddie remarried in 2009 to former publicist Janie Liszewski.
VAN HALEN recently postponed 31 dates on its current North American tour, with the official reason given as fatigue. David Lee Roth posted a video message online explaining the situation, saying that "the band is getting along famously, better than we have in quite some time . . . (but) if we continue past July 4 and all the way into Australia and Japan then we're asking for the robot zombie tour."
VAN HALEN is touring behind "A Different Kind Of Truth", its first album in 14 years and first with Roth since 1984.
Cohen said that Bertinelli believed that Eddie should receive the bulk of the credit for the band's success, with Roth being replaceable. Cohen disagreed, saying, "David was an integral part of the band's success. He was brilliant." Cohen added that Eddie began to distance himself from the rest of the band, although he claims that Eddie finally admitted to Cohen one night at a bar that marrying Bertinelli was a "terrible mistake."
Although the couple stayed together for more than two decades, Cohen said it was no surprise that Roth returned to the group in 2007, two years after Eddie and Bertinelli divorced. Cohen said, "If Valerie had never appeared on the scene, David would probably have never been kicked out in the first place."
Reps for both VAN HALEN and Bertinelli did not respond to L.A. Weekly's requests for a comment.
Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli had one child, Wolfgang, who is now the bass player in VAN HALEN alongside his father.
In a March 2012 interview with the Detroit radio station WRIF, Bertinelli was asked if she had any words of warning for Roth about how to treat her child on the road. "No, Dave doesn't need to have any words from me," she replied. "He's a grown man, he knows how to treat people. Everything with Dave is water under the bridge. I think he's doing an amazing job. I run into him very infrequently, but when we do, it's always pleasant."
Eddie remarried in 2009 to former publicist Janie Liszewski.
VAN HALEN recently postponed 31 dates on its current North American tour, with the official reason given as fatigue. David Lee Roth posted a video message online explaining the situation, saying that "the band is getting along famously, better than we have in quite some time . . . (but) if we continue past July 4 and all the way into Australia and Japan then we're asking for the robot zombie tour."
VAN HALEN is touring behind "A Different Kind Of Truth", its first album in 14 years and first with Roth since 1984.
After a successful month of spearheading photo shoots with MESHUGGAH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, MISS MAY I, DRAGONFORCE, OVERKILL, WATAIN, BEHEMOTH, BARONESS, and THE AGONIST, completing two back-to-back magazine cover shoots (Outburn and Hails & Horns), all the while having one cover already on shelves (Hails & Horns), photographer Jeremy Saffer will head out to Los Angeles for his first West Coast music photography seminar in conjunction with SoundCheck Hollywood.
The two-day seminar and workshop will focus on portrait work with musicians and will cover the entire process — from setting up the photo shoot, scouting locations, posing, different types of lighting and lighting equipment for different situations, shooting endorsements, promotional images, CD layouts, and magazine layouts, to walking attendees through the process of what to do post-shoot, invoicing, getting repeat business, and even how to price yourself. Many other business aspects of being a professional photographer within the music industry will be discussed.
The first day will be the official seminar day, where all of the above is taught in the morning, as well as a lightroom and photoshop post processing tutorial. In the afternoon of day one, attendees will complete mock-photo shoots experimenting with different types of lighting equipment, lighting set-ups, poses, etc. Jeremy has also expanded the music photography business section even more, and will also include private portfolio critique for attendees that specifically request it.
On the second day of the seminar, attendees will experience a hands-on photo shoot of special guest bands done first by Jeremy (as a real-life example), and next by themselves! Attendees will take over and complete a real photo shoot with the band in various locations.
Hopeful attendees must act now; there are only 10 tickets available to this seminar!
On June 23 at 6 p.m., SoundCheck Hollywood will re-open to the public. Jeremy will be on site signing copies of his book "Bring The Noise", as well as limited-edition prints and some prints exclusive to the seminar weekend.
For more information, visit www.jeremysaffer.com/soundcheckseminar..
The two-day seminar and workshop will focus on portrait work with musicians and will cover the entire process — from setting up the photo shoot, scouting locations, posing, different types of lighting and lighting equipment for different situations, shooting endorsements, promotional images, CD layouts, and magazine layouts, to walking attendees through the process of what to do post-shoot, invoicing, getting repeat business, and even how to price yourself. Many other business aspects of being a professional photographer within the music industry will be discussed.
The first day will be the official seminar day, where all of the above is taught in the morning, as well as a lightroom and photoshop post processing tutorial. In the afternoon of day one, attendees will complete mock-photo shoots experimenting with different types of lighting equipment, lighting set-ups, poses, etc. Jeremy has also expanded the music photography business section even more, and will also include private portfolio critique for attendees that specifically request it.
On the second day of the seminar, attendees will experience a hands-on photo shoot of special guest bands done first by Jeremy (as a real-life example), and next by themselves! Attendees will take over and complete a real photo shoot with the band in various locations.
Hopeful attendees must act now; there are only 10 tickets available to this seminar!
On June 23 at 6 p.m., SoundCheck Hollywood will re-open to the public. Jeremy will be on site signing copies of his book "Bring The Noise", as well as limited-edition prints and some prints exclusive to the seminar weekend.
For more information, visit www.jeremysaffer.com/soundcheckseminar..
GLEN DROVER BAND, the Canadian group led by acclaimed guitarist Glen Drover (MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND, EIDOLON) has entered the studio to begin recording its sophomore album, tentatively titled "Between Sea And Sky". Glen states, "So far we have completed two instrumental songs for the album and I'm extremely happy with what we have accomplished so far." He adds, "I have decided to take a different approach in terms of recording this time around, which is to work on one piece and finish it 100 percent before moving on the next tune. Because of our situation, we are able to do this easily, and so far it's working out awesome."
GLEN DROVER BAND's forthcoming CD will feature guest appearances by singers Henning Basse (METALIUM, SONS OF SEASONS) and Nils K. Rue (PAGAN'S MIND, EIDOLON), among others.
Comments Glen: "[Henning] is a singer I have wanted to work with for many years. Killer singer and a really cool guy. Nils will be on the album 100%, and I can safely say that because of what we accomplished on the EIDOLON album we did together back in 06, which I am very proud of." He adds, "I would like to say that all singers that I'm talking to will be on the album, but only time will tell if we can record a song together that will be a strong as the rest of the album will be."
Drover was replaced in MEGADETH by Chris Broderick, who has previously played with NEVERMORE and JAG PANZER.
Glen's debut solo album, "Metalusion", was released in April 2011 via Magna Carta Records.
On September 25, 2011, Drover took part in a historic performance that was webcast worldwide as part of the "Live At Metalworks" series from Mississauga, Canada.
Glen's "Live At Metalworks" performance will be released as a DVD in June via Magna Carta.
GLEN DROVER BAND's forthcoming CD will feature guest appearances by singers Henning Basse (METALIUM, SONS OF SEASONS) and Nils K. Rue (PAGAN'S MIND, EIDOLON), among others.
Comments Glen: "[Henning] is a singer I have wanted to work with for many years. Killer singer and a really cool guy. Nils will be on the album 100%, and I can safely say that because of what we accomplished on the EIDOLON album we did together back in 06, which I am very proud of." He adds, "I would like to say that all singers that I'm talking to will be on the album, but only time will tell if we can record a song together that will be a strong as the rest of the album will be."
Drover was replaced in MEGADETH by Chris Broderick, who has previously played with NEVERMORE and JAG PANZER.
Glen's debut solo album, "Metalusion", was released in April 2011 via Magna Carta Records.
On September 25, 2011, Drover took part in a historic performance that was webcast worldwide as part of the "Live At Metalworks" series from Mississauga, Canada.
Glen's "Live At Metalworks" performance will be released as a DVD in June via Magna Carta.
Niclas Müller-Hansen of Sweden's Metalshrine recently conducted an interview with '0s hard rock queen Lita Ford. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Metalshrine: There's a lot of bonus tracks [on your new album, "Living Like A Runaway"]. Was that the plan from the beginning?
Lita: No, it wasn't. I wanted to do a Lita album. I wanted to make my own album and I didn't want anybody telling me how to make it, you know. I wanted to be left alone. I know what I'm doing, I've been doing this since I was a kid and I don't need anybody telling me how to make a fucking record. I just needed to be left alone and create what was in my heart. After so many years of not performing and being held back and being held away from the music industry, I had a lot of built-up riffs in my head. It was pretty cool, actually, when I started playing. It was flowing out of my head and I would get my song writing partner, Michael Emig, I would get him on the phone. We never hooked up. We would do everything over the phone and I would get him on speaker phone and I would say, (sings) "Michael, run baby run!" and Michael would go, "Across New York City!" and then I'd say, "Run baby run!" and Michael would go, "Through the streets of L.A." I would go, "Yeah, Michael, that's it!" and then Michael would say, "You can't slow down and you can never stay when you're living like a runaway!" I would go, "Yeah, Michael, it's brilliant!" and he'd go, "Yeah, it's badass!" Things came together really well. "Bad Neighborhood", which is one of the bonus tracks… you gotta hear it! We did the same thing and "Bad Neighborhood" was written from the saying bad neighborhood from an old friend of mine who used to run Narcotics Anonymous and he used to say, "Get out of your head, it's a bad neighborhood!" It goes both ways, because my ex used to get inside of your head, like "You're inside my head, get out of my head!" and he would get inside his own head and Michael Emig came up with that saying: "Get out of your head, it's a bad neighborhood!" and I said, "Where did you get that saying from?" And he said, "I got it from Tom over at Narcotics Anonymous," and I said, "He used to say that?" So we wrote (sings) "Better get out, better get out of your head. Ain't doing you no good. Better get out, better get out of your head, because it's a bad neighborhood!" It came out freaking great.
Metalshrine: The Nikki Sixx song, "A Song To Slit Your Wrists By", what about that one?
Lita: Honest to God, it appeared on my desktop. It just popped up on my desktop and I thought, "What is this? A Nikki Sixx song on my desktop? I don't have any Nikki Sixx songs saved on my desktop." So I listened to it and I thought, "Wow, this is pretty cool! I need to do this." After hearing it, it had such heavy lyrical content, I thought, "I gotta call Nikki and ask him what it is." Because it wasn't a MÖTLEY CRÜE song. It was from the 58 version. Are you familiar with that?
Metalshrine: Yeah.
Lita: I wasn't at the time and I didn't know what it was, so I sent Nikki an e-mail, "What is this and can I have the song? Can I do a remake of it?" and he said, "Yeah, it's a song I wrote for my ex-wife 15 years ago." and he thought, "Wow, cool! My ex-girlfriend is doing a song I wrote for my ex-wife 15 years ago." [laughs] So it worked.
Metalshrine: I've read that you've been in touch with Cherie Currie [ex-THE RUNAWAYS] and I'm just wondering, are there any plans? Are you doing anything together or are you just talking?
Lita: So far it's just us getting back together and talking. Cherie's all ready to do a RUNAWAYS reunion and I would love it and I think we should start writing songs and I think it would be great. I'm not sure what Joan [Jett] is doing right now. I don't know if she's in the studio or if she's touring, I'm not sure. I was in contact with her for a while and then all of a sudden she just disappeared. She's probably on tour, but I don't know and it really needs to come from Joan. I talk to Cherie all the time. I talk to Vicki all the time and I'm still good friends with Jackie, but we can't do it without Joan, you know. She's got to be a part of it and she gotta want to be a part of it, so hopefully by the end of the year she will have made up her mind and hopefully she says yes.
Metalshrine: Excellent. I would love to see that.
Lita: I think now is the time for it. It really is perfect timing.
Metalshrine: There's a lot of bonus tracks [on your new album, "Living Like A Runaway"]. Was that the plan from the beginning?
Lita: No, it wasn't. I wanted to do a Lita album. I wanted to make my own album and I didn't want anybody telling me how to make it, you know. I wanted to be left alone. I know what I'm doing, I've been doing this since I was a kid and I don't need anybody telling me how to make a fucking record. I just needed to be left alone and create what was in my heart. After so many years of not performing and being held back and being held away from the music industry, I had a lot of built-up riffs in my head. It was pretty cool, actually, when I started playing. It was flowing out of my head and I would get my song writing partner, Michael Emig, I would get him on the phone. We never hooked up. We would do everything over the phone and I would get him on speaker phone and I would say, (sings) "Michael, run baby run!" and Michael would go, "Across New York City!" and then I'd say, "Run baby run!" and Michael would go, "Through the streets of L.A." I would go, "Yeah, Michael, that's it!" and then Michael would say, "You can't slow down and you can never stay when you're living like a runaway!" I would go, "Yeah, Michael, it's brilliant!" and he'd go, "Yeah, it's badass!" Things came together really well. "Bad Neighborhood", which is one of the bonus tracks… you gotta hear it! We did the same thing and "Bad Neighborhood" was written from the saying bad neighborhood from an old friend of mine who used to run Narcotics Anonymous and he used to say, "Get out of your head, it's a bad neighborhood!" It goes both ways, because my ex used to get inside of your head, like "You're inside my head, get out of my head!" and he would get inside his own head and Michael Emig came up with that saying: "Get out of your head, it's a bad neighborhood!" and I said, "Where did you get that saying from?" And he said, "I got it from Tom over at Narcotics Anonymous," and I said, "He used to say that?" So we wrote (sings) "Better get out, better get out of your head. Ain't doing you no good. Better get out, better get out of your head, because it's a bad neighborhood!" It came out freaking great.
Metalshrine: The Nikki Sixx song, "A Song To Slit Your Wrists By", what about that one?
Lita: Honest to God, it appeared on my desktop. It just popped up on my desktop and I thought, "What is this? A Nikki Sixx song on my desktop? I don't have any Nikki Sixx songs saved on my desktop." So I listened to it and I thought, "Wow, this is pretty cool! I need to do this." After hearing it, it had such heavy lyrical content, I thought, "I gotta call Nikki and ask him what it is." Because it wasn't a MÖTLEY CRÜE song. It was from the 58 version. Are you familiar with that?
Metalshrine: Yeah.
Lita: I wasn't at the time and I didn't know what it was, so I sent Nikki an e-mail, "What is this and can I have the song? Can I do a remake of it?" and he said, "Yeah, it's a song I wrote for my ex-wife 15 years ago." and he thought, "Wow, cool! My ex-girlfriend is doing a song I wrote for my ex-wife 15 years ago." [laughs] So it worked.
Metalshrine: I've read that you've been in touch with Cherie Currie [ex-THE RUNAWAYS] and I'm just wondering, are there any plans? Are you doing anything together or are you just talking?
Lita: So far it's just us getting back together and talking. Cherie's all ready to do a RUNAWAYS reunion and I would love it and I think we should start writing songs and I think it would be great. I'm not sure what Joan [Jett] is doing right now. I don't know if she's in the studio or if she's touring, I'm not sure. I was in contact with her for a while and then all of a sudden she just disappeared. She's probably on tour, but I don't know and it really needs to come from Joan. I talk to Cherie all the time. I talk to Vicki all the time and I'm still good friends with Jackie, but we can't do it without Joan, you know. She's got to be a part of it and she gotta want to be a part of it, so hopefully by the end of the year she will have made up her mind and hopefully she says yes.
Metalshrine: Excellent. I would love to see that.
Lita: I think now is the time for it. It really is perfect timing.
Finnish metallers DEAD SHAPE FIGURE have entered D-Studio in Nurmijärvi, Finland to begin recording their third album with producer Alexandre Locher (also known as Xytras or Xy) of Swiss industrial black metallers SAMAEL.
Commented DEAD SHAPE FIGURE: "This is the first time ever DEAD SHAPE FIGURE has used a real producer and done a proper pre-production. It is a fact you can really hear when the album is ready.
"We are super-psyched about Mr. Xy's dedication for these new songs.
"The pre-production-stage took a week, 12 hours a day. That period with Mr. Xy was mentally really interesting yet challenging. He made us push ourselves as a band further and deeper than we would normally go. Xy made us act as a band and not as a mob."
While recording the new album, DEAD SHAPE FIGURE will make select festival appearances during the summer. The band states, "We were not supposed to play any shows before the release of the next album but we got offered a few summer shows, so we thought why not?"
It's been years since Xy produced an album for another band; it started with MISERY's "Mystic" CD in 1993; he would later produce two albums for Greek death/black metal veterans ROTTING CHRIST (1997's "A Dead Poem" and 1999's "Sleep Of The Angel") as well as the first two LPs from Germany's MY INSANITY.
A short video clip of Xy in the studio with DEAD SHAPE FIGURE can be seen below.
DEAD SHAPE FIGURE's mini-CD, "Dev!lle Ride", was released via Dynamic Arts Records.
The track listing for the effort is as follows:
01. Strangle The Hero
02. And They Adore The Replacement
03. Leave Your Buildings
04. Dead Again
Guitarist Kride Lahti left DEAD SHAPE FIGURE last year "due to personal reasons and lack of motivation." He has since been replaced by Silver Ots (THE NIBIRUAN, ex-AMORAL).
DEAD SHAPE FIGURE's second full-length album, "The Disease Of St. Vitus", was released in October 2010 via Dynamic Arts Records. The CD was mastered at Virtalähde Analog Audio Studios in Helsinki, Finland.
The band's debut album, "The Grand Karoshi", came out in 2008 via Season Of Mist. The CD's lyrical content was translated by Kallio into Finnish as a book of poetry, entitled "Loppusäkeet".
Commented DEAD SHAPE FIGURE: "This is the first time ever DEAD SHAPE FIGURE has used a real producer and done a proper pre-production. It is a fact you can really hear when the album is ready.
"We are super-psyched about Mr. Xy's dedication for these new songs.
"The pre-production-stage took a week, 12 hours a day. That period with Mr. Xy was mentally really interesting yet challenging. He made us push ourselves as a band further and deeper than we would normally go. Xy made us act as a band and not as a mob."
While recording the new album, DEAD SHAPE FIGURE will make select festival appearances during the summer. The band states, "We were not supposed to play any shows before the release of the next album but we got offered a few summer shows, so we thought why not?"
It's been years since Xy produced an album for another band; it started with MISERY's "Mystic" CD in 1993; he would later produce two albums for Greek death/black metal veterans ROTTING CHRIST (1997's "A Dead Poem" and 1999's "Sleep Of The Angel") as well as the first two LPs from Germany's MY INSANITY.
A short video clip of Xy in the studio with DEAD SHAPE FIGURE can be seen below.
DEAD SHAPE FIGURE's mini-CD, "Dev!lle Ride", was released via Dynamic Arts Records.
The track listing for the effort is as follows:
01. Strangle The Hero
02. And They Adore The Replacement
03. Leave Your Buildings
04. Dead Again
Guitarist Kride Lahti left DEAD SHAPE FIGURE last year "due to personal reasons and lack of motivation." He has since been replaced by Silver Ots (THE NIBIRUAN, ex-AMORAL).
DEAD SHAPE FIGURE's second full-length album, "The Disease Of St. Vitus", was released in October 2010 via Dynamic Arts Records. The CD was mastered at Virtalähde Analog Audio Studios in Helsinki, Finland.
The band's debut album, "The Grand Karoshi", came out in 2008 via Season Of Mist. The CD's lyrical content was translated by Kallio into Finnish as a book of poetry, entitled "Loppusäkeet".
Swedish tech metal supergroup NONEXIST, featuring former ARCH ENEMY and current HEARSE vocalist Johan Liiva and ANDROMEDA/SKYFIRE guitarist Johan Reinholdz, has inked a deal with Pivotal Rockordings. The band's new full-length album, entitled "From My Cold Dead Hands", is currently being recorded at Multipass Studios and will feature nine blistering new tracks, to be released later this year through all major digital retailers. "From My Cold Dead Hands" will also be accompanied by cover songs that Pivotal Rockordings will release for free on YouTube. More information on the exact cover songs will be revealed shortly.
Commented Reinholdz: "I'm really excited about unleashing the second assault of NONEXIST! Even though 'Deus Deceptor' came out ten years ago, NONEXIST never died. It has always been alive in my heart and I've written songs for it every now and then. Because I love it, I love this kind of music which I grew up with. A couple of years ago, the NONEXIST songwriting became more frequent and I came up with the title — 'From My Cold Dead Hands' — and I started to focus on getting the album done. I also began dabbling with cover songs, something I've never really done before but it's great fun! Some of these song choices might surprise you — but they're all done NONEXIST style! I then asked Johan Liiva if he wanted to join NONEXIST again was pleased when he said yes. He is one the great singers in extreme metal and I'm proud to work with him again!"
Added Liiva: "It's been like 10 years now since the debut came out. I actually had this 'fantasy' ever since to make a sequel. For various reasons (like for example 'life,' haha) it took us all this time to finally get there. Thankfully, Johan and I stayed in touch every now and then… and now *kazaam!* — the time has come! Filled to the brim with new and fresh ideas — as well as retro ones, for sure! Let's hope you people out there who digged and asked for another one appreciates this new one. Hailz and salutes — it's time… metal to the very bone!"
NONEXIST's debut full-length record, "Deus Deceptor", was released in 2002 via Century Media/New Hawen Records and the lineup at the time included Liiva, Reinholdz and DEFLESHED/DARK FUNERAL drummer Matte Modin. The CD was produced by Tommy Tägtgren and Reinholdz at Abyss Studios and featured a musical direction described as a cross between early ARCH ENEMY and CARCASS (circa "Heartwork")
Commented Reinholdz: "I'm really excited about unleashing the second assault of NONEXIST! Even though 'Deus Deceptor' came out ten years ago, NONEXIST never died. It has always been alive in my heart and I've written songs for it every now and then. Because I love it, I love this kind of music which I grew up with. A couple of years ago, the NONEXIST songwriting became more frequent and I came up with the title — 'From My Cold Dead Hands' — and I started to focus on getting the album done. I also began dabbling with cover songs, something I've never really done before but it's great fun! Some of these song choices might surprise you — but they're all done NONEXIST style! I then asked Johan Liiva if he wanted to join NONEXIST again was pleased when he said yes. He is one the great singers in extreme metal and I'm proud to work with him again!"
Added Liiva: "It's been like 10 years now since the debut came out. I actually had this 'fantasy' ever since to make a sequel. For various reasons (like for example 'life,' haha) it took us all this time to finally get there. Thankfully, Johan and I stayed in touch every now and then… and now *kazaam!* — the time has come! Filled to the brim with new and fresh ideas — as well as retro ones, for sure! Let's hope you people out there who digged and asked for another one appreciates this new one. Hailz and salutes — it's time… metal to the very bone!"
NONEXIST's debut full-length record, "Deus Deceptor", was released in 2002 via Century Media/New Hawen Records and the lineup at the time included Liiva, Reinholdz and DEFLESHED/DARK FUNERAL drummer Matte Modin. The CD was produced by Tommy Tägtgren and Reinholdz at Abyss Studios and featured a musical direction described as a cross between early ARCH ENEMY and CARCASS (circa "Heartwork")
ShredderNet.com recently conducted an interview with former EMPEROR frontman Ihsahn (real name: Vegard Sverre Tveitan). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
ShredderNet.com: I wanted to start by talking about the concept of the [new Ihsahn] album ["Eremita"]. I know you've named it with the Latin word for "hermit" and you have Friedrich Nietzsche on the cover there. Can you describe that in a little bit more detail?
Ihsahn: The actual concept of the album is not as directly linked to the hermit and Nietzsche as it might seem. Even though it is definitely a protagonist here who escapes far away from civilization but the atmospheric scenery for this is almost like an old crime/horror type of movie. You know, there's this shovel digging in the back yard and there are images in my head of a certain atmosphere and scenario. The concept in itself is not that chronological apart from small hints like the opening track being "Arrival" and the closing track being "Departure". So, for the most part, it's just a framework of an atmosphere that I create before actually starting to write any music to kind plant the creative energy and focus in on it in a sense. The title "hermit" reflects this solitary person and the album on different levels. Obviously, Nietzsche being such a huge influence for me, he writes about my favorite hermit Zarathustra and in many ways I kind of have a hermit-like approach to the way I do my music so I found it very suiting.
ShredderNet.com: Yes, I've heard that you tend to stay in the studio by yourself a lot of the time to channel the creative energy. At what point do you get in touch with the other musicians and how do you get them involved after that?
Ihsahn: Well, this time it was really easy since I chose to use Tobias Anderson who has been in my live band since the first show I did and he's a very talented young drummer. He has more of a jazz and rock background, not quite your typical huge drum kit type of drummer. I really wanted his energetic, dynamic style for this album and he did I fantastic job, I think. He actually recorded the whole album to a click track and all the riffs played back by piano sound so he had nothing to lean on except his own imagination and my direction. That kind of gave it a very dynamic and expressive foundation for the recording. Jorgen Munkby on saxophone was definitely easy to think intro the equation since the collaboration worked so well on my last album. Since then he has also become a very good friend and he's a fantastic musician with a very distinct style. It was a pleasure having him on this record as well. Of course, there are other "lost spices" as well like some guest vocalists and soloists: Einar Solberg from LEPROUS, opening my backing band, and Heidi, my wife, who I finally got to sing on the album. Then, of course, Devin Townsend sings on a track and Jeff Loomis contributes a solo.
ShredderNet.com: When people talk about your music, at least here in the states, they start with how far the songwriting and the musical direction has come since your work in EMPEROR. Are there any approaches that you've retained from those early days that help you now?
Ihsahn: I think what I try to retain is a very uncompromising attitude. Basically, I try to be as honest and authentic in my work as I possibly can. I guess that's what you could almost call a black metal attitude, one where I do whatever the hell I want. [laughs] But apart from that, I come from that background and I think it shows even more so with my new album. I must admit that when I started my solo career, I think I needed to create that very much for myself a distance between me and my days in EMPEROR because it's kind of hard to be your own kid brother in a sense. EMPEROR obviously has a phenomenon and life of its own regardless of who actually played in the band. So, I think I needed to distance myself from that but now that I've done as many albums as a solo artist as I ever did with EMPEROR, I'm quite pleased with where I'm at musically. Because I've gained more confidence in what I'm doing and I don't feel like I need to distance myself from it very much anymore, for this last album I've brought in even more of that black metal history and expression. That is kind of a natural part of me but personally I feel some songs, like "The Grief", for example, is some of the "blackest" stuff I've ever done.
ShredderNet.com: So, "After" was supposed to be the completion of a trilogy. In what way where the first three albums cohesive and how does "Eremita" stand alone musically or lyrically?
Ihsahn: The reason I wanted to make a trilogy in the first place was to give myself a time frame of doing three albums to kind of reinvent myself on a personal level and not having the pressure of having to prove myself post-EMPEROR on one album. I wanted to kind of start back at my roots in a sense which is why when I did the first album there were no guitar overdubs, everything was beta home recording on tape, a straight-forward five-piece metal band and it was very heavy metal influenced, building on my old metal influences from old MAIDEN, PRIEST, KING DIAMOND and stuff like that. From there I tried to keep centering and from there tried to push the envelope a bit further on the third album. Concept-wise, the first two albums are very deliberate on being direct. It's called "The Adversary", the first album, and that's how I see this genre of music. It's an adversary and not submissive to what is commonly accepted. So, I was very much in war mode on the first two albums. "After", the third album, was the conclusion which is why the concept of that one is post-apocalyptic and there is no sign of life; it's after the conflict and almost a recollection of everything. In that sense, it was more meditative. Having done that, I know felt very free to choose the scenario for this album. I went into the whole writing process with more confidence and experience. I had quite a few methods of how I approached the work. To a big degree, this entailed trying to trick my mind to stop being analytical and go straight to the creative part of things, which is kind of hard when you're putting on all the hats, being producer and engineer, playing guitar while thinking about the mic positioning. It's a different way of working which is why I think it's so important for me to have this kind of framework before I start writing material because my only support system to get feedback is my wife Heidi, who is essential to the whole process. When I come up with all these abstract ideas of what kind of album I want to make, she helps me put together the framework and is a very good sparring partner for me. She can tell when I lose faith in it, if I go overboard with stuff and whether it's good or if it sucks. It's a whole different way of working but I much prefer it to the old-fashioned, in-a-room-with-a-band kind of thing.
ShredderNet.com: I wanted to start by talking about the concept of the [new Ihsahn] album ["Eremita"]. I know you've named it with the Latin word for "hermit" and you have Friedrich Nietzsche on the cover there. Can you describe that in a little bit more detail?
Ihsahn: The actual concept of the album is not as directly linked to the hermit and Nietzsche as it might seem. Even though it is definitely a protagonist here who escapes far away from civilization but the atmospheric scenery for this is almost like an old crime/horror type of movie. You know, there's this shovel digging in the back yard and there are images in my head of a certain atmosphere and scenario. The concept in itself is not that chronological apart from small hints like the opening track being "Arrival" and the closing track being "Departure". So, for the most part, it's just a framework of an atmosphere that I create before actually starting to write any music to kind plant the creative energy and focus in on it in a sense. The title "hermit" reflects this solitary person and the album on different levels. Obviously, Nietzsche being such a huge influence for me, he writes about my favorite hermit Zarathustra and in many ways I kind of have a hermit-like approach to the way I do my music so I found it very suiting.
ShredderNet.com: Yes, I've heard that you tend to stay in the studio by yourself a lot of the time to channel the creative energy. At what point do you get in touch with the other musicians and how do you get them involved after that?
Ihsahn: Well, this time it was really easy since I chose to use Tobias Anderson who has been in my live band since the first show I did and he's a very talented young drummer. He has more of a jazz and rock background, not quite your typical huge drum kit type of drummer. I really wanted his energetic, dynamic style for this album and he did I fantastic job, I think. He actually recorded the whole album to a click track and all the riffs played back by piano sound so he had nothing to lean on except his own imagination and my direction. That kind of gave it a very dynamic and expressive foundation for the recording. Jorgen Munkby on saxophone was definitely easy to think intro the equation since the collaboration worked so well on my last album. Since then he has also become a very good friend and he's a fantastic musician with a very distinct style. It was a pleasure having him on this record as well. Of course, there are other "lost spices" as well like some guest vocalists and soloists: Einar Solberg from LEPROUS, opening my backing band, and Heidi, my wife, who I finally got to sing on the album. Then, of course, Devin Townsend sings on a track and Jeff Loomis contributes a solo.
ShredderNet.com: When people talk about your music, at least here in the states, they start with how far the songwriting and the musical direction has come since your work in EMPEROR. Are there any approaches that you've retained from those early days that help you now?
Ihsahn: I think what I try to retain is a very uncompromising attitude. Basically, I try to be as honest and authentic in my work as I possibly can. I guess that's what you could almost call a black metal attitude, one where I do whatever the hell I want. [laughs] But apart from that, I come from that background and I think it shows even more so with my new album. I must admit that when I started my solo career, I think I needed to create that very much for myself a distance between me and my days in EMPEROR because it's kind of hard to be your own kid brother in a sense. EMPEROR obviously has a phenomenon and life of its own regardless of who actually played in the band. So, I think I needed to distance myself from that but now that I've done as many albums as a solo artist as I ever did with EMPEROR, I'm quite pleased with where I'm at musically. Because I've gained more confidence in what I'm doing and I don't feel like I need to distance myself from it very much anymore, for this last album I've brought in even more of that black metal history and expression. That is kind of a natural part of me but personally I feel some songs, like "The Grief", for example, is some of the "blackest" stuff I've ever done.
ShredderNet.com: So, "After" was supposed to be the completion of a trilogy. In what way where the first three albums cohesive and how does "Eremita" stand alone musically or lyrically?
Ihsahn: The reason I wanted to make a trilogy in the first place was to give myself a time frame of doing three albums to kind of reinvent myself on a personal level and not having the pressure of having to prove myself post-EMPEROR on one album. I wanted to kind of start back at my roots in a sense which is why when I did the first album there were no guitar overdubs, everything was beta home recording on tape, a straight-forward five-piece metal band and it was very heavy metal influenced, building on my old metal influences from old MAIDEN, PRIEST, KING DIAMOND and stuff like that. From there I tried to keep centering and from there tried to push the envelope a bit further on the third album. Concept-wise, the first two albums are very deliberate on being direct. It's called "The Adversary", the first album, and that's how I see this genre of music. It's an adversary and not submissive to what is commonly accepted. So, I was very much in war mode on the first two albums. "After", the third album, was the conclusion which is why the concept of that one is post-apocalyptic and there is no sign of life; it's after the conflict and almost a recollection of everything. In that sense, it was more meditative. Having done that, I know felt very free to choose the scenario for this album. I went into the whole writing process with more confidence and experience. I had quite a few methods of how I approached the work. To a big degree, this entailed trying to trick my mind to stop being analytical and go straight to the creative part of things, which is kind of hard when you're putting on all the hats, being producer and engineer, playing guitar while thinking about the mic positioning. It's a different way of working which is why I think it's so important for me to have this kind of framework before I start writing material because my only support system to get feedback is my wife Heidi, who is essential to the whole process. When I come up with all these abstract ideas of what kind of album I want to make, she helps me put together the framework and is a very good sparring partner for me. She can tell when I lose faith in it, if I go overboard with stuff and whether it's good or if it sucks. It's a whole different way of working but I much prefer it to the old-fashioned, in-a-room-with-a-band kind of thing.
Nearly 20 years after its original arrival, MORTIIS' "Ånden som Gjorde Opprør" will receive a limited-edition vinyl re-release this summer via the Italian label Ordo MCM.
The effort, recorded in 1994, is from what is now known as "Era1" in MORTIIS' evolution, when the singly-named solo artist focused on creating epic synth tracks that evoked images of desolate landscapes and eerie atmospheres. MORTIIS' music was a huge departure from the black metal scene he was largely involved in during his mid-teens, yet it retained a dark ambience that still appealed to the black metal elite, as well as fans of more experimental music and the gothic crowd.
Taking a cue from experimental/progressive acts like TANGERINE DREAM, MORTIIS threw typical song structure to the wayside in favor of synth-laden soundscapes, of a length and grandeur that would limit "Ånden som Gjorde Opprør" to just two songs, "En mork Horisont" and "Visjoner av en Eldgammel Fremtid".
"TANGERINE DREAM pretty much single-handedly got me into making music on synths," Mortiis said. "I was into stuff like COIL, KRAFTWERK, SLEEP CHAMBER, and THROBBING GRISTLE as well, but TANGERINE DREAM was the big thing for me."
The re-release of "Ånden som Gjorde Opprør" will be limited to 500 copies, with 250 available in standard black and 250 in special swirl-colored vinyl.
The effort, recorded in 1994, is from what is now known as "Era1" in MORTIIS' evolution, when the singly-named solo artist focused on creating epic synth tracks that evoked images of desolate landscapes and eerie atmospheres. MORTIIS' music was a huge departure from the black metal scene he was largely involved in during his mid-teens, yet it retained a dark ambience that still appealed to the black metal elite, as well as fans of more experimental music and the gothic crowd.
Taking a cue from experimental/progressive acts like TANGERINE DREAM, MORTIIS threw typical song structure to the wayside in favor of synth-laden soundscapes, of a length and grandeur that would limit "Ånden som Gjorde Opprør" to just two songs, "En mork Horisont" and "Visjoner av en Eldgammel Fremtid".
"TANGERINE DREAM pretty much single-handedly got me into making music on synths," Mortiis said. "I was into stuff like COIL, KRAFTWERK, SLEEP CHAMBER, and THROBBING GRISTLE as well, but TANGERINE DREAM was the big thing for me."
The re-release of "Ånden som Gjorde Opprør" will be limited to 500 copies, with 250 available in standard black and 250 in special swirl-colored vinyl.
Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of German progressive death metallers OVER YOUR THRESHOLD. The band's full-length debut, "Facticity", will be released on August 28 (one day earlier internationally).
Hailing from Munich, OVER YOUR THRESHOLD began playing live in 2007. After numerous gigs with renowned death metal acts like OBSCURA, DEADBORN and HOKUM, the band made a name for itself in the local metal scene. The band's first record, "Progress In Disbelief" (EP), was independently released in 2008.
Over the years, OVER YOUR THRESHOLD's brand of death metal evolved and currently includes a bit of thrash and some fusion components.
In 2011, OVER YOUR THRESHOLD entered Woodshed Studio in Landshut, Germany to record its first full-length album, entitled "Facticity". The sound of "Facticity" is not only more blasting but also more technical, interspersed with energetic death metal riffing as well as melodic acoustic guitars. It's enriched by brute-force blast beats, thrash metal, jazzy harmonics and the distinct tones of smooth, fretless bass. Furthermore, the band recruited guest musicians Steffen Kummerer (OBSCURA, THULCANDRA) and Jonas Fischer (HOKUM, ex-OBSCURA) to jazz up the effort, which was mixed and mastered by V. Santura (TRIPTYKON, DARK FORTRESS).
Commented OVER YOUR THRESHOLD: "Metal Blade Records ranges among the highest renowned labels for extreme metal music and we are very glad about the possibility to release our upcoming debut album, 'Facticity', via such a strong partner. We are looking forward to work with Metal Blade and the future development!"
OVER YOUR THRESHOLD is:
Ludwig Walter - Vocals
Lukas Spielberger - Guitar
Kilian Lau - Guitar
Christian Siegmund - Bass
Julian Matejka - Drums
Hailing from Munich, OVER YOUR THRESHOLD began playing live in 2007. After numerous gigs with renowned death metal acts like OBSCURA, DEADBORN and HOKUM, the band made a name for itself in the local metal scene. The band's first record, "Progress In Disbelief" (EP), was independently released in 2008.
Over the years, OVER YOUR THRESHOLD's brand of death metal evolved and currently includes a bit of thrash and some fusion components.
In 2011, OVER YOUR THRESHOLD entered Woodshed Studio in Landshut, Germany to record its first full-length album, entitled "Facticity". The sound of "Facticity" is not only more blasting but also more technical, interspersed with energetic death metal riffing as well as melodic acoustic guitars. It's enriched by brute-force blast beats, thrash metal, jazzy harmonics and the distinct tones of smooth, fretless bass. Furthermore, the band recruited guest musicians Steffen Kummerer (OBSCURA, THULCANDRA) and Jonas Fischer (HOKUM, ex-OBSCURA) to jazz up the effort, which was mixed and mastered by V. Santura (TRIPTYKON, DARK FORTRESS).
Commented OVER YOUR THRESHOLD: "Metal Blade Records ranges among the highest renowned labels for extreme metal music and we are very glad about the possibility to release our upcoming debut album, 'Facticity', via such a strong partner. We are looking forward to work with Metal Blade and the future development!"
OVER YOUR THRESHOLD is:
Ludwig Walter - Vocals
Lukas Spielberger - Guitar
Kilian Lau - Guitar
Christian Siegmund - Bass
Julian Matejka - Drums
__._,_.___
.
__,_._,___
0 comments:
Post a Comment