The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has announced the selection of the seven individuals who will receive the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors. Recipients to be honored at the 35th annual national celebration of the arts are: bluesman Buddy Guy, actor and director Dustin Hoffman, comedian and television host David Letterman, ballerina Natalia Makarova and rock band LED ZEPPELIN.
While LED ZEPPELIN is being honored as a band, keyboardist/bassist John Paul Jones, guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant will each receive the Kennedy Center Honors.
"With their extraordinary talent, creativity and tenacity, the seven 2012 Kennedy Center honorees have contributed significantly to the cultural life of our nation and the world," said Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein. "Buddy Guy is a titan of the blues and has been a tremendous influence on virtually everyone who has picked up an electric guitar in the last half century; Dustin Hoffman's unyielding commitment to the wide variety of roles he plays has made him one of the most versatile and iconoclastic actors of this or any other generation; David Letterman is one of the most influential personalities in the history of television, entertaining an entire generation of late-night viewers with his unconventional wit and charm; Natalia Makarova's profound artistry has ignited the stages of the world's greatest ballet companies and continues to pass the torch to the next generation of dancers; and LED ZEPPELIN's John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant transformed the sound of rock and roll with their lyricism and innovative song structures, infusing blues into the sound of rock and roll and laying the foundation for countless rock bands."
The Honors Gala will be recorded on December 2 for broadcast on the CBS network for the 35th consecutive year as a two-hour primetime special on Wednesday, December 26 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT).
While LED ZEPPELIN is being honored as a band, keyboardist/bassist John Paul Jones, guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant will each receive the Kennedy Center Honors.
"With their extraordinary talent, creativity and tenacity, the seven 2012 Kennedy Center honorees have contributed significantly to the cultural life of our nation and the world," said Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein. "Buddy Guy is a titan of the blues and has been a tremendous influence on virtually everyone who has picked up an electric guitar in the last half century; Dustin Hoffman's unyielding commitment to the wide variety of roles he plays has made him one of the most versatile and iconoclastic actors of this or any other generation; David Letterman is one of the most influential personalities in the history of television, entertaining an entire generation of late-night viewers with his unconventional wit and charm; Natalia Makarova's profound artistry has ignited the stages of the world's greatest ballet companies and continues to pass the torch to the next generation of dancers; and LED ZEPPELIN's John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant transformed the sound of rock and roll with their lyricism and innovative song structures, infusing blues into the sound of rock and roll and laying the foundation for countless rock bands."
The Honors Gala will be recorded on December 2 for broadcast on the CBS network for the 35th consecutive year as a two-hour primetime special on Wednesday, December 26 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT).
The heavily rumored LED ZEPPELIN live CD/DVD from 2007 is apparently not only coming to DVD, but also movie theaters.
The band has been counting down to an official announcement, which is expected on Thursday, regarding the release of the set.
London's The Sun — which is hardly the most reputable resource for rock release schedules — posted that the concert, which was captured during ZEPPELIN's reunion show on December 10, 2007 at London's O2 Arena, will be released on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc on November 22.
Cineplex has revealed its plans to premiere the new package, "Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day", in its theaters on October 17.
Here's the Cineplex description:
"On December 10, 2007, LED ZEPPELIN took the stage at London's O2 Arena to headline a tribute concert for dear friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. What followed was a two-hour-plus tour de force of the band's signature blues-infused rock 'n' roll that instantly became part of the legend of LED ZEPPELIN.
"Founding members John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were joined by Jason Bonham, the son of their late drummer John Bonham, to perform 16 songs from their celebrated catalogue including landmark tracks 'Whole Lotta Love', 'Rock And Roll', 'Kashmir' and 'Stairway To Heaven'.
"Although 20 million people applied for tickets, the band's first headline show in 27 years was seen only by the 18,000 ticket holders who were fortunate enough to have secured seats through the worldwide lottery.
"Now, for the first time, fans in over 40 territories worldwide will be able to get a front row seat to experience this historic event in glorious high definition and incredible surround sound. Experience it on the big screen for a strictly limited period only."
Cineplex lists three dates for the screening on its web site: October 17, 19 and 25.
Yesterday (September 11), LED ZEPPELIN posted the audio introduction from "Good Times, Bad Times" in a YouTube post on its official LED ZEPPELIN Facebook page. The tune served as the opening number for the 2007 one-off reunion.
Jason Bonham, who has officially drummed with LED ZEPPELIN several times, beginning with the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary concert in 1988, told The Pulse Of Radio at the time that he never assumed that the job of taking over for his father was automatically his. "I had to work at it, really prove that I could do it, and not just say, 'Hey, I'm John Bonham's son, I should be doing it,'" he said. "You've got to earn this, 'cause there's a million drummers out there that would love to cut your throat right now and take over.'"
LED ZEPPELIN's set list on December 10, 2007 at London's O2 Arena:
01. Good Times, Bad Times
02. Ramble On
03. Black Dog
04. In My Time Of Dying
05. For Your Life (live debut)
06. Trampled Underfoot
07. Nobody's Fault But Mine
08. No Quarter
09. Since I've Been Lovin' You
10. Dazed And Confused
11. Stairway To Heaven
12. The Song Remains the Same
13. Misty Mountain Hop
14. Kashmir
Encores:
15. Whole Lotta Love
16. Rock And Roll
The band has been counting down to an official announcement, which is expected on Thursday, regarding the release of the set.
London's The Sun — which is hardly the most reputable resource for rock release schedules — posted that the concert, which was captured during ZEPPELIN's reunion show on December 10, 2007 at London's O2 Arena, will be released on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc on November 22.
Cineplex has revealed its plans to premiere the new package, "Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day", in its theaters on October 17.
Here's the Cineplex description:
"On December 10, 2007, LED ZEPPELIN took the stage at London's O2 Arena to headline a tribute concert for dear friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. What followed was a two-hour-plus tour de force of the band's signature blues-infused rock 'n' roll that instantly became part of the legend of LED ZEPPELIN.
"Founding members John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were joined by Jason Bonham, the son of their late drummer John Bonham, to perform 16 songs from their celebrated catalogue including landmark tracks 'Whole Lotta Love', 'Rock And Roll', 'Kashmir' and 'Stairway To Heaven'.
"Although 20 million people applied for tickets, the band's first headline show in 27 years was seen only by the 18,000 ticket holders who were fortunate enough to have secured seats through the worldwide lottery.
"Now, for the first time, fans in over 40 territories worldwide will be able to get a front row seat to experience this historic event in glorious high definition and incredible surround sound. Experience it on the big screen for a strictly limited period only."
Cineplex lists three dates for the screening on its web site: October 17, 19 and 25.
Yesterday (September 11), LED ZEPPELIN posted the audio introduction from "Good Times, Bad Times" in a YouTube post on its official LED ZEPPELIN Facebook page. The tune served as the opening number for the 2007 one-off reunion.
Jason Bonham, who has officially drummed with LED ZEPPELIN several times, beginning with the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary concert in 1988, told The Pulse Of Radio at the time that he never assumed that the job of taking over for his father was automatically his. "I had to work at it, really prove that I could do it, and not just say, 'Hey, I'm John Bonham's son, I should be doing it,'" he said. "You've got to earn this, 'cause there's a million drummers out there that would love to cut your throat right now and take over.'"
LED ZEPPELIN's set list on December 10, 2007 at London's O2 Arena:
01. Good Times, Bad Times
02. Ramble On
03. Black Dog
04. In My Time Of Dying
05. For Your Life (live debut)
06. Trampled Underfoot
07. Nobody's Fault But Mine
08. No Quarter
09. Since I've Been Lovin' You
10. Dazed And Confused
11. Stairway To Heaven
12. The Song Remains the Same
13. Misty Mountain Hop
14. Kashmir
Encores:
15. Whole Lotta Love
16. Rock And Roll
JUDAS PRIEST's "Screaming For Vengeance - Special 30th Anniversary Edition" sold 3,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 98 on The Billboard 200 chart.
A vital part of rock history, British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have spent four decades writing classic songs and putting on spectacular live shows. During this period, the band has sold in excess of 30 million albums, and played to countless millions of fans across the globe. In 1982, they released their eighth studio album, "Screaming For Vengeance", containing their hugely successful "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", the single which proved that metal could get mainstream radio airplay in the U.S. — leading the way for a whole generation of new metal bands.
To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of this epic release, JUDAS PRIEST present you with "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition", containing not only the remastered original album plus bonus tracks, but also a live DVD from the 1983 US Festival show, filmed in San Bernadino, California on May 29, 1983.
The US Festival was intended to be a celebration of evolving technologies; a marriage of music, computers, television and people — organized by Steve Wozniak, formerly of Apple.
The "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" live DVD was filmed at the second, and what turned out to be last, US Festival in 1983. The Sunday was the Heavy Metal Day. "It was the day new wave died and rock 'n' roll took over." It set the single-day concert attendance record for the U.S. with an estimated 375,000 people.
JUDAS PRIEST had this to say about this memorable day in metal history: "On the day that we performed, we flew in by helicopter — and the first sight we saw was that of thousands of abandoned cars piled up around the crests of the hills that surrounded the festival arena, which as we went over took our breath away. For there below us, spread throughout hundreds of acres was a massive crowd — over three hundred thousand strong! The summer heat was raging and combined with the hot Santa Ana winds made for a scorching metal furnace on stage."
CD track listing:
01. The Hellion
02. Electric Eye
03. Riding On The Wind
04. Bloodstone
05. (Take These) Chains
06. Pain And Pleasure
07. Screaming For Vengeance
08. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
09. Fever
10. Devil's Child
Bonus tracks:
11. Electric Eye (live) *
12. Riding On The Wind (live) *
13. You've Got Another Thing Comin' (live) *
14. Screaming For Vengeance (live) *
15. Devil's Child (live)
16. Prisoner Of Your Eyes
* Live from the San Antonio Civic Center - September 10, 1982
DVD track listing:
US Festival Show - San Bernadino, California - May 29, 1983
01. Electric Eye
02. Riding On The Wind
03. Heading Out To The Highway
04. Metal Gods
05. Breaking The Law
06. Diamonds And Rust
07. Victim Of Changes
08. Living After Midnight
09. The Green Manalishi (with the two-pronged crown)
10. Screaming For Vengeance
11. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
12. Hell Bent For Leather
* Plus booklet featuring photos from Mark Weiss and sleeve notes written by Eddie Trunk (long-standing and well-respected U.S. rock journo, author, radio and TV presenter)
"Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" was released on September 4 (one day earlier internationally) via Sony Music.
A vital part of rock history, British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have spent four decades writing classic songs and putting on spectacular live shows. During this period, the band has sold in excess of 30 million albums, and played to countless millions of fans across the globe. In 1982, they released their eighth studio album, "Screaming For Vengeance", containing their hugely successful "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", the single which proved that metal could get mainstream radio airplay in the U.S. — leading the way for a whole generation of new metal bands.
To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of this epic release, JUDAS PRIEST present you with "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition", containing not only the remastered original album plus bonus tracks, but also a live DVD from the 1983 US Festival show, filmed in San Bernadino, California on May 29, 1983.
The US Festival was intended to be a celebration of evolving technologies; a marriage of music, computers, television and people — organized by Steve Wozniak, formerly of Apple.
The "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" live DVD was filmed at the second, and what turned out to be last, US Festival in 1983. The Sunday was the Heavy Metal Day. "It was the day new wave died and rock 'n' roll took over." It set the single-day concert attendance record for the U.S. with an estimated 375,000 people.
JUDAS PRIEST had this to say about this memorable day in metal history: "On the day that we performed, we flew in by helicopter — and the first sight we saw was that of thousands of abandoned cars piled up around the crests of the hills that surrounded the festival arena, which as we went over took our breath away. For there below us, spread throughout hundreds of acres was a massive crowd — over three hundred thousand strong! The summer heat was raging and combined with the hot Santa Ana winds made for a scorching metal furnace on stage."
CD track listing:
01. The Hellion
02. Electric Eye
03. Riding On The Wind
04. Bloodstone
05. (Take These) Chains
06. Pain And Pleasure
07. Screaming For Vengeance
08. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
09. Fever
10. Devil's Child
Bonus tracks:
11. Electric Eye (live) *
12. Riding On The Wind (live) *
13. You've Got Another Thing Comin' (live) *
14. Screaming For Vengeance (live) *
15. Devil's Child (live)
16. Prisoner Of Your Eyes
* Live from the San Antonio Civic Center - September 10, 1982
DVD track listing:
US Festival Show - San Bernadino, California - May 29, 1983
01. Electric Eye
02. Riding On The Wind
03. Heading Out To The Highway
04. Metal Gods
05. Breaking The Law
06. Diamonds And Rust
07. Victim Of Changes
08. Living After Midnight
09. The Green Manalishi (with the two-pronged crown)
10. Screaming For Vengeance
11. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
12. Hell Bent For Leather
* Plus booklet featuring photos from Mark Weiss and sleeve notes written by Eddie Trunk (long-standing and well-respected U.S. rock journo, author, radio and TV presenter)
"Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" was released on September 4 (one day earlier internationally) via Sony Music.
METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett will take part in a signing session at this fall's edition of the Chiller Theatre toy, model and film expo in Parsippany, New Jersey. The three-day event will take place October 26-28 at Sheraton Parsippany. Kirk will appear on Saturday, October 27 (exact time to be announced).
For more information, go to this location.
Hammett's book titled "Too Much Horror Business - The Kirk Hammett Collection", is due in October via Abrams Images. The book documents Kirk's love of all things horror and the legendary collection of horror memorabilia he has amassed over the years.
"Too Much Horror Business" is a stunning 228-page, hardback, large-format coffee-table book featuring well over 300 full-color images from Kirk's private collection and exclusive set photography by Mark Leialoha and Joe Gibbs. There are three extensive conversations with writer Steffan Chirazi covering the importance of collecting in Hammett's life from childhood, plus written captions by Kirk for many of the items displayed in the book.
For more information, go to this location.
Hammett's book titled "Too Much Horror Business - The Kirk Hammett Collection", is due in October via Abrams Images. The book documents Kirk's love of all things horror and the legendary collection of horror memorabilia he has amassed over the years.
"Too Much Horror Business" is a stunning 228-page, hardback, large-format coffee-table book featuring well over 300 full-color images from Kirk's private collection and exclusive set photography by Mark Leialoha and Joe Gibbs. There are three extensive conversations with writer Steffan Chirazi covering the importance of collecting in Hammett's life from childhood, plus written captions by Kirk for many of the items displayed in the book.
On August 25, legendary guitarist Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) ripped the roof off the Sydney Entertainment Centre in Sydney, Australia, and Moshcam was there to film every second of it.
The Sydney show, filmed exclusively by Moshcam, will premiere online this Friday, September 14 at 10 a.m. AEST, free and in HD.
For more information, go to this location.
Slash's second solo album, "Apocalyptic Love", came out in May and was recently certified gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales in excess of 35,000 copies.
"[The album has] been really well received and I was really pleased with the record in the first place; it's great," Slash said. "You never know what exactly is going to happen and I never have any what you'd call expectations, but once it's out there and people sort of dig it for the right reasons, it's always a good feeling."
Slash recently revealed that he and singer Myles Kennedy have already begun working on music for the guitarist's next album, to be recorded sometime next year.
"We are working on material, gathering ideas for another [record] at this point," Slash told Rapid City Journal. "We are sort of like in those early stages where I'm just recording different guitar ideas and I turn Myles on to it. He's thinking about his stuff and what he's going to do with it and so on."
The Sydney show, filmed exclusively by Moshcam, will premiere online this Friday, September 14 at 10 a.m. AEST, free and in HD.
For more information, go to this location.
Slash's second solo album, "Apocalyptic Love", came out in May and was recently certified gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales in excess of 35,000 copies.
"[The album has] been really well received and I was really pleased with the record in the first place; it's great," Slash said. "You never know what exactly is going to happen and I never have any what you'd call expectations, but once it's out there and people sort of dig it for the right reasons, it's always a good feeling."
Slash recently revealed that he and singer Myles Kennedy have already begun working on music for the guitarist's next album, to be recorded sometime next year.
"We are working on material, gathering ideas for another [record] at this point," Slash told Rapid City Journal. "We are sort of like in those early stages where I'm just recording different guitar ideas and I turn Myles on to it. He's thinking about his stuff and what he's going to do with it and so on."
According to The Pulse Of Radio, a new SOUNDGARDEN song called "Been Away Too Long" will be shipped to rock radio stations next Wednesday (September 19). The track will be the first official single from "King Animal", the Seattle grunge legends' first all-new album in 16 years. In related news, Hits Daily Double has reported that the band is signing a new worldwide record deal with Universal Music Group, with "King Animal" tentatively coming out through the Universal Republic label on November 13.
SOUNDGARDEN drummer Matt Cameron told The Pulse Of Radio that the band's 2010 reunion after 13 years apart never felt contrived. "You know, it never really felt forced or anything to try to make a big comeback and, you know, make a reunion happen, 'cause it can certainly backfire," he said. "I think we wanted to just approach it very methodically, and I think we've been doing so."
The band recently launched a web site and teaser video for "King Animal", which included an excerpt from a track called "Worse Dreams".
The only new SOUNDGARDEN song to be heard in its entirety so far is "Live To Rise", which was the lead single from the soundtrack album of the blockbuster superhero film "The Avengers" this past summer.
SOUNDGARDEN's last full-length album was 1996's "Down On The Upside". The quartet disbanded the following year. Singer Chris Cornell embarked on a solo career and also joined AUDIOSLAVE, while Cameron became a member of PEARL JAM in 1998.
SOUNDGARDEN has yet to announce live plans for the rest of 2012 and beyond.
SOUNDGARDEN drummer Matt Cameron told The Pulse Of Radio that the band's 2010 reunion after 13 years apart never felt contrived. "You know, it never really felt forced or anything to try to make a big comeback and, you know, make a reunion happen, 'cause it can certainly backfire," he said. "I think we wanted to just approach it very methodically, and I think we've been doing so."
The band recently launched a web site and teaser video for "King Animal", which included an excerpt from a track called "Worse Dreams".
The only new SOUNDGARDEN song to be heard in its entirety so far is "Live To Rise", which was the lead single from the soundtrack album of the blockbuster superhero film "The Avengers" this past summer.
SOUNDGARDEN's last full-length album was 1996's "Down On The Upside". The quartet disbanded the following year. Singer Chris Cornell embarked on a solo career and also joined AUDIOSLAVE, while Cameron became a member of PEARL JAM in 1998.
SOUNDGARDEN has yet to announce live plans for the rest of 2012 and beyond.
According to The Pulse Of Radio, Rob Zombie's new movie, "The Lords Of Salem", had its world premiere on Monday night (September 10) at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Zombie's fifth live-action feature was screened for critics, the public and potential distributors. The Playlist called it Zombie's "most accomplished," "most ambitious" and "most unnerving" film, although Bloody Disgusting labeled the low-budget movie a disappointment, saying Zombie's script was "littered with problems" and questioning his decision to cast his wife Sheri Moon Zombie as the lead.
The plot of the film deals with a curse placed 300 years ago on the residents of Salem by a coven of witches who were put to death, and how that curse returns to terrorize the city's modern-day inhabitants.
Zombie told The Pulse Of Radio that just like on his other films, the script for "The Lords Of Salem" went through changes even as he was filming it. "You know, sometimes you have a script and things change," he said. "You think, 'Oh, this character is going to be really important' or that actor, but it doesn't really come off that way. But then another character that was sort of in the background moves to the foreground, and rather than fight it, I will change it if I feel that it's better. So yeah, there's tons of things changed — I mean, if anyone read the script, there's like almost no relation, almost."
There is no release date yet for the movie, which Zombie made in collaboration with the producers of the "Paranormal Activity" franchise.
Zombie has also been working on his first new album since 2010's "Hellbilly Deluxe 2". The new, yet-to-be-titled CD is set for a late 2012 release.
His "Twins Of Evil" co-headlining tour with MARILYN MANSON begins on October 1 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The plot of the film deals with a curse placed 300 years ago on the residents of Salem by a coven of witches who were put to death, and how that curse returns to terrorize the city's modern-day inhabitants.
Zombie told The Pulse Of Radio that just like on his other films, the script for "The Lords Of Salem" went through changes even as he was filming it. "You know, sometimes you have a script and things change," he said. "You think, 'Oh, this character is going to be really important' or that actor, but it doesn't really come off that way. But then another character that was sort of in the background moves to the foreground, and rather than fight it, I will change it if I feel that it's better. So yeah, there's tons of things changed — I mean, if anyone read the script, there's like almost no relation, almost."
There is no release date yet for the movie, which Zombie made in collaboration with the producers of the "Paranormal Activity" franchise.
Zombie has also been working on his first new album since 2010's "Hellbilly Deluxe 2". The new, yet-to-be-titled CD is set for a late 2012 release.
His "Twins Of Evil" co-headlining tour with MARILYN MANSON begins on October 1 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
On the eleventh anniversary of 9/11, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian spoke to Steve Newton of the Georgia Straight about the media frenzy that had occured, a few weeks after the attacks, regarding the band's name. One person died of anthrax contamination, and two other people were exposed to the disease in Florida in an outbreak that authorities were investigating at the time as a criminal action.
"We had no intention ever of changing our name or doing anything like that," Ian told Georgia Straight. "But the fact was that all this very, very mainstream media —I'm talking from CNN to the Wall Street Journal to the New York Times, the biggest mainstream media in the world — are suddenly calling our publicist trying to get interviews with us.
"And my attitude right from the start was, 'Well, these guys, they didn't want anything to do with us when our record came out not that long ago,' you know. And now they want to talk to us because they need to fill space because this is the story of the week — which is gonna disappear in the next two months. And of course it did.
"So we just wouldn't buy into it," continued Ian. "Although I think I did do one interview — and I can't remember if it was the Times — but the guy was a huge fan of the band, and said, 'You know, look, if I could cover you in this paper of course I would.' But I was at least able to get the word out that, 'Look, we're not gonna buy into this sensationalism. We have nothing to do with this. Just because we happen to be in a band that has the same name--a name that we had been renting for 20-odd years at the time.'
"So we just really felt like, people have better things to do--or journalists should have better things to do — than worry about whether or not ANTHRAX is gonna change their name. We just thought it was ridiculous."
For more from Scott Ian — including his thoughts on the new album, the return of vocalist Joey Belladonna, and his new online program, "Fangoria's Blood & Guts With Scott Ian" — see the story in next week's issue of the Georgia Straight.
"We had no intention ever of changing our name or doing anything like that," Ian told Georgia Straight. "But the fact was that all this very, very mainstream media —I'm talking from CNN to the Wall Street Journal to the New York Times, the biggest mainstream media in the world — are suddenly calling our publicist trying to get interviews with us.
"And my attitude right from the start was, 'Well, these guys, they didn't want anything to do with us when our record came out not that long ago,' you know. And now they want to talk to us because they need to fill space because this is the story of the week — which is gonna disappear in the next two months. And of course it did.
"So we just wouldn't buy into it," continued Ian. "Although I think I did do one interview — and I can't remember if it was the Times — but the guy was a huge fan of the band, and said, 'You know, look, if I could cover you in this paper of course I would.' But I was at least able to get the word out that, 'Look, we're not gonna buy into this sensationalism. We have nothing to do with this. Just because we happen to be in a band that has the same name--a name that we had been renting for 20-odd years at the time.'
"So we just really felt like, people have better things to do--or journalists should have better things to do — than worry about whether or not ANTHRAX is gonna change their name. We just thought it was ridiculous."
For more from Scott Ian — including his thoughts on the new album, the return of vocalist Joey Belladonna, and his new online program, "Fangoria's Blood & Guts With Scott Ian" — see the story in next week's issue of the Georgia Straight.
The Metal Den's Randy "Rocket" Cody recently conducted an interview with guitarist Maziar "Marzi" Montazeri (ex-SUPERJOINT RITUAL) about Marzi's work on the upcoming solo album from former PANTERA and current DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo, "Walk Through Exits Only". Tentatively due in March 2013 via Anselmo's record label, Housecore Records, the CD features the former PANTERA frontman backed by Montazeri, drummer José Manuel Gonzales (WARBEAST) and up-and-coming New Orleans bassist Bennett Bartley. Two songs from the album will be made available this November on a split EP with a pair of previously unreleased tracks from WARBEAST.
Asked about the musical direction of "Walk Through Exits Only", Marzi said, "Well, I believe that Phil has put it best when mentioning that you truly cannot categorize it. It's heavy and it is fuckin extreme. Every song is completely different from the next. It's not one that you're gonna get upon just a single listen. It will unfold itself into what it is, which, in my book, is an undeniable body of work that will not only fill this empty musical existing void, but will kill and destroy the overrated bullshit that is fed to the listener. The time has come, and as a fan and lover of arts and music, I would want and need this in my life. I'm beyond stoked to have contributed. This has been my focal point and it is a very important album for everybody out there across the globe. We put everything we had into it and by that I mean blood, sweat, heart and soul. Philip's lyrics are our new anthems. He is the one and only man that can deliver this kind of intense, honest, true and downright vicious body of work.
Regarding the songwriting process for the CD, Marzi said, "This body of work is Philip H. Anselmo's brainchild. This crazy maniac fuckin came up with all these songs, man. I squeezed myself in, though. Phil welcomed every idea I brought to the table. But prior to recording, I ended up sitting in another room dissecting the sessions due to an injury I picked up while playing football with him. He's got a rocket of an arm and I went to grab this friggin torpedo that he launched at me and I bent two fingers on my left hand. So he said to me, 'Man, you are the director now.' That's when we started tweaking and finalizing. But before that, it was more like me sitting in front of Phil and he would show me the parts on guitar. And during rehearsals, we both went off and actually came up with two new ones for our sophomore attempt."
On the topc of what he feels is the biggest misconception people have about Philip Anselmo, Marzi said, "Philip's the realest motherfucker I know. By that I truly mean that he is all heart and he wears it proudly. The love he has and the good that he does almost silently is felt by many around him and far. And when you are the only one out there speaking the truth boldly under a damn microscope by the general media, who's got an appetite for destroying reputations, then he's the perfect candidate because he has no fear. And, of course, when his words are taken out of context, it has its costs, but in the end, his voice is heard and the real fans not only hear him but identify with him. The big misconception would be to say the opposite of what I mentioned. There is always gonna be a shit-starter somewhere for perverse purposes. Fuck them!"
In a recent interview with the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station 93X, Anselmo stated about Marzi, "[He] and Dimebag had known each other since the middle '80s, late '80s, and I've known Marzi almost as long. And really, Dimebag… He was such a killer, killer, amazing player — we all know this — but Dimebag would show so much respect to Marzi. Just to sit there and watch those two guys jam together back in the old days, or just talk guitars… They just had this amazing mutual respect for one another. So Marzi and I have reunited, and he is really an executioner when it comes to right-hand picking, and his left hand blows mine away completely, and he's a great lead player. . . And really, man, I orchestrated the whole thing — my words, my songs — but I let Marzi put his fingerprints, so to speak, all over this whole damn thing."
Asked about the musical direction of "Walk Through Exits Only", Marzi said, "Well, I believe that Phil has put it best when mentioning that you truly cannot categorize it. It's heavy and it is fuckin extreme. Every song is completely different from the next. It's not one that you're gonna get upon just a single listen. It will unfold itself into what it is, which, in my book, is an undeniable body of work that will not only fill this empty musical existing void, but will kill and destroy the overrated bullshit that is fed to the listener. The time has come, and as a fan and lover of arts and music, I would want and need this in my life. I'm beyond stoked to have contributed. This has been my focal point and it is a very important album for everybody out there across the globe. We put everything we had into it and by that I mean blood, sweat, heart and soul. Philip's lyrics are our new anthems. He is the one and only man that can deliver this kind of intense, honest, true and downright vicious body of work.
Regarding the songwriting process for the CD, Marzi said, "This body of work is Philip H. Anselmo's brainchild. This crazy maniac fuckin came up with all these songs, man. I squeezed myself in, though. Phil welcomed every idea I brought to the table. But prior to recording, I ended up sitting in another room dissecting the sessions due to an injury I picked up while playing football with him. He's got a rocket of an arm and I went to grab this friggin torpedo that he launched at me and I bent two fingers on my left hand. So he said to me, 'Man, you are the director now.' That's when we started tweaking and finalizing. But before that, it was more like me sitting in front of Phil and he would show me the parts on guitar. And during rehearsals, we both went off and actually came up with two new ones for our sophomore attempt."
On the topc of what he feels is the biggest misconception people have about Philip Anselmo, Marzi said, "Philip's the realest motherfucker I know. By that I truly mean that he is all heart and he wears it proudly. The love he has and the good that he does almost silently is felt by many around him and far. And when you are the only one out there speaking the truth boldly under a damn microscope by the general media, who's got an appetite for destroying reputations, then he's the perfect candidate because he has no fear. And, of course, when his words are taken out of context, it has its costs, but in the end, his voice is heard and the real fans not only hear him but identify with him. The big misconception would be to say the opposite of what I mentioned. There is always gonna be a shit-starter somewhere for perverse purposes. Fuck them!"
In a recent interview with the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station 93X, Anselmo stated about Marzi, "[He] and Dimebag had known each other since the middle '80s, late '80s, and I've known Marzi almost as long. And really, Dimebag… He was such a killer, killer, amazing player — we all know this — but Dimebag would show so much respect to Marzi. Just to sit there and watch those two guys jam together back in the old days, or just talk guitars… They just had this amazing mutual respect for one another. So Marzi and I have reunited, and he is really an executioner when it comes to right-hand picking, and his left hand blows mine away completely, and he's a great lead player. . . And really, man, I orchestrated the whole thing — my words, my songs — but I let Marzi put his fingerprints, so to speak, all over this whole damn thing."
SHINEDOWN has been co-headlining the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival tour with GODSMACK since the middle of August, with dates booked through the end of September, but one of the other acts they had on the trek with them is missing. PAPA ROACH had to drop off after just a few shows so that singer Jacoby Shaddix could have surgery on his vocal cords. SHINEDOWN bassist Eric Bass told The Pulse Of Radio that the group's departure wasn't a total surprise. "You know, they had talked about him having to get some surgery and get some things taken care of, but I think it was absolutely for the best because, you know, we definitely didn't want him to harm himself — you know, the guy's got a long career ahead of him, man, and we didn't want to see that cut short either," he said. "So everybody out here was 100,000 percent supportive of him and of the decision, and we weren't gonna bring anybody out here to replace those guys 'cause you can't replace them."
Also on the Uproar bill are STAIND, ADELITAS WAY, REDLIGHT KING, DEUCE, P.O.D. , and others.
SHINEDOWN is on the road behind its fourth studio album, "Amaryllis", which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard album chart earlier this year.
The band is aiming for its third No. 1 rock single from the album with "Enemies", which follows up "Bully" and "Unity" as the third track released from the disc.
SHINEDOWN has a total of eight No. 1 singles and 15 Top 10 hits, according to Billboard.
Also on the Uproar bill are STAIND, ADELITAS WAY, REDLIGHT KING, DEUCE, P.O.D. , and others.
SHINEDOWN is on the road behind its fourth studio album, "Amaryllis", which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard album chart earlier this year.
The band is aiming for its third No. 1 rock single from the album with "Enemies", which follows up "Bully" and "Unity" as the third track released from the disc.
SHINEDOWN has a total of eight No. 1 singles and 15 Top 10 hits, according to Billboard.
Frontiers Records will release TEN's new studio album, "Heresy And Creed", on October 19 in Europe and October 22 in North America.
For the band's tenth studio CD, TEN singer and songwriter Gary Hughes worked very hard to live up to the fans' expectations. The new TEN lineup — featuring new axeman Dan Mitchel, Darrel Treece-Birch on keyboards and Max Yates on drums, along with longtime member John Halliwell and returning bassist Steve McKenna — has complemented Hughes's efforts in creating the best TEN album ever.
According to a press release, "Heresy And Creed" "once again marks the perfect union between grandiose and epic hard rock tunes. Very melodic, hook-laden singalong songs with a scattering of immense and haunting power ballads to complete the typical TEN tapestry."
Says Gary Hughes: "It is a particularly strong selection of material. I feel this is possibly our most mature, and diverse collection of songs ever. There is literally something in there for everyone and every taste."
"Heresy And Creed" track listing:
01. The Gates Of Jerusalem (instrumental)
02. Arabian Knights
03. Gunrunning
04. The Lights Go Down
05. Raven's Eye
06. Right Now
07. Game Of Hearts
08. The Last Time
09. The Priestess
10. Insatiable
11. Another Rainy Day
12. Unbelievable
13. The Riddle
For the band's tenth studio CD, TEN singer and songwriter Gary Hughes worked very hard to live up to the fans' expectations. The new TEN lineup — featuring new axeman Dan Mitchel, Darrel Treece-Birch on keyboards and Max Yates on drums, along with longtime member John Halliwell and returning bassist Steve McKenna — has complemented Hughes's efforts in creating the best TEN album ever.
According to a press release, "Heresy And Creed" "once again marks the perfect union between grandiose and epic hard rock tunes. Very melodic, hook-laden singalong songs with a scattering of immense and haunting power ballads to complete the typical TEN tapestry."
Says Gary Hughes: "It is a particularly strong selection of material. I feel this is possibly our most mature, and diverse collection of songs ever. There is literally something in there for everyone and every taste."
"Heresy And Creed" track listing:
01. The Gates Of Jerusalem (instrumental)
02. Arabian Knights
03. Gunrunning
04. The Lights Go Down
05. Raven's Eye
06. Right Now
07. Game Of Hearts
08. The Last Time
09. The Priestess
10. Insatiable
11. Another Rainy Day
12. Unbelievable
13. The Riddle
Music Theories Recordings, a division of Mascot Label Group, has announced the October 15 U.K. release of Paul Gilbert's 12th solo album, "Vibrato". The CD includes four new guitar and vocal compositions, four instrumentals, plus three live cover songs from Gilbert's 2010 "Fuzz" tour, including YES's "Roundabout", MUDDY WATERS' "I Want To Be Loved" and AC/DC's "Go Down".
"Vibrato" will follow Gilbert's appearance at Marshall Amplification's "50 Years Of Loud" concert at London Wembley Arena on Saturday, September 22. The concert celebrates 50 years of Marshall Amplification's musical innovation and the life of the late Jim Marshall.
As a member of both the '80s premiere guitar band RACER X and MR. BIG, Gilbert has gained the reputation as one of the most melodic and powerful guitarists in rock.
Determined not to be pigeon-holed as a guitar shredder, Gilbert's solo work has allowed him to exercise his deep appreciation for the more song-oriented side of rock music.
The "Fuzz" live tracks includes guitarist and singer Tony Spinner, who adds some amazing vocals, and some killer guitar battles and harmonies. "Roundabout" is especially impressive in that all the keyboard parts are played on guitar. Jeff Bowders (drums) and Craig Martini (bass) also perform on the live tracks.
One of the instrumental tracks on the album is Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rondo A La Turk". Its groundbreaking odd-time instrumental classic from the '60s is supercharged by Gilbert's electric guitar playing the saxophone parts, backed by his ridiculously tight band.
"Vibrato" track listing:
01. Enemies (In Jail)
02. Rain And Thunder And Lightning
03. Vibrato
04. Put It On The Char
05. Bivalve Blues
06. Blue Rondo A La Turk
07. Atmosphere On The Moon
08. The Pronghorn
09. Roundabout
10. I Want To Be Loved
11. Go Down
"Vibrato" will follow Gilbert's appearance at Marshall Amplification's "50 Years Of Loud" concert at London Wembley Arena on Saturday, September 22. The concert celebrates 50 years of Marshall Amplification's musical innovation and the life of the late Jim Marshall.
As a member of both the '80s premiere guitar band RACER X and MR. BIG, Gilbert has gained the reputation as one of the most melodic and powerful guitarists in rock.
Determined not to be pigeon-holed as a guitar shredder, Gilbert's solo work has allowed him to exercise his deep appreciation for the more song-oriented side of rock music.
The "Fuzz" live tracks includes guitarist and singer Tony Spinner, who adds some amazing vocals, and some killer guitar battles and harmonies. "Roundabout" is especially impressive in that all the keyboard parts are played on guitar. Jeff Bowders (drums) and Craig Martini (bass) also perform on the live tracks.
One of the instrumental tracks on the album is Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rondo A La Turk". Its groundbreaking odd-time instrumental classic from the '60s is supercharged by Gilbert's electric guitar playing the saxophone parts, backed by his ridiculously tight band.
"Vibrato" track listing:
01. Enemies (In Jail)
02. Rain And Thunder And Lightning
03. Vibrato
04. Put It On The Char
05. Bivalve Blues
06. Blue Rondo A La Turk
07. Atmosphere On The Moon
08. The Pronghorn
09. Roundabout
10. I Want To Be Loved
11. Go Down
Guitarist Stefan Kaufmann has left U.D.O. — the German metal band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider — for health reasons.
U.D.O. has begun with the preparations for the forthcoming studio album and is looking for a new guitar player with immediate effect. Interested parties can send their application to ITM Agency (fsuepfle(at)itm-agency.com).
Stefan will continue to work with U.D.O. behind the scenes and produce other bands at his Roxx studio.
Kaufmann was the drummer for ACCEPT on nine albums but was forced to give up drumming towards the end of the band's initial run due to health problems.
Stefan joined U.D.O. as a guitar player in 1996, following ACCEPT's second breakup, and has recorded nine albums with them.
U.D.O. 's latest album, "Rev-Raptor", was released on May 20, 2011 via AFM Records.
U.D.O. 's November 16, 2011 concert at Hristo Botev Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria was professionally filmed for release as a DVD+CD and Blu-ray+CD. Entitled "Live In Sofia", it will be made available on September 28 via AFM Records.
U.D.O. has begun with the preparations for the forthcoming studio album and is looking for a new guitar player with immediate effect. Interested parties can send their application to ITM Agency (fsuepfle(at)itm-agency.com).
Stefan will continue to work with U.D.O. behind the scenes and produce other bands at his Roxx studio.
Kaufmann was the drummer for ACCEPT on nine albums but was forced to give up drumming towards the end of the band's initial run due to health problems.
Stefan joined U.D.O. as a guitar player in 1996, following ACCEPT's second breakup, and has recorded nine albums with them.
U.D.O. 's latest album, "Rev-Raptor", was released on May 20, 2011 via AFM Records.
U.D.O. 's November 16, 2011 concert at Hristo Botev Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria was professionally filmed for release as a DVD+CD and Blu-ray+CD. Entitled "Live In Sofia", it will be made available on September 28 via AFM Records.
People may remember Johnny Throckmorton as the former vocalist for Richmond, Virginia-based bands ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY and IMMORTAL AVENGER. He was ATP's original singer and appeared on their first four albums, including the now-classic "Staring At The Divine" (Relapse), before departing the act in 2003. Throckmorton later joined IMMORTAL AVENGER and appeared on their 2006 EP, "Sound The Alarm", which received a great deal of critical acclaim, despite the band not having label support.
DARKITECT, also from Richmond, has announced via its Facebook page that they've hired Johnny to handle vocal duties, and finalized their lineup with the addition of bassist Jonathan Barrett. The band, which is rounded out by drummer Mike Dishman and former IMMORTAL AVENGER axemen Wes Derrickson and Tommy Gunn, has already begun recording its debut full-length album for a tentative late 2012 release.
Commented DARKITECT: "Johnny has an unmatched work ethic when it comes to writing great lyrics, being at every rehearsal and writing session, and putting in the extra time doing pre-production work. Top that off with his incredible charisma on stage, and his wide range of vocal capabilities, and the decision to bring him in was easy. His voice goes from soft, to heavy, to angry, to brutal, and he never misses a step. Then there is J.B. , who brings with him a great attitude, and a very fundamental style of bass playing that gives our music a thick foundation and a nice, firm backbone. We needed more of a David Ellefson type than a Cliff Burton type, which he handles perfectly. Plus, we've known J.B. for years, so he's just the right man for the job. We're all really stoked to have both these guys on board, and part of DARKITECT."
DARKITECT, also from Richmond, has announced via its Facebook page that they've hired Johnny to handle vocal duties, and finalized their lineup with the addition of bassist Jonathan Barrett. The band, which is rounded out by drummer Mike Dishman and former IMMORTAL AVENGER axemen Wes Derrickson and Tommy Gunn, has already begun recording its debut full-length album for a tentative late 2012 release.
Commented DARKITECT: "Johnny has an unmatched work ethic when it comes to writing great lyrics, being at every rehearsal and writing session, and putting in the extra time doing pre-production work. Top that off with his incredible charisma on stage, and his wide range of vocal capabilities, and the decision to bring him in was easy. His voice goes from soft, to heavy, to angry, to brutal, and he never misses a step. Then there is J.B. , who brings with him a great attitude, and a very fundamental style of bass playing that gives our music a thick foundation and a nice, firm backbone. We needed more of a David Ellefson type than a Cliff Burton type, which he handles perfectly. Plus, we've known J.B. for years, so he's just the right man for the job. We're all really stoked to have both these guys on board, and part of DARKITECT."
http://www.blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/darkitectlogo.jpg
South Carolina-based extreme metal band LECHEROUS NOCTURNE will release its third album, "Behold Almighty Doctrine", on February 19, 2013 via Unique Leader Records. The CD was recorded at SoundLab Studio in Lexington, South Carolina with longtime engineer Bob Moore.
The "Behold Almighty Doctrine" artwork can be seen below.
Vocalist Jason Hohenstein announced his departure from LECHEROUS NOCTURNE in July 2011, telling BLABBERMOUTH.NET in a statement, "I was writing/arranging in preparation of the new record when I was asked to leave." He added, "I did not quit! I want to make that perfectly clear."
LECHEROUS NOCTURNE 2012 is:
Christian "Kreishloff" Lofgren: Guitar
Ethan Lane: Guitar
James Oneal: Bass
Alex Lancia: Drums
Chris Lollis: Vocals
LECHEROUS NOCTURNE's second album, "The Age of Miracles Has Passed", was released in October 2008 via Unique Leader Records.
The "Behold Almighty Doctrine" artwork can be seen below.
Vocalist Jason Hohenstein announced his departure from LECHEROUS NOCTURNE in July 2011, telling BLABBERMOUTH.NET in a statement, "I was writing/arranging in preparation of the new record when I was asked to leave." He added, "I did not quit! I want to make that perfectly clear."
LECHEROUS NOCTURNE 2012 is:
Christian "Kreishloff" Lofgren: Guitar
Ethan Lane: Guitar
James Oneal: Bass
Alex Lancia: Drums
Chris Lollis: Vocals
LECHEROUS NOCTURNE's second album, "The Age of Miracles Has Passed", was released in October 2008 via Unique Leader Records.
Monster Energy and Idol Roc Entertainment have announced the itinerary for the 2012 Monster Energy Outbreak Tour. The North American routing kicks off in Edmonton, Alberta on November 16 and wraps on December 16 in Tampa, Florida.
ASKING ALEXANDRIA will be joined by support acts AS I LAY DYING, SUICIDE SILENCE, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE and ATTILA. The lineup secured prompted tour producer Steve Glazer (Idol Roc Entertainment) to share, "Without question, this is the strongest lineup we've assembled for Outbreak to date. Each year we promise to grow our brand and it all starts with delivering the fans an undeniable lineup of artists on the rise paired with an affordable ticket price."
ASKING ALEXANDRIA guitarist Ben Bruce stated, "America, we are back, we are excited, we are ready and we are fucking headlining! This is our biggest headlining tour ever and we are bringing with us, the biggest, heaviest and best bands that rock has to offer.
"This Monster Energy Outbreak Tour is going to be fucking insane, more so especially due to the fact that this is not only going to be our last tour of the year and our last tour in America for quite awhile, but also because this is going to be the last tour on the 'Reckless And Relentless' album cycle. We will be playing songs from 'Stand Up And Scream', 'Reckless And Relentless' and a handful of brand new songs from our upcoming album. You, North America, have been chosen to hear our new songs before anyone else in the world.
"Let's make this a tour to fucking remember. Let's end 2012 bigger, better and harder than anywhere else on this earth.
"We can't wait to see you all.
"If 2012 really is the end of the world, then all I can say is....we are going out with a bang motherfuckers! We will see you all soon."
The dates are as follows:
Nov. 16 - Edmonton, AB - Edmonton Events Center
Nov. 18 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall
Nov. 19 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theater
Nov. 20 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Sodo
Nov. 23 - San Francisco, CA - Regency Ballroom
Nov. 24 - San Bernardino, CA - California MetalFest VI
Nov. 26 - Salt Lake City, UT - In The Venue
Nov. 27 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Nov. 29 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
Nov. 30 - Covington, KY - Madison Theatre
Dec. 01 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre
Dec. 02 - Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre
Dec. 03 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Theatre
Dec. 05 - Montreal, QC - Olympia
Dec. 07 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
Dec. 08 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
Dec. 09 - New York, NY - Best Buy Theatre
Dec. 11 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
Dec. 12 - Raleigh, NC - Disco Rodeo
Dec. 13 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
Dec. 14 - Nashville, TN - Warfield
Dec. 15 - Jacksonville, FL - Edge
Dec. 16 - Tampa, FL - Cuban Club
ASKING ALEXANDRIA will be joined by support acts AS I LAY DYING, SUICIDE SILENCE, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE and ATTILA. The lineup secured prompted tour producer Steve Glazer (Idol Roc Entertainment) to share, "Without question, this is the strongest lineup we've assembled for Outbreak to date. Each year we promise to grow our brand and it all starts with delivering the fans an undeniable lineup of artists on the rise paired with an affordable ticket price."
ASKING ALEXANDRIA guitarist Ben Bruce stated, "America, we are back, we are excited, we are ready and we are fucking headlining! This is our biggest headlining tour ever and we are bringing with us, the biggest, heaviest and best bands that rock has to offer.
"This Monster Energy Outbreak Tour is going to be fucking insane, more so especially due to the fact that this is not only going to be our last tour of the year and our last tour in America for quite awhile, but also because this is going to be the last tour on the 'Reckless And Relentless' album cycle. We will be playing songs from 'Stand Up And Scream', 'Reckless And Relentless' and a handful of brand new songs from our upcoming album. You, North America, have been chosen to hear our new songs before anyone else in the world.
"Let's make this a tour to fucking remember. Let's end 2012 bigger, better and harder than anywhere else on this earth.
"We can't wait to see you all.
"If 2012 really is the end of the world, then all I can say is....we are going out with a bang motherfuckers! We will see you all soon."
The dates are as follows:
Nov. 16 - Edmonton, AB - Edmonton Events Center
Nov. 18 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall
Nov. 19 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theater
Nov. 20 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Sodo
Nov. 23 - San Francisco, CA - Regency Ballroom
Nov. 24 - San Bernardino, CA - California MetalFest VI
Nov. 26 - Salt Lake City, UT - In The Venue
Nov. 27 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Nov. 29 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
Nov. 30 - Covington, KY - Madison Theatre
Dec. 01 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre
Dec. 02 - Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre
Dec. 03 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Theatre
Dec. 05 - Montreal, QC - Olympia
Dec. 07 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
Dec. 08 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
Dec. 09 - New York, NY - Best Buy Theatre
Dec. 11 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
Dec. 12 - Raleigh, NC - Disco Rodeo
Dec. 13 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
Dec. 14 - Nashville, TN - Warfield
Dec. 15 - Jacksonville, FL - Edge
Dec. 16 - Tampa, FL - Cuban Club
After 17 years in the business, Los Angeles-based heavy metal label Hydra Head Records is calling it quits. Co-founder Aaron Turner, who is best known as the leader of ISIS, posted a lengthy statement on Hydra Head's official blog explaining his decision to pull the plug on the label, citing the changing tides of the industry and a "self-induced whirlwind of chaos."
Said Turner: "Hydra Head Records has never been a smooth-running operation. We've spent the majority of our existence excitedly scrambling from one thing to the next, taking on more than we could ever possibly hope to achieve, and never quite finding solid footing in the midst of our self-induced whirlwind of chaos.
"Though not every second of doing this label has been enjoyable, it has been a very rewarding and meaningful project for me, and I hope for many of the other lives to which it has been directly connected. The fact that it has lasted close to two decades at this point is astonishing, and much has changed during that time — the lives of those directly involved with running the label, the bands and artists we've worked with, and the nature of the music industry itself. Though many of these changes have been positive, or at least illuminating, the impact of our history and current industry pcircumstances are culminating into a slow and somewhat painful death for the label. It certainly isn't an entirely unforeseen event, but we didn't think it would come quite so abruptly, or (perhaps naively) ever.
"The decision to pull the plug has not been an easy one, and in some ways is a not a choice at all. The simple fact of the matter is we've been running on empty for a while now and cannot afford to keep our doors open for much longer. Years of imbalance between creative ideals and financial realities, personal problems amongst the label operators, unwillingness to compromise our aesthetic standards, a tendency towards releasing challenging (i.e. unmarketable) artists, and the steady decline of the music industry in general, are amongst the chief reasons for our inability to continue. It is a harsh but undeniable reality, and one which we are attempting to confront with as much integrity and grace as is afforded by the circumstances.
"For the short term, we will continue to operate as we have been, affecting our first step into shutdown this December, at which point we are cutting off new releases from the label. Thereafter, we will be remaining operational only in the interest of maintaining our back catalog, with the ultimate aim of repaying our rather sizable debts. Grim though this prospect is, in the midst of it all I still feel an extreme gratitude for everything that has happened and for all the wonderful people with which we've been involved over the years. We've been lucky enough to work with some of the most unique and provocative artists of the last two decades, many of which have made indelible impressions in the underground and by extension the larger world of music in general. We've also been fortunate to have had the support of a small but loyal following, who've constituted the very essence of our life force. We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude and love to each and every person who contributed to making this label what it is — all the artists who entrusted us as the custodians of their work, all the people that bought or listened to our releases, and all the people who performed the various label duties at various offices (and houses) across the continent.
"... and this brings us to the present moment, where in all honesty we are in need of financial assistance from anyone and everyone who's willing to throw us a rope. Though it is highly unlikely we'll be able to resuscitate the label, we do wish to follow through on the final round of releases to which we're committed and pay off our debts to our artists and manufacturers. In order to do this we are initiating a massive sell-off of everything we can dig up and produce for the next 6-12 months. This will include discounted bundles of CDs/LPs/posters/etc, represses of certain titles for which we still have parts, test pressings, and whatever worthwhile items we can pull together. For anyone that is able and willing to fund our funereal arrangements please visit our direct mailorder or webstoreand pick up whatever you can. Any and all support is greatly appreciated by our remaining team, and will be put to the best use possible.
"There is no way to sum up nearly 20 years of incredibly important music, experiences, and evolution other than to say a big heart felt thank you and that we hope this closing will provide an opening into other even more positive and rewarding experiences for all of us and all of you who have been a part of our shared experience. For now we bid you all a very fond farewell."
Said Turner: "Hydra Head Records has never been a smooth-running operation. We've spent the majority of our existence excitedly scrambling from one thing to the next, taking on more than we could ever possibly hope to achieve, and never quite finding solid footing in the midst of our self-induced whirlwind of chaos.
"Though not every second of doing this label has been enjoyable, it has been a very rewarding and meaningful project for me, and I hope for many of the other lives to which it has been directly connected. The fact that it has lasted close to two decades at this point is astonishing, and much has changed during that time — the lives of those directly involved with running the label, the bands and artists we've worked with, and the nature of the music industry itself. Though many of these changes have been positive, or at least illuminating, the impact of our history and current industry pcircumstances are culminating into a slow and somewhat painful death for the label. It certainly isn't an entirely unforeseen event, but we didn't think it would come quite so abruptly, or (perhaps naively) ever.
"The decision to pull the plug has not been an easy one, and in some ways is a not a choice at all. The simple fact of the matter is we've been running on empty for a while now and cannot afford to keep our doors open for much longer. Years of imbalance between creative ideals and financial realities, personal problems amongst the label operators, unwillingness to compromise our aesthetic standards, a tendency towards releasing challenging (i.e. unmarketable) artists, and the steady decline of the music industry in general, are amongst the chief reasons for our inability to continue. It is a harsh but undeniable reality, and one which we are attempting to confront with as much integrity and grace as is afforded by the circumstances.
"For the short term, we will continue to operate as we have been, affecting our first step into shutdown this December, at which point we are cutting off new releases from the label. Thereafter, we will be remaining operational only in the interest of maintaining our back catalog, with the ultimate aim of repaying our rather sizable debts. Grim though this prospect is, in the midst of it all I still feel an extreme gratitude for everything that has happened and for all the wonderful people with which we've been involved over the years. We've been lucky enough to work with some of the most unique and provocative artists of the last two decades, many of which have made indelible impressions in the underground and by extension the larger world of music in general. We've also been fortunate to have had the support of a small but loyal following, who've constituted the very essence of our life force. We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude and love to each and every person who contributed to making this label what it is — all the artists who entrusted us as the custodians of their work, all the people that bought or listened to our releases, and all the people who performed the various label duties at various offices (and houses) across the continent.
"... and this brings us to the present moment, where in all honesty we are in need of financial assistance from anyone and everyone who's willing to throw us a rope. Though it is highly unlikely we'll be able to resuscitate the label, we do wish to follow through on the final round of releases to which we're committed and pay off our debts to our artists and manufacturers. In order to do this we are initiating a massive sell-off of everything we can dig up and produce for the next 6-12 months. This will include discounted bundles of CDs/LPs/posters/etc, represses of certain titles for which we still have parts, test pressings, and whatever worthwhile items we can pull together. For anyone that is able and willing to fund our funereal arrangements please visit our direct mailorder or webstoreand pick up whatever you can. Any and all support is greatly appreciated by our remaining team, and will be put to the best use possible.
"There is no way to sum up nearly 20 years of incredibly important music, experiences, and evolution other than to say a big heart felt thank you and that we hope this closing will provide an opening into other even more positive and rewarding experiences for all of us and all of you who have been a part of our shared experience. For now we bid you all a very fond farewell."
Pennsylvania metallers MY HEART TO FEAR have inked a deal with Solid State Records. The band's new EP, "Lost Between Brilliance And Insanity", will be released on November 20.
"Lost Between Brilliance And Insanity" follows up several DIY releases that showcased the band's penchant for technical riffs, swaggering vocals and sky-high choruses, elements that helped them build the fervent fanbase that supports them today.
MY HEART TO FEAR hails from the same geographic region and musical circles that spawned a number of metalcore successes in recent years — most notably genre giants AUGUST BURNS RED, along with TEXAS IN JULY and THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE. While a less confident band may look to steal a page or two out of those artists' playbooks, MY HEAT TO FEAR is intent on forging its own sound.
"When we write music we don't stick to any one formula," explains vocalist Trevor Pool. "We don't write to please a certain group of people or to fit into specific genres. Nor do we sit down with a preconceived idea of what a song should or should not sound like. Instead we allow the music itself to reveal subconscious and spiritual paths. Rather than deriving inspiration solely from music, we find influence in the world around us and aim to transpose these non-musical entities into the musical aspects of a song."
With the release of "Lost Between Brilliance And Insanity", MY HEAT TO FEAR stands as a sterling example of a band whose work ethic and persistence on an independent level has paid off.
"Signing with Solid State is a huge step for us," says Pool. "It is almost surreal to look back at all of the literal blood, sweat, and tears of our journey and to wonder what we would have thought at each phase if we could have seen, just for a moment, where we are now. We love the family-centered mentality of the Solid State staff and artists and hope to strengthen the family in whatever way possible!"
For MY HEAT TO FEAR, family is just one cornerstone of four pillars of support that have helped the band push on and persevere: Family. Faith. Pride. Brotherhood. It's a saying that has become something of a mantra for the band and demonstrates their belief that, for as much as they believe in their own abilities, they wouldn't be where they are without the support of others.
"We want to encourage everyone to not just shoot for their dreams, but to fight relentlessly for them," says Pool. "We could not have made it this far in our journey without the endless support of those around us."
"Lost Between Brilliance And Insanity" follows up several DIY releases that showcased the band's penchant for technical riffs, swaggering vocals and sky-high choruses, elements that helped them build the fervent fanbase that supports them today.
MY HEART TO FEAR hails from the same geographic region and musical circles that spawned a number of metalcore successes in recent years — most notably genre giants AUGUST BURNS RED, along with TEXAS IN JULY and THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE. While a less confident band may look to steal a page or two out of those artists' playbooks, MY HEAT TO FEAR is intent on forging its own sound.
"When we write music we don't stick to any one formula," explains vocalist Trevor Pool. "We don't write to please a certain group of people or to fit into specific genres. Nor do we sit down with a preconceived idea of what a song should or should not sound like. Instead we allow the music itself to reveal subconscious and spiritual paths. Rather than deriving inspiration solely from music, we find influence in the world around us and aim to transpose these non-musical entities into the musical aspects of a song."
With the release of "Lost Between Brilliance And Insanity", MY HEAT TO FEAR stands as a sterling example of a band whose work ethic and persistence on an independent level has paid off.
"Signing with Solid State is a huge step for us," says Pool. "It is almost surreal to look back at all of the literal blood, sweat, and tears of our journey and to wonder what we would have thought at each phase if we could have seen, just for a moment, where we are now. We love the family-centered mentality of the Solid State staff and artists and hope to strengthen the family in whatever way possible!"
For MY HEAT TO FEAR, family is just one cornerstone of four pillars of support that have helped the band push on and persevere: Family. Faith. Pride. Brotherhood. It's a saying that has become something of a mantra for the band and demonstrates their belief that, for as much as they believe in their own abilities, they wouldn't be where they are without the support of others.
"We want to encourage everyone to not just shoot for their dreams, but to fight relentlessly for them," says Pool. "We could not have made it this far in our journey without the endless support of those around us."
Former HOUWITSER bassist Ramon Ploeg has launched a new band called BLEEDING GODS. 11 songs have already been written and a demo will be recorded once a full lineup has been secured.
Ramon will not play bass in BLEEDING GODS and will instead handle guitar duties for the first time in five and a half years.
After a five-year tenure with HOUWITSER, Ploeg left the band in March 2012, explaining that he couldn't "combine the band with [his] jobs anymore."
Ramon will not play bass in BLEEDING GODS and will instead handle guitar duties for the first time in five and a half years.
After a five-year tenure with HOUWITSER, Ploeg left the band in March 2012, explaining that he couldn't "combine the band with [his] jobs anymore."
KHAØS, the Swiss/American band featuring Chandler Mogel (OUTLOUD) on vocals, Mark Rossi (TRIBAL) on guitar, N I c Angileri (JORN) on bass and Trevor Franklin (ELIS) on drums, will release its debut EP, "Rising", worldwide on all digital platforms on October 29 via MarkRossi Records.
KHAØS was formed in June 2012 around the idea of making music without any kind of compromises. The band name itself reveals the main musical target: to let creativity, musicality and energy flow, destroying barriers and breaking through obstacles. Music itself is the centerpiece of this work. Four people, four cities, five stories.
KHAØS is a project on a global scale, involving two continents, America and Europe, and going possibly beyond. Their members have never actually played together in the same room. This came together thanks to the internet. It was an idea they wanted to put to the test.
Produced by Rolf Munkes at his Empire Studios in Germany, five songs with an unmistakable rocking vibe have arisen from the creative collaboration between these musicians.
This EP is taster of a bigger common work, a visiting card to awaken the interest of rock aficionados, a unique opportunity for labels to release a genuine product with international format and for the band to spread their music and extend their fan base worldwide.
"Rising" track listing:
01. Distress Signal
02. Hated
03. Reason To Die
04. Mind Violence
05. Perfect Future
06. Reason To Die (radio edit)
07. Perfect Future (radio edit)
KHAØS was formed in June 2012 around the idea of making music without any kind of compromises. The band name itself reveals the main musical target: to let creativity, musicality and energy flow, destroying barriers and breaking through obstacles. Music itself is the centerpiece of this work. Four people, four cities, five stories.
KHAØS is a project on a global scale, involving two continents, America and Europe, and going possibly beyond. Their members have never actually played together in the same room. This came together thanks to the internet. It was an idea they wanted to put to the test.
Produced by Rolf Munkes at his Empire Studios in Germany, five songs with an unmistakable rocking vibe have arisen from the creative collaboration between these musicians.
This EP is taster of a bigger common work, a visiting card to awaken the interest of rock aficionados, a unique opportunity for labels to release a genuine product with international format and for the band to spread their music and extend their fan base worldwide.
"Rising" track listing:
01. Distress Signal
02. Hated
03. Reason To Die
04. Mind Violence
05. Perfect Future
06. Reason To Die (radio edit)
07. Perfect Future (radio edit)
Reunited Dutch death metallers CENTURIAN are putting the finishing touches on their much-anticipated new album, "Contra Rationem", for a winter release on Listenable Records. The CD is being recorded at the We Are (Music) Junkies studio in Eindhoven with producer/sound engineer Jo Peeters (ABORTED, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, SEVERE TORTURE) and Ralph Timmermans (MINDPARK).
Songtitles set to appear on the CD:
* Judas Among Twelve
* Adversus
* The Will Of The Torch
* Thou Shallt Bleed For The Lord Thy God
* Antinomian
* Feast Of The Cross
Commented guitarist Rob Oorthuis, CENTURIAN's founding member and writer/composer, "'Contra Rationem' is an adversive record in the broadest sense of the word. It lacks all the ethics of contemporary productions.
Leaving only the dynamic range of decay and rats exploring your skeleton.
Through the rattle of bones... One might even hear flesh on instruments.
"We keep our deathmetal underproduced. All songs were nailed with conviction, without hesitation. In one take. Guided only by tongues of fire descending upon our heads. Uncorrected. As real as we are not."
Oorthuis previously stated about CENTURIAN's new material and decision to reform, "The new songs are more CENTURIAN-esque than they are NOX songs. The chemistry among the bandmembers, musically and technically, leans on an approach we had back in the CENTURIAN days. Because of this I coined the idea about changing back the name."
CENTURIAN is:
Niels Adams - Vocals
Rob Oorthuis - Guitars
Patrick Boleij - Bass
Seth Van De Loo - Drums
CENTURIAN's last album, "Liber Zarzax", was released in 2001 via Listenable Records.
Songtitles set to appear on the CD:
* Judas Among Twelve
* Adversus
* The Will Of The Torch
* Thou Shallt Bleed For The Lord Thy God
* Antinomian
* Feast Of The Cross
Commented guitarist Rob Oorthuis, CENTURIAN's founding member and writer/composer, "'Contra Rationem' is an adversive record in the broadest sense of the word. It lacks all the ethics of contemporary productions.
Leaving only the dynamic range of decay and rats exploring your skeleton.
Through the rattle of bones... One might even hear flesh on instruments.
"We keep our deathmetal underproduced. All songs were nailed with conviction, without hesitation. In one take. Guided only by tongues of fire descending upon our heads. Uncorrected. As real as we are not."
Oorthuis previously stated about CENTURIAN's new material and decision to reform, "The new songs are more CENTURIAN-esque than they are NOX songs. The chemistry among the bandmembers, musically and technically, leans on an approach we had back in the CENTURIAN days. Because of this I coined the idea about changing back the name."
CENTURIAN is:
Niels Adams - Vocals
Rob Oorthuis - Guitars
Patrick Boleij - Bass
Seth Van De Loo - Drums
CENTURIAN's last album, "Liber Zarzax", was released in 2001 via Listenable Records.
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