The Rolling Stones have reunited with their former bassist Bill Wyman to record a tribute song in honour of their late pianist Ian Stewart.
The song, a cover of Bob Dylan's 'Watching The River Flow', is set to be included on a tribute album for Stewart, who died of a heart attack in 1985. He had played and recorded with the band since their inception in 1962.
Fansite Iorr.org reports that the Dylan cover features "all Rolling Stones members including Bill Wyman". Original member Wyman left The Rolling Stones in 1992.
The album, which is called 'Boogie For Stu', has been helmed by pianist Ben Waters.
Waters has previously confirmed that Keith Richards plays on three tracks on the album, which is out in March.
Ben Waters has just finished his Ian Stewart tribute album, due out March 9, 2011. The album is including the Bob Dylan track "Watching The River Flow", where all Rolling Stones members including Bill Wyman has contributed. Possible gigs to promote the album will be announced on BenWaters.com.
January 4, 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the passing of the THIN LIZZY legend Philip Parris Lynott. As the members of THIN LIZZY's current lineup get ready to embark on a European tour, guitarist Scott Gorham, drummer Brian Downey, singer Ricky Warwick (THE ALMIGHTY), guitarist Vivian Campbell (DEF LEPPARD) and keyboardist Darren Wharton share some memories and thoughts of Phil below.
Scott Gorham: "25 years on and I still miss the guy. Hell, we all miss him. It's a major reason why we go out and play the songs. But standing next to him for 11 years through all the ups as well as the down periods always brings back memories, especially at this time of year.
"As you can imagine, Phil and I got to know each other like brothers on a mission. Maybe not always a successful mission, but we always gave it a hell of a shot. He was a good friend, so I tell you what, when we introduce Phil each night... TAKE THE ROOF OFF!!! I'm pretty sure he's watching.
"Looking forward to meeting up with a lot of you out on the tour."
Brian Downey: "Phil songs bring back some special memories to me especially at this time of year. 'Cowboy Song' instantly transports me back to when Phil and me were kids going to see the Lone Ranger or Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers at the Apollo Cinema in Dublin for Saturday afternoon cowboy matinees. 'Emerald', where Phil wrote about the myths and stories we were taught at school about ancient Gaelic wars and disputes. Or 'Black Rose', where Phil mentions the great literary figure Brendan Behan who lived on Bangor Road not far from where we both lived in Dublin.
"An abundance of personal memories, Phil, 25 years on. Always sadly missed.
"Go dtuga Dia suaimhneas da anam. Róisín Dubh."
Ricky Warwick: "Phil Lynott was the real deal, a true rocker, a criminally underrated lyrical genius, a unique vocalist and probably one of the best frontmen ever.
"When I first saw THIN LIZZY on 'Top Of The Pops', I was ten years old and Phil scared the hell out of me, but at the same time who was this person? What a voice and the music, oh man, I was hooked. My sisters had the albums, they didn't get them back.
"For any kid wanting to be in a rock band, I suggest going to YouTube and absorbing Phil and LIZZY. Watch, listen and learn how to be a true rock n roll star in every way. 'Cuz Phil Lynott was."
Vivian Campbell: "I have many, many memories of Phil Lynott, but the one that sticks out in my mind was the last night of the 'Renegade' tour. SWEET SAVAGE were opening and, as was customary, pranks were played on the opening band. After various objects had descended upon us from above — courtesy of the road crew — Phil suddenly appeared on stage during our last song with my spare guitar around his neck. He grabbed the cable out of my guitar and plugged it in to his. For a split second, I stood there dumbfounded. He had proceeded to center stage and was rockin' out with the other guys. I don't know what came over me, but I automatically ran up to him, looked him in the eye, and then took my cable back... Unfazed, he just mimed the rest of the song with us, looking as rock-star cool as he always did. He didn't know how to play the song anyway."
Darren Wharton: "Being a member of THIN LIZZY has been a fantastic and life-changing experience. Not only has it had a profound impression on me as a person, but also looking back, I've realized how much my own music with DARE has been greatly influenced by Phil, Scott, Brian and THIN LIZZY. Not so much in the style of writing, but more importantly in the sincerity and passion they brought to their unique music.
"As the years go by, I think about Philip most days, and when I do, I whisper a quiet 'thank you' to myself. So now, as I look forward to seeing you all soon at the forthcoming concerts; as we honor and pay tribute to the genius of Phil Lynott, and the music of THIN LIZZY... as we take the stage, I'll whisper once again, 'thank you for letting me be part of one of the best rock bands there ever was.'"
ESP has announced two brand new guitar models from METALLICA's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett.
The James Hetfield Snakebyte is a brand new body style for ESP and LTD in 2011. It has a set-neck construction at 24.75" scale, with a mahogany body and neck, and an ebony fingerboard with 22 XJ frets.
The Snakebyte comes with a bunch of high-end components, including Sperzel locking tuners, Schaller straplocks, a Tonepros locking bridge/tailpiece, and EMG 81 (bridge) / EMG 60 (neck) active pickups.
You can get the James Hetfield Snakebyte both in ESP and LTD versions, and both are available in two finishes: Black and Snow White, featuring a pearloid snake inlay on the fingerboard.
Another limited edition Kirk Hammett Signature Series model is also being introduced in 2011. The ESP KH-2 SE and LTD KH-SE are special edition guitars that will be limited to just 100 and 300 pieces worldwide respectively.
Highlighted by a brilliant Metallic Greenburst finish, the ESP KH-2 SE offers neck-thru-body construction, a 25.5" scale, an alder body, and maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, 24 XJ frets (with frets 17-24 scalloped), and green pearloid skull inlays.
Other high-performance features include Gotoh tuners, EMG 81 (bridge) / EMG 60 (neck) active pickups, and an original Floyd Rose bridge. The LTD KH-SE has a bolt-on maple neck, a basswood body, ESP tuners and pickups, and a Floyd Rose Special bridge.
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According to Classic Rock magazine, a special METALLICA 30th anniversary photo exhibition will take place at Proud Camden in London, England starting next month.
Titled "Fade To Black: Metallica By Bill Hale", it chronicles the band in their early years, photographed by Hale between 1982 and 1984. This includes the lineup featuring Dave Mustaine and Ron McGovney, the first gig with Cliff Burton, the last show in the Bay Area with Mustaine and Kirk Hammett's live debut in San Francisco.
The exhibition runs from February 3 to April 3.
For more information, visit Proud.co.uk.
"Metallica: The Club Dayz", a collection of photographs of METALLICA that were shot by Bill Hale during the band's formative years in the San Francisco Bay Area club circuit between 1982 and 1984, was released in April 2009 via ECW Press.
As chief photographer of Metal Rendezvous, a groundbreaking heavy rock magazine that was published throughout the '80s, Bill Hale was given unlimited access to hang out with and photograph this then-fledgling metal band. His job at the time was to capture the band onstage and offstage and provide the magazine with unique photographs of the band showcasing their brazen live energy in concert to unveiling some of their crazy and unpredictable backstage antics.
Bill Hale was right there from the very beginning, capturing the band before, during and after their performances. He was at every one of their early Bay Area shows, without the safety of a photo pit, crushed among the savage crowd as they head-banged fearlessly to the music of their local heroes. Here, for the first time, Bill Hale opens up his photo vault. Witness one of the greatest rock bands of all time during their embryonic stage.
Influenced musically by the new breed of British metal yet epitomizing the punk rock attitude, METALLICA's loud, snotty and don't-five-a-fuck attitude is very evident in these photographs. Most of the photos in this book have never been published and many of the images have never before been revealed to the public. "Metallica: The Club Dayz" is a long lost chapter of this band's visual history.
For more infromation, visit Amazon.com.
Back in 1986, SLAYER released its landmark album "Reign In Blood" that helped shape the sound of metal for decades to come. 25 years later, it's high time to give that album the credit its due, and ESP is doing just that with the limited-edition Slayer-2011 guitar.
Limited to just 250 guitars worldwide, the LTD Slayer-2011 is highlighted with a custom graphic finish that employs elements of the cover artwork from the "Reign In Blood" album. Details include a special LTD headstock logo in SLAYER's distinctive typeface, pentagram-shaped neck inlays, and the SLAYER logo inlaid near the 12th fret. The guitar uses bolt-on construction, an alder body, a maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, 24 XJ frets, a TOM bridge with string-thru-body design, and EMG 81 (bridge) and EMG 85 (neck) active pickups.
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MANOWAR will play its classic debut album, 1982's "Battle Hymns", in its entirety during the band's headlining performance on March 12, 2011 at the Agora in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the band's one and only scheduled appearance in North America. The group states, "After six years, the wait for true metal in America is over!" Tickets go on sale January 7, 2011. Also scheduled to appear on the bill is HOLYHELL.
MANOWAR will also play "Battle Hymns" in its entirety on March 27, 2011 at O2 Academy in Birmingham, England.
MANOWAR bassist and producer Joey DeMaio recently released a new video message in which he offered an update on the status of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band's next album, "Hammer Of The Gods". You can watch it below.
Stated DeMaio: "A couple of people were wanting to know what's going on with the new album, 'Hammer Of The Gods'. Well, the truth is this: [original MANOWAR drummer] Donnie Hamzik is officially back in the band, and that changed everything for us. So all the songs that were written have been completely fucking thrown out, completely ditched — gone, never to be heard from again. The writing has changed because Donnie's back in the band and he's burning like a mad motherfucking demon on drums. So this album is gonna basically sound like I told you before — like somebody put gasoline on your fucking balls and lit it. So it'll be worth the fucking wait, 'cause when it comes, it's coming back."
"Hammer Of The Gods" was previously described as the first installment of "The Asgard Saga", the band's unique multimedia fantasy adventure with best-selling author Wolfgang Hohlbein.
MANOWAR recently decided that its fans deserved to hear the songs from its debut album, 1982's "Battle Hymns", with the massive sound and production that has become the group's signature over recent years and records.
"Battle Hymns 2011" features two never-before-released live versions of "Death Tone" and "Fast Taker" recorded during the band's very first concerts in 1982. These are the rarest bonus materials ever released to date in MANOWAR's career.
MANOWAR's latest DVD in the "Hell On Earth" series was released on November 27, 2009. "Hell On Earth V" covers MANOWAR's recent world tours, including Germany, Norway, Spain, Finland, Russia, Romania, Turkey, USA and Canada. It features live performances of old and new classics such as "Gloves Of Metal", "The Crown And The Ring", "Hand Of Doom", "Hymn Of The Immortal Warrior", "Father", "God Or Man" and many others.
AVANTASIA — the project led by EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet — is putting the finishing touches on its two-disc DVD, "The Flying Opera - Around The World In 20 Days", for an early March release via Nuclear Blast Records in Europe and Avalon Marquee in Asia.
According to a press release, "The DVD is a documentary of the legendary 2008 world tour of AVANTASIA, when the band hit the road for the first time to write a new chapter in metal history; traveling around the world with a giant all-star ensemble to bring the metal opera on stage and play on three continents within a few days, crossing the dateline and eventually playing to a total of 400,000 people within only a few weeks. The first DVD contains a live concert with a running time of almost two hours featuring footage filmed at the headlining shows of Wacken Open Air (Germany) and Masters Of Rock (Czech Republic). On the second DVD there will be a movie, 'Around The World In 20 Days', that gives fans the opportunity to join AVANTASIA backstage and take a look at the surroundings and the thrill behind the scenes that go along with an extensive undertaking such as this. The DVD set will portray AVANTASIA 2008 when it all started."
"The Flying Circus - Around The World In 20 Days" will be available as a two-disc DVD set featuring the documentary movie, a live concert film, and additional bonus material. It will be also available as a double live album on CD and as a limited-edition two-CD/two-DVD box set.
Commented Tobias: "I am so proud of this DVD package and the featured footage, even though it took a little longer to finally complete it. It gives people an idea of what an impact the first appearance of AVANTASIA on stage had, and you will get an idea of how everything went beyond our expectations and what the roots and the seeds for the current AVANTASIA tour are. It portrays one year in AVANTASIA's history, maybe the most important year in the project's history because that is when a studio project became a traveling institution.
"There are many metal operas, but we made it something real, something to take hold of. Something alive..."
AVANTASIA kicked off its "The Metal Opera Comes To Town" world tour 2010 on November 30 at Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland. Joining Sammet in AVANTASIA's touring lineup are a number of special guests, including GAMMA RAY/ex-HELLOWEEN guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen, Bob Catley (MAGNUM), Jorn Lande (MASTERPLAN), Amanda Somerville, Olli Hartmann and Michael Kiske (HELLOWEEN).
Although rumors keep circulating about further shows from AVANTASIA in 2011, a statement on Tobias' official web site makes it clear that after AVANTASIA's December 2010 world tour, there will be no more tours or festival appearances from the project apart from the Wacken Open Air show in August 2011.
AVANTASIA released its new epic masterpiece on April 3, 2010 as regular CDs ("The Wicked Symphony" and "Angel Of Babylon"), two separate double picture vinyls, and as a beautiful collector's edition with an AVANTASIA picture book.
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Bassist James Lomenzo (MEGADETH, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, WHITE LION) will join SOULS ON 11 — the new project featuring former MEGADETH guitarist Jeff Young and one of America's true organic voices, Schascle "Twinkle" Yochim — on stage this Friday, January 7 at Molly Malone's in Los Angeles for "some special song performances." This will mark the first time that the two former MEGADETH members from different incarnations will have appeared together on stage.
A fusion of rock, blues, jazz and funk, SOULS ON 11 combines the soulful vocals of Shascle and the bluesy-shred virtuosity of Young.
SOULS ON 11 recently shot a video for its cover version of the AEROSMITH song "Seasons Of Wither" (from the 1974 "Get Your Wings" LP). The clip, which will premiere later this month, was directed and edited by Evan Nesbitt ("X-Men", "Blade", "Three Kings", "Spiderman", "Godzilla", "The Perfect Storm", "The Event") during a live performance in Los Angeles. The video will also be available for sale on iTunes in the first quarter of 2011.
Multinational melodic metal band EDEN'S CURSE will return with its latest and third studio CD, "Trinity", on March 18 via AFM Records. The band has been working daily on this release, fine-tuning every last detail over the last twelve months.
EDEN'S CURSE has announced that leading the infamous Curse Choir this time around is none other than DREAM THEATER vocalist James LaBrie. LaBrie lends his backing vocals to the entire album and also duets with EDEN'S CURSE frontman Michael Eden on the slamming epic "No Holy Man", which is also set to be released by AFM Records as a digital single on February 25. A promotional video is currently in production as well.
Michael Eden says: "James recorded the 'Trinity' sessions at Iguana Studios in Ontario straight after he finished his solo release, 'Static Impulse', which was perfect timing as he headed off on tour with IRON MAIDEN immediately after. "
James LaBrie himself adds: "In 2010 I was fortunate to discover EDEN'S CURSE. I absolutely love this band. Great players and people and they deserve nothing but huge success. They belong with the best of today's music. Trust me, you're going to love this from beginning to end."
Bass player and main songwriter Paul Logue explains: "James was highly professional, as you'd expect, extremely approachable and very enthusiastic about our music. We sealed the deal very quickly and we got him in top form as he was also in the middle of recording and we feel the end results are breathtaking."
Michael Eden further adds: "'Trinity' has been a long time in the making as we always strive to bring our current fan base and new fans our very best. I spoke with James LaBrie backstage on the IRON MAIDEN tour last summer and we had a great conversation. James has a way of making you see things in a different light than other people. It was an honor to have him along for the ride and we hope that it is not the last time we work together."
Eden then goes on to add, "We still have more cool surprises we will announce soon, this party is just getting started."
THE BRONX CASKET CO., the side project of OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni and SEVEN WITCHES guitarist Jack Frost, will release its new album, "Antihero", on January 25 via eOne Music.
The track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. Antihero
02. Bonesaw
03. You Look Like Hell
04. Sally
05. I Never Loved You Anyway
06. Holy Mother
07. I Am No One
08. Memphis Scarecrow
09. Selling My Soul
10. Death On Two Legs
11. Let Me Be Your Nightmare
12. NYC (Devil's Playground)
13. Alive!
14. My Way
Check out the cover artwork below.
"I am totally psyched to be working with eOne for the new BRONX CASKET release!" says Verni. "They did an amazing job with the OVERKILL record and I know they will do the same for this. Having a label home where people 'get' it and are psyched to work a record is a great feeling."
THE BRONX CASKET CO. was formed in 1998 by Verni, who — after having played in one of the most respected thrash bands ever for over two decades — was looking for "the challenge of writing interesting new material, and for fun, of course!" The band's second release caught the ear of playwright Andrea Lepcio. Soon after, Verni and Lepcio were collaborating with three-time Tony winner Hinton Battle to direct and choreograph. The seeds of "The Bronx Casket Co., A New Musical" were planted. Verni quickly recruited several members from the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA to perform. The cast consisted of performers from the Broadway shows "Hairspray", "Rent" and "Dance Of The Vampire". There have been several performances off-Broadway for producers/backers and the show is still in the writing stages. It has a gothic/Broadway score with a twisted love story woven throughout. Songs from the first two BRONX CASKET CO. releases are included in the show, as well as 13
new songs Verni penned just for the musical.
It's been five years since THE BRONX CASKET CO. last released an album and has been well worth the wait. Verni states, "This BRONX CASKET record is the best we have done, and we are looking forward to getting out on the road and doing some shows."
THE BRONX CASKET CO.'s follow-up to 2005's "Hellectric" will be the band's first release with D.D. handling all of the vocal duties.
THE BRONX CASKET CO. is:
D.D. Verni - Guitar, Vocals, Bass
Rob Pallotta - Drums
Jack Frost - Guitars
Charlie Calv – Keyboards
Acclaimed metal drummer Richard Christy (ICED EARTH, DEATH, LEASH LAW, CONTROL DENIED, BURNING INSIDE) has issued the following update:
"Last week I recorded drum tracks for 12 new songs for the second CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED album!
"I flew down to Miami, Florida the day after Christmas to start tracking drums at the legendary studio The Hit Factory Criteria Studios.
"The drum room we recorded in was insane; it was the size of a school gymnasium and my drums sounded massive in there!
"We got a very natural drum sound, thanks to our awesome engineer, Mark Lewis, and the amazing drum room. Everything went really smooth and we finished up in a very quick two and a half days, and I'm super-excited for everyone to hear the monster drum sound we got for these awesome songs.
"Seeing gold albums hanging on the walls from bands like THE EAGLES and BLACK SABBATH was so inspiring, too. The historic music that's been created at that studio is just unreal and it was an honor to record the drums for the second CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED album there.
"We'll be finishing up the rest of the album in January and February at Audiohammer Studios in Orlando and we're hoping to have the album out sometime this summer.
"The songs are super-heavy, brutal, and very melodic and catchy, like the first album,
"I can't wait for people to hear our new material!"
Check out photos from the studio below.
Fans got a chance to watch Christy and vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ICED EARTH) perform the songs from CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED's debut album during a July 2010 tour that included stops in Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, Toronto, New York, Cleveland and Pittsburgh before wrapping up in Worcester, Massachusetts as part of a massive show with DREAM THEATER.
CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED's touring lineup made its live debut on July 1, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. Stepping in for the concerts were Cleveland guitarists John Comprix and Matt Sorg. Comprix is Owens' bandmate in several projects, and Sorg plays with Comprix in RINGWORM.
The self-titled debut album from CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED sold around 2,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at No. 6 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
The recording sessions for the CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED CD took place at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof, who has previously worked with TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, BURY YOUR DEAD, AUGUST BURNS RED, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DAATH, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER and GOD FORBID, among others.
CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED's recording lineup:
* Richard Christy - Drums
* Jason Suecof - Guitar, Producer
* Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ICED EARTH) - Vocals
* Steve DiGiorgio (SADUS, TESTAMENT) - Bass
CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED's "Ghost Town" video can be viewed below.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/charredwallsofthedamned.
German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION will embark on a North American headlining tour in April/May with support from Australia's DESTROYER 666.
Commented DESTRUCTION bassist/vocalist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer: "It feels fantastic to return to North American shores for the first time after our return to Nuclear Blast with a new album as brutal as 'Day Of Reckoning' on our backs. This is the strongest material we have written since [2001's] 'The Antichrist' and we are burning to present these shredding songs and introduce our new 6.6-foot-tall drum animal Vaaver [INDUKTI, ex-UNSUN] live! Of course, all the DESTRUCTION classics will be there; we know what our faithful fans want and we will serve them well! You will feel the force of the strongest lineup we have ever had. Experience the true power and the rigorous precision of German thrash metal live this spring! Can't fuckin' wait!"
Confirmed dates for the "North American Reckoning 2011" tour are as follows:
Apr. 27 - Studio Seven - Seattle, WA
May 03 - Oriental Theater - Denver, CO
May 05 - Reggie's Rock Club - Chicago, IL
May 07 - Harpo's - Detroit, MI
May 09 - Foufounes Electriques - Montreal, QC, Canada
May 10 - Bourbon Street - Baltimore, MD
May 11 - B.B. King Blues Club & Grill - New York, NY
May 13 - Jaxx - West Springfield, VA
May 17 - Mug Shots - Austin, TX
May 20 - Galaxy Theatre - Santa Ana, CA
May 21 - Key Club - West Hollywood, CA
Additional dates will be announced soon.
DESTRUCTION's new album, "Day Of Reckoning", will be released on February 18, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records. The first limited edition of the album will not feature the band's logo on the booklet while the vinyl version and second pressing of the CD will show a red DESTRUCTION logo on it.
A brand new DESTRUCTION track entitled "The Price" has been posted on the band's MySpace page. Schmier states, "This song expresses the spirit of 'Day Of Reckoning' at its best: faster, more raw, and tighter. One of my favorite tracks on the album because you can feel the fire and the joy of playing! The band feels the old-school aggression again and this song is like a rocket: UN-FUCKIN'-STOPPABLE!"
DESTRUCTION filmed a video for the song "Hate Is My Fuel" on Friday, December 31 at the Headbangersball Silvester Festival in Burgdorf, Switzerland. Berlin, Germany's Roax Films is producing the clip, which will be released in early February.
"Day Of Reckoning" limited slipcase edition track listing:
01. The Price
02. Hate Is My Fuel
03. Armageddonizer
04. Devil's Advocate
05. Day Of Reckoning
06. Sorcerer Of Black Magic
07. Misfit
08. The Demon Is God
09. Church Of Disgust
10. Destroyer Or Creator
11. Sheep Of The Regime
12. Stand Up And Shout (limited-edition bonus track)
Texas thrash metal veterans RIGOR MORTIS will celebrate their 25th anniversary this year with several special shows. Confirmed dates so far are as follows:
Feb. 11 - Clicks Live - Tyler, Texas,
Feb. 12 - The Rail Club - Ft. Worth, Texas
Feb. 13 - Headhunters - Austin, Texas
Possible dates in San Antonio, Houston, Oklahoma City and New Orleans will follow in March and April.
For these 25th-anniversary shows, RIGOR MORTIS will play all of its self-titled debut album except for one song plus classic tracks from the band's other two releases, "Freaks" and "Rigor Mortis Vs. The Earth".
RIGOR MORTIS lineup:
Mike Scaccia - Guitar
Casey Orr - Bass/Vocals
Harden Harrison - Drums
Bruce Corbitt - Vocals
In other news, RIGOR MORTIS will record two new songs in February. These will be the first songs this lineup has recorded together since the band's 1988 self-titled debut album. The groups plans to write and record enough songs in the upcoming months for a future full-length release.
Canadian metallers THREAT SIGNAL have parted ways with drummer Norm Killeen and guitarist Adam Weber and have replaced them with Alex Rudinger from Frederick, Maryland and Chris Feener from Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland, Canada, respectively. THREAT SIGNAL vocalist Jon Howard said, "I caught wind of Alex's drumming through YouTube. He has a large number of drumming videos, including covers and originals. My jaw dropped when I first saw this kid play! Chris also has a ton of self-recorded videos on YouTube. I haven't seen a guy shred like this in a long time!"
Regarding Killeen and Weber's departures, Howard said, "It was a mutual decision between us all to part ways, and there are no hard feeling whatsoever. We are still great friends. We shared some amazing times together and we will never forget that. We love [them] guys and wish [them] all the best."
THREAT SIGNAL is currently writing material for its third album and plans to hit the studio sometime in the spring. Howard said, "All I can say for now is that the new material is heavier than anything we've done before! Get ready kids, THREAT SIGNAL is gonna tear you some new holes this year!"
THREAT SIGNAL recently completed the "Threat Over Europe 2010" headlining tour with RAUNCHY (Denmark), SYBREED (Switzerland), M.A.N (Sweden) and ILLIDIANCE (Russia).
THREAT SIGNAL's sophomore album, "Vigilance", sold around 1,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 32 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200. Released in September 2009 via Nuclear Blast Records, the CD was produced by vocalist Jon Howard and mixed by Greg Reely (FEAR FACTORY, FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY).
THREAT SIGNAL members Jon Howard and Pat Kavanagh are also involved with ARKAEA, the band featuring FEAR FACTORY members Raymond Herrera (drums) and Christian Olde Wolbers (guitar).
MONSTER MAGNET will play The Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ on February 20th. Tickets are available now.
With SLIPKNOT gigs announced for the late spring/early summer, the question remains who will play bass guitar in place of the late Paul Gray who died last year. "It's one of the things that we're talking about right now," SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor told the Artisan News Service (see video below). "Whatever we do will make sense at the end of the day. He'll never be replaced, and it'll never be anything that will be OK, basically, but when the time comes, we'll figure it out."
If the band sticks to the plan revealed to The Pulse Of Radio by drummer Joey Jordison, SLIPKNOT will use a touring bassist for live work but will remain an eight-piece onstage. "We're not gonna have anyone on stage right now," Jordison said. "The bass player, he'll be behind me, you know, when I'm playing to lock in with me, but there's no one right now to go onstage. There's no replacement for Paul right now."
Paul's widow, Brenna Gray, has spoken out publicly on her husband's death in the latest issue of Revolver magazine. Brenna told the magazine that she wants people to remember her husband, who died from an overdose of morphine and other prescription drugs, as "more than just a drug addict." Brenna explained, "I don't want people to judge him for the mistake he made. He wasn't just a drug addict; that was a little part of his life that he just couldn't overcome. He was a great guy, a great musician, a great husband, a great friend, a great brother and a great son. I want people to know that."
Brenna was six months pregnant with the couple's daughter when Paul Gray was found in a hotel room outside Des Moines, Iowa last May, dead at the age of 38. The baby, named October Dedrick Gray, was born in August.
Brenna added that she wants to use her husband's demise to save the lives of others, saying, "I've been working with the MusiCares organization. If I can get my story out there, as hard as it is to tell — if one person can save their own life through my husband losing his — that's what matters."
Gray's death may have possibly influenced one of his bandmates to clean up his own act. Taylor, who has struggled to stay sober over the years, told Kerrang! magazine that his New Year's resolution for 2011 was to lay off the sauce once and for all. He said, "I've quit in the past, but this year it's more for me than it was the first time. There's a permanence to this one. I asked myself, 'What am I holding on to? Am I drinking just because I can, or because it's a celebration, or is it because I'm scared to death of my own mortality?' I couldn't come up with a good answer for any of those questions, so I decided to call it a day. Having done that, it's better for my marriage, it's better for my health, it's better for being on the road."
Rick Florino of ARTISTdirect recently conducted an interview with DISTURBED frontman David Draiman. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
ARTISTdirect: Where did the idea for [the 'Music As A Weapon V'] tour [with KORN] come from?
Draiman: We talked about it the last time we saw the guys, and everybody thought it was a good idea. Nowadays, it's even more important to unite strengths and join forces to give the fans a little bit more for their money. In a troubled economy and taxed touring environment, you've got to pony up. We tried to assemble the strongest bill that we possibly could. We had no issues co-headlining with a band as fantastic and great as KORN. Certainly having SEVENDUST and IN THIS MOMENT added to the bill really helps round it out very powerfully. We're really looking forward to this tour.
ARTISTdirect: It's a reunion for you and KORN since the Pop Sux Tour in 2002.
Draiman: We've also done an Ozzfest together; we're old friends. There's a huge amount of mutual respect and admiration. Jonathan [Davis, KORN singer] is an influence of mine and a source of inspiration as vocalist. Hell, when that first KORN record came out, it was one of the reasons that I felt compelled to delve into the world of metal again. They're a huge source of inspiration, and we couldn't be more honored to be sharing the stage with them. There's a great camaraderie between us.
ARTISTdirect: Will you go deeper into [the new DISTURBED album] "Asylum" on this tour?
Draiman: We can't go that much deeper unfortunately because our set is only 60 or 65 minutes [Laughs]. We are going to put in at least another new song or two, which means we're going to have to end up sacrificing one of the classics. It's a really good problem to have though [Laughs]. Which one of our eight number one singles do we leave out of the set in order to put in some new material? [Laughs] We never wanted to be one of those bands that tours and exclusively plays new material. I know that as a fan of other bands I'm always disappointed when I don't get to hear the classics or the old hits. It's really a delicate balance you need to achieve.
ARTISTdirect: Are you expanding the stage set from Uproar for this tour?
Draiman: That would be really hard to do [Laughs]. We're hoping to maintain it. Uproar was about as big as we've ever gotten. As far as what's been developed more with our video three-dimensionally staggered monolithic video wall we've constructed, we have some additional pieces we're hoping to display that the crowd did not get to see on Uproar. That comes in the form of some of the new pieces of music. There are no pieces of footage comprised for it. As far as expanding beyond that, that's kind of impossible within the confines of what we've got. Fans are definitely going to get the ultra-big rock show experience. There's no doubt about that.
U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine recently conducted an interview with vocalist Cristina Scabbia of the Italian rock/metal band LACUNA COIL about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the group's follow-up to 2009's "Shallow Life", tentatively due in the summer via Century Media Records. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.
Kerrang!: Have you got a lot of ideas for the record?
Cristina: Yeah, we definitely have a lot. We learned so much from making "Shallow Life" and working with a different producer [Don Gilmore; LINKIN PARK, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE] gave us a great starting point for this record. We want to bring everything we have to the table and just explore that. We're more inspired by the dark side of life than anything else right now, and I'm pretty sure the new album will be darker and heavier because of that.
Kerrang!: Has this darker inspiration come from recent life experience?
Cristina: No, not really. I've honestly always been attracted by weird, dark, horror things; it's something I cannot really explain. Some people think these things are scary, and then there are people like me who enjoy them just because there's a sort of beauty in darkness. I think it's part of us, we always love that stuff. But it's not necessarily inspired by bad things happening around us. You can stop and think about darker stuff even if you're not living with it."
Kerrang!: How is the new material sounding?
Cristina: It's still a rock sound. I like the direction we took on "Shallow Life" and this is going to be in that vein. I still love metal to death, but at this point I like rock more. I like being able to bring different things that are not necessarily from metal to the album because I like the contamination between sounds. I like that music is always evolving and that you can be free to take sounds and mix them together.
Kerrang!: Any other surprises in store?
Cristina: At this stage I actually don't know. We don't plan that, because in some ways I like to stay with that classic sound and in some other ways I like to do something completely different and surprise people. I've learned over the years that you cannot make everyone happy. If you stay classic, there will be some who say you're not innovative, and if you're innovative, people will complain that you sold out or you went off the rails. I can honestly say I don't care anymore. We want to be free to do whatever we want. We love rock and roll and we love metal, but we don't want to put any limitations on what we might make.
Kerrang!: With so many albums under your belt, do you ever worry about repeating yourselves?
Cristina: I don't put too much time into thinking anything like that; even if I repeat myself or the band repeats itself, we don't care, because it's still us. I think that we've found our own style, so we're free to do the same thing over and over if we want, but I don't think that will happen. But we can also change completely if we want; we don't feel stress, we don't feel pressure, we just don't care. We just want to go with the flow and play together. In the end, we'll put out whatever we like.
Kerrang!: Who is going to be producing the record?
Cristina: We want to wait a little bit more and see what form the album takes as it comes together, then we'll choose a producer according to that. I'd love to work with Don again, he's a fantastic producer and a great person, but I'd also like to work with somebody else, because you can learn a lot every time you work with someone new. We'll let the music dictate that, but we're excited for whatever direction it takes us.
After several months of negotiations, U.K.-based doom metallers PANTHEIST have inked a three-album deal with the German label Grau Records.
Comments the band: "We have been following Grau for years and have always been impressed by the quality of their material, so we feel honored to be part of their family now. We thank Tom for his trust and we are already in the process of mixing our fourth album with Greg Chandler at Priory Studios. We are fully confident that this upcoming album, that is bound to remain untitled to signify the new start in our history, contains the most powerful, emotive and heartfelt material we have produced so far and we are impatient to finish mixing and mastering in January for a projected spring 2011 release."
In other news, bassist Mark Bodossian, who has been a core member of PANTHEIST since 2004, is leaving the band to move to Norway. Mark joined the group during the recording sessions for "Amartia" and participated in the recordings for "The Pains of Sleep", "Journey Through Lands Unknown", "Unveiling The Signs" as well as PANTHEIST's upcoming album. Furthermore, he has played dozens of gigs with the band, including taking part in the tour with SKEPTICISM and OPHIS in 2008. PANTHEIST states, "We are currently rehearsing with Aleksej Obradovic (ex-DE PROFUNDIS) on bass and are quite confident that he will be up to the difficult task of filling in Mark's shoes."
Also on the PANTHEIST-related front, "Unveiling the Signs", the conceptual split album to which the band contributed the 10-minute track "Barock", is now available for sale directly from the group. PANTHEIST states, "This release is strongly PANTHEIST-tinted, as it also includes a track of WIJLEN WIJ — a project by Kostas and several ex-PANTHEIST collaborators — as well as a personal composition of Kostas Panagiotou."
For more information, visit www.pantheist.co.uk.
PRIMAL FEAR bassist Mat Sinner will produce the collaborative album from singers Jimi Jamison (ex-SURVIVOR) and Bobby Kimball (ex-TOTO). Jimi and Bobby are currently laying down the vocal tracks in Los Angeles, with the instrumental parts having already been recorded in Germany. The songs on the album, which promises to be one of the highlights of 2011 in the melodic rock scene, were selected from several songwriters, including Richard Page (MR. MISTER), Randy Goodrum (TOTO, STEVE PERRY), Robert Sall (WORK OF ART), John Waite and more melodic rock luminaries. A spring release via Frontiers Records is expected.
FOR ALL WE KNOW, the new project led by WITHIN TEMPTATION guitarist Ruud Jolie, is mixing its debut album for an April 2011 release. Joining Jolie in the group are Léo Margarit (PAIN OF SALVATION) on drums, Kristoffer Gildenlöw (DIAL, ex-PAIN OF SALVATION) on bass and Wudstik (AYREON) on vocals. The CD will also feature guest appearances by such musicians as John Wesley (PORCUPINE TREE touring guitarist), Richie Faulkner (LAUREN HARRIS), Damian Wilson (THRESHOLD), Daniel Gildenlöw (PAIN OF SALVATION) and Sharon den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION).
For more information, visit www.forallweknow.net.
U.K. modern thrashers SYLOSIS will release their sophomore album, "Edge Of The Earth", on March 11 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was produced by Scott Atkins, who previously worked with the band on 2008's "Conclusion Of An Age".
"Edge Of The Earth" track listing:
01. Procession
02. Sands Of Time
03. Empyreal
04. Empyreal (Part 2)
05. A Serpents Tongue
06. Awakening
07. Kingdom Of Solitude
08. Where The Sky Ends
09. Dystopia
10. Apparitions
11. Altered States Of Consciousness
12. Beyond The Resurrected
13. Eclipsed
14. From The Edge Of The Earth
Check out the cover artwork below.
SYLOSIS is:
Josh Middleton - Vocals/Guitar
Alex Bailey - Guitar
Carl Parnell - Bass
Rob Callard - Drums
The iTunes version of "Conclusion Of An Age" included the exclusive bonus track "The Fate Of Vultures".
An e-card for the for "Conclusion Of An Age" is available at this location.
SYLOSIS' musical style was described in a previous press release as "brutal, technical and deceptively melodic modern metal that favours invention over cliché and never shies away from nimble shifts in style, tempo or mood. The quintet manage to bring an epic, technical and melodic feel to the old-school thrash sound, combining incredible guitar solos and bloodlust vocals. The outcome, a sound that is both devastatingly feral and blisteringly precise."
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/sylosis.
Bay Area progressive rock/metal three-piece GRAYCEON has completed work on its third full-length album, "All We Destroy", for a March 1 release.
GRAYCEON is recognized as one of the most creative and unique forces within the Bay Area underground metal scene, on par with such contemporaries as LUDICRA, HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE, SLOUGH FEG, AMBER ASYLUM, ASUNDER and WORM OUROBOROS.
Featuring members of the forward-thinking thrash/punk metal band WALKEN and cellist/vocalist Jackie Perez Gratz (of GIANT SQUID, and who also has served as the recording cellist for bands like AGALLOCH, OM, ASUNDER, CATTLE DECAPITATION, AMBER ASYLUM and NEUROSIS), GRAYCEON is solely comprised of cello, guitars, drums, and vocals. By combining elements of progressive rock/metal, sludge/doom metal, neo-classical chamber music, and neo-folk, "All We Destroy" follows the band's previous two releases (namely their self-titled debut and their sophomore release, "This Grand Show") and builds upon the sound they formulated into something heavier, and more moving, while at the same time, something much more frantic and devastating.
"All We Destroy" track listing:
01. Dreamer Deceived
02. Shellmounds
03. We Can
04. Once A Shadow
05. A Road Less Traveled
06. War's End
According to The Pulse Of Radio, SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman and sole original member Billy Corgan blasts the major labels in a new interview with Spinner.com, saying, "Something about the need for the major label system to corner the market has squeezed the excitement out of music. It's almost like the restaurant where the prices are too high — you can't enjoy your food. You feel like you're getting ripped off, but you don't know why. Fans overall have rebelled."
Corgan has been out of the system since 2008, when the PUMPKINS became free agents following the disappointing response to the PUMPKINS' 2007 comeback album, "Zeitgeist".
The PUMPKINS have been recording and posting songs online for free on a regular basis since last year, with a total of 44 tracks scheduled to be completed and collected in a massive set called "Teargarden by Kaleidyscope".
Corgan says that posting the tracks online has brought back freedom and a sense of community to the listening experience, explaining, "I grew up in the '70s and listening to the radio was important. We all listened and we all had a common experience . . . We've kind of lost that."
Corgan adds that the music industry continually refuses to catch up to the times: "Now we have a system of middle-of-the-road non-risk-takers that seem to be risk-takers but aren't really. It's systemically rewarding the wrong end of the art world."
Guitarist Sinhue "Sin" Quirin of MINISTRY and REVOLTING COCKS has issued the following update:
"For those that don't know, I was taken to the hospital on January 1 at around 5 a.m. [It was] my first time in an ambulance... not fun. I had excruciating lower left abdominal pain. It was the worst pain EVER.
"Long story short, it was kidney stones... I'm feeling better now. I just hope they dissolve 'cause I don't want to go through that EVER AGAIN.
"Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and messages."
Sin's recent credits include co-writing the latest MINISTRY record, "The Last Sucker" (2007, 13th Planet Records), and playing guitar on MINISTRY's "Cover Up" album (2008, 13th Planet Records). He also co-wrote the REVOLTING COCKS album "Sex-O Olympic-O" (2009, 13th Planet Records).
San Francisco heathens PALE CHALICE, the latest acquisition to The Flenser's blackened roster, have finalized the details to their debut EP, set for CD and digital release on March 8, 2011, Recorded at Death Midi Soundlab by Navene Koperweis (drummer for ANIMALS AS LEADERS), the expansive four-song "Afflicting The Dichotomy Of Trepid Creation" EP captures nearly half-an-hour of this fairly new yet wholly ripened act's honed, black metal skills, bearing more content and gritty traction than many full-length releases from the genre we'll see released throughout the coming year.
"Afflicting The Dichotomy Of Trepid Creation" track listing:
01. Transplant Of Dimensional Recourse
02. Command of the Formless
03. Caressed by a Feeble Flame
04. Ascend the Idyllic Sphere
Propagating intensely memorable yet brutal riffs, devoid of filler, the band's lyrics are dark and abstract, with influences which range from introverted psychosis to dimensional anomalies.
The outfit that would become PALE CHALICE was born as 2008 was dying off, essentially bearing three founding members: Oram Evad, Masthantric Nodrab and Baneist Nonrutin. A plethora of bassists and vocalists persisted through the years, until early 2010, when Ephemeral Domignostika (MASTERY, PANDISCORDIAN NECROGENESIS, HORN OF DAGOTH) and Grobahn Huv were added as permanent members.
While a great deal of touring from PALE CHALICE is not planned for the immediate future, the band is capable of annihilating live audiences as the desire, having already provided live support locally for internationally touring acts such as WATAIN and GOATWHORE, as well as local favorites and now labelmates NECRITE since they took the act live in the summer of 2010.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/palechalice.
According to Express.co.uk, vocalist Dani "Filth" Davey of British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH has topped the race to be named one of the top 10 icons of the U.K.'s Suffolk county.
The Suffolk Icons site was launched by Choose Suffolk, a partnership aimed at putting the county "on the map." The organization asked people to submit their photographs of landscapes, people or products for the Suffolk Icons contest.
Filth, 37, recorded 13,025 votes, 11,806 more than the nearest rival image.
In a recent online posting, Dani stated about his inclusion on the Suffolk Icons site, "I know it's a bit of a laugh and that no one really can compare to the grandeur of ducks or a disused Victorian swimming pool, but it is really an eye-opener for a lot of people who live in my county who have never heard of CRADLE OF FILTH or indeed crypt-crawling death-rock (lol!), or the absolute drivel spouted on the web page about me and mine. And for of all out there in the great cosmic beyond who haven't voted for me yet, I hereby promise that if I become Major of Ipswich, England, I'm turning it into Hallowe'en Town and you're all welcome to visit!"
According to Express.co.uk, cheating has not been suggested. But Choose Suffolk is re-staging the poll with a shortlist of only 20 approved images — and no Filth.
Tourism manager Alex Paul told EADT.co.uk that the submission of Dani as an "icon" showed that there was more to Suffolk than just the traditional beauty spots.
"The web site has produced a great range of images and features of Suffolk," he said. "It's a creative tool. We didn't know what to expect because nothing like this has ever been done before.
"What's great is it's not just the obvious ones, there are unusual ones that are just as valid.
"There's no right or wrong here, although we are going to pull a few out.
"It's about everyone's voices being heard. It's not about going for the obvious and people feel that Dani Filth is an icon and is as important to people as a pint of Adnams."
Indianapolis, Indiana's THE CONTORTIONIST has just added brand new tour dates with WITHIN THE RUINS, SUFFOKATE and LAST CHANCE TO REASON to its winter touring schedule. The trek will take the bands through Canada this February into March.
THE CONTORTIONIST released its debut full-length, "Exoplanet", on August 31, 2010 through Good Fight Music, and has been touring consistently since. The band's infectious, progressive and rhythmic sounds has brought it comparisons to some of today's metal greats, such as MESHUGGAH, THE ACACIA STRAIN and BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME.
THE CONTORTIONIST tour dates with WITHIN THE RUINS, SUFFOKATE and LAST CHANCE TO REASON:
Feb. 17 - Ottawa ON @ Alexander CC
Feb. 18 - Kingston ON @ Next Hall Church
Feb. 20 - Otobicoke ON @ The Rock Pile
Feb. 21 - Guelph ON @ Club Vinyl
Feb. 22 - Windsor ON @ The Blind Dog
Feb. 23 - Barrie ON @ The Mansion
Feb. 24 - Brantford ON @ Club NV
Feb. 25 - Sudbury ON @ Jubilee
Feb. 26 - Thunder Bay ON @ Croc's
Feb. 27 - Winnipeg MB @ [to be announced]
Feb. 28 - Fort Qu'Appelle SK @ [to be announced]
Mar. 01 - Saskatoon SK @ Walkers Nightclub
Mar. 02 - Edmonton AB @ Avenue Theater
Mar. 03 - Lethbridge AB @ The Royal Canadian Legion
Mar. 04 - Calgary AB @ The New Black Art Center (no LAST CHANCE TO REASON)
Mar. 05 - Vancouver BC @ Pats (no LAST CHANCE TO REASON)
"Exoplanet" was produced by UNEARTH guitarist Ken Susi.
The track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. Primal Directive
02. Flourish
03. Expire
04. Contact
05. Advent
06. Vessel
07. Oscillator
08. Axiom
09. Exoplanet I: Egress
10. Exoplanet II: Void
11. Exoplanet III: Light
Knoxville, Tennessee's WHITECHAPEL has parted ways with drummer Kevin Lane and has reportedly replaced him with Ben Harclerode of the Glendale, Arizona band KNIGHTS OF THE ABYSS. Lane is said to have returned home to Kingsport, Tennessee and is planning to go back to school.
WHITECHAPEL has selected Rocketown in Nashville, Tennessee as the location for the video shoot for the track "Breeding Violence", taken from the band's latest release, "A New Era of Corruption". The clip will be filmed on Saturday, January 8 with director Scott Hansen, who has previously worked on videos for ILL NIÑO, ANIMALS AS LEADERS, WILLIE NELSON, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA and A DAY TO REMEMBER, among others. WHITECHAPEL will play a full set for its fans and will be joined by THE TONY DANZA TAP DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA.
Commented WHITECHAPEL guitarist and founding member Alex Wade: "Nashville has always been a second hometown for us and with the success of the show there on 'The Corruptour', naturally we'd love to shoot our music video for our awesome Nashville fans. Our good friends in THE TONY DANZA TAP DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA will be opening the show so come out and get a shot of being in our video; it's gonna be a fun night!"
Come out to join WHITECHAPEL and be a part of the band's new music video; the $10 all-ages show starts at 7 p.m.
WHITECHAPEL will embark on its first-ever European headlining tour in April 2011 with support from THE ACACIA STRAIN and IMPENDING DOOM.
WHITECHAPEL's third album, "A New Era Of Corruption", sold around 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 43 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on June 8 via Metal Blade Records, the CD was recorded at Audiohammer studios in Sanford, Florida with acclaimed producer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER).
WHITECHAPEL's previous album, "This Is Exile", opened with 5,900 copies in July 2008 to land at No. 117.
South Carolina-based extreme metal band LECHEROUS NOCTURNE will enter Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida on May 8 to begin recording its new album, tentatively titled "Myth Manifest". Producing the CD will be Jarrett Prichard of death metal legends EULOGY.
LECHEROUS NOCTURNE will support ROTTING CHRIST on a North American tour in March/April. Also appearing on the trek will be MELECHESH, HATE and ABIGAIL WILLIAMS.
"Just War Theory", the latest video from LECHEROUS NOCTURNE, can be viewed below. The song comes off LECHEROUS NOCTURNE's second album, "The Age of Miracles Has Passed", which was released in October 2008 via Unique Leader Records. Once again recorded at SoundLab Studio in Columbia, South Carolina, "The Age of Miracles Has Passed" was said to be "a refined yet diversified progression from 2006's 'Adoration of the Blade'."
Florida death metallers CANNIBAL CORPSE are tentatively scheduled to release a new two-disc DVD set, "Global Evisceration", on March 15 via Metal Blade.
The band filmed two shows in May 2010 for the upcoming DVD. The concerts were shot and directed by Denise Korycki (Wild Wind Productions), who also helmed the band's "Centuries Of Torment - The First 20 Years" DVD.
On October 29, Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation released "Best Of Cannibal Corpse", featuring note-for-note transcriptions of 13 fan favorites from CANNIBAL CORPSE.
"Centuries of Torment", which came out July 2008, was certified platinum in Canada in 2009 just before the crushing release of the band's new album, "Evisceration Plague". The DVD sold 2,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 8 on the Top Music Videos chart.
Los Angeles-based extreme metal band DREAMING DEAD has announced the addition of lead guitarist Stephanie Pickard to the group's ranks. She and DREAMING DAED singer/guitarist Elizabeth Schall form the most shredding female guitar tandem in metal today.
Pickard studied with Bruce Bouillet and Paul Gilbert of legendary shred band RACER X. She became a Minarik Guitars endorsee at the age of 16.
Schall is a Fernandes Guitars endorsee. She will perform during the winter NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show at the Fernandes Guitars booth on January 14 and 15 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.
DREAMING DEAD has drawn comparisons to DEATH, DISSECTION, and OPETH. In April, the band will enter the studio to record its new album, "Midnightmares", for a late 2011 release.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/dreamingdead.
'80s rock group TAKASHI has announced a return after 30 years. The band, which was originally formed in 1981, will reunite in 2011 to release classic, remastered and new material.
In 1983 Mongol Horde Records released albums from TAKASHI, ALIEN, THOR and VIRGIN STEELE. TAKASHI's "Kamikaze Killers" release received great press from such noted magazines as Kerrang!, Hit Parader and more. TAKASHI supported METALLICA on the "Kill 'Em All" tour, TWISTED SISTER, ANTHRAX, JOE PERRY and more.
All the members of TAKASHI have remained active in the music business.
Today, TAKASHI frontman Danny Stanton is president of Coallier Entertainment in New York City, which handles and/or works with artists such as TWISTED SISTER, Ace Frehley, Lita Ford, Sebastian Bach, Steve Augeri and many more. Danny is also owner of Diamond Drop Recording Studios and Evolution Sound Stage in New York.
Craig Cory (then Khoury) still writes and records while rocking the Las Vegas music scene with his band and company CK Productions.
Bob "Space" Simonson has worked with PUBLIC ENEMY, TERMINATOR X, ADVANCED IDEA MECHANIXX and continues to produce and record.
Tom Cangemi owns a production company for artist development in Colorado and continues to produce, write and engineer. Some of Tommy's credits include Mandy Moore, Willa Ford, LFO, as well as jingles and commercials for Budweiser, 20th Century Fox, Gap, the TV series "Charmed" and more.
TAKASHI had two drummers in the '80s — Chuck Khoury, a founding member who was on the "Kamikaze Killers" release in 1983, and Mike Harr. Khoury owns the special FX company Explosive Personality in Las Vegas which does production on the "Phantom Of The Opera", Criss Angel's show and many more. Mike Harr, who toured in the later years with TAKASHI, owns Pure Ink Ltd. in New York City and has done a lot of session work for artists worldwide. Both drummers are scheduled to participate on the new release, with Mike Harr doing the majority of the recording and any live performing at this time.
When asked why they decided to reunite now after 30 years, the response from the TAKASHI bandmembers was, "Why not? We have the material, we all stayed in touch and it will be fun. Plus we all still look good after all this time."
NEGURA BUNGET — the Romanian band that incorporates elements of black metal, progressive metal, folk metal and dark ambient — has issued the following update:
"2010 was the most intense year in the history of the band. Two albums released, 'Maiestrit' on Prophecy Production and 'Vîrstele Pamîntului' on Code666 Records, followed by a long European tour as headliners (Spirit Of The Land Tour — 47 dates), another tour in autumn (Black Trolls Over Europe — ten dates), some festivals in between (including Hellfest), some lineup changes (guitarists Corb and Spin were replaced by Urzit and Fulmineos), a MCD to symbolically end our ten years cooperation with Code666 Records and a lot of work, all make this year special and unforgettable.
"Figures for 2010: 72 gigs played, two European tours as headliners, more than 50,000 km of driving on our van, 66 answered interviews, more than 10,000 CDs sold.
"We thank everybody who helped us in any way, and we promise we are already focusing on making 2011 even more special!
"The firsts signs are here already, 2011 marks 15 years of NEGURA BUNGET, so all our activities will celebrate this anniversary. We already have the release of the live DVD, 'Focul Viu', set for March, the April tour along ENSLAVED (which includes a special performance at Ragnarok Festival) and some summer festivals (of which Party. San is already announced). 2011 will also develop one of our most ambitious projects, 'The Transilvanian Trilogy'.
"We hope to meet again as many of you as possible and meanwhile we wish meaningful experiences in the year ahead."
NEGURA BUNGET is putting the finishing touches on a new mini-CD, "Poarta De Dincolo" (English translation: "A Gate From The Above" or "Carrying From The Other Side"). The effort is being recorded once again at Negura Music studio and, as the title suggests, focuses on exploring the relation between worlds, either from above, under or beyond.
"Poarta De Dincolo" will mark NEGURA BUNGET's final release for Code666 Records, putting an end to a collaboration that began almost 10 years ago.
NEGURA BUNGET's latest album, "Vîrstele Pamîntului" (English translation: The Ages of the Land/Earth), came out in the U.S. on August 10, 2010 via Aural Music/MVD. The CD was tracked at Negura Music studio under the supervision of sound engineer Mihai Toma. The group stated in a press release, "'Vîrstele Pamîntului' is an album about embracing your destiny, about choosing and consciously assuming a way of life. The earth is where we came from and where go back into, the one from above and beyond us. Understanding and respecting it is understanding yourself, your purpose and destiny. 'Vîrstele Pamîntului' is an album about places of the earth and places of the spirit, about bounds transcending worlds."
"Maiestrit", a magical and passionate reinterpretation of NEGURA BUNGET's classic album "Maiastru Sfetnic" (2000), was released in February 2010 by Lupus Lounge. This record contains the last studio recordings of the classic NEGURA BUNGET lineup (Hupogrammos, Sol Faur, Negru).
ENSLAVED, EXHUMED and CLITEATER have been confirmed for this year's edition of the Party.San Open Air festival, set to take place August 11-13, 2011 at its new location in Schlotheim/Flugplatz Obermehler, Germany.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
AT THE GATES
BELPHEGOR
CLITEATER
ENSIFERUM
ENSLAVED
EXHUMED
HAIL OF BULLETS
MELECHESH
MORBID ANGEL
MORGOTH
NACHTMYSTIUM
NEGURA BUNGET
PANZERCHRIST
TAAKE
DEMONICAL, the Swedish death metal band featuring past and present members from CENTINEX, GRAVE, REGURGITATE, INTERMENT, AMARAN, WORLD BELOW and DELLAMORTE, will headline the "Death Infernal Tour 2011" between May 3 and May 21 with support from Sweden's FERAL and U.K.'s GILLA BRUJA. The trek will include stops in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia and Czech Republic.
In August, DEMONICAL will support NUNSLAUGHTER on the "Hell Over Europe Tour", with dates planned in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic and Germany.
DEMONICAL has set "Death Infernal" as the title of its third album, due in April via Germany's Cyclone Empire Records. The CD was recorded, mixed and mastered at Necromorbus Studio (WATAIN, UNANIMATED, DESTRÖYER 666) in Alvik, Sweden under the watchful eye of DEMONICAL frontman Sverker Widgren. Other individuals taking part in the creation of "Death Infernal" were Costin Chioreanu of Twilight 13 Media and photographer Soile Siirtola.
"Death Infernal" will feature the following songs, among others:
* "The Arrival of Armageddon"
* "All will Perish (The Final Liberation)"
* "March for Victory"
* "Darkness Awaits"
* "Return Flesh"
* "From Northern Shores"
* "Ravenous"
According to a press release, "Death Infernal" will be "a lethal dose of fast Stockholm-style old-school death metal mixed with more epic and cold elements, hence creating the most deadly and victorious soundtrack for the upcoming downfall of Mother Earth."
DEMONICAL's second full-length album, "Hellsworn", was released in May 2009. The follow-up to 2007's "Servants of the Unlight" was recorded at Necromorbus Studios (WATAIN, SETHERIAL) and was mastered at Black Lounge Studios.
DEMONICAL in 2008 announced the addition of Sverker "Widda" Widgren — also known for his guitar work with DIABOLICAL and as the co-owner of Necromorbus Studios — as the group's new full-time vocalist.
The band's debut album, "Servants of the Unlight", was released in April 2007 via Cyclone Empire.
German black metallers ENDSTILLE have inked a deal with Season Of Mist. The band's as-yet-untitled seventh album will be released in the spring.
Commented the group: "We're satisfied to get reinforcements now by our new comrades of Season of Mist. They already proved to be a successful label in the past. So we know that our new brothers in arms can give us enough support for being finally at war with all."
ENDSTILLE in 2009 announced the addition of vocalist Zingultus (ex-NAGELFAR) to the group's ranks.
The band's sixth album, entitled "Verführer", was released in April 2009 via Regain Records. The CD was recorded at Jak's Hell studio in Germany.
Los Angeles-based extreme metal band DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS has set "Satánico Dramático" as the title of its first full-length album, set for worldwide digital release on February 23, 2011.
"Satánico Dramático" is the follow-up to 2005's "Day Of The Dead" EP, which was mixed by Roy Z. (ROB HALFORD, JUDAS PRIEST, BRUCE DICKINSON) and released on Cinismo Records.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS is:
Loana dP Valencia - Vocals
Alfonso Pinzon - Drums
Andres Jaramillo - Guitar
Adrian Villanueva - Guitar
Alejandro Corredor - Bass
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/quevivanlosmuertos.
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