Concert promoter Evenpro has released the following statement regarding the cancelation of IRON MAIDEN's March 27, 2011 concert at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
"The IRON MAIDEN concert at HSBC Arena has been postponed to Monday, March, 28 due to technical problems with the barricade provided in front of the stage. This decision was taken by HSBC Arena in agreement with the band's staff, because it's their priority not to put fans' safety in risk. IRON MAIDEN will stay in Rio de Janeiro one more day to be able to make the show and not leave Rio de Janeiro out of this leg of 'The Final Frontier Tour'. All the fans at tonight (Sunday) concert must bring their tickets stub tomorrow to be allowed entry the concert.
"For those fans who cannot attend the concert on Monday, the refund policy will be as follows:
* For those who had acquired the tickets at the HSBC Arena box office and other P.O.S, [you] will be able to ask refund at the HSBC Arena box office from April 4 onwards, with the tickets stubs.
* For those who have acquired through Call Center or Internet, please keep the ticket stub and make contact with sac@livepass.com.br, or phone number 4003-1527, from April 4 on.
"The band are naturally very sorry for any fans that can't return tomorrow but promise a great and safe show tomorrow Monday for those who do.
"HSBC Arena and the band thank the incredible fans for their understanding of this difficult situation and their cooperation.
"As much as the band wish to play for their fans, the safety of each one of those fans is always paramount.
"IRON MAIDEN look forward to a fantastic concert tomorrow."
THIN LIZZY has been confirmed for this year's edition of Classic Rock magazine's award-winning High Voltage festival, set to take place Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24, 2011 in Victoria Park, London, England.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
AMPLIFIER
ANATHEMA
ATTICA RAGE
BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION
BLACK SPIDERS
CARAVAN
CURVED AIR
DREAM THEATER
ELECTRIC WIZARD
EVILE
FURYON
GENTLEMAN'S PISTOLS
GRAND MAGUS
JETHRO TULL
JUDAS PRIEST
MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP
MOSTLY AUTUMN
NEAL MORSE
NEUROSIS
PALLAS
PRIMITAI
QUEENSRŸCHE
RAVENS CREED
RIVAL SONS
SAINT JUDE
SKIN
SPOCK'S BEARD
THE ENID
THIN LIZZY
THUNDER
VON HERTZEN BROTHERS
High Voltage is the festival all true rock fans have been waiting for — custom built by rock fans for rock fans. The High Voltage team has been to every rock festival imaginable — taking what they have learned to build a festival unlike any other.
First of all there's the music: Amazing headliners AND three unique stages specially curated to cater for different sides of the rock audience, and a brilliant supporting cast playing special must-see sets. Then there's the festival itself. The facilities will be second to none: great food, proper beer, clean toilets and deluxe hospitality packages. This is somewhere you take the whole family.
High Voltage offers a new and unique festival experience for rock fans of all ages. Only High Voltage gives ticket buyers the freedom to design their own bespoke festival package — which can include accommodation, transport and VIP entertainment.
Tickets priced £99 (for weekend tickets) and £56.50 (for day tickets) — subject to booking fee. VIP tickets will be available at £105.00 for the day, £199.00 for the weekend — subject to booking fee. There will also be various VIP and hotel packages available, at varying price levels to suit.
For more information, visit HighVoltageFestival.com.
GUNS N' ROSES and SIXX: A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba has teamed up with clothing guru Cody Varona, CEO of Forgotten Saints, to bring you one-of-a-kind custom-made clothing inspired by Ashba. All stage clothes are unique and handmade. NO two pair are alike.
Stated DJ, "Cody has custom-made my stage clothes for about 10 years now. She is hands down the best!"
For more details, visit DJAshba.com.
In addition to Ashba and sole original member Axl Rose (vocals), the current lineup of GUNS N' ROSES includes guitarists Ron Thal and Richard Fortus, bassist Tommy Stinson, keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman and drummer Frank Ferrer.
Ashba joined GUNS N' ROSES in March 2009 following the departure of Robin Finck. Rose stated about D.J.'s addition to the group at the time, "D.J.'s a gifted, energetic guitarist that GUNS N' ROSES is proud to have on board!! We're very excited to have the opportunity to work together. GUNS' radar has silently been aware of D.J.'s presence for quite some time. He brings a fresh approach to our particular brand of mayhem expanding the tapestry of GUNS N' ROSES live. Once D.J.'s name was in the hat, the hat disappeared!!"
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/djashbaclothes1.jpeg
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Get ready for hell on earth, because for the first time since they tour together on Ozzfest 1999, ROB ZOMBIE and SLAYER are teaming up to hit the road, bringing a glorious purgatory to fans in 12 North American cities. The co-headline trek kicks off Wednesday, July 20 at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 1 at 10:00 a.m. local time. Tickets for all shows are available at the venues' box office, and via online outlets.
"We haven't toured with Zombie since Ozzfest 1999, so you can expect no less than 'hell on earth,'" said SLAYER's Kerry King. "Total sonic annihilation and a visual bludgeoning. Bring your own body bag..."
"Total destruction on stage and off is what this combination promises," states Zombie, "Seriously, how much more Hell could you ask for? The answer is none more Hell."
Both Zombie and SLAYER will present their full headline sets at every show, and both bands will close shows over the course of the tour. San Francisco's thrash-metal band EXODUS has been confirmed to open all shows.
SLAYER has been performing its classic 1990 "Seasons In the Abyss" album in its entirety over the past several months, but will instead draw from its entire 30-year catalogue for this tour's setlist.
Never one to play it safe, Zombie will be bringing his legendary stage show out in full force. Audiences can expect an exploding non-stop barrage of sin, sex and Satan guaranteed to rip your face off. This a true rock and roll spectacle at its finest.
SLAYER, ROB ZOMBIE and EXODUS "Hell On Earth" tour dates:
Jul. 20 - Sovereign Center, Reading, PA
Jul. 22 - DTE Amphitheatre, Detroit, MI
Jul. 23 - Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA
Jul. 24 - Heavy T.O. at Downsview Park, Toronto, ON Canada
Jul. 27 - MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB Canada
Jul. 29 - Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon, SK Canada
Jul. 30 - Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB Canada
Jul. 31 - Rexall Place, Edmonton, AB Canada
Aug. 02 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Center, Victoria, BC Canada
Aug. 03 - Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC Canada
Aug. 05 - Rose Quarter Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR
Aug. 06 - WaMu Theatre, Seattle, WA
SLAYER and TYGERS OF PAN TANG have been confirmed for this year's edition of Bang Your Head!!! festival, set to take place July 15-1h in Balingen, Germany.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
ACCEPT
AMORPHIS
ASPHYX
ASTRAL DOORS
CRASHDÏET
CRIMSON GLORY
CRIPPER
CRYSTAL VIPER
D-A-D
DEATH ANGEL
DESASTER
HELLOWEEN
IMMORTAL
LEGION OF THE DAMNED
LORDI
METAL INQUISITOR
OVERKILL
PORTRAIT
PRETTY MAIDS
PSYCHOTIC WALTZ
SLAYER
SONATA ARCTICA
STORMWARRIOR
TYGERS OF PAN TANG
A warm-up show dubbed "A Night Of Metal Made In Germany" will take place indoors on Thursday, July 14 at the Messehalle right at the festival site. It will feature performances by the following artists
AXEL RUDI PELL
BRAINSTORM
KISSIN' DYNAMITE
ETERNAL REIGN
Launched in 1996, the Bang Your Head!!! festival has become one of the most prominent metal festivals in central Germany, drawing an audience of thousands from all over the world.
For more information, visit www.bang-your-head.de.
Legendary rocker Sammy Hagar's autobiography, "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock", has landed at position No. 1 on the New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best sellers list. The book was released on March 15 via It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Hagar provides readers with incredible behind-the-scenes stories from his multi-platinum career, including his rise as a solo artist and his eleven years with VAN HALEN, after the controversial departure of original lead vocalist David Lee Roth. During Hagar's time with VAN HALEN, the band released four consecutive No. 1 albums. From worldwide stadium concerts tours to private jets, Hagar enjoyed the trappings of fame and success with VAN HALEN until he was, as he puts it, "unceremoniously fired." Hagar later thrived as a solo act, leading his band, the CABO WABOS, before returning triumphantly to VAN HALEN for an historic reunion tour after which he set off on his own once again.
Honest and compelling, Hagar's account spares no one, least of all himself. Hagar's autobiography reveals the inside story of one of rock music's most recognizable voices, from his humble beginnings in the town of Fontana, California, to his incredible business success with Cabo Wabo Tequila and the Cabo Wabo Cantinas. The book was co-authored by Joel Selvin, longtime pop music writer for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Seattle progressive rockers QUEENSRŸCHE have set "Dedicated To Chaos" as the title of their twelfth studio album, tentatively due mid-summer via Loud & Proud Records, a Roadrunner Records imprint focusing on established artists. The band is currently planning a tour in support of the new opus, which was recorded in the group's hometown and produced by Kelly Gray.
"Modern life moves fast," singer Geoff Tate stated about the album. "Plug into the rhythm of the now with our twelfth studio album, 'Dedicated To Chaos'. The clash and slash of musical experimentation anchored by the pulse of digital code." He did issue one suggestion to listeners as well, saying, "Enjoy — headphones are a must."
When asked about the progress of the recording sessions for the new QUEENSRŸCHE CD, Tate said in a recent interview, "We've been working on it steadily. We're kind of in the final stages of it now. And I'm looking forward to getting that done. It's a really long record, with really interesting, different music. I'm really excited for people to hear it because it's another kind of step in a different direction for us . . . We've been experimenting a lot with different musical brushstrokes [laughs], kind of pushing the envelope a little bit on everybody's performance and pushing them outside of comfortable ground and trying to do some different stuff. Which is kind of what got us into making records in the first place — the experimental side of painting the audio picture. And everybody still shares that way of thinking, which is pretty phenomenal when you think of a bunch of guys hanging out together for 30 years [laughs] — that we'd still have
something to say."
In a 2010 interview with Attention Deficit Delirium, QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield revealed that the band's upcoming CD is taking the quintet in some new directions.
"I add a lot of film score elements or sound effects [into my drum work], especially on the new thing we're working on right now," Rockenfield said. "Geoff and I have really spent a lot of time together redesigning the QUEENSRŸCHE thing, which you're going to love. It's huge rock but with a great dance vibe to it, real modern dance. It's kind of like 'Rage' ['For Order'] through a time tunnel, bringing it into the now. There are a lot of electronic elements to it. It's a big rock thing that is going to have a lot of color to it — it's good and really intense."
Regarding whether the new QUEENSRŸCHE album is a conceptual effort, Tate said, "In a sense, it is. It's a very contemporary record.
He continued, "'Empire' was a record of the time. Rock music was really the music of the times in 1990. Unfortunately, rock music isn't the music of the times anymore — it's very underground.
"What we're doing with this record is we're taking the 'Empire' song structure, in a sense, where it's very strong songs, very melodic, but we kind of restructured the rhythm section, and Scott's done an amazing job on restructuring that — him and Eddie [Jackson, bass] have just really gone to town, and they've made it very contemporary-sounding.
"These days, in comparison to the old days, people used to sit in their houses and listen to music right in the front room on their stereo system. People don't do that anymore. They plug in and they're mobile and they're moving and they're doing stuff and the music, they're listening to it as they're doing stuff. This music has that feel. It's very contemporary in the sense that it's very rhythmatic. The rhythm structure kind of reflects the way modern life is — we're all busy, we're all doing stuff. And Scott being the incredible drummer that he is, the various time signatures, the feel of the record, it's now — it's very, very now."
"Sensory Overdrive", the new solo album from Michael Monroe, iconic rock 'n' roll frontman and founding member of hugely influential Finnish outfit HANOI ROCKS, entered the official chart in his home country at position No. 1.
"Sensory Overdrive" was released on March 14 via Universal Music subsidiary Spinefarm Records. The CD features guest appearances by MOTÖRHEAD's Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister and three-time Grammy-winning country/folk singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams.
"Sensory Overdrive" was recorded in Los Angeles with legendary producer Jack Douglas, who has previously worked with AEROSMITH, JOHN LENNON, CLUTCH, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and NEW YORK DOLLS, among many others.
"Sensory Overdrive" track listing:
01. Trick Of The Wrist
02. '78
03. Got Blood?
04. Superpowered Superfly
05. Modern Day Miracle
06. Bombs Away
07. All You Need
08. Later Won't Wait
09. Gone, Baby Gone
10. Center Of Your Heart
11. Debauchery As A Fine Art
"'78" (a homage to a year of great music and significant cultural happenings), was made available on February 21 on both digital download and colored vinyl complete with exclusive extra track.
Fan-filmed video footage of Monroe's March 25, 2011 concert at Pakkahuone in Tampere, Finland can be viewed below.
Monroe's current solo band includes THE WILDHEARTS mainman Ginger on guitar, Yaffa on bass, Steve Conte of NEW YORK DOLLS and COMPANY OF WOLVES fame on guitar, and Karl "Rockfist" Rosqvist, a Swedish/Finnish drummer who has played with both CHELSEA SMILES and DANZIG.
U.D.O., the German metal band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider, will release its new album, "Rev-Raptor", on May 20 release via AFM Records. The effort will be available in the following formats:
* CD (Jewel Case)
* CD (Digipak)
* CD (Japan)
* Vinyl black
* Vinyl green
* Limited Box (more details below)
The digipak contains the two bonus tracks "Time Dilator" and "Heavy Metal W:O:A" plus the videos for "Leatherhead" and the second single, "I Give As Good As I Get".
The Japanese version of "Rev-Raptor" includes the bonus tracks "Stormbreaker" and "Bodyworld".
The green-vinyl edition of "Rev-Raptor" is limited to 200 copies and available exclusively via Nuclear Blast mailorder.
Here are the details of the different "Rev-Raptor" versions:
CD Jewel Case:
01. Rev-Raptor
02. Leatherhead
03. Renegade
04. I Give As Good As I Get
05. Dr. Death
06. Rock¹N¹Roll Soldiers
07. Terrorvision
08. Underworld
09. Pain Man
10. Fairy Tales Of Victory
11. Motor-Borg
12. True Born Winners
13. Days Of Hope And Glory
CD DigiPak:
01. Rev-Raptor
02. Leatherhead
03. Renegade
04. I Give As Good As I Get
05. Dr. Death
06. Rock¹N¹Roll Soldiers
07. Terrorvision
08. Underworld
09. Pain Man
10. Fairy Tales Of Victory
11. Motor-Borg
12. True Born Winners
13. Time Dilator (Bonus)
14. Days Of Hope And Glory
15. Heavy Metal W:O:A (Bonus)
16. I Give As Good As I Get (Video)
17. Leatherhead (Video)
CD Japan:
01. Rev-Raptor
02. Leatherhead
03. Renegade
04. I Give As Good As I Get
05. Dr. Death
06. Rock¹N¹Roll Soldiers
07. Terrorvision
08. Underworld
09. Pain Man
10. Fairy Tales Of Victory
11. Motor-Borg
12. True Born Winners
13. Stormbreaker (Bonus)
14. Bodyworld (Bonus)
15. Days Of Hope And Glory
Vinyl:
01. Rev-Raptor
02. Leatherhead
03. Renegade
04. I Give As Good As I Get
05. Rock¹N¹Roll Soldiers
06. Terrorvision
07. Underworld
08. Pain Man
09. Motor-Borg
10. True Born Winners
11. Days Of Hope And Glory
There will also be a "Limited Box" edition (1,000 copies only) with the following content:
* "Rev-Raptor" digipak
* U.D.O. belt
* U.D.O. buckle
* U.D.O. flask with lasered logo
The recordings for "Rev-Raptor" took place between June 2010 and February 2011 at Roxx studios (owned by U.D.O. guitarist and ex-ACCEPT drummer Stefan Kaufmann) in Pulheim, Germany. The CD was mastered by Manfred Melchior at MM Sound Digital studios in Steinhagen, Germany. The album's cover artwork is once again a comic-like motif: but the "Dominator" character is this time "a lot more effectual and colorful," according to a press release.
"Rev-Raptor" was originally scheduled for release in January but was delayed by the back problems experienced by Kaufmann, the same issue that forced him to quit playing drums for ACCEPT back in the day. Stefan recently received medical treatment for this condition and had recovered enough to have played with the band on November 6, 2010 at the Rock Antenne festival at Schwabenhalle in Augsburg.
U.D.O. will release a new single, "Leatherhead", on April 8 via AFM Records.
The track listing for the effort is as follows:
01. Leatherhead
02. Rock'n'Roll Soldiers *
03. Free Or Rebellion **
04. Run! **
05. Jingle Balls (video clip)
06. Leatherhead (video clip)
* Bonus track
** Non-album bonus track
RATT singer Stephen Pearcy's Top Fuel World has introduces two hot sauces from Giddy Up Sauces.
Stephen, being the connoisseur of hot sauces, and always looking for the next fresh taste, has partnered with Giddy Up Sauces to bring you two new flavors for your table.
Prepare your taste buds for the ultimate hot sauce and barbeque sauces, "Detonator Hot Sauce" and "Top Fuel BBQ Sauce", made from Chris Santos on behalf of Giddy Up Sauces.
"Detonator" is a hot sauce to surely light your fuse. Perfect for chips, tacos, or anything that needs to be lit up.
"BBQ" is a tangy BBQ sauce to complement any dish off the barbie.
Expect these legendary sauces soon at stores and restaurants near you.
In addition to his solo work, Pearcy is focusing on running his record label, Top Fuel Records, as well as launching BATTERING RAMM, a group in which he plays guitar and whose music he has described as "way more aggressive than anything I've done in the past."
Pearcy recently recorded a new version of RATT's '80s hit "Wanted Man" for "Big John's Rock N Lock", the new show featuring world-famous rock and roll bodyguard "Big" John Murray, celebrity reality star of VH1's "Rock Of Love".
Pearcy posted a message on Twitter earlier in the month stating that RATT will remain inactive for the remainder of 2011 while he pursues other projects, including the release of a new solo album. He said, "RATT with me involved will not be active [in] 2011, maybe longer. No new record, tour, or life with me until things are back on track! Until then, M.I.A."
"Infestation", the first studio record in 11 years from RATT, sold around 14,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 30 on the Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on April 20, 2010 via Loud & Proud.
MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil says that his former girlfriend Alicia Jacobs is lying when she says that he left a visible bruise on her arm while she was attending comedian Hal Sparks's show at the Las Vegas Hilton last Thursday night (March 24).
"I never touched her!" Neil tells Robin Leach of Las Vegas Weekly. "She's the one who followed me out into the casino afterwards. I was with four hotel executives. They know it didn't happen."
He continued, "I didn't go over to her for any other reason than to be friendly, polite and introduce her to people I was there in business meetings with — and several Hilton executives. She was with a couple, and I let off on him for continuing to write stuff that simply wasn't true. He swore at me to go screw myself; I told him the same. Then the others got agitated, and I told them the same. Then I immediately walked away with the Hilton people. That fast — no screaming or hitting or touching. They have already vouched for that.
"She ran after me into the casino. I ignored it and didn't want any part of it. I turned and walked away without saying a word to her. So she called the police. Twelve hours later, she's on every radio station she could find to say how frightened she was, how scared she was and why she had to call the police. Interesting isn't it that the police never came to talk to me about it. I was even staying in the hotel. Both hotel security and the Hilton people knew exactly which room I was in, so if all of those accusations had been true, they knew exactly where to find me.
"Nothing! A complete lie. The executives with me told the police there was absolutely no hitting, not even touching! But now the fake drama continues -- it's becoming a battery case. It simply didn't happen, and they all know it."
Legendary actor, recording artist and author William Shatner will be presented with the Honorary Headbanger Award at the third annual Revolver Golden Gods award show presented by Epiphone on Wednesday, April 20, at Club Nokia in Downtown Los Angeles. Revered for his role as Captain James T. Kirk on "Star Trek", Shatner will be on hand to accept his award, an honor Revolver magazine bestows each year to someone who has made their name outside of the metal world but still embodies its spirit. Later this year, Shatner will officially prove the latter with his new album, "Seeking Major Tom" (Cleopatra), which features collaborations with hard-rock musicians, including Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Paice of DEEP PURPLE, and, on a cover of BLACK SABBATH's "Iron Man", Zakk Wylde of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and Mike Inez of ALICE IN CHAINS.
"Short of receiving an Emmy for my superb voice, the Honorary Headbanger Award is the next best thing. Praise be you won't hear me sing," said William Shatner.
In other exciting news, Cherie Currie of THE RUNAWAYS will make a special guest appearance, performing with the Presley/Cash-inspired metal group VOLBEAT, while Max Cavalera of SEPULTURA, SOULFLY, and CAVALERA CONSPIRACY will join HATEBREED's Jamey Jasta and DEVILDRIVER in their salute to the hardcore legends BLACK FLAG.
Meanwhile, on the "Black Carpet" — Revolver's version of the traditional Red Carpet — Sebastian Bach will host the pre-awards-show festivities for Revolver TV's "Black Carpet Special". Furthermore, Marcus Henderson — the man responsible for writing Guitar Hero's epic riffs — will be hosting Epiphone's Black Carpet coverage. In addition, Jamey Jasta will serve as celebrity DJ for evening.
Additional performances for the show include the ALICE COOPER group (in their first L.A. appearance in nearly 40 years), LOADED (featuring Duff McKagan of GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER fame), award-show host Chris Jericho's band FOZZY and fast-rising metalcore outfit ASKING ALEXANDRIA, who will be joined by Sebastian Bach on the SKID ROW favorite "Youth Gone Wild". The night will close out with a blistering set by AVENGED SEVENFOLD. The event will be televised on VH1 Classic on Saturday, May 28, but for those who want to witness this epic show in person, tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster.
The 2011 Revolver Golden Gods Awards presented by Epiphone will include appearances from rock's most iconic and influential artists, as well as rising stars, including host Chris Jericho, Rob Zombie, Dave Navarro, Vinnie Paul, Taylor Momsen, Wayne Static, Mike Portnoy, and members of ALICE IN CHAINS, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, DETHKLOK, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD and many more.
In addition to the Honorary Headbanger Award, other special honors for the night include the "Golden God Award"- — given to one musician each year who personifies all that is hard rock and metal — which will go to shock-rock godfather Alice Cooper, who is celebrating the reunion of the original ALICE COOPER group and his recent induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Also, this year's recipient of the first-ever "Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award" — renamed in honor of the late, great 2010 Best Vocalist Award winner — is none other than the Sunset Strip's most iconic band, MÖTLEY CRÜE.
The winners in all the other award categories will be chosen by the people, but time is running out. Fans can vote now through Friday, April 1, when voting ends, at www.revolvermag.com.
Former MANOWAR guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman joined reunited '80s/'90s metallers HADES on stage on last night (Saturday, March 26) at Dingbatz in Clifton, New Jersey to perform one song off MANOWAR's classic debut album, 1982's "Battle Hymns".
HADES lineup for this concert was the same as the one that performed at the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Germany last July — Alan Tecchio on vocals, Dan Lorenzo and Scott LePage on guitars, Tom Coombs on drums and former NON-FICTION bassist Kevin Bolembach.
Commented Lorenzo: "Man, my ears are still ringing, I'm a bit tired, but I'm happy.
"What a great show last night at Dingbatz.
"We only had one rehearsal with all five of us and I never know exactly what to expect — but other than a few minor glitches, it was a nearly perfect night.
"When Ross The Boss agreed to play 'Death Tone' with us, I thought it would be pretty cool. It was BEYOND cool. As our bassist, Kevin, said, it was Ross-some. The man kicked ass.
"Jumping up to play unrehearsed live with a band could be daunting, but when Ross broke into his lead, I felt like I was in my 20s!
"HADES played a few shows with MANOWAR in New England in December of 1988, but I don't even think I came into contact with Ross back then.
"When he came in our dressing room last night with a big smile and no attitude, I knew it was going to be fun.
"THANK YOU, ROSS!"
HADES' previous American reunion show, performed in April 2010, is documented on the just-released DVD, "Reunited & Re-Ignited", available at DanLorenzo.net. The DVD also includes footage of NON-FICTION's reunion show at Dingbatz in November 2009.
Swedish metallers IN FLAMES have inked a deal with Century Media Records. The band's tenth album, "Sounds Of A Playground Fading", will be released on the following dates:
Sweden - June 15
Germany - June 17
Rest Of Europe - June 20
North America - June 21
The first single will be out in early May.
13 songs were laid down for the CD, which was recorded at the band's IF Studios in Gothenburg with engineer Roberto Laghi (HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, LOK, SONIC SYNDICATE).
In an exclusive interview with the Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet, IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén, 38, revealed that "Sounds Of A Playground Fading" will almost certainly challenge the band's fans' musical expectations.
"We have some songs that pretty much go against the hard rock formula," he said. "There's a song called 'The Attic' where we have an accordion playing the chorus instead of me singing it. Another song begins with a spoken-word part that evolves into a kind of hard DEPECHE MODE-type thing. We also have some really fast, typical IN FLAMES tunes.
He added, "We've never denied where we come from, but at the same time we like to challenge our listeners."
"Sounds Of A Playground Fading" is the first IN FLAMES album to be recorded without founding guitarist Jesper Strömblad, who quit the band in February 2010 in order to continue receiving treatment for his alcohol addiction.
"It's a really sad situation," Anders said. "We're talking about a friend whom we've known for a really long time. It's like a relationship that has burnt out. It just didn't work out anymore. He's a really great guy in many ways, but it's important that everybody can get along. If they don't, it affects a lot of people."
He continued, "We've lived with this for many years, and it's really sad that things are the way they are. I wish they weren't."
Fridén also talked about the often dark lyrical content on "Sounds Of A Playground Fading".
"Some people I know have passed away, and then you have kids being born," he explained. "I've got two kids myself and, of course, it has affected the songwriting. Suddenly you're not alone anymore."
IN FLAMES recently officially recruited Niclas Engelin from fellow Swedes ENGEL as its new second guitarist.
The first official photo of the new IN FLAMES lineup can be viewed below.
IN FLAMES's latest album, "A Sense of Purpose" (2008), shifted 20,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release. This was slightly less than the opening tally of "Come Clarity" (Ferret), which sold just under 24,000 copies in February 2006 to debut at position No. 58.
Good Fight Music is the new North American label home for the classic IN FLAMES catalog, starting with "The Jester Race" through "Soundtrack To Your Escape". These titles, which until recently were unavailable in the marketplace, were put back on music retailers' shelves and made available at digital stores (iTunes) on November 22, 2010.
ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO, the experimental band led by TESTAMENT/ex-SAVATAGE guitarist Alex Skolnick, will perform at Best Buy Union Square in New York City on Tuesday, April 5 at 7 p.m. The group will play a 20-minute set followed by a 20-minute guitar clinic with Skolnick. After that the TRIO will sign copies of its fourth album, "Veritas" (Latin for"Truth"), which is scheduled to arrive in stores on March 29.
RAM, the traditional Gothenburg, Sweden-based heavy metal band featuring drummer Morgan Pettersson (ex-B-THONG), has set "Death" as the title of its third album, tentatively due this fall via an as-yet-undetermined record label. The CD was recorded at Welfare Sounds Studios in the group's hometown and was mastered by Dragan Tanaskovic at Bohus Sound.
"Death" features a guest appearance by Swedish multi-instrumentalist Freddie Wadling who has had a very successful solo career in addition to having played with such cult acts as THE LEATHER NUN, BLUE FOR TWO and FLÄSKKVARTETTEN.
RAM will release a seven-inch vinyl single, "Under The Scythe", on May 13 via the German label High Roller Records. The single's title track will also be featured on "Death" while the B-side will contain an exclusive cover version of the MERCYFUL FATE song "Evil" from the Danish band's classic 1983 album "Melissa". RAM's rendition of "Evil" is said to be a "duet" with Oscar Carlquist and Hellbutcher from the Swedish cult black metal band NIFELHEIM. RAM says, "Don't expect Hellbutcher's vocals to be anything near what he does in NIFELHEIM."
RAM vocalist Oscar Carlquist previously stated about the band's new album, "Again we are pushing the envelope of the RAM sound.
"This album differs quite a bit from our 2009 release, 'Lightbringer'; the sound is rawer and has a strong nerve and honest live-like feel, but still it is extremely powerful. It was produced by me and Harry Granroth (guitars) and Per Stålberg and Olle Björk and recorded at Welfare Studios here in Gothenburg. Dragan Tanaskovic is also a huge part of this by contributing massive power in the mastering process. Song-wise, we are showing new sides of the band.
"The album is a 10-song sonic rollercoaster displaying an array of different styles, emotions tempos and aggressions, but all within the concept of traditional heavy metal, of course.
"In all honesty, I can't choose one single song that is representative of the sound of the album as a whole. We are really pleased with this album that feels like a really cool direction to take from 'Lightbringer' and we can't wait to blast these new song live!"
RAM's second album, "Lightbringer", was released on vinyl through High Roller Records The CD, which originally came out on June 19, 2009 via Germany's AFM Records, was produced by Johan Reivén and was mixed at Studio Bongo in the group's hometown. The follow-up to 2005's "Forced Entry" was mastered at Bohus Sound by Dragan Tanaskovic.
RAM last year parted ways with bassist Christian Strömblad and replaced him with Tobias Pettersson from the underground black metal band VORNTH.
Auburn Records and Germany's High Roller Records have collaborated on a license deal to reissue DESTRUCTOR's "Forever In Leather" album on vinyl. The effort was originally released on CD in 2007 by Auburn Records.
The High Roller Records vinyl reissue is limited to 666 copies — 316 black vinyl, 250 clear/black splatter vinyl and 100 ultra-clear vinyl — and includes a four-page lyric insert.
"I've had a lot of offers to reissue my Auburn titles on vinyl over the years but wanted to wait for the right opportunity," says Auburn Records president Bill Peters. "Steffen Boehm's High Roller label was personally recommended to me by my Auburn Europe staff. The label has an excellent reputation in the metal underground for the quality of their vinyl releases.
"Quality is very important to me. The grade of vinyl used, sound, packaging, pricing — it's all there in the highest of standards for this release.
"I wanted this reissue to turn out special for the fans. They will not be disappointed. Steffen and I put a lot of hard work into this project together to make sure everything was right. It was not assembled quickly. The end result is a truly unbelievable package and a must addition to any DESTRUCTOR fan's collection!"
"I am really proud and honored to work on this project with Bill," says Bohem. "It would really have been a shame if this material would never be released on vinyl."
The album is now available to order from the High Roller Records www.hrrecords.de web site or through a number of other distributors, including Nuclear Blast and EMP in Germany and Clear Spot in Holland.
POISON frontman Bret Michaels' attorney, Alex Weingarten, issued a statement on the singer's behalf on Friday, following the filing of Bret's lawsuit against the Tony Awards in conjunction with a mishap that occurred during the 2009 show, which resulted in a head injury for Michaels. The statement reads: "The Tony Awards dropped a piece of the stage on Bret's head, and then instead of doing the right thing, joked about it and played it off for ratings … Bret never wanted to file a lawsuit, but the Tony Awards have left us with no choice. They must be held accountable for almost killing Bret, and that is what we are going to do."
A copy of the lawsuit can be viewed as a PDF file at this location.
In other news, Michaels, 48, discussed the legal dispute after being honored Saturday at a juvenile-diabetes fundraiser sponsored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. According to D Magazine, Bret said that talks to resolve the matter earlier broke down because, "let's just say, they were pretty cold," Michaels said, referring to the defendants in the lawsuit. In the end, he decided mainly to ask to be compensated for work time lost due to his injuries, which included stitches with a cut lip and a broken nose. Michaels explained that the broadcast could have been "delayed" to avoid embarrassing him. "They never needed to show me getting hurt," he added. "They didn't offer to pay my medical costs or anything. … I'm sorry it came to this."
The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, states that Michaels was told by the producers that he should simply exit from the stage rear after he was done with his performance. The suit states that Michaels was never told the scenery piece would be descending or given "any warning of the existence of the dangers it presented."
According to the lawsuit, Bret nearly died in April 2010 from a subarachnoid brain hemorrhage, which he believes was caused by the injuries he suffered at the Tony Awards. In his suit, Michaels claims, "One of the most common causes of this type of hemorrhage is head trauma — exactly like the one Michaels suffered at the hands of the Tony Awards." Michaels notes, "Through his sheer will to live, to see his children grow up, [he] was able to survive this trauma."
Shortly after the Tony Awards incident, Tonys spokeswoman Christina Stejskal said the rocker "missed his mark," which resulted in him failing to get back to the stage in time (as did the rest of POISON) and trying to jump up, only to have a descending set piece smack him on the head and knock him to the ground.
Danish tech metal band THE INTERBEING has inked a deal with Mighty Music. The group's debut album, "Edge Of The Obscure", will be released in Europe on August 1. According to a press release, the CD "clearly underlines THE INTERBEING to be a well-defined and visionary band. The record contains a low tuned and polyrhythmic soundscape with melodic elements and bleak electronic ambience. Tight, aggressive, melodic and atmospheric are the key concepts. The sound co-exists with the lyrics which revolve around a fictional inner being. The listener follows this creature through dystopian and distinct worlds and the record ends with the creature reaching the edge."
"Edge Of The Obscure" track listing:
01. Elusive Atmosphere
02. Pulse within the Paradox
03. Tongue of the Soiled
04. Face Deletion
05. Fields of Grey
06. Shadow Drift
07. Swallowing White Light
08. In the Transcendence
09. Celestial Flames
10. Rhesus Artificial
11. Ledge of Oblivion
THE INTERBEING was formed in 2006 and released one demo, "Perceptual Confusion", two years later.
THE INTERBEING will embark on a European tour in the fall.
IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC, the new band led by THE HELLACOPTERS architect and former ENTOMBED drummer Nicke Andersson, will release its new album, "In Concert!", on April 29 via Psychout Records. The CD was recorded at Deuce Recording Studios (now Gutterview Recorders) in Stockholm and features six songs originally recorded by CHUCK BERRY, THE BEATLES, THE RUNAWAYS, THE EASYBEATS, LITTLE WILLIE JOHN and THE RASPBERRIES. The album was produced and engineered by Nicke Andersson and mastered by Henke Jonsson at Masters of Audio.
"In Concert!" track listing:
01. Leave My Kitten Alone
02. Is It Day Or Night?
03. You Can't Do That
04. I Don't Know What I Want
05. Rock And Roll Boogie
06. Sweet Little Sixteen
Commented Andersson: "'In Concert!' is the new mini album from IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC. Recorded in the studio, it consists of six songs culled from the set of our recent crusade throughout Europe.
"Although I regard my own compositions highly, the importance of our rock and roll heritage cannot be stressed enough. From CHUCK BERRY to THE RUNAWAYS, these songs rapidly became a big part of the Imperial live show. Now you can hear them at home — fresh from the studio!
"Sacrilege or homage? You decide. I think 'In Concert!' kicks ass."
IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC is:
Nicke Andersson - Vocals, Guitar
Tobias Egge - Guitar, Vocals
Dolf De Borst - Bass, Vocals
Tomas Ericksson - Drums, Vocals
Now that MINISTRY's Al Jourgensen has retired the band and Trent Reznor of NINE INCH NAILS is focusing on composing scores for films, a large void has been left for fans of this type of music.
Enter DEVIL IN A BLACK DRESS from Los Angeles, California. The band combines elements of metal, industrial and everything in between.
DEVIL IN A BLACK DRESS includes vocalist Frank Cassara (COLLAPSING LUNGS, L.U.N.G.S.), Grammy-nominated drummer Aaron Rossi (MINISTRY, PRONG, REVOLTING COCKS), and two-time-Grammy-nominated guitarist Sin Quirin (MINISTRY, REVOLTING COCKS, LORDS OF ACID). The band is currently at Gourmet Sound Studios in Encino, California recording a three-song demo which is being produced by BAD RELIGION guitarist Greg Hetson.
Commented Hetson: "A friend of mine played me a demo of theirs and asked me if I would be interested in working with the band. After a few listens, I really liked their blend of metal, electronica and percussion. So here I am, producing the band.
Florida-based death metallers SIX FEET UNDER have tapped CHIMAIRA guitarist Matt DeVries to play bass on their upcoming European tour. The trek is scheduled to kick off on April 1 in Bischofswerda, Germany.
SIX FEET UNDER's current lineup includes guitarist Rob Arnold (CHIMAIRA) and drummer Kevin Talley (DAATH, MISERY INDEX, CHIMAIRA) alongside vocalist Chris Barnes and guitarist Steve Swanson.
Bassist Terry Butler and drummer Greg Gall announced their departures from SIX FEET UNDER in January. Butler has since joined OBITUARY as a permanent member.
SIX FEET UNDER has yet to announce a permanent replacement for Butler.
SIX FEET UNDER's "Wake The Night! Live In Germany" DVD was released on January 31 in Europe (three days earlier in Germany) and February 1 in North America via Metal Blade Records. The set consists footage of the band's August 8, 2009 performance at the Party.San Open Air festival in Bad Berka, Germany. The gig was filmed by Roax Films with nine cameras and recorded in 5.1 Surround Sound, picture size 16:9 — best entertainment guaranteed!
Death metal psychopaths ABORTED will enter Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark in June with producer Jacob Hansen (INVOCATOR, HATESPHERE, VOLBEAT) to begin recording their seventh full-length album, "Global Flatline", for a late 2011 release via Century Media Records. 15 tracks of "the most brutal and intense material the band has written to date" will be laid down for the effort, with 12 tracks set to appear on the regular CD and the rest to be used as bonus material.
The artwork for "Global Flatline" will once again be handled by Justin Osbourne who previously worked with the band on its 2010 EP, "Coronary Reconstruction".
Since 2011 marks the ten-year anniversary of ABORTED's "Engineering The Dead" record, the band decided to re-record two tracks from the album as part of the bonus material for "Global Flatline". You can vote for your favorite "Engineering The Dead" songs on the band's Facebook page.
Commented ABORTED vocalist and founder Sven de Caluwé: "We are thrilled to be finally recording 'Global Flatline' and have the material out there. It is exciting in many ways, one being that this might be one of the most important records in ABORTED's career. We really took our time in composing the most heavy and uncompromising material the band has written to date. Some of the material is faster than ever, some of the material is slower than ever, some old-school and some new-school, inspired by all eras of ABORTED, yet still sounding unique on its own. Writing this record definitely took us back to the roots of why we started playing this kind of music in the first place, the passion and adrenaline you get from playing extreme metal. Obviously it just isn't a carbon copy of 'Goremageddon' or 'Engineering The Dead' or anything: there are plenty of new elements as well since we never believe in writing the same record. Those who checked out 'Coronary
Reconstruction' have had a small taste of what's to come and we can guarantee you won't be disappointed with 'Global Flatline'! We are also very excited to be working again with Jacob Hansen, the man who produced 'Goremageddon' and 'The Haematobic' EP and it was always a pleasure to work with him then, so this should be a blast."
ABORTED current lineup features Sven De Caluwé (also of SYSTEM DIVIDE) on vocals, Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK) on drums (studio only), Eran Segal (ex-THEY SWARM/WHORECORE) and Ken Sorceron (ABIGAIL WILLIAMS) on guitar and Jb Van De Wal on bass.
Swedish black metallers MARDUK have finished recording three songs for a new EP, "Iron Dawn", that will be released in North America on the same day as the band's appearance at the Maryland Deathfest on May 27 (May 30 in the rest of the world via Regain Records). So the first chance to get your hands on the EP will be during the festival and the group's upcoming "7 Bowls Of Wrath" tour (taking place late May/early June).
According to a press release, the songs included on "Iron Dawn" differ from the concept that is being created for the next full-length album. Therefore this EP will be made available as a special treat for all MARDUK legionaries out there.
"Iron Dawn" track listing:
01. Warschau 2: Headhunter Halfmoon
02. Wacht Am Rhein: Drumbeats Of Death
03. Prochorovka: Blood And Sunflowers
The "Iron Dawn" EP will only be available for a certain time period and will be unleashed on digipak version and also on 12-inch vinyl limited to 500 copies worldwide.
MARDUK will celebrate its 20th anniversary by releasing a strictly limited-edition, "marvellous box set" in early 2011. According to the band, "This fabulous release will be a monument of the first two decades of MARDUK."
The vinyl edition of "Wormwood", the latest album from MARDUK, was released last spring. The effort is available as a regular black vinyl with a gatefold sleeve (700 copies), picture disc (333 copies) and also as a gatefold deluxe edition with a 32-page booklet with lyrics on red vinyl (500 copies). Also newly released are the remastered versions on vinyl of MARDUK's "Germania", "Nightwing" and "Panzer Division Marduk" (available on regular vinyl and picture disc).
"Wormwood", the eleventh album from MARDUK, sold around 650 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 99 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.
"Wormwood" was released in the U.S. on October 13, 2009 via Regain Records (September 24 in Europe). The CD was recorded at Endarker Studios in Norrköping, Sweden with engineer/producer Magnus Devo Andersson.
Guitarist Lord Ahriman of Swedish black metallers DARK FUNERAL has issued the following update:
"I/we understand that many of you impatiently are waiting for us to announce the new lineup, get back on tour, write and release a new album and so forth, and rightfully so! Personally, I wish we would have been back at full force long time ago, but for obvious reasons, we don't want to make any sudden decisions here, which I'm sure you all understand!
"Obviously, we could have chosen the quick and easy way, brought in some great and talented session musicians, and just kept on touring, but because we want to build a new, much stronger and sustainable lineup, that was an option was ruled out immediately.
"Anyway, I just wanted to give a quick sign of life and let you know that things are moving along just fine. And as long as things continue to go according to our master plan, we should be back at full force before the summer. However, I'd like to point out that we haven't made any final decisions or hired anyone yet, but it shouldn't take much too long until we do."
DARK FUNERAL last year parted ways with vocalist Magnus "Masse" Broberg (a.k.a. Emperor Magus Caligula), drummer Nils Fjellström and bassist B-Force.
DARK FUNERAL played its final show with Emperor Magus Caligula) on August 21, 2010 at the Summer Breeze festival in Dinkelsbühl, Germany. "Since this was a very special performance in many ways, we not only put on our biggest pyro show ever, we also captured this gig with 10 cameras (including one crane)," said Lord Ahriman. "So you can be sure to expect a DVD release from this killer show in the near future."
Broberg announced his departure from DARK FUNERAL in July 2010, explaining that "my life has taken a new turn lately, and I am also getting married this year, whereof my priorities in life lie somewhere else." Guitarist and founding member Lord Ahriman added, "I understand when people change course and get new priorities in life. And I fully respect that. Life moves on, after all, and so will DARK FUNERAL.
"Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus", the latest album from DARK FUNERAL, was released in North America on January 26, 2010 via Regain Records. The CD, which was made available in most European countries between November 18, 2009 and November 27, 2009, was recorded at Abyss Studio in Grangärde, Sweden with famed engineer and legendary producer Peter Tägtgren (PAIN, HYPOCRISY).
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