AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler will present the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award to DEPECHE MODE lead singer Dave Gahan at the seventh annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert — a dinner and concert to benefit the MusiCares MAP Fund, which provides members of the music community access to addiction recovery treatment. Gahan will be honored for his dedication and support of the MusiCares MAP Fund, and for his commitment to helping other addicts with the addiction and recovery process. Scheduled performers include LINKIN PARK's Chester Bennington and JANE'S ADDICTION.
MusiCares offers programs and services to members of the music community including emergency financial assistance for basic living expenses, including rent, utilities and car payments; medical expenses including doctor, dentist and hospital bills; psychotherapy; and treatment for HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, hepatitis C, and other critical illnesses. MusiCares offers nationwide educational workshops covering a variety of subjects, including financial, legal, medical, and substance abuse issues, and programs in collaboration with healthcare professionals that provide services such as flu shots, hearing tests and medical/dental screenings. Staffed by qualified chemical dependency and intervention specialists, MusiCares Safe Harbor Rooms offer a support network to those in recovery while they are participating in the production of televised music shows and other major music events. MusiCares holds weekly addiction support groups for
people to discuss how to best cope with the issues surrounding the recovery process. The MusiCares Sober Touring Network is a database of individuals across the United States who can take music people to recovery support meetings while on the road.
The seventh annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert will be held on May 6 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California.
antiMusic's Morley Seaver recently conducted an interview with WHITESNAKE mainman David Coverdale. An excerpt from the chat follows below.
antiMusic: I have a number of favorites on [the new WHITESNAKE album "Forevermore"] but one of my top picks would be "Fare Thee Well". I get a real Rod Stewart/FACES feel from this one. David, this is just a beautiful song.
David: Well, THE FACES were a big influence as well. The bands that….apart from the PURPLE rock stuff that came in…I loved the fun that THE FACES brought to shows. I was in a really serious band with DEEP PURPLE. I mean, we had a great sense of humor but that didn't really translate to performance. But WHITESNAKE has that element of tongue in cheek, tickle the ribs…but yes, THE FACES is definitely part of the blueprint as was, if you look back to the very first ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND. That was intensely influential. Jeff Beck's band with Truth and Beckola. They were very inspirational and influential to the structure of WHITESNAKE.
antiMusic: In case anybody forgot, WHITESNAKE and more importantly, you, have a long relationship with the blues. "Steal Your Heart Away" reminds fans of this fact, right off the bat although it's blues with a bit of a kick up the rear end.
David: Well, it would strike you, Morley, with your familiarity with my work. But with "Good to Be Bad" and even moreso with the new record…you can take some of these songs and imagine "Steal Your Heart Away" on "Trouble" or "Lovehunter". "Dogs in the Street" from "Slip of the Tongue". "I Need You (Shine a Light)" on "Slide It In". And this is without any kind of effort. This is why I think my hardcore audience is so happy with "Good To Be Bad" and "Forevermore". Because it's still embracing all those elements that drew them to WHITESNAKE in the first place. So the bonus is, for us composers and musicians, these are songs that we actually want to play. This is not trying to kiss somebody's ass and say, "like me." This is stuff we like and put it out and God willing other people embrace it.
antiMusic: I have to ask something about PURPLE. You went from B band status to the big leagues in one shot. Everybody knows about your first gig with PURPLE but to back up a bit, how intimidating was it to initially present your songs to Ritchie Blackmore?
David: Well, I must doff my cap and salute the local musicians I worked with in a band called RIVER'S INVITATION and THE FABULOSA BROTHERS, particularly a guy called Alan Fearnley. He heard me just messing around on an acoustic guitar one day at rehearsal as we were setting up and asked, "What's that?" And I just said it was an idea that I had been working on. And they actively encouraged me. Great musicians. And we actually featured three of the songs on Whitesnake.com over Christmas with the guys' permission, to great fanfare. But these guys encouraged me to introduce my songs in that way. So when I auditioned for PURPLE and met with the manager afterwards and was asked, "Do you write?" I could confidently… well, relatively confidently, say "Yes." So when Ritchie and I sat down, yes, of course it was intimidating. But it just unfolded very naturally. I have a gift, I guess and that's I write naturally. It's not something that I'm doing to enhance my
income or lifestyle. It's just something that I do as an expressionist. It's just how I express a lot of my feelings. Even the fun stuff.
As you know, the blues are a huge inspiration to me, but they weren't all songs to cut your wrists by. I mean you listen to Muddy Waters singing about cross-eyed cats and stuff. These guys celebrated life when they had the opportunity. They refused to accept that it was down all the time. Blues is another term for personal expression for me. And I still tie that in.
Look at Hendrix. Those elements that Hendrix introduced in his incredible extra-terrestrial way were incredibly influential on me. He tied in soul, rock, big riffs, great melodies… those first three records were the equivalent of "Sgt. Pepper" to me.
The world's most quintessential prog rock band YES will release its highly anticipated new album, "Fly From Here", in July via Frontiers Records. The CD marks the group's first collaboration in ten years with legendary, two-time Grammy Award-winning producer Trevor Horn.
Horn and YES bassist Chris Squire re-discovered the song "Fly From Here" which had never been laid down as a studio track. "Chris and I were talking one evening about a song 'Fly From Here' that we never recorded," explains Horn. "I said I was prepared to spend two weeks with YES recording that song. When I arrived in America to record it, I was taken prisoner by the band and only allowed my freedom again in return for producing the whole album. It was an offer I couldn't refuse!"
"Fly From Here" encompasses YES' signature brand of mysticism and grand-scale compositions while maintaining a complex, symphonic sound that features the beautiful harmonies and strong heavy riffs they are known for.
"The new album represents the best of YES from the '70s and the '80s with a current twist," states Squire.
YES are the pioneers for the use of synthesizers and sound effects in modern music, which produced such timeless, symphonic-rock masterworks as "Roundabout", "Close To the Edge", and "Awaken". YES continued to push the cutting edge of art-rock music to their limits, selling over 30 million albums, reaching platinum status multiple times worldwide.
YES' powerful mainstream progressive compositions have influenced a generation of musicians with a hugely successful and indelible catalo of music with hit albums such as "Drama", "Fragile", "Close To The Edge" and "90125". Classic songs include "Roundabout", a seminal hit which consistently appears on "the best songs of all time" lists, and the group's No. 1 hit "Owner Of A Lonely Heart", which Horn is responsible for. Taken from the YES album "90125", this single would form part of a unique double, which would see YES and Horn top both the U.K. and U.S. charts simultaneously.
The Pulse Of Radio reports that U2's "The Joshua Tree" has been voted the best album of the Eighties by the readers of Rolling Stone magazine, according to a new poll released by the publication. The record, U2's fifth studio set, edged out contenders like GUNS N' ROSES' "Appetite For Destruction" and BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN's "Born In The U.S.A.", while the other finalists in the Top 10 included sets from AC/DC, THE CLASH, METALLICA, THE CURE, MICHAEL JACKSON, PRINCE and THE SMITHS.
The editors said it was a close race. They also noted that THE CLASH's "London Calling" barely made the list because it was released in the U.S. in January 1980, although it came out in the U.K. in December 1979.
Regarding "The Joshua Tree", the editors said, "It turned them into one of the biggest bands in the world . . . by the end of it they were playing stadiums."
On the Number Two album, "Appetite For Destruction", they wrote: "Their songs were gritty and menacing and they portrayed their city as a violent urban jungle populated by pornographers and drug-addicted thugs."
Former GUNS N' ROSES lead guitarist Slash told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that part of the album's success was due to the fact that it filled a void in rock music at the time. "We were the only band that was doing what it was that we were doing, with the attitude that we had," he said. "People were starved for it, because, I mean, other than us, there was SIMPLE MINDS and MÖTLEY CRÜE. I mean, you know, (chuckles) Cyndi Lauper, you know? I mean, that's what was going on then. So people were dying for, like, a real, blood-sweat-and-tears rock-and-roll band."
AC/DC's "Back In Black" was called "one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time," while METALLICA's "Master Of Puppets" "transformed them from a cult thrash metal band to the most popular group in the history of the genre."
Rolling Stone's Top 10 albums of the Eighties:
01. U2 - The Joshua Tree
02. GUNS N' ROSES - Appetite For Destruction
03. MICHAEL JACKSON - Thriller
04. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Born In The U.S.A.
05. PRINCE - Purple Rain
06. AC/DC - Back In Black
07. THE SMITHS - The Queen Is Dead
08. THE CLASH - London Calling
09. THE CURE - Disintegration
10. METALLICA - Master Of Puppets
Main Street Armory, 900 Main Street in Rochester, NY, will host the first Drum Wars battle featuring legendary drummers Carmine and Vinny Appice on Friday, April 22. Brothers and "rivals" Carmine and Vinny Appice are set to battle it out by performing classic hard rock, pop and metal hits that were popular during their long drumming careers.
Tickets are available through Ticketfly for $15 advance and $20 the day of the show.
To highlight the event, The House of Guitars is sponsoring a Drum Wars competition to give fledgling cream-of-the-crop musicians the opportunity to perform with the famous brothers at the Main Street Armory show on April 22.
The House of Guitars, 645 Titus Ave. in Rochester, New York, is accepting DVDs and video links from vocalists, bassists and guitarists until April 15.
For more information, go to this location.
As a precursor to the Main Street Armory show, Drome Sound will sponsor a Drum Wars drum clinic featuring Carmine and Vinny Appice on Thursday, April 21 at Waters Edge Lighthouse, 2 Freeman's Bridge Road in Glenville, NY at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 advance and $15 the day of the show.
Legendary rock drummer Carmine Appice (OZZY OSBOURNE, ROD STEWART, VANILLA FUDGE, JEFF BECK, GUITAR ZEUS, KING KOBRA) has enjoyed an amazing 30-year career as a rock star, music educator, and rock pioneer. He is widely considered to be one of the most accomplished showmen in rock and is the recipient of numerous awards, including dozens of gold and platinum selling records. Carmine co-wrote such monster-selling hits as "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" and "Young Turks". He has broken new ground in every aspect of his career as a performer, as a teacher, and as a writer, and he continues to inspire drummers and listeners throughout the world with his originality and his unwavering dedication to the art of drumming.
Vinny Appice has anchored the rhythm and power live and in the studio for the music of DIO, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL, WWIII, AXIS, Rick Derringer, John Lennon, and more. He has recorded and co-written songs on over 25 albums and CDs, including many multi-platinum records. Touring the world for over two decades resulted in selling millions of records! Vinny's drumming can also be heard on numerous movie soundtracks, including "Wayne's World 2", "Heavy Metal", "Iron Eagle" and "Bedazzled". Vinny, the author of drum instruction book "Rock Steady" and DVD "Hard Rock Drumming Techniques", has performed incredible powerhouse drum clinics around the globe. Numerous books have been written about BLACK SABBATH and DIO with the authors always mentioned Vinny's unique powerful drumming style!
For more information, visit www.drumwars.com.
The remaining members of ADLER'S APPETITE — the band led by former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler — have launched an online search for musicians to replace the recently departed singer Rick Stitch and guitarist Alex Grossi. Adler writes on his official Twitter profile, "I think we are going to have a little like 'American Idol'-type auditions.. Me, Chip [Z'nuff, bass] and [Michael Thomas, guitar] plus a few management people will judge you to be the next ADLER'S APPETITE member! Who is in? Who wants a tryout? [You] must be qualified first."
In a recent interview with Metal Sludge, Adler stated about Stitch's exit from ADLER'S APPETITE, I think he went about it the wrong way, 'cause I didn't even find out that he quit the band from him, I found out from someone else." Thomas added, "It was very strange; it was out of the blue. All of a sudden we got a text message saying 'Check your e-mail.' And there was a short little paragraph saying that, 'As of today, I'll no longer be carrying on with the band, I wanna concentrate on my other band, my original band, full time.' So he decided that was where his priority was at, that he was going to work on his original music and continue on with that."
Regarding ADLER'S APPETITE search for Stitch's replacement, Thomas said, "As soon as it went on the Internet that Rick was leaving the band, there was a flood of e-mails and responses [that] came in; it was overwhelming. And now we're weeding through all these people, and what we really wanna do is give a chance to somebody who is a star to walk in the door and sing some of the most legendary rock and roll songs of all time. It's an incredible opportunity. So, for us, we take it very seriously, because we also have to live with this person and create and write with this person, 'cause, as you know, we've released new songs recently — 'Alive', 'Stardog' and 'Fading' — which are actually on iTunes. So they're gonna be singing not only the GUNS stuff, but original material and putting their stamp on this new stuff that we've been writing since we got home from the European tour last month. So there's so much going on; it's a crazy circus. We're just
really excited about the opportunity of working with some new cats that can really come to the table and bring it."
Stitch announced last weekend that he was leaving ADLER'S APPETITE in order to concentrate on his Los Angeles-based original project LADYJACK.
Stitch's LADYJACK bandmate Robo (guitar), who was filling in for ADLER'S APPETITE guitarist Alex Grossi on the latter group's most recent European tour, will not be continuing with Adler's outfit.
Grossi recently left ADLER'S APPETITE in order to focus on his work with the resurrected QUIET RIOT.
ADLER'S APPETITE is scheduled to kick off a new U.S. tour on May 5 in Redondo Beach, California.
ADLER'S APPETITE in December released two new singles — "Stardog" and "Fading" — via iTunes and other online music stores.
ADLER'S APPETITE entered the studio in November to begin recording its new album with CINDERELLA drummer Fred Coury producing.
A radio edit of the ADLER'S APPETITE single "Alive" was released on July 29, 2010 in conjunction with Adler's tell-all autobiography, "My Appetite for Destruction: Sex, and Drugs, and Guns N' Roses".
Steven recently joined the cast of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew" for another season.
Adler appeared on season two of "Rehab" and the first season of the spin-off show "Sober House" back in late 2008 and early 2009. Adler then went on to stints in real rehab centers after being ordered to by a judge as part of a DUI bust.
According to KVVU.com, Las Vegas Metro police has recommended a charge of battery domestic violence against MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil following an alleged confrontation with his ex-girlfriend at the Hilton last week.
Alicia Jacobs (pictured below with Vince), who works as a TV reporter in Las Vegas, claims that she had a bruise from Neil jabbing at her with his finger during the exchange, which took place at comedian Hal Sparks' show. According to an arrest report, the singer barged into the Shimmer showroom, shouted expletives at the group, poked Jacobs and another woman, and stormed out. But Neil is adamant he never laid a finger on Alicia, claiming she was the aggressor during the incident.
Neil told Las Vegas Weekly, "I never touched her! She's the one who followed me out into the casino afterwards. I was with four hotel executives. They know it didn't happen."
Neil added, "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."
Neil claims that Jacobs then followed him into the casino, but that he "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."
The singer continued that even though he was staying in the hotel, the police never came to speak with him. He said about Jacobs' accusation, "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."
Jacobs split with Neil last month, shortly after he finished a short prison stint stemming from a DUI arrest last June.
The Clark County District Attorney's Office will decide whether to file charges against Neil.
DUBLIN DEATH PATROL (DDP) — the band featuring TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy and former EXODUS vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza — will perform at Club Cocomo in San Francisco, California on June 17. Also scheduled to appear are SEVERED FIFTH, KAOS and FOG OF WAR.
DUBLIN DEATH PATROL's debut album, "DDP 4 Life", was released in 2007 via Godfodder Records.
Billy originally teamed up with fellow Dublin, California ragers Willy Lange (RAMPAGE, LAAZ ROCKIT), Souza and three of the Billy brothers as well as some other local Dublin boys.
The seeds were planted in or about 1980 with a Bay Area thrash band called RAMPAGE, featuring neighborhood kids from Dublin, California — Chuck Billy, along with his brother Andy Billy, Greg Bustamante, Ernie Boehm and Willy Lange. The guys were about 18 years old and had all known each other since they were about five. They grew up listening to a variety of bands — from LED ZEPPELIN, KISS, AEROSMITH to THE DEAD KENNEDYS and THE SEX PISTOLS — and were influenced by the sounds of the late '70s and early '80s.
Souza recalled how the idea to reactivate the ultimate DUBLIN DEATH PATROL came to him: "Originally it was Willy's and Chuck Billy's idea. The first I heard of getting this project together was at a Raider pre-season game in 2005. Willy was telling me his idea of DDP and getting the old RAMPAGE guys together. But this version would have Chuck and I singing on every song and include different musicians that grew up in Dublin to play on this record. Well, I was right in."
After six months of writing, arranging and restructuring songs new and old. the guys went in to record the DDP album through strains and pains with Vinnie Wojno. Souza boldly claimed, "This is what we have to give to the metal world, a kick-ass, straight-up aggressive and in-your-fucking-face album of music by guys just from Dublin, California. Represented by members of TESTAMENT, LEGACY, EXODUS, VIO-LENCE, LAAZ ROCKIT, TESLA, HEIST and a group of headbanging Dubliners that deserved status. For fans of the Bay Area thrash whom I love and will always, I hope they dig what Chuck and I have done vocally on the DDP project."
Video footage of DUBLIN DEATH PATROL's June 26, 2010 performance at Soundwave Studios in Oakland, California can be viewed below.
For more information, visit www.dublindeathpatrol.com.
Jizzy Pearl, the journeyman frontman who has fronted '80s metal bands L.A. GUNS, RATT and LOVE/HATE, as well as authoring three widely acclaimed books, will call in to "The Classic Metal Show" this Saturday at 11 p.m. EST to make a "special announcement" pertaining to his career.
To listen to "The Classic Metal Show", go to www.cmsradio.net on Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. EST.
Australia's Kill Your Stereo recently conducted an interview with STRATOVARIUS drummer Jörg Michael. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Kill Your Stereo: Why did you name your most recent album "Elysium"?
Jörg Michael: We didn't have any grand concept or anything, but we were searching for a key point or a key word to describe the feel of the music. Jens Johansson (keyboards) came up with tons of ideas for the title, but we hadn't settled on anything, nothing caught our eye or ear. When it came time to release the album, I went back to all of Jens' suggestions and saw "Elysium" and thought it would fit completely for the new story of STRATOVARIUS, with the "Polaris" star from our last album. "Elysium" has several meanings, one is a state of paradise, which reflects on the current situation on STRATOVARIUS. We had this huge turmoil with (former guitar player) Timo Tolkki for many years. We've finally found our peace with a new guitar player and we are on the road, this reflects all that. On top of that, (new guitarist) Matias took the album title to name his epic song, the 18-minute album closer.
Kill Your Stereo: European metal has a much stronger tradition of melody compared to U.S. metal. Why do you think this is and how important do you think melody is to making good rock and metal?
Jörg Michael: Well, there are many European bands who don't use that much melody, if you think about all these Norwegian black metal bands, for example. But for me it's different, it depends what you want to do and where your roots are. With STRATOVARIUS, all the members, from Timo Tolkki, Jens, myself, Timo Kotipelto [vocals] have all been big fans of DEEP PURPLE and that era of rock bands. We grew up with this, and I didn't see any of those "noise-metal" bands at the time when we grew up. So for me, it's absolutely essential to have melody in music, and in heavy metal or otherwise I'm not able to listen to it.
Kill Your Stereo: In 2004 (longtime guitarist) Timo Tolkki was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Before his breakdown and the band hiatus, did you know that he had mental health problems? Did it make working in the band difficult?
Jörg Michael: [Laughs] Yes. It's something that's difficult to talk about. From the beginning of my time in the band, Timo was in different kind of therapies and seeing shrink doctors and so on. So it didn't surprise us, as he was always very open about things. He had a very hard childhood with his father dying in front of him when he was seven years old and other events. Many STRATOVARIUS songs are written about this, for example "Forever", many people think it's a love song, from a man to a woman, but it's actually about his father. For a very long time I think STRATOVARIUS was the best band in the world, with this particular lineup. It was really great to work with these guys. Starting with "Infinite" in 2000, through to the "Elements" record in 2003, this is when it all started. We became distant from each other and we didn't do many things together. Still, it was a big surprise when the actual breakdown came. Now looking back at the history of the
band, there are certain things that we could have spotted and said 'hey there's something not right.' At the time though we didn't really pick up on it. We always knew there were problems and we were very happy that he spoke openly about it, and told the other members of the band that he was undergoing therapy and so on. Nonetheless, when the nervous breakdown came during the recording of the STRATOVARIUS album in 2004 it was a big surprise to us. It wasn't difficult to work with him at the beginning, but after "Elements" in 2003, it became more and more it difficult. We tried it after the nervous breakdown, in 2007, but it was almost impossible. And then he tried to disband the band and then the whole thing was going in completely lunatic areas. It's a shame, I never would want this to happen to anybody, but that's basically what happened.
Kill Your Stereo: In an interview, Jens Johansson (keyboards), said you were initially against the idea of continuing STRATOVARIUS after Tolkki left. What made you change your mind?
Jörg Michael: We have always worked on a professional level, and many people spoke to us, particularly our dear friend, our Finnish promoter, he was talking serious to me and said "there is still so many requests from fans, from people, from promoters, from festivals for the name of STRATOVARIUS. They don't care if Timo Tolkki plays the drums, the guitar, or if he's not in the band, as long as you have three original members in the band and the voice. If you start a new band with a new name, we have to start from scratch, and it will not feed your family, it will not allow you to live as a professional musician." That actually changed my mind. And maybe you don't expect an answer like that and you might expect an answer like, "Oh, all the fans wrote to me" and so on. We are just human beings and we try to survive with our music, and this is our aim. If we are not able to make music professionally, then it won't be as good as it is now, where we can
devote ourselves completely to music. This is part of our life, and just to give it away easy, over something that is not our fault, would have been surreal for us. This is actually the truth. [Laughs]
"Unseen", the seventh studio album from Swedish metallers THE HAUNTED, has registered the following first-week chart positions:
Sweden: #5
Finland: #26
The Swedish chart position marks the highest chart entry ever in THE HAUNTED's home territory.
"Unseen" was released on March 22 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The CD was once again recorded with longtime producer Tue Madsen (MOONSPELL, DARK TRANQUILLITY, GOREFEST, SICK OF IT ALL) at his Antfarm Studio in Århus, Denmark.
In addition to the regular CD as well as a limited LP version (180-gram black vinyl with the full album on CD as bonus!) and the digital download format of the record, a very special limited edition (pictured on top!) of "Unseen" was released in Europe as a silver-foil-wrapped digipak, including not only classy packaging and extended artwork but also three bonus audio tracks: The brand new song "Attention" as well as radio-session live versions of the tracks "The Reflection" and "The Fallout".
Regarding the "Unseen" cover artwork, which can be seen below, THE HAUNTED said, "The artwork design was made by our friend Frode, who also did the art for [2004's] 'rEVOLVEr'. We really like his design aesthetic, and he seems to come up with something unique every single time."
"Unseen" track listing:
01. Never Better
02. No Ghost
03. Catch 22
04. Disappear
05. Motionless
06. Unseen
07. The Skull
08. Ocean Park
09. The City
10. Them
11. All Ends Well
12. Done
TRAMP, the new Swedish "rock 'n' roll super group consisting of well-known
rock gurus from bands such as THE HELLACOPTERS, CAPTAIN MURPHY, HENRY FIATS OPEN SORE and THE TURPENTINES, has just released its debut album, "Indigo", in Sweden via Killer Cobra Records. A wider European release is scheduled for May 2.
The band's lineup is as follows:
* Markus Karlsson (THE TURPENTINES) - Vocals
* Stefan Brainstrum (HENRY FIATS OPEN SORE) - Electric Guitar
* Johannes Borgström (ex-CAPTAIN MURPHY) - Electric Bass
* Robert Eriksson (MIDLIFE CRISIS, ex-THE HELLACOPTERS) - Drums
The singer Markus Karlsson and guitarist Stefan Brändström were previously members of REPUBLIKANS. In 2007, they sought a new platform for playing music together and recruited a rhythm section consisting of Robert Eriksson and Johannes Borgström.
Musically TRAMP "weave together decades of musical heritage," according to a press release. "The melodies and harmonies echoing of the '60s, the attack in the performance has more of a '70s touch, and some big gestures could be from the 80's. Furthermore, they dig into their own story and weave everything together into something that lives and breathes in its own own time. It sounds quite British in a head-on collision with the U.S. and then '60s psychedelia next to pure garage rock. Like New York punk rockers on a Magical Mystery Tour. Or a DAMNED who hack out some BEACH BOYS songs. And sometimes as THE WHO in their best pop moments.
For more information, visit www.trampmaterial.com.
Swedish MANOWAR-inspired all-female metal band HYSTERICA, which recently completed a short run of dates in Russia with FRANTIC AMBER, is working on a new album titled "The Art Of Metal". According to a press release, HYSTERICA is planning "something different and unique" for the upcoming CD by "unit[ing] the music with another form of art. The concept for the new album is as follows: By letting different artists interpret each song, a number of art pieces will be created. These will be presented together with each new album track. One single will be released digitally each month until this fall when the album will be released in its entirety."
The art object for the first single "Force Of Metal" — a magnificent metal sculpture made by Bo Andersson — has just been uncovered at a pre-release party, and the sculpture will be shown at a gallery this coming week until the single is released digitally on April 11.
"The Art Of Metal" is reportedly being mixed and mastered by Pontus Norgren (HAMMERFALL) and Marcus Jidell (EVERGREY).
HYSTERICA gained notoriety after the release of its debut album, "Metalwar", which was mixed by Peter Tägtgren (PAIN, HYPOCRISY). In 2010 HYSTERICA was honored with the "Best Newcomer" award at the Swedish Metal Awards.
For more information, visit www.hysterica.se.
2010 marked the 20th anniversary of U.K. doom metal legends MY DYING BRIDE. To commemorate two decades of doom and gloom from the elite British act, the band embarked upon a special project to re-work familiar melodies and themes from its extensive catalogue into long, flowing symphonic compositions, incorporating new vocals and passages from vocalist, Aaron Stainthorpe. These arrangements have been brought to life in co-operation with keyboard maestro Johnny Maudling (of BAL-SAGOTH fame), as well as a clutch of talented classical musicians, and shared vocals courtesy of professional opera singer Lucie Roche. The collection — titled "Evinta" — will be released on May 31 via Peaceville Records as a two-disc set and deluxe three-disc edition with 64-page book inspired by MY DYING BRIDE's illustrious recordings of the past two decades.
Commented the band: "'Evinta'. A project almost 15 years in the making. An idea that has sat smoldering and never really had a reason to burn alive until now. Nine albums worth of darkness recreated anew to mark 20 years of MY DYING BRIDE. Music arranged to the soundscapes of sorrows past. Finally the 20th anniversary allows us to release this music in a form it has been desperately, woefully waiting for. Enjoy the darkness."
MY DYING BRIDE has been the leading light of doom metal since the debut album, "As the Flower Withers", was released on Peaceville Records back in 1992. Influenced by acts such as CELTIC FROST and CANDLEMASS, the band's heavy atmospherics have carved a huge worldwide following over the years, as it remains a pinnacle of the genre.
MY DYING BRIDE's "Albion In Ruin" tour dates:
May 18 - The Electric Ballroom - London, England ?
May 19 - Manchester Academy - Manchester, England ?
May 20 - Wulfren Hall – Wolverhampton, England ?
May 21 - Button Factory – Dublin, Ireland ?
May 22 - The Spring & Airbrake – Belfast, N. Ireland?
Chad Bowar of About.com recently conducted an interview with vocalist Sharon den Adel of Dutch hard rockers WITHIN TEMPTATION. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
About.com: Your new album, "The Unforgiving", is a concept album based on a comic book. Was it an existing story, or something written specifically for you?
Sharon den Adel: It was specifically written for us. We helped develop it. The basic story came from Steven O'Connell, and we gave him some ideas of our own. We also worked with Romano Molenaar, who was the artist. He worked on the Wolverine comic in America.
About.com: How did the idea of the comic come about?
Sharon den Adel: There were two main reasons we chose to do the comic. One was because we grew up with bands that did a lot of concept albums in the late '70s and '80s. Also because we grew up with comic books and liked them. The past five years a lot of movies based on comic books came out, and it reminded us how much we enjoyed them. This album brings back some of the musical influences of the '80s. We wanted to bring some of that back. Nowadays everything is about downloading and just one song.
About.com: How would you describe the sound of the album?
Sharon den Adel: With our previous album we had a concept in our minds how we wanted it to sound. After that album we felt we finalized our sound and couldn't do any better. We wanted to take a step in a new direction, explore a little bit again. We ended up getting inspired by bands from the '80s; not just metal bands like IRON MAIDEN, but pop bands like FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD and their song "The Power Of Love" with the synthesizer sound from the '80s. We didn't do it in every song, though.
About.com: You worked with producer Daniel Gibson again. What is it about his style that's such a good fit for you?
Sharon den Adel: He's become a friend. When you start with a new producer, it takes a long time to get to know each other. Why split up something that works? We're always on the same wavelength. We grow together toward a new sound each time, and really complement each other.
About.com: With every album you've become more successful, garnering more fans and playing bigger venues. Does that increase your expectations for this album?
Sharon den Adel: No, not really. Every time we have to prove ourselves again. You're only as good as your last album, that's how we see it. There's always a question if people will like it, because we always change a little bit, and if they will go along with the changes and understand what we're trying to do creatively.
About.com: How would you compare trying to break through and attract a fan base in Europe compared to North America?
Sharon den Adel: It's difficult, for different reasons. North America is bigger, so getting where you go requires traveling a lot of miles. Everything in Europe is close by. That's one thing. Also the culture is different. You see that with radio stations. It's very divided in America. In Europe in certain regions, everybody listens to certain stations. In America everything is more scattered. And when it comes to heavier music, they aren't used to as many female voices on the radio. It's more male-dominated. We actually made two radio versions of our single. In Europe they are more orchestral-oriented, and America is more guitar-oriented. It's interesting to see the differences in different countries, how people experience music and what they like about your music. You can't please everybody, you can only be who you are.
PremierGuitar.com recently conducted an interview with TESTAMENT/ex-SAVATAGE guitarist and leader of ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO, Alex Skolnick. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
PremierGuitar.com: What was your sonic vision for [the fourth ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO album, "Veritas"] when you went into the studio?
Alex: I wanted it to be the music I liked — music I put on first thing in the morning. It's everything from Keith Jarrett to Bill Frisell to e.s.t. to Bach's "Two Part Inventions". I like music that is energizing, inspiring and very clear. There is something about those types of albums that is just very warm, intimate and direct.
PremierGuitar.com: When you say "energizing," you don't necessarily mean loud and fast, right?
Alex: Definitely not. I have this recording of Bach's "Inventions" played by a classical pianist named András Schiff. That to me is very energizing. I am not sure why that is, but you can definitely put it on to relax at home. Maybe stimulating is a better word. There are different types of music for different purposes. Speed metal serves a different purpose but I wouldn't put that on first thing in the morning.
PremierGuitar.com: Were these tunes tested out on the road or developed in the studio?
Alex: Most of the tunes were put together over the course of a few months. Interestingly, I had written some of them while in Europe doing a TESTAMENT tour with MEGADETH and JUDAS PRIEST. There was a lot of down time on that tour and a lot of mornings spent sitting in the lounge of the bus while everyone else slept. Very often I was overlooking mountains, because a lot of the arena-sized venues in Europe are in remote locations. It was beautiful. At night I would be playing this loud, very aggressive music but then have very peaceful mornings, and I think those mornings really influenced the music for this record. When I would get back to playing with my trio, we would occasionally work in one of these songs, but the vast majority of them were worked out in rehearsals.
PremierGuitar.com: Do you feel that you are influenced as much by your contemporaries as you are more historical players?
Alex: Oh yeah. That's what happens as you get older. You meet people your age or even younger that have developed these skills and taken in their own influences — and in some cases, your influence. That is something I never imagined. RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, this instrumental supergroup I first saw on "Jimmy Kimmel", credits the stuff I did with TESTAMENT as an influence on what they do. I had no idea, but that was a huge honor and acknowledgment that I wasn't so crazy — it really felt so out of left field to be into jazz but be in a speed metal band. Seeing the result of that and the fact that it could influence people like RODRIGO Y GABRIELA is very gratifying. The stuff they have done has also influenced me.
PremierGuitar.com: A fair amount of your past albums included jazz arrangements of classic rock and metal tunes. On this album, you included METALLICA's "Fade to Black". Do you feel you are moving on from that material?
Alex: I think we are moving on. That is one of the reasons why I chose that tune. I think the title was appropriate, but also I wanted to do a METALLICA tune for a while. It seemed a shame not to do one and it was only a matter of time before someone else did. We are sort of in a period where I could just imagine a younger, competent jazz musician taking on a METALLICA tune like "Enter Sandman", or the song from "Mission: Impossible". "Fade to Black" is a tune that is unequivocally great. No matter of what period of METALLICA you like, it's a great song that helped make them a supergroup.
Former CHIMAIRA guitarist/co-founder (most recently of Cleveland metal band YEARS OF FIRE) Jason Hager has officially retired from music and is pursuing different artistic routes. As of late Hager has been devoting his time to tattooing. He says, "I've been drawing since I could hold a pencil and have been wanting to become a tattoo artist since I was 13 and I finally got the opportunity to pursue it." He adds, "Art is something I've always loved and has always been the best way to release all the things going on in my head in a positive way. For me music has become more of a chore than fun, I lost the love for it. There's just way too much negative drama in music for me to want to make the sacrifices needed in order to succeed. I get way more out of tattooing when I see the reaction from people when I put something on their body permanently to remind them of an important memory in their life than I do by kids getting pissed that they have to pay for
music and record labels who don't know their ass from their elbow."
Hager is currently tattooing at A NU TATT2 in Bedford, Ohio.
A NU TATT2
681 Broadway Ave.
Bedford, OH 44146
440-439-6999
For more information and to inquire about getting a tattoo, you can contact Hager at his Facebook page.
Swedish extreme metallers SHINING have parted ways with Norway's Indie Recordings and have inked a deal with Finland's Spinefarm Records.
SHINING founder Niklas Kvarforth, who late last month announced that he was quitting all his other projects, with the exception of Maniac's SKITLIV, so that he could concentrate on SHINING, is keen to stress that the parting from Indie is completely amicable, explaining that, "There is absolutely no bad blood between SHINING and Indie Recordings. We sat down together and talked everything through, and everyone came to the conclusion that the best way for SHINING to grow and develop would be to sign the band to a label with the size and experience of Spinefarm." He adds, "I would like to thank Indie for putting the interests of the band first and allowing this to deal to happen."
The surprise move also means that SHINING's much-delayed seventh full-length album, "VII / Född Förlorare", will now appear on Spinefarm rather than Indie, with a release date having been set for May 25.
Commenting on the upcoming release and the new cooperation with Spinefarm, Kvarforth had this to say: "'VII / Född Förlorare' has been long in coming due to a series of unfortunate delays, none of which had anything to do with Indie, and it is a relief to all of us that it will finally see the light of day. I personally am extremely happy to be working with Spinefarm's Teemu, and am confident that SHINING will now be able to go from strength to strength."
"Shining VII - Född Förlorare" (English translation: "Born Loser") is expected to feature the following track listing:
01. Förtvivlan, Min Arvedel
02. Tiden Läker Inga Sår
03. Människa O'Avskyvärda Människa
04. Tillsammans Är Vi Allt
05. I Nattens Timma
06. FFF
Making guest appearances on the album are Erik Danielsson (WATAIN), Peter Bjargo (ARCANA) and NORDMAN.
Brazilian metallers SCELERATA are working on material for their third album, to be recorded in Brazil and Germany. The CD will be produced by Charlie Bauerfeind (HELLOWEEN, BLIND GUARDIAN, RAGE, SAXON, HALFORD, HAMMERFALL, MOTÖRHEAD), continuing the partnership that started in 2007 when he worked on SCELERATA's second album, "Skeletons Domination".
Commented SCELERATA drummer Francis Cassol: "It will be our second [collaboration] with Charlie, whom we worked with on 'Skeletons Domination', but the first time that he [will be involved with the project] since the beginning of the recordings. He had the idea to produce and record the album, which we thought was great. We are discussing about the recording and new songs since the first half of 2010, and we are very excited to see it done."
The drum recordings for the new SCELERATA album will commence in May at BLIND GUARDIAN's Twilight Hall Studios in Germany. The CD should be completed by July.
SCELERATA will support KAMELOT on April 10 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Steve Newton of Straight.com recently conducted an interview with vocalist/guitarist Michael Poulsen of Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
On growing up in a family that adored the likes of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash:
"Their songs were always played in my home, and at a time I could sing all those songs. Later on, as a teenager, my big sister got a boyfriend who was really into the heavy-metal stuff like DIO and BLACK SABBATH, and later on METALLICA and IRON MAIDEN, and suddenly there was a whole new scene in the world to explore."
On his pre-VOLBEAT death-metal band DOMINUS, which released four albums before he grew somewhat tired of the death-metal scene and his old love of classic '50s music started to reassert itself:
"It was very obvious to me that all the melodies I was trying to sing at that point were inspired from the '50s. Those were songs where I was blending sometimes six different styles together in one song, and I was asking myself, 'Who the hell's gonna listen to that?' It was all about taking all of the influences and the styles that I liked — like rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, country music, gospel, death metal, punk music, whatever — and blending it all together because it really felt natural to me. And it became VOLBEAT."
On the VOLBEAT track "Evelyn", which features a guest appearance on growling demonic vocals by Mark "Barney" Greenway of British grindcore pioneers NAPALM DEATH:
"Writing a song like 'Evelyn' was my way of showing people that it was not only the '50s elements we were inspired by, but we were actually growing up with a lot of great metal bands. And NAPALM DEATH was one of the first extreme metal bands I was listening to — I was listening to them when I bought my first guitar. So being able to have a singer like Barney from NAPALM DEATH on my record was a real accomplishment. It's great to see that it's actually possible for dreams to come true, in a way."
Long-running Italian metallers GORY BLISTER will enter the studio next week to begin recording their fourth album. According to a press release, the as-yet-untitled CD will feature "nine tracks of pure fast and aggressive technical death metal."
GORY BLISTER released its latest album, "Graveyard of Angels", in April 2009 via Mascot Records. The CD was described by guitarist Raff as "the natural prosecution of GORY BLISTER's goal to mix old-school aggression, technical skills and progressive music into classic death metal. The sound has acquired a lot more personality; you'll always experience originality both in riffs and lyrics. As for the lyrics, they're written from a point of view inspired by the latest world events. In this concept, fantasy stories usually serve as a metaphor. The lyrics deal with the wickedness in human beings that slowly bring themselves to their own destruction."
Cult British underground heavyweights AMEBIX reemerge from the darkness to announce the release of a new single, their first new material for almost 24 years. The song is entitled "Knights Of The Black Sun" and will be made available on June 3. A limited-edition 12-inch vinyl single will be issued on Amebix Records, in conjunction with Profane Existence. The digital download will be available through Amebix Records/Easyaction.
"Knights Of The Black Sun" was recorded at The Lodge Studios in Northampton and was engineered and produced by AMEBIX drummer Roy Mayorga (NAUSEA, SOULFLY, STONE SOUR). To complement the track, there will be a spectacular animation, the work of animation artist Andy Lefton and director Fin McAteer. The animation will be available as a free HD download to accompany the digital release, on pre-sale only. It will also be given as a free download card to accompany the vinyl. Singer/bassist Rob Miller (a.k.a. The Baron) described the release in a recent interview as "a coming of age for our music. This whole body of work has been not only about music, but also art. This is going to surprise a lot of people."
"Knights Of The Black Sun" is taken from the album "Sonic Mass", to be released on the September Equinox this year. Pre-sale links for the single will be posted on Profane Existence, AMEBIX and Easyaction web sites in early May.
In related news, AMEBIX has parted company with Alternative Tentacles Records after 26 years. The band has decided to step up to the challenge of releasing its own work and has founded Amebix Records in conjunction with Easyaction. They will release the new single, album and back catalogue under the new label while Profane Existence will continue to manufacture and sell the band's work as high-quality vinyl releases, with global distribution through Cargo Records.
Formed in the late Seventies and hailed as the godfathers of crust punk and extreme metal, AMEBIX had long lain dormant until the addition of drummer Roy Mayorga (NAUSEA, CRISIS, SOULFLY, STONE SOUR), a DVD release, and a string of 2009 reunion shows reignited the flame. The band's resurrection first resulted in the release of 2010's "Redux" EP, which features live and re-recorded versions of several of the band's best-loved classics, including "Winter", "Chain Reaction", and the immortal battle cry, "Arise!". The songs were remixed by Mayorga and "Redux" is available from Profane Existence on CD, 12-inch LP and digitally.
AMEBIX is:
Rob Miller: Vocals/Bass
Stig C. Miller: Guitars
Roy Mayorga: Drums/Keyboards/Mandolin
Madison, Wisconsin's SERIANNA has inked a deal with Bullet Tooth. The quintet is recording its debut album, "Inheritors", at JTW Studios with producer Joel Wanasek for a summer release.
A pre-production version of the song "Fragments" is available for streaming at the SERIANNA Facebook page.
SERIANNA is navigating past its peers in pursuit of something worth preserving, systematically through the muddy gridlock of the current independent music scene. This metalcore squad continues to refine its unique sound while maintaining a solid reputation as one of the region's most exciting and energetic live acts. Boasting determination as its greatest attribute, SERIANNA formed in late 2006 as merely high school friends with a bonded passion for heavy music. The lineup was solidified in 2009 when Chicago native Chris Nutting signed on as the band's frontman. Nutting quickly made his presence known contributing his raw and emotional vocal abilities and bringing SERIANNA to a previously unreached tier of musicianship.
Writing songs with a sound reminiscent of bands like AUGUST BURNS RED and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, SERIANNA set out to spread its music to anyone with an open mind and positive attitude. Jumping at every opportunity afforded to them, the band began growing rapidly around the Midwest. SERIANNA's efforts culminated in 2010 as they began work on their debut full-length album, appropriately titled "Inheritors". This marks the tenure of the band as they mesh the style and intensity of the music they grew up listening to with the originality and technicality SERIANNA has come to be synonymous with.
Their hard work did not go unnoticed as Josh Grabelle (president of Bullet Tooth) tracked the band's progress on the demos and invited the band to partner with his label Bullet Tooth.
"We couldn't be more excited to release this record with Bullet Tooth," drummer Chris Ferarro comments. "Over the last couple of months Josh has showed so much direction and interest in us that we're positive Bullet Tooth is the perfect home for SERIANNA."
Despite any future hardships or unforeseen roadblocks, SERIANNA is determined to accomplish what they have been working toward all along; creating music worth remembering.
New Jersey post-hardcore band IN OTHER WORDS has inked a deal with Tragic Hero Records. The band' s new album was produced at Think Sound with producer Drew Fulk (DECODER, TO SPEAK OF WOLVES, DELUSIONS) and is expected to released mid-summer 2011. Drummer/lead vocalist Anthony Ruggiero says, "We could not be happier to be part of the Tragic Hero family! We are looking forward to be on the road as much as possible to support our upcoming full-length."
IN OTHER WORDS is:
Anthony Ruggiero - Drums/Lead Vocals
Jimmy Ruggiero - Guitar
Joe Valeri - Lead Screams
Freddy Mills - Guitar
Robert Delapena – Bass
Chicago instrumental post-metal trio RUSSIAN CIRCLES returns to the studio today to begin recording material for its fourth album. Brandon Curtis of THE SECRET MACHINES and INTERPOL, who helmed RUSSIAN CIRCLES' previous album "Geneva", is producing and mixing the new collection of songs at Phantom Manor in Chicago.
RUSSIAN CIRCLES' forthcoming CD marks the band's first full-length to be released worldwide exclusively via Sargent House — the band's longtime management company and record label that had previously released only the vinyl editions of its three previous albums.
RUSSIAN CIRCLES — guitarist Mike Sullivan, drummer Dave Turncrantz and bassist Brian Cook — will take to the road this summer in Europe on a co-headlining tour with new labelmates, Japanese heavy-psych trio BORIS. Tour dates will be announced soon.
"A lot of the mood going into this album has been reflective on the last couple years of touring," Cook says. "We have a ton of material. We're excited to get into recording and be somewhat sheltered from the outside world. We're going to try to make the same ebb and flow of our live set happen on the record, with more constructive dynamics and dramatic bridging between songs. We want to experiment in similar ways that we did with strings and embellishments on 'Geneva', but we don't want to have songs that won't sound the same in a live setting."
For more information, visit www.russiancirclesband.com.
The full lineup has been confirmed for the second edition of the Femme Metal Festival, which is scheduled to take place on the Bank Holiday weekend of May 29-30, 2011 at The Asylum venue in Birmingham, England. All profits will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.
The festival billing is as follows:
Sunday, May 29:
THEATRES DES VAMPIRES
SARAH JEZEBEL DEVA
DIE SO FLUID
EXOTERIK
REGARDLESS OF ME
THE MARIANA HOLLOW
DYONISIS
WINTER STORM
Monday, May 30:
REVAMP
WHYZDOM
APPARITION
SOLSIKK
HAND
FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH
WINTER IN EDEN
SCARLET'S WAKE
The festival is unique in the sense that all bands are fronted by a female singer.
Tickets can be purchased from the Femme Metal Records webstore and Ticketweb.co.uk.
Visit www.femmemetalrecords.com for more information.
"Hisingen Blues", the second full-length album from the Gothenburg, Sweden-based psychedelic doom rock band GRAVEYARD, has entered the official chart in the group's home country at position No. 1. The CD, which will be released in North America on April 19 via Nuclear Blast Records, was produced, recorded, and mixed in 100 percent analog by Don Alsterberg (JOSÉ GONZALES, JUNIP, SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES, THE INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONSPIRACY) at Don Pierre Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden.
"Hisingen Blues" track listing:
01. Ain't Fit To Live Here
02. No Good, Mr. Holden
03. Hisingen Blues
04. Uncomfortably Numb
05. Buying Truth (Tack Och Förlåt)
06. Longing
07. Ungrateful Are The Dead
08. RSS
09. The Siren
The band shares details about the album artist, Ulf Lundén: "We wanted a cover that wasn't your average rock/metal cover, and our friend Ulf Lundén was just the right guy to do it. We had seen his work for his own band, BOMBUS, and we knew he had a wild imagination. So we just let him loose. He put us up against the green screen, took his photos and that was that. A couple of weeks later, he showed us what he had done. We were astonished by his work, a perfectionist indeed. We got what we asked for, a cover that isn't average. Rich with details, swamp/jungle feeling, weirdness and a lurking evil feel to it."
A limited-edition seven-inch picture disc of the title track, "Hisingen Blues", backed with the exclusive vinyl track "Granny And Davis" and featuring different artwork was released through Nuclear Blast Germany's mail-order on February 25 and was made available via Nuclear Blast USA's webstore on March 15. This release is limited to 500 copies worldwide.
GRAVEYARD is:
* Joakim Nilsson – Guitar & Vocals
* Jonathan Ramm – Guitar & Vocals
* Rikard Edlund – Bass
* Axel Sjöberg - Drums
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/graveyardsongs.
American technical death metal innovators ORIGIN will release their new album, "Entity", on June 7 in North America and June 10 in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records.
One of the most intense and technical forces of the contemporary death metal world, ORIGIN has returned to stake its claim as the leader of metal's new wave of extremity with its fifth studio effort. As expected, the death grind trio of Mike Flores (bass, vocals), Paul Ryan (guitar, vocals) and John Longstreth (drums) continues to churn out frantic, hell-paced grids of metal torment, but now further complements the arrangements with a newfound propensity for churning grooves and the hook-laden approach that first reared its ugly, but accessible head on the band's 2007 offering, "Antithesis". The band once again returned to Chapman Recording Studios in Lenexa, Kansas to work with longtime engineer and friend Robert Rebeck.
As stated multiple times in the past, ORIGIN proves once again that they stand head and shoulders above their peers.
Commented drummer John Longstrength: "As you can see, we're getting closer and closer to having a new album available for you.
"This has been a project that has been a long time in the making with all the unexpected twists and turns that come with creating an album and we are almost there.
"So, this is the new album cover! Designed by the band and executed flawlessly by artist extraordinaire, Colin Marks.
"As you can see, this time there's no aliens, no scary faces, no silly comic book imagery, no bullshit. It's back to basics for the people that don't fall for, or appreciate, bullshit trends that currently compromise the validity of this art.
"Let this album cover with its grey, dead, coldness reflect our disdain for the misconception that ORIGIN is represented by a giant, planet eating, scary face that's aimlessly roaming the cosmos like an idiot.
"Like the cover, the music on this album is stone, it's cold, it's serious, it's desolate, it's very angry, it's the band unified and working overtime to create what we feel will be the finest 45 minutes ORIGIN has created yet. This album is its own bitter entity."
Added artist Colin Marks: "It's been a real pleasure collaborating with the ORIGIN guys on the artwork for 'Entity'.
"From the beginning John had a very specific vision of how this record should look and I tried to interpret that as accurately as possible.
"The whole look of the album, the way I see it, is a suffocating vision of absolute solitude and isolation, with huge barren otherworldly landscapes. It's a simple concept, but it works well and hopefully reflects the bleak tones and heaviness of the new songs."
Catch the band, with their new frontman Jason Keyser, on tour with HATE ETERNAL, VITAL REMAINS and ABYSMAL DAWN in North America starting on June 15 at Emo's in Austin, Texas. Look for ORIGIN on the road in Europe, South America, Mexico, Asia, Australia and the rest of the world in 2011 and 2012.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/originentity.jpg
DJERV — the Norwegian band featuring singer Agnete Kjølsrud of ANIMAL ALPHA, drummer Erlend Gjerde of STONEGARD and WARDRUNA and guitarist Stian Kårstad of TRELLDOM — has inked a European deal (excluding Poland, Czech Republic and Russia) with Indie Recordings for the release of the group's debut album.
DJERV is a very interesting new band that appeared on the radar early 2010. Spawn out of TRELLDOM, ANIMAL ALPHA and STONEGARD, they pull strings from their previous bands, but DJERV is still something new. It sounds different. It's aggressive rock, borderline metal and dangerously catchy. Yet wrapped in a black metal veil? Genres melt together as never before these days, and so seems to be the case with DJERV as well.
Their story is short but eventful. The first demos surfaced early 2010, and two weeks later they were booked for the most important festival in Norway, the Oya festival. They went on to tour Norway in June and played several of the bigger Norwegian festivals during the summer. In August they released the "Headstone" EP which basically is their first-ever recorded demo tracks made available as people kept demanding to get to hear them not only on MySpace. The release of the "Headstone" EP generated some good press for the band several key magazines featured them as one of the bands to keep an eye out for in 2011. In addition, DIMMU BORGIR helped promote DJERV when they invited Agnete to participate on no less than three songs for their latest album, "Abrahadabra". Among them the lead track of the album, "Gateways", the video for which also features Agnete.
Revolver magazine has posted the second and final part of an in-depth interview with Adam "Nergal" Darski, the 33-year-old leukemia-stricken guitarist/vocalist of the Polish extreme metal act BEHEMOTH, who recently underwent a bone marrow transplant procedure. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Revolver: Have you been able to write any music lately?
Nergal: Not really, I did some riffs. I'm thinking maybe something cool will come out of it. Maybe not. We'll see. I wrote a lot of stuff — not musically, but lyrics. I got a lot of ideas for lyrics, a lot of verses here and there. Some of them are really, really cool. I can't wait to put them into the riffs. It was not like I was inactive artistically; I was. I just wasn't playing the guitar. I was coming up with different ideas. Honestly, now, I was seeing my graphic designer two days ago, and we were talking about the cover for the next record. I know it's two years until we fucking unleash it, but I always start working in the very early stages. And I just throw ideas at the table and just wait for them to grow. I want to make sure every idea is awesome and it's very mature I want to make sure that the whole album, every aspect — music, graphics, lyrics — they're going to pass the test of time. And it's going to be timeless at the end of the
time, and 10 years down the road people are going to be thinking, Fuck, this awesome record, it's still fresh and it has a value to people.
Revolver: Speaking of that, this is BEHEMOTH's 20th anniversary, and I just wanted to know how that makes you feel.
Nergal: Yes, we're talking to Metal Blade, and Metal Blade's probably going to be releasing an official biography in English worldwide. It's going to be a book, with lots of pictures, 300 or 400 pictures. It should be finished in May, so we really hope that we're going to meet the deadlines because October is exactly when the 20th anniversary is happening. What's a better way to celebrate the anniversary than to release a biography? I don't see any. Some bands would do new versions of their old songs, and stuff that was pretty much every fucking band does it. We're going to do some shows here in Poland, but I'm most excited about the book. It's super exciting and I can't fucking wait to read it. I hope metalheads will want to read it — I know they're all about listening to the music, but it would be cool to have something like this. It's going to be authorized by the band, and it's a lot of cool stuff that you've never read in the interviews. A lot of
pictures, a lot of rare pictures. So just wait and see. It's going to be awesome.
Revolver: What do you have planned for your concerts in October?
Nergal: Yeah, we just decided to play some so-called comeback shows in Poland just to warm up and see how we feel, just to be onstage again together. And I really hope that it's going to turn out great and that it's going to cause other tours and stuff. We have plans until the summer of next year. We already have some cool offers. We're talking to our agents. There's some really, really cool ideas. I don't want to reveal anything yet, but once we're done with October shows, and we feel good about it, and there's chemistry onstage, we definitely want to continue the "Evangelion" touring cycle. There's still some markets we didn't even touch. We've done over 100 shows so far to "Evangelion". We're going to do another 100 at least, and then we can focus on the next record.
To be honest, we can't wait to hit the stage again. I'm so fucking anxious. I'm so excited, so psyched about it. I have dreams about coming back onstage. I dream about BEHEMOTH shows. It's insane, I know, but I can't tell you how much it's a relief to the band and how much it means to us.
"The Craven's Work", a new song from Danish death metallers CROCELL, can be streamed below. According to a press release, the track is "one of the thrashier ones" from the band's second album, "The Wretched Eidola", which will be released on May 6 via Ultimhate Records. The CD was produced and mixed by Jacob "Formanden" Olsen of JBO Sound (PANZERCHRIST, CORPUS MORTALE) and features the following track listing:
01. 06-07-09
02. I Know The Taste Of Your Tears
03. Chronos
04. The Age Of Iron And Rust
05. The Craven's Work
06. The Wretched Eidola
07. Thieves, Whores And Heretics
08. The Puritan Harlot
09. After The Take Of Winter
10. Voices Of The Deep
11. The Stranger
Former OBITUARY/SIX FEET UNDER guitarist Allen West has launched a brand new Tampa, Florida-based death metal band called SOUTHWICKED.
According to the group, "It actually all started when Allen West and Marco Vreven [drums] on the LOWBROW 'Buried in Europe' tour decided to start a new band, and a couple of months later we were working on some songs and recorded a demo tape in the RedRoom [Recorders] in [Tampa]. It's still unfinished but the songs [that are streaming below] already give you an appetizer about which direction we want to go out with our music. Rock Rollain (KULT OF THORN) joined our forces and he placed some mighty fine bass lines on our songs. We asked Sven Poets from SHATTERED SKULL to join our forces. And SOUTHWICKED's lineup is now complete."
SOUTHWICKED is:
* Allen West (OBITUARY, SIX FEET UNDER) - Lead Guitar
* Sven Poets (SHATTERED SKULL) - Vocals
* Stef Mikolajczyk (SHATTERED SKULL) - Rhythm Guitar
* Rock Rollain (KULT OF THORN, LUSTMORD) - Bass
* Marco Vreven (EXTERMINATOR, THE QUIESCENT) - Drums
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