 |
 |   |
2 май 2007


ICED EARTH Singer TIM OWENS Comments On MATT BARLOW's Return To Metal SceneIcedEarth.com checked in with Tim Owens this week to get a brief update on the current events taking place in the ICED EARTH world including the U.K. fall tour in support of HEAVEN AND HELL as well as his comments on news this week that former ICED EARTH vocalist Matthew Barlow has returned to metal as the new frontman for Danish band PYRAMAZE.
IE.com: The forthcoming [ICED EARTH EP], "Framing Armageddon", is due for release in late August or early September which is before you tour to support HEAVEN AND HELL in the UK but not before the summer festivals (Sweden Rock, Rockwave, Wacken Open Air). Will you be playing new material from "Framing Armageddon" at the festivals? If so, roughly how many songs will you perform from that record?
Tim: Well, we haven't even talked about the songs yet, one step at a time. I would think that for the summer we will play the single but not sure if anything else off "Framing Armageddon". I wouldn't think anything else! Gotta lot of tunes to chose from…with a back catalog as big as it is!
IE.com: Mixing for "Framing Armageddon" is scheduled for early May. The tracklist contains a whopping 18 songs. Do you have any personal favorites among them?
Tim: Man, I love 'em all…I love the track "Framing Armageddon", It is heavy and I like the heavy stuff. But really they all sound great, a lot of light and shade on it, and that is what you want if you like ICED EARTH.
IE.com: "Framing Armageddon" marks your second tour of studio duty with Jon Schaffer and Jim Morris. On your ICED EARTH debut, "The Glorious Burden", you arrived at Morrisound after the entire album had been written and actually recorded. What did you learn from your first studio experience with Jon and Jim that helped you prepare for the recording of the new material, knowing now that you will be the voice of ICED EARTH for many years to come?
Tim: Well, It is a good time in the studio with them, we laugh a lot! The new stuff just sounds great, I love it, and it has been a good time doing it. I think we all know a little more what to expect on this CD.
IE.com: Former ICED EARTH vocalist Matt Barlow announced this month his return to metal with the Danish band PYRAMAZE. Have you had an opportunity to meet or converse with Matt since you joined ICED EARTH?
Tim: Man, I think it's great, Matt is a great guy and a great singer — I'm glad he is back in the metal game. I met Matt years ago, I think around '97 at a JUDAS PRIEST show. I saw Matt and Jon standing somewhere by the merchandise booth so I talked with them and got them backstage to hang out after the show. I stayed in touch with Jon after that. But I would say Matt is a friend, I have nothing but kind words and respect for him.
IE.com: Any comments on your upcoming tour in support of HEAVEN AND HELL this November in the UK? Given the relatively short history of the Dio-era BLACK SABBATH lineup, touring with them is a rare opportunity for any band which may never happen again.
Tim: This will be a blast. Ronnie is a great guy and with Wendy [Dio] being the manager of BEYOND FEAR [Owens' side project] and knowing how they run their operation, this should be killer! My favorite SABBATH was with Ronnie at the helm, however I did love SABBATH with Ozzy as well, and Ian Gillian…But Ronnie is the man! Maybe I will get up and sing a little "Neon Knights" with them…hahahahah!
|
  | |   |
 |
  | |
  |
2 май 2007


RAUNCHY To Enter Studio In FebruaryCriminally underrated Danish metallers RAUNCHY have issued the following update:
"Studio time has been booked. We'll start the recordings of the next album in February 2008. That means no new RAUNCHY album in 2007. We certainly don't want to rush things and we'll just continue to write and do a lot of demoing. At this point we have seven complete songs for the next album and we'll be adjusting, and make every aspect of each song as strong, crushing and melodic as possible. Expect a release around April/May 2008."
RAUNCHY vocalist Kasper Thomsen previously described the new material as "dirty, melodic, thrashy, epic, melancholic and... drum roll... heavy. We are experimenting a lot this time around, with vocals, arrangements and musical expression, but we're not gonna change radically — don't worry! But as a wise man once said: there's no point in writing the same record twice, right?" Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Straight to Hell", "Recovery", "Heavy Burden", "To the Lighthouse", "Destroyer", "Somewhere Along the Road", "Thieves", "Western Gutter", "A Dead Epic", "Black House, Glass City", "To Shatter Bliss" and "Get Fighted".
|
  |   |
 |
  | |
 |   |
30 апр 2007


SYMPHONY X: 'Paradise Lost' Final Track Listing, Artwork RevealedProgressive metallers SYMPHONY X have finalized the track listing and artwork for their new album, "Paradise Lost", due on June 26 via Inside Out Music. The CD was mixed by Jens Bogren (OPETH, SOILWORK, AMON AMARTH) at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.
The follow-up to 2002's "The Odyssey", "Paradise Lost" will feature the following track listing:
01. Oculus ex Inferni
02. Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies)
03. Domination
04. The Serpent’s Kiss
05. Paradise Lost
06. Eve of Seduction
07. The Walls of Babylon
08. Seven
09. The Sacrifice
10. Revelation (Divus Pennae ex Tragoedia)
Check out the artwork at обложка 1
|
  | |   |
 |
  | |
  |
29 апр 2007


ARCH ENEMY Guitarist Checks In From Recording StudioARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott has posted the following message on the band's official web site:
"We've been in the studio for what seems like an eternity now, and this new album is really starting to sound like an epic chapter in the ARCH ENEMY saga!
"I am always super excited about new music that we create in the studio (as every musician on the planet is!) — but I have a sneaking suspicion that this album has the 'special feeling' — I am saying no more for now!
"We obviously started with recording drums, and Daniel [Erlandsson] really excelled himself on the drum tracks, Daniel was very ambitious and well prepared coming into this recording. He delivered a very solid foundation for us to build the rest of the album upon…
"So here we are, at the new Fredman studio in the Swedish countryside…cabin fever intensifying dramatically by the day! It's not THAT bad actually, and we are getting a lot of work done as there is literally NOTHING here that could possibly divert your attention from the work at hand'.
‘Next up: rhythm guitars. We worked hard on getting the right rhythm guitar sound for the record. As heavy and intense as we are, we also use a 'classic metal,' somewhat traditional approach in many ways, so we need the type of guitar tone that will reflect this and bring out the best of the riff's and solos. With guidance from our producer Fredrik Nordström and I think we have found this sound…
"We ended up using the three different amplifiers of three different brands and two really differently voiced speaker cabinets. This combination worked really well. We always record four rhythm guitar tracks with ARCH ENEMY on the albums, so that is quite a lot of work in itself — getting all those guitars as tight and precise as possible is quite some work, but it is worth it in the end when you hear the final result. Nothing but the best for you all!"
|
   | ![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif) |   |
 |
   | |
 |   |
28 апр 2007


MANITOU Completes Work On New AlbumFinnish traditional heavy metal band MANITOU, which features in its ranks members of OMNIUM GATHERUM, MALPRACTICE and KAIHORO, has completed work on its third album, "No Signs of Wisdom". The CD was recorded at SouthEastSounds Studio in Karhula, Finland with producer Teemu Aalto (OMNIUM GATHERUM, SINAMORE) and was mastered at Chartmakers. According to a press release, the new material will appeal to fans of "IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRŸCHE, ANNIHILATOR, DIO, TAROT, WHITESNAKE... Traditional heavy metal, that is!" A July release via Metal Heaven Records is expected.
"No Signs of Wisdom" track listing:
01. In This Indolence
02. Dread Of The Freaks
03. No Signs Of Wisdom
04. The End Within
05. Harbinger
06. Polluted World
07. Some Of The Sins Revealed
08. The Loon
09. August Sky
|
  | |   |
 |
  | |
  |
28 апр 2007


DREAM THEATER: New Song Available For DownloadA DREAM THEATER EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for the group's new album, "Systematic Chaos", is available for download here (QuickTime, 38.5 MB). A new track, entitled "Constant Motion", is available for free at this location. Simply fill in your details and the download link will be sent directly to your e-mail.
"Systematic Chaos" will be released on Tuesday, June 5 (date may vary in different countries) through Roadrunner and will be available in two formats: regular-edition CD ( cover) and a special-edition CD and DVD ( cover).
DREAM THEATER will be IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson's guests on Saturday, May 26 during Bruce's weekly BBC 6 Music radio show, aptly named "Rock Show". Listen to the program live via the Internet between 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. (midnight) U.K. time (between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. EST) at BBC.co.uk.
|
  |   |
 |
  | |
 |   |
28 апр 2007


ASTRAL DOORS: New Album To Be Mixed By PETER TÄGTGRENSwedish metallers ASTRAL DOORS, who feature in their ranks LION'S SHARE vocalist Patrik Johansson, have issued the following update:
"The new album is almost ready for mix. During May we will return the the Abyss and Peter 'Eleganten från vidderna' Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN) and make our babies shine like a diamonds. We are sooooo pleased with the songs and we definitely brought it to the next level. You will experience some new soundscapes and atmospheres but still it is the non-mistakable ASTRAL sound, so don't worry."
ASTRAL DOORS' third album, "Astralism", was re-released in August 2006 as a digipack, featuring a newly written bonus track, entitled "21st Century Medieval". "The sound on the album has been polished and has been remastered by a profesional," the band previously wrote on its web site. "This is how it was meant to sound from the beginning. Sounds insane but the first version slipped through without our approval. If we've had the last word the first version would never been released, that's for sure."
"Astralism" was originally released in March 2006 via Locomotive Music. The CD is described by the band as "another slab of old-school hard rock with a touch of metal — something you can't help loving."
|
  | |   |
 |
  | |
  |
28 апр 2007


SCORPIONS: Audio Samples Of Entire New Album AvailableAudio samples of all 12 songs that are set to appear on the forthcoming SCORPIONS album, "Humanity - Hour 1", are now available at the website of the German online retailer Weltbild.de. Due at the end of May, the CD was produced by James Michael and co-produced by songwriter/producer Desmond Child, who has worked with such high-profile pop/rock artists as AEROSMITH, BON JOVI, ALICE COOPER, KISS, RICKY MARTIN, CHER, MICHAEL BOLTON and BONNIE TYLER. The "Humanity - Hour 1" artwork has been posted online at this location.
"Humanity - Hour 1" track listing:
01. Hour I
02. The Game Of Life
03. We Were Born To Fly
04. The Future Never Dies
05. You're Lovin' Me To Death
06. 321
07. Love Will Keep Us Alive
08. Your Last Song
09. Love Is War
10. Rise Again
11. The Cross
12. Humanity
A limited-edition version of the album will include two bonus tracks — "Cold" and "Humanity" (Radio Edit).
SCORPIONS performed their new single, entitled "Humanity", on March 24 at a special concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of signing the Roman treaty, which became the basis for foundation of the European Union. Watch a video clip of SCORPIONS' performance at YouTube.
SCORPIONS' last album, "Unbreakable", was released in the U.S. in June 2004 through Sanctuary Records. The CD was recorded at Peppermint Park Studio in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at Wisseloord studios in Hilversum, Holland.
|
  |   |
 |
  | |
  |
27 апр 2007


NIGHTWISH: Four Songs Mixed For New AlbumNIGHTWISH leader Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards) has reportedly told Finland's Soundi magazine that the band has finished mixing four songs for the group's upcoming album — the band's first to feature its new singer, whose identity has not yet been revealed. Only 30 people (all of whom have personal and business ties to NIGHTWISH) have been told the name of NIGHTWISH's new vocalist and have been sworn to secrecy in order to maintain the element of surprise when the new lineup is officially unveiled on May 30.
According to Holopainen, the upcoming NIGHTWISH album, which is due in September, will feature a 14-minute song entitled "The Poet and the Pendulum" featuring the following lyrics in the chorus: I cannot cry / 'Cause the shoulder cries more / I cannot die / I, the whore for the cold world."
NIGHTWISH will release a new single, entitled "Eva", on May 30. "Eva" will be an Internet-only single release, all profits from which shall be donated to charity. In Finland, the single will be available exclusively from NetAnttila. The new singer's identity will be revealed simultaneously in a press statement and on the band's web site, www.nightwish.com, on Wednesday, May 30. A radio promo of the Internet single will ship on the same day.
The sixth NIGHTWISH album will be released on September 26, preceded by a second, regular single release in August.
NIGHTWISH fired its original singer, Tarja Turunen, via an "open letter," which was given to the singer immediately following their final concert together, which took place on October 21, 2005 at the Hartwall arena in Helsinki, Finland. The Helsinki show was filmed and recorded for the "End of an Era" DVD and CD, which entered the German chart at a No. 3 and has been certified gold for sales in excess of 25,000 copies.
|
   | ![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif) |   |
 |
   | |
 |   |
26 апр 2007


BLIND GUARDIAN Frontman Records Guest Appearance For DREAMTONE ProjectSinger Hansi Kürsch of German power metallers BLIND GUARDIAN has been confirmed as one of the guests on the NEVERLAND project, the collaboration between Turkey's progressive power metal band DREAMTONE and Greek artist Iris Mavraki. Hansi has just finished recording the vocals for the song "To Lose The Sun" which will appear on the project's debut CD, "Reversing Time".
The bulk of the album's basic tracks (except for the guest appearances) were recorded at ATM Studios in Istanbul, with Erim Arkman and Alp Turac (who won the Eurovision Song Contest back in 2003 with singer Sertab Erener for the song "Every Way That I Can"). The mixing process took place at Division One Studios (EVERGREY, HAMMERFALL, IN FLAMES etc) in Gothenburg, Sweden. The mastering of "Reversing Time" will be handled by senior mastering engineer Leon Zervos (AVRIL LAVIGNE, SANTANA, INXS, SKID ROW, DURAN DURAN, AEROSMITH) at Sterling Sound in New York.
In addition to Iris Mavraki and DREAMTONE, "Reversing Time" features the Philarmonia Istanbul Orchestra and such renowned musicians as Tom Englund (EVERGREY), Mike Baker (SHADOW GALLERY) and Gary Wehrkamp (SHADOW GALLERY).
The Philarmonia Istanbul Orchestra recorded at MIAM Studios in Istanbul with conductor Hakan Sensoy. Ethnical instruments and sax parts were recorded at Mars Studios in Ankara. Songtitles set to appear on "Reversing Time" include "To Lose The Sun" (performed by Hansi Kürsch), "World Beyond These Walls" (performed by Tom Englund), "Reversing Time" (performed by Mike Baker), "Mountain of Judgment", "Mountain of Joy", "Black Water", "Mankind Is A Lie" and "Who Asked You To Fight?" The music was written by DREAMTONE and Iris Mavraki. All lyrics were written by Oganalp Canatan (DREAMTONE) and Orpheus Spiliotopoulos.
The project is currently in talks with several record labels about a possible deal. 1
|
  | |   |
 |
  | |
 |   |
24 апр 2007


NILE: New Album To Arrive In JulyNuclear Blast Records has set a July 20 German release date (July 23 in the rest of Europe) for the new NILE album, entitled "Ithyphallic". The CD was recorded at Sound Lab Studios in Columbia, South Carolina with producer Neil Kernon (NEVERMORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEICIDE) and engineer Bob Moore. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Language Of The Shadows", "Even The Gods Must Die", "The Infinity Of Stone", "Ithyphallic" and "Papyrii Containg The Spell To Preserve Its Possessor Against Attacks From He Who Is In The Water".
NILE's last album, "Annihilation of the Wicked" album, was released in May 2005 via Relapse Records. A video for the album track "Sacrifice Unto Sebek" was shot on location in Atlanta, GA by director Chad Rullman (MASTODON's "March of the Fire Ants", THE AGONY SCENE) for Supercollider Films.
NILE will embark on a headlining tour of Australia in May. Support at the shows will come from Polish technical death metal sensations DECAPITATED.
NILE has been confirmed as one of the second-stage bands at this year's Ozzfest alongside HATEBREED, BEHEMOTH, MONDO GENERATOR, ANKLA, CIRCUS DIABLO and THE SHOWDOWN, among others. The 24-city tour begins July 12 in Seattle. 2
|
  | |   |
 |
  | |
  |
24 апр 2007


BLAZE BAYLEY To Release New Album In OctoberFormer IRON MAIDEN/WOLFSBANE frontman Blaze Bayley will release his new solo album in late October. The record will contain 14 new songs and will be supported by "a massive tour 2008/2009, covering over 150 concerts all over the world," according to Blaze's management.
Bayley's new band, now called simply BLAZE BAYLEY, is as follows:
Rico Banderra - Drums
Nick Bermudez (UNDER THREAT) - Guitar
David Bermudez (UNDER THREAT) - Bass
Rich Newport - Guitar
Blaze Bayley - Vocals
Check out a photo of the new band at this location
Former IRON MAIDEN frontman Blaze Bayley will reunite with his first band WOLFSBANE for three songs after his solo set at the Rock of Ages Festival in Tamworth, England on September 9.
|
  |   |
 |
  | |
| ![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif) |