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25 àïð 2012
ARCH ENEMY: Video Recap Of Japanese Tour
 ARCH ENEMY's front-of-house engineer Clem Bennett has posted a five-minute video recap of the band's recently completed Japanese tour. Check it out below.
ARCH ENEMY made its live debut with new guitarist Nick Cordle (ARSIS) on April 13 at Shibuya Ax in Tokyo, Japan. Check out photos at Creativeman.co.jp.
ARCH ENEMY earlier in the year amicably parted ways with guitarist Christopher Amott and replaced him with 26-year-old Cordle.
Christopher — the brother of ARCH ENEMY's other guitarist Michael Amott — was a member of ARCH ENEMY from 1996 to 2005 and again from 2007 to 2011.
Nick Cordle was raised in a musical family in Virginia by parents who teach classical piano and was immersed in 19th-century piano music as a child. Rachmaninoff, Brahms and Liszt are his early memories. There were piano and violin lessons from a very early age but a rebellious streak led to the guitar at the age of 10, and within a few years he discovered the classic thrash metal albums by MEGADETH, METALLICA, and SLAYER. This was his first real musical passion and gateway into extreme music.
Nick studied jazz and music theory at the University of Virginia from 2003 to 2007 but remains self taught in the ways of "shred" and metal. Shortly thereafter, he joined American death metal band ARSIS playing bass and guitar over a three-year period, performing with them on various European tours and countless gigs across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico as well as performing and writing on their most recent album, "Starve For The Devil" (2010).
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25 àïð 2012
BEHEMOTH Frontman Says Metal and Christianity Are Incompatible
 In a brand new interview with LA Weekly, guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski of Polish extreme metal veterans BEHEMOTH says that he's quite confused how a metal musician — particularly someone like MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine — or fan can identify as Christian.
"Everyone has their reasons for getting involved with metal music," Nergal says. "To me, it was the rebellious spirit, attitude, and life philosophy of this music. Being Christian in this genre just seems against that. There are religious people in metal that we deal with. That's fucked up and crazy to me. But I'm sure when you talk to Dave Mustaine, he'll give you the opposite angle of the situation."
In the end though, Nergal still welcomes fans and colleagues of all faiths and beliefs.
"There are people that are huge BEHEMOTH fans, but when you look at their life code and their philosophies, they stand on the other side of the barricade yet they like the music that we do," Nergal says. "The biggest compliment I can get is from people that see us and have no clue of what we do, or have opposite opinions to us, but they'll talk about how our energy was undeniable."
Read more from LA Weekly.
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25 àïð 2012
DREAM THEATER Begins Writing Material For Next Album
 According to a new Facebook posting by guitarist John Petrucci of progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER, "writing for the next DT album officially commenced while in Osaka [Japan] the other day." He adds, "Jet lag seems to open up one's creative channels."
When asked why new DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Mangini was not involved in the writing sessions for the band's last album, 2011's "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", Petrucci told The Aquarian Weekly, "I decided to do it this way because I wanted to make sure that we were able to focus on DREAM THEATER's core compositional elements and sounds without a new person coming in. Whatever that Mike might have brought to the table, I thought it was too early to kind of bring in somebody that we didn't really know at all, as far as their compositional abilities."
He added, "I've been writing this music forever and just felt comfortable in that kind of environment. When you can focus on just guitar, keyboards, bass and our singer is there, it's just a more intimate environment and you're not trying to integrate somebody else and feel them out. I just kind of wanted to eliminate that whole process. I mean, it could have been great, but I was more comfortable doing it this way for this album at least.
"At this point, [Mangini has] been in the band for [more than] a year, we've already done a [couple of] tour[s] with him, we're gonna have completed another full world tour, we have a chance to jam with him during sound checks and sit with him — we'll know him way better. I think it'll make more sense to bring him into that process for sure."
DREAM THEATER has annouced a second North American leg of a world tour in support of its acclaimed and globally successful album "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" (Roadrunner). The progressive hard rock icons, who've sold in excess of 10 million records and DVDs worldwide, will launch their summer dates June 15 in Rochester, New York and wrap July 21 in Chester, Pennsylvania. The tour includes stops at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey plus a two-night engagement at the Paramount Theater on Long Island, New York.
Joining DREAM THEATER, starting June 16 in Columbus, Ohio and for the rest of the tour, is special guest CRIMSON PROJEKCT featuring Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Markus Reuter, Julie Slick and Tobias Ralph. They'll be performing the songs of progressive rock legends KING CRIMSON.
DREAM THEATER's new album, "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", sold 36,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 8. The band's previous CD, 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", opened with 40,000 units to land at No. 6. This was roughly in line with the first-week tally registered by its predecessor, "Systematic Chaos", which shifted 36,000 copies in 2007 to enter the chart at No. 19. 2005's "Octavarium" premiered with 27,000 copies to debut at No. 36.
DREAM THEATER was among the nominees in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category at the 54th annual Grammy Awards, which was held on February 12 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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25 àïð 2012
AXXIS - \'reDISCOver(ed)\' - PLAY IT LOUD - Listening Session Video online!
 Die nordrhein-westfälische Rockband AXXIS veröffentlicht am 18. Mai 2012 das wohl ungewöhnlichste Album ihrer Bandgeschichte: Mit dem Titel "reDISCOver(ed)" erscheint eine Compilation voller Coverversionen von Klassikern aus den 80er Jahren. Dafür eingeplant sind Hits unterschiedlichster Couleur, wie beispielsweise "Roboter" von Kraftwerk, "Stayin Alive" von den Bee Gees, "Ma Baker" von Boney M, "Life Is Life" von Opus oder gar "My Heart Will Go On" von Celine Dion. Wie bereits die im letzten Jahr erschienene DVD wird die Veröffentlichung erneut über das bandeigene Label Phonotraxx Publishing und im Vertrieb von Soulfood Music erscheinen.
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25 àïð 2012
LORDI Has A New Drummer
 Finnish heavy metal monsters LORDI have recruited a new drummer following the passing of Tonmi "Otus" Lillman in early February. The new member's character's name will not be revealed yet and he will be simply called "the drummer" for now. The mask and the costume are kept to the minimum, but enough to fit him visually into the band for the upcoming shows.
Commented LORDI mainman Mr. Lordi: "We don´t want to introduce a new character yet, because we feel it is still way too close to the time when our drummer Otus passed away. Making any kind of fuss about a new member would simply be too disrespectful. However, we need a drummer in order to play. And since we are LORDI, no one will ever perform in the band as himself, without a character."
He added, "So, the new drummer does have a mask and his costume is more than a t-shirt and jeans, but this is not the outfit of the actual character yet. We could say he is in disguise. The name and the look of the character will be revealed at the same time when the whole band comes out with new costumes and masks. This happens traditionally before a new album comes out."
There are no official photos of the new drummer yet and there will likely be no pictures released before the character is officially introduced.
LORDI's new drummer will make his live debut with the band on May 5 at the Metalitalia.com festival at the Live Music Club of Trezzo Sull'Adda (Milan), Italy.
Members of LORDI always wear masks at interviews and have declared their desire for their personal identities to remain private. Therefore, Lillman's status as a member of LORDI had never been publicly acknowledged until his death in February.
Lillman joined LORDI in October 2010 as the replacement for Kita, who was fired from the band after he "made a decision to pursue his own career publicly as himself [under his real name], without his alter ego Kita." LORDI explained at the time that revealing a member's true identity was "in direct conflict with one of the cornerstones of LORDI's image. Therefore it is not possible for [Kita] to continue as a member of the band anymore."
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25 àïð 2012
Lullaby Renditions Of MÖTLEY CRÜE, WHITESNAKE, POISON, SKID ROW, RATT And More
 With their fourth release, "Hair Metal Goes Lullaby", Jammy Jams elevates lullaby music to a whole new level of awesomeness. Whether you are a child of the '80s or are shopping for a little one born yesterday, these gentle lullabies will captivate and delight. You have to listen to believe that songs originally performed by heavy hitters like MÖTLEY CRÜE or BON JOVI could be transformed into these incredibly peaceful and comforting arrangements. Like a hug from your best pair of spandex pants, Jammy Jams' soothing sounds embrace, providing the reassurance needed for you or your little dream warrior to slip into a cozy slumber.
"Hair Metal Goes Lullaby" track listing:
01. Every Rose Has Its Thorn (originally by POISON)
02. Gypsy Road (originally by CINDERELLA)
03. Home Sweet Home (originally by MÖTLEY CRÜE)
04. I Remember You (originally by SKID ROW)
05. Lay It Down (originally by RATT)
06. Honestly (originally by STRYPER)
07. Livin' On A Prayer (originally by BON JOVI)
08. Dream Warriors (originally by DOKKEN)
09. Jet City Woman (originally by QUEENSRŸCHE)
10. Here I Go Again (originally by WHITESNAKE)
Check out audio samples below. | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
BARONESS: 'Yellow & Green' Artwork, Track Listing Revealed
 BARONESS, the Savannah, Georgia-based quartet whose two prior releases ("Red Album" and "Blue Record") were awarded record of the year honors from both Revolver and Decibel magazines as well as repeatedly placing on year-end best of lists from Pitchfork and Village Voice, return with a new album titled "Yellow & Green" on July 17 via Relapse Records.
"Yellow & Green" reunites BARONESS with "Blue Record" producer John Congleton (EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, ST. VINCENT, XIU XIU) following both the band's busiest period (multiple worldwide tours including stops at Coachella, Bonnaroo and Soundwave) and most luxurious year, having taken nearly all of 2011 off to freely write and demo for the 2CD/LP album.
"Yellow & Green" track listing:
Disc 1:
01. Yellow Theme
02. Take My Bones Away
03. March To The Sea
04. Little Things
05. Twinkler
06. Cocainium
07. Back Where I Belong
08. Sea Lungs
09. Eula
Disc 2:
01. Green Theme
02. Board Up The House
03. Mtns. (The Crown & Anchor)
04. Foolsong
05. Collapse
06. Psalms Alive
07. Stretchmarker
08. The Line Between
09. If I Forget Thee, Lowcountry
The cover artwork can be seen below.
"We had been on tour for eight years, and we decided to take a break from our adventure to dig our heels in at home and write a new record," explains John Baizley, frontman for the band and the artist responsible for BARONESS' now-iconic album art. "We spent the entirety of the past year dedicating ourselves to the new album. Without the break from touring and the time we took to rest and reflect, we would have been entirely unable to write this new record. We have become re-inspired. Now it's time to get back out on the road."
Baizley also recently spoke with Alternative Press regarding the recording of "Yellow & Green".
BARONESS will embark on their first tour dates since 2010 as they join MESHUGGAH for a spring trek across North America, previewing material from "Yellow & Green".
BARONESS is John Baizley (guitars, vocals), Pete Adams (guitar, vocals), Allen Blickle (drums) and Matt Maggioni (bass).
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25 àïð 2012
HARTMANN - Infos zum neuen Album \'Balance\' online!
 AVENUE OF ALLIES freuen sich das Signing der Band HARTMANN und die Veröffentlichung des vierten Studioalbums dieser Formation, "Balance", bekanntgeben zu dürfen. Oliver Hartmann fasste als Frontmann der Heavy Rock Formation AT VANCE Fuß in der internationalen Musikszene. Während seiner erfolgreichen Zeit in der Band nahm er in den späten 90er Jahren vier Alben als deren Leadsänger auf und avancierte zu einem international bekannten und respektierten Sänger. Seither war Olivers kraftvolle Röhre bei Rockopern wie AVANTASIA, AINA und GENIUS, sowie auf Alben von international bekannten Rock Acts wie HAMMERFALL, EDGUY, HELLOWEEN, LUNATICA, RHAPSODY, SOUL SELLER und EMPTY TREMOR zu hören
Nach dem Ausstieg bei AT VANCE konzentrierte er sich auf das Songwriting für seine eigene Band HARTMANN. Frontiers Records nahm die Truppe 2004 unter Vertrag und das erste Album „Out In The Cold“ wurde 2005 veröffentlicht. Das HARTMANN-Debüt stellte für viele die positive Überraschung des Jahres dar, und es wurde von mehreren internationalen Rockmagazinen zum “Album des Monats“ gekürt. Weitere erwähnenswerte Auszeichnungen waren das Prädikat “Debütalbum des Jahres” auf melodicrock.com, „What If I“ als „Song des Jahres” und „Into The light“ als Nr. 2 der “Balladen des Jahres” im Jahres-Poll des gleichen Webzines.
Mit dem zweiten Studioalbum „Home“ (2007) und der Unplugged CD/DVD „Handmade“ (2008) folgten weitere erfolgreiche Veröffentlichungen. 2008 ging Oliver Hartmann als Gitarrist / Sänger mit Tobias Sammet’s AVANTASIA auf Welttour; das international erfolgreiche CD / DVD-Set “The Flying Opera” dokumentiert eindrucksvoll diese Live-Events. Nach Shows in Europa mit HARTMANN als Anheizer für EDGUY im Frühjahr folgte im November 2009 das nächste HARTMANN-Album. Die Songs der treffenderweise “3“ betitelten Scheibe, unter ihnen das atemberaubende Duett “Brothers“ mit EDGUY / AVANTASIA’s Tobias Sammet, knüpften mit ihrem einzigartigen melodischen Rock-Sound nahtlos an die Vorgänger an und waren die Garantie für wiederum beste Kritiken.
Während der letzten beiden Jahre spielte die Band HARTMANN zahlreiche Shows als Support von Bands wie MOTHER’S FINEST, URIAH HEEP und Y&T und im Januar 2012 schloss sich Oliver Hartmann als Gitarrist und Sänger dem Line-up der sehr erfolgreichen ROCK MEETS CLASSIC-Tour an, deren Konzerte die Rockgrößen Ian Gillan/ DEEP PURPLE, Jimi Jamison/ SURVIVOR, Steve Lukather/ TOTO, Chris Thompson/ ex-MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND und Robin Beck präsentierten.
Die Aufnahmen für das neue HARTMANN-Album “Balance” wurden im April 2012 abgeschlossen. Das vierte Studiowerk der Band bietet wieder erstklassig produzierten, modernen melodiösen Rock auf höchstem internationalem Niveau. Die vielfältigen, zum größten Teil aus Oliver’s Feder stammenden Songs, setzen auf hohen Wiedererkennungswert mit eingängigen Melodien und ausdrucksstarken Refrains und decken die komplette Bandbreite des Genres ab. Zu den Highlights gehören der unwiderstehliche Midtempo-Opener “All My Life”, der clever arrangierte Rocker “You Are The One”, das relaxte “Dance On The Wire”, das vielschichtige “Fall From Grace”, sowie die Powerballade “After The Love Is Gone” und der atmosphärische Track “From A Star”. Neben dem bandeigenen Material ist auch eine beeindruckende Coverversion des TEARS FOR FEARS-Klassikers “Shout” zu hören.
“Balance” wurde wieder von Sascha Paeth (Avantasia, Edguy, Epica, Kamelot) in den Wolfsburger Gate Studios gemischt und erscheint am 01. Juni 2012 über das AVENUE OF ALLIES Label.
“Balance” Tracklist :
01. All My Life (3:56)
02. Like A River (4:06)
03. You Are The One (3:53)
04. Fool For You (4:07)
05. After The Love Is Gone (5:27)
06. Save Me (4:59)
07. Fall From Grace (5:09)
08. From A Star (4:54)
09. Dance On The Wire (4:25)
10. Shout (5:35)
11. Time To Face The Truth (3:11)
12. The Best Is Yet To Come (5:04)
Bislang bestätigte Tourdates:
11.05. D-Seidenroth, Eulenspiegel
18.05. D-Wiesbaden, Kranzplatz Open Air
19.05. D-Aschaffenburg, Colossaal (release party)
26.05. CH-Tennwil, Rocknacht Open Air
21.07. D-Bensheim, Fürstenlager (unplugged with "Handmade"-line up)
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25 àïð 2012
FORBIDDEN In Santa Clara: New Video Interview, Concert Footage Available
 Bay Area Backstage conducted an interview with guitarist Craig Locicero and bassist Matt Camacho of San Francisco Bay Area thrashers FORBIDDEN before the band's April 21 concert at The Avalon in Santa Clara, California. The 49-minute clip, which includes performance footage, can be seen below.
FORBIDDEN is currently writing material for the follow-up to 2010's "Omega Wave" for a 2013 release. Locicero recently described the new songs as "smoking-shit-hot-thrash-attack" and added that new drummer Sasha Horn (ex-NOVEMBER'S DOOM, AVA INFERI) "has been a lightning rod for our original energy since he's joined up. The only issue we have is the amount of time we get to spend together with Steve Smyth [guitar] and Sasha both living elsewhere. . . While we get together to practice, we also work on new songs."
"Omega Wave" was released in Europe on October 22, 2010 and in North America on October 26, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD landed at position No. 27 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. | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
KREATOR: Official 'Phantom Antichrist' Lyric Video Released
 The official lyric video for "Phantom Antichrist", the new single from German thrash metal veterans KREATOR, can be seen below. The song was released April 20 on seven-inch colored vinyl and as a digital download via iTunes, Amazon and various other digital music providers. The release also includes the exclusive IRON MAIDEN cover "The Number Of The Beast".
A music video for "Phantom Antichrist" was helmed by Poland's Grupa 13 (BEHEMOTH, ELUVEITIE, SONATA ARCTICA, DECAPITATED) and will make its online debut on May 3.
Commented KREATOR guitarist/vocalist Miland "Mille" Petrozza: "The clips produced by Grupa 13 are groundbreaking visual trips that justify the existence of music videos in this day and age. In support of the lyrical concept of our new album, I could not think of a better creative solution than a collaboration with these great visionaries."
The "Phantom Antichrist" album is due on June 1 in Europe and June 5 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with renowned producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK, DEVIN TOWNSEND, AMON AMARTH).
The cover artwork for the standard edition of "Phantom Antichrist" was created by Wes Benscoter (SLAYER, DIO, BLACK SABBATH) and can be seen below.
The limited edition of "Phantom Antichrist" will be made available as two-disc digipack, including a bonus DVD.
"Phantom Antichrist" formats:
- Jewel case CD *
- 2LP yellow vinyl *
- 2LP bi-colored vinyl (red/black): limited to 500 copies, hand-numbered *+
- 2LP picture vinyl **
- CD/DVD digi limited edition: 2 digipacks in a slipcase. **
- Limited mailorder edition: metallic box including CD/DVD digi limited edition, T-shirt, exclusive CD "Live In Wacken", poster, signing card, limited to 500 copies, hand-numbered **+
* = Featuring artwork by Wes Benscoter (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, SLAYER)
** = Featuring artwork by Jan Meininghaus
+ = only available at www.nuclearblast.de/shop
Commented Petrozza: "Jan Meininghaus, who did this one, is a cover artist from my hometown, Essen, Germany. I really love the artwork he came up with for the limited edition. It's pure mayhem, powerful and dark!"
"Phantom Antichrist" track listing:
CD:
01. Mars Mantra
02. Phantom Antichrist
03. Death To The World
04. From Flood Into Fire
05. Civilisation Collapse
06. United In Hate
07. The Few, The Proud, The Broken
08. Your Heaven In My Hell
09. Victory Will Come
10. Until Our Paths Cross Again
11. Iron Destiny (Japan exclusive)
Limited-edition bonus DVD:
* Conquerers Of The Ice – The Making Of Phanom Antichrist
* Harvesting The Grapes Of Horror
* Live at Wacken Open Air in 2011 and 2008 (mixed by Klaus Scheuermann, edited by Marcel Schleif and Stephan Lier)
Wacken Open Air 2011:
01. Choir Of The Damned
02. Hordes Of Chaos
03. War Curse
04. Coma Of Souls / Endless Pain
05. Pleasure To Kill
06. Destroy What Destroys You
07. Phobia
08. Terrible Certainity / Reconquering The Throne
09. Flag Of Hate / Tormentor
Wacken Open Air 2008:
10. The Patriarch
11. Violent Revolution
12. People Of The Lie
13. Europe After The Pain
A brand new promotional photo of KREATOR can be seen below (photo by Stefan Heilemann of Stuttgart, Germany's Heilemania).
When asked about the musical direction of KREATOR's new material, Petrozza stated in a recent interview, "I think it's OK to say that this will be our most epic album so far. There's some classical, a lot of traditional metal, and, of course, a huge dose of thrash metal influences in the new stuff."
Speaking to Aftonbladet journalist Mattias Kling, Petrozza stated about KREATOR's collaboration with Jens Bogren, "He's really good; I like him. I like the sounds that he gets. And I think the combination — Jens Bogren and KREATOR — it will be pretty heavy."
On the topic of how the new material is different from KREATOR's previous output, Mille said, "It will definitely have all the KREATOR trademarks. The lyrics will talk about nowadays stuff, as usual, so it will be like a photography of the year 2012. Also the lyrics will deal a lot of things that are actually happening at this point in time. It will be like reading a newspaper or something [laughs], with all the stuff happening. And, of course, the music will be typical KREATOR, and we also wanna expand the sound and progress as musicians. I mean, this lineup has been the strongest lineup KREATOR ever had since ten years, and now I think we're ready to come out with an album that blows everyone away."
KREATOR has selected Poland's Grupa 13 (BEHEMOTH, ELUVEITIE, SONATA ARCTICA, DECAPITATED) to helm the video for the title track of their forthcoming album, "Phantom Antichrist".
Commented Petrozza: "The clips produced by Grupa 13 are groundbreaking visual trips that justify the existence of music videos in this day and age. In support of the lyrical concept of our new album, I could not think of a better creative solution than a collaboration with these great visionaries."
KREATOR is:
Miland "Mille" Petrozza – Vocals, Guitrar
Sami Yli-Sirniö - Guitar
Christian "Speesy" Giesler - Bass
Jürgen "Ventor" Reil - Drums
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25 àïð 2012
OBITUARY In Talks With CENTURY MEDIA
 Brazil's Radio Evil conducted an interview with guitarist Trevor Peres and bassist Terry Butler of Florida death metallers OBITUARY when the band played at at Hangar 110 in São Paulo, Brazil on April 14. You can now listen to the 30-minute chat below.
Photos of the concert can be found at RadioEvil.com.br.
When asked about what fans can expect from the next OBITUARY studio album, Trevor said, "It's pure OBITUARY, you know. It's what every fan would expect from us — fast, slow, in between, brutal… [vocalist] John Tardy going [imitating growling sound]."
He added, "We're actually in the middle of writing new stuff now. We've been, actually, writing for probably a year. We've got a bunch of songs. When we get home from this trip [to South America], we're gonna record three songs, and we're probably gonna release a seven-inch [containing] two songs, and then one song is probably gonna be digital release only, through our web site. We're talking to Century Media about possibly doing a deal with them. That's still in the works. Hopefully by the end of the year we'll have the full-length album out."
OBITUARY's current touring lineup includes MONSTROSITY drummer Lee Harrison on second guitar.
Guitarist Ralph Santolla, who joined OBITUARY in 2007 as the replacement for Allen West, has not played any shows with the group since last year.
OBITUARY's next album will be the follow-up to the "Darkest Day" full-length CD, released in 2009 via Candlelight Records.
"Darkest Day" landed at position No. 32 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
Interview:
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25 àïð 2012
ETERNAL LEGACY: 'Seeking No Peace' Digital Single Released
 "Seeking No Peace", the new digital single from Cleveland, Ohio-based metallers ETERNAL LEGACY, has been released via iTunes, Amazon and other major digital retailers. The song is the title track to the band's forthcoming album, which is due out this summer via Auburn Records. The CD was recorded, mixed and mastered at Mercinary Studios in Cleveland and produced by ETERNAL LEGACY vocalist/guitarist Jason Vanek. The cover art was created by Larry Weber. The layout and design was handled by Claudia von Bihl.
"At last, the new ETERNAL LEGACY album is complete," says Vanek. "Here's a culmination of all our past efforts and influences. This track speaks for the whole album. We hope our fans enjoy it as much as we do."
ETERNAL LEGACY has toured Germany twice, including appearances at the Wacken Open Air (2010) and Headbangers Open Air (2007) festivals, and released two previous albums on Auburn — "The Coming Of The Tempest" (2007) and "Lifeless Alive" (2009).
ETERNAL LEGACY is (left to right in photo below):
Jason Vanek - Vocals/Guitar
Shaun Vanek - Guitar
Steve Dukuslow - Drums
Tim Frederick - Bass | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
SOIL: 'Re-LIVE-Ing The Scars' DVD Preview Clip Posted Online
 Chicago heavy rockers SOIL will release their first-ever DVD, entitled "Re-LIVE-Ing The Scars", on May 8 via Bieler Bros. Records. The two-disc set, which was recorded live on October 14, 2011 at Electric Ballroom in London, England, will contain an audio CD version of the same concert. Also included is over one hour of backstage and behind-the-scenes bonus footage and photos.
SOIL's current lineup consists of founding members Ryan McCombs (vocals; ex-DROWNING POOL), Tim King (bass) and Adam Zadel (guitar) alongside former STAIND drummer Jon Wysocki.
"Re-LIVE-Ing The Scars" track listing:
01. Breaking Me Down
02. Need To Feel
03. My Own
04. Redefine
05. Cross My Heart
06. Inside
07. The One
08. Wide Open
09. Black 7
10. Unreal
11. Halo
12. Pride
The "Breaking Me Down" performance clip, taken from the "Re-LIVE-Ing The Scars" DVD, can be seen below.
The 10th-anniversary edition of SOIL's breakthrough album "Scars" — featuring the hits "Halo" and "Unreal" — was made available digitally on October 10 through Sony Music. The release features the rare B-side "Center" and the previously unreleased track "Damaged You" from the "Scars" recording sessions.
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25 àïð 2012
SHADOWS FALL: Another New Song Available For Streaming
 "The Unknown", a brand new song from Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL, can be streamed using the SOundCloud player below (courtesy of MetalSucks). The track comes off the band's new album, "Fire From The Sky", which is scheduled for a May 15 release via Razor & Tie. Recorded at Zing Studios in late 2011, the CD reunites SHADOWS FALL with longtime friend, producer/engineer and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE/TIMES OF GRACE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, ALL THAT REMAINS). The album was mixed by Brian Virtue and features some of the band's most complex and melodic material in years.
Commented SHADOWS FALL vocalist Brian Fair, "'Fire From The Sky' is not a concept album by any means, but a few common themes do link these songs together. These days, the world seems to be spiraling out of control into a frantic state of confusion, corruption and chaos. It's as if we are living under the shadow of an impending apocalypse. The songs on this album were inspired by this chaos and the struggle to find answers in these dark days."
Pre-order bundles are available in five different configurations offering a variety of items including music, t-shirts and limited edition band merch. All pre-order bundles include a poster, and both a physical copy and digital download of "Fire From The Sky". Special bundles offer a selection of different bands t-shirts and a limited edition SHADOWS FALL flag. Pre-order bundles are available for purchase here.
"Fire From The Sky" track listing:
01. The Unknown
02. Divide And Conquer
03. Weight Of The World
04. Nothing Remains
05. Fire From The Sky
06. Save Your Soul
07. Blind Faith
08. Lost Within
09. Walk The Edge
10. The Wasteland
The cover artwork for "Fire From The Sky" was designed by Aaron Marsh of Forefathers and can be seen below.
Commented Marsh: "When presented with the idea, I wanted to deliver an aesthetic that would go beyond the 'typical' or ‘assumed.’ I wanted to embrace a perspective and emotive value that could be carried with the context of the record itself. While I knew this would be challenging and end up stylistic to one degree or another, I still wanted the viewer to get this overwhelming and brooding sense of chaos that could otherwise be imagined when putting themselves in that very scenic situation — supposing this record was the soundtrack to their own apocalyptic movie."
Added SHADOWS FALL singer Brian Fair: "[I] couldn't be happier with how the artwork for 'Fire From The Sky' came out. Thanks to Forefathers for doing such an amazing job!"
"The Unknown" audio stream:
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25 àïð 2012
Late GWAR Guitarist's Solo Project To See Light Of Day In June
 "When Worlds Collide", the full-length album from THE CORY SMOOT EXPERIMENT — the solo project of GWAR guitarist Cory Smoot before his untimely death last fall — will be released on June 5 via Metal Balde Records.
THE CORY SMOOT EXPERIMENT's CD was recorded in 2010 at Cory's Karma Studios, where GWAR, MUNICIPAL WASTE and many others have laid down tracks. The songs were originally meant for a concept album called "Religion Is Fiction". Cory was going to lay down all the tracks and then get some of his favorite singers from the internationally acclaimed Richmond metal scene to do the vocals, including GWAR lead singer Dave Brockie and LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe. Unfortunately, this didn't happen due to scheduling problems, but that didn't mean the end of the project. Cory went ahead and recorded the vocals himself and renamed the project THE CORY SMOOT EXPERIMENT, completing the entire package just before his final tour with GWAR in the fall of 2012.
After his passing, GWAR and Metal Blade set up the Smoot Family Fund to help provide for Cory's family. All proceeds from this album will be donated to this fund.
Metal Blade Records Chairman and CEO Brian Slagel commented on the album's release: "Metal Blade Records is donating all the proceeds of the Cory Smoot solo album to the Smoot family. Please help us by getting the CD and enjoying the immense talent he was."
Dave Brockie, a.k.a. Oderus Urungus, lead singer of GWAR, shared his memories of Cory: "Cory Smoot is one of the great unsung heroes of metal. His musical abilities transformed GWAR from a splatter-thrash phenomena into a top metal act. And though he may have left us way too early, he left us a lifetime of music to listen to. He tore it up like few others, and will always be remembered as the true Flattus Maximus. We really loved the man, and there is not a day that goes by or a GWAR show that is played where he is not sorely missed"
"When Worlds Collide" track listing:
01. The Blood Red
02. Fortunate Son
03. Religion is Fiction
04. Rebirth
05. Brainfade
06. Mandatory Purgatory
07. Countdown to Oblivion
08. The Gauntlet
09. When Worlds Collide
10. Mutilation
11. Hollow Tree
12. Sloth Loves Chunk
Smoot died from a coronary artery thrombosis brought about by his pre-existing coronary artery disease
Cory, who had played the character of Flattus Maximus for over ten years, was discovered dead on the band's tour bus on November 3, 2011. He was 34 years old.
Smoot joined GWAR in 2002 and first appeared on the band's 2004 album "War Party". He was the fifth guitarist to play the character of Flattus Maximus, known by his red face, white dreadlocks, dinosaur-head shoulder pads and reptile feet.
Born August 25, 1977, Smoot previously played in metal bands MISGUIDED and LOCUS FACTOR and continued to play with MENSREA, in addition to establishing his own solo project, THE CORY SMOOT EXPERIMENT. | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
HELLTRAIN To Release 'Death Is Coming' In May
 Swedish "punk ass rot 'n' roll" band HELLTRAIN will release its new album, "Death Is Coming", digitally on May 15 through iTunes, Spotify and other digital music sites. The effort will also be made available as a free download from the band's official web site. Physical albums will be released by TPL Records (Scandinavia) and Metalism Records (Russia, Baltic states). The group syas, "We are looking into options for physical release for the rest of Europe as well. Still, if we have no label for physical albums for Europe at the date, TPL Records will handle mail-orders for it."
HELLTRAIN's new album was finalized at Dug Out Productions with producer Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, BEHEMOTH, IN FLAMES) at the helm.
A promotional clip for "Death Is Coming" featuring the song "The Killer Come" is available below.
Ever since parting ways with Jimmy Franks Recording Company, the record label owned by BLOODHOUND GANG lead singer Jimmy Pop, HELLTRAIN has been working hard on establishing its own indepence. The group has built its own studio and is working with a model where fans can get HELLTRAIN's music for free.
"Death Is Coming" promotional clip:
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25 àïð 2012
BOMBS OF HADES: New Album Artwork, Track Listing Revealed
 Swedish deathcrust ensemble BOMBS OF HADES has completed work on its second full-length album, "The Serpent's Redemption", for a summer release via Pulverised Records. The cover artwork was conceptualized by Polish illustrator Rafal Kruszyk, who had previously worked with such bands as INTERMENT, HOODED MENACE, MACHETAZO and CIANIDE.
"The Serpent's Redemption" track listing:
01. Crawl Away And Bleed Forever
02. Darkness, My Soul
03. Burn
04. The Serpent's Redemption
05. Forgotten In Graves
06. Incubus Descending
07. Skull Collector
08. Scorched Earth
Part 1: Into Chaos
Part 2: The Throne Of Flesh
Part 3: Rapture
Spawned in 2002 as a crustpunk act, BOMBS OF HADES quickly mutated into a gristly old-school Swedish death metal direction, while still retaining a strong d-beat/crust vibe. Fronted by Jonas Stålhammar (GOD MACABRE, UTUMNO) who recently served briefly with legendary Swedish thrashers THE CROWN, the band released its debut album, "Chambers Of Abominations", in 2010 through Blood Harvest Records.
Commented Stålhammar: "BOMBS OF HADES are psyched to have the next album released through Pulverised.
"'A Serpent's Redemption' will satisfy souls starved for some true old-school death metal and will be unleashed before the summer of 2012."
Added Pulverised Records A&R manager Calvin Chiang: "BOMBS OF HADES are one band that have been on our radar for some time now. We finally thought it was time to seize the opportunity to grab them for a brand new record. To further confirm that our gut feeling was correct, our good old friend Ayong (founder of Pulverised Records) coincidentally recommended the band and strongly insisted we get BOMBS OF HADES on our roster by hook or by crook! Expect full-blown death metal abomination!"
BOMBS OF HADES is:
Jonas Stålhammar – Vocals, Guitar
P-O Söderback - Guitar
Magnus Forsberg - Drums
Anders Ekman - Bass
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/bombsofhades. | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
PORCUPINE TREE stops for a while?
 Here’s a brief extract of an interview with Steven Wilson to be aired on Planet Rock Radio on April 6th….. But not 100% confirmed!
“In essence, Porcupine Tree has probably run its course, I believe the band have reached a peak both musically and commercially and with my own change in musical direction, it would seem to me to be the appropriate time to put the band on a hiatus. I’ve enjoyed the extra freedom of being a solo artist and how it allows me to be more diverse than within the context of a band. I’m sure the band will appear again in some form, but not in the foreseeable future, I have a large backlog of musical ideas, I would like to see them come to fruition outside a band context, I trust most Porcupine Tree fans will see the greater picture and look forward to these exciting projects”
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25 àïð 2012
NIGHTWISH Singer Checks In From European Tour
 Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH kicked off the current leg of their European tour on April 10 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
In a new posting on her official blog, NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon writes, "So, time to write some words about how the tour is going after these first shows.
"Well, it has been so great seeing so big audiences everywhere and even if every crowd is different, you all have made us so happy and energized, which is needed when you do so many gigs and travel so much.
"For me, the tour has started good but I got the finger injury and also have had a bad flu that Tuomas [Holopainen, keyboards] had and I got it quite fast after starting this leg. I feel better now, so that's good.
"Being on tour always makes you tired and ill here and there, and for me, as the singer, I of course feel a bit more stressed when I get a bug or get really tired and exhausted. Being on stage for 1 hour 45 minutes singing almost every night is a hard job and if you then have a bad throat or something that affects the voice, it makes it an ever harder job. But when you go out on stage and are feeling ill, just hearing you in the audience scream and sing along makes it much easier so just so you know — keep on screaming and sing — we love it!!
"Tonight it's Frankfurt and not the biggest crowd, like tomorrow in Zurich, but sometimes the smaller crowds actually are louder than the bigger crowds so we'll see tonight.
"Now I'll rest and eat, I always meditate before a show to relax my mind and fill my energy levels. Then I put on my outfit, start doing make-up and 45 minutes before the show I start to warm up the voice. I sing all day to keep it open but the real warm-up happens 45 minutes before. We play at 8:45 p.m. most nights but some nights it's 9 or 9:15 and I like the earlier nights more, 'cause that makes me get more sleep before we need to travel to next place. Tomorrow it's about 5.5-6 hours of drive so a bit early wake-up for me. I am that kinda person that needs at least 8 hours of sleep to sing well and not be all cranky.
"And this week we have our off-day in Milan and that's the off day I've longed for 'cause I'll do some shopping there. Fashion mecca."
NIGHTWISH will embark on a North American headlining tour in September with support from KAMELOT.
For more information, visit EnterTheVault.com.
NIGHTWISH released a limited-edition "Trials Of Imaginaerum" 10-inch picture disc for Record Store Day (April 21). The effort includes four previously unreleased demo recordings with Marco Hietala on lead vocals. It also comes with a download of the previously unreleased track "The Heart Asks Pleasure First", a cover with lyrics from the movie "The Piano".
"Trials Of Imaginaerum" features a picture of "The Crew, The Owl And The Dove" on one side, and the "Imaginaerum" grounds on the other side.
"The Crow, The Owl And The Dove", the second single from NIGHTWISH's latest album, "Imaginaerum", entered the official chart in Finland at position No. 1. The single features the title cut in three versions — radio edit, album version and instrumental — and the previously unreleased song "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" (theme from the movie "The Piano") in two different versions.
NIGHTWISH released a special "tour edition" of "Imaginaerum", on April 13 via Nuclear Blast Records. It is a 2CD+DVD digibook in slipcase.
"Imaginaerum" sold 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 27 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, 2007's "Dark Passion Play", opened with 11,000 units to land at No. 84.
"Imaginaerum" was released in North America on January 10 via Roadrunner Records.
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25 àïð 2012
SLASH: Being At The ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Turned Out To Be A Really Great Experience
 During a press conference in Italy to promote his second solo album, "Apocalyptic Love" (see video below), legendary guitarist Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) was asked what it felt like to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame without singer Axl Rose, who refused to attend the ceremony and be inducted with his former bandmates.
"I specifically don't talk about [Axl]," Slash replied. "But being at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, in and of itself, turned out to be a really great experience. It was a mixed feeling going into… in the months leading up to the induction. It was not necessarily positive, but once I sort of decided, 'OK, I'm gonna go, and Duff [McKagan, former GN'R bassist] decided he was gonna go and Gilby [Clarke, former GN'R guitarist] and Steven [Adler, former GN'R drummer], and all that. Actually being there, being inducted was a really positive and pleasant experience. We recruited Myles Kennedy [of ALTER BRIDGE and Slash's solo band] to sing [at the induction] at the very, very last minute — like the morning of the flight [on our way to Cleveland]. It wasn't my idea this time [to get Myles involved]; it was Duff's idea."
In addition to Axl Rose, who announced earlier in the month that he would not attend and was not accepting his induction, other missing members included original guitarist Izzy Stradlin and longtime keyboardist Dizzy Reed, who still plays in the current version of the band.
For the Rock Hall induction performance, Slash, McKagan and Adler were joined by drummer Matt Sorum and Clarke for three songs — "Mr. Brownstone", "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Paradise City" — from the band's classic 1987 debut, "Appetite For Destruction".
GREEN DAY's Billie Joe Armstrong delivered the induction speech for GN'R, saying, "The first time I saw GUNS N' ROSES on MTV, I thought, 'One of these guys could end up dead or in jail,'" He raved about "Appetite For Destruction", calling it "the best debut album in the history of rock and roll."
The 27th Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will air on HBO Saturday, May 5 at 9:00 p.m. EDT/PDT.
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25 àïð 2012
THE OVERSEER: 'We Search, We Dig' Due In June
 THE OVERSEER, the latest addition to the Solid State Records roster, will release its debut album, "We Search, We Dig", on June 19.
The surging hard rock outfit has been dominating the underground circuit of late with a relentless touring schedule and a rousing catalog of dynamic material that has been turning heads while also setting them apart from their peers. Not content to simply be another voice in a crowded music scene, THE OVERSEER have three goals with their songs: to elevate, to transport the listener to a place that's emotionally honest ... and to stir up one hell of a mess in the moshpit.
All of those elements are on full Technicolor display in "We Search, We Dig". Recorded earlier this year at Atlanta's Glow In The Dark studios, the album is a huge, dynamic debut that calls to mind artists like UNDEROATH, THRICE and CAVE IN though with a clear, distinct voice that never emulates those artists directly. The band's debut single, "Secrets", perfectly encapsulates that approach and is available now on iTunes.
"'We Search, We Dig' is an aggressive rock record that's going to be a refreshing sound to this generation and today's music scene," says bassist Bradley Riggs. "Fans are really going to love the expected heavy aspect of the album... But it's not a 'breakdown' heavy, exactly.The album has a lot of smooth softer rhythms and melodies that really set up big impacting choruses and riffs."
For THE OVERSEER, "We Search, We Dig" is just as much an album of self discovery as it is the work of a band with a clear vision.
"The end of the second track, 'Dredge', has the lyrics 'We search, we dig,'" explains vocalist Anthony Rivera. "That is a theme of the whole record, not just that track in particular — the idea that people are searching for hope, digging for truth and going through trials full of highs and lows. The record reflects on both extremes of the journey through the eyes of the band members."
Proving they've got the work ethic to back up their talent, THE OVERSEER have spent 400 days over the last two years touring as an unsigned band and winning over the fans the good, old-fashioned way: By playing their hearts out and grabbing listeners by the throat with an artful brand of dynamic, hard-hitting rock. It's been a fruitful run for THE OVERSEER — if not always glamorous. "There's really nothing like sleeping in a van in a different Walmart parking lot every night and showering once a week — or less," laughs Riggs. | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
BUCKCHERRY To Release 'Confessions' Album, Short Movie In The Fall
 California rockers BUCKCHERRY have set "Confessions" as the title of their new album, tentatively due in September. "It's gonna be a little bit different [than our previous albums]," BUCKCHERRY singer Josh Todd told Oklahoma's Z94 radio station in a new interview. "It's definitely a heavier, musically, record than we've ever had, and more melodic. It's pretty intense, but everybody's gonna love it — it's quintessential BUCKCHERRY at the end of the day. But we have all those peaks and valleys. That's what we want on all our records — dynamics — and I think people are gonna dig it."
He added, "At the end of the day, we're a rock and roll band, and we know that. And these are the type of records that we wanna listen to, so that's what we wanna create. We don't wanna make it hard for the listener to figure it all out; that's just a drag. I hate it when I get records that I'm just like, 'I don't get it. I don't understand what they're doing here.' We don't want that. We want it to be really easy to remember, but have substance and all of that, and it's tricky. That art of doing that is you have to write a lot of songs."
In addition to writing and recording the new album, BUCKCHERRY is also planning to shoot a short movie to go along with the new CD release. "[It's] really cool [and] that's something we're really looking forward to," Todd said. "We're still working on all the details of that, but the plan is, hopefully, to release it at small film festivals and do shows around those film festivals as well, and perform the record in its entirety. Because the record is really the soundtrack to the movie. I wrote the screenplay to the movie, and it's based around the seven sins and true events that happened in my life as well, when I was younger. So I think it's gonna be a real treat for people who love this band and people who are just discovering BUCKCHERRY for the first time."
He added, "You've gotta think outside of the box in this rapidly changing business that we're in — the music business — so we thought that this would be a really cool way to go for this record, because it's something that we'd never done and it was challenging. And because of it, I think we made the best record we've ever done together as a band, so we're excited."
When asked if he wrote the album and the screenplay for the "Confessions" movie at the same time, Todd said, "I kind of did it all together. I was writing the screenplay when we were writing songs. We always had the idea of incorporating the seven sins into the record, so that was a lot of fun for me as a lyricist and a writer, because I'm always good when I have a subject."
On the topic of whether he will also be starring in the "Confessions" film, Josh said, "We have a great lead character; I'm not gonna give it away. He's an unknown anyway, so nobody knows him. But he's gonna be great in this film. I'm gonna be in the film, but I won't be playing myself. All the members of BUCKCHERRY will be in the film somewhere."
He added, "We haven't actually shot the film. We're gonna shoot it in June. But we have a director. His name is Billy Jayne. He actually did a viral video with Shaquille O'Neal and Betty White that we did for Childhelp.org. That went really well and we just hit it off and I knew he was the right guy for this project. We started banging the script into shape. He's already got all the locations. Now we've just gotta shoot it."
A new BUCKCHERRY song, "Wherever I Go", can be streamed using the ReverbNation player below. The track will appear on the upcoming soundtrack to this year's highly anticipated movie, "Marvel's The Avengers". "Wherever I Go" is included on "Avengers Assemble", a 14-track compilation of music from and inspired by the film. "Avengers Assemble" will be released on May 1.
Commented Todd: "We're gonna be [playing] 'Wherever I Go' on this next run [of shows], so that will be cool for everybody; we'll at least get to play one new song because we can't play the record material yet until it gets closer [to the release date]."
When asked how BUCKCHERRY's involvement with the "Marvel's The Avengers" film came about, Todd said, "They talked to us about doing a song, and we were super-excited because we are fans. I think [the movie] is gonna be a big hit. And then I just put myself in the third person. When I sat down and I had the music [to write the lyrics to], I was like, 'OK, if I had super powers, what would life be like?' It would be kind of hard coping in society knowing that you had all these powers that you could use at any point in time that you kind of blend in. So that's what the song is about. It's pretty cool. And we were just happy that when we turned the song in, they really liked it, and we knew that we accomplished our goal." | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
THE AMENTA To Release 'Chokehold' Digital EP
 Australian extreme noise metal collective THE AMENTA will release its latest digital offering, "Chokehold", mid-May through France's Listenable Records. The effort features two brand new songs from the band, the title track "Chokehold" and a cover of the GODFLESH track "Christbait Rising". Both songs were recorded and produced with a modern take on GODFLESH's influential "Streetcleaner" album's sound and aesthetic. The EP also features two live tracks taken from the bands 2011 "V01D" Australian tour as well as a remix of the track "V01D".
In other news, THE AMENTA has released an official video clip for the track "V01D", consisting of footage taken from the band's 2011 Australian tour in support of the online release of the same name. "V01D" was filmed and edited by Shane "Swanee" Thomson. Check it out below.
THE AMENTA is working on material for its third album for a late 2012 release. Tentatively titled "Flesh Is Heir", the follow-up to 2008's "n0n" is a crystallization of THE AMENTA's methods. Featuring the expansive, aggressive riffing of the "Occasus" album and the ambient electronic destruction of "n0n", "Flesh Is Heir" also introduces a new eeriness courtesy of Cressall and the unique musical and visual element he brings to the band. Lyrically, "Flesh Is Heir" deals with the two warring sides of the human psyche: The Obliterate (the part of the human thats seeks to escape wordly woes by destroying the concept of self) and the Realist (the part that embraces pain, seeing it as a challenge, the meeting of which creates a better human).
"n0n" received a U.S. release on February 10, 2009 via Listenable Records. The CD, which came out in Europe in October 2008, was mixed at The Vault Studios in Sydney, Australia with longtime engineer Lachlan Mitchell (NAZXUL). Mastering for the album took place at Studios 301 with Steve Smart. | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
STEEL PANTHER's Guide To Groupies (Video)
 Vocalist Michael Starr and bassist Lexxi Foxx of Los Angeles glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER recently shared with Fuse TV their wisdom and experiences about the various types of rock and roll groupies. Check out the footage below.
STEEL PANTHER's sophomore album, "Balls Out", sold nearly 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on November 1 via Universal Republic Records, the follow-up to 2009's "Feel The Steel" contains 14 soon-to-be classics such as "Just Like Tiger Woods", "Gold Digging Whore" and "Weenie Ride". The album also features cameos by Dane Cook on the album opener "In The Future" and NICKELBACK frontman Chad Kroeger and EXTREME axeman Nuno Bettencourt show up on an instant classic "It Won't Suck Itself". "Balls Out" was produced by Grammy-nominated producer/mixer Jay Ruston who produced the band's "Feel The Steel" debut and is known for his work with ANTHRAX, MEAT LOAF, THE DONNAS and MORRISSEY, to name a few.
When asked what lessons STEEL PANTHER learned from its 2009 debut, "Feel The Steel", that he and his bandmates applied to this new album, guitarist Satchel told Guitar International, "It's funny because we haven't learned any lessons from our first record. We don't even think of it as our sophomore album, we think of it as our second debut release. Many bands will try to make a different-sounding record for their second release, but we couldn't really get any better than our first record. Our first record was awesome, so we decided to go in and make the same record for our second album, just better. We didn't really grow as writers. We didn't grow as musicians. In fact, I think I got a little bit worse . . . But because of that it's much better. It's kind of like a fine wine. If you let it sit there and let it get moldy, that's what they do with wine, right? Then you let the mold fester in the bottom of the bottle, that's what our music is like on this record. We're like a moldy cheese that's been left out in the sun all summer. You wouldn't think that it would taste good at the end of the summer, but surprisingly, it does. That's us in a nutshell."
STEEL PANTHER is Michael Starr (vocals), Satchel (guitar), Lexxi Foxx (bass) and Stix Zadinia (drums).
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25 àïð 2012
JULIUS SEIZURE
 New Jersey metal band Julius Seizure has released a new music video for the song “OxyGen(eration),” which will appear on the band’s debut EP “Beware the Ides of March.” Directed and edited by Anthony Smeragliuolo, “Beware the Ides of March” will be available on May 15th, 2012. | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
LACUNA COIL Singer: 'We've Never Really Changed — An Evolution Isn't A Change'
 Ruben Mosqueda of Oregon Music News recently conducted an interview with singer Cristina Scabbia of Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Oregon Music News: Your third album, "Comalies", was a breakthrough album for you in North America and brought you continued success around the world. Did you know that the album was going to be huge for you?
Cristina: No, it just happened. If you recall that by the time we did Ozzfest in 2004, "Comalies" had already been out for about two years. We had already established a following in Europe and we had done various tours with bands like OPETH. After Ozzfest, the song "Heaven's a Lie" took off and radio picked the song up; that helped a lot of people to become familiar with LACUNA COIL.
Oregon Music News: In the years since older fans feel that they've been alienated as a result of the LACUNA COIL's continued "growth" with albums like "Comalies", "Karmacode", "Shallow Life" and now with "Dark Adrenaline". What do you make of such a statement?
Cristina: People's perception is like this. They were there from the beginning so they are connected to that period of LACUNA COIL. I can't think of many bands with a long career that are currently appreciated for their last album. To be honest with you, we've never really changed — an evolution isn't a change. We never stopped using heavy guitars, we never stopped playing heavier songs, I think we might write "heavier" music now than we did in the past. I think for some reason people think that our early albums are "more metal," but if I think about a song like "No Need To Explain" — which we'll be playing tonight — that was not a heavy song. If you take a close listen you could say it was almost a pop song. I think people's perception regarding our change has something to do with our look. If you look at "Shallow Life", people didn't understand the way we were dressed — they were costumes. They were meant to make fun of the "shallow life." I was dressed up like a "pop princess" and Andrea [Ferro] was dressed up like a "hip-hop pimp." People would come up to us and say, "You guys changed your look?!" I said, "What the fuck?! You think we're really going to be dressed up like that?! Didn't you see that we even enhanced my boobs on the photos just to make fun of this fake world?!" I bet you if we would have gone with the typical black look people wouldn't have said a thing. That's frustrating because you have to go with the most obvious choice, the more bland choice, so people will get it.
Oregon Music News: "Dark Adrenaline" was pushed back on a couple of occasions. Did you go back and re-cut or record more material?
Cristina: No, what happened was that the IN FLAMES record was doing very well, I think it was number one on the German charts and that affected everybody. The label wanted to put a lot of time on promoting our new album, but they had a chance to promote a band who was currently selling very well. During all of this we took the opportunity to remix "Dark Adrenaline" so the final product was released the way that we really wanted. I think it worked out very well, we postponed it for a little bit but we ended up with the album that we really wanted.
Read the entire interview from Oregon Music News.
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25 àïð 2012
RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER To Release 'Ghostmaker' In June
 Candlelight Records has set a June 19 North American release date for "Ghostmaker", the third album from the Philadelphia quartet RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER. Produced by the band, the CD reunites the band with noted gore artist Mike Hrubovcak (SINISTER, HATE ETERNAL, CATTLE DECAPITATION).
Commented RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER vocalist/bassist Shawn Riley: "'Ghostmaker' represents everything we have worked towards for the past several years. When the album drops, it will be obvious that this is something created by four dudes thirsty for blood, eager to silence all the critics, and to crush all the lames." Guitarist Ryan Moll notes, "This album is our fastest, darkest, and most relentless album yet. It will contain some of the most bone-crushing, graveyard stomping, Frankenstein/Dracula/Wolfman hate-fuck riffage written thus far." Guitarist Matt Moore adds, "Each song has its own distinct and strange aura of speed, darkness, brute strength, violence, cunning, and power. We have raised the bar and taken on musical and lyrical concepts that would drive commoners insane."
Since completing recording, RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER has been performing regionally, most recently at Philadelphia venue Johnny Brenda's.
Formed in 2002, RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER had several underground releases, including a split seven-inch single and a live album, before signing with Relapse. Their studio debut, "Buried In the Front Yard", came out in October 2005.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER kept busy with additional split recordings, "Speed N Spikes Vol. II" (2008) and "Urine Trouble / Nothing Defeats the Skull" (2008) before getting back in to the studio for their second full-length, "Living For Death; Destroying The Rest" also released by Relapse in January 2009. The band supported ABSU for a 22-date U.S./Canadian tour April 2009, took part in a tour with DECEASED in 2010, and has been performing regionally since.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER currently features bassist/vocalist Shawn Riley, guitarist Matt Moore, guitarist Ryan Moll, and drummer Patrick Battaglia.
"Ghostmaker" track listing:
01. Those Who Are Unseen
02. Ghostmaker
03. Nightworms
04. Fucking Wild
05. Dripping With Venom
06. Cold Haunting Death
07. A Lurking Thief
08. You’ve Been Had
09. Iron Jaw
10. Get Out Of My Grave/Gigantic Graveyard
11. Run Through The Bastards
12. Desert Goblins
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25 àïð 2012
KAMELOT Taps AMARANTHE Singer For North American Tour
 Swedish vocalist Elize Ryd of AMARANTHE has once again been selected to fill the female singer spot on KAMELOT's upcoming North American tour with NIGHTWISH in September/October.
Commented KAMELOT: "Elize has been touring with KAMELOT since 2010 and will once again join the band for a very special tour throughout North America."
AMARANTHE's self-titled debut album was released in Europe in April 2011 via Spinefarm Records.
KAMELOT's recently completed North American, South American and European tours featured guest singer Fabio Lione of RHAPSODY OF FIRE following the departure of KAMELOT's longtime frontman, Roy Khan. A permanent replacement for Khan has not yet been announced.
KAMELOT returned to Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany in January with Sascha Paeth producing, to begin recording its new album. The production is expected to be several months long and will include special guests, orchestra arrangements and much more.
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25 àïð 2012
RAGE MY BITCH - Red-Dead-Lovesong
 Finnish metal band Rage My Bitch has posted a new music video online for the song “Red-Dead-Lovesong,” which was directed by Jussi Haka. “Red-Dead-Lovesong” is from the album “Fell on Black Season,” released through Inverse Records in 2011. | 0 | |
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25 àïð 2012
PATHFINDER - neuer Song \'The Day When I Turn Back Time\' im Stream!
 PATHFINDER, die epische Symphonic-Metal-Band aus Polen, meldet sich zurück! Das 2011er Debüt "Beyond The Space, Beyond The Time" hat viele Freunde gewonnen, vor allem im asiatischen Raum. Zwei sehr beliebte You-Tube-Videos und eine loyale Facenook-Community sind der Beweis, dass dieser eigenwillige Dream Metal starke Unterstützung in der internationalen Metal-Szene gefunden hat. Mit dem Albumtitel "Fifth Element" wird das zweite Album der Band am 25.05.2012 europaweit von Sonic Attack Records über Soulfood veröffentlicht und in Asien am 23.05.2012 durch Avalon/Marqueee. Das "fünfte Element" im Albumtitel bezieht sich auf Kreativität als neues zeitloses Element und wesentlichen Bestandteil aller künstlerischen Entdeckungsreisen. PATHFINDER's "fünftes Element" wird durch folgende Kriterien definiert: | 0 | |
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Arch Enemy
