Swedish glam-rock band CRASHDIET will release its third album, "Generation Wild", on April 14 through Gain/Sony Music. The 10-song CD was helmed by RamPac, the production and songwriting team formed by Johan Ramström and Patrik Magnusson, in Gröndal, Sweden and was mixed by Tobias Lindell.
"Generation Wild" track listing:
01. Armageddon
02. So Alive
03. Generation Wild
04. Rebel
05. Save Her
06. Down With The Dust
07. Native Nature
08. Chemical
09. Bound To Fall
10. Beautiful Pain
The album's title track is now available for streaming on CRASHDIET's MySpace page.
Three songs from "Ex Inferi", the forthcoming fifth album from Norwegian black metal veterans SVARTAHRID, are available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. Check out the tracks "March With Us", "Veil Of Lies" and "Scale Of Worth" at this location.
"Ex Inferi" is tentatively due in May via Soulseller Records. According to a press release, the CD sees SVARTAHRID taking "the style Norwegian black metal to sheer perfection. SVARTAHRID possess all the experience and craftsmanship to forge an absolute must-have album."
SVARTAHRID's fourth full-length effort, "Malicious Pride", came out in June 2008 via Soulseller.
Swedish metallers WOLVERINE have entered the studio to begin recording their new album, "Communication Lost". The first video footage from the sessions can be viewed below.
WOLVERINE's last album, "Still", was released in the U.S. in July 2006 via Candlelight Records. The CD was recorded in part at Spacelab studio in Tönisvorst, Germany. The follow-up to 2003's "Cold Light of Monday" was produced by Oliver Philipps, Christian "Moschus" Moos and WOLVERINE and was mixed at the end of August 2005.
Italian symphonic metal masters RHAPSODY OF FIRE will release their new album, "The Frozen Tears Of Angels", on April 30, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was produced by Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli and it was mixed and mastered by Sascha Paeth at the Gate Studio (AVANTASIA, EPICA) in Wolfsburg, Germany. It will be made available as a standard version jewelcase, as "a highsize digipak" with two bonus tracks and as a gatefold double-vinyl.
A track from the album, "Sea Of Fate", is available for free download at this location (free e-mail sign-up required). It can also be streamed using the audio player below.
Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE will release their third album, "Fever" (cover), in the U.S. on April 27 (one day earlier internationally) via Jive/Zomba.
"Fever" pairs BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE with producer Don Gilmore, best known for his work with LINKIN PARK and GOOD CHARLOTTE. "He totally beat me up to get the best songwriting out of me," Tuck told Rock Sound. "We needed someone to take us to another level even though we've had such huge success off our own backs."
The band — guitarist/vocalist Matt Tuck, guitarist Michael Paget, bassist Jason James and drummer Michael Thomas — recorded the CD in studios both in its native Wales and Los Angeles.
"Fever" follows 2008's "Scream Aim Fire", which debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200, a career high for the group, whom Kerrang! named "Best British Band" in both 2008 and 2009. Worldwide "Scream Aim Fire" has sold one million copies and debuted in the Top 5 in Germany, Austria, Australia and No. 1 in Japan and reached gold status in the U.K. and Canada.
DOWN 'N' OUTZ, the new band featuring DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott alongside members of THE QUIREBOYS, is putting the finishing touches on its debut album.
DOWN 'N' OUTZ guitarist Guy Griffin, who also plays for THE QUIREBOYS, tells Sleaze Roxx, "We've [supported] MOTT THE HOOPLE [in London, England in October 2009], doing songs that MOTT THE HOOPLE hadn't done outside of MOTT THE HOOPLE like IAN HUNTER and BRITISH LIONS, that kind of stuff. Amazing songs that never would have been heard in this day and age, unbelievable songs.
"Joe Elliott really made an effort to get all these songs heard and we've pretty much finished an album. I just got one song over from Joe with his vocals on it and it sounds unbelievable.
"We recorded all the songs, we just send them over to Joe in Dublin."
When asked what musical direction DOWN 'N' OUTZ would be taking, Griffin responded, "It's open to whatever we want to do with it, really. It's a fun thing for all of us. Spike [THE QUIREBOYS vocalist] has a part in the whole thing as well. It's a side thing, and why not?
He added, "What we have put on the record sounds amazing. It doesn't sound like THE QUIREBOYS and it doesn't sound like DEF LEPPARD. It's a cross between the two and Joe sounds amazing on it."
DOWN 'N' OUTZ is:
* Joe Elliott: Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Piano
* Paul Guerin: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
* Guy Griffin: Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
* Keith Wier: Keyboards, Backing Vocals
* Phil Martini: Drums, Backing Vocals
* Ronnie Garrity: Bass
Only Ronnie isn't a member of THE QUIREBOYS, although he regularly plays in a band with Cosmo, the original guitarist in the HEAVY METAL KIDS, one of Joe and DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen's favorite bands.
California rockers TESLA are scheduled to release a new live album, appropriately titled "Alive In Europe!", in Europe on April 23 via Frontiers Records.
The track listing for the effort is as follows:
01. Forever More
02. I Wanna Live
03. Modern Day Cowboy
04. Heaven's Trail
05. What A Shame
06. Shine Away
07. Love Song
08. What You Give
09. The Way It Is
10. Breakin' Fee
11. Hang Tough
12. So What!
13. Signs
14. Lil' Suzie
15. Into The Now
INMORIA — the new Swedish project featuring Charles Rytkonen (MORGANA LEFAY) on vocals, Christer Andersson (TAD MOROSE) on guitar, Danne Eriksson (ex-TAD MOROSE) on keyboards, Henke Westin (BLAZING SKIES) on bass, and Peter Moren (TAD MOROSE, STEEL ATTACK) on drums — has parted ways with Germany's Massacre Records and is seeking a new label home. Interested parties can contact the group at contact@inmoria.com.
INMORIA will enter Studio Soundcreation in Bollnäs, Sweden in the middle of March to start recording its sophomore album. The follow-up to last year's "Invisible Wounds" will contain 12 tracks.
"Invisible Wounds" was released in June 2009 via Massacre.
Danne formed INMORIA in April 2008 and recruited each member of the band as he knew his hopes and ideas would be better realized with a full lineup and would be "recorded in their greatest potential," according to a press release.
INMORIA's sound is described as "a mix of dark, brooding music and haunting melodies" which "take you on an emotionally charged journey that will wrap its spindly fingers around your mind, subconsciously pulling you in a direction you may not want to go in, yet you cannot turn away from."
INMORIA's latest video, "In My Dreams", can be viewed below.
"Never See The Day", the new video from the Knoxville, Tennessee-based female-fronted metal/hardcore act STRAIGHT LINE STITCH, can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's debut album, "When Skies Wash Ashore", which was released in August 2008 via E1 Music (formerly Koch Records) under the newly created Raging Nation Records imprint. The CD was recorded at Millbrook Sound Studios in Millbrook, New York with producer Rob Caggiano (ANTHRAX, CRADLE OF FILTH, 36 CRAZYFISTS).
"I enjoyed making the video for 'Never See The Day' because it is our first video with an actual storyline," vocalist Alexis Brown told AOL's Noisecreep. "The concept for the song is well-portrayed in the video and is fairly easy for the viewer to follow along. It was really rad to interact with the actors and actually have to act myself. It was truly an awesome experience! The only thing that sucked about making the video was the weather, and that wasn't really so bad. It was just super cold, but we all survived and I think the video turned out great."
JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing recently answered a number of new fan questions via his official web site. A couple of excerpts follow below.
On whether JUDAS PRIEST would ever re-record some of their older classics:
Downing: "Yes, it could be good at some time. I assume you are thinking of mainly the first two records that were with Gull. Anything is possible."
On whether he still keeps in touch with original JUDAS PRIEST singer Al Atkins and why various former PRIEST members left the band over the years:
Downing: "Yes, I do see Al from time to time. As for why people part company, there can be a multitude of reasons but as you say the reasons aren't always that clear.
On whether he agrees that it would be a good idea to perform some of PRIEST's early tracks from the "Rocka Rolla" album:
Downing: I agree it would be cool to do some of those songs again. We all loved the songs but were disappointed with the production also. It actually sounded great until the record was cut."
HATE AMMO — the Umeå, Sweden-based band featuring members of NAGLFAR, ASSAILANT, LIVE ELEPHANT, THOSE WHO BRING THE TORTURE and BONE GNAWER — has inked a deal with the Swedish label Supernova Records, a division of Bonnier Amigo Music Group. The group will release a new single, "Rise Up", "on all digital platforms" on March 15.
HATE AMMO's forthcoming debut album, for which a release date has not yet been announced, will feature the following track listing:
01. Far Beyond Hatred
02. I.U.W.E.
03. Rise Up
04. Narc
05. Seeds
06. Monday Morning
07. Psychotic Episode
08. P.O.V.
09. Destroy, Enemy, Police
10. When The Tide Begins To Rise
HATE AMMO consists of the following musicians:
Peder Sundqvist - Vocals
Ronnie Björnström - Guitar
Henke Mikaelsson - Guitar
Olov Norberg - Bass
Morgan Lie - Drums
DRYLL, the U.K.-based metal band featuring legendary ex-VENOM guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and former VENOM drummer Antony "Antton" Lant (brother of VENOM frontman Conrad "Cronos" Lant), will enter the studio next week to begin recording its as-yet-untitled debut album. The group has been rehearsing and writing material since adding Lant and former DEF-CON-ONE bassist Craig Elliott to its lineup in October.
Commented Mantas: "This has been a long time coming but it has only made the band better and stronger.
"Everyone is heading in the same direction.
"There is so much focus and determination.
"It's great to be working with Antton again and him and Craig have added so much weight and power to the songs.
"Rehearsals have been amazing and I can't wait to see that record button armed and ready... It doesn't know what it's in for... Haha!
"Seriously, though, I am so proud of this band and this material. There is a lot of diversity in the songs but a direction which I personally think is uniquely ours."
Antton added: "In rehearsals the tracks are sounding really heavy.
"It's gonna be a blast getting the stuff down and a challenge I'm looking forward to."
DRYLL is:
Jeff "Mantas" Dunn - Guitar
Andy Metal - Guitar
Scott Michael Cavagan - Vocals
Craig Elliott - Bass
Antton Lant - Drums
Bassist Ole Vistnes of Norwegian metallers TRISTANIA has issued the following update:
"As you maybe know (Twitter, anyone?), we have been busy in the studio, and we are now hours away from being finished with the recording of the new album.
"We started out six weeks ago in Oslo. Me and Anders [Høyvik Hidle, guitar/vocals] then spent three days in a project studio with [producer] Waldemar [Sorychta], just going through all the arrangements, details and putting final touches to the songs. One of the songs was not complete, and together with Waldemar we co-wrote the rest of the song. It's called 'Vulture' and will be one of the heavier tracks on the album! Then, after three days, we moved on to Tanken Studio in Sandvika outside Oslo to record the drums.
"Tanken Studio is run by Fredrik Wallumrød, drummer of norwegian rock act EL CACO. He was engineering the drum recordings, which happened in an awesome huge round room that used to be an actual tank (hence the name...) for color in clothes production. Me, Anders and Tarald [Lie, drums] spent seven great days there. We instantly hit it off with Fredrik, who is an outstanding engineer/producer, but most of all an incredible nice guy!
"After Tarald was done with his recordings, we set the course westward, to Stavanger. There we rented a room in what used to be one of the finest studios around back in the Ninetees. Now there is no commercial studio there, but the room acoustics and sound preparations are the same, and the room sounds amazing for recording. We set up some of our own equipment, and some rented, high-class equipment, and we were set for two weeks of guitar/bass/violin/Østen [Bergøy, clean vocals] recording. This is where Pete Johansen did his work. It was really nice for me to meet him for the first time, and it was really enjoyable to listen to him and Anders reminisce about the old times and share stories and memories of the tours and recordings.
"Many beers, cigarettes and pizza slices, and two weeks later we were bound for Oslo once more. This time for the grand finale. Vocals.
"We did all the vocal recordings in Amadeus Studio in Oslo, with engineer Sigmund Vegge. As an outstanding tech, engineer, musician and friend, he had all the vocals recorded with a smile.
"What now remains is for Waldemar to mix the album. He will do this during March, and we will most likely have a finished TRISTANIA album in our hands by Easter."
Other songtitles set to appear on the new TRISTANIA CD include "Patriot Games", "Year of the Rat", "The Emerald Piper" and "Sirens".
NIGHTWISH manager Ewo Pohjola of King Foo Entertainment Ltd tells Finland's MTV3 that singer Anette Olzon's surprise revelation that she is expecting her second child will not affect the band's plan to begin recording its new studio album this fall. "Anette's pregnancy doesn't alter our plans in any way," Ewo is quoted as saying. "Having a baby is a happy thing after all."
Anette, who has an eight-year-old son, Seth, with her now-ex-husband, isn't the only member of NIGHTWISH who is a parent to a young child. Both drummer Jukka Nevalainen and bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala have had to balance their responsibilities at home with those of touring musicians while performing around the world with the Finland-based symphonic metal act.
"Other members [of NIGHTWISH] have children, too, so this particular situation isn't actually new for us in any way," Ewo said. "Besides, Marco's twin sons were born just when we started [one of our previous tours] so..."
In an interview with the Finnish web site Rytmi.com, Olzon stated about NIGHTWISH's current recording plans, "I do have to go as soon as possible to Finland for rehearsals with the [NIGHTWISH] boys after I have delivered my child and then we'll stay there for a couple of weeks working with the new songs. After that the album will start to be recorded but since we always record all the instruments, orchestra and choirs before I go in and do my vocals, I don't have any big pressure to do anything in the fall. I will, of course, go and visit the recordings when it feels OK to do so, but otherwise my recordings aren't gonna be happening until 2011."
Regarding how she will handle touring with NIGHTWISH while tending to a newborn child at home, Olzon said, "It will work out just fine.
"We have all decided that the last world tour was to intense in the planning and we will take it a bit easier this time. Planning is everything, and I have a great father to my baby who will take care of her/him when the day comes and I also have a nanny who can come with me if that is needed at some points.
"I don't stress over these things 'cause I know everything is gonna be just fine.
"The last tour was so hard and still it worked out with my son being at home."
DAEMON'S GATE, the brand new Germany-based power metal band featuring former and current members of MAJESTY, OBSCURA, EDGE OF THORNS and CIVILIZATION ONE, has finished mixing and mastering its first demo CD with Connie Andreszka (MYSTIC PROPHECY, EVIDENCE ONE). The group is currently working on its debut album for a late 2010 release.
DAEMON'S GATE is:
Dirk "Duke" Schmitt (EDGE OF THORNS) - Vocals
Christian Muenzner (OBSCURA, ex-NECROPHAGIST) - Guitar
Björn Daigger (GLOOMBALL, BÖRN AGAIN, ex-MAJESTY) - Guitar
Thomas Appel (EVOLUTION) - Bass
Holger Rodammer (ex-CIVILIZATION ONE) - Drums
"Eruptions Of Red", the new video from THE ARCANE ORDER — the Danish band featuring vocalist Kasper Thomsen (RAUNCHY) and guitarist Flemming C. Lund (INVOCATOR, ex-AUTUMN LEAVES) — can be viewed below. The group states, "The [clip] was shot by our very good friend Hans Asmussen with next to no budget, but we are really happy with the result and the fact that we finally have something to share with you guys!"
"Eruptions Of Red" comes off THE ARCANE ORDER's sophomore album, "In the Wake of Collisions", which was released in Europe in January 2008 through Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Hansen studio in Ribe, Denmark.
THE ARCANE ORDER lineup:
Kasper Thomsen (RAUNCHY) - Vocals
Flemming C. Lund (INVOCATOR, ex-AUTUMN LEAVES) - Rhythm and Lead Guitar
Boris Tandrup (SUBMISSION, SLUGS, ex-AUTUMN LEAVES) - Bass
Morten Løwe Sørensen (SUBMISSION, SLUGS) - Drums
Kasper Kirkegaard (SUBMISSION) - Rhythm Guitar
Japanese metal veterans LOUDNESS will release a new album, "King Of Pain", in Japan on May 19 via Tokuma Japan Communications. The CD will include a 32-page booklet, a LOUDNESS original pick, and application card (valid only in Japan). More information will be made avaialble soon.
LOUDNESS released a CD+DVD set entitled "Live Loudest At The Budokan '91" on December 23, 2009 via Warner Music Japan. The album was recorded on May 31, 1991 in Tokyo, Japan and features Mike Vescera (OBSESSION, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) on vocals.
LOUDNESS's "Hit The Rails" video can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's latest album, "The Everlasting", which came out on May 27, 2009 via Tokuma Japan Communications.
LOUDNESS drummer Munetaka Higuchi passed away on November 30, 2008 following a seven-month battle with liver cancer. He was 49 years old. Higuchi was also the drummer of the rock band LAZY, going by the nickname of Davy. The group disbanded in 1981 and Higuchi co-founded LOUDNESS the same year. LAZY reunited in 1998. Higuchi was also active as a producer, handling artists such as Mari Hamada.
Seattle progressive rock giants QUEENSRŸCHE have issued the following update:
"Two big new rumors to pass along today. The first is that the band has already begun work on their new album, and get this, it's nearly done being written. No word on a direction, theme or possible release date, but nonetheless, all those details are being worked on as we speak.
"But as we wait for more information on the new album, rumors of a spring/summer tour are starting to heat up. What we can tell you is that due to the success of the two cabaret shows in Seattle, the band has decided to take it on the road. No dates to announce just yet; look for those soon. In the meantime, [this video] might help get y'all excited."
BRUTAL GODZ, the new Germany-based project featuring former/current members of BLIND GUARDIAN, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, REBELLION and METAL CHURCH, is putting the finishing touches on the songwriting process for its upcoming debut album, "Echoes Of The Dead". The band will enter guitar player Uwe Lulis' studio in Frankfurt, Germany in April to begin recording 15 songs for a late 2010 release.
BRUTAL GODZ is:
Ronny Munroe (METAL CHURCH) - Vocals
Uwe Lulis (REBELLION) - Guitar
Alex Holzwarth (RHAPSODY OF FIRE) - Drums
Oliver Holzwarth (BLIND GUARDIAN) - Bass
Regarding Munroe's addition to BRUTAL GODZ, Lulis recently said. "Ronny impressed us with his voice and instantly made us feel like he is the perfect one. We sent him three songs to work on and even in the same night he responded. Within a short timeframe of several hours, Ronny had written lyrics, created and arranged all the vocal lines and then performed his work — something that [none] of us had never experienced before.
"Ronny is absolutely amazing. We can't wait to hit the studio and get the songs nailed down."
Added Munroe: "I am very excited and honored to be playing with such great musicians. The material is brutal and I'm looking forward to a crushing release."
Ronny Munroe sang on the last three METAL CHURCH albums and recently released his first solo record, "The Fire Within", on Rat Pak Records.
Anna Murphy of ELUVEITIE will make a guest appearance on the forthcoming sophomore album from the Finnish progressive metal band STATUS MINOR, entitled "Ouroboros". She will lend her fantastic voice to the LP and play the part of the female character of the "Ouroboros" story. Due in September via Lion Music, the follow-up to 2009's "Dialog" is being recorded at Studio Audio in Jyväskylä, Finland with producer Torsti Spoof.
To allow fans to follow the creative process of recording the album, STATUS MINOR has launched a studio diary at this location and is posting video journals on YouTube.
Following the new album's release, STATUS MINOR will embark on the "Metallia Perkele 2010" European tour.
SMASHING PUMPKINS have unleashed the third free song from the band's upcoming 44-track effort, "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope". The tune, called "A Stitch In Time", is available for download and will appear on the first of 11 limited edition four-song EPs collecting the material from the record, which itself will be issued as a box set once all the songs are completed.
"The song came in during a stream of consciousness moment while sitting backstage at a PUMPKINS concert in those wee, still hours between soundcheck and the show. The lyrics came just as surprisingly fast as the music, and the whole process took about 20 minutes," mainman Billy Corgan said in a question-and-answer session e-mailed to the press. "I recorded it on my phone, and so for a year it was the only document I had of the song. But the song stuck with me and I put it in my back pocket as something worth coming back to later." Corgan calls the track a protest song. "What I am protesting I'm not sure but it has something to do with real inner freedom and the consequence of what it means to be free," he said.
According to RollingStone.com, "A Stitch in Time" will be packaged with "A Song for a Son", "Widow Wake My Mind" and an upcoming track called "Astral Planes" to comprise the first limited-edition EP from the "Teargarden" package. The first EP, "Volume 1/Songs For a Sailor", will be released April 20.
NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon has issued the following update via her official blog:
"I have held a little secret for you all for some time now, but today I feel I want to share it with you all.
"As you all know, I am very private and don't want to share to much about my personal life, but due to some speculations and since I am so happy I have decided to tell my secret:
"Last autumn in the middle of my demo recordings of my solo album, I started to feel very, very tired and also nauseated. I took a pregnancy test and guess if me and my boyfriend [Johan, which some fan sites have speculated is actually bassist Johan Husgafvel of the Swedish metal band PAIN, although Anette has never publicly confirmed this — Ed.] was really surprised to see that I had gotten pregnant. Since I had decided to not have any more children than my son [eight-year-old Seth], it was totally not planned, but after the very first shock, it felt really, really good.
"Now I have almost done half the pregnancy and I am feeling extremely good, but it's due to this I decided to not do the solo this year. I am sure you all can understand this decision better now and I do promise to release the songs at another time."
A short question-and-answer session with Olzon about her pregnancy follows below.
Q: How does it feel to have a baby after so many years from the first one?
Anette: I had decided to not have any more children due to the fact that my last pregnancy was very hard and filled with hospital visits and a hard delivery. I also had big problems getting pregnant the first time, so I really didn't think my body could do it one more time, especially since I am 38 years old. Now when faith stepped in and I am pregnant after so many years (my son is turning 9 when the baby comes) it feels as a good timing. My son is really looking forward and he can be that big brother who can help me a little bit more than if he was 2.
Q: Tell something about the schedule next fall. Are you able to keep any mom vacation or do you have to get to work soon? How is that going to happen, if yes?
Anette: Well, I do have to go as soon as possible to Finland for rehearsals with the [NIGHTWISH] boys after I have delivered my child and then we'll stay there for a couple of weeks working with the new songs. After that the album will start to be recorded but since we always record all the instruments, orchestra and choirs before I go in and do my vocals, I don't have any big pressure to do anything in the fall. I will, of course, go and visit the recordings when it feels OK to do so, but otherwise my recordings aren't gonna be happening until 2011 at first. The solo album I had planned to release this autumn was something I felt couldn't be done due to me having my child, so I will wait with that and do it in the future instead.
Q: Having a baby in you age is different than giving birth when you're on your twenties. What plus sides do you see about having a baby around 40 years?
Anette: I had my son when I was 30 and I am happy I waited that long to be a mum and this time I feel even so much more at ease in the whole process. I am not stressing over the pregnancy like I did the first time. I am enjoying it much more and I am not so obsessed with that my body is changing and growing as I was then. I also feel so blessed to be able to have a child at my age; it gives me a feeling of youth and the thing with turning 40 seems very easy. Being a mum is truly a wonderful thing and now when I am older I enjoy it so much more and of course it's a big change to have a small baby again after the easy years I have had with a son that is able to take care of himself. But at the same time, it feels like I will feel younger much longer now, seeing another child grow up.
Q: How are you going to handle the upcoming NIGHTWISH tour?
Anette: It will work out just fine. We have all decided that the last world tour was to intense in the planning and we will take it a bit easier this time. Planning is everything and I have a great father to my baby who will take care of her/him when the day comes and I also have a nanny who can come with me if that is needed at some points. I don't stress over these things 'cause I know everything is gonna be just fine. The last tour was so hard and still it worked out with my son being at home.
Q: If you want to say something else / courage other performing artists and/or adult women in these questions... whatever comes in mind.
Anette: Having children and having a career can work out really, really well. There should never be anyone telling you that you can't do it, 'cause you can!
Olzon spent time last fall in Stockholm, Sweden creating songs for what was supposed to be her solo CD with Swedish producers Stefan Örn and Johan Glössner. The album was slated to be co-produced by Swedish producer/songwriter Anders Bagge, who has previously worked with MADONNA, CELINE DION, JANET JACKSON and JESSICA SIMPSON, among others. He is also one of judges on the Swedish TV talent competition "Idol" and a producer of the TV series "Made in Sweden".
Olzon and MUSTASCH performed a medley of five songs which were nominated in the "Song Of The Year" category during the January 19 "P3 Guld" (Swedish radio's annual music awards) live awards ceremony broadcast from the Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden. The singer also appeared on August 13, 2009 with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra at a special concert in Stockholm, Sweden as part of the Stockholms Kulturfestival (Stockholm's Culture Festival).
NIGHTWISH played a special homecoming show in September 2009 at the sold-out, 11,000-capacity Hartwall Arena in Helsinki to mark the end of the band's colossal "Dark Passion Play" two-year world tour. Support at the gig came from APOCALYPTICA.
NIGHTWISH is not expected to play any more shows until the release of the band's next studio album in September 2011.
Die finnischen Cello-Metaller von APOCALYPTICA gaben jetzt den Titel ihres kommenden Albums bekannt: „7th Symphony“ wird der Nachfolger von “Worlds Collide” heißen. „7th Symphony“ ist zudem das siebte Studioalbum der Nordlichter, die derzeit noch in den finalen Zügen des Aufnahmeprozesses stecken. Nach Beendigung der Aufnahmen will die Band schnell wieder auf die Live-Bühnen zurückkehren.
BAD RELIGION-Sänger Greg Graffin hat im Gespräch mit Spinner.com bekanntgegeben, dass seine Band demnächst ins Studio gehen wird, um das 15. Album der Karriere aufzunehmen und noch im Herbst veröffentlicht werden soll. Für die Scheibe, die Graffin als "das persönlichste seit [dem 1993er] "Recipe For Hate"" beschreibt, sind bisher 16 Songs geschrieben worden.
Der Radio-Edit des Songs "Dying For An Angel" von EDGUYS Tobias Sammets AVANTASIA gibt es online im Stream. Der Track wartet mit Gastsänger Klaus Meine von den SCORPIONS auf und stammt von dem kommenden Doppelalbum "The Wicked Symphony" / "Angel Of Babylon".
Inspired by the God Of War series, TRIVIUM's new song, "Shattering the Skies Above", appears on the upcoming extended play (EP) soundtrack for the highly anticipated PlayStation3 (PS3) exclusive videogame "God of War III". The EP, titled "God of War: Blood & Metal", was made available on March 2 via Roadrunner as part of the "God of War III Ultimate Edition", and features five exclusive unreleased songs from Roadrunner artists, including KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, DREAM THEATER, OPETH and TAKING DAWN.
"Shattering the Skies Above" features TRIVIUM's signature aggression and intricate guitar work and it marks the recording debut of new drummer Nick Augusto's blistering beats. The song's accompanying music video is now available for viewing below.
"Shattering the Skies Above" lyrics:
Take me into the seas
so I can clean off this disease
death will complete me
It's what I need
Take my evil
To the skies
Take my evil
All light dies
Shattering the skies above
I want to destroy all that you love
Shattering the skies above
I wont rest 'till I am drenched in blood
Take me into the seas
so I can clean off this disease
death will complete me
It's what I need
[Solo]
Take my evil
To the skies
Take my evil
All light dies
Shattering the skies above
I want to destroy all that you love
Shattering the skies above
I wont rest 'till I am drenched in blood
Take my evil
To the skies
Take my evil
All light dies
[Solo]
Shattering the skies above
I want to destroy all you love
(I'm Shattering)
(Shattering the skies above)
Shattering the skies above
I wont rest 'till I am drenched in blood
I'm shattering
Take my evil
To the skies
Take my evil
All light dies
Shattering the skies above
I want to destroy all that you love
Shattering the skies above
I wont rest 'till I am drenched in blood
Shattering the skies above
(Shattering the skies above) [End of Lyrics]
Commented TRIVIUM guitarist/vocalist Matt Heafy: "When we were initially asked to write an original song for the game, we were slightly perplexed since we've never actually written a track for something other than a TRIVIUM record, but we answered the call as we are fans of the game.
"Writing the song was a fun experience. We started piecing riffs together on tour and then we really put time into the song when we got home and had the chance to go into the practice space to work on our ideas as a group.
"This new song captures a certain energy we've been trying to harness on record as well, as it will show all our fans worldwide where TRIVIUM is heading musically in the future."
"['Shattering The Skies Above'] has been in the works for a bit, actually," TRIVIUM bassist Paolo Gregoletto told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine back in December. "The first main riff I came up with on the SLIPKNOT tour we did in the U.S. in February 2009. I was having trouble coming up with anything that followed it well. Once I heard we had the chance to be a part of the game's EP, I really wanted to give this riff a chance to be in the song. We started collaborating on the riffs, structure, and started jamming it at rehearsals."
He continued, "Everyone keeps asking what it sounds like, more like 'Shogun' or 'Ascendancy', and the only way I can really describe it is as being very intense and energetic."
"God of War: Blood & Metal" track listing:
01. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE - "My Obsession"
02. TRIVIUM - "Shattering The Skies Above"
03. DREAM THEATER - "Raw Dog"
04. TAKING DAWN - "This Is Madness"
05. OPETH - "The Throat Of Winter"
06. MUTINY WITHIN - "The End"
Consumers who purchase the "God of War III Ultimate Edition" will receive a voucher code to download the tracks, as well as downloadable music in the form of the "God of War Trilogy" soundtrack. Fans will also receive a special code to download a director's cut of "God of War: Unearthing the Legend", a full-length movie documentary depicting the history of the "God of War" franchise, access to an exclusive "God of War Challenge Arena" environment with up to seven unique challenges, an exclusive Kratos skin, and a limited-edition art book.
The "God of War III Ultimate Edition" will retail for $99.99 (MSRP).
"Farewell, Mona Lisa", the new video from critically acclaimed rockers THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's new album, "Option Paralysis", which will be released on March 23. The opus, recorded in Orange County, California with longtime collaborator/producer Steve Evetts (THE USED, GLASSJAW, EVERY TIME I DIE), will be the debut release for the band's brand new label Party Smasher Inc./Season Of Mist.
MADDER MORTEM, Norway's darling of the avant-garde, is set to unearth a new box of treasures with its new EP, "Where Dream and Day Collide", due out this May on Peaceville Records. The EP contains three brand new songs from the bandmembers' warped imaginations, along with the single and album versions of the title track, taken from the sublime 2009 release, "Eight Ways".
"Where Dream and Day Collide" track listing:
01. Where Dream and Day Collide (single edit version)
02. Jitterheart
03. The Purest Strain
04. Quietude
05. Where Dream and Day Collide (album version)
The artwork was created by Christian Ruud, who, along with Kim Holm and the people at Toxic, are also responsible for the breathtaking visuals on the suitably mysterious "Where Dream and Day Collide" music video, which will be included on the disc and can be seen below.
"Where Dream and Day Collide" is MADDER MORTEM's follow-up to last summer's full-length, "Eight Ways", which Outburn magazine called the band's "fifth and perhaps most impressive outing yet."
German pagan metallers EQUILIBRIUM have announced the addition of vocalist Robse to the group's ranks.
Commented mainman/guitarist René Berthiaume: “We know Robse for quite some time now, so for us it was a just a logical decision having him as the new singer of EQUILIBRIUM.
"The recordings are on and with his stunning voice we got shitloads of new possibilities for the new album up our sleeves! The mood in the band is fantastic and we can't wait to enter the stage with Robse!"
Added Robse: "I am really proud and thankful for being a part of the EQUILIBRIUM family now! Two years ago, René asked me if I wanted to handle the vocals on one of his projects. So the foundation was already there. Now being the singer of his main band is just amazing! The boys and the girl welcomed me so warmly and I am SO looking forward to the things to come!"
CrashdÏet
![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif){kind=small}
