Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH have decided against returning to the U.S./Canada in the spring of 2009 for another tour in support of the "Dark Passion Play" album due to their massive and extensive European touring activities. The band's fall 2008 trek with SONATA ARCTICA will mark NIGHTWISH's final North American tour to promote the "Dark Passion Play" CD. Fans are urged to buy their tickets now as this will be the last chance to see the band in North America for at least two years. Tickets are on sale now at all ticketing outlets, venue box offices and EnterTheVault.com for reduced service charges.
Professionally filmed video footage of NIGHTWISH's July 6, 2008 concert at the Rock Werchter festival in Werchter, Belgium can be viewed below.
NIGHTWISH was recently honored with a platinum award in Germany for sales in excess of 50,000 copies of its "End of an Era" DVD. The disc, which was released in 2006, contains footage of the band's final performance with former singer Tarja Turunen, recorded in October 2005 in Helsinki, Finland.
The award was presented to the band at this year's Rock Am Ring festival, where the band played on the main stage in front of more than 80,000 people.
NIGHTWISH's latest album, "Dark Passion Play", was certified gold in Germany for sales in excess of 100,000 copies within a week of its release in September 2007.
NIGHTWISH recently topped the single chart in Finland with the band's latest release, "The Islander". The song's accompanying video was shot last autumn in Rovaniemi, Finland and was directed by Stobe Harju.
segunda-feira, 21 de julho de 2008
DARKANE: 'Demonic Art' Final Track Listing Revealed
Swedish thrashers DARKANE have issued the following update:
"Finally the mixing of [the new DARKANE album] 'Demonic Art' is completed and the album is being mastered right now. 12 songs ended up on the final version, with about 48 minutes of pure aggressive, brutal, melodic, modern, technical, furious, fast, heavy and insane thrash metal! We are very proud of this album and we know for sure that if you liked what we've done before you won't be disappointed in any way this time either. DARKANE has developed in a way that hopefully will give us new fans as well, not meaning that we've turned softer or more mainstream... just better! ...and more humble.
"This is the final track listing:
01. Variations of an Eye Crush (instrumental)
02. Leaving Existence
03. Demonic Art
04. Absolution
05. Execution 44
06. Impetious Constant Chaos
07. Demigod
08. Soul Survivor
09. The Killing of I
10. Wrong Grave (instrumental)
11. Still in Progress
12. Wrath Connection
"We also have another song for the Japanese edition called 'Reborn In Greed' (as you know by now they always require an extra track).
"This upcoming Friday, we are going to play our dear hometown Helsingborg again together with SOILWORK and other great bands. We are going to play 'Leaving Existence' from the new album for the first time. The show will be held at Gröningen and since it's a part of our town festival there's no entrance fee.
"In other news, DARKANE are very impressed by this guy playing our song 'Secondary Effects' on his own created Guitar Hero: Metal Edition! Check out the video below. This is a custom game for Guitar Hero II on the PS2. He created a full game including 64 songs by metal bands who have never been in Guitar Hero before, new pictures for every menu screen, and even some new characters. To play this game, you must follow the instructions given on the Guitar Hero: Metal Edition website, and then play the burned disk in a modded PS2. If you're into Guitar Hero, and into metal, this game is crammed full of songs you'll love playing. Here's the link."
DARKANE played its first show with new singer Jens Broman (CONSTRUCDEAD, THE DEFACED) in November 2007 at the ProgPower Scandinavia festival in Copenhagen, Denmark. According to Christofer Malmström, "Jens enjoyed every second of the show, and so did the rest of us. Our former vocalist Andreas was in the audience to support us, and he was very postive afterwards... along with the rest of the crowd."
DARKANE's upcoming DVD was shot in May 2006 in the band's hometown of Helsingborg, Sweden.
"Finally the mixing of [the new DARKANE album] 'Demonic Art' is completed and the album is being mastered right now. 12 songs ended up on the final version, with about 48 minutes of pure aggressive, brutal, melodic, modern, technical, furious, fast, heavy and insane thrash metal! We are very proud of this album and we know for sure that if you liked what we've done before you won't be disappointed in any way this time either. DARKANE has developed in a way that hopefully will give us new fans as well, not meaning that we've turned softer or more mainstream... just better! ...and more humble.
"This is the final track listing:
01. Variations of an Eye Crush (instrumental)
02. Leaving Existence
03. Demonic Art
04. Absolution
05. Execution 44
06. Impetious Constant Chaos
07. Demigod
08. Soul Survivor
09. The Killing of I
10. Wrong Grave (instrumental)
11. Still in Progress
12. Wrath Connection
"We also have another song for the Japanese edition called 'Reborn In Greed' (as you know by now they always require an extra track).
"This upcoming Friday, we are going to play our dear hometown Helsingborg again together with SOILWORK and other great bands. We are going to play 'Leaving Existence' from the new album for the first time. The show will be held at Gröningen and since it's a part of our town festival there's no entrance fee.
"In other news, DARKANE are very impressed by this guy playing our song 'Secondary Effects' on his own created Guitar Hero: Metal Edition! Check out the video below. This is a custom game for Guitar Hero II on the PS2. He created a full game including 64 songs by metal bands who have never been in Guitar Hero before, new pictures for every menu screen, and even some new characters. To play this game, you must follow the instructions given on the Guitar Hero: Metal Edition website, and then play the burned disk in a modded PS2. If you're into Guitar Hero, and into metal, this game is crammed full of songs you'll love playing. Here's the link."
DARKANE played its first show with new singer Jens Broman (CONSTRUCDEAD, THE DEFACED) in November 2007 at the ProgPower Scandinavia festival in Copenhagen, Denmark. According to Christofer Malmström, "Jens enjoyed every second of the show, and so did the rest of us. Our former vocalist Andreas was in the audience to support us, and he was very postive afterwards... along with the rest of the crowd."
DARKANE's upcoming DVD was shot in May 2006 in the band's hometown of Helsingborg, Sweden.
WHITECHAPEL: Sayreville Footage Posted Online
Metal Injection has posted video footage of the Knoxville, Tennessee-based death/grind metal band WHITECHAPEL's June 28, 2008 performance at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. Watch the clips below.
WHITECHAPEL's new album, "This Is Exile", was released on July 8 through Metal Blade Records. The CD was tracked by Jonny Fay (ex-guitarist of THE RED CHORD) of Backyard Studios in New Hampshire and was mixed by Zeuss, who has produced ION DISSONANCE, EMMURE, BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED, SHADOWS FALL and HATEBREED, among others. The cover artwork was handled by Colin Marks, who has previously worked with ABORTED, THE END, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and THE RED DEATH). "He [did] a phenomenal job and we are extremely pleased with the outcome of his work," the band previously stated. "He has done a wonderful job of portraying the concept of the record through his artwork."
WHITECHAPEL's debut album, "The Somatic Defilement", was released last year via Candlelight Records USA.
"Intro/Vicer Exciser":
"Eternal Refuge":
WHITECHAPEL's new album, "This Is Exile", was released on July 8 through Metal Blade Records. The CD was tracked by Jonny Fay (ex-guitarist of THE RED CHORD) of Backyard Studios in New Hampshire and was mixed by Zeuss, who has produced ION DISSONANCE, EMMURE, BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED, SHADOWS FALL and HATEBREED, among others. The cover artwork was handled by Colin Marks, who has previously worked with ABORTED, THE END, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and THE RED DEATH). "He [did] a phenomenal job and we are extremely pleased with the outcome of his work," the band previously stated. "He has done a wonderful job of portraying the concept of the record through his artwork."
WHITECHAPEL's debut album, "The Somatic Defilement", was released last year via Candlelight Records USA.
"Intro/Vicer Exciser":
"Eternal Refuge":
DROID Seeking New Bassist
Long Beach, California-based metallers DROID have issued the following update:
"DROID is of now looking for a bass player to be a permanent member of our band, who is willing to commit to our schedule full-time. We are not looking for someone to just be a hired hand or to fill in part-time. There is one major requirement for this position besides being a great bass player: we need you to be able to do heavy back-up vocals and yes that is a must! Please contact us and send us pictures and video of you playing bass to [our MySpace] or email us at droidaudition@yahoo.com. DROID is currently in the studio working on new music for the next record and will also be leaving for tour this July 27 and has other tours coming up before the year is over as well!!! We want to wish Duke [former bassist] the best of luck in his future endeavors."
DROID vocalist James "Buddy" Eason spoke to Ruin magazine last year about the band's debut album on Emotional Syphon Recordings, James "Munky" Shaffer of KORN's new record label.
"I always heard Chino Moreno's scream from '7 Words' in our song 'Vengeance Is Mine'," Eason exclaimed about his band's collaboration with the iconic DEFTONES frontman. "I couldn't believe it when he was there. It was game time, man. Just get in there, wrap the mic chord around your hand and rock this shit together. The second it happened I was like, 'Oh shit, it's happening.' I couldn't even believe it. It was like, 'Wow, I just did a song with Chino.' I love and respect his vocals so much. Dude, even if I didn't know who he was, I knew I wanted that guy to sing with me one time in my life. I pictured it. I would talk shit to him, and he'd talk shit back to me, and the whole song he delivered that scream. The contrast between the both of us is just sick. I love it!"
The Long Beach quintet, rounded out by guitarists Bruce Child and Jamie Teissere, and drummer Nick McWells, blends the syncopated, bludgeoning rhythm and riff assault of LAMB OF GOD with guttural HATEBREED-style screams for a volatile blend of metal. "We're aiming for a groove," Eason explained. "I'm a fan of real shred masters, but also bands with more of a groove like MASTODON. We're trying to fit our own little groove in there and stand out without having to copy everybody else. You don't really have to shred to be metal these days. You can shred with a groove too, and that's what we're going for."
DROID's video for the song "Fueled by Hate" can be viewed below.
"DROID is of now looking for a bass player to be a permanent member of our band, who is willing to commit to our schedule full-time. We are not looking for someone to just be a hired hand or to fill in part-time. There is one major requirement for this position besides being a great bass player: we need you to be able to do heavy back-up vocals and yes that is a must! Please contact us and send us pictures and video of you playing bass to [our MySpace] or email us at droidaudition@yahoo.com. DROID is currently in the studio working on new music for the next record and will also be leaving for tour this July 27 and has other tours coming up before the year is over as well!!! We want to wish Duke [former bassist] the best of luck in his future endeavors."
DROID vocalist James "Buddy" Eason spoke to Ruin magazine last year about the band's debut album on Emotional Syphon Recordings, James "Munky" Shaffer of KORN's new record label.
"I always heard Chino Moreno's scream from '7 Words' in our song 'Vengeance Is Mine'," Eason exclaimed about his band's collaboration with the iconic DEFTONES frontman. "I couldn't believe it when he was there. It was game time, man. Just get in there, wrap the mic chord around your hand and rock this shit together. The second it happened I was like, 'Oh shit, it's happening.' I couldn't even believe it. It was like, 'Wow, I just did a song with Chino.' I love and respect his vocals so much. Dude, even if I didn't know who he was, I knew I wanted that guy to sing with me one time in my life. I pictured it. I would talk shit to him, and he'd talk shit back to me, and the whole song he delivered that scream. The contrast between the both of us is just sick. I love it!"
The Long Beach quintet, rounded out by guitarists Bruce Child and Jamie Teissere, and drummer Nick McWells, blends the syncopated, bludgeoning rhythm and riff assault of LAMB OF GOD with guttural HATEBREED-style screams for a volatile blend of metal. "We're aiming for a groove," Eason explained. "I'm a fan of real shred masters, but also bands with more of a groove like MASTODON. We're trying to fit our own little groove in there and stand out without having to copy everybody else. You don't really have to shred to be metal these days. You can shred with a groove too, and that's what we're going for."
DROID's video for the song "Fueled by Hate" can be viewed below.
MÖTLEY CRÜE Guitarist: 'We Understand Each Other A Lot Better Now Than We Used To'
Nick Snelling of Australia's Beat magazine recently conducted an interview with MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.
On how "Saints Of Los Angeles" stacks up against the band's back catalog:
"Most of it, I really like. There's a couple of songs on there, like every album that we've done, that I call 'fillers'. But for the majority, I think it's a really good direction and step that we've taken."
On the writing and recording process for "Saints Of Los Angeles":
"It was mainly constructed in the studio as a couple of the other guys had prior commitments to do other things, so Nikki [Sixx, bass] and I did a lot of writing, along with James Michael and DJ Ashba (Sixx's partners in the SIXX: A.M. project), using ProTools. It meant that we got to explore a lot of our ideas without any limitations. In the old days, we'd rehearse and then sit down to record it, and if we went 'oh, I wonder what it would sound like if put the chorus where the verse is' then we'd have to re-record it. Nowadays, you can just chop it, move it around, listen and go ‘oh no, that sucks' or ‘yeah, that works', you know? It gave us a lot more freedom.”
On MÖTLEY CRÜE's longevity:
"I think from the very beginning, even back in the early ‘80s when we were really naïve, our goal back was to be like the STONES and stay together. But what we didn't know about was all the rough spots along the way; drugs, alcohol abuse, egotistical stuff….but now, we've all reached a point where all four of us know where home is — and that's MÖTLEY CRÜE. Generally, I think we all share that goal now, and it also okay for us all now to go off and do other things, experiment, have solo projects, but there's always something in our minds saying 'this is our real gig, right here.'"
On the occasional squabbling between bandmembers:
"I think there's nothing wrong with it. Everybody's human, and there are days when we're all being a complete ass, having a bad day or whatever. But we've learnt to cope with that, because we all know each other really well. We still make mistakes, but the bottom line is we understand each other a lot better now than we used to.”
On the fact that he no longer parties as hard these days:
"The other guys have some fun, but Nikki and I have girlfriends that we really love, and although that might sound wimpy, it's just we choose not to. Put it this way, I have things I like to think about more than feeling bad the next day from getting high.”
On whether he has ever considered returning to his roots and making a blues album:
"Absolutely, and I am going to do that. My plans are a little different from what the other guys in the band have done with their solo stuff. Have you heard the albums 'Pet Sounds' by the BEACH BOYS, or THE BEATLES' 'Sergeant Peppers' or 'Electric Ladyland' by JIMI HENDRIX? Those albums have something more to them that just the music, something special that stands out. What I wanna do is record with a lot of my friends who I've met over the years, a bunch of really different talented musicians, to all come in and do something. Different singers, guitar players, bass players from all types of bands — kinda like what HENDRIX did on 'Electric Ladyland' — and then I'm gonna record it at Electric Ladyland studios, and you can only get it on vinyl. I've got it all worked out."
Read the entire interview at www.beat.com.au.
On how "Saints Of Los Angeles" stacks up against the band's back catalog:
"Most of it, I really like. There's a couple of songs on there, like every album that we've done, that I call 'fillers'. But for the majority, I think it's a really good direction and step that we've taken."
On the writing and recording process for "Saints Of Los Angeles":
"It was mainly constructed in the studio as a couple of the other guys had prior commitments to do other things, so Nikki [Sixx, bass] and I did a lot of writing, along with James Michael and DJ Ashba (Sixx's partners in the SIXX: A.M. project), using ProTools. It meant that we got to explore a lot of our ideas without any limitations. In the old days, we'd rehearse and then sit down to record it, and if we went 'oh, I wonder what it would sound like if put the chorus where the verse is' then we'd have to re-record it. Nowadays, you can just chop it, move it around, listen and go ‘oh no, that sucks' or ‘yeah, that works', you know? It gave us a lot more freedom.”
On MÖTLEY CRÜE's longevity:
"I think from the very beginning, even back in the early ‘80s when we were really naïve, our goal back was to be like the STONES and stay together. But what we didn't know about was all the rough spots along the way; drugs, alcohol abuse, egotistical stuff….but now, we've all reached a point where all four of us know where home is — and that's MÖTLEY CRÜE. Generally, I think we all share that goal now, and it also okay for us all now to go off and do other things, experiment, have solo projects, but there's always something in our minds saying 'this is our real gig, right here.'"
On the occasional squabbling between bandmembers:
"I think there's nothing wrong with it. Everybody's human, and there are days when we're all being a complete ass, having a bad day or whatever. But we've learnt to cope with that, because we all know each other really well. We still make mistakes, but the bottom line is we understand each other a lot better now than we used to.”
On the fact that he no longer parties as hard these days:
"The other guys have some fun, but Nikki and I have girlfriends that we really love, and although that might sound wimpy, it's just we choose not to. Put it this way, I have things I like to think about more than feeling bad the next day from getting high.”
On whether he has ever considered returning to his roots and making a blues album:
"Absolutely, and I am going to do that. My plans are a little different from what the other guys in the band have done with their solo stuff. Have you heard the albums 'Pet Sounds' by the BEACH BOYS, or THE BEATLES' 'Sergeant Peppers' or 'Electric Ladyland' by JIMI HENDRIX? Those albums have something more to them that just the music, something special that stands out. What I wanna do is record with a lot of my friends who I've met over the years, a bunch of really different talented musicians, to all come in and do something. Different singers, guitar players, bass players from all types of bands — kinda like what HENDRIX did on 'Electric Ladyland' — and then I'm gonna record it at Electric Ladyland studios, and you can only get it on vinyl. I've got it all worked out."
Read the entire interview at www.beat.com.au.
EPICA: New Dates In Mexico, South America Announced
Dutch symphonic, female-fronted metallers EPICA have scheduled the following dates in Mexico and South America:
Sep. 04 - Cafe Iguana - Monterrey, Mexico
Sep. 05 - Circo Volador - Mexico City, Mexico
Sep. 06 - Skyros Concert & Music Hall - San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Sep. 11 - La Alhambra - Valencia, Venezuela
Sep. 13 - Downtown Majestic - Bogota, Colombia
Sep. 16 - Theatro Novedades - Santiago, Chile
Sep. 18 - El Theatro Flores - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sep. 20 - Espaço Lux - São Paulo, Brazil
Sep. 21 - Vitoria - Ginasio Marista, Brazil
EPICA was originally supposed to tour Mexico and South America this past spring but was forced to cancel the trek after the group's lead singer, Simone Simons, was infected with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), also known as the hospital bacteria.
The band utilized the services of singer-songwriter and vocal coach Amanda Somerville as the stand-in vocalist for the band's North American tour with SYMPHONY X.
EPICA took part in a special concert dubbed "Classical Conspiracy" on June 14 at the Miskolc International Opera Festival in Hungary. The band performed a 45-minute set of metal adaptations of classical songs and movie soundtracks, accompanied by the orchestra and choir as well as symphonic versions of its own songs (including a few orchestral songs from singles and "The Score", which have never been played live before).
The band celebrated the five-year anniversary of the release of its debut album, "The Phantom Agony", by performing the CD in its entirety on May 16 at Tivoli in Utrecht, The Netherlands. After the regular set, EPICA returned for a four-song encore: "Veniality", "Sancta Terra", "Fools of Damnation" and "Consign to Oblivion".
Fan-filmed video footage of EPICA performing the song "Sensorium" on January 11, 2008 at the Patronaat in Haarlem, the Netherlands can be viewed below (courtesy of "letthemetalflow").
Sep. 04 - Cafe Iguana - Monterrey, Mexico
Sep. 05 - Circo Volador - Mexico City, Mexico
Sep. 06 - Skyros Concert & Music Hall - San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Sep. 11 - La Alhambra - Valencia, Venezuela
Sep. 13 - Downtown Majestic - Bogota, Colombia
Sep. 16 - Theatro Novedades - Santiago, Chile
Sep. 18 - El Theatro Flores - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sep. 20 - Espaço Lux - São Paulo, Brazil
Sep. 21 - Vitoria - Ginasio Marista, Brazil
EPICA was originally supposed to tour Mexico and South America this past spring but was forced to cancel the trek after the group's lead singer, Simone Simons, was infected with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), also known as the hospital bacteria.
The band utilized the services of singer-songwriter and vocal coach Amanda Somerville as the stand-in vocalist for the band's North American tour with SYMPHONY X.
EPICA took part in a special concert dubbed "Classical Conspiracy" on June 14 at the Miskolc International Opera Festival in Hungary. The band performed a 45-minute set of metal adaptations of classical songs and movie soundtracks, accompanied by the orchestra and choir as well as symphonic versions of its own songs (including a few orchestral songs from singles and "The Score", which have never been played live before).
The band celebrated the five-year anniversary of the release of its debut album, "The Phantom Agony", by performing the CD in its entirety on May 16 at Tivoli in Utrecht, The Netherlands. After the regular set, EPICA returned for a four-song encore: "Veniality", "Sancta Terra", "Fools of Damnation" and "Consign to Oblivion".
Fan-filmed video footage of EPICA performing the song "Sensorium" on January 11, 2008 at the Patronaat in Haarlem, the Netherlands can be viewed below (courtesy of "letthemetalflow").
Former HAMMERFALL Bassist To Join TARJA TURUNEN's Touring Band?
Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has reportedly asked ex-HAMMERFALL bassist Magnus Rosén to join her touring band for the upcoming fall 2008 trek. It is not presently clear if Rosén will accept the offer.
Rosén is continuing work on his solo album with the Swedish National Symphonic Orchestra (Göteborgs Symfoniker). One of the pieces that drummer Birger Löfman of the long-running Swedish metal band DESTINY plays on is called "Bluesman" and was written by Rosén, arranged for the orchestra by Jan Alm and conducted by David Björkman.
Rosénis scheduled to make a "solo bass" appearance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.
Footage of Magnus Rosén performing with Hvilakvartetten at Konserthuset in Gothenburg, Sweden on October 6, 2006 can be viewed below.
Rosén is continuing work on his solo album with the Swedish National Symphonic Orchestra (Göteborgs Symfoniker). One of the pieces that drummer Birger Löfman of the long-running Swedish metal band DESTINY plays on is called "Bluesman" and was written by Rosén, arranged for the orchestra by Jan Alm and conducted by David Björkman.
Rosénis scheduled to make a "solo bass" appearance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.
Footage of Magnus Rosén performing with Hvilakvartetten at Konserthuset in Gothenburg, Sweden on October 6, 2006 can be viewed below.
AT THE GATES: New Video Interview With TOMAS LINDBERG Available
HardcoreSounds.Net conducted an interview with vocalist Tomas Lindberg of the reactitvated Swedish metallers AT THE GATES at the eleventh annual edition of the Tuska open-air festival, which was held June 27-29 at the Kaisaniemi park in Helsinki, Finland. Watch the six-minute chat below.
Tomas Lindberg and AT THE GATES guitarist Martin Larsson appear on this week's "Bloody Roots" show on Sirius Satellite Radio's Hard Attack channel, discussing their 12-year hiatus, the decision to reunite for a number of summer 2008 shows, the rise of the fabled "Gothenburg" melodic death metal sound, and the upcoming U.S. release of Daniel Ekeroth's "Swedish Death Metal" book.
Highlights from the interview:
* Lindberg on the band's 1996 break-up: "We had a couple years of hard touring, and getting sick of each other on tour. Basically, if we would have been the age we are now, we could have just taken a break and chilled for a while. We were just so immature and totally at our own throats."
* Lindberg on the "Gothenburg sound": "There's a huge difference between AT THE GATES and IN FLAMES, as I hope everybody notices. We have a focus on the brutality. We're not only melody, we're a death metal band. The Gothenburg sound is to me like a non-existent entity. AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, and DARK TRANQUILLITY, it's like three different worlds."
Remaining air times for the interview, which includes music by AT THE GATES as well as Lindberg's DISFEAR and GROTESQUE and Larsson's THIS QUIET EARTH:
Monday, July 21 at 10 p.m. (ET)
Tuesday, July 22 at 5 p.m. (ET)
"Bloody Roots" is a "heavy metal history lesson" airing four times weekly on Sirius Satellite Radio's Hard Attack, hosted by Ian Christe (Bazillion Points Books, Bazillion Points demo blog, author of "Sound Of The Beast").
AT THE GATES summer 2008 reunion lineup:
Adrian Erlandsson - Drums
Martin Larsson - Guitar
Anders Björler - Guitar
Tomas Lindberg - Vocals
Jonas Björler - Bass
Tomas Lindberg and AT THE GATES guitarist Martin Larsson appear on this week's "Bloody Roots" show on Sirius Satellite Radio's Hard Attack channel, discussing their 12-year hiatus, the decision to reunite for a number of summer 2008 shows, the rise of the fabled "Gothenburg" melodic death metal sound, and the upcoming U.S. release of Daniel Ekeroth's "Swedish Death Metal" book.
Highlights from the interview:
* Lindberg on the band's 1996 break-up: "We had a couple years of hard touring, and getting sick of each other on tour. Basically, if we would have been the age we are now, we could have just taken a break and chilled for a while. We were just so immature and totally at our own throats."
* Lindberg on the "Gothenburg sound": "There's a huge difference between AT THE GATES and IN FLAMES, as I hope everybody notices. We have a focus on the brutality. We're not only melody, we're a death metal band. The Gothenburg sound is to me like a non-existent entity. AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, and DARK TRANQUILLITY, it's like three different worlds."
Remaining air times for the interview, which includes music by AT THE GATES as well as Lindberg's DISFEAR and GROTESQUE and Larsson's THIS QUIET EARTH:
Monday, July 21 at 10 p.m. (ET)
Tuesday, July 22 at 5 p.m. (ET)
"Bloody Roots" is a "heavy metal history lesson" airing four times weekly on Sirius Satellite Radio's Hard Attack, hosted by Ian Christe (Bazillion Points Books, Bazillion Points demo blog, author of "Sound Of The Beast").
AT THE GATES summer 2008 reunion lineup:
Adrian Erlandsson - Drums
Martin Larsson - Guitar
Anders Björler - Guitar
Tomas Lindberg - Vocals
Jonas Björler - Bass
DEADLOCK: New Studio Diary Available
German melodic death metal hopefuls DEADLOCK have teamed up with the Sounds2move.de web site to provide the official studio diary for the band's as-yet-untitled new album. The follow-up to 2007's "Wolves" will be released in November by Lifeforce Records.
The English and German versions of the diary can be found at this location.
DEADLOCK recently extended its contract with Lifeforce Records. The label previously said in a statement, "after their successful albums 'Earth.Revolt' (2005), 'Wolves' (2007) and the newest (yet-untitled) release to hit the stores in November 2008, there will be three more albums which will combine the typical DEADLOCK essences, a high standard mixture of extreme technical and melodic metal, the dual vocals by the band's singers Joe and Sabine and a good dose of gothic darkness."
Professionally filmed video footage of DEADLOCK's appearance at last year's Summer Breeze festival, which took place August 16-18, 2007 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany, can be viewed below.
The English and German versions of the diary can be found at this location.
DEADLOCK recently extended its contract with Lifeforce Records. The label previously said in a statement, "after their successful albums 'Earth.Revolt' (2005), 'Wolves' (2007) and the newest (yet-untitled) release to hit the stores in November 2008, there will be three more albums which will combine the typical DEADLOCK essences, a high standard mixture of extreme technical and melodic metal, the dual vocals by the band's singers Joe and Sabine and a good dose of gothic darkness."
Professionally filmed video footage of DEADLOCK's appearance at last year's Summer Breeze festival, which took place August 16-18, 2007 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany, can be viewed below.
ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS Part Ways With Guitarist, Bassist
Santa Cruz, California-based progressive hardcore/death metallers ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS have parted ways with guitarist Derek Yarra and bassist Adam Swan.
Commented guitarist Arthur Alvarez: "Adam and Derek have decided to leave the band on good terms. We love these dudes and it's really hard to see them go. Touring full-time isnt for everyone and we understand that. Everyone else remains in the band still. If you saw us on tour with CARNIFEX, you are asking yourself, 'Who the fuck is that guy on bass?' Steve Dean of MORIA fame has decided to step up and help us out as a filler, but hell we liked him so much we decided to keep him. So everyone give Steve a warm welcome when you see him. As for the guitar spot, [sigh] we finally found someone to fill in for our upcoming Thrash And Burn tour. Thank you to everyone who sent us stuff! Jaeson Bardoni (also ex-MORIA) has decided to jump in and say, 'Fuck it, I will give it a shot.' So that is where everything stands with that."
Arthur continued, "The next order of business, and I know you guys have been waiting for it. We have started writing for our next album. We have roughly four or five songs with guitars and drums. This is the most amazing shit I have ever written and I'm very stoked on what the final product will sound like. We plan on recording in December/January so keep your eye open for new stuff during that time.
"Lastly, I just want to thank everyone for sticking with us through these hard times and I can't wait to see everyone on Thrash And Burn!!!"
Capital Chaos has posted video footage (see below) of ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS performing on June 21, 2008 at The Boardwalk in Orangevale, California. Also appearing on the bill were EMBRACE THE END, CARNIFEX, CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE, CATTLE DECAPITATION and BROADCAST THE NIGHTMARE.
ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS released its debut offering, "Hits From The Bow", on Process Records in 2006. They went on to tour the U.S. and shared the stage with bands such as THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD, THE NUMBER 12 LOOKS LIKE YOU, ED GEIN and HEAVY HEAVY LOW LOW. The group previously described itself as "the derailment of a gay train on its way to straight town."
After signing with Century Media Records, ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS released a new record, "The Game of Life", which was recorded with Zack Ohren of Castle Ultimate (ANIMOSITY, LIGHT THIS CITY).
Commented guitarist Arthur Alvarez: "Adam and Derek have decided to leave the band on good terms. We love these dudes and it's really hard to see them go. Touring full-time isnt for everyone and we understand that. Everyone else remains in the band still. If you saw us on tour with CARNIFEX, you are asking yourself, 'Who the fuck is that guy on bass?' Steve Dean of MORIA fame has decided to step up and help us out as a filler, but hell we liked him so much we decided to keep him. So everyone give Steve a warm welcome when you see him. As for the guitar spot, [sigh] we finally found someone to fill in for our upcoming Thrash And Burn tour. Thank you to everyone who sent us stuff! Jaeson Bardoni (also ex-MORIA) has decided to jump in and say, 'Fuck it, I will give it a shot.' So that is where everything stands with that."
Arthur continued, "The next order of business, and I know you guys have been waiting for it. We have started writing for our next album. We have roughly four or five songs with guitars and drums. This is the most amazing shit I have ever written and I'm very stoked on what the final product will sound like. We plan on recording in December/January so keep your eye open for new stuff during that time.
"Lastly, I just want to thank everyone for sticking with us through these hard times and I can't wait to see everyone on Thrash And Burn!!!"
Capital Chaos has posted video footage (see below) of ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS performing on June 21, 2008 at The Boardwalk in Orangevale, California. Also appearing on the bill were EMBRACE THE END, CARNIFEX, CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE, CATTLE DECAPITATION and BROADCAST THE NIGHTMARE.
ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS released its debut offering, "Hits From The Bow", on Process Records in 2006. They went on to tour the U.S. and shared the stage with bands such as THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD, THE NUMBER 12 LOOKS LIKE YOU, ED GEIN and HEAVY HEAVY LOW LOW. The group previously described itself as "the derailment of a gay train on its way to straight town."
After signing with Century Media Records, ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS released a new record, "The Game of Life", which was recorded with Zack Ohren of Castle Ultimate (ANIMOSITY, LIGHT THIS CITY).
sábado, 19 de julho de 2008
PROTEST THE HERO To Release 'Sequoia Throne Remix' EP
Whitby, Ontario, Canada-based pop math metal upstarts PROTEST THE HERO have set an August 5 release date for a new, three-track EP that will available worldwide exclusively on iTunes. The "Sequoia Throne Remix" EP will include three remixes of the band's current single created by three very different artists.
C0ndu1t, the cerebral industrial band from Canada, created the brutally intense first remix. The winner of a Metal Hammer magazine contest — known only as L-Ion — created the electro-heavy second remix, and the otherworldly atmospherics and textures of the third were created by Devin Townsend, record producer (GWAR, DARKEST HOUR, MISERY SIGNALS) and original member of influential heavy music pioneers STRAPPING YOUNG LAD.
"We were excited to hear what these remixers would do with the track," said singer Rody Walker. "We're not afraid of a little experimentation and now we can say that we have a club anthem!"
"Sequoia Throne Remix" EP track listing:
01. Sequoia Throne – C0ndu1t Chupacabra Remix
02. Sequoia Throne – L-Ion Remix
03. Sequoia Throne – Devin Townsend Remix
PROTEST THE HERO is currently burning up the Ernie Ball stage on this summer's Vans Warped tour in support of its sophomore Vagrant release, "Fortress".
C0ndu1t, the cerebral industrial band from Canada, created the brutally intense first remix. The winner of a Metal Hammer magazine contest — known only as L-Ion — created the electro-heavy second remix, and the otherworldly atmospherics and textures of the third were created by Devin Townsend, record producer (GWAR, DARKEST HOUR, MISERY SIGNALS) and original member of influential heavy music pioneers STRAPPING YOUNG LAD.
"We were excited to hear what these remixers would do with the track," said singer Rody Walker. "We're not afraid of a little experimentation and now we can say that we have a club anthem!"
"Sequoia Throne Remix" EP track listing:
01. Sequoia Throne – C0ndu1t Chupacabra Remix
02. Sequoia Throne – L-Ion Remix
03. Sequoia Throne – Devin Townsend Remix
PROTEST THE HERO is currently burning up the Ernie Ball stage on this summer's Vans Warped tour in support of its sophomore Vagrant release, "Fortress".
IN FLAMES, EVERGREY Members To Guest On AVALANCHE Album
AVALANCHE, the new project featuring Olof Mörck (NIGHTRAGE, DRAGONLAND), Jake E (ex-DREAM EVIL, DREAMLAND), Andy Solveström (WITHIN Y, EVILDOER, CIPHER SYSTEM) and Morten Lowe Sorensen (THE ARCANE ORDER, SUBMISSION), has announced that IN FLAMES bassist Peter Iwers and EVERGREY keyboardist Rickard Zander will make guest appearances on the upcoming AVALANCHE album, tentatively due in early 2009.
Commented singer Jake E: "It's a great honour to have Peter and Rickard, both very talented musicians, featured on our songs."
The first song from AVALANCHE is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.
Commented Mörck: "AVALANCHE has for long been an idea between me and Jake E to break out of the mold of our past projects and create something new and fresh entirely and to give room for ideas not appropriate for the other acts and projects we are part of. The result is an onslaught of soaring melodies, heavy riffing and guttural screams from the netherworld, a result of having three singers in the band; Jake E on clean vocals, cabaret virtuoso Elize on female vocals and Andy on screams. The result is a quite distinct sound, especially combined with the music itself that draws upon influences from a varied spectrum of genres, all to create a thrilling experience for the listener. Another defining feature of AVALANCHE is the idea of a collective — everyone from superstars of the industry to just generally talented people will lend their unique skills to AVALANCHE on the coming album. This, however, won't stop AVALANCHE from being a tour de force in live shows and tours, since the core of this metal machinery is based primarily on the regular members. This project has just taken off, but we're quite excited to show you what we have so far, and a lot more will come in a very near future."
Commented singer Jake E: "It's a great honour to have Peter and Rickard, both very talented musicians, featured on our songs."
The first song from AVALANCHE is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.
Commented Mörck: "AVALANCHE has for long been an idea between me and Jake E to break out of the mold of our past projects and create something new and fresh entirely and to give room for ideas not appropriate for the other acts and projects we are part of. The result is an onslaught of soaring melodies, heavy riffing and guttural screams from the netherworld, a result of having three singers in the band; Jake E on clean vocals, cabaret virtuoso Elize on female vocals and Andy on screams. The result is a quite distinct sound, especially combined with the music itself that draws upon influences from a varied spectrum of genres, all to create a thrilling experience for the listener. Another defining feature of AVALANCHE is the idea of a collective — everyone from superstars of the industry to just generally talented people will lend their unique skills to AVALANCHE on the coming album. This, however, won't stop AVALANCHE from being a tour de force in live shows and tours, since the core of this metal machinery is based primarily on the regular members. This project has just taken off, but we're quite excited to show you what we have so far, and a lot more will come in a very near future."
SLIPKNOT: 'Psychosocial' Video Available
"Psychosocial", the new video from SLIPKNOT, premiered last night (Friday, July 18) on MTV's "F'N MTV" program. Watch the clip below.
In a recent interview with MTV News, SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan stated about the video, "More or less, we have these giant masks that we're wearing, called 'purgatory masks.' They're like giant death masks, and they represent ego. So the video is based on letting things like that go, and getting back to what we more or less do, which is rock out. With me, the idea was based around going to extremes. I wanted to get a phantom camera, which can shoot 1,000 frames per second; it's psychotic. Then I wanted to get a 35 mm hand crank, like it's Vietnam or some sh--. We have both worlds — we have the most extreme on both ends, with nothing in the middle. That's what the video is, and nobody does that. There's an art form behind it. The video's got live performance footage, with serious consideration of location, color and just art, man. It's pretty awesome."
SLIPKNOT's new album, "All Hope Is Gone", will arrive on August 26 via Roadrunner Records. The title track was made available last month, while "Psychosocial" arrived at rock radio on June 30.
SLIPKNOT revealed their new masks on July 1 with an exclusive set of photos at Spinner.com. Described as "creepy" and "intricate," some of the nine band members' masks have changed considerably, while others have been altered only a little.
Frontman Corey Taylor's mask has undergone the most drastic and disturbing change, now looking like it's made of "dried human flesh," as MTV.com put it. Crahan has built lots of leather and zippers into his disguise, calling to mind the "Gimp" from the movie "Pulp Fiction", while drummer Joey Jordison has added a crown of black thorns to his design.
SLIPKNOT reportedly rarely cleans their masks, despite the band's claims that they bleed, sweat and vomit into them during concerts.
In a recent interview with MTV News, SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan stated about the video, "More or less, we have these giant masks that we're wearing, called 'purgatory masks.' They're like giant death masks, and they represent ego. So the video is based on letting things like that go, and getting back to what we more or less do, which is rock out. With me, the idea was based around going to extremes. I wanted to get a phantom camera, which can shoot 1,000 frames per second; it's psychotic. Then I wanted to get a 35 mm hand crank, like it's Vietnam or some sh--. We have both worlds — we have the most extreme on both ends, with nothing in the middle. That's what the video is, and nobody does that. There's an art form behind it. The video's got live performance footage, with serious consideration of location, color and just art, man. It's pretty awesome."
SLIPKNOT's new album, "All Hope Is Gone", will arrive on August 26 via Roadrunner Records. The title track was made available last month, while "Psychosocial" arrived at rock radio on June 30.
SLIPKNOT revealed their new masks on July 1 with an exclusive set of photos at Spinner.com. Described as "creepy" and "intricate," some of the nine band members' masks have changed considerably, while others have been altered only a little.
Frontman Corey Taylor's mask has undergone the most drastic and disturbing change, now looking like it's made of "dried human flesh," as MTV.com put it. Crahan has built lots of leather and zippers into his disguise, calling to mind the "Gimp" from the movie "Pulp Fiction", while drummer Joey Jordison has added a crown of black thorns to his design.
SLIPKNOT reportedly rarely cleans their masks, despite the band's claims that they bleed, sweat and vomit into them during concerts.
MASTER Mainman: 'I Truly Hope That LEMMY And MOTÖRHEAD Will Live Forever'
MASTER mainman Paul Speckmann has posted the following message on the band's MySpace page:
"Lemmy Kilmister, aka God, was and still is my biggest influence from the early days when I began in WARCRY. There is no doubt that punk had a great influence on DEATHSTRIKE and MASTER in the beginning, but after hearing my first MOTÖRHEAD release called 'Ace Of Spades' in 1981, my life was forever changed. I had the pleasure of seeing Lemmy with one of his first lineups featuring Fast Eddie Clark as well as the legendary Philthy Animal Taylor at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago while they were supporting Ozzy on his first solo tour. This was just shortly after the 'No Sleep Til Hammersmith' album was released. It was evident at the time that the Chicago fans were still in the dark about MOTÖRHEAD, as only the first eight rows of fans were on their feet, the rest were sitting and waiting for the Prince Of Darkness. Up until this moment I had always regarded bassists that used a pick as real wimps. Lemmy changed my opinion on that particular evening. Before this, I was trying to emulate the skills of Steve Harris and really concentrated on my chops. After seeing Lemmy take the stage, I realized that image plays an important part of the show. Lemmy just had a strong image and attitude on this particular evening. I laugh at the bands today as the metal scene has been invaded by short-haired wimps. I mean, you look back at the early Seventies when the long-haired freaks like SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE reigned supreme, and you have to wonder what happened to image. Today, a bunch of short-haired sissies reign supreme. Of course, even the punk rockers have always had some sort of image. I remember seeing Wattie Buchan from THE EXPLOITED in Chicago in the early days, with spit trickling down his face and hanging from his mohawk. Wattie had an attitude as well. Today the record companies just support trendy bullshit. It's a bunch of rich kids that don't know the struggles of life and hard work. I went out and bought 'Bomber' and 'Overkill' shortly afterward. I went and saw many MOTÖRHEAD concerts after this first time during the beginnings of my various bands. I would see Lemmy again on tour with MERCYFUL FATE and the opener called EXCITER a few years later, and Mr. Kilmister would take the stage and talk negatively about KING DIAMOND, the makeup, and the Satanic bullshit, as he called it, right on the stage. What I liked about this was that Lemmy wasn't afraid to speak his mind, even right there on the stage. I have always felt that free speech is an important freedom and it should be practiced wherever and whenever necessary. At this time, I agreed with Lemmy, but I went to the after-show party on that very evening and spoke for an hour with the King over a bottle of wine, and years later began to appreciate King Diamond. My attitude has changed over the years regarding many bands. Some music is like a fine wine, and appreciates with age as do people sometimes. I would learn another aspect of professionalism from Lemmy once again. I walked into the Aragon Ballroom just before the recording of 'Another Perfect Day', and I would see this funny-looking red-haired goofball take the stage alongside Philthy and Lemmy. This comedian was dressed in a white jogging outfit and proceeded to fuck up about fifty percent of the set. I would watch Lemmy as he whispered in Brian Robertson's ear at the time when the change came. MOTÖRHEAD played old rock'n'roll songs as it was evident that Brian Robertson didn't know very many MOTÖRHEAD tracks and more than once fucked the ones up that he knew. Lemmy completely played it cool during this fiasco. A true professional was seen on this difficult evening. I have had some similar experiences in the past and learned from Lemmy that it's best to be cool or more mistakes will happen and the nightmare will continue. 'Another Perfect Day' was a killer album for me anyway, but opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. Many of the German critics have said that MASTER are the MOTÖRHEAD of death metal, and I have to smile at this. Could it be the bullets? I think not. I suppose it's the opinion that less is more. What I have always appreciated about Lemmy and MOTÖRHEAD is the ability to write simplistic, aggressive, heavy riffs with cool changes tying them together. In today's world, everyone is trying to be the fastest and most technical. The energy is lost among many of today's heavyweights of the metal genre. It's sort of like a technical ballet and the energy is lost. We live in a crazy chaotic world with problems stemming from idiots that run governments and control our destinies. This is not time for a ballet. True, honest music is what I am all about and MOTÖRHEAD is true honest music for me.
"I used to work at a company in Los Angeles called Load, Lock 'N' Roll, and MOTÖRHEAD stored their gear at the storage part of the moving company. I remember meeting Philthy for the first time. He got on the caretaker Rich Sneider's phone with Lemmy and they were arguing about the original drum cases that Philthy wanted back. Needless too say, Lemmy won the argument. I tried to convince the 35-kilo strung-out drummer to go upstairs with me and jam on Mikkey Dee's drumset, but he would have no part of it. Even the second time when he visited, when I mentioned the name MOTÖRHEAD, he left the building. I would go to see MOTÖRHEAD in Los Angeles the same year and my friend would smoke a joint mixed with tobacco and leave me at the venue. I went backstage with roadie Pap, and Lemmy would tell me that Rich left. Lemmy was totally cool with the situation where many others would have had an attitude about me bugging them backstage. I also met Mikkey Dee at a concert in Chicago once and asked him about his silly stint with DOKKEN as he was pissing in the urinal next too me. He exploded and said that DOKKEN was the best band he'd ever played with, and that he'd learned more from DOKKEN than from KING DIAMOND or MOTÖRHEAD. I left with a smile. I have too say that I have had the pleasure of seeing Lemmy and the boys numerous times in their history and respect is the key word here. I have nothing but the utmost respect for these legends called MOTÖRHEAD.
"I truly hope that Lemmy and MOTÖRHEAD will live forever."
"Lemmy Kilmister, aka God, was and still is my biggest influence from the early days when I began in WARCRY. There is no doubt that punk had a great influence on DEATHSTRIKE and MASTER in the beginning, but after hearing my first MOTÖRHEAD release called 'Ace Of Spades' in 1981, my life was forever changed. I had the pleasure of seeing Lemmy with one of his first lineups featuring Fast Eddie Clark as well as the legendary Philthy Animal Taylor at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago while they were supporting Ozzy on his first solo tour. This was just shortly after the 'No Sleep Til Hammersmith' album was released. It was evident at the time that the Chicago fans were still in the dark about MOTÖRHEAD, as only the first eight rows of fans were on their feet, the rest were sitting and waiting for the Prince Of Darkness. Up until this moment I had always regarded bassists that used a pick as real wimps. Lemmy changed my opinion on that particular evening. Before this, I was trying to emulate the skills of Steve Harris and really concentrated on my chops. After seeing Lemmy take the stage, I realized that image plays an important part of the show. Lemmy just had a strong image and attitude on this particular evening. I laugh at the bands today as the metal scene has been invaded by short-haired wimps. I mean, you look back at the early Seventies when the long-haired freaks like SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE reigned supreme, and you have to wonder what happened to image. Today, a bunch of short-haired sissies reign supreme. Of course, even the punk rockers have always had some sort of image. I remember seeing Wattie Buchan from THE EXPLOITED in Chicago in the early days, with spit trickling down his face and hanging from his mohawk. Wattie had an attitude as well. Today the record companies just support trendy bullshit. It's a bunch of rich kids that don't know the struggles of life and hard work. I went out and bought 'Bomber' and 'Overkill' shortly afterward. I went and saw many MOTÖRHEAD concerts after this first time during the beginnings of my various bands. I would see Lemmy again on tour with MERCYFUL FATE and the opener called EXCITER a few years later, and Mr. Kilmister would take the stage and talk negatively about KING DIAMOND, the makeup, and the Satanic bullshit, as he called it, right on the stage. What I liked about this was that Lemmy wasn't afraid to speak his mind, even right there on the stage. I have always felt that free speech is an important freedom and it should be practiced wherever and whenever necessary. At this time, I agreed with Lemmy, but I went to the after-show party on that very evening and spoke for an hour with the King over a bottle of wine, and years later began to appreciate King Diamond. My attitude has changed over the years regarding many bands. Some music is like a fine wine, and appreciates with age as do people sometimes. I would learn another aspect of professionalism from Lemmy once again. I walked into the Aragon Ballroom just before the recording of 'Another Perfect Day', and I would see this funny-looking red-haired goofball take the stage alongside Philthy and Lemmy. This comedian was dressed in a white jogging outfit and proceeded to fuck up about fifty percent of the set. I would watch Lemmy as he whispered in Brian Robertson's ear at the time when the change came. MOTÖRHEAD played old rock'n'roll songs as it was evident that Brian Robertson didn't know very many MOTÖRHEAD tracks and more than once fucked the ones up that he knew. Lemmy completely played it cool during this fiasco. A true professional was seen on this difficult evening. I have had some similar experiences in the past and learned from Lemmy that it's best to be cool or more mistakes will happen and the nightmare will continue. 'Another Perfect Day' was a killer album for me anyway, but opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. Many of the German critics have said that MASTER are the MOTÖRHEAD of death metal, and I have to smile at this. Could it be the bullets? I think not. I suppose it's the opinion that less is more. What I have always appreciated about Lemmy and MOTÖRHEAD is the ability to write simplistic, aggressive, heavy riffs with cool changes tying them together. In today's world, everyone is trying to be the fastest and most technical. The energy is lost among many of today's heavyweights of the metal genre. It's sort of like a technical ballet and the energy is lost. We live in a crazy chaotic world with problems stemming from idiots that run governments and control our destinies. This is not time for a ballet. True, honest music is what I am all about and MOTÖRHEAD is true honest music for me.
"I used to work at a company in Los Angeles called Load, Lock 'N' Roll, and MOTÖRHEAD stored their gear at the storage part of the moving company. I remember meeting Philthy for the first time. He got on the caretaker Rich Sneider's phone with Lemmy and they were arguing about the original drum cases that Philthy wanted back. Needless too say, Lemmy won the argument. I tried to convince the 35-kilo strung-out drummer to go upstairs with me and jam on Mikkey Dee's drumset, but he would have no part of it. Even the second time when he visited, when I mentioned the name MOTÖRHEAD, he left the building. I would go to see MOTÖRHEAD in Los Angeles the same year and my friend would smoke a joint mixed with tobacco and leave me at the venue. I went backstage with roadie Pap, and Lemmy would tell me that Rich left. Lemmy was totally cool with the situation where many others would have had an attitude about me bugging them backstage. I also met Mikkey Dee at a concert in Chicago once and asked him about his silly stint with DOKKEN as he was pissing in the urinal next too me. He exploded and said that DOKKEN was the best band he'd ever played with, and that he'd learned more from DOKKEN than from KING DIAMOND or MOTÖRHEAD. I left with a smile. I have too say that I have had the pleasure of seeing Lemmy and the boys numerous times in their history and respect is the key word here. I have nothing but the utmost respect for these legends called MOTÖRHEAD.
"I truly hope that Lemmy and MOTÖRHEAD will live forever."
sexta-feira, 18 de julho de 2008
TARJA TURUNEN: Storm Returns To Europe 2008 Tour Dates Announced
The following concert dates for Tarja Turunen's "Storm Returns To Europe" 2008 Tour have been confirmed on the official website:
18.10.2008 - Oktoberhallen - Belgium - Wieze (Metal Female Voices Fest)
21.10.2008 - Hala Folimanka - Czech Republic - Prague
22.10.2008 - Bonver Arena (Hala Tatran) - Czech Republic - Ostrava
24.10.2008 - Incheba Expo Arena - Slovakia - Bratislava
25.10.2008 - Cassosport Hall - Slovakia - Kosice
27.10.2008 SKC - Serbia - Belgrade
VIP tickets information as well as other concert dates will be announced soon.
The following dates are for the "Tormenta en América / Tempestade na America 2008 tour", which will take place in August and September:
14.08.2008 Café Iguana - Monterrey - Mexico
16.08.2008 Circo Volador - Mexico DF - Mexico
17.08.2008 Teatro Estudio Cavaret - Guadalajara - Mexico
20.08.2008 Downtown Majestic - Colombia - Bogota
03.09.2008 Teatro Caupolican -Chile - Santiago De Chile
06.09.2008 Estadio Pepsi Music - Argentina - Buenos Aires
Watch Tarja's performace of "I Walk Alone" in Kuusankoski, Finland 08.12.2008 below:
Source: www.tarjaturunen.com
SHAMRAIN Breaking the Silence
Check out Shamrain - site at MetalHeaven.org.
There's some songs to listen, unavailable at other sites.
We have recently been recording some demos of new songs, but it is still uncertain whether the next release will be an MCD, or a new full lentgh album. We'll keep you informed.
Source: http://www.shamrain.net/
NORTHER finally on the canadian ground
The news was announced on their website.
'Norther is finally braking some new ground, when on September the band will head for a Headlining Canadian Mini-tour! Support act on this journey will be Nefastus Dies. Ofcourse we are more than thrilled for this great opportunity! See gigs section for detailed tour schedule.
Detailed news (incl. a press-release) will pop out later this week.
See you people on the road!!
- Norther duuuudes'
The Canadians are more then thrilled with the mini-tour ! They have been waiting NortheR for a long time!
Source: www.norther.net
POISONBLACK: New Song From 'A Dead Heavy Day' Posted
POISONBLACK, the Finnish band featuring former SENTENCED frontman Ville Laihiala, has posted another new song, "Hatelove", on its MySpace page. The track comes off the group's third album, "A Dead Heavy Day", which is scheduled for release in August. The CD was recorded at Soundmix Studio in POISONBLACK's hometown of Oulu with Kari Vähäkuopus and was mixed by Aksu Hanttu at Grooveland Studio in Lahti.
"A Dead Heavy Day" track listing:
01. Intro
02. Diane
03. Left Behind
04. Bear The Cross
05. A Dead Heavy Day
06. Me Myself And I
07. X
08. Human-Compost
09. The Days Between
10. Hatelove
11. Low Life
12. Only You Can Tear Me Apart
Commented
Ville Laihiala
: "As usual, it took a year of adventures in life and relationships to put my innermost feelings into the shape of songs. Everything is straight from inside of my head. Compositions and lyrics are supposed to support each other as good as possible to express my innermost emotions."
The first single,
"Bear The Cross"
, will be released in Finland on August 13. It will feature two brand-new songs from
"A Dead Heavy Day"
as well as a semi-acoustic live track the band performed on Oulu's
Radio Mega
.
POISONBLACK
drummer
Tarmo Kanerva
previously stated about the new material, "On one hand, there is going to be some really melodic songs, and on the other hand, the heavy stuff is heavier than anything we have ever done before. Still, you won't need to be afraid of dramatic changes. It'll be the typical
POISONBLACK
sound."
POISONBLACK
in 2006 entered the Finnish national album chart with its sophomore CD,
"Lust Stained Despair" , at position No. 2.
Source: Blabbermouth.com
HANOI ROCKS Confirmed For Spain's Azkena Rock Festival
Finnish rock legends HANOI ROCKS are confirmed for this year's Azkena Rock Festival which takes place at Mendizabala, Vitoria Gasteiz, near Bilbao in Spain on September 4th-6th of 2008.
Other confirmed acts include: ORANGE GOBLIN, BLUE CHEER, BLIND MELON, DANKO JONES, THE QUIREBOYS, DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED. For more information please visit the festival website at www.azkenarockfestival.com.
Source: www.bravewords.com
IRON MAIDEN: 'The Trooper', 'Piece Of Mind' Shoes Available
Vans has rolled out a shoe based on the IRON MAIDEN artwork for "The Trooper" from the band's 1983 album "Piece Of Mind". You can charge into battle and live to skate another day in this classic Sk8-Hi, featuring original artwork from the single's cover. Also available as slip-ons.
Vans is a Southern California-based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes and other shoe types catering primarily to the skateboarder/surfer youth market.
Vans is a Southern California-based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes and other shoe types catering primarily to the skateboarder/surfer youth market.
Source: blabbermouth.net
URKRAFT: New Album Samples Available
Danish death metal lords URKRAFT have posted a four-and-a-half-minute medley of songs from their upcoming third album, "A Scornful Death", on their MySpace page. Due later in the year via an as-yet-undetermined label, the CD was produced by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, SICK OF IT ALL, HIMSA, HATESPHERE) at "various locations over the last four months Including our own rehearsal, where most guitar, bass and vocal tracks have been worked with," according to the band. Drums were recorded and produced by Madsen at the studio of Anders Lundemark (KONKHRA) in Copenhagen.
"A Scornful Death" tentative track listing:
01. The Power to Crucify
02. Intermezzo
03. Eternity’s Chamber
04. A Miracle Grotesque
05. The Murderer in All Men
06. Fed To Dogs
07. Ghost 08
08. Shrieking of the Mad
09. The Prophet & The Rose
URKRAFT's last album, "The Inhuman Aberration", was released in May 2006 via Earache Records. The CD was recorded at Antfarm Studios with Tue Madsen.
URKRAFT recording "A Scornful Death":
"A Scornful Death" tentative track listing:
01. The Power to Crucify
02. Intermezzo
03. Eternity’s Chamber
04. A Miracle Grotesque
05. The Murderer in All Men
06. Fed To Dogs
07. Ghost 08
08. Shrieking of the Mad
09. The Prophet & The Rose
URKRAFT's last album, "The Inhuman Aberration", was released in May 2006 via Earache Records. The CD was recorded at Antfarm Studios with Tue Madsen.
URKRAFT recording "A Scornful Death":
KREATOR Confirmed For Holland's HUNTENPOP Festival
Veteran German thrashers KREATOR will headline the "Metal Stage" at the Huntenpop festival, set to take place August 22-23 in Varsselder, Holland. Also scheduled to appear are AGUA DE ANNIQUE, BACKFIRE, FROM FIRST TO LAST and DELAIN, among many others.
KREATOR will enter the Titonus studios in Berlin on July 20 to begin recording the highly anticipated follow-up to its 2005 release "Enemy of God". Helming the as-yet-untitled album is top German producer Moses Schneider.
Commented KREATOR leader Mille Petrozza: "The pre-production in our rehearsal studios went really smooth. Moses' way of working with bands takes place more on an emotional then on a technical level, which means the album will sound very raw and direct. We're trying to capture KREATOR's live energy and will be using nice vintage analog equipment for the recordings this time. Expect a massacre!"
The album, which will be mixed by Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, SLIPKNOT) in London, will be released in January 2009, followed by an extensive world tour.
KREATOR recently issued the "At The Pulse Of Kapitulation - Live In East Berlin 1990" DVD featuring the previously released "Live in East Berlin" and "Hallucinative Comas", both re-edited and previously only available on VHS video cassette.
Source: blabbermouth.net
KREATOR will enter the Titonus studios in Berlin on July 20 to begin recording the highly anticipated follow-up to its 2005 release "Enemy of God". Helming the as-yet-untitled album is top German producer Moses Schneider.
Commented KREATOR leader Mille Petrozza: "The pre-production in our rehearsal studios went really smooth. Moses' way of working with bands takes place more on an emotional then on a technical level, which means the album will sound very raw and direct. We're trying to capture KREATOR's live energy and will be using nice vintage analog equipment for the recordings this time. Expect a massacre!"
The album, which will be mixed by Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, SLIPKNOT) in London, will be released in January 2009, followed by an extensive world tour.
KREATOR recently issued the "At The Pulse Of Kapitulation - Live In East Berlin 1990" DVD featuring the previously released "Live in East Berlin" and "Hallucinative Comas", both re-edited and previously only available on VHS video cassette.
Source: blabbermouth.net
PESSIMIST To Release 'Evolution Unto Evil' In August
The artwork for the new PESSIMIST CD "Evolution Unto Evil" can be viewed below. Art and layout was created by Mike Fortier of Morbid Subculture Productions.
Due in August, "Evolution Unto Evil" will feature 12 rare and previously unreleased tracks, early demos and live studio tracks, including cover versions of songs from POSSESSED, KREATOR, MEGADETH and DEATH. The CD (which clocks in at over 52 minutes in length) will also feature a CD-ROM version with videos, live photos, etc. and is currently being mastered at D.O.W. Studios in Seffner, Florida by Juan "Punchy" Gonzalez (MORBID ANGEL, TERRORIZER, DIABOLIC, UNHOLY GHOST).
According to PESSIMIST founder/guitarist Kelly McLauchlin, "We wanted to put together a release for the fans, a collection of early demos, rare and unreleased songs, and tributes to some of our musical influences, covering the early history of the band… 'Evolution Unto Evil'!"
This will be PESSIMIST's fourth full-length CD, and the band's first release since 2002's "Slaughtering the Faithful", produced by Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL, MORBID ANGEL).
"Evolution Unto Evil" will be co-released on Pathos Productions and Deathgasm Records in the U.S.
"Evolution Unto Evil" track listing:
01. Mensa Rea (With Evil Intent)
02. Day of Wrath
03. The Pestilence (KREATOR cover)
04. 1000 Eyes (DEATH cover)
05. Killing is My Business (MEGADETH cover)
06. Phantasm (POSSESSED cover)
07. Let the Demons Rest
08. Cult of the Initiated
09. Summoned to Suffer
10. Tunnel Rats
11. Dungeonlorde
12. Dirge (Outro)
The original PESSIMIST lineup from the first two CDs, "Cult of the Initiated" and "Blood For the Gods" — featuring founding members, guitarist Kelly McLauchlin (ANGELCORPSE, DIABOLIC, UNHOLY GHOST), vocalist Rob Kline (PSYCHOTOGEN, FLESHTIZED), and drummer Chris Pernia (PSYCHOTOGEN, BEYOND THE SCAR) — reunited earlier this year. Handling bass duties for the group is none other than Kelly Conlon (ex-DEATH, MONSTROSITY). Plans are underway to begin writing new music for release in 2009.
The band's first show together with the reunited lineup will also be the official CD-release party for "Evolution Unto Evil", on August 9 at theNew England Deathfest in Providence, Rhode Island.
Due in August, "Evolution Unto Evil" will feature 12 rare and previously unreleased tracks, early demos and live studio tracks, including cover versions of songs from POSSESSED, KREATOR, MEGADETH and DEATH. The CD (which clocks in at over 52 minutes in length) will also feature a CD-ROM version with videos, live photos, etc. and is currently being mastered at D.O.W. Studios in Seffner, Florida by Juan "Punchy" Gonzalez (MORBID ANGEL, TERRORIZER, DIABOLIC, UNHOLY GHOST).
According to PESSIMIST founder/guitarist Kelly McLauchlin, "We wanted to put together a release for the fans, a collection of early demos, rare and unreleased songs, and tributes to some of our musical influences, covering the early history of the band… 'Evolution Unto Evil'!"
This will be PESSIMIST's fourth full-length CD, and the band's first release since 2002's "Slaughtering the Faithful", produced by Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL, MORBID ANGEL).
"Evolution Unto Evil" will be co-released on Pathos Productions and Deathgasm Records in the U.S.
"Evolution Unto Evil" track listing:
01. Mensa Rea (With Evil Intent)
02. Day of Wrath
03. The Pestilence (KREATOR cover)
04. 1000 Eyes (DEATH cover)
05. Killing is My Business (MEGADETH cover)
06. Phantasm (POSSESSED cover)
07. Let the Demons Rest
08. Cult of the Initiated
09. Summoned to Suffer
10. Tunnel Rats
11. Dungeonlorde
12. Dirge (Outro)
The original PESSIMIST lineup from the first two CDs, "Cult of the Initiated" and "Blood For the Gods" — featuring founding members, guitarist Kelly McLauchlin (ANGELCORPSE, DIABOLIC, UNHOLY GHOST), vocalist Rob Kline (PSYCHOTOGEN, FLESHTIZED), and drummer Chris Pernia (PSYCHOTOGEN, BEYOND THE SCAR) — reunited earlier this year. Handling bass duties for the group is none other than Kelly Conlon (ex-DEATH, MONSTROSITY). Plans are underway to begin writing new music for release in 2009.
The band's first show together with the reunited lineup will also be the official CD-release party for "Evolution Unto Evil", on August 9 at theNew England Deathfest in Providence, Rhode Island.
Source: blabbermouth.net
quarta-feira, 16 de julho de 2008
MOONSORROW To Tour Canada In November
Finnish folk/pagan metal band MOONSORROW will embark on a headlining tour of Canada this November. Support on the trek will come from rising black metallers UTLAGR and French folk band LES BATARDS DU NORDS (aka BASTARDS OF THE NORTH).
The dates are as follows:
Nov. 16 - London @ the Embassy
Nov. 17 - Toronto @ The Wreckroom
Nov. 18 - Sudbury @ The Serbian Center
Nov. 19 - Chicoutimi @ The Bunker
Nov. 20 - Quebec @ L'Anti
Nov. 21 - Montreal @ Plaza Theatre
Nov. 22 - Saint-Hyacinthe @ The Thrash Bar
MOONSORROW released its new EP, "Tulimyrsky" (Firestorm), on April 30 via Spikefarm Records. The CD contains over 60 minutes of music, including a cover version of METALLICA's "For Whom The Bell Tolls".
The band's latest album, "Viides Luku – Hävitetty", came out in North America in April 2007 via Unruly Sounds/The End Records. The CD — 56 minutes of music comprised from two songs — continues to place the group as one of the forerunners of the folk/viking metal scene due in part to their extensive use of folklore and pagan elements in their music and imagery.
The dates are as follows:
Nov. 16 - London @ the Embassy
Nov. 17 - Toronto @ The Wreckroom
Nov. 18 - Sudbury @ The Serbian Center
Nov. 19 - Chicoutimi @ The Bunker
Nov. 20 - Quebec @ L'Anti
Nov. 21 - Montreal @ Plaza Theatre
Nov. 22 - Saint-Hyacinthe @ The Thrash Bar
MOONSORROW released its new EP, "Tulimyrsky" (Firestorm), on April 30 via Spikefarm Records. The CD contains over 60 minutes of music, including a cover version of METALLICA's "For Whom The Bell Tolls".
The band's latest album, "Viides Luku – Hävitetty", came out in North America in April 2007 via Unruly Sounds/The End Records. The CD — 56 minutes of music comprised from two songs — continues to place the group as one of the forerunners of the folk/viking metal scene due in part to their extensive use of folklore and pagan elements in their music and imagery.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
SONATA ARCTICA: Video Footage From Italy's EVOLUTION FESTIVAL Posted Online
Italian news blog Musica Metal has posted video footage of Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA performing on July 11, 2008 at the Evolution Festival in Milan, Italy. Watch the clips below.
SONATA ARCTICA's latest album, "Unia", was certified gold in Finland for sales in excess of 15,000 copies. This brings the band's total number of gold albums to seven, with their debut LP, "Ecliptica", and "best-of" compilation, "The Collection", reaching gold status in the past few weeks.
Recorded and mixed at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, "Unia" — which has been available in North America since May 22 — landed on the following international album charts: Finland - #1; Japan - #7; Sweden - #27; Germany - #35; Switzerland - #40; Austria - #62. The "Paid in Full" single also secured the #1 single position in the band's native land.
"Caleb":
SONATA ARCTICA's latest album, "Unia", was certified gold in Finland for sales in excess of 15,000 copies. This brings the band's total number of gold albums to seven, with their debut LP, "Ecliptica", and "best-of" compilation, "The Collection", reaching gold status in the past few weeks.
Recorded and mixed at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, "Unia" — which has been available in North America since May 22 — landed on the following international album charts: Finland - #1; Japan - #7; Sweden - #27; Germany - #35; Switzerland - #40; Austria - #62. The "Paid in Full" single also secured the #1 single position in the band's native land.
"Caleb":
Source: Blabbermouth.net
ELENIUM Streaming New Music Online
Finnish metallers ELENIUM have issued the following update:
"We did a rough rehearsal demo of two brand new songs, namely 'Counterflare' and 'Inorganic'. Mikael Grönroos was very polite and took care of the recording duties. Thanks mate!
These are the first new tracks we've recorded with our current lineup so all kind of feedback is very welcome... and yes, we know the first demo is always the best.
These versions will not be officially released since they are only for pre-production. You can still get a vague preview to our future releases."
Check out the above mentioned tracks at Elenium's MySpace page. Stay tuned for further updates from the band.
Earlier this year, Elenium uploaded their video for the song 'Up The Long Ladder' which can be viewed below. The song is from the band's Kampas Records release Caught In A Wheel.
Source: www.bravewords.com
"We did a rough rehearsal demo of two brand new songs, namely 'Counterflare' and 'Inorganic'. Mikael Grönroos was very polite and took care of the recording duties. Thanks mate!
These are the first new tracks we've recorded with our current lineup so all kind of feedback is very welcome... and yes, we know the first demo is always the best.
These versions will not be officially released since they are only for pre-production. You can still get a vague preview to our future releases."
Check out the above mentioned tracks at Elenium's MySpace page. Stay tuned for further updates from the band.
Earlier this year, Elenium uploaded their video for the song 'Up The Long Ladder' which can be viewed below. The song is from the band's Kampas Records release Caught In A Wheel.
Source: www.bravewords.com
DIABLO: Interviewed for Source Webzine
DIABLO was interviewed for Source Webzine and the band released the interview on their official Myspace blog:
"SOURCEWEBZINE - One of the highlights in Diablo's career so far was supporting Metallica at their Helsinki Olympic Stadium concert. Please tell us about it.
Marko Utriainen (G) - Well, first of all I have to say that finally we got a bit of luck in our career. You know, originally it was planned that HIM and Apocalyptica would be the warm up acts for the Metallica show. But Apocalyptica couldn't make it due to one of the band members being injured. So, Metallica asked our booking agency Welldone, who were also arranging the concert, whether they have any idea for Apocalyptica replacement. And they suggested Diablo and a couple of other acts. Obviously Diablo suited best ? As far as I know, it actually was Mr. Hetfield himself choosing us to the task. Before Metallica we hadn't got any warm up slots for any of the big metal acts playing in Finland. Nowadays big metal bands play quite often also in Finland but for some reason we didn't manage to get the slots. But when we finally did it couldn't have been better! For me and Rainer, Metallica was a big influence when we were teenagers. So it was really a dream come true to play on the same stage.
I got the information early June (the gig was in July) when our agent called me and started by asking "Do you want to play with Metallica on the Helsinki Olympic Stadium?" It took like half a second to answer "Are you out of our mind?! Of course we want!" After the call I started immediately feeling butterflies in my stomach even though the gig was still one and a half months away. But when the day finally came I was actually pretty calm. I didn't feel any more nervous about playing than before a "normal" gig. And the gig went perfectly. It was almost as if we had played on the stadium many times. And it was so much fun! Mr. Hetfield looking at it in the side of the stage and thousands of people in front of us. Although we had played before many times for thousands of people in the Finnish rock festivals that gig was still something unique.
After the show we enjoyed the Metallica gig. For me it was the second time to see them live. Fortunately they played mostly those good old songs from the eighties. The only sad thing is that we didn't meet the Metallica guys. Our technicians said that Hetfield had visited our dressing room before the start of their gig asking for us. But at that time we were already elsewhere drinking beer and waiting for Metallica to climb on the stage. Better luck next time, I hope ?
SOURCEWEBZINE - The new record is the first one you will be releasing through Sakara Records. How has the cooperation with you and the label been so far?
Marko Utriainen (G) - We already knew Sakara guys from the past so it was very easy to start working with them. Everything has gone as expected so far. But the future will tell what the guys can achieve when it comes to making us known abroad which is the main goal for us.
SOURCEWEBZINE - A little bit about internet. What's your opinion about the big web communities such as Facebook, MySpace etc? Do you consider them as a good or a bad thing?
Marko Utriainen (G) - Personally I don't follow that much what is going on in the web communities. I think that Myspace is a great way of making your band available to everybody. 20 years ago you really didn't have as good channels to try to market yourself if you hadn't a rich record company behind you. On the other hand, the competition is now quite a lot harder because there are so many bands out there trying to break out into public.
SOURCEWEBZINE - Do you think that the record sales will continue dropping? How do you see as the future of music and recording industry?
Marko Utriainen (G) - It's definitely harder to make your living out of music because record sales is dropping all the time. I think a record is nowadays more like a business card. You don't expect anybody to pay much for it but if you can make an impact on the listener with your killer record then you know they'll come to see you live. And that's where you can earn some money for your effort. Of course that doesn't help your record company. So in order for them to stay in the business they will need some additional sources of income like a share of your merchandise for example.
SOURCEWEBZINE - A little bit about your music taste. What kind of stuff do you normally listen to?
Marko Utriainen (G) - When I'm writing new songs for the band I usually don't have much time to listen to anything else. So it's basically listening to your own riffs and thinking how you could combine them together and with what kind of drumming and vocals you should combine the riffs to create a whole song. But when it's a period of not composing actively, like right now, I usually ask for my friends to recommend me some new metal bands and records that I should check in order to know what is going on in the metal space. My wife is not a metal fan so she forces me to listen to many other styles of music all the time.
SOURCEWEBZINE - You recently filmed a video for the track "Icaros". Could you tell us a little bit about the video. Whose came up with the idea to it?
Marko Utriainen (G) - We wanted to keep it very simple after the "Mimic47″ video, in which there was some additional stuff in it. A simple video with the band playing was in our minds. As far as I know the idea about the place came from Vesa-Matti Vainio who is the director in that video. The video was shot in the beginning of April. And, you know, Finland is still pretty cold at that time of the year. We needed to postpone the shooting a couple of times because of the rain. Then we finally had a 'decent' day for it. The temperature was around zero that day and it was VERY windy (15 m/s) which actually made it feel even worse, like -10 celcius degrees. After a couple of seconds when I started to play my parts I didn't feel the index finger of my left hand at all. And then you play your guitar solos… If you look at our faces very carefully you can see from the colour of our skin that it was VERY COLD. Occasionally we got even some snow and water during the day but we luckily finished the shooting in time before it was too dark in the evening. Now afterwards I think that the cold environment suits actually pretty well to the song because the chorus melody in Icaros sounds very 'cold' itself.
SOURCEWEBZINE - A lot of bands are more respected in other countries than their homeland. How is Diablo received in Finland ?
Marko Utriainen (G) - For us it's actually the other way round. In Finland we're extremely popular and we've reached the top of the albums chart already three times (Eternium 2004 3, Mimic47 2006 1and Icaros 2008 2). Unfortunately outside Finland our success hasn't been that great so far. I think it is mostly due to the fact that we still haven't been able to make a decent tour outside Finland as a warm up act for some better known metal band. We did a German tour in Feb 07 with Tarot but Tarot is also fairly unknown abroad so it didn't help us a lot. And our promotion for that tour went wrong big time. We didn't even have our own band name in the flyers but it was only Tarot mentioned in them… Now we hope that all this will change with the release of "Icaros" because we think that it's truly our strongest album so far. Actually there are negotiations going on about European tours of certain well-known metal bands where we would be warming up them. But there isn't really anything to report yet.
SOURCEWEBZINE - Was there something specific that was going on in your life at the time?
Marko Utriainen (G) - You mean during the time we wrote material for "Icaros"? Well, my first son was born late 2006. Naturally I've tried to spend a lot of time with him. And at the same time I composed new material for "Icaros". So my playing was a lullaby for my son every now and then. I don't know yet what mental disorders he's got from listening to my new guitar riffs at the age of 6 months! Fortunately he seems to be quite a normal child ?
SOURCEWEBZINE - Thank you again for your time, and if you would like to add something more, please do.
Marko Utriainen (G) - Thanks for all support and attention."
Source: www.myspace.com/diablometal
terça-feira, 15 de julho de 2008
CHILDREN OF BODOM, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME To Team Up For U.S. Tour
Finnish heavy metal band CHILDREN OF BODOM has announced a U.S. headlining tour in support of its critically acclaimed new album "Blooddrunk". The scheduled four-week, 25-city CHILDREN OF BODOM tour will kick off on September 11 in Baltimore, MD and criss-cross the U.S., closing with a bang on October 10 in Worcester, MA.
The CHILDREN OF BODOM U.S. headlining tour will feature support from BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME as well as a "very special guest to be announced" (believed to be THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER). The major market trek will represent the influential metal band’s first U.S. headlining jaunt in support of "Blooddrunk" and follows the quintet's red hot summer North American Gigantour live dates as hand-picked support for heavy music legends MEGADETH.
Advance ticket pre-sales for the CHILDREN OF BODOM tour will begin on July 16 via Nokia Ticket Rush (www.ticketrush.com) with general public on-sales slated to start on July 18 and 19 via www.livenation.com.
Sep. 11 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live!
Sep. 12 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
Sep. 13 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
Sep. 14 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
Sep. 16 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
Sep. 18 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
Sep. 19 - Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern
Sep. 20 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
Sep. 21 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
Sep. 22 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
Sep. 23 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Market
Sep. 25 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Great Salt Air
Sep. 26 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
Sep. 27 - Kansas City, MO - Beaumont Club
Sep. 28 - St. Louis, MO - Pop's
Sep. 30 - Minneapolis, MN - Myth
Oct. 01 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
Oct. 02 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
Oct. 03 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
Oct. 04 - Detroit, MI - Clutch's Cargo
Oct. 06 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
Oct. 07 - Rochester, NY - Water Street Music Hall
Oct. 08 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
Oct. 09 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
Oct. 10 - Worcester, MA - Palladium
Source: Blabbermouth.net
NORTHER: in Loud From the South Festival 2008 and out Nivala Icehall
Norther has been confirmed to be one of the acts at Loud From The South Festival 2008, Eindhoven, Netherlands.
As the organazing direction describes:
"At last, the bill for the first edition of LOUD FROM THE SOUTH is completed. On august 30th twelve bands will appear on two stages at the festival ground near the Klokgebouw (Strijp-S) in Eindhoven. Among them SOULFLY and CARCASS. Today we can announce the last two bands: Gothenburg metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY (S) and melodic death metal band NORTHER (FIN).
Presale has already started through Ticketservice but as of today, tickets are also available through the Rock Hard Webshop and all Metal Zone stores."
Appearing acts:
SOULFLY
LAAS ROCKIT
CARCASS
SABBAT
DARK TRANQUILLITY
ONLY LIVING WITNESS
NORTHER
PILGRIMZ
DARKANE
MOTORJESUS
EVILE
THE LUCIFER PRINCIPLE
Tickets:
Or
Metal Zone -stores accross Belgium and Netherlands:
Aalst (B), Antwerpen (B), Baal (B), Brugge (B), Dordrecht (NL), Eindhoven (NL), Gent (B), Kortrijk (B), Leuven (B), Tilburg (NL), Vosselaar (B)
In other news Norther's show in Nivala Icehall on August 9th has been cancelled. Band describes it: "Show on 9.8.2008 Nivala Icehall, FIN has been cancelled. No facts about any cause to this (atleast not yet), but we will keep people updated if something noteworthy follows."
Source: www.norther.net
CHILDREN OF BODOM: Japan tour finished
CHILDREN OF BODOM fansite Scythes-Of-Bodom has issued a following update:
"The band is now on its way home from Japan for a few days of well-earned rest after the consecutive UK, Down Under and Japan tours. They played the same setlist as on the UK report two posts below on most shows of these tours. On the second Tokyo show they mixed it up a bit to keep it more interesting for the fans who bought tickets for both shows in the Studio Coast venue. Here's the setlist from the second night in Tokyo on 06/07/2008, thanks to K-Man.
Intro (Evil Dead II soundtrack)
Hellhounds On My Trail
Sixpounder
Silent Night, Bodom Night
Follow The Reaper
Living Dead Beat
In Your Face
Banned From Heaven
Needled 24/7
One Day You Will Cry
Children Of Decadence / Chokehold -medley
Hate Me!
Angels Don't Kill
Blooddrunk
----------
Bodom Beach Terror
Downfall
In Nagoya, "Everytime I Die" replaced "Banned From Heaven". The band is known to do something silly before starting the last song "Downfall" and on these tours, well.. If you thought that Star Wars or Journey was getting out of hands, you might wanna take a deep breath before you click this.
Stay tuned for coverage from the band's two remaining festival dates for this summer, Rockperry festival next weekend in Vaasa, Finland and Wacken Open Air in Germany. "
Source: www.scythes-of-bodom.com
MOKOMA: Reaching gold with their Viides Vuodenaika EP
MOKOMA's Viides Vuodenaika EP has reached gold status for selling 5000 copies in Finland. EP was released 2006. Mokoma extends their gratitude towards the fans. The band received the gold-discs on a bus on their way from Tampere to Joensuu :)
"I think with all the hassle going on, the disc is still on the bus in fact. Better remember to take it with me the next time", said Kuisma Aalto, the 2nd guitarist of Mokoma.
Viides Vuodenaika EP contained a cover version "Avoin Hauta" of Death's famous song Open Casket.
Watch the video NUJERRA IHMINEN taken from their latest album LUIHIN JA YTIMIIN below:
Source: www.mokoma.com
ELENIUM: Aired on Breakthrough Radio
ELENIUM has issued the following update on their official website:
"Elenium aired on Breakthrough Radio July 14th – 21st
The featured song ( Impostor ) is from our debut album For Giving - For Getting. The show is hosted by the mighty DJ Darkside whom we humbly salute - Thanks for the support! Follow the link and enjoy:
www.breakthruradio.com/index.php?show=4336"
Source: www.eleniumband.com
KOTITEOLLISUUS: New album Sotakoira artwork revealed
KOTITEOLLISUUS has release the cover artwork of their forthcoming album Sotakoira scheduled to be released on August 13th in Finland through Megamania.
View the cover artwork below
The tracklist for the album is
1. Karhujen talo
2. Musti sotakoira
3. Kevät
4. Vaasankin veri vapisee
5. Pissaa ja paskaa
6. Onnellinen perhe
7. Matti
8. Rakkauslaulu
9. Rääväsuita ei haluta Suomeen
10. Kuolla elävänä
Preorder the album:
Finland - Preorder Sotakoira here
Rest of the world - Preorder Sotakoira here
View the video IANKAIKKINEN from their previous album IANKAIKKINEN below
KORPIKLAANI: Footage From Slovenia's METALCAMP Festival Available
Fan-filmed video footage of Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI's performance at this year's Metalcamp festival, which was held July 3-9, 2008 in Tolmin, Slovenia, can be viewed below (clips uploaded by YouTube user "pulpulfolker").
David Priest of OnTrackMagazine.com conducted an interview this past spring with KORPIKLAANI bassist Jarkko Aaltonen. The discussion included the band's stance on the purist point of view, the appeal of traditional fans of booth folk and metal, the limitations involved with only singing in Finnish and when we might expect a U.S. tour.
Listen to the interview at this location.
KORPIKLAANI's latest album, "Korven Kuningas", entered the album chart in the band's home country at position No. 16.
"Korven Kuningas" was released as a limited first edition with bonus tracks and on white colored vinyl. There is also a strictly limited digipak version (limited and numbered to 500 copies) which includes a drinking horn on a wall holder.
"Wooden Pints" :
"Korpiklaani" :
Source: blabbermouth.net
David Priest of OnTrackMagazine.com conducted an interview this past spring with KORPIKLAANI bassist Jarkko Aaltonen. The discussion included the band's stance on the purist point of view, the appeal of traditional fans of booth folk and metal, the limitations involved with only singing in Finnish and when we might expect a U.S. tour.
Listen to the interview at this location.
KORPIKLAANI's latest album, "Korven Kuningas", entered the album chart in the band's home country at position No. 16.
"Korven Kuningas" was released as a limited first edition with bonus tracks and on white colored vinyl. There is also a strictly limited digipak version (limited and numbered to 500 copies) which includes a drinking horn on a wall holder.
"Wooden Pints" :
"Korpiklaani" :
Source: blabbermouth.net
segunda-feira, 14 de julho de 2008
TAROT: 'Undead Indeed' E-Card Available
An e-card for "Undead Indeed", the new DVD from TAROT — the Finnish group led by NIGHTWISH/ex-SINERGY bassist Marco Hietala — can be accessed at this location.
"Undead Indeed" recently topped the Music DVD chart in Finland in its first week of release.
The two-DVD and two-CD versions of "Undead Indeed" were made available in Finland on June 11.
Due in continental Europe on August 1, "Undead Indeed" was filmed/recorded on August 17, 2007 at club Rupla in Kuopio, Finland with director Harri Mielonen.
"Undead Indeed" (2DVD) track listing:
DVD 1: Undead Indeed - Live At Rupla 2007
01. Crows Fly Black
02. Traitor
03. Pyre Of Gods
04. Wings Of Darkness
05. Back In The Fire
06. Tides
07. Bleeding Dust
08. Veteran Of The Psychic Wars
09. Angels Of Pain
10. Warhead
11. Follow Me Into Madness
12. Before The Skies Come Down
13. Ashes To The Stars
14. Undead Son
15. You
16. Crawlspace
Guitar Solo
17. Rider Of The Last Day
18. I Rule
DVD 2: Undead Extras
* Marco & Zac Interview
* Stigmata Archives
* 21st Century Live Scenes
* Pyre Of Gods (promotional video)
* Ashes To The Stars (promotional video)
Undead Indeed (2CD) (limited 1000 copies)
Disc 1:
01. Crows Fly Black
02. Traitor
03. Pyre Of Gods
04. Wings Of Darkness
05. Back In The Fire
06. Tides
07. Bleeding Dust
08. Veteran Of The Psychic Wars
09. Angels Of Pain
10. Warhead
Disc 2:
01. Follow Me Into Madness
02. Before The Skies Come Down
03. Ashes To The Stars
04. Undead Son
05. You
06. Crawlspace
Guitarsolo
07. Rider Of The Last Day
08. I Rule
Bonus Tracks:
09. Guardian Angel
10. Things That Crawl At Night
A one-and-a-half-minute trailer for "Undead Indeed" can be viewed below.
TAROT released its latest album, entitled "Crows Fly Black", in continental Europe in January 2007. The CD was issued in Finland in October 2006.
TAROT's first single from the latest album, "You", entered the national chart in Finland at position No. 1. The single contained two tracks: A straight-forward classic heavy metal song "You", taken from the new album, and a BLUE ÖYSTER CULT cover, "Veteran of the Psychic Wars".
Source: Blabbermouth.net
GLORIA MORTI Working On New Material
Finnish metallers GLORIA MORTI are currently writing the follow-up to their second album "Eryx", which was released earlier this year through Stay Heavy Records in Finland and Cyclone Empire Records in the rest of Europe.
Commented drummer Jarmo Juurikka: "Ideas have been festering in our heads like fatal tumours ever since we finished recording the previous album, so we are well on our way with the writing process. All of us are itching to make this album as brutal and aggressive as possible, but we still wan't to maintain the eerines that has always been our trademark. We also want to try out a lot of new ideas when it comes to songwriting, since we really don't want to make 'a new, improved 'Eryx'' but a completely new album and a different experience to the listener."
GLORIA MORTI's as-yet-untitled third album is due in 2009.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/gloriamorti.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
CHARON : New song on Youtube
Few things have been heard from the gothic metallers Charon since they have been focused on writing new material. The band's latest album to hit the stores was 'Songs For The Sinners', in 2005.
With only few live appearances this year and not too many news on the homepage, Charon seems to be entombed in silence. In fact, the boys are working hard on the tracks due to appear on the new album, expected this year. Some of the songs are ready to be included in the setlists for their shows, as it was proven in Myötätuulirock (Vantaa) this summer on June 14. Footage from the event can be seen below, featuring a new song from the band:
Source: Youtube.com
AMORAL PARTS WAYS WITH SINGER, LOOKING FOR REPLACEMENT
AMORAL has issued the following update on their official Myspace page:
"We are sad to inform you that Niko is leaving Amoral. A while ago he sat us down and told us that he's having serious motivation problems and feels like it's time to do other things. We were in shock, as none of us saw this coming. We were sure Niko was enjoying the ride just as much as we were. We tried reasoning with him, even offering him a year-long break to do whatever else he feels like he needs to do, but quickly realized he had already made his mind.
Of course we were devastated at first. Niko was just as crucial part of the band as the rest of us, and also our frontman, the voice of the band. Was this the end of Amoral? The rest of us discussed this and were happy to see that we all felt that there's no way we're stopping now. We've worked too hard to get where we are, and we enjoy playing together, so why would we give it all up? We decided to look at the bright side of the situation: this would be our chance to pursue in a more melodic direction, something we've wanted for a long time but weren't able to do with Niko. This shouldn't come as a surprise for you who've been following our doings. The "rock n' roll vibe" has been present in our live shows and songs since our second album Decrowning, and especially on the last album Reptile Ride, which had some melodic vocals and a lot of stuff not suitable under the "technical death metal" –tag we've had on us…
We'll leave it to Niko to explain his decision more specifically. Niko, good luck with whatever it is you decide to do in the future. It was a pleasure having you in the band, and you'll always be "one of us", just like your Amoral tattoo suggests.
Niko's last gig with us will be at the "Thrashia Läpi Yön" –festival at Tammela, Finland on August 23rd. After this we'll take a long break from gigs, and start writing the 4th Amoral album. We already have a lot of material to work on, even a couple of songs 99% ready, and we're hyped about how these sound! No release dates or any kind of deadlines have been decided on, as we wanna get this just right. Oh, and we'll probably need to find a new singer too:
We hereby declare that Amoral is looking for a new frontman! Anyone who thinks he might have what it takes to be the new singer of this band, please contact us. We're looking for a charismatic, skillful singer (just growling won't cut it) who's willing to give this his 100% and able to do long studio sessions and tours. If interested, please send us a mail with some info about you, a pic and a sample of your singing (mp3, Youtube link etc). Again, we're NOT looking for a new growler, but a singer with a strong personal voice. More Sebastian Bach, less Glen Benton, so to speak ;) Yes, the 4th Amoral album will be different…
If you wanna give it a shot, mail us at amoralsinger (at) mail.com.
Thank you all for your support, we'll keep you updated!
-Ben, Juffi, Silver & Pekka
"Now mark my words, I'll raise the bar, I'll walk the line… I've just begun." -Amoral, Decrowning
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hornz!
After hard thinking I have decided to leave Amoral. Nothing has really "happened", but along the years things have become more and more clear to me. To get off the train of one of the most promising bands is not an easy decision to make but I have realized that I am much more comfortable doing my things at a slower pace. Unfortunately a bit slower than the Amoral-pace.
Taking a break and let the rest of the band wait would've felt a bit selfish to me, hence the decision to leave completely. I would love to go on, but I don't want to hold these talented guys. I think it's better to let them find someone with more motivation than wait for mine to come back. I am sure that eventually this is just another big step forward for the band.
Don't get me wrong, I love doing shows and music, even more than before and in more diverse ways than this far, but I need some time to do something else for a while and let the music bubble somewhere in me and just see if something happens later. Maybe something kick-ass, maybe nothing at all.
That's it folks, Nigel Rocklake wants to chill out a bit. I want to thank the present and past members of the band as well as the Amoral fans from all the unique experience during all these years of apocalyptic sci-fi fun. Without you guys I wouldn't be the punk I am now. And well, I'm also very curious to switch to the audience and one day witness the band more solid than ever!
Have a grim summer, and never underestimate the power of the dork side!
Sincerely yours,
Niko Kalliojärvi"
Source: www.myspace.com/amoralweb
ELENIUM: Two brand new songs online!
Finnish deathsters Elenium have decided to upload to new (pre-production demo) songs to their official MySpace (www.myspace.com/elenium). The songs are titled: `Counterflare` and `Inorganic`.
They are the first new songs with the current line-up that has already proved itself to be a killer live act. These versions will not be officially released since they are only rough demo versions.
Elenium released their 2nd full length album "Caught in a Wheel" in 2007 and it has been receiving great feedback all over. CIAW even reached the top 10 in the MFF Awards 2007 album of the year cathegory. The band are currently writing material for their next release expected to to released sometime next year.
They are the first new songs with the current line-up that has already proved itself to be a killer live act. These versions will not be officially released since they are only rough demo versions.
Elenium released their 2nd full length album "Caught in a Wheel" in 2007 and it has been receiving great feedback all over. CIAW even reached the top 10 in the MFF Awards 2007 album of the year cathegory. The band are currently writing material for their next release expected to to released sometime next year.
sábado, 12 de julho de 2008
APOCALYPTICA Confirmed For Chicago's Q101.1 Blockparty Festival
APOCALYPTICA have issued the following update:
"We are happy to announce that we will be back in Chicago soon. You will have the chance to see us at the Q101 Blockparty Fest on September 14th. A lot of fantastic bands, great to see our friends from BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE not only on European festivals - this will be a fantastic weekend for you! Check out the the event's website for further information.
More confirmed dates will be announced soon."
As previously reported, Belgium's TMF have posted footage of AApocalyptica performing their cover of METALLICA's 'Enter Sandman' at this year's Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel on June 29th. Check out the footage below...
Source: www.bravewords.com
"We are happy to announce that we will be back in Chicago soon. You will have the chance to see us at the Q101 Blockparty Fest on September 14th. A lot of fantastic bands, great to see our friends from BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE not only on European festivals - this will be a fantastic weekend for you! Check out the the event's website for further information.
More confirmed dates will be announced soon."
As previously reported, Belgium's TMF have posted footage of AApocalyptica performing their cover of METALLICA's 'Enter Sandman' at this year's Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel on June 29th. Check out the footage below...
Source: www.bravewords.com
NIGHTWISH Singer To Guest On New PAIN Album
NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon has recorded a guest appearance on two tracks on the forthcoming album from PAIN, the Swedish band led by HYPOCRISY mainman Peter Tägtgren. Due in October via Nuclear Blast Records, the as-yet-untitled CD is the follow-up to "Psalms of Extinction", which was released in 2007 via Roadrunner.
Swiss-German online metal TV show "The Hard Way" conducted an interview Peter Tägtgren during PAIN's recent European tour with NIGHTWISH. Watch the 12-minute chat below.
IN FLAMES bassist Peter Iwers makes a guest appearance on two songs on "Psalms of Extinction".
PAIN's video for the track "Zombie Slam" is available for viewing at this location. The clip was shot in February 2007 in Los Angeles by Ralf Strathmann. Ralf previously worked as a director for artists like CHILDREN OF BODOM, APOCALYPTICA and SOILWORK. He is also a photographer for such bands as HIM, AEROSMITH and BLINK 182, to name but a few.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
Swiss-German online metal TV show "The Hard Way" conducted an interview Peter Tägtgren during PAIN's recent European tour with NIGHTWISH. Watch the 12-minute chat below.
IN FLAMES bassist Peter Iwers makes a guest appearance on two songs on "Psalms of Extinction".
PAIN's video for the track "Zombie Slam" is available for viewing at this location. The clip was shot in February 2007 in Los Angeles by Ralf Strathmann. Ralf previously worked as a director for artists like CHILDREN OF BODOM, APOCALYPTICA and SOILWORK. He is also a photographer for such bands as HIM, AEROSMITH and BLINK 182, to name but a few.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
LORDI to release new single
Finland's Sony BMG will release the new single from LORDI, "Bite It like a Bulldog", on August 13. The song comes off the Finnish hard rock monsters' new album, which is scheduled for release in North America on October 28 via The End Records. The as-yet-untitled CD "will showcase the band's trademark melodic hard rock sound, something the band has amplified from the debut, 'Get Heavy', onto the mega-successful 'The Arockalypse'," according to a press release.
An international success, "The Arockalypse" has sold 350,000 units to date and was certified gold in Sweden and Germany — not to mention attaining triple platinum status in Finland.
In 2008 the band has concentrated heavily on studio work, though it has taken time off to play select shows, such as the Rock2Wgtn music festival in Wellington, New Zealand, where it shared the stage with its musical and visual mentors, KISS. The band was also featured at various European summer festivals.
In a recent interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET, LORDI mainman Mr. Lordi stated about the group's new material, "It's definitely going to be different, but we're not going to go too far. On our second album, 'The Monsterican Dream', we went too far. Let's put it this way, the producer of that album pushed the envelope too far. We didn't see it until after the fact, but he was pushing us in a very metallic direction, but the songs didn't fit that direction. The songs were in the same genre and style as our first album, so they didn't fit the metallic production he gave the album. That really alienated a lot of people from us as far as that album was concerned. The arrangement and production of an album can change everything. You could take a perfectly good song and give it a bad production and it'll sound like a bad song. If you take the same good song and play it on an acoustic guitar around a campfire or something, you'll hear it the way it was meant to be heard and go, 'Okay, I get it now.' With production, it can go either way, you never know. Now we have more of a power element in the music, writing, as well as on the lyrical side of things. Of course, it's going to be a hard rock album, that's for sure. We're trying to take the essence of what we are and, how should I say it, polish the diamond a little brighter."
The End Records re-released LORDI's 2002 debut album "Get Heavy" in May. The reissue comes with the exclusive bonus track "Don't Let My Mother Know".
Source: www.blabbermouth.net
terça-feira, 8 de julho de 2008
Welcome
Tervetuloa!
I'm Khorven.
I decided to create this blog so I could spread the only true music : METAL.
So, If you hate metal, GTFO.
I'm gonna post news about many metal bands, so keep checking!
I'm Khorven.
I decided to create this blog so I could spread the only true music : METAL.
So, If you hate metal, GTFO.
I'm gonna post news about many metal bands, so keep checking!
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