Monday, April 30, 2007

FORMER CANDLEMASS SINGER MESSIAH: 'I NEVER COMPROMISE WITH MY MUSIC!'

Former CANDLEMASS frontman Messiah Marcolin has released the following statement regarding his departure from the group and his current activities:

'Since there has been so many rumours regarding the reasons for me getting kicked out of CANDLEMASS, I want to give you my side of the story.

'Last summer Leif Edling [CANDLEMASS bassist/songwriter] and I had an agreement about the musical direction of the band as well as an economical settlement. I was totally prepared to record the album but in the fall something happaned. Suddenly Leif and the guys wanted to change the financial terms we had agreed on. There [was] also talk about replacing some of the songs on the album since they were not happy with the musical direction the band was taking. I was in favor of a more traditional CANDLEMASS sound while Leif and the guys were pushing for a more KRUX type [Edling's side project] of sound. With all these changes going on I didn't feel very comfortable recording the album and finally I decided not to do it. I never compromise with my music!

'I've read in some interview that Leif wanted a more 'democratic' band but how good is it when you have to make compromises in order to make everyone happy?

'Finally... Thanks for all the support you guys [the fans] have been giving me lately! I'm more inspired to sing than ever before and I hope that I can give something back to you very soon. Right now I'm involved in a exciting project called REQUIEM... Keep your eyes and ears open!'

CANDLEMASS — featuring Marcolin's replacement, Robert Lowe of SOLITUDE AETURNUS — will release its new album, 'King of the Grey Islands', on June 22 through Nuclear Blast Records.

CANDLEMASS celebrated its 20th anniversary at a special concert held at Stockholm's Kolingsborg on March 31. The band performed with no less than seven (!) different vocalists at the show — including the band's former singers Johan Langquist and Tomas Vikstrom, plus Lowe. Check out video footage from the gig at YouTube.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Friday, April 27, 2007

BLOOD RED THRONE COMPLETES WORK ON NEW ALBUM

Norwegian death metallers BLOOD RED THRONE have completed work on their new album, due on June 25 via Earache Records.

Tchort of BLOOD RED THRONE states: 'Yet another tough birth is over and the BLOOD RED THRONE crew is proud to announce its newest album is born! People familiar with the band and its past know the term 'The BRT curse,' and it struck us on several occasion this time as well. In the past it broke down our transportation in the middle of nowhere, killed our vocalist (whom we managed to resurrect with a little love and caring (read: mouth-to-mouth. We won't reveal who was the (un)lucky caretaker), a tree that bitchslapped a couple of our members while surfing the roof of the tour bus (while driving) inside the city of London (some might say that it was a light version of the curse as the bridge missed them!), a drummer who had to be replaced as he disappeared while recording the drums for one of our albums ('Spinal Tap', anyone?) and the story goes on. However, the fact remains that we are proud of the new album and we are proud to show the capacity of our two new members caught on tape for the first time. This album (more details soon to come) represents the essence of BLOOD RED THRONE. Groove, aggression, catchiness, melody and technique. In a perfect BRT blend! We are looking forward to meet all of you on the road again soon!'

BLOOD RED THRONE's fourth studio album was recorded at Jailhouse Studios in Horsens, Denmark. The upcoming CD will be the group's first to feature new members Anders Haave (drums) and Vald (vocals). Songtitles set to appear on the album include 'Rebirth in Blood', 'Come Death', 'No New Beginning' and 'Slaying the Lamb'.

'This time, we aim for a more classic death metal sound, ala GORGUTS 'Considered Dead' / SUFFOCATION 'Despise the Sun' kind of sound,' the band previously said. 'We have grown tired with the over-produced and fully triggered drum kits that so many bands use today, besides we have taken a slightly new direction with our music and the analog and dynamic sound fits the music better. We have also chosen a different approach to the recording process of the instruments.'
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Thursday, April 26, 2007

DEATH BREATH: NEW MINI-ALBUM TO INCLUDE BATHORY, G.B.H., DISCHARGE COVERS

DEATH BREATH, the Swedish old-school death metal project featuring former ENTOMBED drummer and main songwriter Nicke Andersson (currently the frontman of his rock 'n' roll band THE HELLACOPTERS), will release its new mini-album, 'Let It Stink', on May 4 in Sweden and May 18 in the rest of Europe via Black Lodge Records. Andersson, guitarist/vocalist Robert Pehrsson and bassist Scott Carlson (REPULSION) have produced four brand new songs as well as three covers by heroes BATHORY ('Sacrifice'), G.B.H. ('Lycantrophy') and DISCHARGE ('Maimed And Slaughtered'). The CD version of 'Let It Stink' will contain a brand new version of our video for the song 'Death Breath' as well as the original one. The vinyl version will be '10 pitch-black inches,' according to a posting on the group's web site.

Produced at Acetone Studios, this album 'will place the band among the classic death metal acts such as AUTOPSY, DEATH and MORBID ANGEL,' according to a press release.

'Let It Stink' track listing:

01. Giving Head To The Dead
02. His Protoplasmic Worship
03. Maimed And Slaughtered (DISCHARGE cover)
04. Dead But Walking
05. Lycanthropy (G.B.H. cover)
06. Sacrifice (BATHORY cover)
07. Twisted In Distaste

Check out the song 'His Protoplasmic Worship' on the band's MySpace page.

The original version of DEATH BREATH's video for the song 'Death Breath' can be viewed at this location. The track comes off the group's debut album, 'Stinking Up The Night', which was released in North America on October 17, 2006 via Relapse Records (the CD was issued in Europe on September 22 through Black Lodge).

Inspired by the recent resurgence in the classic old-school death metal sound and the book 'Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore', DEATH BREATH is said to be 'the ultimate tribute band to all that was rough, raw and wretched in extreme metal.'

DEATH BREATH last year parted ways with bassist Magnus Hedquist. The group made its live debut on October 26, 2006 at Debaser Medis in Stockholm, Sweden. The band was joined by Scott Carlson (REPULSION) on bass and Erik Wallin (HARMS WAY, MERCILESS) on second guitar. A short video clip of DEATH BREATH's performance has been posted online at YouTube.com.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

AKERCOCKE: 'ANTICHRIST' AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING

U.K. death metal band AKERCOCKE has made its entire new album, 'Antichrist', available for streaming at Earache.com. Due on May 28 via Earache Records), the CD's concept was previously described by the group as 'wonderfully rich. It represents a supreme opposite. The epithet of the great antagonist provided a wonderful metaphoric framework within which to work. We have strived to make elements of the recording as evil as possible. Creating atmospheres that are deliberately uncomfortable. Spurred on by a rage enhanced by the complete disgust with our recent history, we didn't have to dig very deeply to find the malice and rancour sufficient to evoke the spirit of violent antithesis. Antichrist is the perfect banner for a collection of songs that are tales of opposition, sanguinary lust and the axiom of our raison d'etre.'

'Antichrist' track listing:

01. Black Messiah
02. Summon The Antichrist
03. Axiom
04. The Promise
05. My Apterous Angel
06. Distant Fires Reflect The Eyes Of Satan
07. Man Without Faith Or Trust
08. The Dark Inside
09. Footsteps Resound In An Empty Chapel
10. Epode

AKERCOCKE will team up with CEPHALIC CARNAGE, TED MAUL and BURNING SKIES for a U.K. tour beginning May 16 in Nottingham.


Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

VOIVOD DRUMMER ISSUES UPDATE ON NEW VIDEO, NEW SIDE-PROJECTS, REISSUES AND NEW ALBUM

VOIVOD drummer Michel 'Away' Langevin has issued an update on the band's current activities:

'Here's what's up: The video for 'Polaroids' is finished. It was done with Banger Productions and Ottoblix and contains some of my animation work. I started working on the video for 'The X-Stream', also in collaboration with Banger Productions and Ottoblix.

'We will be recording the follow-up to 'Katorz' in the fall 2007.

'I'm almost finished with the 'Roar' re-issue on Sanctuary. It will include a bonus DVD pulled from the Iron Gang archives of the era. Expect a fall release.

'Troubleman Unlimited are done with the layout of my art book. The book will contain 325 VOIVOD-related drawings and covers the years 1976-2006. No release date yet but it's getting close! Check out our new belt-buckles, soon on Bandmerch.com.

'My project LES ÉKORCHÉS is out on Indica/Outside. Produced by Glen Robinson. Info: lesekorches.com and myspace.com/lesekorches.

'My other project KOSMOS will come out this year on The End. Info: myspace.com/kosmostheband. Snake's project PARANOLAND is on the way. Also produced by Glen Robinson. Info: myspace.com/paranoland. Also in the works: 'The Outer Limits' and 'Angel Rat' reissues on The End. 'Killing Technology' and 'Dimension Hatross' reissues with bonus Iron Gang DVDs on Sanctuary. 'DVOD 2' and 'DVOD 3' are coming along too.

'That's about it I guess. I'm very sorry about the delays, all of this is a lot of work!'

As previously reported, four demo tracks for VOIVOD's 'Katorz' album have been posted online at the Voivodfan.com web site. Download the songs 'Mr. Clean', 'The Getaway', 'Red My Mind' and 'After All' at this location.

VOIVOD drummer Michel 'Away' Langevin recently commented on the rumors that the band is planning to embark on a tour once the group's bassist Jason 'Jasonic' Newsted has recovered from his recent shoulder injury.

Said Away: 'Well, we certainly hope to be able to promote the next album and [last year's] 'Katorz' live in 2008 but no plans have been laid down yet. Of course, we're not thinking of replacing [guitarist] Piggy [who died of colon cancer in August 2005]. It would be more of a tribute to him type of thing. It's still too early to think about a tour. In fact, I'm preparing myself mentally to hear Piggy's tracks in the headphones in the studio in the fall 2007!'

Newsted was sidelined last October by injuries to his left shoulder, right bicep and right rotator cuff. The former METALLICA member, who was injured trying to catch a 90-pound piece of equipment that had fallen from atop of his amp, underwent surgery and is said to be taking part in a rehab schedule that could last up to nine months.

VOIVOD's video for the 'Katorz' (2006) track 'The Getaway' has been posted online at YouTube.com. The clip was created by editing together footage from the album's recording session and the band's 2003 U.S. tour. The group is also finalizing plans to re-release their early back catalog on The End Records. Langevin said the band will start with 1986's 'Rrroooaaarrr', the following year's 'Killing Technology' and '88's 'Dimension Hatross'. He said each LP will be remastered and upped with a bonus DVD.

VOIVOD released the critically-acclaimed 'Katorz' last summer on The End Records. The album was recently released as a limited-edition vinyl pressing available exclusively through The End Records' mail-order. The beautiful gatefold 180gm vinyl comes in color format and also includes special artwork and packaging designed by Langevin. The album was done with full cooperation from the band. The release is limited to 1,000 copies: 400 clear vinyl, 400 red vinyl and 200 black vinyl.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Monday, April 23, 2007

NILE: NEW ALBUM TO ARRIVE IN JULY

Nuclear Blast Records has set a July 20 German release date (July 23 in the rest of Europe) for the new NILE album, entitled 'Ithyphallic'. The CD was recorded at Sound Lab Studios in Columbia, South Carolina with producer Neil Kernon (NEVERMORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEICIDE) and engineer Bob Moore. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include 'Language Of The Shadows', 'Even The Gods Must Die', 'The Infinity Of Stone', 'Ithyphallic' and 'Papyrii Containg The Spell To Preserve Its Possessor Against Attacks From He Who Is In The Water'.

NILE's last album, 'Annihilation of the Wicked' album, was released in May 2005 via Relapse Records. A video for the album track 'Sacrifice Unto Sebek' was shot on location in Atlanta, GA by director Chad Rullman (MASTODON's 'March of the Fire Ants', THE AGONY SCENE) for Supercollider Films.

NILE will embark on a headlining tour of Australia in May. Support at the shows will come from Polish technical death metal sensations DECAPITATED.

NILE has been confirmed as one of the second-stage bands at this year's Ozzfest alongside HATEBREED, BEHEMOTH, MONDO GENERATOR, ANKLA, CIRCUS DIABLO and THE SHOWDOWN, among others. The 24-city tour begins July 12 in Seattle.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Friday, April 20, 2007

GODSMACK MEMBERS TO RELEASE ANOTHER ANIMAL DEBUT IN SEPTEMBER

ANOTHER ANIMAL, the new band featuring GODSMACK members Shannon Larkin (drums), Robbie Merrill (bass) and Tony Rombola (guitar), alongside vocalist Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE, LIFE OF AGONY, MEDICATION) and DROPBOX guitarist Lee Richards, will release its long-awaited debut album in September via Republic/Universal. A single will precede the full-length CD in July.

As previously reported, ANOTHER ANIMAL has made one track, entitled 'Find a Way', available for download via its MySpace page. The song is one of the 20-some surplus tracks GODSMACK members wrote for the group's latest album, 'IV', that didn't make the final cut.

'We hooked up with Lee Richards and Whit Crane, and while not all of the material is leftover GODSMACK material, a lot of it was,' Larkin told MTV.com last year. 'A lot of it was real metal. We're more a hard-rock band, GODSMACK. So a lot of those riffs we threw to the side. Working as a side project on these songs is nice, because you don't have the pressure of being in this multiplatinum thing, where everybody's really looking at you and there is anticipation. With ANOTHER ANIMAL, we can just go in and be musicians.'
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Thursday, April 19, 2007

MARILYN MANSON DISCUSSES MAKING OF 'EAT ME, DRINK ME'

Marilyn Manson appeared on the UK.'s BBC Radio 1 Tuesday evening (April 17) on Zane Lowe's show. Manson talked about his latest album, 'Eat Me, Drink Me', and debuted his new single, 'Heart-Shaped Glasses (When Then Heart Guides The Hand)', along with 'If I Was Your Vampire'. Below is a transcript of the interview, courtesy of MansonUSA.com
MansonUSA.com:

Zane Lowe: What have you been doing on this glorious day in London?

Marilyn Manson: I just woke and was confused what day it was because I had done a bunch of press and a photo shoot, I fell asleep briefly and I went into one of those deep sleeps and started having a nightmare and didn't realize it was still the same day.

ZL: Which do you prefer, talking to the press or doing a photo shoot?

MM: I'm always specific about photography because I think it's such an important art form for me and I have always made a big point of doing that properly, I like both, as long as I feel comfortable with what I'm doing. In the last year for me, my biggest problem I realize now looking back was starting to dislike being me. I feel a little bit like I did when I started the band, but this record isn't anything I did before, it wasn't anything I was capable of doing before, It's the record I was meant to do. It was me finally falling into the role of what I've always been and not being uncomfortable to accept my role as being evil and Identifying with this Vampire mythology which is so much in the record, I was trying to prove I'm invincible to the whole world. The only thing that ultimately could kill me was romance, so a Vampire the only thing that could kill that is through the heart and that was essentially what I could identify with,

ZL: Was it the first song that you worked on for this new album? Which is 'Eat Me Drink Me', and we're talking about 'If I Was Your Vampire', the first song on the record.

MM: 'If I Was Your Vampire' is the first song on the record because it was the song that I sang just as it was, 6:00 a.m. on Christmas morning. It wasn't me going back and telling a story about another period, it was this past Christmas and me writing it as it happened. It was a new style of writing for me, I don't keep a diary and I never knew how to write in that style. I started writing songs in a way to communicate in a way directly with, at this point one person. I had come to point in my life where I had nothing and no one and didn't understand what my identity was and I think making music made me realize if I can make one person feel something then feel like a person again.

ZL: It feels like your actually singing on this record,

MM: Well I felt like I didn't accomplish what I was capable of.

ZL: What your entire career?

MM: Yeah, instead of being defeated by how I felt. Feeling like there's so much in music doing what I've already done and I didn't know what I wanted to say anymore. This record wasn't as simple as the clichéd 'It saved my life', or it was an outlet or catharsis for me. It was all that but it was much more than that, It was as simple as I didn't have any more reason to want to be alive which is much different than wanting to die because when you want to die at least you have a goal, when you don't want to live you don't have anything. The first song that I sang on the record was 'Just a Car Crash Away', and the performance on the album is the first time I sang it, so I was sort of writing it as I was singing it. It wasn't a point of me thinking well this is wrong or this is real from a production style or any other angle that I did it and I didn't think there was any other reason to do it differently. It started to become the way I wanted to make a record or in the future make music again and it wasn't until I wrote 'If I Was You Vampire' that I realized this actually could become a record. I had been trying to do that for a year but I had kept trying and failing, and it wasn't until I realized I was separating my art and personality and I didn't want to anymore, it was essentially realizing I had to be what I've always said I want to be. This song really made this come back to me.

[Plays 'If I Was Your Vampire']

ZL: Marilyn Manson's 'Eat Me, Drink Me' will be available June 7th. That is easily the far reaching and most progressive thing you have ever done, I think. Don't you agree?

MM: Yeah, I agree, thanks. When I did the song it's what convinced me into make this into an album, I felt like I suddenly had the conviction to make this into something more.

ZL: There have been so many rumors floating around since far back around mid-2005 about you being so close to finishing a record.

MM: I had done so many things that I thought was something I wanted to do but it just never really crossed over as much as this song did which only happened recently. Obviously this is one of the longest songs I have ever done and suddenly I felt that is the best thing I could do instead of the normal obligation of making something short.

ZL: If you're waiting for music to inspire you for a song to pop out and give you direction or give you a reason to live that can be a long painful wait.

MM: It was, it was a year to get to making this record almost, but once it started it never stopped and this song was really in the middle of making it really go along. As soon as I wrote that song I new it was going to be the first song on the record and the first song I'm going to play on the live tour.

ZL: As far as the album goes it does have other shades, its not just as intense and as far reaching as 'If I Was Your Vampire'. The single 'Heart Shaped Glasses' that's more of a dance record for me.

MM: When I wrote the song that's the single 'Heart Shaped Glasses' it was one of the songs that I really expected an immediate response from the record label from, in the way like 'Of course that's a single' and it was almost embarrassing in the way that I thought it was so obvious. The song was written in a simple way, I was reading the book 'Lolita' and it was something inspired by my current girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood who's obviously much younger than me, but having the sarcasm to make the point of that and showing up to visit me once wearing heart-shaped glasses which is the same as the Kubrick movie poster for the film 'Lolita' and me saying what I say in the chorus of the song. I said that to her and I suddenly realized I should really write a song about that and it never occurred to me in my entire career, my entire life that, that's how you should write songs. It should be the part of your personality that you might feel guarded or too secret to put out the rest of the world.

[Plays 'Heart-Shaped Glasses']

ZL: The first official single taken from 'Eat Me, Drink Me'.

MM: I was trying to make songs to be seductive appose to making music that was an amour to put between me and the world. Now I can look back and understand that my world was reduced by not giving a shit, (care). I was kind of use to the idea of making music in one way, or being me in one way and I started to realize that I could use this as a way to make someone care about me or like me, which is what it always should have been , what it was mean to be.

ZL: Your previous music was aggressive and kind of challenging almost saying 'I dare you to like me'

MM: That's exactly how I would interpret it now, I don't regret any of my previous records because they sound and they are what I was when I made them.

ZL: You must have mixed emotions today with the recent shootings in Virginia which is almost a reflection of columbine?

MM: I don't have mixed emotions as much as I was watching it in the same way that I can remember watching the TV when Columbine happened, and just seeing it take place as any other person would. Then suddenly Columbine happened and my name got brought into it and I wouldn't be surprised if my name got brought into this.

ZL: I was wondering if you felt less scrutinized as an artist, now that you're a bit older a bit wiser you have made more records and have established yourself more as a musician as an artist with a gallery, much like how controversial acts that came before you, people move on and you just become part of the fabric?

MM: Sometimes I feel that it's a really bad double standard that I had to be blamed so much when something happened then later when it's talked about. Sometimes its reduced to simply, 'I like what you said in the Michael Moore movie,' I feel cheated almost. So now for me I didn't think my world and what lead me to make music when I almost not wanting to make music or not want to live for anything anymore was really reduced to this world I had made for myself which had nothing and I started to creep from nothing. At that point I didn't care about the rest of the world's politics or the rest of the worlds anything, if someone was to ask me what my opinion on America or violence and entertainment, I don't really care. I think this record was me realizing that the world is a victim of its self and this is a point for anybody who wants to do something important as an artist, it's a time to be introspective, it's a time to have you personality be what makes you somebody and something that has an impact on other people because personality and just the human element of anybody is what makes a difference and I think when everyone suddenly thinks that everything I did on this record is more human, to me I guess if I could be objective about myself by saying that its more human is really acknowledging I'm inhuman by showing this. So I think it was an important record to make now for me, not just personally, its my view and views in the past about the world, I think the only you can say something about the world is to say something about yourself.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

ORIGIN PULLS OUT OF MARYLAND DEATHFEST, MISERY INDEX STEPS IN

Kansas-based death metallers ORIGIN have cancelled their previously announced appearance at this year's Maryland Deathfest, set to take place May 26-27 at the Sonar in Baltimore, MD. According to festival organizers, '[ORIGIN has] been confirmed for 5-6 months, but sent their agent an e-mail that says 'After our last tour, we have to cancel MDF because we can't take more time off work.''

Replacing ORIGIN on the Maryland Deathfest billing will be MISERY INDEX. Other acts scheduled to appear include BRUTAL TRUTH, ZYKLON, EXTREME NOISE TERROR, MALEVOLENT CREATION, VOMITORY, DEAD INFECTION, GHOUL, GUT, REGURGITATE, GOREROTTED, BIRDFLESH, GOROD, ODIOUS MORTEM, ROTTEN SOUND, RETALIATION, and SKITSYSTEM.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

MOONLYGHT: NEW SONG POSTED ONLINE

Quebec City's dark metallers MOONLYGHT have posted a new song, entitled 'Middle', on their MySpace page. The track comes off the group's new album, 'Shining', which was recently mastered by Peter in de Betou at Tailor Maid (DIMMU BORGIR, MESHUGGAH, DARK TRANQUILLITY) in Sweden. The new CD will feature 10 tracks and a running time of more than 70 minutes. A release date has not yet been confirmed, but the artwork for the album will follow shortly.

MOONLYGHT re-released its first album, 'Progressive Darkness' (originally issued in 2002 on the now-defunct Metal Disk Records), in 2004 via Sweden's Escapi Records.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Monday, April 16, 2007

NOCTURNAL RITES: NEW VIDEO AVAILABLE

Swedish melodic metal outfit NOCTURNAL RITES has posted its brand-new song 'Never Again' at the band's MySpace page. The video for 'Never Again', which was directed by the band's drummer Owe Lingvall of Village Road Films (WOLF, CARNAL FORGE, MORGANA LEFAY), is available for viewing at YouTube.

'Never Again' comes off the group's upcoming album, 'The 8th Sin', which was produced by the band themselves, co-produced by Shep and mixed by Mattias Eklund and NOCTURNAL RITES at Toontrack Music in Umeå, Sweden. The cover artwork for the CD was created by renowned artist Axel Herrmann, who previously worked with ICED EARTH, DREAM EVIL, UNLEASHED, EDGUY, SODOM and many more. According to a press release, 'The 8th Sin' offers 'a slightly more modern sound with harsh riffs, huge choruses and the band's classic guitar extravaganza. But don't be afraid of any bad surprises, the new album is 110% NOCTURNAL RITES from start to finish!'

'The 8th Sin' release dates:

Sweden: Wednesday, May 16
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy: Friday, May 25
U.K., France, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Rest Of Europe: Monday, May 28*
Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, May 30, 2007.

* If May 28 is a public holiday in your territory, your release date will be Tuesday, May 29.

NOCTURNAL RITES' last album, 'Grand Illusion', was released in September 2005 via Century Media Records.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Saturday, April 14, 2007

CELLADOR TO BE JOINED BY PYRAMAZE KEYBOARDIST FOR PROGPOWER USA VII PERFORMANCE

Nebraska-based power metallers CELLADOR will be joined by PYRAMAZE keyboard player Jonah Weingarten as a special guest during their performance at the ProgPower USA VII festival on October 4 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Commented CELLADOR guitarist Bill Hudson: 'Jonah is one of my best friends, and we've been talking about doing something together for a while. Even though he's not a part of CELLADOR, we'll be more than happy to have him on stage with us at ProgPower. We're also preparing a couple of other surprises for that show.'

In other news, the July 2007 issue of Guitar World magazine will feature CELLADOR/THE SUPREMACY guitarist Bill Hudson in the 'Betcha Can't Play This' section. Bill will be presenting two licks, and videos of the examples will be on the accompaning CD-ROM. Other videos will be made available at Guitar World's web site. A preview of the CD-ROM is available here.

As previously reported, CELLADOR has parted ways with drummer David Dahir. The band will use a fill-in drummer for the upcoming dates, which will include an appearance at the New England Metal And Hardcore Fest on April 28 in Worcester, MA.

If you think you have what it takes to be the drummer in CELLADOR, you can contact the band at contact@cellador.com.

CELLADOR's 'Enter Deception' album was released in June 2006 via Metal Blade. The CD was recorded at Mana Studios in Tampa, Florida with producer Erik Rutan (MORBID ANGEL, HATE ETERNAL).
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

DECREPIT BIRTH TO ENTER STUDIO NEXT MONTH

Santa Cruz, California-based death metallers DECREPIT BIRTH will enter Castle Ultimate studios on May 8 with engineer/producer Zack Ohren to begin recording their second album, 'Diminishing between Worlds'. The CD will be released later this year on Unique Leader Records. 'This album will be a step in more of a melodic and progressive direction yet still have a heavy dose of technical brutality,' guitarist/vocalist Matt Sotelo previously said. 'Very reminiscent of bands such as later DEATH, CYNIC and QUO VADIS mixed with the brutality that DECREPIT BIRTH is known for. We are really trying to do something new with album, and we feel that we have grown as musicians and that 'Diminishing Between Worlds' will be a reflection of that. We are very happy to get to work with Unique Leader Records again, and we are confident that they will greatly contribute to the success of DECREPIT BIRTH from now into the future. Artwork will be by none other than Dan Seagrave.'

DECREPIT BIRTH recently announced the return of bassist Risha Eryavec to the group's ranks. The band's debut album, '...And Time Begins', was released in October 2003 via Unique Leader Records.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Friday, April 13, 2007

SKID ROW: MORE TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

SKID ROW has lined up the following tour dates:

April 24 - Ledyard, Connecticut, Club BB @ Foxwoods Casino
April 25 - Ledyard, Connecticut, Club BB @ Foxwoods Casino
June 08 - Solvesborg, Sweden, Sweden Rock Festival
June 15 - Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom
June 16 - Gilford, New Hampshire, Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center
July 13 - Owensboro, KY, Executive Inn
July 14 - Pryor, Oklahoma, Rocklahoma - Rock Fever Fest
Aug. 03 - Clearfield, Pennsylvania, Clearfield County Fair
Aug. 18 - Lapeer, Michigan, Lapeer Days Festival
Sept. 08 - San Fidel, New Mexico, Sky City Casino

SKID ROW's latest album, 'Revolutions Per Minute', was released on October 24, 2006 via SPV Records. The follow-up to 2003's 'ThickSkin' was recorded at WireWorld studio in Nashville, Tennessee with Michael Wagener, who previously worked with the band on their two most commercially successful albums to date, 'Skid Row' (1989) and 'Slave to the Grind' (1991).


Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Thursday, April 12, 2007

REUNITED IMMORTAL AT NORWAY'S INFERNO FESTIVAL; MORE VIDEO FOOTAGE, PHOTOS AVAILABLE

Reunited Norwegian black metallers IMMORTAL made their return to the live stage on Friday, April 6 as the headliners of this year's Inferno Festival, which took place April 5-7 at the Rockefeller Music Hall and John Dee in Oslo, Norway. Watch a dozen video clips of the band's performance on YouTube. New photos of the concert can be found at the group's official web site. Other bands that performed at the event included PRIMORDIAL, ZYKLON, SUFFOCATION, MOONSPELL, BRUTAL TRUTH, DARK FUNERAL, TIAMAT and SODOM.

An extensive report from this year's Inferno Festival — including a number of high-quality photos — is available at the Imhotep webzine.

After 13 successful years as one of the pioneers of black metal, IMMORTAL disbanded in 2003 with a legacy of seven full-length albums, including the 2002 milestone, 'Sons of Northern Darkness'. Following a long hiatus, the band decided to enter the live battlefield again.

Throughout this year, the world will experience a ferocious new IMMORTAL lineup, featuring Abbath, Horgh, and new bass player Apollyon from AURA NOIR.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

OMNIUM GATHERUM: 'STUCK HERE ON SNAKES WAY' ENTERS FINNISH CHART AT NO. 31

OMNIUM GATHERUM's latest album, 'Stuck Here on Snakes Way', has entered the Finnish chart at position No. 31. View the entire chart at this location.

OMNIUM GATHERUM recently uploaded the video for its song 'Into Sea' to YouTube. The track comes off 'Stuck Here on Snakes Way', which was released on April 2 via Candlelight Records (one day later in North America). The CD was recorded during November-December 2006 at Southeast Studios in Karhula, Finland with producer Teemu Aalto. An eight-minute video clip documenting the recording sessions for the album has been posted online at this location. Check out audio samples on the band's MySpace page.

'Stuck Here on Snakes Way' marks the band's first release with brand new vocalist Jukka Pelkonen, who joined the group in May 2006.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

THE ACTUAL TO SUPPORT VELVET REVOLVER ON U.S. DATES

Los Angeles power trio THE ACTUAL, which is signed to Softdrive Records, the label headed up by VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland's (ex-STONE TEMPLE PILOTS), has been confirmed as the support act on VELVET REVOLVER's U.S. tour in May. The dates are as follows:

May 03 - Los Angeles, CA - Avalon
May 05 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
May 07 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Showroom
May 10 - Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
May 12 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
May 13 - Toronto, ON - Kool Haus
May 15 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
May 16 - Boston, MA - Avalon
May 18 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
May 22 - New York, NY - Nokia Theatre

A poster for the tour can be found at this location.

THE ACTUAL's new album, entitled 'In Stitches', is scheduled for release on May 29. The band features in its ranks singer Max Bernstein, who is the son of famed Pulitzer Prize-winning Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein. Rolling Stone said of lead singer Max Bernstein '…he knows his way around both a melodic hook and an understated chorus,' and Law of Inertia declared, 'If there's any disc in the world that proves pop-punk is still very much alive and a viable source of enjoyment, let THE ACTUAL's debut full-length be the harbinger of such greatness.'
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Saturday, April 07, 2007

HATEBREED, PAPA ROACH, MASTODON CONFIRMED FOR HOLLAND'S FIELDS OF ROCK FESTIVAL

HATEBREED, PAPA ROACH, MASTODON, AMON AMARTH, FASTWAY, PAIN OF SALVATION, LAUREN HARRIS, BLOODSIMPLE and WALLS OF JERICHO have been confirmed for the Fields of Rock festival, set to take place June 16-17 at the Evenemententerrein Walibi World in Biddinghuizen, Holland. Meanwhile, BUCKCHERRY has cancelled its appearance at the event due to scheduling conflicts. The festival billing is now shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):

AIDEN
AMON AMARTH
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY
BLOODSIMPLE
DELAIN
DEVILDRIVER
DRAGONFORCE
DREAM THEATER
FASTWAY
HATEBREED
HEAVEN AND HELL
HINDER
ILL NINO
IRON MAIDEN
KORN
LAUREN HARRIS
LIFE OF AGONY
MACHINE HEAD
MASTODON
MEGADETH
MOTORHEAD
OZZY OSBOURNE
PAIN OF SALVATION
PAPA ROACH
SLAYER
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
TYPE O NEGATIVE
VELVET REVOLVER
WALLS OF JERICHO

Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Friday, April 06, 2007

OZZY OSBOURNE TO RELEASE 'BLACK RAIN' IN JUNE

According to Rolling Stone magazine (web site), OZZY OSBOURNE has set 'Black Rain' as the title of his new solo album, due out early June.

The first single from the upcoming CD, 'I Don't Want to Stop', will receive its online premiere on Friday, April 13. (To hear a clip of the single, click here.)

A number of other audio clips from 'Black Rain' are available streaming at this location.

Among the eleven new tracks Osbourne has recorded is 'Not Going Away', which Rolling Stone describes as 'a fiery rocker with ominous riffs from guitarist Zakk Wylde,' and 'Lay Your World On Me', which was inspired by Ozzy's wife and manager's recent battle with cancer. Other songtitles set to appear on the CD include 'Countdown's Begun', 'The Almighty Dollar', 'Not Going Away' and 'Civilize the Universe'.

The follow-up to 2001's 'Down to Earth', was recorded with the same band that backed Osbourne on his scattered 2006 Ozzfest dates — Zakk Wylde on guitar, Mike Bordin on drums, and former ROB ZOMBIE bassist Rob 'Blasko' Nicholson. The album has no official producer, although longtime Mutt Lange protégé Kevin Churko is serving as the engineer.

The new CD is the first to be recorded in Osbourne's home studio, located in the newly soundproofed guest house behind his Beverly Hills mansion, which he's outfitted with a mixing desk and a ProTools rig. 'If you ever have inspiration, you can put down an idea,' Osbourne told Rolling Stone of recording at home. 'The bad thing is your wife can get ahold of you all the time for whatever she wants you to do.'
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Thursday, April 05, 2007

DEW-SCENTED: 'THAT'S WHY I DESPISE YOU' VIDEO POSTED ONLINE

German thrashers DEW-SCENTED have posted their new video for the song 'That's Why I Despise You' at YouTube. The clip was shot in Gothenburg, Sweden with acclaimed director Patric Ullaeus from the Revolver Film Company AB (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL).

'That's Why I Despise You' comes off DEW-SCENTED's new album, 'Incinerate', which was released in North America this week via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was mixed by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY) and features guest appearances by Jeff Waters (ANNIHILATOR), Gus G. (FIREWIND) and Mille Petrozza (KREATOR).
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

EVERGREY KEYBOARDIST: 'WE WILL TRY TO EVOLVE ALL THE TIME'

EVERGREY keyboardist Rikard Zander recently answered several fan questions via the band's MySpace page. A couple of excerpts follow:

Q: How did you find your way to the band — like what did you do in order to be where you are at now?

Rikard: I have been playing keyboards for a long time in a number of bands. In 1999 I moved to Gothenburg and a couple of years later a friend from the band MAYADOME called me. He told me that EVERGREY was looking for a keyboard player and asked me if he could give them my number. A few months later I did my first gig and the rest is what you call history.

Q: How did you decide you want to make and play music for a living, and how did that decision affect and what was it like to your parents and to your friends?

Rikard: I haven't really decided that. Of course that is what I want but it more or less just happened. It's not easy though. Sometimes the rent is a bit late if you know what I mean. My friends and parents have always supported me in my decisions so I guess I'm quite lucky in that matter.

Q: The material on 'Monday Morning Apocalypse' shows EVERGREY taking a more structured approach to songwriting, with less emphasis on the epic soundscapes found on 'The Inner Circle'. Do you see this more as a conscious effort to change direction or as a natural progression?

Rikard: I think earlier EVERGREY songs were more of riffs stapling on each other. On 'Monday Morning Apocalypse' I think we were more building songs around one riff. Probably that is more traditional way of songwriting and that is why it does not sound as epic. It's natural to try and find different ways in the creating process. That is the reason you do your first album, you want to do something new.

Q: Many fans discredited 'Monday Morning Apocalypse' for supposedly being stripped down from the usual EVERGREY sound. Will the new album differentiate from this?

Rikard: Like I said we will try to evolve all the time just to keep it fresh for ourselves. I'm not into doing something you have already done again. In my opinion the basic is still there, although the arrangements and the sound is little bit different.

Q: As the color of the band, how is your role in the new album shaping up? Are you going for a more traditional piano/string sound or are you experimenting with more synth sounds?

Rikard: We are just in the starting process but I have recently bought a new synth so I will see how that will work in the EVERGREY sound.

Q: How did you and EVERGREY take the departure of Michael [bass], and how much do you think that will affect the final product of future albums?

Rikard: When I saw EVERGREY the first time Michael was the one I remembered most. He has an outstanding charisma. Of course it was sad that he wanted to leave the band but we are still good friends. I don't think think the final product will be affected that much because of Michael's absence. He was never really involved in the songwriting process.

Read the entire interview at this location.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY: NICK CATANESE, J.D. DESERVIO AUDIO INTERVIEWS POSTED ONLINE

Part three of 'Talking Metal''s special BLACK LABEL SOCIETY coverage contains interviews host John Ostronomy conducted with guitarist Nick Catanese, bassist John 'J.D.' DeServio, and BLS family members, including 'Big Nick' Catanese and Pat 'The Kat' DeServio. Interview topics include Nick Catanese's recent engagement, Johnny Cash, Paul Stanley, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, Tony Iommi, Zakk Wylde, Ozzy Osbourne, and J.D. DeServio's first bass guitar. Additional podcast topics covered by hosts Mark Strigl and Ostronomy include MASTODON, 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, OVERLOADED, and MESSIAH'S REIGN. Photos as well as the 30-minute podcast can be downloaded at this location. iTunes users can also subscribe to 'Talking Metal' for free at this location.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

JUDAS PRIEST PRODUCER TAKS ABOUT MAKING OF 'PAINKILLER'

Greece's Metalzone recently conducted an interview with legendary producer Chris Tsagarides (THIN LIZZY, BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST, BRUCE DICKINSON, GIRLSCHOOL, IAN GILLAN, KING DIAMOND, HELLOWEEN, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, OZZY OSBOURNE). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

On today's production techniques:

'Things have changed so much from those days 'till now, because the whole culture of recording now has changed so drastically. There aren't so many of the big studios anymore where people go along and learn to be engineers because the economy and everything has changed. People do it at home; [with] the advent of digital recording, computers, it's a lot easier and cheaper for people to be able to do it at home. But the biggest reason is that labels have become so global, so institutionalized and they would only spend money on something they can see a quick return for. Pop music, something that's disposable, something that will make a lot of moneys very quickly so that the shareholders are pleased and the company makes money. So it's more of a money-making concern than it is anything to do with art. Which it used to be… I mean it's always been a business, don't get me wrong, but there was a little bit more of a personal involvement from the people who owned the independent labels back in the day. They wanted to see… obviously make money but also see some decent music coming out. And that's the differences, I think, there are between then and now. It's still the same if you have a great band they will shine through and will become successful, that will always be. But it's not quite the same system as it used to be.'

On why records don't have the same feeling as they used to:

'A lot of it has to do with the way things are done these days. Because of the technology you don't have to play everything quite so well, you don't even have to play the whole song! You can play the central parts of the song and then have it all edited together, there are machines that put your voice back in tune, machines to put the drums back in time, lots of technology. This for me, for rock music, isn't really the way to do it. Rock music is an emotion; it's a feel, a time of a band's life that is captured on a record, this is what we are writing this is what we're playing. If you don't play it from beginning to end, I don't think that's right. You have to play your music as a musician. I don't see the point in having some clever guy with a computer do it for you. And I think that's why records now don't sound like records did back then.'

On JUDAS PRIEST's 'Painkiller':

'A really brutal but clear sound. When I heard the original demo, it was just guitar and a little drum machine. The song is very fast. And I said, 'Where the heck are we going to get a drummer to do this?' They said, 'Well, we got one.' And I said, 'Oh, yeah?' And there was Scott [Travis] and yes, he could do it very well. With that, having such an amazing drummer, he set the level up that much we could reproduce the speed that was on the demo. And we set out to do a very focused; I told them we have to focus on this record. You have to be… If it's heavy metal it has to be heavy metal from the beginning till the end. We have to have all the songs sorted. And I was lucky, I had written a song called 'A Touch of Evil' and they liked it and they collaborated with me and that became the single from the album. This was awesome. At that time I was the only person that had written anything on a JUDAS PRIEST album, other than being a member of the band. And for a little Greek kid from Cyprus that was pretty cool, I thought.'

Read the entire interview at this location. An MP3 of the interview can be downloaded here.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

GWAR: 'EIGHT LOCK' VIDEO POSTED ONLINE

GWAR's video for the song 'Eight Lock' has been posted online at BohabCentral.com, the 'ultimate GWAR fansite.' The clip was filmed on November 27, 2006 before the band's show at the New Orleans House of Blues. The video was shot in its entirety at the House of Shock haunted house in New Orleans and features the group roaming through the House of Shock as if it were Hell and encountering some of its inhabitants along the way. Cast members of the House of Shock also make appearances in the clip.

GWAR's new album, 'Beyond Hell', was released on August 29 via DRT Entertainment. The band's video for the ALICE COOPER classic 'School's Out' can be viewed at this location.

'Beyond Hell', produced by Devin Townsend (LAMB OF GOD, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) is said to be GWAR's 'most crushing release yet.' An e-card has been made available where fans can stream four tracks off the album. A deluxe limited edition of the album includes expanded artwork, a poster and a DVD which compiles all of the SlavePit TV episodes along with additional behind-the-scenes footage on the creation of the new costumes, as well as hilarious footage of GWAR in the studio with producer Devin Townsend.
Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net

Monday, April 02, 2007

HEAVEN AND HELL TO GUEST ON XM'S 'EDDIE TRUNK LIVE' TODAY

HEAVEN AND HELL — the band featuring BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, singer Ronnie James Dio, and drummer Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, DIO) — will be the featured guests on 'Eddie Trunk Live' on XM Satellite Radio today (Monday, April 2) between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. EST on channel 41. Call in and talk to the band, live, commercial free and uncensored nationwide.

For more information, click here.

HEAVEN AND HELL made its U.S. live debut Friday night (March 30) at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The entire show — which featured no opening acts — was filmed/recorded for an upcoming DVD and CD, to be released before the end of the year via Rhino. Check out pictures from the concert at Wire Image.

As previously reported, HEAVEN AND HELL will be the featured guests on the nationally syndicated radio show 'Rockline' airing Wednesday, April 11. The live show begins at 8:30 p.m. PT / 11:30 p.m. ET, and fans are encouraged to call in with questions during the program at (800) 344-ROCK (7625). To find a station near you, check out www.rocklineradio.com.

Iommi, Butler, Dio, and Appice will be signing copies of the new BLACK SABBATH CD, 'The Dio Years', on Tuesday, April 3 between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at Best Buy (44th & 5th Avenue) in New York City. Contact the store for further details: (212) 808-0309.

Several full-length video clips of HEAVEN AND HELL performing on March 13 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada have been posted online at YouTube.com. Check them out at this location.

HEAVEN AND HELL's U.S. trek with support from MEGADETH and MACHINE HEAD will launch April 22 in Phoenix, Arizona.


Courtesy of BlabberMouth.net