PAIN OF SALVATION are playing their first gigs in Greece after the release of their controversially discussed album “Be“. In February the DVD/CD release of the same title is going to be in out in the shops. There you’ll find the theatrical stage version of the thematic work, as it was brought to the stage in their home town Eskilstuna in Sweden last summer.
Their musical passion was never a deadly serious matter for British progsters IQ. When the band around singer Peter Nicholls used the motto “20 Years of Prog Nonsense“ for their anniversary tour 2002 this caused many laughters even among the die-hard fans that are pretty familiar with IQ’s British humour. Their birthday gig in London at the “Mean Fiddler“ club was a memorable event, among other things due a very special support act called The Lens. All this you will find on a double DVD which will be out at the end of November. This DVD will feature the complete shows of IQ and The Lens as well as a collection of infamous concert intro and outro films and a video tour documentary.
More than 15 years ago the Texan power trio KING’S X took off. Now they are presenting their first official live recording. The CD double album “Live All Over The Place“ shows guitarist Ty Tabor, bassist Doug Pinnick and drummer Jerry Gaskill across all periods of their band history and in top form. And there was no swindle by the groove rockers when they put this album together because later overdubs were not allowed!
A perfect start made keyboard player John Beck (ex-It Bites), drummer Chris Maitland (ex-Porcupine Tree), singer and guitarist John Mitchell (Arena), and bassist Pete Trewavas (Marillion) with their new band KINO. On December 8th the quartet makes its first ever live appearance for WDR‘s “Rockpalast“ in Cologne. The debut album will be out in February.
Sweden's metal machine IN FLAMES have topped the Pepsi Live charts on the Swedish music channel ZTV for the second week in a row with their latest video, "Touch of Red". The "Touch of Red" clip was shot in Los Angeles during late August/early September with director Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, CHILDREN OF BODOM and LACUNA COIL, among others. To view the "Touch of Red" video, visit IN FLAMES' web site at InFlames.com
Christian thrash metallers TOURNIQUET have been rejoined by longtime friend, guitarist Aaron Guerra. "As you may remember, it was a mutual parting a couple three years ago, as Aaron was starting a family and so on," the band write on their web site. "We are all now in a position to welcome him back and he is in a position to return — so... let's all give him a 'WELCOME BACK AARON'. Of course, this means you may have a chance to see TOURNIQUET live again..."
TOURNIQUET's last studio release, 2003's "Where Moth and Rust Destroy" (Metal Blade), featured special guest appearances by guitarists Marty Friedman (ex-MEGADETH) and Bruce Franklin (TROUBLE).
Switzerland's SAMAEL will release their new album, "Reign of Light", in early 2005 in North America through Galactical/Nuclear Blast Records. The CD, which was issued in Europe last month, was mixed at two different studios in Switzerland and was co-produced by Waldemar Sorychta (GRIP INC., LACUNA COIL, TIAMAT), who has worked with the group on most of their previous efforts. Mixing duties were handled by Stephan Glaumann (BON JOVI, RAMMSTEIN) in Stockholm, Sweden. A new single, entitled "Telepath", was recently released containing the title cut plus several remixes and non-album tracks.
SAMAEL's current tour, which is scheduled to end on December 6, will be extended to include five extra shows with German electro/metal outfit OOMPH! The newly added dates are as follows:
Dec. 11 - Bamberg, GER - Forum Dec. 12 - Freiberg, GER - Tivoli Dec. 16 - Bremen, GER - Aladin Dec. 17 - Trier, GER - Messeparkhalle Dec. 19 - Mannheim, GER - Capitol
Finnish melodic death/doom metallers WITHERING have parted ways with bassist/vocalist Raimo Crazyhorse. No reason was given for his departure. A replacement singer has yet to be announced.
WITHERING released their debut album, "Gospel of Madness", earlier in the year through Firebox Records. The CD was recorded at Tico Tico Studio by Ahti Kortelainen and was mastered at Finnvox studio. Audio samples are available from the group's official ' .
CHTON, the Norwegian death metal band featuring Kenneth of KEEP OF KALESSIN and Torstein of MANES, won a "Silver Frame" award at the Euro-Filmforum Scandinavia festival in Oslo for their video "Book of Black Earth" (' ). Also, photographer Lars Wara won a prize for one of the pictures he took of the band during the video shoot. Wara is featured in a two-page spread in this month's issue of the Norwegian photo magazine Fotografi.
CHTON's debut album, "Chtonian Lifecode", was recorded, mixed and mastered at Godt Selskap Studio between April and June 2004 and was released in August through Retribute Records. The album includes guest vocals by Attila Csihar (ex-MAYHEM, TORMENTOR) and Frediablo (NECROPHAGIA, GRIMFIST). A full-length MP3 of the album track "Unholy Communion" can be downloaded ' .
Launch Radio Networks is reporting that Maynard James Keenan of TOOL and A PERFECT CIRCLE appears on two politically oriented Election Day albums tomorrow (Tuesday, Nov. 2) — APC's "eMOTIVe", and as one of the performers on the "Axis Of Justice Concert Series Volume 1". Keenan said he feels the world is a more dangerous place than it was four years ago, and he blames the Bush administration. "They've had four years to reunite this country and show them that they do have good intentions," he told Launch. "They keep trying to say the world's safer without Saddam (Hussein), but it's not. They've fostered more terrorists, and we've lost control of the north and south of Iraq now. We used to have control of it, with him in power. He was contained. Now it's a mess."
"eMOTIVe" features two APC originals along with covers of political songs by JOHN LENNON, MARVIN GAYE, NICK LOWE, DEPECHE MODE, and others. The first single is a remake of Lennon's "Imagine". Keenan plans to begin working on a new TOOL album next month.
German melodic black/death metallers SUIDAKRA will enter Gernhard studio in Siegburg, Germany on Tuesday (Nov. 2) to begin recording their seventh album, "Command to Charge", tentatively due in early 2005. The group hope to complete the recording and mixing sessions for the follow-up to last year's "Signs for the Fallen" by November 25.
"Command to Charge" projected track listing:
01. Decibel Dance 02. Reap The Storm 03. The Alliance 04. Strange Perfection 05. Second Skin 06. C14_Measured By Infinity 07. The End Beyond Me 08. Dead Man's Reel (instrumental) 09. A Runic Rhyme (acoustic) 10. Gathered In Fear (acoustic) 11. Moonlight Shadow (MIKE OLDFIELD cover)
Polish black metallers BEHEMOTH have been confirmed for the upcoming KING DIAMOND/NILE/THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER tour happening in April of 2005. The tour follows their January/February co-headlining run with SUFFOCATION. Here's what Nergal (guitars/vocals) had to say:
"Hey f(r)iends! We’re touring Europe right now with INCANTATION and KRISUIN in support of our brand new record, 'Demigod'. The new songs have been sounding great live and we can’t wait to play them for our U.S. fans! It seems we will be conquering North America a few times next year; I have just gotten the confirmation for the KING DIAMOND/NILE tour. All I have to say is this is my dream line up! Playing before living legends such as the KING and NILE is more than an honor! We hope to see you all soon! HORNS UP!"
Quebec City-based metal webzine ' has posted a bunch of pictures from CRADLE OF FILTH's North American tour kick-off in Quebec City Sunday night (Oct. 31). Check them out ' .
COF’s set list:
01. Satyriasis (Intro) 02. Gilded Cunt 03. Nemesis 04. The Principle of Evil Made Flesh 05. Tortured Soul Asylum 06. Mannequin 07. Funeral in Carpathia 08. Her Ghost in the Fog 09. Nymphetamine 10. The Forest Whispers my Name 11. Painting flowers White Never Suited my Palette 12. A Bruise Upon The Silent Moon (Intro) 13. The Promise of Fever 14. Cruelty Brought Three Orchids 15. From the Cradle to Enslave
TO SEPARATE THE FLESH FROM THE BONES, the Finnish grindcore band featuring Herr Arschstein (Pasi Koskinen, ex-AMORPHIS), Rot Wailer (Niclas Etelavuori, AMORPHIS) and Pus Sypope (Gas, H.I.M.), will release their full-length debut, "Utopia Sadistica", on November 24 through Spikefarm Records (a subisidiary of Spinefarm). The 25-song effort features a special guest appearance by former CARCASS frontman Jeff Walker. "Utopia Sadistica" track listing:
01. Meatbash (' ) 02. Cold Cuts 03. Rotten Siege 04. The Final Extinction 05. Preternatural Pervert 06. Meretricious Murderess 07. Disconsolated Suffer 08. Pussyfer 09. Amputated Whore 10. Conflagration (' ) 11. Absolute Holocaust 12. Mass Of Vipers 13. Brain Drain Faucet 14. The Rot 15. Art Of Aggression 16. The Spoon 17. Bare Your Wounds For Me 18. Reek Of Excrete 19. The Revolt 20. Mutilated Virgin Slut 21. Profanity 22. Drowned In Semen 23. The Manticore 24. Drunk & Nauseous 25. Condition Dead
For more information, visit the band's official ' at this location.
Norwegian metallers GRIFFIN will enter Godt Selskap studios in Trondheim, Norway before the end of the year to begin recording their fourth full-length album, tentatively due next spring/summer via FaceFront Records. The follow-up to last year's "No Holds Barred" will be mixed by Andy LaRoque (KING DIAMOND) at his Los Angered Studio in Gothenborg, Sweden beginning on February 3, 2005. "No Holds Barred" was recorded at Skansen Lydstudio in Trondheim, Norway under the co-production guidance of CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho. In addition to co-producing the effort, Laiho laid down guest guitar and vocals on the CD.
In summer 2004 cruel true blackers of SAMHAIN (Naberezhnye Chelny, Russia) recorded their secind full-length album, "De Doctrina Diaboli", which as the first band's effort will be released through Oupiric Productions as MC release and will be in stores next winter.
Guitarist Aleksi Sihvonen of Finnish melodic thrash/death metallers IMPERANON recently recorded a song called "Pentatonic School" with a young and talented keyboardist by the name of Risto Kupiainen. You can download the track here. IMPERANON recently parted ways with guitarist Lauri Koskenniemi. Lauri decided to quit IMPERANON to focus on his other band, CRYSTAL BLAZE, according to a posting on the group's web site. A replacement for Koskenniemi has aleady been found in the shape of Teemu Mantysaari.
Izhevsk-based (Russia) true black thrashers BESTIAL recorded their new skullcrushing stuff right after their debut release, "Satanic Metal" (OUPIRIC Prods). Musicians also founded little label Trinity, which the first release is already out. This is the compilation of Udmurtia, Russia metal hordes. First BESTIAL demo tape "Bestial Control" (1994) release through Oupiric Prods is ecpected.
Chicago doomsters NOVEMBERS DOOM have completed the recording process for their new album, "The Pale Haunt Departure", and the tapes have been shipped off to the Swedish producer/musician Dan Swano (BLOODBATH, EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE) for the mixdown. "Recording took about a week longer than originally planned due to the amount of detail we chose to focus on this time around," the band write on their web site. "This is easily the best performance from every member of the band. The artwork is also complete, and we'll be showing you the cover in the days to come." An early 2005 release through The End Records is expected.
Russian black metal band parted ways with their vocalist. However, the recording and mixing of new album is almost finished. CD will be released late this year through More Hate Prods. The name of new vocalist to be annonced soon.
With Krasnodar-based (Russia) group L.I.G.O. for release of album, "No One Safe". Band plays progressive death metal. Release-date: November 2004. With Ukrainian band CAPITOLIUM for release of second album, "Seraphim's Lair". Band plays symphonic keyboards-oriented black metal, and is known due to their debut album, "Symphony of Possession", released through OUPIRIC Productions. Also somewhere next year MORE HATE will release the CD of Belarussian band ASGUARD, "Wicca". The compilation of brutal death/grindcore bands is prepearing. CD includes BARBARITY (Kostroma, Russia), KATALEPSY (Moscow, Russia), SMERSH (Volgograd, Russia), POSTHUMOUS BLASPHEMER (Belarus).
AJATTARA, the Finnish "black/dark metal" project featuring former AMORPHIS frontman Pasi Koskinen (a.k.a. Ruoja), will release a special two-song Christmas single in Finland on November 24. Three copies of the single — containing the tracks "Ilon Pдivд" and "Hei Tonttu-Ukot Hyppikдд" — will include a special voucher entiting the holder to the traditional Finnish Christmas ham courtesy of the band's record label, Spinefarm Records. Owners of three other specially marked copies of the single will receive AJATTARA's catalog autographed by the band.
AJATTARA recently issued their third album, "Tyhjyys" ("Emptiness") through through the Spinefarm Records subsidiary Spikefarm. Recordings for the CD took place at Savonlinna's Sundi Coop studio, where AJATTARA recorded their earlier releases, "Itse" (2001) and "Kuolema" (2003).
October 28, 2004... Accept reunion confirmed! Late yesterday morning I recieved two e-mails directing me to the rock hard site which mentions a one show Accept reunion? I held off on posting anything on this site because I was hoping for some more concrete confirmation. This is strange for a couple reasons. First of all, one of the terms that I agreed with Wolf on before I interviewed him was to not ask him reunion questions. He was tired of being asked. Second of all, an announcement as blockbuster as this, why has it just been announced in one place? I thought this might have all be a mistake. I e-mailed Wolf yesterday afternoon and got this reply early this morning!
No misprint here...
It's true : We are going to play some festival shows next summer in Europe. Original good ol' Accept.
BURZUM mastermind Varg Vikernes recently gave a rare and lengthy interview to the Russian BURZUM site Burzum.org about his escape from prison last year, his political views and the possibility of a BURZUM resurrection at some point in the future. You can read it ' .
Legendary Swedish guitarist YNGWIE MALMSTEEN has signed a record deal with Universal Japan. U.S. and Europe label details are to be announced soon. Doogie White (ex-RAINBOW) has just completed his vocal parts for Malmsteen's new album, and now Yngwie and Mike Fraser (AC/DC, METALLICA, VAN HALEN, AEROSMITH) are in the mixing stages, according to a posting on Yngwie's web site. No further details are currently available.
ENFORSAKEN's video for the track "Poison Me" has been posted online at the Autumn's End Entertainment web site. Check it out: ' '
As previously reported, the Arlington Heights, Illinois-based death metallers' latest album, "The Forever Endeavor", was released in Japan on September 29 through Soundholic Records. The Japanese pressing of the CD includes four additional "bonus" tracks — three previously unreleased numbers and a cover of CARCASS' "Incarnated Solvent Abuse".
"The Forever Endeavor" was released in March through Century Media/Olympic Records.
Italian traditional heavy metallers MESMERIZE have completed the recording process for their fourth album, tentatively due in February 2005 through Dragonheart Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Off the Beaten Path" is being recorded in part at drummer Andrea Garavaglia's Octopussy studio with engineer Giovanni Spinotti, who has previously worked with LABYRINTH. Songtitles set to appear on the as-yet-untitled album include "The Burn", "Princess of the Wolves", "Bitter Crop", "Hot Lead, Cold Steel", "Field of Heroes", "Bloody Mary", "Best Place for a Knife", "Windchaser", "Triumph of the Darksword", "Lure of the Temptress" and "Monkeys In Sunday Best".
WAYSTED, the reunited semi-obscure mid-'80s British heavy metal outfit led by former UFO bassist Pete Way (hence the spelling of the group's name), have a new CD available to order via their newly launched web site.
Entitled "Back from the Dead", the album contains the following track listing:
01. The Alternativa 02. Garden of Eden 03. Dreams Don't Work Out 04. Must B More 2 It Than This 05. Price of Love 06. Breakfast Show 07. I'm Gonna Love Ya 08. Lost in Cleveland Bonus tracks on Japanese release: 09. No Place to Run 10. The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent
Finnish metallers PAIN CONFESSOR have uploaded their video for the track ' . The "Lake of Regret" clip was directed by Vesa Vainio of Vasara Productions, who have previously worked with MOKOMA, "one of the best thrashy metal acts hailing from Finland," according to a posting on PAIN CONFESSOR's web site. "Lake of Regret" comes off PAIN CONFESSOR's debut album, "Turmoil", available now through Megamania Records. PAIN CONFESSOR, who feature former members of such groups as A.R.G., JANE DOE 69 and NONSLIPLEVEL, play "melodic metal with clean and death metal vocals mixing various metal sub-genre influences into their unique style," according to an official press release. "Lots of guitar and vocal harmonies intertwine with atmospheric keyboards and tight rhythms. This is thrashy metal but there are no limits to the band's musical expression and imagination."
World Entertainment News Network is reporting that the three remaining members of the rock group QUEEN have lost a court case because they couldn't prove their nationality.
Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor sued a German record label over an unsolicited release of a 1977 live recording of "We Will Rock You".
A Cologne court threw out their lawsuit because of inadequate proof of their British nationality. The QUEEN members should have been able to sue because European Union citizens have the same rights as German nationals.
The court deemed internet printouts listing their birth places as "unsuitable evidence" — deeming they did not prove their current nationalities.
Guitarist Aleksi Sihvonen of Finnish melodic thrash/death metallers IMPERANON recently recorded a song called "Pentatonic School" with a young and talented keyboardist by the name of Risto Kupiainen. You can download the track here.