02.28.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Very rarely does a new band on a new label impact the music industry the way that REVELATION THEORY has, whose successful artist development story of 2005 is creating a significant buzz in 2006. With more than 150 live shows played in 2005, their debut single, 'Slowburn' is currently sitting at #29 at Active Rock radio and impatiently climbing the charts, paired with the accompanying video getting occasional spins on MTV2's "Headbanger's Ball." Offering a potent blend of hard and heavy guitar-based Rock and Metal, forceful and impassioned vocals, and a muscular and melodic rhythm section, this four-piece infuses plenty of energy and honesty in their music. Brought together by a shared passion, three members of REVELATION THEORY met while experimenting with music during their college days in Massachusetts. Shortly after, the trio moved to New York to chase a lifelong dream of creating music together, teaming up with music production/management company Idol Roc Entertainment. The band's search for a bassist/vocalist came to an abrupt end soon afterward. REVELATION THEORY spent the next year slugging it out on couches and sofas in different friends' homes, while developing and recording a self-titled EP. After releasing it independently, the band hit the road and built their fan-base organically, igniting stages city by city, and building a loud industry buzz. In early 2005, the band's commitment to artist development began paying off with their first headlining stint on the "Girls Gone Wild Rocks America" tour, which hit over 30 cities in eight weeks - playing to more than 15,000 people. After recognizing the current climate of the music industry, REVELATION THEORY looked for a label partner that would provide an extension of the grass-roots philosophy they have taken in developing their career. Idol Roc then teamed up with ON Entertainment and Century Media owner/founder Robert Kampf to sign the band to his new venture, Element Records (distributed by EMI), who released REVELATION THEORY's full-length debut album, "Truth Is Currency," this past Fall. Produced by Grammy winner Paul Ebersold (Saliva, 3 Doors Down), music fans and radio stations across the country tapped into the album's infectious energy and intense songwriting, and before long, stations such as Dallas, Texas' KDGE and Tampa, Florida's WXTB took up the charge by scheduling them on radio festivals for Fall 2005 alongside bands of such caliber as AUDIOSLAVE, SEETHER, FALL OUT BOY, BREAKING BENJAMIN, and SALIVA. With powerful vocals bringing with them an intensity that matches the band's aggressive musicianship, songs like the pounding 'After The Rain,' the tender ballad 'Selfish And Cold,' the desperate 'Leaving It Up To You,' and a fierce and immediate first single and video in 'Slowburn,' "Truth Is Currency" is packed with soulful, raw energy. Currently, REVELATION THEORY are on the road with HINDER and FAKTION in support of the album. Tour Dates: 02/28 Greenville, SC [The Handlebar] • 03/01 Columbia, SC [Headliners] • 03/02 Jacksonville, NC [Planet Rock] • 03/03 Fayetteville, NC [Jester's Pub] • 03/04 Cherry Grove Beach, SC [House Of Blues] • 03/05 Fort Walton Beach, FL [The Swamp] • 03/07 Jackson, MS [Headliner's] • 03/08 Huntsville, AL [Sammy T's] • 03/09 Montgomery, AL [Off The Wagon] • 03/11 Dallas, TX [Lizard Lounge] • 03/12 Wichita, KS [Cotillion] • 03/14 Amarillo, TX [Midnight Rodeo] • 03/16 Abilene, TX [Desperado's] • 03/17 Corpus Christi, TX [The Pavilion @ Concrete St.] • 03/18 Houston, TX [Scout Bar] • 03/19 Odessa, TX [Dos Amigos] • 03/21 Beaumont, TX [Cactus Canyon] • 03/22 New Orleans, LA [Howlin' Wolf] • 03/23 Pascagoula, MS [Thunders Tavern]
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02.28.06 (RockAndMetal.com) A 12th album from DARKTHRONE, entitled "The Cult Is Alive," has just been released via the band's original label, Peaceville Records. After their early foray into the world consciousness with "Soulside Journey," they delivered the unholy trinity of "A Blaze In The Northern Sky, "Under A Funeral Moon," and "Transilvanian Hunger." However, censorship and heavy-handed political correctness forced the band from Peaceville, after which they made a succession of albums for the fledgling Moonfog label. Something was always missing from that equation though, and soon the band members yearned to go home and made it clear. The only thing that stood between them and Peaceville was a contract, written in Norwegian and signed in blood. However, time heals all wounds, and as soon as the band became free they planned their return to the forefront of Metal existence with Peaceville once again - "The Cult Is Alive" being the foetid, rotting, rocking first fruits of the new future. Recording originally under the BLACK DEATH moniker, the band released several demo cassettes throughout 1986, (Fenriz performed the vocals on the "Land Of Frost," "A New Dimension," and "Thulcandra" demo tapes) and were subsequently signed to a four-album contract with Peaceville Records at the time. After changing their name to DARKTHRONE, the band released "Soulside Journey." That album was cleanly produced in a Technical Death Metal style characterised by Progressive song structures, complex drumming patterns, and fast, accurate riffing. Soon afterward, DARKTHRONE adopted the aesthetic style that would come to represent the Black Metal scene, wearing actual corpse paint and working under occult or Nordic pseudonyms. At that point, bassist Dag Nilsen left the band (but still played, listed as "Session Bass" on their next album). DARKTHRONE subsequently recorded and released the seminal Black Metal album "A Blaze In The Northern Sky," which was strongly inspired by the works of BATHORY and CELTIC FROST. Peaceville Records was originally skeptical about releasing the album due to DARKTHRONE's diversion from the Death Metal style. The band delved even deeper into the Black Metal sound with "Under A Funeral Moon," which has since established itself as a landmark for that genre as a whole. The latter was followed by quintessential masterpiece "Transilvanian Hunger," which is generally regarded as DARKTHRONE's finest work, although the band itself regards it as being a rather untypical DARKTHRONE recording. All of those early Black Metal albums were characterized by their raw sound, low-fidelity recording quality, and musical simplicity. The band still remains a powerful force in the Black Metal genre, although they have experimented with some of their other influences over the years. Moving to the Moonfog moniker for subsequent releases, after the recording of their next album, "Panzerfaust," band member Zephyrous (Ivar Enger) left the band, supposedly disappearing into misanthropy, although he did not perform on either "Transilvanian Hunger" or "Panzerfaust." This is somewhat disputed, but the band continues to state that Zephyrous' last musical contribution was indeed on "Under A Funeral Moon." Their next release, "Total Death," was recorded with guest vocals and lyrics by various scene musicians at the time - the merit of which is widely disputed. The "Goatlord" album was actually a rehearsal tape recorded between "Soulside Journey" and "A Blaze In The Northern Sky" which was scrapped after the band had changed its sound - drummer Fenriz and Satyr of SATYRICON adding vocal tracks to that recording in 1996. Since 1999 Fenriz has also been recording with EIBON, a "supergroup" of sorts, featuring Satyr, Killjoy of NECROPHAGIA and Phil Anselmo of PANTERA, although their debut album seems destined to never be released. To celebrate DARKTHRONE's return, Peaceville reissued the "Preparing For War" anthology covering their first era at Peaceville with a bonus CD of additional demos and a DVD of rare live performances. Peaceville has also re-released the four original recordings on their label with an added interview video explaining the recording process and their time during the period of these releases. "The Cult Is Alive" was preceded by an EP entitled "Too Old Too Cold," which featured exclusive tracks.
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02.27.06 (RockAndMetal.com) German powerhouse quintet MAROON have just completed a worldwide deal with Century Media, and will release their much-anticipated new album, "When Worlds Collide," on April 18th. The band have added a whole new dimension and depth to the watered-down Metalcore scene, and quickly become one of Europe's most crushing live acts. Like a calculated maniacal killer, MAROON move in quick and goes straight for the jugular with their scathing dual guitar assault and devastating breakdowns. The band have added a whole new dimension and depth to the now watered-down Metalcore scene, quickly becoming one of Europe's most crushing live acts. It's ironic that their buzz has never quite made its way over to the U.S. as of yet, as they have helped to pioneer a genre that has been thriving in North America for the past few years. Now, upon signing with Century Media, the group finally has the means to have their brutality heard by the masses. Taking Hardcore ethics to a whole new level, MAROON are quickly outplaying and outlasting their contemporaries around the globe as wel. Formed in early 1998, the vegan, straight edge five-piece are clearly showing their dedication with no sign of slowing down. Their unique sound offers a heavyweight mix of brutal Hardcore molded with Metal riffs, which infuses strong and effective melodic elements. Their major influences are primarily drawn from straight edge bands like EARTH CRISIS and MORNING AGAIN, while still remaining true to their passion for old-school visionaries like AT THE GATES, THE HAUNTED and IRON MAIDEN. MAROON's major introduction to the music world was in 2002 with their first full-length album, "Antagonist," which was released on Alveran Records in Europe and Catalyst Records in America. The band immediately embarked on a headlining European tour and even ventured over to South America and Japan in 2003 in support of "Antagonist." It's those initial years of hard work that have caused the band's reputation to spread all over the world, earning them slots at major European festivals, in addition to high-profile shows alongside acts such as HATEBREED, AGNOSTIC FRONT, EARTH CRISIS, HEAVEN SHALL BURN and SEPULTURA. MAROON's 2004 sophomore offering, "Endorsed By Hate," was a stunning portrayal of passion and anger. After its release, their sole mission was to play as much as humanly possible, so they proceeded to tour relentlessly - playing a slew of European festivals as well as touring with CATARACT in late 2004 and DOWNSET in early 2005, followed by strong performances at such major festivals as Pressure, Fury, With Full Force, Dour, Groezrock and Summerbreeze. In late October of 2005, MAROON headed off to Denmark to record "When Worlds Collide" with Jacob Hansen (Mercenary, Fear My Thoughts) at his own Hansen Studios. During the recording process, labelmates MERCENARY popped in to add some back-up vocals and keyboards, while some of Roger Miret's (Agnostic Front) unique shouting was captured spontaneously during the "Persistance Tour." So when "When Worlds Collide" was complete, MAROON set out for a full European tour supporting Death Metal legends OBITUARY and Swiss dark visionaries SAMAEL. While the band was busy on the road, Paul Romano (Mastodon, Trivium) added his unique touch to the new album's visual aspects as well. "When Worlds Collide" showcases some surprising moments, such as when the melodic vocals of MERCENARY's Mikkel Sandager kicks into the heavy, riff-driven 'Annular Eclipse,' wwhich ultimately leads to the album's captivating closer, the ultra-brutal 'Below Existence.'
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02.10.06 (RockAndMetal.com) On March 27th, "Chapter III - Sterling Black Icon" -- the second full-length album (third release in total) by FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING -- will be released in Europe (March 24th in Germany, Austria and Sweden). The new release is a well-thought-through slice of Death Metal with loads of eerie and haunting melodies. Brutal yet melodic, technical yet catchy, FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING combine all the extremes of Death Metal on one massive album. Comments the band's guitarist Sascha Ehrich: "'Sterling Black Icon' -- the second full-length album (third release in total) by FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING -- takes us miles closer to the sophistication of the characteristic songwriting we've always stood for and nevertheless believe in: 'Swedish Styled Death Metal' (from Tyskland, by the way). With a new 5th face (Sam Anetzberger) at the front, we are finally able to play with a more variable double vocal performance that highly enriches every single song. We are proud to announce that our entire catalog of material got catchier and much more melodic, but no less aggressive! One hookline follows the next, one twin melody transforms into another - beauties and beasts never were that close to each other!" The production of "Sterling Black Icon" also came out great due to the excellent mix and mastering work of Christoph Brandes at Iguana Studios (Necrophagist, etc.). The album's artwork was done in cooperation with Niklas Sundin and Groundfrost. FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING saw the light of day in the Summer of 2000, initially serving as a side project for Sascha Ehrich, then-guitarist in MORTIFIED, and Stefan Weimar, guitarist in VENEREAL DISEASE, the latter also taking up the position of vocalist. A suitable drummer was soon found in Ingo Maier, a bandmate of Weimar's in VENEREAL DISEASE. After months of trying out different bassists, Wolfram Schellenberg (ex- DISEMBOWLED, ex-TOMBTHROAT) joined on the four-string, completing a lineup that was slowly but surely moving away from the concept of a side project. The musical direction of choice was unavoidable, irrevocable and definite. FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING would travel the monumental and unforgotten peaks of 90's Swedish Death Metal, but without sacrificing originality and variation in the process. In the Spring of 2001, FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING would become a full-time band for all involved. As a consequence, Sascha Ehrich left MORTIFIED to concentrate in full on his new source of motivation and inspiration. In the Spring of 2002, the band entered Stellwerk Studios, where VENEREAL DISEASE had previously worked, to record their studio debut album, "Bloodred Tales - Chapter I - The Crimson Season," which was self-released in May of 2002 on FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING's own Sylphony Creations imprint. The band's first full-length album was recorded in the Fall of 2003 (once again at Stellwerk Studios), with production duties being shared by the band and Stefan Hahnbuch. The offering, entitled "Skywards - Chapter II - A Sylphe's Ascension," even surpassed the already-high expectations from FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING: a brutal-yet-dynamic Melodic Death Metal offering, complemented by wisely-dosed acoustic guitar sounds.
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02.09.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Metal Blade Records recording artists DEMIRICOUS will soon be out on the road for an extensive run of live dates across the United States alongside bands including RINGWORM, THE BANNER, LIGEIA, AUGUST BURNS RED from February 16th to March 11th, and then later with STILL REMAINS, IF HOPE DIES & NODES OF RANVIER from March 22nd to May 10th. Deep from the bowels of Indianapolis, Indiana, DEMIRICOUS are a band that offer up an unrelenting mixture of pure, straightforward American Metal and Thrash. Or as one band member puts it: "No fuckin' hairdos, ex-girlfriends, or lame shit... just good fuckin' times and raging metal. Style-wise and riff-wise we call our brand of music "Street Metal," which is totally cheesy, but fuck it - it has to do with tough, rippin' ass riffs and pummeling drums, and nothing to do with whatever is 'cool.'" 02/16 Buffalo, NY [Buffalo Icon] • 02/23 Chicopee, MA [Cabot St. Pub] • 02/24 Montclair, NJ [Bloomfield Ave Cafe] • 02/25 Fredericksburg, VA [KC's] • 02/27 Amityville, NY [Village Pub] • 02/28 Kingston, PA [Backstage Enterprises] • 03/01 Fayetteville, NC [Jester's Pub] • 03/02 Wilmington, NC [Soapbox Lounge] • 03/03 Lumberton, NC [Godwin Heights Building] • 03/04 Augusta, GA [Sector 7G] • 03/05 Tallahassee, FL [Big Daddy's] • 03/06 Clearwater, FL [688 Skatepark] • 03/07 Jacksonville, FL [Thee Imperial] • 03/08 Orlando, FL [Island Oasis] • 03/09 Daytona Beach, FL [Seabreeze Lounge] • 03/10 Marietta, GA [Swayzes] • 03/11 Columbus, OH [Bernie's] • 03/22 Grand Rapids, MI [Skelletones] • 03/23 Detroit, MI [St Andrew's Hall] • 03/24 Indianapolis, IN [Emerson Theatre] • 03/25 Lemont, IL [Stage 83] • 03/26 Milwaukee, WI [Mad Planet] • 03/27 Iowa City, IA [Gabe's Oasis] • 03/28 St Louis, MO [Creepy Crawl] • 03/29 Kansas City, MO [El Torreon] • 03/30 Denver, CO [Marquis Theatre] • 03/31 Salt Lake City, UT [Avalon Theatre] • 04/01 Boise, ID [The Venue] • 04/02 Spokane, WA [Fat Tuesday's] • 04/03 Seattle, WA [El Corazon] • 04/04 Portland, OR [Rock N Roll Pizza] • 04/05 San Francisco, CA [The Pound] • 04/06 Orangevale, CA [The Boardwalk] • 04/07 Corona, CA [Showcase Theatre] • 04/08 San Diego, CA [Soma] • 04/09 Hollywood, CA [Whisky A Go Go] • 04/11 Tempe, AZ [Clubhouse] • 04/12 Albuquerque, NM [Launchpad] • 04/13 Lubbock, TX [Winchester Pavillion] • 04/14 Dallas, TX [The Door] • 04/15 San Antonio, TX [White Rabbit] • 04/16 Houston, TX [Java Jazz] • 04/17 Little Rock, AR [Vino's] • 04/18 Nashville, TN [Rocket Town] • 04/19 Memphis, TN [Hi-Tone] • 04/21 Atlanta, GA [Masquerade] • 04/23 St Petersburg, FL [State Theatre] • 04/24 Columbia, SC [New Brookland Tavern] • 04/25 Charlotte, NC [The Casbah] • 04/26 Springfield, VA[ Jaxx] • 04/28 Worcester, MA [Palladium] • 05/02 Syracuse, NY [Furnace] • 05/03 Albany, NY [Valentines] • 05/04 Baltimore, MD [Ottobar] • 05/05 Poughkeepsie, NY [The Loft] • 05/06 Wilkes-Barre, PA [Cafe Metropolis] • 05/08 Buffalo, NY [Buffalo Icon] • 05/09 Cleveland, OH [Peabody's] • 05/10 Kettering, OH [The Attic]
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02.08.06 (RockAndMetal.com) The second album from Melodic Power Metallers PYRAMAZE, entitled "Legend Of The Bone Carver," has been released by Massacre Records. The early beginning of PYRAMAZE took form in the Winter of 2001/2002, when 24-year-old guitarist Michael Kammeyer left his former band, DAMION. For his new band, Kammeyer had the idea of writing original material in the Melodic Power Metal vein. So by the Summer of 2002, he found he had written enough material for a debut album. That's when local drummer Morten Gade and bassist Niels Kvist immediately jumped on the opportunity to join Kammeyer in his quest to form PYRAMAZE. The next person to be enrolled in the new band's lineup would be American keyboardist Jonah Weingarten, who Kammeyer had previously met on the Internet. With a band now around him, Kammeyer booked the studio for the recording of the debut album. To take care of the sound, well-known producer Jacob Hansen (Withering Surface, Illdisposed, Manticora, Ancient) was chosen. In January of 2003, Jonah Weingarten flew to Denmark and the band began recording the album. After having laid down all the tracks except the vocals, the guys at Intromental Management took a good liking to the PYRAMAZE material, and gave Kammeyer a call. After a couple of phone conversations, the two parties would join forces, and the band suddenly found themselves being promoted professionally, with all that it entails. One of the things that came out of the band's signing to Germany's Massacre Records was the decision to find a permanent singer who not only would fit the material, but also be able to lift it to even higher levels. And that singer was soon found in American vocalist extraordinaire Lance King, known from such reputable Power and Progressive Metal acts such as BALANCE OF POWER, MATTSON, KING'S MACHINE and GEMINI. During May of 2004 the debut album from PYRAMAZE, "Melancholy Beast," was released to excellent reviews and media feedback, as well as incredible support from fans worldwide. The band's first couple of gigs actually took place in the U.S the previous month, followed by some incredible gigs that September throughout select European countries like Denmark, Germany and France. Now integrated in the band is additional lead guitarist Toke Skjonneman. PYRAMAZE recorded "Legend Of The Bone Carver" in 2005, which is somewhat of a conceptual album with Epic overtones this time around. An appealing blend of bands like ICED EARTH, KAMELOT and IRON MAIDEN with a Progressive edge, PYRAMAZE also boasts a bevy of technically talented musicians.
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02.07.06 (RockAndMetal.com) BRAND NEW SIN recently completed a highly successful U.S. tour with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, and their stunning 45-minute set captivated crowds while solidifying them a whole new following. The group are now in full songwriting mode for the follow-up to their "Recipe For Disaster" album for Century Media. BRAND NEW SIN vocalist Joe Altier checks in with the following report: "I want to thank everyone for 2005. We got to tour with Motorhead, Corrosion Of Conformity, Life Of Agony, Black Label Society, and make good friends with all the guys in Mercy Clinic, Bloodsimple, Scum Of The Earth, Society 1, Dog Faced Gods, and more. I want to thank my band mates, crew and our families for once again being there for me (us) thru everything, all the extended sin family for housing us, getting us drunk, and plain just making us feel at home wherever we go. We will continue to make music, so hopefully you will keep coming out to see us. The main focus right now is writing the follow-up to 'Recipe For Disaster.' We will hopefully be recording this Spring, and the boys and me are hard at work once again 5 nights a week hammering out some new tunes. We will spend the next two months writing and demoing new material. We are very excited! I promise to keep everyone updated on the progress and news about this in the coming weeks. And as the hometown showgoers know, this new record is being fueled by Tequila, so you better watch out." The Southern-influenced BRAND NEW SIN first burst upon the scene in 2002 with their groundbreaking self-titled Now Or Never Records debut album. Resembling a mesmerizing amalgam of sludgy, dirt-under-the-fingernails, calloused-skin Rock and Metal and down-home, southern style Blues, the stunning debut offering was produced by local knobsman Pete Walker at Village Recorders in Liverpool, New York, and was one of those rare albums erected through sheer talent, skill, passion and an ironclad work ethic. The group went on to earn a devoted legion of fans through relentless touring with a wide array of artists, from BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and SLAYER to BREAKING BENJAMIN and SALIVA. It's the stunning blend of frontman Joe Altier's captivating roar and melodic overtones mixed with the band's gritty, rock-solid rhythm section, stunning dual guitar solos and pummeling hooks that helped BRAND NEW SIN stand out from the pack and appeal to a diverse audience. "Brand New Sin is unyielding rock 'n' roll power and timelessness," says Altier, "You can pick our record up 20 years from now, and it will still feel as fresh and relevant as it does today." Unfortunately, the band were soon sidelined in 2003 due to numerous label issues and lineup changes. BRAND NEW SIN soon added new drummer Kevin Dean to the fold, while long-time guitarists Kenny Dunham, Kris Wiechmann, and bassist Chuck Kahl stepped up their involvement. The band ultimately grew tighter and a new-found energy was put into their songwriting for the greater half of 2004, as the band hooked back up with Walker to record their eagerly awaited sophomore offering. The early demos quickly caught the attention of Century Media, who signed the band to a worldwide deal last year.
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02.06.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Blasting-Zone.com recently conducted an in-depth interview with DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Silenoz. Here are some excerpts: Q: "What prompted the group to turn down an offer to tour with Korn? Was it because they have such a different target audience?" A: "For us to play for such a different audience would have been a challenge we would have considered more if the timing had been right, you know? We'd hate to play for the same audience over and over again, you know? We don't have nothing to compare to Korn. I don't really like their music, but for us to expand our audience, it could have been a good move. It was bad timing and economically not good. Maybe under some different circumstances. Maybe not Korn, but some other band that has that same kind of big audience." Q: "At this point, what is your overall opinion of the current black metal audience?" A: "There are a lot of 16- and 17-year-old kids that show up and try to tell other bands how to play black metal. It's like, 'Hello? Where were you ten years ago?' (laughs). There's a lot of that 'I know better than you' mentality, so to speak. I don't even want to fucking think about that stuff." Q: "With that in mind, have you ever considered attempting to distance yourself from the black metal genre?" A: "I think we've always looked upon ourselves as some kind of underdog in comparison to all the others. We've always said we were a black metal band, but not purely a black metal band because we have so much more in our music, you know? If we were just black metal, we'd be painting ourselves into a corner and that's something that we won't do because we have a lot more to show than just our black metal roots." Q: "Have you found it difficult to re-create the symphonic element of 'Death Cult Armageddon' within a live setting?" A: "No, not really. And I've never heard a fan complain about it, either, which is always a good thing. I think it would probably be cool to play with an orchestra live, too, but I think arrangement wise, it would be too much. It would sound totally different than what Metallica did, that's for sure (laughs). They just failed miserably." Q: "Do you think your next album will be stylistically similar to 'Death Cult Armageddon'?" A: "I can say that it will definitely sounds like us (laughs). I guess it's too early to say what the whole album will sound like. I don't think anyone in the band is too into the idea of using a full orchestra again. We're just gonna try to make it on our own. If there's some parts here and there which totally requires orchestra, we'll think about it. We shown ourselves that we can do it without orchestra as well. There's a thin line, you know? You have to know what you're doing. That whole Metallica thing went real bad. I know a lot of fans probably thought we were going to ruin everything like Metallica did when they used an orchestra, but we know better. We need people that understand out music to help us conduct the orchestra parts. You have to have someone that really understands what you wanna do. If we would have used the same guy Metallica did, it wouldn't have worked at all, trust me (laughs)."
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02.03.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Black Market Activities recording artists FROM A SECOND STORY WINDOW have checked in with the following update: "We are back home and ready to record! What an odyssey we just experienced this past week. First, our transmission blows in the van... the brand new fucking transmission we just got from the warranty company!! We get towed to the show, play a really fun and energetic set, and then find out we are going to be stuck in Syracuse for a week!!!! Now, the show ruled and we met lots of new friends and seen plenty of older ones. Thank you Matt Dunn for the show and also for not being too mad at Derek for swinging from the ceiling! We promise no more romper room behavior next time hahahaha! Anyways, Every Time I Die were sweet and so were the rest of the bands and we had a blast. Thank you everyone who was nice to us and bought merchandise! A huge thank you for sending money into our new indie merch store in order to help us pay for the transmission! You all really came through for the band and we deeply appreciate the generosity. So what did we do with our time? We did a few songs for pre-production at the studio since that is where we stayed the entire time! Everything sounded lovely and we hung out with Mook, who is definitely an individual that we all came to appreciate intensely! We can not wait to go back and do the album!! Mook, thank you for being soooo kind to us that entire week and hospitable too. You know the definition of friendship! Becca, thank you for the toothbrush and toothpaste and pop... it meant a lot to us!! After we got our van fixed, we drove down to Virginia and played one of the greatest shows ever in the history of our band. Words fail at moments like this when we want to try and describe the euphoria around our set. Holy fucking shit. To every kid that was on that stage and basically tore the place down for us - thank you. With all our hearts. Everyone who so generously bought merchandise - thank you. To the Michigan crew who drove ten hours to see us and all the kids who supported every band there - thank you. We were floored by the wonderful atmosphere and good times that were had by all there. A special shout out to In Remembrance, Black My Heart, A Life Once Lost, Cassius, and On Broken Wings for being so fucking amazing with their sets too. Wow. And Mr. Cupcakes... good to see ya for a little bit, and thanks for the swag. Ash, you did a great job with the show and we hope to do it again next year. Matty, thank you for the place to stay. All in all, it was a great time. Stroudsburg was a good time as well and Brendan, thank you for the show. Pez, thank you for the good times after the show. As I said, what an odyssey. What is next? Well, we are trying to get a local show going in February, record in March, and then in April, we start a tour. More on this one in a week, but for now, keep checking out the indie merch store. And if anyone is interested in buying Derek's Mesa head, give him a shout at calliope53@hotmail.com. Love, fassw!!!"
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02.02.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Former Earache Records recording artists MORBID ANGEL are geared to embark on the month-long "Masters Of Chaos Tour 2006" which will span much of the major U.S. cities as well as parts of Canada starting in April. Supporting MORBID ANGEL on the tour are BEHEMOTH, KRISIUN, and DESPISED ICON. The tour is primed to be a "can't miss" for any Death Metal fan in 2006. MORBID ANGEL toured throughout Latin America an unbelievable two times to popular demand in 2005 along with Europe and it's high time they hit North America now. Meanwhile, Earache is set to release a DualDisc version of MORBID ANGEL's 1989 masterpiece album, "Altars Of Madness," on March 13th. The album is considered to be the one of the most highly renowned albums in Metal, and one of Death Metal's most defining releases. The classic album will now contain a DVD side which will feature a legendary live concert by MORBID ANGEL in 1989 at Rock City in Nottingham, UK. The video was shot during the bands first European appearance as part of the "Grindcrusher" tour. This video is a rare glimpse at MORBID ANGEL in their early days when they were still becoming the legends they are now today. The band spent more than fifteen years of their career working with Earache before parting ways in 2004. Releasing all their works to this date through that label, MORBID ANGEL also helped to define the Earache sound as well as influencing much of today's Death Metal scene. "Masters Of Chaos Tour 2006" Dates & Venues: April 2nd Fort Lauderdale, FL [Culture Room] • April 4th Lake Buena Vista, FL [House Of Blues] • April 5th Atlanta, GA [The Masquerade] • April 6th Springfield, VA [Jaxx West] • April 7th Poughkeepsie, NY [The Chance] • April 8th Worcester, MA [The Palladium] • April 9th New York City, NY [BB King's Blues Club] • April 11th Montreal, QUE [Medley] • April 12th Toronto, ONT [The Opera House] • April 13th Cleveland, OH [Peabody's] • April 14th Mokena, IL [The Pearl Room] • April 15th St. Paul, MN [Station 4] • April 18th Seattle, WA [El Corazon] • April 19th Portland, OR [Roseland Theater] • April 20th San Francisco, CA [The Pound] • April 21st San Francisco, CA [The Pound] • April 22nd Santa Ana, CA [Galaxy Theater] • April 23rd Los Angeles, CA [Key Club] • April 24th Tempe, AZ [Marquee Club] • April 25th Albuquerque, NM [Sunshine Theater] • April 26th Denver, CO [Ogden Theater] • April 28th El Paso, TX [The Zone] • April 29th San Antonio, TX [White Rabbit] • April 30th Corpus Christi, TX [The Ballroom] • May 1st Houston, TX [Engine Room] • May 3rd Tampa, FL [The Masquerade]
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02.01.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Razorback Records has announced that they've received the official rights to re-release the 2 legendary albums from IMPETIGO, one of the most influential Death/Grind/Gore bands of all time. A band of large influence on that label, their music, imagery, lyrics, artwork and non-rock star attitude have all set the standard for the Razorback Records roster of artists. Starting this Summer, Razorback will bring both of IMPETIGO's cult classic albums in all their gory glory, these being the ultimate editions with exclusive live bonus tracks, liner notes from the band members, every single piece of artwork related to each release (art from vocalist Stevo, Chas Balun, etc.), with each album remastered for better sound than ever before. "Ultimo Mondo Cannibale" will be released with the originally banned cover artwork that was only ever seen on the rare "Giallo" picture disc release. That art was always meant to be the true cover for the album, but the printer that Wild Rags Records used in the early 90's refused to print it due it's sexually graphic nature. The re-release of "Ultimo Mondo Cannibale" will also include IMPETIGO's classic "Faceless" EP (also remastered), along with all of the various artwork related to it inside the booklet. "Horror Of The Zombies" is slated to include live bonus tracks from the legendary Rhode Island Death Fest, and will also feature cover art by Stevo that was originally only seen on the picture disc version of the album and a t-shirt design from the early 90's. IMPETIGO was formed in July of 1987 by Stevo (bass/vocals) and Mark (guitar). Soon after, they added Dan on drums. In November of 1987 they released a live demo entitled "All We Need Is Cheez," which gathered some attention in the underground and showed the band in their earliest days as being a more Extreme Metal/Hardcore band with elements of Grindcore in the mix. As the music progressed to a much heavier style, the band added a second guitarist in Scotty (Mark's roommate through most of college) in February of 1989 to help give them a sicker and more brutal sound. In May of 1989, the band entered KJ Productions to record their only studio demo to date, the infamous "Giallo," which led to the band being offered a deal by Wild Rags Records. They entered Creative Spaces studio in Bloomington, Illinois in early 1990, and began work on "Ultimo Mondo Cannibale," which would be issued later that year. Next, the band released the ultra-rare "Buio Omega" 7" EP via A Whisper In Darkness. Made up of remixes from the "Giallo" demo sessions, it included the track 'Harbinger Of Death,' which was not on the original demo. Next, IMPETIGO was invited by German band BLOOD to do a split EP, which was followed by the "Faceless" EP, and lastly "Horror Of The Zombies" in 1992. IMPETIGO called it quits in 1993 after their final appearance at Milwaukee Metalfest VII. Czech label Bizarre Leprous Productions released "All We Need Is Cheez" on CD in 1999, with an IMPETIGO/INGROWING split mini-CD co-released on the latter imprint (along with Shindy Productions) in 2000.
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[Metal News: January 2006]
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