01.27.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Proud Galleries has announced confirmed locations and dates for the 2006 exhibition tour of a unique photographic show that faithfully captures former BEATLES member PAUL McCARTNEY's life on the road. Based upon the book "Each One Believing: Onstage, Off Stage And Backstage," published by Chronicle Books, the show is comprised of over 40 pictures taken by photographer Bill Bernstein over the course of the most successful tour of McCartney's post-BEATLES career. The tour is set to visit cities across the United States throughout 2006, beginning with the March 4th opening of "Paul McCartney's Each One Believing: The Tour," at San Diego's Morrison Gallery. Each exhibit is slated to run from three weeks to two months in order to give fans the opportunity to view the show first-hand. Other locations include San Francisco's San Francisco Art Exchange (April/May), Photographic Image in Portland, Oregon (June 1st-June 25th), Seattle's Benham Gallery (July), Stephen Cohen Gallery in Los Angeles (August), Denver's Walnut Street Gallery (September 7th-November 2nd), and Inspire Fine Art in Chicago (November 17th-December 31st). The original exhibition opened to both public and critical acclaim last Fall at Proud Galleries in London. "Each One Believing: The Tour" illustrates PAUL McCARTNEY's first solo tour in nearly a decade, and includes images taken onstage and backstage during a journey which saw sold-out concert performances in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Rome, Moscow and more. Poignant and candid, funny and illuminating, the tour is a road trip with PAUL McCARTNEY like no other. Bernstein's lens captures the excitement evoked by the grand lighting of stage sets; the heightened energy of the band in mid-song; and the intimate shots of McCartney alone playing at his "Magic Piano" or onstage with his beloved Hofner bass guitar. "The response that 'Each One Believing' has received has been overwhelming," says McCartney. "Everywhere we go, people tell us how much they enjoy the unique balance between the engaging photographs and first-hand written accounts and events from the tour. It seemed a natural when we were approached to put the exhibit on the road and so we did." Photographer Bill Bernstein had unprecedented on-stage, off-stage, and backstage access, providing dynamic images both of PAUL McCARTNEY's public appearances and the quiet one-on-one moments. Exhibition and sale prints will be signed by both McCartney and Bernstein. "Each One Believing: Onstage, Off Stage And Backstage" exclusive prints are currently available for purchase in the PAUL McCARTNEY online shop at www.paulmccartney.com.
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01.27.06 (RockAndMetal.com) THE GREAT KAT has announced the first Shred/Classical music ever heard in a Hollywood movie soundtrack, with the female crossover Metal guitar virtuoso (voted one of "Top 10 Fastest Shredders Of All Time" by Guitar One Magazine) performing Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody #2" in Jason Bunch's new comedy film "Coming Attractions," which will be out in movie theaters in the Spring. The track, taken from THE GREAT KAT's recently released "Wagner's War" album, is heard during the movie's "Halftime Show" sequence with wrestling star "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, "Seinfeld" actor James Hong, during a cartoon with the voice of Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling from "The Howard Stern Show," and also during the movie's trailer. Produced, written and directed by comedy writer Jason Bunch, "Coming Attractions" stars outrageous basketball legend Dennis Rodman, "The Karate Kid"'s Pat Morita (in his last movie appearance), "Police Academy"'s Michael Winslow, and model Angie Everhart. Filmed as a fast-moving sketch comedy in the style of "Kentucky Fried Movie" and "Saturday Night Live," the film features college humor, gross-out skits, and movie and commercial parodies, and is punctuated by energetic music. THE GREAT KAT was born Katherine Thomas in Swindon, England, who moved to the U.S. at the age of three. After listening to Beethoven since birth, Thomas realized that her mission was to become a composer and musical revolutionary. THE GREAT KAT began Classical piano studies at the age of seven, and Classical violin studies at the age of nine in New York. At 15 years old, she was accepted to the prestigious Juilliard School Of Music in New York City as a scholarship student on violin. THE GREAT KAT has performed as a Classical violin soloist at Carnegie Recital Hall as winner of the Artists International Competition. She has also toured as a violin soloist in Mexico, the U.S. and Europe. However, after realizing that Classical music was releatively "dead," THE GREAT KAT discovered Metal music, and began weaving Classical music with Speed Metal. For instance, she began transcribing intricate violin solos to the guitar, thereby creating the unique crossover genre of "Shred/Classical" ("She can zoom up and down a fretboard faster than a hungry cheetah on steroids. Her fretboard speed is awesome," states Guitar Player editor Michael Molenda). THE GREAT KAT is currently the only musician taking authentic Classical music scores (Vivaldi, Beethoven, Bach, Wagner, Liszt, Rossini) and reorchestrating them with shred guitar virtuosity. Her music is known for its phenomenal speeds, complicated Classical motives, counterpoint layering, guitar riffs, maniacal screams, heavy rhythms and thrashing sounds. Quite simply, THE GREAT KAT is on a mission to bring Shred/Classical music to the entire world through the use of MIDI and live instruments, computer technology, and the Internet via her website at www.greatkat.com.
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01.26.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Drive-Thru Records recording artists ALLISTER are hitting the road for a 29-date tour with MEST and SCARY KIDS SCARING KIDS. The tour debuts January 31st in Grand Rapids, Michigan and ends in ALLISTER's hometown of Chicago, Illinois on March 8th. The band recently released their third full-length album, "Before The Blackout," this past Fall. And maybe more than anything, the disc is a defiant declaration from a veteran batch of road warriors who refuse to conform to trends and remain dedicated to touring endlessly and writing songs that remind them of the great Rock they grew up on, be it THE RAMONES, SCREECHING WEASEL or GREEN DAY. To achieve such an impacting sound on "Before The Blackout," ALLISTER shuffled their formula a little, adding elements of Power Pop and Album Rock into their Punk/Pop foundation. "So many bands right now sound the same," says ALLISTER vocalist/guitarist Tim Rogner. "We grew up on pop/punk, and that's what we love to write, but we also want to do something different, so we tried to incorporate more straight-up rock 'n' roll stuff like Foo Fighters and Marvelous 3, because I think a lot of that is missing from this kind of music." ALLISTER are known for their demonstrable commitment to the DIY ethics of Punk by fellow musicians and fans alike. "Before The Blackout" incorporates sing-along melodies, break-neck chord changes, and witty and sentimental lyrics - all elements that have cemented ALLISTER as a standout act on the modern music scene. 'A Study In Economics' is quintessential ALLISTER, while tracks like the heavier 'Blackout' and the edgier 'Waiting' demonstrate the band's growth both musically and personally. Their sophomore album, "Last Stop Suburbia," has sold over 80,000 copies to date. ALLISTER are a quartet comprised of Rogner (guitar, vocals), Kyle Lewis (guitar), Scott Murphy (bass, vocals) and Mike Leveranz (drums). Tour Dates: 01/31 Grand Rapids, MI [The Intersection] • 02/01 Pontiac, MI [Clutch Cargo's] • 02/02 Pittsburgh, PA [Club Zoo] • 02/03 Buffalo, NY [Showplace Theatre] • 02/04 Cohoes, NY [Saratoga Winners] • 02/06 State College, PA [Crowbar] • 02/07 Sayreville, NJ [Starland Ballroom] • 02/08 Philadelphia, PA [Theatre Of Living Arts] • 02/09 Towson, MD [The Recher Theatre] • 02/10 Hartford, CT [Webster Theatre] • 02/11 Allentown, PA [Crocodile Rock] • 02/12 Cleveland, OH [The Odeon] • 02/14 Cincinnati, OH [Bogart's] • 02/16 Sauget, IL [Pop's] • 02/17 Lawrence, KS [The Granada Theatre] • 02/18 Denver, CO [Bluebird Theatre] • 02/20 Salt Lake City, UT [In The Venue] • 02/21 Las Vegas, NV [House Of Blues] • 02/22 Tempe, AZ [The Clubhouse] • 02/23 Tucson, AZ [Skrappys] • 02/24 San Diego, CA [Soma] • 02/25 Anaheim, CA [House Of Blues] • 02/26 San Francisco, CA [Slim's] • 02/28 Orangevale, CA [The Boardwalk] • 03/01 Portland, OR [Hawthrone Theatre] • 03/02 Seattle, WA [El Corazon] • 03/06 Minneapolis, MN [Fine Line Music Cafe] • 03/07 Milwaukee, WI [The Eagles Club] • 03/08 Chicago, IL [House Of Blues]
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01.26.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Nuclear Blast Records has announced the signing of veteran band VOIVOD to a recording deal that covers the European territories. A legendary Metal monster carrying on the tradition of moving the genre forward into new dimensions, the Canadian band remains to be one of the most innovative around, as many of their releases where well ahead of their time. VOIVOD are currently in the middle of recording a new 13-track album (still untitled) in Montreal, Quebec with producer Glen Robertson (Tea Party), which is expected to be released in the next several months. VOIVOD began by cranking out VENOM, MOTORHEAD, TANK and JUDAS PRIEST covers in 1982, however it didn't take long for their muse to take hold, as original songs like 'Condemned To The Gallows,' 'Voivod,' 'Warriors Of Ice' and 'Blower' came to life shortly thereafter. By 1984, the quartet of Snake (Denis Belanger, vocals), Piggy (Denis D'Amour, guitar), original bassist Blacky (Jean-Yves Theriault) and Away (Michel Langevin) were offered an appearance on Metal Blade's "Metal Massacre" compilation series. Their first album, "War And Pain," followed. It brought the band to global notoriety thanks to its frightening amalgam of ugly noise and youthful spontaneity. Capitalizing on the debut's most chaotic aspects, 1986's "Rrrooaaarrr" offered diseased clusters of thrashing, headache-inducing songs. The band's unique vision came crashing headlong into 1987 with their first truly Progressive album, "Killing Technology." Boasting a spacier, yet no less teeth-rattling adventure, the album remains a high point in the band's discography. "Killing Technology"'s Technical Noise Metal epics like 'Forgotten In Space' and 'Overreaction' merely hinted at what was to come on 1988's "Dimension: Hatross," which remains one of the most innovative albums in the modern Metal genre. Its ebb and flow is clearly the work of songwriting prodigies answering their true call. No surprise, then, when 1989's "Nothingface" capitalized on the lab-borne Science Metal of "Hatross" while injecting a heightened sense of accessibility. A landmark tour with SOUNDGARDEN and FAITH NO MORE brought VOIVOD roaring into the '90s. The band's cosmic drama played out in the new decade with two albums that, while not unanimously acclaimed upon release, have become legendary among their fan base. "Angel Rat" (1991) and "The Outer Limits" (1993) are both textbook definitions of the phrase "ahead of it's time." People who didn't understand them then have been heard singing their praises in recent years. With Blacky out after "Angel Rat" and Snake exiting after "The Outer Limits," VOIVOD unleashed a ferocious album in 1995's "Negatron." With vocalist/bassist Eric Forrest, the trio continued the hard-hitting Space Metal vibe while easing the pace and offering huge slabs of hypnotic sound on "Phobos" (1997). Following that, a bits-and-pieces release ("Kronik," 1999) and a live album ("Voivod Lives," 2000) were deemed necessary in marking that era of the band's development. In 2003, Snake would return for the release of the self-titled "Voivod" in 2003, with former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted (dubbed "Jasonic") manning the bass, being added to the fold the previous year. Sadly, Piggy passed away on August 26th, 2005 from complications due to advanced colon cancer. He was just 45 years old.
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01.25.06 (Temple News/RockAndMetal.com) SEVENDUST have gone through some rough times both financially and musically in recent years, according to drummer Morgan Rose. So they considered it a relief when finally completing their latest album, "Next," which has since been picked up by Roadrunner Records in various territories. "I'm pretty amazed we actually pulled it off," Rose says. "I mean, since we had no label, no funding and had been ripped off so bad for so long, we had to go to the bank and literally put our houses on the line with children at home and make that gamble. "I remember," he added, "signing my name on the first form for $100,000 and saying 'Man I am responsible for a chunk of this money, and I don't have it, so I hope someone likes this record.'" The band also went through a difficult time when long-time band member Clint Lowery left to join DARK NEW DAY. His departure left SEVENDUST with a big hole to fill. However, the band didn't let it slow them down and they quickly moved on and created the music they wanted. "Clint is a great songwriter, and he added an element to our band without a doubt, but we were a band before he was in it," Rose says. "We knew that we could easily put a record together, so that wasn't the issue. The issue was how much material we would be able to write and how much would we have to choose from." Lowery's departure may have helped the band in the end, Rose said. "He (Lowery) tended to be kind of a stickler and would over-analyze a lot, so now we were able to let the songs breathe a little bit," he said. The band quickly replaced Lowery with long-time friend Sonny Mayo, and the band hasn't looked back since. "He's the easiest guy in the world to deal with, so that makes it real simple," Rose says. "We have known him since our first record, so we were able to build camaraderie." SEVENDUST has successfully battled through these hard times, and are now back on tour doing what they love. A new trek kicked off on January 18th, with WICKED WISDOM -- a band fronted by Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith -- opening for SEVENDUST. WICKED WISDOM have only been around for a short time, but the group's already come relatively far, playing on the second stage of Ozzfest last Summer. While it is strange to associate the wife of a Hip-Hop artist with Heavy Metal, SEVENDUST vouch for the group's talent and authenticity nonetheless. "She's a great girl and takes her stuff real serious," Rose says. "I'm pretty impressed with the fact that she is able to have a family, have an acting career, and be able to put a band together, and write songs and tour. She has a chip on her shoulder with some of these lyrics, so it's not like some innocent little thing - she really has something to say." Meanwhile, it's been a long career for SEVENDUST ever since their arrival in 1997. They never saw consistent mainstream coverage from the likes of MTV, and even to this day they've continued to remain relatively underground. The one thing that keeps them going are those loyal fans who come to each of their shows. This tour is not just more of the same, but the best they have ever had, Rose says: "(This tour is) better than any we have ever had. I don't understand why people keep coming out like this. I mean, the loyalty is just outrageous," he said. "We are not getting any MTV at all, and these kids keep coming out." Rose said that the group's show is sure to satisfy any fan. "We're actually playing stuff off the first record, and stuff that came off the other records that we haven't played in years. It's a pretty cool stage setup and it's something we have never done," he said. "The rest is going to have to be a surprise."
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01.25.06 (RockAndMetal.com) LACUNA COIL will embark on a massive six-week North American tour this March as direct support to Rob Zombie. The trek, which kicks off in mid-month and runs through early May, will be the group's first stateside run in support of their highly anticipated new album, "Karmacode," which is set for an April 4th release via Century Media. It will also be the first time the band has played in the U.S. since their successful 2004 Ozzfest run. LACUNA COIL vocalist Cristina Scabbia describes her excitement over the upcoming tour: "Well, I can't even count the times I said 'Wow, we're so excited about this upcoming tour!' I mean we all know how much Rob influenced the scene, and how great his live shows are. We definitely can't wait to share the stage with him and his band. I'm sure it'll be a great experience. It'll be the perfect occasion for us to present the new songs from 'Karmacode' to the fans. This new album is killer, and you won't believe your ears. You guys never let us down, and we can't wait to see you all again. It's been a long time, and Lacuna Coil are more than ready to come back!" Cristina Scabbia also graces the cover of this month's Revolver magazine's "Hottest Women In Metal" issue and the inaugural issue of Virus magazine, while Alternative Press names "Karmacode" as "One of the most anticipated releases of 2006." The album's lead track, 'Our Truth,' received its worldwide debut on the "Underworld: Evolution" soundtrack. A video for the song was shot in Los Angeles by directorial duo Fort Awesome (Queens Of The Stone Age, Linkin Park, Disturbed, Chevelle, etc.) Look for the video to make its debut in mid-March. LACUNA COIL initially left their mark on the scene in 2004 with their album "Comalies," which opened several opportunities for them that were previously thought unattainable for an Italian band, such as two highly successful commercial radio campaigns alongside a breakthrough Ozzfest appearance resulting in over 500,000 copies sold worldwide, with a quarter of a million sold in the U.S. alone. Tour Dates: 03/17 Jacksonville, FL [Plush] • 03/18 Miami, FL [Global Gathering] • 03/19 Orlando, FL [House Of Blues] • 03/22 Atlanta, GA [The Tabernacle] • 03/24 Myrtle Beach, SC [House Of Blues] • 03/25 Norfolk, VA [Norva Theater] • 03/26 Washington, DC [9:30 Club] • 03/28 New York, NY [Nokia Theater] • 03/29 New York, NY [Nokia Theater] • 03/30 Philadelphia, PA [Electric Factory] • 04/01 Worcester, MA [The Palladium] • 04/03 Montreal, QC [Metropolis] • 04/04 Toronto, ON [Kool Haus] • 04/06 Columbus, OH [Promo West Pavilion] • 04/07 Detroit, MI [State Theatre] • 04/08 Chicago, IL [Riviera Theater] • 04/09 Indianapolis, IN [Egyptian Room] • 04/11 Milwaukee, WI [Eagles Ballroom] • 04/13 Des Moines, IA [Val Air Ballroom] • 04/14 Minneapolis, MN [Myth] • 04/15 Kansas City, MO [Memorial Hall] • 04/17 Denver, CO [The Fillmore] • 04/18 Salt Lake City, UT [Great Salt Air] • 04/20 San Francisco, CA [The Warfield] • 04/21 San Diego, CA [Soma] • 04/22 Las Vegas, NV [House Of Blues] • 04/24 Los Angeles, CA [The Wiltern] • 04/25 Los Angeles, CA [The Wiltern] • 04/27 Mesa, AZ [Mesa Amphitheatre]
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01.24.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Kill Rock Stars recording artists THE GOSSIP have revealed another winner in the new "Standing In The Way Of Control," released today. With THE GOSSIP, the first thing that strikes you is the rhythm. The band have been making punks dance since they debuted 5 years ago, before what is dubbed as today's version of Dance Punk existed. Soulful and jagged, you can hear everything from Dischord to Motown stylings in guitarist Brace Paine's playing. Now, with the addition of new drummer Hannah Blilie (Shoplifting, ex-Chromatics), they have a new thundering beat for the kids to dance to on the corners and in the clubs. However, the strongest thing that smacks you about THE GOSSIP is vocalist Beth Ditto's killer pipes. With all the guttural Blues and Soul of the South, her voice resonates with a confident howl that has quickly shot the band into league with other notable Punk/Garage bands of today. "Standing In The Way Of Control," their third album, was recorded by Guy Picciotto (Fugazi) at Seattle's Bear Creek Studios. From heartbreakers like 'Coal To Diamonds' to the anthemic title track (released in October as a single with a LE TIGRE remix), THE GOSSIP are unafraid to put it all out there and take their audience to new places. "Standing In The Way Of Control" is quite simply the sound of a band destroying and surpassing all expectations placed on them. Don't miss THE GOSSIP out on tour in support of the new album starting tonight. Tour Dates: 01/24 Portland, OR [Jackpot Records] • 01/25 Portland, OR [Wonder Ballroom] • 01/27 San Francisco, CA [Bottom Of The Hill] • 01/28 Los Angeles, CA [Echo] • 01/29 San Diego, CA [Casbah] • 01/30 Pomona, CA [Glass House] • 02/01 Eugene, OR [WOW Hall] • 02/02 Seattle, WA [Chop Suey] • 02/03 Tacoma, WA [UPS Wheelock Student Center] • 02/04 Olympia, WA [Capitol Theater Backstage] • 02/09 London, UK [Buffalo Bar] • 02/11 London, UK [Cargo] • 02/25 Melbourne, Australia [Spanish Club] • 02/27 Perth, Australia [The Rosemount] • 03/01 Adelaide, Australia [Jive] • 03/02 Brisbane, Australia [The Zoo] • 03/03 Sydney, Australia [Gaelic Club] • 03/05 Sydney, Australia [Laneway Festival] • 03/12 Salt Lake City, UT [Urban Lounge] • 03/13 Denver, CO [Larimer Lounge] • 03/16 Austin, TX [KRS SXSW Showcase] • 03/21 Atlanta, GA [Drunken Unicorn] • 03/22 Greensboro, NC [TBA] • 03/23 Washington DC [Black Cat] • 03/24 Philadelphia, PA [First Unitarian Church] • 03/25 New York, NY [Knitting Factory] • 03/26 Cambridge, MA [Middle East] • 03/27 Northampton, MA [Iron Horse] • 03/28 Montreal, QUE [La Sala Rossa] • 03/29 Toronto, ONT [X Space] • 03/30 Chicago, IL [Abbey Pub] • 03/31 Milwaukee, WI [TBA] • 04/01 Minneapolis, MN [Triple Rock] • 04/02 Fargo, ND [Aquarium] • 04/05 Seattle, WA [Neumos]
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01.24.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Bolstered and inspired by the support and devotion of their worldwide fan base, the MANOWAR have heard the call to arms and are now ready to return to the fray with their brand new single, 'The Sons Of Odin,' on February 27th. The 10-minute epic, crafted in classic Heavy Metal style, sets the perfect tone for the impending release of the band's still untitled full-length album, scheduled for an April 3rd release on the band's own label, Magic Circle Music. 'The Sons Of Odin' features MANOWAR's patented, lion-hearted Metal riffs mixed with arena Rock stomping grooves and orchestral arrangements. The single will also feature a remixed and re-recorded version of last Summer's first single, 'King Of Kings,' another fast and furious outing originally released only as a bonus on the band's latest DVD, "Hell On Earth IV." "We have the greatest fans in the world," attests MANOWAR drummer Scott Columbus. "For a long time, our fans have stood by us. They've given everything to the belief that together we are the defenders of the heavy metal faith. That's why we've been able to keep playing our brand of music. That's why we haven't wimped out or bowed to commercialism. Our fans are at the core of everything we do. That's the way it's been done from the beginning." MANOWAR live shows have also garnered a reputation for the band's "all-out" attitude. "The whole purpose of playing live is to blow people's heads off," says bassist and founding member Joey DeMaio. "That's what we do; that's the energy of this band. We're out there to kick ass. We're out there to turn our gear on and blast. We're out there to kill. That's what metal is. Anybody who says otherwise is not playing heavy metal!" MANOWAR have sold over 8 million records to date. Their most recent album, "Warriors Of The World," went gold almost immediately after it's release, topping the Metal charts around the world. The 2005 festival season marked some of MANOWAR's most notable appearances to date, with the Metal warriors headlining Europe's biggest festivals - including a three-hour-long concert at the Earthshaker Fest in Geiselwind, Germany. The band's performance included a 200-piece choir and orchestra and special guest appearances by all former MANOWAR members. Encouraged by the rabid fan reaction, it seems clear that the band's upcoming album will feature a well-balanced combination of die-hard Metal headshakers as well as monumental ballads in the vein of songs like 'Heart Of Steel' and 'Courage.' Meanwhile, MANOWAR will continue their "Demons, Dragons And Warriors World Tour" in Europe beginning in late March, featuring Italian Epic Metallers RHAPSODY as special guests, while introducing the newest female-fronted superstar group, HOLYHELL, to the world. Tour Dates: 03/25 Athens, Greece [Stadium Peace & Friendship] • 03/27 Winterthur, Switzerland [Eulachhalle] • 03/30 Zlin, Czech Republic [Novesta] • 03/31 Ostrava, Czech Republic [Poruba] • 04/01 Plzen, Czech Republic [Hala Lokomotiva] • 04/02 Pardubice, Czech Republic [Duhova Arena] • 04/04 Frankfurt, Germany [Festhalle] • 04/06 Munich, Germany [Olympiahalle] • 04/07 Stuttgart, Germany [Schleyerhalle] • 04/08 Nuremberg, Germany [Arena] • 04/10 Berlin, Germany [Max Schmeling Halle] • 04/11 Dortmund, Germany [Westfalenhalle]
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01.23.06 (RockAndMetal.com) The following message was sent out recently to LINKIN PARK fans by drummer Rob Bourdon: What's up, Linkin Park fans? I know it's been a long time since we've had a chance to see you guys face-to-face. I miss playing shows, and look forward to seeing all of you in mid-late '06. We have been writing new songs for the next LP album for the last three months or so. We have been working in pairs out of our home studios and trading ideas with each other every few weeks. Now that we have a bunch of material, we are going to head into a pre-production studio where we will all be working together. We have three separate rooms to work out of at the studio, which is really cool because we can still work individually if we need to. I personally like taking song ideas and working on the drums for a while on my own before letting the other guys hear what I have come up with. Songs can be passed around from room to room so each of us can add in our part. Since we are all there together, we can help each other to develop each of our parts and create the best songs possible. It is the ultimate creative environment for how we write music, since we write by recording into a computer, not by jamming together. We currently have around 50 rough ideas for songs, which will be narrowed down to about 15 when we enter the recording studio. We are very excited about the work we have done so far, and are working hard to get it done so you guys can hear it. As I'm sure you already know, Mike (Shinoda) is doing his own solo project, Fort Minor. It's different than Linkin Park's music as it is a hip-hop album. Called 'The Rising Tied,' it is an incredible album. I think it's one of the best of the year, and I'm not just saying that because Mike is my friend. Mike's been incredibly busy because not only has he been promoting his Fort Minor album and writing with us for the upcoming LP album, but he's about to go out on the road for a North American tour, as well as international touring in Taiwan and Thailand (with 50 Cent) and headlining shows in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Our own Machine Shop Recordings artist Holly Brook, who sings on the Fort Minor track 'Where'd You Go,' will be joining him to perform that song live on the road for all the U.S./Canada dates. Not only will the Fort Minor Militia fan club get chances to meet them out on tour at meet-and-greets, we're also inviting the LPU members of Linkin Park's fan club to participate in meet-and-greets and pre-sales for all the shows. Fort Minor Tour Dates: 01/28 St Paul, MN [Station 4] • 01/29 Chicago, IL [House Of Blues] • 01/31 Detroit, MI [St. Andrew's Hall] • 02/01 Toronto, ON [Phoenix Concert Theater] • 02/03 Boston, MA [Avalon Ballroom] • 02/04 Providence, RI [Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel] • 02/06 New York, NY [Nokia Theatre - Times Square] • 02/09 Atlanta, GA [Roxy Theatre] • 02/10 Washington, DC [Nation] • 02/21 San Francisco, CA [The Fillmore] • 02/24 Taipei, Taiwan, China [Taipei Soccer Stadium] • 02/26 Nonthaburi, Bangkok, Thailand [Aktive Square] • 02/28 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [Bukit Kiara Indoor Venue] • 03/01 Singapore, Singapore [Singapore Indoor Stadium] • 03/03 Brisbane, QLD, Australia [The Arena, Fortitude Valley] • 03/04 Newtown, Sydney, NSW [Australia Enmore Theatre] • 03/05 Melbourne, VIC, Australia [The Palace, St. Kilda] • 03/07 Auckland, New Zealand [The St. James Theatre]

01.23.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Candlelight Records has announced the worldwide signing of East Coast-based STARKWEATHER. The band's new album, entitled "Croatoan," was produced by Pierre Remillard (Cryptopsy), and features artwork by renowned artist Paul Romano (Mastodon, Earth, Godflesh). "Croatoan" is scheduled for a May 2nd American release. Long regarded as one of the first bands to blend Metal and Hardcore, STARKWEATHER are still an untapped band for the masses. They have been cited as a common influence on many of today's top-selling bands and remain one of the most passionate and intense groups of the genre on stage. STARKWEATHER formed in 1989 with Todd Forkin on guitar, Michelle Eddison on bass, Harry Rosa on drums and Rennie Resmini on vocals. They released an early gem in "Crossbearer" in 1993, and it's an underground neo-classic that many of today's Metal darlings have taken influence and inspiration from. "Crossbearer" was truly ahead of its time, and while many have heard of it but even fewer have actually heard it, it's an album that doesn't sound like anything else and is inimitable. Now emerging from a lengthy hibernating period -- their last full-length recording, "Into The Wire," came out in 1995 -- STARKWEATHER have since released only a split seven inch with SEASON TO RISK in 1996, and contributed a track to the "Definitely Not The Majors" compilation collection in 1997. Ultimately, and somewhat abruptly, the band disappeared off the radar. But in reality, they were flying under it. They even played shows, however sporadically, including a Hellfest appearance. STARKWEATHER have endured through periods of dormancy, but they never really broke up, so actually, "Croatoan" is not necessarily a "comeback." However, the band have officially "reawakened" on the new offering, featuring the core lineup of Resmini, Forkin, and Rosa, with contributions by Liam Wilson on bass and Jim Winters on guitar, plus additional percussion provided by Tim Simmons. While it is their first release in a decade, "Croatoan" is fresh-yet-vicious, kind of like a grizzly on its first hunt for food after awaking from a long hibernation period. The songs are lengthy and complexly constructed, but every time you return to the album, you unearth a new sound, a riff, a scream or a word that you didn't quite catch the first time around. An untamed beast of an album that'll draw fans of "legendary" bands like MORBID ANGEL and VOIVOD, "Croatoan" will nonetheless also attract fans of slow, sludgy bands like CROWBAR and NEUROSIS, while enticing fans of current darlings like KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, SHADOWS FALL or THE RED CHORD into its lair. STARKWEATHER toured Europe for the first time in mid-2005, visiting the Netherlands, Germany, England, France and other countries, which the band plan to revisit again during 2006. American dates are also expected, with details to be announced separately soon.
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