03.18.05 (RockAndMetal.com) To mark the 10th anniversary of his untimely death, Sony BMG Entertainment have announced a June 13th release date for "Big Guns - The Very Best Of Rory Gallagher" - a stunning new 24-track, 2-disc album from Ireland's most influential Blues/Rock guitarist, RORY GALLAGHER. Now, for the first time, the original multi-tracks of some of Gallagher's best known recordings have been remixed, digitally re-mastered and upgraded in 5.1 Surround Sound on CD/SACD. Following the release of the 2003's critically acclaimed acoustic album, "Wheels Within Wheels" (voted "Album Of The Year" in Guitar Magazine), this long overdue anthology, meticulously compiled by RORY GALLAGHER's brother and long-time manager Donal Gallagher, "Big Guns" represents the creme de la creme of the legendary guitarist's most significant recordings spanning an illustrious 28-year recording career. RORY GALLAGHER is an undisputed guitar legend to Blues enthusiasts around the globe. Not only will this anthology delight fans, it should also appeal to a broader audience through the timeless qualities of the music and the unique approach of this much-missed authentic guitar virtuoso. Gallagher's contribution to Rock music has had a significant impact on both musicians and music fans around the world, despite his untimely death on June 14th, 1995 at the age of 48 from complications following liver transplant surgery. The package includes a comprehensive booklet with sleeve notes penned by Times newspaper Rock correspondent David Sinclair, himself an avid RORY GALLAGHER admirer. A second set of essays is provided by Michael Molenda, Editor-In-Chief of Guitar Player magazine in the U.S. "Big Guns - The Very Best Of Rory Gallagher" features rare tracks from his formative years with his first band, TASTE. In the tradition of THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, CREAM, etc. -- their contemporaries at the time -- TASTE were not only a trio who played Blues/Rock, but they... [full story]
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03.18.05 (RockAndMetal.com) SHADOWS FALL have had an extremely busy week upon being named as mainstage performers at this year's Ozzfest. SHADOWS FALL vocalist Brian Fair describes the band's excitement over being part of this year's Ozzfest: "This is going to be a huge opportunity for us to prove ourselves onstage with some of the greatest bands in the history of metal. Playing the second stage of Ozzfest 2003 was one of the highlights of our career and now we have a chance to step it up on the main stage. We thank all of the people out there that have helped to make this such an incredible year for Shadows Fall, and we can't wait to see you all on the road!" In 2003, SHADOWS FALL emerged as the festival's breakout artist as they consistently outsold all other second stage acts each week. Last September, the band released their critically acclaimed current album, "The War Within," and in its first week of release it managed to SoundScan an impressive 39,251 copies, debuting at #20 on the Billboard Top 200. The disc also checked in at #1 on the Nielsen SoundScan Independent Labels Chart and #2 on the Nielsen SoundScan Hard Music Chart. SHADOWS FALL have also had their new single 'Inspiration On Demand' score the #4 Most Added spot on the R&R Active Rock chart behind AUDIOSLAVE, GREEN DAY and ROBERT PLANT, all while continuing to annihilate arenas on the current SLIPKNOT tour. In other SHADOWS FALL news, drummer Jason Bittner just scored the top spot for "Best Metal Drummer" and "Best Recorded Performance" in Modern Drummer's coveted Reader's Poll Awards, beating out such competition as METALLICA's Lars Ulrich, DAMAGEPLAN's Vinnie Paul and Joey Jordison from SLIPKNOT. Also, Look for the new SHADOWS FALL video for 'Inspiration On Demand' -- shot by acclaimed director Zach Merck (12 Stones, Atreyu) -- to make its Headbangers Ball debut tomorrow night on MTV2. SHADOWS FALL have also been confirmed to appear on the nationally syndicated Lex & Terry morning radio show this Monday at 8:30 AM (EST).
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03.17.05 (AP) Hours earlier, Hilly Kristal joined Rock's royalty inside a Waldorf Astoria ballroom for the latest Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductions. By the morning, though, Kristal sips a cup of coffee and pops an antacid as he considers the future of his own piece of Rock history: CBGB's, the venerable birthplace of Punk. After 32 years in business, the world-renowned club on the Bowery is in danger of losing its lease. "Even at this Hall Of Fame thing, people were coming up and asking, 'What can we do? What can we do?'" Kristal recalls, sitting at his cramped desk just inside the club's front door. "It's very discouraging after all these years." Kristal says the club owes $91,000 in back rent through a bookkeeping mix-up. His landlord concurs, but still wants the money. Come August, when its lease expires, he expects the current $19,000 monthly rent to at least double, although Kristal's landlord says there will be no new lease unless the old mess is gone. "Show me you can meet your current obligations, and then we'll talk about new ones," says Muzzy Rosenblatt, executive director of the Bowery Residents' Committee. "His destiny is in his own hands." Rosenblatt's group holds a 45-year lease on the building, where the agency houses 250 homeless people above the club. CBGB's is their lone commercial tenant; their rent feud dates back five years, when the committee went to court to collect more than $300,000 in back rent from the club. The agency currently is in court trying to evict CBGB's, citing the current unpaid rent and Kristal's alleged failure to repair code violations in the legendary club. Kristal is battling on both fronts. "I'm energized," says the gray-bearded owner. "I'm going to fight." For fans of the dank storefront bar, its demise would mean the demolition of the Empire Punk Building. "I consider it a historic place," says Tommy Ramone, drummer in one of the club's most enduring bands, THE RAMONES. "It would be like losing a landmark of sorts, you know?" CBGB's, with its familiar white... [full story]

03.17.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Dutch Death Metal leviathans NOX are finally preparing to enter the studio to record their long awaited debut record for Wicked World Records. Without a doubt one of the most punishing Metal outfits around today, NOX is actually made up of some familiar faces in vocalist Seth Vid Loo (Centurian, Severe Torture), guitarist Rob Oorthuis (Centurian), bassist Patrick Boleij (Centurian, Severe Torture) and new drummer Bob Dussel. NOX have spent over a year completing the demos for the upcoming album, which will be entitled "Ixaxaar," and will be, according to Oorthuis: "...a means to enter the path to undying darkness and a chaotic level of understanding." Commenting on the material for the new album, Oorthuis explains: "There's a lot of weird stuff going on in the new songs. The songwriting is barbaric - nothing will be the same after people have heard 'Ixaxaar.' We will smack the soul of the listener to all corners of the universe and probably beyond that." Final recording and mastering of the album is planned to take place at Excess Studios in Holland in June, with a late Summer release expected via Wicked World, with whom the band signed a recording contract in May of 2004. NOX had previously released a three-track CD entitled "Zazaz," but the intent of the band is already clear -- fast, complex, swirling Metal based on insane rhythms and a distinctly blasphemous and occult concept designed to rip the souls of the living and the dead into Black Chaos. NOX is far from just a collaboration between four musicians, it is a distinct entity to itself according to the band... and it's hungry. Describing the band's overall sound, Oorthuis comments: "It's what you hear before Chaos consumes your conscience and madness sets in!"
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03.16.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Pineapple/Atlantic Records recording artists LOUIS XIV have quickly shaped up to be on of 2005's first breakthrough Rock 'N' Roll success stories with the success of their previously released EP entitled "Legal Tender." Now the San Diego, CA-based combo's full-length major label debut album, "The Best Little Secrets Are Kept" will hit the streets next week on March 22nd. The album's first single, 'Finding Out True Love Is Blind,' is unquestionably one of the hottest new Modern Rock tracks in the country right now - currently the #2 Most Requested at Los Angeles' influential KROQ - and logging new adds weekly as it bullets up the national playlists. A companion video for 'Finding Out True Live Is Blind' was filmed at director Chris Hopewell's (Radiohead, Franz Ferdinand) Bristol, England studio. The unique video - which blends live action and inventive post-production effects - made its world premiere via iTunes last week. LOUIS XIV have also been featured on MTV's "You Hear It First." The band have just wrapped up a major U.S. tour supporting HOT HOT HEAT, and will make an eagerly anticipated appearance tomorrow, March 17th at Austin, Texas' annual South By Southwest Music Festival - where they will play the prestigious BBC Radio 1 showcase at La Zona Rosa alongside DOVES and THE FUTUREHEADS. Next up for LOUIS XIV will be a string of West Coast headlining dates, following which they will hook up again with HOT HOT HEAT for a cross-country Canadian itinerary in April. Comprised of Jason Hill (vocalist/guitarist/bassist/pianist/producer), Brian Karscig (guitarist/vocalist/bassist/pianist), and Mark Maigaard (drums), LOUIS XIV began operations in April of 2003. The band's self-titled debut, originally released on their own homegrown Pineapple label, earned them critical praise and widespread radio airplay all the way from their native California eastward all the way to the United Kingdom.
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03.16.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Maniacal Canadian Extreme Metallers STRAPPING YOUNG LAD are now on the verge of a major genre-defying breakthrough with their fourth studio album, "Alien," which will be released by Century Media March 22nd. Beginning this week, the first segment of an online video series entitled "The Making Of Alien" was posted on the Century Media website here. A new installment will be posted each week leading up to the album's release on March 22nd. STRAPPING YOUNG LAD documented their entire recording process, with the first several parts will provide an in-depth look into Armoury Studios (Kiss, Van Halen), where mastermind vocalist/guitarist for STRAPPING YOUNG LAD Devin Townsend describes how the album was assembled. Also, for the first time, fans can witness how drummer Gene Hoglan (ex-Dark Angel, ex-Testament), bassist Byron Stroud (now also in Fear Factory) and guitarist Jed Simon lay their tracks down. The final parts of the "Making Of Alien" video series will focus on the more technical aspects (gear, settings, samples, etc.) of the recording. Townsend further describes the recording process: "The record isn't about anything in particular; it's just a freak out. The idea is to have something cathartic to put on, and the title Alien just seemed fitting. It has no meaning beyond that. Metal is our life. We are qualified to do little else, and we can do crazy things with our instruments. We are too ugly to play pop, so we decided to fuck shit up again. This album seemed a good excuse to exercise full excess." STRAPPING YOUNG LAD will embark on a massive U.S. headlining tour this Spring with THE AGONY SCENE, MISERY SIGNALS and REFLUX in the support slots. The trek kicks off on April 5th and will make a stop at the New England Metal And Hardcore Fest on April 23rd. The upcoming tour also marks the first time STRAPPING YOUNG LAD have ever played any of their new material live, so expect nothing less than a balls-out, highly energetic set.
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03.15.05 (RockAndMetal.com) News has emerged about the new GORILLAZ album, "Demon Days," slated for release on May 24th. "Noodle wrote most of this album herself," says drummer Russel Hobbs of the GORILLAZ guitarist. "Murdoc (Nicalls) may try and take the credit for it, but from the basic sketches to the finished album, this was Noodle's vision." 'Feel Good Inc.,' will be the first single released from "Demon Days," which will be during the first week of May. The band are also currently shooting a promo for 'Feel Good Inc.' with video director Jamie Hewlett, featuring a guest appearance by DE LA SOUL alongside GORILLAZ. Co-produced by the band, Damon Albarn and "Grey Album" mash-up mastermind Danger Mouse, "Demon Days" was recorded at GORILLAZ' very own Kong Studios. The band's second album is somewhat darker than their 2001 debut, explains Noodle: "The soul of the recording can't avoid being a manifestation of the time, climate and location of the place we were in when it was recorded. Consequently the colours are rich, dark and heavy while the rhythms are clean, strategic and relentless. It has a consciousness to it." "Yeah, like someone has taken the first album and colored it in," added GORILLAZ vocalist 2D. The virtual quartet's reputation for excellence and enthusiasm has also secured them a stellar guest list on "Demon Days," which also features contributions from vocalists Neneh Cherry, Martina Topley-Bird and Roots Manuva, along with MF DOOM, Rock 'N' Soul guitar legend Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of THE PHARCYDE, HAPPY MONDAYS vocalist Shaun Ryder, actor Dennis Hopper, the LONDON COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR and the SAN FERNANDEZ YOUTH CHORUS. Track Listing: 1. Intro • 2. Last Living Souls • 3. Kids With Guns • 4. O Green World • 5. Dirty Harry • 6. Feel Good Inc. • 7. El Manana • 8. Every Planet We Reach Is Dead • 9. November Has Come • 10. All Alone • 11. White Light • 12. DARE • 13. Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head • 14. Don't Get Lost In Heaven • 15. Demon Days
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03.15.05 (RockAndMetal.com) The new CEPHALIC CARNAGE album, "Anomalies," was released in the United States today via Relapse Records. The album will hit the streets in Europe next Monday, March 21st and in Canada the following day on March 22nd. The long-awaited fourth full-length from this Extreme Metal quintet, "Anomalies" was recorded at Flatline Audio in the Winter of 2004 with engineer Dave Otero. Unquestionably one of the most creative and challenging bands on the planet, CEPHALIC CARNAGE are at once unique, uncontrolled, unusual and uncompromising. On "Anomalies," the band intermix spine-tingling passages of hypersonic Grindcore, slow motion Doom Metal and far-out Math Rock, beckoning listeners to enter their outlandish musical world. For those heading to this year's SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, be sure to catch CEPHALIC CARNAGE live at the Relapse Records showcase this Saturday, March 18th at Room 710 with label-mates ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY, PIG DESTROYER, and ZOMBI. Formed in Denver, Colorado in 1992, CEPHALIC CARNAGE set out to break down musical barriers by raising both the expectations and standards of extremity in heavy music. A unique musical hybrid, CEPHALIC CARNAGE thrives on integrating various experimental aspects into their unique, forward-thinking musical style. After appearing at several of the biggest U.S. Metal festivals in 1999, the band signed a recording contract with Relapse Records. In December of that year, CEPHALIC CARNAGE entered New Orleans' Festival Studios with producer Keith Falgout to record their Relapse debut, "Exploiting Dysfunction." Destroying parameters, CEPHALIC CARNAGE stupefied and astounded with the album, blending and configuring styles of music with surgical precision. In 2002, CEPHALIC CARNAGE unveiled "Lucid Interval," a high-impact dose of heaviness combining various styles of music with elements of Jazz/Fusion and an ultra-keen sense of progression.
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03.14.05 (RockAndMetal.com) "Odyssey," the long-awaited follow-up to NYC Art Pop/Rock duo FISCHERSPOONER's groundbreaking debut, "#1," will be released on April 5th by Capitol Records. "#1" was a shot heard around the world, an end-of-the millennium musical statement of pure digital and visual style, written in part to accompany FISCHERSPOONER's Epic Pop/Rock performances. Rolling Stone called it "an alternate galaxy hit" and NME called it "the best thing to happen to music since electricity." A daunting act to follow, but Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner would something even bigger up their sleeves for "Odyssey," which is a vast musical leap forward -- its realization taking over two years -- stretching the duo to their physical and creative breaking point. For their second album, FISCHERSPOONER had a new agenda - to create a cohesive album of songs that were more expressive and emotional than their predecessors, aiming for a rich, warm sound in contrast to the crisp surfaces and digital conceptualism of "#1." Inspired musically by Classic and Psychedelic Rock, the familiar FISCHERSPOONER sound is now suffused with analog sounds, live instruments and a lush new ambience. Like the albums that inspired it, "Odyssey" is a bona fide "headphones" album, layered with hidden sounds and ideas that reward the close listener. "I was thinking of songs I remembered hearing on the radio as a kid," says Fischer. "That warm seventies FM sound coming off the radio from bands like The Beatles or Pink Floyd." To that end, FISCHERSPOONER created a "virtual band," bringing session musicians into studios in Brooklyn where Fischer worked with long-time engineer and collaborator Nicholas Vernhes (Fiery Furnaces, Black Dice). In a similar departure from the previous album, Spooner began to reveal more emotion and personal perspective in his lyrics and vocals, thematically pulling from classical and romantic ideas from all eras. The pair also decided to creatively step... [full story]
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03.14.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Brazilian purveyors of Death Metal KRISIUN are teaming up with Florida's HATE ETERNAL and fellow Century Media bands INTO ETERNITY, INCANTATION, and ALL SHALL PERISH to ravage North America with a month-long tour this Summer beginning June 16th at Jaxx in West Springfield, Virginia. KRISIUN drummer Max Kolesne had this to say regarding the upcoming trek: "It's great to be coming back to the United States and Canada, especially touring with our brothers in Hate Eternal and Incantation. This tour is going to devastate! Posers will die and their women will cry when the death metal demons rise." KRISIUN will be supporting their new release "Bloodshed," which contains eight new tracks highlighting KRISIUN's hyper-speed diversity and musical development. "Bloodshed" also includes four rudimentary corpse-grinding tracks from their cult underground debut release, the rarely seen 1993 "Unmerciful Order" EP. Meanwhile, Canadian Progressive Death Metallers INTO ETERNITY, currently on tour with the band AMORPHIS, will be touring in support of their 2004 Century Media release, "Buried In Oblivion." After those dates, INTO ETERNITY will play several headlining shows across the Midwest and Canada before joining up with KRISIUN for the upcoming Summer slaughter. Tour Dates: June 16th West Springfield,VA [Jaxx] • June 17th Poughkeepsie, NY [The Loft] • June 18th Worcester, MA [The Palladium] • June 19th Philadelphia, PA [The Trocadero] • June 21th Quebec City, QUE [Kashmir] • June 22th Montreal, QUE [Cafe Campus] • June 23th Ottawa, ONT [Maverick] • June 24th Toronto, ONT [El Mocambo] • June 25th Rochester, NY [Penny Arcade] • June 26th New York, NY [BB King's Blues Club] • July 15th Tempe, AZ [The Clubhouse] • July 16th Albuquerque, NM [Launch Pad]
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[Music News: 03.07.05 - 03.13.05]
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