09.16.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Switzerland's GOTTHARD have posted the following update for their fans: "Dear Gotthard fans, now that the album 'Lipservice' has been in the Swiss charts for the past 18 weeks, the new single 'Anytime, Anywhere' will be released in Switzerland on October 3rd (it will be released in the other countries on October 14th, 2005). The maxi-single will include two versions of 'Anytime, Anywhere,' one live version of 'In The Name' (from the 'G.' album), two of the bonus tracks from the 'Lipservice' album and a terrific video for 'Anytime, Anywhere' as well. A complex, partially computer-animated production in the style of the new 'Sin City' movie directed by Hannes Rossacher (The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, etc.), the new video can already be enjoyed on various music channels. Regarding our fan club, there have been many, many new registrations at the fan club since the release of 'Lipservice.' Because of this large number of new registrations, there were unfortunately some delays in sending out the welcome packages. We apologize for this, hope you understand the problem and we thank the affected new members for their patience. The new fan club magazine, 'All Access' No. 27, is also currently being produced at high speed and should reach every member by the end of the September. Also, as we are totally booked up with concerts and promotional dates until the end of the year, we have unfortunately decided not to hold the fan club meeting this year. However, it will return next year, and we are once again planning something really special. We are not telling yet, but as soon as the date and location are decided we will inform all members. Regarding our website, www.gotthard.com has also been completely re-designed with the release of 'Lipservice.' Many more pictures, videos, wallpapers, updated personal details of all band members, all the lyrics for the Gotthard songs and much more await you there. Come and visit us in the forum and exchange views with other Gotthard fans. The website can also be read completely in both German and English, with additional languages already planned for the near future. Lastly, the open-air and festival season is coming to an end and there were so many celebrated concerts by Gotthard, both in the sunshine and the rain. Photos of the concerts can be found on our website. Many concerts have already been booked across Europe for the tour in the autumn. Besides Switzerland, Germany and Austria, Gotthard will also play concerts in England, France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Slovenia. Concerts are also still being planned for Asia, America and South America. All confirmed concerts can be found updated frequently on our website."
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09.16.05 (RockAndMetal.com) SOILWORK vocalist Bjorn "Speed" Strid has posted the following message on the band's official website: "We're back in Sweden now, have been sleeping straight for almost 24 hours.. It's really hard to melt all the impressions from Ozzfest. I gotta say that the tour went much faster than I expected. We had a lot of great times even though we were pretty much stuck in a 'heavy metal parking lot' everyday. We got to meet a lot of cool people, both fans and bands. My personal favorite band on the second stage would probably be THE HAUNTED. I gotta give Peter Dolving some cred for being the best fucking singer on that stage. He was also brave enough to perform naked for a whole song in a country where you'll almost get arrested by saying the word 'dick' in public. I gotta say that it was a sad feeling leaving America with a thought that one of the cities that I've enjoyed the most, New Orleans, is no more - and that the place turned into a complete warzone. Just remembering walking those streets last year makes the whole thing unreal. We send our condolences to all the victims. Last but not least, I wanna thank all the bands and fans at the second stage for keeping it real. To quote Adam from Killswitch Engage: That's where the heart and soul was during whole Ozzfest! Thank you!!! We'll see you all in November on tour." In a separate posting, Strid offered the following information on the band's upcoming touring activities: "Today we have confirmed Hatesphere and Construcdead as supporting acts for the European headliner tour starting on the 5th of October in Helsinki. Both bands are very promising, and both have great albums coming out very soon. Both bands also have a reputation of being great live bands. This bill won't make you disappointed! Check out the tour schedule and don't you miss the show. We have also confirmed the November tour with Fear Factory in North America. We will be direct support to Fear Factory and there will be two more killer bands on the bill: Strapping Young Lad and Darkane! How about it, folks!? Unfortunately, we'll jump on the tour a week later from where the tour starts. I'll keep you posted on exactly what date." SOILWORK continue to tour in support of their latest album, "Stabbing The Drama." SOILWORK was founded in 1995 under the name INFERIOR BREED. In 1997 the band changed their name to SOILWORK, which would become well known within the Melodic Death Metal scene four years later in 2001, as the Swedish sextet released their third album, "A Predator's Portrait," which proved to be the band's big breakthrough. "Natural Born Chaos," recorded under the supervision of Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad) followed the latter, after which the much-acclaimed "Figure Number Five" was released.
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09.15.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Long-time British Electronic Rockers NEW ORDER are set to release the 2-disc "New Order: Item" DVD set on September 20th via Rhino Records. A 23-video collection that includes the hit singles 'Bizarre Love Triangle,' 'Blue Monday' and 'True Faith,' plus rare alternate versions and new videos for 'Temptation' and 'Ceremony' that have been created exclusively for this release on the first disc, the second disc in the "New Order: Item" set is a two-hour documentary with personal interviews, and interviews with musicians such as U2's Bono on the effect NEW ORDER's music has had over the band's 25-year career. After the demise of JOY DIVISION due to original band member and vocalist Ian Curtis' suicide in May of 1980, the three remaining members (guitarist/vocalist Bernard Sumner [guitar, vocals], bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris) moved forward collectively as NEW ORDER. Sumner took over vocal duties, and the trio embarked on a low-key tour of the U.S., intent on continuing as an entity independent of the massive reputation JOY DIVISION had achieved shortly before their demise. Later that same year, NEW ORDER recruited Morris' girlfriend Gillian Gilbert on keyboards and guitar, after which the quartet wrote and rehearsed their debut, "Movement," which was released the following year. Having already cemented a solid place in Rock history with JOY DIVISION, NEW ORDER had very little left to prove. However, their influence was far from over. With their uninhibited use of Electronics, the group changed the way audiences forever would view Electronic music and its integration into traditional Rock genres. Over two decades later, their footprint is all the more palpable, as current bands like THE KILLERS, THE BRAVERY and BLOC PARTY consistently cite NEW ORDER's music as a key influence. NEW ORDER have also always treated the photography and video elements of packaging and promotion as an equally integral part of what they do. So, having continually turned to some of the brightest names in film and photography when working on videos to accompany their songs, a litany of photographers, choreographers, directors and producers have also contributed to "New Order: Item." Included in the collection is director Jonathan Demme's video for 'The Perfect Kiss,' famed photographer William Wegman and animator Robert Breer's vision for 'Blue Monday '88' and painter Robert Longo's personal vision of 'Bizarre Love Triangle.' Michael H. Shamberg, producer of many NEW ORDER videos, also contributes liner notes on "New Order: Item."
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09.15.05 (RockAndMetal.com) As recent rumors have revealed, MNEMIC have announced a split with frontman Michael Bogballe. A statement from the band read: "It is sad it has come to this, but Michael has chosen a different path in his life and wishes to leave the band. This last weekend, we did our last gig together in Gothenburg, Sweden - which was one of the most intense and energetic gigs we have ever done, and this night will not be forgotten for a very long time. Thanks to all of our friends in Impious, Engel, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy and most important Patric Ullaeus, who came out and made it all special for everybody! We now would like to take this time to wish Michael all the best and good luck in future endeavours." Bogballe had the following farewell message for fans as well: "It is with great sadness that I must announce my departure from MNEMIC. After today, I'm no longer officially the singer of Mnemic. There's a thousand ways to put this, but none seem just accurate right now, so I'm just gonna be honest with ya all. There are two main reasons in my life for doing this. One is that my girlfriend is pregnant with my baby and I therefore want to spend some more time at home. Second is, that I'm sick and tired of being broke all the time. This is by far the hardest decision I ever had to make cuz I love the metal, the tours and the band. What we did together, no one can take that away from me and I'll remember every country we've visited for as long as I live. And to the people I've met on the road and all the fans, thank you so much for being there. You made all the difference to me. I know for sure that the remaining four boys in MNEMIC will not slow down. We part as best friends and will remain so. You guys are the shit!! Thank you. And Bobo from the Summerbreeze Festival: Fuck you! Goodbye everybody, I had a blast. And who knows, maybe we'll see each other somewhere in the future." - Michael. With Bogballe's imminent departure, former TRANSPORT LEAGUE/B-THONG singer Tony Jelencovich will step into the machine to take over vocal duties. The band commented: "Tony has been a long time friend of the band, and we are 100% confident that he is the right man for the job! Also, special thanks to video director Patric Ullaeus and his wife Tara at www.Revolver.se spending time with the band to do another brilliant shoot in Gothenburg this weekend." And for all fans of MNEMIC in the United States and Canada, the change in vocalists will not affect the band's North American Fall tour plans with MESHUGGAH, GOD FORBID and THE HAUNTED, according to Nuclear Blast Records, MNEMIC's recording label.
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09.14.05 (RockAndMetal.com) On November 14th, Warner Home Video will celebrate the life of JOHN LENNON with the long-awaited DVD debut of "Imagine: John Lennon Deluxe Edition." Narrated by Lennon himself, the release of this revealing and personal documentary is timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the performer's untimely death on December 8th, 1980. Although he was best known as a founding member of perhaps the 20th century's greatest entertainment phenomenon, JOHN LENNON today still maintains a strong influence as a musician, artist, writer, philosopher, peacemaker and poet that transcends even the awesome celebrity he achieved as one of THE BEATLES. "Imagine: John Lennon Deluxe Edition" was created with the cooperation of Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and produced by multi-award winning producer David L. Wolper and critically-acclaimed documentarian Andrew Solt (partners on "This Is Elvis"). Backed by a monumental 36-song soundtrack, the film draws from a treasure trove of material, including the musician's own collection of more than 240 hours of film and videotape, much of it never publicly seen. It was Ono who approached Wolper, announcing it was time to open JOHN LENNON's personal archives of films, writings and photographs in order to make the definitive movie of his life. Wolper agreed, but not before he requested full control over the project. Ono agreed, and what resulted was an unprecedented look into the public and private life of the superstar. "The great tragedy of John Lennon is a personal one," said Wolper. "That he left a musical and artistic legacy to be valued and cherished is undoubted. But he also had to move through some extremely difficult periods in his life before finding the perfect balance point. That any man should then have his life destroyed so shortly thereafter has to be regarded as the greatest of losses. One can only wonder what Lennon might yet have given us, had he had the chance." With bandmate Paul McCartney, Lennon wrote and recorded most of THE BEATLES' legendary song hits, including 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand,' 'She Loves You,' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' and countless others. After THE BEATLES disbanded in 1970, JOHN LENNON continued to make his mark in music history as a solo artist, producing some of his most enduring work, including 1971's album "Imagine." Considered one of the most popular of his solo works, the title track reached #3 on Billboard magazine's Pop Singles chart in 1971. 'Imagine' became an anthem for the anti-war movement, and has come to embody JOHN LENNON's legacy as both a musician and activist. In Lennon's own words, "I still believe in love, peace. I still believe in positive thinking... I consider that my work won't be finished until I'm dead and buried, and I hope that's a long, long time." Together, Ono and Lennon staged a series of conceptual events to promote "world peace" during the volatile Vietnam era - the most famous of those being the "bed-in" held in an Amsterdam hotel room during the couple's honeymoon in 1969.
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09.14.05 (RockAndMetal.com) LACUNA COIL, whose standout singles for 'Heaven's A Lie' and 'Swamped' led Billboard to name them one of last year's biggest success stories are currently in the recording studio beginning the tracking of their upcoming new album, "Karmacode," the highly anticipated follow-up to their critically-acclaimed commercial breakthrough album, "Comalies." The new effort is currently being co-produced once again with Waldemar Sorychta and LACUNA COIL, and will be mixed by the acclaimed Ronald Prent (Rammstein, H.I.M., Iron Maiden) and mastered by Darcy Proper (Steely Dan, Porcupine Tree, R.E.M.) at Galaxy Studios in Belgium. An early 2006 release is expected via Century Media. Andrea Ferro (vocals) describes the meaning behind the album's unique title: "When it came to coming up with an album title I wanted to combine one 'old' word that is spiritually connected with another that offers a link to our more 'modern' times. If there were an actual translation of 'Karmacode,' it would be something like 'spiritual DNA and the message behind it'. The title attempts to balance our modern, overwhelming, self-centered, fast-paced lifestyles and the desire we all have to live a more spiritual, more compassionate and more fulfilling life." With three full-length albums and two EPs to their credit, LACUNA COIL have ensured that each offering further enunciates the subtle, solemn beauty the sextet creates. "Comalies" maturely exhibited the trademarked Gothic overtones and poignant melancholy of their haunting musical landscape. In early 2004, LACUNA COIL's successes were validated with an invitation to participate in that year's Ozzfest, supporting such Metal stalwarts as JUDAS PRIEST, SLAYER and Ozzy Osbourne himself. Additional Summer touring with P.O.D. and Ozzfest off-date performances with SUPERJOINT RITUAL and DEVILDRIVER gave the band its busiest season yet. Led by the undeniably captivating Cristina Scabbia (vocals), LACUNA COIL garnered unusual mainstream acclaim from such publications as Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone and Stuff, among others. The group spent this Summer performing at some of Europe's premier festivals alongside such household names as GREEN DAY, INCUBUS and SYSTEM OF A DOWN, while completing the songwriting process for the new album. "Karmacode" is shaping up to be the band's career-defining release. LACUNA COIL are also playing a several live dates at the end of October in the UK, all of which are already sold out.
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09.13.05 (RockAndMetal.com) APHASIA's new album, "Fact & Fiction," will be released today by DRT Entertainment. Comprised of eleven original tracks, the release -- produced by Chris Brown of TRAPT -- is a searing-yet-heartfelt song cycle. From the thought provoking 'Away From You,' to the straightforward 'Then Again,' APHASIA come across as a band with tremendous range. Elsewhere, 'Push For New' arrives with a soaring chorus, while the poundingly melodic 'House Of Cards' boasts a slowed down bridge that reveals a more intimate layer of the band. "'House Of Cards' is really a departure from what we were used to," says APHASIA vocalist Jeff Harber. "It really required us to step away from what was comfortable and take some risks. We especially enjoy how stripped down and personal the bridge turned out." Conversely, Harber says, "'Away From You' came to us the most naturally. The song was completed in about two hours. It's very raw and blunt." Citing bands like FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES, REFUSED, INCUBUS, BLINDSIDE, ("And Yanni," Harber jokes) as main influences, APHASIA's aggressive aural attack may have its roots in the aforementioned, but their sound is unique. Or, as bassist Jayce Basques puts it, their sound is, "Music to throw ninja stars to." The first single, the heavy and catchy 'Flatline,' is also the album's first track. And fittingly so, because the members of APHASIA have come to view it as the impetus not only for the album itself, but for the band's motivation to move confidently towards realizing their own goals. "'Flatline' is great place to start, considering it's about making your move," Harber says. "'Flatline' was the first song we wrote for the record. It became Aphasia's mission statement like 'It's go time, there's no turning back.' It was motivation to write the rest of the album, so putting it first seemed natural." Although the band hail from Burlingame, California, a city situated just outside of San Francisco not normally regarded as fertile ground from which bands spring forth, the members of APHASIA see not being from a legendary musical city as a distinct advantage. "It actually helped out a lot not fitting into a prevalent scene or music community," Harber says. "Not that it's bad to have a scene, but a lot of time when that happens, unsigned and smaller bands start sounding a lot alike. It allowed us to do our own thing without much pressure to fit a certain mold. The local scene in our town was always very elitist. We have always written the music we want to hear." The members of APHASIA are all relatively young -- 19 to 23 years old -- but the band demonstrated a tireless dedication to their craft early. And while most of their peers are now rounding out their college careers, the band members are poised to begin a career of their own. "It's always been the plan," Harber says of his band's recent signing with DRT/Joint Venture Recordings. "We're pretty modest about it, but we're dedicated people."
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09.13.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Southern California Metallers MANNTIS will join The International Extreme Music Festival on September 17th alongside labelmates NIGHTRAGE, with GOD DETHRONED, EPOCH OF UNLIGHT and THINE EYES BLEED also on the bill. MANNTIS recently completed a successful nationwide headlining U.S. tour with EYES OF FIRE in support of "Sleep In Your Grave," their critically acclaimed debut album. Their first video, 'Axe of Redemption,' just made its worldwide television premiere on Fuse's "Metal Asylum." Look for it to make its "Headbangers Ball" debut later this month on MTV2. MANNTIS frontman Jake Sirokman checks in with the following update: "First off, I would like to welcome the new guys to the band, Josh Feathers on drums and Daniel Racadio on the guitar; these two are amazing, and we feel proud to have them. Second, we are very excited about this upcoming tour (International Extreme Music Festival). Even though we are not a death metal band, I feel we can still bring some chaos to the stage and have a good time. Also, just to play The Metro in Chicago is a huge step in our career, and we are thankful for the opportunity and look forward to tearin' up the stage. Speaking of tours, we had a great time with the Eyes of Fire boys on our last trip, and we hope to hit the road with them again in the future. We are also stoked about the premiere of our video 'Axe of Redemption,' which just appeared on Fuse's Metal Asylum and will soon be on MTV2's Headbangers Ball. It has taken some time, but it is worth the wait. This is it from me, and we hope to catch you on the road soon." 'Sleep In Your Grave,' produced by Cameron Webb (Danzig, Motorhead, Social Distortion), is now available, and goes straight for the jugular with its scorching guitar work and pummeling rhythmic assault. MANNTIS' staggering blend of Hardcore and Metal is delivered with authority and conviction, proving to the genre's elite that they will soon be a force to be reckoned with. Their influences come from a diverse number of bands, ranging from the likes of MESHUGGAH and PANTERA to KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and ZAO. Tour Dates: 09/17 Long Beach, CA [Vault 360] • 09/19 El Paso, TX [Lucky Devils] • 09/20 Albuquerque, NM [Launchpad] • 09/21 Arlington, TX [The Pheonix] • 09/22 Houston, TX [Fitzgeralds] • 09/23 Seminole, FL [Boomerz] • 09/24 Ft. Lauderdale, FL [Culture Room] • 09/27 Atlanta, GA [Masquerade] • 09/28 West Springfield, VA [Jaxx] • 09/30 Detroit, MI [Harpos] • 10/01 Chicago, IL [Metro] • 10/03 Rochester, NY [Penny Arcade] • 10/07 Toronto, ON [Opera House] • 10/08 Montreal, QC [Founfounes Electroques] • 10/09 Worcester, MA [Palladium]
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09.12.05 (RockAndMetal.com) THE DRESDEN DOLLS are currently hunkered down in Allaire Studios in New York from September 10-19th with producers Sean Slade & Paul Q Kolderie (Radiohead, Hole, Pixies) to record the follow-up to their critically acclaimed, self-titled debut album. The duo, called "sometimes brutal, sometimes comic, always riveting" by The New York Times, are also preparing for the October 11th release of their first ever DVD, entitled "Paradise," after which THE DRESDEN DOLLS plan to support that release with a North American headlining tour from October 12th to October 31st. The past two years have been a whirlwind for band members Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione. They've traveled the world, playing sold-out shows, winning fans over with their energetic and captivating live show, showcasing Palmer's hauntingly personal lyrics and thunderous piano playing and Viglione's drumming versatility. THE DRESDEN DOLLS' as-yet-untitled sophomore album will feature road-tested songs including 'Backstabber,' 'Shores Of California,' 'Sex Changes,' 'Mrs. O.' and 'My Alcoholic Friends,' among others. The sophomore offering promises to retain all the intensity of their Roadrunner Records debut, recorded in producer Martin Bisi's (Sonic Youth, The Swans) basement, but will take that unpolished, dangerous, lo-fi vibe steps further. "Sean and Paul have been following the band's growth for the past two years and have a real understanding of what we're trying to capture," says Amanda Palmer. "The record is going to be fast and furious, immediate and raw." The themes and lyrics for the new material will be just as eclectic as the selections from the last record, according to Plamer, with styles that could only be created from her emotional, brutally honest palette. Meanwhile, the "Paradise" DVD was named after the venue at which that show was recorded, and is a time capsule of the magic and madness conjured that night in Boston on June 5th, 2005. At 11:58PM on that Sunday, after a five-hour delay that had all hands on deck scrambling trying to restore power to parts of Boston, the generators at the Paradise Theatre kicked in and the assembly of street performers, actors and vaudevillians who had been entertaining the waiting crowds cleared the way as THE DRESDEN DOLLS took to the stage. The tracks that appear on "Paradise" were pulled from the band's eponymous debut, plus four cover songs (including BLACK SABBATH's 'War Pigs') that will only be available on the "Paradise" DVD. Says Palmer: "The DVD is crucial for us, because one of the keys to fully understanding what this band is about is to see the energy we create while playing live." Also included is an intimate hour-long documentary following the band and "The Brigade," the collection of artists and performers that follow the band.
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09.12.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Orange County-based quintet EYES OF FIRE will embark on a U.S. tour with APOCALYPTICA today in anticipation of "Prisons," their eagerly awaited sophomore release. The trek will lead the two genre-defying artists cross-country over the course of only two weeks. EYES OF FIRE just wrapped up a national U.S. tour alongside labelmates MANNTIS after completing highly successful runs supporting DANZIG and KATAKLYSM earlier this year. A video for the track 'It All Dies Today' will be shot early next month with acclaimed director Gary Smithson (Exodus, High On Fire); look for it to make its Fuse and MTV2 debut early next year. Dan Kaufman (guitars, vocals) checks in with the following report: "We just returned home about a week ago from a little stint across the U.S. with our labelmates and drinking buddies Manntis. The tour was quite fun, and we hope to do more shows with them in the future. There were plenty of days off for the entire band to get into trouble in one way or another. Now we're off again to do another U.S. tour this time with Finnish cello metal gods Apocalyptica. This is a great opportunity for us to play in front of a different crowd and win over some new fans. We are direct support, which is a great honor for us. We hope to make plenty of new friends and see some old ones while we are out leaving a path of destruction in our wake. We plan on playing a few different sets on this tour to mix up our new material (off of Prisons) with our older material. Right now, we have three sets that we are playing, and it may grow as the tour progresses to keep us interested and keep you, the audience, guessing. So come on out to hear the new material live before the album hits the shelf early next year. Once we get back home we are hooking up with director Gary Smithson to shoot the first video off of 'Prisons' for the track 'It All Dies Today.' The treatment is amazing and very creative. There are a lot of different locations we are going to travel to in order to get the right feel and look for this video. If everything is completed in time, there is also talk of adding the video as bonus material for the 'Prisons' album, which will also feature a bonus CD containing our 23-minute opus 'Home' in the first 5,000 copies pressed. Then we want to head back out on the road again and play some more for y'all. It's shaping up to be a busy time for us, and we are super excited for our future. Finally the rock and roll gods are smiling on us. Until next time, keep on listening." EYES OF FIRE's debut offering, "Ashes To Embers," lashed out with a barrage of intensity, leaving the listener victim to a sonic pummeling, while still walking a fine line between melody and brutality. The album stunned critics and fans alike and gave them a much-needed alternative to the current influx of Metalcore.
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[Music News: 09.05.05 - 09.11.05]
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