11.11.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Not content with having reached the No.1 spot on the UK's Music DVD chart twice this year, with "Greatest Video Hits 1" and Live At Wembley (and remaining in the Top 20 for over 54 weeks), QUEEN looks certain to continue their monopoly of the top spot with the release of the band's new video clips compilation, "Queen's Greatest Video Hits 2," which went on sale yesterday in The UK. Continuing from where "Greatest Video Hits 1" left off, this second hits compilation (produced again by Simon Lupton and Rhys Thomas, traces QUEEN's chart successes through the 1980's, and features 19 hits from four albums: "Hot Space" (1982), "The Works" (1984), "A Kind Of Magic" (1986) and "The Miracle" (1989). [full story]

11.11.03 (RockAndMetal.com) PROBOT are currently shooting a new video for the song 'Shake Your Blood' with director Bill Yukich (JAY-Z). Along with guest singer Lemmy from Motorhead, the clip will also feature The SuicideGirls burlesque troupe. The side project of Foo Fighters frontman/former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, PROBOT will release their self-titled debut album on February 10, 2004 through Southern Lord Recordings. A two-track 7" single, limited to 6,666 copies, will be released later this month, and will contain the songs 'Centuries Of Sin' and 'Emerald Lies.' PROBOT's debut features Grohl, ex-Zwan guitarist Matt Sweeney and Foo Fighters producer Adam Kasper accompanying some of metal's most celebrated and unique frontmen.
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11.11.03 (AP) PINK's favorite song on her new album salutes a rebellious rocker of years past: JANIS JOPLIN. Lyrics on the track 'Unwind' are a nod to the late 1960's singer, for whom PINK says she has a great affection. "The song's about being tough on the outside and vulnerable on the inside, and I see now that I am also talking about myself," says PINK, a Philadelphia-area native. "I was a very defensive kid 'cause I was really sensitive underneath and didn't want people to know." The album, set for release Tuesday, is expected be another top seller from a singer who isn't afraid to buck music industry trends. "Everything in this business is designed to encourage you to play along," she said.
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11.11.03 (RockAndMetal.com) RAMMSTEIN are currently in the recording studio working on the follow-up to the "Mutter" album. The upcoming album will be produced by Jacob Hellner, and will be released on Motor Music/Universal Records. And if you believe the rumour mill, it is likely to be their last. A source close to the band told Metal Hammer magazine earlier this year that "the band feel as though they have taken their music/stage show as far as it can go" and are now "looking to pursue other musical projects." Guitarist Richard Kruspe-Bernstein, vocalist Till Lindemann and bassist Oliver Riedel - along with KMFDM mainman Sascha Konietzko - have been demoing tracks for their side-project, Emigrate.

11.11.03 (AP) MICK JAGGER is defending THE ROLLING STONES' decision to sell their new DVD box set "Four Flicks" through Best Buy and no other music retailers. This is not like not allowing them to sell some Blockbuster movie, which is going to sell 2 million DVDs in first week, you know, a 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' or something like that," Jagger told The Associated Press. "I think that this is like really small potatoes compared to that," he said. Three big music chains in Canada recently announced they were pulling some of the band's merchandise and music off shelves in protest after learning of the deal. "I feel bad for the stores that aren't going to have the product, but to be honest, music videos don't sell anything like movie DVDs," Jagger said.

11.11.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Singapore Gore/Grind band WTN are in the final stages of completing their upcoming "R.I.P." ("Rotting In Pestilence") album. It will feature re-recorded songs and new songs as well. All re-recorded songs sound completely different. The album promises crescendos of morbid, insane goregrind in the vein of ... WTN... Estimated to be 37+ minutes of sheer sickness. "R.I.P." will also feature a cover of Impetigo's 'I Work For The Streetcleaner,' plus artwork from the great mad gravedigger, Spain's NOR. These maggot-munchers have been splattering brains for a few years now, and have issued several cult split 7" EP's with bands including Morgue, Ulcerrhoea, Squash Bowels, and Haemorrhage.
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11.11.03 (RockAndMetal.com) U.K. band SUEDE have gone ther seperate ways, according to a post on their official Web site, band members will go their separate ways after completing scheduled upcoming European tour dates, which run through mid-December. "Suede would like to announce that from next year they will be working on their own individual projects," the site says. "There will not be a new studio album until the band feel that the moment is artistically right to make one. This announcement does not affect the forthcoming touring commitments. Suede would like to thank the fans for their wonderful support over the years. See you in the next life."
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11.11.03 (Billboard) A track from MARILYN MANSON's recent Nothing/Interscope album, "The Golden Age Of Grotesque," will be featured on the new "Spawn Armageddon" videogame, Billboard has learned exclusively. 'Use Your Fist, Not Your Mouth' will be included in the game, which arrives in stores Nov.ember 26th. "If any artist epitomizes my antihero Spawn, it's Marilyn Manson," says Todd McFarlane, creator of the noir comic character and head of McFarlane Enterprises. Manson previously contributed 'Long Hard Road Out Of Hell' with The Sneaker Pimps to the 1997 "Spawn: The Movie" soundtrack. Nine Inch Nails' TRENT REZNOR, owner of the Nothing label, sees only positive returns from the Manson track on the game, noting that he and Manson are very "game on games."

11.11.03 (AP) Rock music played lead in giving Hungarian baby boomers the resolve to bring down their communist state, says one of those reformers who today is a government official. ANDRAS SIMONYI, Hungary's ambassador to the United States, spent an hour Saturday night discussing the impact of Western songs on Eastern European politics before an audience of 250 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Simonyi, 51, was a devoted fan of The Beatles, Cream, Traffic and Jimi Hendrix when their releases weren't officially permitted in Hungary. Records and tapes sometimes were smuggled in or recorded from foreign radio broadcasts. "By keeping in touch with the music scene in the West, it kind of kept me sane and with the feeling I was part of the free world."

11.11.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Following up their dates on the "Take Action Tour," POISON THE WELL has hit the road again for a string of 21 dates supporting The Deftones. Following this current slate of shows, the hard-driving band will then strike out on their own headlining itinerary. All told, the band will play 40 cities in 46 days. The Deftones tour began on October 26th at San Jose State University, and will hit most major cities before wrapping up on November 22nd in Rhode Island. POISON THE WELL will then begin their own headlining tour the following day in East Meadow, NY and will hit venues throughout the East Coast and Midwest through the middle of December. Tickets for the entire POISON THE WELL headlining tour will sell for only $8.00.
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11.11.03 (Reuters) Two would-be songwriters turned media moguls are tuning up a possible bid for WARNER MUSIC, even as Time Warner Inc. tries to negotiate a deal with one of its music-industry rivals. Billionaire Haim Saban and former Seagram's CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. are exploring a potential bid for Warner Music, home of Madonna, Metallica, and Matchbox Twenty, people familiar with the situation said. Private equity firm Thomas H. Lee may help finance a deal, these people said. Spokesmen for Saban, Bronfman and Thomas H. Lee all declined to comment. Saban and his group are interested in both Warner Recorded Music and Warner Chappell, the music publishing arm of the business, one person said. Other private equity firms also are eyeing Warner Chappell, other people have said. [full story]

11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Set for release tomorrow from Columbia Records, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN's "The Essential Bruce Springsteen," his first-ever career-spanning audio collection, includes songs from every BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN album since his debut in 1973. The set comes packaged with a third bonus CD of rarities and previously unreleased tracks, too. But that's not all, folks. A week from tomorrow the double-DVD "Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band: Live In Barcelona" sees it's release, capturing Springsteen-and-band's record-breaking 2002-2003 World Tour, including new interviews and bonus footage of Springsteen's 2003 performances at Boston's Fenway Park and New Jersey's Giants Stadium. [full story]
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11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) As the buzz surrounding Italian sextet LACUNA COIL's latest single, 'Heaven's A Lie,' continues to build at commercial radio, the group will make their much anticipated return to the U.S beginning Wednesday. After developing a loyal following throughout the past year touring with the likes of Anthrax, Opeth and Type O Negative, they are more than excited to come back as headliners. The trek wraps up on December 15th. Singer Cristina Scabbia describes her excitement surrounding the group's upcoming tour: "We are absolutely thrilled to be coming back to the U.S.. We didn't expect this wonderful reaction from the American audience - press and radio alike!"
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11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Guitarist ERIC CLAPTON kicks off a month-long tour of Japan this Saturday in Hiroshima, and wraps things up December 13th in Tokyo. Complete Japan Tour Dates:
11/15 Hiroshima, Japan [Green Arena] • 11/17 Osaka, Japan [Osaka-Jo Hall] • 11/19 Osaka, Japan [Osaka-Jo Hall] • 11/20 Osaka, Japan [Osaka-Jo Hall] • 11/24 Saitama, Japan [Saitama Super Arena] • 11/26 Yokohama, Japan [Yokohama Arena] • 11/27 Yokohama, Japan [Yokohama Arena] • 11/29 Tokyo [Budokan Hall] • 11/30 Tokyo [Budokan Hall] • 12/2 Tokyo [Budokan Hall] • 12/3 Tokyo [Budokan Hall] • 12/5: Sendai, Japan [Grande 21] • 12/7: Sapporo, Japan [Sapporo Dome] • 12/9 Tokyo [Budokan Hall] • 12/10 Tokyo [Budokan Hall] • 12/12 Tokyo [Budokan Hall] • 12/13 Tokyo [Budokan Hall]
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11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Texas metal band BIG IRON have released their latest album, "Falling Down," on Neoblast Records. Together, Dan Lehmann (Vocals), Alapeno (Guitar), Dave Slaughter (Drums) and Todd Hezeaux (Bass) have roots that stretch back to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area's late 80's underground scene. Their full-length European debut, "Tierra Del Diablo" was released in October of 1997. Since then, BIG IRON has continued gigging and writing new material, choosing to persevere while most other bands would have broken up or simply walked away. "Falling Down" was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (Hole, Monster Magnet, Shadows Fall, Sepultura).
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11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) The first-ever STONE TEMPLE PILOTS anthology, "Thank You," will be released tomorrow, and arrives as both a CD and a CD/DVD combo. The 15-track CD features 13 of STP's greatest songs plus two bonus tracks, including the brand new, previously-unreleased song, 'All In The Suit That You Wear.' The DVD (3 hours and 32 songs in length) features a dozen of STP's acclaimed videos, a collection of brilliant live performances (including a remarkable assortment of "bootlegs" shot by friends and fans of the band), plus some never-before-seen rare footage. This is one release definitely not to be missed for all STONE TEMPLE PILOTS fans.
[WATCH] Real Lo | Real Hi

11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Reunited San Francisco Bay Area metallers DEATH ANGEL will enter a Northern California studio with producer Brian Dobbs (Man Made God, Voivod) on December 1st to begin recording their first CD since 1990's "Act III," tentatively due in the spring."We are still looking around for a studio that best suits us, but we do plan to record at home," DEATH ANGEL guitarist says. "We have not decided on an album title as of yet, but we do have an album's worth of material, and we plan to write more. It's still DEATH ANGEL music. Lots of changes, fast and in your face. We didn't down-tune guitars or incorporate death metal vocals. Not that it's a bad thing, but we wanted to stick to the original formula. People who liked DEATH ANGEL then will like us now."

11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Former GENESIS guitarist STEVE HACKETT releases "Live Archive" on Wednesday, a brand new 4-CD Box Set revisiting the STEVE HACKETT live experience over three different decades. "Live Archive" includes many favorites from Hackett's early days, plus a 40-page booklet crammed with unseen photos and insights from Hackett himself on the times and the tunes. The first 2 CD's showcase the 1970's, with a complete 2 hour performance at the legendary Hammersmith Odeon in London. The third CD is a recording of Hackett's 1981 outdoor concert at Rome's Castel Sant' Angelo, while CD #4 captures Hackett live back in London's Grand Theatre in 1993.
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11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) From the hills of Pennsylvania the dead rise once more to walk the earth again on MAUSOLEUM's new album, "Cadaveric Displays of Ghoulish Ghastliness." MAUSOLEUM was formed by former members of Incantation and Necrotomie to create "horrific tales of zombie cult death metal." I expect anyone that is bored with most of the stuff that's going on now will be into this, says band member Slim. "We are doing something so old now to most that it's fresh new appeal and it's new to a whole new breed of metal heads. We want to blaze a trail. not follow the herd. Fuck it if this release doesn't do shit and everyone hates it! Then we'll do another one!" he added.
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11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) DEFAULT are out on tour in support of "Elocation," which is due on 11/25. November Dates:
11/11 Lubbock, TX [The Pavillion] • 11/12 Dallas, TX [Gypsy Ballroom] • 11/14 Austin, TX [The Backroom] • 11/15 Houston, TX [Engine Room] • 11/16 New Orleans, LA [House Of Blues] • 11/18 Tampa, FL [Twilight] • 11/20 Lake Buena Vista, FL [House Of Blues] • 11/21 Atlanta, GA [Roxy Theatre] • 11/22 North Myrtle Beach, SC [House Of Blues] • 11/23 Charleston, SC [North Charleston Coliseum] • 11/25 Pittsburgh, PA [Metropol] • 11/26 Detroit, MI St. [Andrews Hall] • 11/28 Buffalo, NY [Sphere Entertainment Complex] • 11/29 Milwaukee, WI [The Rave]
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11.10.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Israeli Oriental Metal band ORPHANED LAND's long-awaited album, "Mabool" is nearly done and being recorded in both Zaza and Bardo Studios in Israel, and is scheduled for an early 2004 release. "Mabool" contains 12 tracks telling the story of The Great Flood. Here are the final song titles, each title reflecting a different part of the whole tale:
1.Birth Of The Three (The Unification) • 2.Ocean Land (The Revelation) • 3.The Kiss Of Babylon (The Sins) • 4.A'salk • 5.Halo Dies (The Wrath Of God) • 6.A Call To Awake (The Quest) • 7.Building The Ark • 8.Norra El Norra (Entering The Ark) • 9.The Calm Before The Flood • 10.Mabool (The Flood) • 11.The Storm Still Rages • 12.Rainbow (The Resurrection)
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11.10.03 (Reuters) The merger of SONY MUSIC and BMG could bring a whole new stable of recording artists to listeners hooked on Sony Corp.'s electronics, but analysts say the alliance is more about minimizing risk than seeking gain. The proliferation of file-sharing services such as KaZaa and a weaker retail market pushed Sony's music business -- eight percent of group revenues -- into the red, with an operating loss of $79 million in the year to March 31st. "This deal might not help in terms of profitability, but this is about Sony minimizing its risk," said Standard & Poor's equity analyst John Yang. Sony and German media firm Bertelsmann AG announced on Thursday that they had signed a non-binding letter of intent to form a 50-50 music joint venture to be called SONY-BMG, pending regulatory approval. [full story]

11.09.03 (RockAndMetal.com) PEARL JAM will release their much-anticipated rarities and B-sides double album entitled "Lost Dogs," as well as a 2-disc DVD set of their July 8, 2003 concert performance at Madison Square Garden entitled "Pearl Jam Live At The Garden" this Tuesday on Epic Records. "Lost Dogs" includes 31 tracks compiled from the band's extensive B-side archives, and from various benefit albums and soundtracks. None of the tracks have been released on any prior PEARL JAM studio albums. "Pearl Jam Live At The Garden" was filmed by PEARL JAM crew members Liz Burns, Steve Gordon, Kevin Shuss and Brandon Vedder. [full story]
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11.09.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Power Metal guitar hero JOE STUMP has announced plans for the recording of a new all-instrumental album soon, which will be released sometime in mid-2004. Stump just returned back from a successful European tour with The Reign Of Terror, and is about to go on an instrumental tour of Far East Asia in support of his most recent release, "Armed And Ready." The new tour should take JOE STUMP to places he has yet to play, such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. In between touring, Joe is working on the upcoming release. Stump promises the new album will "Be over the top and blow people's heads off!"
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11.09.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Long-Tome songwriter RON DAVIES has died of a heart attack in Nashville, Tennessee at age 57. Davies penned songs like 't Ain't Easy,' recorded by both Three Dog Night and David Bowie, 'The Man I Used to Be' by Jerry Jeff Walker, and 'Long, Hard Climb' for Helen Reddy. He also wrote songs recorded by Joe Cocker, Dave Edmunds, Anne Murray, Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. RON DAVIES was also the older brother of country singer Gail Davies.

11.09.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Belarussian Melodic Death Metal band SANATENA have been signed to a new recording deal by Canada's Great White North Records. Formed originally as a trio in 1999, the band brought on second guitarist Alexei the following year. Dmitry, the guitarist from another band Warcraft caught SANATENA playing in 2001 and invited them to play at "The Zhodino's Thunder-2" festival the following week. After some promising reviews, the band soon recorded their first demo, "Shake The Fear." After several more concerts that year, SANATENA played the "Kino-Rock-Metal-Fest" and found new vocalist Evgeny. A full-length SANATENA album is due sometime early next year.
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11.09.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Legendary guitarist Joe Satriani releases "The Electric Joe Satriani: An Anthology" this Tuesday, which chronicles his long career from his debut, "Not Of This Earth," to last year's critically-acclaimed "Strange Beautiful Music." Satriani has wielded his magic on the guitar for two decades, and has been the teacher/mentor for countless musicians including Steve Vai. He has also influenced and inspired many to learn the guitar and follow his lead. This wide-scoping new collection includes 30 of his most important recordings, plus vintage photos and song-by-song annotations by JOE SATRIANI himself.
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11.09.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Death/Grind band DEFACING's four-song debut EP, "The Beginning Of Human Cruelty" has been released by Toxic/Virus Records. Originally known as SPLATTERED EXCREMENTS, the band previously played some shows in 2002 and the beginning of 2003 under that name with the likes of UNDERCROFT, POEMA ARCANVS, INQUISICION, PANDEMIA, and more. After much effort and dedication, the band finally recorded their debut demo under their current name DEFACING in March of 2003. "The Beginning Of Human Cruelty" was recorded and mastered at SADE studios by Juan Pablo Donoso. DEFACING has since signed with Xtreem Music for release of a full-length soon.
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11.09.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Dutch aggressive hardcore quintet KILLTRAITORS have released their four-song debut EP on Reflections Records. Influences include Unbroken, 108, etc., but with a more modern sound and an overall feeling of anger and despair. KILLTRAITORS are playing an official release show with The Hope Conspiracy, A18, and Nine net Saturday night at Goudvishal in Arnhem. All members of the band have played in other bands before: Steven was in Fairfight, Arthur was in Know Your Enemy and Reaching Forward. Jeroen played drums for Miasmata, Tom was in Micasa and Johan recently did vocals for Strip The Threads and played guitar for One Day Closer.
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11.09.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Remaining November dates for SIX FEET UNDER's Bringer Of Blood tour are as follows:
11/09 Salt Lake City, UT [DV8] • 11/11 Palo Alto, CA [The Edge] • 11/12 Hollywood, CA [The Key Club] • 11/13 Santa Ana, CA [Galaxy Theatre] • 11/14 San Diego, CA [Brick By Brick] • 11/15 Phoenix, AZ [Bash On Ash] • 11/16 Albuquerque, NM [Launch Pad] • 11/18 Dallas, TX [Deep Ellum Live] • 11/19 San Antonio, TX [Sin 13] • 11/20 Corpus Christi, TX [Sharkey's]
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11.09.03 (Billboard) In a move to drive traffic to it's site this holiday season, AMAZON.COM is offering free music, movie and book exclusives, Billboard Bulletin reports. Bruce Springsteen, Counting Crows, R.E.M. and Jack Black are among the music artists providing content to Amazon.com for the promotion. Under the campaign, dubbed "Holiday A-List," Amazon is featuring a new exclusive from a musician, actor, author, director or media personality each day until January 1st. The initiative kicked off November 3rd with exclusive concert video footage shot at Springsteen's September 7th show at Boston's Fenway Park. Amazon has been using the footage to drive pre-orders of the CD "The Essential Bruce Springsteen," and the concert DVD, "Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band -- Live in Barcelona."

11.08.03 (RockAndMetal.com) D.O.A., Canada's most influential punk rock band, is celebrating their 25th Anniversary by launching a new tour of Canada. Having influenced a couple of generations of punks and musicians and made a big impact on underground "people power" politics, D.O.A. is marking the occasion in a couple of special ways. Sudden Death Records (Canada's punk godfather Joey Shithead Keithley's own record label) will release the definitive D.O.A. album, "War And Peace," a 26 track compilation of D.O.A.'s greatest recorded moments. "War And Peace" starts at the roots with 'Disco Sucks,' 'The Enemy,' and 'Liar For Hire,' right through to their modern blitzkrieg sound of 'Dead Men Tell No Tales' and... [full story]

11.08.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Spanish Gore/Grind merchants HAEMORRHAGE will release their brand new DVD, "Visions From The Morgue on December 8th. "Visions From The Morgue" contains 3 studio videos, professional live recordings from the band's With Full Force Festival 2002 performance, plus live shows filmed in both Holland and The Czech Republic (dating back from 1996 through 1999). A booklet containing new gore stories from Von "Dr. Obnoxius" & Co." (written by Luisma) will also be included.
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11.08.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Guitar whiz STEVE VAI's "The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology" is due to be released Tuesday, November 11th. A celebration of 20 years' balance of melody and technical brilliance, STEVE VAI is one of the most successful and diverse guitarists of the last twenty years. From his outstanding work with Frank Zappa to his prolific output as a solo artist, Vai continues to explore the outer reaches of the musical spectrum. "The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology" features 32 tracks spanning his entire solo career, plus vintage photographs and an insightful essay on STEVE VAI's impact on both rock and metal music.
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11.08.03 (RockAndMetal.com) CONSPIRACY A.D. have announced the final track listing for their forthcoming album, "Humanity=Destruction...The End Is Near," set to be released worldwide by Crash Music Inc. on January 13th, 2004. Final Track Listing:
1.Prelude To The Apocalypse • 2.Bloody Revenge • 3.Killers Of Justice • 4.Enslavement • 5.The Endless Darkness • 6.Tales From A Dark Soul (Bleed You White) • 7.Death And Blood • 8.The Sadness Of Mankind • 9.Warfare Part I • 10.Warfare Part II • 11.Distorted Visions Of A Dying World

11.08.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Steve O'Rourke, long-time manager of the British rock group PINK FLOYD has died. O'Rourke, who guided PINK FLOYD's career for three decades following the enormous success of the 1973 album "Dark Side of the Moon" who helped to ensure that the band remained a major musical force that enjoyed sustained worldwide popularity. O'Rourke was also well-known for his outside passion as a race car driver. He died October 30th at the age of 63 after suffering a stroke in Miami, Florida.

11.08.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Portuguese goth metalers MOONSPELL will premiere their new "The Antidote" show at the Lisbon Coliseum tonight. The new stage set-up and songs will be tried out for the first time before they take off to North America and Europe to embark on a national U.S. tour alongside Cradle Of Filth and Type O Negative beginning this Wednesday. MOONSPELL has also confirmed a European tour with label-mates Lacuna Coil, Passenger, and Poisonblack come December and January, and will also headline shows in their home-territory of Portugal, Turkey, Greece and Spain during the next few months.
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11.08.03 (Billboard) Los Angeles-based independent label EPITAPH RECORDS, home to such rock acts as Pennywise and Rancid, has laid off seven of its 42 employees, about 17% of its staff. The cuts, made in mid-October, eliminated redundancies and were not tied to a downturn in business, according to Epitaph president Andy Kaulkin. "We're cutting back our overhead and trying to restructure," Kaulkin said. "We can't be the same business we've been," he added.

11.08.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Plans exist for a DISSECTION documentary to be filmed over the course of the next year. Starting in a prison, it will follow the group through bandmember auditions, guitarist/vocalist Jon Nodtvedt's release from that prison, the recording of the next album, and will include footage from their comeback tour in December 2004. The tour will reportedly be "something out of the ordinary," with shows around two hours long and containing only old material -- more or less every song from the first two albums, "The Somberlain," and "Storm Of The Light's Bane."
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11.08.03 (Reuters) In a move aimed at stemming wide-scale online piracy on college campuses, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY has reached a deal to offer thousands of students free access to the newly-relaunched NAPSTER music service. Penn State President Graham Spanier said the school will offer students access to digital music and limited downloading from Napster's newly relaunched music service at no cost. Students can also buy permanent downloads that can be burned to CD's or transferred to portable devices for 99 cents each, he said. NAPSTER, the song-swap pioneer that revolutionized online music and turned the music industry... [full story]

11.07.03 (RockAndMetal.com) KID ROCK's long-awaited, self-titled studio album will be released Tuesday on Atlantic Records. Starting with Wednesday's Country Music Awards, the singer continues his TV appearances by performing at the American Music Awards, and is up for two honors, "Favorite Male Artist" and "Favorite Album." The AMA's air on ABC November 16th at 8pm. KID ROCK will also be performing his unique remake of Bad Company's 'Feel Like Making Love' on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on November 18th. KID ROCK is also slated to perform at Monday's tribute to Johnny Cash at The Ryman Auditorium along with John Mellencamp, Dwight Yoakam, Sheryl Crow, Hank Williams Jr., and more.
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11.07.03 (RockAndMetal.com) A brand new DVD release of SLIPKNOT's "Welcome To Our Neighborhood" is scheduled for November 18th. Contained within the DVD version not on the band's original VHS release of this home video is never-seen-before footage of the band culled from Clown's personal Slipknot archives, put to the music of 'Scissors.' SLIPKNOT are currently holed up in the studio, working on the follow up to 2001's Platinum album, "Iowa," with master producer Rick Rubin, Given Slipknot's pure, unbridled metal fury, this is a pairing who'll make an album that will undoubtedly send shockwaves through the music world. The new SLIPKNOT album is slated for release in the Spring.
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11.07.03 (NME) COLDPLAY have reportedly scrapped over 40 songs as they start work on their third album. In an exclusive NME.COM interview, Chris Martin said that the band are in and out of the studio, writing and recording material that could feature on the follow-up to "A Rush Of Blood To The Head." Not due before the end of 2004, it'll be one of the most anticipated British releases in years. Martin said that while in a recent recording session in the US, the band embarked on a little "constructive destruction," scrapping 42 songs from their back catalogue that they don't think will make the cut. "So far all we've achieved is managing to scrap 42 songs." Meanwhile, COLDPLAY walked away with the Best Group Award at the European MTV Awards last night.

11.07.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Masters of gore and grind DEAD INFECTION are back with a compilation album on the Obscene Productions label dubbed "The Lethal Collection," containing tracks from all their underground 7" EP's grouped with the songs from their MCD, "The Greatest Shits." DEAD INFECTION has been around in one form or another since 1990, when the band was originally formed. After live appearances over the years with bands including HAEMORRHAGE, INHUME and LAST DAYS OF HUMANITY (plus some split-CD appearances here and there), "Dead Singles Collection" was released in 2001 - as members worked on side projects including SPINELESS and COFFEE GRINDER.
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11.07.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Virgin Records recording artists THE THRILLS' new album, "So Much For The City," has been released, and is now available in stores. Critic Robert Hillburn of The LA Times gives "So Much For The City" four stars and writes, "One of the hardest things in pop music is coming up with uplifting songs that are poignant, not just cheerful -- and this Dublin quintet's ability to do it so consistently makes this one of the most enchanting rock debuts in years." San Diego.com editor Maya Kroth writes, "It's not easy crafting the perfect summer song, but retro-rockers The Thrills somehow managed to churn out a whole album's worth."
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11.07.03 (RockAndMetal.com) The new FIREWIND album, "Burning Earth" will reprtedly be released on Leviathan, Massacre, Toshiba-EMI, Magnum and Rock Brigade Records worldwide very soon. The new release is chock-full of heavy riffs, great guitar solos, powerful melodic lead vocals, memorable choruses, excellent song structures and strong lyrical messages. The band is fronted by guitarist Gus G. and vocalist Stephen Fredrick. The band's new rhythm section is comprised of Greek bass player Petros Christo (BREAKING SILENCE) and Norwegian drummer Stian Kristoffersen (PAGAN'S MIND). Gus G. has built a name for himself playing with Nightrage, Mystic Prophecy, and Dream Evil, and was voted one of today's top guitarists in Japan's BURRN magazine.

11.07.03 (RockAndMetal.com) RADIOHEAD singer Jonny Greenwood has written and recorded the soundtrack to the upcoming film, "Bodysong," which opens on December 5th. At the end of last year, Jonny took advantage of some time off from the band to write and record the soundtrack with RADIOHEAD recording engineer Graeme Stewart. It's a collection of both electronic and acoustic music, and features performances bt The Emperor String Quartet, and The Gerrard Presencer Jazz Quartet. "Bodysong" is directed by Simon Pummell, and is a collage of the experience of being human, from birth to death. The film is dialogue-free and compiled from sourced images spanning the past 100 years.

11.07.03 (RockAndMetal.com) DEICIDE's headlining U.S. tour with HATE ETERNAL is currently underway. Remaining November Dates:
11/7 Santa Ana, CA [Galaxy Theatre] • 11/8 San Francisco, CA [The Pound] • 11/10 Denver, CO [Ogden Theater] • 11/11 Omaha, NE [Ranch Bowl] • 11/12 Sauget, IL [Pop's] • 11/13 Chicago, IL [Metro/Smart Bar] • 11/14 Cleveland, OH [Agora Theatre] • 11/15 Asbury Park, NJ [Convention Hall] • 11/18 Pittsburgh, PA [Laga] • 11/19 New Haven, CT [Toad's Place] • 11/20 Springfield, VA [Jaxx West] • 11/21 Roanoke, VA [Factory 324] • 11/22 Spartanburg, SC [Ground Zero] • 11/23 St. Petersburg, FL [Venom]
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11.07.03 (AP) Fleetwood Mac's STEVIE NICKS took Song Of Yhe Year honors at the BMI Country Awards for the song 'Landslide,' which she wrote nearly 30 years ago. Written in 1974 and a major hit for Nicks and Fleetwood Mac in 1975, "Landslide" re-emerged last year as a single from The Dixie Chicks' "Home" album. It became a hit on several formats of radio including country, adult top 40 and adult contemporary. Smashing Pumpkins also did a cover of the song in 1994. "Good songs have a way of coming back," said BMI President and CEO Frances W. Preston. "Because of artists writing so many of their own songs, you don't find that a lot. But it was somebody going back and looking for good material." Nicks was not present to receive the honor Tuesday night in Nashville.

11.07.03 (RockAndMetal.com) CRASH MUSIC, INC. has announced the signing of new exclusive licensing agreements with two smaller European recording labels - Finland's Low Frequency Records and Poland's Empire Records. The deals include distribution of music via Crash Music throughout most of Europe as well as North America. The first bands to benefit from the new deal will be CHAOSBREED, EVEMASTER, VESANIA, ESQUARIAL, DISSENTER, SPINAL CORD and MUTILATION. Look for various release dates throughout 2004 from nearly all of the latter bands.

11.07.03 (Reuters) More than a million households deleted all the digital music files they had saved on their PCs in August -- a sign that the record industry's anti-piracy tactics are hitting home, said Los Angeles-based research company NPD Group on Wednesday. NPD credited the ongoing anti-piracy campaign by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and said publicity about the move led more consumers to delete musical files. In August 1.4 million households deleted all music files, whereas prior to August, deletions were at much lower levels. When it first began to track deletions in May 2003, NPD found 606,000 households deleted music files from their PCs. A related survey found that consumers' overall opinion of the recording industry is suffering due to the RIAA's move to sue hundreds of people alleged to have shared music.

11.06.03 (AP) BOBBY HATFIELD, who with partner Bill Medley pioneered the "blue-eyed soul" sound as THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS with hits like 'Unchained Melody' and 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling,' died Wednesday night of undetermined causes at a hotel, his manager said. He was 63. Hatfield's body was discovered in his bed at 7 p.m. EST, a half-hour before the duo was to perform at Miller Auditorium on the Western Michigan University campus, manager David Cohen said. "It's a shock, a real shock," Cohen said during a telephone interview. Medley, who teamed with Hatfield 42 years ago, was "broken up. He's not even coherent," Cohen said. Hatfield's body was taken from... [full story]

11.06.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Filmed at several stops along the 2003 Metallica Summer Sanitarium Tour, MUDVAYNE's new "All Access To All Things" DVD documents life on the road during one of the year's biggest tours. "All Access To All Things" contains MuDvAyNe's full set of 10 songs from performances in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Seattle - plus over 40 minures of behind-the-scenes and bonus footage.
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11.06.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Newcomer FEFE DOBSON has been scoring rave reviews with her new single, 'Take Me Away,' from her forthcoming self-titled debut album. But she's no flash-in-the-pan, that's for sure. Before signing with Universal Music Canada and Island Records, Canadian fireball FEFE DOBSON considered signing to her first record deal years earlier. It's not that she wasn't ready then to enter the pop/rock arena but that she wanted to reach her full potential before bursting onto the scene. At the time, she was beginning to write on the piano, and though the melodic foundations of these pop songs were solid, something was missing. She knew what it was. "I just kept thinking, 'There's... [full story]
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11.06.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Netherlands recording label DVS Records have agreed to a record deal with Australian band VOYAGER to release their debut album, "Element V." This young talented band has released the CD on their own in Australia, but DVS Records has decided to officially release the album world-wide, just because Voyager is such a promising band in the progressive metal scene. The band mixes a lot of different music styles into their own original style. Influences from the prog, black, and heavy metal scene are all in the mix. 'Element V" is scheduled to be released in March.
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11.06.03 (AP) JOHNNY CASH wasn't wild about the video for his rendition of the Nine Inch Nails song 'Hurt' the first time he saw it, says daughter, Kathy Cash. "He wasn't sure he liked it at first, then he kept watching it and he said, 'You know, that is a good video,'" she said of her late father at last night's CMA Awards. Cash posthumously won the Country Music Association's Video Of The Year and Single Of The Year awards for 'Hurt.' He also won for Album Of The Year - giving him his first CMA award since 1969, and tying him with singer Alan Jackson for most wins during the night.

11.06.03 (RockAndMetal.com) After returning from a short tour in East Europe last month, Metal Blade recording artists ANCIENT have been hard at work with the song-writing for their upcoming album, which is scheduled to be released sometime in th middle of 2004. Recorded is taking place at both Mirage Studios and Alpha-Omega Studios, with mixing scheduled at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. An album title has not been confirmed, but some of the new songs are "Envision The Beast," "Fuel The Flames," and "Night Visit."
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11.06.03 (RockAndMetal.com) "Trouble No More: The Making Of A John Mellencamp Album," a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process that yielded JOHN MELLENCAMP's current album, "Trouble No More," has been released by Redline Entertainment. The feature-length documentary was shot during the course of the pre-production, recording and post-production of the 2004 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominee's twenty-first album. The film was produced under the direction of Ron Osgood, Professor Of Telecommunications at Indiana University. Using a crew almost entirely made up of students, he documented Mellencamp and his band's 10 to 12 hour, five-days-per-week schedule creating the album.
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11.06.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Sweden's DARKANE have postponed the recording sessions for their fourth album until after their upcoming European tour with DEATH ANGEL. The delay is due to the fact that the group's guitarist Klas Ideberg recently underwent surgery for a slipped disc in his back and also because the band want to spend extra time building their recording studio, according to a post on their web site. A late spring release is expected. "The past 3 months has been like hell for me and I haven't been able to walk at all the past 2 months. But now I'm back on my feet again, thanks to the surgery and the morphine, hahaha," Ideberg says.
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11.06.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Los Angeles septet THE WARLOCKS have released the single 'Baby Blue' from the band's recent album, "Phoenix," on both CD and 7" vinyl formats. Sitars, melodic bass and carefully controlled feedback conspire to make 'Baby Blue' some of the best three minutes THE WARLOCKS have produced so far. With two drummers and four guitars pounding out a relentless, hypnotic and lysergic wall of sound, like some unholy amalgam of The Velvet Underground, Neu! and The Happy Mondays, THE WARLOCKS are quickly becoming a reason to believe again in the redemptive powers of psychedelia-drenched rock and roll.
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11.06.03 (RockAndMetal.com) The recording of the long-awaited sixth BAL-SAGOTH album is continuing, and the new material is sounding great, according to the band - 'shaping up to be a wondrous and enthralling voyage into the darksome realms of sinister avant-garde black/death metal.' Barbaric, baroque, and bombastic as BAL-SAGOTH always is. The front and back cover artwork have been designed by renowned fantasy artist Martin Hanford, as are the interior booklet illustrations by both Hanford and Samuel Santos on the as-yet-untitled Nuclear Blast release. Expect a Spring 2004 release for this one.
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11.06.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Retailer WAL-MART is planning to launch an online music store later this month, according to a report in The New York Post. The Arkansas-based company is currently finalizing agreements with the five major recording labels, and could launch as early as November 15th. If that target date is not met, Wal-Mart hopes to have the operation up and running by Thanksgiving. Wal-Mart's online music service will join an already crowded field that is expected to soon include new offerings from large media and technology companies.

11.05.03 (RockAndMetal.com) REMHQ has announced the launch of "HQTV," the first-ever, non-stop R.E.M. video channel. The HQTV flash player contains hours of videos, documentaries, live performances and more, spanning the bands entire career. You can watch it all day, or just pick the videos you want on demand. If you get tired of watching documentaries, there are over 40 music videos and 50 live performances in their entirety available for viewing. And when you get tired of music videos, then check out WREM, the all- R.E.M. talk radio station, featuring hours of radio interviews from the last 20 years. Click below to watch and listen.
[HQTV]

11.05.03 (Launch) GODSMACK's acoustic E.P., "The Other Side," has been delayed from a November release to mid-2004, a management spokesperson has confirmed. The release was delayed in order to continue promotional efforts for the band's third full-length album, "Faceless," which came out earlier this year. There's no specific release date yet for "The Other Side." The band has apparently been rethinking the release plans for "The Other Side". In an interview, Godsmack drummer Shannon Larkin said "Basically we went to Hawaii for 17 days for a vacation and did a record for the hell of it... we're not sure how we're going to approach this yet."
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11.05.03 (RockAndMetal.com) PHANTOM PLANET have re-issued their critically-acclaimed debut album, "The Guest," with 4 previously unreleased tracks, music videos, and all new artwork. The new packaging is a yearbook that features pages of photos and over 120 signatures. The band's Alex Greenwald says, "It's a way of saying thanks to those people who helped make The Guest what it was." The Guest is also the only place to find the song 'California,' the theme song to the Fox TV show, "The O.C." PHANTOM PLANET are also on the road now with opening act Ben Lee, playing material from their forthcoming self-titled album.
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11.05.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Progressive Power Metal band KAMELOT will embark on their first-ever tour of Mexico this February, and have invited internationally acclaimed San Diego, California metal band CAGE along for the ride as theur special guests. KAMELOT will be touring in support of their most recent Nevarre Records release, "Epica," while CAGE will be supporting their critically-acclaimed third album, Darker Than Black," which was released in August throughout Mexico via The Art Records. The KAMELOT/CAGE tour has been booked to play Mexico by up-and-coming concert promoters Ekosys Musik.
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11.05.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Singer TORI AMOS is opening her back catalog to release her first-ever compilation entitled "Tales Of A Librarian" on November 18th. The collection is a two-disk CD/DVD compilation that Tori describes as her musical "autobiography." The album features 20 songs that document a career spanning over a decade. In addition, "Tales Of A Librarian" will include a pair of brand-new songs, as well as newly recorded renditions of two ultra-rare B-sides. A bonus DVD featuring songs recorded live during sound check of the final show of Tori's summer 2003 North American Tour rounds out the package.
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11.05.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Florida death metalers MALEVOLENT CREATION have been reunited with former drummer Dave Culross. "We are very excited about working with Dave again and working on the next album with him. Other great news is that our next (9th) album will be released on Nuclear Blast Records worldwide. Nuclear Blast released our last album, 'The Will To Kill', in Europe and did a great job for us and we are happy to continue this relationship with them. Recording for the untitled 9th full-length will take place in February with producer Jean Francois Dagenais producing again with a June 2004 release date," the band said in a recent statement.

11.05.03 (RockAndMetal.com) After dates on this summer's Warped Tour and various US dates, headlining numerous sold out shows at both The Metro in Chicago, IL, and Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA, THE PLAIN WHITE T'S have heading out on the road again through the rest of the year. Dates will be with Sugarcult/Story Of The Year (11.3 - 11.19) and Zebrahead/Lucky Boys Confusion (11.20 - 12.20). If you are not familiar with the Plain White T's they play a unique brand of pop punk that is best compared to a mix of Jimmy Eat World and Sum 41. [full story]

11.05.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Norwegian black metal kings DIMMU BORGIR's new album, "Death Cult Armageddon," has hit the charts heavily worldwide. High chart entries - #2 in Norway, #9 in Finland, #12 in Germany and #14 in Austria even were among the Top 20 - and euphorical reviews everywhere made the release the most successful in the band's history so far. DIMMU BORGIR recently completed a successful European tour with HYPOCRISY, and are currently on the road in the U.S. The band also had trouble with the Norwegian police on the European tour, after the band accidentally left a bullet belt in a hotel. Local police reportedly informed the military police to "unarm" the bullet belt, as Norwegian TV covered the story.
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11.05.03 (RockAndMetal.com) Brash Music has announced that ex-Cult and Guns 'N' Roses Drummer MATT SORUM's new solo project album, "Hollywood Zen," is now available online at www.mattsorum.com. Co-produced with Lanny Cordola, and engineered and mixed by Kevin Smith, "Hollywood Zen" has Sorum singing, playing guitar and drums, and features special guest appearances by some of Sorum's musical friends. Also available for sale are limited edition copies autographed by Sorum. Featured tracks include 'The Blame Game,' which includes soaring guitar work by rock legend Slash; and 'Sunset Boulevard,' an homage to the Hollywood celebrity fame game. [full story]

11.05.03 (RockAndMetal.com) The upcoming album from FLESHLESS, "Sensual Death Immitation," has been recorded, and is scheduled to be released on December 1st. "Sensual Death Immitation" boasts a great combination of technical and brutal parts, with the new recording having a much more powerful, massive sound than their previous album, "Nice To Eat You." The new album was recorded at SHAARK studios. FLESHLESS are currently on the road playing various gigs here and there, however a European tour is planned for Spring of 2004.
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11.05.03 (Billboard) In an effort to update it's "Parental Advisory" labeling program, the RIAA is asking online music companies to implement "effective parental-control filters to provide parents more information and control over what their children can download." The Recording Industry Association Of America is providing companies with guidelines for how best to label digital music product in the same vein as the "Parental Advisory" stickers on physical CDs. RIAA chairman and CEO Mitch Bainwol announced the move last week during a public Federal Trade Commission workshop on media violence and children in Washington. Bainwol said the RIAA's guidelines "will reinforce the importance of consistent descriptors across all services" and should "help parents draw a distinction between the pirate peer-to-peer networks and legitimate online music services."

[News Archives: 10.29.03-11.04.03]
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