11.11.05 (AP) Besides being a grandfather, a knight, and a former member of THE BEATLES, PAUL McCARTNEY is now a children's book author. The 63-year-old singer entertained a young group of cute but squirmy elementary school students in Los Angeles, California yesterday by reading an excerpt from his new book, "High In The Clouds," and answering questions. On Saturday, McCartney will provide the first-ever live wake-up call to the crew of the International Space Station. The reading got some unexpected responses from the young audience. In the first six pages of McCartney's book, about an industrious squirrel named Wirral (named after McCartney's hometown), Wirral's mother is crushed to death by a tree knocked down by nature-hating developers. From there, he sets off for the mythic animal-loving land of Animalia. "Why did the author make such sad stories for children?" asked one perplexed little boy. Caught off-guard, McCartney wrapped his arm around the boy and joked, "To make children cry," he said. "But cheer up. It's going to be all right," he quickly added. McCartney co-wrote "High In The Clouds" with author Philip Ardagh, who was brought in after a first draft to "finesse" the book, McCartney told The Associated Press in a phone interview before the event. The story was his own idea, McCartney said, and was inspired by his collaboration nearly 10 years ago with animator Geoff Dunbar on the animated short "Tropic Island Hum." Dunbar also illustrated "High In The Clouds." "It's been my ambition for about 30 years to do a full-length animation film," McCartney said. The book became a substitute for a script. The Rock icon said he's never read the book to his three grandchildren or his 2-year-old daughter, Beatrice. Beyond the initial death sequence, the story "does get happier," he said. "I'd skip over that bit, with very little kids... My little one's too little. She likes the pictures though," McCartney said. He added he is also "psyched" to become a human alarm clock for astronauts this weekend. On Saturday, PAUL McCARTNEY will provide the first-ever live wake-up call, two songs, to the crew of the International Space Station from his concert in Anaheim, California. "I'm singing 'English Tea' from my new album 'Chaos And Creation In The Backyard.' I have a cup of tea in the morning, so it's something good to wake up to," McCartney said. On August 9th, NASA jolted awake the crew of space shuttle Discovery with THE BEATLES' classic 'Good Day Sunshine.' Since then, McCartney has projected footage of the crew during his current U.S. tour. Around 9:55 p.m. PST, he will serenade NASA astronauts Bill McArthur and Valery Tokarev with the same tune, broadcast live on NASA TV. "It'll be an out-of-space blast. Lots of puns intended," he said.
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11.11.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Canadian Extreme Metallers KATAKLYSM will be premiering a new track called 'Like Angels Weeping (The Dark)' on January 1st, taken from the band's upcoming new album, "In The Arms Of Devastation." KATAKLYSM guitarist and producer J-F Dagenais comments: "The new album is at the record label, gearing up for production as we speak. Tue Madsen (The Haunted, Mnemic) did a phenomenal job on the mix, the album sounds very powerful and very well balanced. Everyone at Nuclear Blast in Europe and the States seem to think this is our strongest album to date (that makes you feel very confident I must say!) They are very excited and so are we. For me this album is just another piece to the Kataklysm puzzle, but a very important one indeed. We have really found our niche, and the determination of the band is felt all over this record. I think our fans will dig this one alot!! Play it loud February 20th!!" KATAKLYSM officially formed in the Fall of 1991, releasing a now-classic demo in "Death Gate Cycle Of Reincarnation." In 1992, the demo would earn the band worldwide praise and a their first record deal with Germany's Nuclear Blast Records. KATAKLYSM signed on with the latter in 1993, immediately releasing the "Death Gate Cycle Of Reincarnation" demo on CD format and adding the bonus track 'The Orb Of Uncreation,' which resulted in the creation of the critically acclaimed MCD, "The Mystical Gate Of Reincarnation." In 1995, KATAKLYSM released their debut full-length album, entitled "Sorcery," wich quickly vaulted the band as one of the new leaders and a force to be reckoned with in the growing Extreme Metal scene. They followed up "Sorcery" with another hard-hitting assault in 1996 with the release of a second full-length album in "Temple Of Knowledge," which was accompanied with a video clip for the track 'The Awakener.' With releases like the "Northern Hyperblast Live" limited edtion CD and a controversial third album in 1998's "Victims Of This Fallen World," KATAKLYSM showed diversity and explored new territory in which the band found new ground to establish a new sound that soon that would pave the way for more Metal classics to come. In 2000, KATAKLYSM struck with deadly force in their fourth album, entitled "The Prophecy (Stigmata Of The Immaculate)." The latter release put the band on a new course for new horizons, which one critic maintained as "one of the most devastating releases in extreme music in years." In 2001, a classic Extreme Metal album was spawned in "Epic (The Poetry Of War)," which maintained a melodic edge backed by extreme roaring power. Upon its release, many considered the album KATAKLYSM's finest hour, which only left the critics stupified and the world yearning for more. The band's excellent technical musicianship would become an even bigger highlight on 2002's "Shadows & Dust" as well as last year's excellent "Serenity In Fire."
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11.10.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Here's an update from STARWOOD vocalist/guitarist Lizzy on the band's recent tour of Japan: Our first show in Japan (sold out) was one that we will never forget. We want to thank the band Dust N Bones (the band we shared the stage with) for the backstage after party, it was a blast. We filmed the show and I think the club filmed it as well, so I'm sure it will be bootlegged by tomorrow; I'll go to Airs (a really great DVD bootleg place) and buy it before this trip is over. We partied after the after-show party at The Rainbow of Japan at a club called 'Current,' where they had a wild Halloween party and it was packed with lots of devils and sexy witches running around getting crazy. The horns we're up! And so was the sun... Ahhhhh! Girls! Girls! Girls! Rock 'n' roll brings out all the girls; everyone is diving in headfirst. We have a whole floor to ourselves at the hotel. All the rooms and hallways we're filled with girls last night, and tonight promises to be even better. We were invited to the cathouse of Japan, a place called, 'The Cathouse!' The club is based on the Hollywood club playing mostly 80's glam. You have never seen so many people in love with an era in music as in that packed club. As soon as we walked in, the guys who run the club brought me into the DJ both to say a few words over the mic to everyone on the dance floor. I screamed a few things I'm sure no one understood, but that did not matter, everyone had a smile on their face screaming and dancing in a drunken haze having the time of their lives like it was New Year's Eve. We met a few girls at ththe club that invited us to a private party, and of course we said: 'Where and when?' And they said 'Follow us.' So like good little boys... we did... There were about thirty people there in three different private party rooms with no shoes and no inhabitations. They really have it down in Japan, they pay up front (we were free) for all the food you can eat and all the booze you can drink and all the fun you can think of. Then after we were done being all we could be... we realized the sun was not quite up yet so we (a nice size entourage of our new Japanese best friends) headed over to a little club that played nothing but good heavy rock. Just then the dancing on the tables started. In Japan, girls can dance in heels on tables and bars drunk and still have perfect balance. It's a sight to behold. We found out that that balance did not last very long. We held each other up as we walked chasing the sun back to the hotel with entourage in tow. Another night in Japan not wasted... nah, too easy. We all fell in love with Japan - when we were there we never wanted to leave, and when we left we wanted to come back as soon as we can get a record out and book a flight. The food, the women, the atmosphere, the unbelievable amount of people getting out of each others way, there is no place like it."
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11.10.05 (RockAndMetal.com) It's been announced that DEW-SCENTED have just signed a new recording deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The band toured with NEVERMORE across Europe recently, and this month are set to embark on an U.S. trip with VADER. DEW-SCENTED (a name inspired by the writings of Edgar Allan Poe) originally formed in 1992 with a slightly different lineup, and released their one and only demo tape, entitled "Symbolization," in the Winter of 1993/1994. Not only did the underground scene took notice of that six-song effort - a couple of labels did as well. In February of 1996 DEW-SCENTED signed a deal with SPV/Steamhammer Records for their debut album, "Immortelle." "Innoscent," released in the early Summer of 1998 through Grind Syndicate Media, impressed listeners with voracious songs as well as a pounding mix courtesy of producer Dan Swano. Without any actual time off, the band managed to complete a new album, "Ill-Natured," which was released in the Summer of 1999. In 2001, DEW-SCENTED entered Stage One Studios with producer Andy Classen to nail down their fourth full-length album, "Inwards," after which Classen would move on to become a decisive part of band - producing all of their upcoming allbums to date. 2003's "Impact," as well as the remastered re-release of "Ill - Natured" and "Innoscent" via Nuclear Blast further established DEW-SCENTED as one of the leading forces on the European Metal scene, where they are slated to return for thhe "Domination Tour 2006" in February along with CRYPTOPSY, GRAVE, ABORTED, VESANIA and HURTLOCKER. Tour Dates: 01/31 Warsaw, Poland [Proxima] • 02/01 Berlin, Germany [K17] • 02/02 Hannover, Germany [Musikzentrum] • 02/03 Groningen, NL [Vera] • 02/04 Katwijk Aan Zee, NL [Scum] • 02/05 Weert, NL [Sbosuil] • 02/06 Tourcoing n/Lille, France [Le Grand Mix] • 02/07 Manchester, UK [Jilly's Rockworld] • 02/08 Dublin, Ireland [The Voodoo Lounge] • 02/09 Glasgow, UK [Barfly] • 02/10 London, UK [Camden Underworld] • 02/11 Antwerp, Belgium [Hof Ter Loo] • 02/12 Paris, France [La Locomotive] • 02/13 Toulouse, France [La Ramiere] • 02/14 Lyon, France [TBA] • 02/15 Strasbourg, France [TBA] • 02/16 Zurich, Switzerland [Abart Music] • 02/17 Essen, Germany [Turock] • 02/18 Elterein n/Aue, Germany [Hagalaze.V.] • 02/19 Prague, CZ [Black Pes] • 02/20 Wien, Austria [Arena] • 02/21 Milano, Italy [Transilvania Live] • 02/22 Rome, Italy [lpheus] • 02/23 Geneva, Switzerland [L'Usine] • 02/24 Trier, Germany [Ex Haus] • 02/25 Georgsmarienhutte n/Osnabruck, Germany [Tor 3] • 02/26 Hanau n/Frankfurt, Germany [Halle 2] • 02/27 Arnhem, NL [Goudvishal] • 02/28 Rotterdam, NL [Baroeg] • 03/01 Hamburg, Germany [Markthall] • 03/02 Aalborg, Denmark [1000 Vryd]
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11.09.05 (RockAndMetal.com) While QUEEN & PAUL RODGERS' eight-month tour played out this week with a handful of sold-out stadium dates in Japan, the chance to see the band live in action is not a lost cause, at least in the UK Coinciding with their entry straight into the DVD charts at No. 1 with "Return Of The Champions," 140 minutes on film of the band in concert on their recent tour, the QUEEN & PAUL RODGERS show is making a comeback to Britain, live, and larger than ever, as a special cinema edit of film of the band on tour heads for nationwide cinema screenings there. Following a hugely successful London West End premiere screening attended by both Brian May and Roger Taylor, "Return Of The Champions - The Film," bringing 72 minutes of highlights from the tour remixed in DTS Digital Surround sound and projected in advanced digital format, is booked to play at selected cinemas next Monday, November 14th. The film will initially be seen in eight cities, extending right across the country. The screenings are particularly aimed at reaching those areas where QUEEN & PAUL RODGERS were unable to include in their European Spring tour, in particular Scotland, Wales, and the West, where the film will be seen in Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Bristol. For QUEEN, a band which has always embraced new technology, it gives their fans the chance of seeing and hearing the band in a whole new dimension. Mark De Quervain, Sales And Marketing Director for Vue Cinemas says: "We are delighted to be working with Queen on the launch of their 'Live On Tour' DVD. The specially remixed sound for our cinemas combined with the stunning filming on the big screen is truly amazing, and really does give a larger than live experience. We look forward to rolling out the show in selected sites across the country and hope that we can do more with Queen in the future.' Filmed on an 18-camera shoot by award-winning director David Mallet, "Return Of The Champions - The Film" delivers non-stop performances of many of the greatest hits from both QUEEN and Paul Rodgers' song catalogs, with perennial crowd pleasers such as 'Tie Your Mother Down,' 'Radio Ga Ga,' 'We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions' performed alongside Rodgers' 'Feel Like Makin' Love,' 'Wishing Well' and 'All Right Now.' The film also treats fans to the first-ever live versions of some classic QUEEN songs recorded after the band stopped performing in1986 and therefore never previously played for audiences, songs such as 'The Show Must Go On,' here delivered with scorching vocals from Rodgers. The film also acts as a powerful reminder of what fine stand-alone musicians/vocalists May and Taylor themselves are; Taylor roars his way through 'I'm In Love With My Car' and adds new poignancy to the Freddie Mercury latter-day signature tune, 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives.' Meanwhile, May delivers music to make you smile on ''39,' sings Freddie Mercury's torch song 'Love of My Life' with the entire audience joining in, and delivers the mother of all guitar solos, which segues seamlessly into the haunting riffs of the delicate-guitar work on 'Last Horizon.'
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11.09.05 (RockAndMetal.com) A new 2-disc CD/DVD set from SEPULTURA entitled "Live In Sao Paolo" is now available via SPV Records. The new release documents the group's significance on the international Metal scene, and features a show that was recorded in their hometown of Sao Paolo, Brazil this past April 3rd. Available on both a double-DVD (including bonus material) and double-CD, both formats testify to SEPULTURA's in-your-face power live. From the first note of the opener 'Apes Of God' to the final sound on 'Roots Bloody Roots', there is an incredibly haunting atmosphere, constantly powered by insolent instrumental attacks and vocalist Derrick Green's charismatic voice. The "Live In Sao Paolo" double-DVD presents the entire Sao Paulo show visually and offers lots of additional bonus material. Next to a "making-of" segment, there's a comprehensive SEPULTURA featurette with a special focus on Derrick Green. Intriguing images recount his whole story as the band's vocalist, from his initial contact with Roadrunner Records in the mid-nineties through various projects over the course of the years, to his amazing performance on "Live In Sao Paolo." There are also three SEPULTURA videos of the songs 'Mind War,' 'Bullet The Blue Sky' and 'Choke,' as well as more live tracks in 'Nomad' and 'Desperate Cry.' The DVD is rounded off by a slide show and an 18-minute band history, with the sound options of PCM Stereo, DTS 96/24, and Dolby Digital 5.1 ensuring an authentic presentation of a typically dynamic SEPULTURA show. The "Live In Sao Paolo " double-CD covers the whole Sao Paulo show, and consists of twenty killer songs (plus an intro), including a number of important SEPULTURA classics along the lines of 'Innerself/Beneath The Remains' or 'Arise/Dead Embryonic Cells,' as well as more recent tracks from the band, such as 'Apes Of God' or 'Come Back Alive,' both from their 2003 "Roorback" album. For over twenty years now, SEPULTURA have been delivering a brutal mix of Metal, Hardcore, Thrash, Punk, and Tribal Fusion/Rock that could hardly be more intense or more passionate. From their beginnings in Belo Horizonte, a city located in southeast Brazil, destiny has been generous to the members of SEPULTURA -- both former and current -- with original vocalist/guitarist Max Cavalera doing a side project with NAILBOMB for one album before moving on to forming SOULFLY. When Derrick Green joined the band, most of the songs were already written, only the the vocals were missing, and the band was in a rush to get the "Against" album released - their first major gig with Green being the "Baruhlo Contra Fome" ("Noise Against Hunger"). SEPULTURA rehearsed for "Baruhlo Contra Fome" by playing a few concerts in small venues in California under the pseudonym TROOPS OF DOOM. The "Against" album was followed up in 2001 by the diverse "Nation," which the band introduced at "Rock In Rio 3" before a crowd of 150,000.
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11.08.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Three decades ago, QUEEN released their classic album "A Night At The Opera," which went to No. 1 in many countries around the world. On Monday, November 21st, 1975, the first single from the album went to No. 1 on the UK charts, a position it was to hold for 9 weeks. QUEEN are commemorating the 30th anniversary of that occasion this Monday, November 21st with a new combined CD/DVD Special Collectors Edition release of the album. Originally recorded in no less than six different studios between August and November of 1975, "A Night At The Opera" was estimated at the time to be the most expensive album ever recorded, although, at around $79,000, it now looks unusually cheap at that price today. Their fourth album, "A Night At The Opera" encapsulated everything about QUEEN's music that made it so unique, and is now regarded by many to be the definitive '70s-era release by the band. Combining outstanding showmanship with remarkable versatility, QUEEN could literally do it all at that time, and "A Night At The Opera" was the ultimate proof. More quality albums would be released by QUEEN over the next 20 years, but perhaps this was the band at its musical apotheosis. Recalling when vocalist Freddie Mercury sat at the piano and first played 'Bohemian Rhapsody' to him and the band, original producer Roy Thomas Baker says: "Freddie set out three impressive verses then stopped and said, 'Now dear, this is where the opera section comes in.'" That was when Baker started smiling and, by his own recent recollections, he hardly stopped smiling for the rest of the session, arduous as it was in pre-digital days to stack up the 180-voice "chorus" (all performed by band members Mercury, Brian May and Roger Taylor) over seven 12-hour days. "Bohemian Rhapsody was totally insane," he says. "We never stopped laughing. It was basically a joke, but a successful joke." But it was worth it. 'Bohemian Rhapsody' spent nine consecutive weeks at No. 1, and became the only single to sell more a million copies on two separate occasions. The track was also named recently in the "Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles" as the top song of the last 50 years. "A Night At The Opera" was also the first QUEEN album to go to No. 1 in the UK, where it sold over a million copies, giving the band their first platinum record. It was also their breakthrough album in the United States, where it reached No. 4 and remained on the charts for 52 weeks, giving them their first Gold record there. A landmark release, the Special Collectors Edition of "A Night At The Opera" features both the new CD and DVD formats of the album completely restored from the original analog tapes and digitally remastered by Bob Ludwig in both Stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound. As well as the original 1975 promotional videos for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'You're My Best Friend,' the DVD also contains brand new video footage for the other 10 tracks on the album, along with archived audio commentary from all four original members of QUEEN, including the late Freddie Mercury. Says Brian May: "This is quite simply the best 'Night At The Opera' ever produced. I doubt if it can ever be bettered!"

11.08.05 (RockAndMetal.com) A new SHADOWS FALL DVD, entitled "The Art Of Touring," is set for release next week on November 15th. The DVD effectively documents the rise of one of today's most influential and dominant Metal bands. SHADOWS FALL vocalist Brian Fair describes what the release means to him, and how the band strived to create something special for their fans that would stand out from the pack: "This DVD will give viewers a quick look into the madness that is Shadows Fall on the road. It is not always pretty or perfect, but hell, neither are we. Everything you see on this DVD was filmed by either a band member, crew member or close friend. It is raw, unscripted and pure chaos. It was filmed when our lives were changing dramatically as 'The Art Of Balance' was beginning to pick up steam and we were zigzagging across the world on a break-neck schedule of tours. We were a band trying to leave our mark on the world and get our hands on as many free drinks as possible. The only footage that is not from that era is the tribute we put together for our departed brother in arms, 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott. The six weeks we spent on tour with our boys in Damageplan were some of the best times of my life. We were lucky enough to share some of Dimebag's last days on this earth, and we wanted to share some of those memories with the fans that loved and respected him. This footage is proof that the man lived everyday with a smile on his face and a drink in his hand. We wanted to capture the mindset the band was in during this period, which was full steam ahead, kicking ass and taking names. There are no overproduced multi-camera shots like you see in most DVDs these days. We didn't want to add one more glossy release to an already over-saturated market. This was our attempt to recreate the vibe found on home videos like 'Cliff Em' All' by Metallica and 'Oh Say Can You Scream' by Skid Row. Those were videos that showed a band in its purest form. That is what 'The Art Of Touring' is all about. This is bootleg-style guerrilla filmmaking fueled by alcohol and lack of sleep. As dizzying as some of the editing may be, trust me, this is almost exactly how we saw the world over these two years." "The Art Of Touring" features over two hours of on-the-road antics and live performances filmed from 2002 through 2004 on "The Art Of Balance" album's touring cycle while on the road in the U.S., Europe and Japan. Also featured on the DVD are all six of the band's promotional videos to date from 'Thoughts Without Words' to 'Inspiration On Demand.' Several guest appearances, rare cover songs and a special tribute to Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott that features a live jam of the classic PANTERA track 'Walk' -- performed by DAMAGEPLAN and SHADOWS FALL in the Fall of 2004 -- round out "The Art Of Touring." SHADOWS FALL impressed thousands nightly on the main stage at this year's Ozzfest with their highly energetic and stunning blend of Hard Rock and thrashing Metal. The group's latest album, "The War Within," originally debuted at #20 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and is quickly approaching 250,000 units scanned led by the strength of the Active Rock tracks 'What Drives The Weak' and 'Inspiration On Demand.'
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11.07.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Abacus Recordings has announced the signing of Connecticut Hardcore band THE DISTANCE to a recording deal. A four-piece whose tireless hard work and dedication, along with their DIY ethic, THE DISTANCE have been making waves in all facets of the East Coast Hardcore underground scene. This can be seen in their prolific nature, whether on their self-released demo (which was later released on vinyl by Takeover Records), their debut EP on Bridge 9 Records entitled "Your Closest Enemies," a three-way split 7" with OUTBREAK and SOME KIND OF HATE, a more recent split alongside WITH HONOR, or most recently a discography of all their vinyl works, including two new songs, for Think Fast! Records, dedicated East Coast Hardcore fans would have to be living in a hole to have not been blown away by THE DISTANCE at one time or another. Distinguishing themselves from typical Hardcore acts by bringing in newer elements from all across the spectrum, including melodic runs, Punk angst and catchy Rock hooks, THE DISTANCE keep their Hardcore love close at hand while indulging their creative side for high-energy music. Come this January, the band with enter the studio to record their debut full-length for Abacus Recordings with Shep Goodman (Head Automatica, Bayside, Mandy Moore), entitled "The Rise, The Fall, And Everything In Between." "This year has been really hard for certain members, and the title is based on being at a total high in your life and everything that leads to the downfall," says John Dobyns, bassist for THE DISTANCE. "We chose to work with Shep Goodman because he really understands what we want to do with this record and can help us attain it. The record is tentatively slated to be released late spring/early summer on Abacus with, much touring to come. It is wonderful to be working with a label that is as excited about us as we are of them, as Abacus shares our vision for upcoming endeavors, and it is an honor to be associated with a label that has such an impressive roster." In the meantime, THE DISTANCE will be on tour with MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, WITH HONOR and MODERN LIFE IS WAR for three weeks starting at the end of this month. Tour Dates: 11/26 St. Louis, MO [Creepy Crawl] • 11/27 Kansas, City MO [El Torreon] • 11/28 Denver, CO [Rock Island] • 11/29 Salt Lake City, UT [Overdrive] • 11/30 Boise, ID [The Venue] • 12/01 Seattle, WA [Studio Seven] • 12/03 San Francisco, CA [The Pound] • 12/04 San Diego, CA [Epicenter] • 12/05 Corona, CA [Showcase Theatre] • 12/06 Bakersfield, CA [Jerry's Pizza] • 12/07 Las Vegas, NV [The Clubhouse] • 12/08 Tempe, AZ [Neckbeards] • 12/10 San Antonio, TX [The Sanctuary] • 12/11 Houston, TX [Walters On Washington] • 12/12 Dallas, TX [Red Blood Club] • 12/13 Tupelo, MS [Rockwell Center] • 12/15 Huntington, WV [Hyamp] • 12/16 Lemoyne, PA [Championship] • 12/18 New York, NY [Knitting Factory]
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11.07.05 (RockAndMetal.com) DIECAST are currently in the midst of a massive U.S. direct support tour to AMERICAN HEADCHARGE along with BLEED THE SKY and INDEX CASE in the support slots. The group just wrapped up a highly-successful run with ILL NINO and also shot a new video for the track 'These Days' with acclaimed director David Brodsky (Fight Paris, God Forbid, The Red Chord). Look for it to make its Fuse and MTV2 debut late this year. DIECAST guitarist Jon Kita checks in with the follow report from the road: "So we've been on the road for almost a week now, and we have been overwhelmingly surprised by the support from everybody who has come out to the shows. We wrapped filming for our latest video in Brooklyn last Saturday with Dave Brodsky, and we want to thank Dave, Castro, Scarlett and all of the crew for their long hours and dedication to completing the shoot. Jack Nicholson as Melvin Eudaul said it best when he said, 'People who speak in metaphors should shampoo my crotch,' so I'll use a simile: The average temperature during the video shoot was like the weather one might expect when harvesting ice or hunting polar bear. Everybody was a good sport when it came to the cold, and we had a great time, so it was well worth it. Thanks are in order to Tom and all the guys from Vext and Brooklyn, Rob and Rick from Redhill, everybody else who came out to participate, to the squatters who let us use there house for the shoot, Eddie, Angel and the residents of Morgan St. for coming out to make sure things ran smoothly. And again to Tom and Luke who sadly fell victim to the watery depths of the moat. The tour has been so fun far, and we've been drunk. The shows have been great, and the turnout has been surprising for us, and it is nice to see a lot of familiar faces coming back to the shows. We've been switching up the set list a bit and playing out a new song that we wrote for the re-release of 'Tearing Down Your Blue Skies.' We've gotten a lot of vacant stares that turn into applause once we finish the song. We've been taking that as a good sign. Last night we played an impromptu set in a warehouse somewhere on the Ohio State Buckeyes campus. At about 5:00 A.M., we finished up and thanked everybody for having us. We are looking forward to getting back down south and playing as far down as Ft. Lauderdale in the next week. It's been far too long. Thank you to everybody that has been a part of the tour: Bleed The Sky (sorry for kidnapping your guitarists), Index Case and American Headcharge. Until the next time, keep your finger off the trigger and don't make eye contact with bears. I hear they can smell menstrual blood from a mile away. Be safe." DIECAST's latest album, "Tearing Down Your Blue Skies," continues to garner critical acclaim led by the strength of the singles 'Medieval' and 'Rise And Oppose,' which remains in heavy rotation on both "Metal Asylum" and "Headbangers Ball." The disc will officially be reissued early next year with a new track, a cover version of SLAYER's 'Reign In Blood,' along with new artwork and video clips.
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[Music News: 10.31.05 - 11.06.05]
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