12.09.05 (RockAndMetal.com) On February 6th, Sanctuary Visual Entertainment will release "Live From The Dark," a stunning concert spectacular from Swedish Rockers EUROPE. The 2-disc DVD features 19 tracks, and offers just short of 4 hours of classic material from the band playing live and at their very best. "Live From The Dark" was recorded during EUROPE's sold-out show at London's legendary Hammersmith Apollo gig earlier this year, as part of their successful "Start From The Dark" tour. Joey Tempest, John Norum, Mic Michaeli, Ian Haughland and John Leven bring viewers the classic EUROPE line-up on the new release, and prove with out doubt that that the band are back and sounding great. Masters of Melodic Hard Rock, "Live From The Dark" sees EUROPE serve up exhilarating performances of classic show stoppers 'Hero,' 'Carrie,' 'Got To Have Faith,' and the anthem which propelled them into superstardom, 'The Final Countdown.' Disc 2 of "Live From the Dark" is a real gem for fans as well, as it's packed with exclusive extras including "Behind The Tour" backstage bonus material, band interviews, taxi diaries from all five band members and even interviews with the audience. The second disc also boasts an extensive band biography, discography and videography, plus the promotional videos for 'Spirit Of The Underdog,' 'Heart Of Stone,' 'Got To Have Faith,' and 'Hero.' To call the union of EUROPE long-awaited is an understatement. Recent festival gigs have proved beyond all doubt that the audience certainly hasn't forgotten about the band, either. Looking back, the strengths of the bands classic line-up seem so obvious. The combination of Joey Tempest melodies and John Norum riffs. The bands exquisite musicianship and friendship. The way their playing fits together. All of that and a fresh and modern edge, can be found on EUROPE's first new release in many years. Drummer Ian Haugland described the reunion as simply returning from a lunch break. Tempest and Norum met when they were around 15-16 years old, and formed the band FORCE. When they got fed up with playing covers of their favorite bands, and started to write their own songs. Their confidence grew when they started playing around Stockholm. Rumors started to spread of a band from Upplands Vasby who spent endless hours in the rehearsal space and were an incredible live act. They were told by record companies that they should cut their hair and start to sing in Swedish if they wanted a record deal, but EUROPE went their own way and had the strong belief that one day all the hard work would pay off. Their national breakthrough came through winning a band contest, changing their name in the process. A friend had, without telling the band, sent a demo. Out of 4,000 bands around 80 were chosen to perform live around the country and EUROPE won. The prize was to record an album. In Sweden they joined the big league instantly. Their first release soon went gold, and from then on they became the touring band they are today.
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12.09.05 (RockAndMetal.com) HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak has posted the following message on the band's official website: "That's it, we are now back home in Sweden and there are no more shows scheduled. We had a fantastic five weeks on the road with Stratovarius! Thank you Timo, Timo, Jorg, Lauri and especially Jens, I will miss all of you guys tremendously! But we will meet again down the road, of that I'm absolutely sure. "Shakra and the twenty-something crew members completed this tour and helped make it a great success, and things would never have been as good without you. In fact, we had more people than ever before in pretty much every city, which in itself is a testament to how strong a package this was. So thank you everyone, who showed up and participated in making every show memorable for us on stage and, hopefully, for you in the audience as well. Lastly, our crew, who worked their asses off every single day, there is no way in hell we could have done this without you guys (and girl). We thank you all! Now on to a very sad note, as Sweden lost a great, hilarious, outrageous comedian this weekend. As hard as it was to believe at first, Micke Dubois, a.k.a. 'Svullo,' chose to take his own life. Hammerfall had a special relationship with the man, as several of us grew up with his incredible antics and worshipped the fast wit and insult humor he was so good at. Anders (Johansson, drums) played on a great album of his, 'Radio KRM,' in the beginning of the nineties. Svullo was also our man at the scene at the Grammy Awards a few years ago, when we were unable to attend ourselves. The last time either of us saw him was at Pub Anchor in Stockholm last Spring, when he hosted a karaoke competition. I will always remember the many over-the-top antics and funny moments Micke Dubois brought us, and many of his immortal comments live on in my daily life. As will the memory of a great, pioneering comedian, who was disgustingly funny long before many of the 'Jackass' boys became double digits. R.I.P., Micke!" - Oscar. When you talk about today's Heavy Metal scene, you have to talk about Sweden's HAMMERFALL. Founded by Oscar Dronjak in 1993, He enlisted friend Jesper Stromblad and later Joacim Cans (vocals) to create the songs for and record the classic "Glory To The Brave" album. Since Stromblad and two more members decided to concentrate on their other bands, Cans and Dronjak were left to replace the entire line-up even before the album was released. Regardless, "Glory To The Brave" became the album the Metal scene needed and was waiting for: straight, hard-hitting songs that instantly became hymns, getting everybody to talk about the band. Although it was a hard period for metal, HAMMERFALL entered the German charts at position #38 and made everybody feel the power of Heavy Metal music once more. "A metal heart is hard to tear apart," the band sang, and it rang true. HAMMERFALL became one of the the most successful newcomers ever on the Metal scene and made two more excellent records in "Legacy Of Kings" and "Renegade," which were followed by 2002's "Crimson Thunder" and the band's current "Blood Bound" album.
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12.08.05 (AP) Some met JOHN LENNON in person, others knew him from the television, still others never knew him at all. On Thursday, they gathered by the hundreds in Central Park's Strawberry Fields to remember the pacifist Rock star murdered 25 years ago by a deranged BEATLES fan. Generations from across the world, if not quite the universe, united to celebrate Lennon's life and his message of peace - playing his music, singing his songs, imagining what might have been if the ex-Beatle had survived the December 8th, 1980 shooting outside his Manhattan apartment building. Yoko Ono was among those at Strawberry Fields, walking through a horde of hundreds of Lennon fans before stopping at a flower-covered mosaic paying tribute to Lennon with its one-word message: "IMAGINE." "His message is still the same: peace and love and live the best you can," said Martha Wagner, who came into Manhattan from Dover, New Jersey with a scrapbook full of newspaper clippings about Lennon. She remembered hearing news of the slaying on television: "My heart stopped. I screamed." Kim Polson, 50, of Manhattan, recalled seeing Lennon in an Upper West Side coffee shop four months before the shooting. She was late for work that day, hanging around and listening to Lennon's conversation. "I'll be late for work again today," said Polson, one of the early arrivals at Strawberry Fields on the anniversary - a bitterly cold day. "John Lennon made me late again." The scene was much the same in Lennon's hometown of Liverpool, England, where scores of fans from around the world remembered him with white balloons, flowers and prayers. The balloons, carrying written tributes to Lennon, were released into the sky. "I just wrote 'Merry Christmas John' on my balloon," said James Andrews, a 9-year-old from Bournemouth, England. "I love the Beatles, and especially John Lennon." A short service was also held beside a statue of Lennon on Liverpool's Mathew Street, where THE BEATLES played early in their career at the Cavern Club. Lennon's songwriting partner and fellow Beatle Paul McCartney told the British Broadcasting Corp. that Lennon was "one of the great men of the 20th century ... I will always feel some kind of link with John." In New York, locals and tourists stood side-by-side near the Lennon-inspired Central Park mosaic. One man played BEATLES music on an acoustic guitar, as visitors piled off tour buses to stop at Strawberry Fields. They brought flowers, candles and bittersweet memories. "He entered people's hearts, and made us softer toward each other," said Cummings Dass, 65, who came to Manhattan from Trinidad for the anniversary. "When he died, a part of the music died with him." If Lennon were alive, he would have turned 65 in October. Across the street at the Dakota, the apartment house where Lennon was killed, fans walked respectfully past police and security guards. Traditionally, Ono lights a candle in her apartment window in the evening as a show of solidarity with the crowd gathered in the park. JON LENNON, who had turned 40 years old just two months before, was returning with Ono from a recording studio when he was gunned down at about 10:50 p.m. Fans of the singer marked the moment Thursday night with silence. A second moment of silence began at 11:15 p.m., the approximate time of Lennon's death. City officials planned to close the park at 1:00 a.m., as they have for several years over the objection of fans who want an all-night vigil.
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12.08.05 (RockAndMetal.com) The new AMORPHIS album, "Eclipse," is scheduled for release on February 17th via Nuclear Blast Records. The first single from the album, 'House Of Sleep,' will be released January 4th. Introducing new vocalist Tomi Joutsen (ex-SINISTHRA), AMORPHIS' 7th full-length release in their 15-year career marks a fresh start for the Finnish band. Thematically, however, the group has come full circle, returning once more to the subject of the "Kalevala," the Finnish national epic that provided the inspiration for the classic "Tales From The Thousand Lakes album." "Eclipse" tells the tale of Kullervo, the ill-fated "Kalevala" hero whose tragic childhood and ensuing struggle for a place in society result in despair, evil deeds and ultimate self-destruction. The lyrics are adapted from Kullervo's "Story" (1982, transl. Anselm Hollo), a play by Paavo Haavikko (b. 1931), one of Finland's most esteemed contemporary poets. Matching the dramatic twists and turns of the Kullervo saga, AMORPHIS' music evokes an encompassing range of emotions unmatched by any of their previous albums. From the surprising tenderness of the piano-dominated 'House Of Sleep' to the unbridled fury of 'Perkele (The God of Fire),' the band intrepidly set out to explore a more diverse territory than ever on their eternal quest for the perfect melody. And the growls are back with a vengeance on "Eclipse" as well. The cover artwork for the album was created by Travis Smith, who is renowned for his collaborations with OPETH, ANATHEMA, KATATONIA, ICED EARTH and numerous others. The first pressing of "Eclipse" will be a limited digipack edition featuring the bonus track 'Stonewoman.' Founded in 1990 in Helsinki, AMORPHIS have slowly worked their way up to the top of the European Metal scene in the last decade or so. However the term "metal" doesn't necessarily get to the point anymore when describing the band. Sure, originally the disciples around AMORPHIS mastermind Esa Holopainen were definitely Death Metal, but gradually developed into a serious Rock act as well. Their big breakthrough was in 1994 with their last really extreme album, "Tales From The Thousand Lakes." After intensive touring in support of that album, they decided to take on new musical spheres, first recorded in 1996 on the "Elegy" album, which became a psychedelic Progressive/Folk Metal masterpiece of sorts. Encouraged by that success, AMORPHIS followed up "Elegy" with the excellent "Tuonela," which became the most successful album so far for the band, entering the Top 50 on the German album charts. In early Spring of 2000, AMORPHIS entered Finnvox Studios in Helsinki with producer Simon Efemy to record 2001's "Am Universum," an album signified by its beauty and intensity. "I would say that 'Am Universum' is our saddest and musically most melancholic album until now, says Esa Holopainen. "Eclipse" Track Listing: 1. Two Moons • 2. House Of Sleep • 3. Leaves Scar • 4. Born From Fire • 5. Under A Soil And Black Stone • 6. Perkele (The God Of Fire) • 7. The Smoke • 8. Same Flesh • 9. Brother Moon • 10. Empty Opening • 11. Stonewoman (Bonus Track)
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12.07.05 (RockAndMetal.com) When SPARKS' last album "Lil' Beethoven" hit the streets, critics lauded and applauded, fans smiled smugly with overdue vindication and fellow musicians wept when faced with the reality that, once again, the band had raised the bar by which all other albums should be judged. Now SPARKS are poised to present "Hello Young Lovers," their 20th album on February 6th, with the first single from the album, 'Dick Around,' slated for release on January 30th. To achieve such enormity and expansiveness, Angeleno brothers Ron and Russell Mael worked in a limitless vacuum for the best part of 18 months. The only inspiration taken from any current music for the new offering was the provocation to go as far as possible in the opposite direction. Once again, the Mael brothers are joined by Tammy Glover (drums) and Dean Menta (guitar), with guest musicians Jim Wilson (guitar) and Steve McDonald (bass). The artists who would come to be known for posterity as Sparks commenced inventing their often-copied, seldom-equaled brand of music back around 1970, when Pop was young and brash and the Southern California airwaves were awash with a contingent of post-British Invasion inspirations like THE KINKS, Syd Barrett's PINK FLOYD, and THE SEEDS. The purchase of countless shiny-sleeved import LPs, and dogged pilgrimages to gigs by now-deified (or defiled) artists, convinced young Ron and Russell Mael that this enticingly provocative presentation would be the ideal means by which to impress upon the public their idiosyncratic take on life, art, and everything. And so the brothers commenced banging around, first in separate groups, then together in MOONBAKER ABBEY and URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT (one of their first recordings being the presciently named 'Computer Girl.') Their efforts crystallized in 1971, with the addition of another pair of brothers, Earle and Jim Mankey, and drummer Harley Feinstein, incorporated under the uncommon name of HALFNELSON. Produced by wonderboy and kindred spirit Todd Rundgren, the group's startlingly original, eponymously titled debut yielded a local hit ("local" being Montgomery, Alabama), then vanished from view - notwithstanding an American Bandstand appearance and a write-up in regional Texas newspapers (earned the hard way by the connection of Russell Mael's head with the business end of a prop sledgehammer). Their label, with the mysterious logic that only record companies possess, decided that their sportcentric moniker was responsible for the album's less-than-stellar performance, and suggested a Marx Bros.-inspired name change: thus SPARKS was born. Rereleased upon an unsuspecting nation, the appropriately altered (but no better-selling) LP was to prove that marketing strategy decidedly spurious. Nevertheless, an excellent second album, the equally unprecedented "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing," was released as a follow-up, with high Psychedelia cred coming from helmer James Lowe of THE ELECTRIC PRUNES. Once again, clever nomenclature didn't translate to runaway revenues; and the group found itself at an impasse. The icebreaker came from across the... [full story]

12.07.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Metal Blade Records has announced the upcoming renamed second release from Finland's TORTURE KILLER, "Swarm!," who now feature Chris Barnes of SIX FEET UNDER fame on vocals. The band say the following about joining up with the veteran Death Metal vocalist: "Well, we never would've expected where we would stand with this band in 2005 when we first started playing together under the name of Torture Killer. A lot of the interviews we did to promote the debut album 'For Maggots To Devour' asked if we knew what the Six Feet Under guys and especially Chris Barnes thought about us. After all, the link between us and his work with Six Feet Under is more than obvious. Truthfully, we kinda wondered that ourselves as well. Well, now we know. Chris contacted us last October with a very supportive and friendly note. The name Torture Killer caught his attention and was intrigued enough to check us out - finding us in the difficult situation we were at with the line up. Now, we are proud to announce him as the new Torture Killer vocalist and that he will be handling the vocals on 'Swarm!' - our renamed second album. Here's what Chris Barnes had to say about joining the band: "I'm very happy to announce that I have joined the band Torture Killer full time. These guys are some of the best musicians I have ever been involved with, and I am 100% intent on using all my resources and energy to help propel this band to the top of the death metal food chain. I am extremely pleased with the songs we've put together for the CD 'Swarm!,' and I can't wait to get out on tour with the band and kill every one of you sick fuckers!!! See you soon.' - Barnes. The band continued: With a back catalogue including death metal classics such as 'Butchered At Birth,' 'Tomb Of The Mutilated,' 'The Bleeding,' 'Haunted' and 'Maximum Violence' it is obvious that the eyes of death metal fans will be on us - in good and bad. We are also happy and proud to announce that we are now signed to the legendary Metal Blade Records. The basic tracks for "Swarm!" were recorded way back in January of 2005, Chris did his vocals at The Hit Factory in Florida in May/June with Chris Carroll, and the album was mixed and mastered by Chris and Erik Rutan in October. Not only that, the cover artwork is done by our favorite artist Wes Benscoter (covers for such bands as Mortician and Vehemence), who gave the album the visual impact it needed. TORTURE KILLER first started out as a fun project during the Spring of 2002, when the band members hung out at their rehearsal rooms drinking beer and playing their favourite SIX FEET UNDER and OBITUARY songs. After a couple of months a sudden possibility to play live at a local metalshow rose out of nowhere and after a small discussion they agreed to perform a set of SIX FEET UNDER cover songs. The band name was chosen after a track they were to play that night: 'Torture Killer.' Their debut album, "For Maggots To Devour," was released through Karmageddon Media in October of 2003.
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12.06.05 (RockAndMetal.com) After eight studio albums and another long and successful tour supporting "Nord Nord Ost," SUBWAY TO SALLY will present themselves in a more quiet and intimate fashion in April of 2006, focusing on just playing music together instead of the typical big Rock show, which is why the band chose to entitle the upcoming tour of Germany "Nackt," which is the German word for "Naked." Not wanting to jump on the "Unplugged" bandwagon that was racing through the music world several years ago, SUBWAY TO SALLY have always used a wide range of acoustic instruments anyway, and will rediscover some of their favorite tracks from the last 10 years that the band have been in existence. The best part for die-hard fans of SUBWAY TO SALLY is that the set list will feature songs that have not been played for a long time. The band have also invited cellist B. Deutung along, known for his work with INCHTABOKATABLES and DEINE LAKEIEN. After SUBWAY TO SALLY's "Engelskrieger" ("Angel's Warrior") album managed to enter in at #9 on the German Media Control Charts in 2003, the band returned strong this year with a new single in 'Sieben' ('Seven') and new album in "Nord Nord Ost" ("North North East"). In cooperation with film orchestra BABELSBERG, SUBWAY TO SALLY created a musical and poetically appealing release in their latest offering. Although still having a modern touch, the music features medieval melodies throughout: The emotional 'Schneekonigin' ('Snow Queen') melds bagpipes with Classical arrangements, 'Sieben' catches you with a catchy main melody, while 'Lacrimae '74' shows up with romantic stringed instruments. But also the tragic 'Feuerkind' ('Fire Child'), the pushing 'Feuerland' ('Fire Land'), the winking 'Das Ratsel II' ('The Riddle Part II,' actually a riddle about the band itself) and the blooming 'Eisblumen' ('Ice Flowers') keep a lot of highlights ready for the listener. All in all, "Nord Nord Ost" is a SUBWAY TO SALLY album for every fan and adorer of diversified German Rock music, on which about 40 instruments can be heard. In addition miscellaneous programming and choirs arranged for three voices complete the complex production. With new drummer Simon Michael (who replaced long-time drummer David Patsch) completing the line up, SUBWAY TO SALLY played 18 festival shows this year -- among them Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park. "Nackt" Tour Dates: 04/07 Leipzig, Germany [Anker] • 04/08 Magdeburg, Germany [Factory] • 04/09 Kiel, Germany [Max] • 04/11 Hamburg, Germany [Grunspan] • 04/12 Koln, Germany [Alter Wartesaal Am Hauptbahnhof] • 04/13 Hannover, Germany [Capitol] • 04/15 Gotha, Germany [Stadthalle] • 04/16 Aschaffenburg, Germany [Colossaal] • 04/19 Freiburg, Germany [Jazzhaus] • 04/20 Nurnberg, Germany [Hirsch] • 04/21 Ludwigsburg, Germany [Scala] • 04/23 Pirmasens, Germany [TBC] • 04/25 Bochum, Germany [Christophkirche] • 04/26 Wuppertal, Germany [Musiktheater Rex] • 04/27 Osnabruck, Germany [Kirche] • 04/28 Osnabruck, Germany [Kirche] • 04/29 Bremen, Germany [Schlachthof] • 04/30 Berlin, Germany [Passionskirche]
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12.06.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Reunited Dutch Death Metallers SINISTER have entered Stage One Studios in Germany to begin recording their new album, "Afterburner," for an early 2006 release through Nuclear Blast Records. The recording sessions are expected to last two weeks. SINISTER's current lineup consists of Aad Kloosterwaard, drummer and founder of the band on vocals, Alex Paul on guitar, and Paul Beltman (Ex-JUDGEMENT DAY) on drums. A session bass player will be added when the band hits the road again. Starting in 1989, SINISTER was a band arising in the middle of the Death Metal explosion. After releasing a demo, which sold about 1,500 copies, a promo tape followed. Sending out the promo to various labels resulted in signing up originally with Nuclear Blast in 1991. There debut album, "Cross The Styx," saw the light in early 1992, and sold well worldwide, during which many live shows thoughout Europe followed. Touring with bands like SUFFOCATION, CANNIBAL CORPSE and DEICIDE increased the number of people becoming familiar with SINISTER. In the years after that, the band succeeded in maintaining their popularity by releasing their second album "Diabolical Summoning," (1993), followed by "Hate" (1995) and doing many live shows all over Europe plus a successful 55-show tour through the U.S. At the end of that period Death Metal was less popular, with lots of Death Metal fans switching over to Black Metal, Gothic and other atmospheric music. SINISTER continued on, however, releasing the mini-CD "Bastard Saints" (1996), and playing a few live shows. Several lineup changes followed, which led the band to write their most aggressive, brutal and intense album so far in "Aggressive Measures" (1998). By that time Death Metal was back, yet for SINISTER it never left. The response from fans and critics was good, the band sold lots of albums and played lots of good shows, of which a short U.S. tour and good festivals like Wacken Open Air, Milwaukee Metalfest and Czech Dynamo were performed at. "Creative Killings" was released by Hammerheart Records in September of 2001. The album was promoted with shows in Russia, Belarus and a 26-show tour across the rest of Europe. In 2002, SINISTER decided to join forces again with Nuclear Blast Records. The result is the release of their latest album, "Savage Or Grace," which was massively promoted through shows in Mexico, Columbia and a two-week tour with CANNIBAL CORPSE across Europe.
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12.05.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Crucial Blast Records' SOIHADTOSHOOTHIM are currently putting together a quick tour in January through the Midwest, South, and East Coast U.S. Their debut full-length album, "Alpha Males And Popular Girls," is currently floating around and freaking out as many as it is blowing away. SOIHADTOSHOOTHIM complete their metamorphosis from purveyors of mid-90's Art-damaged powerviolence to modern blastpop visionaries on the new offering. Sugarcoated and venomous, the ten songs on "Alpha Males And Popular Girls" marry monstrous metallic riffing and surreal, swirling Pop seizures to cyclones of gasoline-soaked noise skronk and arena-sized Rock blowouts that are fronted with utter sass and ferocity, courtesy of SOIHADTOSHOOTHIM frontwoman Libby Schaub. A boldly imaginative debut, "Alpha Males And Popular Girls" is chock full of infectious hooks and crazed heaviness that references BLONDIE and Indie Pop as much as it blasts powerviolence and NAPALM DEATH, pulverizing technical Metalcore, neon-hued Dance Punk, gleaming melodic bliss, and mutant stadium Rock anthems all in the same breath. Once a reactionary Grind/Hardcore outfit, SOIHADTOSHOOTHIM's unpredictable live performances and eccentric releases generated small renown in the New Jersey underground scene, influencing troupes of nay-sayers in their future musical endeavors. Languishing in either brilliant obscurity or asinine celebrity, SOIHADTOSHOOTHIM anticipated that a crossroads was being approached: A specific point in time in which sheer talent and artistic panache could seamlessly merge and consequently quench the collective appetite of a parched audience starving for originality and innovation. Utilizing elements from everywhere, SOIHADTOSHOOTHIM have skillfully resharpened their sound, thus forging a uniquely balanced, infectiously schizophrenic equilibrium of Thrash, Blues, Doom, and Rock with a dancy, noir edge. In the process of revamping the overall aesthetic of their music, the band bravely razed the foundation upon which their material was originally erected into an ash-heap of smoldering rubble. Upon surveying the wreckage, the band has thus created a more comprehensive musical upgrade by opting to swing a wrecking ball through the remaining ruins and set the demolished debris ablaze. Simply put, SOIHADTOSHOOTHIM are an adrenaline shot thrust into the murmuring heart of Rock 'N' Roll - a savage wake-up slap in the face of conventional music. Tour Dates: 01/04 Buffalo, NY [Broadway Joes] • 01/05 Pittsburgh, PA [Mr. Roboto Project] • 01/06 Ypsilanti, MI [Elbow Room] • 01/07 Detroit, MI [Small's] • 01/08 Indianapolis, IN [Melody Inn] • 01/09 Johnson City, TN [The Hideaway] • 01/10 Lexington/Louisville, KY [TBA] • 01/11 Nashville, TN [The Muse] • 01/12 Dallas, TX [Double-Wide] • 01/13 Austin, TX [Room 710] • 01/14 Fort Smith, AR [House Show] • 01/15 Birmingham, AL [TBA] • 01/16 Atlanta, GA [Lennys] • 01/17 Chapel Hill, NC [Reservoir] • 01/18 Washington DC [DC9] • 01/19 Baltimore MD [Talking Head] • 01/20 New York NY [Sin-e]
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12.05.05 (RockAndMetal.com) Southern California quintet MANNTIS were recently added to the "They're Still The Law Tour" featuring ANTHRAX, GOD FORBID and SWORN ENEMY, which kicks off January 6th at Rams Head Live in Baltimore, Maryland. That trek will be preceded by a string of West Coast headlining shows by the band. MANNTIS recently completed a highly-successful run on the "10 Years Of Brutality Tour" alongside HATEBREED, MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, FULL BLOWN CHAOS, GIZMACHI and IF HOPE DIES. Their blistering, unrelenting set caught people's attention and proves that this band is able to deliver the goods in front of any crowd. Meanwhile, the band will shoot a new video for the track 'Weathered Soul' with up-and-coming director Rob Hall (Josh Todd, feature film Lightening Bug) this weekend. Look for it to make its Fuse and MTV2 debut early next year. MANNTIS vocalist Jake Sirokman checks in with the following report: "Hello, hello you all! We are currently home for a couple weeks after a long and productive tour with Hatebreed. We had an amazing time and hung with some great bands including Most Precious Blood and Full Blown Chaos. At this time, we are just relaxing and hangin' with the family, friends and girlfriends before we head out for our headlining Christmas tour up north. When we return we will spend the holidays at home, and then it's off in January with the legendary Anthrax with direct support from God Forbid and Sworn Enemy. We cannot explain how stoked we are to be part of this bill. Well, this is it for now, and we hope to see you all on the road." The group's critically-acclaimed new album, "Sleep In Your Grave, which was 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. The recent additions of guitarist Daniel Racardio and drummer Josh Feathers have added a whole new dynamic to MANNTIS' already stellar live show. Upcoming Tour Dates: 12/14 Portland, OR [Rock & Roll Pizza] • 12/15 Tacoma, WA [Hell's Kitchen] • 12/16 Seattle, WA [The Premier] (Toy Soldier Bash) • 12/17 Richland, WA [Ray's Golden Lion] • 12/18 Spokane, WA [Fat Tuesday's] • 12/19 Tacoma, WA [The Cat Box] • 12/20 Eugene, OR [The Wow Hall] • 01/06 Baltimore, MD [Rams Head Live] • 01/07 New York, NY [Nokia Live] • 01/08 Hartford, CT [Webster Theater] • 01/10 Allentown, PA [Crocodile Rock] • 01/11 Columbus, OH [Newport Music Hall] • 01/12 Sauget, IL [Pop's] • 01/13 Chicago, IL [House Of Blues] • 01/14 Minneapolis, MN [First Avenue] • 01/15 Lawrence, KS [Granada] • 01/17 Omaha, NE [Chez Paree] • 01/18 Boulder, CO [Fox Theatre] • 01/20 San Francisco, CA [The Pound] • 01/21 Los Angeles, CA [The Avalon]
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[Music News: 11.28.05 - 12.04.05]
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