A six-minute video of METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich babbling away about the band's upcoming activities can be viewed below. In the clip, which was made available exclusively to registered members of METALLICA's Mission: Metallica web site, Ulrich reveals that the band's recently completed video for the song "The Day That Never Comes" will have its premiere sometime next week.
METALLICA recently posted another new song from its upcoming album, "Death Magnetic", at the band's official web site. Titled "My Apocalypse", the track closes the CD and is a fast thrash metal anthem in the style of vintage METALLICA numbers such as "Battery" and "Damage Inc." but without the thick, crunchy production that made those songs so undeniably powerful. The tune is the second new one to be heard from the album, following the release last week of the first official single, "The Day That Never Comes". "Death Magnetic" arrives worldwide on Friday, September 12.
A number of fans complained online about the sound quality of the streams and iTunes downloads of "The Day That Never Comes", with a member of the band's web site staff posting a message stating that the problem would be corrected. A new version of the track has since been released to iTunes, but the complaints are continuing to pour in via the band's official message board, with some fans seemingly upset over the band's silence regarding the issue.
"Death Magnetic" will come in a variety of digital and physical configurations, ranging from a straight download to a deluxe "coffin box" edition.
METALLICA will play two low-dough shows in Europe to celebrate the CD's release, in Berlin on September 12 and London on September 15. Tickets for both are priced under $20 and open to fan club members only.
The band will kick off its first indoor North American tour on October 21 in Glendale, Arizona, with shows booked through the end of January.
A new "fly-on-the-wall" studio clip of METALLICA working on its new album has surfaced on the MissionMetallica.com web site and can be viewed below. The footage, which was apparently taped before the band began tracking "Death Magnetic", features producer Rick Rubin discussing the group's song selection and the recording process for the new CD. "I think, based on the way you guys are playing the songs, the actual tracking of the songs is gonna happen very quickly," Rubin can be heard saying in the video. "It's gonna be on, and it's gonna be on fire. Everyone's gonna be looking at each other and I think it's gonna be amazing. It's not gonna be a boring, laborious… It's gonna be all worked out. We're gonna know what it is. You can practice as much as you want and it's gonna be on fire; it's gonna be great. And it'll sound like it. It's not gonna sound put together — it'll sound like this explosion of energy, of people staring at each other and really feeding off each other's vibe. That's what it's gonna be."
METALLICA has officially set Friday, September 12 as the "worldwide" release date for "Death Magnetic". The CD will be available to download for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on the same day the album arrives in stores.
The band is offering the record for sale in numerous configurations, ranging from a digital-only release to a deluxe "coffin box" that will come with a bonus CD, a DVD, a T-shirt, guitar picks and other goodies.
METALLICA will play two budget-priced shows in London and Berlin to launch "Death Magnetic", including the opening show on September 12 at the new 17,000-capacity O2 World arena in Berlin. METALLICA also plays London O2 arena on September 15, with tickets priced at £5 ($9), according to Billboard.com. Proceeds from both shows go to local charities.
The concerts are on sale to registered fans only with tickets priced €10 ($14).
Chicago heavy rockers SOIL have issued the following update:
"The [Rockstar Energy] Mayhem show we did in Chicago (which was amazing, by the way; thanks again to the fans for going nuts) will be our last 'till probably next year. We are hard at work on the new album and will be entering the studio by fall. The songs we have so far are coming together great and we are just enjoying the writing process more than ever.
"We'll keep you posted on the progress, as well as, get you in studio video footage and all that good stuff. Things have been quiet for now since we are in writing/recording mode, but thanks to you guys for sending all the e-mails and pics to the MySpace page. We definitely try and get to all that we can."
SOIL recently inked a deal with Driven Music Group — the Phoenix, Arizona-based music label and entertainment company created by Brian "Head" Welch, a founding member, songwriter and guitarist from the multi-platinum rock band KORN — for the release of its next studio album, tentatively due in early 2009.
SOIL's latest CD, "True Self", was released in May 2006 via DRT Entertainment. The follow-up to 2004's "Redefine" was recorded and mixed at Bomb Shelter studios in Los Angeles, California with producer Ulrich Wild (STATIC-X, TAPROOT).
The Smoking Gun web site has posted an excerpt from the affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in connection with the arrest of a man who allegedly posted nine pirated tracks from "Chinese Democracy", the long-overdue album from GUNS N' ROSES. Read it at this location.
Kevin Cogill (a.k.a. Skwerl), 27, was arrested at his home early today (Wednesday, August 27) on suspicion of violating federal copyright laws, authorities said. He is accused of posting the songs, which were being prepared for commercial release, on the Internet blog Antiquiet in June, according to the affidavit. The site received so much traffic after the songs were posted that it crashed, the affidavit states.
Cogill appeared in court this afternoon, where his bail was set at $10,000. He wore a T-shirt; his girlfriend sat court and afterward said, "Rally the troops," but declined further comment, according to The Associated Press.
Cogill reportedly used to work in the distribution department of Universal Music and is now a web designer. He told Rolling Stone that he got the music from an "anonymous online source." He also explained he was initially told to take the files down by "a really cool guy from the GN'R camp that was a middleman between someone who was very angry and me. He was trying to reach out and see if I'd go without a fight, which is more or less what I did."
The blogger thought the ordeal was over until two young FBI officers he described as "Mulder and Scully types" showed up at his day job and questioned him for 15 minutes. "It was kind of an ambush," Cogill said. "When I came back from lunch, they were waiting in the lobby for me. It's a little creepy they know where I work."
California rockers GREAT WHITE performed live on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline", hosted by Bob Coburn, on Wednesday, August 13. The program is now available for streaming at this location.
Fan-filmed video footage of GREAT WHITE performing the song "Back to the Rhythm" on July 11, 2008 at the Moondance Jam in Walker, Minnesota can be viewed below (clip uploaded by YouTube user "1qzxqzx1").
GREAT WHITE released a new album in July 2007 entitled "Back to the Rhythm" via Shrapnel Records. Frontiers Records issued the CD in Europe on August 31 via in a lavish digipack edition. The record — which also marks GREAT WHITE's 25th anniversary — features original members Jack Russell (vocals), Mark Kendall (lead guitar), Audie Desbrow (drums), Michael Lardie (guitar/keyboards) and Sean McNabb (bass).
"Back to the Rhythm" was mixed, produced, and engineered by guitarist Michael Lardie with all members contributing to to the final mix.
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE drew an estimated 9,000 of fans to its anti-war concert earlier today (Wednesday, August 27) at the Denver Coliseum.
Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed below.
About 8,000 free tickets were handed out by lottery for the show, sponsored by Tent State University and Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Although he once worked for a Democratic senator, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello told The Pulse of Radio he has no interest in getting any closer to national politics than he is now. "I've always felt more much comfortable, you know, on the outside, lobbing musical Molotov cocktails over the barbed wire fence and, you know, I believe that both political parties are severely flawed, and neither one of them really represents the true needs of the vast majority of Americans," he said. "But there's clearly differences as well, and it can definitely mean life or death to tens of thousands, if not more, people who's elected this next election."
Morello once worked as a scheduling secretary for Alan Cranston, the late Democratic senator from Illinois.
RAGE will play in Minneapolis on September 3, the same week the Republican National Convention takes place in nearby St. Paul, where Morello says RAGE plans to "give 'em hell."
Massachusetts heavy-hitters THE ACACIA STRAIN sold almost 5,600 copies of their new album, "Continent", in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 107 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD debuted at No. 2 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"We're not really sure how to feel," frontman Vincent Bennett said. "Obviously, we're really excited we made charts and very appreciative to everyone that bought the record this first week, but at same time it's really hard to sell records with all the people downloading nowadays. We're really happy that people still went out and bought it did and we hope they enjoy it. To the people that downloaded it, we hope you come out to one the shows and at least sing along and have a good time."
Bennett continued, "'Continent' is basically my absolute disgust towards everything. The whole album is based on the concept of nihilism. The world as we know it was a fluke and there is no meaning in anything. It is about pulling yourself out of society because everything makes you sick. It is about purposefully leaving everything behind and destroying everything you think you love. It is about hatred, anger, rage and resentment. Nothing is sure to me anymore. Everything has been tainted. This album is pretty much exonerating myself from it all."
THE ACACIA STRAIN has been confirmed as one of the support bands for UNEARTH's upcoming tour throughout the month of October. "The UNEARTH tour is basically the support tour we have been waiting for," Bennett said. "The lineup is one of the most diverse we have been a part of since Sounds Of The Underground [in 2007] and I can't wait to get out there and give what we have to offer. We are going to be playing a good number of new songs so dig in and learn those words."
Jacksonville, Florida-based hard rock/post-grunge band SHINEDOWN will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline" with host Bob Coburn on Monday, September 15 at 8:30 p.m. PT / 11:30 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to speak with the group by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625).
SHINEDOWN's "Devour" single recently reached #1 on both the Billboard Active and Mediabase Rock charts. Fresh off of its success, the band will now release "Second Chance" as the next single from their album "The Sound Of Madness" on September 9.
For SHINEDOWN lead singer Brent Smith, "Second Chance" is the most autobiographical track on the album. Smith wrote the lyrics about leaving his native Knoxville, Tennessee, to pursue a career in rock 'n' roll.
"This song for me is the most personal song on the record because it's about how I grew up and my childhood," commented Brent. "It's about throwing caution to the wind and going after what you truly want in life."
"Second Chance" can also currently be heard in all of the promos on Fox for their hit series "Terminator - The Sarah Connor Chronicles".
SHINEDOWN last week made a digital-only track titled "Junkies For Fame" available for purchase on all major download sites. Recorded during the sessions for "The Sound Of Madness", "Junkies For Fame" was previously only available on the video game Rock Band 2.
The Jacksonville, Florida-based rock outfit will be out on tour for the rest of the year and has several new dates lined up with AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BUCKCHERRY.
Long Island, New York, hardcore legends VISION OF DISORDER have scheduled another reunion show on November 16 at The Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza. Also scheduled to appear are INDECISION, OVERCAST and NASSAU CHAINSAW.
VISION OF DISORDER has set "Dead in NY" as the title of its forthcoming DVD, due on November 11 through Koch. The concert footage for the disc was shot in August 2006 in Levittown, New York. A two-and-a-half-minute promotional clip for "Dead in NY" can be viewed below.
VISION OF DISORDER's last studio effort was the southern rock-influenced album, "From Bliss to Devastation", released on TVT Records in 2001. Apparently frustrated by a lack of record company support from both Roadrunner (the band's former label) and TVT Records, VISION OF DISORDER went on an extended hiatus in 2002, and eventually disbanded, as singer Tim Williams and guitarist Mike Kennedy formed the currently active project BLOODSIMPLE.
According to Hits Daily Double (the companion web site of music industry tip sheet HITS), SLIPKNOT's new album, "All Hope Is Gone" is poised to sell between 230,000 and 250,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release. The CD will go head-to-head with Geffen rapper THE GAME's "L.A.X." for the top spot on next week's The Billboard 200 chart.
SLIPKNOT's last album, "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)", opened with 243,000 copies back in June 2004 to debut at No. 2. "Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)" was the follow-up to "Iowa", which registered a first-week sales tally of more than 254,000 copies back in September 2001 to enter The Billboard 200 chart at No. 3.
"All Hope Is Gone" is being streamed in its entirety at Spinner.com.
The first single and video from "All Hope Is Gone" is called "Psychosocial".
SLIPKNOT's music was also accused last week of influencing a South African teenager who stabbed a classmate to death while wearing a SLIPKNOT-style mask. Corey Taylor told Blender magazine, "I'm disturbed by the fact that people were hurt and someone died. As far as my responsibility for that goes, it stops there, because I know our message is actually very positive."
SLIPKNOT recently completed the first Rockstar Energy Mayhem tour with co-headliners DISTURBED and will return to North American stages in January.
Liz Wise of UnRated magazine recently conducted an interview with Max and Igor Cavalera of CAVALERA CONSPIRACY. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.
UnRated: "Inflikted" came out about the end of March. You guys have been touring Europe and now you're touring the U.S. How has the crowd's response been?
Max: Killer. They've been as excited for the new "Inflikted" stuff as much as the SEPULTURA and NAILBOMB stuff. Far more excited than we thought.
Igor: We've even talked before, Max and I, on how surprising it is that most of the kids are getting into the songs from "Inflikted". It almost sounds like they've known the songs forever. And it's the same response we are getting from songs like "Territory" or "Troops of Doom". So for me and Max to see that, that was very surprising because usually it takes a little longer for new songs to become something that kids sing to and relate to but on this tour. Not only in Europe but also in America. The crowds have been great and it's really amazing because the last few years there's been all this talk that metal or hardcore are not doing so well. We're proving that wrong in a way. There are a lot of kids that are coming to shows and enjoying themselves.
UnRated: Do you think the response has been so good because you're both already established in the metal scene?
Max: I don't know because we've seen a good variety every night. Like every night there is a mosh pit, more so in America than in Europe. Then you get really fanatic fans in the front — the ones that know the lyrics better than me — I sometimes have to look at them to remember the lyrics. Then you get curiosity in the back and the balcony. They are also very different in age, the really young, middle, and older people.
Igor: Yeah, it's crazy. As Max was saying, in the front you get those fanatical people, that no matter what, once they see the show and it begins, they want to be right there, in front of Max and me. And just a few meters back there is the crazy mosh pit. I wouldn't dare to go there! In a couple cities I thought I was very glad not to be out there.
UnRated: So how has it been touring together again? Does it feel like the old SEPULTURA days or are things maybe better? Have you been having more fun?
Igor: For me, it doesn't feel like the old days, it feels like you say, better than the old days. I think we've grown up more as people and as musicians. We've been through it all, through everything, the good and bad. So I know for me that when I step on stage, I'm just so happy to be on stage playing. Before I never paid attention to that, all I cared about was if it was crowded — a lot of people were there. Today I'm paying attention to every little detail including how satisfying it is to be playing.
Max: I think I've only been mad twice on this tour. They were both recently. In Canada I wanted to stage dive really bad and couldn't feel a way out to do it. I felt like a loser at the end of the show because I should have just dived in even if I got hurt. And then the last show we did, my amp was fucking up the whole time. I've been talking to my roadie about that and even though I like my roadie, I'll get mad at him because he smokes a lot of pot. In general I get mad a lot more often so it's been a very good tour. The shows have all been different and the other bands are killer. We're going to be doing more touring though through the States because a lot of people have been complaining that we didn't come play by them.
Igor: The response has been so good that we could do another tour here but we're also going to tour other places like South America, especially Brazil. I live there, if we didn't play there I would get beat up at some point! That's one of the places in the whole world that people embrace me and Max more than anywhere else. They're going to be so happy to see us together because they've had to follow us separately, like Max in SOULFLY and me with whatever I was doing. So this combo is going to be crazy. I can't wait.
GROCK listener Brenda Finkelstein conducted an interview FILTER mainman Richard Patrick on July 26, 2008. Watch the six-minute chat below.
FILTER is finishing up a successful run of tour dates and fans everywhere are wondering, as it says in the title of the band's new single, "What's Next?" Richard Patrick and his bandmates — John Spiker, Mitchell Marlow and Mika Fineo — are getting ready for the next steps. More touring and digital releases are on the horizon for FILTER, with tracks to tease one of the digital releases available on iTunes now.
"The Pulse Sessions" will be out later this year and it will include live versions of some of FILTER's greatest hits. Another album in the works is "Remixes For The Damned". This digital-only release will be out before the end of 2008 and will feature remixes of songs from the band's current album, "Anthems For The Damned", done by Richard Patrick, Ben Wise, Timmy The Terror (IMA Robot) and Mitch Marlow, among others.
FILTER is leaving no city un-visited in this touring cycle promoting "Anthems For The Damned"! Hitting cities like Reno, NV and Seattle, WA as well as Boise, ID among others, the band are eager to play their new music for fans everywhere. European and Australian tours are in the works as well!
Featuring such collaborators as guitarist/songwriter John 5 (MARILYN MANSON, ROB ZOMBIE), guitarist Wes Borland (LIMP BIZKIT) and drummer Josh Freese (NINE INCH NAILS, GUNS N' ROSES), "Anthems for the Damned" was produced by Pulse Recording's Josh Abraham (SLAYER, VELVET REVOLVER, STAIND). "It's about the embarrassment of being a human in the face of the awesome power of nature," Patrick explains. "To see what we're doing to the planet and each other. I'm ashamed about the shape of the world we're leaving to our children. And I'm not excusing myself either. I'm just asking, 'Why can't we get it right?'"
New York death metal legends SUFFOCATION have reportedly inked a deal with Nuclear Blast Records for the release of their new album, entitled "Blood Oath" (see card/advert announcing the signing below). An early 2009 release is expected.
Norway's Eternal Terror webzine conducted an interview with SUFFOCATION vocalist Frank Mullen at this year's Neurotic Deathfest, which was held May 30-31 at 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The six-and-a-half-minute clip, which features footage of the band's performance at the festival, can be viewed below.
Roadrunner Records in January released a "best-of" collection from SUFFOCATION, appropriately titled "The Best of Suffocation".
Spin magazine reports: With the astounding score of 398,000, Eric Miller blew away his rivals on stage [Monday] night in Boston, winning the booty in the Guitar Hero: Aerosmith ROCKS the Hard Rock competition. His prize? One rather stylish motorcycle signed by AEROSMITH's Steve Tyler himself. But the evening wasn't only about Guitar Hero and motorcycles. The end to a 16-date nationwide hunt for America's most proficient gamer coincided with the benefit gala, Boston for Africa, where citizens opened their purses for FORGE, Foundation Rwanda and Opportunity International.
Legendary hard rock bassist Rudy Sarzo (DIO, QUIET RIOT, WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) and guitar hero Michael Schenker (UFO, MSG, SCORPIONS) will guest on the "M.I.B. Show" on Saturday, September 13. Sarzo will appear on the program at 12:30 p.m. EST and Schenker at 2:00 p.m. EST. You can listen to the show live via the Internet at www.hardrockradiolive.com.
A new collector's edition of Rudy Sarzo's book "Off The Rails: Aboard The Crazy Train In The Blizzard Of Ozz" is being released this month via TooSmart! Publishing. According to Sarzo, "The new edition is beautiful and includes many more pictures throughout the book as well as a 16-page glossy spread of Ross Halfin photos from the beginning of our tour."
"Off the Rails" includes a first-person account from Rudy's personal day-by-day diary of events while touring with Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads in the early Eighties. The book was originally due in 2005 but was delayed after Sharon Osbourne allegedly applied pressure to have it pulled.
EMI Catalogue has set a September 15 UK release date for "The Best Of The Michael Schenker Group: 1980-1984", a collection of album tracks, live cuts and b-sides and four tracks previously only available on import.
MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP's new album, "In the Midst of Beauty", was released on May 13 via Inakustic GMBH. The CD features returning MSG singer Gary Barden, drummer Simon Philips (THE WHO, TOTO), bassist Neil Murray (BLACK SABBATH, WHITESNAKE) and keyboardist Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, OZZY OSBOURNE).
Icelandic progressive metallers PORNEA — the side-project of Mr. Thorgeirsson (POTENTIAM) and Mr. Heidarsson (CHANGER, ex-POTENTIAM) — are looking for a singer for their next release. Interested parties "need to be versatile enough to handle different styles."
PORNEA was created by two members of the dark/black metal band POTENTIAM. Drummer Mr. Heidarsson joined Mr. Thorgeirsson to create the band's only release to date, 2001's "Burned and Battered". Since then both members have concentrated on other musical work, Thorgeirsson with POTENTIAM and Heidarsson with CHANGER, DARK HARVEST and BOOTLEGS.
Simon Milburn of Australia's The Metal Forge recently conducted an interview with DISTURBED drummer Mike Wengren. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.
On the commercial success of the band's latest album, "Indestructible":
"We were fortunate enough to go to number one in Australia and New Zealand, the United States, and I wanna even say Canada. At the same time, since then, with the five weeks that the record has been out, we've already gone gold in the U.S., Canada, and we've gone gold in Australia and platinum in New Zealand, so we're very, very excited. At the same time, I think it's a testament to our fans. Y'know, our fans around the world, they stick by us, they support us, and we really wouldn't be able to achieve the success that we've had without them."
"We definitely had some doubt because of the state of the industry, y'know, with downloading so prevalent and sales down worldwide roughly twenty percent each year, it's definitely a concern of ours. But at the same time, we felt that we stepped up and delivered the record that the industry was desperately needing."
On illegal music downloading:
"Y'know, I think everyone is trying to point the finger — record labels are to blame and everyone else is to blame, but I personally feel that it's the artists that are to blame. If the artists put out great music and they put out great records instead of records that had maybe one or two good singles on it and the rest of the record is totally filler, then I think that would be a huge part of it. I think people would be willing to buy a good-quality record and I think that our fans prove that. We pride ourselves on taking the time on every single note, every single beat, and making sure that there are no fillers on our records, and our fans know it. They appreciate it, and they come out and they actually buy the records. The sales have definitely reflected that. Y'know, I don't want to sound conceited in any way. But we know that our fans work hard for their money and we don't want to cheat them. We wanna give them every penny worth."
On the press' reactions to the "Indestructible" album:
"Y'know, to be completely honest with you, I think that some of the reviews that I have heard of are pleasant ones, but to be completely honest with you, we don't really pay attention to the reviews. We kinda write the music for ourselves and for our fans. Again, by the record sales, the fans have turned out and they are buying the record and that means to us that they love it and we love it, and honestly, that's all that matters to us. I don't really care what some person in a suit and tie or whatever that sits behind a desk and a computer really has to say about our record, y'know?"
Asbjørn Slettemark of the Norwegian music industry magazine Faro Journalen reports that METALLICA's record label, Universal Music Norway, has confirmed that it has received several complaints over the sound quality of the new METALLICA single "The Day That Never Comes", which was released via the iTunes store late last week. "There will be a new version of the song on iTunes in a short while," Eivind Slotsvik, senior product manager at Universal Music Norway, told Faro Journalen.
Slotsvik claims, however, that the "The Day That Never Comes" audio file that was serviced to Norwegian radio and press is not distorted like the track that was being sold via iTunes. "What we know is that there is something wrong with the version sent to iTunes," he said. "The version we have received does not contain similar errors."
Faro Journalen downloaded one of the versions Universal Music released to the press via its digital promotional database. The magazine then sent the file to Lasse Svendsen, editor of Norway's hi-fi magazine Lyd & Bilde (Sound & Vision). Svendsen was shocked by what he heard.
"Oh my God, this is unfortunately a classic example of how bad things get when studio technicians and musicians gets to play with expensive compressors and limiters," he said. "The file is a 313 kbps AAC sound file, which isn't necessarily that bad, but someone has chosen to maximize the volume with a compressor, so much so that the whole sound file just sounds like mud. The cymbals sound like broken glass, the drums like trees cracking, and the guitars — which are mixed equally loudly — sound like someone shoved a screwdriver into my ears."
Kjartan Overby is responsible for the music archives at the Norwegian national radio station at NRK. "The Day That Never Comes" was one of this week's most played tracks on NRK's youth channel P3, and Overby told Faro Journalen he reacted immediately to the sound level on the song.
"I have never heard anything like this on songs we have added to the archive. It is probably not a technical error. The file was like that when we received it from Universal Music," he said.
Lyd & Bilde editor Svendsen has low expectations for the "Death Magnetic" full-length album, which is scheduled to hit stores worldwide on September 12. "We can only hope that the CD won't sound this bad, but I don't have high hopes that this will happen," he said.
A representative for METALLICA's Mission: Metallica web site — the online experience related to the group's forthcoming album, "Death Magnetic" — sent out an e-mail message to the site's registered members last week claiming that the sound quality problems on "The Day That Never Comes" were related to "the creation of the track from master," before reassuring fans that "this is not how it will sound on the album." He then added, "We've identified the source of the problem to prevent it in any subsequent singles released in advance of September 12."
Although the band itself has not yet addressed the issue directly, it is believed that the source of the problem lies in the actual mix and not the mastering. With only three weeks left before "Death Magnetic"'s scheduled release, it is highly unlikely that any changes will be made to the album's final mix, a scenario which is almost certain to disappoint may of METALLICA's most loyal fans who have been voicing their displeasure over the new single's production on the band's official message board.
GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal joined San Diego rockers KICKING K8 on stage at the Rock Against Diabetes benefit concert in Las Vegas this past weekend to perform a cover version of THE BEATLES classic "Come Together". Video footage of the performance can be viewed below. The event was hosted by "Big Brother 8" winner Richard Louis "Evel Dick" Donato and also included performances by L.A. GUNS, LEATHERWOLF and Y&T, among others.
KICKING K8's cover of "Come Together" is included on the band's upcoming debut CD.
KICKING K8 recently returned from a short run of dates in the Midwest, which included an appearance at the WJJO Band Camp.
METALLICA has officially set Friday, September 12 as the "worldwide" release date for its new album, "Death Magnetic". The CD will be available to download for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on the same day the album arrives in stores.
The band is offering the record for sale in numerous configurations, ranging from a digital-only release to a deluxe "coffin box" that will come with a bonus CD, a DVD, a T-shirt, guitar picks and other goodies.
"Death Magnetic" official track listing:
01. That Was Just Your Life 02. The End Of The Line 03. Broken, Beat & Scarred 04. The Day That Never Comes 05. All Nightmare Long 06. Cyanide 07. The Unforgiven III 08. The Judas Kiss 09. Suicide & Redemption 10. My Apocalypse
METALLICA will play two budget-priced shows in London and Berlin to launch "Death Magnetic", including the opening show on September 12 at the new 17,000-capacity O2 World arena in Berlin. METALLICA also plays London O2 arena on September 15, with tickets priced at £5 ($9), according to Billboard.com. Proceeds from both shows go to local charities.
The concerts will go on sale to registered fans only with tickets priced €10 ($14).
Two years in the making, "An Irish Tribute to Thrash", Ireland's first tribute to thrash, will be released on September 5. It will be made availagle as a limited-edition digipack and will also be released on vinyl. According to a press release, the collection features "a wide variety from the thrash and crossover years to tantalize and take the listener on a trap down thrash memory lane, with covers from D.R.I. to VENOM and VIO-LENCE to CELTIC FROST done by some of Ireland's finest like MASS EXTINCTION, ERA VULGARIS, WARPATH, SOL AXIS, DE NOVISIMUS, SORROWFALL and many more who not only paid a fantastic tribute to the old thrash era butalso paid their respects to those who have influenced the scene andsadly have passed on and are not here to see a new thriving thrash scene today."
"An Irish Tribute to Thrash" track listing:
* MASS EXTINCTION - "Kill on Command" (originally by VIO-LENCE) * SOL AXIS - "Raise the Dead" (originally by BATHORY) * ERA VULGARIS - "Five Magiks" (originally by MEGADETH) * REIGN OF FIRE - "Beneath the Remains" (originally by SEPULTURA) * WARPATH - "Piece by Piece" (originally by SLAYER) * MANIFEST - "Seemingly Endless Time" (originally by DEATH ANGEL) * NUCLEAR REIGN - "Into the Pit" (originally by TESTAMENT) * ONLY FUMES AND CORPSES - "I Don't Need Society" (originally by D.R.I.) * SORROWFALL - "Fade to Black" (originally by METALLICA) * ACRID NEBULA - "The Usurper" (originally by CELTIC FROST) * DE NOVISIMUS - "Hang the Pope" (originally by NUCLEAR ASSAULT) * CHRISTORGY - "Satans Trampoline" (originally by LAWNMOWER DETH) * VIOCOSIS - "The American Way" (originally by SACRED REICH) * RAGING CONFLICT - "People of the Lie" (originally by KREATOR) * DARKEST ERA - "Countess Bathory" (originally by VENOM)
The nationally syndicated rock radio show "The Tour Bus" has posted video footage of BUCKCHERRY guitarist Stevie D. and vocalist Josh Todd playing Rock Band at the Holmdel, New Jersey stop of Crüe Fest '08 on Saturday, August 23 at the PNC Bank Arts Center. Watch the three-minute clip below.
BUCKCHERRY has just four shows left on Crüe Fest, which wraps up its inaugural run next Sunday (August 31) in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, but the band is already looking ahead to its fall co-headlining jaunt with AVENGED SEVENFOLD. Guitarist Keith Nelson said the bill, which also features SHINEDOWN and SAVING ABEL, is one his band has been waiting for a long time. "We're really looking forward to it," he told The Pulse of Radio. "We have played with AVENGED on some radio shows, and SHINEDOWN, but we've never had a chance to actually go out and put a bunch of dates together and feel like we're out on the road with those guys. So we're really looking forward to that."
The fall tour kicks off on September 16 in Moline, Illinois, the same day that BUCKCHERRY releases its fourth studio album, "Black Butterfly".
BUCKCHERRY recently made two tracks from the CD, called "Don't Go Away" and "Rescue Me", available for streaming and is posting webisodes about the making of the album at MySpace.
Crüe Fest, which also features PAPA ROACH, TRAPT, SIXX: A.M. and headliners MÖTLEY CRÜE, plays the first of its last four dates on Thursday (August 28) in Toronto.
Glasstone Records, in conjunction with Dirty8, will release "So Close, So Far", the new album from French metallers X-VISION, in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The CD was recorded with producer Stéphane Buriez.
The band's debut album, "Time of the New Slavery", was released in May 2004 via Slalom Music / Night&Day / Evolution Prod.
Since 1998, X-VISION's music hasn't stopped progressing and maturing, mixing death, hardcore, trash, a fraction of grind and many other ingredients from every other type of music they listen to. They created a unique, powerful and intense metal played with flawless precision and extreme sincerity.
X-VISION has played many gigs across Europe with bands such as ANTHRAX, PRONG, GOJIRA, and at festivals like the Furyfest, Eurockeennes de Belfort and Dour.
The band will tour the UK and Germany this autumn/winter.
Steve Palisin of MyrtleBeachOnline.com reports: Brian Galvin, the franchisee of the KISS Coffeehouse at Broadway at the Beach [in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina], invites Grand Strand residents to enter its "Sing with KISS" contest.
The winner will sing "Forever" with KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer at the KISS Coffeehouse's daylong second-anniversary party Sept. 6.
Call 312-252-9965 for instructions to record vocals and enter the contest.
Thayer will choose the best vocalist, and the winner will be announced Sept. 2 and join Thayer to perform it at KISS Coffeehouse.
Galvin said Thayer recorded a new instrumental version of "Forever" for the contest.
Metal Injection has posted an insightful interview with the two shredmasters of TESTAMENT, guitarists Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson. The axemen spoke about what it's like opening a show as opposed to playing later, touring with JUDAS PRIEST, their meeting with ACRASSICAUDA, the band featured in the "Heavy Metal In Baghdad" documentary, as well as playing overseas. Watch the 13-minute chat below.
As previously reported, TESTAMENT will be direct support for CHILDREN OF BODOM on October 9 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Also appearing on the bill are BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER.
TESTAMENT was honored with the "Album of the Year" Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for its latest album, "The Formation of Damnation". TESTAMENT beat out the other worthy contenders in this category: ATREYU, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, CHILDREN OF BODOM and DOWN.
"The Formation of Damnation" debuted at #59 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and is TESTAMENT's highest-charting release in the band's 24-year history. The album also dominated at radio, holding the #1 spot on both CMJ and FMQB for several consecutive weeks.
An e-card for "The Formation of Damnation" can be accessed at this location.
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