ENTOMBED-Finalize track listing, title for new CD
Sweden's ENTOMBED have set "Inferno" as the title for their forthcoming CD, due on May 13 through Music For Nations Records. According to the band's official web site, the CD title "suits how the general feeling of the album came out."
The complete track listing for "Inferno" is as follows:
01. Retaliation
02. The Fix Is In
03. Descent Into Inferno
04. Incinerator
05. Night For Day
06. Nobodaddy
07. Young & Dead
08. Children Of The Underworld
09. Public Burning
10. Skeleton Of Steel
11. Flexing Muscles
12. That's When I Became A Satanist
As previously reported, "Inferno" was produced by Pelle Gunnerfeldt (FIRESIDE) at Gröndal and Atlantis studios in Stockholm with producer Pelle Gunnerfeldt (FIRESIDE). ENTOMBED will perform a few select European dates during March and April before embarking on a short tour of South Africa in early May.
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STRATOVARIUS: No tour planned for "Elements Pt 2"
Finland's STRATOVARIUS have no intention of touring behind their upcoming "Elements Part 2" release, guitarist Timo Tolkki has revealed to Kaista. The follow-up to their current "Elements Part 1" CD, which has just been completed, is tentatively scheduled for release in October, but may end up getting pushed back, according to Tolkki.
"I think 'Elements Part 2' is a bit more straightforward compared 'Part 1'," Tolkki said. "And there are more faster songs this time, I guess."
STRATOVARIUS will launch their world tour in support of "Elements Part 1" on March 19 in Oulu, Finland. SYMPHONY X and THUNDERSTONE have been selected to support the band on the European leg of the tour, which will last through the end of the summer and possibly into the fall.
"Jens [Johansson, keyboardist] will arrive from New York on March 8 and then we will start rehearsing for the upcoming tour," Timo said. "I am really looking forward to hitting the road once again after this pretty long break. It's gonna be so great to see all the fans all over the world!
"I think we have pretty good 'show' coming up this time," Tolkki revealed. "I mean, we have some totally new things with us on stage and so on. Well, the European fans will see everything soon."
-------------------------------------------
AMORPHIS complete work on new album
Finland's AMORPHIS finished mastering their as-yet-untitled new album today (March 4) at Helsinki's Finnvox studios for a tentative late spring release. The sextet, who are currently unsigned following a lengthy stint with Relapse Records, are negotiating with several record companies and are expected to make an announcement regarding a new label home in the next couple of weeks.
AMORPHIS tracked 15 songs during the sessions for the new album, with 10 tentatively scheduled to appear on the follow-up to 2000's "Am Universum". Frontman Pasi Koskinen recorded all vocals for the CD at Seawolf studio in Suomenlinna under the guidance of Hannu Leiden (ex-singer of HAVANA BLACKS), who had previously worked with HANOI ROCKS, among others. Says guitarist Esa Holopainen: "I think our new material is a mixture of both new and old elements."
-------------------------------------------
COB - Finnish Hate Crew prepare to destroy Austin
Finland's CHILDREN OF BODOM have been confirmed to appear at the 17th annual South by Southwest Music Festival (SXSW), set to be held Mar. 12-16 in various venues in Austin, Texas. CHILDREN OF BODOM will perform on Friday, March 14 at Back Room (2015 E Riverside). Showtime is set for 12:00 a.m. (midnight). It is presently unclear if the band will perform any additional U.S. dates as part of the jaunt.
CHILDREN OF BODOM spent three weeks at first place in the Finnish Top 40 album chart with their latest album, "Hate Crew Deathroll". The album was tracked at Astia studio in Lappeenranta, Finland and was mastered in early November at Finnvox studios in Helsinki. The group's previous CD, "Follow The Reaper", sold 150,000 copies internationally.
For more information on the 2003 South by Southwest Music Festival, visit the event's official web site at http://www.sxsw.com/music/festival/
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MY DYING BRIDE: European Festival dates announced
MY DYING BRIDE have lined up the following tour dates during July:
Jul. 06 – Leipzig, GER @ With Full Force
Jul. 19 – Seixal, POR @ Headbangers Festival
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IRON MAIDEN confirmed for Holland's WALDROCK 2003
IRON MAIDEN, MADBALL, STRATOVARIUS, CLAWFINGER, TYPE O NEGATIVE, and PETER PAN SPEEDROCK are the first acts to have been confirmed for this year's Waldrock festival, scheduled to take place on June 21 in Burgum, Holland. For more information, visit the festival's official web site at http://www.waldrock.nl/open01.htm
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BORKNAGAR drummer to join TESTAMENT
TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson has posted the following update to the band's official web site, www.testamentlegions.com:
"Hello fans!
"Latest news regarding the European 'No Mercy Festival' we are about to embark on in April. Due to [TESTAMENT/SADUS drummer] Jon Allen's personal family issues, he will not be able to participate in the tour at this time. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
"Filling in on this tour and possibly more will be Asgeir Mickelson from the bands BORKNAGAR, SPIRAL ARCHITECT and VINTERSORG. Asgeir is a longtime TESTAMENT fan and is ready to tear some shit up with us! Hails to Asgeir!
"In other news...
"We are in heavy writing mode and are demo-ing up songs, so far about seven have been born! All I can say that it's in 'The Gathering' and old-school thrash vein! We will finish up early summer, and record hopefully in early fall. In between all of this, we will be on the road here and there, once again to get our vibe back. More later! See ya on tour!"
----------------------------------------------------
Kovenant - Von Blomberg (aka Hellhammer) Leaves
Official Press Release:
28.02.03
So another chapter in the bands history has come to and end. It has mutually been decided that Von Blomberg (aka Hellhammer), will be leaving the band. And a new replacement drummer will be taking his place. New members for the band are also being auditioned, and will be revealed shortly.
With the imminent release of the 4th album. “Seti”. Things are looking very good for the future of The Kovenant. And being more dedicated and headstrong than ever. I can only predict greater things in store for us.
We would like to thank Von Blomberg for the years of mischief and friendship, and wish him well on his future escapades. Wherever that may be. And that he will always remember that together we have made history more than once...
Lex Icon, Psy Coma & Angel
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BANG YOUR HEAD - Club Show
BANG YOUR HEAD!!! - Club show with BLAZE and REBELLION on the 27th of June
Apart from their "warm up-gig", the organisators of the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! will arrange a second club show taking place at the Rockclub WOM, which lies about 200m ahead of the festival's site. The adress: Wilhelm-Kraut-Straße 104, D-72336 Balingen, Germany. This club-show will take place on Friday, the 27th of June.
Getting on stage that evening will be Blaze Bayley's BLAZE and REBELLION, the band of former GRAVE DIGGER
Tickets are availaible at ticket-hotline (+49-74 57-9 13 93) and at doors. Prices will be 13.- Euro for visitors in hold of a BANG YOUR HEAD!!!-festivalticket and 15,- Euro for everyone else.
Bandinformations :
REBELLION: Uwe Lulis, once producer and musician of German Heavy Metal veterans GRAVE DIGGER, is not likely to be one to look back in anger at the split with his former band and creative partner in crime Chris Boltendahl. Along with his new band REBELLION he's out for new ways of artistic impression. On releasing 'Shakespeare´s Macbeth' with his mates Tomi Göttlich (bass, former GRAVE DIGGER-companion, too), Michael Seifert (vocals), Björn Eilen gGuitar) and Randy Black (drums) in 2002 Lulis gained high aclaim and did prove that it's still possible to get a whole new musical access to the works of good old Bill Shakespeare. With 'Born A Rebel' to be released on the 28th of April, REBELLION will write the second chapter of their promising career...
BLAZE: Blaze Bayley's career started out in the late 80ies with the semi-famous WOLFSBANE. His powerful vocals did not faint unheard - they must have done quite an impact on a pretty well known British band which was coincidentally looking for a substitute for their former singer Bruce Dickinson. You guessed it: That band was, of course, IRON MAIDEN. Bayley took over their singer's slot for five years. In 1999, Dickinson decided to return to his former bandmates, though, and Bayley had to leave. In the same year he joined forces with four young and hungry musicians and formed BLAZE. On the releases 'Silicon Messiah' and 'Tenth Dimension' the band presented powerful and contemporary Heavy Metal, very much in the vain of British Metal tradition, still modern though. At the end of March the double-live-feature 'As Live As It Gets' will be out there to give you a glimpse of the energy unleashed at a BLAZE-show...
The list of artists set to perform at the BANG YOUR HEAD!!!-festival 2003 at Balingen, Germany, from the 27th to the 28th of June:
TWISTED SISTER
DIO
THIN LIZZY
HAMMERFALL
U.D.O.
SODOM
OVERKILL
HYPOCRISY
Y&T
DOKKEN
TNT
ANNIHILATOR
BRAINSTORM
AMON AMARTH
AXXIS
MASTERPLAN
PINK CREAM 69
ROB ROCK
BITCH
ANGEL WITCH (presenting their first album!)
DESTRUCTOR
HIRAX
All further details about the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! may be found at the BYH!!!-homepage at http://www.bang-your-head.de.
Tickets are availaible at ticket-hotline (+49-74 57-9 13 93) and pretty soon via homepage http://www.bang-your-head.de/ as well. Details about ordering may be found there as well. Prices will be 49.- Euro (plus shipping) at presales. Tickets are limited to a number of 22000.
Due to the suprisingly high request for tickets since presales have started, the organisators of the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! have put a limitation to the number of tickets to be sold for their event. Tickets will therefore be limited to a number of 22.000. By this it the organisators want to ensure that the special and relaxed atmosphere of our event won't suffer.
BANG YOUR HEAD!!!-Revisited
The list of artists set to perform at BANG YOUR HEAD!!!-Revisited festival at Zollern-Alb-Halle, Albstadt, Germany on April 12th 2003:
DORO
CANDLEMASS
DEMON
SACRED STEEL
MAJESTY
Tickets are availaible at our Ticket-Hotline (+49-74 57-9 13 93) and pretty soon via our homepage http://www.bang-your-head.de/ as well. Prices will be 19.- Euro (plus shipping) at presales.
-----------------------------------------------
ANNIHILATOR - "Double Live Annihilation" trailer
A video trailer promoting ANNIHILATOR's upcoming double live CD, titled "Double Live Annihilation", has been posted online at this location: http://www.cmm-music-promotion.de/music-download/Trailer Annihilator DLA-March24.asf . "Double Live Annihilation" is due on March 24 through Germany's AFM Records.
-------------------------------------------------
STRATOVARIUS to film Italian gig for upcoming DVD
Finland's STRATOVARIUS will film their headlining show in Milan, Italy on April 12 for an upcoming live DVD. In other news, the group have announced plans to play a "secret" gig in Finland before the start of their Elements Tour 2003. More information on the exact location of the secret gig will be made available via the group's official web site (www.stratovarius.com) during the coming weeks.
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NIGHTWISH: Century Child was second most sold CD
Nightwish Century Child -album was second most sold Finnish album in Finland in year 2002. It sold 59000 copies. When taking foreign album into acount Century Child was still in fifth place. Nightwish thanks everybody who bought the album!!!
Upcoming NIGHTWISH tour dates:
Jul. 11 - Metal Mania Festival - Villarrobledo, ESP
Aug. 02 - Gates Of Metal Festival - Hultsfred, SWE
Aug. 30 – Bloodstock Festival - Derby, UK
Aug. 31 - Mean Fiddler – London, UK
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BLAZE - US Debut and Live Album!!
BLAZE Announces American Debut with Double-Live Album & Catalogue Reissues Through SPV Records
Former Iron Maiden Vocalist Confirms Performance at March Metal Meltdown Festival
March 8th, 2003 marks an historic event for former Iron Maiden & Wolfsbane vocalist Blaze Bayley, as his new band, simply monikered BLAZE, make their presence known in North America with a spotlight performance at the March Metal Meltdown festival in Irvington, NJ. Armed with 2 studio albums ('Silicon Messiah' & 'Tenth Dimension' - both made available domestically for the first time on February 25th via SPV), BLAZE will bring an uncompromising raw energy & traditional-valued heavy metal to the festival. Fans will be able to commemorate the live performance, when, on April 29th, SPV Records releases 'As Live As It Gets', a 2-CD testament to the unbridled power BLAZE presents in the live setting.
Recorded and produced by metal guru Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Nevermore, Skinlab, as well as the 2 previous BLAZE releases) at performances in the UK & Switzerland in late 2002, 'As Live As It Gets' captures the essence of BLAZE; a multi-textured explosion of classic, anthemic metal with thought-provoking passion and vigor. Bayley expresses the need for this release in the US, "Some people know of my work singing with Iron Maiden, but most are not aware of my work in my current band, so the live album is a way of introducing people to what we've been up to. We're very adept in the live setting, and the material gives a good selection of what we're about."
'As Live As It Gets' delivers a substantial selection, spanning Blaze Bayley's entire career while displaying his evolution as a musician. The tracklisting includes:
DISC 1: / DISC 2:
Speed Of Light / Virus (Iron Maiden)
Two Worlds Collide (Iron Maiden) / The Brave
Steel (Wolfsbane) / Stranger To The Light
Kill & Destroy / Identity
End Dream / Sign Of The Cross (Iron Maiden)
Stare At The Sun / Futureal (Iron Maiden)
Land Of The Blind / Ghost In The Machine
Silicon Messiah / Born As A Stranger
Dazed & Confused (Led Zeppelin cover) / Tenth Dimension
The 2 BLAZE studio albums, recently released in America, exemplify Bayley's desire to give fans the most quality-driven metal music possible. "BLAZE exists because I wanted to put a band together who loved to play metal music as much as I did," Bayley admits. "It's not about the business; it's about the fans and making music that you love. It's great to have our stuff out in the States, and it's going to be a great opportunity to support it on the road."
BLAZE will be performing its first-ever North American performance at the aforementioned March Metal Meltdown festival. Bayley had previously performed in North America with cult heroes Wolfsbane (once with Overkill, and once opening for Guns N' Roses on GNR's warm-up gig in LA for the Rolling Stones tour!) and of course in support of the 2 albums he recorded with the legendary Iron Maiden. As for what fans can expect from the set, Bayley states that he will touch upon every facet of his bold career. "We've done quite a bit of work internationally, but we haven't really made our presence known in the States, so this is going to be a great opportunity. The last 2 times I was here was for the 'X-Factor' & 'Virtual XI' tours with Iron Maiden. I feel that [Maiden] is a part of me as a musician, and I still love that music, so I'm very proud to play those songs. The set will include a selection of material from the 2 albums from my band, as well as material from the 2 Maiden albums. I certainly don't want to say goodbye to my past; I want to embrace it."
Following the performance, BLAZE will head back to Europe to continue work on a new studio effort, anticipated for a full worldwide release over the summer, and hopefully, come back to America to embark on a proper tour. While the studio albums are linked by an underlying theme of man vs. technology, in the live setting, there is no conflict, only a union of heavy metal music fans. As the album title appropriately describes, BLAZE is 'As Live As It Gets'!
For more information visit http://www.planetblaze.com OR http://www.spvmusic.com
------------------------------------------------
SAXON - Name Debate Settled
Today in London at the High Court in the Strand, in a landmark decision for the music industry, Mr Justice Laddie found in favour of Biff Byford the lead singer of Heavy Metal band SAXON, in a case involving previous band members Graham Oliver and Steve Dawson, who registered the name SAXON for themselves in 1997 without the knowledge of Mr Byford.
Mr Justice Laddie ruled that Oliver-Dawson had registered the name in bad faith.
Saxon's decisive victory over former members Oliver-Dawson is well timed as it coincides with the bands 25th anniversary celebrations.
------------------------------------------------
DARK MOOR - Departures in the band
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
"In last Monday 17th, the members of Dark Moor decided to leave and carry on the musical careers in separated ways from this moment.
Elisa, Alberto and Jorge will create a new band, which we expect to have more details as soon as possible.
Enrik and Anan will go on with Dark Moor as founder members.
Dark Moor has ended a very important chapter in its musical history, but it will not die because of it. Now a chapter will be open with new members and new ideas. Of course, it will never be the same again, but because of that doesn’t mean it has be worst or better, simply, it will be a new era, full of imagination and and hard work as it’s been since the band was created.
The EP with a release date for April, it will be on the shelves has it announced.
The band actual formation that has been with Elisa, ,Enrik, Albert, Anan and Jorge, want to thanks to all their fans that have support them and have given them many proofs of affection from all these years, which without their words or encouragement and recognition all this haven’t been possible.
THANKS TO YOU ALL!!!!!!! "
(Translated from Spanish)
--------------------------------------------
DESTRUCTION finalize tracklisting for Live album
German thrashers DESTRUCTION have finalized the track listing to their upcoming live CD, "Alive Devastation", due in Japan in April/May through King Records. It is as follows:
01. Intro / Curse The Gods
02. Nailed To The Cross
03. Eternal Ban
04. Machinery Of Lies
05. Bullets From Hell
06. Tears Of Blood
07. Live Without Sense
08. Thrash Till Death
09. Mad Butcher
10. The Butcher Strikes Back
11. Intro / Total Desaster
12. Invincible Force
13. Bestial Invasion
A worldwide release is expected in the fall. Hear all the tracks in streaming audio at http://www.destruction.de/index.php?s_id=7&lang=en
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IN FLAMES seek new record deal
Sweden's IN FLAMES are currently seeking a new record deal following the expiration of their contract with Nuclear Blast Records. The band are said to have received a number of offers already and expect to have a new deal wrapped up sometime this spring. In other news, IN FLAMES are currently making a video for the song "Trigger", taken from the "Reroute To Remain" album. The video is being shot in Gothenburg, Sweden and will hopefully be ready before the end of March.
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ARCH ENEMY reveals more details about new album
Sweden's ARCH ENEMY have revealed several songtitles that are set to appear on the band's the follow-up to 2001's "Wages Of Sin", tentatively due in late spring through Century Media Records.
Among the cuts that are set to be included on the as-yet-untitled CD are the following:
01. Despicable Heroes
02. Exist To Exit
03. Dead Eyes See No Future
04. Dehumanization
05. Infected
The following is ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott's latest posting to the "Studio Reports" section of the band's official web site (www.archenemy.net):
"What's up? Hope you've enjoyed the pics we posted so far (http://www.archenemy.net/upload/index.php3)– there haven't been too many studio reports from us…sorry about that…but we have just been getting on with the daily routine in the studio…putting this new METAL MONSTER together...piece by piece, RIFF by bloody RIFF! There are so many HUGE riffs on this album...we just walk around smiling all day here...can't wait to assault all your ears with this...
"The past 2-3 days we've been tracking rhythm guitars and the tones that [producer] Andy [Sneap]'s dialled in are just SATANIC! SICK! UGLY! (you get the general idea…
It's sounding shockingly full on and brutal, and that's just with 2 guitars and drums…oh, yeah, those DRUMS…Daniel [Erlandsson] has really pushed himself way beyond previous recordings we've done…world F@#$%*N class!!
"I completed my guitars on 5 songs and now we have taken a few days off (we are back home in Sweden)… [Guitarist] Chris [Amott] will return to England and the studio on Monday (he'll then start tracking his rhythms and do some lead work) and he'll bring with him our Lord of LOW END – [bassist] Sharlee D'Angelo… I am psyched as hell to hear all that when I come over to England again.
"(I am taking a week off from the studio work and will hook up with Andy in the studio again in a week to finish off my rhythm tracks + leads)...and there's some keyboards that will be played by Per Wiberg (who played on the 'Burning Bridges' and 'Wages Of Sin' albums) - it's always a blast recording those parts with Per...such a talented guy.
"Last but not least... [Vocalist] Angela [Gossow] will be coming over to start tracking vocals - the vocals she did on the pre-production demo's sound super promising...she's screaming like she's possessed by evil spirits...Arrrrrgggghhhhhh....ALL ATTITUDE and AGGRESSION - very cool!
"Songtitles? Here are a few: 'Despicable Heroes' (A high energy thrasher - Daniel is just all over the kit on this one), 'Exist To Exit' (Ok, who said SLAYER???), 'Dead Eyes See No Future' (ARCH-style-thrash with great melodic guitars in the chorus - reminds me a bit of the 'Stigmata'/'Burning Bridges' era - but with a fresh twist...), 'DehumaniZation' (Cool riffy track with heavy chorus)...Ok, what else is there...oh yeah, my fave track at the moment, 'Infected' (it's a little different, a new flavour - still heavy...what did you think? C'mon, there's no post-grunge ballads here, ha-ha).
"Ok, I'm outta here...take care and I'll be back with more news and stupid stuff etc very soon..."
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Sweden's ENTOMBED have set "Inferno" as the title for their forthcoming CD, due on May 13 through Music For Nations Records. According to the band's official web site, the CD title "suits how the general feeling of the album came out."
The complete track listing for "Inferno" is as follows:
01. Retaliation
02. The Fix Is In
03. Descent Into Inferno
04. Incinerator
05. Night For Day
06. Nobodaddy
07. Young & Dead
08. Children Of The Underworld
09. Public Burning
10. Skeleton Of Steel
11. Flexing Muscles
12. That's When I Became A Satanist
As previously reported, "Inferno" was produced by Pelle Gunnerfeldt (FIRESIDE) at Gröndal and Atlantis studios in Stockholm with producer Pelle Gunnerfeldt (FIRESIDE). ENTOMBED will perform a few select European dates during March and April before embarking on a short tour of South Africa in early May.
-----------------------------------------------
STRATOVARIUS: No tour planned for "Elements Pt 2"
Finland's STRATOVARIUS have no intention of touring behind their upcoming "Elements Part 2" release, guitarist Timo Tolkki has revealed to Kaista. The follow-up to their current "Elements Part 1" CD, which has just been completed, is tentatively scheduled for release in October, but may end up getting pushed back, according to Tolkki.
"I think 'Elements Part 2' is a bit more straightforward compared 'Part 1'," Tolkki said. "And there are more faster songs this time, I guess."
STRATOVARIUS will launch their world tour in support of "Elements Part 1" on March 19 in Oulu, Finland. SYMPHONY X and THUNDERSTONE have been selected to support the band on the European leg of the tour, which will last through the end of the summer and possibly into the fall.
"Jens [Johansson, keyboardist] will arrive from New York on March 8 and then we will start rehearsing for the upcoming tour," Timo said. "I am really looking forward to hitting the road once again after this pretty long break. It's gonna be so great to see all the fans all over the world!
"I think we have pretty good 'show' coming up this time," Tolkki revealed. "I mean, we have some totally new things with us on stage and so on. Well, the European fans will see everything soon."
-------------------------------------------
AMORPHIS complete work on new album
Finland's AMORPHIS finished mastering their as-yet-untitled new album today (March 4) at Helsinki's Finnvox studios for a tentative late spring release. The sextet, who are currently unsigned following a lengthy stint with Relapse Records, are negotiating with several record companies and are expected to make an announcement regarding a new label home in the next couple of weeks.
AMORPHIS tracked 15 songs during the sessions for the new album, with 10 tentatively scheduled to appear on the follow-up to 2000's "Am Universum". Frontman Pasi Koskinen recorded all vocals for the CD at Seawolf studio in Suomenlinna under the guidance of Hannu Leiden (ex-singer of HAVANA BLACKS), who had previously worked with HANOI ROCKS, among others. Says guitarist Esa Holopainen: "I think our new material is a mixture of both new and old elements."
-------------------------------------------
COB - Finnish Hate Crew prepare to destroy Austin
Finland's CHILDREN OF BODOM have been confirmed to appear at the 17th annual South by Southwest Music Festival (SXSW), set to be held Mar. 12-16 in various venues in Austin, Texas. CHILDREN OF BODOM will perform on Friday, March 14 at Back Room (2015 E Riverside). Showtime is set for 12:00 a.m. (midnight). It is presently unclear if the band will perform any additional U.S. dates as part of the jaunt.
CHILDREN OF BODOM spent three weeks at first place in the Finnish Top 40 album chart with their latest album, "Hate Crew Deathroll". The album was tracked at Astia studio in Lappeenranta, Finland and was mastered in early November at Finnvox studios in Helsinki. The group's previous CD, "Follow The Reaper", sold 150,000 copies internationally.
For more information on the 2003 South by Southwest Music Festival, visit the event's official web site at http://www.sxsw.com/music/festival/
--------------------------------------------------
MY DYING BRIDE: European Festival dates announced
MY DYING BRIDE have lined up the following tour dates during July:
Jul. 06 – Leipzig, GER @ With Full Force
Jul. 19 – Seixal, POR @ Headbangers Festival
------------------------------------------------
IRON MAIDEN confirmed for Holland's WALDROCK 2003
IRON MAIDEN, MADBALL, STRATOVARIUS, CLAWFINGER, TYPE O NEGATIVE, and PETER PAN SPEEDROCK are the first acts to have been confirmed for this year's Waldrock festival, scheduled to take place on June 21 in Burgum, Holland. For more information, visit the festival's official web site at http://www.waldrock.nl/open01.htm
--------------------------------------------------
BORKNAGAR drummer to join TESTAMENT
TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson has posted the following update to the band's official web site, www.testamentlegions.com:
"Hello fans!
"Latest news regarding the European 'No Mercy Festival' we are about to embark on in April. Due to [TESTAMENT/SADUS drummer] Jon Allen's personal family issues, he will not be able to participate in the tour at this time. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
"Filling in on this tour and possibly more will be Asgeir Mickelson from the bands BORKNAGAR, SPIRAL ARCHITECT and VINTERSORG. Asgeir is a longtime TESTAMENT fan and is ready to tear some shit up with us! Hails to Asgeir!
"In other news...
"We are in heavy writing mode and are demo-ing up songs, so far about seven have been born! All I can say that it's in 'The Gathering' and old-school thrash vein! We will finish up early summer, and record hopefully in early fall. In between all of this, we will be on the road here and there, once again to get our vibe back. More later! See ya on tour!"
----------------------------------------------------
Kovenant - Von Blomberg (aka Hellhammer) Leaves
Official Press Release:
28.02.03
So another chapter in the bands history has come to and end. It has mutually been decided that Von Blomberg (aka Hellhammer), will be leaving the band. And a new replacement drummer will be taking his place. New members for the band are also being auditioned, and will be revealed shortly.
With the imminent release of the 4th album. “Seti”. Things are looking very good for the future of The Kovenant. And being more dedicated and headstrong than ever. I can only predict greater things in store for us.
We would like to thank Von Blomberg for the years of mischief and friendship, and wish him well on his future escapades. Wherever that may be. And that he will always remember that together we have made history more than once...
Lex Icon, Psy Coma & Angel
------------------------------------------------
BANG YOUR HEAD - Club Show
BANG YOUR HEAD!!! - Club show with BLAZE and REBELLION on the 27th of June
Apart from their "warm up-gig", the organisators of the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! will arrange a second club show taking place at the Rockclub WOM, which lies about 200m ahead of the festival's site. The adress: Wilhelm-Kraut-Straße 104, D-72336 Balingen, Germany. This club-show will take place on Friday, the 27th of June.
Getting on stage that evening will be Blaze Bayley's BLAZE and REBELLION, the band of former GRAVE DIGGER
Tickets are availaible at ticket-hotline (+49-74 57-9 13 93) and at doors. Prices will be 13.- Euro for visitors in hold of a BANG YOUR HEAD!!!-festivalticket and 15,- Euro for everyone else.
Bandinformations :
REBELLION: Uwe Lulis, once producer and musician of German Heavy Metal veterans GRAVE DIGGER, is not likely to be one to look back in anger at the split with his former band and creative partner in crime Chris Boltendahl. Along with his new band REBELLION he's out for new ways of artistic impression. On releasing 'Shakespeare´s Macbeth' with his mates Tomi Göttlich (bass, former GRAVE DIGGER-companion, too), Michael Seifert (vocals), Björn Eilen gGuitar) and Randy Black (drums) in 2002 Lulis gained high aclaim and did prove that it's still possible to get a whole new musical access to the works of good old Bill Shakespeare. With 'Born A Rebel' to be released on the 28th of April, REBELLION will write the second chapter of their promising career...
BLAZE: Blaze Bayley's career started out in the late 80ies with the semi-famous WOLFSBANE. His powerful vocals did not faint unheard - they must have done quite an impact on a pretty well known British band which was coincidentally looking for a substitute for their former singer Bruce Dickinson. You guessed it: That band was, of course, IRON MAIDEN. Bayley took over their singer's slot for five years. In 1999, Dickinson decided to return to his former bandmates, though, and Bayley had to leave. In the same year he joined forces with four young and hungry musicians and formed BLAZE. On the releases 'Silicon Messiah' and 'Tenth Dimension' the band presented powerful and contemporary Heavy Metal, very much in the vain of British Metal tradition, still modern though. At the end of March the double-live-feature 'As Live As It Gets' will be out there to give you a glimpse of the energy unleashed at a BLAZE-show...
The list of artists set to perform at the BANG YOUR HEAD!!!-festival 2003 at Balingen, Germany, from the 27th to the 28th of June:
TWISTED SISTER
DIO
THIN LIZZY
HAMMERFALL
U.D.O.
SODOM
OVERKILL
HYPOCRISY
Y&T
DOKKEN
TNT
ANNIHILATOR
BRAINSTORM
AMON AMARTH
AXXIS
MASTERPLAN
PINK CREAM 69
ROB ROCK
BITCH
ANGEL WITCH (presenting their first album!)
DESTRUCTOR
HIRAX
All further details about the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! may be found at the BYH!!!-homepage at http://www.bang-your-head.de.
Tickets are availaible at ticket-hotline (+49-74 57-9 13 93) and pretty soon via homepage http://www.bang-your-head.de/ as well. Details about ordering may be found there as well. Prices will be 49.- Euro (plus shipping) at presales. Tickets are limited to a number of 22000.
Due to the suprisingly high request for tickets since presales have started, the organisators of the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! have put a limitation to the number of tickets to be sold for their event. Tickets will therefore be limited to a number of 22.000. By this it the organisators want to ensure that the special and relaxed atmosphere of our event won't suffer.
BANG YOUR HEAD!!!-Revisited
The list of artists set to perform at BANG YOUR HEAD!!!-Revisited festival at Zollern-Alb-Halle, Albstadt, Germany on April 12th 2003:
DORO
CANDLEMASS
DEMON
SACRED STEEL
MAJESTY
Tickets are availaible at our Ticket-Hotline (+49-74 57-9 13 93) and pretty soon via our homepage http://www.bang-your-head.de/ as well. Prices will be 19.- Euro (plus shipping) at presales.
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ANNIHILATOR - "Double Live Annihilation" trailer
A video trailer promoting ANNIHILATOR's upcoming double live CD, titled "Double Live Annihilation", has been posted online at this location: http://www.cmm-music-promotion.de/music-download/Trailer Annihilator DLA-March24.asf . "Double Live Annihilation" is due on March 24 through Germany's AFM Records.
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STRATOVARIUS to film Italian gig for upcoming DVD
Finland's STRATOVARIUS will film their headlining show in Milan, Italy on April 12 for an upcoming live DVD. In other news, the group have announced plans to play a "secret" gig in Finland before the start of their Elements Tour 2003. More information on the exact location of the secret gig will be made available via the group's official web site (www.stratovarius.com) during the coming weeks.
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NIGHTWISH: Century Child was second most sold CD
Nightwish Century Child -album was second most sold Finnish album in Finland in year 2002. It sold 59000 copies. When taking foreign album into acount Century Child was still in fifth place. Nightwish thanks everybody who bought the album!!!
Upcoming NIGHTWISH tour dates:
Jul. 11 - Metal Mania Festival - Villarrobledo, ESP
Aug. 02 - Gates Of Metal Festival - Hultsfred, SWE
Aug. 30 – Bloodstock Festival - Derby, UK
Aug. 31 - Mean Fiddler – London, UK
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BLAZE - US Debut and Live Album!!
BLAZE Announces American Debut with Double-Live Album & Catalogue Reissues Through SPV Records
Former Iron Maiden Vocalist Confirms Performance at March Metal Meltdown Festival
March 8th, 2003 marks an historic event for former Iron Maiden & Wolfsbane vocalist Blaze Bayley, as his new band, simply monikered BLAZE, make their presence known in North America with a spotlight performance at the March Metal Meltdown festival in Irvington, NJ. Armed with 2 studio albums ('Silicon Messiah' & 'Tenth Dimension' - both made available domestically for the first time on February 25th via SPV), BLAZE will bring an uncompromising raw energy & traditional-valued heavy metal to the festival. Fans will be able to commemorate the live performance, when, on April 29th, SPV Records releases 'As Live As It Gets', a 2-CD testament to the unbridled power BLAZE presents in the live setting.
Recorded and produced by metal guru Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Nevermore, Skinlab, as well as the 2 previous BLAZE releases) at performances in the UK & Switzerland in late 2002, 'As Live As It Gets' captures the essence of BLAZE; a multi-textured explosion of classic, anthemic metal with thought-provoking passion and vigor. Bayley expresses the need for this release in the US, "Some people know of my work singing with Iron Maiden, but most are not aware of my work in my current band, so the live album is a way of introducing people to what we've been up to. We're very adept in the live setting, and the material gives a good selection of what we're about."
'As Live As It Gets' delivers a substantial selection, spanning Blaze Bayley's entire career while displaying his evolution as a musician. The tracklisting includes:
DISC 1: / DISC 2:
Speed Of Light / Virus (Iron Maiden)
Two Worlds Collide (Iron Maiden) / The Brave
Steel (Wolfsbane) / Stranger To The Light
Kill & Destroy / Identity
End Dream / Sign Of The Cross (Iron Maiden)
Stare At The Sun / Futureal (Iron Maiden)
Land Of The Blind / Ghost In The Machine
Silicon Messiah / Born As A Stranger
Dazed & Confused (Led Zeppelin cover) / Tenth Dimension
The 2 BLAZE studio albums, recently released in America, exemplify Bayley's desire to give fans the most quality-driven metal music possible. "BLAZE exists because I wanted to put a band together who loved to play metal music as much as I did," Bayley admits. "It's not about the business; it's about the fans and making music that you love. It's great to have our stuff out in the States, and it's going to be a great opportunity to support it on the road."
BLAZE will be performing its first-ever North American performance at the aforementioned March Metal Meltdown festival. Bayley had previously performed in North America with cult heroes Wolfsbane (once with Overkill, and once opening for Guns N' Roses on GNR's warm-up gig in LA for the Rolling Stones tour!) and of course in support of the 2 albums he recorded with the legendary Iron Maiden. As for what fans can expect from the set, Bayley states that he will touch upon every facet of his bold career. "We've done quite a bit of work internationally, but we haven't really made our presence known in the States, so this is going to be a great opportunity. The last 2 times I was here was for the 'X-Factor' & 'Virtual XI' tours with Iron Maiden. I feel that [Maiden] is a part of me as a musician, and I still love that music, so I'm very proud to play those songs. The set will include a selection of material from the 2 albums from my band, as well as material from the 2 Maiden albums. I certainly don't want to say goodbye to my past; I want to embrace it."
Following the performance, BLAZE will head back to Europe to continue work on a new studio effort, anticipated for a full worldwide release over the summer, and hopefully, come back to America to embark on a proper tour. While the studio albums are linked by an underlying theme of man vs. technology, in the live setting, there is no conflict, only a union of heavy metal music fans. As the album title appropriately describes, BLAZE is 'As Live As It Gets'!
For more information visit http://www.planetblaze.com OR http://www.spvmusic.com
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SAXON - Name Debate Settled
Today in London at the High Court in the Strand, in a landmark decision for the music industry, Mr Justice Laddie found in favour of Biff Byford the lead singer of Heavy Metal band SAXON, in a case involving previous band members Graham Oliver and Steve Dawson, who registered the name SAXON for themselves in 1997 without the knowledge of Mr Byford.
Mr Justice Laddie ruled that Oliver-Dawson had registered the name in bad faith.
Saxon's decisive victory over former members Oliver-Dawson is well timed as it coincides with the bands 25th anniversary celebrations.
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DARK MOOR - Departures in the band
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
"In last Monday 17th, the members of Dark Moor decided to leave and carry on the musical careers in separated ways from this moment.
Elisa, Alberto and Jorge will create a new band, which we expect to have more details as soon as possible.
Enrik and Anan will go on with Dark Moor as founder members.
Dark Moor has ended a very important chapter in its musical history, but it will not die because of it. Now a chapter will be open with new members and new ideas. Of course, it will never be the same again, but because of that doesn’t mean it has be worst or better, simply, it will be a new era, full of imagination and and hard work as it’s been since the band was created.
The EP with a release date for April, it will be on the shelves has it announced.
The band actual formation that has been with Elisa, ,Enrik, Albert, Anan and Jorge, want to thanks to all their fans that have support them and have given them many proofs of affection from all these years, which without their words or encouragement and recognition all this haven’t been possible.
THANKS TO YOU ALL!!!!!!! "
(Translated from Spanish)
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DESTRUCTION finalize tracklisting for Live album
German thrashers DESTRUCTION have finalized the track listing to their upcoming live CD, "Alive Devastation", due in Japan in April/May through King Records. It is as follows:
01. Intro / Curse The Gods
02. Nailed To The Cross
03. Eternal Ban
04. Machinery Of Lies
05. Bullets From Hell
06. Tears Of Blood
07. Live Without Sense
08. Thrash Till Death
09. Mad Butcher
10. The Butcher Strikes Back
11. Intro / Total Desaster
12. Invincible Force
13. Bestial Invasion
A worldwide release is expected in the fall. Hear all the tracks in streaming audio at http://www.destruction.de/index.php?s_id=7&lang=en
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IN FLAMES seek new record deal
Sweden's IN FLAMES are currently seeking a new record deal following the expiration of their contract with Nuclear Blast Records. The band are said to have received a number of offers already and expect to have a new deal wrapped up sometime this spring. In other news, IN FLAMES are currently making a video for the song "Trigger", taken from the "Reroute To Remain" album. The video is being shot in Gothenburg, Sweden and will hopefully be ready before the end of March.
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ARCH ENEMY reveals more details about new album
Sweden's ARCH ENEMY have revealed several songtitles that are set to appear on the band's the follow-up to 2001's "Wages Of Sin", tentatively due in late spring through Century Media Records.
Among the cuts that are set to be included on the as-yet-untitled CD are the following:
01. Despicable Heroes
02. Exist To Exit
03. Dead Eyes See No Future
04. Dehumanization
05. Infected
The following is ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott's latest posting to the "Studio Reports" section of the band's official web site (www.archenemy.net):
"What's up? Hope you've enjoyed the pics we posted so far (http://www.archenemy.net/upload/index.php3)– there haven't been too many studio reports from us…sorry about that…but we have just been getting on with the daily routine in the studio…putting this new METAL MONSTER together...piece by piece, RIFF by bloody RIFF! There are so many HUGE riffs on this album...we just walk around smiling all day here...can't wait to assault all your ears with this...
"The past 2-3 days we've been tracking rhythm guitars and the tones that [producer] Andy [Sneap]'s dialled in are just SATANIC! SICK! UGLY! (you get the general idea…
It's sounding shockingly full on and brutal, and that's just with 2 guitars and drums…oh, yeah, those DRUMS…Daniel [Erlandsson] has really pushed himself way beyond previous recordings we've done…world F@#$%*N class!! "I completed my guitars on 5 songs and now we have taken a few days off (we are back home in Sweden)… [Guitarist] Chris [Amott] will return to England and the studio on Monday (he'll then start tracking his rhythms and do some lead work) and he'll bring with him our Lord of LOW END – [bassist] Sharlee D'Angelo… I am psyched as hell to hear all that when I come over to England again.
"(I am taking a week off from the studio work and will hook up with Andy in the studio again in a week to finish off my rhythm tracks + leads)...and there's some keyboards that will be played by Per Wiberg (who played on the 'Burning Bridges' and 'Wages Of Sin' albums) - it's always a blast recording those parts with Per...such a talented guy.
"Last but not least... [Vocalist] Angela [Gossow] will be coming over to start tracking vocals - the vocals she did on the pre-production demo's sound super promising...she's screaming like she's possessed by evil spirits...Arrrrrgggghhhhhh....ALL ATTITUDE and AGGRESSION - very cool!
"Songtitles? Here are a few: 'Despicable Heroes' (A high energy thrasher - Daniel is just all over the kit on this one), 'Exist To Exit' (Ok, who said SLAYER???), 'Dead Eyes See No Future' (ARCH-style-thrash with great melodic guitars in the chorus - reminds me a bit of the 'Stigmata'/'Burning Bridges' era - but with a fresh twist...), 'DehumaniZation' (Cool riffy track with heavy chorus)...Ok, what else is there...oh yeah, my fave track at the moment, 'Infected' (it's a little different, a new flavour - still heavy...what did you think? C'mon, there's no post-grunge ballads here, ha-ha).
"Ok, I'm outta here...take care and I'll be back with more news and stupid stuff etc very soon..."
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