Well, it's better late than never, I always say! 2009 was a pretty good year for music! Several re-appearances by bands we haven't seen in a while...a couple new supergroups...some great work by mainstay bands and several new bands that we need to keep an eye on! So, here are my picks for best albums of 2009 for established bands and new bands! Hope you enjoy!
SLAYER / MEGADETH rescedule dates Slayer and Megadeth are thrilled to announce the new, confirmed routing for the American Carnage North American Tour, which will commence with the rescheduled Canadian Carnage East dates in Quebec City on Friday, July 23. Slayer will then head to Europe for a run of festival dates, returning to kick off the American Carnage leg in Albany, NY on August 11. American Carnage will play 26 dates across the United States and Eastern Canada up to the Labor Day weekend, ending in Portland, OR on September 4. Testament will be Special Guest on all shows. Tickets purchased for the American Carnage shows when they first went on sale late last year will be honored for these rescheduled dates.
Due to venue availability and other conflicts, the shows originally scheduled in El Paso, Houston, Nashville, Duluth, and Louisville cannot be rescheduled at this time, and ticket holders may obtain refunds at point of purchase. However, new cities have been added to the American Carnage itinerary, with dates now scheduled in Cleveland, Kansas City, San Diego, and Sacramento. The confirmed, complete itinerary is below.
The American Carnage Tour, originally scheduled to take place in January and February, had to be put on hold due to Slayer's vocalist/bassist, Tom Araya's ongoing, minimally-invasive treatments for what was diagnosed as a Cervical Radiculopathy, an occupational hazard for the rocker who is known for aggressively swinging his long mane of hair while performing. Right after the first of the year, Araya made the difficult decision to undergo a surgical procedure, called an Anterior Cervical Discectomy with Fusion, a relatively routine practice with an excellent recovery rate. That surgery took place early last week.
"The doctors said that Tom's surgery went very smoothly and was a resounding success," said Rick Sales, long-time Slayer manager. "He's home now, doing really well, and he said the numbness in his fingers had already diminished considerably."
Shortly after the surgery, Slayer's Kerry King received a text from Tom: "Awake and feeling good, actually whatever he did, it feels better."
The American Carnage Tour will mark the first time that Slayer, Megadeth and Testament will have toured the U.S. together since 1991's epic "Clash of the Titans" tour, making this truly a "must-see" event.
Slayer recently announced the rescheduling of its headline tour in the UK and Europe, and Megadeth and Testament are currently on tour together playing U.S. cities that will not be on the American Carnage itinerary.
Both Megadeth and Slayer will hit the road on July 23 in support of their most recent albums: Megadeth's 2009 album, ENDGAME, and Slayer's World Painted Blood, the band's 10th studio venture, which hit stores November 3, 2009. Testament's The Formation of Damnation: Special Tour Edition, will be released on February 23, 2010 with special unreleased bonus tracks.
Slayer and Megadeth have already massacred territories together outside of the U.S., first with four explosive dates in June 2009 across Western Canada - "Canadian Carnage" - the first time the bands had toured together anywhere in 18 years - and then six co-headlining "Carnage" dates in Australia followed last October.
According to various Canadian press outlets last summer: "It was a night of thrash impossible to trash..." "Tales about war, death, destruction, Satan, aliens and serial killers have never been so much fun..." "The two heavy metal heavyweights...went head-to-head on a level playing field. Both bands brought their 'A' game. And the results were anything but pretty - unless you include pretty freakin' loud and pretty freakin' awesome."
Slayer. The Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot wrote that Slayer is "one of the great American rock bands of the last 30 years, forget about genre." Indeed, few bands come close to matching the intensity that Slayer - guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, vocalist/bassist Tom Araya, and drummer Dave Lombardo - bring to its live shows, having been named "Best Live Band" by numerous media outlets including Revolver, SPIN, and Metal Hammer. World Painted Blood offers a Slayer-ized point of view of our world - God's terrifying global genocide, the chaos of our broken political system, the way-too-close proximity of world horrors that technology has brought us, and a chilling hypothesis of how the rest of the world might view America. The album was recorded in Los Angeles over two time periods, during October 2008 and then between late January and March 2009. World Painted Blood was produced by Greg Fidelman who has spent time in the studio with Metallica, the Gossip, the (International) Noise Conspiracy, Slipknot and others, and executive produced by long-time Slayer colleague Rick Rubin, who suggested Fidelman for the project. One reviewer called the album "the heaviest, bloodiest and best album in almost two decades." World Painted Blood landed on boatloads of U.S. and International "Best of" lists for 2009, and N.A.R.A.S. saw fit to bestow its fourth Grammy nomination on Slayer - Best Metal Performance for the WPB track, "Hate Worldwide." For "American Carnage," Slayer's Tom Araya promises, "no ballads, no acoustic numbers, no slow tempos."
Megadeth. 2009 saw the release of ENDGAME, which has been heralded as Megadeth's best album in years. It's the record where it all comes full circle in a career that has not only set standards in hard rock and metal, but defined them. Megadeth's signature shredding and rousing lyrics are the hallmarks of ENDGAME, with vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine once again musing and making declarations about the world we live in, having named the album after a government document that should strike fear in the hearts of Americans! But that's Mustaine and Megadeth, using the vehicle of music to shake things up, to make a point and to rattle your brain, literally, figuratively and sonically. Revolver magazine said of ENDGAME, "One of their best albums." VH1's 'That Metal Show' deemed it "One of the metal albums of the year," and Popmatters said, "the record positively scorches with an intensity not heard since Rust in Peace." The band was also awarded the eighth Grammy nomination of its career for “Head Crusher,” which serves as more proof that ENDGAME is quickly earning “essential” status in the Megadeth catalog. Megadeth will appear on the season premiere of VH1 Classic’s “That Metal Show,” which airs Saturday, February 6, at 11 PM EST. For the tour, Megadeth has teamed with ILoveAllAccess.com to offer Ultimate Fan Packages. For more info go to www.megadeth.com
Legendary thrash metal titans Testament, whose latest award-winning release (2008 Album of the Year, Metal Hammer's Golden God Award) The Formation of Damnation, displays them as the quintessential modern heavy metal band, whose experience and accumulated skill allows them to attack with reserves of anger, energy and finesse that make them more powerful than ever. Lead singer Chuck Billy says, "Uniting these bands is the heavy metal event of generations. We are so proud to be a part of it."
The complete, confirmed itinerary for the American Carnage North American Tour are as follows:
JULY 23 Pavillon de la Jeunesse, Quebec City, QC CANADA 24 Heavy MTL, Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal, QC CANADA 26 Metro Centre, Halifax, NS CANADA 27 Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, NB CANADA 29 Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, ONT CANADA 30 John Labatt Centre Center, London, ONT CANADA
AUGUST 11 Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY 12 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ 14 Tsongas Arena, Boston, MA 15 Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ 16 Chevrolet Theatre, Wallingford, CT 18 Tower City Amphitheatre, Cleveland, OH 19 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit,MI 20 UIC Pavillon, Chicago, IL 21 Roy Wilkins Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN 23 Cap Fed Park @Sandstone, Kansas City, KS 25 Magness Arena, Denver, CO 26 Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, NM 27 Dodge Theatre, Phoenix, AZ 29 Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA 30 Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA 31 Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA
SEPTEMBER 1 Arco Arena, Sacramento, CA 3 Wamu Theatre, Seattle, WA 4 Washington County Fairgrounds, Portland, OR
SHADOWS FALL are pleased to announce their first ever headlining tour of Canada. The tour starts on Wednesday February 24th in Calgary, Alberta. Support on the tour will come from BISON b.c. and Baptized in Blood. Special guest GOATWHORE will be on the first six west coast dates only. SHADOWS FALL have also announced a headlining show before they cross the border to the Great White North. The show is in Spokane, WA at The Knitting Factory and support will come from BISON b.c., Baptized in Blood and GOATWHORE.
SHADOWS FALL front man Brian Fair had the following to say about SHADOWS FALL's Canadian headlining tour: “All of us in SHADOWS FALL are very excited to finally be heading to Canada for a full headlining tour!! We look forward to rocking with all the metalheads in the great white north and sharing a few extra strong beers with you all!!”
GOATWHORE are continuing to tour in support of their most critically acclaimed album to date, Carving Out The Eyes Of God. This album is quickly becoming their defining opus and has received top album of 2009 accolades on the likes of Decibel Magazine, The Onion, about.com, blistering.com, examiner.com, popmatters.com and more. Bootleg videos are popping up all over youtube that chronicle GOATWHORE as they tear across the US with DevilDriver and Suffocation, check out the guys playing the title track from Carving at Slim's in San Francisco HERE.
Carving Out The Eyes Of God chart debuts: BILLBOARD TOP 200 Debut @ #190 Billboard Hard Music Debut @ #33 Billboard Top New Artist (Heatseekers) Albums Debut @ #16 Billboard Top Independent Albums Debut @ #34
What's been said about Carving Out The Eyes Of God: “the band's tightest, most guitar-driven offering to date. An unholy smorgasbord of rigid tempo shifts, gargantuan hooks, blasting black mass anthems, and Falgoust's soot and venom snarl…” Decibel Magazine
“Their most varied record to date. Songs sear with an old-school, punk propelled urgency that comes from years of Motörhead, Venom, and Hellhammer worship.” 4/5 stars, Revolver Magazine
BISON b.c. is putting the finishing touches on their sophomore album and follow up to 2008's Quiet Earth. Those who have witnessed this band live already know how engrossing their honest and intense stage show has become. Get a small taste of this intensity by checking out this live video shot by MTV Canada back in April of 2009 on youtube. Tons more BISON b.c. new album news, HUGE tour announcement and more are all coming very, very soon, so keep your eyes peeled!
Vocalist/guitarist James Farwell proclaims: "We are stoked to traverse the wild Canadian winter land with Shadows Fall, Baptized In Blood and Goatwhore, we hope to share with them our fine Canadian tradition of Tim Horton's and getting blind drunk on Old Style Pilsner, OV and Cinqantes."
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STONE SOUR set to record 3rd disc
Grammy nominated rock powerhouse Stone Sour announced today the commencement of work on a new album for Roadrunner Records, their first in four years. The band will record their third album in Nashville at Blackbird Studio with Grammy Award winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver, Rush, Alice In Chains), who also produced 2006’s gold certified Come What(ever) May. The new album is due out this summer.
Frontman Corey Taylor commented, “I cannot wait to make this Stone Sour album. Everything already feels a million times stronger than anything we've done in the past. Plus getting back together with Nick is going to mean monstrous things. This is the year for Stone Sour.”
Stone Sour’s last album Come What(ever) May and self-titled debut are both RIAA gold certified and approaching platinum status. The albums have a combined 1 million digital singles sales. The band has had three top 3 active rock hits with “Bother,” “Through Glass” and “Silly World,” one top 10 Active Rock hit with “Made of Scars,” and two Modern Rock hits with “Bother” and “Through Glass.” “Through Glass” remained at #1 on the Active Rock charts for a record 7 weeks. MTV, MTV2, VH-1, Fuse and Music Choice have continually offered major support. Stone Sour has to date received three Grammy nominations.
Stone Sour is Corey Taylor, James Root, Josh Rand, Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga.
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BIG 4 OF THRASH METAL in POLAND
The world wide web has been abound with speculation on a possible "BIG FOUR" tour for several months. Now, SONISPHERE can exclusively reveal that METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX will play together for the first time in history, in a move that will have metalheads across the globe frenzied with excitement.
Says LARS ULRICH/METALLICA of this historic announcement: "Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal's big 4 would not only still be around and more popular than ever, but will now play together for the first time...what a mindfuck! Bring it on!"
"It's about fucking time this happened," said SLAYER's KERRY KING. "and about time the fans finally get what they want. This is fucking awesome."
ANTHRAX guitarist SCOTT IAN agrees, commenting on the enormity of the announcement.
"People have been talking about these four bands playing together since 1984. That's twenty-six years of expectation!!! And the thing is, I believe not only will we live up to the expectations, we will shatter them!! No other four bands as influential as the four of us have ever done this. Imagine if The Beatles, Stones, The Who and Zeppelin had done shows? Or Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Motorhead? Well, I may be getting into some rarified air here but as a fan, that's how big I feel this is."
These four legendary acts broke out of the underground thrash movement to dominate the metal world in the 1980s, selling millions of records and packing arenas across the globe. The metal giants have never before all shared the same stage, despite huge demand. But on 16th June 2010, METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX will take to the SONISPHERE stage at Bemowo Airport, Poland, to make the dreams of headbangers the world over become a reality. A second Big Four appearance is planned for SONISPHERE CZECH REPUBLIC three days later, with more SONISPHERE shows featuring the awesome combo to be announced in the coming days and weeks.
"This is a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity for Heavy Metal "Fans" to see the four greatest Heavy Metal "Bands" in American History back together on one stage" concludes MEGADETH mainman DAVE MUSTAINE. "If there are any heads left at the end of this Festival that haven't banged, they don't belong there."
Tickets available from www.sonispherefestivals.com
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SLAYER cancells gigs BACK SURGERY SCHEDULED FOR SLAYER'S TOM ARAYA, BAND'S TOUR PLANS CANCELLED THROUGH APRIL
Slayer Camp Working Hard to Reschedule Dates for Later This Year
Los Angeles, CA - Thursday, January 7, 2010 -- "Tom gave various medical treatments more than a fair shot," said Slayer's manager Rick Sales, "but they just haven't handled the problem, so he's biting the bullet and is scheduled for back surgery at the end of this month."
This difficult decision made by the band's bassist/vocalist Tom Araya means the cancellation of Slayer's immediate tour plans that include the American and Canadian Carnage Tour dates that were set to kick off on January 18, as well as the band's UK/European headline tour scheduled for March and April. Booking agents for both Slayer and Megadeth are already hard at work rescheduling the tour dates; tickets already purchased for these shows will be honored at the rescheduled dates.
The headbanging Araya, known for aggressively swinging his long mane of hair while performing, began experiencing back problems while on the band's Australian/New Zealand/Japanese tour last October. In spite of his rapidly increasing pain and discomfort, he carried on with the tour, but immediately upon returning home saw an orthopedic specialist who diagnosed a Cervical Radiculopathy. The rocker initially did not want to take the major surgery route, so the specialist recommended a series of minimally-invasive procedures. While those procedures have resulted in some improvement, Araya continues to deal with intermittent bouts of severe pain, numbness and muscle spasms. The surgical procedure that Araya will undergo, called an Anterior Cervical Discectomy with Fusion, is a relatively routine practice and the recovery rate is excellent.
Sales added, "As unfortunate as this is for so many people - the Megadeth and Testament camps, the concerts' promoters, and, of course, the fans - Tom's health is the number one priority, and this has to happen."
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KILLSWITCH ENGAGE winter tour
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, whose critically acclaimed, self-titled album Killswitch Engage debuted at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 chart earlier this summer, are headed out on the road once again.
Fresh off a summer trek as one of the main stage attractions of the second annual Rock Star Energy Mayhem Fest, KsE will take the show on the road for a headline trek across the US, which is their first for this album. The tour will begin on February 4 in their home state of Massachusetts and will cover significant ground across the country for seven weeks. To keep things interesting, KsE have elected to play smaller venues in a handful of cities in order to create a more intimate setting for their fans.
Joining Killswitch as main support will be Dayton, OH’s The Devil Wears Prada, who released their latest album With Roots Above and Branches Below via Ferret Music back in May 2009 and immediately followed with a hugely successful stint on last summer’s Warped Tour, resulting in a fanbase that has since grown exponentially. Also joining Killswitch on this run will be highly influential metal act Dark Tranquility, who hail from Gothenburg, Sweden. Dark Tranquility are set to release their anticipated new album We Are the Void through Century Media in March 2010.
In other KsE news, the song “The End of Heartache,” the title track from their 2004, Gold-certified release, will appear on Guitar Hero: Van Halen alongside tracks from acts like Foo Fighters, Weezer, Judas Priest and The Clash, among others.
KsE guitarist Adam D. weighed in on the tour saying, “We are stoked to come back to the US and shred with The Devil Wears Prada and Dark Tranquility. It’s been a while since we’ve headlined the States and we’re excited to play some new tunes for y’all. This tour is going to be wicked sweet!”
2/4 House of Blues, Boston, MA 2/5 House of Blues, Atlantic City, NJ 2/6 NorVa Norfolk, VA *KsE and Dark Tranquility only 2/8 House of Blues, Lake Buena Vista, FL 2/10Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA 2/11 Amos’ Southend, Charlotte, NC 2/12 Sonar, Baltimore, MD 2/13 House Of Blues, Cleveland, OH 2/15 House of Blues, Chicago, IL 2/18 First Avenue Loop Station, MN 2/19 Eagles Ballroom Milwaukee, WI 2/20 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI 2/21 The Egyptian Room at the Murat Center, Indianapolis, IN 2/23 Cain's Ballroom, Tulsa, OK 2/24 Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater, Austin, TX *KsE, Dark Tranquility 2/25 Warehouse, Live Houston, TX 2/26 Palladium Ballroom, Dallas, TX 2/27 Concrete Street Amphitheatre Corpus Christi, TX *KsE, Dark Tranquility and special guest 3/01 Sunshine Theatre, Albuquerque, NM 3/03 House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV 3/05 Marquee Theatre, Tempe, AZ 3/06 The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA 3/07 The Warfield, San Francisco, CA 3/09 Roseland Theater, Portland, OR 3/10 Showbox SoDo, Seattle, WA 3/12 The Great Salt Air, Magna, UT 3/13 Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO 3/14 The Midland by AMC, Kansas City, MO 3/15 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO 3/16 Rocket Town, Nashville, TN *KsE, Dark Tranquility and special guest 3/18 Irving Plaza, New York, NY 3/19 Irving Plaza, New York, NY 3/21 The Dome, Wallingford, CT Full story...
Wines That Rock ‘Pops The Cork’ On Quality Wines Inspired By Iconic Rock Music
First Three Wines Include Rolling Stones ‘Forty Licks Merlot,’ ‘Woodstock Chardonnay’ and Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet Sauvignon’
Wines That Rock, innovators of rock inspired wines, today announced the launch of its first three Rock ‘n Roll varietals, “Forty Licks Merlot,” “Woodstock Chardonnay” and “The Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet Sauvignon.” A partnership between legendary rock business managers RZO and award winning winemakers Mendocino Wine Co., Wines That Rock looks to capture the quality and spirit of Rock ‘n Roll mythology in its portfolio of great tasting wines, iconic album art for labels, earth friendly production and great consumer value. Full story...
Guitar Center has announced the star-studded lineup for the Drum-Off '09 Grand Finals, the search for the next great undiscovered drummer. Over 5,000 drummers tried out and the five best will battle it out in the Grand Finals, to be held The Wiltern in Los Angeles on January 8th. The event will also feature a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle known as "Bezerk," an exclusive project put together by Tommy Lee that will feature Chad Smith (Red Hot Chilli Peppers), Matt Sorum (Guns 'n Roses, Velvet Revolver), Jose Pasillas (Incubus), Sully Erna (Godsmack), and many more. The historic night will also include a tribute to John Bonham by Jason Bonham, and a collaborative performance by Danny Carey (Tool) and Brann Dailor (Mastodon). Ticket are on sale now at LiveNation.comFull story...
SLAYER, MEGADETH, TESTAMENT tour Slayer. Megadeth. Two names synonymous with fierce, crunching power. Two bands whose histories are inevitably intertwined in defining the thrash/metal genre. Individually, their respective prowess and accomplishments are impressive; but together, they're brutal and unstoppable. Megadeth and Slayer will join forces to co-headline "American Carnage," the most blistering, the most explosive, and the most eagerly anticipated mega-tour of the winter - and you do not want to miss it.
"American Carnage" will kick off on January 18 in Seattle, WA for a 26-date trek across North America that will include the six Canadian dates postponed earlier this month. Tickets for most shows go on sale this Friday, November 20. Ticketmaster is offering a special presale for most shows from Wednesday November 18 at 10am until Thursday November 19 at 10pm.
"American Carnage" is the first time that Slayer and Megadeth will have toured the U.S. together since 1991's epic "Clash of the Titans" tour. To celebrate that and in recognition of the tough economic times that many of their fans are having, Megadeth and Slayer have decided to roll back the price of a chunk of tickets at every U.S. show to the "1991 price" of $10.00. These specially-priced tickets will be limited and when they're gone, they're gone. Megadeth has also teamed with iloveallaccess.com to provide an Ultimate Fan Package including premium seats, meet and greets, pre-show parties and more.
In addition, Testament - who was also on the "Clash of the Titans" bill, will be Special Guests on the entire tour, marking the first time that all three bands have shared a stage together in more than 18 years, and making this a "must see" metal event.
Both Megadeth and Slayer will hit the road supporting new albums: Megadeth's 2009 album, ENDGAME, while Slayer's World Painted Blood, the band's 10th studio venture, hit stores November 3. Testament's The Formation of Damnation: Special Tour Edition, will be released on February 23, 2010, with special unreleased bonus tracks.
Slayer and Megadeth have already massacred territories together outside of the U.S. - first with four explosive dates in June, 2009 across Western Canada - "Canadian Carnage" - marking the first time the bands had shared a stage anywhere in 18 years; and then six co-headlining "Carnage" dates in Australia followed in October.
According to various Canadian press outlets last summer: "It was a night of thrash impossible to trash..." "Tales about war, death, destruction, Satan, aliens and serial killers have never been so much fun..." "The two heavy metal heavyweights ...went head-to-head on a level playing field. Both bands brought their 'A' game. And the results were anything but pretty - unless you include pretty freakin' loud and pretty freakin' awesome."
Slayer. Few bands come close to matching the intensity that Slayer - guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, vocalist/bassist Tom Araya and drummer Dave Lombardo - brings to its live shows, having been named "Best Live Band" by numerous media outlets including Revolver, SPIN, and Metal Hammer. World Painted Blood offers a Slayer-ized point of view of our world - God's terrifying global genocide, the chaos of our broken political system, the way-too-close proximity of world horrors that technology has brought us, and a chilling hypothesis of how the rest of the world might view America. The album was recorded in Los Angeles over two time periods, during October 2008 and then between late January and March 2009. World Painted Blood was produced by Greg Fidelman, who's spent time in the studio with Metallica, the Gossip, the (International) Noise Conspiracy, Slipknot and others, and executive produced by long-time Slayer colleague, Rick Rubin, who suggested Fidelman for the project. One reviewer called the album "the heaviest, bloodiest and best album in almost two decades." Fans got a couple of early morsels of the brutal new Slayer material -- "Psychopathy Red," a Hanneman song inspired by the heinous Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, who confessed to savagely murdering 56 children, was recorded last October and then leaked online. Then, the King-penned track, "Hate Worldwide," was made available in July as a limited-edition single through Hot Topic. For "American Carnage," Slayer's Tom Araya promises, "no ballads, no acoustic numbers, no slow tempos."
Megadeth. 2009 saw the release of ENDGAME, what has been heralded as Megadeth’s best album in years. It’s the record where it all comes full circle in a career that has not only set standards in hard rock and metal, but defined them. Megadeth’s signature shredding and rousing lyrics are the hallmarks of ENDGAME, with vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine once musing and making declarations about the world we live in, having named the album after a government document that should strike fear in the hearts of Americans! But that’s Mustaine and Megadeth, using the vehicle of music to shake things up, to make a point and to rattle your brain, literally, figuratively and sonically. Revolver magazine said of ENDGAME, “One of their best albums.” VH1’s That Metal Show deemed it, “One of the metal albums of the year”, and Popmatters said, “the record positively scorches with an intensity not heard since Rust in Peace.”
Legendary thrash metal titans Testament, whose latest award-winning release (2008 Album of the Year, Metal Hammer's Golden God Award) The Formation of Damnation, displays them as the quintessential modern heavy metal band, whose experience and accumulated skill allows them to attack with reserves of anger, energy and finesse that make them more powerful than ever. Lead singer Chuck Billy says, "Uniting these bands is the heavy metal event of generations. We are so proud to be a part of it."
Slayer and Megadeth are also re-scheduling the east coast leg of the “Canadian Carnage” tour, postponed from this fall.
JANUARY 18 WaMu Theatre, Seattle, WA 19 Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR 21 Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA 22 Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA 23 Dodge Theatre, Phoenix, AZ 25 Magness Arena, Denver, CO 26 Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, NM 27 El Paso Coliseum, El Paso, TX 29 Verizon Wireless, Houston, TX 31 Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN
FEBRUARY 1 Gwinnett Arena, Duluth, GA 2 Broadbent Arena, Louisville, KY 4 Roy Wilkins Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN 5 UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL 6 Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI 9 Chevrolet Theatre, Wallingford, CT 11 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ 13 Susquehanna Center, Camden, NJ 14 Tsongas Arena, Lowell, MA 16 Pavillon de La Jeunesse, Quebec City, QC 18 John Labatt Centre, London, ON 19 Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON 20 Bell Centre, Montreal, QC 22 Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, NB 23 Metro Centre, Halifax, NS
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We recently had the opportunity to talk to GODSMACK drummer Shannon Larkin as he checked in with us from the studio. Actually, he and vocalist Sully Erna were on their way back from this past Sunday’s New England Patriots beatdown of the Miami Dolphins, but as always, it was a pleasure.
AWAY-TEAM: Alright, buddy, you’ve had a full day of football and beer…let’s talk about the new album! (laughs)
SHANNON: Man, it’s going great! We’re shooting to finish it on December 15th, and then looking to release it sometime in March of next year. It’s going to be a monster. The drums sound incredible, Sully’s voice is on fire…it’s gonna be much more like the first record; much heavier with simple, catchy guitar-driven riffs. We’re working with Dave Fortman who I was lucky enough to play with in UGLY KID JOE and who has done production for SLIPKNOT and MUDVAYNE to name a few. He and Sully are co-producing the record and they make a great team.
One of the cool things about this album is that we’re recording it one-track at a time. What I mean by that is, instead of me just laying down the drum tracks and then the band coming back in and laying down all the guitar, vocals, bass and stuff…we actually do one tune and then complete it before we move on to recording the next one. It’s so cool because we get to hear what everything is going to sound like almost immediately and I’m not just laying down my drum tracks and then sitting around for the rest of the time waiting for it all to be done before I get to hear anything finished. It makes it way more exciting to record like this.
AWAY-TEAM: Any track titles that you’re working with that you can let us in on?
SHANNON: I don’t think it would be too cool to reveal any of that right now since some of them could easily change by the time the record comes out, but I can tell you that it will probably be eleven tracks that get released. We’re working with fifteen right now and I think that we’ll finish narrowing it down to eleven that will actually make the album. It’s pretty cool this time around because we have an instrumental that’s about seven minutes long!
AWAY-TEAM: Is it anything like the old WRATHCHILD AMERICA (Shannon’s early band signed to Atlantic Records in the late 80’s and early 90’s.) instrumentals that your fans are used to? You know, those crazy ones with twenty different tempo changes…like “Prego” (from the WRATHCHILD AMERICA album 3-D)!!! (laughs)
SHANNON: (laughs) It’s in there!!! (laughter) No, it only has about three significant tempo changes, but it’s really a step up from anything the ’Smack fans have heard from us to date. It’s really crazy and very cool to hear.
AWAY-TEAM: I assume touring will begin sometime in April, after the album has dropped?
SHANNON:We’re hoping either March or April so that it coincides with the release. That’s a pretty safe bet.
AWAY-TEAM: Cool deal. Well, I know you’re a busy guy, so as always, thanks for checking in with us and hopefully we can do this again when you’re on your way back home to Florida. We’re all eager to hear how the album sounds and get the skinny on some of the song titles.
SHANNON: We’ll do it for sure, Craig. I’ll be in touch when my feet hit the Florida soil! Thanks again for all the support.
Stay tuned for more on GODSMACK’s next tour and detailed information on the finished album when we talk to Shannon again the week of December 15th! Full story...
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Slik Helvetika release video
The roaring sounds of vintage metal blended with modern rock are on display throughout 'Hafnium' - the third release overall by the Pennsylvania-based outfit, Slik Helvetika, and their new video, for the lead-off single, "Wide."
"..And now the science paper: Hf/Hafnium is within a periodic element group of science that has some unique characteristics regarding molecular structure, occasional radioactivity and sorts of morphing states," explains Slik Helvetika's singer/guitarist Mikhall Myers. "It's discovery, and the studies of it's properties challenged Albert Einstein and top scientists to start thinking in new directions about alternate universes and incorporating further theorization on life and death states, and continually questioning, "What is time?" The HAFNIUM concept also tied in with some overwhelming feelings I felt when I lost my father - [which is what the title track is about]. It seemed as though his energies were within me as much, or more than when he was alive, hence the mark we leave on time stays here strong even after we are gone. So, do we really go away at all, or are we still existing in each past moment individually and situations we created in this consciousness as we know it? Is that possibly what a ghost is? Do we really ever die or are we still existing in a different plane of consciousness and could this be what religion calls heaven? How's that for a heavy element?!"
Myers also offered to discuss the background of their new ass-kicking video clip. "What is 'Wide' about? I was on some nutso sick adrenaline rush roller coaster, and I noticed most people were shitting their pants and had their eyes closed when it got to be too much, and I my eyes got wider open the crazier the ride got. Same is life. When you live on the edge there is a fine line between living at the max and capsizing. This song seemed to capture both the diabolical over the top energy as well as the whole catchy anthem motif. Shot at Mik's house, so he couldn't be late for the shoot!"
While Myers is the group's undisputed leader, he is joined in the band by two other rock steady musicians, bassist Kjell Benner and drummer Mark [Truk] Bennett, both of which provide a killer rhythm section to Myers' red hot guitar work. Myers: "'Hafnium' really showcases the band with way more mature songwriting, and with more diversity - without sounding like a different band. It features different grooves, a broader selection of instrumentation, and more soul. The debut was a lot more like driving '80s metal melody and ripping guitars 24/7." And how does Myers feel Slik Helvetika fit in with the modern metal scene? "Slik Hel's music has that cool bottom-end groove and rhythm that a lot of the new metal features.but merges a lot of the melody from the '70s, '80s, and '90s that some people are starting to miss. We don't rap or cookie monster growl through all the verses and wait for the chorus for the hook...we're giving you melody and energy through the whole song."
This is especially evident on such standout tracks as "Burnt" and "Heal Me," while Myers has a few personal favorites. "We have to really like the songs for them to be on the album to start with, so these are our favorite 10 out of 20. But if I have to pick some, "Money Tree," because it grabs you right away with hooks everywhere. It comes off a lot heavier and guttural when we play it live - it's about sex and if you are gonna be cheesy, this is the way to do it! "Hafnium" was a favorite right away - it is an epic song and gut wrenchingly emotional for me, since it's written about losing my father and it seems to translate to the listener as well. Also, fan reaction to "Reign" during the shows leads me to believe it is a favorite among listeners." And it shouldn't be long until fans can experience Slik Helvetika live on a concert stage, as their plan for world domination is to play "As many festivals, tours, and shows as we can get." With the release of 'Hafnium,' Slik Helvetika gives this scientific structure a whole new meaning of heavy.
Rob Zombie moves new release to 2010
In a sudden and unexpected move, multi-platinum hard rock artist Rob Zombie has inked a new worldwide deal with leading rock label Roadrunner Records through its Loud & Proud imprint.
This shocking announcement comes as Zombie exits his former label of eighteen years, where he sold fifteen million records as a solo artist and with his former band White Zombie. Zombie’s new album, Hellbilly Deluxe 2, previously set for release on 11/17 will now be released by Roadrunner / Loud & Proud Records in early 2010.
“It certainly wasn’t an easy decision to make after all this time, but it had to be done,” states Zombie. “I love this new record and wanted to surround myself with an excited new group of people who can reignite my enthusiasm for working within a hard rock record label. Roadrunner seems to be the perfect place.”
“Roadrunner is thrilled to be involved with Rob Zombie on a worldwide basis as he is a multiple-threat artist whom we’ve admired for many years,” said Roadrunner president Jonas Nachsin.
The first single from the new album, “What?” recently launched at all rock radio formats and is quickly climbing the charts. This latest album marks the follow-up to 1998’s triple platinum Hellbilly Deluxe.
The track listing is as follows: 1. Jesus Frankenstein 2. Sick Bubblegum 3. What? 4. Mars Needs Women 5. Werewolf, Baby! 6. Virgin Witch 7. Death and Destiny Inside The Dream Factory 8. Burn 9. Cease to Exist 10. Werewolf Women of the SS 11. The Man Who Laughs
In support of this release Zombie, will kick off his first headline tour since 2007 in Phoenix, AZ on October 29th. Shows in Las Vegas, NV on the 30th, and a very special Halloween event on October 31st in Hollywood, CA are set to follow. Zombie will be accompanied by his longtime band mates - guitarist John 5, bassist Piggy D and drummer Tommy Clufetos.
Watch out Los Angeles and New York, Oklahoma City is about to unleash a new rock powerhouse of its own! Everyone meet Aurora Sky! Aurora Sky is about to release their new brand of modern rock to the masses through Away Team Music on October 27th! In one of the most emotive EPs I’ve heard in recent months, Aurora Sky is sure to appeal to fans of 10 Years, Seether, and Three Days Grace! Aurora Sky is the brainchild of Andrew “Gambit” West and Chris Shy, formerly of Fear the Clown. The duo felt it was time to make their own kind of music, and they have certainly done so in top fashion! With tunes full of edgy-but-tender guitar melodies, poignantly introspective lyrics and one of the silkiest, smoothest voices that I’ve heard tell a tale in the last 5 years, Aurora Sky here for the taking! Joined by bassist Kit Mauldin, drummer Noah Taylor, and keyboardist Arjavh Aleson, Andrew and Chris are ready to hit the road and take the world by storm with their tunes! The 6 songs on this EP are so full of the deepest emotions of Andrew’s heart and soul that you can’t help but find a connection with their music and your own life! If you can’t, you’d better check your pulse, because Houston, we’ve got a problem! In all seriousness, there are a lot of new bands trying to make it these days, and a lot of crap that does make it! Aurora Sky is one of those bands that deserves to make it! These guys aren’t new to the music industry, they’re just new to this band...and this is THEIR band...and THEIR music...and trust me, once you hear it, YOUR band and YOUR music! So take a few minutes and get to know Aurora Sky’s front man and guitarist Andrew “Gambit” West, and see why you should fall in love with Aurora Sky!
Chicago rockers, FACE TIME POLICE are celebrating Halloween with an acoustic rendition of their killer tune,"Of Man and Monster." Be sure to listen closely for Lordi's "Would You Love a Monsterman?" The guys are fully up for Halloween by sporting FTP masks and eerie lighting! Be sure to stick around after the song's over for a little surprise at the end!
Chicago High-Energy Rockers Ready For National Exposure.
Hailing from a small suburb of Chicago, IL, FIVE OH FIRST is an energized blend of emo, pop, and a hint of post-hardcore. FIVE OH FIRST is created by vocalist Lars Heemskerk, Guitarists Chris Hennessey and Adrian Villegas, bassist Matt Rizzo, drummer Danny Jankiewicz, and keyboardist Steve Jankiewicz.
The Chicago based band released their first EP “I Have a Feeling About This” earlier this year with great local success. The band has been able to tour minimally in support of the release with several band members currently in college.
With singles such as “You’re So Hot When You’re Naďve” helping the band gain label interest from several indies, a recognition of the band’s growing hype. To keep the ball rolling FIVE OH FIRST just released a self titled three song E.P that is exclusively available on ITunes.
With the release of this three song EP the band is looking to gain national exposure, and continue to play in front of sold out crowds in the great state of Illinois.
TYSON RITTER Talks About His Emergency Surgery The All-American Rejects posted a new video to their YouTube channel explaining Tyson Ritter's recent health problems. With several stories circulating after cancelling a handful of dates on the Blink 182 tour, Tyson took to YouTube to clear up what happened over the past few weeks. Watch Tyson recount the story of getting an infection in his knee that spread to his bloodstream. Although he dropped weight in the hospital, the AAR front man is on his way to recovery after surgery and in great spirits. Check out the clip here to learn what fans can expect next from AAR and stay tuned for the forthcoming video for their single "I Wanna" which is available on iTunes now.
BTBAM fall tour BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME will be hitting the road with Veil Of Maya and Animals As Leaders starting on November 7th in Dayton, OH and rounding up on November 24 in Wilmington, NC. The full list of tour dates can be seen below.
DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Nov 7, 2009 Kettering, OH @ The Attic Nov 9, 2009 Sauget, IL @ Pop's Nov 10, 2009 Iowa City, IA @ The Picador Nov 11, 2009 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room Nov 13, 2009 Lubbock, TX @ Jake's Nov 14, 2009 Wichita Falls, TX @ The Hanger Nov 15, 2009 Austin, TX @ Emo's Outside Nov 16, 2009 McAllen, TX @ The Incubator Nov 18, 2009 Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee Nov 19, 2009 Memphis, TN @ New Daisy Theatre Nov 20, 2009 Birmingham, AL @ 5 Points Music Hall Nov 22, 2009 Jacksonville, FL @ Edge 17 Nov 23, 2009 Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern Nov 24, 2009 Wilmington, NC @ Soapbox Full story...
ARMORED SAINT set to record new studio album
Los Angeles' sons of metal, ARMORED SAINT, are set to enter Tranzformer Studios in Burbank, CA to begin recording the band's 6th full-length studio album. Tranzformer Studios is owned by Dave Jerdan (Alice in Chains, Jane's Addiction, etc) who produced ARMORED SAINT's 1991 classic Symbol of Salvation and Bryan Carlstrom who handled engineering on the same album. The SAINT will be working with Bryan Carlstrom who will once again handle engineering duties with the bands very own Joey Vera producing, and both Joey and Bryan mixing the record. A partial song list for the upcoming album, which is expected to hit streets in the spring 2010 is: Black Feet, Chilled, Loose Cannon, Blues, La Raza, Head On, Get off the Fence, Left Hook From Right Field.
Here's what ARMORED SAINT vocalist John Bush had to say about how the new album came together:
“About a year and a half or so ago Joey asked me if I'd be interested in writing some songs. I was in the right mind finally, so I said send me something. To be quite honest, I wasn't thinking in terms of ARMORED SAINT but more like just writing rock music. I felt pretty free with that mentality and the ideas felt very organic. With every passing song things improved and next thing we knew we had about eight songs demoed. Although the idea of sparking something completely new was appealing it became clear that if it was Joey and I the reality was, let's not kid ourselves; this is ARMORED SAINT.
Worldwide Re-Release Of Classic Album Paves The Way For More.
N.C. Metal Monsters DRILL 187 hit ITUNES, AMAZON MP3, RHAPSODY, NAPSTER, SHOCKHOUND and more with the digital release of their 2002 album, "The Faceless Majority". This is the album that had SLAYER Manager, Rick Sales, calling the band "one of the best Metal bands on the planet" that year!!! The album went on to be one of the Most Added At Metal Radio its first week in rotation and charted in the Top 100 for the rest of the year, finishing out at #71 overall for 2002!!! Not a small feat by any means, even for a well-known act, but DRILL 187 did it through constant touring, great fan and industry support and by writing incredible music that sticks to the ribs!
In 2005, the group disbanded after grueling tour schedules and lack of direction from management left them broke and disheartened. Now, 2009 sees DRILL 187 reformed again for the re-release of "The Faceless Majority" on Away Team Music, as well as a brand new album which will drop in November. Singer Jason Lilley, Guitarist Jason Ussery, Drummer Greg Evans, Guitarist Ronnie Dalgo and newcomer Dennis Keeter are already in the studio writing new tracks for what will become "Crucified: New, Rare & Recycled Noise", a 12-track CD that boasts new music, unreleased rarities from their back catalog and some live cuts to round out the mix. Reunion shows are being scheduled every week starting October 23rd and a full tour will ensue after the new album is released in November.
VOLBEAT open METALLICA tour
Since the Danish metal quartet’s formation in October, 2001, VOLBEAT has steadily risen to become one of the major attractions in the European scene. The band has released three albums and a live DVD overseas. This fall, North Americans will finally have access to the complete catalog, with all three studio albums available (the DVD is planned for a later date). Volbeat’s current title GUITAR GANGSTERS & CADILLAC BLOOD (2009) is showing an increased presence, with exponential sales and airplay increases in markets across the continent. On October 27, VOLBEAT will see THE STRENGTH / THE SOUND / THE SONGS (2005) join the previously issued ROCK THE REBEL / METAL THE DEVIL (2007) at retail stores across the U.S. and Canada.
In an age of retreads, Volbeat has been offering a unique blend of metallic hard rock alongside inspired Elvis-tinged melodies since their formation in October, 2001. Their debut was released in October 2005, and they have gradually risen to become a major force in Europe. Jacob Hansen has been the band’s collaborator in the studio for each of their three albums, as the sound continues to become ubiquitous to the band as they evolve becoming more unique with each passing release. Volbeat are a platinum band in their native Denmark, and continue to see major footholds grow across Europe, and imminently in North America.
The current release GUITAR GANGSTERS & CADILLAC BLOOD introduces a story that connects seven of the thirteen album tracks. The songs “Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood,” “Find That Soul,” “Maybellene I Hofteholder,” “Still Counting,” “Back To Prom,” “Light A Way,” and “A Broken Man And The Dawn,” chronicle the travels of a band leader who after being shot in the desert and left for dead, searches for the mysterious killer who fired the seven shots. While travelling from city to city, the band comes upon a venue named Ten House City, where they perform for a small assembled crowd in the local bar. The songs offer observations of the people in the rundown setting, from the eyes of the bandleader. This storyline will continue to develop on future albums. The current release also offers a respectful ode to 50s country with a powerful interpretation of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.”
The band will return to North America this fall as support for Metallica and Lamb of God in arenas across Canada and the U.S. Singer Michael Poulsen shared, “We are so thankful for this great chance and are looking forward to sharing the stage with one of our biggest inspirations. It's such an honor, and it's also a great honor to play for the METALLICA fans who are very dedicated. It will be a challenge, but we will do our best to give the METALLICA fans a little piece of what we are about and what we do. We wanna thank the gentlemen in METALLICA for giving VOLBEAT this chance. THANK YOU!" Hopefully we will be able to play a headliner show or two while we’re in the US. We can’t wait to see you all!” Alongside Poulsen, Volbeat is Anders Kjřlholm (Bass), Jon Larsen (Drums) and Thomas Bredahl (Guitar).
The complete itinerary with Metallica and Lamb of God follows (headline dates noted):
10/26 TORONTO AIR CANADA CENTRE 10/27 TORONTO AIR CANADA CENTRE 10/29 TORONTO OPERA HOUSE (HEADLINE) 10/31 QUEBEC COLISEE PEPSI 11/01 QUEBEC COLISEE PEPSI 11/03 OTTAWA SCOTIABANK PLACE 11/09 GRAND RAPIDS, MI VAN ANDEL ARENA 11/10 BUFFALO, NY HSBC ARENA 11/12 ALBANY, NY TIMES UNION CENTER 11/14 NEW, YORK, NY MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 11/15 NEW YORK, NY MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 12/05 LAS VEGAS, NV MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CTR 12/07 NAMPA, ID IDAHO ARENA 12/08 SACRAMENTO, CA ARCO ARENA 12/10 ANAHEIM, CA HONDA CENTER 12/12 SAN JOSE, CA HP PAVILION
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SCI's Halloween box The String Cheese Incident unveils their new limited edition live release, Trick Or Treat, on October 27, 2009. The timing is fitting, considering the nine-disc box set was culled from a variety of epic SCI "Hulaween" shows. From Atlanta's Variety Playhouse (1998) Philadelphia's Electric Factory (1999), Portland, Maine's State Theatre (2000), New York City (2001), Shrine Auditorium (2002) in Los Angeles, Sin City's Cox Pavillion (2003) and the Exhibition Center @ Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin (2004) - Trick or Treat journeys through the years to re-visit some of the band's most classic Incidents from Halloween's past.
This exclusive box set offers seven of SCI's famous Halloween cover sets in their entirety, including String Cheese performing songs by such artists as the Beatles, Beastie Boys, KC & The Sunshine Band, Phish and many others.
QUEENSRYCHE TO ENLIST SERVICES OF LITA FORD FOR AMERICAN SOLDIER TOUR DATES BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 15TH
QUEENSRYCHE -- who have been touring since late March in support of their newest effort American Soldier (Atco/Rhino) -- will be taking The Queen of Heavy Metal, Lita Ford, on the road with them for over two dozen dates beginning October 15th (see full itinerary below).
Ford will hit the stage during the QUEENSRYCHE set to perform three songs including her Top 10 Billboard hit (performed with Ozzy Osbourne), "Close My Eyes Forever," which she will duet with QUEENSRYCHE front man Geoff Tate. For all songs, Lita will be backed by QUEENSRYCHE -- Geoff Tate on vocals, Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren on guitars, Eddie Jackson on bass and Scott Rockenfield on drums. "We're elated to have Lita Ford performing with us," comments Geoff Tate. "I have been a fan of Lita's as long as I can remember and look forward to the upcoming tour with her."
The feeling is mutual as Lita comments, "I'm so excited about how we're doing this tour. It's a really cool way to do a show. I'm looking forward to getting out there and seeing my fans again as well as meeting Queensryche's fans. It should be a real fun time for all."
Earlier this month, the video for QUEENSRYCHE's new single, "Home Again," made its worldwide debut on Military.com (the largest military and veteran membership organization) and can now be seen on the band's official website at www.queensryche.com. The video features photos submitted by service members from all over the world.
As for the song, itself, it's become a fan favorite along the tour. Performed by Geoff Tate and his 11-year-old daughter Emily, "Home Again" examines the emotional toll of war from two perspectives -- Geoff singing from the soldier's point of view and Emily singing the point of view of the child left behind.
Prior to the performances with Lita Ford, QUEENSRYCHE will be joining Chickenfoot (Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and Chad Smith) beginning Friday, September 25th, for three consecutive California performances in Berkeley, Valley Center and Universal City, respectively.
Also on the QUEENSRYCHE horizon is the forthcoming ShipRocked Cruise (www.getshiprocked.com) which sets sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida (to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman) on November 15th for a five-day music festival on the sea. Those on the cruise will have an opportunity to be a part of a private QUEENSRYCHE-hosted wine gathering and drink Geoff Tate's wine, Insania (www.threeriverswinery.com). For an advance donation of $20, fans will have access to the special onboard event. All proceeds of the wine party will benefit the National Military Family Association, an organization that QUEENSRYCHE has been involved with since the inception of American Soldier.
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TRIVIUM tour dates
The second round of dates for TRIVIUM’s fall headline tour, dubbed “Into the Mouth of Hell We Tour,” have been announced, as have the support acts. The entire tour spans 65 dates and the second leg features Chimaira, Whitechapel and Dirge Within on the bill. This will be the band’s final tour for the Shogun album cycle, as TRIVIUM will retreat from the road and work on new material for their next album after this tour commences.
Oct.29 - Atlanta GA - The Masquerade Oct. 30 – Jacksonville, NC - Hooligans Oct.31 - Towson MD - Recher Theatre Nov. 1 - Norfolk VA - Norva Theatre Nov. 6 - Worcester MA - The Palladium Nov. 7 - Philadelphia PA - Theatre of the Living Arts Nov. 8 - Hartford CT - Webster Theater Nov.9 - Montreal QC - Le Medley Nov. 11 - Quebec City QC - Imperial Nov. 12 - Toronto ON - Sound Academy Nov. 13 - Detroit MI - Clutch Cargo Nov.14 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall Nov.17 - Chicago IL - House of Blues Nov.18 - Minneapolis MN - Cabooze Nov.19 – Winnipeg MN – The Pyramid Nov. 20 - Saskatoon SK - Odeon Events Centre Nov. 21 - Edmonton AB - Edmonton Events Center Nov. 22 - Calgary AB - Macewan Hall Nov. 24 - Vancouver BC - Commodore Ballroom Nov. 25 - Seattle WA - Showbox Nov. 27 - San Francisco CA - Warfield Theatre Nov. 30 - Tempe AZ - Marquee Theatre Dec. 01 - Albuquerque NM - Sunshine Theatre Dec. 02 - Denver CO - Gothic Theatre Dec. 03 - Kansas City MO - The Beaumont Club Dec. 04 - St Louis MO - Pops Dec. 05 - Tulsa OK – Cain’s Ballroom Dec. 06 - Dallas TX - House of Blues Dec. 07 - Houston TX - House of Blues Dec. 10 - Tampa, FL - Jannus Landing Dec. 11 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room Dec. 12 - Orlando FL - Club Firestone
The Used is anything but used up! With a trio of albums that have amassed tons of fans and made critics sit up and take notice, The Used is back with their newest venture. The quintet’s fourth studio album entitled Artwork is available NOW! Having taken a bit of time off, vocalist Bert McCracken, guitarist Quinn Allman, bassist Jeph Howard and drummer Dan Whitesides had the luxury of time in creating their newest masterpiece. There was no timetable, no crunch and most importantly, no pressure...all which, according to the band, made Artwork some of their best work to date! Over the years, The Used has carved themselves a niche in a music world full of sometimes vanilla music. They dub their songs as “gross pop” (“hook-laden numbers which pushed the boundaries of the grotesque”) and Artwork is the outlet to bring “gross pop” to the masses! They’re too hard to be pop...too edgy to be emo...too tender to be metal...and too brilliant to be overlooked...The Used is anything but ordinary! Fans of The Used should tell everyone they know about this new album because it’s that damn good! Those of you who haven’t been introduced to The Used yet, there is no better time to jump on board. The band worked with Matt Squire on Artwork, who can only be described as one of the most sought-after producers around today. There had to be a boatload of genius going on in that studio! The Used is ready for you to hear their new tunes, and they’re ready to hit the road again! We caught up with Dan for a bit before they head out to conquer the world...here’s what Dan had to say!
New Album Announced & Re-Release Of DRILL Classic On The Way!!!
Raleigh, N.C. – “It’s probably more exciting for us than any of the fans right now”, laughs DRILL 187 vocalist and founding member Jason Lilley. “We were just so excited that the interest level since our breakup in 2005 remained as intense as it has been. When Craig [Stegall: Away-Team Music President] asked us if we would consider getting back together and releasing an album full of some of our hard-to-find tracks along with a few live ones, we were kind of taken aback. Now the guy has us re-releasing our album The Faceless Majority and putting together some new tunes for the next release, Crucified: Rare Cuts & Recycled Noise.”
Originally released in late 2002 as an independent album to be sold at their shows, DRILL 187’s The Faceless Majority found its way into some very influential hands. SLAYER manager Rick Sales heard the album and said that they were, “The Best Band Of 2002!” Then Lava/Atlantic President Jason Flom called DRILL 187, “Awesome!” The truth is, it was only a matter of time before the world would see that this North Carolina Metal band could pull its weight and then some. They found themselves in the FMQB and CMJ trade magazine’s Top-40 at Metal Radio that year and the tour that would ensue was a huge success. MetalSludge.com was so overtaken with the band’s talent that they were the only unsigned band to ever have the privilege of doing the site’s famed “20-Questions” segment and were ultimately ranked as their Favorite Unsigned Band. However, the financial and physical strains of constant touring over the years caused the band’s untimely breakup in 2005 and the world would be minus a great Hard Rock/Heavy Metal voice in their absence.
Enter a new era in 2009: The DRILL 187 boys have decided to re-release their seminal Metal classic Nationwide through indie label Away-Team Music. In addition, the band plans to release a new album in November of this year that is full of rare, hard-to-find tracks, unreleased gems, live cuts and two brand new singles. Crucified: Rare Cuts & Recycled Noise, an aptly titled venture, will showcase the band back in action again and reforming for select shows throughout the East Coast to ring in the new release. This will be the first time they’ve played together in four years and it promises to be another iconic moment in Metal history!
For those who remember moshing the pit to tracks like “Scrape It Off”, “Snakebite”, “Lethal”, “187” and “Mankind”, the re-release of The Faceless Majority will be a welcome sight. For those who weren’t privy to the DRILL 187’s invasion that overtook the early Y2Ks, here’s your chance to discover one of the best and most critically praised albums of its time.
The Faceless Majority will be released digitally, worldwide on September 29th, 2009. In addition to Itunes, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody, Napster and Shockhound, the album will also be available for sale in CD form at the band’s website, (MySpace.com/Drill187).
When this band burst onto the scene in 2007, I was immediately hooked!!!! Their music is basically life put into song. Anyone can listen to their lyrics and relate on a personal level, and anyone can listen to their music and relate on an emotional level. Sick Puppies’ story is intriguing, their resolve absolute, and their music flawless! Bassist Emma Anzai, lead vocalist/guitarist Shim Moore, and drummer Mark Goodwin released their debut album, Dressed Up As Life, in 2007. The trio came together when the two founding members, Anzai and Moore picked up their lives in Australia and moved to LA. Their goal was to make their music and they felt that fans in the U.S. were hungrier for music...so they moved, and found drummer Goodwin in LA, and the rest is history! The debut did very well by the band, allowing them to tour for over a year with heavyweight artists like Seether, Muse, Flyleaf, Finger Eleven, Breaking Benjamin and Velvet Revolver, produce 3 singles, all that landed on the charts (“All the Same”, “My World”, and “What Are You Looking For”), and the expectation and wonder if they could top it on their next album. In my opinion, they certainly did top their first album! With the first single, “You’re Going Down” already making waves on radio (no pun intended) and landing as the theme for WWE’s Extreme Measures pay-per-view, Sick Puppies are well on their way to kicking the sophomore slump right in the ‘nads! Tri-Polar was released back in July, and the trio is already burning up the roads in support of the album. Currently out with Hurt, Adelita’s Way, and Tunnels to Holland, Sick Puppies live show is one that should be experienced firsthand! They’ve just announced that they will be on tour this fall with Shinedown! Now, that one will ROCK! Emma Anzai took some time to talk with us about what’s going on in Sick Puppies’ world.
THE USED Twitter Listening Party
On Monday August 31st THE USED will rock the Twitter-sphere with the FIRST EVER 24-hour tweet-for-ticket album listening party for fans. The admission? ONE TWEET GETS YOU IN. Built by Culture Jam Labs and Warner Bros Records, the virtual listening party for Artwork, the new album from The Used, will give fans the chance to stream the entire album in exchange for one tweet on the release date. The listening party will be hosted exclusively on twitter.theused.net.
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AWAY-TEAM: Alright, buddy, you’ve had a full day of football and beer…let’s talk about the new album! (laughs)
