SENTINEL Records Update - Our fourth release, and first non-Irish one, will come in the form of a CD EP by England's Bastardsun. Bastardsun consists of Stuart Anstis (ex-Cradle of Filth) and Ross Adams and the music could be described as strong style Heavy Metal. Expect to hear it sometime in the Winter 2002. Mourning Beloveth's highly acclaimed debut album 'Dust' will be released soon. The band have already self-released the CD and is now out of print. The booklet will be redesigned with the CD featuring a special bonus track from their recently recorded second album 'The Sullen Sulcus' and "Forever Lost Emeralds" from their second demo 'Autumnal Fires'. http://www.mourningbeloveth.com WWW.SENTINELIRELAND.COM NEXT RELEASE--- THE RE-RELEASE OF THE CRUSHING DEBUT CD "DUST' FROM IRELANDS PURVEYORS OF DOOM METAL-MOURNING BELOVETH DIEHARD / HARDBOILED / TWAH! - News- www.luckyseven-music.com www.hardboiled-music.com www.twah.com SHOW OF HANDS at the Eden Project Saturday 17th August 2002 Over the last 18 months the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall has proved to be a huge success as an International Visitor Attraction (check out the website at www.edenproject.com). It is now rapidly becoming an important music venue, with some very special concerts lined up through the Summer. Artists for these 'Eden Sessions' have been specifically chosen for their empathy with the Eden Project and its mission to highlight the vital relationship between plants and people. Show of Hands are a natural choice, as many of Steve's song themes are inspired by the land, the seas, and the people of the West Country. The concert will take place out-side, in the open area in front of the Biomes. Bring your own chairs or blankets for sitting on the grass. Ticket prices There is a special combined ticket, which allows entry into the Eden Project during the day, and entry to the concert in the evening £20 for adults / £12 for children under 12 (This combined ticket is an excellent deal as entry to the project is normally just under £10.) Tickets for the concert only are £15 for adults / £10 for children under 12 The phone numbers to call for tickets are 01872 262466 or 0870 0600 100 (which is a 24 hour service) Online ticket sales at www.ticketweb.co.uk The Biomes will close at 6pm and the doors open for the concert at 7pm. If you're visiting the project during the day, the café/restaurant will stay open, or you can bring your own food. There will be a licensed bar. This is a fantastic opportunity to see Show of Hands performing in a truly unique setting. If you haven't visited it yet we strongly recommend the combined ticket so that you can appreciate the breathtaking scope of the Eden Project as a living theatre of plants and people. Please note - the information given here is correct to the best of our knowledge. Check the website www.showofhands.co.uk for updates. DIEHARD www.diehardmusic.com Coming Up on Diehard: KOLDBORN "FIRST ENSLAVEMENT" RRS967 "First Enslavement" is the debut album from the Danish metal quartet Koldborn, and it is for sure a kick ass debut!!! This album is a supreme lesson in how to combine aggression, melody and sheer brutality with a result that simply kills! This is superb Nordic metal of the new millennium, and it will for sure set new standards for future releases all over Europe. 40 minutes of groove'n'grinding death metal with a touch of filthy thrash, and on top comes the sick fu****g vocals and extremely well written lyrics - all of it performed in such a bitter way, one can only imagine, what inspires these twisted minds. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE name new vocalist!! Killswitch Engage have officially announced the replacement for vocalist Jesse Leach. According to bassist Mike DiAntonio, Blood Has Been Shed vocalist Howard Jones will be joining the band as a full time member. Mike had the following to say about the situation in an exclusive interview with Metal Shop: "It's gonna be even better," Mike replies. "He can hit any range, and he has a voice like I've never heard. He just completely blew us away. We had about 10-12 different people trying out, and no one was really cutting it. We had a couple of people come back for a second try, and then I got the call about Howard wanting to try out. I knew about Howard from previous bands, and I always considered him one of the best singers I had ever heard in my entire life, and for him to want to do it, I almost sh*t my pants. I really just couldn't believe it. I got off the phone, and said, that's him! That's the guy!" Howard will make his debut with the band when Killswitch Engage join Kittie, Poison The Well, Shadows Fall, and Hotwire on tour this summer. Tourdates are posted at www.bullpenpromotions.com WESTWORLD EXPLODES AT RADIO TONY HARNELL TO CO-HOST "THE TOUR BUS" New York hard rock outfit WestWorld had their sophomore effort, 'Skin' debut at college and commercial radio last week to an unexpected flood of support, coming in at #3 on FMQB and Top 10 Album Network, Westworld frontman Tony Harnell (also of the band TNT), remarks, "It's great to be back. I'm very proud of this album and am really pleased with how it's being received at radio and by the fans. We made an honest album and it seems to be hitting a nerve. Maybe we're filling a void, I don't know." Tuesday, July 9th marked the North American release of WestWorld's 'Skin' through Dreamscape Music Group. Distributed by Mayhem / ADA (a division of AOL / Time - Warner) the album has already pre-sold through it's first pressing. The band will continue to do shows throughout the Northeast in support of the release. Please check www.dreamscape-group.com for upcoming WestWorld contests. Revelation Signing! Milwaukee, WI's SINCE BY MAN signs to Revelation Records The anthem for the underground is coming to move you like you've only ever dreamed of. And so the story goesâ five best friends, sharing the most essential of times with one another, follow their hearts to create the art that they have been a part of for so long. It is time to give something back. But more importantly, it is time to wake people up. Shake yourself from the complacency of the standard and the mainstream and the expected, for what you will get with this is truly like no other. Passion that surges out of every pour, sincerity that is tangible and understandable, this is what makes you realize and appreciate your existence in this underground community. Dynamic and involving live shows; their communication and awe inspiring unconventionality will make the hair on your neck rise just a little, while your heartbeat subtly skips a beat, it will move you. Of course there are the obvious influences, early San Diego stuff like Heroin and Antioch Arrow, but it also ranges to heavy guitar rock bands like Neurosis, and yes, even present day rock bands like the At the Drive In, all the while, bringing to life their roots- with mosh parts reminiscent of early Revelation bands - Gorilla Biscuits and Inside Out. But the comparisons are only part of the outline, the actual substance is free of carbon copies. Sharp vocal deliveries upon thick, driving, and sometimes dissonant guitars, weaving in and out of precise and thundering drums. Their full- length on Revelation, We Sing the Body Electric will prevail. The turn of a New Year will not only mark the release of a debut album from Milwaukee's Since By Man, but also the making of an anthem. Since By Man Facts: -We Sing the Body Electric to be recorded w/ Converge's Kurt Ballou -Since By Man have already completed two totally DIY US tours. -The bands they have played shows with in the past include: !!! (Chic Chic Chic), Eighteen Visions, Kill the Slavemaster, Poison the Well, Forstella Ford, Seven Days of Samsara, etc. -Future plans include numerous US tours and a tour of Europe in support of their upcoming full-length -Previous Releases include: - S/T 7" on World Wont Listen (Summer 01) Soon Out of Print -Split LP w/ Seven Days of Samsara on Harmless Records (Spring 01) -Split Cd w/ Arms Still Empty (Summer 00) Out of Print -You can find them online at: www.Sincebyman.com BRAND NEW SIN Tours With Fu Manchu & Speedealer Band Receives Strong Radio Response Debut Album In Stores Now! Syracuse's BRAND NEW SIN is taking America by storm! Not only has the band been exploding at radio (achieving #1 Most Added at Metal Radio twice, as well as topping Album Network's AGGRO Metal Charts - beating out such powerhouses as Philip Anselmo's Superjoint Ritual, Danzig, and Killswitch Engage) but has also become a touring machine. Having spent the spring, leading into the June 4th release of their Now Or Never Records self-titled debut, BRAND NEW SIN has shared the road (& stage) with the likes of Motörhead, Morbid Angel, Prong, Diecast, Chimaira, Haste, 36 Crazyfists, and God Forbid. The band also captivated audiences (utilizing triple-guitar gripping power that evokes similarities to a bastard child of Black Sabbath & Lynyrd Skynyrd or Motörhead after a fist fight with Down and Corrosion Of Conformity) at the 2002 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, as well as numerous radio festivals and New York area release parties. Their self-titled debut CD is in stores now!!! Confirmed tour dates with Fu Manchu and Speedealer include: Monday, July 8th Calgary, AB, Can. MacEwan Hall Ballroom Tuesday, July 9th Edmonton, AB, Can. Rev Cabaret Friday, July 12th Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre Saturday, July 13th Denver, CO Ogden Theatre Monday, July 15th Chicago, IL Double Door Wednesday, July 17th Toronto, ON, Can. The Opera House Thursday, July 18th Baltimore, MD Ottobar Friday, July 19th New York, NY Bowery Ballroom Saturday, July 20th Cleveland, OH Peabody's Down Under Sunday, July 21st Newport, KY Southgate House Monday, July 22nd Nashville, TN Exit/In Wednesday, July 24th Atlanta, GA Cotton Club Thursday, July 25th New Orleans, LA The Parish at House Of Blues Friday, July 26th Houston, TX Engine Room Saturday, July 27th Austin, TX Emo's Sunday, July 28th Dallas, TX Galaxy Club Tuesday, July 30th Albuquerque, NM Launch Pad Wednesday, July 31st Phoenix, AZ Mason Jar Thursday, August 1st Los Angeles, CA Troubadour Friday, August 2nd San Diego, CA Casbah www.brandnewsin.com www.noworneverrecords.com Sanctuary Records - Media News GAMMA RAY - 'Skeletons In The Closet' Gamma Ray have announced a series of eight shows in Europe in October under the banner of 'Skeletons In The Closet Tour', only this time these shows will fundamentally different from what's gone before........the band have asked the fans to decide on the set list! The Ray's mainman Kai Hansen said "On all of our previous show's we've played a mix of songs from a new album and the very obvious audience favourites, but this time we intend to play songs we've rarely, or never played live before, so we thought it might be kinda cool to give the fans the opportunity to decide on the set list themselves by voting on the web-site for the more obscure songs they've repeatedly requested through the fan club and at gigs, hence the title 'Skeleton's In The Closet'. We'll be playing an extended set of what they want to hear!" To vote for your favourite songs simply go to the Gamma Ray web-site, www.gamma-ray.com, and register your preference, the songs receiving the most votes will form the set list. 10 voters will be invited backstage at each show to hangout with the guys, and then have their photo taken which will be signed by the band and sent on to them. So all you Gamma Ray fans who shout requests when you're at the gigs......now's your chance......GET VOTING!!!!!!! 'The Skeleton's In The Closet Tour 2002' OCTOBER Thu 24th Hamburg Markthalle (D) Mon 28th Munich Backstage (D) Tue 29th Milan Alcatraz (I) Thu 31st Barcelona Razzmatazz 1 (E) NOVEMBER Sat 2nd Strasbourg La Laiterie (F) Sun 3rd Paris Elysee Montmartre (F) Mon 4th Bochum Zeche (D) NECROPOLIS NEWS UPDATE INCANTATION and IMPALED to hit the road July 27th to August 14th with Decapitated and Fall to Dead! Beginning their unholy crusade at the much-heralded Milwaukee Metalfest, INCANTATION and IMPALED will embark on a three week assault on America. The "Summer of Blasphemy" tour will also hit the "World Series of Metal" festival in Cleveland, Saturday August 3rd, so be ready for an all-out assault on your senses! Tour dates will be up at www.necropolisrecords.com as soon as we get them! INCANTATION ready to defile Europe! INCANTATION will head to Europe in August to play a few festival and club dates throughout Germany and Austria, including the Brutal Assault Festival. Keep checking the tour/show listing here for more info, and of course, check out www.incantation.com. IMPALED "Mondo Medicale" cover already banned throughout Europe! Due to the squeamishness of the German censors, "Mondo Medicale" will only have the censored version of the cover in Europe. There are plans for a send-away offer for European gorehounds that can't live without the splatter, so keep your eyes here or on the band's site, www.impaled.info ROTTEN SOUND European tour to kick off in July after the band destroys the Obscene Extreme Festival! ROTTEN SOUND is embarking on their "Murdering Europe" tour in support of their new album "Murderworks", which is getting great reviews all over the continent (8/10 in Rock Hard, 8/10 in Metal Heart, and 12/15 in Legacy). ROTTEN SOUND will be joined by Fleshless and Lykathea Aflame on this killing spree! The tour will start at the Obscene Extreme festival where ROTTEN SOUND will appear with Pungent Stench, Agathocles, Sinister, and many other great acts! www.rottensound.com and for info on the Obscene Extreme festival try: www.obscene.cz Coming soon, re-release of PHOBIA's crust classic "Means of Existence"! Deathvomit will be re-unleashing the out-of-print cultcrustclassic "Means of Existence" this fall, since the legendary Slap-a-Ham records who originally released the album is now defunct. There has been a flurry of other activity in the PHOBIA camp as well, with drummer Matt Mills parting ways with the band and their subsequent enlistment of Ramon "Yuckmouth" Herrera. The band will break Herrera in by recording a split 7" EP with Resist and Exist, which will be out later this year! Plans are already underway for a PHOBIA US tour this fall- more details as to who they'll be joining as they are confirmed! Check out www.jellobung.com/phobia for more details! New DREAMS OF DAMNATION website launched and, there's sneak preview MP3 on the Necropolis site NOW! www.dreamsofdamnation.org is up and running, with all the latest info on Jim Durkin & co. for your viewing and listening pleasure. Be sure to check out their new MP3 "The Bloodletting" either at www.necropolisrecords.com or on the band's new site. Death/Thrash insanity as only Durkin himself can create it! "Death of West" proclaimed by Finland's Death Rock cult, the BABYLON WHORES The new full length from the those death rock hedonists the BABYLON WHORES is coming soon, but until then, check out three sneak preview MP3's at www.necropolisrecords.com! SADISTIC INTENT offers the first glimpse of the "Second Coming of Darkness" Check out an exclusive MP3 of a rough mix version of "Untimely End" from the long awaited "Second Coming of Darkness" album from Los Angeles' cult Death Metal act SADISTIC INTENT at www.necropolisrecords.com! Century Media Records To Release Yakuza's Way Of The Dead Century Media Records is proud to announce that it will be releasing the new album from Chicago's Yakuza entitled Way Of The Dead this fall. Driven by experimentation, Yakuza combine a variety of styles ranging from psychedelic indie rock to metal, free jazz and hardcore. The band is committed to exploring new means of rhythmic, dynamic and sonic expression that best represents the quartet's collective creativity. Way Of The Dead was recorded by Dale Meiners at Ghetto Love Studios in Chicago and mastered by Alan Douches (Dillinger Escape Plan, Deadguy, Burnt By The Sun) at West West Side Studio in New Jersey. Yakuza have developed a cult-like following, inspiring the Chicago Sun Times to proclaim: "Given half the chance, this band could rule the alt-rock universe - and elevate its standards considerably." Terrorizer magazine observes: "When Yakuza hit their mark they come off as a jazz inflected mixture of early 90's experimental thrash (Bastro seems to be a major influence) and post Helmet groove metal." Look for Yakuza on tour this summer. The band has previously toured with Candiria and Burnt by the Sun and performed at the 2002 Century Media Records showcase at South By Southwest in Austin, TX. For more information on Yakuza, check out Yakuza's Official Web site: www.yakuzadojo.com. The site features two MP3's from Way Of The Dead as well as two from their previous album, Amount To Nothing. The song "Seraphic Light," which will be included on an upcoming John Coltrane tribute album, is also available for download. Web site www.centurymedia.com MAGNA CARTA SIGNS WITH ADA FOR U.S. DISTRIBUTION Magna Carta, the world's leading progressive rock label, is proud to announce a new distribution agreement with Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA). ADA will begin to distribute Magna Carta's product on July 1, 2002. Throughout its 12-year history, Magna Carta has been noted for releasing adventurous, high quality albums employing the musicianship of some of rock's greatest players. Titles such as "Liquid Tension Experiment" and "Liquid Tension Experiment II", Bozzio Levin Stevens' "Black Light Syndrome", Kansas' "Somewhere To Elsewhere", Steve Morse's "Major Impacts", plus the Association For Independent Music (AFIM)'s award-winning album, "Sounds Like Christmas" by the December People, and many other releases have set the standard for high caliber musicianship and album artwork in the niche known as progressive rock. Magna Carta President, Peter Morticelli, says "Magna Carta's distribution relationship with ADA marks a new era of cooperation with the people that get our CD's into the stores. We have received a great deal of support and encouragement from ADA about what we do at Magna Carta. This type of feedback and interest in our product is a new experience for us and we will make every effort to help ADA accomplish our mutual goals. It is truly a pleasure dealing with people who want to see Magna Carta succeed." Magna Carta began distributing its product in 1990 with an exclusive licensing agreement for the world outside the U.S. through Roadrunner. The label currently works with a network of distributors in Europe and has several licensing relationships in Japan. Magna Carta becomes, yet, another top label to join ADA's roster of nearly 40 independent labels at a time when the distributor has garnered its best market share performance since its formation in 1993. releases Jordan Rudess-4NYC--September 10 Andy West and RAMA - RAMA 1-September 24 Andy, who is known as bassist of the Dregs, is an extremely outspoken person about the music business and independence. Although he says he's QUIT the music business, he still makes music. This project features Andy on bass, some guitar and programmed synths, plus Jens Johansson (from Yngwie Malmsteen's band), Kit Watkins (Happy the Man), T. Lavitz (Dregs), Mike Keneally (Mike K and BFD and other projects), Rod Morgenstein (Dregs, Winger), Mike Portnoy (Liquid Tension Experiment and Dream Theater), Jonathan Mover (lots of projects including G3), and Toshi Iseda (some solo stuff). Billy Sheehan and Terry Bozzio-Nine Short Films - late September Grand Funk Railroad guitarist Bruce Kulick will be performing the "Star Spangled Banner" at the Florida Marlins / Chicago Cubs game in Florida at 6:55 PM east coast time on July 3rd at Pro Player Stadium in Miami. I just finished typing up lyrics from an album that was at least two years in the making-- SECOND TIME AROUND by Jon Dowling. The song, "Behind Closed Doors" is very relevant for sets that deal stock fraud nowadays. This lyric says it all, "one day the stock goes up, your kid's a millionaire-- the next day you're on your ass!" Balance Of Power News Lance King vocalist for BALANCE OF POWER has completed recording vocals on the new DEFYANCE album entitled "Transitional Forms". Mixing has begun, as the record is set for release on NIGHTMARE RECORDS later this year. It will also be shopped to other labels worldwide. This is a side project for Lance but promises to be an excellent Progressive / Power metal album. For more info check out http://www.defyance.com BALANCE OF POWER is currently writing a new album that should be recorded and mixed before the end of the year and which is tentatively slated for an early 2003 release worldwide. BALANCE OF POWER will be playing the BLOODFEST 2002 metal festival in Derby, England on August 31. The festival will be headlined by BLIND GUARDIAN. Also on the bill are GAMMA RAY and FREEDOM CALL, in addition to other established and up and coming heavy / power metal bands. For BLOODFEST 2002 ticket information go to: http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/online.htm BALANCE OF POWER will be headlining a club show on August 30th, the night before BLOODFEST 2002, at Abracadabra's nightclub in Burton-on-Trent, England. For more info call Abracadabra's (011-44-128-533-6071) SOLID STATE Records News- COMING SOON---> ZAO "A PARADE OF CHAOS" July 16 NORMA JEAN "BLESS THE MARTYR, KISS THE CHILD" August 13 LIVING SACRIFICE "CONCEIVED IN FIRE" September 24 DEMON HUNTER October 22 OUT NOW---> BELOVED "THE RUNNING" ep NORMA JEAN / MEWITHOUTYOU split 7" DEAD POETIC "Four Wall Blackmail" STILL BREATHING "September" UNDEROATH "The Changing of Times" FEW LEFT STANDING "Wormwood" ALL THESE TITLES AVAILABLE AT http://www.toothandnail-mailorder.com BELOVED "THE RUNNING" ep With an abrasive rock and hardcore sound that mixes key elements of bands like Thursday, Cave-In, and Poison the Well, Beloved has a busy year ahead of them. With a non-stop tour ethic and an intense live show, the band will surely hit your town this summer or fall on tour with bands like Noise Ratchet, Norma Jean, and Underoath. The five-piece will enter the studio in the fall to record their debut full-length for Solid State due out early 2003! SOLID STATE WELCOMES THE AGONY SCENE Solid State is proud to announce the signing of Tulsa, OK natives The Agony Scene! The band has been performing around the south and mid-west for sometime now and have amassed a strong following with the bands aggressive live shows and brutal music. Visit the band's web site at http://www.theagonyscene.com NORMA JEAN / MEWITHOUTYOU LIMITED EDITION 7"! Norma jean spotlights two of their most recent songs on it as well as 2 mewithoutYou songs that are on their Tooth and Nail debut "[A--->B] Life" that was released last week. Pick one up before they are all gone! ZAO "A PARADE OF CHAOS" On July 16th ZAO's 5th Solid State full length, "A Parade OF Chaos", hits the streets. DEAD POETIC 07.02 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone Festival 2002 07.05 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone Festival 2002 (All dates below w/ Underoath, ZAO and Unearth) 07.02 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone 07.08 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga 07.09 Detroit, MI Shelter 07.10 Cleveland, OH Agora 07.11 Indianapolis, IN Emerson 07.12 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl 07.13 Des Moines, IA Hairy Marys 07.14 Webster-Grove, MO Hi-Pointe 07.15 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck 07.16 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl 07.17 Co Springs, CO Industrial Nation 07.18 Boulder, CO Tulagi 07.19 Mesa, AZ Bricks 07.20 Boise, ID 6th and Main 07.21 Spokane, WA Club Soda 07.22 Seattle, WA Graceland 07.23 Portland, OR Meow Meow 07.24 San Fran, CA Slims 07.25 Orangevale, CA Boardwalk 07.26 Goleta, CA Living Room 07.27 Anaheim, CA Chain Reaction 07.28 San Diego, CA The Scene 07.29 Mesa, AZ Nile 07.31 San Antonio, TX Sunset Station 08.01 Arlington, TX Dreamworld 08.02 Little Rock, AR Vino's 08.03 Birmingham, AL Furnace Fest http://www.furnacefest.com 08.05 Orlando, FL The Social 08.06 Ft. Lauderdale, Culture Club 08.07 St. Petersburgh, FL State Theater 08.08 Columbia, SC Uncle Doctors 08.09 Winston-Salem, NC Brew HA 08.10 Richmond, VA 929 Cafe (ZAO TOUR ENDS) 08.12 Denver, CO Gothic Theater w/ Embodyment and Stavesacre 08.13 Wichita, KS Ground Zero w/ Embodyment and Stavesacre 08.22 Dallas, TX The Trees w/ Embodyment and Stavesacre 08.25 Phoenix, AZ Nile Theater w/ Stavesacre 08.31 W Union, OH Enter Net Cafe EMBODYMENT 06.28 Grafton, ND H's Cellar 06.29 Minneapolis, MN New Union 06.30 Council Bluffs, IA Rebels 07.04 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone 07.07 Chicago, IL Heart and Soul 07.09 Nashville, TN Next Generation 07.11 Oshkosh, WI Life Fest 07.21 Dallas, TX Galaxy Club 08.07 Mesa, AZ Nile 08.09 LA, CA Troubador w/ Stavesacre 08.10 Boise, ID 6th and Main w/ Dead Poetic and Stavesacre 08.12 Denver, CO Gothic Theater w/ Stavesacre and Dead Poetic 08.13 Wichita, KS Ground Zero w/ Stavesacre and Dead Poetic 08.14 St. Louis, MO Creepy Crawl 08.15 Dayton, OH Gathering Grounds 08.16 Cleveland, OH 08.17 Lewisberry, PA Purple Door 08.21 Austin, TX Emo's w/ Stavesacre 08.22 Dallas, TX Trees w/ Stavesacre and Dead Poetic 08.23 Houston, TX Java Jazz Coffee 08.30 Fort Smith AR The Gate 08.31 Kansas City, MO New Earth 09.06 Nashua, NH Drifters ESO-CHARIS 08.03 Birmingham, AL Furnace Fest LIVING SACRIFICE 07.03.02 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone 08.03.02 Birmingham, Al Furnace Fest NORMA JEAN 6/28-Corona,CA Showcase Theater w/ Everytime I Die and Bleeding Through 6/29-Salinas,CA Soledad Bowl w/ Everytime I Die and Bleeding Through 6/30-San Francisco,CA Gilman St. w/ Everytime I Die and Bleeding Through 7/02-Bushnell, IL Cornerstone 7/06-Bushnel, IL Cornerstone 7/7-Omaha,NE Farnarm w/ Everytime I Die and Bleeding Through 7/8-Rock Island, IL Eagle Hall w/ Everytime I Die and Bleeding Through 7/9-Columbus,IN Donnen Center w/ Everytime I Die and Bleeding Through 7/10-Cincinatti,OH The Void w/ Everytime I Die and Bleeding Through 7/12-Syracuse, NY Hellfest 08.02 Birmingham, AL Furnace Fest 08.12 Atlanta, GA Echo Lounge CD RELEASE SHOW! w/ Underoath, Beloved and mewithoutYou STILL BREATHING 06.28 Cleveland, OH Peabody's / Ringworm 06.29 Kokomo, IN Fairfield Christian Church 06.30 The Lab St. Paul, MN w/ Ringworm 07.02 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone 07.20 Grand Prairie, TX Living Water STRETCH ARM STRONG (Following dates w/ Reach The Sky and The Hope Conspiracy) 06.28.02 Santa Cruz, CA Vets Hall 06.29.02 San Fran, CA The Pound 06.30.02 Portland, OR Meow Meow 07.01.02 Seattle, WA Paradox 07.03.02 Minneapolis, MN Club Babylon 07.04.02 Freeport, IL Klub Phenomenon 07.05.02 Detroit, MI Shelter (RTS / THC tour ends) 07.06.02 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone 07.07.02 Nashville, TN Muse 3 pm show w/ Love is Red, Black Widows (ex Endpoint, By the Grace of God) 07.13.02 Syracuse, NY Hellfest 07.14.02 Baltimore, MD Ottobar 07.23.02 Spartanburg, SC Ground Zero w/ Hatebreed and Hopesfall 07.29.02 Charelston, SC Music Farm w/ Hatebreed and Hopesfall 07.30.02 Augusta, GA Capri Cinema w/ Hatebreed and Hopesfall 08.01.02 Birmingham, AL Furnace Fest 08.02.02 Orlando, FL Lee Vista WARPED TOUR 08.03.02 Miami, FL Pompano Field WARPED TOUR 08.04.02 Tampa, FL WARPED TOUR 08.06.02 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Pavillion WARPED TOUR 08.17.02 Lewisberry, PA Purple Door UNDEROATH 07.01 Peoria, IL w/ Beloved (All dates below w/ ZAO, Dead Poetic and Unearth) 07.02 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone 07.08 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga 07.09 Detroit, MI Shelter 07.10 Cleveland, OH Agora 07.11 Indianapolis, IN Emerson 07.12 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl 07.13 Des Moines, IA Hairy Marys 07.14 Webster-Grove, MO Hi-Pointe 07.15 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck 07.16 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl 07.17 Co Springs, CO Industrial Nation 07.18 Boulder, CO Tulagi 07.19 Mesa, AZ Bricks 07.20 Boise, ID 6th and Main 07.21 Spokane, WA Club Soda 07.22 Seattle, WA Graceland 07.23 Portland, OR Meow Meow 07.24 San Fran, CA Slims 07.25 Orangevale, CA Boardwalk 07.26 Goleta, CA Living Room 07.27 Anaheim, CA Chain Reaction 07.28 San Diego, CA The Scene 07.29 Mesa, AZ Nile 07.31 San Antonio, TX Sunset Station 08.01 Arlington, TX Dreamworld 08.02 Little Rock, AR Vino's 08.03 Birmingham, AL Furnace Fest http://www.furnacefest.com 08.05 Orlando, FL The Social 08.06 Ft. Lauderdale, Culture Club 08.07 St. Petersburgh, FL State Theater 08.08 Columbia, SC Uncle Doctor's 08.09 Winston-Salem, NC Brew Ha 08.10 Richmond, VA 929 Cafe 08.12 Atlanta, GA Echo Lounge w/ Norma Jean, Beloved and mewithoutYou ZAO (All dates below w/ Underoath, Dead Poetic and Unearth) 07.02 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone 07.08 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga 07.09 Detroit, MI Shelter 07.10 Cleveland, OH Agora 07.11 Indianapolis, IN Emerson 07.12 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl 07.13 Des Moines, IA Hairy Marys 07.14 Webster-Grove, MO Hi-Pointe 07.15 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck 07.16 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl 07.17 Co Springs, CO Industrial Nation 07.18 Boulder, CO Tulagi 07.19 Mesa, AZ Bricks 07.20 Boise, ID 6th and Main 07.21 Spokane, WA Club Soda 07.22 Seattle, WA Graceland 07.23 Portland, OR Meow Meow 07.24 San Fran, CA Slims 07.25 Orangevale, CA Boardwalk 07.26 Goleta, CA Living Room 07.27 Anaheim, CA Chain Reaction 07.28 San Diego, CA The Scene 07.29 Mesa, AZ Nile 07.31 San Antonio, TX Sunset Station 08.01 Arlington, TX Dreamworld 08.02 Little Rock, AR Vino's 08.03 Birmingham, AL Furnace Fest http://www.furnacefest.com 08.05 Orlando, FL The Social 08.06 Ft. Lauderdale, Culture Club 08.07 St. Petersburgh, FL State Theater 08.08 Columbia, SC Uncle Doctor's 08.09 Winston-Salem, NC Brew Ha 08.10 Richmond, VA 929 Cafe DIVISION Records News - Division's new signing FORCEED are gonna release a debut 5 tracks CD by september. The whole recording and mastering work is done, and they are actually busy with the artwork. More info soon about this killer release. - Due to several reaons, CLONE has decided to change it's name in INSIDE CLONE PROCESS. The band continues to tour accross switzerland to support the first LP "Organic". A bigger tour accross a few european countries is on the work for the begining of the year 2003. ( do these guys think that we now have a ton of things to update on the web site ?? ) - A new recording session is planned for IMPURE WILHELMINA in the middle of september. They're gonna record a new album which will be titled "I can't believe I was born in July". They decided to work again with the producer Serge Morratel ( Knut, Brazen, Shora... ), who's already made the recording of they're split with Ordeal. - SEETHINGS album is now mastered and wait to see the light of the day. They're actually in discussion with different record labels. At the moment, we don't know if we're gonna put out this amazing recording. - LEST still continues to drink beers everywhere in switzerland... - Vincent from FORCEED has recently joined UNFOLD as bass player. The recording of the new album is planned in the end of the summer. By the way, UNFOLD gets new cool evil t-shirts !! Even a girlie model is available. Unfortunately, we don't have any pictures at the moment on the web site... As soon as possible we promise ! 2| Not too much addtions to our site this month. But check it out soon, there will be some new stuff including : new live videos new evil t-shirts available from Unfold lots of new MP3 advance MP3 of division's new signing FORCEED http://www.divisionrecords.com e-mail | fire@divisionrecords.com www.divisionrecords.com LA GUNS News! LA Guns Rise Up And Wake The Dead New York, NY - Hollywood rockers LA Guns have hit the road to debut material from their upcoming album. Waking The Dead, out August 20th on Spitfire Records is the second album of late to reunite founding members Tracii Guns and vocalist Phil Lewis. Produced by the legendary Andy Johns (Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Rolling Stones), Waking The Dead significantly furthers the bandâ?Ts classic rock and blues vibe by propelling them into a heavier, more musically challenging realm. Guns describes the album as â?oMore metal than the last record, more like Iron Maiden and early Scorpions. The guitars are crunchier and not as riffy. Itâ?Ts definitely heavier.â?� Waking the Dead shows enormous growth since their previous album Man In The Moon (Spitfire 2001), and is also reminiscent of their early sound. "LA Guns are back in full stride!, they are a better band today in '02 than they were back in '88,â?� says Dennis Clapp, VP of Spitfire Records. Anyone who loved the drive of the Cocked & Loaded era will dig this record. Not to mention they tour and like it, something that cannot be said for many of the bands that LA Guns are catoragized with." LA Guns are holding true to that description as theyâ?Tre about to take part in the inaugural Metal Edge Magazine Rock Fest tour, where they will share the stage with Dokken, Ratt, Warrant and Firehouse. Select dates will also include Judas Priest. Waking The Dead hits the streets on August 20, 2002 on Spitfire Records. DEAD RINGER CONFIRMS FIRST AMERICAN RELEASES ALL-STAR FALL LINE-UP PLANNED Newly created Dead Ringer records today announces the company's American launch. Initial releases are scheduled for September 17 with the UK-headquartered label making domestically available new recordings from Wishbone Ash, Nektar and Demon. The label further plans repackaging and key catalog reissues from Nektar, Demon and others. Founded by Edward Christie and Steve Beatty, Dead Ringer will be marketed and distributed in the US through partner company Candlelight Records. Candlelight Records established its US office February 2001 and has since successfully released over 20 recordings from formidable heavy metal artists Emperor, Zyklon, and Extreme Noise Terror, among others. With Dead Ringer, Candlelight expands its musical profile with sales-proven and timeless artists. "We formed Dead Ringer to be a label that would be able to handle still popular heritage and AOR-driven artists," says Christie. "Artists such as Wishbone Ash and Nektar still have a solid fan base; a base we look forward to delivering new and catalog titles from some of rock's most celebrated artists." Bona Fide by Wishbone Ash gloriously salutes the legendary band's reformation. It is the English band's first new album available in the US since 1995. Held in regard with the likes of Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Wishbone Ash made their US live debut as the support act for The Who. Since that time, the band and their dual-guitar melodies has come to release nearly forty recordings. The band is planning a US tour this fall in support of Bona Fide's September 17th release date. New Wave of British Heavy Metal masters Demon return to the US with their first album in years. Spaced Out Monkey and Best Of... Volume I, the first in Dead Ringer's catalog classics series, is set to hit stores September 17. The band has received numerous offers for performances in the US as initial news about the band's forthcoming albums has circulated amongst American fans. No confirmation as to touring or performance plans is available at press time. Material from Nektar's The Prodigal Son is likely planned for the band's headline performance at the upcoming NEARfest. The sold out June 29 performance at The War Memorial in Trenton, New Jersy will mark the band's first US performance in nearly a decade. The October 29 release of The Prodigal Son will be followed by the release of the band's extensive catalog - all digitally remastered and available on cd for the first time in America. The catalog will begin to be issued in January 2003 via Dead Ringer's catalog classics series. Dead Ringer and Candlelight Records are exclusively distributed in the US via Lumberjack Distribution and in Canada via PHD Canada. For more information contact Paula Hogan, 215/482-2552. Merendine Atomiche are ready to departe for Sweden for record their first full lenght allbum called "Walk across fire" at sunlight studios, after the great results of first mcd "THe holy metal" who sold without any support 3500 copies all around the world. The band will be in Sweden for the first two weeks of august, after they will go in France for the mastering and they back in their hometown for record the first official video over the song "Blood for glory". Confirmed Anders Lundemark will sing over song "Revenge" and Jeff Waters who will play probably a solo over one of the new song. The album will be out on Deadsun records in december 2002. Be ready! - The band are again on the road till the end of october in Italy for finish their "Still on the road tour", they will play in july, september and october, after the band WITH Deadsun records and Legion of doom promotion will start to prepare the new World Tour for 2003. - Confirmed the presence of the band on the new encyclopeadia of Thrash metal edit by Rockdetector.com (New Zeland) where band will appear also in the compilation with song "Mental Agony" with bands as Arch enemy, Kreator, exodus, nvermore, hades etc.. http://www.merendineatomiche.3000.it JIM BREUER Heavy Metal Comedy Available on DVD August 20, 2002 Through Eclectic DVD Distribution Oaks, PA - Eclectic DVD Distribution and Celluloid Construction Company are pleased to announce the home viewing release of Jim Breuer - Heavy Metal Comedy for worldwide distribution on DVD. Prepare yourself for comedy in its newest, most revolutionary form. Jim Breuer has already established himself as a powerful comedian through his incredible stand-up performances, 4 years on SNL, and his numerous movie roles. But now, Jim dares to take his show to the next level with the introduction of the Heavy Metal Comedy DVD. Jim Breuer's Heavy Metal Comedy was born on December 9th 2000 when Jim unleashed his Rock-n-Comedy assault on an unsuspecting, standing room only crowd at New York City's, Irving Plaza. An event of such epic proportions, that it will surely change the face of comedy as we know it. "You rock hard and laugh harder," Jim says. The Breu Crue work as Jim's backing band to compliment each routine with the perfect musical background. New routines such as "Coming Home at 4AM" have already become cult faves and Breuer favorites like "The Party" have received a musical facelift. Jim's uncanny impressions, such as Brian Johnson of AC/DC, are also included in this DVD. Are you ready for the most rockin' comedy routine in the world? The bits: - Intro - AC/DC - I Love Baseball - My Wife's Pregnancy - Languages - 4 AM (Coming Home Drunk) - I Hate Goats - Hand Impressions - The Party (Tequila Routine) Bonus Material: - Heavy Metal documentary - Hang out for one year with Jim in this hilarious 50-minute documentary of the making of the Heavy Metal comedy show. See the origin of the goat, the truth about SNL and the real adventure of a stand up comedian on the road. Perris News! Perris Records is Proud to announce 24/7 Radio at www.perrisrecords.com. Perris 24/7 plays the following bands LA Guns, Every Mother's Nightmare, Roxx Gang, Pretty Boy Floyd, & many more! In addition there will be premiers of the new CD releases before the release date and Giveaways. Every Mother's Nightmare has announced additional tour dates as follows: 07/12/02 Parma, OH Revolution 07/13/02 Lakewood, OH HiFi 07/19/02 Woodlands, TX The 19th Hole Grill & Bar 07/20/02 San Antonio, TX Strutter's 07/21/02 Dallas, TX Trees-The Eagle Radio station night 07/25/02 Tarzana, CA Paladino's 07/26/02 Anaheim, CA The Shack 07/27/02 Las Vegas, NV Pink E's 07/29/02 West Hollywood, CA Viper Room Pretty Boy Floyd Hits the side stage of the Poison Tour & Japan dates with more USA dates to be released! 06/27/02 - MONTREAL, PQ (CANADA) - CLUB ONE 06/28/02 WEST WARWICK, RI THE STATION 06/29/02 - PITTSBURGH, PA - HOORAH'S Pretty Boy Floyd to play date with Dokken, Ratt, Warrant & LA Guns 07/03/02 BOSTON, MA TWEETER CENTER W/POISON (SIDE STAGE) 07/04/02 CAMBRIDGE, MA THE POND 07/05/02 HARTFORD,CT MEADOWS MUSIC AMPITHEATRE W/POISON (SIDE STAGE) 07/06/02 CLIFTON, NJ CONNECTIONS 07/07/02 VIRGINIA BEACH, VA VERIZON WIRELESS AMPITHEATRE W/POISON (SIDE STAGE) 07/09/02 - HICKORY, NC - THE PLAYHOUSE 07/11/02 - PITTSBURGH, PA - AMPITHEATRE AT STATION SQUARE W/ DOKKEN, RATT, WARRANT, LA GUNS 07/12/02 BRISTOW, VA NISSAN PAVILLION W/ POISON (SIDE STAGE) 07/12/02 SPRINGFIELD, VA JAXX-call for JAXX Time of show 07/15/02 TOKYO, SANGENJAYA, JAPAN HEAVEN'S DOOR 07/16/02 TOKYO, SANGENJAYA, JAPAN HEAVEN'S DOOR 07/17/02 TOKYO, SANGENJAYA, JAPAN HEAVEN'S DOOR 07/18/02 TOKYO, SHINJUKU, JAPAN WALL 07/19/02 TOKYO, SHINJUKU, JAPAN URGA "Metal Edge - Rock Fest 2002" with Dokken, Ratt, Warrant, Firehouse, & LA Guns 06/23/02 Grand Rapids, MI 101.3 Fox Fest 06/25/02 Lincoln, NE Pershing Auditorium 06/27/02 Casper, WY Casper Events Center 06/28/02 Billings, MT Magic City Speedway 06/29/02 Missoula, MT Western Montana Fairgrounds 07/03/02 Chicago, IL Other Side Festival 07/04/02 Ottawa, IL Silver Slipper Beer Gardens 07/05/02 Appleton, WI Checkered Flag 07/06/02 Akron, OH WKDD Rock Fest 07/07/02 Freeport, IL Freeport Raceway 07/09/02 Indianapolis, IN Quest 07/13/02 Syracuse, NY Jamesville Groove 07/17/02 Hartford, CT WCCC Radio Fest Connecticut Expo Center 07/19/02 Asbury Park, NJ Convention Hall 07/20/02 Escoheag, RI Stepping Stone Ranch 07/21/02 Farmingville, NY Bald Hill Amphitheatre 07/23/02 Watertown, NY Watertown Fairgrounds Arena 07/25/02 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory 07/26/02 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom 07/27/02 Limestone Ny Rock 'N' Ricks Concert Club 07/28/02 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre 08/18/02 Madison, WI Kits Corner Baseball Park 08/31/02 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live 09/05/02 Monroe, LA Monroe Civic Center 09/07/02 Corpus Cristi, TX Concrete St Amphitheatre 09/08/02 San Antonio, TX Far West Rodeo 09/10/02 El Paso, TX Far West Rodeo 09/12/02 Santa Fe, NM Camel Rock Casino 09/13/02 Las Vegas, NV The Joint 09/14/02 Universal, CA Universal Amphitheatre 09/15/02 Orange County, CA Verizon Amphitheatre Perris is proud to present the following Summer Releases for 2002. Pretty Boy Floyd 'The Vault' PER10623 Barcode 670573010623 19 Unreleased Demos, some were the first PBF recordings ever done. Also 6 tracks were demos for the 2nd Album. Linear Notes written by Kristy Majors Roxx 'Diamonds In Rust' PER10821 Barcode 670573010821 The Demos 85' to 89'of this Legendary Underground New York band, Old School Motley Crue style Nasty Idols 'Best Of' PER 10128 Barcode 670573010128 Featuring the Best tracks off 3 releases from this Swedish Sleaze band in the vein of early Shotgun Messiah/Skidrow style Hollywood Hairspray 'Volume 1' PER11125 Barcode 670573011125 Glam Compilation featuring Unreleased tracks from Pretty Boy Floyd, Nasty Idols, Roxx, Cherry St., Stevie Jaimz, Vamp & more. Dave Evans 'A Hell Of A Night' PER10920 Barcode 670573010920 1st Ac/Dc Vocalist covering Bon Scott's Greatest hits Live Down Under. Hard Knox 'Combat Alley' PER10722 Barcode 670573010722 Gun's n Roses/Motley Crue Style Ac/Dc Tribute 'Bon Appetite'PER11026 Barcode 670573011026 A Tribute to Bon Scott Years of Ac/Dc Featuring Derek St. Holmes (Ted Nugent Vocalist), Jason McMaster, Tommy Paris (Britny Fox), Rick Ruhl (E.M.N.), Dave Evans (1st Ac/Dc Vocalist), and members of E.M.N., Cherry St. & Mad Margritt. July 2nd Nasty Idols 'Heroes For Sale' PER 10227 Barcode 670573010227 All Unreleased tracks that was suppose to be their 3rd Cd but never was released. August-6th Nasty Idols 'Vicious' PER10326 Barcode 670573010326 +2 Studio Bonus Tracks Razamanaz featuring guitarist Michael Kelly Smith of Britny Fox. 15 tracks in the vein of Aerosmith, Britny Fox, & Cult Check out the MP3 file of "Feel It" at www.perrisrecords.com Every Mother's Nightmare 'Back Traxx II' PER11224 Barcode 670573011224 Unreleased tracks spanning their earlier career. Roxx Gang 'Soul Food' PER11323 Barcode 670573011323 New Studio Cd September-10th Every Mother's Nightmare 'Live' PER11422 Barcode 670573011422 Cd titleTo be named later Roxx Gang 'Live' PER11521 Barcode 670573011521 Live Cd title To be named later Nasty Idols 'Cruel Intentions' PER 10425 Barcode 670573010425 +2 Studio Bonus Tracks FEED YOUR HEAD - CHECK OUT PULSE ULTRA'S UPCOMING HEADSPACE* OZZF EST TOUR DATES!!! Pulse Ultra Album: Headspace In Stores July 16 Multimedia Interview windows hi http://mm.wmg.com/phase2/jhtml/label/atlanticlabel/7_2222951_18.Wmv windows lo http://mm.wmg.com/phase2/jhtml/label/atlanticlabel/7_2222951_3.Wmv real hi http://real.wmg.com/ramgen/phase2/jhtml/label/atlanticlabel/9_2222970_18.Rm real lo http://real.wmg.com/ramgen/phase2/jhtml/label/atlanticlabel/9_2222970_3.Rm "Big Brother" Full Length Audio Windows http://media.atlantic-records.com/media/pulseultra/big_brother/audio-pulse_ultra-big_brother-wmp-full.asf.asx Real http://media.atlantic-records.com/media/pulseultra/big_brother/audio-pulse_ultra-big_brother-ra-full.ra.ram Official Site: http://www.pulseultra.com Tour Dates all are ozzfest unless * - July 6 - Bristow, VA - Nissan Pavilion - July 7 - Pittsburgh, PA - Post-Gazette Pavilion - *July 9 - Hershey, PA - Hershey Park Pavilion - w/ System of a Down - July 10 - Scranton, PA - Montage Mountain - July 12 - Camden, NJ - Tweeter Center - July 13 - Hartford, CT- CTNow.com Amphitheatre - *July 14 - Portland, ME - Cumberland Civic Center - w/ System of a Down - July 16 - Boston, MA - Tweeter Center - July 17 - Boston, MA - Tweeter Center - *July 18 - Old Bridge, NJ - Birch Hill w/ Adema - July 19 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Arts Center - July 20 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Arts Center - *July 21 - Wantagh, NY - Jones Beach - w/ System of a Down - July 24 - Raleigh, NC - Alltel Pavilion - July 26 - West Palm Beach, FL - Mars Music Amphitheatre - *July 27 - Tampa, FL - Sundome - w/ System of a Down - July 28 - Atlanta, GA - Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre - *July 31 - Montreal, QC - Parc Jean Drapeau - w/ System of a Down - *Aug 1 - Hamilton, ONT - Copps Coliseum - w/ System of a Down - Aug 3 - Columbus, OH - Polaris Amphitheatre - Aug 4 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center - Aug 7 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Center - Aug 8 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Center - Aug 10 - Chicago, IL - Tweeter Center - Aug 11 - East Troy, WI - Alpine Valley - Aug 13 - Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Amphitheatre - Aug 15 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Amphitheatre - Aug 17 - Somerset, WI - Float-Rite Park - Aug 19 - St. Louis, MO - Riverport Amphitheatre - Aug 20 - Kansas City, KS - Sandstone Amphitheatre - Aug 22 - Denver, CO - Pepsi City Lights - Aug 24 - Sacramento, CA - Sacramento Valley Amphitheatre - Aug 25 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Aug 27 - George, WA - The Gorge - Aug 31 - San Bernadino, CA - Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion - Sept 2 - San Diego, CA - Coors Amphitheatre - Sept 5 - Phoenix, AZ - Cricket Pavilion - Sept 7 - San Antonio, TX - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre - Sept 8 - Dallas, TX - Smirnoff Amphitheatre KITTIE CONTINUES U.S. ONSLAUGHT WITH THIRD LEG OF 'RUN LIKE HELL' TOUR LONDON, Ontario - Kittie will kick off the third leg of its Run Like Hell Tour with a pair of Midwest radio festivals and then hook up with support acts Poison The Well, Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, and Hotwire for another trek through America. Kittie, which has received substantial airplay from KRQC, will be a featured band on the station's two festivals on July 6 and 7 in Bonner Springs, Kan., and Omaha, Neb., respectively. They will share the bill with Nickelback, Jerry, Cantrell, Local H, and Tommy Lee. July 9 is the first date with the full lineup of the third leg of the Run Like Hell Tour. "We are really excited to be a part of such an amazing lineup," said Kittie guitarist/vocalist Morgan Lander. "Receiving the opportunity to play with bands that we are both friends with and fans of is really an honor. The shows are going to be super energetic and metal as fuck, so watch out!" The band has just returned from a European tour in support of its sophomore album, "Oracle," which included the revered Donington Festival in England, and Ozzfest in Holland, where the group played in front of 40,000 metal fans "The European leg of Ozzfest 2002 was, again, an amazing experience," said Lander. "We made a lot of new friends and fans, and had the opportunity to play in front of a mind boggling amount of people, all of whom received us with open arms and horns raised high." Kittie will tour the States throughout the month of July and into August. www.kittie.net U.D.O. RELEASES MAN AND MACHINE ON BREAKER/SPV COLOGNE, Germany - U.D.O., led by the former voice of Accept Udo Dirkschneider, has unleashed its eighth studio recording, "Man and Machine," through Breaker/SPV. "This album is made after along time by the whole band," said Dirkschneider. "The sound is fresh and straight forward." "Man and Machine" includes a much talked about duet that pairs Dirkschneider's unmistakable voice with the equally unmistakable voice of German metal queen Doro Pesch. "The idea was not new," Dirkschneider said. "We had this idea already when we did the album 'Objection Overruled' with Accept in 1993, and when we had the ballad for 'Man and Machine,' Stefan Kaufmann came up with the idea again." As frontman for Accept, Dirkschneider defined a sound and an era of German metal, beginning with Accept's self-titled debut in 1978. Nine years later, the singer would go on to form U.D.O. and release the classic albums "Animal House," "Faceless World," "Mean Machine," "No Limits," "Solid," and "Timebomb." U.D.O. was put on temporary hiatus between 1992 and 1996 while Accept reformed for three albums, but soon returned with "Holy." With seven albums under their belts, Dirkschnieder and his crew then put together the ultimate U.D.O. live recording, "Live From Russia." The double CD features the best of the U.D.O. catalog, including "Animal House," "They Want War," "Heart of Gold," "Independence Day," and "Holy," as well as exclusive and previously unavailable live versions of Accept classics like "I'm a Rebel," "Winter Dreams," "Turn Me On," "TV War," and "Heaven is Hell." Having already completed a European headlining tour in support of "Man and Machine," U.D.O. is now preparing for the summer European festivals. This itinerary includes headlining slots at Lillehammer, Norway's Olymia Park/Ice Hockey Arena, Crete's National Stadium Open Air Festival, and Rieneck, Germany's Rock am Tummel. The entire U.D.O. catalog and releases from Accept have been reissued through SPV USA. Accept's "Restless & Wild," released June 11, is the most recent reissue. www.udo-online.de www.spvusa.com PRONG JOINS DANZIG FOR U.S. TOUR Following a highly successful headlining tour, the recently reformed Prong will join Danzig on their 10-week US tour. The industrial rock pioneers disbanded five years ago following the release of their last album, "Rude Awakening," and reformed this year under the guidance of Tommy Victor, the only constant member of the band through their decade-plus career. Joining Victor are returning drummer Dan Laudo, bassist Brian Perry, and guitarist Monte Pittman. Prong is planning to hit Europe for a few festival shows in mid-August once the Danzig tour has completed. The band recorded a four-song demo of new material and quickly hit the road for a six-week headlining tour. Pending a new recording deal, material recorded on that tour will be released as a live album, tentatively scheduled for an October release. An eight-week US/European tour is scheduled to support the album. For updates and news, visit www.prong-23.com. PLANETSHRED News Update CMM ENTERTAINMENT, LLC For METAL MIKE CHLASCIAK HALFORD has recently returned from their headlining festival dates in Sweden and Italy. The shows were received extremely well and the band debuted several tracks from the up-coming NEW album "Crucible". Other bands featured on those bills were: Slayer, Doro, Gamma Ray, My Dying Bride, Ted Nudgent, Steppenwolf and many more ... HALFORD is returning to Europe to commence the second leg of festivals. The official dates are as follows: June 29 - Bang Your Head Festival, Stuttgart, GERMANY July 2 - Rockwave Festival, Athens, GREECE July 3 - Akademic Stadium, Sofia, BULGARIA July 5 - Full Force Festival, GERMANY July 6 - Graspop Metal Meeting, BELGIUM After these shows, the band plans on continuing doing various dates by touring throughout the world in 2002 and into 2003. Please check out the HALFORD site www.robhalford.com for tour stories, diaries and much needed info. HALFORD's NEW album "Crucible" (Metal-is/ Sanctuary Records Group) will hit the streets on June 25 (June 24 Europe). The first single (and VH-1/MTV video) "Betrayal" scored high on the hard rock radio charts. You can see advertisements for this highly anticipated albums in Revolver, Metal Edge, Metal Maniacs, Tongue to name just a few. You can catch Metal Mike in the current issues of Guitar World, Burrn!, BW&BK, BallBuster, Thrashem 'All, and other magazines on the newstands now ... Places such as Barnes & Noble, Borders, 7/11 should have most of them. In associating with SB Communications/ SB Prods/ Ballbuster Magazine, you can see advertisements for Metal Mike's 3rd solo disc "The Spilling" in current issues Metal Maniacs, Metal Edge. You can order your copy there if you haven't already. Metal Mike's solo CD's are still available as always thru our channels that are listed in the DISTRIBUTORS section at the official METAL MIKE web site www.planetshred.com. METAL MIKE has attended GENE SIMMONS' party at the Barfly Club, No. Hollywood, for the launch of Simmons' own magazine "TONGUE". Mike was among many guests that included Nikki Sixx, members of Kiss, Baywatch, Playboy celebrities and much more ... Asked about it Mike replied "It was great, it's our duty to support a magazine that gives at least some of it's space to Metal, and of course the open bar helps as well ..." Well said, indeed. The JOHN WEST (Royal Hunt/ Artension) "Earthmaker" album that Mike guested on will be released by Frontiers Records. Yamaha in Japan. Tentative date is August/ September 2002. Frontiers Records will also be releasing the NYC tribute album that features a Metal Mike track "Accepting Angels At Dusk". This song can also be found on Mike's second solo disc "Territory: Guitar Kill !!" (Beyond Flat Nine Records). Stay tuned for extremely exciting NEWS regarding METAL MIKE and JACKSON GUITARS. The planetshred site will be getting a makeover or a real up-date in the least. Come back soon for new album scans, new photos, new bio and much more ... More info contact: CMMENT@planetshred.com THUNDERCORE ENTERS STUDIO WITH GUITAR WIZ MICHAEL ANGELO Indy-based band joins the growing roster at M.A.C.E. Music in preparation for recording sophomore release Attention all parents: Indy metalcore favorite Thundercore (www.thundercore.com) is currently recording tracks for its second full-length release due to hit the streets this summer. So cover your ears! The band has entered Monster Mix Studio in Southern Wisconsin and guitar virtuoso/producer Michael Angelo (C4, Nitro, Holland) is handling engineering, mixing and mastering duties. "We are really excited to begin creating our second disc," says guitarist Rob Mason. "And we are definitely benefiting from working with someone as talented and experienced as Michael Angelo. He's even promised us a cameo appearance." The CD is the follow-up to Thundercore's 1999's self-titled debut - the album responsible for their signing with Europe's Sonic Attack, a division of Modern Music - Germany. Since that time, Thundercore has played to crowded houses all over the Midwest and even earned a slot at the 2001 Milwaukee Metalfest, taking the main stage as openers for Soilwork. "The new disc is going to maintain some of the severity found on our self-titled debut and our 'Shift' EP," Mason Says. "But we have achieved a new level of sophistication in our songwriting, and we expect that to really stand out as we go through the recording process." But, Thundercore's collaboration with Angelo goes beyond the simple recording relationship. Thundercore has joined the growing roster of talent with Angelo's M.A.C.E. Music, including C4, TD Clark and Michael Fath. "We are extremely excited to have Thundercore join us at M.A.C.E. Music," Angelo says. "This is a great young band with a bright future. Their new CD will be hard, heavy and intense with great songwriting." M.A.C.E. is a full service music company selling CDs directly or through other distributors to more than 35 countries around the world including Russia, Qatar, Japan and Brazil. The brainchild of Mason and guitarist Dan Morley, Thundercore is rounded out with bassist Chris Morley (Dan's brother), drummer Stacy Copas and vocalist Bret Simmons. COLOR RED with Primer 55 & Kidney Thieves. July 5 Greenbay, WI Riverside Ballroom July 7 Edgarton, WI Club Raven July 9 Lacrosse, WI Warehouse July 10 Minneapolis, MN Ascot Room July 11 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl July 12 Iowa City, IA Gabe's July 13 Cedar Rapids, IA The Reverb July 14 Clinton, IA Pig Pen July 16 Pittsburg, KS Foxtown July 17 St. Louis, MO Pop's July 18 Chattanooga, TN The Bay July 19 Columbus, OH Al Rosa Villa July 20 Louisville, KY Tek World July 21 Detroit, MI Shelter July 22 Cleveland, OH Peabody's July 24 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga July 25 Springfield, VA Jaxx July 26 Huntington, WV TBA July 27 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection July 28 Struthers, OH The Cellar NITRO RECORDS NEWS! Nitro signs Boston heavyweights Lost City Angels !!! Look for their debut album in stores September 17th. See them on tour with Social Distortion June 18-29 and on select dates with Stiff Little Fingers. RUFIO are on Tour AS WE SPEAK in the US with Strung Out and Poison The Well. Check the Tour Dates page at www.nitrorecords.com for show dates. NEW RELEASE DATES ORIGINAL SINNERS - JUNE 25TH LOST CITY ANGELS - SEPTEMBER 17TH DIVIT - SEPTEMBER 17TH STAVESACRE - OCTOBER 1ST WARPED TOUR Check the Tour Dates page at www.nitrorecords.com for Warped Tour dates for Stavesacre, Divit, and The Damned. IN STORES NOW - PUNKZILLA , a new Nitro compilation. * featuring unreleased tracks from AFI, TSOL, enhanced videos from AFI and BODYJAR, as well as tracks from new additions to the Nitro Family RUFIO, STAVESACRE, ORIGINAL SINNERS, DIVIT. CENTINEX TO TOUR EUROPE CATALOG REISSUE CONFIRMED London: Candlelight Records confirms the participation of Sweden's CENTINEX on Deicide's fall tour of Europe. The tour marks the band's first full tour of Europe in nearly two years, and their first extensive tour in support of their latest album, Diabolical Desolation. Set to begin in England, the tour will work its way through 8 countries, including France, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, The Netherlands and more. Bassist Martin Shulman says, "I'm sure the tour with Deicide will be a blast. We haven't done any proper European touring in two years, so we are really looking forward to presenting the "Diabolical Desolation" live on stage." Released earlier this year, Diabolical Desolation continues to receive positive response from all over the world. Candlelight further confirms the release of the band's four previous albums. Bloodhunt and Hellbrigade (previously released by WWIII) plus the band's very early and previously unavailable recordings Alleusmaleficarum and Reborn Through Flames will be released September 17. Together since 1990, Centinex have watched and participated in Sweden's growing death metal domination. Signing to Candlelight in early 2001, after several years with Repulse, the band made their US live debut at the 3rd Annual New Jersey Metal Festival. "Our next goal is a full U.S tour," says Shulman. "The album has been doing great over there and we are extremely satisfied with the work and promotion Candlelight has done for us." Diabolical Desolation is available in stores now. Van Richter Records partners with KOCH Entertainment Distribution LLC Palm Springs CA. Eight year old California aggro industrial label Van Richter Records has inked a long term distribution deal with #1 North American independent Distributor KOCH Entertainment Distribution LLC via its deal with Nu Millennium. Van Richter plan's new releases from their roster of artists for 2002 including TESTIFY and THE FAIR SEX. The label had multiple offers but chose Koch due to their market share dominance and leadership as the top independent distribution company in North America as well as their dedication and support of independent music and their understanding of the industrial genre of music Van Richter is releasing. The Koch roster includes such market leader labels as Koch Records, Moonshine, and Epitaph. Further information can be found on the Van Richter website at www.vanrichter.net COURSE OF NATURE IS "ONE TO WATCH" SAYS TEEN PEOPLE Band gets props from the press and hits the road to support Superkala for Lava/Atlantic Enterprise, AL - Lava/Atlantic recording act Course of Nature was highlighted by Teen People magazine in their "Ones to Watch" section in their summer music issue. The magazine went on to cite Course of Nature's album Superkala as a "fresh collection of grinding guitar riffs and soul-searching lyrics." The Alabama-based rock outfit has been getting the thumbs-up across the board from the press. Guitar One magazine picked Course of Nature as their "Artist of the Month" while Pulse lauded the band's "aggressive hard rock sound coupled with catchy and memorable melodies. Journalist Marc Weinroth from Detours called Superkala "a solid debut album" while venerable SoCal street mag Mean Street focused on the group's top-notch songwriting ability, citing Superkala as "packed with plenty of potential hits." Course of Nature is currently on the road touring through their Southern roots and all across America to promote their Lava/Atlantic debut release Superkala, whose name is an abbreviation of one of Mary Poppins' favorite phrases. Course of Nature supported Nickelback on the first leg of their U.S. tour, playing high profile radio shows, including a headlining stint on the WB College Night tour in April and a TV debut on Last Call With Carson Daly. The following dates are confirmed, and additional dates are to be announced. Thu/Aug 01- Memphis, TN Sun/Jun 16- Charleston, SC Fri/Aug 09- Atlanta, GA Tue/Jun 18- State College, PA Sat/Aug 10- Montgomery, AL Wed/Jun 19- Boston, MA Fri/Aug 16- Bakersfield, CA Sat/Jun 22- Flint, MI Sat/Aug 17- Santa Rosa,, CA Wed/Jun 26- Indianapolis, IN Sun/Aug 18- Sacramento, CA Fri/Jun 28- Dayton, OH Mon/Aug 19- Seattle, WA Sat/Jun 29- Kansas City, MO Fri/Aug 23- Dubuque, Iowa Wed/Jul 03- Charlotte, NC Fri/Aug 31- Nashville, TN Sun/Jul 07- Monmouth, NI Sat/Sept 7- Modesto, CA Tue/Jul 09- Portsmouth, NH Sun/Sept 8- Bakersfield, CA Thu/Jul 18- Long Island, NY Thu/Jul 25- San Jose, CA HAMMERHEART Records News ANCIENT RITES...finally recorded their long-awaited live-CD/DVD in a completely packed Biebob-club in Belgium. According to the band it was a very succesful show so we are waiting eagerly for the final result. BLOOD RED THRONE... is currently working in the studio to record their 2nd full-length album. The working title is "Affiliated With The Suffering". Tchort and his "evil" partners in crime are planning to record 12 tracks. Some of the songtitles are A Dream of Death, Bleeders Lament, Chaos Rising, Unleashing Hell, Deadly Intentions, Razor Jack, Gather the Dead and Mercy Killings. Futhermore the band is ready to hit the road to support the album in the rest of Europe. DEMONS OF DIRT... are working on new material for their next album. The band is also planning to record a cover of Disrespect's "One Man Down". DIMENSION F3H... is currently recording their debut album "Reaping the World Winds". The album will be mixed in studio Fredman in Sweden. The studio line-up now consist of mastermind Morfeus (Limbonic Art), Stian Lindaas Kristoffersen (drums) and Nesmoth (vocals). HEARSE... is also in the studio to record their upcoming 7" EP and their debut full-length album titled "Dominion Reptialian". The core of Hearse exists around ex-Arch Enemy frontman Johan Liiva (vocals and bass) and Max Thornell (drums), with the addition of Mattias Ljung (guitars). IMPIOUS... recently finished the recordings for their upcoming album "The Killer". The album was recorded in Studio Mega (a.o. The Crown) and from what we have heard you can expect a totally killer Death/Thrash-explosion with an ultra-intense production. These guys will blow your fucking head off. MACABRE... just had their 1986 debut recording "Grim Reality" remixed by Neil Kernon (Cannibal Corpse, Queensryche). Furthermore the debut of the Macabre Minstrels (Macabre unplugged!) is near completion. On top of that the band is preparing the recordings for their upcoming new album "Murder Metal". And last but not least Macabre will play this years Wacken Open Air and Milwaukee Metal Fest. MONSTROSITY... recently returned from a very succesful Mexican and South American tour. Monstrosity will head to Europe in September for a big European Tour with Dying Fetus (US), Houwitser (NL) and Intervalle Bizarre (Cze). For dates check the the tour-schedule at the end of the newsletter. MORIFADE... will make their TV-debut soon in the TV-commercial for Sweden's leading beer manufacturers "Norrlands Guld". Cheerz! NECROPHOBIC... is currently preparing for their German festival appearances at Wacken Open Air and Party San Open Air. PRIMORDIAL's... new album "Storm Before Calm" is taking the world by storm. Extremely good reviews so far (RockHard 9/10, Legacy 15/15 (+ Album of the Month!), Hammer 7/7, Heavy oder Was!? 10/12, Aardschok 95/100, RockTribune 90/100). Before the band plays at Wacken Open Air in August they will do some Irish clubshows. Furtermore the band will do a mini-tour in the Benelux at the end of September with Dutch band Callenish Circle. SATARIEL... found a new management in Metal Fortress that should provide them with more liveshows and festivals. The band is also writing new material for their 3rd album. SEPTIC FLESH... are currently recording their new masterpiece in Studio Fredman in Sweden. www.hammerheart.com Century Media Update News on ARCH ENEMY, SENTENCED, ENTWINE, LACUNA COIL, MADDER MORTEM, STORMHAMMER, KOTIPELTO, ONWARD, KRISIUN, BORKNAGAR, SHADOWS FALL, CANDIRIA, STAMPIN GROUND ...AND OCEANS The initial impulse to name the new concept album Insect Angels & Devil Worms has been usurped by a much shorter album title, Cypher. The band's explanation? "Its different meanings. 1.) a secret code; 2.) a person and thing which has no importance (that fits well with the decadentian lyrics); 3.) in Latin it means 'empty' ,which is nice, because the word empty is repeated in the lyrics." Their new record "Cypher" will be released June 17th 2002. To stay tuned about all upcoming things please check their new website: http://on.to/andOceans ANGEL DUST - LIVE Check out LIVE PICs for some new pictures of Angel Dust at there concert in Cologne on 16.04.2002... CHECK IT OUT ! ANGEL DUST A lengthy special on ANGEL DUST will be aired on Zed's Psycolopedia show on TOTAL ROCK RADIO this coming Sunday, 16th June As well as playing loads of Dust tracks there's an interview with Frank "Banx" Bankowsky plus loads of Angel Dust stuff up for grabs through competitions spread over more than an hour of real metal All this and more going out just as all REAL metallers are coming home from a long night of "drinking, fucking, headbanging" 04.00 - 07.00 (CET) - WWW.TOTALROCK.COM BORKNAGAR These Norwegian visionaries are confirmed to play the Party Stage at the Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany on August 2nd, and the Party-San Open Air Festival August 9th - 10th. The band is still trying to get a North American tour for the summer and a European tour in the fall. In the meantime, the band will soon re-launch their website... www.borknagar.com CANDIRIA Here is the statement of the band regarding the cancellation of their remaining dates: Candiria is heading back to the U.S. after an aborted circuit of dates in West Germany with The Dillinger Escape Plan. A stalwart attempt by the band to hold fast in London in order to play two scheduled headlining dates sponsored by Kerrang Magazine in London became financially unfeasible and the band was forced to cut their losses and return to New York. Lucky Candiria fans got to see the band on 5 headline dates across the U.K., including a London show at Camden Palace . Although Candiria joined The Dillinger Escape Plan tour with Rabies Caste for a successful show in The Netherlands, and another in Hannover, Germany, The Berlin gig proved to be the tour's undoing, with conflicting show times, lack of promotion and ultimately a lack of confidence in the tour on the part of the powers behind it--all contributed to the decision to pull the plug on the rest of the tour. Candiria deeply regrets not being able to play the rest of the shows. Thanks to all the fans that came out to support this tour. ENTWINE Confirmed for this year's Summer Breeze ((www.summer-breeze.de) festival for a show on Thursday, 22nd of August. One more great band on this fantastic billing! www.entwine.cjb.net KOTIPELTO The Lord Of Eternity is opening the WACKEN OPEN AIR 2002 with his first solo gig! The evening of Thursday, August 1st 2002 will be a night to remember! Stratovarius Frontman Timo Kotipelto will present the songs of his Solo Debut "Waiting For The Dawn" (will be released May 21st in a lim. luxurios Digibook) to all his fans. He has let us know that this is going to be the live line-up for the show at Wacken Open Air : Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius) - Vocals, Mirka Rantanen (Tunnel Vision & Warmen) - Drums, Sami Virtanen (Warmen) - Guitars, Jari Kainulainen (Stratovarius) - Bass and Janne Wirman (Children of Bodom & Warmen) - Keyboards. www.kotipelto.com KRISIUN With the opportunity to play a hometown show back in November 2001 falling through, it's officially been 5 years since the last time KRISIUN played Porto Alegre. On June 2nd, during the intense winter of Brazil's southern region, Moyses, Alex and Max will meet old friends and new fans in the town that nurtured their rebellion at Bar Opinião, a venue with the capacity of 3,000. The band just recently shared the main stage of South America's largest independent festivals, Abril Pro Rock, with countrymen Sepultura on April 20th... No worries, sure the guys will return to Europe soon: Starting late August 2002 the band will be on the road for a 5-6 weeks tour with Vader + Decapitated. Don´t miss the Southamerican Lords of Total Death Metal! www.krisiun.com.br LACUNA COIL The Star Wars loving Italian sextet from Milan finished their work for the new upcoming record called "Comalies". The album was recorded with their longterm producer Waldemar Sorychta at Woodhouse, Hagen/Germany and will be released September 23rd 2002! "Comalies" includes the following track listing: 1. Swamped, 2. Heaven's A Lie, 3. Daylight Dancer, 4. Humane, 5. Self Deception, 6. Aeon, 7. Tight Rope, 8. The Ghost Woman And The Hunter, 9. Unspoken, 10. Entwined, 11. The Prophet Said, 12. Angel's Punishment, 13. Comalies. To hold you over until the next installment of band news, the Italian band's website features an mp3 of the sultry Anneke van Giersbergen and the sensual Cristina Scabbia performing The Gathering's "Shrink" (performed live on April 19th, 1998), certainly a duet that should often be repeated... Thanks to Jürgen Both and the Powertrip Fan/Webzine (www.powertrip.de), for sending us the aboce pic of Anneke and Cristina. http://www.lacunacoil.it MADDER MORTEM Agnete, vocalist in the Avantgarde / Dark Metal band MADDER MORTEM with the latest update: "Studio time again! We've been really silent for some time now, hopefully no one has cut off their hair and cried themselves to sleep for that reason. The main reason is that we've been pretty busy preparing for the new album. The recording takes place in Studio Underground again, we started with drums on the 20th of May, and we should be finished the 12th of June. Total album length will be 50-60 minutes of Madder Music, nine tracks of gloom and riffing. As for style, it's heavier and gloomier, but perhaps less schizophrenic than "All flesh is grass". The album will be called "Deadlands", with brilliant cover art from Christian Ruud. Release in Europe is scheduled for the 21st of October 2002, so keep your eyes open!" www.maddermortem.com ONWARD Recently completing a video shoot for "Night" off their recent album, Reawaken (Released in Europe March 25th 2002). For more news hit: www.evermoving.com SENTENCED Well done, guys! Century Media Rec. is very happy to announce that SENTENCED "The Cold White Light" has entered the Finnish charts at # 1 and the German charts at # 45 !!! Btw, the new Video "No One There" is ready and will hit your TV channels soon. Send a mail, a letter or whatever you want to the TV stations in your country that it´s necessary to play and show some Metal / Rock among all the mainstream clips!!! Thanks for support! www.sentenced.org STAMPIN GROUND With their album almost written and pre-production about to begin, STAMPIN' GROUND have seized the opportunity to go out and road test a few new tunes in support to none other than the mighty HATEBREED. As vocalist Adam says "we've been away for far too long; this ultimate bill will prove we're coming back in a big way.....you'd better get prepared for a refreshed SG with even mightier riffage than ever before..." Catch them on fire at: June 24th - London - Garage June 25th - Manchester - Hop and Grape June 26th - Newport - T.J's STAMPIN' GROUND also play: July 20th - Holiday's In The Sun Hardcore / Punk weekend The Wintergardens, Blackpool. W/ Suicidal Tendencies, Freebase + many, many more STORMHAMMER The band is confirmed as support act for Blind Guardian in Vienna (October 12th) and Budapest (October 13th). They are also one of the first bands confirmed for the "Blind Guardian Open Air Festival" (arranged by BG and their management) which is scheduled to take place in Coburg / Bamberg (Germany) on the weekend of the 13th - 14th of June, 2003. Check them out! They are still working on their new album "Cyber Mortis" to be released by Autumn 2002. www.stormhammer.de UNLEASHED Hell´s unleashed upon mankind since April 29th 2002. After 5 years of painful waiting our warriors finally released their masterpiece of old school Death Metal. After their successful return in worldwide media the first live date is confirmed. Unleashed will raise the horns at Wacken August 3rd 2002 and will celebrate with their fans the Victory of Death Metal! Speaking about "Death Metal". Unfortunately this cool Song is only featured on the Promotional CD´s of "Hell´s Unleashed", which has a simple reason the bands explains and excuses with their own words: "There have been questions of why the song "Death Metal" was not included onthe new CD. This here is just to let you know what happened: The music and lyrics to the song was made by Johnny, but much inspired by, and as a tribute to one of the first bands playing brutal music; "Venom" and their song "Black Metal". Most of you metalheads already know this. However, to release a song like this takes a permission from Venom and their publisher. This we didn't get in time for the CD-release date. Perhaps we can make it to the LP version or something .....Let's wait and see." Unleashed, May 2002 The LP version include (already released) a coverversion of "Ace Of Spades" from Motörhead! If and when "Death Metal" will be released is not sure yet. Please visit their website to vote for the ultimate Unleashed song ever, so the band can prepare for their gig at the Wacken: www.unleashed.nu www.centurymedia.de BLOODSTOCK 2002 Bloodstock 2002 - 31st August 2002 Ozzfest has been and gone and Ozzy has apologised! Deconstruction as well. The festival season is in full swing! So where does it end this year and what date is essential for anyone who wants to squeeze the last drop out of summer rock? Bloodstock 2002 31st August in Derby Assembly Rooms is the answer. The inaugural event last year was a huge success and was described as: "The Most Unlikely Live event of the year. entertainment defined!" Terrorizer "A Great Day of Heavy Metal" - UK RockNet "Awesome, Totally World Class! Amazing! Huge!" - Powerplay This year is going to be even bigger! What makes Bloodstock special, it is put on by real Metal enthusiasts. The line up includes Biomechanical, "A new UK metal band that are going to blow you away when they open the main stage, they are an act destined to become leaders not followers in the Metal scene". Through the likes of Diamond Head who influenced Metallica, another Teutonic feast in Gamma Ray and the number one Progressive Metal band Threshold. Vince's partner renowned Metal Cover Artist Paul Gregory had this to say "Ozzfest was billed as 'Rock Comes Home' however we believe that Rock never left. The UK is the birthplace of Rock and Metal and last year we proved that there is still a huge demand for the sort of acts that Bloodstock are committed to putting on. This years festival is going to be awesome!" Paul Gregory's Album Cover artwork including the painting for Blind Guardian's latest album 'A Night at the Opera', Freedom Call's 'Eternity' and a number of commissions for last years headline Saxon, will be exhibited at this year's event. There is also a vibrant 20 stall Metal Market. Tickets (£25 in advance) can be bought directly from the Bloodstock website (www.bloodstock.uk.com or through Ticketmaster and Way Ahead. Travel to Derby can be arranged through Argon Travel www.argon-direct.com who will be laying on coaches and packages from various locations in the UK and abroad. Summary: The Last Rock Festival of 2002 · The Second Bloodstock Event · Wacken Headliners Blind Guardian taking centre stage with full pyrotechnic show. · 3000 Capacity · 14 Bands · 2 Stages · Paul Gregory Exhibition · 20 Stall Metal Market · Tickets · Travel Arrangements - Argon Travel Promoters AMust4Music Vince Brotheridge Paul Gregory Info@bloodstock.uk.com Full Line Up Main Stage Blind Guardian Gamma Ray Diamond Head Threshold Balance of Power Freedom Call Biomechanical Second Stage Return to the Sabbat Bal-Sagoth Primordial Elvenking Infobia Twelvepointhead TBC DAN SPITZ ?OUT OF EARLY RETIREMENT? USING DIEZEL AMPLIFIER ? Dan Spitz founding member of Anthrax and the Godfather of Rap meets Metal has picked up his guitar again. Out of early retirement and completely on fire! He and Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden have joined forces and are currently recording. Very scary! But gets even better, old Danny boy isn?t going to be shy about the extremely heavy album being created. So, you can expect an atomic explosion when the Diezel Amplifier supplies the Nicko McBrain/ Dan Spitz Tour with a Catalyst for reaction. This is truly the best amp I have ever plugged into. I have had just about every amp there is during my career, including mod's that are named after me by other famous amp manufacturers. My quest has ended. Peter Diezel has made the first amp I have ever plugged straight into needing absolutely nothing else but my guitar.? Diezel Amplifiers can be heard all over Dan Spitz forthcoming album and seen onstage. ?Peter Diezel is officially my amp hero from this point forward. Nobody is even in the same league.? Salwender International is proud to be the exclusive US importer and distributor for Diezel Amplifiers. To find out more contact Salwender International ask for a Diezel retailer near you. For Information: http://www.salwender.com Contact: info@salwender.com Phone: 714-538-1285 MONSTROSITY International artists, Monstrosity, just back from Brazil with sell out venues 1,000-1,300 and a three week tour of Mexico prior to that, prove that previous shows in Bogota, South America and Lima Peru aren't the only south of the border countries with frenzied fans for the group. Monstrosity have four albums to their credit and 60,000 albums have sold worldwide. They were featured in a six page interview in the January 2002 issue of Metal Maniacs with an interview in Pit Magazine on the streets now Monstrosity's album, "Millennium" reissued in the US on Conquest Music May 7, 2002 can be found in fine record stores everywhere. With crowds of 500 in Juarez Mexico; 700 in Rimouski, Canada; 500 in McAllen. Tx to name just a few and 80 US shows completed in 2001, it isn't any wonder this is one of the hardest working bands in the metal scene today. Monstrosity will head to Europe for the third time visiting at least eleven countries and they anticipate playing 50 shows before returning to the States. http://www.conquestmusic.com info@conquestmusic.com HAMMERHEART RECORDS RECONSTRUCTION FOR THE US NEW RELEASES TO HIT STORES LATE SUMMER The Netherlands: Hammerheart Records announces its restructure plans for the United States. Effective immediately, Hammerheart and Philadelphia-based MANIC Music will come together with MANIC's staff handling all day-to-day and marketing activities for the Valkenburg-based label. Hammerheart President Guido Heijnens says, "MANIC Music is exactly the company that we are looking for, basically backing us up on anything that does not function from over here in Holland. We are excited to see people as experienced as they are working with us in the future. For sure our releases are in good hands and we will see both MANIC and HAMMERHEART make a big impact on today's Metal scene. Together we will bring you Music for Generation Armageddon !!!" MANIC Music's Paula Hogan adds, "Hammerheart continues to be a growing company that has a solid roster of talent that shows promise for the Americas. MANIC is excited of the opportunity to be working with the knowledgable Hammerheart staff and looks forward to developing a solid and prosperous relationship." Hammerheart Records was formed in 1995. The label is currently home to Dismember, Control Denied, Primordial, Blood Red Throne, Alas, Sinister, and Dimension F3H, and has released recordings from The Ravenous, Hagalaz Runedance, and the popular Dimmu Borgir/Old Man's Child split ep, among others. In 2000, the label entered the American market, working in cooperation with Pittsburgh-based Martyr Music Group. MANIC Music is a promotion company that was formed by Paula Hogan in 1998. Hogan expanded the companies operations in 2000 adding sales and marketing services. The company has since handled all daily US operations for London-based Candlelight Records and coordinates promotion and publicity for Yorkshire-based Peaceville Records and London-based Snapper Music. Hammerheart is finalizing new distribution and plans late summer releases to include new albums from Internecine, Primordial and Necrophobic. Further details will follow. Manicanne@aol.com Manicpr@aol.com SNAPPER MUSIC CONFIRMS AUGUST RELEASES ANATHEMA, SOUNDISCIPLES, GONG AND OZRIC TENTACLES London: Snapper Music confirms August 13 as the US release date for Anathema-Eternity, Soundisciples-Audio Manifesto and Tekton Motor Corp-Human Race - each from Peaceville Records. The company further confirms the anticipated release of Ozric Tentacles-Pongmasters Ball and the first dvd release from Gong. Peaceville Record's continues its reissue series of classic albums from its historical vaults with the re-release of Anathema's Eternity. Originally released in late 1996, it was Eternity that saw the beginning of the Liverpool-based band's more melodic era. The album received widespread acclaim for the stylish mixture of atmospheric instrumentals, melody (leading to numerous comparisons with Pink Floyd), and clean vocals, all blending with the band's already touted heavy-set leanings. The reissue of Eternity follows the recent release of Resonance II, the second part in the label's anthology series. The second album from Bristol-based Soundisciples is the first with proper release in the US. Recorded at Portishead's State Of Art studios, the album features contributions from Reprazent and Massive Attack members. The album further features two remixes by Bullet Proof Monk (Mikey Freedom, Bungy & Nomad.) and Poison Flow (previous work includes Sugar Babes, Future Tech & Old Dirty Bastard). Tekton Motor Corp came to Peaceville by way of the band's connections with Laibach. During that time, the band came to release two albums for Peaceville's Dreamtime label. Originally released in 1994, the band's popular debut comes to the US for the first time. The band early on pioneered use of samples, keyboards and guitars, forshadowing the now successful trip-hop and darkwave movement. Snapper Music continues its special DVD series with Gong's first official DVD. Recorded live at London's Subterranea Club in April 2002, the set captures the exciting and often unpredictable nature of Gong's spacey improvisation. With artwork by Daevid Allen, this package also contains an interview with Daevid Allen and a chronological history of the popular band. The highly anticipated Pongmasters Ball is the first true live album to be released by Ozric Tentacles in 10 years. The 2-cd set was recorded in front of a capacity audience at London's renowned Shepherds Bush Empire and features classics from Ozric Tentacles' vast back catalogue. Pongmasters Ball also contains previously unreleased material and the odd "space-jam," the band's always popular improvised on-stage jam session. As of press time, Pongmasters Ball will be followed by a live dvd, that is planned to coincide with Ozric Tentacles 20th Anniversary later this fall. Additional details to be announced. Snapper Music and Peaceville Records are distributed exclusively in the US by Navarre Corporation. BILLBOARD PUBLISHES 18TH EDITION OF THE MUSICIAN'S GUIDE TO TOURING AND PROMOTION New York, New York (June 5, 2002) -- The 18th edition of the Billboard Musician's Guide to Touring and Promotion (Summer/Fall 2002) is now available at newsstands, bookstores, and music retailers. This guide has been an indispensable tool for touring bands and musicians for over a decade. Updated twice a year, this new edition has over 4,800 industry contacts. This latest edition has a special focus on record company "A&R" and will help musicians understand how label talent executives evaluate and sign new acts. It's an exclusive inside look at changes in the A&R process and the most common mistakes made by aspiring acts. The heart of Billboard Musician's Guide is its extensive contact listings for clubs, radio stations, record stores, agents, managers, major and indie label A&R personnel, attorneys, music industry publications and websites, tape and disc services, conferences and showcases, bus/van rental companies, and local press. This edition also includes a series of first-person accounts of "Road Nightmares" from Shawn Colvin, India.Arie, Mickey Hart, Toby Keith, John Scofield, and other top artists. Countless musicians have used the Billboard Musician's Guide to Touring and Promotion to help book themselves, find places to stay, and discover industry contacts. Those who earn their livelihood on the road, working solo or with a band, can put their faith in the Guide. To order a copy, send a check or money order for $15.95 per copy ($18.95 overseas) to Musician's Guide to Touring and Promotion, 49 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203; or call 800-407-6874 or 615-321-4250. You can also order online at http://www.musiciansguide.com. All prices include shipping and handling. The Billboard Musician's Guide to Touring and Promotion is a VNU Business Media publication. VNU Business Media also publishes Billboard, Adweek, The Hollywood Reporter, Airplay Monitor, Amusement Business and numerous other business publications. Lance King vocalist of BALANCE OF POWER has just finished recording vocals on the new DEFYANCE album entitled "Transitional Forms" the album is slated for release on NIGHTMARE RECORDS later this year and will be shopped to other labels worldwide. This is a side project for Lance but promises to be an Excellent Prog/Power metal album. For more info check out www.defyance.com BALANCE OF POWER is writing a new album that should be mixed by the fall slated tentatively for an early 2003 release. B.O.P. will be playing BLOODFEST/ Derby, England on August 31 For ticket information on bloodfest go to http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/online.htm BALANCE OF POWER will be headlining a club show the night before BLOODFEST August 30th at Abracadabra's nightclub in Burton-on-Trent- England for more info call Abracadabra's ( 011-44-128-533-6071 ) MINDGRINDER, from Norway does alliance in blood with Sound Riot Records! We are so pretty proud to present the new signing of Sound Riot Records, they are the Norwegian Extreme Metal band MINDGRINDER from Notodden city!!! MINDGRINDER are the new "Sons of Darkness" from Norway. The band features very talented musicians playing an extraordinary new-dimension of Brutallity and Darkness in their music and vox. This Norwegian band will be noted so fast, no only for the great experience and collaboration of Mr. Cosmocrator in ZYKLON (new band of Samoth and Trym, ex-EMPEROR members) and SOURCE OF TIDE (artist of Candlelight Records) which have released two successfull albums with the important orientation of Mr. Cosmocrator, but also, they have rich ideas to write so massive melodies between the Brutal Death Metal and intensity eviless of the Black Metal yet there is still a few influences of classical lines in the guitarrist's solos which does remember us the impressive technical skill of MORBID ANGEL's Trey Azagthoth, amazing! The debut album is planned to be recorded in the legendary Akkerhaugen Lydstudios (used by EMPEROR, ZYKLON, MACTATUS) and mastered at Strype studios (DIMMU BORGIR, MAYHEM, EMPEROR, IMMORTAL). In the beginning of 2003 this extremity will be released to every dark souls in extreme music! Also, the album will feature some special guests of famous musicians from Norway plus a video on the CD! Wait for a terrific release of Sound Riot!!! Now out on Sound Riot: GRAYSCALE "When The Ghosts Are Gone" CD (srp.16) Recorded, mixed and mastered at LaLa Studios & Finnvox studios! Top quality in music and sound. Gothic Metal from Finland with a mature songwriting in the same musical level to the Finnishs such as Sentenced, HIM, To/Die/For !!! http://listen.to/grayscale GRAND ALCHEMIST "Intervening Coma-Celebration" CD (srp.17) High class Symphonic Black Metal from Norway. Recorded at Elg Studios and mastered by mastermind Tom Kvålsvoll at Strype Studios (same used by Dimmu Borgir, Tidfall, Arcturus, Borknagar) !!! www.grandalchemist.com e-mail: soundriot@mail.telepac.pt BARBARIAN WRATH is a record label from Germany that is specialized on oldschool Black/Death/Thrash Metal. A detailed list of releases can be found at http://www.barbarianwrath.org/EvilOfferings/index.html. Clicking the album covers will get you to the mp3s. BARBARIAN WRATH Bands ***** ALASTOR will record a new CD (`Barbarian Alastor`) in July which should be out in Autumn 2002 CE. AMON in the line-up of Dr. Fe (vox) and Larva Krupica (guit) are still searching for members to complete their lineup and record new material sometime in Autumn 2002 CE. COUNTESS had another collapse of line-up (terminating all planned liveshows in June) and again Orlok is on his own. Currently he´s putting together material for a new CD called `Tales Of Blasphemy And Desacration`. GRAND BELIAL´S KEY are awaiting the unlimited re-release of `Castrate The Redeemer` which will hopefully occur in the course of June. GRAVEWURM finally released their second CD `Dark Souls Of Hell` on May 24th and will go to studio again in August to record a yet untitled 3rd CD with the help of session members. HERETIC were unhappy with the first version and decided to re-record `Devilworshipper` to achieve an even more rotten and bestial sound. Check back frequently for new mp3s. MEGIDDO are still mixing `The Atavism Of Evil` and we are now planning this as a July 2002 Release. At the same time the unlimited version of `The Devil And The Whore` should be available MORRIGAN sold out the numbered version of `Enter The Sea Of Flames` in one week. Unnumbered versions of `Enter...` as well as of the first CD `Plague Waste And Death` are available for wholesale/trade as you are reading this. MORRIGAN will play a tour with BLASPHEMY in July. Dates are: 10.7. Belgien, 11.7.Paris, 12.7.Barcellona, 13.7.Luzern, 14.7.Wien, 15.7. Nürnberg. NUNSLAUGHTER are preparing the recording of their long awaited new CD `Goat` and will record a second yet untitled part of `Radio Damnation` in Autumn 2002 CE. Even before that we plan an unlimited version of the long soldout first part. SARGATANAS are planning to record a new yet untitled CD in August 2002 CE. Check back frequently for new mp3s. SITHLORD still have not finished `The Return To Godless Times` due to an involvement of mainman Saundies in ATOMIZER. He recently returned from touring and we hope the CD is ready and out before the Summer. STINY PLAMENU are awaiting the release of their second CD `Rany Cernym Kovem` in September 2002 CE. New material is in the making. TEARSTAINED is being worked on. Not recorded yet, the 3rd album will be called `Final Thoughts` and will include 8 new songs and 2 hidden coversongs. `There Is No Hope` is still available as numbered version and we´re still trying to get ahold of copies of their first CD `Monumental In It´s Sorrow`. WIND OF THE BLACK MOUNTAINS just released `Black Sun Shall Rise` through MORIBUND RECORDS (Copies should be available in THE BASAR soon) and are in the final stages of mixing `Feasting On Christ`. Expect mp3s up as soon as we receive the recording. ***** III - WITCHES BREW Bands***** HATEFUL AGONY from München are the latest draft into the ranks of WITCHES BREW. They are currently recording their second CD and expect to finish the job in July so we are planning for a September release. Their first CD`Existance Is Punishment` is available in THE BASAR. SCYTHE (BREW-oo1) will be out in June 2002 CE. The CD is in print as we type this. HATEWORK will record in June and THARGOS are recording right now and should be done by June so we hope both can be out before the Summer. Mp3s of all 4 WITCHES BREW bands are up at http://www.witches-brew.org. ARISE RECORDS NEWS: The finish power metal band Celesty has just signed with Arise Records, this band were the winners of the Helloween contest (a new band´d record a cover of the band to be included in the album ``The Keepers Of Jericho Part II ´´) . Their debut album will be recorded in August at Fantom studios & the cover artwork will be painted by Christian Andersson (Amon Amarth, Morifade, Supreme Majesty). The second album of the Swedish band Freternia will be entitled ``A Nightmare Story ´´, it will be released in October. Martin Tilander is the new drummer of the band. Arwen has just finished the recording of their debut album ``Memories Of A Dream´´ , the album will be released in October The cover artwork will be painted by Kris Verwimp (Arch Enemy, Old Man´s Child) FOR MORE INFO ABOUT ARISE RECORDS, CHECK OUR WEBSITE: www.arisemetal.com NAVARRE SIGNS US DISTRIBUTION DEAL WITH LEADING GERMAN INDEPENDENT SPV MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Navarre Corporation (NASDAQ: NAVR) a leading distributor of home entertainment products today announced that Navarre Entertainment Media (NEM) has signed Germany's leading independent label for rock and metal music, SPV. Steamhammer Records, SPV Recordings, Audiopharm, Limb Music Products, Inside Out Music, Napalm Records and Breaker Records among others are under the umbrella of labels included in the deal. Navarre Entertainment Media will debut the first releases from artists like Michael Schenker, Rage and Arjen Lucassen on May 21. Future releases will include new albums by Rhapsody, U.D.O., Rose Tattoo and Summoning as well as a Motörhead DVD and the complete Saga catalog. "We took our time to make a decision after Valley/DNA folded," said Thomas Ziegler, Managing Director of SPV North America. "We decided to go with Navarre, because they stuck out as a solid independent company with a bright future and a consistency in quality that we were looking for. We are looking forward to a very fruitful and successful relationship." SPV President Manfred Schuetz stated, "After having a number one album (German R'n'B artist Xavier Naidoo) for four weeks on the German Charts, we've sold platinum in Germany and Switzerland, and gone gold in Austria. We're looking forward to working with Navarre to make an impression on the U.S. market in the same way with our varied artist roster." Jim Colson, Vice President Business Affairs, Navarre Entertainment Media had this to say, "I think people are going to be surprised at how well SPV will develop in the U.S. They are a very strong imprint in Europe, and that will start to translate over here. It will be great for Navarre to be a part of the development of their North American presence. We look forward to working to help take SPV to the next level in the U.S." SPV will launch www.spvusa.com , which will be solely dedicated to the label's North American artists and releases. About Navarre Corporation Navarre Corporation is a leading distributor of home entertainment content including PC software, video games, major label and independent music and DVD and VHS video. The company is divided into two business units. The first, Navarre Distribution Services, distributes non-proprietary quality entertainment products including consumer software, video games, major label and independent music and DVD and VHS video, to a broad base of retailers nationwide. The second, Navarre Entertainment Media, distributes proprietary entertainment products including independent music and DVD in the United States and Canada. The company also operates a "business to business" Internet E-Commerce Web site, www.navarre.com. VICTORY RECORDS NEWS SNAPCASE "END TRANSMISSION" Throughout Snapcase's pragmatic career they have been revered as one of the most innovative, intelligent and undeniably influential bands in underground music. From their very first 7" on Victory to their revolutionary, "Progression Through Unlearning" and their newest release "Designs for Automotion" Snapcase continually have changed the direction of music. They are currently putting the final touches on their latest release newly titled, "End Transmission." After much anticipation Snapcase entered Salad Days Studios with magic and ingenuity of producer Brian McTernan(Hot Rod Circuit, Darkest Hour, Reach The Sky); Snapcase has once again redefined the structure and approach of modern music. "End Transmission" will reveal Snapcase's rejuvenated strength. The energy that emanates from this record is astonishing. After 10 years Snapcase is stronger and more focused than ever. Once you hear there will be obvious why Snapcase has changed the lives and sound of so many bands. Snapcase is available for interviews via the phone. Please contact me as soon as possible to schedule times. Snapcase plans to tour early this full in support of 'End Transmission" tour dates are TBA. They will be making an appearance Friday June 21 on this year's Krazy Fest in Louisville, KY. DEAD TO FALL "Everything I Touch Falls to Pieces" Dead To Fall will be entering the studio with famed metal guru, Barry Poynter to record their debut, "Everything I Touch Falls to Pieces." Immediately after they finish recording they will embark on an East Coast Tour with German metal stalwarts, Caliban. Dead To Fall's fluid blend of Swedish influenced tech metal and bellowing mosh parts makes them an easy target for any fan of metal or hardcore. Dead to Fall plan to tour non stop throughout the summer, so don't miss out. BLOODLET "THREE HUMID NIGHTS IN THE CYPRESS TRESS" Bloodlet unleashes their brutal metalcore on the world in June as they tour in support of their new cd, "Three Humid Nights In The Cypress Trees", which releases on June 4. The band Hit Parader calls "Death Dealing Madmen" will join forces with Skycamefalling and Atreyu in mid-June for a month-long onslaught on fans of heavy music everywhere. You should have the disk in your hands now, so give it a long listen and appreciate Scott Angelacos' metaphor-rich lyrics roaring over Bloodlet's crunching guitars and primal rhythms. ATREYU SUICIDE NOTES AND BUTTERFLY KISSES Atreyu's debut release, "Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses" hits streets alongside labelmates Bloodlet on June 4, and you can expect non-stop touring all summer long for these Southern California kids. Revolver said it best when they described Atreyu as "An emotionally charged fusion of screaming metallic hardcore and catchy breakdowns". Atreyu has taken a new direction in melodic hard rock, by making extreme a little more accessible and emo and little more haunting and severe. Reach The Sky returned from an incredible, sold out tour of Japan and they sandwich their appearances on Krazy Fest and Hellfest with a massive new tour of the states with Stretch Armstrong and The Hope Conspiracy. River City Rebels are having the time of their lives on the road with the Dead Kennedys http://www.victoryrecords.com News From Dark Funeral Ave! Finally we are back home again after a killer and VERY successful tour throughout North America with Cannibal Corpse, Incantation and Pizzing Razors. We would like to thank all of you Metal Maniacs who came out to the shows. You guys RULED!!! As it looks right now, we wonâ?Tt be doing any shows during the summer. After having done over 90 shows since mid December we feel itâ?Ts time for a well deserved break. Although, you can be sure that we will be back on the road again during fall 2002. Due to not having proper paper works for entering Canada we were unfortunately forced to cancel the 3 Canadian dates. We are well aware of that many people were left disappointed but it was totally out of our hands. We were really looking forward to play Canada together with Cannibal Corpse, but there was nothing we could do about the situation. Many of you have also asked whom the hell we had playing the bass for us during the tour. It was no other then Richard Cabeza (Dismember). He did an excellent job and he will continue to play live with us in the future. "Diabolis Interium" was voted as the best album cover artwork of the year by the readerâ?Ts poll in Grind Zone Magazine (ITALY). Dark Funeralâ?Ts "The Secrets Of The Black Arts" (w/video bonus) and "Under Wings Of Hell" have both been licensed for Brazil via Somber Music. Both releases out in june. www.sombermusic.hpg.ig.com.br SINTERNATIONAL NEWS Law of the Plague's recording date has been pushed back due to studio scheduling difficulties. The new date has not yet been confirmed, but it will be very soon!!! In the meantime, another Law of the Plague mp3 will be posted for download soon. Law of the Plague is also looking for a bass player to promote the upcoming CD with live shows. Anyone interested should contact sinmail@sinternational.net for more information. SIC SEED is now officially sponsored by Jagermeister. Visit www.jagermusic. com to check it out. The SIC SEED 3-song demo has been added to the SINTERNET STORE. The band is currently in the studio working on some new material. For anyone in the Raleigh area of North Carolina, a SIC SEED will be planted your way soon at the metalfest sponsored by Snake Net Radio. Contact SIC SEED at sic_seed@yahoo.com for more information about this show. Law of the Plague's "Piss On My Grave" is featured on Volume 13 of the Atlantida compilation series out of Lithuania. Visit www.tomhet.net for more information. WWW.SINTERNATIONAL.NET PITCHSHIFTER "Shutdown" Video Currently Streaming Across Internet! New Album P.S.I. In Stores NOW! Pitchshifter is making their technologically proficient presence known in support of their new release (& Sanctuary Records debut) P.S.I. The band recently concluded a special remix contest in conjunction with AcidPlanet.com, where fans were encouraged to upload their most creative re-tooling of the new Pitchshifter single "Shutdown" for interactive prizes. Now, the video for "Shutdown" is beginning to stream at various outlets across the Internet, including KNAC.com, Pitchshifter.com, SanctuaryRecordsGroup.com and even MTV.com's new ROCK & VIDEO hub pages (www.mtv.com/bands/rock AND www.mtv.com/music/video). Fans can also check out the "Shutdown" video on MTV2's 'Rockshow' program! Having recently completed a European tour with Bad Religion, the band is planning a North American summer tour. The band's new Sanctuary Records release P.S.I., a 12-track study in mechanized mayhem is in stores NOW. www.pitchshifter.com www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com Paradise Lost Sign Exclusive North American Deal With KOCH Entertainment New York, NY - Paradise Lost signs exclusive North American deal for a new studio album as well as the previous 2 albums entitled Host and Believe in Nothing. Both records have never been released in North America. Host is set for release on August 13th and Believe In Nothing is tentatively scheduled for release on Nov. 12, 2002. The new CD is scheduled for late September or early October. KOCH is also re-releasing Draconian Times with 2 bonus tracks on June 11, 2002. This is part of a previous deal with Music For Nations. Lead singer Nick Holmes says, " We are very happy that we have signed to Koch in America, the future is definitely looking good, and we can't wait to come over and play sometime soon!" KOCH Entertainment is the leading and fastest-growing independent music company in the U.S. KOCH'S operations encompass record labels and distribution companies in the U.S. and Canada. KOCH Entertainment is the market leader among independents in both the U.S. and Canada and its record labels had the largest number of Billboard charting albums among independents in 2001/2002. www.kochentertainment.com RED STREAM Records News H i d d e n Out next on Red Stream is Hidden's debut, "Spectral Magnitude." It is a progressive and dismal astral Metal style locking in on Death, Doom, and Black Metal along with blasting speed styles. To be matched by a supercluster of scientific theory lyrics and artwork. The album's conception presents the projection of time as eternity in the cosmos. Space scenes & design by JP Fournier. Band information and origin withheld. F o r e s t o f I m p a l e d Forest of Impaled's second album for Red Stream will be called "Forward the Spears" and will house the catalogue number RSR-0157. Completely recorded, and soon ready for impalement, Forward the Spears will decimate 99's Demonvoid in a could of dust! N e c r o p h a g i a Necrophagia's Season of the Dead will be re-released on picture LP with a special Jenna Jameson design on the B side. This freeking classic album is also scheduled for a digibook and digipak re-release with complete re-mastering, for the future. Red Stream will continue the purity through war campaign with more Necrophagia merchandise soon, for instance, "Cannibal Holocaust" t-shirt. G o r e l o r d & W u r d u l a k Gorelord/Wurdulak-Creature Feature Part 2 is totally recorded and soon ready for release on Red Stream. This time there are 2 exclusive tracks from each sick group. In addition, Red Stream will be manufacturing killer merchandise of both bands. K i s a n t h Kisanth's "Forseen Storms of the Apocalypse" finally sees it's release through Baphomet (manufactured by Red Stream in this and other instances). Raw and vile Black Metal desecration for those that seek the truth. B l o o d S t a i n e d D u s k Blood Stained Dusk's "Dirge of Death's Silence" will be re-released on Baphomet (through Red Stream) very shortly. The initial pressing of this Damned Black Metal record is totally sold out, so we decided to give the band another chance to reach the mountains of desecration. H a t e F o r e s t Hate Forest-Scythia CD (NWR 1) will be reissued in digipak with 1 bonus track on Noble Wolves Records (which is a label manufactured by Red Stream). A b a z a g o r a t h Abazagorath-The Spirit of Hate For Mankind 7" EP out any day now! S e a r B l i s s Sear Bliss has completely recorded and mastered Forsaken Symphony - their next opus for Red Stream. This raw CD is a dedication to all that is hateful yet triumphant within this band's form of Black Metal. Multitudes of trombones and tubas combine nicely with the obscure and cryptic Black Metal chaos. This is a milestone for this style. D a r k F o r t r e s s Dark Fortress has entered Grieghallen studio (Burzum, etc) to record "Profane Genocidal Creations". www.redstream.org NEW THOR MUSIC! : THOR's new full-length CD, "Call Of The Triumphant" will be released in June! "Call Of The Triumphant" will feature 11 brand new high-powered metal anthems, as well as a few re-recorded favorites from THOR's past. "Call Of The Triumphant" marks THOR's return to creating metal in a style reminiscent of his classic 80's anthems, and is sure to rock the city as only the Thundergod could. A few songs that have already gotten good responses from fans are "Call Of The Triumphant", "Back For Blood", "Stormbringer" and "Hail Steve Reeves". Released through PHD Canada, "Call Of The Triumphant" coincides with the release of the new movie "Fubar" , which features our pal John Mikl Thor on the soundtrack. A music video for the song "Fubar Is A Super Rocker", which is included on "Call Of The Triumphant", is also scheduled for release soon. Watch for it on MTV, MTV2, and Canada's Much Music! Senate Judiciary Committee: Recording Artist Dan Navarro To Senate Judiciary Committee: ³Please Don¹t Make Artists Wait Any Longer for Fair Compensation² American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and American Federation of Musicians Member Testifies on Behalf of Performers During Senate Hearing on Webcasting Recording artist Dan Navarro brought the perspective of performers to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the compulsory license fees that webcasters must pay in order to broadcast music on the Internet. Testifying on behalf of recording artists and their unions, AFTRA and the AFM, Navarro emphasized that recording artists will receive 50% of the proceeds from the compulsory license. ³I cannot overestimate how important this new income stream will be to both royalty artists and session singers and musicians,² he said. ³For most of us, there is no one project, job or recording that provides an adequate living all by itself. The performance license fees will be an important component of our income. It is necessary in order to enable US performers to continue to create great albums.² Navarro is well placed to speak for the breadth of artists¹ concerns on the issue. Together with his partner, Eric Lowen, he has released albums on major labels, independent labels and their own label. As well as being featured recording artists, Lowen & Navarro tour regularly and enjoy a wide national audience for their live performances. Navarro also has worked as a session musician and a session singer. And, he is a notable songwriter whose songs have been recorded by artists as diverse as Pat Benatar (including the worldwide top 5 hit ³We Belong²), The Bangles, Dionne Warwick, The Four Tops, The Temptations and a host of others. Navarro noted the recent publicity about the plight of webcasters, who say that as new and small businesses they can¹t afford to pay the digital performance royalty rate set by the CARP last February. ³We concur that fostering the growth of these new outlets for our music is of the utmost importance to performers,² he said. ³But, artists are also small businesses. Without income streams we can rely on to make a living, we will be unable to continue to create recordings that the public wants to hear.² Navarro also noted that the process that Congress established to set a fair license rate is still in progress. ³The CARP held over forty days of hearings, heard from approximately eighty witnesses, and reviewed thousands of pages of exhibits including evidence about the webcasters¹ businesses,² he said. He noted that interference by Congress would undermine the integrity of the arbitration process it created to set the rate. Navarro reminded the Senate Judiciary Committee that the royalty rate issue involved more than record companies versus webcasting companies. ³At the heart of this are the individuals whose talents create the sound recordings,² he said. ³Digital performance royalties will provide critically important income to famous and ordinary musicians and vocalists.² The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada is the largest organization in the world dedicated to representing the interests of professional musicians. Whether it is negotiating fair agreements, protecting ownership of recorded music, securing benefits such as health care and pension, or lobbying our legislators­the AFM is committed to raising industry standards and placing the professional musician in the foreground of the cultural landscape. www.afm.org. COME SEE WOLFPAC LIVE! NOW PLAYING AZ, CO, CT, IL, MA, ME, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PA, TX, WI! That right WOLFPAC! As seen on the Howard Stern show, featuring former member of The BloodHound Gang and seen sharing the stage with bands like KottonMouth Kings, Twiztid, Slipknot, The BloodHound Gang, GWAR and many others is coming to a area near you! Trust me, if you go to only one show this is it, with beats so pounding they are sure to wake the dead and kill the living! So hide your money, lock up your daughter and get to the WOLFPAC show near you by any means necessary! ---- WOLFPAC TOUR SCHEDULE ---- 06/06 - Chantilly's - Manchester NH 06/07 - Club Liquid - Leominster MA 06/09 - Asylum - Portland ME 06/10 - Packees Nite Club - North Woodbridge NJ 06/11 - Crocodile Rock - Allentown PA 06/12 - Peabody's Down Under - Cleveland OH 06/14 - Jarrods - Attleboro MA 06/15 - Rex's - West Chester PA 06/21 - MIGS Classic ROXX Cafe - Buffalo NY 06/22 - Harpos Concert Theater - Detroit MI 06/23 - Riley's - Aurora IL 06/24 - The Globe - Milwaukee WI 06/26 - The Starlight Theatre - Collins CO 06/27 - Lions Lair - Denver CO 07/02 - The Nile Theater - Mesa AZ 07/04 - West Canyon Amphitheater - Lubbock TX 07/05 - The Metro - Austin TX 07/13 - Summer Rockfest 2002 - Grantville PA 07/20 - EL-N-Gee Club - New London CT 08/09 - Castle Heights - Jackson Heights NY 08/10 - Lloydfest - Shermans Dale PA 08/23 - Crannel St - Poughkeepsie NY You can get all of the show information on line go to: http://www.wolfpac.com/events.htm Finland´s explosive, albeit controversial STONER KINGS have signed with Massacre Records of Germany (www.massacre-records.com). Massacre is home to great metal and heavy rock acts such as King Diamond, Rob Rock, Pink Cream 69, Fates Warning, Pretty Maids and Savior Machine, and in light of this new deal Stoner Kings´ Canadian leader/vocalist Starbuck states, "We are ecstatic about the possibilities with Massacre! They are a fantastic label with an extensive and influential history in the heavy music market, and we represent their first signing of what we regard as the stoner rock genre. This is truly the beginning of a new era and we can´t wait to unleash the chaos along with Massacre!" Massacre is planning on a June 2002 repackaged and updated release of the band´s initial self-released LP opus Brimstone Blues, which has received extraordinary praise in music medias throughout the world. Stoner Kings unleashed a limited printing of Brimstone Blues through their own Rebel Breed Recordings label at the beginning of 2002, which is most certainly soon to become a collectors rarity. www.stonerkings.net, www.massacre-records.com NECROPOLIS NEWS Necropolis Inks production and distribution deal with Century Media in Europe! Century Media will now be Necropolis' sole and official manufacturer and distributor in Europe! This meeting of two of the heavyweights of the Metal industry will make a huge difference in Necropolis' release availability and power on the continent! IMPALED have finished their latest obscene opus of pathologically precise Death Metal, "Mondo Medicale". "Mondo Medicale" will splatter the streets on July 2nd, 2002 and mark a considerable progression from the band's deranged debut album, with a turn towards a more surgical, exact direction, leaving the band head and shoulders above their contemporaries! Following this will be a 4-song EP featuring a couple of cover tunes entitled "Medical Waste". Watch out for these new releases to hit stores soon! Check out the bands' newly updated webfright: www.impaled.info for more news on upcoming shows. Having finished up the Spring Neckbreak 2k2 tour with Cannibal Corpse and Dark Funeral, INCANTATION have also finished mastering their "Blasphemy" album for Necropolis! INCANTATION's "Blasphemy" will be unleashed upon Christ's feeble followers on June 18th and will be available wherever darkness dwells. www.incantation.com ENGORGED's debut full-length, aptly titled "Engorged" will also be unleashed upon the masses on June 4th, 2002! Dreams of Damnation guitarist Jim Durkin (ex-Dark Angel) did a great job mastering the album and bringing out the brutality and catchiness of an album that is sure to be one of the year's best! Mixing the brutal MOSH of thrash with grind and death metal influence, ENGORGED prove that they are easily one of today's most amazing outfits. Check out www.engorged.net for more info on this brilliant band! Check out the Rotten Sound video for "Targets" here at our website, or at www.rottensound.com ROTTEN SOUND CENSORSHIP update: Due to the obsessively politically correct manufacturers in Germany, the European version of "Murderworks", the new Rotten Sound album, will be released with a censored cover! The original cover and band photos were apparently too disturbing for German consumers! Luckily for us here in the USA, we live in a society that embraces stylized violence, so the album's release will continue unhindered. "Murderworks" is DEFINITELY one of the BEST grind / death metal albums of 2002! The CD also contains 2 LIVE Video's and the amazing pro-shot "Targets" Video that will appear on the bands' upcoming DVD, "MurderLIVE" to be released through Necropolis/Deathvomit later this year! For those of you who can't wait, you can check out the promo video "Targets" at: www.rottensound.com MENTAL HORROR: Brazilian fans can expect to see an official Brazilian version of Mental Horror's "Proclaiming Vengeance" in the next couple of months, as a deal has been inked with Brazilian label, Encore Records to release the album there! Also in Brazil, a limited edition release of the "We are Total War" album by Total War is imminent from Mutilation Records, so keep an eye out for that! VULGAR PIGEONS have been busy breakin' in their new singer, Dave Levya, as well as planning some upcoming shows to promote last year's "Summary Execution" album. Watch for a new interview in Metal Maniacs and keep updated by logging onto the bands' website: www.vulgarpigeons.com BABYLON WHORES: Contrary to rumors, BABYLON WHORES have not disbanded. In fact, it's quite the opposite! The band are back, stronger than ever and have re-emerged from FINNVOX studios with one of their best works to date: "Death of the West". The album follows an even drearier path than 1999's acclaimed "King Fear", which you might remember was Terrorizer's Album of the Month, and received tons of praise in the international underground rock and metal scene's. BABYLON is back! Check out the bands' website for more information at: http://www.deggael.com This album will be released by Necropolis Records in the US/Canada and South America and by Spinefarm Records/Universal in Europe. MAZE OF TORMENT have also finished work on their upcoming album "The Unmarked Graves". The record was produced by Tommy Tagtgren at the renowned ABYSS STUDIOS which was also the location for the recording of IN AETERNUM's latest album, "Nuclear Armageddon". Both albums will be released this summer on Necropolis Records. KEITH LUBRANT SIGNS WITH DREAMSCAPE MUSIC GROUP, APPEARS ON COMPILATION CD'S Internet success stories in the music business are commonplace these days. Welcome Keith LuBrant, a New Jersey singer / songwriter starting to create a world wide buzz on the world wide web. Raised on heavy doses of classic rock as well as the Gin Blossoms, Mike Viola, Cheap Trick and Bon Jovi, LuBrant parlayed his youthful love of music into a burgeoning career when he joined his first band, The Innocent in 1990. "The Innocent was a good starting point for me." relates LuBrant, "It gave me a chance to hone my songwriting ability a little." With 'Face In The Crowd', Keith LuBrant walks the same line as the Goo Goo Dolls, Blink 182 and SR-71 and unleashes a powerful set of songs dripping with melody and loaded with punch. Tracks such as "Misunderstood" (an infectious groove that starts from the beginning of the tune), "All I Want To Be" (an energetic, hook filled pop/rock song), "Midnight Once Again" (a slower, softer acoustic tune) and "Lonely Sunday" (a great combination of harmony and melody) jump off of the disc at you demanding to be in heavy rotation in your CD player. Already in 2002 Keith has been named "Artist Of The Month" on the following websites: The Cutting Edge, Jersey Jams and Kweevak's Tracks and the track "All I Want To Be" has been selected to appear on the 'Pop Under The Surface Vol.5' compilation CD released by Yesterday Girl Records. He has also appeared on 'Warmth In The Wilderness II; A Tribute To Jason Becker', released by Lion Music and ''United We All Come Together', a charity album in aid of the 9/11 tragedy. 'Face In The Crowd' will be released by Dreamscape Music Group on August 27, 2002. World renowned producer and engineer Mikey Davis will re-mix the album. The single, "All I Want To Be', will be serviced to radio in early August. WESTWORLD TO FINALLY SHOW SOME SKIN IN THE STATES After a delay pushing the album's release date back for over half a year, Westworld's 'Skin' will finally see the light of day on July 9, 2002. SOLID STATE Update- Meet Solid State's latest signing from Dayton OH, Dead Poetic! This young 4-piece, formed in 1997, is a melodic hard rock outfit that have had the opportunity to perform with other Solid State artists such at ZAO and Norma Jean as well as tour all over the country headlining their own shows for some time now. "Four Wall Blackmail" is both melodic and abrasive, mixing quiet interludes and metallic aggressiveness with passionate and personal lyrics. The band's debut hits the streets June 4th! Sample their sound: http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/385/dead_poetic.html STILL BREATHING "SEPTEMBER" Tulsa's Still Breathing's album "September" was just released on Solid State Records. Combining elements of hardcore in the vein of Turmoil and VOD, along with elements of modern metal in the vein of Machine Head and Skinlab, the female fronted four piece will soon gain recognition nationwide. UNDEROATH "THE CHANGING OF TIMES" Underoath is metal influences hardcore band out of Florida. Over the past few years the bands has played hundreds of shows and released two other records on Takehold. The band's Solid State debut "The Changing Of Times" is a continuation of where the band left their fans before. More melodic in some ways but still retaining their hardcore back bone. Underoath has been added to this years Hess Fest along with the likes of Snapcase, Clutch and others. SOLID STATE WELCOMES BELOVED! With an abrasive rock and hardcore sound that mixes key elements of bands like Thursday, Cave-In, and Poison the Well, beloved has a busy year ahead of them. With a non-stop tour ethic and an intense live show, the band will surely hit your town this summer or fall on tour with bands like Noise Ratchet, Norma Jean, and Underoath. The five-piece will enter the studio in the fall to record their debut full-length for Solid State due out early 2003! STRETCH ARM STRONG SAS will be hitting the road this summer with 2 other fine bands: Reach the Sky and The Hope Conspiracy. NORMA JEAN ON TOUR W/ MEWITHOUTYOU Norma Jean is currently on tour with Tooth and Nail artist mewithoutYou. The band has finished recording their new album "Bless The Martyr, Kiss The Child" which will be released August 13th. The Norma Jean/ We Without You Split split 7" is taking a little longer than expected, look for it any day! Norma Jean will be heading out on the road in June with Everytime I Die and Bleeding Through, catch it if you can! LIVING SACRIFICE WRAPPING UP IN THE STUDIO! Living Sacrifice has finished recording their new Solid State record entitled "Conceived In Fire", schedule to be released late summer! 13 songs of chaos.....track titles like: "Imminent War", "The Poisoning", "Send Your Regrets" and more. You have been warned! Prepare for desolation! EXTOL WRITING A NEW RECORD For the fans of the death and black metal, Extol have a new web site at http://www.undeceived.net The band's latest album "Undeceived" was recently re-released in Europe by the band's new label Century Media. Extol is currently writing a new record, expected to be released later this year or the first of next year. We'll let you know when we find out! BLINDSIDE RECORDING NEW RECORD At the moment Blindside is in the studio recording a new record for their major label debut on Elektra. Visit http://www.blindsiderock.com/ and sign up on the band's email list to get up to date info. on the band and to receive sneak listens to their new songs. ZAO!!! And how can we forget out ZAO boys!? ? tour dates will be coming soon for their last US tour ever! [maybe] We just got the final master of their new album ?A Parade of Chaos? and there?s absolutely no disappointing!! VICTORY Records is proud to announce the addition of three new artists to the Victory Family. Minnesota's MARTYR AD, Long Island, NY's THE REUNION SHOW and legendary punk rock outfit TEN FOOT POLE have all signed with Victory effective immediately. MARTYR AD, one of the hottest up-and-coming metal/hardcore acts in the country, features Joel Andrew Johnson and Tara Lee Anderson, founding members of the seminal hardcore band Disembodied. After the breakup of Disembodied, Joel and Tara met up with Charles Johnson, Michael Fisketti and the now departed Justin Kane and formed Martyr AD. Shortly thereafter, the band released their debut album, "The Human Condition In Twelve Fractions" on Ferret Records. "The Human Condition.." proved to be one of the most brutal, destructive and techinically proficient albums released in the year 2000. This summer, in addition to a national tour with 18 Visions, Martyr AD will make a return engagement at Hellfest in Syracuse, NY, an appearance at Furnace Fest in Birmingham, AL and several dates on the Vans Warped Tour. Martyr AD will record their Victory Records debut, as of yet untitled, later this year. THE REUNION SHOW, from Long Island NY, is part of the burgeoning rock scene blossoming out of the area. In addition to labelmates TAKING BACK SUNDAY and other popular acts such as The Movielife and Glassjaw, The Reunion Show was born with one mission in mind: to make you dance and have a great time-- set to a soundtrack of pop rock that would make bands like Weezer run for the locker room. Complete with simple, fuzzed-out guitars, synths, organs, and vocals that sound more like Elvis Costello than Rivers Cuomo, this band is a force to be reckoned with. Since THE REUNION SHOW's inception the band has grown and evolved, but has maintained the same foothold in pop-rock songwriting that they started with. THE REUNION SHOW plans to record their first full-length album in July. Stay tuned for a Fall 2002 release. Over the past 10+ years, TEN FOOT POLE has become one of the most popular punk-rock bands in recent memory. TEN FOOT POLE has toured with the likes of NOFX, The Offspring and many more of punk rock's most influential and best-known artists. This summer, TEN FOOT POLE hits the road again, with new labelmates VOODOO GLOW SKULLS. Visit TENFOOTPOLE.COM for the detailed, history of this seminal punk-rock band, as told by frontman Dennis Jagard. TEN FOOT POLE enter the studio at the end of the month to record their Victory debut. Look for a fall 2002 release. news . tours . bands . videos . sounds . classifieds . contest . webstore www.victoryrecords.com . www.victorystyle.com COSMOSQUAD, have been invited to participate in 'Guitar Day', a 1-day guitar extravaganza that will take place June 13 at Club Alpheus in Rome, Italy. 'Guitar Day' will mark the first ever overseas live appearance for the band whose new album, 'Squadrophenia', is out now in Europe and North America and will see a Japanese release via Big M.F./Zain on May 25. In related news, COSMOSQUAD guitarist Jeff Kollman has just finished recording and producing an album with L.A. singer/songwriter, Rick Monroe. For more info visit www.jeffkollman.com and www.cosmosquad.cjb.net/ LION Records Update- Richie Kotzen - Slow Amazing new solo album from the Mr Big / Poison guitarist / singer. Slow contains an exclusive European bonus track Tony MacAlpine - Violent Machine" One of Tony's best albums, featuring drummer Mike Terrana and bass player Kevin Chown with all new artwork Kelly Simonz' Blind Faith - Sign of the Times A neoclassical masterpiece. Singer, guitarist and composer Kelly Simonz lives in Japan where he has released two very successful albums of which this is the second. Sign of the Times is a celebration of melodic neoclassical hard rock NOW AVAILABLE Are: Truth of Fiction - Truth of Fiction A soulful melodic rock act from USA with a retro sound, imagine a mix of Living Color, early Mr Big, Bad Company, Lenny Kravitz...the band's guitarist Eric Sands was also featured on "Warmth in the Wilderness - A Tribute to Jason Becker" Transcendence - The Meridian project progressive/power metal from USA. The powerful vocals of Greg Drew and sharp songwriting will give Transcendence a lot of fans with their heavy debut album. Takara - Eternal Faith A reissue of Takara's debut album originally released in 1992. Features singer Jeff Scott Soto at his very best. True melodic hard rock with an 80-ies feel. Tony MacAlpine - Live Insanity A classic live recording from the last date of Tony's 1997 US tour, recorded live in Hollywood with drummer Mike Terrana and bass player Kevin Chown. And June our June 21 releases will be: Kelly Simonz - Silent Scream Japan's very own guitar hero/singer Kelly Simonz is heavily influenced by Yngwie Malmsteen but his songwriting is much more melodic and varied. Silent Scream is Kelly's debut album in a totally new version. European version contains 2 exclusive bonus tracks. The album has also been remixed for the European release. Mystery Bloom - Lifetime in the Heart Melodic hard rock from USA at it's best. A classic 80-ies-style hard rock album. Amazing harmony vocals and strong songwriting makes this album a true classic in this genre. Bob Katsionis - Turn of My Century Bob is a keyboard wizard from Greece. This album is all about instrumental virtuoso keyboard playing in the style of Derek Sherinian. Bob is also a good guitarist even though it's his powerful keyboards that dominate this heavy album. Prog/power metal Arabesque An amazing prog metal act from Holland with female vocals. Arabesques have a completely original sound not sounding like any other band. Here is a request to you from the band: On the 1st of June "the Ozzfest festival" will take place in Nijmegen,Holland. This festival is a big happening, quite meaningful for everybody here. This year great names will appear, like Mr. Ozzy Osbourne himself, Rob Zombie, Meshuggah, Ill Nino, Adema, Slayer, American Head Charge and many other... Because it is a Dutch festival the organization decided to add 5 Dutch also. So a competition took place and of course more than 200 demos were send by local bands. Together with the "Aardschok" (famous metal magazine) the jury selected 25 bands from those 210 demos that were sent. But because only 5local bands can be added to Ozzfest, it's up to the public now to vote for their favorite band to play there. Now of course we ask all you, who love aRABESQUE's music to vote for us. It would mean a lot to us, because it would give us the opportunity to announce the arrival of our full CD "The Union", which is being release very soon by Lion Music Ltd. You can make it happen! Now, this is how you do it. You go to http://www.ozzfest.nl/flash.html On the right site you click on "LOCAL BANDS" and you will see that a list will appear with 25 local bands. All you have to do is click on "STEM" behind aRABESQUE's name (and link). We're the third in line. We are so grateful for your help. Other coming releases include: Bruce Gaitsch (featuring Richard Marx, John Patitucci and Bill Champlin) James Byrd (new album) Mattsson (new album) Section A (Torben Enevoldsen, Derek Sherinian, Andreas Lill, Andy Engberg) Taboo Voodoo (Mike Terrana and Cyril Achard) Star Queen - Thorbjorn Englund (guitar) and Erik Tornberg (bass) of Winterlong with the angelic voice of Stella Tormanoff. Composed by Stella, arranged by Thorbjorn. Iron Mask - power metal band from Belgium we are also working on a Uli Jon Roth tribute and we can also confirm that there will be a vol II of the Jason Becker tribute- www.lionmusic.com CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER After thirteen years, speedcore pioneers Cryptic Slaughter have reunited three of their four original members and are working on material for a proposed fifth album. The present line-up includes Bill Treadway (formerly Bill Crooks), Rob Nicholson, Les Evans and Brian Lehfeldt (Wehrmacht). In addition, Relapse Records is planning to re-issue their first two albums Convicted (1986) and Money Talks (1987). "The recent renewed interest in the band has definitely inspired us, but truthfully, we're just having a lot of fun making the music again" said Les. "There's a new generation of fans who understand that Cryptic Slaughter helped to invent the genre." Brian adds, "This is Cryptic's return to extreme music. Like Money Talks, there is a good mix of fast and heavy, but our new music has a definite emphasis on speed." It goes without saying that everyone involved is ecstatic about working together again after such a long time. Currently, the band is focused on writing and recording new material. Dave Merrick (Spazztic Blurr, Sweaty Nipples, TV: 616) will engineer. CrypticSlaughter@webtv.net. Century Media is pleased to announce the scheduling of the new SENTENCED album, The Cold White Light, for North American release on July 9th, 2002. "The 2-year break since Crimson was not only intentional but very necessary as well," states guitarist and founding member Sami Lopakka from his home in Oulu, Finland. "We needed a long break to calm our nerves and to regain some energy after touring. It got ugly at one point. The alternative besides the break was to split up, but none of us were willing or ready to do that. The break turned out to be the wisest band decision in our history. When we started rehearsing again after 7 months of silence, the songs came out easily and naturally, and faster than ever before. The band is fresh and relaxed, and you can hear that in what we're doing." The Cold White Light marks the second time SENTENCED has worked with producer Hiili Hiilesmaa. What he's been able to capture on this album suggests a stronger bond than the usual producer/artist rapport. Sami elaborates: "We have a strong bond with him as he's a sick bastard like the rest of us [laughs]. For example, the perverted ass-clapping in "Neverlasting" (after the solo) was originally his idea. It's very important that you are able to forget about the recordings when you finish your day at the studio, and with Hiili we can always truly do that. As he lives 400 miles away from our home town, we don't see each other that much when we're not recording, but it always at once feels like we have known him forever." BLIND GUARDIAN As many of you have heard, Blind Guardian will indeed be heading to North America later this year. The wildly popular German band will make their debut performance headlining the ProgPower Fest in Atlanta, GA on Friday, November 16. For more information on the festival, which also features performances by Angra, Gamma Ray, Devin Townsend, Edguy, Pain Of Salvation and many more and the UK's Threshold, please consult www.progpowerusa.com. The festival performance will be followed by a North American tour hitting most major markets throughout the continent. For those of you who have not heard Blind Guardian's latest opus, A Night At The Opera, "Battlefield" is available for download from: http://mp3.centurymedia.com/BlindGuardian_Battlefield_ANightAtTheOpera.mp3 www.blind-guardian.com DIMENSION ZERO Dimension Zero - an assortment of some of metal's all-stars including Jesper/In Flames, Jocke/ex-Marduk, Glenn/ex-In Flames, Hans/Diabolique - have released their new album in North America and Silent Night Fever has been receiving rave reviews, which should come as no surprise to fans of the members other bands or their Penetrations From The Lost World mini-CD. For those of you curious to check out the supergroup, "The Murder Inn" from Silent Night Fever is available for download from: http://mp3.centurymedia.com/DimensionZero_TheMurderInn_SilentNightFever.mp3 In other Dimension Zero news, the band will join Sodom and Dying Fetus for Extreme Dojo Japanese tour at the end of the month. www.dimensionzero.org DREAM EVIL All rumors that Sweden has the monopoly on super groups are true. While all of us waited for the next landmark album to be delivered from Scandinavia, Fredrik Nordström (known to many as the man who produced monumental bands such as Dimmu Borgir, In Flames, and At The Gates) was busy formulating musical aspirations of his own. Finally formed in the Fall of 1999 with Greek guitarist Gus G. (Mystic Prophecy, Firewind) to deliver their own definition of melodic power metal, the two core members collaborated with none other than guest and backing vocalist for HammerFall, Niklas Istfeldt. Inspired by the high level of musical camaraderie, Niklas invited his long-time friend and bass player Peter Stålfors to join the band and contribute to its momentum. All they needed was to recruit a drummer, whom they found in Gothenburg: the legendary Snowy Shaw (ex-King Diamond, Mercyful Fate). The band entered Fredrik's very own Studio Fredman in 2001 to record their debut album, DragonSlayer. The result? Thirteen hard and heavy songs that also feature an appearance by Gothenburg's Philharmonic String Section, who also guested on Dimmu Borgir's Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia. Be it the engaging opening song "Chasing The Dragon," the melodic groove of "Save Us," or the infectious gallop of "The Prophecy," the quintet covers different classic aspects of power metal and will leave no traditional or melodic metal fans come its North American release on June 25th, or at this year's famous Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany and the Sweden Rock Festival disappointed. Press days will soon be announced. If you'd like to preview a track from DragonSlayer, check out "The Prophecy": http://mp3.centurymedia.com/DreamEvil_TheProphecy_Dragonslayer.mp3 www.dreamevil.mu ENTWINE There's quite an interesting scene developing in Europe (almost exclusively in Finland and Sweden). ENTWINE, along with bands like AMORPHIS, KATATONIA, MY DYING BRIDE, HIM, SENTENCED, TIAMAT, ANATHEMA and TO/DIE/FOR, are pioneering a new sound - some are beginning to call it "suicide rock" or "depro-rock" - that defies any conventional genre stereotypes. While many of these bands, including ENTWINE, have their roots in death/black metal, followers of these bands' careers are well aware that their sounds have evolved significantly through the years. Clearly, there are elements of goth, metal, alternative, industrial and pop in these bands' respective sounds, but they certainly don't fit neatly into any one of those genres. What we have here is not only an evolution of sound, but also a new fusion - part dance club anthem, part soundtrack for solitary reflection in one's own bedroom, part rock. >From driving rhythms to down-tempo pulses, melancholy is the common quality of the bands in this bourgeoning scene, dominating the bulk of the melodies and lyrics. If this album's title fails to establish the mood, Time Of Despair's tracklisting reveals some fairly poignant titles: "Burden," "Falling Apart," "Learn To Let Go," etc. Like their suicide rock brethren, ENTWINE's densely textured songs fluctuate from hard-hitting rockers like "Nothing Left To Say" to slow, brooding ballads like the title track. Time Of Despair is captivating in its beauty, immensely emotional and, in all respects, heavy. Entwine have just completed their European tour with Flowing Tears and Ram-Zet. Their third album, Time Of Despair, will be released on June 25. Fans anxious to hear new Entwine material can preview a track, "Nothing Left To Say," from Time Of Despair at: http://mp3.centurymedia.com/Entwine_NothingLeftToSay_TimeofDespair.mp3 www.entwine.cjb.net FLOWING TEARS Having cultivated an ardent following in the international goth-metal underground, German sensation Flowing Tears have cultivated their hard work in developing a sound that simply can't be ignored. Their first domestic release in North America, Serpentine (available since April 16th) walks the edge between goth and metal (a combination of styles often referred to as dark wave) and is an entrancing collection of rhythms that capture you within the sultry voice of lead singer Stefanie Duchêne. Her personality is best presented in "Starfish Ride," and the song "Merlin" shines with its subtle exoticism. http://www.flowingtears.com KALMAH Finland's Kalmah issued their second album, They Will Return, on April 30th. The follow-up to last year's Swamplord features a cover of Megadeth's "Skin O' My Teeth. Lyrically based on the life of guitarist/vocalist Pekka Kokko (who has written all the lyrics on this release), the album was recorded at Tico-Tico Studio (i.e. Sentenced, Amorphis, Children Of Bodom), mastered at Finnvox Studios and produced by Ahti Kortelainen and Kalmah. "Principle Hero" is available for download to those of you anxious to hear what They Will Return is all about: http://mp3.centurymedia.com/Kalmah_PrincipleHero_TheyWillReturn.mp3 www.kalmah.com KOTIPELTO With an unquenchable creative urge driving the man behind the voice of Stratovarius since their 1995 release, The Fourth Dimension, Timo Kotipelto is not known for sitting idle when more music can be made. He's had a fruitful tenancy studying voice at the renowned Academy of Music in Helsinki for half a decade and three gold albums to his career's credit. A surprise gift for all fans of Stratovarius (who are on hiatus until 2003), Waiting For The Dawn displays Timo Kotipelto's talents as a composer and takes you into the world of Egyptian mythology and history through the eyes of an Egyptian man reincarnated through various time periods. Taking advantage of down-time between recording and touring to launch KOTIPELTO in Spring 2001 with fellow Stratovarius bandmate Jari Kainulainen, Mike Romeo of Symphony X, Roland Grapow (ex-Helloween), Janne Wirman of Children Of Bodom/Warmen, Sami Virtanen & Mirka Rantanen of Warmen, Mikko Harkin of Sonata Arctica and Gas of Him, the band is a virtual supergroup with the potential for some amazing results, as evidenced by their "Beginning" single going straight to Number 4 on the Finnish Top 20 singles chart just this past March! Boasting artwork by the immediately recognizable Derek Riggs (Iron Maiden, Gamma Ray) and Timo's trademarked voice, Waiting For The Dawn will be available on July 23rd. It's a perfectly crafted solo project of modern power metal ("Lord Of Eternity," "Travel Through Time") and heartfelt ballads ("Beauty Has Come"), demonstrating his remarkable ability to exist and evolve beyond the Stratovarius anthems he's penned thus far, and offering fans a glimpse into the interests which continue to inspire him. www.kotipelto.com LULLACRY Finland's Lullacry have parted ways with vocalist Tanya and are currently seeking "a courageous female singer who is ready to put 110 percent effort into the band like the rest of the band members," according to main songwriter Sami Vauhkonen. Interested parties should send a demo, picture and a short description to the following address: Bast Music/LULLACRY Mannerheimintie 140 00270 Helsinki FINLAND E-mail: lullacry@bastmusic.com The deadline for all submissions is the end of May. The Finnish rockers have launched their new Web site. It contains plenty of pictures from the recording of their latest album, Be My God, as well as from their European tour, etc. As a special feature you can also download the video of the song "Damn You." Furthermore, you can participate in a competition, where you can win tour shirts, albums, posters etc. www.lullacry.com MARDUK Pending approval from the INS, Marduk will be direct support for Danzig on his upcoming North American tour. The two month tour is scheduled to kick on June 1 in Phoenix, AZ and conclude in mid- July at the House Of Blues in Chicago, IL. www.marduk.nu NAGLFAR Here's an update from the Naglfar camp: "Our next full-length album, entitled Sheol will be finished soon, expect the best and most brutal Naglfar album ever. The sound and the tracks is the best we have done so far." The word "sheol" means "the invisible world of departed souls" - that should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect from the record.pure evil! www.naglfar.tk NONEXIST Come May 28th, Deus Deceptor is going to strike a massive blow. Recorded in twelve intense days at Abyss Studio (Dimmu Borgir, Hypocrisy, Immortal) with producer Tommy Tägtgren (Marduk, The Forsaken), glimpses of beauty will collide head-first with degradation. Johan Reinholdz (Andromeda) captures the turmoil with the many moods of his guitar work. The drums of Matte Modin (Defleshed, Dark Funeral) unleash a sinister double-bass drum attack. Johan Liiva (ex-Arch Enemy & Carnage) gives the performance of his LIFE. In fact, Deus Deceptor will have fans of Black Earth (Arch Enemy's debut masterpiece) nodding with approval. Brutal, gutwrenching, magnificently defiant death metal awaits you, thanks to a licensing deal with New Hawen Records (formerly War Music). Bow to the power of death! www.nonexist.org www.centurymedia.com NEAT News- Jess Cox, MD of Neat Records (incorporating Neat Metal Records & Eldethorn Records) has sold the label to Sanctuary Records. He will, however, continue with his label Edgy Records with releases in May & on through the rest of the year. Releases are: BLITZKRIEG new album (title tbc) HOLOCAUST new album Primal BLUE APPLE BOY - new album featuring ex Ultrasound vocalist Tiny Wood. ARTILLERY By Inheritance (out on Roadrunner in 1990) TYGERS OF PAN TANG First Kill (+ 6 bonus tracks & new artwork) TYGERS OF PAN TANG Burning In The Shade (only previously available on vinyl. Last studio LP 1989). We're also scheduling in new releases from TANK & DIAMOND HEAD for after the summer. Jess said, "Neat was dead when I arrived in 1992. I resurrected it, releasing some 70 albums on Neat Records, Neat Metal Records & Eldethorn. After 10 years I felt it was time for a change. Running the company effectively by myself - organising all signings, releases & policy & (with the help of Victoria Robinson) organising marketing, press & promotions, I found it impossible to do the releases justice (especially while running Edgy Records at the same time). I'd kinda created this monster with worldwide distribution & licensing in Japan, America & S America to contend with also. 40 or 50 of our releases, for instance, came out on Pony Canyon Records in Japan between 1995-2001. " I really didn't want to sell the label, but I needed to create some space to concentrate on Edgy Records Ltd. Sanctuary will be able to release all the old 80s NWOBHM catalogue that I couldn't find the time to do & which I was constantly asked about - like Hellenbach, Cloven Hoof &, of course, Venom." Edgy Records Ltd has also started a UK export one-stop for underground hard to find rock releases/labels called METAL NATION DISTRIBUTION. This will carry labels like British Steel, Angel Air, Heavy Metal Records, Verglas & releases from Frontiers & Sanctuary Records (including all the Neat re-releases). "It's business as usual, really" adds Jess, "We have a bunch of new releases pending & we are also carrying all these great UK rock labels." Anyone who wants a free catalogue, please contact Edgy Records Ltd at Edgy Records, Sunrise House, Sunrise Lane, Houghton le Spring, Tyne & Wear DH4 5AL. SIGNING FOR ELITIST*** Elitist Records is delighted and proud to be able to announce the signing of the supreme progressive black / death metal band Lunaris. Hailing from Norway, Lunaris features members of Borknagar, 1349 and Spiral Architect. This is no "Super Group" or " Side Project" band though. Lunaris are a fully-fledged, fully working band with the ambition and dedication it takes to become a genuine force in the metal scene. With their skilled musicianship and exemplary song writing skills it should be merely a formality for Lunaris to push their way to the top of the underground metal scene. The band has already completed the work on their debut album, "The Infinite", and if all goes to plan we will be able to release the album sometime in August. Lunaris recorded "The Infinite" with drummer Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect & Borknagar), guitarists Azarak (Spiral Architect & Satyricon) and M (backing Vocals), bassist and vocalist Maztema (Spiral Architect), vocalist Balfori (ex-1349) and keyboardist Ray. However, Mickelson is now out of the band and Lunaris replaced him with Janos Di Croce. An advance track from "The Infinite" entitled "Of the One" can be found here: www.elitistrecords.co.uk/lunaris2.mp3 Several songs for the next album are already far into the development stage, and Ray has promised an even more technical and aggressive approach in the future. The band, true to the ethos of Elitist Records, will aim to constantly push and evolve their brand of extremity into entirely new dimensions. We at Elitist salute Lunaris' ambitions, and we raise a glass to a long and fruitful working relationship. REVEREND CONFIRMED TO PERFORM AT THE ABRASIVE ROCK FEST 2002 REVEREND featuring David Wayne ex-Metal Church, Lee,Vara,(Byfist) Stotz and Perez(Riot) have been confirmed to perform at the Abrasive Rock Festival to be held August 3rd 2002 in Olympia, WA. Other artists to perform will be Hirax, Forced Entry, and Gruntruck just to name a few. From there REVEREND will embark on a West Coast Tour that will end up in Texas. Dates will be posted as they are finalized. Skinlab and Superjoint Ritual Set To Tour America Fresh off a tour with Kittie/Flaw and with the release of their highly anticipated third album drawing near, Skinlab have accepted an offer to support Phil Anselmo's Superjoint Ritual on a fourteen date American tour. The tour is tentatively scheduled to launch on June 7 in Atlanta and conclude on June 30 in Superjoint Ritual's hometown of New Orleans. Speedealer will be opening the shows. Dates and venues are listed below. This will be Skinlab's third tour of 2002, falling on the heals of tours with Kittie/Flaw and Soil/Headstrong. The Bay Area quartet have also lined up a string of Northern California record release shows in late May. Revolver magazine praises reVoltingRoom as "more epic, percussive, and melodic than their last disc, Disembody: The New Flesh, but there's no shortage of eviscerating guitar grind and double-bass drum pummel...heavier than a pair of cement shoes." reVoltingRoom released May 28th through Century Media Records. SUPERJOINT RITUAL #1 Most Added at Metal Radio June Tour Dates Announced!!! Band Films 2 Videos, Directed by Jim VanBebber 'Use Once And Destroy' Released May 21st Through Sanctuary Records A maelstrom of activity is enveloping SUPERJOINT RITUAL. Hailed as the brutal & vicious project of Pantera frontman Philip Anselmo, the band is quickly winning over the masses in preparation of its May 21st debut, 'Use Once And Destroy', for Sanctuary/Housecore Records. Immediately embraced at Metal Radio, tracks from the forthcoming release were quickly launched to #1 Most Added at Album Network and FMQB. It also debuted at 18 (with a bullet) on FMQB, and is expected to land at #1on the R&R Rock Specialty Chart! The full length goes for adds on May 20th. In other news, two Superjoint Ritual videos were shot recently at Philip's house, "F*** Your Enemy" and "The Alcoholik." Jim VanBebber, known for his award winning films My Sweet Satan, Charlie's Family and Spasmolytic, directed both videos. SUPERJOINT RITUAL is comprised of Philip on guitar & vocals, Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod / C.O.C. / Down) on guitar, Joe Fazzio on drums, and touring members, Kevin Bond, and III. Simultaneously spotlighting Philip's guitar talents and trademark acid-tongued vocal assault, the disc is a sonic demonstration of a NEW school in Heavy Rock - that which incorporates malevolent, abrasive Metal rumblings, gut-searing vocals and a sinister Punk edge. In celebration of this lesson in harsh brutality, the label has coordinated a nationwide listening party 'tour' (complete with exclusive giveaways) that is currently infiltrating and preparing hard music fans for the forthcoming CD & tour. The band will soon be rehearsing for their virgin tour, scheduled to proceed from June 7th - June 30th, and will penetrate the following markets: Friday, June 7th Atlanta, GA The Masquerade Saturday, June 8th Washington, DC 9:30 Club Sunday, June 9th Philadelphia, PA The Trocadero Tuesday, June 11th Worcester, MA The Palladium Wednesday, June 12th New York, NY The World Thursday, June 13th Pittsburgh, PA Metropol Saturday, June 15th Detroit, MI Harpo's Sunday, June 17th Chicago, IL House Of Blues Tuesday, June 19th Minneapolis, MN The Quest The following markets will be announced shortly! San Antonio, TX Los Angeles, CA New Orleans, LA Cleveland, OH Kansas City, MO Denver, CO San Francisco, CA Phoenix, AZ Houston, TX Dallas, TX http://www.superjointritual.com http://www.housecorerecords.com http://www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com NEVERMORE join the Warped Tour The summer music festival season is upon us once again and while metal fans traditionally have not had much to celebrate when the lineups are revealed, this year things are noticeably different. Organizers of the Vans Warped Tour--an annual trek also known as "Punk Rock Summercamp"--have asked Seattle's NEVERMORE to play a few dates, making them the first traditional metal band to ever perform on this tour. They will be joining some of the finest young metal, hardcore and punk bands on the PunkROCKS.net stage. Other bands confirmed to play the same stage are Unearth, Curl Up And Die, and From Autumn To Ashes. NEVERMORE are currently in the writing stages of their follow-up album to the critically acclaimed 2000 release, Dead Heart In A Dead World. Called "The Chaos Bringers" based on the reputation of their scorching live performances, Terrorizer Magazine has praised them as being "one of the few metal bands today who can write songs that remain profoundly infectious and catchy despite matching and even exceeding some of the harder works of Pantera and Machine Head in terms of pure, in -your-face riff chop and percussion pound." Dates and cities have been announced for the 26 stops on the tour, which kicks off in Nampa, Idaho on June 21. NEVERMORE are confirmed to appear on the following dates: July 20th - Quincy, WA (pre-sale tickets available now) July 22nd - Billings, MT July 23rd - Fargo, ND (pre-sale tickets available now) Pre-sale tickets are available through ArtistDirect.com: http://tickets.artistdirect.com/tickets/advanced/0,,1662864,00.html MUSIC CARTEL News Electric Wizard 'Let Us Prey' now in stores! The band will be heading on tour in Europe with Warhorse in May and the US with Sons Of Otis and Unearthly Trance in June. Keep an eye on our website for tour dates as new ones are added every day. Brant Bjork & The Operators The new self-titled album now in stores as well! The former songwriting genius of Fu Manchu and Kyuss unleashed an album full of pop, funk and fuzz! The band will be doing some scattered West Coast dates before heading out for a full-blown tour this summer. Details to come...keep an eye on our website! Orange Goblin The latest album 'Coup De Grace' is finally going to see a US release date on June 25. The band starts their US tour May 2 in NYC...check the website for dates. Come out and see why the Goblin are heralded as one of the finest live bands around! For all you freaks in the US that have been waiting for them, they have ARRIVED! http://www.music-cartel.com NEUROTICA June 25th. First release through KOCH Records/ Sma ckdown! Records/ World Wrestling Federation Entertainment. In an era defined by trendy rap-rock, candy-coated pop, and hopelessly homogeneous hip-hop, Neurotica (Kelly Shaefer - Vocals, Shawn Bowen - Guitar, Chris Rollo - Guitar, Migwell Przybyl - bass and Jason West - drums) sticks to its guns and churns out blistering hard rock. "We're influenced by emotions and the power of music," singer Kelly Shaefer declares. "We're hooked on it like a drug. We love to play live, love to record, we love it all. We're eager to get out and conquer." Despite the band's energy and enthusiasm, not to mention the support of industry insiders and hometown fans, Neurotica has taken time to build up their following. Formed with guitarist Shawn Bowen in 1995 after Shaefer left his previous project, Metal Blade act Atheist, Neurotica spent two years slugging it out in Florida clubs before they were noticed. How fitting then that the band was discovered by long-time AC/DC front man Brian Johnson, who happened to be having a beer at a bar where the Floridian rockers were playing a low-profile but high-energy gig. Blown away by their performance, he introduced himself to them after their show and offered whatever support he could, then convinced his friend Doug Kaye to sign them to his indie label. "I just wanted to help," Johnson told Metal Edge magazine about producing Neurotica's 1998 indie debut album Seed. "It was not so much producing, I just went in and tried to help them as much as I could. It was [done at] a little sixteen-track studio. They had some great songs, but I was basically showing them how to arrange [them] and just make them exciting by having highs and lows and drama. They're great kids; I think they've got a big future." Their self-titled sophomore effort will be released by KOCH Records/ Smackdown! on June 25, 2002. The record was produced by Doug Kaye and mixed by Kevin "Caveman" Shirley (Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Soil) and is full of body-slamming energy and mile-wide hooks. The first single, "All My Friends Crush You", proves it. The album features eleven hard-rocking tracks including "Ride of Your Life" (currently being heard by hundreds of thousands on the recent Columbia Records release WWF Forceable Entry), "Stars in My Eyes", "Touch the Sound" and more. Singer Kelly Shaefer says, "This is not a kiss you on the cheek record, it's a kick you in the teeth hard rock record. Neurotica's motto has always been "ten is restricting", but its more than sheer volume that has helped to cultivate a strong regional fan base. The group has played the annual Florida rock festival Livestock for four consecutive years, performing alongside the likes of Creed, Limp Bizkit, Fuel, Kid Rock and Staind to audiences as large as 35,000 people. And then World Wrestling Federation Entertainment decided they wanted to get into the music business with Smackdown! Records. "What we found was an unprecedented situation," remarks Singer, Kelly Shaefer. After nearly seven long years, Neurotica is due for a big rock 'n' roll payoff. The band has always been hungry for success, and the theme of trying to make it has surfaced on both of their albums. "There are definitely lyrics that involve my personal feelings towards trying to make it as a musician and trying to pursue my dreams," remarks Shaefer. I like writing music that gets people off. I want to write a song that the whole world can sing." www.kochentertainment.com MUSHROOMHEAD JOINS OZZFEST & LOCOBAZOOKA LINEUPS NOMINATED FOR BEST ROCK VIDEO & BEST ART DIRECTION BY MVPA Laying the flying rumors to rest, Mushroomhead has been invited to join the 2002 OZZFEST line up in the United States as well as European dates in England, Ireland, and Holland. Additionally, the band will be featured along with Sevendust, Filter and others on the Locobazooka tour. A festival tour designed to go where Ozzfest doesn't, it will launch June 27 in the Midwest. Mushroomhead's inclusion in these notable summer events adds yet another highlight in a year of exploding and stellar success. In other Mushroomhead news... â?¢Â The band completed their first cross country trek in support of their national debut XX (Universal). Their headline tour (with Lamb of God, Eighteen Visions and Five Pointe O), turned out mostly SRO and in typical Mushroomhead fashion was loud, extravagant and memorable. More dates have now been added. â?¢ XX entered the Billboard Top 200 on the heels of top ranking New Artist and Heatseeker positions. Averaging a 10% increase in sales with every passing week, what was once an underground buzz has turned into roaring thunder.  â?¢ The first single "Solitaire Unraveling," recently featured on MTV's 'Dismissed,' continues to drive the groundswell of interest at rock radio nationwide. HITS Magazine declares "With its multi-sensorial appeal and intelligent angst, "Solitaire Unraveling" is fresh, ingenious and unforgettable." â?¢ The video for the first single "Solitaire Unraveling" was just nominated by the Music Video Production Association (MVPA) for Best Rock Video and Best Video Art Direction. It was shot and directed by Dean Karr (Marilyn Manson, Dave Mathews Band, Deftones) and is in rotation on M2, MTVX as well as various local shows around the country. The video can be viewed at http://boss.streamos.com/real/universalmotown/universal/mushroomhead/video/1 _s olitareunraveling.ram. â?¢ Mushroomhead contributed a new song titled "Along the Way" to the much anticipated soundtrack for the Universal Pictures film "Scorpion King." Released March 26, the enhanced CD set also features Godsmack, Drowning Pool, Rob Zombie with Ozzy Osbourne. â?¢ Mushroomhead, which Guitar World dubbed "The New Cult Kings" features Skinny on drums, J Mann - lead vocals, Jeffrey Nothing - lead vocals, Schmotz on keyboards, Pig Benis on bass, Gravy on guitar, Bronson on guitar, Stitch - Samples. www.mushroomhead.org or mushroomhead-music.com ARISE RECORDS NEWS DARK MOOR will follow with their successful Spanish Tour as headliners which will end in June. The band will enter again at the Studio next July to record 4 new songs which will be included in a special edition to be released in December 2002. Elisa will take part in the Beto Vázquez Infinity second album dated in 2003. WIZARDS their 4th album ``The Kingdom´´now available- The Cd contains an exclusive Bonus Track in their European edition. This Brazilian band plays symphonic power metal that surely will like to the Angra´s fans. AXENSTAR has finished the recording of their debut album ``Perpetual Twilight´ , the album has been mastered at Finnvox (Stratovarius, Nightwish) and will be released next October. . The cover will be painted by Travis Smith (Nevermore, King Diamond) On 12.05. Axenstar will participate in a Swedish Kiss convention ( Eric Singer will be there) , the band will play a Kiss cover in the event. FRETERNIA has finished the recording of their second album at Underground Studios. The album will be mastered at Finnvox & the cover will be painted by J.P. Fournier (Edguy). It will be a concept album & will be released next October. VHÄLDEMAR will release their debut album ``Fight To The End ´ in Japan next August. ARWEN will start the recording sessions of their debut album this month of May. Enrik García (Dark Moor ) will participate as guest musician in a track. The album will be released in October 2002. LIVE MOURNING CARESS will take part in the german Festival Summer Breeze Open Air in August. FRETERNIA will play at the Sweden Rock Festival in June. FOR MORE INFO ABOUT ARISE RECORDS, CHECK OUR WEBSITE: www.arisemetal.com Slav Simanic - "LET IT GO" TO BE RELEASED ON NOW AND THEN/FRONTIERS Toronto based guitarist Slav Simanic has signed a record deal with NOW AND THEN/FRONTIERS Record Label for his new album "LET IT GO" as well as his debut CD "WATER OF LIFE". The albums will be released on July 08th 2002. Yugoslavian born guitarist SLAV SIMANIC is the latest addition to the Now & Then / Frontiers roster. His first album for us "Let It Go" will be released in July 2002. It will come with a bonus CD of his debut "Water Of Life" (originally released in 1998). Having relocated to Toronto in 1995 Slav has appeared on albums featuring such renowned artists as Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth, Mr. Big), Peter Criss (KISS), Mark St. John (KISS, Peter Criss), Phil Naro (Talas, Peter Criss, 24K) and present and former members of Triumph, Von Groove etc Slav Simanic teamed up with vocalist Phil Naro (Talas, Peter Criss), bassist Zsolt Henczely and drummer Morgan Evans. This cooperation resulted in the recording of Slav's new release "Let It Go". The album is a mixture of mainly vocal and some instrumental tracks with Slav's recognizable guitar style: high-intensity shred delivered with taste, melody and a passion for musical quality. While his ability as a great new guitar talent has been widely acknowledged Slav has also been equally praised for the accessibility of his songwriting. -------- WARMTH IN THE WILDERNESS - Tribute to JASON BECKER Slav's cover of "Speed Metal Symphony" was included to the Japanese version of "Warmth In The Wilderness I" tribute to Jason Becker (released in November 2001 on Lion Music/Marqee Avalon), and will be added to the upcoming"Warmth In The Wilderness II". ----------------------------------------------REWIRED Tribute to JEFF BECK Rewired - Tribute to Jeff Beck will be released in May 2002 on Progressive Arts Music Record Label. "Rewired: Tribute to Jeff Beck" is a true testament to one of the ultimate godfathers of rock and fusion guitar. Features electrifying performances by: Greg Howe (Shrapnel Records artist), Carl Roa (of The Magic Elf), Dave Martone, Jon Finn Group (Jon is a Grammy nominated guitarist for his work with the Boston Pops and a former Legato Records artist), Rob Balducci (Favored Nations artist), Slav Simanic, Don Lappin (ex-Michael Sweet Band), and more. www.slavsimanic.com E-mail: slav@latterrainrecords.com DARK SYMPHONIES News- BRAVE have just presented Dark Symphonies with the final mastered version of their debut full length cd SEARCHING FOR THE SUN and we are totally and utterly blown away...WOW! BRAVE have taken their music to a completely new dimension as Searching for the Sun just overflows with intense emotion, incredible power, and indescribable beauty. Stretching forth with immense confidence, BRAVE weave influences from progressive metal, rock, classical, and pop into vibrant, radiant melodies wrapped around by Michelle Looseâ?Ts absolutely breathtaking vocal performance taking the listener into the very heart of the sun! â?oSearching for the Sunâ?� includes 11 new songs with a running time of approximately 50 minutes. The official release date has been set for July 2,2002 Its official! Dark Symphonies is extremely proud to announce the newest member to our family: NICODEMUS! After being completely floored by their incredible new demo material, it was clear that Nicodemus had matured by leaps and bounds since their strong debut â?oTales of the Lovelorn and the Necromantic...â?� leaving us no choice but to sign them immediately! The band is currently in the process of recording their debut release for DS entitled "THE SUPERNATURAL OMNIBUS." They should be finished with the recording by the first of June. This will be a truly unique listening experience as Nicodemus take the best from black, gothic, and progressive metal to create haunting melodies, diverse vocal performances, and a stark, sinister atmosphere resulting in a very heavy and extremely dark metal record. Finally, â?oThe Supernatural Omnibus" will feature the artwork of new artist, British photographer David Penprase. Prepare for a release date in early September 2002. RAIN FELL WITHIN continue to amaze both fans and critics alike with their majestic new release â?oREFUGE.â?� Look for in-depth interviews in the upcoming editions of Metal Maniacs, Unrestrained, RipNâ?TTear, Oblivion, Black Light, and Lamentations of the Flame Princess as well as a great on-line Q&A with Dawn at Delirium. â?oRefugeâ?� also continues to receive extensive airplay climbing to #2 at The Darkest Hours(Can), #1 for a 5 week run at mighty The Sound & The Fury(US), and numerous spins at Epicentrum(Pol), Abrasif(Can), Escalera(Spa), Darkwave Radio(Fra), and WCLH(US) to name just a few. MAUDLIN OF THE WELL TO PLAY FIRST WEST-COAST DATE AT PROGWEST 2002! Following a successful single-day event in 2001, ProgWest is pleased to announce a full two-day festival for 2002.  Taking place over Veteran's Day weekend, November 9 & 10, in Claremont, California, ProgWest 2002 will feature seven bands in the 450-seat Seeley Mudd Theater headlined by our own maudlin of the Well! Bands also announced include Avant Garden (Sacramento, CA), Azigza (San Francisco, CA), Izz (New York, NY), Maudlin of the Well (Boston, MA), and NDV (Los Angeles, CA).Two more bands to be announced.  Full details at www.progwest.com NOVEMBERS DOOM have completed the final mixing of their new cd â?oTO WELCOME THE FADEâ?� with Neil Kernon, in Tornillo Texas at the Sonic Ranch. The final mix is so heavy and huge that it is by far the best sounding ND release yet. Mastering will occur this month so look for a release date sometime this summer. Now after months of looking for a replacement for Mary Bielich on Bass, old bass player from years past, Brian Whited (formally of Avernus) has joined the band full time. The band is extremely excited to welcome Brian back into the ND fold, and â?ocan't think of anyone that would fit us better right now.â?� ANIMUS MUNDI and TWELFTH OF NEVER continue to write and rehearse new material for their debut cds on Lure of Lorelei. Both bands are very pleased with the progress they are making and anxiously anticipating the day when they will unveil their music to the world. Stay tuned for more details! www.darksymphonies.com Eclipse Records News Disarray's new album "In the Face of the Enemy" to hit streets on June 18, 2002 As evidenced by crowd reactions on their recent tour with GWAR and Soilent Green, DISARRAY are quickly becoming one of this year's most talked-about metal bands to break onto the scene. Produced by Dave "Oderus" Brockie of costumed super-group GWAR, "In the Face of the Enemy" features 11 brand new songs, that convey a strong message about how the corporate dollar dominates everyday society, achieving ones goals in life- before it is too late, and living a life that is not dependent upon money, but dependent upon integrity and honor. The band has shared the stage with GWAR, Hatebreed, Biohazard, Mushroomhead, and too many other bands to name. They have signed endorsement deals with ESP Guitars, Pearl Drums, and Gallien Krueger amplification, and they are now ready to take over the metal scene with their best work to date... "In the Face of the Enemy". In Stores June 18th http://www.eclipserecords.com CENTINEX NEWS: Guitarist Johan Ahlberg - who had a session position for a few months - has now become a permanent member of the band. Centinex are now working together with Dreamtide Music, a new swedish management and booking agency. Their first target is to book a small east-european tour for late July/early August. Dates to be announced soon. So far the band has been confirmed for two summerfestivals. 28-29.06 2002 Smash Festival, Ustronie Morskie, Poland 26-27.07 2002 Open Hell Festival, Volyne, Czech Republic The new Centinex album - "Diabolical Desolation" - has recieved overwhelming reviews so far. Now available in the U.S. The album has already catapulted to #11 on the CMJ Loud Rock chart! www.centinex.org www.dreamtidemusic.cjb.net www.candlelightrecords.co.uk MY DYING BRIDE For Darkest Eyes The band's first dvd release is set to hit US stores on June 11. Includes photo galleries, early live performances (and the band's famed Dynamo Open Air Festival performance), plus a composite of all their promotional videos: Symphonaire Infernus Et Speara Empyrium The Thrash of the Naked Limbs The Songless Bird I Am the Bloody Earth The Cry of Mankind For You And if that wasn't enough, captured in Poland at the 2001 Peacefest, live selections of A Sea to Suffer In, The Songless Bird, Crown of Sympathy, The Thrash of Naked Limbs, The Cry of Mankind, Your River, Black Voyage, Your Shameful Heaven, From Darkest Skies and the impeccable (and unforgettable) The Forever People. www.peaceville.com www.snappermusic.com SCARLET News ARACHNES New album released in Japan and Taiwan! New ARACHNES album will be released in Japan through one of the TOP-METAL label, MARQUEE/AVALON, with an exclusive bonus track titled ?Epilogue? and also in Taiwan through Rock Empire Music. Asian metal-market tributed the highest feedback expected on this new album and this is the first important strike achieved by the Italian power-speed metal maestros! With the new album ?Apocalypse? ARACHNES is going to surprise many metal fans with an incredible mixture of songs, from fast and aggressive to epic and orchestral, with real choirs and a fantastic guitar works with an inspired neoclassical feeling. INRAGE New signing!!! A new Swedish band joined SCARLET team! A new incredible natural born killer machinery! INRAGE is the name and ?Built To Destroy? is the perfect title for the debut album! Sound blasting production delivered from Underground Studios/Pelle Saether (Carnal Forge, Terror 2000) and Dug-Out Studios/Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, SYL, In Flames, Darkane) recording and Cutting Room mastering. Technical and hammering! A phenomenal assault a kick in your face! THRASH THRASH THRASH! Release Date: 17th June 2002 CADAVERIA New album released in Mexico, Brazil and Taiwan! Amazing results for the debut album ?The Shadows? Madame?! The album will be released in Mexico through THE ART RECORDS, in Brazil through HELLION Records and in Taiwan through REM. The Mexican version will include some special gifts for the South American fans! Watch out for some incredible live performances! MANTICORA new album!!! ?A gathering of pilgrims? They met on the captain's dining platform. Seven pilgrims with different stories, but nevertheless with equal main factor - the mystery of the chrome-bladed creature...the Beast. Each one carrying the hope of being the chosen one, to have his wish fulfilled, knowing that the other six must die hoping. All must they tell their story! And so begins the fantastic new concept album, entitled 'Hyperion', by the Danish power metal merchants Manticora. The band has just returned from the Jailhouse Studios with the master CD for their best album to date. The album was mixed by the world famous producer Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Pretty Maids, Beyond Twilight a. o.) and was recorded at Aabenraa studios with Jacob Hansen as producer (Ancient, Illdisposed, Wuthering Heights a. o.), thus ensuring that Manticora will reach a broad audience with this epic masterpiece. Following the April ´01 release of their last album, 'Darkness With Tales To Tell', Manticora have integrated bass-player extra-ordinaire Kasper Gram as well as new lead guitarist, the young Martin Arendal. Martin?s playing style is close to the one of the previous lead guitarist Flemming, yet his love for real guitar-wizardry of the Malmsteen/Friedman school doesn?t deny. The rest of the band line up is intact, with Mads Volf on the drums, Kristian Larsen on rhythm guitars, Jeppe Eg on keyboards and Lars F. Larsen on vocals. 'Hyperion' is a concept album, meant as a tribute to well known author Dan Simmons?s amazing Hyperion saga. Due to copyright issues, Manticora has chosen to alter certain names of persons and places in the story. 'Hyperion' is a heart-pounding Science Fiction novel with emphasis on emotions such as love, rage, loss, fear and pain, and Manticora have succeeded in capturing each and one of those emotions on the album. For all fans of science fiction and fantasy, this conceptual piece will be welcomed openheartedly Manticora urges everyone to read the novel and form their own opinion about this masterpiece, while listening to the album, as the songs grow even more on the listener while knowing the concept. Music-wise Manticora have improved 200% since their last album, this time blending their epic power metal with hard hitting thrash and more progressive sounds. It is a true Manticora album that will not disappoint their old fans, and an album that should bring a lot of new people to the music of this superb Danish band. Scarlet Records are aiming at an early October 2002 release, with plans for a tour around Europe, to bring Manticora to the fans?look out! M E T A L F I G H T E R S Record Label and Distribution Company proudly presents its first release (MF001) RAGING STORM - Raging Storm CD 10 tracks of unbelievable Epic Heavy Metal in the vein of BROCAS HELM, CIRITH UNGOL, MANOWAR, WARLORD, OMEN, SLOUGH FEG, MANILLA ROAD, IRON MAIDEN, RUNNING WILD, METALUCIFER etc. with yet unique sound: furious rhythmes, fantastic leads, incredible vocal lines, cult epic feeling similar to all great 80's bands!! Tracks like The Warrior, Holy War, Heavy Metal Faith and the all the rest have made strong sense in the underground and belong already to the glorious history of Epic Metal. You have to check 'em out especially in their numerous live appearances! RAGING STORM also have played support to Brocas Helm, Primal Fear, Anvil!! The artwork is totally professional made by the bassist Harry Boudamour and the layout by Georg Z of Dream Weaver!! Website: http://metalfighters.tripod.com/ , Email: sevsign@hol.gr or LEVIATHAN News FIREWIND, fronted by guitarist Gus G and x-Kenziner vocalist Stephen Fredrick, will have their debut Cd "Between Heaven and Hell" released in June. Toshiba/EMI in Japan, Massacre in Europe and Rock Brigade in South America will also release this Cd. The Cd was mixed recently in Sweden by Fredrik Nordstrom, (In Flames, Hammerfall, etc.). The Cd was produced by David T. Chastain. Other band members include Brian Harris (Kenziner, Zanister, Vainglory, My Own Victim) on drums and Konstantine (IT) on bass. The renowned Rainer Kalwitz created the cover art. Everyone expects this to be one of the biggest debuts in 2002! THE REIGN OF TERROR, featuring vocalist Mike Vescera and guitarist Joe Stump, are currently holed up in MVP Studios in Connecticut recording their follow up to their very successful "Sacred Ground" Cd. Once again providing the bass and drums are Jay Rigney and Matt Scurfield (both from Event). Joining the band on keyboards once again, as a special guest, is Mats Olausson. Joe promises the Cd will be "Heavier and more aggressive" than the previous Reign of Terror Cds. Joe Stump's most recent instrumental release "2001: A Shred Odyssey" will be released in Europe on Lucretia Records within the month. Lucretia Records will also release DAVID T. CHASTAIN's "Rock Solid Guitar" in the same general time frame. CHASTAIN, the band, are in the final stages of recording their first Cd since the amazing 1997 "In Dementia." Joining vocalist Kate French and guitarist David T. Chastain are original Vicious Rumors members drummer Larry Howe and bassist Dave Starr. Working track titles include: New Beginnings Souls the Sun Hamunaptra Bullet from a Gun Tortured Love Malicious Pigs Rule the World Lucky to be Alive Women are Wicked In an Outrage The band hopes to have the Cd out in late 2002. VAINGLORY are also in the studio working on their follow up to "2050." Band leader/guitarist Corbin King says "I am really excited about furthering the sound of band into a monster second release. The new stuff really sounds killer." No firm release date has been set on this new Cd but a very late 2002 or early 2003 release is most likely. SOUTHERN GENTLEMEN are preparing to head into the studio to record their sophomore recording to follow up the 2000 release "Exotic Dancer Blues." That Cd received major critical success all across the globe. The tentative title of the new Cd is "Ladies of the Night." David T. says "We all look forward to recording this Cd as we know it will be a blast to do! We probably will bring in strippers to the sessions to provide us with a little extra inspiration." http://www.leviathanrecords.com W.A.S.P. Strikes Back on June 11th With Dying For The World on Sanctuary/Metal-Is Records On June 11th, shock rock innovators W.A.S.P. will release their most inspired effort to date. On the heals of 2001's critically acclaimed Unholy Terror (heralded as an "â?¦excuse to flay your carcass more ruthlessly than anyone else canâ?¦" by L.A. Weekly and "â?¦hard, nasty and loudâ?¦" by Hit Parader Magazine), Blackie Lawless and company are unleashing a 10-track demonstration of inspiration through aggression entitled Dying For The World. With a lineup that currently consists of vocalist/guitarist/ringleader Blackie Lawless, longtime contributing drummer Frankie Banali and bassist Mike Duda, and newcomer Darrell Roberts (who joined the band just prior to the Unholy Terror U.S. Tour), Dying For The World was recorded and mixed at Blackie's studio in Los Angeles. The album was actually inspired by letters received from troops who fought in the Gulf War. Blackie explains: "Our motivation for this record was prefaced by letters sent to us from the tank divisions during the Gulf War, where the troops would actually go into battle blaring 'Fuck Like A Beast' and 'Wild Child.' After the events on 9/11, we felt we would give them a fresh batch; in essence, we've literally made an album to go kill people by." Consisting of songs entitled "Shadow Man," "Hell For Eternity," "Trail Of Tears," "Rubberman," "My Wicked Heart," "Stone Cold Killers," "Hallowed Ground," "Hallowed Ground #5 (acoustic)," "Black Bone Torso," and "Revengeance," Dying For The World emphasizes a method of dealing with anger. A native of Staten Island, Blackie elaborates: "This problem isn't going to go away; we WILL have to deal with the Middle East eventually. There is no longer an 'if', it's 'when'!" Should this bold statement of an album's message be misconstrued and be accused of corrupting America's youth, W.A.S.P. are no stranger to defending their rights as entertainers. Their music was under public scrutiny and placed on the Parents Music Resource Center's "Filthy 15" list in the mid 80's for containing "questionable lyrical content". W.A.S.P. plan to celebrate the release of Dying For The World with a summer tour, once again blatantly displaying their voracious stage show! Dying For The World will be released on June 11th through Sanctuary / Metal-Is. www.waspnation.com www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com RCA Rock Heavyweights TRIK TURNER Tour To Promote Acclaimed Self-Titled Debut Television performances confirmed on Letterman and Kilborn Phoenix-based rock/hip-hop hybrid TRIK TURNER could be considered among the hardest working bands in the modern rock community. Having just released their critically-acclaimed self-titled debut for RCA Records, the sextet are working relentlessly to have their message heard. The band's current single "Friends and Family" is tearing up the radio and video charts and the album has cracked Billboard's Top 100 chart. The secret to their success is found in their fusion of funk-flavored hip-hop with encapsulating rock sensibilities. TRIK TURNER worked with producer Mudrock (Godsmack, Coal Chamber, Powerman 5000) to crystallize the unique facets of their sound for a more potent edge. Co-vocalist Doug Moore elaborates: "We really wore our heart on our sleeves with the lyrics on this record. It's personal stuff - it's everyday life stuff that we go through, and we try to sing and flow about it. Hip-Hop is a beautiful thing, but in a lot of ways, it's been abused. This album is our way of showing another, more sophisticated side of it. If it's done right, it can be loved." As the radio single "Friends and Family" continues to soar, the accompanying video is receiving generous airplay on MTV and MTV2. TRIK TURNER can also be seen performing live on a Miller Lite sponsored tour amid multi-lineup festival bills throughout the summer. The group will also make multiple television appearances in the coming months, including The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn on May 2nd, The Late Show with David Letterman on June 27th, and Last Call with Carson Daly during the week of July 1st. Across the board, press is raving about TRIK TURNER's music and volatile live show: www.trikturner.com www.rcarecords.com Tornado Triumph Of The King Now Available on Angular Records of Germany Their name "Tornado" what means "Twister" already points to the musical "twist" of various genres. They have great diversity of songs, from melodic speed metal to acoustic instrumentals. Simply, they are Iron Maiden in a progressive metal suit, mixed with old medieval, renaissance and baroque neoclassical music ! The essential composition on the album is the 19 minute longtrack "Heavy Metal Symphony: Eternal Mystery + Epitaph". Sounds like Iron Maiden meets J.S. Bach! This number will blow Your mind away! Shorter tracks of the album exhibit powerful epic lyrics, in medieval tradition of heroes and warriors. Catchy songs like the opener "Coming of The King" and the second "We Must Revenge" have a high potential to get a lot of radio airplay. The most important strength of this band are first of all the amazing vocals by Philip Zmaher. If You can imagine Eric Adams (Manowar), Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) and David Coverdale (Deep Purple, Whitesnake) in one unique person, try it ! To summarize, all fans of the classic Iron Maiden, Manowar, Dio, Helloween & Gamma Ray albums definitely will love Tornado ! An amazing and incredible killer album for all Hard'n'Heavy listeners. If you are a fan of traditional, true heavy metal, this will be right up your long-term favorite. But if You are in progressive/neoclassical metal too, if You are a fan of Queensryche, Shadow Gallery, Symphony X or Angra, You will like much of what Tornado has to offer. Don't miss one of the mega surprises of the year !!! http://www.angular-records.com Former KISS Axeman Pays Tribute To 70s Glamsters SWEET-- Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick has contributed lead guitar to the track "Sweet FA" for upcoming SWEET tribute album, to be released later this year. Appearing under the banner JK'S ALL STAR EXPERIENCE, Kulick is backed on the track by an all-Swedish cast consisting of, among others, rhythm guitarist Lars Chriss (LION'S SHARE), bassist John Levén (ex-EUROPE), vocalist Jonas Nilsson (REDNEX), and keyboardist Tommy Denander (RADIOACTIVE). CARL PERKINS DVD REMEMBERS ROCKABILLY HERO ALL-STAR CAST RECORDING RELEASED FOR FIRST TIME Philadelphia: Snapper Music proudly presents Carl Perkins and Friends, Blue Suede Shoes, A Rockabilly Session. Recorded in 1985 this special dvd/vhs release with a superstar cast, including George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Dave Edmunds, Rosanne Cash, Earl Slick and more, pays tribute to the legacy of the late Hall of Fame musician. Considered among the founders of "rockabilly," a cross of rhythm-and-blues and country music, Perkins penned some of rock n roll's biggest early hits. Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session was recorded at London's Limehouse Studios for a 1986 cable tv special. This marks the first time the performance is available on dvd. The performance includes over 20 selections, including "Honey Don't," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Gone All Down the Line," "Going to Jackson," "Mean Woman Blues, "Matchbox," "Your True Love," "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby," and "Blue Suede Shoes." Born in Tiptonville, Tennessee, Carl Perkins picked up guitar at the tender age of 7. By his teens, Perkins had switched to electric guitar and was playing in a band with his two brothers. His first recordings were released in the mid-50's on Sun Records, then home to Johnny Cash. The material included the 1956 hit "Blue Suede Shoes," later recorded by Elvis Presley. In addition to Perkins wealth of recorded material, his songwriting portfolio includes writting credits for Johnny Cash ("Daddy Sang Bass"), Patsy Cline's ("I Was So Wrong"), The Judds ("Let Me Tell You About Love"" as well as "Honey Don't," "Matchbox," and "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" recorded by The Beatles. Perkins was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He died January 10, 1998 after a long battle with cancer. He was 65 years old. Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session now in stores. Snapper Music is distributed exclusively in the US by Navarre Corporation. www.snappermusic.com www.navarre.com SOILENT GREEN SINGER HOSPITALIZED SOILENT GREEN were in another auto accident recently. This one was in Chicago and left vocalist Ben Falgoust with broken bones in both legs. Ben is still in the hospital and has already been through two leg operations. He will be going to his home in New Orleans to recuperate very soon. CLOSER THAN KIN SIGN WITH PUNKTUATION RECORDS Punktuation Records, an offshoot of Arctic Records, has proudly signed Connecticut four-piece CLOSER THAN KIN. The CD will be released worldwide in late July with touring to support the release. Their self-released EP "Dead Flowers For A Dying Lover" caught the attention of label founder Scott Hecker. Scott had this to say about the new label and their first signing, "Arctic Records was formed with the intent to bring the most brutal bands to the forefront of the music scene. Bands like Malevolent Creation,Hate Plow and Kult ov Azazel, and I believe that we have succeeded. Now it is time to turn our attentions to the Hard-core scene and PUNK. But not just the Blink's and the Green Day's but the street level, loud aggressive, brutally honest , in-your-face assault....that Closer than Kin provides. Punktuation was formed to fill that need, and CTK is perfect to lead the masses to this Music". CLOSER THAN KIN are heading to Canada for a handful of dates with Big Wig and Jersey before they enter the studio. The band's Punktuation Records debut is tentatively scheduled for a late July release in the U.S. and Europe. Solid State News STILL BREATHING "SEPTEMBER" Tulsa's Still Breathing will soon be releasing their debut record on Solid State Records. Combining elements of hardcore in the vein of Turmoil and VOD, along with elements of modern metal in the vein of Machine Head and Skinlab, the female fronted four piece will soon gain recognition nationwide. Listen for them on your local college station UNDEROATH "THE CHANGING OF TIMES" Underoath is metal influences hardcore band out of Florida. Over the past few years the bands has played hundreds of shows and released 2 other records on Takehold. The band's Solid State debut "The Changing Of Times" is a continuation of where the band left their fans before. More melodic in some ways but still retaining their hardcore back bone. Look for an incredible tour announcement in the coming weeks! Thanks to all of the stations that have been supporting Underoath with radio airplay!! and thanks to the guys at The Syndicate for doing an amazing job - as usual! FEW LEFT STANDING "WORMWOOD" Hailing from Memphis Tennessee, Few Left Standing are another metallic hardcore band that has been establishing quite a following. Besides playing all over the south the band has played such festivals as Cornerstone, Furnace Fest and others. "Wormwood" was released independently by Takehold this last summer, we liked the record so much we thought the world should have a chance to check it out. THIS IS SOLID STATE #3 This is Solid State #3 is a collection of 17 songs, some from albums released over the past year such as Stretch Arm Strong, Norma jean and more. There are also 5 brand new tracks never before released by Project 86, Demon Hunter, ZAO, Still Breathing and Underoath. ZAO "PARADE OF CHAOS" ZAO has finished recording their 4th full length record for Solid State entitled "Parade of Chaos". The Solid State staff have been enjoying the record all week and are happy to report the band has out done themselves once again. "Parade orf Chaos" will be released July 16, look for a limited edition MP3 online soon! ZAO has been taking time off from playing to finish the new record. Originally the band was going to tour all of June and end with a set at Cornerstone. Those plans have now been scrapped and the band will begin a tour at Cornerstone and will play their last show EVER at Furnace Fest in Birmingham, AL August 10th. This looks like it might really be the last time you'll get a chance to see ZAO (contrary to the last time or the time before that) so don't miss it! Dates and support to be announced soon! STRETCH ARM STRONG WEST COAST BOUND! Those of you in Southern CA get ready for SAS to hit your side of the country with Throwdown. The band will be in CA the end of May so check the dates out. SAS will be hitting the road this summer with 2 other fine bands: Reach the Sky and The Hope Conspiracy. Look for dates to be announced soon! LIVING SACRIFICE ENTERING STUDIO Living Sacrifice has finished writing their new record for Solid State to follow up their last record "The Hammering Process". Those of you that have the bands previous record might find it hard to top but we're sure they will deliver the goods. The remarks from the band right now is that the new material is a lot faster in some places, heavier vocals....we can't wait! NORMA JEAN IN STUDIO As you read this Norma Jean is recording their sophomore record "Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child" at ZING Studios in Boston MA. At the producer helm this time is Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage, Every Time I Die) with a release date of August 13th. Expect a limited edition split 7" with Tooth and Nail artists mewithoutYou to be out (we hope) in time for their tour together in May! http://www.solidstaterecords.com THE END Records News New Releases ARCTURUS - "The Sham Mirrors" Honored sonic surrealists Arcturus lay down before you their latest work, "The Sham Mirrors." In a time when the terms "avant-garde" and "progressive" are thrown around too loosely in the metal lexicon, "The Sham Mirrors" arrives to defy such easy tags. It explodes like a supernova throughout its 43-minute duration; it lays another mighty brick in the tower these explorers have been building since 1991... The new album remains metal at its core while dragging the genre through endless tunnels of light, color and sound that it has never before seen. The Trickster Garm showcases his previously-unexplored falsetto range; Hellhammer offers a percussive display that teeters between the organic and the inhuman; Sverd's keys pepper the spaces with masterful confidence. In a perfect world (far from the one we inhabit), lead-off track "Kinetic" would be a global hit single. Six songs later, the album closes with the cosmic 10-and-a-half minute opus, "For to End Yet Again," itself alone worthy of a lifetime of inspection. Note for note, song for song, "The Sham Mirrors" is likely Arcturus's grand achievement, pulling together various facets of their previous releases and molding it into a bold new shape. For North America only. Site: http://www.adastraenter.com WINDS - "Reflections Of The I" + bonus tracks Finally, the new album by this amazing band from Norway is here. The US version also includes the complete MCD "Of Entiry and Mind" as a bonus! Winds features: Lars Eric Si - Vocals (Jack In A Box, Sensa Anima, Khold),who won a Norwegian Grammy Award in 2000 for his amazing vocal talents; Carl August Tidemann - Guitars (Arcturus, Tritonus), an exceptional guitar player with influences from rock/metal, classical and jazz; Jan Axel von Blomberg - Drums (Mayhem, Arcturus, Kovenant), also known as Hellhammer, he has also won 2 Norwegian Grammy Awards; Andy Winter- Keys, a virtuoso in classical music, main songwriter and the person that gets the main credit for WINDS's crystal clear sound. The new album utilizes a full string section (courtesy of members from the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra) and creates a seamless and most inspiring mix of classically oriented metal fronted with clean vocals, dark progressive guitars, philharmonics, classical piano and floating synths. The intricate arrangements, all written so they flow with the concept in mind, deliver spirals of dazzling melodies filled with magnificent atmospheres, offering a sublime elegance that makes their music a truly superb sonic journey! A top-notch production by Top-Room Studio and a truly breathtaking layout design by the ever-talented Travis Smith make this one of the overall strongest albums the scene has to offer! For North America only. Site: http://www.winds.nu New Recording AGALLOCH - "The Mantle" The new album is now completed. Agalloch here have managed to further build on the layering themes found on "Pale Folklore," yet managing to assimilate and utilize unique instruments such as the accordion and trombone to broaden the scope of the musical journey found within. At almost 70 minutes this is an elaborate and multi-dimensional journey into dark folk experimental metal. Scheduled for a release in July. New Signing NIGHTINGALE The End Records is very proud to announce that we have signed Dan Swanö's Nightingale for North America. Recordings begin May 3rd at Soundlab Studios for a possible release date in the Fall of 2002. The upcoming album is entitled "Alive Again" and while the songs are fully completed there are only 2 song titles so far: 'Alive Again (Part IV)' and 'The Shadowman.' According to Dan: "[compared to the previous releases the new album will] be a bit of everything. Some tracks are in major key for a change without being too commercial; sad major. There is some chunky stuff, one 10 minute mega epic and a few traditional Nightingale style rockers. You will dig it...I promise!!!" Current Nightingale Line-up: Dan Swanö - Lead vocals, lead/rhythm and acoustic guitars, keyboards. Erik Oskarsson - Bass and backing vocals. Tom Nouga - Lead/rhythm and acoustic guitars, backing vocals, keyboards Tom Björn - Drums and acoustic guitar Discography: Nightingale - I (2000) Nightingale - The Closing Chronicles (1996) Nightingale - The Breathing Shadow (1995) Dan Swanö is one of the most prolific and talented musicians in the scene. He has recorded, produced, and participated in countless acts varying from progressive rock to death metal. Besides Nightingale, some of his other bands are: Moontower, Edge of Sanity, Unicorn, Godsend, Pan-Thy-Monium, Bloodbath, Diabolical Masquerade, etc. Tom Björn also plays in Memory Garden and Memento Mori, Erik Oskarsson in Godsend and Tom Nouga (a.k.a. Dag Swanö) participated in various Dan Swanö projects. Site: http://www.swano.nu KHOLD Khold's debut album made a stand in the extreme metal world as it created a spectral of modern black metal by incorporating the 80's blasphemic sounds of Bathory, Venom and Celtic Frost. The new album "The Phantom" is built on that that but comes forth as tighter and more focused, also offering a better production courtesy of the The Livingroom studios. A very cohesive and focused album proves Khold as one of the most consistent acts in black metal today, and song after song create an aura of grim, desolating black metal further accentuated by Gard's screechy yet commanding vocals. Nothing is over-used nor played excessively and this is Khold's strongest point as it allows the songs to fully develop and portray their lethal, menacing and even hypnotic/captivating atmospheres. Probably the most exciting black metal album for the year, Khold rises to stand equally next to such peers as Darkthrone and even Burzum. CADAVERIA - "The Shadow's Madame" While a debut, Cadaveria has created a remarkable album, but should not be a surprise as it includes members from top Italian extreme metal bands such as Opera IX and Necrodeath. The diverse musical background of the members (death, classical, black, thrash) manage to all be blended together and offer a sound that can be loosely described as obscure horror symphonic metal and in a way brings a mix of bands from Cradle Of Filth, Misfits, Mercyful Fate and Notre Dame. Cadaveria dare and scare as this is an album to please all into the extreme sounds of today! theend@theendrecords.com http://www.theendrecords.com Metal quartet SKINLAB is releasing, reVoltingRoom May 28, 2002 on Century Media Records. The album is a culmination of three years worth of writing, recording and touring and the result is a heavier and more mature sounding album. The songs were produced by Steve Evetts (Sepultura, Hatebreed, Snapcase) and mixed by Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Napalm Death, Earth Crisis). SKINLAB is currently touring across the US with Kitty, Flaw and My Ruin. For more information and tour dates log on to http://www.skinlab1.com. Century Media News NEWS from KOTIPELTO, DARK TRANQUILLITY, HOLY MOSES, NOCTURNAL RITES, SENTENCED, ARCH ENEMY, STORMHAMMER, SHELTER and MOONSPELL!!! KOTIPELTO: The news is all over town: Stratovarius frontman Timo Kotipelto proudly presents his first solo album "Waiting For The Dawn" on May 21st, 2002, via Century Media Records! Not only Stratovarius fans but all fans of quality heavy metal will be delighted at this debut album, containing very melodic rock and heart-rending heavy metal influences and features a top-notch cast of musicians. "Waiting For The Dawn" shows that Kotipelto is not only an outstanding singer, but also is a very gifted songwriter. The album is a concept basing on myths and reality of ancient Egyptian times. Kotipelto himself produced this overwhelming longplayer. "Waiting For The Dawn" was completely recorded in Helsinki / Finland: Drums and bass at the Sonic Pump Studios, vocals and guitars at Hästholm/High and Loud Studios and mixed by Mikko Karmila and mastered by Mika Jussila at the famous Finnvox Studios. The suitable artwork of "Waiting For The Dawn" is made by Derek Riggs (Iron Maiden and Gamma Ray, which is all that needs to be said!). Here is the list of the fantastic musicians who appear on this release: Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius) - Lead & Backing Vocals Jari Kainulainen (Stratovarius) Bass Michael Romeo (Symphony X) - Guitars Roland Grapow (ex-Helloween) - Guitars Sami Virtanen (Warmen) - Guitars Janne Wirman (Children of Bodom, Warmen) - Keyboards Mikko Harkin (Sonata Arctica) - Keyboards Mirka Rantanen (Thunderstone, Tunnel Vision, Warmen) - Drums Gas (HIM) - Drums DARK TRANQUILLITY: The New Wave Of Swedish Death Metal heroes strike back with their new full-length record. They have now put the finishing touches on their new album "Damage Done" at Studio Fredman! Watch out for a release in summer 2002. HOLY MOSES: Even more immediate and catchy sounds are to be found on the new CD entitled "Disorder Of The Order" from German cult-thrasher HOLY MOSES. Sabina Classen and the other bangers created eleven songs from hell altogether: 1. Intro, 2. We Are At War, 3. Disorder Of The Order, 4. Break The Evil, 5. Hell On Earth, 6. I Bleed, 7. Blood Bond, 8. 1.000 Lies, 9. Princess Of Hell, 10. Verfolgungswahn, 11. Heaven Versus Hell. Release in June 2002 http://www.holymoses.de NOCTURNAL RITES: Backed with true heavy Power Metal Hymns and phenomenal cover artwork by outstanding as-yet-unknown Russian artist Leo Hao, these Swedish metal maniacs are prepared to take the next step. Look for their new album, Shadow Land, to be released May 27th, 2002 in Europe. Produced by Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, Andromeda, In Flames) at Dug-Out Studios in Uppsala, Sweden, the following track listing has been finalized: "Eyes Of The Dead," "Shadowland," "Invincible," "Revelation," "Never Die," "Underworld," "Vengeance," "Faceless God," "Birth Of Chaos," and "The Watcher." The Japanese version of Shadow Land will include as as-yet-undisclosed bonus track. SENTENCED: New album news! Recording and mixing for their brand new album, The Cold White Light, has been completed at Finland's Finnvox Studios under the guidance of producer Hiili Hiilesmaa. The final tracklisting will be: "Konevitsan Kirkonkellot," "Cross My Heart And Hope To Die," "Brief Is The Light," "Neverlasting," "Aika Multaa Muistot [Everything Is Nothing]," "Excuse Me While I Kill Myself," "Blood & Tears," "You Are The One," "Guilt And Regret," "The Luxury Of A Grave," and "No One There." A single and video for the track "No One There" will be released in Europe as advanced promotion for the album. SENTENCED are tentatively scheduled to perform several shows in their home country of Finland, and will be followed by select festival appearances throughout the summer. ARCH ENEMY: What the crowd at The Troubadour (Los Angeles) witnessed on Tuesday night was nothing short of the making of history. Years from now, the ARCH ENEMY fans who attended the first-ever show with their new lead singer, Angela Gossow, will be able to cherish it as a prized memory. The commanding professionalism, the high caliber of musical talent, and the obvious fan devotion all combined into a hypnotizing atmospheric elixir that left everyone euphoric. The anticipation was absolutely undeniable. The show was a sell-out. The commemorative autographed Wages Of Sin CDs debuting the new line-up sold-out. ARCH ENEMY shirts sold out. Posters from the venue walls promoting the show were stolen. Fans recognized that anything pertaining to the March 5th show would mark the evening as an experience of a lifetime. Just after 11 p.m., fists and horns pierced the air as the intro music began. Guitarist Christopher Amott was the first to step on-stage and fiercely salute the army of arms before him. Drummer Daniel Erlandsson, bassist Sharlee D'Angelo, and legendary guitarist Michael Amott quickly joined him. The fate for the evening was quickly sealed: it was going to be unforgettable! As the men of ARCH ENEMY ripped into the intro to "Enemy Within," all eyes awaited their first glimpse at the newest vessel of vocal brutality. Angela Gossow grabbed her cordless microphone and leaped fearlessly into what felt like an inferno. Fans screamed their approval at her first growl, and to those who never doubted her abilities, Angela thanked them personally with every snarl, every subsequent growl, and every mighty scream over & over & over again. The band tore through the rest of their set while fans in the front row ran the risk of dismemberment from the ferocious activity close to the stage: "Bury Me An Angel," "Diva Satanica" (could a more appropriate song have been penned?), "Heart Of Darkness," "The Immortal," "Dark Insanity," "Burning Angel," "Pilgrim," and "Ravenous," concluding with the memorable "Silverwing." Following the final note of the last song, the band left the stage, but chants of "EN-E-MY! EN-E-MY! EN-E-MY!" ensured the encore everyone so painfully wanted, and the members of ARCH ENEMY returned to crown the evening with "Dead Bury Their Dead," and "Beast Of Man." After the show, Michael, Christopher, Daniel, Sharlee, and Angela met with their fans and were doused with endless praise as they signed CD booklets, posters, and ticket stubs. Go ahead: start practicing now. "I was there when." Cool Live-Pics from their LA show: http://www.hellacron.com/arch_enemy_live_in_hollywood_review.htm After this great event the band flew over to Japan to play one successful show after another! Read about their fantastic trip: http://www.archenemy.net A tour for Europe is not yet confirmed. SHELTER: Interesting things happened on a popular Italian TV. In a show, which is Italy's answer to "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?", the following question was asked: What band does Ray Cappo sing for? Unfortunately the guy got it wrong. Strange, but you all know the right answer now! ;-) http://www.ineedyourshelter.com STORMHAMMER: German Metal Maniacs STORMHAMMER are busy recording Songs for their third record. Here are a few Songs described by drummer "Django" Schuster: Wiseman: (A Ballad) Lord of Darkness: (a bombastic sing along) Combat: (Thin Lizzy influenced) Cyber Mortis: (fast and progressive) How many songs finally will appear on the new record is written in the stars. MOONSPELL: News from Portugal: Radio Marginal made a contest for all fans of Moonspell. The fans had to write a lyric, a poem or a text using the words "Moonspell" and "Halloween". The winner got a free professional tattoo of their "Darkness & Hope" album cover artwork, in whatever size the winner decided upon. The winner was a brave girl who chose the largest size possible, placed directly in the center of her back! Now she will be a Moonspell fan forever. Cursed News Coming soon: Deceased - The Radiation Years CD The radioactive origin of US Death Metal! Deceased's legendary Birth by Radiation (1988) and Nuclear Exorcist (1989) demos set the standard for Metal bands worldwide, and Cursed Productions is proud to present these diabolical recordings, plus four previously unavailable bonus tracks, completely re-mastered by the band! Whether you've been a Deceased devotee from day one, or are a more recent convert... This is one CD you can't DIE without! Coming soon from Cursed Productions! A release date is not set at this time, but look for The Radiation Years to be unleashed before June... www.CursedProductions.com TURBO (1986), PRIEST LIVE! (1987), RAM IT DOWN (1988), AND PAINKILLER (1990) Full series now boasts 12 expanded editions containing previously unreleased studio and live bonus tracks, original artwork, lyrics, vintage photography, new liner notes by the band, and digital remastering by Jon Astley Columbia/Legacy reissue campaign began in May 2001, wraps up March 19th One of the most well-received album restoration projects in the annals of rock - an ongoing campaign encompassing the 12 original Columbia recordings of Judas Priest - comes to a timely conclusion with their final four titles for the label released between 1986 and 1990: TURBO, PRIESTâ?¦LIVE!, RAM IT DOWN , and PAINKILLER. Digitally remastered expanded editions of these four albums are now available on Columbia/Legacy, a division of Sony Music. Released March 19th these four titles include the second live album of Judas Priest's career and a wealth of MTV classics and Billboard Album Rock chart tracks, among them "Turbo Lover,""Locked In," "Rock You All Around The World," "Parental Guidance," "Monsters Of Rock," "Painkiller," "A Touch Of Evil," and "Night Crawler." They are the crowning touch to a year-long campaign that pays homage to the group that is consistently cited - alongside Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and precious few others - as progenitors of metal's defining sound. The four new albums neatly wrap up the definitive Columbia portion of the Judas Priest discography which began with Sin After Sin (1977), Stained Class (1978), Hell Bent For Leather (early 1979), and their first live LP, Unleashed In the East (late 1979), reissued together as expanded editions by Columbia/Legacy in November 2001; and British Steel (1980), Point Of Entry (1981), Screaming For Vengeance (1982), and Defenders Of The Faith (1984), reissued together in May 2001. Various members of the essential Judas Priest lineup on Columbia - lead singer Rob Halford, dueling lead guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Dave Holland (replaced on the final Columbia album, PAINKILLER, by Scott Travis, who remains a member to this day) - have overseen this historic campaign. With their input, the CD booklets of each expanded edition not only reprise the original LP artwork and include lyrics (where available), but also present vintage photographs from the band's personal collection, and newly-written liner notes written by the band that put each album in perspective. Bonus material on each of the 12 expanded editions comprises at least one previously unreleased studio track (from the original album recording sessions) and one previously unreleased live version of a Judas Priest classic (recorded during the tour(s) that supported each release at the time). In all, the series presents nine previously unheard studio tracks and 17 songs never before released as live performances on album. Assigned to the project is the ubiquitous Jon Astley, who supervised the digital remastering process working with the original multi-track analog source tapes. In addition to serving as remastering engineer and reissue producer of the entire original catalog of the Who (and the solo work of Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, and John Entwistle), Astley has also produced archival projects for ABBA, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, the Pretty Things, Small Faces, and Them (among others), as well as the 30th anniversary edition of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. Founded in Birmingham, England in 1971, as a blues-based band, the original Judas Priest lineup included K.K. Downing and Ian Hill. They slugged it out on the Midlands circuit for two years before Rob Halford joined the fold in 1973. Glenn Tipton arrived the following year, just in time for the recording of their debut album Rocka Rolla (on the independent Gull label). It was followed in 1976 by Sad Wings of Destiny (also on Gull). Despite the LP's modest success in the U.K., U.S., and Japan, the band was financially strapped and Gull was incapable of bringing them to the top. That all changed with the entry of CBS Records and the release of their label debut, Sin After Sin, in 1977 (containing "Sinner," "Starbreaker," and the unexpected cover of Joan Baez "Diamonds and Rust"). Now established in the U.K., Judas Priest set their sights on America. Their second Columbia album, 1978's Stained Class (with "Exciter" and "Beyond the Realms Of Death") pierced the low range of Billboard's LP chart for a fast 3 weeks (reaching #173), but the band converted a quarter-million fans on tour in North America that spring. The momentum carried the next album, Hell Bent for Leather (1979, with "Take On the World," their first British top 10 hit, a show-stopping cover version of Fleetwood Mac's "Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)," and "Evening Star") higher and longer in Billboard, reaching #128. Judas Priest capitalized on their exciting stage show with the release of Unleashed In the East(Live in Japan) later in '79, a year that had already seen successful 'live at Budokan' releases by Cheap Trick and Bob Dylan. Sure enough, Unleashed (produced by Tom Allom, the band's first of eight consecutive albums with him) doubled the sales of its predecessor, reaching #70. The stage was set for a major breakthrough in 1980. British Steel, with "Breakin' the Law," "Livin' After Midnight,""Metal Gods," and "United" providing the momentum, became their first RIAA gold certification in the U.S., reaching #34. With 1981's Point Of Entry, video director Julien Temple was enlisted to bring his vision to three tracks: "Heading Out To the Highway" (which hit Top 10 on Billboard's new Album Rock Tracks chart in its first month of publication), "Don't Go," and "Hot Rockin'." The result was their second LP to reach inside the top 40 (to #39). Judas Priest's ascent to stadium-filling headliners ultimately began with the release of Screaming For Vengeance in 1982, their first RIAA platinum million seller in this country, reaching #17 and spending 53 weeks on the chart. Its success was linked to "You've Got Another Thing Coming" whose Temple-directed video dominated MTV, and led to its emergence as the only Hot 100 chart single of Judas Priest's career. They kept up the pace with 1984's Defenders Of The Faith, which struck RIAA gold and hit #18 during its near-10 month stay in Billboard, largely on the strength of "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll." There followed the longest hiatus of their career (to that point), during which time they resettled in Phoenix, Arizona. After performing a memorable set at Live-Aid in Philadelphia in July 1985, hunger for a new Priest album was (re)kindled. Fans didn't have long to waitâ?¦ TURBO by JUDAS PRIEST (CK 85437, originally issued March 1986, as Columbia 40158) Having recorded the previous two LPs in Ibiza, they moved to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas for new sessions, their sixth consecutive project with producer 'Colonel' Tom Allom. Meanwhile, the new album's experimentation with guitar synthesizers and more accessible pop melodies caught longtime fans by surprise. Still, "Turbo Lover" and "Locked In" made impressive mid-chart showings on the Billboard Album Rock chart, both treated to big-budget videos. The album was the band's fifth consecutive Top 20 success, hitting #17, reaching RIAA platinum and spending 36 weeks in Billboard. Judas Priest headlined the "Turbo - Fuel For Life" tour throughout North America, Japan and Europe, business as usual. Selections: 1. Turbo Lover 2. Locked In 3. Private Property 4. Parental Guidance 5. Rock You All Around The World 6. Out In The Cold 7. Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days 8. Hot For Love 9. Reckless 10. Before The Dawn Bonus tracks: 11. All Fired Up (previously unreleased studio track) 12. Locked In (previously unreleased live version). PRIESTâ?¦LIVE! by JUDAS PRIEST (CK 86378, originally issued June 1987, as Columbia 40794) Having recorded five studio albums since their last live release, 1979's Unleashed In the East (Live In Japan), the time was certainly right for an encore. This time, Judas Priest raised the bar with a double-LP (now a single CD) edited from shows in Atlanta and Dallas during the 1986 "Turbo - Fuel For Life" tour. (CBS Music Video Enterprises also issued a companion VHS home video, another first for Judas Priest and a rare collectable today.) The repertoire of course was drawn entirely from the post-'79 albums, with a hefty five cuts representing TURBO. The bonus tracks adhere to this original intent, with the exception of a showstopping "Hell Bent For Leather." As live albums go, it came in at a respectable #38, but more importantly bought the band some breathing room to cope with their Nevada litigation and the preparation of a new studio LP due for release in 1988. Selections: 1. Out In The Cold 2. Heading Out To The Highway 3. Metal Gods 4. Breaking The Law 5. Love Bites 6. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll 7. The Sentinel 8. Private Property 9. Rock You All Around The World 10. Electric Eye 11. Turbo Lover 12. Freewheel Burning 13. Parental Guidance 14. Living After Midnight 15. You've Got Another Thing Comin' Bonus tracks (all previously unreleased live versions): 16. Screaming For Vengeance 17. Rock Hard, Ride Free 18. Hell Bent For Leather. RAM IT DOWN by JUDAS PRIEST (CK 86381, originally issued May 1988, as Columbia 44244) Many, Judas Priest included, have characterized this album as the band's "return to a more familiar sound after the experimental TURBO." Perhaps the rough edge was the result of moving their recording locale from the balmy resort settings of the past (Ibiza, the Bahamas, Miami) to 'Ice Station Zebra,' as they nicknamed Denmark's PUK Studios that winter '87-88. Whatever the impulse, the album reached #31 and hit the RIAA gold mark. Its lone single, the cover of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode," recorded for the film Johnny Be Good (soundtrack on Atlantic Records), is surely the only thing worth remembering about that Anthony Michael Hall/Robert Downey turkey. Coincidentally this album marked the last Judas Priest album with drummer Dave Holland (a member since British Steel) and their 8th and final production with Tom Allom (their partner since Unleashed In the East). Selections: 1. Ram It Down 2. Heavy Metal 3. Love Zone 4. Come And Get It 5. Hard As Iron 6. Blood Red Skies 7. I'm A Rocker 8. Johnny B. Goode 9. Love You To Death 10. Monsters Of Rock Bonus tracks (both previously unreleased live versions): 11. Night Comes Down 12. Bloodstone. PAINKILLER by JUDAS PRIEST (CK 86382, originally issued September 1990, as Columbia 46891) Described by Rob Halford as "the antidote to annihilation," this album benefited mightily from two major changes - the recruitment of former Racer X drummer Scott Travis (who pushed the band to a renewed level of intensity) and new producer Chris Tsangarides. His major credits to that date included Concrete Blonde, Japan, King Diamond, Thin Lizzy, and Tygers of Pan Tang, but after Judas Priest he would go on to produce a long stream of Yngwie Malmsteen albums into the '90s. At the same time, the album's release was buoyed by the judge's rejection of the pending $6 million lawsuit. (Exonerated, Judas Priest graciously played a benefit gig in Reno that November, proceeds going to Community Runaway Youth Services.) The indications all seemed positive: both "Painkiller" and "A Touch Of Evil" were radio-friendly with intense videos, the album had risen to #26 and was certified RIAA gold. But alas, it was destined to be Rob Halford's last record ever with Judas Priest, their final album on Columbia after more than a dozen years with the label, and the band's last studio release until they resurfaced on CMC nearly seven years later. Selections: 1. Painkiller 2. Hell Patrol 3. All Guns Blazing 4. Leather Rebel 5. Metal Meltdown 6. Night Crawler 7. Between The Hammer & The Anvil 8. A Touch Of Evil 9. Battle Hymn 10. One Shot At Glory Bonus tracks: 11. Living Bad Dreams (previously unreleased studio track) 12. Leather Rebel (previously unreleased live version). www.legacyrecordings.com