April 02, 2001
TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy has been diagnosed with cancer, according to the band’s Official website. The cancer was discovered early and the prognosis looks excellent for maintaining his health. The band will even continue to work on projects as planned. A special message board will be set up at the site for fans to post messages in support of Chuck.
According to http://music365.co.uk, SLAYER have come under fire again following allegations filed on March 23rd which holds the band partially responsible for the 1995 murder of a 15-year-old girl. A judge had ruled in January that that the parents of the girl had failed to provide adequate evidence to prove that Slayer were in any way responsible. However, the judge gave lawyers for the parents 60 days to come up with sufficient evidence demonstrating Slayer were in some way responsible for the tragedy. Allen Hutkin’s, the family’s attorney, believes the evidence added will help their case, which includes a study by the Federal Trade Commission on the marketing of music. Slayer, producer Rick Rubin and Sony Music are all implicated in the lawsuit, which includes intentionally marketing the music to minors. Hutkin believes the music should be restricted to adults only. As reported previously, the three boys convicted of the murder of the girl, Elyse Pahler, had originally said that Slayer’s music drove them to carry out the act. However, recently one of the killers told the Washington Post that another member of the three-strong group had an obsession with the young girl. Slayer have 30 days to respond to the new evidence and present their defence before the court.
KATAKLYSM have completed their new album, Epic (The Poetry Of War), due out on September 3rd. The album was recorded at Victor studio and produced by J-F Dagenais. The tracklisting: ‘Il Diavolo In Me’, ‘Shivers Of A New World’, ‘Era Of The Mercyless (Roma Part 1)’, ‘As The Glorious Weep (Roma Part 2)’, ‘Damnation Is Here’, ‘Manipulator Of Souls’, ‘Wounds’, ‘What We Endure’ and ‘When Time Stands Still’. To celebrate the bands 10th Anniversary, Nuclear Blast will be releasing a surprise limited edition with the new album to thank Kataklysm fans worldwide. Also, the bands new website is up at www.kataklysm.net. Go there for news on the band and to hear samples of new songs from the upcoming album. In tour news, Kataklysm will tour Canada in August with QUO VADIS as support. Talks are underway for a tour in July with VADER. In related news, THE COALITION project is on hold, maybe permanently, due to the hectic schedule of all people concerned and the lack of communication between CRYPTOPSY and Kataklysm. Vocalist Maurizio Iacono will continue studio work this Spring on his solo project L.O.S.T. and his debut release, Living On Sympathy & Trust.
MURDER SQUAD, featuring members of ENTOMBED and DISMEMBER, are preparing to release their album, Insane, Unsane And Mentally Deranged, through Pavement. For more info and music samples go to: pavementmusic.com
DROWNED have inked a deal with Cogumelo Records and will release their first album, Bone Grinder, through the label in July. They will beging recording in April. Following the release of the album the band will begin gigging, heading first to South America
THE PROJECT HATE MCMXCIX, the side project of ENTOMBED bassist Jorgen Sandstrom, have finished recording their next album, When We Are Done… Your Flesh Will Be Ours
According to IN FLAMES website, www.inflames.com, the live album, Tokyo Showdown, is now mixed and will be released sometime before the Summer. Tracks featureds include: ‘Pinball Map’, ‘Bullet Ride’, ‘Moonshield’, ‘Gyroscope’, ‘Ordinary Story’ and more. A video for ‘Only For The Weak’ will air soon.
According to Blabbermouth.net, HECATE ENTHRONED will enter Elevator Studio in Liverpool on April 7th to finish the mixing of their new EP with producer Pete "Pee Wee" Coleman. The EP reportedly sees a change in the band’s sound since the Kings Of Chaos CD while "still capturing the qualities of all of the act’s releases so far". According to the group’s official website, "this EP shows complete maturity and proves that the band are not afraid to experiment; from melancholic acoustic sections, to trancey keyboards, to heavy groove-laden guitars to soaring clean vocals." Expect the EP to be released in May through PHD/Blackend Records.
EMPEROR‘s Emperial Live Ceremony is finally being released in America as well. Candlelight Records, in cooperation with Metal Maniacs Magazine, is finalizing a special broadcast of the video of the same name for early May. Stay tuned for details at www.metalmaniacs.com. Also, the band are nearing completion of their new album, Prometheus – The Discipline of Fire & Demise, scheduled for release in October.
PECCATUM‘s first two albums are becoming available domestically. First up is Strangling From Within with Amor Fati following soon after.
ZYKLON will soon hit the European tour trail with MORBID ANGEL.
MORTICIAN is heading over to Europe for the No Mercy Festivals to support their new album, Domain Of Death, due out on April 17th. The tour begins on April 12th in Osnabruck, Germany and wraps up on April 23rd in Essen, Germany. Other bands on the dates include: MARDUK, VADER, AMON AMARTH, SINISTER, GOD DETHRONED, … AND OCEANS, BAL SAGOTH and MYSTIC CIRCLE. Mortician will also perform at Metal Meltdown III, Wacken Open Air Festival and Euro Rock Festival.
Watch for BATHORY‘s long-awaited Destroyer Of Worlds album in late June.
Hellspawn Records is currently putting together a BATHORY tribute album.
According to their website, here is the final tracklisting for CRADLE OF FILTH‘s Bitter Suites To Succubi EP: ‘Dinner At Deviant’s Palace’, ‘All Hope In Eclipse’, ‘Born In A Burial Gown’, ‘Suicide And Other Comforts’, ‘Black Goddess II – Ebon Nemisis’, ‘The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh’ and ‘Summer Dying Fast’. The EP, the group’s first release through their own AbraCadaver Records, is due out on May 29th.
DARK FUNERAL are in the midst of working on a live video.
MAYHEM‘s forthcoming live album is due out in June and will feature new studio material.