January 21, 2001
DIABOLICUM are currently putting the finishing touches on their second album, The Dark Blood Rising (The Hatecrowned Retaliation), due out in March on code666. The album will include a CDROM track including the video for the song ‘Bloodspawn’. Special guests in the studio during the recording of the album included: Jon Nodtveidt (DISSECTION), Dirge Rep (ENSLAVED), Martin (PUNGENT) and Wrath (SETHERIAL). The tracklisting: ‘The March Of The Misanthrope’, ‘Heavens Die’, ‘Transmissions To The Planet Of Death’, ‘Bloodspawn’, ‘The War Tide (All Out Genocide), ‘The Hatecrowned Retaliation’, ‘The Dark Blood Rising’, ‘The Pitch Black’, ‘The Song Of Suffering’, ‘Into The Dementia’ and ‘The Nemesis Speaks’. The album was recorded in the Abyss Studios with Peter Tägtgren.
DYING FETUS wish to announce the permanent departure of bassist and second vocalist Jason Netherton. Jason left the band following the last date in Europe on the recent MORBID ANGEL tour. The departure came as a result of numerous personal reasons, and was on good terms as Jason wishes the band all the best. Dying Fetus will continue on, at this time as a 5-piece with replacements who have been lined up for the current tour with ALL OUT WAR and DIECAST. Currently on bass is Derek Boyer (DEPRECATED) and vocals are being tackled by Vince Matthews (MUCOUS MEMBRANE, AUTUMN DAWN).
Russia’s RAKOTH have completed their second album, Jabberworks, soon to be released on digipak CD through code666. A real orchestra touch was added to the recording courtesy of the Russian Grotesque Live Orchestra from Moscow. Rakoth also recoded the track ‘L’ Honglath/Facing The Calm’, to be included on the forthcoming code 666 compilation, Better Undead Than Alive.
MORTICIAN release their new album, Domain Of Death, on April 17th. The band will soon record a live album, The Final Bloodbath Session, to be released on Primitive Recordings. This will be the first Mortician release to feature a live drummer. The band will tour in Europe with MARDUK, VADER and others as part of the No Mercy Festival. Dates will be announced soon.
BLOODSHED have inked a deal with code666. The band’s Skullcrusher EP will be released in April.
AGHORA are working on their next album, scheduled to be recorded later this year.
Osmose Productions has signed MELECHESH. The band recently enlisted drummer Proscriptor McGovern (ABSU). Their forthcoming album, Djinn, will be released soon.
This following newsletter currently gets spreaded around by EQUINOX member Darkness regarding their split up with KAM LEE in the KAULDRON project… As we found it pretty amusing we wanted to share it with you: "I really didn’t want to start a war between Kam Lee and EQUINOX, but the bastard can’t keep his big fucking mouth shut (nothing new about that). It seems that our LORD & MASTER KAM LEE, chooses to take credit for everything that went on with the KAULDRON project, which is just NOT TRUE!!! This guy’s "effort" is laughable at best!!! During the last MONTHS of rehearsals, 3 times a week, the Savior of metal KAM LEE only made it to ONE PRACTICE… Oh yeah… he doesn’t even OWN a CAR… I guess that I should have driven an extra half-hour out of my way to pick up his HIGHNESS KAM LEE, when I already drive 45 minutes ONE direction… You would think that KAM would have AT LEAST help pay the rent on our practice facility at least ONCE?! Not KAM!!! The latest Playstation game was way more important than the band!!! Contrary to KAM LEE’s beliefs, EQUINOX DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH KAM… It seems that the ONLY way KAM would be happy is if the following would transpire… Title of the band: KAM LEE – Title of the record: KAM LEE – All songs written and performed by: KAM LEE, All recording & mixing: KAM LEE… Okay, I’m sure you get the point… EQUINOX made every effort to ensure that KAULDRON would become a success, but KAM’s precious ego would be bruised every time we opened our mouth and voiced our opinions. EQUINOX are NOT Kam’s little followers and decided not to work with him once his ego began to take over the band since it was EQUINOX putting forth ALL THE EFFORT in KAULDRON. A message to KAM: If you have anything to fucking say about EQUINOX, then why don’t you step the fuck up and SAY IT TO MY FACE YOU PUSSY!!? You weren’t man enough to do it when we were working together, and I know that you don’t have the balls to do it now! Good luck in your projects, however I seriously doubt that any self-respecting musician would be stupid enough to hang around and let you ruin another great idea. THANKS FOR NOTHING ASSHOLE!!! THY WILL BE DONE…" Darkness Contact: EquinoxMetal@cs.com www.geocities.com/darkness_of_equinox
And here’s KAM LEE‘s latest (edited) statement, for those who care… "The scene fucking sucks! I have no band, and to tell you the truth I am just fucking fed up with the whole fucked up thing! I’ve given this some thought… and really I just can’t do this shit anymore… I am in my 30’s now, and just too fucking sick and tired of the bullshit that this scene has become! I’ve been spear heading my comeback for the past two years now, and it feels like a losing battle! Everyone wants to forget what it was really like in the beginning, when a person’s integredy counted… when those of us who made this scene what it is today really got respect, but now – "no one cares!" The scene has changed, and to tell you the truth I fucking hate it… it blows! There are still some ‘great people’ out there in the shit giving it their all… and I hold "high" respect for them. I can only hope that in time the scene will return to those who have really bled and sheded for it! yet now it is corrupted… like a corpse gone to rot! Decayed and infested with "maggots"… and those so called maggots are the faggot corperate asswipes and the poser dick sucking "oh – so spooky" corpse painted idiots that have turned this once "proud" underground scene into a joke! And you know what…"no one cares!" Yeah… this is what was said to me that made me realize I am wasting my time with this… "No one cares!" Now, I still have plans and an obligation to record a record for Necropolis Records, and I do plan on going thru with that! I will still do the ‘Kauldron’ record with Jim Durkin, and still plan on doing ‘Cadaverizer’ with Matt, Wes and Cole… I will still correspound with the "real friends" and "cool" people that I have met over the net, and will do my best to answer any questions you may have. I also have plans on releasing a 2nd cd demo from "Phlegethon" for those of you that give a shit… but that will much later!" Kam Lee Contact: panzer58@hotmail.com
TESTAMENT will be re-recording some of its earlier and heaviest material from their debut records, The Legacy and The New Order. This is currently taking place at their own Driftwood recording studio. Mixing will be done with Andy Sneap. Tracks include: ‘First Strike Is Deadly’, ‘Into The Pit’, ‘C.O.T.L.O.D.’, ‘The Haunting’ and ‘Over The Wall’. Guitarist Eric Peterson says the sessions are "gonna sound CRUSHING." That project is scheduled to be released in limited edition before the new studio album. Alex Skolnick will be part of this recording as well, but only for the older recordings. Says singer Chuck Billy, "We thought we would ask Alex if he would like to do this for the fans, and he was totally into it! Plus I think the true fans would dig Alex playing his original parts, since his leads are so awesome on that stuff." Testament are also currently working on their ninth studio album, with plans for a release this Summer.
In related news, DRAGONLORD will also start recording this Winter and will mix in Sweden with Daniel Bergstrand. Daniel is known for mixing and producing such bands as: MESHUGGAH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, STUCK MOJO, DARKANE and more. Some titles for the album will include: ‘Spirits In The Mist’, ‘Rapture’, ‘Wolfhunt’, ‘Egraine’ and ‘Tradition And Fire’. Dragonlord’s line-up includes: Eric Peterson (riffs/vocals), Jon Allen (SADUS – drums), Lyle Livingston (PSYPHERIA – keyboards), Steve Smyth (TESTAMENT – guitars) and Steve DiGiorgio (DEATH – bass). Peterson says that "The music is totally different from Testament. It’s way more gothic, classically influenced melodic music, with strings, a choir, harpsichords and lots of screaming and hair pulling. The sound is kinda DIMMU BORGIR crossed with EMPEROR. The disc is produced by Peter Tägtren.