February 24, 2003
The BANG YOUR HEAD OPEN AIR billing for 2003 looks like this: TWISTED SISTER, DIO, THIN LIZZY, HAMMERFALL, U.D.O., SODOM, OVERKILL, HYPOCRISY, Y&T, DOKKEN, TNT, ANNIHILATOR, MASTERPLAN, BRAINSTORM, PINK CREAM 69, AMON AMARTH, ROB ROCK, AXXIS, BITCH, ANGEL WITCH, DESTRUCTOR and HIRAX. As usual, it will take place in Balingen, Germany at the 27th & 28th of June. The warm-up gig at the 26th of June will feature STORMWITCH, DESTRUCTOR and HIRAX. There will be a club show on Friday as well, the details haven’t been figured out yet. www.bang-your-head.de
RESURRECTED are about to release a DVD this summer including live material and "on the road" footage. The title is not quite sure yet, the cover will be done by David Kempf from Germany .
DEEDS OF FLESH will start recording their new album, to be entitled "Reduced To Ashes" in about a week time from now. The album will be in the vein as their latest album "Mark Of The Legion" but in general more brutal. Expect this new album to be out this summer. The band will hit the road again in Europe along with the likes of Severe Torture (NL), Dying Fetus (US) and Hate Eternal (US) in September.
It has been almost three months since NECRONOMICON completed their debut Canadian tour. After three weeks on the road with local mates Kataklysm and Blood Of Christ, the "Canadian Extreme Tour" was considered a great success for everyone, with lots of good times, great people and much Metal. Further touring plans are scheduled for the upcoming months, in both American and European Territories. Necronomicon is currently focusing on the follow-up to "Pharaoh Of Gods" and entered the recording studio on February 1st. Entitled "The Sacred Medicines", the album will be recorded in the band’s hometown region of the Saguenay, in North Eastern Quebec and will be produced by Rob "the Witch" himself.
NAPALM DEATH bassist Shane Embury posted the following update at www.enemyofthemusicbusiness.com recently: "As you know we have been blasting around the States with NILE and co. At the moment I’m staying with an old friend of mine who you may know – Kevin Sharp of BRUTAL TRUTH fame. He came out to drive us around for the last week of the tour as a favour and (now we are) discussing the idea of a new project. It’s looking very promising".
CANNIBAL CORPSE have added two Greek dates to the itinerary for their upcoming European tour, kicking off on April 17th at Live Arena in Munster, Germany. The new dates are May 3rd at Gagarin in Athens and 4th at Hydrogios in Thessaloniki.
The DEICIDE, AMON AMARTH, BEHEMOTH, REVENGE and VEHEMENCE tour is set to begin on March 9th in Irvington, NJ.
OPETH won the Swedish Grammy in the Best Hard Rock category for their "Deliverance" album at the 2003 Grammisgala, which was held on February 18 in Stockholm, Sweden.
CATTLE DECAPITATION will begin filming their music video for the title track ‘To Serve Man’ in March. They will be filming the live segments at the following shows: Saturday, February 22nd at Tilly’s in Tijuana, Mexico and Friday, March 7th at Soma in San Diego, CA.
The METAL FOR CANCER benefit for Tony "Bones" Hernandez will be held at The Garage (4519 Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood) on Saturday, March 1st. AGENT STEEL will be headlining, joined by INFAMY, NOKTURNE and SCARRED. The evening will host the world-debut of Jim Durkin’s (DREAMS OF DAMNATION / ex – DARK ANGEL) second Thrash band, PAGAN WAR MACHINE, featuring Steve Gaines (bass / vocals), Marcelo Lima and Jim Durkin on guitars, and "Mayhem" Mendez on drums.
CARNAL FORGE will be making their first US appearance at this year’s March Metal Meltdown in Irvington, NJ. Their new album, "The More You Suffer", is out through Century Media on April 22nd.
DEFLESHED‘s "Royal Straight Flesh" is available in Europe on LP and picture disc LP.
CRADLE OF FILTH‘s website, www.theorderofthedragon.com, report that the bands new album, "Damnation And A Day", will be released in the US on March 25th. A US tour is being planned to support the release. The bands upcoming European tour kicks off on March 23rd at the Transborder in Lyons, France and wraps up on April 23rd at Waterfront in Norwich, England.
ZYKLON have begun recording their second album in Norway. The album will be mixed at Fredman Studios in May and released on September 9th in the US.
AETURNUS‘ new album, "A Darker Monument", will be available through Nocturnal Art Productions (Candlelight in the US). It was recorded at Grieghallen Studios in Bergen, Norway and was produced by Pytten (EMPEROR, MAYHEM, ENSLAVED). The tracklisting: ‘Sword Of The Earth’, ‘Slavestate’, ‘Litany Of Ra’, ‘Soulslayer’, ‘Darkstorm’, ‘Genocide Delight’, ‘Seen Through Abhorrence Eyes’, ‘The Trident’ and ‘Sons Of War’.
MARDUK‘s "World Funeral" album is out now in Europe on LP and picture disc LP. The band have also released a 7" single for "Hearse". It’s available on regular and picture disc vinyl.