July 25, 2005
In Summer 2002 after a tumultuous and burdensome run with San Jose, California Thrash head-splitters DEKAPITATOR rhythm guitarist Blackwulf had had enough and decided it was time to pack up and make a strike on his own. For two and a half arduous years this dream was tested in the Hellpits of Northern California to no avail. Winter 2004 saw a solidifying mark finally made with a group of serious, skilled and dedicated Metal musicians, hence the band BLASPHEMER was formed and its infernal rites put to the anvil. Featuring within the ranks: ex – DEKAPITATOR rhythm guitar player (Blackwulf ) Wes Rhodes, ex – CACOPHONY bass player Jim O’Shea, ex – ORDER FROM CHAOS guitarist Chuck Keller, ex – ORDER FROM CHAOS drummer Mike Miller and ex – POSSESSED vocalist Jeff Becerra. Merging styles of old chaotic Euro / Thrash, with Canadian Speed, South American steel and known Stateside veterans. When Rhodes was asked about this new unit he simply stated "BLASPHEMER is a band of natural conviction, and a band bound in honor and tradition." Futhermore "BLASPHEMER is a band I can believe in." says Rhodes. Summer 2005 has BLASPHEMER currently writing for a soon to be released debut demo. BLASPHEMER will also be slated to appear on the next edition, Vol. II of the Heavy Speed compilation series on Rhodes’ own Midnight Records in 2006.
EXODUS will release their new album "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" through Nuclear Blast Records on October 4th. Tracks to be featured on the album include: ‘Raze’, ‘Deathamphetamine’, ‘I Am Abomination’, ‘Going, Going, Gone’ and ‘.44 Magnum Opus’. Meanwhile, EXODUS are gearing up for tours of the U.S. and Europe in November and December.
Unique Leader has signed Columbia Death Metallers INTERNAL SUFFERING. They will record a new full length CD later this year at Mana Studios in Tampa, FA with Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL, ex-MORBID ANGEL) in the engineering seat.
DRAGONLORD, led by TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson, will be issuing their sophomore effort in October via Escapi Music. The album was produced / mixed by Fredrik Nordstrom (IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, DIMMU BORGIR) at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Florida-based Death Metal band, PATHS OF POSSESSION, fronted by CANNIBAL CORPSE vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, have confirmed via their official website that the release of their debut "Promises In Blood", is October 4th via Metal Blade Records. Recorded at Mana Recording Studios in Tampa, FA, "Promises In Blood" features the following confirmed tracklisting: ‘Darklands’, ‘Butcher’s Bargain’, ‘Bleed The Meek’, ‘The Second Coming’, ‘Where The Empty Gods Lie’, ‘Heart For A Heart’, ‘In My Eyes’, ‘Erzsebet’, ‘Promises In Blood’, ‘Bring Me The Head Of Christ’, ‘Through The Fiery Halls’ and ‘The Icy Flow Of Death’. Rounding out the band line-up are: Randy Butman – bass, backup vocals, Jay Fossen – guitars, Jack Goodwin – guitars, Nick Goodyear – drums.
BLASTMASTERS (www.blastmasters1.com) are the new Florida based act featuring drummer Lee "Aantar" Coates (ex – UNHOLY GHOST, DIABOLIC). According to their website, the band is scheduled to begin recording their full length album, "Twisted Metal", on July 25th. Produced by Juan Punchy Gonzales and the band at D.O.W. Studios, the album will feature the following tracklisting: ‘Altricial Meta-Genesis’, ‘Catastrophic System Failure’, ‘Shellfire And Tombstones’, ‘Twisted Metal’, ‘Putred Future’, ‘We The Treacherous’, ‘Implemented Digital Control’, ‘The Beheadings’, ‘La Fin Du Monde’ and ‘Shockwave Undertow’.
Poland’s DECAPITATED have posted the following update at their website (www.decapitated.pl): "On the 1st of August recording sessions start for DECAPITATED’s new full length album entitled "Organic Hallucinosis". The band is entering Hertz Studio where under the Wieslawscy Bros. supervision they will stay until the end of August, recording and mixing the album. Its artwork and the whole layout will be designed by Seth (ROTTING CHRIST, PARADISE LOST and many others). "Organic Hallucinosis" is set for release on January / February 2006."
ARCH ENEMY kicked off their first US tour in support of "Doomsday Machine", their new album, last week on Ozzfest. A video for the track ‘Nemesis’, shot by renowned director George Bravo (who also shot the group’s ‘We Will Rise’ clip), is now complete; look for it to make its Headbangers Ball and Metal Asylum debut early next month.
DEEDS OF FLESH have posted the video for the title track from their new album, "Crown Of Souls" on their official website at this location. The video clip is 7.6MB and Quicktime 7 Player is needed to view it (for both Windows and Mac). In other news, drummer Mike Hamilton has struck a new deal with Factory Metal Percussion.
Following the "Blackest Of The Black" tour through North America with DANZIG, CHILMAIRA, HIMSA, MORTIIS and THE AGONY SCENE, BEHEMOTH will return to their native Poland to kick off the second leg of their "Demigod" tour. Shows in Balkan and Russian countries are in planning, and a one-off show in Istanbul, Turkey has been confirmed for December 17th.