Here is a link to an online petition to keep the murderer of former bass player of DESTRUCTOR Dave Iannicca in prison: www.petitiononline.com/iannicca/petition.html. Dave’s father passed away shortly after this incident as a direct result of his son’s murder so two lives were lost, not just one. Robert Bedzyk was convicted and sentenced to life in prison but is eligible for parole in May. Dave’s two sisters, Pam and Sue, are leading the organized effort. The statement on the petition was written by them. They are going to present all of these signatures at the parole board hearing. Your email addresses will not be posted, nor will Bedzyk see the petition. It is only for the Ohio Parole Board to view. So, if you’d like to help the Iannicca family please sign the petition. Please help spread the word for the Iannicca family.
After almost six years since the release of their last full-length album, ACHERON is about to unleash a new studio assault called "The Final Conflict: Last Days Of God". The release date is set for April 30th, 2009 on Displeased Records. If you want to order ahead of time, there will be a special deal that includes a free limited ACHERON t-shirt with every pre-order purchase of the new album when ordering directly from Displeased Records at www.displeasedrecords.com.
Germany’s EXUMER entered a cooperation with Death Squad Promotion, who also represent fellow German Thrashers SODOM. D.S.P. will from now on handle of all of EXUMER’s management and live bookings worldwide. EXUMER’s new management will also work closely with the band in marketing and conceptualizing their forthcoming album, expected to be released in late 2009, early 2010. Mem V. Stein: "I just returned from a week-long trip to Germany where we finalized this cooperation with D.S.P. They had initially approached us to be part of the SODOM / Chris Witchhunter tribute show. Regrettably we are not able to attend this important event due to scheduling difficulties. We continued talking and found that we have very similar ideas on how to work together moving EXUMER forward. We are confident that this cooperation will be a successful one for all parties involved." In other news EXUMER have just launched their first official website: www.exumer1985.com where the band will post some exclusive sound bites of their new material in the very near future. For more information visit: www.deathsquad.de and www.myspace.com/exumerwakingthefire.
Miika Tenkula, former lead guitarist and main songwriter of SENTENCED, was found dead at his home yesterday. He was 35 years old. Nalle Österman (GANDALF, LULLACRY, CHAOSBREED) told Blabbermouth.net: "It’s true, confirmed personally by (former SENTENCED) drummer Vesa Ranta. The fact remains that Miika had a serious drinking problem for many years which escalated after SENTENCED was buried. They don’t call it King Alcohol for nothing… The Metal scene in Finland mourns now for one of the most talented Metal guitarists to ever emerge from (the country)." The official cause of Miika’s death has not yet been released. Rest in peace, Miika!
Detest Records and Nuclear War Now are going to co-release the debut demo from Sweden’s MIASMAL on a limited 12". More info on www.detestrecords.com and www.nwnprod.com. No definite release date has been set yet.
RAPE PILLAGE AND BURN seeks a new lead guitarist for composing, recording, live shows / touring, and future plans. Serious and interested musicians with fire in their hearts contact the band at www.myspace.com/rapepillageandburn666 or www.rapepillageandburn.com.
VILE‘s founding member and songwriter Colin Davis has announced the unveiling of his own record label, Ninth Underworld Records. The label’s first release will be the as-yet untitled 4th album from the extreme Metal band VILE. Re-mixed and re-mastered releases of past VILE offerings will follow shortly afterwards in applicable territories. Davis released an official statement regarding his reasons for this new endeavor. "After an extensive and unsatisfying search for a new label partner for VILE, I realized that the universe was making a clear statement to me. It was not only in the best interests of the band and myself, but it was in the best interests of the extreme Metal world as a whole, that I do this. We are leaving the time of centralized power and the music industry is vastly affected. Now is the time for independent bands and entrepreneurs to take control of their own musical destiny. I feel that I can do this job with more care and more intent than anybody else. True, I do not have the industry connections or money that a big label has, but I can focus clearly and constantly exactly where I need to and that is what will make this label work." VILE’s European street team leader Kevin Rymen of Belgium has partnered up with Davis and is hard at work establishing industry contacts and business partners. Ninth Underworld is seeking distribution options in all countries and territories as well as possible licensing deals. Interested parties may contact Colin Davis or Kevin Rymen through the label’s Myspace page.
German Thrashers EXUMER are confirmed to play their first-ever live show in Greece. The band will head out to Athens / Greece on April 25, one day after appearing at this year’s "Keep It True Festival" on April 24, 2009. EXUMER will headline the show in Athens, alongside other Greek Thrash Metal support acts. The band has also added one more club show in Den Haag / Holland to their itinerary, which is scheduled to take place on April 23, 2009. In other news EXUMER has completed their permanent line-up and has added German drummer J.P. Rapp to their roster. Mem V. Stein: "It has been absolutely amazing to receive this invitation to play in Greece, especially since it was not something we had planned. We are also so fortunate to have our new and permanent drummer J.P. with us, who will also be playing drums on our new demo we are going to record in April during our time in Europe. J.P. was somewhat of a legend when we were growing up. He was the first guy from our area in Germany we knew to perfect Thrash drumming as we know it now."
Dan Swanö will mix the upcoming ASPHYX album entitled "Death… The Brutal Way". The album will be recorded at Sonic Assault studio and engineerd by Frank Klein Douwel, who is also the live soundmixer of Asphyx. Some songtitles are: ‘Death… The Brutal Way’, ‘Cape Horn’, ‘Der Eisenbahnmörser’, ‘Scorbutics’, ‘Riflegun Redeemer’, ‘Black Hole Storm’ and ‘Asphyx II (They Died As They Marched’). The album will be released in May / June this year by Century Media Records. War Anthem Records will release the vinyl version.
In March 2009 Detest Records will release the second demo tape by Finish STENCH OF DECAY. The band plays old school Death Metal in the purest Finnish tradition, for fans of PURTENANCE, DEMIGOD, CONVULSE and CARTILAGE. One rehearsal track can be heard on www.detestrecords.com in the news section (04/02/09).
HOD has posted a new song (‘Victims’) from their upcoming debut full-length debut, "Serpent", at www.myspace.com/hodtheband. "Serpent" will be released by Ibex Moon Records on March 17. Addressing HOD fans, fiends and friends everywhere, guitarist Lord Necron had this to say, "We are proud to unleash one of our new songs for the public to preview. Put on your spikes, chug your beer and prepare to headbang and thrash your brains out!" The band features the who’s who of Texas underground Metal. Guitarists Bjorn Haga (ex-Necrovore) and Carl "Lord Necron" Snyder (ex-Thornspawn), vocalist Beer Reebs (Pillcrusher, Rancid Vat), bassist Derrick Rivers (ex-GG Allin), and drummer Dennis Sanders (ex-Exulcerate). An EP appropriately titled "Cry And Piss Yourself" was released on digital extreme Metal label Metal Hit in 2008. Regarding the band’s moniker and any surrounding confusion, Lord Necro adds: "As far as any confusion with the band name HOD, it is not an acronym. We do not spell it H.O.D. We spell it Hod. It is the English version of the Norse god Hodur. He is the blind god of darkness and winter. He was put to death by the gods for unintentionally killing Baldur. We have now taken the myth further by suggesting Hod is now a vengeful god for the fate that bestowed on him. He sits in hell plotting and conducting his revenge…. The blind god seeks vengeance. We are but his voice…" www.myspace.com/hodtheband, www.ibexmoonrecords.com
Grindcore pioneers REPULSION will mark their first ever UK show with an exclusive performance at DEATHFEST. The American legends will end a 25-year wait when they touch down in Leeds for what is destined to be an historic show at Leeds University Union, The full Deathfest lineup is: VADER, REPULSION, ORIGIN, AKERCOCKE, BENEDICTION, DESECRATION, LENG TCH’E, LAZARUS BLACKSTAR, THE ROTTED, DAM, BLACK SUN, RETH, INFECTED DISARRAY, INGESTED and ESCLAVAGE. Tickets are only £19.50 and are available from www.leedstickets.com and www.ticketline.co.uk. Also on sale in Leeds at stores including Crash and Jumbo. For more information visit: www.deathfest.co.uk or www.myspace.com/ukdeathfest
OBSCURA sees a worldwide premiere of their video for ‘The Anticosmic Overload’ via Myspace exclusively. ‘The Anticosmic Overload’ was directed and filmed by Steffen Kummerer and Christoph Harrer for their final project in video design at the University of Deggendorf, Germany. The video was shot at the Metropolis Music Hall in Munich during November 2008. "Cosmogenesis" will see a March 2nd international release. Additionally OBSCURA will undertake a massive "Cosmogenesis" USA tour in April 2009 as support of death-metal-masters Cannibal Corpse. With a follow up tour in Europe to be announced later this year.
THE COLD EXISTENCE proudly announce that guitarist Thomas Backelin (Lord Belial, Demarcon, Satanized and Snakestate) has joined the band. From now on Jan Sallander, who handled guitar / vocal duties from day one, will focus on vocals only, thus letting Thomas express his musical talent and guitar skills. Bassist Peter Laustsen says: "Thomas has been a close friend of us for a long time and now that his previous band Lord Belial splitted we soon took the opportunity of having him play with us! We all are sure that his talent and experience will help The Cold Existence skip to a higher level!" The actual line-up is: Jan Sallander – vocals, Thomas Backelin – guitars, Robert Persson – guitars, Peter Laustsen – bass and Joakim Antonsson – drums. For further details: www.myspace.com/thecoldexistenceonline, www.kolonyrecords.com
Poland’s Let Them Come Productions has released DUAL-COMA‘s "Reprogrammed H.A.T.E." CD, which contains the "Program H.A.T.E." demo, the "Bulletproof Heart" EP and a video to the song ‘Bulletproof Heart’. The band’s music gets described as "Thrash / Death with a lot of melody." A sound sample was posted on www.myspace.com/dualcoma
NECROTIC RECORDS seeks motivated street teamers in all states. They’ll send promotional stuff to hand out at shows, giving some free merchandise in exchange. They’re also looking for people who could start street team myspace pages to help spread the rotten gospel of Necrotic. They need someone with graphic abilities, too. Necrotic Records have bands like MORGUE SUPPLIER and PROVOCATION in their roster and helped Gentle Exhuming Records promoting the latest CDs by MORTAL FUNGUS, TRANSIENCY and WORLD FUNERAL. Necrotic Records are also planning to release three-way split-CDs dedicated to Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Grindcore and Black Metal. Anyone interested can visit the Necrotic Records MySpace site at www.myspace.com/necrotic_records