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USURPER have been confirmed to play the Gathering of the Bestial Legion Festival, July 13 at Club Alondra in Bellflower, California. Also scheduled to play are PHOBIA, FOG, CATTLE DECAPITATION, TRANSMETAL, and more. Head to www.bestialfest.cjb.net for more info.
Season Of Mist have inked a deal with Canada’s EFORCE, featuring bassist Eric Forest (ex-VOIVOD). The bands first album for the label is due out this Fall.
Tumba Records will soon release a limited edition Brazilian tribute to MOTÖRHEAD. The disc will feature 18 acts from Brazil including TORTURE SQUAD, NERVOCHAOS, NECROMANCIA, BYWAR, FUNERATUR and many more.
NEPHASTH‘s upcoming Brazilian tour will run from May 30th in Brasilia to July 6th in Rio De Janeiro.
MALEVOLENT CREATION have confirmed that they will tour Brazil in June to support their new album. The first confirmed date is July 5th at Ledslay in Sao Paulo with TORTURE SQUAD , IMPERIOUS MALEVOLENCE , NEPHASTH and BFTW.
Cold Blood Industries have signed Holland’s AS IT BURNS. The bands debut, "Mortal Dusk", will be released this Summer.
DEW-SCENTED are currently busy at Stage One with Mr. Andy Classen recording a new album. The band would prefer not to reveal any song- or album title ideas at this stage because they still have quite some weeks ahead into finalizing the record, so things could still change drastically. But they have nailed down a total of 15 songs onto tape, 12-13 songs of those will be on the regular album and the rest will be used as bonus tracks. Among those 15 tracks there’s two cover versions (one Metal classic and a "punk" song) as well as a re-recorded version of the track ‘Skybound’ which originally appeared on their ’99 album "Ill-Natured". The album will be released in September through Nuclear Blast Records.
MTV in the US has decided to bring back HEADBANGERS BALL and the debut hits this Saturday at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on MTV2. This particular show is being hosted by Metallica along with Iann Robinson doing the news. The news section was shot on location at L.A.’s one and only Dark Realm Records. This is the shop owned by members of Sadistic Intent where bands such as Destruction, Morbid Angel, Dark Funeral, Cannibal Corpse, Mayhem, Cradle Of Filth, Behemoth, Marduk, etc. have done in-store appearances. Headbangers Ball is back so check it out Saturday and get a glimpse of L.A.’s only shop dedicated to Extreme Metal.
It’s been a while since we heard anything new concerning the long awaited debut full-length by SADISTIC INTENT, so we figured it would be a good idea to let guitarist Rick tell you the latest updates himself once again: "As far as the recording is concerned, I just got back from Bernie’s (studio) a while ago. I actually re-recorded a couple of my solos on ‘Funerals Obscure’. Back when I first recorded them I had that "producer" telling me to leave certain solos alone, even though I was not satisfied with them. I thought that they would grow on me but they didn’t so I re-recorded them. I have not gone to the studio that much and when I have, it’s only been a couple hours at a time. I’m almost done with all the guitars and then Bay wants to re-record some bass and vocals for basically the same reason I have re-done some of my solos. At the slow pace (on and off) we’ve been going, we should be done with all the tracking by August, then we can finally fix. I’m just a little worried that with Bernie being busy with all his projects (bands and work), perhaps studio time will be more limited. I know it’s taking forever but in the end I believe it’s going to be killer! I wish we were done already!!! When I hear what we’ve accomplished so far, I really enjoy it! I’ll be honest with you, when we first recorded the drum tracks, we had to start over because it just was not up to the standard Bay and I expected. We lost some money back then because we had to re-record the drums but it was worth it! I would have a hard time telling people that I was proud of it, if I was not. Fortunately it’s tight so that’s not the case!"
Painkiller Records and AblaZine.com are forced to delay the first edition of the PAINKILLER METAL FEST. According to an official press statement this was necessary because of the fact that the Phoenix Club (where the festival was supposed to take place) has no backstage area, no showers, no security, no staff, no available rooms for the bands and / or catering. The sound volume furthermore is said to be limited in the evening, so that the headlining acts would have to play less loud than the support bands and the light power-engine has burnt two days ago. But: the Festival is NOT cancelled, it is DELAYED (probably to October), all the bands / people involved in the organisation will get compensation on demand and will be present on the new date. All the fans who have booked pre-sale tickets and / or passes will get free ones for the new festival.
Dutch Death / Thrashers KATAFALK are confirmed to play on the Wâldrock festival (NL), headlined by Iron Maiden. Other festivals KATAFALK will play are With A Dragon’s Blaze (BEL), Obscene Extreme (CZECH), Stonehenge (NL), Party.San Open Air (GER) and the now postponed Painkiller Metal Festival (BEL). In September KATAFALK will embark on a mini-tour with Dew-Secented (GER) and Outburst (NL). www.katafalk.com
DELICIOUS BOWELS WEBZINE now also offer the design of flyers, homepages, banners and CD-covers and are furthermore dealing with band booking. The first two bands they’re working with are EMBEDDED and THE VAST. Organizers and bands with interest in booking one of the bands should contact: booking@delicious-bowels.com. For more detailed information have a look at: www.delicious-bowels.com.
DIMENSION F3H‘s mastermind Morfeus already started the pre-production for the next album. Besides the band will play the Elements of Metal Festival in Sandefjord (Norway) on the 23rd of August. For more info and tourdates on Dimension F3h check out: www.dimensionf3h.com
HEARSE have started working on new material and is planning a Benelux mini-tour, probably in September. For info & booking on this mini-tour contact Tjerk at Loud Noise Productions: tjerkmaas@home.nl. For info and tourdates on Hearse go here: www.medlem.spray.se/hearse
NECROPHOBIC will be playing the Fuck The Commerce Festival on the 29th of May in Germany. Further info: www.necrophobic.net
PRIMORDIAL will be playing a lot of festivals this summer. The band is already confirmed for Party San Open Air, Summer Breeze and Wave Gothic Treffen in Germany. Besides the band is preparing the re-release of their demo 1993 (plus bonus material). Last but not least Primordial will support Paradise Lost on their Dublin-show. For more info and tourdates on Primordial: www.primordialweb.tk
SATARIEL is busy writing new material for their upcoming album "Hydra". For more info and tourdates on Satariel go to: www.satariel.com
THYRFING will replace Amon Amarth at the 2000 Decibels Festival in Bengtsfors, Sweden. The festival will take place on the 17th of May and other acts on the billing are Candlemass, Pain, Vintersorg, Clawfinger and many more. For more info and tourdates on Thyrfing: www.thyrfing.com
The new THRONEAEON CD has been sent to the printers. It will be entitled "Godhate" and here’s your chance to win three signed CD’s. All you have to do to be a part of the contest is follow these simple steps: Check out www.godhate.com, then send an e-mail, as described below, to at least 5 friends. The e-mail has to include a link to www.godhate.com and the line "Have you heard of this great Death Metal band??" The subject-line of the e-mail has to be "THRONEAEON –> GODHATE". You enter the contest by writing info@throneaeon.com in the "BCC" section of the e-mail header. You will now automatically be a part of the competition with a chance to win a free signed THRONEAEON "Godhate" CD. Good luck! The last day for the competition is May the 11th, so make sure to send out those e-mail’s before it’s too late. The three winners will each get their own signed THRONEAEON "Godhate" album as the band gets them from the printers. The winners will be announced at www.godhate.com shortly after the deadline.
THORIUM are currently in the process of writing new material for their third record (to be released on Diehard Music again) and getting ready to slaughter Germany, at this years Party San Open Air Festival www.party-san.de. Brett Hoffmann dropped by at the band’s rehearsal room, when having some ink done in Copenhagen, and did some backing vocals and a guitar lead (!!!) on THORIUM’s new promo. Jesper Frost (drums) has been spending some time in the shade, for violently assault and disorderly behaviour. But the band has been rehearsing with Rodriquez el Mordé from Mexican Legion Hammer Slaughter for some time now. Many of you die hard fans from the good old days will remember him from his involment in Satan Corpse. All further info at: www.thorium666.dk
IMPALED NAZARENE will enter the studio to record the follow-up to their "Absence Of War Does Not Mean Peace" album on July 1st. "All That You Fear", Impaled Nazarene’s 8th studio album, will feature the bands new lead guitarist Tuomu Louhio (ex-Antidote). It’s gonna be recorded by Anssi Kippo (C.O.B.) at Astia Studio and mixed by Mikko Karmila (Nightwish, Stratovarius) at Finnvox studios. The band is busy writing the last few songs at the moment. Some song titles are: ‘Suffer In Silence’, ‘All That You Fear’, ‘Kohta Ei Naura Enää Jeesuskaan’ and ‘Urgent Need To Kill’. Says vocalist Luttinen: "I can’t wait to record this new stuff, we have really killer songs ready and more are coming. More variety, more power, more everything." Of the new lead guitarist Tuomo, Luttinen says: "Well, this guy just kills. We had only one rehearsal with him and he got the job right away. That should tell you enough." "All That You Fear" will be out on Osmose Productions late October 2003.
Century Media Records announces the signing of a long-term worldwide deal with the melodic Death Metal act NIGHTRAGE. The band was originally formed in Greece back in the year 2000 by guitarist and mastermind Marios Iliopoulos, ex – Exhumation (who released three Death Metal albums before, all produced in Sweden) and his friend Gus G. (known for his performances with Dream Evil as well as Firewind and Mystic Prophecy). After some demo productions and several line up try-outs, NIGHTRAGE entered Studio Fredman in the band’s new hometown Gothenburg with producer Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, Arch Enemy, Opeth, Hammerfall, Dimmu Borgir, etc.) to record their debut album "Sweet Vengeance" by the wintertime of 2002 / 2003. From these promising beginnings, the line-up turned into a notorious one the moment Tomas "Tompa" Lindberg (ex – At The Gates, now in The Great Deceiver & Lock Up) joined in as vocalist. Meanwhile, Brice Leclercq took over bass duties, Tom S. Englund (of Sweden’s Evergrey) added some extremely atmospheric clean vocal passages and the drum work was provided by none other than Per M. Jensen (The Haunted). Look out for NIGHTRAGE’s first album "Sweet Vengeance" to be released on June 30th, 2003 all over Europe through Century Media Records. Release dates for North America and Japan will be announced shortly. For more details, visit NIGHTRAGE’s official website at: www.nightrage.com or feel free to check out www.centurymedia.de for a worldwide exclusive preview MP3 download of the album’s opening track ‘The Tremor’. Available for a limited time-frame as of now, so be quick…
GORGOROTH have finished recording their new album, "Twilight Of Idols (In Conspiracy With Satan)", at Polar Studio in Stockholm, Sweden. A May release is expected for the album, which will feature eight new tracks.
BAL SAGOTH have begun writing for their sixth album.
SETHERIAL will release their new nine track album, "Endtime Divine", on June 2nd through Regain Records
Slovakia’s METAL AGE PRODUCTIONS have mp3s available at their website now. Just go to: www.metalageproductions.com
After years of wrangling between NAPALM DEATH and Earache, peace finally reigns and Napalm and Earache are working together again co-ordinating a "Best Of & Rarities" 2 CD set for release in late summer 2003. The title of the comp, selected by Barney will be "Noise For Music’s Sake". Disc 1 of the set will be the best tracks culled from Napalm’s 10 album career with Earache. With Disc 2 being rare tracks, including long lost recordings from the early line-up with Lee Dorrian & Bill Steer. Napalm themselves will be supplying extremely rare tracks from the Bullen / Broadrick era. Liner notes for the set incorporating many unseen pics and momentoes from the bands members is being co-ordinated by Shane Embury.
Sweden’s THE HAUNTED return to American shores again this spring for a headlining tour with melodic metal-core legends Shai Hulud and Death Grinders Skinless. Also joining the tour for select dates are Darkest Hour and Bleeding Through. Before even being formally submitted to the execs at MTV2 and MuchMusic, The Haunted’s new video ‘D.O.A.’ was deemed too violent for airplay by a MuchMusic producer who cited one particular "tooth-pulling scene" as being "just too much". Taking the man’s advice, director Pete Bridgewater immediately started work on an edited version. Of course, the uncensored version will be viewable in all its glory on earache.com in the Videos section, and will be featured on a future DVD comp, but stay tuned to MTV2 and MuchMusic for the cleaner version, coming soon. The band’s new album, "One Kill Wonder", is now in its fourth week at #1 on all three of the crucial US Metal radio charts: the CMJ Loud Rock Chart, the CMJ Loud Rock Spins Chart and the FMQB Metal Detector Chart.
CULT OF LUNA have begun work on their first video, for the track ‘The Watchtower’, off their brand new Earache debut "The Beyond". At the helm is acclaimed UK director Pete Bridgewater, whose work can be seen all over the Videos page on earache.com — Bridgewater has been the man behind the camera for such clips as Mortiis’ ‘Parasite God’ and ‘Mental Maelstrom’, December’s ‘Host’ and most recently The Haunted’s too-grisly-for-TV ‘D.O.A.’.
DECEMBER have contributed a track to the new Blackfish Records Thrash tribute comp, "Thrash Or Be Thrashed", out now in the UK. December chose the 1990 Death Angel classic, ‘Seemingly Endless Time’, delivering an amazingly faithful cover of the blistering original and giving brutal screamer Mark Moots a rare opportunity to showcase his clean-vocal abilities. Also featured on the track is shredder Ryan Hall on lead guitar.
DEICIDE concluded their US headlining tour this weekend with a sold-out show at Brooklyn, New York’s hallowed metal venue, L’amour. The Deicide boys are now heading home to Tampa, Florida to finish writing the material for their as-yet-untitled debut album for Earache.
HATE ETERNAL have announced their first shows since the recent van crash that forced them to cut short their US tour with Dying Fetus. In the meantime, a group of labels, including Earache, Metal Blade, and Century Media, has donated items to a charity auction to help the band get back on their feet.
USURPER joined the ranks of Guns N’ Roses and Judas Priest this week as the Chicago beer-swillers were immortalized in a photo shoot by legendary rock photographer Paul Natkin. Over his 20-year career, Natkin has shot all the great rock and Metal bands, from AC/DC to ZZ Top… to Usurper! This is the guy who snapped the pic of Ozzy and Randy Rhoads that wound up on the cover of "Tribute"! Usurper’s new modern-day Metal classic, "Twilight Dominion", hits stores this month. www.natkin.net
Swedish Thrash Metallers CORPORATION 187 are to begin work on their first video in the coming weeks. The choosen track is ‘Perfection In Pain’ from their recent album of the same name.