Archive News Aug 13, 2001

POWERMAN 5000 vocalist/mainman Spider One has confirmed that the group's previously announced headlining tour (which was also set to include SALIVA, MACHINE HEAD, STEREOMUD and HALFCOCKED) has been cancelled and that the release date of their Anyone For Doomsday? CD has been pushed back to early 2002, but has rejected any implication that the cancellation was a result of the negative early reactions to the group's latest studio effort. According to the vocalist, the band's decision to return to the studio and lay down more material (which will be included on the final version of the aforementioned album) “has nothing to do with the reaction to the album (which was quite positive),nor did it involve anything to do with the tour. In short, it was 100% a band decision and purely artistic.” An official statement is expected to be issued shortly clarifying the reasons for the cancellation and the decision to record more material.

Following their successful appearance at this past weekend's Thrash Of The Titans benefit concert for TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy (where they were, by all accounts, one of the event's highlights),the reunited DEATH ANGEL are planning on putting on a headlining performance at either the Fillmore or the Warfield in early October as a way to give their hometown fans a chance to see the group perform a full show one last time. According to vocalist Mark Osegueda, a a full-blown reunion for the band is out of the question, with the singer intent on rejoining drummer Andy Galeon and guitarist Rob Cavestany in their most recent project SWARM once the above-mentioned gig has been completed. More information as it becomes available.

According to BLIND GUARDIAN vocalist Hansi Kursch, the first single from the group's long-awaited new studio album will be issued through Virgin Records in November, and it will contain an as-yet-untitled 14-minute-long track (whose working title is “Misty Tales And Poems Lost”) and the non-album cut “Harvest of Sorrow” as a bonus. “The long song lyrically is based on the Trojan War and introduces Cassandra's various visions of death and defeat,” stated Kursch. “It not so much deals with the splatter aspects of the Iliad, but more with the tragic aspects pointed out in there and later on by more modern authors such as Schiller, Zimmer Bradley, or Christa Wolf. The music, as the lyrics, are mind tripping.” BLIND GUARDIAN are preparing to begin the mixing process for the single, which is expected to take up to three weeks, after which they will focus their attention on the upcoming full-length album, which is not due to be released before February 2002.

CANNIBAL CORPSE drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz has completed his tracks for the group's upcoming, as-yet-untitled full-length CD, which is currently being recorded at El Paso's Sonic Ranch Studios (formerly Village Recorders) with producer Neil Kernon (i.e. QUEENSRYCHE, NEVERMORE) for an early 2002 release through Metal Blade Records.

Due to the “amazing ticket sales” for ARCH ENEMY's upcoming Japanese Asian Sins 2001 headlining tour, an additional Tokyo show has been added to the band's itinerary on September 2nd. Guitarist Michael Amott commented 'It's a smaller venue (Astro Hall 400 capacity),which means we will not be able to have the big show that we are doing at the Akasaka Blitz (2,000 capacity). So we are going to make it a little bit special musically — there will be some surprises in the set... It's going to be a blast, I love the small places anyway...everybody gets hot and sweaty and looks like sh.t, hehe..'

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Here is ARCH ENEMY's upcoming gig schedule, as it currently stands:

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Aug. 16 – London, UK @ Underworld

Aug. 23 – Seoul, Korea @ Metal Fest 2001

Aug. 25-26 – Yokohama, JAP @ Beast Feast Festival

Aug. – Tokyo, JAP @ Akasaka Blitz

Aug. 30 – Nagoya, JAP @ Bottom Line

Aug. 31 – Osaka, JAP @ On Air West Osaka

Sept. 02 – Tokyo, JAP @ Astro Hall

ICED EARTH mainman/guitarist Jon Schaffer has issued a statement to the group's European fans regarding ICED EARTH's decision to cancel the previously announced European tour in favor of a support slot on the upcoming JUDAS PRIEST North American trek, which is scheduled to be begin in mid-September. Here is Schaffer's statement in its entirety:

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“Hello friends, as you may have heard, I was faced with a hard decision recently concerning our touring plans. As most of you know ICED EARTH has continued to fight for the advancement of metal music since the inception of the band some 17 years ago. I know my decision has disappointed a lot of our European fans.

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“However, the future of ICED EARTH may very well depend on a tour such as the tour with PRIEST. What I mean by this is that we have struggled for the last 11 years since we've been signed to get a tour like this in the U.S. This could very well be a new day in the band's history and a long-overdue break that we have needed. If the doors finally start opening here in the States it will have a strong effect everywhere else in the world. This could be the beginning of something very special.

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“So, for those of you in Europe who are upset, please try to understand that we have to take this opportunity for the future of the band. I promise we will reschedule the tour as soon as possible and bring to you the best ICED EARTH show you have ever seen, you have my word on it!!!!! Take care and best to all... Jon Schaffer”

Contrary to recent online rumors, FOO FIGHTERS frontman and former NIRVANA skinsman Dave Grohl WILL, in fact, be playing drums on three songs for the upcoming QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE album Songs For The Deaf, which is currently being recorded with producer Eric Valentine (SNAKE RIVER CONSPIRACY, SMASH MOUTH). The album, which is scheduled for a late 2001 / early 2002 release through Interscope Records, will be the group's first with longtime band collaborator and former SCREAMING TREES frontman Mark Lanegan in the role of the group's official vocalist.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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QUEENSRŸCHE SIGNS WITH SANCTUARY RECORDS LIVE EVOLUTION, CD AND DVD, SCHEDULED FOR FALL 2001 RELEASE

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Sanctuary Records Group is proud to announce the signing of America's premiere progressive hard rock band QUEENSRŸCHE to a long-term worldwide deal.

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The Grammy-Nominated quintet have sold over 20,000,000 albums worldwide with a career spanning eight albums, including the bonafide classics Operation Mindcrime, Empire, and Promised Land.

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Sanctuary Group Chief Executive Officer Merck Mercuriadis commented, 'When we started the label a year ago, the top two artists on our wish list were MEGADETH and QUEENSRŸCHE. Following on from our Top 15 success with MEGADETH, we are very pleased that QUEENSRŸCHE are now part of the Sanctuary family. They are one of the world's premiere progressive hard rock bands and we look forward to creating a positive and fertile environment for them.”

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QUEENSRŸCHE vocalist Geoff Tate commented, 'Signing with Sanctuary has been a wonderfully different experience for us. Sanctuary shares QUEENSRŸCHE's vision for the future of the band and they have worked with us much more closely than any other label. They are committed to the long run and the music and the new ideas they bring to the table give all in the band a feeling of excitement.'

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One of the great forgotten art forms of the rock era is the classic gatefold sleeve career-defining double/triple live album. From Yessongs to Frampton Comes Alive to AEROSMITH's Live Bootleg, the art form took those artists to another level. Following in that spirit QUEENSRŸCHE's first release on Sanctuary Records will be a career-spanning double live CD on September 25, 2001 that will include over 100 minutes of classic music and packaging.

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A live DVD, QUEENSRŸCHE's first, will follow on October 9, 2001. Special features planned for the DVD include exclusive animation, bonus tracks and much more. The package will also be made available on VHS.

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Geoff said of the recording, 'Doing a live album and DVD now was just the right experience for us. We have all recently been working on outside projects and we had this feeling of wanting to bring the band together to record live the material covering our 20 years of writing music together before we start our next studio album. We have been wanting to really devote all our energy to what we expect to be the most intense QUEENSRŸCHE studio album since ...Mindcrime and we needed to restart the creative connection between us. The shows and preparation for the live album were just what we needed to start our new relationship with Sanctuary as well as bring us all back to the 'RŸCHE state of mind.'

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Geoff, guitarists Michael Wilton and Kelly Gray, bassist Eddie Jackson, and drummer Scott Rockenfield recorded two special shows on July 27th and 28th, 2001 at Seattle's Moore Theater. This was a huge treat for both the hometown fans in attendance and the many people who traveled from as far as Germany for this special event.

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QUEENSRŸCHE has earned a rightful place alongside PINK FLOYD, IRON MAIDEN and RUSH in the pantheon of the world's greatest progressive hard rock bands and the forthcoming live CD and DVD will be significant additions to its legacy.

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These are the tracks that are tentatively set to appear on the Live Evolution double CD:

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01. NM156

02. Walk In The Shadows

03. Roads To Madness

04. The Lady Wore Black

05. London

06. Screaming In Digital

07. Take Hold Of The Flame

08. Queen Of The Ryche

09. I Remember Now

10. Anarchy X

11. Revolution Calling

12. Spreading The Disease/Electric

13. Requiem

14. Mission

15. Suite Sister Mary

16. I Don't Believe In Love

17. My Empty Room

18. Eyes Of A Stranger

19. I Am I

20. Damaged

21. Empire

22. Silent Lucidity

23. Another Rainy Night

24. Jet City Woman

25. Liquid Sky

26. Sacred Ground

27. Breakdown

28. Falling Down

29. Right Side Of My Mind

30. Hit The Black

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The album was recorded at the Moore Theater in Seattle on July 27-28 and is being produced by James “Jimbo” Barton, who is also said to be producing a live recording of Geoff Tate's solo project.

Live recordings of new, previously unreleased VOIVOD tracks, entitled “Confrontation” and “Day By Day”, can be downloaded from here and here. Both cuts were recorded during one of the group's last-ever shows with bassist/vocalist Eric Forrest in Toronto, Canada in October 2000.

Tenatively scheduled to appear at Century Media Records' 10-Year-Anniversary bash at West Hollywood's Roxy Theatre on Friday, September 28th are STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, STUCK MOJO (including frontman Bonz, currently in 420 MONKS),SKINLAB, NEVERMORE and several others. An official line-up for the event is expected to be announced shortly.

40 BELOW SUMMER have had the release date of their debut album, Invitation To The Dance, pushed back to October 16th.

AETERNUS drummer Erik has formed a “good'n'old hard and heavy metal band” called BOURBON FLAME with Janto from HADES ALMIGHTY on bass, and guitarist Arve from M-ETERNAL. The group has already completed some recordings and are scheduled to make their live debut at the Hole in the Sky — Bergen Metal Fest in Norway on August 31st.

The reissue of ANGEL DUST much sought-after debut, Into The Dark Past, has been put into question following the discovery of a slew of bootleg copies that have been making the rounds during the recent weeks, including at this year's Wacken Festival, where they were being sold for “a lot of money”.

AXEL RUDI PELL's “personal assistant” Monique van Maren has issued a statement regarding the numerous technical problems that the guitarist encountered during his band's recent appearance at the Rock Machina Festival in Spain, thereby forcing the group to cut their appearance short. Here is the statement in its entirety: 'We have to apologize for the technical problems during our show at the Rock Machina Festival in Spain. It was beyond our control that the rented guitar amplifiers quit their work during the first song, followed by several voltage problems, as a few times the complete power on Axel's side of the stage went off. Axel and the band are really feeling sorry for that weird circumstances, as they would have loved to play a 'complete' set for their Spanish fans, who are really enthusiastic. A big thank you to those people, who'd been at the festival, for their patience and understanding. We will be back! Monique van Maren (Personal Assistant To Axel Rudi Pell)”

The previously announced MSG (MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP) Japanese live dates, which were set to take place in December, have been “temporarily retracted” from singer Chris Logan's official web site. An official schedule is due to be posted shortly.

DEEP PURPLE drummer Ian Paice makes an appearance on former TRAFFIC drummer Jim Capaldi's new solo album Living On The Outside, due out in October. Ex-THE BEATLES guitarist George Harrison also guests on the CD.

Norway's DERIDE have had their track “Another Day” selected by MP3.com to be featured on an upcoming MP3 Theme CD, entitled Metal Masters. This CD is a handpicked compilation featuring some of MP3.com's 'most talented' artists under various genres.

DEVIN TOWNSEND's previously announced gig in Victoria, B.C. on August 25th has been cancelled due to the scheduled club closing down.

According to DOG EAT DOG bassist Dave Neabore, the band has yet to complete the mixing process for a recently-recorded six-song demo of new material, but it is expected that the effort will be fully done by the end of next week. In related news, ALL BORO KINGS, the new project consisting of Dave Neabore (DED bass, vocals),Dan Nastasi (ex-DED / MUCKY PUP guitar, vocals),Sean Kilkenny (DED guitar, vocals) and drummer John Milnes (ex-TRACY BONHAM / THE BLOODHOUND GANG),has reportedly received “definite interest” from a large independent record label (“NOT Roadrunner”, according to Neabore),so if all goes smoothly, an ABK record should emerge fairly shortly.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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MASTERS OF REALITY leader Chris Goss will perform an evening of original music at the L.A. Knitting Factory. Goss has confirmed that the musical material will cover 'Past, Present, and Future.' Guest musicians slated to perform various songs with Goss are Peter Perdichizzi (FLYS),Nick Lucero (FLYS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE),Josh Homme, Mark Lanegan, Brendon McNichol, Roxy Saint and a few more surprises.

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Goss adds 'This show will give me a chance to perform some more acoustic and ethereal songs that I normally can't fit into a MASTERS OF REALITY show. There will be quite a few new songs, and some MASTERS material done in a more intimate style. I've been anxious to do a show like this with my favorite musical friends for years.'

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The Knitting Factory notes, 'West coast fans should get their tickets as soon as possible. Response since the announcement has been tremendous and Chris' schedule is only allowing him to perform one night.'

Reunited NWOBHM legends HOLOCAUST are due to lay down the drum tracks for their forthcoming CD, entitled Primal, at Azure Studios between August 17th and August 25th. Guitar and vocal sessions are booked for early September, with the bass sessions and mixing to follow shortly thereafter.

The self-titled ST. JAMES debut CD, featuring former BLACK 'N' BLUE singer Jaime St. Jaimes, is currently being mixed and mastered by St. James and producer Michael Vescera for an October release through the Melodic Mayhem label.

HELLACOPTERS frontman Nick Royale (aka Nicke Andersson ex-ENTOMBED) has issued a solo single, featuring two new exclusive tracks ('Burt Ward Law' &amp 'Never Right'),through No-Mango Records (Nomad/Fandango). Although the first pressing of the single is limited to 1,000 copies (500 on clear wax and 500 on green wax),this is NOT a limited-edition single however, Fandango Records will only keep pressing it as long as there is demand.

JACOBS DREAM have parted ways with drummer Billy Queen, who reportedly left the group after “much thought and consideration”. JACOBS DREAM is in the process of finding a replacement, and they expect to make an announcement about it in the next couple of weeks.

BUSH have changed the title of their forthcoming fourth album from Solutions to Golden State. Golden State will be released on October 22nd through Eastwest Records.

In between tours with PLANET X and most recently HALL AND OATES as a guitar tech, former CARCASS / VENOM / CRONOS guitarist Mike Hickey has has been demoing new material for an upcoming solo album, which is expected to be issued sometime in 2002.

TESLA's new live album Replugged Live will be a double CD containing the following songs:

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01. Cumin' Atcha Live

02. EZ Come, EZ Go

03. Hang Tough

04. Gettin' Better

05. The Way It Is

06. Song &amp Emotion

07. Changes

08. Call It What You Want

09. Lazy Days, Crazy Nights

10. We're No Good Together

11. Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)

12. Moma's Fool

13. Freedom Slaves

14. Signs

15. Little Suzi

16. What U Give

17. Summer's Day

18. Love Song

19. Edison's Medicine

20. Modern Day Cowboy

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Replugged Live is scheduled to be released on September 11th.

ILL NINO singer Cristian Machado will be spending the next few days re-recording the vocal tracks to four cuts off the group's upcoming Revolution...Revolucion CD (which is scheduled for a September 18th street date through Roadrunner Records) in Spanish. The four cuts—including 'Unreal', 'What Comes Around', and 'I Am Loco'—will be engineered by drummer Dave Chavarri and will appear on as-yet-unspecified future release.

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