Roadrunner Records South Africa News

SLIPKNOT Claim 1st US Number One!!!

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:44:27 +1000

The Des Moines hard rock band take top placing from The Game after a re-count, while Dragonforce, The Verve and Motorhead score new entries On Wednesday morning, Billboard’s Chart Alert column was running a story claiming that, in the closest race for number one since SoundScan began tracking Data in 1991, “The Game’s LAX beats Slipknot’s All Hope Is Gone by a mere handful of units.” It went on to say that the former sold 238,285 copies, the latter 238,272. The margin: a mere 13 copies, or 0.005%. Twelve hours later, the story had been re-written, with Slipknot’s album now adjudged the bigger seller, “barely (winning) out over LAX, moving 239,516 copies...1,134 more than the rapper’s 238,382. Somewhere along the way, errors were detected in the data, and the chart re-run but the margin for error was small, and the records flipped. Chart re-runs are nothing new – we have had our own share of them here, the most notorious being in 1976, when Manuel & The Music Of The Mountains’ recording of Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto was announced as the new number one single, only for the former incumbent, The Four Seasons’ December 1963, to be restored to pole position a few hours later because of a “computer glitch” – but Billboard undoubtedly suffered some embarrassment from the error. So, it’s a first ever number one for hard rock heroes Slipknot and not the third number one for The Game. Also new to the Top 10 are a Now! spin-off that hasn’t been tried here – the very first Now! That’s What I Call Country arrives at number seven on sales of 50,000 - and Solange’s Sol-Angel & The Hadley Street Dreams, debuting at number nine on sales of 46,000. Of 25 new entries in total, three are by British acts. Dragonforce debut at number 18 with Ultra Beatdown on sales of 24,000 copies; The Verve’s Forth debuts at number 23 on sales of 21,000; and Motorhead’s Motorizer earns a number 82 slot from sales of 6,500. The Verve’s last album, Urban Hymns, is their only previous chart entry, and also reached number 23, in 1997. Metal band Dragonforce have also had just one previous chart entry, reaching number 103 last year with Inhuman Rampage. Motorhead – actually an Anglo/Swedish alliance these days - have had five previous Top 200 entries, the first being Iron Fist in 1982, the last 1916, confusingly, in 1991. The latter album provided the group’s previous highest placing, reaching number 142. Coldplay’s Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends continues to be the top UK album, rebounding 11-10 on sales of 44,000, while their Viva La Vida single continues at number seven on the Hot 100. Leona Lewis’ Spirit – originally listed as a non-mover at number 18 but shuffled down to 19 on the chart re-run - sold 24,000 copies to increase its career tally to 1,042,000. In the lower regions of the chart, Led Zeppelin’s Mothership makes the most impressive upwards progress, vaulting 142-88 on its 42nd week in the chart. The album, which peaked at number seven last year, has sold 966,000 copies, including 6,000 last week. Its sudden lurch back into the top half of the chart is due to sales of the newly-issued deluxe four LP vinyl version of the set. On the Hot 100, T.I.’s Whatever You Like continues at number one but faces a tough battle against Pink, whose So What leaps 9-3. The top UK act on the list is M.I.A., whose Paper Planes glides 6-5, a move fuelled by increased airplay, though its sales are off from 124,000 to 114,000. Leona Lewis’s Better In Time also suffers a minor sales slip but still climbs 22-19 on the download chart and 28-22 on the Hot 100. Finally, Natasha Bedingfield’s Pocketful Of Sunshine holds at number 30 on the Hot 100, while reversing 39-43 on the download chart – but the 27,000 copies it sold last week bring up its two millionth sale in total. Her album of the same name climbs 72-64, with sales of 8,000 lifting its to-date tally to 404,000.

NICKELBACK to release new album!!!

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:19:29 +1000

Roadrunner Records announced the upcoming new album from multi-platinum rock powerhouse Nickelback. The band is currently recording the follow-up to 2005’s massively successful All The Right Reasons with famed rock producer Mutt Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard) in their homebase of Vancouver, B.C. The album is set for release on November 18, 2008. The first single, “If Today Was Your Last Day” will impact at all radio formats on September 30th. Roadrunner and Nickelback have enjoyed unprecedented success during their ten-year partnership. The band has sold upwards of 26 million records worldwide, with All The Right Reasons accounting for 10 million of that total. In addition, the six singles from the album totaled 9.3 million downloads and 5.5 million ringtones. All proceeds of digital single and video sales for the song “If Everyone Cared” between February 1 and July 31, 2007 were donated to charity, equally distributed between Amnesty International and International Childrens’ Awareness Canada. Each of the five videos from All The Right Reasons has reached #1 on VH1’s playlist: “Photograph,” “Savin’ Me,” “Far Away,” “If Everyone Cared” and “Rockstar.” In 2006 Nickelback was awarded a World Music Award for “World’s Best Rock Group,” a Billboard Touring Award for “Breakthrough Artist,” an American Music Award for “Favorite Pop/Rock Album” and a People’s Choice Award for “Best Rock Group.” Both Roadrunner and Nickelback are looking forward to the start of a new album cycle and future success together. ‘In 1972, Robert John Mutt Lange produced our first platinum hit, now 36 years later, Mutt Lange produces Roadrunner’s Nickelback, proudly giving us another platinum record.’ says David Gresham, CEO of The David Gresham Record Company.

MACHINE HEAD to release special limted edition of 'The Blackening'!!!

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:18:00 +1000

On OCTOBER 27TH, MACHINE HEAD will release a VERY limited 2CD/DVD Special Edition of their current album THE BLACKENING. The release, which will feature a bonus DVD as well as additional tracks will be a one time only run of the CD. No more will be manufactured after initial production. The package will be a 3 panel / 6 page digipak ebossed sleeve, with expanded booklet. The tracklistings will be as follows: DISC 1 1. Clenching The Fists of Dissent 2. Beautiful Mourning 3. Aesthetics of Hate 4. Now I Lay Thee Down 5. Slanderous 6. Halo 7. Wolves 8. A Farewell To Arms DISC 2 (B-Sides and rareities): 1. Hallowed Be Thy Name 2. Alan’s On Fire 3. Negative Creep 4. Seasons Wither 5. My Misery 6. House Of Suffering 7. The Possibility Of Life’s Destruction 8. Ten Ton Hammer (Extended Original Mix) 9. Hole In The Sky 10. Colors 11. Hard Times (live in New York) 12. Halo (I Want Your Soul) (demo 2005) 13. Aesthetics Of Hate (Thrash-terpiece) (demo 2005) The accompanying DVD will feature the following footage (Frontliners, please make sure you are seated...): - With Full Force 2008 - 1. Clenching The Fists Of Dissent 2. Now I Lay Thee Down 3. Halo - Rock In Rio 2008 - 4. Aesthetics Of Hate 5. Davidian - Download 2007 - 6. Imperium 7. Old - Burn My Eyes 10th Anniversary 2004 - 8. A Thousand Lies 9. The Rage To Overcome 10. Death Church 11. Blood For Blood Music Videos: 1. Halo 2. Now I Lay Thee Down 3. Aesthetics of Hate (Plus The Making Of… each video)

STAIND confirm tracklisting

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:45:00 +1000

STAIND have confirmed the tracklisting for their upcoming release THE ILLUSION OF PROGRESS, which is scheduled for a SA release on SEPTEMBER 8th. The tracklisting, which features 2 bonus tracks exclusive to the ex-north American versions of the album, is as follows: 1. This Is It 2. The Way I Am 3. Believe 4. Save Me 5. All I Want 6. Pardon Me 7. Lost Along The Way 8. Break Away 9. Tangled Up In You 10. Raining Again 11. Rainy Day Parade 12. The Corner 13. Nothing Left To Say 14. It's Been Awhile (Acoustic at The Hiro Ballroom) 15. Schizophrenic Conversations (Acoustic at The Hiro Ballroom)

WITHIN TEMPTATION give a sneak peek on their new DVD!!!

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:33:57 +1000

WITHIN TEMPTATION have released a trailer for their upcoming DVD BLACK SYMPHONY. The DVD showcases a sell out Dutch show performed with full orchestra and choir. Check out what you can expect to see when you pick up the DVD, which hits stores September 22nd... Check it out here!

Roadrunner bands nomintaed for KERRANG awards!!!

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:30:34 +1000

The nominations for this years KERRANG! Awards have been announced and Roadrunner artists have been nominated in FOUR categories: BEST INTERNATIONAL NEWCOMER- KILL HANNAH BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND- MADINA LAKE BEST SINGLE- KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES and BEST LIVE BAND- MACHINE HEAD You can vote for YOUR Roadrunner fave at THIS LOCATION and we really really hope you do! You can check out the full list of nominations HERE.

CRADLE OF FILTH announce new album title!

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:29:15 +1000

CRADLE OF FILTH have announced the title of their new album on their Official MySpace. Titled GODSPEED ON THE DEVIL'S THUNDER, the album is tentitively sceduled for a release in October. The album is a 'concept album' about: "a legendary serial killer from the 15th Century, Gilles De Rais, a French nobleman who fought alongside Joan of Arc and accumulated great wealth before becoming a satanist, sexual deviant and a murderer." For full deets including the tracklisting, head to the bands MYSPACE BLOG.

DREAM THEATER's Mike Portnoy gets interviewed!

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:13:49 +1000

For a drummer, Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy can't seem to sit still. Portnoy checked in with MusicRadar.com for an exclusive podcast to discuss his love of playing the music of his heroes, and to answer questions. Download both parts of this interview below for free! Part 1 - on musical memory, multi-tasking and tribute bands Part 2 - Portnoy answers questions

Apeshit.org interview Max Cavalera

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:32:31 +1000

Extreme metal webzine Apeshit.org talked to Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy singer Max Cavalera about things such as what it was like to rehearse with his brother Iggor again together for the first time in years, the formation of Cavalera Conspiracy, writing riffs, jamming in the studio, Joe Duplantier from Gorjira joining the band, the video for "Sanctuary", and much more. Read it in full here. Soulfly's 'Conquer' will be in stores July 28th and Cavalera Conspiracy's 'Inflikted' is tearing up stores now!

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Interview on Hardtimes.ca

Wed, 28 May 2008 16:59:14 +1000

Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio and drummer Justin Foley get their interview on with Canada's metal website HardTimes.Ca. Watch the dudes discuss being on the road for months, why it is a necessity to tour, missing being at home with family and friends, what it feels like to play old songs, plans for upcoming material, and much more, in this video entitled "23 Months On The Road To Hell" Check it out here!

SOULFLY Video Shoot Gallery

Tue, 27 May 2008 17:43:57 +1000

That's right Soulfly followers, we have decided to hype you up a bit by posting a gallery of the band's first video shoot from their upcoming album, Conquer, which comes out on July 29, 2008. The track, "Unleash", features guest vocals by Dave Peters of Throwdown who also makes an appearance in the video. The video was shot in Los Angeles' Mayan Theater with director Robert Sexton. Check out this gallery here!

OPETH Interview series Part 6

Tue, 27 May 2008 17:37:06 +1000

Here's part 6 of the 8 part interview series with Opeth's Michael Åkerfeldt. Check it out on the links below: Quicktime Windows Media Player Opeth's upcoming album, 'Watershed' will be in stores June 2nd! www.opeth.com

Audiophile SA's great KILL HANNAH review

Fri, 23 May 2008 17:23:22 +1000

Audiophile SA has posted a cool review of Kill Hannah's debut album 'Until There's Nothing Left Of Us'. An extract of the review by Walt Pretorius: 'Kill Hannah are a new entrant into the market, bringing with them a brand of undeniably emo music that is still fairly fresh in the ever expanding market surrounding the genre. This band looks set to be a “next big thing” for the genre, as their music displays some progress for the genre as a whole. It incorporates everything one would expect, but also relies on a number of other influences (including light punk, some rock and a little electronica) to craft songs that are infectious and relatively dark.' Check out the full review here Kill Hannah's 'Until There's Nothing Left Of Us' is in stores now! www.killhannah.com

OPETH Interview Series Part 4 & 5

Fri, 23 May 2008 17:19:14 +1000

Check out parts 4 & 5 of the 8 part interview series with Opeth frontman, Michael Åkerfeldt. Part 4: Quicktime Windows Media Player Part 5: Quicktime Windows Media Player www.opeth.com

MEGADETH Guitarist Interviewed

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:31:42 +1000

Metal Injection had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Megadeth's new guitarist Chris Broderick at the band's Worcester stop of the Gigantour. Chris went into depth about the time he got the call to join Megadeth, some of his favorite Megadeth songs, his early influences and guitar playing as well as some of the bands he listens to when on the road. The entire interview can be viewed here.

LAMB OF GOD Releases DVD Trailer

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:38:15 +1000

Lamb Of God have released a trailer for their upcoming DVD WALK WITH ME IN HELL, a 2 disc metal extravaganza that will be released here on June 30th!!! Check it out right here!

OPETH Interview Series Part 3

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:35:48 +1000

Here it is... Part 3 of the 8 part interview series with Opeth frontman, Michael Åkerfeldt. Check it out on the links below: Quicktime WIndows Media Player 'Watershed' will be in stores June 2nd! www.opeth.com

OPETH Interview Series Part 2

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:38:28 +1000

Here is part 2 of the series of interviews with Opeth's Michael Åkerfeldt where he talks about the recording of the upcoming album, Watershed. Click on the link below: Quicktime Windows Media Player www.opeth.com

Q&A with DOWN's Kirk Windstein

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:35:06 +1000

Down guitarist, Kirk Windstein, answers a Q&A while the guys were in the UK. Kirk talks about the start of Down , drinking beer and what the guys feel about the band. Click on the links below to check it out. Quicktime Windows Media Player 'Over The Under' is in stores now! www.down-nola.com

MEGADETH Frontman Video Interview

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:38:40 +1000

Hey Megadeth fans! Megadeth front-man Dave Mustaine opens up to Iann Robinson in an exclusive 10 Minute video interview now viewable on the main page of Nonelouder.com, the world's first social network for heavy music. Nonelouder is proud to present an in depth interview with one of the most influential people in the heavy music world. Go check out Dave's opinion on digital music, modern bands, politics, how to write songs and much-much more. Nonelouder is the home to the video blogs of Vinnie Paul, Scott Ian, Jose Mangin, Jennifer Arroyo, and Mistress Juliya. Check out all the exciting exclusive content on Nonelouder now! Check out the interview of Dave by clicking here.

OPETH Interview series Part 1

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:37:11 +1000

Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth sat down for a series of interviews that will be rolled out in the next few weeks. Check out part 1 here! And after you've heard what the Opeth frontman has had to say, check out the video for 'Porcelain Heart' here. Opeth's 'Watershed' will be in stores 2nd of June. www.opeth.com

Monte Conner Podcast

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:26:44 +1000

Host Bob Nalbandian discusses metal music and the state of the music business from an A&R perspective with one of the most respected and knowledgeable record company executives when it comes to metal music: Roadrunner Records A&R chief Monte Conner (responsible for signing the likes of Sepultura, Fear Factory, Machine Head, Slipknot, Trivium and many more over the years). In this 45-minute discussion Monte talks about the history of Roadrunner Records, gives advice to young metal bands in search of a record deal, and talks about the future of the recording business as well as the future for heavy metal and extreme metal. DOWNLOAD the podcast HERE

Holland's youngest metal band interview DEVILDRIVER

Thu, 08 May 2008 17:40:37 +1000

While Devildriver were on tour in Holland they were interviews by Holland's youngest band, One Bullet Left. Check the interview out here. Don't forget to check out Devildriver's awesome video for 'Clouds Over California' right here to wet your appetite for November's tour to South Africa. For more information, check out Puritymusic.co.za www.devildriver.com

The Gauntlet interview OPETH

Wed, 07 May 2008 16:51:13 +1000

Colette Claire from TheGauntlet.com got her interview on with Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth. This video was taken on the opening night of the Progressive Nation Tour at the Gibson in Los Angeles, CA on May 2nd. Mikael talks about the duration of this tour, the new album, Watershed, and the recording process, and going through different ideas while writing music. Check it out here! Opeth's upcoming album,'Watershed' will be in stores June 2nd! www.opeth.com

Roadrunner to release LAMB OF GOD

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:38:25 +1000

LAMB OF GOD 2 Years, 17 Countries, Thousands Of Miles, Millions Of Fans, One Camera… And A New Record Label. NEW DEAL WITH ROADRUNNER RECORDS WALK WITH ME IN HELL DVD DUE OUT JUNE 30, 2008 ROADRUNNER RECORDS are thrilled to welcome heavy metal masters LAMB OF GOD to the Roadrunner family. LAMB OF GOD are renowned for their world class metal. Comprising vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler, the band have accumulated global sales of around three million units. They have performed numerous sold out shows across the globe as well as appearing at some of the world’s biggest rock festivals, including Ozzfest & Download. In 2007, they were honoured with a Grammy nomination. “Having toured with countless Roadrunner bands both domestically and overseas Lamb of God has had the chance to see the amount of promotion and support the label puts into their bands. The foreign territories seem a perfect place to put the two machines in motion together. We look forward to a long partnership! Cheers!” enthuses frontman Randy Blythe. Roadrunner’s Senior VP International, Wally van Middendorp, agrees, “Roadrunner and Lamb Of God are a perfect match. We’re excited to be working with them. Everyone is looking forward to taking Lamb of God to the next level”. The first LAMB OF GOD release on Roadrunner will be an all-new, 2-DVD set on June 30, 2008. The Walk With Me In Hell 2-DVD set features around five hours of incredible, all-access footage. Disc 1 contains the highly anticipated feature documentary Walk With Me In Hell and multiple live performance extras from across the globe on the Sacrament World Tour. The documentary chronicles every detail in the lives of Lamb of God as they completed recording and toured around the world nearly three times over in support of the highly praised 2006 album Sacrament. Disc 2 includes an additional full-length Making of Sacrament feature plus LAMB OF GOD’s entire, uncut, brutal performance at the Download Festival 2007, where they performed in front of over 72,000 fans. Extras include deleted scenes, live performance videos for various tour stops, the official music video for Redneck, and a Making of Redneck documentary. “We're on stage for 90 minutes a day,” says drummer Chris Adler. “People want to know what's going on for the other 22 ½ hours. It's not always limousines and champagne! Killadelphia [LOG’s previous platinum-certified DVD] surprised a lot of people and proved that we refuse to censor or hold anything back. True to the high standard that we hold ourselves to, Walk With Me In Hell is unlike any music DVD I’ve ever seen. This is an entire new level of documentary taking you on an intense, worldwide journey with us.”

PORCUPINE TREE Video Interview

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:34:40 +1000

Porcupine Tree sat down and had a talk about their masterpiece album 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' and about today's society. Check out the Interview below: Quicktime Windows Media Player Porcupine Tree's 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' is in stores now! www.porcupinetree.com

DEVILDRIVER South African Tour Update

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:26:53 +1000

Thornrose Productions & Purity Music present DevilDriver in South Africa for 3 Shows!!! *********************************** TICKETS ON SALE THROUGH COMPUTICKET *********************************** 1st November 2008 - Oppidam - Hartbeespoort- JHB Tickets: R350 - Whole Day Fest - 10 Bands Line Up: 12:30 - Visus 13:30 - The Dead Will Tell 14:30 - Facing The Gallows 15:30 - New Found Disorder 16:30 - AOA 17:30 - Knave 18:30 - Chromium 19:30 - Agro 20:30 - Battle of the bands winner 21:30 - DevilDriver * Beer Tent * Ample Parking * Food Stalls * Merch Stores * Limited 5000 tickets 7th November - Burn Nightclub - Durban - KZN Tickets: R250 - Doors open 17:00 - 6 Bands Line Up: 18:00 - Deity's Muse 19:00 - Mind Assault 20:00 - Chromium 21:00 - Contrast the Water 22:00 - Durban SMS Battle Winner 23:00 - DevilDriver * Limited 1500 tickets 8th November 2008 - Klein Libertas Theatre - Stellenbosch - CPT Tickets: R250 - Doors open 14:30 - 7 Bands Line Up: 15:30 - Azrail 16:30 - Suicide Kings 17:30 - Enmity 18:30 - Pestroy 19:30 - Chromium 20:30 - CPT SMS Battle Winner 21:30 - DevilDriver * Limited 1500 tickets * All Ages Welcome * R.O.A.R. *********************************** TICKETS ON SALE THROUGH COMPUTICKET *********************************** N.B: We will be running a Battle for DevilDriver over the next 6 months with the first one taking place at Tempos in JHB on the 30th May 2008.

Meet Mike & Mike Pt.5

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:18:28 +1000

Have you been keeping up with our video clips of two of the best musicians in history, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater & Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth, chatting it up in the Roadrunner NYC office? Only 2 parts left so catch up now and stay tuned.. In this segment, the dudes discuss the upcoming Progressive Nation Tour, seated audiences as oppose to standing venues, if Opeth will be playing new material on this tour; and is it going to be more or less heavy? Check it out by clicking here!

Exclusive OPETH Track & Video!!!

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:16:10 +1000

For all you Opeth fans out there, we have an exclsuive stream of the track 'Lotus Eater' available for you! Click here for an exclusive dose of Opeth!!! And also check out the amazing video for the track 'Porcelain Heart' in out media section here! Opeth's latest masterpiece 'Watershed' will be available June the 2nd!

3 INCHES OF BLOOD Fan Club!!!

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:49:13 +1000

Defenders of heavy metal faith, 3 Inches Of Blood, are launching its very own fan club, dubbed The Goatriders Horde. The Goatriders Horde offers 3IOB fans the chance to directly connect with the band! When you become a Goatrider, you will receive an exclusive Goatriders Horde t-shirt, an official Goatriders laminate, a poster autographed by the band, as well as access to exclusive content including music, videos and photos, privileges to attend special Goatriders-only events plus access to the members-only community message board. Most importantly, as a Goatrider you will be the first to hear about tour dates, ticket presales and band news. Go to to join now! The Goatrider's Horde

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY Audio Interview

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:51:10 +1000

Sepultura founding members and current Cavalera Conspiracy collaborators Max (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) were interviewed by "Whiplash", a weekly metal show on Belgian national radio Studio Brussel, hosted by After All guitarist Dries Van Damme. Listen to the chat in streaming audio: Part 1 Part 2 On the topic of the similarities between Cavalera Conspiracy's sound and that of Sepultura, Max stated, "If we're creators of Sepultura and we can sound like that, then it must be the other guys [from the classic Sepultura incarnation] that didn't. I don't want to talk about Sepultura at all, but I'll tell you this much: before the other guys, there was Max and Igor with countless number of other guys that were part of Sepultura. It irritates me… a lot of people only use the more popular years to talk about Sepultura, but they forget an entire ten-year period, which is the foundation. Without those ten years, we would have never gotten to 'Chaos A.D.' and 'Roots'. These first ten death metal years were very important. Without those [years], nothing would have happened — we'd still be in Brazil or [we possibly would] not even be playing music [right now]. So those ten years were completely important. Regardless of how we were just a death metal band that didn't have musicianship. But we had the attitude. 'Troops of Doom', man — that's my favorite song of a long, long time." Cavalera Conspiracy's 'Inflikted' is wreaking havoc in stores now! www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy

New SOULFLY album details

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:33:59 +1000

Soulfly has set "Conquer" as the title of its new album, due on July 29 via Roadrunner Records. Soulfly members Max Cavalera (guitar/vocals), Joe Nunez (drums), Marc Rizzo (guitar), and Bobby Burns (bass) entered Porch Studio in Florida on September 12, 2007 to begin recording the band's sixth studio LP. Working titles for some of the 13 songs which were tracked include "Burndown", "Enemy Ghost", "Axis of Wrath", and "Blood, Fire, War, Hate". Soulfly's upcoming CD will feature guest appearances by Morbid Angel frontman David Vincent and Throwdown singer Dave Peters. In a recent interview with PyroMusic.net, Max Cavalera stated about the new Soulfly CD, "Well, the next Soulfly album is being mixed in England with Andy Sneap, and it's very heavy in its own way. In a Soulfly way. It's still got craziness... I recorded a lot in Egypt this time. I spent some time in Cairo working with some Egyptian musicians and we came up with some really wicked interludes and passages. It sounds nothing like anything I ever done. Very very amazing Egyptian instruments. There is a song that is a colloboration with Morbid Angel's singer David Vincent which is one of my favourite songs forever in my whole life that I wrote. It's called 'Blood, Fire, War, Hate' and that should be the opening of the album. It's very energizing, verrrry powerful, man. I can't wait for fans to hear it. It's the shit. That one is gonna definitely create some chaos in the moshpit."

OPETH's Mike & DREAM THEATER's Mike Part 3

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:42:17 +1000

Watch two of the best musicians in history, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater and Mikael Akerfeldt, of Opeth discuss what kind of music influenced them as well as the elements of progressive rock, in this 3'rd segment of Mike & Mike. Keep coming back for the continuation of this wonderful conversation! Click here to watch now.

Billboard Q&A with MEGADETH

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:40:22 +1000

BILLBOARD Q&A WITH MEGADETH'S DAVE MUSTAINE By Mitchell Peters, L.A. After spending the past two months touring Europe and the United Kingdom, the third annual traveling heavy metal festival Gigantour launches Stateside tomorrow (April 12) at the Fillmore in Denver. The 29-date trek -- featuring Megadeth, In Flames, Children of Bodom, Job For A Cowboy and High on Fire -- wraps May 22 at the Mesa Amphitheatre in Phoenix. Many of the festival's North American dates are already sold out, with tickets ranging between approximately $35 and $40. While Gigantour can't "do what Sharon (Osbourne) did by giving away" last year's Ozzfest for free, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine tells Billboard.biz that he's doing what he can to keep ticket prices low. "Having a reasonable ticket price makes the audience feel respected," says Mustaine, who founded Gigantour in 2005. "I want them to see great bands and be able to walk away with money in their pocket." The most recent edition of Gigantour in 2006 -- led by Megadeth, Lamb of God, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Overkill, Into Eternity, Sanctity and the Smashup -- grossed $1.8 million and drew nearly 70,000 concertgoers to 20 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore. Concert performances captured from Gigantour 2006 will be released on the "Gigantour 2" CD/DVD, which arrives April 22 via Image Entertainment. The CD/DVD offers a behind-the-scenes look at the 2006 jaunt, along with a bonus track of Megadeth's "Peace Sells." Mustaine recently spoke to Billboard.biz about launching Gigantour, the benefit of a package tour, dealing with hecklers and Megadeth's future album plans. Since founding Gigantour in 2005, you've played a very hands-on role in choosing artists for the tour. Explain how that process works? I don't necessarily always locate them, but when it comes down to the final approval, that's mine ... Our ultimate goal was to have bands that have guitar players in them that were guitarists that do solos. So we got this together and we wanted it to be a guitar player's festival -- positive and encouraging for kids to go to so they're safe. Their mom's aren't going to say, "You know what? This isn't cool for you to go to. You have to wait until you're older." Any age can come to these concerts. Have you ever dealt with younger bands that want too much money to play? There were a couple bands we talked to last year -- one band in particular from the Bay Area that I really dig. I asked if they wanted to do it, and the numbers they were asking for were unrealistic. I would've paid it, but I don't buy the talent, I just pick it. And that's a good thing, because I would probably overpay some of these guys. The people who pay the talent said they were worth about $2,000 per show, and they wanted somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000. That's a considerable difference if you're losing that over 40 shows. What response did you get after launching Gigantour in '05? I can't even tell you how many people thought Gigantour was a stupid name. There's always going to be naysayers. There are people who don't like me just because I was born, and that's OK. You just have to have people who believe in you. You have to work on relationships with people, because we're all different. When you have problems with another individual, you have to figure out how to deal with it. You've been a touring musician for more than 25 years. What's the benefit of doing a package tour, as opposed to headlining your own shows? It gives more variety, and makes it a little bit more affordable for the audience. If it's just me by myself, I've obviously got more expenses that I need to cover. As this is a business, you need to think of all these things. If you have another band and they have potential to not double-sell the same tickets, it's going to help me with being able to cover our expenses and move the festival into a larger capacity venue. Our whole thing is playing it safe. We don't want to go into venues and have a bunch of unsold seats. I hear there are sometimes hecklers at Megadeth concerts. How do you deal with them? You get the guys out there who pay their $35 to come and try and heckle me. If they think over the past 2,000 or 3,000 years of people having to deal with hecklers in literature, that I haven't learned how to shut people up, they haven't been to a Megadeth concert. I know when people are trying to get my goat nowadays. I just don't answer them anymore. Do you ever find yourself mentoring younger bands on Gigantour? It's none of my business. A lot of it is self-discovery -- or self-disappointment -- that comes from stuff like that. You need to learn that, because if you don't pay your dues, you're going to be like a lot of these hotshot bands that are selling millions of records, and then getting their asses whooped when they get out on stage. They don't have what it takes. In the studio they're great, but they're complete phonies and frauds, and when they get out on stage you can tell. All of the makeup, tattoos, eyeliner and black outfits may look good in pictures, but when they get on stage they suck. When will fans see the next Megadeth album? Roadrunner Records just extended their option for a new record from us. I'm pretty underwhelmed with having to go into the studio right now, because I'm pretty exhausted. As soon as Gigantour is done, I'm pretty sure I'll be taking a much-needed hiatus for a while. But a musician never stops writing. That's like asking a cook to stop cooking. Check the article out here! Megadeth's 'United Abominations' is in stores now! www.megadeth.com

In-studio BLACK STONE CHERRY footage

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:43:58 +1000

Black Stone Cherry has been doctumenting their time in Music City, TN while recording their second album in the studio. Watch this video of Jon's Birthday & Day 2, "The Vibe In The Studio", "Tracking the New Tunes, "Winter Storm at Blackbird", & "Words of Wisdom" Check it out here.

THE DRESDEN DOLLS to release 'No, Virginia'

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:58:39 +1000

The Dresden Dolls are set to release 'No, Virginia' next month and Amanda Palmer wants to explain the whole meaning behind their upcoming release: 'Ingredients for a No, Virginia: 1) one b-side from our last record, 2) four unreleased recordings, 3) one old demo, 4) one 80s cover tune (of course) and 5) five brand-new recordings of older tunes we've never laid to tape. Sprinkle on some Sean Slade producer-action and viola…instant record! The five brand-new songs on this record kept getting passed over for our first two albums, but we loved these songs, so we decided that we should just record them before it was too late. We went into the studio fresh off a tour in January and banged the whole new collection out in five days, including mixing. It was very cathartic. The unreleased b-sides from Yes, Virginia were just TOO GOOD to relegate to b-side status, so we hoarded them. Every few months we'd have a conversation that would go something along the lines of, "Damn, ‘Ultima’ is a fantastic song. Why didn't we record THAT?" or, "Damn, 'The Kill' is the best song we've ever written. Why didn't we put it on the record? Were we on crack?" Thus No, Virginia... The songs span the first five years of the band, from our first rehearsal though the making of Yes, Virginia, and represent all the favorite bastard children of our work through the years. Listening to it is really surprising; it sounds much more pop than our first two records. Maybe I was shying away from our pop side when we were making those selections. Could be. I surrender and relent to my new wave self. I should add, at this point, that "Ultima Esperanza" was a 100% no-brainer must-have when we were putting together Yes, Virginia. It's an awesome song. "Boston" was left off Yes, Virginia because we didn't want to make the running time too long. We had a full-on blowout battle about this. I still remember pacing around the mixing studio agonizing over the decision. We left it off, but I swore it would find its home someday; this album finally gives it a proper resting place. We figured, while we were at it, we'd include the harder-to-get stuff like “Lonesome Organist Rapes Page-Turner" (the only official b-side on the record) and the cover we did of "Pretty in Pink" for a high-school-reunion-John-Hughes-inspired compilation we were on. The incredible demo for "Mouse and the Model" also finally found a place in our official catalog, much to our glee. Our last record title, Yes, Virginia, is a direct reference to the famous "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" letter that the New York Sun printed in 1897. And I found that frightening stuffed Santa Claus photographed on the cover lying around Mad Oak studios when we were there on the last round of tracking. It was just too perfect. No, Virginia...there is no Santa Claus. But The Dresden Dolls just put together a bad-ass record if that makes you feel any better.' 'No. Virginia' will be available 21st of May! Watch out for it! www.dresdendolls.com

OPETH's Mike & DREAM THEATER's Mike Part 2

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:25:26 +1000

Mike & Mike - Pt. 2! Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater & Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth got together at the Roadrunner Records NYC office and had a great talk. Take a look at the second installment which comes complete with a Napalm Death reference - which excites us as we're sure it will you. You know the deal, click here!

DEVILDRIVER - Bound By The Road

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:23:24 +1000

Devildriver are currently on the road in the US, tearing various places now arseholes and no doubt scaring numerous security personel with their giant mosh pits. Bassist Jon Miller recorded the following update on the tour so far for the bands YouTube page... CLICK FOR EXTREME METAL!! And don't forget that Devildriver are hitting South African shores later in the year on the 'Driving Down The Darkness' tour performing in Johannesburg on Saturday 1st November 2008 and Cape Town on Saturday 8th November 2008. This sure-to-be brutal gig is not one to miss!!! Check out Puritymusic.co.za for more info! 'The Last Kind Words' is in stores now! www.devildriver.com

OPETH - New album out in June!!!

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:16:30 +1000

The new haunting, epic masterpiece from Opeth, Watershed, comes out on June 3rd, 2008. The album, recorded in the band's home of Sweden and produced by frontman/guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt and Jens Bogren, is the first to feature new guitarist Fredrik Akesson and drummer Martin Axenrot. Also available 06.03.08: Collector's Edition 2-disc CD/DVD set includes 3 bonus tracks, 5.1 audio mix of the entire album, extensive video content, and expanded artwork. Limited Edition 180-gram artwork and more. Watershed Track Listing: 1. Coil 2. Heir Apparent 3. The Lotus Eater 4. Burden 5. Porcelain Heart 6. Hessian Peel 7. Hex Omega How badass is that? www.opeth.com

Hardrockhaven.net review CAVALERA CONSPIRACY

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:27:38 +1000

"The famous Cavalera brothers are back together again and we are all the benefactors. The first release from this family “business” is entitled Inflikted and features some hellacious Brazilian-flavored metal. Joining Max and Igor are two excellent musicians, Joe Duplantier (Gojira) on bass guitar and Marc Rizzo (Soulfly) on lead guitar. Duplantier, a guitarist (capable of playing lead) and singer in the French powerhouse band Gojira playing bass and a top shelf shred guitarist in Rizzo being brought in from Soulfly to compliment the killer riffs of Max and the monster beats of Igor." Read more of this review here. Hardrockhaven.net Cavalera Conspiracy's 'Inflikted' is tearing it up in stores now! Check it out! www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy

Live-Metal.net hang out with AIRBOURNE

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:23:49 +1000

Joel O'keeffe from Airbourne checked in with Live-Metal.net's Greg Maki to discuss his band's sound and influences, the new album, future goals and more. Read it. Along with this great interview are some killer photos taken at the Recher Theatre in Towson, MD on March 26th. Check 'em out here. Airbourne's 'Runnin Wild' is rocking in stores now! www.airbournerock.com Become a Fan of Airbourne on Facebook!

DEVILDRIVER are heading our way!!!

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:09:22 +1100

Thornrose Productions in association with Purity Music are proud to present DevilDriver in South Africa for 2 shows. Johannesburg on Saturday 1st November 2008 and Cape Town on Saturday 8th November 2008. Both shows will host many South African Hard rock & metal acts. Most of the South African bands are confirmed except the battle for DevilDriver bands. Tickets will be on sale mid April 2008. To check out the full line up click.. Johannesburg SHOW ! 15:00- Visus 15:45- Facing the Gallows 16:30- New Found Disorder 17:30- 16stitch (TBC) 18:30- Knave 19:30- Chromium 20:30- Agro 21:30- Battle winner 22:30- DEVILDRIVER! CAPE TOWN SHOW! 15:00- Enmity 15:45- Suicide Kings 16:30- Deity’s Muse 17:30- Pestroy (TBC) 18:30- Mind Assualt 19:30- Chromium 20:30- Contrast the Water 21:30- SMS Battle winner 22:30- DEVILDRIVER! plz note: this line-up is subject to change ! In the meanwhile, go out and check Devildriver's 'The Last Kind Words' to psyche yourself up for this insane show that's goping to be hitting SA shores before we know it!

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY Reviews!!!

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:01:12 +1100

Cavalera Conspiracy released debut album 'Inflikted' last week to a chorus of critical approval. Just check out the Metal Hammer and Kerrang! reviews below... The Rapprochement of the Cavalera brothers – Max and Iggor – has everyone awaiting the expected announcement of a Sepultura reunion. Inevitable? Perhaps, at some distant point. But, right now, the guitarist/singer and drummer respectively aren’t thinking about such weighty matters. And to some extent it shows, with a project that definitely doesn’t try to second-guess where the Seps should be in 2008. Obviously, there’s a great deal of the past locked into ‘Inflikted’. Nobody would suggest that the pair were ever going to remove all hint of their own heritage, and this is very much a return to the raw metal of the late 1980’s, infused with lashings of a hardcore attitude. If you take the Seps’ 1987 album ‘Schizophrenia’ as the starting point, then you’ll get an immediate feel for what’s involved. However, this is far from a retreading of old routes. The foundations might have been set two decades ago, but the power, the atmosphere and the focus belong to the modern age. Together with Gojira’s Joe Duplantier on bass and Soulfly guitarist Marc Rizzo, the Cavalera caucus have created a modern extreme metal experience. From the moment the riotous title track and the brutal ‘Sanctuary” rise up and bite, you’ll be overwhelmed by torrential post-thrash downpour. And, for the most part, the band do embrace hyper-drive, with ‘Hex’ and ‘Never Trust’ the equal of anything being delivered by the new-generation thrashers currently sweeping through metal. The latter, in particular, makes its mark as Max bellows a list of those types of people whom he has found unpalatable over the years. The snarl of retribution is obvious. But this is far from being a one-paced blur. Like all top-class metalheads, Cavalera Conspiracy understand the need for variation. So ‘Terrorize’ is built on a concussively supple guitar sound, ‘Black Ark’ is the closest we get to the ‘Roots’ era of Sepultura, and ‘Must Kill’ is an anthemic tirade, with a climactic guitar tornado. But the most impressive moments come on ‘Heart Of Darkness’ and ‘Bloodbrawl’. The former has a classic metal stride that brings to mind Judas Priest, being multi-faceted, yet never losing intensity. The latter is the album’s masterwork. It veers from uber-mania to a softer rhythm, within a structure that’s both stern yet also intimate. It’s here that the band’s propensity for spontaneity is clearest. They take a basic song discipline and stretch out, reveling in their musical freedom. It’s a monumental achievement. ‘Inflikted’ is a strong start from a new band with a spectacular history. Much was expected, and a great deal is delivered. But the real triumph is that, ultimately, not only have the Cavaleras used Sepultura as a springboard, they’ve made talk of a Seps reformation just a touch irrelevant. For the moment. METAL HAMMER It’s good to go away, but nothing beats coming home. If Inflikted is what happens when brothers reunite after a decade apart, then just maybe the rift has been worth it – in artistic terms, at least. Cavalera Conspiracy is anything but tokenistic. Remember the first tribal blast of Soulfly, the moment you realized the game might ultimately be up for the previously untouchable Sepultura? That’s the impression you get here. Inflikted sidesteps both Soulfly’s samba percussives and the corrosive distortion of early Sepultura, but at the same time it rebirths that shock and awe heaviness, the streewise riffing of the Cavalera’s first band, adding only a bigger production. That extra studio dynamic merely throws open the doors to let the storm roar in. Some storm it is too. Max Cavalera’s coals have probably never cut through with more controlled brutality than here. The title-track opens in a squall of synthesized biomechanical feedback, and seconds later Iggor Cavalera’s tubs rifle in, marshalling the familiar crunch of his brothers guitar. This isn’t power for the sake of it – Cavalera Conspiracy (completed by Soulfly guitarist Mark Rizzo and bass from Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier) build songs from rolling, concrete riffs, each pounding out simplistic, upper cut hooks. “I don’t give a fuck if everybody dies tonight” seethes Max in Sanctuary following a disconcerting spiral of guitar noise, before a churning time change hits you in the gut. Hex and Nevertrust are similarly aggressive, short bull-shaped nuggets of hardcore mangled metal designed purely to stun. There’s more ambition in Black Ark and Bloodbrawl, but Inflikted is an album that never deviates far from its central thrust – a simple equation of heaviness, groove and melody worked to perfection. One thing that separates Inflikted from previous Cavalera projects is the occasional suggestion of synths. Purists need not furrow their brow – machines drop in only scarce and shadowy embellishments to the carnage up top. Inflikted is not a Fear Factory record. It is a modern spin on an old theme, a polished, updated but no less bellicose take on the Sepultura of old. These are killing fields of metal, a precursor just possibly to a Sepultura reunion, and a fine debut in its own right. DOWNLOAD: Sanctuary, Nevertrust. FOR FANS OF: Sepultura, Machine Head. KERRANG Cavalera Conspiracy's heavy-as-hell 'Inflikted' is in stores now! www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy

SLIPKNOT Teaser!

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:51:03 +1100

Get a taste of what's on offer from Slipknot later in the year with this short teaser on their official website! Check it out here! Slipknot are busy recording their upcoming untitled album which will be released in August! www.slipknot1.com www.myspace.com/slipknot1

THEORY OF A DEADMAN Live Footage!

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:41:45 +1100

Theory of a Deadman stopped by Billboard magazine's office to play a few songs and chat about the new album, Scars & Sovenirs, which hit stores today. Watch it here! www.theoryofadeadman.com www.myspace.com/theoryofadeadman www.youtube.com/theoryofadeadman Facebook - add yourself as a Theory of a Deadman fan!

DREAM THEATER's Mike & OPETH's Mike - Part 1

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:22:42 +1100

Mike & Mike! Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater & Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth got together at the Roadrunner Records NYC office and had a great talk. Watch Part 1 now and hear all about how Mike P first found out about Opeth. Check it out here!

STILL REMAINS call it a day

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:39:09 +1100

Bad and sad news for all the Still Remains fans out there. Due to personal reasons the band have decided to split after two succesful albums on Roadrunner. Here's the official statement from the band: "Dear friends, fans, and family, this is a goodbye letter from us to you. We will be seeing most of you again I'm sure but not from on stage. We've decided to make this US headlining tour our last as STILL REMAINS and Cornerstone Festival our last show. We want to thank all of the wonderful loving people we've met in the past few years for being there for us. It's been an amazing run but we are done for personal reasons. No, we don't hate each other or want to punch each other in the face. It's just time for us to move on to different things in our lives. Please come see us on our headlining tour and help us go out with a bang! We are extremely excited to see what the future holds for each and every one of us. So keep your eyes and ears open and God Bless!!!" Still Remains brilliant album 'The Serpent' is in stores now! www.stillremains.com

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE drummer sheds light on his massive beard!

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:17:06 +1100

"Justin Foley, the fire-maned skinsman for Killswitch Engage, has got one hell of a monstrous beard. You've no doubt seen it in the "Holy Diver" video, but if you saw the band on tour recently you'd see that Foley's man-whiskers have grown to catastrophic proportions. As an aspiring beardo myself, I was thrilled to have the opportunity recently to interview Justin - exclusively about his beard - both for the sake of interesting MetalSucks content and for my own beard-growing aspirations. Trust me, these things don't just take care of themselves; lots of time and effort goes into keeping our face-pubes nice and healthy." After the jump, Justin shares with Metalsucks.net the history and inspiration behind his beard, his beard heroes, the recent trend of beards in metal, beard grooming tips, and a whole lot more. It's every beard-grower's dream. Check out this killer interview here.

DOWN frontman checks in

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:05:59 +1100

Down frontman has been spilling his guts on his blog again. Talking about the recent dates they band have played in the US, Phil Anselmo writes: When we play live, and the lights are up, I mean it when I tell you that I can really see all of you standing in the crowd! (I strain my weary old eyes to see all the people way in the back or on the sides, but I do see you!). As for the masses I can lay my eyes on, face-to-face…I can truly feel, and feed from your energy! I stare directly into your eyes and see your addictive fire, and it’s hard to put into words the spiritual surge it sends through me! All of your voices singing every song, night after night is the only true payoff!!! I take it to heart. When we walk out on stage, and spend that designated, intimate night with our most loyal horde, that’s notoriously jamming side-by-side with us, in a floor-quaking frenzy… It’s the ONLY realistic reward! It’s all about the music! Our music is your music, so in turn, it’s all about you! (Read the full blog here) Down's monstrous 'Over The Under' is in stores now! www.down-nola.com

ATREYU promo at Metal Rights Festival!!!

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:05:17 +1100

Zeplins Nightclub, S.A. Music News and Rockfest (DSTV Audio Channel 169) are presenting the METAL RIGHTS FESTIVAL! SUNDAY 23rd March Zeplins Nightclub 384 Pretorius Street Pretoria You ask WHY the Sunday? FIRSTLY, because Friday is Korn at the My Coke Fest, so, Saturday you will MOST probably be to hung over, so by Sunday you will be back in action, ready for the next round of punishment... AND Monday is a public holiday, Family Day or something like that... ARRRRR 20 Bands on 2 stages! Doors open at 1pm. First band at 2pm. R 50 per person METAL STAGE 2pm - Elegy 3pm - Egregore 4pm - Warthane 5pm - Selfmoord 6pm - Only Forever 7pm - Psordid 8pm - All Forlorn 9pm - Undertone 10pm - Ancient Influence 11pm - Underbelly MAIN STAGE 2pm. Haggis and Bong 3pm. T.B.M. 4pm. Trippple Bypass 5pm. Erebus 6pm ...and Chaos 7pm . Autumn Sun 8pm. Mesadoth 9pm. Straw 10pm Chromium 11pm. Deity's Muse Directions : Take the N4 to Pretoria take Eeufees Offramp. Right at the T-Junction, left at Fountains. Keep left into Pretoria, into Nelson Mandela drive. Left into Pretorius St, Zeplins is one block down on the right hand side next to Adult World. There'll be loads of giveaways which includes Atreyu's 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor', so be there and get ready to rock out!

TRIVIUM - Paulo's guest blog!

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:46:22 +1100

Trivium bassist Paolo Gregoletto guest blog's on MTV's Headbangers Blog. See what he has to say about the simultaneous rise of old and new-school metal. "I think this a very unique time because one day you might be going to a Killswitch Engage or Machine Head show, and the next week your goingdown to your local arena to watch Iron Maiden play epic 13 minute songs. Some critics, for some reason or another, may not be thrilled by this, but for the vast majority of us, who appreciate music regardless of whether it was written in 1985 or 2005, it’s a once in a lifetime chance to see bands from all eras of heavy metal history playing and making music." Read the rest by clicking here! www.trivium.org www.myspace.com/trivium www.youtube.com/trivium Become a fan on Facebook!

Part 5 of the CAVALERA CONSPIRACY series

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:35:10 +1100

"The video was shot a lil outside of Paris in the suburbs, in a studio...it's almost like a short movie...me and Max had the idea of creating a creature and we created the creature for this video and a lot of people got hurt and there's a lot of blood..." Iggor Cavalera In this, the final of our 5 part Q&A with the Cavalera brothers, we learn about what the bejeezus is going on their video for ‘Sanctuary', all about their tattoos and their tips for anyone wanting to make it as a musician. Check it out!! Cavalera Conspiracy on Facebook

DAATH drummer's blog!

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:31:46 +1100

Daath's drumming extraordinaire, Kevin Talley posted a short but sweet blog on myspace about his finishing the drum tracks for the band's upcoming album. Check it by clicking here. www.daathmusic.com www.myspace.com/daath www.youtube.com/daathmusic

Roadrunner sign SOZIEDAD ALKOHOLIKA

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:01:15 +1100

SOZIEDAD ALKOHOLIKA It is not easy to classify Soziedad Alkoholika within a specific style of music. Thrash, Hardcore, Metal, Punk... The only sure thing is that its foundation has always been in its strength and speed, displaying a wide and varied selection of influences based on their particular style as is shown in their arrangements. With regard to their text, they have always been faithful to the music. Corrosive and explicit lyrics, full of social commitment and direct protest, have been one of its main characteristics. This irreverant attitude has brought with it certain problems with the legal system, instigated by the most conservative sectors of the Spanish State. Nobody has been left indifferent since they formed the group. After their massive hit with their first demo "Intoxikaziòn Etìlica" where they combine strength and speed, unusual for those times, it was in 1991 with their first LP "Soziedad Alkoholika" that they were able to surprise the specialists in their field and at the same time appeal to a wide variety of followers from all areas of heavy music. Their first official piece of work broke barriers which many had thought to be insuperable among such styles so defined as Punk and Metal, which was a salutary shock for the scene at the time. Needless to say, their first LP instantly became a crossover classic. Within a few years they set up their own independent record label in 1995, Mil A Gritos, having performed numerous concerts and releasing two EP`s and one more LP. In that same year they released their third LP "Ratas", surprising all once more with a specially cared for sound but at the same time as forceful as ever. Since then they have released all their material under their own label, as well as using it to produce other groups. Since forming the group, Soziedad Alkoholika has not stopped giving concerts all over Spain, America, Europe, Japan, etc. Having released 8 LP`s, it is one of the independent groups which has sold most in the Spanish market and which has had maximum audience in its live concerts. The group has hardly changed since it began, maintaining its identity both in its recordings as well as in its overwhelming live concerts. "Mala Sangre" was recorded during October and November of last year in Estudio Uno (Madrid) and mixed in Antfarm studio (Denmark) by Tue Madsen (Sick of it all, Born from Pain, Halford...), during February of this year. "For this album we spent more times than ever, entering studio just when we were absolutely convinced that it was exactly where we wanted to go. The crudeness of "Mala Sangre" makes us so satisfy about this new album." With both Gold album and DVD (Last release in date), S.A. keeps going stronger, sharing with their unconditional fans around the world, the same true Energy!!! Soziedad Alkoholika, strength and attitude. Juan:Voice Jimmy: y Javi:Guitars Pirulo:Bass Roberto: Drums www.myspace.com/soziedadalkoholika

Way more CAVALERA CONSPIRACY!!!

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:59:03 +1100

"We definitely want to tour with Cavalera Conspiracy...we just don't know when yet. Obviously with Cavalera Conspiracy we do things one step at a time; it's not like a huge plan where we know when we are going to be playing..." Iggor Cavalera Here it is- the penultimate installment of the Cavalera Conspiracy fan Q&A. If you have missed the first 3 parts of this series, you should check out their media page and catch up! You have seriously been missing out! Part 5 will be here on Monday 17th of March. 'Inflikted' hits shelves on March 25th! www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy

New 3 INCHES OF BLOOD Video

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:33:52 +1100

If you head on over to Scuzz.com, you will be able to see the brand spanking new video from Canadian battle metallers 3 Inches Of Blood. The video, for the killer track 'Trial Of Champions' features non other than Slipknot's Joey Jordison. The guys all became buds when Jordison produced 3 Inches' current album 'Fire Up The Blades'. 'Fire Up The Blades' is in stores now! www.3inchesofblood.com

More of the CAVALERA CONSPIRACY!!!

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:28:32 +1100

"We grew up together and all of a sudden we got separated because of the business. It really sucked. But on the other hand it could be worse- there are families that are separated through war; through sickness...It was a bad experience definitely. I wouldn't wish that on anybody." Max Cavalera Here we bring you part 2 & part 3 of the exclusive Q&A session with Max and Iggor Cavalera, where they answer questions submitted by you- the visitors to Roadrunner Records websites worldwide. If you missed part 1, you can check it out HERE. Cavalera Conspiracy will unleash their awesome heavy-as-hell album 'Infikted' March 25th! www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy Cavalera Conspiracy on Facebook

Meet the Cavaleras!

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:50:16 +1100

There is a spirit; an attitude in ‘INFLIKTED’ that’s very unique. You can say this has been on every album Iggor and I have done together, so for sure you can count on this being there again for this album…In vibe and in spirit it’s right there with anything we have done in the past…Musically different, but in spirit it’s the same.” Max Cavalera Cast your mind back a few months and you will remember us asking you, our glorious readers, for your questions for Max and Iggor Cavalera. Your response was OUTSTANDING and today- in the first of 5 installments- we bring you the answers some of the questions you submitted. Head to the CAVALERA CONSPIRACY MEDIA PLAYER to check it out. Watch this space for PART 2. And whilst you are there you can also check out title track INFLIKTED

ATREYU giveaways at the Purity Magazine Official Launch

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:07:31 +1100

The Doors in Edenvale, Johannesburg, will play host to the Purity Magazine Launch this Saturday the 8th of March. Purity magazine is going in stores and to celebrate is gonna have a night of raucous party. R40 entry, four bands, pre-release DVD screenings, promo girls, as well as magazine, CD and alcohol giveaways!! So much free shit you won’t know what to do with it. The line up is as follows: 16Stitch Knave Facing the Gallows Your Name In Neon There will be loads of surprises throughout the night, so best be there to celebrate the launch of Purity, otherwise known as the best music magazine known to man!! See you there, get ready to rock out. Line up times: 21:00-21:30 Facing the Gallows 21:45-22:15 Your Name In Neon 22:30-23:00 Knave 23:30-00:15 16Stitch The CD throwouts will be the latest Atreyu 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' as well as spins of the killer tracks from the album! Be there!

Dani Filth revisited!

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:49:59 +1100

Cradle Of Filth fans will no doubt remember that DANI FILTH chatted exclusivly to Metalhammer.co.uk around the release of the special edition of Thornography in a special web edition of Spanish Inquisition. Well, part 2 is now up for your viewing pleasure and you can check it out here, so please do!! And if you aren't a COF fan and / or have no idea what I am whittering on about, head there anyway as you can still see part one and COF fan or no, you are bound to enjoy the interview! Witty bugger our Dani... 'Thornography: Harder. Darker. Faster.' is terrorising stores now! www.cradleoffilth.com

DRESDEN DOLLS drummer features on new NIN release

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:56:53 +1100

If you cast your mind back a few years to the release of Nine Inch Nails' 'With Teeth', you will recall that The Dresden Dolls were hand picked by Trent Reznor himself to support him on a US tour and also on a handful of dates in the UK. Well, Mr. Reznor must have been suitably impressed with 'Dolls drummer Brian's skills, as he asked him to work with him on his new album, which he currently has available for download on NIN.COM Brian comments: I had the great pleasure this past December to work with Trent Reznor and contribute some drum tracks to the new album. Trent really opened the door for it to be a very creative experience and allowed him to achieve what he needed musically, while allowing me free reign to express myself and ideas on the drums. You can read more HERE at their MySpace blog and also check out some awesome shots of the innovative kits that Brian used. The Dresden Dolls' 'Yes, Virginia' is in stores now! www.dresdendolls.com

DAATH announces new vocalist!

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:33:48 +1100

Daath announces Sean Z. as new frontman Band enters studio to record their second album 'The Concealers'! (New York, NY): Georgia-based, forward-thinking metal band Daath, who spent the summer of 2007 kicking up dirt on Ozzfest’s side stage, have completed their search for a new vocalist. Dååth are pleased to announce Sean Z. as their new frontman. The band, who parted ways with Sean Faber after Ozzfest, spent the autumn season holding open auditions for the position, with the unwavering goal of finding a diverse singer with enough range and power to match the band’s progressive style of metal. Fellow Atlantan Sean Z., who filled in on vocals during the band’s late Fall tour with Dark Funeral, fit the bill. Says guitarist Eyal Levi, “Sean Z. brings the whole package and destroys in every aspect of the word. He sounds killer on the new material. Now, we are stronger than ever and we look forward to hitting the road this summer.” Dååth are slated to enter the studio on March 1 to record The Concealers with producer Jason Suecof (Trivium, Chimaira) and Mark Lewis of Florida’s Audio Hammer studios manning the boards. Levi is thrilled about finally moving forward saying, “We’ve been biding our time for 4 years in order to be able to finally make an album the right way. We’re looking forward to making a record that reflects what Dååth is truly about.” Indeed, Dååth are a conceptual act, with the lyrics from The Hinderers revolving around the spiritual concept of the Tree of Life/Death. On the forthcoming The Concealers, the band will explore the various sides of human nature and behavior. With the new vocalist in place and a new album in the works, Dååth are more than prepared to expose their brand of thinking man’s metal to the masses.

Artistdirect.com interview CAVALERA CONSPIRACY

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:49:45 +1100

Max Cavalera of Cavalera Conspiracy took some time to talk to Rick from ArtistDirect.com. Read about things such as the long silence between his brother (Iggor Cavalera) and him that would not be broken until now, what it is like to to once again be playing together in Cavalera Conspiracy, and much more here. Cavalera Conspiracy's 'Infliked' will hit stores March 25th! Become a fan of Cavalera Conspiracy on Facebook www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy

New CAVALERA CONSPIRACY interview!

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:03:03 +1100

Headbanger's blog posted the last installment in a series of interview clips with Sepultura founding members and current Cavalera Conspiracy collaborators Max Cavalera (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) about their new band and their new bond. In the fifth and sixth clips, they discuss what inspired the lyrics of their new album, "Inflikted", and what it was like to be back in the studio together after all that time. Check the videos out here. 'Inflikted', Cavalera Conspiracy's upcoming debut album will hits stores with a vengeance March 25th! Be prepared! www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy

Matt Heafy update on TRIVIUM's latest album

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:47:50 +1100

Orlando metallers Trivium are currently in pre-production for their new album, tentatively due before the end of the year via Roadrunner Records. The as-yet-untitled CD will be produced by Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with Foo Fighters, Rush, Velvet Revolver, Shadows Fall, Stone Sour and Death Angel, among others. Guitarist/vocalist Matt Heafy writes in an online posting, "20 songs recorded: 20. 20!!! We've Never recorded this many songs for an album ever, 20!!! I mean hot damn! And these are all Demos! These have been the most extensive demos we have ever done, before we'd merely just do a quick demo of the songs we were to record for the upcoming album. This time we wrote it, re-wrote it, worked and arranged, recorded and re-recorded so it's gonna be good. Next step is for me to write the lyrics and vocals for the latest batch of 10 songs, record those then we'll have our producer come down and we will work out the kinks of all 20 tracks and wittle them down and pick the absolute best songs for the new album. Then? Actually do it. Haha. We're so happy with the new material. It's our strongest material to date; it encompasses everything that is Trivium to the four of us and to our fans." In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, Trivium guitarist Corey Beaulieu stated about the upcoming CD, "We want to capture the best ingredients of everything we've done. Each song has a little bit of everything, going between something heavy and then melodic, and then back to something heavy. So it has a really interesting balance. On 'The Crusade', Matt did almost all singing, so this time we're bringing back some of the screaming that's on 'Ascendancy'." "I'm also trying new things vocally," Heafy added. "Live, I've been able to really push the high vocal part of my range in the style of Rob Halford. So maybe I'll put some of that on the album." While waiting for the new Trivium releases, check out 'The Crusade' in the meanwhile and get ready for total metal domination! www.trivium.org

PAIN launches tour blog

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:43:43 +1100

Pain, the Swedish band featuring Hypocrisy mainman Peter Tägtgren, is currently on the road in Europe as the support act for Nightwish. The band has launched a tour blog at this location where the bandmembers promise to "keep you updated with news and share whatever happens during the tour. Everything you read or see on this blog is exclusively uncensored. Similarities with now living persons is total coincidence." As previously reported, guitarist Marcus Jidell (Royal Hunt, Hose of Shakira) is once again part of Pain's touring lineup. In Flames bassist Peter Iwers makes a guest appearance on two songs on Pain's latest album, "Psalms of Extinction". Pain's video for the track "Zombie Slam" is available for viewing at this location. The clip was shot in February 2007 in Los Angeles by Ralf Strathmann. Ralf previously worked as a director for artists like Children Of Bodom, Apocolyptica and Soilwork. He is also a photographer for such bands as H.I.M., Aerosmith and Blink 182, to name but a few. Pain's 'Psalms Of Extinction' is in stores now! If you haven't heard it yet, go check it out! www.pain.cd

Planet Loud interviews THE CULT

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:32:51 +1100

The Cult recently spoke to Planet Loud about what they have been up to since the release of last years 'Born Into This', about how the album came into fruition and the upcoming UK tour. Talking about how the band came to their current dynamic, Billy Duffy coments, 'I think when we first started it was good and we had a common thing over the first few years as most bands do. You’re a gang, you against the world, success changes that though. Same with any band.' With the guys heading to the UK later this week, he continues, 'I enjoy coming and playing the UK, it definitely gets me on some sort of emotional level without getting too soppy, I get touched when we play and people show up even though I’ve chosen to live in another country.' You can read the full interview here. The Cult's 'Born Into This' is in stores now! www.thecult.us

Metal Hammer speak to Dani Filth

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:29:33 +1100

On the day Cradle Of Filth released 'Thrornography- Harder, Darker, Faster', Metal Hammer TV caught up with frontman Dani Filth to pose questions submitted by fans via their website in an exclusive, online version of their Spanish Inquisition. Head to the Metal Hammer TV page to check out part one of the video feature. Click here! Cradle Of FIlth's 'Thornography- Harder, Darker, Faster' is in stores now. www.cradleoffilth.com

Rapidinfo's killer ATREYU review!

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:57:41 +1100

Rapidinfo.co.za, South Africa's leading online media magazine, has posted a killer review of Atreyu's 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor'. An extract of the review by Sergio Pereira reads: 'Moving away from their metalcore sound to a more hard rock/metal frequency, Atreyu are certain to break sound waves with their latest release Lead Sails Paper Anchor. From the opening track ‘Doomsday’, fret-tapping, whammy-bar solos and melodies dominate the album, but it is in ‘Becoming the Bull’ where they blend 3 generations of metal into one mind-blowing track.' Check out the full review here! Atreyu's 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' is tearing up stores right now! Check it out! www.atreyurock.com

3 INCHES OF BLOOD's hangover cures!

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 01:16:02 +1100

Drink a little too much last night while you were busy headbanging? 3 Inches of Blood vocalist Cam Pipes gives Deciblog.com his top remedies for curing that brutal hangover that occurs the day after that bout of heavy boozing. Check out his top 5 Hangover Cures here. 3 Inches Of Blood's 'Fire Up The Blades' is carving up stores shelves now! Check it out! www.3inchesofblood.com www.myspace.com/3iob www.youtube.com/3inchesofblood 3 Inches of Blood on Facebook

SLIPKNOT to start recording in March

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:34:56 +1100

Slipknot guitarist Mick Thompson said, "Been away for a bit. I'm sure I was missed. Or something. Or not. "I'm here to confirm the [Rockstar Energy] Mayhem tour rumor shit and say that we are starting to record in a couple weeks. We have been writing for a while and we are trying to be done recording some time in late March. Regardless, we will be back on the road this summer and for the better part of the next two years. New stage show, set list, visuals, expectations. We don't repeat ourselves as artists and know that fans don't want the same either." Slipknot is scheduled to enter the studio this month with producer Dave Fortman, who's previously worked with Mudvayne and Evanescence. An August release via Roadrunner is expected. Slipknot percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan recently told Revolver magazine that the masked nine-piece from Iowa is coming from a "different place" as it prepares to record its fourth major label album. When asked what has changed since 2004's "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)", Crahan replied, "I can't stress enough that we're going into this from a different place. When we did (2001 album) 'Iowa', we hated each other. We hated the world; the world hated us. The next record ('Vol. 3') was like rehabilitation. We had all this healing that needed to happen. Now, everything feels good because we feel good." Slipknot went on hiatus at the end of 2005, when it finished touring in support of "Vol. 3". Since then the band members have worked on various other projects, including a second album from singer Corey Taylor and guitarist Jim Root's Stone Sour. Crahan said, "These breaks that we take, they get our appetites going. They let our brains slow down and then speed up again. We gotta decompress for a little bit just to feel human if we're going to be forced to be here in this reality." If you haven't check out Slipknot's 'Voliminal: Inside The Nine' DVD, do yourself a favour and give a good watch. www.slipknot1.com

SCUZZ TV Interview CAVALERA CONSPIRACY

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:26:07 +1100

Cavalera Conspiracy were recently in the UK and SCUZZ TV caught up with them for a little chat about their new project together- their first since they parted ways in 1996. They have now loaded this into their website, and you can view it here.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN E-Card Launched!

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:22:26 +1100

Attention: Theory of a Deadman fans! Up NOW is a fun-filled electronic card to the song "So Happy". This track is the first single off of the upcoming release, Scars and Souvenirs; and has fans eager to hear more of whats to come from this rockin' album. This E-Card also features the Bio, wallpaper & an aim icon of the artwork, as well as the video for the album photoshoot EPK! Spoil yourself with all of this greatness here. Scars and Souvenirs comes to a store near you on April 1st, 2008! www.theoryofadeadman.com www.myspace.com/theoryofadeadman www.youtube.com/theoryofadeadman Facebook - add yourself as a Theory of a Deadman fan!

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY photo gallery!

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:07:28 +1100

An in-studio photo gallery of Cavalera Conspiracy — the new project featuring Sepultura founding members Max (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) alongside vocalist Joe Duplantier (bass) of the French progressive death metallers Gojira and Soulfly guitarist Marc Rizzo — can be found here. The cover artwork of "Inflikted", the debut album from Cavalera Conspiracy, has been posted online here. (Note: The previously circulated "artwork" for this album was used on the promotional CD only and was never intended for the finished product.) Two songs from "Inflikted" are currently available for free download: "Sanctuary": MP3 "Inflikted": MP3

Artistdirect.com interview 3 INCHES OF BLOOD

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:00:31 +1100

ArtistDirect.com never fails to deliver great, in depth interviews with our bands. Featured on their home page now is a great chat that Rick Florino had with Shane of 3 Inches of Blood entitled "How To Become a Goat Rider" Check it out here. www.3inchesofblood.com www.myspace.com/3iob www.youtube.com/3inchesofblood 3 Inches of Blood on Facebook

OPETH announces new album title

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:14:34 +1100

Swedish progressive metal titans Opeth, often credited as being forward thinkers who are a genre of one, are proud to announce Watershed as the title of their forthcoming album, due out on Roadrunner Records on June 3, 2008. The album, recorded in the band's native Sweden and produced by frontman/guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt and Jens Bogren, is a masterwork that follows the time-honored Opeth tradition; it's modern yet timeless, progressive yet paying homage to the sounds of classic rock. Watershed is truly one of those special records that cycles through a variety of moods, speeds and textures, complete with lots of subtleties and nuances of sound. Because of its expansive scope, Watershed is destined to land the album atop many "Best of 2008" lists. Album opener "Coil" is a gorgeous acoustic number, featuring local folk vocalist Nathalie Lorichs, while "Heir Apparent" will knock listeners unconscious with its blunt force metal. "Porcelain Heart" is an epic, thanks to its quiet-loud dynamic structure. Always one to defy the rules, Opeth posits sung vocals over artillery-like blast beats on "The Lotus Eater," cementing their reputation as innovators and redefiners. Watershed combines elements of modern metal, prog rock, free jazz and hints of European folk music, all of which come together for a seamless, unique collection of songs that will leave an indelible mark upon all who listen. Watershed is the first Opeth release to feature new guitarist Fredrik Akesson and drummer Martin Axenrot and is the band's second album for Roadrunner Records. Watershed is the eagerly awaited follow up to 2005's critically acclaimed Ghost Reveries. The complete track listing is as follows: "Coil," "Heir Apparent," "The Lotus Eater," "Burden," "Porcelain Heart," "Hessian Peel" and "Hex Omega."

Thunda.com's NICKELBACK review!

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:22:50 +1100

Thunda.com recently posted this great review of Nickelback's 'The Ultimate Video Collection'. An extract from the review by Andre van Assche reads: 'This is a great DVD for fans of the band who love the videos and want to own them in high quality DVD format, and for fans of the music who haven't had the chance to see all the videos on TV.' Read the full review here! Check out Nickelback's 'The Ultimate Video Collection' in stores now! www.nickelback.com

Two CAVALERA CONSPIRACY tracks for you!

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:37:57 +1100

A second Cavalera Conspiracy track, entitled "Sanctuary", has been made available for download at this location. "Sanctuary" is the first single off CAVALERA CONSPIRACY's debut album, "Inflikted", which will be released in North America on March 25, 2008 via Roadrunner Records (one day earlier internationally). The CD's title cut can be downloaded here. Cavalera Conspiracy is the new project featuring SEPULTURA founding members Max (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) alongside vocalist Joe Duplantier (bass) of the French progressive death metallers Gojira and Soulfly guitarist Marc Rizzo. "The Cavalera Conspiracy is about a sense of being unleashed," says Max Cavalera. "You bottle a monster for ten years and then let it out. It's explosive, and we waited a long time for this beast to be set free." It's true. The wait is over. And the time is now. Many said it would never happen, that Max and Igor Cavalera, the Brazilian brothers and visionaries that formed the groundbreaking metal band Sepultura in 1983 would reunite to make electrifying music together again. Despite having spent 12 years apart, the inescapable fact remains: Max and Igor share blood and are musical soulmates. Their time away from each other fostered musical growth leading to the newly inspired metallic magic. Hence, the Cavalera Conspiracy was born. While the Cavalera Conspiracy and their Roadrunner Records debut "Inflikted" may seem like the closest we'll get to a Sepultura reunion, make no mistake. The Cavalera Conspiracy is its own maniacal, untamable beast with its own set of rules. Igor sums up their musical connection, simply stating, "We don't need to speak. We look at each other and we know. With one look, we know if we're going in the right direction." That's how clearly they understand one another. Max continues, "There was over ten years of not seeing or talking to each other at all, which is a long-ass time. That's what made it more special when it did finally happen. While we were working together, I was thinking about how the last time I saw him, I was on a tour bus, after my last show with Sepultura at the Brixton Academy. Fast forward and I'm picking him up at the airport in Phoenix. It was heavy and emotional." Obviously, all those feelings, along with years of musical history, came flooding back, and once the personal relationship was restored, the musical one began to take shape. The first seeds of the Max/Igor reunion were planted when the duo played together at the D-Low Memorial show, an annual benefit played for Max's slain stepson. "I was playing with Igor at a show that was so meaningful," Max admits. "We got to play 'Roots' and 'Attitude', which is a song I wrote with Dana. From that point on, I couldn't help myself. I knew I wanted to record with him again. I had not done a 'project' since Nailbomb, which was a long time ago. Igor loved the idea. With no name, I just wrote songs all day long. We had to find musicians, and set the mood so we could just write a kick-ass record." Igor has similar fond memories of that show and that feeling, "Once we hit the first note, it felt like a bomb had dropped on stage. From that moment on, I knew we needed to do something together musically." Igor continues, "We reunited as a family first. Naturally, music came next. At first, we had no idea we would do music again. I have my own new project, and that takes so much of my time. I had no plans at all of going back and doing a metal project. But at the same time, it was natural to play again with Max." Max compares the situation to the "Godfather Part III", exclaiming, "Just when Al Pacino thought he was out, his family pulled him right back into the shit again! That's what I did: I pulled him right back." The brothers recruited Gojira guitarist Joe Duplantier to play bass. Guitarist Marc Rizzo, who plays guitar in Max's main band SOULFLY, was enlisted to play guitar. The duo purposely chose more up and coming musicians, because they didn't want to detract from the music. "We didn't want big names," Max says. "It was about me and Igor finding ourselves. This is about the music. We found cool musicians without pretension, who wanted to go into the studio and just kick ass." Once recording commenced, Max brought a bunch of songs he had written. Album opener "Inflikted" is an urgent, thrashy anthem designed for the most riotous moshpits, while "Sanctuary" has a classic "Beneath the Remains"-era Sepultura vibe. Max says, “I brought the tracks to the studio without the fury. Igor put his 'thunder drums' on top of it and it became something else!" Although Igor exited Sepultura and is working on his electronic music project, that familiar feeling coursed through his veins when he sat down to track drums. "We had no pressure on our backs. The most important thing is that we were happy in the studio; we worked a lot and it was a blast. That translates into the music," Igor says. By the time the record was finished, Max knew that they had recaptured the magic. "My brother makes the drums sound like thunder like no one else. Not many musicians can grab a kit and change the sound and personality of the drums, but he can. It's fucking scary." While the SOULFLY and SEPULTURA comparisons will undoubtedly — natch — arise, both brothers contend that the Cavalera Conspiracy is different because their tastes and influences have grown over the years. There's less of a world vibe on "Inflikted", but it's every bit as dangerous, thanks to its "fuck-the-world" attitude. "Why do I get goosebumps when listening to this? I don't want to know," says Max. According to Igor, "Inflikted"'s balance of the old and the new is what he loves about it and he thinks metalheads across the globe will share the same notion. "When I listen to the album, it sounds old-school, but new in its own way," he says. "It's a mix of both worlds. We both listened to so much different music during the time apart. Here, we each had our own input, so it came out different than back in the day." Summing up their personal chemistry, which is palpable on the booming "Ultra-Violent", "Bloodbrawl", and the uber-thrash attack "Terrorize" (formerly "Holy Poison"), Max says, "I'm crazy. I used to drink. I talk. He is quiet. He has never drank before. It's this weird combo that becomes lethal together. You either like it or hate it, but you can't ignore it. We're like a bomb." "Inflikted" final track listing: 01. Inflikted 02. Sanctuary 03. Terrorize (formerly "Holy Poison") 04. Black Ark 05. Ultra-Violent 06. Hex 07. The Doom Of All Fires 08. Bloodbrawl 09. Nevertrust 10. Hearts Of Darkness 11. Must Kill

Catching up with OPETH's Mikael Åkerfeldt

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:12:22 +1100

UK's Metal Hammer magazine recently conducted an interview with Opeth mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt. An excerpt from the chat follows: Metal Hammer: Your label, Roadrunner, has been criticized for the number of reissues it releases, including your last album, "Ghost Reveries". Do you think that's fair? Mikael: I think most labels do that today. The record industry is not doing that well; the companies are grasping at straws to try and make money, and perhaps that's the way to do it. I don't care how many reissues of our albums they put out — they could put out a thousand reissues and I couldn't care less, as long as the quality is good. You don't have to buy these things if you don't want to. Personally, I don't buy clothes and I don't go out drinking, I just buy records — so I don't have a problem with buying 20 different versions of my favorite album. Metal Hammer: "Ghost Reveries" was leaked via the Internet before its release in 2005. Does illegal file sharing piss you off? Mikael: It does piss me off. The main problem for me is that the magic gets lost. When you're downloading, you don't have the artwork, you don't have anything but the tunes, and in bad quality. It bothers me, because the ideal situation for me would be to gather up 5,000 fans every day and give them the record and we could listen to it together, although that's not possible. My music is sacred to me, and I don't want it to be presented in any form other than the ones we have approved. Metal Hammer: Opeth's drummer Martin Lopez left the band in 2006 and guitarist Peter Lindgren followed a few months ago. Is the new lineup stable now? Mikael: Well, you never know! But the overall vibe in the band now is really good. We've been hanging out getting to know each other, and it's good because everybody in the band just wants to play music. That's always been the most important thing with this band; I want everyone to be a musician, and fuck the other things. It's so easy to be carried away with this type of business. There's a lot of other things that are cool to do, but that shouldn't take away from the importance of the music, and if you don't have the music anymore, you're nothing. That was the problem with both Lopez and Peter; that's why they left. Because they probably didn't burn as much. It's not easy to be in a touring band like this one; it's tough. The guys in the band, they write and play music in their spare time, and there's no question about anything else. Get hold of Opeth's 'Ghost Reveries Special Edition' and be prepared to get blasted away! www.opeth.com

AIRBOURNE drummer proud to be compared to AC/DC

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:07:55 +1100

Jonni Starr of DirtyRock.net recently conducted an interview with Airbourne drummer Ryan O'Keeffe. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow: DirtyRock.net: Why did you guys choose New Jersey to be your U.S. base? Ryan: As we've discovered, a lot of bands have a U.S. market or UK market. And it's not very often that an act will be going well on both markets and it happens to be that we are. So we need to be positioning ourselves in between the UK and L.A. and that's New York. That way we're six hours from L.A., six hours from London so if we've got to jump on a plane and tour or do a last minute show or even an interview we're able to do it with ease. Plus Roadrunner are in New York anyway, all the other labels are in L.A., Roadrunner are in New York, so we're able to be close to them. It's just a center point where we can go everywhere in America and everywhere in the UK at a cheaper rate (laughs). DirtyRock.net: You've built up a fairly strong following in Australia. Are you worried you might lose some of the momentum relocating indefinitely overseas or have people been supportive? Ryan: Oh mate, it's only until Ev, our mixer, really said it and he sometimes gets mistaken for being in the band, but he goes, "One of the things you really realize from crowd members is how supportive they are about us going overseas. Everyone, everyone who even mentions about USA it's always positive." "You guys rip it up overseas," "Good luck, we'll be here thinking about you," "Do it for Australia." You know, everyone, I think they're all sort of on our side in that respect and know it's got to happen, we've got to take that step and get out there. DirtyRock.net: You mentioned about going to the UK. How has the support been over there? Ryan: Really good, really good. It's one of those things when we've been talking to them, all of us — band, crew and label — feel that we shouldn't fail. Or we don't want to be the ones to fail because there aren't that many people out there doing rock 'n' roll and if we fuck it up, we're going to look like dickheads! Because there are a lot of people out there who want this sound back who grew up with it or a lot of kids who like discovering it because they've spent their earlier years listening to emo or nothing Australian, as far as I'm concerned. There's a lot of passion going around the Airbourne camp about this. They're all really supportive — it's great. DirtyRock.net: A lot of people when they talk about Airbourne always compare your sound to AC/DC. Obviously they're a fantastic band but do you ever get sick of the comparisons or embrace it? Ryan: Embrace it. Every band is going to get compared to something. Any band you think of is going to get compared to something otherwise how are you going to describe them? And geez, I'm proud of someone to go "What are they like?" "They're like AC/DC." Oh, they're like one of the best rock bands in the world? That's flattering. It's one of those things that I don't feel I even deserve to be compared to band such as AC/DC. Read the entire interview at www.dirtyrock.net. Airbourne's rockin' 'Runnin Wild' hits stores shortly! Be sure to check this one out! www.airbournerock.com

Audiophile SA's awesome WITHIN TEMPTATION review!

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:32:33 +1100

South Africa's greatest new music online sensation, Audiophile SA, has posted a wicked review of Within Temptation's awesome 'The Heart Of Everything'! An extract from the reveiw by Jay Pienaar reads: 'Within Temptation has a unique sound that is a mixture between goth, symphonic metal, and rock. The obvious comparisons would be Lacuna Coil and Evanescence, even though there is something so much more mature and innovative to Within Temptation. No two tracks evoke the same emotion – thus, Heart of Everything has incredible replay value. I was unable to tear myself away from this album.' Read the full review here! Within Temptation's 'The Heart Of Everything' is in stores now! www.within-temptation.com

CRADLE OF FILTH - Paul Allender Remix!

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:13:10 +1100

So as most of you Crazy Cradle of Filth fans already know, the upcoming release, Thornography - Harder Darker Faster [Special Edition], is a new kind of cool called an MVI (Music Video Interactive). The album comes as a high-quality DVD Audio with tons of extra tracks, videos, mobile content, MP3s and loads of interactive bonus content. It also features 2 tracks that come in U Myx format which allows you to remix the tracks. Paul Allender (guitarist) has done a custom remix of the track,"Under Huntress Moon" using this capability. Go to Cradle of Filth's official website here and check it out! www.cradleoffilth.com www.myspace.com/cradleoffilth www.youtube.com/cradleoffilth Cradle of Filth on Facebook

Hear AIRBOURNE's 'Runnin Wild' in it's full glory!

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:40:57 +1100

Airbourne release their debut album 'Runnin Wild' on Tuesday, January 29th and in celebration of this are previewing it's fist pumping glory (recently described by a RR staff memeber as 'tunes that just make me want to get w*nkered- in a good way!') on Myspace. Their profile, with full album stream, can be found here. Airbourne's 'Runnin Wild' is hitting stores shortly! www.airbournerock.com

3 INCHES OF BLOOD video interview

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:29:08 +1100

Woozyfly.com conducted an interview with guitarist Shane Clark and bassist Nick Cates of the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based metallers 3 Inches Of Blood last week in New York City prior to the band's show at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill. They discussed such topics as their forthcoming video for the song "Trial of Champions" as well as the clip for "The Goatrider's Horde" being named one of the "Headbanger's Ball" Top 20 videos. Watch the interview at Buckshot's Bonanza. 3 Inches Of Blood has recruited drummer Ash Pearson (Sound Of The Swarm, Just Cause) for the band's current tour with The Black Dahlia Murder, Hate Eternal and Decrepit Birth. Pearson joins the group as the replacement for Alexei Rodriguez, who was unceremoniously dismissed from the band after he landed in a physical confrontation with Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler at the Hard Rock Hell festival in England this past November. 3 Inches Of Blood's thrashing 'Fire Up The Blades' is in stores now! www.3inchesofblood.com

CRADLE OF FILTH: The Star Wars podcast

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:41:21 +1100

Dave Pybus and Charles Hedger of Cradle of Filth were recently interviewed by Vadercast.com about their massive Star Wars collections as well as the special edition of their most recent studio album ‘Thornography’. Download the podcast here! And after you've finished listening to what the guys have to say, check out the wicked E-Card for Cradle Of Filth's upcoming Deluxe Edition of Thornography entitled 'Harder. Darker. Faster.' right here! Cradle Of Filth's 'Thornography Deluxe: Harder. Darker. Faster.' will hit stores with a vengeance February 12th! Be prepared!

TRIVIUM's Corey & Matt talk Dean Guitars

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:33:19 +1100

Lacey Conner, villainess co-star of VH1's hit TV show "Rock of Love" featuring Poison's Bret Michaels, conducted an interview with Corey Beaulieu and Matt Heafy from Trivium about their signature Dean guitars at this year's winter NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show, which is being held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Revolver magazine recently conducted an interview with Beaulieu and Heafy about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the group's new album, tentatively due before the end of the year via Roadrunner Records. "We want to capture the best ingredients of everything we've done," Beaulieu said. "Each song has a little bit of everything, going between something heavy and then melodic, and then back to something heavy. So it has a really interesting balance. On 'The Crusade', Matt did almost all singing, so this time we're bringing back some of the screaming that's on 'Ascendancy'." "I'm also trying new things vocally," Heafy added. "Live, I've been able to really push the high vocal part of my range in the style of Rob Halford. So maybe I'll put some of that on the album." When asked who's going to produce the new CD, Heafy said, We've talked a little bit with Colin Richardson and Dave Fortman, who is incredible with vocals. I would love to treat the vocals on this album in the way Boston's first album or Queen's 'Night at the Opera' were treated — massively multi-layered. But the tones have to be massive also. We're also thinking of Nick Raskulinecz, but I haven't gotten to speak to him yet. Whoever we pick, there has to be excitement from both sides." Trivium's 'The Crusade' is tearing up stores shelves right now! www.trivium.org

THE CAVALERA CONSPIRACY!!!

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:08:33 +1100

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY: MAX & IGGOR REUNITE UNLEASH THE BEAST - FIRST ALBUM TOGETHER IN 10 YEARS INFLIKTED Due Out March 25th, 2008 on Roadrunner Records New York, NY: The sun shines in Metal as the two most influential brothers reunite after 10 years of silence. Max and Iggor Cavalera have formed the Cavalera Conspiracy and will release their first album INFLIKTED to the world March 25th, 2008 on Roadrunner Records. “Cavalera Conspiracy is about a sense of being unleashed,” says vocalist/guitarist Max Cavalera. “You bottle a monster for 10 years and then let it out. It’s explosive, and we waited a long time for this beast to be set free.” What all Sepultura fans have hoped and waited for finally happened on August 17th 2006 in Tempe Arizona. Max and Iggor, the Cavalera brothers, finally reunited. Soulfly played a show in memory of Dana Wells (D-Low), the stepson of Max and son of Gloria Cavalera, whose death changed the life of the family forever. However, this brought back the force of friendship and family when Iggor Cavalera stepped on stage, almost in secret. He joined the band in the drum jam and in continuation he took a seat behind the drums. With the first sounds of “Attitude” the crowd realized who was keeping time behind Max and the band. They went wild. “Once we hit the first note, it felt like a bomb had dropped on stage,” exclaims Iggor. “From that moment on, I knew we needed to do something together musically.” This amazingly phenomenal show will go down in every heavy metal encyclopedia as the historic moment when the brothers Cavalera joined forces again. “There was over 10 years of not seeing or talking to each other at all, which is a long ass time,” explains Max. That’s what made it more special when it did finally happen. Cavalera Conspiracy consists of Max Cavalera (vocals/rhythm guitar), Iggor Cavalera (drums/percussion), Marc Rizzo (lead/rhythm guitars), and Joe Duplantier (bass). INFLIKTED is the long-awaited moment providing Metal a new era with the Cavalera Brothers. In the veins of Sepultura with a twist, the band turns back to heavier and darker material giving their fans exactly what they have been waiting for. Max’s vocals explodes onto the 11 tracks of INFLIKTED joined with the pounding of Iggor’s drum beats, Marc Rizzo’s shred slicing guitar and Joe Duplantier thumping bass lines. “When I listen to the album, it sounds old school, but new in its own way,” explains Iggor. “It’s a mix of both worlds.” Recording took place this past July at Undercity Studios in Los Angeles, with Logan Mader (former Machine Head guitarist). Rex Brown (Pantera, Down) cameos on bass on Ultra-Violent, and Black Ark features a collaboration with Max, Joe and Richie Cavalera (Incite) all on vocals. Tours dates for the Cavalera Conspiracy to be announced in spring. INFLIKTED is currently scheduled for release via Roadrunner Records internationally on March 24th and in North America on March 25th. The tracklist for the album is as follows: 'Inflikted' 'Sanctuary' 'Terrorize' 'Black Ark' 'Ultra-Violent' 'Hex' 'The Doom Of All Fires' 'Bloodbrawl' 'Hearts Of Darkness' 'Nevertrust' 'Must Kill'' www.cavaleraconspiracy.com www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy

New BLACK STONE CHERRY interview

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:44:18 +1100

Holland's FaceCulture spoke to Ben Wells and bassist Jon Lawhon from Kentucky's Black Stone Cherry prior to the band's concert at the Melkweg in Amsterdam. They spoke about their music, idols, songwriting and lots more. Watch the interview at this location. Roadrunner Records last year uploaded video footage of Black STone Cherry performing acoustically and being interviewed at Pub Anchor in Stockholm, Sweden. Check it out at this location. Black Stone Cherry's awesome self-titled album is in stores now! www.blackstonecherry.com

Audiophile SA's kickass AIRBOURNE review

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:55:45 +1100

Audiophile SA has posted an awesome review of Airbourne's upcoming album 'Runnin' Wild'. An extract from the review by Colin Windell reads: 'There is something extremely satisfying about listening to a band that insists on remaining true to rock and roll as an art form. Ted Nugent is quite special at this and has been quoted many times saying: “There is nothing between the guitar and the amp to fuck up the signal.” Airbourne are the same. Straightforward kickass rock with no trick effects, pretensions or overly complicated studio effects and their album Runnin’ Wild has just been released locally even though it first appeared in June of last year and has had three singles culled from the 11-track list.' Check out the full review here. Airbourne's killer Roadrunner debut, 'Runnin' Wild', will hit stores end of January so keep a look out! www.airbournerock.com

DIVINE HERESY wins Metalunderground.com's 'Best Newcomer Award'!

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:12:03 +1100

Metalunderground.com have given the award for 'Best Newcomer of 2007' to Divine Heresy! An extract from the website reads: Bands eligible for "Best Metal Newcomer of 2007" included bands who have released their first full length album or released their first album on a somewhat major metal label, or even have no formal release at all. This is a tough category to get consensus on, since we all have different tastes in metal and will hear of only relatively few new bands each year. However, when a new band with veteran musicians forms and make waves like these guys have, it makes the voting much easier. The clear winner was: Divine Heresy Check out the full list of winners here. So if you've been under a rock for the last 6 months and haven't checked Divine Heresy's face-melting debut album 'Bleed The Fifth', do yourself a huge favour and go check it out now! www.myspace.com/divineheresyband

New THEORY OF A DEADMAN track online

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:01:31 +1100

Good things come to those who wait. But in the meantime, while your anticipating Vancouver rockers Theory of a Deadman's new album, get a taste of what's to come by streaming "So Happy" here. The lyrics are already stuck in my head. See for yourself... www.theoryofadeadman.com www.myspace.com/theoryofadeadman www.youtube.com/theoryofadeadman

WITHIN TEMPTATION live photos posted online

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:12:24 +1100

Italian website DelRock.it published a new photo gallery of Within Temptation's January 11, 2008 concert near Milan, Italy. Check out the pictures at this location. Within Temptation guitarist Robert Westerholt is forced to sit out the band's current tour due to a recent "unfortunate accident" in which he severely bruised his right thumb, making it impossible for him to play guitar. Within Temptation's November 24, 2007 concert at the Beursgebouw in Eindhoven, Holland was filmed for an upcoming DVD, tentatively due next summer. The sold-out show at the 8,000-capacity venue included lots of special effects, an acoustic section, Broadway-style musical elements and guest appearances by Anneke van Giersbergen (Aqua De Annique, ex-The Gathering) and George Oosthoek (ex-Orphanage). An acoustic version of "What Have You Done", taken from the "special edition" version of Within Temptation's new album, "The Heart of Everything", is available for streaming at this location. Within Temptation was honored in the "Best-Selling Artist - Netherlands" category at the World Music Awards on November 4 in Monte Carlo. The World Music Awards (founded in 1989) is an international awards show that annually honors recording artists based on their worldwide sales figures, which are provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). As previously reported, Within Temptation will be joined by the Dutch Metropole Orchestra for a special concert at the Ahoy Stadium in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on February 7. Within Temptation's 'The Heart OF Everything' is in stires now. Check it out! www.within-temptation.com

Glenn comments on departure from MEGADETH

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:03:36 +1100

Guitarist Glenn Drover has delivered the following official statement to BW&BK in regards to his departure from Megadeth: "I am aware of the rumors that I left Megadeth to focus on family life. My family life has always been my priority. In the end, I was unhappy with the situation, which magnified me wanting to spend more time with my family and realizing that it’s time for me to move on to the next chapter in my musical career. First, I want to spend some good quality time here at home with my family for a little bit before getting into anything serious. Obviously, I have not spent the last several years of my life working hard to stop now. That would be insane, to put it mildly. This is what I do, and I am excited about what the future in music has in store for me. I would like to thank Dave (Mustaine) for giving me a great opportunity to be a part of Megadeth for the past 3 + years. To be a part of this band with my brother (drummer) Shawn (Drover) and tour the world, was awesome to say the least! I have a lot of great memories and met a ton of great people along the way, both fans and people in the industry. I am also very proud to have been a part of bringing Megadeth back to the forefront and firmly putting the band back on the map! Last but not least, I would like to thank all of the fans, the Megadeth road crew and all of my endorsements, as well as everyone who has supported me in making my time with Megadeth a very memorable experience! Glen Drover." As previously reported, Megadeth has officially welcomed new guitarist Chris Broderick (Nevermore, Jag Panzer). "I've noticed [on the Internet] that people are pissed with me over the way things were handled with Glen quitting the group," says Mustaine, "but they're gonna be pissed even more when they hear how fierce we are with Chris! Megadeth is playing at a new level." Broderick will make his live debut with Megadeth February 4th in Finland, where the group--guitarist/singer Mustaine, guitarist Broderick, drummer Shawn Drover and James Lomenzo on bass - is kicking off a long string of international dates which wrap March 14th in Bangalore, India.

KILL HANNAH sign to Roadrunner!

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:01:11 +1100

KILL HANNAH SIGN TO ROADRUNNER "They may have a sexually ambiguous nature like me. They may sing in a high nasal voice like me. But unlike me, they are the future of Chicago rock." - Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins Roadrunner Records are thrilled to announce the signing of Chicago alt rockers KILL HANNAH. Easily described as the bridge between The Killers, The Cure, Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance, their sound is at once familiar and refreshingly original, showing undeniable growth by taking chances in a world where most art is being played safe. Despite having no TV or radio play in the UK yet, the band have already headlined and sold out up to 1000 capacity venues on their recent tours here. You might also have caught them last year at the Give It A Name festival, or more recently as main support for the sold out UK tour with Finnish sensation HIM. www.myspace.com/killhannah

Catching up with TRIVIUM

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:14:58 +1100

Revolver magazine recently conducted an interview with Corey Beaulieu and Matt Heafy from Trivium about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the group's new album, tentatively due before the end of the year via Roadrunner Records. "We want to capture the best ingredients of everything we've done," Beaulieu said. "Each song has a little bit of everything, going between something heavy and then melodic, and then back to something heavy. So it has a really interesting balance. On 'The Crusade', Matt did almost all singing, so this time we're bringing back some of the screaming that's on 'Ascendancy'." "I'm also trying new things vocally," Heafy added. "Live, I've been able to really push the high vocal part of my range in the style of Rob Halford. So maybe I'll put some of that on the album." When asked who's going to produce the new CD, Heafy said, We've talked a little bit with Colin Richardson [Machine Head, Bullet For My Valentine, Napalm Death] and Dave Fortman [Mudvayne, Evanescence], who is incredible with vocals. I would love to treat the vocals on this album in the way BOSTON's first album or Queen's 'Night at the Opera' were treated — massively multi-layered. But the tones have to be massive also. We're also thinking of Nick Raskulinecz [Foo Fighters, Rush, Velvet Revolver, Shadows Fall, Stone Sour], but I haven't gotten to speak to him yet. Whoever we pick, there has to be excitement from both sides." Trivium's 'The Crusade' is tearing up stores shelves right now! www.trivium.org

Max on the CAVALERA CONSPIRACY

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:05:34 +1100

“The Cavalera Conspiracy, is about a sense of being unleashed,” says vocalist/guitarist Max Cavalera (Soulfly, ex-Sepultura). “You bottle a monster for ten years and then let it out. It’s explosive, and we waited a long time for this beast to be set free.” It’s true. The wait is over. And the time is now. Many said it would never happen, that Max and Iggor Cavalera (new spelling of his first name), the Brazilian brothers and visionaries that formed the groundbreaking metal band Sepultura in 1983 would reunite to make electrifying music together again. Despite having spent 12 years apart, the inescapable fact remains: Max and Iggor share blood and are musical soulmates. Their time away from each other fostered musical growth leading to the newly inspired metallic magic. Hence, the Cavalera Conspiracy was born. While the Cavalera Conspiracy and their Roadrunner Records debut Inflikted may seem like the closest we’ll get to a Sepultura reunion, make no mistake. The Cavalera Conspiracy is its own maniacal, untamable beast with its own set of rules. Iggor sums up their musical connection, simply stating, “We don’t need to speak. We look at each other and we know. With one look, we know if we’re going in the right direction.” That’s how clearly they understand one another. Max continues, “There was over ten years of not seeing or talking to each other at all, which is a long ass time. That’s what made it more special when it did finally happen. While we were working together, I was thinking about how the last time I saw him, I was on a tour bus, after my last show with Sepultura at the Brixton Academy. Fast forward and I’m picking him up at the airport in Phoenix. It was heavy and emotional. Obviously, all those feelings, along with years of musical history, came flooding back, and once the personal relationship was restored, the musical one began to take shape. The first seeds of the Max/Iggor reunion were planted when the duo played together at the Dana Tribute show, an annual benefit played for Max’s slain stepson. “I was playing with Iggor at a show that was so meaningful,” Max admits. “We got to play ‘Roots’ and ‘Attitude,’ which is a song I wrote with Dana. From that point on, I couldn’t help myself. I knew I wanted to record with him again. I had not done a ‘project’ since Nailbomb, which was a long time ago. Iggor loved the idea. With no name, I just wrote songs all day long. We had to find musicians, and set the mood so we could just write a kick ass record.” Iggor has similar fond memories of that show and that feeling, “Once we hit the first note, it felt like a bomb had dropped on stage. From that moment on, I knew we needed to do something together musically.” Iggor continues, “We reunited as a family first. Naturally, music came next. At first, we had no idea we would do music again. I have my own new project, and that takes so much of my time. I had no plans at all of going back and doing a metal project. But at the same time, it was natural to play again with Max.” Max compares the situation to The Godfather Part III, exclaiming, “Just when Al Pacino thought he was out, his family pulled him right back into the shit again! That’s what I did: I pulled him right back.” The brothers recruited Gojira guitarist Joe Duplantier to play bass. Guitarist Marc Rizzo, who plays guitar in Max’s main band Soulfly, was enlisted to play guitar. The duo purposely chose more up and coming musicians, because they didn’t want to detract from the music. “We didn’t want big names,” Max says. “It was about me and Iggor finding ourselves. This is about the music. We found cool musicians without pretension, who wanted to go into the studio and just kick ass.”' Once recording commenced, Max brought a bunch of songs he had written. Album opener 'Inflikted' is an urgent, thrashy anthem designed for the most riotous moshpits, while 'Sanctuary' has a classic Beneath The Remains-era Sepultura vibe. Max says, “I brought the tracks to the studio without the fury. Iggor put his ‘thunder drums’ on top of it and it became something else!” Although Iggor exited Sepultura and is working on his electronic music project, that familiar feeling coursed through his veins when he sat down to track drums. “We had no pressure on our backs. The most important thing is that we were happy in the studio; we worked a lot and it was a blast. That translates into the music,” Iggor says. By the time the record was finished, Max knew that they had recaptured the magic. “My brother makes the drums sound like thunder like no one else. Not many musicians can grab a kit and change the sound and personality of the drums, but he can. It’s fucking scary.” While the Soulfly and Sepultura comparisons will undoubtedly – natch - arise, both brothers contend that the Cavalera Conspiracy is different because their tastes and influences have grown over the years. There’s less of a world vibe on Inflikted, but it’s every bit as dangerous, thanks to its “fuck the world” attitude. “Why do I get goosebumps when listening to this? I don’t want to know,” says Max. According to Iggor, Inflikted’s balance of the old and the new is what he loves about it and he thinks metalheads across the globe will share the same notion. “When I listen to the album, it sounds old school, but new in its own way,” he says. “It’s a mix of both worlds. We both listened to so much different music during the time apart. Here, we each had our own input, so it came out different than back in the day.” Summing up their personal chemistry, which is palpable on the booming 'Ultra-Violent', 'Bloodbrawl', and the uber thrash attack 'Terrorize', Max says, “I’m crazy. I used to drink. I talk. He is quiet. He has never drank before. It’s this weird combo that becomes lethal together. You either like it or hate it, but you can’t ignore it. We’re like a bomb.” Inflikted is currently scheduled for release via Roadrunner Records internationally on March 24th and in North America on March 25th. The tracklist for the album is as follows: 'Inflikted', 'Sanctuary', 'Terrorize', 'Dark Ark', 'Ultra-Violent', 'Hex', 'The Doom Of All Fires', 'Bloodbrawl', 'Hearts Of Darkness', 'Nevertrust', 'Must Kill'.

Audiophile SA review NICKELBACK's 'The Ultimate Video Collection'

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:49:55 +1100

Audiophile SA, South Africa's own authentic online music community, has posted a cool review of Nickelback's 'The Ultimate Video Collection'. An extract of the review by Walt Pretorius reads: 'Nickelback deliver awesome live performances, as can be seen in a number of the 12 videos in this collection. Other videos (the story-type ones) are of the highest quality. This DVD is a must have for fans of this Canadian rock act.' Check out the full reveiw here and while you're there, have a browse around the site at all the other killer Roadrunner Records reviews. Nickelback's 'The Ultimate Video Collection' is in stores now! www.nickelback.com

Thunda.com's ATREYU review

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:37:59 +1100

Thunda.com recently posted a cool review of Atreyu's 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor'. An extract from the review by Andre van Assche reads: 'Atreyu broke onto the metalcore scene in 2002 with 'Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses', an album featuring heavy riffs with loads of screaming emo-core vocals. 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' sees vocalist Alex Varkatzas dropping the gut wrenching scream, and opting for more clean melodic vocals and catchy anthemic choruses with drummer and vocalist Brandon Saller. The music moves towards more of an 80's metal sound, full of shredding guitar solos courtesy of kick-ass guitarist Dan Jacobs, and loads of gang vocals.' Check out the full review here. Atreyu's 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' is in stores now! And don't forget to check out the video for the blasting track 'Doomsday' here in our media section. www.atreyurock.com

A DREAM THEATER extravaganza!

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:01:44 +1100

Dream Theater drummer, Mike Portnoy talks with Laestadea.com about what an honor it is to be considered one of the best progressive rock drummers of all time and how he feels like he was born with a natural talent and drive for drumming. He also discusses being into thrash, speed, and death metal and what it is like to tour for long periods of time, while all 5 of the members have wives and children back home. Check out Parts 1, 2, and 3 of the video interview here. www.dreamtheater.net www.myspace.com/dreamtheater www.youtube.com/dreamtheater

Yebo TV interview THE CULT's Billy Duffy

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:55:49 +1100

Dale from Yebo TV sat down for a chat with Billy Duffy of The Cult. They spoke about things such as how the band wrote for the album, the success of the band, what inspired him to be a guitarist, and much more. You can view the video of the full length interview by clicking here. Can I get a woot woot? The Cult's rocking 'Born Into This' is in stores now! www.thecult.us

Get your free TRIVIUM calendar!

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:17:42 +1100

With 2008 now a reality, what better time than to download your free Trivium calendar? It's a PDF file and approx 3MB. Get it here. www.trivium.org

KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES get Blog-Tastic!

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:15:23 +1100

Over the ole festive season, KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES used their lil bit of down-time to update their fans on how things are in the land of KIGH (erm...Wales?!). Amongst the many tit-bits there, they finished the tour with Funeral For A Friend (and it was 'life affirming'), Catwoman was watched (and it 'sucks', apparently), toffees in Roses are not their faves in the tin and they're about to film their first ever video (true dat- it will be for 'Easy Tiger' which will be released as a single in February. Not so true- the Star Trek cast are gonna appear in it). It will be filmed in London on the 7th and 8th of January. Anyway, you should check out their MYSPACE BLOG to read the full xmas updates, and if you are unfamiliar with their work, check out the demos on their page. Rad with a capital 'R' folks! In other news, the guys feature in this weeks Kerrang! magazine talking about signing to some record label called Roadrunner (check it out- it's on shelves now!) and they are currently back in the studio recording some juicy b-sides. Watch this space for news on the vid shoot and the title of their debut album, which is to be announced shortly...

The Gauntlet's awesome DEVILDRIVER photos!

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:30:40 +1100

Photographer Kristy Lingman from The Gauntlet shot DevilDriver on December 15 at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, CA. Check out the photo gallery here. Also Dez was top voted for Male vocalist of 2007 along with a ton of other RR artists, take a look at the Gauntlet end of year Poll results here. www.devildriver.com www.myspace.com/devildriver www.youtube.com/devildrivertube

Video interview with DREAM THEATER's Mike Portnoy

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:25:43 +1100

Spanish webzine Laestadea conducted an interview with Dream theater drummer Mike Portnoy when the band visited Spain in early November. Watch the first part of the chat here. Dream Theater's new anime-themed video, "Forsaken", will premiere in early 2008. To whet the fans' appetites, Roadrunner Records is offering a peek at the video's main characters at this location (that's Leo on the left and Alice on the right). Dream Theater's 'Systematic Chaos' is in stores now! www.dreamtheater.net

Metalunderground.com's DIVINE HERESY review

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:52:07 +1100

Metalunderground.com posted this awesome review of Divine Heresy's brutal debut album 'Bleed The Fifth'. An extract from the reveiw reads: 'Dino Cazeres' (ex-Fear Factory, Brujeria) latest project stormed the scene late this summer with their debut album, "Bleed The Fifth." The effort's sound both surprises listeners and offers some of what is expected from Cazeres. The band's influences are well represented on the opening and title track, "Bleed The Fifth," where we hear primarily a new-school take on melodic death-metal similar to early Killswitch Engage, but heavier. Blended into that sound is a classic death-metal guitar, also complimenting the fast drumming and blast beats primarily during speed bursts and during the non-chorus verses, as well as Fear Factory-style guitar stops. With drummer Tim Yeung (Hate Eternal, Vital Remains) on board, the drumming is extreme, using blast beats from the start and sporadically throughout the song, and generally driving the music to faster speeds. By the end of the song there is a Pantera-sounding riff, an influence that can be heard throughout the album as well. With a number of change-ups and a somewhat accessible but generally extreme sound, "Bleed the Fifth" is a great opener for the album.' Read the full reveiw here. Divine Heresy's blistering 'Bleed The Fifth' is ready to tear your sound system apart now! www.myspace.com/divineheresyband.com

OPETH's Mikael Åkerfeldt on upcoming album

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:44:50 +1100

Patrick Douglas of the Great Falls Tribune recently conducted an interview with Opeth mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt regarding the status of the 2008 slated Opeth album. "I just listened to Fredrik's [Åkesson, ex-Arch Enemy/Talisman and current Opeth guitarist] guitar solos. We've done four guitar solos for this album so far. Just 10 minutes before you called, I listened to the finished versions (and) I almost started crying. He's just amazing. In comparison to him, I'm just a nobody. I'm just blown away by him. I love his style." "From my point of view, I think it's the best album we have ever done. At the time I recorded ('Ghost Reveries') I felt the same as I do now about this album. The people I've played the demos to are like 'wow, this is really something special.' (But), it's not up to me to say." On Opeth's mass appeal — or lack thereof: "I think our music is a bit too complex to appeal to a wider crowd. That's the way we like it and that's the way we're gonna continue. I wouldn't mind ... if everybody in the world loved it. But, the bigger crowds seem to enjoy elevator music. Music that you don't have to listen to." Read more at the Great Falls Tribune. If you want a mind blowing experience and haven't checked out Opeth's Special Edition of 'Ghost Reveries' yet... Where have you been for the last 2 years?! Do it now! www.opeth.com

DEVILDRIVER frontman talks about downloading

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 05:59:52 +1100

Metal Injection recently conducted a joint interview with the vocalists of three of the biggest bands in underground metal today, Lamb Of God's Randy Blythe, Soilwork's Björn "Speed" Strid and Devildriver's Dez Fafara. One of the topics brought up during the discussion is a hot topic in the music industry, and that is illegal music downloading. An excerpt from the chat follows: Dez: It's gonna kill underground art. It's not gonna hurt Britney Spears and other people like that, but it's going to make the poet, the painter, the underground musician not be able to do his gig full-time, and if he can't do his gig full-time, he can't give you the art that's full-on. Gold records used to be gold records. Now they're telling you if you sell 100,000 copies that's like a gold record, so what we all say is well, where's the plaque? Change the industry standard, I want the plaque. Why are we not coming together as artists and suing iTunes and iPod? When you invent iTunes, it's supposed to accept something that was paid for, and the only way it can go from iTunes and the only way it can go onto iPod is that it was paid for so the iPod accepts it. But you know, right now, you can download illegal songs that go straight into your iTunes and iPod. So the fact that his device allows something like that, you can't go against the hugest guy in the world, but if every artist came together and just said, 'No more! You made the unit and the unit was only supposed to accept legally downloaded song and it's not, so you're the one fucking the artist. You pay everybody all the royalties that you owe from The Beatles on down." The subject of illegal music downloading, as well as other topics, are discussed in a 12-minute video interview, available on the Metal Injection video-on-demand page here. Devildriver's heavy-as-hell album 'The Last Kind Words' is in stores now! Check it out! www.devildriver.com

TRIVIUM video footage from French promo trip

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:38:33 +1100

Our friends over at Roadrunner Records France have posted video footage of Trivium making a promotional trip to France in support of the group's third studio album, 'The Crusade'. The three-minute clip features the guys in a French restaurant, taking part in a photo shoot, and wrapping up with a performance. Watch it here. Trivium will spend the first few months of 2008 writing and recording its new album for a late 2008 release via Roadrunner Records. While we all wait in anticipation for more blistering metal from the guys, go check out their latest offering, 'The Crusade', in stores right now! www.trivium.org

DREAM THEATER's Mike Portnoy's Top 10 of 2007

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:29:01 +1100

Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy has issued a Best Of 2007 wrap-up featuring his favourite albums, movies and TV series' of the year. His album Best Of (in no particular order) is as follows: 1. Between The Buried And Me - Colors 2. Machine Head - The Blackening 3. Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet 4. Beardfish - Sleeping In Traffic: Part One 5. The Dear Hunter - Act II: The Meaning Of And All Things Regarding Ms. Leading 6. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - In Glorious Times 7. Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works 8. Blotted Science - The Machinations Of Dementia 9. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace 10. Oceansize - Frames 'I thought 2007 was really a particularly great year for music, so my year-end list would be incomplete without acknowledging a few other excellent honorable mentions as well:' 11. Symphony X - Paradise Lost 12. Pain Of Salvation - Scarsick 13. Riverside - Rapid Eye Movement 14. 3 - The End Is Begun 15. Down - Over The Under 16. Baroness - The Red Album 17. Overkill - Immortalis 18. Megadeth - United Abominations 19. Rush - Snakes And Arrows 20. Thought Chamber - Angular Perceptions 'And finally, two amazing late discoveries from 2006:--- Unexpect - In A Flesh Aquarium--- And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - So Divided' 'And of course:--- Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos--- Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura' MP's Fav Films of 2007 (in no particular order) 1. No Country For Old Men 2. Taxidermia 3. The Lives Of Others 4. Across The Universe 5. Eastern Promises 6. Grindhouse 7. Cassandra's Dream 8. 9. 10. 'These last spots are reserved for the many end of year films of 2007 that I am still waiting to catch......(most notable on my must-see lists: There Will Be Blood and I'm Not There)' 'I thought in general 2007 was a pretty lousy year for films and that some of the best writing, direction and performances took place on the small screen. So I felt the need to now include this list to my year-end wrapup:' MP's Fav TV of 2007 (in no particular order) 1. Lost 2 The Sopranos 3. Brotherhood 4. Rescue Me 5. Tell Me You Love Me 6. Dexter 7. The Shield 8. Heroes 9. The Office 10. Curb Your Enthusiasm 11. Extras 12. The Flight Of The Conchords To check out other Roadrunner artists and staff's top 10's of 2007, click here. Take a look out in stores for Dream Theater's brilliant 'Systematic Chaos' right now! www.dreamtheater.net

New video interview with SHADOWS FALL's Brian Fair

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:18:07 +1100

Casey Ryback from Finland's Get in the Pit TV conducted an interview with vocalist Brian Fair from Shadows Fall prior to the band's December 14, 2007 concert in Helsinki. Watch Brian talk about the tour and how to hydrate yourself! The eight-minute clip can be viewed here. Shadows Fall recently received a Grammy nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category, alongside Roadrunner labelmates Machine Head, for 'Redemption, the first single from the band's newest release, 'Threads of Life'. This marks Shadows Fall's second Grammy nomination in the category, following the group's nod at the 2006 awards for 'What Drives The Weak' off their release 'The War Within'. Check out Shadows Fall's 'Threads Of Life' in stores now! www.shadowsfall.com

WITHIN TEMPTATION wish all a Merry Christmas

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 02:01:22 +1100

Sharon and the rest of the guys from Within Temptation wanted to wish all their fans a Merry Christmas and thanks for an amazing 2007! This post is taken from their official website: 'Dear fans, With this year coming to an end, we wanted to let you know that 2007 has been an amazing year for us! We released The Heart Of Everything and recorded videos that we still love a lot. We met many fans in countries we visited before and also a lot of new fans in countries we didn't visit yet! Anywhere from our European Tour in March and April, the various festivals during the summer, our Japan Tour in July, our US/Canada tours in May/June and September, our shows in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland in October, winning all kinds of Awards, our UK tour and our Eindhoven show, there are just too many memories to write them all in one message. Visiting new countries has been very exciting for us, but being able to come back to all those countries we hadn't visited in a while was just as exciting, it was great seeing all of you again. Of course, we haven't been able to visit ALL of you out there, but since there are only 365 days in a year, of which we played 120 and travelled about the same amount of days, you'll hopefully understand! ;-) However, we can announce a few new shows, some which we announced a little while back, but are already selling out pretty fast. We will be visiting numerous countries on the summer festivals, but first Russia in February, Spain in March and .....(drumroll)....South America in April! We will be updating you soon with all the details. Right now, we're taking a short break, catching up with friends and families and getting ready for our shows in January and February. We want to wish all of you a very happy Christmas and an amazing New Year and hopefully we will see you all soon! Best wishes, Sharon, Robert, Jeroen, Stephen, Ruud en Martijn.' Within Temptation's haunting album, 'The Heart Of Everything', is in stores now and ready to rock your stereo! www.within-temptation.com

Thrashpit.com interview DOWN's Rex Brown

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:02:57 +1100

Mark Hensch of Thrashpit.com recently conducted an interview with Down bassist Rex Brown. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow: Thrashpit: Moving on to more personal topics, you replaced Crowbar's Todd Strange as Down's bassist. What initially attracted you to Down and why have you been able to come back to it so sporadically over the years? Rex: Originally, we had some free time in-between Pantera and everyone was home. Phil (Anselmo, vocalist of both Pantera and Down) was going to a party somewhere and asked if I wanted to go. I was like "sure, I'll go." So a bunch of us went down there and we all just sat there and kinda started jamming. It was going well, so Phil asked if I'd join the band and I said "why the f*ck not?" Everything gelled very fast and after that we wrote about six songs in a day. It was very cool. For now, we basically know that we make badass f*cking records together, so it is basically just us getting in a room and jamming. We take our time getting together and making everything strong. Thrashpit: Down often is credited with helping popularize a style of heavy metal that is distinctly "Southern." In my opinion, such a term stems from the fact that there is a large blues influence on Down's music. How do you think the traditional blues style has influenced heavy metal today? Rex: If you play the radio non-stop you'll hear the influence of rhythm and blues, jazz, all of it, everywhere. That's definitely the sound of the South. I would call our sound just taking elements of where we come from and making it something new. We're from the South and we play f*cking DOWN. There are a lot of bands who want to be in our little shoes, but pretty much we still tap into where we come from more than anything else. With this band I feel really comfortable in the style of music we play. Thrashpit: Another vital aspect to the Down touring experience is the large video package that is typically presented during the show. Having not seen the new video for the latest tour, what can you say about it? Rex: If you come to a concert with Down, we want it to be an evening with Down instead of seeing some band you've never heard of before. What we do is we run this set of clips of old artists, just real killer footage. It can be anybody that influenced us or we're really big on — classic rock kinda sh*t. Throughout it all, these clips have been interspersed with us. It just builds up to the very end, and then the curtain comes down, and we start playing. It is something we keep kinda sacred, as you're getting that evening with Down. If someone is going to pay to see an artist we're going to go right to the main event! Some people get it, some don't. Whatever man, that's just the part of the show. Thrashpit: You are a bassist who has toured the world extensively and done many things most people never get to do in a lifetime. Looking back on all you've accomplished so far, what would you say has been your greatest achievement? Rex: I wouldn't change any of it. We've worked our asses off to get to where we are and what we've done. I wouldn't change a thing except for the tragic loss of Dime ("Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, the guitarist of Pantera who was shot and killed by a deranged fan) and that's it. Just getting to be at the level we were at was hard work. We made it somehow though, amazingly. Being in a band like DOWN is kind of like that — we're just starting over. We could go out and play f*cking gospel music if we wanted, as now that we're cleaned up there's no limit to this band, you know what I'm saying? What I don't wanna do is pitch ourselves as an all-metal band, because that is not what DOWN is all about. My greatest achievement then is everything I got to do with Pantera, and NOW getting to do it again with Down. That doesn't happen very often. Thrashpit: One last question. Where do you see Down heading in the next couple years? Rex: I got a ton of shit coming up, some related to Down, some not. With Down, we're still going. We aren't going to take any big breaks or anything. Just getting this record together took a while as we all wanted to make the best thing possible and now we have to tour behind it. We have Europe left to go to and we have some shows to do in January and February. We just want to tour a lot and get this to as many people as we can. We will have some news for summer time so we have to get this touring cycle out of our systems, take a small break, and then get back to work. Read the entire interview at this location. Down's monstrous album 'III - Over The Under' is tearing it up in stores now! Go check it out! www.down-nola.com

PORCUPINE TREE nominated for Grammy!

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:01:14 +1100

Porcupine Tree have been nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award in the category 'Best Surround Sound Album'! Also nominated for a Grammy are Nickelback in the 'Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals' for the hit-single "If Everyone Cared" and Machine Head in the 'Best Metal Performance' category for their blistering track "Aesthetics of Hate". To check out the full list of Grammy nominees, click here! To hear for yourself why 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' has been nominated and what a masterpiece it is, run to your nearest music store and check it out now! www.porcupinetree.com

10 Minutes with TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:01:04 +1100

Rockster.tv conducted an interview with Trivium frontman Matt Heafy prior to the band's December 1, 2007 show in Cologne, Germany. Watch the 10-minute clip — which includes performance footage from the Cologne concert — at this location. Watch the interview right here! Trivium's latest thrashing offering 'The Crusade' is in stores now! www.trivium.org

Headshotsa's brilliant PORCUPINE TREE review

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:57:06 +1100

South Africa's leading gaming website, HeadshotSA has posted an awesome review of Porcupine Tree's brilliant album 'Fear Of A Blank Planet'. An extract of the review by Jay Pienaar reads: 'Fear of a Blank Planet is a highly recommended album, especially to prog fans. It is one of those experiences that is difficult to define but should not disappoint in the end. Porcupine Tree is a talented band indeed, but it's just sad that they're not more well known in South Africa, considering their long history - I only heard of them a couple of months ago and most knowledgeable music fans I've spoken to have no idea who they are. Check Fear of a Blank Planet out – it is a great album from a very talented band.' Read the full reveiw here! 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' is in stores now! www.porcupinetree.com

New DEVILDRIVER video interview available

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:27:02 +1100

Buckshot of the newest social networking web site called Woozyfly.com conducted an interview with Devildriver when the band was in New York City playing at the Hammerstein Ballroom with Lamb Of God. Watch the footage at Buckshot's Bonanza here! Devildriver's blistering heavy album 'The Last Kind Words' is in stores now! www.devildriver.com

Corey Taylor to perform on new Walls Of Jericho EP

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:43:13 +1100

Detroit's Walls Of Jericho is wrapping up work on its new EP, to be released in March 2008 on Trustkill. Produced by Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor at his Iowa home studio, the CD will be included with Walls Of Jericho's "Live in South America" DVD, which was filmed this past August. In addition to frontwoman Candace Kucsulain's singing voice, heretofore only glimpsed in rare moments on Walls Of Jericho's albums, the upcoming release will feature acoustic instruments, fleshed out arrangements, and Taylor's voice on several songs. Taylor met Walls Of Jericho when the band shared the stage with Stone Sour on The Family Values Tour. He previously said in a statement, "I love this band, and the fact that their trust in me makes me incredibly grateful. I'm so excited to do this — it's going to be amazing!!! I've never produced anything like this before, so I'm going a little crazy. I can't wait."

MACHINE HEAD tears up the Kerrang! Reader's Poll 2007

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:38:32 +1100

Kerrang! Readers Poll 2007 Roadrunner Highlights: The Black Crusade Tour was voted Best Thing about 2007 Machine Head's The Blackening was voted album of the year Machine Head's Robb Flynn was voted Hero of the Year Machine Head was voted Best Live Band Click here to check it out!

Roadrunner atrists and staff pick their Top 10 of 2007!

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:11:06 +1100

Roadrunner Records recording artists and staff pick their top 10 releases for 2007. Look at the what everyone is listening to at this location.

Awesome MEGADETH video interview!

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:08:25 +1100

FaceCulture.nl spoke to Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine in June of 2007. Dave talks about the first songs he ever played: David Bowie, KISS, Led Zepplin; 'A Toute Le Monde' being banned twice, playing live, his setlist, disbanding the band in 2002, United Abominations and lots more. For those who may have missed this interview, check it out here. Megadeth's 'United Abominations' is thrashing it up in stores now! www.megadeth.com

Roadrunner signs KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:20:35 +1100

KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES JOIN THE ROADRUNNER RECORDS FAMILY KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES is: ALED PHILLIPS (vocals) / JOEL FISHER (guitar) / IAIN MAHANTY (guitar) / ANDREW SHAY (bass) / PHILIP JENKINS (drums) Cardiff based quintet Kids In Glass Houses, one of the hottest unsigned bands the UK had to offer in 2007, will end the year with a record deal to their name. The hook-laden rockers signed with Roadrunner Records on Saturday evening, just hours before taking to the stage to begin their current UK tour supporting Funeral For A Friend. The band recently completed the recording of their forthcoming debut album with producer Romesh Dodangoda (Funeral For A Friend, Bullet For My Valentine, The Blackout), which will see a release on the label in the Spring. It’s just over a year since the then unknown five-piece burst onto the UK’s underground circuit, armed with a humorously titled, five track demo outing, ‘E-Pocalypse’. Praise for the now out-of-print effort, also produced by Dodangoda, came from a plethora of well respected figures within the rock media, including writers at Kerrang! Magazine, as well as Daniel P Carter and Zane Lowe at BBC Radio 1. The aforementioned backing helped the band secure their first major support slots alongside Lostprophets and Cute Is What We Aim For. The early stages of 2007 saw the band declared as one of ‘The 10 Hottest New Bands On The Planet’ by Kerrang! magazine, record a Maida Vale session for the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show, as well as tours supporting the likes of Hundred Reasons and 30 Seconds To Mars. The group then also became the first unsigned band to headline Klub Kerrang! at London’s Koko venue. By the time June had come to a close, the band were fresh off their first headline tour of the UK, with the majority of dates having sold-out in advance. The tour was preceded by backing up their seemingly ever-present hype machine, with impressive performances at the Give It A Name, The Full Ponty, Download and Hyde Park Calling festivals. Further touring, combined with the groups relentless work ethic, was rewarded in early August, when the band were announced as nominee’s for the ‘Best British Newcomer’ category at the Kerrang! Awards. Despite losing out to Gallows, the band proved they were more than worthy of their nomination with sensational performances at the Carling Weekend in Reading and Leeds to capacity Carling Stage tents. As a result, the NME ranked the band at number 3 in their ’10 Best New Bands’ at the festival report. After taking the majority of September off, in order to complete the writing process for their debut full-length, the band re-emerged in October for another headline tour. This time culminating in a Halloween show at London’s Islington Academy. Never ones to do things by halves, the band opened their set with a cover of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, with the band sporting zombie makeup and attire. But it was frontman Aled who drew the most attention, dressed exactly as Jackson appears in the now classic accompanying music video. The incredible and inspiring journey the band has undertaken, is made even more impressive when you consider that the band have only officially released one very limited edition single, limited to just 500 signed and numbered vinyls. 2008 will no doubt see the band catapult further into the spotlight with an albums worth of their infectious brand of rock, bursting at the seams with pop sensibilities. Roadrunner Records MD for the UK, Mark Palmer, says: “We’re very excited to welcome Kids In Glass Houses to the Roadrunner family. We have been watching the band closely for well over a year now and have seen them develop into amazing live performers with incredible songs. They will be a massive priority for Roadrunner in 2008.” KIGH vocalist, Aled Phillips, says: “We couldn’t be happier signing with Roadrunner Records. Everyone at the company gets and loves what we’re doing and what we hope to achieve, and that’s the most important thing. It’s been a long process, but we definitely feel we’ve made the best decision and feel totally at home. We can’t wait to get the record out!” To listen to Roadrunner's latest addition to the family, head on over to their myspace page! www.myspace.com/kidsinglasshouses

Roadrunner Records 2008 Grammy nominees!!!

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:38:35 +1100

Roadrunner Records is proud to announce 2008 Grammy Awards nominations for two of its marquee artists. Multi-platinum rockers Nickelback have been nominated in the category of Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "If Everyone Cared" from the seven-times platinum album All The Right Reasons, in company with Daughtry, Green Day, U2 and The White Stripes. Thrash pioneers Machine Head land their first-ever Grammy nomination for the track "Aesthetics of Hate" from 2007's critically acclaimed album The Blackening in the category of Best Metal Performance. Other nominees are As I Lay Dying, King Diamond, Shadows Fall and Slayer. All proceeds from the digital single and video sales of "If Everyone Cared" between February 1 and July 31, 2007 were donated to charity, equally distributed between Amnesty International and International Childrens' Awareness Canada. Over 800,000 digital singles and 25,000 digital videos were sold during the six-month period of the humanitarian campaign. The track also reached #1 on the Hot AC chart and Top 10 at Pop. Nickelback's Mike Kroeger comments, "We are thrilled to receive a Grammy nomination, especially for ‘If Everyone Cared.' This song means a lot to the band. It carries a strong message that we feel very passionate about, and we are glad that has been recognized." This marks the first Grammy nomination for Bay-area thrash legends Machine Head."Aesthetics of Hate," an homage to the late "Dimebag" Darrell of Pantera and Damageplan is the focus track from Machine Head's 2007 opus, The Blackening which Revolver Magazine predicts "... may prove to be this generation's ...And Justice for All." The Blackening was the #1 most spun album of 2007 at FMQB's Metal Detector radio chart, among other accolades. Frontman Robb Flynn said from tour in Europe that the band is, "...completely blown away and honored by this! It's a great time for metal in the good ol' U-S-of-A right now, and Machine Head are stoked to be leading the charge!"

The Gauntlet interview MACHINE HEAD

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:36:45 +1100

The Gauntlet spoke with Robb Flynn of Machine Head via phone, he gave them the inside scoop behind the bands latest masterpiece, The Blackening in addition to shedding some light on the happenings on the Black Tyranny tour, the band's co-headlining jaunt with Arch Enemy and the plans for the remainder of 2007 going into 2008. Check the interview out here. www.machinehead1.com www.myspace.com/machinehead www.youtube.com/machinehead

Thunda.com's awesome PORCUPINE TREE review

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:28:22 +1100

Thunda.com, South Africa's leading social photography and lifestyle site, has posted an awesome review of Porcupine Tree's 'Fear Of A Blank Planet'! An extract of the review reads: 'In a nutshell Porcupine Tree are intriguing, the genuine article in the independent music sphere. I can’t wait to hear what they'll pull out of the hat next.' To read the full review, click here! Porcupine Tree's masterpiece, 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' is in stores now! www.porcupinetree.com

Tom-X review DOWN

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:21:32 +1100

Tom-X have posted a cool review of Down's latest brutal offering 'Over The Under'. An extract from the review reads: 'If you’ve ever yearned for the days of metal when Black Sabbath and the like were making their names, do not be despondent. A great many bands have taken homage to these “golden years” of metal and continue to keep the hearts and minds of die hard fans content.' Check out the full review here! Down's 'Over The Under' is tearing up stores shelves now! www.down-nola.com

CRADLE OF FILTH Special Edition details

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:29:45 +1100

A posting from the COF site reads, “(The) band has now returned home to start writing for a new record over the dark months in the rehearsal room. The new album, which is not yet titled, will be released some time in 2008 via Roadrunner Records." The end of January will see the release of "Thornography Deluxe – Harder, Darker, Faster". In addition to the album's original 12 tracks, the deluxe edition features new artwork, six new songs, live material and videos ("The Foetus Of A New Day Kicking", "Tonight In Flames" and "Temptation"). Most of the new songs featured on "Thornography Deluxe – Harder, Darker, Faster" were written during the "Thornography" sessions but were completed at a later date. "Thornography Deluxe – Harder, Darker, Faster" track listing: 01. Under Pregnant Skies She Comes Alive Like Miss Leviathan 02. Dirge Inferno 03. Tonight In Flames 04. Libertina Grimm 05. The Byronic Man 06. I Am The Thorn 07. Cemetery And Sundown 08. Lovesick For Mina 09. The Foetus Of A New Day Kicking 10. Rise Of The Pentagram 11. Under Huntress Moon 12. Temptation 13. Murder In The Thirst 14. In The Snake-Eyed And Venomous 15. Halloween II (MISFITS cover) (remix) 16. Courting Baphomet 17. Stay (SHAKESPEARS SISTER cover) 18. Devil To The Metal 19. The Making Of The Video for 'The Foetus Of A New Day Kicking www.cradleoffilth.com

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE wins 2 Boston Music Awards!

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:08:35 +1100

2007 has proven to be a sweet year for metal maestros Killswitch Engage. After headlining The Vans Warped Tour, getting awarded a Gold RIAA certification for 2004's The End of Heartache, and seeing "Holy Diver" crash into the Top 10 on the Active Rock charts, KsE kicked off December with two climactic wins at the Boston Music Awards. The band procured not only Outstanding Metal/Hardcore Band of the Year, but also took home Act of the Year, one of the biggest awards of the night. Since the band is currently on a co-headlining tour with Lamb of God, they could not physically attend the ceremony, but did send a rhapsodic video acceptance speech from the road. Proving metalheads have hearts, too, they showed their gratification by donating an autographed guitar to be auctioned off for the benefit of the Music Drives Us Foundation, which helps keep music in the lives of unfortunate children. www.killswitchengage.com/ www.myspace.com/killswitchengage www.youtube.com/killswitchengage

DREAM THEATER to release Anime video early 2008

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:02:35 +1100

Dream Theater and Roadrunner Records are ecstatic to announce that the band's new video, "Forsaken," will premiere in early 2008. We think this anime-themed video will be the best from Dream Theater. Period. To whet your appetite, we're giving you a peek at the videos' main characters right here! That's Leo on the left and Alice on the right. You'll learn more about them over the coming weeks... 'Forsaken' is taken off Dream Theater's epic 'Systematic Chaos' which is in stores now! www.dreamtheater.net

Audio interview with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's Howard Jones

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:30:37 +1100

Cara Carriveau of the Chicago Music Guide recently conducted an interview with Killswitch Engage frontman Howard Jones. Download the five-minute chat as an MP3 audio file at this location (7 MB). Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio recently told Billboard.com that his group is unlikely to release a new studio album before 2009. "We are considering starting an album at the end of next year at this point," D'Antonio said. "We're not gonna stop touring on this record ('As Daylight Dies') until at least the end of April, and I know we're probably going to do a run of all the festivals in Europe in June and July. After that, I believe then we're gonna start talking about writing a new record." Killswitch Engage's 'As Daylight Dies Special Edition' features the brilliant video for the classic Dio track 'Holy Diver'! Go check it out or miss out! www.killswitchengage.com

DIVINE HERESY's Tim Yeung show's us how it's done

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:18:38 +1100

Divine Heresy's kit destroying drummer Tim Yeung unveils the first chapter in his instructional video collective. The clip breaks down the parts for the track "Failed Creation". Check it out here, and stay tuned for additional lessons coming early next year. Divine Heresy's 'Bleed The Fifth' is blast beating it's way in stores countrywide right now! www.myspace.com/divineheresyband.com

NICKELBACK & KILLSWITCH ENGAGE are the most demanded!

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:09:10 +1100

2007 demanded the hell out of Nickelback's "Rockstar" and Killswitch Engage's "My Curse." Music Choice on Demand just clued us in to these two facts: 1. "Rockstar" is the most demanded rock video of the year. 2. "My Curse" is the most demanded metal video of the year. For Videos and Originals, visit www.musicchoice.com for more info. Check out Nickelback's 'Rockstar' and all their other amazing videos on 'The Ultimate Video Collection' in stores now! And if you haven't yet seen Killswitch Engage's video for 'My Curse', then do yourself a massive favour and go check out the Special Edition of 'As Daylight Dies' now! www.nickelback.com www.killswitchengage.com

ATREYU seeks cure for boredom!

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:45:41 +1100

Buzznet.com has posted more video footage from Atreyu's "Tour Diary" series. The band documented its recent U.S. headline tour and the latest clip, entitled "Cure for Boredom", can be viewed right here. Atreyu recorded "Lead Sails Paper Anchor" this past spring with producer John Feldmann who worked with the band to create their most infectious, ambitious and musically challenging disc yet. While the band's juxtaposition of hardcore-influenced chaos and rock-influenced melody is still present, the gulf between the two styles is diminished, making the passages flow in a smoother and more naturalistic manner. "Lead Sails Paper Anchor" was mixed by Andy Wallace (Nirvana, Slipknot, Linkin Park). 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' is in stores now! www.atreyurock.com

Roadrunner Rocks at Woodstock 9!

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:48:08 +1100

This weekend, the 29th of November to the 2nd of December 2007, Harrismith will be dominated by festival goers for Woodstock 9! Woodstock 9, the biggest festival in South Africa, over 20 000 festival goers attend this event; Roadrunner bands will get exposure during change over of acts on video screens & music, which will be blasted into the ears of festival goers! More than 60 of the very best of South African bands across all styles of music – from acoustic and mainstream rock to punk, indie, reggae, house, hip hop and contemporary styles – will be presented at the festival. The festival itself will have more than 60 food stalls, including vegetarian and health foods, several bars, three stages, deejays, dance arenas, extreme sports demonstrations (Moto-X, BMX and skateboarding in the Converse Skatepark.) Watch out for loads of Roadrunner giveaways which include Porcupine Tree's 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' and Nickelbacks 'The Ultimate Video Collection' DVD! For more information, visit the Woodstock 9 Official Website

The Gauntlet interview OPETH

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:14:30 +1100

The Gauntlet's Luci Suicide got her interview on with vocalist/guitaritst Mikael from Opeth. They spoke about their latest live album release, "The Roundhouse Tapes", the departure of band members, the album the band is currently working on, who will produce the upcoming album, what bands he is (or isn't) impressed with at the moment, and much more. To check out the full interview on the Gauntlet's website, click here. www.opeth.com

Roadrunner Records Artists on Facebook!

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:50:58 +1100

Do you have a Facebook page? No? Do you live under a rock? I think so. Its the new online spot to catch up with your friends. They recently have created a feature that allows you to create pages -a way to connect with products, businesses, bands, celebrities and more on Facebook. So if you don't yet have an account, go make one now (its free) and become a fan of your favorite Roadrunner Records artists! Artist Pages on Facebook (more to come!): Roadrunner Records Airbourne Killswitch Engage Nickelback Slipknot The Cult

THE CULT - On Cinemax Tour Stories!

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:45:58 +1100

Cinemax Tour Stories recently conducted an interview with The Cult vocalist Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy about how the radio business really works today and life on the road. The two clips - which include footage of The Cult performing the new single "Dirty Little Rock Star" - can be viewed below. Ian Astbury reportedly announced during a show in Cincinnati, Ohio on Saturday (November 17) that his band will support Led Zeppelin on a 2008 tour. According to an MTV.com report, Astbury told the crowd, "We'll be back next year because we're opening for a band you may have heard of ... the name starts with an 'L' and has a 'Z' in it." After a fan shouted, "Led Zeppelin," Astbury nodded and raised his arm in the air. The Cult's current touring lineup includes principals Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy alongside bassist Chris Wyse, drummer John Tempesta (ex-White Zombie, Testament, Exodus, Helmet) and rhythym guitarist Mike Dimkich. The Cult Pt. 1 - Tour Stories The Cult Pt. 2 - Tour Stories The Cult's rockin' Roadrunner debut, 'Born Into This' is in stores now! www.thecult.us www.myspace.com/cultmusic

Watch AIRBOURNE runnin'!

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:44:01 +1100

Airbourne is a band that knows how to have a hell of a good time, and I'm sure that anyone who has seen these guys play a live show has seen the amazing energy that they have on stage. Check out this video clip of Airbourne goofing around and see for yourself how hyped up they can get! Click here to see them runnin'! Runnin' Wild hits shelves on January 29th, 2008! www.airbournerock.com www.myspace.com/airbourne www.youtube.com/airbournerock

Jamnow interview with DOWN's Pepper Keenan

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:40:52 +1100

Down guitarist Pepper Keenan was recently interviewed by Rick Florino of JamNow. To listen to the chat, go to this location (select "Down - Pepper Keenan - Interview" in the Jam Player on the upper right). The newest social networking web site called Woozyfly.com recently conducted an interview with Jimmy Bower and Kirk Windstein of DOWN. The interview took place before the band's perfomance at The Roseland Ballroom in New York City and can be viewed at this location. Down's 'III - Over The Under' is wreaking havoc in stores now! www.down-nola.com

Roadrunner rocks on TuksFM!

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 01:48:05 +1100

TuksFM 107.2 are running a huge Roadrunner Records competition everyday this week on the drive time show from 16:00-19:00! Stand the chance to win killer Roadrunner hampers consisting of Stone Sour's 'Come What(ever) May', Porcupine Tree's 'Fear Of A Blank Planet', Slipknot's 'Live 9.0', Within Temptation's 'The Heart Of Everything' and Billboard's 'Album Of The Decade', Nickelback's 'All The Right Reasons' PLUS limited edition 7" vinyl of The Cult's 'Dirty Little Rockstar'! So if you're in the Gauteng region and want to hear and win some awesome music from the best Roadrunner artists, tune into TuksFM from 16:00 everyday until the end of the week!

Roadrunner Records & Tom Lipsky

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:35:09 +1100

Roadrunner Records today announced an exclusive worldwide agreement with music industry veteran Tom Lipsky to launch a to-be-named joint venture label. The primary goal of the label will involve new recordings by established classic and heritage rock artists to augment the already formidable Roadrunner artist roster. Roadrunner Records President Jonas Nachsin comments on the union, "Tom has had a distinguished career connecting with artists that have had a lasting impact on music culture. Pairing the world's premier rock label with his vision is a winning combination." Under the terms of the agreement, worldwide physical and digital distribution, marketing and licensing of all releases will run through Roadrunner's existing infrastructure, with Lipsky working closely on all aspects of his artists. "My time will be dedicated primarily to the artists, supporting their creative activities and designing strategies to further their relationship with the consumer," Lipsky explains, "which is made possible by the resources that exist within Roadrunner. This is an opportunity that I am very excited about and I look forward to bringing important artists into this partnership." Most recently CEO & President of Sanctuary Records Group North America, Lipsky is best known for his success in delivering Gold and Platinum RIAA certified album and DVD awards to music legends including Neil Young, Black Sabbath, Kiss, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Johnny Cash, Styx, Widespread Panic, Bob Marley, REO Speedwagon and Bad Company. Prior to his tenure at Sanctuary, Lipsky was one of the founders and President of Raleigh, NC based CMC International Records, widely recognized as the premier frontline label dedicated exclusively to the marketing and further development of established artists. Lipsky takes pride in making notable impact on artists' careers that others may underestimate. "Having the opportunity to be involved in the continuing careers of the great artists I have worked with is a privilege," states Lipsky. "They are the cornerstone of our industry. These artists have earned the loyalty of multiple generations of fans. Their continuing relevance, creative validity and economic value are without question." Lipsky will continue to be based in Raleigh, NC, while visiting New York and other outposts often. About Roadrunner Records: Initially founded in the Netherlands in 1980, Roadrunner Records has earned its place as one of the most prominent international independent record labels. The Roadrunner catalog boasts early releases from such seminal artists as Type O Negative, Sepultura and King Diamond. More recently, the label has experienced unprecedented success with multi-platinum artists Nickelback and Slipknot, gold-certified Stone Sour and Killswitch Engage, as well as modern heavy hitters Dragonforce, Dream Theater and Megadeth. Though primarily known as a hard rock label, Roadrunner's roster also includes diverse acts such as The Dresden Dolls and newcomers Madina Lake, Biffy Clyro and Airbourne. Still headquartered in the Netherlands, Roadrunner occupies offices in New York, now the A&R hub for the label, as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Japan and Australia.

TRIVIUM frontman updates us all

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 23:13:34 +1100

Trivium guitarist/vocalist Matt Heafy has issued the following update: "Matt here in Birmingham, UK. First day off The Black Crusade. UK/Euro leg of the tour has been completely unreal... if you haven't had a chance yet check some pictures out of how the tour has been going. "The amount of killer friends showing up to all the shows is first of all, mindblowing... then, there's our fuckinjungle-gym-playhouse-for-metalkids-of-a-stage! It's the very stage all of us have always dreamed of- and i tell ya- it's a blast. "So it seems like everyone's having a great time! All four of us band dudes and all the people rockin' in the crowds always have bigggg ass grins on their faces before, during, and after the show... this is just one big -party; and we're lovin it. "Shadows Fall is fuckin rockin' out; Arch Enemy shredding the shit out of people; Dragonforce... is... wellll.... holy shit, right?; and of course Machine Head!!! MACHINE FUCKING HEAD, enough said. "So if you have an opportunity to come out to any of the shows, and for some reason aren't — you're crazy!! Come on out and have some fun with us. "This tour is a complete dream come true and we are so happy and thankful for everything that is going on. "Once this tour is over it's gonna be a very long while 'till we play any shows (unfortunately!); however, we gotta take the time to go and make the greatest Trivium album ever (we have demoed lotsa tracks and so far... it's already, in demo form, shaping up to be the best material we have ever created. "So 'till whenever I can see ya'll again (whether a show, hanging at a video game store, or whatever it may be)... take care!" Watch fan-filmed video footage of Trivium performing the song "The Deceived" on November 23, 2007 at the NEC in Birmingham, UK right here. Trivium's triumphant album,'The Crusade', is in stores and ready to conquer! www.trivium.org

Fan-filmed WITHIN TEMPTATION footage from Eindhoven concert

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:59:08 +1100

Within Temptation's November 24, 2007 concert at the Beursgebouw in Eindhoven, Holland was filmed for an upcoming DVD, tentatively due next summer. The sold-out show at the 8,000-capacity venue included lots of special effects, an acoustic section, Broadway-style musical elements and guest appearances by Anneke van Giersbergen (Aqua Dd Annique, ex-The Gathering) and George Oosthoek (ex-Orphanage). The group's setlist was as follows: 01. The Silent Force Intro 02. Jillian 03. The Howling 04. Stand My Ground 05. The Cross 06. What Have You Done 07. Hand of Sorrow 08. The Heart of Everything 09. Forgiven (acoustic) 10. Restless (acoustic) 11. Somewhere (w/ Anneke van Giersbergen, acoustic) 12. Memories (acoustic) 13. Our Solemn Hour 14. The Other Half (w/ George Oosthoek) 15. Angels (w/ act) 16. Mother Earth 17. Frozen 18. Jane Doe 19. The Truth Beneath The Rose Encore: 03. Deceiver of Fools 03. All I Need 03. Ice Queen Fan-filmed video footage from last night's concert can be viewed here. The acoustic version of "What Have You Done", taken from the "special edition" version of Within Temptation's new album, "The Heart of Everything", is available for streaming at this location. Within Temptation was honored in the "Best-Selling Artist - Netherlands" category at the World Music Awards on November 4 in Monte Carlo. The World Music Awards (founded in 1989) is an international awards show that annually honors recording artists based on their worldwide sales figures, which are provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). As previously reported, Within Temptation will be joined by the Dutch Metropole Orchestra for a special concert at the Ahoy Stadium in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on February 7, 2008. Go check out Within Temptation's The Heart Of Everything' in store now! www.within-temptation.com

New interview with MACHINE HEAD's Rob and Dave

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 01:47:22 +1100

Machine Head members Robb Flynn and Dave McClain were interviewed by Metal Sanaz on October 13, 2007 prior to the band's headlining concert at the Avalon in Los Angeles, California. Watch the six-minute chat here. In a recent interview with Australia's The Metal Forge, Flynn was asked for his opinion on why "The Blackening" has been such a huge critical and commercial success. "To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure," he repied. "I can only speculate at this point. But I do believe the metal scene is really strong right now. I also believe that the band had a lot of momentum going into this album from the success of 'Through The Ashes Of Empires'. By all standards, 'The Blackening' stands against everything that dictates what should be a successful album. I mean we open the album with a ten and a half minute long song ('Clenching The Fists Of Dissent')! 'The Blackening', overall, has four songs that are over nine to ten minutes long on there, features somewhat controversial lyrics and features edgy artwork. In our heads, it was almost like we were looking at the album as a piece of art. We definitely weren't expecting it to do the numbers that it has done throughout the world. All I can say is that we're really proud. We busted our asses and worked really hard on this album. We just tried to make a piece of art that would stand the test of time, whether people got it in 2007, or eventually in 2017. It was a musical statement that we hoped would change metal and make a lasting legacy for itself. That was really our only goal. Numbers, success and chart positions are not the sort of thing we were thinking about when we were writing this album. Those are only long-term projections you can hope for. And clearly, I think that shows. A ten-minute song doesn't stand that much chance of being played on the radio or MTV. In many ways, it's limiting. But in other ways, it's also quite liberating." Machine Head's brilliant 'The Blackening' is in stores now! If you haven't got it yet, do yourself a favour and own a part of heavy metal history! www.machinehead1.com

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE receive Gold record

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:07:02 +1100

As Killswitch Engage geared up for a co-headlining tour with Lamb Of God, Killswitch Engage recently received its first RIAA gold certification for its sophomore Roadrunner release, "The End of Heartache". Featuring breakthrough radio hits "Rose of Sharyn" and the Grammy-nominated "The End of Heartache", the album was released on May 11, 2004 and experienced a steady rise to gold status. The album was hailed as "a stunning collection retaining much of their signature musical brutality but teasing with electric hooks, strategic use of silence" by Rolling Stone and organically received a mass of critical acclaim. "The End of Heartache" elevated Killswitch Engage into the mainstream scope and was a catalyst for the band’s inclusion in national tours such as Taste of Chaos, Ozzfest and Vans Warped Tour. Continuing to push musical boundaries, the band is gearing up to embark on a U.S. co-headlining U.S. tour with Lamb Of God, kicking off November 28 and running until December 17. The band's latest single, "Holy Diver", from the special edition of their current album "As Daylight Dies", is secure in the top 15 of the Active Rock chart and continues to climb. The band was presented RIAA gold plaques on November 7 at the Roadrunner Records office in New York City. Killswitch's 'As Daylight Dies Special Edition' is tearing up store shelves right now! www.killswitchengage.com

The ATREYU tour diaries!

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:44:03 +1100

Buzznet.com have posted a video of the guys from Atreyu on tour and tearing it up! Check out the 1st video in the series entitled 'Fight is on a two brawl bill! - Alex vs. Travis and Brandon vs. Scott "The Mess"! Watch the madness here! After watching the guys beat each other down, check out their latest killer video, 'Doomsday', taken from 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' right here in the media section! Atreyu's 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' is in stores now! www.atreyurock.com

CRADLE OF FILTH's guitarist speaks randomly

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:35:53 +1100

Derek from IESB.net caught up with Paul, the guitarist of Cradle of Filth for an interview. They discussed his extensive history with the band, musical influences, crazy experiences on tour, the last movie he saw & other random shit like what his favorite childhood toy was. He also mentions how into 3 Inches of Blood he is! Click here for the video of the full interview. www.cradleoffilth.com www.myspace.com/cradleoffilth www.youtube.com/cradleoffilth

Interview with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's Justin Foley

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:24:43 +1100

SunJournal.com recently conducted the following interview with Killswitch Engage drummer Justin Foley: SunJournal.com: Name, age? Foley: Justin Foley, 31. SunJournal.com: How long have you been playing? Foley: About 8 years now. We came together from a bunch of different bands in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Now we're based in western Mass. SunJournal.com: What are your fans like? Foley: It's mostly I would say angry teenagers. I don't know. We've done some tours lately where the kids aren't quite as angry. But they're mostly younger than we are. SunJournal.com: They're angry though? Are you? Foley: Not at all, we're pretty goofy. Really the music is heavy and it's loud, but there's nothing mad about what we're doing. We're just having fun. SunJournal.com: So, do fans come up and ask for autographs in any odd situations? Foley: The weirdest thing that's happened was when I was driving down the highway and some kids pulled up next to me and asked me for my autograph. Oh, and when we were in a pet store. We were buying a bearded dragon lizard for the bus and there were a bunch of kids that followed us into the store — it was pretty weird. SunJournal.com: Any pre-show rituals? Foley: Not so much. I warm up a little bit. Everyone else drinks a lot. But I wait till afterwards to drink. But shots are the ritual. Shots of usually whisky, sometimes vodka. It depends. SunJournal.com: Where's your favorite place you've been on tour? Foley: We just went to Russia and it was absolutely amazing. It was pretty incredible. More and more bands are going there now. I think the kids there are really really stoked when shows come out. They went nuts. It was one of the loudest crowds ever — they were singing every word of every song. We had a day off in Moscow, we walked around and went to Red Square and it was snowing, and we were all soaking wet and miserable afterwards, but it was pretty cool. How often do you get to do something like that? SunJournal.com: How'd you come up with the band name? Foley: The bass player did. He came up with it a long time ago. He was watching TV and heard the word "Killswitch," thought it was a neat word. But not on its own, so we threw another word on it. SunJournal.com: Do you enjoy being on tour? Foley: Well, it ... sucks to be away from home, but it's still fun. It's fun to see new places, especially. SunJournal.com: Long-term goals? Foley: I don't think any of us thought this would happen, anyway, so we're just kind of hanging out and doing the best we can. We don't really think too far ahead. We'll probably tour through the summer and do another album after that. It's all so weird it can end very quickly. SunJournal.com: Has anyone been injured at a show? Foley: We've injured ourselves a lot. The most serious was our guitar player has had back surgeries partly because of his onstage antics. He jumps around and acts like a fool and it's not good for his back. But every now and then you hear about somebody in the crowd that got hurt and it sucks. We don't like that. SunJournal.com: Which of your song lyrics means the most to you, and why? Foley: I don't really know. I don't know what he's going on about up there (laughs). I try to tune him out. I think the things that mean the most to me are the spontaneous ramblings from our guitar player, Adam, who usually talks about doing horrible things to the young girls in the crowd. It's really funny, because you can't possibly take him seriously when you hear him. You just can't. Killswitch Engage's brilliant album, 'As Daylight Dies Special Edition' is in stores now! www.killswitchengage.com

OPETH complete drum tracks for new album

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:19:05 +1100

Opeth mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt has issued the following update: "Mission: Impossible = Possible? "That's the way I always feel facing a recording, but yes, we're doing just fine. "Axe [Martin 'Axe' Axenrot] nailed the drums [for the new OPETH album] in seven days which is just beyond me! The guy is amazing! He went up at 8 am every morning and started pounding the drums until 6-7 pm. Then he started practicing again after dinner, we had to tell him to stop playing. He's truly outdone himself. "Listening to the drum tracks alone makes me wanna bang my fucking head, but my stale old-man's neck prevents me. "We're recording a total of 11 songs — three of them are covers that we're doing since we had some extra time, the rest are originals out of which I think we'll leave one off the album. Anyways, it's already my favourite OPETH record, but I'm a boasting cunt so...who cares? "The band is in terrific shape (musically that is...). We've gone out for long walks which sounds like fucking senior behaviour, but it's really nice clearing your mind for a while and talk about everyday stuff. We all cook for each other, I do the dishes as usual. Gots to keep it sparkling clean! It's just a nice vibe down there... "We've been drunk only once so far! Had some wine, a few beers and a metal music quiz. "Jens is doing fine, him and the two drum techs (Peter and Urban) has fixed us a nice drum sound. Axe is endorsed by DW drums and they must be the greatest? I don't know but to me they sound just fucking fantastic! "Tomorrow we'll start setting the rhythm guitar sound and it will be exciting! Or something like that, maybe not that exciting after all.... "I've also recorded som vox for a friend of mine who's doing a solo album. I'm not sure if I can say who it is yet, but I guess it might interest some of you guys. "We've had great help from David Castillo as well, working with us after hours. Before our first break we worked from Thursday morning at 8 am until Friday morning at 5 am so our work ethic ís intact." www.opeth.com

Headshot SA review ATREYU's 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor'

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 01:16:04 +1100

Headshot SA, South Africa's leading gaming webiste, posted a rad review of Atreyu's latest album 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor'. An extract from the review by Jay Pienaar reads: 'Lead Sails is a step in the right direction. It is the most commercial release to date, as I have mentioned, but that doesn't mean that Atreyu has become soft. Tracks like Doomsday and Can't Happen Here still exemplify Atreyu's harder side. Lose It even has a slight tinge of Killswitch Engage, musically. What I enjoyed most is the fact that the vocals are more balanced on Lead Sails.' Check out the full review here! Atreyu's 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' is in stores now! www.atreyurock.com

ROADRUNNER ROCKS IN SUMMER!

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:33:13 +1100

From November the 12th, 5FM will be running a massive Roadrunner competition on the 'F and Martinengo' show between 12:00 and 16:00 everyday this week! Stand a chance to win Oxydo sunglasses, double VIP tickets to Woodstock 9 and loads of Roadrunner prizes including Stone Sour's 'Come What(ever) May', Nickelback's 'All The Right Reasons', Within Temptation's 'The Heart Of Everything' and much more! Listen out or lose out big time!

CRADLE OF FILTH interview on BW&BK

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:24:08 +1100

In an exclusive BW&BK (Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles) interview, Cradle Of Filth vocalist Dani Filth speaks about how Roadrunner Records will release the Thornography Deluxe - Harder, Darker, Faster on January 29th. In addition to the 12 tracks found on the album's initial release last year, the deluxe edition features new artwork, new music, live material and videos. Click here for the full interview. www.cradleoffilth.com www.myspace.com/cradleoffilth www.youtube.com/cradleoffilth

BLACK STONE CHERRY win 'Best New Band' award!

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:25:01 +1100

Black Stone Cherry have won the award for 'Best New Band' at this year's Classic Rock Magazine Awards! This message from the band was posted on their MySpace page: 'We won best new band by Classic Rock Magazine! We couldn't have done it without you all! Click here to see who else won! Thanks again everyone. Much Love! BSC' Black Stone Cherry's self-titled Roadrunner debut album is in stores now! www.blackstonecherry.com

PORCUPINE TREE win 'Album Of The Year' award!

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:17:12 +1100

Porcupine Tree, along with Black Stone Cherry who won the 'Best New Band' award, have won the 'Album Of The Year' award at this year's Classic Rock Magazine Awards! Check out all the winners right here! Their triumphant album 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' has impressed fans, old and new, with it's breathtaking, innovative sound! Keep a look out for 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' in stores right now! www.porcupinetree.com

Headshot SA reviews MACHINE HEAD and STILL REMAINS

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:48:55 +1100

Headshot SA, South Africa's leading gaming website, have posted great reviews of Machine Head's 'The Blackening' and Still Remains' 'The Serpent' here! Quotes like 'The Blackening confirms their (Machine Head's) place in history as one of the strongest metal bands' and when referring to Still Remain's 'The Serpent as 'more accessible to fans of heavier music in general' proves that these two albums are must-haves! 'The Blackening' and 'The Serpent' are in stores now!

WITHIN TEMPTATION win World Music Award!

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:14:22 +1100

Within Temptation are dominating with another major award, this time at the World Music Awards which took place in Monte Carlo! They won the award for 'Best Selling Artist From Around The World' in the Netherlands category. Here's an extract from their official website: 'The story keeps getting better and better! Yesterday, we received a World Music Award! These awards are based on record sales outside your own country and we won it again, after the 3 TMF Awards and the MTV Europe Music Award. Thanks everyone!' 'The Heart Of Everything' is haunting store shelves now! www.within-temptation.com

WITHIN TEMPTATION win again!

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:50:04 +1100

Within Temptation have added to their impressive array of awards they've won this year with the 'Best Dutch & Belgian Act' award at this year's MTV EMA Awards! This is their message from their official website: 'Again we have some great news! Last night we won an MTV Europe Music Award in the category “Best Dutch & Belgian act”. It’s the fourth award we have received, after 2 Dutch and 1 Belgium TMF Awards. Thank you so much for your vote, we’ll see you soon!' A big shout out goes to everyone who voted online for Within Temptation and showing their support! Within Temptation's 'The Heart Of Everything' is in stores now! Go check out for yourself why they've won so many awards with this amazing album! www.within-temptation.com

Live STONE SOUR videos!

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:37:47 +1100

Need your Stone Sour fix? Check out these fan-submitted videos of Stone Sour performing in their hometown Des Moines. Made Of Scars Reborn Through Glass For more awesome Stone Sour live performances, check out the special edition of 'Come What(Ever) May' in stores now! www.stonesour.com

Kick ass CRADLE OF FILTH photos

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:27:39 +1100

BW&BK (Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles) magazine posted a gallery of an awesome set of pictures they took of Cradle of Filth rockin' out at a show they played in Toronto at The Docks on October 30th. Photo Credit: Aaron Small Check out the the live photos here! www.cradleoffilth.com www.myspace.com/cradleoffilth www.youtube.com/cradleoffilth

Rad interview with THE CULT's Ian Astbury

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 01:34:46 +1100

Keith Ryan Cartwright of The Post and Courier's Preview recently conducted an interview with The Cult frontman Ian Astbury. A few excerpts from the chat follow: Preview: What is it about now that lent itself to making this record ["Born into This"]? Astbury: Oh, maybe experience. I think having gone through every single permeation possible in a rock 'n' roll band — from the proverbial broken family childhood, traveling in a band, homeless, going through punk rock, touring America, selling platinum records, going through psychotherapy, going through the crash and burn, going to the Himalayas — the whole cycle is a very rounded experience of life, right? I think having done all of that you sort of find yourself back at the beginning point again where you go it's still me, it's still my life, it's still The Cult, it's still Billy and me and here we are. We're still standing as a group and as a body of work. I think that gives you a great sense of confidence. … I think our songwriting has evolved since "Beyond Good and Evil". I think that was a record we tried to make like a comeback record, so to speak, but when we got in the studio we all had different opinions about what we should be doing; from the record company level to even Billy and myself had different opinions. Now with this record it just became evident that the most important thing for us to do was to be as present as possible and as truthful as possible. My whole thing was if we got entrenched in the studio for a long period of time then we were going to get into the same situation as in the past. I said, "You know what? We need to run in, grab this and get out quick." Preview: That's exactly what allows you to capture the emotion much like a live show captures the emotion of that particular evening. Astbury: Precisely. This record isn't a refined record. It's interesting because I think it's a body of work that really works as a record. Those 10 songs tell the story of "Born into This". The other songs didn't connect and weren't as much a part of the collective story. … I think performing with Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger for the last three and a half years really helped me to elevate my performance abilities. We've never been great self-promoters. You've never seen The Cult at celebrity functions — very rarely. Occasionally, yeah, I might go to an event. We never whored ourselves out like that whereby you're better known than your art. Whereas now we're like ... why not us? Preview: You made a conscious effort to get in and out of the studio, but was it a lot of work on your part to make sure you didn't get bogged down with the machinery and the mechanics of being in a studio? Astbury: There was absolutely no time. It was 21 days in Los Angeles over maybe a seven-week period. I was in Vancouver, at the time, so I was going from Vancouver to L.A. for a four to five day session. The sessions were from 2 p.m. until 9 p.m. You keep it tight like that because when you're in the studio you're there to work, not to screw around. You're not calling your buddies on the phone. You're not ordering food or hanging out. You're not looking at somebody's new car, goofing around or playing video games — pretty much what every other band does. It was probably six solid hours of work a day and out of that we walked out with 18 pieces of music. So we didn't really have time to (get caught up in) the recording process. … We pretty much stayed in the groove. Then we came over to London to work with Youth, who's someone we've wanted to work with for a long time, and he said, 'I've only got 15 days' and we were like, 'we'll take it.' We just rolled tape and in that studio we were there for like 10-hour, 12-hour days. Preview: And that's the way it should be done. Astbury: You can't lose your head. It's a busy place and it's not a place many people go to. Once you've recorded it, then it's none of your business how other people perceive it. Then it takes on a life of its own. Then you have a responsibility to those songs to go out and perform them and to communicate to anybody who is interested in what it's about. Life is full of contradictions and so you just go out and do the best you can with what you've got at the time. The Cult's rockin' new album 'Born Into This' is in stores now! Watch out for the special edition that includes a second CD with 5 extra awesome tracks! www.thecult.us

Killer DOWN review!

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 01:27:32 +1100

Metalunderground.com recently posted an awesome review of Down's 'III - Over The Under'! Quotes from the review like 'It's just great music, metal or otherwise. Timeless.' and 'A strong "buy" for any fan of heavy music' proves the point that Down have made an album that's going to tear the scene apart! Check out the full review here! Also take a look at this interview with bassist Rex Brown conducted by Metalmachine.net right here. www.down-nola.com

OPETH's Mikael Åkerfeldt updates us all

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:21:55 +1100

Opeth mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt has issued the following update: "On October 28 at 9:20 AM my wife gave birth to our second daughter, Mirjam Ebba Maria Åkerfeldt. She is so beautiful, just looking at her brings me to tears! Who'd known that I, a bum from the Stockholm suburbs would be the father of two beautiful daughters? Yes, guys! I am happy! "On top of that, the album is now written and the demos sound fantastic! We will start recording it tomorrow, actually! I don't wanna say too much but....gee, it is so fucking good!! If I may say so myself....Expected 'delivery date' on this one is sometime in April/May 2008. "On top of that (2)...my friends at PRS guitars and Laney decided to give me some early Christmas gifts. I had a stunning PRS Hollowbody II delivered and it's just awesome! Real ear and eye candy! And from Laney I got the new Lionheart mini stack which sounds beyond fantastic! That rig will be used quite a lot in the studio I'm sure! "Yes, you can probably say the last few days have been pretty fucking decent!" If you havn't heard Opeth's monumental 'Ghost Reveries' yet, do yourself a massive favour and check it out! www.opeth.com

WITHIN TEMPTATION win 2 more TMF awards!

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:12:39 +1100

Here's a statement from the band's official website: 'Great news! After winning a Belgian TMF Award 2 weeks ago, we picked up another 2 at the Dutch TMF Awards last night in the categories; best live act & best video! We got these thanks to your votes, so thanks a lot for that. 2007 has been a great year for us, playing live is what we love the most, so receiving 2 awards for best live act & best video is a big honour.' 'Thanks again, we hope to see you soon!' To stream Within Temptation's mind blowing single, 'What Have You Done' featuring Keith Caputo, click here! Their latest single, 'Frozen' is catching huge attention on radio and it can be found on their haunting brilliant album, 'The Heart Of Everything'. www.within-temptation.com

MACHINE HEAD's Dave McClain on the Disney ban

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 01:23:48 +1100

Pete Richards of ChartAttack.com reports: Machine Head, who were in Canada last month as part of The Black Tyranny Tour, received a lot of attention after Walt Disney Corporation cancelled the tour's opening night in Anaheim, California on September 7 with just two days notice. The event was scheduled to take place at the House Of Blues venue on Disneyland property, but Disney representatives suddenly cancelled the concert after reviewing Machine Head's music and deeming them unsuitable to perform there. Disney also cancelled their Orlando, Florida stop at the House Of Blues in Walt Disney World. "It's unbelievable that that can actually go down today still," says MACHINE HEAD drummer Dave McClain. "It's frustrating to be singled out like that, and the music you love playing. "We were all brought up on metal, and that's just lame that can actually happen in this day and age. We had heard that it was because of the lyrics on the album and they just didn't want our fans on Disney property. They're not admitting any of that stuff, they're just saying that they don't want certain types of stuff on their property. But the way they went about it, waiting two days before the show, you know we'll never get a straight answer from it. But we can pretty much figure things out." Disney has been on a roll lately by also canceling concerts by Cannibal Corpse. The weird thing is that Machine Head have played the House Of Blues clubs in Anaheim and Orlando in the past without incident. "It was fuckin' bizarre," says McClain. "We've played there for years and had great shows and had absolutely no problems with anything. "It's not like our fans went there and drew fuckin' dicks all over Mickey Mouse's forehead or anything, you know?" Read the entire article at ChartAttack.com.

DAATHumentary part 3!

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:30:54 +1100

Up now is Part 3 of Daath's 1st chapter of the series, Daathumentary. This one features clips of the band going crazy on tour and then their van breaks down yet AGAIN so they decide to have some fun at the beach. Woot Woot. Check the video out here. www.daathmusic.com www.myspace.com/daath www.youtube.com/daathmusic

Vote for Roadrunner artists!

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 23:53:58 +1100

You can vote now for the BOSTON MUSIC AWARDS taking place on December 1st! A few Roadrunner Records recording artists are nominated. Dresden Dolls, Dream Theater and Killswitch Engage are both mentioned! Voting has begun so click on the following link and cast your vote here! ACT OF THE YEAR DREAM THEATER KILLSWITCH ENGAGE ALBUM OF THE YEAR (MAJOR) KILLSWITCH ENGAGE "AS DAYLIGHT DIES" LOCAL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR ADAM DUTKIEWICZ (KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, ALL THAT REMAINS, UNEARTH) NATIONAL FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR AMANDA PALMER - DRESDEN DOLLS NATIONAL MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR HOWARD JONES - KILLSWITCH ENGAGE OUTSTANDING LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR DRESDEN DOLLS KILLSWITCH ENGAGE OUTSTANDING METAL/HARDCORE BAND OF THE YEAR KILLSWITCH ENGAGE SONG OF THE YEAR KILLSWITCH ENGAGE - MY CURSE

Vampirefreaks.com MACHINE HEAD interview

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:25:58 +1000

VampireFreaks.com's VF Magazine got Phil from Machine Head in front of the camera for this exclusive interview. Click here for 10 glorious minutes of Machine Head talk. In other video fun we want to remind you to watch Robb Flynn's tour diary video. See it here. 'The Blackening' is tearing stores apart now! www.machinehead1.com www.myspace.com/machinehead www.youtube.com/machinehead

Metalogy 101 video interview with ATREYU's Brandon Saller

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:18:58 +1000

Possum of Altitude's "Metalogy 101" conducted an interview with Brandon Kyle Saller (drums, vocals) of Atreyu. Brandon talks how producer John Feldmann changed the band's sound and how it was the first time a producer of theirs actually did his job. Watch the two-minute clip here. Atreyu recorded "Lead Sails Paper Anchor" this past spring with producer John Feldmann who worked with the band to create their most infectious, ambitious and musically challenging disc yet. While the band's juxtaposition of hardcore-influenced chaos and rock-influenced melody is still present, the gulf between the two styles is diminished, making the passages flow in a smoother and more naturalistic manner. "Lead Sails Paper Anchor" was mixed by Andy Wallace. Ateryu's 'Lead Sails, Paper Anchor' is in stores now! Check it out and be blown away! www.atreyurock.com

An update from THE DRESDEN DOLLS

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:37:12 +1000

In case you have been wondering what the Dresden Dolls have been up to, here's an update they sent out to their mailing list. "Hola comrades!! Dear lord it's been a busy damn couple of months. Brian has been gearing up for his upcoming European tour with Jesse Malin , and I am putting the finishing touches on my solo record with Ben Folds and a bunch of other very special peoples in six different studios 24/7/36mofo5 across the country. The band re-convened this past week in Brooklyn, NY while Brian was rehearsing and I was recording. We both stayed at Hotel Miss Emily White (thanks em!) in Williamsburg, watched the hipsters, ate diner food and shared all of the youtube clips we have discovered on our different journeys. We both highly recommend "Slash Shreds". We also made big happy band plans for the upcoming year or so (releasing old things! recording new things! touring things! unholy things!!!). I'm home for about five seconds then heading to the west coast to embark on a musical collaboration of epic proportions with the west coast band Estradasphere (details below), doing a few shows out there, then heading to Australia for December, and then and then and then The Dolls will be hitting the states for an epic winter three-week tour in December/January to create more noise and art party than you can shake a goddamn stick at. We'll get the dates out to you as soon as they're locked. I would write something clever right now, but I have about the humor and creative drive of a rotting banana. I'll try to blog as soon as my head is a better fruit. For now I remain. Yours in the crunk pabaret, Amanda " The Dresden Dolls' 'Yes, Virginia' is in stores now! www.dresdendolls.com www.myspace.com/dresdendolls www.youtube.com/dresdendolls

DRESDEN DOLLS - Amanda Palmer videos!

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:17:57 +1000

Two new videos have been added to the Amanda Palmer YouTube channel! Go check out "Guitar Hero", which is set to be included on Amanda's forthcoming solo debut, "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" and "Marry Me", with Amanda and friends from Sxip's Hour of Charm. For more info, go to The Dresden Dolls' latest blog here and don't forget to subscribe to Amanda's YouTube channel! Take a look at The Dresden Dolls 'Yes, Virginia' right here www.dresdendolls.com www.myspace.com/dresdendolls www.youtube.com/dresdendolls

SOULFLY halfway through new album!

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:15:56 +1000

Soulfly appear to be half way through the recording of their sixth studio album. Soulfly members Max Cavalera (guitar/vocals), Joe Nunez (drums), Marc Rizzo (guitar), and Bobby Burns (bass) entered Porch Studio in Florida on September 12 to begin recording the band's sixth studio album for an early summer 2008 release via Roadrunner Records. After recording up until the end of September, the band was able to complete nearly all of the basic tracking for the recording including the majority of drum, bass, rhythm guitar, and lead guitar tracks. Working titles for some of the 13 songs which were tracked include "Burndown", "Enemy Ghost", "Axis of Wrath", and "Blood, Fire, War, Hate". Morbid Angel singer/bass player David Vincent will have a hand in this production also, though it is unclear at this stage just what that will be. For the time being, Soulfly has put recording at the Porch with engineer Tim Lau on hold; ever since they left the studio on September 29, Max has been traveling throughout Egypt and Siberia with recording devices, and when he returns he will begin to mold the samples, noises, and music that he collects during his travels into the framework of the songs which he jammed out with Marc, Bobby, and Joe last month. Vocals and percussion have only been completed on a handful of songs, but Soulfly plans to go back to the Porch before the end of the year to complete tracking. After that, Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Exodus, Arch Enemy, Machine Head) will be doing the mixing on this one. As of now, you can expect the next album to be ready for release by early summer of 2008. Why not check out Soulfly's blistering release, 'Dark Ages' here! www.soulflyweb.com

MACHINE HEAD frontman's tour diary

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:07:34 +1000

Machine Head's Robb Flynn posted a new tour diary entry on how much fun The Black Crusade tour was and what else he and the band have been up to lately. He also posted a video of Angela from Arch Enermy, Scott Ian of Anthrax & Machine Head rockin' out together on stage. Check it all out here. The Blackening is still crushing skulls and wreaking havoc in stores! Go check it out! www.machinehead1.com www.myspace.com/machinehead www.youtube.com/machinehead

The Gauntlet inerview WITHIN TEMPTATION

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:58:41 +1000

The Gauntlet's Collette Claire interviewed Sharon from Within Temptation. They talk about everything from the "Hottest Chicks of Metal" tour, and what it was like to tour the US for the first time, to the differences between female fronted bands in Europe & America, and what it was like recording "What Have You Done Now" with Keith Kaputo. Check out the full video of this interview here. Within Temptation's single, 'Frozen' is haunting the radio waves at the moment. Find it on their latest offering 'The Heart Of Everything'. www.within-temptation.com www.myspace.com/withintemptation www.youtube.com/wtofficial

Video interview with DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:27:59 +1000

A 10-minute video interview with Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci conducted by Morow.com can be viewed here. A 20-minute audio interview with Jordan Rudess conducted on August 11 by "Démentièllement Vôtre" on Québec City's CKRL 89.1FM has been posted online at this location. Rudess talks about his solo CD, "The Road Home", and "Systematic Chaos". Dream Theater's gigantic album, 'Systematic Chaos' is in stores now! www.dreamtheater.net

Awesome MACHINE HEAD, TRIVIUM and SATYRICON pics from Loudpark 07

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 23:40:58 +1000

Machine Head, Trivium and Satyricon performed a kick-ass show, along with many other artists, at the Loudpark 07 festival on October 20-21 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City, Japan. Check out the pics here!

ATREYU guitarist launches clothing line

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:11:06 +1000

Atreyu guitarist Dan Jacobs has launched his own clothing line, Rokk Clothing, which aims to "bring alive the classic rock shirt of today." All are original authentic designs, inspired by Dan and executed by his brother Joe exclusive to the Rokk Clothing brand. The range also features Japanese style headbands, like the ones Dan wears during Atreyu's performances. An avid fan of Eighties rock, Dan would scour the Internet to find vintage t-shirts. One day, in conversation with Joe, they got to thinking about how much these t-shirts cost and surely there must be a less expensive way to produce them. Dan had a very definite idea of the design, fabric, fit he wanted and together with Joe's business skills they have put together their first range. Says Dan: "I wanted to design my own brand because I wanted to produce the kind of t-shirt I would buy, at a reasonable price. These 'Ts' had to look like real Eighties stuff, classic rock band t-shirts in bold primary colors and design Â— they've got to look so good that at first glance you'd think it was the real thing." The capsule range of Rokk Clothing was launched on October 1, 2007. Joe Jacobs says, "We have been really encouraged by initial sales and the excitement the range is generating. Orders have been received from all over the United States as well as from the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany and Italy." For more information, visit www.bringtherock.com. Also don't forget to check out Atreyu's brilliant new album 'Lead Sails, Paper Anchor', which is in stores now! www.atreyurock.com

Video interview with Dani Filth

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 00:05:14 +1000

Burlington, Vermont's 90.1 WRUV FM recently conducted an interview with Cradle Of Filth frontman Dani Filth. Watch the nine-minute clip here! Cradle Of Filth is spreading ample doses of mayhem, malice and macabre music to the stage as the headliners of Viva La Bands 2007 North American tour, sponsored by MTV personality Bam Margera and Rockstar Energy Drinks. The band is touring in support of its latest Roadrunner Records release "Thornography", whose brooding energy is accentuated by guest vocals by goth rock hero Ville Valle of HIM and Doug Bradley (Pinhead of the "Hellraiser" film series and longtime Cradle Of Filth collaborator). Cradle Of Filth's Thornography is in stores now! www.cradleoffilth.com

Killer DOWN photos!

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:37:02 +1000

Brian Leli has posted a killer collection of Down pictures shot on October 10th at the House of Blues in Chicago. Check out the slideshow here! Down's awesome album 'III - Over The Under' is in stores now! www.down-nola.com

Loads of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE!

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 01:59:48 +1000

Russia's HeadBanger.ru portal has uploaded photos of Killswitch Engage's October 13, 2007 performance at Moscow's Shadow Club. Check them out at this location. Killswitch Engage played in Moscow without their enigmatic guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, who has once again been forced to leave the tour due to health reasons. Adam underwent back surgery in early 2007 and is said to be continuing with daily physical therapy in order to fully recover from his injuries. The group is currently performing as a four-piece, with guitar tech Josh Mihlek filling in for Adam on select songs. Part 1 of a series of clips featuring Killswitch Engage performing in Stockholm, Sweden can be viewed here. Also, don't forget to check out Killswitch's awesomely humourous video for 'Holy Diver' here! Holy Diver and much more can be found on the special edition of 'As Daylight Dies'. If you haven't got it yet, go check it out! www.killswitchengage.com

DIVINE HERESY video interviews available

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:50:24 +1000

Heavymetalsource.com have posted an awesome interview in 2 parts with Dino Cazares,Tim Yeung and Joe Payne of metal titans, Divine Heresy. Check out part 1 here. And part 2 right here! Check out the mind-blowing "Bleed The Fifth' E-card right here! Divine Heresy's 'Bleed The Fifth' is blasting away in stores now!

Video interview with SHADOWS FALL's Brian Fair

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:39:57 +1000

HeavyMetalSource.com conducted an interview with Brian Fair of Shadows Fall on October 14, 2007 in Hartford, Connecticut at the Webster Theatre. Watch the nine-minute clip here. Shadows Fall's latest monstrous album, 'Threads Of Life', is in stores now! Go check it out! www.shadowsfall.com

WITHIN TEMPTATION honoured with Belgian TMF award

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:48:35 +1000

Awesome news!!! Within Temptation have been honored with the TMF Award in Belgium in the "Best International Live Act" category. "It was an extra special night for us, as we also received a platinum award for our previous album, 'The Silent Force'," the band writes on its web site. "In two weeks, the Dutch TMF Awards will take place and a few days later the MTV Europe Music Awards. Of course you can still vote for us, thanks!" To cast your vote and ensure Within Temptation dominate at the EMA awards, click here! (Choose ‘Beste Nederlandse Artiest’ = ‘Best Dutch Artist’) And don't forget to cast your vote for the Dutch TMF Awards here! (Click 'stemmen' and vote away!) Within Temptation's 'The Heart Of Everything' is conquering everything in it's path! So get to your nearest store and check it out! www.within-temptation.com

Audio interview with DEVILDRIVER's Dez Fafara

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:56:34 +1000

Vocalist Dez Fafara of Devildriver was recently interviewed by Rick Florino of JamNow. To listen to the chat, go to this location (select "Devildriver Interview" in the Jam Player on the upper right). Devildriver's triumphant third album, 'The Last Kind Words' is causing mayhem in the ear drums of listeners at the moment! Check it out here! The amazingly twisted video for 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost' can be viwed right here! www.devildriver.com

CRADLE OF FILTH's love-hate relationship

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:48:58 +1000

Amanda Chamberlain of In Utah This Week recently conducted an interview with CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth. A few excerpts from the chat follow: In Utah This Week: Do you spend most of your time in your hometown of Suffolk, or in India, where you also have a home? Dani: In my hometown, where my main house is. The India thing is only for about a month each year, really. In Utah This Week: Has being married changed any aspects of your career in any way? Dani: Not really, because me and my wife have been together since we were 17. We were only married a couple of years ago. Really, it hasn't changed anything at all. In Utah This Week: Your daughter, is she growing up to be quite the metalhead? Dani: Yeah, but she's really into dance at the moment, and theater, so she has to listen to all kinds of things to dance. [Laughs] She's almost nine; almost to secondary school. In Utah This Week: She's quite older now than when she flashed devil horns on a COF DVD as a toddler! But speaking of your DVDs, it's obvious you all like to wreak havoc on tour. What is the most amusing prank you've pulled? Dani: We went back to the hotel from a venue in Greece, where we played with JUDAS PRIEST and MEGADETH, and the crew was busy breaking down our equipment into two buses. We had a couple of drinks when we got back to the hotel and thought it would be a brilliant idea to fill the lift [elevator] up with fire [extinguisher] spray. We didn't realize that it pressurizes inside the lift. So when the lift doors opened, and it got to the bottom in time for the crew to open it, it just went everywhere. Our guitarist was in the room next to me, and I retraced steps back into his room and left the fire [extinguisher] in there to make it look like he'd done it. Then I went to bed and thought, "Ha ha, this is the most fiendish plot ever!" In the morning, I found out that someone had been arrested for it; someone staying in the room next to me on the other side, not the guitar player. But we're not so bad anymore. We're practically saints now compared to that kind of stuff. In Utah This Week: In public, are you approached often by fans? Dani: I went to have a tattoo by Paul Booth a few weeks ago in New York with my family and it was weird because I got recognized in the weirdest places. Hemorrhoid cream is really good for clearing up tattoos, so I was standing in a store with loads of hemorrhoid cream in my hands and two fans came up to me. It happens at home as well, whenever we go to a club or something. In Utah This Week: Have you ever had a stalker? Dani: Not as in a person who has been turning up at my house, but we get people following us around on tour. In Utah This Week: Do you agree or disagree that since CRADLE OF FILTH has gained mass popularity in the metal scene, some metal fans are turned off by your more mainstream appeal? Dani: We have a love-hate relationship with a lot of people. They either love us or they hate us. Yeah, we can never do anything right to a certain degree with a certain amount of people. But I think we kind of self-deprecate ourselves, like if we're told to do one thing, we always do the other. That's why with each album, we always veer in strange directions. We've got a special edition of "Thornography" called "Heart of Dark Catharsis" coming out in February and it has seven, all-new tracks on it that didn't make the record; a couple are covers. We called it "Heart of Dark Catharsis" so we never have to explain to anyone what the content of the special edition actually is. But it's another sort of shift in another direction. It's old-school and very fast, but with an emphasis on catchiness. Read the entire interview at this location.

DELAIN win 1st round of New Sounds Of Europe!

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:45:17 +1000

Delain has won the first round of the New Sounds of Europe Award. The band played on the Uitmarkt in Amsterdam along with the other contestants, and afterwards the public was able to vote on their favorite act. You can watch Delain’s performance here! Thanks to the fans, Delain has gotten the most votes and will be competing in the second round against other European winners for the New Sounds of Europe Award. In this round, 18 artists from 18 countries will compete against each other. The 3 artists with the most votes will be invited to play on the MTV European Music Awards in Munich (Germany) on November the 1st. During the EMA's, people will be able to vote for their favorite with a live voting module; and the winning artist will close the EMA's during a worldwide, live broadcast! From Sunday 14 October, MTV will be knocking out one country (one local NSOE act) per day – no mercy. The act with the least votes on that day will go. 15 days later, on October 28th, only three bands will remain in the battle. If you want to see Delain play at the EMA’s, keep on voting and make sure they are one of the 3 bands that can play at the EMA’s!! You can vote until the 28th of October through the following websites: www.sonyericsson/mtvema and http://ema.mtv.nl/nsoe/voteNow (click on ‘stemmen’ or ‘vote’) Check out Delain's official website here!

MEGADETH bassist discusses 'United Abominations'

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:23:17 +1000

Mark Carras of RockMyMonkey.com recently conducted an interview with Megadeth bassist James Lomenzo. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow: Rock My Monkey: This CD does have a few songs on it with very strong political lyrics. Did you have any input in that at all? James Lomenzo: Just occasionally standing up and applauding and sitting down and keeping my mouth shut. (Laughs) This is off the typewriter of Dave Mustaine, and I got to say, you know, interestingly enough, I listened to some of the lyrics, "Amerikhastan", when he first wrote them, and my initial reaction was, "You're going to get yourself in a lot of trouble here." But then I started reading a little deeper into it, and I started to think, and I asked him this a few times, I said, "You're not really sitting on one position here, are you? You're just kind of weaving this tapestry of popular notion and ideas." He didn't agree with me on that, either, but that's kind of the way I interpreted it, anyway. So yeah, I mean, I felt very comfortable getting behind this stuff after I kind of read through it a few times and figured out exactly what was going on. For the most part I can't imagine too many people who are that continually enchanted with the current administration across the board. Rock My Monkey: Keeping in mind that you are not the one that wrote the lyrics, but you obviously have Dave's ear a little bit more than the average fan, when Dave says, "And tattooed is 'Property of USA,' a subsidiary of Haliburton,' I'm left wondering, is he pointing out all the massive… is that a little bit of sarcasm, and he's pointing out the massive amounts of corruption that happened with the Iraq war? James Lomenzo: I can't speak 100% for him, but I can tell you my reaction, and the snarl he gave me when I pointed that line out to him. I think he's being sarcastic. I don't think he's running the administration's flag with that one. Rock My Monkey: Good, good, good. James Lomenzo: I think we're pointing out corruption in that case. Rock My Monkey: Good, good, good. Now, also to say that there was no U.N. when America attacked Iraq is obviously correct factually. However, it doesn't seem to bring up the reasons that the U.N. made very clear of why they actually spoke out against it, and said, "Yeah, we don't think you should do this." And they actually tried to convince America not to do that. Is the song saying that the U.N. should jump every time an American president wants them to, or is again, is that pointing out the obvious ignorance of this administration? James Lomenzo: I hear your question loud and clear, and I have my idea on it. You got to go to the source. You're going to have to talk to Dave about that to see what he actually means. I would be speaking out of turn. Rock My Monkey: Okay, so then, without your interpretation of the lyrics, how do you feel personally about that? James Lomenzo: Well, personally I feel that, I think the administration tried to make the U.N. seem a little more irrelevant than they've been in the past. And maybe to a degree they are. Maybe it's kind of hard to get the world's attention these days, and run through an organization like that where there is some kind of base deals and corruptions being made. My opinion. That's my opinion. That's what I see. You know, the whole world is so globally… what's the word? It's all one big corporation after another kind of vying for their special interest. Nothing new here, but it's so exponential these days, that it's kind of hard to get down to the real story of who is actually benefiting from what. So this is again, man, I'm like you. I turn on the TV every once in a while and I see what's going on, and I lift up the paper and I see what's going on. And I'm trying to make sense of this just like everyone else is. Rock My Monkey: Yeah, I'm a news addict. Now, I got to say that I do agree with the basic message of the song, that the U.N. is irrelevant. But it was like, there's a couple things on there that seemed a little Fox News-ish, if you don't mind. James Lomenzo: Okay. Rock My Monkey: Now, I know you can't speak for Dave. But do you think that… what do you personally think is more important with this is that people agree with the lyrics, or that I guess people are talking about it? James Lomenzo: I think the most important thing, Mark, the most important thing is just that there's still dialogue. That everybody's thinking on their feet, and everybody's considering Dave Mustaine's viewpoint. Just consider it. Take it to their bank and see if they can gain interest on it, or if they feel they're becoming bankrupt by it. I think any conversation, anything that points us back to our current reality and our responsibilities to have to look and kind of monitor what our governments are doing is a good thing. I don't think everybody can get it right, because not everybody has all the dirt. Or all the cleanliness, if there's anything out there. But yeah, I think that any dialogue based on popular music and art is a great opportunity for people to use their own minds and figure things out for themselves. And by all means stand up and disagree, because that's part of the process, as well. Rock My Monkey: I think that's one of the great things about this album is that it actually has gotten a lot of people talking about this subject matter. It's definitely an album that's above and beyond the typical tits and beer stuff. James Lomenzo: (laughs) There's nothing wrong with tits and beer. Rock My Monkey: Nothing wrong with tits and beer. I like tits and beer, but yeah. Now, do you know why, do you know what the reason is for the release date on the "Warchest" box set being pushed back to October 9th? James Lomenzo: Just a production thing. That's all. Rock My Monkey: Okay. Alright. Now, you guys have been kicking the night off with my favorite song on this CD, "Sleepwalker". Now, anyone who reads the lyrics to that would see very clearly that the song screams for a video to be made. Is there any plans? James Lomenzo: You know what, we've been up and down this with Roadrunner for a while, and we've been taking their ideas and going with that, and sending back our ideas. I don't know if we're going to get to another video on this album. That would be, you know… if we could get a ground swell and a rally from our fans, and if they were as verbal as you are right now, and they said they really wanted that, of course we would supply that and would make that available. And you're probably right. That probably is a good across the board indicator of a solid, classic Megadeth song. I think I agree with you on that. United Abominations is still causing mayhem in stores! Check it out right here! www.megadeth.com

The second installment of the DAATHumentary

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:17:01 +1000

Daath's second episode from Daathumentary, their new series of video clips, is up now. In this one titled "Trailer Wreck", the guys get into a serious wreck in the middle of nowhere, and almost die. They end up trying to duck tape their seriously fucked trailer. Check this shit out here. More clips to be seen soon, especially with Daath on the Dark Funeral Tour with Naglfar that kicked off a few daysd ago! Daath's The Hinderers is in stores now! www.daathmusic.com/ www.myspace.com/daath www.youtube.com/daathmusic

Exclusive CAVALERA CONSPIRACY interview

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:08:47 +1000

During the 11th Annual D-Low Memorial Show on August 31st - the first live performance from Cavalera Conspiracy - the Soulfly Web team was able to sit down and conduct interviews with all the members of Cavalera Conspiracy to get the information on their unheard upcoming new album straight from their mouths. Except for a few small notes left on their website, Gojira's axeman/vocalist Joe Duplantier has been relatively quiet about his contributions in his brand new band with Max and Igor Cavalera and Marc Rizzo. This interview is Joe's first as the bassist for Cavalera Conspiracy, and it is available exclusively at the band's MySpace page.

Video interview with DOWN's Kirk and Jimmy

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 23:31:39 +1000

Synthesis.net recently caught up with Down's Kirk Windstein and Jimmy Bower at the Senator Theatre in Chico, California. Video footage from the interview is available here. Down's awesome Roadrunner debut, 'III - Over The Under' is in stores now! If you haven't heard them yet, listen to the monstrous track 'I Scream' right here! www.down-nola.com

Mind-blowing DREAM THEATER pics!

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:02:44 +1000

Our friends over at Roadrunner Sweden have posted some awesome pics of Dream Theater performing a breathtakeing show in Stockholm on the 28th of September. Check these masterpieces out here! Another masterpiece of Dream Theater's, 'Systematic Chaos', is in stores now! www.dreamtheater.net www.myspace.com/dreamtheater www.youtube.com/dreamtheater

Watch SANCTITY's 'Beloved Killer'!

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:16:49 +1000

Up now is Sanctity's "Beloved Killer", the second video from their purely brutal debut album Road to Bloodshed. Watch it right here, right now! Sanctity's 'Road to Bloodshed' is ripping the store shelves, take a look at it here! www.sanctityweb.com www.myspace.com/sanctity www.youtube.com/sanctity

Thunda.com's WITHIN TEMPTATION review

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 23:56:34 +1000

Thunda.com have posted a great review on Within Temptation's latest album, The Heart Of Everything. Here is an extract of the review by Philippa Walker: '6 piece Dutch band Within Temptation produce rich and sensual music of the Gothic Metal / Symphonic Metal genre. Classical orchestral sounds are dramatically woven with heavier drums and guitars, while lead singer Sharon Den Adel provides a strong and polished vocal accompaniment.' 'The Heart of Everything' is the bands fourth studio album. It debuted at number one in the Netherlands and received critical acclaim in many European countries. Furthermore it entered the United world Chart at number 38, the first Dutch band ever to appear on the chart.' Read the full review here! 'The Heart Of Everything' is in stores ready to be unleashed on an unsuspecting public. Go check it out! www.within-temptation.com

MACHINE HEAD's 'Now I Lay Thee Down' video premiere

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:04:51 +1000

Machine Head's video for "Now I Lay Thee Down" premiered on MTV's Headbanger's Blog. It kicks 'fuckin ass so watch it here. Machine Head's latest offering, The Blackening, is creating a black wave of chaos nationwide, go check it out! www.machinehead1.com www.myspace.com/machinehead www.youtube.com/machinehead

DOWN's Pepper Keenan speaks out

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 01:04:54 +1000

Steve Newton of Straight.com reports: "Just before Hurricane Katrina cut a horrifying swath across the U.S. Gulf Coast in August of 2005, the members of metal quintet DOWN had gathered in their hometown of New Orleans to work on new material for their third CD, "Over the Under". Guitarist Pepper Keenan made the smart move of leaving the area before the storm hit, and apart from losing power for a month, his house was all right. But he didn't walk away from the experience unscathed, and neither did his Big Easy bandmates. "It was somethin' we all went through and are still dealing with on a daily basis," he relates, on the line from Reno, Nevada, before the first stop on a 29-date North American tour. "I mean, it was devastating, man. People lost their houses, I lost family members. Half the city was destroyed." The fortitude of Louisiana natives in the face of Katrina's destruction is cited on "Over the Under" tracks like "On March the Saints", but as Keenan explains, the city is still terribly wounded more than two years after the disaster. And it hasn't gotten much help with reconstruction from the Bush administration. "If they did as much in New Orleans as they're doin' in fuckin' Iraq we'd be fine," blusters Keenan, before decrying Kanye West's assertion that Dubya's disregard for Katrina victims stems from his indifference toward blacks. "I don't care about Kanye West," he counters. "I mean, everybody was damaged in the storm. For Kanye West to make it a black thing was retarded." Down's 'III - Over The Under' is tearing up stores now! www.down-nola.com

TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy talks to The Metal Forge.com

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:18:41 +1000

Simon Milburn from Themetalforge.com spoke to Trivium frontman Matt Heafy about writing new material, touring and the 'M' word. An extract from the article reads: 'Trivium, in a relatively short time frame, has gone from obscurity to one of the most talked about metal acts around today. Of course, that talk is both good and bad depending on who you talk to, but the fact remains that metal heads have an opinion on the group. Since releasing Ember To Inferno as a three piece back in 2003, vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy and drummer Travis Smith solidified their band line-up with the recruitment of guitarist Cory Beaulieu and bassist Paulo Gregoletto things began to pick up for the group. Their big break would be the release of their 2005 sophomore effort, Ascendancy, which received an abundance of attention.' 'Sure enough, the time would soon come for the Florida based quartet to follow it up, and 2006 saw the release of The Crusade – an album which shocked and surprised both fans and press alike thanks mostly to the distinct shift in Heafy’s vocals from the growl of the band’s previous effort to a modern day version of a cross between classic James Hetfield (Metallica) and Chuck Billy (Testament).' 'Whilst on tour in Dallas, Texas (U.S.A.) I caught up with Heafy between other media commitments to talk about their pending return to Australian shores, their experiences and comments on the band’s first ever tour here in January 2007, the shift in style between the latest album and the one before it, writing album number four and just how well things have been going for the group since they were last down under.' Read the full article here! Trivium's lastest offering, The Crusade, is still tearing stores apart, go check it out if you haven't! www.trivium.org

Your favourite ATREYU album?

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:05:34 +1000

Read the review of 'Lead Sails, Paper Anchor' that was posted at Beat.com.au After finding themselves on the cusp of a major breakthrough with their third album A Death-Grip On Yesterday, Californian outfit Atreyu decided to move on from their former label Victory Records, and sign up with Roadrunner Records. In a lot of ways, it all makes sense as Lead Sails Paper Anchor sees Atreyu once again changing tact in the musical sense. Doomsday and Honor are both heady tracks that feature some catchy riffs, memorable lead breaks and rock solid choruses that really do stick in the memory long after the songs are finished. Rather than simply churning out the same predictable metalcore formula the band originally started out with, Atreyu have instead opted for something more traditional in the metal sense, with Alex Varkatzas in particular focussing more on his clean vocals rather than simply providing screams to counteract Brandon Saller's own efforts. For something completely different, Atreyu experiment with horns and various vocal approaches on the anthem like Falling Down, while the vocal experimentation is pushed even further still with the inclusion of an operatic fill around the three quarter mark of Lose It. In contrast, Slow Burn and Blow are an all out tributes to 80's hard rock, with Buckcherry vocalist Josh Todd adding an air of authenticity to proceedings on the latter. Tracks such as Becoming The Bull, No One Cares and Can't Happen Here are probably as close as Atreyu get to the sound found on their last album, while the sweeping Lead Sails (And A Paper Anchor) ventures into completely alien waters for the band, with shades of country influenced guitars heard throughout. Old fans of Atreyu may find this album a disappointment. But if you've followed Atreyu progression throughout the years, and have enjoyed their constant evolution that comes with each album, then Lead Sails Paper Anchor may just end up being your favourite Atreyu release. 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' is in stores now. To the Beat site www.atreyurock.com

WITHIN TEMPTATION need YOU!

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:20:14 +1000

This is a posting from Within Temptation's official website: Next to the nominations for the Dutch en Belgian TMF Awards we’re now also nominated for a Europe Music Award (EMA) in the category ‘Best Dutch Artist’. Also for this nomination we really need your support. You can vote through the following link: http://ema.mtv.nl/voteNow# (Choose ‘Beste Nederlandse Artiest’ = ‘Best Dutch Artist’) You can also still vote for the Dutch and Belgian TMF Awards: TMF Awards Nederland www.tmfawards.nl TMF Awards Belgie http://awards.tmf.be Thanks for your support! Best wishes, Robert, Sharon, Ruud, Stephen, Martijn en Jeroen. Within Temptation's The Heart Of Everything is in stores now! www.within-temptation.com

Awesome review of THE CULT's 'Born Into This'

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:10:49 +1000

Tom-x.com has posted a great review on The Cult's fantastic new album Born Into This. The review by Smart Tart goes a little something like this: 'Only set for release in October 2007, I was honoured and privileged to receive the pre sneak to review! My romance with them was spawned in the days of Southern Death Cult, and I am ecstatic to be able to say that The Cult are back, former glory intact! And, with the able production abilities of ex Killing Joke bassist Martin Glover, they are set to do Roadrunner Records seriously proud!' 'With the usual backbone of Ian Astbury’s vocals and Billy Duffy on lead guitar, the Cult current line up includes ex-Zombie / Testament drummer John Tempesta, Mike Dimkitch on rhythm guitar and bassist Chris Wyse who within a year of their first stage show in March 2006 in San Francisco, have signed a major deal with RR to produce one of the best Cult albums since Sonic Temple.' 'Dirty Little Rockstar is the first single and was released sometime in mid August 2007 but with tracks like “I Assassin” and “Diamond” there really is “Pure Cult” energy and sound back in the universe, and it is most welcome! It has been a long hiatus for fans and Born into This is going to make up for every minute of it! While there is something so comforting in the familiarity of their sound, this album is a pleasingly salubrious take on a winning formula. It is enticing with electric experience, a sonic temple of savvy sounds, but most of all the ceremony sans catatonia and I can’t wait till it is released on an unsuspecting public!' Born Into This is in stores now! So go get yourself a piece of legendary hard rock! www.thecult.us www.myspace.com/cultmusic

Some scorching 3 INCHES OF BLOOD footage!

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:00:44 +1000

3 Inches of Blood have sold out three shows on their way to meet up with Shadows Fall, Static X, and Divine Heresy for their fall tour. Things are hot, hot, hot! See some footage from their Ozzfest Summer Vacation on the band's YouTube page by clicking here. Fire Up The Blades is in stores now! So grab yer swords and viking helmets and prepare for war! www.3inchesofblood.com www.myspace.com/3iob www.youtube.com/3inchesofblood

THE CULT's new video for 'Tiger In The Sun' posted on Youtube!

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:07:46 +1000

Get amped for The Cult's mind-blowing new album, Born Into This! A video is making the rounds which combines footage of the uprising in Burma with The Cult's "Tiger in the Sun" from Born Into This. Click here to watch. Plus, The Cult's brand new website is up and running, check it out here! www.thecult.us www.myspace.com/cultmusic

DEVILDRIVER interview by Metal-Rules.com

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:59:12 +1000

Hey all. Check out this interview on Metal-Rules.com with Devil Driver's singer Dez Fafara about The Last Kind Words. Interview done by Lord Of The Wasteland. Click here to read it! Devildriver's killer new album, The Last Kind Words, is in stores now! www.devildriver.com www.myspace.com/devildriver www.youtube.com/devildrivertube

Exclusive DREAM THEATER tour clips

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:22:56 +1000

Ytsejam.com posted another set of exclusive Dream Theater Behind The Scenes Tour Clips. Click here to check them out! www.dreamtheater.net www.myspace.com/dreamtheater www.youtube.com/dreamtheater

Vote for PORCUPINE TREE too!

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:18:45 +1000

Porcupine Tree's Fear Of A Blank Planet is also up for a Classic Rock Award for Album Of The Year. Vote here now! The triumphantly amazing Fear Of A Blank Planet is in stores now! www.porcupinetree.com

Vote for BLACK STONE CHERRY!

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:27:29 +1000

Black Stone Cherry has been nominated for best new band on the Classic Rock Honor Roll 2007. You can vote for all your favourite categories on the Classic Rock web site. Black Stone Cherry are still riding high off their awesome debut, featuring the rock radio staples "Lonely Train," "Hell & High Water," and "Rain Wizard". Black Stone Cherry's sure-to-classic self-titled debut album is in stores now! www.blackstonecherry.com www.myspace.com/blackstonecherry www.youtube.com/blackstonecherry

MEGADETH - 'Never Walk Alone' video premiere

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:18:48 +1000

Megadeth's brand new video from United Abominations, "Never Walk Alone," is premiering now and only at MySpace. Click here to watch. United Abominations is wreaking havoc in stores countrywide! Go be a part of it! www.megadeth.com www.myspace.com/megadeth www.youtube.com/megadeth

Here comes the PAIN

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:08:40 +1000

Themetalforge.com have posted a great article on Peter Tägtgren's project, Pain, where he talks about the album, guest appearences and his passion for Bjork! Check out the full article here. Pain's Psalms Of Extinction is in stores now! Go check it out! Official Pain Website

WITHIN TEMPTATION interview on Vampire Freaks

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:31:25 +1000

Check out this video of an interview VF Magazine did with Sharon and Rob from Within Temptation, shot outside of a coffee shop across the street from Cervantes in Denver, CO. The Heart Of Everything is in stores now! www.within-temptation.com www.myspace.com/withintemptation www.youtube.com/wtofficial

Interview with SOULFLY drummer Joe Nunez

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:26:05 +1000

Soulfly's official web site has been updated with the following message: "During the 11th annual D-Low Memorial Show on August 31 — Soulfly's only U.S. show this year and the first live performance from Cavalera Conspiracy — Soulfly Web was able to sit down and conduct interviews with all the members of both bands to get information on both of their upcoming albums straight from their mouths. Every two weeks we will be posting a new interview with another musician, and two weeks ago we began with a video interview with Max Cavalera. "This week we continue the series with an interview with Soulfly drummer Joe Nunez, available exlusively at MySpace.com/Soulfly. "Soulfly entered Bobby Burns' Porch Studio on September 12, and we haven't had a chance to check in with Joe since then, but this interview gives a good indication of what to expect." Read the interview at this location. www.soulflyweb.com

Phil's 4th DOWN blog installment

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:21:20 +1000

The fourth and installment is as follows: "It was a 'spiritual' start for all of us jointly, and individually. "We came home and shook off the jet lag pretty quickly. We were back in the jam room immediately, finishing the writing process. From there, the decision was made to do the record in Los Angeles. The producer, Warren Riker (also the producer of DOWN 'II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow'), is located there, and had some killer sounding rooms in mind. "We cut the drum tracks at Sage and Sound studio. We were all there, working as a full band on the final takes with Jim. He played amazing and the tracks are rock solid. We were once again, pleasantly, interrupted after Jim's drums were recorded. This time, it was a short three-week tour with BLACK SABBATH in Canada (incredible contingency!). "The first show of the tour was one of our own in Seattle. It was the first show outside of N.O. played in the States. The show went awesome. The crowd was so incredible, it was tear jerking. I saw Terry Date, a great friend, also an amazing producer. Having worked with him closely on PANTERA's 'Cowboys from Hell' through 'The Great Southern Trendkill', I knew this very well. He loved the show, and I respect his opinion greatly. Sean [Kinney] from ALICE IN CHAINS was there and many other friends. It was a memorable evening. "We moved into Canada that night and joined up with BLACK SABBATH the following night. The first show in went excellent. We were powerful and our fans were there in force. The people who had never heard of us, and the older crowd there to see SABBATH were on their feet by the end of our set. And then, for the first time ever, I lost my voice. It was gone. I lost my mind as well. "To find a throat specialist who had any knowledge of a singers throat, was impossible. We were forced to miss three shows. "On the day of the fourth show, I couldn't let the fans, my band, nor the crew down any longer. With the worst croaking throat, I finished the rest of the tour, with us ending in New Orleans. I had just a little time to rest my torn up throat. "We flew to L.A. to lay guitar tracks. Pepper and Kirk both did excellent work. Kirk is a perfectionist and an incredible lead guitarist. Pepper is from a different school, and brings a slippery southern approach that's signature to our sound. He is also a great visionary. "Rex laid down bad-ass bass tracks in no time. He's so great, he makes it look effortless. But it's more passion and experience that he delivers. He always does. "I did my vocal tracks between Nodferatu's Lair and in L.A. I was extremely particular about my vocals. The different emotions each song brought had to be felt by the listener. I was drained after every night in the studio. Warren pushed me further. My WILL came into play. I got the job done. "The following week after that, Warren, Pepper, and I began mixing the record in June and July. Mastering followed shortly, which was no easy process. This wasn't just a 'heavy metal' record; we had to capture the unique DOWN sound. Our music has many dynamics, and being 'heavy' for the sake of being 'heavy' is something we've all done before. The new songs are heavy, but this time, the content may outweigh just tones in general. "It took many passes before everyone was happy. And we finally are. "There was one last opportunity that came just at the end of the mastering process. We did one last jaunt before the release of 'Over the Under', with BLACK SABBATH in Australia throughout August. The shows were sold out, and also great. This was all of our second time there, minus Kirk, under different circumstances. C.O.C. with Jimmy playing drums, opened for PANTERA in Australia a few years previously, to rabid fans. "Australia is absolutely beautiful, and the music scene, and fans are second to no one. (We will return soon!!). "The U.S. is next and we are anxious. "We began the journey at the beginning of '06. It is now September '07, and there is still much to do. As opposed to the second DOWN LP, which was recorded in 28 days, we've taken our time with this one. "'Over the Under' is about perseverance. One that touches on the pains of the blackest pitch, in the complex tunnels of the soul, toward a crack of light, that resonates clarity. Newly tapped compassion through struggle. Demons exorcised, for lack of better words. "This record is for the 'loyal' DOWN fans worldwide, and also for the MASSES of music fans that crave, and deserve, NEW MUSIC!! "I leave it up to you now. "The release date is Sept. 25th. BUY ONLINE OR IN STORES IN DROVES!!! CHANGE THE FACE OF MUSIC!!! "We'll see each other on tour!! "I love you all! And wish prosperity, and a big dose of WILL, for everyone all, both present and past in my lifeÂ… "'Till the next correspondence, it's been pleasant catching up with you (our life blood)." Check out the full blog here! www.down-nola.com

Catching up with DIVINE HERESY's Dino

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:22:36 +1000

Chad Bowar of About Heavy Metal recently conducted an interview with Divine Heresy guitarist Dino Cazares. A few excerpts from the chat follow: About Heavy Metal: What kind of response has "Bleed The Fifth" been getting so far? Dino Cazares: "The majority of the response is very positive. But we are between a rock and a hard place with my Fear Factory past. It's either too much Fear Factory or not enough Fear Factory for those fans. But I think we'll get past that and people will realize that this is a great metal record." About Heavy Metal: How did Divine Heresy come together? Dino Cazares: "The biggest challenge in putting this together was finding the time, really. I had plenty of other projects going at the time. I met Tim Yeung [drums] around 2003 and we kept in touch. We finally met up in 2005 and started writing songs. Tommy [Cummings] came aboard in 2006. Tim and I had recorded songs and sent them over to Tommy for his vocal audition. We heard passion and anger in his voice, which was something we wanted. It was also very aggressive. We flew him out to L.A. and went straight to the studio and started recording with him. That's how it came together." About Heavy Metal: You recently brought aboard Joe Payne as your new bassist. Dino Cazares: "On the record Tony Campos from Static-X did three songs. I had met Joe Payne in 2005 when he was touring with Nile. I saw him play live. Three months ago he called me. I told him to come on down, he had the spot. I already knew he was a kick-ass bass player and a good guy. Tim also knew him really well. He came highly recommended. We did have bass auditions for a lot of people, but we were picky. Joe is both a bass and guitar player, and he is able to play the bass like a guitar, which I really like, which is another reason we picked him." About Heavy Metal: Is he a permanent member, or just a touring member of the band? Dino Cazares: "We feel good about it. We're going to see what it's like on the road. We have two big tours coming up. As of now, he's pretty close to it." About Heavy Metal: I understand the video shoot at the Salton Sea in California was a bit rough for "Failed Creation" because of the location. Dino Cazares: "It was pretty nasty. It was about 116 degrees with rotted, dead fish everywhere. The water there is really polluted and thousands and thousands of fish die every year. Birds flock there and think they can feed on these fish, but when they do they end up dying too. It's a perfect place to shoot a video. (laughs) The combination of the smells and the heat made me throw up. I had to throw my clothes away after the shoot. We'd be jamming and someone would have to throw up." Read the entire interview at HeavyMetal.About.com. Divine Heresy's gut-crushing debut album 'Bleed The Fifth' is in stores now!

WITHIN TEMPTATION's Sharon den Adel talks to Live-Metal.net

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:08:01 +1000

Jeff Maki and Jason Price of Live-Metal.net recently conducted an interview with WIthin Temptation vocalist Sharon den Adel. A few excerpts from the interview follow: Live-Metal.net: When you are performing songs on stage does it take you back to when and where you wrote the lyrics? Or at this point in time, having played them repeatedly, is it merely performing the songs? Sharon: Well, eventually it becomes more performing the songs, but you have certain times when it's better not to always know when to go back to the time you were writing it. Sometimes it's very emotional and if you have that emotional kind of thing, it's sometimes good. It will always be emotional because you will always have emotions attached to it. You have emotions and emotion, of course — heavy emotion. Certain painful memories or beautiful memories. It's like through time, like scars they fade a little bit. So I think on stage sometimes when you are having a certain day, it might come back very heavily. It might be better not to play the song. But most of the times it's just playing the songs and enjoying it. It's also releasing and getting rid of certain negative emotions. Live-Metal.net: Your lyrics seem pretty personal to me. Are there any songs you just don't want to play live because it does bring you back to those emotions? Sharon: Yeah, of course, but it's ... "Forgiven" is maybe one of those songs, but I could play them and keep my tears inside. You can restrain it, of course. It depends on the day. Sometimes it's the day when “it” happened like four years ago, so it's better not to play the song because you're gonna be reminded and not be too happy, so yeah, sometimes it's like that. Live-Metal.net: What's next for you after this tour? Sharon: Well, we got a lot of shows in Europe. We are going to play on England in the academies, which are lots of nice venues to play in. So we're gonna play there like four or five shows and then we go to Germany. We do a tour in Germany and we have a few big shows, as well. Then in Holland, we do an arena with a real orchestra in February, a classical orchestra. And we're gonna play all our songs with a classical orchestra. Also in November, we're gonna play for 8,000 people in Eindoven, which is also in Holland and we're gonna play this java kind of big show with all kinds of things happening. So they're will be a lot of things, then come back here again. Live-Metal.net: So you're coming back here soon? Sharon: I hope so, because we just met our booking agency yesterday and they were like, "Please come back soon again." And we were like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, but when?" So we're gonna see. So hopefully we will again. It will be on short notice — that's how it works probably in America, I don't know. It goes differently in Europe. They have ticket sales in Europe and it's like six months ahead of when you're really going to play. And America it's like — we announced this tour a month ago. And we're like, "Nobody's gonna come. Nobody's gonna know. How can I do this?" But there like that's normal in America — "OK, right." Live-Metal.net: You mentioned playing with the orchestra. How will that transition? How will that work? Sharon: It's gonna be different, but not that much different because we have an orchestra on tape, because we can't bring the orchestra to events and stuff like that. They're gonna play more or less the real thing, but of course it will be more organic. The sounds are gonna be different, but it's gonna be live. And we'll probably make a little bit different arrangements here and there. It's not the same orchestra we recorded with and we're gonna do some different things also to make it more special, try some things out. Also to give them some more space for their own interpretation. Live-Metal.net: Could that be released as a live album like what the Scorpions or Metallica did? Sharon: I'm not sure. It depends on how it works out. And like I said, we're gonna give them some freedom for their own interpretation and if some songs don't work out then we're gonna skip the song probably. [laughter] But we're not sure how things will work out. But it's not the first time working with a real orchestra. We have done it before in Europe. But to do a whole show with a real orchestra, it is our first time, so it depends on how it's going to look and how it is recorded. We're gonna film everything, of course. Live-Metal.net: Is there anything else you'd like to add? Sharon: Well, we start writing again in December probably. That's the first time we have days off again, so we'll probably start writing new songs again. We'll see where we are and how fast we can write a new album. I want to write a new album very quickly. But sometimes when you're touring there is no time or no space to sit down and relax and try some things. Read the entire interview at www.live-metal.net. Within Temptation's haunting new album 'The Heart Of Everything' is in stores now! www.within-temptation.com

The Gauntlet posts new MACHINE HEAD photos

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:59:54 +1000

The Gauntlet posted a bunch of kickass photos of Machine Head taken by Kirsty Lingman at the SOMA, San Diego show on 9/9/07. Check em' out here www.machinehead1.com www.myspace.com/machinehead www.youtube.com/machinehead

DOWN frontman's blog: Part 3

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:25:57 +1000

To chronicle the past five years leading up to the release of DOWN's new album, "III - Over The Under", singer Philip Anselmo (ex-PANTERA) has been issuing periodic installments leading up to the release of the record. This is Philip's personal communication to the band's loyal fan base and gives a first hand account of the tragedy, isolation, rebirth and ultimate triumph of one of the most important bands of our time. The third installment is as follows: "I don't want to skip over some of the finer points of interest that occurred during the writing of 'Over the Under'. So, I'm going to jump back and tell of some key happenings. "Before DOWN began writing new material as a whole band, I was four months out of surgery, and two months into physical therapy and was asked to sing with ALICE IN CHAINS by Jerry Cantrell (opening up for the majestic HEART). I hadn't been on stage in two years, but I accepted immediately. It was an honor. Layne Staley (R.I.P) was a friend, and an incredible singer. I hadn't sang in a long time, and singing his songs was no easy task. I did the gig. With my mobility still extremely compromised, I still felt confident. The show was spiritual. The surprise, and response of the fans, the tears, the symbolism/homage to our deceased brothers, so thick over the event, we could feel them. The band played with tight emotion. They were amazing. All of this was overwhelming (AIC is in my heart). This is what I needed. A catalyst. I was home on that stage. I needed it back, and I would have it. After that incredible experience, my workouts became even more intense, and the writing of the new DOWN began for real. "The songs to this point were very raw, recorded on hand-held cassette recorders and jam boxes. But, those tapes became priceless to us. We carried them everywhere we went, and became a canvas for ideas that consumed us all. After workouts and practice, I would spend my time intimately with a pen and paper, a guitar, an old generic amp (with a crushing tone!) and an old cassette four-track. I wrote insidiously. I dug through mountains of tapes, and found quite a large amount of jam sessions we had recorded over the years. Everyone else also had their own private library of jam tapes as well, and soon we were overwhelmed with riffs and half-songs. I put them all onto one CD. From start to finish it ran over an hour. There was enough material for four albums, and, they were all damn good parts. Jim [Bower, drums] and I recorded some raw parts for a few songs (just guitar and drums) at Balance Studios with 'the puma' courtesy of my partner in adventure and the owner of the facility Gene Joannen. After that, we were interrupted, pleasantly, by opportunity. We had to switch gears completely. "I was six months out of surgery, and we did a five week tour of Europe. Playing our own 'Evening With Down' shows, as well as the giant, (in)famous, outdoor summertime festivals, including being the unannounced, special guest band to play the main stage at Download that year (U.K./European fans, our homeland, YOU, our sisters and brothers, are incredible! THE LOYAL!!! We shall return…soon). It was a big deal. "DOWN had never been to Europe before. Word had it that our contingency there was insane. It would be our first tour in over five years, and there was no better way for us to return. We decided to document the event to be used as a movie (no release date yet). It was directed by one of my best friends Jim Van Bebber ('Deadbeat At Dawn', 'The Manson Family'), and his cinematographer, the ever-cool Mike King. "With Snake, our ever-loyal, kick-ass road crew, the film crew, and (us) the band, we all got onto a plane for an eight-hour flight. We landed in Hamburg, Germany, then piled into two buses. The shows were awesome! The audiences in Europe are as hardcore as you can get. As a band, we were in no way, shape, nor form, any where close to the standards we were capable of, but we pulled it off. "The highlights of the tour are many. Playing the Gods of Metal festival in Italy, seeing old friends like Satyr and Frost from SATYRICON (you fucking killed!), TESTAMENT, SODOM, and many others. But one of my greatest memories of all… The mighty VENOM (hail to Cronos, Antton, and Mike!) headlined the festival, and invited me onstage to sing 'Die Hard' (from the 'Bursting Out'/'Die Hard' EP). It made a part of my life. "Running into VOIVOD in London was an all night blast! (Much love to Snake and Away. You've influenced two generations of heavy metal, and are one of my favorite bands. We are friends for life! R.I.P. Piggy. I can't say enough about you as a person, neither your beautifully unique guitar talent. At rest, your legacy is forever). "The Download festival was great for us, and our last show in the U.K. We opened the whole show at 11 a.m. and the crowd was packed in and ready. They sang every word. It was a fucking jam session. We had the opportunity to watch a wide variety of bands that day, and the crowd were fanatic throughout (love to Dez, Tim, and anyone I left out)! "METALLICA (gods!) headlined that year. It was the anniversary of the release of the massive 'Master of Puppets'. They ripped through the entire LP from beginning 'till end. They were very animated, extremely tight, and they dominated the masses of fans, who could not get enough. It was as heavy as heavy gets. "Making it through that tour was a giant re-learning experience. Being in front of an audience again, and a great audience they are, our groove as a band came quickly. It was clumsy here and there, but there were more great moments than bad. It most importantly was extremely instrumental in the re-sharpening of our chemistry as a band, and, friends. On a personal note, in the back of my mind, there may have been a glimpse of doubt about the wear on my spine at that point, but my WILL saw me through. I knew I had a ways to go, but I'd get it. And it proved WE were damn well ready to roll on..." To read the full blog as well as parts 1 and 2, head down to the down website click here Check out photos at this location. Down's Official Website

THEORY OF A DEADMAN studio report

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:20:06 +1000

Theory of a Deadman, hard at work on their next album in Los Angeles, recorded this studio report just for you on August 18th. See some of the happenings inside, including some guitar work, the bathroom, and a whole messload of sound equipment. Click here to watch. www.theoryofadeadman.com www.myspace.com/theoryofadeadman www.youtube.com/theoryofadeadman

THE CULT gets back to basics

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:07:53 +1000

Wes Orshoski of Billboard.com reports: If THE CULT's 2001 reunion album, "Beyond Good and Evil", was a heavily produced, muscular rock affair, the band took the opposite approach on the forthcoming "Born into This", due Oct. 2 via Roadrunner. The Cult cut the disc in 36 days with a mind toward re-embracing its punk-rooted past. "Our last record, with all respect to [producer] Bob Rock ... we were guilty as much as he was, it was an overproduced record. We just went too far with it. It took about a year-and-a-half to make [and] an exorbitant amount of money," singer Ian Astbury tells Billboard.com. "This was one far more economic. We didn't want to get entrenched in debates of whether this is working or is this not working. If anything got a little bit drawn out, we just moved on to the next track." Read more at Billboard.com www.thecult.us

DAATHumentary: Destruction

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:25:14 +1000

Get the full Daath experience with the first of many clips in the Daathumentary series. Here Mike Kameron explains the philosophy behind Daath for a bit before Messrs. Farber, Kameron, and Werstler rain destruction upon an innocent keyboard. Check it out here! Daath's The Hinderers is in stores now! www.daathmusic.com www.myspace.com/daath www.youtube.com/daathmusic

Schweet Fire Up The Blades review!

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:33:31 +1000

A tidy review of 3 Inches' latest offering 'Fire Up The Blades' by Themetalforge.com One of the more left field releases of 2004 was 'Advance And Vanquish' from Vancouver (Canada) based traditional heavy/power metal act 3 Inches Of Blood. Fusing together elements of N.W.O.B.H.M., 80's heavy metal (Judas Priest and Iron Maiden) and power metal (Manowar) sound wise, and fronted by dual vocalists Cam Pipes (Whose high pitched clean vocals bring to mind Judas Priest's Rob Halford) and Jamie Hooper (Who provides the deep melodic death metal growls), 3 Inches Of Blood's debut for Roadrunner Records (Their 2002 debut 'Battlecry Under A Winter Sun' was released through Teenage Rampage Records) was not only a throwback to a bygone era, but also something completely different from anything else on the scene. But for all the high praise (Not to mention criticism from those who view the band as nothing more than a novelty act) the band earned with the release of their sophomore effort, the vocalists have had to rebuild the group from the ground up, with the recording of the band's third album 'Fire Up The Blades' featuring an entirely new line-up consisting of guitarists Shane Clark (Ten Miles Wide/The Almighty Punchdrunk) and Justin Hagberg (Allfather), bassist Nick Cates and drummer Alexei Rodriguez (Ex-Walls Of Jericho/Catharsis). As you would expect, the introduction of new members has had an influence on 3 Inches Of Blood?s new album in the sound sense, but in regards to direction, 'Fire Up The Blades' is very much a continuation of where 'Advance And Vanquish', with only some subtle changes evident. After a militaristic instrumental opening piece entitled Through The Horned Gate, the band get off to a flying start on the fast paced Night Marauders. With a vibrant and clear production (Handled by Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison, and mixed by Zeuss), and a greater sense of maturity in their song writing approach, Night Marauders shows a progression from their past efforts (Especially within the guitar solos and the overall pacing), while remaining rooted in the retro metal sound that gave them a unique edge and sound. Both The Goatriders Horde and the melodic death metal influenced Infinite Legions manage to up the intensity and speed of the opener with clutches of blast beats and infectious dual guitar riffing throughout, while Trial Of Champions (Which features some great organ work from Hagberg), God Of The Cold White Silence (Which again features some great grand piano work), The Great Hall Of Feasting and Assassins Of The Light (The latter two boasting plenty of cowbell throughout) reveal some of the more 70's influences featured on the album. Forest King (Which features a nod to Black Sabbath's Heaven And Hell in the breakdown section), Demon's Blade (One of the few tracks where Hooper actually gets an equal amount of lines as Pipes), Black Spire and The Hydra?s Teeth help keep up the high standard of the album up around the tail end, before the instrumental Rejoice In The Fires Of Man's Demise finishes things off. Fans of 'Advance And Vanquish' will find that with 'Fire Up The Blades', 3 Inches Of Blood have once again managed to put together an album that satisfies old school cravings with a modern production, without losing any of the spirit that won over fans the first time around. 7.5/10 So grab your helmets and swords 'cos Fire Up The Blades is in stores now! www.3inchesofblood.com

A warped STILL REMAINS video

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:22:18 +1000

T.J. Miller is interrogated by PureGrainAudio.com Take a look at a video HERE featuring the band who made one of the albums of the year, 'The Serpent'. www.stillremains.com

TRIVIUM bassist checks in

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 22:26:15 +1000

Trivium bassist Paolo Gregoletto has issued the following update: "Thank you to everyone that came out to see us on the Family Values Tour or at an 'off date' show, we really appreciate it and hoped that you enjoyed the summer as much as we did! "It seems our quick vacation is coming to an end this week. Starting Monday we hit the studio to do some demos and rehearse for the rest of this year's touring. It's been quite awhile since we had more than a few days to jam because we usually just jump from one tour right into another. I am sure we will be getting pictures up on all the sites, especially www.triviumworld.com, of us working on the new stuff and rehearsing our set for the highly anticipated Black Crusade! "But before the first Black Crusade show kicks off in Perth, we are stopping through Japan for Loudpark 07 and a few shows with Heaven And Hell, as well our own headline show in Osaka. We can't wait to enjoy the food, culture and of course the shows once again. This will be our third trip over to Japan, and it looks to be the biggest and best tour there yet! After that we take a quick 10-hour trip down to our Aussie fans to join up with Machine Head and Arch Enemy for what is sure to be a legendary tour!!! Australia has been amazing to Trivium, so we knew we needed to return one last time before we finished the touring cycle. We are happy to be able to kick off the Black Crusade down under! "Fast forward a few weeks and we have reached the home stretch of touring for 'The Crusade' in what is shaping up to be a great end of the year with the Black Crusade going across the UK and Europe! This will be the last time you will see us for some time since we will be starting the new album in early 2008. "Thanks for all the support you give us; we can never thank you enough!!" www.trivium.org

MACHINE HEAD footage with replacement bassist

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:33:58 +1000

The first video footage has surfaced of Machine Head performing with temporary bassist Brandon Sigmund from fellow San Francisco Bay Area metal band Hostility. A six-minute fan-filmed clip of the band's live rendition of the song "Aesthetics of Hate" recorded on September 7, 2007 at the Glasshouse in Pomona, California can be viewed here. Sigmund is the temporary replacement for regular Machine Head bassist Adam Duce, who was forced to sit out the trek after suffering a broken leg while dirt biking in Redding, CA. Also joining the band onstage to reproduce Adam's backing vocals is Jared MacEachern of tourmates Sanctity. We're really stoked to have found guys as killer as Brandon and Jared to help us through this situation," Machine Head drummer Dave McClain previously said in a statement. Duce's leg is healing normally and he's currently on track to rejoin the band for the rest of their 2007 tour schedule, starting with their Loudpark 07 date in Japan on October 20. www.machinehead1.com

The CAVALERA CONSPIRACY

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:08:42 +1000

Brazilian metal titans Max and Igor Cavalera have commenced writing and recording new material for the first time in 12 years, since recording Sepultura's Roots in 1995. The new project, named Cavalera Conspiracy, features the Cavalera brothers (Max on vocals and rhythm guitar and Igor on drums), Soulfly guitarist Marc Rizzo and Joe Duplantier from Gojira on bass. Rex Brown (Pantera, Down) cameos on bass on one track. Another track features a collaboration with Max, Joe and Richie Cavalera (Incite) on vocals. Monte Conner, Roadrunner Senior VP of A&R recently visited the band in the studio. "Having stopped by the studio, I can tell you the magic between Max and Igor is still there. When these brothers play together, it's like the planets align," he says. "Igor's playing is simply on fire, and as always, Max continues to have one of the most recognizable and powerful voices in all of metal. It was great to see both Max and Igor with such big smiles on their faces." This long-anticipated reunion between the Cavalera brothers is something fans across the globe have been clamoring for since Sepultura's last gig in December 1996. Hailing from Belo Horizonte in central Brazil, Sepultura have gained a reputation as the one of the most highly regarded and successful death/thrash metal bands of all time, with two Gold albums under their belts - Chaos A.D. (1994) and Roots (1996). "When Igor, and I met at the 10th Annual D-Low Memorial Show and got the instruments in our hands, it was like we had never been separated. The metal was flowing in our veins," comments Max. "It was the same in the studio." Recording took place this past July at Undercity Studios in Los Angeles, with Logan Mader (ex Machine Head guitarist). Mixing at Undercity is currently underway. The still untitled record is tentatively slated for a February 2008 release. Among the 11 songs set to appear are: "Inflikted," "Bloodbrawl," "Holy Poison," "The Doom Of All Fires," "Ultra-Violent" and "My Sanctuary." A B-side cover of the Possessed death/thrash classic "The Exorcist" was also recorded. Click HERE to see the Cavalera Conspiracy's first official photo, and don't delay in joining their official MySpace page as a friend. A full-fledged Cavalera Conspiracy website is in the works now, so until then, stay tuned to www.roadrunnerrecords.co.za for news.

Interview with DIVINE HERESY's Tim Yeung

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:01:11 +1000

Blistering.com have posted a feature inteview with Tim Yeung discussing the release of the Divine Heresy album. Click here to read it.

MEGADETH update from the road

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:58:29 +1000

Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine has posted the following message in the "Forums" section of the band's official web site: "It is September 10th and I am back in the area I lived in when this all started. There is something very mysterious to me still everytime I come here. "I will always love having lived here in the Bay Area. We are going out on the town tonight in the Wharf and see The City. "Thanks for making the tour kick so much ass so far! We have been digging on playing again and each day, each time we play together we get closer as a band and closer as people. "I am super excited that James [Lomenzo; bass] is moving down near my family and what we are going to dig up as we get ready to start creating music from all of the energy coming off of these shows! "We need an outlet and writing and jamming are two different things for us. We are still making adjustments with some stuff on the tour because it is just starting still. "And I am impressed with what I have seen of 'The Confession', and as I said before 'In This Moment' are doing great! "I am rooting for the Bengals because I can't stand Ray Lewis, and for I am not sure about tonight's game; I lived in both Arizina and SF. "So, I am off to experience the San Francisco excellence. www.megadeth.com

OPETH honours heavy metal legends!

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:23:45 +1000

Swedish metallers Opeth have issued the following update: "A memorable evening for any Opeth fan took place on September 8th and 9th at the notorious Anchor Bar in central Stockholm, Sweden. Martin Mendez (bass), Axe [Martin Axenrot; drums] and Fredrik Åkesson [guitar] played a full-on heavy metal cover set fronted by Mats Levén [KRUX, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION]." The group's setlist was as follows (in no particular order): 01. Fast As A Shark (ACCEPT) 02. Disturbing The Priest (BLACK SABBATH) 03. Mob Rules (BLACK SABBATH) 04. Hole In The Sky (BLACK SABBATH) 05. Welcome Home (KING DIAMOND) 06. Welcome Home (Sanitarium) (METALLICA) 07. Painkiller (JUDAS PRIEST) 08. Victim Of Changes (JUDAS PRIEST) Opeth's phenomenal album, Ghost Reveries, is in stores now. Own this to have your own piece of metal history! www.opeth.com

WITHIN TEMPTATION photos posted!

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:15:53 +1000

Within Temptation kicked off their North American tour last week in the US. Check out some photos from their show in Philly on Bravewords.com at this location. Within Temptation's haunting new album, The Heart Of Everything, is in stores now! www.within-temptation.com

Phil Anselmo's 2nd DOWN blog installment

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 16:29:30 +1000

Down frontman, Phil Anselmo, updates us on his personal blog where he pays homage to victims of the tragic hurricane Katrina. Check his blog out first hand here. Down's Roadrunner debut album, III - Over The Under, is in stores 24th of September. Prepare yourselves for an earcrusher! www.down-nola.com

Mickey Mouse hates MACHINE HEAD

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 16:12:03 +1000

And won't have their antics in his house! Machine Head's official web site reads: "In a stunning last-minute move, Walt Disney Properties have pressured promoter Live Nation into canceling Machine Head's performance tomorrow night at the House of Blues venue in Anaheim (on their Disneyland property). Citing violent imagery, undesirable fans and inflammatory lyrics as the reason, the diversity-impaired corporation began pressuring the promoter on Saturday to cancel all upcoming heavy metal concerts, placing Machine Head under an internal 'review process' that took 5 days before bothering to convey their alarming decision to the band late yesterday, less than 48 hours before their Black Tyranny Tour was to kick off at House of Blues Anaheim on Friday night. "While the enactment of this new blanket rule applies to all upcoming heavy metal shows at the House Of Blues Anaheim (with some metal bands having been banned from performing on name alone), Machine Head is the first band to actually have tickets go on sale, and remain on sale for 2 months, before intense pressure and vague threats of liability from the Corporation left the promoter with no choice but to remove the show from the venue. www.machinehead1.com

HATEBREED Bassist launches clothing line

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:33:53 +1000

Hatebreed bassist Chris Beattie has launched a clothing line called Bridgeport Republic. "Bridgeport Republic is dedicated to reflecting individuality with a universal line of quality apparel which honors and represents an independent yet unified lifestyle rooted in the streets," says Beattie. "We plan to inspire a whole new generation and breathe new life into the way apparel industry." For more information, visit www.bridgeportrepublic.com. Hatebreed has just finished pummeling audiences across North America as the headlined of the second stage at Ozzfest 2007. Check the awesome photos here! www.hatebreed.com

Audio interview with DREAM THEATER frontman James LaBrie

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:28:17 +1000

A new audio interview with Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie has been posted on the band's Haystack page. In the interview he talks about the current U.S. tour, his solo album, the music industry, etc. A 20-minute audio interview with Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess conducted on August 11 by "Démentièllement Vôtre" on Québec City's CKRL 89.1FM has been posted online at this location. Rudess talks about his solo CD, "The Road Home", and Dream Theater's latest release, "Systematic Chaos". Dream Theater's video for the song "Constant Motion" has been posted on YouTube. The track comes off "Systematic Chaos", which has sold 86,000 copies in the United States since its June 5 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. www.dreamtheater.net

Hear a new cut from THE CULT

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 00:57:07 +1000

With a new album on the horizon, you can download a brand new track NOW! Forged in the Sonic Temple, the second cut from The Cult's forthcoming album 'Born Into This' is available now - Check out 'I Assassin' here. While waiting, why don't u check out the 'Born Into This' E-card right here! www.thecult.us

Great DIVINE HERESY Review!

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 00:49:49 +1000

The Metal Forge have offered up their thoughts on Dino Cazares' Divine Heresy debut. An excerpt reads, 'Opening up with the title track 'Bleed The Fifth', the band immediately set the tone and lay the template down in just over three minutes, with Cazares' machine gun tight knit riffing (Bar the brief solo midway through the track) locking into an inescapable groove with Yeung's precision drumming, while Cummings' vocals are aggressive, yet clear and strong in the melodic sense. The follow-up track 'Failed Creation' broadens the technical death metal aspect of the opener to allow Cummings to put in a little more melody within the chorus. Read the entire review here Check out the 'Bleed The Fifth' E-Card here! You won't be disappointed! Divine Heresy's 'Bleed The Fifth' is in stores now!

MACHINE HEAD provoke outrage!

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:45:54 +1000

The official Machine Head website has posted the following message: "Machine Head's 'Best Album' win at last Thursday's Kerrang! Awards over pop-rock powerhouses My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy has apparently cut deep with fans of both bands, prompting a flood of angry whining and sad-faced emoticons on the Kerrang! message boards. Machine Head's upset victory over the multi-platinum softcore acts sent their inherently sensitive fans into an emotional frenzy, building into a tizzy of unparalleled proportions. Wrought with dismay, polished fingernails the world over lashed out at the band and metal as a whole with diatribes the likes of 'MCR really should have won!!! I'm mad now!!!!' 'What a load of shit, who the fuck listens to them?' and "Stupid Machine Head!!' at times stooping so low as to say the competition was fixed, and often gravely endangering the integrity of their carefully sideswept hair with posts like 'I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL.' "Not surprisingly, Machine Head fans responded en masse to the tirades, lashing back in defense of the band and the undisputed quality of the album, citing critical praise, technicality, songwriting and fan response to 2007's 'The Blackening', as well as the band's influence on and history within their genre, with the occasional 'Machine Head piss all over anything MCR have ever done" thrown in for good measure. "To much less Internet-based commotion, the band also took home the 'Hard Rock Hero' award, netting them two Kerrang! awards for the first time since 'Burn My Eyes' where they received 'Best International Band' and 'Best Video' for 'Davidian'." The Official Machine Head Website

Vote for DELAIN!

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:42:00 +1000

This year, a new category will be introduced at the European MTV Awards (EMA's), called 'New Sounds of Europe". 18 MTV-countries have nominated 4 relatively new artists. In Holland, these 4 artists played during an event on the 25th of August at the mainstage of the Uitmarkt in Amsterdam, in front of a crowd of 25.000 people! One of the participating Dutch artists is Roadrunner Record’s own Delain, and the event was broadcasted live on MTV. From the 1st of September, people are able to vote for the 4 nominees, and 1 will be able to proceed to the next round. In this round, 18 artists from 18 countries will compete against eachother. The 3 artists with the most votes will be invited to play on the EMA's in Munich (Germany). During the EMA's, people will be able to vote for their favorite artist with a live voting module; and the winning artist will close the EMA's during a worldwide, live broadcast. Please vote for Delain and give them the chance to play at the EMA’s! Voting instructions: - Visit the following website: The Official MTV EMA Website - highlight Delain and click on "stemmen" All done! and it only took 5 seconds of your time! Spread the word and make sure that Delain plays at the European MTV awards!! www.delain.nl

3 INCHES OF BLOOD Ozzfest interview

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:46:53 +1000

Heavymetalsource.com caught up with the sword-wielding, orc-killing guys from 3 Inches Of Blood at Ozzfest check out what they had to say here! Also check out photos of the guys in action at Ozzfest here! 3 Inches Of Blood's latest beast of an album 'Fire Up The Blades' is in stores now! www.3inchesofblood.com

Have a lekker feast with STILL REMAINS' Mike Church!

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 16:44:57 +1000

Watch out Jamie Oliver! Still Remains' Church brings us the season 1 finale of Cooking with Church. Want to make the perfect summer meal? Watch the video here! Still Remains's The Serprent is in stores now! www.stillremains.com www.youtube.com/stillremains www.myspace.com/stillremains

THEORY OF A DEADMAN prepare for a return

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 16:30:02 +1000

That's right: Theory of a Deadman are currently hard at work inside Bay 7 Studios in Los Angeles recording their 3rd, as yet untitled, album for Roadrunner, with a release scheduled for early 2008. The guys have been off the road for a few months now, ever since wrapping up support of 2005's hit-studded Gasoline CD, and have a new batch of songs in hand, ready to record. So they've kindly started documenting the work-in-progress and posted the first f many behind-the-scenes clips to their official MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/theoryofadeadman Make sure you join their network of friends while you're there and stay tuned for much more Theory of a Deadman news in the coming months.

DEVILDRIVER interviewed by FaceCulture

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 16:28:41 +1000

Holland's FaceCulture recently conducted an interview with DevilDriver's Dez Fafara. Watch the four-part chat at this location. DevilDriver held a listening party for its third album, The Last Kind Words" on July 27 at On the Rocks above the Roxy in Hollywood, California. Full Metal Jackie of Hollywood Music TV attended the event, where she conducted interviews with a couple of the DevilDriver bandmembers and director Nathan Cox (Queens of the Stone Age, Marilyn Manson, System of a Down) who worked with the group on their clip for the song "Not All Who Wander Are Lost." Watch her report in two parts at YouTube. www.devildriver.com www.myspace.com/devildriver www.youtube.com/devildrivertube

Vinyl Roadrunner titles available online

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:17:36 +1000

Wanna get you favourite Roadrunner titles on vinyl?! Well Finestvinyl is now stocking some good 'ol classics and all the new shit in their online store. Titles include: Atreyu - Lead Sails Paper Anchor Misfits - Cuts From The Crypt & Famous Monsters Sepultura - Chaos AD Type O' Negative - Bloody Kisses Hatebreed - Rise Of Brutality Annihilator - Alice In Hell Sepultura - Arise Type O' Negative - October Rust Biohazard - Urban Discipline Life Of Agony - River Runs Red Machine Head - Burn My Eyes & Through The Ashes Of Empires Fear Factory – Demanufacture & Digimortal Slipknot – Slipknot & Iowa & Vol.3 Obituary - Slowly We Rot Killswitch Engage - The End Of Heartache Dog Eat Dog - All Boro Kings Upcoming releases include 'Down - III - Over The Under' and 'The Cult - Born Into This'. Check these ear-crushing products out at Finestvinyl

STILL REMAINS' Bone takes a shot to the gut!

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:13:38 +1000

Still Remains' drummer Bone volunteered for the scientific endeavor of a lifetime: find out what it looks like in slow motion when a belly gets whacked with a shoe. These are the results. Still Remains' The Serpent is in stores now! www.stillremains.com www.youtube.com/stillremains www.myspace.com/stillremains

SOULFLY's Max interviewed by Toazted.com

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:06:26 +1000

Toazted.com sent this interview with Max Cavalera of Soulfly our way this morning. Subjects included Sepultura reunion, Cavalera Conspiracy, and current music. Soulfly will be performing their only U.S. tour date this year at the 11th Annual D-Low Memorial Show. Check it out here. www.soulflyweb.com www.myspace.com/soulfly www.youtube.com/soulfly

Everyone's a Rockstar!

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:22:18 +1000

Unless you've been living under a ROCK or orbiting a distant STAR, you're surely aware that Nickelback's new video for their latest smash, "Rockstar" (yet another hit single from their Platinum monster, All The Right Reasons), is taking over the net with its hilarious combo of celebrity cameos and everyman karaoke. Our friends at AOL Music love "Rockstar" too, and have named it their Popeater Blog's 'Video of the Day'. In short: you can try and resist "Rockstar" all you want, but it'll win you over in the end, so don't be a hater - it's not often that everyone can be a rockstar. www.roadrun.com/rockstar/ www.nickelback.com

DIVINE HERESY play games

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:18:50 +1000

How do you keep a highly acclaimed band interested? Why you play the word association game of course!!! Roadrunner Germany met up with Divine Heresy’s Dino Cazares and Tony Cummings and you can watch the video clip here. Check out the new e-card featuring the new video for ‘Failed Creation’, photo gallery and tour dates, get it at this location. The guys will be taking part in the ‘Operation Annihilation’ tour in support of their album ‘Bleed The Fifth’: "DIVINE HERESY couldn't be more excited to be a part of the 'Operation Annihilation' tour playing alonside some of my closest friends. This is the perfect way for us to kick off the worldwide touring cycle for our debut album, and be sure to get there early because we are the first band of the night. We promise everyone an extremely intense and unrelenting show as we have only one goal in mind: to annihilate everyone in the crowd. We look forward to meeting you all soon." Commented Cazares You can check out the video for ‘Failed Creation’ at YouTube.

ATREYU talk to UVTV

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:15:21 +1000

During the recent family values tour, Atreyu guitarist Travis Miguel took time to chat with Underground Video Television (UVTV). He gives insights into learning to play bass guitar, musical influences, and their first record deal, you can watch the interview a UVTV. Lead Sails Paper Anchor is the latest colossal release from the guys, check it out here! www.atreyurock.com

South Park do TRIVIUM

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:40:10 +1000

Trivium.com have uploaded a hysterical video the the Trivium boys as South Park characters. To watch this video CLICK HERE. Trivium's Official Website

Phil Anselmo's view on DOWN III

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:20:58 +1000

One of the world's most renowned metal singers Phil Anselmo is keeping a blog. Check it out! This is Philip's personal communication to the band's loyal fan base and gives a first-hand account the tragedy, isolation, rebirth and ultimate triumph of one of the most important band's of our time. "Hurricane Katrina has been documented over and again, so I can only write about how it affected myself, and DOWN directly. "After the mandatory evacuation, every family member, friend, etc. were displaced all over the country for some time. Phone lines ripped down, cell phones useless, no communication. I was in a motel in Houston TX. Overlooking the thunderous 5/6 lane highway of endless congestion below, in sweltering heat. It was a tiny room, with my ol' lady, our two dogs, our cat, two bags, and an ice cooler, for a month and a half. "Two months after that, as some semblance of order was restored, we started jamming as a full band at Nodferatu's Lair. We eventually did a demo of some of the new songs with David 'The Puma' Troia (bad-ass). From there we picked what we felt were the strongest tracks. "The making of the new DOWN, has been by far the hardest recording process I personally have EVER done, and every other band member concur. "We are all visionaries, and the battle to refocus, and pull together, is a tale that only long time musicians can tell, or relate to. "IT WAS A WAR!!!!!! "However we know we have won that war. Regardless, in November of 2005, I had a triple fusion in my lower back, held together by titanium rods. Since then, from learning how to take my first steps again, through physical therapy (REHAB DYNAMICS!!!), which taught me positive pain, put regiment into my life, and changed a big part within the psychology of myself. There were no time for hangovers anymore. Because, from February on, I was awake at 9:30 a.m., at physical therapy 'till 4:00 p.m., come straight to band practice, which lasted 'till midnight or later/eat/sleep/five nights a week. My workouts became obsessive. I was pushed to limits that astounded myself, the trainers, the surgeon, and most neurosurgery 'experts.' Today, I am a better man. I am hardly limited. I haven't been this strong physically or mentally since I was 23-24 years old. All of this work was for a purpose: the oncoming of the new DOWN." See Anselmo's blog first hand Down's 'III - Over The Under' will unleash itself September 24th! Down Official Website

DIVINE HERESY's Dino Cazares interviewed by Planet-Loud.com

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:14:28 +1000

Dino Cazares from Divine Heresy is interviewed by Planet-loud.com. He talks about his amazing guitar playing innovations, his relationship with Fear Factory and his ambitions with Divine Heresy. To read this amazing interview CLICK HERE.

Fast Focus on DREAM THEATER

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:09:30 +1000

Dream Theater were recently the subjects of PBS TV's Fast Focus documentary series, and they've been kind enough to provide the following streaming LINK for all those who missed the TV broadcast. Catch Dream Theater on TOUR now, as they continue to support their magnificent new album, Systematic Chaos, with a string of European dates, and of course sample music, images and words via the band's ECARD. www.dreamtheater.net

MACHINE HEAD tear Kerrang awards apart!

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:19:17 +1000

Machine Head were the winners of 2 awards at the star studded Kerrang awards, as their stunning new album, The Blackening, beat out competition from Biffy Clyro, Enter Shikari and Fall Out Boy, to win BEST ALBUM honors; then scooped up a special HARD ROCK HERO award because...well, they rule basically! Click HERE for a complete list of Kerrang Award winners, and a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who voted! www.machinehead1.com

STILL REMAINS T.J. Miller talks about 'The Seprent'

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 23:44:24 +1000

Simon Milburn of Australia's The Metal Forge recently conducted an interview with STILL REMAINS vocalist T.J. Miller. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow: On signing with Roadrunner Records: "(It was) kinda weird. When we got signed to Roadrunner, we're written about 12 songs total as a band. We didn't know who we were, what we wanted to do... we weren't mature at all as far as being musicians. But there was something that Roadrunner saw in STILL REMAINS that took their liking and we're just really thankful. We don't know what that was. It seemed to work for them and it's working great for us. We were just a bunch of kids just really excited that a big label was interested in us, y'know? That was something that we could never dream about having and it worked out." On working with acclaimed producer Steve Evetts on the band's latest CD, The Serpent": "Steve was somebody who kind of stuck out to us after we had heard the last STORY OF THE YEAR album. We had heard that he is definitely a vocal producer and that's one thing that I really wanted to work with. I really wanted to work with somebody that could really push me as a singer and to bring out my personality. He's worked with some remarkable bands that we are big fans of. He's worked with THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN. He's work with THE CURE. He's worked with HATEBREED, SEPULTURA…all these bands that we love the records. He's got a good sound. He's got a good mind. We actually finished our record and we decided, 'Man, we'd probably never go with another producer again,' and we want him to do our next record and the one after that, and the one after that… He's just a great producer. That's what we needed for the first album." On having the new album mixed by ex-MACHINE HEAD guitarist Logan Mader: “We didn't have too many options for mixers. We kept going back and forth and back and forth. Logan's name came about and we were like, 'Yeah, let's see what he can do. Let's see what he's got.' So, he sent over a test mix of one of the songs and we liked it. We actually had somebody mix the record before Logan. I won't say who. Somebody did mix the record. We weren't happy with how it sounded and I don't want to rub that in his face and I don't want mention his name. I just don't really think that that guy got really what we were trying to do. Then Logan tried a test mix and we were like, 'Oh my gosh! This is a million times better than what we were hearing before,' and we decided to go with him. He was really easy to work with. He was talking to Jordan a lot through the mixes and Jordan was kinda playing the middle man between us and him. He would look over all our notes and he really respected what the band had to say about the mixes and about how we wanted it to sound. It was just good working with that guy." On the new album's lyrical direction: "I've just grown up a lot. I realize that if there's something in my head, I shouldn't be afraid to say it. I shouldn't be afraid to express how I feel. That's what art is – it's an expression. For this album, I guess my personality as a whole, there's some things that I experienced in my childhood that I never really wanted to talk about. Some memories are pretty painful and some things that I experienced with my family when I was being raised were pretty out of this world. I just thought to myself, 'There's probably a lot of young people in the world that are going through the same things that I saw, and maybe if I write about this and somebody reads it, they won't feel like they're alone. They'll be like 'Wow, I can relate to this guy.'' That's what I want to do with out music. Besides just write awesome songs, I want to make a difference in this world. I want to impact people, and give them something to help them with whatever they are dealing with." Read the entire interview at www.themetalforge.com.

MACHINE HEAD's Adam Duce to miss US tour

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 17:06:07 +1000

Adam Duce To Miss U.S. Tour Due To Broken Leg In an unfortunate turn of events, Machine Head bassist Adam Duce will miss this Fall's highly-anticipated Black Tyranny Tour in the U.S. due to a broken leg suffered while dirt biking in Redding, CA. Initially thought to be nothing more than a bad sprain, x-rays later confirmed the break, which required surgery to attach a steel plate and two screws to the broken bone. A disappointed Duce laments, "It sucks to be in this position, because we have such a killer tour set up for the end of the summer and now we'll have to find a replacement for me. I've never missed one show that this band has ever played up to this point and I never thought I would see the day when Machine Head would be playing and I wouldn't be on stage." The band are currently rehearsing with temporary bassist candidates and are in the final stages of selecting Duce's replacement, the details of which will be announced as soon as they are determined. All Black Tyranny dates in the U.S. will go on as scheduled, and Duce will be returning for the Australian and European legs of The Black Crusade Tour, beginning with the band's Loudpark date in Japan. www.machinehead1.com

TRIVIUM thrash out 'To The Rats'

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 17:02:43 +1000

Trivium's video for their brilant , sure-to-be thrash classic 'To The Rats' taken from their latest offering, The Crusade, has been uploaded on the site. Watch it here in the band's video section. Check out photos of Trivium on the Family Values tour here! www.trivium.org www.myspace.com/trivium www.youtube.com/trivium

New interview with DEVILDRIVER's Dez Fafara

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:21:03 +1000

HeavyMetalSource.com has posted a video interview with Devildriver frontman Dez Fafara conducted on August 18, 2007 at the New England Dodge Music Center in Hartford, CT. Watch it here. Photos of the Ozzfest concert in Hartford can be found at this location. Devildriver's third album, "The Last Kind Words" is in stores now! As previously reported, Devildriver's video for the song 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost' has been posted on YouTube. The clip was shot in Los Angeles with director Nathan Cox.

DAATH Ozzfest 2007 photos

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:22:24 +1000

We just received some excellent photos of Daath on Ozzfest 2007 from Adrienne Darnell (LadyLush). See the whole gallery here. Daath's The Hinderers is in stores now so do yourself a massive favour and go check it out! www.daathmusic.com www.myspace.com/daath www.youtube.com/daathmusic

The ATREYU Webisodes!

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 23:58:09 +1000

Atreyu posted webisodes of their preparation for their briliant brand new album 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor' awhile ago online. Lead Sails Paper Anchor will be released on the 27th of August. Here is the complete collection of these webisodes for you to enjoy in all their gigantic glory! Webisode #1: Features interviews with the band members: Windows Media Version Webisode #2: Drummer Brandon Saller gets up close and personal: Windows Media Version Webisode #3: Bassist Mark McKnight's approach to his bass tracking: Windows Media Version Webisode #4: Guitarist Dan Jacob melting his fret board: Windows Media Version www.atreyurock.com

DOWN's Phil Anselmo chats about the last 5 years

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:28:39 +1000

Chronicling the last five years in the preparation of Down’s new album ‘III – Over the Under’ Phil Anselmo will be updating the official Down website over the coming month with all the highs and lows until the release of the album. It is Phil’s personal communication with Down’s loyal fan base. You can see the first instalment below: "It is clear that I have not personally addressed the people. Fans of the music I've created with other bands old and new, and more importantly the new Down venture. Nor have I made any statements via Internet, radio, 'music' magazines, 'music' television, etc. I apologize, in all humbleness to the loyal, but today is the now, and I choose to communicate on my own terms. In my own words. "Here is the story of Down – 'Over the Under': "The end of 04' into 05' were two of the worst years for myself, everyone I know, or ever have, in the history of our young lives. A time of mourning of the highest gravity, I cannot put it into any form of explanation here, nor will I attempt to. (R.I.P. Darrell, in the true spirit of the most lofty love). "Rex [Brown, bass] and I remained in constant contact. We had our separate therapists, in separate states, however, most importantly, we had one another for extended, real, therapy, then, and now. "Later, in June (05'), after months of grief, that seemed like decades, I had just been cleared for neurosurgery. I was ecstatic. "I was asked to jam with Eyehategod (unforgettable!) in New York at CBGB. The day before we did the gig, I was turned on to an incredible band named Witchcraft (first LP)/(respect and love to all of you!!) I was at Paul Booth's 'Last Rites' tattoo shop with EHG (much love brother!/thanks Sarah). The music blew me, and everyone else in the room away. Something else was out there. Being played pure and real. Jimmy Bower and I made eye contact, and telepathy ran its course between us. The first person I thought of was Pepper Keenan [Down guitarist]... "I hadn't seen him in two years. It was my obligation, and need, to reach out. I did the gig, got on a plane back to New Orleans, took a cab straight to Pep's house, and beat on his door at a well past 10:00 p.m. with the Witchcraft CD in tow. He opened the door, surprised and glad to see me. We sat and caught up for a while, then listened to the CD from the beginning 'till the last note. I noticed he would glance at me, and I at him acknowledging the classic and clever turnarounds and subtle hooks. I felt the telepathy. After the listening session, I told him of my 'awakening,' my upcoming medical agenda, and that I was 'returned.' I called a cab, and when it arrived, we hugged one another, and looked each other in the eye, and I saw his trepidation. I felt it. I had A LOT to prove. And my actions would have to speak volumes, to everyone close to me, who had to walk away, but I had planted a seed. The seed. "I got home, and over the next few days, and made some imperative phone calls. I called Jim, whom I knew would be ecstatic that Pepper and I had finally made contact, and all went well. I was also very proud to be with Jim. He and I had been through so much together, and to have him as a part of my life, and ours (any and everybody!!!), is an honor. The only drummer for Down. Jim is also one of the most underrated drummers today. "More importantly, Jim was in. "I called Rex, and once again, telepathy, was obviously in epidemic proportion between us all. He was ready, waiting for the word. His own gears were already in motion, through association with an old, dear friend of ours, that I had lost touch with for over a decade. "Rex was in. "Now, when it comes to Kirk [Windstein, guitar], I have known him the longest. For 27 years it has been a seamless relationship. We know each other so well. There has never been a lie between us. There cannot be and never will. To play in a band together has always been a dream of ours, fulfilled, sporadically, throughout recordings and brief touring. As a person alone, he is as irreplaceable as he is unique. Loved by myself, and all who happen to cross his path in life. He is also irreplaceable as a musician, and a member of Down. I called Kirk with the news, and I already knew what his reply would be, "Kirk was in. "I called Ross Karpelman (keyboards). "Ross was in. "All that was left to do was to have the time to let the seed planted into everyone's psyche begin to take root… "Eventually, we would all sit together, and talk this thing out. The telephone rapport became more frequent between all of us. We were ready to jam….Before we realized it, the next few weeks flew by into late August…. Installment II coming soon.

And the winners of the STILL REMAINS Video Contest are...

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:20:54 +1000

The time has come to announce our winner! The winner of the Still Remains video contest for "The Wax Walls of an Empty Room" is...Tyler Schrank. Tyler's masterpiece was the winner with over 9,300 views. The runner up is none other than Zach Roth (ex- Still Remains keyboards) with over 7,800 views. Congratulations guys! Winning Video (Tyler Schrank): Watch it here! Runner Up (Zach Roth): Check it out here!

CRADLE OF FILTH footage from Stufstock Festival

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:15:45 +1000

Fan-filmed video footage of Cradle Of Filth's August 16, 2007 performance at the Stufstock Festival in Romania has been made available for download at www.cradlebulgaria.com. Cradle Of Filth vocalist Dani Filth recently recorded vocals for the theme song to Dario Argento's latest horror/suspense opus "Mother of Tears: The Third Mother". The song, entitled "(She's) The Mother of Tears" was composed by Claudio Simonetti. Simonetti, a veritable legend among horror film scores, is also noted for penning music to such classics as "Dawn of the Dead", "Suspiria", "Phenomena" and several episodes of the popular series "Masters of Horror". Cradle Of Filth is also spreading the darkness over North America this autumn as they are confirmed to headline Bam Margera's Viva La Bands 2007 North American Tour, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink. COF is touring alongside some of Bam Margera's other favorite acts, including Gwar, CKY and up-and-comers Vains Of Jenna.

DOWN sign to Roadrunner!

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:04:20 +1000

Roadrunner Records has announce the worldwide signing (excluding North America) of New Orleans-based sludge-doom supergroup DOWN. Their forthcoming third album, "III - Over the Under" will be released on September 24th. Roadrunner Records prides itself on a roster of bands that are the very best in their genre and DOWN fit that criteria perfectly. Derek Oliver and Dante Bonutto, who brought their A&R skills to Roadrunner Records in November 2006, instigated the deal. They were thrilled to bring DOWN to the Roadrunner stable, stating, "Being involved with this new/third album from DOWN is something we're incredibly excited about. In many ways, 'Over the Under' represents a fresh start for the band; no more external politics, brand new teams taking care of business, nothing to hold the project back — and now of course former PANTERA bassist Rex is involved with the set-up too. As for Phil Anselmo, he's truly the most iconic frontman in the hard rock and metal worlds, a performer totally loved by the fans, who hang on his every word — and he always has something to say! Quite simply, his influence on the scene (both musically and visually) is hard to overestimate." In the summer of 2006, the band embarked on a six-week European headline tour with no opening band, no product, and strictly by word of mouth, proceeded to sell out all 21 shows. Inspired by the response, the band reconnected in New Orleans to begin work on its most ambitious record to date. Having already tapped Warren Riker, who produced DOWN's second release, "II - A Bustle in Your Hedgerow", the band demoed some 18 songs in Nodferatu's Lair, Philip Anselmo's studio in the swamps of Folsom, LA, with engineer David "Puma" Troia. In February of 2007, the band commenced recording on their third and most committed record to date. Recorded in Los Angeles between February and July, with a Canadian tour with HEAVEN AND HELL thrown in just for good measure, 15 songs were ultimately cut for "Over the Under". The result is over 60 minutes of genre-defying music further solidifying their place at the forefront of heavy rock as only DOWN can do. To chronicle the past five years leading up to the release of "III - Over the Under", Philip Anselmo will be placing periodic installments to be released over the course of the next month on the band's web sites leading up to the release of the record. This is Philip's personal communication to the band's loyal fan base and gives a first-hand account the tragedy, isolation, rebirth and ultimate triumph of one of the most important band's of our time. The first installment will appear on August 17 on www.down-nola.com and www.myspace.com/downnola. "III - Over the Under" track listing: 01. 3 Suns And 1 Star 02. The Path 03. N.O.D 04. I Scream 05. On March The Saints 06. Never Try 07. Mourn 08. Beneath The Tides 09. His Majesty The Desert 10. Pillamyd 11. In The Thrall Of It All 12. Nothing In Return (Walk Away)

HATEBREED's Jamey Jasta interview

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:53:53 +1000

Possum of Altitude TV's "Metalogy 101" conducted an interview with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed backstage at Ozzfest 2007. Jamey dishes on being manhandled by the Prince of Darkness, the insanity of "Freefest" and playing with Lamb Of God. Watch the two-and-a-half-minute clip here! Hatebreed recently debuted its new video for "Destroy Everything" as a MySpace "Exclusive Video Premiere." Watch the clip at this location. The "Destroy Everything" video was directed by Martin Kames and filmed during the band's With Full Force festival performance. The clip marks the second video from the band's 2006 Roadrunner Records release, "Supremacy". Commented frontman Jamey Jasta: "We filmed this video in front of 30,000 raging German fans. It was a show we will never forget and we're very happy to have it captured on film for everyone to see!" www.hatebreed.com

WITHIN TEMPTATION talk about touring the USA

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:40:22 +1000

Chad Bowar of About Heavy Metal recently conducted an interview with WITHIN TEMPTATION vocalist Sharon den Adel. A few excerpts from the chat follow: About Heavy Metal: What has the response been in the United States to "The Heart of Everything"? Sharon den Adel: "We toured in the U.S. a few months ago and we didn't know what to expect when we went over there. We were a support act for LACUNA COIL. A lot of people came to see us even though we only played for 45 minutes. People came from Atlanta to Louisville, which is a really long drive. I was really amazed that so many people came to see us and already knew the music. It was really cool. A lot of them got to know us through MySpace. I think in Europe we underestimate MySpace. It's a lot bigger in the U.S. than here. That's how a lot of people got in contact with us. We were very surprised." About Heavy Metal: Every WITHIN TEMPTATION album has a different vibe and theme. How would you describe "The Heart of Everything"? Sharon den Adel: "We have been inspired by movies and books and, of course, our personal lives. It's about what an individual finds important in life. You have to make choices. It's about the journey toward those choices. If you were to ask me what's important in my life, I would say family, my health, that type of thing. But this is not to tell people what is good in my life, but to ask questions and search for what is good in life. That's why Lady Justice is on the album cover, weighing choices and hopefully making the right choices." About Heavy Metal: You signed with Roadrunner Records. Was the fact that your albums will now be released in the United States part of that decision? Sharon den Adel: "We have been around for some time and have been doing quite well in Europe. That is why America started noticing us, and that's why we got the deal with Roadrunner. They noticed us and thought we might be a good band for them to release in America. That's the way it happened. It was nice coming to America. It's such a different culture. It's another exciting journey." About Heavy Metal: You're coming back to the U.S. for a tour later this fall. Sharon den Adel: "We wanted to come back to America to play a headline show. We had so many good reactions after we played there and were approached by the promoter to come back." About Heavy Metal: Have you had any formal vocal training? Sharon den Adel: "No. But I think I did it the way people do when they are trained. I practiced every day. I was singing three or four hours every day. I grew up with parents who loved music and there was always music in our house. When I heard a song I liked I would rehearse until I could sing it the same way it was supposed to be. It was a challenge for me to be able to sing the songs I really liked. I trained myself that way." Read the entire interview at this location.

New Video Interview with SOULFLY's Max Cavalera

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:33:31 +1000

Andreas Feuerstein of MusigReview.com spoke to SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera on August 12, prior to SOULFLY's show at Event Center in Hohenems, Austria. To watch the interview CLICK HERE.

Learn to shred like STILL REMAINS

Sat, 18 Aug 2007 01:18:10 +1000

Radiohead once said that anyone can play guitar. Oh really Mr. Yorke? Can you play like Jordan and Mike from Still Remains? If you can't, let Still Remains show you how in their new guitar lesson. www.stillremains.com www.youtube.com/stillremains www.myspace.com/stillremains

Exclusive DREAM THEATER Vids

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:15:33 +1000

TheGauntlet.com has posted two exclusive clips from Dream Theater's summer tour. The first is a pre-show mini-tour at the Denver stop brought to you by keyboardsman Jordan Rudess. The second presents you with one of the band's wackier pre-show rituals. Check 'em out here. And of course, the band is out touring in support of its new record Systematic Chaos, a great review of which is available at TransformOnline.com. www.dreamtheater.net www.myspace.com/dreamtheater www.youtube.com/dreamtheater

Destroy Everything with HATEBREED

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:13:11 +1000

Connecticut hardcore/metal legends, Hatebreed, have just announced they will debut their new live concert video for "Destroy Everything" as a Myspace Exclusive Video Premiere. The destruction can be experienced by going to the "music" section under the www.myspace.com main page on Thursday, August 16th. Check out what Jamey has to say about their new video, "Destroy Everything": "We filmed this video in front of 30,000 raging German fans. It was a show we will never forget and we're very happy to have it captured on film for everyone to see!" "Destroy Everything" was directed by Martin Kames and filmed during their live With Full Force performance. The "Destroy Everything" video marks the second video from the band's 2006 Roadrunner Records Supremacy release. For other updates and other Hatebreed related news, please check out www.hatebreed.com and www.myspace.com/hatebreed.

On the road with ATREYU

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:29:11 +1000

Guitarist Travis Miguel demonstrates life on the road for Atreyu in the video below. With their new album 'Lead Sails, Paper Anchor' slated for a August 27th release date, see just how glamorous life on the road is for Atreyu! Watch the video www.atreyurock.com

TRIVIUM Photos from Family Values

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:15:04 +1000

MetalInjection.net dropped us a note to let us know they've posted a new photo gallery of Trivium pictures taken by Trevor Campbell. These photos were taken on July 25th at the Michigan stop of the tour with Korn. Find Family Values tour dates here. www.trivium.org www.myspace.com/trivium www.youtube.com/trivium

Outstanding DEVILDRIVER Review!

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:42:46 +1000

Keith Bergman wrote a truly excellent review of DevilDriver's new album The Last Kind Words which has been posted to Blabbermouth.net. Bergman essentially calls the album DevilDriver's magnum opus, and we agree wholeheartedly. FREE MP3 of "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" www.devildriver.com www.myspace.com/devildriver www.youtube.com/devildrivertube

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE interviewed on FBRPLUS.COM

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:38:31 +1000

Killswitch Engage were stopped back stage by the folks from Paramore during Warped Tour for a special discussion of Adam's gastrointestinal tract on Fueled By Ramen's fbrplus.com. Check out that plus more Warped Tour video on Fueled By Ramen's site. Killswitch Engage's As Daylight Dies [Special Edition] hits stores on August 27th. To find out when the band is touring and to watch their new video for "Holy Diver" visit their RR.com artist page. www.killswitchengage.com www.myspace.com/killswitchengage www.youtube.com/killswitchengage

CRADLE OF FILTH Members Talk 'Star Wars'

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:03:08 +1000

Star Wars.com reports: Along with their darker influences such as H.P. Lovecraft, John Milton, Clive Barker, "Blood Countess" Elizabeth Bathory, and werewolves (their music found its way on the soundtrack to Ginger Snaps), a few of the CRADLE OF FILTH band members — Dani Filth (vocals), Charles Hedger (guitar) and Dave Pybus (bass) — also are die-hard "Star Wars" fans with impressive toy, comic, book and game collections. All three began their quest as fans at an early age, often daydreaming of Star Destroyers before they could run to the local theater. "I was into 'Star Wars' before I could walk," Hedger says. "I have no memory of the first time I saw 'A New Hope' or 'The Empire Strikes Back'. I just grew up knowing them." "I remember my father taking me to see the first film back in 1977 when I was five and being so overawed by the whole thing," Filth says. "I suppose you could say my first memory would've been seeing the seemingly never-ending underneath of an Imperial Star Destroyer!" Pybus' induction into the Force centered less on the films initially and more on the mysterious merchandise. "Way back in late 1977, just before the first movie was released in the U.K., the collector cards appeared in my local newspaper store," Pybus recalls. "They became popular around school (I was seven at the time) and I managed to save up and buy a few packs. I remember looking through them with my grandfather who unfortunately died before the movie was released a few months or so later. I just remember him being quite interested in the cards with R2-D2 and C-3PO as he'd never seen anything like that before. Saying that, neither had I. Shame he never saw the film. I think he would have liked how it made us kids so happy." Read the entire article at Star Wars.com. Source: Blabbermouth

Get warped with Mike D of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:35:59 +1000

Dave Aguilera of NotMTV caught up with Mike D from metalcore heroes Killswitch Engage at the Warped Tour! Check out what the bassist had to say HERE.

8 Part DREAM THEATER Video Series

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:17:18 +1000

Dream Theater Fans Note: This is killer! Includes the following segments. * Phoenix Before Show * Dallas Backstage * Ant Placement * Kansas City After Show * Signing Autographs * Petrucci Warming Up * Denver Backstage * Smell The Glove??? Watch the clips here

BRUJERIA: Still Matando Gueros...

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:24:23 +1000

When AOL Latino decided to compile a list of the 'Most Controversial Album Covers' around, the unforgettable image gracing Brujeria's debut, Matando Gueros, was understandably a shoe-in! Don't remember it? Then go HERE and click PROXIMO a couple times to be reminded of its horror once again. Oh, and to stream the album's, ummm, decapitating title track, visit RR.com's Music page, under the Classic Track heading.