Archive News Apr 27, 2001

According to informed sources, the UK's PITCHSHIFTER are still in talks with Sanctuary Records about a possible deal, and if all goes well, the band are hoping to begin recording a new album before the end of the summer. Vocalist JS Clayden recently confirmed that the group 'are talking to the labels that we think will be right for the band at this juncture in our musical evolution,' and added that 'this LP will go ahead on time even if I have to find the money myself!!' At the moment, PITCHSHIFTER is focusing intensively on the songwriting process and they hope to make an announcement regarding a new deal shortly.

CRADLE OF FILTH's forthcoming album (and the band wish to make it clear that this is a full-length 'album' and NOT an EP!),Bitter Suites To Succubi, will include an enhanced, CD-ROM music video of the track 'Born In A Burial Gown', which is a new song included on the upcoming release. It will be a digital track only playable on your PC through the CD-ROM drive. Bitter Suites To Succubi is due to be released on on June 18th in Europe and June 19th in the USA.

Ozzy Osbourne's wife/manager Sharon Osbourne has announced that next year's UK Ozzfest will return to 'the home of metal' — Donington. Osbourne made the announcement at the premiere of the feature-length Ozzfest rockumentary, We Sold Our Souls For Rock N' Roll, at London's I Max cinema.

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'We wanted to play Donington this year but STEREO-whatever-the-f.ck-they're-called-PHONICS had a clause put in their contract preventing anyone else from playing there this summer, but we'll definitely be at Donington next year!', stated Sharon.

CROWBAR are due to begin recording their upcoming studio album during May at former UGLY KID JOE guitarist Dave Fortman's North Shore Recording Studio. The as-yet-untitled effort-the group's first with new drummer Tony Costanza (ex-CRISIS/MACHINE HEAD)-is tentatively due to be released before the end of the year. CROWBAR will also be embarking on a European tour during June. So far, only one UK date has been announced — June 19th at Dudley JB's.

KISS will be the subject of a two-hour documentary on VH1 this summer called KISS: The Hottest Band in the World, which is being produced by Tommy Thayer, the band's tour manager and long-time associate who also previously produced the Second Coming DVD/VHS and the Showtime pay-per-view special. Thayer is also producing on the long-awaited KISS boxed set, which will be out later this year, and confirms there's 'a good chance' there will be future dates in 'other parts of the world to complete the Farewell Tour.'

Former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN vocalist Mark Boals has finally accepted MALMSTEEN's invitation to take part in the guitarist's upcoming Japanese and European tours in the place of the recently-departed Jorn Lande, who left the axeman's US tour prior to the group's scheduled performance in Cleveland on April 8th. Boals has reportedly received the final draft of his contract with YNGWIE and is leaving for Florida today to begin rehearsing for the upcoming tour. According to an official statement, 'Mark decided to [join] the tour simply because [he wanted] to help YNGWIE's tour and meet Mark's fans' great expectation. Mark always trusts his fans [to know what's] best. The things which begin from pure good will should always bring good results.'

CATHEDRAL's April 29th gig in Gothenburg, Sweden has been cancelled, and the band will perform in Malmo on the 29th instead (one day ahead of the group's previously scheduled appearance there on the 30th).

SIX FEET UNDER have completed the mixing process for their new album, entitled True Carnage, which is scheduled for a late summer release through Metal Blade Records. According to frontman Chris Barnes, 'the mix sounds extremely powerful. (Mixer) Dave Schiffman did a killer job bringing out the animal in SIX FEET UNDER.' SIX FEET UNDER will begin production of the music video for the song 'The Day The Dead Walked' this weekend, with Barnes assuming the role of producer, Dave Roth directing and Paul Booth in charge of the special effects and art direction. The uncut version of the completed video will be featured on the True Carnage album as as a limited edition CD-ROM bonus track. Barnes promises that 'we're gonna get bloody with this one.'

VICIOUS RUMORS will reportedly record their performance at this year's Bang Your Head festival (taking place on June 29-30 in Balingen, Germany) for a second live album entitled Plug In and Hang On II — Live in Germany, due out in September. (source: renegade2k.com)

In the wake of the recent Dynamo Open Air cancellation due to the threat of the spread of the foot and mouth disease, the fate of the Dutch Waldrock festival (taking place June 30th near the town of Bergum-Friesland) is said to be uncertain, with the festival's organizers having postponed the pre-sale of the tickets until June 1st. Artists scheduled to perform at this year's festival include: BIOHAZARD, DEFTONES, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and DEVIN TOWNSEND.

THE MISFITS, along with Robo and Dez from BLACK FLAG, will be making the following in-store appearances:

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- Saturday April 28th: Tower Records - 2301 North Clark St. Chicago, IL, 6-9 PM

- Monday April 30th: The Alley - 3228 North Clark St. Chicago, IL, 2-5 PM

Former DOKKEN and current LYNCH MOB guitarist George Lynch is heading to LA this weekend to record the track 'Shy Boy' for an upcoming Steve Vai tribute CD. In other LYNCH news, there is a possibility of a LYNCH MOB / RATT tour taking place during the summer, with the initial dates happening around July 20th.

Former VAN HALEN/EXTREME vocalist Gary Cherone will be participating in a Boston Rock Opera benefit concert for Mikey Dee, featuring THE BEATLES' landmark album Abbey Road being performed live in concert by a number of different musicians. This one-time-only event will be taking place on Thursday, May 3rd.

Louisville, Kentucky's FLAW have been tracking their Republic/Universal Records debut at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California with producer David Bottrill (TOOL, NOTHINGFACE, DREAM THEATER, etc.),and will soon move to the Larrabee North Studio in West Hollywood to begin the mixing process for the album, which is tentatively scheduled for a fall release.

Los Angeles death metallers SADISTIC INTENT are currently tracking their new album with producer (and AGENT STEEL guitarist) Bernie Versailles.

36 CRAZYFISTS are currently in pre-production with Scrap 60 Productions in Suffern, NY for their upcoming Roadrunner Records debut, titled Bitterness The Star. Recordings for the album will start on May 1st at Millbrook Sound Studios in NY.

THE BLACK LEAGUE, featuring former SENTENCED frontman Taneli Jarva, will have its Doomsday Sun EP released on 10' vinyl via Finland's Solardisk Records. The release date is set for June 6th, and the pressing will be limited and hand-numbered to 666 copies. The 200 first will be on colored wax, the rest on black wax. For more info, go to: www.solardisk.com

All the recordings for MACHINE HEAD's forthcoming fourth album, entitled Supercharger, will be completed by Tuesday, May 1st. The band are still deciding on a mixer for the album, which is unlikely to surface before September.

Finland's SONATA ARCTICA have delayed the release of their 'Wolf &amp Raven' single by two weeks due to scheduling problems related to the making of an accompanying promo video. The single's new release date is May 21st. The song comes off the group's forthcoming Silence CD, which is scheduled to be issued on July 15th.

The recordings for the debut solo effort from STRATOVARIUS vocalist Timo Kotipelto (as first reported here two days ago) will start at the end of July, with the album itself not scheduled for release before February 2002.

The reunited NWOBHM legends TYGERS OF PAN TANG will have a new track entitled 'Secret Agent' (from the group's forthcoming Mystical album) available on a special budget price double-CD compilation entitled Rock The Nations, which will be released through Z Records on June 12th. Also included will be a special remake of 'The Story So Far' from the group's acclaimed Spellbound album (originally released in 1981),featuring new frontman Tony Liddell. Liddell will also be appearing on another track on the same album, 'The Law', from the LIDDELL, RUSH, THRALL project (featuring Tony Liddell, Billy Rush and legendary guitar ace Pat Thrall). A full-length CD from the project is expected to surface in October.

Sweden's KATATONIA have added more shows to their forthcoming summer tour schedule. Here are the most recent additions:

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June 08 - Istanbul, TUR @ Sold Out Concert Hall

June 09 - Istanbul, TUR @ Sold Out Concert Hall

July 15 - Helsinki, FIN @ Tuska Open Air Metal Fest

Holland's THE GATHERING have been confirmed for Denmark's Roskilde Festival, which is taking place June 29-30. The group's performance will mark their second appearance at the festival (THE GATHERING played Roskilde in 1997),and it will also be the last show of the group's if_then_else tour, which saw the band playing some 20 countries worldwide.

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Here are the upcoming THE GATHERING live dates:

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May 24 - Rotonde Festival, Hirson, FR

June 03/04 - Elastiek Muziek, Hilvarenbeek, NETH

June 16 - Ephebia Festival, Terni, IT

June 24 - H2000 Festival, Omerli, TUR

June 29/30 - Roskilde Festival, Roskilde, DEN

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In other THE GATHERING news, the group's recently released Downfall — the Early Years CD, which was issued through Hammerheart Records, has been the subject of various production errors, with the back trays of the first 10,000 copies (containing a second, bonus live CD) getting mixed up with those of the regular version and vice versa. The band are advising everyone wishing to buy the double-CD version to actually check if there are two CDs inside before buying the product.

Sweden's SABATON will be issuing a new promo CD shortly, featuring songs that were recorded during a couple of different sessions, including the most recent one from Peter Tagtgren's Abyss Studios (the remaining tracks were recorded at Moon Music Studios in the spring of 2000). The full track listing for the CD is as follows (Abyss Studios tracks are denoted by *):

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01. Introduction *

02. Hellrider *

03. Endless Nights

04. Metalizer *

05. Burn Your Crosses

06. The Hammer Has Fallen *

07. Hail To The King

08. Shadows

09. Thunderstorm *

10. Masters Of The World *

11. Guten Nacht (Japan bonus track) *

Former CRIMSON GLORY vocalist Midnight will be releasing a new MP3-demo on Sunday April 28th, 12:00am midnight (central) via his website: www.MidnightsAttic.com. New content has also been added to the site with rare audio, video, and a new message board. Midnight will also be auctioning off some of his private collection of old CRIMSON GLORY items including original handwritten drafts of CRIMSON GLORY songs, and CRIMSON GLORY video performances starting in May.

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