Archive News Aug 17, 2001

Former VOIVOD bassist/vocalist Eric Forrest has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET that he is currently working on a brand new project called E-FORCE (as first reported here on August 7th),in which he is accompanied by guitarist Bryan Donahue (formerly of HOMICIDE) and guitarist/drum programmer Dan Lauzon (formerly of ENTROPY). According to Forrest, the band has been together since May, and they have had a very “productive” writing period since then, with a five-song demo having recently been completed for promotional and shopping purposes. The tracks on the offer are as follows:

...

01. Forest of the Impaled

02. Disorder

03. Psychopath

04. Crypto-Sporidium

05. Scarring

...

Previously described as being in the “MINISTRY-meets-VOIVOD-meets-SLAYER” vein, E-FORCE is certain to please all the “VOIVOD fans who liked the work I did on the Negatron and and Phobos albums,” according to Eric. More information on E-FORCE, including a demo review, will be made available here shortly.

The first few dates for the highly-anticipated Pledge of Allegiance Tour, featuring headliners SLIPKNOT and SYSTEM OF A DOWN, along with RAMMSTEIN, MUDVAYNE, NO ONE and AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE, have been officially announced. Scheduled to begin on September 14th in Rosemont, IL, at the Allstate Arena, the tour will last for six weeks and wrap up on Halloween night in New Jersey. The first installment of this “annual” event is sponsored by Immortal Touring and Events, StreetWise Concepts &amp Culture, No Name Music and The Agency Group and is being booked by Kirby and produced by Kevin Lyman for Immortal Touring and Events. NO ONE will reportedly open the tour from September 14th through October 7th, at which point AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE will take over the opening slot through the final date in New Jersey. The confirmed dates are as follows:

...

Sept. 14 - Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena

Sept. 15 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center

Sept. 16 - Omaha, NE @ Omaha Civic Auditorium

Sept. 18 - Cedar Rapids, IA @ U.S. Cellular Center

Sept. 19 - Madison, WI @ Alliant Energy Center

Sept. 21 - Denver, CO @ Denver Coliseum

Sept. 22 - Colorado Springs, CO @ World Arena

Sept. 25 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena

Sept. 26 - Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome

Sept. 28 - San Jose, CA @ Compaq Center

Sept. 29 - Los Angeles, CA @ LA Forum

Sept. 30 - San Diego, CA @ Cox Arena

Oct. 03 - Phoenix, AZ @ America West Arena

Oct. 06 - Dallas, TX @ Reunion Arena

Oct. 07 - San Antonio, TX @ Alamodome

Oct. 10 - St. Louis, MO @ Savvis Center

Oct. 31 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Continental Airlines Arena (tentative)

SLAYER will be making available a bonus three-track CD, containing the two non-LP tracks recorded during the God Hates Us All sessions—'Addict' and 'Scarstruck'—along with the projected first single 'God Send Death' to all those who pre-order the album through the group's official web site (www.slayer.net) beginning August 20th. In other news, SLAYER will be making a couple of in-store appearances during their Australian tour at the end of August. The first will be in Sydney at Utopia Records on Wednesday, August 29th at 5 PM, and the second will be Toombul Music in Brisbane on Thursday, August 30th at 5 PM.

MARILYN MANSON has reportedly been charged with assaulting a security guard by allegedly rubbing his genital area on the man's head during a concert in Clarkston, Michigan. The singer is being accused of felony fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct along with misdemeanor assault and battery. If convicted, he could face more than two years in prison. According to a statement from Oakland County prosecutor David G. Gorcyca, MANSON was performing at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston on July 20th when he allegedly approached 25-year-old security guard Joshua Keasler from behind while rubbing his own genital area. Clad in a G-string, MANSON then spit on Keasler's head, wrapped his legs around the guard and rubbed his genital area on Keasler's head and neck, the statement said.

ARCH ENEMY have all but confirmed that their planned Japanese tour and appearance at the Beast Feast Festival in Tokyo later this month will have to be cancelled as a result of vocalist Angela Gossow having developed nodules on her vocal cords. In a statement released through the Metal-Is web site (which is closely affiliated with ARCH ENEMY's management company, Sanctuary Management),ARCH ENEMY reveal that Gossow “has been ordered by specialists not to sing at all for at least two months while she undergoes treatment.” As previously reported, ARCH ENEMY had cancelled their scheduled appearance at the Wacken Festival and last night's headlining show in London, UK due to the above-mentioned developments, which are all but certain to sideline the act for the remainder of the year. According to the statement, “the band offer their sincere apologies for the cancellation of the [London] show and are very disappointed that they cannot play it, but feel it is not worth risking causing permanent damage to Angela's voice. They hope to reschedule the London show for later in the year or undertake a British tour early in 2002.”

Veteran NWOBHM act ANGEL WITCH have replaced drummer Scott Higham (currently in SHADOWKEEP) with former TIGERTAILZ skinsman Ace Finchum. The revamped line-up is currently working on songs for the group's forthcoming studio album which is tentatively set to be recorded before the end of the year.

SINERGY guitarist Roope Latvala will be joining Finland's TO/DIE/FOR as a session musician for their upcoming Finnish and continental European live dates. TO/DIE/FOR are still seeking a permanent replacement for the recently-departed J-P and are encouraging interested parties to contact them via: [email protected]. As reported here yesterday, TO/DIE/FOR are tentatively planning to issue their third full-length album, entitled Jaded, in January 2002.

MEGADETH and JVC join forces. Check it out here.

WITCHERY's brand new studio CD, Symphony for the Devil, is scheduled to receive a worldwide release on September 24th.

While in London on August 15-16 for promotional activities related to their forthcoming Supercharger effort, MACHINE HEAD guitarist/vocalist Robert Flynn and guitarist Ahrue Luster reportedly popped down with several members of the Roadrunner Records staff to the Kerrang! club night held every Wednesday at Sound, on Wardour Street in London. Having brought along a promo copy of the new album to Sound, Robert and Ahrue reportedly did a little impromptu DJing and played five new tracks – “American High”, “Bulldozer”, “Crashing Around You”, “White-Knuckle Blackout!” and “Supercharger” - all which allegedly “went down a storm”. Flynn then reportedly did a little karaoke before heading out the door. For photographic evidence of the night's activities, click here.

The second single from CLAWFINGER's recently-issued fourth full-length CD, entitled A Whole Lot Of Nothing, will be a track called “Nothing Going On”. Additional bonus tracks will be included as well.

Portugal's MOONSPELL will play the Summerbreeze Festival, near Stuttgart, Germany on August 25th alongside IN EXTREMO, PYOGENESIS, TOM ANGEL RIPPER, PRIMAL FEAR, DAWN OF DREAMS, AMON AMARTH, DEW-SCENTED, and others. In addition, MOONSPELL will play Ermal Festival 2001 on August 22nd alongside MARILYN MANSON, MÃO MORTA and MIND DA GAP. At the latter gig, Zona Música (MOONSPELL/Century MediaRecords representative in Portugal) will distribute for free 1,000 two-track CDs containing the songs “Nocturna” and “Firewalking” (faded out) from the forthcoming album Darkness And Hope in an effort to reach MOONSPELL fans “directly”.

Florida's NEUROTICA, featuring former ATHEIST frontman Kelly Shaefer, will likely see the release of their self-titled third album delayed until January due to a busy fourth quarter of heavyweight releases. As a result, the planned video shoot for the track “All My Friends Crush You” has been postponed as well. NEUROTICA's upcoming release, the group's first for World Wrestling Federation's Smackdown Records, was recently mixed at a New York studio by veteran producer Kevin Shirley (i.e. IRON MAIDEN, DREAM THEATER, H.I.M.). In related news, NEUROTICA's Shaefer appears in the BUBBA SPARXXX video 'Ugly', which received its MTV premiere via a You Hear It First segment a couple of days ago. SPARXXX is a brand new “southern hip hop”, Interscope Records artist who, like NEUROTICA, is a represented by Eleventh Hour Management. The aforementioned video reportedly also includes cameo appearances by Bizarre from D-12, Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliot and Timbaland, along with the entire Eleventh Hour family.

SAVATAGE have announced the first dates for their upcoming US tour. Although as yet unconfirmed, Seattle's NEVERMORE is strongly rumored to be the opening act for the duration of the trek. Here are the confirmed dates so far:

...

Sept. 05 - San Francisco, CA @ Pound SF (Pier 96)

Sept. 06 - Santa Clara, CA @ Backbeat

Sept. 08 - Sacramento, CA @ Roadhouse

Sept. 09 - San Diego, CA @ Bricks

Sept. 10 - West Hollywood, CA @ House Of Blues

Sept. 11 - Santa Ana, CA @ Galaxy Theater

Sept. 12 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Cajun House

Sept. 14 - Albuquerque, NM or Denver, CO @ TBA

Sept. 15 - Odessa, TX @ Dos Amigos

Sept. 16 - Dallas, TX @ Canyon Club

Sept. 18 - Aurora, IL @ Riley's Rock House

Sept. 19 - Rockford, IL @ LT's

Sept. 20 - Akron, OH @ Highland Theatre

Sept. 21 - Springfield, VA @ Jaxx

Sept. 22 - Old Bridge, NJ @ Birch Hill

Alaska's 36 CRAZYFISTS are still in the process of mixing their Bitterness The Star debut, which is tentatively scheduled to be released through Roadrunner Records in early 2002. In other news, 36 CRAZYFISTS vocalist Brock Lindow will be hitting the studio this Saturday, August 18th, to do some guest vocals on SKINLAB's upcoming release tHEreVOLTINGROOM&gt&gtdISTURBING tHE aRT oF eXPRESSION&lt&lt, which is currently being mixed by produced Steve Evetts and is scheduled to be mastered in the next few days.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

...

After last May's F.ck The Commerce IV, CRYPTOPSY made a trip back to Germany August 4th for another outdoor concert at the Wacken Open Air XII. This show was Michael DiSalvo's last performance with CRYPTOPSY, the concert started at 11:00 AM, in spite of this early period of the day, the crowd was estimated to 6,000 for the occasion.

...

With bands such as VOIVOD, GORGUTS and CRYPTOPSY, Quebec's metal scene is renowned for its innovation internationally. To fill in for Mike, the band has seeked in its own part of the world and has chosen Martin Lacroix, formerly of SPASME. This new member will join CRYPTOPSY for the completion of The Pain Cometh world tour.

...

At the end of August, CRYPTOPSY will join VADER and DYING FETUS for a tour of 29 concerts in 31 days through twelve countries in Europe. This journey will start in London (England) August 30 and will end in Thessaloniki (Greece) September 29. Amoung other cities, let's mention Paris, Rotterdam, Berlin, Varsovie, Prague, Vienna, Milano, Madrid and Athens. KATAKLYSM, CATASTROPHIC and ABORTED will be part of the tour from September 1st until September the 15th.

...

Back from Europe on September the 30th, the band will leave a week later for its second visit to Japan. CRYPTOPSY will be headlining three shows in the cities of Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo on October 9, 10 and 11. This will be the first appearances of the band in the cities of Osaka and Nagoya and the second in Tokyo. For these concerts CRYPTOPSY will share the stage with NASUM and their North American tour comrades of CANDIRIA.

...

In November, CRYPTOPSY will head back to the United States and would like to make some concerts through Quebec in December.

Over 1,100 people reportedly showed up for the TWISTED SISTER signing session on Wednesday, August 15th at Slipped Disc Records in Valley Stream, New York, where the original members of the band reunited publicly for the first time in years to autograph copies of the just-issued tribute CD, Twisted Forever, which is available through Koch Records. To view photos taken at the session, click here.

Atlanta's SEVENDUST have confirmed that the track 'Follow', which is due to be included on the group's forthcoming Animosity effort, will feature guest vocals by STAIND singer Aaron Lewis. SEVENDUST are currently mixing Animosity in Los Angeles, CA for an October 30th release through TVT Records.

SOULSCAR, the brand new Vancouver metal band whose musical direction is being described as similar to that of ARCH ENEMY, have their three-song, Jeff (ANNIHILATOR) Waters-produced demo available for download via the group's MP3.com web site at this location. The three tracks on the offer are as follows:

...

01. Anti-Faith

02. Python

03. Blown Away

DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy is currently in Asia on a Drum Clinic tour, which will keep him busy through the beginning of next month. Here is where Mike will be appearing:

...

Aug. 17 - Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C. @ Central Daily News Building, 3rd Floor, Performance Hall

Aug. 18 – Taichung @ A-Mei-Mei Live House

Aug. 20 - Medan, Indonesia @ Tiara Hotel Medan

Aug. 22 - Surabaya, Indonesia @ Sphinx Pub And Restaurant

Aug. 23 - Jakarta, Indonesia @ Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta

Aug. 25 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia @ 12si

Aug. 26 - Bankok, Thailand @ Bangkok Playhouse

Aug. 28 - Guangzhou, China @ Banquet Hall, Hotel Landmark Canton

Aug . 29 - Beijing, China @ Cd Caf_ Jazz Club

Sept. 01 - Osaka, Japan @ Sanwa Kaikan

Sept. 02 - Tokyo, Japan @ Y2k Roppongi

Inside Out Music America has struck an agreement with EMI / Toshiba to release the original four titles in the SYMPHONY X back catalog in the U.S. for the first time. Although no release date has yet been scheduled, the titles will most likely hit stores sometime in early 2002. IOMA is currently considering ideas on possibly repackaging the titles as well possible bonus tracks for the U.S. debut. Meanwhile, SYMPHONY X themselves are currently mixing tracks for an as-yet-untitled live CD (as reported here yesterday),which is tentatively scheduled for November 13th release in the U.S. The European release will actually be sometime in October so as to coincide with the band's tour of Europe as opening act for SAVATAGE. A new SYMPHONY X studio album will be ready for an early 2002 release.

A new act has emerged out of the ashes of PLATYPUS in the form of THE JELLY JAM. THE JELLY JAM features PLATYPUS alumni, Ty Tabor (KING'S X) on guitar and vocals, John Myung (DREAM THEATER) on bass, and Rod Morgenstein (THE DIXIE DREGS) on drums. The new self-titled CD will sport a heavier guitar-driven sound while maintaining all of the musical virtuosity that these guys have become known for. THE JELLY JAM will be released by Inside Out Music America on November 13th.

Guitarist Ralph Santolla (i.e. MILLENNIUM, EYEWITNESS, ex-DEATH) is currently working on a solo album, tentatively titled Sartori, which is set to feature Tere Bertke (BLACKHAWK) on bass and Mark Prator (JOHN WESLEY, MIKE TRAMP, FISH, AUTODRIVE) on drums. Other surprise special guests are expected to appear. More information as it becomes available.

Veteran Japanese metallers ANTHEM will release a new studio album, entitled Seven Hills, in Japan on August 22nd. The line-up of musicians performing on the CD is as follows: Eizo Sakamoto (vocals),Naoto Shibata (bass),Akio Shimizu (guitars) and Hirotsugu Homma (drums). The first single off the album, “Grieve Of Heart”, is in stores now, also featuring the non-album cut “Can't Get Away”.

Finnish black metallers ALGHAZANTH have finished the recordings for their forthcoming full-length album, entitled Osiris-Typhon Unmasked, at Watercastle Studios. The album will be mastered in September and a release date is expected in October/November. The full track listing for the effort is as follows:

...

01. The Circle of Six

02. Mercurian Soulscapes

03. In Invidiam

04. My Twin of Disorder

05. Regained Planetary Possession

06. Antithesis

07. The Parody's Zenith

08. Horns And Feathers

09. Iconoblast

Former BRITNY FOX frontman Dean Davidson's new band, LOVE SAVES THE DAY, will be releasing their debut album on Tuesday, September 11th. The album, titled Superstar (and not Bachelor's Button, as originally announced),contains 12 original songs and will be released by BodyGuard Records in the USA, Canada, and Europe. A Japanese release will happen soon after. The first single, 'Judith”, is now being played on radio in select markets, including New Hampshire, Seattle, Washington, and Little Rock, Arkansas (to name a few). The band will appear on Saturday, September 15th at the Tower Records in northeast Philadelphia to promote their new album. They will be playing a five-song acoustic set, signing autographs, and meeting fans. After the Tower Records signing, LOVE SAVES THE DAY will perform live at the Hollywood Bistro at 7400 Bustleton Ave (info: (215)722-7825). As previously reported, LOVE SAVES THE DAY features a sound that is 'very radio friendly, but [still] rock' (ala THE WALLFLOWERS, GOO GOO DOLLS, SHERYL CROW, and MATCHBOX 20). Superstar was produced by two-time Grammy Award winner John Rollo (the Bodyguard soundtrack, WHITNEY HOUSTON, JOE COCKER, THE KINKS, STEVIE NICKS, ERIC CLAPTON) at London Underground Studios in New York City, NYC.

According to Electric Basement, guitarist Greg Steele has left FASTER PUSSYCAT mid-tour and has been temporarily replaced (for the purposes of the ongoing tour) by Traci Guns of L.A. GUNS, who are also part of the touring package.

WORLD WAR III, featuring vocalist Mandy Lion, guitarist Joe Floyd, bassist Jimmy Bain and drummer Mikkey Dee, have been added to the lien-up of artists performing at The Ultrasound 2001 convention, which is scheduled to take place September 7-9 at the Hilton Burbank Airport &amp Convention Center (aka The Burbank Hilton) in Burbank, CA.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

...

TESLA SIGNS WITH SANCTUARY RECORDS NEW ALBUM 'REPLUGGED LIVE' SET FOR RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

...

Sanctuary Records is announcing it has signed the hard-rocking quintet TESLA, and the first release will be the double live CD Replugged Live. It arrives in stores on September 11, 2001.

...

Vocalist Jeff Keith, guitarist Frank Hannon, guitarist Tommy Skeoch, bass guitarist Brian Wheat and drummer Troy Luccketta recorded the 20 songs on Replugged Live in various cities on their enormously successful reunion tour of the United States in 2001. TESLA broke up in 1996 after more than 10 years and six albums together the band has sold more than 14 million records worldwide. Replugged Live is the band's first-ever 'electric' live album.

...

Included are spellbinding performances of TESLA's biggest hits and fan favorites like 'Modern Day Cowboy', 'Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)', 'Love Song', 'Edison's Medicine', 'Song &amp Emotion' and the cover of FIVE MAN ELECTRICAL BAND's 'Signs'.

...

Originally, Replugged Live was envisioned as a single CD, but there was too much great music to leave out and the decision was made to make it a two-CD set with a total running time of more than two hours. Work even continued during brief breaks between tour legs.

...

Replugged Live is a true gift to fans, and it will contain some surprises due to the fact that TESLA changed the set list slightly throughout the tour and not all the songs included were played at all the shows. For example, 'We're No Good Together' and 'Call it What You Want' were performed at that first Sacramento show only and 'Freedom Slaves' was added toward the end of the summer leg.

...

Luccketta did all the initial work by listening to recordings of a large number of shows. He then faced the daunting task of narrowing the candidates and weeding out performances.

...

'I wasn't listening for sonics as much as a general vibe and the overall magic,' Luccketta explains. 'The question I asked myself was: Is the performance there? I listened to about 25 shows from the last few legs of the tour, and then narrowed each song down to two or three choices. That part wasn't too hard because the band was real consistent.'

...

TESLA deliberately chose to record a live album first instead of diving headlong into a studio album. It gave the band members a chance to reacquaint themselves and tighten their performance as a unit, which will help as they begin writing and recording new material. But Replugged Live is the right album at the right time.

...

'I think it's time for a full live electric album from TESLA. It's representative of what we are. It's been more than 10 years since Five Man Acoustical Jam, so a live electric album is long overdue,' says Wheat.

...

'All of our big hits and best-known songs are on Replugged Live, but I also really like songs on here like 'Call it What You Want' and 'Lazy Days, Crazy Nights'. They also demonstrate to listeners what we're all about.

...

'Replugged Live essentially recreates a full TESLA show. It's a souvenir from the tour, and I just hope TESLA fans like it. It's for them.'

...