Archive News Jul 16, 2001 - update 1

A low-quality MP3 file of the track “Thorns On My Grave” from EMPEROR's Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise CD is now available for download via the Candlelight Records web site at this location. You can also check out the cover artwork for the album, which is due on October 8th, here.

According to the band's official web site, QUEENSRYCHE have not yet signed with Metal-Is Records (a division of the Sanctuary Music Group) and are still negotiating with the label, with whom they hope to come to a final agreement by next week. The statement also contains the rather unbelievable claim that QUEENSRYCHE were not in fact “dropped” from Atlantic Records, as has been widely reported, but instead left “of their own free will” (we'd like to see a copy of THAT contract).

TESTAMENT's official web site has posted the following update on the condition of vocalist Chuck Billy, who was recently diagnosed with cancer:

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“Hey all, here's a well-deserved update! Chuck is doing fine and will start the last cycle of chemo treatment next week — HOORAH! Chuck's incredible mind and great physical strength is the key to positive results towards a full and speedy recovery.

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“Chuck and his family look forward to seeing you all on August 11th! For those of you who haven't purchased TOTT [Thrash Of The Titans] tickets yet, as of today, we are down to only 10 left, yes, 10. As we predicted, this is a SOLD-OUT show!

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“Infinite thanks again from the entire TESTAMENT family. You, the fans, continue to show you are the BEST.”

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As previously reported, Thrash Of The Titans—the benefit concert for Billy that is set to include performances from EXODUS, VIO-LENCE, HEATHEN, DEATH ANGEL and FORBIDDEN EVIL, among others—is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 11th at the Maritime Hall in San Francisco.

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In related news, DRAGONLORD—the side project of TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson—has had an MP3 file of the title track to its upcoming Rapture debut made available for download via the Spitfire Records web site at this location.

DARKTHRONE's forthcoming Plaguewielder CD is due to be released in September through Moonfog Records on Digipack, CD and LP. The full track listing for the album is as follows:

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01. Weakling Avenger

02. Raining Murder

03. Sin Origin

04. Command

05. I, Voidhanger

06. Wreak

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Excerpts of the songs "Weakling Avenger" and “Sin Origin" are now available for download from the Moonfog Records web site at this location. You can also view the album's cover artwork on the same page.

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In other news, DARKTHRONE have extended their current deal with Moonfog Records into what could be a called a “lifetime deal”. ”Both the contract and the signing itself was a splendid delight”, stated DARKTHRONE's Fenriz of the contract inking, which took place outdoors (in the woods).

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Moonfog label manager Satyr Wongraven commented: “I am extremely pleased to have re-signed DARKTHRONE, as it is one of my favorite bands ever and they are also special to me in the way that it was the first real band I signed. I know that my co-workers at Moonfog are also very pleased about the continued relationship with DARKTHRONE. Unholy Black Metal forever!”

KORN's Issues album has been certified gold in Germany for sales in excess of 150,000 copies. The group's fourth studio album has now shifted over 630,000 copies in Europe and nearly four million in the US.

FU MANCHU have completed work on their brand new album, entitled California Crossing, which is tentatively due for release through Mammoth Records during September. Produced by Matt Hyde (MONSTER MAGNET, SLAYER),California Crossing contains the following track listing:

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01.  Separate Kingdom

02.  California Crossing

03.  Mongoose

04.  Thinkin Out Loud

05.  Hang On

06.  Ampn

07.  Squash That Fly

08.   Bultaco (feat. ex-THE CIRCLE JERKS singer

     Keith Morris)

09.  Wiz Kid

10.  Downtown In Dogtown

11.   The Wasteoid

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Samples of the album can now be heard via the Mammoth Records web site at: www.mammoth.com.

MOONSPELL's brand new studio album, Darkness and Hope, will be released through Century Media Records on August 27th in Europe and September 18th in the USA. Produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa (i.e. H.I.M., APOCALYPTICA and SENTENCED),the European version of the album will contain 10 new original songs and a cover version of the track "Os Senhores Da Guerra" from the Portuguese ethnic ensemble MADREDEUS, while the American version will reportedly include the group's cover of the OZZY OSBOURNE classic “Mr. Crowley” as a bonus cut. The full track listing for the effort is as follows:

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01. Darkness And Hope

02. Firewalking

03. Nocturna

04. Heartshaped Abyss

05. Devilred

06. Ghostsong

07. Rapaces (Raptors)

08. Made Of Storm

09. How We Became Fire

10. …Than The Serpents In My Arms

11. Os Senhores Da Guerra

12.   Mr. Crowley (OZZY OSBOURNE cover US bonus)

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MOONSPELL will shortly be lensing a clip for the track “Nocturna”, which will be directed by Tiago Guedes de Carvalho (MÃO MORTA, ZEN, ALTA FIDELIDADE, CLÃ, etc.) and shot at night. The band will also be performing live at the following shows:

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July 28 - Vilanova i la Geltrú, SP @ Eternal Metal Festival

            (w/ATROCITY, DORO, PRIMAL FEAR)

Aug. 04 – Budapest, HUN @ Pepsi 2001 Festival

Aug. 22 - Ermal Festival, POR

             (w/MARILYN MANSON, MÃO MORTA)

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Full-blown MP3 files of the tracks “Firewalking” and “DevilRed” can be downloaded from the Century Media Records web site by clicking here and here.

Canada's KITTIE, who are currently recording their second album, entitled Oracle, for a November release, will be performing at the Highbury Garage in London, UK on September 10th.

BIOHAZARD will be promoting their upcoming studio album, Uncivilization (due out through Sanctuary Records on September 11th),at two headlining UK show during September. The dates are as follows:

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Sept. 17 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City

Sept. 22 – Bradford, UK @ Rio's

According to an article published in the Sacremento Bee, former FAITH NO MORE vocalist Mike Patton will be guesting on the upcoming album from TEAM SLEEP, the side project of DEFTONES frontman Chino Moreno. The album is expected to be the first release through Tone Def, the DEFTONES' label imprint through Maverick Records. To read the whole article, go to this location. (source: wickedland)

Upcoming DESTRUCTION gigs:

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Aug. 04 - Pratteln, SWI @ Z7 Metal Days

Aug. 24 - Waldenburg BL, SWI @ Open Air Festival

Here are the tentative dates for DEVIN TOWNSEND's upcoming Australian tour:

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Sept 06 – Melbourne, AUS @ Corner

Sept 07 – Sydney, AUS @ Metro

Sept 08 – Brisbane, AUS @ Arena

Sept 11 – Perth, AUS @ TBA

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Prior to heading Down Under, DEVIN will be performing at the Starfish Room in Vancouver, B.C., Canada on July 19th and at an as-yet-unspecified venue in Victoria, B.C., Canada on August 25th.

SUPERFIX, the Los Angeles-based band featuring former DRAIN STH drummer Martina Axen (who handles lead vocals in the new group) and bassist Anna Kjellberg, have acquired a manager by the name of Tim Dralle. Dralle has reportedly been a longtime friend who was working “behind the scenes” at DRAIN STH shows back in '97-'99, and who was responsible for the DRAIN STH mag that was passed out at some of the Ozzfest shows in 1997.

ANGRA have returned home to Brazil after a month spent in Germany recording their as-yet-untitled album with producer Dennis Ward at House Of Audio Studio in Karlsdorf. The band will be finishing up the recordings at a Brazilian studio for an October release.

Welsh crew SKINDRED, featuring former members of DUB WAR, are presently in talks with an as-yet-undisclosed Los Angeles-based producer about collaborating on the group's forthcoming RCA Records debut, which is tentatively scheduled to be recorded over a two-month period (around September/October) in Los Angeles and issued in January/February. According to the band, 40 songs were demoed for the album, and the group are planning on selecting the 12 that will make it onto the finished CD, with several others to be tracked for use as bonus tracks and CD giveaways through magazines, etc.

NIGHTWISH's Over The Hills And Far Away CD dropped from No. 85 to No. 97 on the official German Media Control Pop Album charts. The CD also entered the album charts in Austria (No. 53) and Switzerland (No. 88). It should be pointed out, however, that since the album has DVD tracks as a bonus, the disc is considered a normal DVD by the German Media Control. Therefore the sales of the limited-edition digipack are not added to those of the regular audio CD, resulting in deceptively lower charting position for the Finnish band on the aforementioned German charts.

Guitar legend YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and his management still intend to reschedule dates in the USA that were cancelled back in April 2001. Many logistics involving other commitments must also be worked out (more Concerto dates, tour offers from China and South America, availability of band mates and touring staff),but eventually a USA schedule will be negotiated.

On August 5th, former DEEP PURPLE/BLACK SABBATH vocalist Glenn Hughes will be singing a MOUNTAIN song and a classic PURPLE track during a MOUNTAIN gig at the Westbury Music Festival in New York that will be recorded for a DVD and a live CD. In other news, Hughes and former RAINBOW/DEEP PURPLE vocalist Joe Lynn Turner are finishing up the material for HTP (HUGHES TURNER PROJECT),which will be recording its debut album in LA during the month of September for release early next year.

Former MSG/RAINBOW vocalist Graham Bonnet (currently in IMPELLITERRI) will be joining keyboardist Don Airey (ex-RAINBOW/OZZY) at the Uli Roth (i.e. SCORPIONS) concert at the GWYL YSTALYFERA 2001 Festival in South Wales on Sunday, July 22nd. The location, time, tickets and other detailed info can be found at http://www.gwyl.org.

If you would like to bid on a guitar signed by the Blaze Bayley-era line-up of IRON MAIDEN, you can do so by going to this location.

Former LIFE OF AGONY singer Keith Caputo and his new band FREAX are still recording their debut CD at a Florida studio for a late 2001 release through an as-yet-undisclosed label. In the meantime, interested parties can download an excerpt of the track “Girl Child” via the vocalist's official web site at this location.

Norwegian black metallers SOURCE OF TIDE have completed work on their new album BluePrints. The full track listing for the effort is as follows:

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01.  Static Development

02.  Humanism

03.  Tales of Fruition

04.  Serenade of Silence

05.  Enslaved by Principles

06.  Bravery 1999

07.  Declaration!

08.  Bravery 2000

09. Ruins of Beauty

10.  The Retaliation of a Misanthrope

11.  Revolt Future!

12.  Blueprint...

13.  ...Remembrance

FRICTION, who feature in their ranks vocalist Steve Grimmett (i.e. LIONSHEART, ONSLAUGHT, GRIM REAPER) guitarist Nick Burr (LIONSHEART) and bassist Gavin Cooper (PAUL DI'ANNO'S KILLERS),have completed work on their debut album, the musical direction on which is being described as a cross between classic WHITESNAKE and early THUNDER. Working song titles include the following:

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01.  I'm Back

02.  Forgive & Forget

03.  Blue Collar Fever

04.  Breathe On Me

05.   Tomorrow's Another Day

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