Archive News Jun 29, 2001

UNJUST frontman Paul Mendoza has recorded guest vocals for the track "Anthem For A Fallen Star" from SKINLAB's much-anticipated third full-length effort, entitled tHEreVOLTINGROOM>>dISTURBING tHE aRT oF eXPRESSION, which is currently being recorded at Trident Studios in San Francisco with producers Steve Evetts (i.e. SEPULTURA, EARTH CRISIS) and Juan Urteaga (i.e. 40 GRIT). SKINLAB have also tapped GLASSJAW vocalist Daryl Palumbo to sing on the track “Now That You're One Of Us” after original choice, MACHINE HEAD frontman Robert Flynn was forced to turn down the invitation due to the mixing commitments related to MH's forthcoming Supercharger release. Other guest vocalists on the album, which is tentatively scheduled for an October 16th release date through Century Media Records, include Juan Urteaga (VILE on "Slave The Way"),Chris Agguaire (209 on "Isolation"),and Brock Lindow (36 CRAZYFISTS on an as-yet-unspecified cut).

The Beast Feast Festival, which is scheduled to take place on August 25th and 26th at the 30,000-capacity Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, has added ONE MINUTE SILENCE, KITTIE, RAGING SPEEDHORN and THE DILLINGER ESCAPEPLAN to the list of artists confirmed to be appearing at the show. In all, there will be 30 bands performing at what is being billed as “the largest heavy music festival ever held in all of Asia”. According to an official press release, Beast Feast will utilize an innovative Triple Stage facility, which features two smaller stages on either side of the main stage. As one performer completes a set, the focus will move to the next stage for another act. This structure allows fans to continuously watch bands and eliminates lag time between sets. The lobby area outside the hall is furnished for refreshments and intermission. The show will run for nine hours each day, with doors opening at 10 AM and music beginning at noon.

...

Festival organizer Geess Kosugi has made the following comment regarding the reasons behind putting together the Beast Feast. “It's important for the metal community. First and foremost, we are doing this to see the smiles on the faces of the fans. Europe and America have large metal festivals, but Japan has never had anything like this. We think it will be a huge success.”

...

Here is the updated list of bands performing at the Beast Feast Festival:

...

PANTERA

SLAYER

SEPULTURA

MACHINE HEAD

STATIC-X

BIOHAZARD

V.O.D.

MORBID ANGEL

ONE MINUTE SILENCE

KITTIE

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN

RAGING SPEEDHORN

CANDIRIA

SKINLESS

SUNS OWL

UP HOLD

UNITED

BAT CAVE

SHADOWS FALL

CALIBAN

COCOBAT

DEVIATE

SUCK DOWN

SOILENT GREEN

PULLING TEETH

YELLOW MACHINEGUN

DIABLO

...

For more information, visit: www.beastfeast.net

METAL CHURCH members John Marshall (guitars) and Duke Erickson (bass) have posted their own comments in response to the mounting controversy regarding former vocalist Dave Wayne's upcoming Metal Church solo effort (to be issued under the WAYNE moniker) and the accompanying Nuclear Blast Records bio, which implies that METAL CHURCH was little more than the brainchild of the departed singer. Here are Marshall and Erickson's statements in their entirety:

...

John Marshall:

“Since the obvious has been stated already, I agree with what Duke and [MC associate] Lewy have said. I would like to add for those in doubt that METAL CHURCH is still a band, and will continue to be a band. Even though we are inactive until [guitarist] Kurdt [Vanderhoof]'s project [VANDERHOOF] is finished, there will be more music from METAL CHURCH in the future, guaranteed. This was never in doubt. No decisions will be made about Dave's replacement until the VANDERHOOF project is done. We will keep everyone updated as things progress. Thanks for the support!”

...

Duke Erickson:

“You can package your product to resemble anything you want (although this thing is a little too blatant). They do it with cars all the time, the cheap one looks a lot like the really nice one. Still, it's a copy, a substitute, meant to appear as good as the original. It's like putting makeup on a whore, she's still a whore no matter what she looks like.

...

“The thing that I find particularly disturbing is the fictitious 'WAYNE' bio. The facts are well known and documented. Why would one make untrue statements in regard to history? It just doesn't make any sense. It's insane. It's a stinkin' sequel to Forest Gump!!! 'You too can be a part of the history of METAL CHURCH, just insert your name in the inappropriate spots.'

...

“Give me a break, I'm saving my money for [Dave Lee] Roth's new record, Van Halen.”

During PANTERA's June 27th stop in Huntington, West Virginia on the current Extreme Steel Tour, vocalist Phil Anselmo told the crowd that following the completion of this tour, "you won't see PANTERA for a long, long time." Not sure what that means, but we figured we'd relay the message anyway.

PITCHSHIFTER vocalist JS Clayden and SKINDRED frontman Benji are scheduled to enter the former band's own recording studio on Saturday, June 30th to record the vocals for a demo version of the PITCHSHIFTER/SKINDRED collaboration track that is set to appear on PITCHSHIFTER's upcoming studio release, which is due at the end of the year. According to Clayden, "Benji and I are just going to jam out some vox in the PSI demo studio in the day before SKINDRED have to play the show [at Nottingham's Rock City] later. I know Benji will be able to lay down his tracks smoothly as he's a very talented singer and I can't wait to get going on it. The stuff we worked out and sang into my mobile phone at the last SKINDRED gig was awesome and I know the real deal will be killer. We also get the added bonus of seeing SKINDRED live later that day too! Get down to the gig, they rock."

DIMMU BORGIR's upcoming US tour will reportedly start around September 20th and it will be a “festival” tour, with SIX FEET UNDER as headliners. Other artists on the package will include NAPALM DEATH, KREATOR and KRISIUN. There is also a possibility that DARK FUNERAL will join this tour, but this has not yet been confirmed, in part because the latter band is being considered for the opening slot on SLIPKNOT's forthcoming Pledge Of Allegiance trek, which will also include SYSTEM OF A DOWN (SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison is reportedly a huge DARK FUNERAL fan and has been singing the band's praises during SLIPKNOT's recent European trek). In other DIMMU BORGIR news, the Norwegian band have attributed the reason for the recent cancellation of their Brazilian concerts to the fact that “the two 'biggest' promoters in Brazil are fighting about booking bands and the 'bigger' promoter had booked SAVATAGE the same weekend that DIMMU BORGIR was supposed to play”.

Former LIFE OF AGONY vocalist Keith Caputo has joined a band called FREAX and is presently working on music with the group for their upcoming studio album, which is tentatively due at the end of the year. The vocalist still plans on continuing work on his sophomore solo album (which was originally scheduled to be recorded this summer in Holland),but since FREAX is currently said to be his top priority, it is unlikely that the follow-up to the criminally-ignored Died Laughing will surface before early 2002. In the meantime, look out for a collection of Keith's poetry and behind-the-scenes photography to be made available in book form in the coming months.

KING'S X's recently completed studio album, Manic Moon Light, is due to be released through Metal Blade Records in October.

According to the Newcastle Evening Chronicle (UK),AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson is going to reform his pre-AC/DC band GEORDIE to tour the Tyneside pub & club circuit in October.

GRAVITY KILLS have officially confirmed that SNAKE RIVER CONSPIRACY mainman Jason Slater will not be involved with the production of the group's upcoming Superstarved effort, which due to be recorded shortly in Chicago with producer Martin Atkins and is scheduled for a late 2001 release through Sanctuary Records.

Germany's FLOWING TEARS will enter Woodhouse Studios in Hagen, Germany at the end of August/beginning of September to record their as-yet-untitled fifth CD with producer Waldemar Sorychta (GRIP INC. guitarist). Among the song titles set to appear on the album are:

...

01. Starfish Ride (For A Million Dollar Handshake)

02. Justine

03. Children Of The Sun

04. Portsall (Departure Song)

05. Merlin

...

The follow-up to last year's Jade is due through Century Media Records in early 2002.

Former SOLITUDE AETURNUS bassist Lyle Steadham's new band GHOULTOWN (in which he plays bass and sings),have lined up a bunch of gigs during the summer. The dates are as follows:

...

July 07 - Ruth's - Longview, TX

July 11 - Galaxy - Dallas, TX (w/AMAZING CROWNS)

July 27 - Club Clearview - Dallas, TX

Aug. 02 - Vino's - Little Rock, Arkansas (w/ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT)

Aug. 03 - Star Bar - Atlanta, Georgia (Atlantis Music Conference showcase)

Aug 31 - Sept 3 - Dragon*Con - Atlanta, Georgia

Influential NWOBHM act DIAMOND HEAD have had their The White Album, Death and Progress, and Live Evil albums re-released via Castle Music/Sanctuary earlier this month. All albums have been re-packaged and have different sleeve designs as compared to the original versions. In other DH news, the band have lined up three more acoustic performances during July. The dates are as follows:

...

July 05 - The Witchwood - Ashton-Under-Lyne, UK

July 11 - The Limelight Club – Crewe, UK

July 22 – Fibbers – York, UK

KAMELOT has been confirmed for this year's Wacken Open Air Festival.

TUFF guitarist Darrell Roberts is said to be once again in consideration to fill the W.A.S.P. guitarist slot left vacant by the recent departure of Chris Holmes.

SAXON guitarist Graham Oliver is reportedly working on a solo album, which is set to feature several as-yet-undisclosed “special” guests. Tentative song titles include: “Sonic”, “End Of An Era”, “Love Or Confusion” and “Can You See Me”.

SHY/SIAM vocalist Tony Mills will release his first solo album via Z Records during early 2002.

AYREON singer Robert Soeterboek has joined German heavy rockers WICKED SENSATION.

REVEILLE will be the opening act for GODSMACK and the DEFTONES at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA on August 24th.

Florida's ROXX GANG was back in the studio recently recording a song to be included on Christmas CD, which will be released this winter. The GANG recorded the Elvis classic "Santa Claus Is Back In Town”. This Christmas compilation CD will also include songs from L.A. GUNS, FASTER PUSSYCAT, and GILBY CLARKE.

Sweden's RUNEMAGICK are due to enter KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy LaRocque's studio Los Angered Recording during the summer to record their Revelation Of Darkness CD for an as-yet-unspecified label (following their split with Century Media Records earlier this year). Due to be issued at the end of the year, the album will reportedly include “11 full songs and some instrumental parts and one cover track”, of which two may only get released via a 7" single. Tentative song titles include:

...

01. Funeral Caravan

02. One Road To Megiddo

03. Memorandum Melancholia

04. The Devil's Demimonde

05. Fathomless Genius Loci

06. The Infinity in Trinity

07. Ways Of Death Aggression

08. Pure Metallic Tribalance

09. Solstice of the Succubus

10. Non Divine Dirty Dead Blood

11. Corpse Nexus Hightime

SEETHINGS, the new Swedish band of former DARKANE vocalist Lawrence, have had to put the recording of their debut album on hold until this coming weekend due to technical problems beyond the band's control. As previously reported, SEETHINGS were formerly known as FORCEFEED, and the group is presently working with producer Daniel Bergstrand (i.e. STUCK MOJO, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) at Bergtrand's Dug-Out Studios in Uppsala, Sweden on their first album for an as-yet-undetermined label, with a tentative release date of late 2001.

Japan's SIGH will release a split 7” with NECROPHAGIA via Baphomet/Housecore Records, a joint venture between NECROPHAGIA mainman Killjoy and PANTERA's Phil Anselmo. SIGH's contribution will be a cover of NECROPHAGIA's “Young Burial”.