Archive News May 16, 2001

In the current issue of Billboard magazine, SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn Crahan (aka Clown#6) explains the reasons behind the group's decision to partner themselves with SYSTEM OF A DOWN for the upcoming The Pledge Of Allegiance Festival, which is presently scheduled to kick off October 1st at Las Vegas' Thomas &amp Mack Center. According to Crahan, 'We don't like headlining other festivals. The reason why is generally, we don't like anybody, except for our fans. We don't like other bands. We just like to play and don't like all the other standards of who should play first or having to adhere to curfews when other bands go over their running time. With this, we have our own agenda and don't have to stray from that.'

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Crahan also offered the following explanation for why the band chose to make an exception to the above by co-headlining this year's Ozzfest, the US portion of which begins June 8th and ends on August 12th: 'Our very first tour as a band was Ozzfest, and we played for next to nothing. Our whole goal was to go out and destroy, and that's what we did. It feels really good to come back on our second album. We love BLACK SABBATH. Who better to tour with than the makers of metal?! We feel honored.'

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According to the same article, the main stage at The Pledge Of Allegiance Festival will showcase a total of five bands, while the second stage will consist primarily of non-musical attractions. The final ticket price has yet to be set, but it will reportedly be between $30 and $35.

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In other news, SLIPKNOT — as previously reported — are giving away a limited edition CD featuring one song from their eagerly awaited new album, Iowa, which is due out August 7th through Roadrunner Records. In the UK, only 666 copies of the track 'Heretic Song' will be produced, and the CD will only be available through the Roadrunner Records website. Fans must register at the site, and will then be included in a drawer to decide who will get what's bound to be a real collector's item. More details will be made available via the RR site on May 22nd.

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Lastly, SLIPKNOT have been confirmed for a handful of the dates that will be taking place during the 'off' days on the upcoming Ozzfest off-date tour (a jaunt cleverly-named the Off-Fest). The bill, which is expected to be topped by SLIPKNOT, will also reportedly include PAPA ROACH, DISTURBED, MUDVAYNE and LINKIN PARK. Confirmed and tentative dates so far are as follows:

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June 10 - Springfield, MO @ Price Cutter Park

June 15 - Moline, IL @ Mark of the Quad Cities

June 26 - TBA July 01 - Phoenix, AZ @ Desert Sky

July 04 - Lubbock, TX @ Canyon Amphitheatre

July 06 - Nashville, TN @ Am South Amphitheatre

July 15 - TBA

July 19 - TBA

July 22 - TBA

July 25 - TBA

Aug. 06 - TBA

August 09 - Wantagh, NY @ Jones Beach

SLAYER have reportedly abandoned their plans to perform half-hour small-club sets at a select number of fan based/media events at exotic locations across Europe, a jaunt that was to begin on May 21st in Warsaw, Poland and was set to wrap up on June 1st in Stockholm, Sweden. No reason was given for the cancellation.

COAL CHAMBER have tentatively set October 8th in Europe and October 9th in the US as the release date for their forthcoming third full-length effort, provisionally titled Dark Days.

Sweden's WASHOE, the new band formed by ENTOMBED guitarist Uffe Cederlund and three former members of MISERY LOVES CO. (vocalist Patrik Wirén, bassist Patrik Thorngren and drummer Olle Dahlstedt),will perform its debut gig at Stockholm's Alcazar club this Friday, May 18th. As previously reported, WASHOE's musical direction is far removed from that of the individual members' past endeavors, with a sound that is being described as a mixture of DINOSAUR JR, PEARL JAM and FOO FIGHTERS.

MACHINE HEAD have tentatively set August 20th in Europe and August 21st in the US as the release date for their forthcoming fourth full-length effort, entitled Supercharger. The band are still seeking a mixer for the recently-recorded album, which they are now hoping to complete and master by mid-June.

Due to a death in the family of PARADISE LOST drummer Lee Morris, the band will not be performing at their previously scheduled gig at the Easy Schorre club in Halle, Germany on May 21st. However, the gig will still go ahead, with the main support band, Finland's THE 69 EYES, taking over the headlining slot and a local support act being added to the bill. Consequently, the ticket prices are being reduced from 30 DEM to 25 DEM for this particular show.

Sweden's CLAWFINGER have reportedly signed a new deal with GUN/Supersonic Records (i.e. H.I.M., GUANO APES) following their recent split with the MVG label, who released the group's three full-length CDs to date. The band's long-completed fourth album, entitled A Whole Lot Of Nothing, is scheduled to be released during August, with the set's first single, 'Out To Get Me', due to emerge on July 9th. As previously reported, CLAWFINGER is currently in the middle of a support tour with RAMMSTEIN, which is taking the group through Germany, Switzerland and Austria, with the final date taking place on June 1st in Hannover, Germany.

Former MEGADETH drummer Nick Menza is taking orders for his first post-MEGADETH solo release, the 'imaginatively' titled Life After Deth. The CD costs $14.95 and can be ordered directly via the drummer's official web site: www.menza.com

During SEPULTURA's May 11th stop in Paris, France as part of their ongoing European tour, an International EPK/Documentary was shot on the group, including interviews with the band, live footage from the Paris show, plus backstage material along with Paris in-store footage.

Here is the full track listing to DEATH's upcoming live album, entitled Live In L.A. (Death &amp Raw), which will be released through Nuclear Blast Records shortly:

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01. Intro

02. The Philosopher

03. Spirit Crusher

04. Trapped In A Corner

05. Scavenger Of Human Sorrow

06. Crystal Mountain

07. Flesh And The Power It Holds

08. Zero Tolerance

09. Zombie Ritual

10. Suicide Machine

11. Together As One

12. Empty Words

13. Symbolic

14. Pull The Plug

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As previously reported, the recording was made during the band's 1999 US tour, and it will be released on CD, video and DVD.

SAVATAGE will be opening for MEGADETH on July 12th at Elysee Montmartre in Paris, France.

Following the last-minute cancellation of DISMEMBER, Sweden's THE CROWN have been added to the list of artists performing at the DecibelFestival in Bengtsfors, Sweden this Saturday, May 19th. This will be the group's first live performance with the new line-up, which now includes former AT THE GATES vocalist Tomas Lindberg.

BORKNAGAR will enter the Fagerborg and Top Room studios in Oslo on June 8th to record the group's follow-up to the Quintessence CD. Due to be co-produced by the band and Børge Finnstad (who was responsible for the production on MAYHEM's Grand Declaration Of War),the as-yet-untitled effort will include the track 'Gods Of My World', which was aired at BORKNAGAR's recent live performances.

A strong possibility exists that STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mainman Devin Townsend will join the reunited THE WILDHEARTS during the latter band's first UK dates since their recent reformation. The shows, due to take place in mid-June, will presumably feature Devin on second guitar, a touring-only role he'd previously assumed in 1994.

Sweden's DARK TRANQUILLITY have added the tracks 'Midwinter/Beyond enlightenment' and 'Vernal Awakening' from their 1991 demo Trail Of Life Decayed to their MP3.com page: www.mp3.com/darktranquillity

Dutch death metallers GOD DETHRONED have recruited a new drummer: a relative unknown by the name of Arien van Weesenbeek.

As previously reported, Brooklyn's TYPE O NEGATIVE are continuing to write material for their forthcoming studio album, which they hope to begin recording during the summer for a late 2001 release. According to keyboardist Josh Silver, 'Writing in this band is like keeping three wives happy for 20 years. It isn't easy, but it gives you a better perspective on death'. Drummer Johnny Kelly added: 'The writing process has always been a slow one with the band. We're getting together a few nights a week right now. It's too early to tell where this record is going to go, but so far there are a few good titles.'

TOOL's debut US show in support of the Lateralus CD, which took place last night in Atlanta, reportedly went great from the performance standpoint. However, due to counterfeit tickets, the show was delayed for over two hours.

WILL HAVEN will take time out from writing material for their forthcoming studio album to play a few west coast dates with ODDMAN and RED TAPE during July. The confirmed shows are as follows:

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July 13 - Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction

July 14 - San Diego, CA @ TBA

July 15 - West Hollywood, CA @ The Troubadour

July 16 - San Francisco, CA @ TBA

Germany's GUANO APES are taking time off between various European festival appearances and headlining dates to continue writing material for their upcoming third full-length release, which is expected to be recorded at the end of the year and issued in early 2002. According to the band, they've been meeting every day to work on new tracks, and have already pieced together several song skeletons, which they will fine-tune and perfect over the course of the coming months.

Serial killer metal band MACABRE have had their Gloom CD remastered and have added bonus live tracks from 1986 for its re-release in the US through Decomposed Records in late June. The CD will also be available for purchase at the upcoming MACABRE European dates and the group's official web site prior to its fall European release through Hammerheart Records. In other news, MACABRE have just received word that due to 'an unusual circumstance', their planned support act will not be joining in on the European tour. MACABRE are asking any band that 'could live and breathe MACABRE for a few weeks' and that has tour support money to help share the bus costs to please e-mail [email protected] right away. The support act will not join the tour until June 6th.

Sweden's CENTINEX will enter Black Lounge Studios on July 6th to begin recording their first release for the Candlelight label, tentatively entitled Diabolical Desolation. The group will record for 2-3 weeks, then take a short break and continue on August 20th with the vocal parts and the mixing, with the finished master ready to be pressed by early September. According to the band, 'the new material is heavier, faster and more brutal than ever before. Also, the production will be something extraordinary because of the new improved equipment at the studio'.

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Tentative song titles set to appear on Diabolical Desolation are as follows:

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01. Total Misanthropia

02. Forthcoming Terror

03. The Bloodline

04. Diabolical Desolation

05. Firestorm (Towards Devastation Pt. II)

06. Spawned To Destroy

07. Soulcrusher

The remaining members of RATT have reportedly filed a lawsuit against former vocalist Stephen Pearcy to prevent him from undertaking any live performances under the moniker RATTfeaturing Stephen Pearcy, as his band is currently being billed for the group's forthcoming dates with VINCE NEIL and BRITNY FOX, among others.

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