Archive News May 20, 2001

SLIPKNOT reportedly performed four new songs (among them 'People=Sh.t', 'Disaster Piece' and 'Heretic Song') during the opening gig of their current European tour in Lisbon, Portugal on Thursday, May 17th. In addition, all but three of the members debuted new masks at the show (same characters, but different design),which was attended by an estimated 5,000 people at the 18,000-capacity Pavilhao Atlantico.

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In other SLIPKNOT news, the band's much-anticipated sophomore opus, entitled Iowa, is still in the process of having its track listing finalized. However, BLABBERMOUTH.NET can exclusively reveal the following song titles that are tentatively set to appear on the album, which is scheduled for release on August 7th:

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01. My Plague

02. People = Sh.t

03. Heretic Song

04. Disaster Piece

05. Skin Ticket

06. Everything Ends

07. The Shape

08. New Abortion

09. Metabolic

10. Gently

11. Iowa

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An additional cut, 'I Am Hated', was tracked during the recording sessions for the album, but has been set aside for inclusion on the soundtrack to the forthcoming remake of the 1975 movie Rollerball, in which SLIPKNOT make an appearance. It is also believed that a 13th song was laid down during the same sessions, but its title has not yet been revealed.

The much-anticipated and talked-about Thrash Of The Titans benefit show for TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, is finally taking shape, with a tentative date and venue having been announced. As it looks right now, the concert will take place on Saturday, August 11th at the Maritime Hall in San Francisco, and it will be headlined by S.O.D., with S.O.D. frontman Billy Milano also acting as Master Of Ceremonies for the event. The bands tentatively scheduled to appear at the concert are as follows:

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S.O.D.

LEGACY (pre-TESTAMENT)

EXODUS

VIO-LENCE

FORBIDDEN EVIL

LAAZ ROCKIT

SADUS

SKINLAB

HEATHEN

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Internet rumors indicate that FORBIDDEN EVIL may be forced to appear without founding member Craig Locicero — due to the guitarist's previous recording commitments with MANMADEGOD (who recently inked a deal with American Recordings) — but the Thrash Of The Titans organizers seem certain that a variation of the band will appear at the show, with drummer Paul Bostaph (now in SLAYER) reportedly having agreed to take part, and other former members having signed on for the event as well. However, it seems fairly certain that MACHINE HEAD frontman Robert Flynn will not perform with the reunited VIO-LENCE due to the promotional commitments related to MACHINE HEAD's upcoming Supercharger release (Ray Vegas will likely play second guitar for VIO-LENCE at the event),which is tentatively scheduled to be released at the end of August.

LIMP BIZKIT were forced to cancel their appearance at Madrid's Festimad Festival last night (May 19th) due to concern over a lack of proper safety and security conditions. Here is the group's official statement on the matter:

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'Due to a severe lack of proper safety and security conditions, LIMP BIZKIT regrettably had no alternative but to cancel their performance in Madrid, Spain on May 19, 2001 at the Festimad Festival.

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'The extensive safety and security requirements for all LIMP BIZKIT performances had been provided and discussed with this, and all, of the promoters of the tour months prior to their concert dates.

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' 'The Festimad promoter had signed a contract and rider that specifically outlined every safety requirement,' said a representative from The Firm, LIMP BIZKIT's management company.

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' 'The barricade the Festimad Festival's promoter had intended for use was made specifically for indoor arenas. It is completely inadequate for outdoor conditions,' stated LIMP BIZKIT's security and production managers. 'LIMP BIZKIT is totally focused on the safety of their fans.'

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'Further major concerns about the barricade's ineffectiveness arose due to the adverse weather conditions in Madrid as it had rained heavily the previous night .

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'Stated LIMP BIZKIT frontman Fred Durst, 'Everything we do is for our fans. We deeply regret that they have been robbed of an opportunity to see LIMP BIZKIT. The inferior security measures of this festival could have caused harm, and nothing is worth risking the safety of our fans. We love the city of Madrid and the fans we've met here. We definitely plan to come back as soon as possible.'

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'LIMP BIZKIT's six-week sold out European tour kicked off in Amsterdam on Wednesday May 16th at the brand new Heineken Arena. The show, which featured one of the largest displays of indoor pyrotechnics and firework explosives ever deployed, received rave reviews and came off without incident.'

Unofficial sources indicate that W.A.S.P. have replaced guitarist Chris Holmes with ex-TUFF axeman Darrell Roberts. More news as it becomes available.

Check out the cover to JUDAS PRIEST's Demolition opus here.

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In other JUDAS PRIEST news, there is a rather interesting interview posted at Metal-Temple.com where PRIEST vocalist Tim 'Ripper' Owens discusses the persistent rumors about Rob Halford returning to the PRIEST camp and his current standing in the group. Here are a few select quotes taken from that interview:

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Metal-Temple.com: What's your relationship with Rob Halford?

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Ripper: I don't have much of a relationship with him. I definitely don't have that kind of a relationship with him! [laughs] I mean…we're not that close.

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Metal-Temple.com: I bet everybody's been asking you this question.

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Ripper: Well you know, I've met him. I was always a Rob fan, a PRIEST fan growing up and got to meet him the past year in my hometown and it was nice. It was nice cause I got to say hello to him you know. Obviously he keeps telling everybody he wants back in the band, well no shit he wants back. People tell me that, you know 'Rob wants back in the band'. Use common sense! Hell yeah he wants back in the band. He hasn't broken any records on his own out there and all the fans have to realize that he's not coming back because he left JUDAS PRIEST. He totally left…he left heavy metal one time. I know they want him back but he left the band you know and he burned his bridges when he left the band. He said heavy metal is done.

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Metal-Temple.com: What would happen if Rob talked with Glenn and K.K.…

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Ripper: Well they've talked…

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Metal-Temple.com: …and they came to an agreement or something.

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Ripper: It wouldn't upset me [if PRIEST reunited with Rob]. It's business you know and I wouldn't burn any bridges. I would move on, be friends with the band and hopefully still work with the band. I don't know if they could ever work with Rob. Maybe a tour, maybe a show but I don't think they can work with him anymore.

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Metal-Temple.com: Imagine two singers on the band…especially you and Rob.

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Ripper: Oh it certainly wouldn't be that.

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Metal-Temple.com: In his words he seemed to respect the fact that Judas Priest have a singer, you. What's your opinion about this statement?

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Ripper: In [my] meeting with Rob, I said 'I'm a PRIEST fan, always have been, and I always will be, and I'm going to sing the songs like they're supposed to be sang and I'm not coming in there to change the band'.

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Metal-Temple.com: Like you said before…a lot of fans have accepted you.

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Ripper: There's always going to be a few that don't accept me but hey…I'm there just to have fun and sing the songs like they're supposed to be sang. I think Rob will take that and he's going to say he wants back in the band, but that's it. That's how it's going to be but he also wants to do his own thing and make HALFORD work.

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Metal-Temple.com: Unofficially, nothing's going on 'behind the scenes', right?

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Ripper: Not at all. Nothing good. I mean, they tried to make up…and you know what? There's no turmoil. It's been nothing but us. We just signed the contract with Atlantic in the States. The day I signed this contract, two weeks later it was like 'Halford's coming back' and people don't understand that I had to sign a contract. It's always going to be that way. It doesn't bother me. I think it bothers mostly the rest of the guys when they talk about Rob rather than it bothers me. We're f.cking sick of these questions and he's not in the band, he's not doing this show with us….

QUEENSRYCHE vocalist Geoff Tate will be contributing lead vocals to the track 'Somebody To Love' for the upcoming QUEEN tribute CD, which is due at the end of the year.

Sweden's DARK FUNERAL and Florida's ACHERON will be joining forces for three Mexican shows in June. The gigs will be DARK FUNERAL's first in support of their recently-completed Diabolis Interium CD, while ACHERON's performances will be their first in two years and will feature ICED EARTH/DEATH/CONTROL DENIED drummer Richard Christy behind the kit. The dates are as follows:

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June 08 - Guadalajara, MEX @ Roxy Club

June 09 - Mexico City, MEX @ Lopez Mateos Arena

June 10 - Queretaro, MEX @ RockWailler Club

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DARK FUNERAL have also been mentioned as a likely support act for the forthcoming SLIPKNOT/SYSTEM OF A DOWNPledge Of Allegiance US tour, which is scheduled to begin on October 1st. It appears SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison has reportedly been signing DARK FUNERAL's praises for some time now, and is said to be insisting on the Swedish band's inclusion on the bill.

Due to 'other commitments', Italy's LINEA 77 will now not be able to appear with PIST.ON at the German and Austrian shows on the latter band's headlining European tour. Also, PIST.ON's shows scheduled for 28th and 29th of June have been switched. The band now play Chelmsford Army &amp Navy on Thursday 28th and Manchester Hop &amp Grape on the 29th. All other dates remain unchanged.

Boston's TRIBE OF JUDAH, who feature in their ranks former VAN HALEN/EXTREME vocalist Gary Cherone, Steve Ferlazzo on synths/programming, Leo Mellache on guitar, Tim Bissonette on guitar, Pat Badger (ex-EXTREME) on bass, and Mike Mangini (ex-EXTREME/ANNIHILATOR) on drums, will be performing at the House of Blues venue in Cambridge, Mass. on Tuesday, June 5th.

QUIET RIOT will release their brand new studio album, entitled Guilty Pleasures, on May 29th through Bodyguard Records. Here is the full track listing for the album:

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01. Vicious Circle

02. Feel The Pain

03. Rock The House

04. Shadow Of Love

05. I Can't Make You Love Me

06. Feed The Machine

07. Guilty Pleasures

08. Blast From The Past

09. Let Me Be The One

10. Street Fighter

11. Fly Too High

Italy's MESMERIZE are presently at Mirage Studios in Inverigo, Italy recording their third CD, entitled Off The Beaten Path, which is scheduled for release through Dragonheart Records at the end of the year.

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