Archive News Oct 01, 2001

A Night Of Merry Mayhem tour, featuring OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE, MUDVAYNE and SOIL, will have its inaugural date on October 31st in Tucson, Arizona, with the final show currently scheduled to take place on December 31st in Phoenix, Arizona. Here are the unofficial dates for the outing:

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Oct. 31 - Tucson, AZ - TCC

Nov. 01 - Albuquerque, NM - Tingley Coliseum

Nov. 03 - El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Event Center

Nov. 05 - Memphis, YN - Pyramid

Nov. 07 - New Orleans, LA - Arena

Nov. 09 - Houston, TX - Compaq Center

Nov. 10 - Bossier City, LA - Century Tel Center

Nov. 12 - Knoxville, TN - Thompson-Boiling Arena

Nov. 14 - Cincinnatti, OH - Firstar Center

Nov. 15 - Cleveland, OH - Gund Arena

Nov. 17 - Nashville, TN - Gaylord Entertainment Center

Nov. 19 - Birmingham, AL - BJCC

Nov. 21 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena

Nov. 23 - Greensboro, NC - Coliseum

Nov. 24 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena

Nov. 29 - Grand Forks, SD - Alerus Center

Dec. 01 - Madison, WI - Alliant Energy Center

Dec. 02 - Des Moines, IA - Vets Memorial

Dec. 04 - Moline, IL - The Mark

Dec. 06 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena

Dec. 08 - Detroit, MI - Cobo Arena

Dec. 10 - Louisville, KY - Freedom Hall

Dec. 11 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena

Dec. 13 - Hartford, CN - Civic Center Coliseum

Dec. 15 - Worcester, MA - Centrum

Dec. 16 - Buffalo, NY - HSBC Arena

Dec. 18 - Albany, NY - Pepsi Arena

Dec. 20 - Baltimore, MD - TBA

Dec. 21 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum

Dec. 23 - East Rutherford, NJ - Meadowlands

Dec. 28 - Los Angeles, CA - Sports Arena

Dec. 29 - San Diego, CA - Sports Arena

Dec. 31 - Phoenix, AZ - Desert Sky Amph

DRAGONLORD, the San Francisco Bay Area black metal project that features in its ranks TESTAMENT members Eric Peterson, Steve DiGIorgio (bass),Steve Smyth (guitars),and Jon Allen (drums),will be headlining a special benefit show for former TESTAMENT/DEATH/OBITUARY guitarist James Murphy, who was recently diagnosed with an undisclosed type of brain tumor. The show is tentatively scheduled to take place at the Pound in San Francisco on November 17th. More details to follow.

ENTOMBED drummer Peter 'Flinta' Stjärnvind and bassist Jörgen Sandström stated in an interview that was published in Stockholm's Aftonbladet newspaper on Friday, September 28th that the group's much-publicized and –anticipated collaboration with a Swedish ballet ensemble at the Royal Opera Hall in Stockholm as part of a show called Unreal Estate, originally set to take place around February 2002, is still on, despite recent rumors to the contrary. As previously reported, ENTOMBED are due to be putting on a 45-minute set of brand new, specially-composed original material while surrounded by 30 ballet dancers and a 10-year-old kid. ENTOMBED's performance is scheduled to be the third and final set of the overall show, which calls for two choreographers, Bogdan Szyber and Carina Reich, to get the ballet dancers performing around the band.

Legendary San Francisco Bay Area thrashers VIO-LENCE are reportedly contemplating the possibility of putting on a headlining show at a San Francisco club (possibly Slims) in the coming weeks, in what would mark the group's first live performance since their triumphant appearance at the Thrash Of The Titans benefit concert for TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy on August 11th.

FILTER frontman Richard Patrick has posted the following update on the progress of the recording sessions for the group's upcoming effort, entitled The Amalgamut, which is tentatively scheduled to be released in early 2002: “Hey everybody its Rich again, here are some new song titles that you might be interested in I have a song called 'Don't Give an Inch' which sounds similar to 'Stuck in Here'/'Take a Picture'. The lyrics are about not being afraid of who I am, and it's kind of a message to all people to focus on being an individual, and less on being a spoke in a wheel. There's a super heavy song called 'The American Cliché' which is about how commonplace school violence has become. Then I have a new song called 'The Missing' which was written before September 11th, but is lyrically apropos to the horrific events that occurred on said day. Speaking of that, you should all go donate some money to your local Red Cross. That's only 3 of the 12 songs, I've got almost a whole record written, make sure you check back with this page in a few weeks for more song titles and info. Sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been really busy with the record (which by the way is the best work I've ever done and I'm very proud of it). So be cool to each other and I'll talk to ya later, Sincerely, Richard.” As previously reported, FILTER is said to be in the running for next year's Ozzfest trek, the official line-up for which won't be announced for at least several more months.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine is continuing his efforts to make amends with other bands that he had had a falling out with over the years, with SLAYER and PANTERA being the singer's current targets. In his latest posting, Mustaine revealed his plans to join forces with METALLICA, SLAYER and PANTERA for a major US touring outing that would presumably not happen until after the release of METALLICA's next studio effort, which is due sometime in 2003. According to Mustaine, “[repairing the damage with PANTERA and SLAYER] is going to be difficult, because there has been a lot of bad blood between the bands and MEGADETH mostly my doing. There are a lot of fans at the SLAYER site who have already made their feeling known that they too dislike me or MEGADETH, and that is OK. This operation is for the strengthening of our scene and our community.

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“I want to go on record that I truly believe SLAYER is a more energetic live band than us, and an unbelievable heavy band. One of the best.

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“PANTERA features an impressive frontman, and a team of brothers that are more talented than any other 'brother team' in the history of music, period.

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“I would also like to say that I have never posted at either band's boards, and anyone that is there posting as me now is an imposter.

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“On a lighter note, [METALLICA drummer] Lars Ulrich called me yesterday and said that he has followed my lead and got on his web site and chatted for an hour with his fans, and made some posts. So this operation is not in vain.

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“Although this may not be your hopes, I one day hope to do an American Tour of the Real American Legends: METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and PANTERA.

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“It is up to not only the bands to agree to this, but the bands' management, promoters, DEFINITELY insurance companies, and most importantly, you the fans of all four bands.

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“While my initial suggestion to crush boy bands may have seemed silly, that is just the way that things are over here. We are very interactive with our fans, and there is a sense of 'taking it easy' when we post. Very light-hearted, and not mean-spirited.

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“No one is coming into hallowed SLAYER or PANTERA ground to dissuade you to leave your bands. Hell, [PANTERA guitarist 'Dimebag'] Darrel is one of my favorite metal guitarists, so much so that, he was at one time going to join us, but sadly we had already hired Nick Menza and Darrel said he would only come if he could bring his brother. God that would have been f.cking awesome!

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“[SLAYER guitarist] Kerry King was a vital ingredient in getting our career going in the beginning, and I will always thank him for that (although he may be tired of hearing it). And I am still waiting for Kerry to call me so that we can talk about a potential US tour next year. Maybe a Clash Of The Titans 2.

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“But this will need everyone's help. I know that there are a lot of Dave Mustaine haters, and I agree there have been things that were said, or allegedly said by me that may has pissed you off. But look at it this way, I am trying to make it right so that all of us can enjoy our metal again and not watch our mighty bands slowly die.

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“If you can put aside what you think you know about me, and just give this a chance, we could possibly have a concert next year that would rival anything that has every been done in the history of America for Metal.

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“So the question is, 'Are you for this, or against this?' '

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In related news, MEGADETH drummer Jimmy DeGrasso has shot down the rumors of his possible involvement with Y&ampT in their upcoming reunion tour, stating in no uncertain terms that this is “definitely NOT going to happen. My past experiences with other bands have been priceless. But it's the past. I believe in going forward. Enough said.”

Jane Schuldiner, the mother of DEATH/CONTROL DENIED mainman Chuck Schuldiner, who was diagnosed with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor, two years ago, has posted the following update on her son's condition: 'Chuck is recovering slowly from the poisoning of his system when he took the trial dose of the drug Vincristine. It just takes time for it to leave his system. Please tell his fans that. As for the tumor, great news, the other new medication has begun to work. We pray just about every moment for it to continue.' In related news, CONTROL DENIED bassist Steve DiGiorgio (also in TESTAMENT/SADUS) has revealed that only the drum tracks have been recorded for the forthcoming sophomore CONTROL DENIED effort so far, with “a lot of the main guitars done [as well], but not all. Then there's all the melody parts, harmonies, solos, overdubs, etc... And then there's bass, vocals and all the mixing and everything else. It's far from done as far as the recording goes. Fortunately it's all written and ready to go, but Chuck has been working on it little by little in-between treatments. But lately he's been needing some stronger treatments, so it's easy to see why the work on the album has been postponed indefinitely. The health of my friend is for more important than the production of the album. Believe me, [guitarist] Shannon [Hamm], [drummer] Richard [Christy] and especially Chuck as well as myself want to see the completion of this to the fullest. But I'm sure you can understand that something of this magnitude takes all the importance and puts life into proper perspective.”

FLOTSAM AND JESTAM bassist Jason Ward has revealed in a recent online posting that HELSTAR vocalist James Rivera “is working out really well [as the live replacement for the recently departed singer Eric A.K. Three shows in [on the current US tour] and not too many mistakes and he brings with him a ton of energy. We have talked about a new album. Whether or not that is on Metal Blade Records or not is up to speculation, as is the fate of all in the band. We are having fun right now though. Just getting to play is what it is all about.”

QUEENSRYCHE vocalist Geoff Tate's solo project, presently dubbed THE GEOFF TATE BAND, will be playing the annual membership celebration for NARAS in Seattle on November 3rd at the Sky Church in the Experience Music Project. Tate will reportedly be flying back and forth from the previously announced QUEENSRYCHE tour, which is scheduled to take place during the same time, to perform the above-mentioned gig. As previously reported, THE GEOFF TATE BAND is currently in the studio recording its debut album for an early 2002 release through Metal-Is/Sanctuary Records.

Metal legend Udo Dirkschneider, former lead singer of ACCEPT and frontman of U.D.O., recently spent a couple of days in the Intensive Care Unit at a local hospital near his home in Germany after suffering what was rumored to be a nervous breakdown. No further information on Dirkschneider's present status is available at this time.

Sweden's THE CROWN have unveiled the full track listing and song credits for the group's forthcoming Crowned In Terror CD, the band's first with former AT THE GATES frontman Tomas Lindberg. Due to be recorded at Studio Mega in October and mixed at Studio Fredman by Fredrik Nordström and THE CROWN in November, Crowned In Terror is tentatively scheduled for release in Europe on February 11th, 2002, with the North American release date yet to be announced. The full track listing for the album is as follows:

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01. Crowned In Terror (music: Marko, lyrics: Tomas)

02. Under The Whip (music: Marko, lyrics: Tomas)

03. Drugged Unholy (music: Magnus, lyrics: Magnus)

04. World Below (music: Marko, lyrics: Tomas/Marko)

05. Out For Blood (music: Marko, lyrics: Tomas)

06. The Speed Of Darkness (music: Magnus, lyrics: Magnus)

07. I Am Hell (music: Magnus, lyrics: Magnus)

08. Satanist (music: Magnus, lyrics: Magnus)

09. Death Is The Hunter (music: Marko, lyrics: Tomas)

10. Death Metal Holocaust (music: Magnus, lyrics: Magnus)

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Marko = Marko Tervonen (guitars)

Tomas = Tomas Lindberg (vocals)

Magnus = Magnus Olsfelt (bass)

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Artist Thomas Ewerhard, who was responsible for the artwork on the group's last two offerings, Hell Is Here and Deathrace King, will reportedly take care of the new cover artwork.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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FU MANCHU'S RELEASE DATE PUSHED BACK CALIFORNIA CROSSING WILL NOW BE RELEASED JANUARY 2002

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New York — Due to the World Trade Center disaster, Mammoth Records has decided to push back the release of FU MANCHU's new album California Crossing.

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Mammoth Records President Rob Seidenberg commented on the change in the schedule, 'Because the Mammoth Records office is a mere nine blocks from the World Trade Center site, it will take some time before we are once again functioning properly (e.g., we were unable to get to the office for one week and still are operating without fully functioning phone service). As a result, we are postponing the release of California Crossing, the forthcoming FU MANCHU album, until January 2002. The new album is of enormous importance to us, so it makes absolutely no sense to put it out without proper setup at radio and retail. Instead, we will use the extra time to regroup—both personally and professionally—and make sure that we allow FU to ring forth clear and very loud.'

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FU MANCHU's manager Dan DeVita commented, 'FUMANCHU made a great new record and it will still be great in January. Right now though, what's important is for the staff of our label and their city, New York, to have time to sort through all that has happened.'

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California Crossing features eleven songs including: 'Separate Kingdom', 'Hang On', 'Mongoose', 'Ampn'', 'California Crossing', 'Thinkin' Out Loud', 'Squash That Fly', 'Bultaco', 'Wiz Kid', 'Downtown In Dogtown', and 'The Wasteoid'. The album also contains a guest appearance from FU MANCHU hero, CIRCLE JERKS singer Keith Morris, who lends a guest vocal on the track 'Bultaco'.

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The first single 'Separate Kingdom' will impact at modern rock and rock radio at the beginning of January 2002.

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FU MANCHU's last album, King of the Road, a homage to vans, muscle cars and all things road-related, received the best reviews of their entire career. Look for FU MANCHU to commence touring leading up to the release of California Crossing.

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'They've been perfecting their heady fusion of grunge and hard rock for 10 years, getting heavier with each disc while preserving a crisp melodic momentum.'

WESTWORLD have pushed back the US release date of their sophomore effort, Skin, until November.

Unsigned Las Vegas nu-metallers HEMLOCK have secured a booking agency in the shape of the renowned The Agency Group International (who represent SLIPKNOT, DROWNING POOL, DISTURBED, MUDVAYNE and SEVENDUST, among others) and are currently completing work on a full-length CD at a Malibu recording studio with SOULFLY guitarist Mike Doling (ex-SNOT). Among the tracks that are set to be included on the as-yet-untitled album are the following:

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01. Basking In The Darkness

02. Pigeonholed

03. Sour

04. Conniption Fit

05. The Sky Is Falling

06. To The Nines

07. No Money No Love

08. Crooked Smile

09. Nobody Knows

10. Kill Your Children

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HEMLOCK is presently shopping rough samples from the above-mentioned sessions to interested labels in the hopes of remixing the recording for a proper release before the end of the year.

Californian all-girl hard rockers PHANTOM BLUE have contributed three songs (“My Turn”, “Hangin' On”, “Turn Around”) to the new Full Moon movie Witchouse 3: Blood Coven, which is due to be released later this month. In other news, PHANTOM BLUE drummer Linda McDonald and guitarist Josephine are involved in THE IRON MAIDENS, L.A.'s all-girl tribute to IRON MAIDEN, which is doing gigs all around the Southern California area. The group, which has an official web site at this location, is performing its next show at Paladino's in Reseda, California on Saturday, October 6th at 10:00 PM.

Sweden's CENTINEX have finished the recording, mixing and mastering of their Candlelight Records debut, entitled Diabolical Desolation, which is tentatively due to be released in Europe during January and the US in February. The full track listing for the effort is as follows:

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01. Demonic Warlust

02. Forthcoming Terror

03. Spawned To Destroy

04. Soulcrusher

05. Diabolical Desolation

06. On Violent Soil

07. Total Misanthropia

08. The Bloodline

09. A War Symphony

10. Hellfire Twilight

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CENTINEX will be touring Europe with EXTREME NOISE TERROR and CADAVER INC. between November 17th and December 3d.

DEF LEPPARD have collaborated with BACKSTREET BOYS/N SYNC songwriter Andreas Carlsson and ex-IT'S ALIVE guitarist Per Aldeheim on the group's upcoming studio CD, which is tentatively scheduled to be released in mid-2002. Seemingly unlikely choices, the Swedish duo have a hard rock background, with Aldeheim having previously produced the debut album from ABSTRAKT ALGEBRA (featuring CANDLEMASS bassist Leif Edling and former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN singer Mats Leven) and having played guitar in the aforementioned IT'S ALIVE, which performed a funk-rock hybrid in the early '90s that was fronted by none other than Martin Sandberg, aka Martin White, aka Max Martin, the mega producer and songwriter for BACKSTREET BOYS, N SYNC, CELINE DION and BON JOVI, According to Elliott, “[Carlsson and Aldeheim] have worked with the BACKSTREET BOYS and N SYNC, and although that may sound strange to a lot of you out there, [longtime LEPPARD producer] Mutt [Lange] has worked with BRITNEY SPEARS, and people still ask us why we don't work with him. Mutt works with THE CORRS, has worked with Billy Ocean, so he doesn't just do rock — in fact, he doesn't even do rock anymore, he's moved on. Now as for Andreas and Per these guys worked with CELINE DION, BRITNEY SPEARS, N SYNC, BACKSTREET BOYS, but..... They are the biggest DIO fans on the planet! Big rockheads! And so, we got this message that they wanted to do a song with us, so we accepted that. And you know, it was comical we were at [ABBA's] Polar Studios in Stockholm, early August, doing this song with them, and they kept asking Vivian to play [DIO's] 'The Last In Line'! I got a bit of that on video, actually! I have been filming in the studio on and off, and I see no reason why, when all this footage is compiled, we can't put it on the web site in the future. But anyways, as much as Andreas and Per work in the pop field, they're huge rock fans, which is only a good thing.”

DREAM THEATER will be supporting the release of their upcoming Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence CD with a European tour, which is scheduled to take place during January/February 2002. The confirmed dates are as follows:

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Jan. 25 - UK, Manchester @ Apollo

Jan. 26- UK, London Hammersmith @ Apollo

Jan. 28 - Denmark, Copenhagen @ KB Halle

Jan. 29 - Norway, Oslo Club @ Spectrum

Jan. 30 - Sweden, Stockholm @ Hovet

Feb. 01 - Germany, Berlin @ Columbiahalle

Feb. 03 - Germany, Hamburg @ Docks

Feb. 04 - Holland, Amsterdam @ Heineken Hall

Feb. 05 - Belgium, Deinze @ Brielport

Feb. 07 - France, Paris @ Zenith

Feb. 08 - Germany, Boblingen @ Sporthalle

Feb. 09 - Germany, Oberhausen @ The Arena

Feb. 11 - Germany, Munich @ Colosseum

Feb. 12 - Switzerland, Bulach @ Stadthalle

Feb. 14 - Italy, Milan @ Palavobis

Feb. 15 - Italy, Rome @ Palaghiaccio Marino

Feb. 16 - Italy, Bologna @ Palasavena

Feb. 18 - Spain, Barcelona @ Razzmatazz

Feb. 19 - Spain, Barcelona @ Razzmatazz

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In related news, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci has posted the following message on his official web site: “To all my friends, fans and people who have worked so hard to organize my upcoming appearances in the UK, Italy, Germany and Japan, the current national circumstances as well as safety and security concerns have regretfully led to the postponement of my clinic tour. I am very disappointed, but I think given the present situation, we all understand. I am looking forward to and committed to rescheduling my visits and playing for all of you. Hopefully, this will be in the near future. As we know more about the state of world events, we will plan a time accordingly. John Petrucci”

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