Archive News Oct 03, 2001

Further to the news item we posted here yesterday about SOULFLY drummer Joe Nunez's possible defection from the group's ranks over contractual issues, it now appears that the skinsman is keeping busy by playing in a local Chicago-area band called STRIPPING THE PISTOL, who are reportedly showcasing for a few major labels on Sunday, October 21st at the Metro in Chicago. It is not yet clear if Nunez's involvement with the group is a temporary or a permanent one.

Rapper JA RULE appeared on MTV's TRL yesterday and was asked by host Carson Daly about his collaboration with METALLICA on an as-yet-undisclosed track. RULE responded by saying ''Sup James! 'Sup Lars! 'Sup Kirk!' and offered that he had been a big fan of METALLICA when drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist Kirk Hammett called him up about working together. According to RULE, the end result is 'very rocked out'. As previously reported, the “mostly instrumental number” may end up on a Dreamworks Records compilation, which is tentatively due to be released in early 2002.

IRON MAIDEN vocalist Bruce Dickinson recently explained to Metal Hammer magazine the reasons behind the indefinite shelving of the proposed TRINITY project, which was set to feature Dickinson, ex-JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford and QUEENSRYCHE singer Geoff Tate. According to Bruce, 'I put the TRINITY project on hold. It was me who pulled the plug. It was a project too far and nobody had the time to do it properly. And it had to be right. I said to everyone, 'How would you like to be responsible for killing three careers in one move and also be the first stiffer on Sanctuary Records?' Its not good position to be in and not worth rushing. I do think TRINITY is a fine idea and would work if it was executed extraordinarily well. Roy and I wrote three songs for it with the intention of using all 3 voices in each song. It wasn't here's Rob's song with Bruce and Geoff backing him and so on. We actually wrote songs whereby each voice had its own area and the lyrics were written for each voice too. There were bits written where Geoff and I would sing harmonies and stuff where Rob and Geoff would do stuff - all the phrasing was written for each singer too but it was f.cking hard work. After three weeks, Roy and I were sure that we couldn't get it done by the summer. It was bloody interesting writing in that way. I was there doing demos in three different vocal styles singing Rob-isms and Tate-isms to indicate whose voice should be doing what.'

Finland's CHILDREN OF BODOM will join the Tattoo the Planet package for one show, in Milan, Italy, on Wednesday, October 17th. Also featured on the bill are SLAYER, CRADLE OF FILTH, and MOONSPELL, among others.

Sweden's GARDENIAN are still seeking a new record deal following their split with Nuclear Blast Records and are continuing to write new material, which they hope to record early next year for a late 2002 release.

The following item was taken from today's edition of The New York Post: “Ace Frehley had a rough night Saturday. First, the KISS guitarist showed up minus makeup at the Friars Roast of Hugh Hefner with a black eye (given to him by his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend). Frehley then suffered the indignity of having his coveted seat on the dais stolen by Jackie 'The Joke Man' Martling, forcing him to sit in the audience. Later, Frehley and his daughter Monique, 21, joined Hef, his harem of hotties, and Rob Schneider at Spa, where a drunken clubgoer groped and tried to kiss Monique. Frehley, his patience shot, responded by punching the guy in the face.”

DESTRUCTION will be headlining the Rock Hard magazine party, due to be held at the Big Island in Dortmund, Germany on Sunday, October 7th. The event is scheduled to start at 4 PM and will include the following bands: END OF APRIL, WOLVERINE, INTO ETERNITY, POVERTY'S NO CRIME, BRAINSTORM and DESTRUCTION.

You can download JACKYL's new song, 'Open Invitation', which is aimed at Bin Laden, at www.jackyl.w1.com.

ENTOMBED were forced to cancel a show in Portugal last week due to an unspecified “f.ck-up” by the promoters. The band extend their fullest apologies to everyone who showed up expecting the band to play.

Israeli sludgecore three-piece RABIES CASTE will be supporting EARTHTONE 9 at a week's worth of gigs in the UK starting next Tuesday, October 9th. German nu-metallers THORN.ELEVEN will be opening the show. The dates are as follows:

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Oct. 09 – Brighton, UK @ Pressure Point

Oct. 10 - Bristol, UK @ Fleece and Firkin

Oct. 11 - Portsmouth, UK @ Wedgewood Rooms

Oct. 12 - Bradford, UK @ Rios

Oct. 13 - Scunthorpe, UK @ Baths Hall

Oct. 14 - Norwich, UK @ Waterfront

Oct. 15 - Cleethorpes, UK @ Beachcomber

Oct. 16 - Birmingham, UK @ Irish Centre

Oct. 19 - Nottingham, UK @ Old Angel (RABIES CASTE headline)

VIRGO, the much talked-about musical project of former ANGRA/current SHAMAN frontman Andre Matos and HEAVEN'S GATE guitarist Sascha Paeth, released its self-titled, debut in Japan on September 21st, in Europe on October 1st, and will issue the CD in other countries soon thereafter. In addition to the album's 11 songs, the CD also features an enhanced multimedia video clip of 'Baby Doll'. VIRGO played its debut gig during an industry-only promotional concert at the renowned PopKomm in Cologne, Germany on August 16th, where they were reportedly accompanied by a string section and a gospel choir—a total of 18 musicians appeared on stage during the group's “sizzling” performance.

According to former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash's official web site, the axeman has not yet made a decision regarding the long-term future of his band, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, and will focus on a solo album next. Meanwhile, SNAKEPIT rhythm guitarist Kerri Kelli has issued a statement of his own, claiming that none of the group have been officially fired, and that as far as he knows, the band is still together. 'I have not been told by the manager or the business accountant/manager or Slash anything of the sort,” stated Kelli. “I spoke with the other guys and they have not heard either. We know that Slash wanted to take some time off—a few months off—there was no exact time period. Obviously he had the Les Paul thing in New York, and the Michael Jackson pay-per-view, which I believe is going to be shown on CBS in the next couple of weeks. We've been told that he's been considering doing a solo album with guest musicians. I don't know anything about that myself. Last time I actually heard from Slash was about three weeks ago. He left me a message and said that everything was fine. He said he'd been back and forth from New York. I think it was when he was rehearsing with Michael. But we have not heard anything on that front. I think the band is one of the best rock bands around and I hope to keep it that way along with the other guys. Although everyone has their own opinions, that is my opinion. So no, it has nothing to do with us being fired whatsoever. The rumors are completely false.'

FILTER mainman Richard Patrick and engineer Rae Dileo took a break from recording FILTER's next CD this past February to produce an unsigned Portland, OR band named DUALESC at their Abyssinian Sons Studios. For more information on the group and to hear the MP3s of the FILTER-produced EP, go to this location.

Former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN vocalist Mark Boals' new band RING OF FIRE will release its latest CD, The Oracle, in Europe on December 10th via Frontiers Records. No North/South American release dates have yet been announced. In other news, Boals has formed his own management company, called Mugenkyo (an old Japanese meaning “Infinite Dream and Fantasy Land'),which he will be heading up with his assistant.

SEVEN WITCHES are due to collaborate with produced Joey Vera (i.e. FATES WARNING/ARMORED SAINT bassist) on a new album that is tentatively set for release in February. The as-yet-untitled CD will feature two tracks written and sung by SAVATAGE mainman Jon Oliva.

Guitarist Mike Hickey, known for his work with VENOM, CARCASS, CATHEDRAL and CRONOS, has stepped out on his own with GOLD, an all-instrumental heavy rock act with crunchy guitars and searing solos, in which he is joined by ex-CATHEDRAL drummer Shawn Progen. Produced by Michael Alan Hickey and Mark Alan Miller at The Slaughterhouse, GOLD has made available an MP3 of the track “The Sabbath” for download via this location.

On October 30th, MISFITS will be releasing Cuts From The Crypt, a collection of largely unreleased material from 1995 to present, via Roadrunner Records. Tracks included date back to the MISFITS 1996 'resurrection' when Jerry Only, his brother Doyle, drummer Dr. Chud and new vocal recruit Michale Graves came raging back into action with a fury and fire that “not only equaled but occasionally surpassed the Danzig days of legend”, according to an official statement from Roadrunner. Here is the full track listing for the effort:

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01. Dead Kings Rise (96 Mars Attacks session)

02. Blacklight (96 Mars Attacks session)

03. The Haunting (96 Mars Attacks session)

04. The Hunger (96 Mars Attacks session)

05. Mars Attacks (96 Mars Attacks session)

06. Dr. Phibes Rises Again (96 Mars Attacks session)

07. I Got A Right (STOOGES cover)

08. Monster Mash

09. I Wanna Be A NY Ranger

10. Scream (demo session for Famous Monsters)

11. 1,000,000 Years BC (Famous Monsters B-side)

12. Helena 2 (Famous Monsters B-side)

13. Devil Doll (Famous Monsters B-side)

14. Fiend Without a Face (previously unreleased)

15. Bruiser (previously unreleased)

16. No More Moments (previously unreleased)

17. Rise Above (live) (BLACK FLAG cover with M25 touring line-up, featuring Robo and Dez of BLACK FLAG)

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As is the group's custom, the MISFITS will be taking out their live show for the Halloween season. Current dates are as follows:

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Oct. 9 - Minneapolis, MN @ 1st Ave

Oct. 11 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues

Oct. 12 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts

Oct. 14 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

Oct. 16 - State College, PA @ Crowbar

Oct. 17 - Allentown, PA @ Crockodile Rock Cafe'

Oct. 18 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Metropol

Oct. 19 - Columbus, OH @ Al Rosa

Oct. 20 - Detroit, MI @ Harpos

Oct. 21 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's

Oct. 24 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East

Oct. 25 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East

Oct. 26 - New Haven, CT @ Toad's Place

Oct. 27 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero

Oct. 28 - Providence, RI @ Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel

Oct. 31 - New York, NY @ The World

Here is how the hard rock/metal genre fare in the German Media Control charts for the week ending Monday, October 1st:

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06. (05.) H.I.M. - Deep Shadows...

08. (04.) BOB DYLAN - Love And Theft

11. (-) TORI AMOS - Strange Little Girls

12. (13.) LINKIN PARK - Hybrid Theory

14. (10.) STAIND - Break The Circle

17. (-) LIVE - V

46. (44.) SYSTEM OF A DOWN - Toxicity

68. (53.) RAMMSTEIN - Mutter

79. (67.) BON JOVI - One Wild Night Live

81. (72.) BLINK 182 - Take Off Your Pants...

83. (-) AXXIS - Eyes Of Darkness

86. (71.) LIMP BIZKIT - Chocolate Starfish...

87. (80.) CLAWFINGER - A Whole Lot Of Nothing

88. (70.) BIOHAZARD – Uncivilization

The official U.D.O. web site confirmed the reports that former ACCEPT vocalist Udo Dirkschneider recently spent time in a German hospital, stating simply that the singer was there for one day because of “a problem with one of his nerves so it was nothing serious”. In other news, the first 20,000 copies of U.D.O.'s Live In Russia CD will look like a book and will have a little booklet inside with lots of live pictures and much more.

Irish “hypnotic doom metal” act MOURNING BELOVETH are currently writing the material for their second album, which is tentatively scheduled to be recorded in April 2002 for a late 2002 release through an as-yet-undetermined label. According to an official statement from the band, the new songs feature “more emphasis on song structure and varying mood”, similar to Dust's “All Hope Is Pleading”, but “still continuing the slow, heavy and hypnotic base structure”. For more information, check out the band's web site at: www.clubi.ie/primordial/beloveth

Germany's DESTILLERY have finished the recordings for their new album, entitled Ferrum, which is scheduled to be released on January 1st.

The reunited hardcore act BLOODLET will play their first show since reforming at the Gainesville Fest, which is due to take place in Gainesville, Florida on December 14th and 15th. For more information, check out Gainesvillefest.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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DIESEL MACHINE PLAYS “GUITAR DAY L.A.”

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LOS ANGELES – DIESEL MACHINE has been tapped to play Guitar Day L.A. on Saturday, October 6 at Musician's Institute in Hollywood.

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Guitar Day L.A. is a day of artist performances, seminars with the editors of Guitar Player magazine, manufacturers' exhibits, and gear giveaways. Other artists slated to play are Marty Friedman (formerly of MEGADETH),Steve Lukather (TOTO),and Larry Coryell (John McLaughlin, Miles Davis).

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“It's an honor to be asked to play along with some of the best guitarists in the business, like Luke and Marty, not to mention other amazing musicians like Simon Phillips,” said DIESEL MACHINE guitarist Pat Lachman, who also doubles as guitarist for Rob Halford. “We are going there to represent the extreme end of the spectrum.”

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Musician's Institute is located at 1655 McCadden Place in Hollywood. Guitar Day L.A. runs from 12 noon – 6 p.m., with doors opening at 11 a.m. Tickets are $20 in advance/$25 at the door, and may be ordered online at www.musicplayer.com/guitardayla. For further information on Guitar Day L.A., call (800) 976-1281.

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DIESEL MACHINE is four L.A. musicians playing a darker breed of music. Complex riffs matched with equally punishing percussion push the limits of extreme heavy metal on DIESEL MACHINE's SPV Records debut album, Torture Test.

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