Archive News Sep 10, 2001 - update 2

QUEENSRYCHE vocalist Geoff Tate is due to officially begin recording his new solo album on September 13th. Not many details are presently available about the upcoming CD, but it is believed that the line-up of musicians performing on the album will be the same as the one that appeared live back in June, a list that included bassist Chris Fox, guitarist Scott Moughton, guitarist Jeff Carrel, and drummer Evan Shiller. Several guest musicians and writers are also said to be lined up to appear on the new album, which is likely to contain 14 tracks, among them a cover of PETER MURPHY's “Wish”. An early 2002 release through Sanctuary Records is expected.

The September 29th New York date of the upcoming Smokeout Festival—a package tour that is set to feature performances by the DEFTONES, CYPRESS HILL, FEAR FACTORY, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, BUSTA RHYMES, METHOD MAN, REDMAN, and NOFX—originally scheduled at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ, has been postponed until another location in the New York City area is found, according to the event's producers, Guerilla Union. The festival was reportedly suddenly deemed “unsuitable” by the management of PNC Arts Center following less-than-desirable conduct from attendees at several other musical events this past summer at the same venue. In other Smokeout news, the October 14th Kualoa Ranch date in Honolulu, Hawaii has been moved to Sunday, October 21st. No reason was given for the postponement.

MARILYN MANSON action figures are due to make their debut by the end of September. For more information, visit http://www.mansontoy.com.

Canada's KITTIE have firmed up the track listing to their forthcoming sophomore effort, entitled Oracle, which is due through Artemis Records on October 30th. The songs set to appear on the CD are as follows:

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01. Oracle

02. Mouthful Of Poison

03. In Water

04. Severed

05. Run Like Hell (PINK FLOYD cover)

06. Pain

07. Wolves

08. What I Always Wanted

09. Safe

10. No Name

11. Pink Lemonade

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The album's first single, 'What I Always Wanted', will have an accompanying video shot for it shortly. KITTIE will be hitting the road in November on a headlining trek. Prior to that, KITTIE will be making in-store appearances throughout October in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, San Francisco, Phoenix, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and Boston. All dates are expected to be announced shortly.

Quote of the day belongs to Shawna Lode, public relations manager for the Iowa Tourism Office, who told a Des Moines newspaper that SLIPKNOT's Iowa likely “won't generate much interest” for her office, which targets adults 24-54 in Iowa and the surrounding states, not young metalheads the world over. 'I didn't even know they had an album named Iowa,' Lode reportedly said. 'I don't have any of their CDs.'

New Zealand's SHIHAD are currently in Los Angeles in pre-production with producer Josh Abraham (i.e. KORN, STAIND, ORGY) for their upcoming studio release, for which they have reportedly written over 30 songs and from which they will select the best 12-15 to track for the aforementioned CD. SHIHAD's as-yet-untitled first album for The Label/Geffen Records marks the second time the group have worked with Abraham, having previously collaborated with the knob-twiddler on a remix of their “Deb's Night Out” for US college radio back in 1995. An early 2002 release is expected.

SLIPKNOT may be by far the most successful heavy rock group to have ever come out of Iowa, but they're certainly not the only one. Hailing from the Ames-area towns of Gilbert, Slater and Huxley the seven-piece act known as MR. PLOW recently relocated to Los Angeles after having worked their way to the top of the Ames music scene with its powerful blend of hip-hop, funk and rap. Armed with a heavyweight management contract with Mark Adelman, whose previous clients include the likes of PRINCE, LUTHER VANDROSS and KISS, MR. PLOW (not to be confused with a Texas act by the same name) have managed to attract the attention of former GUNS N' ROSES producer Mike Clink, who has been working with the group on demos and has been helping them garner record company interest. Although no deal has yet been inked, the band—consisting of have supposedly been talking to several majors and they expect to sign on the dotted line in the coming months.

Three tracks from TECHNOCRACY's recently-released self-titled debut (issued through the group's own Mighty Spec Records) are now available for download via the band's official web site at these locations:

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01. How We Die

02. Truth

03. Prognosis

An MP3 of the track “Uncle Sam”, taken from AGNOSTIC FRONT's upcoming Dead Yuppies CD (due to be released through Epitaph Records on October 1st),is available for download from this location.

POWERMAN 5000 and ORGY are two of the artists appearing on the forthcoming soundtrack to the movie Zoolander, which stars Ben Stiller and has a theatrical release date of September 28th. POWERMAN 5000's contribution comes in the shape of the group's cover of FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD's 'Relax' (which was originally set to be recorded by LIMP BIZKIT, who eventually bowed out of the project for unspecified reasons),while ORGY appear with a song entitled “Faces”. POWERMAN5000 shot a video in Los Angeles for “Relax”—the soundtrack album's projected first single—on Sunday, September 2nd with video director Marc Klasfield, while the single is scheduled to go to radio on September 18th.

The 2001 Family Values tour—starring STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, LINKIN PARK, STAIND, STATIC-X, and DEADSY—is starting to shape up, with initial dates for the trek having just been announced and more to come very soon. The confirmed shows are as follows:

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Oct. 11 – Cleveland, OH @ Cleveland State Conv. Center

Oct. 12 – Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena

Oct. 13 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Center

Oct. 15 – Detroit, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills

Oct. 16 – Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse

Oct. 18 – Washington, D.C. @ MCI Center

Oct. 20 – Toronto, ONT, CAN @ Skydome

Oct. 26 – Worcester, MA @ Centrum

Nov. 02 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ National Car Rental Center

Nov. 03 – Tampa, FL @ Ice Palace Arena

Bassist Jamie Hunting has reportedly rejoined the VINCE NEIL band after previously getting ousted from the group after an argument stemming from Hunting's unfulfilled request for a bass tech, according to Metal Edge Online. Former OZZY OSBOURNE bassist Phil Soussan filled in at three shows, but Hunting was eventually asked back, and he will now accompany the group to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they are scheduled to play two shows on September 20th and 21st.

A video recording of ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott and vocalist Angela Gossow apologizing to their Japanese fans for the recent cancellation of the group's appearance at the Beast Feast Festival and the subsequent Japanese headlining tour can be viewed at this location. In related news, ARCH ENEMY axeman Christopher Amott (brother of Michael) is designing a 'Christopher Amott' signature guitar model together with the people at Caparison Guitars in Japan. Chris says 'I have been playing these guitars since 1997 and developed a great relationship with both the instruments and the people that make them! This guitar will be a killer instrument if everything works out - a real SHRED tool, hehe...'

In the “where-are-they-now” department, former OVERKILL/GRIP INC. guitarist Bobby Gustafson is reportedly residing in Palm Beach, Florida and is making a living as a commercial painter (i.e. painting houses) and generally living the life of an average person. According to informed sources, Gustafson has no intentions of returning to the music business anytime soon .

Here is the set list for DEVIN TOWNSEND's performance at The Arena in Brisbane, Australia on September 8th (rough order that may not be 100% accurate):

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01. Truth (INFINITY)

02. Velvet Kervorkian (SYL)

03. All Hail the New Flesh (SYL)

04. Oh my F.cking God (SYL)

05. SYL (SYL)

06. In the Rainy Season (SYL)

07. Seventh Wave (OCEAN MACHINE)

08. Regulator (OCEAN MACHINE)

09. War (INFINITY)

10. Mountain (TERRIA)

11. Earth Day (TERRIA)

12. Namaste (PHYSICIST)

13. Detox (SYL)

Encore

14. Far Beyond Metal (SYL)

15. Bad Devil (INFINITY)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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RAGING SPEEDHORN CONFIRMED FOR FEAR FACTORY EUROPEAN TOUR IN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER [SEPTEMBER 2001]

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Los Angeles cybermetallers FEAR FACTORY have tapped RAGING SPEEDHORN to support them on their upcoming European tour in October and November. Also on the bill will be the twisted genius DEVIN TOWNSEND (of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, OCEAN MACHINE and INFINITY fame) and industrial legends GODFLESH. The tour will start in Northern Ireland and Ireland before heading over to the UK mainland. RAGING SPEEDHORN will be the main support band for these shows. Once the tour makes its way to continental Europe, DEVIN TOWNSEND will move up to the main support slot and RAGING SPEEDHORN will play second. Also, RAGING SPEEDHORN will NOT be appearing at the two concerts in Portugal on November 15th (Lisbon) and 16th (Oporto).

Los Angeles' MEDICATION, featuring former MACHINE HEAD / SOULFLY guitarist Logan Mader, ex-UGLY KID JOE / LIFE OF AGONY vocalist Whitfield Crane, ex-ADAYINTHELIFE guitarist Blunt, and ex-SOULFY drummer Roy Mayorga, will be opening for COLD in Santa Barbara, California on October 10th. It also appears that the group's previously planned tour of continental Europe, which was to immediately follow the band's UK dates in November, has now been postponed to either December or February. More information on this as it becomes available.

A VINTERSORG DVD is currently in the works, featuring 90 minutes of live footage (shot in Montreal, Quebec earlier this year),as well as interview clips, rehearsal material and other “private” footage. The as-yet-untitled DVD is tentatively scheduled for release sometime in 2002.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE have just demoed another three songs for their upcoming Roadrunner Records debut, entitled Alive Or Just Breathing. According to the group, “we are very happy and excited at how the new songs are shaping up. Rest assured folks, the new material will blow everything else we have done away. KSE will not be follow in the foot steps of your favorite Roadrunner bands that 'fall off' and write crappy records... we will make you guys proud.” Set to be mixed by Andy Sneap (i.e. MACHINE HEAD, STUCK MOJO, NEVERMORE, etc.),Alive Or Just Breathing is tentatively scheduled for an early 2002 release.

Japan's biggest rock concert promoter UDO has announced that the previously scheduled MSG (MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP) tour of Japan was cancelled by the artist for unspecified reasons. Meanwhile, Araki's Michael SchenkerFan Page reports that Japanese radio program presenter Masa Itoh commented that the reason for the Japan tour cancellation may be related to the fact that Michael fired various members of the band's rhythm section or they left the band. According to Masa, on the very day when the tickets started to be sold, Michael's management notified the Japanese promoter and told him that the tour had to be postponed without providing him with a reason for the cancellation.

According to Into Obscurity, SOILENT GREEN have pulled off the upcoming Metallenium Tour for unspecified reasons. Bands still scheduled to take part in the tour include SIX FEET UNDER, DIMMU BORGIR, WITCHERY, GOD FORBID, LAMB OF GOD, NAPALM DEATH and DARKEST HOUR.

Danish rockers D-A-D have started recording their eighth studio album in a Copenhagen studio with producer Don Smith.

During an appearance on the Howard SternShow last week, former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash made it clear that he was pretty upset that GNR vocalist Axl was still using the GUNS N' ROSES name for his brand new band. He also made fun of Axl for not putting anything out in six years. When Howard asked the axeman if he would ever reunite with Axl and the gang, Slash replied that he would, but only if the entire original line-up went to therapy and got rid of all the baggage surrounding the business machine of GNR. Slash also mentioned that Axl needed to get his head on straight and face reality.

CHASTAIN, featuring guitarist David Chastain and vocalist Kate French, have been joined by ex-VICIOUS RUMORS drummer Larry Howe and bassist Dave Starr for the recording of their brand new CD, which is due to be issued through Leviathan Records in early 2002.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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MANOWAR INVADES THE DVD ARENA ON NOVEMBER 20TH

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You now have the chance to experience Hell On Earth in full digital video and 5.1 Surround sound.

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MANOWAR, whose 1987's Fighting The World was the first all-digital heavy metal recording, has built a reputation for taking advantage of state-of-the-art technology. So it comes as no surprise that the band is not merely entering, but storming into, the DVD arena on November 20, 2001 with Hell On Earth Part 1.

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The near-disastrous first meeting of Karl Logan and Joey DeMaio the triumphant return of Scott Columbus the orchestral recording of 'Courage' the making of the 'Return of the Warlord' video MANOWAR's glorious first visit to South America its 1996 New Year's Eve celebration in Cleveland, Ohio Midwinter motorcycle madness the band's notorious Hell On Wheels tour the 1997 Milan, Italy Gods of Metal festival and the 1997 Full Force Festival: clocking in at nearly two hours, Hell On Earth Part 1 is more than a rockumentary, it is an invitation into MANOWAR's world.

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From the recording studio to the stage, witness what has made MANOWAR both the most loved and hated band in the universe.

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Featuring nearly 15 minutes of bonus footage, this DVD is a new experience for even hardcore MANOWAR fans who have worn out their VHS copies.

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This DVD features an interactive menu that allows viewers to:

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- Watch the film in its entirety or chose among its 21 chapters.

- View exclusive band photos

- Choose between bonus material including the complete live performance of 'Kings of Metal', filmed in Essen, Germany, and the rehearsal performance of 'King…', filmed at a recording studio in Hamburg, Germany.

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Hell On Earth Part 1 is part documentary, part historical overview, part concert film, and 100% MANOWAR. Mixed in 5.1 Surround sound., this monumental DVD is the next best thing to the band performing live in your living room, blasting the plaster from your ceiling and blowing out all of the windows in your home. It is everything a fan of true metal could have wished for.

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Hell On Earth Part 1 DVD is scheduled for release through Metal Blade Records on Tuesday, November 20th, 2001 in the USA. It will be available in Europe through Nuclear Blast on Monday, November 19, 2001.

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