Archive News Sep 26, 2001

Rumors of an imminent reunion of the most celebrated line-up of Swedish doomsters CANDLEMASS were given new life recently when former vocalist Messiah Marcolin took the stage with a CANDLEMASS cover band in Gothenburg, Sweden to perform five songs with the group while dressed in full monk regalia that had been become the singer's trademark during CANDLEMASS' heyday in the late '80s and early '90s. Ex-CANDLEMASS guitarist Mats “Mappe” Björkman has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET that preliminary talks had taken place about a possible reformation for several live performances sometime next year (including a possible appearance at the Sweden Rock Festival),but bassist/mainman Leif Edling remains unconvinced that he should partake in such an event and is currently the sole holdout in the equation, effectively leaving any reunion talks hanging in the balance as he continues to march on with the group's latest incarnation (which released its most recent CD, From The 13th Sun, back in 1999).

According to Inter Sandman, METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett and drummer Lars Ulrich made an appearance recently in the chat room at the official METALLICA Fan Club site, www.metclub.com, where they discussed fans' reactions to the September 11th attacks, and briefly touched upon frontman James Hetfield's post-rehab status, offering simply that “He is doing better”. No information was revealed about a new album, a bass player or other future plans.

After making a genuine effort to put together an album's worth of material for a new BLACK SABBATH studio album—which was set to be produced by veteran producer Rick Rubin—it now appears that all such plans have been indefinitely put on hold as frontman Ozzy Osbourne focuses on promoting his upcoming Down To Earth CD and guitarist Tony Iommi continues work on songs for an upcoming solo album. 'When we got together at the beginning of this year, we new that we had to make it better than when we left it ྋ,” Ozzy told the UK's Metal Hammer magazine. “But things just haven't worked out that way. It's kind of like meeting up with your first girlfriend for a quickie and realising that things just aren't the same.'

POWERMAN 5000 frontman Spider One has posted the following update on the band's activities on the message board of the group's official web site at www.powerman5000.com: “Hope all of you are well during this terrible time... this past week has been rough on everyone and has certainly sent the music business into a tail- spin. I'm sure you have all noticed a big difference on radio and MTV. Anyway the only thing we can do right now is attempt to get back to normal, that's what I'm trying to do. Even though it seems a little trivial, here are some PM5K updates Yes we did do a cover of 'Relax' for the Zoolander soundtrack, we also shot a video that you should be seeing as soon as MTV gets back to normal. Both the track and video came out great, and feature a guest appearance from Danny Boy of HOUSE OF PAIN. Why a cover, why that song? Well, it's pretty simple... [Actor] Ben Stiller and the folks involved with the movie are fans and they asked us to do it. That's it. A few people on this site think they have all of the answers, but they don't. NO ONE, I repeat, NO ONE forces us to do anything. In fact neither Dreamworks [Records] or our managers have ever requested that we do a cover song. This was only for the soundtrack and never meant to be included on our album. Speaking of the album, we are moving ahead with the writing and all is well. I can wait to get back in the game. Again, hope you all are well..... stay tuned for more. Your fearless leader, SPIDER. P.S check out the new issues of Revolver, A.P. and Guitar World for some PM5K press P.P.S do me a favor and go buy the HALFCOCKED record, in stores now!!”

Swedish black metal pioneers BATHORY have reportedly been forced to delay the US release of their Destroyer Of Worlds CD due to the recent terrorist attacks, which have caused the US media, including a large number of radio stations, to ban songs or entire albums that have to do with terror, war, the end of the world and related subjects. As of right now, a new date for the album's release has not yet been announced.

LIMP BIZKIT's sophomore effort, 1999's Significant Other, has now been certified seven times platinum for sales in excess of seven million copies in the US. In other news, frontman Fred Durst has revealed via the group's official web site that he is currently producing a “rock version” of Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' as a complement to U2 frontman Bono and Jermaine Dupri's all-star remake of the same track that will be issued as a benefit single for AIDS and World Trade Center relief on World AIDS Day, December 1st. According to Durst, the “rock” rendition of the song will feature appearances by LIMP BIZKIT drummer John Otto, LIMP BIZKIT bassist Sam Rivers, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland, KORN guitarist Head, U2 guitarist Edge and vocalist Bono, and JANE'S ADDICTION's Perry Farrell. Meanwhile, LIMP BIZKIT are “still in the writing process on the [group's] new album”, which is not due until late 2002. “Our inspiration has just been jolted into overdrive since the WTC incidents,” Durst offered.

SEPULTURA have been added to the UK and Irish bills of the drastically-altered Tattoo The Planet European tour, where they will be joining SLAYER, BIOHAZARD and CRADLE OF FILTH on the reshuffled bills. Also appearing at the Wembley Arena show will be THERAPY? and RAGING SPEEDHORN.

Due to overwheling demand, AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson has lined up a second live performance with his pre-AC/DC band GEORDIE, this one taking place on October 4th at Middlesbrough Town Hall. The group's previously announced debut live appearance, which is scheduled for September 28th at the Newcastle Opera, is now apparently sold out.

German thrashers DESTRUCTION have been confirmed for Wacken Open Air 2002 Festival, taking place in Wacken, Germany in August 2002. In other news, the band have issued an official statement explaining their reasons for pulling off the remaining Tattoo The Planet German dates (as reported yesterday). According to the group, “the German promoter PVS Performance did break our contract! We want to give the people a good value for money and it was just not possible cause the band couldn't perform in a good way. See you out there soon with A GOOD SOUND &amp LIGHTS and FAIR PRICES ON TICKETS AND SHIRTS! We are not gonna rip off our fans!” Also on the DESTRUCTION front, more dates have now been added to the group's upcoming tour with KREATOR and SODOM, which is set to take place during December/January. The confirmed shows are as follows:

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Dec. 26 - Ludwigsburg, GER @ Rockfabrik

Dec. 27 - Bochum, GER @ Zeche

Dec. 28 - Zaandam, NETH @ De Kade

Dec. 29 - Hamburg, GER @ Markthalle

Dec. 30 - Halle, GER @ Easy Schorre

Dec. 31 - Osnabrueck, GER @ Hyde Park

Jan. 02 - Offenbach, GER @ Hafenbahn

Jan. 03 - Dorndorf, GER @ Kulturhaus

Jan. 04 - Glauchau, GER @ Alte Spinnerei

Jan. 05 - Berlin, GER @ Music Hall

Jan. 06 - Warschau, POL @ Proxima

Jan. 07 - Katowice, POL @ Mega Club

Jan. 09 - Nürnberg, GER @ Hirsch

Jan. 10 - Dornbirn, AUS @ Conrad Sohm

Jan. 11 - Salzburg, AUS @ Rockhaus

Jan. 12 - Wien, AUS @ Planet Music

Jan. 14. - Ravenna, ITA @ Rock Planet

Jan. 15 - Pratteln, SWI @ Z7

Due to the recent World Trade Center bombings, New York's TOILET BOYS have postponed their US tour until an unspecified later date.

HATE ETERNAL, featuring MORBID ANGEL guitarist Erik Rutan and MORBID ANGEL fill-in bassist/vocalist Jared Anderson, will be performing at Teatro Providencia in Providencia, Chile on October 31st.

NEVERMORE have announced the dates for their upcoming co-headlining South American tour with Brazil's KRISIUN. The confirmed dates are as follows:

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Oct. 18 - Curitiba, BRA @ TBA

Oct. 19 - São Paulo, BRA @ TBA

Oct. 20 - São Paulo, BRA @ TBA

Oct. 21 - Santiago, CHI @ TBA

INSANE CLOWN POSSE have parted ways with Island Def Jam Records and are currently negotiating with several major labels for the release of their upcoming eighth studio album, which is due in early 2002.

Due to the recent World Trade Center bombings, the proposed Road Dogs of Rock US tour, which was set to include TUFF, ROXX GANG and EVERY MOTHERS NIGHTMARE, has been indefinitely postponed.

Sweden's DIABOLICAL (formerly known as MISANTHROPIC ORCHESTRA) have written five songs for their upcoming studio album, which will reportedly feature a guest solo from a “GREAT Swedish metal band”, whose name has yet to be disclosed.

The proposed tour featuring ANCIENT, THYRANE, STORMLORD and WINDIR, which was scheduled to take place around November/December, has been cancelled for unspecified reasons. An AD INFERNA headlining tour will likely be arranged for the same time period.

Doomsters ELECTRIC WIZARD are currently in the studio working on the material for their upcoming studio album, which is tentatively due in early 2002. The as-yet-untitled CD is reportedly being recorded at the same studio as their previous effort Dopethrone.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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Black Market Publishing will specialize exclusively in the release of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal celebrity biographies, tentatively distributed through Ingram in the US. The first two titles under their domestic release schedule for the spring of 2002 will be An Education in Rebellion: The Biography of Nikki Sixx, featuring exclusive interviews with Lita Ford, Tom Werman, Lizzie Grey, Vanity, Gerri Miller, and others, chronicling Sixx's rise to the status of rock and roll icon, and principle role in sculpting the LA Hard Rock sound that dominated the 1980s as MOTLEY CRUE's lead songwriter and image maker. The second title, Diary of a Mad Man: The Unauthorized Biography of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, is written as a Heavy Metal love story about the genre's most indomitable force, chronicling Ozzy's days as BLACK SABBATH frontman, the many highs and lows building a solo career in the 1980s, and his rise in the 1990s to the pinnacle of his commercial heights as the Godfather of Heavy Metal via Ozzfest. It will be coupled with Sharon Osbourne's role as behind the scenes mastermind to getting Ozzy to the top, and keeping him there, despite all odds. Future titles will include American Bad Ass: The Unauthorized Biography of Kid Rock, and Kiss Me Deadly: The Lita Ford Story.

New York City's own DUST TO DUST has landed the coveted opening slot on TYPE O NEGATIVE's traditional Northeastern US Halloween tour. This news breaks just as the band came off the road on a stint with Dave Navarro. Promoting their self-titled debut release through Sanctuary Records, DUST TO DUST has been enveloped in a storm of activity, from the aforementioned high-profile tour dates to having tracks featured on both the new hit HBO series Six Feet Under and the upcoming soundtrack to the Capcom video game Heavy Metal: Geomatrix.

Finland's FIVE FIFTEEN are supporting the reformed THE QUIREBOYS on the latter band's German headlining tour that began last night, September 25th.

“In Joy And Sorrow”, the second single from H.I.M.'s third full-length offering, Deep Shadows And Brilliant Highlights, will be issued on October 1st, and it will contain the following track listing:

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01. In Joy And Sorrow (radio edit)

02. Again

03. In Joy And Sorrow (string version)

04. Salt In Our Wounds (thulsa doom version)

05. Beautiful (rock version)

+ a clip of 'In Joy And Sorrow' video

INCANTATION will be returning to the studio in early November to finish their debut release for Necropolis Records, which is tentatively due in February. Also in the planning stages is the group's first full European tour in about five years, which will coincide with the aforementioned album's release.

NOTHINGFACE have been forced to cancel their The Darkest Hour tour with DIECAST and SKYCAMEFALLING. According to an official band statement, 'Due to the recent atrocities, many promoters are reluctant put too much into shows at the moment. Ticket sales for most of the upcoming tours have been poor and, although we know our fans would definitely go to the shows, it's extremely hard to convince many of the promoters that this would be the case. In addition, TVT [Records] has requested that we go ahead and stay home to continue working on music for our next release. Talking all of this into consideration, we reluctantly agreed to cancel the tour. After many discussions amongst ourselves, we came to the conclusion that with all of the shit going on, spending time writing and in pre-production would be, not only in our best interest, but in our fans' as well.”

According to a posting by RUSH frontman Geddy Lee on his official web site, RUSH is presently working on a new studio album in a Toronto studio with producer Paul Northfield. The upcoming CD will be the group's first since 1996's Test For Echo. In other news, a DVD re-master of RUSH's early ྖs Chronicles video collection with two additional tracks is also expected out in early October.

SIX, the new Los Angeles-based act featuring frontman Lauren (i.e. DROWN, FAMOUS),guitarist Alfunction (i.e. CYPRESS HILL, OPM, MALFUNCTION),producer/ bassist/programmer Bob K (ROND.CORE, ALTERD STATE, DREAD ZEPPELIN),and drummer Rob Woods, have announced more shows in the Los Angeles area. The dates are as follows:

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Sept. 26 - San Diego, CA @ Canes

Oct. 04 - Huntington Beach, CA @ The Lotus Lounge

Oct. 08 - Hollywood CA @ the Troubadour

Austrian black metal outfit ABIGOR will no longer be recording their upcoming effort, provisionally titled Warmachine, at Tonstudio Hörnix, because of the group's desire to work in a different studio for this record, as well as due to Napalm Records' belief that the group's last offering, Satanized, lacked “ a suitable production and powerful sound”. Warmachine is tentatively scheduled to be recorded in early 2002 and released at the end of next year.

Sweden's KATATONIA will be embarking on their first European tour in five years when they hit the road in early November for four weeks with longtime friends OPETH. The confirmed dates are as follows:

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Nov. 08 - Holland, Rotterdam Baroeg

Nov. 09 - Holland, Groningen Vera

Nov. 10 - Belgium, Vosselaar Biebob

Nov. 11 - France, Lille Splendid

Nov. 12 - France, Metz Araignée Au Plafond

Nov. 13 - France, Paris Locomotive

Nov. 15 - Spain, Barcelona sala Garatge

Nov. 16 - Spain, Bilbao sala bilborock

Nov. 17 - Spain, Valencia Roxy

Nov. 20 - Italy, Cervia Rockplanet

Nov. 21 - Italy, Milano Bilan Zero

Nov. 22 - Switzerland, Wil Remise

Nov. 23 - France, Lyon Transtrubadeur Festival

Nov. 26 - Germany, Berlin Knaack

Nov. 27 - Germany, Essen Zeche Carl

Nov. 28 - Germany, Frankfurt Batchkapp

Nov. 29 - Germany, Osnabruck Works

Nov. 30 - Germany, Hamburg Logo

Dec. 01 - Holland, Zaadam De Kade

Dec. 02 - Holland, Den Bosch Wil

Dec. 04 - England, London Underworld

Dec. 05 - England, Bradford Club Rio

Dec. 06 - Ireland, Belfast Limelight

Dec. 07 Ireland, Dublin Shelter

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To coincide with the tour, a new single is being released on October 22nd. 'Tonight's Music' is the lead track with two new songs recorded especially for this release. Also, from October 22nd, the album Last Fair Deal Gone Down will be sold for a limited period with the single thrown in for free. Commented KATATONIA guitarist Anders Nystrom: 'It's been as much as 5 long years since we roamed Europe, so any material post ྜ has hardly ever been played or covered in the full scale it deserves across this continent. I think nobody will disagree with the fact that it's high time you all get the opportunity to hear what you've been missing, for real, live and loud! We hope to see you all out there. . . in the darkness of the KATATONIA season.'

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