PHILIP ANSELMO's SUPERJOINT To Tour U.S. With BATTLECROSS, CHILD BITE

Former PANTERA and current DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo's SUPERJOINT RITUAL project — now known simply as SUPERJOINT for legal reasons — will embark on a U.S. tour in January. Support on the trek, which kicks off January 12 in Austin, Texas, will come from BATTLECROSS and CHILD BITE.

Confirmed dates (with more to be announced soon):

Jan. 12 - Austin, TX - Grizzly Hall
Jan. 13 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
Jan. 17 - Fayetteville, AR - George’s Majestic Lounge
Jan. 19 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Ballroom
Jan. 20 - Valparaiso, IN - Big Shots
Jan. 21 - Dayton, OH - Oddbody’s
Jan. 22 - Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot Ballroom
Jan. 24 - Louisville, KY - Diamond Pub Concert Hall
Jan. 25 - Indianapolis, IN - The Emerson Theater
Jan. 27 - Arlington Heights, IL - House Of Music & Ent.
Jan. 28 - Sauget, IL - Pop's Concert Venue

SUPERJOINT's new album, "Caught Up In The Gears Of Application", was released on November 11 via Anselmo's Housecore record label. The disc was recorded at Philip's New Orleans-area studio, Nodferatu's Lair and was produced by Anselmo and Stephen Berrigan. The effort was mastered by Scott Hull (AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, PIG DESTROYER) at Visceral Sounds.

SUPERJOINT's current lineup includes guitarists Kevin Bond (CHRIST INVERSION, ARTIMUS PYLEDRIVER) and Jimmy Bower (DOWN, EYEHATEGOD),drummer José Manuel Gonzalez (WARBEAST, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) and bassist Stephen Taylor (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, WOVEN HAND, 16 HORSE POWER).

"The minute we started writing, I knew this record would be brutal," reflects Bower.

"Sticking to our true hardcore roots and signature SUPERJOINT sound, we accomplished a record that needed to happen in today's underground. It's pissed off!

"After being on hiatus for eleven-plus years, the chance at a new SUPERJOINT record wasn't something we took lightly.

"With newcomers Steven and Joey, we were psyched and eager to get in the Lair and start writing and after two tours with the new lineup, we were able to hit the writing hard! Didn't take long to accomplish, and we stood and smirked at the playback of what would be the new SUPERJOINT record.

"With songs like 'Receiving No Answer To The Knock' and 'Sociopathic Herd Delusion', we had everything to smirk about!

"This record brings our viscous style of hardcore back to life.

"Pissed off with everything to prove, SUPERJOINT is back!"

Adds Anselmo: "The overall theme [of the album] means many things, or no things, but there is an underlying message regardless, about how modern technology — computers and all that comes with them, mainly — has affected our lives. As a musician, it has affected my life both negatively (music being stolen) and positively (being in touch with fellow musicians around the world and staying visible). But when looking at the broader spectrum, computer-land has given everyday people a platform in which to bellow like carnival barkers about anything and everything, humdrum or political, whether qualified or not, some with good intentions, some with disingenuous intentions, and some with ideas that lay somewhere in the middle, creating a mishmash of results."

Anselmo told Decibel magazine that SUPERJOINT was forced to drop the "RITUAL" from its name was "because there's a bloodsucking leech out there who took advantage of a situation. But we're all at fault as well for signing a document that basically has a zero sunset clause, meaning that this person is privy to a cut of any money a 'SUPERJOINT RITUAL' would make. Hence getting rid of the 'RITUAL,' coming back as SUPERJOINT, and cutting out that cancer."