VOLBEAT Guitarist Forced To Miss U.S. Shows

Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT have issued the following update:

"To our U.S. fans: We'll be playing the first handful of our U.S. shows without Thomas [Bredahl] on guitar. Immigration is giving him a real hard time because of an incident concerning theft of a barstool back in the day. He wasn't exactly a juvenile delinquent or anything, but to Homeland Security it's all the same. We hope to have him on board shortly. Our guitar tech will stand in for the time being and we'll, of course, keep you updated."

VOLBEAT will release its fourth album, "Beyond Hell/Above Heaven", in Germany on September 10 and in most parts of Europe on September 13 via Vertigo/Universal. The CD was once again recorded at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen. The cover artwork was created by illustrator Karsten Wrysand and can be viewed below.

Commented the band: "It's been a long process, but damn well worth it. The artwork for 'Beyond Hell/Above Heaven' is done and we're absolutely very proud of it."

"Beyond Hell/Above Heaven" track listing:

01. The Mirror And The Ripper
02. Heaven Nor Hell
03. Who They Are
04. Fallen
05. A Better Believer
06. 7 Shots
07. A New Day
08. 16 Dollars
09. A Warrior's Call
10. Magic Zone
11. Evelyn
12. Being 1
13. Thanks

"Beyond Hell/Above Heaven" features guest appearances by MERCYFUL FATE guitarist Michael Denner, NAPALM DEATH's Mark "Barney" Greenway and KREATOR's Mille Petrozza. Additionally, Jacob Oelund of the Copenhagen rockabilly outfit TAGGY TONES and songwriter Hanrik Hall swung by the studio to lay down some seriously swinging double bass and harmonica.

"We were listening to those guys when we were 14, 15 years old, and we have definitely not forgotten them for inspiring us," VOLBEAT singer/guitarist Michael Poulsen told Revolver magazine about Greenway and Patrozza's contributions to the new album. "They know VOLBEAT — they like our records. We had the opportunity to talk to those guys during the last three years touring around Europe. And to actually have them on the record is really a great compliment. What they did in the studio to the VOLBEAT sound is amazing."

Regarding the title of VOLBEAT's new album, Poulsen previously stated, "The title refers to the overall theme of the album, and it continues the storyline from where [the last VOLBEAT CD] 'Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood' left off…"

VOLBEAT is "very excited" about the new material, "carrying the songs into both extreme metallic territory, punk variations and some very catchy stuff at the same time," according to a posting on the band's web site.

Added Poulsen: "We have fast, slow and mid-tempo songs. We still blend different styles of punk, rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, metal, heavy metal, thrash metal, country — we still keep it very open, it's just music! I cannot say too much about it right now, but we're really excited about it and it's going to be very, very cool. Again, we're going to give people something they haven't heard before. We always try to do something special and different on each and every album."

Professionally filmed video footage of VOLBEAT performing a brand new song, "Fallen", at the Rock Am Ring festival, which was held June 4-6, 2010 in Nürburgring, Germany, can be viewed below.

"A Warrior's Call" is a track recently recorded by VOLBEAT as a tribute to Danish boxer Mikkel Kessler (who is also featured on the cut).

"Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood", the third studio album from VOLBEAT, received a U.S. release in March 2009 via Mascot Records.

(Thanks: Lisa Becker)