Tons o' Metal News (post-4th o' July, 2005)

~ Upcoming SIN ORIGIN Tour Dates for Summer 2005 ~
SIN ORIGIN on tour! Current tentative dates include:

July, 8, 2005 Boston, MA.: SIN ORIGIN w/ GRAND BELIAL'S KEY, HORN OF VALERE, HIRUDINEA ,... more info to be annnouced soon!

July, 9 2005 at The Bomb Shelter, 97 Eddy Road, Manchester, NH 03102

Dungeon Cult Festival w/ GRAND BELIAL'S KEY, HORN OF VALERE, DECEMBER WOLVES, ABAZAGORATH, COLD NORTHERN VENGEANCE, plus many more to be announced!

July, 23 2005 at Westchester Bar and Grill, 5630 W.Manchester Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90045-4416
SIN ORIGIN with:  NECROPHAGIA 1st U.S. appearances! (See more info and news below) www.necrophagia.com
ENGORGE (NJ) www.engorge.homestead.com
SUMERIA (CA) www.sumeriakult.com
TERATISM (MN) www.teratism666.com
BREATH OF SORROWS (NV) www.breathofsorrows.com
IBEX THRONE (UT) ibexthrone.christcrusher.com
TYPHUS (IN) www.darkhorizon666.com/typhus
TOTES REICH (CA)
WINTERTHRALL (CA) www.winterthrall.com

Bands are in no particular order and bill is subject to change. Doors 5pm 1st band 5:30pm (schedule to follow); 18 to enter 21 to drink with ID
*(The place is great. Good food, cheap beers and more than enough free parking. Everyone do a Mapquest to get directions from where you are!)

SIN ORIGIN has already performed twice in June: at the "Dwell in Darkness II" festival Friday, June 10th, and locally in Ohio, 2 weeks prior. For more information, visit the following sites:
www.sinorigin.com
www.myspace.com/sinorigin

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~ CARPATHIAN FOREST Continue Work On New Album ~
Norwegian black metallers CARPATHIAN FOREST have posted the following message on their official web site:

"Although being busy with promoting the new NATTEFROST 'Terrorist' album, Nattefrost is finding time to record his vocals for the new CARPATHIAN FOREST album, that was recorded before the band's latest European tour; The Art of Provocation tour part I.

"Due to the promotional obligations, as well as various live gigs with CARPATHIAN FOREST this summer, the band hope to finish the album during August 2005. Not sure about the release date yet, but either in early November 2005, or late January 2006. The album will be followed up by extensive touring, starting in early 2006.

"The Carpathian Mongos recently returned from Germany, where they performed at With Full Force. The gig experience was good and the band is looking forward to go to South America for the first time."

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~ DARK FUNERAL: Former MESHUGGAH Bassist To Guest On New Album ~
DARK FUNERAL guitarist Lord Ahriman has posted the following studio update in the "Forums" section of the band's official web site:

"Back home from the studio again. During the last two weeks, Chaq Mol and I have been laying down our guitar tracks. After trying out several differant amps, we ended up using my very own Mesa Boogie 'dual rectifire'. The guitar sound kills!

"On Tuesday (July 5) we'll begin laying down the bass and vocals. Since our new songs require something extra from the bass, we decided to bring in a a highly skilled and professional guest player to record it. And I'm proud to say that it'll be no other then Gustaf Hielm (ex-MESHUGGAH).

"I'd also like to point out that what we have created here is is NOT a 'Diabolis Interium' part 2. Personally I think that that album, and the style it dispays, turned out as good as we (or anyone else for that sake) could ever make it. So it has obviously not been any point for us to try and overcome ourselves in that particular vein.

"Before we begin working on this album I guess we all felt it was time to do something new (without losing our roots, of course). This is also one of the reasons why we decided to change studio and producer. Peter Tägtgren is still our friend and he still rules. We just felt it was time to move on you know... I can however assure you, that what I promised myself 12+ years ago (when the band was founded), I said, 'I refuse to let DARK FUNERAL become one of those bands that after a few albums become old and begin to play slower and uninspired metal. And at the same time I told the others, we should do the opposite. And go faster and faster for each album. Well, when you get to hear the new shit, you will see what I mean. I/we have definately kept true to ourselves!"

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~ Chilean Church Seeks Ban On DEICIDE Show ~
A DEICIDE concert in Chile appears to be in jeopardy after the Chilean church has asked the authorities to prevent the group from playing in country out of respect for an Italian Catholic priest who was murdered by a DEICIDE fan almost a year ago.

Rodrigo Orias, 26 (news photos have previoulsy been published showing him posing in Chile with MARDUK), slit Father Faustino Gazziero's throat, smeared his face with the victim's blood and then stabbed himself several times in the chest and neck with the same knife at the conclusion of a Mass at Santiago's Metropolitan Cathedral on July 24, 2004 while hundreds of churchgoers watched in horror, according to published reports.

Orias, who had a pentagram branded on the left side of his chest (covering his heart) and several other symbols of the occult tattooed on his body, reportedly asked DARK FUNERAL singer Emperor Magus Caligula during the Swedish black metal band's visit to Santiago in 2003 to burn an inverted cross on Rodrigo's arm with a cigar — a "mark" which Orias later planned to make into a tattoo.

Last September, a Santiago court ruled that Orias was mentally ill when he committed the crime and ordered him to undergo psychiatric treatment instead of imprisonment.

Judge Veronica Sabaj of the Third Criminal Court of Santiago determined that Orias was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, which is characterized by paranoid delusions and hallucinations, and decided against charging him with the murder of Father Faustino.

Orias was said to be a huge fan of DEICIDE, who are scheduled to perform at the Gymnasium Nataniel on July 15. Aware of the killer's fanatical devotion to the long-running Florida-based death/satanic metal band's music and lyrical message, the Chilean deán of the Cathedral, Damián Mints, has asked the authorities to cancel the concert.

Mints was said to be particularly disturbed by DEICIDE's anti-Christian stance and lyrics, including such lines as "You'll pay for the lies of your prophecy, Satan wants you dead, Kill the Christian," from the group's 1995 album, "Once upon the Cross".
*[ Source: blabbermouth.net ]

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~ HEMNUR Featuring FREDIABLO: Audio Samples Posted Online ~
HEMNUR, the black metal project featuring NECROPHAGIA axeman Frediablo, have uploaded audio samples of their upcoming debut album, "Satanic Hellride", due on August 22 via the Dutch label Infernus Rex. Check them out at: http://www.home.no/hemnur/ .
The album, which will come with a 24-page black-and-white booklet, was recorded at GodFed Studios in Norway during March 2005, and was engineered, produced and mixed by Frediablo. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Satanic Hellride", "I Spit My Blood", "Fucked By Your Christ", "Grimness Rising", "Freezing Doom", "Skullfucking Jesus" and "Ravnsvart" (Ravenblack), as well as two tracks from the band's first demo, "Ravnsvart".

Frediablo will be joining NECROPHAGIA for a U.S. tour beginning on July 22 in San Diego, California. Here's a complete listing of currently confirmed tour dates:

Jul. 22 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
Jul. 23 - The Westchester Sports Bar - Los Angeles, CA *(with SIN ORIGIN!)
Jul. 24 - The Pound - San Francisco, CA
Jul. 26 - The Compound - Albuquerque, NM
Jul. 27 - Lucky Devils - El Paso, TX
Jul. 28 - The Engine Room - Houston, TX
Jul. 29 - Just Bills - St. Louis, MO
Jul. 30 - Milwaukee Metalfest - Milwaukee, WI
Jul. 31 - Connections - Clifton, NJ
Aug. 01 - Club Rare - New York, NY
Aug. 02 - Jaxx - Springfield, VA
Aug. 03 - Ground Zero - Spartanburg, SC
Aug. 04 - The Brass Mug - Tampa, FL
Aug. 05 - Island Oasis - Orlando, FL

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~ SILENTIUM To Master New Album This Month ~
Finnish atmospheric doom metallers SILENTIUM will be mastering their new album in late July at the Finnvox studios in Helsinki. A late 2005 release via Dynamic Arts Records is expected.

SILENTIUM, who recently announced the addition of vocalist Riina Rinkinen and returning drummer Jari Ojala to the group's ranks, released their third album, "Sufferion - Hamartia of Prudence", in 2003 through Spikefarm Records. Produced by NIGHTWISH mainman Tuomas Holopainen, the CD was recorded at Sundicoop Studio in Savonlinna, Finland and featured a guest appearance by former LULLACRY and current SOULGRIND frontwoman Tanja Kemppainen.

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~ CORONER Rule Out Reunion ~
The legendary technical metal band CORONER from Zurich, Switzerland have reportedly ruled out the possibility of a reunion, despite the recent offer of a festival appearance as well as other live performances.

According to a posting on The Unofficial Coroner Web Site at: http://www.designvortex.com/coroner/ , "Marky [Marquis Marky, a.k.a. Marky Edelmann, drums] wrote [in a recent e-mail that] he met Ron [Royce, a.k.a. Ron Broder, bass/vocals] and Tommy [Vetterli, a.k.a. Tommy T. Baron, guitar] two weeks ago to talk about the reunion. Unfortunately, he said it was now 100% sure there would be no CORONER reunion or live shows. He explained the main reason was that neither he, Ron, nor Tommy had the time it would require to do this properly, and also that neither of them liked to, I quote, 'reheat things, except spaghetti sauce.'

"Marky explicitly asked me not to post his e-mail on the web, but he said that they were all extremely touched by the interest of all the fans and — for this very reason, I believe — they would meet again in two weeks for two other things he doesn't want me to reveal yet. Both things are still very uncertain, and one of them — the most uncertain of the two — is particularly exciting, although it's not a reunion, and it's not a new album.

"Keep checking the CORONER Message Board and this site for news because one of the things he talked about, if it happens, will be an exclusive time-limited opportunity that will be announced here.

"More news about all those mysteries as soon as I hear from Marky again and get the green light from him! :)"

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~ KHOLD Sign With TABU RECORDINGS ~
Norwegian cult black metallers KHOLD have inked a deal with Tabu Recordings. The group are currently completing work on their fourth album, tentaively due in October.

KHOLD's third album, "Morke Gravers Kammer", was released last year via Candlelight Records.

Recorded in Norway and completed following the band's 2003 European tour with SATYRICON, "Morke Gravers Kammer" (The Gravediggers Dark Chamber) was previously described as "an eclectic collection of fast and mid-tempo tracks that features the Oslo-based band's simple yet commanding take on the extreme style." The album featured artwork by illustrious Norwegian photographer Marcel Leliënhof, who also directed the band's video for the track "Dod".

For more information, visit www.khold.com.

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~ IMPALED NAZARENE Re-Sign With OSMOSE, Prepare To Record New Album ~
*[ Source: blabbermouth.net ]

Finnish extreme metallers IMPALED NAZARENE have re-signed with Osmose Productions for two more albums!! "We are more than happy to continue working with Osmose," the band write on their web site.

IMPALED NAZARENE will enter Sonic Pump studios on November 21 to begin recording their next album. The follow-up to 2003's "All That You Fear" will be recorded and mixed by Tapio Pennanen. "We are at the moment writing and rehearsing the album and gotta say it will be fast, brutal as fuck, in-your-face IMPALED NAZARENE once again," the group write on their web site.

In other news, the double 10" version of IMPALED NAZARENE's "Death Comes In 26 Carefully Selected Pieces" live album will be released in September 2005, limited to 500 copies.

Also on the IMPALED NAZARENE-related front, "Latex Cult" (1996) and "Rapture" (1998) will be released in the digipack format with new artwork and layout. Both CDs will be remastered at Finnvox studio and will include videos as an extra bonus.

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~ ENSLAVED: 'Return To Yggdrasil' Live DVD To Surface In September ~
Norwegian extreme metallers ENSLAVED will be releasing their "Return to Yggdrasil – Live In Bergen" DVD in September via Tabu Recordings. The disc will feature the band's May 4 live performance in Bergen and bonus material from the band's European tour, including a band interview. The sound was handled by Lars Klokkerhaug (who mixed "ISA") and the editing of the footage was taken care of by Stig "Ese" Eliassen, guitarist of VREID, ENSLAVED's support band on their recent European tour).

ENSLAVED recently won the "Metal Album of the Year" prize at the Norwegian "Grammy" awards, Spellemannprisen, for their latest release, "ISA". The band also received the independent Alarm Award for "Best Metal Album" of 2004.

As previously reported, ENSLAVED are planning to perform the entire "Eld" album (originally released in 1997) during their scheduled appearance at the Hole in the Sky festival on August 26 in Bergen, Norway. This will be the first and last time ever for this specific concept, according to a posting on the group's web site.

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~ Police File 116 Charges Against SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND Concert-Goers ~
*[ Source: blabbermouth.net ]

According to the Winston-Salem Journal, an undercover police operation at the Sounds of the Underground concert Thursday (June 30) outside the Joel Coliseum Annex led to charges against 60 people, Winston-Salem police said yesterday. Most of the charges were for drug possession.

Officers and agents from Forsyth Municipal ABC Law Enforcement issued 116 charges. Most were misdemeanors. Police Capt. David Clayton said that police cited or arrested people for possession of marijuana, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, Xanax and Ritalin, he said.

The Sounds of the Underground concert featured more than 20 bands, including LAMB OF GOD, CLUTCH, OPETH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and DEVILDRIVER.

Staff at the Joel Coliseum asked police for the undercover operation, Clayton said. "Most of the folks that we dealt with were from out of town and, in fact, out of state," he said.

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~ CRADLE OF FILTH To Enter Studio In Late August ~
CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth has posted the following message on the band's official web site:

"Just a quick plunge into the darkness that is the CRADLE OF FILTH schedule of late, to let everybody know that the 'Viva La Bam' filming week near Philadelphia last month seems to have been a complete success, with a televised date of mid, to end of July in the U.S. and then (working on the premise that the show is then broadcast in Europe several weeks/months later), we are expecting an autumnal airing of the show featuring none other than yours truly and his band of very merry men.

"As an experience it was a great one, we became friends with Bam on the last American tour when he came out to see us on the road and so it was with high expectancy of partying for a week that guitarist Paul A. and myself flew out early for me to film the first part of the show with Bam and his usual crew of miscreants. Not to give too much away, but we definitely pissed off his uncle when we decided to rip a new... ah, for the sake of the plot and a massive lawsuit pending on behalf on MTV, I must refrain from saying any more at present!

"Sorry!??!!! but suffice to say that along the way there were the usual misdemeanours and hi-jinks at bars and back at Bam's luxury pad. I was treated to a white-knuckle ride in his new Lamborghini V12 sports car, which Billy ------ (in a previous un-aired episode) had just ----- a tasteful ------ in to. Two nights all-expenses paid partying in New York at various well-to-do expensive gaffs off of Times Square; being a guest on 'Radio Bam', which ended up in a fight between two of the hosts!; the opportunity to dump a VW Beetle on top of another car and basically just have a riotous week right up until the time when the rest of the band flew in and things just got that little bit crazier.

"Put it this way, by the time Saturday morning rolled in I'd had about six hours shut-eye in three days and had to collapse in the safety of my hotel room whilst poor old Bam had to fly out to do a skating demo all that day. Subsequently the week was excellent fun and all the things that could be filmed I hope will make a really, really, pigs are squeal-y entertaining show. So thank you everybody involved with the programme for making myself and the band feel right at home, which in truth could've just been that one keg of beer, but of course the night only found its humble beginnings there at that point....

"As for other matters, the writing of our new album is going from strength to strength as six, almost seven songs finished are proudly testament to, meaning that the studio start date of around the end of August is looking spot-on.

"Also, the aforementioned 'Gospel Of Filth - The Midian Bible' is now half way towards completion, with the chapters concerning faerytales and childhood nightmares and Gothicism having recently been polished to a ravening ebony gleam. Author Gavin Baddeley has some alarmingly good interviews and rare photography included and the special edition (which will precede the worldwide release of the coffee table book on this very website and might well be limited to just a few thousand copies...), as well as being bound in gilded leather and hand signed by both contributors alike, will also include an extra chapter by me on the erstwhile shennanigans of the band over the years in a warts'n'all / off the wall fashion. More on this as the release date looms on our ever-so bruising horizon...

"And last but not least, on the subject of our forthcoming DVD... All the menu pages, concert footage, mixing and half of the backstage extras (including another lengthy behind-the-scenes shockumentary) are nearing completion, leaving just enough time to embellish this massive improvement on 2001's 'Heavy Left-handed and Candid', (which at the time of going to press has sold in excess of 100,000 copies worldwide): which means that we, as a band, have just about enough time to shit sometime in the latter half of July and finish wiping our arses in September at our going rate!"

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~ ENFORSAKEN Guitarist Introduces THE SOULSELLERS Side Project ~
*[ Source: blabbermouth.net ]

ENFORSAKEN guitarist Steve Stell has joined forces with drummer Patrick O'Keefe (Patrick played drums on ENFORSAKEN's debut CD, "Embraced by Misery") in a new band called THE SOULSELLERS. "Patrick has been out of commission for a while (he got stabbed in the fucking leg back in '02!) and now he's ready to kick some ass once again!" reads a posting on ENFORSAKEN's web site.

"This band is all about rock 'n roll. This is not a death metal band. This is not a black metal band. It's hard to put a label on the material we have so far, so let's just call it stoner rock for now. There's a little rock, A little punk and of course a little metal in there. We've got all the material written for the debut CD (10 songs) and we now just have to finish up the vocals. We're still not certain about how the vocals are going to sound, so if you live in the Chicagoland area and CAN SING, please email Steve at EnforsakenCult@hotmail.com for more info. If all goes well, we'll record the album later this summer/fall and have it available for release shortly after. No record label has been secured as of yet, but we'll release it on our own independently if we have to. In the meantime, go to www.MySpace.com/TheSoulsellers and add yourself to our My Space friends list. We just started the page, so help us build it up!"

As previously reported, ENFORSAKEN recently parted ways with Olympic Recordings. The group are currently seeking a new label home. All interested labels can contact the group at EnforsakenCult@hotmail.com.

ENFORSAKEN have set "Sinners' Institution" as the working title of their new album, tentatively due this fall. The follow-up to 2004's "The Forever Endeavor" will be recorded late spring/early summer and will feature artwork by Dutch artist Fred Vanhardeveld.

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~ CELTIC FROST Mainman Gloats Over SANCTUARY's Financial Troubles ~
CELTIC FROST frontman Tom Gabriel Fischer has posted the following message on his official blog:

"Persistent gossip in the industry about the state of affairs within the Sanctuary Music Group empire and the signals emitted by SMG's recent modus operandi have caused an enhanced degree of entertainment here. The joy felt about Sanctuary's alleged current tribulations knows no boundaries. What unreservedly marvelous news."

In a February 2003 posting to the band's official web site, Fischer elaborated on his deep dislike for all things Sanctuary:

"Rod Smallwood [one of Sanctuary's head honchos] has absolutely nothing to do with the new FROST project. He had a number of meetings with me about CF when APOLLYON SUN [Fischer's post-CELTIC FROST project] were still signed to Sanctuary in early 2000, and I know he was eager to get CF. However, after what in our opinion was an unprecedented botching up of any and all AS affairs and after the intense personal betrayal we all felt, there was no way in hell I was ever going to give the new CF album to him.

"I have not commented on Rod's job with IRON MAIDEN in my post, and I know and would never dispute that Rod was a cutting-edge manager when he discovered IRON MAIDEN 649 years ago. Why do you think we signed to Rod and his company in the first place? The signing was preceded by a number of very thorough and extensive meetings within AS. Nobody outside AS will ever truly know what took place in the period between 1998 and 2000, and if they did they would never believe it. It's too outrageous and too far-fetched to seem possible. It made us wish we were back on Karl Walterbach's 1980s-era Noise Records, enjoying what out of the blue seemed like the good-hearted charity and kind artistic understanding Noise Records extended to CF in 1987.

"Rod, on the other hand, signed AS explicitly because he wanted a state-of-the-art, cutting edge group for Sanctuary, to modernize and rejuvenate their roster. At least that's what we were told in 1997. I have not commented on Rod and IRON MAIDEN in my post, and perhaps any comment on us and Rod should be reserved to those who were there and saw what took place. I for one could write an album full of songs with titles such as the one that generated this discussion, and so could everyone else in AS.

"By the way, the only person from IRON MAIDEN who ever even acknowledged our presence at Sanctuary was Bruce Dickinson. I have only the best things to say about Bruce Dickinson. And I understand that some of his own, unreleased, music resembled AS's."

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~ NASUM To Release Live Split CD With NAPALM DEATH ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

NASUM drummer Anders Jakobson has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"Today I got a very appreciated package from Denmark with NASUM's three shows from Japan January 2004 on CD. Our Danish sound engineer Bo Lund has really taken his time sending me these CDs but, boy, was it worth the wait!

"I remember quite clearly how we sat in a hotel corridor in Osaka listening to the show we did just hours before by passing around Bo's minidiscplayer and headphones and just DIED by the great quality of the sound! It was really releaseable (is that a word?).

"I've just recently listened through that recording and it's without doubt the best live recording of NASUM that I have heard. It captures the massive sound we had live and the takes sound pretty OK as well.

"I will soon pick out the best stuff, polish it a little bit and prepare it for release. The idea is to do a live split with NAPALM DEATH (also recorded at the same tour), but I don't know when and how it's going to be released. I know Shane [Embury, NAPALM DEATH bassist] wants to release it on the FETO label. We'll see.

"I will share a track or two in a couple of days so you can hear for yourself how great this MINIDISC RECORDING (!) actually sounds!"

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~ W.A.S.P.'s LAWLESS: 'The Dangerous Element In Rock 'N' Roll Terrifies People' ~
Classic Rock Revisited recently conducted an in-depth interview with W.A.S.P. mainman Blackie Lawless. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Classic Rock Revisited: There is a lot of metal on the road right now. You have JUDAS PRIEST on tour and you have Rock Never Stops sweeping the country. Does that help sales or hurt them?

Blackie: "The routing, the way it is, has everyone being away from each other. We don't see it as being a problem right now. The response so far has been really, really good. We are doing well all across the country. With a package you have the flexibility of different bands being stronger in different places. All bands, no matter who they are, will tell you that some places they do better than others. You could go into Mississippi and do great then go to Arkansas and you are not even able to get arrested. Every band has those stories to tell. With a package, you have the flexibility of different draws in different places."

Classic Rock Revisited: In heavy metal circles you are known as a very intelligent person. With W.A.S.P., it sometimes seems juvenile.

Blackie: "Well, that is because of the dark sense of humor. You have got to remember that when we started out doing what we were doing, we were not doing it for shock value. As a matter of fact, we were shocked that people were shocked. I will clarify that; what I mean is that we had a very short attention span. We were doing what we were doing clearly to entertain ourselves. We felt that a rock 'n' roll audience would look at it and go, 'Look at that! Radical!' We thought that would be about it. The first time we heard the term 'shock' used to describe us, we didn't know what they were talking about. There was also this element of our dark sense of humor. We thought what we were doing was hysterical. On top of that, you start getting some element of folks getting bent out of shape. We thought, 'What is their problem?' Rock 'n' roll is supposed to be sweaty and stinky and it is supposed to be about revolution. If it ain't about that then it ain't rock 'n' roll. To have people start analyzing what we were doing was too funny. We were rolling in the aisles laughing."

Classic Rock Revisited: Did you worry that because it was all so outrageous that you would not be taken seriously as an artist? Your later albums such as the "Unholy Terror" and the "Neon God" are much more mature than, say, "Animal".

Blackie: "If you really want to get technical, the 'Neon God' starts out saying, 'God, why am I here?' That is probably the greatest thought that we as humans have ever had. It is the common denominator where we ask, 'Where are we going? Why are we here? Is there a God? Is there no God?' If you go back and look at the very first record then you will see we were saying, 'I want to be somebody.' It is asking the very same question. It is asking who am I? Where am I going? Am I going to get there? When I got into the 'Neon God' the thought of I want to be somebody popped into my head and I started going back and looking at my work and I realized, son of a bitch, I have been saying this my whole career! I didn't realize I was doing it.

"It depends on how you look at things. When you ask ten different people something then you are going to get ten different reactions. When you look at 'Fuck like a Beast', that was written seriously. I was being quite honest and serious — it was not written as a joke. That is who I was at the time. From a rock 'n' roll point of view, I knew how it would be taken. The whole idea behind writing lyrics is to stimulate people's imagination. You try to say things in ways that have never been said before. It worked in one sense but then you had Tipper Gore…. Words, in and of themselves, mean nothing, it is the idea of how you combined them. You can take the work 'fuck' and it means nothing and you can take the word 'beast' and alone, it means nothing. If you put them together then you put an image in people's heads of what that must look like. Next thing you know there are women in Washington going, 'Oh no. We can’t have that.' It is the dangerous element in rock 'n' roll that terrifies people. So, if you ask me if I was worried that I was not being taken seriously in the early stages of my career, then I will tell you that I was being taken too seriously. I was the one inside the bubble and I was living with it every day. I was the one who was getting shot at and getting the death threats. You are looking at all of this from the viewpoint of rock 'n' roll. You are saying, 'Hey this is rock music. Let's go get high and have a blast.' There is another element out there that do not see it like that at all — it terrifies them."

Read Blackie Lawless' entire interview with Classic Rock Revisted at:
http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/Interviews05/BLACKIE.htm

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~ VIXEN Guitarist Talks About Band's New Lineup ~
Denmark's Antenna webzine recently conducted an interview with VIXEN guitarist Jan Kuehnemund. Several excerpts from the chat follow:

Antenna: Who are the members of VIXEN now?
Jan Kuehnemund: "I'm Jan Kuehnemund; I'm the guitarist. My band members are bassist Lynn Louise Lowrey, drummer Kat Kraft and singer Jenna Sanz-Agero."

Antenna: With you as the only original member in the line-up, do you think that it's right to call the band VIXEN?
Jan Kuehnemund: "Yeah, of course I do. I own that name. I think it was the first word I uttered as an infant [laughs]. Before VIXEN, you recall, there were other members than Janet, Roxy and Share, so I don't see any reason not to call it VIXEN."

Antenna: What happened with the "Tangerine" album? You didn't have any participation in that album, right?
Jan Kuehnemund: "No, absolutely not. I sued them back then."

Antenna: Did you win?
Jan Kuehnemund: "I certainly did. That's why I have the name."

Antenna: So there's unfriendly emotions between you, Janet and Roxy?
Jan Kuehnemund: "No, not at all. We did the VH1 thing called 'Bands Reunited' together, so we're all on great speaking terms. They've all moved on to different projects now. They actually all signed our guestbook on our new website, wishing me and the new members the best of luck in the future."

Antenna: Between VIXEN's breakup in the early Nineties following your "Rev it Up" album and up until now, what have you been doing?
Jan Kuehnemund: "I've played in different groups. One was an all-guy band except for myself, which was the first time I've ever played with an all-guy band. I also played with some female friends of mine for a while. I've kept myself busy playing and writing."

Antenna: Do you ever think the original VIXEN will ever reunite to record new material?
Jan Kuehnemund: "We did the 'Bands Reunited' thing. I don't think Share wants to ever do another show ever again; she made that quite clear. She has her own band in which she plays guitar and sings. Janet has her family in Conneticut and is studying to become a dental assistant, so she's all out of the music business. Roxy's is in this project with her sister. I don't think it will ever happen."

Read the entire interview at:
http://www.antenna.nu/vixen/interview1.php

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~ IRON MAIDEN To Play Special Fund-Raising Gig For Former Drummer CLIVE BURR ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

In 2002, the members of IRON MAIDEN were shocked to learn that their former drummer, Clive Burr, was suffering from MS. They played three nights in March at Brixton Academy in his honour, donating the £250,000-plus profits from the concerts and merchandising into a newly formed Clive Burr Multiple Sclerosis Trust Fund. The fund also received generous donations from the record company EMI and publisher BMG Music from the commercial single releases of "Run to the Hills" and "Number of The Beast" (which leapt into the U.K. charts at No 3 earlier this year). There were kind donations from all over the world of heavy metal, and tremendous support from the fans through numerous fund raising initiatives and very generous individual contributions.

Three years on, the money raised has helped enormously to provide treatment and support and to improve the quality of Clive's life. For example: the Trust has helped Clive to secure his house, funded specialist treatments in this country and with experts in Europe and the USA, has provided specialized equipment, assisted with transport and travel and helped Clive with his living expenses.

The Trust was also able to help some other MS sufferers who have longstanding connections with the band by assisting with the provision of vehicles specially adapted to carry wheelchairs.

The Clive Burr MS Fund needs replenishing if it is to continue to ease and improve the quality of Clive's life, and others'. To help do this, IRON MAIDEN will stage a very special benefit performance at Hammersmith Odeon on Friday, September 2. The show, featuring songs from their first four albums ("Iron Maiden", "Killers", "The Number of the Beast" and "Piece of Mind"), will by then have toured Europe and North America playing to almost one million delighted fans and this will be the final date of the tour and the very last time some of the songs in the set will played live by the band.

All the profits from the show and the merchandising will be donated to the Trust and can then lift the fund back into action. All tickets will be £40 — and there will be no comps — not even for band families or management!!

Manager Rod Smallwood commented, 'We think our fans will fully understand the need to charge a slightly higher price for this special gig — there are many things the Trust needs to do such as modifications to Clive's house to improve wheelchair access that would make Clive more comfortable. We were really pleased that Hammersmith Apollo was available, as the band have a lot of history there and great memories. It's a terrific venue to play from a fan's perspective and will be huge contrast from our headline appearance at the massive Reading Festival on Sunday 28th August. We just hope they will reopen the old backstage bar! The first time we played Hammersmith Odeon (as it was previously known) was on 14th March 1980 supporting JUDAS PRIEST just before the first album came out. The first headline appearance was during the 'Killers' tour in 1981, and of course Clive was with us on those occasions. In total we have played there 21 times including a succession of 5 sold-out shows during the 1988 'Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour' as an addition to the arena tour for that album. So it's a very appropriate place to play a gig for Clive and to end a tour based on our first four albums."

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~ KRISIUN To Tour Europe, Record New Album ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

Brazilian kings of killing Death Metal KRISIUN are set to return to Europe for some more extreme death metal live mayhem this summer. Currently on an extensive tour all over North America with HATE ETERNAL, INCANTATION and INTO ETERNITY, the almighty KRISIUN will reappear on European stages between August 6 and August 20, performing at festivals like Party.San (Germany), Summer Breeze (Germany), Mountains of Death (Switzerland), Mid Summer Fest (Belgium) and Brutal Assault (Czech Republic). Directly after these dates, KRISIUN will be heading into Andy Classen's Stage One Studio (DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, TANKARD, DISBELIEF) near Kassel, Germany, to record their new studio album. The as-yet-untitled LP and follow-up to the "Bloodshed" mini-CD release promises to become another well-produced masterpiece of brutal death metal, since the band already recorded "Conquerors of Armageddon" in the same location.

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~ ASTRIAAL: On Hiatus ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

Australia's ASTRIAAL have issued the following update via their official web site:

"In answer to the myriad of emails, and as highlighted in the previous news updates, ASTRIAAL is currently in the midst of an extended hiatus which we envisage will encompass most of 2005. It appears rumours are abounding that we have parted ways, however be sure that if and when we put this beast to rest — you will all be advised of all of intentions and/or reasons via this official site. The flame still burns, however when or if we will return if the live arena — we cannot foresee. It could be three months, could be never. We will still endeavour to reply to messages sent to the band email address, however during this period we hope you can understand if our focus is elsewhere. That is all."

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~ MORBID ANGEL Guitarist TONY NORMAN Still Missing ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

MONSTROSITY drummer Lee Harrison has issued the following update regarding missing MORBID ANGEL / MONSTROSITY guitarist Tony Norman:

"After returning from the last MORBID ANGEL tour, Tony was supposed to have some 'down time' from MORBID ANGEL and we talked about getting together to write some new MONSTROSITY material. I called him several times after the tour and always got no answer. I just presumed he was busy and didn't think too much of it. A few weeks go by and I'm still trying him with no answer... Next, I get a call from David Vincent [MORBID ANGEL bassist/vocalist], who is concerned, saying he hasn't heard from Tony. At this point I still think he is probably just 'off doing his thing.' Well, another week goes by and Tony is supposed to leave with MORBID to do this Portugal show and Vincent says he still hasnt heard anything and now it's getting really strange. We ask all of his close friends and no one has seen or heard from him. We've called his family, gone to his girlfriend's place of work (she is missing, too, and she doesn't work there anymore), checked hospitals, jails, we've gone to places where he might hang out and no one has seen him. It's just not like him to vanish like that.

"David has filed a police report but the attitude with them is that without any evidence something is wrong they can't do anything. Understandable in a way ... but not helping matters. I talked to David and suggested doing the press release and he agreed. I thought for sure Tony would see it or someone he knows would see it and tell him but it's been over a week since the release and still no Tony.

"Again, if anyone sees Tony or knows anything please have him call either David or I. A lot of people have been taking this as a joke or some kind of hoax but it isn't. Tony didn't make the Portugal flight and now his family and friends are really freaking out..."

Tony Norman joined MONSTROSITY in August 1998 and has recorded and toured with the band since then. Tony is still an official member of MONSTROSITY but has been handling the second guitarist position in MORBID ANGEL since September 2003. MONSTROSITY have been using former member Mark English to fill Tony's place when he is touring with MORBID ANGEL.

MONSTROSITY are currently writing the follow-up to "Rise to Power". A 2006 release is expected.

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~ GREEN CARNATION Working On First Acoustic Album ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

GREEN CARNATION, the Norwegian band featuring Tchort (a.k.a. Terje Vik Schei; BLOOD RED THRONE, ex-EMPEROR, SATYRICON, EINHERJER), are currently at Brown Sound Studios working on their first acoustic album, tentatively titled "The Acoustic Verses". The CD will celebrate the band's 15th anniversary and will be released as a limited two-disc edition, featuring lots of exclusive material from the history of the band and its members. The album will be issued later in the year through Sublife Productions, the new label of Tchort and Kjetil Nordhus. Sublife Productions will also work as the management and booking company for GREEN CARNATION, BLOOD RED THRONE and CARPATHIAN FOREST. Other releases through Sublife Productions will see the light of day next year.

Tchort had the following to say about Sublife Productions: "In addition of the acoustic album featuring only new songs written for the album exclusively and cover songs, We have some releases lined up for next year, that makes us really excited about the whole Sublife thing. Some of these releases will blow people away and set new standards in music, but we also have some very interesting historical documentary coming up on DVD, that we hope to land a deal on."

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~ GREEN CARNATION Seek New Record Deal ~
GREEN CARNATION, the Norwegian band featuring Tchort (a.k.a. Terje Vik Schei; BLOOD RED THRONE, ex-EMPEROR, SATYRICON, EINHERJER), fulfilled their contractual obligations to Season of Mist with their fourth release, "The Quiet Offspring", which came out earlier this year. Tchort recently finished writing the material for the second part of the "The Chronicles of Doom" trilogy (the first part of the trilogy is better known as "Light of Day, Day of Darkness") and is currently shopping around for a new record deal.

"I finished writing the material for the second part of the trilogy and I am going to spend the next year working on the arrangements and the progressive parts of the album," Tchort said in a statement. "The material is very dark and its extremely heavy and we are gonna work on an exceptional idea that I have for the album for as long as it takes".

Regarding the search for a new record deal, Tchort said, "Some of the key terms in a new contract will be tour support, a studio budget that will allow us to make the best out of the album and distribution."

For more information, visit: www.greencarnation.no.

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~ The DARKANE Family Is Growing ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

Swedish thrashers DARKANE have posted the following message on their official web site:

"Good news and bad news....

"Unfortunately, DARKANE will not be able to perform at the {S}Hammer Metal Festival in Castel Volturna, Italy on September 3rd as previously advertised on the festival's website. After careful consideration, the band have decided not to perform at this festival, but with very good reason. DARKANE wish to extend their deepest apologies to all of the fans who have shown their excitement and support for this performance and also to the organizers, however, brace yourself for the reason why...

"The DARKANE family is growing, and at rapid speed! At the end of August, Peter [Wildoer, drums] is expecting his first child! Peter and the band felt that it was too risky to attempt missing the birth of his baby as the date of the festival and the date of the birth are far too close together. Everyone in the DARKANE camp wish Peter nothing less than all of the luck in the world and hope that everyone understands the reason for pulling out of the {S}Hammer Metal Fest.

"But that's not all... I said the DARKANE family was growing at rapid speed...

"On December 30th, our own Christofer Malmström will also become a father! I suppose the recording of the far beyond phenominal 'Layers of Lies' truly inspired our boys in more ways than one! Again, we all wish to extend to Christofer all of our support and happiness for what he and Peter are about to embark on.

"In other news, tour plans are in the works so please be on the look out for that, as well as some one off shows here and there to get these guys out and on stage again. It's about time, wouldn't you agree? In the meantime, there's no excuse why everyone in Europe shouldn't own 'Layers of Lies' by now. As for our friends on the other side of the pond, I'm sure you're already camping out anticipating the North American release July 12th."

As previously reported, the Japanese version of "Layers of Lies" will contain a bonus track, entitled "Subliminal Seduction".

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~ AGENT STEEL Film Hollywood Show For Possible Release ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

California-based metallers AGENT STEEL have issued the following update:

"Thanks to all the metalheads who came out and showed metal support at the Key Club show on June 1st in West Hollywood; overall a real good metal show and it was nice to have Bernie Versailles back in the live mix on guitars. We had lots of video cameras rolling capturing live footage for possible bonus features in the not-too-distant future. It was also enjoyable to unleash the whole 'Skeptics Apocalypse' album live for the hometown (what fun songs to play live!).

"We are scheduled for a live appearance in San Francisco, CA on Saturday, July 9th along with TESTAMENT, VICIOUS RUMORS, LAAZ ROCKIT, IMAGIKA, HIRAX, DEKAPITATOR, and others at the 'Thrash Against Cancer' benefit show at The Pound (visit www.thrashagainstcancer.com for more detailed information). We've started relearning/reworking the new songs for pre-production for the new album, we'll keep you posted."

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~ IRON MAIDEN Lose Soccer Match To Members Of SATYRICON, TURBONEGRO ~
IRON MAIDEN lost 8-1 in a friendly football (soccer) match against a team composed of a lot of famous Norwegian players and musicians on Wednesday (June 29). The Norwegian team consisted of the following players:

Musicians: Sigurd Vongraven (SATYRICON), Hank von Helvete (TURBONEGRO), Dan Thunderbird and HP Baarlie (BACKSTREET GIRLS), Diesel Dahl (TNT)
Professional football players: Stig Inge Bjørnebye, Dan Eggen, Lars Bohinen, Kjetil Rekdal, Erik Thostvedt, Tore Pedersen, Jan Åge Fjørtoft, Hallvar Thoresen, Kent Bergersen, Kjell Roar Kaasa
Skijumpers: Sigurd Pettersen, Tommy Ingebrigtsen, Bjørn Einar Romøren
Combination: Fred Børre Lundberg *(Thanks: Birger H. Larsen)

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~ TROUBLE Continue Work On New Album ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

Reunited Chicago doomsters TROUBLE have posted the following message on their official web site:

"TROUBLE is back in the studio to continue the recording of the new CD. Vinny [Wojno, producer] flew back in mid-June to continue production. Bruce [Franklin] and Rick [Wartell] are recording leads at this time. Eric [Wagner] is singing a bit here and there getting melodies and harmonies together. Stage 2 should be finished in a couple of weeks, then they will go in to mix. Still possible to release in 2005. We will see."

TROUBLE's long-awaited follow-up to 1995's "Plastic Green Head" may or may not surface through Century Media Records, who released the band's last studio effort. In addition, the group recently completed an uplugged CD, "Simple Mind Condition", containing acoustic versions of five classic TROUBLE numbers along with two brand new songs. Among the cuts set to appear on "Simple Mind Condition" are "Misery Shows Act II", "Flowers", "Rain", "Requiem" and "Tragedy Man".

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~ WITHIN TEMPTATION Sign With ROADRUNNER RECORDS ~
*(Source: blabbermouth.net )

Roadrunner Records U.K. has announced the signing of critically acclaimed Dutch goth-metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION for the U.K., Australian, and Japanese territories.

"We are very happy that our new album is being released by Roadrunner in the U.K., Australia, and Japan," the band said in a statement. "A lot of our fans from these countries send us messages requesting a local album release. We wanted to work with a label that understands our music and now we are definitely at the right place."

Formed in 1996, WITHIN TEMPTATION has released three albums including the platinum album "Mother Earth" — selling over 800,000 albums in their career to date. Latest album "The Silent Force", originally released in November 2004, crashed into the Netherlands official chart at #1, and was certified gold a mere three weeks later. Further Top 5 positions followed in Germany (gold), Belgium (also gold), and Finland, with Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, France, and Norway all also placing the album high in the Top 30. A U.K. release is set for August 29 in brand new CD and CD/DVD formats including bonus tracks and live footage.

In early 2005, with over 400,000 copies of "The Silent Force" sold in Europe, the band was awarded the Conamus Music Export prize as well as the Edison Award for Best National Band (the Dutch equivalent of the U.S. Grammys & the U.K. Brits). A TMF Award (MTV Benelux's domestic award ceremony) followed.

WITHIN TEMPTATION are currently on the European festival circuit, appearing at Pinkpop, Werchter, Rock Am Ring, Rock Im Park, Sweden Rock, Ruisrock, Aerodome, Wacken, and Gurten. Support slots with IRON MAIDEN in Paris and Zurich have also been announced. In addition, a special one-off show in Amsterdam on July 22 is confirmed, where the band will perform on an island in the middle of a river for 10,000 fans! In the U.K., WITHIN TEMPTATION will headline the annual Bloodstock Festival on September 3.

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