France's NRV TV recently conducted an interview with guitarist Corey Beaulieu of the Florida-based metal band TRIVIUM. Watch the five-minute report at www.nrv-tv.com.
"Shogun", the new album from TRIVIUM, has sold 49,000 copies in the United States since its late September release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD follows up "The Crusade", which opened with 31,000 copies in October 2006 to land at No. 25.
"Shogun" was released in North America on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was mixed in London by Colin Richardson (SLIPKNOT, MACHINE HEAD, FEAR FACTORY, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, NAPALM DEATH), with Jeff Rose and Martin "Ginge" Ford assisting on engineering duties.
For "Shogun", TRIVIUM chose not to record in the familiar environs of their home state of Florida. Instead the band headed to Nashville, Tennessee to work with producer Nick Raskulinecz (RUSH, FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR). The result is a monolithic album that crystallizes the band's sound and showcases TRIVIUM's finest elements. Vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy is thrilled with the album, saying, "We made a cohesive, epic metal album that combines all of the ingredients of everything we feel we have ever done 'right' musically, while adding a new direction that the music called for. We had so much fun creating this album and hope our fans feel that energy when they listen."
Greek extreme metallers SICKENING HORROR have issued the following update:
"After four-and-a-half months of relentlessly hard work in the studio, our new album is ready! We tried to work thoroughly every single detail as the production / mixing / mastering was held solely by ourselves.
"The new album is entitled 'The Dead End Experiment' and contains 10 songs. The recordings took place at Portal studio for guitars, bass, vocals and Baseline studio for drums. Also, it's the first time we have a guest appearance! Ross Dolan [IMMOLATION] contributed some fantastic vocals on the song 'The Universe Within'!
"We will set a release date and upload a couple of songs as soon as we find a new label."
"The Dead End Experiment" track listing:
01. Dusk 02. The Universe Within 03. 24 Januaries 04. The Dead End Experiment 05. Mirrors Reflect Only Dead Bodies 06. Noise Dreaming 07. Lay Rotten, Never Forgotten 08. Children Of The Swamp 09. Murdered Silence 10. Dressed In Madness
SICKENING HORROR's last album, "When Landscapse Bled Backwards", came out in June 2007 via Neurotic Records. The CD was mixed and mastered by Neil Kernon (NEVERMORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE).
NILE drummer George Kollias quit SICKENING HORROR in February 2007. He stated at the time, "We had some major problems the last year and I feel I want no longer play in this band, so I take off on this bad timing since I lose all the good stuff that supposed to follow after the release of our first full-length album. I feel really sad about it after all these years of dedication and the hard work I did for this band…although I know I don't belong there anymore."
Swedish death metal band EVOCATION and Finland's KATRA (the gothic metal band named after its charismatric frontwoman Katra Solopuro) have been confirmed for next year's installment of the Summer Breeze festival, set to take place August 13-15, 2009 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
AMON AMARTH BRAINSTORM CORVUS CORAX EVOCATION J.B.O. KATRA LEGION OF THE DAMNED SCHANDMAUL UNHEILIG VOLBEAT WINTERSUN
Many more bands will be announced over the coming months.
"Angel Of Torment", the new video from EVOCATION, can be viewed below. According to the band, the clip "features footage with us taken from the recording sessions along with guest artist Anders Björler from AT THE GATES / THE HAUNTED as well as a bunch of friends from the early '90s death metal scene."
"Angel Of Torment" comes off EVOCATION's new album, "Dead Calm Chaos", which was released on October 31 via Cyclone Empire. The CD features guest appearances by Anders Björler (AT THE GATES, THE HAUNTED) and Swedish producer/multi-instrumentalist Dan Swanö (BLOODBATH, EDGE OF SANITY). The album was recorded in the band's own studio under the watchful eye of guitarist Vesa Kenttäkumpu.
"Beast Within", the new video from KATRA, can be viewed below. The song is the title track of the group's English-language debut album, which was released on August 29, 2008 via Napalm Records. The CD contains compositions that were originally issued in Finland in the spring of 2007 as KATRA's Finnish-language self-titled debut. The vocals were re-recorded in English with Risto Asikainen (STRATOVARIUS) as producer at Jean Records studio. According to a press release, "Beast Within" "reveals a broad spectrum of gothic metal with folk influences that ranges from catchy hits to sensual ballads accentuated by a very powerful production. KATRA stands for longing, love, and passion set to music, offering a worthy journey to embark."
Netherlands-based gothic/progressive metal band STREAM OF PASSION, which is fronted by Mexican female vocalist Marcela Bovio (AYREON), has entered the studio to begin recording its sophomore album, due in early 2009 via Napalm Records. According to a posting on the group's MySpace page, "To stick to their traditional distributed and de-centralized way of working, the band is making use of different studios and locations to create the sound they're looking for. Joining the team are renowned Dutch producers Joost van den Broek (AFTER FOREVER) and Jochem Jacobs (TEXTURES). The combination of their influences is just what the band was looking for: heavy and powerful on one side, atmospheric and melodic on the other."
STREAM OF PASSION's current lineup:
Marcela Bovio - Vocals, Violin Johan van Stratum - Bass Davy Mickers - Drums Jeffrey Revet - Keyboards Eric Hazebroek - Guitars Stephan Schultz - Guitars
STREAM OF PASSION has been confirmed for the Monsters Of Mariaheide festival, set to take place January 17 in Mariaheide, Holland.
The band has posted several new demo teasers on its MySpace page.
STREAM OF PASSION parted ways with founding members Arjen Lucassen (guitar), Lori Linstruth (guitar) and Alejandro Millán (piano), back in March 2007.
The band's debut album, "Embrace the Storm", was released in Holland in October 2005 via Sony/BMG Benelux. The CD was issued in the rest of Europe and the U.S./Canada via InsideOut Music.
GRIFTEGÅRD, REVELATION, SEMLAH and SYRACH have been confirmed for the Doom Shall Rise festival, the world's biggest event exclusively dedicated to doom metal. Set to take place on April 17-18, 2009 at the Chapel in Göppingen (near Stuttgart) Germany, the festival will feature performances by the following artists:
BLACK SHAPE OF NEXUS (GER) GRIFTEGÅRD (SWE) LORD VICAR (FIN/SWE/UK) OMEGA MASSIF (GER) PAGAN ALTAR (UK) REINO ERMITAÑO (PERU) REVELATION (USA) SEMLAH (SWE) SYRACH (NOR) THE LAMP OF THOTH (UK) TORTURED SPIRIT (GER) WARNING (UK) WINO (USA)
More bands will follow.
Ticket presales will start on January 1 at 8 p.m. CET on the Doom Shall Riseweb site.
German modern metal machine MAROON is hard at work on the follow-up to last year's "The Cold Heart Of The Sun", due in early 2009 via Century Media Records.
The second and third video clips featuring footage from the studio can be viewed below.
Commented the band: "We have launched a little 'In The Studio' web site where you can find exclusive information right from the studio. A diary that shows you how MAROON is working every day on the new songs, tons of photos and videos that give you an inside view into the recording process of the new MAROON record!"
Upcoming MAROON shows:
Dec. 11 - Riga, Latvia - Melna Piektdiena Dec. 12 - Rakvere, Estonia - Green Christmas Festival Dec. 13 - Zürich, Switzerland - Dynamo Dec. 26 - Leipzig, Germany - Werk 2
Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE will release a "deluxe" edition of their latest album, "Scream Aim Fire", on December 9 (Decemebr 2 outside the U.S.). A 91-second "sneak peek" at the exclusive Bullet TV material and bonus songs that are included in the set can be viewed below.
"Scream Aim Fire" deluxe edition track listing:
01. Scream Aim Fire 02. Eye Of The Storm 03. Hearts Burst Into Fire 04. Waking The Demon 05. Disappear 06. Deliver Us from Evil 07. Take It Out On Me 08. Say Goodnight 09. End Of Days 10. Last To Know 11. Forever and Always
Bonus tracks:
12. Road To Nowhere 13. Watching Us Die Tonight 14. One Good Reason Why
Disc 2:
01. Waking The Demon 02. Hearts Burst Into Fire 03. Drinking 04. Bullet TV Swiss 05. Bullet TVv Japan 06. Travel To Oz 07. Australia 08. Oz Tour (Main Version)
DEATHRIDERS, the California-based band led by former ANTHRAX singer Neil Turbin, and Michael Angelo Batio will take part in a special "NAMM Metal Jamm 2009" concert on Saturday January 17, 2009 at The Black Castle in Los Angeles. The show will kick off at 4:30 p.m. and will feature performances from the following artists:
DEATHRIDERS MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO EXMORTUS BONDED BY BLOOD WITCHAVEN TORMENTER HARPOCRATE VEKTOR
The Black Castle 855 W. Manchester Ave. Los Angeles, California 90044 $12
DEATHRIDERS and Michael Angelo Batio will perform a few songs together. Michael Angelo Batio will also take part in a meet-and-greet directly after the show.
DEATHRIDERS recently posted a rough-mix version of a second new song, "Riders Of The Apocalypse", on the group's MySpace page. The track comes off DEATHRIDERS' forthcoming album, "Back With A Vengeance", which is currently being recorded and mixed by Ken Orth at Alpine Sound in Mesa, Arizona.
DEATHRIDERS has already performed "Riders Of The Apocalypse" live at festivals and concerts in Europe, Japan and the U.S. The track features the kick-ass guitars of Sweden's Jonas Hornqvist of the band TREASURE LAND in collaboration with DEATHRIDERS guitarists Dave Watson and Mike Guerrero.
DEATHRIDERS is:
Neil Turbin - Vocals Sandy K. Vasquez - Bass Chris Moore - Drums Dave Watson - Guitar Mike Guerrero - Guitar
DEATHRIDERS' next performance will take place this Saturday, December 6 at The Mutant House (12019 Eastend Ave.) in Chino, California with BONDED BY BLOOD, EXMORTUS, WITCHHAVEN, MUTANTS OF WAR, VEKTOR, PRIMEVIL and INCINERATOR.
Footage of DEATHRIDERS performing the ANTHRAX classic "Deathrider" during the band's February 2008 Japanese tour can be viewed below.
Sensory Records has announced the signing of Greek progressive metallers PERSONA NON GRATA. The group's debut CD, "Shade In The Light", is scheduled for release on February 24, 2009.
According to a press release, "Greece has always had some of the most fervent metal fans in the world. Although the main interest has been so called 'true metal' bands in the style of MANOWAR and IRON MAIDEN, progressive metal started to take hold of the country in the '90s. Bands such as DREAM THEATER and FATES WARNING routinely perform in Athens and both have released live CDs and DVDs from their Greek performances. Greek bands such as FRAGILE VASTNESS and Sensory's own WASTEFALL have generated a buzz worldwide and the scene continues to expand. PERSONA NON GRATA will surely continue this tradition of great progressive metal."
PERSONA NON GRATA was formed in 2003 when John Ioannidis (keyboards) invited Chris Gatsos (guitars) to join his group FATAL ERROR. It didn't take long for John and Chris to realize that they had to move on to progressive metal music which was a mix of rock that John loved to play and heavy metal that Chris grew up with. In order to achieve this, they had to change the band's lineup. During this period they focused on writing music, which ended up becoming the material that will appear on the "Shade In The Light" CD. It was two years later when vocalist Bill Axiotis joined PERSONA NON GRATA and they started recording this album. They asked session musicians Akis Gavalas (drums) and Chris Vogiatzis (bass) to help record the release. When the sessions were over, they felt a synergy with the three members of the band and came on board permanently, completing the lineup of PERSONA NON GRATA.
Vocalist Mike Andersson of the Swedish metal band CLOUDSCAPE will be featured on this Friday's (December 5) "Guest DJ Hour" on Metal Express Radio. Mike "will play music that he likes and has grown up listening to," according to a posting on the band's web site. The show will air 15:00 and 21:00 CET (Europe) / 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. EST (North America).
"Darkest Legacy", the new video from CLOUDSCAPE, can be viewed below. The clip was filmed, directed and edited by Rainer Holmgren (PAIN OF SALVATION, ARSIS).
"Darkest Legacy" comes off the group's third album, "Global Drama", which was released this past summer in Europe through Goldencore/Roastinghouse Records and in North America through Nightmare Records.
CLOUDSCAPE previously described "Global Drama" as "the most varied and interesting album by CLOUDSCAPE so far. It contains a few really hard and raw metal songs and there will also be a few more atmospheric and dynamic songs progressively spiced."
The CD was produced by Pontus Lindmark and recorded at RoastingHouse Studios in Malmö, Sweden.
CLOUDSCAPE's sophomore CD, "Crimson Skies", was released in the U.S. in July 2006 via Nightmare Records.
Legendary Swedish doom metallers CANDLEMASS have completed work on their new album for an early 2009 release.
Commented bassist/songwriter Leif Edling: "We've worked on [the CD] all autumn and it feels really good that it is completed. The sound is superfat, heavy as hell, and very organic/dynamic at the same time. Our friend Chris [Laney; RANDY PIPER, ZAN CLAN] has done a great job mixing it!! I personally think this album is the best one of the three we have released in the new millennium, easy!! It is bigger, better, louder and a bit more mature, I must say!! It is our 'Heaven And Hell', hehe. And if you guys behave and eat your vegetables, we just might be able to add a couple of sound bits on the C-MASS site. Maybe the wait for the release in May next year will be easier. Check this page sometime before X-mas. The only thing that pisses me off is the fact that we can't call it 'Hammer Of Doom', after one of the songs on it. A brand new stupid festival in Germany calls themselves that! Who spilled the beans??? Well, well… the album absolutely KILLS and we will surely come up with a suitable name for it."
Fan-filmed video footage of CANDLEMASS performing at the Sweden Rock Cruise, which was held October 9-10, can be viewed below (clips uploaded by "blackopalrough").
CANDLEMASS has been confirmed for next year's Bloodstock Open Air festival, set to take place August 14-16, 2009 at Catton Hall in Derbyshire, England.
"Lucifer Rising", the new EP from CANDLEMASS, in October entered the Greek International Repertoire Chart at position No. 31.
"Lucifer Rising" includes two brand new tracks — "Lucifer Rising" and "The White God" — plus re-recorded version of "Demon's Gate" live in the studio. As a bonus, you get an audio recording of most of last year's gig from Athens, Greece: "At The Gallows End", "Solitude", "Emperor Of The Void", "Devil Seed", "Under The Oak", "Mirror Mirror", "Of Stars And Smoke", "Black Dwarf" and "Samarithan".
CANDLEMASS' last CD, "King of the Grey Islands", was released June 22, 2007 via Nuclear Blast Records.
CANDLEMASS, mixer Chris Laney and other studio personnel at Polar studios in Stockholm:
Jobana Soto of Living in Peru reports: IRON MAIDEN is coming to Peru in their first-ever live performance in Lima slated for March next year. Many fans are in disbelief, excited to see the British heavy metal icons after so many years.
For over a year, El Comercio has received dozens of letters asking whether rumors were true of IRON MAIDEN planning a show in Peru. Today, fans can celebrate as the band has confirmed their show for March 26 next year at the Estadio Nacional.
A commercial for IRON MAIDEN's Peru gig, which was apparently aired during Argentinian band FABULOSOS CADILLACS' performance in Lima, can be viewed below.
Following the huge international success of their spectacular Somewhere Back In Time World Tour 08, IRON MAIDEN will be taking to the skies once again in 2009 for a fourth and final leg starting in Dubai on February 13.
Loaded up with a full complement of band, crew and twelve tons of stage set and equipment, the band's customized Boeing 757, christened Ed Force One by the fans and flown again by Astraeus Airlines captain and MAIDEN vocalist Bruce Dickinson, will once again be circumnavigating 80,000 km around the planet for concerts in 19 cities in eleven countries, making it a staggering 37 countries in total visited on this tour, playing to almost two million fans.
Taking off in early February, MAIDEN will make their first appearances in New Zealand for 16 years via Dubai and Bangalore followed by the long haul journey for a return to Mexico in some even larger venues and then finishing with an extended run through Central and South America to include countries and cities they have not visited before.
The Somewhere Back In Time tour revisits the band's history by focusing almost entirely on the '80s in both choice of songs played and the stage set, which is based around the legendary Egyptian production of the 1984-85 Powerslave Tour which was featured on the recent DVD "Live After Death". This is arguably the most elaborate and spectacular show the band have ever presented, and will include some key elements of their Somewhere In Time tour of 1986/7, such as the Cyborg Eddie.
According to Billboard.com, GUNS N' ROSES' long-awaited new album, "Chinese Democracy", will sell in the range of 250,000-260,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release (including a reported 25,000 downloads at iTunes on November 23 not counted towards the opening week for the Sunday release), which is down from expectations that it would sell anywhere from 300,000 to 784,000 units. Sales figures will not be available until Wednesday (December 3), but sources that rapper KANYE WEST's "808s & Heartbreak" will sell in the range of 425,000-450,000 units, significantly down from 700,000-975,000 units previously projected.
The first-week sales of "Chinese Democracy", which was released through an exclusive deal with the Best Buy chain, will put it on par with that of the opening number registered by "Contraband", the 2004 debut from VELVET REVOLVER, which features in its ranks Rose's former GUNS N' ROSES bandmates Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. That CD sold 256,000 copies in the U.S. during its first week of release to debut at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"Chinese Democracy" first-week chart positions so far (Note: The album wasn't available a full week in many of these territories when the charts were compiled):
Jan. 17 - Mesa Theater - Grand Junction, Colorado Jan. 19 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, Colorado Jan. 21 - The Hub - Edelstein, Illinois Jan. 22 - The Rock - Maplewood, Minnesota Jan. 23 - The Pearl Room - Mokena, Illinois Jan. 24 - Peabodys - Cleveland, Ohio Jan. 25 - Emerald Theater - Mt Clemens, Michigan Jan. 27 - The Chameleon - Lancaster, Pennsylvania Jan. 28 - Crocodile Rock - Allentown, Pennsylvania Jan. 29 - Webster Theatre - Hartford, Connecticut Jan. 30 - The Chance - Poughkeepsie, New York Jan. 31 - Starland Ballroom - Sayerville, New Jersey Feb. 02 - Middle East - Cambridge, Massachusetts Feb. 03 - Northern Lights - Clifton Park, New York Feb. 04 - Mulcahys - Wantagh, New York Feb. 06 - Hooligans Music Hall - Jacksonville, North Carolina Feb. 07 - Volume 11 - Raleigh, North Carolina Feb. 08 - Jaxx - West Springfield, Virginia Feb. 09 - Headliners - Louisville, Kentucky Feb. 10 - The Muse - Nashville, Tennessee Feb. 11 - Scout Bar - Beaumont, Texas Feb. 12 - Scout Bar - Houston, Texas Feb. 13 - Scout Bar - San Antonio, Texas Feb. 14 - Dos Amigos - Odessa, Texas Feb. 15 - Gators - Farmington, New Mexico Feb. 17 - Jumping Turtle - San Marcos, California Feb. 18 - Key Club - Los Angeles, California Feb. 19 - The Dome - Bakersfield, California
POWERMAN 5000 recently posted a brand new track, entitled "Super Villain", on the band's MySpace page.
Commented the group: "As most of you know, we will be hitting the road in January. The plan is to bust out a few new tracks on stage as well as some stuff that hasn't been performed in years. Can't promise what the set will be but we are giving a go at 'X 51' and 'Danger Is Go'. Should be awesome!
"The new album is not done but we are so happy with what is finished we have decided to start releasing it in parts. So, maybe three songs [in December] another three or four after tour and so on. We think this is a good plan. The reaction to 'Super Villain' has been fucking amazing! THANX!!
"Many of you have been begging for the band to return to the days of 'Tonight The Stars Revolt!' and I think in a way we are. The new stuff is unique and not a retread of that sound but it has a certain spirit that reminds me of those days. Your future has arrived... again!
"More info soon on release dates and such! We hope that you buy some songs and not just steal and trade. We are not backed by major label giants and need the support!"
POWERMAN 5000 recently posted a live video for the song "Bombshell" consisting of a compilation of home-video clips shot on the band's 2007 U.S. tour. Watch the video below.
POWERMAN 5000 last year parted ways with guitarists Johnny Heatley and Terry Corso and replaced them with Evan Rodaniche and Dave Pino.
The band's latest album, "Destroy What You Enjoy", was produced by Mudrock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, GODSMACK), who also co-produced POWERMAN 5000's major label debut, "Mega!! Kung Fu Radio". The CD was recorded at the Hobby Shop in Eagle Rock, CA and was mixed by Dave Schiffman (AUDIOSLAVE, JOHNNY CASH, SYSTEM OF A DOWN).
CORNERSTONE, the Danish/British melodic metal band featuring YNGWIE MALMSTEEN/ex-RAINBOW frontman Doogie White and ex-ROYAL HUNT bassist Steen Mogensen, has issued the following update:
"Once again we want to thank you for your continued support, patience and good humour. The lack of information about what the band is doing is because until recently we were not sure what we were doing. The reasons are legion, many that are not for anyone but those concerned. We have not lost interest in what we do and everyone in the band is still keen to continue on the rocky course that we have set ourselves on.
"I [Doogie] had a long chat with Steen and he sent me a couple of ideas he had. Unfortunately, they were rubbish and I sent him back to redo everything. Ah!!! But I lie, my dear friends. The ideas were...glorious. Raw, but dangerous and glorious.
"The great, great masterplan is that everybody will contribute in the songwriting process this time around, throw all of their killer ideas in the pond and produce another outstanding CORNERSTONE album.
"It's difficult to say how the next year will pan out for the band. But we feel that we can have a new album in the next 12 months or so."
CORNERSTONE's latest CD, entitled "Two Tales and One Tomorrow", was released in Europe in February 2007 via Massacre Records. A live album, "Cornerstone In Concert", was released in July 2005 in Japan via Yamaha Communications and in Europe through Massacre Records. The CD was recorded at several shows on the group's debut tour of Europe in January/Febuary 2005. Included in the package is a video clip of live and backstage footage from the band's private archives.
The U.S. branch of Spinefarm Records will release the following CHILDREN OF BODOM titles on limited-edition picture disc vinyl on January 13, 2009:
* "Blooddrunk" (2008) * "Tokyo Warhearts" (2006) * "Are You Dead Yet?" (2005) * "Follow the Reaper (2000) * "Hatebreeder" (1999) * "Something Wild" (1997)
Each title will be individually numbered and are limited to 1,500 copies, making them instant collectors items!
For more information, visit the Spinefarmwebstore.
CHILDREN OF BODOM has just released a new single, "Smile Pretty For The Devil", in the UK to coincide with the first date on the band's run of UK shows with SLIPKNOT and MACHINE HEAD. The third single from BODOM's internationally successful "Blooddrunk" album is available on three-track CD, with the accompanying video plus POISON cover "Talk Dirty To Me" also featured. This release (strictly limited to 1,000 numbered copies) comes in a poster bag and are ONLY on sale at two Zavvi stores in London and Manchester where CHILDREN OF BODOM are confirmed for in-store appearances.
CHILDREN OF BODOM's new album, "Blooddrunk", landed at position No. 22 on The Billboard 200 chart after selling over 19,000 copies in its first week of release.
Celebrated rocker Lita Ford teams up with Dee Snider, lead vocalist for bestselling heavy metal band TWISTED SISTER, in a duet for the band's just released video "I'll Be Home for Christmas", available for viewing below. Ford gives the rendition true glam treatment in her smooth, shiny, skintight latex clothing from Syren Couture, the world's leading latex fashion house.
The song is from the band's latest version of "A Twisted Christmas", which was originally released in 2006. The video showcases the Snider/Ford vocal talents in this heavy metal take of a holiday favorite with a quirky twist to the meaning of "home."
The multi-talented Ford started her career at the age of 17 with the famous all-female rock band THE RUNAWAYS playing lead guitar. She is also a singer/songwriter who embarked on her solo career in 1979 and is best known for such hits as "Gotta Let Go" (#1 on mainstream rock charts), "Kiss me Deadly", "Back to the Cave", "Close My Eyes Forever" (a duet with Ozzy Osbourne) and many others.
In the video Ford wears a Chinese-style Susie Wong Dress (Y5748 - $326.00) in shimmering metallic Pearl Blue rubber with silver piping, accessorized with a pewter Calix Collar and Wrist Cuff Set from fetish designer Stockroom.com. She also plays guitar in a full-body, longsleeved Full Catsuit in red rubber, also from Syren (Y8511 - $449.00). Over the red rubber catsuit, Ms. Ford wears a PVC Female Slave Harness from Stockroom.com that's been specially hand-edged in flat studs, along with Stockroom.com's signature Firecracker Wrist and Ankle Cuffs. She tops the whole thing off with a red leather Santa Hat trimmed in soft black wooly sheepskin — the perfect festive fetish accessory, custom-made by Stockroom.com especially for this video.
"I love my latex from Syren — it gives new meaning to the old saying 'it fits like a glove,'" says Ford, who is married to musician Jim Gillette and has two sons. "The Syren clothes are insane. I've loved them forever and my wife looks amazing in them. It's like she's been dipped in paint," adds Gillette.
"How can you not love this video? Lita and Dee are so cool together and Lita's talent, beauty and sheer joy of performing is mesmerizing. It's a great Christmas present to us that she is wearing our styles because we know the video will also become a holiday classic," said Jeffrey Gent, designer for Syren.
About Syren: Syren Couture is the world's leading latex fashion house. The designs from this creative studio are entirely handcrafted by skilled artisans in Syren's Los Angeles workshops, and the body shaping, flattering styles have had a strong impact on the mainstream fashion scene, winning praise from mainstream and fashion media alike. When the "Catwoman" suit created by Syren Couture for Michelle Pfeiffer's role in "Batman Returns" was recently displayed at the highly-publicized "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy" exhibit at New York City's famed Metropolitan Museum of Art, fashion editor Anna Wintour appeared on "The Today Show" to talk about the exhibit. When asked which was the best dressed of the superheroes on display, the legendary Wintour replied, "Catwoman every time, absolutely!"
SIXX: A.M.'s hit single "Life is Beautiful" has been named the No. 1 "rock" song of 2008 by Mediabase, which is said to be Nielsen BDS' prime competitor in the field of electronic airplay monitoring.
Each year, Mediabase releases its year-end charts featuring the most played songs, artists and record labels of the past twelve months.
SIXX: A.M. — which features MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx, James Michael and DJ Ashba (ex-BEAUTIFUL CREATURES) — released a deluxe version of its album, "The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack", on November 25, available exclusively at Best Buy. The deluxe edition includes a never-before released live EP, "Live Is Beautiful", which will also be released separately for those who have already purchased "The Heroin Diaries".
"Live Is Beautiful" (produced by SIXX: A.M. and mixed by James Michael) was compiled from several performances on this summer's Crüe Fest, and features riveting renditions of the tracks "Life Is Beautiful", "Tomorrow", "Pray For Me" and "Accidents Can Happen".
The complete track listing is as follows:
"The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack":
01. X-Mas In Hell 02. Van Nuys 03. Life Is Beautiful 04. Pray For Me 05. Tomorrow 06. Accidents Can Happen 07. Intermission 08. Dead Man's Ballet 09. Heart Failure 10. Girl With Golden Eyes 11. Courtesy Call 12. Permission 13. Life After Death
"Live Is Beautiful" Bonus EP:
01. X-Mas In Hell (Live) 02. Pray For Me (Live) 03. Heart Failure (Live) 04. Intermission (Live) 05. Dead Man's Ballet (Live) 06. Tomorrow (Live) 07. Accidents Can Happen (Live) 08. Life Is Beautiful (Live)
SIXX: A.M. made its live debut in July 2007 following a press conference to promote Sixx's new book and accompanying soundtrack, "The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star". Highlights from the press conference can be seen at this location.
Released in September 2007 via MTV/VH1 Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, "The Heroin Diaries" offers an unflinching and utterly gripping look at Sixx's descent into drug addiction. The book is a tell-all, drawn from Nikki's 1986 and '87 journals.
Sixx found the diaries in storage and spent years compiling them for the book. He said he sees them more as a commentary on the record business than as a portrait of a lurid rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
The SIXX: A.M. album, which serves as the "soundtrack" to Sixx's "The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star" book, was released by Eleven Seven Music and distributed by ADA, with a portion of proceeds donated to Nikki's Running Wild in the Night, a fundraising initiative for Covenant House. The CD has sold more than 270,000 copies in the United States so far, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
According to Billboard.biz, BLACK SABBATH's "Iron Man" and and WOLFMOTHER's "Woman" are among the original master recordings that have been licensed by Acclaim Games, best known for multiplayer online role playing games, for its upcoming music-based game Rockfree. Scheduled for the first quarter of next year, Rockfree is a free online game that lets players compete with up to seven other players in music simulation battles. Gamers also can create custom avatars, open a rock club in the game, and download new songs.
A closed, invite-only beta of the game was supposed to be live by the weekend, but at press time the company has not yet got it up and running.
Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE have been confirmed for next year's Wacken Open Air festival, set to take place July 30 - August 1, 2009 in Wacken, Germany.
ICS Festival Service GmbH, which organizes the Wacken Open Air festival, has announced that 50,000 tickets have already been sold for next year's event. The remaining tickets are expected to be snapped up by the end of January.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
AMON AMARTH AXEL RUDI PELL BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE CALLEJON CATHEDRAL EINHERJER EPICA GWAR HAMMERFALL IN EXTREMO IN FLAMES KAMPFAR KORPIKLAANI MACHINE HEAD NAPALM DEATH NEVERMORE TRISTANIA VOLBEAT WALLS OF JERICHO
Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY have been confirmed for next year's edition of the Kaltenbach Open Air festival, set to take place July 16-18, 2009 in Spital am Swmmering, Austria.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
ABSU AMON AMARTH DARK TRANQUILLITY LORD BELIAL MORIBUND OBLIVION
Quality video footage of DARK TRANQUILLITY's November 9, 2008 concert in Munich, Germany can be viewed below (courtesy of "eblinternational").
DARK TRANQUILLITY was joined by THEATRE OF TRAGEDY singer Nell Sigland on October 31, 2008 during DT's headlining concert in Milan, Italy for a rendition of the song "The Mundane And The Magic" (a track that had never before been played live) and "Insanity's Crescendo". The entire show was filmed for an upcoming DVD, tentatively due in early 2009.
DARK TRANQUILLITY recently announced the addition of Daniel Antonsson (DIMENSION ZERO, ex-SOILWORK guitarist) as the group's new bassist.
Century Media Records reissued DARK TRANQUILLITY's latest album, "Fiction", in May an expanded edition in conjunction with the start of the band's recently completed North American tour. The new version is composed of a CD/DVD and features a slew of new material.
Five more tribute concerts to late DEATH/CONTROL DENIED mastermind Chuck Schuldiner have been announced:
** Dec. 27 - Bogota, Colombia - Club Gotica
Chuck Schuldiner Memorial Fest 2008 with SYMBOLIC and others, special guest: Steve DiGiorgio
** Dec. 20 - Izhevsk, Russia - U-Dance Club
Hellmark Blast III: In Memory Of Chuck Schuldiner with MENSTRUAL DIVIDER, POWERPLANT, EINFALL, TEST EXPLOSION, DISTRACT-A-BEE, SIGNUM MORTIS and SILENT STORM
** Dec. 14 - Thessaloniki, Greece - Eightball Club
Chuck Schuldiner Tribute with EMPATHY, ERECTUS, DUSTYNATION and ECHIDNA
** Dec. 13 - Chieti Scalo, Italy - Ride 'n Roll
Chuck Schuldiner Tribute Night with HUMAN
** Dec. 06 - Reggio Emilia, Italy - Tempo Rock
Chuck Schuldiner & Dimebag Darrell Tribute Night with EGO-DEATH and COWBOYS FROM HELL
Chuck Schuldiner passed away On December 13, 2001 at age 34 after a a battle with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor.
To coincide with what would have been DEATH mastermind Chuck Schuldiner's 40th birthday (Chuck was born on May 13, 1967), the official DEATH web site Empty Words posted the Schuldiner tribute article (entitled "Lust for Life") which was published in Guitar World magazine's April 2007 issue. Check it out at this location.
Chuck Schuldiner memorial video made by his mother (and which was shown at his funeral):
Two new SEPULTURA songs — "The Treatment" and "We've Lost You" — are available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.
Brazil's SEPULTURA is a prime example of an intelligent thrash metal act whose powerful compositions continue to tackle exciting and ingenious subjects. 1996 saw the band devote its landmark release "Roots" to the fate of the Xavante Indians on the border of Brazil and Bolivia; in spring 2006 the musicians put to music an opus by the Italian poet and philosopher Dante Alighieri, on their album "Dante XXI". Now this concept has reached a new climax: on their latest release, "A-Lex", guitarist Andreas Kisser and his three colleagues, Derrick Green (vocals), Paulo Jr. (bass) and new addition Jean Dollabella (drums), have dedicated themselves to Anthony Burgess's book "A Clockwork Orange", creating an awesome thrash metal opus around this timeless and exciting subject.
"A lot of people know Stanley Kubrick's film 'A Clockwork Orange', which is a movie classic, but few realize that the last chapter of the book is missing from the film. And that's what in my opinion is extremely important for the message that Anthony Burgess wanted to convey: it's your own free will, your own free choice, in which environment you choose to move," Kisser explains his interpretation of this historic publication. "Following his stay in hospital, Alex, the book's main character, returns to society, meets old friends, finds a wife and starts a family. He makes this choice of his own will, irrespective of what the government had in mind for him."
The recording is divided into four chapters, the first three of which cover the familiar plot from the movie, while chapter four reflects the final part of the story from the book. "Every chapter, from 'Alex I' to 'Alex IV', starts with a brief introduction which allows the listener to follow the story at all times," Kisser explains.
Along with SEPULTURA's familiar raw metal tunes, which are omnipresent on the one-hour recording, they have authentically translated Alex's affinity with Ludwig van Beethoven: supported by classical symphonic musicians from Sao Paulo, the track "Ludwig Van" picks up Beethoven's "9th Symphony" and transposes it into a heavy metal context. This number is a definite must, and it would be impossible to optimise this combination of classical music and savage thrash metal.
The material was produced by SEPULTURA and Stanley Soares at the Trama Studios in Sao Paulo and mastered by George Marino at New York's Sterling Sound studios. "A-Lex" is the first SEPULTURA album to feature new drummer Jean Dolabella, who joined the fold during the "Dante XXI" tour. "We've known Jean for more than three years, he's from [SEPULTURA's original] hometown of Belo Horizonte and joined us when Roy Mayorga left to team up with STONE SOUR," Kisser introduces his new drummer. "He's ten years younger than the other band members and has brought a new approach into the band. Jean has an amazing amount of energy and motivation. We're very happy to have him with us, and we're proud of the positive impact he's had on the material on 'A-Lex'."
"A-Lex" (which stands for "no law" or "without law") will be released via SPV Records on the following dates:
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Brazil: January 23 UK, Scandinavia, rest of Europe: January 26 USA, Canada: January 27
"A-Lex" will be available in three versions: in a deluxe digipak with an embossed cover, in a regular jewel case and on a vinyl gatefold LP.
"A-Lex" track listing:
01. A-Lex I 02. Moloko Mesto 03. Filthy Rot 04. We've Lost You 05. What I do! 06. A-Lex II 07. The Treatment 08. Metamorphosis 09. Sadistic Values 10. Forceful Behavior 11. Conform 12. A-Lex III 13. The Experiment 14. Strike 15. Enough Said 16. Ludwig Van 17. A-Lex IV 18. Paradox
Check out the "A-Lex" cover artwork below.
Photos from an August 2008 "A-Lex" listening session, which was attended by members of the music media, can be found at this location.
SEPULTURA was one of the featured musical guests at the ninth annual Latin Grammy Awards 2008 on November 13. They performed a cover of "Girl From Ipanema" and a new song called "We've Lost You" from their upcoming album "A-Lex". Watch the performance below.
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