Gelap Pekat

Due to the success of the prior two Dakota Rock Fests, the annual festival is not only back featuring '80s legends like LITA FORD, WARRANT and VINCE NEIL, but the two-day festival is now a three-day event.

Dakota Rock Fest will take place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on July 22, 23, and 24, at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds.

"I'm always open to feedback from our patrons on who they want us to bring
to Sioux Falls for Dakota Rock Fest," said Kevin Leisinger, Dakota Rock Fest promoter and organizer. "The lineup demand is so intense that we wanted to expand the festival to three days so we can give hard rock music lovers exactly what they deserve — and that's a live music experience you
can't find anywhere in the region, especially in Sioux Falls."

With the overwhelming success of music festivals like Rocklahoma proving
that hard rock and metal fans will come out in droves if you provide the
right mix of great music and an appropriate venue, Dakota Rock Fest is
aligned to build on their success of the last two years.

Thursday night, July 22, is the expanded day of the festival and features ROCK N' ROLL DAMNATION (AC/DC tribute band) and HAIRBALL. LITA FORD, the '80s siren who owned MTV with hits like "Kiss Me Deadly" and with her Ozzy Osbourne duet "Close My Eyes Forever", headlines Friday's show. Dakota Rock Fest closes on Saturday night with Vince Neil, who will be playing all of the MÖTLEY CRÜE hits. Also playing at Dakota Rock Fest this year are BOMBAY BLACK, MOLLY HATCHET, WARRANT, AXE and many other acts.

At Dakota Rock Fest, camping facilities are conveniently located within a short walking distance of the concert site, a real convenience for out-of-towners or even for Sioux Falls' residents who want to "rough it" for a weekend.

Dakota Rock Fest is operated with a family-friendly mindset, a festival generations of music lovers can come together for a safe and clean concert experience. Dakota Rock Fest also fills the void in Sioux Falls for fans who crave a great hard rock outdoor concert experience but in the past had only Jazzfest and LifeLight to choose from.

Tickets for Dakota Rock Fest are now available. If you purchase in advance, tickets are $25 for Friday, $40 for Saturday, or $55 for both days. VIP tickets can be purchased for $175, which covers both days and all you can eat and drink at the VIP tent. Tickets can be purchased at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds or at any Ticketmaster outlet.

For more information, go to www.dakotarockfest.com.

The Spanish metal web site Metalaakko.com conducted an interview with vocalist Nick Holmes of British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST when the band played Madrid on December 16, 2009. Watch the chat below.

PARADISE LOST was forced to postone six shows on its recent European tour due to a serious illness within guitarist Greg Mackintosh's family. Milly Evans, PARADISE LOST's long-standing guitar technician and keyboardist from TERRORVISION, filled in for Greg for the other dates.

The limited formats of PARADISE LOST's new album, "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us", include two orchestral versions of the album tracks "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" and "Last Regret", which were recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra in July 2008.

The limited-edition deluxe two-CD includes special packaging (DVD-sized Mediabook with O-Card in a special leather look) and a bonus track, "Cardinal Zero", on Disc 1 plus a separate bonus CD featuring the "Lost In Prague" tracks. All vinyl lovers will be delighted to hear that the album is available as a limited-edition gatefold LP, including the bonus track "Cardinal Zero", the orchestra mixes on a separate bonus 7" EP, the entire album on CD (in a blank sleeve), and an exclusive poster.

The follow-up to 2007's "In Requiem", "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren.

The album's artwork, which is based upon a "Danse Macabre" woodcut by Hans Holbein the Younger (first published in 1538), was created by Stefan Wibbeke at Medialogistics (LACUNA COIL, POISONBLACK).

According to The Pulse of Radio, DISTURBED has hit the studio in its hometown of Chicago to begin recording its fifth album, with a tentative summer release date planned. The group has not yet announced a title for the project, which will follow up 2008's "Indestructible". Guitarist Dan Donegan told The Pulse of Radio that DISTURBED had 15 to 18 songs ready to go, adding that the band doesn't like to waste time once it gets started. "I mean, we definitely go in there very prepared," he said. "We never enter the studio unless we feel like, right now, if these are the songs we record, that we would have an album that we're proud of and we're excited about. And we put everything under the microscope and examine it the best we can to make sure that we're prepared. We don't like going in there wasting time. We go in there to work, and to try to make the best album we can."

Meanwhile, the band has set March 23 as the release date for the 10th anniversary edition of its debut album, "The Sickness". The set, which will also be available on vinyl, will feature B-sides, new artwork, and exclusive online content.

Around the same time, the group will re-launch its website with a special section, accessible only by a code included with new copies of "The Sickness", that will feature clips of the quartet in the studio recording their new album.

According to The Pulse of Radio, GODSMACK has officially named its new album "The Oracle", after initially calling the project "Saints & Sinners". Footage of the band working in the studio, along with frontman Sully Erna discussing the title change and some of the new material, has been posted online and can be viewed below. The group's fifth studio effort follows up 2006's "IV" and a nearly two-year hiatus that ended last summer when GODSMACK joined the Crüe Fest 2 tour.

Sully Erna told The Pulse of Radio that following their hiatus, GODSMACK intends to keep working straight through the next decade. "We grinded pretty hard for 10 years and we took a strict year off," he said. "I mean literally, when we pulled the plug on the tour, we said, don't call me, I'll call you. And then, you know, the following year, we started writing the new record. So we decided that since we pretty much have had two years off, we are now gonna get back into it for the next 10 years again and really grind hard."

A single called "Crying Like A Bitch" will head to rock radio later this month.

Other new songs include "War & Peace", "Devil's Swing" and "Whiskey Hangover", which the band issued as a single last summer.

A release date has yet to be announced for "The Oracle".

During their break, the band released a greatest hits set, while the rest of the group minus Erna issued an album under the name ANOTHER ANIMAL. Erna has also been working on his first solo effort.

Swedish metallers PAIN will release a new live CD that was recorded on March 23-24, 2009 at the Zenith in Paris, France during the band's European tour with NIGHTWISH.

In other news, PAIN's most recent studio album, "Cynic Paradise", will be made available in the U.S. with a bonus CD including the Paris live recordings. The exact release date will be announced later this month.

PAIN mainman Peter Tägtgren in currently on the road in Europe with HYPOCRISY. He will continue touring with HYPOCRISY throughout the spring but will resume work on a new PAIN album later in the year. According to a posting on the PAIN web site, "hopefully [the new PAIN CD] will be ready to blow your speakers by the end of 2010 or early 2011. The release will, of course, be followed by a headline tour."

"Monkey Business", the latest video from PAIN, can be viewed below. The clip was shot at the band's aforementioned March 2009 shows in Paris.

"Cynic Paradise" was released in Germany in October 2008 via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to "Psalms of Extinction" (which was released in 2007 via Roadrunner) features "eleven gems offering a vast variety of styles and influences which are even new for PAIN," according to a press release. NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon makes a guest appearance on two tracks — "Follow Me" and "Feed Us". The artwork was created by renowned artist Travis Smith (AMORPHIS, OPETH, NEVERMORE).

Metalzone.gr recently conducted an interview with bassist/vocalist Peter "Peavy" Wagner of German metallers RAGE. The chat is now available for streaming using the audio player below. A text version of the interview can be found here.

RAGE's new album, "Strings To A Web", was released on February 5 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Twilight Hall Studio and was produced by Charlie Bauerfeind (BLIND GUARDIAN, HAMMERFALL). The cover artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard (AVANTASIA, THERION), and it shows the soundchaser as a spider, caught in a web.

"Strings To A Web" track listing:

01. The Edge Of Darkness
02. Hunter And Prey
03. Into The Light
04. The Beggar's Last Dime
05. Empty Hollow
06. Strings To A Web
07. Fatal Grace
08. Connected
09. Empty Hollow (Reprise)
10. Saviour Of The Dead
11. Hellgirl
12. Purified
13. Through Ages
14. Tomorrow Never Comes

The special two-track single, "Into The Light / Purified", was released on January 15.

The limited-edition digibook version of "Strings To A Web" includes a high-quality DVD including 15 live clips. The main portion of the DVD consists of the "best-of" show RAGE played at the Wacken Open Air festival in 2009, including guest appearances by Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN), Schmier (DESTRUCTION) and Jen Majura (BLACK THUNDER LADIES).

The track listing for the DVD is as follows:

01. Carved In Stone
02. Higher Than The Sky
03. Set This World On Fire (featuring Hansi Kürsch)
04. All I Want (featuring Hansi Kürsch)
05. Invisible Horizons (featuring Hansi Kürsch)
06. Lord Of The Flies (featuring Jen Majura)
07. From The Cradle To The Grave (featuring Jen Majura)
08. Prayers Of Steel (featuring Schmier)
09. Suicide (featuring Schmier)
10. Down (featuring Schmier)
11. Soundchaser

In addition there are four more live clips:

12. Set This World On Fire (Live at the "Masters of Rock 2009")
13. All I Want (Live at the "Masters of Rock 2009")
14. Carved In Stone (Live in Sofia 2009)
15. Never Give Up (Rage Race Special)

"Strings To A Web" includes melodic and anthemic tracks such as "Into The Light" and "The Beggar's Last Dime", as well as powerful thrashers like "Purified" and "Tomorrow Never Comes". But the heart of the record comes in the shape of the 16-minute masterpiece "Empty Hollow", a progressive fairytale that unites everything RAGE is about.

Peter "Peavy" Wagner interviewed by Metalzone.gr (click on player below to launch audio):

Veteran New Jersey thrashers OVERKILL kicked off their European tour thsi past Saturday night (February 6) at De Pul in Uden, The Netherlands. Support at the gig came from SUICIDAL ANGELS, SAVAGE MESSIAH and CRIPPER.

A number of high-quality photos from the show can be found at Metal-Experience.com.

OVERKILL's setlist was as follows:

01. The Green And Black
02. Rotten To The Core
03. Battle
04. Powersurge
05. Hello From The Gutter
06. Overkill
07. Ironbound
08. In Union We Stand
09. Bare Bones
10. Feel The Fire
11. Skull And Bones
12. Gasoline Dream
13. Bring Me The Night
14. Elimination

Encore:

15. Necroshine
16. Old School
17. Fuck You / Sonic Reducer

OVERKILL filmed a video for the song "Bring Me The Night" on January 9 in Brooklyn, New York with director Kevin Custer (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, SUFFOCATION).

"Bring Me The Night" comes off OVERKILL's new album, "Ironbound", which is scheduled for release on February 9 via E1 Music (formerly KOCH Records). The CD, which will be issued in Europe on January 29, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was mixed by PAIN/HYPOCRISY mainman Peter Tägtgren and is described in a press release as "a true thrasher-piece."

OVERKILL will embark on its 25th anniversary North American tour, dubbed Killfest 2010, in April/May 2010. The trek will span the length of the U.S., hitting spots in Canada, with one final show at New York City's Nokia Theater. Support on the tour will come from VADER, GOD DETHRONED, WARBRINGER, EVILE and WOE OF TYRANTS.

Arizona-based metal veterans FLOTSAM AND JETSAM will embark on a European headlining tour in April. The dates are as follows:

April 01 - De Kelder - Amesfoort, Holland
April 02 - Dynamo - Eindhoven, Holland
April 03 - Romein - Leeuwarden, Holland
April 04 - Turbinenhalle - Oberhausen, Germany
April 05 - Le Grillen - Colmar, France
April 06 - Sottotetto Club - Bologna, Italy
April 07 - Salamandra 1 - Barcelona, Spain
April 08 - Sala Live - Madrid, Spain
April 10 - De Velnix - Tongeren, Belgium
April 11 - Live Club - Istanbul, Turkey
April 12 - Sin City - Athens, Greece

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and SACRED REICH will perform at a memorial show in honor of their late soundman Nino Notaro (who also worked with SEPULTURA for over 10 years) on February 20 at Club Stratus in Phoenix, Arizona.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM has set "The Cold" as the title of its new album, due later this year via Driven Music Group, the label created by former KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch. According to guitarist Mark Simpson, the CD — which is currently scheduled to be mixed in March — will feature "10 songs — ALL brutal, ALL killer, NO filler!!" Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Black Cloud", "Secret Life", "Hypocrite", "Falling Short" and "Take". The cover artwork will once again be created by Travis Smith (OPETH, NEVERMORE), "which we are extremely excited about because of his amazing skill and vision," says Simpson. "The cover will also feature the debut of an up-and-coming new talent."

Metal Mind Productions released FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's new DVD, entitled "Once in a Deathtime", in Europe on June 16, 2008. The disc contains footage of the band's March 8, 2008 performance at Metalmania Festival in Katowice, Poland, including live renditions of such classic songs as "Doomsday for the Deceiver", "No Place for Disgrace", and "I Live You Die". The DVD also features an interview with Craig Neilsen (drums) and Ed Carlson (guitar), biography, discography, photo gallery, desktop images and weblinks. A limited-edition version of the DVD includes an audio CD containing songs recorded at the Metalmania Festival.

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON will embark on a U.S. headlining tour this spring. The trek, presented by Volcom, will feature support from BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, BARONESS and VALIENT THORR.

This tour will bring the band to the fans in American cities that have yet to experience the "Crack The Skye" live event.

The dates are as follows:

Apr. 16 - Charleston, SC - Music Farm
Apr. 17 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theater
Apr. 18 - Richmond, VA - The National
Apr. 20 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head
Apr. 21 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
Apr. 22 - Hartford, CT - Webster
Apr. 23 - Worcester, MA - Palladium
Apr. 24 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
Apr. 26 - Pittsburgh, PA - Palace Theater
Apr. 27 - Rochester, NY - Water Street
Apr. 29 - Grand Rapids, MI - Orbit Room
Apr. 30 - Indianapolis, IN - Vogue
May 01 - Columbia, MO - Blue Note -
May 03 - Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
May 04 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto
May 05 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues
May 07 - Pomona, CA - Fox
May 08 - Oakland, CA - [to be announced]
May 09 - Reno, NV - Knitting Factory
May 10 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
May 11 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
May 13 - Billings, MT - The Shrine
May 14 - Fargo, ND - The Venue
May 15 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Hall
May 16 - Lawrence, KS - Liberty Hall
May 18 - Madison, WI - Orpheum
May 19 - Urbana, IL - Canopy Club
May 20 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood
May 21 - Knoxville, TN - Valarium
May 22 - Lexington, KY - Busters

Tickets go on sale on Friday, February 12.

In keeping with MASTODON tradition, the band will offer a new, limited "tour-only" color vinyl edition of its latest album, "Crack The Skye". Also, April 17, 2010 is National Record Store Day and MASTODON will celebrate with special vinyl reissues of "Blood Mountain" in both standard and deluxe editions. The deluxe edition of "Blood Mountain" will be pressed on double 45 RPM discs on super-heavy 180-gram vinyl housed in a grand gatefold sleeve that will feature new custom art from Paul Romano.

German modern/extreme metallers ONE BULLET LEFT will release their debut album, "Armageddon Sunrise", on February 26 via Twilight Distribution. The CD was produced by Kristian Kohlmannslehner at Kohlekeller Studio (CREMATORY, THE BURNING) and it includes "12 finest modern melodic metal songs," according to a press release.

"Armageddon Sunrise" track listing:

01. Invisible Fleshwounds
02. Whatever May Come
03. Alpha Dogs
04. This Prayer
05. Into The Dark
06. Black Widow
07. Feast For The Carnivore
08. Love Boat Morgue
09. Chapter III Mortal Divinity
10. Not Our World
11. Reach For The Stars
12. Armageddon Sunrise

The song "Alpha Dogs" is available for streaming using the audio player below.

U.K. black metalers ZEBADIAH CROWE will release their new album, "Grawl! The Many Deaths Of The Great Beast", on March 1. The CD was produced and recorded in the U.K. by ZEBADIAH CROWE's most infamous member, "The Horrid". The cover art design was created by artist Adrian Smith, who has showcased his talent on sci fi and horror book covers all over the world, most notably "The Black Library".

"Grawl! The Many Deaths Of The Great Beast" will be released by North
American extreme metal label and global distributor Apocrypha
Records.

John MacMurphy, who manages Apocrypha Records, commented: "We are very excited about adding ZEBADIAH CROWE to our roster. The new album they produced is absolutely incredible! Between the polyrhythmic drumming, the different layers incorporated and the thick yet polished guitar tones, 'Grawl! The Many Deaths Of The Great Beast' explores the more brutal side of black metal."

The new album will initially be available at HMV, Amazon U.K. and Play. Shortly thereafter, it will make its way to local music shops and other retailers.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/zebadiahcrowe.