Gelap Pekat

Legendary New Jersey thrashers WHIPLASH will share the stage with California metal veterans AGENT STEEL on August 13 at Smuget in Oslo, Norway. Support at the show will come from Norwegian thrashers NEKROMANTHEON.

A poster for the gig can be viewed below.

WHIPLASH recently completed tracking its new album, "Unborn Again", at Mozart Studio with world-renowned engineer/producer Harris Johns (SODOM, KREATOR, HELLOWEEN, SEPULTURA). The band mixed and mastered the CD at Spiderhouse Studio.

"Unborn Again" is scheduled for release on July 15 via Pulverised Records.

WHIPLASH is a three-piece power trio hailing from New Jersey. The band was assembled back in 1984 when Tony Portaro (guitar, vocals) and Tony Scaglione (drums) joined forces, recruited Tony Bono on bass and released their first CD, "Power and Pain", in 1985 on Roadrunner Records. The debut CD was followed up by their first live performance at Ruthie's in Berkley, California with POSSESSED and DEATH ANGEL.

WHIPLASH's current lineup:

Tony Portaro - Guitar/Vocals
Joe Cangelosi (ex-KREATOR) - Drums
Rich Day Bass (ex-PRIMAL SCREAM) - Bass

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

Labels: News

Labels: archieve, News

Bassist Henkka Seppälä (a.k.a. Henkka T. Blacksmith) of Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM recently spoke to Noisecreep about frontman Alexi Laiho's broken shoulder which he sustained when he was ejected from his bunk as a result of the band's tour bus taking an irregularly harsh sharp turn.

"It was a normal night," Henkka said. "He was in the bunk. Everybody went to bed and he sleeps in the highest bunk. Then at some point, he just woke up and he was trying to get out of the bunk at the same time the bus a little bit turned. It was bad timing. He fell down on the floor all the way from the bunk. I woke up and I helped him up. He was complaining that his neck hurts a little bit. Then he went back to bed."

A couple days later, Laiho sought a doctor's advice, according to Henkka. "It was pretty bad," he said. "X-rays showed there's a broken shoulder and internal bleeding. It should take six to four weeks to heal."

Against recommendation, Laiho has decided to remain on the road and will "bite the bullet" to give metal fans the electric live performances they have come to love from the Finnish act. For the duration of the "No Fear Energy Tour" — which also features LAMB OF GOD, AS I LAY DYING, GOD FORBID and MUNICIPAL WASTE and is set to run through May 15 — Alexi will be resigned to wearing the arm in a sling, restricting movement at all times when he is not on stage. "I am going through a great deal of pain every second that I am awake," Laiho said. "However, I can still play the guitar and I will give everything I have to try to finish this tour and play every remaining show!"

"He can play," Henkka concurred. "The thing is the movement of the arm is OK for playing. It's a little bit painful. I guess. He cannot move like normally. He can't do any tricks, he just has to stand and play. He has to take it easy to get it to heal. He just has to take a lot of painkillers, I guess. It's a big thing when you start canceling shows. If there's anyway we can do it, we'll do it. I think we've canceled two shows in our career. It would have to be pretty serious to do that."

Fan-filmed video footage of Alexi speaking about his broken shoulder during CHILDREN OF BODOM's April 29 set at The Uptown Theater in Kansas City, Missouri can be viewed below.

CHILDREN OF BODOM will release a new album, titled "Skeletons In The Closet", in September through Spinefarm Records. The follow-up to last year's "Blooddrunk" is a selection of cover versions, some of them existing recordings, others specially laid down for this release.

CHILDREN OF BODOM has been recording covers since the early days of its career, some predictably heavy ("Silent Scream" by SLAYER, for example), others reflecting an altogether broader taste ("Talk Dirty To Me" by POISON), so fans will be intrigued to see which of the existing ones get the final nod here, and also which news ones are added to the list.

Labels: archieve, News

The first two Century Media releases from Swedish/German extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY — "Stigmata" (1998) and "Burning Bridges" (1999) — will be reissued in Europe on May 25, 2009, featuring new layouts, additional slipcase packaging, multiple bonus tracks (including live tracks from Japan featuring former vocalist Johan Liiva) and much more.

Commented guitarist Michael Amott: "I recently worked with the Century Media team on putting the reissues of 'Stigmata' and 'Burning Bridges' together. There's a bunch of cool bonus tracks on both albums plus track by track commentary from myself and liner notes from ex-vocalist Johan Liiva. These reissues came out just right and I hope the ARCH ENEMY die-hards as well as newcomers will dig checking them out!"

"Stigmata" (reissue):

01. Beast Of Man (3:37)
02. Stigmata (2:11)
03. Sinister Mephisto (5:46)
04. Dark of The Sun (7:00)
05. Let The Killing Begin (5:19)
06. Black Earth (6:40)
07. Tears Of The Dead (5:55)
08. Vox Stellarum (2:09)
09. Bridge Of Destiny (7:46)

Bonus Tracks:

10. Hydra (0:57)
11. Diva Satanica (3:44)
12. Damnation’s Way (3:50)
13. Diva Satanica (live) (4:05)
14. Beast Of Man (live) (3:38)
15. Bass Intro / Tears Of The Dead (live) (6:05)
16. Bridge Of Destiny (live) 5:42)

Total playing time: 74:24

"Burning Bridges" (reissue):

01. The Immortal (3:43)
02. Dead Inside (4:13)
03. Pilgrim (4:33)
04. Silverwing (4:08)
05. Demonic Science (5:23)
06. Seed Of Hate (4:09)
07. Angelclaw (4:06)
08. Burning Bridges (5:31)

Bonus Tracks:

09. Fields Of Desolation '99 (6:02)
10. Star Breaker (3:27)
11. Aces High (4:26)
12. Scream Of Anger (3:50)
13. The Immortal (live) (3:55)
14. Dead Inside (live) (4:35)
15. Pilgrim (live) (4:34)
16. Silverwing (live) (4:16)
17. Angelclaw (live) (4:39)

Total playing time: 75:30

Labels: archieve, News

According to Billboard.biz, Activision Blizzard has confirmed the development of the Guitar Hero: Van Halen music-based game. It is scheduled for release in the second half of the year and will definitely cover the David Lee Roth era, featuring the band's greatest hits. No specific tracks were listed, but Activision said it will include music from guest bands like QUEEN, WEEZER, BLINK-182, THE OFFSPRING, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and others.

The biggest questions center around which band personnel will appear in the game. There's no word on whether original bassist Michael Anthony will be excluded from the game play in favor of current bass player Wolfgang Van Halen, and it's also unknown whether the game avatar of singer David Lee Roth will be joined by Sammy Hagar or even Gary Cherone.

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen recently said in an interview that work on a new VAN HALEN album could begin later this year.

Labels: News

Black Clouds & Silver Linings

Artist: Dream Theater
Release Date: June 23, 2009 Description: Dream Theater's tenth studio album and second release on Roadrunner Records to be released June 23rd!
Track List ;

Labels: News

New York progressive metal veterans DREAM THEATER will take their PROGRESSIVE NATION tour back on the road for its second incarnation with a run through America and Canada in July/Aug 2009.

In addition to a headlining set by DREAM THEATER, this year's package will feature the outstanding musicianship of ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA as well as two incredibly talented imports from Sweden: PAIN OF SALVATION and BEARDFISH.

PROGRESSIVE NATION was created by DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy and its successful inaugural run in 2008 also featured OPETH, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME and THREE.

Portnoy once again hand-picked all of the bands for the 2009 bill based on their diversity and musicality. He comments: "This year's lineup is so exciting for me. Every band is bringing something very unique to the package to create an incredibly well rounded musical experience. I am just as excited to be watching all the bands from the side of the stage as I am to be performing with mine in the center of it!"

Fresh on the heels of his Grammy win, Dweezil Zappa is pleased to announce his plans to join forces with Dream Theater as part of the Progressive Nation 2009 tour: "It's no secret that I started ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA with the intention to diversify and expand the audience for my father's music. I figured I'd probably have to do it one concert at a time. Playing with DREAM THEATER on the PROGRESSIVE NATION tour is a great way to accomplish that goal. Music fans who are seeking something to challenge their senses should definitely consider attending this great bill."

Portnoy adds, "It is an absolute honor for me to have ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA on board. Frank Zappa is one of my all-time biggest heroes and his music practically invented the term ‘progressive'. Dweezil is doing an amazing job carrying on the tradition of his father's daring spirit and like his dad, has surrounded himself with a band of jaw-dropping, incredible musicians"

Sweden's PAIN OF SALVATION will bring their unique brand of cutting-edge progressive metal to PN09. Vocalist/Guitarist Daniel Gildenlow comments: "We are truly very happy to be part of the PN09 tour, and to be back in the States again and bring all the sweat and flesh to our music and our well deserving American fans. We feel honored to have been asked."

Gildenlow also joked, "Actually, Mike has been on our backs now for two years in what we believe to be a personal campaign, bordering on harassment, to make us come over. So when he asked us about PN09, it was a joy to finally be able to say yes. And if Mike didn't give up on us, then hopefully America hasn't either."

Vocalist/Keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom of BEARDFISH is equally excited: "When we read on a website that Mike Portnoy had our album "Sleeping in Traffic Part 1" among his favorite releases of 2007, we just couldn't believe it and we were really happy about it! And now we once again gasp for air since we've been asked to join PROGRESSIVE NATION 2009 together with DREAM THEATER (one of the biggest bands in this genre today!), PAIN OF SALVATION (hey, fellow Swedes!!!) and ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA (being a HUGE Zappa fan myself, I think this is really cool!). Since we've only played the US once before we simply can't wait to come over and rock out!"

PROGRESSIVE NATION will be the first North American tour for DREAM THEATER in support of their newest Roadrunner Records release which is slated for a June 2009 release.

For more information, including dates to be announced soon, visit:
www.progressivenation2009.com (coming soon)
www.dreamtheater.net
www.myspace.com/dreamtheater

Tour Dates:
Fri July 24th - Fillmore @ Jackie Gleason Theater - Miami, FL
Sat July 25th - Rock Hard Live - Orlando, FL
Tues July 28th - The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
Wed July 29th - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium - Ashville, NC
Sat Aug 1st - Merriweather Post - Washington DC *
Sun Aug 2nd - Bank Of America Pavillion - Boston, MA
Tues Aug 4th - The Palace Theater - Albany, NY
Tues Aug 11th - The Agora - Quebec City, QUE
Wed Aug 12th - Bell Center - Montreal, QUE
Fri Aug 14th - Molson Amphitheater - Toronto, ONT
Sun Aug 16th - The Burton Cummings Theater - Winnipeg, MAN
Tues Aug 18th - MacEwan Hall - Calgary, AB
Wed Aug 19th - Shaw Conference Center - Edmonton, AB
Fri Aug 21st - The Orpheum Theater - Minneapolis, MN
Sat Aug 22nd - Riverside Theater - Milwaukee, WI
Sun Aug 23rd - Chicago Theater - Chicago, IL
Tues Aug 25th - Temple Hoyne Buell Theater - Denver, CO
Sat Aug 29th - The Greek Theater - Los Angeles, CA

* - Additional Special Guests on the 8/1 Washington DC show will be Queensryche
(a special one-off 5 band Progressive Nation bill for 1 night only!)

This is only the first batch of confirmed dates.....
There are many more on their way, so stay tuned for more!

Labels: News