AVENGED SEVENFOLD To Release 'Nightmare' Single This Month

10:45 PM / Posted by metallic sucker and moslem militan / comments (0)

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's brand new single, "Nightmare", will be released digitally on May 18. The single artwork can be viewed below. The song comes off AVENGED SEVENFOLD's fifth studio album, which is due out July 27.

Guitarist Zacky Vengeance wrote at the band's official Twitter page, "There are no words that will ever describe the feeling of listening to this album while driving home alone at 4 a.m."

DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy recently issued a statement about being tapped to work with AVENGED SEVENFOLD on the band's new album. Portnoy filled in for James "The Rev" Sullivan, who died in late December. Portnoy said, "Even under normal circumstances, I would've been happy to help the guys out in any way I could as I think AVENGED SEVENFOLD are a great band...but under these incredibly sad and tragic circumstances, I must say I am truly honored to have been asked to play with them and I didn't even have to think twice about saying 'yes.'"

Portnoy added, "These guys are a true family and it is an incredibly emotional experience to be here with them for the first time without their lost brother. But they have welcomed me into the family with open arms and there's a real excitement to make the record they had set out to make."

Portnoy also said, "I am treating my participation on this album with the utmost respect for Jimmy's memory and am remaining as true as possible to the drum parts that he wrote for the songs and the record he wanted to make."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD announced Portnoy's participation in their fifth album on February 17, calling him Sullivan's "all-time favorite drummer. "

Portnoy has confirmed that he will sit behind the kid for AVENGED SEVENFOLD on all the band's tour dates through the end of 2010. He said in a statement, "After having had such an amazing experience recording my drum tracks for the new AVENGED SEVENFOLD album, we all knew it would be awesome if I'd be able to do some touring with the band after its release."

Portnoy added, "Although I wish I could stay on board with AVENGED SEVENFOLD in a more permanent capacity . . . I will need to resume work with DREAM THEATER to start a new album at some point in 2011. However, I will be able to join my brothers in AVENGED SEVENFOLD for at least the duration of their touring throughout 2010, and hopefully this will give them the time to continue to heal and get comfortable back on the road."

Sullivan was found dead at his Huntington Beach, California home on December 28, 2009. The cause of death has not yet been announced.

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Exclusive: DANZIG To Embark On Nine-City U.S. Tour In June

10:43 PM / Posted by metallic sucker and moslem militan / comments (0)

BLABBERMOUTH.NET can exclusively reveal that DANZIG will embark on a special nine-city tour to usher in the release of "Deth Red Sabaoth", the band's first new studio album in six years.

The dates are as follows:

June 15 - Norva, Norfolk, VA
June 16 - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
June 18 - Nokia Theatre, New York, NY
June 19 - Trocadero Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
June 21 - House of Blues, Boston, MA
June 24 - Knitting Factory, Boise, ID
June 25 - Knitting Factory, Reno, NV
June 26 - Nokia, Los Angeles, CA
June 27 - Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA

A pre-sale for all nine dates will begin tomorrow (Saturday, May 8) at 10:00 a.m. (in all time zones). All fans have to do is log on to Ticketmaster.com and type in "Danzig." Everything they'll need to know to purchase tickets will be there on the site.

"Deth Red Sabaoth", produced by Glenn and recorded in Los Angeles over the course of 2009, will be released on June 22 via Evilive/The End Records.

The 11-track collection, penned by Danzig, is laced with Glenn's lycanthropic growls and blues-infected wailing. Tracks including "Black Candy", "The Revengeful" and "On A Wicked Night" emit a spectral glow to rival the highest points in Danzig's colossal discography. Part I of the exquisite two-part "Pyre of Souls" opens with acoustic guitar, haunting piano, Glenn's plainsong vocal, and an almost dirge-like feel; Part II explodes with electric guitars and a driving, mesmerizing cadence.

"I think that fans will really dig this new album," said Glenn. "I've been told several times that the album has a cool vitality to it, that it sounds energized, and I got that feeling when I was recording it. I wanted to have an organic sound, bigger and thicker, so I went out and bought some 1970's Kustom tuck 'n roll bass amps to play some of the guitar parts through. You'll hear real reverb, real tremolo on this album, which sounds completely different than the stuff that's done with computer chips."

Joining Glenn in the studio for the recording of "Deth Red Sabaoth" were guitarist Tommy Victor (PRONG, MINISTRY), a Danzig cohort on and off since 1996, and drummer Johnny Kelly (TYPE O NEGATIVE, SEVENTH VOID). While Kelly has toured with Glenn intermittently since 2002, this is the first time he has recorded with the band. Glenn handled the bass chores for most the album, and played drums on "Black Candy".

As with all of Danzig's releases, the CD cover artwork for "Deth Red Sabaoth" (see below) is provocative and ominous. The cover is an original piece created specifically for the CD by the award-winning artist Joe Chiodo, whose work has graced not only Danzig's Verotik publishing line, but also the covers of numerous graphic novels and comic books, including X-Men Unlimited. "Deth Red Sabaoth" isn't the first time one of Chiodo's paintings has been part of a Danzig package — one of his erotic "good girl" pinups was part of 2007's "The Lost Tracks of Danzig".

DANZIGGlenn, guitarist Tommy Victor, drummer Johnny Kelly and bassist Steve Zing (also an original member of SAMHAIN with Glenn) — plans to tour extensively to support "Deth Red Sabaoth".

More dates will be announced soon.

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EPICA To Tour North America With SCAR SYMMETRY, MUTINY WITHIN, BLACKGUARD

10:41 PM / Posted by metallic sucker and moslem militan / comments (0)

With the overwhelming success of their last trek through North America earlier this year, Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers EPICA will return to the U.S. and Canada for 24 headlining shows with Nuclear Blast labelmates SCAR SYMMETRY, as well as MUTINY WITHIN and BLACKGUARD. The tour is set to launch on November 16 in West Springfield, Virginia and wrap up in Raleigh, North Carolina on December 18. This will be EPICA's second North American trek in support of the band's latest album, "Design Your Universe", which came out last October. The CD landed at position No. 12 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Confirmed tour dates are:

Nov. 16 - Jaxx - W. Springfield, VA
Nov. 17 - The Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA
Nov. 19 - The Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY
Nov. 20 - The Palladium - Worcester, MA
Nov. 21 - Club Soda - Montreal, QC - CANADA
Nov. 23 - Music Hall - London, ON - CANADA
Nov. 24 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH
Nov. 26 - Blondie's - Detroit, MI
Nov. 27 - Headliner's Music Hall - Louisville, KY
Nov. 28 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
Nov. 30 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
Dec. 02 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
Dec. 03 - Rickshaw Theatre - Vancouver, BC - CANADA
Dec. 04 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR
Dec. 05 - DNA Lounge - San Francisco, CA
Dec. 07 - The Key Club - Hollywood, CA
Dec. 08 - Ramona Mainstage - Ramona, CA
Dec. 09 - Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ
Dec. 11 - Trees - Dallas, TX
Dec. 12 - Emo's - Austin, TX
Dec. 14 - The Club at Firestone - Orlando, FL
Dec. 15 - Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Dec. 17 - The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
Dec. 18 - Volume 11 - Raleigh, NC

Exclusive pre-sale tickets for the tour are on sale now at EnterTheVault.com through June 3. Tickets go on sale through all normal ticketing outlets on June 4.

As previously reported, EPICA's April 10 concert at Via Funchal in Sao Paulo, Brazil was filmed for a forthcoming DVD.

The band's South American tour kicked off on April 7 in Porto Alegre, Brazil and took EPICA to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Uruguay.

Goetia Metal has uploaded video footage (see below) of EPICA's March 27, 2010 concert in Madrid, Spain. Also available is a full concert review with exclusive pictures.

On March 9, EPICA singer Simone Simons was in Hilversum, The Netherlands filming a video for the song "This Is The Time", which was written for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

EPICA celebrated the five-year anniversary of its sophomore album, "Consign To Oblivion", by performing the CD in its entirety on March 21 at Effenaar in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Keyboardist Coen Janssen was forced to sit out EPICA's recent North American headlining tour because of "personal reasons." He was replaced by Simone's boyfriend Oliver Palotai (KAMELOT, SONS OF SEASONS, DORO).

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EPICA To Tour North America With SCAR SYMMETRY, MUTINY WITHIN, BLACKGUARD

10:41 PM / Posted by metallic sucker and moslem militan / comments (0)

With the overwhelming success of their last trek through North America earlier this year, Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers EPICA will return to the U.S. and Canada for 24 headlining shows with Nuclear Blast labelmates SCAR SYMMETRY, as well as MUTINY WITHIN and BLACKGUARD. The tour is set to launch on November 16 in West Springfield, Virginia and wrap up in Raleigh, North Carolina on December 18. This will be EPICA's second North American trek in support of the band's latest album, "Design Your Universe", which came out last October. The CD landed at position No. 12 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Confirmed tour dates are:

Nov. 16 - Jaxx - W. Springfield, VA
Nov. 17 - The Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA
Nov. 19 - The Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY
Nov. 20 - The Palladium - Worcester, MA
Nov. 21 - Club Soda - Montreal, QC - CANADA
Nov. 23 - Music Hall - London, ON - CANADA
Nov. 24 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH
Nov. 26 - Blondie's - Detroit, MI
Nov. 27 - Headliner's Music Hall - Louisville, KY
Nov. 28 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
Nov. 30 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
Dec. 02 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
Dec. 03 - Rickshaw Theatre - Vancouver, BC - CANADA
Dec. 04 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR
Dec. 05 - DNA Lounge - San Francisco, CA
Dec. 07 - The Key Club - Hollywood, CA
Dec. 08 - Ramona Mainstage - Ramona, CA
Dec. 09 - Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ
Dec. 11 - Trees - Dallas, TX
Dec. 12 - Emo's - Austin, TX
Dec. 14 - The Club at Firestone - Orlando, FL
Dec. 15 - Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Dec. 17 - The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
Dec. 18 - Volume 11 - Raleigh, NC

Exclusive pre-sale tickets for the tour are on sale now at EnterTheVault.com through June 3. Tickets go on sale through all normal ticketing outlets on June 4.

As previously reported, EPICA's April 10 concert at Via Funchal in Sao Paulo, Brazil was filmed for a forthcoming DVD.

The band's South American tour kicked off on April 7 in Porto Alegre, Brazil and took EPICA to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Uruguay.

Goetia Metal has uploaded video footage (see below) of EPICA's March 27, 2010 concert in Madrid, Spain. Also available is a full concert review with exclusive pictures.

On March 9, EPICA singer Simone Simons was in Hilversum, The Netherlands filming a video for the song "This Is The Time", which was written for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

EPICA celebrated the five-year anniversary of its sophomore album, "Consign To Oblivion", by performing the CD in its entirety on March 21 at Effenaar in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Keyboardist Coen Janssen was forced to sit out EPICA's recent North American headlining tour because of "personal reasons." He was replaced by Simone's boyfriend Oliver Palotai (KAMELOT, SONS OF SEASONS, DORO).

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DEVIN TOWNSEND Says His Friendship With JASON NEWSTED 'Ended Strangely'

10:39 PM / Posted by metallic sucker and moslem militan / comments (0)

Argentina's Jedbangers magazine recently conducted an interview with Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, STEVE VAI, LAMB OF GOD, DARKEST HOUR, GWAR). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Jedbangers: [Your] song "Resolve!" is too similar to the "Vanilla Radio" song by THE WILDHEARTS. Why did you decide to do that? I mean, I know it's not like you tried to rip them off and get away with it.

Devin: Yes I agree, I was in THE WILDHEARTS for a while, and I LOVE that song ("Vanilla Radio") so when I was jamming one day, "Resolve" just seemed to happen, and it seemed like a great addition to the record, a great homage to THE WILDHEARTS, and I'm a huge fan of [THE WILDHEARTS frontman] Ginger. In the credits for "Addicted", I made it very clear that "Resolve" was a direct influence from THE WILDHEARTS, so I tried to not "get away with it" more than include it because I thought it was a cool statement.

Jedbangers: Are we going to ever see what TREE OF THE SUN (Devin's project with former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted, Scott Reeder and Dale Crover) sounds like? What memories do you have of working with Jason and Scott?

Devin: I'm sure someone somewhere will find a copy of that...I really liked those two guys; Scott was really cool from what I remember. The relationship with Jason was nice but ended strangely. I had never done acid before, and we did it at his house and I tripped pretty hard and started acting pretty strange with him...I think he's a pretty "straightforward" guy, and I think I freaked him out pretty hard. It was really fucking weird... For several years he was in my life, and then overnight, I never heard from him again. I hope he's well.

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ICON To Open For QUEENSRŸCHE In Phoenix

8:44 PM / Posted by metallic sucker and moslem militan / comments (0)

Reunited Phoenix, Arizona-based rockers ICON will play their first show since their 2009 Rocklahoma performance opening for QUEENSRŸCHE's Cabaret on May 20 at the Orpheum Theater in Phoenix. This will be ICON's first Arizona performance with new vocalist Tarsha, formerly of ADLER'S APPETITE and its first at the historic landmark built in 1929.

VIP tickets include a meet-and-greet with both bands. Please arrive early, before 6 p.m. $87 and reserved seating $47.

Tickets can be purchased at www.btwconcerts.com or charge by phone at 602-262-7272.

In 2008, ICON, in conjunction with Epicenter Multimedia, released "1984: Live Bootleg" for the first time on DVD. This enhanced multimedia disc features interviews with Dan Wexler and John Aquilino and contains live footage of one of the last concerts with the complete original ICON lineup of Stephen Clifford, Dan Wexler, John Aquilino, Tracy Wallach and Pat Dixon. The band performs in front of a sold-out crowd in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1984. This is the only known footage of an entire concert by the original band.

Video footage of ICON performing at last year's Rocklahoma festival in July 2009 in Pryor, Oklahoma can be viewed below.



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IMMORTAL, SEVERE TORTURE, MAEL MORDHA Confirmed For Holland's EINDHOVEN METAL MEETING

8:43 PM / Posted by metallic sucker and moslem militan / comments (0)

IMMORTAL, SEVERE TORTURE, MAEL MORDHA and VICTIMIZER have been confirmed for the Eindhoven Metal Meeting, set to take place December 17-18, 2010 at the Effenaar in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Due to the success of the previous installment of the festival (which was sold out a couple of weeks before the event), this year's Eindhoven Metal Meeting will be a two-day event.

IMMORTAL's performance will be part of a few selected exclusive shows this year, and the concert at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting will be the bands only appearance in Holland this year.

The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):

IMMORTAL
MAEL MORDHA
MAYHEM
PESTILENCE
REPUGNANT
SEVERE TORTURE
TRIDENT
VICTIMIZER


More bands will be announced soon.

Pre-sales for the Eindhoven Metal Meeting started Saturday, May 1. There will be a so-called combi ticket for the whole event plus separate Friday and Saturday tickets. A strictly limited number of 200 early-bird two-day tickets will be available for the price of 55 euros plus an administration fee. These give you access to both festival days, including the afterparty.

For more information, visit www.eindhovenmetalmeeting.com.

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