Vicious Art Post Live Video Online

VICIOUS ART, the Swedish death/thrash metal band featuring former DARK FUNERAL members Matias Mäkelä and Robert Lundin, along with Jörgen Sandström (THE PROJECT HATE, ex-ENTOMBED, GRAVE) on bass, have uploaded a short video clip of their most recent live performance, which took place on November 26, 2005 at The Village in Västerås, Sweden (supporting VOMITORY). Download it at this location (.RAR file, 8.3 MB). Photos taken at the same gig can be found by clicking here. More...

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Skyclad Plan To Release New EP

British "folk metal" act SKYCLAD are currently working on a special EP that will be released in time for the band's tour dates in April. The CD will feature a brand new recording of the instrumental track "Jig-a-Jig", along with the songs "The Roman Wall Blues", "They Think It's All Over - Well Is It Now?" and "Mr Malaprope" from the "A Semblance Of Normality" sessions. This EP will not be available in any record stores — it will only be available from the band's webshop and on tour. Meanwhile, SKYCLAD are also working on a new album which is to be recorded over the summer and released before the end of the year.

Upcoming SKYCLAD shows:

Jan. 28 - Athens, GRE - Another Club
Feb. 18 - Corroios, POR - Cine-Teatro
Feb. 19 - Porto, POR - HC Rio
Feb. 24 - Irun, SPA - Tunk
Feb. 25 - Vigo, SPA - Iguana
Apr. 09 - Paris, FRA - L'Espace Curial
Apr. 12 - Naples, ITA - Duel Beat
Apr. 21 - Giessen, GER - Jokus
Apr. 22 - Merseburg, GER - Gasometer

More dates will be announced soon.

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Swallow the Sun Frontman Joins Alghazanth

SWALLOW THE SUN frontman Mikko Kotamäki has joined ALGHAZANTH as their new vocalist. Kotamäki's involvement with ALGHAZANTH will nto affect his status in SWALLOW THE SUN, which remains his priority.

In other news, SWALLOW THE SUN's debut album, "The Morning Never Came", has been released on vinyl by Imperium Productions/Firebox Records. "The LP is a double-LP pressed on 180g black vinyl with gatefold cover, matte heavy cardboard sleeve, [CANDLEMASS cover] 'Solitude' (sung by Mikko) as a bonus track, engraving on side D, and it is strictly limited to 500 copies," reads a posting on the group's web site. Copies can be ordered from the Firebox Netstore.

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Dark Funeral Discuss Setlist For Upcomming Tour

Swedish black metallers DARK FUNERAL have posted the following message on their official web site:

"First we would like to thank everyone who participated and voted for what songs you want us to play during our upcoming tour. Out of the 5120 votes we got in total, we have now, with your help, put together a literally killer setlist for the upcoming European tour. We are currently rehearsing the new setlist and it's going very well. By the time the tour kicks off in Helsinki [Finland] on February 21, I'm convinced that we will all be in top shape."

Here are the most requested songs from each of DARK FUNERAL's albums, as voted on by the group's fans:
* From "Diabolis Interium": "The Arrival of Satan's Empire"
* From "Attera Totus Sanctus": "666 Voices Inside"
* From "Vobiscum Satanas": "Vobiscum Satanas"
* From "The Secrets of the Black Arts": "My Dark Desires"
* From DARK FUNERAL's debut MCD: "Open the Gates" More...

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Daylight Dies Make New Song Available Online

A brand-new DAYLIGHT DIES track, entitled "A Life Less Lived", has been made available for download at this location (MP3, 4 MB). The song comes off the group's upcoming CD, "Dismantling Devotion", due in the U.S. on March 7 via Candlelight Records.

Four years in the making, the near hour-long "Dismantling Devotion" is a record filled with quality musicianship that travels a dark and passionate road that will ultimately nestle itself into the hearts of death, doom and dark music fans everywhere. The album was mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (OPETH, SOILWORK) and mastered by Thomas Eberger at The Cutting Room (OPETH, THE HIVES). KATATONIA's Anders Nyström recently said, "if 'Dismantling Devotion' would have been released in 2005, it would have been my choice for the album of the year."

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Zao Drummer Confirms Guitarist's Departure

ZAO drummer Jeff Gretz released a statement to Blabbermouth.net regarding the rumored departure of guitarist Russ Cogdell and the group's plans for the future. His statement reads as follows:

"Russ's departure wasn't officially released as a statement from the band because there is no statement to make. His knee injury was well documented after our early exit from Warped Tour and subsequent outing with UNEARTH and THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN that we were forced to do without him. His current status is that he is not in proper health to tour and work on the record. We did not announce it because we felt there was nothing to announce, the music would speak for itself. Of the eight prior studio albums that ZAO has recorded, Russ has played on three (he had left once before and returned only for 'Funeral of God'). The core of ZAO's writing has been Dan Weyandt and Scott Mellinger for the past five albums (Dan going back even one more than that). The band is perfectly happy with the current situation (as is Russ) and the door is open for him to return when he is willing/able. For years, Scott was the only touring guitarist for ZAO, Russ's involvement was more the exception than the rule. Now, you may continue with your Christ-core jokes and suggestions for us when or when not to end our band. MESHUGGAH!!!!"

ZAO are currently recording their new album at the Chicago studio of legendary producer/engineer Steve Albini (PIXIES, NIRVANA, NEUROSIS, HIGH ON FIRE). The follow-up to 2004's "The Funeral of God" is scheduled for release late May via Ferret.

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More Rob Zombie, Lacuna Coil Tour Dates

More dates have been announced for ROB ZOMBIE's upcoming North American tour with LACUNA COIL. The schedule is shaping up as follows:

Mar. 18 - Miami, FL @ Bicentennial Park (Global Gathering Festival)
Mar. 25 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
Mar. 28 - New York, NY @ Nokia Theater
Apr. 01 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
Apr. 04 - Toronto, ONT @ Kool Haus
Apr. 06 - Columbus, OH @ Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
Apr. 07 - Detroit, MI @ State Theatre
Apr. 15 - Kansas City, KS @ Memorial Hall
Apr. 27 - Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Amphitheatre

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Kittie Post Live Video Online

A live video of KITTIE performing their new song "This Too Shall Pass", recorded on November 26, 2005 in Detroit, Michigan, has been posted online at this location.

As previously reported, a couple of new KITTIE tracks have been posted online at www.myspace.com/officialkittie. The recordings are taken from the Canadian metal band's upcoming EP, which will be released digitally on February 7. More exclusive sneak preview clips of the tracks appearing on the EP will be available on the band's official MySpace.com page before the release date. A new 45-second clip will be available to preview on the official KITTIE MySpace.com page every two weeks until the EP is released.

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Necrophagist Canadian Support Acts Announced

The NECROPHAGIST Canadian tour has been confirmed and will take place in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario from June 1 to June 10, 2006. For their first visit to Canada, the German band will be touring with ION DISSONANCE (Canada), ARSIS (United States) and ALARUM (Australia). The first official dates are June 2 in Montreal and June 3 in Quebec City. More details will be announced soon.

NECROPHAGIST's most recent album, "Epitaph", was issued in 2004 via Relapse Records.

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Vanden Plas' New Album Delayed

German progressive metallers VANDEN PLAS have issued the following update via their official web site:

"The release date of the new VANDEN PLAS album had to be pushed back a little due to a delay of the final mix. 'Christ 0' will be in stores at the end of April. The concept of the album is based on Alexandre Dumas' novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. The first edition comes in a special packaging and will feature the Andrew Lloyd Webber song 'Gethsemane' from the musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar' as a bonus track."

As previously reported, VANDEN PLAS was recorded in part at the Bazement studios near Wiesbaden, Germany. The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Christ 0 (music: G. Werno/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
02. Postcard to God (music: S. Lill/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
03. Wish you Were Here (music: G. Werno/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
04. Silently (music: S. Lill/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
05. Shadow I Am (music: S. Lill/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
06. Fireroses Dance (music: G. Werno/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
07. Somewhere Alone in the Dark (music: S. Lill/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
08. January Sun (music: A. Kuntz, G. Werno/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
09. Lost in Silence (music: A. Kuntz /lyrics: A. Kuntz)

Bonus track on initial pressing: "Gethsemane" (lyrics: Tim Rice/music: Andrew Lloyd Webber)

VANDEN PLAS' most recent album, "Beyond Daylight", was released in 2002 via InsideOut Music.

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Dean Launches 2006 Line of Dimebag Darrell Guitars

Dean Guitars has launched a 2006 line of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott (late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist) signature model guitars. The new guitar models include the USA Rebel Razorback, Explosion Razorback, CFH From Hell 06, Dixie Rebel, Dime Blade, and Baby DFH.

The Dean 2006 Dimebag Darrell model signature guitars can be viewed at this location.

As previously reported, Big Vin Records, the new label launched by Dimebag's borther Vinnie Paul, will be issuing the self-titled debut CD from REBEL MEETS REBEL — the project featuring three of the founding members of PANTERA (Vinnie Paul, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and bassist Rex Brown) together with legendary country singer/outlaw David Allan Coe — on April 4. Big Vin will also be releasing a DVD, entitled "Dimevision", as a tribute to Dimebag. "Dimevision" will feature Dime's stellar guitar playing and offbeat brand of humor, and is sure to be a title every serious PANTERA fan will have to own.

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Headline News

Crashdiet Frontman Found Dead

The surviving members of the Swedish band CRASHDIET have issued a statement regarding the death of their frontman David Hellman (photo) (a.k.a. Dave Lepard) and the group's future plans.

Shortly before 1:00 a.m. on Friday, January 20, the police in the Swedish city of Uppsala, north of Stockholm, were called to the apartment of CRASHDIET frontman David Hellman (photo) (a.k.a. Dave Lepard). He had not been in touch with his friends or family for 20 days and a close friend of his had entered the apartment and found him dead, reports the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.

"There is no foul play involved in his death, other than that we don't know what the circumstances are," police spokesperson Christer Nordström told the newspaper Expressen.

Zübeyde Güngodogmus is shocked by the news that her neighbor has been found dead in his apartment. They were acquaintances.

"He was so sweet and very friendly," she tells Expressen.

However, she had noticed a change in the rock star. Last week she met him at the local supermarket.

"He looked so thin and was out of character," she says.

During the first weeks of 2006, there were signs that everything was not well in the CRASHDIET camp. The other members were rumored to be fed up with Hellman's excessive drug intake and were on the verge of leaving, or already had left, the band. Both they and Hellman's family have declined to talk to the media at the moment.

Hellman, 25, made no qualms about his sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle.

"We want to get hard rock back on track again and it's nice that it's getting bigger again," he told the Swedish music magazine Groove last year. "All the other crap is becoming so tiresome. I mean, hip hop people live the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle to a much larger extent than hard rockers do."

Describing his lifestyle, he said: "You live in chaos, depend on welfare, are an addict and things fucking suck. That's why it often collides with the music; it's too much of the good stuff and the music is affected. You would need 48 hours per day, but you're so fucking stupid and get your priorities wrong."

In a joint statement released to the media, Martin Sweet (guitar), Peter London (bass) and Eric Young (drums) said, "As a bandmember, but most of all as a person, we will miss him for all eternity. Dave was nothing but a genius and a very special person. CRASHDIET will definitely not continue as a band. CRASHDIET consisted of four people and now one has left us."

CRASHDIET was a Stockholm, Sweden-based Eighties hard rock-style band whose debut album, "Rest in Sleaze", entered the Swedish national album chart at position No. 12.

"It's pretty clear that, up to now, there's been a vacuum as far as hard rock goes," Dave said in a 2005 interview. "We can play a gig for 1,200 kids with big hair and skinny spandex-covered legs, who just stand there screaming. So it's even cooler when ZTV [Swedish music video channel] or MTV and the others play our rock-hard video which gets to be one of the most played clips alongside old ladies like J-Lo, or whatever she's called."

A video clip, dubbed "On the Road with Crashdiet 2005", was recently posted on their official web site. You can check it out here: Real Media, Windows Media.

CRASHDIET were reportedly the first "sleaze rock" band in over 10 years to be signed directly to a major company — Universal Music. The group, whose members were said to be in their early 20s, were scheduled to make their U.S. debut in March at the South by Southwest music conference/festival in Austin, Texas.

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Facedown Fest 2006 Details

Facedown Records' seventh incarnation of their annual Facedown Fest will take place on March 31st and April 1st at the Glasshouse in Pomona, CA. Admission is $25 for a two-night pass, or $15 for a single night. Tickets are available at the Glasshouse box office or via Ticketmaster. Here's the line-up:

Night 1:
Nodes Of Ranvier
Seventh Star
Inked In Blood
Bloody Sunday
Alove For Enemies
Flee The Seen
Anam Cara
The Redemption Song

Night 2:
No Innocent Victim
Bloodlined Calligraphy
xLooking Forwardx
Jesus Wept
War Of Ages
Brutal Fight
In Due Time
Counting The Days
Kingston Falls

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Black Cross Prepare For Shows

Black Cross are preparing to play their first shows in nearly a year (dates below). The group will be debuting a new line-up as well. Evan Patterson has moved rom bass to second guitar, while bassist Nick Thienemen (Breather Resist) and drummer Forrest Kuhn (Halifax Pier) have joined the band. Meanwhile, the band will be recording a new full-length this spring.

1/27 Indianapolis, IN @ The Secret Location w/ In Tongues, Holy Bible, more
1/28 Louisville, KY @ Keswick Democratic Club w/ In Tongues, Wolverine Bass, more
1/29 Elizabethtown, KY @ West Point Bank w/ In Tongues, Cheapshot, more

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Ed Gein, TTEOTD, The Number 12 Tour Dates

Following a run of dates together, Ed Gein and Through The Eyes Of The Dead will be meeting up with The Number Twelve Looks Like You for a few weeks of touring. Here's the schedule:

2/7 Tupelo, MS @ Rockwell Center
2/9 Houston, TX @ Java Jazz
2/10 San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
2/11 Corpus Christi, TX @ The Underground
2/12 Arlington, TX @ Phoenix Music Complex
2/13 Albuquerque, NM @ The Compound

dates w/ Animosity
2/14 Phoenix, AZ @ Neckbeard's
2/15 Las Vegas, NV @ The Clubhouse
2/17 Lancaster, CA @ Cedar Centre
2/18 Corona, CA @ Showcase Theatre
2/20 Bakersfield, CA @ Montgomery World Plaza
2/21 San Francisco, CA @ The Pound
2/22 Reno, NV @ VFW Hall
2/23 Roseville, CA @ The Underground
2/24 Boise, ID @ The Venue
2/25 Ogden, UT @ Club Boom Va
2/26 Cedar City, UT @ Hoover Nights
2/27 Denver, CO @ Rock Island
2/28 Omaha, NE @ The Rock
3/1 Wichita, KS @ Headway Skatepark
3/2 St Louis, MO @ Creepy Crawl
3/3 Crown Point, IN @ RDS Auditorium
3/4 Milwaukee, WI @ Mad Planet

3/5 Traverse City, MI @ American Legion Hall

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