Headline News

Mr. Bungle Is Officially Done

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, vocalist Mike Patton confirmed the demise of Mr. Bungle, who haven't released an album in five years. Here's what Patton had to say:

"I'm at a point now where I crave healthy musical environments, where there is a genuine exchange of ideas without repressed envy or resentment, and where people in the band want to be there regardless of what public accolades may come their way. Unfortunately, Mr. Bungle was not one of those places... We could have probably squeezed out a couple more records but the collective personality of this group became so dysfunctional. This band was poisoned by one person's petty jealousy and insecurity, and it led us to a slow, unnatural death. And I'm at peace with that, because I know I tried all I could."

Patton will continue with his myriad projects, including Peeping Tom, Fantomas, and Tomahawk, in addition to running his record label, Ipecac Recordings.

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Turmoil Announce New Bassist

Turmoil has announced the addition of a new bassist, as they prepare for their first shows in four years. The group has added John Gardner to their lineup. Gardner also does time with Turmoil vocalist Jon Gula in The Kiss Of Death, and has also played with Sever The Fallen and Outcome.

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Buried Inside To Perform CD Release Party Show

BURIED INSIDE will be performing live on December 17th at Club Saw in Ottawa, Ontario. This performance will serve as the band's home town CD release party - their new album 'Chronoclast' was released in Canada on November 9th. A February 1st U.S. release date and February 14th European release date is/are expected.

BURIED INSIDE's first Relapse full-length and third overall album, entitled 'Chronoclast' was produced by Matt Bayles (ISIS, SOUNDGARDEN, MASTODON) and was written as a single 40-minute piece using an array of instruments ranging from strings and brass to piano and electric organ.

December 17 Ottawa, ON Canada Club Saw ('Chronoclast' CD release show)

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Vinnie Paul May Have Been The Hostage

Listening to a brief piece on the shootings on FOX 5 (TV is always a little behind, but I haven't been online for a few hours...), I heard a few new pieces of information. First was the account of the incident in which a witness claimed that Vinnie Paul, Darrell's brother and Damageplan's drummer, was the hostage taken by Nathan Gale, the gunman. According to the witness, Gale had Vinnie in a headlock and was in the act of aiming the gun at his head when Officer Neggemeyer shot and killed Gale.

The report also mentioned the fact that the slaying happened exactly 24 years to the day after the killing of John Lennon.

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Skumlove Comments On Dimebag's Tragic Death

Skumlove have sent out a statement regarding the heinous slaying of Dimebag Darrell last night in Ohio. The message is as follows:

"It always brings me down when I hear someone's dead. Especially when that person was so full of live. Dimebag Darrell. I met him on many occasions while on tour with DANZIG and Fear Factory. It puts me in a rage to know that he was doing what he loves when some weirdo that can't control himself decides who lives and dies and takes his life."

"Dimebag you will be missed"

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The Red Death Sign With Metal Blade Records

The Red Death is proud to announce their signing with Metal Blade Records. The band says: "This is exactly the label we wanted to work with, and it's an honor to be given this opportunity. It's still unreal that a band from Western New York has been given the chance to work with a label that has bands such as The Red Chord, Amon Amarth, Unearth, As I Lay Dying, The Black Dahlia Murder, Cattle Decapitation, The Crown, Vehemence, and many others call home. Look for us on the road starting in Feb."

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SJR Bassist: Anselmo Is In A "State Of Shock"

Superjoint Ritual bassist Hank Williams III has posted the following message regarding the death of Damageplan/ex-Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell:

"It just ain't fuckin right... Alcohol should have killed Dime, not a fuckin piece of shit worthless fuck with a gun trying to recreate the John Lennon's killing... This happened on the same day, if you didnt know... Dime will never die EVER!!! His style of guitar playing took metal to a whole new chapter in metal history.

"For those of us that were lucky enough to be around Dime as a person... or see him jam in no matter what band it was, you know he liked to have a good time... In his honor, crank up his fuckin music and get motherfuckin wasted on whiskey!!!!!!!

"And no matter what was said with all the shit talking between Superjoint Ritual and Damageplan, that's all it was, nothing but talk!! If we had ever been in the same room together as both bands, it would have been cool… Kinda like seeing 'ole family....

"I'm sure there will be plenty of new rumors surfacing.....And fingers pointing at people to blame... But Philip [Anselmo, ex-Pantera] and the rest of Superjoint Ritual are in a state of shock and blown away by this tragedy! We do not take this shit lightly... What this kid did is so fucked up its not even conceivable. May you burn in the hottest corners of hell, you pistol-packin' pussyfuck...

"R.I.P Dimebag. You rocked harder than you will ever know!!!!"

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COB Drummer To Appear On New Evemaster Album

Children of Bodom fan site Scythes-of-Bodom.com is reporting that CoB drummer Jaska is set to appear on the new Evemaster album, entitled "MMIV Lacrimae Mundi." The album is a re-recording of Evemaster's debut album "Lacrimae Mundi."

At the beginning of 2004, Jaska recorded drums at POP studios in Loimaa, Finland with the idea to get it "as punk as possible" and adding great grinding/blast drumming. The album fetaures the 7 tracks of the original album with one bonus track.

"MMIV Lacrimae Mundi" tracklisting: More...

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Pain Announces Swedish Tour

Following Swedish tour dates have been announced for Pain:

Jan. 27 Malmö KB
Jan. 28 Karlskrona Kino
Jan. 29 Göteborg Sticky fingers
Feb. 04 Stockholm Klubben
Feb. 05 Uppsala Norrlands nations
Feb. 11 Huskvarna Folketspark
Feb. 12 Mariestad Klubb kaliber

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The Century Family's Christmas Balls

Come one, come all to ye olde Christmas BallS! The Century Family cranks it to 11 with their Christmas celebration Monday, December 20 at the Key Club in Los Angeles. You thought Santa was bringing coal, merrily he's bringing a night filled with hard rockin' metal acts representing their label imprints: Strapping Young Lad, Death Angel, Nebula, Impaled, and Eyes of Fire. Whether you've been naughty or nice. Century Media's elves are assembling stockings filled with heavy metal trimmings for raffle and there will also be lots of free musical goodies. Bringing toys for all metal girls and boys Santa's sleigh delivers headliners Vancouver, Canada's Strapping Young Lad. Century Media veterans, the band released their first DVD, entitled "For Those Aboot To Rock", on November 2, and will unchain their new full-length album, "Alien", on March 22, 2005. More...

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Napalm Death Special Show Details

More details unfold about Napalm Death's special show to present their forthcoming album “The Code Is Red… Long Live The Code” live in Bochum:

UK’s grind-legend will be supported by labelmates Heaven Shall Burn and Maroon. Furthermore, Century Media’s new p&d partner Alveran Records added Belgium’s Do Or Die and Germany’s End Of Days to the billing. Presale for the tickets has already begun, so be sure you get your ticket for EUR 12,00!
Jan. 22 Bochum, D @ Matrix

For the UK, it will be Napalm Death's first live performance in a year and a half.
Jan. 24 London, UK @ Underworld
Booking: MAD Tourbooking

Both dates will see special shows by Napalm Death focussing on “The Code Is Red… Long Live The Code” long before it’s release in April 2005.

After the release of their highly acclaimed covers album “Leaders Not Followers: Part 2,” Napalm Death are currently thrashing Europe’s stages on the X-Mass Festivals with Finntroll, Marduk, Vader, The Black Dahlia Murder and Belphegor: More...

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Death Angel To Do Signing Session

Death Angel will be doing a signing at the EMG booth at NAMM on Saturday, January 20th, at 1 PM. Please make sure if you are attending this important event to drop by the EMG pick ups booth and say hi to the band.

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Taste Of Chaos Internet Presale

Get tickets to the Taste of Chaos tour (starting in February 2005 with The Used, MCR, Senses Fail, Killswitch Engage and more) before they go on-sale to the less internet-minded masses out there. Go to Tasteofchaos.com and get your tickets now.

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Chevelle Is A Family Business

In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Chevelle singer/guitarist Pete Loeffler talks about what it's like to be in a band with siblings:

AP: You've been on tour since late October. Any good stories yet?

Loeffler: Since we're all brothers, we kind of fight and bicker a lot. First day of this tour, Joe destroyed his bass. Smashed it on the ground. He was ticked off at Sam. Chucked it at Sam. It was bad. The tour was over before it even started. Then we ended up patching it up that night and left the next morning. That's pretty much what we deal with on the road. That's the negative part of being in a band with brothers, and there's a lot of good stuff.

AP: What's it like being in a band with your two brothers?

Loeffler: You never know what side of the bed somebody's gonna roll off - roll out of their bunk and be in a good mood or a bad mood. We can come off stage and have a great show, and we can walk into the dressing room and somebody will just blow up at the other person for no reason. We have all this baggage that we brought into this. It's tough. I would never suggest it. When it works, it's amazing. But when it doesn't, it's hell. We're like literally living in hell. They're my brothers, but you know what, you shouldn't necessarily work with family.

Read the full article at Concord Monitor Online.

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Dead To Fall Sticks It Out For Sophomore Effort

Las Vegas Mercury has posted the following article up on Chicago's Dead to Fall:

There's an old saying that keeping a band together is a lot like maintaining a marriage. Imagine Three Doors Down or Slayer admitting as much. But if there's any band that understands the fragile nature of intergroup relations, it's Chicago hardcore/metalcore act Dead to Fall. In its five-year history, the quintet has seen several different bandmates quit the band, for various reasons. It knows better than Dr. Phil what it takes to keep it together.

"I guess being in a band is like having a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, but with five people, which makes it five times as hard," says singer Jon Hunt. "A lot of the time, it's when someone gets in a serious relationship at home, they leave the band because they want to pursue that. And people were sick of not having a place to live or not really making any money. But there are many dues to pay for a long time before you can make it as a band. It's definitely a lot better than working a job, it's pretty fun and we get to see the country for free."

Read the full article at Las Vegas Mercury.

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Brides Of Destruction Are Finished

Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx has revealed to TotalRock that his other band, the Brides Of Destruction, are finished. It was thought that they would be put on hold while the Crue reunion happens. But this is no longer the case.

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Press Conference Adds Few Details To Shooting

After listening to the live press conference (regarding the nightclub shooting and slaying of Damageplan's Dimebag Darrell) at 11pm ET, I have some additional details to add about the incident:

Officer James Niggemeyer, a 5 year verteran, had never been involved in shooting before. Receiving incoming reports of additional gunshots and victims, he moved in with no backup to confront the gunman, Nathan Gale, with a hostage under his arm in a headlock. Officer Niggemeyer "strategically gunned the man down" before Gale could kill the hostage or anyone else. The hostage was not injured.

The officers are looking into possible ametuer videos shot at the time of the attack.

It has been reported by witnesses that the gunman, Gale, jumped a fence and entered the nightclub from a side entrance.

Alrosa Villa has, in the past, had other minor incidents including a shooting in their parking lot.

There are unconfirmed rumors from witnesses that the gunman shouted "you broke up Pantera" as he jumped on stage, but the officer stated that it was too loud to make out what the attacker may or may not have said.

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Dave Mustaine Commments Dimebag's Death

Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine has issued the following statement regarding the death of Damageplan guitarist Dimebag Darrell:

"There is nothing unique or clever to this post, and what I want to say has no doubt already been said throughout the metal community, by countless others whom were more closer to Darrell than me by now.

"However, knowing he was murdered tonight, I wish to thank and remember Darrell for his amazing life and the gift that he shared with me and so many other fortunates.

"I pray for Darrell's family and friends; specifically for their healing, their peace, and their understanding of this tragedy in this time of need.

"I send my deepest heartfelt condolences to the Abbott family, to Darrell's friends, and to the fantastic Pantera and Damageplan fans around the world.

"We must never forget his life, and his gifts, his genius, his terrific personallity, and the legacy he left behind to remember him by.

"Darrell, I will see you in heaven and I, like so many more, love you brother.

"You will be missed."

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More Info On Damageplan Nightclub Shooting

Scoop of the Columbus, Ohio radio station The Blitz 99.7 FM has confirmed to Blabbermouth.net that Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul was uninjured in the shooting incident at a Columbus nightclub which resulted in the death of Paul's brother, Dimebag Darrell. According to Scoop, who attended the concert and briefly saw Vinnie following the incident, Paul was in a complete state of shock and expressed his desire to be with his brother right after the shooting occurred.

A friend of Scoop's, Kevin Minerd, who also attended the concert, told Blabbermouth.net that the gunman entered the stage from the left side and walked over to the right side where Dimebag was standing before grabbing the guitarist and pumping several bullets into him. Additional shots were fired, although it's presently unclear which other member of Damageplan, if any, was killed in the incident.

"A Columbus police officer, when he arrived, engaged the shooter, and the shooter is also dead, and if the officer hadn't acted when he did and how he did, we'd probably be looking at more dead, because this guy was actively shooting," Sergeant Brent Mull, public information officer, told MTV News.

"We have 200-plus patrons that we have sequestered inside three city buses," Sergeant Mull explained. "We are interviewing them one by one. The ones that were inside and witnessed this, ran for their lives and were in fear for their lives. They are victims too, and we want to take care of them."

As news of Dimebag's (born Darrell Lance Abbott in Dallas, Texas on August 20, 1966) bizarre and tragic demise rippled through the metal community, the news was met with shock and sadness.

"I'm speechless," friend and Rob Zombie/Ozzy Osbourne bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson told MTV. "This is totally unreal. Dimebag is a fucking legend and this is total bullshit."

"This is insane and this is beyond travesty," Killswitch Engage frontman, and former Damageplan tour partner, Howard Jones said. "This is beyond anything I've ever heard. This shouldn't happen in or outside of the rock and metal community. He will be missed and mourned as a person, as a musician, and as a friend."

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, whose band has toured with Pantera and has featured Dimebag guest appearances on their albums, stated in a posting on Anthrax's web site, "I am devastated as I'm sure we all are. All I can convey at this moment are my condolences to Rita and Vinnie and the whole family. My heart is with you."

Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx offered the following: "Dime, I will never forget all the times you made us laugh. I'm so happy we got to spend the day together in London recently… We should all live our lives as full as you have. I will miss you, as will all of us... This is a sad day."

Rich Ward (Fozzy, Stuck Mojo): "Darrell was as nice as they come. During the times that I spent with him, I wondered why he played in such a heavy band. Not that he didn't have the ability to school all of us that dared to share a stage with him, but because he seemed like such a gentle and kind man. He had a great sense of humor and was someone that everyone in the room gravitated toward. He never carried himself like the big rock star that he really was, instead he came across humble and appreciative. I consider it a privilege to have known him, as he was one of the 'real' guys in the business and as Zakk [Wylde] would say, 'one of the boys'!"

Shaun Glass (Soil): "Today I am saddened to say I lost my friend and hero it sickens me that someone would take away a person that brought so much joy to so many people. Love ya, Double D."

Jon Dette (ex-Slayer, Testament): "My brother just called to tell me that Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed on stage tonight. Words cannot express the sadness I'm feeling right now and my condolences go out to Vinnie Paul and the Abbott family for their loss. This is a huge tragedy for the music world."

Orange County, California-based sextet Bleed The Sky (recently signed to Nuclear Blast Records): "It's a sad day in heavy metal, Dimebag Darrell formerly of Pantera, was shot and killed while performing with Damageplan in Ohio. We would more than likely not be a band if it wasn't for him, and can't possibly imagine the pain that his brother and his family must be in. RIP, brother, heavy music will never be the same without you."

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Police Release Name of Gunman Who Shot Dimebag

Police released the name of the gunman who allegedly went on a shooting rampage at a Columbus nightclub Wednesday night, killing four people before a police officer shot him dead.

Nathan Gale, 25, of Marysville, reportedly jumped onto a concert stage and open fire, NBC 4 reported.

The shooting took place shortly after 10 p.m. at Alrosa Villa, located at 5055 Sinclair Rd. A crowd of about 250 people was inside for a concert by Damageplan. The band took the stage shortly after 10 p.m., and minutes later, a man, who was wearing a hockey jersey and hooded sweatshirt, began firing at point-blank range at least four times at guitarist Dimebag Darrell, NBC 4's Kyle Anderson reported.

Dimebag Darrell (Darrell Abbott) was pronounced dead at the scene. Police released the names of two others who died - they were Nathan Bray and Erin Halk, both audience members. Police did not identify the other person who died at the scene. Two people who were shot were transported by ambulance to Riverside. Their names were not released and hospital officials would not comment about their conditions.

Columbus police and firefighters set up a triage outside the nightclub to treat anyone with minor injuries. Many people who were injured during the shooting spree and in the chaos that followed were put on buses and treated for injuries at the scene.

Police have scheduled an 11 a.m. news conference. Watch it live on NBC 4 and nbc4i.com.

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Breaking News

Dimebag Darrell Dies In Gunshooting

A gunman opened fire Wednesday night during a heavy metal concert in Columbus, killing four people -- including at least one member of the band -- and critically wounding at least two others before a police officer shot and killed him, according to Columbus police.

The attacker leapt onstage as the group, Damageplan, performed, and began "targeting members in the band," Sgt. Brent Mull said.

Two others were injured in the incident, although the nature of their injuries was not clear. More...

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