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Devildriver Rocks the Starland Ballroom

On Friday, June 2nd, I attended the Devildriver show at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ. Along with Devildriver were Artimus Pyledriver, Remembering Never, Bury Your Dead, and If Hope Dies. I arrived late due to a need to stop and pick up dinner. Once I arrived, I began eating my dinner after checking in with Dez from Devildriver and meeting all their friends outside the Devildriver camper. Dinner was cut short as I had to conduct my interview with Devildriver's drummer, John Boecklin. John and all of Devildriver's friends, along with Dez and all the members of Devildriver were very nice and hospitable to me. I was treated as a friend and felt among friends, although during the interview there were many interruptions.

My interview with Devildriver drummer, John Boecklin was conducted on Devildriver's camper and, as mentioned, was interrupted quite frequently until John finally yelled for the door to be kept shut. After the interview, I walked out to rain and thunder and immediately hoped my dinner had been saved from the rain, which it had been, much to my relief. I thanked a friend of the band for saving my dinner and asked Dez and John if I could finish eating on their camper; they were kind enough to say yes. So, I went and finished eating on their camper. WhenI met my friend in side the venue, I found out that I had missed If Hope Dies and learned that they weren't that great. When I went down to the pit area, I saw Artimus Pyledriver in the middle of their set. More...

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Erik Rutan to Rejoin Morbid Angel for Tour

Erik Rutan of Hate Eternal will be rejoining Morbid Angel as guitarist for their upcoming European tour. Morbid Angel stated the following on the reunion: "This will certainly be an exciting event with the 'Domination' lineup together for the first time in 10 years!"
The tour will be a summer festival tour and dates are as follows:

Aug. 05 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, GER
Aug. 07 - Monsters Of Rock Festival - Kavarna, BUL
Aug. 11 - Traun - Spinnerei, AUT
Aug. 12 - Brutal Assault Festival - Svojsice, CZR
Aug. 14 - Planet Music - Vienna, AUT
Aug. 15 - Sziget Festival - Budapest, HUN
Aug. 16 - Skc - Belgrade, SER
Aug. 18 - Summer Breeze Festival - Dinkelsbuehl-Sinbronn, GER
Aug. 19 - CC De Fabriek - Sint-Lievens Houtem, BEL
Aug. 20 - 013 - Tilburg, NETH
Aug. 22 - Mean Fiddler - London, UK
Aug. 24 - Hole In The Sky Festival - Bergen, NOR
Aug. 26 - Up From The Ground Open Air - Gemunden Am Main, GER

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Rhapsody Change Name To Rhapsody Of Fire

Italy's so-called "film score metal" band Rhapsody has changed it's name to Rhapsody of Fire. The band have posted the following message regarding the change at their official website:

"Due to copyright and trademark issues the band formerly known as Rhapsody has changed its name. The band members consider this a great new start, reflecting the emboldened and increasingly grandiose direction that their music has taken. “The power of the dragonflame will burn brighter than ever before,” says guitarist/songwriter Luca Turilli. Keyboardist/songwriter Alex Staropoli adds, “The name Rhapsody Of Fire better represents the energy that has always been present in this band and its music.”

With a new record company in Magic Circle Music, a new tour planned and a new album on the way, Rhapsody Of Fire will continue to explore musical fantasy worlds with the precision musicianship and unique symphonic concepts that their fans have come to expect and adore. Fresh on the heels of the band’s first live album release, Live In Canada 2005 - The Dark Secret, a new name and renewed vigor ensure that Rhapsody Of Fire still hold the passion and power that have always been associated with their music."

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Evanescence Bassist Departs

According to MTV.com, Evanescence bassist William Boyd apparently left the band last month. Frontwoman Amy Lee broke the news to the band's fans late Thursday in a post to the Evanescence online message board. "A few weeks ago, Will decided to leave the band," she wrote. "He said that he just can't go through with another huge tour right now, and wants to stay a little closer to his family instead."

Lee said that touring "is hard you kind of have to sacrifice your life for it. So we can all understand." She added that Evanescence "love Will very much," and that they collectively wish him "nothing but happiness in everything he does. We've been playing music together since I was in junior high. I miss him already."

Lee also assured fans that the departure won't affect the band's schedule. Evanescence's forthcoming album, The Open Door, will still be in stores October 3, and the band's to-be-announced touring plans will not be derailed.

Boyd's departure is the second in recent years for the band. In 2003, one of the founding members, lead guitarist and principal songwriter Ben Moody, exited midway through Evanescence's European tour. Moody was immediately replaced on the road by former Cold guitarist Terry Balsamo, who suffered a stroke caused by a torn neck artery eight months ago. He was made a permanent band fixture in 2004.

A spokesperson for the band's label confirmed Boyd's departure Friday morning (July 14).

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System of a Down's Plans During Hiatus Discussed

MTV.com caught up with System of a Down and talked to the band members about what they'll be doing during the band's hiatus after touring with Ozzfest. Here are some excepts:

for guitarist Daron Malakian and bassist Shavo Odadjian, it's Scars on Broadway, a fresh collective that's still very much in progress but should start working on material this fall.

"It's going to be another band that both me and Shavo are in, and we're going to try and go places we haven't with System," Malakian explained. "Each [System] bandmember has his own thing he wants to do. Shavo has films he plans on working on too. So we all have artistic itches we want to get through, and I think these are healthy ways to do it. We've been around for 12 years, so it's nice for us to break a little free and come back and hopefully appreciate [being in System] more someday. We're not putting any timelines on it.

"[Scars] are going to go into a lot of different fields that System haven't gone into," he continued. "I mean, heavy metal is an influence, but it's not the focus of System of a Down. There will be metal elements in Scars, but that's not what's going to define the music."

For Odadjian, the System vacation means returning to the studio with his good pal RZA, the mastermind behind Wu-Tang Clan. "We've been messing around in the studio, and I worked on a track that will be on the next Raekwon record, [Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2,]" he said. "With RZA, we have become good friends, and we're in the studio together all the time. There's a collaboration with the GZA which will be coming out soon, but we're not sure when. We've been working on it the last four months and will start preproduction in Los Angeles [in the fall]".

Dolmayan plans to take his obsession with comic books online with a new Web site, TorpedoComics.com. Not only will he be selling comic books, action figures and movies via the site, he'd like to host creative seminars with some of the writers and illustrators he's loved since his childhood, as well as some of today's leading artists.

"I am a big comic-book fan and always have been," he said. "It's sort of my second passion, next to drumming. So when I discovered we were going to be taking some time off, I thought, 'What would be better [for me] to do than form this company?' I just thought it would be fun."

Like Malakian and Odadjian, System's soft-spoken, Afro-sporting frontman Tankian will be working on his own music this fall too. (He'll also be working with Fair to Midland and Slow Motion Reign, the newest additions to the roster of his label, Serjical Strike.) Tankian plans to release his solo debut in late 2007.

"I've been writing it my whole life," he said. "I'm really excited about it, and I have the same energy that I had when we were recording our first record. I have more than enough songs, but I'm also trying other methods of arrangements and tricking myself into doing things that I've never done to add to the dynamics, diversity and hopefully potency of the record itself."

And what say ye, Serj, of System's impending hiatus?

"System of a Down are always there for us, whenever we want to be there for System of a Down," he said.

Read the full article at MTV.com.

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Headline News

Immortal To Reunite, Confirmed For Wacken 2007

The following message has been recieved from the Nuclear Blast record label:

"This is the Black Metal sensation of the year: the organizers of the Wacken Open Air just announced that Immortal will play at the festival in 2007. The trio which disbanded in 2003 will return with the line up of Abbath / Horgh plus special guests."

The band had the following to say about the news:

"Immortal are proud to announce that we will headline Wacken in 2007. This will be part of a few selected exclusive shows next year, and Wacken will be the only show in Germany.

Abbath, Horgh, Demonaz."

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Iron Maiden Confirm Euro, Australian Release Dates

Iron Maiden have confirmed that their new album, "A Matter of Life and Death", will be released in Australia on August 26th 2006 and in Europe on August 28th.

As previously reported, the new single for "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" will be released on August 14th in the following formats:

Limited Edition 2 track CD
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Hallowed be thy Name (Radio 1 ‘Legends’ Session)

Limited Edition 7” picture disc
(To include ‘Crossed Gun Logo’ sticker)
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
c/w Run To The Hills (Radio 1 ‘Legends’ Session)
The Trooper (Radio 1 ‘Legends’ Session)

The full tracklisting for "A Matter of Life and Death" is follows:

1. Different World - Smith/Harris - 4.17
2. These Colours Don't Run - Smith/Harris/Dickinson - 6.52
3. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns - Smith/Harris/Dickinson - 8.44
4. The Pilgrim - Gers/Harris - 5.07
5. The Longest Day - Smith/Harris/Dickinson - 7.48
6. Out Of the Shadows - Dickinson/Harris 5.36
7. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - Murray/Harris - 7.21
8. For The Greater Good of God - Harris - 9.24
9. Lord Of Light - Smith/Harris/Dickinson - 7.23
10. The Legacy - Gers/Harris - 9.20

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New Tristania Album Delayed, Euro Tour Cancelled

Tristania have posted the following update at their official website:

"The release of Illumination is, unfortunately, postponed slightly due to technical reasons. We regret this delay, as we are as impatient as you are to get the album released. Hopefully, our fans will understand that this is something that is outside our control. We will return with a new release date as soon as we know what this will be – and samples from Illumination will be published online in the near future.

The September tour is cancelled due to outside issues. Vibeke will be finishing her education as a teacher, in addition to which she will be working as a teacher while studying. Thus, this makes it difficult for her to do long tours at the moment. Finishing off her education is something she has postponed for a long time due to her duties with Tristania – and she feels it is finally time to do it. We, as a band, are sorry for this cancellation, but promise to return in force when the new album is released."

Tristania will however be headlining the Metal Female Voices Fest 4 in Wieze, Belgium on the 21st of October. Other bands playing include Theatre of Tragedy, Lullacry, Midnattsol, Forever Slave, Xandria, Sengir, Visions of Atlantis, Skeptical Minds, Naio Ssaion, The Legion of Hetheria, Anachronia, Theatres Des Vampires and Macbeth.

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Queensrÿche Plan Live DVD, Side Projects In Works

Queensrÿche have posted the following message at their official website:

"Word from the Campaign is that there are a lot of projects going on while the band's touring in support of Operation: Mindcrime II. For example... while the band has been on the road they have been busy writing new material for the next Queensryche record. The band is also gearing up for a new live double disc that's to be recorded and released this fall. All signs point to a Operation: LIVECrime II with disc 1 being a live production of Mindcrime and disc 2 being a live production of Mindcrime II... but only time will tell. Hopefully, if/when Rhino gets around to releasing this, they'll put some bonus material on it as well ... like the music video?

Geoff Tate has two solo projects in the works. We know at least one of them is a collaboration with Michael Wilton on a Beatle Tribute and the other is a big secret. Why a such a secret you ask? Well, could it be another concept album? A resurrection of the 3 Tremors? Perhaps both? We do know that both the new QR album and GT solo projects are to include some very special guests.

Michael Wilton has reported that work is near complete on the 2nd Soulbender album. And a rumor that a small tour is in the works for them as well. Check soulbender.com and/or michaelwilton.com for more details and information.

Scott Rockenfield recently re-released his Slave to the System album on Spitfire Records. For more information, please visit: slavetothesystem.com.

As we reported earlier in the week, Mike Stone has finally gotten with the 00's with his very own website. Though still under construction, he did announce a solo gig later this month in Wisconsin. Oh, and did I mention the new County / Western album he's been working on with this brother? For more information, please visit: mikestonezone.com.

In Kelly Gray news (never thought you'd hear that name again, did ya?)... Kelly's currently in Seattle re-mastering Q2K. He's also cleaning up the bonus tracks that are being added. There's even rumors that he'll be signing a few copies of the album! More details on this as they become available.

And lastly, how could be forget about Eddie Jackson? Word from the Guacamole King of Seattle is that he's still working on his Bio for QRcom."

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Anthrax Bassist's Fender Pro Bass Rig Up For Grabs

Anthrax have announced the following contest at their official website:

"In celebration of 20 years of maximum metal and their highly-anticipated summer tour with Rob Zombie, Anthrax has joined forces with Fender to give away monster bassist Frank Bello's "Be All, End All" rig! That's right, the very same Fender pro bass rig that Bello will be using to pummel audiences nationwide this summer can be yours!

One lucky contestant will win a:

FENDER FRANK BELLO SIGNATURE BASS GUITAR featuring an evil Black bound alder body with matching headstock (no pickguard), an earth-shaking combination of one Samarium Cobalt Noiseless™ Jazz Bass® pickup and one Seymour Duncan® Quarter Pound™ Basslines™ split coil pickup, a BADASS III™ bridge, a stamped "Bello" neckplate and an "Angry Man" neck logo.

Bello comments, "I am so psyched up about this contest because the winner is going to be playing the best bass guitar and bass gear on the market!!! See ya on tour!!!”

FENDER 800 PRO BASS AMPLIFIER HEAD featuring 800 Watts of truly seismic power at 4 Ohms (1,200 Watts at 2 Ohms), bass and treble controls, three-band semi-parametric EQ, room balance control, two Speakon® and two 1/4" speaker outputs, tuner output and effects loop.

FENDER 810 PRO BASS AMPLIFIER CABINET featuring a face-melting array of eight Fender Special Design Eminence® 10" cast frame speakers capable of handling 2,000 Watts (program; 1,000 Watts continuous), compression-driver high-frequency horn with attenuator, slide rails, recessed wheels and kick plate."

For more information and to enter the contest go here.

Remaining Anthrax tourdates with Rob Zombie are as follows: More...

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