New Drowning Pool Singer: I Will Make You Proud

DROWNING POOL have posted a message on their official web site confirming that they have recruited former SOIL frontman Ryan McCombs to replace their last vocalist, Jason "Gong" Jones, who left the band in early June.

Commented Ryan in a statement: "When I walked away from music to be with my family nearly a year ago, my wife told me that if I ever got the chance to do it again with good people like [DROWNING POOL's] CJ, Stevie and Mike she would want me to do it. She could always hear in my voice the love and respect that I have for them by the way I would speak of them. Those close to me have wished for a long time that I would get the opportunity to once again do what I love to do — create music, with people I love being around and in an environment that I could stand to breathe in. DROWNING POOL has given me this opportunity and for them, their fans, Jo and Charlie Williams, and, of course, their son Mr. Dave 'STAGE' Williams, I will do everything and anything I can to make you proud of the name you all worked so hard to build.

"Thanks for the confidence and the acceptance that has been shown already. As soon as I can get through 'Tear Away' without watering up like a little bitch, I'll be ready to rip some shit up out there with y'all..."

Recently on Soil's Web site, bassist Tim King vilified McCombs, saying he will "be singing the very songs he hailed as 'average,' " and capped off his tirade with "Drowning Pool can have him. Now we have the better singer [in A.J. Cavalier] and the better band."

The revamped DROWNING POOL will be making a one-off appearance at this year's Ozzfest on August 25 at the Smirnoff Music Center in Dallas, Texas. The band will perform on the main stage in front of their hometown crowd in what promises to be the group's debut live appearance with McCombs.

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Psyopus Drummer MIA, Band Drops Off Tour

Psyopus have dropped of their tour with Swarm Of The Lotus, Ion Dissonance, and Strong Intention. According to the band, their drummer is "MIA." Here's a statement from the group:

"It is deeply upsetting to us but, for those in the band who were dedicated to this tour, our control over other people is imaginary. We would be out there if we could be. We'll still be playing Hellfest this year with our original drummer Greg Herman and we'll be aiming to get a couple extra shows in too so we don't lose our asses financially. We are in a bind right now as you could imagine. Sorry."

The band is in debt to the tune of $2000 for the month, so be a good sport and buy some of their merch.

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Burnt By The Sun Completes New Lineup

Burnt By The Sun have now solidified their new lineup. As you may recall, vocalist Mike Olender and drummer Dave Witte left the group last September. As reported a few weeks later, the group quickly added drummer Brandon Thomas (Ripping Corpse, etc.) to their line-up. Fast forward nearly a year, and Burnt By The Sun has announced the addition of vocalist Nate Johnson (Premonitions Of War, Deadwater Drowning) and guitarist Nick Hale (ex-Premonitions Of War). The band is currently writing material for an EP, which will be available later this year. Meanwhile, a brief East Coast tour is being planned.

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Ligeia Signs To Ferret Records

Springfield, MA metal/hardcore band Ligeia has officially signed with Ferret Music. The group has been working with Ken Susi (of Unearth) on their debut album, which will hit stores in early-2006. The band has posted some rough tracks here.

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Black Dahlia Murder, Bury Your Dead Detained @ Ozz

Black Dahlia Murder guitarist Brian Eschbach was detained by police during Ozzfest's Pittsburgh stop and ticketed for obscenity. As the bearded axeman explained, "I was helping out someone else with a camera and a microphone and I got my towel taken [from me], which was the only thing I had on at the time, and I was apprehended." But he wasn't the only person busted by the authorities that afternoon. Bury Your Dead guitarist Slim B. was also arrested for crashing one of the Ozzfest golf carts. "I was too fast, too furious," he explained. "I shouldn't have been driving at all, and I made a boo boo. I took a hard right which happened to be a hard left and ended up eating sh--." Slim B. sustained facial and arm scrapes in the accident.

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Opeth Drummer Seeking Medical Treatment, Not Fired

MTV.com reports that according to a Roadrunner spokesperson, Opeth drummer Martin Lopez has not been fired, but rather, went back to Sweden for treatment of a rare blood disorder he's had for most of his life. Until he returns, the band — currently on the Sounds of the Underground tour — has enlisted Strapping Young Lad drummer Gene Hoglan to fill in for him.

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Shadows Fall Do Video For Enlightened By The Cold

According to MTV.com, SHADOWS FALL shot a video for the song "Enlightened by the Cold" at both the Pittsburgh and Virginia Ozzfest dates. Frontman Brian Fair said the video will have a day-in-the-life feel and include some live footage of the band, shot over those same two days.

As previously reported, SHADOWS FALL are on the verge of signing a European deal with Roadrunner Records. The Massachusetts-based band, who sold nearly 250,000 copies of their latest CD, "The War Within", in the United States, have fulfilled their commitment to Century Media Records and are expected to sign a big-money major-label deal (possibly with Atlantic) for the North American territory.

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Voivod Sign With The End Records

Legendary Canadian metallers VOIVOD, now featuring former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted (a.k.a. Jasonic), have inked a U.S. deal with The End Records. The band will enter the studio in the fall of 2005 to begin recording their 11th studio album, tentatively due in early 2006.

Drummer Michel Langevin (a.k.a. Away) has confirmed that the band have completed the writing of the follow-up to 2003's "Voivod", describing the material as containing "a bit of an eerie vibe, with experimental vocals by Snake, spiralling solos by Piggy and heaviness courtesy of Jasonic!"

Regarding the new partnership, VOIVOD said in a statement: "We are very proud to join The End Records in their quest to promote progressive heavy music. A perfect home for a band like VOIVOD."

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Unearth & Dillenger Escape Plan To Do Fall Tour

Initial dates for an upcoming tour featuring UNEARTH, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, ZAO, and A LIFE ONCE LOST have been released:

September 20 - Ft. Collins, CO @ Aggie Theatre
September 21 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Dark Side
September 24 - Sacramento, CA @ Colonial Theatre
September 25 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst
September 26 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
September 28 - Tucson, AZ @ Coconuts
September 29 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre
October 1 - Springfield, MO @ The Rockwell
October 2 - Nashville, TN @Rocketown
October 3 - Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
October 5 - Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club
October 6 - Latham, NY @ Saratoga Winners
October 7 - New Haven, CT @ Toads Place
October 8 - Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall

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