KoRn Frontman: Band Is Sounding Better Then Ever

KORN frontman Jonathan Davis has posted the following message on his ButtSexCrips.com web site:

"Well, today was the last day of rehearsal. We leave in four days to start the Euro tour. We sound better than ever and we are very excited to get out and play again. We have got 18 songs mixed and ready [for the new album], so two more to go. The shit is BANGIN'! Terry [Date, mixer] and I will probably be up all Thursday night fixing all the mixes so it will be totally done on Friday.

"On Wednesday, me and Munky [guitar] have a photo shoot for the inside artwork, and Fieldy [bass] and David [drums] are doin' theirs on Thursday. Shit is starting to happen fast, so get ready 'cause HERE WE COME BIATCHES."

KORN are currently mixing their new album with producer Terry Date (DEFTONES, PANTERA, SOULFLY) for a tentative September release. Matrix (AVRIL LAVIGNE, THE MOONEY SUZUKI) and Atticus Ross (BAD RELIGION, PINK) were responsible for most of the production duties on the follow-up to 2003's "Take a Look in the Mirror", with only one track from the band's sessions with Dallas Austin slated to appear on the effort. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Liar", "Politix", "Last Legal Drug", "Le Petit Mort", "It's Me Again", "Coming Undone", "I've Seen It All" and "Souvenir of Sadness".

KORN's last release, "Greatest Hits, Vol. 1" (Immortal/Epic), featuring highlights from the first 10 years of the band's recording career, has sold 936,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

As previously reported, KORN are close to inking a new record deal with EMI/Virgin, according to Hits Daily Double, the companion web site of music industry tip sheet HITS. The proposed deal is said to be for two albums and a one-third interest in the band's publishing, merchandising and ticket sales as part of a new contractual model, a la Robbie Williams. The fine points are being hammered out by attorney Gary Stiffelman and manager Jeff Kwatinetz on the band's side of the table, and by EMI North America head David Munns in tandem with Virgin topper Matt Serletic.

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Metallica To Open For The Rolling Stones In Calif.

METALLICA will be the special guest for THE ROLLING STONES as part of their "A Bigger Bang" world tour at SBC Park in San Francisco on November 13 and November 15. An additional opening act will be announced shortly with times for both concerts being moved up an hour to 6:00 p.m. PST. METALLICA joins a diverse list of top opening acts, including THE BLACK EYED PEAS, MAROON 5, PEARL JAM, JOHN MAYER TRIO, LES TROIS ACCORDS, THE TRAGICALLY HIP, OUR LADY PEACE, TREY ANASTASIO, JOSS STONE and BECK.

"Over the course of our career we've been fortunate enough to share the stage with a select few of the bands we grew up on, admired and respected including AC/DC, DEEP PURPLE, GUNS N' ROSES and IRON MAIDEN. The only band that we have never played with but have always wanted to is THE ROLLING STONES," says METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich.

"Having the opportunity to play with them this November in our hometown of San Francisco is both an honor and a privilege. And it's bound to be a lot of fuckin' fun especially since we haven't special guested since 1992! These shows will enable us to recharge our batteries, both creatively and physically, as we prepare for the next phase of METALLICA."

Tickets for THE ROLLING STONES at SBC Park on November 13 are sold out. Tickets for the November 15 performance are on sale now at BGP.com, Ticketmaster.com and at all Ticketmaster outlets including Tower Records, Wherehouse Music, Ritmo Latino, select Save Mart and select FYE stores, and Tix Bay Area in Union Square. To charge tickets by phone, call (415) 421-TIXS, (408) 998-TIXS, (510) 444-TIXS, (209) 485-TIXS or (707) 528-TIXS.

The U.S. leg of the "A Bigger Bang" world tour is presented by Ameriquest Mortgage Company. ROLLING STONES' world tour 2005/2006 will be presented by Concert Productions International and produced by WPC Piecemeal Inc.

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Thine Eyes Bleed Added To IEMF

Canadian thrash/metalcore act THINE EYES BLEED, featuring former KITTIE guitarist/technician Jeff Phillips and bassist John Araya (brother of SLAYER's Tom Araya), have been added to the 2005 installment of the International Extreme Music Festival.

The tour – which features such diverse acts as GOD DETHRONED, BYZANTINE, NIGHTRAGE, HELL WITHIN, EPOCH OF UNLIGHT and LILITU — will be crossing North America this fall and promises to be the tour not to miss.

THINE EYES BLEED released their debut album for The End Records, titled "In The Wake of Separation", in June and have been touring the U.S. and Canada since its release. An MP3 of the track "Cold Victim" can be downloaded at this location.

Commented THINE EYES BLEED singer Justin Wolfe: "We’re very excited to get the chance to thrash out with some talented bands from across the globe."

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Madball To Headline US Tour

Fresh off the Sounds of the Underground tour, MADBALL have announced a headlining tour of the U.S. The New York hardcore heroes will hit the national circuit with support from WALLS OF JERICHO, MISERY SIGNALS and FULL BLOWN CHAOS. This tour will be the band's first following the release of their new full-length and first for Ferret Records, entitled "Legacy", this August. Produced by Zeuss (HATEBREED, SHADOWS FALL), the album is the largest sounding MADBALL record while retaining all the signature grittiness of their live shows. True to its name, "Legacy" is the perfect stone monument to hang MADBALL's name on. A video for the song, "HeavenHell", directed by Dale Resteghini (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), will premiere on "Headbanger's Ball" when the band takes over as guests on the episode airing on August 13. The episode promises to be an informative one as host Jamey Jasta is a longtime fan and MADBALL were one of the first bands to take HATEBREED on tour early on. The video will also premiere on Fuse TV's "Metal Asylum", which will have the band on as guests on an episode airing the third week of August. More...

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Crisis Frontwoman To Sell Art on EBAY

CRISIS frontwoman Karyn Crisis will be selling her original artwork throughout August on eBay at this location. The first four pieces for sale are the coveted hand-painted photographs from her 1998-1999 limited-edition "Blood" series and are four of only 12 remaining pieces in this series: "Wielding the Way", "Scraping the Pins", "Into Darkness", and "Sickness". These hand-painted photographs are on 5" by 8" photo fiber paper and are all numbered and signed by Karyn Crisis.

CRISIS will be teaming up with EXODUS (headliners) and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD for a U.S. tour beginning in early October. The band will be touring in support of their latest album, "Like Sheep Led to Slaughter", which came out in May 2004 through The End/Children Of Rage Records. CRISIS' video for the track "Blood Burden" was shot in April 2004 with director Darren Doane (DEFTONES, AFI, THURSDAY, NILE). A follow-up clip, "Waking the Dead", was filmed at the site of an abandoned women's hospital in the boiler and patient rooms late in January.

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Mastodon, A Dozen Furies, IDT On Rockline

MASTODON, A DOZEN FURIES and IT DIES TODAY will be the featured guests on the special "Ozzfest Second Stage" edition of the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline" airing Monday, August 8. The live show begins at 8:30 p.m. PT / 11:30 p.m. ET, and fans are encouraged to call in with questions during the program at (800) 344-ROCK (7625). To find a station near you, check out www.rocklineradio.com.

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Mushroomhead To Premier "Kill Tomorrow" Online

Cleveland-based art-metal octet MUSHROOMHEAD will premiere their self-lensed video for "Kill Tomorrow" on August 5 at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time via their web site, www.mushroomhead.com. The clip will be available during a brief 30-minute to one-hour window, and henceforth on DVD.

The super-creative, visually driven band self-produced, shot, directed and edited the entire clip, which appears on their landmark DVD release, "Volume 1" (slated for August 9 release on the band's The Filthy Hands Company label). "Kill Tomorrow" marks the first time MUSHROOMHEAD shot its own video — an event that, considering the band's ultra hands-on approach on everything from their music to their stage design to their business, was imminent. The track is from their most recent full-length release, "XIII" (Universal).

Drummer Skinny says the band learned the craft of music video direction from director/photographer Dean Karr (GODSMACK, COAL CHAMBER, CYPRESS HILL), who shot their video for "Solitaire/Unraveling" (from 2000's "XX" album). "He rocks!" Skinny enthuses. "It was a great learning experience." He furthers that the clip's "dark, dirty, abandoned" feel reflects MUSHROOMHEAD's collective personality and "looks great back-to-back with the other videos."

MUSHROOMHEAD financed the DVD project entirely themselves, says Skinny. They reinvested their album advances in “some bad-ass stuff” including cameras, editing equipment, computers and books on cinematography, which they knew would come in handy someday. "We knew that the label well might run dry one day and that we would want to do our own thing again," he says, "so we built a fantastic production studio, one piece at a time."

As with any other MUSHROOMHEAD project, the band pooled their artistic talents — several members, including Skinny, are trained visual artists — to create a singular aesthetic that spotlights the visual aspect of the band. Yet, in copious behind-the-scenes footage, the band allows its fans see them without their trademark masks and makeup. Skinny says the intent is to bond with the fans, let them see the people behind MUSHROOMHEAD's intense stage presence. "We're not that hardcore about concealing our identities," he says, adding that the point of the music with masks, makeup and costumes has been to offer a multi-sensory experience. He believes MUSHROOMHEAD fans will enjoy the intimacy of seeing the real guys behind the masks "just screwing around." Running time on the film is 70 minutes.

MUSHROOMHEAD just launched a headline tour featuring their new vocalist Waylon, replacing J-Mann, who left the band late last year. Also featuring DOPE and CROSSBREED, the Music for FREEdom tour is sponsored by Jagermeister and offers free admission to all military personnel.

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Marilyn Manson To Have Non-Satanic Wedding

Launch Radio Networks reports: Marilyn Manson's fiancee, burlesque performer Dita Von Teese, has told Xfm.co.uk that the couple's upcoming wedding will not involve any sort of Satanic ceremony or other bizarre rituals that could be associated with Manson's shock-rock image. Von Teese explained, "It's not going to be dark! No bats instead of doves, no black wedding gown. (But) we're hoping for snow and fog! (Manson's) very interested in the ceremony, but he's trusting my judgment on all the aesthetics."

Manson and Von Teese have not made the wedding date public as of yet. Meanwhile, Manson will release a set of four short films, entitled "Phantasmagoria: The Visions Of Lewis Carroll", through his web site. Manson says the films are part of a new art form he has invented, which he calls "horripilation." The word is a combination of "horrifying" and "depilatory," and Manson says it will "horrify the hair off your legs."

"Phantasmagoria" will be followed by a full-length feature film.

Manson also has 18 songs written for his next album, but there's no word on when the music will see the light of day.

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The Haunted To Guest On Metal Asylum

Swedish thrashers THE HAUNTED will be appearing on Fuse TV's "Metal Asylum" program, which airs Monday through Friday at 11:00 p.m. EST/8:00 p.m. PST. The episode will air Tuesday, August 2 and it will feature the world premiere of NEVERMORE's new video, "Final Product".

For more information and pictures, visit www.fuseblog.com/metalasylum.

THE HAUNTED recenly completed work on a new video clip for the track "No Compromise" with acclaimed director Roger Johansson (DARK TRANQUILLITY, NAPALM DEATH, SAMAEL, HAMMERFALL).

"No Compromise" comes off THE HAUNTED's fourth album, "rEVOLVEr", which entered the Swedish album chart at position No. 18 upon its release last October.

The follow-up to 2003's "One Kill Wonder", "rEVOLVEr" was recorded at Gothenburg's famed Studio Fredman (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, ARCH ENEMY) with co-producers Patrik J. Sten and Fredrik Nordström and mixed at Denmark's Antfarm Studio by Tue Madsen. The album was released as jewel-case CD and limited edition digipak (each with a different cover), featuring two special bonus tracks, "Fire Alive" and "Smut King".

THE HAUNTED are currently touring the U.S as part of this year's Ozzfest, which kicked off July 15 in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

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All That Remains Post New Video Online

ALL THAT REMAINS, the Massachusetts-based act featuring former SHADOWS FALL vocalist Philip Labonte, have posted their video for the song "Tattered on My Sleeve" at this location (Real Media).

"Tattered on My Sleeve" comes off the group's sophomore album, "This Darkened Heart", available now on Prosthetic Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Behind Silence and Solitude" was produced by KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz.

ALL THAT REMAINS recently parted ways with bassist Matt Deis and replaced him with Josh Venn from BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED. The band will be on tour all month long, with CHIMAIRA, SIX FEET UNDER and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD.

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Drowningman CD Release Pushed Back

DROWNINGMAN's new record "Don't Push Us When We're Hot" has been pushed back from its original August 9th release date, and is now scheduled to hit stores on October 11th. The good news, according to the band, is that people can buy it right now on thorprecords.com.

The band has also relaunched their website with a brand new look, it can be found at http://www.drowningmanisnotyourbabydaddy.com.

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H.I.M., Finch & Skindred Dates and Ticket Sales

Below is a list of the just released tour dates for the forthcoming HIM, FINCH, SKINDRED tour which is set to kickoff this Fall:

More...

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Report

Ozzfest Show Report From July 19th Camden, NJ

I attended Ozzfest 2005 this year on one of the most disgustingly hot and humid days of the year. It was July 19th, at the Tweeter Center in Camden, NJ. The day was amazing and full of great bands and other then the ferocious heat it was a great day. More...

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Decapitated Announce 'Sensual Sickness' Tour of UK

Polish death metalheads Decapitated have just confirmed the following UK/Irish shows on what's being dubbed the 'Sensual Sickness' tour. Here are the tour dates:

September 13 - Liverpool Zanzibar Club
September 14 - Brighton Concorde II
September 15 - Nottingham Rock City Basement
September 16 - Cork An Cruiscin Lan
September 17 - Dublin Voodoo Lounge
September 18 - Belfast Limelight
September 19 - Glasgow Barfly
September 20 - Manchester Jilly's Rockworld
September 21 - Bristol Bierkeller
September 22 - Leeds Joseph's Well
September 23 - Birmingham Edward's No. 8
September 24 - London Camden Underworld

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Blood Has Been Shed Cancel UK Dates

Blood Has Been Shed have had to cancel their planned tour of the UK in September. This is because two members, Howard Jones and Justin Foley, now have unexpected commitments with their other band, Killswitch Engage.

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Head Automatica Cancel US Tour

Head Automatica have now cancelled all US shows with Finch due to frontman Daryl Palumbo's ongoing battle against Crohn's Disease. He hopes to be fit enough to play live next month with his other band, Glassjaw.

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