Amoral Post 'Reptile Ride' E-Card Online

An e-card for AMORAL's upcoming third album, "Reptile Ride", featuring clips of all the songs on the CD, can be accessed at this location.

"Reptile Ride" (view cover artwork by Aki Siltala at this location) is scheduled for release on August 15 via Spikefarm Records. The CD was produced, recorded and mixed by Janne Saksa at Sound Supreme Studios in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

AMORAL recently posted the video for the song "Leave Your Dead Behind" at YouTube. More...

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Chain Collector Set Title For New Album

CHAIN COLLECTOR, the Norwegian band featuring guitarist Gøran Bomann (CARPATHIAN FOREST), drummer Anders Kobro (CARPATHIAN FOREST, GREEN CARNATION, LAST CALL INC), guitarist Kjell Jacobsen (NEON GOD) and vocalist Kjetil Nordhus (TRAIL OF TEARS, GREEN CARNATION), has set "Unrestrained" as the title of its second album, due later in the year via Sublife Productions.

CHAIN COLLECTOR released a very well-received debut album, "The Masquerade", through Sound Riot/Massacre Records. The group also announced that Runar Hansen, formerly of TRAIL OF TEARS, has been added as its second guitarist.

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Sender Receiver Tour Dates Announced

Des Moines, Iowa metal act Sender Receiver are heading out on tour during the month of August. You can check out a few songs here and you can see them at the following shows:

8/07 Des Moines, IA @ The Danger House
8/08 Omaha, NE @ Brunner House
8/09 Malta Bend, MO @ Bista Migstuff
8/10 Wichita, KS @ Eagles Lodge North
8/11 Colorado Springs, CO @ Piano Warehouse w/ Comadre and Graf Orlock
8/12 Plano, UT @ TBA w/ Gaza, Comadre and Graf Orlock
8/13 Boise, ID @ The Slaughter House w/ Gaza, Comadre and Graf Orlock
8/14 Missoula, MT @ The Boys and Girls Club
8/15 Spokane, WA @ Normandie House
8/16 Clarkston, WA @ Blue Planet Cafe House
8/17 Bellevue, WA @ Ground Zero
8/18 Seattle, WA @ YMCA Fusion House w/ El Cerdo
8/19 Red Bluff, CA @ Tehama District Fairgrounds
8/20 Concord, CA @ Colorblind Studios w/ A Black Rose Burial
8/22 Santa Cruz, CA @ 418 Project w/ A Black Rose Burial
8/23 Bakersfield, CA @ Taj Mahal w/ Dear Life
8/24 Ventura, CA @ TBA w/ The Fuckign Wrath
8/25 TJ, Mexico @ House Show
8/26 Phoenix, AZ @ Metal Devistation 2 w/ Knights of the Abyss
8/27 Tucson, AZ @ The Living Room
8/28 El Paso, TX @ Mars Hill
8/29 Clovis, NM @ Apsolute Zero
8/30 Amarillo, TX @ 2117 House
8/31 Lubbock, TX @ TBA

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Inhuman Prepares To Release New Album

Brooklyn, NY's Inhuman are set to release their new album, "Last Rites," on I Scream Records on September 11th. The album was recorded by Dean Baltulonis (Sick Of It All, Madball) at The Wild Arctic this past May and is the band's fourth full length release. You can check out a new track at the band's MySpace.

The band is planning an East Coast tour for this fall, followed by a European tour in Spring 2008.

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Shadows Fall Video and Photos From Irvine Online

Some video footage and photos of Shadows Fall from the Irvine Sounds of the Underground show (photo 1 / photo 2) have been posted online. "The crowd in Irvine made it not only a super fun show but brought it with a crazy circle pit!," commented the band. "Yesterday in Mesa, Arizona was more insane than last year’s Mesa Sounds of the Underground show. That video is on our channel as well. If anyone got video please send it to us and we will post it!"

In other Shadows Fall news, Paul's bass was shown for the first time at Summer NAMM. You can check it out at Ibanez.com for photos and details. More...

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Om Sets Release Date For Third Album

Southern Lord Recordings and Om have set October 2, 2007 as the official release date for their 3rd (first on Southern Lord) full-length album. This album is entitled: “Pilgrimage” and was recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago, IL. by Steve Albini. The album is currently being mastered by Bob Weston (also in Shellac) at Chicago Mastering Services. “Pilgrimage” expands on their unique use of riff, cadence…chant, as heard on previous recordings yet finds the band expanding their vision into new territories. Of particular note is how much the song-writing has developed and in turn makes the dynamics of the songs much more intensely powerful.

The track listing for “Pilgrimage” is as follows:

1. Pilgrimage
2. Unitive Knowledge of the Godhead
3. Bhimas Theme
4. Pilgrimage (reprise)

A gatefold LP version of the album will also be released sometime shortly after the CD release.

Om will also be performing live on the following dates:

September 13 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
September 14 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle w/ Circle
September 15 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle w/Daniel Higgs
September 16 Newport, KY Southgate House
September 19 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre w/Pinback
September 20 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre w/Pinback
September 21 Oklahoma City, OK Bricktown Live w/ Pinback
September 22 Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom w/ Pinback
September 23 Austin, TX Emo’s

Stay tuned for East Coast dates in November and West Coast in December.

Samples of the new recording will be made available on Southern Lord in the near future.

Here is a clip of Om preforming live in Birmingham, England last month, playing a track from the forthcoming album: More...

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Lecherous Nocturne Release US Tour Dates

South Carolina blackened death metallers, Lecherous Nocturne, have posted the following tour dates on their myspace page:

Sep 11 2007 Volume 11 Tavern Raleigh, North Carolina
Sep 12 2007 TBA Charlotte, North Carolina
Sep 14 2007 Ground Zero Spartanburg, South Carolina
Sep 15 2007 The French Quarter Jacksonville, Florida
Sep 16 2007 The Brass Mug Tampa, Florida
Sep 18 2007 TBA Shreveport, Louisiana
Sep 19 2007 White Swan Houston, Texas
Sep 20 2007 TBA Fort Worth, Texas
Sep 21 2007 TomCats Deep Ellum Live Dallas, Texas
Sep 22 2007 TBA Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Sep 23 2007 Union Station Colorado Springs, Colorado
Sep 25 2007 Station 4 Minneapolis / St paul, Minnesota
Sep 27 2007 Sound Lab Chicago, Illinois
Sep 28 2007 The Firehouse Lima, Ohio
Sep 29 2007 The Stone Henge Ecorse, Michigan
Sep 30 2007 TBA TBA, Indiana
Oct 2 2007 TBA TBA, Rhode Island
Oct 3 2007 OBriens Allston, Massachusetts
Oct 4 2007 Pussycat Lounge Manhattan, New York
Oct 5 2007 TBA Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 6 2007 Bluestone Tavern Cumberland, Maryland

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Echoes of Eternity Announce Headlining Shows

California-based, female-fronted progressive metallers ECHOES OF ETERNITY have announced several headlining dates that will take place immediately before and after the group's upcoming stint as the support band for TRAIL OF TEARS (with additional support from CELLADOR and UNEXPECT). They are as follows:

Jan. 10 - Vnuk's Lounge - Milwaukee, WI
Jan. 12 - I-Rock - Detroit, MI
Jan. 13 - The Mad Hatter - Covington, KY
Jan. 14 - The Muse - Nashville, TN
Feb. 12 - Static Bar - Kansas City, MO
Feb. 13 - Station 4 - St. Paul, MN

Tickets for all the above-listed shows are available right now through EnterTheVault.com. More...

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Mortification Announce Australian Shows

Australia-based Christian death metallers MORTIFICATION have scheduled two shows in their home country prior to the band's European tour:

Sep. 29 - Black Stump Festival - Appin, NSW
Oct. 05 - Pelly Bar/Pier Hotel - Frankston, VIC (with SCOURGED FLESH, FEARSCAPE, GRAVE FORSAKEN)

MORTIFICATION recently announced the track listing for its upcoming CD, "Live Humanitarian", which is now available from the Soundmass.com store. According to the band, "This CD will satisfy your hungry ears until the DVD of the same show is released late 2007/early 2008." More...

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MSG Officially Cancel Remaining UK Tour Dates

Legendary guitarist Michael Schenker's (MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, UFO, SCORPIONS) MySpace page has been updated with the following message:

"Due to various mitigating circumstances that have conspired to derail the [U.K.] tour, it has been officially confirmed by a source close to MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP that the remaining tour dates have definitely been cancelled. In truth, it was impossible to carry on with the current situation, a situation that has been caused by a multitude of events beyond the bands control, including Michael's. The band and Michael would personally like to express their gratitude for the patience and understanding shown by the MSG faithful (fans) during this extremely difficult time and would like to say 'Thank you' to ALL those who have expressed their continuing love and support. Be assured, MSG hope to see you ALL on the road in the future."

Schenker and his band were scheduled to perform Friday night (August 3) in Stourbridge, U.K. but ended up calling off the gig after only a handful of songs.

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Chthonic Supports Cradle of Filth On Select Dates

Taiwanese act CHTHONIC — the first-ever Asian extreme metal act invited to tour with Ozzfest — has been tapped to support the legendary CRADLE OF FILTH at four intimate September shows. These will be the final concerts of the band's first North American tour, and the conclusion of the first leg of their "UNlimited Tour".

"It's our pleasure to tour with CRADLE OF FILTH," says vocalist Freddy Lim. "They are one of the bands who inspired us to write this kind of music."

CHTHONIC (pronounced "THON-ick") took a detour from Ozzfest last week in order to travel to Germany, where the group performed at Wacken Open Air, the country's largest annual heavy metal festival. They rejoined Ozzfest in St. Louis on Aug. 6, the first in a stretch of 25 shows in 25 days that also includes a dozen "off-fest" shows alongside NILE. More...

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Iced Earth To Tour Europe With Dark Tranquillity

ICED EARTH will embark on a European headlining tour in October/November. Support on all shows will come from DARK TRANQUILLITY. Confirmed dates are as follows:

Oct. 08 - D - Köln - Live Music Hall
Oct. 09 - D - München - Backstage Werk
Oct. 10 - I - Milan - Alcatraz
Oct. 12 - E - Barcelona - Sala Razzmatazz 1
Oct. 13 - E - Madrid - La Riviera
Oct. 15 - CH - Pratteln - Konzertfabrik Z7
Oct. 16 - A - Graz - Orpheum
Oct. 17 - A - Wien - Planet Music
Oct. 18 - CZ - Brno - Fleda
Oct. 19 - D - Berlin - Columbia Club
Oct. 21 - S - Malmö - Kulturbolaget
Oct. 22 - N - Oslo - Rockefeller
Oct. 23 - S - Gothenburg - Tradgarn
Oct. 25 - S - Stockholm - Tirol
Oct. 26 - DK - Kopenhagen - Pumpenhuset
Oct. 28 - D - Hamburg - Markthalle
Oct. 30 - D - Stuttgart - LKA Longhorn
Nov. 01 - NL - Tilburg - Club 013
Nov. 02 - B - Antwerpen - Hof Ter Lo

A poster for the tour can be found at this location. More...

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Cult Of Luna Cancel European Tour Dates

Cult of Luna recently announced cancellation of some dates in Europe. The band's sentiment states,
"Unfortunately won't be able to play the shows in the Netherlands and Belgium 25th and 26th of August. Things have happened that's not in our control. We feel sorry for the people that were looking forward seeing us live, but yea, shit happens and we will be back later for sure."

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Bruce Dickinson Biography Now Available

An unofficial biography of IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson, titled "Bruce Dickinson: Flashing Metal with Maiden and Flying Solo" (cover), was published in early June via Independent Music Press. A synopsis of the book reads as follows:

"Bruce Dickinson is best known as frontman for the multi-million selling giants of heavy metal, IRON MAIDEN, with whom he has enjoyed worldwide success for 25 years. However, his story outside of MAIDEN is equally remarkable. Prior to joining that band Dickinson enjoyed stardom with SAMSON, while his post-MAIDEN solo career has brought much critical success. Further away from his day job, Dickinson is a true renaissance man. A member of the British fencing team, he also hosts his own show on flagship digital radio station, BBC 6 Music, is a best-selling fiction author, and TV presenter for the Discovery Channel and Sky One. Dickinson is also employed by the commercial airline Astreus as a first officer, and even participated in a mercy mission to rescue British residents from Beirut during the summer of 2006. This book tells his story for the first time, through exclusive interviews with those who know him best: from his formative days to all his time in MAIDEN, through his solo years, right up to the present day, where IRON MAIDEN are rightly considered legends of music worldwide."

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Black Dahlia Murder Members Comment On New Album

Way Too Loud! recently conducted an interview with THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's Trevor Strnad (vocals) and Bart Williams (bass). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Way Too Loud!: I love the cover for "Nocturnal".

Trevor Strnad: Thank you!

Way Too Loud!: It reminds me of a lot of old-school European death metal, or melodic death metal, or black metal bands.

Trevor: "It's him dude, it's Necrolord, known in the real world as Kristian Wåhlin. The same guy that did AT THE GATES 'Slaughter Of The Soul', DARK TRANQUILLITY 'The Gallery', two DISSECTION records, DARK FUNERAL 'Secrets Of The Black Arts', EMPEROR 'In The Nighside Eclipse'. We sprung for it this time. It was a little steep, and the exchange rate made it worse, because he's from Sweden. We really stoked to be represented in a way that we're all happy with."

Way Too Loud!: I heard that "Nocturnal" was supposed to be less focused on melody, and more on brutality'

Bart Williams: "I don't know about that. I think it's just as melodic, and just as brutal as anything we've done before."

Trevor: "It's further in all directions really. It's still us, but there's a couple new tricks up our sleeve. I think it's the most varied album that we've ever had. It's definitely not 10 of the same songs. It's brutal, Shannon stepped in on the kit, and this is Bart's first record with us, and he's a great bass player, and also an engineer, so having that kind of super-experienced dude in the studio is cool. We've been in the studio a lot now, and it gets easier every time."

Bart: "We're more prepared this time too."

Trevor: "Overall, I think we've been making a better record every time, and that's kind of our mission, to be the better band than we were before. I would say there's some seriously brutal shit, more extreme than anything we've ever done. It's definitely us, and it's melodic as fuck."

Way Too Loud!: Can you perhaps put into words those sideways directions your talking about'

Trevor: "There's some new rhythmic kind of stuff, there's lots of cool footwork that's different for us. There's some stuff that's more streamlined too' It's hard to explain dude."

Way Too Loud!: I know bands like to use those old cliches and everything.

Trevor: "Yeah! And I don't know what to say to make it sound like nothing anyone's ever heard before! (Laughs) But, we're fucking super-happy with it. I think it's the next step in our evolution. We consider ourselves a death metal band, but we want to make a record that has a lot of potency, that plays like a METALLICA record os something. You know, something that's super satisfying on a lot of different levels. I think dynamic wise, I don't think 'Miasma' has as much as this one has. There are some songs, that are just so for the throat. Even lyrically, we stepped it up, and there's a lot of violence. Lyrically, it's a complete return to the 'Unhallowed' style, which pretty much all the kids have been begging for us to do. So, it's cool, because the horror themes got us established in the first place. Obviously we're very comfortable in that kind of thing. We figured that since there's been so many extreme records in death metal, and metalcore, and any kind of crossover, that we just need to make a fucking death record! A real, serious-ass, murderous record. We just elated, waiting for it to leak! (Laughs) So we can hear what people think!"

Bart: "I just want to hear people's reaction."

Trevor: "We're proud fathers over here dude."

Way Too Loud!: So it's gotten to the point where people are expecting leaks?

Bart: "We always expect, I guess."

Trevor: "As soon as the promos go out, it's over."

Bart: "Then people have downloaded it, and they know it."

Trevor: "Whatever. It's part of the deal. It's part of how it goes."

Way Too Loud!: Now I heard your first demo…

Trevor: "(Makes farting sounds) (laughs) Make sure that gets transcribed in parentheses as fart sounds!" (Laughs)

Way Too Loud!: I have to say, that in my interpretation, it really captured a modern sound that a lot of bands are doing today. What led to phasing out those elements? And of course we cannot name what it is, because people always have different interpretations, and nobody of course likes to be labeled anything.

Trevor: "Well, it's metalcore as fuck, dude! (Laughs) Stop beating around the bush about it! (Laughs) We were young, and me and Brian are the only people left from that lineup. That was six years ago. We had no expectations of ever leaving Michigan, it was just for fun. Going in a more metal direction came with just playing a lot, and moving at that velocity, and not playing with so many different tempos. And we also had an influence shift. PRAYER FOR CLEANSING was an influence in the early days, that's the sounds that I think it mirrors the most."

Way Too Loud!: That's certainly a band you'd want to be naming, because they were doing it before everybody else.

Trevor: I think they're good records, and cool for what they are. It's a piece of time. We're all into hardcore too. We came up in a hardcore scene, and we were just playing shows with whoever back then, and we kind of do that now! We take whatever opportunity comes our way, and try to branch out to kids, because so many young kids just don't know what the fucks going on. So we try and go out and recruit some kids, because they're stoked about this shit! There's a whole new turnover of kids into extremity, and it seems to be coming to a boil with the whole deathcore explosion with JOB FOR A COWBOY. There's a lot of stuff between metal and hardcore that's been crossing in ways that it never had before. The blast beat is kind of being revered by youngsters as something to grab onto 'Oh, that's crazy!', the same way breakdowns was the hot thing in the last five years or whatever. It's an interesting time, and we're interested to see what happens. We just play what we want to play, and don't really think too much about it. We used to fight to be called a death metal band exclusively, but it's no longer important to us. We don't care what they're calling us!

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Taylor Blames Label Politics For No Anthrax Work

ANTHRAX has abandoned plans to utilize the services of SLIPKNOT/STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor on its next album due to scheduling conflicts with Taylor's other projects. ANTHRAX is said to be currently looking for a new singer to join the fold, although this has not yet been officially confirmed by the band or its management.

Until recently, Taylor had harbored hopes of replacing Joey Belladonna, who himself had taken John Bush's place in order to reunite the New York thrash group's best-known lineup.

As recently as June, Taylor was refusing to rule out the possibility that collaborating with ANTHRAX on the follow-up to "We've Come for You All," recorded with Bush in 2003, might lead to something a little more permanent. Having written lyrics to fit nine songs for the album, Taylor said he was "taking baby steps" towards what would happen next, though he was clear to point out his responsibilities towards SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR.

Talking on the latter's latest U.K. tour, Corey tells Metal Hammer magazine: "All I'm going to be able to do is help ANTHRAX with the album. I'd known all along that it would come down to how much time I had. Unfortunately but fortunately I've got a new album to do with SLIPKNOT. The SLIPKNOT guys got together for a brief meeting before I left home [in Iowa], and it was a lot of fun. There was a lot of laughing and goofing on each other. We all felt really stoked about starting up again. We've already started to put together a plan for the album and tour, everything starting to come together."

The flipside is that thoughts of doing anything meaningful with ANTHRAX are now impossible.

"Various people at the record company [Roadrunner] put their foot down about that," reveals Taylor. "So the way we've left it is that I will do a couple of songs with them, and not the whole album."

That must have been incredibly frustrating?

"Of course," Corey tells Metal Hammer. "I was so stoked that the ANTHRAX guys would consider doing anything with me. So the last thing I wanted to do was let them down. I have no idea of what they'll do now [that I'm unavailable], but the fact that they would still want to do something with me is very exciting. We'll have to see what happens."

Having broken ties with Ross Robinson to work with Rick Rubin, SLIPKNOT is still undecided as to who will produce the successor to 2004's "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)", but drummer Joey Jordison has already revealed that preparation for their fifth studio album (1996's independent debut "Mate.Feed.Kill.Repeat" is often overlooked) begins in October.

"That's when the writing is due to start," clarifies Corey. "Recording will hopefully be in January, that's the plan at least."

Expect to hear the album in the spring, possibly preceded by live dates. Meanwhile, has the singer been stockpiling plenty of material?

"Oh, I've got an absolute ton of stuff, man," Corey tells Metal Hammer. "I got three notebooks

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Gorath To Enter The Studio

Belgian progressive black metal unit GORATH posted the next newsflash on their official website:

The coming weeks Gorath will enter the Shumcot Studio recording the drums for the upcoming album entitled "Misotheism". The seven songs on the record form a special lyrical concept about Gnosticism and are the fastest, hardest and most direct Gorath have written up to date. Vocal guest contributions by Jurgen S. (Theudho), Bart Goffinghs (Hollowtone) and Tijs Vanneste (Oceans Of Sadness).

Descent Productions have set the release date for the ending of this year. Here is the complete "Misotheism" tracklisting:

1. Gnosis
2. Apophasis
3. Abufihamet
4. Sophia
5. Metempsychosis
6. Abraxas
7. Sicarii

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Society's Finest Recruits Ex-Zao Drummer

Former Zao drummer Jesse Smith has now joined Society's Finest. Here's a statement from the group:

"The newest addition to the fold is an old friend of the band. Jesse Smith made his name as the beat machine behind metal powerhouse Zao and will be playing drums on the new record. Now, with a new perspective on the world and music itself, Society's Finest is poised to make its next move. Currently writing and in production for their next release, the band is more focused than ever. They are currently locked away in hammering out songs that will become the sum of a band who have influenced many of today's biggest metal acts."

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Former Skid Row Drummer To Release DVD

"My heart's like an open book, for the whole world to read" goes the famous Motley Crue lyric. But few rockers have followed these words as closely as drummer Phil Varone, who over a four year period, allowed a thorough and no-holds-barred window into his personal life - the end result being the unflinching documentary on the ups and downs of rock n' roll, "Waking Up Dead." Directed by Emmy Award winning journalist and filmmaker Fabio Jafet, the near hour and a half documentary was first released in 2005, and has now been issued as an expanded DVD, via Demolition Records and MVD Entertainment Group.

The way that the media often portrays rock stars is one of a dream-come-true existence. And while quite a few of Varone's rock n' roll dreams came true, it's certainly not all champagne, caviar, and limos for a working musician, and Varone and Jafet pull no punches throughout "Waking Up Dead," as such topics as addiction, how to support your family on meager earnings, and business betrayal are all dissected and analyzed. While countless musicians have indulged in "the rock n' roll lifestyle" over the years, few have had the nerve to document it all as thoroughly as Varone does, which results in a head-on collision you just can't turn away from - known as "Waking Up Dead."

"Phil was incredibly brave and trustful to allow me to tell his story," explains Jafet. "The only way this movie could have been done was with all access and no censoring. I was not interested in doing a 'Behind The Music.' There was no point."

What you get is a flick that truly encompasses sex, drugs, and rock n' roll - times ten. "I didn't want to make any ordinary documentary. I think most of them are flat and boring and carry the stigma of being called 'documentary.' I wanted to break the rules and make something that stood out visually and emotionally."

You can view the cover art here or check out the trailer on YouTube. More...

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Taake Frontman Imprisoned

Hoest, frontman for Norwegian black metallers Taake, is currently serving an undisclosed prison sentence for undisclosed offences. A statement from the label said, "He will be out in a couple of months, and will then finish the work on the new Taake release."

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Sonata Arctica Reveal New Guitarist

Finnish metallers SONATA ARCTICA have issued the following update:

"As many already know, our guitarist Jani Liimatainen has been absent from the lineup this spring and summer. The reason was his messing around with his compulsory military/civil/prison duty, or rather, complete failure to take care of it.

"This matter, and everything that goes with it, caused a split between Jani and the other band members. This split was impossible to mend without Jani's help and co-operation.

"Therefore we would like to make known the following: During fall of '06 and spring of '07, Jani's personal matters and actions drove us to a situation where we had no option but to ask Jani to leave the band.

"Jani was notified of this in May, and the separation was amicable. We wanted to give Jani the chance to get his life together before making this public, which is why we didn't make this announcement earlier. We wish Jani well on his chosen path.

"'Show must go on,' so, facing the facts, we hereby humbly announce that Elias Viljanen is from this day forward a full and official member of SONATA ARCTICA.

"Throughout this summer, on many occasions, Elias has shown himself to be able to fill the big boots Jani left behind.

"We hope our friends and our fans understand that this was the only choice left for us to make so that our band could continue. SONATA ARCTICA has always been, and always will be, more than the sum of its parts. The band has become for us a way of life, a lifeline that simply can not be cut off.

"A long 'Unia' tour lies in front of us.

"We extend Elias a warm welcome to the SONATA family, and we hope the fans will, too. SONATA ARCTICA is whole again.

"See you on the road!"

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AC/DC Goes Digital Via Verizon, Not iTunes

Billboard.com reports: AC/DC is finally selling its music digitally. But not on iTunes. Verizon Wireless has snagged the exclusive rights to sell the band's entire back catalog through March 2008, becoming the first and only digital music store to offer the Australian combo's content.

However, the deal is limited to full-album downloads, one of the reason's AC/DC's music has not appeared in digital form to date. Since full album downloads are too large and too expensive to sell from mobile phones, Verizon is only selling them from the PC version of its VCast Music service for $12 an album.

The only exception is the group's biggest hit, "You Shook Me All Night Long," which will be available as an over-the-air download.

Additionally, Verizon has also gained the rights to sell ringtones and ringback tones of 18 new tracks not available from other operators. The company also plans to broadcast AC/DC's "Live at Donnington" concert and other performances via the VCast TV service. Unlike on-demand mobile video services, the VCast TV service allows users to tune into scheduled programming much like regular TV.

According to Ed Ruth, associate director of music of programming and sponsorships, Verizon hopes to add performances by other artists to the VCast TV channel over time. "This is an indicator of things to come," he says.

AC/DC is also at work on a new studio album, due sometime in 2008, with a tour to follow.

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100 Demons Singer Quits The Band

Singer Bruce LePage has apparently left 100 Demons. According to LaPage, "Due to personal issues in the band, which means none of your business, I have decided to leave the band." This is the second time LaPage has exited the group. An official word on the matter has yet to be issued.

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Merauder's SOB To Be Honored Posthumously

A memorial and tribute show has been announced in honor of Merauder guitarist SOB, who passed away in April of 2006. The event will take place at the Luna Lounge in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, September 1st. Admission is $15. The following bands are scheduled to perform:

Merauder
Maximum Penalty
Harley's War
Subzero
Darkside NYC
Murderers Row
Everyday Dollars
Inhuman
Confusion

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Blind Prophecy Sets Up Worldwide Distro Deals

Independent metal label Blind Prophecy Records has set into motion a takeover of global proportions. After mere months in the market, label Presidents James and Shelley McComas sealed distribution deals in all of North America (Caroline through Candlelight Records), Europe (European affiliates through Plastic Head) and Japan (Asian Alliance). Kicking off with the first two releases this October (Japan) and November (North America, Europe) for Scarpoint and Pain Principle, Blind Prophecy Records will serve up the sickest new metal albums in these regions.

Established in 2007 out of Ft Myers, FL, the husband and wife team have searched far and wide for standout aggressive acts to sign to the label. After scouring the scene, Blind Prophecy quickly struck gold, adding genuine metal gems from urban U.S. (Years of Fire, Cleveland, OH) to Eastern Europe (Scarpoint, Stockholm, Sweden). Their growing roster features a sturdy line-up of metal bands set to swarm the planet, each with a distinctive sound.

Blind Prophecy's roster is fully loaded with artists experienced in the scene and in the studio. Years of Fire, co-founded by guitarst Jason Hager of Chimaira fame, also features the former bassist of Ringworm. Members of Pain Principle ran a lengthy jaunt with Andrew WK. In addition, Blind Prophecy bands have teamed up with top-of-the-line producers. Swedish act Scarpoint crafted their upcoming album alongside Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, In Flames) while Pain Principle recorded with Eric Rutan (Hate Eternal, Goatwhore, Cannibal Corpse) and End of the Rope is slated to hit the studio with Jim Morris (Lacuna Coil, Trans-Siberian Orchestra). Blind Prophecy's newest addition, EkoTren. teamed up with Paul Trust (Diecast, Endo) for their 2007 EP, 'Destroying the American Dream,' and will join Trust again for their upcoming full-length debut. At press time the label is in negotiation with two larger artists. With a stellar starting line-up and ambitious intentions, Blind Prophecy Records and is quickly becoming a global force to be reckoned with.

Planned releases from Blind Prophecy Records (available worldwide) include:

Scarpoint – The Silence We Deserve – 10/10/07 (Japan) 11/06/07 (Europe & North America)
Pain Principle – Waiting for the Flies – 10/10/07 (Japan) 11/06/07 (Europe & North America)
Coming 2008: EkoTren, End of the Rope, Years of Fire

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