Metal News for September 11, 2004
Last updated on October 4, 2025 at 3:07 AM ET
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20 news articles posted on this day.
New Impious Website, Tour Dates w/ Amon Amarth
The brand new Impious website is up and running. Go there for latest news and listen to samples from their upcoming album “Hellucinate.” Two new samples will be uploaded every week until the release of the album.
The release party for “Hellucinate” will be held on the 1st of October at Belsepub in Gothenburg. Impious will play their furious live show and support comes from label mates Incapacity.
“Hellucinate” will be in stores the 5th of October 2004!
Impious on tour w/ Amon Amarth and Disillusion: More...
Vehemence To Shoot Video For "We Are All Dying"
Vehemence will film their second music video in New York Sept 14, and 15th with TRL/MTV director Elliot Phear (also worked with Simple Plan and Steve-o from Jackass) for the song called "We Are All Dying," from the sophomore album release "Helping The World To See." Vehemence will be currently tour on the following dates below. Recently have been added to the Jagermeister band roster. More dates will soon be made available on our website so keep checking back!
Sep. 11 – Houston, TX – International Ballroom – (Texas Murderfest)
Sep. 17 – Westland, MI – The Token Lounge – (James Murphy Benefit)
Sep. 19 – Brooklyn, NY – North Six
Sep. 22 - Fayetteville, NC - Jesters Pub
Sep. 23 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
Sep. 26 - Tampa, FL - The Masquerade
Sep. 28 - New Orleans, LA - Dixie Tavern
Oct. 09 - San Francisco, CA - The Pound
Oct. 11 - Portland, OR - Conan's
Oct. 12 - Seattle, WA - The Catwalk
Oct. 17 - St. Paul, MN - Station 4
Oct. 18 - Chicago, IL - Joe's
Oct. 19 - Cincinnati, OH - Sudsy Malone's
Brainstorm Confirm European Tour Dates
Brainstorm has confirmed their first bunch for 2005 European tour dates. No supporting acts have been announced yet, but check out the Brainstorm website for more news soon.
3/23 Hamburg, Germany @ Markthalle
3/24 Essen, Germany @ Zeche Carl
3/25 Vosselaar, Belgium @ Biebob
3/26 Andernach, Germany @ JUZ
3/27 Helmond, Holland @ Plato
3/29 Pratteln, Switzerland @ Z7
3/30 Paris, France @ Elysée Montmartre
3/31 Lyon, France @ Transporters
4/01 Bilbao, Spain @ Bilborock
4/02 Madrid, Spain @ Caracol
4/03 Barcelona, Spain @ Mephisto
4/05 Milan, Italy @ Transylvania
4/06 Ljunlijana, Slovenia @ VTK
4/07 Vienna, Austria @ Planet Music
4/08 Langen, Germany @ Stadthalle
4/09 Munich, Germany @ Backstage
4/10 Ludwigsburg, Germany @ Rockfabrick
Lamb Of God: "Nu Metal Sucks"
Canada's Chat Attack scribe Pete Richards has produced this report on Lamb of God:
Metal is big now.
And Lamb Of God are now part of a handful of extreme metal bands to receive major label contracts recently, along with Shadow's Fall, Killswitch Engage and Hatebreed, which is recognition this type of music has never gotten before.
August 31 marked the first major-label release by Virginia blasphemers Lamb Of God with their new album "Ashes of the Wake" (Epic), the quick follow-up to 2003's critically acclaimed record "As the Palaces Burn" (Prosthetic).
"People are ready for angrier music," says LoG vocalist Randy Blythe before a sold-out show at Toronto's Opera House last week. The band had just wrapped up the summer's Ozzfest tour and are now headlining their own tour to promote the new album.
"Nu-metal sucks, so that's why that's dying off," Blythe says. "And I think with the socio-political and economic climate of the States, which of course affects the rest of the world — even Canada — people are ready for angrier music. I think people are ready for something that's real, not, you know, 'I did it all for the Nookie.'"
Lamb Of God are easily the heaviest band to sign with a major lately, and "Ashes of the Wake" is the soundtrack to the war. It's probably the band's most brutal album, combining death and black metal with old school thrash and new school hardcore, making nu-metal sound like music for babies. Fuck Slipknot — the real freaks listen to Lamb Of God.
"We were in Arizona a few shows ago," Blythe recalls. "We're playing and there's this guy with his arm around Mark and he's jumping up and down and Mark is trying to play, looking very pissed off. So I'm like, 'I gotta get this kid off of him before Mark smashes him with his guitar and we get a lawsuit.' So I go charging across the stage and as I get closer to the kid I realized he only has one leg and he's hopping up and down on his foot. Not only that, his colostomy bag is hanging down, flopping all on the stage. So I immediately stepped on the brakes, trying not to tackle him and not to step on the colostomy bag at the same time because it would have been fucking disgusting."
Former "Stay Hungry" Producer Slams Twisted Sister
Well-known hard rock producer Tom Werman has lashed back at Twisted Sister over their comments regarding his collaboration with the band on their double-platinum album, "Stay Hungry."
Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French recently commented on the band's upcoming remake version of their classic "Stay Hungry" album, appropriately entitled "Still Hungry":
"Still Hungry'"is "Stay Hungry" - the way it ought to be. It has an ultra-heavy sound, which is the way we wanted "Stay Hungry" in the first place. But at that time rock records had a thin, very midrange kind of sound and so "Stay Hungry" was recorded very lightly. We battled Atlantic Records and producer Tom Werman about it, but we lost.More...
Beyond The Embrace Looking For Street Team Members
Beyond the Embrace are looking for fans who are interested in becoming part of the band's street team. The band will send street team members goodies, such as stickers, buttons, and flyers to get the buzz going in your local scene. If you are interested send your full name, and address to mail@beyondtheembrace.com, then start checking your mailbox for a package from the band.
Beyond the Embrace will be hitting the road in late September. Dates will be posted as soon as they are confirmed.
God Dethroned Finish Recording For New Album
God Dethroned has finished recordings for their new album, "The Lair Of The White Worm," scheduled to be released on January 25, 2005 through Metal Blade Records. The album was recorded at Berno Studio in Malmö, Sweden (July - August 2004) by Henrik Larsson and mastered at Franky's Recording Kitchen by Berthus Westerhuis. The beautiful cover artwork was created by Jacek Wisniewski (Vader, Grave, Krisiun).
The new album contains more hooks than a fisherman's knapsack. It overrules all albums to date with loads of energy, power and aggression, but still never lets go of the memorable epic melodies that are always there. The guitar leads (a lot more than on "Into The Lungs Of Hell") are in the vein of Michael Amott, Bill Steer & Andy la Roque mixed with Slayeresque over the top frenzy!
The album will be released in a regular jewel case version, but also as a limited first edition double-Digipack, which will include a free bonus-DVD with the making of "The Lair Of The White Worm," and in depth studio report with all band members and producer Henrik Larsson, along with interviews with the band members telling about the past and present, how they got involved, their instruments and the passion of playing.
Here is the tracklisting: More...
Kotipelto Post Live Photos Online
Kotipelto's official website has posted some new live shots taken this past July at Tavastia in Helsinki, Finland here (choose "Live Pictures 2004" from the drop-down menu).
In addition, Timo Kotipelto has posted this message:
Next week I will fly to Atlanta for the Progpower festival where I will be as a special guest. I hope to meet some fans and to have some interviews as well. From there I will fly directly for our South-American tour (Argentina and Brazil). For the tour dates click on "GIGS."
Rock on!
Timo
PS. In case you have seen us playing live and have taken some good live pictures, send a link to the pictures: postmaster@kotipelto.com
Unleashed To Headline European Tour
Swedish death metal legends Unleashed are tentatively scheduled to set out on a two-week headlining European tour beginning on November 19 in France, and is expected to conclude in early December. It is not yet known what bands will be filling the support slot.
The band just released their seventh album, "Sworn Allegiance," in the U.S. this past Tuesday (September 7) through Century Media Records.
Headline News
Iced Earth Bassist Quits To Join Megadeth
Iced Earth bassist James MacDonough has officially left the band to join Megadeth as their touring bassist. MacDonough's statement on the matter (as posted at Iced-Realm.de) is as follows:
"A while back I had heard that Megadeth might need a bassist, so I contacted them via email and much later got a response, to my suprise. Before I knew it, I was on a conference call with Dave [Mustaine]. I sent in some video of me playing a couple Megadeth songs and I got a call a couple of days later. Everything with Iced Earth has been up in the air as far as touring, so I told [Iced Earth mainman] Jon [Schaffer] about this when I got the first email back, and being my older bro, he told me to go for it. Unfortunately, I won't be able to play with Iced Earth in the future because this will be a very lengthy tour, but we'll see what happens down the road. I am keeping in touch with Jon and maybe something in the future will happen.
"Megadeth has always been one of my favorite bands and I have a lot of respect for Dave and what he's done for music. I feel honored to have been picked for this endeavor."
Megadeth's lineup for the upcoming tour will be as follows:
Dave Mustaine – Guitar/Vocals
Glen Drover (EIDOLON) – Guitar
Nick Menza – Drums
James MacDonough (ex-ICED EARTH) - Bass
Megadeth Listen To Entire New Album Online
Megadeth's entire new album, "The System Has Failed", can currently be streamed online at VH1.com. Listen to the CD at this location.
"The System Has Failed", due on September 14 through Sanctuary Records, was recorded at Phase Four studios in Tempe, Arizona and features mainman Dave Mustaine alongside drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and bassist Jimmy Sloas. Additional lead guitar tracks were laid down by former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland.
Megadeth's North American headlining tour in support of "The System Has Failed" is scheduled to kick off October 26 in San Diego, CA. A New York City date is tentatively penciled in for November 10. Support on the tour is expected to come from Los Angeles-based quintet Earshot. Other cities that will be covered during the first leg of the tour are San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Tucson, Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, Milwaukee and St. Louis.
"The System Has Failed" is Megadeth's first album since the announcement that Mustaine was disbanding the group following a serious accident in early 2002. At the time, it was unknown if severe nerve damage in his left arm would leave him able to perform again.
Marduk Completing Vocals For New CD
Swedish black metallers MARDUK have posted the following message on their official web site:
"Marduk is currently in the [Endarker] studio [in Norrköping, Sweden] recording the vocals and will soon begin mixing the new album. A listening session will be held in Hamburg on the 19th of September for a selected number of journalists from the relevant metal media. The album is set for release in the middle of November. News will follow soon regarding album title and final track listing. We have also added some photos from Marduk's apperance at the Agguliation Festival in Italy. Click here to check them out. We can also mention that the website will recive a complete new lay out within a month."
As previously reported, Marduk will embark on a massive world tour beginning in December. The European portion of the trek, dubbed "Deathmarch 2004/2005", will be divided into two parts, with the first taking place in December and the second during spring 2005. A complete list of currently confirmed tour dates can be viewed here.
Headline News
Circle II Circle Frontman In Hospital
According to BW&BK sources, Circle II Circle frontman Zak Stevens (ex-Savatage), cut off a finger yesterday mowing his lawn in Florida and is currently in the hospital.
As previously reported, Circle II Circle have set Faces In The Dark as the working title to their second album, due out through AFM early next year. The band recently finished pre-production at Cabin Fever Studios in Brooksville, Florida.
Megadeth New Video To Air On Headbanger's Ball
Megadeth's video for their new single, "Die Dead Enough", will debut on MTV2's "Headbanger's Ball" Saturday night (Sept. 11).
"Die Dead Enough" comes off Megadeth's highly anticipated new album, "The System Has Failed", due on September 14 through Sanctuary Records. The CD was recorded at Phase Four studios in Tempe, Arizona and features mainman Dave Mustaine alongside drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and bassist Jimmy Sloas. Additional lead guitar tracks were laid down by former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland.
In other news, Megadeth's North American headlining tour in support of "The System Has Failed" is scheduled to kick off October 26 in San Diego, CA. A New York City date is tentatively penciled in for November 10. Support on the tour is expected to come from Los Angeles-based quintet Earshot. Other cities that will be covered during the first leg of the tour are San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Tucson, Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, Milwaukee and St. Louis.
Although there has been no official confirmation on the matter, Megadeth are hoping to play several European festivals next summer with Iron Maiden, Mustaine revealed during an appearance on the "Friday Night Rocks" show on New York's Q104.3 FM Friday night (Sept. 10). "[Iron Maiden singer] Bruce [Dickinson] and I are friends and we talked about it and he said that he wanted me to get on it, so I'm looking forward to the possibility of that happening," Dave said. "I've toured with Maiden a bunch of times, and I think it would be good for both bands."
"The System Has Failed" is Megadeth's first album since the announcement that Mustaine was disbanding the group following a serious accident in early 2002. At the time, it was unknown if severe nerve damage in his left arm would leave him able to perform again.
Nevermore Video To Debut On Headbanger's Ball
The Seattle-based quintet Nevermore are currently wrapping up the songwriting process for their highly anticipated new album. They are expected to enter Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, England in mid-November with acclaimed producer Andy Sneap (Arch Enemy, Killswitch Engage, Machine Head).
The group's new video for "I, Voyager" will debut on MTV2's "Headbanger's Ball" this Saturday, September 11. The clip was shot by Kevin Leonard (Hate Eternal, Himsa) and comes off their latest album, "Enemies of Reality", released in July of 2003.
H.I.M. U.S. Tour Dates Announced
The first dates have been announced for H.I.M.'s upcoming U.S. tour — the band's first since inking a worldwide recording contract with Sire Records. Support at all dates is expected to come from Melissa Auf Der Maur (ex-Hole, Smashing Pumpkins) and Monster Magnet. The dates are as follows:
Nov. 12 - Worchester, MA @ The Palladium
Nov. 13 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
Nov. 14 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Nov. 15 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Nov. 18 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Rock Club
Nov. 19 - Detroit, MI @ The State Theatre
Nov. 21 - Minneapolis, MN @ Quest Club
Nov. 24 - Denver, CO @ The Fillmore
Nov. 26 - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
Nov. 27 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
Dec. 02 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Avalon
As previously reported, H.I.M. singer/main songwriter Ville Valo has been working on new material over the summer and the band hope to start producing their next album in January or February.
Imperanon Part Ways With Guitarist
Finland's Imperanon have parted ways with guitarist Lauri Koskenniemi. Lauri decided to quit Imperanon to focus on his other band, Crystal Blaze, according to a posting on the group's web site. A replacement for Koskenniemi has aleady been found in the shape of Teemu Mäntysaari.
Imperanon's debut album, "Stained", was released in May through Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Sonic Pump Studios with engineer Nino Laurenne and producer Titus Hjelm and was mixed at Finnvox studios with Mikko Karmila.
Slash Says Heroin Left Him Unable to Play Guitar
World Entertainment News Network is reporting that Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash finally decided to quit heroin when he realized his addiction meant he could not longer play his instrument properly.
The rocker, now 39, became a slave to the drug during his days with Guns 'N Roses, and got to the point where he no longer cared how low he was feeling.
Slash says, "One thing I always had was my ability to play guitar. When I found I couldn't even do that I knew it was time to quit, although it took me some time.
"The first time I took heroin I knew I'd discovered my favourite drug of all time. I never liked the hyped-up state cocaine puts you in.
"The sort of personality who shoots heroin is often a shy guy who wants to be cool and relaxed. But you can get to such a low point on it, you just don't care about your self-esteem."
InnerWish Silent Faces Video Posted Online
Greek heavy metal band InnerWish have posted their video for the track "Silent Faces" at this location.
"Silent Faces" is the title track of the band's most recent album, available now via Limb Music Products. The CD was recorded at G Studio in Athens, Greece between November 2002 and March 2003 and was mixed and mastered by C. Schmid and R.D. Liapakis at The Prophecys Studio in Kempten, Germany. Download an MP3 of the album's opening track, "Dancer of the Storm", at this location.
Darkest Hour Canadian Tour Dates Announced
DARKEST HOUR will be hosting MTV2's "Heabanger's Ball" on Saturday, September 18.
In other news, DARKEST HOUR will tour Canada with CURSED in October. Confirmed dates are as follows:
Oct. 07 - London, ON @ Embassy
Oct. 08 - Toronto, ON @ Kathedral
Oct. 09 - Kingston, ON @ Clark Hall Pub
Oct. 10 - Ottawa, ON @ Mavericks
Oct. 11 - Montreal, QC @ El Salon
Oct. 12 - Trois-Rivieres, QC @ Café Rock
Oct. 13 - St. John, NB @ Studio 112
Oct. 14 - Charlottetown, PEI @ The Arts Guild
Oct. 15 - Halifax, NS @ Pavilion
Oct. 15 - Halifax, NS @ The Attic
Oct. 16 - Sydney, NS @ Pit Lounge
Oct. 16 - Sydney, NS @ Maple Leaf Lounge
Oct. 17 - Fredericton, NB @ Elk's Club
Oct. 18 - Quebec City, QC @ L'Anti
Oct. 19 - Barrie, ON @ Foundation
Oct. 20 - St. Catharines, ON @ L'3
Following the Canadian tour, Darkest Hour will tour the U.S. one last time before taking a break to complete their new record. The tour will run from November 12 to December 12 and will also include Between The Buried And Me, Kylesa, Cattle Decapitation, and Fear Before The March Of Flames. Exact cities and dates will be announced soon. Darkest Hour will also be releasing a DVD filmed on Ozzfest that will include footage of them beating Bleeding Through in dodge ball.
Darkest Hour are continuing to tour in support of their latest album, "Hidden Hands of A Sadist Nation", which was released in May 2003 through Victory Records. The CD includes guest appearances from Tomas Lindberg (At The Gates, The Crown), Anders Björler (At The Gates, The Haunted), Peter Wichers (Soilwork) and Marcus Sunesson (The Crown).
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