Summary/Misc

Daily Reviews

Embers Zine has four new reviews this week:

• Severe Torture - Misanthropic Carnage
  
• Enid - Nachtgedanken
  
• Rebellion - Shakespeare's Macbeth (A Tragedy In Steel)
  
• Abortus - Process Of Elimination

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Severe Torture Too Brutal for Switzerland

Hammerheart Records has reported that Dutch deathers Severe Torture will have to skip their scheduled appearance at the Z7 in Switzerland on their tour with Cannibal Corpse.

According to Hammerheart Records, the band was banned from the billing by the local promoter because of the "perverse, disgusting and very offensive" cover artwork of their new album Misanthropic Carnage", which shows "a total lack of respect for other human beings".

Of course you can't help but wonder why the equally extreme but far more successful Cannibal Corpse doesn't seem to be a problem to the promoter.

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Empyria's Sense of Mind

Empyria have just released their fourth full length album. Titled Sense of Mind, the disc will be released through Scrape Records.

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Human Harvesting for Circle of The Lost Children

Martyr Music will release the new Circle of The Lost Children album. The album is titled Human Harvest, and will see the light of day in an early spring 2003 release date. The band will enter the studio later this Fall to start recording the album.

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Funeral Inception's Anthems of Disenchantment

Funeral Inception have releases their first album, Anthems of Disenchantment, through Warpath Records. Funeral Inception was born from the ashes of Bloody Gore, who disbanded after their drummer left the band.

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Cage Unveil the Wicked

Singer Sean Peck contacted BWBK for an update on the recording of the new disc, Darker Than Black.

"We have just finished tracking everything at Silvercloud. The sound quality will have no flaws and the guitar licks shred. I truly feel this is the breakthrough CD for us, as the songs are all hook laden with the vocals that I feel will truly shock most listeners. I shocked Rick Carr, the guy who tracked vocals for the last 2 Halford and Dickinson CDs, so you can imagine. Some songs have a majestic Lord Of The Rings feel, but not gay sounding. Others have a total King Diamond sound, vocal-wise, with the shrieking falsettos. Then I incorporated some wicked, Cradle of Filth style voices with a monster low growl for a wicked combination. Roy Z helped with the pronunciation for a Spanish version of 'Chupacabra', which is also sung in English. I totally sound like (David) Wayne from Metal Church on that one. The guitar and vocal layering is just sick! 'Kill The Devil' came out wicked sounding too. The US disc has an extra song on it, called 'Antimatter', that is a slightly new metal sounding song, meant for the angst hungry youth. That came out excellent. We are going to make a video for that one. We have hooked up some great connections and many good things are happening. Marc Sasso, who did the new Dio cover, looks like the candidate for the CD artwork. Last night we played a show with Cinderella, to a packed house of 500 plus. We played all new, unreleased material and did a 5 camera shoot, for a live DVD."

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"Secret" Paradise Lost Performance

Paradise Lost will reportedly perform as direct support to Chicago's own Soil at the very last date of the latter's headlining UK tour, which is also rumored to include Sugarcoma in the support slot.

The Yorkshire quintet will reportedly appear right before the headliners at the Astoria in London Thursday, October 24th in what is meant to be a "secret" warm-up gig for the band's upcoming world tour, which is scheduled to kick off shortly after the release of the band's new album.

The complete listing of Soil/Skinlab UK dates is as follows: More...

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Necrophagia's Killjoy Speaks OUt

Despite rumors to the contrary, there is no bad blood between Necrophagia mainman Killjoy (whose real name is believed to be Frank Pucci) and Pantera frontman Philip Anselmo over the demise of their joint label venture, Housecore/Baphomet Records, Killjoy revealed in an interview conducted with Korea's RockNew.com two weeks ago.

"Philip is a great guy, he's like a brother to me, unfortunately due to extreme scheduling conflicts and previous commitments we will not be working together any longer," Killjoy said. More...

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Headline News

UK's Metal Mania Fest Cancelled

Metal Mania festival, which was scheduled to take place on September 7th at the Newcastle University in the UK, has been cancelled due to a problem with the ticket distribution, according to the festival organizers.

The event, which was set to include performances by Blaze,Tygers of Pan Tang, Earthrod, Unleash, Nufuture Cowboys and Live Undead, will be rescheduled for a new date once these problems have been resolved.

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Konkhra Post Two New Songs Onilne

Danish extreme metallers Konkhra have posted two more full-length MP3s, taken from the group's forthcoming Reality Check CD, at the following locations:

01. The Lions are Hungry
02. Reality Check

According to the band, "these are 100% genuine Danish pieces of twisted metal ready to go."

Konkhra are presently seeking a new record deal following their recent split with longtime label Diehard Records. A full-length advance copy of the already-completed new album is being sent out to prospective companies this week with a view towards getting the effort released in late 2002/early 2003.

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In Flames' Anders Comments of Fans' Reaction

In Flames frontman Anders Friden has admitted to MTV.com that he's concerned about how the group's latest album, Reroute To Remain is being received by the band's longtime fans.

"I'm afraid that [older fans] will judge this album upon if it's a 'Gothenburg death metal album' and already make up their minds," Friden said. "It's a new metal album."

When asked what In Flames have to offer the average American rock fan weaned on Limp Bizkit, Puddle of Mudd and Blink-182, the singer stated: "The impression I get from people is that they like the mix between melody and aggression that we have. I think that attracts a lot of people. It's just such a great record, it has a little bit of everything. It's a bridge between the '80s and 2000 and everything in between. There is a gap in between people that are kind of tired of the 'nü' sound and are ready for bands that they have never heard before. There is definitely a place for In Flames." More...

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Sonata Arctica Keyboardist Leaves

Finnish power metallers Sonata Arctica have officially split with keyboardist Mikko Harkin.

"For personal reasons, a time has come in my life when I have to make a decision in order to be able to go on," Harkin announced on the Spinefarm Records website. "I've been fortunate to share many unforgettable moments with these guys. We've traveled thousands and thousands of kilometers together, we've been to the edge of the world and back and seen things a young pianist wouldn't ever have imagined."

"I'm grateful for all the moments but at the same time, everything happened has made me re-evaluate my life. Extensive touring has made me re-think my priorities in life," continued Harkin. "Time and again I've had to reconsider what are the most important things in my life. Everything I've experienced, as magnificent as it has been, has created a vacuum in my personal life, which I have to admit, has steered me away from Sonata Arctica. I've noticed that I no longer can give the band my 100 percent just to keep the ball rolling, and I have come to the conclusion that it is better for everyone that I call it quits and that the band acquires a new member who will give his full effort and enthusiasm, for no less than that is what Sonata Arctica deserves." More...

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