Metal News for January 16, 2003
Last updated on October 7, 2025 at 6:57 AM ET
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18 news articles posted on this day.
Glassjaw & Poison The Well Get Warped
Glassjaw and Poison The Well have both been confirmed for the whole of this year’s Warped tour, which kick off in the Summer. So far, no dates have been announced, and the rest of the bill is expected to be put in place soon.
Someone Went To Church
David Wayne, former vocalist with Metal Church and now fronting Reverend, was injured after being involved in a three-car pile up in Tacoma, Washington. Fortunately, he escaped without serious injury.
Black Label Society Get Ozzy
Zakk Wylde has drafted in Ozzy Osbourne to record vocals on one track from the next Black Label Society album, ‘The Blessed Hellride'. Ozzy sings on the song ‘Stillborn’. Expect the album to be released by Spitfire in the Spring.
Headline News
Nightwish Sued by Composer
Nightwish are being sued by arranger/conductor Riku Niemi, who participated on the group's platinum-selling Century Child release. Niemi claims that the band owes him money for his work on the album. Nightwish keyboardist/mastermind Tuomas Holopainen claims the whole incident is the result of a misunderstanding. According to Holopainen, who wrote the bulk of the material on the album, only a verbal agreement existed between the band and Niemi. "I have nothing against Riku, and I'm greatly disappointed that our co-operation has ended like this. I hope that we will reach the final resolution of this matter soon."
Headline News
Eternal Tears of Sorrow Split Up
Eternal Tears Of Sorrow have split up. Here's the official statement: "With mixed feelings we have to announce that Eternal Tears of Sorrow have decided to split up. EToS has been on a break since March 2002. During the break, it has become obvious that it is time to quit. This band started as a free-time activity about ten years ago. As we got more success, we also needed to give more and more of our time to the band. Day by day, we realized the band had become a full-time job for us. Now it's time to move on and do something different. This band achieved much more than we could imagine when we formed this band. However, we won't stop making and playing music. Check out the official EToS website regularly for information about the members and their other projects and bands. The site has been online for almost seven years now and will remain as it is. Only the address has changed to: http://www.etos.tk. We thank all our fans for support! A huge number of nice things happened to us between 1994 and today, thanks to you!"
Headline News
Will Haven Officially Disbanding
More information has come to light on Will Haven's impending break-up. The band will officially be playing its final show on January 24th in Sacramento. Apparently frontman Grady Avenall wants to take a break from music - "We have been going at this since 1995 and sometimes you need to get away. As for now we do not see Will Haven getting back together anytime soon but we will leave the door open for Grady." Both the new Will Haven EP and DVD (the band's final show will be filmed for the DVD) will most likely be released in March, in the U.S. and Europe. Otherwise, Will Haven members Jeff Irwin, Mike Martin, and Mitch Wheeler will continue playing under a different name, so look for more information on that project soon.
Bleeding Through Sign to Trustkill
As expected, Orange County, CA outfit Bleeding Through has officially signed with Trustkill Records. The metal/hardcore (with keyboards) outfit was formed in 1999 and at one time featured members of both Eighteen Visions and Taken. The group has previously released two full-lengths, "Dust To Ashes" on Prime Directive Records in 2001, and last year's "Portrait Of The Goddess" on Indecision Records. Their Trustkill Records debut is expected to drop in late-Summer or early-Fall.
Graveworm to Begin Recording in March
Italy's Graveworm have completed the songwriting sessions for their fourth album and are planning to start recording at Stage One studio in Bühne, Germany in March/April with producer Andy Classen. The album will probably be released in September 2003 through Nuclear Blast.
Amon Amarth Working on US Tour Dates
Amon Amarth's website recently posted the following band update: “At the moment we are negotiating an American tour and if everything turns out for the best, we'll be hitting the shores of North America in February/March. Apart from that we're working on a four-show tour of the UK in May, we have a couple of more European festivals lined up for the summer and with any luck we'll be able to go to Poland and Czech Republic for a couple of shows."
Divine Decay Track Listing
Divine Decay have issued a 99% final tracklisting for their upcoming Maximize The Misery album. Tracks include: ‘Weave A Web Of Vanity’, ‘Silence OF Decades’, ‘Killing Innocence’, ‘The Discomfort Of Articial Euphoria’, ‘Maximize The Misery’, ‘Without A Soul’, ‘The Dead In Me’, ‘Scars’, ‘Less Than Nothing’, ‘Filth’ and ‘Remorse’.
New Morbid Angel Album In September
According to a spokesperson for World Management, the songwriting process for the next Morbid Angel album is "moving along great" and the band are planning a September 2003 release through Earache Records for the effort. A world tour in support of the album will commence a short time later. An official announcement regarding the identity of the group's bassist/vocalist and second guitarist (following the departures of Jared Anderson and Erik Rutan, respectively) is expected "very soon." Morbid Angel's last studio album, Gateways To Annihilation, came out in 2000
Vader, Finntroll Announced for Motala Fest
Vader, Evergrey, Stormwarrior, Finntroll and Paragon are among the artists confirmed for this year's Motala Metal Festival, set to take place on Apr. 19 in Motala, Sweden.
The Gathering Announce Tour Dates
The Gathering will kick off the first leg of their European Souvenirs Tour on March 15 in Oss, Holland. Support at all shows will come from Pale Forest.
The Gathering will issue their long-awaited new full-length album, Souvenirs, through their own Psychonaut Records on Feb 24, 2003 in Benelux, France, Spain, Portugal, GAS, Greece, UK, Italy. On Mar. 12, the album will be released in the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe.
Confirmed dates are as follows: More...
Khold to Open for Satyricon
Norway's Khold will be the support act for Satyricon on their upcoming Black Lava Down Europe 2003 Tour. Khold are signed to Moonfog Records, the label founded by Satyricon frontman Satyr
The Truth on Diabolic
Issued from Olympic Records: Recently, conflicting press releases were issued regarding Tampa, Florida's Diabolic. Aside from the news posted at the official Diabolic web site (http://www.diabolicblastmasters.com) no press releases or news updates were seen or approved of by Diabolic's record label or distributor. Unfortunately, due to the unofficial nature of the press releases, some misleading, false statements and negative comments were made. The truth of the matter is: Aantar Coates was asked to leave Diabolic and he does have a new band featuring ex-Diabolic members Jerry Mortellaro and Paul Oulette. Unholy Ghost is the moniker Aantar, Paul and Jerry have chosen. Meanwhile, the Diabolic line-up that just returned from Europe (Brian Malone, Eric Hersemann and Robert Cardenas) is currently auditioning new drummers and looking forward to recording Diabolic's fourth full length album to be released through Olympic/Century Media this fall.
Halford Announce NYC Date
Halford will perform a one-off concert at L'Amour in Brooklyn, New York on Friday, Feb. 28. Also appearing on the bill will be Symphony X.
Halford are tentatively scheduled to embark on a full-length North American tour in late March.
Upcoming Halford tour dates: More...
Into Eternity Embark on First NA tour
The band that has raised eyebrows among critics and established musicians alike - Into Eternity from Saskatchewan, Canada - will embark on their first North American tour opening for headliners Hate Eternal, Dying Fetus, and Kataklysm in support of their 2002 Century Media debut album Dead Or Dreaming.
Featured in Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles and Metal Maniacs & reviewed in Guitar One, Revolver, and Alternative Press, Into Eternity's talents for technicality and vocal dimensionality are only two pieces of an intricate puzzle that come together to form a singular aggression graced with finesse. After devastating their audience during their North American debut at the Milwaukee Metal Fest this past July 2002, these progressive death metallers have pledged themselves and their instruments to the cultivation of a daring musical hybridization.
Dates on the tour are: More...
Iced Earth Sign to SPV/Steamhammer
Florida metal stalwarts Iced Earth have officially signed over to SPV/Steamhammer Records for the world after seven full-length albums on Century Media Records.
"Well people, the deal is finally done. Iced Earth will be calling SPV home for the next few records," reveals guitarist Jon Schaffer. "After over a year and a half of intense negotiations and music business bullshit I made the decision to go with the company that did such an amazing job on the Demons & Wizards release. I am very aware that the company is not totally established in the U.S. market but am confident that with Iced Earth on their roster, we will help solidify their status here. More...
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