Candlelight Signs US Licensing Deal w/ Appease Me

Candlelight Records has announced its newly agreed cooperation with France's Appease Me Records. Under the agreement, Candlelight will handle the stateside release of all new recordings from the growing extreme metal label. The first planned releases include the debuts from MONOLITHE and SPEKTR.

Appease Me is owned and operated by members of the band BLUT AUS NORD. The band signed to Candlelight Records and released their first album through the label in early 2004. "The Work Which Transforms God" is for most U.S. audiences their introduction to the highly-regarded extreme metal band. Band leader/vocalist Vindsal says, "It's a great evolution for us. Candlelight's experience in all the domains - artistic development, production, distribution, promotion, etc - will be very precious for us. We want to present an ellitist vision of extreme music with Appease Me being a label of artistic explorators. All the bands signed are unique in their style and we'll always work in this way. Extreme quality not quantity."

Candlelight's Edward Christie says, "Appease Me is a unique label. Their artists, including BLUT AUS NORD, create music that is both challenging and special. Candlelight appreciates these qualities and hopes to bring their sounds to a wider audience.

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Watch E-Force's Performace Of "Satanic Rituals"

A live video of E-FORCE performing the track "Satanic Rituals" at this year's Raismes Fest has been posted online at this location: http://www.recordfinder.com/eforce/mp3/E-Force_-_Satanic_Rituals.mpg (.mpg, 44.4 MB).

As previously reported, E-FORCE will be teaming up with CARPATHIAN FOREST, TSJUDER and WYKKED WYTCH for a European tour beginning in early February.

E-FORCE is the new band fronted by former VOIVOD bassist/vocalist Eric Forrest. The group's current lineup is rounded out by Dennis Rousell (guitar), Krof (drums) and Jerome Point (lead guitar). The band's debut album, "Evil Forces", was released in October 2003 via France's Season Of Mist. It was recorded at Wild Studio in St-Zenon, Quebec, Canada with producer Pierre Rémillard (CRYPTOPSY, KATAKLYSM, GORGUTS, KRISIUN)

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Judas Priest Confirm UK Dates For 2005

Judas Priest have just confirmed their UK dates for next year. They are: London Hammersmith Apollo March 16/17, Birmingham NEC 19, Manchester Apollo 21/22, Belfast King's Hall 24, Glasgow SECC 26, Newcastle Arena 27, Cardiff Arena 30, Plymouth Pavillions 31. Special Guests will be the Scorpions.

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Turmoil To Record In January

Turmoil will be entering the studio in mid-January to record three tracks for their upcoming retrospective release. Recording will take place at Water Studios in Hoboken, NJ with producer Ted Young (Lamb Of God, Static Lullaby) at the helm. Tentatively titled "Staring Back," the double-disc release will hit stores in Spring 2005 through Abacus Recordings.

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Nightrage Complete Mastering Of New Album

Nightrage have now completed their next album for Century Media Records. Mastering just took place with Peter in de betou of Tailor Maid Production. The new album is titled "Descent Into Chaos" and will feature the following track listing: More...

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Psyopus and The Hostage Heart East Coast Dates

Psyopus and The Hostage Heart will be teaming up for a week of dates in December on the East Coast. Here's the latest:

12/10 Nashua NH @ Drifters w/ Mercury Switch
12/11 Shirley NY @ Bar Room Lounge w/ Mercury Switch, more
12/12 Philadelphia PA @ The Tribecca w/ Mercury Switch, more
12/13 Fredericksburg VA @ Shooters
12/14 Virginia Beach VA @ Attitudz w/ Loss Of Reason, more
12/15 TBA
12/16 Canton OH @ Fallen Eyes
12/17 Middleburg PA @ Lucky Fours w/ Stray From The Path

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Report

Gwar Report From Vancouver, BC

On November 24, Gwar played a sold-out show at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, BC, along with All That Remains and Dying Fetus. I have never seen any of the bands live before so I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially Gwar. I have heard stories about Gwar’s shows but it’s just not the same as experiencing it yourself. More...

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Gorgoroth Central American Tour Report

Gorgoroth has issued the following tour report:

The recent Central American tour was very well visited and the fans [were] truly dedicated. Especially in San Salvador and Guatemala city, although the security in the first mentioned city should have been better. Mexico was also great, at least introductorily, but after a few gigs we [had] more and more problems with incompetence from the crew, poor organization and illness. This reached its climax under the last concert in Mexico city, where we, due to technical problems and lousy crew work, had to cancel the last five songs from the set. As a consequence of this we will replace the local oraganizator and come back stronger next time!

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First Bands Confirmed For Sweden Rock Fest

Accept, Blackfoot, Dio, Kansas, Magnum and Styx are among the first batch of names confirmed for next year's Sweden Rock, which happens in Solvesborg from June 9-11. Also announced are Saxon, Helix, Hammerfall, Robin Trower, Vixen and Nazareth.

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Hammerfall Finishes Recordings For New Album

It's done! Hammerfall have finished the recordings for their yet untitled new album. This is what guitar player Oscar Dronjak posted on the official Hammerfall website:

"When I have a bit more distance to the recordings, I will try to describe the contents so you will know what to expect in March. However, I can safely say that if you are a fan of Hammerfall, you will not be disappointed this time around, either. We poured our hearts and souls – as well as blood, sweat and tears, mind you – into the production of this record, and I definitely think it shines through: the music is more alive than it ever has been before."

Read the full statement here.

On January 31st 2005, Hammerfall are going to release a single in advance, titled "Blood Bound."

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Ektomorf Added To Kreator Euro Tour

Hungarian Hardcore/Thrash metallers Ektomorf have been confirmed as supporting act for Kreator's upcoming "Enemy Of God Tour" 2005! Other bands to join in are Dark Tranquillity and Hatesphere.

Ektomorf tour dates: More...

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Strike First Records Signs Two More

Strike First Records has once again announced the signing of two bands, Clear Convictions and Opposition Of One. Clear Convictions are from Puerto Rico and according to the label, the group "play heavy hardcore with a slight metal influence and have drawn comparisons to Figure Four, Hatebreed, Earth Crisis and Madball." The band's debut full-length is being produced by Tim Mason (No Innnocent Victim) and will be released on January 25th. Check out one of their songs here. Meanwhile, Germany's Opposition Of One were formed in 2000 and also play a combination of hardcore and metal. The group's new album, "In The Line Of Change," is already out in Europe through Guideline Records and will be available in the U.S. on January 25th. You can download a track from the album here.

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Slayer's Early Live Videos Posted Online

Slayer fan site SlaverSaves.com is currently hosting live videos from Slayer's 1983 performance at the Woodstock in Los Angeles. The tracks available for download are "Black Magic", "Tormentor" and "Blitzkrieg (Final Command)".

Slayer recently issued a live DVD, "Still Reigning", via Universal Music. The disc features, for the first time ever, the original Slayer lineup — Tom Araya (vocals, bass), guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, and drummer Dave Lombardo, who permanently rejoined the band in 2003 — performing an entire concert live.

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Headline News

Metallica's Welcome Home (Sanitarium) A Rip Off?

Did Metallica inadvertently "borrow" a musical idea from another band for their 1986 dark "power ballad" "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"? Several Internet reports definitely seem to suggest so.

A song called "Rainbow Warrior" by the obscure NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) band Bleak House (photo) appears to contain undeniable similarities to the Metallica classic. The Bleak House track was released as a seven-inch single in 1980 via Buzzard Records, and was followed up by another seven-inch single in 1982 and various compilation appearances before the band apparently called it a day.

A self-proclaimed NWOBHM fanatic, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich spent much of his time in the early '80s tracking down obscure recordings from his favorite groups of the era. Ten years after the NWOBHM's glory days of 1982, Ulrich took time out to put together a multi-band compilation, "'79 Revisited: New Wave of British Heavy Metal", along with journalist Geoff Barton, whose work in the now-defunct weekly U.K. rock paper Sounds had kept Ulrich posted while he was in the States.

Bleak House - "Rainbow Warrior" (mp3)
Metallica - "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" (Windows Media)

For more information on Bleak House, click here.

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Deicide Guitar Being Auctioned Off

A brand new BC Rich Beast guitar purportedly made for former Deicide guitarist Brian Hoffman is currently being auctioned off via eBay at this location. According to a posting on the auction page, "this guitar has a solid mahogany neck thru body and wings with an ebony fretboard. It has very colorful abalone diamond inlays (mostly blue/green), 24 medium jumbo frets, and custom opaque dark, dark red paint! It is equipped with DiMarzio super distortion pickups, and an original Floyd Rose tremolo. This guitar is brand new and in perfect condition! Hardshell case included."

Auction ends on December 3. The starting bid for the guitar is $2,099.

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New Masterplan Sample Posted Online

A one-minute, 12-second sample of the new Masterplan track "Back For My Life" has been posted online at AFM-Records.de.

"Back For My Life" is the title track of the group's four-song EP , due on November 29 via Germany's AFM Records. The songs included on the EP are as follows: "Back For My Life" (single and album version), "Crimson Rider", "Killing in Time" (two different versions, non-album cut) and "Love Is a Rock" (non-album cut).

Masterplan, the new band featuring ex-Helloween guitarist Roland Grapow, ex-Helloween drummer Uli Kusch and former Yngwie Malmsteen/Ark singer Jorn Lande, have set "Aeronautics" as the title of their sophomore full-length album, due on January 24, 2005 via AFM.

"Aeronautics" was produced by Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Exodus, Skinlab, Nevermore) and mixed by Mikko Karmila. Mastering duties were handled by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios.

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Diver At CoF Concert Critically Injures Woman

Manny Gonzales of the Denver Post is reporting that Denver police are on the lookout for a man who dove into an audience during a Cradle Of Filth concert at the Ogden Theatre, critically injuring a 28-year-old New Mexico woman.

Valarie Markle, a waitress from Farmington, N.M., suffered a broken neck and was in intensive care Saturday at Denver Health Medical Center, her husband said.

Markle had undergone surgery recently, and there is concern she might be left partially paralyzed, her husband said.

"It didn't happen until the last few seconds of the last song," husband Tige Markle told the Denver Post Saturday. "We didn't even realize what was happening till the band walked off the stage."

The incident occurred late Monday (Nov. 22) during a performance by Cradle Of Filth, presented by MTV2 "Headbanger's Ball", at the venue at 935 E. Colfax Ave., police said.

A man described as heavy-set climbed atop a guard railing near the stage and jumped on top of the 5-foot-5, 150-pound woman, driving her head to the floor, police said.

The man then ran into the crowd and could not be found, police said.

Tige Markle said he was upset with concert security for not preventing the man from diving into the crowd. A representative of the theater could not be reached Saturday.

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