Tiamat Sign to Nuclear Blast

Tiamat have signed to Nuclear Blast records and have announced their new will be out in February 2008. You can check them out at their myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tiamat.

As previously reported Tiamat frontman Johan Edlund has posted the following message on the band's official MySpace page:

"Lots of people are asking us what we're up to and when they can expect a new TIAMAT album or at least a LUCYFIRE [Johan's other project] album... The answer to you all is: soon!

"Honestly, we're working on new Tiamat songs at the moment and the plan is to have a three or four song demo ready within the next couple of weeks. With this demo we're gonna try to fool some cash off a record company and then we're pretty much set for recording a new album! I'd hate myself if we wouldn't at least start recording the damn thing this year! The release date we'll have to leave to the sharks! I've got some new LucyFire songs written aswell. Anybody wanna release the disaster, let me know (aka send me a check)!!!

"Yep, we are alive! If you still doubt us, get your ass over to Ukraine the 13th of August and we'll prove it!"

Lucyfire can be check out at the following link: http://www.myspace.com/crucifyher

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11th Annual Dirt Fest Announced

The 11th annual Dirt Fest will take place on August 25th at the Birch Run Expo Center in Birch Run, MI. Doors open at noon and admission is $21 in advance. Bands slated to perform include:

Between The Buried And Me
The Acacia Strain
From A Second Story Window
See You Next Tuesday
Alesana
Holy Roman Empire
Dance Club Massacre
Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza
As Cities Burn
Four Letter Lie
Life In Your Way
Mayday Parade
Beneath The Sky
Born Of Osiris
Veil Of Maya
Plague Bringer
Harlots
Speakerfire
In The Face Of War
Signs Of Collapse

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Intronaut's "The Challenger" MCD Details Revealed

Translation Loss recently announced the release of California based progressive / extreme music outfit Intronaut’s new CD “The Challenger.” “The Challenger” will see a late 2007 release and consist of 3 new tracks, a hand full of live tracks and an outstanding remix totaling over 40 minutes. “The Challenger” was recorded at Shiva Studios with John Haddad, who manned the helm for their previous efforts “Void” and “Null.” Intronaut has posted studio session pictures for “The Challenger” on their Myspace profile.

The track listing for Intronaut – The Challenger EP is as follows:

The Challenger
Whittler Of Fortune
Deep Architecture
Gleamer (live)
Fault Lines (live)
Rise To The Midden (live)
Sores Wil Weep (live)
They (As In Them) (live)
Burning These Days (remix)

Intronaut will also doing a west coast tour starting July 19th. Here are those tour dates: More...

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The Fucking Wrath To Tour The US

With their debut album set to hit via Goodfellow, Cali's The Fucking Wrath are hitting the road next week with Ox vs. Thunderbird. Several shows the band still need help booking are listed, so if you can help out with any of the shows on the dates still marked *TBA, contact the band here.

7/26 Red Cove - Ventura, CA
7/27 Community Of Friends -Las Vegas, NV
7/28 NVO - Login, UT
7/29 *TBA - Denver, CO.
7/31 Box Awesome - Lincoln, NE
8/01 Elks Lodge - Newton, IA
8/02 *TBA - Chicago, IL
8/03 Smalls - Detroit MI
8/04 Now That's Class - Cleveland, OH
8/05 29 Custer House - Buffalo, NY
8/06 AV Space - Rochester, NY
8/07 O'Brien's - Allston, MA
8/08 *TBA - New York, NY
8/09 *TBA - Brooklyn, NY
8/10 Red Emma's Church - Baltimore, MD
8/11 Nara Sushi - Richmond, VA
8/12 Reservoir - Chapel Hill, NC
8/13 Desoto Row Music Space - Savannah, GA
8/14 Atlantic, Gainesville, FL
8/15 *TBA - Atlanta, GA
8/16 Bottletree Cafe - Birmingham, AL
8/17 Lemmon's - St. Louis, MO
8/18 Haunted Kitchen - Lawrence, KS
8/19 15th Street Tavern -Denver, CO
8/20 *TBA - Colorado Springs, CO
8/21 Burt's Tiki Lounge - Albuquerque, NM
8/22 *TBA - Flagstaff, AZ
8/23 The Space - Tempe, AZ
8/24 *TBA - Ventura, CA

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Pentacle To Release Picture Disc of Latest Album

August will see the release of the picture disc version of PENTACLE's last album "Under The Black Cross" on Iron Pegasus Records. This release will feature new cover artwork by Manuel Tinnemans. The picture disc will be accompanied by a big format booklet including the lyrics (for the very first time). The band hopes to present this release at their upcoming gig with SADISTIC INTENT and NECROS CHRISTOS at the Ballroom in Hamburg, Germany on Sunday, August the 5th.

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Emmure, Carnifex, Unite And Conquer Tour Dates

Emmure will hit the road later this month for a four-week tour with Carnifex and Unite And Conquer. Here are the latest tour dates:

7/30 Ft. Wayne, IN @ Sunset Hall
7/31 Hobart, IN @ Cressmore Country Club
8/1 Cedar Falls, IA @ The Main Event Center
8/2 Wichita, KS @ TBA
8/3 Denver, CO @ The Marquis Theater
8/4 Salt Lake City, UT @ TBA
8/5 Reno, NV @ TBA
8/7 Sacramento, CA @ TBA
8/8 Bakersfield, CA @ Backstage
8/9 Whittier, CA @ The Blue House Cafe
8/10 Anahiem, CA @ Chain Reaction
8/11 San Diego, CA @ TBA
8/12 Las Vegas, NV @ Leathernecks
8/13 Pheonix, AZ @ TBA
8/14 Tuscon, AZ @ TBA
8/15 El Paso, TX @ Chic's
8/16 Odessa, TX @ TBA
8/17 San Antonio, TX @ The Underground
8/18 Dallas, TX @ TBA
8/19 Tulsa, OK @ The Pink Eye
8/20 Little Rock, AR @ TBA
8/21 Knoxville, TN @ Kennedy Band Center
8/22 Paintsville, KY @ Memories
8/23 Dayton/Columbus, OH @ TBA
8/24 Muncy, PA @ The Ritz Theater
8/25 New York, NY @ TBA

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Textures Enlist New Bassist

Holland's TEXTURES have posted this announcement on their official website:

"We're very proud to welcome our new bass player: Remko Tielemans. You might know him from his former band ISDE OF MAN and his recent band 37 STABWOUNDZ. He's a skilled musician, an open-minded guy and he's blessed with a crazy stage performance. His TEXTURES stage-baptism will be coming Saturday, in Nijmegen (Valkhof Affaire), so be sure to check him out."

TEXTURES split with bassist Dennis Aarts back in late June 2007 due to "personal reasons".

Here are the band's upcoming live dates:

July 14 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Valkhof Affaire
Aug. 25 - Varsselder, Netherlands - Huntenpop
Sept. 22 - Alhama de Murcia - Alhama Metal Madness

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Gene Simmons Discusses Himself... Again

Allison Kugel of PR.com recently conducted an interview with KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

PR.com: Since you seem to be the ultimate entrepreneur, when you started KISS, when you co-founded KISS I should say, was it simply a means to an end for you?

Gene Simmons: It always is and always will be, because rock n' roll is home to people who would otherwise be asking the next person if they'd like some fries with that.

PR.com: Well, that's if you're successful at it…

Gene Simmons: What I meant was that if it wasn't for rock n' roll you'd be at McDonalds because the people who inhabit the world of popular music can't do anything. They have no skills, and we fall into this kind of business that reacts to charisma. We're not the best singers, and we're not the best dancers. Very few people… I mean, Prince is an exception, but … nobody can read or write music. We're all just self-taught and we do what we do, and that's sort of it.

PR.com: Did you have a passion for music? More...

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Gwar Frontman Disses Corey Taylor

FHMonline.com recently conducted an interview with Dave Brockie, GWAR frontman and intergalactic badass. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

FHMonline.com: SLIPKNOT recently told us that they're the most insane band. Why should we believe you?

Brockie: They're basically a GWAR tribute band — they dress up in these silly costumes and we appreciate that. I see no reason to denigrate SLIPKNOT or what any other band has done. But come on, we're monsters from outer space! How can they possibly compete with that?

FHMonline.com: Bands like LORDI are certainly trying, recently winning the Eurovision award for Best Song. But aren't they just GWAR-Lite?

Brockie: Well, yeah totally. They're like a kiddie version of GWAR. It's all part of one big bloody genre in rock 'n' roll history starting with Jay Hawkins and Alice Cooper and KISS. A lot of people are like, "These people are ripping you off!" But they're not ripping us off anymore than we ripped off KISS or any other band that incorporated theatrical elements into their shows.

FHMonline.com: Who's been your gnarliest fan?

Brockie: I love GWAR fans because they realize that we really are the mutants of the industry, the bottom feeders, if you will. It takes a level of commitment to be a GWAR fan. One of the most legendary dudes we ever met was this guy, Billy, who was a good friend of ours from California. He was really into taking acid. He cruised around with us for a week and once when we were getting ready to cross the border into Canada he nudges me and says, "Hey Brockie, I've got 200 hits of acid on me — what should I do?” I'm like. "You fucking idiot! You're going to get this whole van arrested." So he ate the entire sheet of acid. Two hundred hits. He couldn't talk for four days. He survived — but, I don't really think his brain came out of it very well. He ended up in prison for assaulting his Korean neighbor with a shotgun.

FHMonline.com: If we drug tested you right now, what would we find?

Brockie: Weed — and tons of it. We're just a bunch of stoners. We like to drink beer and smoke pot. But one of the things that GWAR has avoided, which I think is a big part of our longevity, is hard drugs. We've seen it fuck up a lot of people and destroy a lot of bands. This band is just too demanding and it really takes all of your effort and energy, especially wearing a 50-pound armored suit in front of a bunch of people. And then you have the Sounds of the Underground tour where the shows are outdoor — it's really fucking hot. I was reading this interview with Corey [Taylor, lead vocalist] from SLIPKNOT and he was bitching about how hot his overalls were. Put on my shit, son. I bet you won't last five minutes. He's a big whiner.

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Def Leppard Drummer "I Feel Blessed"

Maximum Ink music magazine's Sarah Grant recently conducted an interview with DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen. A couple of excerpts follow:

Maximum Ink: How do you balance family with life on the road? There's got to be a push and pull somewhere.

Rick Allen: There is. When I'm sitting on a plane and I've resided myself to the fact that I don't have a choice, then I get excited about it. But before then, there's like a longing where I want to stay and spend more time with the family and just finish up things that I've started. It's a choice. The band is what I chose to do and my family seems to fit in really well with what I do and they're really excited for me. You know I feel very blessed doing what I do and you know what? It's probably not something that lasts forever, but we keep making new music and we keep being given the chance to go out on the road, so it's really a great way to live.

Maximum Ink: I've been reading a lot about your Raven Drum Foundation. It's admirable how involved you are in promoting such a beneficial program.

Rick Allen: Ah, to be able to share such an ancient form like drumming with the community is really rewarding. It's really interesting, because I think what happens is people re-remember a part of themselves that really was forgotten. And drum circle really is a metaphor for community; it's like a cross-section of the community. And it's beautiful to see that we can be supported by the rest of the community no matter what we're going through — good, bad, or indifferent. And some of the things that have really been rewarding are some of the cancer programs and incarcerated teens, I really enjoy working with them, and I still get really involved in a few local programs. Obviously I can't do everything especially when it's a touring year, but I really try to get involved as much as I can. My wife, she's really instrumental in creating the programs and finding some of the teachers to send out there, but like I said, whatever I can, whenever I get the opportunity to get out and involved. It's really good, it really grounds me.

Maximum Ink: Knowing all the obstacles that you've had to overcome, when you get to meet these people, what types of questions do they ask you?

Rick Allen: "What made you want to come back?" "What made you want to do what you do?" "How did you relearn playing the drums?" And interestingly enough, I have a theory that you don't actually relearn, I think it's a natural response of the mind and body to re-channel information that is already there. For example, I've spoken with several men and women coming back from the Middle East who have lost limbs. And it is interesting — there is a response that the body just automatically does and then I think the learning curve takes over if you have the will to go on. So it's a combination of two different things. And you know, I just tell them: "Whatever it is that you do, do it from your heart and you will succeed."

Maximum Ink: What is the biggest difference between playing your electronic drum kit versus your drums before the accident?

Rick Allen: It's the same difference between driving a VW Beetle and a Formula 1 car [laughs]. The Formula 1 car has a specific intention — you just wanna go fast — and it's great because I can express myself really well. But when I go back in the studio, I go back to the VW Beetle, which is something I do very well and I'll do a pass with kick, snare, acoustic drum in front of me, and another pass with say, the cymbals, and then try to marry the two. And then when I get out on the road, it's easier with the electronic kit, to play it all together.

Maximum Ink: Your electronic drum kit is a novelty within music, but I can imagine there are a lot of nuances that take time to get a handle on.

Rick Allen: It's true, just kind of coming to terms with playing the electric drums, having spent all this time being off the road and being in the studio and getting all acoustic with everything, and then all of a sudden I'm thrown into having to play this electronic drum kit again. It's about all the neurological pathways opening up again, all the mental memory comes back. It's different, but it's a challenge.

Maximum Ink: Did you ever try to use a prosthetic arm?

Rick Allen: Yes, and I tried it, and not that I would tell anyone to shy away from it, because it is a very valid point. But with me I lost so much of my shoulder it felt awkward, so I didn't necessarily pursue it.

Maximum Ink: What's next in the studio for DEF LEPPARD?

Rick Allen: Actually, we've just finished working on a new record. We've been working on it since the last tour. We have a room that we call the Sparkle Lounge, and everything we do we work out in the Sparkle Lounge first, but it's really nice because we go on tour so you get an idea of what works live and what works in the studio. I think that when it's just four walls, you don't necessarily get a sense of how an audience are gonna react. As soon as you play a new song in front of an audience you go "Ah," now we know how it really needs to go.

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The Scarlet Hourglass Sign To After The Blackout

British death metal band The Scarlet Hourglass have signed a deal with record label After The Blackout Records. Frontman Greg Hackett has stated that it's unclear whether or not the label will be releasing the band's forthcoming EP "Newborn".

For more information on The Scarlet Hourglass visit their official myspace

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Trivium Answer Fans Questions On Scuzz

Trvium vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy and guitarist Corey Beaulieu recently answered questions submitted to them by Scuzz TV viewers. The footage was posted online on YouTube... More...

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Hetfield Says Band Is Looking At MoP For New Album

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield was interviewed by Norway's NRK on Tuesday (July 10) prior to the band's headlining performance in Oslo. Watch the seven-minute unedited question-and-answer session at SVT.se or YouTube. A transcript of the interview follows:

Q: What will the new METALLICA [album] sound like?

Hetfield: "As good as we can right now, I would say, and that's all it ever has been. [Producer] Rick Rubin is extremely good at getting the best out of any artist he's worked with, whether it's BEASTIE BOYS, NEIL DIAMOND, SLAYER, SLIPKNOT… he does all, he does rap… anything! Somehow he taps in. He's got a good vibe, and a good ear, and we think we do too. So sometimes there's a little bit of this — we like our things the way we like them, he likes his things the way he likes them — but with two great powers putting something together, I think we'll come up with something pretty amazing. He's having us focus a lot on the feeling around 'Master of Puppets' — what was going through our minds? what was it like? — the hunger around 'Master of Puppets'."

Q: You played at Live Earth. What are your thoughts on the climate crisis. What can METALLICA contribute to [the whole process]?

Hetfield: "I really avoided the press around the Live Earth day. I didn't quite agree with what was going on there. Politics drive me crazy, and I don't like talking politics. Politics get in the way of things; they get in the way of getting things done, and getting our music across is what we wanna do — we don't wanna cloud it with 'Democrat, Republican,' whatever. Our philosophy is 'think for yourself' at the end of the day — do what you think feels right. I really believe that humans will survive. I have a lot of faith in mankind that we will overcome and adapt — whatever it is; whether it's man-made or God-made, or Earth/Mother Nature — we have a lot of smart people on this planet that will make something good out of bad."

Q: You guys have been a band for 25 years. What is the plan for the next 25 years?

Hetfield: "Yeah, to make it to 26, 27, 28… you know, it's one day at a time. Something exciting that's up for us is being eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in America, which is a pretty big deal. We played it last year for BLACK SABBATH, who chose not to perform, and we said we would. [Laughs] That was a lot of fun. You know, it's this historic landmark. A lot of bands get inducted, [but] not many bands are there to play all together to say 'Hi' and 'Thank you.' If you made it to 25 years, you either hate each other or you're broken up or you didn't make it that far, or something. So we're pretty proud. There's a not a whole lot of bands that can say that, so we're very grateful."

Q: You had a little bit of a difficulty on the last record. How are you guys functioning now on the new record?

Hetfield: "Well, one thing that someone said on the last record — going through all of the cleansing, the therapy, the talking, the breaking down the falls… you know, from one extreme to the other — from hating each other to not talking to hugging and crying over every note… It's crazy — one to the other. They're both unrealistic. Somewhere in the middle is where we need to live, and balance is difficult at times, especially for myself, who likes the extremes, or thinks I like them. All the work that we went through on 'St. Anger', it was said that it was not for 'St. Anger', it was for the next record, and that makes total sense. 'St. Anger' was pretty much a statement — it felt like a purging of a feeling. And this record is more us working together — in harmony, in friction, in happiness, in sadness… all of that put together. And we're able to get through it — we've walked though fire; we know how hot it can get, and we don't need to go through there again." More...

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Scorpions Enter International Charts

SCORPIONS' new album, "Humanity - Hour 1", at is position No. 16 on the Japanese album chart this week. The CD has now achieved the following chart positions around the world:

Greece: #1
Russia: #5
Argentina: #8
Germany: #9
Japan: #16
France: #16
Switzerland: #27
Finland: #29
Sweden: #36
Austria: #41
Italy: #44
Czech Republic: #47
Spain: #59
Netherlands: #91
Mexico: #97

Fan-filmed video footage of German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS performing their classic track "Still Loving You" on June 14, 2007 at the CEZ Arena, Ostrava, Czech Republic has been posted at YouTube.

SCORPIONS' video for the song "Humanity" has been posted at YouTube.

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