Jeff Wagner Discusses Influence and Impact of Prog

Jeff Wagner, author of the upcoming definitive book on progressive metal (scheduled for release in Autumn 2009), former Metal Maniacs editor and current The End Records staffer, has been interviewed by the Noise Pollution blog of James Mayse.

THE END RECORDS staff member Jeff Wagner. Scheduled for release in Autumn 2009, the book will detail the common movements of pioneers like OPETH, WATCHTOWER, VOIVOD, ATHEIST, DREAM THEATER, PSYCHOTIC WALTZ, CELTIC FROST, SIGH, and FATES WARNING — metal bands who have gone against the tide of tradition and conservatism. Linked by a desire to push heavy metal forward, these varied bands with a couple hundred other black sheep form the hard-to-pin-down category of "progressive metal."

Here's an excerpt:

We haven’t talked at all about death metal. I find much early death metal rather one-note (or one-grunt), but the genre is showing almost as much variation now as is black metal. What was the first band to take death metal’s “traditional” sound and expand it?

Wagner: That’s the chapter I’m elbow-deep in writing right now. It’s a tough call. Celtic Frost were considered a death metal band as much as a thrash or black metal band back in the day, and when they released ‘Into the Pandemonium’ in 1987, it was a total radicalization of all that. But I think what you’re talking about is the purer late ‘80s/early ‘90s death metal sound. Around 1990/1991, several bands began expanding the sound and taking it into a more experimental and/or technical area. I think of Disharmonic Orchestra (‘Not To Be Undimensional Conscious’) and Atrocity (‘Hallucinations’ and ‘Todessehnsucht’) in Europe, and here in the states the first that come to mind are Death’s ‘Human’ album and Atheist’s ‘Unquestionable Presence.’

Read the full article at Noise Pollution Blog.

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Obscura To Headline Munich Deathfest

OBSCURA will headline this year's edition of the Munich Deathfest. Recently the band finished the recordings of their second album, which will be released at the beginning of 2009. OBSCURA announced that they will perform all songs of the upcoming album during the show in Munich.

Munich Deathfest festival will take place November 8, 2008 in Munich, Germany.

OBSCURA
JACK SLATER
SYMBIONTIC
EXPOSED GUTS
SINNERS BLEED
OVER YOUR THRESHOLD
MEDECOPHOBIC
AGE OF CARNAGE

For more information, visit myspace.com/munichdeathfest.

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Helloween Plans N. American Tour w/ Gamma Ray

Helloween is returning to North America on the Hellish Rock Tour. This highly anticipated tour kicks off on September 18th in Quebec, and after tearing across the continent, will finish up on October 11th in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Helloween is touring in support of their most recent release, "Gambling with the Devil," which is in stores now. October 7, 2008 will see the release of the Gambling with the Devil Tour Edition. Featuring unreleased songs and enhanced videos, this is a must have for the true Helloween fan.

Sure, Helloween may be headlining, but don't forget about Gamma Ray. Fronted by original Helloween lead singer Kai Hansen, this band is another favorite of the power metal genre. With Kai being there with Gamma Ray…the possibility exists that he may make a “special” appearance with Helloween.

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Into Eternity Posts New Song Online

Canadian progressive metal band, INTO ETERNITY, are in the midst of run as part of Summer Slaughter Canada, which also features Necrophagist, Dying Fetus, Beneath the Massacre and Whitechapel. This trek marked the kick-off of their worldwide touring cycle for their much anticipated fifth full-length "The Incurable Tragedy," which is slated for a Sept. 2nd release in North America, Europe on Aug. 25th and Japan on Aug. 27th. The group will embark on a massive North American tour with the Matt Barlow-fronted Iced Earth this fall.

INTO ETERNITY have also just unveiled the new track "Time Immemorial" on their MySpace page. The band recently shot a new video for the track with acclaimed director Craig Bernard (Theory of a Deadman). Expect the clip to premiere next month. More...

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Motley Crue Posts New Video Online

Motley Crue has posted their latest video, "Motherfucker of the Year" on YouTube after featuring the explicit version on Blender.com and the clean on Clear Channel. You can watch both versions below.

Motley Crue is still out on the Crüe Fest tour. Here are the latest tour dates:

August 22 - Boston, MA - Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
August 23 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
August 24 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
August 28 - Toronto, ONT - Molson Amphitheatre
August 29 - Albany, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
August 30 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
August 31 - Pittsburgh, PA - Post-Gazette Pavilion

And check out MakeRockHistory.com for your chance to win an opening slot on Mötley's 2009 tour, $25,000 in cash, loads of gear from Gibson, and a management/record deal with 10th Street Entertainment/Eleven Seven Records. More...

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Bleeding Through To Film "Death Anxiety" Video

Bleeding Through will film a music video for the song "Death Anxiety" this weekend. The video is the first from the band's new album, "Declaration," due September 30 on Trustkill Records.

"We wanted something simple and performance driven but with lots of pyro, just fire everywhere," says frontman Brandan Schieppati. "And by all accounts, that is exactly what we will be getting this weekend."

The clip will be directed by Dave Brodsky, whose resume includes music videos from All That Remains, Black Dahlia Murder and Gwar. The band's performance will be filmed this weekend in Los Angeles, California.

"Declaration" was produced by Devin Townsend and is said to be the band's darkest, heaviest and most extreme offering to date, while sacrificing none of the trademarked haunting melody of prior albums. It is the follow-up to Bleeding Through's 2006 album, "The Truth."

Bleeding Through has toured the world nonstop since the release of their 2003 breakthrough album, "This is Love, This is Murderous," including tours with Marilyn Manson / Slayer, AFI, HIM, Senses Fail, Cradle Of Filth, two stints on Ozzfest, Vans Warped Tour and their own Paul Frank and Strhess Clothing sponsored US headlining tours.

Bleeding Through is on tour in North America with Bullet For My Valentine, which will be followed by a European tour with Bullet For My Valentine and Lacuna Coil, the band's first ever show in Mexico at the Vans Warped Tour Pre-Fiesta with Underoath and MxPx, and the Orange County Liskfest with Pennywise, Gorilla Biscuits and Living Sacrifice. The band will also headline their first ever tour of Russia in December and will announce more European shows soon.

All confirmed Bleeding Through tour dates are as follows: More...

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Seven Antonopoulos Joins Rock Against Diabetes

Opiate For The Masses drummer Seven Antonopoulos has thrown his services into the hat to take part as one of the drummers in the amazing All Star Band that has been put together over the past few months by Guns N Roses guitarist Bumblefoot (Ron Thal). Seven was approached by the newest sponsors of Rock Against Diabetes - Las Vegas Dirtbag Apparel and Entertainment and was immediately up for the gig.

Seven AntonopoulosAntonopoulos will bring a savage assault on the drums, where a definite heavier edge will be brought to the All Star Band allowing for some very memorable moments to take place. Joining the All Star Band will be a myriad of exceptional muscians including Lez Warner (The Cult), Rafael Moreira (Pink, Paul Stanley, Magnetico), Nate Morton (Paul Stanley, Hannah Montana), Constantine Maroulis (American Idol), Francesco DiCosmo (Thin Lizzy) and more!

Dirtbag Music and Vegas Fuel are proud to announce KICKING K8 to the Rock Against Diabetes lineup as well as Illinois band DOGS DIVINE whom are currently on tour with LA Guns and Faster Pussycat.

The bands participating in the 2 day Rock Against Diabetes event are: Starving For Gravity, Kicking K8, Dogs Divine, Magnetico, Karneval (featuring Dario Lorina), Leatherwolf, L.A. Guns, Y&T, Bumblefoot of Guns N Roses and his All Star Band. The event will be hosted by Big Brother 8 winner the Notorious Evel Dick Donato and Penthouse Pet of the Year 2008, Erica Ellyson.

There will be tons of live auctions, raffles and giveaways, autograph sessions and more during the 2 days.

Tickets are still available at rockagainstdiabetes.org as well as at the door until they sell out.

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Avenged Sevenfold Takes Home Kerrang! Award

Avenged Sevenfold was recently awarded one of the United Kingdom's most prestigious metal awards: The 2008 Album of the Year at the Kerrang! Awards. The band is grateful for receiving such an award, and they emphasize how much this award really means to them; as England has become "a second home" to the band. They are very grateful for the fan support that they receive around the world, and thank all of their fans for their devotion.

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Behemoth Announces Live Album, Tracklisting

BEHEMOTH will release their first live album, "At the Arena ov Aion – Live Apostasy," in October 2008 via Regain Records.

The CD will be available as digibook (15 tracks) and metalbox, which includes a patch, a guitar pic and bonus songs.

Here is the "At the Arena ov Aion – Live Apostasy" track listing:

1. Rome 64 e.v.
2. Slaying The Prophets Ov Isa
3. Antichristian Phenomenon
4. Demigod
5. From The Pagan Vastlands
6. Conquer All
7. Prometherion
8. Drum Solo
9. Slaves Shall Serve
10. As Above So Below
11. At The Left Hand Ov God
12. Summoning Ov The Ancient Ones
13. Christgrinding Avenue
14. Christians To The Lions
15. Sculpting The Throne Ov Seth
16. Decade Ov Therion
17. Chant For Eskaton 2000 e.v.
18. I Got Erection
19. Pure Evil & Hate

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Otep To Perform At Democratic Convention

Otep has been confirmed as one of three performers, alongside Fall Out Boy and N*E*R*D for the Rock the Vote Ballot Bash in support of the Democratic party.

Read the full article at here.

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Disturbed Posts New Video Online

Chacago rockers Disturbed has posted the video online for the title track from their latest album, "Indestructible." You can check it out at their official website. You can also check out new photos from the road and more on the site.

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Metallica Posts New Song Online, Announces O2 Show

Metallica has officially announced that they will be playing the 02 World in Berlin and 02 Arena in London on September 12th and 15th 2008 respectively. The shows are only available to the band’s fan club members, and those people who subscribe to missionmetallica.com. Tickets are £5 and all ticket proceeds will be donated to various charities, which the band will be revealing over the next two weeks.

In possibly bigger news, Metallica has posted a stream of the full song "The Day That Never Comes" from their highly anticipated new album, "Death Magnetic." The song is also streaming on Metallica's MySpace page. "The Day That Never Comes" will also be made available as a physical release sometime in September. The video for the track was filmed in the desert outside L.A with director Thomas Vinterberg.

Finally, Metallica will headline the Reading and Leeds festivals this coming weekend (Leeds on Friday 22nd Aug and Reading on Sunday 24th Aug) in addition to the O2 shows in Berlin and London.

UPDATE: The single, "The Day That Never Comes," is now available on iTunes as well.

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All That Remains Reveals Tracklisting, New Video

Massachusetts’ ALL THAT REMAINS has unveiled the band’s new video for the track “Chiron,” from the forthcoming album ‘Overcome’ exclusively online as Buzznet.com’s video of the day. The clip was shot earlier this summer while the band was in Los Angeles with director Brian Thompson (As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage) and a behind the scenes clip was previously made available.

Meanwhile, ALL THAT REMAINS has also unveiled the track listing for "Overcome," which marks the first time the band has covered a song, Nevermore’s “Believe In Nothing.” “We decided to do a cover on this disc and we didn't want to do what every other band is doing these days and take a pop or rock song from the 80s,” frontman Phil Labonte says. “We figured a song by a band with real metal cred would do best for us. This song never got the attention it deserved. It's an amazingly well written song and even though it's not the most complex song Nevermore has done it is, in my opinion, one of their best. We ran the idea by Nevermore and they gave us their blessing so we were very happy to have the original artists behind it. I couldn't be happier with the way it came out!”

Here is the tracklisting for ALL THAT REMAINS' "Overcome" album:

1. Before The Damned
2. Two Weeks
3. Undone
4. Forever In Your Hands
5. Chiron
6. Days Without
7. A Song For The Hopeless
8. Do Not Obey
9. Relinquish
10. Overcome
11. Believe In Nothing

"Overcome" will see a Sept. 16 release through Prosthetic Records, while ALL THAT REMAINS just finished their run on Vans Warped Tour last weekend in Los Angeles. The band is now at home and gearing up for a co-headlining tour with Trivium, which will also feature 36 Crazy Fists and The Human Abstract, after which ALL THAT REMAINS will be direct support in major markets to In Flames, which will also see the band playing with Gojira and 36 Crazy Fists.

Here are the latest All That Remains Tour Dates: More...

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Downspell Announces Special Guests On CD

Three new heavyweights in the metal world have been added to the guest list for the new yet to be titled DOWNSPELL CD. Besides guests like Lamb of God's Randy Blythe, Troy and Josh from the one and only Cattle Decapitation and Ed from death metal legends Disgorge. The band also enlisted Bobby from So cal sludge lords -16-, legendary producer and Blessing the Hogs guitarist Billy Anderson and last but definitely not least, DINO CEZARES.

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Sonata Arctica Gears Up For American Tour

SONATA ARCTICA is currently preparing their fifth trip to North America. Returning to the western hemisphere to play 21 shows with fellow Finns Nightwish (fronted by new Swedish lead singer Anette Olzon) and playing six headlining shows of their own, keyboardist Henkka shares the process of choosing set lists, the prospect of shows in Hawaii and Las Vegas, shopping lists, liver transplants, and an update on Conan O’Brien:

“About the set lists, it's a process of trial and error, mostly error. We actually had some time to rehearse a couple of songs we're never played live before and we're gonna do these now on this tour. Most of the songs will, however, be a nice mixture of old and new favorites, some to which you can dance and some to which you can't. We tried hard to bring this tour to Hawaii, but not hard enough. I think I sent a request to have all off-days in either Hawaii or Las Vegas but neither seems to be possible this time, so we'd probably end up staying on the bus in front of a Wal-mart somewhere. Speaking of Wal-mart, our shopping lists include: socks, Chivas Regal 12 years old, Frank Zappa CDs, cowboy boots, Marlboro Lights, ice, more Chivas, and new Zippo lighters. I sincerely believe our Finnish super-livers will survive many more tours than this one, so no liver transplants will be necessary. Conan O’Brien should still fear having us show up in his studio audience because we WILL prevail! Eventually we're bound to succeed according to the great prophecies of Reverend Lance. What would be greater than appearing on his first show when he replaces Jay Leno? We'll keep the rest of the plan a secret.”

The band will be keep their fans updated via their Royal Artist Club mobile blog with “behind-the-scenes” adventures during their North American trek. The site can be viewed here.

SONATA ARCTICA's latest album, Unia - released in North America last May - landed on international album charts in Finland (#1), Japan (#7), Sweden (#27), Germany (#35), Switzerland (#40), and Austria (#62). The "Paid In Full" single also secured the #1 Single slot in their mother land.

Here are the latest Sonata Arctica tour dates: More...

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Steven Wilson Releases Trailer For New Solo Album

In a recent blog post on the band's MySpace page, Porcupine Tree have announced that a trailer for the forthcoming solo album by Steven Wilson, "Insurgentes," is now available to view on YouTube (also see below). The trailer features clips from the documentary of the same name that Lasse Hoile has been filming throughout the making of the album. 'Insurgentes' is due for release in November as a download and special deluxe multidisc mail-order version, with retail release to follow in early 2009. More...

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Deicide and Order Of Ennead To Share The Stage

DEICIDE is back on stage in the U.S. with ORDER OF ENNEAD (featuring DEICIDE drummer, Steve Asheim), appearing together for ONE NIGHT ONLY alongside the hard rocking ADRIFT (featuring DEICIDE guitarist, Jack Owen) at The Culture Room in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on September 13.

This is DEICIDE's first United States appearance for far too long and the band is pumped to play all of the old fan favorites in addition to busting out some of the best stuff from their new album, "Till Death Do Us Part" for the first time in America.

DEICIDE and ORDER OF ENNEAD drummer, Steve Asheim will be pulling double duty on this show, playing two full sets with both bands. "Double duty for me - it shouldn't be too bad;" says the frantic drummer, Asheim. "I usually run through a couple sets a night at practice, so i'm ready for anything."

Catch DEICIDE, ORDER OF ENNEAD and ADRIFT for this special ONE NIGHT ONLY date:

Sep 13 2008
Culture Room
Fort Lauderdale, FL

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