Detritus
Issue #264
Week of April 5, 2004
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*** CAST OF CHARACTERS ***
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Tim Wadzinski, Editor
tsw512@...

Steve Shumake
vongoober@...
http://listen.to/vongoober-radio/

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*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
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-Man, nothing makes you feel old like having a niece turn 18! I
remember my brother and I taking her to Rolling Stones records when
she was 13 or 14 and sighing at her uber-pop Top 40 tastes. (We took
turns DJ-ing during the car ride home; she tortured us with that
"Barbie World" song and we tortured her right back with Frank Zappa
and Judas Priest.) Now she's into harder stuff and I find myself
objecting to some of the lyrical content. (*Me* -- the guy who
secretly obtained a vinyl copy of W.A.S.P.'s "Animal (Fuck Like A
Beast)" back in '85 and hid it from his mom, thinking "she'd just
never understand.") I still think of her as a little girl but now it's
almost time for college. Good God man!!! She's all grown up and can
probably school me a little on what's "hot" in the world of nu metal.

Where does the time go? Has it really been 17 years since 1987??? I
mean, hey -- Dokken, Metalica, Scorpions, and Van Halen are all
touring and/or releasing new albums this summer, right? Anyone up for
another Monsters Of Rock tour? That might make me feel young again. :)
- Tim

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*** PRESS RELEASE #1 ***
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-Drop Hits Hard Rock Scene With 'Suckerpunch'

CHICAGO -- Chicago's Drop is prepping to give hard rock a beating with
the release of its third album, "Suckerpunch," on May 4 through Dark
Star Records/Direct Impact.

Musically Drop is nestled snuggly between classic Black Sabbath
heaviness and the sound of modern heavyweights like Drowning Pool and
Godsmack.

"Drop's sound is a big wall of guitar driven hard rock that comes out
raw and real with lots of energy," said guitarist Patrick Davey. "It's
not over produced, Pro Tools and studio enhanced sequenced crap that
comes from a bunch of producers trying to create a hit single. Our
sound comes from years of playing and practicing and writing songs
that we like. We are not trying to prove anything to anyone - except
maybe to ourselves. And if people like what they hear, we will keep
giving it to them."

Though the group has recorded two previous records, "Perfect
Absolution" and "Pitifully Human," "Suckerpunch" is the first to have
nationwide distribution. "It's really huge for us to have this kind of
a chance to spread music out to people like this," Davey said. "We
normally come into a town play a show and leave, and once we're gone,
so is the chance for the fans to buy the disc."

The first single from "Suckerpunch" is "What You Say," a song about
trying to break free from day-to-day routines and the pressure of
trying to live up to people's expectations. The band is in the process
of working out ideas for a video for the track, as well as a DVD
release for the fall. "It's going to be lots of live stuff, as well as
us just being on the road as a indie band trying to support the album
and make a living in this business," said Davey. "It should be
interesting."

Drop has always focused on its live show, and with the release of
"Suckerpunch," the group has plans to tour extensively. "The best part
about touring is getting out there and spreading our music to new fans
and meeting new people," said bassist Andy Smith. "It's a different
experience every day."

To celebrate the release of "Suckerpunch," Drop will hold a record
release party/live performance at Tower Records in Bloomingdale, Ill.,
on Saturday, May 8 at 7 p.m. "We are planning on turning this into a
huge event and a great party," said Davey. "It's a great way to get a
lot of people to see us live that might not normally make it to a
club."

Added guitarist Jimmy Haboush: "It's a great way to turn people on to
our music. It's a good opportunity to talk with people and hear what
they think and how they can relate to our songs."

Tour dates are as follow:

04/01/04 Thu. - Double Door, Chicago, IL
04/09/04 Fri. - Chicago City Limits, Schaumburg, IL
04/16/04 Fri. - 3rd Street Live, Cedar Rapids, IA
04/20/04 Tue. - Luthers Blues, Madison, WI
05/01/04 Sat. - Infineon Raceway, NHRA Event, Sonia, CA
05/02/04 Sun. - Infineon Raceway, NHRA Event, Sonia, CA
05/07/04 Fri. - Pops Pub, Roselle, IL
05/08/04 Sat. - Tower Records, Bloomingdale, IL (Record Release
Party/Show - all ages)
05/14/04 Fri. - The Arena, Dubuque, IA
05/15/04 Sat. - The Reverb, Cedar Falls, IA
05/21/04 Fri. - Penny Road Pub, South Barrington, IL
06/03/04 Thu. - House of Tune, Poplar Grove, IL
06/12/04 Sat. - The Brat Stop, Kenosha, WI - 95.1 Will Rock Show
07/04/04 Sun. - Texas Motor Speedway, NHRA Event, Dallas, TX
07/17/04 Sat. - Lenny the Legends, McHenery, IL
07/23/04 Sun. - English Town Racetrack, NHRA Event, Englishtown, NJ
07/24/04 Sun. - English Town Racetrack, NHRA Event, Englishtown, NJ
07/31/04 Sat. - Shark City, Bloomingdale, IL

http://www.drop-music.com/
http://www.darkstarrecords.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #2 ***
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-Trivium On Tour With God Forbid

Trivium will be touring the South East cost with God Forbid, All That
Remains and Scars Of Tomorrow in support of their album "Ember To
Inferno." More news to follow shortly...

TRIVIUM
04/07 - Richmond, VA @ Alley Katz
04/08 - Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
04/09 - Charleston, WV @ Sound Factory (Trivium only)
04/10 - Jacksonville, NC @ Planet Rock
04/11 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
04/13 - Orlando, FL @ The Social
04/14 - Jacksonville, FL @ The Imperial
04/16 - Lake Park, FL @ Kelsey Club 500
04/17 - St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre
04/18 - Tallahassee, FL @ Big Daddy's (Trivium only)
04/19 - Birmingham, AL @ Cave 9
04/20 - Shreveport, LA @ 516 Soundstage
04/21 - Little Rock, AR @ Vino's

http://www.trivium.org/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #3 ***
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-Exodus: 2,598 'Scanned The First Week!!!

TEMPO OF THE DAMNED:
· 2,598 'Scanned The First Week
· #96 on the Hard Music Top 100 Chart
· #47 on the Indie Chart
· #76 on the Top New Artist Albums Chart
· #64 on the Music Monitor Network Chart
· #152 in the SF-Oakland-San Jose Market
· #63 in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Market

RIPPIN' IT UP @ RADIO:
· #8 @ CMJ Loud Rock
· #13 @ CMJ Crucial Spins with 136 spins
· #12 @ FMQB with 199 spins
· #4 @ R&R
· #1 on the CHRW Loud Rock Chart

HOT OFF THE PRESS:
· "Taking all of the best bits of the first three albums, and
conveniently ignoring the crap that padded out the third, this is
Exodus' glorious return to form...And wait 'til you get a load of some
of these f#*kin' riffs. Thrash-head revisited, and not before time.
Let the shakeup commence." - TERRORIZER
· "Arguably the group's finest effort since 1989's 'Fabulous
Disaster', this is the work of a band who still hold a respectable
spot in the metal scene and who still have a lot of good days left
ahead of them." - BLABBERMOUTH.NET (from featured review on home page)
· "TEMPO OF THE DAMNED, Exodus' absolutely fantastic comeback album,
having Steve 'Zetro' Souza back in the ranks again as the band's
shouter, has a tempo that makes you want to bleed, sweat, piss, sh*!
and vomit (uh...whatever really!) metal after you have finished your
private lesson with these monstrously heavy, testosterone-filled,
blood-stopping and damn addictive songs on Exodus' best album to date
since the band's both 'BONDED BY BLOOD' and 'PLEASURES OF THE FLESH'
albums." - METAL-RULES.COM
· "The songs are infectious, the lyrics are fun and the album just
oozes metal." - METALJUDGMENT.COM
· "Count me among the rabidly ecstatic that these Bay Area pioneers
are back, and finally delivering new material 12 long years after the
so-so 'Force of Habit' put the final nail in the coffin of their
once-promising thrash career." - INFERNALCOMBUSTION.COM

EXODUS' ROAD RAGE:
· Exodus kick off their first U.S. headlining tour in support of Tempo
Of The Damned on April 10!

WHERE THE DAMNED ROAD LEADS:
Apr. 10 - Colorado Springs, CO @ 32 Bleu
Apr. 11 - Denver, CO @ Whiskey Bill's
Apr. 14 - Minneapolis, MN @ Ascot Room
Apr. 15 - Milwaukee, WI @ Rave
Apr. 16 - Chicago, IL @ Oasis 160
Apr. 17 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora
Apr. 18 - Indianapolis, IN @ Rehearsal Studios
Apr. 19 - Columbus, OH @ Al Rosa
Apr. 20 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The World
Apr. 21 - Wantagh, NY @ Malcahy's
Apr. 22 - Irvington, NJ @ Cricket Club
Apr. 23 - Philadelphia, PA @ REX
Apr. 24 - West Springfield, VA @ JAXX
Apr. 26 - Atlanta, GA @ Cotton Club
Apr. 27 - Orlando, FL @ BackBooth
Apr. 28 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ The Culture Room
May 01 - Dallas, TX @ Gypsy Tea Room
May 02 - San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit
May 04 - Gallup, NM - El Morro Theatre
May 05 - Tuba City, NM - Tuba City Community
May 06 - Phoenix, AZ - Mason Jar
May 07 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock
May 08 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
May 09 - Santa Ana, CA - Galaxy
(Los Angeles date to be scheduled)

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*** PRESS RELEASE #4 ***
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-Two Guys With Guitars

CONYERS, GA March 2004 -- Two Guys With Guitars, we're in the studio
finishing up our debut recording "Still Working."

The web site is up at www.TwoGuysWithGuitars.com and accepting
downloads.

Live act coming to an acoustic venue near you soon.

Tom Petty meets Train, Bob Dylan meets an unplugged Ozzy, George
Harrison hooks up with The Little River Band. So many influences, the
guys have been performing and writing together for a long time. The
much anticipated debut should be out later this year. In the meantime,
you can download individual tracks from their web site.

Don't be the last person on your block to hear the guys, be the first
to start the buzz!

The CD can be pre-purchased by sending email to:
DukeOfURL@... or you can contact the guts from their web
site at: http://www.TwoGuysWithGuitars.com/ .

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*** PRESS RELEASE #5 ***
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-The Thundertrain Story -- Coming Soon To DVD!!

Boston rock'n'roll band Thundertrain is the focus of a feature length
documentary currently being lensed by award-winning indie production
company Escape TV.

"THUNDERTRAIN: INBETWEEN NOW & THEN"

SEE THE THUNDERTRAIN DVD TRAILER NOW!!
http://escapetv.tv/CurrentPro/current_prod2.htm

Rewind to the summer of 1974. Five rebellious musicians from the
suburbs of Boston meet for the first time. Rehearsing, writing, and
dreaming in the basement of Jack's Drum Shop downtown on Boylston
Street. Thundertrain wanted to play their own music, do it their own
way, and live a life filled with adventure.

This documentary follows the group as they get off the ground, record
their two singles and full-length album, and proceed to blow the doors
off New York's CBGBs and Max's Kansas City, Cleveland's Agora
Ballroom, their hometown Rat in Boston, and every rowdy roadhouse and
high school gym inbetween.

According to one fan, "It was like a spaceship. Thundertrain had this
sexy, raw energy and they created a heavy metal, hard rock sound that
was okay for the punks to like." The band soon found themselves in the
pages of Rock Scene, Creem, Boston Groupie News, Time and 16 Magazine.
Thundertrain pushed the limits until they chose to self-destruct, as
the 70s drew to a close.

Thundertrain began releasing independent singles in 1975. A year
later, their "Hot For Teacher!" 45 rose to #3 on the then-new
alternative charts in the UK. Thundertrain's TEENAGE SUICIDE album was
released across the USA in 1977. Decades later, Thundertrain's
original music was unexpectedly reissued on compact disc by the
enigmatic indie label Gulcher Records to international acclaim. The
stage was set for a rebirth.

GULCHER RECORDS
http://gulcher.gemm.com/

Fast forward to today. See Thundertrain return to the stage as they
left it. Five rebellious musicians still doing it their own way,
touring their hometown Boston-area haunts and Florida's sunny beaches
in 2003.

Telly Award winning director Woody Bavota (Bill Bruford's Earthworks
FOOTLOOSE IN NYC) captures candid interviews with the band, deejays,
writers, promoters, groupies, fans, insiders, roadies, jet-setters,
lowlifes, and wheeler-dealers. All the colorful characters that have
played important roles in the still-unfolding Thundertrain legend.

"THUNDERTRAIN: INBETWEEN NOW & THEN" features never-before-seen
mid-70s footage of Thundertrain's tearing it up at The Rat in Kenmore
Square. Electrifying concert sequences shot during the Thundertrain
2003 reunion tour prove that, decades later, this brotherhood is still
raw-edged, hairy, and as entertaining as ever.

The Escape TV documentary "THUNDERTRAIN: INBETWEEN NOW & THEN" pays
homage to all garage bands struggling to make themselves heard.

THUNDERTRAIN HOTLINE
http://www.thundertrain.com/hotline.htm

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*** PRESS RELEASE #6 ***
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-Sweden Rock Festival - Last 7 Bands Confirmed

10 - 11 - 12 Juni 2004 Solvesborg

MONTROSE (US)
We are happy to present one of hard rock's premiere guitar heroes –
Ronnie Montrose! His band Montrose released their debut in 1973, one
of the major hard rock releases of the seventies, then featuring
singer Sammy Hagar. The band did a bunch of songs later covered by
bands like Iron Maiden, H-Bomb, Fastbacks, etc. After the band was put
to rest Ronnie formed Gamma and then kept on delivering guitar albums.
Today's Montrose features, besides Ronnie, Chuck Wright (Impellitteri,
House Of Lords) on bass, Pat Torpey (Mr. Big) on drums and singer
Keith St. John (Burning Rain, Medicine Wheel). Well, now we just await
the classic intro of "Bad Motor Scooter" and off we go!

TNT (N)
Finally they are back in their fine old melodic hard rock format! The
band's new album "My religion" is, according to a surprisingly crowd
of united reviewers, a true proof of a band back in their prime!
Classic albums like "Tell No Tales" and "Intuition" made fans of
melodic hard rock wet their pants. Now the classic line-up featuring
Tony Harnell, Ronnie Le Tekro, Diesel Dahl and Morty Black has once
again re-united to produce magic and they prove they still have it!
The fuse is lit and Sweden Rock is the target!

DANGER DANGER (US)
Another strong and highly unexpected card for fans of melodic hard
rock! Danger Danger has produced hits like "Bang Bang," "Naughty
Naughty" (all good things come in twos...) and "I Still Think About
You." The self-entitled debut was released in 1989 and the latest
album "The Return Of The Gildersleeves" showed a highly potent and
interesting act! Now original singer Ted Poley is back in the ranks!

CRAZY LED (FIN)
What can you NOT say about Five Fifteens front man Mika Järvinen? You
have to search far and wide to find a crazier rocker. When he now
comes to Sweden Rock with his sidekick Crazy Led to deliver Led
Zeppelin songs, it will not only sound incredible good, it will also
be a show you can tell your grand children about. It's a fact that Mr
Järvinen would win any Robert Plant look-alike competition, but it's
also a fact that when he brings his band, full of Finland's top
musician to the festival it will be damn good and you will leave the
show with a big smile on your face. Drums are handled by ex-Havana
Black & Pekka Pohjola drummer Anssi Nykänen. This is not an average
cover band, this is a show and they play all those Zep songs in their
very own way. A perfect opening act to set the pace for Sweden Rock
Festival 2004.

THE HAUNTED (S)
Sweden Rock proudly presents this year's winner of the Swedish Grammy
Award – The Haunted! Heavy, raw and brutal! The band was formed in
1996 by former members of Séance and At The Gates. The self-entitled
debut was released two years later and since then their popularity has
just been growing! The band's third studio album will be unearthed
later in the spring this year!

NIFELHEIM (S)
Last year, Mörk Gryning became the first black metal band in the
history of the festival. This year Nifelheim will be performing the
black arts and it is probably safe to say that they will summon the
most brutal tunes ever heard across the fields around Sölvesborg.
Nifelheim play extremely aggressive and evil black metal and the band
has promised to "turn the festival into a black mass" and that their
spectators worst nightmares will seem like heaven compared to the
band's show. Even though Nifelheim are celebrating their 13th
anniversary (!) this year they have only performed live very few
times, so if you are into brutal music this is one gig you can't
afford to miss!

MARYSLIM (S)
This Stockholm outfit could be described as the perfect mix between
'70s hard rock and garage noise. Or perhaps between AC/DC and
Hellacopters. Either way, Maryslim is about high octane, fuzz driven
rock 'n' roll with strong choruses and an attitude problem. The band
was formed as late as in the fall of 1999 but already has a number of
releases under its belt, the latest one being the brand new "Split
Vision," which was produced by Peter Tägtgren.

FINAL LINE-UP:
Abramis Brama (S), April Wine (Can), Astral Doors (S), Axel Rudi Pell
(D), Brainstorm (D), Cage (US), Carnal Forge (S), Children of Bodom
(Fin), Coney Hatch (Can), Crazy Led (FIN), D.A.D (DK), Danger Danger
(US), Debase (S), Dr Feelgood (UK), Entombed (S), Europe (S), Exodus
(US), Foghat (UK), Goda Grannar (S), Grand Magus (S), Hawkwind (UK),
Heart (Can), Helloween (D), Hirax (US), In Flames (S), Judas Priest
(UK), Kingdom Come (D), Lake of Tears (S), Lost Horizon (S), Lumsk
(N), Magic Slim & the Teardrops (US), Maryslim (S), Monster Magnet
(US), Montrose (US), Narnia (S), Nicky Moore sings Samson (UK/S),
Nifelheim (S), Nightwish (Fin), Opeth (S), Pat Travers Band (CAN),
Pathos (S), Persuader (S), Pink Cream 69 (D) Raceway (S), Ritual (S),
Scorpions (D), Skid Row (US), Slade (UK), Spearfish (S) - Back, For
The Future Show, Sun Caged (NL), TNT (N), Paragon (D), Memory Garden
(S), Testament (US), The Haunted (S), Trading Fate (S), U.D.O. (D),
UFO (UK), Wasa Express (S)

More information on our home page
http://www.swedenrock.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #7 ***
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-Armored Saint's Lessons NOT Well Learned DVD!

On May 4, 2004 Metal Blade Records Europe will release the brand-new
Armored Saint DVD Lessons NOT Well Learned 1991-2001!

Flip through the pages of time as your host "Gahnzo" takes you through
various live shows of Armored Saint. Filmed by the fans, these
concerts span the band's career from 1991-2001 and all is exposed! As
a sort of continuation from the Saint's A Trip Thru Red Times, Lessons
NOT Well Learned is chock full of live videos, off stage, time wasting
antics, a new production video for "Symbol Of Salvation," several
blooper out take reels, a bonus live-CD plus more! So put a grin on
your face and get ready for the Pulitzer wannabe, ARMORED SAINT
MAGAZINE: LESSONS NOT WELL LEARNED!

In this issue:
· Armored Saint Magazine Feature
· Reign of Fire Video
· Last Train Home Video
· Symbol of Salvation Video
· Photo Gallery
· Promotional Stunt
· Soundcheck
· Promotional Bloopers
· Gahnzo's Bloopers
· Interactive Menus

Live Videos
· Intro
· Pay Dirt (2001) - San Diego
· Warzone (1991) - Los Angeles
· Commercial Break # 1
· The Truth Always Hurts (1991) - Los Angeles
· After Me, The Flood (2000) - Bochum
· Red Onion
· Take a Turn (1991) - Anaheim
· Symbol of Salvation (2000) - Bochum
· Red Onion revisited
· Tainted Past (1991) - Los Angeles
· Commercial Break # 2
· Creepy Feelings (2000) - Bochum
· Another Day (1991) - Los Angeles
· For the Sake of Heaviness (1991) - Anaheim
· Tension (2001) - Los Angeles
· New Song
· Tribal Dance (2001) - San Diego
· Outro

Production Videos:
· Reign of Fire
· Last Train Home
· Symbol of Salvation

Bonus Live CD (recorded in 1984):
· Envy
· Glory Hunter
· False Alarm
· Can U Deliver
· Lesson Well Learned
· Madhouse

http://www.armoredsaint.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #8 ***
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-Symphorce: "Cause Of Laughter" Video Posted Online

Symphorce's brand new video "Cause Of Laughter" from the band's very
successful January release Twice Second (Metal Blade) is now online.
The new video clip is available on the band's homepage as
low-resolution clip for ISDN users, as well as high resolution for
broadband connections!

"Isn't it disgusting? It's just awesome what those guys did for us!
It's exactly what we wanted: a really B-movie style, trashy clip, with
a huge spider hunting the 'phorce gang!" says Andy B. Franck.

Symphorce have also confirmed the following dates as the 2nd part of
their "Two Seconds in Europe":
* 7/31 - GERMANY - HIMMEL OPEN AIR - Schaumburg/Hoof (near Kassel)
* 9/11 - FRANCE - RAISMES FESTIVAL - Raismes
* 10/02 & 10/03 - HOLLAND - PROGPOWER EUROPE - JC Sjiwa, Baarlo (L)

http://www.symphorce.net/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #9 ***
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-Metal Blade Records Inc. Signs The Red Chord!!!

We are proud to announce The Red Chord has officially signed with
Metal Blade/ Black Market Activities. The band plans to record their
next full length entitled Clients later this year. According to The
Red Chord vocalist, Guy Kozowyk, "The Metal Blade offer was hands down
the best all around deal we have received in the past two years. They
are hard working, honest people. They've done a remarkable job
expanding the direction of the company and it has been a pleasure
working with them thus far."

"We are extremely excited to announce that The Red Chord has joined
the Metal Blade Family. We could not be happier to work with such a
great band and we look forward to a great future with them." - Brian
Slagel Owner/CEO Metal Blade Records

According to guitarist, Mike McKenzie (aka Gunface) "We are all
excited about the signing. I'm happy with what they've done for us
already before even signing the agreement." When asked about the
newest material, McKenzie said, "The new record will push the
boundaries of our musical abilities and it will be great to have the
backing of a strong label." Bassist and newest member, Gregory Weeks
added, "We can't wait to tour and get out to all the places we have
yet to go. I think with Metal Blade's support we can really establish
ourselves and reach new audiences."

The Clients disc will be the follow-up to the band's 2002 album out on
Robotic Empire, Fused Together in Revolving Doors. Robotic Empire
owner, Andy Low added, "I'm happy, excited and proud of the band. I'm
glad to see the guys making the leap and I think Metal Blade is going
to do the guys right."

The Red Chord left for a 5-week tour yesterday (Wednesday, March 31st)
and will be playing the MacRock Festival in Harrisonburg, VA this
Friday (April 2nd). The following day the band will join a tour with
label mates Six Feet Under which also includes Bury Your Dead that
will last through the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on April
30th.

http://www.theredchord.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #10 ***
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-Update From Herod... News, Tours, Quotes... All That Good Stuff

Well, it's been a long while since an update so, here goes:

Herod will be touring Europe in May with label mates Fear My Thoughts.
Dates are posted on the Tours page. We will be hitting up anywhere
from 8 to 10 different countries. We also have a few East Coast shows
lined up before we leave as well. Those are posted on the Tours page
as well.

The New Record has been selling well, and getting incredible reviews!
If you haven't picked up the record yet, please pick it up! It is now
distributed through Victory/RED and is available everywhere! If a
store does not have it in stock, ask them to reorder!

Now, we recently ran into some problems (time constraints) with our
video for "We are those People." All the bugs have been worked out,
and expect the video to be linked up here and on the LifeForce page
within the next week. Hopefully the video will be aired shortly also!

Here are some of the nice things people have been saying about the new
Herod record:

"Buffalo's Herod may have a punk past, but man, have they mastered
metal" - METAL VIKING

"Creating a gorgeous combination of Swedish thrash, Finnish
drear/thrash/doo and...hard to pin.... but all the things that made
Metallica great, sorta in a space between Master and Justice" - BW&BK

"Herod has their version of Mustaine and Freidman in March and Benker"
- In Depth Zine

"Seamless interweaving of hardcore, punk, old school trash, and
classic metal" - Echo Weekly

"True musicians Herod.... create well written songs, with varying
dynamics" - 1340mag

"A credible slab of rock metal with cascading guitar arrangements,
poignant vocals, and above all, well-written songs" - Lambgoat

"Herod challenge musical conventions" - HighwireDaze

"Rings a vintage Metallica bell" - DB Loss

"Herod is going to be your band of 2004" - East Coast Romper

"Exceptionally crafted heavy metal" - Jackal Blaster

"A very strong record" - Digital Metal

"Book One of what we can only hope is a tale of epic, epic
proportions" - Sea of Tranquility

"I feel like I am hearing the next big thing" - Metal Review

"A great disc on all fronts" - Daredevil Magazine

"Lars and Co., get out a pencil and paper" - Maelstrom

"If you've worn out your Master of Puppets record, then pick this up"
- Northeast Hardcore

"Solos that would make Dimebag weep" - Smother.Net\

"Mix of Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, and Soilwork" - Innerfear.net

"Great debut effort" - Edge Magazine

"An exceptional Metal Album" - Live 4 Metal

"Killer riffs, hooks, and have the guff to bust out actual solos" -
Hellride Music

"When Herod rocks hard, they excel" - RoughEdge.com

"So melodic, so peaceful, yet so heavy and powerful" - Adrenaline
Fanzine

"Every metal-head Metallica lover's dream band" - Laminated webzine

"This band very well may become one of the best straight heavy metal
bands to come out of America in some time" - Underground Scene

"Highly Recommended" - Rocknation

"Herod has pieced together an album that jolts, rolls, and soothes the
listener" - Metal Maniacs

Upcoming East Coast Shows:

04/24 - Garfield NJ w/ BCS, 36 Deadly Fists, Erase The Past
05/08 - Buffalo NY @ Extreme Wheels w/ Bleeding Through

Herod Invades Europe 2004:
05/15 - Nowy Targ POL @ Youth Center
05/16 - Prague, CZ @ 007
05/17 - Vienna, AUT @ Shelter
05/18 - Graz, AUT @ Explosive
05/19 - Rome, ITA @ Club Sonica
05/20 - Milan, ITA @ TBA
05/21 - Goslar, GER @ JUZ
05/22 - Odense, DK @ Studenterhuset
05/23 - TBC
05/24 - UK @ TBA
05/25 - Leeds, UK @ The Fenton
05/26 - UK @ TBA
05/27 - Paris, FRA @ TBA
05/28 - Weimar, GER @ Gerber
05/29 - Görlitz, GER @ JUZ

All shows will be with Fear My Thoughts from Germany (LifeForce
Records; http://www.fearmythoughts.com/ ).

Once again, thanks to everyone at the radio (satellite also) stations
that continue to support Herod. Thanks to all who gave us favorable
reviews in their magazines and webzines!

If any of you have an inquiries regarding radio, please contact
eric@... and for all press related inquiries contact Dave at
earsplitpr@... .

Thanks again on behalf of Herod.

http://www.herod.cc/
http://www.lifeforcerecords.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #11 ***
*
-Sweden's Evergrey Releases Ambitious The Inner Circle & Embarks On
Extensive Spring North American Tour With Iced Earth And Children Of
Bodom

The career of Swedish melodic metal outfit Evergrey is a far-reaching
journey; a kaleidoscopic expedition that ventures deeper into the
human psyche with each progressing release, while simultaneously
broadening the band's sphere of musical vision. April 27th, 2004 will
see Evergrey enlighten the world with The Inner Circle, an adventurous
conceptual album exploring the nuances of religious cults and the
depth of Evergrey's expanding musicianship. The album will be released
through Inside Out Music America.

The follow-up to 2003's lauded Recreation Day (which yielded 2 videos
still in rotation on MTV2's "Headbanger's Ball": "I'm Sorry" &
"Blinded"), The Inner Circle sees Evergrey intensifying their musical
ability with the utilization of a string quartet, courtesy of the
Gothenburg Symphonic Orchestra, as well as handling all of the
production duties themselves. The band (vocalist/guitarist Tom S.
Englund, guitarist Henrik Danhage, bassist Michael Hakansson,
keyboardist Rikard Zander, and drummer Jonas Ekdahl) unleashes an
album that retains Evergrey's signature brand of infectious
songwriting while experimenting with new ideas, thoughts, and sonic
imagery. Englund explains, "We never had any plans to go in any
direction, and it is one of the things that makes Evergrey unique. We
have always tried to be a complex band, but we have always maintained
a 'pop-structure' to the songs. We are happy that we are evolving as
songwriters, and we are fortunate not to repeat ourselves. With
Recreation Day, we wrote recorded and released it within 5 months.
With this one, we took a lot more time with it."

Englund also offers a brief synopsis of the encompassing plot of The
Inner Circle:

"It is a conceptual album about being caught up within a religious
cult, viewing how you deal with it and how others around you deal with
it. It is told from everyone's point of view, and shows how you fall
deeper and deeper into a state of apathy, losing more and more control
and power over yourself and dreams; eventually giving yourself over to
the cult. It is about fanatics, not specific to a religious group; it
can relate to Christians, Muslims, Satanists, Jews, it doesn't really
matter."

The track listing for The Inner Circle includes:

A Touch Of Blessing
Ambassador
In The Wake of the Weary
Harmless Wishes
Waking Up Blind
More Than Ever
The Essence of Conviction
Where All Good Sleep
Faith Restored
When the Walls Go Down

BONUS TRACKS: Live & Acoustic In France
I'm Sorry
Recreation Day
Madness Caught Another Victim

Audio clips for "A Touch of Blessing" and "More Than Ever" can be
sampled here: http://www.evergrey.net/audvid.php

In bringing the complex and evocative endeavor to life, not only was
the Gothenburg Symphonic Orchestra employed "to make the production
more interesting, more organic and dynamic," but Englund also enlisted
the services of his wife Carina to perform angelic, choir-like vocal
melodies throughout the album. Carina Englund has actually appeared on
every Evergrey studio album to date.

InsideOut Music America, in recognition of Evergrey's achievements and
potential, has recently reissued the band's first two stylish and
inspired albums, Dark Discovery (1998) & Solitude Dominance Tragedy
(1999), neither of which have been previously domestically available.
These editions feature new liner notes by Tom S. Englund, and each
contains an exclusive video track (Dark Discovery features "For Every
Tear That Falls" and Solitude Dominance Tragedy features "The
Masterplan").

Due to the success of Evergrey's videos from Recreation Day, the band
is planning to film two new videos to promote The Inner Circle, "A
Touch of Blessing" and "More Than Ever." This time around, 3 reputable
directors are queuing to work with the band, one of whom is Stakka Bo,
known for his directorial work on Madonna's "Nothing Really Matters,"
Kylie Minogue's "Love at First Sight," and Chris Cornell's "Can't
Change Me" videos.

Evergrey has quickly joined the ranks of Scandinavian metal bands that
have been breaking massive ground in the American music scene. Englund
offers his theory on the situation, "Scandinavian people are very
determined people. When we want something, we kinda go for it
entirely. So it does not surprise me that bands like Arch Enemy, In
Flames, Dimmu Borgir, and Opeth are getting noticed in America.
Especially us, Evergrey, now, with all of the MTV attention; it's
absolutely amazing. We're just grateful for everything that comes our
way."

Evergrey will soon show fans their appreciation in mid-April when they
cross the Atlantic to join fellow melodic metallers Iced Earth and
Children of Bodom for a full North American tour. This will be
Evergrey's second foray into American touring. Tom expresses his
excitement, "This tour is really designed for us; all the bands on it
are quite melodic. What we are really looking to come of this is to
influence people into checking us out; that is really what matters.
The last tour with Arch Enemy was great, but this one definitely seems
custom-tailored to our style of music. It's going to be a lot of fun."

Tour dates include:

Sunday, April 18th - Cleveland, OH - The Odeon
Monday, April 19th - Sauget (St. Louis), IL - Pop's
Tuesday, April 20th - Chicago, IL - Metro
Wednesday, April 21st - Minneapolis, MN - Quest
Friday, April 23rd - Milwaukee, WI - The Eagle's Club
Saturday, April 24th - Detroit, MI - Harpo's Concert Theatre
Sunday, April 25th - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
Monday, April 26th - Toronto, ON, Can. - The Guvernment
Wednesday, April 28th - Montreal, QC, Can. - The Medley
Thursday, April 29th - New York, NY - BB King's
Friday, April 30th - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
Saturday, May 1st - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
Sunday, May 2nd - Springfield, VA - Jaxx
Tuesday, May 4th - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
Wednesday, May 5th - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
Friday, May 7th - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
Saturday, May 8th - Houston, TX - Engine Room
Sunday, May 9th - Austin, TX - The Back Room
Monday, May 10th - Dallas, TX - Deep Ellum Live
Wednesday, May 12th - Denver, CO - Ogden Theater
Friday, May 14th - Vancouver, BC, Can. - Commodore Ballroom
Saturday, May 15th - Seattle, WA - Graceland
Monday, May 17th - San Francisco, CA - Avalon Ballroom
Tuesday, May 18th - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
Wednesday, May 19th - Scottsdale, AZ - Cajun House
Friday, May 21st - West Hollywood, CA - House of Blues

http://www.evergrey.net/
http://www.insideoutmusic.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #12 ***
*
-Death Angel Update

Returning this May from a long break, Death Angel will release The Art
Of Dying on May 4th, their first album in 14 years! Currently the band
is working on a video for the first single "Thicker Than Blood."

"The shoot went AWESOME! It's going to be a killer video!"
-Cheers, Death Angel

Get ready for a string of shows this season:

4/9 - Chasers - Phoenix, AZ
4/10 - Chasers - Phoenix, AZ
5/14 - Roadhouse - Sacramento, CA
5/15 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
5/16 - Key Club - Los Angeles, CA
5/17 - Galaxy - Santa Ana, CA

http://www.deathangel.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #13 ***
*
-Sanctuary Records Presents The Hiss

**Debut Album Panic Movement Released March 23, 2004**

"Thought The New Rock Revolution Couldn't Get Any Better? Think Again
... The Hiss, They're From Atlanta And They're Better Than, Well,
Everything"
- NME, Paul Moody, January 18, 2003

One of SPIN Magazine's "25 TO WATCH IN 2004"

"Panic Movement is easily one of the most startling debuts of the
year; taking Southern rock and skewering it with the kind of driving
guitar assault that marked the most hedonistic moments in the careers
of U.K. bands like Oasis and The Verve, the disc is simply a dark and
dirty rock 'n' roll extravaganza."
- CMJ New Music Report, Doug Levy, December 15, 2003

"Massive-sprawling-defiant"
- THE LA WEEKLY, Jay Babcock, July 10, 2003

"Barrera strives for the upper registers of blues rock vocalists such
as Jack White and Robert Plant, while guitarist Ian Franco supplies
weighty riffs with the punk/soul force of the Stooges. The rhythm
section of bassist Johnny Kral and drummer Todd Galpin provide an
arena-worthy backbone on songs that assail mainstream radio one
moment, and quote 'Miss You' from the Rolling Stones the next."
- BILLBOARD, Todd Martens, July 16, 2003

"superb songwriting ... full of energy and melody, psychedelic moves
and impressive wordplay"
- ENTERTAINMENT TODAY, Paul Andersen, July 10, 2003

"The quartet doesn't mimic '60s garage pop or '70s avant-garde rock.
They don't wear tattered new-wave clothes. There's not even a hint of
irony to what the band does. The Hiss just wants to rock out, plain
and simple. Riffs are Zeppelin-sized and bombastic. The rhythms are
thick and funky. And Barrera howls like his leather pants are a size
small and he likes 'em that way."
- LAS VEGAS CITY LIFE, Jeff Inman, June 25, 2003

Check out the Hiss e-card at:
http://www.sadisticcreations.com/hiss/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #14 ***
*
-ESP Guitars Donates Deftones Guitarist Stephen Carpenter's Signed
Signature Model To Benefit The St. Jude's Children's Cancer Research
Hospital

Burbank, CA (April 3, 2004) -- Guitars4kids announces the newest eBay
Auction of guitars, that will raise money to benefit St. Jude's
Children's Cancer Research Hospital.

· ESP LTD Stephen Carpenter SC-200 Signature Model Guitar
· Autographed by Stephen Carpenter, guitarist of the Grammy Award
Winning group The Deftones!
· See-Thru Green Finish with signature on the body.

Auction is for a brand new SC-200 and includes a LTD hard shell case.
Visit http://www.espguitars.com/ for additional specs on this limited
edition guitar!

Find this guitar auction @
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3715058887&rd=1

Help us, help the children

To find out about upcoming auctions, with guitars signed by The Cure,
Motley Crue, Pink, Dimebag Darrell and Zakk Wylde, just to name a few,
visit http://www.Guitars4Kids.com/ and sign up for email
notifications. 100% of all money raised will go directly to St.
Jude!!! ( http://www.Stjude.org/ )

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #15 ***
*
-Ion Vein - March/April News

http://www.ionvein.com/

Hi everyone, hope all is well, here's the latest from the Vein camp!

· More tour dates added
We have announced more tour dates at the end of the newsletter
including a cool show this week with the reformed '80s Chicago
thrashers Tyrant's Reign, an all ages show with Ice Titan April 24 and
also a great show May 15th with King's X!

· Ion Vein to hit New York for Upstate Metalfest
Hey east coast friends, we're coming out to see you! Our good friends
Enertia have put together a killer weekend of metal called the Upstate
Metal Fest May 7-8 at The Upper Deck in Gloversville (40min NW of
Albany)!!! Also on the bill are Division, Conquest, HavocHate, Lucid
Reality, XFactorX and possibly two more bands. This is an 18 and over
show (and only $10 for two days) so we really hope to see you east
coast Veiniacs out there! Please visit
http://www.upstatemetalfest.com/ for all fest info. including travel
details.

· Guitarist search continues
We are still auditioning second lead guitarists so please send and
email to mail@... with "guitarist" in the subject line if you
are interested or know of anyone. Serious pros only.

· New album
Writing has begun for the new album with two songs almost completed.
One song entitled "Enough" was debuted at Chicago Powerfest and
received a very strong reaction so we're very excited to get things
rolling and get the new album out asap. Stay tuned for more details.

· New merchandise
It's been a long time since we've had any new merchandise but the time
has finally come!! We have double sided short sleeve and long sleeve
Reigning Memories shirts, black girly t's, whitle girly t's with the
IV logo as well as black/grey baseball jerseys with the logo.
Merchandise will be available at all upcoming shows and will be online
shortly so please keep checking the website for ordering info.

· Reigning Memories latest review scores
6/6 Rock Heavy Metal Pages, Poland
5/5 Metal Judgement, US
4.5/5 Glory Daze, New Zealand
8.5/10 Ultimate Metal, UK

The full reviews will be on line shortly....
click www.ionvein.com/content/merch.asp to purchase a copy.

· Tour dates
04-10 - Chicago, IL - Cafe Lura - w/ special guests Tyrant's Reign
plus Malas
04-24 - Elmhurst, IL - Elk's Lodge - ALL AGES show!
05-08 - Gloversville, NY - The Upper Deck - Upstate Metal Fest
05-15 - Chicago Hts., IL - Oasis 160 - w/ KING'S X plus NDX
06-05 - Cleveland, OH - The Odeon - BW&BK 6 pack weekend
Please visit http://www.ionvein.com/content/tour.asp for all show
details.

· Visit the forum
Stop by the forum at www.ionvein.com to discuss the latest news about
Ion Vein or for general discussion. You'll get all the latest scoops
on the forum so stop by, register and take part!

Take care and we'll see you on tour!

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #16 ***
*
-The Ring - Tales From Midgard

Release date is scheduled for 7th June 2004

For over half a century J. R. R. Tolkien's seminal work 'The Lord Of
The Rings' has influenced readers, writers and artists of all
disciplines.

The trilogy carries a resonance, a mythic sub-text that echoes deep
within the psyche of the reader, and such is the case with members of
The Ring. Drawn together by the effect Tolkien's work has had upon
them, the members of The Ring, Jake Samuel (Vocals/Drums), Pontus
Norgren & Marcus Jidell (guitars and bass) some of Sweden's most
talented and respected musicians, set out to interpret the great
trilogy with their songs and vision, producing and mixing the whole
work themselves. With a sense of Dio era-Sabbath soundscape epic, and
their own inherent gift for melody, The Ring have created a soundtrack
for the imagination that is fired by a reading of Tolkien's work on
long winter nights, when the fires crackle and stories are summoned
for the telling. When Elder days are close once more, and there is a
whisper of magic on the air, when one dares to believe. With the
support of Scarlet Records, The Ring have now breathed life in all its
many hues into their vision. First part fo the trilogy will be titled
'Tales From Midgard' and will features a magnificent cover artwork
done by JP Fournier (Edguy, Avantasia, Immortal, Dragonforce). Join
the company, which includes Doogie White (Rainbow, Malmsteen) on
"Voices Of The Fallen Kings" now on the journey of a lifetime.

In Japan the album will be released through King Records.

Lineup:
Jakob Samuel - vocals, drums & keyboard
Pontus Norgren - guitar, bass & keyboard
Marcus Jidell - guitar, bass & keyboard

http://www.ScarletRecords.it/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #17 ***
*
-Razorback - "Animal Anger"

Three weeks before the release of the new Razorback CD "Animal Anger"
our website went online today. Please head over to
http://www.razorback-online.com/ and find out details about the band.

You can download three brand new sound samples from "The Hymn," "One
By One" and "Fire And Rain."

Here is the track list:
1. The Hymn
2. One By One
3. A New King In Town
4. Kiss Of Death
5. Fire And Rain
6. Release Me
7. Lone Wolf
8. The Eye Of The Storm
9. Bastard
10. Dead Man's Song

Razorback are:

Stefan Berggren (Company Of Snakes) - Vocals
Rolf Munkes (Empire, Vanize) - Guitars
Marcus Bielenberg (Vanize) - Bass
Pierre Fienhold (Vanize) - Drums
Chris Heun (Shylock) - Guitars
Special Guest:
Joakim Svalberg - Keyboards

Thanks and all the Best
Rolf Munkes

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #18 ***
*
-Metalmania 2003 Available On DVD/CD May 25, 2004, Through Music Video
Distributors

OAKS, PA -- Music Video Distributors and Metal Mind are pleased to
announce the home viewing release of Metalmania 2003 for US
distribution on DVD.

This is the first ever DVD coverage of the most prestigious metal
music festival in Europe! It features 27 live tracks from Metalmania
2003 -- the highlights of the main stage & most important
performances! The very varied set list covering such kinds of metal
music as death, black, gothic, heavy or progressive! It features
amazing performance by Samael with their cult "Black Trip." Saxon
rocks the venue with their hard rock classic "Princess of the Night,"
and Anathema performing an Iron Maiden cover! There is also an ultra
brutal set by Marduk, not to mention raw power and pure punk energy at
The Exploited gig. The CD contains studio recordings by the bands
performing on the side stage.

DVD Includes:
Lost Soul - Tabernaculum Miser, My Kingdom
Delight - The Fading Tale, Stained Glass
Enter Chaos - Industrial Disease, …And The Angels Sing, Lost in
Ecstasy
God Dethroned - Poison Apple, The Art Of Immolation, Boiling Blood
Marduk – Azrael, Hearse, Of Hell's Fire, Fistfucking God's Planet
The Exploited - Fuck The System, Beat The Bastards, Sex & Violence
Anathema – Release, Phantom Of The Opera, A Dying Wish
Vader – Carnal, Silent Empire
Opeth - Deliverance
Saxon - Princess Of The Night, Supra Karma
Samael - The Ones Who Came Before, Black Trip

CD Tracks:
1. Elysium - 4.48 for Sarah
2. Crionics - Hallowed Whores
3. Dominium - The Howling
4. Anal Stench - Torment in the Shabeen
5. Misteria - Children of the Snake
6. StrommoussHeld - Era Depression
7. Never - Mind Regress
8. Vesania - Mystherion. Crystaleyes
9. Parricide - Behind the Scenes
10. Demise - Affliction

Extras include complete info about each band plus discographies,
line-ups, weblinks, and Photo Gallery.

DVD:
Street Date: May 25, 2004
Retail Price: $19.95
Running Time: 210 minutes
Audio: 5.1
Region: 0

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #19 ***
*
-Great White Playing Southern California

Southern California Rockers Return Home For Benefit Concerts

Southern California rockers Great White are performing two shows this
April to benefit the victims and survivors of the Station Nightclub
fire in Rhode Island.

April 22 - Ventura Theatre - Ventura, CA
April 25 - Ibiza Nightclub - Whittier, CA

The objective is to create further awareness and financial assistance
to those touched by the Rhode Island tragedy. Proceeds go directly to
The Station Family Fund. The funds raised will be controlled and
administered by The Station Family Fund.

http://www.stationfamilyfund.org/

Help Us – Help Our Own

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #20 ***
*
-Z Festival Returns!

After a 2 year absence Z Records are proud to announce the return of
their Z Rock UK show. After much planning and negotiations the label
has finally agreed to stage Z Rock 2004 on September 19th in
Liverpool, England. A further announcement will be made shortly with
full ticket outlet details etc along with confirmed acts and venue.
Tickets for the show will go on sale April 19th.

http://www.zrecords.net/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #21 ***
*
-New This Week From Sanctuary Records!

Sanctuary Records is proud to present the following releases in stores
today!!

Blondie – "The Curse Of Blondie"

Blondie, America's greatest pop band, is back on the scene with an
amazing new CD on Sanctuary Records, The Curse of Blondie.

Featuring fourteen new songs, including the hit single "Good Boys," it
could be the most musically accomplished and surprising album of their
long and illustrious career.

Blondie emerged as the great pop band of the New York New Wave Punk
scene. But they always defied categorization because they did the
music they loved. They scored the first major reggae, rock/disco and
hip hop hits. They wrote great rock hooks and brilliant ironic lyrics.
They had the hippest clothes and the coolest hair. Debbie went from
the cover of Punk magazine to being on the cover of just about every
magazine.

The Curse of Blondie proves that the band hasn't lost a step. In fact
the band has refined its chops and plays better than ever, but what's
amazing is that they've kept totally current. Guitarist Chris Stein
says, "It's in the groove of what's happening, but it still pushing
the envelope." The Curse of Blondie is the envelope.

(--biog. credit: Glenn O'Brien)

This Just In: Blondie Canadian Tour Date:
May 1st – Toronto, ON @ The Guvernment!

http://www.blondie.net/
http://www.sanctuaryrecords.com/

Kelly Osbourne – "Live In London" DVD

2003 was a banner year for the career of Miss Kelly Osbourne. After
finding a new label (Sanctuary), and a re-release of her album
(Changes), she watched the duet with her father, "Changes" reach #1 in
the UK and achieve gold status.

Filmed in June 2003, Live In London captures Kelly ripping up the
stage as she did throughout her Shut Up World Tour.

This DVD includes the concert as well as backstage footage and
interviews. It also features the video for "Changes" featuring Kelly
and Ozzy performing together.

http://www.kellyosbourne.com/
http://www.sanctuaryrecords.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #22 ***
*
-Disarmonia Mundi - Fragments Of D-Generation

New Studio album 'Fragments Of D-Generation' featuring on vocals Bjorn
Speed Strid!

Featuring Soilwork/Terror 2000 singer Bjorn Strid on vocals,
Disarmonia Mundi are ready to shock the metal world with their
incredible 2nd album! 'Fragments Of D-Generation' is a hell of a
masterpiece, mixing technical and thrashing death metal with crushing
rhythmic heaviness, rumbling double bass explosions and catchy,
energetic, melodic riffing. An amazing and surprising result for a
newcomer band that uncompromisingly demonstrate how mature and
personal Disarmonia Mundi's own style is. Japanese label Soundholic
(Soilwork, Carnal Forge, Terror 2000) offered a priority-deal for this
upcoming release and it's the first time for a death-metal oriented
band from Italy. This is the new generation of Melodic Death Metal!

Release Date: 17 May 2004

Disarmonia Mundi - Fragments Of D-Generation
1) Common State Of Inner Violence
2) Morgue Of Centuries
3) Red Clouds
4) Quicksand Simmetry
5) Swallow The Flames
6) OceanGrave
7) A Mirror Behind
8) Come Forth My Dreadful One
9) Shattered Lives And Broken Dreams
10) Colors Of A New Era

http://www.ScarletRecords.it/

*
*** REALM OF SHRED ***
*
by Neal Woodall (MysticX10@...)

-Sometimes it seems the shred craze of the late '80s was a million
years ago. Since the early '90s, shred has been vilified by rock fans,
critics and even former shred players. The tide seems to be turning
somewhat, however, as recently I have seen an explosion of cover
articles on shred and shred-style players. Check out the latest issues
of _Guitar Player_ and _Total Guitar_ as both magazines have great
biographies of the shred era as well as interviews with current
players epitomizing the genre. Hopefully this style of music is making
a comeback (not that it was top 10 to begin with, but at least it used
to get some exposure). I'm hearing from many guitar teachers that most
of their new students are wanting to learn the more difficult stuff
again; this is great but I hope we don't have a repeat of the late
'80s where everyone just wanted to play fast scales and arpeggios; an
emphasis on good songwriting and rhythm technique would be a good
foundation for these guys...

-Came across a cool Web site this weekend,
http://www.virtuosityone.com/ . They have some good interviews with
players like Rob Johnson, Rusty Cooley, James Byrd and Marcel Coenen,
as well as news, CD reviews and band info.

-Continuing on my trip down memory lane (with the intention of
updating the whereabouts of many of my old favorites), I threw on some
Obsession the other day and enjoyed the talents of Michael Vescera and
company. Almost forgot how good albums like SCARRED FOR LIFE and
METHODS OF MADNESS were; news is Michael has reformed Obsession and is
working on new material now. I haven't seen an official Web site for
them yet but I'll post it here as soon as I do.

-I also caught up on shredder Stephen Ross, his 1991 release MIDNIGHT
DRIVE was a great piece of instrumental excess in the typical Shrapnel
mold; he is currently working on new material and should have a CD out
soon. You can check out sound samples, lessons and updates by going to
his site, http://www.stephenross.com/ .

-Finally, I'm still waiting for Rob Johnson to release his new
instructional DVD. It was supposed to be out now but apparently has
met with delays; the title will be SHRED TACTICS, and as soon as I
have more information I'll post it, along with a review.

-Making its way onto the playlist this week: Obsession's METHODS OF
MADNESS, Iron Maiden's DANCE OF DEATH, Dio's DREAM EVIL, Tony
MacAlpine's FREEDOM TO FLY and Yngwie Malmsteen's ECLIPSE. Vintage
pick of the week: Michael Schenker Group's debut.

-Keep rockin'!!!

*
*** REVIEWS ***
*
TYGERS OF PAN TANG - NOISES FROM THE CATHOUSE (C+) Communique Records,
2004
10 tracks (11th hidden), RT: 62:44
[ http://www.tygersofpantang.co.uk/ ]
[ http://www.communiquerecords.com/ ]
Perspective: I have heard of the Tygers Of Pan Tang many times but I
have never actually heard their music. I remember seeing ads for them
in the back of _Hit Parader_ magazine that I used to get (do they
still publish?). They have been around for over 25 years and were part
of the NWOBHM movement. I was always intrigued as I know John Sykes
had played on five of their 14 releases, but it wasn't until this
release that I have heard any of their material so I cannot compare it
to anything they have previously released. Review: This CD was
self-produced by the band and mixed by the band's long-term producer,
Chris Tsangarides (Y&T, Judas Priest, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc.). The mix
is good and everything is crisp and clear, but I can't help but think
that a slicker production would have helped this CD. It sounds as if
the band was going for more of a raw sound than polished, but there
are some very cool things going on this CD that would have benefited
from a more bombastic sound in my opinion. For instance, there are
some very good vocal arrangements going on here compliments of Richie
Wicks. On the second track, "Godspeak," the pre-chorus has a cool
counterpart vocal going on but it doesn't jump out at you; the voices
just kind of lay in the background. With a larger, more in-your-face
production, it would have established a major hook. There are a few
other spots on this CD that are similar. On the opening track,
"Boomerang," after a brief piano intro accompanied by some strings the
guitar comes crashing in and sounds very heavy but the drums don't
match the sonic impact; the playing is there, they just sound a little
to dry. When the chorus comes in, it's very heavy and in your face,
yet the vocals lack the depth they need to put this song over the top.
Don't get me wrong, there are some good songs on here, I just think a
different approach to the production could have benefited the CD
greatly. On the third and longest (9:14) track, "Master Of Illusion,"
there is a great slow-building, old school guitar solo at the end --
definitely the highlight of the CD for me. "Deja Vu" is a laidback
moody song that lends to another great melodic, beefy guitar solo. I
am hard-pressed to compare these guys to anyone as they really don't
remind me of any other band in particular. Wicks has a very distinct
voice that you will either really like or you won't; he can defiantly
sing and creates some very cool melodies and harmonies, but he just
has a very distinct tone that may not appeal to all listeners. The
band overall is very tight and smooth; Craig Ellis does some cool drum
rhythms on a number of these songs, nothing too wild as to take away
from the song, but enough to keep it fresh sounding. The tempos are
varied and most of the songs flow very well. The songs show a good
amount of diversity which is a big positive. This release has
definitely sparked my interest to check out some of their back
catalogue. Summary: Good old school NWOBHM Rock, well-written songs,
clean mix but a little dry. If you like singer Richie Wicks' voice
then you should really like this CD. There are some good rocking
guitar solos. - Sean P. Gahgan (lof@...)

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Detritus Rock/Metal e-zine
"Rock Hard With A Purpose"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/detritus/

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