Detritus
Issue #267
Week of April 26, 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 ***
*
-I've decided to extend the Broken Teeth contest deadline by one week.
(Hey, I'm in the computer business -- nothing's ever on time, right?)
So now you've got until midnight next Tuesday night, May 4, to submit
an entry for the promo VHS giveaway. I'll draw 14 random winners who
will receive *FOR FREE* a two-song promo videotape featuring the clips
for "Devil Money" and "Crash Landing Affair" off of Teeth's 2002 album
GUILTY PLEASURE. So c'mon all you Teeth, Dangerous Toys, AC/DC, and
Dirty Looks fans -- you've got no excuse to not enter. Simply send an
e-mail with the subject "Broken Teeth giveaway" to me at
tsw512@... and be sure to include your full name and address.
'Tis all you gotta do.

-This week we've got a butt-load (that's more than a crap-load but not
quite a shit-load... I think...) of press releases, and be sure to
wander all the way down to the bottom, 'cuz Sean Gahgan's got a report
on Iced Earth and Evergrey live, and John Erigo has offered up his
thoughts on the Van Halen reunion tour. Plus Sean's reviewed the
newest Evergrey opus, THE INNER CIRCLE.

-Now in my current playlist: U.D.O. - THUNDERBALL, Bob Katsionis -
IMAGINARY FORCE (Bob's the coolest keyboardist out there, period!),
Edguy - HELLFIRE CLUB, TAROT - Suffer Our Pleasures (still!), AINA -
DAYS OF RISING DOOM (my God, what awesome packaging!), Anthrax - MUSIC
OF MASS DESTRUCTION, Steve Blaze - RANDOM ACTS OF BLINDNESS, and Jesse
Damon - THE HAND THAT ROCKS.

-P.S. to the Chicago Cubs: You're killing me!!! It's *OK* to score
runs in Arizona. Really. - Tim

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*** PRESS RELEASE #1 ***
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-Prong Releases New Album Scoprio Rising On Locomotive Music Germany

HOLLYWOOD (April 21, 2004) -- Be aware of Scoprio Rising -- the
ultimate Prong sound of the new century. This is the definite
soundtrack for the year 2004. High quality, total honesty and
absolutely Prong. The current incarnation of Prong includes
singer/guitarist/founder Tommy Victor, drummer Dan Laudo and the band
also is accompanied by guitarist Monte Pittman, a longtime friend of
Victor and an alumnus of Madonna's recent Drowned World Tour.

Prong's lineup has been very fluid over the years, with Victor being
the only constant. He says he initially considered touring under a
different moniker. "For a while, I thought, 'I won't use this name;
Prong is a dead entity,'" he says. "But really it isn't, because a
good 95% of the material has been mine throughout the years, so I
figured, 'Might as well just keep it going.' There's people out there
that want to hear it, and I owe it to them."

"The new music is similar to Rude Awakening, but maybe even a little
more simplistic," says Victor. "This time I started with lyrics, and
developed from there, from what I've got going on personally, dealing
with this planet Earth. All the songs are about something different,
but they're all about the same thing -- Innocence gone. On Rude
Awakening, everyone was insane, and I was in that frame of mind. These
songs are more like a sequel to Rude Awakening -- That was about the
craziness of the world, and this is more about how I'm dealing with
it..."

From the nuclear bomb that graced the cover, to the lyrics that
permeated the album, there was a lot of fear on Rude Awakening. The
difference now, is that Victor has learned to cope with that fear, and
has realized he has no control over it. "Everything fell apart, and
that happens with everybody -- Someway, somehow, you have to endure
and put it all back together again, and that's what I had to do."

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*** PRESS RELEASE #2 ***
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-downset.'s New Release 'Universal' Hits Top Positions For Radio
Airplay

'Universal' Scheduled To Release May 10th On Hawino Records

HOLLYWOOD (April 21st, 2004) - downset. is geared and primed with
vigor to return to the top of the amalgamated world they created over
a decade ago, and bring it to all. The band just completed 11
blistering new songs, and has been performing sporadically for the
long awaited 4th album, "Universal", slated to be released May 10th on
Seattle-based Hawino Records.

Their reemergence marks the strength and integrity that has been held
high in the eyes and ears of fans and believers. Multi-platinum band
P.O.D. holds downset. in the highest regards of their chosen music
genre. "downset. is original style which demands total respect,"
states WUV, drummer of P.O.D. And while their previous efforts have
sold close to 300,000 copies worldwide, "Universal" is set to follow
suit. Tracks like "Forever", "All Crews", "Black Glock", and "Jumpin'
Off", showcase the uncompromising anger and gritty reality that
downset. fans have learned to expect. downset. is one of the pioneers
of hardcore, punk & hip hop. They are true originals," exclaims Sonny,
singer of P.O.D.

Listen for downset.'s new release at the following radio station:

Commercial Specialty
KASS Casper WY
KEYJ Abeline TX
KIBZ Lincoln
KQRA Springfield MO
KQRX Midland TX
KYYI Wichita Falls TX
WCYY Portland ME
WDNS Bowling Green KY
WGIR Portsmouth NH
WHEB Portsmouth NH
WKGB Binghamton NY

Non-Comm Spec
WEOS Geneva NY - top 20 debut
WKNH Keene NH
WLJS Jacksonville AL - top 20 debut
WUEV Evansville IN - top 30 debut
WVUA Tuscalusa AL

College rotation
KVDU Denver CO - top 5 debut
WGCC Geneva NY - top 50 debut
WMHB Waterville ME - top 20 debut
WRBC Auburn ME - 2 weeks in the top 20
WSUP Platteville WI - top 20 debut
WUSR Scranton PA - top 20 debut
WVCS Washington PA - top 40 debut
WVKC Galesburg IL - 2 weeks in the top 40
WWSP Stevens Point WI - top 40 debut
WVUD Newark DE - top 50 debut
WWVU Morgantown WV - top 50 debut

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*** PRESS RELEASE #3 ***
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-Eric Knight - Wants You For His Cyber / Street Team

LOS ANGELES -- Singer songwriter Eric Knight with 2 national indie
releases is seeking a new street & cyber team of music fans to take
him to the next level. Some of you may be wondering "WHO THE F%$# IS
ERIC KNIGHT?"

Eric as you may or may not know has shared the stage with some of
rock's biggest acts. Aerosmith, KISS, Kid Rock and the Dave Matthews
Band. He has been featured in the pages of Billboard, Album Network,
Pro Sound News and Mix just to name a few. Los Angeles publication
"Rock City News" has already hailed him as the next "big thing" His
videos have garnered airplay on M2, the Box, IMNTV & MTV Latino. His
albums Near Life Experience and, more recently, Fractured Fairy Tales
have received rave reviews. He is currently in pre-production on his
latest album Delusions Of Grandeur.

So copy or paste this link right now
http://www.ericknightonline.com/streetteam/ and sample 3 clips for
your approval. You can even download full MP3 versions of the same 3
songs to spread to friends right now FREE!!! Take 'em even if you're
not interested in becoming a member if you like 'em pass them to
someone who might be.

Although membership has its privileges. By becoming an Eric Knight
cyber / street team member, you'll receive sneak previews of new
music, his FREE newsletter, giveaways, tickets for shows, photos,
special events, inside scoops, and special messages from Eric himself
and much much more.

If you dig it we are looking to set up street teams or cyber teams
worldwide to help spread the word out on Eric and his future
happenings and events. So for anyone interested in becoming a street /
cyber team member now go to
http://www.ericknightonline.com/streetteam/ , sample 3 clips then
download the same 3 songs FREE and fill out our online form and start
spreading the word.

You can also visit his page on VH1.com search under Eric Knight and
listen to some of his tracks there or copy and paste this link to go
to his page direct @
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/knight_eric/artist.jhtml?_requestid=217715

If you're in the Southern California area and are interested in
becoming a team member please fill out our online form and e-mail us
immediately at: rec28@...

To receive more information on Eric, please visit his website @
http://www.ericknightonline.com/ or copy & paste to read his latest
newsletter @
http://www.ericknightonline.com/ezine/march2004/march2004ezine.htm

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*** PRESS RELEASE #4 ***
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-Sweden Rock Festival 2004 -- Close To Sell-Out!

Tickets soon sold out, a huge interest for reunited Europe, and
visitors from 31 different countries, among them, 16 hard rock fans
all the way from Australia!

That is some of the ingredients that makes the 13th annual Sweden Rock
Festival, that will be held between June 10-12 in the southern parts
of Sweden outside the city of Solvesborg, a one of a kind Festival.

Last year the festival sold out all the 15.000 2-day tickets two days
before the first band started their first heavy riff. That was
actually the first time ever the festival was sold out. This year the
tickets will sell out way before that.

As of today, more than 13.000 of the 16.000 3-day tickets are sold.
That means that there are less than 3000 tickets left and we have 7
weeks to go. The statistics from the previous year's shows that the
big rush for tickets is the last 6-7 weeks before the festival starts.

The Festival also sells 1-day tickets. For the 10th and the 11th of
June we have so far sold a little over 500 per day, and for the 12th
of June, when re-united Europe will close the festival, over 1000
tickets are sold. In all we sell 2000 1-day tickets per day.

Sweden Rock Festival continues to bring over fans from all over the
world. As of today we have sold tickets to fans in 31 different
countries!! High scores in foreign ticket sales are Norway, where we
so far sold 1100 tickets, followed by Germany (400), Denmark (300),
England (200)...and so on.

The visitors that will travel the longest road to Sweden Rock is a
company of 16 people, coming all the way from down under Australia,
especially to see Europe play!!

So if you will be sure to to get a ticket to see bands like Europe,
Judas Priest, Scorpions, Monster Magnet, UFO, Nightwish, Heart,
Helloween, Testament, In Flames, April Wine and another 48 bands, get
a hold of a ticket now. In a few weeks they can all be gone.

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

TICKETS ON SALE......

In Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany and in the UK..

Remember, last year's festival was sold out.

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*** PRESS RELEASE #5 ***
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-Hanoi Rocks Invades American Press

Michael Monroe, front man of legendary street rockers Hanoi Rocks,
just wrapped up a 12-day American press tour to promote the group's
comeback album, Twelve Shots On The Rocks, which has received rave
reviews from the likes of Kerrang! ("the band Guns N' Roses stole all
their best ideas from"), Rolling Stone ("the missing link between punk
and glitter"), Guitar World ("demonstrates to current and forthcoming
glam upstarts just how it's done") and Blender ("ample repeat-play
fodder for those who have worn out their Darkness album").

Monroe's U.S. adventures began on March 17, when he flew from Finland
to New York City. The next day was highlighted by interviews on XM
satellite radio and Alice Cooper's syndicated radio program. On March
19th, Michael flew to Austin Texas home of South By Southwest. In
addition to another round of interviews, Michael and the Liquor and
Poker staff dropped by Emo's and witnessed killer gigs by the likes of
Danko Jones, The Wildhearts and The Hives.

March 22 saw Michael return to Los Angeles for the first time in more
than a decade. After a day of sightseeing, a busy three days of
promotion commenced, with more than 20 interviews -- two radio
appearances, lunches, dinners, in-person chats, photo shoots and tons
of telephone interviews were done. While in Los Angeles, Michael also
visited the global headquarters of Liquor and Poker Music to deliver a
videotaped message to Hanoi Rocks fans. Check out the Liquor and Poker
Music site to see Michael's video greeting in its entirety.

On March 25, after 10 solid hours of promotion, Michael put in an
appearance at Hollywood's Club Vodka before calling it a night a mere
five hours before waking up, heading to the airport and catching a
morning flight back to New York City, where two high-profile radio
interviews were scheduled that night. The next two and a half days
were jam-packed with even more promotion -- 30 interviews in all --
before Michael's flight home departed from JFK on March 29.

Plans for Hanoi Rocks' first American concerts in nearly two decades
are currently in the works!

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*** PRESS RELEASE #6 ***
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-Isengard News -- Ted Lundin New Bass Player In Isengard!

Isengard is happy to announce Ted Lundin as new bass player in the
band.

17 year old Ted Lundin is replacing Janne "Goat" Tillman who left
Isengard for family reasons in January.

"When I was contacted by Uffe and asked if I was interested joining
Isengard, I thought it was a fucking joke. He had listen on another
band that I was in. Obvious he liked at least me! At first I thought
that the age difference would be an issue, but we just match
perfectly. I really like Ronnie and Uffe. It's really smooth working
with them. Always when we meet we have a good time. The songs are
great and it's really funny to play with them. Right now I'm just
waiting too get out and play like hell. See you soon..." - Ted

"We are very happy to have Ted in the band and that our search after
replacement to 'Goat' is over," says guitar player Ronnie Andréson.
"At last we can start rehearsal for real............."

For more information please contact Isengard HQ

Isengard HQ
SWEDISH POWER METAL
Email: isengardhq@...
Homepage: http://WWW.ISENGARD.SE/
Please link our site........

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*** PRESS RELEASE #7 ***
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-Obey The Law: Leash Law!

Laws:

Every year more and more are put into effect, seemingly to control our
every thought, action, and desire. Just as technology has opened the
doors to knowledge and new levels of creativity, lawmakers seek to
suppress and control the growth through enforced conformity and
political correctness. What if laws started running against this
trend?

What if a creative force gathered together and made its own rules,
defying even the accepted categorizations within its genre?

This law has been ratified!

Leash Law was founded by vocalist Wade Black (Crimson Glory/Seven
Witches/Tiwanaku) and guitarist Rick Renstrom (solo/Rob Rock/Tiwanaku)
early in 2003. After initial songwriting was underway, they realized
that they would need some of the strongest talents in metal to enforce
their law. Enter Emo Mowery (Nocturnus/Tiwanaku) on rhythm guitar,
Stephen Elder (Rob Rock) on bass and the legendary Richard Christy
(Death/Control Denied/Iced Earth/Tiwanaku) on drums.

Debut album 'Dogface' out now on Black Lotus Records!

BLRCD061
Worldwide release date: 19/04/2004
USA release date: 25/05/2004

Available in jewel case, slipcase (limited to 2000) and leather case
(limited to 2000).

Also available 'Stealing Grace' EP

BLRCD061S
Strictly limited EP release (1500 copies). Includes 2 album songs, a
very rare live version of "Stealing Grace" from the Athens
semi-unplugged show and an mpg video of the same show where Wade Black
& Rick Renstrom perform an excellent acoustic medley of Iron Maiden's
"Revelations/ Children Of The Damned"!! Extremely rare material
unavailable anywhere else.

On selected record stores!!

Leash Law has created music that disregards the standards of
traditional power metal and transcends its limitations. On their debut
album, 'Dogface', Leash Law address the modern condition by invoking
images of the ancient past and evoking visions of the future. A
frequent theme running throughout the album is mankind's obsession
with war. The song "Stealing Grace" addresses the devaluation of human
beings as they are thrown into arbitrary conflicts by their
governments, while the title track "Dogface" views the "quiet war"
that goes on between governments and the people they are supposed to
serve. "Martial Law" paints a vivid picture of what happens when the
government seizes total control of society while "Fight" is an
anthemic rallying call to stand up for your rights and beliefs.
"Paving the Way" sums up the inevitable outcome to the unending
warfare -- paving the way to Armageddon. Taking a historical turn,
"Hail to Blood" is an epic journey through the days Caesar and the
gladiators, from the blood of the battlefield to the excesses of the
spoils of war. "Better When Betrayed" examines the often ruthless and
unmerciful nature of the music business. "Hell Hole" is a guided tour
through both the hell on earth and the hell that haunts the minds of
the human race.

Amidst this intense, aggressive metal onslaught, there is a moment of
peace, namely the song "Banion", in which Wade pays tribute to the
most important people in his life, his recently passed mother and his
wife and family. With 'Dogface', Leash Law have picked up the gauntlet
thrown down by their metal predecessors and raised the bar for what
metal everywhere can be.

Official Band Webpage: http://www.leash-law.com/

BLACK LOTUS RECORDS
Kon/poleos 72, 17236, Himittos, Athens, GREECE
tel: +30 210 9767580
fax: +30 210 9767590
invaders@... (label office)
http://www.black-lotus-recs.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #8 ***
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-Z Records News

JESSE DAMON CONFIRMED FOR Z ROCK 2004 AND MORE!

Jesse Damon, lead singer of Silent Rage, has confirmed that he will be
appearing at Z Rock 2004 on September 19th. Jesse's set will include
material from his 2003 solo release "The Hand That Rocks" and the
Silent Rage back catalogue.

Jesse is currently working on his new solo album for Z Records which
will be released to coincide with his appearance; the album is as yet
untitled.

WAR & PEACE UNLEASHED!

The amazing new album from WAR & PEACE entitled "The Walls Have Eyes"
has been released this week!

Our online store is yet to be updated but to order your copy now
simply send your order for £10 from your paypal account to
mjapdist@... including your address and your copy will be
mailed within 24 hours of the receipt of your order.

UPDATED Z RELEASE SCHEDULE

April:
19th: WAR & PEACE - THE WALLS HAVE EYES

May:
10th: KING KARMA - s/t

June:
28th: VARIOUS - ROCK THE NATIONS 5

July:
26th: BLACK 'N BLUE - HELL YEAH!

August:
16th: GYPSY ROSE - TITLE TBC

September:
6th: JESSE DAMON - TITLE TBC
20th: FEMME FATALE- LADY IN WAITING

October:
11th: ROX DIAMOND - TITLE TBC
18th: VON GROOVE - 99 IN THE SHADE

OTHERS ALBUMS AS YET UNSCHEDULED: FLAME, LRT, SILENT RAGE, ENZIGN and
VOA

http://www.zrecords.net/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #9 ***
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-Jason McMaster Update

UPDATE YOUR CALENDAR OF ROCK -- UPCOMING BROKEN TEETH SHOWS

May 8 - Red Eyed Fly 12AM; AMF spotlight showcase
May 14 - Flamingo Cantina (w/ Grady, Activator, & Superheavy-G.A.)
June 3 - Red Eyed Fly (w/ Charter Bulldogs & Captain Ugly)
June 12 - Room 710 (w/ The Ends & Laughing Dogs)
June 25 - Headhunter's
Aug. 27 - Flamingo Cantina (opening for Kiss Army)

Get Broken Teeth CDs at Waterloo, Encore, and Cheapo. Check out
http://www.brokenteeth.com/ .

WATCHTOWER REUNION IN SAN ANTONIO MAY 1ST

Remember WatchTower?? The pioneers of technical thrash metal, the
legend lives on, fans will not let it die.

April 2004 - Just returning from Amsterdam headlining the Headway
Festival (prog metal fest) at P60, Amstelveen, Holland...before
that....

Their last show was 4 years ago (Balingen, Germany, Bang Your Head
festival), before that it was 13 years since the remaining members of
WatchTower had toured together.

See them next month in San Antonio at Sam's Burger Joint - May 1st -
at RobbsMetalWorks showcase.

Get info at http://www.robbsmetalworks.com/ or
http://www.marathoncd.com/watchtower/ .

CHECK OUT ACTIVATOR AT HEADHUNTERS APRIL 29

April 29 - Headhunter's

More info at http://www.rhythmanddoom.com/ .

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*** PRESS RELEASE #10 ***
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-Statetrooper Album Release Party

Statetrooper will release their new album "The Calling" worldwide on
June 14th 2004.

To mark the occasion, they are performing at a one-off launch party
gig in London on May 15th. The gig is to be held at the Underworld,
Camden, and will showcase tracks from the new album, as well as
previous fan favourites.

The album has been produced by Michael Voss, and will be released on
CIC Records. Some of the tracks have been sampled and sections are
available to hear on their website, http://www.statetrooper.co.uk/ .

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*** PRESS RELEASE #11 ***
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-ProgPower USA V Pre-Party Announced

ATLANTA -- The Eleven50 in Atlanta will host a ProgPower USA V
pre-party on Thursday, September 16.

The show will feature the North American debut from the Netherlands'
Sun Caged, Outworld (featuring guitar virtuoso Rusty Cooley), and
local Atlanta band Halcyon's Way. Further details on the pre-party are
available at http://www.progpowerusa.com/ .

ProgPower USA V will take place the following two days -- Friday,
September 17 and Saturday, September 18 -- at Earthlink Live. The show
will be headlined by current and former members of Savatage, uniting
for one night only, along with Edguy, Kamelot, Pain of Salvation,
Wuthering Heights, Dreamscape, Adagio, Brainstorm, Tad Morose, and
Into Eternity.

Tickets will go on sale May 1 via all Ticketmaster outlets. Only 900
tickets will be made available to the public once again. Gold Badges
(special patron tickets) are already sold-out. Tickets for the
1,500-seat venue have sold out within two weeks for the past two
shows.

Sabian, Pacific Drums, Evan Drumheads, Planet Waves, Shure
Microphones, and D'Addario are sponsoring ProgPower USA V.

"The ProgPower fest is the perfect opportunity to showcase an emerging
brand like Pacific Drums and Percussion," said Scott Donnell, Pacific
Drums' Director of Marketing. "Progressive rock/metal players are very
serious when it comes to their music and their instrument, and we've
really valued the feedback we've received from some of prog metal's
finest drummers."

"ProgPower continually brings some of the top prog bands to one of the
best festivals around," said Mike Robinson, J. D'Addario's Evans brand
manager. "We have been sponsoring ProgPower now for three years and
the festival, exposure, and bands keep getting better and better!"

http://www.progpowerusa.com/

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-Ilium Update: New Interview

[Note: This is taken from the band's mailing list. - Tim]

Hi everyone

I know it's been a little while - sorry! We're taking a bit of a break
while Tim frustrates himself with recording the new Dungeon album!
Here is just an interview that I recently did with the metal observer,
so please feel free to check it out and the great site from Germany

http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=4&id=5978

Jason
http://www.ilium-metal.com/

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-Perpetual Motion: Prog/Power Metal Community Back Online

Perpetual Motion represents the first and most prominent online
prog/power metal community. After an extended hiatus, the original and
legendary Perpetual Motion is back online and in full force. In the
past, prog and power metal fans and musicians alike flocked en masse
to PM to share their love for the genre and relative components, such
as prog rock and AOR. With an expanded and divergent sub-genre palette
that now includes extreme and technical metal, the new Perpetual
Motion community is stronger than ever and now poised to reinvent the
prog/power equation yet again. Always free and dedicated to "the
greatest music on Earth," you are all invited and most welcome to join
PM at this location:

http://www.pmrising.com/pm/

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-Overlorde Press Release

The U.S. Power metal band Overlorde announces that it has signed a
record deal with Greece's

premier heavy metal record label, Cult Metal Classics!

Overlorde reunited in 2000 due in great part to the efforts of label
founder and co-owner Manos Koufakis. Original members John "Kong"
Bunucci (Bass), Dave Wrenn (Drums) and Mark "M.E." Edwards (Flying V)
recruited former Seven Witches (Massacre Records) vocalist Bobby
"Leather Lungs" Lucas to round out the lineup. Together they recorded
the Overlorde 2000 demo and started their search for a record label.

During this search, Force Recon, the fan club/cyber street team
created when the band reunited, enlisted 300 members and the official
website, www.overlorde.com, received over 17,500 hits.

The demo Overlorde 2000, along with shows at Powermad 2001 and Classic
Metal Fest 2002, caused a great buzz among the Power/True/Classic
metal community. Germany's Rock Hard included the band on its
Unerhort! [Die Besten Bands Ohne Deal] #10 compilation CD, which
featured the best unsigned metal bands in the world. Heavy, Oder Was?!
presented the band in three separate issues, and Snakenet Metal Radio
listeners (www.snakenet.com) voted the band its "2002 Indie Battle of
the Bands" winner. The buzz has now resulted in this record deal.

The band is tentatively set to enter the recording studio in July to
record the12-song, 60-minute effort titled Return Of The Snow Giant.
This will be the first ever full-length release by the band, whose
reputation is based on its 5-song "1987 EP" self-release (Strike Zone
Records) in addition to the 4-song Overlorde 2000 demo.

"Overlorde has been one of my favorite U.S. metal bands ever since I
got hold of the classic Overlorde EP back in 1996." states Cult Metal
Classics founder & co-owner, Manos Koufakis. "17 years after the
original release, we take pride in having this band releasing an album
for Cult Metal Classics Records, with Bobby Lucas on vocals. Mark
Edwards (guitar) and I, have been discussing the terms of a possible
recording deal the last couple of months. It's been such a pleasure to
deal with these guys, as they're professionals in what they're doing,
great musicians and above all great guys. Expect nothing more and
nothing less than one of the most powerful comebacks of the last ten
years. Return Of The Snow Giant is going to be an instant favorite.
The album is expected to be out sometime in Autumn of 2004. Keep your
eyes and ears open, for the Snow Giant is coming BACK!"

The band thanks Cult Metal Classics co-owners Manos Koufakis and Chris
Papadatos for their faith and confidence, and looks forward to the
release of the CD.

More details, including studio info and track listing, to follow in
the near future.

http://www.overlorde.com/
http://www.cultmetalclassics.com/

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-Dream Or Nightmare Update

Just wanted to let you know what's happening with Dream or Nightmare!
The final mix for our new CD (which will be titled "Light Burning
Bright till the Dawn") is close to completion. Jim Arnold (who's
producing the CD) is currently going over the fine details of the mix
and all the sounds. It's a time consuming process because we want to
be sure that all of our friends/fans who purchase the disc as well as
our contacts who review the material get the very best that we can
produce. I'll be in touch as soon as the final mix is finished and
sent off to be mastered.

The artwork for the CD is coming out excellent. Barring any unforeseen
problems with the printing process, the packaging is going to be very
cool as all the computer graphics look great!!!!!

If you've been to our website recently, I'm sure you've seen that it's
in need of some updating. As soon as Jim (who's also our webmaster!)
gets done with the recording, he'll be doing work on the site and
making it up to date. I'll let you know when new material's posted.
Thanks to all of you who've checked out the site (a few thousand
before the counter was reset on Jan. 1); if you haven't yet, now's the
time to give it a look before some of the older stuff's taken down!

Thanks,
Joe Sims

P.S. I've had some problems with my e-mail recently (I don't think
that I'm receiving all my mail). If you've written me and I haven't
gotten back with you, please get in touch again as I probably didn't
get your letter!!!!

Website: http://www.dreamornightmare.com/
Music Downloads: http://www.metalnetradio.com/Soundz/Soundz.htm
Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DreamOrNightmare/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #16 ***
*
-Dio: Pick A Song To Be Played On The New Tour? - Official

[Note: This was sent to Dio's message board members. - Tim]

Hi all,

Ronnie James Dio himself has agreed that the members of ‘The Dio
Message Board' can contribute to the new tour by picking a song to be
played on it. This can be done by logging onto the board and posting
your choice in this thread..

http://dioboard.proboards4.com/index.cgi?board=we&action=display&num=1082882943

The top 5 songs with the most votes will be sent to him and he will
then decide which song to put into the set-list (as long it fits into
the style of the set that he is wanting).

All the details are on the board so log in and vote away.

Thank you for your continued support and keep on Rockin'.

Warlord..

http://dioboard.proboards4.com/index.cgi

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #17 ***
*
-Kittie Announces New Second Guitarist

LONDON, Ontario -- Kittie has recruited guitarist Lisa Marx, formerly
of the Seattle hardcore band To See You Broken, to join the band
permanently as a second guitarist.

"Lisa brings a wide-eyed excitement that really shows this is all she
has ever wanted to do," said vocalist/guitarist Morgan Lander. "She
has been playing piano and guitar for years, and has tons of touring
experience. She's the kind of person who isn't going to back down or
quit."

Kittie began the huge undertaking of finding a guitar player while
working on their latest album, "Until the End." Marx, who the girls
had met at a Seattle-area Kittie show, immediately came to mind. She
was invited, along with a handful of other male and female prospects,
to the recording studio and the band's hometown to jam.

"We were looking for someone really solid and with something to offer,
someone who could hear something and play it right off the bat," said
bassist Jennifer Arroyo. "I knew she was the one because she was very
down to earth, friendly, and was a really solid player."

"We are all on the same page when it comes to everything, and that
really drew me to her," Lander said. "Not to mention her guitar
playing and her ability to learn things very quickly. She pretty much
learned half the album in a few hours!"

Kittie has been rehearsing with Marx in preparation for a tour in
support of "Until the End." "So far, being in the band is so amazing,"
Marx said. "I'm really excited I've been given this opportunity, and
can't wait to rock the world!"

Marx replaces Jeff Phillips, the band's former guitar tech turned tour
guitarist, who is concentrating on his own band, Thine Eyes Bleed.
"Jeff helped us out at a time when we had no one else to turn to,"
Lander said. "Over the years, Jeff has become like a brother to all of
us, and we have all grown up together both musically and personally.
We wish him all the best of luck with his new endeavors, as he is a
great person and an amazing and talented guitar player."

"Until the End" is scheduled for a summer release on Artemis Records.

http://www.kittierocks.com/
http://www.artemisrecords.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #18 ***
*
-In Flames On Tour With Killswitch Engage & As I Lay Dying

Soundtrack To Your Escape, released on April 6th, 2004, is the most
excitingly anticipated In Flames album to date. Another step ahead
forward for In Flames' musical careers; Anders, Jesper, Björn, Peter
and Daniel never deny their roots and once again create thrilling
metal in the right balance of melodic death origins and modern
aggression. The logical continuation after Reroute To Remain,
Soundtrack To Your Escape is immense, extreme and mind-blowing. The
way metal today is supposed to sound!

See In Flames live!

5/3 - Clutch Cargos – Pontiac, MI
5/4 - Vic Theater – Chicago, IL
5/5 - Quest Club – Minneapolis, MN
5/6 - Pop's – Sauget, IL
5/7 - Beaumont Club – Kansas City, MO
5/8 - Ogden Theater – Denver, CO
5/10 - Showbox – Seattle, WA
5/11 - Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC
5/12 - Roseland – Portland, OR
5/13 - Warfield – San Francisco, CA
5/14 - Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
5/15 - Soma – San Diego, CA
5/16 - Cajun House - Scottsdale, AZ
5/18 - The Back Room – Austin, TX
5/19 - The Meridian – Houston, TX
5/20 - House Of Blues – New Orleans, LA
5/21 - Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
5/22 - House Of Blues – Orlando, FL
5/23 - Tremont Music Hall – Charlotte, NC
5/24 - 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
5/25 - Bogarts – Cincinnati, OH
5/26 - Agora Ballroom 2000 – Cleveland, OH
5/27 - Electric Factory – Philadelphia, PA
5/28 - The Palladium – 2160 – Worcester, MA
5/29 - The Medley – Montreal, QC
5/30 - Kool Haus – Toronto, ON
6/1 - Roseland Ballroom – New York, NY

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #19 ***
*
-Tesla Returns To 3GP TV May 3!

Tesla returns to "3 Guys Pickin!" Jeff, Frank & Tommy sit down with
Brodie to discuss their new cd, "Into The Now," and their last
appearance on 3GP. Live performances from their 3/19/04 Chicago
concert, plus videos from the new cd are shown.

Live performance clips include "Modern Day Cowboy", "Into The Now",
"Mighty Mouse", and "Miles Away." Video clips include "Caught In A
Dream" and "What A Shame."

"3 Guys Pickin", the most electrifying cable access show IN Chicago (&
also the world), features Tyler, Brodie & Dave the Extra waxing
philosophical about today's pop culture, including movie, music &
sports talk, celeb interviews, skits, live music & lots of bravado.

"3 Guys Pickin"
Mondays, 10:30pm
cable channel 19
Chicago city limits only

For celebrity guest list, please see:
http://www.cantv.org/descrip.htm

schedule subject to change.

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #20 ***
*
-Fireball Ministry - The First Church Of Rock N' Roll

On Tour With Andrew W.K., No Motiv, And The Locusts:

5/1 - Cervantes Denver, CO
5/3 - Big Easy - Boise, ID
5/4 - Neumo's - Seattle, WA
5/6 - The Pound SF - San Francisco, CA
5/7 - El Rey - Los Angeles, CA
5/10 - 32 Bleu - Colorado Springs, CO
5/11 - Sokol Underground - Omaha, NE
5/12 - The Blue Note - Columbia, MO
5/13 - Mississippi Nights - Saint Louis, MO
5/14 - Vic, Chicago, IL
5/15 - Canopy, Urbana, IL
5/16 - Bogart’s, Cincinnati, OH
5/17 - The World - Pittsburgh, PA
5/18 - Continental of Buffalo - Buffalo, NY
5/19 - Pearl Street - Northampton, MA
5/20 - Club Metronome - Burlington, VT
5/21 - Matrix - Boston, MA
5/22 - Lupo's at the Strand - Providence, RI
5/23 - Toad's Place - New Haven, CT
5/24 - The Chance - Poughkeepsie, NY
5/26 - Irvine Plaza, New York, NY
5/27 - Trocadero, Philadelphia, PA
5/28 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #21 ***
*
-Sweden Rock Newsflash

The only festival you need ..........

Sweden Rock Festival
10 - 11 - 12 JUNE 2004 SÖLVESBORG

Two bands have cancelled their shows at this year's Sweden Rock
Festival, Skid Row and Cage. They have been replaced by Y&T (US) and
Beseech (S).

The ticket sales for Sweden Rock Festival are now very close to
reaching SOLD OUT, so if you have decided to go, you should get your
ticket within the next couple of days.

The final running order is up now at out homepage:
http://www.swedenrock.com/

If you live in a country where we don't have ticket sales on-line, you
can reserve tickets from our information desk at:

Email: info@... or Phone: +46 456 317 95

FINAL LINE-UP:

Abramis Brama (S), April Wine (Can), Astral Doors (S), Axel Rudi Pell
(D), Beseech (S), 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), 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), Y&T (US)

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

TICKETS ON SALE......

In Sweden, Norway,Denmark, Finland, Germany and in UK..

More info on our website..

Remember, last year's festival was sold out.

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #22 ***
*
-Thine Eyes Bleed Begin Recording Debut Album

LONDON, Ontario -- Thine Eyes Bleed, the new metal band featuring
former Kittie tour guitarist Jeff Phillips, is in the process of
recording its debut album at Metalworks Studios in Ontario, Canada.

The group -- which also features vocalist Justin Wolfe and bassist
Luke Husband of the band Acacia, and guitarist Dave Newell and drummer
Darryl Stephens -- began as a side project but eventually took on a
life so large that Phillips decided to concentrate solely on Thine
Eyes Bleed.

The aim of Thine Eyes Bleed is simple: to create the most brutal,
heavy, and aggressive metal band possible. "We are a band that bridges
different styles of metal, ranging from fast blistering thrash to low
driving dirges, creating on overall catchy and melodic sound," said
Wolfe.

The yet-untitled album will be released by independent label Kiss of
Infamy Records this summer. "We couldn't be happier with the way
things have come together," Wolfe said. "It will give us the freedom
to do what we want and keep our options open, and we will be able to
tour on our debut."

Thine Eyes Bleed will work on a video immediately after recording, and
then hit the road for its first tour. The band will sharpen its live
chops with a couple of update New York performances opening for
Superjoint Ritual in the coming weeks.

Live dates:

04/30/04 Fri. - Infinite, Buffalo, NY w/ Superjoint Ritual
05/01/04 Sat. - Penny Arcade, Rochester, NY w/ Superjoint Ritual

http://www.thineyesbleed.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #23 ***
*
-Inside Out Music America Update

TILES CONTEST!!!

Hello Progressive music fans. Make sure you log onto this website and
register for this great Tiles giveaway!

http://www.rocktheinternet.com/

Prizes include the following...

1st Place - Full Tiles Catalogue (Tiles, Fence The Clear, Presents Of
Mind, Window Dressing) and a poster.
(Will attempt to get things autographed, but it's not 100% sure as of
now).
2nd Place - Window Dressing and a poster.
3rd Place - Poster

On May 10th (Monday), ProgScape Radio will be ALL TILES!
a. Hour One - Selections from the previous 3 releases
b. Hour Two - Window Dressing (in its entirty)

http://www.progscape.com/progscape/radio.php

UPCOMING INSIDE OUT MUSIC AMERICA RELEASES!

May 25, 2004
Ayreon - "The Human Equation"
Tiles - "Window Dressing"
TOC - "Loss Angeles"

June 8th
Paatos - "Kallocain"

June 29th
Ray Wilson - "The Next Best Thing"
IQ - "Dark Matter"
Kevin Moore - "Ghost Book" (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 'Okul')
Threshold - "Critical Energy" DVD

Coming this summer!
Pain of Salvation - "BE"

Inside Out Music America
http://www.insideoutmusic.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #24 ***
*
-Death Angel: Video - Presale - Tour

2004 will go down in history as the year the Bay Area legends
returned! It is time for another 'Frisco Bay legend to steal the
spotlight yet again, and they want to fuck you up! Get ready for Death
Angel to teach The Art Of Dying, hitting the streets next Tuesday, May
4th!

The Death Angel five-piece became immortal between 1987 and 1990 with
their three milestone albums The Ultra Violence, Frolic Through The
Park and above all Act III, but vanished almost completely into thin
air. The Art Of Dying is their first album after a 14-year hiatus, but
one thing is sure, time hasn't harmed the band's talent or chemistry
in any way!

You can be one of the lucky ones to get the CD early through Nuclear
Blast's presale, available only online!

Online Presale: $10.00 (Plus Shipping)

http://www.nuclearblastusa.com/
http://www.centurymedia.com/

"The Art Of Dying", the new record of Death Angel, presents the US
legend stronger than ever before! The band just overflows with ideas
and guarantees haunting shivers en masse. Death Angel still belong to
the most inventive bands of the scene and fortify that you can sound
modern in the year 2004 without sticking to any trends. A thrilling
and exciting album -- get it!

Check out their brand new video "Thicker Than Blood" Available here!
http://www.nuclearblast.de/media/video/NB_1233.ram

See Death Angel on tour!

5/6/2004 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
5/14/2004 - Sacramento, CA - Roadhouse
5/15/2004 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
5/16/2004 - Los Angeles, CA - Key Club
5/17/2004 - Santa Ana, CA - Galaxy
5/21/2004 - Portland, OR - Conan's
5/22/2004 - Seattle, WA - Studio 7
5/23/2004 - Vancouver, CANADA - Cobalt
6/5/2004 - Santa Rosa, CA - Last Day Saloon

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #25 ***
*
-Queensryche Scheduled To Visit Sailors On The USS Nimitz In San Diego
On April 29, 2004

Several Band Members Have Military Family Ties

The progressive metal band Queensryche has scheduled a special visit
on its spring 2004 tour. Vocalist Geoff Tate, guitarist Michael
Wilton, bass guitarist Eddie Jackson, drummer Scott Rockenfield and
guitarist Mike Stone will visit sailors on the nuclear powered
aircraft carrier USS Nimitz at Naval Air Station North Island in San
Diego, California, on April 29. The band will tour the ship and
conduct a meet-and-greet session with the Nimitz crew. Queensryche's
San Diego stop with the USS Nimitz visit and concert at 4th & B is
part of the tour promoting the concert DVD 'The Art of Live' now
available on Sanctuary Records.

The band was invited by USS Nimitz' Public Affairs Officer LCDR Brad
Fagan, who is a longtime fan. Once Fagan learned Queensryche would be
performing at 4th & B on April 29 he decided to see if the band would
be interested in meeting the approximate 3,500 sailors on board. He
sent an invitation via e-mail through Queensryche's official web site
-- http://www.queensryche.com/ -- and was quickly answered with a
resounding "yes" from the band's management.

The hard work and sacrifice made by members of the U.S. armed forces
and their families is something that Queensryche knows well. Tate,
Wilton and Jackson all have close ties to the military.

"We are very excited and looking forward to a guided tour of the U.S.
aircraft carrier Nimitz. Queensryche has always supported the military
troops of the United States and in fact my father was a career
military man and worked for the Navy at Bremerton Naval Shipyard in
Washington state for 20 years," says Tate.

Jackson says, "Growing up during the Cold War there was always a
constant threat of nuclear war. However, during the early days of the
Cold War, specifically during the late 1950s, my father was serving in
the U.S. Army and was stationed in West Germany which at the time West
Germany was a political pond between NATO and the Warsaw Pact and was
constantly under the threat of invasion. Needless to say, my father's
time in the service witnessed the advent of ballistic missiles that
were capable of carrying nuclear warheads which not only scared the
s**t out of me but also the rest of the planet! The difference between
what my father and I have experienced as opposed to what my son's
generation is experiencing is a whole new type of threat and that is
terrorism. This is why the USS Nimitz and the rest of our armed forces
are much more important now to defend our freedom and demand our
support. Peace, love and kick some ass if needed!"

Wilton has several family members with military experience. "My
father-in-law Bruce Klein is a retired Air Force pilot who served from
1954-1974. He flew over 100 missions in Korea and Vietnam. He has been
decorated with 10 air medals, two flying crosses and one service
medal. He currently is married and resides in Panama City, Florida,
were he hangs with his river rat buddies and other retired officers.
My cousin Anthony Dickens is currently serving in the National Guard
ground troops division. He has just finished his duty in Iraq
patrolling hostile streets. He trained at Fort Rucker in Alabama and
currently lives in Troy, Alabama. My nephew Gabriel Phoenix is
currently training at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada. And
my brother-in-law Chip Dozier trained with the Marines in San Diego in
the early '90s. He is married and resides in Seattle, Washington."

The band will happily do anything it can to honor our troops, and the
USS Nimitz meet-and-greet autograph session will give the sailors a
chance to have some fun.

Here is some information about the USS Nimitz:

* USS Nimitz (CVN 68) is the lead ship in the Nimitz class of
nuclear-powered aircraft carriers; the most powerful class of warships
the world has ever known. Her keel was laid June 22, 1968, she was
commissioned May 13, 1972, and was launched May 13, 1972. The ship is
currently homeported in San Diego, California, and is commanded by
Capt. Robert J. Gilman.

* USS Nimitz recently returned from an eight-month combat deployment
to the Western Pacific Ocean in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
During deployment and work-ups Nimitz's crew made 42,334 flight deck
aircraft moves and 4,571 hangar bay aircraft moves. During the same
period Nimitz and her crew launched 12,748 aircraft and recovered
12,751 aircraft as well as 1,825 helicopter take-offs and landings.

* USS Nimitz was the first Carrier Strike Group to deploy with F/A-18
Super Hornets in place of the venerable Tomcat and were the last
Carrier Strike Group to return from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

* The ship hosts a crew of 3,500 young men and women.

The band's U.S. tour dates include:

Wednesday, April 28th - Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues
Thursday, April 29th - San Diego, CA - Viejas Casino
Friday, April 30th - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
Saturday, May 1st - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues

http://www.queensryche.com/
http://www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #26 ***
*
-Statement From Great White On The New Release From Deadline /
Cleopatra Records

Hollywood, CA (April 27, 2004) -- Today we were horrified to discover
that once again another record company has attempted to profit on the
horrible tragedy of February 20th, 2003. Deadline / Cleopatra Records
have planned to release a double record called Double Dose on May 11th
with a burning shark on the cover. This is a reprehensible and
deplorable act for the sole purpose of financial gain.

Great White is disgusted by the cover, and certainly did not approve
it or the album's release. This practice of repackaging for profit
will not be tolerated. The disgusting and vile album cover is a
disgrace. We are demanding the immediate cancellation of this release
and are taking all legal avenues available to stop it. We are
contacting Navarre distribution as well as Deadline Records today.

Great White

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #27 ***
*
-BW&BK 6-Pack Weekend II UPDATE!

6-Pack Weekend II
"Who's Up For Another Round?"

BW&BK 6-Pack
4 First Timers & 7 Exclusive appearances!

Limited opportunity to win DVD or multiple CDs w/ purchase!

Don't miss your ONLY chance to see some of metal's biggest names,
headliners on their own, in a small, intimate setting!

Since it took a little longer than expected to finalize the line-up,
BW&BK would like to reward people's patience and give an incentive to
those who would rather purchase tickets at the door. Every third
ticket purchased through http://www.BraveWords.com/ will receive
EITHER a randomly selected full length DVD (from a diverse list of
artists, like Opeth, Judas Priest, Manowar, Triumph, etc) OR a package
of promotional CDs (3 to 5 in a pack), some not even released yet! We
will still be giving stuff away at the venue, this is just an added
bonus.

This is a limited time offer!

Fast becoming THE concert event in North America, the BW&BK 6-Pack
Weekend caters to fans of ALL metallic tastes, giving each band the
chance to showcase their talent in a first class environment. The
BW&BK 6-Pack Weekend is held June 2-5 (warm-up shows on Wed. & Thurs.
require separate admission) at the Odeon, in Cleveland, Ohio.

The confirmed line-up for June 4-5 includes:

METAL CHURCH - Headline performance. ONLY N. American show!

DISMEMBER - ONLY North American show, first in 4 years!

KATATONIA – ONLY American show, first in 4 years!

GRAVE DIGGER - FIRST North American show of career!

PRIMAL FEAR - ONLY North American appearance!

DORO - ONLY North American appearance!

SHOK PARIS - ONLY show before Bang Your Head, in Germany

BRAINSTORM - FIRST North American show!

FLOTSAM & JETSAM – Playing only 1 other American show!

SEVEN WITCHES - FIRST show for NEW, forthcoming disc!

E-FORCE (ex-VoiVod) - ONLY North American appearance!

SHADOWKEEP - FIRST/ONLY North American appearance!

DREAMS OF DAMNATION – ex-Dark Angel/Abattoir members!

ION VEIN - supporting the acclaimed "Reigning Memories"!

LILITU - hear new material before it's released!

On Saturday afternoon, there will be acoustic performances, including
Ben Jackson (guitar) and Midnight (vocals) of the legendary Crimson
Glory, who will perform an acoustic set of their best-known classics.
James Rivera & Jack Frost, from Seven Witches, will play an array of
material, including songs by Helstar, Frost's solo effort and a few
surprises.

Check the http://www.BraveWords.com/6pack/ for more info, updates and
hotels discounts.

Tickets are available through the Brave Words website, TicketMaster,
The Odeon box office and select music stores in the Cleveland metro
area.

*
*** FLAMES FROM THE LAKE ***
*
by Sean P. Gahgan (lof@...)

-Well it was a good week. I got to see Evergrey twice as well as Iced
Earth. Here is my official/unofficial concert review... No offense to
Children Of Bodom fans but I am not familiar with their music and was
talking to the guys in Evergrey during Children Of Bodom's set. I
attended shows at The Metro in Chicago (4/20) and The Rave in
Milwaukee (4/23). Evergrey sounded as good as they could being the
opening band (the opening band always gets shafted on sound). The mix
was definitely better at The Metro as I have only heard one really
good sounding band at The Rave which was Dio. This is not the bands'
fault -- the acoustics at the Rave just suck! Evergrey's set list was
the same for both nights, which was the only disappointment. I would
have thought they would change it up (especially now that I heard they
played "Solitude Within" in Cleveland!) knowing that fans would be at
both shows but that was the only negative, all else was positive. The
set list was as follows:

Blinded / End Of Days / Rulers Of The Mind / More Than Ever /
Recreation Day / Touch Of Blessing / Masterplan

Jonas Ekdahl, Evergrey's new 20-year-old drummer, just slams away on
the drums. I can't remember the last time I saw a drummer play with
that much intensity. Tom S. Englund's voice sounded great as well as
Henrik Danhage (guitars) and Rikard Zander keyboards) on background
vocals. Henrik's guitar was slightly louder than Tom's at both venues
and he had a killer sound; the new Randall amps complement both Tom's
and Henrik's solo sound very well. The rhythm sound was a little thin
but I attribute that two Tom's guitar being low in the mix. They
seemed to be enjoying themselves very much and had some great
hair-swinging, headbanging moments. Michael Hakansson is just menacing
on the bass -- talk about aggressive... I think we saw his eyes only
once as his hair covered his face most of the night while he
relentlessly pounded out his bass lines.

Although I spoke with Tom and Jonas for about 30 minutes I was not
allowed to bring my voice recorder into the venue so, no official
interview. I will not quote anyone without the audio to back it up but
I can pass on some general sentiments. Even though the tour just
started they are having the time of their lives. Jonas truly seemed to
be so appreciative of the opportunity he has, to be 20 years old and
touring the world is an incredible accomplishment. He was Patrick
Carlsson's drum tech for two years and since he was already in the
Evergrey Clan and was more than proficient on the drums the move was
natural. Tom is well aware that this is the darkest Evergrey CD that
they have written but the band as a whole felt compelled to do it.
They hope to come back to the states in the fall on a tour that will
allow them more time to play; 30-35 minutes just isn't enough.

I caught most of Iced Earth's set in Chicago and they were awesome.
I'll admit to only owning THE GLORIOUS BURDEN; I have heard many of
their older songs but I am not familiar enough to give a full set
list. When I first heard THE GLORIOUS BURDEN I commented on how
impressed I was with "Ripper" Owens' vocals. I said that it will be
very interesting to hear him pull off this stuff live as there are
some very demanding vocal lines on there. They opened with "The Star-
Spangled Banner" and "Declaration Day" and I'll be damned if he didn't
nail the ending verse on "Declaration Day." My buddy and I looked at
each other with big smiles. Mr. Owens was on the top of his game all
night. "Greenface" and "Red Baron/Blue Max" sounded killer live. But
the highlight of their set for me was when they performed "Gettysburg
1863." It was awesome, and again, Ripper nailed the ending dead nut!
"It's all my fault, the blood is on my hands" sent chills up and down
my spine. He truly is an amazing singer. This is a great tour that any
Metal fan should appreciate!

-Quote of the Week: "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal
with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who
gets burned." -- Buddha

-Song of the Week: "Ambassador" by Evergrey

-Playing in the Lake of Fire this week: THE INNER CIRCLE by Evergrey,
THE EXTREMIST by Joe Satriani, THE NEON GOD by W.A.S.P., and TRUST by
Jaded Heart.

*
*** IT'S ALL ABOUT THE METAL! ***
*
by John Erigo (Erigo1@...)

-Well, since my first "article" was about Kiss, it only seems fitting
for my second to be about what has been my second favorite band since
1978: the mighty Van Halen. Just like Kiss, the VH soap opera just
rolls on and on. With the recent announcment of concert dates, a
reunited Van Hagar looks to hit the road this summer in a much
anticapted tour. After all the turmoil surrounding Eddie -- his bad
hip, his cancer (of the tongue), his battle to rehab from drugs and
alcohol and to top it all off, his messy and public divorce -- maybe
we should cut Eddie some slack for needing time off to recuperate from
all that personal Hell!

Now, to set the record straight, and so you know where I am coming
from: I was a Hagar fan well before he was in VH. I remember seeing a
guy in a red outfit jumping around my TV screen, playing guitar and
singing some really cool songs. I thought Sammy was kind of a hit 'n'
miss artist. Some of his stuff was great, and some of it flat-out
sucked. There was no middle. Nonetheless, there was enough of the good
stuff to make me a fan. When the news came down he was joining VH, I
was shocked and elated. Keeping that in mind, I have seen every VH
tour since WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST, so I go back to the old school.
Yes. I saw them with David Lee Roth, in their prime. No matter what
anyone tells you, even though Roth couldn't sing, it is hard to find
any band that matched what they did live. This is the huge debate rock
fans have been fighting for years -- would you rather have Roth or
Hagar? It's not that easy of a decision. With Roth, you had the
energy, the power but he couldn't sing live. True, probably the best
front man we'll ever see, but if you want singing, then you opt for
Hagar. Sammy sang some of his best stuff during his VH years; it's
almost like Eddie's writing pushed him to another level. I always
tried to view VH as like two different bands. Kiss was very similar --
there was Kiss with or without the makeup. Well, there was Van Halen
and Van Hagar -- take your pick.

Most hardcore rock fans choose Roth because of the firepower the songs
had, and Eddie was just so alien-like at the time that it changed
guitar playing forver. But, if you want to argue numbers, sales with
Sammy were much higher. Several #1 albums and singles make for
interesting debate. Now, in 2004, after a lot of bickering in the
public eye, Sammy Hagar is back in the Van Halen camp. Tickets
recently went on sale and surprisingly, the shows didn't sell out as
quickly as we might have thought. Is the public really yearning for
DLR? Well, with Sammy going on Howard Stern's radio show and saying
they are not playing ANY Roth-era tunes, it might have shocked some
fans and turned them off to this reunion. Don't blame the VH brothers,
they tried to get together with Roth and it just didn't work. Don't
blame Sammy, he went out on tour with Roth and wound up hating him
even more by the time the tour was over. Face it VH fans, we will most
likely never see David Lee Roth back with VH unless they are asked to
perform for their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction. Yes, it's sad.
I really feel bad for the fans that never saw the band with Diamond
Dave. It was fun.

So, the band is expected to release a BEST OF VOLUME II soon, with a
few new Van Hagar tunes to hold us over until they decide what's next
after the tour. With no return of Roth in sight, will rock fans cling
to Van Halen reunion with Hagar? We'll find out very soon. I am
looking forward to the shows, but in the back of my mind I'll kind of
be yearning for some of those old tunes from the Roth era. It's a
tough situation to be in for the band and the fans. Like good ole Abe
Lincoln said, you can fool some of the people some of the time, and
you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool
all of the people all of the time. Hopefully Van Halen won't be take
us for FOOLS, and deliver a kick-ass show.

*
*** REVIEWS ***
*
EVERGREY - THE INNER CIRCLE (A) InsideOut Music America, 2004
10 tracks, RT: 48:13 (regular edition)
13 tracks, RT: 58:28 (ltd. edition)
[ http://www.evergrey.net/ ]
[ http://www.insideoutmusic.com/ ]
[ info@... ]
Perspective: I have been an Evergrey fan ever since I heard samples of
"When Darkness Falls" from SOLITUDE DOMINANCE TRAGEDY and "December
26th" from THE DARK DISCOVERY on the Internet back in the winter of
2000. I was the first on my block to get IN SEARCH OF TRUTH which
consumed my CD player in the latter part of 2001 and into 2002. "Dark
Waters" quickly became my favorite Evergrey song. As with each
Evergrey release, there were always one or two songs that really
jumped out and grabbed me, and the rest grew on me over time as the
intricacy and depth take time to digest. RECREATION DAY hit my CD
player in March of 2003 and proceeded to be voted one of the best CDs
in my year-end column. I have seen the band three times in the past
year, so needless to say, I am a fan. Review: THE INNER CIRCLE is
Evergrey's fifth CD and finds the band focusing on the story of an
individual involved in a religious cult. The story is deep and dark,
taking the listener to a place that has you questioning your own
beliefs. The individual who is seeking a sense of higher purpose in
life gets wrapped up in this group and finds out that all is not what
it seems. I am glad that I have had a copy of this CD for two-plus
weeks now because it has taken a while to grow on me and embrace the
intensity in which the songs are presented. If I was to have rated it
after one or two listens I would have only given it a "B," but now
after about 10 listens, half of which have been in headphones (I
highly recommend this), I can, with clear conscience, give it an "A."
With that said, I would like to note that with their past effort,
RECREATION DAY, Evergrey had composed their most accessible CD to
date. The diversity shown on that CD garnered them many new fans. THE
INNER CIRCLE is a more painful CD, and I don't mean harsh to listen
to. The subject matter dealing with desperation, confusion, betrayal,
and more (I don't want to give a way any of the story) -- not pleasant
topics -- might turn new listeners off, but I can guarantee that if
you liked any of Evergrey's past efforts, you will love THE INNER
CIRCLE. The CD opens with "A Touch Of Blessing" (which is the first
video from the CD). An apprehensive guitar sound is repeated as Tom S.
Englund describes the thoughts and feelings of this individual as he
is being welcomed into the cult. Before you know it the song is
pounding away with the trademark chugging and eerie keyboard in the
background. This is a great opener and sets the rest of the story up
well, with a great moody solo by Tom. "Ambassador" is next and
furthers the story with some great melody, very cool deep vocals, and
heavy guitars that break into a slower chorus with the line "I Am
light to cast away shadows, The Spirit, Holy Ghost, and even Jesus,
God Walking Earth, Ambassador." This chorus is just flooring. It goes
along with the T-shirts they are selling. In the front under the
Evergrey logo they say "I am my own God" and on the back it says "God
Walking Earth" -- very cool; I have two. ;-) "In The Wake Of The
Weary" is one of my favorite tracks on the CD. It starts out heavy and
desperate sounding; again Tom's voice adds to the mood of the song,
his ability to bring the listener into the song and surround them with
emotion is his most valuable trait. A very cool breathy pre-chorus
follows and then Carina Englund's (Tom's wife) takes over with a very
soulful and emotional bridge. Henrik Danhage and Tom both rip off some
great solos that lead into a very deep string section. They actually
used the string quartet from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. This
is just a fabulous song. "Harmless Wishes" is well placed as the tempo
and rhythm fit well at this point. This song has a very distinctive
groove that Tom fits a great melody over with a very deep layered
chorus. This song also features one of Henrik's best solos on the CD.
"Waking Up Blind" slows things down, with Rikard Zander on piano, and
Tom relaying his painful melody starting the song. When the drums
enter in the rhythm is clock-like -- almost hypnotic, very
mesmerizing. "More Than Ever" launches the story back into full-on
heavy mode, with a pounding rhythm that leads way into the staccato
chugging guitars backed by a haunting piano melody. Carina's vocals
are all over the chorus and blend in so well with Tom's, it's amazing;
you'd think they had done this before. ;-) The bridge on this song is
one of the coolest pieces of music on this CD; Jonas Ekdahl just wails
on the crash cymbal as the guitars riff through a very cool passage.
"The Essence Of Conviction" is where the story really starts to climax
and take a turn. This is Tom's best performance on the CD. The pain,
anger, and helplessness conveyed in his voice would cause an unstable
person to have a nervous breakdown. He draws you in to a point you
can't help but feel traces of what this individual is going through.
The spoken words have a major impact in this song. This is the most
dramatic piece on the CD. "Where All Good Sleep" is a mid-paced heavy
song with a big, full chorus that complements the realization that the
individual is going through. "Faith Restored" slows things down for
only the second time; the vocals are surrounded by some soft guitars
and strings, a very beautiful song. "When The Walls Come Down" closes
out THE INNER CIRCLE in an interesting fashion. It is an instrumental
in that it has no actual singing on it but it does have spoken words
that are very moving and bring some sense of closure to the story. The
music starts out with Rikard playing some haunting melodies on the
piano accompanied by the string quartet; 2:28 into the song the mood
changes as the drums come in and add some anticipation all the while
these very emotional moving words are being spoken. The strings start
to build as the drum rhythm plays off the toms. At 4:23 the walls come
down and the music just explodes. And then as suddenly as it began, it
ends. A very unique and cool way to end the story and CD. The
production is on par with RECREATION DAY and the mix is great. Tom and
Henrik switch to Randall amps, and the rhythm guitars have a slightly
thinner sound but the Randalls seem to complement both of their solo
sounds very well. New 20-year-old Jonas gives a great energetic
performance here as do the rest of the guys. Carina is more prominent
on this CD than another Evergrey release. I am sure we all would love
to hear another duet between her and Tom. My only complaint is that I
would have liked to have seen all of the spoken words written in the
CD booklet along with the lyrics, which are there. It is sometimes
difficult to distinguish who is speaking. The limited edition CD has
three songs performed live and acoustic in France: "I'm Sorry,"
"Recreation Day," and "Madness Caught Another Victim." They are very
cool versions of these songs and worth it to seek out this version.
Summary: If you like anything Evergrey has previously put out you will
love this. It took a few spins to sink in but now I appreciate it for
what it is; an incredible, emotional, moving story accompanied by
complementing music and another top-notch vocal performance by Tom S.
Englund. It's not as accessible as RECREATION DAY -- it is much deeper
and dark -- but nevertheless spectacular. These guys have yet to
disappoint. - Sean P. Gahgan (lof@...)

*
*** OUT ***
*

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




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