Detritus
Issue #304
Week of February 14, 2005
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Detritus/

To subscribe to the e-mail version do one of the following:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Detritus/
Detritus-subscribe@yahoogroups.com (send a blank e-mail here)

To unsubscribe from the e-mail version:
Detritus-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com (send a blank e-mail here)

To contact us:
Detritus-owner@yahoogroups.com

*
*** CAST OF CHARACTERS ***
*
Patrick Brower, Editor
patrickbrower@...

Sean P. Gahgan, Editor
lof@...

Tim Wadzinski, Owner
tsw512@...

Steve Shumake, Co-owner
vongoober@...
http://www.vongoober.com/

*
*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
*
Rick Berg, Keith Abt & Tim have a slew of reviews for us all, so let's
get to it! And I FINALLY got my John Oliva CD, for those of you
scoring at home. -Patrick

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #1 ***
*
-CHILDREN OF BODOM UPDATE

Alexi is now almost over his hand injury, caused by his recent fall.
As of February, he's able to play normally, and COB will now
concentrate on putting the new stuff together. Studio, located in
Helsinki is booked for several weeks in April and May, and recordings
should be ready by the end of May! The band is really excited that
they are now able to play new stuff together, and that Alexi is
recovered from his injury that occurred only in December.

CHILDREN OF BODOM have lined up the following festival appearances
this spring/summer:

May
13-15 – Gelsenkirchen, GER @ Rock Hard Festival

July
8-10 – Turku, FIN @ Ruisrock
15 – Vaasa, FIN @ Rockperry Festival
16 – Joensuu, FIN @ Ilosaarirock
17 – Helsinki, FIN @ Tuska Festival

As previously reported, CHILDREN OF BODOM bassist Henkka Blacksmith
recently revealed that the group's new album will be recorded in
Helsinki, Finland with producer Mikko Karmila but not at the Finnvox
studio, where Karmila had previously mixed some of the group's
previous output. It is not presently clear if the recordings, which
were scheduled for March, will be delayed due to guitarist/vocalist
Alexi Laiho's recent accident, which resulted in a broken arm.

CHILDREN OF BODOM's new LP is scheduled for release in Finland on 29
August via Spinefarm Records (September in the rest of the world
through Universal). In addition, all of CHILDREN OF BODOM's albums
(including "Tokyo Warhearts") will be re-released as double LP
versions in February and March.

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #2 ***
*
-MOTORHEAD AND CORROSION OF CONFORMITY JOIN FORCES FOR SPRING 2005 TOUR

The immortal Motorhead and mighty Corrosion Of Conformity will hit the
road for a North American tour in spring 2005.

Motorhead -- celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with a third
career Grammy Award nomination -- makes a triumphant return to these
shores after a 2004 fall tour was canceled due to an injury suffered
by vocalist/bassist Lemmy. At last, Lemmy, guitarist Philip Campbell
and drummer Mikkey Dee are able to perform on this continent to
promote their Metal-Is/Sanctuary Records release 'Inferno.' This
remarkable album earned mountains of overwhelmingly positive reviews.
In fact, the Associated Press called 'Inferno' the best Motorhead
album ever.

"Corrosion Of Conformity are a fine band as everybody knows. Also,
they must be one of the few bands who have been going as long as
Motorhead! Still, we'll give them a run for their money!" says Lemmy.
"Glad to have those boys along."

Corrosion Of Conformity, also known as COC, will give audiences a
tantalizing taste of the blistering new Sanctuary Records album 'In
The Arms Of God,' which is scheduled for release on April 5, 2005.
Vocalist/guitarist Pepper Keenan, guitarist Woody Weatherman, bass
guitarist Mike Dean and special guest drummer Stanton Moore (best
known as a member of Galactic) have recorded an album of visceral
power that's a worthy follow-up to 2000's 'America's Volume Dealer.'
Scheduling conflicts will prevent Moore from touring with the band.
Jason Patterson (Cry Of Love) will serve as COC's touring drummer.

"Lemmy and Motorhead are to heavy metal and our roots what Johnny Cash
is to country," says Keenan. "It's an honor and a privilege to deliver
volume on the same stage...now up the f%#kin' hammers! Not to mention
we've got the baddest skulls in heavy metal!"

Motorhead will also be performing at World Wrestling Entertainment's
WrestleMania 21 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, April
3rd (Even I didn't know that -Patrick).

Motorhead/COC shows confirmed at this time are listed below. Many more
are forthcoming. For all the latest updates, visit www.imotorhead.com
and www.coc.com.

DATE CITY VENUE
Wednesday, March 9th Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
Friday, March 11th Worcester, MA Palladium
Saturday, March 12th New York, NY B.B. King Blues Club
Tuesday, March 15th Hartford, CT Webster Theatre
Wednesday, March 16th Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Friday, March 18th Cleveland, OH Agora
Saturday, March 19th Chicago, IL House Of Blues (Whooo!)
Sunday, March 20th Milwaukee, WI Rave Ballroom
Wednesday, March 23rd Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Sunday, March 27th Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Saturday, April 2nd Anaheim, CA House Of Blues
Saturday, April 9th Portland, OR Roseland
Sunday, April 10th Seattle, WA Showbox
Tuesday, April 12th Spokane, WA The Big Easy

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #3 ***
*
-GREAT WHITE ADDS MORE CANADIAN TOUR DATES

As reported last issue, Great White is touring Canada in March. Here
are some added dates.

TOUR DATES:
20-Mar Oshawa The Park Place
23-Mar Cambridge Fiddlers Green
24-Mar Chatham Twisters
25-Mar Orillia 2nd Last Call
26-Mar Pittsburg, PA Pepsi Roadhouse

As always, all performances by GREAT WHITE will continue to benefit
the Station Family Fund. Proceeds from their shows go to the fund 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. www.stationfamilyfund.org.

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #4 ***
*
-NEW HELLOWEEN DRUMMER

HELLOWEEN and drummer Stefan Schwarzmann have parted ways amicably.
The former RUNNING WILD & UDO drummer, who played the drums during the
pumpkin heads' RABBIT DON`T COME EASY world tour, will not be playing
for the Hamburg based band any longer. During the tour it became
apparent to Stefan and to the rest of the members of Helloween that,
although things were going extremely well on the human side of things,
Stefan and the band did not entirely share the same views musically.
Stefan decided to stay to help out the band during their
pre-production until a replacement was found.

Dani Löble, highly acclaimed ex-drummer of RAWHEAD REXX turned out to
be the perfect man for HELLOWEEN. Dani, an exceptional talent known to
many musical insiders, has already finished most of the drum
recordings for Helloween´s follow-up album to RABBIT DON`T COME EASY.
Helloween fans can anticipate awe-inspiring loads of double bass
madness and the trademark Helloween style of songs and arrangements on
their upcoming album.

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #5 ***
*
-NEW DREAM OR NIGHTMARE CD

The new DREAM OR NIGHTMARE CD "Light Burning Bright Till the Dawn" has
been released! It includes 4 studio quality recorded songs (30 minutes
of music with a couple of unexpected twists) as well as professional
packaging and graphics. For ordering or promotional information,
please write to: DorNinfo@... for all the details. The disc is
also available at http://www.cdbaby.com/dreamnightmare.
"Light Burning Bright Till the Dawn" features an original brand of
metal that combines influences/elements from not only different metal
genres, but from other musical styles as well. The material doesn't
fit neatly into any one category, instead of following trends the aim
of this release is to create them!!! It's more melodic, progressive,
and creative than the band's previous demo efforts; it definitely
shows the progression of DREAM OR NIGHTMARE's songwriting and
musicianship. To preview the CD, a free download is available
at:http://download.com/dreamornightmare.

Track list is as follows:
Lost Wish
Self Inflicted Gunshot Wound to the Head
Tomorrow Aside
Conflicting Addiction

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #6 ***
*
-CANNIBAL CORPSE, SADUS, AND INCANTATION ANNOUNCED AS HEADLINERS FOR
NORTHWEST DEATH FEST 2005

The second annual Northwest Death Fest will be held at the Fenix
Underground in Seattle on April 3, featuring one-off performances by
Cannibal Corpse, Sadus, and Incantation. The all-day event will also
feature 24 underground metal acts performing on two stages.

"I hand-picked 24 of the best unsigned metal bands from the Pacific
Northwest, " said promoter Frank Hetzel. "There's a thriving scene in
this area! The fans and bands are very supportive of my shows. You
can expect a great bill of brutal bands."

Cannibal Corpse, Sadus and, Incantation have been making extreme music
for over 15 years. Cannibal Corpse released their ninth studio
recording, "The Wretched Spawn," in February 2004. Incantation, from
the East Coast, released an album last year, as well, and recently
returned from a European tour of 12 countries.

Sadus were part of the San Francisco thrash metal movement in the mid
`80s and were together until 1997. The band reunited in 2002 and is
currently working on new material for their first album since 1997.

"I'm a big fan of Cannibal Corpse and have seen them many times,"
Hetzel said. "I chose them because they always give a 110 percent
performance. Cannibal Corpse is about as extreme as they come. I
chose Sadus for the festival because they have never played in the
Northwest area. Incantation is another one of my favorites. Their
reputation as one of the heaviest death metal bands is known worldwide
and will definitely get the crowd stirred up."

Howitzer Productions began in 2002 and has promoted over 75 shows, as
well as four festivals in the Washington area. Hetzel is a musician
himself and realizes the difficulties that bands face trying to get a
fair deal from club owners and booking agents.

"It's really important to me that the bands and the fans leave my
shows satisfied," Hetzel said. "My experience on the other side of
the fence as both a member of a band and a concert-goer helps me put
together quality shows."

There will be an X Box and a DVD player giveaway at 3 p.m. and free
giveaways all day long. Vendors will also be on hand selling
collectible and current metal merchandise. The first 500 people
through the door will receive a free CD including one track each from
the 27-band roster.

The Fenix Underground is located at 109 S. Washington St. in Seattle,
Wash. (206-405-4313). This is an all ages event, 21 and over with ID
for access to the bar. Doors open at 10 a.m. and the show will begin
at 11 a.m. and run continuously until midnight. Ticket prices are
$22.00 in advance and $28.00 day of show, and are available through
Northwestdeathfest.com, the Fenix Underground box office, and
Ticketmaster.
www.northwestdeathfest.com

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #7 ***
*
-ION VEIN UPDATE

The highly acclaimed U.S. metal act are set to appear at Chicago
Powerfest 2005 over the weekend of April 8th & 9th @ JJ Kelley's,
Lansing, Illinois, along with:

Tad Morose (Sweden)
Morgana Lefay (Sweden)
Twelfth Gate (IL)
Ion Vein (IL)
Archetype (OH)
Imagika (CA)
Silencer (CO)
Warmachine (Toronto)
Katagory V (UT)

For more information on these shows check out the site at
www.ionvein.com/tour.asp for more details.

The bands new CD, "Reigning Memories" is due for release on the
21st and has been picking up phenomenal reviews including 100/100 in
Italy`s Flash Magazine and 11/12 in Germany`s Heavy Oder Was, as well
as the following –

"The more you listen to this the more the layers of complexity make
themselves evident too. For example, the song "Reigning Memories"
starts off as complete Dream Theater worship, then completely
dissolves into Ion Vein's own style... acoustic passages, Vicious
Rumors-like chunk and precision thanks to the tandem of guitarists
Chris Lotesto and John Malufka, complex drumming from Scott Lang...
all wrapped up with Russ' incredible vocals. The sound on this CD is
superb, but it should be with Neil Kernon at the dials. The artwork is
also quite awesome done by one of metal's newest stars in Mattias
Norén. This is one kick ass package, outside and in." 5/5 Metal Judgement

"I can wholeheartedly recommend the second album by ION VEIN to
anybody, who still mourns the past QUEENSRYCHE heydays. But also
friends of BALANCE OF POWER, PAGAN'S MIND or KAMELOT should have a
great time with the high standing compositions of these specialists."
10/10 The Metal Observer

"Ion Vein bring together a very good balance of Iron Maiden, 'Perfect
Symmetry/Parallels' era Fates Warning, and Queensryche" 4.5/5 Glory
Daze

"Russ Klimczak the bands vocalist is easily compared to Geoff Tate of
Queensryche with Russ' style so similar it's almost jaw dropping at
times." 9.5/10 Hard Beyond Driven

"The genius of this album, is the fact that the guys have found a
really nice mixture of challenging music and catchy songs. There's
really no need to pick out single songs here, they are all very, very
good. Excellent stuff all the way through!" 5/6 Scream Magazine

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #8 ***
*
-MILES BEYOND RELEASE DEBUT CD

FLINT, MI -- Miles Beyond has finished recording their self-titled
debut CD
that has 12 brand new heavy metal songs. The CD features the twin lead
guitar
team of Tim Moody and Paul Owsinski. The CD melodically has a European
Metal influence mixed with raw American power. This CD is filled with
guitar work and huge vocal melodies.

http://www.milesbeyond.net/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #9 ***
*
-AC/DC - DVD

The wait is over. Here's the official track listing for the new
AC/DC 2-DVD set, "Family Jewels", (Epic/Sony) which will be released
in March/April worldwide. Disc 1 includes video clips, disc 2 audio
only tracks remastered for DVD format. Live performances cover
"Angus" era of 1980's-90's...here are the tracks included:

DVD 1:

01. Baby, Please Don't Go
02. Show Business
03. High Voltage
04. It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll)
05. T.N.T.
06. Jailbreak
07. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
08. Dog Eat Dog
09. Let There Be Rock
10. Rock 'N' Roll Damnation
11. Sin City
12. Riff Raff
13. Fling Thing
13. Fling Thing/Rocker
13. Rocker
14. Whole Lotta Rosie
15. Shot Down In Flames
16. Walk All Over You
17. Touch Too Much
18. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
19. Girls Got Rhythm
20. Highway To Hell

DVD 2 (Audio only):

01. Hells Bells
02. Back In Black
03. What Do You Do For Money Honey
04. Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
05. Let's Get It Up
06. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)
07. Flick Of The Switch
08. Nervous Shakedown
09. Fly On The Wall
10. Danger
11. Sink The Pink
12. Stand Up
13. Shake Your Foundations
14. Who Made Who
15. You Shook Me All Night Long
16. Heatseeker
17. That's The Way I Wanna Rock 'N' Roll
18. Thunderstruck
19. Moneytalks
20. Are You Ready

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #10 ***
*
-IRON MAIDEN TO TAKE MAIN STAGE AT OZZFEST 2005

IRON MAIDEN has confirmed today that they will co-headline the USA
tour for OZZFEST this summer, along with the OZZY-led BLACK SABBATH
and ANTHRAX's "Among the Living" lineup (featuring vocalist Joey
Belladonna, guitarist Dan Spitz and bassist Frank Bello), with many
more main stage and second stage bands to be announced soon.

IRON MAIDEN will be also be headlining many European Festivals this
summer (prior to OZZFEST tour), and during the same time, BLACK
SABBATH will be headlining the out-of-US OZZFEST dates, including an
OZZFEST day within the UK's Download Festival.

Ozzy himself said in a U.K. interview today: "We've hoped to get
MAIDEN in our tour forever, and this is the 10th year," (all
indications are that this is likely the final year for OZZFEST) "both
of these old (English) bands will have the time of their lives rockin'
America and fans will get their rocks off, too." (This will be
MAIDEN's first stadium tour in the USA in 10 years)...

Furthermore, DREAM THEATER and WITHIN TEMPTATION have just been
confirmed to join MAIDEN at Uster Nr Z?ich, Fussballstadion Buchholz
on Sunday, 12 June. HERE are all the dates for MAIDEN that will take
place prior to the OZZFEST 2005 U.S. Tour (those dates yet to be
determined - announcement expected by mid-March):

MAY
28 - Czech Republic
29 - Poland (MYSTIC Fest w/NIGHTWISH)
31 - Austria

JUNE
07 - Iceland
11 - Italy (GODS OF METAL FEST)
12 - Switzerland
16 - Portugal
18 - Spain
21 - Greece
25 - France
26 - Belgium (GRASPOP METAL FEST)
28 - Norway - Sold Out!
29 - Norway - Sold Out!

JULY
02 - Germany (FULL FORCE FESTIVAL)
03 - Holland
06 - Finland - Sold Out!
07 - Finland - Sold Out!
09 - Sweden - Sold Out!

*
*** NEWS/RUMORS ***
*

-CHOOSING DEATH: THE IMPROBABLE HISTORY OF DEATH METAL & GRINDCORE
"Choosing Death" author Albert Mudrian will sign copies of his book at
the Neal's Yard location of Rough Trade in the Covent Garden section
of London on Wednesday, March 16 at 6 p.m. The book, published by
Feral House, revisits critical moments in the history of the grindcore
and death metal genres. "Choosing Death: The Original Soundtrack," the
companion CD compilation to the "Choosing Death" book, is also now
available via Relapse Records. (Please contact Carl Schultz at Relapse
regarding the "Choosing Death" CD - press@..., 610/734-1000.)
www.choosingdeath.com www.feralhouse.com www.relapse.com

-G3 '05 Japanese mini-tour has been announced as Steve Vai, Joe
Satriani and Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci. Petrucci's band
will include Dave LaRue on bass and Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy on
drums. This G3 tour will travel through Japan only, stopping in Osaka,
Tokyo, Nagoya and Hiroshima. Confirmed dates are as follows:

May 06 - Osaka, JPN @ Grand Cube
May 08 - Tokyo, JPN @ Forum
May 09 - Nagoya, JPN @ Geijyutsu Gekijyo
May 10 - Hiroshima, JPN @ Mielparque

-HANZEL UND GRETYL will headline Gothicfest 2005, which will be held
on Saturday, September 17, at the Odeum Expo Center in Villa Park,
Ill. The festival caters to the gothic subculture with an entire day
of music, tattoos, fashion, body art, and extreme exhibitions.
www.hanzelundgretyl.com www.metropolis-records.com

-New York metal band HAVOCHATE has inked a deal with Indecent Media to
release its second album, "Cycle of Pain," on March 15. HavocHate's
sophomore effort is a marked growth from "This Violent Earth," brought
on partially by the band's revamped lineup. Joining Ordine are
vocalist Tim Bouchee, who joined the band early last year; Mario
Rodriguez, who was added as second guitarist after the recording of
the first album; former Testament bassist Greg Christian; and original
drummer Ovie Rodriguez. www.havochate.com www.indecentmedia.com

-HEAVEN'S CRY will be performing on February 18th, 2005 at L'Alizé (900
Ontario East, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; some tickets are still available
at http://www.admission.com/ ). Along with tunes from "Food For Thought
Substitute" and "Primal Power Addiction", they plan to debut 6 new songs.

-HIRAX will make their Mexican debut on Saturday, April 30, at Box
Underground in Tijuana. The band will also appear on "Institintos" on
102.5 FM for an in-studio interview on Friday, April 29 at 10 p.m.
EST. HIRAX is currently gathering footage for a DVD titled "Masters Of
Metal." The DVD will include the band's entire performance at Sweden
Rock this past June.
www.hirax.org www.mausoeum-records.com

Live dates:
04/09/05 Sat. Old Brickhouse, Phoenix, AZ (AZ Metal Devastation Festival)
04/30/05 Sat. Box Underground, Tijuana, Mexico

-California indie rockers JET MOTOR CRASH are currently on the road
for their first nationwide tour in support of their new album,
"Personal Space," which was released in October by Mastodon Infantry.
Jet Motor Crash was recently honored with the Best Pop Punk band award
at the First Annual Inland Empire Music Awards, an event celebrating
the talent found in the Inland Empire area of California.
www.jetmotorcrash.com www.mastodoninfantry.com

Live dates:
02/14/05 Mon. Points East Pub, Milwaukee, WI
02/15/05 Tue. Station 4, St. Paul, MN
02/17/05 Thu. Red Sea, Minneapolis, MN
02/19/05 Sat. Cheap Thrills, St. Cloud, MN
02/20/05 Sun. Club Laramar, Dodge City, IA
02/21/05 Mon. Gabe's Oasis, Iowa City, IA
02/22/05 Tue. The Setlist, Warrensburg (KC), MO
02/23/05 Wed. 32 Blue, Colorado Springs, CO
02/24/05 Thu. Eck's Saloon, Denver, CO
02/26/05 Sat. The Starlight, Ft. Collins, CO
02/27/05 Sun. The Whiskey, Salt Lake City, UT
03/04/05 Fri. The Loft, Ventura, CA
03/06/05 Sun. Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
03/10/05 Thu. Hogue Barmichaels, Newport Beach, CA
05/28/05 Sat. Equal Eyez, Corpus Christi, TX

-Check out www.judaspriestonline.com to see the new JUDAS PRIEST video
for "Revolution".

-From the official KINGDOM COME website: Unfortunately, due to
circumstances beyond our control with visas not arriving in a timely
fashion, the Kingdom Come tour in the USA has to be postponed. "True
to their fans, Kingdom Come will not give up." Commented Kingdom Come
front man Lenny Wolf: "We will not cancel the U.S. touring plans and
will not let our U.S. fans down." The statement goes to say, "Instead
Kingdom Come's management is working hard to resolve all issues. So
hopefully the band will be able to announce a rescheduled routing soon."

-From the METHUSALEM email list: Methusalem is back from their heavy
metal rampage in Spain and is now ready again to rock Holland and
conquer the rest of the World! New material is being written,
preparations for new recordings are being made and new band & live
pics are online. Visit the website www.methusalem.nu and check out the
song "Helepolis" of our last promo, remixed with our new singer Harold
de Vries and be surprised that traditional fucking Heavy Metal is
still very much alive and kicking very hard in the hearts of the Dutch
rockers of Methusalem!

-Hits Daily Double reports: When the MÖTLEY CRÜE "Red, White, and Crüe
2005...Better Live Than Dead" tour officially launches February 17,
the coveted opening slot will be.. a movie? Each show will open with a
20-minute animated feature, "Disaster!", featuring the band and
hand-picked by Nikki Sixx, who knows the filmmakers. The short, a
claymation parody of action films like "Twister" and "Armageddon", was
directed by Roy Wood, who was part of the team behind MTV's "Celebrity
Death Match".

-MY DAD THE ROCK STAR, the Gene Simmons created cartoon, has just
started airing on Nickelodeon, every weekday at 4:30pm
(Central/Standard time). Check your local listings.

-The 7th Annual NEW ENGLAND METAL AND HARDCORE FESTIVAL is scheduled
for the weekend of Friday, April 22, Saturday, April 23 and Sunday,
April 24 at the Palladium in Worcester, Mass. Hatebreed, Unearth, and
Obituary will headline Friday night. Chimaira and Cryptopsy will
headline Saturday. King Diamond, Nile and Soilwork will headline
Sunday. Also appearing are A Life Once Lost, All Shall Perish, All
That Remains, As I Lay Dying, Behemoth, Black Dahlia Murder, Blood Has
Been Shed, Bury Your Dead, Dark Tranquility, Darkest Hour, Evergreen
Terrace, Full Blown Chaos, Glass Casket, Hypocrisy, If Hope Dies,
Internal Bleeding, Ion Disonanance, It Dies Today, Kylesa, Maroon,
Misery Signals, Nimic, Premonitions Of War, Pro-Pain, Red Chord,
Reflux, Remembering Never, Scurvy, Sonatarctica, Stemm, Strapping
Young Lad, The Acacia Strain, The Agony Scene, The Esoteric, The
Killing, The Minor Times, Throwdown, Trivium, Winter Solstice and many
more to be added. Talent is subject to change. Single day tickets are
$35 per day and three-day passes are $99. Tickets are available at all
Strawberries Record Stores, online at tickets.com, or by calling
tickets.com at (800) 477-6849. The deadline for media requests is April 8.
www.metalandhardcorefestival.com

-From the official JOE SATRIANI email list: Just added to every
Platinum Packager... Backstage Tour Experience! You will be taken into
the venue early and given a tour of the backstage, and if load-in
permits, the stage itself. Get a keepsake photo from the backstage
tour... either taken backstage or on stage. Each night's tour could be
different... maybe you will get to watch Joe's gear being setup, maybe
equipment will be tested, you never know! This is your chance to see
what goes on before the doors open! Joe Satriani returns to the road
in the U.S. this Spring, headlining "An Evening with Joe Satriani."
Joe is again offering Premium Tickets to his fans for this tour.

Tickets for the show below are now available.
April 11 - Luther Burbank Center for the Arts - Santa Rosa, CA
April 13 - The Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
April 14 - The Big Easy Concert House - Spokane, WA
April 15 - The Show Box Theatre - Seattle, WA
April 16 - Roseland Theatre - Portland, OR
April 17 - Reno Hilton Theatre - Reno, NV
Get your "Premium" tickets at http://www.joesatriani.com !

-THINE EYES BLEED has signed a multi-album deal with The End Records.
Their debut album, "In the Wake of Separation," is highlighted by a
disciplined ferocity and over-the-top instrumentation, fusing modern
metal extremity with touches of dissonant, oddly-constructed riffing,
engaging vocal variation, ripping guitar-soloing, and memorable
songwriting. The group will tour in March with Vehemence.
www.thineeyesbleed.com www.theendrecords.com

Live dates:
02/25/05 Fri. Call the Office, London, ON
03/02/05 Wed. The Guvernment, Toronto, ON w/Soulfly
03/13/05 Sun. Independence-D @ Studio Coast, Tokyo, Japan
03/18/05 Fri. SXSW @ Backroom, Austin, TX
03/19/05 Sat. The Ballroom, Corpus Christi, TX
03/20/05 Sun. Studio 28, Lubbock, TX

With Vehemence:
03/21/05 Mon. Surges, El Paso, TX
03/22/05 Tue. Classics, Colorado Springs, CO
03/23/05 Wed. Eck's Saloon, Lakewood, CO
03/24/05 Thu. Starlight Theater, Ft. Collins, CO
03/25/05 Fri. The Venue, Boise, ID
03/26/05 Sat. The B-Side, Spokane, WA
03/27/05 Sun. Studio Seven, Seattle, WA
03/28/05 Mon. Sabala's Mt. Tabor, Portland, OR
03/31/05 Thu. The Pound, San Francisco, CA
04/02/05 Sat. Jerry's Pizza, Bakersfield, CA
04/03/05 Sun. Showcase Theater, Corona, CA

-THE GODS 2005, Town And Country, Bradford, Saturday May 7th

SOUL SIRKUS (featuring Jeff Scott Soto, Neal Schon, Marco Mendoza,
Virgil Donati)
VERY SPECIAL GUESTS T.B.A.
FIREHOUSE
PINK CREAM 69
LEGS DIAMOND
CASANOVA
MILLION
HOUSE OF SHAKIRA
PRIDE

-Virginia-based rock band TOAST has released its second CD, "All In,"
on Pro Music Records. Headed up by singer/songwriter Gordon Price and
Billboard #1 producer Stacy Heydon – also a former guitarist for David
Bowie – Toast is an eclectic alt-rock band inspired solely by the two
musicians' love of creating original music.
www.toastcd.com

-From the official WARRANT website: "It's official! The new WARRANT CD
is underway. We started recording on February 4th with
producer/engineer Pat Regan (KISS, TED NUGENT, DEEP PURPLE, MR. BIG
and L.A. GUNS, just to name a few) and so far, so great! We are
recording an ass-kicking record that you've just got to hear. If
that's not enough, we are preparing to get out on the road and tour
even bigger and better this year. "The yet-to-be-titled CD is
scheduled for release in summer 2005, and has the classic hard rockin'
WARRANT sound that we all want to hear. ('Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking
Rich' and 'Cherry Pie' with a new twist)." Warrant's current line-up
consists of original members Erik Turner (guitar), Jerry Dixon (bass),
Joey Allen (lead guitar), Steven Sweet (drums) and new addition Jaime
St. James (vocals, BLACK 'N BLUE).

*
*** ROCK HARD RIDE FREE ***
*
by Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

-Have we all been keeping with the seemingly daily updates to the
upcoming Ozzy Osbourne box set? The latest I heard is they've now
swapped a few tracks around. The big disappointment here is they've
apparently removed Ozzy's collaborations with Dweezil Zappa (an
unreleased cover of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive") and Gary Moore
("Led Clones," from Moore's album AFTER THE WAR) and replaced them
with the "Dog The Bounty Hunter" TV theme song and Black Sabbath's
"Psycho Man" (one of the new studio tracks on REUNION). I think I have
the Zappa song on tape somewhere but it sure would've been nice to
have it on disc. Oh well.

-My friend Bill "Demonizer" Kotowski sent me a link to a review of
Judas Priest's new single, "Revolution." Check it out now at
http://www.musictap.net/Reviews/JudasPriestRetributionSingleCD.htm .
You know, as a diehard Priest fan I'm happy with basically *any* press
the band can get, but this one made me wince. The reviewer is
obviously a knowledgeable fan because he mentions the obscure old
ballad "Last Rose Of Summer," but throughout the review he keeps
calling the single "Retribution" instead of "Revolution." Ugh!!!

-This is kind of a cool idea: Alice Cooper and Cheap Trick will
reportedly tour the US together later this year, and besides each
band's normal set each show will feature a short set with Cooper
backed by Cheap Trick. Wonder what they'll play...

-So, Motorhead won a Grammy. Congrats to Lemmy and the boys, but let's
all don't forget our hats and gloves now because I think *everything*
is freezing over!!!

-Finally, this is too funny. Last week I was prattling on and on about
coming up with parodies of metal songs, with new lyrics about babies
and fatherhood, and then my uncle sent me this link:
http://users.pandora.be/stefdirrix/flash/queen.htm . Check it out. :)

-Now in my current playlist: Ben Jackson Group - ALL OVER YOU (Escapi/
Screaming Ferret), Arena - PEPPER'S GHOST (InsideOut Music America),
Divinefire - GLORY THY NAME (Rivel Records), Artension - FUTURE WORLD
(Lion Music), Testament - SEEN BETWEEN THE LINES (DVD) (Escapi/
Screaming Ferret), Tak Matsumoto Group - TMG 1 (Frontiers).

*
*** REVIEWS ***
*

CRIMSON MOONLIGHT – VEIL OF REMEMBRANCE (C+) Rivel Records, 2004
9 tracks, RT: 43:14
[ http://www.crimsonmoonlight.com/ ]
[ http://www.rivelrecords.com/ ]
[ info@... ]
I never really believed that Christian death/black/dark/extreme metal
could work as a whole. How does one scream blood spurting lyrics about
salvation and happiness? And Crimson Moonlight's 2nd album after THE
CONVENANT PROGRESS only slightly changed my thinking. This new album
sounds like the product of any other typical "extreme" (their term not
mine) metal band. The drums by Gustav Elowson and bass by Erik
Tordsson are fast and furious. They drill your ears with blistering
beats and nihilistic notes. The three guitarists Per Sundberg,
Hubertus Lilijegren, and Jani Stefanovic combine well enough that I
can't even tell that they use three separate guitarists. If that's
good or bad I don't know but it doesn't bother me that much. Overall
the riffs and hooks worked well enough. Lead vocalist Simon "Pilgrim"
Rosén screeches, howls and growls as good as anyone in the genre.
Track 8, "Contemplations Along The Way" is the best example of his
range from Dani (Cradle of Filth) Filth-like screeching to gravely
growls reminiscent of Chris (Six Feet Under) Barnes. He even has some
spoken word on track "The Cold Grip Of Terror." I enjoyed "Pilgrim's"
powerful vocals the most out of anything on VEIL OF REMEMBRANCE. His
delivery is powerful and just as good as many others out there. While
the production/engineering/mixing by Thomas"Plec" Johansson is also
better than a lot of extreme metal bands, it doesn't change the fact
that this is still just another death metal band. They are as good or
as bad as anyone else. If you like this style of music then Crimson
Moonlight will not disappoint but if you could care less about it then
nothing on this album really makes them stand out from their darker
metal brothers that will change your mind. My main dislike with this
album is that it very much is a Christian Metal album. Not that I have
any problems with those themes but even with many repeated spins
(which helped them grow slightly on me and increase their grade) I
still had no idea. It was not clear to me at all until I sat down and
actually read the lyrics. With song lyrics like "Thou alone are the
Lord's anointed/ The darkness recedes, 'cause the true light is
already shining." to "Oh Jesus Christ/ I seek Thy divine wisdom/ I bow
before Thy advice." how can they not be. The band photo on the jacket
is a typical black and white shot of the band in front of a forest.
They are all in black and look the dark evil "extreme" metal part.
Nothing to suggest their tastes lie in the other direction. To me the
lyrics and themes do not fit very well with the overall presentation..
Not that I want happy sappy music but things called "extreme","
death", or "black" metal should not tell me that in the end I will be
saved and all is good. I think that cleaner less distorted vocals
would fit better with the more "holy" subject matter. The Christian
ideas should be a part of the package not hidden under the guise of
"extreme" metal. How about a picture of an angry God seeking to punish
the guilty or something to tie into your subject matter? In the end
what could be Crimson Moonlight's stand out trait is lost in a
competent but nonetheless unoriginal effort. Rock N' Pillage! – Rick
Berg (strngbrg@...)

ANNIHILATOR - ALL FOR YOU (C+) AFM Records, 2004
10 Tracks, RT: 55:27, plus multimedia
[ http://annihilatormetal.com ]
[ http://www.afm-records.de ]
[ http://www.theendrecords.com ]
ALL FOR YOU finds Jeff Waters' venerable metal institution in a
transitional period once again after several years of near-stability
with vocalist Joe Comeau, who appeared on two studio albums in a row
(a record in Annihilator history) and a fairly solid (for Waters,
anyway) band lineup. After touring for 2002's WAKING THE FURY disc,
however, Comeau departed and the rest of the band followed. Thus,
Waters drafted new vocalist Dave Padden, played all the guitars and
bass on ALL FOR YOU, and brought back drummer Mike Mangini (last seen
on 1993's SET THE WORLD ON FIRE) to complete the record. I had been
anxiously awaiting ALL FOR YOU and though it's grown on me with
repeated listens, unfortunately I still can't say that I'm totally
sold on it. Musically, the album is top notch of course; would you
expect anything less from a noted perfectionist like Waters? The
blistering "Rage Absolute" (guaranteed to peel the paint off your
walls) is the best track on the album, and "Bled," the eerie "Dr.
Psycho," and the straight-up thrashers "Both Of Me" and "The Nightmare
Factory" will also get your air guitar goin' and your head noddin'. I
can do without the soupy ballads "Holding On" and "The One," but then
that's why CD players have a skip button. (If I wanna hear two ballads
per album, I'll pick up a Stryper disc...) However, Padden's unusual
vocal style seems to be the major stumbling block for me. You would
think that this wouldn't be an issue, as most Annihilator fans are
used to the fact by now that Jeff Waters changes vocalists as often as
most of us change our socks (if you count the two albums where Waters
filled the vocal slot himself, Padden is now the band's sixth singer),
but my problem is that Padden doesn't seem to know exactly WHAT kind
of singer he wants to be. From track to track, he jumps all over the
map, to the point where you never know if you're going to hear a
harsh, barking Phil Anselmo style thug (as in the verses of the title
track and most of "Rage Absolute"), a smooth crooner (chorus of the
title track, intro to "Both of Me," and "The One") an alternative-rock
whiner ("Demon Dance") or a classic James Hetfield-style thrash singer
("Bled"). If this guy would pick one voice and stick to it, ALL FOR
YOU would have a much more cohesive sound. Despite its somewhat mixed
bag feel, ALL FOR YOU is still a decent enough addition to the band's
catalog, though I personally will still pull CARNIVAL DIABLOS or
WAKING THE FURY off the shelf more often. Fans should note that the
gorgeous album cover and interior layout artwork is the best packaging
the band has ever had (that crazy Alice chick with the creepy Raggedy
Ann doll is back!), and be advised that the multi-media portion of the
disc is fascinating, featuring several live shots from the early 90s
and a video of 1993's SET THE WORLD ON FIRE lineup rehearsing the
track "Knight Jumps Queen" in the studio in preparation for a Japanese
tour. As for my problem with the vocals on ALL FOR YOU, I guess I
should just chill, because if history is any indicator, Padden will
probably be gone by the next album anyway. -Keith Abt
(Keithabt@...)

RAGE - FROM THE CRADLE TO THE STAGE 2CD (B) SPV Records, 2005
Disc 1: 15 Tracks, RT: 1:06:50
Disc 2: 12 Tracks, RT: 1:08:22
[ http://www.spvusa.com ]
[ http://www.rage-on.de ]
I've gone on record in the past about my lack of interest in most live
albums, but lately some absolutely amazing live discs have been
released that are starting to warm me up to the subject. Maybe it's
because I've retired from concert going, so the only way I'm going to
experience a band live these days is via CD? Gamma Ray's excellent
SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET kicked my ass last year, and now their
countrymen in Rage have unleashed FROM THE CRADLE TO THE STAGE, a 2CD
set which has also been spending more quality time in my player than
live discs normally do. (Maybe it's a German thing?) Kicking off with
tracks from 2003's SOUNDCHASER and then plowing through selections
from virtually all of Rage's albums to date, FROM THE CRADLE is not
only an excellently produced live recording (taped during Rage's 20th
anniversary concert at the Zeche in Bochum, Germany in January 2004),
but it also serves as a nice introduction to Rage's back catalog for
those of us in the U.S. who missed out on their many CDs that were
only available via import during the '90s. (Like me, for instance; I
only climbed on board the Rage train after 1998's orchestral THIRTEEN
album, so I have a lot of catching up to do....) Now that I've finally
heard older tracks like "Paint the Devil on the Wall," "Straight To
Hell," and "Black In Mind," my new year's resolution for 2005 is
definitely to start seeking out more of Rage's older albums!! The
audience sounds suitably pumped throughout the concert but judging
from the absolutely maniacal reaction to the mighty "Don't Fear The
Winter" and set-closing "Higher Than The Sky," I can only assume that
these songs must be Rage's equivalent to "Peace Sells" or "Enter
Sandman," i.e. signature tunes that MUST be played at every show!
Those of you who have more money to burn than I do might be interested
in the 2-DVD set of this show that's also available, or the
ultra-limited edition digipak version that includes both CDs AND both
DVDs. No matter which one you choose, you're guaranteed to get a whole
lotta Rage for your hard-earned dollar! -- Keith Abt (Keithabt@...)

DAN LORENZO AND CASSIUS KING - CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH (C)
Self-Released, 2005
15 Tracks, RT: 37:19
[ http://www.danlorenzo.net ]
New Jersey thrash metal heroes Hades went on an indefinite hiatus
following 2001's DAMNATION album, but their guitarist Dan Lorenzo has
been a busy beaver of late, recording and self-releasing three solo
albums in just over a year's time (!!) while juggling a job as a
salesman and columnist for the Jersey entertainment magazine "Steppin'
Out." (Talk about multi-tasking! Meanwhile, I can barely watch TV and
talk on the phone at the same time... sigh...!) CUT FROM A DIFFERENT
CLOTH is the first of the three I've heard (the other two, just for
the record, are CASSIUS KING and NICE BEING ALONE), and I was warned
beforehand not to expect much in the way of Hades-style metal
excursions when I popped it into the player. As you might expect of an
established musician working outside of his band situation, Dan uses
his solo vehicle to spread his creative wings a little and get a few
things off his chest in the bargain. CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH
definitely lives up to its title, as Dan (backed up by his Hades mates
Jimmy Schulman, Ron Lipnicki and Scott LePage on most songs) explores
several different sounds and styles that you might not expect from a
guy known as a "speed metal" guitar player. The classical/ acoustic
piece "Bocca Della Verita" starts things off on a mellow note, while
the programmed drums that give "Clintonesque" an industrial feel and
the hip-hoppish "I'll Go North" will probably raise the eyebrows of a
few Hades fans. What holds the collection together is Dan's
sarcastic, opinionated sense of humor, the best example being the
funny-as-hell "I'll Go North," which bashes on snobby music store
clerks, local musicians who think plastering their stickers on toll
booths is "publicity," and bands who claim they've written 35 songs
for their new CD and then release a 12-song disc (with only three good
songs on it). Fans of the heavier end of the spectrum will dig the
more straightforward "1974," the boastful "You Wanted The Best" (which
is not to be confused with the Kiss song, even though it does
name-drop them along with AC/DC, Cheap Trick, and Aerosmith), the
lead-footed "You're Out" and the hard-driving instrumental "PhD. In
Cleveland." Musically, CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH has several
highlights, but Lorenzo's hoarse vocals definitely take a few spins
to get used to...if you can imagine Monster Magnet's Dave Wyndorf with
a sore throat, you might get the idea. Let's just say that it's a good
thing Dan had Alan Tecchio to do the singing in Hades. :-) Dan's
singing doesn't totally overshadow the proceedings, but there are a
few particularly gravelly moments (mainly in "1974" and the cover of
Kiss' "Two Timer," where Dan sounds like a drunk biker at an open mike
night) that made me wince on the first pass. At the end of the day,
CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH is a mostly-enjoyable collection that'll
give Hades fans something to chew on till their next (possible?)
reunion phase. - Keith Abt (Keithabt@...)

ANTHRAX - THE GREATER OF TWO EVILS (A-/B+) Sanctuary, 2004
14 tracks (15th hidden), RT: 78:34
[ http://www.anthrax.com/ ]
[ http://www.anthraxtheband.com/ ]
[ http://www.sanctuaryrecords.com/ ]
Well this right here is certainly a fun album! I have to be up front,
I wasn't expecting much because 1) outside of Saxon's HEAVY METAL
THUNDER I'm not real wild about bands re-recording their old stuff,
and 2) I've always thought of Anthrax as one of those "greatest hits"
bands, where I guess I like a couple songs off of each album but I am
by no means a diehard fan who owns everything they've put out. By now
we all know the story behind this release, right? About a year ago,
the guys asked their fans to vote on a bunch of old songs that they'd
like to hear re-recorded "live in the studio" by the (then) current
lineup: vocalist John Bush, guitarists Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano,
bassist Frank Bello (who subsequently left the band), and drummer
Charlie Benante. All the songs eventually selected were from the pre-
Bush era, but no cover songs were included. (So the hits "Antisocial"
(Trust) and "Got The Time" (Joe Jackson) weren't eligible.) Anyway...
THE GREATER OF TWO EVILS is chock full of good ol' thrashin', neck-
breakin' fun. All the instruments are loud -- special kudos to Bello's
huge, FAT bass sound -- but not messy, and the backing vocals (or
backing shouts, or backing grunts, etc.) are necessarily rough 'n'
tumble. Bush's vocals, however, just aren't as "crisp" sounding as
everything else. But since this whole thing was pounded out live in
two days whaddya want? It's not a lush, overproduced affair and it was
never meant to be that anyway. The opening trio of "Deathrider" (a
song with which I was not familiar), "Metal Thrashing Mad," and
"Caught In A Mosh" is just amazing, and the disc basically never slows
down or misfires. (I will quibble that Bush's delivery during parts of
"Indians" seems kinda pedestrian though.) Other highlights include the
dynamic "Keep It In The Family," the cool riffing and guitar fills in
"Madhouse," and the balls-out thrashin' fun of "Panic" and "Gung-Ho."
Plus, the ghost track "Lone Justice" -- it starts with a backwards-
masked bit a few seconds after "Gung-Ho" ends -- closes the album in
style with a fast, heavy groove. An enthusiastic thumb's up from me,
and I guess I gotta go and track down all the originals now, right? :)
- Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

CHERRY ST. - MONROE (REISSUE) (B-/C+) Perris Records, 2004
9 tracks, RT: 28:33
[ http://www.perrisrecords.com/ ]
This EP originally came out in 1996, and it was reissued last year by
Perris with three bonus tracks. The six original tracks are primarily
AC/DC-inspired rockers with a touch of NO FUEL FOR THE PILGRIMS-era
D.A.D's rubbery guitar tones thrown in, particularly "Break Me" and
"Joker's Wild," with a token (kinda lame) ballad thrown in, "The War
Is Over." BulletBoys vocalist Marq Torien sings the two coolest songs,
"Dogtown" and "One More Tonight," Kevin Steele (Roxx Gang, Mojo Gurus)
sings "Joker's Wild" (a tepid ode to Las Vegas) and "Bite The Bullet,"
and Shannon Strobel (Cherry St.) sings "Break Me" (where he actually
kinda sounds like WWIII's Mandy Lion!) and the ballad. The bonus
tracks -- which I think comprise a three-song demo -- have a different
feel, as they have more interesting guitar work and are more in line
with the Hollywood Strip vibe. All three are sung by Billy Coane,
another of Cherry St.'s vocalists who at times sounds like Black 'N
Blue's Jaime St. James, and are decent fun. The best is "Comes Around
Goes Around," followed by closer "Push & Shove," followed VERY far
behind by "Soft & Slow." (Guys, c'mon... Cool riff and stuff, but a
*cock* rock song with the word "soft" in the title? I'm sorry but that
is just not right.) - Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

*
*** OUT ***
*