Detritus
Issue #307
Week of March 7, 2005
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*** CAST OF CHARACTERS ***
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Patrick Brower, Editor
patrickbrower@...

Sean P. Gahgan, Editor
lof@...

Tim Wadzinski, Owner
tsw512@...

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

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*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
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No talk—right into the issue this week! -Patrick

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*** PRESS RELEASE #1 ***
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- SEASONS OF THE WOLF NEWS
Hello out there Hardrockers and Headbanging Metalheads.
Hopefully this mailing finds you in good spirit and life treating you
dandy. It has been a while since the last mailing so here we are to
catch you up to date. The band has been focused in the studio for the
past 8 months in recording over 24 songs. Two albums back to back! We
had so much material and new stuff coming that we decided to just keep
on recording so we could get 2 more albums in the bag. It has given us
a lot of time to prepare strategies for promotion and save up the
finances to make it all happen once we get done. As of now we have
album #4 complete and half of album #5. We should be finished with all
this by the end of April, and then we start hitting the streets for
live shows again. During this time we have also been trying to follow
up on as many new contacts as possible for the SOTW album #4 campaign.
So, if there is anyone out there in the music biz getting this message
that has contacted us in the past and has not received a package from
us. ...please feel free to refresh our memory.

And now on to the most current SOTW news:

SOTW is currently being featured on this Internet Radio show:
http://www.newartistradio.net/The%20Roadrash%20Bash.htm

Thanks to John Foxworthy - Chief Editor, Garage Radio
http://www.garageradio.com/

*OverDrive (radioshow) Belgium will be spinning tracks from the
Nocturnal Revelation album over the next couple of months. Thanks to
Patrick de Sloover

*Rockeyez online magazine - Islalin, New Hamshire - USA will have some
SOTW album reviews upcoming

*Crypt Magazine - Las Vegas, NV - USA - Last month SOTW guitarist
Skully had the pleasure of having visit to our studio. Mark Lewis from
Crypt Magazine is putting together a article on the history of
heavymetal in the Tampa Bay area. So we had fun chatting about the old
days and Mark got to hear a couple tracks right from the mixing table.

OTHER STUFF

*Article on the film Bloodstained Bride in "Underground Oddities"
section of Shock Cinema Magazine issue #27. SOTW wrote and recorded
the main theme music for this film.

*Article on films Bloodstained Bride and The Van coming out in
Micro-Film - March issue #7. SOTW also has quite a few tunes through
the film THE VAN.

*Music video for Seasons Of The Wolf song Magnetic Star from the
Nocturnal Revelation album aired on Marcuss Mixx Boom TV on channel 19
- Chicago - Saturday, Feb. 26th -at 12:30 am

*All 3 current Seasons Of The Wolf albums are now available on for
download MSN Music. MSN Music launched last October in the US and has
been heralded as a capable rival to Apple's industry-leading iTunes
music store. MSN currently offers consumers more than half a million
tracks for download, in Windows Media format [160 kbps WMA].

These are direct links to Seasons Of The Wolf albums on MSN Music:

Seasons of the Wolf / Seasons Of The Wolf
http://music.msn.com/album/?album=10517312

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*** PRESS RELEASE #2 ***
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- PERRIS RECORDS SIGNS MIDNIGHT CIRCUS
Midnight Circus is exploding onto the hard rock scene with MONEY SHOT,
their debut appearance on the Perris Records label due March 22nd. In
the vein of Vince Neil, Poison and Dokken, the band's current line-up
of outrageously talented musicians came into existence in 2001.
Founding member and vocalist, Rob Howl was born in Anytown, USA and
has fronted some very impressive acts from the now infamous Naked Zoo
(Full Tilt Management) to Houston, Texas's Fearless Leader.
Accomplished bassist and one half of the incredibly talented rhythm
section, Alan Rogers hails from Keflavic, Iceland. Alan was a working
musician before joining Midnight Circus, but Circus has been the band
that put him on the map. Circus Guitarist, engineer & producer Gregg
Gill grew up in Denver, Colorado and has some extremely impressive and
notable notches on his belt with Molten Metal recording artists
Z-Lot-Z and Massacre Records' Distant Thunder. Hattiesburg,
Mississippi native Rick Ward has been behind the drums in Onyxx
(Austin, TX) and also shared the stage with Gregg in Distant Thunder.
Rick currently pounds the skins for the progressive rock band,
Azrael's Bane (DRP Management). The combination of these four souls
has produced a sound unlike any other; a smoldering cauldron of hard
rock that brings music back to where it should be. "Money Shot" is an
astounding display of perfect song writing combined with remarkable
musicianship. This is the CD you have to have for summer.

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*** PRESS RELEASE #3 ***
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- CRIMSON GLORY: NEW ALBUM, DVD AND BOX SET ON THE WAY
The Music. The Mystique. The Legend. Crimson Glory.
Original band members of the legendary group, Crimson Glory, have
recently began the writing process for their all new, much anticipated
fifth Crimson Glory CD entitled: Metatron, Lucifer and the Divine Chaos.

Acclaimed worldwide for their legendary recording 'Transcendence',
original Crimson Glory guitarist/song writer Jon Drenning,
bassist/song writer Jeff Lords and guitarist/song writer Ben Jackson
have begun the process of assembling songs to be released later this
present year.

The original band members are also producing a live Crimson Glory DVD
entitled: Phantoms of the Opera.

The DVD will contain an entire Crimson Glory concert from 1989
featuring original vocalist, Midnight; as well as several other live
concert videos and behind the scene footage from around the world
during the band's Transcendence World Tour.

The original band members are also collecting a vast amount of
materials from many sources for their historical 20th Anniversary Box
Set to be released in early 2006. It will be entitled: Valley of
Shadows -- Kingdoms of Light.

The historical box set will consist of many re-mastered -- and, in
some cases, re-recorded -- Crimson Glory songs, as well as some
previously unreleased songs, different versions of songs, demo songs,
hundreds of unpublished pictures; hand written lyrics, additional
behind the scene video footage; as well as an autobiography written by
Jon Drenning in conjunction with Jeff Lords and original band members,
Ben Jackson, Dana Burnell -- and Midnight, if he so chooses to be
included in the process.

In regards to original vocalist Midnight:

It is not known at this time what the extent of the original
vocalist's involvement will be concerning the all new Crimson Glory
CD, as he is presently disposed in Europe for a short tour promoting
his long, overdue, solo CD entitled, 'Sakada' -- to be released soon.

FYI. The name Midnight chose to title his solo CD, 'Sakada', is a
derivation of the word 'Cicada' which comes from the same name for an
insect that burrows below ground only to come out once every 17 years...

Midnight has expressed interest several times to band members, on
http://www.crimson-glory.com/ as well as in recently published
statements by several media outlets, that he is sincerely interested
in recording a new Crimson Glory CD. However, while he remains
interested in recording songs for the all-new Crimson Glory CD, he has
yet to say if he will ever perform 'live' with the legendary group, again.

Nevertheless, the remaining original Crimson Glory members remain
dedicated to their 20th Anniversary reunion and will be diligently at
work writing, composing and compiling materials for all the
aforementioned projects and look forward to seeing all their wonderful
fans on the road, again, in the near future!

We are forever. We are the future. -- Transcendence

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*** PRESS RELEASE #4 ***
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- HOLLYWOOD HAIRSPRAY THE DVD
For those about to rock, Perris Records salutes you with their first
ever, long awaited DVD release entitled "Hollywood Hairspray - The
DVD" March 22nd, 2005 marks the release date for this incredible new
DVD featuring 11 videos and interviews from Stephen Pearcy, Broken
Teeth, Babylon A.D., Nasty Idols, Stampede Queen, CRASHDIET, Cherry
St. and others. Also included is some bonus material including the
never before seen video for "Pissed" by Dangerous Toys. The complete
track listing for "Hollywood Hairspray - The DVD":

Stephen Pearcy - "Drive With Me"
Ironhorse - "American Thunder"
Broken Teeth - "Devil Money"
Babylon A.D. - "American Blitzkrieg"
Nasty Idols - "Heads Down (In Tinseltown)"
Loud 'N' Nasty - "Hungry"
Cherry St. - "The Walk"
American Heartbreak - "Rotten Apple"
CRASHDIET - "Riot In Everyone"
Stampede Queen - "Never Turn Your Back (On Rock & Roll)"
Worlds Apart - "Forever"

Bonus Video:
Dangerous Toys - "Pissed"

The DVD is NTSC Region 1 and is out on March 22nd, 2005.
Visit www.perrisrecords.com for more info.

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*** PRESS RELEASE #5 ***
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- REVERY SIGNS WITH EVO RECORDINGS
VIRGINIA-BASED QUINTET IS SECOND ARTIST TO JOIN THE LABEL
Revery, based in the Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads region of Virginia,
has just signed with Evo Recordings and will release its debut Evo
album soon. Revery is the second artist to sign with the Raleigh,
North Carolina-based label.

The members of Revery include vocalist Jason Martinez, lead guitarist
Michael Doyle, co-vocalist/rhythm guitarist John Adkins, bass
guitarist Kenny Adcock and drummer Dave Doyle. Michael and Dave are
brothers.

"We hooked up with Evo and president Brad Deifer through our manager
Jimmy Anderson. We sent a bunch of press kits out to labels and Brad
came out to see us. He said, 'If you guys can pull it off live, I'm
sold,' " says Martinez. "We really liked what he had to offer."

"Everyone in the band is so excited about signing with Evo. We have a
common vision with Brad for now and the future," says Adcock.

Revery has built a strong, loyal following in its home base. Local
honors continue to pour in. The quintet was voted the Best Local Band
of the Year by listeners of WNOR FM99 in the Chesapeake, Virginia,
station's ninth annual poll. Nine Volt Magazine awarded Revery the
Best Album of the Year for its self-titled independent release and the
publication also named Michael Doyle the Best Guitarist of the Year.

"With every show we play, we get new fans. The FM99 award was voted on
by the station's listeners, so that really shows we have a lot of fans
out there," Martinez says.

It hasn't been easy for Revery. The Hampton Roads region is notable
for its hip-hop and R&B scene, therefore the attention Revery has
received as a rock band is particularly rewarding.

"There are still a lot of good rock bands down here, and we've been
fortunate to open for a lot of national acts like Fuel, Soil and
Breaking Benjamin," says Martinez.

Martinez, Adcock and Michael Doyle are all veterans of other local
bands and Dave Doyle was a member of a successful punk/pop band in
Ohio before relocating to Virginia to join Revery.

"What makes Revery click is a combination of personalities, drive,
discipline and songwriting skills," says Adcock. "It's a real good fit
for all of us."

For more information, visit www.reverymusic.com and www.evorecordings.com.

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*** PRESS RELEASE #6 ***
*
- UPCOMING INSIDE OUT SPRING TOURS

CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO
March 18 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR
March 19 - Wallenstein Theater - Moses Lake, WA
March 20 - Triple Door - Seattle, WA
April 2 - Mc Werther Theater - Jackson, TN
April 6 - Granada Theatre - Dallas, TX
April 7 - Mucky Duck - Houston, TX
April 8 - One World Theatre - Austin, TX

JAMES LaBRIE -- 3 US shows only!
April 14th The Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ LINK
April 15th The Chance - Poughkeepsie, NY LINK
April 16th The Downtown - Farmingdale, NY LINK

THE FLOWER KINGS
May 25 - Pittsburgh, PA - Hard Rock Cafe
May 26 - FAlls Church, VA - State Theatre
May 27 - Rochester, NY - Water Street Music Hall
May 28 - Metuchen, NJ - The Forum Theater (NJ Proghouse)
May 29 - Lowell, MA - The Brewery, (newEars)
June 1 - Quebec City, Canada - Cabaret de Capitol
June 2 - Montreal, Canada - The Medley
June 4 - Los Angeles, Whittier, CA - CalProg http://www.calprog.com
June 6 - Tampa, FL - TBA

PROTO-KAW
March 4 - The Orpheum Theater in Wichita, KS
March 12 - Shank Hall in Milwaukee, WI
March 13 - Marty's in Chicago, IL
April 16 - Wilbert's in Cleveland, OH
April 17 - Hard Rock Cafe in Pittsburgh, PA
April 23 - Foxtown Theater in Pittsburg, KS
June 11 - The Forum Theater in Metuchen, NJ
June 12 - The Lowell Brewery Exchange in Lowell, MA
July 8 - NEARfest in Bethlehem, PA

PROG FESTIVALS:

April 29, 30 & May 1 - ROSfest - Phoenixville, PA
IO bands performing: Arena, Tiles & The Tangent
www.rosfest.com

June 4 - CalProg - Whittier, CA
IO bands performing: Tiles & The Flower Kings
www.calprog.com

July 8, 9, 10 - NEARfest - Bethlehem, PA
IO bands performing: IQ & Proto-Kaw
www.nearfest.com

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*** PRESS RELEASE #7 ***
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-Z RECORDS RELEASE SCHEDULE

MARCH 11: LAW AND ORDER - THE GLASS HOUSE
The long awaited third release from Law and Order - The Glass House
will finally be released on March 11th. Sound samples are now online
at www.zrecords.net and the album is available for preorder at the Z
online store.
MARCH 31: MITCH PERRY - TITLE TBC
APRIL 25: SOULSKINNER - ST
MAY 20: BLACK N BLUE - HELL YEAH!

To be scheduled: War & Peace - Live

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*** PRESS RELEASE #8 ***
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-A BREED APART
(Okay, this is kind of pushing the definition of a "press release" but
this band doesn't seem to be half bad so read this and see if they
pique your interest. Especially you, Rick! –Patrick)

Either you or a friend of yours has requested you to check out
http://www.ABreedApart.net for the official A Breed Apart website or
http://www.ToeTagRecords.com/ABreedApart for quick online presskit.
A Breed Apart is one of New England's top unsigned Metal artists that
will be featured at Locobazooka! 2005 and releasing their full length
self titled enhanced CD. Check out A Breed Apart rising to the top of
the charts with their single "Seven" being played 300 times a day on
www.SoundClick.com/ABreedApart or You can stream "Seven" directly from
here http://www.soundclick.com/util/streamM3U.m3u?ID=960805&q=Hi

The ABA Locobazooka! DVD is on sale now for $5.00 at the A Breed Apart
Store http://abreedapart.net/store_main.htm

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*** PRESS RELEASE #9 ***
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- FORCE OF EVIL TO RELEASE 'BLACK EMPIRE' ON MARCH 29
Classic works of horror, both film and fiction, are the primary
inspiration behind the new Force Of Evil album 'Black Empire'
scheduled for release on March 29, 2005, via Escapi Music. Virtually
all the songs are directly based on works of horror. 'Black Empire' is
Force Of Evil's second album.

'Black Empire' is a work of intense heavy metal teeming with darkness.
The piercing guitar attack, bone-chilling vocals and rumbling bottom
end strike the listener with unholy power. The combination of the
vicious music and the disturbing subject matter of the songs results
in an album of hypnotic power. 'Black Empire' is definitely not for
the faint of heart.

Denmark-based Force Of Evil was formed in 2002 by guitarist Hank
Shermann and guitarist Michael Denner, veterans of gothic metal
pioneers Mercyful Fate. Shermann composed all of the music for 'Black
Empire.' Vocalist Martin Steene wrote all of the lyrics. Rounding out
the Force Of Evil lineup are bass guitarist Hal Patino and drummer
Bjarne Holm. Shermann and Denner have worked together for more than 20
years, most of them as members of Mercyful Fate, for which Holm also
served. Mercyful Fate's influence on heavy metal was profound;
Metallica proudly cites the the band as a major influence.

'Black Empire' was mixed by Neil Kernon, who is known for his
production and engineering work with the likes of Judas Priest, Dokken
and Queensryche, among others.

The songs on 'Black Empire' (and their horror counterpart, if applicable)
include:
1. "Black Empire" ('The Amityville Horror')
2. "Back To Hell" ('Maniac Cop')
3. "Cabrini Green" ('Candyman')
4. "Death Comes Crawling"
5. "The Sinister Show"
6. "Days Of Damien" ('The Omen')
7. "Disciples Of The King" (the books and films of Stephen King)
8. "Beyond The Gates"
9. "Hobbs End" ('In The Mouth Of Madness')
10. "Dead In Texas" ('The Texas Chainsaw Massacre')
11. "Vorhees Revenge" ('Friday The 13th')
12. "S.O.S."

" 'Black Empire' came out of Martin's love of horror movies. He is
fascinated by them and he collects them," Shermann says. "They have a
mystique for him because most of the classic ones referred to on
'Black Empire' were made before he was born."

Among the non-horror-based songs, "Death Comes Crawling" examines evil
itself, "The Sinister Show" chronicles the gruelling life-on-the-road
experiences of bands (written during an airport layover in Vienna,
Austria) and "S.O.S." stands for "sons of Satan."

Force Of Evil wrote 20 songs for 'Black Empire' and the 12 that made
it on to the album were voted on democratically. The band's creative
process is a fascinating one.

"We're really into the overall expression and mood of the music and
the performance and power of the vocals. Martin's lyrics resonate even
more when they are fully integrated with the feel of the music,"
Shermann says.

Kernon is excited about his work in bringing 'Black Empire' to life.

"These are really good songs with great guitar riffage and solos,
thundering drums and bass and really strong vocal performances," says
Kernon. "Quite simply, 'Black Empire' is killer metal."

Tour plans are in the works for Force Of Evil, including the major
European summer festivals and possible North American dates.

For more information, visit www.forceofevil.net.

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*** PRESS RELEASE #10 ***
*
- CORROSION OF CONFORMITY TO RELEASE 'IN THE ARMS OF GOD'
ON APRIL 5, 2005, THROUGH SANCTUARY RECORDS
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, the Grammy-nominated heavy rockers from North
Carolina, will release 'In The Arms Of God' through Sanctuary Records
on April 5, 2005. It's the band's first studio album in five years.

Lead vocalist/guitarist Pepper Keenan, guitarist/vocalist Woody
Weatherman and bass guitarist/vocalist Mike Dean are joined on the
album by special guest drummer Stanton Moore, a member of the highly
respected jazz/funk band Galactic. He is a longtime friend of
Keenan's, and both men are natives of New Orleans. The 12 tracks on
'In The Arms Of God' are "Stone Breaker," "Paranoid Opioid," "It Is
That Way," "Dirty Hands Empty Pockets/Already Gone," "Rise River
Rise," "Never Turns To More," "Infinite War," "So Much Left Behind,"
"Backslider," "World On Fire," "Crown Of Thorns" and "In The Arms Of
God." The first video is for "Stone Breaker." Directing was Rio
Hackford, son of 'Ray' director and Academy Award nominee Taylor Hackford.

COC's latest work reflects the band's long tradition of evolution. "We
started writing songs, and they somewhat had the vibe of 'Blind,'
'Deliverance' and our earlier material," says Keenan. "We started
thinking from that perspective, and it evolved into a heavy, classic
sound but with a modern wisdom to it." "We really got back to our
roots with this one, listening to old records that we all grew up on
and headbanging at Woody's farmhouse," he adds. "It was a good time
putting it together." The result, Keenan says, is a "bombastic, epic
record, staying clear of the three-minute formula. It's not a
nostalgic record by any means; it's big and ugly and heavy.
"Thematically, there's a lot of disgust, directed inwardly and towards
society in general, reflecting these times we all live in. A lot of
people will be able to relate."

Producing was COC's longtime collaborator and knob-twisting,
speaker-blowing genius, John Custer. Besides working on four of the
band's previous albums, Custer also produced COC bassist Mike Dean's
track "Access Babylon" on Dave Grohl's 'Probot' project and COC's
contribution to 'Nativity In Black,' the Sabbath tribute compilation.
The band was very excited to work with Moore. Over the past year, COC
found themselves writing intense material and needed a drummer who
could not only handle it but take it to another level. Keenan, who had
since moved back to his hometown of New Orleans, called his old friend
Moore to ask him if he knew any drummers up for the task. Moore
laughed. "Yeah, me, " he said. Within four days, COC was in New
Orleans undertaking a musical adventure without a map. It's the type
of creative situation in which the band thrives and distinguishes
itself as an original force in heavy music. Though COC's onslaught
represented a departure for Moore, he was more than up for the
challenge. "His performance was totally original and
category-crushing," Weatherman says. "He stepped right into it
full-throttle." "He's one of the most progressive drummers I know,"
Keenan says of Moore. "In the heavy metal world nobody really knows
who he is, but after they hear this they will. He's an accomplished
jazz drummer playing manic heavy music — I've never heard anything
like it." 'In The Arms Of God' is musical statement from men who care
about the world. "It's disturbing and full of ugly power, but
ultimately there's a shred of optimism," says Keenan. "It was worth
the wait."

To promote 'In The Arms Of God,' COC is embarking on a major North
American tour this spring with Motorhead. Keenan, Weatherman and Dean
have recruited longtime friend and former Cry Of Love member Jason
Patterson as their touring drummer. Schedule permitting, Moore might
sit in occasionally with COC. For more information, visit www.coc.com.

Confirmed dates with Motorhead so far include:

Wednesday, March 9th Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
Friday, March 11th Worcester, MA Palladium
Saturday, March 12th New York, NY B.B. King Blues Club
Sunday, March 13th Binghampton, NY Magic City Music Hall
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
Sunday, March 20th Milwaukee, WI Rave Ballroom
Monday, March 21st Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Wednesday, March 23rd Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Friday, March 25th Omaha, NE Sokol Auditorium
Saturday, March 26th Kearney, NE Pavilion
Sunday, March 27th Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Tuesday, March 29th Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre
Wednesday, March 30th Scottsdale, AZ Venue Of Scottsdale
Friday, April 1st Los Angeles, CA Wiltern
Saturday, April 2nd Anaheim, CA House Of Blues
Tuesday, April 5th Las Vegas, NV House Of Blues
Friday, April 8th San Francisco, CA Warfield
Saturday, April 9th Portland, OR Roseland
Sunday, April 10th Seattle, WA Showbox
Tuesday, April 12th Spokane, WA The Big Easy

www.coc.com
www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com

*
*** NEWS/RUMORS ***
*

- Battlelore is currently working with producer Terje Refsnes on its
third album. Label hype says "Bombastic choruses and sound collages
will be sure to grab your attention . . . Hail to Fantasy Metal and
the Lord of the Rings!" The disc is due in June from Napalm Records.

- From http://www.biomechanical.co.uk/ comes the following update:
Biomechanical singer John K has officially left the melodic metal band
Balance of Power. Commented John: "There was no other way than to
leave Balance of Power, I feel I have to give Biomechanical 100
percent of my time and efforts. Even 99 percent is simply not good
enough and I feel splitting my energy between two bands creates an
inevitable lack of commitment. It's not fair on the guys from Balance
of Power to have a singer who can't really commit and also not fair on
Biomechanical when I have to take time out in order to rehearse or
tour with Balance of Power. "Biomechanical now have the full support
of the entire team from Earache/Elitist Records and at this point it
would be wrong of me not to give everything I have to my band. "It
was a great experience working with Balance of Power and I do think
they are a very accomplished band with polished albums and very good
writing in the melodic metal genre. Certainly the best U.K. band of
their style! I know they now have a new vocalist and I'm sure they
will continue to have a great success. I wish them all the best for
the future!"

-Veteran Italian singer Chris Catena's FREAK OUT! is now available
from CD Baby, at http://www.cdbaby.com/catena/ . Hype has the disc
sporting "a mélange of hard rock of the seventies, funk, freak, metal,
blues, soul -- Whitesnake meets Trapeze, Deep Purple Mrk 3 meets KISS,
Glenn Hughes meets Stevie Wonder and so on." Track list: "Crazy Man,"
"Freak Out Tonight," "Hey Man (Freedom Calls)," "Lady Starlight,"
"Desire," "Take Me Away," "To A Friend," "What You Gonna Do When Your
Love Is Gone," "Sweet Talker," "Don't Stop Runnin'," "Follow Me,"
"Gimme Your Love," "Getting Tighter," "The Stronger You Are, The
Harder You Fall," "It's A Long Way To Go." Guests on the album include
Glenn Hughes, Doug Wimbish, Stevie Salas, Bruce Kulick, Tony Franklin,
Tommy Aldridge, Eric Singer, Dave Meniketti, Virgil Donati, John
Taylor, Stephen Ferrone, Chester Thompson, Jeff Scott Soto, John
Lawton, Chuck Wright, Vitalij Kuprij, Micky Moody, Bernie Marsden,
Kelly Simonz, Johnny Olhin, Nobby, and Al Kooper. The cover art was
done by Derek Riggs. Catena is also slated to appear on upcoming
albums/projects by Moonstone, Pavic, Radioactive, and Shadrane. See
http://www.chriscatena.com/ for more.

- Def Leppard and Bryan Adams are going on co-headlining tour. Details
are sketchy at the moment but www.pollstar.com has the following dates
listed:

Jun. 01 - Portland, OR @ PGE Park
Jun. 03 - San Jose, CA @ Municipal Stadium
Jun. 04 - Fresno, CA @ Fresno Grizzlies Stadium
Jun. 05 - San Bernardino, CA @ Arrowhead Credit Union Park
Jun. 07 - Mesa, AZ @ HohoKam Park
Jun. 08 - El Paso, TX @ Cohen Stadium
Jun. 10 - Oklahoma City, OK @ SBC Bricktown Ballpark
Jun. 11 - Ft. Worth, TX @ LaGrave Field
Jul. 01 - Camden, NJ @ Campbell's Field
Jul. 02 - Lancaster, PA @ Clippers Magazine Stadium
Jul. 03 - Wappingers Falls, NY @ Dutchess Stadium
Jul. 05 - Lakewood, NJ @ FirstEnergy Park
Jul. 06 - Brockton, MA @ Campanelli Stadium
Jul. 08 - Aberdeen, MD @ Ripken Stadium
Jul. 09 - Brooklyn, NY @ KeySpan Park
Jul. 10 - Rochester, NY @ Frontier Field
Jul. 29 - St. Paul, MN @ Midway Stadium
Jul. 30 - Schaumburg, IL @ Alexian Field
Jul. 31 - Davenport, IA @ John O'Donnell Stadium
Aug. 02 - Lincoln, NE @ Haymarket Park
Aug. 03 - Kansas City, KS @ Community America Ballpark
Aug. 05 - South Bend, IN @ Coveleski Stadium
Aug. 06 - Eastlake, OH @ Eastlake Stadium
Aug. 07 - Charleston, WV @ Appalachian Power Park
Aug. 09 - Dayton, OH @ Fifth Third Field
Aug. 10 - Lansing, MI @ Oldsmobile Park

-Eterna's new album EPIPHANY has been getting high praise lately,
including a perfect 10 from Brazilian Web site Whiplash, a 9.5 from
Roadie Crew Magazine, and a 9 from Rock Brigade Magazine (which also
ran an interview).
Check out an MP3 at http://www.artegaleria.com.br/EPIPHANY2.zip.
See http://www.eterna.com.br/ for more.

- According to Hits Daily Double, Judas Priest are on track to sell
about 70,000 copies of their new album, ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION, in the
U.S. in its first week of release. Judas Priest are reportedly seeing
significant sales from their releases in the Dual Disc configuration,
with some retailers reporting that the Dual Disc is outselling the
standard CD release. The DVD side of the disc features a 30-minute
documentary on the reuniting of the band as well as classic Judas
Priest tracks recorded live in Spain in June 2004, including "Breaking
the Law", "Diamonds and Rust", "Hellion/Electric Eye", "Touch of
Evil", "Metal Gods", "Hell Bent for Leather" and "Living After Midnight".

- According to a posting at Lacuna Coil's official web site,
www.lacunacoil.it, the band have completed a second recording session
for their upcoming album, tentatively due this fall via Century Media
Records. Late last year, Lacuna Coil spent time in Milan in
pre-production with producer Waldemar Sorychta (TIAMAT, GRIP INC.,
SAMAEL).

- From the Lillian Axe website: Vote for Lillian Axe on Guitar.com!
"Water's Rising" has now been uploaded on the site for the contest. So
go vote now.
This is also a chance for all those fans that were not able to make
New Year's Eve, to hear a new Lillian Axe song with Derrick singing.
For those who have not been able to see Lillian Axe live over the last
2 years, it's a brand new song altogether for you.

http://daddario.guitar.com/Default.aspx

http://daddario.guitar.com/Search.aspx?strBand=lillian%20axe&sTitle=&sGenre=0&uD\
ate=1/1/2005%2012:00:00%20AM

Also, don't forget to vote for Near Life Experience as well.

- Nevermore update; Andy Sneap has posted the following on his website
www.andysneap.com; So we're a good few days into this, we have 7 full
rhythms done (Drums and Gtr), titles include Jeff 1, Jeff 2 and Steve
3.... I feel Dane needs to get on it with the titles. Hoping to have
all basic Rhythms and drums done by this Friday. We took a trip up to
Manchester on Saturday, to see my old friends Stuck Mojo. It brought
some fond memories back seeing Bonz and Rich playing again, we had
some good times in Atlanta when we did Rising and Declaration. I ended
up getting awarded with a Swedish Grammy for Opeth's DELIVERANCE
album, which was a total surprise because it was 2 years late, and not
something I was ever expecting to see. Very cool though, Gizz from The
More I See and Rich presented it to me onstage and said some very cool
things about times we've shared and thankfully nothing about crabs and
a beat the street tour bus but did manage to include the now legendary
Sun burn with 4 days in hospital / wheelchair story. We then managed
to destroy a version of Livewire by Motley Crue, or rather I managed
to destroy it.

- According to www.queensryche.com, they have started the recordings
for MINDCRIMEII.

- Sum 41 To Open For Motley Crue On Select Tour Dates! Here are the
dates to catch Sum 41 on tour with Motley Crue:
July 26 - Los Angeles, CA
July 27 - Sacramento, CA
July 29 - Vancouver, BC
July 30 - Seattle, WA
July 31 - Portland, OR
August 2 - Edmonton, AB
August 3 - Calgary, AB
August 5 - Salt Lake City, UT
August 6 - Denver, CO
August 10 - Milwaukee, WI
August 20 - Hartford, CT
August 21 - Manchester, NH
August 23 - Toronto, ONT

- From www.soulsirkus.com; Soul Sirkus has announced U.S. tour dates
and stated the following; We have been told some venues are still
being 'held' so that would be the reason you may not be able to get
tickets immediately, but the following dates are confirmed:

APRIL
05 Tuesday Allentown, PA - Crocodile Rock
06 Wednesday Washington D.C. - Birchmere
07 Thursday New York - B.B. Kings
08 Friday Philadelphia - Trocadero
10 Sunday Boston - Sommerville Theatre
12 Tuesday Detroit - Magic Bag
13 Wednesday Chicago - Park West
15 Friday Minneapolis - TBA
17 Sunday Denver - Gothic Theatre
19 Tuesday Phoenix - Alice Coopers Town
20 Wednesday Los Angeles - House of Blues
22 Friday Las Vegas - Station Casino
23 Saturday Lake Tahoe - Harrahs
24 Sunday San Francsico - Fillmore
26 Tuesday San Diego Belly Up Tavern
27 Wednesday Ventura - Ventura Theater
28 Thursday Santa Ana - Galaxy Theater

MAY
07 Saturday Bradford, UK - Gods of Rock Festival (Town & Country Club)
08 Sunday Wolverhampton, UK - Wulfrun Hall
09 Monday London, UK - Shepherds Bush Empire
10 Tuesday Sheffield, UK - Corporation
12 Thursday Zoetermeer, Holland - Boerdij
13 Friday Munich, Germany - Garage Deluxe/Kultfabrik
14 Saturday Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
15 Sunday Milan, Italy - Transilvania
17 Tuesday Barcelona, Spain - Bikini
19 Thursday Madrid, Spain - Macumba
21 Saturday Roeselare, Belgium - Schwung Classic Rock Festival
23 Monday Stockholm, Sweden - Nalen
24 Tuesday Gothenburg, Sweden - Tradgaarn
25 Wednesday Malmo, Sweden - Kuturbolaget
26 Thursday Copenhagen, Denmark - The Rock

- A preview of Rob Zombie's latest movie, THE DEVILS REJECTS can be
seen at: www.comingsoon.net. The film has a July 22nd release date.

Special thanks to Nathan Birk for gathering this information.

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

Alright! Alright! I didn't get finished with my review of Enchant's
LIVE AT LAST but I have good reason. I am waiting to hear back from
Inside/Out Music regarding some details of the DVD before I publish
the review, so hold tight, it will be here soon.

So now that the ProgPower IV lineup is finalized, what do we all
think??? I was a little disappointed over all at first but when you
look at what each band brings to the table it looks pretty exciting.
First of all we get to see nine new bands that have never played PP
before and the one returning, Angra, was a smash at PPIII as the
show's closer. Angra's new CD, TEMPLE OF SHADOWS is quite the epic
piece so I am looking forward to seeing them play some of it live. And
after all of that soap opera atmosphere that surrounded Stratovarius
last year, they have a great opportunity to redeem themselves. If the
reaction to Timo Koltipelto guest appearance with Edguy last year is
any indication, the crowd will go bonkers for them! A great deal of
people are very excited regarding the Conception reunion performance.
While I never really got into their music, I will have no problem
listening to the incredible voice of Roy Khan for 90 minutes. Therion
I am not too familiar with. Orphan Land seems to have people excited
as well, plus we get an acoustic show from them at the Pre-Party on
Thursday night. Also, PC69 is a great choice for some diversity with
their unique blend of Melodic Rock amongst all of the Progressive and
Power Metal bands. But where I really think this show shines is from
the more obscure unknown bands in the two opening slots each night.
Manticora sounds like a great choice to open the fest as the will, as
Glen Harvester puts it, "Start the fest of with a kick in the ass!"
And the second band on Friday night, Circus Maximus, is the single
band I am looking the most forward to seeing and hearing. Just that
one song that they have posted on the PP website has got me yearning
to hear more. If you have not heard it yet, stop reading right now and
go download it. Glen has been quoted as saying, "This Circus Maximus
disc is so damn good that I just need to scream. I'll be glad when the
rest of you get a chance to see why I booked the band within 24 hrs of
hearing!" From what I can gather it will be released in May. I will
keep you posted on it. On Saturday night Stride opens the show. They
put on a fabulous performance at the Pre-Party a few years ago and
will have a new CD out around the time of the fest. And Symphorce
makes it debut in the second slot. After Brainstorm's kick ass
performance last year, Andy B. Frank's other fronted band will surly
rock the place. I am now excited to see this lineup and I am sure that
Glen still has some surprises in store for us. America's premier Metal
festival looks as strong as ever! Please check out the great website
at www.progpowerusa.com for more info.

Song of the Week: It's a Lie by Fozzy

Playing in the Lake of Fire this week ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION by Judas
Priest, AERONAUTICS by Masterplan, ALL THAT REMAINS by Fozzy &
DEFENDERS OF THE CROWN by Human Fortress

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

If you are following the lineup for ProgPower VI you already know that
this year will feature some awesome guitar talent, including Timo
Tolkki/Stratovarius, Kiko Loureiro/Angra, Joel Gregoire/Stride, Tore
Ostby/Conception and newcomer Kristian Larsen/Manticora. You can hear
sound samples and find out more by going to http://www.progpowerusa.com.

Speaking of Kiko Loureiro, he has just released a monster instrumental
shred album entitled NO GRAVITY. If you are a fan of guitar
instrumentals I highly recommend you check this out, just fantastic
stuff! Sound samples available on his website at www.kikoloureiro.com.br

Another absolute killer of an instrumental CD is Patrick Rondat's AN
EPHEMERAL WORLD. You may have to do some hunting to find it as it is
currently not available in the States (that I know of), but it's well
worth the effort to obtain. Find out more at his website -
http://www.rondat.com

I've not heard it yet but John Sykes has a new live CD out called BAD
BOY LIVE, check out his site at http://wwwjohnsykes.com.

I have heard the new Frank Marino live CD REAL LIVE and can attest
that it kills! This one will take some patience to get through as it
is two discs full of Frank jamming over some of his most memorable
compositions, but when you are in the mood to hear a master at
improvisation look no farther than this, exceptional. Take a look at
http://www.mahoganyrush.com.

Vicious Rumors should have their new DVD out in the near future.
While you are waiting, check out a recent interview with drummer Larry
Howe, now back with the band - http://www.viciousrumors.com/vr5.html

Guitar Mania has updated their website with new reviews, interviews
and lessons. http://www.guitarmania.ca

Rob Johnson will have a new instructional video out soon. Check
http://www.chopsfromhell.com for updates...
Yngwie's new album UNLEASH THE FURY should be out shortly. Advance
reports indicate it is quite good. Keep updated at http://www.yngwie.org

Also spending a lot of time in the 'ol CD player is the new Judas
Priest ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION (of course), and just to put in my two
cents, I think it's a really good album; most of the reviews I've read
have been correct in saying that it incorporates elements from
virtually all eras of Priest's lengthy career, with a strong emphasis
on the style demonstrated on PAINKILLER. There are three songs on it
that I would say are rather average for Priest but overall it does the
business. Get it (make sure it has all the extras on the DVD
side...). http://www.judaspriest.com

The new Labyrinth is out and they have turned in another great
performance - FREEMAN may not be as speedy and dynamic as some of
their earlier efforts but the songwriting more than makes up for it,
just exquisitely melodic with deeply emotional vocals from Roberto
Tiranti. The Italian version apparently will include a live DVD along
with videos, pictures and discography. http://www.labyrinthmusic.it
Just finished reading Neil Peart's (Rush) wonderful biography GHOST
RIDER. It actually came out a few years back but I'm a bit behind the
times on many things; about halfway finished with his latest work
TRAVELING MUSIC and what a great writer he is, very knowledgeable
about so many things! These books are captivating and informative,
and are recommended to anyone who loves reading. Neil doesn't have
his own website (he really should) but you can keep updated by
checking in with http://www.rush.com and/or http://www.2112.net.

More to talk about but I've already written enough for now, I'll save
the rest for next time...

In addition to the CDs I mentioned above, on the playlist recently:
Masterplan - AERONAUTICS, Starbreaker - S/T, Soul Sirkus - WORLD PLAY,
Stratovarius - FOURTH DIMENSION, Pagan's Mind - INFINITY DIVINE
(Remaster) Vintage Pick: Rush - GRACE UNDER PRESSURE.

Cheers!

Neal


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

-What is up with all the bands doing those "performing the classic
album < insert album name here > in its entirety" deals these days? I
remember reading where Deep Purple played MACHINE HEAD in its entirety
during last year's BANANAS US tour, but the members sort of laughed it
off as purely a marketing gimmick because they'd already been playing
virtually the entire album as part of its normal set anyway. But now
the idea is really taking off. Queensryche just dusted off
OPERATION:MINDCRIME after like 14 years, Dio's UK tour this fall will
feature performances of the entire HOLY DIVER album, and Magnum just
announced it will perform ON A STORYTELLER'S NIGHT in full at a pair
of UK shows next month. (In all three of these latter cases the show
was or will be divided into two sets, a "greatest hits" set and a
"classic album in its entirety" set. Plus the Magnum shows will be
filmed for an upcoming DVD release.) And now Twisted Sister is
supposedly going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of
STAY HUNGRY by playing it in full at the Bang Your Head!!! festival in
Balingen, Germany, in June. AND -- this isn't exactly the same thing
but it's close -- Iron Maiden is supposedly going to focus on songs
from its first four albums at upcoming shows. I ask ye: What is going
on here? When will the madness end?!

-This is hilarious. There's a new Kiss tribute album called KISS COVER
TO COVER coming out next month from TributeAlbums.com. The angle is
this: All the songs are tunes Kiss covered on its studio albums, 1978
solo albums, and compilations. The tracks are "Kissin' Time" (from
Kiss' s/t), "Then She Kissed Me" (LOVE GUN), "Any Way You Want It"
(ALIVE II), "Tossin' And Turnin'" (PETER CRISS), "New York Groove"
(ACE FREHLEY), "When You Wish Upon A Star" (GENE SIMMONS), "2,000 Man"
(DYNASTY), "God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You II" (REVENGE), and "Do You
Remember Rock 'N' Roll Radio" (the WE'RE A HAPPY FAMILY Ramones
tribute). So what's so dang hilarious about this? Check this quote
from executive producer R.E. Asbury: "With Gene's [Simmons] never
ending quest for more, I thought it would be funny to put out a KISS
tribute album that would not generate any royalties for KISS." :)

-Narnia's Christian Rivel filled me in regarding his Audiovision
project, whose album THE CALLING I reviewed last week. In my review I
expressed a little confusion over whether the project was a band
called Audiovision or a solo project called Christian Rivel's
Audiovision. In his own words: "It is my solo album. I wanted to
change the [project] name to just Audiovision for it is shorter. My
idea was to pick the right musicians to get the best elements and
every song. This album is my dedication and passion for '70s and '80s
hard rock and metal and I am very proud over the result. We will see
if I will record a follow-up album maybe in 10 years. My biggest
priorities are Narnia & Divinefire." I told him and I'll tell all of
you -- I sure hope it doesn't take 10 freakin' years for album #2! THE
CALLING is awesome.

-This cracked me up... I just read a bit at BraveWords.com about how
Velvet Revolver will release a live album and DVD "to tide fans over
before a new studio release." But didn't the band just recently say
its next album would be out in time for Christmas this year? And
aren't there already at least three versions of the debut, CONTRABAND?
(By my count there's a normal version, a limited edition version
available at Best Buy with three bonus tracks, and the DualDisc
version.) Just who, exactly, needs "tiding over" at this point? I'm
content, personally.

-Check out the official Crimson Glory forum on-line now at
http://www.savintage.com/cgforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=629 . The topic is
the band's just-announced comeback album, DVD, and box set. I for one
cannot wait for all this material to be unleashed! (Thanks to Shadow
for the link!)

-Now in my current playlist: Black Ju-Ju - UNIVERSAL ASSHOLE (Sonic
Wave International), Imaginery - LONG LOST PRIDE (Lion Music), Quiet
Riot - LIVE AND RARE VOLUME 1 (Deadline), Nightmare - SILENT ROOM
(Napalm Records), Twisted Sister - STILL HUNGRY (Spitfire), Spiders &
Snakes - HOLLYWOOD GHOSTS (Sansei Records).

*
*** REVIEWS ***
*

CIA - ATTITUDE (REISSUE) (C) Screaming Ferret Wreckords, 2004
9 tracks, RT: 30:02
[ http://nuclearassault.us/ ]
[ http://www.escapi.com/ ]
[ http://www.screamingferret.com/ ]
Sometimes I think it would save record labels a lot of time and
trouble if they would poll prospective buyers before they reissue an
old album, to see if there is enough public demand for it. For
example, if Screaming Ferret Wreckords had e-mailed a few thousand
metalheads and asked them the following multiple choice question:
"Would you be interested in buying a reissue of ATTITUDE, the second
album from CIA? A) Yes, definitely! B) I'm not sure. C) Who the hell
is CIA?"...I'd bet ten bucks that the overwhelming response would've
been "C." The main reason that ATTITUDE has been reissued is because
it features drummer Glenn Evans of Nuclear Assault, and Screaming
Ferret must hope that this disc will tide fans over until they release
the forthcoming all-new Assault album later this year. ATTITUDE was
the second disc from Evans' obscure early '90s side project and
apparently it was only released in Europe back in 1992, so there may
be some diehards out there who've been waiting for it to get a
legitimate US release. Otherwise, ATTITUDE will probably cause a lot
of people to scratch their heads and wonder, "Why did they bother?"
It's not a bad album, just not a very memorable one. I will give props
to Evans for being a surprisingly talented multi-instrumentalist (he
handles drums, guitars, bass AND lead vocals on this disc, with some
guitar help from his Assault mate Anthony Bramante and onetime TT
Quick axeman Dave DiPietro, who would then go on to play with the
Assault on their final album, SOMETHING WICKED), but overall ATTITUDE
simply doesn't float my boat. It's perfectly competent speed/thrash
metal that sounds fine while it's playing (Imagine, if you can, a less
sloppy-sounding version of Megadeth's KILLING IS MY BUSINESS...AND
BUSINESS IS GOOD) but once it's over you'll be hard pressed to
remember any of what you've just heard. There are lots and LOTS of
guitar solos (give a drummer a guitar and he's gonna show you what he
can do before they stick him back behind the kit, I guess) and the
vocals sound like an angry Ace Frehley. I've listened to ATTITUDE a
few dozen times since I got it and the bulk of the album still
basically goes in one ear and comes out the other. Even now, the only
song that sticks in my head is "Ace In The Hole," due to its catchy
shouts of "CIA! CIA! CIA!" during the chorus. Otherwise, the album is
best summed up by the title of track #2, "Don't Waste My Time."
ATTITUDE may be of interest to Nuclear Assault completists, but for
the average record buyer there's really no reason to bother. - Keith
Abt (Keithabt@...)

HEARTCRY - LIGHTMAKER (C+) Rivel Records, 2005
10 tracks, RT: 48:58
[ http://listen.to/heartcry/ ]
[ http://www.rivelrecords.com/ ]
Rivel Records (owned by Narnia vocalist Christian Rivel) deals mostly
in power/progressive metal and retro-flavored hard rock with a
Christian bent, reflecting Rivel's own musical tastes and religious
beliefs. Sweden's Heartcry (featuring keyboardist Dan Tibell, formerly
of '80s Christian Euro-metal heroes Jerusalem) are Rivel's latest
discoveries and on LIGHTMAKER they bring back memories of the days
when the Hammond-Organ-drenched sounds of Deep Purple, Rainbow, and
Uriah Heep ruled the world. (The label's hype sheet also mentions
Judas Priest and Scorpions, but truthfully I hear very little of
either one in this band.) Heartcry have a slightly dirtier sound than
their heroes, due mostly to the gritty vocals of Anders Johansson.
Given their influences, you might expect to hear a smooth vocalist in
the vein of Joe Lynn Turner or David Coverdale on these ten tracks,
but Johansson is a little more "metal" sounding, like a young Kai
Hansen or Andi Deris. His approach tends to work better on the
harder-rocking tracks like "Battleground" (where these guys kick out
some serious jams!) and "Runaway Train," but it's less successful on
softer material such as the semi-ballad "Child" or the excruciating
"Justice," where he strains his voice waaaayyy past its limit, to a
point where he's practically squawking! The band is in its best form
on songs like the aforementioned "Battleground" and the laidback
groove of "End Of Times," but the pop-rock leaning "Get Ready"
sounds more like a bad Def Leppard B-side. Heartcry's lyrics aren't as
preachy as some Christian bands I've heard, which is a nice change
from the militant "Onward Christian soldiers!" motif most often heard
in this genre, though I have to wonder what their pastor thinks of the
line "Money talks and bullsh*t walks" in "Justice." Overall, Heartcry
are a decent band and LIGHTMAKER is an enjoyable album, but I don't
think they're going to change the face of the rock scene, Christian or
otherwise, with this release. I'd personally like to check back with
them in an album or two to see how they've progressed; if they iron
out some of the kinks found on LIGHTMAKER then they could have a lot
to offer to the hard rock/AOR crowd. - Keith Abt (Keithabt@...)

ARENA - PEPPER'S GHOST (B+) InsideOut Music, 2005
7 tracks, RT: 52:34
[ http://www.verglas.com/ArenaWorld/ ]
[ arena@... ]
[ http://www.insideoutmusic.com/ ]
The press kits says Arena has been around for a decade, has a bunch of
releases out, and has gone through the requisite number of lineup
changes...but I'd never heard of the band. Now after experiencing
PEPPER'S GHOST I think I have some back catalog questing to do... The
tracks on the disc fluctuate in length from 4:32 on the short end
("The Eyes Of Lara Moon") to 13:08 on the long ("Opera Fanatica"), so
there's good variety. And while the band is definitely progressive,
it's more the pompy, fun, AOR-ish version of prog of bands like
Magnum and Saga than the heavier kind played by Dream Theater and all
its clones. Front man Rob Sowden has one of those awesome
"storyteller" type voices, like Magnum's Bob Catley or Ten's Gary
Hughes, which fits this kind of music perfectly. As for the
musicianship, all the guys -- guitarist John Mitchell, bassist Ian
Salmon, keyboardist Clive Nolan, drummer Mick Pointer -- are "A"
gamers and fit together well. Nolan's awesome production is
crystalline and allows each instrument be heard clearly. Since this
pomp rock there are some "poofy" moments, to be sure (like the
over-the-top operatic vocals in "Opera Fanatica" and the
nearly-cheesy, Styx-like grandeur in a few songs), but the band can
certainly put the hammer down when necessary, too. Plus it's cool
to hear some extended instrumental passages where the guys are content
to just ride a cool riff for a while, without feeling the need to solo
all over it. Highlights: "Bedlam Fayre," "The Shattered Room," "Opera
Fanatica." Special mention must be given to the wicked booklet, too,
as it sports a nifty comic book-style story of the Knights Of The
London Fog, a group of superheroes living in Victorian England. Each
band member is re-imagined as one of said heroes: Albino, Jedi mind
trick-using Count Von Thral, magician/exorcist Gabriel Parish, warrior
Samuel Gunn, martial arts expert Rafael Katana, and time traveler
Michael Tempus. The comic shows the heroes' origins and how they band
together to defeat the evil demon Lucius and his minions. Very cool
stuff all the way around. - Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

ENERTIA - FORCE (A) Animated Insanity Records, 2004
11 tracks, RT: 53:22
[ http://www.enertia.cc/ ]
[ http://www.animatedinsanityrecords.com/ ]
[ http://www.mausoleum-records.com/ ]
Big, BIG apologies to the band for this one! I thought I'd reviewed
FORCE last fall when it came out, but I never did. Also, I thought I
included it in my "Best Of 2004" list, but I never did. Dumb dumb dumb
on my part. This is the New York metal band's fourth release and
despite one major change (more on that later) you really get the sense
all the pieces are in place now. I'm not saying its predecessors were
bad -- on the contrary actually -- but FORCE is just tons better. It
mixes together some of the coolest pure metal riffs I've heard in
forever, precision playing, and powerful vocals. Singer Scott
Featherstone has somehow "heavied up" his voice since FLASHPOINT
(1999), and it's for the greater good. (Although part of this
transformation is that he now occasionally sounds a bit like the dude
from Nickelback, which I can forgive because his power level is so
much higher.) Guitarist Roman Singleton is now flying solo with the
departure of fellow six-stringer Dave Stafford -- the major change I
mentioned above -- and he's all over the place to make up for it. I
hate to see twin-guitar teams break up but I think this is the rare
case where the band is better off with the change. The dependable
rhythm section of bassist Joe Paciolla and drummer Jeff Daley is still
in place, thankfully, and as tight as ever. (Paciolla has one of the
coolest "thunky" sounds out there.) Pretty much every song here is
worthy but the "cream of the crop"-level tunes are "Messed Up Son"
(edit that one F-bomb and put this on the radio!!!), "Anything," "Not
Alone" (riffing and drumming to die for!), "Time To Go," and "Bleed."
The band keeps getting better, sharper, more talented, and it's high
time for some label interest. Yes there's a deal with Mausoleum
overseas, but still... We need more hype, lengthy touring, videos,
etc. Trust me, Enertia is one of the premier American power metal
bands out there. FORCE proves it. - Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP - WORLD WIDE LIVE 2004 (DVD) (A) Metal Mind
Productions, 2004
RT: 103:19
[ http://www.michaelschenkerhimself.com/ ]
[ http://www.metalopolis.pl/ ]
[ http://www.musicvideodistributors.com/ ]
Man, Michael Schenker seems to be the master of the "release a studio
album then release a live album" marketing tactic, and even though I'm
a fan of his, honestly, this gets tiring. I mean, sure, it's cool to
have live documents of the roughly 346 lineups he's had with the
Michael Schenker Group, but sometimes it just gets to be too much. So
when I heard he was releasing a live DVD filmed at last year's
Metalmania Festival in Poland, while touring for 2003's
ARACHNOPHOBIAC, my first thought was, "Sure it's a DVD but is it
necessary?" The short answer: Yes! This thing is a beauty! The venue
used eight cameras for the shoot, the stage set-up is something to
behold, and the light show is killer. (I've heard there are other
concert DVDs out there that were filmed in Poland, either by this same
production crew and/or at this same venue -- I'd like to see them
all!) Schenker's 14-song set is divided evenly between UFO classics
and MSG tunes: "Ready To Rock," "Mother Mary," "Assault Attack," "Let
It Roll," "Lights Out," "Rock'n'Roll Believer," "Arachnophobiac,"
"Into The Arena," "Only You Can Rock Me," "On And On," "Too Hot To
Handle," "Armed And Ready," "Doctor Doctor," "Rock Bottom." (The press
release that accompanied my promo copy of the DVD also listed "Attack
Of The Mad Axeman," but it's not here...???) Schenker's band consists
of vocalist Chris Logan, guitarist/keyboardist Wayne Findlay, bassist
James "Rev" Jones, and drummer Pete Holmes. I wasn't keen on Logan's
voice on the ARACHNOPHOBIAC album, but live it sounds and fits better.
Jones is a monster and has a lot of Billy Sheehan's showmanship in
him, and I was happily surprised to see ex-Black 'N Blue and Monster
man Holmes back in action! But the MVP of the backing band has to be
Mr. Findlay, as he effortlessly drifts back and forth between singing
backing vocals, playing rhythm and lead guitar, and playing keyboards
-- sometimes all in the same song! As for Herr Schenker himself, well,
he has never really been the most dynamic guitarist to watch perform.
He basically stands in one place, cradles his signature Gibson Flying
V, and rocks band and forth. That's it. (Oh yeah, and he occasionally
sings a backing vocal or two.) But who cares about his lack of stage
moves? The man can still flat-out play, whether he's doling out
all-time classic riffs ("Armed And Ready," "Only You Can Rock Me,"
"Rock Bottom") or gracing the world with his masterful melodic leads
(um...every song!). The best performances are "Lights Out," "Let It
Roll," "Doctor Doctor," "On And On," "Armed And Ready," and "Only You
Can Rock Me." Gee...isn't that like half the disc??? The 77-minute
show itself is more than worthy, plus the bonus features add some nice
bells and whistles. The summary: a 21-minute interview (where we learn
Michael first joined the Scorpions on stage at age 11, hear him talk
about all facets of his lengthy career, and watch him struggle to
remember who played on MSG's 1999 album THE UNFORGIVEN), a detailed
biography and discography (a combined 10 panels of text that are
current up through his 2003 project with Amy Schugar), a five-minute
photo gallery of live pictures, four desktop images for your PC, a Web
links page, and a big full-screen version of the MSG logo. Gripes: I
spotted a couple places where the audio didn't *quite* match up
exactly with the video, but by no means was it really noticeable or
distracting, and it would've been nice to hear a token track from the
McAuley-Schenker Group era of MSG. That's all I got. This is a
fantastic release. - Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

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