Detritus
Issue #345
Week of December 5, 2005
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*
*** 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 ***
*
-Yep, we're back after my little vacation break last week. Naturally,
we have a ton of press releases here plus a boatload of reviews from
Neal and Keith. - Tim

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*** PRESS RELEASE #1 ***
*
-Exclusive Wolf Hoffmann Photos With Sebastian Bach

QUEENS, NY -- rockstapix.com is proud to announce the posting of
EXCLUSIVE pictures of former Accept guitarist Wolf Hoffmann's
performance with Sebastian Bach (former Skid Row frontman). The show
took place this past month in Poughkeepsie, NY (11-26-05) @ The Mid
Hudson Civic Center. This is the one and only performance of Wolf with
Sebastian and rockstarpix.com was in "the pit" to catch all the
action! So, please go to http://www.rockstarpix.com/ to check out
these exclusive pix! Also on the bill that nite was former Dokken/
Lynch Mob/LP guitarist George Lynch, Yngwie Malmsteen and Twisted
Sister. You can check out the pix from all these performers from this
show, and of course, rockstarpix.com also has many other bands to see.
Many Thanks to Danny Stanton for making "the pit" pictures possible!

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*** PRESS RELEASE #2 ***
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-Foreigner And Exodus Confirmed To Play At Bang Your Head!!! 2006

Two more acts are confirmed for next year's installment of the Bang
Your Head!!! festival, set to take place June 23-24, 2006 in Balingen,
Germany.

Besides legendary Bay Area-band Exodus, who have just released the
highly acclaimed SHOVEL HEADED KILL MACHINE, the event's organizers
added Rock veterans Foreigner to the festival lineup as well. The band
of guitarist Mick Jones, who was joined recently by vocalist Kelly
Hansen and rhythm section Jason Bonham (son of late Led Zeppelin
drummer John Bonham) and Jeff Pilson, will perform an exclusive
headlining show. It will be the only appearance of Foreigner at a
European open air event that year.

The festival billing is shaping up as follows so far (10 more acts to
be confirmed):

EUROPE
FOREIGNER
Y&T
RIK EMMETT (playing an evening of TRIUMPH music)
JON OLIVA'S PAIN
EXODUS
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM
LEATHERWOLF
COUNT RAVEN
VICTORY
L.A. GUNS
POWERWOLF

All further details about the Bang Your Head!!! may be found at the
BYH!!! homepage at http://www.bang-your-head.de/ .

Tickets are availaible at ticket hotline (+49-74 57-9 13 93) and via
homepage http://www.bang-your-head.de/. Prices are 59, - Euro (plus
shipping) at presales. Tickets are limited to a number of 20,000. By
this it the organizers want to ensure that the special and relaxed
atmosphere of the event won't suffer.

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*** PRESS RELEASE #3 ***
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-Falconer -- Old Vocalist Becomes New Vocalist

Friday afternoon and here's some major news to spread. Stefan
Weinerhall of Falconer is having the word:

"Well, once again the line up of Falconer is changing. Now again, you
might say. It does sound a bit unstable to do this every once in a
while I know.

"After changing the new music into a more folkish style (and loving
the sound of it) Karsten and I thought, why not go 'the whole way' and
get Mathias back in the band, it would really fit the music. That is
the style people got to know us by, and that is the style that is best
for Falconer in all ways.

"It's back to the original style, leaving experiments and changes to
act under a different moniker (maybe).

"So hereby we present you the return of Mathias Blad.

"We would like to thank Kristoffer for the years in the band, it's
been a great time we always will cherish and we assure you all that
this has nothing to do with personal matters.

"We wish Kriss all the best for the future.

"This kind of thing is about the worst things you can do to a bandmate
if you are all friends but in the end, this is not a sand box it's a
band.

"A slightly sad but optimistic Stefan, Karsten, Jimmy and Magnus"

http://www.falconermusic.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #4 ***
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-Y&T: BLACK TIGER And MEAN STREAK To Be Reissued With Bonus Tracks

Legendary California hard rockers Y&T will be re-releasing their
classic BLACK TIGER (1982) and MEAN STREAK (1983) albums with bonus
tracks in January. "These CDs were carefully digitally re-mastered at
a high sampling rate directly from the 1/2" analog master tape," reads
a posting on mainman Dave Meniketti's web site. "This new CD sounds
closer to the actual 1/2" master tape than any version available. This
is not an over compressed, EQ'd and hard sounding product like many
re-mastered CDs -- just loud, clear, dynamic and acurate to the
original tapes!" Along with the original songs, each album contains an
additional bonus track that was taken right from the 24-track master
reel from the BLACK TIGER recording sessions and finished in 2005 with
new lyrics vocals, guitar solo and then remixed.

BLACK TIGER reissue track listing:

01. From The Moon
02. Open Fire
03. Don't Wanna Lose
04. Hell Or High Water
05. Forever
06. Black Tiger
07. Barroom Boogie
08. My Way Or The Highway
09. Winds Of Change
10. Somebody For Me (bonus track)

MEAN STREAK reissue track listing:

01. Mean Streak
02. Straight Through The Heart
03. Lonely Side Of Town
04. Midnight In Tokyo
05. Breaking Away
06. Hang 'Em High
07. Take You To The Limit
08. Sentimental Fool
09. Down And Dirty
10. I'm Not Sorry (bonus track)

Each CD is available for $14.98 and is expected to start shipping the
first week of January. To pre-order, click
http://www.meniketti.com/en-us/dept_1.html .

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*** PRESS RELEASE #5 ***
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-Rawhead Rexx Started Pre-production Of New Album

Southern German Metal outfit Rawhead Rexx are in the studio and
started the pre-production of the follow-up to their last release
DIARY IN BLACK. Songwriting efforts turned out to be very futile:
Right now, the band has composed about 30 songs to choose from.
According to singer Jürgen Volk, the material will stand in the
tradition of the band's first release published back in 2002, that
impressed both press and fans with its rough, energetic and US-Metal
orientated sound (and a quite gory cover artwork that was actually
banned in their home country). As drummer Dany Löble has left the band
last year to join Helloween, Volk and his companion Face will recruit
a session musician for the upcoming recordings. The yet untitled album
will tentatively be released in summer 2006.

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*** PRESS RELEASE #6 ***
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-The Temple Newsletter - #14

Dear Templars,

In this update we have an interview with Paradise Lost, Nazareth and
Savage Circus. You will also find reviews of Nocturnal Rites, Iron
Maiden, and Verdict and several live reports for you. Enjoy, your
news-lady Amy signing out!

# Reviews #
http://www.metal-temple.com/showreviews.asp

2005/11/23 Khymera - A New Promise
2005/11/23 Grave Digger - 25 To Live
2005/11/23 DMG - Hidden Places
2005/11/23 Dam - Purity (The Darwinian Paradox)
2005/11/23 Winterfell - The Veil Of Summer
2005/11/23 Soul Doctor - For A Fistful Of Dollars
2005/11/23 Saltatio Mortis - Des Konigs Henker
2005/11/23 Disruption - Face The Wall
2005/11/23 Embraced Depart - Promo 2004 - DEMO
2005/11/23 Shaxul - Shaxul
2005/11/23 UFO - Showtime - DVD
2005/11/23 Terror 2000 - Terror For SaleTerror 2000 - Terror For Sale
2005/11/23 Searing I - Bloodshred
2005/11/23 Various Artists - Kingdom Of Glory - Volume 1
2005/11/23 Old Season - Volume One
2005/11/23 Monolithe - II
2005/11/23 Evildoer - Terror Audio
2005/11/16 Devin Carmicle - Portrait
2005/11/16 Mob Rules - Signs Of The Time LIVE - CD & DVD
2005/11/16 City Of God - A New Spiritual Mountain
2005/11/16 Steve Vai - Real Illusions: Part 1 - Reflections
2005/11/16 Boomerang - Balance Of Hate
2005/11/14 Nikki Puppet - Puppet On A String
2005/11/14 Verdict - Generation: Genocide
2005/11/14 Highland Glory - Forever Endeavour
2005/11/14 Galloglass - Heavenseeker
2005/11/14 Sal - Dysfunctional
2005/11/14 Sweatmaster - Tom Tom Bullet
2005/11/14 Nickelback - All The Right Reasons
2005/11/14 Fallen Within - Promo 2005 - DEMO
2005/11/11 Numbers From The Beast - An All Star Salute To Iron Maiden
2005/11/10 Crossfire - Aggression Treaty
2005/11/10 Necrocest - Dead Pretty
2005/11/10 Grave Flowers - Incarcerated Sorrows
2005/11/10 Veil - Forest Oblivion - DEMO
2005/11/10 Melodic Meltdown - Second Skin
2005/11/10 Heathendom - Heathendom - DEMO
2005/11/10 Nocturnal Rites - Grand Illusion
2005/11/04 Ignarus - Ignarus
2005/11/04 Niacin - Organik
2005/11/04 Tacere - Eras Reveries
2005/11/04 This Illusion - Not Just Listening
2005/11/04 Before Eden - The Legacy Of Gaia
2005/11/04 Carptree - Man Made Machine
2005/11/01 Wolfcry - Warfair
2005/11/01 Ewigkeit - Conspiritus
2005/11/01 Iron Maiden - Death On The Road
2005/11/01 Nazareth - Live From Classic T Stage - DVD
2005/11/01 Theatres Des Vampires - Pleasure And Pain
2005/11/01 Crematory - Liverevolution

# Interviews #
http://www.metal-temple.com/showinterviews.asp

*Interview with Tomas Haake of Meshuggah: "It was kind of a weird
recording for us, not weird in a bad sense, it was just a different
way for us to record."

*Interview with Chip, Rich & Matt of Lapse Of Irony: "Lately, our
sound has added heavier elements to it from bands like Dimmu Borgir,
Meshuggah, Dark Tranquillity and Moonspell."

*Interview with The Entire Band of City Of God: "I wanted to get the
production standard to a high level, I didn't want the album sounding
like a 'generic' Metal production and it had a different tone and feel
to the sound."

*Interview with Rolf Tanzius of Gun Barrel: "We all feel fantastic
because we got a lot of great reviews for our new CD and we are very
proud that a lot of people say that it's our best release."

*Interview with Devon Graves of Deadsoul Tribe: "The video is for 'A
Flight On An Angel's Wing.'"

*Interview with Gregor Mackintosh of Paradise Lost: "The writing and
recording took approximately a year."

*Interview with Henkrik Flyman of Evil Masquerade: "I think a lot
about getting the right flow in an album so that I want to hear it
from the start till the very end."

*Interview with Mike Tramp of Mike Tramp's White Lion: "Now that TWL
(Tramp's White Lion) is alive and Mike Tramp solo are alive, they are
two separate items."

*Interview with Pete Agnew of Nazareth: "There was nothing in the
pipeline as regards a new studio album at the time, so we just wanted
this to be a record of what we were in 2005."

*Interview with Alexander Palma of Luna Field: "Yeah, there are some
touring plans for early 2006 but nothing concrete."

*Interview with Jyri Vahvanen of Battlelore: "I think that the
atmosphere of the new album is more organic."

*Interview with Richard Kruspe of Rammstein: "I never considered
ourselves to be trying to state something or point out things because
in the end I really believe that everyone has his own experiences and
beliefs so you can't play and tell anyone what he has to do."

*Interview with Jeff Loomis of Nevermore: "We played in places we had
never played before like Alaska and Ireland."

*Interview with The Entire Band of Powergod: "We try to maintain some
kind of old school energy in our sound that a lot of bands are lacking
these days."

*Interview with Cadaveria: "We are planning to start recording our 3rd
album in January, but I cannot say when the CD will be released 'cause
we have no label agreement at the moment."

*Interview with Michael Siffringer of Destruction: "My biggest dream
is to keep doing what I am doing right now for as long as possible."

*Interview with Piet Sielck of Savage Circus: "The original idea to
form something goes back to Thomen Stauch, he was writing music for
Blind Guardian and soon he realized that these songs just wouldn't fit
in a new Blind Guardian album."

*Interview with Mark Sweeney of Crystal Ball: "The story behind this
album is about a man traveling through time and meeting many important
people who have managed to change the world we live in with their
achievements."

# Live Reports #
http://www.metal-temple.com/showreports.asp

-The Granada - Lawrence, KS (USA) (28/10/2005)
-King Tut's Wah Wah Hut - Glasgow (UK) (28/10/2005)
-Gagarin 205 - Athens (05/11/2005)
-Underworld Club - Athens (GR) (16/10/2005)
-An Evening With DIO @ Carling Academy, Glasgow (UK) (14/10/2005)
-Underworld Club - Athens (GR) (23/10/2005)
-The Bottleneck - Lawrence, KS (USA) (24/10/2005)
-Club 22 - Athens (GR) (16/10/2005)
-Ydrogios Club - Thessaloniki (GR) (15/10/2005)
-An Club - Athens (GR) (07/10/2005)An Club - Athens (GR) (07/10/2005)
-Lycabettus Theater - Athens (GR) (01/10/2005)

# News #
http://www.metal-temple.com/shownews.asp

-Volbeat To Open For Life Of Agony In Denmark
-Helloween: Early Albums To Be Reissued
-Dragonforce Ink Deal With Roadrunner Records In Select Markets
-Defleshed Call It A Day
-Rhapsody Guitarist To Release New Solo Album
-Queensryche: Release Date Set For "Operation: Mindcrime II"
-Candlemass: "The Curse Of Candlemass" DVD Now Available
-Antimatter: "Leaving Eden" -- 4th Album Being Finished
-David Ellefson: I Would Rejoin Megadeth Tomorrow
-Former Spineshank Members Launch New Project
-Ironfire: New Audio Sample Posted Online
-Former Black Sabbath Singer Tony Martin Discusses New Solo Album
-Dimmu Borgir: "Stormblåst" Release Date Pushed Back A Week
-Will Tony Iommy & R.J. Dio Collaborate? Iommi Issues Statement
-Ex-Nightwish Singer Tarja Turunen Issues Statement To The Media
-Morgana Lefay Confirmed For Bloodstock Festival X-Mass Party
-Guitarist Doug Aldrich Officially Rejoins Dio
-Deicide: "The New Material Is The Heaviest Shit We've Ever Written"
-Nightwish Boot Singer Tarja Turunen And Explain Why
-Amorphis: New Album Details Revealed
-Creozoth: Candlemass Side-Project To Release Debut This Month
-Rush Drummer Neil Peart Discusses New Instructional Video
-David Lee Roth Tribute Album Gets Release Date
-Orphanage Call It A Day
-Former Immortal Frontman Launches New Project
-Megadeth Bassist: New Album Will "Kick Some Major Butt"
-Diamond Head To Film First-Ever DVD
-Krux Featuring Entombed, Candlemass & Arch Enemy Members: New Demo
Soon

# Also On Metal-Temple.Com Magazine #

- The Crew's Playlist: October 2005.
http://www.metal-temple.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=540&PN=1

- Concerts: November 2005 - Greece.
http://www.metal-temple.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=520&PN=1

- PHOTOS: Nightwish @ Lycabettus Theater, Athens.
http://www.metal-temple.com/gallery/

* Visit our Forum at: http://www.metal-temple.com/forum

# The Metal-Temple.Com Magazine Crew #

http://www.metal-temple.com/
- Serving Heavy Metal Online Since 2000
Contact Page: http://www.metal-temple.com/contact.asp

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*** PRESS RELEASE #7 ***
*
-King's X Tour Bus Catches On Fire!

The bus, the bus, the bus is on fire. We don't need no water let the
mutha f'er burn!

The King's X tour bus caught fire early Thursday (November 17) burning
the back end of the bus. Don't worry though. The band and all their
gear are fine. The bus was replaced and the tour continued without a
hitch. Dug took some photos and posted them for everyone to check out.

http://www.kingsxonline.com/photos/bus/

King's X are touring in support of their latest album, OGRE TONES,
which was released September 27 via InsideOut Music. The band's first
US release for the label was produced by Michael Wagener (Metallica,
Alice Cooper, Queen) and is receiving rave reviews from fans and
critics for its innovative sound and musical intricacies.

Here are the remaining US tour dates.

11/29 - The Fenix in Seattle
11/30 - Berbati's Pan in Portland OR
12/2 - Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma, CA
12/3 - Slim's in San Francisco, CA
12/4 - Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana, CA
12/5 - Marquee Theatre in Tempe, AZ
12/8 - La Zona Rosa in Austin, TX
12/9 - Trees in Dallas, TX
12/10 - Hero's Rock N Roll in Harrker Heights, TX
12/12 - Bricktown Live in Oklahoma City, OK
12/14 - Exit/In in Nashville, TN
12/15 - Smith's Olde Bar in Atlanta, GA
12/17 – The Engine Room in Houston, TX

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*** PRESS RELEASE #8 ***
*
-Beautiful Creatures To Release DEUCE In Europe!!!

Perris Records is proud to announce the signing of Beautiful Creatures
for the Europe market. Look for Beautiful Creatures and Perris Records
to release DEUCE in Europe in Febuary 2006. DEUCE will contain 4 bonus
tracks for the Europe market only. DEUCE was released in Japan in the
early spring 2005 and released with different tracks in the US this
past summer. Now, it's time to rock Europe!!!! Look for our full page
ad coming soon in Classic Rock Magazine! Stay tuned for more details
coming soon!!!!

http://www.perrisrecords.com/
http://www.beautifulcreatures.net/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #9 ***
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-Z Records News

Z ROCK 2006 TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!

We apologies for tickets not being available on the advertised on sale
day November 28th, this was due to a delay at the printers. We are
happy to confirm that tickets will be available from all outlets from
November 30th.

On a positive note we must thank those of you whom have already pre-
booked tickets for the show via Loud 1 and the Limelight.

Shy have told us today that their set will be 1 hour and 50 minutes
and it will be recorded for possible release by Z.

WINTERSTRAIN MAKES NO. 1

Loud 1 mail order's have advised us that their top selling album of
last week was Winterstrain's debut RETURN TO THE MIRROR.

U TURN INK DEAL!

U Turn are the latest addition to the Z roster after signing their
contract with us on December 1st. The band hail from Kentucky, USA,
and have been in negotiation with the label since early 2005. The deal
will result in the band's debut SURVIVE being released on February
1st, 2006. Fans of BOUNCE era Bon Jovi, White Lion and other prolific
melodic acts should check out the sound samples that will be posted at
the Z site prior to the Christmas holiday period.

The band's lineup is:

Jamison Todd - Lead Vocals, Rhythm & Lead Guitar
Scott McClure - Keyboards, Lead Guitar
Jeff Phelps - Drums
Josh Wilson - Bass

Further news will be posted soon.

http://www.zrecords.net/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #10 ***
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-Rhapsody Releases LIVE IN CANADA - THE DARK SECRET On January 31st,
2006

Rhapsody
LIVE IN CANADA - THE DARK SECRET
(Recorded in Québec City)
Canadian street date: January 31st, 2006

Tracklisting:

01. The Dark Secret
02. Unholy Warcry
03. Wisdom Of The Kings
04. The Village Of Dwarves
05. Erian's Mystical Rhymes
06. Lamento Eroico
07. Dawn Of Victory
08. Nightfall On The Grey Mountains
09. The March Of The Swordmaster
10. Emerald Sword

Bonus DVD: Including exclusive behind-the-scenes-material as well as
the complete album in 5.1 surround sound!

In January 2006 Italian Film Score Metal icons Rhapsody are poised to
release their first live album ever on Magic Circle Music/SPV/FUSION 3
-- entitled LIVE IN CANADA 2005 - THE DARK SECRET!

This testimony of pure energy, over 60 minutes long, was recorded at
the Albert-Rousseau Arena in Quebec/Canada on June 13, 2005 during leg
one of Rhapsody being the special guest on Manowar's "Demons, Dragons
And Warriors World Tour."

The first leg of the tour, completed in the summer of 2005, was highly
acclaimed internationally for its stripped down and performance
orientated arrangements, which allowed the band to prove that the
music is the message.

"This album is exceptionally magical," says guitarist and composer
Luca Turilli. "It combines the song visions with the fun we had on
stage and the amazing reaction from the fans." Keyboarder and composer
Alex Staropoli joins: "The reaction of the fans in Canada and the US
was just unbelievable. That's why we simply had to name this album
LIVE IN CANADA. A true dedication!"

LIVE IN CANADA 2005 - THE DARK SECRET will be released in two
configurations: Apart from the regular CD album which features the
complete Quebec show there will also be a limited edition including a
bonus DVD which will contain exclusive behind-the-scenes-material as
well as the complete album in 5.1 surround sound!

This will no doubt set the band's epic performance in a new light and
give the listener a truly monumental audio experience.

The track list includes old favourites as well as tracks from their
latest release SYMPHONY OF ENCHANTED LANDS II - THE DARK SECRET.

Tour: As a special guest on the second leg of Manowar's "Demons,
Dragons And Warriors World Tour" Rhapdosy will continue to tour in
2006. The first dates have been confirmed for Germany and more are to
follow for other European countries.

With their last year's sixth album SYMPHONY OF ENCHANTED LANDS II –
THE DARK SECRET on Magic Circle Music Rhapsody continued to pioneer
their new style of cinematic metal aptly called Film Score Metal.
Rhapsody has sold over 1 million copies worldwide.

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*** PRESS RELEASE #11 ***
*
-New www.rockdetector.com Book: "New Wave Of American Heavy Metal" By
Garry Sharpe-Young

376 pages, with over 90 photos, featuring over 600 US and Canadian
Alternative Metal, Emocore, Hardcore, Math Metal, Metal, Metalcore,
Neo-Thrash and Screamo bands.

Heavy Metal is the ultimate survivalist, weathering every trend, every
fad. In the mid '90s, in the wake of Grunge, the Metal movement
underwent its most radical evolution to date, ushered in by a leaner,
meaner crop of purist, aggressive acts in Pantera, Machine Head,
Biohazard, Life Of Agony, Prong and Slipknot as Thrash fused with
Hardcore and Death Metal. As the millennium dawned this new found
power exploded not only onto the US touring circuit, but also the
national album charts giving rise to a new generation of offshoots as
Screamo, Emocore and Metalcore.

In traditional Rockdetector style, executive editor Garry Sharpe-
Young, author of 14 Rock & Metal titles to date, exhaustively
documents these bands in painstaking detail with extensive historical
biographies, line-ups, official URLs and full discographies including
track lists, labels, catalogue numbers and chart positions.

"This is the first book to cover this new Metal generation," says the
author. "The Metal scene in the USA is now so diverse, so healthy, it
was important for Rockdetector to document it right now. The book is
right up to the minute too, with band biographies current up to
November 2005. I've got an awesome picture of Dime on the sleeve,
taken by his friend Chad Lee. As soon as we saw that photo we knew it
had to be the front cover."

As for the band's themselves? "Everyone is going to argue about who
should be in this book and who shouldn't -- that's great debate! I've
included some of the older bands to show the real roots of Metalcore,
like Agnostic Front and the whole NYHC, plus the groups that broke the
Metal scene into new territory after Grunge -- Pantera, Biohazard and
Machine Head. From there it gets really diverse, crossing the spectrum
from melodic Death Metal to Emocore and everything in between. Most of
these bands have no problem touring together so it seemed only right
they should share the same pages."

Over 600 bands. Including: 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, A LIFE ONCE LOST,
ALKALINE TRIO, ALL THAT REMAINS, AS I LAY DYING, ATREYU, AVENGED
SEVENFOLD, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, BIOHAZARD, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY,
BLEEDING THROUGH, BURY THE DEAD, BYZANTINE, CANNAE, CANDIRIA, CAVE IN,
CHIMAIRA, CKY, COALESCE, CONVERGE, CRISIS, DAMAGEPLAN, DARKEST HOUR,
DEVILDRIVER, DIECAST, DOWN, DROWNING POOL, EIGHTEEN VISIONS, EVERY
TIME I DIE, FROM A SECOND STORY WINDOW, GLASSJAW, GOD FORBID,
HATEBREED, HIGH ON FIRE, IF HOPE DIES, ION DISSONANCE, KILLSWITCH
ENGAGE, KITTIE, LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, MARTYR A.D., MASTODON,
MISERY SIGNALS, MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, NEUROSIS, NORMA JEAN, OTEP,
OVERCAST, PANTERA, POISON THE WELL, PREMONITIONS OF WAR, PRO-PAIN,
RISE AGAINST, REMEMBERING NEVER, SHADOWS FALL, SLIPKNOT, SOCIETY 1,
STILL REMAINS, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, STUCK MOJO, SUPERJOINT RITUAL,
TERROR, THE ACACIA STRAIN, THE BLAMED, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, THE
DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, THE RED CHORD, THROWDOWN, TRIVIUM, UNEARTH,
WINTER SOLSTICE, ZAO and many, many more...

There's more to come too. A mammoth 2 volume "Scandinavian Rock &
Metal" is on its way for early 2006. "That's a monster!" says Garry.
"Looking like two books, 600 pages each of Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish
& Danish bands."

Ordering information for "New Wave Of American Heavy Metal," sample
pages and a full list of bands included is here:
http://www.zondabooks.com/titles/nwoahm/

ROCKDETECTOR - 41,000 bands - and rising!

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*** PRESS RELEASE #12 ***
*
-Summer Breeze News

HELL-o Summer Breeze community,

X-mas is coming along with big steps. Santa and his friends have been
available in the shops everywhere for quite some time already. And
various snow storms seem to prove: it's X-mas time again. And so we
thought it's about time to inform you about the latest news.

But let's start with the important things. We are still looking for a
new site for Summer Breeze 2006 to take place. On one hand it seems to
be more difficult than we thought it would be. But, on the other hand,
we are quite optimistic as there are more and more interesting options
showing up nearly every week. More details the minute we know. As soon
as this little problem is solved we will immediately start pre selling
tickets for 2006. You might ask now who will be appearing at next
year's festival. So please note: starting December 1st, 2005 there
will be sort of an X-mas calendar on our site. Every day at midnight
you can open up another window, behind which you'll see one more band
for next year's billing. That'll keep it exciting for you, apart from
the fact it's more healthy than chocolate.

A few weeks ago we posted some pictures and the review for this year's
Summer Breeze on the net. We are currently working on more pics and
updated news. As soon as this is done you'll be the first to know.

Well folks, that's it for the time being. As things happen faster than
a machine gun these days there is more changes, news and facts to be
read right here very soon. So stay tuned.

Yours, Achim

http://www.summer-breeze.de/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #13 ***
*
-New Officiel Rivera/Bomma Site!!!

Hello Friends,

Rivera/Bomma has a new home in the world wide web @
http://www.riverabomma.net/

This site features:

** music clips of the upcoming Rivera/Bomma CD I AM GOD on Mausoleum
Records ( http://www.mausoleum-records.com/ ), release date February
2006.

** up to the minute news & tour dates

** Rivera/Bomma's personal & professional press photos

** a web store w/ tons of official Rivera/Bomma merch (CDs, DVDs,
posters, stickers, T-shirts, bottons, etc...) that will be up and
running soon!!!!

Also please sign up for our official Rivera/Bomma mailing list!! From
time to time we will be giving away some R/B goodies!! And it will
also keep you inform on what's happening in "The R/B camp."

** note that this site will be run, monitored & updated by Rivera/
Bomma & B&R Music Publish only!!!

Thanks so much for all your love & support MAY THE LORD CONTINUED HIS
BLESSING WITH YOU ALL!!!!!

KEER ROCKING R/B STYLE!!

Rod & Johnny
RIVERA/BOMMA

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #14 ***
*
-Slave To The System Guitarist/Vocalist Damon Johnson Pens Santana
Track

Carlos Santana's new song "Just Feel Better," featuring guest vocals
by Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, was written by none other than Damon
Johnson. Johnson, who has performed with alt rock radio heroes Brother
Cane, shock rock legend Alice Cooper, and currently is the lead
vocalist/guitarist of Spitfire Records' supergroup Slave To The
System, provided his songwriting expertise to assist Santana with his
latest hit. "Just Feel Better" appears on Santana's new album ALL THAT
I AM. The debut album from Slave To The System will be available on
February 21st, 2006. Listen for Slave To The System on your local rock
radio station.

http://www.slavetothesystem.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #15 ***
*
-IcebergRadio.com's Metal Radio Adds

The following albums have been added to IcebergRadio.com's Metal
Stations: BWBK.com, '80s Hair Bands, Budweiser Radio, BlackDeath,
ProgPower, Hair Transplant, '80s Aggression, Roots Of Metal:

BOLT THROWER - Those Once Loyal (Metal Blade): BWBK.com, BlackDeath
DEMIRICOUS - One (Hellbound) (Metal Blade): BWBK.com, BlackDeath
DEVILYN - 11 (Conquer): BlackDeath
ENDSTILLE - Navigator (Twilight): BlackDeath
EPICA - Consign To Oblivion (The End): BWBK.com, ProgPower
JACK FROST - Out In The Cold (Mausoleum): BWBK.com, ProgPower
HACRIDE - Deviant Current Signal (Listenable): BWBK.com
HELL-BORN - Legacy Of The Nephilim (Conquer): BlackDeath
HIDDEN IN THE FOG - Damokles (Twilight): BlackDeath
HIMSA - Hail Horror (Prosthetic): BWBK.com
KHOLD - Krek (Candlelight): BWBK.com, BlackDeath
TONY MARTIN - Scream (MTM): BWBK.com, ProgPower
EDDIE OJEDA - Axes II Axes (Black Lotus): BWBK.com, ProgPower
SLAVE TO THE SYSTEM - Slave To The System (Spifire): BWBK.com

Brave Pick Of The Week: Roadrunner United - The All-Star Sessions
(Roadrunner)

BWBK.com is BW&BK Magazine's noisy audio brother and can be found at
http://www.BWBK.com/ and via the Metal News section at
http://www.HardRadio.com/ !

For more info about BWBK.com contact metaltim@icebergmedia or
metaltim@....

BWBK.com is the noisy audio brother to BW&BK Magazine!

http://www.BWBK.com/ - 24/7 Audio Assault!

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #16 ***
*
-Guitar Virtuoso Zakk Wylde To Be Inducted Into Hollywood's RockWalk

WHO: Guitar virtuoso Zakk Wylde has played a significant role for Ozzy
Osbourne, who handpicked Wylde in 1987 at the age of 19 to be his new
axe slinger. In addition to his responsibilities as Ozzy's main axe
slinger, Wylde was responsible for co-writing many of Ozzy's best-
selling multi-platinum albums, including the albums NO REST FOR THE
WICKED, NO MORE TEARS, and OZZMOSIS. Wylde started his solo career in
1994. In 1998, Wylde formed his own band, Black Label Society, while
still maintaining his role as Osbourne's lead guitarist. To date,
Black Label Society has released six albums and has sold in excess of
one million units worldwide. Wylde's musical mastery has spawned
numerous instrument product endorsements. His signature products
include four custom Gibson guitars, a custom Epiphone guitar, a
limited run Marshall amplifier, EMG Picks-Ups, GHS Strings and Dunlop
Pedals. Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, Jim Ladd and more celebrity
guests to be announced will be in attendance to congratulate Zakk as
he is inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk.

WHAT: Hollywood's RockWalk is the only sidewalk gallery dedicated to
honoring those artists who have made a significant impact and lasting
contribution to the growth and evolution Rock 'n' Roll, Blues and R&B.
Zakk Wylde's handprints and signatures will reside alongside other
equally accomplished musicians and innovators such as Eric Clapton,
Jimi Hendrix, Lou Reed, Johnny Cash, Aerosmith, B.B. King, Van Halen,
James Brown, George Martin, Sonic Youth, Brian Wilson, Carlos Santana,
Carl Perkins, John Lee Hooker, The Ramones, Bonnie Raitt and
Holland-Dozier-Holland among others.

WHERE: Hollywood's RockWalk, 7425 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood, CA

WHEN: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at Noon

* This event is FREE and OPEN to the public.

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #17 ***
*
-Liquor And Poker & The Hellacopters: Flying High Again

American release of ROCK & ROLL IS DEAD set for Jan. 24

LOS ANGELES -- ROCK & ROLL IS DEAD, the acclaimed new album from
Swedish rockers The Hellacopters -- whose multiple Grammy awards and
Gold records in their home country have helped the quintet build a
rabid fan base not only in their native Europe, but around the entire
world -- will be released in America on Jan. 24, 2006. It marks the
third Hellacopters title in as many years for Liquor And Poker Music;
an MP3 of first single "I'm In The Band" has been posted on the
label's website, http://www.liquorandpokermusic.com/ .

The Hellacopters' sixth album, ROCK & ROLL IS DEAD, was released in
Europe in June, at which point the quintet kicked off a six-month
continental tour. Highlights included performances at Rock Im Ring/
Rock Am Park -- Germany's largest annual music festival -- as well as
Hungary's Sziget Festival, a weeklong event with nearly 400,000
attendees. The band's travels will extend to the rest of the world in
2006, including their first American tour in four years.

Having been described as "the best rock band in Sweden" (Alternative
Press) and "the freshest-sounding 'geetar' band around" (Rolling
Stone), The Hellacopters recently celebrated their 10th anniversary.
With six acclaimed studio full-lengths and European tours alongside
household names Kiss, The Rolling Stones and Foo Fighters under their
belts, it's clear the group has come a long way since its early days
as a side project of then-Entombed drummer Nicke Andersson and
Backyard Babies co-founder Dregen.

Recorded in the Hellacopters' hometown of Stockholm with longtime
producer Chips Kiesbye (Sahara Hotnights, Millencolin), ROCK & ROLL IS
DEAD features guest appearances from The Hives' Howlin' Pelle Almqvist
and The Soundtrack Of Our Lives' Mattias Barjed. The North American
version of ROCK & ROLL IS DEAD will be an enhanced CD included two
bonus tracks not found on any other version of the album, as well as
bonus music video clips for both "I'm In The Band" and "Everything's
On T.V."

Don't be misled by the title: ROCK & ROLL IS DEAD is living proof that
the genre is alive and well -- and that as they begin their second
decade of international conquests, The Hellacopters will continue to
be its heartbeat.

http://www.hellacopters.com/
http://www.liquorandpokermusic.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #18 ***
*
-THE BEST OF THE TASTE OF CHAOS To Be Released January 24th By WARCON
Enterprises

Much-Anticipated Compilation Includes Songs by The Used, Story Of The
Year, Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage and More

In conjunction with the kick-off of this year's Taste Of Chaos Tour,
WARCON Enterprises has announced a January 24th release date for THE
BEST OF THE TASTE OF CHAOS, a two-disc compilation that features an
onslaught of music from the biggest and best bands in the punk/metal
scene.

Being hailed as the most definitive post-hardcore collection to ever
be assembled, THE BEST OF THE TASTE OF CHAOS, includes 26 songs,
comprising unreleased tracks, rare outtakes and special songs, from
such heavy hitters as Story Of The Year, The Deftones, The Used,
Killswitch Engage and more.

The perfect warm-up for this year's winter tour, which kicks off
February 16th with The Deftones, As I Lay Dying, Atreyu, Thrice, Story
Of The Year and other TOC favorites, the compilation is a "must-have"
for any true post-hardcore fan.

"There's no denying that this scene has become a force to be reckoned
with," said Kevin Lyman, founder of the Taste Of Chaos and Warped
Tours. "This collection reflects not only the influence that these
bands have had on the fans but also on the music community as a
whole."

The tracklisting for THE BEST OF THE TASTE OF CHAOS includes:

Side One:
The Used - "Sound Effects And Overdramatics"
Underoath - "I've Got Ten Friends And A Crowbar That Says You Won't Do
Jack"
Story Of The Year - "Our Time is Now"
Thrice - "Stare At The Sun"
Matchbook Romance - "In Transit For You"
Thursday - "I Wanna Hear Another Fast Song"
My American Heart - "The Process"
Armor For Sleep - "The Truth About Heaven"
Billy Talent - "Red Flag" (unreleased)
Emery - "Studying Politics"
Bleed The Dream - "Just Like I Remember"
From First To Last - "Note To Self"
Rise Against - "Give It All"
Blindside - "Fell In Love With The Game"
Fear Before The March Of Flames - "Should Have Stayed In The Shallows"
Dark New Day - "Pieces"
Roses Are Red - "300 Motion Pictures"
Street Drum Corps - "Flaco 81"

Side Two:
Avenged Sevenfold - "Burn It Down"
Killswitch Engage - "Rose Of Sharyn"
Deftones - "Bloody Cape"
Every Time I Die - "Kill The Music"
Shadows Fall - "Enlightened By The Cold"
Dillinger Escape Plan - "Unretrofied"
Bleeding Through - "On Wings Of Lead"
Funeral For A Friend - "Roses For The Dead"
Norma Jean - "Bayonetwork"
It Dies Today - "Severed Ties Yield Severed Heads"
The Bled - "With An Urgency"
Opiate For The Masses - "Heaven"
Alexisonfire - "Accidents"
The SmashUp - "Effigy"
Adair - "The Diamond Ring"
Bloodsimple - "Sell Me Out"
Most Precious Blood - "Shark Ethic"
Dir En Grey - "The Final"

The Taste Of Chaos is gearing up for its second year and hits the road
February 16th with The Deftones, Thrice, Atreyeu, Story Of The Year,
As I lay Dying, Dredg, Silverstien and more. Last year's inaugural
tour sold more than 190,000 tickets to fans from across the nation.
For the latest information on the tour, check out
http://www.tasteofchaos.com/ .

For more information about THE BEST OF THE TASTE OF CHAOS CD, visit
http://www.warconent.com/ .

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #19 ***
*
-Lion Music News

2005 has been quite a year for Lion Music. We believe we released many
of the label's finest albums to date and the response from press and
fans alike back up these thoughts. So what is in store for 2006? Well
for starters January 20th sees four terrific new releases to kick off
the year.

The first of these is the long awaited fourth studio album from
Sweden's premier progressive rock outfit Mind's Eye who are WALKING ON
H2O. The album is filled with cinematic rock songs with crystal clear
production and the buzz surrounding this release already is
astounding.

Winterlong return with album number four and a new sound in METAL/
TECHNOLOGY. The album is more modern in approach than the band's
previous releases and is set to introduce them to a whole new legion
of fans.

Vintersorg main man Mr. V returns with Waterclime – THE ASTRAL FACTOR
which sees the very best elements of traditional progressive and
symphonic rock filtered through a Nordic mind with Scandinavian folk
tones and a jazzy ambient atmosphere.

Our fourth release of January is the second solo album from Sun Caged
guitarist Marcel Coenen with COLOUR JOURNEY. The album features a wide
range of vocalists that will take the listener on a voyage through
many musical landscapes that will captivate its audience.

Albums to be released in February so far include second opuses from
Tears Of Anger with IN THE SHADOWS, Hubi Meisel with KAILASH, and
Section A with PARALLEL WORLDS.

Other releases planned for 2006 include works from Satyrian (gothic
metal), Zeelion (hard rock), House Of Shakira (melodic rock), From
Behind (hard hitting blues rock featuring Nicky Moore and Manny
Charlton), Sun Caged, John Macaluso's Union Radio, Sphere Of Souls
(Andre Vuurboom (ex-Sun Caged), and Anand Mahangoe on guitar) and many
more!

Our website is set to include forums that will allow more interaction
between fans of roster as well as many more exciting new features. To
stay in touch with all the latest developments, release schedules and
news be sure to check http://www.lionmusic.com/ frequently.

The Lion Music team
http://www.lionmusic.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #20 ***
*
-Revenge, Rock, Redeption -- Queensryche's OPERATION: MINDCRIME II

Long-Awaited Sequel to Platinum-Selling Concept Album Available From
Rhino March 14

LOS ANGELES -- Queensryche returned to the studio this summer to
record the long-anticipated sequel to 1988's acclaimed concept album
OPERATION: MINDCRIME. Praised by critics and certified platinum, the
original remained on Billboard's Album chart for more than a year, and
its dynamic music and powerful message still resonate today. Rhino
Records helps unravel the mysteries of the original with OPERATION:
MINDCRIME II. The album is available March 14 at regular physical and
digital retail outlets and at http://www.rhino.com/ for a suggested
retail price of $18.98.

OPERATION: MINDCRIME II contains a 15-song story and is performed by
the Seattle-based quintet-singer and chief songwriter Geoff Tate;
guitarists Michael Wilton and Mike Stone; bassist Eddie Jackson, and
drummer Scott Rockenfield.

Tate says the current political and social climate inspired him to
revisit the storyline. "I left the original open-ended with the intent
to come back with a sequel to finish the story up," he says.
"Considering where we are today and how little things have changed, it
was too ironic not to continue the story."

OPERATION: MINDCRIME's intriguing and complex plot revolves around Dr.
X, a political puppetmaster who brainwashes Nikki, the story's main
character, to assassinate corrupt public figures. The story also
includes Nikki's lover, Sister Mary. A former teenage prostitute who
becomes a nun, Sister Mary is murdered mysteriously, leaving the
cliffhanger "Who Killed Sister Mary?"

Set 20 years after the original, OPERATION: MINDCRIME II explores
Nikki's fate after being released from prison and reveals the identity
of Mary's killer. "I tried to put myself in Nikki's shoes and imagine
what it would be like for him to come back to society after spending
20 years in jail stewing about what happened to him," Tate says. "I
became fascinated with the concept of revenge and what that would do
to a person like Nikki. The story is ultimately about how Nikki
wrestles with his conflicted emotions. On one side, his base instincts
are pushing him to kill those who wronged him. On the other side, his
conscience -- represented by the spirit of Sister Mary -- urges him to
learn from his past mistakes and find salvation."

Earlier this year Queensr˙che launched a sold-out tour featuring the
original OPERATION: MINDCRIME performed in its entirety with actors
onstage portraying the characters alongside the band. Tate says the
band plans to launch a tour in 2006 that will feature a stage
performance of both MINDCRIMES in their entirety. "The actors onstage
with us add a new dimension to the music," he says. "It's different
than your typical rock show, but the audiences really got into the
MINDCRIME I tour. It's exciting to have the opportunity to combine
both albums into one show. It's going to be epic."

Since its formation in 1981 near Seattle, Queensr˙che has released
nine studio albums. EMPIRE, the 1990 follow-up to OPERATION:
MINDCRIME, sold more than two million copies thanks in part to the
enormous success of the hit "Silent Lucidity." Released in 1994,
PROMISED LAND was certified platinum and featured the hits "I Am I"
and "Bridge."

Queensryche - OPERATION: MINDCRIME II

1. "I'm American"
2. "One Foot In Hell"
3. "Hostage"
4. "The Hands"
5. "Speed Of Light"
6. "Signs Say Go (Will I Surrender?)"
7. "Re-Arrange You"
8. "The Chase"
9. "A Murderer"
10. "Circles"
11. "If I Could Change It All"
12. "An Intentional Confrontation"
13. "A Junkie's Blues (Everything Will Be Alright)"
14. "Fear City Slide"
15. "All The Promises"

http://www.queensryche.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #21 ***
*
-Powerwolf: Tour Recap

"Hello out there!

With a short delay -- but better late than never: We're back from the
European tour with Gamma Ray and Nocturnal Rites and we want to thank
all you insane metalheads all over Europe for showing up and
celebrating the spirit of metal with the Wolf. It was an overwhelming
experience for us to see how many souls the wolves have already taken
and now that we're back home we know the wolftribe is growing and
growing -- and this makes us very proud. Watch out for the upcoming
issue of the German Heavy magazine -- where an exclusive tourdiary
written by the wolves themselves will be published. More news from the
wolves will follow very soon! VIVE LE VRAI METAL!!!!

"Yours sincerely,

"the WOLVES"

http://www.powerwolf.net/

*
*** NEWS/RUMORS ***
*
-Italian "true metal defender" band Anguish Force has released ANGUISH
FORCE 2: CITY OF ICE. See http://www.anguishforce.com/ for more.

-Warren Appleby has got a metal version of "O Christmas Tree" on his
Web site for free download. Go to http://www.warrenappleby.com/ and
click on the MP3 button to check it out. It'll only be available until
January 1.

-Crimson Glory news: Reunion plans are detailed in a Herald Tribune
newspaper article by columnist Rod Harmon. You can view the article at
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20051125/COLUMNIST88/511250609/-1/GOOGLE01
.

-Edguy's new CD ROCKET RIDE will be out January 20 via Nuclear Blast.
Track listing is as follows; "Sacrifice," "Rocket Ride," "Wasted
Time," "Matrix," "Return To The Tribe," "The Asylum," "Save Me,"
"Catch Of The Century," "Out Of Vogue," "Superheroes," "Trinidad,"
"Fucking With Fire."

-Helloween's first four albums will be re-released by Sanctuary
Records on January 30. WALLS OF JERICHO (1985) is being combined with
the s/t EP (1985) and the "Judas" single/EP into a two-disc set with
these bonus tracks: "Murderer" (remix), "Ride The Sky" (remix),
"Intro/Ride The Sky" (live), "Guardians" (live), "Oernst Of Life,"
"Metal Invaders (1984)," "Surprise Track." KEEPER OF THE SEVEN KEYS
PART 1's (1987) bonus tracks: "Victim Of Fate" (single B-side),
"Starlight" (remix), "A Little Time" (alternate version), "Halloween"
(video edit). KEEPER OF THE SEVEN KEYS PART 2 (1988) will include
"Save Us" plus these bonus tracks: "Savage" (single B-side), "Livin'
Ain't No Crime" (single B-side), "Don't Run For Cover" (single B-
side), "Dr. Stein" (remix), "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" (remix). PINK
BUBBLES GO APE's (1991) bonus tracks: "Blue Suede Shoes," "Shit And
Lobster," "Les Hambourgeois Walkways," "You Run With The Pack" (all
four are single B-sides). See http://www.helloween.org/ for more.

-Horse The Band's new video for "Birdo" is now on-line and can be
viewed at:

Windows Media
http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/kochent/horsetheband/birdolow.wvx
http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/kochent/horsetheband/birdohi.wvx

Real
http://boss.streamos.com/real/kochent/horsetheband/birdohi.smi
http://boss.streamos.com/real/kochent/horsetheband/birdolow.smi

-In Flames has announced eight shows for its upcoming North American
headlining tour next year:

1/25 - Marquee Theatre, Tempe, AZ
1/26 - House Of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
1/27 - Soma, San Diego, CA
1/28 - Avalon, Los Angeles, CA
1/30 - Roseland Theatre, Portland, OR
2/1 - Showbox, Seattle, WA
2/3 - Salt Air Pavilion, Salt Lake City, UT
2/4 - Gothic Theatre, Denver, CO

Trivium and Devildriver are scheduled to support. Check out
http://www.inflames.com/ for all the latest dates.

-The video for the title track from Look What I Did's MINUTEMAN FOR
THE MOMENT is now on-line at:

Real Media
http://boss.streamos.com/real/kochent/lookwhatidid/minutemanforthemome
nthi.smi
http://boss.streamos.com/real/kochent/lookwhatidid/minutemanforthemome
ntlow.smi

Windows Media
http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/kochent/lookwhatidid/minutemanforthemo
menthi.wvx
http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/kochent/lookwhatidid/minutemanforthemo
mentlow.wvx

See http://www.ihatelookwhatidid.com/ for more.

-George Lynch tour dates:

12/7 - The Hi-Fi Club, Cleveland, OH
12/8 - Mr. Kelley's Music Box, Chicago, IL
12/9 - Vnuk's, Cudahy, WI
12/10 - I-Rock Nightclub, Detroit, MI
12/12 - Hubba's, Aurora, CO (a "very special" acoustic set)
12/13 - Eck's Saloon, Lakewood, CO
12/14 - Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO
12/15 - Graham Central Station, Amarillo, TX
12/16 - The Aardvark, Ft. Worth, TX
12/17 - The Dirty Dog, Austin, TX
12/18 - The Stampede, El Paso, TX
12/19 - City Limits, Tucson, AZ
12/21 - Brick By Brick, San Diego, CA
12/22 - Malibu Inn, Malibu, CA
12/23 - Galaxy Theatre, Santa Ana, CA

-Metal Blade Germany is offering a 20% Christmas discount on all
orders over 20 Euros (not including shipping) placed in its on-line
shop until Sunday, December 18. Write "Xmas Discount" in the message
field before sending the order; the discount "will not be reflected in
the automatically generated order confirmation, but will be included
in the total sent to you along with the payment instructions." See
http://www.metalblade.de/ for more.

-Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy) has a new two-DVD set out now entitled
EXTREME METAL DRUMMING 101, featuring instruction and performance
footage. See http://www.flomounier.com/ and http://www.cryptopsy.net/
for more.

-Paul Nelson (Johnny Winter, Liege Lord, solo) will be featured in the
Fender guitar company's upcoming issue of Frontline Magazine, to be
distributed worldwide next year. See http://www.paulnelsonguitar.com/
and http://www.fender.com/ for more.

-BraveWords.com reported Loudness vocalist Minoru Niihara is working
on a solo album with bassist Jeff Pilson and drummer Vinnie Appice.
The disc will be mixed later this month in Los Angeles and is due out
next February 22 via Tokuma Communications. Niihara is reportedly
trying to get Michael Schenker to contribute "a couple guitar solos"
to the album.

-Sonic X has some downloadable wallpapers at
http://www.digitalefx.ca/sonicx_downloads.html .

-Theater Of Tragedy's new CD, STORM is scheduled for release on March
24, 2006, via AFM Records. This will be the first CD released with new
singer Nell.

-If you haven't seen it yet, check out a clip of some dude's Christmas
light show set to the tune of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Wizards In
Winter" (from last year's THE LOST CHRISTMAS EVE) at
http://www.turnofftheinter.net/ext/lights.wmv .

-Celtic Frost announced it will appear at next year's Wacken Open Air
festival in Germany, which is scheduled to run from August 3-5. Other
bands on the roster so far are Children Of Bodom, Die Apokalyptischen
Reiter, Emperor, Finntroll, In Extremo, Nevermore, Soilwork, and
Subway To Sally. See http://www.wacken.com/ for more.

-Whitesnake's long-delayed live DVD, IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT, is now
scheduled for release on January 27, 2006, via AFM Records. Check out
http://www.whitesnake.com/ to view a short clip on the DVD.

-Y&T's classic lineup -- Dave Meniketti, Joey Alves, Phil Kennemore,
and Leonard Haze -- will reunite for a New Year's Eve concert at the
Avalon in Santa Clara, CA. (The Frank Hannon Band and Rubbersidedown
will also play at the show.) In related news, Meniketti's solo band
will play his annual birthday bash December 10 at the Little Fox
Theater in Redwood City, CA. See http://www.meniketti.com/ for more.

Thanks to Jon Leff, Devon Michaels, Peter Finnie, Betty Dworatschek,
and Andrew Demarest for help gathering some of this information.

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

-I don't have the new Judas Priest live DVD yet and it is KILLING ME!
I am in Severe Budget Mode at the moment, due to the holidays being
upon us, and I had to physically restrain myself from grabbing it when
I was at Best Buy last week. There were like 15 copies of the DVD on
the shelf, all of them mocking me. I did, however, drop a few bucks on
the new Edguy DVD SUPERHEROES because I found it for a whopping $6.56
(with free shipping) at http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/ . It's pretty
cool and an absolute steal at that price -- it's got the video for the
title track, a few live songs recorded in Sao Paulo, plus the typical
"extras" (photo gallery, "making of" bit, on the road footage, etc.)
for a total running time of around 70 minutes. The video alone is
worth the seven bucks -- it shows the Edguys "bunny hunting" a bunch
of babes dressed like Playboy bunnies. Good stuff.

-How about that Crimson Glory 20th anniversary reunion stuff? I am as
skeptical about it as the next guy, but there's talk of Midnight, Jon
Drenning, Ben Jackson, and Jeff Lords -- with the drummer TBA --
getting back together to play next year's European summer festivals
and possibly record a new album for 2007. There's also talk of
reissuing the s/t debut, TRANSCENDENCE, and ASTRONOMICA (possibly with
new vocals from Midnight replacing Wade Black's originals!), a DVD of
a 1989 live show, and a box set called VALLEY OF SHADOWS, KINGDOMS OF
LIGHT. Phew! Got my fingers crossed.

-And that big Queensryche press release above has got me excited about
MINDCRIME II, against my better judgment. I'm really, REALLY not
trying to get my hopes up here but some of those song titles sound
cool. Ah well, what can I do?

-Now in my current playlist: Dogpound - A NIGHT IN THE GUTTER (Lion
Music), Warmachine - THE BEGINNING OF THE END (Nightmare Records),
Brazen Abbot - A DECADE OF BRAZEN ABBOT (DVD) (Frontiers/Locomotive),
Metalium - DEMONS OF INSANITY - CHAPTER FIVE (Crash Music).

*
*** REVIEWS ***
*
CARPTREE - MAN MADE MACHINE (C+) InsideOut Music, 2005
10 tracks, RT: 58:34
[ http://www.carptree.com/ ]
[ http://www.insideoutmusic.com/ ]
Sweden certainly has no shortage of musical talent these days, with a
wealth of rock, metal, progressive and pop bands from the region
releasing strong material and hoping to be discovered. Carptree is a
neo-prog band whose third album MAN MADE MACHINE is a mixed bag of
high-quality arrangements and strong production values but an
overemphasis on vocals and songs that open up far too slowly for the
average listener. I spent quite a bit of time with MAN MADE MACHINE,
and even after repeated listens it was difficult for me to warm up to
some of the compositions, the music a veritable study in subtlety.
Carptree play fairly mellow prog with hints of Genesis, Yes, Pink
Floyd and Marillion, the comparisons primarily due to vocalist Niklas
Flinck who reminds of Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson, Roger Waters and
Fish at various times. "Titans Clash Aggressively To Keep An Even
Score" (is that a prog title or what?) opens the album dramatically
with Carl Westholm's textural piano punctuating Flink's odd vocals and
the Trollhättans Chamber Choir adding that majestic element so
important to this type of music. "Sunshine Waters" is next with well
executed melodies and a dreamy choir backing, but by the time we get
to "The Weakening Sound" the music begins to get a bit too relaxed.
Things pick back up nicely on "Burn To Something New," one of the best
tracks on the disc, followed by another strong one "In The Centre Of
An Empty Space," a piece which actually features some heavy guitar
action among the keyboards; honestly it would have been great to have
more songs in this vein on the album. Ultimately, MAN MADE MACHINE is
well-tailored to a very limited audience, directed at those who have
an open mind, an appreciation for unusually structured music and a lot
of patience. Definitely not for everyone, but you can confidently
raise the score by a letter grade and pick this one up if you meet the
aforementioned criteria. - Neal Woodall (MysticX10@...)

CREOZOTH (C+) Escapi Music, 2005
13 tracks, RT: 57:28
[ http://www.escapimusic.com/ ]
"Creozoth?" Sounds like another troop of face-painted, axe-wielding,
church-burning goblins from the forests of Norway, doesn't it?
(Thankfully this isn't the case.) The debut CD from these Swedes is
being released with minimal fanfare in the US (the band doesn't even
appear to have their own Web site!) and it arrived in my mailbox with
several other promos that I was more interested in hearing, so this
one spent some time at the bottom of my "to be played" pile before I
finally got around to it. When I did, I found myself enjoying it more
with each successive spin in my car stereo. Not bad for a disc that I
expected to be the runt of the litter. The members of this four-piece
claim tours of duty with such outfits as Candlemass (guitarist Lars
Johansson and drummer Jan Lindh), Oz (bassist Tobbe Moen) X-Plode (?)
and Yngwie Malmsteen (vocalist Michael Storck) on their resumes,
though truthfully their names meant nothing to me (I've never been
much of a Candlemass or Yngwie fan, and I've only heard of Oz in
passing). When I pressed "play," though, I was impressed by Creozoth's
brand of chugging trad-metal. The CD's greatest strength is in its
tight, precise riffs and rhythms...this is the kind of stuff that
makes you imagine huge machines with lots of pistons pumping and gears
cranking. Johansson's crunchy guitar work (with some bluesy touches)
recalls the late Dimebag Darrell (circa COWBOYS FROM HELL, the only
Pantera album I ever really cared for) with a pinch of George Lynch
(check out the solo in "Intoxicatedead" for an example of what I
mean). Storck's vocals drove me absolutely crazy for about a week when
I first listened to this disc because I knew he reminded me of
SOMEBODY, but I couldn't quite put my finger on who...then it finally
hit me! Gord Kirchin, a.k.a. "The Piledriver" of cult Canadians
Piledriver! (When's the last time you heard somebody compared to THAT
guy, huh?) Storck's dry semi-rasp may not sound as off-the-wall or
insane as Kirchin did on those classic Piledriver platters, but the
similarity is definitely there, especially in the chorus of the
album's standout track, "Forsaken." The only problem I have with
Creozoth is that although they're certainly a catchy, heavy, enjoyable
listen, there wasn't anything on here that really blew my doors off. I
kept waiting for "THE" track to come on (if you know what I mean) and
tear my head off but it never quite happened. I'm sure that the
European old-school diehards will lap this one up like free beer
during OktoberFest, and the potential for better things is definitely
here, but overall Creozoth don't seem quite ready to play with the big
kids yet. I'd like to check back with them in an album or two and see
how they've improved. - Keith Abt (keithabt@...)

FREAK NEIL INC. - CHARACTERS (B) Lion Music, 2005
10 tracks, RT: 56:28
[ http://www.robvanderloo.com/ ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/freakneilinc.htm ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/ ]
I guess the best way to characterize this project by Sun Caged bassist
Rob van der Loo is "quirky" -- I'm thinking Frank Zappa, Steve Vai and
Primus may have been influences along with Metallica, Megadeth and
Alice In Chains, making for a very interesting listen! Man there is
some crazy playing going on here, with avant-garde jazz mixing with
progressive rock and metal in some truly unique ways. Fueled by a
talented cast of guest musicians such as James Murphy, Marcel Coenen
and Arjen Lucassen, CHARACTERS is a study in writing music that is at
once technical, bizarre and strangely captivating. "Talking Chair" is
a good case-in-point, an aural assault of odd vocals, shifting time
signatures, sound effects and unbalancing guitar work demanding a
stamp of originality be placed on it. A stunning variety of vocal
styles can be heard throughout the disc, and honestly some of the
death metal vocals came across as excessive in places for me, one
example being on "Bulldozer Blues," the guttural growls almost too
much of a contrast coming directly after Irene Jansen's beautiful
vocal delivery on "Beyond The Garden." Rob's bass and Chapman Stick
playing is truly astonishing, as is the incredible drumming of Roel
van Helden. One of my favorite pieces on the CD is "Cafe Supreme"
where everyone gets to show off their flawless jazz-fusion chops; also
standing out is closing number "Absence," with its call and response
vocals leading into some awesome prog metal territory featuring
shredding guitars and keyboards. Although trying to mix in a few too
many disparate elements in places, CHARACTERS is a fascinating and
often brilliant blend of influences, and needs to be in the hands of
all adventurous and open minded prog fans. - Neal Woodall
(MysticX10@...)

LISTERIA - FULL OF FIRE (B-) Lion Music, 2005
10 tracks, RT: 30:54
[ http://www.listeriaband.com/ ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/listeriafire.htm ]
I knew absolutely nothing about this band (and in fact did not even
know that they existed) until this CD arrived in my mailbox. I have to
give them props for providing me with one of the (unintentionally)
funniest bio/press sheets that I've read in a while... It was ALMOST
written in English (if you catch my drift) and therefore it was not
much help to me in writing this review. (I looked up the band's name
in the dictionary, by the way, and found out that "Listeria" is a form
of bacteria that causes food poisoning. Isn't that lovely? Was this
name inspired by a bad dinner experience? "Hey guys, let's name our
band after a disease! It worked for Anthrax!") About all I got from
the bio sheet was that Listeria hails from Italy, so of course I
immediately thought, "Oh goody; more epic-length 'Lord Of The Rings'
drivel." It only took one spin through track #1, the oddly-titled
"Like Ali," to prove me completely wrong, as Listeria turned out to be
a surprisingly hyperactive power/speed metal band. DAMN these guys
sound crazy! Their label's Web site points to the NWOBHM as a
reference point, which I can't really argue with; in fact, I'd wager
that these guys are probably big Raven fans. They don't actually sound
much like Raven, (although Vittorio Scotti occasionally unleashes a
John Gallagher-style squeal) but they definitely seem to share the
same "Get in, cause as much damage as possible, and get out as quickly
as you can" mind-set as those beloved Geordies. FULL OF FIRE crams
together 10 tracks in just over a half hour, so it's obvious that
they're not here to screw around! Sound-wise I'd have to say that this
band is a high octane cocktail of classic late '80s arena metal (think
Skid Row, Dokken, and even early Gamma Ray; much of FULL OF FIRE
reminds me of Gamma Ray's earlier "party" oriented songs like "Rich
And Famous" and "Free Time"), played convincingly and with tons (and I
do mean TONS) of energy. The band describes their sound as "shock
heavy," which is pretty damn accurate. Hell, I felt tired after just
listening to this CD, so I can only imagine what it must've been like
to perform it! I wish I had a lyric sheet though, because some of
these song titles are just plain weird, such as "Wolf Over 3-D" (??),
the aforementioned "Like Ali," and the album closing "Rock Is My DJ,"
so I'd love to know what the hell they're actually singing about!
Though it probably won't burn up sales charts on this side of the
ocean, FULL OF FIRE is a fun, goofy listen (the sound bites that open
several songs are hilarious) that certainly lives up to its title, and
the only major fault I have with it is its brevity; just as you're
starting to get into this album, it's already over. Maybe they should
include a few more songs (or at least longer ones) on their next
release, it would beef up the skimpy running time and give us more to
chew on. Other than that minor complaint, I'd have to say good show,
boys. - Keith Abt (keithabt@...)

YNGWIE JOHANN MALMSTEEN - CONCERTO SUITE FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR AND
ORCHESTRA LIVE (DVD) (A) Eagle Vision, 2005
RT: 84:40
[ http://www.yngwie.org/ ]
[ http://www.eaglerockent.com/ ]
The pairing of rock and classical is not a new concept, going back at
least to 1969 when Deep Purple delivered their CONCERTO FOR GROUP AND
ORCHESTRA. Over the years other bands such as ELP, Metallica,
Scorpions and Yes have utilized orchestras to embellish their music,
but no one has more fully realized their vision than Yngwie Malmsteen,
clearly here for all to see on this excellent DVD. (The full title, by
the way, is CONCERTO SUITE FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR AND ORCHESTRA IN E FLAT
MINOR WITH THE NEW JAPAN PHILHARMONIC LIVE.) Yngwie has taken great
pains to explain that this isn't at all like what other bands have
done with orchestras, rather this is classical music written with the
electric guitar as the solo instrument, everything else played
traditionally. Unlike the CD version of this work, the DVD begins with
three Malmsteen classics -- "Black Star Overture," "Trilogy Suite Op.
5" and "Brothers" -- and man do they sound good in this context!
Yngwie plays brilliantly, the acoustics in the hall are excellent and
the orchestra, under the direction of Taizo Takemoto, is flawless,
this all the more phenomenal when you realize Yngwie only had one
half-day rehearsal before this show, had never played it live with an
orchestra, and was being filmed while performing the whole thing from
memory, without even a score! Listen in amazement as the Maestro
blazes his way through the concerto, his beautifully composed pieces
reflecting a love of Bach, Vivaldi, Albinoni, Paganini and Mozart
among others. Yngwie's exceptional intonation, vibrato and sense of
melody are always evident as he pours his soul into the music, the
great camera angles capturing the precision of the orchestra and the
emotional intensity of Yngwie's delivery. Purists may howl at the use
of electric guitar as a solo instrument, but give this a chance and
see if you don't come away impressed, not only by the virtuosity but
by the passion and energy of the performance. In addition to the
concerto there are also versions of "Blitzkrieg" and "Far Beyond The
Sun," with bonus material including an arrangement of "Evil Eye" and a
short interview. Originally released only in Japan in 2001, this now
belongs in the collection of every Malmsteen fan as well as those who
enjoy classical music and exceptional guitar playing. - Neal Woodall
(MysticX10@...)

VARIOUS - RAINBOW SIX: LOCKDOWN SOUNDTRACK (D) Calvin Records, 2005
16 tracks, RT: 60:00
[ http://www.calvinrecords.com/ ]
[ http://www.3volution.us/ ]
Oh goody kids, it's "Trial By Fire" time for me. I wonder if I've
offended Tim somehow and he sent me this CD as punishment, because
this album is SO not my cup of tea that it's not even funny. It's the
soundtrack album to a Tom Clancy video game (Let me repeat that: it's
a SOUNDTRACK ALBUM to a VIDEO GAME. Good Lord, is such a thing even
NECESSARY?) and the track listing is more suited towards someone who
regularly attends OZZfest and watches Fuse-TV's "Uranium" than to an
old schooler like myself. I'm not a video game guy, I have little to
no interest in virtually every band on this compilation, and I haven't
read a Tom Clancy novel in ages, so why me Tim? You know I'm just
gonna rip this thing. Oh well, into the player it goes...who knows,
maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised? Mmmmm...nahh. OK, there are lots
of heavy riffs around here, which I like just fine, but as with most
of the newer metal bands out there, things turn to you-know-what for
me soon as the vocalists open their mouths. Killing Zone's "All My
Life" kicks things off and after gritting my teeth when the annoying
hip-hop vocals began (let it be noted that I resisted the urge to
reach for the "skip" button, because a good critic should listen to
everything all the way through, no matter how painful the experience)
I know I'll never cue that one up again. Fear Factory's "Lockdown" is
OK but nothing spectacular, (Fear Factory's Raymond Herrera is this
comp's producer, by the way) although the Factory come back later with
their ominous rendition of the "Rainbow Six Lockdown Theme" and that
one is actually pretty decent. Getting deeper into the meat of the
album, Soilwork offers their In Flames Jr. sound on the cool "Stabbing
The Drama," the singer for Last Amanda sounds like R.E.M.'s Michael
Stipe (!!) on "Game Over" and Strapping Young Lad ("Love?") continue
to make me wonder why everybody makes such a fuss over them, because I
have yet to hear an S.Y.L. track that doesn't sound like a truckload
of musical equipment being thrown down an elevator shaft. Other names
like Trivium, Bury Your Dead, 36 Crazyfists, and DevilDriver may be
hot tickets with the kids, but they leave no impression on me
whatsoever (although DevilDriver's track "I Could Care Less" pretty
well sums up my feelings on the entire CD), therefore I actually
breathed a sigh of relief when Bill Brown's symphonic version of the
"Rainbow Six Theme" came in and ended the disc. Bottom line, if you
need a stocking stuffer for the twenty-something video game geek on
your list, RAINBOW SIX: LOCKDOWN SOUNDTRACK will satisfy 'em, but as
for me, I'll be throwing on my new Helloween CD now (Ahhhhh... that's
better!) and throwing this on the scrap pile. This is strictly for the
young 'uns. - Keith Abt (keithabt@...)

VOODOO HILL - WILD SEED OF MOTHER EARTH (A-/B+) Frontiers/Locomotive,
2005
11 tracks, RT: 52:54
[ http://www.dariomollo.com/voodoo/voodoo.htm ]
[ http://www.frontiers.it/ ]
[ http://www.locomotivemusic.com/ ]
Glenn Hughes seems to be everywhere these days, just this year
appearing on his own solo album SOUL MOVER, Tony Iommi's FUSED, the
Pink Floyd tribute BACK AGAINST THE WALL and on this gem, Voodoo
Hill's WILD SEED OF MOTHER EARTH. Glenn's vocal prowess is legendary,
honestly I could listen to this guy sing the phone directory and be
awestruck -- he's fantastic. Voodoo Hill is a project including The
Cage virtuoso Dario Mollo and what a surprise this one is! Imagine a
combination of BURN-era Deep Purple combined with mid-'80s Black
Sabbath, or heavy Whitesnake mixed with John Norum and Blue Murder;
it's an excellent blend of metal and melodic hard rock. "Make Believe"
opens things up nicely with Glenn's voice in fine form, as strong as
ever. "Dying To Live" and "Atmosphere" are surprisingly heavy, with
killer riffs and amped up vocals from Mr. Hughes, while "Nothing Stays
The Same" and "16 Guns" deliver more great songwriting, explosive
guitar work and emotionally charged lyrics. A couple of the songs fall
a little too close to standard hard rock fare, with Dario's shredding
guitar work occasionally whizzing by without distinction, but he can
play some beautiful lead when he slows down and gets more creative and
sensitive, a good example being the slide work on "She Cast No
Shadow." I'm delighted that music like this continues to be made, and
at such a high degree of quality. Recommended for fans of bluesy heavy
metal and hard rock steeped in the classics. - Neal Woodall
(MysticX10@...)

*
*** OUT ***
*