Detritus
Issue #436
Week of December 10, 2007
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*
*** CAST OF CHARACTERS ***
*
Patrick Brower, Editor
patrickbrower@...

Sean P. Gahgan, Editor
lof@...
http://www.lakeoffire.net/

Tim Wadzinski, Owner
tsw512@...

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

*
*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
*
-A little late, but to make up we've got a ton of reviews for you this
time. - Tim

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*** PRESS RELEASE #1 ***
*
-Fight DVD Screening In London

Attention U.K Fight & Rob Halford Fans!!!

Register For Free Tickets To London Screening!

Fight - WAR OF WORDS - THE FILM

Tuesday, December 18th:
7:30 p.m. Screening:
The Odeon Covent Gardens address is as follows:
Odeon Covent Garden
135 Shaftsbury Avenue
London
WC2H 8AH

Conversation with Rob Halford follows the screening.

Free poster to all attendees!!!

Please visit the following link to register:

http://www.robhalford.com/ukfighttickets.html

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*** PRESS RELEASE #2 ***
*
-UFO's SHOWTIME Concert Film Out Now On State-Of-The-Art HD-DVD

Top-quality bonus material*

Release - Germany: February 22nd, 2008, Europe: February 25th, 2008,
U.S.A.: April 8th, 2008

U.S.A. Tour dates revealed

With the recording of their live DVD, SHOWTIME, at the Pumpwerk in
Wilhelmshaven on 13 May 2005, the British band UFO repeated music
history, so to speak. For the second time since 1979, when the group
brought out their legendary live album, STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT, the
band members left no doubt that their shows count among the best in
the whole rock circus. Then as now, press and fans were unanimously
impressed, and the band established a reputation that remains
unchallenged to this day: UFO are unbeatable live! Now their
sensational film document, SHOWTIME, has been scheduled for release on
state-of-the-art HD-DVD, including, along with the extras from the
regular release, additional bonus material, an "on the fly" menu which
can be operated while you are viewing the film, and exciting picture-
in-picture interviews. The SHOWTIME HD-DVD will be out on 25 February
2008 (Germany: 22 February 2008, U.S.: April 8th 2008).

Its top-quality images and sound make SHOWTIME a special treat for all
rock music fans, after all the UFO lineup that had its sold-out show
recorded in Germany's north in summer 2005 sounds like a Who Is Who of
rock history: Phil Mogg (vocals), Pete Way (bass), Paul Raymond
(guitar, keyboards) and Vinnie Moore (guitar), accompanied by Jason
Bonham (drums), son of the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham
and legitimate heir to his throne at the spectacular Zeppelin show in
London in December 2007. The concert footage and bonus material on the
SHOWTIME DVD, as well as additional studio recordings, a making-of,
documentations from the Rockboat show and their 2004 American tour
plus interviews allow but one conclusion: UFO at their best!

UFO's success story began in London way back in 1969, when vocalist
Phil Mogg, drummer Andy Parker, guitarist Mick Bolton and bassist Pete
Way formed the group, borrowing the band name from a legendary London
music club. Even in the Seventies, the band distinguished themselves
with their very own, unmistakable style, touching a nerve among their
growing following with rock numbers like "Prince Kajuku," "Follow You
Home" or "C'mon Everybody" from their albums UFO 1, FLYING and UFO
LIVE.

The global breakthrough arrived when German guitarist, Michael
Schenker, joined the fold in 1973, having left his band Scorpions to
follow an offer by Phil Mogg and Pete Way. UFO released three
consecutive rock classics with Schenker (PHENOMENON (1974), FORCE IT
(1975) and NO HEAVY PETTIN' (1976)), featuring classics like "Doctor
Doctor," "Shoot, Shoot," or "Rock Bottom." Following the arrival of
keyboarder/rhythm guitarist Paul Raymond, UFO released their two
studio albums LIGHTS OUT (1977) and OBSESSION (1978), including the
hit singles "Too Hot To Handle," "Lights Out" and "Only You Can Rock
Me." Their live cut STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT came out in 1979 and is
referred to by the press to this day as one of the best live releases
of all time, while also signalling the end of the Mogg, Way, Schenker,
Parker & Raymond lineup.

The reorganised band underwent fifteen years marked by various eras
and numerous lineup changes. To everyone's surprise, autumn 1993 saw
the return of the former UFO lineup consisting of Mogg, Way, Schenker
and Raymond. This new edition of the classic team brought out WALK ON
WATER, their first joint effort after one and a half decades, and
embarked on a world tour. However, Schenker left UFO during the WALK
ON WATER tour again to continue working with his own group, MSG, while
Mogg & Way went on to release their second album, CHOCOLATE BOX. The
UFO albums COVENANT and SHARKS, recorded by Mogg, Way and Schenker,
arrived at the stores in 2000 and 2002. Vinnie Moore went on to follow
in Schenker's footsteps, who had returned to MSG, recording the songs
on YOU ARE HERE with Jason Bonham. During the subsequent world tour,
UFO cut a show in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, which was released on the
live album, SHOWTIME, and the same-named DVD featuring additional
bonus material. Later, Bonham left the band and was replaced by UFO's
original drummer, Andy Parker, who also recorded the drum parts on the
current studio album, THE MONKEY PUZZLE.

UFO live 2008

APRIL
10. Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
11. Sayerville, NY - Starland Ballroom
12. New York, NY - B.B. King's
13. Acron, OH - Tangiers
15. Pittsburgh, PN - Rex Theater
16. Nashville, TN - Wildhorse Saloon
17. Milwaukee, WI - Potawatomi Casino
18. Medina, MN - Medina Entertainment Center
19. Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
23. Dallas, TX - House Of Blues
24. Lake Summerville, TX - Hawgs Of Texas Bike Rally
26. Las Vegas, NV - Boulder Station Casino
27. Ventura, CA - Magestic Ventura Theater
30. San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick

MAY
01. Santa Ana, CA - The Gallexy
02. Los Angeles, CA - Key Club
03. Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst
04. San Francisco, CA - TBA

- more dates will be added soon!!!!

http://www.ufo-music.info/
http://www.spv.de/
http://www.spvusa.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #3 ***
*
-Iced Earth: Vocalist Matthew Barlow Is Back

[Note: This is from http://www.icedearth.com/ . - Sean]

Hello Dear Friends!

Once again the winds of change are upon us, and this time I can say
that I am very happy about the result.

While out on the European tour I had several in depth discussions with
many loyal Iced Earth fans. A common theme of these discussions was
how much Matt is missed. I agreed with the fans that things were not
the same and that it was a very special period in Iced Earth's
history.

When I heard several months ago that Matt was going to be doing a
project in music again, I was thinking about contacting him and seeing
what his intentions were. I didn't act on this because I was so
focused on the writing of the new epic, and frankly, it just didn't
seem realistic.

Well, after getting out on the road and speaking with many of you
directly, I decided to call Matt and see how he was doing and if he
was interested in working together again. I am proud to say that he is
coming back to Iced Earth and we will be getting back to work in the
studio very soon.

Matt will be singing on Part 2 of the Something Wicked concept CD and
we will be looking forward to getting out on tour and delivering a
series of Iced Earth shows that will rival any in the history of the
band. And there will be a proper DVD filmed from this period,
something we've all been waiting for.

I want you all to know that it was you who made this a reality. I have
missed Matt's presence onstage and in my personal life in a big way
over the past few years, so I appreciate your honesty in our
discussions. It did help me realize the decision to move forward with
pursuing this. The fans have spoken and we have delivered!

You true fans know that I'm a straight shooter; I say what I mean and
mean what I say. And though I value your opinions greatly, you must
believe that this is a decision that comes completely from the heart
and is not motivated by anything other than what feels the best for
Iced Earth. This is the way that things have always been dealt with,
for better or for worse, but always honestly and from the heart.

Tim Owens is a great and talented singer and I wish the best for him
and his future on a personal and professional level.

There will be more news soon as to further developments and plans.
This will push back the release of Part 2 a bit. Not because we
couldn't be ready to record in time, but because of a new addition to
Matt's family in early 2008!

I am very happy to announce that Iced Earth is truly BACK!

Have a great holiday season. We'll be in touch very soon with more
details.

Jon Schaffer

http://www.icedearth.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #4 ***
*
-Fans Get An Opportunity To Win An ESP Guitar Autographed By Thomas
Youngblood Of Kamelot!

Entry forms available in the December issue of Metal Maniacs

After the June 5th release of Kamelot's new album GHOST OPERA and a
successful fall U.S. tour, the band is eager to give back to the fans.
Donated by Thomas Youngblood's sponsor ESP Guitar Company, the LTD
H101FM model is similar to the guitar played by Thomas, and is
autographed by him in gold ink. In addition to this beautiful guitar
is a hard case, as well as a glossy 8x10 press shot autographed by all
members of Kamelot. The Nov 21, 2007 street date marked the starting
line for fans to get their entry forms, only available in Metal
Maniacs. The magazine features a full page ad describing the contest,
complete with an entry form. Fans are asked to cut out the form, fill
it out, and send it back to Metal Maniacs by December 26, 2007. Only
authentic entry forms from the magazine are allowed, no photocopies.
This is a great opportunity, so be sure to pick up the December issue
of Metal Maniacs for your chance to win!

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #5 ***
*
-Z Records News

Second Night For Z Rock 08 And More

It has been decided that we will push the boat out for next year's Z
Rock 08 show and go for a two-day event. The dates will be May 16 and
17. We have already had the verbal OK for a major act to headline on
May 16 and hope to have info for you ASAP regarding who it is and
ticket details.

We cannot stress how important advance ticket sales are, and we appeal
to everyone to make the effort to purchase their tickets well ahead of
the show. If this show fails to break even it will be the last ever Z
Rock. Sorry but these are the facts.

We hope we can count on your support.

Confirmed lineup so far: Bonfire, Britny Fox, Von Groove, Shy,
Stormzone, with more to follow.

For further details visit http://www.myspace.com/zrockfest .

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #6 ***
*
-Napalm Records News

Stuck Mojo Signs To Napalm Records

Napalm Records has signed Stuck Mojo. The Band is undoubtedly among
the founders of Crossover Metal and has released one hit album after
the other since 1995. Now, Napalm Records takes on the band and re-
releases their latest album SOUTHERN BORN KILLERS including three new
unreleased bonus tracks.

Stuck Mojo Guitarist Rich Ward: "We feel good about Napalm; they
understand that their groups need to take their music to their fans by
touring and they have given us the support we need to make records and
tour -- without taking a piece of everything which seems to be a
common practice with most labels these days."

SOUTHERN BORN KILLERS hits the streets on March 4th in North America
and the band will embark on a European tour just in time for this
release!

Stuck Mojo & Ektomorf European Tour:

28.02.2008 DE - Augsburg / Kantine
29.02.2008 AT - Traun / Spinnerei
01.03.2008 HU - Budapest / SO 38
02.03.2008 CZ - Prag / Lucerna Music Bar
03.03.2008 CZ - Ostrava / tbc
04.03.2008 DE - Dresden / Fahrenheit 100
05.03.2008 DE - Berlin / Columbia Club
06.03.2008 DE - Hameln / Sumpfblumen
07.03.2008 NL - Eindhoven / Rambler
08.03.2008 NL - Sneek / Bolwerk
10.03.2008 UK - Nottingham / tbc*
11.03.2008 UK - Glasgow / King Tuts*
12.03.2008 UK - Manchester / Academy 3*
13.03.2008 UK - London / Underworld*
20.03.2008 AT - Oberwart / Oho
22.03.2008 DE - Lindau / Club Vaudeville
* Stuck Mojo headlines

http://www.myspace.com/stuckinthemojo

Serenity - Album News

Austrian Progressive Melodic Metal band Serenity will begin recording
their second album in late December. Once again, Jan Vacik will
produce the album from Dreamscape Studios in cooperation with Oliver
Philipps (Delain, Imperia), who will take on the choral and orchestral
arrangements. Singer Georg Neuhauser promises "more sonorousness" and
Jacob Hansen (Tyr, Hatesphere) will make sure there's plenty of
heaviness in the mix. Seth Design, also responsible for the
predecessor WORDS UNTOLD & DREAMS UNLIVED (also Paradise Lost), will
again design the albums artwork and layout.

The release of the to date untitled album is scheduled for May 2008.

http://www.serenity-band.com/

Midnattsol - Album Complete; Cover Unveiled

The recordings for the new Midnattsol album NORDLYS are complete. This
week Tue Madsen will finalize the mix at Antfarm Studios in prepartion
for the mastering at Finnvoxx Studio by Mika Jussila. Impressions from
the recording sessions can be found on Midnattsol's MySpace page.
Furthermore, MS have unveiled NORDLYS' cover art, again created by
Ingo Römling.

NORDLYS will be released on March 28, 2008

http://www.myspace.com/midnattsolfolk

Sinamore - New Video

The "dark bastards of Finnish Goth Metal" have shot a video for their
free download single "Better Alone." The video to the song from their
recently released SEVEN SINS A SECOND can be viewed at MySpace. Also,
you can win exclusive merchandise, concert tickets, and fan packages
by visiting the Sinamore's MySpace site.

http://www.myspace.com/sinamore

Visions Of Atlantis - New Female Vocalist Wanted

Front lady Melissa Ferlaak and guitarist Wolfgang have parted ways
with Symphonic Metal band Visions Of Atlantis due to personal and
musical reasons. While a new guitarist has been found in former and
founding member Werner Fiedler, the band is now searching for a new
singer. Talent, commitment, and dedication are the requirements.
Details here: http://www.myspace.com/visionsofatlantisofficial .

Atrocity - WERK 80 II Editions

The countdown to the release of WERK 80 II has begun. The album will
be available as regular jewel case, as a limited edition digi-pak
incl. bonus track, and as a special deluxe edition. The latter does
not only have a different cover, but also comprises all the hits of
both WERK 80 album releases, including the SHOUT and TAINTED LOVE Mini
CDs.

Napalm Records Street Team

Napalm is looking for energetic fans to build a news street team
community in the U.K., France, and Switzerland. If you want to benefit
from some exclusives, register today and join the Napalm family.
Details here: http://www.napalmrecords.com/streetfaq.html .

More Napalm Records news here:
http://www.napalmrecords.com/news.shtml

Napalm Records
http://www.napalmrecords.com/

Tour Dates
http://www.napalmrecords.com/indexl.html

Napalm YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=napalmrecords

Napalm MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/napalmrecords

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #7 ***
*
-Eagle Rock Entertainment And Universal Music Canada Join Forces In
Exclusive Distribution Agreement

TORONTO, ON. -- Universal Music Canada (UMC), the country's leading
Music Company and Eagle Rock Entertainment today announced they have
entered into an exclusive distribution agreement effective February 1,
2008. The deal was announced today by Randy Lennox, President & CEO,
Universal Music Canada and Eagle Rock Entertainment's Executive
Chairman, Terry Shand and North American President of Operations, Mike
Carden.

As part of the new deal, Vivendi Visual Entertainment Canada (VVEC),
the video arm of UMC will exclusively distribute Eagle Rock's non-
music visual content.

"Eagle Rock is a diverse company built on a love for music," commented
Randy Lennox. "We're delighted to be working closely with Terry, Mike,
Geoff Kempin and David MacMillan to further develop the Eagle Rock
brand in Canada and ecstatic that they now call Universal Music their
Canadian home."

Eagle Rock Entertainment was founded in 1997 and in the past decade
has grown into a worldwide music and entertainment business by
acquiring and creating rights to recorded music, videos, television
and other visual programming from a wide range of notable and high
profile artists.

"Universal Music is the Canadian market leader through vision and
passion and we're very excited to be aligning ourselves with Randy and
his team," stated Terry Shand. "We look forward to expanding Eagle
Rock in a market that has always been a vibrant one for us."

"We look forward to new opportunities in new areas with Randy and the
Universal/Vivendi teams in Canada," stated Mike Carden. "We'd also
like to thank EMI Music Canada for their years of support."

Eagle Rock Entertainment was previously distributed in Canada by EMI
Music Canada.

About Universal Music Canada

Universal Music Canada, a unit of Universal Music Group, is Canada's
leading music organization maintaining an overall 38.5% year-to-date
market share. For further information on Universal Music Canada or
Vivendi Visual Entertainment Canada please http://www.umusic.ca/ or
http://www.vivendivisual.ca/ .

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #8 ***
*
-Spiders & Snakes Making New Moves As 2007 Comes To A Close

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles glitter and glam rock heroes Spiders &
Snakes are celebrating the release of their new MELODRAMA album on
Corporate Punishment Records (distributed by Koch Entertainment) by
making a few waves to close out 2007 and kick the new year off in
grand style!

The band has three songs, "Friends Like You," "Shoot Me Down" and a
cover of the Bay City Rollers' classic "Yesterday's Hero" featured on
Cleopatra Records' DIGITAL-ONLY release, METAL SCHOOL 101, which
currently a top seller on iTunes.

They are set to perform at the annual Cleopatra Records Christmas
Party held on December 19, 2007 at The Viper Room on the Sunset Strip
in Hollywood, CA alongside such artists as Jetboy, Blackboard Jungle,
Peppermint Creeps, Dr. Know and more! This will be the band's last
performance of the year.

Spiders & Snakes' Lizzie Grey and Timothy Jay were recently featured
in the Chrome Dreams DVD release, GUNS N' ROSES: 2 CLASSIC ALBUMS
UNDER REVIEW: USE YOUR ILLUSION I AND II. The duo was interviewed
about the impact that Guns N' Roses had on the Hollywood, California
music scene and also Lizzie Grey's personal involvement with the
various GNR band members. Drummer Jay gives his take as well on the
Guns N' Roses phenomena -- having been part of the infamous band
London with Spiders & Snakes co-founder Lizzie Grey (London at one
time or another featured Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler and Slash), Tim
also worked during the day at both Capitol-EMI and Metal Blade Records
in the GNR era, ironically having previously interfaced professionally
with Lonn Friend and Malcolm Dome whom are also featured in this
documentary film. Snippets of the new Spiders & Snakes song "Shoot Me
Down" (from the brand new album MELODRAMA) were used by the producers
of the film as background music in this unauthorized documentary film.

Lastly, Spiders & Snakes will be a part of the special HOLLYWOOD ROCKS
triple vinyl album released in early 2008 through Cleopatra Records.
The release will be a limited run of only 500 hand-numbered and
coloured copies designed in a custom, hand-packaged box set. The label
hand-picked the rare Spiders & Snakes track "The End Of Marylou" (from
their 1991 debut EP ARACHNOMANIA) for this set.

What's next for Spiders & Snakes? First a music video is in the works
with famed director/producer David Sterling from the Sterling Film
Factory ("Gothic Vampires From Hell," "The Curse Of Lizzy Borden") on
a track to be named later. In January 2008 the band will be signing
autographs at the NAMM show in Anaheim, California at the Cleopatra
Records booth and will be performing as part of a live concert series
at a venue TBA as part of the NAMM Concert Events. The band has also
scheduled a last minute performance for this Saturday, Dec. 15th at
Club Vodka / The Knitting Factory in Hollywood, CA. The band's set
time will be at 7:00 p.m. sharp.

For more information, please visit http://www.spidersandsnakes.com/
and http://www.myspace.com/spidersandsnakes .

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #9 ***
*
-Ready For Some Good, Old Fashioned Metal? Slik Helvetika Kicks Ass On
KRYPT KICKER 5 EP

There was a time -- seemingly not long ago -- that many rock bands
seemed afraid to show off their "heavy metal side." This is where Slik
Helvetika comes in -- the group is an unashamed metal band to the
bone, as evidenced by their recent EP, KRYPT KICKER 5. Issued via
Screaming Ferret Wreckords and Metro City Records, the release touches
upon all of the group's influences, as the vocals and guitar work
would undoubtedly make Rob Halford and Zakk Wylde mighty proud.

Led by singer/guitarist Mikhall Myers, the group -- which also
includes guitarist J. Lee Haven, bassist Kurt Wagenseil, and drummer
Mark Bennett -- has quickly created a name for themselves throughout
the metal underground. Originally forming in 2005, Myers assembled the
group after he had "Put the metal away for a while after escaping the
woes of being signed by a major label throughout the '80s," while
leading a band called Destroyer. By their time of maturity, musical
trends had changed, and rather than playing a lackluster popular
genre, "I decided not to be half-hearted, and waited until powerful
and energetic music with balls would have a chance again. That time is
now!"

Myers isn't kidding, as Slik Helvetika is one mighty metallic beast,
and such tracks as "Bastard" and "Pray For The Future" prove it. And
they also break up the fury with several skits throughout KRYPT KICKER
5, which only adds to the intensity once they return with another hard
hitter. Just don't ask Myers to select a personal favorite. "Every
song and skit on that disc is our favorite. We had to choose from 62
songs." And it appears as though KRYPT KICKER 5 is only the beginning
for these metal diehards, as the next year will be a busy one for Slik
Helvetika.

"We are looking at options to get on a tour in '08, and we hit the
studio to begin recording our full-length new disc, titled SLIK, SIX,
SIX in January 2008. We again have a lot of material to choose from.
It is 'up in the air' what label will get the disc right now. We are
also talking about licensing our underground self-titled debut."

No doubt you will be hearing more from this fiercely rocking band in
the coming months. And lastly, what's up with the band's moniker?

"The band's name means 'Eat The Wovenesta' in Siamese. Just kidding!
First of all, it sounds cool. Now...everyone has a homework assignment
and should find out what Confoederatio Helvetica means in Latin, why
the Helvetican warriors were thought to be invincible in the 1500s,
and which Helvetii tribe made captive Roman soldiers pass under the
yoke upon the victory in the battle of Gaul which enraged Caesar."

For more information, go to:
http://www.slikhelvetika.com/
http://www.myspace.com/slikhelvetika

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #10 ***
*
-Shadowside Announce U.S. Tour

After stealing the thunder at the Indianapolis Metal Fest, Brazilian
heavy metal sensation Shadowside is back to U.S. The band recently
signed to Chavis Records for the worldwide release of the THEATRE OF
SHADOWS album and have announced the first dates of their December
tour.

For the Devastating The Theatre Tour 2007/2008 Dani Nolden (vocals),
Raphael Mattos (guitars), Fernando Peto (bass) and Fabio Buitvidas
(drums) are now preparing a set list full of surprises, including
songs from their upcoming album.

So far, confirmed dates are:

Dec 14 – So Kal, Las Vegas, Nevada – 7 PM 1st SHOW - All ages
Dec 14 – Cheyenne Saloon, Las Vegas, Nevada – 10 PM 2ND SHOW
Dec 15 – Vox Wine Lounge, Las Vegas, Nevada – UNPLUGGED/ACOUSTIC SHOW
10 PM
Dec 20 – The Monkey Bar, Huntington, West Virginia
Dec 21 – Shakers, Cambridge, Ohio
Dec 22 – The Lighthouse, Imperial, Pennsylvania
Dec 28 – Club Bourbon Street, Tampa, Flórida
Jan 05 – Cadillac Jacks, Columbus, Ohio

Shadowside are planning on staying in the United States until February
2008. After that, the band hit the road in Europe and then returns to
South America for the final dates.

More information on Devastating The Theatre Tour will be available
soon. Tour reports with pictures and videos will be posted on the
band's official Web site and MySpace.

http://www.shadowside.ws/
http://www.myspace.com/shadowsideband

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #11 ***
*
-Emperor Multimedia Update

New Radio Show

Emperor Multimedia is pleased to announce that its production of the
Heavy Metal radio show "State Of The Empire Address" hosted by "Skel"
(Derek McDonald) will now go international with its re-launch on "Cut
Throat Radio" ( http://www.cutthroatradio.com/ ) this Tuesday at 10 -
midnight (Eastern). "Cut Throat" is a new all-metal Internet music
channel. Access via WinAmp, Windows Media and iPod is available.
Direct access can be made at
http://www.diskery.com/radio/searadio.html . It is seen as a great
promotional venture for Emperor Multimedia Projects.

Free Shipping At Diskery

Our music sales retail division Diskery is offering free shipping on
all orders placed before Christmas of 2007! Details at the site:
http://www.diskery.com/diskery

This is the end of the year so we'd like to thank all our media
affiliates for their continued support and hope for a prosperous new
year!

*
*** NEWS/RUMORS ***
*
-Annihilator's METAL will be released in the U.S. on January 15, via
SPV USA. The "landmark record" features guests stars Alexi Laiho,
Danko Jones, Michael Amott, Angela Gossow, Corey Beaulieu, Willie
Adler, Jeff Loomis, Jesper Stromblad, Steve "Lips" Kudlow, Anders
Bjorler, Mike Mangini, and Jacob Lynam. See
http://www.annihilatormetal.com/ and
http://www.myspace.com/Annihilatorofficial for more.

-Anthrax has announced Dan Nelson (My Enemy) will be the band's new
singer. Check out http://www.anthrax.com/nfws/ for the official
announcement.

-Dead End Kidz' new disc UNFINISHED BUSINESS is now being pressed. The
band also just passed 25,000 plays on MySpace. See
http://www.myspace.com/dekmusic and http://www.youtube.com/john8186
for more.

-Dream Evil's new live DVD, GOLD MEDAL IN METAL, is now scheduled for
release in the late spring. The show was recorded November 25, 2006,
at Sticky Fingers in Gothenburg, Sweden. The DVD will be accompanied
by a CD featuring both old and new tracks, with some previously only
having surfaced as Japanese bonus tracks. Check out the band's
recently re-launched Web site at http://www.dreamevil.se/ for more.

-Gamma Ray's LAND OF THE FREE II is due January 15 from SPV USA. Check
out the video for "Into The Storm," available now on SPV's YouTube
channel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8LJstwFzUM .

-Helloween will soon announce 2008 North American tour dates in
support of the excellent GAMBLING WITH THE DEVIL.

-Check out video of Hirax live at this year's Keep It True Festival in
Germany at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKJZKAw3FK4 . See
http://www.HIRAX.org/ for more.

-An AP report revealed the November 25 death of Quiet Riot singer
Kevin DuBrow "has been ruled an accidental cocaine overdose." A
spokeswoman for the coroner's office confirmed the cause of death
Monday.

-Clothing line Royal Underground has posted online a video featuring
founders Nikki Sixx and Kelly Gray discussing their wares. See
http://www.royalunderground.net/ for more on the line, and for the vid
check out
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?
fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=14527026
.

-Rush will extend the SNAKES & ARROWS tour into 2008. Rehearsals for
the next leg of the tour will begin in March. In other news, the track
"Malignant Narcissism" was nominated for a Grammy.

-Silent Rage's new album FOUR LETTER WORD -- produced by Gilby Clarke
-- is due out early in 2008 on Frontiers Records. Early hype has it
being "melodic, mixed with some heavier tracks," and featuring guests
Bruce Kulick (guitar on "Man Or Machine") and Bobby Blotzer (drums on
"Bona Fide"). See http://www.silentrageonline.com/ and
http://www.myspace.com/SilentRageOnline for more.

-Sodom's THE FINAL SIGN OF EVIL (see review below) is out now, and the
band will be on the cover of Explicitly Intense magazine in a few
weeks.

-Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland was charged Wednesday with DUI
during a car crash, for which he was arrested November 21.

Thanks to Jesse Damon, Katon W. De Pena, Dave Brenner, Jim "YYZ" Hall,
and Arnie "Slick Black Fire Chicken" Christianson for help gathering
some of this information.

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

-This funny: The Annoyance Theater in Chicago (located at 4830 N.
Broadway, 773-561-2665) is staging a play entitled "An Aerosmith
Christmas" through January 4. A $10 ticket gets you this:

"Local playwright Sam Weiner says the show aims to mirror TV Christmas
classics like 'The Grinch' -- only with 'a lot more swearing.'
Outsized and over-the-top, the story pits embittered Aerosmith drummer
Joey Kramer [played by Tim Paul] against the denizens of Christmas
Town. (According to Weiner, the band's representatives have not given
their blessing, but they've agreed not to sue the show out of
existence.) Expect a plethora of Aerosmith references and various
made-up North Pole characters, including the Christmas Unicorn.

"BEST ENJOYED WITH: Aerosmith in the car or iPod on the way over."

(Write-up courtesy of Nina Metz and the Chicago Tribune.)

-This is not funny: That really sucks about Kevin DuBrow's pointless
death due to a cocaine overdose. REALLY sucks.

-Now in my current playlist: Iced Earth - OVERTURE OF THE WICKED
(SPV/Steamhammer), Katagory V - HYMNS OF DISSENSION (Nightmare
Records), Waterclime - IMAGINATIVE (Lion Music), Tyr - RAGNAROK
(Napalm Records), Bruce Turgon - OUTSIDE LOOKING IN (Locomotive
Records).

*
*** REVIEWS ***
*
BETTER LEFT UNSAID - THE SILENCING (C) indie, 2006
7 tracks, RT: 24:47
[ http://www.betterleftunsaidmusic.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/blumusic ]
HURTLOCKER - EMBRACE THE FALL (C) Napalm Records, 2007
10 tracks, RT: 36:11
[ http://www.hurtlocker.biz/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/hurtlocker1 ]
[ http://www.napalmrecords.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/napalmrecords ]
OK, I'm probably going to come off like a total d*ck here, but I am
now officially REALLY tired of this whole modern thrash/metalcore
movement. At the risk of sounding like everybody's Mom, these bands
are all starting to sound the same to me. The two latest contenders to
come across my desk -- California's Better Left Unsaid and Chicago's
Hurtlocker -- are being stapled together here because to be honest, I
didn't find either one of them interesting enough to merit their own
separate reviews. I'm probably not going out on a limb here by
assuming that both of these bands really dig Machine Head, Bullet For
My Valentine, Shadows Fall, God Forbid, and the rest of the current
thrash/core brigade a whole heckuva lot. I spun these CDs back to back
about a half dozen times each in preparation for writing this review,
(which was a Herculean feat of intestinal fortitude in and of itself
for this jaded old-schooler) and I actually had to keep checking the
CD covers to see which band was playing at the time because they both
sounded more or less identical... plenty of hyperspeed mosh-it-up
riffage and drum abuse that probably wouldn't sound so bad by itself,
but the constant "WOOOOAAAAARRRRGH" vocals made both of these discs
all but unlistenable to me. If I were forced to choose which band I
liked better of the two, I guess I'd give more props to Hurtlocker
because their vocalist has more of a Euro-thrash delivery (think Mille
Petrozza from Kreator) while the Better Left Unsaid guy relies on the
even more annoying "BARK BARK BARK BARK" style of spitting lyrics. On
the other hand, Better Left Unsaid's self-released disc was shorter so
it was over quicker. I'll give 'em each a "C" based on the technical
precision of the music, but either way, neither of these bands are
ever going to darken my CD player again. Ignore, delete, destroy.
Sorry to be such a narrow minded prick but sometimes I just gotta call
'em as I see 'em.
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

HELIX - THE POWER OF ROCK AND ROLL (A-) Perris Records, 2007
11 tracks, RT: 33:53
[ http://www.planethelix.com/ ]
[ http://www.perrisrecords.com/ ]
When I first listened to this album a smile spread across my face and
stayed there for a long, long time. This album totally rules, and
hearkens back to the days of songs about partyin' and f*ckin', baby!
For fans of the former: "Living Life Large," "Get Up!," "Fill Your
Head With Rock!," and the title track. For fans of the latter: "Baby
Likes To Ride," "Boomerang Lover," and "Cyberspace Girl." Main man
Brian Vollmer has a real winner on his hands here. It's a little on
the short side (and padded with a good-but-unnecessary updated version
of the old chestnut "Heavy Metal Love"), but THE POWER OF ROCK AND
ROLL is for all fans of old Helix and classic '80s good-time party
rock in general...and I hear some vintage Ted Nugent, Kiss, and Van
Halen licks mixed in there as well. Track #4's title says it all: "The
Past Is Back (To Kick Your Ass!)" Amen, brothers!
- Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

IGNITOR – ROAD OF BONES (B+) Cruz Del Sur Music, 2007
11 tracks, RT: 52:50
[ http://www.ignitor.org/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/ignitor ]
[ ignitor_band@... ]
[ http://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/cruzdelsurmusic ]
I first became aware of these female-fronted Texan true metallers a
few years ago via some rave 'zine reviews of their self released demo
CD, TAKE TO THE SKY, and through their Web site, from which I
downloaded a pretty cool cover version of Judas Priest's "Electric
Eye," if memory serves. The band recently signed a deal with the
Italian label Cruz Del Sur Music (home to fellow U.S. retro-metal
revivalists Pharaoh and Crescent Shield, to name just a few) and has
now released their first official album, ROAD OF BONES, an 11 track
excursion into all things Priest, Maiden, Manowar, and Dio related.
Fans of any of those bands (or their spiritual godchildren such as
Iced Earth, Metal Church, Jag Panzer, Primal Fear, etc.) should have
no problem giving Ignitor a hearty "horns up," as this disc is so old-
school that it should've come with a "scratch and sniff" panel loaded
with the scents of cheap beer and sweat-soaked leather. The album
starts off with a somewhat pointless intro before kicking into the
title track, a galloping number whose twin-guitar attack immediately
sets the tone for the rest of the album…there will be no trendy
"flavor of the month" metal tricks for the Ignitor crew, they're here
to party like it's 1985, and it sounds absolutely flawless. The guitar
team of Stuart "Bat Lord" Lawrence (who was last seen with cult Texas
metallists Agony Column, for all you trivia hounds) and Annah Moore
provide Ignitor's shred while vocalist Erika (yes, just "Erika") has a
strong, confident voice that immediately puts her right alongside
metal's premier warrior women like Doro Pesch or Veronica Freeman
(Benedictum). If it weren't an oxymoron, I'd say that this gal has got
a serious set of balls! "March To The Guillotine" (my fave track),
"Castle In The Clouds," and "God Of Vengeance" should have crowds
merrily headbangin' in the front row, while the album's closer,
"Reinheitsgebot," is sung mostly in German, which should guarantee
them getting some primo time slots on European metal festival stages
in the coming years. The members of Ignitor may wear their influences
on their leather-studded sleeves on ROAD OF BONES, and obviously
nobody is even trying to reinvent the wheel, but everything is done
with such power, conviction and reverence for the classic metal style
that I can't help but chant "metal is the law!" right along with 'em.
Take this ROAD to true metal glory.
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

MOUNTAIN - MASTERS OF WAR (B) Big Rack Records, 2007
12 tracks, RT: 51:26
[ http://www.mountaintheband.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/mountainfans ]
Legendary classic rock outfit Mountain pay tribute to Bob Dylan on
MASTERS OF WAR, an album of all Dylan covers which includes twelve
hard rock and acoustic interpretations of the beloved songsmith's most
recognizable anthems. Dylan's music is of course no stranger to rock
reworkings, as artists ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Guns N' Roses have
done versions, and Mountain do a fine job putting their own stamp on
these standards. The title track starts things off in a somewhat
somber manner, with guest Ozzy Osbourne adding a characteristically
plaintive vocal to contrast Leslie West's growl. Leslie's chunky
rhythm guitar playing and creamy lead tones are always a joy to hear,
plus we get Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers) adding some tasty slide
guitar on "Gotta Serve Somebody" and "The Times They Are A-changin',"
and familiar names such as Richie Scarlet (Frehley's Comet) and Kenny
Aronson (Rick Derringer, Billy Squier, HSAS) show up on bass for
different tracks. Veteran producer Chris Tsangarides mixed the album
and did an especially good job accentuating original drummer Corky
Laing's performance. Some of the arrangements work better than others
-- "Everything Is Broken" is effectively injected with a healthy dose
of ZZ Top while "Highway 61 Revisited" is given the royal Mountain
treatment, making it sound a close cousin to "Mississippi Queen." A
few missteps such as the awkward "Mr. Tambourine Man" and the just-
plain-weird take on "Like A Rolling Stone" don't detract too much from
the overall bite of MASTERS OF WAR, and although some hardcore Dylan
fans might decry these translations, those with an open mind will
likely find a good deal to enjoy here, as will those with an
appreciation for Mountain's place in the hard rock pantheon.
- Neal Woodall (MysticX9@...)

SODOM - THE FINAL SIGN OF EVIL (C+) SPV USA, 2007
12 tracks, RT: 49:48
[ http://www.sodomized.info/ ]
[ http://www.spvusa.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/spvusa ]
[ http://www.youtube.com/spvamerica ]
Sodom's IN THE SIGN OF EVIL debut (1984) was an early landmark in the
annals of thrash/death metal. The band was initially dismissed as a
Germanic rip-off of Venom, but the trio's five song EP was immediately
awarded iconic status worldwide by lovers of everything underground
and abrasive and it kicked off a twenty-plus year career for the band
that is still going strong today. However, it would appear that IN THE
SIGN OF EVIL was never considered truly "finished" by Sodom main man
Tom Angelripper (bass, vocals), who had wanted the release to be a
full album rather than a mini-LP. Tom is finally getting the chance to
set things right with THE FINAL SIGN OF EVIL, a newly re-recorded
version of IN THE SIGN OF EVIL's five tracks, fleshed out by an
additional seven songs that were apparently written during the same
time period but never recorded or released. To sweeten the deal, these
new recordings feature the same band lineup as the original mini-
album, reuniting Angelripper with long-departed guitarist Josef
Dominic and drummer Chris Dudek (a.k.a. "Grave Violator" and
"Witchhunter," respectively -- don'cha just love how quaint those
"evil" '80s stage names sound nowadays?). I haven't heard the original
IN THE SIGN OF EVIL in quite a few years now (it was a favorite of my
brother's back in our high school days) but these new re-recordings
don't sound radically different from what I remember of their original
incarnations. Even the cover art (by omnipresent Euro-metal artist
Andreas Marschall) looks like it fell right out of 1984; the return of
Sodom's executioner character from the original EP's cover will
doubtlessly warm the cockles of many an old school thrasher's heart.
The album's production has seemingly been kept lo-fi and evil sounding
(lots of echo!) on purpose in order to preserve the material's "retro"
vibe, making the tracks "Blasphemer," "Witching Metal," "Sepulchral
Voice" and especially "Outbreak Of Evil" sound as crusty and
threatening as they always did. Meanwhile the oddly titled "Burst
Command 'Til War" still makes me smirk as I have never understood what
the heck it means. (Sodom were never known for their command of the
English language in the early days, witness the live album title
EXPURSE OF SODOMY -- I still don't know what an "Expurse" is either!)
The "bonus" tracks fit right in with the older tunes, making them seem
as if they'd been sitting there right alongside the original songs all
along. I found myself muttering the chorus to "Bloody Corpse" long
after the song was over, and I'd have to pick "Hatred Of The Gods" as
my fave of the new songs mainly because Angelripper's thick Germanic
accent makes it sound like "Hatred Of Your Guts" to my ears (haha).
I'm sure the Sodom faithful have already marked IN THE SIGN OF EVIL as
a must-buy, but whether or not it will draw any new fans to the Sodom
fold is debatable. Then again, that's probably not this set's intent
anyway. It seems to me that THE FINAL SIGN OF EVIL was meant as a gift
from the band to the hardest of their hardcore fans, and it does a
nice job of updating this golden oldie for the 21st century.
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

SUSPERIA – CUT FROM STONE (B) Candlelight USA, 2007
11 tracks, RT: 47:15
[ http://www.susperia.net/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/susperiafans ]
[ http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com/ ]
[ http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/candlelightrecordsusa ]
Well, this was a surprise. When CUT FROM STONE arrived in my mailbox
quite some time ago, it came in a plain cardboard sleeve with the
record label's logo on the front and a small sticker on the back
telling me the band name and the album title. No artwork, no track
listing, no bio/information sheet, no nothin'. Susperia was an
unfamiliar name to me but a quick Net search revealed that the
Norwegian combo was made up of former members of bands such as Dimmu
Borgir, Satyricon, and Old Man's Child. My immediate, uninformed
opinion was "Gack! Tim, why are you sending me this black metal crap?"
and it went straight to the bottom of my "to be reviewed" pile, where
it remained unplayed for several months. When Detritus came back from
its autumn hiatus and I once again reached into my stack of backlogged
review CDs, there was the long ignored copy of CUT FROM STONE,
whispering to me in a soft voice, "Oh, PLEASE play me, Mister Amateur
Metal Critic, sir. I've been waiting here all this time, and I've been
oh so patient." Taking pity on the lonely CD, I gritted my teeth,
popped it in my stereo, and pressed "play" on it for the first time...
and when the first track "More" came blaring from my speakers, I
immediately thought, "Wow, this is not at ALL what I expected to
hear." Rather than screechy anthems about burnin' churches and rapin'
angels, CUT FROM STONE turned out to be a pretty rockin' disc that
seems equally inspired by the thrash of old and the current Scandi
melodic death metal scene, with a slight hint of prog. The result is
something akin to a combo of vintage Testament and CLAYMAN-era In
Flames bumpin' uglies with the likes of Evergrey. Vocalist Athera
(yea, they're one of those bands whose members each only have one
name) has a hoarse but powerful snarl to his voice (that thankfully
doesn't go over the line into WOOOOARRRGH territory very often) and
the musicians (particularly guitar riffmeisters Elvorn and Cyrus) are
as solid as a brick wall (and twice as heavy!). Instant highlights for
me were the aforementioned "More," the CLAYMAN-ish "The Clone,"
"Release," and the all out thrash fest "Between The Lines," but just
about every track on this thing prompted a quick flash of the devil
horns and some noddin' of the head. The moral of this story is that I
should probably pay more attention to the "runts" of the litter when I
get a package of promos, because CUT FROM STONE turned out to be the
best out of that batch of review CDs and it will definitely receive
more spins from me in the future. Consider me humbled.
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

RICK WAKEMAN - THE OTHER SIDE OF RICK WAKEMAN (DVD) (A-/B+) Classic
Media Group/MVD Visual, 2007
RT: 116:54, incl. bonus audio track
[ http://www.rwcc.com/ ]
[ http://www.classic-media-group.com/ ]
[ http://www.MVDb2b.com/ ]
Keyboard phenom Rick Wakeman is likely best known for his virtuosic
playing and highly regarded compositional skills with seminal prog
rockers Yes, but what is often overlooked is his work with scores of
artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Elton John
and Marc Bolan, just to name a few. On THE OTHER SIDE OF RICK WAKEMAN,
Rick temporarily abandons his electronic keyboards for acoustic piano
and shows just why he was in such demand as a session player. THE
OTHER SIDE OF RICK WAKEMAN was shot in an intimate setting and
features Rick alternating between storytelling and performing. Rick
proves himself quite the raconteur, relating often humorous
experiences from his past, telling jokes and explaining how some of
his music was composed. The playing is absolutely brilliant, with
inspired renditions of some of his solo works such as "The Henry
Suite," "Guinevere" and "Merlin The Magician," Yes classics "Wonderous
Stories" along with an alternate version of "And You And I," and even
fantastic covers of The Beatles' "Help" and "Eleanor Rigby." One of
the highlights of the show comes when Rick asks the audience to call
out random musical notes, which he proceeds to construct on the spot
into a short intro piece for the appropriately titled song "Spur Of
The Moment." Amazing. Rick's playing is sublime, masterful without
sacrificing sensitivity. Truth be told though, the visuals are a
rather "no frills" proposition, with Rick only accompanied by marginal
lighting, his mic and a Yamaha Grand Piano, and there are really no
extras to speak of aside from the very nice audio bonus track
"Children Of Chernobyl." The anecdotes and resplendent playing serve
to pretty much make up for any lack of ostentation, however, and you
come away feeling like you've been privy to your own private show.
This is one not only for Yes completists but for anyone who would
enjoy world-class acoustic piano playing with a bit of fun thrown in.
- Neal Woodall (MysticX9@...)

*
*** OUT ***
*