Detritus
Issue #444
Week of February 4, 2008
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*** CAST OF CHARACTERS ***
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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

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*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
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-If anyone needs some snow, I've got over a foot in my yard. Drop me a
line and we'll work something out. - Tim

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-On The Road With Ace Frehley

He's been sneaking back into our consciousness. We've seen him blast
riff-driven fireworks in a nationally syndicated Dunkin' Donuts ad. He
laid his cards out for VH1's "Rock And Roll Celebrity Tournament." He
teased us with a taste of his live show at New York's Hard Rock Café
on Halloween. Throughout 2007, Ace Frehley was just preparing us for
his master plan.

A solo artist since the mid-eighties, the public has been awaiting the
next Ace album since 1990's TROUBLE WALKIN'. Nearly 20 years later,
his as-yet-to-be-titled album will be unleashed in 2008. Considering
two decades have passed, Ace promises this will cure the hunger for
his devilishly delicious rock n' roll material.

"I haven't put out a solo album in a long time," he says, "and I made
sure this one is special."

Debuting his new live band: Derrek Hawkins (Guitar), Anthony Esposito
(Bass), and Scot Coogan (Drums), this Rocket Ride will continue into
2008.

Here are the dates thus far:

2/20/08 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live! - Doors: 7pm
2/22/08 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage - Doors: 8pm
2/23/08 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues - Doors: 7:30pm
2/24/08 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues - Doors: 6:30pm
2/26/08 - Sauget, IL - Pop's - Doors: 7pm
2/28/08 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues - Doors: 7pm
2/29/08 & 3/1/08 - Niagara Falls, NY - The Bears Den at Seneca Niagara
Casino - Doors: 6:30pm
3/3/08 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis - Doors: 6:30pm
3/4/08 - Quebec City, QC - Theatre Capitole - Doors: 6:30pm
3/5/08 - Toronto, ONT - The Guvernment - Doors: 7pm
3/7/08 - Mt. Pleasant, MI - Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort - Doors: 7pm

3/8/08 - Milwaukee, WI - The Eagles Club - Doors: 7pm
3/9/08 - Mt. Clemens, MI - Emerald Theater - Doors: 7pm
3/11/08 - Fargo, ND - Fargo Theatre - Doors: 6:30pm
3/12/08 - Winnipeg, MB - The Garrick Centre - Doors: 7pm
3/14/08 - Calgary, AB - Flames Central - Doors: 8pm
3/15/08 - Edmonton, AB - Edmonton Events Centre - Doors: 8pm
3/17/08 - Missoula, MT - Wilma Theater - Doors: 7pm
3/18/08 - Spokane, WA - Big Easy - Doors: 7pm
3/19/08 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom - Doors: 8pm
3/21/08 - San Francisco, CA - Grand Ballroom at Regency Center -
Doors: 8pm
3/22/08 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues - Doors: 7pm
3/24/08 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues - Doors: 7pm
3/25/08 - West Hollywood, CA - House of Blues - Doors: 8pm
3/26/08 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues - Doors: 8pm
3/28/08 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre - Doors: 8pm
3/29/08 - Rapid City, SD - Rushmore Civic Theater - Doors: 7pm
3/31/08 - North Kansas City, MO - Voodoo Lounge at Harrah's Casino -
Doors: 6:30pm
4/1/08 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues - Doors: 7:30pm
4/3/08 - Atlantic City, NJ - House of Blues - Doors: 7:30pm
4/4/08 - New York, NY - Nokia Theatre - Doors: 7pm
4/11/08 - London, England - Astoria - Doors: 7pm

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-Jon Oliva's Pain, Circle II Circle, And Manticora To Tour

[Note: This is from Intromental's site, http://www.intromental.org/ .
- Tim]

Jon Oliva's Pain, Circle II Circle, & Manticora will team-up for the
first leg of the North American "Global Intrusions" tour this fall.
This marks the first time that Jon Oliva (Jon Oliva's Pain, Savatage,
Trans-Siberian Orchestra) & Zak Stevens (Circle II Circle, ex-
Savatage) have toured together since their days in Savatage in 1999.

"Wow, it's certainly been a while since I have been able to get back
on the road here in America...it must be snowing in hell. It's going
to be great touring in support of what I consider one of the best
records of my career. We really pulled out all the stops for this one.
Touring with Zak and the Circle II Circle guys is going to be a treat
as well, especially for Savatage fans. We've got a few tricks up our
sleeves so don't miss out as it may never happen again. Looking
forward to seeing all of you soon," said Oliva.

Stevens adds, "It's always special to perform on the same bill with
Jon Oliva, especially here in the States! Obviously Jon has been a
huge influence on my musical career and I remain one of his biggest
fans. This tour will be a special event for all our fans that have
enjoyed our work throughout the Savatage years and now into the new
generation of Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle music."

Manticora's Lars Larsen states "For us, this is a great opportunity as
we now get the chance to start in Europe with Oliva and then finish
the party in North America with one of our biggest inspirations."

Interested promoters & venues should contact Intromental Booking USA (
http://www.intromental.com/ ) for details.

AFM Records is set to release Jon Oliva's Pain's GLOBAL WARNING on
March 8 & Circle II Circle's DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR on April 25 of this
year.

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-After More Than 30 Years, Triumph's Legacy Lives On: Canadian Music
Hall Of Fame To Induct Legendary Rock Band At The 2008 JUNO Awards

At the 2008 JUNO Awards nominee media conference held today in
Toronto, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS)
announced this year's Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, the
legendary rock band, Triumph. The original band members will be
honoured at The 2008 JUNO Awards in Calgary on Sunday, April 6th,
broadcast on CTV from the Pengrowth Saddledome.

"Triumph helped define arena rock as we know it today -- they truly
knew how to put on a spectacular concert experience for the fans,"
says Melanie Berry, CARAS President. "We are very proud to recognize
them in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame."

Members Rik Emmett (vocals/guitars), Mike Levine (bass/keyboards) and
Gil Moore (vocals/drums) were destined for stardom when they formed
the Canadian hard-rock trio, Triumph, in 1975. Their debut self-titled
album was released in 1976 by Attic Records and quickly reached gold
status. On the strength of the group's non-stop touring schedule
throughout Canada and the U.S.A., Triumph had rapidly built a large
and loyal fan base.

"It's a tremendous honour to be part of the Canadian Music Hall of
Fame. In one way, the reunion is like a surprising, surreal whirlwind.
In another sense, it is also very humbling," said Rik Emmett. "I lost
my brother to cancer last year, and he was always one of my biggest
supporters -- and a huge fan of Triumph -- so an award like this also
pays tribute to an enduring relationship with music lovers
everywhere."

"I couldn't be more thrilled. This is the ultimate honour for
Triumph," said bass guitarist/keyboardist Mike Levine.

Fellow band mate Gil Moore adds, "It's a humbling experience and an
honour to be recognized by your peers in this way -- it has inspired
me to start playing again."

Triumph followed up their debut album with the multi-platinum ROCK 'N'
ROLL MACHINE (1977) and JUST A GAME (1979) releases -- both of which
are considered rock classics. The band became increasingly notorious
for their live performances, dubbing them the godfathers of arena
rock.

By the '80s, Triumph truly became a force to be reckoned with,
releasing a string of gold and platinum-certified albums including
PROGRESSIONS OF POWER, ALLIED FORCES, NEVER SURRENDER, THUNDER SEVEN
and THE SPORT OF KINGS. Their bombastic over-the-top arena tours
combined with such classic radio staples ("Fight The Good Fight,"
"Magic Power," "Lay It On The Line") and multiple JUNO Award
nominations solidified the group as one of rock's top concert
attractions.

In 1995, the entire Triumph catalog was re-mastered and reissued on
CD. These days, several producers at the Metalworks Studios'
facilities in Mississauga, Ontario, are hard at work preparing future
Triumph DVD and CD releases from the vaults. In June 2008, the
original members of Triumph -- Emmett, Levine and Moore -- will unite
to perform a reunion world premiere at the prestigious Sweden Rock
Festival.

The Canadian Music Hall of Fame was established in 1978 by CARAS to
honour individuals or groups who have made an outstanding contribution
toward the greater international recognition of Canadian artists and
music. Last year's inductee to the Canadian Hall of Fame was Bob Rock
and previous inductees include Bryan Adams, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young
and the late Bruce Fairbairn.

A complete list of Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees can be found
at http://www.junoawards.ca/ .

Sponsors of the 2008 JUNO Awards include FACTOR, Canada's Private
Radio Broadcasters and the Government of Canada through the Department
of Canadian Heritage's "Canada Music Fund," The Government of Alberta,
The City of Calgary, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Arts Development and
Radio Starmaker Fund.

Broadcast sponsors for The 2008 JUNO Awards are Pontiac, Doritos, TD
Canada Trust and Rogers.

About CARAS:
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/L'academie
canadienne des arts et des sciences de l'enregistrement (CARAS) is a
not-for-profit organization created to preserve and enhance the
Canadian music and recording industries and to contribute toward
higher artistic and industry standards. The main focus of CARAS is the
exploration and development of opportunities to showcase and promote
Canadian artists and music through television vehicles such as The
JUNO Awards. For more information on the 37th Annual JUNO Awards,
visit the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' (CARAS) Web
site at http://www.junoawards.ca/ .

About CTV:
CTV, Canada's largest private broadcaster, offers a wide range of
quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming. It
has the number-one national newscast, "CTV National News With Lloyd
Robertson," and is the number-one choice for prime-time viewing.
CTVglobemedia Inc. is Canada's premier multi-media company which owns
CTV Inc. and The Globe and Mail. CTV Inc. also owns radio stations
across the country, and leading national specialty channels. Other
CTVglobemedia investments include an interest in Maple Leaf Sports and
Entertainment, and in Dome Productions, a North American leader in the
provision of mobile high definition production facilities. More
information about CTV may be found on the company website at
http://www.ctv.ca/ .

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-Guitar Icon Steve Stevens of Billy Idol Releases MEMORY CRASH --
First Solo Album In Over 10 Years -- On Magna Carta Records March 4th,
2008

HOLLYWOOD -- After a decade, the much anticipated Steve Stevens solo
release is invading the world -- MEMORY CRASH releases March 4th, 2008
on Magna Carta Records.

Stevens spent the last few years out on tour in support of Idol's
album THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND. Once off tour, Stevens spent time
orchestrating his new album and signed to Magna Carta Records. He
spent the last year meticulously laying down the tracks to his newest
guitar masterpiece.

Choosing a very retro-contemporary style, Stevens decided he would
make this a very real and well conceived album, something that has not
been heard in years. Reasserting the quality that made him a star,
Stevens just calls it good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll. It's just
Steve Stevens, his guitar, and his beloved effects -- all the
ingredients that make's this album a work of genius.

MEMORY CRASH boasts such tracks as "Water On Ares," "Hellcats Take The
Highway," "Small Arms Fire," an interpretation of Robin Trowers' "Day
Of The Eagle" (featuring Dug Pinnick of King's X), and the rousing/
psychedelic "Cherry Vanilla." "I have a lot of weird little segues
going on with this record," Stevens explains. "I've always loved that
about the prog records, like DARK SIDE OF THE MOON. You enter this
little theater of the mind. It's a true headphone experience."

Guitar World magazine once said that Steve Stevens "orchestrates the
growls and snarls that come of his guitar much the same way that
Bernstein conducts the Philharmonic." It's this variety of aural
characteristics that also explains Stevens' musical career path. Not
only is he the longtime musical partner and friend of British punk-
rock icon, Billy Idol -- together delivering the million-selling
albums BILLY IDOL, REBEL YELL, WHIPLASH SMILE, VITAL IDOL, GREATEST
HITS as well as a new CD, DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND -- but he's a Grammy
Award winner (Best Rock Instrumental for his work on the "Top Gun"
soundtrack), a sought-after songwriter (co-wrote "Bolero" for the
"Once Upon A Time In Mexico" soundtrack), a noted session guitarist
(Michael Jackson, the late Robert Palmer, The Cars' Ric Ocasek and
most recently, Pink), and a solo artist with two vastly divergent
albums, rock 'n' rolling ATOMIC PLAYBOYS and the Latin-influenced
FLAMENCO A GO GO. Not bad for a shy kid from the rough and tumble
section of the Ramones' Rockaway, Queens on the edge of New York City.

MEMORY CRASH was recorded and engineered by Steve Stevens and Beazle
T. Monk at the Purple Room. Brian Tichy (Billy Idol drummer) plays all
percussion and drums; Stevens plays guitar and all other instruments.

For more information please go to http://www.stevestevens.net/ or
http://www.magnacarta.com/ .

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-Poison Plays Exclusive Show At Sweden Rock; Only Show In Europe
During 2008!

Sweden Rock Festival
4-5-6-7 June 2008
Solvesborg, Sweden

POISON (US)

Love them or hate them, Poison is one of those bands that everyone has
an opinion about. Widely recognized as one of the flag ships of '80s
hard rock, Poison has it all: the glam, the sleaze, the catchy
melodies, the best looking babes and the non-stop never ending party!

Songs like "Talk Dirty To Me," "Cry Tough" and "I Want Action" from
their debut album LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN (released in 1986) as
well "Ride The Wind," "Fallen Angel," "Stand" and "Unskinny Bop" from
later albums OPEN UP AND SAY... AHH!, FLESH & BLOOD and NATIVE TONGUE
are not easily forgotten, and should anyone predict that the "power
ballad of the power ballads" "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" will be the
sing-along highlight of this summer's festival we won't argue!

Just as 22 years ago, the band lineup is Bret Michaels (vocals), Bobby
Dall (bass), Rikki Rocket (drums) and C.C. DeVille (guitars). They
have made seven studio albums so far, not including the live album
SWALLOW THIS LIVE (with four new studio tracks), three greatest hits
collections and the most recent album POISON'D! from last year, a
collection of covers of songs by the bands Poison have been the most
influenced by.

Poison never had a soft spot for Europe. No matter how much their
European fans have demanded them to cross the ocean -- the band has
stayed away. The first, and so far only, show in Sweden was played in
August 1990 at the Monsters Of Rock in Stockholm, where Poison teamed
up with Quireboys and Whitesnake. As magical as it was, Poison never
came back -- until now!

When Poison finally returns to Europe for the first time in 15 years,
it is for one very exclusive show only, and it is at Sweden Rock
Festival! It's one night only folks, and it'll be a night to remember!

TICKETS TO SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL 2008

The regular 3-day and 1-day tickets are now released.

You buy the tickets directly from our home page!

This tickets for all 4 days are limited to 10.000 and not to many are
left!

Buy the tickets here:
http://www.tickster.com/c/swedenrock/Default.aspx?lang=en

CONFIRMED BANDS SO FAR:

JUDAS PRIEST (UK)
DEF LEPPARD (UK)
POISON (US)
TRIUMPH (CAN)
WHITESNAKE (UK/US)
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (UK) former members of ELO and ELO Part II
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT (US)
SAXON(UK)
TESTAMENT (US)
JOE SATRIANI (US)
TESLA (US)
AT THE GATES (S)
DERRINGER BAND (US)
MINISTRY (US)
HAVANA BLACK (FIN)
PRIMORDIAL (IRL)
THE BLUES BAND (UK)
COHEED AND CAMBRIA (US)
CARCASS (UK)
HENSLEY/LAWTON & LIVE FIRE (UK)
PICTURE (NL)
DARE (UK)
MUCC (JAP)
ULI JON ROTH (D)
SHAKIN' STREET (FR)
ELÄKELÄISET (FIN)
GOTTHARD (CH)
MUSTASCH (S)
SABATON (S)
PRIMAL FEAR (D)
LIZZY BORDEN (US)
BONAFIDE (S)
SONIC SYNDICATE (S)
GLYDER (IRL)
FASTWAY (UK)
AXEWITCH (S)
FIVE FIFTEEN (FIN)
ASTRAL DOORS (S)
AVATAR (S)
VOLBEAT (DK)
ROYAL HUNT (DK)
H.E.A.T. (S)
NEGATIVE (FIN)

Buy the tickets here:
http://www.tickster.com/c/swedenrock/Default.aspx?lang=en

All-inclusive

SWEDEN AT ITS BEST -- WELCOME TO VISIT SOUTH SWEDEN AND SWEDEN ROCK
FESTIVAL 2008 THE 4-5-6-7 JUNE

We offer you the complete All-inclusive Sweden Rock packages,
accommodation and festival transfer.

Check up our services: http://www.visitsouthsweden.com/

Sweden Rock Festival
Norjebokevägen 2
294 76 Sölvesborg
Sweden
Tel: 0456-317 95
Fax: 0456-317 94
E-mail: info@...
http://www.swedenrock.com/

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-Lion Music News

Mind's Eye To Re-Release THE AFTERGLOW CD

Being the first ever release by Mind's Eye, this is a genuine chance
to get to know how the band as they started their career.

Back then with singer German Pascual and guitarist Fredrik Grunberger
already knowing that they wanted to show the world that good music CAN
be created with discipline and emotion. Sounds like a paradox? Not for
Mind's Eye.

The CD will contain eight songs including four songs never heard,
recorded in Sheepvalley studios 1994, recorded and mixed by Jörgen
Svensson (Raise Hell) and a young Mind's Eye (back then 18 with Johan
Niemann being 15 years!!!!) and a never seen before video for the song
"Castle Of Eternity" created by film student Pierre Lingre.

The band will also contain small stories from that period of time and
review excerpts from winning DEMO of 1994 in Swedish magazine
"Backstage" as well as an interview made by Swedish music journalist
Janne Stark.

The fully re-mastered album will contain the songs:

Mind's Eye - 1994 THE AFTERGLOW

01. Blind Justice
02. Castle Of eternity
03. Red Storm Rising
04. Beyond Endurance
05. With These Eyes
06. Andromeda
07. Ending A Story
08. A Thousand Nights (After The Last Sundown) -- a 10 minute epic!
EXTRA: Video: Castle Of Eternity

BAND:
German Pascual - Vocals
Fredrik Grunberger - Guitars
Johan Niemann - Bass
Daniel Flores - Drums

The artwork will be handled by Carl-André Beckston and it promises a
great new collaboration between the band and Andre'.

Don't miss this great release coming soon on Lion Music.

The Mind's Eye Web site will be available at
http://www.danielflores.net/ shortly.

Mattsson Release Download Single

As a taster from the new Mattsson album DREAM CHILD (to be released on
March 21), a download only single "Until Our Last Goodbye," is now
available exclusively from our download store HERE:
http://www.legaldownload.net/etalage/main/id/2609 . DREAM CHILD
features new singer Adrienn Antal and is home to 12 tracks of
symphonic metal with gothic, ethnic and progressive influences.

Jennifer Batten Signs To Lion Music

We are incredibly proud to announce the signing of world renowned
guitarist Jennifer Batten. Famous for her formidable technique, unique
style and collaborations with Jeff Beck and Michael Jackson, the deal
with Lion Music will see three albums released over the coming months.

The first of which will be a different version to the currently
Japanese-only release of Jennifer's excellent new solo album entitled
WHATEVER, which is presented as a CD/DVD double pack, whilst her
previous solo albums Jennifer Batten's Tribal Rage - MOMENTUM and
ABOVE, BELOW & BEYOND, which are now very hard to obtain will see re-
releases as well (release dates TBC).

Be sure to also check out Jennifer's new feature column in Guitar
Player magazine coming soon.

Vitalij Kuprij's Revenge Live In Rome Today

The Keyboard Monster will perform at Stazione Birra live club in Rome
( http://www.stazionebirra.it/ ), featuring Chris Catena and Doogie
White on vocals and Daniel Flores (Mind's Eye) on drums. The rest of
the band will be composed by Aleks Ferrara on bass and Leonardo
Porcheddu on guitars. The opening act of this gig will be the Italian
prog metallers Astra (recently signed to Lion Music).

Kuprij is supposed to do a clinic the same day in the same place.
Immediately after Vitalij Kuprij will feature live with Orchestre
Sinfonique d' Avignon Provence in Avignon (France) on February 11 and
as always in Avignon he will perform in the rock club Delirium.

Twinspirits Italian Tour Update

Due to personal problems, Twinspirits' singer Soren Adamsen won't be
able to sing on the band Italian spring tour. Italian singer Nicola
Sedda will replace Soren for the whole tour and, for this special
collaboration, he will present some songs from his latest album SINCE
BEFORE CREATION.

BACK TO REALITY TOUR 2008

22th February 2008 - Live @ Rock Club - Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
(Italy)
23th February 2008 - Live @ Boulevard Music Club - Misan Adriatico
(RM) (Italy)
28th February 2008 - Live @ Black Horse - Cermenate (CO) (Italy)
29th February 2008 - Live @ Zion Rock Club - Conegliano (TV) (Italy)
11th April 2008 - Live @ Circolo Renfe - Ferrara (FE) (Italy)
12th April 2008 - Live @ Sottosopra Rock Zone - Este (PD) (Italy)
18th April 2008 - Live @ Locanda Blues - Roma (RM) (Italy)
19th April 2008 - Live @ Cencio's Club - Prato (Prato) (Italy)
24th April 2008 - Live @ Le piccole iene - Romagnano Sesia (No)
(Italy)

In related news Twinspirits bassist Alberto Rigoni's debut album
SOMETHING DIFFERENT will be released worldwide on February 15th 2008
by Lion Music. Preview clips can be heard at
http://myspace.com/albertorigoni .

http://www.lionmusic.com/

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-Magician's Debut Album Sold More Than 1,000 Copies In Japan In Less
Than One Month

The new album of the power metal band Magician, TALES OF THE MAGICIAN,
was released in Japan on December 19th by the label Soundholic (Grave
Digger, Dark Funeral, Marduk, Evergrey, Nocturnal Rites, etc.) and in
less than one month sold more than 1,000 copies, a great achievement
considering that it's their first album.

Actually Magician is finishing the negotiations for a worldwide
release, which shall happen in the next months.

Recently the band posted online a video clip made for the song
"Minstrel's Domain." Check it on Magician's MySpace page at
http://www.myspace.com/magicianband or directly on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74-RtN7pYdM .

Magician
http://www.magician.com.br/
http://www.myspace.com/magicianband

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-Mascot Records Invades The U.S.A.

There's A New Label In Town And They Are To Be Reckoned With

HOLLYWOOD -- As of February 1st, 2008 Mascot-Provogue Records will
have offices in the United States, wielding a roster of the biggest
and the best artists known. The company has so far established itself
in Europe as an independent label with various genres of rock, from
blues to jazz to metal and everything in between.

Mascot-Provogue BV is a Dutch company grounded by Ed van Zijl who
worked for Roadrunner Records in The Netherlands from '85 till '92.
The company was founded in 1993 as Mascot Records. The first successes
came with Swedish bands B-Thong, Eleven Pictures, Ancient Rites,
Transport League and Sadus. Later, Mascot followed their initial
artists with Racer X, Paul Gilbert solo, Marty Friedman, John Norum,
Jake E. Lee, Everon, Michael Schenker Group and Masters Of Reality.
Recent success in Europe has been John 5 and new rockabilly metal band
Volbeat from Denmark.

In 1998 Mascot bought the Provogue Records label and moved in the more
blues oriented market with success stories like Joe Bonamassa and
recently added artists such as Walter Trout and Monte Montgomery.

In 2008 the company has moved into the North American market with the
first releases being on the Mascot Records label. A few of the 2008
releases include:

Volbeat - Platinum recording artist from Denmark who is one of the
music revelations from the European scene. The band will tour the U.S.
in September 2008. Click here to get a glimpse of things to come:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mV_HHL-h6g

Science Faxtion - fabulous rock project with Bootsy
Collins/Buckethead/Brain

Walter Trout - one of the truly blues rock greats (new album out in
June/produced by John Porter)

This is a new U.S.A. label to watch for as their motto is "IN ROCK WE
TRUST." For more information on the label's roster see
http://www.mascotrecords.com/ or http://www.provoguerecords.com/ .

Mascot Records USA
8033 Sunset Blvd., Ste 931
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Tel: 310 980 7642

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-Cosmosquad Announce First-Ever Japanese Shows!

Acclaimed Southern California metal fusioneers Cosmosquad, featuring
guitarist Jeff Kollman (Glenn Hughes, Mogg/Way), bassist Christopher
Maloney (Dweezil Zappa, Hardline), and drummer Shane Gaalaas (B'z,
Diesel Machine), have announced their first-ever Japanese shows. The
band will be playing a pair of double headers (showtime: 7 p.m. and 9
p.m., respectively) in Osaka and Tokyo and also appear at the
Musician's Institute in Tokyo (open to students only!).

Exact dates and venues are as follows:

March 12 - Live Square 2nd Line, Osaka, Japan
March 14 - Shibuya Duo Music Exchange, Tokyo, Japan
March 15 - Musician's Institute, Tokyo, Japan

For more info (in Japanese) please visit
http://www.hipjpn.co.jp/pc/04_art/268.html .

In related news, NAMM show 2008 live footage of Cosmosquad (with Glen
Sobel (Sixx:A.M., Jennifer Batten) filling in for Shane Gaalaas)
performing "Fat, Mean And Nasty" at the Fender Frontline stage has
been posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D0paVP_x_0 .

The first ever Cosmosquad live DVD, filmed at the band's recent
Musician's Institute gig in Hollywood, CA, is currently in the mixing
stages and will be out sometime in the spring. The group's latest
studio album, ACID TEST, was released in 2007 and is available on
Zain/Big M.F. in Japan and Marmaduke Records in the rest of the world.

For more info, please visit:

http://www.myspace.com/officialcosmosquad
http://www.cosmosquad.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #10 ***
*
-Guitar Center & Roland/Boss Announce The Winner Of The "Live In
London Concert With The Cult" Sweepstakes

HOLLYWOOD -- The hottest sweepstakes of 2007 was the "Live In London"
sweepstakes. This mind-blowing event is presented by Guitar Center and
Roland/Boss in conjunction with The Cult's new album BORN INTO THIS
that was released October 2, 2007 [Roadrunner Records].

Customers had the month of October 2007 to head into their nearest
Guitar Center and enter for a chance to win a VIP trip for two to see
The Cult live in London and watch from side stage. The prize package
includes round trip tickets for two, hotel accommodations and $1,000
dollars spending cash. And, if that weren't enough, Roland/Boss is
hooking up the winner with a $2,500 Guitar Center shopping spree.

On January 3rd, 2008 Guitar Center picked the lucky winner. They
tossed all entries into a barrel and fished out the one and only
Amanda Kolanz from Chagrin Falls, OH. "I was completely surprised when
I got the phone call telling me I had won," exclaims Kolanz. "At first
I thought that it was someone joking with me, but once I realized it
was real, I was so excited. I ran all around my house screaming to my
family that I had won."

Amanda thanks Guitar Center for the best prize ever. "Something like
this does not happen every day and I am truly thankful that I won. I
cannot wait to go to London and rock at the concert!" We will hear
more about Amanda and her trip to London once she gets back.

For updates on all of Guitar Center's cool contests and give-aways go
to http://www.guitarcenter.com/ and get your chance to win.

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #11 ***
*
-Nightmare Records Announces Contract Signing With Sacred Dawn

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA -- Nightmare Records today announced the
signing of Sacred Dawn, one of Chicago, Illinois' premiere power/prog
metal bands.

"We're very excited about our partnership with this talented band, I'm
happy to announce their addition to the Nightmare family of artists,"
remarked Lance King, owner of Nightmare.

"All of us with Sacred Dawn would like to thank Nightmare for this
opportunity to join a very talented and remarkable family of artists,"
said Lothar Keller, lead guitarist and lead vocalist of Sacred Dawn,
speaking on behalf of Joey Vega on bass guitar, Brad Sabbath on drums
and Johnny Vitale on guitar and backing vocals.

In January 2005, Lothar Keller was working on his first solo album
when a vision of hard rock, progressive and heavy metal musical styles
was conceived. The groundwork was then assembled for what would become
Sacred Dawn.

After a few stops and starts in the quest for the right players in the
band, along came John Vitale, former guitarist of Chicago Megadeth
tribute favorite, Highspeedirt. After seeing the band play as a three-
piece on New Year's Eve 2005, John recognized Lothar's talent and was
very impressed with Sacred Dawn's original music and wanted to be a
contributing factor in the growth of the band.

John, however, wasn't the only area musician looking for a new
project. In May of 2006, faced with the task of finding a new bass
player they had to look no further than Joey Vega. Lothar and Joey,
both members of the same Chicago-based music alliance, met and
fortunately for Sacred Dawn, Joey enthusiastically agreed to be an
integral part of Sacred Dawn.

One final step was need before Sacred Dawn was ready to begin their
journey -- an unstoppable stickman. Brad "Sabbath" Sabbathne stepped
up and became the madman behind the kit that Sacred Dawn needed to be
the solid and cohesive metal force they are today.

Sacred Dawn pulls their influence from such bands as Dream Theater,
Iron Maiden, Nevermore, Savatage, Queensryche, Fates Warning and many
others. Through these influences, Sacred Dawn combines musical styles
reminiscent of "old school metal" and molds them together with today's
harsh driving metal to get a sound with a progressive feel, leading
Sacred Dawn in the pursuit to bring guitar solos, clean harmonizing
vocals and true musicianship back into the metal scene today.

Sacred Dawn's debut album, GEARS OF THE MACHINE...A NEW BEGINNING, is
to be released worldwide on Nightmare.

"Sacred Dawn certainly have something to offer metalheads and prog
fans alike."
Greg Olma - http://www.musicstreetjournal.com/

"GEARS OF THE MACHINE could very well be the next classic on the
horizon."
Walter Scheurer - http://www.powermetal.de/

STREET DATE: April 1, 2008
UPC CODE 734923005124
Cat# NMR-392

http://www.SacredDawn.com/
http://www.myspace.com/SacredDawn

Contact:
Lance King
Nightmare Records & Distribution
7751 Greenwood Drive,
St. Paul, MN 55112 U.S.A.
Tel. 763.784-9654
http://www.Nightmare-Records.com/
http://www.myspace.com/nightmarerecords1

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #12 ***
*
-Sensory: New North American Signings

Sensory Records is proud to unleash a trio of epic new releases all
licensed for North America from various European labels. Nation
Beyond's album THE AFTERMATH ODYSSEY is licensed from Burning Star
Records (Greece) and hits the streets March 11th. Dark Suns' album
GRAVE HUMAN GENUINE is licensed from Prophecy Productions (Germany)
and comes out March 25th, alongside Kingfisher Sky's album HALLWAY OF
DREAMS is licensed from Suburban Records (Netherlands).

Nation Beyond - THE AFTERMATH ODYSSEY
http://www.nationbeyond.com/

In the past few years Sensory has presented the metal community with a
number of amazing debut releases. Bands such as Circus Maximus and
Pathosray are generating maximum buzz and sales continue to climb.
Nation Beyond is our latest discovery and we are proud to introduce
them to North America. Nation Beyond began life as a side project from
Debase guitarist Jonas Karlgren and Face Down bassist Joakim
Hedestedt. These two industrial/death metal bands have a multitude of
releases between them on labels such as Nuclear Blast, Black Lodge and
Sanctuary/Noise. It was the desire to create an epic concept album
with a different musical direction that united these two talented
musicians together. Using Debase and Face Down band mates as well as
some fresh new faces, they set to work. Vocalist Nielz Lindstrom is
quite a discovery. His emotion filled delivery brings to mind
Evergrey's Tom Englund as well as Dead Sould Tribe's Devon Graves.
They have found the perfect counterpoint in the angelic voice of Sara
Heurlin. THE AFTERMATH ODYSSEY is a dramatic tale of love, hate and
betrayal set in the wake of a nuclear apocalypse. Symphonic
arrangements and the use of a real choir adds a dynamic contrast to
the snarling riffs and hook filled melodies. Karlgren and Hedestedt
have come up with the perfect balance of power and progressive
elements evoking the spirit of classic metal albums like Savatage's
DEAD WINTER DEAD and Queensryche's OPERATION: MINDCRIME. This is
intense, angst ridden music dripping with atmosphere that will draw
you in as the story unfolds. A masterpiece such as this demands a
graphic presentation that matches the music and the band delivers.
Nation Beyond arrives in a gorgeous digi-pak with a beautifully
illustrated 28 page full color booklet.

Kingfisher Sky - HALLWAY OF DREAMS
http://www.kingfishersky.com/

The Kingfisher Sky story begins in 2001, when drummer Ivar De Graaf
decided to part ways with Within Temptation, a band who were
experiencing their first international breakthrough with the release
of the MOTHER EARTH album. Together with classically trained vocalist
Judith Rijnveld, Ivar started writing new music without being bound to
a specific genre or musical style. With diverse influences such as
Clannad, Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, and Porcupine Tree, the
writing resulted in a style that isn't easy to categorize, though the
term "Progressive Myth Rock" seems to cover all bases. In short:
contrasts -- one moment dreamy and atmospheric, then heavy and brutal
the next. By the beginning of 2006 the writing efforts were compiled
on an impressive eleven track demo, which ultimately led to the duo
signing a recording contract with Dutch label Suburban Records the
following October. Former Orphanage bassist Eric Hoogendoorn,
guitarists Daan Janzing and Edo Van Der Kolk and keyboardist George
Van Olffen were recruited to make Kingfisher Sky a full band. From May
through July of 2007 the band recorded in several studios under the
inspired guidance of producers Jochem Jacobs (Textures) and Bouke
Visser of Split Second Sound. In January 2008, HALLWAY OF DREAMS was
licensed to The Laser's Edge for the exclusive release in North
America. HALLWAY OF DREAMS is a unique and forward thinking release
that encompasses progressive rock, metal and atmospheric moods. The
band will draw interest from the fanbase of Within Temptation as well
as The Gathering, Porcupine Tree and Tori Amos.

Dark Suns - GRAVE HUMAN GENUINE
http://www.darksuns.de/

Following two highly successful tours with established Progressive
metalists Pain Of Salvation and two years of exacting work, Dark Suns
have finished their third album GRAVE HUMAN GENUINE. GRAVE HUMAN
GENUINE -- this unconventional title was chosen with care and purpose,
as it represents the three characteristic elements of this work:
"Grave" signifies darkness, the sinister force, and the inevitable
fate. "Human" is synonymous with the music's inherent soul-depth,
while "Genuine" means "real" or "authentic" and hence refers to Dark
Suns' uncompromising approach to music. But what about the music? Dark
Suns don't merely pick up where the successful predecessor EXISTENCE
(2005) left off, they present themselves as many-facetted as never
before. A clear nod to Doom, complex polyrhythms, unusual and diverse
instruments and, last but not least, drummer Niko Nappe's
characteristic yearning vocals comprise the album's cornerstones. The
variety of sounds stretches from angular Metal riff attacks via
atmospheric ambient soundscapes and Techno reminiscences to Avant-
garde influences -- despite this complexity, an accomplished musical
mosaic of enormous expressiveness. Exciting nuances are created by the
incomparable bass of Pain Of Salvation's long-time member Kristoffer
Gildenlow, a friendly turn that resulted from the tours mentioned
above, and Disillusion's Schmidt's guest vocals in "Flies In Amber."
With GRAVE HUMAN GENUINE, Dark Suns have created a haunting album full
of autonomy and instrumental class, self-consciously charting new
musical territory. In this, the band from Leipzig embodies the essence
of every true progressive band: compositional genius coupled with
advancement. The dark suns radiate: gloomy, human and 7 6 3 2 3 2 3 0
4 1 2 3 egregiously genuine.

Also coming in April...

Sensory Records is honored to continue our long running relationship
with Zero Hour. The band's fifth album, titled DARK DECEIVER, will be
released worldwide on April 29, 2008. The Tipton brothers have come up
with some fresh aural twists and turns that will definitely please
their fans (and us too!).

As a sneak preview you can hear an mp3 of the title cut here:
http://www.lasersedgegroup.com/soundfiles/darkdeceiver.mp3

A U.S. tour is in the brainstorming phase.

Sensory
A Division Of The Laser's Edge
http://www.lasersedgegroup.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #13 ***
*
-Egyptian-Inspired, Prog Metal Rockers Dendura Sign With KillZone
Records & Score Distribution With Nightmare Records

DETROIT -- KillZone Records, a notable indie label that specializes in
metal music, signed Dendura, the female-fronted, Egyptian-inspired,
progressive metal band with belly dancers (Got all that?), to a one-
album deal on their label. Nightmare Records will also distribute NEW
LIFE, Dendura's self-released, debut album.

"Dendura is a perfect fit for KillZone because they stand out from the
norm in terms of talent, ability and marketability," said Stuart
Banks, president of KillZone Records. "They present an unforgettable
approach to progressive metal that builds and weaves dark themes with
the allure of sensual mystery. Their music calls from a past that
touches both the primal and inquisitive nature of our souls. They
combine powerful, heavy music that drives like the shifting sands,
carrying vocals like rising smoke and invoking the ghosts of a land
and time long passed, but never forgotten."

KillZone Records is a strong indie label for metal and extreme music
bands. The company plans to release the next Dendura album later this
year and the band is currently discussing the project with a Grammy-
winning producer.

Nightmare Records also inked a distribution deal with the band for NEW
LIFE, Dendura's debut album. Nightmare is a well-known label/
distributor for metal bands.

Although Dendura is currently hibernating while they write the new
album and a film score, 2007 was a big year for the band. They played
high-profile concerts including a show with Edguy who did some 2007
dates in Germany with Aerosmith.

In addition, "Symphony," a track from NEW LIFE, appeared on the US
ProgPower 2007 compilation given to the 50,000 people who attended the
sold-out, national festival in Atlanta. In their hometown of Grand
Rapids, MI, they joined bands including Fuel, Silverchair and Finger
Eleven on the WGRD BOOTLEG charity compilation to benefit a local non-
profit group. Dendura contributed a special, acoustic version of their
popular song "I Have A Gun."

Dendura's metal version of "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" is also
the theme song for the Comedy Central cartoon "Monsters Ballz." The
band also licensed music for an upcoming sci-fi series and a TV pilot.

For more information, and to listen to music from Dendura, visit
http://www.myspace.com/denduraband .

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #14 ***
*
-Warren Appleby Featured On Talking Metal

Hey Everyone -

Just wanted to let you know that the world's #1 metal podcast --
TalkingMetal.com -- is featuring my song "Scarlet Witch" from my IRON
FORGED IN FIRE CD on their latest podcast, episode #190!!!

You can download the episode from http://www.talkingmetal.com/ or
direct from iTunes for FREE!

Remember, you can pick up IRON FORGED IN FIRE from CD Baby (
http://www.cdbaby.com/warrenappleby3 ) or download the songs from
iTunes, Rhapsody, AOL Music Now, and a bunch of other great digital
download sites.

Also, sign up to be my FRIEND at my new MySpace page --
http://www.myspace.com/warrenappleby

Look for my new CD, PENNSYLVANIA GOTHIC, to be released late April
2008!!!

Keep It Loud!!!
Warren

http://www.warrenappleby.com/
http://www.myspace.com/warrenappleby
http://www.blacktask.net/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #15 ***
*
-Earache Records: READY TO RAGE TO THE BEST NEW THRASH COMP?

http://www.earacherecords.com/myspace/TLAM.jpg

THRASHING LIKE A MANIAC hits U.S. stores today. Filled with 16 ripping
cuts from the greatest new school thrash bands today, THRASHING LIKE A
MANIAC is a release that promises to kick your ass from now till
yesterday.

Need more proof? Just look at what some of these experts in thrash
have to say:

"It is virtually impossible for any true thrash fan not to fall in
love with this compilation."
- Blabbermouth

READ THE REVIEW:
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?
reviewID=1340

"enough head-banging, fist-pumping, neck-snapping thrash metal mania
to make one believe in the second coming"
- All Music Guide

"Earache's gift to fans of old school thrash"
- Corazine

Face the thrasher, get your face ripped off by the beast then
experience immortal life with the likes of Municipal Waste, Toxic
Holocaust, Evile, Bonded By Blood, Fueled By Fire, SSS, Gama Bomb and
more! It's almost too much thrash for one cd to contain!

THRASHING LIKE A MANIAC is available in U.S. stores now! For more
info, go to http://www.myspace.com/thrashinglikeamaniac .

Order From Earache's U.S. Store:
http://www.earachestore.com/store/thrashinglikeamaniac.html

Order From Earache's U.K. Store:
http://www.earacheshop.com/store/thrashing.html

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #16 ***
*
-Silent Majority Group News

Course Of Nature CD Release Party

Silent Majority Group would like to congratulate Course Of Nature on
today's release of their sophomore album DAMAGED. The first single
"Anger Cage" hit 31 on the rock chart this week. The band will be
celebrating by having a star studded CD release party at the Key Club
in Los Angeles on February 6th. The party, being held during Grammy
week, will also be doubling as a Grammy party for Course Of Nature
front man Mark Wilkerson who is nominated in the "Rock Song Of The
Year" category for writing Daughtry's "It's Not Over." The night will
feature a special appearance by label mates Tantric who will be
performing, for the first time, an acoustic set of material from their
new album THE END BEGINS. The party is being hosted by Melissa Joan
Hart, Jaime Pressley, and "Extra!" Also making appearances will be
Michael Strahan of the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, members of
Candlebox who are currently recording their new album in L.A., and
cast members of "ER."

SMG Signs Vayden

Silent Majority Group is also proud to announce the signing of Phoenix
rockers Vayden. Vayden will also be appearing in L.A. during Grammy
week at the Whiskey on February 8th at 9:00 p.m. Vayden's debut single
"Anthem Of The Used" and other tracks from their forthcoming CD
CHILDREN OF OUR MISTAKES are available at
http://www.myspace.com/vayden .

Free Music

New music downloads from Course Of Nature, Tantric, Candlebox, and
Vayden can be heard at http://www.myspace.com/silentmajoritygroup .

SMG Widgets

Silent Majority Group has entered into a partnership with Nabbr, the
premier provider of free widgets for the music industry. New widgets
from all SMG artists will be available soon at
http://www.silentmajoritygroup.com/ and
http://www.myspace.com/silentmajoritygroup . Nabbr has developed a
really cool new Course Of Nature widget that includes their bio,
video, etc. The new widget can be found at:
http://bandtools.nabbr.com/bandtools/widgetViewer.php?
bandId=147&playerId=147

http://www.silentmajoritygroup.com/
http://www.myspace.com/silentmajoritygroup

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #17 ***
*
-Cavalera Conspiracy: Max & Igor Reunite

They Unleash The Beast -- First Album Together In 10 Years

INFLIKTED Due Out March 25th, 2008 On Roadrunner Records

NEW YORK CITY -- The sun shines in Metal as the two most influential
brothers reunite after 10 years of silence. Max and Igor Cavalera have
formed the Cavalera Conspiracy and will release their first album
INFLIKTED to the world March 25th, 2008 on Roadrunner Records.
"Cavalera Conspiracy is about a sense of being unleashed," says
vocalist/guitarist Max Cavalera. "You bottle a monster for 10 years
and then let it out. It's explosive, and we waited a long time for
this beast to be set free."

What all Sepultura fans have hoped and waited for finally happened on
August 17th, 2006 in Tempe, Arizona. Max and Igor, the Cavalera
brothers, finally reunited. Soulfly played a show in memory of Dana
Wells (D-Low), the stepson of Max and son of Gloria Cavalera, whose
death changed the life of the family forever. However, this brought
back the force of friendship and family when Igor Cavalera stepped on
stage, almost in secret. He joined the band in the drum jam and in
continuation he took a seat behind the drums. With the first sounds of
"Attitude" the crowd realized who was keeping time behind Max and the
band. They went wild. "Once we hit the first note, it felt like a bomb
had dropped on stage," exclaims Igor. "From that moment on, I knew we
needed to do something together musically."

This amazingly phenomenal show will go down in every heavy metal
encyclopedia as the historic moment when the brothers Cavalera joined
forces again. "There was over 10 years of not seeing or talking to
each other at all, which is a long ass time," explains Max. That's
what made it more special when it did finally happen."

Cavalera Conspiracy consists of Max Cavalera (vocals, rhythm guitar),
Igor Cavalera (drums, percussion), Marc Rizzo (lead & rhythm guitars),
and Joe Duplantier (bass). INFLIKTED is the long-awaited moment
providing Metal a new era with the Cavalera Brothers. In the veins of
Sepultura with a twist, the band turns back to heavier and darker
material giving their fans exactly what they have been waiting for.
Max's vocals explodes onto the 11 tracks of INFLIKTED joined with the
pounding of Igor's drum beats, Marc Rizzo's shred slicing guitar and
Joe Duplantier's thumping bass lines. "When I listen to the album, it
sounds old school, but new in its own way," explains Igor. "It's a mix
of both worlds."

Recording took place this past July at Undercity Studios in Los
Angeles, with Logan Mader (former Machine Head guitarist) and Lucas
Banker of the Dirty Icon production team. Rex Brown (Pantera, Down)
cameos on bass on "Ultra-Violent," and "Black Ark" features a
collaboration with Max, Joe and Richie Cavalera (Incite) all on
vocals.

Tours dates for the Cavalera Conspiracy to be announced in spring.
INFLIKTED is currently scheduled for release via Roadrunner Records
internationally on March 24th and in North America on March 25th.

The track list for the album is as follows:

Inflikted
Sanctuary
Terrorize
Black Ark
Ultra-Violent
Hex
The Doom Of All Fires
Bloodbrawl
Hearts Of Darkness
Nevertrust
Must Kill

http://www.cavaleraconspiracy.com/
http://www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #18 ***
*
-Sourvein On Tour, New EP And Tour With Ganon And Zoroaster

Sourvein are serious, down-tuned sludge/doom with the Southern flavor
of bands like Down and Eyehategod. Following their releases on Game
Two and Southern Lord, the band's This Dark Reign debut EP EMERALD
VULTURE was an ugly 17 minutes of slow, hateful, grinding darkness,
full of thick guitars and malicious vocals. GHETTO ANGEL, the band's
second EP in a series of three for TDR, charges forth with the band's
signature style of buzzsaw guitars and droning bass with the tempered
pace of a sloth, but the songwriting has found a groove not heard on
previous recordings. Let's face it, this band has had bad luck on top
of bad luck with labels failing on them, natural catastrophes, drug
habits taking toll, loved ones lost and everything between, but still
they kept their eye on the ball. And we're all the benefactors as they
turn it all into a gut-wrenching mix of swamp metal and doom.

With GHETTO ANGEL set for release February 12th, the band are
currently plowing over towns on tour with Zoroaster. After finishing
off the South/Southwest and hitting the West Coast they'll swing and
head back East, meeting up with Ganon mid-month for the Metal Maniacs
sponsored tour that takes them through the Northeast. Plans for a new
European tour are in the works for the coming months, and they band is
set to burn down Roadburn Fest this year as well.

SOURVEIN and ZOROASTER on tour now:
02/05/2008 Emo's - Austin TX
02/06/2008 Whiskey Dix - Lubbock TX
02/07/2008 Zeppelin's - El Paso TX
02/08/2008 Hollywood Alley - Mesa AZ
02/09/2008 The Jumping Turtle - San Marcos CA
02/10/2008 Knitting Factory - Los Angeles CA
02/11/2008 The Stork Club - Oakland CA
02/12/2008 Annie's Social Club - San Francisco CA
02/13/2008 Ash Street Saloon - Portland OR
02/14/2008 Funhouse Seattle - Seattle WA
02/15/2008 The Palace - Missoula MT
02/16/2008 Kingdom of Doom - Denver CO
02/17/2008 Vaudeville Mews - Des Moines IA
02/18/2008 Big V's - St. Paul MN

SOURVEIN, GANON, ZOROASTER:
02/19/2008 Vnuks - Cudahy WI
02/20/2008 Reggie's Live - Chicago IL
02/21/2008 The Belmont - Hamtramck MI
02/22/2008 31st St. Pub - Pittsburgh PA
02/23/2008 Ravari Room - Columbus OH
02/24/2008 Knitting Factory - New York NY
02/25/2008 The Red & Black - Washington DC
02/26/2008 Khyber - Philadelphia PA
02/27/2008 The Sterling Hotel - Allentown PA

http://www.myspace.com/sourvein13
http://www.thisdarkreign.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thisdarkreign

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #19 ***
*
-Firestorm Fest / Earth Crisis Reunion Tour Officially Announced!

Motive Clothing Company, in association with Mediaskare and Sumerian
Records have put together the inaugural Firestorm Fest Tour featuring
the reunion of Earth Crisis, one of the most influential hardcore
bands of all time, alongside Terror, Sworn Enemy, Shai Hulud, Down To
Nothing, and Recon.

Earth Crisis guitarist Scott Crouse had this to say:

"We are extremely excited to get Earth Crisis back out on the road,
and we couldn't ask for a better package for this tour. We are hoping
to bring the vibe of the mid '90s hardcore scene to these shows by
having a diverse lineup of bands, and also vendors with information
supporting ethical and political causes we've always supported. The
goal is to create a place where people can go to positively vent their
frustration and anger."

Baron Bodnar of Mediaskare and Ash Avildsen of Sumerian Records
collectively had this to say:

"The members of Earth Crisis are some of the most genuine and
passionate people we have ever worked with not only in the hardcore/
metal scene, but in the music business as a whole. We are honored to
be working so closely with such an incredible and influential group of
guys who still truly care about the music they play along with their
fans as well. We hope everyone who has been touched by hardcore music
at some point in their life as well as those who still live and
breathe it as a lifestyle will come out and celebrate the timeless
movement with this amazing lineup of bands."

More information can be found at http://www.myspace.com/firestormfest
along with ticket links to each show.

2/29 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
3/01 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
3/02 - Pittsburgh, PA - The School
3/03 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
3/04 - Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium
3/05 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground
3/06 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theatre
3/07 - Logan, UT - Club NVO
3/08 - Boise, ID - The Venue
3/09 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
3/10 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
3/11 - Petaluma, CA - Phoenix Theatre
3/12 - Los Angeles, CA - Knitting Factory
3/13 - Long Beach, CA - The Vault
3/14 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock
3/15 - El Paso, TX - Chic's
3/16 - San Antonio, TX - The White Rabbit
3/17 - New Orleans, LA - The High Ground
3/18 - Orlando, FL - Backbooth
3/19 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
3/20 - Richmond, VA - Alley Katz
3/21 - Allentown, PA - Crocodile Rock
3/22 - Cleveland, OH - Peabody's
3/23 - Albany, NY - Northern Lights

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #20 ***
*
-Dark Funeral Makes Top Metal Concert List In Bulgaria

TRENTON, N.J. -- The Swedish black metal masters have issued a
statement on the group's inclusion on Bulgaria's "Top Metal Concert"
chart:

"Last year we co-headlined the 'Thrash Til Death 2007' in Kavarna,
Bulgaria with Sepultura. It just came to our attention that the show
reached the third place on the annual Top Metal Concert chart in
Bulgaria. In first place came the Manowar gig, which also took place
Kavarna. Iron Maiden's show in Sofia came second.

"This was the first time we played Bulgaria, and it was a pleasure
indeed. We are already looking forward to coming back, but that won't
unfortunately be until we have a new album out, but when we do, be
sure that we will be back!

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank Vesko and the local
crew for their professionalism. And of course each and every one of
you who came out to the show and made it to a night to remember. Hail
METAL! See you next time!"

Fan shot video of the show can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGwxNj8tUSM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrXvN5DgtD0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3yrxKCT0-E

Dark Funeral
http://www.thrashtildeath.irontrees.com/
http://www.thrashtildeath.org/

Three re-mastered releases from the Dark Funeral catalog -- THE
SECRETS OF THE BLACK ARTS, VOBISCUM SATANAS, and DIABOLIS INTERIUM --
were reissued with bonus material last summer by Regain Records.

The reissues were followed by the fall release of Dark Funeral's
first-ever DVD set, ATTERA ORBIS TERRARUM - PART 1, also through
Regain Records. The two-disc set consists of three complete,
professionally-filmed live shows and rare bonus footage. The first
show was filmed with seven cameras on March 12, 2005 in Katowic,
Poland. The second was filmed the following March in Tilburg, The
Netherlands with four cameras. The second disc starts off with a
camera-shot show from March 2006 in Paris, followed by the video clip
for "Atrum Regina" and previously unreleased amateur footage that
chronicles Dark Funeral's entire career, including the very first, and
now legendary, show in Oslo, Norway on May 4, 1994. The total combined
running time for the two discs is nearly four hours.

http://www.darkfuneral.se/
http://www.myspace.com/darkfuneral
http://www.regainrecords.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #21 ***
*
-The Secret: The Italian Battalion Set To Unleash DISINTOXICATION

Eastern Italy has never been know as a hotbed for things that are ugly
or brutal, but the unassuming Eastern city of Trieste has unleashed
one of the most fierce and destructive forces from the country's music
scene in the form of The Secret. After wowing many with their 2004
debut LUCE, the band, now slimmed down to a quartet after some
personnel changes, are back in a big way, literally blowing the roof
off their debut with an album that is heavier, more frantic and rawer
than anything else they've ever done. Their upcoming album
DISINTOXICATION -- their second release for Goodfellow Records, due
out February 26th -- is a punishing slab of metallic, murderous
riffing and relentless powerhouse breakdowns.

Two new tracks from DISINTOXICATION are available at the band's
MySpace now. Instead of recording at home in Italy, this time around
the band left their native country for the desolate, rural
surroundings of Umea, Sweden to work with famed producer Magnus
Lindberg at Tonteknik Recording. "Disintoxication" means leaving
behind your bad situations and bad influences which slowly start
destroying your life. Many of the lyrics are about loneliness and
isolation; others are just a middle finger in the face of comfortable
regular life. It's all about the struggle you face when you have to
take distance from someone or something you love but you know you
can't go on with, like a rehab. It's about sleepless nights and
desperation as well as spitting in the face of the world.

The band has random shows and tours scheduled now through the summer
strewn about Europe, with an upcoming North American tour in the
scheming stages now.

http://www.myspace.com/thesecret
http://www.goodfellowrecords.com/
http://www.myspace.com/goodfellowrecords

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #22 ***
*
-Om: East Coast Shows Canceled, Major Band Announcements

A statement from Om:

"Om is continuing forward with a new drummer and working on a new
recording. Please check the band's Web site and MySpace page for
updates.

"A live vinyl-only LP, Om - LIVE AT JERUSALEM, will be forthcoming.
This is Chris Hakius' final release with the group.

"I personally apologize to east coast fans who planned on coming out
to the shows. Please know that Om will be back in your area later in
'08.

"Thank you to all of you. Live dates resume in late spring. There is a
LOT of new material on its way. Shrinebuilder is also forging ahead.

"See you all soon." - Al/Om

http://www.omvibratory.com/
http://www.myspace.com/variationsontheme
http://www.southernlord.com/
http://www.myspace.com/southernlordrecordings

*
*** NEWS/RUMORS ***
*
-Blaze Bayley will have a new album out in May. Check out an interview
with Wolf Bayley (no relation) from last December at
http://www.planetblaze.com/mp3/blazeinterview3.mp3 , and stay tuned to
Bruce Dickinson's rock show on February 15, when the two Maiden
vocalists will chat:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/bruce_dickinson/ . See
http://www.planetblaze.com/ for more.

-Dead End Kidz vocalist John Erigo was recently interviewed by
Snakepit magazine about his involvement with "the '80s underground
fanzine/magazine" known as Kick Ass Monthly, a.k.a. KAM, that he
worked on with the late metal journalist Bob Muldowney. Stay tuned to
http://www.myspace.com/dekmusic for more on the interview, and for
more on KAM see http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?
fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=53412176&MyToken=857d3b94-d346-
444e-b778-3e5a28691651
.

-Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC_fLUvm16A if you want to
see "an Asian philharmonic" performing Deep Purple's "Smoke On The
Water."

-Check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/8894484@N06/ for photos of
Dendura (mentioned in "Press Releases" above.) See
http://www.myspace.com/denduraband for more.

-Doctor Butcher's site http://www.doctorbutcher.com/ is up, and
autographed copies of the two-disc reissue CD digi-pak version of the
band's 1994 self-titled debut are now on sale there. See
http://www.myspace.com/doctorbutcher for more. Also check out both
http://www.myspace.com/chriscaffery and http://www.chriscaffery.com/
for more on Chris Caffery, and both http://www.myspace.com/jonoliva
and http://www.jonoliva.net/ for more on Jon Oliva. In related news,
Jon Oliva's Pain will release GLOBAL WARNING through AFM Records in
March.

-Century Media Records will release Firewind's THE PREMONITION in
March. Track list: "Into The Fire," "Head Up High," "Mercenary Man,"
"Angels Forgive Me," "Remembered," "My Loneliness," "Circle Of Life,"
"The Silent Code," "Maniac" (Michael Sembello cover, from
"Flashdance"), "Life Foreclosed." "Mercenary Man" is now being
streamed at http://www.myspace.com/firewind . See
http://www.firewind.gr/ for more.

-Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley's mother, Esther, passed away
February 6. See http://www.spaceaceonline.com/ for more.

-Loudness will release METAL MAD February 20 through Tokuma
Communications in Japan. Track list: "Fire Of Spirit," "Metal Mad,"
"High Flyer," "Spellbound#9," "Crimson Paradox," "Black And White,"
"Whatsoever," "Call Of The Reaper," "Can"t Find My Way," "Gravity,"
"Transformation." Check out samples of "Fire Of Spirit," "Can't Find
My Way," and the title track at http://loudness.jp/ .

-Check out http://www.bravewords.com/news/82554 for links to text and
audio interviews with Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, where he talks about
new guitarist Chris Broderick and this year's Gigantour with In
Flames, Children Of Bodom, Job For A Cowboy, and High On Fire.

-Raven will tentatively release WALK THROUGH FIRE this spring. Check
out the new song "Breaking You Down" at
http://www.ravenlunatics.com/?page_id=33 . (There is also a demo
medley available at that location.) Other tracks set for inclusion on
the album are "Long Day's Journey," "Bulldozer," and "Walk Through
Fire." Upcoming live dates:

4/26 - L'Amours, Staten Island, NY
7/20 - Old Pine Inn (a.k.a. The Country Pines), Endicott, NY (TMT
Metal Fest 2008)

-Thunderstone announced Rick Altzi (At Vance) has replaced former
vocalist Pasi Rantanen. Check out Altzi with the band on a new song
posted at http://www.myspace.com/thunderstoneband .

-Tour rumor for '08: Cinderella, Warrant (with Jani Lane), and Dokken
will be on the road this summer, and possibly stopping at Rocklahoma
in July.

-WWIII front man Mandy Lion announced he will revive his "afternoon
chat" with fans, but with a twist: It will now take place on/in the
online world of Second Life. See http://www.myspace.com/wwiiimandylion
for more.

Thanks to Lee Runchey, Jeff "Pastor" Adee, and nycjoe &
HeadbangerNYC.com for help gathering some of this information.

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

-So lately I've been devouring Martin Popoff's *excellent* Judas
Priest bio, "Judas Priest: Heavy Metal Painkillers -- An Illustrated
History" (ECW Press). In a word: awesome. It goes into detail with
interviews and recollections on every one of the band's albums,
including the stuff from Fight, Two, Halford, and Glenn Tipton solo.
While reading the section on Fight I realized I might've goofed in my
recent review of the WAR OF WORDS - THE FILM DVD. In my review I
mentioned how guitarist Mark Chaussee wears this incredibly stupid
"Cat In The Hat" style hat in the "Immortal Sin" video. Popoff's book,
however, reminded me that it was actually Robby Lochner -- not
Chaussee -- who originally replaced Russ Parrish in Fight. So is it
Lochner or Chaussee in that video? I did a little Googling and
although I couldn't find a definitive answer, it sure does seem like
it's Mr. Lochner in the video. So, if that's true, sorry Mark. :) (For
more on Popoff's book, see http://www.martinpopoff.com/ .)

-Have you all seen those commercials for Fox's "Terminator: The Sarah
Conner Chronicles" show that use Danzig's "Mother" as background
music? That's awesome.

-Now in my current playlist: Iron Maiden - LIVE AFTER DEATH (DVD)
(Columbia Music Video/Sony BMG), Ayreon - 01011001 (InsideOut Music),
Dream Theater - SYSTEMATIC CHAOS (Roadrunner Records), Various -
HOLLYWOOD HAIRSPRAY VOL. 7 (Perris Records), Ignitor - ROAD OF BONES
(Cruz Del Sur Music).

*
*** REVIEWS ***
*
CATASTROPHIC – PATHOLOGY OF MURDER (C) Napalm Records, 2008
11 tracks, RT: 37:47
[ http://www.myspace.com/catastrophic2001 ]
[ http://www.napalmrecords.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/napalmrecords ]
With all due respect to the members of Catastrophic and the nice folks
at Napalm Records, this CD got sent to the WRONG guy! I am not a death
metal fan at all, therefore I am pretty much unqualified to review
this disc. Just wanted to give you all fair warning, fellas. On with
it, then... Catastrophic once counted guitarist Trevor Peres of
Obituary among their ranks (he appeared on their debut release THE
CLEANSING, released via Metal Blade back in '01) but now that he's
rejoined the Obituary mothership, the rest of the band has soldiered
on without him, releasing an EP in 2005 and now their sophomore full
length, PATHOLOGY OF MURDER. If you're a fan of this particular style,
then you already know what you're going to get before you even crack
the shrink wrap on this CD. Nothin' screams "Death Metal" louder than
an album cover with butcher knives and severed heads on it, and
PATHOLOGY OF MURDER contains all of the usual death metal hallmarks --
high speed, twisted guitar riffage, guttural vocals, drums that sound
like a bunch of nuts and bolts clanging around in a blender, and
shiny-happy song titles like "Healthy Dose Of Hate," "Generation
Decimation," and "Apathy's Warm Embrace." I didn't receive a lyric
sheet with my advance copy, but obviously I don't need one to know
that these guys are not singing about sunshine and bunnies. It's not
the best death metal release I've ever heard, but it's not the worst
either, and those of you who know more about this genre than I do have
doubtlessly already decided whether or not to buy PATHOLOGY OF MURDER
without any help from a clueless, uninformed non-death-metaller such
as myself. All I can really say about this one is "Meh, it's OK if ya
like this sorta thing, I guess... Next disc please."
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

RESISTANCE - PATENTS OF CONTROL (B) Lion Music, 2007
11 tracks, RT: 50:53
[ http://www.resistancemetal.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/resistancemetal ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/cd/patentsofcontrol.htm ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/lionmusiclabel ]
This is one of those CDs that took a couple of spins before it really
started to sink in, but I was glad when it finally did. Resistance
hails from Los Angeles and on PATENTS OF CONTROL (their second album),
they have taken the concept album route, crafting a story about "one
man's obsession to provide humanity with the ideal society," as well
as "thought and behavior control through the use of devices that have
actual United States Patents" and "the idea of world illuminati... to
create a new world order." Whew, sounds complicated, huh?
Unfortunately, the promotional copy I was sent didn't include a
booklet or lyric sheet so I have no idea if any of that stuff (which I
quoted from the bio) makes any sense when laid out in musical form...
all I have to go on are the tunes themselves, and fortunately for
Resistance, they're quite good. PATENTS OF CONTROL is some intense yet
melodic thrash that brings comparisons to JUSTICE-era Metallica and
SOMETHING WICKED-era Iced Earth, with a twist of Nevermore's technical
wizardry for good measure. (They're not quite as bizarre as Nevermore
can occasionally be, but the similarity is definitely there.) The
album kicks off quite nicely with the pounding "Inhumanation," during
which vocalist Robbie Hett bears a slight resemblance to Skid Row's
Sebastian Bach. (!!) "Ashes of Tomorrow" is another highlight,
featuring a catchy chorus (which is something a lot of newer thrash
bands forget to provide in their music!), then Hett gets some gruffer
vocal assistance from Dreams of Damnation's gravel voiced hellion,
Loana D.P. Valencia, on the track "Paternal Shift" (which also
features a guest solo from D.O.D./former Dark Angel axeman Jim
Durkin). As previously mentioned, I can't really follow the concept of
PATENTS OF CONTROL without a CD booklet, but several of the tracks
begin or end with the sounds of news broadcasts or weird sound effects
(very MINDCRIME-ish!) that I assume must help move the story along.
But even without getting the whole picture, PATENTS OF CONTROL comes
across as a damn fine piece of dark sci-fi oriented thrash that will
continue to see repeated spins in my CD player.
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

ROCKARMA - BRING IT! (B) Kivel Records, 2008
12 tracks, RT: 41:49
[ http://www.rockarma.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/rockarma ]
[ http://www.kivelrecords.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/kivelrecords ]
Sitting down to review this disc caused me to battle some personal
demons at first. I know one of the band members personally (guitarist
Pete Fry, a fellow Jersey boy and a good friend from the "Heavy
Harmonies" message board), so I had a lot of thinking to do before I
even pressed "play" on BRING IT!... if I gave the album a rave review,
would people then accuse me of kissing the band's ass because of my
ever-so-slight personal connection to them? Even worse, if I hated the
disc, would Pete come to my house (he only lives about an hour and a
half away from me) and kick my ass? Betcha you didn't know that
amateur music critics like me ever had these kind of troubles, huh?
Finally I simply asked myself, "would I like this disc even if I
didn't know Pete played on it?" and the answer came back a resounding
YES. For the uninitiated, Rockarma is a Canadian melodic rock band
(Pete is a new recruit) that continues in the tradition of '80s
arena-rock forefathers like FireHouse, Dokken, Stryper, Winger,
Cinderella, Slaughter, et cetera, et cetera (the list could go on and
on). As a result, BRING IT! (their second album) sounds like it fell
out of a time capsule straight from 1988. You won't find any "modern
rock" influences on BRING IT!, and that's just fine by me, brother!
The band is tight, vocalist Damon Kelly sounds like a combination of
C.J. Snare (FireHouse) and Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), and the songs
are straight-up catchy, pop-edged hard rock anthems -- the kind of
stuff we all grooved to on the radio back in the day. My favorite
tracks were "Get Me Outta This Hole" (the guitar work in this one is
pure George Lynch), "Let's Go" (a crunchy track with a swaggering
groove similar to JetBoy's "Feel The Shake") and the tender "Missing
You" (which isn't a cover of the John Waite AOR classic, by the way,
even though that would've been pretty cool... it's actually closer to
Stryper's "Always There For You"), but truthfully, nearly all of these
songs had me humming along after only a couple of spins. BRING IT! is
simply a fun listen all the way through and it provided a much needed,
very pleasant break from all the B-list metalcore, thrash and hardcore
CDs I've been reviewing around here lately. BRING IT comes highly
recommended to everyone who misses the commercial hard rock sound of
the late '80s golden era, and I know there are lots of you out there.
Do yourself (and my friend Pete) a favor and buy several copies! :)
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

WOLFPACK UNLEASHED - ANTHEMS OF RESISTANCE (C) Napalm Records, 2007
10 tracks, RT: 46:49
[ http://www.wolfpackunleashed.com/ ]
[ http://www.napalmrecords.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/napalmrecords ]
I give guitarist Wops Koch of Austria's Wolfpack Unleashed credit for
his honesty. In the bio sheet that accompanies ANTHEMS OF RESISTANCE,
he is quoted as saying his band "realized quickly that all classic
Thrash riffs had already been written," so at least he doesn't think
he's re-inventing the metal genre on his band's debut album. He then
goes on to say "...so we used minor chords and melodies to create a
unique sound," but I suppose "unique" would be in the ear of the
beholder. I found ANTHEMS OF RESISTANCE to be a pretty cool old school
thrash album, but not a mind-blowing release by any stretch of the
imagination. The obvious influence here is the glorious Bay Area
Thrash of old, i.e. early Metallica, Testament, Megadeth, etc... in
fact, if James Hetfield (in his younger days) had joined 'Deth and
recorded RUST IN PEACE with them, it might have sounded something like
this. (Gunther Wirth does have a slight vocal similarity to Hetfield,
though his occasional growls -- which lean a little too much towards
Machine Head territory for me -- are entirely his own.) The real stars
of Wolfpack Unleashed are the guitar team of Koch and Karl Preininger,
as well as human drum machine Daniel Haberl, who lay down a bed of
seriously shredding, sledgehammer riffs and drum abuse beneath Wirth's
vocals. "Retro-Thrash" seems to be the flavor of the day right now
with bands like Municipal Waste, Evile, SSS, Skeletonwitch, and many
others picking up the spiked wristbands where 1989 left off, and
though I'm not totally sold on the style as of yet, I'd say Wolfpack
Unleashed are a worthy entrant into the category. Since they're still
a very young band (they only formed in 2005), I'd be interested in
hearing them again in another album or two to see how they've
progressed. As it stands, ANTHEMS OF RESISTANCE is a decent enough
listen but not a must have unless you're a thrash completist.
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

*
*** OUT ***
*