Detritus
Issue #481
Week of December 1, 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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-Hey, wow, it got cold all of a sudden. I know it's December and all,
but still. - Tim

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*** PRESS RELEASE #1 ***
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-Magic Circle Music Update

MAGIC CIRCLE FESTIVAL VOLUME 2 DVD, "An epic and proud masterpiece"

Reviews for the MAGIC CIRCLE FESTIVAL VOLUME 2 DVD are pouring in!
Here are some examples of what the press has to say about it:

"An epic and proud masterpiece for a band who believes in a faith
called heavy metal."
ROCK HARD ITALY - Andrea Raffaldini

"Joey DeMaio himself delivers thousands of good stories, enough to
satisfy every Manowar Maniac fan in the world."
METAL HAMMER - Angelo Mora

"An outstanding product and a living memory of an extremely successful
festival. This DVD is not only for Manowar fanatics; it offers much
more in terms of hi-level music and excellent visuals. Well done,
again!"
METAL MANIAC - Sandro Buti

Fan reactions to the DVD have been equally stellar! The Magic Circle
Festival Vol. 2 Limited 2-Disc Steelbook® Edition is now available for
sale at your local stores in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and
Spain (more to follow shortly!) as well as online at The Kingdom Of
Steel.

For a preview, make sure to watch the official trailer HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch--Q-v--E-_LfUV-NnVPA--A-fmt--E-18

Click HERE to buy:
http://store.magiccirclemusic.com/product/925/Magic-Circle-Music-DVD-
Limited-Edition-Magic-Circle-Festival-Volume-2

Limited-edition Manowar holiday ornaments now available!

Manowar ornaments are about to put a touch of heavy metal into your
holiday tree!

While stocks last, The Kingdom Of Steel Online Store is exclusively
offering official Manowar Holiday Ornaments.

These glass ornaments feature the Manowar logo on one side and "2008"
on the opposite side. They are glossy black, measure 3 1/4" in
diameter and are individually packaged in custom presentation boxes.

Only 100 ornaments were produced this year, making this an even more
special gift to any Manowar fan, including yourself!

Click HERE to buy:
http://store.magiccirclemusic.com/category/96/Special

If you'd like to make this gift even more special, you can order one
of the 10 premium ornaments which will come autographed and
personalized by the band with a special message to you (or to your
loved one)!

Click HERE to buy the premium ornament:
http://store.magiccirclemusic.com/category/96/Special

Also available at the Kingdom Of Steel Online Store:

Impaler Signature Karl Logan Guitar
MAGIC CIRCLE FESTIVAL VOLUME 2 DVD
Manowar - GODS OF WAR LIVE CD
HolyHell - APOCALYPSE EP
Manowar - Gods Of War Poster

Kingdom Of Steel Online Store
http://store.magiccirclemusic.com/

Official Manowar Web site
http://www.manowar.com/

Magic Circle Music
http://www.magiccirclemusic.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #2 ***
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-HammerFall Completes "Any Means Necessary" Video Shoot

[Note: This is an edited version of an announcement from Nuclear
Blast. - Tim]

Swedish melodic metallers HammerFall have just finished filming a
video for the song "Any Means Necessary" in Belgrade, Serbia.

"For the second time we went to Belgrade, Serbia, to shoot a video for
a first single," explains singer Joacim Cans. "Together with video
company i-Code team and director Ivan Colic we created some magic
already for the 'Natural High' clip and thought it would be a wise
idea to use the same people once again. Why change a winning
concept?!"

On the video's theme, Joacim offers this insightful explanation: "This
time we worked solely in front of a green screen, standing on a dirt
covered floor which really gave our eyes some major problems every
time the fan was turned on. It is extremely boring working in front
of... nothing and trying to act like there's a lot of sh*t happening
around you. Especially since I had to pretend watching the re-building
of a city. The general idea is that the band is standing in some sort
of a ghost town and with a 'The morning after the great disaster'
feeling. Meanwhile, we are performing the song, trying to look cool,
things starts to run backwards and the city slowly builds up to what
it was before the explosion... and... BOOOM!!!... and we're back to
square one again. Get it? Well, I didn't!"

"Any Means Necessary" is the first single off the band's eighth full-
length album, NO SACRIFICE, NO VICTORY, due on February 20, 2009
(Europe) and TBA (North America) via Nuclear Blast Records.

The CD was recorded in part at Andy La Rocque's (King Diamond) Sonic
Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden and includes an instrumental written
by the group's latest addition, guitarist Pontus Norgren (The Poodles,
Talisman, Great King Rat), as well as a song entitled "One Of A Kind,"
which was composed as a collaboration between HammerFall guitarist
Oscar Dronjak and In Flames axe man Jesper Strömblad (who was a member
of HammerFall in the band's earliest incarnation). The cover artwork
was created by Sam Didier, while Thomas Ewerhard was responsible for
the CD layout.

NO SACRIFICE, NO VICTORY track list:

1. Any Means Necessary
2. Life Is Now
3. Punish And Enslave
4. Legion
5. Between Two Worlds
6. Hallowed Be My Name
7. Something For The Ages
8. No Sacrifice, No Victory
9. Bring The Hammer Down
10. One Of A Kind
11. My Sharona (The Knack cover)

http://www.hammerfall.net/
http://www.myspace.com/hammerfall

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*** PRESS RELEASE #3 ***
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-Iced Earth Announces "Child Of The Wicked" VIP Ticket Packages For
2009 European Tour

Iced Earth is offering a very limited number of fans the opportunity
to attend all shows on the blockbuster February-March 2009 European
tour as the band's guest VIPs.

Fans who purchase a "Child Of The Wicked" VIP package with
IcedEarth.com will receive the following:

- A Ticket to an Iced Earth Concert
- VIP meet and greet with Iced Earth
- Autographed item from Iced Earth
- Limited Edition Iced Earth T-Shirt
- VIP commemorative laminate

The VIP packages are very limited and available on a first-come/first-
serve basis via the Iced Earth Web site.

VIP ticket packages are currently on sale. The VIP package cost
includes the price the ticket for the co-headlining dates with Saxon.
Fans who purchase VIP packages will be able to pick up their tickets
at the will-call windows of the respective venues. The meet and greets
are scheduled to take place after both headliners have finished their
sets, and will be with Iced Earth only.

For more details, go to http://www.icedearth.com/ .

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*** PRESS RELEASE #4 ***
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-Blistering Records To Release Covered Call's Hard Rock Debut MONEY
NEVER SLEEPS This January; VooDoo Circle, Places Of Power Albums Also
Set For Release

Blistering Records is pleased to announce the world-wide signing of
Covered Call, the Swedish melodic hard rock band who want to reach out
and connect with rock fans when their North American debut MONEY NEVER
SLEEPS is released on January 27th, 2009 (end of March in Europe).

The band -- which features established members of the Swedish music
scene, including founding member/drummer Ronny Svanströmer and Thomas
Vikström (ex-Candlemass, Therion) -- recorded and mixed MONEY NEVER
SLEEPS at Studio Fredman by Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, HammerFall,
Dimmu Borgir) and Henrik Udd.

Covered Call are an essential band in these times of middle-of-the-
road rock and plastic pop bands, a band that currently may not be
playing stadium-size shows like the veteran rock acts of the '80s that
they drew inspiration from (Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Aerosmith and AC/DC),
but they play like they do, thanks in part to their attitude and the
melodic hooks used to reel fans in. And that says a lot!

Track listing for MONEY NEVER SLEEPS:

1. All Because Of Me
2. 'Til The End
3. Shine
4. Never Again
5. Anything You Want
6. I Wanna Be Free
7. Nothing At All
8. Money Never Sleeps
9. What About Us
10. Let's Make it Real

Lineup:
Ronny Svanströmer - Drums
Thomas Vikström - Lead Vocals
Joel Carlsson - Guitar, Vocals
Thomas Thulin - Bass
Morgan Rosenquist - Guitar

Covered Call on MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/coveredcall

Covered Call Official Home Page:
http://www.coveredcall.se/

In other news, Blistering Records are also ready to unleash two other
truly unique melodic hard rock releases on January 27th, 2009.

The two albums -- VooDoo Circle's ALEX BEYRODT'S VOODOO CIRCLE and
Places Of Power's NOW IS THE HOUR -- are different creatively, yet
joined by their masterful display of melodic hard rock and attitude.

VooDoo Circle is the brainchild of guitarist extraordinaire, Alex
Beyrodt. Alex is best know as the driving force behind the acclaimed
German melodic metal bands Slient Force and Sinner, as well as being
the touring guitarist of Primal Fear. Alex's incredible compositional
and instrumental skills have secured his place as a true guitar hero
and has earned him great respect among his fans and peers around the
world. Alex decided to step out and form VooDoo Circle to unlock the
chains of constraint that came with his previous bands, and so that he
could pay respect and homage to his two great influences: Deep Purple
and Rainbow. Behind Alex's ominous presence, VooDoo Circle also
features band members David Readman (Pink Cream 69), Mat Sinner
(Sinner, Primal Fear) and Mel Gaynor (Gary Moore, Brian May). It also
features guest appearances by Doogie White (Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen)
and Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne, Dio, Whitesnake).

Though the name Places Of Power may be new to most people, the
individual musical accomplishments of its two founding members are
highly respected indeed. Bruce Turgon and Philip Bardowell both
possess musical pedigrees of the highest calibre, having worked with
the likes of such notables as Foreigner, Lou Gramm and Peter Criss
(Kiss). NOW IS THE HOUR is a pairing of two superb artists who are no
strangers to quality hard rock music. It is a collaboration between
two like minds who share enthusiasm for, and dedication to their
craft. For the listener, it is a jewel of a record that features
stellar production and songwriting in a way that only seasoned
professionals can. Produced by Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Angra,
Krokus).

For more information and updates on the bands, please check the
following Web sites:

http://www.blisteringrecords.se/
http://shop.blisteringrecords.se/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #5 ***
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-Grave Digger: "Pray" EP Now Available & Widget Online

To celebrate the release of the "Pray" EP that includes three non-
album tracks, Grave Digger presents its fans with a special widget.

The Grave Digger widget offers snippets of the new songs, videos, a
picture gallery and a blog with all the latest news, as well as
details regarding upcoming release parties, live dates and much more.
In other words, everything a metal heart desires!

As a special bonus, an exclusive sweepstakes offers users the chance
to win unique band memorabilia. The grand prize consists of a Meet &
Greet that allows the winner (plus a friend) to join the band on tour
for a day.

You too can update your Web site or MySpace page with the Grave Digger
widget -- one click is all it takes! Now nothing will stand in the way
of a general heavy metal overhaul of your Internet presence. Just
click on the link to enter the realm of the Reaper!

http://www.spv.de/gravedigger/widget

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*** PRESS RELEASE #6 ***
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-Lizzy Borden Update

More Lizzy Borden European Tour Dates Announced

After a successful Live Nation tour with Finish Monster rockers Lordi,
Lizzy Borden has announced additional headlining European Tour Dates.

Dec 6, 2008 Essen, Germany Turock
Dec 7, 2008 Uelsen, Germany UJC
Dec 8, 2008 Gent, Belguim The Frontline
Dec 9, 2008 Frankfurt, Germany Die halle
Dec 10, 2008 Glogow, Poland Mayday
Dec 12, 2008 Zaragoza, Spain Sala Devizio
Dec 13, 2008 Palencia, Spain Fronton Eras de Santa Marina
Dec 15, 2008 Athens, Greece Texas Club (just added)
Dec 17, 2008 Sala, Sweden Rockland
Dec 18, 2008 Copenhagen, Denmark The Rock
Dec 19, 2008 Gothenburg, Sweden Sticky Fingers
Dec 20, 2008 Lubeck, Germany Treibsand
Dec 21, 2008 Hengelo, Netherlands Metropool (new date)
Dec 31, 2008 Istanbul, Turkey Hakan Dinc: Sound of World Istanbul
Yedikule Zindanlari
April 24, 2009 Lauda-Konigshofen, Germany Keep It True XII festival

"Tomorrow Never Comes" Video Is Up For Best Video Of The Year On MTV2

Vote Now for "Headbanger's Ball's" Best of 2008. "Tomorrow Never
Comes" is up for best video of the year on "Headbanger's Ball." Make
sure you vote for Lizzy Borden, do posts/bulletins and tell your
friends as well.. You can vote as many times as you want and we want
you to!!

Click on the link below (then click on vote on the top);
http://www.mtv2.com/#series/10952

http://www.lizzyborden.com/
http://www.myspace.com/lizzybordenband

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*** PRESS RELEASE #7 ***
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-Rock Gone Wild Proudly Welcomes Saliva, Tantric And Tigertailz To
Lineup

ALGONA, IOWA -- America's most diverse hard rock festival just keeps
getting better. That's because national recording artists Saliva and
Tantric have joined the already impressive Rock Gone Wild lineup.
Classic Glam rockers Tigertailz will also bring their unique presence
to the festival. Rock Gone Wild is slated for August 20-23, 2009 in
Algona, Iowa. Tickets are available now by visiting
http://www.rockgonewild.com/ .

Mainstream rock stars Saliva are no strangers to the Billboard charts.
As the band prepares to release their new album CINCO DIABLO on Island
later this month, Saliva will look to repeat past album success. Five
albums, platinum records and many sold-out shows later, Saliva
promises an in-your-face set on the main stage at Rock Gone Wild.
Saliva is Josey Scott, Wayne Swinny, Dave Novotny, Paul Crosby and
Jonathan Montoya.

Tantric rock harder with each passing year. Forming in 1999, the band
has released three albums, reaching the much-coveted platinum status.
Fans love the band's self-titled debut, featuring the hit single
"Breakdown." Around for about a decade, Tantric has evolved and now
embraces a heavier sound and invites an active pit at shows. The band
released THE END BEGINS earlier this year on their new label Silent
Majority. Tantric is Hugo Ferreira, Richie Monica, Joe Pessia, Erik
Leonhardt and Marcus Ratzenboeck.

Tigertailz bring an international flair to Rock Gone Wild. The Wales-
based band formed in the 1980s and instantly gained fans, thanks in
part to their image. Heavy make-up and wild hair became the calling
card of Tigertailz. It doesn't hurt that the band creates songs with
memorable hooks. Tigertailz has released eight albums, with BEZERK
spawning the band's signature tune "Love Bomb Baby." Tigertailz are
Kim Hooker, Jay Pepper and Matt Blakout.

Thousands are expected to attend the inaugural Rock Gone Wild
festival, bringing significant revenue to the state of Iowa. Bands
already announced for Rock Gone Wild include Puddle Of Mudd, Skid Row,
Kix, Great White, Hardcore Superstar, Lizzy Borden, Dangerous Toys,
Helix, Saigon Kick, Rhino Bucket and Junkyard with many more to come!

Visit http://www.rockgonewild.com/ and
http://anatomyofafestival.wordpress.com/ each Tuesday for a new band
announcement.

Rock Gone Wild will take place at the Freedom Park festival grounds,
located at 2507- 160th Avenue in Algona, Iowa.

If you build it, they will rock.

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*** PRESS RELEASE #8 ***
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-MTV2 To Host Debut For Testament's "More Than Meets The Eye" Video

Featuring Chuck Billy on vocals, Eric Peterson & Alex Skolnick on
guitars, Greg Christian on bass, and Paul Bostaph on drums,
Testament's video for "More Than Meets The Eye," a song off their
Billboard-charting new album, THE FORMATION OF DAMNATION, will debut
online at MTV2's Headbanger's Blog this Friday, December 5th and on-
air this Saturday, December 6th between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on MTV2's
"Headbanger's Ball."

Produced by Kevin J. Custer of Toaster In The Tub, "More Than Meets
The Eye" adds to Testament's scorching scene-returning campaign that
has included the following highlights:

- participation on the North American Metal Masters summer tour with
Judas Priest, Heaven & Hell, and Motorhead
- being showcased on MTV's "52/52 Artist Of The Week"
- debuting at no. 59 on the Billboard Top 200 chart for selling over
11,500 copies of THE FORMATION OF DAMNATION the first week of release
- clinching the #1 slot on the FMQB and CMJ radio charts for several
consecutive weeks
- winning Metal Hammer's Golden Gods Award for "Best Album of 2008"

Once December 5th hits, make sure you visit the Headbanger's Blog Web
site ( http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/ ) for the online debut for
"More Than Meets The Eye," which will feature behind-the-scenes
write-ups by Chuck Billy, Eric Peterson, and Kevin J. Custer!

http://www.testamentlegions.com/
http://www.myspace.com/testamentlegions

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*** PRESS RELEASE #9 ***
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-Vision Divine Signs To Frontiers Records

[Note: This is from http://www.frontiers.it/ . - Steve.]

Frontiers Records is excited to announce the signing for a multi-album
deal of the mighty Vision Divine, Italy's Melodic Metal Finest. The
new cooperation will bring the first fruits with the release of the
band's brand new studio album 9 DEGREES WEST OF THE MOON on January
23rd, 2009.

Born as a side project of the esteemed guitarist and songwriter of
Labyrinth, Olaf Thorsen, to keep his working relationship with Fabio
Lione (former Labyrinth vocalist who had moved on to Rhapsody) Vision
Divine evolved during the years in a real band who released five
acclaimed studio albums, one DVD and toured several times in Japan,
South and North America and played in several European countries.

The new album is particularly important in the history of the band as
it marks the return of Fabio Lione on lead vocals, after Thorsen's
decision to say goodbye to Michele Luppi in June 2008. "Fabio's return
is like going back to square one for us," comments the band's creative
mastermind Olaf. "However Vision Divine is a band that did always move
forward and I think that with his voice and interpretation he has
enriched the songs and gave them a very peculiar and personal edge. I
am truly enthusiastic about his return to the band and look forward to
bring this record out there with his amazing vocal abilities." Vision
Divine's lineup is completed by Alessio Lucatti on keyboards,
Cristiano Bertocchi (ex-Labyrinth) on bass, Federico Puleri on guitar
and Alessandro Bissa on drums.

Produced by none other than the former Stratovarius main man Timo
Tolkki, Vision Divine created what is easily their most mature and
intense record to date. Entitled 9 DEGREES WEST OF THE MOON, this is
Vision Divine's heaviest, but yet most melodic and catchy album ever,
showing why they are now the number 1 band in the Italian Metal scene.
"Melodies are the most important element of our music. However our
songwriting is very diverse," explains Olaf, who adds "all the songs
have very different atmospheres and can go from melodic songs like
'Violet Loneliness' to very aggressive and heavy ones. I think there
is something for everyone on this record."

Vision Divine is also working hard on putting up a new World Tour
which will bring the band to play again in Asia, South America and
possibly Europe outside their homeland Italy. 9 DEGREES WEST OF THE
MOON is a fantastic journey that fans will consider as the true Vision
Divine career defining statement!

The album's final track listing includes:

Letter To My Child Never Born
Violet Loneliness
Fading Shadow
Angels In Disguise
The Killing Speed Of Time
The Streets Of Laudomia
Fly
Out In Open Space
9 Degrees West Of The Moon
A Touch Of Evil
Fading Shadow [demo version, exclusive bonus track for Europe]

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*** PRESS RELEASE #10 ***
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-BloodBound Signs Worldwide Deal With Blistering Records

BloodBound, the Swedish melodic, heavy metal band featuring members
from Street Talk, Tad Morose, Morgana Lefay and Pyramaze, has signed a
worldwide deal with Blistering Records.

The band's third album TABULA ROSA will be released by Blistering
Records in early 2009.

The band has kept busy since its inception in 2004, having released
two previous albums NOSFERATU (2006) and BOOK OF THE DEAD (2007), and
played numerous shows across Europe with the likes of HammerFall, Arch
Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, Evergrey and Pretty Maids.

In regards to the band name, the term "bloodbound" originated during
the dark ages referring to an oath between men wherein they would cut
their own hands and clasp thereby mixing their blood. Each man then
carries the other's blood, linking the two, as blood brothers. A
bloodbound can never be broken and will follow you into the afterlife
and beyond.

For more information and updates on the band, please check the
following Web sites:

http://www.blisteringrecords.se/
http://www.myspace.com/bloodboundonline

BIO:
In the summer of 2004 the two long-time friends Tomas Olsson and
Fredrik Bergh decided to go back to their musical roots and start a
metal band, they formed BloodBound.

A demo was made and shipped off to a bunch of record labels around the
world in order to get a record deal. After a couple of weeks the
offers started to drop in and the band was overwhelmed by the great
response they had gotten. A record deal was signed with Metal Heaven
for the European territory and with Marquee/Avalon for the Asian
territory.

In 2005 they started the recordings of their debut album NOSFERATU
which was released in early 2006, and became a big success with top
reviews around the world. The album took them on tour playing gigs
with bands like Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, Evergrey, Pretty Maids
and Sabaton to name a few. The success of the album also gave them a
license deal with Rock Machine Records, Brazil and Mystic Empire,
Russia later that year.

During the 2006 tour they had some "in and out members" including
Kristian Andrén (Wuthering Heights, Memento Mori, Tad Morose), Johan
Sohlberg (The Storyteller), Jörgen Andersson (Baltimoore) and Markus
Albertson (Seven Sins). At the end of the tour Urban Breed decided to
leave the band to focus a 100% on his long planned solo project.

After a very turbulent and hectic year they really felt that they
needed some stability in the band and asked Tomas' younger brother
Henrik Olsson (guitar) and Johan Sohlberg (bass) to join the band as
permanent members. This was at the end of the summer of 2006. They
accepted and the band started to work on their second studio album
BOOK OF THE DEAD. The spot as BloodBound's new lead singer was not yet
filled and it took the band a while to find a worthy replacement.
After a lot of searching and auditioning the band finally decided to
go with German born Michael Bormann (Jaded Heart, Bonfire) who joined
the band in early January 2007. The album BOOK OF THE DEAD was
recorded during January and February 2007 and was released on May
25th, 2007. BOOK OF THE DEAD was a big success and the band even
charted in the official Swedish top 100 album chart at #66!

Shortly after the release of BOOK OF THE DEAD the band realized that
with Michael's busy schedule it would be impossible to do all the live
shows coming up. Urban Breed was asked to stand in and ended up doing
all the shows for the tour, and eventually got back with the band as a
permanent member!

The word of the band had by now started to spread big time and the new
album got them on tour with HammerFall on their "Nights Of Glory"
European tour and the HammerFall Ocean Crusade in 2007, which gave
them the opportunity to play for a bigger crowd. Joacim Cans, the
singer of HammerFall was deeply impressed with the band and stated in
magazine interviews that if HammerFall ever split up the band he
wanted to sing in the most were BloodBound! 2007 also led to playing
bigger festivals such as the Sweden Rock Festival. At the end of 2007
the band started to work on their third studio album. While working on
the third album the band played at several big festivals during the
summer of 2008, one of the highlights in the career of the band was
their gig at Masters Of Rock in Czech Republic in front of 20,000
crazy metal heads! At the end of 2008 the band signed a worldwide deal
with Blistering Records. The recordings of the third album TABULA ROSA
took place in several studios during November and December 2008. The
album will be released in the spring of 2009 via Blistering Records.

BloodBound are:
Urban Breed - vocals
Tomas Olsson - guitar
Henrik Olsson - guitar
Johan Sohlberg - bass
Pelle Åkerlind - drums
Fredrik Bergh - keyboards, backing vocals

Discography:
NOSFERATU (2006)
BOOK OF THE DEAD (2007)
TABULA ROSA (2009)

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*** PRESS RELEASE #11 ***
*
-Buckcherry Interview With Josh Todd Available Online

Rocknation caught up with Buckcherry front man Josh Todd on the Crue
Fest 2008 for this exclusive interview.

Rocknation: So I wanted to start right off by talking a little bit
about the new album. It's currently scheduled to drop in September.
You've posted a few songs from the album on Buckcherry's MySpace page
for fans to check out (which kind of run the range of party song, to
ballad, to rocker with "Too Drunk" (party song) "Don't go Away"
(lyrically, this one is pretty deep), and "Rescue Me"). Other than
those songs, can you tell us about a few of your favorite tracks on
the new album?

Josh: Probably my favorite track is "Imminent Bail Out," that's one of
them. I like a song called "All of Me," and I like the song called
"Cream."

Rocknation: Two of the songs on the new album were inspired by the
book "A Child Called 'It.'" It must have really left a mark on you to
inspire two songs?

Josh: Yeah, I really feel like that book found me. I was finished with
a book, and I was on vacation, and my fourteen year old daughter was
reading it for extra credit for her school, and she just finished it
and I asked "What's that book?" She told me about it, a brief
description, and I said I want to read it, and she handed it down to
me. It's about the third worse child abuse case in California's
history. It was written in the '70s about this kid who was abused by
his mother. Some of the abuse is so horrific, you couldn't read it,
you had to put it down. I had to put it down a few times because it
was just so crazy what this guy had to go through. But it was also
inspiring because he perseveres through all that mess. He wrote three
books actually and I read the second one as well. So, I just try to
get into the third person and write from his point of view for that
crime, and I think it turned out great.

Rocknation: I read in your bio that the band didn't want to become
"one speed" and I think even with the few songs that you've already
given fans a taste of the styles cover a broad range from party song,
to genuine rocker to balladesque type. Do you think the rest of the
album falls in line with that kind of diversity?

Josh: Oh yeah. I think it's our best record to date. I mean, it has a
lot of dynamics. It takes you on a journey from beginning to end. We
are proud of it. We wrote the longest on this writing cycle and it
really paid off. I just can't wait for the record to hit the streets.

Full interview available online at:

http://www.rocknation.us/
http://www.myspace.com/rocknationtv

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*** PRESS RELEASE #12 ***
*
-Sensory Update

Xystus is a Dutch progressive metal band formed in 1999 by drummer Ivo
Van Dijk and guitarist/vocalist Bas Dolmans. They enlisted bassist
Mark Brekelmans and second guitarist Bob Witsma. Through the course of
releasing two albums [2004's RECEIVING TOMORROW and 2006's SURREAL]
the band built up a buzz and fanbase in The Netherlands. The band
supported Kamelot and made numerous festival appearances. In December
2005, Xystus went on a European tour in support of Epica.

The band had even greater ambitions and in 2006 they contacted the
Utrechtsch Studenten Concert -- the oldest symphony orchestra in The
Netherlands. The resulting two-year collaboration resulted in the rock
opera "Equilibrio." Conceived as both an actual stage production and
studio recording, "Equilibrio" was performed to four sold out
audiences in July, 2008; over 4,000 people witnessed the opera.

Sensory is proud to release the studio recording of EQUILIBRIO, which
features key scenes from the opera. In addition to the 60 piece US
Concert orchestra and 30 member choir, Xystus enlisted vocal
performances from Simone Simons (Epica), George Osthoek (Orphanage,
Delain) and Dutch theater veterans Michelle Splietelhof and John
Vooijs.

http://www.xystus.nl/
http://www.myspace.com/xystusmusic
http://www.equilibriodvd.com/

Sensory is proud to announce the signing and forthcoming release of a
new rising star on the Greek progressive metal scene -- Persona Non
Grata. Their upcoming debut release is entitled SHADE IN THE LIGHT,
and will be released on February 24, 2008.

Greece has always had some of the most fervent metal fans in the
world. Although the main interest has been so called "true metal"
bands in the style of Manowar and Iron Maiden, progressive metal
started to take hold of the country in the '90s. Bands such as Dream
Theater and Fates Warning routinely perform in Athens and both have
released live CDs and DVDs from their Greek performances. Greek bands
such as Fragile Vastness and Sensory's own Wastefall have generated a
buzz worldwide and the scene continues to expand. Persona Non Grata
will surely continue this tradition of great progressive metal.

Persona Non Grata's formation began in 2003 when John Ioannidis
(keyboards) invited Chris Gatsos (guitars) to join his group Fatal
Error. It didn't take long for John and Chris to realize that they had
to move on to progressive metal music which was a mix of rock that
John loved to play and heavy metal that Chris grew up with. In order
to achieve this they had to change the band's lineup. During this
period they focused on writing the music, which would be the material
for their first CD SHADE IN THE LIGHT.

It was two years later when vocalist, Bill Axiotis, joined the PnG
group and they started recording this album. They asked session
musicians Akis Gavalas (drums) and Chris Vogiatzis (Bass) to help
record the release. When the sessions were over they felt a synergy
with the three members of the band and came on board permanently,
completing the lineup of Persona Non Grata.

SHADE IN THE LIGHT captures a band creating complex music but coming
from the melodic end of the metal musical spectrum. Similar bands
would include Circus Maximus, Vanden Plas, and Poverty's No Crime.

http://www.myspace.com/personongrata

http://www.lasersedgegroup.com/
http://www.myspace.com/lasersedge

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #13 ***
*
-Z Records News

2009 Sees Launch Of The Z Rock Club Nights In The U.K.!!!!

It is with great pleasure that we are able to announce two major
venues which will be hosting the all new Z Rock AOR and melodic rock
nights in England to be launched during early 2009.

First night is launched in the Midlands at JB's Dudley on Friday
January 23rd. Admission is £5 and sees Shaun [Highwayman, XL's,
Maximes] and appearances from Mark Alger [Maximes, Tivoli, Rio's,
Krazyhouse, etc.] hitting the decks and playing the best in Classic
Rock!!! This night will hopefully run every third Friday of the month
afterwards so we hope to see you all there.

Second night sees the return to the North West at the worldwide
acknowledge home of Melodic Rock nights WN1 [formerly known as
Maximes]. The venue is under new management and currently being
refurbished. February 6th 2009 sees Mark Alger return to the venue
where he launched the world's most renowned AOR and Melodic Rock night
back in the mid '90s. Joining Mark will be Shaun who took over when
Mark left due to commitments to Z Records. All in all this night will
put Wigan back on the map and the new venue WN1!! There is now also a
second room where Nellie will be playing current mainstream sounds.

For further info e-mail zrockagency@..., call 07818 258294,
or visit http://www.myspace.com/zrocknights .

PLEASE FORWARD TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #14 ***
*
-Candlemass Completes Work On New Album!

Legendary Swedish doom metallers Candlemass have completed work on
their new album for an early 2009 release.

Commented bassist/songwriter Leif Edling:

"We've worked on [the CD] all autumn and it feels really good that it
is completed. The sound is superfat, heavy as hell, and very organic/
dynamic at the same time. Our friend Chris [Laney; Randy Piper, Zan
Clan] has done a great job mixing it!!

"I personally think this album is the best one of the three we have
released in the new millennium, easy!! It is bigger, better, louder
and a bit more mature, I must say!! It is our HEAVEN AND HELL, hehe.
And if you guys behave and eat your vegetables, we just might be able
to add a couple of sound bits on the C-MASS site.

"Maybe the wait for the release in May next year will be easier. Check
http://www.candlemass.se/ sometime before X-mas. The only thing that
pisses me off is the fact that we can't call it HAMMER OF DOOM, after
one of the songs on it. A brand new stupid festival in Germany calls
themselves that! Who spilled the beans??? Well, well... the album
absolutely KILLS and we will surely come up with a suitable name for
it."

Fan-filmed video footage of Candlemass performing at the Sweden Rock
Cruise, which was held October 9-10, can be viewed by clicking the
links below:

Candlemass - "Lucifer Rising" - Live at Sweden Rock
(Featuring Mats Leven as guest vocals)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqRTFFoF7Tc

Candlemass - "Solitude" - Live at Sweden Rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyPUjGNrCUY

Candlemass has been confirmed for next year's Bloodstock Open Air
festival, set to take place August 14-16, 2009 at Catton Hall in
Derbyshire, England.

http://www.candlemass.se/
http://www.myspace.com/candlemass

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #15 ***
*
-Supersite ClassicRockRevisited.com Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary
With The Release Of Book Series "From The Vault"

"Series 1: Stadium Rock" pre-order begins November 12th, 2008

Take part in the pre-order and save 10% off cover price, get free
shipping in the U.S. and have your copy signed by the author. All
details at: http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/book.htm .

ClassicRockRevisited.com, the brainchild of Jeb Wright, first hit the
Internet in 1999. Wright, who had no experience in journalism or
running a Web site, took it upon himself to bring a Classic Rock
Magazine to the online world. Now, ten years and millions of hits
later, ClassicRockRevisited.com has become a major media outlet for
the Classic Rock music community. Each month, the Web site features
in-depth, exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names to ever
take the stage.

In 2009, ClassicRockRevisited.com will celebrate its 10th year online.
To commemorate its first decade of rock 'n' roll, the first in a
series of books will be released featuring some of the biggest names
Wright has ever interviewed. These interviews are only available here
and are no longer available at Classic Rock Revisited.

"Series 1: Stadium Rock" features the following in-depth interviews:

Kansas * Paul Rodgers * Sammy Hagar * Ted Nugent * Steve Perry of
Journey * Foghat * Joe Perry of Aerosmith * Foreigner * Steve Miller *
Boston's Tom Scholz * REO Speedwagon * Dennis DeYoung of Styx

Wright, who has been published around the globe, in popular Rock
magazines including Classic Rock in the U.K., This Is Rock in Spain
and Goldmine in the U.S.A., has a unique interviewing style that gets
the stars to open up and talk about their music, their life and their
creative endeavors.

The forward to the book was written by Goldmine Editor Peter Lindblad
who states this book is "a fascinating read from cover-to-cover,
Wright's collection of interviews will give you a new appreciation for
the blood, sweat and tears that went into making each of the artists
the monsters of rock they were, and, in many cases, still are. Get
ready for a wild ride."

The artwork for the cover of "From The Vault: Series 1: Stadium Rock"
was created by renowned album cover artist Ioannis of Vivid Images
Design. Ioannis has designed album covers for Blue Oyster Cult, the
Allman Brothers, Styx, Deep Purple and many others.

"From The Vault: Series 1: Stadium Rock" is like owning a piece of
Rock History!

The stories included will be read again and again as Wright uncovers
Classic Rock's illustrious past, present and future. See what some of
Wright's interview subjects have to say about being interviewed by
Classic Rock Revisited:

"Jeb Wright is not just my American BloodBrother, he is a heart and
soul BloodBrother to real American music lovers everywhere as he
continues to fan the flames of the greatest classic rock of all times.
Jeb is a SoulBrother, FunkBrother BloodBrother, all American Rock-N-
Roll maniac, and he deserves me!" -- Ted Nugent

"Jeb Wright is unique and a very natural interviewer." -- Paul Rodgers

"From one Topeka boy to another, it's always great working with Jeb."
-- Phil Ehart of Kansas

"When Jeb interviewed me, I already knew him as a backstage regular. I
think it made me more open and honest." -- Neal Doughty of REO
Speedwagon

"Jeb Wright is a font of Rock N Roll knowledge. His interview
questions are some of the best we have heard. He has a way of getting
to the interesting stuff that people want to know about. Nothing
boring about Jeb. We love him!" -- Roger Earl of Foghat

"Jeb Wright asks the questions people want to know about. This book
makes a great gift, but read it before you wrap it!" -- Tom Scholz of
Boston

About the author:

Jeb Wright is a 42-year-old music fanatic who lives in Arkansas City,
Kansas. Born in the capitol city of Topeka, Wright became hooked on
music when discovering that Rich Williams, guitarist for the band
Kansas, grew up next door to Wright's grandparents. In 1999, Wright
utilized the newest media form, the Internet, in order to begin an
online magazine called Classic Rock Revisited. Over the course of the
last ten years, Wright has interviewed hundreds of rock stars and has
gained a solid reputation for his interviewing skills. Wright's
interviews have been published internationally in such publications as
Goldmine Magazine in the U.S.A., Classic Rock Magazine in the U.K. and
This Is Rock Magazine in Spain.

For more details and to purchase "From The Vault: Series 1: Stadium
Rock" go to http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/book.htm .

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #16 ***
*
-Badmouth Releases New Single "Heartbreaker" In Honour Of Pat Benatar

Swedish Rockers Badmouth will release their new single "Heartbreaker"
on December 5th. The song is a cover of Pat Benatar's 1979 world hit
and the band releases this song as a tribute to her career and
Benatar's upcoming 30th anniversary. The original version of
"Heartbreaker" is featured in "Guitar Hero: World Tour."

Badmouth's "Heartbreaker" will be available for FREE download on
http://www.badmouththeband.com/ from December 5th - 31st. After that
the song will be availble on iTunes.

"Heartbreaker" is a brand new track and not featured on Badmouth's
self-titled debut album. The band released their album in October and
has received overwhelming responses from the media and fans. The
band's label Romolus X Records just announced that the album will also
be available through Best Buy very soon. Five samples from the album
can be listened to for streaming at the band's MySpace.

Please visit the following Web sites for more info:

http://www.badmouththeband.com/
http://www.myspace.com/badmouthswe

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #17 ***
*
-The Girls Of Cetury Media 2009 Calendar

The "Maidens Of Metal 2009" calendar, featuring the girls of the
Century Media Records roster, is the first ever official Century Media
calendar and is available now exclusively through CMDistro.com for
only $10. This calendar features brand new, never before seen photos
of Maria Brink (In This Moment), Kristen Randall (Winds Of Plague) and
Mary Zimmer (Luna Mortis). It also features eye-popping shots of
Alissa White-Gluz (The Agonist), Anna K. (Opiate For The Masses), Aya
(UnSun), Leeni-Maria (Kivimetsän Druidi) and Franziska Huth and Alla
Fedynitch (Eyes Of Eden). This is limited to 1,000 copies, so get your
orders in now.

THIS IS A PRE-ORDER AND THE CALENDAR WILL SHIP AS SOON AS IT IS
RECEIVED IN STOCK (MID-DECEMBER). OTHER ITEMS ORDERED WITH THE
CALENDAR WILL ALL SHIP TOGETHER ONCE CALENDARS ARE IN STOCK. THIS ITEM
IS NOT GUARANTEED TO ARRIVE BY DEC. 24TH.

http://www.centurymedia.com/
https://www.cmdistro.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #18 ***
*
-Displeased Records Reissue Announcement: Sacred Reich!!!

After years of total unavailability, Displeased Records will reissue
the excellent 1990 Sacred Reich classic THE AMERICAN WAY!

With upgraded layout, to-the-point re-mastering plus unreleased pre-
production demo bonus tracks and a video clip, this new and improved
CD reissue will be an essential addition to every Thrash Metal
collection!

Limited digi-pak version and standard jewel case version!
(digi-pak barcode: 8712666019808)
(jewel case barcode: 8712666019822)

First 2,500 copies come with free logo patch!

Release: February 16th, 2009

Tracks:
1. Love... Hate
2. The American Way
3. The Way It Is
4. Crimes Against Humanity
5. State Of Emergency
6. Who's To Blame
7. I Don't Know
8. 31 Flavors

Bonus tracks:
9. The American Way (demo)
10. Love... Hate (demo)
11. Crimes Against Humanity (demo)
12. State Of Emergency (demo)
13. I Don't Know (demo)
14. The American Way (video clip)

http://www.displeasedrecords.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #19 ***
*
-Axemaster Update

For those of you who don't know, Axemaster is back in the studio
recording the full-length CD THE INNER TERROR. The data on the studio
hard drive that crashed a few months ago was not able to be retrieved,
so the band had to start the recording over. The music is almost
completed, then comes the long process of vocals, editing, and mixing.
The recording's sounding excellent, MUCH better than before. The extra
time has allowed the band members to better perfect their parts and
write some new things that are kick ass! The overall sounds are also
improved. Brian even added on to his drum kit which added an extra
touch.

Axemaster is on a mission to make THE INNER TERROR a release that will
find great success and propel them to become a major force in the
underground scene!

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #20 ***
*
-Southern Lord Offers Up A Doomed Deuce

It is with extreme honor that Southern Lord can now officially
announce two new inductees to their eclectic, congregation of auditory
purveyors. Coincidentally both bands are duos -- each consisting of
merely a guitarist and a drummer. The similarities don't end there;
they are both mammoth, monstrous, and completely slay! Welcome Black
Cobra and Eagle Twin to the mix...

Black Cobra

Rafa Martinez and Jason Landrian have been coalescing Black Cobra's
sonic brew for nearly six years now, yet neither were strangers to
heaving heavy riffage prior, with Rafa doing time with Acid King and
16, and Jason in Cavity. But the pair unleash a tone heavier than a
trio of both guitar and drums. Their impenetrable hardcore doom
chemistry evokes an intensity that sets them apart from the others,
both live and recorded. The band have toured seemingly endlessly on
both U.S. and foreign soil since their 2002 inception, sharing the
stage with The Sword, Weedeater, High On Fire, Torche and countless
other bands in the upper ranks of metal and doom, most times blowing
the competition away completely. Black Cobra plans to record their
first album for Southern Lord sometime in the first half of 2009, with
more info and tour dates to be announced very shortly.

http://www.blackcobra.net/
http://www.myspace.com/blackcobra

Eagle Twin

Hailing from Salt Lake City, the mighty Eagle Twin has mainly
solidified into proper form over the course of this year. Guitarist
Gentry Densley is a very old friend whose previous band Iceburn was
one of the most interesting and incredible bands of the '90s hardcore/
post-hardcore movement. Gentry and Greg Anderson (Southern Lord, sunn
0))), Goatsnake) collaborated on the Ascend album AMPLE FIRE WITHIN,
released by Southern Lord earlier this year. The Eagle Twin sound is
stained with early doom and blues-roots rock backing mythology of epic
Old Testament proportions. Drummer Tyler "T-Top" Smith beats the
living sh*t out of his drums and perfectly complements the thunderous
fire that bursts out of Gentry's antique tube amplification! The band
will be recording their debut album with Randall Dunn (Earth, sunn
0))), ) in Seattle this Winter and it should be released before summer
of 2009.

http://www.myspace.com/eagletwin

http://www.southernlord.com/
http://www.myspace.com/southernlordrecordings
http://blog.southernlord.com

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #21 ***
*
-Static-X Releases First-Ever Live Concert DVD -- CANNIBAL KILLERS
LIVE Out Now On Reprise Records

Special Package Includes Live Audio CD And Video History

Limited Edition Package Contains Early 1997 Bonus Concert From
Hollywood's Famous Whiskey On Sunset Strip

BURBANK, CA -- Los Angeles-based metal quartet Static-X have just
announced the release of their first full-length live concert DVD,
entitled CANNIBAL KILLERS LIVE, which will be released by Reprise
Records on October 7th, 2008. The footage was shot during a show in
Spokane, WA, on June 2, 2007, shortly after the release of the band's
latest studio album CANNIBAL. The 17-song set compiled from the tour
includes material from Static-X's entire 14-year career, showcasing
old favorites like "Push It" and "Bled For Days," along with newer
songs from CANNIBAL, like the album single "Destroyer" and everything
in between. Wayne Static, who dubs his brand of metal "evil disco,"
posted the following message to fans on the band's Web site: "CANNIBAL
KILLERS LIVE looks and sounds absolutely awesome and I can't wait to
share it with you!"

A complete video history will also be included in the special package,
with every video Static-X has ever made, along with an audio CD of the
concert (track listing below). In addition, a limited-edition package
will be released on October 7th that includes a bonus DVD featuring
the band's 1997 concert at Hollywood's famous Whiskey A Go-Go club,
which was recorded two years prior to the release of Static-X's
platinum-selling debut WISCONSIN DEATH TRIP. Pre-order details will be
announced shortly on the band's Web site.

Static-X garnered rave reviews for their appearances on the mainstage
at Ozzfest 2007. The Los Angeles Times praised them for pumping out "a
tight, ultra-loud set of rhythm-obsessed 'evil disco.'" The Seattle
Post-Intelligencer noted that their "straight-up sonic brutality
through feverish riffs and rhythmic bombasts cast shrapnel-like
grenades into the audience," while the O.C. Register raved: "Static-X
found its groove early on, amping up the crowd with its brand of
hyperactive dissonance."

CANNIBAL, which was released April 3, 2007, debuted at Number 36 on
Billboard's Top 200 album chart, selling more than 30,000 its first
week out. The album has gone on to sell more than 160,000 copies,
solidifying the band's place as one of the metal's pre-eminent
artists.

Static-X, which is Wayne Static (vocals, guitar, programming), Tony
Campos (bass, backing vocals), Koichi Fukuda (lead guitar, keyboards,
programming) and Nick Oshiro (drums) will go into the studio this fall
for work on their sixth studio album, to be released in 2009.

Track Listing For CANNIBAL KILLERS LIVE CD/DVD:

1. Cannibal
2. Dirthouse
3. Sh** In A Bag
4. I'm With Stupid
5. Bled For Days
6. No Submission
7. Behemoth
8. Destroy All
9. Cold
10. Black And White
11. Destroyer
12. The Enemy
13. The Trance Is The Motion
14. This Is Not
15. Love Dump
16. Push It
17. Get To The

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #22 ***
*
-Help Gigan's THE ORDER OF THE FALSE EYE Win "Tech Metal Album Of The
Year!"

"A dazzling fusion of psych, death, and noise-metal" - Metal Edge

"Crushing yet expansive, cacophonous yet catchy" - Decibel

"A virtual landmine of crazed, uber-technical death metal riffs tossed
up against elaborate drumming, topped off by an avant-garde atmosphere
not heard in death metal since Cynic's FOCUS reigned supreme in '93" -
Metal Maniacs

These were some of the accolades afforded Gigan's debut album, THE
ORDER OF THE FALSE EYE, released in North America this past summer via
Napalm Records/Index Entertainment. And now, the Tampa trio are being
honored with a nomination for "Tech Metal Album Of The Year" at genre
authority http://www.Grindingtheapparatus.net/ . PLEASE HELP BY
VOTING! All you need to do is go to
http://www.Grindingtheapparatus.net/ , register / log in, and vote
under "member area" on the left column. But vote soon, as polls end
January 10th, 2009.

In other news, Gigan will be touring across the country January and
February 2009 with Cattle Decapitation, Book Of The Black Earth, and
Psyopus. Full confirmed dates/venues to be announced shortly. For more
info, consult http://www.myspace.com/giganmusic and
http://www.thunderdometouring.com/ .

*
*** NEWS/RUMORS ***
*
-Angel's ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN has been digitally re-mastered
and reissued by Lovember Records. The package includes "a 16-page
booklet with liner notes by journalist Dave Reynolds (Classic Rock
Magazine/Kerrang), a track-by-track run down by singer Frank DiMino,
all lyrics, and unreleased photos." Track list: "Can You Feel It,"
"She's A Mover," "Big Boy (Let's Do It Again)," "Telephone Exchange,"
"White Lightning," "On The Rocks," "You're Not Fooling Me," "That
Magic Touch," "Cast The First Stone," "Just A Dream." See
http://musicbuymail.eu/?i=25657 for more, including song clips.

-Warren Appleby's new Christmas album, SNOWBOUND, is now available
from Madkar Records on CD Baby, iTunes, and other digital download
sites. The disc features several "winter themed originals" plus
Appleby's versions of standards like "Silent Night," "Deck The Halls,"
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," and others. See
http://www.cdbaby.com/warrenappleby5 ,
http://www.itunes.com/warrenappleby , http://www.warrenappleby.com/ ,
and http://www.myspace.com/warrenappleby for more.

-Danger's FIRST TOUCH EP is available now. Track list: "First Touch,"
"Miss Money," "Hey You," "California Red," "Shove It," "On The Run."
Hype: "FIRST TOUCH will attract all sleaze rock fans and delivers good
mood '80s sleaze!" Check out some song clips at
http://musicbuymail.eu/?i=25661 .

-The female-fronted German melodic rock band Dawn Of Destiny has
released REBELLION IN HEAVEN. Track list: "Angel Without Wings," "In
Between," "Save Us," "Lost," "Perceive Me," "Unexpected Guest," "Tears
Of Sorrow," "Inquisition," "Rain," "Ending Dream," "Last Day,"
"Heaven's Falling Down," "Days Of Crying," "Where Are You Now?" Check
out some song clips at http://musicbuymail.eu/?i=25653 , and see
http://www.dawnofdestiny.de/ and http://www.myspace.com/dawnofdestiny
for more information.

-Loudness drummer Muenetaka Higuchi passed away at a hospital in
Osaka, Japan, on November 30. He was 49 and had been battling liver
cancer. Guitarist Akira Takasaki posted the news and a thank-you to
fans -- in Japanese -- at http://www.akiratakasaki.com/index.php?c=2 .
Check out http://www.bravewords.com/news/101839 for more detailed
information, plus live videos of a drum solo and the songs "Esper,"
"SDI," and "Metal Mad."

-NightmareRecords.com has a 20% off coupon code -- NMRXMAS2008 --
valid through December 31. Other specials at the site include getting
a free Dreamscape T-shirt when you buy five CDs, and exclusive
Christmas track downloads: Order Of Nine's "The Chronicles Of Jacob
Marley," Sacred Dawn's "Wicked Land Of Winter," and Theocracy's
"Bethlehem."

-Stuart Smith and Richie Onori from The Sweet appear in the new
holiday movie "Four Christmases," starring Reese Witherspoon and Vince
Vaughn. They play the back-up musicians to Dwight Yoakam who appears
as a New Age preacher, and are joined by Howard Leese (Heart, Paul
Rodgers), Stu Simone (Heaven & Earth). and Sean McNabb (Great White,
House Of Lords, Quiet Riot). The movie is in theaters now.

-TheSmokingGun.com has excerpts from Van Halen's 2008 U.S. tour rider.
Interesting requirements include a backstage study room for bassist
Wolfgang Van Halen, four separate dressing rooms (with David Lee
Roth's to be as far away from the other three as possible), and an
onstage cool for Eddie Van Halen, stocked with Gallo Twin Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon wine mini-bottles. See the following links for
more:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/1126082vanhalen1.html
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/1126082vanhalen2.html
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/1126082vanhalen3.html
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/1126082vanhalen5.html
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/1126082vanhalen7.html

-Gwar and Napalm Death will appear at next year's Wacken festival. See
http://www.wacken.com/ for more.

-Y&T plans to hit the studio in the beginning of the year to record a
brand new album. 2009 will be the band's 35th anniversary.

Thanks to Lance King, John Erigo, Bill Kotowski, imdrunky5150@...,
and Allyson @ bringbackglam.squarespace.com for help gathering some of
this information.

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

-The Chicago Tribune ran an article on November 30 entitled "Holiday
CDs: Ho-Ho-Holy Nightmare," which listed the 10 worst Christmas albums
ever. Coming in at #1 was, of course, GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A
REINDEER by Elmo & Patsy, but taking the #2 slot was Twisted Sister's
A TWISTED CHRISTMAS. Writes Louis R. Carlozo: "We're not gonna take it
(for a gift). Twisted Sister retrofits 'O Come All Ye Faithful' to the
melody and arrangement of their one-and-only hit 'We're Not Gonna Take
It.' This is rawwwk -- as in 'I got a rawwwk in my stocking.'" I
couldn't get too mad at the article, though, because it included a
picture of Mariah Carey's Christmas album cover -- you know, the one
with her in the skin-tight Santa suit. :)

-December 1 marked the 50th anniversary of a tragic fire at the Our
Lady Of The Angels Catholic school here in Chicago, which killed
almost 100 people -- most of them children. Journey keyboardist
Jonathan Cain was a 3rd grader at the school when the fire occurred,
and he participated in a memorial service this past Sunday. He wrote a
new song for the occasion entitled "The Day They Became Angels," and
it soon will be made available on his Web site,
http://www.jonathancain.com/ .

-My wife recently bought Kid Rock's ROCK N ROLL JESUS so she could get
her fix of the hit "All Summer Long." I came home the other night and
found it in the stereo, and I asked if she liked it. She said she
likes his voice on the mellower songs, but had to turn off the disc
when the lyrics got way, way explicit. (We do have a three-year-old in
the house, remember.) I just kinda chuckled.

-In my current playlist: Saxon - INTO THE LABYRINTH (SPV/Steamhammer),
Gamma Ray - HELL YEAH!!! - THE AWESOME FOURSOME (DVD)
(SPV/Steamhammer), Ross The Boss - NEW METAL LEADER (Candlelight USA),
Twisted Sister - LIVE AT THE ASTORIA (CD/DVD) (DVE).

*
*** REVIEWS ***
*
CLAWFINGER - LIFE WILL KILL YOU (C-) Locomotive Records, 2008
13 tracks, RT: 51:35
[ http://www.clawfinger.net/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/clawfinger ]
[ http://www.locomotivemusic.com/ ]
[ http://www.locomotiverecords.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/locomotiverecords ]
[ principal@... ]
Three little words on this band's press sheet tell you pretty much
everything you need to know about Clawfinger: "Swedish Industrial
Rapcore." Hey, wait a minute, come back here!! I'm not finished yet!!
From what I've been able to gather about Clawfinger via various 'Net
sources, the band has been around for quite some time (LIFE WILL KILL
YOU is their seventh studio album) and they've apparently won several
European Grammy awards and have sold records out the wazoo on their
home continent. (Which sounds impressive enough until you remember
that there's no accounting for taste... after all, they eat dogs and
cats in some parts of the world too...) I don't know how many of their
past albums have been released Stateside but speaking as someone who
generally doesn't care for "modern hard rock" it certainly sounds to
me like Clawfinger's got the chops to compete in the American market
if they got the right push. If these boys ever got on an OzzFest or
similar tour, I bet the kids would be all over this band like a fat
girl on a cheeseburger. Now that I've said that, I'm not going to lie
to you... this band's style is definitely not my thing at all, but I
must admit that LIFE WILL KILL YOU actually had a few moments that
kept it from being a complete waste of my time. The real star of this
band in my book is guitarist Bard Torstensen, whose chunky riffage
provides the "metal" in Clawfinger's "rap-metal" mix and (thankfully)
gives me something to hang an ear on. This dude can play! Vocalist Zak
Tell, meanwhile, is the band's weak link. During the album's more
modern-rock edged tunes (such as the opening track "The Price We Pay,"
which the band's label should release to radio if it hasn't already)
he's got a smooth, pleasant enough voice (he actually sounds a little
like the guy from Nickelback, which may or may not be a recommendation
depending on your tastes), but when he starts rapping...all I can say
is "ugh." This dude's rhyming skillz make Kid Rock sound like Chuck D.
(and I frickin' HATE Kid Rock!) Therefore, the tracks where his vocals
lean more towards the hip-hop end (such as the title track,
"Prisoners," "Carnivore" and "Dying To Know") were a pretty rough
listening experience. (Oh yeah, and the trip-hop infused ballad
"Little Baby" was absolutely god-awful.) For those of you who might
actually be interested in this style of music, I suppose I'd recommend
LIFE WILL KILL YOU, as it's certainly well played, flawlessly
produced, and has just the right amount of "aggro" to satisfy your
urges. As for me, I doubt LIFE WILL KILL YOU will ever see the inside
of my CD player again once this review is finished.
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

HALFORD - RESURRECTION WORLD TOUR: LIVE AT ROCK IN RIO III (DVD) (A+)
Metal God Entertainment, 2008
DVD: RT: 1:45:41
CD: 16 tracks, RT: 1:02:15
[ http://www.RobHalford.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/robhalford ]
[ http://www.MetalGodShop.com/ ]
[ http://www.HalfordMusic.com/ ]
[ HalfordRob@... ]
This is a killer package, and frankly, serves as a template for other
bands on how to get it right when documenting an era. We all know the
history of the state of metal in the U.S. throughout the '90s -- it
started strong, it petered out, most of the cool bands broke up or
tried to stay relevant by experimenting with modern/grunge
conventions, and then eventually metal sorta became en vogue again.
Rob Halford was right in the middle of all of it, for better or for
worse, and his "rebirth" as the Metal God with 2000's still-awesome
RESURRECTION still makes me smile. This package features a DVD that
shows off his stunningly talented solo band's triumphant 14-song set
at the Rock In Rio III festival, and goes behind the scenes with
documentary footage and interviews with everyone involved, including
guitarist/producer Roy Z. And as a bonus the CD features a re-mastered
and expanded version of RESURRECTION. The DVD expertly shows what Rob
Halford was doing at the time: reintroducing himself to the metal
masses by proving, live, that he still owned the Judas Priest stuff
("Metal Gods," "Jawbreaker," "Electric Eye"), highlighting the better
Fight stuff ("Into The Pit," "Nailed To The Gun"), and showcasing his
spiffy new band and their return-to-form new stuff ("Resurrection,"
"Made In Hell," "Silent Screams"). Throughout the show the guys --
guitarists Pat Lachman and "Metal" Mike Chlasciak, bassist Ray
Riendeau, and drummer Bobby Jarzombek -- are having the times of their
lives; they are full of energy, smiles, and heavy metal bravado, and
sport the chops to back it all up. Mr. Halford himself isn't too
shabby either, sounding great and looking confident. The disc's audio
includes the usual stereo and 5.1 modes, plus a "Stereo On Stage"
option that's more vibrant than regular stereo. The non-concert
footage explains how the band formed around Rob, shows them in the
studio (including cool bits with Rob and Bruce Dickinson dueting on
"The One You Love To Hate" side-by-side, and how the song "House Of
Sin" was re-written on the fly to become "Drive"), and follows them
around on tour. Also included on the DVD are the "Made In Hell" video
and short trailers for various Halford and Fight releases. The CD
differs from the original RESURRECTION release in that it's got a
slightly rejiggered track order and four songs not included before:
"Hell's Last Survivor" and "Sad Wings" from the Japanese version of
the album, and "Fetish" and "God Bringer Of Death," which originally
appeared on a prior reissue of the album. The record was already damn
near perfect, and these four extras push it over the top. I do recall
some folks slagging RESURRECTION a bit when it came out, for being
"too safe," but it served its purpose well and as we all know by now,
the Halford band did stretch out a bit on its second studio album,
2002's CRUCIBLE. And if next year's live DVD set from the CRUCIBLE
tour is anything like this essential package, boy, look out!
- Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

ICED EARTH - THE CRUCIBLE OF MAN (SOMETHING WICKED PART 2) (B-)
SPV/Steamhammer, 2008
15 tracks, RT: 59:15
[ http://www.icedearth.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/icedearth ]
[ http://www.spv.de/ ]
[ http://www.spvusa.com/ ]
[ http://www.mypace.com/spvusa ]
Iced Earth had a lot to prove to this disappointed fan after last
year's FRAMING ARMAGEDDON (SOMETHING WICKED PART I), which I'm sad to
say, still leaves me cold after all this time. I really WANTED to love
the first installment of Jon Schaffer's mega-epic, as I've been an
Iced Earth maniac since the early '90s and have loved every other
release they've done, yet FRAMING ARMAGEDDON just never grabbed me by
the nards. Some fans were quick to point the finger at then-current
front man Tim "Ripper" Owens (who was unceremoniously shown the door
as soon as touring commitments for the disc were complete), but I
thought he did a fantastic job on Iced Earth's previous disc (THE
GLORIOUS BURDEN) and therefore was puzzled at how lifeless FRAMING
ARMAGEDDON sounded in comparison. Anyway, after a year and the much-
hyped return of prodigal vocalist Matt Barlow to the Iced Earth fold,
we finally get Part 2 of the SOMETHING WICKED saga. After several
spins I am still not totally sold on this disc either, but I will say
that I enjoyed it a hell of a lot more than its dry-as-dust
predecessor. Let's be honest, Barlow and Schaffer go together like
peanut butter and jelly, and as soon as Matt's familiar lion's roar
kicks in over the ripping chords of "Behold The Wicked Child," most
fans should immediately be overcome with a feeling of "Whew!" Tim
Owens may have done his damnedest with the material on FRAMING
ARMAGEDDON, but he's more of a straight-ahead metal screamer, whereas
Barlow has always had a sense of drama and theatricality to his voice
that fits this sort of end-of-the-world melodrama perfectly. The
production sounds cleaner and livelier than on FRAMING ARMAGEDDON as
well, which is a major plus. I only have a promotional copy of this
album sans lyrics/liner notes so I'll be honest and say I can't make
heads or tails out of the storyline at all, therefore I'll simply say
that my favorite tracks thus far are the aforementioned "Behold the
Wicked Child," "I Walk Alone" and the triumphant "Come What May" (also
the longest track on the disc, clocking in at just shy of seven and a
half minutes). On one hand, THE CRUCIBLE OF MAN was a massive relief
to this long time Iced Earth follower (I still think I preferred
Matt's other vocal performance this year, on Pyramaze's amazing
IMMORTAL disc, over this one, though), but on the other hand I kinda
hope Schaffer's gotten the conceptual stuff out of his system with
these two albums and we won't have to deal with a Part 3 to this saga
on the next time around. Enough is enough!
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

METAL CHURCH - THIS PRESENT WASTELAND (C+) SPV/Steamhammer, 2008
10 tracks, RT: 57:23
[ http://www.MetalChurchMusic.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/metalchurch ]
[ http://www.spv.de/ ]
[ http://www.spvusa.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/spvusa ]
So we're now three albums into Metal Church's current era (which began
with 2004's WEIGHT OF THE WORLD album, on which lone original Church
member Kurdt Vanderhoof assembled an all new band lineup to carry the
banner) and listening to them is still a somewhat unsatisfactory
experience for this long time fan. Don't get me wrong, I really WANT
the "new" Metal Church to put out something awesome that makes me
shout, "Woo hoo, Metal Church is BACK!" Unfortunately, they haven't
quite hit the mark yet, though I think they come closer on THIS
PRESENT WASTELAND than they did on 2006's bland A LIGHT IN THE DARK.
Before I am accused of being too harsh, I want to make clear that I
have no problems with any of the performances on THIS PRESENT
WASTELAND. Ronny Munroe is a confident singer with a bellow that's
best described as a blend of Bruce Dickinson and Dio (with a bit of
Halford's high end when needed), and he does a fine job throughout the
disc, while the riff work by Vanderhoof and his new partner Rick Van
Zandt (who replaced former Malice guitarist Jay Reynolds after the
release of A LIGHT IN THE DARK) is suitably dark and doomy as well.
Musically, at least, Metal Church in 2008 sounds as solid as they ever
have. So you're probably asking, "Then what the hell's your problem,
pal?" I hate to say this about a band I've loved for so long, but the
bulk of the songs on THIS PRESENT WASTELAND simply weren't very
memorable for me. Yeah, it sounds great while it's playing, but the
tunes tend to go "in one ear and out the other" and don't leave much
of an impression when it's over. "The Company Of Sorrow" is a strong
opener, and I like the HEAVEN AND HELL-era Sabbath vibe of the epic
"Deeds Of A Dead Soul" (Munroe's best vocal performance on the CD),
but otherwise these tunes haven't stuck with me. Much of the material
is frustratingly mid-tempo; I personally would like to see some of the
thrash feel that Metal Church had on their classic debut or 1986's THE
DARK return to their sound in the future and kick things up a notch.
In other words, THIS PRESENT WASTELAND continues in the same tradition
set by the two previous Metal Church albums -- it's not a bomb, but
it's not essential listening either.
- Keith Abt (KeithAbt@...)

ULI JON ROTH - UNDER A DARK SKY (A-/B+) SPV/Steamhammer, 2008
10 tracks, RT: 63:35
[ http://www.ulijonroth.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/ulijonroth ]
[ http://www.spv.de/ ]
[ http://www.spvusa.com/ ]
[ http://www.mypace.com/spvusa ]
The release of a new Uli Roth album is always an event for his loyal
followers, UNDER A DARK SKY perhaps more so as it represents a return
to the rock infused style displayed on the Electric Sun albums and
especially BEYOND THE ASTRAL SKIES. Two things you are going to need
to really get into UNDER A DARK SKY, and that is an appreciation for
operatic and symphonic music, as Uli often orchestrates his material
in this manner, and enough patience to allow the music to "sink in,"
as this is unlikely to hit you fully until repeated listens. If you
are looking for early Scorpions styled heavy rockers or indulgent
guitar solos you won't find that here, but what you will discover are
emotionally satisfying pieces such as "The Magic Word," "Inquisition,"
"Letter Of The Law," and epic masterpiece "Tanz In Die Dämmerung." A
lot of emphasis is placed on the vocals, with notable performances by
Mark Boals and Liz Vandall. Make no mistake, Uli's guitar playing is
beautiful, but at this point he has nothing to prove (did he ever?),
his energy instead focused on creating a unique and substantive work
which may never be appreciated by the masses, but will undoubtedly
find its correct audience. A worthy addition to the Uli Roth
catalog...
- Neal Woodall (MysticX9@...)

TWISTED SISTER - LIVE AT THE ASTORIA (CD/DVD) (B+/B) DVE, 2008
CD: 16 tracks, RT: 1:14:24
DVD: RT: 1:37:51
[ http://www.twistedsister.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/twistedsister ]
[ http://www.demolitionrecords.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/globalmusicltd ]
I was going to start off with something like "The Twisted Sister
revival continues!" but then I realized the band has been releasing
new product consistently for nearly the entire decade of the '00s. How
can there be a revival if you've never gone away? :) This CD/DVD combo
pack from DVE (a.k.a. Demolition Visual Entertainments) is a no-frills
live set from the band's U.K. tour in the summer of 2004. The CD
features the same set list as the DVD, with some creative editing to
pare down stage rants from Dee Snider and guitarist Jay Jay French.
The songs are just about what you'd expect, and they pretty much match
previous live releases LIVE AT HAMMERSMITH (CD, 1994), LIVE AT WACKEN
- THE RETURN (DVDplus, 2005), and THE VIDEO YEARS (DVD, 2007). Notable
exceptions are the inclusion of "Ride To Live, Live To Ride," "I Am
(I'm Me)," and the wickedly heavy "Come Out And Play," and the
exclusion of personal fave "Stay Hungry." Oh, and when I say "no-
frills," I am not exaggerating -- the DVD is simply a pro-shot live
video with no special features, interviews, etc. All that material
appears on the superior, aforementioned LIVE AT WACKEN - THE RETURN
set. So is LIVE AT THE ASTORIA worthy? Well, yes. Twisted is a great
live band, the songs are surprisingly heavy, and I'm still flat-out
amazed at the prowess of Mr. Snider as an obnoxious, energetic front
man. This guy has not aged in 25 years, I swear. (He swears, too --
you'll lose count of the number of F-bombs he drops when talking to
the crowd on the DVD. And don't miss the hysterical shredding he gives
one the band's old record company executives during "We're Not Gonna
Take It.") If you missed out on LIVE AT WACKEN, then pick this one up
to get your fix. Track list: "What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt
You)," "The Kids Are Back," "Under The Blade," "Destroyer," "Like A
Knife In The Back," "Burn In Hell," "Ride To Live, Live To Ride,"
"Shoot 'Em Down," "You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll," "The Fire Still
Burns," "We're Not Gonna Take It," "The Price," "I Am (I'm Me)," "I
Wanna Rock," "Come Out And Play," "S.M.F."
- Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

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