WALTER TROUT unleashes BREAK-OUT U.S. RELEASE on PROVOGUE RECORDSTHE OUTSIDER hit's the U.S.A on June 24th NORTH AMERICAN TOUR STARTS NOW! HOLLYWOOD (April 1, 2008) On June 24th, Walter Trout will release his long awaited studio album, "The Outsider", through Provogue Records. The Jersey born Guitar-Master delivers a triple threat CD that is an autobiographical reflection, inspired by a multi-faceted life. "The Outsider", was produced by John Porter famed for his work with B.B. King. With over 500,000 records sold to date, this album will turn all preconceptions about Walter Trout firmly on their head. As the title implies, "The Outsider" is a thought-provoking collection of songs that shows his true diversity. Often being pegged "too blues for rock" and "too rock for blues", Trout stays true to his belief that genres exists only for the critics. "The Outsider" is a not so subtle stab at the blues and rock establishments who try to brand, label and limit the expression within the genres. "The Outsider" confirms Trout has always had more than one string to his bow. Indeed, he has always shown his range from his first solo effort in the self-titled WALTER TROUT, to the follow-up release of FULL CIRCLE "to each and every Walter Trout release by including rocking riffing which highlight his duality of the two genres. Joining Trout, who wrote all songs and sings in addition to playing guitar, is drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp), bassist Hutch Hutchinson and pianist John Cleary, as well as Skip Edwards and Samuel Avila on the Hammond B3 and harmonica player Jason Ricci. This lethal combination of talent will embed into your soul and ease into your heart as the shredding notes meld blues and rock. "The Outsider", on Provogue Records was produced by John Porter (B.B. King), The Outsider contains the following 13 songs: 'Welcome To The Human Race' Prior to the release of "The Outsider", Trout will embark on a North American tour beginning in April and culminating in August in Quebec. Confirmed dates are listed below. April
5 Long Beach, CA Blue Café METAL LEGENDS JUDAS PRIEST, HEAVEN & HELL, MOTORHEAD, AND TESTAMENT UNITE FOR 'METAL MASTERS TOUR' WORLD PREMIERE OF JUDAS PRIEST 'NOSTRADAMUS' COVER ART AND FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD OF TITLE TRACK AT LIVENATION.COMAfter weeks of speculation, Live Nation has put together a killer package that is bound to go down as the heavy metal event of 2008 - Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, Motorhead and Testament will be touring together for the first time. Dubbed 'The Metal Masters Tour,' the fifteen-date U.S. trek kicks off August 6th at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, New Jersey. Tickets go on sale to the public beginning this weekend at http://www.livenation.com. Judas Priest will be supporting their epic concept album, 'Nostradamus,' arriving June 17th via Epic Records, which tells the tale of the renowned 16th century prophet. A few tracks from 'Nostradamus' will make their in-concert debut on 'The Metal Masters Tour,' but the majority of Priest's set list will include some of metal's all-time classics, as well as fan favorites that span the quintet's entire career. Without a doubt, this will be one of Priest's most powerful sets ever. As a 'sneak peak treat' to fans starved for a musical taster, the first cut off the new album will make its world premiere debut as exclusive free MP3 download starting today exclusively at http://www.livenation.com/judaspriest. Heaven & Hell will be supporting the release of 'The Rules Of Hell,' a five-CD boxed set available July 22nd from Rhino Records, which features re-mastered versions of all four Dio-era Black Sabbath albums ('Heaven and Hell,' 'Mob Rules,' 'Live Evil' and 'Dehumanizer') in a deluxe package with new liner notes. Perennial road rats Motorhead will be offering a blistering barnstormer of a set spanning more than three decades of molar-rattling biker metal. A new studio album - the 20th of their storied career - is currently being recorded at their old pal Dave Grohl's studio with an August release date targeted. Frontman Lemmy, named by the U.K.'s Guardian newspaper as "the nation's greatest living Englishman," blairs out, "Here it comes everybody, the test of your Metalness in 2008 and the years to come! Come one come all and be abused!" Rounding out the line-up will be legendary thrash metal titans Testament, whose new album, 'The Formation of Damnation,' (April 29th) displays Testament as the quintessential modern heavy metal band, whose experience and accumulated skill allows them to attack with reserves of anger, energy and finesse that make them more powerful than ever. Lead singer Chuck Billy says, "Uniting these bands is the heavy metal event of generations. We are so proud to be a part of it." Although all four bands may represent different subgenres of heavy metal, all four have one thing in common they have stuck to their stylistic guns through thick and thin, and have remained true to the metal form. And soon, band and fan will be united as one on 'The Metal Masters Tour.' "As ever, we look forward to screaming out loud with our metal maniac fans when we hit the road," enthuses Priest singer, Rob Halford. "Thank you once again for your devotion and support. The Priest is back!" This tour will be limited to fifteen very special engagements, and Citi cardmembers will have pre-sale access to tickets through Citi's Private Pass® Program, available to all Citi cardmembers at http://www.privatepass.citi.com. Metal maniacs seeking the ultimate concert experience can access unique VIP ticket and fan experience packages that offer premium seats, meet & greets, pre-concert parties and more brought to you by the band's official websites, http://www.judaspriest.com and http://www.heavenandhelllive.com. VIP packages for the first events will be on sale by 10 a.m eastern time on Friday, April 25th. Also, not all VIP packages are the same, so be sure to pick the right one that suits you best. See the official web sites for continually updated tour information and on-sale dates. The dates are as follows: ABOUT LIVE NATION: Live Nation is the future of the music business. With the most live concerts, music venues and festivals in the world and the most comprehensive concert search engine on the web, Live Nation is revolutionizing the music industry: onstage and online. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol "LYV." Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.livenation.com under the "About Us" section. WARRANT Reuniting with Original Line-up to performWARRANT / Northern Lights Casino on May 18 Multi-platinum selling rock band WARRANT reuniting with original line-up to perform at the 2008 Rocklahoma Festival (four days, three stages, attendees from all 50 states, Europe and Canada). It's the "Coachella" of the hard rock and metal set. Warrant will also hit the road this summer in July/August and have a live performance DVD set for release (date tba) Warrant are planing a special, intimate show on the Sunset Strip with a VIP afterparty, etc. More info to come. Adult Swim Presents Headlining Summer Tour for Metalocalypse's DethklokChimaira and Soilent Green Join Animated Death Metal Band on 28-City Tour Kicking Off June 2; Tickets on Sale Beginning April 18 through Ticketmaster This summer, Dethklok, the animated band from Adult Swim's Metalocalypse, hits the road on a 28-city headlining tour kicking off June 2 in Portland, along with two of metal's top acts, Chimaira and Soilent Green. Tickets to the five-week Adult Swim Presents tour will go on sale to the general public starting Friday, April 18 through Ticketmaster, but a special pre-sale offer will be made available one week earlier to the most brutal Adult Swim fans. On Sunday, April 13, Adult Swim fans tuning in to Metalocalypse during the 12:00 a.m. (ET/PT) showing will be given a pre-sale password allowing them access to a customized Dethklok page on Ticketmaster's website (http://www.ticketmaster.com/dethklok). Immediately after receiving the password, fans can purchase tickets, which range in price from $20 - $25. The password will also be made available to fans on AdultSwim.com (http://www.adultswim.com) beginning Monday, April 14. This major tour starring the five band members from Adult Swim's Metalocalypse Nathan Explosion, William Murderface, Skwisgaar Swigelf, Toki Wartooth and Pickles comes on the heels of an incredibly successful fall for the band. In its first time touring, Dethklok opened for And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead in a 12-city college tour that did not disappoint. Released in conjunction with the tour was the band's first album, Dethklok: The Dethalbum¸ which debuted at #21 on the Billboard Top 200 during its first week of release, making it the highest charting death metal album ever. More than 195,000 copies of Dethklok: The Dethalbum have been sold to date, and more than 120,000 copies of the Metalocalypse: Season 1 DVD from Warner Home Video have been sold since its release in October 2007. Touring with Dethklok this summer are two of metal's most illustrious bands. Chimaira is one of metal's most hard working artists today. Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, the band has been demonstrating their ferocity onstage for nearly 10 years. Revolver Magazine has stated that "Chimaira are part of an endangered species a real metal band who aren't who playing the genre because it's trendy but because it's what all the members have been doing in one incantation or another for over half their lives." Chimaira's fourth LP, Resurrection, is now available via Ferret Music. An infamous deathgrind and sludge metal band from New Orleans, Soilent Green has seen its fair share of adversity during its two-decade-old history. Touted as "one of the ten most important hard and heavy bands" by Rolling Stone Magazine, the band's latest album, Inevitable Collapse In The Presence Of Conviction will be released in North America on April 15 by its new label, Metal Blade Records. "I predict that this show will be, without a doubt, the best animated Death Metal tour in recorded history," said Brendon Small, creator and most metal member of Dethklok. Schedule for Adult Swim Presents Metalocalypse's Dethklok with Chimaira and Soilent Green is as follows: Created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha, Adult Swim's Metalocalypse follows the on and off-stage adventures of Dethklok, the undisputed greatest animated metal band in the galaxy with a true talent for creating the most death-defying music ever. Unfortunately for Nathan Explosion, William Murderface, Skwisgaar Swigelf, Toki Wartooth and Pickles, that's about all they can do, period. Put them in front of a sold-out crowd of dedicated fans, and they'll play so hard that the audience pukes their guts out, but give them a carton of milk and they'll wash their long, lovely locks with it. New episodes from Metalocalypse's second season will launch on Adult Swim in May. About Ticketmaster About Adult Swim Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world. MIDNIGHT TO 12 ANNOUNCES SPRING TOUR DATES Debut Self-Titled Album Out June 24New York, NY April 9, 2008 Southern California's MIDNIGHT TO 12 (M212) is gearing up to hit the road in support of their impending self-titled debut release, set to come out on June 24 on JKH Entertainment (via Koch Distribution). Starting on April 11 in Oklahoma City, the band will criss-cross throughout the eastern half of the country, ending up on June 6 in Kaukauna, WI. Having already created a buzz with their single, "Slam," featured on the WB's hit show, ONE TREE HILL as well as selling 13,000 independent records prior to getting signed, M212 enlisted Sylvia Massy Shivy (Tool, Deftones, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash) and Rich Veltrop to produce and mix this upcoming album at Radiostar Studios. Mastering details were provided by Tom Baker of Precision Mastering (Seether, Motley Crue, Stone Temple Pilots). Catch them out on the road this spring, with special dates on the VANS WARPED TOUR! Apr 16; Pittsburg State University; Pittsburg, KS For more information on MIDNIGHT TO 12, please visit: http://www.m212.com or http://www.myspace.com/m212live. FIRST-EVER METAL SUMMIT TO UNITE METAL INDUSTRY, FANSGathering to Take Place at the 10th Annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on April 25, 2008 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, Crimson Management and The Syndicate are proud to announce the first-ever Metal Summit on April 25. The Metal Summit is an interactive and educational conference where fans and the metal music industry can engage, share ideas and help further the scene. The Metal Summit will give labels, managers, agents, endorsers, publishers, media promoters, bands and more the chance to interact with the people who buy albums, tickets and merchandise. This is also an opportunity for fans to ask key members in the industry how they got started and gain advice on starting their own careers. After all, everyone in the music industry started out as a fan. The Metal Summit is brought to you by The Syndicate's "The Believers In The Power of Metal" (BITPOM) network. BITPOM is the world's first interactive forum for fans, bands and the metal music industry to interact. Through the BITPOM Network, fans can have their say. It's free to join and anyone who is a Believer in the Power of Metal can sign up, create their own profile and participate in all discussions. BITPOM is located at http://www.bitpom.com. Admission to the Metal Summit is free with sign-up to the BITPOM network. METAL SUMMIT LOCATION: The Summit will consist of two 60-minute seminars — "Ask the Industry" and "Ask the Fans" — comprised of industry professionals and fans. Admission is free with sign-up to BITPOM network. Session One: Ask the Industry (1:30 -2:30) Panel of industry professionals includes: Brian Slagel, Chairman/CEO of Metal Blade Records (Moderator) Vaughn Lewis, Co Owner of Strong Management Jesse Brust, Owner of 518 Prints and All in Merch Kelly Kapp, Vice President of Theater and Club Programming for Live Nation Matt Pike, Owner/Agent of The Kenmore Agency Mike Gitter, Senior Director of A&R of Roadrunner Records Allen Steelgrave - Director of Marketing/Artist Relations ESP Guitars Izzy Zivkovic, Founder/CEO of Split Media - Session Two: Ask the Fans (3:00 4:00) Rev. David Ciancio, Owner of The Syndicate (Moderator) Panel to consist of members of BITPOM.com. Panel to be selected based on highest level of activity of members within BITPOM that subscribe to Summit profile and would like to participate in the Summit. Sign up as a member of BITPOM at http://www.bitpom.com to gain admittance to the Metal Summit at this year's New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. The seven BITPOM members with the most friends added on BITPOM.com by 5pm EST on Wednesday, April 23rd will be selected as panelists for the Metal Summit. Panelists will receive a prize pack from the NEMHF sponsors. Prizes will also be given away during the Metal Summit including access to a VIP post-Metal Summit party, hosted by The Syndicate (details TBA). "We are very proud to be part of a scene where people can share ideas, communicate and see those ideas turn into something great," New England Metal and Hardcore Festival and Crimson Management's Leah Urbano says. "We believe the Metal Summit will provide an outlet to bring people together to achieve this." "I am honored and excited to moderate a panel at the first Metal Summit," Metal Blade Records Chairman/CEO Brian Slagel says. "I think this is a great way for all of us to communicate and am looking forward to seeing everyone there." "For more than 10 years The Syndicate has worked behind the scenes to help market and promote metal and hardcore to the masses," The Syndicate owner Rev. David Ciancio says. "We wanted to devise a way to put the power in the hands of the people who love the music the most — and that is where we came up with the idea of the BITPOM Network." The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival is proudly sponsored by: ESP, Randall & EMG, 518 Prints, Fuse TV, Heavy Hitter, Mazur PR, Metal Blade Records, Metal Edge, Monster Energy, MTV2, Return To the Pit, Roadrunner Records, Scott Lee Clothing, Sumerian and TKO Booking, Metal Maniacs, The Syndicate, WAAF, http://www.Defyunlearn.com, http://www.Killertours.com, http://www.jeremysaffer.com, http://www.metalinjection.net, http://www.Jeremysafer.com and Zildjian. THE CAST PATTERN SELF TITLED ALBUM OUT NOW ON MIDGETS WITH MACHETES RECORDS!Lawrence, KS chaotic / technical metal outfit The Cast Pattern has announced a string of tour dates with Arsonists Get All the Girls (Century Media). The mini-tour will start on May 4th and run through May 10th. This stint will include a date in San Antonio, TX with the Metal for the Masses tour with Veil of Maya, As Blood Runs Black, Winds of Plague, Stick to Your Guns, and more. Coming from a scene that produced metal heavyweights like Origin, The Esoteric and Coalesce, The Cast Pattern formed in 2004 and while they have similarities to said bands they also have their own approach. When asked to describe their music, guitarist Chris Hess said “We like technical and chaotic bands but after a while your brain is spending more time figuring out what’s going on than enjoying the sound, so we aim to have parts that you can lock onto without being simple” Since the release of their self-titled album, The Cast Pattern has earned many fans in the media, quotes have included Exclaim!, Canada’s largest music monthly said that “The Cast Pattern’s self-titled album brings back memories of Converge, pre-Jane Doe, and sounds like Agoraphobic Nosebleed.” In agreement, Subba-Cultcha, a popular online webzine, said about The Cast Pattern, “They play savage, splattering hardcore and combine it with stabbing, groove-laden technical metal.” Since their inception, The Cast Pattern has grown into a well oiled concert apparatus, having shared the stage with such bands as Dillinger Escape Plan, The Red Chord, Misery Signals, The Esoteric, Embrace the End, and more. For more tour dates and album updates, check http://www.myspace.com/thecastpatternmusic. Date City Venue With CHAD SMITH'S BOMBASTIC MEATBATS schedule April 16 L.A. warm-up showApril 7, 2008 - L.A.-based instrumental all-star quartet, CHAD SMITH'S BOMBASTIC MEATBATS, featuring RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith, guitarist Jeff Kollman (COSMOSQUAD, GLENN HUGHES), bassist Kevin Chown (UNCLE CRACKER, TED NUGENT), and keyboardist Ed Roth (GLENN HUGHES, RONNIE MONTROSE), have scheduled a Wednesday, April 16 warm-up show at Life (NW corner of Wilshire & Crescent Heights), 6311 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 (Ph.: 323-651-5433) before embarking on their tour of Japan which is set to kick off on April 21. The group is scheduled to perform at the following venues: April 21 - Live House enn, Sendai (Doors: 19:00 / Show Time: 19:30) http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~enn/ The MEATBATS' upcoming 11-song debut CD is finished and due out later this spring. Recorded analog and live in the studio in a mere two days, the disc was co-produced by the band and Jono Brown. Songs include 'Need Strange', 'Battle For Ventura Blvd', 'Night Sweats', 'Big Feet', 'Lola', and 'Roller Girl.' Footage of the MEATBATS' inaugural live performance at this year's NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA can be viewed here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RugsUPyayWs. Photos from the group's March 1 double header at the Baked Potato in North Hollywood, CA are posted here http://www.jeffkollman.com/photos_08tbm_bp.htm. For more info visit: http://www.myspace.com/bombasticmeatbats CRASH ROMEO SET TO LAUNCH U.S. TOUR APRIL 13 IN ALLENTOWN, PA; "POPULAR" VIDEO ONLINE NOWApril 7, 2008 -- More dates have been added to Crash Romeo's upcoming U.S. tour with Tub Ring, Driver Side Impact and School Boy Humor. The trek begins April 13 in Allentown, PA and concludes May 1 in Nashville, TN. The New Jersey band is hitting the road in support of their recently released sophomore album, GAVE ME THE CLAP (Trustkill Records). The album was produced by Chris Badami (The Starting Line, The Early November). Blogcritics.org recently described the disc as "Sneering, tongue-in-cheek sleaze rock. These guys do it for the laughs, the booze, and the babes. It's smirk rock that you put on and sit back to enjoy…They have the songs and the vibe to go far. In an genre full of wannabes; these guys rise above the heap. Check out the title track and smile." "Popular," the first video from GAVE ME THE CLAP, can now be seen on the band's official website and Myspace page, Trustkill Records' website and YouTube (see links below). It was recently shot in New Jersey with director Jason Marsden (actor from "Full House," "Boy Meets World"), who can also be seen--in various disguises--throughout the clip. Here are the confirmed tour dates: http://www.crashromeo.com Denmark's VOLBEAT delivers American debut in JuneROCK THE REBEL/METAL THE DEVIL on MASCOT RECORDS USA HOLLYWOOD (April 7, 2008) Elvis metal 'n' rollers VOLBEAT, who combine '50s rock with modern metal, will unleash their trademark rockabilly sound on unsuspecting Americans come June 10th via their first ever U.S. release, ROCK THE REBEL/METAL THE DEVIL on Mascot Records USA. Expect to hear the first single Sad Man's Tongue on radio nationwide in May. Original and different, classic and cutting edge, VOLBEAT is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Michael Poulsen, guitarist Thomas Bredahl, bassist Anders Kjřlholm and drummer Jon Larsen. Already endorsed by Vans, Eastpak, Gibson, In Tune Guitar Picks, De Palma and Dean Markley, VOLBEAT is intent on earning the adoration of American fans from coast to coast. In their native Denmark, ROCK THE REBEL/METAL THE DEVIL has been certified platinum. Further solidifying their success, VOLBEAT was nominated once at the 2007 MTV European Music Awards and four times at this year's annual Danish Music Awards (the Danish Grammy Awards equivalent) where ROCK THE REBEL/METAL THE DEVIL was named album of the year. When it comes to performing live, VOLBEAT has taken the stage at numerous prestigious European festivals including, but not limited to: Wacken Open Air, Roskilde, With Full Force, Summer Breeze and Graspop. In July 2007, VOLBEAT opened for Metallica on their Sick of the Studio tour when it stopped in Denmark. America is about to learn what Europe is already well aware of VOLBEAT rocks! ROCK THE REBEL/METAL THE DEVIL releases June 10th, 2008 on Mascot Records U.S.A. Expect their U.S. tour in the fall, dates TBA. For more information visit http://www.volbeat.dk or http://www.myspace.com/volbeat or watch Volbeats new video Sad Man's Tongue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mV_HHL-h6g. AN UPDATE FROM DARK FUNERALAve everyone! I guess it's about time to let you guys know what's going on here. Well, we are currently working on material for a new full-length album. We're in the very early stages of the writing process though. There's still a lot of work before we're ready to hit the studio, but we're on the right course at least! Plan is, however, to be ready to record a new album sometime during 2008, with a possible early 2009 release (but it all depends on when we're ready to record and so on, of course). We will keep you posted on the writing progress and what kind of time plan we'll put up for the new album. We have also renewed our contract with Regain Records. So we will be releasing the next album through them too. In the meantime, and during the wait for our new studio album, I'd suggest that you check out two killer DVDs that we have released, "Attera Orbis Terrarum" parts 1 & 2 (part two will be released on May 22). Also, keep your eyes open for the date when we'll launch our webstore "DIABOLISWEAR!" http://www.darkfuneral.se Rob De Luca On Tour with UFO; SEBASTIAN BACH World Tour! Legendary hard rockers UFO have tapped Rob De Luca to fill in for founding bassist Pete Way during their upcoming American tour after Way was recently once again denied a working visa to the USA. UFO tour dates: Next up, Rob and the BACH Band will he heading back to Australia for the ANGEL DOWN UNDER TOUR 2008. BACH tour dates: Then over to Europe: http://www.LovemberRecords.com PSYCHOSTICK ANNOUNCES THEIR "TERRIBLE SHIRT" TOUR! PROPER ATTIRE IS SUGGESTEDhttp://www.MYSPACE.COM/PSYCHOSTICK With their "Holy Crap We're Touring" Tour only a few weeks behind them, PSYCHOSTICK has announced their next cross-country trek: THE TERRIBLE SHIRT TOUR. It's as dumb as it sounds - and their legion of fans wouldn't have it any other way. Cooked up during 2007's Holiday Hate Tour, the band is encouraging, say - daring - fans to wear their most terrible shirt to the show. Josh (guitar) and Jakermeister (other guitar) have posted a tutorial on their website for this very purpose. See the video here: http://www.psychostick.com. "We want the fans to be more involved on this tour. They're sending us photos of what they're gonna wear to the show. We used some of the photos on our tour poster and promo cards. It's a great package and we want everyone, including us, to walk away after a show and know that a forever memorable experience was just had," says Josh. Opening each show will be Look What I Did (Nashville, TN - experimental/ progressive metal) and Powerglove (Boston, MA - video game metal). "We prefer to tour with bands we like personally. We've known both of these bands for a while and are just now getting the opportunity to tour together. You'd be surprised at what this does for overall moral too," says Josh. PSYCHOSTICK is humor-core. Their debut album, "We Couldn't Think of a Title" has Sound Scanned over 34,000 copies thanks to songs like "Beer," "Orgasm = Love," "Two-Ton Paperweight" and "In a Band to Get Chicks." Combined with an unpredictable live performance, PSYCHOSTICK's fan base has continued to grow in numbers and loyalty. Their follow-up EP, "The Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride," landed at number 18 on Billboard's Top Holiday Album in 2007, soon after the band celebrated its three-millionth play on MySpace. TOUR DATES TERRIBLE SHIRT TOUR w/ Powerglove and Look What I Did PSYCHOSTICK ONLY Not familiar with PSYCHOSTICK? You can sample their music at: http://www.myspace.com/psychostick "ALL THINGS DIGITAL HARD ROCK / HEAVY METAL" ARTIST CONTEST 2008Throughout the month of April, AirPlay Direct will be running our FREE to enter "All Things Digital Hard Rock / Heavy Metal" artist contest. The Grand Prize package will include: * A professional microphone package from SHURE Microphones (a $1,600 value) This contest is FREE TO ENTER and very simple. The only three requirements to enter are that you must be an AirPlay Direct artist / label member (free to join), your music must fall into the Hard Rock / Heavy Metal genre and you must submit your AirPlay Direct DPK to office@airplaydirect.com prior to the official entry deadline of April 25th. Whether you are an indie artist or a well established record label with a roster, pick your best songs, you can submit from 1 to 3 tracks per artist. Please make sure to note that you are submitting for the Hard Rock / Heavy Metal artist contest. Deadline for submissions is April 25th. The winner will be announced and "Featured" in the May Radio Programmers Newsletter, as well as in a company press release to all media outlets. WARRANT / Northern Lights Casino on May 18Multi-platinum selling rock band WARRANT are reuniting with their original line-up to perform at the 2008 Rocklahoma Festival (four days, three stages, attendees from all 50 states, Europe and Canada). It's the "Coachella" of the hard rock and metal set. Warrant will also hit the road this summer in July/August and have a live performance DVD set for release too (date tba) The band is planning a special, intimate show on the Sunset Strip with a VIP afterparty, etc. SPIRITUAL BEGGARS DEBUT REISSUED BY REGAIN RECORDSTRENTON, N.J. Regain Records is proud to reissue the debut album from Spiritual Beggars. Originally released in 1994 by Wrong Again Records (the label that later became Regain Records) the self-titled album was the world's introduction to former Carcass guitarist Mike Amott's hard rock alter ego. Through the course of six albums, all released as as Amott's schedule has permitted in between his work with current band Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars has shaken its image as a mere side project and established itself as a genre-defining band in its own rite. Wrong Again's second release ever, "Spiritual Beggars" has been a tough find for quite some time, and now more recent converts to the band will have the opportunity to sample the band's beginnings. Older fans will also be interested to find four bonus tracks on the reissue: "Blind Mountain," "If You Should Leave," "Nowhere To Go," and "Sour Stains." "You know, I spent at least 5 years dilligently looking all over the US and Europe for this album, and after many frustrating dead ends, I decided that it's one tough motherf**ker to track down. Then one day, it appeared on Ebay, and for a mere $71.00, it's finally mine, all mine, all f**king mine [and no you can't borrow it, touch it or even think about asking me to play it for you]! So, what's so special about Spiritual Beggars'...debut? ...Spiritual Beggars is a f**king amazing '70s/psychedelic/stoner rock band and I had to know what their debut sounded like. ...Mike Amott plays all guitars for the band, so you know that no matter how many years ago it was made, there's got to be some killer guitar sh*t on this disc." - Deadtide.com "...the bonus tracks give the other songs a run for their money, surprisingly. Not filler at all. Everyone sounds great on this album though, especially Ludwig, his drumming is noticeably jazzy and well-executed." - Metal-Archives.com http://www.regainrecords.com FILTER UPDATE:Newly announced DETROIT Date for the tour. See below - Tour starts April 24. If you haven't had a chance, check out the new track "Soldiers of Misfortune" from Filter! Anthems for the Damned in-stores May 13 - FILTER SET TO KICK OFF FIRST TOUR IN NEARLY SIX YEARSAPRIL 24 IN AUSTIN, TEXAS; NEW CD 'ANTHEMS FOR THE DAMNED' OUT MAY 13 VIA PULSE RECORDINGS As they prepare to release their new CD ANTHEMS FOR THE DAMNED May 13 via Pulse Recordings, FILTER have announced their first tour in nearly six years. The first leg of this U.S. trek--a mix of headlining shows, radio festivals and special engagements--begins April 24 at Stubb's in Austin, Texas, to be followed by three June shows overseas in Germany and the U.K. Earlier this month, FILTER made a special appearance for the troops in Kuwait when they performed at the March 10 Operation MySpace concert. While on tour, FILTER will preview songs from ANTHEMS FOR THE DAMNED alongside such FILTER classics as "Hey Man, Nice Shot," "Take a Picture" and others. ANTHEMS FOR THE DAMNED--produced by Pulse Recording head Josh Abraham--features the first single "Soldiers of Misfortune"; its been one of the most added tracks on the active and alternative radio charts the past two weeks with airplay on stations such as KDGE (Dallas), KTBZ (Houston), Q101 (Chicago), KPNT (St. Louis), WBCN (Boston), KQRC (Kansas City), KXXR (Minneapolis), WEBN (Cincinnati) and WBUZ (Nashville), to name a few. PATRICK describes the soaring anthem--with its U2/Bowie flavor and stacked backdrop of buzzing electric guitars--as a "sardonic anti-war/pro-troops song." The first-person narrative was inspired by a letter from a FILTER fan who had enlisted in the Army reserves to get his college tuition paid; in his final year of college, he was shipped off to Iraq where he died from a rocket attack and small arms fire after just a few days of duty. Catch FILTER live at the following shows and look for more tour dates to be announced in the near future. Also check out http://www.officialfilter.com and http://www.myspace.com/filter1. Date City Venue International Dates: HEADHUNTER'S Paradise of Society American release date confirmedCandlelight Records in cooperation with AFM Records confirms June 10 as the US release date for Parasite of Society, the new album from reformed German trio Headhunter. Featuring the famed line-up of Schmier (Destruction), Schmuddel (Talon) and Jorg Michael (Saxon/Stratovarius), Parasite to Society is an instant throwback to classic German metal. It is the band’s first new recording in nearly 13 years. Schmier (vocalist/bassist) is the man behind the engine. His persona and drive is what has made Destruction the musical force it has come to be appreciated for nearing two decades. With Headhunter, the metal icon is given opportunity to reach outside his normal musical environment; more “power” than “thrash” and adding an immediately identifiable dash of humor. Parasite of Society is a classic good time in waiting. Headhunter are a confirmed a special performer at this summer’s Wacken Open Air Festival. Track listing for Parasite of Society includes: 3rd Man Introduction, Parasite of Society, Silverskull, Remission, Doomsday for the Prayer, 18 and Life, Read My Lips, Backs to the Wall, Egomaniac, The Calling, Payback Time. http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com | http://www.myspace.com/candlelightrecordsusa Connecticut's EMMURE have added the first track from their highly-anticipated new album The Respect Issue to their MySpace page. False Love In Real Life is available now on their re-designed page http://www.myspace.com/emmure, taken from the new album to be released on May 13, 2008. Emmure are currently slaying audiences on their first European tour with Misery Signals, and will return to the US to make an appearance at New England Metal & Hardcore Festival, followed by their 51-date headlining tour from April 26th with labelmates Red I Flight. As well as TNA World Wrestling champion Kurt Angle being featured on the album cover, Emmure will be the featured artist for TNA Wrestling April 17th - May 11th. Music from The Respect Issue will be heard by 3.1 million people every Thursday and Saturday night in homes across the nation on TNA's weekly program, and will also be the theme music for the May 11th pay per view event, Sacrifice. Shred Guitar Pioneer PAUL GILBERT Releases New Guitar Instrumental CDSILENCE FOLLOWED BY A DEAFENING ROAR on Shrapnel Records April 8th HOLLYWOOD (April 3, 2008) On April 8, Paul Gilbert will unleash yet another instrumental masterpiece on Shrapnel Records. SILENCE FOLLOWED BY A DEAFENING ROAR comes out on the tail end of his successful and very first instrumental CD, 2006's GET OUT OF MY YARD. SILENCE FOLLOWED BY A DEAFENING ROAR's title is inspired by a recent move that Gilbert and his wife made from one house to another. "After two long months of packing, moving, and learning about the vast sciences of plumbing and electrical house wiring, I was very much looking forward to becoming a GUITARIST again," explains Gilbert. This CD is the result of that desire. "I suppose those two months without my guitar is the 'Silence,' and the sound of me happily reuniting with my favorite musical instrument could be the 'Deafening Roar.' " Gilbert's extraordinary talent of arranging/composing lends to the new music's fresh melodies for songs that show his true diversity. Gilbert discusses some of the songs and how they came to light: "The first three songs on the album are sort of a bridge from the riff-and-solo style of GET OUT OF MY YARD to my new discoveries in melody writing that come in the songs that follow. 'Silence,' 'Eudaimonia Overture' and 'The Rhino' certainly have melodic elements, but from 'Norwegian Cowbell' until the end of the record, I use pure melody more and more. Many of these melodies were actually composed with my singing voice." Paul Gilbert, regarded internationally as one of the greatest players in the industry, started his recording career with Shrapnel Records as a teenager in the late Eighties. He remains one of the most active guitarists from the original shred guitar scene. Hi rise to Platinum success includes a number one song with Mr. Big (1991's "To Be With You") and cult status as founding member of the legendary and highly successful underground progressive metal band Racer X. Gilbert's celebrity draws from nearly 20 albums and more than two decades as a recording artist and touring musician. Last year Gilbert toured on the legendary G3 tour in support of Joe Satriani, and his performances confirmed to a younger audience what Gilbert fans have known for more than 20 years; that Paul Gilbert is simply one of the greatest guitar players on the planet today. Gilbert follows the release of SILENCE FOLLOWED BY A DEAFENING ROAR with a record release show at the House of Blues Sunset Strip in Hollywood on Wednesday, May 7th, Gilbert will then tour the U.K. with Joe Satriani, with many more headlining shows to follow all around the world. Don't miss Paul Gilbert and his amazing band as they rock across the globe! For more information click on http://www.paulgilbert.com Open your mind to MindDropAlready topping the IAC Hard Rock Charts and Cashbox Magazine Charts with their singles "Situations" and "Monster", Mind Drop is kicking ass and taking names. Mind Drop has been nominated for a 2008 IAIA Golden Kayak award for "Monster" which is the most prestigious award an unsigned band can acheive. Comprised of Tim Bourbon (Vocals), Adam Deases (Guitar), Chris Ruzic (Bass) and Robert Bull (Drums), Mind Drop has already completed a three song EP with plans to release another four song EP this May. They can best be described as a mix of Nu Metal beat over the head by Old School Metal, but don't think that means they don't offer their own, unique mix to the hard rock/metal genre.Mind Drop has shared the stage with bands such as FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, Oblige, OTEP and ANEW REVOLUTION. Be sure to check them out live this Spring and listen to their current single "Situations" and "Monster" at http://www.myspace.com/minddropband. MARC RIZZO OF CAVALERA CONSPIRACY & SOULFLY ON TOURRIZZO GOING ON U.S. SOLO TOUR THEN JOINS CAVALERA CONSPIRACY ON WORLD TOUR RIZZO'S SOLO CD'S 'THE UTLTIMATE DEVOTION' & 'COLOASSAL MYOPIA' ON SHRAPNEL RECORDS NOW! HOLLYWOOD (April 3, 2008) - Marc Rizzo is one of the new breed of young guitarists in contemporary bands and has built a substantial following through his years of touring and recording with IL Nino, Soulfly and now breaking Metal History with shredding for Metal Icons Max & Iggor Cavalera in Cavalera Conspiracy. Rizzo has stepped out with solo projects that reveal a phenomenal command of the guitar. Both solo albums unveils Rizzo to be a master musician with deep musical roots in metal, classical and flamenco guitar. COLOSSAL MYOPIA is a mixture of all the music that Rizzo listens to. It's a combination of Metal Nuevo Flamenco and Jazz. "I don't really listen to one type of music and I think my record showcases that," explains Rizzo. "It's an all instrumental CD for music lovers that want to enjoy pure music without all the politics and negative lyrical content." THE ULTIMATE DEVOTION is Marc Rizzo's solo sophomore release on Shrapnel Records. This newly mastered work of shred-art comes on the coat-tails of his critically acclaimed debut album COLASSAL MYOPIA in 2006. THE ULTIMATE DEVOTION is a myriad of Rizzo's amazing talent to also combine flamenco and pure unadulterated shred mastery. "THE ULTIMATE DEVOTION is a total representation of where I am at musically right now," explains Rizzo. "I feel I really pushed myself on this record to the next level of my playing. This music, for me, is the ultimate devotion." Rizzo's raw energy combined with the talent of a new-generation shred-master is a much needed breath of fresh air to the instrumental rock genre. MARC RIZZO- SOLO TOUR 2008: http://www.myspace.com/marcrizzo MEMBERS OF FEAR FACTORY AND THREAT SIGNAL ANNOUNCE NEW PROJECT! MUSIC AVAILABLE FOR PREVIEW AT http://www.MYSPACE.COM/ARKAEAMUSICFear Factory members Christian Olde Wolbers (guitar) and Raymond Herrera (drums) are proud to announce the debut album of their new group, ARKAEA. The band also features one of metal's hungriest young singers, Jon Howard (Threat Signal). ARKAEA has just finished up preproduction and are scheduled to enter the studio to begin recording. This album promises to be as pummeling as anything the gold-selling team of Olde Wolbers and Herrera has ever written. Olde Wolbers comments: "These songs were designed like the Fear Factory songs that Raymond and I always wrote. However, we've been able to push the boundaries and go out of that context, while remaining heavy." "Christian and Ray have been writing together for many years, so the music does have a lot of Fear Factory elements," adds Howard. "However, we've been open to trying different things. It basically fuses what I have been doing vocally in Threat Signal with driving Fear Factory rhythms, along with some of our own experimentation. The idea behind the project is to be heavy, but maintain melody at the same time." Howard has been a part of the Fear Factory family ever since Olde Wolbers served as producer for Threat Signal's debut, Under Reprisal. Given that connection, the chemistry was there the instant the band started playing together. The band's yet untitled album is due out fall 2008 on KOCH RECORDS and plans for touring are under way in support of the record. You can preview new music at http://www.myspace.com/arkaeamusic NEFASTUS DIES debut set for American releaseCandlelight Records in cooperation with Siege of Amida Records confirms June 10 as the US release date for Urban Cancer, the debut album from Canada’s Nefastus Dies. Featuring former Ion Dissonance vocalist Ill-Fate, the album was produced by Yannick St-Amand (Despised Icon). Formed in 2002, Montreal-based Nefastus Dies completed their line-up by the addition of former Ion Dissonance vocalist Ill-Fate in 2005. His presence sparked an intense period of creativity; gigging and writing material that their already growing local fan base found to be a much more extreme approach than their earliest material. Excited about the upcoming release of Urban Cancer, the band are already busy scheduling regional performances and hope to hit the US later this fall on their first stateside tour. The band recently confirmed performances with Anaal Nathrakh; dates noted below. 05/17/2008 The Kathedral - Toronto, ON Track listing for Urban Cancer includes: Fragments of Poisoned Components, Primal Chaos Layers, Hate Vector, The Irony of Anti-establishment, Ideologies, None of the Above, Spawns of Illegitemacy, Cost-effective Mergers. Other Siege of Amida titles available from Candlelight Records include Martriden/The Unsettling Dark, Whitechapel/The Somatic Defilement, Knights of the Abyss/Juggernaut, Diskreet/Infernal Rise, and Rose Funeral/Crucify Kill Rot. http://www.nefastusdies.com | http://www.myspace.com/nefastusdies SOUND AND FURY REJECT ALL THINGS POP FOR REAL, RAMPAGING, ROCK ON "SOUND AND FURY" OUT JUNE 24TH 2008!BAMBOOZLE FESTIVAL APPEARANCES CONFIRMED! There was a time when rock n' roll was regarded as some kind of terrible, howling, beast from the abyss, ready to pounce upon and devour the unsuspecting youth of the world--hurling them into a wild life of freedom and outrageous adventure. Well, the beast is back! Toronto Canada's SOUND AND FURY is undeniably all about the rock, as heard throughout their self-titled debut full-length album, 'SOUND AND FURY' due June 24th via Rebel Youth Records/MRI-RED Distribution. "I've had a lot of crazy experiences and rowdy times," recalls SOUND AND FURY singer/songwriter, Luke Metcalf. "I mainly write about when I was in high school and then afterward, when I was living homeless with the gutter punks in California." "Right from the start I knew exactly what I wanted when I wrote the music and lyrics for this album," continues Metcalf. "I wanted to make a killer rock album to party your ass off to...an album to let loose, leave all the bulls**t behind and run wild to. When I hit high school I went totally out of control. It was just a rampage of crazy partying. At the time, I was incredibly pissed off and f**ked up because I was dealing with a lot of really harsh s**t...but I decided: "f**k it all...I'm gonna have some f**king fun"... and I managed to have a hell of a lot of fun. I made some really great friends and had some really wild times and this is what the album is all about." In hooking up with guitarists Daz and Griffin, bassist John Kerns, and drummer Chris Avalos, Metcalf has found the band to play the music he lives to create. SOUND AND FURY is all about power chords and no-bullshit rock 'n roll, total sonic assault. "We are all huge fans of 1970's rock and punk. AC/DC were at their peak between 76'-80', same with The Ramones, The Sex Pistols and The Misfits, and of course Zeppelin and Sabbath were at their best earlier in the decade. This music was ferocious! Dangerous! Like a wild wolf let out of its cage. That's what we're all about, creating no-bullshit Rock N' Roll to get down and dirty and party your ass off to!!!" In addition to perfectly capturing their raw power on album, the group has been gaining fans by the truckload by opening up for Canada's leading pop-punk band, Sum 41, throughout the great white north (as well as the U.K.). Don't believe us? Check out what SOUND AND FURY fanatic Sarky Bastid from Fazer Magazine had to say about the group's March 19th performance at the Oshawa General Motors Centre. "These guys blew away what little pubes the all ages crowd had growing on them. Straight from the get-go, they plugged in and turned the volume up to 11. This band had elements of AC/DC, G n' R, Sabbath, and the Pistols (if you don't know those bands...then quit music). The vocals were incredible. The singer wore a cool bowler hat and gave the crowd more than they needed to rock out. It was like watching Alex from 'Clockwork Orange' in the band. And the lead guitarist...BAM! That dude was on f@#k'n fire! With songs like '18,' 'Night of the Ghouls,' and the catchy sing-along 'Bad Touch'...this band is only going upwards from here." With dates upcoming on the Bamboozle Festival, SOUND AND FURY'S live roar is bound to only grow louder. Metcalf also promises that SOUND AND FURY will never attempt to "save the world" with their music. But rather, will continue to party and rock as hard as humanly possible. "We don't take ourselves that seriously. This is about going out and getting crazy, for kids who want to go out and have a good time. I wanna party with the kids who live for rock n roll - no bullshit, down 'n dirty, ferocious rock 'n roll. People who really sincerely live for that music and don't give a shit about anything else. Basically I write about myself; who I am, what I've experienced. I write about what its like to be a wild wolf living in a culture of sheep." On 'Sound And Fury', SOUND AND FURY is off to one hell of a start. Confirmed track listing for 'SOUND AND FURY'. Sound and Fury will be playing the following dates, as part of the Bamboozle Festival: Saturday, April 5th, 2008 at 3 P.M on the MLB stage at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, C.A. Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, N.J. Time and stage TBA For more information on the band, visit: myspace.com/soundandfuryrocks http://www.soundandfury.com Legendary Alice Cooper Drummer Neal Smith Unleashes His Sexual Savior3/30/2008 - Westport, CT - From the sick and twisted mind of original Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith, one of the Legendary GODS of Shock Rock, comes KillSmith with a new CD entitled 'Sexual Savior'. Born 2008 on a bloody St. Valentine's Day massacre, 'Sexual Savior' unloads a hardcore metal celebration of the human condition, violence, death, sex, lust and greed. The CD comes with a sixteen-page booklet featuring song lyrics and lots of hot female skin. Turn the volume all the way up and blast your brains out listening to eleven new songs destined to be Classick's including: "Naked And The Raw", "Sexual Savior", "Monsters In The Attic" (with drum solo), "How Do You Bleed", "Dynasty Of Darkness" and "Human Evolution". Featuring! Neal Smith is best known worldwide for his innovative drumming and outrageous stage antics with the original Alice Cooper Group. His solid drumming is the hallmark sound behind such 1970's Alice Cooper hits "Schools Out", "I'm Eighteen", "Billion Dollar Babies" and "No More Mr. Nice Guy". Neal is also a prolific songwriter, who helped pen many of Cooper's best known songs. From the late 1970's to the present, Smith's trademark drums can be heard on several albums, including the critically acclaimed Bouchard, Dunaway and Smith CDs. And now with 'Sexual Savior', "this aggressive masterpiece is aimed at today's hard rock market, but will no doubt appeal to anyone with anti-social tendencies," Derek Emery of LA's The Place. "A true veteran of the drum kit, Neal Smith expands his remarkable talent on this new CD, playing drums, synthesizer, and guitar as well as all lead vocals. Each heart pounding song was written and produced by Smith as well. The brilliant drumming alone will leave you paralyzed!" KillSmith's 'Sexual Savior' is now available from CD Baby, iTunes, E-Bay and Amazon.com, as well as the official KillSmith website. Buy it - you'll love it to death!!! http://www.NealSmith.com |