02/02 News Archive

redgebnT.gif (7711 bytes) Rough Ed by Rattlesnake Graffiti (See our link page)

February 2002 Archive

...2000 DECIBEL, the only festival featuring Swedish metal and hard rock bands exclusively, is set for May 18th, 2002 in Bengtsfors, Sweden (180 km north of Gothenburg). The bands confirmed in the line-up are 2 TON PREDATOR, THE PROJECT HATE, OPETH, HYPOCRISY, DREAM EVIL, ENTOMBED, EVERGREY, F.K.U., HUMAN RACE, LOST HORIZON, MANINNYA BLADE, SOILWORK and WITCHERY. As an extra bonus, Magnus Rosén, HAMMERFALL's bassplayer, will open up the festival with part of the bass show that he toured South America with....

...New York City’s SOS are working on solidifying dates for their White Trash Invasion Tour '02! Keep on the lookout for tour dates on Rough Edge soon. SOS also invite you to peep the new and improved SOS website at http://www.sosnyc.com and they’d like some feedback and want you to sign the guest book...

Metal Blade Records invites you to sample mp3's of new material from upcoming releases. Point your browser to http://www.metalblade.com to hear the latest from TY TABOR's "Tulip-Your Eyes," FALCONER's "Decadence of Dignity," ALL THAT REMAINS' "From These Wounds," and BEYOND THE EMBRACE's "Release."...

...Victory Records has just signed the rock/ska punk misfits VOODOO GLOW SKULLS. Voodoo Glow Skulls will be in the studio from late February 2002 until April 2002 recording material for their next release which should see the light of day sometime in June 2002. Voodoo Glow Skulls will be touring Summer 2002 so keep checking http://www.victoryrecords.com for the latest tour dates...

...DIO is back in the news. Doug Aldrich has replaced Craig Goldy as the guitar player. Doug Aldrich is joining Dio regulars Jimmy Bain and Simon Wright. Doug Aldrich has worked with bands such as Burning Rain, Bad Moon Rising, House of Lords, Hurricane, and Lion. Most recently, he participated on the “Little Guitars - Tribute To Van Halen” compilation album in 2000 on Shrapnel Records. Dio's latest CD should be released in May 2002 on Spitfire Records followed by a US tour starting June 1st in Las Vegas...

Tour dates for GWAR, GOATWHORE, GOD FORBID, SOILENT GREEN, DISARRAY, KING'S X, LAMB OF GOD, MUSHROOMHEAD, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DARK FUNERAL, PISSING RAZORS, INCANTATION, LIZZY BORDEN and more are available by clicking here...

...Listenable Records has recently redesigned their website and invite you to check it out: http://www.listenable.net...

...DECEMBER’s latest CD, "The Lament Configuration" is now available. December are said to sound like "The Dillinger Escape Plan going toe-to-toe with Brutal Truth in a street brawl." "The Lament Configuration" was produced by musical genius Devin Townsend. Look for December to tour with PISSING RAZORS later this Spring...

...DECAPITATED's follow-up to the well-received "Winds of Creation" is called "Nihility." High-end, pulsating production lends extra weight to the technical virtuosity on display throughout "Nihility," making the stop/start tightness that is fast becoming Decapitated's signature touch a ferocious death metal album. In other news, Decapitated are putting the finishing touches to their first video clip for the track "Names"...

...Three Earache Records recording artists will perform at this years New Jersey Meltdown. CADAVER INC. is scheduled for Friday April 5th and RABIES CASTE and HATE ETERNAL are scheduled for Saturday April 6th...

...Industrial rock pioneers MINISTRY have recently been signed to Sanctuary Records. Ministry will release their live CD "Sphinctour" on March 19th, 2002...

...OVERLORDE has launched an mp3.com website and have released a new mp3 track. This song is a new version of the song "Overlorde" which can be found on the classic 1987 EP. The new version features ex-SEVEN WITCHES vocalist Bobby Lucas. Visit http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/367/overlorde.html for more information...

...ARIZING's long awaited debut CD, "Womb," is set for a March 26, 2002 release through Medea Records...

...THE UNINVITED and ARIZING have each announced a list of tour dates. Click here for dates...

...JVC has announced that NIKKI SIXX and SHAUN PALMER have agreed to launch a signature line of car amplifier products. Check your local auto electronics store for more information...

...Old school metal maniacs HIRAX have released "Barrage of Noise" and are preparing for a European tour...

...Bullpen Promotions wants you to know about the releases that are rocking their world. ENTOMBED's latest release "Morning Star" is now available. Bullpen Promotions also says to be on the lookout for Massachusetts's own eclectic rockers SWEATPANT BONERS' latest CD "Cruisin' With The Master" and BRICK BATH's latest set of mayhem "I Won't Live The Lie." Also available soon will be SINGLE BULLET THEORY's self-titled debut on the Monumental label; Single Bullet Theory's blend of power metal and everything else is something else. Complex metalions LIGHT IS THE LANGUAGE will soon release "The Void Falls Silent" on the streets for the buying public. CLOSER THAN KIN blend punk, hardcore, and emo into one concise package - "Dead Flowers For A Dying Lover" will be available soon...

...From the Bizarre But True Department: Finland's APOCALYPTICA have struck a deal with Fox Sports Net for usage of the band's rendition of "Hall Of The Mountain King" for upcoming NASCAR promotional television spots. The spots will be running from February 17th through July 6th of this year. Apocalyptica's version of "Hall Of The Mountain King" is also being used for National Basketball Association promo spots on Turner Network Television and in commercials for the California Milk Processor Board...

...TESLA has begun work on their next studio effort, writing songs for the past two months at guitarist Frank Hannon's studio in Northern California. This album will be the first studio release from the original lineup of vocalist Jeff Keith, Hannon, guitarist Tommy Skeoch, bass guitarist Brian Wheat and drummer Troy Luccketta since 1994, and also their first studio release on Sanctuary Records following last year's "Replugged Live."...

...PISSING RAZORS, SCAR CULTURE, CATCH 22, GRADE, REACH THE SKY and STUDENT RICK are on the road. Click here for tour dates...

...STATIC-X are keeping busy. Static-X will perform "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment" on the upcoming RAMONES tribute CD being produced by ROB ZOMBIE. Static-X have agreed to lend their likenesses to an upcoming Static-X comic book (shades of KISS?). Chaos Comics is spearheading the project which is expected to arrive at your neighborhood comics store in July 2002. Static-X will be touring Mexico and South America supporting KORN beginning March 2nd in Mexico City at Foro Sol...

...GENE SIMMONS now has a magazine called "Tongue" (if you didn't see that coming ...). You can order on-line to get four issues for $6.99 so head to http://www.genesimmonstongue.com if you're interested in a little ... uh, tongue...

...Eighties' vintage rockers THE LONDON QUIREBOYS have just released "This Is Rock'N' Roll" on Sanctuary Records. The London Quireboys' brand of gritty, blues-based rock'n'roll that is similar to what we now hear from BUCKCHERRY. The London Quireboys' infectious rock anthems are back again and the first single from has already hit radio stations worldwide to great acclaim in the international press...

...Here's an update for bands on the "Wind-Up" label:

...DROWNING POOL have a new single and video for "Tear Away" which is the most added track for both Rock and Alternative formats. Drowning Pool will be headlining the first-ever Jagermeister Music Tour, kicking off March 8th, with COAL CHAMBER and ILL NINO supporting (click here for tour dates). Drowning Pool's previously unreleased track "Break You" will appear on the "Scorpion King" soundtrack album due out on March 26th...

...BREAKING POINT has a new song, "One of a Kind," being featured on the WWF as the theme song for wrestler Rob Van Dam. Look for the song on the updated version of their debut album "Coming Of Age" in stores on February 25th...

...POPSTER'S TRICKSIDE's second single "Avalon" has just been released to radio and has gotten strong feedback in Philadelphia, Austin, and New Orleans...

...12 STONES, vying to be the next big thing, rely on a vital blend of anger and passion, raw rock energy and true guitar heroics. The self-titled debut hits the streets on April 23rd...

...Drawing its members from Australia, Germany, England, and Boston, MUST have been nominated for a Rising Star Award in the 2001 Boston Music Awards. Must's debut will be in stores on April 9th...

...ALONE has a new song "Human" posted at: http://www.mp3.com/alonemusic and they'd love to hear your comments about it - post your thoughts on their message board at http://www.alonemusic.com or on the http://www.streetdawgs.net message board...

...MUSHROOMHEAD are quite a busy band these days. The recently re-released "XX" has debuted at #26 on Billboard's Alternative New Artist Chart. The first single, "Solitaire Unraveling," is also now a video; the video was shot recently and directed by Dean Karr (Marilyn Manson, Deftones). The video is set in a Southern California airplane hangar and features the band in specially designed masks. According to frontman J Mann, the song "acts as a metaphor for the cycles of life and the duality of man." Drummer and founder Skinny adds "It's very much us: dark, creepy, surreal." The video for "Solitaire Unraveling" is currently in rotation on M2 and heavy on MTVX. Mushroomhead has also just completed work on a new song titled "Along The Way" for the soundtrack to the film "Scorpion King" which serves as a prequel to the introduction sequence in "The Mummy Returns" - the movie is set for a March 26, 2002 release. As if that wasn't enough, Mushroomhead is currently in the midst of their tour in support of "XX" in Columbus...

...Noise recording artists VIRGIN STEEL Virgin Steel are raffling off a bi-hand sword. To be eligible to win this most dangerous weapon you must complete a puzzle at this location http://www.noiserecords.com/whatsnew/sword.htm. Good luck!...

...KAMELOT drummer KASEY GRILLO has re-joined the band on their European tour. The tour features support in the form of AXXIS and CYBERIA. More good news for Kamelot is that Thom's guitars were found and returned to him...

...Italian power/true metal act and Deadsun recording artists MERENDINE ATOMICHE have announced that their next album "Walk Across Fire" will be recorded at the world famous Sunlight Studio in Sweden in August 2002 and has a tentative release date of November 2002...

...Massachusetts-based hard-rockers REVEILLE have re-worked their song "Inside Out" during a recent recording session (the original version can be found on their most recent album "Bleed The Sky"). Reveille will include the augmented version on a revised release of the album, which will be made available to stores sometime in February. A new product sticker highlighting the remix will be placed on the CD for consumers. Reveille enlisted renowned Cold vocalist, Scooter, to appear on the remix of the song after crossing paths with Cold at one of their Florida shows. Scooter and the group hit the studio with producer Howard Benson (P.O.D.) who produced the original album released in September of 2001. The scalding, no-holds-barred "Inside Out (Can You Feel Me Now)" has fast become one of the most requested songs at modern and alternative rock radio, already added to key stations such as WXTM in Cleveland, Sacramento's KRXQ, and KXXR in Minneapolis, three weeks before its scheduled impact date...

...Relapse recording artists BURNT BY THE SUN have released their highly anticipated debut full-length, "Soundtrack to the Personal Revolution." Producer Matt Bayles (Mastodon, ISIS) recorded the band at Trax East Studios. Check out an mp3s for "Dracula with Glasses" at http://www.relapse.com/mp3/BurntByTheSun-DraculaWithGlasses.mp3 and "Famke" at http://www.relapse.com/mp3/BurntByTheSun-Famke.mp3. The band is also on tour. Check out their website at http://www.burntbythesun.com or click here for tour dates...

Other recent Relapse release include:

...GOD MACABRE's "The Winterlong" (re-mixed, re-mastered and re-packaged), SHAPE OF DESPAIR's "Angels Of Distress," "Czech Assault" compilation featuring Imperial Foeticide, Negligent Collateral Collapse, Contrastic, Intervalle Bizarre, and Fleshless...

...The release of Lost Disciple Records' recording artist PESSMIST's upcoming CD, "Slaughtering the Faithful" should finally see the light of day soon. "Slaughtering The Faithful" was produced by Morbid Angel/Hate Eternal guitarist Erik Rutan. Stay Visit http://mp3.com/pessimist to hear some of the new tunes...

...Former SEASON OF FEAR drummer MIKE RIX has put together a new band called NOTHING SACRED. Mike will add you to the Nothing Sacred e-mail list if you are interested in getting updates on the band, show dates, news and mp3's. Just e-mail him at nothing_sacred@budweiser.com and you'll be added to the e-mail list...

...ORATORY invite you to check out their newly updated website at http://www.oratory-band.net/...

...Battlezone Records invites you to check out their new website at http://www.geocities.com/bzrecordsgroup/...

...Hear samples of three tracks from the upcoming release of REBEL AMISH RADIO's garageband.com debut "Only In America" at this site: http://www.rebelamishradio.com/. Click on the "Grooves" link to hear the samples...

...Expect to hear CYBIL's newest CD "Radiate" in early 2002. Check out http://www.instantweb.com/c/cybil/home.html for more information...

...EXODUS frontman PAUL BALOFF passed away on February 2nd from complications from a stroke. Metal has lost yet another pioneer. Everyone at Rough Edge gives our sincere condolences to the Baloff family, Exodus, and the band's fans...

...March 2002 is the tentative timetable for THRESHOLD to release their new live album "Concert In Paris." This fan club release will be available directly from the band's official website www.thresh.net. "Concert In Paris" is a recording of last year's gig at the Elysee Montmartre in Paris. The show features a 60-minute set and the setlist includes the songs "Sunseeker," "Turn On Tune In," "Long Way Home," "Change," "Devoted," "Light And Space," "The Ravages Of Time" and "Paradox." The album should be available for pre-order soon. Threshold's forthcoming studio disc is mostly written and the band are due to start recording later next month for a planned late Spring 2002 release. The band intend to showcase the album at a few festivals in the late Summer and Autumn, with the possibility of shows in Germany, Switzerland and America. More details will be confirmed as they become available. Threshold's current studio album "Hypothetical" has been voted best progressive metal album of 2001 by the Level 11 metal website. Jorn, the vocalist from Threshold's 2001 support band Ark, also picked up the title of best heavy metal album for his solo CD "Worldchanger." Karl Groom has just finished producing an album for British rock band Euphoria at Thin Ice Studios. The album also features keyboards by Richard West. Threshold are currently in negotiations with three independent movie companies in the US and Japan about using music from the band's current studio album "Hypothetical" in various television and film productions...

...Eclipse recording artists DISARRAY have returned from Slave Pit Studios where they have just finished their long-awaited new album entitled "In The Face Of The Enemy." The band has posted free mp3 files from the up-coming record at http://www.eclipserecords.com/mp3.htm. "In The Face Of The Enemy" was produced by Dave "Oderus" Brockie of costumed supergroup GWAR and mixed by Jeremy Smith (GWAR, Lamb of God, DBX, Darkest Hour). The record will feature 11 brand new songs which, as the band declares, "are sure to be irresistible to any metal fan that appreciates aggressive songwriting, a sincere lyrical message, and technical musicianship." "In The Face Of The Enemy" will hit the streets this Spring. Disarray have also recently secured endorsements with ESP Guitars, Dean Markley strings, and Galien Krueger bass amps...

...Noise recording artists Seven Witches invite you to check out an mp3 of one of their latest songs "Xiled To Infinity and One" at http://www.noiserecords.com/rmeta/swxtiao...

...HELLOWEEN will see a 2-disc collection of their best material. "Treasure Chest" will feature twenty-nine tracks, five of which will be remastered and remixed by Charlie Bauerfeind...

...DREI FLASCHEN IN'NA PLASTIKTUTE successfully performed big gigs during their first tour in Italy supporting Italian punk rock stars Shandon (http://www.shandon.it) and Porno Riviste. This little tour is only a first step - a longer tour will happen during Fall 2002. Drei Flaschen In'na Plastiktute are currently recording the material for the "Punk Rock Globalizado" split CD which will be released together with their friends - the most famous Argentinian punk rock band Argies on May 1st, 2002. The full length CD will feature 7 previously unreleased tracks from each band and will be released in Europe and South America. Drei Flaschen In'na Plastiktute and Argies will play a few shows together this Spring throughout Europe...

...TENACIOUS D touring news: In a pairing tailor made in hell, Tenacious D and KID ROCK will be fusing the ghosts of the both Toledo Speedway Jam and Fresh Fest as they tear through the Midwest hand in hand in hand. Tenacious D warns, the Midwest needs to watch its ass. Not wash, watch...

Tenacious D and Kid Rock dates:

March 22 Indianapolis Conseco Fieldhouse
March 23 Louisville, KY Freedom Hall
March 28 Kansas City Kemper Arena
March 29 St Louis, MO Savis Arena

And, if you think this pairing will kick your arse from here to Tianamen Square, stay tuned for details on the D's upcoming headline tour with special guests...

...Cold Blood Industries, a label based in Holland, is proud to announce the February 25th release date of DAEMUSINEM's "Daemusinem Domine Empire." Daemusinem's music has been described as a cross between Mayhem and At The Gates for a unique sound in the melodic death/black music genre. Also be on the lookout for upcoming releases from The Wounded's "Monument" on March 25th and To Elysium's "Dearest Vile" on April 8th...

...Frontiers Records announces the upcoming debut release of melodic rock's newest sensation THE JEFF AUSTIN PROJECT. The CD will be called "Go Big Or Stay Home." Fans of Journey, Hugo and The Storn/Two Fires will appreciate The Jeff Austin Project...

...Battle Zone Records' recording artist VYNDYKATOR are aiming for a June 2002 release of their debut "Heaven Sent From Hell." The band reports everything is progressing right on schedule. "Heaven Sent From Hell" should have a total running time of approximately forty-five minutes. The tentative track listing is:
1. Eternal Rest
2. Bloodstained Gallows
3. Rot In The Chamber
4. Tapping The Vain
5. Mr. Murder
6. Flight of the Wombat
7. Deceiver

And, as if that weren't enough, Bob Mitchell and the rest of the VYNDYKATOR gang are already tossing around ideas for their next album. More details as they become available...

Tons of news from Dark Symphonies' bands:

RAIN FELL WITHIN's brand new release "Refuge" now has an official release date set of March 12, 2002. The first 2,000 CDs will come housed in a beautiful limited edition digipak!...

NOVEMBER'S DOOM and NEIL KERNON will be entering Sonic Ranch/Village Productions in Tornillo, Texas this month to complete the final mix for their new masterpiece of emotional, dismal doom entitled "To Welcome the Fade." The official release date for Novembers Doom's latest opus is April 5, 2002...

...BRAVE are continuing to work on new material for their upcoming release "Searching For The Sun." The band has written 11 tracks for the release. The band reports the songs will be musically diverse with generally a heavier feel to many of them, but the band will still have a few songs with progressive acoustic elements. A few new titles include "Out Of Focus," "Escape," "Falling Into Bliss," "Trapped Inside," and "To Dream Again". Recording begins in late February at Assembly Line Studios in Vienna, Virginia. Kevin "131" Guitierrez will engineer and co-produce their new CD. He also engineered and co-produced the band's brilliant EP "Waist Deep in Dark Waters"...

...MAUDLIN OF THE WELL are currently in the process of writing new material for their follow-up release to "Bath" and "Leaving Your Body Map." The band will once again enter Zing Studios in April with producer/engineer Jim Fogarty (Burial, Killswitch Engage) to begin laying down tracks for their yet untitled CD on DS. Maudlin of the Well will take their unique compositions and vocal performances of astral metal even further into the darker realms of the progressive and the extreme thereby redefining both. Look for a release date sometime in early 2003...

...THE RED KING, the neoclassical, dark ambient side project of CORVUS CORAX's mastermind JOHANN is about to have its debut, "Vitriolum," released sometime in the late spring/early summer of 2002. The music is ominous, mysterious and orchestral, colored with Johann's haunting, emotional vocals. Fans of Raison D'Etre to Summoning will find "Vitriolum" to be a fascinating journey into the darker landscapes of the human imagination...

...AUTUMN TEARS are putting their trilogy "Dead Poems for Dying Children" to rest and the band is venturing into new vistas of timeless beauty and enchanting sorrow. Based on the preliminary demo material that is currently circulating around Dark Symphonies, it is easy to see why Autumn Tears will easily set the standard for Neoclassical dark wave with their new opus "ECLIPSE." Mesmerizing melodies, sweeping orchestration, and soaring vocals are just a few of highlights that await the listener. The band will continue to write and record new material over the next few months with a release date sometime during the late summer/early autumn of 2002...

...Black/Fantasy metallers ENID invite you to sample snippets of two songs from their forthcoming CD "Seelenspiegel" to be released on February 25th. Click http://www.enid.ht.st/ and go to the Musica section to hear these unmastered versions...

...New York's PANDEMIC will release their debut album "Angry Sky" on March 19, 2002. "Angry Sky" features twelve songs fusing elements of modern rock, progressive metal, old school hard rock fury and thought provoking lyrics. "Angry Sky" was produced by studio wizard N.S. "Buck" Brundage (Fates Warning, Boysetsfire) and attempts to capture the energy of Pandemic's live show. "It was great to work with Buck, He knew exactly what we were about and what we needed to have a killer album" drummer Sam Torres says. "Angry Sky" was mixed and mastered by Grammy award-winning Phil Magnotti (Fates Warning, ELO, Spyro Gyra). "Angry Sky" pays tribute to the band's vast influences including the likes of Creed, Godsmack, Saigon Kick, Dream Theatre and Alice In Chains (to name but a few) as well as their own, unique, impressive sound. "The many different musical tastes of the band is what makes the songwriting process unique and challenging", lead vocalist, Tim Kopp points out. Pandemic is planning to tour through Spring 2002 in support of the album. Please visit www.pandemicmusic.com for show dates, soundbytes and more info...

...MAD AT GRAVITY are hard at work on their debut CD. Producer extraordinaire Steve Evetts is handling the board for the recording sessions. Mad At Gravity hope to be finished recording in May after playing out at a few shows between now and then. Mad At Gravity's song "Walk Away" has been included on 100,000 copies of the Sno-Core sampler CD. The free disc features tracks by all sorts of excellent artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Fenix TX, and Glassjaw and will be given out at all the stops along the Sno-Core Tour this spring....

...Innuendo, hailing from Arizona, has recently put out their newest CD "Raining In Mexico." "Raining In Mexico," an all acoustic affair, features 17 tracks that have AOR, hard rock, and pop elements. For more information visit http://www.innuendorocks.com...

...IRON MAIDEN's entire album discography is now available on Sanctuary/Metal-Is. Sanctuary/Metal-Is is forging ahead with a new reissue campaign to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Iron Maiden's breakthrough album "The Number Of the Beast." As Iron Maiden enters a third decade at the top of the metal heap, their wholly-owned album catalog will be released as a fresh new series of fifteen limited-edition "vinyl replica" packages in single sleeve and gatefold configurations that pay homage to the original LP artwork of the '80s. When the vinyl replica sleeves are sold-out, the albums will remain available in conventional jewel-box editions.) All but "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI" re-issues will contain two bonus tracks and multimedia content featuring full-length videos, exclusive band biographies, photo galleries, Internet links, and more. Also, a new double CD live album that is due to arrive in stores on March 26th, 2002 features their headlining performance at the Rock In Rio festival to be followed a DVD of the same performance under the same title. Also to launch during this reissue campaign is the Soundhouse Tapes Promotion: inside every re-issue will be an Eddie proof-of-purchase sticker. For a limited time, fans will be able to redeem six Eddie stickers for a special edition CD issue of The Soundhouse Tapes. If that wasn't enough, another title, "Best Of the Beast," will be released in a 2-CD brilliant box later this year...

...MAOLO (formerly drumming for AZRAEL) has a new band called ABSOLOM. Visit http://www.absolom-metal.es.vg to learn more about his new project. In February 2002 Absolom will record an album of covers (featuring the songs Accept, Judas Priest, Helloween, WASP, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Angeles del Infierno, and Baron Rojo). Absolom will be touring with their good friends Justicia in Spain and Germany during March 2002...

...Annihilator's JEFF WATERS has just been confirmed as a guest on the upcoming MERENDINE ATOMICHE release on Deadsun Records due out later in Fall 2002. Waters will be contributing a guitar solo on one of the upcoming tracks being recorded at the world-famous Sunlight Studios in Sweden...

...CANNIBAL CORPSE will tour North America in support of their upcoming album "Gore Obsessed" starting in April. Cannibal Corpse will have DARK FUNERAL, PISSING RAZORS and INCANTATION Dark Funeral, Pissing Razors, and Incantation as support acts. The tour will kick off at this year's New England Metal & Hardcore festival! Cannibal Corpse will also be making their first ever appearance in Colombia, South America! Cannibal Corpse has just announced two shows so far for Cali, Colombia on February 8th and Bogota, Colombia on February 9th...

...Here's the latest on the Swedish death metal terror kings THE CROWN. Marko and Tomas are back at home after their trip to Los Angeles for some press and an in studio interview on KNAC.com where four new songs from The Crown were debuted. The Crown's new album "Crowned In Terror" will be released on April 9th, 2002 in America. In support for "Crowned In Terror" they will be touring North America with support acts Darkest Hour and another band to be named later. Tour dates will be posted here at Rough Edge as soon as they become available...

...Metal Blade/Prosthetic recording artists LAMB OF GOD have just been confirmed as the main support band for the upcoming MUSHROOMHEAD tour scheduled to start in mid-February. Click here for tour dates...

...LIZZY BORDEN and his band of demons have announced a cyclone trek across the United States! This will be the first full-blown theatrical production in support "Deal With The Devil." The Lizzy Borden Road Show will include all the classic Lizzy "slashers" as well as deep cuts from "Deal With The Devil." The Master of disguise himself stated: "With everything that is going on in this world Deal with the Devil has a new meaning for us. I have decided to take our brand of American Metal on
the road and scream it out all over the United States! I want everyone to come out and be one of us on this tour, it will be bloody!" The "Deal With The Devil Tour" starts April 5th in Anaheim CA, and runs throughout the United States. Click here for tour dates...

...NEAL MORSE of prog-rockers SPOCK'S BEARD has this to report from the studio: "Oh My God!!! We're almost done!!!!! With the drums anyway. We got a lot of the keys and bass done as well. We're working on a song of Nick's right now. It's 10:00 on Monday night and the end is near!!! I think ... we did it! Gotta go finish...take care everybody."...

...RAY ALDER and the rest of the gang in ENGINE have nearly completed their sophomore release for Metal Blade Records. Joining Ray is JOEY VERA (Armored Saint), BERNIE VERSAILLES (Agent Steel) and PETE PARADA (Face To Face). ENGINE's follow-up to 2000's self titled debut promises to be one of 2002's most anticipated releases. The release is currently un-titled and is once again being produced by Joey Vera...

...The Kings of Metal, MANOWAR, are confirmed headliners on the 2002 New Jersey Metal Meltdown IV to be held at the Asbury Park Convention Hall on April 5th and 6th. Joining Manowar with be other Metal Blade artists Fleshcrawl, The Fallen, Beyond The Embrace, and many other bands. For a full line up of bands, schedules, tickets and direction visit www.metalfest.com...

...ALL THAT REMAINS have begun preparations for their U.S. debut. The debut is titled "Behind Silence And Solitude" with a scheduled release date in the U.S. of March 26th. All That Remains is a dynamic five-piece hailing from Western Massachusetts are striving to bring aggressive melodic metal to the masses. With a European influence and an American attitude, All That Remains is a great and upcoming band. All That Remains is a touring juggernaut and have already shared the stage with bands like The Haunted, Witchery, Meshuggah, Nevermore, Nile, Cannibal Corpse, Unearth, God Forbid, and Shadows Fall. The track listing for "Behind Silence And Solitude" is:
1)Behind Silence and Solitude
2)From These Wounds...
3)Follow
4)Clarity
5)Erase
6)Shading
7)Home to Me
8)One Beliefmany

and a few others. Visit www.allthatremains.cc for a sneak preview of "Behind Silence And Solitude"...

...TOADIES frontman Todd Lewis and Taz Bentley of the REVEREND HORTON HEAT have joined forces and formed a new band, THE BURDEN BROTHERS. The Burden Brothers will play their debut performance at this year's SXSW Music Conference. Last summer, when the bass player walked and Lewis reluctantly pulled the plug on the 12-year-old Toadies, he decided he wanted nothing to do with music for a good long while. "There's never a good time for your band to break up," he allows, "but it was a bad time." Completely dejected, Lewis was determined to just lay low and quietly go about the business of wrapping up all the loose ends left from the Toadies. The last thing on his mind was starting a new band. But within a matter of weeks, that resolution was shot to hell, and The Burden Brothers were born. The brainchild of Lewis and longtime friend Taz Bentley (formerly drummer for Reverend Horton Heat and Tenderloin, as well as a current member of Izzy Stradlin's band), The Burden Brothers is as much a concept, an experiment, as it is a band. Make no mistake, this is no side project - "This is the gig," stresses Lewis. But neither Lewis nor Bentley has much interest in going about their Burden Brothers business in a conventional fashion. Their game plan, while innovative in concept and details, is in theory elementary: throw out all the headaches that accompany the process of being a music maker (and fan), and keep all the good parts." Read more at www.burdenbrothersmusic.com...

...ILL NINO News: Roadrunner Records recording artists Ill Nino are poised to embark on a short headline tour before joining up with Drowning Pool (Wind Up Records), and label-mates Coal Chamber for the first ever Jagermeister Music Tour. The tour kicks off on March 8th in Orlando, FL and will be hitting the stages of over 30 venues across the US through April 24th. The band recently filmed the video for their modern and active rock hit, "What Comes Around" with video producer extraordinaire, Marcos Siega (Papa Roach, Hoobastank, System Of A Down). The video was filmed in Vasquez Rocks (a location just outside of Los Angeles, CA), which served as the background for many scenes of the popular sci-fi series "Star Trek" and the feature film "The Flintstones." Also, the "Day of the Dead" remix of the single is featured on the upcoming "Resident Evil" movie soundtrack, also on Roadrunner Records, which streets on March 12th. Ill Nino is listed as one of Metal Edge Magazine's bands to watch in 2002. Here is what the magazine had to say about the band's distinct sound, "Their tribal, sweaty brutality and primitive allure are cleverly contrasted by crisp harmonies, spilling over with Latin percussion." For tour dates, click here...

...Multi-platinum rock group FUEL have requested that the corporate sponsors of a rock concert tour that is causing confusion among fans "cease and desist" from using the FUEL trademark. The group, whose two albums "Sunburn" and "Something Like Human" have sold over four million copies worldwide, have asked Toyota to refrain from using the "Fuel The Music Tour" moniker in conjunction with a rock concert tour that the car manufacturer is sponsoring. The Pennsylvania-based quartet - whose hits include the #1 rock tracks "Shimmer" and "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" as well as "Bad Day," "Last Time," "Jesus Or A Gun" and "Innocent" - have been known as FUEL since 1995. Songwriter/guitarist CARL BELL says, "We want to clarify any confusion among our fans, and just feel this is an unfortunate oversight by the organizers of this tour. We wish the tour well, but we've fought long and hard to make a name for ourselves and don't want to mislead music fans in any way. Music and touring are what we do, so we have to protect our name." The group became aware of the problem when an ad for the "Fuel The Music Tour" ran in the February issue of a major music magazine on the same page as a photo of the band FUEL. Fans of FUEL - who are off the road after touring for 18 months - began e-mailing their website and inquiring about the group's participation in the "Fuel The Music Tour"...

Frontiers Records News...

..."Witch Dance," the second album from the much praised Swedish neoclassic prog-metal band LAST TRIBE, is now complete. Guitarist Magnus Karlsson and singer Rickard Bengtsson worked with a brand new rhythm section featuring Dick Lagren on bass and new drummer Jaime Salazar (Flower Kings). The final tracklisting of "Witch Dance" is as follows:
The Gathering (Intro)
Witch, Messenger
Bring out the Brave
Wash Your Sins Away
Behind Your Eyes
Wake Up The World
Man Of Peace
The Eternal Curse
Agadir (instrumental)
Dreamer

...Magnus is still the main songwriter, which guarantees strong melodies and tasteful arrangements together with powerful guitars. Expect "Witch Dance" to be available on April 22nd...

...HURRICANE has announced the official US release, through Deadline/Cleopatra, records of the latest HURRICANE album, "Liquifury." The CD had its official release date on February the 5th 2002 and is distributed in the entire North America through Navarre Corp...

...DOG FASHION DISCO, as usual, is on the road. Click here for tour dates...

...VH1 has set April 17th as the premiere of its original movie "P.M.R.C." (it's a working title so it may change - stay tuned to Rough Edge for more updates as they become available). The film will be a satirical look at the war on 'porn rock' led by Tipper Gore and her misguided friends in the PMRC. The movie will star JASON PRIESTLY, MARIEL HEMINGWAY and DEE SNIDER (playing himself, of course). In case you've forgotten, in 1986, FRANK ZAPPA, JOHN DENVER and TWISTED SISTER's Snider appeared together in front of an audience of U.S. Senators in Washington, DC to dispute the claims made by the Parents Music Resource Center that rock and metal were doing irreparable damage to kids and young adults. "P.M.R.C." promises to be a comedic spin of the war on "porn rock." "P.M.R.C." should be interesting viewing for those of us who lived through it and a reasonable history lesson for those to young to remember...

...ROADSAW have managed to create a hellride of 60s/70s rock; a melting pot of BLUE CHEER, JIMI HENDRIX, BLACK SABBATH, ZZ TOP and DEEP PURPLE forms in the shape of their latest disc "RNR." Guitarist Ian Ross (who recently played with Nebula) throws in a faultless performance with passion dripping off every note giving Roadsaw a real Midas touch on the wide range of moves and grooves. Roadsaw may be touring other stoner greats ORANGE GOBLIN and ALABAMA THUNDER PUSSY - but, at this point, that's just a rumor...

...Here's another band to be on the lookout for: From Milwaukee WI, comes VERY METAL. Very Metal is a hardcore band, but with daring riffs combining the best of SLAYER, SICK OF IT ALL, GBH, MADBALL, DRI and the CRO-MAGS, all rolled it all into one blistering sonic assault. They manage to keep the songs ultra heavy, while maintaining a killer groove, that is sure to get you moshing up a storm in your parents' living room, before you're half way through track one. Very Metal keeps things interesting with well-planned time changes, infectious shout-along choruses, and musicianship that far exceeds the few notes needed to play most music in this area of punk...

...The BAD LUCK 13 RIOT EXTRAVAGANZA have just released their newest split CD with hometown Philly boys ALL ELSE FAILED on Supermodel Records. Apparently these guys have found the time to record music in a studio rather than set fire to concert halls...

Here's a whole bunch of news from Roadrunner Records:

...Roadrunner Records is going to release the soundtrack to the upcoming movie "Resident Evil." Leading the soundtrack is SLIPKNOT's 'My Plague', totally re-cut. ILL NINO went into the studio earlier in the week to re-record what the band calls an "almost death metal" version of 'What Comes Around' for the soundtrack. And adding to the excitement surrounding this album is its inclusion of a new COAL CHAMBER track, 'Something'...

...COAL CHAMBER will also have a brand new track, 'Glow', on the upcoming soundtrack to the Scorpion King (3/26)...

...SLIPKNOT filmed a show at the London Arena on February 16th for their upcoming DVD as well as the video for 'My Plague.' Stayed tuned for the latest updates on the Slipknot DVD...

...NICKELBACK has been busy on a sold out tour through Canada. They recently shared the stage with Jerry Cantrell two nights this past weekend in Calgary and Edmonton. One of those shows was taped for their upcoming DVD release...

...FEAR FACTORY's DVD "Digital Connectivity" is now in stores...

...ANYONE's debut full-length will hits stores on February 26th. Anyone will start their first US tour kicking on February 11th...

...SIGH has scheduled tour dates with THE THRONES and KHANATE. Click here for tour dates...

...Prestigious German Rockers BONFIRE have signed a multi-album deal with Z Records for the UK, Holland and other Euro markets outside of the German territory. The band's latest album "Strike X" and a double compilation entitled "29 Golden Bullets" will be released by Z Records on March 25th 2002. "Strike X" marks a return to the band's classic "Fireworks" sound and "29 Golden Bullets" is a concise collection of the band's best material over their first 15 year history. The band will also release a new studio album via Z Records during 2003...

...Due to some unforeseen circumstances the recording of PROPHET's long awaited fourth album has fallen behind schedule. The as-yet-untitled album will not be released until August 2002. The band's third album "Recycled" will now be reissued with bonus tracks on March 25th 2002. Due to the delayed release the band will not be appearing at the forthcoming Z Rock 2002 show on May 5th...

...HUMANIMAL have been confirmed as the replacement for New Jersey-based rockers Prophet at the Z Rock 2002 festival on May 5th. Humanimal Jeff Scott Soto, Pontus Norgren, Marcel Jacob and Thomas Broman. The band's self titled debut has recently been released to critical acclaim...

...Blue Worm Record's up-coming release "Music For The New Day II" features eight bands and sixteen tracks. The bands on this compilation include: REDOVERLUNAR, SUNSET BLACK, FIGURE OF MERIT, DENNIS ASHER, ALIGN, WITH., REMOVER and LOWERCASE I. Blue Worm Records needs help with the cover art. The label is requesting that if you have any live photos, with negatives, of the bands participating on the "Music For A New Day II" compilation to send them into BLUE WORM RECORDS
PO Box 581756
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55458-1756

The label says to include your name and address and a SASE so they can get the original photos and negatives back to you right away. All photos/negatives must be received by March 1st, 2002 for cover consideration. Also make sure to include the photographer's name so proper credit can be given on the CD...

...GODSMACK's new single "I Stand Alone" has made an explosive debut as the number one Most Added song at Active, Mainstream, and Modern rock radio. "I Stand Alone" is the lead single from the upcoming Music From and Inspired By "The Scorpion King" soundtrack to Universal Pictures' eagerly awaited epic, "The Scorpion King" which will be available in stores nationwide on March 26...

More GODSMACK news: Godsmack recently swept the Boston Music Awards with six nominations in such coveted categories as Act of the Year, Rock Band of the Year, Single of the Year ("Greed"), Male Vocalist of the Year (Sully Erna), Song of the Year ("Greed" written by Erna) and Video of the Year ("Greed"). All the songs are from "Awake" which debuted at #5 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart and has sold more than two million copies. Also, Godsmack have received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for their song "Vampires" (also from "Awake.")...

...DEE SNIDER has popped up in the most unlikeliest of places. It seems like the Twisted Sister frontman has become MSNBC's main voiceover man. Although his identity has just been revealed, Snider has been doing the voiceovers since November 2001. "The cool part about Dee is he brings a kind of in-your-face, no b.s. kind of read," says Val Nicholas, VP of Advertising, Promotion and Marketing for the network. "He tells you the facts, and you believe them." For cable networks competing against more than 100 other channels, having a distinct voice is crucial. Comedy Central, for instance, found its voice man in Penn Jillette, of magic-comedy team Penn & Teller. Nicholas says Snider's identity wasn't revealed until after he heard the promos. "We were looking and looking, and one day my creative director came in with a spot for Brian Williams, and I said, 'Wow, that's amazing! Who's the voice?'" Nicholas says. "He said, 'That's Dee Snider of Twisted Sister'... so I said, 'To heck with it. This is the voice.'" Nicholas dismisses any criticism that Snider's Twisted Sister image might tarnish MSNBC's news credibility. "The truth of the matter is that Dee Snider was one of the clean rock'n' rollers. He didn't drink, he didn't do drugs, he just rocked," Nicholas says. "We went to lunch a couple weeks ago, and Snider told me that in writing pop songs, some of the best ones were the anthems. What we're trying to create are news anthems," he adds. "We let Dee have a little latitude; We give him some copy and tell him, 'Go ahead and Dee it up for us.'" Although Snider's identity didn't go public until this week, Nicholas says MSNBC is not ashamed to have the rocker telling it like it is for their network. "If I could figure out a way to use 'We're Not Gonna Take It,' I would," he says...

...The Z Rock 2002 festival has finally confirmed line-up for the show as follows: WESTWORLD, VON GROOVE, BURNING RAIN, HUMANIMAL, BRIGHTON ROCK, SILENT RAGE, ARABIA, SONS OF ANGELS and FRICTION. The Z Rock 2002 festival will be held on May 5, 2002 at The Ritz in Manchester, UK...

...INCUBUS will be announcing tour dates for their Spring 2002 tour very soon. Rough Edge will post details as soon as we get them...

...KING DIAMOND's newest release "Abigail 2: The Revenge" has taken retail by storm and after the first week of sales "Abigail 2: The Revenge" landed at #12 on the Billboard Independent Music chart...

...CANNIBAL CORPSE have announced the support bands for the Spring Neck Break 2002 which will be their first tour in support of their newest bloodsoaked effort "Gore Obsessed." Spring Neck Break 2002 will kick off in the first week of April, making it's way across North America and ending in early May. The 2002 version of the tour will feature the first full-fledged U.S. tour from DARK FUNERAL with support coming from PISSING RAZORS and INCANTATION...

...THE CROWN, making their first appearance with new front man Tomas Lindberg (formerly of AT THE GATES) at this year's New Jersey Metal Meltdown IV, will also embark on the first North American tour in support of "Crowned In Terror" which streets on April 9th in the US. The Crown are taking out Victory's DARKEST HOUR and an as-yet-unnamed 3rd support act...

...THE UNINVITED are on the road in support of their new CD, "Malltopia." Click here for tour dates...

Go to News Archives

Back to RoughEdge.com Home Page