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Leviathan - Mainman Accused Of Assaulting Girlfriend

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that renowned tattoo artist and Leviathan mainman Jef "Wrest" Whitehead (also Lurker Of Chalice, Krieg, Twilight) was charged with criminal sexual assault and aggravated domestic battery Sunday and held on $350,000 bond after allegedly attacking his girlfriend.

Cook County prosecutors said an argument between the couple began about 12:30 a.m. Saturday at a home connected to a tattoo shop in the 1100 block of West Taylor Street. Whitehead allegedly used the tools of his trade to sexually assault his girlfriend after he slammed her head against a floor and choked her.

The woman was taken to the University of Illinois Medical Center in fair to serious condition, said Quention Curtis, a Chicago Fire Department spokesman. Her condition was not known Sunday.

Read the full story here.

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Source: chicagotribune.com
Band profile: Leviathan
Posted: 10.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (38)


Moonsorrow - Reveal New Album Details

Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa, the unpronounceable sixth full-length album of Finnish metallers Moonsorrow will be released through Spinefarm Records on the following dates:

February 21: UK
February 23: Finland
February 25: Germany, Switzerland, Austria
February 28: Rest of Europe

An album release show is planned for April 1st at Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland.

In an update in September, the band described the material as follows: "This stuff is cold, heavy and crushing. Lyrically we're dealing with life after the end of the world, so there is no light at the end of that tunnel either."


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Source: moonsorrow.com
Band profile: Moonsorrow
Posted: 10.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (28)


Autopsy - Enter The Studio Early Next Month

Resurrected US gore legends Autopsy will enter Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California in early February with producer Adam Munoz to begin recording their new album, Macabre Eternal, for a spring release via Peaceville Records.

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Source: roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile: Autopsy
Posted: 10.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (3)


Mourning Caress - Former Guitarist Dies Of Cancer At 32

Benedikt Bjarnason, former guitarist of German melodic death metal band Mourning Caress, has died of cancer at age 32. Bjarnason passed away in late December, but the band only revealed the news today.

"Still words cannot describe our feelings. On December 29th, 2010 our friend and longtime guitarist Benedikt Bjarnason died. He stepped out of the band in January 2009 due to many obligations, mainly work-related. In spring 2010 he got diagnosed with cancer. But in spite of his positive attitude, distinctive humour, courage and immense will to defeat the disease, he lost this battle. We will never forget you."

R.I.P. Benedikt Bjarnason

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Source: myspace.com
Band profile: Mourning Caress
Posted: 08.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (14)


Apocalyptica - Forced To Pull Shinedown Singer's Vocals Off New Single

Rough days for Apocalyptica. Earlier this week the news came out the band had to pay ?45,000 to Rammstein regarding a trademark infringement during the band's advertising campaign in Germany for their 2007 release Worlds Collide. You can read the details again over here.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, the Finnish cello metallers have now been forced to pull the vocals of Shinedown frontman Brent Smith off the band's new single, Not Strong Enough. A source told The Pulse Of Radio that Apocalyptica apparently failed to secure the rights from Shinedown's label, Atlantic Records, to release the song to radio with Smith's vocals on it. Instead, the radio version will feature vocals from Hoobastank singer Doug Robb. The version with Smith on vocals remains featured on the band's latest effort, 7th Symphony.

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Source: ottawa.virginradio.ca
Band profile: Apocalyptica
Posted: 07.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (18)


Electric Wizard - New Song Online

"Turn Off Your Mind", a brand-new track from UK stoner doom metal band Electric Wizard has been made available for streaming online, over at Stereogum.

"Turn Off Your Mind" comes off the band's latest album Black Masses, which will be released in North America on January 18th, 2011 through Rise Above Records.

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Source: stereogum.com
Band profile: Electric Wizard
Posted: 07.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (3)


Y&T - Bassist Loses Battle With Cancer

Y&T bassist Phil Kennemore passed away earlier this morning. Phil Kennemore was diagnosed with lung cancer last year in August. Back then his doctors believed the disease to be "treatable", and that he should be back on his feet soon enough.

Y&T vocalist/guitarist Dave Meniketti released the following statement: "It is with profound sadness and disbelief that I tell you that my best buddy for 37 years passed away this morning, January 7, 2011 at 1am at Stanford Hospital. Bravely and steadfastly battling the horrible spectacle of lung cancer, at the end he was surrounded by his family members, and the Y&T family up until his final breath.

R.I.P. Phil Kennemore

All the beautiful things that I could say about my buddy Phil could never be summed up in a short sentence or two, and I promise that I will be back to say so much more about how I feel about him and his talents in due time. But for now, at 3am, after just having returned home from his passing, let me at least put this out there.

Phil Kennemore was not only a sweet and passionate man with his life, friends and family, but as an artist, he also had that rare ability to say what was on his mind with the most eloquent, clever, and to-the-point lyrics, yet could turn it on it's head in a second with some other viewpoint on reality and nail the point dead center. He was able to do what very few can - say the things that others have been thinking, but could never quite seem to put into words. He has always had a keen knack for doing that.

As a musician, with those huge fingers, his bass playing was always loud, strong, and deep, filling the largest or smallest of stages equally.

He had an amazingly strong life force that has influenced everyone who ever had the opportunity to be called a friend of his. I am forever grateful for our lifelong friendship, that was always in place throughout the worst and best of times. I will miss his sense of humor, his amazing wit, but most of all I will always miss not seeing him to my left on the stages I will play from this moment forward.

Yes, he was one of the class guys on this planet, and in this business, and I will always do what I can to spread the legacy of Phil Kennemore across the globe on every stage that I land on.

You know how much I love you Phil, and you knew how much your fans and fellow musicians loved and respected you. There was nothing left unsaid. You had a rich and wonderful life and I can only tell you that I was happy to have been alongside you every step of the glorious way."

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Source: meniketti.com
Posted: 07.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (15)


Vomitory - Finish Recording New Album

Swedish death metallers Vomitory have finished the recordings for their anticipated new album, Opus Mortis VIII.

Comments the band: "On Sunday, December 19th, we completed the work on the eighth Vomitory album that we have entitled Opus Mortis VIII. It's our eighth musical work of death, so we think it's a very fitting title and we have some nice things going on artwork-wise for this one.

Producer and studio owner Rikard Löfgren has done a tremendous job to get the best sounding Vomitory album to date - no competition! We are so fucking happy with the result. The production is absolutely top-notch and the material offers diversity and dynamics that you haven't quite heard from Vomitory before. You will get 14 songs altogether and roughly 54 minutes playing time."

Vomitory's Opus Mortis VIII will be released in the spring of 2011.

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Source: metalblade.com
Band profile: Vomitory
Posted: 06.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (9)


Primordial - European Mini-Tour With While Heaven Wept, Alcest

As announced by Primordial in early December, the band will undertake a small ten date European mini-tour (including the 5 Metalfests) at the end of May/beginning of June. Support on the trek will come from While Heaven Wept and Alcest.

The following dates were confirmed today:

May 27 - Dessau, Germany - Metalfest Open Air Germany
May 28 - Mining am Inn, Austria - Metalfest Open Air Austria
May 29 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Metalfest Open Air Switzerland
May 30 - Tilburg, Netherlands - O13
May 31 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Doornroosje
Jun. 01 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
Jun. 02 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
Jun. 03 - Ljubljana, Slovenia - Stuk
Jun. 04 - Budapest, Hungary - Metalfest Open Air Hungary
Jun. 05 - Pilsen, Czech Republic - Metalfest Open Air Czech Republic

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Source: primordialweb.com
Band profile: Primordial
Event: Primordial + While Heaven Wept + Alcest
Posted: 05.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (12)


Negură Bunget - Update From The Band

Negură Bunget have issued the following band update, including a detailed year recap and their plans for the future:

"2010 was the most intense year in the history of the band. Two albums released, Măiestrit on Prophecy Production and Vîrstele Pămîntului on Code666 Records, followed by a long European tour as headliners (Spirit of the Land Tour), another tour in autumn (Black Trolls Over Europe), some festivals in between (including Hellfest), some line-up changes (guitarists Corb and Spin were replaced by Urzit and Fulmineos), a MCD to symbolically end our 10 years cooperation with Code666 Records and a lot of work, all make this year special and unforgettable.

Figures for 2010: 72 gigs played, 2 European Tours as headliners, more than 50.000 km of driving on our van, 66 answered interviews, more than 10.000 CD's sold.
We thank everybody who helped us in any way, and we promise we are already focusing on making 2011 even more special!

The firsts signs are here already: 2011 marks 15 years of Negură Bunget, so all our activities will celebrate this anniversary. We already have the release of the Live DVD, Focul Viu, set for March, the April tour along Enslaved (which includes a special performance at Ragnarök Festival) and some summer festivals (of which Party.San is already announced). 2011 will also develop one of our most ambitious project, The Transilvanian Trilogy."

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Source: myspace.com
Band profile: Negură Bunget
Posted: 05.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (4)


Destruction - N. American Tour With Deströyer 666

Destruction will be returning to North America in support of their new studio album, Day Of Reckoning, due out in the US and Canada on March 8th, 2011 and on February 18th in Europe. Special guests on the tour are Australia's Deströyer 666.

Destruction bassist & vocalist Schmier shares the following on the upcoming trek: "It feels fantastic to return to North American shores for the first time after our return to Nuclear Blast with a new album as brutal as Day Of Reckoning on our backs. This is the strongest material we have written since The Antichrist and we are burning to present these shredding songs and introduce our new 6.6 foot tall drum animal Vaaver (UnSun, Indukti) live! Of course, all the Destruction classics will be there; we know what our faithful fans want and we will serve them well! You will feel the force of the strongest line-up we have ever had. Experience the true power and the rigorous precision of German Thrash Metal live this spring! Can't fuckin' wait!"

North American Reckoning 2011 Tour:

Apr. 26 - Rickshaw Theatre - Vancouver, BC
Apr. 27 - Studio Seven - Seattle, WA
Apr. 29 - Oakland Metro Operahouse - Oakland, CA
Apr. 30 - The Boardwalk - Orangevale, CA
May 01 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
May 03 - Oriental Theater - Denver, CO
May 05 - Reggie's Rock Club - Chicago, IL
May 06 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH
May 07 - Harpo's - Detroit, MI
May 08 - Maverick's Bar - Ottawa, ON
May 09 - Fourfounes Electriques - Montreal, QC
May 10 - Bourbon Street - Baltimore, MD
May 11 - BB Kings - New York, NY
May 12 - Church Of Boston - Boston, MA
May 13 - Jaxx - West Springfield, VA
May 14 - Respuesta - Santurce, Puerto Rico (Destruction only)
May 16 - The Rail - Fort Worth, TX
May 17 - Mug Shots - Austin, TX
May 18 - Numbers - Houston, TX
May 20 - Galaxy Theatre - Santa Ana, CA
May 21 - Angel's - Yucaipa, CA
May 22 - Key Club - West Hollywood, CA

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Source: metal-rules.com
Band profile: Destruction
Event: Destruction: North American Reckoning Tour
Posted: 05.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (5)


Charred Walls Of The Damned - Working On New Material

US Power/Thrash metal supergroup Charred Walls Of The Damned (featuring vocalist Tim "The Ripper" Owens, bassist Steve DiGiorgio and guitarist Jason Suecof) are busy recording a new album. The band's founding father, drummer Richard Christy, has issued the following update:

"Last week I recorded drum tracks for 12 new songs for the second Charred Walls of the Damned album! I flew down to Miami, Florida the day after Christmas to start tracking drums at the legendary studio The Hit Factory Criteria Studios. The drum room we recorded in was insane, it was the size of a school gymnasium and my drums sounded massive in there! We got a very natural drum sound thanks to our awesome engineer Mark Lewis and the amazing drum room, everything went really smooth and we finished up in a very quick two and a half days, and I'm super excited for everyone to hear the monster drum sound we got for these awesome songs.

Seeing gold albums hanging on the walls from bands like The Eagles and Black Sabbath was so inspiring too, the historic music that's been created at that studio is just unreal and it was an honor to record the drums for the second Charred Walls of the Damned album there.

We'll be finishing up the rest of the album in January and February at Audiohammer Studios in Orlando and we're hoping to have the album out some time this summer. The songs are super heavy, brutal, and very melodic and catchy like the first album, I can't wait for people to hear our new material!

I'll have many more updates in the coming months and I also took tons of video in the studio that I'll be posting here on my site and also possibly including in a bonus DVD when our second CD comes out."

The band's self-titled debut was released early last year. Pictures from the studio are available here.

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Source: richardchristy.com
Band profile: Charred Walls Of The Damned
Posted: 05.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (1)


Avantasia - Reveal New DVD Artwork

While you are reading these lines the editors are putting the finishing touches on the forthcoming Avantasia double DVD (concert film and documentary) The Flying Opera - Around The World In 20 Days.

Both DVD's portray the all-star ensemble's journey on their first ever world tour in 2008. Within just a few weeks the studio project Avantasia became a traveling live event featuring many artists from various bands who got together and set off on the road under the flag of Avantasia for the first time.

The first DVD contains a live concert with a running time of almost two hours featuring footage filmed at the headlining shows of Wacken Open Air (Germany) and Masters Of Rock (Czech Republic). On the second DVD there will be a movie "Around The World In 20 Days" that gives fans the opportunity to join Avantasia backstage and take a look at the surroundings and the thrill behind the scenes that go along with an extensive undertaking such as this. The DVD-set will portray Avantasia 2008 when it all started.

The Flying Opera - Around The World In 20 Days will be available as a 2-DVD set featuring the documentary movie, a live concert film, and additional bonus material. It will be also available as a double live album on CD and as a limited edition 2-CD / 2-DVD boxset. The effort is slated for an early March release via Nuclear Blast Records in Europe and Avalon Marquee in Asia.

The band also confirmed their performance at Wacken Open Air in August will be their only show in 2011.

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Source: tobiassammet.com
Band profile: Avantasia
Posted: 05.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (7)


Septicflesh - Reveal New Album Title

As previously announced, Septicflesh's forthcoming album will hit the stores on April 18th (one day later in North America). The Greek demons' new opus is entitled The Great Mass and will be available in several formats to be unveiled soon.

The Vampire from Nazareth, the first single off the new album, can still be purchased from digital download platforms. Go to Amazon to listen to a 30-second clip.

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Source: season-of-mist.com
Band profile: Septicflesh
Posted: 04.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (7)


Endstille - Ink Deal With Season Of Mist

Season Of Mist has added German black metallers Endstille to their artist roster. The band's seventh full-length album (according to a studio update in July entitled Infektion 1813) has been scheduled for a tentative release date in spring 2011.

Commented Endstille: "We're satisfied to get reinforcements now by our new comrades of Season of Mist. They already proved to be a successful label in the past. So we know that our new brothers in arms can give us enough support for being finally at war with all."

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Source: season-of-mist.com
Band profile: Endstille
Posted: 04.01.2011 by Thryce | Comments (0)