Razor

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Guitarist: 'We Are The eBay Of Metal'

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:00:00 CST

Darryl Smyers of the Dallas Observer recently conducted an interview with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Dallas Observer: There are so many sub-genres in metal these days. Does your band fall under any particular category?

Hook: I just say we play hard rock. I think that heavy metal is certainly awesome, but hard rock has a wider audience. And I don't think there is anything wrong with being a hard rock band. I could go into it in more depth, but I'll take answer A: hard rock.

Dallas Observer: The band achieved success relatively quickly. What about the music drew a large fan base in such a short time?

Hook: I think the music is designed to be accessible. We always prioritize the song first. The priority is the song, and I think that has an effect on the listener. [Singer] Ivan [Moody] does a great job telling a story. That is just something he has as a gift.
Dallas Observer: Are you guys working on a fourth effort and will it be a CD/DVD combination?

Hook: I don't want to get in trouble by leaking it out that we are already starting our fourth record, but the general idea was to start preparing for the next record as early as possible. I think that the more choices you have, as in pieces of music, the better. Let's say you have to have a 10 song record in 18 months. Well, I'd rather start preparing 35 songs now and pick the best 10 later instead of having to crunch out 10 in the last month.

Dallas Observer: There is a wide demographic of people who go to hear the band live. What does it take to appeal to fans of many different ages?

Hook: I think it comes down to songs, personality and performance. There is a lot there for everybody. If you are a drummer, we have a star drummer. If you like hotshot guitar playing, we have that. If you are into bands that are angry, we are certainly that. But we also have melodies and choruses. There is a lot there for just about everybody. We are the eBay of metal.

Dallas Observer: You guys also have a nice sense of humor. That's missing from a lot of metal bands.

Hook: Again, that would be part of the personality of the band. People like the music and then they want to find out about you. If you have a good personality, that makes it so much fun for everybody else. If you are a dud, it makes it one-dimensional. We like to use humor and have fun with people. I am glad that we are not a stick in the mud.

Read the entire interview from Dallas Observer.

Jonathan Davis Will Turn Old-School Korn Fans Onto Dubstep

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:00:00 CST

Korn's Jonathan Davis has determined that dubstep is the new nu-metal and if you resist, you're living in the past. "It's like all the purist metal-heads that said we were really rock when we came out," he tells MTV. "Trailblazers of any kind of music are going to get that flack. People are going to want to hold on the past. This is the future; it's the new hip-hop, it's the new metal, it's the new everything."

For Korn's new collaborative dubstep album 'The Path of Totality' dropping on Dec. 6, the band has teamed up with dubstep's current hot shot Skrillex, cred-heavy Noisia, "heavily metal-sounding," "distorted" Excision, and many more. Davis says he felt like they were making 'Follow the Leader' again and fusing hip-hop into the mix, criticism be damned. So, will the fans take it?

Korn has been playing a five-song dubstep set on their current tour, warming the audience up before the album release: "You can tell they were nervous because they think they're not supposed to like it because it's electronic. But then, during the show, they like it. They don't really understand dubstep but then they relate to it because it's heavy and dark but not techno."

It's for your own good, old-schoolers. After 19 years, Davis is tired of "the same s--t." Rock shows leave him "bored to death." Radio is "played out," but "With dance music labels, things are different. They're not pushing you. They want you to be you. They love you for your music and aren't trying to conform for radio or anything else. It's on some punk-rock shit. I love it." Will you?

HELLYEAH 'Close' To Completing Work On Third Album

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:00:00 CST

The metal juggernaut known as HELLYEAH — featuring Vinnie Paul Abbott (PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN), Chad Gray and Greg Tribbett (MUDVAYNE), Tom Maxwell (NOTHINGFACE) and Bob "Zilla" Kakaha (DAMAGEPLAN) — is continuing work on its third album at Abbott's home in Arlington, Texas, where he has a studio set up. Gray states via Twitter, "So f'ng close to being done!! On the homestretch and then mix. Can't wait for ya to hear it!!!"

In an April 2011 interview with the Artisan News Service, Vinnie Paul stated about HELLYEAH's plans for the next studio CD, "We've got some great ideas. We've decided that we wanna heavy it up a little bit on this next record — push it a little further. It's always gonna have the HELLYEAH vibe — a little bit of the Southern vibe, a little bit of the rock and roll vibe, a lot of the metal vibe — you put all together and it turns out to be HELLYEAH."

When asked why he thought HELLYEAH resonated with so many fans, Vinnie said, "I think it's just a real honest band — it's real straight-forward. We're not afraid to show out good-time side. A lot of bands really take their music a little too seriously — it's a lot of death, gloom and all that kind of stuff. And the world ain't so bad. We like to have a good time with our music, so that's what HELLYEAH is all about."

HELLYEAH's sophomore album, "Stampede", sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 8 on The Billboard 200 chart.

HELLYEAH's self-titled debut CD opened with 45,000 units back in April 2007 to land at No. 9.

Courtesy of Blabbermouth.net

Seether Premiere a Tonighta Video

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:00:00 CST

Seether’s “Tonight” music video has premiered on Vevo, check it out below. The band’s new album ‘Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray‘ is in stores now.

Nonpoint Announce New Members

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:00:00 CST

Rasheed Thomas (guitar), Dave Lizzio (guitar) and Adam Woloszyn (bass) of Inn Cinema have joined Nonpoint following the departure of Zach Broderick and Ken MacMillan last week.

Nonpoint’s new studio album is due out this spring.

Emphatic Announce New Fill In Vocalist

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:00:00 CST

Emphatic have recruited former Union Underground vocalist Bryan Scott to fill in while Patrick Wilson continues to recover from a vocal chord injury.

The band is on tour with New Medicine, Art of Dying and Adelitas Way now, dates are:

November 3rd in Beaumont, TX @ SRO Club
November 4th in Lubbock, TX @ Wreckers
November 5th in Odessa, TX @ Dos Amigos
November 6th in Dallas, TX @ Trees
November 8th in College Station, TX @ Hurricane Harry’s
November 9th in Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
November 10th in Pharr, TX @ Pharr Entertainment Center
November 11th in Tyler, TX @ Click’s
November 12th in Abilene, TX @ Midnight Rodeo
November 14th in Little Rock, AR @ Juanita’s
November 15th in Nashville, TN @ Exit In
November 17th in Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club
November 21st in Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
November 23rd in Sioux Falls, SD @ The Vault

Crossfade Premiere a Prove You Wronga Video

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:00:00 CST

Crossfade’s “Prove You Wrong” music video has made it’s online debut, check it out below. The track is taken from their new album ‘We All Bleed‘ which is in stores now.

Creed Announce Spring Tour Plans

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:00:00 CST

Creed has announced plans to perform their debut ‘My Own Prison‘ and the follow up ‘Human Clay‘ in their entirety in April.

On April 13th and 14th the band will perform at the Chicago Theatre, April 16th and 17th at the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia and at the Beacon Theatre in New York on April 19th and 20th.

Creed’s fifth album is due out in late 2012.

STONE SOUR, SLIPKNOT: Corey's Feeling Positive

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CST

Slipknot and Stone Sour singer Corey Taylor says he's feeling pretty positive about the future for both of his bands. He says that Stone Sour drummer Roy Mayorga has recovered from the seizure that forced the band off the road in May and that they're working on new material right now. As for Slipknot, Taylor's not ready just yet to talk about new music, but he says he enjoyed their European shows and wouldn't mind doing more dates.

--Courtesy of Steve Reynolds

NIRVANA: Nevermind, It's Tribute Time

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CST

With the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's Nevermind coming up in September, it's no surprise that people are already marking the milestone. The August issue of Spin has such musicians as Eddie Vedder, The Black Keys, Lenny Kravitz and Nirvana drummer/Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl reflecting on the album. And the magazine has assembled a tribute album called Newermind that features Nirvana's Unplugged buddies The Meat Puppets covering "Smells Like Teen Spirit." You can download the tribute album at Spin's Facebook page.

--Courtesy of Steve Reynolds

Sixx: A.M. Hit No. 1 With "Lies of the Beautiful People"

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CST

Being a beautiful liar has its benefits and privileges, as Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx and his other band Sixx: A.M. well know. The group just cruised into the No. 1 slot on the Active Rock radio charts this week. It's the band's first numero uno, so Noisecreep offers them a big congrats on this impressive feat. The song is the first single from the band's second album, 'This is Gonna Hurt,' and it was firmly lodged into the No. 2 slot for six weeks before bulldozing its way into the top slot.

In a statement, frontman James Michael said, "A number one single is a great accomplishment for me, DJ and Nikki. Outside radio, using other media sources has helped us reach even more people and it's amazing that the fans have reacted so strongly to the song and its message. We are flattered and honored."

The band enjoyed radio success with their debut, 'The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack,' which birthed the hit 'Life is Beautiful, which was the most played rock song of 2008. Even though the track enjoyed lots of airplay, it wasn't a #1.

Crossfade Regained Their Courage After Being Courted by Their New Label

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CST

Crossfade recently released 'We All Bleed' via their new label Eleven Seven. Frontman Ed Sloan was devastated when the band was dropped from Columbia and went into a deep funk that he says was cured by 'the boys kicking his ass.' After his proverbial butt-kicking, Crossfade got back to work, writing songs. The writing process ended up taking more than three years, but all along the way, Eleven Seven president Allen Kovac courted the band. It was an odd-courtship, with Kovac definitely chasing the band – and end in the end getting what he wanted.

"Two days after [being dropped by Columbia] my management called and said 'There's a guy named Allen Kovac that would love to take you guys up when you're done with your record," Sloan explains to Noisecreep. "It took us three years to complete the record, but Allen would call every few months and check on us. He'd ask how we were doing. Ultimately his patience and persistence lead us to them."

Despite the persistence, Sloan admits Crossfade did their due diligence and showcased for larger labels. In the end, it was actually Kovac's interest that gave the members of Crossfade the courage to even gig for the majors again.

Sloan pauses and quietly adds, "It was very comforting that someone out there knows what they are doing and was still interested in our music. It made it easier for us to go through showcases and talk to bigger labels before we ultimately decided to sign with Eleven Seven. Normally it doesn't go down like that. When a band is dropped, you never hear from them again so from that standpoint, it was a nice surprise."

Nice surprise, indeed. Crossfade turned their multi-year hiatus into a writing rollercoaster, expressing sorrow, anger, love and lust in their heaviest album to date. While Sloan admits he and every other guy in the band had to learn how to live after constant touring, it seems the break did the band well. Now that 'We All Bleed' is in stores, Crossfade -- and Eleven Seven -- are focusing on both airplay and touring. For the former, Sloan says it gets harder every year for rock and metal acts in America.

"Three or four years ago, there were 300+ active and modern rock radio stations in the county and now there's something like 100," Sloan says of the current state of traditional radio. "For a band like us, we did go top 40 -- but only because we did an acoustic version of a cheesy song -- if it weren't for that, we'd be stuck looking at about 70 rock stations, but we gained enough status in the industry that more stations will play us. I am eternally grateful for that."

Crossfade will perform as part of the Rock Allegiance tour with Buckcherry, Papa Roach and more. The tour kicks off this August and tickets for most dates are on sale now.

Art of Dying Premiere Acoustic Version of "Die Trying"

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CST

Hard rockers Art of Dying released their debut, Vices and Virtues (Intoxication), earlier this year. The group, which will be heading out on the Rockstar Uproar tour in August, plays a special acoustic version of the album’s first song, “Die Trying,” here. Frontman Jonny Hetherington fills us in on the song below.

REVOLVER What’s “Die Trying” about?
JONNY HETHERINGTON “Die Trying” is really the personal story of our band. Starting from nothing, following our dream, and doing whatever it takes to get where we want to be. It’s about never giving up. Figuring out what you want and fully committing yourself is very powerful, but it’s a lot harder than it seems. I mean, it’s easy to say “I’ll do what ever it takes… I want this,” but actually living the struggle day by day, year by year is another thing. It’s not a 90-minute film with a montage, it’s real life. You sacrifice so much to truly put everything you have into your dream and it’s fucking hard… but I think it’s worth it. Even if you don’t get there, you died trying, and I think that’s a pretty killer way to live.

Which part of it did you come up with first?
Greg brought the riff and the meat of the song to me and we worked on the music together on acoustic guitars. The lyrics came to me pretty quickly in the following days. We had a former manager pass away around that time and I wanted to honor him with a song. His name was Jeff “Ffroe” Roe and he was truly a dreamer. I always remembered his email signature and mantra which was, “If you don’t try, you’ll never know.” And that really inspired the pre-chorus line “I’d rather fail than not know.”

How did you come up with this acoustic arrangement?
I do a lot of my best work on the porcelain throne. You’d be surprised at the number of songs on Vices and Virtues that were originated in the can. I love messing around with different acoustic versions of our songs in different tunings. I play in drop B, so I’ve got a lot of room to jump up the frets with a capo, which is exactly how this version of “Die Trying” came to be. I threw the capo on the second fret and rediscovered the song in a new key. It’s a really nice place for the vocals to sit for an acoustic version. It’s actually higher than the original version which allows me to sing the chorus in a lower register but still with some juice behind it. I took it to the guys and we worked together on it in the studio in Chicago with engineer Matt Doughrety. It came together really naturally and we nailed the tempo, allowing it to sway a little more than the plugged-in version. It kind a makes you want to drink rum.

What sort of feedback have you gotten on this song so far?
We get a lot of mail saying it’s become a personal theme for people which is pretty amazing. There’s really nothing more rewarding for me as a musician than to have a song actually resonate and to feel that connection.

When’s the last time you thought to yourself, “I’m going to get this done, or die trying?” What were you doing?
There are the big battles in life, but there are the little ones too, the daily ones. I often trek up this crazy mountain path called the Grouse Grind when I’m home in Vancouver, which is two miles straight up. “Die Trying” always helps get me to the top.

ANew Revolution Stream Chicago Performance

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CST

ANew Revolution’s recent performance at Reggies in Chicago, IL can now be streamed in full here.

The band will support Filter and Saliva along with Heart-Set Self Destruct on the “Under the Skin of Angels” tour. Details are available here.

Album Stream: Pop Evil "War Of Angels"

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CST

Since re-releasing their i rst record in 2008, Pop Evil has developed their following the hard way. They have toured the US continuously since their i rst release, playing nearly 400 shows in two years and only taking time off to record their new album, War of Angels. Stream it here.

Leaving no stone unturned, no fan’s question unanswered, and no road untraveled, the group pulled themselves up from their bootstraps and built themselves into a radio rock powerhouse that conjures the dirtiest hooks of the hard rocking 70′s, the hair metal 80′s and the grunge – fueled 90′s…i ltering it all through a modern prism coupled with a philosophical and spiritual outlook.

War Of Angels is a testimony to Pop Evil’s resilience. Having been down a major label route fraught with the frustrations felt by far too many bands, the group has emerged with a Top 5 Active Rock single.

They toured with Papa Roach and Judas Priest and created what Spin Magazine called one of the “10 Best Moments of Rock on the Range” where in front of tens of thousands of their heartland of the U.S.A. rock fans, they ceremoniously tore up their old contract and announced a new dawn.

With an output that easily appeals to students of Guns N’ Roses, Pantera, Motley Crue and Aerosmith, Pop Evil is still nevertheless possessed with a talent, charisma and overall musical aesthetic that is decidedly and distinctly their own. They have put their stamp on the hard rock landscape with assured coni dence and expert precision.

“We’re just a bunch of guys that grew up together and are hungry for rock n’ roll,” frontman Leigh Kakaty simply states. “There are no othersecond options for us. It’s just music. That’s what we’ve done, this is where we’ve always wanted to be, and grind is what we’ll continue to do.”

Coming from Michigan, one of the states in the nation hit hardest by the economic downturn, Pop Evil knows something about hardship and the heart that it takes to persevere, to overcome and to conquer. They know the meaning of hard work, too. Their indie debut, Lipstick on the Mirror, resulted in a re- release through a major label and several inroads on rock radio but it’s been word-of-mouth and live shows that have really driven the recently renewed momentum behind the band as their unique story continues to build.

“We’re just a good old fashioned Midwestern band that believes in grassroots and doing it from the ground up” Kakaty explains. “We’re the same band that’ll rock your face with some heavy metal riffs then bring out the acoustic guitar and play some ballads.”

Their very monicker represents something of a lifestyle to these i ve men. “Pop” represents the band’s impressive hooks and well-crafted choruses while “Evil” conjures the more aggressive, hard rock side of the band. The band is a true mixture of pop sensibilities and “evil” sounding rock n’ roll. It’s not so much about distancing themselves from the mainstream as it is about forcing the mainstream to come to them, on their own terms.

“I think all i ve of us didn’t really i t in, in our own ways, growing up,” Kakaty reasons. “Pop Evil is kind of our way of saying, “this is our fraternity, our home.’”

The songs on War Of Angels rei ect the various shapes, colors and emotions represented in a Pop Evil performance. The album provides a brilliant showcase for Kakaty’s impressive range and various approaches, the guitar showmanship of Dave Grahs and Tony Greve, the solid bottom end of Matt DiRito and the rhythmic pulse of drummer Dylan Allison.

“Last Man Standing” is a shot across the bow, serving notice to the rest of rock radio-land that Pop Evil crafts music of a higher caliber. “It’s amazing to see the reactions we get from the fans and how much the song means to them. That is priceless,” Kakaty says.

“Bosses Daughter” was co-written with the legendary Mick Mars of Motley Crue. “It’s got that rockin’ vibe where it picks up and just doesn’t stop,” points out DiRito. “I get such a kick out of playing it live. I feel like I’m in Motley Crue. It becomes my Nikki Sixx moment!”

Other standouts include “Monster You Made,” which addresses some hard times and points to the power of positive thinking to overcome obstacles. There’s also “Broken & Betrayed” which has beautiful melodies and incredibly memorable singalong harmonies.

“Next Life” is perhaps the album’s most rei ective song, particularly for Kakaty, who lost his father earlier this year. “Obviously it’s a very personal piece for me as well.”
“And the list goes on with every song,” he adds. “I don’t think there’s any one I love more than the other, I usually listen to the song that best i ts my mood.”

With a career-dei ning sophomore album in their arsenal, Pop Evil are primed and ready to take their rightful place in the hard rock pantheon amongst their contemporaries and heroes. “We want to be known as a band with great music and a great live show,” DiRito says.

Pop Evil is no i y-by-night, fair-weather band. War Of Angels is just one more giant leap in a career that has been built on a solid foundation and is intended to continue onward.

Kakaty concludes, “at the end of the day, we want our fans to know that we’ve sacrii ced our personal lives for them. We want the people who listen to our music to know that they’ve become our new family. That’s why we’ve given up so much to do this. They are loved. Music is Love!”

Puddle of Mudd Play the Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter"

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Hard rockers Puddle of Mudd will be releasing an album of cover songs titled re:(disc)overed, on August 30. In anticipation, the group is premiering their cover of the Rolling Stones’ classic “Gimme Shelter” right here. Lead guitarist Paul Phillips fills us in on the song below.

REVOLVER When did you first hear this song?
PAUL PHILLIPS Not sure of the exact age, but it was very young. This song is a classic that has been with us for years and still holds up.

Why did you guys decide to cover it?
We knew that we wanted to do a Stones song and we had several on our possible list, but this one just stood out. That intro is so haunting and the chorus is so massive, with the female singer working off of Jagger. The female singer was something different for us that was very appealing, as you will hear on several tracks on the record. We also felt that it had a vibe that we could really capitalize on and represent well within our own Puddle style.

What, if anything, did you want to do differently with the song?
Well, we obviously did it in our style tonally, but other than that, we kept it pretty close. We upped the tempo a bit and decided to bring that great intro riff back in the bridge. We all just wanted to hear that part again. However, our goal on this track and this record was just to pay tribute and not try and reinvent an already great song.

What sort of feedback have you gotten to it so far?
Well, we have just gotten the masters back, so we are just beginning to get it out there. As of now, everything has been pretty positive though. This was something we did for fun. It’s not a Puddle record and that allowed us to toy with different styles, sounds, and instruments without alienating our Puddle fans. We saw this as a stepping stone to open up some doors for the next Puddle originals record, and it will come sooner than later. We are already gearing up for it. So have fun with this one like we did

NIN TV Show

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Fight Club screenwriter Jim Uhls has signed on to write HBO's Year Zero, a miniseries about a dystopian future in which Christian fundamentalists run the U.S., based on Nine Inch Nails' album of the same name. The onscreen collaboration is the latest for NIN mastermind and project producer Trent Reznor, who won an Oscar this year for his score to director David Fincher's The Social Network.

Red Line Chemistry Post "Ultragigantor" Video

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Red Line Chemistry’s “Ultragigantor” video is online and streaming below.

Burn Halo Stream "Up From The Ashes"

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Burn Halo’s sophomore album "Up From The Ashes" is now online and streaming at this location. The album features the single “Tear It Down” and will be in stores tomorrow, June 28th.

Slipknot's Corey Taylor To Release Book, Exclusive Interviews

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Corey Taylor fronts two successful rock bands: Slipknot and Stone Sour. Now, the singer can add "author" to his resume. Taylor will release 'Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good' next month.

"I've been threatening to write a book for a long time, but since every Tom, Dick and Harry writes an autobiography, I didn't want to just do that," Taylor said via a press statement. "My approach to writing is the same as my approach to music: I don't want to do what everybody else is doing."

Taylor is promoting his book in a unique way, as well. Jim Florentine, host of VH1 Classic's 'That Metal Show,' recently interviewed Taylor about the project and much more. The lengthy interview will be aired in three separate parts, with the premiere airing on Corey's official website July 5 at 5 p.m. EST. The other two parts will air July 12 and 19, respectively.

'Seven Deadly Sins' will be released July 12 via Da Capo Press.

Crossfade Singer Explains New Song 'Dear Cocaine'

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

The past couple of years have been a trying time for Crossfade. During that time, the South Carolina rockers got dropped by their label, lost a few members, and had their vocalist-guitarist Ed Sloan fall into a prolonged depression.

Today, Crossfade have re-emerged with a new and improved lineup, announcing that they have signed with Eleven Seven Music, home to Buckcherry and Papa Roach. "The people behind the label know exactly what we're trying to do, so I feel really confident about everything now," Sloan tells Noisecreep.

The group's new album hit stores earlier this week. The record's 10 tracks range from riff-tastic sing-alongs ['Dead Memories,' 'Killing Me Inside'] to more introspective power ballads ['I Think You Should Know']. One song in particular stands out on the record's track listing. "I knew when we recorded 'Dear Cocaine' that it would have people talking, but we felt passionate about the subject matter," says Sloan.

"We've been a touring band for many years now and we've seen a lot of things within that world. Now I'm not saying that cocaine is exclusively used by musicians and people in our industry, but we've found through our travels that it's a huge problem within our community. That drug can do so much damage and we've seen people we know and love go through that struggle.

"One day Les [Hall, guitars-keyboards] came around with a piece of paper that read 'Dear cocaine, I'm not your b----.' From there he had the idea to write a song where we treat cocaine like it's a person and say 'screw you for messing up our friends' lives.' We could have easily just called the song 'Dear Heroin' or some other drug, but for us we've had more people we know destroyed by coke than anything else. I guess you can say it was like some kind of dialogue between me and the drug and it felt really good to tell it to f--- off."

BUSH: New Song Available For Free Download

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

A brand new song from the reunited British alternative rock band BUSH is being made available for free download at EA.com. The track "All My Life" will appear on the group's forthcoming album, "The Sea Of Memories", which is due in September.

"We are very excited about music from our forthcoming album, 'The Sea Of Memories', being featured in EA's NHL 12," said BUSH in a statement. "Our first album in a long time comes out this September and we hope you enjoy this first sample, 'All My Life'."

You can now stream the song using the link here.

The current BUSH lineup includes original drummer Robin Goodridge, guitarist Chris Traynor and bassist Corey Britz. Traynor replaced original axeman Nigel Pulsford in 2001 while Britz has stepped in for Dave Parsons.

Rossdale told Billboard that the new album sounds like BUSH but is not necessarily a rehash of the band's multi-platinum 1994 breakthrough, "Sixteen Stone". He explained, "It's tricky, because you want the band to evolve and you want to make songs that people really care about, but you also don't want to repeat yourself. I was mindful of that."

Anthrax Release New Song as a Free Download on Their Website

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

It's hard to believe, but it's been over two decades since Anthrax released an album with Joey Belladonna fronting the band. Their last album together, 1990's 'Persistence of Time,' still stands as one of the most rewarding records in the New York band's discography.

After Belladonna and Anthrax parted ways in 1992, the thrashers hired ex-Armored Saint vocalist John Bush and went on to make four more albums together. However, in 2005 and 2006, Belladonna rejoined Anthrax on a series of successful live dates, and finally returned to the group as a full-time member in 2010.

On September 13th, the classic line-up of Anthrax will release 'Worship Music,' their long-awaited 10th studio album. As a way of saying thank you to their fans, the band -- Charlie Benante [drums], Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano [guitars], Frank Bello [bass], and vocalist Belladonna -- decided to make the new track 'Fight'em 'til You Can't' available as a free download. The song gives a a taste of what's to come when 'Worship Music' drops on September 13th, the day before the band plays The Big 4 show at Yankee Stadium with Megadeth, Metallica, and Slayer.

Go to http://anthrax.com/ and check out 'Fight'em 'til You Can't.'

Rolling Stone: Inside the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Comeback Album

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

"There is no question – this is a beginning," Anthony Kiedis, singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, says in his first interview about the band's new album, I'm With You, which is released by Warner Bros. on August 30th. "Yeah, the sun is just coming up here."

Produced by Rick Rubin, I'm With You is the Los Angeles quartet's first studio album since the 2006 double-disk set, Stadium Arcadium. The 14-song record also marks the debut of the Chili Peppers' new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who joined in the fall of 2009 following the departure of John Frusciante. The latter guitarist had been a crucial writer as well as player on the Chili Peppers' biggest albums, including 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik and 1999's Californication. But after he quit, Kiedis and bassist Flea "had this intuitive feeling," the singer says. "We're not really done. We wanted to maintain the Red Hot Chili Peppers if we could do it in a way that upheld historically what we had accomplished.

"There were some interesting conversations," Kiedis goes on, "about do we try to find someone we don't know, or maybe there is somebody right in our own backyard who is the perfect solution." Klinghoffer, 31, was a veteran sideman who had recorded and toured with Beck, PJ Harvey and Tricky, among many others. He was also a friend of Frusciante's, working on several of that guitarist's solo records, and had performed with the Chili Peppers on their last world tour, playing extra guitar and keyboards.

"I felt like I had the experience," Klinghoffer says in his first-ever press interview, sitting next to Kiedis on a couch in the singer's Malibu home. "There was no real adjustment. This is playing music with people I admire and who have been friends for years."

"Josh has not lacked the necessary assertions," Kiedis notes. "His voice is as dominant as any other voice on the record." That is literally true. In addition to playing guitar, Klinghoffer contributed keyboards and backing vocals. He also co-wrote the music with Kiedis, Flea and drummer Chad Smith.

The album's first single, "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie," is a hard-pop spin on classic Chili Peppers funk, with a creeping bass line and a marching-disco rhythm in the chorus reminiscent of the late-Seventies Rolling Stones. In fact, Flea likens the rich propulsive interplay on I'm With You – the mix of jamming exploration, textural guitar details and savvy hooks in songs such as "The Monarchy of Roses," "Factory of Faith" and "Goodbye Hooray" – to the classic Stones albums like Exile on Main Street and Tattoo You that he listened to religiously as the Chili Peppers wrote and improvised on new material in 2009 and 2010. "It's about a feeling and a song." Flea says of the connection, "about everyone embracing the moment of the song, not always about the riff."

The Chili Peppers are currently in rehearsals and plan to tour extensively in support of I'm With You. "Forever" is how Flea puts it. "I know when we write mediocre stuff, and when we write good stuff," Kiedis says. "I can't wait to go out and play this."

Story By: David Fricke, Rolling Stone Magazine

Rolling Stone senior writer David Fricke has more than 10,000 albums in his New York apartment. His first record review for the magazine was Frank Zappa's 'Sheik Yerbouti' (RS 290).

Nirvana's "Nevermind" 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition in September

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind‘ will be released as a 4 CD / 1 DVD set on September 19th. The set features b-sides, unreleased tracks, BBC performances, a previously unreleased concert and other rarities. Additional details and track list will be made available in the coming weeks.

Spin Interview: Maynard James Keenan's Puscifer

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Maynard James Keenan is spending the summer touring with reunited alt-rockers A Perfect Circle, but this fall he'll focus on another one of his projects, Puscifer, which will release their second album, Conditions of My Parole, on October 18. "We're still mixing, but it's mostly finished," Maynard tells SPIN. "Musically, it's like Twin Peaks in the desert."

The LP is being recorded in Northern Arizona, where Maynard lives and owns vineyards for his Caduceus Wines brand. In fact, the band set up a makeshift studo in his wine cellar. "It's different writing music in the outback compared to writing music on Hollywood Boulevard," he says of the high desert location. "The Verde Valley has so much diversity. You've got stories of ghosts and aliens, plus republicans, democrats, conservatives, liberals, vineyards, ranches, horses. It's hostile territory: You've got scorpions, black widows, brown recluse, javelina, rattlesnakes... and hippies."

The album features frequent Puscifer collaborators, including producer Mat Mitchell, Telefon Tel Aviv's Josh Eustis, and British singer/songwriter Carina Round, plus newcomers including Jeff Friedl and Matt McJunkins from ASHES dIVIDE, L.A. songwriter Juliette Commagere, Bat for Lashes drummer Sarah Jones, and Jon Theodore, the former sticksman for Mars Volta. "He's got some serious chops," says Maynard. "Working with different people opens up a whole new set of questions and puzzles and solutions."

Instead of marathon recording sessions, Maynard says the group "put in the right work, put in the hard work, but we didn't beat ourselves up. This album is us focusing, getting inspired, and then going out for a hike or going out to dinner, then getting back to work on it again."

Maynard, who spends much of his time operating his vineyards, says that "[recording music] is very much like winemaking. Pieces are developing individually, then you bring them together and they either fit together or they don't. Eventually when you bring it all together, it integrates, then you spend a little bit of time working on it, and then you release it."

After the album drops in October, Puscifer will hit the road for a two-month tour. Maynard says he's still working out the details, but fans can expect variety show-style gigs like the band's last jaunt in 2009, but with "a lot of changes and new approaches. We'll be doing a lot of filming and posting more videos online, too."

But even when he's deep into Puscifer mode, Maynard's other projects are never far from his mind. After their summer tour, A Perfect Circle "might put out a track or two," he says. "The energy is good, so there's always the potential for a future." And Tool? "We're writing," he says.

Theory Of A Deadman Offer Free Download and Post New Video

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Theory of a Deadman are offering a free download of the track “Drag Me to Hell” from their forthcoming cd "The Truth Is" at this location.

Theory of a Deadman’s “Lowlife” music video is now online and streaming below.

The band will co-headline this summers Carnival of Madness tour with Alter Bridge. The trek also features Black Stone Cherry, Adelitas Way and Emphatic. Current dates are listed below.

August 13th in Twin Lakes, IL @ Shadow Hill Ranch
August 19th in Council Bluffs, IA @ Harrah’s Casino
August 20th in Sedalia, MO @ Missouri State Fairgrounds
August 26th in Louisville, KY @ KY State Fair / Cardinal Stadium
August 27th in Waterloo, IA @ McElroy Auditorium
August 28th in St. Paul, MN @ Minnesota State Fair
September 1st in Allentown, PA @ The Great Allentown Fair
September 3rd in Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino
September 7th in Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six Concert Pavilion
September 10th in Atlantic City, NJ @ House of Blues
September 11th in Huntington, WV @ Harris Riverfront Park
September 13th in Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Uptown Amp.
September 14th in Fayetteville, NC @ Crown Coliseum
September 16th in Tulsa, OK @ Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino
September 17th in Poplar Bluff, MS @ Black River Coliseum

Remix Seether and win $1,000 and a release on the official Remix EP

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Seether, has just released their highly anticipated new album Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray. Their latest single, "Tonight", is a veritable feast of high-intensity vocals, heavy grooves, and ripping guitar riffs.

And so, Seether and Indaba want you to dig in and create a killer remix of "Tonight". If the band picks your track, you'll find yourself in possession of a heap of cash and a spot on a Seether release!

The Grand Prize Winner, as chosen by the judges from all of the submissions, will:

* Receive $1000 cash
* Be released as part of an official Digital Remix EP on Wind-up Records
* Receive a Shaun Morgan signature Schecter Guitar
* Receive a year supply of Rockstar Energy Drink, a Rockstar Travel Bag, and a Rockstar Wakeboard
* Receive an iKick and HP541 headphones from Kicker
* Receive a Seether prize pack including the entire Seether catalog

METALLICA's 'Justice' To Be Made Available On Green Vinyl

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

METALLICA's 1988 album "...And Justice for All" will available on green vinyl this Thursday, June 23 from 1 p.m. PT. Only 1,000 of these sets were pressed. 500 copies will be sold to members of The Metallica Club at Metallica.com (make sure you log in before heading over to the store) and 500 copies will be sold to the public at BecauseSoundMatters.com. This deluxe limited edition green vinyl release of the album comes as a four-LP, 45 rpm, 180-gram, high-performance vinyl box set.

METALLICA's fourth album, "…And Justice for All", was originally released on August 25, 1988 through Elektra Records. It was the band's first studio LP to feature Jason Newsted, who replaced the group's former bassist Cliff Burton. The album's dark subject material, featuring references to nuclear apocalypse, injustice in the law system, limited freedom, war, insanity and hate, was accompanied by what were the most complex song structures in METALLICA's discography at the time of the LP's release. The album is also noted for its near lack of bass guitar and dry production and therefore has been called a "slightly flawed masterpiece and the pinnacle of METALLICA's progressive years" by AllMusic.com's reviewer.

The front cover depicts the statue of Lady Justice cracked and bound by ropes, with both of her scales filled with dollars and both of her breasts exposed. The words "…And Justice for All" are written in graffiti to the right. The cover is made by Stephen Gorman after a concept by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich.

METALLICA 'About To Start Writing' New Album, Says Producer RICK RUBIN

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Producer Rick Rubin, who is also co-chairman of Columbia Records, tells Billboard.com in a new interview that METALLICA is "about to start writing" material for the follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" album, Rubin's first collaboration with the group. "I had a meeting with [METALLICA drummer] Lars [Ulrich] in San Francisco... to explore what the focus was going to be this time around," Rick says. "I'm still sort of thinking about what that is going to be. I'll ask a lot of questions and we'll probably listen to some of the riffs that they've been writing. Usually I'll hear something that will sort of indicate the direction and then we'll talk about it from there."

METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo told Palm Springs, California radio station KCLB-FM in April about the band's decision to once again utilize Rubin's services, "Yeah. I love working with Rick. Rick, to me, he's sort of a Zen guru spirit that METALLICA needs right now . . . The first album with Rick was also the first album for me, so in a lot of ways, you're kind of testing the water. Now that we're comfortable with Rick and his incredible engineer, Greg Fidelman . . . it's a great team. And it's only gonna better; I really believe that."

ROB ZOMBIE's WOOLITE Commercial Debuts

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Rob Zombie has established himself since 2003 as one of horror's most brutal filmmakers, but his latest project may be his most horrifying yet: The rocker-turned-director recently got behind the camera for a commercial for laundry detergent Woolite. Zombie completed the spot, called "The Torturer", in mid-April and said in a statement, "It's a very bizarre TV commercial for a product like this. Honestly, I was shocked when they called me to do it."

You can now see the commercial below.

LIMP BIZKIT's FRED DURST Says He 'Really Connects' With KURT COBAIN

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

LIMP BIZKIT frontman Fred Durst has told U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine that "My Own Cobain", a bonus track taken from the band's forthcoming album, "Gold Cobra", focuses on his struggles with depression and draws parallels to that of late NIRVANA frontman Kurt Cobain.

"I try not to elaborate too much on the metaphors, but here's something I haven't told a lot of people," Fred told Kerrang! "We have an older song called 'It'll Be OK' [from 2000's 'Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water']. It's directly about me fantasizing inside of the depression of someone with a tortured mind, like Kurt Cobain. I really connect with him. I have my own torture. I've been impacted by his poetry, his philosophies and music, obviously. On this new song, it's another way into my depression and expression of that turmoil."

Crossfade Get 'Much Heavier' on 'We All Bleed' -- AOL Exclusive Album Stream

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Crossfade cannot be stopped. Even after being cut from Columbia Records in 2008 after two releases with the label, the South Carolina band forged on to return with 'We All Bleed,' the best album they've ever recorded.

Even though it doesn't land in stores till June 21, AOL has an exclusive stream of 'We All Bleed' all this week.

"The first thing people will notice is how much heavier this new album is compared to our first two," says Crossfade vocalist-guitarist Ed Sloan. "There's a lot more going on -- layers of stuff in the guitars and vocals. We even have some orchestral stuff on the record. The overall feel on the album is dark, due to the presence of Les Hall [lead guitars, keyboards, producer] and my screwed-up brain [laughs]."

Noisecreep asked Sloan to elaborate. "When three years of touring and not ever being in your hometown, plus the whirlwind success Crossfade, comes to a screeching halt -- it's a scary thing. Not knowing what the future was going to be for me and the band was something I didn't handle very well. I knew there would be another album and another label at some point, but it seemed like such a daunting task at the time.

"I remember the day the tour bus drove away and I was just sitting there and thinking to myself, 'I don't even have a place to live.' I mean, I had my studio and my cat, but that was it [laughs]. I had to get my life together and that was really hard for me to do. I had just come out of three or four years where I had people telling me where to go and when – which was a good thing. My tour manager was great. But after all that I had to go back and learn how to do all of that on my own again. Apparently, I'm just not good at life on my own [laughs]. But I'm getting there."

During that difficult stretch of time, Sloan was lucky enough to have his family in his corner. "I'm sure my parents worried about me when that was happening," he says. "They've always been so supportive of me and my music stuff, and they were great when I was going through my depression. They never said, 'Get of your ass and get back to work!' They just gave me room and time to get over things.

"I even stayed with my mom for a period and then my dad. Actually, my father was going through some health issues with his back during that time off, so it was a blessing that I could be there to help take care of him. It brought us even closer together."

Although Sloan wrestled with his personal demons during the making of 'We All Bleed,' the album is all the better for it. Songs like 'Dead Memories' and 'Suffocate' find the group delivering the radio-ready hooks they're famous for, but this time out the performances are much more intense. Now signed to Eleven Seven Music, Crossfade are ready to start the next chapter in their already successful career.

Play Crossfade's Full 'We All Bleed' Album Free

ShipRocked Reveals More Bands, Unsigned Band Contest

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

What happens if you're in an awesome-yet-unsigned band, and want to play a cool event like the annual ShipRocked cruise? Now, you have a chance. The promoters of ShipRocked are hosting a Sonicbids contest to find two unsigned bands to play at the festival. Interested bands must submit an EPK to the official Shiprocked website.

Bands inked to play ShipRocked so far include Buckcherry, Hinder, Queensryche, Hellyeah!, Sevendust, Lynam, In This Moment, Broken Teeth and Rival Sons. Sick Puppies, Candlebox, Living Colour, and Filter will also play.

ShipRocked sails from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. on November 14 and stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico before returning to Florida on November 19. The floating festival takes place on the MSC Poesia. Cabin rental includes admission to all ShipRocked concerts and special events, meals, ship activities and entertainment.

METALLICA Monopoly Game Coming Next Week

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

One of the world's most popular board games, Monopoly, has been customized to celebrate the history and music of heavy metal giants METALLICA. The game will be available starting next week from the band's official webstore.

METALLICA follows KISS, THE BEATLES, ELVIS PRESLEY and THE GRATEFUL DEAD, among other artists, who have their own Monopoly games.

Pop Evil Consider Their Fans to Be Friends

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Pop Evil are newly signed to eOne and will release 'War of Angels' on July 5th. Now happily free from their major label contract with Universal, the aggressive rock band plans to stay on the road for the foreseeable future. In fact, if it's up to singer Leigh Kakaty, Pop Evil will remain on the road for life!

"We're going to tour for the next five to 10 years, since if you take a break, you become irrelevant," Kakaty told Noisecreep. "There is so much competition without MTV to brand bands anymore. So we do it the old-fashioned way, which is to tour!"

For Pop Evil, touring isn't just about performing. The band makes a concerted effort to meet the people at their shows. "People don't support bands -- they support their friends when they come to see us," Kakaty said. "We want our fans to be our friends and to come out and hang out. Just today, a girl brought cookies to us on the tour bus. The lifestyle we try and bring reminds me of going out on Fourth of July picnics with family. It feels like that every day. We want to show our love back to them and to hang out with out fans as much as we can after every show. We want to remind them that they are not supporting a band, but their friends."

Since Pop Evil essentially live on the road, Kakaty confessed that his golf clubs are the one non-digital item he always brings on the road. "I am big golfer, but notice, I did not say I was good," he joked. "There's not much time to do it, but [we make time] in order to keep our sanity on the road. Since we don't get to be athletic since we are on the bus, playing video games, it's nice to get out and play golf and be active."

In addition to staying active, the members of Pop Evil also golf because they are competitive with one another. "We play not for money but for bragging rights," Kakaty said.

Fans should pop by the sporting goods store and pick up some golf balls for the Pop Evil boys when they see 'em on the road.

BLACK STONE CHERRY Nearly Left Hit Single Off New Album

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

According to The Pulse Of Radio, BLACK STONE CHERRY drummer John Fred Young told RockAAA.com that the band nearly left its current hit single, "White Trash Millionaire", off the band's latest album, "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea". Young explained, "We didn't want to record that song as we had it too fast. It sounded almost corny but we couldn't figure out why as we knew it had a hook and a good melody but Howard [Benson, producer] just told us to slow it down. It worked really well and he spotted something really simple that us as musicians had overlooked."

Young also admitted that the group worked with outside songwriters for the first time on this disc, saying, "We didn't want to do that at all as we didn't want the sound of the band to change. A lot of bands are scared to do that . . . We were scared to death the first time and had concerns they would jack our sound up but we took a chance and it was cool and we met a lot of good dudes."

"Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea", BLACK STONE CHERRY's third album, came out on May 31 and follows up 2008's "Folklore And Superstition".

Red Premiere "Feed the Machine" Music Video on ARTISTdirect.com

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

ARTISTdirect.com is extremely proud to premiere Red's new video for "Feed the Machine" from their latest album Until We Have Faces, which plays out more like a mini movie than any music video we've seen in decades.

It opens with one of our "heroes", attached to some sort of chains in a sewer, like a scene from the Saw franchise. It then evolves into an exploration of things like human experiments, government intrusion into our lives, cloning and robots, set to a rather vicious riff.

It certainly has Terminator overtones to it, as well.

I love rock videos that get you thinking, and this is the first one that got me thinking in forever.

Check out the exclusive ARTISTdirect.com premiere of Red's "Feed the Machine" video. We'll let the video do all of the talking because it rules that much…

Watch it below!

Red Hot Chili Peppers To Drop New CD August 30

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have posted a message on their website saying that their tenth studio album will hit stores on August 30. The new effort is produced by Rick Rubin and will be titled I'm With You. It's the band's first new work since 2006's double-album Stadium Arcadium. It also will be the first album to feature new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, following the amicable split with John Frusciante in 2008. The first single is reportedly called "The Adventures of Raindance Maggie" and will be released on July 18, according to an MTV report.

Back in February, frontman Anthony Kiedis said that Flea's recent study of musical theory at USC, coupled with Frusciante's exit, has definitely changed the dynamic of the band's songwriting.

"It is always going to change the chemistry and feeling of the music when such a creative force as John Frusciante leaves," Kiedis told Spin magazine. "He was something unique that shaped our sound then, but now I think it's also something fresh and exciting to have a new, incredible musical mind working with us now. We are still the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but we also have to adapt and welcome new opportunities. After all, that is how we've survived all these years."

Kiedis added that, "This album has been one of evolution. Before, some of our jams were a bit hit-and-miss. On this record, a decent number of songs were actually thought out and planned in a way we had never done before. That is, with Flea's new knowledge of music theory, we explored the writing process with a bit more precision."

The band also announced that they will play their first ever show in Hong Kong on August 9 at the AsiaWorld Arena. The Chili Peppers also will headline at Japan's Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka on August 13 and in Tokyo on August 14. Then they will head to the annual Rock in Rio festival in Brazil on September 24.

POP EVIL To Film 'Monster You Made' Video

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

American rock band POP EVIL will film a music video for the track "Monster You Made" today in Chicago with critically acclaimed director Robby Starbuck (TIMES OF GRACE, AUGUST BURNS RED, SILVERSTEIN, A STATIC LULLABY, A SKYLIT DRIVE). The song comes off the group's long-awaited new album, "War Of Angles", which will be released on July 5 via eOne Music. The CD was helmed by Grammy Award-nominated producer/engineer Johnny K, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, DISTURBED and SOIL, among others.

"We are very excited to release 'Monster You Made' as the follow-up single to 'Last Man Standing'," POP EVIL frontman Leigh Kakaty says. "This song depicts what 'War Of Angels' is all about! Nothing puts a bigger smile on our face then getting the chance to say July 5th marks 'War Of Angels' release day!"

Emphatic Bring Back Arena Rock on 'Bounce' -- Video Premiere

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

"When it comes down to it, I love songs with huge choruses and I don't think there's anything wrong with that," says Emphatic lead guitarist Justin McCain about his songwriting style. "Growing up, my parents listened to hard rock and Bon Jovi and AC/DC were huge in my home. That's had a huge effect on the way I write music."

Emphatic hail from Omaha, Nebraska. Recently, the group has become one of the more popular rock acts in the Midwest, routinely selling out clubs before they even landed a record deal. "I think people still want to go to a show, forget about the stress in their lives, and sing along with the band. We definitely give them that," says McCain.

McCain isn't kidding. 'Damage,' Emphatic's upcoming debut album for Atlantic Records, is filled with one arena-worthy anthem after another. "It's not like I woke up every day and said to myself, 'I have to write a radio-ready song today,'" says McCain. "The stuff just comes naturally for me." Noisecreep is excited to present the exclusive premiere of the video for 'Bounce,' the propulsive first single off of 'Damage.'

Watch the video for 'Bounce' by Emphatic

The clip for 'Bounce' matches its song's freewheeling spirit, with enough girls and glitz to fill a classic Poison video. "We had a lot of fun making the video -- maybe a bit too much fun," laughs McCain.

Even though they haven't even released their major label debut yet, Emphatic have already shared stages with everyone from Stone Temple Pilots and Buckcherry to Avenged Sevenfold and Papa Roach. After doing a short club run with Crossfade and Pop Evil, Emphatic will join Alter Bridge, Theory of a Deadman, Black Stone Cherry, and Adelitas Way on the Carnival of Madness tour. "This band is all we have," McCain says. "We plan on busting our asses on the road and getting our music to as many people as possible. We're going to take a lot of people by surprise on the Carnival tour."

Produced by Howard Benson (Daughtry, My Chemical Romance), 'Damage' hits stores on July 12th.

Emphatic tour dates with Crossfade and Pop Evil:

June
13 Ruston, LA 3 Docs Brew House
14 Montgomery, AL Rock Bottom
15 Greensboro, NC Blind Tiger
16 Johnson City, TN Capones
18 Louisville, KY Phoenix Hill Tavern
19 Baltimore, MD Ram's Head Live

Carnival of Madness 2011 with Alter Bridge, Theory of a Deadman, Black Stone Cherry, and Adelitas Way:

August
13 Twin Lakes, IL Shadow Hill Ranch
19 Council Bluffs, IA Harrah's Casino
20 Sedalia, MO Missouri State Fairgrounds
26 Louisville, KY KY State Fair/Cardinal Stadium
27 Waterloo, IA McElroy Auditorium (outdoors)
28 St. Paul, MN Minnesota State Fair

September
1 Allentown, PA The Great Allentown Fair
3 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino
7 Baltimore, MD Pier Six Concert Pavilion
10 Atlantic City, NJ House of Blues
11 Huntington, WV Harris Riverfront Park
13 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Uptown Amp.
14 Fayetteville, NC Crown Coliseum
16 Tulsa, OK Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino
17 Poplar Bluff, MS Black River Coliseum

Win a VIP Trip to Lollapalooza 2011

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

The Lollapalooza festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this summer with a blowout at Chicago's Grant Park on August 5-7th with headliners Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse and My Morning Jacket. Score a VIP trip to the festival by entering Rolling Stone's Lollapalooza sweepstakes. See official rules here.

One lucky reader will win:
Two (2) round-trip airline tickets to Chicago
Three (3) nights at the James Hotel
Two (2) VIP tickets to Lollapalooza
Two (2) VIP all-access passes to the Rolling Stone Rock Room (presented by Lenovo)
Two (2) Lollapalooza 2011 posters
Two (2) Lollapalooza 2011 t-shirts
One (1) Lenovo IdeaPad Y560p laptop

Click to Enter.

Trapt Post a End Of My Ropea Video

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Trapt’s “End of My Rope” music video is streaming below.

TOM MORELLO: JANE'S ADDICTION More Influential Than NIRVANA

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

The Pulse Of Radio reports: Although NIRVANA is credited with being the first "alternative" band to break out into huge mainstream success, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello has taken issue with that. Speaking at the induction of JANE'S ADDICTION into the Guitar Center RockWalk in Hollywood last Wednesday (June 1), Morello argued, "NIRVANA often gets credit for being the first 'alternative' band to break through, the band that changed music and led rock out of the hair metal wilderness of the '80s. That's just not true. It was JANE'S ADDICTION: inspiring, intelligent, furiously rocking and artistically deep."

JANE'S frontman Perry Farrell said after Morello's speech, "That speech made me sound so damn good, I don't need to look in the mirror ever again. Just play that over and over every morning."

Guitarist Dave Navarro added, "When I first heard we were going to be honored here at the RockWalk I thought of coming here 10-plus years ago to witness Jimmy Page's induction . . . now to be permanently embedded in cement beside one of my hugest influences is probably one of those dreams coming true that you didn't know you had."

JANE'S ADDICTION will release its first studio album in eight years, "The Great Escape Artist", later this summer. A first track called "End To The Lies" has already been made public.

The band reformed in 2009 after a six-year break, although founding bassist Eric Avery, back in the band for the first time since 1991, left again last year.

Dave Grohl Goes Mad in Foos' Movie Spoof

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

They're one of the last rock bands who still deliver hilarious music videos, and in the clip for their blistering single "Walk," Foo Fighters offer up another gut-busting parody of pop culture. This time, Dave Grohl and Co. take on Michael Douglas' 1993 movie Falling Down. Watch it here.

"Walk" is Grohl's anthem about overcoming one's misery and getting back on your feet. In this instance, that means going on an epic terror spree of Los Angeles, as Grohl offers up a spoof of Douglas' William Foster character from Falling Down. After going over the edge, Grohl lashes back at everyone around him: He assaults Pat Smear's liquor store clerk character with a Slim Jim, runs over a golfer with a cart, and shows off killer karate skills in a showdown with two wimpy gangsters. The Foos also get bonus points for subtle disses at Justin Bieber and Coldplay — see if you can spot them.

Foo Fighters - Music - More Music Videos

Blindside Stream New Album

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Blindside’s new album ‘With Shivering Hearts We Wait‘ can be streamed at this location. The Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Papa Roach) produced album will be in stores tomorrow, June 7th.

In the four years that have passed since Blindside released its last project the now seminal hard rock band hasn’t been all that visible on American soil, but was certainly busy on the international front as well as behind the scenes. For starters, the Swedish foursome that still boasts all its original members after a decade and a half in the game have toured the world over, visiting Europe, Australia, South Africa, Singapore and Thailand, while utilizing the breaks in between to spend time starting families. Though the break between albums has been nothing short of painstaking for the group’s faithful fans (it’s been six years since Blindside’s last long player The Great Depression), the trip through different cultures, followed by a recharging of members’ personal batteries, was the best recipe for artistic evolution.

“After touring in support of the Black Rose EP internationally, we set different priorities in our lives, taking time with our wives and kids and living a more regular schedule,” verifies front man Christian Lindskog. “We’ve been living a different life for the past few years, but have always remained friends within the band. When we decided it was time to make another record, everyone’s perspective was really renewed and we’re super pumped right now to be doing the band again. We just needed to break away from music for a bit because it starts to define who you are when you should be finding it in a higher purpose.”

With their families’ full support and a refined spiritual vision, Blindside went back to the drawing board for its most compelling collection to date. With Shivering Hearts We Wait marks its inaugural album for INO Records/Sony, while also serving as a reunion with super producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Papa Roach, Flyleaf), who helmed the Elektra Records collections Silence (2002) and About a Burning Fire (2004) that spawned everything from appearances on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and World Wrestling Entertainment, to collaborating with Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan.

“We had been aware of INO through their partnership with our manager, and they proved to be a great partner,” explains guitarist Simon Grenehed. “We had a demo in the works that we felt really strongly about and we sent it to Howard Benson, who really liked what he heard and expressed interest in working with us again. In addition to that being very cool of him, it gave us the confidence to come back a lot more musically inspired.”

The results find the band turning in some of its most aggressive creative strides to date, coupled with a newfound accessibility sure to expand the group’s already sizeable worldwide fan base. “The similarities between With Shivering Hearts We Wait and past projects is that we’re always striving to get the right songs for a project and the spirit is still Blindside,” assures Christian. “But this album is very different in the sense that it took us a lot longer to write and record it. We used to get everyone in a room and start jamming, but this time we started with an acoustic framework that as eventually translated into rock n’ roll songs.”

Adds Simon: “There are definitely some new elements, such as putting strings or an electronic sound over a really bombastic song. We wanted to make the record sound big and didn’t feel like there were any boundaries. On the flipside, some of the songs are almost frighteningly poppy, but it still feels right. I think that because the songwriting process took so long, it makes the band and record as a whole seem really united.”

A classic case in point comes on the parallel relationship between the commanding opener “There Must Be Something In the Water” and the epic finale “There Must Be Something In the Wind.” The first chronicles a main character gasping for figurative air when he tries to make everything happen by himself, but after he trusts the current, finds the resolve to press on. The latter speaks about giving up a burden being carried around for a long time and receiving peace at the moment of surrender.

In between, the guys unveil additional facets of their journey over the last several years, including the self-examination anthem “Withering,” which begins by tracing humanity’s attempts at unattainable perfection. From a strictly fist-pumping perspective, “Monster on the Radio” is sure to be a format-shattering alternative rock ambition, loaded with massive power chords and a contagious chorus.

“We don’t really write a record with a specific theme in mind, but after it’s done, you can look at all the songs and see how they reflect what we’ve been experiencing,” confides Christian. “The whole idea of With Shivering Hearts We Wait comes from the fact that we’ve been away for quite awhile, and while it’s scary to get out there again, we’re also super excited and there’s an element of expectancy for what’s in store. Sometimes you get a shiver down your spine when you’re scared, sometimes it happens when you’re waiting for something beautiful and other times it happens when you hear a song.”

Chances that’s exactly how With Shivering Hearts We Wait will greet longtime listeners, who have quite literally waited with baited breath for Blindside’s next musical offering. With a promise to tour extensively throughout both America and overseas, no one will be left out of the highly anticipated reconvening.

“We’re just anxious to get this record out, but long term, we’re just kind of waiting to see what happens,” sums up Simon. “Just the fact that we’re together again is the best part because when you’re a band, you become a family. This isn’t about being rock stars on a stage, but about everyone in the room where you’re playing experiencing something together, which is something that no amount of time off will ever let you forget.”

VOLBEAT To Release 'Live From Beyond Hell / Above Heaven' DVD/CD

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT will release a new DVD/Blu-ray/CD entitled "Live From Beyond Hell / Above Heaven" on October 10. The set will feature footage captured in both Europe and the U.S. In addition to full concerts, it will contain interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and much more. More information will be made available soon.

VOLBEAT was interviewed on the April 22-24 edition of Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player here.

VOLBEAT bassist Anders Kjølholm was forced to leave the band's recent U.S. tour due to personal reasons and returned home to Denmark to be with his family. Filling in for Anders and pulling double duty was Josh Newton from support act THE DAMNED THINGS (and EVERY TIME I DIE).

VOLBEAT's latest album, "Beyond Hell/Above Heaven", was certified gold by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) (The Federal Association of Music Industry) for sales in excess of 100,000 copies in Germany.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE Planning 20th Anniversary Celebration?

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

According to The Pulse Of Radio, rumors are swirling online that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE is planning something big to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary. So far, the group has announced just one date, headlining a festival called L.A. Rising on July 30 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Although the band reunited in 2007 following a seven-year break, they have not done a full tour or recorded new material, opting instead for scattered festival dates both in the U.S. and Europe.

RAGE's last full album release was the 2000 covers collection "Renegades". The band's last set of original material was 1999's "The Battle Of Los Angeles".

GODSMACK Frontman: 'There Are A Little Bit Too Many Egos Out There When It Comes To Rock Music'

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Zoiks! Online recently conducted an interview with GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Zoiks! Online: What role does ego play in the big festivals? A lot of you guys are big name bands, is it more competition or more collaboration to put on a great show?

Sully Erna: I've learned over the years that rock and roll is more of a competition and I think that's sad. I don't think it should be. I wish more rock bands would just embrace each other and realize that working competitively towards each other we're working against each other. There was a time when metal dominated Top 40 radio, back in the '80s with MÖTLEY CRÜE and all those kinds of bands, VAN HALEN — that's what pop music was back then, because that was the popular music. Everybody worked together, bands went out on tour together and all that stuff. Now sometimes I feel that there are a little bit too many egos out there when it comes to rock music, because everyone wants to swing the big dick, everyone wants to have the belt and think they're the king and they have a bigger draw than anybody. It's silly. Everybody needs to just come down and embrace it for what it is. The more the fans see us unite, the more the fans will unite and they won't be segregated and have to pick and choose who they're going to see that year. The festival things are great for that, but there is always backstage drama. It's like, whatever; I don't even care anymore. I honestly bring my George Foreman grill, and I get on stage and I do what I've gotta do and when I'm done, I go and cook buffalo burgers fucking and I don't even talk to anybody, because I've learned that you meet people and you just get more disappointed than anything. For me, I'm always open to working with other artists and I love collaborating, and, I don't know… It's one of those things. I don't think music should be a competition, it's a universal language and it should be shared equally. It doesn't matter if your band's more popular or not, it's about allowing the fans to see we're one big family out here and we're creating music for everybody.

Read the entire interview from Zoiks! Online.

COREY TAYLOR Says He Will Begin Work On Next STONE SOUR Album Later This Year

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

SLIPKNOT/STONE SOUR singer Corey Taylor was interviewed at the first-ever Carolina Rebellion festival, which was held on Saturday, May 7 at Metrolina Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina.

When asked about his plans for the foreseeable future, Taylor said, "We're talking about doing another STONE SOUR album. I've already got about 16 songs written. We're gonna do something… This will the first time we get to do back-to-back albums. It's something I'm pretty excited about. I've got a really great concept and hopefully it flushes out that way. We still haven't gotten together and demoed everything yet. But if I have it my way, it's gonna be the biggest thing we've ever done."

Adelitas Way Singer Says Band is 'Not F---ing Around' on New Album

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Adelitas Way are in store for one hell of a summer. The Las Vegas melodic rockers will be joining Theory of a Deadman, Alter Bridge, Black Stone Cherry, and Emphatic on this year's installment of the Carnival of Madness Tour.

"I can't tell you how excited the band is to be part of this tour! We're actually good friends with Theory of a Deadman and they are some of the coolest guys in the game," said Adelitas Way vocalist Rick DeJesus during an interview with Noisecreep. "We've toured with them before and had a great time. Whenever you get to tour with your friends, time flies by so fast."

Sponsored by Monster Energy Drink, the Carnival of Madness Tour will tear through North America for over 25 dates starting on August 13 in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. DeJesus said after Adelitas Way finish their set, he'll be on the side of the stage taking in the headline performers. "Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge is one of my favorite vocalists out there right now," he said. "It's going to be an honor to share the stage with him. I can't wait to see him sing live again."

DeJesus thinks that despite its heavyweight lineup, the Carnival of Madness Tour will leave many people surprised.

"I don't think people are prepared for the type of show we're all going to bring. Alter Bridge has had a lot of popularity already, but right now I feel like they're really making their mark on the rock world. It's their moment to take things to that next level. For Adelitas Way, we plan on going out every show and killing it. I think when people come out the show, it will be bigger than they expected."

The conversation then shifted to 'Home School Valedictorian,' Adelitas Way's upcoming album. For their sophomore record, the band hired producers Dave Bassett (Shinedown) and Tadpole (Disturbed) and recorded at a studio in idyllic Malibu, Calif.

"Dave's studio is literally on a hill next to the beach," DeJesus said. "So we got to hang out by the pool and relax in beautiful weather. There was zero stress. The whole environment was like something out of a dream. When you're a kid and you're dreaming about getting signed and making an album, you picture something like the situation we were in. We had an amazing time."

With record sales being so low these days, Noisecreep asked DeJesus if he felt any pressure to deliver the kind of album that can succeed against the odds. His reply was confident and refreshing.

"We're giving people more than what they want and raised the bar for what we do in Adelitas Way," he said. "We wanted people to put the new album on and say, "Holy s---!" I think we achieved that. Our first album was a great starting point and beginning for us. But I'll say it right now -- I think 'Home School Valedictorian' blows our previous album away. The record will establish us as a big player in rock music. I am confident that once people hear this album, they'll know we're not f---ing around."

POP EVIL Signs With EONE MUSIC

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

American rock band POP EVIL has inked a worldwide deal with eOne Music. The band's long-awaited new album, "War Of Angles", will be released on July 5. The CD is being helmed by Grammy Award-nominated producer/engineer Johnny K, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, DISTURBED and SOIL, among others.

According to a press release, POP EVIL went as far as to tear up its old record contract on stage during the band's performance at the Rock On The Range festival last month before announcing its new home. SPIN.com hailed it one of the "10 Best Moments of Rock on the Range."

POP EVIL has enjoyed early success with its hit single "Last Man Standing" which peaked at No. 5 on the active rock charts.

"War Of Angles" is the follow-up to "Lipstick On The Mirror", which came out in 2008.

POP EVIL is Leigh Kakaty (lead vocals), Dylan Allison (drums), Davey Grahs (guitar), Tony Greve (guitar) and Matt DiRito (bass).

New PEARL JAM Album Moving Along Fast

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

The Pulse Of Radio reports that the recording of PEARL JAM's 10th studio album is underway earlier than anticipated, according to RollingStone.com. The site caught up with frontman Eddie Vedder at the Los Angeles studio where the band has been working, noting that the project is "coming together faster than the band expected." Vedder remarked at the beginning of the interview, "I don't want to jinx it, but it's on!"

PEARL JAM will continue its 20th anniversary celebration with its own two-day festival on Labor Day weekend at Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, WI and the release of Cameron Crowe's documentary "Pearl Jam: Twenty" and an accompanying book this fall.

Bassist Jeff Ament told The Pulse Of Radio that he's ready to leave the past behind — which included recent reissues of the band's first three albums — and focus on the new record. "If every two years we were doing one of those kind of box set, you know, like a group of two records or whatever, that would be fine," he said. "But I think that with the movie and this book and all that stuff, I'm ready to make a new record."

Vedder also doesn't want to wallow in PEARL JAM nostalgia too long, saying, "I feel like we have to keep our eyes on the road. Being nostalgic is like taking an offramp and getting a sandwich — and then you get back on the highway. I don't want to be spending the rest of my life at the gas station."

LINKIN PARK's 'Iridescent' Video To Premiere Today

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

With the upcoming release of the third installment in the "Transformers" series, "Transformers: Dark Of The Moon", LINKIN PARK will premiere their new music video, "Iridescent" — the lead single off the film's soundtrack — Thursday, June 2 at 8 p.m. ET on VH1, VH1 Classic and Palladia, MTV Newtworks' high-definition channel. The never-before-seen music video will debut online on VH1.com and MTV.com June 2 beginning at 12 p.m. ET.

Additionally, MTV's "The Seven" will air exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot on Thursday, June 2 at 5 p.m. ET/PT in anticipation of the music video premiere on Friday. MTV's "10 On Top" will also air behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot Saturday, June 4 at 11:30 a.m. ET/PT. MTV Hits, mtvU and MTV2 will all add the video into rotation following the VH1 premiere.

The band, longtime fans of the "Transformers" franchise, has provided songs for all three of the "Transformers" movies, including "What I've Done" and "New Divide". "Iridescent" is the band's latest song from the studio album, "A Thousand Suns", which was released last year. The band is currently on a world tour promoting the album.

LINKIN PARK will perform "Iridescent" in Moscow's Red Square June 23 at the "Transformers: Dark Of The Moon" premiere.

Limp Bizkit Announce Greatest Hits Track List

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Track list for the Limp Bizkit ‘ICON‘ greatest hits effort has been confirmed. Due out on July 19th the release includes:

1. “Counterfeit”
2. “Faith” (George Michael Cover)
3. “Nookie”
4. “Break Stuff”
5. “Re-Arranged”
6. “Take A Look Around”
7. “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)”
8. “My Way”
9. “Eat You Alive”
10. “Behind Blue Eyes” (The Who Cover)
11. “The Truth”

The band’s new studio album ‘Gold Cobra‘ is due June 28th.

Exclusive Premiere: Burn Haloa s New Song a Dakotaa

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:00:00 CST

Burn Halo, the SoCal hard-rock outfit led by former Eighteen Visions frontman James Hart, drop their sophomore album, Up From the Ashes (Rawkhead), on June 28. But they’re giving us a special sneak peek, with this exclusive debut of new song, “Dakota.”

Stream the track here.

REVOLVER: What’s this song about?
JAMES HART “Dakota” is a song of despair. It tells the tale of a person that lives in a black hole. Their emptiness is eating them from the inside out. They’re so consumed by hatred and addiction that they neglect the idea of hope and faith in those that love them.

REVOLVER: Which part of it did you come up with first? And what was the inspiration?
BRANDON LYNN I came up with the music bed first. I was inspired by A Perfect Circle, Muse, and Loudermilk. It’s a song I had written a couple of years ago and felt it would be a great fit for what we wanted to do on the new Burn Halo album.

REVOLVER: Was this an easy song to write?
LYNN Writing the music bed came pretty easy. It sounds like a song we sat down and wrote together.
HART Most of the vocal arrangements came pretty easy as well. I just sat down with an acoustic guitar strumming out all of the chords and was able to come up with the chorus melody in minutes. Lyrically, the song wrote itself. It’s a dark and aggressive song. I just had to put myself there mentally. Visualizing the things I see in people I know on a daily basis.

REVOLVER: What sort of feedback have you gotten on this song so far?
HART It’s all been amazing. It’s songs like this that I think a lot of our fans have been wanting to hear. I know my old Eighteen Visions fan base will come to love it. This is the album I think they wanted from me as a vocalist and I’m glad we could deliver.

ZAKK WYLDE: 'Musically, With BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, We Just Piss Where We Want To Piss'

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Brady Lavin of Guitar International recently conducted an interview with Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Guitar International: "The Song Remains Not The Same" finds you playing most of the instruments yourself, like the earlier BLACK LABEL SOCIETY albums. What was the recording process like, and did the acoustic nature of the album change how you approached it?

Zakk Wylde: JD did all the bass work, and obviously JD mixes. The way we got it down to a system, it's just like preparing a meal. It's just like, "JD, I'll leave you to mix the record." This way there's not too many cooks in the kitchen, and then at the end of the night, I'll come in and just listen to it. Then I'll go, "Dude, bring up the kick drum a little bit and we're gonna need a little bit more of my guitar," you know what I mean? This way you guys can get attached to it. You really get your hands dirty with the thing, and then I can come in with fresh ears at the end of the day. It worked out great that way. JD can do his thing and not be bothered by anybody. Mind you, I do like coming in and pouring… like if he asks for a cup of coffee, I'll just come in and pour it scalding hot right into his crotchal area. Just to liven things up. [Laughs]

Guitar International: Zakk, you have a dedicated army of fans, affectionately known as the Berserkers, who are used to BLS rocking out and melting faces. What has been their reaction to this much more toned down sound on "The Song Remains Not The Same"?

Zakk Wylde: Well, on every BLACK LABEL album, we've always had mellow stuff on there. You know just like ZEPPELIN had "Black Dog", and then they'll do "Going to California". Then we did Hangover Music". That was the only BLACK LABEL that we had the intention of going in and making a mellow record from beginning to end. And I did that "Book of Shadows" record 'cause I had a bunch of mellow songs laying around. A lot of people are always asking, "When are you gonna do another one of those types of records?" like a road trip record. This is definitely one of those mellow records that you could just kick back to. When we were just over in England, I listened to that BECK album, "Sea Change" or whatever. That album is amazing, but it's mellow from beginning to end. So I'll just be chillin' out and put that on and pass out.

Guitar International: It's funny you mention that people are always asking when you'll be going another "Book of Shadows" kind of thing, because that was literally my next question. What are the chances of something similar to that, an acoustic album of all original material, happening in the future?

Zakk Wylde: Definitely, without a doubt. Musically, with BLACK LABEL, we just piss where we want to piss, we're THE ROLLING STONES. With ZEPPELIN, they just pissed where they wanted to piss, musically. People were like, "Well you can't do that," and they were like, "We can do whatever we want, man." That's the beauty of the band. And like I said, I love Neil Young, and you don't even know what kind of record he's gonna be putting out next, whether he's doing the electric thing or he's gonna do the "Harvest Moon" thing. That's what's always awesome about Father Young up there, and the same thing with ZEP, they were always mixing it up. As far as a whole other record, I'm sure we'll definitely do one in the future. "The Song Remains Not The Same" is out right now, and probably in December we're gonna go in and do a DVD, a "Live Un-Blackened" DVD. It's gonna be the band and bunch of guests, with some of my friends like Slash, a pedal steel guy, some background singers, a four-piece string section and stuff like that to really blow it up.

Guitar International: How well do you think Gus G. has filled your shoes in Ozzy Osbourne's band?

Zakk Wylde: Gus is doing awesome, man. Anyone that goes to their show is just like, "Gus is amazing, man." He is. And he's super-cool. Gus is in FIREWIND, which is ridiculously slammin', too. I think Gus is doin' awesome. And everybody in the BLACK LABEL family is behind Gus, anyway. We're all rooting for him.

Read the entire interview from Guitar International.

P.O.D.: Video Interview, Performance Footage Of New Song Available

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Pop Culture Madness conducted an interview with Christian rockers P.O.D. at this year's Rock On The Range festival, which was held May 21-22 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. You can now watch the chat below. Also available is performance footage of a new song, tentatively titled "On Fire".

P.O.D. recently filed a lawsuit against the band's record label, Tennessee-based INO Records, claiming that the company breached its contract by refusing to pay the group a $400,000 advance for its next album.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed in Nashville, the group informed the label in November that it was ready to start recording the follow-up to 2008's "When Angels & Serpents Dance". The band claims INO refused to pay the option, explaining that P.O.D. had " 'abandoned' its obligations (to INO) under the agreement."

"When Angels & Serpents Dance" sold 34,000 in the United States in its first week of release in April 2008 to debut at position No. 9 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous CD, "Testify", registered a first-week tally of just over 54,000 back in February 2006 to land at No. 9.

"When Angels & Serpents Dance" featured guest appearances from the MARLEY SISTERS, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES singer Mike Muir and HELMET guitarist Page Hamilton.

Interview:

Egypt Central Stream a White Rabbita

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Egypt Central’s new album ‘White Rabbit‘ is now streaming at this location. Comic strips created by bassist Joey Chicago have been released to RevolverMag.com over the last few weeks telling the story of the “White Rabbit”. Check them out here.

‘White Rabbit‘ is in stores today, May 31st.

Anew Revolution to Tour With Filter and Saliva This Summer

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Anew Revolution won't be making like school kids and taking the summer off. The band, widely known for road dogging it and always suffering through vehicular mishaps, will spend the hot months of July and August on the Under the Skin of Angels tour, performing alongside Filter, Saliva, and Heart Set Self Destruct.

"We've toured like crazy over the last 12 months with bands like Taproot, Hellyeah, Volbeat, Sevendust, 10 Years, Ill Nino, and Drowning Pool, and now we have this killer tour lined up," bassist Frank Salvaggio recently told Noisecreep. "We've also recently begun writing some new music, and we'll probably work on it more on the road this summer and after the USA tour. No rest for the wicked."

ANR have been profiled on CNN for touring through blizzards and dealing with constant issues with their van and fixing them on their own. When jokingly asked of they have had any new van mishaps, Salvaggio said, "Actually, we always have van mishaps. We broke the U-Bolt on the trailer axle, luckily as we rounding into a Wendy's parking lot. Rob, our drummer and resident mechanic, got it fixed in time for us to get to our show with Drowning Pool at the Rave in Milwaukee. And we also recently found out that we need a new transmission on the van after 275,000 miles in three years. Ah, life on the road!"

Despite needing a new transmission after all that wear and tear, maintaining a functioning air conditioning system should be of utmost priority for a sweltering summer tour. Given Anew Revolution's luck, one would wager that that their AC will break at least once! Salvaggio and his cohorts will be prepared, though! "You suck it up, turn the heat up and rock out to some Slayer," Salvaggio joked. "Here's a true story. We once blew the AC and radiator on the way to Phoenix for a show with Sevendust a few years ago. We drove to Phoenix in the 110-degree desert weather with the heat on to cool the engine, and because we had no time to fix it, we did it again the next day to get to LA from Phoenix in the same temperature. Yup, we made both shows, that's how we roll!"

Nothing -- not broken U-Bolts, not 275,000 vehicle miles and not even driving in 110-degree heat with no AC in the desert -- can stop Anew Revolution from ruling the road.

The Under the Skin of Angels tour dates are as follows:

7/17/11 - Dubuque , IA - Courtside
7/19/11 - Grand Island , NE - Heartland Events Center
7/20/11 - Wichita , KS - Cotillion
7/21/11 - Denver , CO - The Summit Music Hall
7/22/11 - Colorado Springs , CO - The Black Sheep
7/24/11 - IdahoFalls , ID - The Tropics
7/25/11 - Spokane , WA - Knitting Factory
7/26/11 - Seattle , WA - El Corazon
7/27/11 - Portland , OR - Hawthorne Theater
7/28/11 - Pasco , WA - Trac Center
7/30/11- Madison, WI Willow Island (94.1 JJO BAND CAMP)
7/31/11 - WestHollywood , CA - Key Club
8/2/11 - Anaheim , CA - The Grove of Anaheim
8/4/11 - El Paso , TX - Speaking Rock Entertainment Center
8/5/11 - Lubbock , TX - Jake's
8/6/11 - Dallas, TX - Trees
8/7/11 - Abilene , TX - Lucky Mule Saloon
8/9/11 - Pharr , TX - Pharr Entertainment Center
8/10/11 - Houston , TX - Scout Bar
8/11/11 - Tulsa , OK - Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino

Spin Magazine "My Favorite Things" Interview: Korn's Jonathan Davis

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

This week: Korn frontman Jonathan Davis, who recently collaborated with Skrillex and is currently working with his band on their tenth studio album.

FAVORITE SONG:
"'Love Will Tear Us Apart' by Joy Division. It's so beautiful and so fucking sad at the same time. As a kid it struck me how many different emotions a single song could evoke, and it changed my view of music forever."

FAVORITE ALBUM:
"The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. It's an absolute masterpiece."

FAVORITE NEW ARTIST:
"Skrillex. We started writing with him this year -- I'm just a huge fan. He's incredibly talented and brings such a new and different element to music today. The stuff we've been doing together has been really exciting."

FAVORITE WEBSITE:
"Rotten.com. It's fucking disgusting!"

FAVORITE MOVIE:
"Dune. I'm a big David Lynch fan."

FAVORITE BOOK:
"One Second After by William R. Forstch. This is a crazy book. It's science fiction, but it provides a realistic look at what could happen to disable all electricity and power, and how the human race would subsequently fall apart. Really scary stuff. I highly recommend!"

FAVORITE STORE:
"Obscura. There's lots of weird, cool shit there."

FAVORITE PIECE OF CLOTHING:
"I have this grey custom-made sweater with a skull on it. I got one for my son and loved it, so I asked the store if they would make an adult version and they did. I have the only adult sweater of this design in the world."

FAVORITE PET:
"I used to have 30 different species of tarantulas, as well as two Australian scorpions that are considered the deadliest in the world. If stung by one, a person would die in 30 minutes. But when I had kids I had to get rid of them, of course. Those were intense!"

FAVORITE FOOD:
"Japanese. Nobu in Malibu is my favorite place to eat."

FAVORITE DRUG:
"Crystal Methamphetamine. But that was back in the day."

FAVORITE CELEBRITY:
"Crispin Glover. Is he a celebrity? He's an awesome actor."

FAVORITE GADGET:
"I heard there's a new device in Europe that allows you to interfere with someone's cell phone and jam it. So if you're in a restaurant and some asshole is talking on their phone, you can jam their phone. I need one of those!"

FAVORITE KEEPSAKE:
"My kids' umbilical cords. I keep them in a jar at home."

FAVORITE ESSENTIAL ITEM FOR TOURING:
"My laptop. It's my studio and has everything on there."

FAVORITE PLACE TO ESCAPE:
"Home. When you live on the road, going home is a place to escape and just be with your family to unwind."

FAVORITE PICK-UP LINE:
"Fuck me, I'm famous!"

FAVORITE JOKE:
"Any 'Yo Mama' joke I'm good with."

FAVORITE BODY PART:
"The female gluteus maximus. Commonly referred to as a 'booty' or 'ass.'"

FAVORITE LIE:
"'Daddy will be right back.' It's not my favorite, but it's the one I end up telling my kids a lot because of my crazy schedule!"

Seether Stripped

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Seether has performed the tracks “Remedy”, “Country Song” and a cover of Neil Young’s “The Needle and the Damage Done” for Clear Channel’s Stripped series, check it out here.

Puddle Of Mudd To Release a re:(disc)overeda

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Puddle of Mudd will release a covers album titled ‘re:(disc)overed‘ on August 2nd. The release will feature covers from The Rolling Stones, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and others. Click here for track list.

The band will be touring this summer and will perform the entire ‘re:(disc)overed‘ album followed by a set of original Puddle of Mudd material. Dates will be announced shortly.

1. “Gimme Shelter” – Originally Performed by Rolling Stones
2. “Old Man” – Originally Performed by Neil Young
3. “TNT” – Originally Performed by AC/DC
4. “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” – Originally Performed by Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
5. “The Joker” – Originally Performed by Steve Miller Band
6. “Everybody Wants You” – Originally Performed by Billy Squier
7. “Rocket Man” – Originally Performed by Elton John
8. “All Right Now” – Originally Performed by Free
9. “Shooting Star” – Originally Performed by Bad Company
10. “Funk 49″ – Originally Performed by James Gang
11. “D’yer M’ker” – Originally Performed by Led Zeppelin

New Cavo Track Streaming

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

A new Cavo track titled “Hold Your Ground” is now online and streaming at this location. The band is currently recording their sophomore record with Howard Benson (Seether, Three Days Grace). A release is expected later in the year.

Limp Bizkit Confirm a Gold Cobraa Track List

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Limp Bizkit have confirmed the track list for their new album ‘Gold Cobra‘ which is due out on June 28th. Check it out below.

A greatest hits release from the band is due on July 19th. Details will be confirmed shortly.

1. “(intro)” (feat. Gene Simmons of Kiss)
2. “Bring It Back”
3. “Gold Cobra”
4. “Shark Attack”
5. “Get A Life”
6. “Shotgun”
7. “Douche Bag”
8. “Walking Away”
9. “Loser”
10. “Autotunage”
11. “90.2.10″
12. “Why Try”
13. “Killer In You”
14. “(outro)” (feat. Lisa Lampanelli)

An digital only deluxe version will also feature the tracks “My Own Cobain”, “Tale the Tell” and “Back Porch”.

a Transformers: Dark Of The Moona Track List Announced

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Track listing for the new ‘Transformers: Dark Of The Moon‘ soundtrack has been revealed, check it out below. The release is due out on June 14th and features new music from Paramore, Goo Goo Dolls, Staind and Theory of a Deadman.

1. Linkin Park – “Iridescent”
2. Paramore – “Monster” *
3. My Chemical Romance – “The Only Hope For Me is You”
4. Taking Back Sunday – “Faith (When I Let You Down)”
5. Staind – “The Bottom” *
6. Art of Dying – “Get Thru This”
7. Goo Goo Dolls – “All That You Are” *
8. Theory of a Deadman – “Head Above Water” *
9. Black Veil Brides – “Set the World on Fire”
10. Skillet – “Alive & Awake (Remix)”
11. Mastodon – “Just Got Paid” *
12. Biffy Crylo – “Many of Horror” **
13. Stone Sour – “The Pessimist” **
14. Serj Tankian – “Gate 21″ **
15. Middle Class Rut – “Lifelong Dayshift” ***
16. D.R.U.G.S. – “Graveyard Dancing” ***

* = New Track
** = iTunes Exclusive
*** = Gamestop Exclusive

STAIND: New Album Title Revealed

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Massachusetts rockers STAIND have set "Seven" as the title of their recently completed new album, due later in the year via Atlantic Records.

Speaking to the Grand Rapids, Michigan radio station WGRD 97.9 FM at this past weekend's Rock On The Range festival in Ohio (see video below), STAIND guitarist Mike Mushok stated about the new CD, "It's completely different than the last record [2008's 'The Illusion Of Progress']. It's more of a throwback to where we came from. You know, 'Dysfunction' [1999], 'Tormented' [1996] albums . . . [But] I don't think there's any rehashed riffs; I definitely think it's fresh. It's a modern-sounding version of a heavy STAIND record. It's pretty cool."

He added, "The last record was, we got together and just had a bunch of different ideas and we decided to pursue it. And it really does kind of stand out as something that was really different for us. But I loved it; it was a lot of fun to make. And as fun as that one was to make was as difficult as this one was to make. It was a tough one. And it wasn't even the music or writing it; it's just that there were a lot of things going on, and it made for a long, drawn-out process, it seemed. But I'll tell you what — looking back, now that it's done, I'm really, really happy with it and I can't wait for people to hear it."

When asked if STAIND got a lot of negative feedback from fans for "The Illusion Of Progress", which featured a lighter direction than some of the band's previous efforts, vocalist Aaron Lewis replied, "I foolishly opened my mouth early in the process of 'The Illusion Of Progress' and said that the record was gonna be the heavy record that we wrote this time around. And when we went into the studio, the songs that we ended up focusing on weren't that. But I still think 'The Illusion Of Progress' was a great record for us; it showed a lot of growth and a lot of experimentation, we tried something different. And we ran with it. And it was creatively stimulating at the time, and so was this on this time around. We just kind of went back to our roots and wrote a heavy record."

STAIND recently parted ways with drummer Jon Wysocki after seventeen years of playing together. Drummer Will Hunt (EVANESCENCE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, TOMMY LEE) will sit behind the kit for STAIND for the next couple of shows before the group secures a more permanent replacement for Wysocki.

The new disc will be STAIND's final release under its contract with Atlantic Records, and Lewis told The Pulse Of Radio that the quartet plans to explore other options in the future. "There are different ways of doing it that are much more favorable to the artist if the artist has a core fan base that are gonna want to continue to get their music regardless of whether it comes out of a music store on a CD or not," he said.

Rob Zombie Would Love to Direct a Western or an Indie Movie

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

As if it wasn't enough being a platinum-selling rock star, Rob Zombie went ahead and became one of film's most celebrated horror directors. The Massachusetts-born artist has managed to make it all look as easy as strumming an open E chord.

While his first four films have made close to $200 million dollars at the box office, Zombie has also released two critically acclaimed solo albums. "I just love staying busy and I've learned how to get a lot of different projects going at the same time," Zombie said during a recent conversation with Noisecreep.

Zombie's first two films, 2003's 'House of 1000 Corpses' and 2005's 'The Devil's Rejects,' were love letters to the drive-in horror classics of the '70s. His remakes of 'Halloween' [2007] and 'Halloween II' [2009] found him re-imagining the legendary story of Michael Myers.

"I grew up on horror and sci-fi, but I love and watch all kinds of different genres of film," he said. "I don't even think horror is my favorite style of movie. It just happens to be the type of film that I've been doing."

Noisecreep asked Zombie what kind of style of movie he dreamed of making. "I love westerns and I'd jump at the chance to direct one," he said. "There have been a couple of times where I've gotten scripts and things haven't panned out for whatever reason. I really hope I get to make one down the road. I think I will."

As crammed as Zombie's shooting schedule is these days, there have been a few films that have gotten away. "There was one that was kind of like 'The Bourne Identity' – an action & intrigue type of thing," he said. "It just didn't work out with the script and some other things."

Zombie also told Noisecreep that he'd be game to make the kind of flick most people wouldn't associate with him. "I also love simple, human dramas that some people might consider very indie movies. In the future I'll probably do something like that. I've already written some movies in that vein, but I just haven't done them yet. The thing with a movie is, you need someone that wants to give you millions of dollars to make one. At this point in the game, me making a horror movie has always made everybody money, so those are the offers I tend to get. It's not a bad thing, but that's why I haven't done anything outside of that style yet."

NIKKI SIXX Talks About 'Lies Of The Beautiful People' (Video)

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

A short video clip of MÖTLEY CRÜE/SIXX: A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx talking to the Artisan News Service about the inspiration for SIXX: A.M.'s new single, "Lies Of The Beautiful People", can be viewed below. The song comes off the 11-track companion piece to MÖTLEY CRÜE/SIXX: A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx's "This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography And Life Through The Distorted Lens Of Nikki Sixx" book, a follow-up to his New York Times bestseller, "The Heroin Diaries".

"Lies Of The Beautiful People" tackles contradictions in society. Contradictions that inspired Nikki and even had Nikki questioning, "If I find beauty in all these places that most deem 'freakish' and 'macabre,' then why do I also, at times, seek out beauty in what society calls beautiful? Am I contradicting myself or am I able to actually look beneath the surface when others sometimes can't? This is a good question. Make no mistake when I refer to 'the lies of beautiful people,' I mean what I say but I am also saying look beneath the skin."

He continued, "I've always had an eye for the oddities in life. Even as a kid I saw the world in my own way and thought most things that were different were beautiful and magical. Even things that other people thought were horrifying and disgusting and weird. . . . People say I have a distorted lens. I think I see things as they really are. I felt the need to bring my visions to life. This project is raw, it's what I see and feel through writing, through photos, through video and through music."

"This Is Gonna Hurt", the sophomore album from SIXX: A.M. — the band consisting of Sixx, DJ Ashba (also of GUNS N' ROSES) and James Michael — sold 30,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 10 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The "This Is Gonna Hurt" album as a whole deals with many raw, human issues. Nikki talks about the CD as "pulling back the veil on your internal truth," saying, "We are who we are… Either poisonous and evil or honest and willing… Willing to make a difference… I haven't led the life of a saint nor do I intend on it now." The album — produced entirely by James Michael with writing credits going to Sixx, Michael, Ashba and band friends John William Lowrey and Blair Daly — dives deep into meandering emotions through epic melodies. The resulting work is a deep, dark and intoxicatingly addictive mix of sounds and passion.

JAMEY JASTA: New Song Featuring ZAKK WYLDE Available For Streaming

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

"The Fearless Must Endure", a brand new solo track by Jamey Jasta of HATEBREED and KINGDOM OF SORROW, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The song, which features a guest appearance by Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE), comes off Jasta's solo album, simply titled "Jasta", which is scheduled for release on July 26 via eOne Music. The CD will be made available in Europe one day earlier through Century Media Records.

Jasta and Wylde recently filmed a video for "The Fearless Must Endure". Check out photos from the video shoot at this location.

During a recent interview with Metal Assault, Jamey stated about his upcoming solo album, "It's just more of the thrash and rock element in it. I think there's a lot more clean singing than I'm used to doing. It's a lot of stuff that I recorded for other artists, but it ended up sounding cool so I just left it in there. My engineer was really liking the stuff that I was doing. I still have a lot of guest parts on there — Randy Blythe from LAMB OF GOD, Zakk Wylde, Phil Labonte [of ALL THAT REMAINS], Tim from AS I LAY DYING, Mark Morton from LAMB OF GOD — so it's just like a fun project before we do the next HATEBREED album."

"I did all of it by myself, except for the guest parts. I did it all throughout 2008, 2009 and 2010 so it was fun to go back, listen to those old tracks and go, 'These are still good, let's release them!' I'm just very lucky that I'm in a position to be able to do this and I'm grateful that the eOne label is giving it such a great push."

When asked if the release of his solo album will impact songwriting for the next HATEBREED CD, Jamey replied, "No, not at all. Actually that's why I wanted to get it out now because the next HATEBREED album is going to be short, to the point and brutal, and there will be no melody. This is my one chance to kind of get it out of the system."

Regarding whether he plans to tour behind the solo material, Jamey said, "I don't see myself doing a lot of touring for this at all. I'd like to, but I really want to focus on getting HATEBREED out for the rest of the year. We'll be going to South America, Australia, then we'll do Europe and the States again so it's going to be a lot of touring. Plus the only time to see KINGDOM OF SORROW is this summer on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. That is the only time you'll see me and Kirk [Windstein, KINGDOM OF SORROW guitarist] together because DOWN is going to be busy, CROWBAR will be busy, and HATEBREED too. So this is it."

A three-minute video clip in which Jasta explains his decision to release the CD can be viewed below.

"The Fearless Must Endure" audio stream:

ALTER BRIDGE, THEORY OF A DEADMAN: Madness!

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

The Carnival of Madness Tour is coming back this summer. The lineup includes Theory of a Deadman, Alter Bridge, Black Stone Cherry and Adelitas Way. 14 dates have been announced so far, starting on August 13th in Twin Lakes, Illinois and running through September 17th in Popular Bluff, Mississippi. More will be revealed in the next few weeks.

Pop Evil To Release a War Of Angelsa In June

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Pop Evil will be releasing their new record ‘War of Angels‘ on June 28th via eOne Music. Free downloads of the track “Save the World” and an acoustic version of the single “Last Man Standing” are available on Facebook.

A co-headlining tour with Crossfade and featuring Emphatic is being booked for June, current dates are listed here.

Marilyn Manson previews eighth studio album online - audio

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Marilyn Manson has posted a 26-second teaser of what is thought to be his new single.

The track, which does not have a title, is the first piece of new material to emerge from the sessions for his eighth studio album, which he is currently recording with long-time collaborator Twiggy Ramirez.

Manson has also posted a new update on his official website, Marilynmanson.com. The update contains no specific details about the new album but the site has been redesigned to include a logo which reads 'CMYK', which is an acronym for 'Christianity Manufactures Yesterday's Killers'. This suggests that this may be the new LP's title.

he new studio album will be Manson's first for 15 years without drummer Ginger Fish, who left the band in February and has since joined Rob Zombie's backing band. He has been replaced by former Nine Inch Nails sticksman Chris Vrenna.

The album will also be the first since Manson left long-time record label Interscope in December 2009 after poor sales of his last album 'The High End Of Low'. He has since signed to Cooking Vinyl.

I am among no one (excerpt from an undisclosed song with an unreleased title) from Marilyn Manson on Vimeo.

Hail the Villain 'My Reward' Video Premiere

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Hail the Villain are cut from the same well-designed cloth as bands like Pink Floyd, KISS, and Iron Maiden. Like those legendary groups, the Canadian band pays special attention to the visual side of their art and never treats it like an afterthought. For proof, just check out the stunning layout for their 2010 debut album, 'Population: Declining.' You might think you're looking at a new Frank Miller graphic novel.

Formed in 2003, Hail the Villain worked on their brash brand of hard rock on the Canadian club circuit before being snapped up by a wise A&R rep at Roadrunner Records. Last year, the band released 'Population: Declining' to rapturous reviews. ArtistDIRECT said, "Fueling a dark theatricality with violently vicious thrash riffs, Hail the Villain have made one of the most interesting and intriguing hard rock debuts in recent memory."

Noisecreep is psyched to present the world premiere of 'My Reward,' the new video from 'Population: Declining.' If you haven't checked out Hail the Villain yet, you're in for a treat.

Hail the Villain bassist Chad Taylor recently gave Noisecreep his thoughts on the 'My Reward' video.

"This video makes 'My Reward' a better song and that's the goal for all of the visuals supporting 'Population: Declining.' We're so excited to finally have a video that captures the spirit of Hail the Villain as performers," he said. "The band is always hands-on with all creative projects, but in this case we gave our director Alon Isocianu full control. What separates Alon from most directors is that he's an artist, and we wanted his vision."

'Population: Declining' is out now on Roadrunner Records.

DISTURBED Bassist: 'What's Great About Heavy Metal Is That The Music Belongs To The Fans'

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Amy Harris of CityBeat.com recently conducted an interview with DISTURBED bassist John Moyer. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

CityBeat.com: You have been together for ten years and have five albums and are always on the road, you fall into the workaholic category to me.

John: We are definitely workaholics. We have five albums in ten years and the band has been together longer than that. Let's call it eleven years. Think about that — five albums in eleven years, that means every two years, roughly, we are putting out a new record. Well, what happens between those two years, we have to tour a record. We tour for a year on a record. And that only leaves only a year between touring and releasing a new record where we have to write a whole new body of material, get in the studio, record it, master it, and promote it, and get it out again and then get our wheels running for another tour.

CityBeat.com: It seemed really aggressive compared to a lot of the bands that I talk to. One of the questions I have for you is do you have any down time and in your down time, what do you do?

John: We don't have a lot of down time. In fact, increasingly what has to happen is, three of us are married with kids. David [Draiman], our singer, is engaged to be married.

CityBeat.com: He is. That's scary. I'm wondering if the writing will change if he's in a happy relationship.

John: That's an interesting point, but David, I don't think that will ever change for him. He's always going to be in touch with that angry side of him. It's just how he is. His therapy is writing lyrics like that. And to tell you the truth, no matter how happy a relationship is, being married and doing what we do as musicians, being on the road a lot is very stressful to a relationship. It's stressful on our lives, too. And I was about to say, we don't have a lot of down time so we have to incorporate a lot of what would normally be our down time with our work schedule. So we try to bring the families out as much as possible. When I am home, it's all family time for me, I don't have much time to do much else. Sometimes, if we are off for a couple weeks, I might go out and see a show or try to do something else. I'm a big homebody when I am home. Because when we are out, every day we are out. Every day we live being out. When I am home I like to be a homebody and I just basically curl up with the family and do family stuff. As far as the other side of it, everybody has a right to happiness, including David. I don't think that's going to change his lyrical approach. In fact it might make it more vicious, you never know.

CityBeat.com: You guys are coming through this summer, you guys are coming on [Rockstar Energy Drink] Mayhem fest in the next tour for the summer. You are going to be with MEGADETH and Dave Mustaine. I know they have to be huge influences to you guys.

John: I'm a big MEGADETH fan. It's awesome. We know Dave Ellefson very well and I've met Dave Mustaine a number of times over the years and he's a great guy. I'm super-excited about it. Not to date myself or to date MEGADETH, but I was in high school watching them in the arenas and listening to their records saying to myself, "Man, wouldn't it be great one of these days to be up on a stage like that to be able to rock out like they're doing." They've been around a long time. I got into them around the "Rust In Peace" era and they had already had four or five records before that. It's dangerous. And that's what's great about hard rock and heavy metal is that the music belongs to the fans. That's why the fans are so committed, and it's not just DISTURBED fans, and you mentioned this earlier that we have rabid fans, but I think that fans of hard rock and heavy metal in general are very dedicated because it is music that belongs to them. They like it because it sounds good not because People magazine rated it five stars. It's the bastard child of the music industry. Nobody really acknowledges it. There's like one category on the Grammys for it. There's no real industry because the more popular side of media does not embrace it. But it exists, and it thrives, and it's powerful. The biggest festivals are rock and metal festivals and it's because the fans connect to the music. You can't deny it. When you get into it at a young age, it's like dangerous music you hide from your parents because it belongs to you and you know it's powerful.

Read the entire interview from CityBeat.com.

Rammstein Bring Pyro for Wild TV Performance

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Rammstein capped off their nine-date tour of the U.S. Thursday night with a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where the German metal terrorists unleashed an explosive performance of their hit "Du Hast" — it was easily one of the most entertaining late night TV spots of the year. Watch it here.

Rammstein have earned a rep for eye-popping pyrotechnics and they didn't skimp on the fireworks for Kimmel: singer Till Lindemann, wearing some sort of odd illuminated mouthpiece, swung around a fiery cross bow while dozens of fireworks get launched into the crowd mid-way through the song. Sadly, Rammstein didn't show off any of their foam-shooting phalluses, but Lindemann did reprise the act of igniting an audience member with flamethrower. Scary!

Foo Fighters Will Rock MTV Movie Awards

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Just in: Foo Fighters will rock the 2011 MTV Movie Awards with a performance of their next single "Walk," from the band's excellent new album Wasting Light. The show will be broadcast live from the Gibson Ampitheater in Universal City, CA, and air on MTV Sunday, June 5, at 9 PM/ET.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Zooming Through New Album

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

According to The Pulse Of Radio, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is zooming through the recording of its third album, with nine of the planned 14 songs already completed. The band is working on the set in Las Vegas, which three of its four current members call home, and guitarist Zoltan Bathory told The Pulse Of Radio living and working in Sin City can be distracting. "Writing a record is not like a nine-to-five job," he said. "It's a 24/7 job, you know. Once you're done with the studio, you have to go home and we still, you know, keep writing. So that's how it gets distracting because, you know, you kind of — you worked already whole day, you want to relax, but in the second you want to relax for a second, Las Vegas will get you. You know, there's always something going on and you have to force yourself to not be distracted."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is recording the album with producer Kevin Churko, who produced Ozzy Osbourne's 2010 effort "Scream".

The band tentatively plans to release the disc in the first week of September.

The new CD will follow up 2009's "War Is The Answer", which has sold 505,000 copies since its release. "War Is The Answer" included the singles "Walk Away", "Bad Company" and "No One Gets Left Behind".

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH recently confirmed the departure of bassist Matt Snell, but a replacement has yet to be named.

CAKE: Launch Marching Band Contest

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 19 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Cake have launched a nationwide marching band contest for their song "The Federal Funding March," in conjunction with the U.S. Scholastic Band Association. Cake is asking high schools and colleges to submit a video of their band performing the song, which has been re-arranged for marching band by trumpeter Vince DiFiore.

The winner will appear in a video Cake will shoot later this year in the school's hometown. Cake will be releasing more details, including news of additional prizes, at a later date.

ALTER BRIDGE: Tremonti's Thrashing

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Thu, 19 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Even though Mark Tremonti has two outlets for his music -- Alter Bridge and Creed -- that doesn't seem to be enough for the guitarist. Tremonti used Alter Bridge's downtime while singer Myles Kennedy was touring with Slash to record an album of speed- and thrash-metal songs. There's no name or release date yet for the project, but it will likely be out later this year or early next year.

STONE SOUR: Drummer's Stroke Axes Tour

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Stone Sour have canceled the remaining dates on their current headline tour because drummer Roy Mayorga suffered a minor stroke over the weekend after a show in Des Moines, Iowa.

The band issued a statement saying, "[Roy's] doing great and is expected to make a 100-percent recovery. We apologize to all the fans and look forward to getting back out on the road with Roy in the coming months."

The band had five dates left on the tour, which was set to wrap up Sunday in Columbus, Ohio.

ROB ZOMBIE Wants To Make 'Dark, Crazy' New Album

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Rick Florino of ARTISTdirect recently conducted an interview with Rob Zombie. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

ARTISTdirect: Where are you at on "The Lords of Salem"?

Zombie: We're in early pre-production. It's a very effects-heavy movie so the effects department had to start much earlier than they have on my other films. They've been working for a month or so now, building and working on things. Once I finish the tour with SLAYER, then we'll go into full-blown pre-production with everything. The difference with film as opposed to the other films I've done, the producers on this are the guys who did "Paranormal Activity". They have a different company and they run it a different way. I've been working on this movie for a while in different ways. Usually, you're not working at all and the studio goes, "Okay, green light! We need it done by this time" and you're in complete madness. Whereas this time, I've already location-scouted many times so I have a lot of locations. It's a more drawn out process which is good because you get to dig deeper into the project. From the moment "Halloween II" started to when it was in theaters, it was a period of about seven months. That's complete madness. You're just racing like maniac every single day to get it done. It's nice to have a little more time to reflect on what you're trying to accomplish. We'll start shooting at the end of the summer.

ARTISTdirect: You and SLAYER do very different things, but you speak to the same audience.

Zombie: I think it's a good match because it's not unlike the tour with Alice Cooper where both acts are very different, but there's a certain sensibility that crosses over in both audiences. Rather than two full sets of being pounded over the head with the same type of thing, musically we're so different and we complement each other well. It feels like it's going to be a really great tour.

ARTISTdirect: Have you begun working on any new music yet?

Zombie: I was actually talking about it with John 5 the other day for a long time. We're very excited to get back to it. I feel like it's been a journey back. It's like the long way around. "Educated Horses" was sort of this weird reformation of the band. "Hellbilly Deluxe 2" was edging back to the old days. Now, with the new band, we really want to take it back to the beginning in a weird way — just a dark, crazy Zombie record. It's almost exactly like what I think people would want us to do.

Read the entire interview at ARTISTdirect.com

MEGADETH Mainman Is 'Excited' About New Album

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Burn Halo to Storm the Rock World With 'Up From the Ashes'

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Burn Halo, the anthemic rock band featuring former Eighteen Visions frontman James Hart, are readying their second album 'Up From the Ashes' for a June 28th release. With this new collection of tunes, Hart says he has two simple goals.

"With our new album, 'Up From The Ashes,' we are looking to take the rock world by surprise, and then by storm," Hart recently told Noisecreep.

On the new album, Burn Halo have evolved into a true full band endeavor, rather than just a project based around Hart. The band's sound is also markedly different from Hart's past metalcore efforts with Eighteen Visions, which is just how the singer likes it.

Up from the Ashes' is the follow-up to Burn Halo's 2009 self-titled debut.

While you wait for the album to drop, check out this six minute behind-the-scenes clip from the video shoot for 'Tear it Down,' the band's next single. As you can see from the footage, Hart remains a sharp-dressed man.

BUCKCHERRY: 'It's A Party' Video Released

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Californian rockers BUCKCHERRY completed their run on the Jägermeister Music Tour earlier this spring, coinciding with the release of their latest single, "It's A Party". The band partnered with Jägermeister to compile iconic live footage from the tour into an exclusive live video showcasing the band's electric energy behind "It's A Party". Check out the clip beow.

"The video is a compilation of a few different performances on our last tour," says BUCKCHERRY guitarist Keith Nelson. Vocalist Josh Todd adds, "It is the true essence of what we are about and when BUCKCHERRY hits the stage, we get the party started."

BUCKCHERRY premiered the "It's A Party" live video on Twitter, instructing fans to tweet a special message to unlock and view the video.

SOUNDGARDEN Guitarist Says New Album Won't Surface Before 2012

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Dean Goodman of Reuters recently conducted an interview with guitarist Kim Thayil of reunited grunge legends . A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On how the members of SOUNDGARDEN remained good friends during the band's 13-year hiatus:

"Any acrimony was toward the band as a collective, not toward any individual. We're just too interconnected, going back to the '80s with so many mutual friends and family in common."

On singer Chris Cornell's cryptic tweet on the first day of 2010 about the relaunch of the band's website and merchandising efforts, which was misinterpreted as a reunion announcement:

"I spent a lot of time on the phone with my mom. 'Are you going to believe what someone told you they saw on the Internet? Or are you going to believe what your son told you? ... We're not back together.'"

On playing a handful of shows last year including the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago:

"There never was a time when we said, 'Hey we're a band again.' But I think some time last fall ... we realized we're doing all the things that a band does now, not just designing a website."

On SOUNDGARDEN's first new album since 1996's "Down On The Upside", which will likely surface next year:

"If we were to say, 'Let's get this record out by the fall', I think it would put a lot of pressure on us and the quality would at some point suffer. And the more we enjoy it, the more our fans should end up enjoying it."

On SOUNGARDEN's uncertain future:

"The band is definitely handling its career situation in a lot freer way than it did before. The way we're doing it is diminished pressure for us. Probably consequently, maybe it's diminished expectation!"

Read the entire interview from Reuters.

SCOTT WEILAND Says VELVET REVOLVER Was All About Money

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

According to The Pulse Of Radio, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland has admitted that he joined VELVET REVOLVER in 2003 for the money, and now says that it wasn't his best work even if he did like the music. Weiland makes this revelation in an excerpt published at RollingStone.com from his new memoir, "Not Dead And Not For Sale", which arrives on today. Weiland joined VELVET REVOLVER, which featured ex-GUNS N' ROSES members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum plus guitarist Dave Kushner, after he left STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. They recorded two albums before the band kicked him out for his continuing drug addiction issues.

Weiland writes in his book, "They put some songs on a CD and my wife said, 'They think you'll like what they're doing.' I didn't; it sounded like BAD COMPANY and I never liked BAD COMPANY. A week or so later another CD arrived with songs custom-designed for me."

He continues, "I wasn't sure whether I wanted to hook up with these guys. Duff said, 'There's soundtrack stuff we've been asked to do, and the money's great.' The money attracted me."

Weiland says that upon joining the group, he discovered that they had great chemistry. He writes, "There was so much energy on the stage that at times it felt combustible — anything could happen at any time. We were dangerous."

Nevertheless, the music left him unsatisfied. He says, "I can't call it the music of my soul. There was a certain commercial calculation behind it."

Weiland reunited with STP after VELVET REVOLVER threw him out.

VELVET REVOLVER has yet to find a replacement and may be on a permanent hiatus at this point.

FOO FIGHTERS: Fall Tour Announced

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

After spending the summer in Europe, Foo Fighters will return to the U.S for a fall tour. It kicks off September 14th in St, Paul, Minnesota. Only eight dates have been announced so far, including stops in Detroit (September 19th), Pittsburgh (September 23rd) and East Rutherford, New Jersey (September 26th). More dates will be announced soon.

The Foos kick off their brief spring tour tonight in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

COREY TAYLOR On SLIPKNOT's Future: 'People Need To Stop Being So Overly Eager'

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Joe Lawler of DesMoinesRegister.com last week conducted an interview with SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor about Paul Gray's death, Corey's hesitancy about SLIPKNOT's future and Taylor's new book tackling the seven deadly sins. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On whether he is excited to perform with SLIPKNOT again:

"I hope it goes well, I guess, but at the end of the day, it's about [late SLIPKNOT bassist] Paul [Gray] and what he meant to this band and the fans. People need to stop being so overly eager and let us take this one step at a time. I'm not a guy you want to force into a corner. I'll walk away."

On the writing process for STONE SOUR's latest album, "Audio Secrecy":

"I think the real thing that changed for me is how far I was willing to go talking about things I was going through up to that point. I was letting go of the aggression attached to relationships with women, my family and friends. I decided to stop playing it safe and let these dogs loose. At the end of the day it was easier for me to drop the chain and not worry about anyone else's feelings. It was more important to sort out my own."

On his first book, "The Seven Deadly Sins: Settling The Argument Between Born Bad And Damaged Goods", which covers topics like his troubled family life growing up, knowing it didn't always present them (or himself) in the best light:

"When you're the main character, you've got to go there. I didn't have the best life growing up, but I don't blame them. I wouldn't be who I am if I didn't go through that. I know I couldn't hold back and had to really go there. That's how I've always written, lyrically, and from the reaction I've seen, people really enjoy that."

Read the entire interview at DesMoinesRegister.com.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE Confirmed For ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK UPROAR

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

AVENGED SEVENFOLD will headline the second annual Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival, set to kick off August 26 and run through October 15. Also scheduled to appear are THREE DAYS GRACE, SEETHER, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and ESCAPE THE FATE on the main stage. SEVENDUST, BLACK TIDE, ART OF DYING and THE BLACK CLOUD COLLECTIVE will perform on the Best Buy Music Gear stage.

"When we started hearing from our fans they wanted to see us back on Uproar this year, we thought, last year was a blast so let's do it again. The fans are crazy and the bands kick ass," says AVENGED SEVENFOLD's frontman M. Shadows. "We're spending the first half of summer playing some big European festivals so we're going to be ready to get back home and play America's top rock festival."

Will There Be An OZZFEST In 2011?

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

The Pulse Of Radio reports: Will there be an Ozzfest in 2011? The venerable heavy rock and metal festival, started in 1997 by Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, has gone through a number of changes over the last few years as a result of economic woes and more competition from events like the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem and Uproar festivals. Now for the second time in four years, it's not clear whether Ozzfest will take place at all this summer. No bands have been confirmed, no dates have been set, and there has not even been word on any kind of announcement about either.

Vulgar Display Of Blog reported that the band page at Ozzfest.com is now blank, although it stated until recently "Ozzfest 2011 Bands Coming Soon." A post in the site's fan forums asking fans to suggest bands has also been taken down.

Last year's Ozzfest was a short, six-date run that featured OZZY, MÖTLEY CRÜE, HALFORD, DEVILDRIVER and NONPOINT.

There was no Ozzfest in 2009, while the 2008 edition was a one-day "destination" event in Dallas, Texas, starring OZZY, METALLICA, APOCALYPTICA, KORN's Jonathan Davis and more.

Even with a still-sluggish economy, the summer festival schedule is packed with events and tours like Mayhem, Uproar, Lollapalooza, the MÖTLEY CRÜE/POISON and ROB ZOMBIE/SLAYER double bills, and others.

VH1 Classic to Air Revolver Golden Gods Awards on Saturday, May 28th

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

The Revolver Golden Gods Awards ceremony is the metal party to end all metal parties. Those who were not able to attend the Los Angeles extravaganza on April 20th will be able to witness the metal debauchery by watching a broadcast of the show on Saturday, May 28th at 10 p.m. EST.

Fans can witness the evening's copious highlights, including the delivery of the first ever Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award to glam legends Mötley Crüe and a performance of 'School's Out' by recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Alice Cooper with the original Alice Cooper Group.

Other A-list attendees of the festivities included Metallica's Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo, actor William Shatner, Jane's Addiction's Dave Navarro, comedian Brian Posehn, Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler, and many more.

Some performance highlights:

'Youth Gone Wild' – Asking Alexandria featuring Sebastian Bach
'Mouth for War' – Avenged Sevenfold featuring Vinnie Paul (Pantera)
'Electric Eye' – Duff McKagan's Loaded featuring Corey Taylor (Slipnot) and Steve Jones (Sex Pistols)
'I Only Want to Be With You' – Volbeat and Scott Ian

Winners and presenters featured in the ceremony include:

Golden God Award - Alice Cooper (presented by Rob Zombie)
Honorary Headbanger – William Shatner (presented by Brian Posehn and Scott Ian)
Album of the Year - Avenged Sevenfold 'Nightmare' (presented by Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez of Alice in Chains
The Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award - Mötley Crüe (presented by Corey Taylor)

PAPA ROACH Bassist: 'We're Artists And We Grow And We Want To Try New Things'

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Shannon Joy of the LA Music Blog recently conducted an interview with PAPA ROACH bassist Tobin Esperance. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

LA Music Blog: "Time for Annihilation…" was released late last year and is actually PAPA ROACH's first live album. As a band that's been performing now for nearly two decades, how has there not been a live effort already?

Tobin: I don't know; that's a good question. I think the timing was perfect though, for us to kind of do like a decade of PAPA ROACH, to celebrate the fact that "Infest" came out in 2000. In 2010, a lot has changed and we were just kind of transitioning. We had just finished our contract with Geffen at Interscope, and we were making a move to go independent, so I think that signaled a good time to kinda just show everything that we had done in the past and get a little bit of a taste for what we're doing in the present. And definitely, the new songs have a new sound, so it kind of gives the future — like the past, present, and future of PAPA ROACH.

LA Music Blog: You recently changed labels to Eleven Seven Music. Now aside from the label being home to a lot of your peers, like BUCKCHERRY and SIXX: A.M., what brought on the change of scenery?

Tobin: We just wanted to get the fuck away from the major labels! They're just too complicated; they couldn't really get shit done. They're so one-dimensional in how they approach things, and it was about the time that we took control. We had learned a lot over the years, and we had built a fan base and respect all over. It was time to take control of our own music and our business and be more hands-on. It was time to work with people who were going to listen to us without it being a big deal. So when the time came for us to transition, we were like, "Sign me up! Let's get the fuck out of here and build this all on our own!" and that's how it should be. Some bands just need to be in control of their own destiny.

LA Music Blog: The band's sound has definitely changed quite a bit over the last decade or so. Do you still enjoy the music you made in the early years?

Tobin: There's something about the things that we've done, and the people that we were back then, and the things that we were going through, and what those songs mean to other people — that's what's most important. But you know, I'm sure that in some ways, we're completely different people than we were when we wrote songs that we wrote 15 or 10 years ago. So it's more like we just kind of move on. I know that I do, as far as being a songwriter goes. I'm into other things, other styles of music, and I'm approaching songwriting in a different way than I was ten years ago. But there's something really special about channeling that energy that we had when we were a lot younger, and I think we do a good job of that. I'd be lying if I said, "Oh, I love playing 'Last Resort' over and over again, all the time, and the same old songs that we wrote fifteen years ago, and I just want to keep writing songs just like that." We're artists and we grow and we want to try new things, but I think we always have a very good balance, and we always maintain the essence of PAPA ROACH.

Read the entire interview from LA Music Blog.

KID ROCK: Gets Roasted

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Kid Rock will be the latest celebrity to get insulted by comedians for a couple of hours. The Comedy Central Roast of Kid Rock will be taped on August 14th and air a couple of weeks after that. Rock will join ex-wife Pamela Anderson, Donald Trump and David Hasselhoff as celebs who've gotten the roast treatment in the past year.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY: Entire 'The Song Remains Not The Same' Album Available For Streaming

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's "The Song Remains Not The Same" is available for streaming in its entirety at AOL Music. Due on May 10 via Entertainment One Music, the offering features unplugged versions of material from BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's latest album, "Order Of The Black", as well as additional material recorded during the "Order Of The Black" sessions. "The Song Remains Not The Same" was conceived, created and compiled by BLS mainman Zakk Wylde himself and the title is, of course, a nod to one of Wylde's favorite bands, LED ZEPPELIN.

The latest single from BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's "Order Of The Black", "Darkest Days" went to radio adds on March 21. The track showcases Wylde's softer side with soulful lyrics, a hauntingly beautiful melody and captivating piano played by the guitar icon himself. An alternate version of the song featuring country superstar John Rich will appear on "The Song Remains Not The Same".

SICK PUPPIES: A Deluxe Offering

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Sick Puppies will put out a deluxe version of their second album, Tri-Polar, on May 17th. This expanded edition includes the original 2009 release, the digital unplugged EP Polar Opposite, three B-sides and an unreleased track.

The Polar Opposite Sessions, which documents the band recording the EP, will start streaming on Hulu.com on May 17th as well.

MEGADETH Taps DISTURBED/SEVENDUST Producer For New Album

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

MEGADETH has tapped Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis; DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD, STAIND) to produce the band's new album, tentatively due this fall via Roadrunner Records. The drum tracking for the CD is scheduled to begin next week, with the entire recording process expected to be completed by the time the group hits the road this summer as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival with DISTURBED and GODSMACK.

Although British producer Andy Sneap — who helmed MEGADETH's 2009 album "Endgame" — was initially supposed to reteam with the band for the forthcoming album, has was forced to pull out of the project due to scheduling conflicts. He explained in a recent interview with Ultimate-Guitar.com, "I'm doing another project that I also play guitar in called HELL and we're doing some summer festivals this year so it kind of cut into the whole schedule that was planned with MEGADETH."

When asked about what fans can expect from MEGADETH's next album, bassist David Ellefson recently told UGO, "We are working on it now so it's a bit early to encapsulate what the final will ultimately sound like. I think we know the punch and impact we want it to have but also not be afraid to let new ideas develop, too. Just know it will be heavy, hooky, and have the trademarks you'd come to expect from us."

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine said in a recent interview that the band's new album is shaping up to be "more like 'Endgame', maybe sticking in that vein and going a little forward toward what I like."

Speaking to Australia's FasterLouder, Mustaine said he preferred "Endgame"'s more aggressive moments. "We were forced, in a way, to have to do certain things and it's really easy for me to blame somebody, but at the end of the day it was my fault, I could have said no, but I didn't," he said. "I was nervous that we were going to end up getting kicked off the label. I figured I would rather go underground and play what I like, and not sell as many records, but still be able to look myself in the face in the morning."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD Honors Late Drummer In New Video

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

According to The Pulse Of Radio, AVENGED SEVENFOLD will premiere the music video for its latest single, "So Far Away", on Tuesday (May 10) via MTV, MTV2 and MTV.com. The clip is described as a "raw and emotional" tribute to late AVENGED drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, who died in December 2009 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. The track itself, which appears on the band's current "Nightmare" album, is said in a press statement to be a "very personal goodbye" to Sullivan.

The "So Far Away" video was directed by Wayne Isham, who has previously helmed videos for such established artists as METALLICA, MÖTLEY CRÜE, SIMPLE PLAN, PANTERA, 'N SYNC, SHANIA TWAIN, GODSMACK, BRITNEY SPEARS, LEONA LEWIS, PINK FLOYD, SHERYL CROW, JOSS STONE, MADONNA, AVRIL LAVIGNE, DEF LEPPARD and BON JOVI.

Following Sullivan's death, the band recruited his favorite drummer, ex-DREAM THEATER member Mike Portnoy, to record the drum tracks for "Nightmare" and tour with the band through 2010. The group then found a new touring drummer in 2011 named Arin Ilejay. Guitarist Synyster Gates talked about the newest member of AVENGED. "We always kind of thought it would be cool, you know, with Jimmy's death if it could breathe new life and a new career for somebody young, which is the case," he told The Pulse Of Radio. "We have a new drummer, his name's Arin Ilejay, and he's unbelievable. He's 22 years old, and he's just a sweet, young, awesome kid. He shreds, he's amazing, and it's really made us feel certainly very excited to give him this opportunity."

Dave Grohl: Chuck sex tape's Berry good

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

DAVE GROHL gets his kicks from celebrity sex tapes - and surprisingly one of his favourites is CHUCK BERRY.

The FOO FIGHTERS frontman said: "Check it out. In the name of rock 'n' roll, go find the Chuck Berry sex tape.

"It's old so it has a very nice VHS quality to it.

"None of that night-vision. That one's pretty good."

He's also a fan of more "traditional" sex tapes such as PAMELA ANDERSON's.

He said: "TOMMY LEE's goes down as probably the greatest sex tape of all time. Pamela Anderson was acting shy! She's acting like, 'No way! Don't film me!' It was hilarious. PARIS HILTON is a close second."

COLD Frontman Explains New Single 'Wicked World' (Video)

razor@wcinet.com (Razor) — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:00:00 CST

Jacksonville, Florida hard rockers COLD will release their fifth studio album, "Superfiction" (formerly "Epic"), on July 19 via Eleven Seven Music/SonicStar Records. The band's first CD in six year will reportedly contain ten tracks, including the single/video "Wicked World".

A short video clip of COLD frontman Scooter Ward talking about "Wicked World" can be viewed below.

When asked how the new album title came about, Ward said in a recent interview, "If you're a COLD fan, I know that listening to our music in the past, it really touches people, they are able to take their own... The way I write is kind of vague to where anyone can kind of adapt their own relationship to the song after listening to it a few times. On this record, I wanted to kind of branch out away from personal issues on songs — I think way too many bands are doing that nowadays, and we've done it in the past — and I wanted to experiment a little bit and just write these really vivid, grand stories. Of course there's emotion in the stories to where you can still have that COLD effect from the songs, but at the same time it can take to another place. And 'Superfiction' is really... the definition is art coming to life in front of you, and that's kind of what we wanted these songs to do — we wanted you to put the record on, sit back, close your eyes, and let it take you to another place, literally. And it's kind of funny, when we named it that, I was, like, hopefully that really happens. And to us, playing these songs live and stuff and being so attached to them for the last year, I kind of started believing all the stories myself — so they actually seem real to me at this point [laughs] — to where when the things happen in the songs, it seems it's part of our life and we've connected like that with them."