 Metal Blade News Update July 21st, 2010 RSS Feed Current | Last Week | Two Weeks Ago | Three Weeks Ago
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THE ABSENCE:
Track-listing, cover art, first single, and pre-order packages for
'Enemy Unbound' now available!
Original drummer Jeramie Kling officially back in the bandIn conjunction with the upcoming release Enemy Unbound from Tampa, FL area natives THE ABSENCE, Metal Blade Records is pleased to release the track-listing, cover art, pre-order packages, and the first single from Enemy Unbound. The title track can be heard on metalblade.com/theabsence. Preorder packages: CD: $10.99 http://www.districtlines.com/19539-Enemy-Unbound-CD/Metal-Blade-Records T-Shirt: $14.99 http://www.districtlines.com/19540-Enemy-Unbound-T-Shirt/Metal-Blade-Records CD/T-Shirt Bundle: $19.99 http://www.districtlines.com/19541-Enemy-Unbound-CD-T-Shirt/Metal-Blade-Records Track-listing for Enemy Unbound: 1. Vertigo 2. Erased 3. Deepest Wound 4. Maelstrom 5. Enemy Unbound 6. Solace 7. The Bridge 8. Wartorn 9. Hidden in White 10. Vengeance and Victory 11. Triumph Enemy Unbound, available everywhere September 14, 2010 In other news; original drummer and one of the founding members of THE ABSENCE, Jeramie Kling, has rejoined the band. Jeramie Kling and THE ABSENCE parted ways after a completing a heavy touring schedule for the band's first release From Your Grave. Guitarist Patrick Pintavalle comments; "we're so glad to have Jeramie back in the band. It feels right again." Vocalist Jamie Stewart adds; "in spite of everything that's been said and done, I'm glad to have my brother back. I look forward to having our collective magic restored." Jeramie had this to say about once again stepping behind the kit for the band that has been called Testament for the 21st Century. "It's great to be back, I missed all my old friends. I can't wait to play the new songs on tour; they are going to blow the roof off. I missed the road and I can't wait to see all our fans out on tour. I am so pumped; it's just great to back." About the band: Tampa, FL area natives THE ABSENCE laid waste to an unsuspecting metal community with their debut Metal Blade Records album, From Your Grave, and after nearly two years of touring the guys returned in 2007 with their fan and critic acclaimed release Riders of the Plague. Riders of the Plague was recorded at Erik Rutan's Mana Studios in February / March 2007 with Swedish producer Jonas Kjellgren (Scar Symmetry, Carnal Forge). THE ABSENCE has returned to the metal scene heavier than ever with their third full-length album, Enemy Unbound; a metal masterpiece full of the band's brand of high flying guitar histrionics and melodies fans and critics alike have grown to love. Vocalist Jamie Stewart continues to push himself vocally, spewing forth his grim lyrics with more force and violence than ever before. Guitarists Peter Joseph and Patrick Pintavalle deliver blistering solos, harmony-filled leads, and a level of technicality that is off the charts, growing as musicians with every album they deliver. Original drummer, and one of the founding members of THE ABSENCE, Jeramie Kling is back behind the kit and will be joining the band on the road as they tour in support of Enemy Unbound. Jeramie will undoubtedly continue where he left off, acting as the tight backbone needed to hold together the band's speedy melodic onslaught. With their latest offering, Enemy Unbound, THE ABSENCE deliver a stylish and flavored melodic death/thrash metal album that is sure to please both fans and critics alike. Enemy Unbound was once again recorded at the famed, Erik Rutan-owned, Mana Studios in St. Petersburg, FL in November 2009 with Brian Elliott engineering and Peter Joseph and Patrick Pintavalle producing the album. Going along with the saying 'if it's not broke, don't fix it,' the band went to Sweden's Jonas Kjellgren (Scar Symmetry, Carnal Forge) of Black Lounge Studios who handled both mixing and mastering on Enemy Unbound. Guest musicians on the album include Tom Englund of Evergrey and Andy Wood. The Absence have toured with the likes Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Vital Remains, Goatwhore, The Red Chord, Vader, Kataklysm, Grave, Nuclear Assault, Destruction, Through the Eyes of the Dead, Entombed, Dismember, Vivisec, Unmerciful, Dead to Fall, and Ion Dissonance just to name a few. Each stop on every tour has earned THE ABSENCE legions of new fans, which is something that will surely continue through the release of Enemy Unbound as the band tours through the states, Canada, and Europe in support of their highly anticipated release. The Absence is: Jamie Stewart – vocals Peter Joseph – guitar Patrick Pintavalle – guitar Jeramie Kling – drums Mike Leon – bass http://www.myspace.com/theabsence
BISON b.c. confirmed to hit the road Helmet this September! 
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. - July 20, 2010 - The East Vancouver based
band BISON b.c., who have been called "heavy as fuck" by
Thrasher Magazine, have just confirmed a two-week plus tour with
legendary alternative metal band Helmet, who are known for fusing
Zeppelinesque riffing with a vehement post-hardcore precision, augmented
by dense chords and offbeat time signatures. BISON b.c. will join
Helmet when the tour kicks off on Wednesday September 8th in
Sacramento, CA at Harlow's Night Club. The tour finishes up on Sunday
September 26th at BriXton in Redondo Beach, CA.Guitarist and vocalist James Farwell comments; " I first started listening to Helmet when I was doing bonelesses and acid drops wasted in back alleys with big pants and small wheels; a long fucking time ago. Now my body is a jerk, but I still think of them when I drop tune - it is a fucking god damn honor to tour with Helmet." Sept. 8 Sacramento, CA Harlow's Night Club Sept. 10 Oakland, CA The Uptown Sept. 11 San Jose, CA The Blank Club Sept. 13 Portland, OR Dante's Sept. 14 Seattle, WA Showbox at The Market Sept. 16 Vancouver, BC Venue Sept. 18 Edmonton, AB The Starlite Room Sept. 19 Calgary, AB Dickens Pub Sept. 21 Casper, WY Downtown Grill & Venue Sept. 23 Tempe, AZ The Clubhouse Sept. 24 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy Theatre Sept. 25 San Diego, CA The Casbah Sept. 26 Redondo Beach, CA BriXton 
BISON b.c. will be touring in support of their most recent
release Dark Ages, which just came out via Metal Blade
Records on April 13, 2010. Previous tours in support of
Dark Ages have seen BISON b.c. out with bands such as
High On Fire, Priestess, Baroness,
and 3 Inches of Blood, just to name a few. Since its
release, Dark Ages has been met by praise from fans and critics alike.
Here is what critics have been saying about the band's third release and
second for Metal Blade:"Bison b.c. thinks as epic as prehistoric predecessor Mastodon, with Thin Lizzy corollaries and a hardcore fifth gear with vocals to match." The Austin Chronicle "colossal, large, big as it gets, massive … They delivered a level of volume and energy that started everybody off six beers deep." Decibel Magazine "Dark Ages is another strong outing from what is turning out to be a truly special band. More importantly for those in a constant pursuit of heaviness, Dark Ages is not the sound of the earth moving off its axis; it is the sound of Bison b.c. shoving it off with contemptuous rage." Blabbermouth.net "totally captivating." about.com "with flawless musicianship and thoroughly bad-ass riffs lurking around every corner, Dark Ages has much to offer the discerning metal head." Rock Sound Magazine (UK) "Bison b.c. offers an unconventional mix of old-school punk and thrashy, swamp-water music that's perfectly crushing on all counts." TheMetalRegister.com "Simply put, Bison b.c. have gotten even better at what they do, with vastly more memorable bits than before." MetalSucks.net "Bison b.c., for those who don't know, have come to help you grow a beard, funnel beer, and in general feel alive again; slowly, for the most part, but still very much vital and downright dangerous if you allow their cascade of myriad Doom and Prog predilections to take you over utterly." MetalEater.com "How can one even begin to describe this monolithic, colossal, gargantuan beast of an album? The answer lies in another question – you thought Mastodon was heavy? They look like Hannah Montana playing with Hello Kitty dolls compared to this sledgehammer of a band. No, seriously." Espyrock.com "These Canucks have this genuine, but we-don't-give-a-rat's-ass attitude to them that permeates Dark Ages and the still very imposing Quiet Earth. Two albums into the 'major' label career and they've yet to misfire. Look the fuck out." Blistering.com "If there's anyone who still thinks Bison's only a 'stoner' band, they're in for a surprise. They're a band that can take it all over the map, but it always works in their favor." Hellbound.ca "If there was a metal Olympics, Bison would wave Canada's flag on high while beer cans rained down upon our proud metal traditions." Metal-Rules.com "The show's real jewel however was almost an afterthought to most fans who showed up. That is until they crushed everyone within the distance of their various six senses. Bison b.c., a Vancouver based act, who come across as an old school stoner garage band going through midlife crisis. That is until they plug in and crank it up and then you see and hear how incredibly intense they are. These guys simply know how to have fun and you hear and feel the energy they dish out on stage in the crevices of their brand new release, Dark Ages." Examiner.com "This is just over 45 minutes of intense, in your face, doom-metal steeped with old school punk and thrash, along with a touch of stoner metal to bring it all home. Dark Ages is sure to be a fan favorite, and will stand up will amongst its contemporaries. These guys aren't going away any time soon." Metalholic.com "If you're thirsty for unpretentious, balls-out, heavy-as-hell metal, this album is set to be the soundtrack to all your future raging keggers – just don't come complaining to us at OneMetal if the adrenaline and testosterone unleashed by the record cause you to kick holes in your walls or anything." OneMetal.com "Sludgy, thrashy, thick and primal." TheNewReview.net "Bison b.c. manages to create a musical narrative with monolithic doom and sludge buried riffs and vicious thrash raids. From galloping to crushing, the story's told through their chanting guitars and earth-pounding stampedes creating something accessible, yet unique. The compositions are never stale, variations and transitions are seamless and natural, but not all together predictable." TheNewReview.net "Catching their performance knowing very little about the band is really THE way to behold Bison b.c.. They have a way of sending an unsuspecting audience member out of their live performances with a sense of awe and wonder that is the stuff of legend for the best live performers, the kind of live show you will tell your friends about for years to come." Fazermagazine.com "Dark Ages is a simmering, smoking, hulking, Tour-de-fuck-your-face-off" metal-army.com Bison b.c. is: James Farwell - Vocals/Guitar Dan And - Vocals/Guitar Masa Anzai - Bass Brad Mackinnon - Drums http://www.myspace.com/bisoneastvan http://www.facebook.com/bisonbc http://www.twitter.com/bison_bc
WHITECHAPEL launches a brand-new official website! 
WhitechapelBand.com includes re-design of the fan club THE
DISEASED built directly into the siteKnoxville, TN's WHITECHAPEL, who are currently crushing audiences across North America as a part of the successful Vans Warped Tour Twenty Ten, have just launched their brand-new official website WhitechapelBand.com. The band comments; "We are excited to announce the release of our brand new official website. Here you will be able to find tons of info and media and it will also be the home of our new fan club, THE DISEASED. We are offering tons of awesome packages varying in different levels for the fan club so be sure to go check it out and pick yours up today! This is our way of saying thank you and to give a special place for our fans to gather and form a community." Once on WhitechapelBand.com, fans will be able to easily navigate the site to check out WHITECHAPEL's tour dates, music videos, live videos, video interviews and updates from the road, news, photo galleries and more. Fans can also select the "Community" tab to enter the fan club THE DISEASED, where members can access the band's blog, fan forum, sign up for contests, or select the campaign tab to become a part of the WHITECHAPEL street team or enter contests that require users to submit content. THE DISEASED fan club packages breakdown: Level One - The Possessed Package: 8.99 -1 year interactive membership -Dog tags Level Two - The Exiled Package: 22.99 -1 year interactive membership - Dog tag - THE DISEASED laminate - Picks (3) - T-shirt Level Three - The Ultimate Corruption Package: 44.99 -1 year interactive membership - Dog tag - THE DISEASED laminate - Picks (3) - T-shirt - A New Era of Corruption on vinyl 
WHITECHAPEL's latest release, A New Era of Corruption,
entered Billboard Magazine's Top 200 Chart at #43 in its
first week of release. A New Era of Corruption also
debuted at #2 on the Hard Music Core Stores Chart, #3
on the Independent Albums Chart, and #5 on the Hard
Music Albums Chart. In addition to breaking the charts in the
states, A New Era of Corruption also charted in Canada
coming in at #70 on the Current Albums chart, #9 on
the Indie chart, and #8 on the Hard chart. A
New Era of Corruption marks the band's 3rd full-length album and
2nd for Metal Blade Records. Check out what press has had to say about
the band's latest, and to date greatest, release A New Era of
Corruption, which the group co-produced with infamous metal
producer Jason Suecof at Jason's Orlando, FL based Audiohammer Studios:"while there's a familiar sense of disgust spewed all over this third album, there's been some evolving back at the deathlab. It's easy enough to play fast and hard in death metal – easier still to make that all you do, but as Devolver's ceremonious opener builds intensities, leveling the blows with a calculated malice for maximum damage, the band sound deadlier than ever." 8/10 Decibel Magazine "Say what you like about the way death metal has evolved, but to deny that Whitechapel are both insanely heavy and technically dazzling would be churlish petulance. They hinted at this level of bone-powdering brutality on their first two albums, but have slipped into a higher gear for their third, more than justifying their status as one of the few bands snapping at the heels of Job for A Cowboy, overall this is the sound of Whitechapel maturing and realizing their own considerable potential, with much precision, power, and simplicity." 8/10 Terrorizer Magazine "The band presents a truly mixed palette with progressive asides, tempered harmonies and arrangements that take surprising yet complimentary avenues… Whitechapel now appear unconcerned with all-out heaviness, in its place they have sampled the breadth of their genre creating a metal record both balanced and deep." Rock Sound Magazine "Sharp guitar melodies and serrated hooks augment the brawn without diluting it, and this new side of the band adds a superb twist to their already well-established fury." 3/4 Kerrang! Magazine "a sound so thick you could bite into it… Whitechapel are leading the next generation of extreme." Metal Hammer Magazine "Every band has their signature album. Slayer has Reign in Blood, Cannibal Corpse has Vile, Pantera had Cowboys from Hell. A New Era of Corruption is Whitechapel's masterpiece." 5/5, TheNewReview.net "A New Era Of Corruption is more complete and more focused…Whitechapel has become the Behemoth of deathcore." MetalReview.com "a deadly, lumbering and ultimately trend-free beast" Noisecreep.com "What Whitechapel will put out this year is nothing short of some of the grimiest metal sludge to ever breach the Billboard chart, a three-guitar wall of sound bolstered by vocalist Phil Bozeman's rasp." Albuquerque Journal "Corruption, venom and hatred. Tons of blastbeats. Stomach-churning guitar riffs. It's kind of shocking that the new Whitechapel is better than their last, namely because This Is Exile was amazing." The Hartford Advocate "there is no getting away from the fact that, as far as modern death metal goes, there are no better exponents of this breakdown laden mayhem than this triple-guitar monster." Planet-Loud.com "The band's new album, A New Era Of Corruption, is eleven songs of being pummeled in the face with an iron pipe." CraveOnline.com Whitechapel is: Phil Bozeman - Vocals Ben Savage - Guitar/Leads Alex Wade - Guitar Zach Householder - Guitar Gabe Crisp - Bass Kevin Lane – Drums http://www.thediseased.com/ http://www.whitechapelband.com
Metal Blade Records launches RETURN TO EARTH landing page! 
Return to Earth landing page for ‘Automata’ home to music, low
priced preorder deals, trailers previewing the album, and videos!Music video for the track ‘Automata’ in the works In conjunction with the upcoming release Automata from the alternative metal act RETURN TO EARTH, Metal Blade Records has launched a landing page where fans can go to check out music, two teaser videos that showcase music from the upcoming album, specially low priced preorder packages, an in-the-studio-video, and video footage of Chris Pennie (ex-Dillinger/current Coheed drummer) at the 2010 Modern Drummer Festival. The first single currently streaming is for the track Back of My Hand with more tracks to come before the album is released on August 17. Preorder packages available for Automata: CD: $10.99 'Desert' T-Shirt: $14.99 'Blue Sphere' T-Shirt: $14.99 CD/T-Shirt Bundle #1: $22.99 CD/T-Shirt Bundle #2: $22.99 Track-listing for Automata: 1. Automata 2. You Will Be Replaced 3. Back of My Hand 4. 1.0 5. Edge of Forever 6. Night of the Exploding Razors 7. Snakeface 8. The Dots Do Not Connect 9. 2.0 10. The Replicas 11. So Close 12. God at the End of the World 13. 3.0 14. Exit Wound 15. The Altercation of Man 
“The musicianship on display is faultless, they’ve really got a knack
for writing a good tune, it’s good to see also that they’re not ashamed
to employ melody and write a catchy song, so many heavy rock bands would
shy away from this.” Altsounds.com A music video for the title track Automata is currently in the works with the team that brought you the two trailers for the album, Damien Serban and Yann Bertrand from Absinthe Studio in France (www.absinthestudio.com). Stay tuned to RETURN TO EARTH’s and Metal Blade Records’ sites for further details on when and where the music video will be premiered. About the band: RETURN TO EARTH is the amalgamation of the musical talents of Ron Scalzo, Brett Aveni, and Chris Pennie; three veteran and visionary musicians whose material can't be pigeonholed to one genre or easily classified. You'll hear bits and pieces of their influences and other projects and those bits and pieces come together to form the unique whole that is RETURN TO EARTH. All three members of RTE sport impressive musical resumes - Pennie, in particular, hones his craft as one of the most heralded drummers working today. His groundbreaking drum style provides the backbone for RTE's aggressive brand of rock. Pennie also wrote a lot of the material & contributed in the form of synth & loop programming. "Brett & I have been itching to work with Chris for years," admits Scalzo. "He's one of those prodigies that make the rest of wonder why we even bother trying to make music." Brooklyn native Scalzo is no slouch in the music-making department, having achieved moderate success as electro-rock singer/songwriter Q*Ball. With three self-released critically-acclaimed albums under his belt, Scalzo has purveyed that moderate success – and a lot of long hours – into an underground DIY label, Bald Freak Music. The upstart's growing roster includes Guns N' Roses guitarist Bumblefoot, who releases his impressive solo work on the label, and buzz-worthy pirate metal band Swashbuckle. "You blink your eyes these days & the industry has already shifted another 30 degrees to the left," says Scalzo. "I was tired of playing 'the game' – trying to fashion an image, a look, a musical style that would impress all the wrong people. I wanted to make music that I wanted to make, and the only way I was going to do that on my own terms was to release it myself." RETURN TO EARTH is: Ron Scalzo - Vocals Brett Aveni - Guitars Chris Pennie - Drums Follow the band at the following sites: http://www.metalblade.com/returntoearth/ http://www.returntoearthmusic.com http://www.myspace.com/returntoearththeband http://www.facebook.com/returntoearth http://www.baldfreak.com http://www.youtube.com/baldfreakmusic
OZZFEST performers get pumped up for the tour's highly anticipated return! 
Six-date tour launches Saturday, August 14th in San Bernardino, CAOZZFEST is back and fans aren't the only ones excited about it--this year's performers are pumped up, as illustrated by the quotes below. Launching Saturday, August 14 in San Bernardino, CA--the birthplace of the first OZZFest in 1996--this year's tour will include main stage artists Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, Rob Halford, DevilDriver and Nonpoint. Second stage headliners Black Label Society will return for their seventh appearance on the tour and will be joined by Drowning Pool, Kingdom of Sorrow, and Goatwhore, Skeletonwitch, Saviours and Kataklysm. OZZFest marks the first concerts in the U.S. in connection with the June 22 release of tour founder Ozzy Osbourne's new album SCREAM (Epic Records). Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx said the band couldn't refuse the offer to join the tour. "When Ozzy calls and asks you to go on tour, you say 'when do I start?' Over 25 years ago, Ozzy took Mötley Crüe on, what some say, was one of the greatest tours in rock history. When he asked us to co-headline OZZFest with him this year, we were flattered and ecstatic. It is an honor and a privilege to share the stage with him again and I can guarantee that Mötley Crüe will rip out the jugular of every audience in every city this summer." "I am very excited Halford will be performing, and to be part of this year's legendary Ozzfest lineup," shares Rob Halford. "It will be a great opportunity for the Halford band to be reintroduced to the Metal communities." OZZFest will be the first opportunity for many to experience Ozzy's new guitarist Gus G. At the same time, former Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde will be featured at OZZFest, taking the stage as the Black Label Society frontman. "We're looking forward to kicking some serious ass as the second stage headliners on OZZFest this summer. Thank you to Mom and Dad for again including Black Label Society on the line-up. We can't wait to play slammin' new songs from Order Of The Black as well as BLS classics. For all those who bleed Black Label, we will see you soon!" Nonpoint lead singer Elias Soriano is ready and eager to join the ranks of the main stage, "Nonpoint played OZZfest almost 10 years ago for the first time on the second stage and it was one of my proudest moments as a member of this band. Now to be invited not only to play again, but on the main stage is an honor. This is an opportunity for Nonpoint to put on the performance of our career. Strap up, bear down and prepare for the eruption – it's on, OZZfest!" DevilDriver's Dez Fafara agrees, "OZZFest! It's beyond an honor to be asked back yet again to the mothership of all summer concerts. There's not a better time-honored tradition. It's a Rock 'n' Roll, sundrenched, rile up and fire up, rip-roaring, rowdy, 'keep your horns up in the air at all times,' full-day summer festival of killer music and good times. And DevilDriver is gonna be there to CRUSH the main stage. Come join us at what will no doubt be the landmark of the year and the best fucking time you'll have all summer." Drowning Pool will make their fourth return to the earth-shattering tour. "All of us in Drowning Pool couldn't be more excited that we're playing OZZFest again this year. It's such a great honor and a privilege to be part of Sharon and Ozzy's OZZFest family," says guitarist CJ Pierce. "Every tour we've done with OZZFest has always had such a great mix of bands. I'm looking forward not only playing the show but watching all the other bands as well. We can't wait to rock out with all our friends, fans, and family again. See you out there at the show!" Ben Falgoust of GOATWHORE is excited to perform amongst all the other talented musicians. "First and foremost, it's incredible to be on the same fest with legends like Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford and Motley Crue. Secondly, there is a damn fine mixture of the most influential classic metal bands/people on the main stage and some of the most extreme bands to grace the second stage of OZZFest since its conception. Also, I would like to say it will be a quite insane, fun and outrageous time with our friends in Skeletonwitch, Kingdom Of Sorrow, DevilDriver, Black Label Society, Saviors, and so on. So, if you can make it out you should or sit at home and jerk off to she-male videos. Your choice." "It just wasn't summer without Ozzfest so I couldn't be happier that it's back and ready to destroy," Kingdom of Sorrow's Jamey Jasta shares. "Kingdom Of Sorrow is pumped to be playing, see you in the pit!" While Kingdom of Sorrow isn't able to perform the August 14 San Bernardino date, Exodus will be filling in for them. Guitarist Gary Holt says, "We are WAY more than fired up to announce that EXODUS will be playing the SoCal date on OZZFest! We were asked if we wanted to jump in, and we said 'fuck yes!' See everybody there!" Scott Hedrick, guitarist for Skeletonwitch, is grateful and honored to be on the six-date tour. "We can't fucking wait for OZZFest!! Every band starts somewhere and the first Skeletonwitch show was on a stage we built in our front yard. You can bet your ass we didn't see this coming back then. Haha! It's quite an honor and a great opportunity for us to be a part of the longest running heavy music festival in America. I mean Ozzy?! Rob fucking Halford!? To make it even better, we get to do it with our great friends in Goatwhore and Saviours. Thanks to everyone who has supported us and enabled us to do what we love. It's truly appreciated." Scott Batiste of Saviours shares that sentiment. "Hitting the road with Ozzy, Motley Crüe and Halford is not something we'd ever expect to be doing but we're ready to bring our filthy breed of raging metal to a lot of new heads! Having our friends in Skeletonwitch and Goatwhore along for the ride is going to make for a seriously demented trip and some fucking good times! We'll see you in August!" "We are grateful that Kataklysm is about to turn the clock next year to 20 years of existence," says frontman Maurizio Iacono. "Through good and bad times, we've stayed strong and remained a leading force in the underground, but I never in my life thought I would be on tour with Ozzy or Mötley Crüe while being in an extreme band. One can't help but feel amazed when legends take notice and invite you to participate on one of the world's most important tours: OZZFfest. Thanks, of course, to the Osbournes and their organization for this great opportunity. I wanna sincerely say 'thank you' to our fans for being there for us and giving us a chance through their support to make Kataklysm a legacy. Even more important, we're here to party hard with you guys! This is a lifestyle and we should all unite at Ozzfest to celebrate this privilege of being metalheads!" In addition to non-stop music on both stages, concert-goers can once again visit the OZZFest "Village of the Damned" featuring a mix of interactive activities, shopping and entertainment throughout the venue concourses. All six dates of the explosive Live Nation produced tour will feature "all-in ticket pricing" which means there are no hidden fees whatsoever--no parking charges at the shows, no facility or surcharge fees--the price you see is the price you pay. Tickets prices start as low as $30 per ticket when purchased in a 4-pack. For complete ticket and tour information visit: www.OZZFest.com and www.LiveNation.com. THE 2010 OZZFest TOUR DATES: Sat, Aug 14 San Bernardino, CA San Manuel Amphitheater Tue, Aug 17 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amp. Thurs, Aug 19 Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion Sat, Aug 21 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre Sun, Aug 22 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center Tue, Aug 24 Boston, MA Comcast Center About OZZFest: Since 1996, OZZFest has been a virtual breeding ground for rising bands and has proven to be the blueprint for all new metal festivals. The festival has been instrumental in igniting the careers of platinum-selling artists like System of a Down, Disturbed, Linkin Park, Incubus, Slipknot, Queens of the Stone Age, Godsmack, Avenged Sevenfold, Mudvayne, Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage and Lacuna Coil, among others. It was cited as "one of rock's biggest juggernauts" in the cover feature of Sunday's New York Times' "Arts & Leisure" section (6/25/06).
CATTLE DECAPITATION, in conjunction with IndieMerchCo, is pleased to announce the CALIFORNIA BLOOD TOUR!!! 
Cattle Decapitation to hit the road with Devourment, Knights of
the Abyss, Burning the Masses, and Sons of Aurelius starting late
September in support of their current album 'The Harvest Floor'CATTLE DECAPITATION is pleased to announce they will be back out on the road in the US on a headline run dubbed the CALIFORNIA BLOOD TOUR as it features bands mostly hailing from CA. Joining the mighty grind metalers CATTLE DECAPITATION is DEVOURMENT (TX) plus searing acts such as KNIGHTS OF THE ABYSS, fellow San Diegans BURNING THE MASSES and newcomers SON OF AURELIUS. Select dates also feature Sacramento's SLAUGHTERBOX and San Diego's own purveyors of brutality, CONDEMNED. This will be CATTLE DECAPITATION's final US tour for The Harvest Floor record, as the band will commence the writing of their 5th Metal Blade release at the end of the year. CATTLE DECAPITATION vocalist Travis Ryan had this to say about the tour: "We've had this idea for a tour that was mostly comprised of California bands for quite a while now. I don't know, there was just something about the term 'California love' (popularized by Tupac Shakur) that never quite sat right with us so we came up with something a little more fitting, considering the level of brutality that California has always had under its belt. From the seedy sewers in the big cities to the 'Cowshwitz' communities of central CA to the inhospitable depravity of the dry desert, we decided it was time to show the rest of the US that CaliGOREnia is not just about hippies, silicone bodies and marijuana dispensaries (not that there's anything wrong with that, haha!)" THE CALIFORNIA BLOOD TOUR Dates: 09/29 - Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse w/ Condemned 09/30 - Albuquerque, NM @ The Launchpad 10/04 - Fort Worth, TX @ Ridglea Theatre 10/05 - Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee 10/06 - Little Rock, AR @ Downtown Music 10/07 - San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit 10/08 - Metairie, LA @ The High Ground 10/09 - Tampa, FL @ The Brass Mug 10/10 - Stuart, FL @ Cruiser's 10/12 - Orlando, FL @ Back Booth 10/13 - Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11 10/14 - Spartanburg, NC @ Ground Zero 10/15 - Baltimore, MD @ Sonar 10/16 - Wilmington, DE @ Mojo 13 10/17 - Patchogue, NY @ Karma 10/18 - New York, NY @ Santo's Party House 10/19 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance 10/20 - Buffalo, NY @ Club Paradise 10/21 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's 10/22 - Detroit, MI @ Harpo's 10/23 - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club 10/24 - Omaha, NE @ Sokol Underground 10/25 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre 10/26 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In the Venue 10.27 - Boise, ID @ The Venue 10/28 - Seattle, WA @ Studio 7 w/ Slaughterbox 10/29 - Portland, OR @ Satyricon w/ Slaughterbox 10/30 - San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside w/ Slaughterbox 10/31 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Farm 11/01 - Hesperia, CA @ The Seen 11/02 - West Hollywood, CA @ The Whisky* * = No Devourment Check out what critics have been saying about CATTLE DECAPITATION's most current release The Harvest Floor, which debuted at #16 on Billboard's Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) Chart, below: "This record is one of - if not THE - proudest piece of work in my career. For such a complex album, things came together nearly perfectly." - producer Billy Anderson (Melvins, Mr. Bungle, Neurosis, High on Fire, Eyehategod) "Lyrically and musically, The Harvest Floor is an impressive work of art - there's a sophistication to every aspect of this album that wasn't present on earlier efforts." Alternative Press Magazine "Travis Ryan stretches his throat to its widest range yet - It's a requiem in the slaughterhouse. Guts swamp the floor, and Cattle Decapitation are bursting at the seams." Decibel Magazine "their music technical enough to cream the pants of those so inclined but steering clear of the monotony trap too many bands are falling into recently - one brutal and affecting package." 9/10, Outburn Magazine "new drummer David McGraw takes Cattle Decapitation to a whole new level of extreme speed and brutality - Cattle Decapitation's The Harvest Floor is an apocalyptic multimedia epic that should not be missed!" Fangoria.com "The Harvest Floor cut through my skull like some hate-fueled bone saw, and I sat back in my chair barely able to utter the words "Holy Fuck" in response to its focused ferocity, I heard a band that is in the midst of making that evolutionary leap from good to great… More than simply pushing forward the wall of extreme metal, this is an album that challenges music itself, as well as the shallow way in which humanity views its place in the universe." Blabbermouth.net "one of the most underrated and best grind acts out there." Hails and Horns Magazine "Cattle Decapitation have the sort of skills that put them squarely at the head of grind's noisy pack." MetalSucks.net "San Diego's finest death metal band - The Harvest Floor is the band's most brutally intense work to date." Thrasher Magazine "The Harvest Floor, the band's fourth full-length for Metal Blade, drags the listener through a sonic slaughterhouse so vile and uncompromising you may opt to shower after listening to it." Las Vegas City Life "The sonic results put Cattle Decap at the very forefront of technical grind, with kick-drum blasts so rapid-fire that they sound like experimental military hardware, and with guitars by Josh Elmore so violently spastic that they might as well be construction jackhammers. Indeed, the maelstrom of it all caused Ryan to pull out all the stops, lyrics-wise." Tucson Weekly "Josh Elmore flexes his veteran chops throughout The Harvest Floor. He shreds like no one's business but more importantly, his command of riffing and rhythm in general is superb. The way he chops up the main refrains on 'Into the Public Bath' will leave listeners breathless. Elmore is the ideal match for McGraw's thunderous drumming because his picking hand seems to know no boundaries." ultimate-guitar.com "this band have never sounded so confident and secure in who they are. They've risen from the crust/grind underbelly and with The Harvest Floor, Cattle Decapitation are set to do battle with the greats of death metal." Exclaim! "The Harvest Floor is evidence of a finely-tuned death metal machine getting its footing and leaving its mark on a genre it helped shape." Metal-Rules.com "Guitarist Josh Elmore sounds like a small army of players rather than just one man, as his guitar work goes well beyond the traditional chugging riffs that can bog down lesser death metal acts." JerseyBeat.com "one of the best death metal/grindcore albums of the year." BringOnMixedReviews.com "It's a grinding, brutal-as-can-be level of extreme metal, not heard since goregrind legends Carcass first arrived." Live-Metal.net "extreme metal at its most complex and brutal." All Music Guide "a band that continues to push the boundaries in more ways than one." SeaofTranquility.org "super-intelligent and ultra-lethal grindcore - a sonic slaughterhouse so vile and uncompromising you may opt to shower after listening to it." East Bay Express http://www.cattledecapitation.com/ http://www.myspace.com/cattledecapitation
Portland, OR's ACROSS THE SUN signs with Metal Blade Records! 
Portland, Oregon melodic metal act, Across The Sun, has signed
with Metal Blade Records. Across The Sun has spent the last four
years touring across the US and promoting their three EPs: This War
(2006), Storms Weathered (2008), and their most recent effort,
Pestilence & Rapture (2009), which was released via indie label,
Authentik Ink.Across The Sun vocalist Brandon Davis comments: "We are beyond ecstatic to be signing with Metal Blade Records! They are coming up on 30 years as the best metal label on the planet, and we are honored to now be a part of that history. This really is a dream come true for us, as we have made this band our lives' work. It's so amazing seeing our hard work and dedication culminate with this once in a lifetime opportunity, we are truly blessed. Our upcoming tour promises to be a great time every single night, we hope to see you all at a show this summer and beyond!" Drummer Alan Ashcraft adds: "Metal Blade is a great fit for us, because their familiarity with metal music is unrivaled. Across The Sun is at its strongest, and is capable of anything. With such a great label behind us, we're confident that metal fans will have some amazing things to look forward to." Across The Sun has built a dedicated underground fan base through hundreds of shows and plain old hard work. That work continues this summer as the band hits the road once again with Throw The Fight, Gwen Stacy, and more, as well playing Transmission Festival with August Burns Red, Vanna, Living Sacrifice, etc. on August 6th and 7th. Their full schedule is below and on their myspace page. Metal Blade president Mike Faley comments: "Heavy, Melodic, Brutal, Dynamic" are only a few ways to describe Across The Sun. With recording set for this year and touring next year, Across The Sun will be a band that demands your attention." About Across The Sun: Since their inception in 2004, Across The Sun has become one of the hardest working bands in the northwest. In only a few short years, they've released three EPs, garnered both local and national media attention, as well as received radio airplay in and outside of their home region. Their hard work has created a legitimate buzz and had led them to play on bigger and better stages throughout the US, including New England Metal and Hardcore Fest 2010, The Loch Ness Monstour 2010 with No Bragging Rights, and many more. The future is bright for this young, eager and genuinely talented group of musicians from Portland. Across The Sun has just launched a new merch store with Benchmark here: http://www.shopbenchmark.com/acrossthesun 
ACROSS THE SUN07/19 Boise, ID The Venue w/ Gwen Stacy, Lower Definition 07/20 Salt Lake City, UT The Outher Rim w/ Gwen Stacy, Lower Definition 07/21 Cheyenne, WY The Historic Atlas Theatre w/ Gwen Stacy, Lower Definition Tour w/ Throw The Fight 07/23 Maplewood, MN The Rock 07/24 Rochester, MN Meet and greet at Autonomy Tattoo 07/24 Rochester, MN Midwest Skatepark 07/25 Iowa City, IA The Blue Moose 07/27 Madison, WI The Annex 07/28 South Barrington, IL Penny Road Pub 07/29 Warren, MI The Ritz Concert Venue 08/01 Brooklyn, NY Europa 08/03 Woodbridge, CT The Amity Teen Center 08/05 Baltimore, MD The Quarter at Bourbon Street Ballroom 08/06 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre Transmission Festival w/ August Burns Red, Vanna, more 08/07 Worcester, MA The Palladium Transmission Festival w/ August Burns Red, Vanna, more 08/08 Holyoke, MA The Waterfront Tavern w/ A Loss For Words, Stray From The Path 08/10 Lemoyne, PA The Champ w/ An Early Ending 08/11 Pittsburgh, PA The Smiling Moose w/ Chapter 12 08/13 Hartford, WI Hartford Town Hall 08/14 Hager City, WI The Woodshed 08/15 Mankato, MN The What's Up Lounge 08/16 St. Paul, MN The Station End Tour 08/18 Fargo, ND The Nestor Tavern w/ Ten Crowns 08/20 Bismarck, ND Borrowed Bucks w/ After Autumn, Ten Crowns http://www.myspace/acrossthesun http://www.facebook.com/acrossthesun http://www.twitter.com/acrossthesun
Job For A Cowboy heads to South American for July Tour! 
Job For A Cowboy are getting ready to board their flights for a
tour across South America. The tour kicks off in Sao Paulo, Brazil and
ends in Caracas, Venezuela. This is Job For A Cowboy's first tour
of South America, so the crowds should be insane! South American metal
fans are famously some of the most enthusiastic metal fans on the
planet. Soon after the band's South American tour, Job For A Cowboy
will head back to Europe to play Wacken Open Air during the first
weekend of August.Job For A Cowboy's latest album Ruination is out now and the video for the title track, as well as the band's other videos, can be seen on the band's youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/jfactv. JOB FOR A COWBOY 2010 South American Tour 07/17 Sao Paulo, BR Carioca Club 07/18 Curitiba, BR John Bull Music Hall 07/20 Buenos Aires, AR Super Rock 07/21 Bogota, CO Teatro Metro Bogota 07/23 Quito, EC El Aguijon 07/24 Bogota, CO Teatro Metro Bogota 07/25 Caracas, VE Cecim End Tour 08/05-08/07 Schleswig, Germany Wacken Open Air http://www.myspace.com/jobforacowboy http://www.facebook.com/jobforacowboy http://www.youtube.com/jfactv
NIGHTFALL reveal cover artwork for 'Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants' via video teaser including sound of new album! Announce track listing and release dates! 
Greek Metal Gods NIGHTFALL have announced the track listing and
release dates for their new album 'Astron Black And The Thirty
Tyrants'.Pompous, grandiose, savvy – the album attracts names from people who have been enjoying an earlier audition, offering satisfaction to the whole team involved in the genesis of it. The band claims 'Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants' the best NIGHTFALL album so far, raising expectations to the maximum. "We have worked hard and we've put lots energy and effort in the details of the production. The outcome is massive and believe can attract any metal fan's attention." The powerful Athenian act is now running on an ingenious combustible engine made of Greek, American and German blend and is aiming high. Dare to join! The album's artwork has been created by Travis Smith (Opeth, Death, Nevermore, Katatonia). It is unique and beyond Mr. Smith's typical patterns. "The front cover depicts the sea, the grand opposite of the sky-cum-space, and the means we humans are inventing to explore the unexplored. We are part of this universe and we use its planets to navigate, to tune our lives through the "time" set by their motion, and who knows, may be to escape to some day in the future." NIGHTFALL prepared a video teaser to celebrate the unveiling of the great cover artwork - click HERE to check out the video of the cover presentation and listen to excerpts of the upcoming new album 'Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants'! The album was recorded in various places with Soundlodge (Germany) being the main studio. It has been produced by Efthimis Karadimas ('Athenian Echoes') and co produced by Jorg Uken (known from his work with God Dethroned, Dew Scented, and Sinister). 'Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants' will be released on August 27/30 in Europe and on August 31 in North America. The tracklisting reveals the concept behind the album. 
Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants track lising:1. Intro 2. Astron Black 3. Astronomica / Saturnian Moon 4. Astra Planeta / We Chose The Sun 5. Ambassador Of Mass 6. The Criterion 7. Asebeia 8. I-I 9. Archon Basileus 10. Proxima Centauri / Dead Bodies 11. The Thirty Tyrants 12. Epsilon Lyrae NIGHTFALL formed in 1991 in Athens and have released seven albums since then. After the temporary fold of their wings for a few moments-cum-years, they enter the scene again with a brand new opus under the magnificent title Astron Black and The Thirty Tyrants!" NIGHTFALL is: Efthimis Karadimas (vocals) Evan Hensley (guitars) Stathis Kassios (keyboards) Jörg Uken (drums) 'Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants' will be released August 31st. Pre-orders will be available soon. http://www.myspace.com/nightfallgr http://www.nightfallstar.com/
Swedish Black Metallers VALKYRJA to team up with MARDUK for European tour in September! 
Swedish up and rising Black Metal band VALKYRJA will tour Europe
in September with fellow countrymen MARDUK.VALKYRJA released their second album 'Contamination' in January of 2010 via Metal Blade Records. Metal Blade also re-issued the band's debut album 'The Invocation Of Demise' in 2009. Both albums prove the immense talent of VALKYRJA to create grim yet melodic Black Metal with memorable melodies. Both albums have been produced by Tore Stjerna at the infamous Necromorbus studios in Stockholm, Sweden. Marduk, Ragnarok, VALKYRJA 01/09/10 – PL – Poznan – Blue Note 02/09/10 – PL – Wroclaw – Madness 03/09/10 – DE – Crispendorf – Wolfszeit Festival 04/09/10 – DE – Adelsheim – Metal Fest Festival 05/09/10 – BE – Brugge – Het Entrepot 06/09/10 – NL – Tilburg – 013 07/09/10 – DK – Aarhus – Voxhall 08/09/10 – DK – Copenhagen – The Rock 09/09/10 – NO – Oslo – Betong 10/09/10 – SE – Gothenburg – Parken 11/09/10 – SE – Stockholm – Klubben 12/09/10 – SE – Ostersund – Tingshuset 14/09/10 – FI – Oulu – Nuclear 15/09/10 – t.b.c. 16/09/10 – FI – Helsinki – Dante's Highlight Both VALKYRJA CDs are available at www.metalblade.com. http://www.myspace.com/valkyrjaswe |
