Vocalist Mike Muir of the Venice Beach, California thrash/punk band SUICIDAL TENDENCIES was interviewed on the May 3-5 edition of Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.
To see a full list of stations carrying the program and when it airs, go to FullMetalJackieRadio.com.
Interview (audio):
Full Metal Jackie: We're here to talk about the brand new album, "13". It's been a lot of time coming. Did the 13 songs that wound up on the album go through lots of changes?
Muir: [laughs] When it came all down to it, it probably did, because we were close to 160 songs, but there were a lot of changes in the studio right up until the very end. I think if it hadn't been so long, we probably would still be recording right now, but we actually kind of enjoyed that process. Putting records out isn't very fun, but recording is fun.
Full Metal Jackie: That's a lot of songs.
Muir: Yeah, I think one of the things is the way music is now and doing your own thing. It used to be you put out a record and you went on tour for a year or so, you got back, took a little time off and then you went in the studio and recorded 15 or 20 songs and you picked them and put it out. I don't think that is necessarily the way things are anymore, and the fact that things don't sell or anything like that. Then it gets to the point like, "Why are we putting out something and kind of defend it, in a sense, because all of our records always get attacked when it's something we love." Ten years ago, we got our own studio and we have that ability where it's not like, "Okay, we got three or four weeks, we have to get everything done and then that's it." You're able to go into the studio anytime and write, and when you do that, you're not sitting there going, "How's this song going to fit in on a SUICIDAL record?" You just record and you do what you like and you have a lot of fun. I think it was at the end when it started getting to so many years where we were like, "We need to kind of get this done."
Full Metal Jackie: Mike, does the importance ofSUICIDAL affecting the initial crossover between punk and thrash ever influence your approach to music now?
Muir: Well, I think in the main way, it does. When our first record came out, the punk fans said it sucked and the metal fans said it sucked. Then we did our second one, and they said our first one was great and our second one sucked, then with our third one they said our first two were great and our third one sucked. [laughs] So you sit there and you realize, we're not trying to do a record people will like. I know that so many people over the years are like, "What's it going to sound like?" and we don't try to do records based on genre, we try to do records that we think are great. Having a record that's been out for 30 years and people still listen to it; I think that's the importance. You want to have something that's relevant, that people hear for the first time but still like it rather than it be a record that sounds like it came out in 2013. And 10 or 15 years from now, you're like the FLOCK OF SEAGULLS in an old movie — you want to make it look retro or something. For us, I always said, "It's not how many people hear a record when it first comes out or what they think, it's how many people 20 years from now that aren't even born now, when they hear it they go, 'Wow that's a great record.'" It's easier to fit in and do something that will last the test of time, and time will only tell on that one.
Full Metal Jackie: Musically, what has surprised you most about the way SUICIDAL TENDENCIES has evolved over the years.
Muir: To me, I look at it differently. It's, like, people will say things and I'll go, "Oh, I don't really see it that way." Sometimes people will say, "Why are you always trying to be different?" and I'm like, "I'm not trying to be different, I'm trying to do what I think is great." There's a lot of different definitions of great; one is going back. Like, if I was to go back in a time machine and play this to me when I was 14, 16, 18 or whatever, I know I would love this record, but I wasn't a genre kind of a person. I know a lot of people going back into that genre way and they'll hear something and it's like, "Oh that's not this style," so they don't listen, but that's always happened to us. I've had so many people over the years, just being at some random spot, and someone will see me and go, "Man, I got to tell you I said that one record sucked and seven years later I listened to it and I really like it." [laughs] It's like a confessional, it's like, "Okay, cool, thank you, I appreciate that." Then a lot of times, like I said, people listen for what they think they want or what they expect, but in the long run, it's better to do what we think is great.
Full Metal Jackie: You've always been outspoken in your opinions. Do you consider yourself an activist at all?
Muir: Of course not. My dad always said, "Don't say anything unless you mean it," and when I say things, people know I mean it. You don't have to yell and scream and stuff, but I've never been afraid to stand up for what my beliefs are, but in the same sense, I never try to put forth my beliefs on other people and I think that's where the world gets it wrong. We've got too many people that are trying to get people to follow them. I'm not trying to get people to follow me, but I'm trying to get people to lead themselves to get to the path that they should be on. I think we get very confused and we get very scared, and fear is a very powerful thing that people make even more powerful than it should be rather than making it a motivator or something that makes you put a little more effort in and [makes you] prepare a little more for what you think is going to happen. A lot of the time, it just causes people to shut down. I think, for us, music is just a small part of life, and you do it right, so that it helps motivate you to live a better life. It's one thing to hear songs that make you want to go out in the pit and slam, it's another thing to hear a song and the more you listen to it you go, "Let's take on the day and the real world." That what we try to do — make music for the real world.
Full Metal Jackie: I saw some shows pop up in the fall again for the U.S. Is there going to be another full-fledged tour happening in the fall in the States?
Muir: Yeah, it's kind of crazy, because we have different people doing everything, but we're finishing this tour up in the middle of May, then we go straight to Mexico and play some festivals there. We have a couple weeks off because we're going to do the Orion [Music + More] festival with INFECTIOUS GROOVES; we're excited about that. Robert Trujillo of METALLICA is doing it with me and Dean [Pleasant] and Stephen Perkins, who played on some of the first INFECTIOUS records. Jim Martin of FAITH NO MORE is going to play the other guitar, so we're really excited about that. A lot of people are excited about it and I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Then we go to Europe for a month and then to South America for 13 shows and France for 13 shows and we'll be back in the States for the late fall.
Full Metal Jackie: Awesome. Well, you're going to be pretty busy this year.
Muir: Yeah, busy and trying to take a little time off so we can keep our sanity and keep our families and everybody happy and not go crazy, and to be able to make every show matter.
Behind-the-scenes footage from the making of "For Your Vulgar Delectation", the new video from British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH, can be seen below. The full clip will make its online debut next week.
"For Your Vulgar Delectation" comes off CRADLE OF FILTH's tenth studio album, "The Manticore And Other Horrors", which sold 4,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 96 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous full-length effort, "Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa", opened with 5,800 units in November 2010 to land at No. 99.
CRADLE OF FILTH's 2008 CD, "Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder", premiered with a little over 11,000 copies to enter the chart at No. 48. This was slightly less than the first-week tally registered by 2006's "Thornography", which shifted nearly 13,000 copies the first week out to enter The Billboard chart at No. 66, and "Nymphetamine", which premiered with almost 14,000 copies back in October 2004.
"The Manticore And Other Horrors" was released in North America on October 30, 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Recorded in eight weeks at both Springvale and Grindstone studios (where it was also mixed by Scott Atkins), Suffolk, "The Manticore And Other Horrors" is a testament to the longevity of the 'FILTH, as not only does it reek of CRADLE's (feared or revered) brand of delicious metal vamperotica, but this thoroughly modern album places the band firmly in fresh killing fields anew.
"The Manticore And Other Horrors" itself possesses an altogether new atmosphere for the band, incorporating a heavier, faster NWOBBM punk vibe that is both current and cruel, blended with ornate orchestration and the quirky immediateness of 2000's "Midian" opus.
The album's title can be likened to a bestiary, a collection of stories on monsters - personal demons, Chimeras, literary fiends and world-enslaving entities to blame but a few. "Manticore", the ravening title track, is a song about a beautiful mythological horror that comes to be feared as the disfigurehead of foreign occupation in the Indian provinces.
The songs "Illicitus" and "Pallid Reflection" bear the sweet ingredients of vampirism and lycanthropy; the wicked "For Your Vulgar Delectation" and "Frost On Her Pillow" are woven perversely into grim fairy tales, whilst classic, monumental tracks like "The Abhorrent And Siding With The Titans" both extol tentacular Lovecraftian values.
Peter Lindblad of Powerline recently conducted an interview with German metal queen Doro Pesch. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Powerline: Do you think the material off "Raise Your Fist" was well received?
Doro: Yes, yeah. It was great. And you know, it was great, and I think it fit right in with all the classic songs. What is this, record No. 17? Yeah, it mixed in really good and "Raise Your Fist" … actually, it reminds me of "All We Are" and it made people so happy, and I always asked them to show me your fists before we played the song, and oh, it was so great. So "Raise Your Fist In The Air" was definitely one of the highlights. And "Revenge" was especially for people who like old-school metal, and there was a lot of metal in that and everybody was headbanging. And one of my favorite songs, "Hero", I sang it every night, and I dedicated it to Ronnie James Dio, who I loved so much. And that was definitely one of the highlights. And then every night we played different songs off the new album. Sometimes we’d put in "Cold Hearted Lover" and other stuff. It’s hard to choose a setlist because there are so many records we try to highlight, and then every night we try to change it for those who come to see it a couple of times, so everyone gets new songs. Yeah, yeah … the new record was received very well. We were happy.
Powerline: Your records have a lot of positive messages, and your lyrics hit on themes of perseverance in the face of different things and determination. Do you get that from when you had tuberculosis as a child and you had to fight to really even stay alive?
Doro: Yeah, maybe. Maybe that had something to do with it. If you’re really close to dying, something is changed. You are not anymore so … I don’t know. It’s definitely … Yeah, I think it had something to do with it. And I always wanted to make people happy and give them something they can believe in, something that can lift them up. If somebody has a shitty day, just you know, I’d always say, "Put on a record or ‘All We Are’ and you feel better, you feel empowered." And with the live shows, that’s what I always feel I can do best. I really feel I can give people good energy, and it goes by fast, so I hope those good feelings last. When I can touch their hearts and soul … God, that’s great. And in the same way, I always get energized by the fans, and that’s why I could do another 30 years, because the music business is rough. It’s always going up and down, and it’s really hardcore. So I always owe it to the fans that I can still do it and I cater to the fans and the music and that will never, ever change. I’m a hundred percent sure of that.
Powerline: What’s next for you? What’s on the horizon? And what are your long-term plans?
Doro: The Full Metal Cruise, that’s another cruise liner metal thing going in Europe. And then we want to do all the summer festivals and do some more gigs in the States. And keep touring for the rest of the year, and then I celebrate my 30th anniversary in music. And I want to do it a couple of times. I want to do it the first time at Wacken, at the open-air festival in Germany in August. And then I want to do it once in New York and in Paris, and then probably do a great DVD out of it, because, of course, I want to do it great, with great guests and spectacular shows and the best pyrotechnics and whatever … it’s great, great, great. Yeah, and then doing a DVD — all of it. And then I just did the second part of [the film] "Anuk – The Way of the Warrior". We did the first part and now we’re doing the second part. I’m writing some more songs for the soundtrack, and I hope it will come out in 2013 or 2014. It always takes a little longer to break into the cinema, so probably the beginning of 2014, I guess. And then more touring and hopefully, another long American tour.
Mark Dean of Myglobalmind webzine recently conducted an interview with former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. frontman Udo Dirkschneider. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Myglobalmind: You are about to release a new album, "Steelhammer", which is the first not to feature [guitarist] Stefan Kaufmann.
Udo: Yes, that is correct. The problem was he is a very busy man. He did a recording with [another artist], which took three months, and also played on tour. I think then that the problem was he wanted to move his studio back to his hometown. He didn't want to be involved in the composing and songwriting this time on this album. We had a problem then, at the beginning of this year. He was getting more and more work touring, etc., and he said that he wouldn't have as much time to do this. Then he said that he was out of the band. He did offer to come and help us out if there was any problem and we needed him.
Myglobalmind: That must have been very difficult, personally as well as professionally for you. Stefan has worked with you for a long time, going back to ACCEPT?
Udo: Yes, we have been working together for a very long time now I do everything with Fitty [Wienhold], who is my bass player. We wrote some songs together for the new album and they came out well. He also has a studio where we are living, we produced the album together. In the end, I think that it worked out very well.
Myglobalmind: There are many bands of the Eighties which have reformed and reunited in recent years. Is [a reunion with ACCEPT] something that you have ever been approached about doing, is it something that would interest you?
Udo: That's a very long story. Of course, I have certainly been asked. Unfortunately, Wolf [Hoffmann, ACCEPT guitarist] is telling everybody that he has never been in touch with me, though I can show you tons of e-mails. I have been asked about rejoining for a reunion and didn't directly say no. I did it already once and there was a lot of shit [that] happened. I then said, "OK, guys, if I do this, then I want to have this and this." Wolf then said that he didn't want to do it, so I said "Goodbye. Thank you very much and good luck." [laughs]
Myglobalmind: Do you then prefer to focus on U.D.O., and the future for that band rather than looking back to your legacy with ACCEPT?
Udo: Yes. The problem is if I did ACCEPT again and it doesn't work… then there was an issue regarding the name with Wolf. He was stealing the name in the Eighties. He was also doing interviews to promote "Blood Of Nations" and talking so many bad things about me with so many lies. I don't know why he did that. However, that is history now.
Myglobalmind: How do you maintain your energy, particularly on stage?
Udo: Many people ask me that, I try to live healthily as possible. I do nothing special, exercise-wise or whatever. I walk a lot, and in the summertime I do a lot of swimming and running. The shows are fun for me to do and I like to be on tour and that also keeps you fresh.
Read the entire interview from Myglobalmind webzine.
On March 25, HeavyMetalArtwork.com conducted an interview with European symphonic metallers SERENITY in London, England. You can now watch the chat below.
SERENITY's new album, "War Of Ages", was made available on March 25 in Europe. The new CD introduced a major change in the band's music and lineup.
Since their second album, SERENITY has been including female voices in its songs, had different guests to perform them live and among them was Clémentine Delauney. Going on tour together, the band realized her voice, personality and stage performance was bringing something special to the band's universe and thought she should be present on the new record. The idea evolved with time… why not have a permanent female voice in the band? And it seems they had found the perfect one both on professional and personal levels. So it came up somehow naturally that Clémentine should not be considered "guest" anymore.
Clémentine Delauney is now a full member of SERENITY. Thus "War Of Ages" welcomes Clémentine's voice on lead, backing and choir parts, completing the music with a constant feminine presence.
Says the band: "The band has the will to make its music richer on the vocal side; this is a start of a new approach! SERENITY will explore and use the unlimited musical possibilities of those two outstanding voices, to start with, and 'War Of Ages' is the perfect transition record between what SERENITY was and what it will become in the coming years! We hope you share our excitement!"
"War Of Ages" was once again mixed and mastered by Jan Vacik at Dreamsound Studios in Munich, Germany. The cover artwork was created by Seth Siro Anton, who previously worked with SERENITY on their debut album. The band states: "It likely is his best work to date and the whole cover figurine is just as impressive as the limited-edition closeup." SERENITY also collaborated again with Oliver Philipps on arrangements and orchestration.
"War Of Ages" track listing:
01. Wings Of Madness 02. The Art Of War 03. Shining Oasis 04. For Freedom's Sake 05. Age Of Glory 06. The Matricide 07. Symphony For The Quiet 08. Tannenberg 09. Legacy Of Tudors 10. Royal Pain 11. Fairytales (ballad version; limited-edition bonus track) 12. Love Of My Life (limited-edition bonus track)
Says the band: "While staying true to all SERENITY trademarks such as symphonic orchestras, heavy rhythms, amazing melodic vocals and bombastic choirs, we also brought in some new elements in form of various new sounds in the SERENITY universe and a constant implementation of female vocals supporting outstanding singer Georg Neuhauser."
According to NBC San Diego, AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis — who was charged last week with trying to hire a hitman to kill his estranged wife — had his bail lowered from $3 million to $2 million during a hearing this afternoon (Friday, May 17).
Lambesis, who has said he considers himself to be a Christian and acknowledges that he finds inspiration for lyrical content from biblical texts, was arrested on May 7 in an Oceanside, California bookstore. He faces nine years in state prison if convicted.
Prosecutors initially requested that Superior Court Judge Martin Staven set Lambesis' bail at $20 million, saying the singer remains "substantially motivated to kill his wife."
During today's hearing — which was initially scheduled for 1:30 p.m. but was postponed to 3:00 p.m. — the singer's defense attorney, Tom Warwick, blamed Lambesis' steroid use for the alleged murder-for-hire plot. He also revealed that Lambesis is going through steroid withdrawal while in custody.
Lambesis' family is unable to make bail, so he will remain in jail, Warwick said. The lawyer had asked for bail of $250,000.
Lambesis' attorney said the "gym culture" led to "changes in [the singer's] physiological and mental status," with Tim's bodybuilding obsession causing him to go from 170 to 220 pounds after first taking supplements, then steroids. "[He] was not the same person. He was irritable and lost God."
Lambesis is now said to be off steroids, going through withdrawal, and in total isolation in jail for protection from other inmates. He’s also getting personal counseling from a jail chaplain.
"It has been a terrible tragedy," Warwick said. "He was a very caring, gentle man [before taking steroids] and we need to get him back."
Prosecutors allege Lambesis had twice told a man at a gym that he wanted his wife killed, then met with an undercover detective known as "Red", and gave the agent an envelope containing $1,000 in cash, photographs of his wife, and the security gate code to her house. He also allegedly told the agent the dates he would be with the couple's three adopted children, in order to give himself an alibi.
"When specifically asked do you want her dead, he said, 'Yes that's exactly what I want,'" Deputy District Attorney Claudia Grasso told the judge. "The victim now is terrified and living in seclusion."
In court on Friday, Grasso said that Lambesis did not flinch when told the hit on his wife would cost $20,000. "He was very willing to pay that," she said, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Lambesis, who was originally booked into jail on suspicion of two felonies — conspiracy and murder-for-hire — was ordered to wear a GPS monitor and turn in his passport and was warned by the judge that, if he is released from jail, he must stay away from his immediate family. The conspiracy charge was dropped before Lambesis was arraigned.
Lambesis' wife, Meggan, filed papers in September 2012 in San Diego Superior Court seeking a dissolution of the couple's marriage.
Defense attorney Anthony Salerno told Artisan News last week that he suspicious of the circumstances of Lambesis' arrest and believed Meggan's family could have been involved in setting him up. "Tim's wife's brother, I understand, is a San Diego Sheriff's deputy," he said. "I think I would be remiss if I didn't fully explore that, 'cause that is a litte bit… it's at the bare minimum very coincidental, and it may be more than that."
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith and former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony are in the studio with ex-VAN HALEN singer Sammy Hagar, where the Red Rocker is working on a new album. The three musicians, of course, comprise three-fourths of the lineup of CHICKENFOOT, although they are apparently not making a new CHICKENFOOT record at the moment. Joining them on guitar is Neal Schon of JOURNEY, who also played with Hagar in the early Eighties act HSAS.
Photos from the studio can be found at this location.
Hagar told The Pulse Of Radio a while back why he liked playing with Smith. "Chad just brings a certain amount of intensity with the way he plays that I've just never been in a band with a drummer like that before," he said. "He's like Keith Moon with John Bonham's foot, you know, or something. I don't know what to call him. He's Chad Smith."
In a clip posted online (see below), Hagar calls the current group of musicians a "new and improved" version of HSAS.
The initials of the four musicians' last names also happen to spell out HSAS. The original lineup of that act, which issued one live album in 1984, featured Hagar, Schon, Kenny Aaronson on bass and Michael Shrieve on drums.
CHICKENFOOT, which also includes guitarist Joe Satriani, has released two albums, 2009's self-titled debut and 2011's "Chickenfoot III". Drummer Kenny Aronoff replaced Smith for touring purposes in 2011 when Smith had to return to duty with the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.
Due to scheduling conflicts with the recording of his forthcoming studio album and the production schedule for a new major network television show, former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach will not be able to perform with KINGS OF CHAOS in South Africa this June. He hopes to tour with them in the very near future and wishes them the best with these dates. Look for news on Bach's new album and TV show very soon.
Replacing Bach for the South African KINGS OF CHAOS dates will be ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH singer Myles Kennedy.
KINGS OF CHAOS will perform in Cape Town on June 7 and June 8 at the Grand West Grand Arena, and on June 15 and June 16 at the Sun City Superbowl, North West.
KINGS OF CHAOS consists of former GUNS N' ROSES members Slash, Matt Sorum, Gilby Clarke and Duff McKagan, as well as DEF LEPPARD's Joe Elliott and Vivian Campbell, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's Glenn Hughes and COLLECTIVE SOUL's Ed Roland.
KINGS OF CHAOS will perform some of the individual bandmembers' greatest hits in a two-hour display of frenzied guitar riffs, pounding drums, resonating bass and trademark raspy vocals.
Tickets for Cape Town are priced from R445 and R375 for Sun City and are available at Computicket.
KINGS OF CHAOS made its Australian live debut on April 20 at the Stone Music Festival at Sydney's ANZ Stadium.
The band is the brainchild of Sorum, who asked a few of his close friends to form a band and tour the world playing each other's big hits.
The idea for KINGS OF CHAOS to play South Africa was conceived when Roland came to the country to appear as part of the Heineken Symphonic Rock, which features South African artists performing their hits with a full orchestra.
"Ed had such a great time here and really enjoyed working with me and my team," said Andy Mac, director of AMP Events.
"When he told me about this all-star supergroup project, I knew I had to bring them to South Africa."
Asked in a recent interview how KINGS OF CHAOS came together, Sorum said: "I'm at that stage of my career where I haven't really got the energy to go and try and create a band. I mean how many bands do I have in my back pocket? I'd rather just get a bunch of great guys together that everybody knows and go and play a bunch of shows to 60,000 people, like whoa. Even VELVET REVOLVER, it took us 18 months to build that up, and we we're on the road like 20-year-old kids. So my thing was, number one I don't really want to go on the road for 18 months anymore, which will basically kill you unless you're doing hard drugs and I don't do hard drugs anymore and I don't drink anymore and the rest of it's just kind of boring. So I'd rather go and do great festivals and do two- or three-week tours, go out and just have a blast and then go home and then think about the next thing. This idea that I came up with, this is like a release for all the other guys because it's fresh for them, even though we'll be playing all our hits, it's all with all our friends and the buddies that we've met through years and years of rock n roll."
KINGS OF CHAOS toured South and Central America last year under the name ROCK 'N' ROLL ALLSTARS.
The first-ever Ozzfest Japan debuted this past weekend (Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12, 2013) to capacity crowds and wide critical acclaim. The two-day music festival — the first major international music festival to ever travel to the country — drew sold-out crowds of 20,000 fans on each day.
Ozzfest Japan — a collaboration between Sharon Osbourne and Japanese promoter Hayashi International Promotion (H.I.P.) — included Ozzfest alumni BLACK SABBATH, SLIPKNOT, TOOL, DEFTONES, SLASH and STONE SOUR. Other bands on the bill included MAXIMUM THE HORMONE, DIR EN GREY, MAN WITH A MISSION, MOMOIRO CLOVER Z, STEEL PANTHER, NINGEN ISU, GALNERYUS, NAMBA69, AA=, FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, MUCC, THE TREATMENT, ANTHEM, CROSSFAITH, COLDRAIN, KNOCK OUT MONKEY, HEAD PHONES PRESIDEN, ARTEMA, and FADE.
"I am so thrilled with the success of the first-ever Ozzfest Japan," says Sharon Osbourne. "The fans really loved the extraordinary mix of international and Japanese artists. Since we had such a great reception, we’re already in dialogue about a 2014 Ozzfest Japan!"
H.I.P. promoter Kaori Hayashi adds, "I feel we created a perfect storm with an amazing Japanese and international lineup."
"It was an extreme honor to have been invited to play the first show of two shows at the first-ever Ozzfest in Japan," says Clown from SLIPKNOT. "It's always a beautiful thing to be a part of something that is brand new for the fans. As always, our love for the Japanese people goes without saying, and we are relieved that we finally got back to Japan. Everyone went off at the show, making it completely incredible…but it’s always like that when we go to Japan. Thank you to everyone for having us and you can rest assured we will always be back. We love you."
Billboard Japan had this to say about Ozzfest Japan: "Many music fans have been hoping and waiting for years for Ozzfest to come to Japan…from SABBATH reforming at Ozzfest Japan to the new BLACK SABBATH album, the first thing I want to do is thank the 'gods of metal' from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful sequence of events."
METALLICAhas posted a photo of the band's drummer, Lars Ulrich, talking about their upcoming IMAX 3D movie, "Metallica Through The Never", at the Cannes Film Festival, which kicked off this week in France. The movie will be screened and shopped for prospective buyers at the event by international sales company Exclusive Media.
Ulrich said, "After wading through multiple international distribution options for our film, we are excited to be partnering up with the folks at Exclusive Media, who we feel understand METALLICA and understand our film better than anyone else . . . it feels like we're off to a pretty rockin' start."
Ulrich, who has appeared in a handful of films, told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that he gets a creative charge out of dabbling in the movie business. "I love being around creative processes and being around creative people, and any time you get a chance to be around creative people that are slightly outside of your own niche or whatever, it's always cool to just see how other people work and try to be inspired by that and bring something back to your day job," he said.
Exclusive is selling the international rights to the movie, which will be released in the U.S. by Picturehouse on September 27 in IMAX venues exclusively, followed by more theaters on October 4.
The film stars Dane DeHaan as a METALLICA crew member assigned with carrying out a mysterious task for the band as they perform at a local arena.
Producer Charlotte Huggins described the film as "a dramatic movie in which a concert takes place." The two shows filmed for the movie — which featured an elaborate stage production — were done by METALLICA solely for the film.
METALLICA will next headline the second edition of its Orion Music + More festival, scheduled for June 8-9 in Detroit.
Jack Antonio conducted an interview with DETHKLOK co-creator Brendon Small on the April 28 episode of "Do You Know Jack?" radio show on Insane Realm Radio. You can now listen to the chat using the Mixcloud player below.
"Metalocalypse: Dethklok Dethalbum III", the new album DETHKLOK, the stars of the Adult Swim series "Metalocalypse", sold around 20,000 copes in the United States to land at position No. 10 on The Billboard 200 chart. The effort was made available throughout North America on October 16 from Williams Street Records.
DETHKLOK's previous CD, "Dethalbum II", opened with 45,000 units back in October 2009 to enter the chart at No. 15.
"Dethalbum III" was once again co-produced by Small and DETHKLOK producer Ulrich Wild ("Dethalbum" and "Dethalbum II"). The cover art was also illustrated by "Dethalbum" and "Dethalbum II" cover artist Antonio Canobbio.
"Dethalbum III" was not only released in its original CD and digital format, but also as a deluxe-edition CD/DVD and a clean version of the CD. The deluxe-edition CD/DVD includes a 32-minute behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of "Dethalbum III", as well as music videos and much more. A vinyl edition of the album with special etching will be released on November 6.
Fan-filmed video footage of SUFFOCATION's May 15 performance at NQ Live (formerly Moho Live) in Manchester, England can be seen below.
SUFFOCATION has recruited John Gallagher (DYING FETUS) to handle lead vocals on a number of shows this spring. Gallagher is filling in for SUFFOCATION's regular vocalist, Frank Mullen, who is unable to make the dates due to personal commitments.
"I'm stoked to be performing on several shows with longtime friends and my brothers in metal, SUFFOCATION," said Gallagher a couple of monts back. "It's going to be a blast and since I'll JUST be singing the vocals, they are going to be super sick and guttural. So make sure to come out and party with us and witness the brutality!"
"Pinnacle Of Bedlam", the new album from SUFFOCATION, has entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 58. The CD was released on February 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. The artwork was handled this time around by Raymond Swanland and can be found below.
As previousy reported, "Pinnacle Of Bedlam"sold 3,200 copies in the United States during its first week of release to land at position No. 152 on The Billboard 200 chart. The effort landed at position No. 2 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"Pinnacle Of Bedlam" was produced by the band at Full Force Studios in New York with longtime collaborator Joe Cincotta. The mixing and mastering of the effort was handled by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, ARSIS, SUICIDE SILENCE).
"Pinnacle Of Bedlam" features 10 genre-defining-bone-crushing tracks and also marks the return of drummer Dave Culross, who previously played on the "Despise The Sun" EP. Founding member and former drummer Mike Smith also makes a special guest appearance on the re-recorded "Breeding The Spawn" track "Beginning Of Sorrow".
Scotty The Rooster of "The Metal Factory" radio show on Insane Realm Radio recently conducted an interview with former KISS and current GRAND FUNK RAILROAD guitarist Bruce Kulick. You can now listen to the chat using the Mixcloud player below.
In 1984, Bruce joined KISS, where he remained as their lead guitarist for twelve years, accompanying the band on the "Animalize" tour and continuing with the band until the 1996 reunion tour. Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology – Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", the band's DVDs spanning their historic 35-year career.
Kulick's third solo album, "BK3", was released in Europe in January 2010 via Frontiers Records and in North America in February 2010 through Twenty 4 Records/Rocket Science Ventures. The first single from the album, "Hand Of The King", featuring Nick Simmons (son of KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons), was a digital-only release available at all online music stores, including iTunes.
Fan-filmed video footage of Tom Keifer, best known as the singer/songwriter/guitarist of the Philadelphia-based blues-rock band CINDERELLA, performing a solo concert on May 10 at The Concert Pub North in Houston, Texas can be seen below.
Keifer's debut solo album, "The Way Life Goes", sold 5,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 78 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on April 30 via Merovee Records (through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group).
The collection of 14 new songs ranges from intimate, organic, acoustic tracks to driving hard rock. It embraces the blues, rock and country roots that have always been present in his unique sound that has generated the sale of over 15 million records worldwide for CINDERELLA. Rolling Stone praised Keifer as "a gritty, bluesy (rocker) with enough genuine swagger to draw comparisons to Mick Jagger."
"This record was a labor of love," Keifer told TriCities.com. "When I started this record, CINDERELLA was in the middle of a lawsuit with Sony Records. This record is not in any way to be taken as me stepping away from CINDERELLA."
"I took a lot of time making this record," he continued. "I made it over 10 years. I wanted to make something I loved. My wife, Savannah (Snow), co-wrote a lot of the songs with me. It was a blessing to me.
"Each song has something to do with life. It's just life, love, love lost, being crazy, going crazy, being lost. The record, there's no change, really, in style. It has the peaks and valleys.
"I've always approached music, played music that I like. I've never chased trends through CINDERELLA and with this album. It reflects what's in me."
Keifer wrote "The Flower Song" with Jim Peterik, formerly of the bands SURVIVOR and the IDES OF MARCH.
"The Way Life Goes" is a raw, introspective look at the roller coaster ride that has been Keifer's life for the past 15 years. From being told that he would never sing again as a result of a partially paralyzed left vocal cord, to the emotional and personal battles that followed, his solo debut is a story of perseverance, a testament to the power of passion and will, when combined with a true love of music.
"It's pretty scary," Keifer said of his vocal paralysis. "I've had six surgeries to deal with the collateral damage. Performing… has been difficult for me because of the vocal issues I've had. I work several hours every day on that. That's a difficult thing for me every day."
A 15-minute video interview with SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman conducted before the release of the band's latest album, "World Painted Blood", in 2009 can be seen below.
"World Painted Blood" sold 41,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release.
Hanneman passed away on May 2 from liver failure at the age of 49.
Members of SLAYER released a statement on May 9 saying that Hanneman died of alcohol-related cirrhosis.
Hanneman had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.
Hanneman's last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the "Big Four" concert in Indio, California.
