Metal Hammer magazine conducted an interview with SLIPKNOT mastermind/percussionist M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan at this year's Download festival, which took place June 14-16 at Donington Park in Leicestershire, United Kingdom. You can now watch the chat below.
As previously reported, Crahan spoke with Kerrang! magazine about the band's continued delay in recording a follow-up to 2008's "All Hope Is Gone" after the death of bassist Paul Gray in May 2010. The SLIPKNOT co-founder explained: "We haven't written an album in five years because we wrote one, we toured it for two years, and Paul died, and it's been three years. What do you want from me? Nothing. When I come back, when we come back, it will be time, you will understand, we will understand, and it will be right. We'll be the first band that could be off for five years and come back like we never were gone. So that's what it's all about."
Crahan also spoke about returning to England to headline the Download festival for the first time since Gray's death. Crahan said, "We take tonight as seriously as we did as the Astoria (in London) the first time we came over (to the U.K.). It's always been our way, it always will be our way."
He added, "I don't give a fuck about playing for the fans, I don't give a fuck about playing for myself, I don't give a fuck about the stage — any of it. All I care about is playing with my brothers . . . This is what I signed up for. This is what I started. This is my dream. And it's not just me; it's my bros and me playing what we were born to do."
SLIPKNOT has performed live over the past two years, but is not likely to begin recording a new album until 2014.
Crahan recently revealed that he plans to make a documentary on eating disorders and has asked for people to come forward and tell their stories. Crahan said, "Why eating disorders? My path through life has brought me into contact with a number of women and men suffering from these terrible diseases and I feel compelled to do what I can to help."
On June 9, RockEyez conducted an interview with Swedish guitarist Magnus Karlsson. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.
Frontiers Records has just released Karlsson's solo album under the title "Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall".
Karlsson started his cooperation with Frontiers Records in the year 2000 when his band LAST TRIBE was signed by the Italian label. After two more records with this group, Magnus was asked by Serafino Perugino, Frontiers Records label president, to write and produce some of their artists. This started a successful journey of collaborations with some of the greatest singers and musicians in the hard rock/metal world. The list includes the successful ALLEN/LANDE trilogy, STARBREAKER, BOB CATLEY, KISKE/SOMERVILLE and the list goes on and on. He finally joined the German heavy metal icons PRIMAL FEAR in 2008 and with them he toured the world and recorded two successful albums that climbed high on the charts in several countries.
This time, Magnus created his own album with his strongest melodic metal and hard rock set of songs ever and invited both old and new friends to sing them. The list includes Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X, ADRENALINE MOB), Ralf Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR, GAMMA RAY), Tony Harnell (TNT, STARBREAKER), Mark Boals (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THE CODEX), Rick Altzi (MASTERPLAN, AT VANCE), Mike Andersson (STAR ONE, FULL FORCE), Rickard Bengtsson (LAST TRIBE), Herman Saming (A.C.T.), David Readman (PINK CREAM 69, VODOO CIRCLE). Rounding up the line-up on the album is Daniel Flores on drums.
"I've had the honor to collaborate with some of the greatest singers and musicians in the world," says Magnus. "Artists who have made my life richer with their magical music. On this album, I got the chance to write tailor made songs for some of my absolute favorite singers. I was thinking, what would I really like to hear from this or that guy, and then I wrote the songs. It’s like if I'm missing a song with my favourite singer in my record collection, then I just make that song for him! I listen like a fan and I write like a fan, well…I am a fan!"
"Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall" track listing:
01. Free Fall (lead vocals: Russell Allen) 02. Higher (lead vocals: Ralf Scheepers) 03. Heading Out (lead vocals: Magnus Karlsson) 04. Stronger (lead vocals: Tony Harnell) 05. Not My Saviour (lead vocals: Rick Altzi) 06. Us Against The World (lead vocals: David Readman) 07. Our Time Has Come (lead vocals: Mark Boals) 08. Ready Or Not (lead vocals: Magnus Karlsson) 09. Last Tribe (lead vocals: Rickard Bengtsson) 10. Fighting (lead vocals: Herman Saming) 11. Dreamers & Hunters (lead vocals: Mike Andersson) 12. On Fire (lead vocals: Magnus Karlsson)
Four of the songs can be sampled in the YouTube clip below.
Fresh from their appearance at Download festival, KATATONIA, the Swedish purveyors of dark rock/metal, have been revealed as very special guests on PARADISE LOST's "Tragic Illusion" 25th-anniversary tour in October alongside LACUNA COIL.
Concurrently, also celebrating their own 10th anniversary for their masterful sixth album "Viva Emptiness", KATATONIA will perform the album in its entirety each night to make these shows even more special.
Originally released in 2003, "Viva Emptiness" is regarded by many, including the bandmembers themselves, as being among KATATONIA's finest albums. The CD cemented the band's reputation as a major force, combining refined metal with doom and gloom angst-laden rock.
To coincide with the shows and the album's 10th anniversary, "Viva Emptiness" will be entirely remixed and remastered by David Castillo, plus enhanced with new artwork courtesy of Travis Smith, for a re-release on November 4 via Peaceville.
Comments KATATONIA guitarist and founding member Anders Nyström: "Sometimes after an album has been out for a while, I always get the question if there's something we would have wanted to change or done differently, and 99% of the time I say 'no,' because we have happily moved on! But there's been one particular album that would in fact echo with a loud 'YES' to that question. Dear friends, that would be the album you know as 'Viva Emptiness'…
"Truth to be told, this album's session was so full of obstacles that it compromised the end result with a subpar production, undeservedly affecting the musical quality of the album. We have always, and still truly love the songs we wrote on 'Viva Emptiness' and regularly continue to incorporate some of its classics in our live repertoire, even to a point where we notably realized they sound better on a live record than on the original studio album. So up until now, it's just been a dream of ours to go back and drag the album out of its 'misery' by treating it with what it so desperately has been longing for all these years: a complete remix and remastering.
"This year, time is approaching 'Viva Emptiness' with a 10th anniversary, so is there really something to celebrate? Oh yes, indeed! Our long lost mission objective will finally be completed! The album may now take that climb, in terms of audio quality, to be right up there proudly positioned beside its younger 'album brethren' — 'The Great Cold Distance', 'Night Is The New Day' and finally 'Dead End Kings'. We will give 'Viva Emptiness' the sound and production the songs always deserved by having our long time studio rat and collaborator David Castillo work his magic at his Ghost Ward studio. Secondly, another longtime collaborator of ours, namely Travis Smith, will give the artwork an enhanced continuation of the original theme that will keep the visual aesthetes at bay! And last but not least, the crowning of the celebration: We will take 'Viva Emptiness' with us on the road and play the album live in its entirety while performing as 'very special guests' to our 'tragic idols' in PARADISE LOST, celebrating their own 25th anniversary tour this fall. Viva 'Viva Emptiness' fulfilled!"
KATATONIA with PARADISE LOST and LACUNA COIL:
Oct. 30 - Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton Oct. 31 - 02 ABC, Glasgow Nov. 01 - The Ritz – Manchester Nov. 03 - Camden Roadhouse, London
London, U.K.-based rockers NEONFLY will be the main support act in Germany for legendary rocker ALICE COOPER as part of his "Raise the Dead" 2013 tour. The dates are as follows:
Jul. 29 - Saarbrücken, GER @ Saarlandhalle Jul. 30 - Hanau, GER @ Amphitheater Aug. 04 - Lichtenfels, GER @ Schützenanger
This adds up to a knockout package of summer shows for NEONFLY that already includes the main stage at the Masters Of Rock festival in Czech Republic on July 12, and an exclusive headline show in Hamburg, Germany at the Rock Café on July 10.
In spring of this year, the band set off to HOFA Studios in Germany to record their second album with producer Dennis Ward (UNISONIC, PINK CREAM 69, ANGRA, PRIMAL FEAR, KROKUS). The CD is currently being mixed, with a release date soon to be confirmed.
Comments NEONFLY guitarist and songwriter Frederick Thunder: "Alice Cooper is one of the most established and legendary acts in the music industry. Who hasn't heard of Alice Cooper? How many people can say they've never played air guitar — or real guitar for that matter — over the riff of 'Poison' or 'School's Out'? It's an absolute honor and pleasure to have the opportunity to share the stage with Alice. Enough said!"
"All Hope Is Lost", a brand new song from DEATH DIVISION — the heavy, technically aggressive and melodic band founded by bassist Jerry Montano (HELLYEAH, DANZIG, NOTHINGFACE), drummer Tim Yeung (MORBID ANGEL, DIVINE HERESY, HATE ETERNAL, NILE), vocalist/guitarist Sean De La Tour and lead guitarist Rick Di Marco — can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.
DEATH DIVISION has been confirmed for this year's edition of Gigantour, the critically acclaimed package festival founded in 2005 by MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. Also scheduled to appear on the bill are headliners MEGADETH, along with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, HELLYEAH, DEVICE and NEWSTED.
DEATH DIVISION is managed by Dave Mustaine's son, Justis Mustaine.
In a recent interview with the Colorado Springs, Colorado radio station 94.3 KILO, Mustaine stated about DEATH DIVISION: "One band that I did hear recently that I really liked was the opening band on Gigantour. It's an unknown band. The bass player from DANZIG and the drummer from MORBID ANGEL formed this band called DEATH DIVISION. And they're opening up Gigantour. My son manages them and if Tradecraft [Mustaine's label imprint] could sign anybody, I would sign them. They're that good. When I heard them, I said, 'Well, who's their label?' And Justis said they don't have a label. And I said, 'Really? Well, you know what? They can open Gigantour if they want to.' And they're on it. And the band's got one of the best guitar players I've heard in a very, very, very long time."
DEATH DIVISION has been working with Carin Cronacher of Hazmat Design (OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE, ALICE COOPER) on the group's official logo and artwork.
For more information, visit the DEATH DIVISIONFacebook page.
Classic Rock editor-in-chief Scott Rowley was interviewed on ITN program "5 News" about BLACK SABBATH's return to the top of the U.K. charts with their long-awaited new album, "13". Check it out below. Also available is a separate video report from Sky News which includes a short interview with Kerrang! magazine deputy editor Simon Young.
"13", the first BLACK SABBATH record in 35 years to feature singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together, sold 13,000 copies more than the No. 2 entry on the U.K. chart, "BE" by Liam Gallagher's BEADY EYE.
The last time SABBATH topped the chart in the U.K. was nearly 43 years ago — in October 1970 — with the band's second LP, "Paranoid".
"I'm in shock!" Ozzy Osbourne told OfficialCharts.com. "The success of this album has blown me off my feet. We've never had a record climb the charts so fast!"
Ozzy added the band would "probably" release another album but stopped short of saying that it was a sure thing. "We're still revelling in coming back with this," he said. "I don't want to promise anything to anyone. It took us long enough to do this, and we can't wait another 43 years to have another No 1. If it comes to pass and we don't make another record, then I can rest easily knowing we finished things properly with '13'."
Details of the album's deluxe edition surfaced on April 19, with the band revealing that the eight-song effort is accompanied by three bonus tracks called "Methademic", "Peace Of Mind" and "Pariah".
Several versions of "13" are available for order, including a standard CD, a double CD that includes a second disc of exclusive bonus audio, a heavyweight vinyl album in a gatefold sleeve and the aforementioned "Super Deluxe Box Set", which contains the double CD, the vinyl album, an exclusive DVD documentary on the band's reunion, 13 photographic prints and hand-written lyrics.
The drum tracks on the album were laid down by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE sticksman Brad Wilk following original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the reunion.
Ozzy told an Australian radio station that "13" is "mind-blowing," adding, "It's better than my wildest dreams; it's so good."
SABBATH kicked off its world tour in support of "13" on April 20 in Auckland.
Little Rock, Arkansas-based death metal band SOUL EMBRACED will release its fifth album, "Mythos", on July 9 via Rottweiler Records. The thought-provoking, spiritually charged power metal CD features guest appearances by Bruce Fitzhugh (LIVING SACRIFICE) and Jeremiah Scott (DEMON HUNTER). The album's first single, "Like A Corpse", is currently available at digital retail outlets worldwide and, for a limited time, can also be downloaded for free on the music-sharing site NoiseTrade. The free download also includes a minute-and-a-half teaser clip for the full album.
SOUL EMBRACED, originally a side project of drummer David Sroczynski and William "Rocky" Gray, formed in 1997 and has been decimating the underground metal scene with a caustic, relentless aural assault for over sixteen years. The band released an EP on indie label Blood & Ink Records then went on to release three full-length albums on Solid State Records. Five years have passed since their last album and the band is now poised to explore the next chapter in their development.
The current lineup includes Chad Moore (vocals), Rocky Gray (drums), Cody Smith (guitar) and Jon Dunn (bass). Rocky Gray is best known for his drum work with multi-platinum selling artist EVANESCENCE (2003-2007) and as a guitarist for LIVING SACRIFICE (1999–2003, 2005, and 2008–present).
As more of a project band than a touring entity, live dates will be sparse in coming months.
ALICE IN CHAINS has uploaded an 18-minute YouTube clip containing audio samples of all the tracks that appear on the band's fifth studio album, "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here". Check it out below.
"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" sold 62,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart. The disc follows up 2009's "Black Gives Way To Blue", which was the group's first all-new collection of material in 14 years. That CD opened with 126,000 units back in October 2009 to debut at No. 5.
ALICE IN CHAINS was last in the Top Two with its self-titled 1995 set, which debuted at No. 1 on that year's November 25 chart, according to Billboard.com. It would be their final studio release with singer Layne Staley, who died in 2002.
Although "Black Gives Way To Blue" was a huge comeback success for the band, guitarist/singer Jerry Cantrell told The Pulse Of Radio that they wiped the slate clean when it was time to make something new. "You should start from a zero every time, and we started from a zero with this record just like we've done with every record we've made," he said. "You've got a blank canvas, and you and your band are in the room and there's the canvas and there's no other pictures of the old albums hanging up. You know, those are put away in a closet somewhere, so you're not thinking about them or drawing from them or trying to repeat them or whatever. It's impossible to do that. That is what it was, now what do we do?"
"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" is ALICE IN CHAINS' second album with William DuVall on vocals.
DuVall began touring with the group in 2006, four years after the death of Layne Staley from a drug overdose.
ALICE IN CHAINS began working on the new disc in 2011, but the sessions for the album were delayed when Cantrell had to undergo shoulder surgery.
"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" features the singles "Stone" and the chart-topping "Hollow".
ALICE IN CHAINS heads to Europe this month and Canada in July before co-headlining the fourth annual Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival with JANE'S ADDICTION, kicking off on August 9 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
A short short documentary from The Avant/Garde Diaries in which two black kids from Flatbush, Brooklyn — who prefer metal over hip-hop — talk about their mission to rock your socks off as the heavy-metal trio UNLOCKING THE TRUTH can be seen below.
"I don't like doing the same things that everybody else is doing. I want to do my own thing," says 12-year-old Malcolm Brickhouse.
"We do wanna inspire other people," adds his bandmate, 11-year-old Jarad Dawkins. "Don't let nobody push you down, be free, do what you want to do."
In 2007, Brickhouse and Dawkins started a metal band known as TEARS OF BLOOD. They have since joined forces with bassist Alec Atkins in UNLOCKING THE TRUTH, which regularly busks in Times Square, where they say the bucket fills fast.
The Age Of Metal conducted an interview with Erik Danielsson of Swedish black metallers WATAIN on June 15 in Los Angele, California. You can now listen to the chat using the Mixcloud widget below.
WATAIN's new album, "The Wild Hunt", will be released on August 19 in Europe and August 20 in USA via Century Media Records. The CD was once again mixed at the Necromorbus Studio in Alvik, Sweden by Tore Stjerna.
Executed in oil and mixed materials, the cover of "The Wild Hunt" was created by Zbigniew M Bielak, the very same artist who was responsible for the "Lawless Darkness" artwork. The piece depicts one of the inmost shrines of WATAIN's temple. As on every classic still life, each object has a significant meaning, while each song of the album is also connected to an object.
"The Wild Hunt" track listing:
01. Night Vision 02. De Profundis 03. Black Flames March 04. All That May Bleed 05. The Child Must Die 06. They Rode On 07. Sleepless Evil 08. The Wild Hunt 09. Outlaw 10. Ignem Veni Mittere 11. Holocaust Dawn
The "All That May Bleed" CD will precede the full-length effort at the end of June.
Comments WATAIN: "'All That May Bleed' shows but one facet of a quite diverse album, but we chose this song as a first glimpse into 'The Wild Hunt' because of its bombastic lunacy and white-eyed malevolence which could be said to constitute a main foundation for the album. The lyric is an invitation to sacrificial blood letting, ecstatic zealotry and human sacrifice. The salt of Satan in the wounds of Christ!"
Side B will be a track called "Play With The Devil", originally recorded by the black/heavy metal band TAIWAZ in 1988 in WATAIN's hometown, Uppsala (Gottfrid Åhman from IN SOLITUDE participates on solo guitar on WATAIN's version).
The single will be released in the following formats:
* Black seven-inch vinyl (limited to 2,000 copies worldwide) * Red seven-inch vinyl with sticker (only available from Wolfwear.net; limited to 500 copies worldwide) * Seven-inch picture disc (available from CMdistro.com and Wolfwear.net; limited to 500 copies worldwide) * Digital download
"All That May Bleed" physical release dates:
* Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway and worldwide through CMdistro.com and Wolfwear.net: Friday, June 21 * UK, Benelux, France, Poland: Monday, June 24 * USA, Spain: Tuesday, June 25 * Sweden: Wednesday, June 26
"All That May Bleed" digital release dates:
* Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Italy, Australia, New Zealand: Friday, June 21 * UK: Sunday, June 23 * USA, Spain: Tuesday, June 25 * Sweden, Hungary: Wednesday, June 26 * Rest Of Europe: Monday, June 24
MOTÖRHEAD has set "Aftershock" as the title of its new album, tentatively due in September. The follow-up to 2010's "The Wörld Is Yours" was recorded at Maple Sound Studios in Santa Ana, California with longtime producer Cameron Webb and will feature 13 songs, including "Dust And Glass", "Knife", "Going To Mexico", "Lost Woman Blues", "Death Machine" and "Heartbreaker".
In other news, it was revealed in the latest issue of U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine that MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy Kilmister recently had a defibrillator fitted — an operation to put a device in his chest to help his heart beat normally — after experiencing "heart problems."
MOTÖRHEAD released "The Wörld Is Ours – Vol 2: Anyplace Crazy As Anywhere Else" in Germany on September 21, 2012, three days later in the rest of Europe and October 9, 2012 in North America via UDR/EMI. The follow-up to 2011's "The Wörld Is Ours – Vol 1: Everywhere Further Than Everyplace Else" features the band's 2011 Wacken Open Air headline appearance as well as highlights from Sonisphere (United Kingdom) and Rock In Rio (Brazil) shows.
MOTÖRHEAD's latest album, "The Wörld Is Yours", sold 7,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 94 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous effort, "Motörizer", premiered with 6,400 units back in 2008 to debut at No. 82, while 2006's "Kiss Of Death" registered a first-week tally of 3,500.
On June 30, South Carolina-based extreme metal band LECHEROUS NOCTURNE will begin shooting a video for the song "Creation Continuum" with longtime producer Garrett Williams. The track comes off the group's third album, "Behold Almighty Doctrine", which was released on March 19 via Unique Leader Records. The CD was recorded at SoundLab Studio in Lexington, South Carolina with longtime engineer Bob Moore.
"Behold Almighty Doctrine" track listing:
01. Intro 02. Ouroboros Chains 03. Bring The Void 04. Archeopteryx 05. Those Having Been Hidden Away 06. Prelude #2 07. Judgments And Curses 08. Lesions From Vicious Plague 09. Caustic Vertigo 10. Creation Continuum
The "Behold Almighty Doctrine" artwork can be seen below.
Vocalist Jason Hohenstein announced his departure from LECHEROUS NOCTURNE in July 2011, telling BLABBERMOUTH.NET in a statement, "I was writing/arranging in preparation of the new record when I was asked to leave." He added, "I did not quit! I want to make that perfectly clear."
LECHEROUS NOCTURNE's second album, "The Age of Miracles Has Passed", was released in October 2008 via Unique Leader Records.
Finland's RadioCity conducted an interview with bassist Rachel Bolan of American rockers SKID ROW when the band played in Helsinki on June 6. You can now watch the chat below.
SKID ROW's new EP, "United World Rebellion - Chapter One", was released in Europe on May 24 via Germany's UDR Music. The European version of the EP includes two bonus tracks, both of them cover tunes: "Fire Fire" (EZO) and "United" (JUDAS PRIEST).
"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" European version track listing:
01. Kings Of Demolition 02. Let's Go 03. This Is Killing Me 04. Get Up 05. Stitches 06. Fire Fire (EZO cover) 07. United (JUDAS PRIEST cover)
"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" sold around 1,500 copies in the Unted States in its first week of release. Released in North America on April 16 via MRI, the effort is the first in a series of EPs that the reincarnated band — Dave "Snake" Sabo (guitar), Rachel Bolan (bass), Scotti Hill (guitar), Johnny Solinger (vocals) and Rob Hammersmith (drums) — plans to release in the near future.
"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" reignites the youthful energy and blistering sound that SKID ROW is recognized for around the world. "That sound and energy is what resonates with people and knocks them on their ass," says Hammersmith. "We had a lot of great ideas to work with, so we're all really excited about this new music."
William Clark of Music Enthusiast Magazine recently conducted an interviewe with QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.
Music Enthusiast Magazine: There is a significant, classic QUEENSRŸCHE vibe throughout the entire new [self-titled] album. What was the chemistry like during those sessions?
Todd: The chemistry was wonderful. It was very easy to get along with everyone, and everyone had their own ideas and creative elements that went into making each song. It was really stress-free, and everyone was able to have ideas that went outside of their instrument. You know, I was able to contribute on a little bit on some drumming ideas for something, Parker [Lundgren, guitar] wrote lyrics to a song, Eddie [Jackson, bass] wrote lyrics to a song, I wrote a guitar part, Michael [Wilton, guitar] wrote melodies, we had ideas for all kinds of things. So, the chemistry was great, and it almost felt like I had been working with these guys for much longer than I have. So, we're really anxious to work on the next bunch of songs for the next album, which we are starting to do now.
Music Enthusiast Magazine: I think the fans have greatly appreciated how big of a role you've played in making QUEENSRŸCHE a class act again, taking cell phones from audience members and videotaping the rest of the band performing on multiple occasions.
Todd: Awesome. Yeah, that's great to hear. Those are actually things I did in CRIMSON GLORY. One of the first times I did that I was with CRIMSON GLORY, and I just thought, this person is only capable of taking pictures from this one spot, they can't move around the stage because they're upfront and can't move to the sides without losing their place of where they're standing. So, give me the camera, and I'll walk around the stage and I'll get pictures that I know you'd probably like to have. And I just did it that one time, and they were so appreciative of it. I thought, "How cool would that be, if someone did that for me?" I have fun doing that. It's kind of become something that I always do at a show now, and it's gotten positive attention. I never did it for any of that attention, I just did it! To do something cool for people, and it's getting noticed! [laughs]
Music Enthusiast Magazine: Whereas Geoff Tate, during a recent performance from his QUEENSRŸCHE, he took a cell phone from the hands of an audience member and pitched it out to the crowd. I sat down with Geoff and brought this occasion up, and he said that this was just "rock and roll." How do you respond to that?
Todd: [laughs] Aw, what do you even say to something like that? Rock and roll is stage diving. I guess if you wanted to throw something off the stage, you could throw yourself off and crowd surf! That might be rock and roll. I mean, I wasn't at the concert, so I don't know. I guess it would be kind of hard to justify that, but I wasn't there. Maybe the guy was provoking him. I have no idea why he did that. It's not something that I would ever do, but I'm not in his shoes. I wouldn't say that's rock and roll. I think there's other cool things you could do. I know one time in Greece, I crowd surfed, you know? And that was awesome! But people can be weird. I've had fans come onstage and want to stage dive! [laughs] People get so caught up in the moment and the energy that they'll do things spontaneous, and I guess maybe that incident is the reciprocal of that. Getting caught up in a moment, and reacting or doing something. I don't know. I'm not gonna put him down, I'm not going to say anything bad about Geoff Tate as a person because I don't know him personally. I just know what I do with fans' cameras, and I have been doing it for years. So, I don't really have anything negative to comment regarding that situation with him. It's just not something that I do.
Music Enthusiast Magazine: Moving back to the topic of your new album, are you happy with the reception you've been receiving from critics and the fans so far?
Todd: Yeah, really. Select people have been given a copy of it to listen to, and a lot of times… well, I don't want to say a lot of times, but sometimes a record will only have one or two good songs on it. I mean, we've all purchased an album because of a song we heard and we really liked, but the rest of it we didn't. The interesting thing with this album is so many different people have their own favorite, which is really cool. For example, you really liked the song "A World Without", another interview that I did the person's favorite song was "Open Road". Another person said their favorite song was "Spore". So, I think it's a really honest, fair assessment to say that there's something for everybody on this record. There's a lot of great moments, they're good songs, the only criticism is that it isn't a very long album. But that's OK; some of the greatest albums written are very short, even shorter than this album. We tend to focus on good content. We didn't want to have ten more minutes or fifteen more minutes of music just to say that we could. We had other songs that didn't go on this record but will go on the next one, because they weren't quite finished. They needed more time, we were touring and at some point you have to say, "This is good, we're done, let's get this record out and we'll work on the next one." And so we're glad that the material we wrote made it on this one, because it's better and we weren't forced to have more songs on that record. Let's just put out these songs, keep working and put out more material. You know, we're just going to continue writing songs and putting records out. And so I think overwhelmingly, there's a really positive response. It's a great time for the band, it's a great beginning and starting point for me, and compared to many of the past albums the band has done, the critics are saying that this is likely the best album QUEENSRŸCHE has put out since "Promised Land". Or even "Empire". So, that's a huge compliment, we're very flattered, and we hope that when it's in everybody's hands that it will be received well. Sometimes it takes a few spins; you've got to keep playing it, and you'll pick up elements of songs you didn't catch the first time around. I think from beginning to end, it's a good ride.
Swedish hard rockers EUROPE have released the following statement:
"So! A Swedish band called SABATON has gone platinum in Sweden, selling 40,000 units [of their latest album, 'Carolus Rex']. Nice one, lads! However, the media statement suggesting they are the first Swedish hard rock band ever to do so is a little ill-advised! Or, could it be we were 'punk'd' back in the '80s when presented with platinum discs for 'The Final Countdown'? No, wait! Ashton Kutcher wasn't even born back then!
"Ah, the 80's! The days when stonewashed denim was cool, and platinum meant 100,000...!"
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in Sweden has revised the sales requirements for albums to reach platinum status in the country three times in the last 17 years — from the pre-1996 level of 100,000 to the current 40,000.
EUROPE's ninth studio album, "Bag Of Bones", was certified gold in the group's home country for sales in excess of 20,000 copies. According to the band, the CD entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 2 and "has since then continued to sell steadily." The group added, "'Bag Of Bones' is fast becoming the most successful record since the reunion."
