In addition to receiving his 20th Reader's Poll award (in the "Progressive Rock" category, for the 10th year in a row), DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has been inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall Of Fame by Modern Drummer magazine, according to a posting on Portnoy's official web site. Mike joins an elite group of ...
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GODHEAD frontman Jason Miller has just purchased a building which houses a sound stage and recording studio in North Hollywood, CA. Miller acquired the facility with Oolie Hepperlin (a.k.a. Method, GODHEAD bassist and programmer) and Julian Beeston (former drummer for NITZER EBB, and currently a popular recording engineer). Beeston will manage the studio with Method, ...
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The original METALLICA bassist, Ron McGovney, recently gave an interview to the METALLICA fan site AllMetallica.com about his time with the group and his current activities. What follows are several excerpts from that interview: AllMetallica.com: Could you explain for everyone exactly what your part was in the early days of METALLICA? Ron McGovney: ...
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DECEMBER have officially chosen Eric Dellon as their new vocalist. A native of New York and Connecticut, Dellon has sung and played guitar and drums in such bands as SHALLOW WATER GRAVE and ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE (with members of SHAI HULUD). DECEMBER have been auditioning vocalists since founding member Mark Moots stepped down as frontman earlier ...
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GUNS N' ROSES bassist Tommy Stinson has set "Village Gorilla Head" as the title of his solo debut, due on August 3 through Sanctuary Records. The founding REPLACEMENTS member told Billboard.com last summer that he recorded the material for the set in a Los Angeles studio owned by Charles Thompson (a.k.a. Frank Black) with contributions ...
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Progressive metal legends WATCHTOWER have posted two live videos from their May 1, 2004 appearance at the second annual Robb's Metal Works showcase in San Antonio, Texas. Check them out: Social Fears (11 MB – Windows Media) Control and Resistance (13 MB – Windows Media) Commented WATCHTOWER guitarist Ron Jarzombek: "WATCHTOWER ...
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SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner has been officially named the #1 Up and Coming Drummer in Modern Drummer magazine's 2004 Readers' Poll. The Readers' Poll results will be in the July 2004 issue that should hit the stands later this month. SHADOWS FALL's highly anticipated fourth full-length album, "The War Within", is scheduled for an ...
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Former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens has revealed to the Washington Post that he found out about plans for the band to reunite with Rob Halford via an e-mail from band management. Owens says he was told the switch would be "best for everyone." "They could have called me," Owens says. "But whatever." According ...
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Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH have set "I" as the title of their new EP, due "around June/July" through Fractured Transmitter Records (the label formed by MUSHROOMHEAD vocalist Jason Mann), according to posting on the band's web site. The group finished mixing the EP on May 4 and are due to master the effort on ...
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A Sony TV commercial starring AEROSMITH frontman Steve Tyler has been posted online at this location (Quicktime, file size approximately 6 MB). The commercial, dubbed "Slo Mo", began airing on the CBS network earlier this week and is expected to continue running on network and cable channels through July. Starring in the commercial ...
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According to a source at Nuclear Blast Records, Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH have set a tentative June 22 release date through Fractured Transmitter Records (the label formed by MUSHROOMHEAD vocalist Jason Mann) for their new EP — a one-song effort clocking in at over 20 minutes. Johan Haake, brother of MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake, ...
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VINDIKATION, the new band featuring former STEEL PROPHET members Jim Williams (guitar) and Karl Rosqvist (drums), vocalist Jason McCrarey (SANCTUS) and keyboardist Rob Rampley (WINDS DIED DOWN), have finished mixing and mastering their debut release, "Chamber of Discontent", with engineer Erik Norlander (AYREON, LANA LANE). The recording features "a unique combination of progressive metal music, ...
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AEROSMITH lead singer Steven Tyler will appear in a Sony broadcast advertising campaign premiering Monday May 3. The TV commercial, dubbed "Slo Mo", will begin airing between 9:30-10:00 p.m. during CBS' "Two and a Half Men". The TV spot will also run on network and cable channels through July. Starring alongside Tyler is the Cyber-shot® ...
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VINDIKATION, the new band featuring former STEEL PROPHET members Jim Williams (guitar) and Karl Rosqvist (drums), vocalist Jason McCrarey (SANCTUS) and keyboardist Rob Rampley (WINDS DIED DOWN), have finished mixing their debut CD, "Chamber of Discontent" for a summer release. The recording contains 10 tracks with a running time of 45 minutes. Mastering for the ...
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MISERY INDEX, the Baltimore, Maryland-based band featuring Jason Netherton (bass/vocals, ex-DYING FETUS), Sparky Voyles (guitar, ex-DYING FETUS, M.O.D.), and Bruce Greig (guitar, ex-DYING FETUS, NEXT STEP UP), have completed their video for "The Great Depression" (mp3), off their first full-length album, "Retaliate", now available on Nuclear Blast Records. The video was filmed on ...
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Former MISERY INDEX guitarist/PSYCHOTOGEN vocalist Mike Harrison has completed work on the debut album from his solo project, KOMMISSAR. Three of the album's eight songs are currently available for download at www.kommissar.net. The complete track listing for the CD is as follows: 01. The Delirium of the Preceding Session (3:19) 02. Equalizing Mediocrity ...
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GODHEAD have signed and donated one of frontman Jason Miller's guitars for the Guitars4Kids charity, according to a posting on the band's official web site. The "sure-fire collector's item" is currently being auctioned off via eBay at this location. As previously reported, GODHEAD have posted an all-new video for the track ...
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METALLICA documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky recently spoke to U-Wire.com about the much-anticipated "Some Kind of Monster" project, which is expected to receive a theatrical release this summer. The following are excerpts from that interview: U-Wire: Did you ever try and get the band to sit down with Jason Newsted? During the film ...
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Cleveland, Ohio-based DEAD EVEN have completed work on their debut EP, "Of Constant Rotation", with producer Steve Felton (a.k.a. Skinny of MUSHROOMHEAD). The self-financed effort features a guest appearance by MUSHROOMHEAD vocalist Jason Mann on a track entitled "Ion: Before But After The Fact". Check out the song in streaming audio at this ...
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According to the German metal magazine Rock Hard, Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH have set an October 11 release date through Nuclear Blast Records for their new album, tentatively entitled "Catch 33". MESHUGGAH, who recently re-signed with Nuclear Blast after their previous contract with the label expired, are expected to release a one-song EP (clocking ...
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Progressive metal legends WATCHTOWER will be playing in San Antonio, Texas for the second annual Robb's Metal Works showcase on May 1 at Sam's Burger Joint. Also appearing on the bill will be BEYOND BLACK, POWDERBURN, MIGISTRAL, DEADPOOL and THORNSPAWN. WATCHTOWER's lineup for the shows will consist of Jason McMaster (vocals), Doug Keyser (bass), Rick ...
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METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett recently spoke to The Grand Rapids Press about the massive outpouring of opinion, either harsh criticism or praise, that followed the release of the group's latest studio effort, "St. Anger". "That has happened to us since our second album," Kirk said. "Every single album has its detractors, who say, 'I don't ...
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KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons will appear in two episodes of the NBC television drama "Third Watch" during May sweeps, the network revealed Friday (April 23). Simmons, who has occasionally played himself in different television shows over the years, will play a vengeful mob boss on in the "Higher Calling" episode of "Third Watch" on April ...
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VEHEMENCE, the Phoenix, Arizona-based melodic death metallers, have uploaded their video for the track "By Your Bedside" at this location. The video is available exclusively through www.vehemence.com along with various other downloadable formats. "By Your Bedside" (mp3) comes off the group's third studio album, "Helping The World To See", ...
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Craig Astwood of The Arizona Republic is reporting that the hardcore/heavy metal band TRENCH is using its musical talents and the help of some friends to raise food items for the underprivileged throughout the Phoenix area. TRENCH is teaming with St. Mary's Food Bank in Phoenix to have a food drive during Friday's (April 23) ...
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AOL Music is streaming the new DROWNING POOL album, "Desensitized", at this location. "Desensitized", released this past Tuesday (April 20) through Wind-Up Records, was produced by Johnny K (DISTURBED, SOIL, FINGER ELEVEN) and marks the group's first release with frontman Jason "Gong" Jones, who joined the band last summer following the tragic death ...
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DROWNING POOL guitarist C.J. Pierce was recently asked by Guitar.com to point out some of the differences between the group's debut album, "Sinner", and its newly released follow-up, "Desensitized". "It's almost like night and day," he replied. "Every producer has a different process. I definitely feel this CD captures more of us and who we ...
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Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH have been confirmed for this year's Provinssirock festival, a three-day event set to take place June 18-20 in Seinäjoki, Finland. MESHUGGAH will perform on Saturday, June 19 alongside HYPOCRISY and DIABLO. Other bands scheduled to appear at the festival include H.I.M., EXODUS, TESTAMENT, THE HIVES, TIIMO RAUTIAINEN & TRIO NISKALAUKAUS, ...
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SPEEDEALER have announced the addition of "permanent" bassist Jason Kottwitz (SWAMPASS, TUMMLER) to the group's ranks. "We'd like to give a heartfelt thanks to Casey Orr, Keith Pastrick, and Jason Gavin for their time and effort while filling in on bass," the band write on their web site. "We are very much indebted to each ...
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Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH are inviting their artistically-inclined fans to design a new t-shirt for the group. [Vocalist] Jens [Kidman] (or somebody) will judge it and declare a winner," the group's webmaster writes in MESHUGGAH's official forum. "If the winning one is good enough it may be considered for a 'real' honest-to-God ...
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