I've never understood the big deal about FIREBALL MINISTRY. The quartet is a solid rock band with a decent sense of melody, but they aren't the saviors of rock and roll. Maybe I haven't been exposed to enough of the music on previous releases (though I did recently see a strong live performance from the ...
Posted in: CD Reviews
The critically acclaimed Los Angeles rock band FIREBALL MINISTRY will make their late-night television debut Friday, December 16 on NBC's "Last Call with Carson Daly". The group will perform their first single, "Sundown" off the new album, "Their Rock Is Not Our Rock", out now on Liquor and Poker Music. This marks the first-ever late-night ...
Posted in: News
Trinidad-based rock band ORANGE SKY has just been named the opening act for the upcoming fall 2005 U.S. tour by guitar wizard YNGWIE MALMSTEEN. ORANGE SKY will be promoting its Granite Records debut CD, "Upstairs", and DVD, "Live In Trinidad", on the 17-date run of shows from October 31 to December 7. Band members include ...
Posted in: News
According to a posting at Black-Sabbath.com, the Japanese version of former BLACK SABBATH frontman Tony Martin's upcoming solo album, "Scream", will include a bonus track, entitled "Unbearable". Said Martin, "It's wacky!!!! I wrote it with my other son Sam and it's a really modern rap-metal track. Love it!" Due on November 18 via ...
Posted in: News
Former BLACK SABBATH frontman Tony Martin will release his second solo album, "Scream", on November 18 via MTM Music. "Scream" features legendary drummer Cozy Powell (BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE) on "Raising Hell" as well as songwriting contributions by another SABBATH member, Geoff Nicholls. Martin recently offered the following update on the new album to
Posted in: News
The original RIGOR MORTIS lineup of Bruce Corbitt, Mike Scaccia (MINISTRY, REVOLTING COCKS), Casey Orr (GWAR, X-COPS, THE HELLIONS, THE BURDEN BROTHERS), and Harden Harrison (PERVIS, SPEEDEALER, MITRA) have lined up the following tour dates: Oct. 27 - College Station, TX - Time's Square Oct. 28 - Houston, TX - Forgettabout It's Oct. 29 - ...
Posted in: News
The following are notable heavy metal/hard rock U.S. sales debuts for the week ending October 25, 2005, as reported by Nielsen SoundScan (All figures are rounded to the nearest thousand, except numbers under 2,000, which are rounded to the nearest hundred; The Billboard 200 chart position included, where applicable): CRYPTOPSY - "Once Was Not": 1,200 ...
Posted in: News
Jeff Kerby of KNAC.COM recently conducted an interview with MINISTRY mainman Al Jourgensen. A few excerpts from the chat follows: KNAC.COM: I've been dying to ask you this since last November — what was running through your mind when you saw the electoral map and state after state kept coming up Bush red? ...
Posted in: News
According to the Sofia News Agency, Bulgarian producers have invited a bunch of heavy metal/hard rock giants to stage gigs in the country next summer. MOTÖRHEAD, SOULFLY, JUDAS PRIEST, WHITESNAKE, DEF LEPPARD, FEAR FACTORY and MINISTRY are some of the bands that have so far shown interest, media say. The monsters of the heavy sound ...
Posted in: News
Alice Cooper's radio show "Nights with Alice Cooper" will be celebrating this year's Halloween by launching "6 Nights of Fright" radio beginning on Monday, October 24. Confirmed guests are as follows: Oct. 24: Edgar Winter Oct. 25: Horror master Wes Craven, Rob Zombie Oct. 26: "Ghostbusters" star Dan Akroyd, Ronnie James Dio Oct. 27: Film ...
Posted in: News
Jonathan Zwickel of the New Times recently conducted an interview with NINE INCH NAILS mainman Trent Reznor. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow: New Times: How have you reacted to Hurricane Katrina? I know you have a studio and a home in New Orleans. Trent Reznor: "I haven't been back there ...
Posted in: News
Full in Bloom Music recently conducted an interview with original RIGOR MORTIS vocalist Bruce Corbitt. A few excerpts from the chat follow: Full in Bloom Music: RIGOR MORTIS and PANTERA were both playing the club scene in Dallas around the same time. What are your memories of the early version of PANTERA. Did ...
Posted in: News
MINISTRY mainman Al Jourgensen has announced more details about his 13th Planet label, the new home of MINISTRY and Al's other band, REVOLTING COCKS. The imprint/boutique label is a joint venture with Megaforce Records for the U.S. and Canadian markets, distributed through Sony/RED. Missi Callazzo, Vice President of Megaforce, excitedly relates, "It's great to be ...
Posted in: News
OPETH guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt and guitarist Peter Lindgren will be interviewed on "Chaos" on Indie 103.1 FM (KDLD) tonight (Oct. 19) between 10:00 p.m. and midnight PST. The show can be streamed online at www.indie1031.com. OPETH are touring in support of their new album, "Ghost Reveries". Opening the shows are FIREBALL MINISTRY (Oct. ...
Posted in: News
German power metallers RAGE will be embarking on a European headlining tour in April 2006. Support at all shows will come from FREEDOM CALL. Confirmed dates so far are as follows: Apr. 05 - Nürnberg, GER @ Hirsch Apr. 06 - Zlin, CZR @ Masters Of Rock Cafe Apr. 07 - Budapest, HUN @ Wigwam ...
Posted in: News
MINISTRY's new studio album, "Rio Grande Blood", is on track for an April 2006 release via MINISTRY mainman Al Jourgensen's 13th Planet label. Jourgensen recently told MTV.com that he's planning on finish working on the material for "Rio Grande Blood" by Christmas. At least three tracks have been completed at this point: two ...
Posted in: News
Los Angeles-based quartet FIREBALL MINISTRY have recruited Jason and Josh Diamond from PUNY HUMAN to handle the bass duties on the OPETH and CKY tours after the group's regular bassist, Johnny Chow (a.k.a. John Mark Bechtel, ex-SYSTEMATIC, MY RUIN), was forced to take time out during October while awaiting the birth of his child. Chow ...
Posted in: News
All four members of the reunited RIGOR MORTIS will be on KNON 89.3 Hard Time Radio with Thrashin' Alan at 8:30 p.m. CST tonight, Thursday, October 13. Listen online at www.knon.org. The band will discuss the reunion, upcoming tour, etc. And there will be a ticket giveaway for the Dallas show. The show ...
Posted in: News
FIREBALL MINISTRY will join H.I.M., FINCH and SKINDRED for the forthcoming "Viva La Bands" tour kicking off November 19 in Atlantic City. The "Viva La Bands" tour — featuring artists handpicked by MTV skateboarding personality Bam Margera of "Jackass" and "Viva La Bam" fame — will arrive on the heels of FIREBALL MINISTRY's fall outings: ...
Posted in: News
If your idea of prime MINISTRY is the maudlin goth rock of "Halloween", or worse yet, the twee new wave of "With Sympathy", chances are you gave up on Al Jourgensen long before this release. If you got your fill of his mechanized metal drone years ago, nothing on "Rantology" is going to make you ...
Posted in: CD Reviews
Swedish rock innovators OPETH were set to hit the US shores on October 9th in Tempe when the band's plans were derailed by unforeseen circumstances; unfortunately, along with Tempe's gig went Los Angeles at House Of Blues (Oct. 10 and Fillmore theater in San Francisco on Oct. 11). FEAR NOT! OPETH are rerouting their tour ...
Posted in: News
Sweden's OPETH have been forced to cancel the first couple of dates on their previously announced U.S. tour due to delays in the bandmembers obtaining the necessary visas to enter the country. The band's official statement on the matter reads as follows: "It is with regret that the first couple of dates on the OPETH ...
Posted in: News
Sweden's OPETH will be holding an in-store signing at SCRAPE Records in Vancouver, Canada on Friday, October 14. Come down and meet the band, get pictures taken, and get your OPETH (and related) albums signed! There will be some freebies and giveaways too. The in-store is scheduled for late afternoon, See the store's
Posted in: News
Italian melodic metallers SECRET SPHERE have announced the addition of drummer Federico Pennazzato to the group's ranks. "Federico is a young and brilliant drummer coming from our city, so after more than three months of collaboration and some gigs we are happy to confirm that he is the right man to sit behind the kit!" ...
Posted in: News
Bassist Casey Orr (GWAR, X-COPS, THE HELLIONS, THE BURDEN BROTHERS) of the reunited Texas thrashers RIGOR MORTIS has sent the following update to BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "Before the RIGOR MORTIS show on Nov. 4th at The North 6 club in New York City, guitarist Mike Scaccia and First Act Guitars will unveil the 'The Bloody Rhino'. The ...
Posted in: News
MINISTRY will be teaming up with REVOLTING COCKS and SPYDER BABY for the MasterBaTour 2006 beginning in early May of next year. Confirmed dates so far are as follows: May 05 – Houston, TX @ Verizon Wireless Theatre May 06 - San Antonio, TX @ Sunset Station Lonestar May 07 - Fort Worth, TX @ ...
Posted in: News
Having just completed a five-week nationwide tour alongside CKY, the Los Angeles-based hard rock quartet FIREBALL MINISTRY — whose new album, "Their Rock Is Not Our Rock", will be released on Oct. 18 — will return to the road next month for back-to-back fall tours. Beginning on Oct. 9, the group will support OPETH — ...
Posted in: News
Italian melodic metallers SECRET SPHERE will be supporting ROYAL HUNT on a European tour in October. Confirmed dates are as follows: Oct. 07 - Caserta.Naples, ITA @ Oddly Shed Oct. 08 - Florence, ITA @ Ministry Oct. 09 - Pavia/Milan, ITA @ Thunder Road Oct. 10 - Munich, GER @ Garage Oct. 11 - Verviers, ...
Posted in: News
FIREBALL MINISTRY and INTO ETERNITY have been added to the North American leg of OPETH's "Ghost Reveries World Tour". The outing begins on October 9 in Phoenix, Arizona and will run through mid-November 2005. Supporting the band directly on this run will be PELICAN (through October 22) then NEVERMORE (beginning October 24). FIREBALL MINISTRY will ...
Posted in: News
