Overkill

Atreyu Singer Tries To Stay Sane; Plus Dark Fortress, Brutal Truth & More News That Rules, In Metal File

24 Aug 2007 08:01:00 EDT

'I lose my mind a couple times a day now,' says singer Alex Varkatzas, who recently went off his meds.
By Chris Harris and Jon Wiederhorn

Atreyu
Photo: Hollywood Records

Atreyu singer Alex Varkatzas used to deal with severe anxiety by taking antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication including Lexapro and Klonopin, which helped him work and tour without suffering from panic attacks. However, for the writing and recording of Atreyu's new album Lead Sails Paper Anchor, Varkatzas went cold turkey and let his emotional upheaval inform the band's songs even more directly. Of course, as any psychiatric worker will tell you, being off your meds can have its drawbacks as well.

"I lose my mind a couple times a day now," Varkatzas admitted. "But I try to deal with my emotions instead of hiding behind them, and that's something that's new for me. In the past, I always used to drink or take a pill. Now I'm learning to cope with reality."

One of Varkatzas' main coping methods these days is writing lyrics, which is partially why new tracks like "Honor," "Can't Happen Here" and first single "Becoming the Bull" are so fraught with tension and aggression. But while Varkatzas is raging as hard as ever, he's no longer ranting about getting dumped or betrayed. Instead, he's addressing larger issues such as war, self-empowerment and the importance of family.

"I'm dealing with grown-up stuff now lyrically because that's what's going on in my life," he said. "I'm 25 now. I bought a condo, so I'm dealing with the responsibilities of being a homeowner. I just had my grandpa pass away when I was on tour, and it was horrible that he was dying and I couldn't go home. There was nothing I could do about it, and I had to learn to accept that."

In addition to maturing as a lyricist, Varkatzas has branched out as a singer. With the help of vocal coach Ron Anderson and an awful lot of persistence, Varkatzas is no longer leaving all the melodic parts up to drummer Brandon Saller. Sure, Saller's honey-sweet voice washes through many of the choruses, but Varkatzas has learned to carry a tune as well, and now offers a variety of voices including a more powerful roar ("Can't Happen Here"), pained croon ("Lead Sails [And a Paper Anchor]") and Vince Neil-style yowl ("Blow").

"This is the most nervous I think I've ever been for a record," Varkatzas admitted. "I wanted to do something different and to live up to my potential, so I worked really hard to be able to handle the singing parts. I'm still not a natural singer, but when I set my mind to something, I refuse to take no for an answer."

Various stylistic nuances also contribute to the album's fresh feel. "Falling Down" is a shuffling romp that sounds like a metallic Green Day with horns; "Becoming the Bull" is embellished with industrial effects; and "Slow Burn" features pedal-steel guitar.

"This album isn't just about guitars, bass, drums and vocals," Saller said. "There are strings, opera vocals, hand claps, mandolins, Turkish saz — anything we could think of that seemed cool at the time."

Contributing to the diversity of the album was producer John Feldmann (Goldfinger, the Used), who encouraged Atreyu to push their boundaries and take chances. "He really helped us with our structuring, and figuring out what works and what didn't, and bringing a different set of ideas to our band than we would normally have," Varkatzas said. "But we put in a lot of really long and hard days. He'd make me come up with lyrics on the spot and push me so hard. I would work my ass off and try as hard as I could, and then John would go, 'You know, that's good, but you can do better.' But that pushing helped us all get to new levels on this record."

In the end, Atreyu created their most diverse and ambitious album — a disc that should shatter the metalcore box they've been forced into and help earn them a new following that appreciates good, challenging music. At the same time, many of the elements on Lead Sails Paper Anchor are poppier than past excursions — occasionally bordering on Linkin Park territory.

"This is definitely a metal record, but there's more to it as well," Saller said. "There are rock and roll, punk and even almost dance aspects. But in essence, it's a true Atreyu record. This is where we come from. This is what we are."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Machine Head's upcoming U.S. tour will be light one member. Bassist Adam Duce will miss the fall run after breaking his leg while dirt-bike riding in Redding, California. At first, doctors thought Duce had merely sprained the limb, but X-rays later confirmed the break. The injury required surgery that involved attaching a steel plate and two screws to the broken bone. Machine Head — who are in the final stages of selecting Duce's temporary replacement — will kick off their tour September 7 in Anaheim, California, and bring it to a close October 12 in Hollywood. ... Lamb of God throat specialist Randy Blythe makes a guest appearance on Overkill's next one, Immortalis, which is slated for an October 9 release. According to a statement from the band, Blythe "stepped in to give the track 'Skull and Bones' the ultimate hellish vocal-duet vibe." ... Exodus will release The Atrocity Exhibition ... Exhibit A in late October. The disc boasts nine cuts, including "Riot Act," "Children of a Worthless God" and "The Garden of Bleeding." ...

First they were calling themselves Inflikted. But now the new band — featuring Sepultura founders Max and Igor Cavalera, along with Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier on bass and Soulfly's Marc Rizzo on guitar — will go by the moniker the Cavalera Conspiracy. The band is in the process of tracking its debut LP in Los Angeles and hopes to have it ready in time for an early 2008 release through Roadrunner. ... Nebula, Les Breastfeeders and Bonk will team up for a North American tour set to kick off September 28 in Whistler, British Columbia. The trek, called "Rock de National," runs through November 10 in Los Angeles. ... On October 22, Swedish-metal minstrels Opeth will release The Roundhouse Tapes, a two-disc live set captured during the band's November 9 performance at the Roundhouse in Camden, London. The collection will include live versions of Opeth classics like "Under the Weeping Moon," "Bleak" and "Demon of the Fall." ...

Droid are no longer opening the main stage on the Family Values Tour — they're now closing the fest's second stage. ... Colorado's Planes Mistaken for Stars are throwing in the proverbial towel but plan on going out in style with a spate of to-be-announced farewell shows. In a statement, the band blamed the split on "financial strain" and "family obligations," before adding that "we just felt it was time. Our love for each other and our music has not diminished. It will always be there." ... Fear Before the March of Flames will hit the road this fall with Circa Survive and Ours for a series of 34 live gigs. The first is scheduled for October 10 in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the last for November 25 in Cleveland. ...

Dutch death-metal act Prostitute Disfigurement have finished work on their next studio outing, the aptly titled Descendants of Depravity. The set will feature nine fresh songs, including "The Sadist King and the Generalissimo of Pain," "Killing for Company" and "Fatal Fornication." ... German black-metallers Dark Fortress have found themselves a new frontman in Morean, best known for his work with Noneuclid. "Our decision is based on his immense musical and vocal abilities ... and dedication to extreme and dark music," the band said in a statement. "He will be responsible for the lyrical concept of the forthcoming album, which will be completely finished by the end of October. Expect a worldwide release via Century Media Records in early 2008, followed by increased live activities." The band's previous singer, Azathoth, left back in May, citing personal reasons. ... Norwegian death-metal outfit Chain Collector — which features Carpathian Forest guitarist Gøran Boman — will release their sophomore LP, Unrestrained, on October 22 in Europe. There's no word yet on when — or if — the disc will see an American release yet, but expect it to feature "Your Halo of Thorns," "Bringer of Sins" and "As the Play Unfolds." ...

Sometimes band breakups can be confusing or overly dramatic. In the case of Austrian extremists Pungent Stench, it's both. According to drummer Alex Wank, the band's split was "very sudden and sad," and he blames the internal strife on singer Martin Schirenc. Wank claimed in a statement that Schirenc is "jealous about my work for the Stench." Tension between the two now puts the future of the Stench's upcoming LP in doubt, as Schirenc has vowed to stop playing live gigs and working on the record. "I think the band has come to an end and there won't be any future live activities, which is sad," the drummer said. "This was always the most important thing with Pungent Stench, at least for me, and I think our supporters honored that in coming to our shows and let us feel good. I am very sorry that this unique project has come to an end." ... French black-metal act Blut Aus Nord have posted a new track, "The Sounds of the Universe," on their MySpace page. The cut is from the group's Odinist, which hits stores October 22. ... Rwake and Total F---ing Destruction will head out in October for a brief 10-date run of shows. The first takes place in Atlanta on October 5 and the last date is scheduled for October 14 in Chicago. ...

Reunited grindcore trailblazers Brutal Truth have started writing material for their forthcoming LP, which will be released through Relapse. So far, the boys have finished six new songs, which bassist Danny Lilker said in a statement "are shaping up to be some of the most intense sh-- we've ever written. After eight years, it feels damn good to write some really psychotic grind, and we've jumped right into the deep end of the pool." ... Bury Your Dead have lined up a headlining fall tour with support acts Bring Me the Horizon, Ion Dissonance and Nights Like These. The trek launches September 21 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and runs through October 20 in Tampa, Florida. ... Dates are still being confirmed for a fall tour that will see Jesu and Torche teaming up. Things will get started in Washington, D.C., on October 18, and so far, gigs are booked through October 30 in Lawrence, Kansas. More dates will be announced in the coming weeks. ... As Cities Burn have been tapped as the support act for Dredg's upcoming tour, which begins September 20 in Reno, Nevada, and runs through October 7 in Los Angeles.

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Chariot's On Fire, Plus Sikth, Overkill & More News That Rules, In Metal File

11 May 2007 06:00:00 EDT

Track list to band's new LP sounds peculiarly poetic ...
By Chris Harris and Jon Wiederhorn

The Chariot
Photo: Tooth and Nail

Take a quick glance at the track list for highly technical, wholly unpredictable metalcore outfit the Chariot's latest LP, The Fiancée, and you'll notice the titles of the first eight songs — when linked together — form something of a paradoxical and rather morbid poem: "Back to Back," "They Faced Each Other," "They Drew Their Swords," "And Shot Each Other," "The Deaf Policeman," "Heard This Noise," "Then Came To Kill," "The Two Dead Boys."

If this poem sounds vaguely familiar to you, then congratulations — you actually do remember something from grade school.

Frontman Josh Scogin — who was Norma Jean's founding singer before he departed following the release of that band's sophomore set, 2002's Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child — says he never heard the anonymously written limerick until his band started writing material for The Fiancée. That album is in stores now and follows 2004's Everything Is Alive, Everything Is Breathing, Nothing Is Dead, and Nothing Is Bleeding.

"Our bassist [Jon 'KC Wolf!' Kindler] just blurted out a part of it one day, and it intrigued me," Scogin explained. "I asked him what it was, and he told me he wasn't sure, that he'd heard it in elementary school, and so I did some research on it to make sure it wasn't in a book or something. ... There are hundreds of versions of it. I just kind of made up my own version of the poem so that each track would have its own title, and when reading it together, it would still make sense and keep in line with the original poem's story."

That doesn't mean The Fiancée is a concept record about the poem — none of the album's lyrics correspond with the song titles. But making the record was something of a different kind of experience for the Chariot — Scogin especially. Produced by Matt Goldman (Underoath, Cartel), The Fiancée was written and recorded under rather tight time constraints.

"It was actually a very easy record to write," he said. "It came more naturally to us. Sometimes with art, there's the art of, 'Well, I just created it because that's just what I wanted to do,' and then there's the art of, 'Well, we have a deadline, and we have to be done by this date — no exceptions.' This time the record was more the former — we wrote all of these songs within a week of each other and they all came very naturally, very fast and very easy. I like that process a lot better."

But that wasn't the sole difference between the recording sessions for Everything Is Alive and this latest studio offering. Scogin said he waited until all the music was finalized before even thinking about lyrics, which is something "I will never do again, because it was pretty challenging.

"A couple of weeks before we were in the studio, and even while we were in the studio, I was writing lyrics, so there was a lot of pressure [on me] in that sense," he continued. "Still, it came pretty naturally for me, but it was definitely one of those things where it had to get done, because ... we were in the studio and I just had to get them down on paper."

The Chariot — whose intense live gigs are the thing of metalcore legend — will hit the road Wednesday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with Misery Signals, I Am Ghost, the Human Abstract and I Hate Sally for a tour that runs through June 27 in Cleveland. After that, the band will do a short stint on this summer's Warped Tour, starting July 18 in Atlanta and concluding July 25 in Washington, D.C. But not every gig's been a slam-dunk, Scogin admitted — in fact, one concert the singer wasn't too proud of inspired a track on The Fiancée.

"I knew I was going to name a song 'Forgive Me Nashville,' and the lyrics are based around a show we played there where I kind of let the business of rock and roll get in the way of true rock and roll," the frontman explained. "My mind was somewhere else — on managers, tour managers, lawyers and all that crap. It wasn't my best show, and I wanted to make sure I named a song after it, to just keep that there in the forefront of my mind.

"The whole reason we're in a band is for the fun part of the performance," Scogin continued. "I come from back in the day, when you'd pay $5 for a show. ... We just try to make it worth it to the person who paid that money to get into the show. We try to pull out all the stops and make sure that every show stands on its own. ... We keep it spontaneous. Our first love is the live show — recording records, that's all circled around hopefully bringing more kids to the live show so we can perform for them. The focal point of this band is the live show and to make sure if you paid money to come see us, when you leave, you feel it was worth the money you'd spent."

While the Chariot have been tagged a "Christian" band, Scogin said he's not interested in force-feeding his beliefs on anyone else. To him, it's all about the music.

"I believe there are people in this world who have the exact opposite beliefs as me, and they hold firm to those just as strong as I hold to mine," he said. "When I was growing up, if I liked [a band], I listened to it — and I went to the shows. If I didn't, I didn't. It wasn't like, 'Oh, they don't believe the same thing I do,' or, 'They don't do drugs,' or, 'Oh, they do do drugs,' or, 'Their pants are too tight,' or, 'Their hair's too good.' ... What about just music — isn't that enough? People care too much about the fashion of it all. To me, a band's either good or they ain't, and that's the only thing that should matter."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Sikth frontmen Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill have taken leave of the British progressive metallers. The split is said to have been amicable. Goodman will pursue other musical activities, while Hill plans to focus on production work. The rest of the band is in the middle of writing new material for its forthcoming third LP but is in dire need of a new singer (or singers). Think you'd like to front Sikth? Applicants should e-mail the band at sikthmail@googlemail.com. Goodman and Hill will remain with Sikth through the end of their July tour. ... Zao need a drummer again. Josh Walters — who just joined the band earlier this year as the replacement for Jeff Gretz — has left the band, according to guitarist Scott Mellinger. "He is very involved in his work and doesn't have the time needed to do anything music-related," the guitarist wrote in a statement. "We do have a friend that will be learning some stuff and hopefully be playing with us very soon. Once we solidify the drummer position, we will be playing some shows in our area and possibly be playing Cornerstone, Illinois. Zao is not dead. We have every intention to do shows and records in the upcoming months." ...

Arsonists Get All the Girls will tour in June and July with Elysia, Knights of the Abyss, My Bitter End and Moria. The trek's first gig is set for June 1 in Anaheim, California, and dates are booked through July 21 in Santa Cruz, California. ... Ex-Snot and Soulfly guitarist Mikey Doling will co-produce the debut album by Unset along with Brad Dujmovic. The disc will be released late this year on Gridiron Records, the label Doling co-owns with Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Kyle Turley. "Every song we put together comes from an honest and — at most times — vulnerable place," Unset singer Frank W. Torres said in a statement. "In the end, we hope that the record will portray a sincerity that borders on confession, an emotion that borders on madness and an originality that borders on art." So long as it borders on rockin', we'll be happy. ... The Great Deceiver, which features ex-At the Gates singer Tomas Lindberg, will release their third album, Life is Wasted on the Living, later this year on their new label Deathwish. The disc will be produced and engineered by Berno Paulsson (the Haunted, Amon Amarth) and will be the band's first offering since 2003's Terra Incognito. ...

Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing and neoclassical guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen will guest on two songs apiece on the upcoming Violent Storm album Storm Warning, which comes out July 17. The band was formed by ex-Ritchie Blackmore and Malmsteen tourmate Mick Cervino and ex-Blackmore's Night drummer Mike Sorrentino. In addition to playing on the album, Downing executive produced the disc. "When I heard Mick's stuff, I thought, 'This is pretty cool — it has a freshness about it. Very classic metal,' " Downing said in a statement. "So, I played a couple of solos and things went on from there." ... Modern thrash revivalists Lamb of God have been nominated for "Ballsiest Band" at Spike TV's Guys Choice awards. They'll be up against Disturbed, who are kinda ballsy themselves, but c'mon. ... Fans can vote right here through June 1. The show will be taped June 9 and air June 13. ... Chris Cornell's brother Pete is the singer in a New York-based band called Black Market Radio, which was just signed to startup label, Slugfest Records. Singing is definitely in this boy's DNA, which explains why his band bears a striking resemblance to early Soundgarden. "We are really happy about our addition to the Slugfest family," Cornell said in a statement, avoiding any reference to his brother's legendary outfit. "The combination of our raw power as a band and Slugfest's long-term plans are perfect. We will see everyone on the road. ...

Bury Your Dead singer Michael Crafter has decided to leave the band. "I wanted to prove myself so much and be a good frontman for [Bury Your Dead]," he wrote in a statement. "It's been two months since I got to the U.S.A. [from his native Australia], and all I have wanted is to be home with my friends and this stops me from giving my all. I met a lot of great people here. My time with the band was short and was a lot of fun and a great experience." ... Overkill's original drummer, Rat Skates, has just released his documentary film, "Born in the Basement." "This [movie] looks deep into the scene we came up in and should be required viewing for anyone starting a career in music," Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian said in a statement. Skates also served as associate producer of the upcoming Rick Ernst thrash-metal documentary "Get Thrashed," which is currently making the rounds at film festivals. ...

English doom band Orange Goblin will release their new album Healing Through Fire on June 26. The record is the group's first since 2004's Thieving From the House of God and includes "Vagrant Stomp," "Cities of Frost" and "The Ale House Braves." The first pressing of the album will include a DVD of a London show from 2006. ... Japanese black-metal trailblazers Sigh will play select U.S. shows with Israeli Mesopotamian black-metal band Melechesh starting July 6 in Brooklyn, New York, and running through July 14 in Montreal. Sigh will also open for Norwegian black-metal legends Mayhem July 16 in Santa Ana, California, and July 18 in West Hollywood, California. Sigh's tremendous new album, Hangman's Hymn, comes out June 12.

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Metal File: Sci-Fi Video, Summer Tour In Fu Manchu's 'Stache

4 May 2007 06:01:00 EDT

Band's new video features 'some old, '50s-type sci-fi mind-control stuff,' frontman says.
By Chris Harris and Jon Wiederhorn

Fu Manchu
Photo: Century Media

Fu Manchu frontman Scott Hill has never been a fan of the label "stoner rock." But that hasn't stopped scores of music journalists and metal fans the world over from ascribing said tag to his Southern California fuzz-rockin' combo.

Not that Hill minds being lumped together with like-minded rockers Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Monster Magnet and Fireball Ministry. He just doesn't dig on labels, period. Fu Manchu, he claims, have always "done what we wanted," regardless of what anyone wants to call it.

"The first time I heard the phrase 'stoner rock' was in 1994," he recalled. "We were playing in Texas, and a journalist from England came over, and we're doing the interview, and he mentioned the term 'stoner rock.' ... To me, 'stoner rock' means, like, the Grateful Dead — hippie garbage. I've just never been into that mellow, hippie kind of stuff. But now it seems to be associated with a heavy guitar and fuzzy-sounding guitars, and in that respect, whatever, that's fine; it's kind of what we are. But it's kind of a lame term.

"You never want to get labeled anything," he continued. "But as long as it's not associated with hippie, mellow nonsense, we can deal with 'stoner rock.' It's better than a lot of the things we could be called."

Back in late February, Fu Manchu released their first album in three years, We Must Obey, which they co-produced with Andrew Alekel (Weezer, Rancid). Hill said the Fu began writing material for the effort in 2005, at the conclusion of the band's touring cycle in support of 2004's Start the Machine. The disc features 11 tracks, including "Knew It All Along," "Between the Lines" and a cover of the Cars' "Moving in Stereo."

To Hill, We Must Obey is pretty much typical Fu Manchu, but he does think the record sounds more aggressive than anything they've attempted before.

"I think people will be a little surprised by that," he explained. "I grew up as a kid listening to 1980 to 1985 punk rock and hardcore stuff — that's my main deal. I still listen to that stuff, every day, all day. I think some of those influences are coming out on this record. But people who have been into us for a while, they'll like the slower, heavier stuff on this album. The fuzz tone's in full effect, it's just a more aggressive record for us. But our sound is still there."

Earlier this year, Fu Manchu shot a video for "Hung Out to Dry" that will see the light of day once it's fully edited. Hill said the clip will feature Fu Manchu performance footage interspersed with "some old, '50s-type sci-fi mind-control stuff." Making the video, he said, was something of a challenge — as it always is.

"It's difficult to pretend like you're rockin' without the amps plugged in," he joked. "All you can do is think back to when you were a kid trying to play air guitar in your bedroom and capture that feeling."

After a successful headlining run — the band's first in three years — last month with Valient Thorr and Artimus Pyledriver in the support slots, Fu Manchu headed over to Europe, where they'll be gigging through June 3. After that, Hill's not so sure what the Fu will do — a spokesperson for the band's label said it will tour the States this summer but that those plans had yet to be finalized. Hill wants to spend the rest of the year on the road.

"We'll tour for as long as possible, and then we'll come home and record another one," Hill said. "We're always coming up with riffs and songs all the time, so as soon as we're done touring, I'd like to get back into the practice space, play, lose our hearing for five months, put out a record, and do it all over again."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Black-metal legends Emperor, who toured the U.S. last summer without guitarist Samoth (he couldn't get into the country because of visa issues) will return with their complete lineup for three final North American reunion shows: May 30 in Chicago, June 1 in New York and June 3 in Los Angeles. "The visa problems last year were a bummer," Samoth said. "Even though the U.S. dates last year were a success with massive support from our ever-loyal fanbase, we felt that we should return again as a full band to complete what we set out to do." ... After they return from their European tour, New York death-metal band Immolation will make another destructive round of their home continent. Dates start September 27 in Toronto and run through November 18 in New York. Suffocation and Skinless are also on the bill. ... Goofball Swedish grind band Birdflesh, who have been around in one form or another since 1992, will release their first proper studio disc, Mongo Musicale, July 17. The album track "Mongoloid Wannabe" can be heard on their MySpace page. And "After Ski Obliteration" can be downloaded right here. ...

The thrash-metal documentary "Get Thrashed" will make its West Coast premiere Saturday at the Silver Lake Film Festival in Los Angeles. Director Rick Ernst, associate producer Rat Skates — who used to play drums in Overkill — and former Exodus singer Zetro Souza will take part in a Q&A session after the screening. "I'm so excited to be a part of 'Get Thrashed,' " Souza said in a statement. "There's finally a film that makes you feel a part of that magical time. I'm psyched to see the film, interact with the fans and catch up with old friends." Members of Anthrax, Testament and Dark Angel are also expected to attend the screening. ... Alabama Thunderpussy found themselves with a bit too much downtime recently, so for some reason they worked out a cover version of Whitesnake's hideous hit "Still of the Night" and posted it on their Myspace page. What's next, Slayer covering "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"? Oh, wait, that already happened. ... Ex-Biohazard guitarist Billy Graziadei will produce the new album by Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, hardcore-metal band Cold World. The record, Dedicated to Babies Who Came Feet First, will be recorded at Graziadei's Underground Sound Studios in South Amboy, New Jersey, this month and will include "BoomByeBye." ...

Sacramento, California, hardcore band Killing the Dream will enter a Baltimore studio May 28 to record the follow-up to their 2005 album, In Place Apart. Ex-Jawbox frontman J. Robbins will produce. ... Female-fronted Dutch goth-metal band Autumn will release their Metal Blade debut, My New Time, May 29. Arno Krabman produced the album at Graveland Studio. Tracks include "My New Time" and "Satellites," both of which can be previewed on their MySpace page. ... Boston metal band Till We Die will release their debut album, Pressing On, June 26. Tracks include "Ride," "UPS" and "Pressing On." The band's next tour will launch May 12 in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and run through June 8 in Springfield, Virginia. Till We Die will return to the road September 14 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to begin a tour supporting Powerman 5000 through October 2 in Boston.

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Megadeth, Lamb Of God Reveal Plans To Shred The Road On Gigantour

24 Jul 2006 08:42:00 EDT

Second installment of Dave Mustaine's metal festival kicks off September 7.
By Chris Harris

Megadeth's Dave Mustaine
Photo: Sanctuary

The Gigantour is back for more.

A second helping of Dave Mustaine-endorsed metal is ready to hit the road as the Megadeth frontman's answer to Ozzfest returns on September 7, seeking to replicate the success of last year's inaugural run. Gigantour is scheduled to shred across 25 cities, launching in San Diego and wrapping up October 8 in Sunrise, Florida.

As with last year's festival, 2006's Gigantour will be anchored by headliners Megadeth, who have an LP titled United Abominations in the bag and due this fall (see "Megadeth Heading Back To The Old School With United Abominations").

The festival's bill — handpicked by Mustaine — is rounded out by Virginia post-thrash five-piece Lamb of God, Swedish death metal act Opeth and their aggressive countrymen Arch Enemy, New York thrash quartet Overkill, Canadian death metallers Into Eternity, North Carolina thrashers Sanctity and New York post-hardcore outfit the Smashup. Additional second-stage artists will be announced in the coming weeks. The first Gigantour featured Dream Theater, Fear Factory, Anthrax, Nevermore, Life of Agony, Dillinger Escape Plan, Symphony X, Dry Kill Logic and Bobaflex.

"This is the concert that I, as a heavy metal music fan, would want to see," Mustaine said in a press release. "It is going to be something to look forward to each year, to see what kind of tremendous talent we can assemble for Gigantour festivals in the years to come."

Gigantour will be rolling through several major U.S. and Canadian cities, including Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, and Orlando. Details on at least five of the stops at have yet to be revealed.

Lamb of God — who are out on the road through July 26 with Slayer's Unholy Alliance tour, featuring Mastodon, Children of Bodom and Thine Eyes Bleed (see "Dates Unveiled For Slayer's Unholy Alliance With Mastodon, Lamb Of God") — will be using the Gigantour to promote their forthcoming album, Sacrament, due August 22 (see "Lamb Of God Ease Up On Bush But Get Deep Musically On Sacrament,").

Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton said he's looking forward to sharing the stage with Megadeth.

"Megadeth is one of the main reasons I started playing metal guitar in the first place," Morton said in a statement. "To finally tour with them is really exciting and it's a great way to start off our world tour supporting Sacrament. We've been dying to get the new material up and running on the live stage. We've worked so hard on the new record — it's really a great sense of accomplishment to see the new tunes come to life in a live setting. We're really looking forward to this one."

Gigantour tour dates, according to the festival's publicist:

9/7 - San Diego, CA @ TBA
9/8 - Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
9/9 - San Luis Obispo, CA @ Pozo Saloon
9/10 - Devore, CA @ Hyundai Pavilion of Glen Helen
9/12 - Las Vegas, NV @ TBA
9/13 - Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theater
9/15 - West Valley City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre
9/16 - Englewood, CO @ Coors Amphitheatre
9/17 - Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
9/19 - TBD
9/21 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave/ Eagles Club
9/22 - Chicago, IL @ Congress Theater
9/23 - Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
9/24 - Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
9/25 - Toronto, ON @ Park Place
9/27 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
9/28 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
9/29 - TBD
9/30 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
10/1 - TBD
10/3 - TBD
10/5 - TBD
10/6 - Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum
10/7 - Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
10/8 - Sunrise, FL @ Bank Atlantic Center

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Metal File: Hard & Heavy News On Ozzfest, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, Overkill, Danzig And More

3 Jul 2003 12:13:00 EDT

Killswitch Engage
Photo: Roadrunner

Hey and hello, metal children. How goes it? Iann Robinson here. Things are good: The hot grasp of summer is slowly choking the life out of me. It's tough wearing black all the time.

So I went to the Ozzfest in Dallas — all hails and kudos to the Dallas metalheads. They were really great to me, and it was a good time. The second stage was really the place to be: lots of great bands coming out of there. Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, Voivod, Hotwire, even Cradle of Filth were amazing, especially playing in million-degree heat in all that vinyl. The main stage was good, but all stuff you'd expect. I must say Korn had a much more aggressive set than I was used to. Way less posturing, more rocking — good for them. Ozzy was naturally amazing to watch, especially with Jason Newsted killing it on bass. They brought out older Sabbath stuff, the Ozzy classics — the man never disappoints. Other than that, I've been jamming with the new Fu Manchu live record and, of course, Himsa and Black Dahlia Murder. Well, that's it for this week. Stay metal and I'll see you at the shows:

Body Count, M.O.D., Vital Remains (featuring Glen Benton) and Suffocation will headline the 17th annual Milwaukee Metalfest on July 25 and 26. Strapping Young Lad, Repulsion, Nuclear Assault, Lullacry, Macabre, the Mentors and Skinless are also on the bill. ...

Killswitch Engage have completed pre-production on two tracks for their next album, their first to feature Blood Has Been Shed vocalist Howard Jones, including their "Freddy Vs. Jason" soundtrack contribution "Darkness Falls." The band, currently playing on Ozzfest's second stage, will officially commence work on the album sometime later in the year. ...

Witchery, the Swedish metal supergroup featuring members of the Haunted and Arch Enemy, have announced plans to head into the studio in the fall to record a follow-up to 2001's Symphony for the Devil. ...

British doomsters Orange Goblin will enter the studio on July 14 to begin recording their fifth album, Progress Stops Here. ... Vehemence, the self-proclaimed "chaotic melodic death metal" band from Phoenix, have set Helping the World to See as the title for their next album. ...

Danzig is in negotiations to appear in the next Tobe Hooper feature and possibly score the soundtrack. ... Dillinger Escape Plan have released a limited self-titled 7-inch. The release only contains two songs, each the entire length of one side of the 7-inch. ...

Metal legends Cryptic Slaughter have released Convicted, the first of two reissues due from Relapse Records. The second, Money Talks, will hit on July 29. Fans who buy both get a limited-edition Cryptic Slaughter 7-inch called "Band in S.M." featuring covers Cryptic Slaughter has recorded. ...

The Plea for Peace Tour will include Poison the Well, Further Seems Forever, Dillinger Escape Plan, Shadows Fall and Eighteen Visions. The now annual trek, which this year runs from mid-September through late October, is designed to raise suicide-prevention awareness. ...

Orange County, California, metalcore merchants Bleeding Through will support AFI on tour beginning in September. The follow-up to last year's Portrait of the Goddess will see release through the Trustkill label later this year. ...

Overkill are planning a U.S. tour for September to support their 13th LP, Killbox 13, which dropped in March. Currently touring Europe, the New Jersey band has lined up four East Coast dates later this month to warm up for the full-scale trek. ...

A handful of bands are shuffling their lineups, so get out your scorecards. Founding Static-X drummer Ken Jay is now in Godhead. Jay's replacement as Static's skinsman is former Seether drummer Nick Ohiro. Oshiro's replacement is Kevin Soffera. Ill Nino's new guitarist is Machine Head's Ahrue Luster, who replaced Marc Rizzo. Machine Head's new album, Ashes of Empires, due October 13, will feature new guitarist Phil Demmel. ... Speaking of Ill Nino, their "How Can I Live" will serve as the first single to the "Freddy Vs. Jason" soundtrack and will also appear on their second album, Confession, due September 30. A video for the song will be shot Tuesday in Los Angeles. ...

HavocHate, Aesma Daeva, Cold Colours, Demonicon, Gee as in Jesus, God-Awful, Impaler, Salubrious Invertebrae, Teratism, Anal Blast, Apostle 13, the Bloodshot, Epicurean, Nymphotomy, Quincy Punks, Ripsnorter, Skrum and Zebulon Pike will converge on Minneapolis on July 22 to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the "Roots of All Evil" radio show. Advance tickets are $4, or $6 the day of the show. ...

— compiled by Iann Robinson, Ryan Downey, Robert Mancini and Joe D'Angelo

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For The Record: Quick News On The Donnas, Bjork, Faith Hill, The Used, Def Leppard, Overkill & More

10 Feb 2003 05:03:00 EST

The Donnas
Photo: Atlantic

The Donnas were booted from their own after-show party at New York's Belmont Lounge on Friday when the gals got a little too drunk and rowdy. The Strokes were there to witness and partake in the revelry, but the Used's Bert McCracken, who attended the show, couldn't make the late night soiree. ...

In an effort to increase the set time for bands, the fifth annual March Metal Meltdown will be extended to three days instead of the usual two. The heavy metal festival, set for March 7-9 in Irvington, New Jersey, will feature '80s British metalheads Status Quo; Fozzy, featuring pro wrestler Chris Jericho; and hometown heroes Overkill, among many others. ...

Though she's known to take years between albums, Icelandic songstress Björk will follow-up her 2001 album Vespertine with a potential new album this summer, tentatively called LakeExperience, according to an oblique message on her official Web site. In the stream-of-consciousness post, Björk said that she has recorded "song a day. song a day. for how many days. I do not know. but some days." Work-in-progress video snippets of new material featuring shots of coffee cups and laptops are available at www.bjork.com. ... Faith Hill will perform a free concert for about 8,000 soldiers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina on Thursday. Fort Bragg is home to the 82nd Airborne Division and the Army Special Operations Command, and anyone with military I.D. may be admitted. ...

Blur have announced that former Verve guitarist Simon Tong will accompany them on the road when they tour this summer. He will not, however, be joining as a full-time member. Blur have been without a guitarist since original axeman Graham Coxon left last year before the band started recording in Morocco. Singer Damon Albarn played guitar on most of the record, which comes out later this year. ... If you think this year's Lollapalooza lineup is too radio-friendly, you might want to check out Ipecac Records' traveling road show, which will feature the Melvins, Tomahawk and Skeleton Key. The U.S. tour is tentatively scheduled to begin in late April or early May and additional bands may be announced in the coming weeks. ...

Are the Flaming Lips the new go-to band for cred? First it was touring with Beck, then it was a Top of the Pops performance with Justin Timberlake. Now the Chemical Brothers are testing this theory — the British dance duo recently revealed plans to collaborate with the Oklahoma pop oddities on at least one new track on their upcoming, as-of-yet untitled album, according to their fan Web site Planet Dust. ... On Friday, the recording industry filed an opposition to Verizon Internet Services, Inc.'s motion to postpone a judge's ruling that the ISP must surrender the name of a person suspected of being the source for thousands of unlicensed song files. A federal judge had agreed to a subpoena filed by the RIAA in July that would force Verizon to give up the offender's identity. Verizon opposed that order last month. ...

Hold onto your mullets: Def Leppard are getting ready to play the U.S. The first of 17 scheduled shows is March 21 in Pittsburgh, and the dates run through May 4 in Atlanta. ... Pigface, the Chicago industrial outfit revolving around ex-Ministry member Martin Atkins, are auctioning off an onstage wedding during their upcoming U.S. spring tour to promote their new album, Easy Listening. Fans can bid to win the chance nuptials on eBay until Valentine's Day. ...

02.07.03

The first gold and platinum plaques of 2003 were doled out by the recording industry, for album sales of 500,000 and 1 million, respectively. Queens of the Stone Age, the White Stripes and Baby a.k.a the #1 Stunna were each awarded their first gold records. ...

Producers/songwriters Kiyamma Griffin and Floyd Howard filed an $11 million lawsuit against Mary J. Blige, MCA Records and the singer's Mary Jane Productions on January 24 that alleges fraud and breach of contract, among other complaints. They claim they've never been paid royalties for contributions to the tracks "Sexy" and "No Happy Holidays," from 1999's Mary; and "Flying Away," "Destiny" and "2 U," from 2001's No More Drama. ... An array of artists, including Blige, Musiq, Mark Anthony, India.Arie and Eric Clapton pay homage to Stevie Wonder on the tribute album Conception: An Interpretation of Stevie Wonder's Songs, due March 18. The 14-track LP features selections from Wonder's best albums, such as 1976's Songs in the Key of Life and 1973's Innervisions. A cover of "That Girl" by R&B singer Joe and rapper Mr. Cheeks began appearing at radio last week. ...

LeAnn Rimes was forced to postpone her upcoming European tour after she and husband Dean Sheremet were hospitalized for severe cuts and bruises they suffered in a car accident with a drunk driver. Rimes was returning from filming a guest appearance on NBC's "American Dreams" on January 31 when the accident occurred in Hollywood. She was treated and released from a local hospital, and the driver was arrested for driving under the influence. ...

Jimmy Eat World frontman Jim Adkins and his promoter friend have started a label called Western Tread, based in their hometown of Phoenix. The imprint's first release will be a vinyl version of Jimmy Eat World's eponymous, self-titled LP that features the bonus track "Splash, Turn, Twist." It will be followed by an EP by the duo the Format, who will release a full-length debut next year on Elektra Records. The label's first full-length LP, due in early summer, will come courtesy of Phoenix's Reubens Accomplice. ...

Bret Michaels' fast-approaching 40th birthday (on March 15) has put him in a reflective mood. On April 22 the Poison vocalist will release Songs of Life, a solo album that looks back on all of the major events in his life, from the birth of his daughter Raine to the death of his uncle in Vietnam. ... Jagermeister tour participants (Hed) Planet Earth are set to release their third album, Blackout, on March 18. The LP follows 2000's Broke. The album's title track surfaced at radio this week. ...

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Chile's Criminal Hitting Metalfest, World Series Of Metal On U.S. Tour

2 Aug 1999 03:30:00 EDT

Criminal

After sending its first album to U.S. soil earlier this year, Chilean metal outfit Criminal began exploring the States for the first time this weekend on a U.S. tour that sees it share the stage with Dokken, Overkill, Manowar, the Misfits, and others at a few high profile shows.

The band, which recently turned up next to Puya and Armored Saint on the Latin metal compilation "Metalo," kicked off its first American outing on Thursday in Appleton, Wisconsin. As part of the brief tour, which runs through next weekend, the band stopped by the Milwaukee Metalfest last weekend, joining a roster that included the Misfits, Manowar, Cradle of Filth, and an army of others. The tour will also see the band swing by the Cleveland World Series of Metal, which also features Dokken, Overkill, and more than 50 others.

The dates mark the band's Stateside debut following the April release of its second album, "Dead Soul." Criminal's first effort, "Victimized," was released in South America and Japan in 1994.

If you want to catch the band in the flesh, here's where to look:

8/2 - Des Moines, IA @ Hairy Mary's
8/3 - Chicago, IL @ Smiler Coogan's
8/4 - Lansing, IL @ JJ Kelly's
8/6 - Detroit, MI @ Old Miami
8/7 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater (Cleveland World Series of Metal)

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Dokken, Overkill To Step To The Plate For World Series Of Metal

27 Jul 1999 12:45:00 EDT

Dokken

The recently resurfaced Dokken will be among the hard-hitting acts heading to Cleveland next month for the fifth annual World Series Of Metal.

The band, which recently delivered a "Best Of" collection to stores, will join Overkill, Mushroomhead, Criminal, and 54 other bands for the three-day metal smorgasbord August 6-8 at Cleveland's Agora Complex.

Those who can't make the pilgrimage to Cleveland will be glad to know that the festival will be carried on the Internet at www.liverock.com.

Here's how the World Series will play out:

Friday, August 6: Mushroomhead, Skinlab, Pissing Razors, Zao, Kitty, Boiler, Nile, Substance D, Cold Hand of Christ, NDE, Runt, Canister, Pillow Humpers, Funnel, Funny, Intent to Distribute

Saturday, August 7: Overkill, Crisis, Criminal, Mental Home, Ill Nino, Cipher, Disarray, Clearlight, The Step Kings, CryptKicker, Lucifer's Hammer, Crawl, Destructor, Somnus, Sanctorum, Coinmonster, 216, Profane, Hate Theory, Sporadic Still, Puzzle, Soul Destruction, Resin Dogs, Mud Box

Sunday, August 8: Dokken, Radakka, Kidd Wicked, M.S.O.D., Fall in Union, Downshift, Shock Cinema, Ground Zero, Q, Jokin Gamit, Proon, Mindscape, Mindpulp, Take No Prisoners, Kitchen Knife Consp., Flatline, Religion Against Religion

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Overkill Back On The Road

1 Apr 1998 12:45:00 EST

Overkill

Overkill is back on the road starting tonight in NYC, touring for the first time since suddenly canceling their opening slot on Judas Priest's North American jaunt earlier this year.

Singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth confirmed in an AOL Nightclub chat on the weekend that the band was forced to cancel just days before the first date when he was diagnosed with nasal cancer.

Blitz joked that he was "okay for a dead guy." He told concerned fans that he didn't expect to have to deal with it again, and while he isn't 100% cured, he is making a strong comeback and currently is enjoying a clean bill of health.

Overkill, with Blitz at the helm, has been a cult metal favorite for the past 10 years; their collective releases have sold a total of well over one million copies. The band is touring to support their new album, "From The Underground & Below," released on CMC.

They're certainly not taking it easy on the road. They're playing almost every night this month, including 25 of the next 26 days before heading to Europe in May for another headlining tour.

Their U.S. schedule is as follows: