Dark Tranquillity
Photo: Lindor Tidang

For the past 14 years, Dark Tranquillity have been at the forefront of Gothenburg, Sweden's melodic-death-metal scene. But as bands there began copping the style, it became harder for the pioneers to remain ahead of the pack.

On past efforts, such as 2002's Damage Done and 2005's Character, Dark Tranquillity trumped their peers by making their songs as multifaceted as possible. Guitar riffs were stacked to the sky, synth breaks abounded and melody splashed through the bludgeoning constructions like hot fudge through a banana split. But for their upcoming album Fiction, which comes out April 24, the band has taken a different approach.

"We wanted to take a step back and not focus on making things as involved or complicated as they could be," singer Mikael Stanne said. "We thought, 'Let's experiment more with each song instead of trying to make each song chock-full of things.' "

The technique worked. Fiction is eclectic, immediate and enticing. It's still musically accomplished, with finely honed riffs and well-crafted arrangements that veer from sweeping classic metal to pummeling black metal, but the constructions on songs like "Nothing to No One," "Terminus" and "Icipher" remain coherent, no matter how many pinch harmonics or goth keyboards swim through the mix.

"We really didn't want to do the same thing over and over again," Stanne said. "Rather, we wanted to focus on what felt important in each song and to focus on each individual emotion and feeling. So, when we started making a really heavy song, we put all our effort into making it as heavy as possible instead of mixing it up with all the fast stuff and technical stuff. It was fun and it was actually very liberating to work that way."

In addition to embracing a different music-writing technique, Stanne approached his lyrics differently as well. Instead of addressing the frustrations in his own life, as he had in the past, he wrote about imaginary scenarios — hence the album title.

"I came up with fictional characters and put all my feelings and problems on these individuals," he explained. "And I was actually able to be more personal and honest than ever before because I could get everything out without getting too close."

While Dark Tranquillity had the skeletons of four songs together early last year, they switched into serious writing mode in April 2006 and spent the ensuing five months writing and fine-tuning. "We wanted to make sure everything was perfect before we entered the studio in October," Stanne said.

Once the songs were written, the bandmembers entered keyboardist/ electronics manipulator Martin Brändström's studio to record. Since there were no studio expenses and the bandmembers handled the initial production work, they could spend as much time as they wanted on the songs. "We really deconstructed and reconstructed the songs over and over so we could explore them from all angles," Stanne said.

By the end of 2006, Dark Tranquillity were happy with all 10 songs on Fiction, but when they listened back to the recordings, they couldn't believe what they heard. The songs that sounded so good while they were jamming didn't translate, and for a while, they wondered if they were going to have to redo the entire album.

"It was so depressing," Stanne said. "The songs had no effects and no compression and were totally flat-sounding. And we were like, 'This is horrible.' It sounded like crap. So we were really nervous when we gave the files to our producer, Tue Madsen."

There's a saying that everything can be fixed in the mix. Usually that's not true — as many bands will attest — but in Dark Tranquillity's case, the axiom was proven correct: Once Madsen finished tinkering and tweaking, Fiction sounded as epic and resounding as any of the band's releases.

"When we got the actual mix, we were so happy it was ridiculous," Stanne said. "Tue Madsen is definitely the star player on this one."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, along with former members Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinny Appice — the four musicians who comprise the new band Heaven and Hell — will sign copies of the new Black Sabbath collection The Dio Years April 3 at the Best Buy on 44th at Fifth Avenue in New York. The signing will take place between 6 and 7 p.m., so get there early, folks. ... After months of writing, Meshuggah have finally begun recording their forthcoming album, which, they assure, "will rock your flea-ridden socks off." The band is hoping to have the disc finished in time for a September release. ... Soil, Seemless and Ligion will hit the road together this May for the True Rock Tour, a 17-date trek that kicks off May 1 in Cudahy, Wisconsin. Dates are scheduled through May 27 in Evansville, Wisconsin. ...

Dates for Bury Your Dead's upcoming spring run with Suicide Silence, Since the Flood and Stick to Your Guns have been announced. The trek will launch April 20 in Rochester, New York, and run through June 2 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. ... South Carolina's Through the Eyes of the Dead need a frontman. While the departure of singer Anthony Gunnells remains something of a mystery, the band — which is currently working on its next album, Malice, with producer Erik Rutan (Goatwhore, Cannibal Corpse) — is in desperate need of a "professional, dedicated vocalist willing to tour the world and able to relocate immediately." Sound like you? Contact the band through its MySpace page for more information on how to audition. ... Season of Mist Records has signed German black-metallers Naer Mataron. In a statement, the bandmembers said they've "composed the harshest and most extreme music [we] ever had for our new album. We are more strong and enthusiastic than ever before and feel that we are also supported henceforth in the same spirit. To this point, we wish to extend our salute to the hordes that supported our black-metal war machine throughout the last 13 years." There's no title or release date for the album yet. ...

Clutch will load up the van this spring to tour in support of their forthcoming From Beale Street to Oblivion. The road trip will commence May 11 in Washington, D.C., and crisscross the U.S. before winding down May 26 in San Diego. ... Black-metal maelstroms Angelcorpse have finished recording their fourth studio LP, Of Lucifer and Lightning. Look for the effort to feature "Antichrist Vanguard," "Machinery of the Cleansing" and "Saints of Blasphemy" when it hits stores in the coming months — a firm release date has not been revealed yet. In the meantime, East Coast fans can catch the 'Corpse in May on tour with Watain and Nachtmystium. ... Norwegian extreme-metallers Manngard have begun tracking their yet-untitled sophomore album. According to the band, this next one "promises to be even more massive, twisted and evil than the debut," last year's Circling Buzzards. ...

Overkill frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and Hades axeman Dan Lorenzo have teamed up to form a new band, the Cursed. The band's inaugural offering, Room Full of Sinners, will land in stores May 22. Look for the set to feature "Evil, in the Bag," "Serpentine Slither" and "Leven Als God in Frankrijk." ... Thrash dudes Thine Eyes Bleed have started working on their next album. "We are now a few days into the drums and they sound amazing," the band said in a statement. "The tracking room is nice and spacious with high ceilings and pine walls creating great acoustics. [Drummer] Darryl [Stephens] has been shredding his drum tracks so far, letting us know this is gonna be some brutal sh--. As for the rest of us, 'Guitar Hero' has been the main focus so far, enhancing our hand-eye coordination." No word yet on when the LP might see the light of day, but we'll keep you posted. ... Vital Remains, Light This City and With Passion will join forces for a spate of spring North American gigs. The tour is tentatively set to kick off May 23 and conclude June 24, but exact cities and dates will be announced soon. Vital Remains will issue their next one, Icons of Evil, April 24. ...

Drummer Tom Hunting has returned to Exodus. According to a band statement, "it was always understood that when and if Tom was ever ready to resume his drumming duties for the band, his seat would be waiting." Hunting left Exodus in 2005 and was replaced by legendary drummer Paul Bostaph — who, incidentally, had recently left Slayer when Dave Lombardo rejoined that fold. "Paul always knew this and was the first to say it upon joining the band. Paul and Tom have always been good friends and we, as a band, cannot thank Paul enough for his services on [2005's] Shovel Headed Kill Machine and all the subsequent tours he did to support that album. We had a great time and kicked many asses along the way. Paul has given this reunion his whole-hearted endorsement with no mixed blessings and is happy to see Tom back in the fold." Exodus are "hard at work on new songs, and this sh-- is the best and heaviest music we've ever written." The boys plan to begin tracking in May. ... Norwegian black-metallers Mayhem will tour the States this summer. So far just six dates have been confirmed for the run: July 17 (Santa Ana, California); July 18 (West Hollywood, California); July 20 (Seattle); July 22 (Chicago); July 23 (New York); and July 24 (Springfield, Virginia). More shows are expected to be announced soon. On April 24, Mayhem's new album Ordo Ab Chao will be in stores. The LP features eight songs, including "A Wise Birthgiver," "Psychic Horns" and "Anti."

• Meshuggah
• Clutch
• Soil
• Seemless
• Bury Your Dead

Diecast
Photo: Century Media

Walk into the nearest record store, sift past the Dido and Die Toten Hosen discs and you might stumble across some Diecast titles. Look for the Boston hardcore heroes' 1999 EP, Undo the Wicked, or 2001's Day of Reckoning; if you find either, consider yourself fortunate — you live in a town with a pretty badass record shop. But chances are you'll find just one Diecast disc: 2004's Tearing Down Your Blue Skies. That's because for the last few years, the band's first two releases have been trapped in this strange state of limbo.

According to bassist Jeremy Wooden, Diecast, who wrap up their tour with Ill Niño on October 1, had spent years fighting with their former labels for the rights to those early masters so that they could start releasing the material again. But Wooden claims that finally, the band's current label, Century Media, has acquired the masters and plans to re-release them sometime next year. The label's also going to reissue Tearing Down Your Blue Skies early next year with a new track, "Tangled Web We Weave," and a cover of Slayer's "Reign in Blood."

"Tangled Web We Weave" is the first track the band's written with new vocalist and former Breeding Ground frontman Paul Stoddard, who joined the group after the departure of Colin Schleifer.

"For the last record, we had all of the music written without a singer yet, so it was tough for Paul — he came in, and we handed him 12 songs and said, 'Here you go. Write lyrics to 'em,' " Wooden said. "He ended up doing an amazing job. But our next record is going to be that much better, because Paul's a part of the team now and he has ideas for the writing and we have ideas for vocals. We've written a couple of new songs," like "Tangled Web We Weave," which he calls "one of the best songs this band's ever done."

For the Diecast's next outing, which should surface toward the end of next summer, they're aiming to work with a producer who can toughen up their already-callous sound. They've been talking to Jason Suecof (Trivium, Cannae), Zeuss (Shadows Fall, Hatebreed) and Eric Rachel (Nora, God Forbid).

"The last record ... we were very happy with the material, but it didn't come out as heavy as we would've liked it to," Wooden said, adding that the band plans to buckle down for intense writing sessions next week and after its tentatively scheduled six-week run with American Head Charge, which is set for sometime in November. Diecast will also be writing on the road, and after that tour, plan to finish a new album before spring's end.

The rest of the week's metal news:

Soil, Dope, Opiate for the Masses, Dog Fashion Disco and Dry Kill Logic have all been tapped to open various legs of the forthcoming Jägermeister Music Tour, featuring headliners Disturbed with Corrosion of Conformity. It kicks off November 4 in Minneapolis. ... Cannibal Corpse vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher will release the debut album by his side project, Paths of Possession, October 4. The disc, Promises in Blood, was produced by Erik Rutan; in addition to Fisher, the band features guitarists Jay Fossen and Jack Goodwin, bassist Randy Butman and drummer Nick Goodyear. While the album is aggressive and the vocals are throat-shearing, the music is far more melodic than anything by Cannibal Corpse, bearing more in common with Scandinavian death metal. Tracks include "Butcher's Bargain," "Heart for a Heart," "Bring Me the Head of Christ" and "Bleed the Meek." ... As I Lay Dying, who'll embark on their first U.S. headlining run in late November with Norma Jean, Madball and A Life Once Lost, shot a video for the track "Through Struggle" on September 18 with director Lex Halaby (Chimaira, Killswitch Engage) at the Morell Meats Lot, an abandoned meat locker close to downtown Los Angeles. ...

Cradle of Filth's forthcoming "Peace Through Superior Firepower" DVD, which features footage shot during the band's gig in Paris in April, is slated to land in stores on November 1. The package will also include a documentary with behind-the-scenes footage in addition to several of the band's music videos. ... Killswitch Engage's forthcoming "(Set This) World Ablaze" DVD will hit stores November 22 and feature live footage captured during the band's July 25 gig at the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. ... Mushroomhead and Crossbreed have booked a Halloween tour consisting of four shows — none of which, ahem, is on Halloween. The bands play Lansing, Michigan, on October 26; Erie, Pennsylvania, on October 27; Toledo, Ohio, on October 28; and Cleveland on October 29. ... Instrumental Sacramento spazzcore duo Hella will release the double-DVD-and-CD package Concentration Face/ Homeboy, November 8. The band will be on tour with System of a Down and Mars Volta through October 11 in Fresno, California. Shows with Primus weirdo Les Claypool will follow. ... According to a post by drummer and running enthusiast Dave McClain on his band's Web site, Machine Head are "now officially in 'writing mode' for the next album." The band's been at it a few weeks now, and McClain's got " 'that' feeling again about some of the stuff we're working on." We'll assume "that" feeling's a killer one. ...

King's X will hit the road starting October 19 in Birmingham, Alabama; dates run through November 6 in Ferndale, Michigan. ... Connecticut's Hatebreed have been together for 10 brutal years, and to celebrate, they'll be hitting the road for the 10 Years of Brutality Tour, with Most Precious Blood, Full Blown Chaos, Gizmachi, If Hope Dies and Manntis in the warm-up slots. So far just 14 dates have been firmed up, and those start November 1 in Burlington, Vermont, and run through November 23 in Orono, Maine. ... Melodic Detroit street-metal band Abandon will enter the studio next week to start working on their second album, much of which is already written. The group's debut, In Reality We Suffer, came out in April. Abandon will open for recently resurrected Christian rockers Stryper October 1 in Mount Clemens, Michigan. ... Alaska's 36 Crazyfists are working on new material, which should surface in early 2006 in the form of the band's forthcoming, as-yet-untitled disc. ... Montreal deathcore sextet Despised Icon hit the road Thursday night in Nashville with Suffocation, Cryptopsy and Aborted; dates run through November 7 in New York. ... London death/black-metal band Akercocke have finished their fourth infernal album, Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone, which will come out in early 2006. ...

After 12 years in the band, Crisis bassist Gia Wang has left due to family commitments. Group pal Nick Weitzel will fill in for the Exodus tour, which starts October 1 in Bakersfield, California, and runs through November 5 in Santa Clara. In November, Crisis will hold auditions for their new full-time bassist. ... Grindcore veterans Bolt Thrower have named their eighth album Those Once Loyal. The disc hits stores November 15 and features "At First Light," "Entrenched" and "Granite Wall." ... German power-metal band Primal Fear's forthcoming Seven Seals will drop October 15 and include "Evil Spell," "Demons & Angels" and "The Immortal Ones." ... Hard-rock legends Deep Purple will release their next album, Rapture of the Deep, November 1. The follow-up to 2003's Bananas features "Back to Back," "Before Time Began" and "Money Talks." ... Italian black-metal mavens Aborym will release their fourth album, Generator, before the end of the year, according to the band's label, Season of Mist. Look for it to include "Suffer Catalyst," "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and "Man Bites God."

• Diecast
• Hella
• Killswitch Engage
• Cradle of Filth
• Hatebreed

Drowning Pool's C.J. Pierce and Ryan McCombs (file)
Photo: Wind-Up

On August 25, during the Dallas stop on this summer's Ozzfest, Drowning Pool will take the stage for the first time with their third — and Soil's erstwhile — frontman Ryan McCombs, according to a spokesperson for Drowning Pool. The band is writing new material with McCombs for its third album, which should surface late this year or early next. The lineup change — which follows the June departure of Jason "Gong" Jones, who was brought in after the 2002 death of original Drowning Pool vocalist Dave Williams — has sparked some beef between the two bands. On Soil's Web site, bassist Tim King vilified McCombs, saying he will "be singing the very songs he hailed as 'average,' " and capped off his tirade with "Drowning Pool can have him. Now we have the better singer [in A.J. Cavalier] and the better band." ...

The recording industry unleashed its latest round of lawsuits against illegal file-sharers on Thursday, targeting 765 individuals. The "John Doe" suits against users of such P2P services as Grokster, eDonkey, Kazaa and LimeWire were filed in federal district courts from California to New York one week after music companies filed 176 suits against individuals whose names were subpoenaed from their ISPs. In light of the Supreme Court's recent ruling against Grokster, Recording Industry Association of America president Cary Sherman said the organization will "significantly" expand its anti-piracy efforts in the coming months. ... Hey, did you really enjoy Interpol's Antics album when it first came out back in September 2004? If so, then you'll really love it when you buy it again as a deluxe two-disc special edition on August 23. Dubbed Antics: The Special Edition, the set is a completist's dream, featuring an unreleased song, "Song Seven," plus an Antics track remixed by each member of the band, and the three videos off the album: "Slow Hands," "Evil" and "C'mere." ...

Blondie, the MC5's Wayne Kramer and former D Generation frontman Jesse Malin will perform at New York's legendary CBGB club on Monday at 8 p.m., in the first of a series of concerts being organized by the Save CBGB campaign, according to a spokesperson for Malin. The concert will be preceded by a press conference, during which it's expected "Sopranos" star and E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt will discuss the details of a monthlong campaign to help preserve the punk-rock landmark and spare it from closure. The cradle of punk faces eviction at the end of August, unless the club's owner, Hilly Kristal, can negotiate a new lease for the Bowery space that houses the venue. ... Los Angeles punks the Bronx will portray Black Flag in the upcoming film "What We Do Is Secret," a biopic about Darby Crash and the Germs starring Lukas Haas and Bijou Phillips. The Mae Shi will appear in the film as the Screamers. ...

He's a guy whose debut album sold more than 3 million copies, and who, 10 years ago, had one of the hottest songs in the country. But it's been a while since we've heard from Warren G, the Long Beach, California, rapper who pretty much invented G-Funk with his '94 tune "Regulate." And while he's been cranking out records ever since, he's becoming better known in the LBC for his charity work, including his annual "G Christmas," where he buys toys for children at the California Recreation Center; and his midnight basketball league, designed to help keep kids off the street. So it's somewhat fitting that on Thursday, Long Beach Mayor Beverly O'Neill announced that the week of August 1-6 will be Warren G Week, a celebration of all his work. Warren will perform a couple of concerts during the week, including one on August 6 in the hangar of the historic ocean liner the Queen Mary. ... Some people tour nightclubs, some people tour colleges, and there have even been instances where artists have toured Boys & Girls clubs. Soul singer Sharissa is taking it to the next level and doing a tour of prisons in advance of her September 27 release, Every Beat of My Heart. On Thursday she started at Rikers Island in New York, singing for male inmates. She's scheduled to perform for all the women inmates on Friday (July 29). There is no word yet on exactly how many correctional facilities Sharissa will be hitting. ...

Struggling to figure out how to break into hip-hop? A DVD series promises to teach you, with advice from producers Rockwilder and Just Blaze, managers Mona Scott and Blue Williams, and video directors Benny Boom and Jessy Terrero. DreamSpring's how-to series (available on DreamSpringEntertainment.com) has eight titles so far, including "Secrets to Getting a Record Deal" (featuring A&R reps from Jive, Shady and G-Unit), "Secrets to Being a Successful Music Producer," "Secrets to Being a Successful Manager" (with tips from managers of Outkast, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent), "Secrets to Being a Working DJ" (featuring DJ Kay Slay and DJ Kid Capri), and "Secrets to Careers in the Urban Fashion Industry" (featuring execs from Sean John, Ecko and Reebok). A portion of the proceeds will go to Akidemics, a nonprofit providing educational programs for inner-city children. ...

Don't worry that Liz Phair has chucked it all for teen pop, despite working with Ashlee Simpson's producer John Shanks on her upcoming album, Somebody's Miracle, due October 4. "People get very uptight about staying in a certain genre or not breaking out of your expected style," Phair said. "If I like indie rock, I can't like pop. Or if I'm a pop person, I have no credibility in rock. But for me, I just decided to go farther and take my aesthetic stand stronger." Song titles on the more grown-up Miracle include "Leap of Innocence," "Table for One," "Stars and Planets," "Lazy Dreamer" and first single "Everything to Me," which asks a lover to "take the time to catch me if I fall" while also asking, "Do you really know me at all?" ...

7.28.2005

Want to be the next American Idol? If you're between 16 and 28, you can audition for the fifth season — which will begin airing in January 2006 — starting on August 18 in San Francisco at the Cow Palace. Auditions will continue in Austin, Texas; Boston; Memphis, Tennessee; Denver and Chicago. Details on the auditions can be found at idolonfox.com. ...

Another day, another Kelly Clarkson contest — this time, the "American Idol" winner is offering a chance to visit her in New York and hang backstage via a T-Mobile sweepstakes, which starts on Monday at T-MobileAllAccess.com. "I can't wait to hook up with some of my fans and hang out backstage," Clarkson said in a statement. ... After rejecting a plea bargain in May in connection with an alleged August 2004 assault on two nail-salon employees, Foxy Brown was slated to appear in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday (July 28) for the beginning of her trial in the case. The first court date has been moved to August 5 at the request of Brown's attorney. ...

My Chemical Romance have announced plans to embark on their first headlining tour this fall. The Alkaline Trio and jokey pop-punkers Reggie and the Full Effect will serve as opening acts on the trek, which will hit 28 cities. According to a spokesperson for MCR's label, Reprise Records, the start date for the tour has not yet been determined, nor have on-sale dates, but the tour is slated to make stops in Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, San Diego, Atlanta, Orlando, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. ... "Chickenhead" rapper Project Pat was released from prison Thursday after serving an abbreviated sentence of more than three years for felony possession of a firearm. The rapper, whose real name is Patrick Houston, will remain on supervised release for three more years, according to the original sentence he was served in June 2002. Project Pat was convicted by a federal jury in Jackson, Tennessee, earlier that year on charges stemming from a January 2001 incident when Memphis police pulled him over for speeding and found two revolvers under a seat in his SUV. He was on parole for aggravated robbery at the time. ... "Halo 2" is the 2005 Game of the Year, according to G-Phoria, which crowned winners of the video game world Wednesday night in Los Angeles, in a ceremony hosted by Wilmer Valderrama. "Halo 2" also took home Best Shooter, Best Multiplayer Game, Best Sound Design, Best Original Soundtrack, Best Boss and Best Male Voice Performance (the most overall awards of the evening). "God of War" was also a big winner, receiving kudos for Best Action Game, Best Cinematic, Best Original Game and Favorite Character, as was "Half-Life 2," which won for Best Graphics and Best Female Voice Performance. "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" took home Best Licensed Soundtrack. The Black Eyed Peas and the Bravery performed, while William Shatner was on hand to honor Ralph Baer, who created the very first video game console. The show will be broadcast August 9 on G4 — the video game channel — at 8 p.m. ET. ...

Thanks to "The Dukes of Hazzard," the 1969 Dodge Charger is increasing in value, according to the Kelley Blue Book. The 1969 Dodge Charger SE 500 in mint condition could fetch up to $61,600 today, versus $43,900 only six months ago, a 29 percent increase in the vehicle's value. For a mint condition Dodge Charger R/T, the price has increased 64 percent this year, up from $28,200 in January 2005 to $43,900 this month. ... The Internet has saturated the youth market, with nearly 90 percent of teens reportedly having online access, according to a new survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, with half of them logging on to the Internet daily. That number is up from about 75 percent of teens in 2000. By comparison, only 66 percent of American adults are wired to the Internet. Older teen girls (ages 15-17) proved to be the most intense users. ... Meanwhile, tweens and young teens aren't glued to the TV as much as they used to be — 8- to 14-year-olds are becoming increasingly disinterested in watching television, and more distracted when they do watch it, according to "The U.S. Market for Tweens and Young Teens," a new report from Packaged Facts. Almost 80 percent of the younger tweens say they "love" watching TV, but this drops to 60 percent when kids reach their early teen years. And often, they're doing something else when the TV is on, like reading, listening to music or using a computer. ...

Alanis Morissette's favorite song? Seal's "Crazy." Her favorite Gap jeans? Curvy flare. Starting in August, Morissette will sing her favorite tune to shill for Gap jeans for the retailer's fall "favorites" campaign in Francis Lawrence-directed TV spots, along with Incubus' Brandon Boyd, Joss Stone, John Legend, Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams, Jason Mraz and Liz Phair. (Boyd's fave is Elvis Costello's "Alison," Stone's is the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows," Mraz's is Bob Marley's "One Love," Phair's is Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek"). A limited-edition eight-song CD featuring those remakes will be available as a gift with purchase at Gap stores starting September 1 (except for Phair's track, which will be replaced on the compilation by Michelle Branch's cover of David Bowie's "Life on Mars?"). ... Nicole Richie, who appeared in Bongo's spring 2005 ads, is wearing the jeans once again for the company's juniors fall campaign, and is joined by her fiance, DJ AM, for the launch of Bongo Men. The campaign — which features the couple cuddling and kissing — will debut in September. "I had done the campaign last season and I had so much fun and I loved the way the ads came out," Richie said. "We are so excited to do the campaign together." ...

The lead singer of the British band Bad Beat Revue died last week from an injury sustained during a dramatic leap from the stage, according to BBC News. Patrick Sherry, 29, known as an athletic performer, sustained fatal head and neck injuries during a July 20 gig and died the next day. The group, which formed in 2002, released one album, Still Cheating, in 2003. ... Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn't forgotten his "Twin" — he's teamed up once again with Danny DeVito to reprise their twin brother roles for a new TV ad campaign for the 2005 California State Fair, which begins airing on Thursday. The fair kicks off in Sacramento at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds on August 12 and runs through Labor Day. ...

• Drowning Pool
• Soil
• Interpol
• Blondie
• Liz Phair

Soil Photos (Behind the scenes of "Redefine")

• Soil