Friday September 28th 2001

Sad news comes from the German power metal band Lightmare. Singer Timon Schreiber has decided to leave this band. Lightmare is currently looking for a new vocalist.

For good live photos of Stryper, check out the Stryper Gallery site. This page also contains lots of relevant news from the Stryper front.

Robert Sweet (Stryper) will join the band Planet Scream for their concert at Mars Music, 11805 Commons Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA on October 19th. He will also play with them at ActionZ, 5353 Dixie Drive, Fairfield, Ohio, USA the following day. Robert also  played drums on a couple of tracks on the new Planet Scream disc Inner Peace, Outer Chaos.

Shiloh released two new tracks on their MP3 page. These songs will be adorning their upcoming full length album King. The band is getting close to finishing up the album.

Alive, POD's new single, has become #1 most played MTV USA and MTV2 video. Alive made a remarkable jump from #38 to # 1 on MTV USA and from #14 to #1 on MTV2. And the single holds the #1 spot on Total Request Live of MTV USA. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes the guys from POD on Friday October 5th.

Transfigural Form has its official website now.

Spitfire's new EP, Sideshow Whiplash, they released through Good Fellow Records, is now also available from the Tooth & Nail mailorder.

Sally Forth Records will be doing distribution for Takehold Records in Europe. Takehold has been releasing emo and hardcore bands in the USA, like Further Seems Forever, Few Last Standing, Narcissus, Stairwell, Hopesfall and others. Now you can get their stuff through Sally Forth Records shop.

Tim Gaines (Stryper) has lent his bass talent to a new project called FireLogg. There have been two CD's released with seven songs each.

The new Joshua album Something To Say is about to be released. Interestingly, Joshua Perahia will be doing a live show on Tuesday November 6th to benefit The Salvation Army. Joining the band are Z Records recording artists Silent Rage and S.Q.S. who won the Mars Music Battle of Bands. The band will be showcasing songs from the new album as well as playing some of the classics. Performing with the band are special guest players including Jeff Fenholt (formerly of Black Sabbath) and members from Santana, Takara and Rough Cutt. Tickets are $10. Bring 2 or more cans of food to donate to The Salvation Army and get in for only $8. A portion of the proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales at the show will also be donated. The concert will take place at Galaxy Concert Theatre, Santa Ana, California, USA.

The Chicago band The Blamed has rejoined the Tooth & Nail roster. The Blamed released their first two albums (21 and Frail) through Tooth & Nail Records in 1994 and 1995. They've evolved musically since the old days from punk/thrash to a more sophisticated post punk/rock DC hardcore sound. The band is currently demoing material and will return to the studio in October for their new album to be released on Tooth & Nail in 2002.

Here's a note from Squad Five-O about the cover of their last album, Bombs Over Broadway: "We just wanted to take a minute of your time to address the attack of the World Trade Center and how it relates to the cover art of Bombs Over Broadway. To
start out, we are having the cover changed, and all future pressings of the album will feature a different cover. Whether or not we'll  ever play the song again is still up in the air, but certainly not for a long time. Obviously, we had no foreknowledge of this event or anything approaching that. The image of New York City was used in the album lyrically and on the cover as a physical representation of humanity's pride and self-indulgence, and what in one context can be a poignant metaphor, in another context can become misconstrued as offensive or tasteless. We wouldn't want anyone to see the cover and then think of the attack, which would be the first thing the image brings to mind now. Our
prayers go with our country and all the families hurt by this event, and as a testimony to them let's not forget the brevity of life and let's not neglect to make the most out of the time we spend here. So everyone keep your heads up, thanks for supporting us, and help out anyway you can..."

Friday September 21st 2001

POD's new album Satellite debuted in the top ten of Billboard's Top 200 in its first week. The album landed on #6. Satellite is also certified gold in its first week.

In a surprising announcement last weekend, guitarist and founding member Cliffy
Huntington is leaving The Huntingtons to form his own group The Reaction. This band also features former Deadlines guitar player (now on bass), Sammy Lugosi. The Huntingtons latest effort Songs In The Key Of You hits stores on October 23rd.

Biogenesis has gone through a few changes. Bassist Randy Walton has decided to leave the band. Expect more news from the band soon.

Side Walk Slam is currently working on new songs for their second full length release on Tooth & Nail Records. They hope to get back to the Blasting Room studio in December or January. The band also hopes to take two to four songs to put on a 7". And, the band will be recording three new songs for a split EP with The Redemption Song which will be released through Rally Records, possibly in February.

Hangnail, Bleach, Denison Marrs will be going on The Happy Christmas Tour. This will be a fifteen city tour, starting on Wednesday, November 28th. Besides some rock 'n roll shows, this tour will support Toys For Tots. Since 1947, the Marines have brought joy to disadvantaged youth through the Toys for Tots program.   At each show, concertgoers will be encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots. In conjunction with The Happy Christmas Tour, BEC Recordings will be releasing the third
instalment of its Happy Christmas album series, a collection of holiday classics and originals, performed by a wide range of rock acts including Relient K, The OC Supertones, Kendall Payne, Bleach and Hangnail, among others.

Fine China will start working on a new record, to be recorded in collaboration with Jason Martin (Starflyer 59). The ten songs for this next album will be recorded in October/November. Tentative release date is March 2002.

The next album from the guys of Soul Embraced will be out at the end of this year. Title is This Is My Blood. Soul Embraced features Rocky Gray (vocals/guitar) and Lance Garvin (drums) of Living Sacrifice along with vocalist Chad Moore. They play intricate death metal in the vein of In Flames, Meshuggah and Nevermore.

Solid State Records will be releasing the self titled album of Eso-Charis. The album will be hitting the street November 20th.

Minus SF will appear on a new compilation. This is a Finnish release only,
and it will be released by Low Frequency Records. In a couple of months this album, Suomipunkkia Volume 2 will be out in Finland.

Friday September 14th 2001

On Tuesday September 11th, the world was struck with a severe terrorist attack. Hijacked airplanes were crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in Lower Manhattan, New York City. An hour later a plane hit the building of the Pentagon in Washington. A fourth plane crashed in the woods near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All planes were hijacked for terrorist attacks. Thousands of innocent lives have been taken away.

This is an editorial note: "With shock I, Marco Overvest, editor of this webzine, watch the TV, seeing the disaster that struck the western world so unexpectedly. I think of the people who's lives are destroyed by this act of vile and senseless violence. A despicable act from people who don't value somebody else's life at all. Keep the victims in mind and pray for the people who are left behind, the people who are still searching for living among the debris of the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon building. Pray for the leaders, that there decision may be wise. Pray that the terrorists won't succeed in their vicious plans. Keep your hope focused on eternity, when there will be a new heaven and a new earth and there will be no more mourning, no more terror, no more fear. Only peace in it's true essence."

In the next few months there will be preparations for a new Michael Sweet album. Michael is currently writing a lot of music and he's excited about recording them. He will also head back into the studio this fall to record a Christmas classic to be released as a CD single for Christmas 2001. However, Michael hasn't decided what song he'll do so he's asking for your input. Therefore, give you vote here.

Maybe you remember guitarist Dennis Cameron. He was the leader of the early nineties hard rock unit Angelica, from Canada. And he was guitarist for Michael Sweet's touring band in 1994 and 1995. Now Dennis Cameron introduced his official website at www.denniscameron.com

Gryp has signed a record deal for the general market. The band will be working on a new album, a new website, a video for MTV, a national (USA) tour and new merchandise. In other words: A lot will be happening for these San Diego guys.

Friday September 7th 2001

People in Holland can hear the band Beam on Radio 3FM, the national pop station, on Tuesday September 11th. That day DJ Rob Stenders will welcome the band in his studio for an interview and a live performance.

The Christmas Rock Night announced the concert schedule of this year's festival. As you may know, the Christmas Rock Night will be on three successive days. Friday December 7th: Mainstage - Tourniquet, Bride, The Violet Burning, Luna Halo, The Normals, Kosher, On A Mission. Alterna-Stage - Noisetoys, Cherubim, Sarah Brendel. Saturday December 8th: Mainstage - Newsboys, Disciple, Living Sacrifice, Earthsuit, Tree 63, The Joy Brigade, Capewalk. Alterna-Stage - Exakt, Brain:FAQ, Crushead. Sunday December 9th 2001: Mainstage: Tait, Saviour Machine, The Electrics, Pax 217, Normal Generation, Space In Your Face, Arson. Alterna-Stage - Mark Sixteen, Morphia, Swirl.

The Christmas Rock Night takes place at Haus Ennepetal, Gasstrasse 10, Ennepetal, Germany. As this event is limited to a maximum of 1.500 people it's recommended to buy tickets early, in particular 3-day tickets or Saturday tickets.

Threshold are planning to record one of the forthcoming European live shows for a possible live CD release. The shows are expected to feature tracks spanning all five of Threshold's studio albums.

Clenchedfist Records has acquired the rights to release the original demo from Living Sacrifice entitled Not Yielding To Ungodly. These are the original three songs submitted to R.E.X. Records, who signed Living Sacrifice and started their career as one of the most respected bands in heavy music today. This CD will also feature a fourth song, which is a rerecording of one of the original songs. This CD will be a limited edition pressing. Not Yielding To Ungodly should be available in September, and will not be in stores.

Soapbox went into the studio to record some new songs.

Selfmindead has been back in the studio. This time they have recorded 3 new songs for the split EP with The Spirit That Guides Us, and a cover song for the upcoming 80's cover compilation that Sally Forth Records will be releasing. The split EP, called The Oslo Compact will be released in October. There has also been a shift in the band. Drummer Michal has left Selfmindead. Marko will take his place behind the drums again. And Ole Børud (formerly of Extol) will take Marko's place as guitarist.

In October the album The Sand, The Barrier of The Spirit That Guides Us will be released.

Ded Poetic will be featured on a compilation from Radio Eat Radio Records. It
will feature bands such as Malfunction, Fade to Fall, Neutral Agreement, and more.
The release date is set for fall 2001.

Friday August 31st 2001

The POD single Alive finally reached #1 in MTV USA's Total Request Live. After debuting last week on #8, the new single stayed on the second position for three days and reached #1 on Tuesday! If you want to support POD you can vote here.

The Canadian death metal band Sympathy has been recording a new album. The record was recorded during July and August. The title is Images Of Fire. How the project is progressing you can hear at their MP3 page. The work on the tracks is still incomplete as choral and orchestral tracks are yet to be recorded. The two songs that you can download are Invocation and Realm Of Disease.

Sad news reached us from the Dutch metal band Crestfall. They have decided to be non active. Reasons for this decision are lack of time, lack of interest and differences of opinion on the direction of the band. It appears that guitarist Karsten is involved with a hardcore band and a different metal project. Jan Wisselink, the other guitarist, will be pursuing his dark ambient/industrial project. The band lets you know that Crestfall isn't disbanded for good but they will let it rest for a while.

Calibretto 13 are going into the studio in late October to record their second album. The band works on the news songs and according to them the songs are great. Expect the release in spring 2002.

Punkband Shorthanded is calling it quits. You can catch them at their last show ever in
Portland, Oregon at Meow Meow on September 7th, 2001 with special guests The Deadlines, All Wound Up and others.

The Juliana Theory is taping an upcoming show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at Club Laga for a live album to be released next year on Tooth & Nail Records. The show is on September 16, 2001 at 6 PM and the cover is $10.

After performing at the CMJ festival this Fall, Living Sacrifice will head out on tour with Blood Has Been Shed, Sky Came Falling and others for a brief tour of the south and then heading to Europe this December. After touring full time for the last year the band will be taking a break this Fall and will begin tracking new material for a new record to be released next year.

Besides playing full time for some time now, Luti Kriss has been tracking a few new songs for a new record that will be recorded in the Spring of next year.

The Dutch rock band Beam released its new single. Title is S.T.E. You can watch and request their video on TMF (Dutch music TV channel). Watch The Box (clipcode 215)!

On September 24th the long awaited first part of the last chapter of the Legend Trilogy by Saviour Machine will be released. Eric Clayton recorded this album with producer Michael Wagener. It's supposed to be the rockiest and hardest Saviour Machine album to date. Also the typical trademarks of the band, the mystic atmosphere of the songs and the charisma of Eric's vocals, can be admired on this record.

Friday August 24th 2001

The new POD album Satellite is now being shipped to stores all across the United States. More than 600,000 units are on their way, which means the album is expected to go gold. Satellite will be out on September 11th. The new video for Alive, the first single, was aired first last Monday through Total Request Live on MTV USA. The next day the video debuted on the TRL list on #8 and yesterday the video ended on #2. If you want to support POD you can vote here. POD has quite some touring coming up, including a European tour in early October.

Further news: For the first time anywhere, there are POD songbooks available. Now you can jam to all POD songs off the Fundamental Elements Of Southtown. The songbook also contains new photos and a handwritten letter from Marcos.

Two weeks ago you could read in this column about the Tomfest debt. Quite some people made contributions which helped reducing their debt greatly. There's still a few thousand due. You can donate via postal mail or online via paypal. The Tomfest receives a lot of free stuff from labels, magazines and bands and they try to pass that along to anyone who donates to them.

Kung Pao Fugitives will hit the studio within the next month to start things up. Producer Michael-Anthony Taylor will be in charge. The Kung Pao Fugitives is an initiative from Jamie Rowe of Guardian fame.

Andrew Schwab, lead vocalist of the band Project 86, has now made his book of writings titled We Caught You Plotting Murder available through the band's website.

It was in air for some time but last week it was made known officially that Kekal signed a licensing deal with Fear Dark. This Dutch company will release Kekal's third full length album The Painful Experience for the European market distribution exclusively.

Friday August 17th 2001

Two weeks ago Art For The Ears moved its mailing list from Listbot to the editor's personal address book. Privacy secured. However, since the move no one joined the list even though it should be easier than ever to join the list. When Art For The Ears still was with Listbot, each week there were one or more people joining the list.

If you're not on the list but would like to know when this site has new interviews, reviews, giveaway contests and message-board interviews, sign up for the list today! Spread the word.

Everyone can join the list for free by sending an e-mail to: Overvest@hetnet.nl and mention that you want to join the list!

The American band Beauty To Ashes have a new EP coming out. Three of the songs can be checked out at the band's MP3 page. Beauty To Ashes plays hardcore with punk and metal influences.

Royal Anguish added two songs of their upcoming album Mysterion to their MP3 page. The songs are One Last Time and Atmosphere. These are in their fully mixed form, but they are not mastered.

M&K Sound is about to release the latest album of   Joshua Perahia. The CD is entitled Something To Say. The album is in the final mix stage and will be available the first week of September. Something To Say was produced by Keith Olsen who is known for his work with Fleetwood Mac, the Scorpions, Heart and Santana. Interestingly, the album will feature Alex Ligertwood of Santana on vocals on four songs, including the single Remembering You. Jason Scheff of Chicago and Rick Baker of Santana are also featured performers on both versions. According to M&K Sound, Something To Say is a fantastic melodic hard rock album, reminiscent of the classic sounds of Journey, Humble Pie, Whitesnake, Black Crowes and others. They have also reissued Joshua Perahia's past albums: The Hand Is Quicker Than The Eye, Chapter One and Surrender.

Transfigural Form has released a special MP3.com D.A.M. CD. This CD comes with half of the insert as a removable coupon entitling the buyer to a free copy of the demo CD. The tracks on the mp3.com CD are Screams Of Abaddon, Fatal, Psalm 57, Heavy Against Me, Darkness/Suffer The Children and When Darkness Becomes The Norm. The CD price is set at the lowest possible price MP3.com will allow ($7.98).

On the 1st of October Metal Blade Records (Europe) will release the new King's X album Manic Moonlight. Right now you can download one of the tracks called Vegetable here.

The Living Sacrifice Tribute CD is now available through Clenchedfist Records. It features thirteen bands with one song each, and the song Desolate by Living Sacrifice. This song Desolate was remastered for this album. The bands on this tribute album are: Mindrage, Crutch, Mordecai, Soul Embraced, Gnashing of Teeth, Kekal, Crimson Thorn, Soterios, Clemency, Mistral, Dwell Beneath, 26 Days Till Freedom and Dirge.

The band Urim from Colombia has a new website.

Excision is now starting to write some new material for the next release entitled Default. According to their record company THT Productions, you can expect another bizarre experimental metal piece. Default is scheduled to be released in December 2001.

BEC Recordings has signed the band .Rod Laver. .Rod Laver has been together for three years. Their debut album for BEC Recordings will be In A Perfect World. This album was produced by Andre Wahl who also worked for Project 86, Kittie and others. "We're super-happy with this album," Rudy says.   "Obviously, the production value is unbelievable. It just sounds huge to me.   It takes the new rock and puts it in a different direction. It's going to a place where not many people have taken it before. A little bit more intelligent, a little bit more about writing songs than 'Hey we rap and then we
scream,' you know what I'm saying? We're trying to push different buttons rather than anger, hurt, those same old sung-about drives that have saturated the market for so long ... though there's still sing-a-longs that kids can come down in the front and pump their fists to!"

Friday August 10th 2001

Disciple released its 72 Hours With Disciple video. Tim Barrett, drummer for the band, also got married to Amber on Saturday July 14th. Congratulations!

After Zao, now Squad Five-O entered the Compound Recording studio to work on their new album. And also Stavesacre will enter the new Tooth & Nail Studio to record three acoustic songs for their upcoming album Collective.

BEC Recordings is working on its third Christmas compilation album, Happy Christmas 3. Some of the bands on this recording will be: Hangnail, O.C. Supertones, Earthsuit, Relient K, Ace Troubleshooter, Slick Shoes, Cadet and more.

Eternal Decision is still working on their new album. They have no release date yet but it should be out this year.

East West news: The band has signed a distribution deal with Epic Records/Sony Music. Furthermore, Epic will be releasing The Light In Guineveres Garden on August 14th. And there are also talks of a fall tour.

The newest Shiloh EP was released four days ago. The EP contains the song Shackles and two other tunes. Shiloh also started to work on their full length album.

The Deadlines have changed the title of their upcoming album. Now the title is Fashion Over Function. The album will be out through Tooth & Nail Records on November 20th 2001.

This year's Tomfest wasn't exactly a financial success. To help pay the bills you can send donations online via their website or by sending donations to Tom Festival, 14608 SE Stephens St, Portland, OR 97233, USA. Tomfest 2002 will take place from Wednesday August 28th through Sunday September 1st. Mark your calendars!

Drummer Billy Queen has left Jacobs Dream. This was made known this week. Billy Queen has joined the band Goliath instead.

Rob Rock has returned to his home studio to start writing and demo-ing songs for his next solo album. He hopes to begin recording the new album later this summer and finish it by the end of the year.

MxPx will be in the studio most time this summer. The band will be recording their next full length record. First of all MxPx is working on and demo-ing some 40 songs that Mike Herrera wrote last year. This work takes place at the Club House Studio where the Renaissance EP was recorded.

MxPx is also featured on a video called The Show Volume I. The Show is a television show that airs in Los Angeles, USA, and features live footage and interviews with punk bands. The video features highlights from the first season. The MxPx segment has an interview with the band plus footage from the Warped Tour. The Show Volume I was released by Side One Dummy.

Friday August 3rd 2001

You may have noticed that the mailing-list for Art For The Ears is now moved from Listbot. As Listbot was asking money for their mailing services, I decided to move the entire mailing-list to my own address book. Interestingly, it's much easier to sign up for the mailing-list now! If you're not on the list but want to be kept up to date about this site, send an E-mail to Overvest@hetnet.nl with Subscribe in the subject field. That's all! Or fill in the form you can find on the bottom of this page. Art For The Ears welcomes anyone who wants to join our forces!

The band Deuteronomium is no more. This Finnish band was started back in 1993 and released a few demos and CD's. According to the band's website, Deuteronomium died in 2001 after a long disease.

Deliverance switched managements. The Edge Management Group will no longer represent the band in management capacities. Now Mulder Management is representing the band. Deliverance recently played the Cornerstone Festival to present their new album Assimilation. The band also recorded the Live @ Cornerstone CD that will be released this fall when they tour in support of the Assimilation album. Deliverance is also invited to play this year's Milwaukee Metal Fest on Saturday August 11th. As you may know, the Milwaukee Metal Fest is one of the world's premiere hard music festivals.

The first names for the Christmas Rock Night 2001 are made known: Disciple, Tourniquet, The Violet Burning, Luna Halo, Pax 2:17, Newsboys, Bride, The Normals and Tree 63. Interestingly, this German Festival will now be a three day event on 7, 8, 9 December 2001 in Haus Ennepetal in Ennepetal (near Wuppertal), Germany.

Fine China are gearing up to record their second full length for Tooth & Nail Records in October.  Their follow-up album is tentatively titled You Make Me Hate Music.

The band Slechtvalk is beginning to take shape. Besides Shamgar the band seems to have a drummer and a second guitarist. Slechtvalk is still searching for a bassist and a keyboardist. When you're interested you can mail to: feardark@hotmail.com. The band is planning to search for a rehearsal room in the city of Utrecht, Holland.

The new CD of King's X is Manic Moonlight. On the album the following songs will appear: Believe; Manic Moonlight; Yeah; False Alarm; Static; Skeptic Winds; The Other Side; Vegetable; Jenna; Water Ceremony. The album was produced by guitarist Ty Tabor and will be released on the first of October through Metal Blade Records.

The OC Supertones just signed an exclusive deal with the William Morris booking agency. William Morris handles national and international booking for many artist including Bad Religion, Sixpence None The Richer, Goo Goo Dolls, Bee Gees, The Roots, Al Green, Whitney Houston, Sting, and many more. "It's great to hook up with such a powerful team," long-time Supertones member Darren Mettler was quoted as saying.  "When we met with them a few weeks ago, we were so impressed in how they had so much excitement in wanting to work with us.  I think we have a full-on great team working for us, and with us."  The Supertones will actually have two agents responsible for the band; one in the CCM market, and one in Los Angeles for the general market.

There's an MP3 page for the solo work of Todd Pope. This page now has three songs from the upcoming Pope album Unleashed that you can download: King Of The Blood, From Beyond Time, Where Darkness Has No Place. The songs are instrumental and don't expect death metal in the vein of Pope's band Transfigural Form though.