Friday November 28th 2003

BTS Records released a live album from Leviticus: Live At Bobfest 2003. Leviticus was one of the groundbreaking bands in hard rock. Started in 1981, Leviticus recorded four studio albums until their untimely end in 1990. The live album is not just a moment of past glory. In fact, Leviticus is getting ready to record the first new studio album in almost fifteen years. Expect this release out by DOT Music in spring 2004.

Jacobs Dream recorded another demo with their friend Chaz Bond of Biogenesis on vocals. This demo was sent to Metal Blade Records for review. Soon the label will have a company meeting in Florida to decide when the band will be sent back into the studio.

Last week you could read about the next Blindside album. About A Burning Fire will be in stores on February 24th 2004. Interestingly, there also a guest appearance on the album from Billy Corgan, formerly of the Smashing Pumpkins.

Solid State Records signed a new band: Haste The Day, from Indianapolis. The band's debut record was recently recorded with Barry Poynter. The album should be out in March 2004.

Payable On Death, the new POD record, is expected to be certified Gold in the USA. POD also announced they will be playing the Cornerstone Festival next year.

Strike First Records made the Broken Pledge EP from Alove For Enemies available. It will be in stores in a few weeks. The debut from Silence The Epilogue will be available on December 12th.

Friday November 21st 2003

An upcoming release on Elektra is About A Burning Fire from Blindside. This album was produced by Howard Benson. Blindside opened a new website where, for a limited time, you can download the title track.

The Swedish band Veni Domine still has no definite news as to the future of the band. Torbjörn: "There's  been rumours out that the band might split, and of course, at times, we've considered that an option, to pull the plug on something that wouldn't move anyway or anywhere. For 16 years we fought the good fight and are not willing to give up without knowing that there was no more left to do. So please, bare with us a while longer as time will work in our favour this time, we pray anyway."

Demon Hunter are in the Compound Studio in Seattle to finish up their next record Summer Of Darkness. There will be guest background vocals from Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage), Michael Williams (The Agony Scene), Brock Lindow (36 Crazyfists) and Trevor McNevan (Thousand Foot Krutch). The album should be out late Spring 2004.

Underoath has a new vocalist: Spencer Chamberlain, formerly of the band This Runs Through. The band will be recording the follow up to The Changing Of Times in February along with James Wisner.

TwoThirtyEight released a final CD. This disc is entitled El Libro De Recuerdos, also known as The Scrapbook. The album combines the first two releases from the band.

Friday November 14th 2003

Turn The Page is the debut album from Tower, a new melodic hard rock outfit. Singer for Tower is Jerry Gabriel, known for his work on the latest Joshua Perahia album Something To Say. Tower is inspired by bands like Queensryche and Whitesnake. Expect an album with majestic anthems en well crafted ballads. Front Row Seat Media will release this album, as well as a Joshua Perahia live album.

The new POD album Payable On Death debuted on #9 in the Billboard chart.

Innocent Blood, the 1989 album from the Resurrection Band (back then known as Rez), is reissued.

CutThroat, the new album from The Deal, will be mastered this week. The band is returning to their oi/hardcore roots. Expect an MP3 soon.

The Danish band Day Of Disaster will release their EP And In The Darkness Bind Them in January. Style wise you can expect doom/black metal and it will be released through SneeuwStorm Produkties in The Netherlands.

The Dutch formation Heksennacht entered their home studio to record the demo Nacht Der Galgedood. This time the black metal should be purer and deeper of shape. The release is planned for early March 2004 through SneeuwStorm Produkties.

Evig Mörke from Norway is recording the follow up to their 1997 demo. Tentative title: Under A Black Sky Of Blasphemy. Evig Mörke plays raw black metal with some keyboards. This demo should be out in December.

Winterkou, from The Netherlands, is recording again. Expect their third demo Strijdend Voor Het Vaderland. This demo will be produced by Halfvergaan Paddenstoelenlijk. Expect a release date in January. Musically the demo will also contain fast keyboardblack metal.

Death Poems, from Brazil, put a new MP3 on the internet. If you like to you can download the song called By The Light Of Perfection. This is one of the tracks of the upcoming CD.

Friday November 7th 2003

Former Galactic Cowboys bassist Monty Colvin returns with his second Crunchy album. This independent release is titled Clown School Dropout and was released on October 30th. The album was recorded in Colvin's Freakboy Studio with producer Jeff Scheetz. If you want to get an idea of the new album, you can download an MP3 from Gravity Free Burn. The song is called Psycho Ex-Girlfriend.

On Saturday October 25th the guys from Morphia entered their private studio to start pre-production on the next album. They expect to enter the studio for the official recordings in March next year. Currently ten songs are being worked on. Guitarist Martin Koedoot: "All deep emotional songs, but lot of differences in style throughout the album.
It's really heavy riffs, atmospheric doom, and acoustic stuff all together in a real Morphia way."

Payable On Death, the new album from POD, is out now.

Marcus Beck is the new bassist for Seventh Avenue. The first chance to see him live is at the Nordic Fest. Early next year Seventh Avenue will record a new album.

Mid November an announcement will be made by Veni Domine about the future of the band.

Kosher is recording their debut album Rezurekt. This disc will be released by Steelhouse Records.

A new release from BEC Recordings is Under Museum Quality Glass from Pivitplex.

Friday October 31st 2003

Disciple has been filming for the past few months for an upcoming DVD. This DVD will contain a live performance at the Cornerstone Festival, as well as footage from the band on the road and in their hometown. Expect this disc in stores in January.

Fallen, the new album from Evanescence, has been certified triple platinum. The band was also voted Best International New Artist at the MTV Latin Awards. Right now Evanescence is nominated for the Favorite Pop/Rock Album award at the American Music Awards. They will perform at the American Music Awards on November 16th. Evanescence are nominated for three awards (best group, best new act, best song) at the MTV Europe Awards. This event takes place on November 6th.

The full release of Wake Up The Dead, the Blissed album, will happen on February 3rd 2004. The retail version will include at least one bonus track in addition to the twelve songs on the website release. The band will also be off to Europe before the new year. One of the shows will take place at Winter Wonder Rock, in The Netherlands.

The second album from Encryptor, from Panama, was released through Dysmorphic Records.

Will You, the new single from POD, reached #1 on MTV USA's Total Request Live.

MTV USA's programme Extreme Rock features the video for We Bury Our Dead At Dawn, from The Agony Scene. You can now vote for this video.

On January 27th 2004, the debut album from Emery will come out. The title for this disc is The Weak's End. You can download the album version of the song Walls from AbsolutePunk.net.

On November 21st & 22nd the Nordic Fest will take place. Three bands were added to the line-up: Veni Domine, Vardøger & The Cross.

Friday October 24th 2003

Stryper will be filming a live DVD tonight! This event takes place at the Ogden Theater in Denver, Colorado, USA. The release date for the Stryper Seven Tour 2003 DVD is not announced, yet.

Here's some more information about the break-up news from the Dutch rock band Screen. As drummer David decided to go for a different musical direction, and guitarist David expects his second child, and needs to step back, the others decided to quit. There are plans to record the latest songs at home and put them on a burned CD. 

On November 9th the first soundclip of Welcome To The Revolution will be released. This album will be released through 3 Chords Records and features many famous artists, including Lou Gramm, Bob Carlisle, Michael Sweet, John Schlitt, Jamie Rowe, Harry Hess, Ken Tamplin, Jeff Fenholt and Robert Fleischman. The release party for this disc takes place in Peoria, Illinois, USA, on March 20th 2004.

Facedown Records' band The Deal finished up recording their new album Cut Throat. They are now mixing and mastering it. Expect an MP3 soon.

Jeff, from Kekal, has this side project called Excision for seven years now. However, he decided to change the name into Solaraid. Jeff: "I felt that Excision, as a band name, is no longer suitable for our current musical direction". Over the last three years, Excision moved from industrialized, technical death metal to a darker, post-modern rock band. Solaraid is currently recording material for an album.

Friday October 17th 2003

Sanctifica decided to quit. However, the members started a new band called As A Reminder. There are new songs and a new sound.

On the Nordic Fest Vardøger will release the Whitefrozen EP. The festival is on November 21st in Oslo, Norway. The tracks on the CD are: Desert Pale, Footprints of Thunder, Inferno, Whitefrozen and Silent Witness.

Recently you could read in this column that Sacrificium got a new bass-player. Now, another German death metal band is looking for a bassist! Acoustic Torment from the Schwarzwald area is in desperate search for replacement.

Stairway is featured on the compilation CD Defenders Of Metal. Their song Under The Gun is getting good feedback.

On saturday December 13th the Peacedog Winter Festival will be held in Ede, The Netherlands. Bands that will appear are: Zao, Benea Reach, xBrutal Fightx, Martyr AD, The Underwater, Eden Maine, Last Hour Of Torment, Today Forever. The festival takes place in De Kei, Peppelensteeg, Ede, Holland. Doors open 15:00. Entrance € 17,50.

The next Fear Dark Festival will be from March 12 through March 14th.

The video for We Bury Our Dead At Dawn from The Agony Scene debuted on MTV's Extreme Rock. You can vote for this video.

A radio show called Del Otro Lado in Argentina is available on the internet now.

Friday October 10rd 2003

Unfortunate news comes from the Dutch alternative rock band Screen. They've decided to quit. An official statement will come forth soon. According to guitarist Tobias they've parted ways in peace and they're still as good friends as they always were.

Markus from Megiddon has started a new project called Renascent. The music is atmospheric, progressive and melodic death metal. There are eighteen songs ready.

Ganglion will be recording a new demo this weekend in pursuit of a record-deal. Their new website will be up shortly at ganglion-music.com.

Threshold have finished mixing the audio for their upcoming Critical Energy DVD and double CD. The concert was recorded in The Netherlands earlier this year. The DVD will also include some special features including a documentary of Threshold on tour and footage from the band's performance at ProgPower USA last year. Critical Energy will be out through Inside Out Music in January.

One of the guitarist of Brain:FAQ and their drummer started a project with guys from hardcore band Acid and crossover formation Strange Ahead. The project is called Thumb Racer. They're making dirty rock 'n roll. The plans are to record a promo CD next month.

The new Project 86 album Songs To Burn Your Bridges By is out now. This record is only available through Team Black Recordings, in other words, you can order it from the P86 website.

Royal Anguish have finally finished the Mysterion CD. There are ten songs on the disc, including Atmosphere, My Own Despair, Autumn Sorrow and the bonus track Moonlight. You can download the song My Own Despair from the band's MP3.com page. This track features the new female vocalist Katy Decker. Mysterion will be released through Sounds Of The Dead Records on October 31st.

Fighting Jacks released a new MP3 on their MP3.com page.The track Whirlpools is taken from The Dying Art Of Life album which will be out on October 21st through Tooth & Nail Records.

Another MP3 you might want to download, is Rawkfist. This is a song from the new Thousand Foot Krutch album Phenomenon. Find this one on MP3.com as well.

A new Brazilian progressive metal band is Apeiron. They've released the CD Wrong Way.

Windows users might like to check out a four song live gig from Petra. This windows media file can be found on singer John W. Schlitt's page. The gig was recorded at TBN and features Petra's new drummer.

Friday October 3rd 2003

Atlantic Records, Sony Computer Entertainment and POD are collaborating to release the first-ever CD/Playstation®2 videogame package. The first one million copies of P.O.D.'s new album Payable On Death will include an exclusive bonus PlayStation®2 DVD. This DVD contains a videogame track from the critically acclaimed PlayStation 2 music game title Amplitude which features the song Space from POD. Space is a newly recorded song that won't appear on the album itself. The DVD disc will also feature a 50-minute behind-the-scenes documentary called Inside P.O.D. Culture and a special feature on Daniel Martin Diaz, the artist who created the paintings and sketches for the Payable On Death package.

News from The Spirit That Guides Us. Good Fellow Records will release their The Sand, The Barrier album in the USA in January. In December the band will return to the studio to record their new CD and part of a DVD. The CD is planned to be released in March and the DVD in September.

Dead Poetic are now in Seattle where they started recording with Aaron Sprinkle.

On October 21st the new This Is Solid State Volume 4 CD/DVD will be in stores. This two disc collection features a CD with songs from bands as The Agony Scene, Stretch Arm Strong, Beloved and others. The other disc is a DVD with every video Solid State Records ever released.

Zao is planning to record a new album. This might happen before the end of the year. Former vocalist Dan Weyandt is no longer in the band. A new vocalist will be announced.

Encryptor from Panama will release their second album Sermon Decay. On their MP3.com page you can download a song from the album. The song is called Rebrutalization.