King Diamond Reissues

"Andy LaRocque re-mastered both records and you can really hear more details and sounds that I remember recording but didn't come through in the original mastering. The records have much more bottom end this time around. There's even more details and clarity than the original version and you'll hear things you've never heard before in both releases. Andy did a great job re-mastering and improving these albums above and beyond my expectations. The artwork has also been completely redone for Spiders and Graveyard and is just amazing. I did not expect them to come out this good and am just completely thrilled with the result. - more on this story

Oppressor Revisited

MVD reports: Mortal Music and MVD Audio are proud to announce the release of Oppressor's The Solstice of Agony and Corrosion on November 3rd worldwide.

Despite being listed as an influence by such renowned metal acts as God Forbid and Shadows Fall, the Chicago, IL-based Oppressor largely fell under the metallic radar during their years as an active band (1991-1999).

But now, ten years after they ceased to be, highlights from all three of Oppressor's studio albums will be highlighted on the forthcoming fourteen-track compilation, The Solstice of Agony and Corrosion. - more on this story

Aeon Replace Member

PR reports: Aeon part ways with Max Carlberg and recruit new bass player as they head into the studio to their record new album. "First of all we want to state that Max is a great bass player and a real nice person. Unfortunately, he couldn't handle the life on the road all that well. We noticed how he struggled through the last tour we did. He really loves the actual moment on stage, but everything else around that comes with the life on the road was just a great deal of pain for him. So both AEON and Max agreed that this way of life wasn't exactly made for him. Being on tour in a not so known death metal band like AEON often means really tough conditions and bad economy. We totally understand that not everyone can put up with this way of life. There are no hard feelings from any of the parts. We would like to thank Max for the time with the band and we wish him all the best with his future endeavors. Take care bro."

"When one leaves, a new one has to come…and there is no difference in this case. Our new bass player is a great, well experienced musician who is really into death metal. We think that this guy is absolutely perfect for the spot. So let's rise the horns high and welcome our new bass player, Victor Brandt (TOTALT JÄVLA MÖRKER, former SATYRICON touring bassist) to AEON. We are looking forward to all the great death metal madness we got ahead of us with our new member." - more on this story

Vic Chesnutt Recruits Fugazi, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Silver Mt. Zion Members for Tour

PR reports: This fall Vic Chesnutt will embark on a six-week North American tour in support of At the Cut, the Athens, GA-based singer-songwriter's latest effort.

The touring band features Fugazi's Guy Picciotto and members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Silver Mt. Zion, all of whom collaborated with Chesnutt on the new album which is out September 22 on Constellation Records.

Recorded by former Arcade Fire member Howard Bilerman at Montreal's Hotel2Tango studio (the same location where the band recorded North Star Deserter), At the Cut focuses on themes of cowardice, courage, mortality, tenacity, defiance, mourning and memory. The opening track, "Coward," was originally written for director (and Chesnutt collaborator) Jem Cohen's Empires of Tin and premiered in a live performance by Chesnutt and his band at the 2007 Vienna Film Festival. Reflecting the broad stylistic range of contributors on the album, the songs on At the Cut span the musical spectrum from classic Vic Chesnutt solo acoustic tracks to the sweeping walls of noise and snarling, angular guitars trademarked by his many collaborators. To be made available on CD and LP, the album's artwork features original and found photography by Jem Cohen. - more on this story

Hoots & Hellmouth Harvest Tour

PR reports: Hoots & Hellmouth (MAD Dragon) are pleased to announce the launch of their fall activities, including a "Harvest Tour" of regional farms followed by an extensive romp around the US co-headlining with Anti- Records artist William Elliott Whitmore.

Deepening their commitment to local farm/food concerns, Hoots & Hellmouth are working in conjunction with farmers from Virginia to Central Pennsylvania to produce a series of events celebrating and publicizing community supported agriculture (CSAs), farm markets and other local-sustainable initiatives.

The band will visit these farms, participate in the harvest and preparation of the local bounty, and then perform on site. In addition to the rustic farm settings, a few performances will also take place at farmers markets and farm school centers along the way. - more on this story

Re: Aktor Debut To Be Reissued

MMP reports: Re: Aktor is definitely one of the most intriguing bands on the entire Portuguese metal scene. Their extremely well-balanced mixture of industrial and thrash metal makes up for a true musical phenomenon, comparable to the style of such acts as Fear Factory or Mnemic. With "Zero Order", the group gave the world one of the finest releases in the history of modern metal, perfectly joining brutal heaviness with cybernetic melodies.

"Zero Order", the band's debut album, was originally released on September 29th, 2003. Mastered by George Marino (known from working with such acclaimed artists as Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Coldplay and Led Zeppelin) at the famous Sterling Sound Studios in New York, the album proved to be a remarkable example of modern, ambitious metal. Rough, aggressive guitars, mixed with various samples and electronics gave "Zero Order" an incredible industrial vibe, backed with the astonishing vocal performance by Rui Duarte, who easily combines harsh grunts with clean, melodic singing. Perhaps the most representative track on the entire album is the song called "Damage Zone", a blend of Fear Factory-driven riffage and grunge-inspired choruses. The band decided to shoot a promotional video for this track – this resulted in an absolutely amazing clip with an intriguing storyline and lots of computer-generated special effects. "Zero Order" received a handful of positive opinions from the critics, who praised the group for their stylistic variety and passionate songwriting.

Metal Mind Productions will re-release "Zero Order" on 5th October in Europe and 1st December in USA (via MVD). New digipak edition is limited to 2000 copies. Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on a golden disc. - more on this story

Cherry Poppin Guitar

PR reports: Cherry Poppin' Daddies' leader Steve Perry has teamed up with Gibson Guitars on a new release from world-renowned Gibson USA: the Gibson Zoot Suit SG model guitar.

The guitar has made quite a colorful statement to guitarists and music-fans alike with its unique and radical appearance and underlying theme song, the band's hit "Zoot Suit Riot" .

Perry plans to perform with his brand new guitar in front of skanking crowds everywhere while the band tours (tour dates below) in support their upcoming album releases, "Susquehanna" and "Skaboy JFK: the Skankin' hits of the Cherry Poppin' Daddies," both due in stores on September 29, 2009. - more on this story

Hawk Nelson Premiere Video Online

PR reports: Today the pop rock foursome, Hawk Nelson, premieres their debut single music video from forthcoming album Live Life Loud on MySpace.com.

The video is currently playing via a link on the homepage under the music tab of the social networking founder (). Hawk Nelson will release Live Life Loud on this Tuesday, September 22nd on BEC Recordings / Tooth & Nail Records.

Next week (September 24th), Hawk Nelson kicks off their release weekend with the opening night of Skillet's "Alive and Awake" tour.
- video and dates here

HORSE the band Ten Track Bonus

Vagrant reports: When HORSE the band release their Vagrant debut, Desperate Living, on October 6, fans who buy the album through iTunes will also receive ten bonus tracks that include remixes by some of HTB's favorite artists and friends.

The tracks will also be included in the upcoming vinyl version (details TBA) of Desperate Living - an album inspired by John Waters' film of the same name and by the band's DIY experiences of the last few years.

Fate or Destiny? is the name for HORSE the band's headlining tour with Iwrestledabearonce that kicks off on October 2 in Fort Worth, TX and currently wraps in San Jose, CA on October 16. The band goes overseas for the Never Say Die club tour and then once back in the US, they join up with Norma Jean as hand-selected openers on the Explosions 2009 tour that begins November 25 in Pomona, CA at the legendary Glass House. - more on this story

.... MorleyView: Chad Smith (Bombastic Meatbats- Red Hot Chili Peppers and Chickenfoot)<

Most people know The Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer is part of the supergroup Chickenfoot. In addition to that, Smith has started a new band called Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats, Morley spoke with Chad about how the Meatbats came to be. - Read the full Chad Smith (Bombastic Meatbats- Red Hot Chili Peppers and Chickenfoot) MorleyView

. Pearl Jam Month: Binaural

Pearl Jam released Binaural in 2000. After years of wandering in the wilderness, the band finally embraced what they are. A rock band. You cannot add any other genre definitions. They are a rock band writing rock songs performing rock concerts. - Read the full Pearl Jam Month: Binaural review

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