thelastcoolgrind

Can't make it to Europe this June for one of the seven Sonisphere "Big Four" shows featuring Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax? No problem. The Sonisphere concert in Sofia, Bulgaria will be broadcast exclusively in high quality HD-format in 800 movie theaters across the world (450 US movie theaters, and 350 theaters across Europe, Canada, and Latin America).

These theater shows will feature nearly four hours of live performances (so each band's entire set will not be shown) and behind-the-scenes footage.
Tickets for the one night only event are available at the local theater box offices and online at thebigfourlive.com where you can see a complete list of presenting theaters. Tickets will start to go on sale Friday, May 21 in the USA and Friday, May 28 internationally.

(Note that ticket on sale times and even days will vary by theatre, so check with your friendly neighborhood participating movie theatre for exact days and times tickets will be available and keep watching thebigfourlive.com for theatre additions/changes.)

Delayed screenings for Australia, South Africa and New Zealand will be announced later.


For the USA:

Presented by NCM Fathom, this one night event will be simulcast exclusively in select movie theaters on Tuesday, June 22nd at 7:30 pm (local time). Ticket prices in the US will be around $20 plus whatever service charges your local theater may add.

Click here for a list of all participating US movie theaters.


For Europe:

Info tba soon. Keep an eye on thebigfourlive.com for updates.

We Are The Fallen's Carly Smithson talks Drag Me to Hell's inspiration on "Bury Me Alive," working with Jaime King, making Madonna evil and a "William Wallace" end in this exclusive with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino
We Are The Fallen have officially begun haunting modern rock with their debut album, Tear the World Down, out now.

Tear the World Down conjures a heavy gothic hum that's reminiscent of both HIM and Type O Negative, however, We Are the Fallen's lush orchestral strings and guitars fuel their flight into a realm all their own. At the center of the band's epic sound is vocalist Carly Smithson.

Her voice stirs up a torrent of emotions and feelings over the course of the album, and it seamlessly bonds to Ben Moody's [Ex-Evanescence] viscerally visionary compositions. First single "Bury Me Alive" surges with palpable dark energy, especially during its music video starring and directed by none other than Jaime King.

We Are The Fallen's Carly Smithson sat down with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino for this exclusive interview about how Drag Me to Hell inspired "Bury Me Alive," working with Jaime King and the epic "William Wallace" moment at the end of Tear the World Down.

Do you feel like Tear the World Down came together quite naturally?

We worked very hard and not really at all [Laughs]. It was crazy! It was very fluid. I've never been in such a perfect environment. It was amazing to be with four other people that completely understand each other and me. It was an incredible experience, and it will be for the next hundred years!

Did you all instantly click?

Honestly, I met Ben [Moody] one week and, maybe three weeks later, we were announced as a band and had a single. Our original plan wasn't to put out a record; it was to put out two songs every eight weeks. When we sat down to do two songs, we did about 15, so we created a record very fast. It was weird.

At the same time, it probably feels like you've had this record forever.

These are moments, memories and things we've been holding onto. A lot of the songs are ideas that we'd wanted to write about for ages but it wasn't the right situation in the past. There's a song called "St. John." I had the idea for that song for a long time, but it would've been weird to many songwriters. To these guys, it's not. John gave me this incredibly crazy track that was just the perfect combination of music and theme. It creates this Wizard of Oz meets "This Is Halloween" story. As soon as I heard the track, it was perfect for the concept I had.

There are a lot of stories on the record. Is storytelling central to your writing?

Of course! Nothing, other than one song, comes from an imaginary place. Everything is a memory or life experience. I believe there's only one song that was actually written after I read a book. I wrote "Don't Leave Me Behind" after I read New Moon. That's the only fictional piece on the record. Everything else is very precious to us and a great story or memory. I believe there's something for everybody. People who listen to this record are going to be able to relate to everything that we've all had going on in all of our lives. Our band name is We Are the Fallen; we've all had so many ups and downs—the hard knocks in our lives—but you have to turn them into positives and create. Embrace all of your flaws and your darkest, deepest moments.

If you were to compare this album to a movie, what would you compare it to?

Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet, Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands and Braveheart! We wanted this to be a record that you could listen to and visualize everything going on. It's a very epic album. For "Tear the World Down" at the end, I almost want one of the band members to come over the hill on a horse and give a speech like William Wallace or something [Laughs]. It's a crazy ending! A lot of bands sit down and they have these ideas of what they need to put out into the world. We didn't really do that. We just got creative and said, "What do we want? What is the record of our dreams that we've always wanted?" We wanted long, orchestral pieces, strings and songs that went on forever. Our label was super-supportive of all our ideas. There was no compromise made. We just decided we were going to achieve everything we ever wanted to. We went ahead and recorded whatever came into our brains. "Tear the World Down" is like a story from a victim's point of view—just about lost hope and lost love. It's so incredibly epic, and the music hits you right in the chest. It's about someone who is such a victim for so many years that they've just agreed to be the victim forever and let life continue and pass them by. From the beginning, we knew it was going to be the end of the record. It has such power to it that you come to this climactic point and it drops. It's like angels are singing you out of the album. We had a full 37-piece choir come in, and we had massive strings that we did in two days because there were so many of them.

Was the concept for the "Bury Me Alive" something you came up with or Jaime King?

It was really bizarre. I'd started the song in Atlanta and when I met the boys that was the icebreaker that started the whole record. It was the first song we did together. We saw Drag Me to Hell one night and, at the end of the movie, the girl falls into a grave. It's raining, and she's trying to get out. We were like, "That's really cool!" I'd left California and gone back to Atlanta where it's quite Southern. I'd been in the entertainment industry for so long and I had so many people that I watched success and fame ruin. They were so pure and lovely, and they fell to the earth. I'd watched the industry consume them and them consume themselves. It's like that line, "I watched you let yourself die." You let the awesome person you are just waste away and now you're just that networker or social butterfly. It's basically that "You stabbed me in the back to get ahead" kind of lyric. After seeing Drag Me to Hell, I changed the lyric to "Bury Me Alive" at the beginning. It means the same thing, but it's a little bit more visual. When we got the treatment in, we'd never met Kyle or Jaime before, but they just had this vision that was mirroring what we were feeling when we were putting together the song. It was honestly perfect. We all agreed on it unanimously. It was like they'd been in our brains. They hit the nail on the head with everything down to a "T". The video complimented the song perfectly with the stained glass—even to be somewhere that was so creepy, because it was a graveyard and a mausoleum, it was so beautiful that you forgot where you were. It had such beautiful marble in the flooring, and everything about it was so stunning.

Was working with Jaime especially easy because she's an actress?

Definitely! For me, I believe Jaime was a massive influence. To have an actress there when you're doing your scenes is incredibly helpful. I'm connecting with lyrics very differently than when I do it on stage. When I'm on stage, I'm in myself and in the moment. On camera, I have to pass it on to the viewer. To have Jaime there coaching me and pulling this emotion out of me was amazing. I definitely learned a lot from her in that day.

Why'd you choose to cover "Like a Prayer?"

We had talked about covers for awhile. Ben went camping on a weekend trip and called us saying, "Let's pick the most obvious pop song ever and change it! Make it sound haunting and evil." So we chose "Like a Prayer." It was such a perfect idea. Who's more iconic than Madonna? She's been an inspiration to so many people including myself. As a first cover, it's so left-field but not. It just works. We had the choir come in and we were chanting and laughing at the end. There are tribal drums. It's just this massive wall of sound. It's a really incredible piece. The bridge feels like Hell has opened up and is hooking you down. It's a very dark bridge when it comes out of that second chorus. It's wonderful to sing.

What records shaped you?

For me, it probably started out with theater like Les Miserables and big operas like Madame Butterfly. When I was a kid, I'd listen to that stuff. I was never into New Kids On The Block, Take That or whatever the boy bands were. I'd always steal my brother's records like Metallica, Iron Maiden and Fleetwood Mac. He'd have those in his bedroom, and I'd go in and scratch the hell out of him because I didn't even know how to use his record player. I always loved Heart. Ann Wilson's voice made me want to better myself every day. You try and live up to a standard of vocals like that. Nobody could ever accomplish what that woman could accomplish with her voice. It's insanely incredible. I was so interested, inspired and intrigued by her voice. Another big inspiration was Shirley Manson from Garbage. I saw her when I was about 15. She was opening up for Alanis Morissette at the Anaheim Pond. That was such an incredible experience. Marilyn Manson was a big influence too. I've had so many. For me as a female, it'd have to be Ann Wilson and Heart. I watched her walk out on the stage at the Greek in LA and she commands everybody. It looks effortless, and you feel like she's pulling you in.

You'll have to do a song with her.

I would fucking love that! That would be a dream. I got to meet her and Nancy when I was in Los Angeles. I met them at Idol Gives Back. They were amazing! They heard that I covered "Crazy On You" on the show, and it was a really incredible. You wait your whole life to meet your idols, you meet them and it's over [Laughs].

—Rick Florino
05.13.10

Bullet For My Valentine have announced details of an upcoming winter arena tour of the UK.

Playing in support of their third album 'Fever', which was released last month, the Welsh group will begin the jaunt at Birmingham's NIA on December 6.

Meanwhile, the band are set to issue the single 'Your Betrayal' on July 12, plus will appear at the Download and Sonisphere festivals this summer.

Bullet For My Valentine will play the following:

Birmingham NIA (December 6)
Manchester MEN (8)
Glasgow SECC (9)
Cardiff CIA (11)
London Wembley Arena (12)

To check the availability of Bullet For My Valentine tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.

Diamond Rings - the ex-jock anti-hero dolling up Toronto’s plaid apocalypse
The party-stained carpets of this loft apartment – overlooking the leafy Roncesvalles neighbourhood of Toronto – are littered with records. Janet Jackson obscures Arthur Russell and Lou Barlow peers out from behind the gaudy sleeve of Culture Beat’s 1993 Eurodance smash ‘Mr Vain’.
The colours of the sleeves clash with the strewn pink and turquoise eye-shadow compacts, the ruby lipstick and the blusher pots, all of which John O’Regan will daub on to perform as Diamond Rings later this evening.
John gets dressed up pretty when he goes out, because he is a fucking star. And all the better a one for not having always known it; he was raised a “full-on jock” in a “small industrial town” called Oshawa. “They make cars there,” John says. “My parents wanted me to work in the factory one summer… Chose a different path, I suppose.” Watch his video for ‘Wait & See’ and witness the birth of a real underground hero. Real because O’Regan, 24, is such an perplexing tower of contradiction that he can only be authentic. Scraping 7ft, he’s built like a mechanic. But here he is covered in make-up, leading clunking choreographed dance routines in the middle of the street. Ever seen a man in nail varnish and zebra-print leggings slam-dunk mid-chorus?

Androgyny’s easy for wet lads. John O’Regan moves and shrugs like the coyest girl at secondary school, but sings like Ian McCulloch. He’s got presence. Ever get heckled, John? “It can be high-fives one minute, then idiots yelling ‘Nice tights!’ depending what block I’m on,” he laughs. “It comes with the territory, doesn’t it? I’m doing this to stand out.”
Close your eyes and John’s contradictions remain. ‘Wait & See’ is forged from post-punk guitars, but is intrinsically POP! Since moving to Toronto, he’s avoided the “plaid-wearing, self-deprecating” hipsters deifying local bores such as Broken Social Scene. “I’m ‘Diamond Rings’ because I wanted it to be glam, fun, poppy, shiny – everything music from Toronto isn’t,” he smiles nervously. Joyfully self-aware, John O’Regan shines. But Diamond Rings is the star.
Need To Know
• John O'Regan aka Diamond Rings’ keyboard is borrowed from his friend’s mother
• ‘Nasty Boys’ by Janet Jackson is his favourite song of all time
• He’s “handy with a saw” and recently built himself a new bed
http://www.myspace.com/diamondringsmusic

Social Distortion have updated their Twitter with this news: "The album is tracked... finishing up writing and getting ready to head back into the studio to record vocals."

The band, who recently signed to Epitaph Records, will release their new album in the fall. The record will be the band's first of all new material since 2004's Sex, Love and Rock ’n’ Roll. It will also be their first release with a new lineup consisting of Mike Ness (vocals, guitar), Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham (guitar) and Brent Harding (bass). There has been no confirmation whether drummer Atom Willard (who left last March) or his replacement Scott Reeder has been involved in the recording.

In addition to a new album, Social Distortion will tour the U.S. this summer with Dan Sartain and The Action Design. The tour kicks off July 27 in Poughkeepsie, NY and makes seven stops in the Northeast before the band heads to Chicago for an August 7 main stage performance at this year's Lollapalooza. Dates with Dan Sartain and The Action Design resume in Green Bay, Wisconsin on August 8. Check out those dates here.

On Wednesday 3rd June 2010 at the Black Dog Ballroom, Church Street, Manchester (5pm to 8pm) The Sophie Lancaster Foundation is launching a collection of outstanding paintings created by Robert Maltby, the boyfriend of murdered Sophie Lancaster.
“Saturday 11th August 2007 is a date I remember, sadly due to the vicious assault on two young adults, Robert Maltby and Sophie Lancaster. You may well be thinking ‘well attacks happen all the time’ but I remember this date because like them I also listened to alternative music and I chose to dress in a certain way – just like you did. I remember this date because Sophie Lancaster was brutally murdered – why? Not because of what she said or did, but simply because of the way she looked.
This tragic story shocks me now as much as it did back in 2007 and with this upcoming art exhibition Fender through our Jackson brand we strive to help to change peoples attitudes towards subcultures and raise awareness of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation” Helen Varley, Marketing Manager, Fender Musical Instruments GBI. Robert’s collection celebrates Sophie and all that she believed in.
The exhibition of thought provoking paintings, which are on sales to raise proceeds for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, is to run for a subsequent four weeks and is being held at Manchester’s iconic Afflecks, with the launch of the exhibition being held in the sumptuous Black Dog Ballroom bar.
Jackson Guitars have donated a JS Dinky guitar which Robert has painted and it will be auctioned off on the night of the launch party.
This summer Jackson will be taking along a guitar to all the festivals and award shows with the aim to get it signed by as many of the metal and rock stars that we can find. We will then auction this off with all proceeds going to the Sophie Lancaster foundation. http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com

Thelastcoolgrind is devastated to hear that Slipknot bassist Paul Gray has been found dead in an Iowa hotel room.
Iowa newspaper, the Des Moines Register, have confirmed that Slipknot bassist Paul Gray has been found dead in his hotel room. He was 38.
Police have revealed that he was found by a hotel employee at 10:50am at a hotel in Uniondale, Iowa.
The latest news is that there is no foul play suspected but the police are continuing with their investigation.

We’ve heard the new Avenged Sevenfold track and they’re hitting back with a vengeance on ‘Nightmare’!

Avenged Sevenfold’s new track ‘Nightmare’ has hit the airwaves at US Radio and Metal Hammer have heard the track! Check out our preview of what you can expect from the track below!
First off, it has to be said that weighing in at an epic 6:16, ‘Nightmare’ includes all of the colossal twists and turns that fans of the Orange County ragers have come to expect. It’s a rock n’ rollercoaster ride with truly spectacular moments peppered throughout the track.
Opening with a simple piano that sounds like a sinister musicbox, guitars and drums pound in together that mirror the initial musicbox melody. The drum fills are intensely furious and mirror the classic style of The Rev, machine-gun styled and militaristic. Epic lead-guitar leads soar across the track before M Shadows wails “Nightmare!” and chugging rhythm tracks take over.
The verse kicks in trademark Avenged fashion. Shadows vocals punctuated under a killer riff in similar style to that of Critical Acclaim. Punchy, anthemic and ready for war. The Twitter message last week (“Dragged ya down below, Down to the Devil’s show To be his guest forever… (Peace of mind is less than never)) provides the first lyrics to the track. The verses are classic Avenged but have the power of Black-album era Metallica and the swagger of early GNR. Massively impressive.
The 30-second clip that has been doing the rounds on YouTube is the chorus of the track. Uplifting and instantly memorable, it’s easy to see why ‘Nightmare’ serves as the first single on the album.
Something that becomes apparent throughout the track is that Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy has done an incredible job of replicating The Rev’s drumming style. It has always been such an essential part of the A7X sound and Portnoy has it down to a tee, throwing in unconventional rhythms but remaining solid at all times.
Following the second chorus, a hearty Shadows laugh is followed by a change in pace and the first blazing guitar work from Synyster Gates. The rhythm tracks thuds away as Gates unleashes a lead-line that could strip the paint off the walls of the room you’re sat in. The fuel-injection quickly kicks in underneath Gates’ wailing solo. If you’re an Avenged fan, this will blow your brains out of your ears.
The solo ends with a confrontational call-and-answer vocal line from Shadows. What impresses is that, there’s so much going on within the track and all things impact like a punch to the bridge of the nose.
‘Nightmare’ is an Avenged Sevenfold classic in-waiting. The hard-rock meets metal hybrid that Avenged have perfected over the years is on the top of it’s game. If this doesn’t have you salivating over the release of A7X’s upcoming album this summer, there’s almost no hope for you.
Avenged Sevenfold are back and it sounds awesome!

Avenged Sevenfold ‘Nightmare’, their new single, has topped the iTunes rock chart and they hope to hit the Top 40 singles chart this week too!
Avenged Sevenfold’s new single ‘Nightmare’ was released yesterday and went straight to the top of the iTunes UK Rock Chart. If the single continues to sell strongly in the next two days, Avenged Sevenfold could potentially be the first traditional metal band to hit the UK Top 40 singles chart since Metallica’s entry with ‘The Day That Never Comes’ almost two years ago.
‘Nightmare’ currently stands at #22 on the overall iTunes chart. If yesterday’s ‘Nightmare’ sales are replicated over the course of the rest of the week, the single will reach the Top 40.
The single’s popularity has already been highlighted by the success of the accompanying lyrics video at YouTube. Having been debuted on May 17th, the track has also received over 400,000 views, 8,000 comments and has been marked as a favourite 8,000 times.
Produced by Mike Elizondo (Dr. Dre, Eminem) and mixed by Andy Wallace (Slayer, Faith No More), ‘Nightmare’ is the first single to be taken from Avenged Sevenfold’s upcoming fifth album of the same name that’s due for release on July 26th on Warner Bros. Records.

After the demise of HANOI ROCKS in 2009, legendary frontman MICHAEL MONROE set out to assemble the ultimate supporting band for his new project. That band now consists of bassist Sami Yaffa (NEW YORK DOLLS, ex-Hanoi Rocks), guitarist Ginger (THE WILDHEARTS), guitarist Steve Conte (New York Dolls) and drummer Karl Rockfist (ex-DANZIG). After sold out shows and glowing reviews, Monroe returned to his adopted hometown of New York City. His first show there in over 10 years on May 9th at the Highline Ballroom was at capacity and Monroe did not disappoint. Cory Lambert on special assignment for BraveWords.com, sat down with Monroe, Yaffa and Ginger for an in-depth interview shortly before show time.

 BraveWords.com: Why did Hanoi Rocks breakup? Street Poetry was a phenomenal album and arguably one of your best albums along with Two Steps From The Move.
Monroe: "We broke up because we took it as far as we could go. It wasn't going any further. We weren't writing any more songs after Street Poetry, for a year and a half. We didn't do anything new and it just didn't feel like fun anymore and you know, It was time to wrap it up. Some people ask me what's the difference between the old Hanoi and the new Hanoi. Well, the difference is actually that, in the old Hanoi, I mean you can't really compare them, first of all, different time, different place. But in the old Hanoi, you could not replace any member. In the new one it was more like me and Andy and the other guys you know. So you know, people got replaced. With the old original Hanoi, no one could be replaced. But anyway, yeah...we took it as far as it could go and it wasn't going anywhere anymore and I did not want to become a jukebox playing the same old stuff over and over. It would stifle my creativity so it was time to move on. And boy am I happy I did, I got a great new band now."

BraveWords.com: Do you still keep in contact with Andy?
Monroe: "I haven't you know, its not like we don't. But no, I havent actually, kept in touch, obviously because we are not working together anymore. I haven't really seen him since ... a long time ago."

BraveWords.com: Do you feel the addition of Karl and Steve brought something new to the band?
Monroe: "Yeah, I love Karl, he's a great guy and a great drummer. I also think Steve fits in perfectly."

BraveWords.com: Are you currently shopping for a label?
Monroe: "We are not shopping. I am hoping they will come after us after we make a little noise. We're not rushing. We have not signed with anyone but JVC in Japan."

BraveWords.com: How did you hook up with Ginger?
Monroe: "With Ginger? We got together in Finland, in Espoo, near Helsinki."
Yaffa: "That's where I'm from y'all. The 21 area code man, c'mon! (laughs)"
Monroe: "ALICE COOPER was doing a show in Espoo, and I went to see him, my idol and friend nowadays, its great. And Ginger was there. I went up to do 'Schools Out' with Alice and after the show Ginger said he wanted to talk to me in person, privately and we had a little chat...and he heard that Sami and I had been putting a new band together and he said he would very much like to be a part of it. I said well, let me bring it up to Sami and then I told Sami the next day and Sami said that it could be amazing. It worked out, so, we said yes, let's go for it. And it worked out brilliantly."
BraveWords.com: But I guess the question was with Sami already in the New York Dolls and Ginger in the Wildhearts how was that going to work? Would it cause any problems?
Monroe: " Well Ginger was ready to move on, well, you can ask the guy himself, actually he's there. The Wildhearts were going to on a hiatus ...wasn't that it?"
Ginger: "The Wildhearts were working really intensely for the last couple of years. The thing with the Wildhearts, is that we don't want to turn boring or fall out or you know, feel like we're just treading water. So we like to have breaks and a couple of guys spending time with their families. And me and Scott kinda go and do something musical. That's the way we have always done it really."

BraveWords.com: I don't think there's been that much of the Wildhearts in this part of the world in regards to touring and stuff...
Ginger: "I know...I know...you guys just didn't really like it. (round of laughter) The people who like it, love it. It's just that there's not that many of them to really warrant booking more than one or two gigs. You know what I mean?"

BraveWords.com: The problem is, if you're the record buying public, especially in this part of the world, all the stuff, that is not released here, with the exception of the Dolls records, which are released here, are very expensive. For example, Street Poetry cost $37.00 here, via Japan, which is approx. 3 times the cost of a new domestic release.
Monroe: "Holy Fuck!"
Yaffa: "You should just download it for free from Limewire...everyone else does."
Monroe: "It's insane! It's insane. It's not my fault we are a rare commodity!"

BraveWords.com: But we believe in supporting the bands.
Yaffa: "Now that's a rare commodity right there."
Monroe: "Yeah. I really appreciate that right there. I just wished the money would actually go to the bands, but everyone has to get their cut and it doesn't really..."
Yaffa: "Go to us...."
Monroe: "But anyway yeah..."
Yaffa: "And with the Dolls it was the same thing. We've been on the road for five years solid, really touring a lot. We just kinda slowed down and we had no definite plans this year at all. We did a week and half tour a few weeks back...and we do a few more shows in a couple weeks and then after that, its just kinda out in the open.
Monroe: "It was a perfect time to do this."
Yaffa: "We've been talking for a while to do something."
BraveWords.com: You have been getting great reviews with this line-up - what are your thoughts on that? The one that stands out is a review from the O2 Arena in London. Fantastic review. I think he referred to it as the second coming and that if there was one band you must see, its this band.
Monroe: "London, yeah."

BraveWords.com: What are your thoughts on that because you haven't played here in over ten years. Are you surprised by the response you are getting?
Monroe: "Yeah it's great to have such great feedback. It's really encouraging. Really makes me feel like...well, I'd be doing this anyway...but...this is even better, that people really appreciate it and there seems to be a place for a band like this."

BraveWords.com: You are already playing new material in your live sets - but, how do you decide what to play with each night and will you ever play anything from the Jerusalem Slim album?
Monroe: "Unlikely to play anything from that album. (round of laughter). Even when it came out, I did an anti-promotional tour in Japan. I said don't buy this record, it's a piece of shit. (still laughing) As a protest, I did not play anything from it. So if I was saying don't buy this record then, why would I play anything off it now? (laughs) It was the worst thing that's ever happened in my solo career."

BraveWords.com: One song, 'Motörheaded For A Fall' seems to be a nod to Lemmy - how did that come about? Why the nod to Lemmy?
Monroe: "Nod to Lemmy? Because Lemmy's a hero, a legend, a great guy, he's always been consistent, he's never changed. He's never screwed up a show no matter what he's done. He's an icon and you know, it's really a song about MOTÖRHEAD people, people who like to go fast. It's a reference that lends itself to Lemmy also and is therefore dedicated to him."

BraveWords.com: Is it true that Lemmy once offered to back you up on tour or was it in the studio?
Monroe: "Yeah! After Hanoi broke up (in May 1985), me and Stiv Bators were at Motörhead's Hammersmith Odeon show in London and WENDY O. WILLIAMS was opening up. Lemmy was feeling so bad for me, losing my band and such and said if you need it, ya know, we'll back you up. He said it that night and I said 'Wow!'"
Ginger: "Was that Motörhead or just Lemmy? (Ginger was filming the interview...)"
Monroe: "Motörhead."
Ginger: "Motörhead was going to be your backup band?"
Monroe: "That would have been insane!"
Ginger: "Wow!"
Yaffa: "Holy shit!"
Monroe: "The Motörhead fans would have ripped me apart I'm sure. (Laughs) Who's that pretty boy? Yeah he said it back then and I was like, 'Wow, man - thanks!'"

BraveWords.com: Would have been interesting.
Monroe: "But what a compliment!"

BraveWords.com: Beauty and the beast maybe?
Monroe: "Lemmy did some shows with THE DAMNED."
Yaffa: "Oh yeah..."
Monroe: "Apparently Captain and the guys did a Motörhead song and screwed it up really bad (laughs). So Lemmy said to them: 'You did one fucking Motörhead song and you fucked it up, you cunt!' (laughs) Anyway yeah, so.... 'Motörheaded For A Fall'."
BraveWords.com: When anyone speaks of Michael Monroe's solo career, they always mention DEMOLITION 23. An incredible record produced by LITTLE STEVEN and do you think you will work with him again?
Monroe: "Well, I would love to but Steven is very busy. I hope he's gonna show up tonight. He was going to. I would not say no to that, he was great! That's one of the best albums I've made, if not the best one I've done. It was supposed to be my solo album but Sami came up with the full name for the band, from William Burroughs right?"
Yaffa: "Yeah."

BraveWords.com: Is the Japanese home video of Demolition 23 going to be released on DVD?
Monroe: "That's on DVD in Japan. Or...at least on VHS."

BraveWords.com: I have the VHS.
Monroe: "I have a DVD ...but maybe someone burned me one. The album was only out in Japan I guess."
(Editor note: was released in the UK also on Music For Nations.).

BraveWords.com: Is it still in print?
Monroe: "Probably out of print."
Yaffa: "I don't think so."
Monroe: "I don't think so. Little Steven and I own it. And Steven has been talking about releasing it in the States because it was never was released officially here. That might happen though as now that we have a band playing those songs, he might do it for real."

BraveWords.com: In SLASH's (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES) biography he called you, and I am paraphrasing, "an incredible talent who doesn't get the credit you deserve." Care to comment?
Monroe: "That's very nicely said. Warms my heart. Well, its a great compliment. I love Slash. He's a real, real sweet guy and its sweet of him to say that."

BraveWords.com: You also covered 'Magic Carpet Ride' (STEPPENWOLF) with Slash for the Coneheads soundtrack - how did you end up working with Slash back then? I think this was Slash's first collaboration where he was the artist working with another artist as opposed to him guesting on another album.
Monroe: "He called me back then before that and said he wanted to do a song. They were finishing their European tour (Editor's note: June 93) at Milton Keynes in the UK. Around that time, my grandmother died, she was 99 and she was my best friend. I went to the funeral in Finland and Slash called. He told me to be prepared as he may call any day to do the project. So he called and said, lets do it now and I said Sami should be the bass player. He'd be the best and we got tickets and flew to London to do the song. It was a lot of fun, great session. Kenny Aronoff on the drums."

BraveWords.com: Great track.
Monroe: "Yeah, killer band. We did two versions. Slash wanted to do a version like the original but there was another arrangement we had worked out. I mentioned to Little Steven that I was going to do that song, so me and Steven worked on it a bit beforehand. I suggested the new arrangement to Slash and he said we should do both. And leave it to Warner Brothers to decide which one they think is best. They ended up picking the new arrangement."

BraveWords.com: And the other version?
Monroe: "I have it at home on cassette and I have not put it out anywhere and I won't. We agreed back then not to put it out. So far, its only for Slash and mine's personal pleasure. (laughs) That would be cool to release it but Warner Brothers probably owns it as they paid for it. I don't know..gotta ask Slash. Both versions were great."

BraveWords.com: Have you heard Slash's new CD?
Monroe: "I heard it once. Sounded good. Great production and everything."

BraveWords.com: You are playing the Summersonic Festival in Japan, which you also played with Hanoi Rocks, who are huge in Japan - how different is it to play as a solo artist?
Monroe: "Great...with this band I feel even stronger. More my bag!"

BraveWords.com: I have to agree. According to what I've seen on YouTube, the crowds are really into it.
Monroe: "Yeah! No point in comparing the two, but really I feel more at home with this band. These guys are so great, so much positive energy that I really feel much better. I'm not worried at all, about anything. It's gonna be real interesting to see. It's a great way to get out to the Japanese and present the band at the Summersonic Festival in both Tokyo and Osaka. The same way we did with Hanoi back then. So yeah, I'm really happy we are doing those gigs."

BraveWords.com: There seems to be a wealth of Michael Monroe TV appearances over the years - any chance you will be releasing a DVD like AC/DC did with Family Jewels? For the fans?
Monroe: "That would be great. Maybe one day. No concrete plans for something like that yet, but there's a lot of stuff yeah. Would be great to do something like that one day."

BraveWords.com: For example, whenever you go to Japan, there seems to be countless video footage of Michael Monroe floating around the net and YouTube. Everything seems to be filmed...
Monroe: "Everyone has cameras nowadays. Everything's documented everywhere. You cant get away with anything..."

BraveWords.com: Well, at least what's being documented it all meeting positive feedback.
Monroe: "At least people are not saying - what the fuck is this? They are saying this is great. Gotta go see the real thing. You can't control that and I wouldn't want to either. It's nice to know we have the goods to deliver. No matter how it's documented."

BraveWords.com: Do you have a favourite album that you have been a part of?
Monroe: "The Demolition 23 album, Not Fakin' It - are my fave solo albums. Warrior Soul - Chill Pill."

BraveWords.com: I love that record.
Monroe: "I was proud to be a part of that. Also Sun City with Little Steven. Was a great honor to be amongst all those people, all those names. From Miles Davis to Keith Richards to Joey Ramone, Stiv Bators. Plus, ya know, working with Stiv and JOHNNY THUNDERS on his album Que Sera Sera. Its a cool record. Maybe the first one was better, So Alone, but I was still proud to be a part of that. Working with Johnny in any capacity is a great honor. Working with Stiv, I was in the studio when the LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH were doing Like A Virgin, kind of producing the vocals. Stiv never thought he could sing that high. (sings high - 'You're So Fine And You're Mine' from Like a Virgin). So I told him to sing like that. It was Miles Copeland's idea to do that cover. And singing backup with SEBASTIAN BACH on Motörhead's 'Born To Raise Hell' (which appeared on the the Airheads soundtrack). I didn't get a credit because the record company got that guy from UGLY KID JOE (Whitfield Crane). Lemmy told me the last time I saw him that I was on there, but I never got the credit. Because we did some killer backing vocals. But the record company was so carried away with the Ugly Kid Joe guy, as he was the flavour of the month then. However, I was proud to say that I sang on a Motörhead song."

BraveWords.com: It's funny how you mentioned Warrior Soul as I was told once that Michael Monroe joined Warrior Soul. And I said no he didn't but you are credited as being part of the band on that album - Chill Pill. Which I thought was their best record. Loved the song 'High Road'.
Monroe: "'High Road'. That was the first time I ever did a harp solo, not only in one take, but without even hearing the song before. Kory (Clarke, singer for Warrior Soul) was just playing the song to me in the headphones in the studio and pointing out where the harp parts were. (hums the song). At the same time I was playing along to it, as I was getting a feel for the song. After that I said 'OK, lets do it, I'm ready.' But then Kory said (mimicking Kory) 'That was killer man! That's it, you're done!' I was like, 'Wow, I've been known to do one take but that was like without even hearing the song before.' I thought that was remarkable. It was a killer album and there was 'Ha Ha Ha' which had some insane sax. That was their 'Fuck You David Geffen let us go' record. Kory just wanted to get off the label. Someone at Geffen pulled the plug. That's probably why 'Ha Ha Ha' has one minute of noise at the end. I could just imagine the folks at Geffen listening to that and going 'What the hell is this?' I loved being part of that album."
BraveWords.com: You were part of the JOHNNY THUNDER tribute CD I Only Wrote This Song For You a few years back also.
Monroe: "I did 'Disappointed In You' and 'So Alone' on that album."

BraveWords.com: Incredible record. Very eclectic mix.
Monroe: "I was proud of that album too. That was magical. I could really feel Johnny's spirit. I saw a ghost on the wall when I was doing the vocals for 'So Alone'. It was in one of the oldest buildings in England, just outside London. And it was just this grey figure that appeared on the wall. I had some wine to get in the mood before singing. I don't know what it was or who it was or if it was Johnny or not, but it was magical. And even Sami said that vocal was amazing. Like there was this tone as if my voice was two voices. (sings 'Always trying to work me out...')."

BraveWords.com: I thought it was your best vocal on record.
Monroe: "Really? Thank you."

BraveWords.com: I know there is another track from those sessions with you and the beautiful and talented Alison Gordy doing 'Help The Homeless'.
Monroe: "We did and a lot of people say it was better than the version that's on the record that we didn't sing on."

BraveWords.com: I think it was also.
Monroe: "You heard it?"

BraveWords.com: Yeah.
Monroe: "I thought it was cool."

BraveWords.com: I heard the track years ago and thought your vocals with Alison's were very complimentary. But I guess it was not released due to the other two tracks being there already.
Monroe: "That was the problem, they already had me on two songs and yet we did another."

BraveWords.com: Do you think it will ever get released if its that good? Like on a Michael Monroe rarities album?
Monroe: "It remains to be seen. I don't have the rights to it...so we will have to see in the future. Maybe after I expand my fame a little more and get in a position where I can make a CD like that. Right now I'm just happy if I can make an album with this band."

BraveWords.com: Any shows planned for Canada in the near future?
Monroe: "We were planning doing the North by Northeast Festival but something came up. Maybe next year. I really want to play in Canada. We've been talking about it a lot. Theres a big following there. I want to be there before too long but too early to say at this point."

BraveWords.com: Some crazy people in Canada.
Monroe: "Bob Ezrin (PINK FLOYD, ALICE COOPER, KISS)."

BraveWords.com: Sebastian Bach.
Monroe: "Sebastian is probably coming to the show tonight."

BraveWords.com: I remember the last show in Toronto in '98 but it was not promoted as it was a very short notice gig. I recall a very enthusiastic crowd and the place was packed.
Monroe: "It was amazing. Really want to come back."
BraveWords.com: So what's next for Michael Monroe? Can we expect a CD or DVD from this line-up.
Monroe: "CD for sure. We just wrote three new songs over the last few days. We already have an albums worth of material written so we are gonna write a bunch more and choose the best ones and put out a CD in the early part of next year if not before. We are not rushing into it. A killer album, High energy rock and roll, with smart lyrics and good melodies. Really good stuff."

BraveWords.com: Anything filmed for a DVD?
Monroe: "Ginger's been documenting and filming everything. (everyone laughs) He's gotten into this whole editing thing and its really cool. He's put together some really cool things starting from the beginning of this year. He's filmed some stuff in Texas and California and in Finland. It's gonna be a cool little project. And my friend Tim Sheridan from CSI:Miami has been filming some shows and stuff."

BraveWords.com: Any words for your Canadian fans as we sit here in New York?
Monroe: "I love you all, hang in there and we are gonna be there before too long to play in Canada. Even with Sami, we've been talking about it a lot. Big audience in Toronto and we've spent a lot of time there."

BraveWords.com: Two Steps From The Move was recorded here at Phase One in Scarborough, the Toronto suburb.
Monroe: "Yeah, bed tracks in New York and actual recording was done there. We did pre-production there also - we were there for a couple of months. We will see you there - ASAFP. As Soon As Fucking Possible! Just hang in there. Be patient. Definitely want to come up there. It's worth the wait. Something to look forward to for us and the fans who appreciate good rock and roll."

For more information on Monroe visit Michaelmonroe.com.

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson recently spoke with Jon Liebman at ForBassPlayersOnly.com. An excerpt from the interview is available below.

FBPO: What's the story behind the formation of Megadeth?

Ellefson: "I grew up on a farm outside a small town of 3,000 people, a town called Jackson, Minnesota. From the time I took up bass at age 11, I immediately started putting rock bands together with friends and regional musicians. I was not the stay-at-home practice guy, but rather a guy who practiced so I could be on stage. To me, being a touring/recording rock & roller was the aim from day one. Don't get me wrong, I spent a ton of time in my basement learning to play and woodshed, but practicing was a means to an end, not an end in itself.

I had a hunch at age 16 that I should move to Los Angeles to get a band going, that my future was out there. I'm glad I followed that hunch because I moved to L.A. within five days after graduating from high school two years later, in 1983. My backup plan was to attend B.I.T. (Bass Institute of Technology, at the Musician's Institute) but my real aim was to get into – or put together – a metal band.

Ironically, I moved into an apartment under Dave Mustaine, who had just been released from Metallica. In hindsight, our meeting was not coincidental because that hunch at age 16 was the good Lord putting things in motion and all those years preparing in rural Minnesota were the seeds planted for that pursuit, which became Megadeth."

FBPO: How far did you think the band would go? Were you surprised at how successful you were?

Ellefson: "I knew as soon as I met Dave that he was the real deal and that together we would set out to form a band that would in fact become successful. That is not meant to be proud or boastful, but you could really feel it in the room that it was going to be big. Keep in mind, it didn't just 'become' big. We worked our tails off for the success we've enjoyed. I think for most musicians, the payout of success isn't as important as the work you put into it because the work you put into it is part of the payout, the real enjoyment of doing what you love."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Complete dates for the Megadeth/Slayer Canadian and American Carnage are as follows:

Canadian Carnage
July
23 - Pavillon de la Jeunesse - Quebec City, QC
24 - Heavy MTL, Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal, QC
26 - Metro Centre - Halifax, NS
27 - Moncton Coliseum - Moncton, NB
29 - Molson Amphitheatre - Toronto, ON
30 - John Labatt Centre Center - London, ON

American Carnage
August
11 - Glens Falls Civic Center - Glens Falls, NY
12 - Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ
14 - Tsongas Arena - Boston, MA
15 - Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ
16 - Chevrolet Theatre - Wallingford, CT
18 - Tower City Amphitheatre - Cleveland, OH
19 - Joe Lewis Arena - Detroit,MI
20 - UIC Pavillon - Chicago, IL
21 - Roy Wilkins Auditorium - Minneapolis, MN
23 - Cap Fed Park @Sandstone - Kansas City, KS
25 - Magness Arena - Denver, CO
26 - Tingley Coliseum - Albuquerque, NM
27 - Dodge Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
29 - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre - San Diego, CA
30 - Long Beach Arena - Long Beach, CA
31 - Cow Palace - San Francisco, CA

September
1 - Arco Arena - Sacramento, CA
3 - Wamu Theatre - Seattle, WA
4 - Washington County Fairgrounds - Portland, OR

Is there room for humour in metal? Can short-haired dudes play extreme music? If these sound like inane questions, you don’t spend enough time hanging around in dank basements drinking questionable beer and obsessing over heavy metal minutiae, methinks. Because these are serious questions, ones that Italian melodic death/hardcore crew STIGMA are no strangers to.

“Great question,” says vocalist Stefano “Vlad” Ghersi when I pose if metal and humour can coexist. “This is exactly what we want to express with our music. We all truly believe metal is just about having a good time. Especially in our country, metal is doing music about everything you want and sharing it with friends and people around the globe, so, yes, we created this mix with a purpose.”

Hey, he’s a nice guy! We kinda thought the screamer behind the band’s new disc, Concerto For The Undead (Pivotal Rockcordings) might be a mean motherfucker, but we should have known, what with the campy Tales From The Crypt-worshipping cover art that adorns this, the band’s second, that he’d be nice. But is he nice enough to draw out the longhairs to the band’s shows?

“So far we got mixed crowds,” says Ghersi. “Everyone from the guy listening to ‘80s metal legends to the very young kid who got into metal with the deathcore trend. Our first album [When Midnight Strikes!] is not an album born to be played live; the reaction to the new songs we played so far is awesome. We can’t wait to go on tour and play more new stuff live.”

At the time of this interview, the band had just finished auditioning guitar players for a vacant second-guitarist slot. But don’t expect a new member to change the band too much. After all, these are horror—and metal—dudes for life; things generally don’t change too much within those comfy confines.

“I think there will always be some good gory themes to fit in metal music,” says Ghersi, “mostly because it's something which you can easily match with screaming voices and blasting beats, but also because, as I told you, metal is all about not taking things too seriously. I would love to hear Britney Spears singing about an ancient curse of an undertaker killing his dead sister's son to use a coffin he made by mistake (laughs) but I guess she’s too busy singing about lonely hearts of 14-year-old chicks and her crush for the lord of all gym clubs (laughs)!”
Did we mention we like this guy? And metalheads are probably going to start liking his band a bit more, even though we know short-haired dudes playing melodic death metal is a tough sell sometimes. But give ‘em a chance: these guys are fighting the good fight with Concerto For The Undead.

“I think it's a big step forward compared to When Midnight Strikes!, because this time we had something to focus on,” says Ghersi. “We compared our debut album to what we really wanted to write and worked hard getting better on some important aspects. We wanted a more tech album, at least guitar-wise, but at the same time we wanted it to be easier to listen to, with catchy riffs and structures that work well in live shows. I also think I’ve improved my skills on lyrics and I'm pretty stoked on how we managed to create a whole thing inspired by the concept of the album, from music to the artwork.”

Onanizer have been aurally abusing most of South East Asia for the last 3 months – and now it’s our turn!
Definitely worth catch these guys as the roll into your town. Support underground grind!

2 Mar 2010 The Castle Pub, Perth

13 Mar 2010 The Forresters and Squatters Arms, Adelaide

14 Mar 2010 The Arthouse, Melbourne

18 Mar 2010 The Brisbane Hotel, Hobart

19 Mar 2010 The Pav, Hobart

20 Mar 2010 The Town & Country, Sydney with Backyard Mortuary, Roadside Burial, Code of Lies and Beer Corpse. $10, 7pm.

21 Mar 2010 The Town & Country, Sydney with Deathcage, Roadside Burial, Unknown to God and Inebrious Bastards. $10, 4pm.

23 Mar 2010 Brisbane

http://www.myspace.com/onanizer

From: Las Vegas, NV, United States
Last Known Status: Active 
Lead vocalist Mike Szuter originally kick-started the band in Cleveland with his brother and lead guitarist, C.J., gathering a local following across Ohio performing as the Szuters. The band later moved west to Las Vegas and changed their name to Magna-Fi. Not immune to the struggles facing any young band, Magna-Fi soon suffered the fallout from a record deal with Gold Circle that went south. The band later signed to EMI Music Marketing-distributed Aezra Records in 2003.
When the Las Vegas-based quartet of hard and heavy alt-rockers known as Magna-Fi opened for Puddle Of Mudd at The Joint at The Hard Rock in late 2003, the Las Vegas Sun called them "the show's chief revelation." The paper added, "The band served up its brand of thunderous music with great energy, sounding more like the future of heavy rock than its past." Influenced by bands ranging from Cheap Trick and the Beatles to Alice In Chains and Failure, Magna-Fi's alt-metal skewed debut album on Aezra/EMI, Burn Out The Stars, was produced by Paul Lani (Megadeth, Failure, Motley Crue).

There are albums that are easy to describe because every song is similar, or maybe has one song that’s a little different than their norm. Not so with Katatonia. The Swedish band is always pushing the envelope. Twists and turns await around every musical corner, with constant changes in tempo, intensity and texture. Each song on their eighth studio CD Night Is The New Day transforms frequently, making for a compelling and interesting listen.
Night Is The New Day gets off to a rousing start with “Forsaker.” Heavy guitars give way to an acoustic section before kicking back in. Mellow and progressive sections ensue, along with more intense parts. “The Longest Year” veers into electronica, with synths and poppy sections alternating with more traditional metal.
“Idle Blood” is a melancholy ballad with a lot of similarities to Opeth. Even though it remains mellow and never “kicks in,” it still has changes in dynamics and textures, albeit on a smaller scale. A couple other highlights are “Nephilim,” which expertly balances pounding riffs and gentle melodies, and “Day & Then The Shade,” one of the most memorable songs on the album.
Night Is The New Day is a true album, with each song filling in a piece of a larger palette. The individual songs are their own are excellent, but taken as a whole take on a whole new dimension of power and cohesion. From the atmosphere to the musicianship to the songwriting to Jonas Renske’s emotional vocals, it’s one of those albums that reveals something new and different with each listen.

Katatonia is returning to the U.S. for a headlining tour in September. They'll be touring in support of their 2009 release.
2010 Katatonia Tour Dates:
Sept. 8 - Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
Sept. 9 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero
Sept. 10 - New York, NY @ The Gramercy Theatre
Sept .11 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
Sept. 12 - Montreal, Quebec, Canada @ Petit Campus
Sept. 13 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada @ Opera House
Sept. 14 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's
Sept. 15 - Detroit, MI @ Blondie´s
Sept. 16 - Milwaukee, WI @ Rave
Sept. 17 - Chicago, IL @ Reggie Rock Club
Sept. 18 - St Paul, MN @ Station 4
Sept. 21 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Sept. 22 - Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theater
Sept. 23 - Portland, OR@ Hawthorne Theatre
Sept. 24 - San Francisco, CA @ The Parkside
Sept. 25 - Santa Anna, CA @ Galaxy Theatre
Sept. 26 - West Hollywood, CA @ Whiskey a Go Go
Sept. 28 - Mesa, AZ @ U.B.´s Bar
Sept. 29 - Tuscan, AZ @ The Rock
Sept. 30 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
Oct. 1 - Austin, TX @ Emo's Alternative Lounging
Oct. 2 - Houston, TX @ The Warsaw
Oct. 4 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Oct. 5 - Louisville, KY @ Uncle Pleasants
Oct. 6 - Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11
Oct. 7 - West Springfield, VA @ Jaxx

In a genre (metalcore) filled with generic soundalike bands, As I Lay Dying has managed to create both an interesting sound and a loyal following. While they aren't mainstream, they have had some commercial success without losing touch with their roots. The Powerless Rise is As I Lay Dying's fifth full-length CD, and their most versatile and polished release to-date. On songs like “Anodyne Sea,” As I Lay Dying puts it all together: catchy riffs, intense guitars, brutal breakdowns and melodic vocals. “Without Conclusion” is one of the heaviest songs on the CD, with unrelenting intensity and all harsh vocals. They follow that with perhaps the catchiest track, “Parallels,” which has a lot of radio-friendly hooks, but also a lot of aggressiveness.
“The Plague” is a highlight, with galloping thrash riffs and a strong vocal performance from Lambesis, who varies the pitch of his screams to avoid monotony. The guitar solo is also good. The Powerless Rise is a focused effort as well, with the 11 songs clocking in at just 44 minutes. “Condemned” manages to pack in a plethora of mosh-worthy riffs and an anthemic chorus in under 3 minutes. The album ends on a strong note with “The Blinding Of False Light.”
They've been at it for a decade, and As I Lay Dying has matured nicely without losing any of their passion or intensity. The Powerless Rise shows many different sides of the band, and they stepped up both their songwriting and musicianship on this CD, proving they are one of the top bands in their genre.

Find out the latest on the chances of The Big Four playing in the UK on the Metal Hammer Podcast.
Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax are to have their show in Bulgaria on June 22nd broadcast to cinemas all over the world.
A statement from the bands reads:
“For one night only, metalheads around the world can experience history: On Tuesday, June 22, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax perform on one stage together, and through the wonders of satellite technology, you can be part of this historic concert event, broadcast exclusively to select movie theatres around the world. Beyond the limited European festival dates, there are not additional tour dates planned for this extraordinary line-up.”
Lars Ulrich of Metallica says of this historic announcement, “Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal’s Big Four would not only still be around, be more popular than ever, playing shows together at stadiums all over Europe, and on top of that, coming to a movie theater near you in High Definition (for better or worse??!!).  Bring it on!”
Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian says “Damn, as if this Big 4 tour wasn’t exciting enough now we get to be on the big screen worldwide! Metal at the movies, two big horns up!  It is unbelievably gratifying that this means so much to the metal community around the globe. Get your tix, grab some popcorn and get ready to bang your head!”
Declares Slayer’s Kerry King, “I can’t believe someone didn’t make this happen 15 years ago!  The fans finally get what they want.  I think it’s awesome!”
Says Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, “The magnitude of this event hasn’t really sunk in yet, and I am thrilled to know that people around the planet will be able to walk into a movie theater and experience the greatest line up of Heavy Metal in the history of the world!”
Dates for UK cinemas are yet to be confirmed but we do know that Odeon, Vue and Cineworld cinemas are expected to be involved. Get details at thebigfourlive.com.

Metalunderground.com has received exclusive information that Harmonix and MTV Games will be announcing new downloadable content (DLC) from Judas Priest's "British Steel" live album. "British Steel" was originally released in April 1980 and was the band’s first platinum Top 40 album in the United States and their first Top 10 studio album in the United Kingdom. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the album, "British Steel" is being re-released as well as coming to Rock Band with nine live tracks of songs off the classic album. The new Judas Priest songs will be available next week in the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™.
The DLC release will coincide with the reissues of the album on May 11. Here's the tracklisting:
Breaking the Law (Live) *
Rapid Fire (Live) *
Metal Gods (Live)
Grinder (Live) *
United (Live) *
Living After Midnight (Live)
You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise (Live)
The Rage (Live) *
Steeler (Live) *
(All tracks are original master recordings)
(These tracks will be available in Europe on PlayStation 3 May 12)
These tracks will be available for purchase as “British Steel 30th Anniversary,” as well as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system, and as individual tracks only on Wii. Tracks marked with “*” are also available for download in the family-friendly LEGO® Rock Band Music Store.
Prices are as follows:
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
$14.99, £7.49 UK, €10.99 EU (1200 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “British Steel 30th Anniversary”
$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per track
Columbia/Legacy's re-release of "British Steel" will come in two configuations. There will be a British Steel 30th Anniversary Standard Edition available, as well as a British Steel 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition box set, available only through www.judaspriest.com. The standard edition features a CD of the original nine-song album, plus 2 bonus tracks, as well as a DVD featuring a “Making of British Steel" interview, as well as full concert footage of the 16-song set from the 2009 British Steel tour, filmed live at the Seminole Hard Rock Arena, Hollywood, Florida. The deluxe edition features all this, plus a CD of the live recording from the Seminole Hard Rock Arena concert.

Bret Michaels was readmitted to the hospital this week after suffering numbness on the left side of his body, predominately his face and hands which doctors described as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or warning stroke. While MRI and CT scan tests were being conducted, Michaels also received a Doppler Ultrasound of his legs and lower abdomen looking for blood clots and most importantly an Ultrasound Bubble Test of his heart was conducted which proved positive for a Patent Forum Ovale (PFO), a hole in the heart. Dr. Zabramski (Bret's neurosurgeon), Dr. Becker (who ordered the test), Dr. Cook (who conducted the test) and Dr. Frey (Director, Outpatient Stroke Program) all confirmed the results.
Dr. Zabramski states: "There is no doubt that the positive Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) is devastating news to Bret and his family. The good news is that it is operable and treatable and we think we may have diagnosed the problem that caused the Transient Ischemic Attach (TIA) or warning stroke; however we feel it is highly unlikely this is connected to the brain hemorrhage he suffered just a few weeks earlier. Once again it is great that he quickly reacted to the severe numbness and got to the hospital immediately."
Dr. Zabramski continues, "I realize Bret wants to make a full recovery so that he can be active with his family, attempt to attend the finale of Celebrity Apprentice and especially get back on the road to continue making music. Without a doubt he is very determined to get healthy and make a 100% recovery. Medically speaking it is a fantastic attitude both mentally and physically for him to have. However, Bret's brain and body are not quite 100% yet, especially with the hole found in his heart. Further tests will be conducted throughout the week and I will have more information next week as to how this Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) will be treated. For now, Bret will be treated with outpatient care which includes a daily injection of Lovenox (a blood thinner to reduce the chance of blood clots) and blood tests."
Bret's rep, Janna Elias, states "Bret wants everyone to know he cannot thank you enough for all of the well wishes, prayers, and good vibes you have sent his way. Even though these last few months have been tough on him and his family, especially this most recent setback, he is in good spirits, great medical hands and is positive and hopeful that everything is going to be OK. He is up, walking, talking, continuing his daily rehab and very happy to be alive but he has made it clear he is sick and tired of being in the hospital and is ready to rock again."

Music lesson web site PlayThisRiff.com is now featuring lesson videos from COREY BEAULIEU and MATT HEAFY of TRIVIUM. At PlayThisRiff.com you will find the following lesson videos by TRIVIUM:

"DOWN FROM THE SKY"
"DROWNED AND TORN ASUNDER"
"GUNSHOT TO THE HEAD OF TREPIDATION"
"LIKE LIGHT TO FLYS"
"PILLARS OF SERPANTS"
"DOWN FROM THE SKY"
"WHEN ALL LIGHT DIES"
"FINGER EXERCISES"
"RIGHT HAND WARM-UP"
"SCALE FRAGMENTS"
"SEXTUPLET EXERCISES"
"SEXTUPLETS IN MINOR KEYS"
"HARMONIC MINOR SCALE"
"SWEEP PICKING EXERCISES"

The lesson video for SWEEP PICKING EXERCISES

U.K. rock/metal act Pagan Altar has announced the following upcoming European tour dates:

6/5 2010 Muskelrock Festival Tyrolen, Alvesta, SE
6/11 2010 Hammer Open Air Metal Festival Lieto, FI
7/26 2010 TBC. Barcelona, ES
9/18 2010 Dublin Doom Day Dublin, IE
10/30 2010 Play it Loud Festival, IT
11/6 2010 Rome, IT
11/7 2010 Bologna, IT

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Take one 4 year-old kid, give him a drum-kit and one of the 80s best stomping mid-tempo metal tunes and what do you get?

This killer video

Blabbermouth.net reports that Ronnie James Dio is NOT DEAD. The news of Ronnie james Dio has just been debunked, supporting that the news originated as a viral hoax. The uncertainty of Dio's health is still to be considered however. Stay posted, we will continue to update his health.

BLABBERMOUTH.NET reached out to Ronnie's wife/manager Wendy Dio, who sent back the following message at approximately 11:35 p.m. PST on Saturday, May 15 / 2:35 a.m. EST on Sunday, May 16:

"I am at the hospital and Ronnie has NOT passed away!!!! He is not doing good, but he is not dead.

"I will let you know if anything changes.

"Thank you for your concern."

n Sunday morning, May 16th at 2:20 AM ET, two of our staff reported that Ronnie James Dio had passed away. These reports turned out to be premature and at the time false, said to be a “viral hoax” by many. Many readers expressed outrage and disappointment that we would post such unfounded news, and I am here to offer my apologies for the unfounded reports and make clear our official stance on such tricky situations.

As I've stated before, it's a narrow line to walk between reporting the news in a timely manner and assuring its credibility when it comes to certain situations such as this one. But in a case such as the death of an icon and hero to many, we should have erred on the side of caution. On the other hand, I am not opposed to making mention of rumors or unconfirmed reports in the effort to get you news first, as long as those reports are explicitly identified as such. Unfortunately, our late-night reports of Dio's death were posted as unqualified truths, despite being based on unnamed sources, many or few.

Unfortunately, it was not just a viral hoax, but appears to be more of a premature leak as to the graveness of Dio's condition. This fact, that we posted a correction, or the fact that Ronnie James Dio died later this same morning has no impact on the correctness or wrongness of our initial reports, however.

Within minutes of the posting, Metalunderground.com was flooded with visitors and became unstable, making it difficult to properly update the articles or post follow-ups. When I got word that Dio's death had been confirmed, Dio's official web site itself was down due to traffic. Once I confirmed the information, it took me nearly an hour to get the article posted through the server instability and even longer to update the original articles with that information, leading people to then complain that he had passed away and we were saying he hadn't. So despite the initial mistake, we were faced with challenges throughout the day in getting the correct information out to the public even once it was confirmed.

Metalunderground.com has grown tremendously in the past few years and I realize many people trust us to provide accurate and timely news and reporting on the metal scene. I apologize to those of you who feel that your trust was violated by our unconfirmed story of such incredible weight and importance, and I assure you that we are taking steps so that what happened today will be less likely to happen in the future. I cannot claim it will never happen, as there are many factors that play into such a mistake, but we have all learned from today's experience and will do our best to not repeat it.

I am establishing a more formal process for posting breaking and/or sensitive news so that we can convey our message in a more clear and accurate manner in the future. I have never been one for sensationalizing news in the first place, and certainly do not wish to mislead our readers in any way, as building a credible news site has been a priority of mine from day one.

I hope you'll consider our position and this apology in your decision to continue relying on Metalunderground.com for the latest metal news and commentary.

While I feel the sad news of Dio's passing totally eclipses these issues of yesterday, I wanted to address them nonetheless to let our readers know that we take our responsibilities here very seriously and have not simply swept the mistakes under the carpet and ignored those who expressed concern or anger over our initial premature reports.

Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona) has sadly passed away from his battle with stomach cancer. He was 67 years old. Dio made a name for himself when he fronted the Ritchie Blackmore led band Rainbow, who released their first album in 1975. After leaving Rainbow, Dio was asked to replace Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, to which he agreed. With Black Sabbath, he recorded two highly acclaimed studio albums in the form of "Heaven And Hell" and "The Mob Rules." After leaving Black Sabbath, he formed his own self-titled band and became one of the biggest draws in heavy metal during the 1980s.

Dio briefly reunited with Black Sabbath in the early 1990s, releasing the "Dehumanizer" album before leaving once again to concentrate on his own band. Another reunion with Sabbath followed in 2006, this time under the new moniker, Heaven & Hell, reulting the acclaimed album, "The Devil You Know" in 2009. The band recently cancelled their tour dates in Europe as a result of Ronnie's health.

Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk.

Grindcore is characterized by heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars, high speed tempo, blast beats, and vocals which consist of growls and high-pitched screams. Early groups like Napalm Death are credited with laying the groundwork for the style. It is most prevalent today in North America and Europe, with popular contributors such as Brutal Truth and Nasum. Lyrical themes range from a primary focus on social and political concerns, to gory subject matter and black humor.

An infamous trait of grindcore is the "microsong". Several bands have produced songs that are only seconds in length.[1] British band Napalm Death holds the Guinness World Record for shortest song ever recorded with the one-second "You Suffer" (1987). Many bands record simple phrases that may be rhymically sprawled out across an instrumental lasting only a couple of bars in length. Anal Cunt and Agoraphobic Nosebleed are also prime examples.

A variety of "microgenres" have subsequently emerged, often used to label bands according to alternative traits that deviate from standard grindcore, including goregrind, focused on horror themes, and pornogrind, fixated on pornographic lyrical themes. Other offshoots include noisegrind (especially raw and chaotic) and electrogrind (incorporating electronic elements). Although an influential phenomenon on hardcore punk and other popular genres, grindcore itself remains an underground form of music.

Pop punk (also known as punk pop and other names) is a form of rock music. It is recognised as a fusion genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees, usually more of a punk style with occasional poppy tempos. Generally, however, it is simply the name for the punk-revival movement. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars.[1]

It is not clear when the term pop punk was first used, but pop-influenced punk rock had been around since the mid- to late-1970s; performed by bands such as the Ramones, Buzzcocks, The Jam, The Undertones, and Descendents.[2][3][4][5][6][7] Bad Religion, who started in 1980, were another band that helped lay the groundwork for contemporary pop punk.[8][9][10] In the mid-1990s, the Northern California-based pop punk band Green Day and as well as the Southern California-based pop punk bands Blink-182 and The Offspring, achieved worldwide commercial success. About.com has described contemporary pop punk bands as having "a radio friendly sheen to their music, but still maintaining much of the speed and attitude of classic punk rock".[11]

From the mid-1990s onwards, some bands associated with the genre have been described as "happy punk", "faux-punk", "mall punk", "pseudo-punk", "bubblegum punk", or "surf punk".