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DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT

DEVIN TOWNSEND Has ‘No Interest’ In STRAPPING YOUNG LAD Reunion

Manos Spanos
Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal of Metal Assault recently conducted an interview with renowned Canadian multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Metal Assault: The last time we did an interview, it was September of last year and at the time you were telling me about this "Retinal Circus" show that you were going to do soon after. Here we are almost a year later, and you're soon releasing a DVD of that show. First of all, for you what was that experience like, doing that show in London? Devin: It was basically every emotion sort of wrapped up into one. Being perfectly honest, overall it was a really good experience but it was fraught with technical hurdles and I didn't actually recognize what we had done until I started editing it. In hindsight, it's great but at that time it was just a lot of stress. Metal Assault: What kind of technical problems did you face? Devin: Well, the ideas that I typically have for "Retinal Circus" or "Ziltoid" or any number of projects that I do are usually on such a scope that there's no feasible way you can do it with the amount of money and time that we usually have. "Retinal" was an extreme version of that. There were a 100 people in our performing group, we had a day and a half worth of rehearsal, and overall, we did achieve what I had hoped to achieve from the show, but to get it to that point it was chaos. You can imagine when there are a 100 people, including circus performers, choir members and people that had no connection to what I've done or to the music itself. They had to become familiar with the music and being on our stage, and all these things that went into this three-hour performance. We had props, we were playing songs we'd never played before, and I think there were 50 or 60 wireless units going. Something as simple as trying to find the frequencies for the wireless units became a challenge when we had to go and do it amidst the chaos of pulling off something that was so bizarre. For me, on a personal level, narcissistic to the point of nausea, it was a heck of a thing! But ultimately, for me it was a success. I tend to be hyper-aware of what I do and what it is that I project into the audience, I real awkward sort of quasi-nerdy thing. So by doing "Retinal", which was so awkward and so nerdy, it allowed me to kind of liberate that. It's what people are going to say now,
06 min read

DRAGONFORCE Parts Ways With Drummer DAVE MACKINTOSH, Announces Replacement

Manos Spanos
British epic power metallers DRAGONFORCE have parted ways with drummer Dave Mackintosh and have replaced him with former BRAINDAMAGE and KILL RITUAL member Gee Anzalone. A native of Turin, Italy, Gee is a drum teacher who graduated from the NAMM Academy of Milan and carries on the well established multi-national mix of musicians that make up DRAGONFORCE. Gee will make his live debut with DRAGONFORCE on the forthcoming "Maximum Overload" U.K. tour, which commences on September 17 in Edinburgh. Dave is moving on to pastures new to focus on his first musical love, which is progressive rock. He says in a statement: "After much thought, I have parted ways with the boys in DRAGONFORCE to pursue my first love of progressive rock. I wish the lads all the luck in the world and look forward to the release of 'Maximum Overload' as I truly believe this is the most fantastic DRAGONFORCE album that I and the boys have recorded to date! "Many thanks to all the fans who have supported me in this last decade of massive tours, countless shows and all the albums. I couldn't have done it without you. "I will continue to tour and play with some of the greatest names in prog rock, and hope to see some familiar faces on the road! "In the meantime, stay metal, watch out for the new Dave Mackintosh web site which will be launched within the next four weeks as well as some great new videos I will be producing with my gear sponsors." Added DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li: "We have been through a lot with Dave and want to thank him for everything he has contributed to DRAGONFORCE, both as a friend and musician, and we would all like to wish him well with his new project." DRAGONFORCE will release its new album, "Maximum Overload", on August 19 in North America via Metal Blade and August 18 in Europe through earMUSIC, the Hamburg, Germany-based international rock label which is part of Edel Group. The CD was recorded at Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with OPETH, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, AMON AMARTH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK and SYMPHONY X, to name a few. It marks the band's first-ever album involving an outside producer, having historically opted to record themselves in association with Karl Groom. "Maximum Overload" will be released on standard CD, standard digital version, special edition CD with five bonus tracks and a bonus DVD, special edition digital version (same bonus material as special edition CD), and vinyl. The effort features a couple of surprises, notably a guest appearance on some of the songs from TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy. "Maximum Overload" also features an all time first for DRAGONFORCE... a cover version! Guitarist Sam Totman explained: "Just before the last Australian tour, our manager suggested it might be interesting to do a cover for the next album, something we've always refused even to consider. Because we had all had a couple beers, every bandmember wrote down three songs each and we compared them all, just for a laugh. I wrote down 'Ring Of Fire' by Johnny Cash, an idea which the rest of the band loved, so we've DRAGONFORCE-ized it." "Maximum Overload" is the follow-up to 2012's "The Power Within", which was the band's first with vocalist Marc Hudson. Since his live debut with the group in July 2011, Marc has gone on to front over 100 shows with DRAGONFORCE in 32 countries across the globe, including arenas with IRON MAIDEN as well as a mammoth headlining world tour to support the CD. A demo version of a new DRAGONFORCE song called "Defenders", featuring a guest appearance by TRIVIUM frontman Matt Heafy, can be streamed below. "The Power Within" sold 5,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 74 on The Billboard 200 chart.
04 min read

TRANSATLANTIC To Release ‘Kaleidoscope’ In January

Manos Spanos
Progressive-rock supergroup TRANSATLANTIC — Roine Stolt (THE FLOWER KINGS), Pete Trewavas (MARILLION), Neal Morse (ex-SPOCK'S BEARD) and Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, DREAM THEATER), will release its fourth studio album, "Kaleidoscope", on January 27, 2014 via InsideOut Music. The track listing for the CD is as follows: 01. Into The Blue 02. Shine 03. Black As The Sky 04. Beyond The Sun 05. Kaleidoscope TRANSATLANTIC will embark on a six-week world tour that will see them joined once again byPAIN OF SALVATION's Daniel Gildenlöw as a fifth touring member. As part of the extensive tour, the band will also headline the Progressive Nation At Sea 2014 cruise from February 18 until February 22 alongside 22 other leading prog acts, including ADRIAN BELEW POWER TRIO, DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, KING'S X, ANATHEMA, SPOCK’S BEARD and many more. This unique performance will see the band performing a very special encore of classic YESmaterial with the legendary Jon Anderson on vocals.
01 min read