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Manos Spanos

EYEHATEGOD’s JIMMY BOWER: JOEY LACAZE ‘Would Have Never Wanted Us To Quit Playing’

Manos Spanos
The Rock Pit recently conducted an interview with EYEHATEGOD guitarist and DOWN drummer Jimmy Bower. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. The Rock Pit: How has the new album come together? Is it completely finished or are you still working out the last few bits? Jimmy: Just working out the last bits, but it should be out in April, and we're just excited, man. It came out really good. It's been 13 years, so it's a big deal for us to finally get this out. The Rock Pit: From your perspective, how does it compare to the other albums? Jimmy: I think it's different, but it's still EYEHATEGOD. It's just an evolution to me; it's evolved. We get feedback differently and play differently, but I don't know what to say about shit like that. [laughs] To me, it just sounds like new tunes, but somebody else might be, like, "Well it doesn't sound like this or that." I'm, like, "Alright man. Sorry!" [laughs] The Rock Pit: You have the new drummer, Aaron Hill, who has taken over from Joey (LaCaze), who passed away this year. Obviously, it must be tough to get through something like that so how has Aaron fitted into the band so far? Jimmy: He's been doing really good, man. He's getting there. Joey would have never wanted us to quit playing; we knew that for a fact. So as opposed to sitting around bummed out, we just got into a room pretty fast with Aaron and started learning as much as we could. We got 22 songs down, so we're stoked, man. It's good to be playing shows again. We miss Joey bigtime — we will always miss Joey — but we're also excited about the new chapter in the band. The Rock Pit: Did [Aaron] play on the new record? Jimmy: No. Joey did. We recorded it last year right after we got back from Australia, but it's taken us a year to get it all finished up and everything. That's another reason we are super excited about it too. But we've been writing too; we've already got two new songs and almost another one, so it's good, because the band has been the most active than we've ever been. The Rock Pit: You must be happy for the band to be back and be strong again. Jimmy: We felt like we were doing really good when Joey was still alive, because in 2008 we were doing a lot of touring and stuff like that, but I guess with this new chapter, we played in New York and Chicago and people are really supportive and cool and just happy that we continued on. So we've just been kinda taking that and using that as our fuel. That's cool, and we love this band; we don't know what to fucking do with ourselves when we're not in this band. Read the entire interview at The Rock Pit.
03 min read

CALIBAN: ‘Devil’s Night’ Video Released

Manos Spanos
The official video for the song "Devil's Night" from Germany's CALIBAN can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Ghost Empire", which will be released on the following dates via Century Media Records: * Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand: January 24 * Rest of Europe: January 27 * U.S., Canada: February 4 The CD was produced by by guitarist Marc Görtz in cooperation with Benny Richter. Said Görtz of the the "Ghost Empire" art, which was created by U.K. artist Chris Lovell: "Another great artist told me about Chris and his art. When I checked out his page, I loved his style and amazing drawings straight away. So I wrote him a message if he would be into designing a t-shirt design for us. It turned out great, so there was no doubt whom to ask for the new album artwork for 'Ghost Empire'! I told him what the album is about and he said that he would love to do it. It didn't take long for him to come up with first ideas which were amazing! I hope we can work with him on other projects in the future, he is a great guy and easy to work with and I think the result speaks for itself!" Added Lovell: "I have been heavily into metal since the age of 12. "It's always nice when a band I am a fan of contacts me with a brief for a project. "I was stoked to read Marc's ideas as post-apocalyptic imagery is something I have an obsession with. I grew up loving films like 'Mad Max', 'Cyborg' and the 'Fist Of The North Star' anime. There's something about destroyed buildings and wastelands that stir my imagination and conjure up all kinds of haunting images in my head. It's also much more fun and easier to draw ruined buildings than perfect ones! "Marc and I brainstormed ideas one evening and we came up with lots of elements we liked such as crows, scarecrows, rats etc. I sketched out a very rough concept idea and layout for the basic image. The front and back cover is all in one, so I had a nice wide landscape to work with. I liked the idea of a road on the main cover, leading to what could look like a hive of collapsed skyscrapers and buildings, leaning on each other and climbing into the clouds. On the left side a cliff face leading down to stormy seas and a shore line littered with ship wrecks and capsized boats. "I wanted the image to look void of human life and haunting. "I drew out the bulk of the main image in pencil, then used inks and acrylic paint to add depth and highlights. I then scanned the image in and coloured it with a graphics tablet on Photoshop. I drew a number of other elements, like telegraph poles, crows, skulls and rats and scanned them in separately. "I wanted to be able to experiment with placement and give the band the option to move elements around etc. "I lost track of how many hours I put into the piece, it all becomes a blur. "I like to stream horror movies or listen to music and just lose myself in the art I make. "I have a bit of an obsession with detail and I tend to spend hours tweaking elements on an image people will probably never even notice. "CALIBAN have been a pleasure to work with. After I had the pleasure of hearing the demos while working on this project it is an honour to have done the artwork for what will be an amazing album!" CALIBAN's eighth studio album, "I Am Nemesis", entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 21. "I Am Nemesis" was released in North America on February 28, 2012 via Century Media Records. The CD featured guest appearances by Marcus Bischoff (HEAVEN SHALL BURN) and Mitch Lucker (SUICIDE SILENCE).
04 min read

SUICIDAL ANGELS: ‘In The Grave’ Video Released

Manos Spanos
Greek thrashers SUICIDAL ANGELS will release their new album, "Divide And Conquer", on January 14, 2014 (one day earlier internationally) via NoiseArt Records. The effort will be made available as a limited digipak, vinyl LP in different colors and as a digital download. Comments SUICIDAL ANGELS guitarist/vocalist Nick Melissourgos: "We recorded again in the Prophecy & Music Factory Studios and the mix and master this time was done by Fredrik Nordström (HAMMERFALL, IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY) at Fredman Studios. We didn't know what to expect for the final result, but what we got is killer. He managed to combine the old-school feeling of our music with an up-to-date production of 2013. [It sounds] absolutely massive!" The cover artwork for "Divide And Conquer" was created by another well-known name in the metal biz — legendary cover artist Ed Repka, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, DEATH and MUNICIPAL WASTE. Adds Melissourgos: "If you notice, in the pit, it's not people fighting, it's zombies. Also the crowd isn't human, they are zombies. They are the souls of people who have no human feelings anymore. They represent the ugliness and the inhumanity of the humans. Thus turned into something else, they are easier to be conquered and manipulated." The "Divide And Conquer" artwork is said to be the "perfect mirror" for the album's lyrics, because once again, SUICIDAL ANGELS isn't really interested in booze, boobs and slimy aliens, but instead likes to reflect on the everyday horror of our lives. "The main subject is the contemporary situation that we all are living in," explains Melissourgos. "There is so much power in the hands of few who have the ability to do everything, but their only fear is everyday and common people. So the only, most direct and easiest solution is to mentally disease the population, in order to fight each other, in order to misjudge reality and not being able to tell what is important and what not. So, like this, without unity, it is easier to become a slave." SUICIDAL ANGELS will embark on a European headlining tour in January and February 2014. Support on the trek will come from FUELED BY FIRE, LOST SOCIETY and EXARSIS. "Divide And Conquer" track listing: 01. Marching Over Blood 02. Seed Of Evil 03. Divide And Conquer 04. Control The Twisted Mind 05. In The Grave 06. Terror Is My Scream 07. Pit Of Snakes 08. Kneel To The Gun 09. Lost Dignity 10. White Wizard The official video for the song "In The Grave" can be seen below.
03 min read

SLAYER’s KERRY KING: I Can’t Pretend To Be JEFF HANNEMAN

Manos Spanos
The February 2014 issue of U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine features an interview with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's next album — SLAYER's first following the passing of guitarist, and one of key songwriters, Jeff Hanneman. "I've got assloads of songs!" King stated about SLAYER's next CD. "I mean, I'm more prepared than I've been before any record, working on this material for of three years. Me and Paul [Bostaph, drums] have demoed 11 songs. I'm sitting on 14 or 15 songs and I've got seven complete with lyrics already. I'm in great shape!" Asked if he has found himself tempted to write the kind of songs that Jeff might have contributed to an album, Kerry said: "I think that would be shooting myself in the foot. I can't pretend to be Jeff. We both learned from each other in 30 years of writing together. As far as going out of my way to write something that Jeff might've done? I won't do that. If it happens to end up sounding that way, good for me!" According to King, it's still undecided as to whether any of Hanneman's previously unused ideas will make it to the next SLAYER album. "There was a song we finished on the last record, but I know for a fact [Jeff] wanted to rewrite the lyrics on, so that one got to deconstruct and make better," he said. "I've said, and I'll continue to say, that if we use any of Jeff's songs, I don't want it to come out just because Jeff wrote it. I want it to come out because it's awesome," he added. "We've just got to put out something that I think Jeff would be proud of." Regarding what fans can expect from the new SLAYER material, King said: "I've got a surprising amount of heavy stuff for me. I do tend to lean on the fast side, but I have some exceptionally heavy tunes, Like, 'Wow, man, where did that come from?' I expect my stuff to be angry and fast, but it's all over the map. I'm stoked. We'll have enough so we can pick great stuff whether we use any of Jeff's material or not. It should add up to as good a record as we can hope for with one of our original songwriters being gone." King also spoke about SLAYER's current touring lineup, which includes drummer Paul Bostaph and guitarist Gary Holt (also of EXODUS). "Not to toot my own horn, but we sound fucking great right now," he said. "It's a juggernaut. Paul's a machine. He always has been. Also he's been here before, so that made this transition as easy as it could be as well as for the fans because I think they always felt he was part of the band, even t hough he wasn't for many years." Asked if he is looking forward to shutting people up with the new SLAYER album, King said: "Oh, yeah, but only because people expect us to fail. "I'm very stoked about the stuff we're gonna be putting out," he added. "In a perfect world, which is never what happens in SLAYER, me and Paul plan on continuing to play to keep our chops up, and if we can get everybody on board, I want to start in January and have a record out before the summer."
03 min read

LAMB OF GOD’s MORTON Sitting Out European Tour; BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME’s WAGGONER Filling In

Manos Spanos
Guitarist Mark Morton of Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD is sitting out at least the first few shows of the band's current European headlining tour due to a "family emergency." Filling in for him is Paul Waggoner of BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME. Fan-filmed video footage of the first show of the European tour, which took place last night (Monday, January 6) in Vienna, Austria, can be seen below. Prior to performing the song "Walk With Me In Hell" at the Vienna concert, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe explained Morton's absence, telling the crowd, "You may have noticed Mr. Mark Morton is not here with us tonight. He had a family emergency, so he had to stay home. It's family first for this band. We apologize, but he had to be with his family. Luckly, we have a very big music family, so we've got our friend Paul Waggoner from BETWEEN THE BURIED IN ME [playing with us tonight]." LAMB OF GOD recently entered into a worldwide distribution deal with Specticast (LED ZEPPELIN's "Celebration Day", Paul McCartney's "Rock Show") for their Don Argott-directed ("Last Days Here", "Art Of The Steal", "School Of Rock") feature film "As The Palaces Burn". Filming for the movie began in 2012 and concluded in March of 2013. "As The Palaces Burn", which should not be confused with the making-of documentary packaged with the recent re-release of the 2003 LAMB OF GOD album of the same name, was conceived to be a documentary focused on the power of music and its impact on cultures around the world and its ability to bring together people of all nationalities regardless of religious or political differences. After a worldwide casting call, filming took place in Colombia, Venezuela, Israel, India, and the United States. As filming reached its conclusion, the documentary was forced to take a major turn when the band's lead singer, Randy Blythe, was arrested in the Czech Republic and charged with the murder of a fan in June 2012. Granted unique access to Blythe's saga, Argott's filming covered Blythe's 38-day imprisonment in Prague, his release and the band's return to live performances, and finally Blythe's trial for murder in Prague in February 2013.
03 min read

Brutal Assault confirms Shining, Misery Index and H2O

Manos Spanos
Shining - Avantgarde band from Norway which rose as a jazz quartet and during the years was gradually changed into cold, dark, synthetically needled avantgarde metal with black metal influences. To see them live is usually a big experience so let's hope they will deliver the same on the BA festival and let's get focused on their show. Misery Index - Rough ornithological death/ grind hails from Baltimore US. The band delivers heavy riffing with one of the fastest and most powerful baterry on the current scene with mr. Jason Netherton behind the mic. So once the power of music should kill someone, you will be killed. H2O - hails Brutal Assault for the very first time ever with their music roots from NY ghettos. These HC /punkers will enlarge the variety of BA artists and will reveal that their music is heavy enough but just from a bit different perspective.
00 min read

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY To Release ‘Catacombs Of The Black Vatican’ Album In April

Manos Spanos
The new BLACK LABEL SOCIETY studio album, "Catacombs Of The Black Vatican", will be released in Europe on April 7 via Mascot Label Group and one day later in North America through eOne Music. The band's mainman, Zakk Wylde, joked in a recent interview that the forthcoming CD will be "all completely the same as the last nine records, except just different songtitles." Mascot Label Group is honored to welcome BLACK LABEL SOCIETY to the label, having recently signed the band exclusively for European territory. The group will join, among others, JOE BONAMASSA, VOLBEAT, GOV'T MULE, BETH HART, VANDENBERG'S MOONKINGS, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION and KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD on the Rotterdam, The Netherlands-based record company's roster. BLACK LABEL SOCIETY recently amicably parted ways with longtime guitarist Nick Catanese and replaced him with Dario Lorina (LIZZY BORDEN). "Catacombs of the Black Vatican" is BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's first new studio album since 2009's "The Order Of The Black", which debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 chart. BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's new live DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital Video, "Unblackened", was released on September 24, 2013 by Eagle Rock Entertainment. Wylde's label home, eOne Music, also released the audio version of the "Unblackened" DVD under the same name.
01 min read

Underground: Death Courier – Perimortem

Manos Spanos
Let's go deep into the old school Greek extreme metal underground: remember a band called Death Courier? One of the oldest bands of the Greek Death metal scene (starting back in 1987) releasing the well known demo "Necrorgasm" (1991) and the first full length album one year after that called "Demise" (1992). They disbanded after that but they came back with new members and the oldest man Bill on bass/vocals with a new album including material from previous releases and stuff not completed during the early days of the band. The album starts thundering with "Feeding The Abyss" showing strong influences of Morbid Angel and the necessary Thrashy elements to break the blasting inferno putting a smile on the listeners face. Then comes "Worman" blasting again interrupting for a bit of midtempo Thrashing between verses showing some disarmonic parts towards the end. The massacre continues with "Deprive The Deceased" one of the best tracks of the album Thrashing through the listeners ears after a blasting intro, a kick ass chorus followed by a solo reminiscent of Death or Pestilence and indicating some keyboards wisely put to intensify the darkening feel of the song. "Mindwarp" comes up next ripping with some of the best lyrics of the album dealing with the issue of limited knowledge of young people and brainwash tactics used in institutions and schools. Musicwise is a Death/Thrash tornado done the old school way with a groovy part just before the end. "Devour The Moment" features more blasting and groovy parts and a small lead before the final blastbeat part.
03 min read

Brutal Assault confirms SATYRICON, NIGHTFALL and HACKTIVIST

Manos Spanos
Satyricon - one of the greatest ikons of black metal genre confirmed their performance on 19th edition of Brutal Assault festival. The leader of the band Satyr bewitch their crowd for over 23 years contrary to some other black metal bands he still has the burning force and appetite to do things different way which designites them to conquer... Nightfall - Legend of Greek melodic death/doom metal makes their first live appearance in CZ after their reunion. They have brought to the scene such gems as Macabre Sunset (1993) or Athenian Echos (1995). Their latest album is called Cassiopeia. Hacktivists - What a great combination of djent technics and hard core / rap barking with their first ever performance on BA.
00 min read

PHILIP ANSELMO And THE ILLEGALS: Promotional Video For Upcoming Tour

Manos Spanos
Philip Anselmo, legendary frontman of PANTERA and DOWN, will kick off the second leg of his first-ever solo tour, dubbed "Technicians Of Distortion", on January 10 in Houston, Texas and head westward, trampling through over a dozen cities with additional support provided by HYMNS. On this trek, Anselmo will once again be joined by his backup band THE ILLEGALS — guitarist Marzi Montazeri (ex-SUPERJOINT RITUAL), drummer José Manuel Gonzales (WARBEAST) and bassist Steve Taylor. Anselmo's recently released, limited-edition two-song "Housecore Horror Fest" 10-inch vinyl EP will be available for purchase on all tour dates. A new one-and-a-half-minute promotional video for the upcoming tour can be seen below. Anselmo's career-first solo album, "Walk Through Exits Only", sold around 8,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart. Produced by Anselmo and Michael Thompson, and recorded over the past couple of years at Philip's New Orleans studio, Nodferatu's Lair, "Walk Through Exits Only" is abrasive, aggressive, anthemic and 100% Anselmo. According to Anselmo, he worked on an estimated 15-17 songs for "Walk Through Exits Only", which was issued via his own Housecore Records (MRI/Megaforce) "I could've put on any number (of songs) I wanted, but for me, these eight songs all together, 40-something minutes, that's my idea of a proper listening length," he tells Billboard.com. "When you start to get longer it gets a little redundant and boring, and I didn't want to bore anybody." Asked why he felt the need to start another band outside of DOWN, Anselmo told The Washington Times: "If you look at DOWN, we're made up of three different bands, EYEHATEGOD and CROWBAR and whatever the fuck Pepper's [Keenan, guitar] doing, you know; he does a lot of different things. So, we have this flexibility of freedom and dead time is lame. Instead of starting some fucking other band, you know, branding it with a name and having to have people buy into a whole new name, this is something I wanted to do for the long term and something I can do long term because I don't want any other fucking projects. That's the beauty of having a solo band. I can really do what I want. So, 'Walk Through Exits Only' is one expression of music. We have another EP coming out in October that's really completely different than anything that I've put out. And then we're gonna get even more different and base it off the
03 min read

Manos Spanos

Manos Spanos (Metalpaths' co-editor-in-chief), eight years in this site but still can't be characterised as a metalhead.