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VIXEN Guitarist JAN KUEHNEMUND Dies

Manos Spanos
The official Facebook page of the platinum-selling all-female '80s band chas been updated with the following message: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of VIXEN founder and lead guitarist, Jan Kuehnemund, who lost a fierce battle with cancer on Thursday, October 10, 2013. "Though most well known for her gifted guitar playing and other musical talents, Jan was a rare friend and beautiful in every sense of the word. Humble, thoughtful, loyal and kind, she was the most gracious of women, possessing the quiet strength of a true warrior. She genuinely loved and appreciated her friends and fans more than most could ever know. Those who were most fortunate to have known her and loved her are heartbroken at the loss of Jan, whose spirit will shine through her music eternally. "Jan was very courageous. Never complained. Never gave up. The cancer beat her body but it NEVER broke her spirit at any point. "Up until the actual moment that she died, she really believed she was going back home. "Jan... you will be missed... but never forgotten." Jan Kuehnemund was only 51 years old at the time of her death. VIXEN's last studio album, "Live & Learn", was released in 2006. The group, whose latest lineup featured Kuehnemund alongside Jenna Sanz-Agero (vocals), Lynn Louise Lowrey (bass), and Kat Kraft (drums), reformed several times, most recently in 2008, resulting in the live release "Live In Sweden", which arrived in 2009.
03 min read

AEON Guitarist Quits, Says He ‘Can’t Afford’ To Stay In The Band

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Guitarist Daniel Dlimi has announced his departure from Swedish death metal overlords AEON. He says in a statement: "It's with a heavy heart that I finally have decided to call it quits. "Why?!? I simply can't afford doing this no more. To tour with a band in our size, you actually lose money on each and every tour. For us, the expenses is always higher then the income, and if that wasn't enough, I also need to take time of from my daytime job which means absolutely no income at all during the period of a tour plus the extra expenses I get from the tour that does not get covered by the tour income. "You see where this is going? "We have done four tours this year alone and each one of them has made us lose money. I have actually NEVER done a single tour and made a single dime in the end of the day. I am actually paying money to do shows for you guys. And the saddest thing about this is that the industry expects you to do so. Something must be seriously fucked up when, for example, the driver, the sound guy, the merch guy, the tour manager etc makes more money on a tour compared to bands on the bill that is not headlining?!? "The one thing I love doing the most with my band is actually being on stage performing for you guys. But my passion for the music simply won't pay my bills. And as we all know, the record industry is suffering as hell and the record sales are lower then ever. So the only way to grow your band bigger is to do new albums and tour like hell… If you are lucky enough, one day you will be at a level where you actually get paid for you job, And like I said, I can't afford doing all the tours required to maybe one day be a big enough name to do headline tours and actually make money out of it. Neither do I see an option to stay with AEON and only record albums since the reward for me with doing an album is to actually perform the songs on stage. And if I can't do that, there is simply no point for me to go on. "So with this being said, I am now leaving the world as a 'professional' musician. Because you are considered to be a professional musician if you have released four albums worldwide and toured Europe, U.S., and Japan, right?!? It's ironic in many ways… It's pure charity. "A big thanks from me to all the fans that has been supporting us through the years, Metal Blade Records for being a super professional label and not least, all the crazy and awesome guys in all the bands we have had the honor to toured with. Cheers!!!!" AEON released its fourth studio offering, "Aeons Black", on November 20, 2012 via Metal Blade Records. The mammoth 15-track effort was recorded at Empire Studio in Östersund, Sweden, engineered, mixed and mastered by Ronnie Björnström (Garageland Studios) and featuring cover art by Kristian "Necrolord" Wåhlin (BATHORY, AT THE GATES,DISSECTION, EMPEROR).
03 min read

JUDAS PRIEST Singer ROB HALFORD To Guest On ‘The Simpsons’

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According to Entertainment Weekly, the voice of JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford wil be featured in an episode of the animated series "The Simpsons", set to air sometime next year. The episode will also star Will Arnett, director Judd Apatow, and his frequent costars Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen. Simpsons executive producer Matt Selman tells Entertainment Weekly that in the episode, titled "Steal This Episode", Homer is taught by Bart how to illegally download films, and he starts screening them in his backyard for folks in Springfield. "Even though Homer is stealing, he's doing it for the community, he’s doing it out of the goodness of his heart," says Selman. An overzealous FBI director in charge of anti-piracy subsuqently goes after Homer, andHalford winds up singing a parody of the JUDAS PRIEST classic "Breaking The Law" in an effort to nab Homer. In 2002, Halford had a small film role as a pornographic video store clerk in "Spun", a crime comedy-drama dark-comedy directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who has helmed music videos for some of the biggest pop and rock artists in the world. Rob told Screamer Magazine earlier this year: "I had a fantastic opportunity to work on that 'Spun' movie with Mickey Rourke. And to watch Mickey Rourke, I just don't know how he does it. He just switches it on, and he's a different person almost. That's the great challenge that these actors have. It's not easy, but these actors make it look easy because they are so good at what they do." Given a chance to act again, Halford said that he would certainly consider it. "I never say no to anything," he said. "I think if you do, you don't know what you've missed. I think you should try everything in life. If it doesn't work out, then at least you can say you've tried it. There's nothing worse than having regrets. If life affords you an opportunity and you can go for it, then you should."
02 min read

SLAYER’s KERRY KING Wants To Sell You Some ‘Coldcock’

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SLAYER guitarist Kerry King is part owner of the Coldcock American Herbal Flavored Whiskey, the brand new adult beverage created for the hard-working, bad-ass American by hard-working, bad-ass Americans. Coldcock was co-founded by John Reese (co-creator of the Rockstar Energy Mayhem and Uproar festivals), and Michael Arfin (AGI). On top of that, Coldcock is touted by artists and tastemakers like David Draiman (DISTURBED),Ashley Purdy (BLACK VEIL BRIDES), Miles Doughty (SLIGHTLY STOOPID), Raul Bianchi(THE EXPENDABLES) and more. These great people are helping to bring this brand new drink to you, but not without the help of more of your favorite up-and-coming bands, too. Growing hard rock/metal artists such as SEVENDUST, EYES SET TO KILL, ANGELS FALL plus DJs like Datsik, Mike Czech of Skratch 'n Sniff, Shannon Gunz of SiriusXM, world-famous tattoo artists such as Paul Booth, Steve Soto, famed street artist Risk and more are supporting Coldcock on the road and at home, not only because of its fantastic taste and herbal benefits, but because it gives back to them! Coldcock is all about working hard together and sharing success, and its vision to share that success with artists is already taking off. Zeiler Spirits supports hard-working artists by giving them the opportunity to earn ownership in the brand. Want to learn more and/or get your band in on the action? Bands can submit their information to ColdcockWhiskey.com under "sponsorship" or email info@zeilerspirits.com with inquiries. Pictured above: Kerry King and his wife Ayesha enjoying some Coldcock. "Having the ability to utilize our experience in the spirits industry to create the most unique and best-tasting whiskey ever and marrying it with our contacts in the entertainment world to offer a chance for bands to reap the benefits of their hard work, is a dream come true," said Rick Zeiler, founder of Coldcock. "An opportunity like this only comes along once in a lifetime and we are taking our shot at building something successful for all involved." Coldcock American Herbal Flavored Whiskey is a three-year aged American bourbon blended with a variety of meaningful and detoxifying herbs, including green tea, hibiscus, ginger, eucalyptus, cinnamon and gingko. In addition to those natural ingredients, Coldcockcontains roughly half the amount of sugar of its competitors. Coldcock is currently available for purchase in California, New York, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, and South Carolina, with more states joining the ranks throughout the year. As of now, Coldcock is available at the Roxy and the Rainbow on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles, and is set to appear in more Los Angeles-area bars soon.
03 min read

RUSH To Release ‘The Garden’ 10-Inch Picture Disc

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After a successful campaign last year for Record Store Day, Canadian rock legends RUSH are again partnering with independent retail for an exclusive 10-inch picture disc for Black Friday — November 29. The 10-inch includes two versions of "The Garden" — the closing track fromRUSH's 2012 album "Clockwork Angels". Side A features the studio version from the album, while Side B includes a live version of the song with the Clockwork Angels String Ensembletaken from the upcoming live release "Clockwork Angels Tour". Designed by Crankbunny (Norma V. Toraya), the 10-inch features artwork from her stunning animated screen projections shown during the performance of "The Garden" during the"Clockwork Angels" tour. This special 10-inch will be limited and available only for this special celebration of independent music retailers.
01 min read

ANTHRAX’s SCOTT IAN Has Flesh-Ripping Good Time In New Episode Of ‘Blood & Guts’ (Video)

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The second episode in the third season of "Blood & Guts", the Nerdist YouTube channel web series hosted by ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian, can be seen below. Join Ian as he goes behind the scenes of Universal Studios Hollywood's Halloween Horror Nights with John Murdyand Chris Williams and has a flesh-ripping good time with Larry Bones of Boneyard Effects. The clip includes a cameo appearance by Danny Trejo. Following two successful seasons, "Blood & Guts With Scott Ian" has returned to theNerdist Channel with Season 3. A new episode will debut every Thursday, leading up to the season finale on Halloween. "Blood & Guts" is hosted by Scott Ian, guitarist and founding member of legendary metal band ANTHRAX. Ian, a longtime horror aficionado, gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the all-time greatest practical effects artists create the gore and monsters that genre fans love. The series differs from typical behind-the-scenes shows due to Ian's infectious excitement and curiosity, coupled with the clever ways the effects are integrated into each episode. Ian is often the one in the makeup chair, experiencing squibs, gore appliances and complex character makeups with rare enthusiasm. "I've been into horror longer than music, longer than comics. It was my first true nerd-love," says Ian. "And that love affair still burns hot all these years later. Horror has been a huge influence on my music career, my writing, and now I get to actually be a part of it by hosting'Blood & Guts'. It's my dream gig." Previous guests on the show included the likes of seven-time Academy Award winner Rick Baker, "The Walking Dead"'s Greg Nicotero and frequent Guillermo Del Toro collaboratorsSpectral Motion. Season 3 of "Blood & Guts" ups the ante with an original creature created by Joel Harlow exclusively for the series, unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the creation of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights and an episode with Tony Gardner that includes a surprise visit from a legendary horror character, reprised by the original actor. "Blood & Guts With Scott Ian" is produced by Chris Hardwick's Nerdist Channel as part of their partnership with YouTube, with episodes premiering online alongside All-Star Celebrity Bowling and other Nerdist content. The show was originally launched with Fangoria's involvement, but Nerdist has taken on full production duties for Season 3. The dedicated crew remains the same, with Jack Bennett directing and producing each episode.
04 min read

PROTEST THE HERO Announces New Drummer

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After the departure of longtime drummer Moe Carlson, Canada's PROTEST THE HERO enlistedLAMB OF GOD's Chris Adler to sit behind the kit for the recording sessions of the band's forthcoming album, "Volition". Now with extensive touring on the horizon, PROTEST THE HERO has decided to fill the slot permanently with Mike Ieradi. Says the band: "Finding a new drummer has proven to be a tough task! We had interest and video submissions from many friends, fans, and family alike (yes, Choadie's mom sent in a video of her ripping 'C'est La Vie!'). Every single one of those submissions was wonderful — but we realized it was going to be impossible to select a drummer based on a YouTube video. We needed someone who we knew. Someone who we thought we wouldn't murder and leave at the side of the road two weeks into tour. We think we have found that person in Mike Ieradi— a Canadian fella we met many moons ago. "What's that, you say? Mike is already in another band? Yes, he is. He will be playing in two bands on this upcoming tour. He will be opening with his band THE KINDRED and will then wrap the night up playing with us. "Despite pulling double duty on this tour, he IS the newest member of PROTEST THE HERO and will hopefully be with us until we hang up the old jazz picks. No pressure, Mike!" Adds Ieradi, "[I'm] happy to announce my new role in PROTEST THE HERO. I'm excited to be a full-blown member of a great band with some great friends, and looking forward to the future with these goons. Stoked to see everyone out on this upcoming tour, and I hope you enjoy watching me sweat my way through two sets with PROTEST and THE KINDRED. It should be a fun one!" PROTEST THE HERO's fourth studio CD, "Volition", will be released on October 29 (one day earlier internationally). The long-awaited follow-up to 2011's "Scurrilous" (Vagrant), "Volition" has been licensed to series of worldwide partners who will help distribute and market it to both traditional stores alongside digital service providers, thus making the new record available on a worldwide scale. PROTEST THE HERO and Razor & Tie will join forces for the United States, while the album will be released in Canada through Sony Music and in the rest of the word via Spinefarm. "Volition" track listing: 01. Clarity 02. Drum-Head Trial 03. Tilting Against Windmills 04. Without Prejudice 05. Yellow Teeth 06. Plato's Tripartite 07. A Life Embossed 08. Mist 09. Underbite 10. Animal Bones 11. Skies The cover artwork can be seen below.
03 min read

XANDRIA Begins Recording New Album

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German female-fronted symphonic metallers XANDRIA have entered the studio to begin recording their sixth album for an early 2014 release via Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Neverworld's End" is being helmed by Joost Van Den Broek (AFTER FOREVER,STAR ONE, REVAMP) and Sascha Paeth (EDGUY, EPICA, AVANTASIA), alongside the band's main composer Marco Heubaum. XANDRIA in February recruited Steven Wussow (DOMAIN, SHYLOCK, ILLECTRONIC ROCK) as the band's new bassist. "Neverworld's End" was released in North America on March 6, 2012 via Napalm Records. XANDRIA in December 2010 announced the addition of singer Manuela Kraller to the group's ranks.
00 min read

TESTAMENT Singer: ‘We Get Inspired By New, Up-And-Coming Thrash-Style Bands’

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Brendan Crabb of Australia's Loud magazine recently conducted an interview with vocalist Chuck Billy of San Francisco Bay Area metallers TESTAMENT. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Loud: The further your career progresses, the more beloved many of those staples become to the long-time fans. How difficult is it to compose new material that can sit alongside the usual suspects of your live sets, and become accepted? Chuck: Well, I think because we never really write the same record, so I think that it's not just more of the same thing. You don't know what you're going to get on a record from us. We're always writing and that tends to get better and better as writing goes. We've been fortunate to play a lot more festivals over the summer when we go to Europe, so it kind of sticks in the back of your mind, that it's nice that you wrote a song that has those hooks or melodies where the crowd can respond and participate. We have a couple of those on this record, we always seem to have a song that kind of has a sing-a-long or a sing back or answer back, and it's been working. [laughs] So we've kinda been sticking with that I guess. Loud: On the live front, there's the impending release of your new DVD. What can you tell us about that? Chuck: Well, there's about 19 songs on it, and we put songs from the beginning of our career all the way to where we are now. It's actually a really good representation of where the band is today. The last DVD was in '05, and that's when we had the reunion with the original lineup. They only really wanted to play some of the stuff that they recorded on, so it's kinda nice, here we are now playing more of the current stuff. We decided to capture it, and we're really proud of it because we put a lot of effort into this DVD. It sounds really good, and it looks really good as well. So I'm pretty pumped on it. There's some backstage stuff and interviews, a video on it and the making of the video. Some cool stuff on there. Loud: Is the DVD somewhat of a stopgap before you bunker down to write the next album? Chuck: Well, we start it in January. We're doing the LAMB OF GOD, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and HUNTRESS tour, and after that, that's the last tour and the first of January we start writing. Then hopefully have a record out by summer. Loud: Where do you envision the next record heading then? Chuck: Not sure. I mean, Eric [Peterson, guitar], I kinda play off of what Eric, what the mood or what the riff is, you know? He kinda has the beginning; he starts it out and gets it going first. Then it just kinda develops from there. I don't know what style of vocals I'm going to be singing yet, until he gets those riffs on the demo.
03 min read

MORBID ANGEL: ‘Covenant’ Tab eBook Available

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In the continuing celebration of the 20th anniversary of the MORBID ANGEL album"Covenant", the Tampa, Florida-based death metal band and World Management have announced that Angel Fortiz has officially completed the transcriptions for a new tab eBook of the album. The eBook features authentic transcriptions with notes, tabs, chords, lyrics andTrey Azagthoth's liner notes. Check out a trailer for the eBook below. To order a copy, go to this location. MORBID ANGEL will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its best-selling album, "Covenant", by embarking on the "Covenant: 1993-2013" tour. In 1992, MORBID ANGEL was the first death metal band to be signed to a major record company (Giant Records/Warner Brothers) and "Covenant" was the group's first release for that label in the USA. The LP was issued on June 22, 1993 and went on to garner great critical and commercial success. On the "Covenant: 1993-2013" tour, MORBID ANGEL will play the "Covenant" album in its entirety and, after a short intermission, some additional surprise classic cuts. Further, there will be special commemorative items produced exclusively for this tour. Asked if it ever irritates him that some MORBID ANGEL fans always expect the band to record a sequel to the group's most successful albums, like "Altars Of Madness", "Blessed Are The Sick" or "Covenant", Vincent told MetalCrypt.com this past January: "We have stuff like that. Listen, we are a very wide band; we are not narrow. There are a lot of narrow bands out there these days, and you know how their records are going to sound before they are even released. You will know exactly what they are going to be and the fans like that. These types of bands don't take any chances; they don't really experiment at all. They just play the same record, you know, there's only a few notes different but it's still the same thing over and over again. And then there are bands that specialize in that, and that's what the listeners are looking for. They should support those kinds of bands. We are just not that kind of band and never have been." MORBID ANGEL's latest album, "Illud Divinum Insanus", sold around 3,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 141. The effort marked MORBID ANGEL's first CD to feature Vincent since 1995's "Domination".
02 min read