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All posts for the year 2012

Interview with Dirk Verbeuren: BENT SEA do not preach but they certainly aren’t afraid to blast it from the rooftops!

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 13, 2012
Posted in: Interviews. Tagged: , . 3 Comments

…on an angst-driven evening in january 2011, multi-instrumentalist Dirk Verbeuren (Aborted, Scarve, Soilwork) carved grindcore act BENT SEA out of his disembowling passion for the noise that permeated the air of his teenage years…equipped with an arsenal of furious beats and ferocious riffage, Verbeuren created an assaulting army of tracks, enlisting his Aborted bandmate and fellow belgian Sven De Caluwe to call the formations…the pair were then joined by none other than Devin Townsend on bass…BENT SEA’s debut 11 song EP “Noistalgia”, produced by Devin Townsend, was released digitally on 11/11/11…a limited vinyl version will be released in early 2012. And what else BENT SEA is, let’s find out…

1. Hi Dirk, I’m Tarja. Welcome to Metal Shock Finland! What was your first thought of this morning?

Hey Tarja! Thank you! I believe my first thought was “what the hell is this thing in my face?” In case you wanna know, it was my cat Sven’s tail.

2. LOL! Before we’ll go to Bent Sea, let’s talk about you… You’ve recorded over fifty releases with bands such as Devin Townsend Project, Soilwork, Aborted, Scarve and Anatomy of I. But tell me, when was the moment, the impulse, you knew to become a professional drummer?

Almost twenty years ago, after I graduated from high school and when it was time to choose what to do next. In the back of my head I had thought for many years that I was gonna become a scientist or something, but I suddenly realized how much music and drumming meant to me. I convinced my parents to let me attend the MAI, a professional music school in the North-East of France, and I haven’t stopped ever since.
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HELSINKI METAL MEETING – Program ready

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 13, 2012
Posted in: News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

HELSINKI METAL MEETING has issued the following:

Helsinki Metal Meeting / Finnish Metal Expo taking place at the Cable Factory in Helsinki, Finland during February 17-18. has completed the 2012 roster.

Last pieces of the puzzle are all Finnish new comers: death ‘n’ roll group GHOUL PATROL, ODDLAND who are about to release their debut album via Century Media, and metalcore outfit ARTIFICIAL who were recently signed to Spinefarm Records.

Complete FME 2012 line up:

FRI 17.2.2012
EDGUY, PARADISE LOST, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, ICS VORTEX, SOEN, SWALLOW THE SUN, OLDSCHOOL, AXEGRESSOR, CARNALATION, ARTIFICIAL HEART

SAT 18.2.2012
STAM1NA, TURISAS, EVERGREY, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, ENGEL, AMORAL, FOR THE IMPERIUM, ORANSSI PAZUZU, GHOUL PATROL, PRESSURE POINTS, SINISTHRA, ODDLAND

FINNISH METAL AWARDS
Finnish Metal Awards voting will award the best Finnish metal of 2011. FMA gala will take place at the Cable Factory Main Stage on Saturday Feb 18. You can now vote for your favorite Finnish Metal Artists at www.imperiumi.net/index.php?act=fma.

TICKETS
Tickets for the Finnish Metal Expo are now on sale at www.lippupalvelu.fi and www.tiketti.fi.

We sell one day tickets and two-day tickets.
One-Day tickets cost 35 euros in advance and 40 euros at the door (if not sold out).
Two-day ticket costs 57 euros. Advance only.

Possible ticket agency fees will be added to the advance ticket price.

FME is an all-ages event with bars to those over 18 and feeling the urge for such services.

LAMB OF GOD’s MARK MORTON And DiMarzio To Launch Signature ‘Dominion’ Model Pickup

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 12, 2012
Posted in: Int. News. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

DiMarzio will officially launch the Mark Morton “Dominion” signature model pickup at next week’s NAMM show in Anaheim, California. Designed and developed in conjunction with LAMB OF GOD‘s Mark Morton, the Dominion pickups are the result of over two years of intense bench work, road testing and studio recording. Available in both bridge and neck models, the DiMarzio Dominion offers the player a wide range of diverse and dynamic tone possibilities in a passive, medium output, humbucking pickup.

Morton states, “This pickup completes the circle for me … it’s the missing link in my search for THE SOUND. The clean tones are like bells and pianos … simply gorgeous. The rhythms are the perfect balance of cream and crush. There’s such a unique character to the saturation … it’s thick and massive, but equally accurate and concise. The gain structure is super tight without sacrificing body and depth, and the lead tones are absolutely scorching. It’s got all of the sear, slice and sustain you could ever ask for. Can you tell that I’m in love?!”

For more information on the DiMarzio Dominion, click here and here. Source: Blabbermouth.net

 

LITA FORD Signs With SPV/STEAMHAMMER; New Album Title Revealed

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 12, 2012
Posted in: Int. News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Lita Ford has signed a worldwide deal with SPV/Steamhammer. Her new album, “Living Like A Runaway”, is tentatively due in May.

Best known for her work with THE RUNAWAYS and her solo career, including hit singles “Kiss Me Deadly” and the Billboard-charting duet with Ozzy Osbourne, “Close My Eyes Forever”, Lita is ready to make a return to the throne as the queen of metal.

“SPV gets who I am, my work, and what it takes to bring this project to life. I’m very excited to have them on my team,” says Lita.

“Living Like A Runaway” was co-written and produced by rock guitarist Gary Hoey and represents a return to form for Lita, who drew inspiration from her “ugly divorce” from NITRO singer Jim Gillette.

“Gary Hoey and I wanted to approach this record by getting back to basics,” she said. “We want to strip away all the electronics and plug-ins and keep it to vocals, guitar, bass, and drums. Going back to basics is going back to what punk, metal and THE RUNAWAYS was for me.”

She added, “[The album title] ‘Living Like A Runaway’ means freedom and empowerment. To do what I want and to pursue my dreams while answering to no one.”

SPV A&R representative/product manager Olly Hahn commented on the signing of Lita Ford: “When I bought ‘Dancin’ On The Edge’ back in 1984, I never thought that I would ever sign Lita Ford to a label. But a dream of mine came true and it’s a huge honor for us at SPV/Steamhammer to have one of the leading women in rock ‘n’ roll on our label.”

In a 2011 interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Lita said that “Living Like A Runaway” will be her “real comeback album.” She explained, “The last album I did was called ‘Wicked Wonderland’, I put it out with Jim Gillette, and we were married at the time. It is kind of a Jim/Lita album and not a really true Lita album. I got a lot of spiel about that. A lot of people have told me that they want a real Lita album, and I know what they mean. They are going to get it.”

She continued, “I really wasn’t that comfortable with ‘Wicked Wonderland’ — not at all, to tell you the truth. There are parts of it that are good but it doesn’t sound like a Lita record. When it got released, a lot of my fans felt weird about it and said it wasn’t a Lita album. This time I want to do it on my own. The last one turned out to be more of a Jim album. We worked pretty well together. It doesn’t suck, it’s not a bad album; it’s just not a Lita album.”

Lita and Jim are the parents of two sons, Rocco and James.

“Wicked Wonderland”, the first album in 15 years from Lita Ford, sold around 2,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 31 on the Top Hard Music Albums chart.

Source: Blabbemouth.net

NIGHTWISH: Tour Rehearsal Photos Posted Online

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 12, 2012
Posted in: News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

NIGHTWISH will play a “secret” gig under the name RUBBER BAND OF WOLVES at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California on January 19 — two days before the Finnish/Swedish symphonic metal act’s world-tour kick-off performance at the Gibson Ampitheater in Universal City. The Universal City concert will be the biggest NIGHTWISH show production ever on North American soil and strictly a one-off — there will be no U.S. tour until later in 2012.

Several photos from NIGHTWISH‘s current tour rehearsals can be seen below.

As previously reported, “Imaginaerum” has been certified gold in Germany for sales in excess of 100,000 copies. The CD also entered the official chart in Finland at position No. 1 and has already been certifield triple platinum in the country after shifting more than 60,000 units.

[Note: The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in Finland has revised the sales requirements for albums to reach platinum status in the country from the pre-2010 level of 30,000 to the current 20,000.]

The band’s first CD since 2007’s “Dark Passion Play” — which was then-new singer Anette Olzon‘s debut — “Imaginaerum” was released in North America on January 10 via Roadrunner Records.

NIGHTWISH will take part in a CD-signing session at SoundCheck Hollywood on Friday, January 20 at 6 p.m. Stop by the store starting Tuesday, January 10 to pick up the band’s new album, “Imaginaerum”, and get a wristband which guarantees your access to meet the band.

SoundCheck Hollywood
8872 Sunset Blvd.
W. Hollywood, CA 90069
310.358.0280

Source: Blabbermouth.net

UNISONIC Featuring MICHAEL KISKE, KAI HANSEN: First Video Released

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 12, 2012
Posted in: Int. News. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

“Unisonic”, the first video from UNISONIC — the band featuring former HELLOWEEN vocalist Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY, ex-HELLOWEEN) alongside Dennis Ward (bass) and Kosta Zafiriou (drums) of Germany’s PINK CREAM 69 and Swiss guitarist Mandy Meyer (who has previously played with ASIA, GOTTHARD and KROKUS) — can be seen below. According to a press release, the clip, which was directed by photographer/director Martin Hausler (MEAT LOAF, GOTTHARD, HELLOWEEN, MOTÖRHEAD) “shows a powerful band performance at a magnificent ballroom in Heidelberg, Germany.”

UNISONIC will release its debut EP, “Ignition” on January 27 via earMUSIC/Edel. The effort will include the track “Unisonic” plus one demo song and a cover version of the HELLOWEEN classic “I Want Out”, recorded live on October 15 at this year’s edition of the Loud Park festival at Saitama Super Arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Saitama City, Japan.

A full-length UNISONIC album will be made available in March. Source: Blabbermouth.net