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Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Prince Of Darkness (Ozzy Osbourne) Turns 63 Years Old!

The "Prince of Darkness" Ozzy Osbourne has inspired Horns Up Rocks since our inception in February of 2010. Actually, our second post ever was a review of Ozzy's book titled "I Am Ozzy". Almost two years later, we are writing about Ozzy again, but this time is to wish him an amazing birthday and many more to come! We love you Ozzy!

In honor of Ozzy' birthday and the return of Black Sabbath, our founder Jo Schüftan got this Black Sabbath tattoo!




Related links:
Ozzy Osbourne

Testament Comment on the Departure of Drummer Paul Bostaph!


Chuck Billy, vocalist for Bay Area thrash legend, Testament, throws down the following update on drummer Paul Bostaph’s departure from the band: “I, Eric, Alex, and Greg want to congratulate our brother, forever, Paul Bostaph on his new band, BlackGates. And while ‘The Hands of Mayhem’ will be sorely missed from our band, we wish him the ultimate success in everything that he does in his future.”

Testament is now actively seeking the heaviest drummer on the planet. Details will be announced soon. Testament's new album, "The Dark Roots of Earth", will be unleashed upon the world this spring, 2012!

Due to a "serious injury", Paul Bostaph was unable to take part of the studio sessions for "The Dark Roots Of Earth"! Bostaph was replaced on "The Dark Roots of Earth" by Gene Hoglan. Also appearing on the album is Chris Adler from Lamb Of God, who did a couple of guest appearances.

This undisclosed injury also kept Bostaph away from the recent Testament tour with Anthrax and Death Angel. Drumming duties during this tour were taken care of by "The Atomic Clock", Gene Hoglan (ex-Dark Angel, ex-Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory, Dethklok) and John Tempesta (Exodus, White Zombie, Rob Zombie, Helmet, The Cult).



Related links:
Testament

Chthonic - Video Premiere Of 'Quell The Souls In Sing Ling Temple' + European Tour Details!

Chthonic recently released their latest music video for "Quell The Souls In Sing Ling Temple." The song comes off the band's sixth full-length, Takasago Army, released earlier this fall via Spinefarm Records. The video was shot in Taiwan at a the band's special outdoor concert at Sing-Ling Temple in October where more than a thousand people from around the country gathered. Sing-Ling Temple is a historical landmark located on an ancient battlefield in the town of Puli and serves as the most essential scene in Chthonic’s trilogy story. The full concert will be released on DVD next year.

Check out "Quell The Souls In Sing Ling Temple" below.



In related news, Chthonic will kick off a short European tour next week alongside Arch Enemy and Warbringer. Commented bassist Doris Yeh: "We toured with Arch Enemy, DevilDriver and Skeletonwitch in North America this past September and saw good crowds and great fans. We had a lot of fun with those bands! We then went to the UK tour with Turisas and Kiuas from Finland. I really enjoyed Turisas' joyful performance and Kiuas is a very good band also who always made us laugh backstage. And finally, the European tour is waiting for us! We will play with Arch Enemy and Warbringer over the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands. This is the second time for us to tour European countries since 2007, so we're really looking forward to it!"

Chthonic Khaos Over Europe Tour Dates with Arch Enemy, Warbringer:

- 12/06/2011: Shepherd’s Bush Empire - London, UK
- 12/07/2011: Paradiso - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 12/09/2011: 013 - Tilburg, The Netherlands
- 12/11/2011: Rosenhof - Osnabruck, Germany
- 12/13/2011: Essigfabrik - Koln, Germany
- 12/14/2011: Le Cartonnerie - Reims, France
- 12/16/2011: Le 106 - Rouen, France
- 12/17/2011: L’Echonova - Vannes, France
- 12/18/2011: CC John Lennon - Limoges, France
- 12/20/2011: Backstage Werk - Munchen, Germany
- 12/21/2011: Garage - Saarbrucken, Germany
- 12/22/2011: Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland


Related links:
Chtonic's Official Site
Chthonic on Facebook
Spinefarm Records

Friday, December 2, 2011

No Remission "Through Blackened Skies" - Album of the Year in the Tri-state Area Underground Heavy Music Scene!

In the last year we have come across a lot of up and coming bands, and for the most part we have noticed that the quality of the music is pretty damn decent. But once in a while we come across a band that lives and breaths Heavy Music, and that are focused on getting their music to a new level of confidence and power through good hard hitting well though-out songs! Upstate New Yorkeans No Remission's debut album entitled "Through Blackened Skies" in our humble opinion is the Album of the Year in the Tri-state Area Underground Heavy Music Scene! As a prize, Horns Up Rocks will be producing a music video for them in early 2012!

Combining elements of Heavy Metal and Hardcore, No Remission delivers a brutal sonic assault that is combined to perfection with different harmonic elements such as flamenco style acoustic guitar sounds. "Through Blackened Skies" was produced by Billy Graziadei (Biohazard, Suicide City, Blood For Blood), who definitely captured the power behind No Remission in a very organic way. One thing that stands out from this record is that you can tell that is not overproduced with Pro Tools tricks, which is refreshing in times when so many records are way overproduced. If you want to listen to an original band that has a raw, energetic, well polished sound. No Remission will make your ears very happy!

Track list:
1. Carbon Copy
2. All Hell Breaks Loose
3. Skeletal Messiah
4. Nine
5. Malevolence
6. Rage Within
7. Three Years
8. The Hunter
9. This Plague Will Kill Us All
10. Redemption
11. Benevolence
12. New Dark Age
13. Signal Loss

Related links:
NEW No Remission Website
No Remission on Reverbnation
No Remission on MySpace

Death Unveils Cover Artwork & Tracklisting for 'Vivus!'!

The music of the legendary Heavy Metal band Death, has been revitalized thanks to the great people at Relapse Records. Entitled "Vivus", the two-CD collection features two Death concerts that were recorded in 1998. Disc 1 was recorded at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, California, and disc 2 was recorded at the festival stage at Dynamo Open Air in Eindhoven, Holland.

"Vivus!" will be released on February 28 in North America, March 2 in the Benelux and Germany, and March 5 in the rest of Europe.

"Vivus!" track listing:

Disc 1 - Live In Hollywood (1998)

01. The Philosopher
02. Spirit Crusher
03. Trapped In A Corner
04. Scavenger Of Human Sorrow
05. Crystal Mountain
06. Flesh And The Power It Holds
07. Zero Tolerance
08. Zombie Ritual
09. Suicide Machine
10. Together As One
11. Empty Words
12. Symbolic
13. Pull The Plug

Disc 2 - Live In Eindhoven (1998)

01. The Philosopher
02. Trapped In A Corner
03. Crystal Mountain
04. Suicide Machine
05. Together As One
06. Zero Tolerance
07. Lack Of Comprehension
08. Flesh And The Power It Holds
09. Flattening Of Emotions
10. Spirit Crusher
11. Pull The Plug


Recently, Death released the reissue of "Individual Thought Patterns" via Relapse Records! The reissue of this classic Death Metal album was remixed by mastering engineer Alan Douches (West West Side). Additionally, the album was remastered and repackaged, and it features tons of newly unearthed and previously unreleased demo and live tracks, this is the ultimate version of "Individual Thought Patterns".

The band recently presented to the world their video for the remixed and remastered version of "The Philosopher".



Death's Final line-up:

- Chuck Schuldiner: Lead vocals, guitar (1983–2001), bass (1987-1988)
- Shannon Hamm: Guitar (1996–2001)
- Scott Clendenin: Bass (1996–2001)
- Richard Christy: Drums (1997–2001)

Related links:
Death' Official Site
Death on Bandcamp
Relapse Records

Gojira Release Studio Update # 2 - Video Available!


The members of French progressive Heavy Metal band Gojira, have been very busy at Spin Recording Studios in New York City recording their sixth studio album. The NEW Gojira record is being co-produced Josh Wilbur (Lamb Of God & Ikillya) for an early 2012 release. Additionally, Gojira inked a deal with Roadrunner Records recently.

Needless to say, the anticipation for the NEW Gojira album is huge!

Gojira is:

- Joe Duplantier (Vocals/Guitars)
- Mario Duplantier (Drums)
- Christian Andreu (Guitars)
- Jean-Michel Labadie (Bass)

Here is the bands second studio update, which includes the tracking of the guitars for their NEW album & more. Check it out!





- Gojira's Discography:

\m/ Studio albums:

- Terra Incognita (2001)
- The Link (2003)
- From Mars to Sirius (2005)
- The Way of All Flesh (2008)
- Untitled 5th studio album (TBA)

\m/ Live albums:

- The Link Alive (2004)
- Untitled DVD (TBA)

\m/ Demos and EPs:

- Victim (1996)
- Possessed (1997)
- Saturate (1999)
- Wisdom Comes (2000)
- Maciste All'Inferno (2003)
- Sea Shepherd EP (2011)

Related links:
Gojira's Website

Vinny Appice & Rex Brown From Kill Devil Hill to Appear on 'That Metal Show' + NEW Song Premiere!

Kill Devil Hill members Vinny Appice and Rex Brown are set to appear on this Saturday's new episode of That Metal Show on VH1 Classic. The show premieres at 11:00 PM EST.

Vinny and Rex will chat with hosts Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson about the band (which also features Dewey Bragg and Mark Zavon), their self-titled debut album, future touring plans, working with SPV and much more.

In addition to their appearance on That Metal Show, Eddie Trunk will be hosting an exclusive premiere of a brand new song from Kill Devil Hill. The song "Time and Time Again" will be aired for the first time on Eddie Trunk's syndicated radio show 'Friday Night Rocks' which airs live tonight at 11:00 PM EST on Q104 in New York. The show will then air next week across the country of the syndicated version of Eddie's show.

Kill Devil Hill's self-titled debut is slated for a late March 2012 release.

Related links:
Kill Devil Hill
SPV
That Metal Show
Eddie Trunk's Official Site

UFO's NEW Album 'Seven Deadly' to be Released in February 2012 + Additional Tourdates Announced!


Nothing would be easier for British Rock legends UFO than to rest on their laurels. The band could easily release the occasional best-of album to earn a few additional royalties and be content with looking back at their exceptionally glorious past. And it certainly wouldn't be a problem for UFO to sell out tours on the strength of their legendary name. But idleness or indeed a musical standstill have always been out of the question for Phil Mogg, Paul Raymond, Andy Parker, and Vinnie Moore. These in equal measures experienced and ambitious musicians are interested in the present, their love of creativity and the active continuation of their celebrated band history. And now we can look forward to "Seven Deadly", the band's latest studio album which combines present and future with UFO's greatest fortes. Mogg, Raymond, Parker and Moore are set to release 10 brand-new songs on SPV/Steamhammer February 28th in North America.

The album will be released as a limited edition digipak (incl. 2 bonus tracks), a Double Gatefold LP with printed inner sleeves and coloured vinyl, standard edition and download.

What is this bold thesis based on - in view of the countless classics the band has produced throughout its history? Not only on the fact that UFO have that perfect mix of talent, charisma and experience, but also on each individual band member, who currently all seem to be bursting with a zest for action and a wealth of ideas. Seven Deadly is an atmospherically dense fabric consisting of classy guitars, tight rock grooves and vocals which are unique to UFO. So it's no wonder that sound engineer Tommy Newton, in whose Area 51 studio in Celle, Germany, the new tracks were recorded, commented: "I've never heard a better Phil Mogg!"

The UFO frontman's thoroughly impressive vocal performance goes hand in hand with the awesome compositions on "Seven Deadly". The classic Rock of 'Burn Your House Down' features all the important UFO strengths, 'Going Down To Mojotown' sees the musicians sound tougher than ever, and last but not least 'Wonderland' features a pointed reference to UFO's early days. 'Angel Station' sees the band prove how classic Rock music is complemented perfectly with epic elements, while 'Fight Night' is an excellent track to be performed in a live context. There's no need to draw attention to the technical skills of original UFO members Paul Raymond and Andy Parker, their music sounding inspired and faultless at the same time. Having said that, Vinnie Moore's exceptional guitar style deserves to be explicitly mentioned as well. The American musician not only lends the songs expression and power with his haunting licks and dynamic riffs, but also contributes solos on "Seven Deadly" which can only be described as absolute world class.

As already mentioned, UFO continue to be a live force to be reckoned with. Their UK tour has been scheduled for March/April 2012 before the band go on to tour the rest of Europe. A little note in passing: at the time of Seven Deadly's release, UFO will be performing at the Monsters Of Rock Cruise - The Voyage: there could hardly be a more fitting setting for this exciting new album!

UFO live 2012:

25.-28.02. US-Florida/Bahamas - Monsters Of Rock Cruise - The Voyage
15.03. GB-Cambridge - The Junction
16.03. GB-Edinburgh - MV Picture House
17.03. GB-Newcastle - O2 Academy
18.03. GB-Leeds - O2 Academy
20.03. IRE-Dublin - Academy
21.03. GB-Belfast - Spring & Airbrake
23.03. GB-Milton Keynes - The Stables
24.03. GB-Tavistock - The Wharf
25.03. GB-Bristol - O2 Academy
27.03. GB-Nottingham - Rock City
28.03. GB-Norwich - Waterfront
30.03. GB-Manchester - HMV Ritz
31.03. GB-Wolverhampton - Wulfrun Hall
01.04. GB-Southampton - The Brook
03.04. GB-Brighton - Concorde 2
04.04. GB-London - Forum
27.04. D-Glauchau - Alte Spinnerei
28.04. D-Malchim - Mecklenburger Motorradtreffen
02.05. D-Metzingen - Festkeller
03.05. D-Siegburg - Kubana

- more dates will be released soon -

Related links:
UFO
SPV

Sylosis Guitarist Out For Remainder Of U.S. Tour!


UK Thrash Metal export, Sylosis, has issued an update revealing that guitarist, Alex Bailey, has suffered a broken wrist and will be out of action for the remainder of the band’s current North American tour with As I Lay Dying. Touring guitarist, Brandon Ellis, will fill in for Bailey for the rest of the run.

“To update our American fans on what's been happening over the past couple of days. On Tuesday Bailey had an unfortunate accident where he sustained a broken arm which has meant he is unable to continue playing on this tour. We have however found a replacement guitarist to cover the rest of the AILD tour dates. For those fans who have seen us at both New York headline date and support for AILD you will have noticed we played as a 3 piece.

“We'd like to thank the guys in Mutiny Within - Brandon Jacobs, Andrew Jacobs and Chris Clancy, also Kyle Odell of Vanisher & Tommy Vext for being very supportive and helping us work this situation out!”

Prior to the tour kickoff we had the chance to interview Sylosis' vocalist/guitarist Josh Middleton about this new challenge the band is facing.

Horns Up Rocks - Interview with Josh Middleton from Sylosis (11.29.2011) by Horns Up Rocks

“A Decade of Destruction,” Sylosis’s first ever US tour, kicked off on Wednesday night in Huntington, NY.

Stay tuned for more information on Sylosis.

Alternative Press Resents: "Decade of Destruction Tour" featuring As I Lay Dying & special guests Of Mice and Men, The Ghost Inside, iwrestledabearonce, and Sylosis!

- 11/30: Huntington, NY The Paramount Theater
- 12/01: Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Theatre
- 12/02: Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
- 12/03: Worcester, MA Palladium
- 12/04: Washington, DC 9:30 Club
- 12/05: Nashville, TN Rocketown
- 12/06: Chicago, IL House of Blues
- 12/07: Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
- 12/08: Kansas City, MO Beaumont
- 12/09: Dallas, TX The Door
- 12/10: San Antonio, TX The White Rabbit
- 12/11: Lubbock, TX Lonestar Center
- 12/13: Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
- 12/14: Scottsdale, AZ Venue Of Scottsdale
- 12/15: San Luis Obispo, CA SLO Brew **
- 12/16: San Diego, CA SOMA
- 12/17: Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
**Of Mice & Men and Iwrestledabearonce are not on this date


Related links:
Official Site of Sylosis
Sylosis on MySpace
Nuclear Blast Records

Thy Will Be Done To Headline 'Strength Beyond Strength' Event!

American Heavy Metal mammoths Thy Will Be Done are confirmed to headline the inaugural 'Strength Beyond Strength' event on December 8th at the Palladium in Worcester, MA. A tribute to the late "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, the proceeds from the event will be donated to help after-school music programs in the Worcester area.

The Palladium has been the home of the annual 'New England Metal and Hardcore Festival' for thirteen years, of which Thy Will Be Done has been a part of four.

"We were honored when the Palladium promoters asked us to headline such an event. Conceptually, its a wonderful sentiment to Dime's legacy.", says vocalist J. Costa. "What better way to keep that flame burning than by celebrating life and helping provide a creative environment for the youth after school."

"We'll be paying homage to Dime that night," Costa concludes, "with some fun surprises."

Thy Will Be Done have recently completed the recording process for their upcoming EP, which is currently being mixed by acclaimed metal producer Zeuss (Suicide Silence, Soulfly, Chimaira). You can hear all about it in our exclusive interview with TWBD singer J. Costa!

Horns Up Rocks - Interview With J. Costa from Thy Will Be Done (11.14.2011)! by hornsuprocks

Related links:
Thy Will Be Done on MySpace
Thy Will Be Done on Twitter

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Suffocation to Headline the 'Manitoba Metalfest'!


Long Island’s veteran Death Metal act, Suffocation, has been announced as a headlining act for the 11th annual 'Manitoba Metalfest', set to take place at The Zoo on Friday, February 24th and Saturday, February 25th. Suffocation will close out the festivities on Saturday night, while Into Eternity will headline Friday’s show.


Stay tuned for more information on Suffocation and the band’s 2012 full-length release (Nuclear Blast Records).

Here is a recent interview we did with Suffocation's drummer Mike Smith after their hometown show at the Crazy Donkey:



Suffocation is:

- Frank Mullen: Vocals
- Terrance Hobbs: Guitars
- Guy Marchais: Guitars
- Derek Boyer: Bass
- Mike Smith: Drums

Related links:
Suffocation's Official Site

Swedish Black Metallers Naglfar Enter Studio to Record NEW Album 'Teras'!

Fans of Swedish Black Metal take heed: five years have passed since the release of mighty NAGLFAR's last album "Harvest", but now the band is back in the studio again, finishing-up their sixth album, "Téras"! Expect nothing less than another prime example of infernal, melodic Black Metal from the vanguards of the scene.

Diehard NAGLFAR fans will also be pleased to hear that prior to the release of "Téras", the band will release a very limited-edition 7" EP featuring one track from the upcoming album and an exclusive second track that will only be available on this vinyl. Be sure to check www.cmdistro.com often for updates and pre-order information for this special 7'!

"Téras" will ascend from hell's blackest voids in spring/summer 2012, so stay tuned for more news about the album and NAGLFAR coming soon!

Related links:
Naglfar on MySpace
Official site of Nagflar
Century Media Records

Kittie Announce A Slew Of Tourdates for 2012!


Canadian Metal road warriors, Kittie have announced extensive touring plans to kick off 2012. Stretching from Canada, the US and a return appearance in Australia on the renowned "Soundwave Festival" (Complete list of tourdates below).

Kittie released "I've Failed You" earlier this year on eOne Music to much critical accolades. "I've Failed You is completely written and unequivocally hard as nails," says Outburn Magazine. Thenewreview.net more directly states, "I’ve Failed You is their best album to date."

The band also released two much talked about music videos. An in your face performance version of "Empires (Part 2)", and a Zombie filled horror homage video for the song "We Are The Lamb". Both videos can be seen below.





Kittie in the UK:

- 2/17/12 London, ONT Music Hall
- 2/18/12 Montréal, CAN Opera House

Kittie in Australia:

- 2/25/12 Brisbane, AUS RNA Showgrounds
- 2/26/12 Sydney, AUS Olympic Park
- 3/2/12 Melbourne, AUS Showgrounds
- 3/3/12 Adelaide, AUS Bonython Park
- 3/5/12 Perth, AUS Claremont Showgrounds

Kittie in North America:

- 4/10/12 Poughkeepsie, NY The Loft
- 4/11/12 Albany, NY Bogie's
- 4/12/12 Reading, PA Reverb
- 4/13/12 Rochester, NY Montage Music Hall
- 4/14/12 Portage, IN Camelot Hall
- 4/15/12 Waterloo, IA Spicoli's Grill
- 4/16/12 Peoria IL Brass Rail
- 4/17/12 Milwaukee, WI Rave
- 4/18/12 St Paul, MN Station 4
- 4/19/12 Winnipeg, MB Park Theatre
- 4/20/12 Regina, SK The Exchange
- 4/21/12 Edmonton, AL Pawn Shop
- 4/22/12 Prince George, BC The Generator
- 4/23/12 Vancouver, BC Red Room
- 4/24/12 Seattle WA El Corazon
- 4/25/12 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre
- 4/26/12 San Francisco, CA The Grand Ballroom
- 4/27/12 Anaheim, CA The Grove
- 4/28/12 Bakersfield, CA Jerry's
- 4/29/12 Las Vegas, NV Cheyenne Saloon
- 4/30/12 Salt Lake City, UT Vertigo
- 5/1/12 Englewood, CO Moe's
- 5/2/12 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
- 5/3/12 Odessa, TX Dos Amigos
- 5/4/12 Dallas, TX Trees
- 5/5/12 Houston, TX Scout Bar
- 5/6/12 Tyler, TX Clicks
- 5/7/12 Oklahoma City, OK The Roxy
- 5/8/12 Tulsa, OK Marquee
- 5/9/12 Kansas City, MO The Beaumont Club
- 5/10/12 St Louis, MO The Firebird
- 5/11/12 Joliet, Il Mojoes
- 5/12/12 Detroit, MI Blondie's
- 5/13/12 Cleveland, OH Peabody's
- 5/14/12 West Springfield, VA Jaxx
- 5/15/12 Baltimore, MD Soundstage
- 5/16/12 New York, NY The Gramercy Theatre
- 5/17/12 Hampton Beach, NH Wallys Pub
- 5/18/12 Worcester, MA Tammany Hall
- 5/19/12 Boston, MA Middle East Downstairs
- 5/20/12 Auburn, ME Club Texas
- 5/21/12 Montreal, QUE FouFounes
- 5/22/12 Ottawa, ON Mavericks
- 5/23/12 Hartford, CT Webster Theater
- 5/24/12 Trenton, NJ Championship Bar and Grill
- 5/25/12 Providence, RI The Ruins at Coliseum



Kittie is:

- Morgan Lander (Guitar)
- Mercedes Lander (Drums)
- Tara McLeod (Guitar)
- Ivy Vujic (Bass)


Video and Photo credit: Steve Lars from Creative Ventures International

Additional Video and Photography by Kittie

Related links:
CLICK HERE TO PREVIEW/PURCHASE ON ITUNES
Kittie's Official Site
EONE Music

Corey Taylor's Lecture At Oxford University - Part 4 (Video Available)

On June 8, 2011, Corey Taylor was asked to conduct a lecture at Oxford University. In case you live under a cloud of smoke, Oxford University is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world! The message that Taylor had for all those who attended this lecture, is one that everyone should read:


"Too many people chase dreams that they don't understand," he said. "Too many people try to go for things that they'd like to do but they're not realistic enough to know they don't have the talent."

Here is part 4 of Corey's lecture:









Corey Taylor is currently on a national solo tour billed as “An Evening With Corey Taylor". Here are the remaining tour-dates.

- Dec. 01: Corona Theatre - Montreal, QC
- Dec. 02: Mod Club - Toronto, ON
- Dec. 04: Middle East - Boston, MA
- Dec. 05: Highline Ballroom - New York, NY
- Dec. 06: World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, PA
- Dec. 07: The Met - Providence, RI
- Dec. 09: Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
- Dec. 10: Sound Stage - Baltimore, MD
- Dec. 12: Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
- Dec. 13: The Social - Orlando, FL



Related links:
Click here to purchase tickets and/of VIP Packages for Corey Taylor's Solo Tour
Click to order the audio version of "Seven Deadly Sins - Settling The Argument Between Born Bad And Damaged Good"
Corey Taylor's official site
Slipknot
Stone Sour

Tool Working on NEW Album Using Analog Recording Techniques - Official Statement by Maynard James Keenan!


Tool has announced that during the recent Thanksgiving break, the band started recording their fifth studio album, which will be the follow up to "10,000 Days" (2006). Here is an OFFICIAL statement by Tool's frontman/visionary Maynard James Keenan!

At a time when the headlines are dominated by frenzied Amish beard clippers, whooping cough and Occupy Wall Street (Forget that - how about Occupy the Playboy Mansion, all you 69 per centers!), rather than discuss the thawing permafrost, Sandusky, or baffling Gamma ray bursts, how about some exciting TOOL-RELATED NEWS... That's right - while most of you were still digesting your Thanksgiving bird, highly acclaimed recording engineer and producer (not to mention vintage candy aficionado!) 'Evil' Joe Barresi was seated at the mixing console in the band's home studio - the only evidence of the holiday being a bowl of pumpkin-pie cheesecake Kit Kats that was placed there by one of the girls from Tool's business management. Believe it!

Hours after your cranberry sauce was still jiggling, members of the band had gathered at the loft to begin tracking. For the sessions, the place looked like a gear-junkie's wet-dream, and with the 'evil' one deftly punching in bars on the remote control, as the night wore on, song after song -in all their musical complexity - were being captured on tape (Yes, tape! For this record, a Studer A827 "Gold Edition" analog tape recorder had been trucked in.)

By the time of my much-anticipated arrival on Tuesday, almost all of the tracks were finished, as were the holiday confections. With the loft now littered with empty Tommy's burger wrappers and spent cans of Red Bull, as guitar riffs processed through an antique Echoplex wailed over the KRKs, stories were being told about Danny recently making a daring escape in his orange Lambo from Mastros steakhouse in Beverly Hills (where a side of lobster mashed potatoes goes for $30.00) - the entire thing caught by TMZ's cameras... although the crowd cheers are probably still lying on the proverbial cutting room floor. And now, with you being down to your last leftover turkey sandwich, with but a few overdubs to add, you can bet that the boys will be back at it tonight...


But what about TOOL's new album, you ask? Are they still making progress with the writing and arranging sessions? Will they be working during the holidays as a Gamma ray-mutated pterosaur tramples on foreclosed gingerbread houses? Absolutely! (for the quintillionth time), only with a festive pear-cinnamon cider replacing the Volto! Red Bulls. Actually, I've even seen part of a video from the band's next record - albeit this occurred during a strange time-slip that I recently experienced while pushing a shopping cart down one of the aisles at my local Ralphs (a place where cracks in paratime somehow seem to happen regularly).

While looking for *********, I saw some guy wearing a programmable display (UV) TOOL 'video' tee-shirt. Glancing at it, I could hear the haunting sonic structure of one of the new songs accompanied by the bizarre, vibrant, Adam Jones imagery (yes, on the soft, flexible 'screen' material - which, of course, was made from the best quality cloth-plants). Wait a quark-flipping minute! Had I pushed the screeching cart many years into the future? Entranced by the dude's shirt, I watched as purplish amoeba-like things with a tangle of feelers morphed into intensely-colorful creatures. These were frightening, writhing chimeras and other mind-boggling bio-oddities of a demented (er... creative) mind. Were these some kind of "Saucer Wisdom" inspired piezoplastic receivers transmitted from Adam's thought-forms, or had he simply recorded one of his favorite nightmares?

(Had one of the band members themselves appeared in the video, I would have checked to see if any hair was blowing in the wind - just one of several tell-tale signs of a recorded dream.) Either way, how amazing were the images! (Cooler than watching a night janitor at McDonalds on fully charged quantum dot batteries in the flicker of strobe lights).

As I continued to observe the bedizening mental cartoons - snippets of some intricately detailed hyper-animation - I noticed that the guy wearing the Tool shirt was NOW accompanied by band-member semblances (decoy band-member semblances, I wondered?) Recognizing me, the Danny 'semblance' raised a half-full polyglass of some glittering black eagletail. As I was about to acknowledge this wonderful example of encrypted electromagnetic vibrations, I quickly found myself back at the Ralphs of November, 2011 e.v. And guess what happened next? You guessed it. I've heard of MIB types attempting to eat their green Jell-o with a straw, or even sticking a fork into a glass of Dr. Pepper. Hell, I've even seen one of the black hat boojums pay for a Whopper at Burger King with a handful of gleaming silver dollars - not to mention the dude who ordered a "Coke and Olives" at my neighborhood pub. But what this MIB-type did was really a dead giveaway. How so? Well, while at the checkout counter, along with his groceries, 'he' PURCHASED (there on the spot) Ralphs gift cards for $20.00 each (PLUS activation fees), which he wanted to use to pay for everything. Noticing the puzzled look on the cashier's face, I quickly left my stuff on the counter and hurried out of the place... wanting desperately to get back to my enchanted green ball... I mean, to my apartment...

Finally, to address all those Tool tour rumors. A few days ago, I met with the band's management in order to discuss this very thing. Although I wasn't sure if there was any validity to the rumors, I nevertheless told their manager that a small winter tour might not be such a bad thing. However, given my age, I didn't think that I'd be able to attend too many shows as a guest (at least, I wouldn't be able to attend them with the same vigor that I used to). I certainly didn't want to travel on the tour bus, as the bunks hurt my back.

Also, my excessive snoring might keep some of the early riser band members awake at night (particularly Danny and Justin). And then there's the issue of the bad weather - both here and in Europe. Some dates in Australia would be okay, but with the recent discovery of an albino trapdoor spider in the land DownUnder, I'd have to rule that out, too. Perhaps some shows in the southern states might be best. Maybe even Texas? How about just a show or two right here in Los Angeles? That would certainly make things easier for me. I might even be able to party like I used to in the good old touring days. Better yet, still, what about an electromagnetic radiation transmitted (as theorized by Rudy Rucker, among others) - reconstituted/manifested Tool concert (including personality wave guests with all-access laminates) anywhere on the entire planet? Now, that would be great!.. Especially with those programmable display tee-shirts available at the Merch booth...

Tool's Discography:

- Undertow (1993)
- Ænima (1996)
- Lateralus (2001)
- 10,000 Days (2006)



Related links:
Tool's Official Site

Obituary's John Tardy Discusses Bands Inception, Future Plans & the Impact of the Internet in Music!

Legendary Florida Death Metal goliaths Obituary recently opened a can of whoop ass at Santos Party House in New York City, as part of their East Coast Possession tour. The entire show was streamed via UNAtion, which is an event-driven platform that will fundamentally change the way corporations, organizations and individuals interact with one another.

The band is currently composing the follow-up to their "Darkest Day" full-length, released in 2009 with plans to enter the studio early in the new year for a tentative late spring/early summer 2012 release.

Not even 10 minutes after Obituary stepped off stage, we captured Obituary's vocalist/co-founder John Tardy and conducted the following interview. During the interview we discussed the bands inception, their upcoming plans, and how the internet has affected Obituary. Crank it up to 11, but make sure to warn your neighbors!



Photo credit: Grzegorz Chorus

Related links:
Obituary's Official Site
Obituary on Facebook
Follow Obituary on Twitter
Obituary on MySpace
Unation

Heavy Music Nominees for the 2012 Grammy Awards!

The nominees for the 54th Grammy Awards, presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, were announced yesterday. The event will take place on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. While this award show does not represent Heavy Music the way the Golden Gods Awards do, it is still the most important award show in the world when it comes to music. Representing Heavy Music this year we have: Megadeth, Dream Theater, Mastodon, Foo Fighters, and Sum 41.

The nominees in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category are as follows:

* DREAM THEATER - "On The Backs Of Angels"



* FOO FIGHTERS - White Limo"



* MASTODON - "Curl Of The Burl"



* MEGADETH - "Public Enemy No. 1"



* SUM 41 - "Blood In My Eyes"



CHICKENFOOT "III" art director Todd Gallopo was nominated in the "Best Recording Package" category.

To be eligible for nomination, an artist's work must have been released between October 1, 2010 and September 30, 2011.

Related links:
Grammy Awards

Paul Bostaph Quits Testament!


Here is the OFFICIAL statement from Testament's vocalist Chuck Billy regarding the departure of Paul Bostaph:

"We just found out last week that Paul Bostaph is not coming back to the band, he's starting his own new project and doing some things on his own," Billy told Terrorizer. "So we're actually going to be holding a couple of auditions with probably small group of drummers that we chose — we don't want to have a revolving drum stool, we have a new record we want a permanent drummer.

"We're still buddies," he said. "It's just that Paul feels at this point in his career he wants to be in a little more in control of the artistic creation of the songs and with his new project, they are all involved with that process whereas with our group, Eric [Peterson, guitar] is pretty much the main songwriter and that's just the way its been with us for 25 years."

Due to a "serious injury", Paul Bostaph was unable to take part of the studio sessions for "The Dark Roots Of Earth"! Bostaph was replaced on "The Dark Roots of Earth" by Gene Hoglan. Also appearing on the album is Chris Adler from Lamb Of God, who did a couple of guest appearances.

This undisclosed injury also kept Bostaph away from the recent Testament tour with Anthrax and Death Angel. Drumming duties during this tour were taken care of by "The Atomic Clock", Gene Hoglan (ex-Dark Angel, ex-Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory, Dethklok) and John Tempesta (Exodus, White Zombie, Rob Zombie, Helmet, The Cult).

Bostaph's new project is called Blackgates, and it features Anthrax's previous singer Dan Nelson, guitarist Jeremy Epp (The Venting Machine) and bassist Uriah Duffy (Whitesnake). The group is currently in the studio working on the pre-production part of their debut album. This is what Bostaph had to say about this NEW project:

"Our sound is drawn from all of our influences. Mostly, we don't want to be a Thrash Metal band, although we draw from that genre as well. There is something in our music for everyone. Heavy grooves, good hooks and Dan's killer pipes. I think we have an independent sound that will stand on its own."

We wish Paul Bostaph the best of luck with his new project!

Related links:
Testament

NYHC Veterans Biohazard Announce Initial Dates For U.S. Tour!

New York Hardcore veterans Biohazard are proud to announce the first US leg of their world tour in support of their upcoming record "Reborn In Defiance". The string of northeast shows starts on January 15th in Albany, New York and ends February 18th in Sayreville, New Jersey. The run includes a hometown show at NYC’s Gramercy Theater on January 17th which will celebrate the release of their NEW album "Reborn In Defiance". More details on this show are forthcoming.

The highly anticipated new record was recorded by the band's original lineup, its first such recording in almost 18 years, with producer Toby Wright (Alice in Chains, Metallica) and will be available worldwide January 20th, 2012 vie Nuclear Blast Records.

January marks the beginning of an 18 month world tour for Biohazard which also includes a co-headline with Suicidal Tendencies on the 'Persistence Tour' in Europe, a short UK tour, several northeast dates with NYHC legends Madball, and the 'Soundwave Festival' in Australia.

Below are all the upcoming northeast tour dates for the first part of their world tour in support of "Reborn In Defiance".

- 1/15: Albany, NY @ Bogies
- 1/17: New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater

With Madball:

- 2/8: Syracuse, NY @ Station 58
- 2/9: Portland, ME @ Asylum
- 2/10: Worcester, MA @ Te Palladium
- 2/11: Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
- 2/14: Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel
- 2/15: Richmond, VA @ Kingdom
- 2/16: Towson, MD @ Recher Theatre
- 2/17: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
- 2/18: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

Biohazard has sold over five million albums worldwide since they achieved international success with their albums "Urban Discipline" on Roadrunner Records in 1992 and 1994’s "State of the World Address" on Warner Brothers. Over the years, Biohazard has collaborated with Onyx, Cypress Hill, Agnostic Front, Hatebreed, Pantera, and Type O Negative, among others. The band has continued to tour nationally and internationally, sharing stages with Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Danzig, Fear Factory, Sepultura, Agnostic Front and House of Pain.


Related links:
Biohazard
Biohazard on Facebook
Biohazard on Twitter

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Slipknot Announce Additional Shows in Australia!


As you probably know already, Slipknot will be appearing at Soundwave 2012. However, what you may not be aware of is that Slipknot will be playing 2 side shows while they are in Australia! Tickets go on sale Friday December 9th at 10 AM.

Here are the tour dates and venue information:

- Monday, February 27, 2012: Sydney, at the Entertainment Centre
- Thursday, March 1, 2012: Melbourne, at the Rod Laver Arena

In other Slipknot news, frontman Corey Taylor is currently on a national solo tour billed as “An Evening With Corey Taylor". Here are the remaining tour-dates.

- Dec. 01: Corona Theatre - Montreal, QC
- Dec. 02: Mod Club - Toronto, ON
- Dec. 04: Middle East - Boston, MA
- Dec. 05: Highline Ballroom - New York, NY
- Dec. 06: World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, PA
- Dec. 07: The Met - Providence, RI
- Dec. 09: Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
- Dec. 10: Sound Stage - Baltimore, MD
- Dec. 12: Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
- Dec. 13: The Social - Orlando, FL



Related links:
Click here to purchase tickets and/of VIP Packages for Corey Taylor's Solo Tour
Click to order the audio version of "Seven Deadly Sins - Settling The Argument Between Born Bad And Damaged Good"
Corey Taylor's official site
Slipknot
Stone Sour

Toxic Holocaust to Tour Australia & Asia - Tour Dates Available!

Portland, Oregon Punk Metal miscreants Toxic Holocaust are pleased to announce a short run of Australian and Asian dates to kick off 2012. The nine-date trek will commence on January 6 in Melbourne, Australia and serve as a precursor to the band's previously announced February tour with English Dogs, The Casualties and Havok.

Commented band leader Joel Grind: "Some big news for our fans Down Under! We are finally coming back to Australia! I'm really looking forward to this as I've been trying to get my ass back down there for the past six years! Expect no less than a total onslaught, with a live set that includes tracks from all of our albums."

Toxic Holocaust Australian/Asian Tour 2012:

- 1/06/2012: The Bendigo Hotel in Melbourne, Australia
- 1/07/2012: The Zoo in Brisbane, Australia
- 1/08/2012: Fowlers in Adelaide, Australia
- 1/11/2012: The Nash in Geelong, Australia
- 1/13/2012: ANU Refectory in Canberra, Australia
- 1/14/2012: The Wall in Sydney, Australia
- 1/15/2012: The Hi Fi Bar in Melbourne, Australia
- 1/18/2012: Mario's Place in Jakarta, Indonesia
- 1/20/2012: Barbie's Pub in Bangkok, Thailand

Toxic Holocaust with English Dogs, The Casualties, Havok:

- 2/10/2012: Ottobar in Baltimore, MD Tickets
- 2/11/2012: The Middle East in Boston, MA Tickets
- 2/12/2012: Europa in Brooklyn, NY Tickets
- 2/13/2012: Les Foufounes Electriques in Montreal, QC Tickets
- 2/14/2012: The Opera House in Toronto, ON Tickets
- 2/15/2012: Peabody’s in Cleveland, OH Tickets
- 2/16/2012: Reggie’s Rock Club in Chicago, IL Tickets
- 2/17/2012: Station 4 in St Paul, MN Tickets
- 2/19/2012: Summit Music Hall in Denver, CO Tickets
- 2/21/2012: Studio Seven in Seattle, WA Tickets
- 2/22/2012: Branx in Portland, OR Tickets
- 2/23/2012: The Pound in Oakland, CA Tickets
- 2/24/2012: Key Club in West Hollywood, CA Tickets
- 2/25/2012: Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, CA Tickets

Toxic Holocaust will be touring in support of their explosive "Conjure And Command" full-length released via Relapse Records earlier this year. The full-length is out now internationally and available across several formats including a limited edition, deluxe CD and DVD set that includes a full Toxic Holocaust live show. The album is available for purchase through Relapse and at the links below. In addition, "Conjure And Command" is streaming in its entirety below.



In related news, the band is currently dismantling Europe on a five-week journey with Kvelertak, Trap Them and Wolves Like Us. Said Grind from Germany earlier today: "We're about three-and-a-half weeks into our tour with Kvelertak and so far the shows have been amazing! Thanks to all the Toxic fans who have been showing their support and to all the new fans we've made on this tour. Also a big thanks to our new friends and tour brothers Wolves Like Us, Doomriders, The Secret and of course Kvelertak. Got a few weeks still left on this tour; make sure you buy your tickets early. Almost all of these shows have been sold out!"

Toxic Holocaust with Kvelertak, The Secret, Wolves Like Us [remaining dates]:

- 11/30/2011: Substage in Karlsruhe, Germany Tickets
- 12/01/2011: Abart in Zurich, Switzerland Tickets
- 12/02/2011: New Age Club in Roncade, Italy Tickets
- 12/03/2011: Szene in Wien, Austria Tickets
- 12/04/2011: Conne Island in Leipzig, Germany Tickets
- 12/05/2011: Exit Chmelnice in Prague, Czech Rep. Tickets
- 12/06/2011: Festsaal Xberg in Berlin, Germany Tickets
- 12/07/2011: Colos Saal in Aschaffenburg, Germany Tickets
- 12/08/2011: Backstage in Munchen, Germany Tickets
- 12/09/2011: Hirsch in Nurnberg, Germany Tickets
- 12/10/2011: Sputnikhalle in Munster, Germany Tickets
- 12/11/2011: Voxhall in Aarhus, Denmark Tickets
- 12/12/2011: Vega in Copenhagen, Denmark Tickets
- 12/13/2011: Kulturbolaget in Malmo, Sweden Tickets



Related links:
Toxic Holocaust on Facebook
Toxic Holocaust on MySpace
Relapse Records
iTunes

Sworn Enemy Hometown Show Moved!

It was announced earlier today that a New York City venue (that shall remain nameless) realized that they had double booked a series of events that were suppose to take place this Saturday, December 3rd. One of those events was meant to be Sworn Enemy's hometown show!

Thankfully, the show has been moved to St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn NY! The lineup is completed by:

- GODAMHATE
- ALEKHINE'S GUN
- FIN' AMOR
- THORN CONSTELLATION
- IRONY OF CHAOS

Sworn Enemy is also scheduled to appear tomorrow (Thursday, December 1) at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ as part of "Hard Attack Thursday's" with Jose Mangin from Sirius XM Liquid Metal! Also performing will be:

- IRATETION
- THE OPTIMIST

Related links:
Sworn Enemy's Official Site
Sworn Enemy on Facebook
Official Facebook Invite

Lamb Of God Decibel Magazine Cover Revealed!


Lamb Of God graces the cover of the upcoming January 2012 issue of Decibel Magazine, hitting newsstands on Friday, December 2nd. The featured cover story arrives just in time for the release of the band’s upcoming full-length album, "Resolution", marking the first extensive look at the making of the record. Decibel traveled to the band’s hometown of Richmond, VA to meet up with vocalist Randy Blythe and drummer Chris Adler to get the lowdown on what the magazine calls “2012's biggest Metal record.” You can purchase single copies of the Lamb Of God cover issue directly from Decibel at the link below.

"Resolution", was produced by Josh Wilbur, and it features 14 songs. The album will come in a deluxe softpak with artwork by longtime art director Ken Adams. "Resolution" was recorded in various studios in Virginia and New York.

In conjunction with the release of 'Resolution', Lamb Of God will commence their two year 'Resolution' tour with six east coast club shows. The band will also be doing in-store signings in four of the cities on show days. Details of these signings will be released the first week of January.

The club dates are:

January 22nd- Richmond- The National
January 24th- New York- Irving Plaza
January 25th- Boston- The Paradise
January 26th- Philadelphia- The Trocadero
January 27th- Toronto- Phoenix Concert Hall
January 28th- Washington DC- 9:30 Club

Support on all shows except Richmond will be The Acacia Strain and Too Late The Hero. Following the club shows, the band starts the Pacific portion of the 'Resolution' tour ending with the band’s first ever show in Alaska.

These dates are:

February 12th- Seoul, South Korea
February 14th- Shanghai, China (With Chthonic)
February 16th- Taipei, Taiwan
February 18th- Manila, Philippines
February 20th- Singapore (With Judas Priest)
February 22nd- Tokyo, Japan
February 23rd- Osaka, Japan
February 25th to March 5th- Soundwave Festival, Australia
March 7th- Auckland, New Zealand
March 9th- Anchorage, Alaska

From there the band will head over South America and Mexico. Here are those tour-dates:

- Saturday, March 31st: Sao Paulo, Brazil at Espaco Lux
- Sunday, April 1st: Curitiba, Brazil at Curitiba Master Hall
- Monday, April 2nd: Buenos Aires, Argentina at Microestadio Malvinas Argentinas
- Wednesday, April 4th: Santiago, Chile at Teatro Caupolican
- Friday, April 6th: Quito, Ecuador at Teatro Bolivar
- Saturday, April 7th: Bogota, Colombia at Teatro Metropol
- Sunday, April 8th: Caracas, Venezuela at CIEC Caracas
- Tuesday, April 10th: Mexico City, Mexico at Jose Cuervo Salon

Pre-orders for the new album are available now at www.lamb-of-god.com/resolution and will feature multiple premium bundles.

Here is the track-listing for "Resolution":

01. Straight For The Sun
02. Desolation
03. Ghost Walking
04. Guilty
05. The Undertow
06. The Number Six
07. Barbarosa
08. Invictus
09. Cheated
10. Insurrection
11. Terminally Unique
12. To The End
13. Visitation
14. King Me


Limited-edition pre-order bonus live album "Wrath - Tour 2009/2010" track listing (available only with the UK version):

01. The Passing
02. In Your Words
03. Set to Fail
04. Walk With Me In Hell
05. Hourglass
06. Now You've Got Something to Die For
07. Ruin
08. As The Palaces Burn
09. Blacken the Cursed Sun
10. Laid to Rest
11. Redneck
12. Black Label


Related links:
Click to order Decibel Magazine's Lamb Of God issue now!
Lamb Of God
Lamb Of God of Facebook

Mournful Congregation to Kickoff First Ever U.S. Tour Tonight!

Australian funeral doom deities Mournful Congregation will embark on their first American tour today in Seattle, with support from Aldebaran and Anhedonist on all dates! The tour will wind down the West Coast over the next two weeks, making stops in Oregon, California, Arizona and Texas, including a headlining performance at the upcoming 'Rites Of Darkness III' festival alongside Zemial, Stargazer, Cruciamentum, Pallbearer, Pagan Altar, Weapon and many more.

In addition to the major festival appearance for Mournful Congregation the band are also presently riding high on playlists from the incredible response from both fans and media worldwide on their recently released fourth full-length, "The Book of Kings", which just claimed spots on year-end/best of 2011 lists for both Decibel Magazine and Pitchfork.com this week! Serving not only as a pinnacle release for Mournful Congregation dating back through their nearly 20 year history, the album can be considered a landmark release in the extreme doom subgenre as a whole. Consuming nearly 80 minutes of material, "The Book of Kings" takes the listener on a turbulent journey through both imperial nobility and crestfallen, tarnished hope.



Mournful Congregation West Coast U.S. Tour w/ Aldebaran, Anhedonist:

- 11/30/2011: Highline Bar in Seattle, WA w/ Samothrace
- 12/01/2011: Rotture in Portland, OR w/ Merkstave
- 12/02/2011: Alibi in Arcata, CA
- 12/03/2011: The Metro in Oakland, CA w/ Laudanum, Lycus
- 12/04/2011: Hemlock Tavern in San Francisco, CA w/ Vastum
- 12/05/2011: Five Star Bar in Los Angeles, CA w/ Destroy Judas, Harassor, Pendulous
- 12/06/2011: Yucca Taproom in Tempe, AZ w/ Rituals, Fanapth
- 12/07/2011: M's Lips Lounge in El Paso, TX w/ Impetuous Ritual, Grave Upheaval, Ritual Necromancy, Satanik Goat Ritual
- 12/08-11/2011: Rites of Darkness III Festival in San Antonio, TX
- 12/12/2011: Mohawk in Austin, TX w/ Cruciamentum, Pallbearer, Ritual Necromancy [no Aldebaran]

Related links:
Mournful Congregation on MySpace
Mournful Congregation on Facebook

Vinnie Paul Talks Metal, Football & Hockey During ESPN Online Chat - Full Transcript Available!

Yesterday (November 29th), Pantera co-founder and current drummer for Hellyeah, Vinnie Paul, stopped by ESPN to answer fan questions about The Life's "Alice in Chains & Friends Fantasy Football Charity League," which features some of Rock music's biggest stars, his music career and much more! Here is a complete transcript this online event.

LeAnne (Washington):

Hi Vinnie! How's your fantasy team doing and who are your top players?

VP:

My fantasy football team has fallen to .500. I still have a chance to get to the playoffs. My top guns have gotten hurt. Matt Schaub. McFadden was my top guy for a while but he's been out. I hope to hang in there and make it to the playoffs.

Bill (Toronto):

Love your work Vinnie. I am just wondering, which current athlete has the proper mentality to be a rock n roll drummer?

VP:

Well, I don't know if he could be a drummer because he's so big, but Randy Johnson is a big heavy metal fan. With his passion and drive, I think he could make a helluva heavy metal drummer.

Jordan Simpson (Albany, NY):

How can i help and support your cause?

VP:

It's called Little Kids Rock. I'm sure you can go to their website and make donations. They do a lot of good work to keep music alive. It's not something that schools focus on like back in the day. It's a way for kids to get instruments and keep the flame alive.

Paul (Denver, CO):

Vinnie, who is your favorite player to draft for fantasy?

VP:

The last few years in my other league I got lucky enough to get Aaron Rodgers. I think he's been putting up close to 40 points per game. If you can get him or Brady or Drew Brees, that's a good place to start.

Keith Gordon (Jacksonville, Florida):

What did you and Dime do to protect your ears (hearing) with such a strict practice regiment as kids and then through touring 300+ dates a year for years and years? I never saw either of you wear ear plugs/ear protection. Is there a secret like how Eddie Van Halen kept his guitar in tune without a locking tremolo.

VP:

Man, we just have to go for it. It just ain't the same with anything in or ear protection. I'm lucky that I still have my hearing. I like it loud. It sounds like a freight train back there.

Bart Ryan Seltzer (Sunrise, FL):

Vinnie, who is your top five favorite Dallas Cowboys players?

VP:

I'm from Texas, I lived there my entire life. I bleed blue and silver. I've always been a huge fan. We're in first place in the NFC East right now. We'll see what happens in the playoffs. Back in the day Randy White was one of my favorites. Tony Dorsett. Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Irvin. Now, Romo, Miles Austin. I think we have a really good coach and are moving forward.

John (Fort worth):

If Vinnie's team makes it to the fantasy championship, will there be a watching party for the day? If so, where will it be, will Vinnie be cooking & who would he want there to root his team on?

VP:

Ah, man, if I make it I'm going to be the last seed and I'll have to play Jerry. We're really good friends. He was just here for Thanksgiving. If we play, I'll have to have him back.

Ian (Ray):

Hey Vinnie, I wanted to ask you, when will any of the extra Pantera and Damageplan tracks that you have recorded see the light of day?

VP:

Yeah, we're about to do the 20th anniversary and it will include a track that was meant for that record. We're really excited for that.

Chase (Raleigh North Carolina):

Vinny what's up dude, I know you're a huge Cowboys fan, but do you really think Tony Romo can lead ya'll to a Super Bowl win?

VP:

He certainly has the talent. If he can stop making boneheaded mistakes in crucial moments, he'll be fine. He's talented. He can do it.

Tyler (Athens,GA):

Vinnie Can Georgia pull off the upset this weekend in Atlanta?

VP:

I think LSU is pretty unstoppable. I think barring any craziness that can happen, I think LSU will go all of the way and win the whole thing, that's a bummer for me because I'm a UT fan, Hook 'Em Horns, but that team is a pro team in college.

Nathan (Phoenix):

Vinnie, Huge fan of your Music and Drumming!! I was wondering what drummers did you look up to when you were just starting out?

VP:

I had a pretty wide variety of influences. KISS, Van Halen, Tommy Aldridge, who played with a lot of bands.

Seth Rabin (Buffalo Grove, IL):

Hey Big Vin! Who had the biggest shoes to fill, Danny White or Jimmy Johnson?

VP:

Hmmmmmm....Danny White never won the Super Bowl. Jimmy won two and we would have won four or five in a row and kept the team in tact. He demanded discipline. Danny had big shoes to fill after following Roger. He broke all of his records, but never won the Super Bowl, so he didn't get the accolades.

Kevin (CT):

Would Jared Allen make for a good roadie?

VP:

Jared Allen is a mad man and it would be awesome to have him out on tour. We could definitely use him on the Cowboys. He's awesome. He's a fan favorite.

Bran Pierson (Fallon, NV):

Vinnie. You are one great drummer who has seen difficult times and overcame them. Which player that is going through difficult times do you think will reach the top?

VP:

I think Josh Hamilton. Amazingly talented person. He was strung out and his life was completely ruined and became one of the best baseball players in the American League.

Elen (NYC):

NFL is No. 1? Any other sports>?

VP:

Hockey. NHL and football are tied. I used to only think that NHL didn't exist. When the Dallas Stars moved to Texas, I became a fan. I love both of those sports equally.

Kado (West Bloomfield Michigan):

Do you think a 2 game suspension was reasonable for Ndamukong Suh from the Detroit lions?

VP:

I'm a fan of the real nasty gritty play, but when it's cheap it's not good. He has a pattern of this so it's probably good for him to sit down for a couple of games.

Alex (Charlotte, NC):

I know you are in Hellyeah with Bob. Do you still hang out with Pat too?

VP:

I haven't seen Pat in quite some time. I hope he's doing well.

Jeff (RI):

Get back to Texas much? Tour here soon?

VP:

I'm in Texas right now. I've been here since May since we've been working on the new record. Yeah, I have a home in Las Vegas now and I go between the two places. I won't see home much at all next year when we go on tour.

Teddy (Hendersonville, NC):

How many drum kits do u have?

VP:

At one time, I probably owned 30. A lot of them have been given to the Hard Rock cafe's around the world. At this time. I probably have 15 or so.

Robert Murdoch (Northwest Territories, Canada):

Is that ur real beard???

VP:

Absolutely.

Brian Turrill (Ypsilanti Mi):

What do you think of the Detroit Lions this year?

VP:

Well, they had a great turnaround for 6 games and have turned around to the old Lions for the last 5-6 games. Don't get too excited.

Chase (Raleigh, North Carolina):

I have a question about your playing days with Pantera, what was you're favorite venue that you played with PanterA?

VP:

Well, always playing in my hometown of Dallas was huge. Anywhere in the Midwest we got super fired up, Detroit, Chicago, I don't know what they put in the water there, they always got super fired up there. The Midwest kills it.

John (Chicago):

What age did you start drumming, and did you take any music training or did it come naturally for you?

VP:

I started off at 14, seventh grade band. I played in the drumline. I self taught the drum set, but I learned the basic style of drumming.

Seth Rabin (Buffalo Grove, IL):

Have you ever met any Cowboys players, past or present?

VP:

Oh yeah. Tons of them. Always super cool. It was nice to bash out some heavy metal with some of those guys.

Pelado (Argentina):

Hi Vinnie, are you coming to Argentina? Please come! We are looking forward.

VP:

We definitely set out to become an international band with Hellyeah. Unfortunately we didn't make it to Argentina last year, but we plan to get down there very soon.

Ross (Scotland):

How much did you end up selling your oven for on eBay?

VP:

Absolutely awesome. I was able to get $1500 for something that doesn't work. It was just sitting on the side of the room. I signed it and some guy from Seattle came out to pick it up. I thought it was pretty cool.

Cam Childers (Ft. Worth):

What do you think about the Rangers doing it again next year, Big Vin?

VP:

Well, I think we had it hook, line and sinker and let it get away. We blew it completely to San Francisco. It's a tough road, but with our division, I think there's a chance. If they manage to get there, they have to pull it off. The third time is the charm.

Victoria (Philly):

Just want you to know the Flyers are gonna tear your Stars up on the 21st! Love everything you do and you'd better make it to Philly!

VP:

Well, all I can say is you have a better chance of beating us now that Leihtonen is out. If you want to beat us, you better now.

Chris Pait (Clarksville, IN):

Hey Vinnie bro ! Do u think that the KC Chiefs made the dumbest decision by starting a QB that's never played in a NFL game! After 4 game winning streak ? Matt Cassel is out, but i think they could of made a better choice!

VP:

It's a tough game. They make all of this stuff about a defenseless WR. I don't know about that. The only player that is defenseless is the QB. They make the big money because of that. You better take your linemen out to dinner. That's all I have to say!


Thanks for all of the support through all of the years. Thanks for the support of my brother and never letting his legacy die. I'm really excited for this new record. It's a really slamming new record. It will be out around May of next year. We look forward to seeing you out on tour next year!

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