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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Ozzy Osbourne & Zakk Wylde Flying HIGH - Video Available!


Here is an old school video of rockers Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde flying to an Anti-Drug concert in Russia, completely smashed!



Related links:
Ozzy Osbourne
Zakk Wylde

The Horns Up Rocks Top 10 Interviews Of 2011!


During 2011, Horns Up Rocks founder Jo Schüftan had the chance to interview dozens of artists about their various musical endeavors. While most of the interviews were very memorable, here are the 10 that caused the most impact within the Heavy Music scene. Here are the Horns Up Rocks Top 10 Interviews Of 2011!

10) Joey Zampella(Life Of Agony):

Life Of Agony is a proud member of the New York Hardcore community, and along with Type O Negative and Biohazard, they have become synonymous to the New York City underground music scene. On the exact day of our first year anniversary, we had the chance to interview Life Of Agony's guitarist Joey Z at Duff's Brooklyn!



9) Shawn Drover (Megadeth):

Megadeth has also proved that Thrash Metal doesn't stand any sissies and that only the strong survive. Many failed while fighting their own demons, but this legendary band found their way out of the darkness. You can't help admiring the fact that so many years later the band members are still in full vigor and at the pinnacle of their creativity. During these years Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, we had the chance to interview Megadeth's drummer Shawn Drover about the Big 4, their NEW album titled 'TH1RT3EN' and about the impact that festivals like the Mayhem Festival have on the entire Heavy Music scene. Check it out!



8) Richard Christy (Death, The Howard Stern Show & Charred Walls Of The Damned):

During the Charred Walls of the Damned record release party for their second studio album entitled "Cold Winds on Timeless Days", which took place at Idle Hands in New York City. We were able to steal Richard away from his fans to chat about this epic NEW release, as well as his career in radio. We also discussed his relationship with the late great Chuck Shuldiner from the legendary Heavy Metal band Death.



7) Sal Abruscato (Life Of Agony, Type O Negative & A Pale Horse Named Death):

Sal Abruscato is synonymous to what the New York City Heavy Music scene represents: hard uncompromised work, original song writing, and not holding back when creating music. When we first heard A Pale Horse Named Death (his brand new band), our ears couldn't believe this man's vocal abilities. We had the chance to interview Sal at the Official Listening Party at Idle Hands Bar in New York City for the NEW album by A Pale Horse Named Death titled 'And Hell With Follow Me'.



6) Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed, Kingdom Of Sorrow & Jasta) and Shawn "Clown" Crahan (Slipknot):

Jamey Jasta is living proof that if you do everything in your power to accomplish your personal goals, you can live your own dream. This interview took place in Los Angeles, California, at the "Black Carpet" during the 2011 Revolver Golden Gods Awards, joining us in mid interview is none-other then Shawn Crahan # 6 (Clown from Slipknot) who discusses how Jamey Jasta reinvented Hardcore and Heavy Metal.



5) Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath & Heaven and Hell):

Here is an interview with one of the godfathers of Metal: Geezer Butler. This interview was conducted in Los Angeles, California, at the 2011 Revolver Golden Gods Awards. \m/



4) Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad & The Devin Townsend Project):

As we all know, Devin Townsend is one of the pioneers of "Progressive Metal", but when we chatted with him he made it clear that he doesn't sit back and enjoy his past success, for Townsend the most important thing is that his music is always evolving in order for him to keep bringing original music to the masses.



3) Vinny Stigma (Agnostic Front & Stigma):

Prior to the 2011 Black N Blue Bowl we had the chance to chat with Vinnie Stigma from the legendary New York Hardcore band Agnostic Front! During this interview, Stigma, who is the ambassador of New York Hardcore, talked to us about what it meant to be co-headlining such a historic event and about the NEW Agnostic Front album 'My Life, My Way'!



2) Phil Demmel and Dave McClain (Machine Head):

During these years Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, we had the chance to catch up with lead guitarist Phil Demmel and drummer Dave McClain, to discuss with them the NEW Machine Head album 'Unto The Locust' and how they keep themselves focused while living on the road. He also discussed the impact that Mario Comesanas (RIP) had in the Heavy Music scene.



1) Vinnie Paul (Pantera, Damageplan & Hellyeah):

This interview took place in Los Angeles, California at the "Black Carpet" during the 3rd installment of the Revolver Golden Gods Awards. During the interview we talked with Vinnie about Pantera's legacy! So grab a black tooth and enjoy it!



We want to thank all the people who made all these interviews possible, and of course all of you for checking them out! In 2012, we're bringing all sorts of surprises your way, so stay tuned! \m/

Tommy Rogers From BTBAM Discusses 'Saints & Sinners' Tour & Upcoming Plans!


Raleigh, North Carolina, became a lot more fun at the turn of the century when Between The Buried And Me (A.K.A. BTBAM) surfaced into the musical spectrum. With 5 studio albums under their belt, and their NEW debut EP entitled 'The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues', BTBAM is ready to make even more noise in 2012.

BTBAM, recently concluded their fall North American headlining "Saints & Sinners" tour in New York City. The tour was in support of their new EP titled 'The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues'. The award winning band was accompanied by Animals as Leaders and TesseracT!

Before BTBAM took center stage, we had the chance to chat with their vocalist/keyboardist Tommy Rogers about the "Saints & Sinners" tour, the bands NEW EP 'The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues', and their upcoming plans for 2012. The interview also includes a holiday message from Tommy to all the BTBAM fans. Peel your eyes open, listen carefully, and spread the BTBAM word!



Photo credit: Steve Lars from Creative Ventures International & Steve Lars on Facebook

Related links:
Between The Buried On Me
Animals As Leaders
TesseracT

Friday, December 16, 2011

Rock In Peace - Tribute To The Rockers We Lost In 2011!


Unfortunately, the law of life dictates that we all must eventually cease to exist. In 2011, we celebrated a lot of triumphs in the Heavy Music world, but we also said good bye to current and former members of Motörhead, Alice in Chains, Manowar, Gwar, Thin Lizzy, Anal Cunt, Warrant, and Sirius XM Liquid Metal/Revolver Magazine. Let them all Rock In Peace!


Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy):

Guitar legend Robert William Gary Moore passed away on February 6th of suspected heart attack. He was 58 years old. Gary Moore's spectacular career will always be remembered by the Blues and Rock N Roll community. During his 42 years of musical creation, he was part of Thin Lizzy, Skid Row, Colosseum II, Phil Lynott, Greg Lake and BBM.

- Scott Columbus (Manowar):

Scott Columbus passed away on April 4th. The cause of death hasn't been disclosed. Scott was known for hitting the drums extremely hard, to the point that after years of having to replace standard kits too often, he started playing a kit made of stainless steel that he called the "Drums of Doom". Scott was discovered by a female fan, who saw him beating aluminum in a local foundry. He was part of Manowar from 1983 to 1990. Scott was forced to leave the band and at the time the band said that he left when his son got very sick (this was later denied by Columbus). He then was replaced by Kenny Earl Edwards (nicknamed Rhino) for "The Triumph of Steel" album. He returned for the "Louder Than Hell" album and stayed with the band until Summer of 2008.

Seth Putnam (Anal Cunt):

Seth Putnam passed away on June 11th of a suspected heart attack. He was 43 years old. Putnam will always be remembered for writing controversial music, which included lyrics that would shock, offend, or invoke morbid humor. Apart for being the vocalist of Anal Cunt since 1988 (year when the band was formed), Putnam lend his infamous scream to many Heavy Music bands. His most notorious guest appearance was when he laid down some wild vocals on Pantera's eighth studio album titled "The Great Southern Trendkill".


Mike Starr (Alice In Chains):

Mike Starr passed away on March 8th of a suspected drug overdose. He was 44 years old. Starr was part of Heavy Music titans Alice In Chains during the "Facelift" and "Dirt" albums and the "Sap" EP. During an episode of "Celebrity Rehab" Starr confessed that he was kicked out of Alice In Chains due to his drug addiction. After leaving Alice In Chains, Starr played bass for Sun Red Sun. The band featured Ray Gillen and Bobby Rondinelli, both former members of Black Sabbath. The band came to an end when Gillen died in 1993.

Cory Smoot (GWAR):

Cory Smoot passed away on November 3rd during the bands "Return of the World Maggot Tour", from a coronary artery thrombosis brought about by his pre-existing coronary artery disease. Cory adopted the role of Gwar’s red-faced, white-dreadlocked, dinosaur-shoulder-padded alien guitarist, "Flattus Maximus", in 2002, Smoot was considered by fans as the “True Flattus” since he was the longest serving axman to play the character. He was also a major songwriter on the four Gwar albums he played on. After his death, bandleader Oderus Urungus announced that the character Flattus Maximus would be retired.

Michael “Würzel” Burston (Motörhead):

Michael Burston passed away on July 9th of ventricular fibrillation, caused by cardiomyopathy (heart disease). He was 61 years old. Before joining Motörhead in 1984, Burston had been a corporal in the Army, serving in Germany and Ireland with the 1st Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment, and had played in the bands Bastard and Warfare. Joining another relatively unknown guitarist, Phil Campbell, they played together at a Motörhead audition, and both were taken on. Burston acquired the nickname Wurzel whilst in the Army, being compared to the character Worzel Gummidge due to his scarecrow-style hair and bumpkin-like manner. Motörhead singer Lemmy encouraged Würzel to add an umlaut to the 'U' in his name, for heavy Metal effect. He was part of Motörhead until he left in 1995.

Jani Lane (Warrant):

Jani Lane passed away on August 11th from acute alcohol poisoning. He was 47 years old. As lead vocalist of Warrant, Lane wrote three Top 40 hit singles: "Heaven," "Down Boys" and "Sometimes She Cries" for Warrant's debut album 'Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich' which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200 and another three Top 40 hit singles: "Cherry Pie," "I Saw Red," and "Uncle Tom's Cabin" from the second album 'Cherry Pie', which peaked at number 7 on the Billboard 200. Lane also co-wrote and performed with Warrant the song "The Power" in the 1992 movie Gladiator.

Phil Vane (Extreme Noise Terror):

Phil Vane passed away on February 23rd during his sleep. He was 46 years old. Phil was the founding co-vocalist of the British crust Punk/Grindcore band Extreme Noise Terror. He even briefly fronted grindcore originators Napalm Death, switching places with singer Barney Greenway, who appeared on Extreme Noise Terror’s 'Damage 381' before returning to Napalm Death.

Mario Comesanas (Sirius XM Liquid Metal/Revolver Magazine):

Mario Comesanas passed way on June 13th from a brain hemorrhage that was caused by a rare form of leukemia. He was 30 years old. Throughout his career in music, Mario left his mark as been a genuine, passionate, and charismatic guy. Ever since he started doing radio at WSOU 89.5 FM with a show called "Hardcore Reality", it was evident that Mario was a huge supporter of Heavy Music and that he wanted to devote his career to all things heavy. Soon after he graduated from Seton Hall University, he joined Sirius Satellite Radio (now Sirius XM) and started working with Jose Mangin as a DJ in Hard Attack (now Liquid Metal). During his tenure there, he also started working with Revolver Magazine at the Rockstar Mayhem Festival, were he hosted artist meet and greets and did some marketing work for the magazine. Mario had also recently joined the independent label distributor RED Distribution.

The memory of all these rockers, lives forever in our minds! \m/

Chickenfoot - Video Premiere Of 'Behind the Foot: The Truth Behind Chickenfoot II'!

Following their recent GRAMMY nomination for the recently released 'Chickenfoot III', Chickenfoot – the supergroup featuring guitarist Joe Satriani, drummer Chad Smith, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and frontman Sammy Hagar – is premiering a video today that playfully speculates whatever happened to the seemingly overlooked Chickenfoot II album: “Behind the Foot: The Truth Behind Chickenfoot II.”

Satriani says, "we promised never to talk about it so I’m surprised we’re talking about it now.”



The band, which recently earned a GRAMMY nomination for the “Best Recording Package,” for the creative 3D design of their recent 'Chickenfoot III' album will release their NEW single, “Different Devil,” to radio on January 17th before embarking on a European tour in late January 2012.



Chickenfoot recently wrapped a sold out 2011 'Road Test Tour' that took them through San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Chicago and New York with a stop for a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! In each city along the tour, Hagar made a donation to a local food bank in a special partnership with Feeding America to encourage fans to do the same to help fight hunger, an important message that he also intended to convey through the music video for “Three And A Half Letters (I Need A Job).”

The first single from Chickenfoot III, “Big Foot,” debuted at #1 on the Mediabase Classic Rock Chart holding the position for 11 weeks, earning over 1.85 million listeners, and the album received critical acclaim. 'Chickenfoot III' features 10 tracks with so many moments of epiphany that one can barely take them all in on first listen. Colossal, stadium-shaking riffs abound on earth-movers such as “Alright, Alright,” “Last Temptation” and “Lighten Up.” Tradition meets innovation on the Nashville pop-tinged “Different Devil,” the Delta-blues flavored “Something Going Wrong” and the aching rock ballad “Come Closer.”

'Chickenfoot III' debuted at #9 on the Billboard Top 100 and follows the band’s 2009 debut album, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 100 and was certified gold for sales over 500,000 units by the Recording Industry Association of America.



Related links:
Chickenfoot
Feeding America
eOne Music

Between The Buried And Me Conclude Their 'Saints & Sinners' Tour In New York Rock City - Images Available!


Between The Buried And Me (A.K.A. BTBAM) concluded their fall North American headlining "Saints & Sinners" tour, last Sunday, December 11, at the Best Buy Theater in New York City. The tour was in support of their new LP titled "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues". The award winning band was accompanied by Animals as Leaders and TesseracT!

The show was a hit from the moment that TesseracT stepped on stage and delivered their perfect blend of DJent Metal. This U.K. band made it very clear while on stage that they have a lot of fire, and that they are continuously working on perfecting their musical craft. Their NEW singer Elliot Coleman, who caught a lot of low punches when he joined the band, definitely got the job done right and there is no doubt in our minds that he possesses the right attitude and mindset to be TesseracT's vocalist for years to come.




Then it was time for Animals As Leaders, an instrumental band that makes anybody's jaw drop thanks to their musical prowess. This three-piece sound a lot bigger than bands with 5+ band members. The term "less is more" applies perfectly to Animals As Leaders, and everyone's ear drums were fed some phenomenal music! We must also point out that their drummer, Navene Koperweis, is one of the best ones in the genre.


Finally, the moment that 1600 headbangers were waiting for arrived when Between The Buried and Me stepped on stage to deliver the musical goods to a wild crowd. If there was one advantage about catching the last show of the "Saints & Sinners" tour, it was that BTBAM didn't need to warm-up. These progressive Metallers had the crowd on their feet from the moment they stepped on stage, and didn't let anyone down throughout their entire performance. We had the chance to interview lead singer/keyboardist Tommy Giles Rogers before the bands set, so stay tuned for this epic interview!






Photo credit: Steve Lars from Creative Ventures International & Steve Lars on Facebook

Related links:
Between The Buried On Me
Animals As Leaders
TesseracT

Tips From Steel Panther For A Sexy Christmas - Video Available!


We don't need to tell you that Steel Panther Rock. They Rock hard! And they talk about their dingdongs a lot. This year they released the long-awaited follow-up to debut album 'Feel The Steel', a masterpiece of kick-ass Rock N' Roll called 'Balls Out'. 'Holy Moly' caught up with lead singer Michael Starr and drummer Stix Zadinia, backstage at Wembley Arena in London, UK. They talked about their latest record, their Christmas wishes and Tiger Woods' prowess.

We also get to hear Michael writing a brand new Panther classic...

Death to all but Metal!

WARNING: Explicit content!



Related links:
Steel Panther
Holy Moly.com

Brutal Truth Unleash Plans For NEW Music Videos & To Perform In Upstate New York This Weekend!


Brutal Truth have confirmed that they'll be shooting two NEW videos to coincide with their latest LP entitled 'End Time' this weekend in upstate New York. Again working with Tyson Montrucchio, who previously directed the band's videos for "Sugar Daddy" and "Get A Therapist... Spare the World", this time the crew will be filming NEW videos for the tracks for "Fuck Cancer" and "Malice" (both songs are part of'End Time'). More info will be unveiled in the weeks ahead as the pieces are completed and ready for public disbursement.

While raging in northern New York state for the video shoots this weekend, Brutal Truth have also confirmed a Sunday evening slaughterfest in Williamsville with several local acts. Full info can be found at the link below.

Additionally, Brutal Truth have been named in the latest wave of acts confirmed to storm the annual French outing Hellfest, the three-day binge going down in Clisson, France June 15th through the 17th. On this massive outing the New York grinders will throw down their reefer-ripping blastbeats alongside Hatebreed, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Machine Head, Cannibal Corpse, Amon Amarth and dozens more, in addition to fest headliners Black Sabbath. See the full confirmed lineup to date at the link below.

While their latest album 'End Time' was and still is being featured on the Best of 2011 lists for Decibel, Exclaim, MetalSucks, Metal Injection and countless other publications internationally, Brutal Truth have confirmed that they are already recording several brand NEW tracks for an unspecified forthcoming release. All we know is that it was referred to by the band as a "bizarre freakout," so we are stoked.

Brutal Truth Live Actions:

- 12/18/2011: Club Infinity in Williamsville, NY
- 6/15-17/2012: Hellfest in Clisson, France



Related links:
Details about Brutal Truth's performance in Williamsville, New York
Hellfest 2012
Brutal Truth
Brutal Truth on Facebook
Brutal Truth on MySpace
Brutal Truth on Twitter
Relapse Records
Relapse Records on Facebook

Canadian 'Heavy Mtl' Festival Announces Details For Battle Of The Bands Stage Contest 'En Route'!

A total of 20 bands have been selected to take over Katakombes‘ stage every second Wednesday of the month, starting January 11, 2012. Their goal? To win one of two prized spots on the 2012 lineup of Heavy MTL, which will take place from August 10th to the 12th!

Apart from playing on the same bill as some of the most highly regarded musicians in the world at Parc Jean-Drapeau, the contenders will perform for a prestigious panel of judges. A very special guest judge hailing from the international scene will be present at each event. Here are all the details.

January 11 – Melodic Deathcore Night:

- Guest judge: Jeff Waters of Annihilator

- Lineup: Chainsaw Armageddon, Forbidden Sin, Dark Century and Spelldown

February 8th – Heavy Power Thrash Night:

- Guest judge: TBA

- Lineup: Demise of the Crown, Heroik, Instanzia and Trainwreck Architect

Symphonic Metal Night (Date: TBA):

- Guest judge: TBA

- Lineup: Erimha, Hollow, Magnum Stallion and Valfreya

Death Metal/Grind Night (Date: TBA):

- Guest judge: TBA

- Lineup: Bookake, Crosstitution, First Fragment and Through Death

Progressive/Modern Death Thrash Night (Date: TBA):

- Guest judge: TBA

- Lineup: 3 Mile Scream, Aeon's Fall, Ashes of Eden and Sykode

Tickets are on sale NOW online [link coming soon] and at Boutique Labyrinthe: www.labyrintherock.com. (486 Ste-Catherine W.).

For questions and comments, please contact enrouteheavymtl@gmail.com.

May the best bands win!

Related links:
Official Facebook Invite
Heavy Mtl Festival on Facebook

'Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography' - Book Excerpt Available!


The NEW Eddie Van Halen biography has finally arrived, and it's the definite holiday gift for the headbanger in your life. Written by Kevin Dodds, the book captures the essence of Eddie's life until now. Here is the Official book description, followed by an extensive excerpt of the book.

"In July of 1984, Edward Van Halen was the most popular musician in the world in the most popular band in the world — the band that to this day bears his own surname. As a 12-year-old, author Kevin Dodds experienced his first Van Halen concert, and it changed his life.

"In this biography, Dodds takes a comprehensive look at the life of Van Halen, one of the world's most famous and influential musicians. He examines Eddie's early years growing up in the Netherlands; his life with his mother and musician father; the family's immigration to the United States; his lifelong trials and tribulations; and his remarkable music career.

"For more than a year, Dodds delved into more than a thousand different sources to compile 'Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography', the story that captures the life of a man with complex personality and character traits whose life and times has played an important role in American cultural and musical history. Dodds has also woven his personal experiences with VAN HALEN as well as his own band into this story, providing a unique perspective in the field of rock-and-roll biographies."

CHAPTER 14

Public Relations


The Diver Down tour, nicknamed the “Hide Your Sheep Tour,” was the biggest tour of its kind to date with over 170 tons of equipment required to put on the stage show. The tour didn’t kick off until July—much later in the year than on previous tours. On July 30, while in Louisville, Ed gave an hour-plus long interview yet again with Jas Obrecht who was still writing for Guitar Player at the time. The full, unedited audio tapes of those interviews reveal some astounding examples of where he was at the time. The tapes were actually stolen from Obrecht, the only such seizure in over 800 interviews he has conducted. Edward and Obrecht were both very unhappy that the full tapes made their way to the internet. Jas has successfully had the interview removed several times, but it simply will not go away, not in the 21st century.

Via my correspondence with Obrecht, he has allowed me to use a bit of the bell that cannot be unrung. Part of the transcribed interview addressed growing problems with Dave with specificity in a way that was never publicly revealed for 25 years:

EVH: “Cathedral,” I’ve been doing for, you know, over a year and I wanted to put it on a record. . . . It’s just that, uhhh, Dave said . . . “No more fucking guitar solos.” You know?

Obrecht: He’s crazy.

EVH: No, I mean, you know, he’s, he’s got—he’s on an ego trip. He has always been. . . . But uh, he just, you know, he just said, “Fuck this, man. No more guitar solos.” And uh, you know, Ted didn’t know that that’s the way Dave felt. And uh, so one day when Dave wasn’t there, I said, Ted, what do you think of this? And what do you think of that? You know, I played him “Little Guitars”, the intro, you know, the little flamenco sounding thing, and, uh, and “Cathedral” and he’s going like “God! Why the fuck didn’t you show me this earlier?!” And I explained to him, Dave just said, “Fuck the guitar hero shit, you know, we’re a band.” So Ted just said, you know, “Fuck Dave.” So we put it on anyway.

That seems to match up with Valerie’s story of how Dave belittled him after winning his 1980 guitarist of the year award. If Dave was worried that Ed was going to be doing things on his own, in retrospect he had every right to fear just such a thing.

Before they set out on tour, Edward received a late night phone call from famed producer Quincy Jones who was producing Thriller throughout most of 1982. Ed originally thought the call was a prank and hung up the phone. Eddie’s friend Steve Lukather was the principal guitarist on the track “Beat It.” At some point, the idea was born to bring in the all-star Edward Van Halen to add a unique touch to the hard-hitting Michael Jackson anthem. Jackson himself set out to write what he described as “the type of song that I would buy if I were to buy a rock song . . . That is how I approached it and I wanted the kids to really enjoy it—the school kids as well as the college kids.”

Edward was originally given what was called a sketch of the song and suggested rearrangements that were made to suit the solo section. Ed was truly out of his element in the legendary Quincy’s studio—the quintessential opposite of the Van Halen approach. God only knows how many individual tracks there are on the final version of “Beat It.” Again, like so many times before, it has gone down in lore that the solo was done in one take or two takes or pieced together from two or three takes. Regardless, surely no one knew the impact Ed’s solo, all of thirty seconds, would have on the music world at large at the time it was cut. For the mean time though, Ed’s stepping out would remain in the closet for about a year. He told no one about his participation. At the time, Eddie claimed he simply thought nothing of it.

Whose Band Is It?

Throughout the tour during the fall of 1982, Edward absolutely felt that his control over the band was slipping permanently away to Dave. A photo shoot for Life magazine that September was proclaimed wife-free by David, and the married men complied. For Dave’s guidance, the spread was littered with images of sexually-charged excess and rock and roll mayhem. It was the standard Van Halen image that the band had started out with, except now half the guys were married, so the image did not necessarily match the reality of the situation. But Van Halen was an extremely valuable brand, and Dave knew exactly what the public wanted.

However, Edward’s wife was not an unknown. She was an extremely high-profile celebrity at this point in time, and her good-girl image was being tarnished by the Van Halen image. Somewhere, this was not sitting well with someone, and Ed and Valerie were trotted out on Entertainment Tonight to salvage Valerie’s image by obviously softening Edward’s. The opening voice-over gave a clear indication of what was to follow: “The odds of Hollywood marriages lasting are pretty slim these days particularly considering the long working hours and time apart. . . . They seem to come from different worlds. So when these two teen idols decided a year ago to marry, many of their fans and friends said it wouldn’t work.” If ever there was a clearly obvious PR move, the interview featured Eddie and Valerie sitting in nearly matching white sweaters on a couch in front of a fireplace. Additionally, the interview featured an obviously fake cut of Edward actually flipping a pancake in the kitchen while Valerie awkwardly laughs along. They’re also shown cuddling with a set of tiny, white kittens. Stars go on Entertainment Tonight for public relations purposes, especially if the only angle is the state of their marriage. The interview featured the following transcribed exchanges:

Interviewer: The two of you seem to be so different. Valerie, you’re kind of the goodie two shoes and the rock world is supposed to be so insane.

Valerie: That’s it—you just said the key word—supposed to be. I mean I’ve seen more insane people in the TV world than I have in his world. I mean, you know.

EVH: I’ll verify that.

The interviewer suggested that their lifestyles were fairly incompatible and that reports were flying that their brief marriage was already on the rocks. Valerie was exasperated that some magazines and journalists went so far in an attempt to simply take down the seemingly happy couple. She stated that they were such normal people as far as they were concerned, which was a notion that she didn’t think others believed or could process.

On another tabloid television program, PM Magazine, the couple again went on the PR defensive about their marriage in an interview with Maria Shriver. Valerie again expressed frustration that she felt forced to repeat over and over that they were a happily married couple. Their potential incompatibility was reinforced by referring to the couple as the “all-American Valerie” and the “all-electric Eddie.” Edward said that he was much happier being married and having a home than he was constantly living on the road with hotels as his permanent address.

When Shriver noted the general belief that a “rock star’s life is groupies, drinking, late hours, and hard drugs,” the following exchange took place:

Maria Shriver: But does it apply to Edward Van Halen?

Edward: Take a guess? No.

Maria Shriver: ‘No. None of it.’ . . .

Edward: The late hours and drinking, maybe, yeah.

Maria: But the groupies . . .

Edward: Of course, not! I’m married. I wouldn’t do that.

Valerie: I hope not.

This was part of a calculated effort to soften Ed’s public image, but also part of an effort to portray Valerie not as a young 15-year-old sweetheart, but a 21-year-old married woman in order to placate the tabloid criticism of their “incompatibility.” Edward appeared edgy and defensive (and shown on television both smoking and drinking).



Related links:
Click here to purchase 'Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography'
Official Facebook page of 'Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography'

Members Of Anthrax, Machine Head, Soulfly & Whitesnake Perform Pantera's 'A New Level' At DIMEBASH - Video Available!

This past Wednesday, December 14th, the Heavy Music community came together at The Key Club in Hollywood, California, for the 2011 Dimebash. The event was held in honor of the legacy of Darrell Lance Abbott (Dimebag Darrell), who together with the Pantera boys (Phil Anselmo, Vinnie Paul and Rex Brown), change the path of Heavy Music in the 1990s.

The event was be hosted by Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine from That Metal Show. The Key Club welcomed a slew of all-star jams featuring the talents of heavy-hitters like:

- Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, DIO DISCIPLES)
- Geezer Butler (BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL)
- Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS)
- David Draiman (DISTURBED)
- Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES)
- Serj Tankian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN)
- Mike Muir (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES)
- Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW)
- John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON)
- Scott Ian (ANTHRAX)
- Phil Demmel (MACHINE HEAD)
- Warren DeMartini (RATT)
- Ben Harper
- Chris Howorth (IN THIS MOMENT)
- Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE)
- Doug Pinnick (KING'S X)
- James Lomenzo (WHITE LION, MEGADETH, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY)
- Ginger Fish (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON)
- Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE)
- Gene Hoglan (FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD)
- Joey Vera (ARMORED SAINT, FATES WARNING)

Additionally, KILL DEVIL HILL, the band featuring Vinny Appice (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, DIO) on drums, Rex Brown (DOWN, PANTERA) on bass, Mark Zavon (RATT, W.A.S.P., 40 CYCLE HUM) on guitar and Jason "Dewey" Bragg (PISSING RAZORS) on vocals, kicked off the event. Also on deck were DIO DISCIPLES — the new project featuring former DIO members Simon Wright (drums), Craig Goldy (guitar), Scott Warren (keyboards) and Rudy Sarzo alongside singers Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) and Toby Jepson (LITTLE ANGELS, GUN) — with a special appearance by Glenn Hughes (BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION).

All of the proceeds from the event benefited the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up & Shout Cancer Fund.

Here is an all-star jam of Pantera's "New Level", featuring members of Anthrax, Machine Head, Soulfly & Whitesnake. Plus! Jose Mangin from Sirius XM Liquid Metal on vocals.

C.O.C. Announce NEW Album Details - Release Date, Artwork & Track Listing Revealed!


Formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1982, Corrosion Of Conformity’s Heavy Music hybrid is a fan and critic favorite. Decibel Magazine recently called the Grammy-nominated band’s blending of Metal, Punk, and southern Rock, “a crucial stylistic lynchpin… Corrosion Of Conformity irrevocably reshaped crossover’s sonic possibilities.” AllMusic.com notes, “C.O.C. weren’t following any trends. They just incorporated all the things they liked about Thrash, Punk and ‘70s Metal originators Black Sabbath into their constantly evolving sound. It secured them artistic and commercial credibility.”

Candlelight Records confirms February 28, 2012 as the North American release date for the self-titled NEW album from Corrosion Of Conformity. Recorded at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 in Los Angeles, the album was produced by the band in cooperation with long-time collaborator John Custer. It was mixed by John Lousteau (Foo Fighters) and features artwork by Seldon Hunt (Melvins, High On Fire). The album will be available on standard CD, deluxe digipak, and two exclusive vinyl formats.

Featuring the esteemed Animosity line-up of vocalist/bassist Mike Dean, guitarist Woody Weatherman, and drummer/vocalist Reed Mullin, the album’s release closes a six year recording gap and completes over a year of concentrated writing and recording for the band. Reflecting on the past year and the album’s recording process, Mike Dean notes, ”we tracked the songs at Studio 606 then headed for Europe, toured the US, and returned to Europe. We then did some vocals at home in North Carolina but not where we originally planned; the studio was flattened by a system of spring tornadoes. We made our way back to 606 about seven months later and mixed twelve songs in ten days. The whole time we were out there, we were living in the onion fields of Ventura County and had to drive over the Santa Susana Pass to the San Fernando Valley every day. That was some fuel intensive time to reflect. As a whole, the album was an inspired and efficient collaboration. John Custer told me he thought we were all working together as one organism; which is an apt description.”

Corrosion Of Conformity features eleven NEW songs with the deluxe digipak and vinyl formats including two additional songs. Vinyl collectors will want to seek out both formats of the record; the European configuration confirmed as a double 180-gram clear vinyl and the American version featuring a single 180-gram black-and-white splatter vinyl with a limited 7-inch which will include the album’s bonus songs. Both versions will feature a gatefold sleeve.

Dean notes, “We like the idea of pressing this music on vinyl because so much of our inspiration comes from music that precedes the digital era. It’s also cool to have that large format for the artwork and the lyrics and the credits. It’s such a tangible physical product you can hold in your hands. In Europe, the vinyl will include a CD so you can get the files into your digital realm. In the US, a download card is included”

With over 1.1 million albums sold in the United States alone, the new album will be the band’s first since 2005’s 'In The Arms Of God'. The album’s artwork can be seen below.


Corrosion Of Conformity Track-Listing:

1. Psychic Vampire
2. River of Stone
3. Leeches
4. El Lamento de Las Cabras
5. Your Tomorrow
6. The Doom
7. The Moneychangers
8. Come Not Here
9. What We Become
10. Rat City
11. Time of Trials
12. Canyon Man (deluxe/vinyl only)
13. The Same Way (deluxe/vinyl only)

Corrosion Of Conformity will close out 2011 with performances alongside Clutch and Kyng scheduled December 27 through 31. The band kicks off 2012 with a recently announced show with friends Hail!Hornet in North Carolina. Tickets are on sale now for all performances via Ticketmaster and venue box offices.

- 12/27/2011: House of Blues in Boston, MA
- 12/28/2011: State Theater in Portland, ME
- 12/29/2011: Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY
- 12/30/2011: Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ
- 12/31/2011: Trocadero Theater in Philadelphia, PA
- 01/22/2011: The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC

Related links:
Corrosion Of Conformity
Corrosion Of Conformity on Facebook
Official Site of Candlelight Records

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Exhumed Set To Destroy Brazil In 2012!

Goregrind overlords EXHUMED are pleased to announce four Brazilian shows this Winter with Aborted. This will mark the band's first time ever in the country. The short but epic run will commence on February 17, 2012 and hit Belo Horizonte, São Paulo, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.

Comments vocalist/guitarist Matt Harvey: "We are beyond psyched to head to Brazil for the first time. We've been getting letters and emails from folks down there for years and it is going to be awesome to finally be able to play for those maniacs south of the equator. I know they're ready for some serious gore fucking metal and we can't wait to deliver it to them!"

EXHUMED w/ Aborted:

- 2/17/2012: Music Hall in Belo Horizonte, MG
- 2/18/2012: Hangar 110 in São Paulo, SP
- 2/19/2012: Hangar Bar in Curitiba, PR
- 2/20/2012: Bar Opinião in Porto Alegre, RS

EXHUMED will be touring in support of 'All Guts, No Glory', issued earlier this year via Relapse Records. The band's first new record in almost eight years offers up 11 choice cuts of grinding death metal and has turned up on multiple Year End lists including Decibel, Pitchfork, NPR.org, MetalSucks and Skulls N Bones! Metal Underground praised the release saying: “EXHUMED are back, hungry, vicious, and unrelenting,” while Decibel Magazine noted: “Everything seems more fluid and powerful, though as vicious as it all is, the focus remains on the composition and how it smacks the listener between the eyes.” Revolver agreed: “… fans of dripping blood, gaping autopsies, and ravenous zombies will absolutely adore this record.” Added Aborted: "EXHUMED has not only strongly persisted over the last 20 years, but has also managed to simultaneously keep their musical integrity and brutal, gore-filled lyrics fully intact."



Related links:
Exhumed

Ministry Founder Al Jourgensen To Release Psycho-Country/Metal Album!


AFM Records will kick off their 2012 North American release schedule with the CD version of the highly-anticipated debut from Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters, the psycho-Country/Metal alter-ego of Ministry's infamous founder, Al Jourgensen.

In addition to his worldwide notoriety as the Godfather of industrial Metal, the public has long been aware of Al Jourgensen's doppelganger, Buck Satan; an idea birthed in homage to his longtime country music hero Buck Owens. Owens, just prior to his death, "blessed" Jourgensen’s country side-project Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters, and now finally fully realized years later, this anticipated, apocalyptic bit of filthy modern Americana is complete, the collection of hymns dubbed 'Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free'.

Jourgensen recruited additional henchmen for the debut recordings from Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters, including Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick), Tony Campos (Static-X) and Mike Scaccia (Rigor Mortis), in addition to a plethora of guest musicians bearing fiddles, cellos, pedal steel guitars, mandolins, banjos, and more for the construction of the album, utilizing his extensive knowledge of Country music to accomplish the album, including eleven original numbers as well as a nod to the legendary Gram Parsons on "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man." Weighing in with over fifty minutes of high-octane "country core" debauchery, 'Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free' should no doubt be a highly anticipated release for diehard Ministry/Jourgensen fans as well as anybody with a penchant for outlaw Country music or raging American Rock in general.

'Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink' Free will be released on CD via AFM Records through Dismanic Distribution on January 17th, with the digital release being handled by Jourgensen's own Thirteenth Planet Records. Check out the album art for 'Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free'.


Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free Track Listing:

1. Quicker Than Liquor
2. What’s Wrong With Me
3. Medication Nation
4. Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man
5. The Only Time I’m Sober Is When You’re Gone
6. Cheap Wine, Cheap Ramen
7. Down The Drain
8. Sleepless Nights and Bar Room Fights
9. Friend of the Devil
10. Ten Long Years In Texas
11. I Hate Every Bone In Your Body Except Mine
12. Take Me Away

Related links:
Click here to pre-order
'Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free'

Buck Satan on Facebook
Official Site of AFM Records
AFM Recors on MySpace

Asphyx Debut First Single Of Their NEW Album 'Deathhammer' & Reveal Track-listing!

On February 27th in Europe and February 28th in North America, Dutch Doom-Death Metal legends Asphyx will be releasing their 8th studio album entitled 'Deathhammer', via Century Media Records! In anticipation of this release, the band is now giving fans their first preview of 'Deathhammer' with the premiere of the album's title track on CVLT Nation.com (see the link below).

In regards to this new, merciless track, the band comments:

"To us this song is 100% real Death Metal! It's heavy, aggressive and it simply can't get more in your face than this. This song is composed by just a few shredding riffs which stick in your brain like a buzz-saw, vocals so angry that it could be a declaration of war, relentlessly pounding drums and a bass that roars like a tank. We are very proud of this song since it shows our view on real Death Metal: how we've always seen it, how we feel it and how we want it to be! Martin already roared a clear statement in the very beginning of this song: THIS IS TRUE DEATH METAL, YOU BASTARDS! And so it is!" - ASPHYX

Featuring artwork by the band's long-time partner in designs, Axel Hermann, Deathhammer was recorded at The Mörser Studio as well as at Harrow Studio with their long-time engineer Harry Wijering, and was mixed and mastered in Sweden by Dan Swanö, who previously worked with the band on 'Death...The Brutal Way' as well as on the 'Live Death Doom' release.

ASPHYX - Deathhammer track-listing:

1. Into The Timewastes
2. Deathhammer
3. Minefield
4. Of Days When Blades Turned Blunt
5. Der Landser
6. Reign Of The Brute
7. The Flood
8. We Doom You To Death
9. Vespa Crabro
10. As The Magma Mammoth Rises

Prior to 'Deathhammer's' release, Asphyx will perform a very special concert at this year's 'Eindhoven Metal Meeting' on December 16th, at the Effenaar club in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, where the band will be playing 'The Rack' album in its entirety for the 20th anniversary of its release. Additionally, Asphyx recently announced their appearance at the 2012 edition of the 'Summer Breeze festival', taking place from August 16th - 18th, 2012 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany. See below for all of the band's confirmed shows.

ASPHYX live:

- 12/16/11: Eindhoven Metal Meeting in Eindhoven (The Netherlands) **special 20th anniversary show of The Rack**
- 7/5-7/12: ExtremeFest Deutschland in Hünxe (Germany)
- 7/5-7/12: ExtremeFest Österreich in Salzburg (Austria)
- 7/5-7/12: ExtremeFest Schweiz in TBA (Switzerland)
- 7/14/12: Obscene Extreme Festival in Trutnov (Czech Republic)
- 8/16-18/12: Summer Breeze Festival in Dinkelsbühl (Germany)


Related links:
Click here to listen to Asphyx's NEW single titled Deathhammer
Official Site of Asphyx
Asphyx on Facebook
Axel Hermann

Tommy Vext & Marc Rizzo Deliver The Madness At 'A Holiday Tribute Show For Dimebag Darrell Abbott'!


This past Saturday, December 10th, Horns Up Rocks hosted the first ever Dimebag Darrell tribute to take place in New York City. The event was appropriately titled 'A Holiday Tribute Show For Dimebag Darrell Abbott' and it featured heavy hitters Marc Rizzo (Soulfly and Cavalera Conspiracy), and Tommy Vext (ex-Divine Heresy and Snot), among others. Although the entire event was a complete success, the highlight of the night is when Vext joined Rizzo in a stellar cover of Pantera's "Mouth For War".

Another highlight of the night, was when ShitKill opened the show with an infusion of furious Thrash Metal. We absolutely believe that these young band (all of the members are still in High School) is the New Blood of New York Metal! Not only did ShitKill perform a handful of kickass original songs, but they paid tribute to the pink beard in the sky by performing a flawless cover of Pantera's "Sandblasted Skin".


Following ShitKill, were Delaware Metallers World Lost, who never disappoint and are always ready to party! The NEW songs out of their latest album entitled 'Empowered' came across clearly and dangerous, they also made sure that everyone's neck's were ready for BorgoPass. These Long Island natives always deliver the goods, and this time around they even added Black Sabbath's anthemic song "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" to their extensive musical repertoir.


Just when the crowd hit a drunken climax, the Marc Rizzo band got on stage and delivered the goods. There is no question that Rizzo is one of the most talented guitarists of our generation. As we mentioned before, this time around Rizzo was joined by Tommy Vext, who provided vocal destruction during Rizzo's cover of "Mouth For War" and Sepultura's "Territory". Look out for a NEW Soulfly album this March!



Wrapping the night up was the one and only Slam One Down, who split their set in half in order to pay tribute to Dimebag Darrell. Their first set consisted of crowd favorite's such as "Beer Run" and "Pour One Out", and their second set was a Pantera Jam in memory of Dimebag Darrell. During this jam, Slam One Down were joined by various members of the crowd. Here are some videos courtesy of Panchito!




All in all it was a great night, and we are very proud of finishing 2011 on such a high note! But hey, take note of this:

- January 6: The Empire Shall Fall release show with East of the Wall, Alekhine's Gun, and Bangladeafy.

- January 13: The first ever "Underground Metal Friday's" at Fontana's Bar in New York City (lineup to be announced soon)!

IMPORTANT: Shane Train (Slam One Down bassist) is a "Mono" bass gig bag which had two Warwicks: A transparent black 5 string Streamer LX with chrome hardware and a 5 string Warwick Infinity with a natural zebra wood finish and black hardware.

PLEASE if you have any information regarding them. Email us at events@hornsuprocks.com. There is a substantial reward. He needs them back!

Related links:
Cavalera Conspiracy
Soulfly
Slam One Down
BorgoPass
World Lost
ShitKill

Red Fang To Join Forces With Mastodon On Upcoming European Tour - Tourdates Available!


Having just wrapped up their highly successful North American trek with Mastodon, Red Fang has confirmed that they will be heading to Europe this Winter with Mastodon. Red Fang will be providing direct support on the tour which kicks off January 10th in Tempere, Finland and will conclude February 10th in Birmingham, England.

"The US tour we just did with those guys was one of the best ever so we are thrilled to be continuing this magical journey with Mastodon in Europe!" - Red Fang

The band recently finished work on a NEW video for the song "Hank Is Dead" with director extraordinaire, Whitey McConnaughy. Look for the video to premiere very soon. Stills from the video shoot can be seen below.




Red Fang are streaming Murder The Mountains in its entirety below. The band recorded 'Murder The Mountains' with The Decemberists' Chris Funk and the album was mixed by three-time Grammy Award winner Vance Powell (White Stripes, The Raconterus). 'Murder The Mountains' is now available on CD, 12" vinyl, and deluxe digital.




Red Fang European Tour with Mastodon.

- 1/11: FIN, Tampere at Pakkahuone
- 1/12: FIN, Helsinki at Circus
- 1/14: SWE, Stockholm at The Annex
- 1/15: NOR, Oslo at Sentrum Stage
- 1/16: DEN, Copenhagen at VEGA
- 1/17: DEN, Aarhus at Voxhall
- 1/19: BEL, Brussels at Encienne Belgique
- 1/20: FRA, Paris at Le Bataclan
- 1/22: POR, Lisbon at Coliseum
- 1/23: SPA, Madrid at Joy Slava
- 1/24: SPA, Barcelona at Razzmatazz
- 1/26: ITA, Milan venue tba
- 1/28: SWI, Zurich at Xtra
- 1/29: GER, Frankfurt at Batschkapp
- 1/30: GER, Munich Backstage at Halle
- 1/31: GER, Berlin at C-Club
- 2/2: GER, Cologne at Essigfabrik
- 2/3: HOL, Tilburg at 013
- 2/5: ENG, Bristol at Academy
- 2/6: ENG, Manchester at Academy
- 2/7: SCO, Glasgow at Barrowland
- 2/9: Norwich, UEA
- 2/10: ENG, Birmingham at Institute
- 2/11: ENG, London at Brixton Academy


Related links:
Official Site of Red Fang
Red Fang on Facebook
Official Site Relapse Records
Red Fang on iTunes