Mushroomhead: Beautiful Stories For Ugly Children – new album

MUSHROOMHEAD's new album is entitled ‘Beautiful Stories For Ugly Children’ and is being released today, September 28th, 2010 through Megaforce Records. The album was produced by co-founder and drummer Steve “Skinny” Felton and mastered by Roger Lian at Masterdisc, New York City. With statement made by MUSHROOMHEAD keyboardist “Shmotz” (Tom Schmitz) in mind: “MUSHROOMHEAD never draws a line without blurring it first” - go and buy the record.

MUSHROOMHEAD formed in 1993 in Cleveland, Ohio. It was meant to be a side project since its members played in various local bands at the time; they even wore blacks masks in order not to be recognized. Few  years later and MUSHROOMHEAD became one of Cleveland's top local attractions: masks, costumes, pseudonyms and theatricals its members used, became part of the group's lure and intrigue. MUSHROOMHEAD's self-titled debut album was released independently in 1995 as were its followers, ‘Superbuic’ (1996) and ‘M3’ (1999). The band than signed with Eclipse Records in 2000 and released its next album, ‘XX’, the following year. AllMusic's Alex Henderson described the album as: “[one of] the most ambitious alternative metal releases of 2001” and MUSHROOMHEAD's music as “fresh and risk-taking and as creative as their [band’s] image”. The effort sold over 300,000 copies. Universal Records released the group's last cooperation with singer “JMann” (Jason Popson), 2003's album entitled ‘XII’. ‘XII’ debuted at number 40 on American albums chart Billboard 200 and sold 400,000 copies worldwide. New singer “Waylon” (Waylon Reavis) got enlisted in 2004 and the following year MUSHROOMHEAD self-released, self-directed, self-produced and self-edited its first DVD (Filthy Hands label) entitled ‘Volume 1’. The band returned to Megaforce Records to release ‘Savior Sorrow’ in 2006 which reached number 50 on the Billboard 200, with sales estimation of around 125,000 copies sold worldwide. Thom Jurek (AllMusic) commented: “MUSHROOMHEAD build their tunes from grooves and themes. They use rhythm as a composition. Yeah, they still wear masks, they still create a mystique which would be worthless if the music itself weren’t so damn compelling. True: if BAUHAUS had come to birth in 2006 instead of the late '70s, they may have sounded like MUSHROOMHEAD do in ‘Savior Sorrow’. Beauty, chaos, tension, and fierce guitar and keyboard interplay create a taut instrumental attack that is both multitextured and dynamic. Vocals, strings, whispers, and guitars - both acoustic and electric - entwine classical themes with the spirit of rock's past in a quiet, unsettling song [‘Embrace The Ending’] that is as well-crafted and beautiful as it is deranged.”

Follow-up: Video for ‘Come On’ - first single from MUSHROOMHEAD's new album has been banned from TV but you can watch it right here, courtesy of Megaforce Records. The video was directed by David Greathouse (also known as “House”) and produced by Robert Kurtzman's Creature Corps. Bloodier and uncensored version of the clip can be also found here (Creature Corps).

MUSHROOMHEAD features: Jeffrey Nothing – vocals, Waylon – vocals, Gravy – guitars, Pig Benis – bass, Shmotz – keyboards, Skinny – drums/percussion, ST1TCH – turntables/samples/electronics and Lil’ Dan – percussion

 

Dimmu Borgir: Gateways – new video / Abrahadabra – new album

 

Those who have named themselves after unusually shaped lava fields and rock formations east of Lake Mývatn in Iceland, DIMMU BORGIR, have released brand new video in support of the new album entitled ‘Abrahadabra’. ‘Abrahadabra’ will be released on September 24th, 2010 (24. 9. 2010) in Europe and on October 12th, 2010 in North America through Nuclear Blast Records. Video ‘Gateway’ was directed by Sandra Marschner of Katapult Films and it features guest vocalist Agnete Kjølsrud (DJERV/ex-ANIMAL ALPHA).

DIMMU BORGIR features: Shagrath (Stian Tomt Thoresen) – drums, guitars, vocals and bass, Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud) – vocals, rhythm guitar and bass and Galder (Tom Rune Andersen) – lead guitar.

DIMMU BORGIR: Born Treacherous – courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records

DIMMU BORGIR: Dimmu Borgir – courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records

Full Album Stream: The Black Pacific: The Black Pacific - new album / The System – new video

According to press release, when Jim Lindberg left PENNYWISE after 20 years and nine studio albums, after almost four million records sold and countless sold-out tour dates, many people in the music world assumed that would be the last they’d hear from Lindberg for a while. But, almost immediately after leaving the band, Lindberg recruited drummer Alan Vega and a longtime friend, L.A. musician Davey Latter. The band then teamed up with FAR guitarist and producer Shaun Lopez (DEFTONES/DEMON HUNTER) and headed into his Airport Studios to begin working on their debut.

And now you can stream THE BLACK PACIFIC's debut self-titled album in its entirety here (The Punk Site). Album release date is set for September 14th, 2010 (14. 9. 2010) through SideOneDummy Records. You can also watch just released “perfect visual representation” of the song ‘The System’ directed and edited by Steve Guerrero and John DeTemple below.

The Absence: Enemy Unbound – new album

THE ABSENCE, melodic death metallers from Florida, USA, are about to release new album entitled ‘Enemy Unbound’ on September 14th, 2010 (14. 9. 2010) with some help from Metal Blade Records. Below the text you can watch the video for the title-track off the new album, ‘Enemy Unbound’, directed by Luke Leonard & Pia Hogue and produced by Fetus Productions.

THE ABSENCE was formed in 2001 by vocalist Jamie Stewart and guitarist Patrick Pintavalle. The pair was soon joined by guitarist Peter Joseph and drummer Jeramie Kling and as THE ABSENCE they made their debut in 2002, playing an opening set for MASTODON. In 2005 the group recorded a demo which impressed Metal Blade Records enough to sign them. In the fall of 2005, THE ABSENCE released their first album ‘From Your Grave’. After nearly two years of touring the band returned in 2007 with their fan and critic acclaimed release ‘Riders Of The Plague’. The album was recorded at Erik Rutan's Mana Studios in early spring of 2007, with Swedish producer Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMETRY/CARNAL FORGE). Allmusic's Greg Prato loved it: “Downright ferocious racket - speed metal riffing, IRON MAIDEN-esque guitar harmonies, runaway train drumming, and more. Also included are vocals that alternate between screaming and Cookie Monster growling. And you’ve got to love the fact that there is an instrumental smack dab in the middle of the album.” ‘Enemy Unbound’ was once again recorded at the famed, Erik Rutan-owned, Mana Studios with Brian Elliott's engineering and Peter Joseph and Patrick Pintavalle producing the album. Jonas Kjellgren (Black Lounge Studios) handled both mixing and mastering of ‘Enemy Unbound’. Guest musicians on the album include Tom Englund of EVERGREY and Andy Wood.

Immortal: All Shall Fall – new video

 

‘All Shall Fall’ is the first music video legendary black metal outfit from Norway, IMMORTAL, has shot in 15 years. The track comes from IMMORTAL's eight same-titled studio album. The album that was released in 2009 via Nuclear Blast Records, was produced by the band itself along with Peter Tägtgren and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren. ‘All Shall Fall’ peaked at number 20 on Finnish Albums Chart and at number 21 on Norwegian Albums Chart. AllMusic's Phil Freeman described the album as “truly epic statement” and continued: “As with all of IMMORTAL's work, a frigid cold seems to blow from the speakers with every note. This is music of such unrelenting and merciless power, you might not even notice how vocalist/guitarist Abbath occasionally sounds quite a bit like Popeye the Sailor.” Heh.

IMMORTAL features: Abbath Doom Occulta (also known as Olve Eikemo) - vocals/guitar/bass/keyboard/drums, Demonaz Doom Occulta (Harald Nævdal) – founding member/manager/lyricist,  Horgh (Reidar Horghagen) – drums and Apollyon (Ole Jørgen Moe) – bass.

Insidious Disease: Boundless – new video

Before you watch this video you should know that INSIDIOUS DISEASE is a band that embraces the things that might make the average man sick to his stomach and one that strives to “satisfy your urge for darkness, the morbid and the sick, the perverted and the twisted, all things insane that can be discovered within the human mind and soul manifesting in a sound that make you vomit your guts out!” Metal supergroup that features members of DIMMU BORGIR, NAPALM DEATH, OLD MAN'S CHILD and MORGOTH, has released an album entitled ’Shadowcast’ in July 2010 (Century Media Records): “The basic idea behind 'Shadowcast,' lyrically, is an attempt to describe the “misfits” in this world: the misunderstood, mentally defect[ive] and depraved individuals that walk among us - rapists, serial killers, pedophiles, necrophiles and drug addicts, etc. It could be your neighbor, you just never know, it could be you!" stated INSIDIOUS DISEASE. You’ve been warned.

INSIDIOUS DISEASE was formed in late 2004 by guitarists Silenoz (DIMMU BORGIR) and Jardar (OLD MAN'S CHILD) with drummer Tony Laureano (ANGELCORPSE/NILE), Shane Embury (NAPALM DEATH/BRUJERIA/LOCK UP) on bass and vocalist Marc Grewe (MORGOTH).

Witchery: Conqueror's Return – new video

 

Sweden's thrashers WITCHERY have released new video for ‘Conqueror’s Return’, track taken off their new album entitled ‘Witchkrieg’. The album was released in June 2010 through Century Media Records and is available as a CD and as a digital download; it can be purchased here (Europe) and here (US) and here (iTunes). The album features Andy LaRoque from KING DIAMOND on track ‘From Dead To Worse’ and SLAYER's Kerry King on ‘Witchkrieg’. You can watch the video for the title-track below, directed and produced by Daniel Larrson and Andreas Björler. ‘Witchkrieg’ was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (DARK TRANQUILLITY, HEAVEN SHALL BURN…).

WITCHERY features: Legion (also known as Erik Hagsted from MARDUK/DEVIAN) on vocals, Patrik Jensen (SATANIC SLAUGHTER/THE HAUNTED) on guitar, Richard Corpse (probably known to his mother as Rickard Rimfält) on guitar, Sharlee D’Angelo (aka Charles Petter Andreason of ARCH ENEMY/MERCIFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND/SPIRITUAL BEGGARS-fame) on bass and Martin Axenrot (of course lovingly referred to by friends as Axe from SATANIC SLAUGHTER/OPETH) on drums.

WITCHERY: From Dead To Worse – courtesy of Century Media Records