Auditory Assault

” There is going to be a ton of my old studio and touring stuff that I have decided (or it decided for me) to part from. Any and all photos will be put up at the Megadeth site so that you will know it all is legit.”
— Dave Mustaine talking about raping his legacy and pillaging his back catalogue at his band’s forums (not really, but still).

Intro …

So, as you may or may have been able to deduce from my opening quote this week, looks like rocker Dave Mustaine (he of Megadeth fame) will be getting rid of some old stuff for a couple of bucks. I don’t really have a problem with that, he knows fans will be interested and is offering it up. Of course, he also goes on about yet another greatest hits collection (won’t that be number three?) and a live DVD.

So, if feels like Mustaine is just one of a long line of bands nearing the end or already past their prime.

On the Motley Crue front, the band’s trying to put together a live DVD during the upcoming tour (the first such endeavor feature the four original members), but Sixx also stated in said interview (part of a recent MSN chat) that the band would probably steer clear of the excellent material off the band’s 1994 self-titled release … you know, the one without Vince.

Now, to delve into what was originally going to be the subject matter of my column this week (I was planning on asking rhetorical questions to state opinions but didn’t think I would be able to come up with enough): “Am I the only person that thought that ‘Motley Crue’ album kicked ass?”

Seriously. It was darker, more brooding and much heavier than previous efforts … and while it didn’t sell too well (I believe), it did respectable numbers. The truth is, if the band pursued this avenue, but changed up the name or something, people still would’ve been interested (it would’ve been well-known that this new band was all of Motley Crue without the lead singer), the stigma of the Crue label wouldn’t have been attached (which would have been good for two reasons: fans wouldn’t be pissed this “sounded different” or wasn’t really the Crue; and the band wouldn’t have had to be out to prove itself by altering a legacy).

Anyway … it’s a good album worthy to be included in a metal fan’s collection.

Bands with new members…

So, it seems a bunch of bands recently added new members to their ranks. Most of you have probably never heard of some of these bands, but it seemed like a nice way to string a bunch of stories together with a common thread.

First up, Adema finally filled the vacant vocalist slot left after Jonathan Davis’ (he of Korn) half-brother Mark Chavez left the group last September. Luke Caraciolli, formerly of rewind Yesterday, got the gig and a photo of the new lineup can be seen here. In my opinion, the band had a good sound but Chavez just sounded too whiney. We’ll have to see where Adema is headed when the band’s next album, “Planets,” comes out in April.

Next up, Toronto’s Warmachine have found a new drummer in the form of Michael Amaral (who was actually the singer and guitarist for Endorphins). Apparently the band had been trying out drummers for a while and finally settled on Amaral.

Getting more obscure, guitarist Per Nilsson has joined World Below. He’s apparently already laid down tracks for the band’s upcoming release, “Maelstroem,” due out in March (probably only available as an import in the US).

And finally, Swedish death metal band Nominon have added a second guitarist to the mix, Kristian Stromblad. Stromblad is being credited with giving the group an even more intense and heavier sound. Nominon will be working on a new CD later this month.

In brief …

..:..Head Charge on tour..:.. As I mentioned last week, American Head Charge’s next album, “The Feeding,” will finally see the light of day next month. You can preview the band’s new single, “Loyalty,” over at Myspace. The group will head out on tour with Otep beginning Jan. 21. I saw American Head Charge a couple of times when the group toured the first album, and was blown away time and time again. I hope this new album can live up to the hype, because the first is something I still listen to to this day.

..:..And the Battle for Ozzfest winner is..:.. Now, I totally avoided the Battle for Ozzfest show (for reasons I may or may not have gone into in a previous column) because the concept didn’t make sense to me. Get some bands together, have them battle it out for a slot on the tour a la the VH1 show “Bands on the Run” (was that what that was called? The show with three or four bands on tour competing for revenue and audiences.). Taking one member from each band and making them roadies … well, I don’t see where the “music” comes into play in that scenario. In fact, I’m pretty sure someone who was on the show talked about the fact Sharon Osbourne was ready to cut him simply because he wasn’t out partying every night. In turn, he got drunk for the cameras and she specifically kept him on because of it. Whatever! How that earns you a slot on a tour is beyond me. Long story short, the winner was A Dozen Furies. I caught some of the band’s set and it kicked ass. However, I was pulling for Cynder (now apparently just called Cyn) only because I was actually familiar with the group and was sort of a fan. FYI: A Dozen Furies features in its ranks former Unloco guitarist Marc Serrano, who had previously been on the tour (Ozzfest ’03). I sense the fix may have been in on this. Plus, when did Unloco break up? That band kicked!

..:..Lamb of God on DVD..:.. Metal masters Lamb of God will release a full concert DVD (titled “Killadelphia”) sometime in March. The DVD is said to be a mix of a couple of shows at Philadelphia’s Trocadero last fall. I love the Lamb of God discs, but the band didn’t do too much for me live. I’m hoping the band was having an off day when I saw them, so I’ll probably be checking this out. Don’t forget the group will also be on tour with Slipknot and Shadows Fall in March (that is one sick tour).

..:..Brand new Black Label..:.. Just because I’m a big fan of Black Label Society: the artwork for the groups next studio album, “Mafia,” has been posted online (check it out here); the album is slated to street March 8. I’m hoping for something in the vein of “1919 Eternal” but I haven’t heard any of the new material yet. The band will also head out on a short tour in March. For dates and a link to a song clip, go here.

..:..Obligatory Obituary follow-up..:.. Well, more like a catch up. Anyone who reads this column should know I’m a huge Obituary fan. I’ve been psyched since the band hooked back up and announced plans for a new album after a lengthy hiatus, but there hasn’t been much to report lately. Well, turns out Obituary front man John Tardy recently gave a pretty good interview to the Web-site Global Domination, and revealed the new disc would probably be coming out on Roadrunner Records (as the group still owes them an album), how the new material still sounds like the old Obituary and even discusses the mixing of the band’s album “Cause of Death.” The whole interview is a good read, so be sure to check it out.

You (and I) need to hear this…

Note: I’m thinking of replacing this feature with my “Mix of the Moment,” which can currently be found over at my Author’s Profile. If you haven’t been checking the mixes out, you should. And if you want to weigh in on my album lists vs. mix tape, please drop me a line.

Here’s some CDs I want, recently picked up or already have that I haven’t listened to nearly enough (you should check them out too):

American Head Charge: “The War of Art”

Black Label Society: “1919 Eternal”
In Memory: “In So Many Words”
Killswitch Engage: “Killswitch Engage” (re-release)
Diecast: “Tearing Down Your Blue Skies”

In closing…

So, we’ll keep it short this week. The first couple of weeks of a new year are always a little slow, but pretty soon there will be tons of new releases to sick our teeth into.

I’ve continued to be impressed with the latest Diecast album. Apparently, “Tearing Down Your Blue Skies” was the band’s first offering with a new lead singer, so I’ll have to dig into some of the band’s back catalogue down the line. I’ll let you know what’s what. I also have a tip on a pretty impressive indie-act (GRYN) I’m trying to locate on-line. I’ll fill you in on this in more detail next week.

And that’s that. As always, drop me a line. Until next time, I’ll be here at Inside Pulse making sure no metal news falls through the cracks.

Take it easy…