” That guy killed Dimebag just because he thought that Dimebag broke up Pantera. Now me leaving Korn kinda puts a target on my back. But I’m not afraid. … I could die today. I’m not afraid to die at all. …”
— former Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch.
Seriously, could this guy be any more delusional? No one really cares about Korn anymore, let alone that he left the band to find God.
This week’s most listened to CDs by yours truly were As I Lay Dying’s “Shadows Are Security” and Strata’s self-titled outing.
Looks like everything’s slowing down a little for summer. There’s not much news to report, and only one notable metal release for next week. With that in mind, since I spent last week taking a look at the year so far, next week we’ll look at what’s left. Until then, let’s just jump right into things …
..:..Six Feet Under conversation..:.. During a recent interview with Metal-Rules.com, Six Feet Under front man Chris Barnes suggested fans not hold their breath for a Cannibal Corpse reunion. “Every time we see each other, we’re all smiles and everything. Nobody is at each other’s throats anymore. It’s all water under the bridge. Barnes also said he had input into the Cannibal Corpse box-set released a couple of years ago. The interview is a good read (Barnes even discusses the Dimebag shooting in December — he had vivid memories of playing in the same club), so check it out here.
..:..Missing Angel..:.. Guitarist Tony Norman, who has worked with Morbid Angel and Monstrosity, is apparently still missing. The guitarist and his girlfriend have not been seen by friends, family or bandmates since Morbid Angel’s last tour. Monstrosity drummer Lee Harrison recently offered an update on the situation online: “A few weeks go by and I’m still trying him with no answer… Next, I get a call from David Vincent (/morbid Angel bassist/vocalist), who is concerned, saying he hasn’t heard from Tony. At this point I still think he is probably just ‘off doing his thing.’ Well, another week goes by and Tony is supposed to leave with Morbid to do this Portugal show and Vincent says he still hasn’t heard anything and now it’s getting really strange. We ask all of his close friends and no one has seen or heard from him. We’ve called his family, gone to his girlfriend’s place of work (she is missing, too, and she doesn’t work there anymore), checked hospitals, jails, we’ve gone to places where he might hang out and no one has seen him. It’s just not like him to vanish like that.” Missing person or someone that doesn’t want to be found? The band is asking anyone with information to contact them (via the Web site I presume). Weird stuff …
..:..Out of the Pool, into the Conspiracy..:.. Former Drowning Pool front man Jason “Gong” Jones has teamed up with a couple of other musicians in the new band A.M. Conspiracy, according to a recent story in The Orlando Sentinel. The story continues on to say Jones is getting some 666 tattoos covered up in the near future as well, apparently due to a change in lifestyle. Right now, the singer’s day job is doing custom tattoo art in Orlando. The story is actually pretty interesting, as Jones points out displeasure over the cover art for Drowning Pool’s last album, “Desensitized” (a bikini-clad model surrounded by pentagrams). For what it’s worth, I always thought the art looked tacky and, once I heard the album, didn’t see any connection with the material either. Check out the whole article here. A.M. Conspiracy is currently recording tracks and there’s talk of a potential opening slot for Papa Roach in September. Jones wasn’t good enough for me to search out his future endeavors, but I’m interested in what Drowning Pool has in store …
..:..Audioslave sue!..:.. According to an article over on MTV.com, Audioslave has filed an intellectual-property lawsuit against Miller Brewing Company, claiming the company failed to consult the band about using the Audioslave name in an ad celebrating 50 years of rock and roll. The ad in question ran in an issue of Rolling Stone last fall. At first glance I assumed this was an over-the-top reaction, but some stuff from the suit won me over: “Audioslave does not endorse commercial products, including alcoholic beverages, and does not agree to appear in advertisements for alcoholic beverages … [since] members of [the group] have had issues with alcohol and the band is completely opposed to the use of its name to advertise and promote alcoholic beverage companies and products.” See, I can understand that. I’m sure the ad was a salute to the band, but the connection was still made. While I’m normally against legal fair of this nature, I can see the merit here …
..:..Brief briefs..:.. L.A. Guns has completed work on its next release, “Tales from the Strip” — the concept album will be out in late July; “Pieces,” a new song off Sevendust’s next album, “Next,” can be downloaded here; the brand new Arch Enemy track “Nemesis,” can be (reportedly) downloaded here (it’s a zipped file) — the song comes off the band’s next album, “Doomsday Machine,” due out in late July; the artwork for Children of Bodom’s next disc, “Are You Dead Yet?” can be found here;
CKY: “An Answer Can Be Found” … sort of stoner alternative rock metal hybrid…
Darkest Hour: “Undoing Ruin” … this once-hardcore now-metal band gets better with each release…
Devildriver: “The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand” … sophomore release from the guy who once fronted Coal Chamber…
Hate Eternal: “I, Monarch” … metal meets death metal…
Manntis: “Sleep in Your Grave” … this band was on that MTV “Battle for Ozzfest” show…
Megadeth: ” Greatest: Back To The Start” … hits collection from metal legend…
Throwdown: “Vendetta” … this hardcore band is getting rave reviews for this album…
Iron Maiden: “Essential Iron Maiden” … a hits collection from the old-school masters…
And that’s it?! Slow week …
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):
As I Lay Dying: “Shadows are Security”
All Out War: “Condemned to Suffer”
As Friends Rust: “Won”
Clutch: “Robot Hive/Exodus”
Slayer: “God Hates Us All”
I’ve been hearing good stuff about that new Clutch album — 12,611 copies sold, “Robot Hive/Exodus” is supposed to debut at No. 93 on next week’s The Billboard 200 chart. Not bad when you consider the band’s last album, “Blast Tyrant,” registered a first-week tally of 8,345 in April, 2004, and has since sold 59,963 copies. There’s one band that gets better and better as the years go on …
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…
