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Vanna Lose Members, Replace One

Posted by Chris Harris on February 3, 2012 in Departures, News

Boston’s Vanna has announced the departure of both guitarist and singer Evan Pharmakis and drummer Chris Campbell.

Pharmakis has already been replaced by Joel Pastuszak, while the band will employ fill-in drummers between now and whenever they find someone permanent.

“In the world of music members in bands make choices every day to move onto other things, be it new projects, start families, or begin a different career path,” says the band. “The internet is abound with drama and opinions when this happens, but the fact is that this is a part of everyday life in the music industry.”

These dudes can’t write.
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Posted in Departures, News | Tagged Chris Campbell, departures, Evan Pharmakis, Joel Pastuszak, leave, out, vanna | Leave a comment

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Brian Fair’s That First Step’s A Doozy: Super Bowl Shuffle

Posted by Brian Fair on February 3, 2012 in Brian Fair’s That First Step’s A Doozy, Exclusive, Featured

Shadows Fall frontman Brian Fair is back with the latest installment of his Gun Shy Assassin column, and he’s here to talk about Sunday’s big game

First off, I just wanted to say that when Gun Shy Assassin first asked me about writing a column about the Super Bowl I was hesitant. I have always been an overzealous, loudmouthed, obnoxious New England sports fan and that love and devotion has lead to many years of near psychotic superstitions.

Normally, I try to avoid all discussion about any huge game that either the Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins or Patriots are involved in and avoid instigating and talking shit to any fans of the opposition. That is reserved for post victory when I can crush their already demoralized souls to dust and then piss on it ‘till it forms a paste that I can feed to them like baby food.

If, by some rare act of Odin, my team does lose, I retreat into a media blackout bubble ignoring ESPN, my Blackberry, and newspaper headlines until the post-game hype has died down. This is why I first feared this project.


I enjoy nothing more then talking shit to other sports fans, especially those from New York — so I must tread lightly and not cross any lines that may send out cosmic rays of bad karma that could effect the Patriots’ play this Sunday.
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Posted in Brian Fair’s That First Step’s A Doozy, Exclusive, Featured | Tagged belichick, brian fair, column, eli manning, new england patriots, new york giants, shadows fall, super bowl | 1 Comment

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Funeral Whore To Release New Album This Month

Posted by Chris Harris on February 3, 2012 in New Records, News

Mexican metal powerhouse Chaos Records will release Funeral Whore’s new album on February 27.

Called Step into Damnation, the highly-anticipated debut from the Dutch bruisers is as real as old school death metal gets, a press release claims: as terrifyingly crushing as it is 100 percent uncompromising.

This band’s recommended for fans of Grave, Unleashed, and Entombed.

And I am recommended for chicks who love hard wang.
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Posted in New Records, News | Tagged chaos records, funeral whore, new album, new record, step into damnation | Leave a comment

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Puteraeon Working On New Record

Posted by Chris Harris on February 3, 2012 in In the Studio, News

Swedish death metal band Puteraeon have entered RZA Mobile Recording to begin tracking their sophomore LP, Cult Cthulhu.

Say what?

The disc is slated for a May release through German label Cyclone Empire. The 11-song follow-up to last year’s The Esoteric Order is being tracked with sound engineer Kristian “Risza” Isaksson and will once again be mixed by King Diamond guitarist Andy La Rocque at his Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden.

So, take that.
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Posted in In the Studio, News | Tagged Cult Cthulhu, in the studio, king diamond, new album, new record, puteraeon, recording | Leave a comment

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Early Graves To Tour In March

Posted by Chris Harris on February 3, 2012 in News, Tour Dates

That’s right, you closeted cosmic bowler.

Early Graves will be taking a break from the writing of their forthcoming studio effort by embarking on a mini-tour in March.

That’s good. Of course, it comes nowhere near New York, because, well, those dudes are West Coast. Frontman John Strachan is working on a new installment of his column, which makes up for it.

The band have been writing material for a split with an as-yet-revealed other band. They’re also writing shit for their next album, which is awesome.

Check those dates at the end of this post.
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Posted in News, Tour Dates | Tagged dates, early graves, john strachan, new album, new record, shows, tour | Leave a comment

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Converge To Tour With Loma Prieta

Posted by Chris Harris on February 3, 2012 in News, Tour Dates

At the end of this post, you will find a list of tour dates.

These dates are for the one and only Converge, who will be packing the van and hitting the blacktop in April for two weeks.

Loma Prieta and Git Some (which features former members of Planes Mistaken For Stars) will open.

Select dates will also feature Burning Love and Pianos Become The Teeth, among others special guests. Deafheaven, Ringworm, and Weekend Nachos are also on certain dates of the trek.
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Posted in News, Tour Dates | Tagged All We Love We Leave Behind, burning love, converge, deafheaven, git some, in the studio, Loma Prieta, new album, new lp, new record, pianos become the teeth, ringworm, studio, tour, weekend nachos, writing | Leave a comment

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Anthrax’s Bello Steps Down From Tour

Posted by Chris Harris on February 3, 2012 in News, This Blows

Don’t be surprised when you go to see Anthrax this week, and you don’t see Anthrax.

The band’s ongoing tour with Testament and Death Angel has once again been hit by some unforeseen — or possible foreseen — circumstances.

Days after his uncle Charlie Benante left the tour to head home to tend to his terminally-ill mother, Frank Bello — the band’s bassist — has left.

He’s taken leave because his grandmother is obviously sick, and he would like to spend time with her. It’s understandable. Frank — we’ve been in your position, and it’s tough. We feel for you dude.
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Posted in News, This Blows | Tagged anthrax, armored saint, charlie benante, dark angel, death angel, done, fear factory, fill-in, frank bello, gene hoglan, ill mother, leaves, out, paul bostaph, quit, Testament, the dark roots of earth, tour | Leave a comment

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Horseback Complete Recording Of New LP

Posted by Chris Harris on February 3, 2012 in New Records, News, Rad

Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s very awesome Horseback have completed the recording of their new full-length — the much anticipated follow-up to 2009’s The Invisible Mountain.

The new album, titled Half Blood, was described by mainman Jenks Miller as “the band’s most ambitious record to date that represents a synthesis of the approaches we’ve explored in the past.”

While saying “most ambitious” anything is usually a bad sign, I happen to know Jenks don’t front. Dude’s a straight shooter; at least that’s what his girlfriend tells me…we used to work together.

Truly a natural progression in their increasingly prolific catalog, Half Blood was self-recorded and produced by Jenks Miller at The Chateau in the band’s hometown. 
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Posted in New Records, News, Rad | Tagged half blood, horseback, jenks miller, new album, new record, relapse | Leave a comment

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Tilts Drummer Diagnosed With Colon Cancer

Posted by Chris Harris on February 3, 2012 in News, This Blows

Tilts — a really rad band with a sound that might remind you of Queens of the Stone Age and its related projects — has revealed some shitty news.

Drummer Ken McCray has been diagnosed with colon cancer, which has spread to his liver.

“Time to let everyone in on a little secret,” says McCray. I was diagnosed with colon cancer two weeks ago. Then, last week was informed that its spread to the liver. Stage 4.”

Stage IV is the worst kind. This is so fucking sad. Our thoughts are with McCray as he battles the disease.

“I start chemo on Monday. Lookin’ forward to kicking the shit out of this cancer, and moving on with life,” he writes. “I’ll keep everybody posted to any new info, as I get it. In the meantime, I’ll be the bald headed baby huey playing drums for Superjam [and Tilts!]“
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Posted in News, This Blows | Tagged chemo, colon cancer, kate upton, ken mccray, liver, stage IV, tilts | Leave a comment

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Firewind Sign New Deal With eOne Affiliate

Posted by Chris Harris on February 3, 2012 in New Records, News

So, I’m sorry — maybe it’s because I don’t have chest hair, but I don’t get Firewind. Like, at all. Someone, please explain this band’s appeal because these dudes have just never put out anything I’ve enjoyed.

Regardless, Firewind have signed a new North American distribution deal with Dismanic Distribution/eOne Music.

The Greek group will issue their new album Few Against Many through the new deal on May 22. The effort will see a European release through Century Media.

“I’m very excited about this new partnership,” exclaimed Firewind’s Gus G.
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Posted in New Records, News | Tagged dismanic, eone, few against many, firewind, gus g., new album, new record | Leave a comment