Deftones have begun working on their new album.
The band recently bulletined on MySpace saying that as soon as they had wrapped up their 246th show supporting Saturday Night Wrist, they had returned to Sacramento to write their new album. The band will also create an official blog on their website. In related news, Team Sleep’s new record will also be worked on soon.
Throwdown frontman David Peters recently spoke out on the issue of downloading.
He wrote a letter to “industry watcher” and former exec Bob Lefsetz highlighting his opinion on the idea that downloading is stealing. He stated that downloading isn’t theft in his eyes, because he doesn’t see CD sales money anyway, theft to him is someone stealing their merch at a show. He went on to say:
“I encourage our fans to acquire our album however they please. The philosophy I’ve adopted is that if you’re supporting disc sales, you’re keeping the old model around longer…the one that forces dudes like me to tour 9 months of the year if they want to make ends meet with a career in music. If you wanna really support a band, “steal” their album….help bury the label….and buy a tshirt when you show up at their show and sing every word.”
Zico Chain will hit the tour trail with Cat The Dog in November to support their debut album Food which is out on October 15th.
The dates are:
18th – Southampton Joiners
19th – London Underworld
20th – Bristol Academy
22nd – Cambridge The Graduate
23rd – Brighton Barfly
24th – Stoke Sugarmill
26th – Birmingham Barfly
27th – Cardiff Barfly
28th – Nottingham Rock City Basement
29th – Glasgow Barfly
30th – Aberdeen Tunnels
December:
2nd – Liverpool Bar Academy
In a time where metal bands are two-a-penny but quality prospects are few and far between, Gehenna stand as a genuinely unique proposition in an increasingly stagnant and overcrowded marketplace.
Formed in early 2006 the quintet wasted little time in carving their own distinctive niche from a largely predictable scene, creating music that felt natural to themselves rather than what they imagined people wanted to hear. Spitting in the face of an all-too-common perception that talent is based solely on speed and complexity, the band’s early days saw them hone their skills in both the rehearsal room and on the stage.
Focussing on solid song writing that provided precision rather than flashiness, they quickly forged a reputation as a fearsome live band, gaining support slots alongside such established acts as Mendeed and Bring Me The Horizon and earning a promising 3K live review from Kerrang! in the process.
However, it was the dawn of 2007 that saw their true potential and creativity unleashed. Following a slight change in personnel, the band knuckled down and retreated to the practice space, producing their most advanced material yet. Where once there was raw fury now stood controlled aggression; each member showing greater understanding of their instruments and in turn branching into bold, epic territories that built on their roots rather than severing them. It was a decision that would quickly pay off.
After hitting the venues harder than ever the band were personally chosen to support hardcore titans Hatebreed by front man Jamey Jasta, destroying a near sold-out Oxford Zodiac as well as attracting as many as 200 punters (that’s 200 paying punters) to their own headline shows.
Recorded at Oxfordshire’s Apple Pirate Productions, VII VII VII stands as the next step in Gehenna’s already impressive evolution. Showcasing the band’s strongest work to date – as well as their reluctance to compromise their vision regardless of trends and outside opinion – it stands as proof that heavy music remains as fresh and exciting as ever.
As the old saying goes: If you want something done correctly, you have do it yourself. Gehenna are living proof that wiser words have rarely been spoken.”
Ryan Bird
If you like the movies of George A Romero or the music of the Devil, then Irish thrash metal quintet Gama Bomb may be the band for you.
Formed some five years ago between the bright Republic lights of Dublin and the Northern city of Newry, the band soon became known for their rabid live shows, as well as their genuine love for all things thrash and their wicked sense of humour. Armed with wild tales of zombies, hell truckers and skeets, Gama Bomb were flying the flag for old school thrash metal madness long before its apparent “resurgence”.
In 2006 the band released their debut album ‘Survival Of The Fastest‘ via European label Witches Brew, which they then followed up on barely one year later with the brilliantly-titled Zombie Brew EP. The EP was released strictly on vinyl, with a limited run of just 200. The strength of this material combined with their fiercely energetic live shows quickly caught the eye of Earache Records, who announced their signing of the band in September of this year. Their Earache debut – tentatively titled ‘Citizen Brain‘ – is set for release in early 2008.
Gama Bomb have the recipe for perfect thrash tucked firmly under their bullet belts. Now get your dose.
Ryan Bird
Our resident hip hop head Abjekt caught up with El-P last night before his raging show at the Scala for an interview. During the interview, which you’ll be able to read in full very soon on Crossfire, El-P gave us some exclusives.
Firstly, the Def Jukie confirmed that Del would be releasing his new album The 11th Hour on Def Jux, which had been rumoured for some time. And the second exclusive he gave us was that he plans to release an EP next year so we don’t have such a long wait between records again.
Keep your eyes peeled to see what the former Company Flow man had to say about London crowds, owning a label, making his music and thoughts on Def Jux’s 2007 soon!
DJ/Producer supreme Mark Ronson brought a host of guests on stage during his sold out show in LA.
The Version creator played to the El Rey Theatre with Daniel Merriweather, Santogold, Tiggers, Alex Greenwald and even Robbie Williams joining him for the action packed set.
Ronson is set to hit the UK on some dates so this array of guests could be hitting stages around the country very soon!
Texas’ Fair To Midland have announced some UK dates to support their recently released album Fables Of A Mafly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True.
November:
15th – Glasgow, King Tuts
16th – Manchester, Academy (supporting Serj Tankian)
18th – Manchester, Barfly (headline show)
19th – Birmingham, Academy (headline show)
20th – London, Barfly (headline show)
21st – Brighton, Barfly (headline show)
22nd – London, Astoria (supporting Serj Tankian)
Taking Back Sunday have lost guitarist and co-vocalist Fred Mascherino.
The band, who will be releasing their DVD/CD compilation The Louder Now Part Two on November 20th, said the following regarding the departure:
“After four great years and two successful gold albums together, Fred has decided to leave Taking Back Sunday to pursue his solo career. We wish him well and we are working on the next Taking Back Sunday album as we speak.”
The famous Unplugged session by Nirvana is finally set to hit DVD.
The performance took place on November 18th 1993 and was released as a CD but has remained unreleased on any video format. The DVD is due out on November 20th and will feature the unedited 66 minute concert.