CALLING IT A DAY/NIGHT/YEAR/LIFETIME

Well it’s been grand, and I was honored to take over the “Dirt Culture” moniker from its former print editor and turn it into this here wonderful blog back in 2008, but I’ve decided to move on to bigger and better things. No, I have not stopped writing, and I never, EVER will! I have joined forces with Forbidden Magazine (www.forbidden-magazine.com) an AWESOME print and webzine, and have never been happier. The other guys are all very dedicated, reputable, and know their stuff and we are also working on some releases, including the entire March Into The Sea discography on CD! I highly encourage all of you to check out Forbidden’s site at the URL above and also “Like” Forbidden Magazine on Facebook (oh come on, you’re on there 25 hours a day anyway!). So, in conclusion, I’m neither dead nor dying (yet), and if you want to add me on Facebook, it’s “Michael Mahyar Hojjatie” or my personal email is hailthehodge@gmail.com. Thanks, and have a great rest of 2010!

POWER TO THE PROG!

 

ProgPower USA XI Lineup Finalized

 

The full lineup for the 11th annual installment of ProgPower USA -- the largest alignment of progressive, classic and power metal bands on American soil -- has been finalized for this September's festivities.

 

As always, the massive event, held in Atlanta, Georgia, will include a plethora of both stateside and European acts, including headlining acts Kamelot, Accept and Hammerfall, along with Turisas, Nocturnal Rites and more. This year's festival will also mark the first American appearances from Paradox, Leprous, Delain, Tarot (featuring Marcto Hietala of Nightwish), Seventh Wonder and many more international acts.

 

In addition to the main two days of the event, there will be two days of pre-fest shows and activities based around ProgPower, including a Mid-Week Mayhem show on Wednesday, September 8th, and a Fest Kick-Off Show on Thursday, September 9th.

 

There are actually only approximately 300 tickets still available for the fest, so don't wait! View the full lineup below, and check out the official website for ProgPower USA for full details, ticket info, the history of the fest and more: http://www.progpowerusa.com

 

 

PROGPOWER USA XI ITINERARY:

 

9/08/2010 ProgPower USA XI Mid-Week Mayhem

 

Ross the Boss (New York) - "A Night of Manowar Classics" with Scott Columbus
Vangough (Oklahoma)
Seven Kingdoms (Florida)

 

 

9/09/2010 ProgPower USA XI Kick-Off

 

Accept (Germany) 10:45 - close
Leprous (Norway)* 9:15 - 10:15
Borealis (Canada) 8:00 - 8:45
Six Minute Century (Texas, USA) 6:45 - 7:30

 

 

9/10/2010 ProgPower USA Day 1

 

Kamelot (US/Norway)
Nocturnal Rites (Sweden)
Turisas (Finland)
Tyr (Faroe Islands)
Seventh Wonder (Sweden) *
Leaves' Eyes (Norway/Germany)
Illusion Suite (Norway) *

 

 

9/11/2010 ProgPower USA Day 2
 

Hammerfall (Sweden)
Tarot (Finland) *
Delain (The Netherlands) *
DGM (Italy) *
Oceans of Sadness (Belgium) *
Stormwarrior (Germany) *
Paradox (Germany) *

 

* = first ever performance on American soil

 

http://www.progpowerusa.com

 

________

LET'S RAID THE ARMOURY!

New Titles Coming This Summer From Armoury Records!

BLACK RIVER . PROGHMA - C . VOTUM

 

BLACK RIVER
Black ‘N’ Roll
Release Date: July 20, 2010
All-star band BLACK RIVER features within its ranks members of Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, Neolithic and Rootwater. Black ‘N’ Roll is the band's second full-length and offers 45 minutes of gritty, bar-ready riff rock anthems! The 11-track long player was recorded at Studio Sonus and Studio Gdansk, engineered by Malta (Behemoth) and includes the eccentric track "Jumping Queenny Flash" which is, as the title suggests, a merging of Sex Pistol’s "God Save The Queen" and The Rolling Stones’ "Jumpin' Jack Flash" covers. Black ‘N’ Roll debuted at #20 on the official Polish charts upon its European release earlier this year. Said guitarist Kay of the offering: “It has the taste of good whiskey, it smells with sweat of girls dancing at the strip bar and with odor of car tires burnt on tarmac.” For fans of The Cult, Monster Magnet and Danzig.

 

BLACK RIVER is:
Taff - Vocals (Neolithic, Testor, Geisha Goner, Rootwater)

Orion - Bass (Behemoth, Neolithic, Vesania)
Daray - Drums (Dimmu Borgir, Neolithic, Vader, Masachist, Faust et al)
Art - Guitars
Kay - Guitars (Kayzen, Kashtany, Neolithic)

http://www.myspace.com/blackriverpl

http://www.youtube.com/blackriverrock

 

.........................................................................

 

PROGHMA-C
Bar-do Travel
Release Date: July 27, 2010
The tale of PROGHMA-C began in 2002, when a group of experimental music aficionados decided to merge their paths of musical exploration into a single, sonic entity. The band seamlessly combine trance, ambient, rock, pop, new age, death, fusion and progressive influences into a sound that is very much their own unique, powerful beast. Debut Bar-do Travel was recorded at Studio X in Olsztyn, Poland with Szymon Czech and features nine-tracks of heady, eclectic awesomeness (including an unexpected cover of Bjork’s “Army Of Me”). PROGHMA-C wishes only to enhance the palette of our musical universe. For fans of everything from Tool to Meshuggah.

 

"...Bar-do Travel is the best Polish album since Decapitated's Organic Hallucinosis  and the best debut since Out Of Myself by Riverside. Definitely a must-hear..." – DarkPlanet.pl

PROGHMA-C is:
Piotr “Bob” Gibner - Vocals
Pawel “Smaga” Smakulski - Guitar/Synth
Lukasz “Kuman” Kumanski - Drums
Michal “Waski” Gooretzky - Bass

 

http://www.myspace.com/proghmac

 

.........................................................................

VOTUM
Metafiction
Release Date: August 3, 2010
The second full-length from Polish prog/atmospheric wizards VOTUM, Metafiction is at once dark, somber and beautiful; emotional music for those who enjoy the mysteries of the human mind. The record, recorded at the famed Izabelin Studio in Poland, is a seven-track concept album that focuses as much on the music as it does the lyrics and visual art surrounding it. VOTUM’s concern is not of the particular style of music they play but rather the atmosphere pouring from within. For fans of Opeth, Porcupine Tree and Anathema.

 

"…Metafiction is a progressive musical puzzle. A puzzle to a psychotic search. A mindgame; look for the pieces, connect them together and write the ending of the story.” – Power Of Prog Blog

VOTUM is:
Maciej Kosinski - Vocals
Alek Salamonik - Guitars
Adam Kaczmarek - Guitars
Zbigniew Szadkowski - Kayboards
Bartek Turkowski - Bass
Adam Lukaszek - Drums

 

http://www.myspace.com/votumband

http://www.votumband.pl/

.........................................................................

 

http://www.eaglerockent.com/

SACRIFICE A BULL FOR ME.

SANDS OF TIME
BRUTAL ATMOSPHERIC DEATH METALLERS MITHRAS RELEASE LIMITED EDITION COLLECTION OF EARLY DEMOS & RARITIES

This much anticipated special release features 14 tracks from the Mithras vaults. Airing both unheard rarities and remastered demos from the 1998-2003 chapter in their 11 year history, the booklet includes loads of old pictures and extensive liner notes from Rayner Coss and Leon Macey, with additional contributions from early members, including Liam Kavanagh (ex-guitarist / producer), Steve Crompton (ex guitarist) and Justin Joyce (ex drummer).

The first 100 copies are hand numbered and are available on a first-come first-served basis.

The are available to order now:

http://mithras.bigcartel.com/product/sands-of-time-cd

The CD costs £8 including tax and postage in the UK, and £11 including tax and postage outside the UK.

A sample of the track "Gods Among Men" is currently on the Mithras Myspace player.

Full SANDS OF TIME tracklisting:
1 Gods Among Men (re-recorded 2003 pre 'Worlds...')
2 Ancient Prophecy (re-recorded 2003 pre 'Worlds...')
3 The Caller And The Listener (from 'Bequeath Thy Visions' demo)
4 Bequeath Thy Visions (from 'Bequeath Thy Visions' demo)
5 Transcedence (from 'Bequeath Thy Visions' demo)
6 Vae Solis (from 'Dreaming In Splendour MCD')
7 Dreaming In Splendour (from 'Dreaming In Splendour MCD')
8 Wrath Of God (from 'Dreaming In Splendour MCD')
9 Tomb Of Kings (from 'Tomb Of Kings' demo)
10 As The Wind Blows (from 'Tomb Of Kings' demo)
11 Conquered Realms (from 'Gods Among Men' MCD)
12 Gods Among Men (from 'Gods Among Men' MCD)
13 Ancient Prophecy (from 'Gods Among Men' MCD)
14 Plagued Lands (from 'Gods Among Men' MCD)

WOW, THESE GUYS ARE BACK!

DESULTORY To Release First Full-length In Over A Decade

Reactivated legendary Swedish death metallers DESULTORY recently completed work on their long-anticipated upcoming new album, Counting Our Scars. The full-length -- their first since 1996's Swallow The Snake -- was recorded, mixed and mastered by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Unanimated, Deströyer 666 etc) in Alvik, Sweden. Song titles include: "Counting Our Scars," "In A Cage," "Ready To Bleed," "This Broken Halo" and "Uneven Numbers." Full track listing and cover art to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Said the band of the new record: "What gets inside always stays inside. This music once shaped us and the marks it left will forever keep itching. DESULTORY never died; it just went down deep below and beneath the surface and it slowly kept growing. Throughout the years, there are many of you out there who never stopped waiting, asking the same question over and over. Now when we finally meet again, Counting Our Scars feels like liberation; the bleeding is over. This album is for all of us who never stopped waiting."

Counting Our Scars will be released via Pulverised Records later this year. Official street date TBA.

DESULTORY is:
Klas Morberg - Vocals, Guitars
Håkan Morberg - Guitars
Johan Bolin - Bass
Thomas Johnson - Drums

http://www.myspace.com/desultoryofficial

http://www.pulverised.net

ABBY FABBY

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS Confirm West Coast Dates; Complete First Australian Tour

 

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS will headline a string of West Coast dates in the coming week to celebrate the completion of their second full-length album. The shows will follow the band’s first Australian dates, supporting North Carolina’s Nile. The shows are the first American performances of the year for the band.

 

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS have completed work on their still untitled second album. Recorded at Conquistador Studios in Cleveland, Ohio, eight new songs are planned for the band’s album currently planned for release on September 14. Vocalist/guitarist Ken Sorceron with engineer Cole Martinez commanded the audio takes while Peter Tagtgren (Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Celtic Frost) mixed the tracks. The record was mastered at Black Lounge Studios in Sweden.

 

Sorceron recently commented, “there is a lot less keyboards on the new songs.  They are far more guitar-driven and have a bit more of a traditional sound in some ways but still very ABIGAIL WILLIAMS sounding.  We let ourselves have much more room with writing this album, kind of a more open, free environment than any we have employed before.  The studio experience this time round was very natural to us.  We recorded everything with much more ease and I think it has helped in capturing a very honest vibe.”

 

Confirmed dates for ABIGAIL WILLIAMS:

6/01/2010 The Rock - Tucson, AZ
6/02/2010 UB’s Bar - Mesa, AZ
6/03/2010 Whiskey A Go-Go - West Hollywood, CA
6/04/2010 The Crossing - Palmdale, CA
6/05/2010 Stramler Park - Bakersfield, CA
6/06/2010 Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA

 

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS’ debut full-length In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns and Legend EP are available in stores now (iTunes, Amazon and others for digital).

 

http://www.myspace.com/abigailwilliams
http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com

http://www.myspace.com/candlelightrecordsusa

I FEAR NO FACTORY.

FEAR FACTORY Confirm More In-Stores/Meet-And-Greets
Additional North American Dates Announced

Candlelight Records today confirms three more in-store/meet-and-greets as part of FEAR FACTORY's ongoing Fear Campaign American Tour 2010. All four members of the band will be available to meet with fans at Magnolia Thunderpussy in Columbus, Ohio on May 30, Digital Ferret Records in Philadelphia on June 6, and Vintage Vinyl Records in Fords, New Jersey on June 10. 

FEAR FACTORY, currently on tour supporting their latest album Mechanize, had a brief scare earlier this week when their tour bus nearly went off road while in route to Boise, Idaho. Luckily no one was injured and the band made their show at Knitting Factory Concert House without much delay. Guitarist Dino Cazares says, “we were on our way to Boise for a day off when about 8:45am our bus driver fell asleep at the wheel.  He swerved to the opposite side of the road. Most of us woke up when we felt the bus on the rumble strips and then the dirt.  He woke up in time to swerve back onto our side of the road and pull over.” Continuing he notes, “thank god there was no on coming cars or 18-wheelers on the road.  Everyone is fine just a little nervous.”

The second leg of FEAR FACTORY’s Fear Campaign American Tour continues the band’s ongoing promotion and the worldwide momentum surrounding the quartet’s eighth studio album, Mechanize.  Released February 9, the album has received amazing fan and media acclaim. The record is approaching 90,000 sales worldwide and continues to see significant weekly sales. The North American dates, now expanded to run through the end of July, follows the band’s recent eight-day European tour supporting Metallica, and their successful performance at Revolver Magazine’s Golden God Awards scheduled for television broadcast this Saturday via VH1.

FEAR FACTORY’s latest radio single, “Final Exit” made impact this week at hard rock/metal stations nationwide. The song is expected to follow the success of earlier singles “Powershifter” and “Fear Campaign.” As earlier reported, the band have done two special edits of the 8:11 minute song with hopes to position the song for breakout play on the country’s larger Active Rock stations. Vocalist Burton C. Bell noted, “Dino and I have created the edits to condense the song into a time specific for radio. We are very happy fans are loving the song for it is one that touches upon the importance of the freedom of choice and personal liberty that all human beings should be allowed.”

Complete tour dates are noted below and available at the band’s official website, http://www.fearfactorymusic, and official social networking sites located at http://www.myspace.com/fearfactory and http://ww.facebook.com/fearfactory.  Tickets are available via all major ticket agencies and each venue’s in-house box offices. Mechanize is available in stores now and via Candlelight’s official webstore located at http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com.

FEAR FACTORY with Prong, Silent Civilian, Thy Will Be Done

5/21 – Club Sound @ In the Venue, Salt Lake City UT

5/22 – Marquis Theatre, Denver CO

5/24 – Pop’s, Sauget IL

5/26 – The Machine Shop, Flint MI

5/27 – The Intersection, Grand Rapids MI

5/28 – Headliner’s Music Hall, Louisville KY

5/29 – The Rave, Milwaukee WI (live webcast!)

5/30 – Al Rosa Villa, Columbus OH (in store: Magnolia Thunderpussy, address below)

6/01 – The Norva, Norfolk VA

6/02 – Jesters’ Pub, Fayetteville NC

6/03 – Jaxx, W. Springfield VA

6/04 – The Palladium, Worcester MA

6/05 – Webster Theater, Hartford CT

6/06 – Trocadero, Philadelphia (in store: Digital Ferret, address below)

FEAR FACTORY with All That Remains, Silent Civilian, Thy Will Be Done

6/08 – Higher Ground, S. Burlington VT

6/09 – Port City Music Hall, Portland ME

6/10 – Starland Ballroom, Sayreville NJ (in store: Vintage Vinyl, address below)

6/11 – Northern Lights, Clifton Park NY

6/12 – The Town Ballroom, Buffalo NY

FEAR FACTORY with Silent Civilian, Thy Will Be Done

6/15 – Mr. Small’s Theatre, Millvale PA

FEAR FACTORY with 36 Crazyfists, After the Burial, Divine Heresy, Baptized in Blood

7/07 – House of Blues, W. Hollywood CA

7/09 – Roseland Theatre, Portland OR

7/10 – Studio Seven, Seattle WA

7/11 – Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver BC

7/13 – Flames Central, Calgary AB

7/14 – The Starlite Room, Edmonton AB

7/15 – Riddell Centre, Regina SK

7/16 – The Garrick Centre, Winnipeg MB

7/17 – The Rock, Maplewood MN

7/19 – People’s Court, Des Moines IA

7/20 – Metro, Chicago IL

7/21 – Harpo’s, Detroit MI

7/23 – Opera House, Toronto ON

7/24 – Parterre Parc Jean Drapeau/Heavy MTL Festival (no tour package)

7/25 – Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza, New York NY

7/26 – Recher Theatre, Towson MD

7/27 – Crocodile Rock, Allentown PA

Instore address information:

Magnolia Thunderpussy: 3pm, 1155 N. High St., Columbus OH 43201. Phone 614-421-1512

Digital Ferret: 5pm, 732 S. 4^th St., Philadelphia PA 19147. Phone 215-925-9259

Vintage Vinyl Records: 5pm, 51 Lafayette Rd., Fords NJ 08863. Phone 732-225-7717

http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com