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Last week, Shadows Fall singer Brian Fair and Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D’Antonio (both of whom also from Masscore legends Overcast) announced a new project hardcore/metal project called Death Ray Vision. While the band has since created a Facebook page and Twitter account, no new music has been posted as of yet. However, that is about to change soon since the band is reportedly planning to record new music at Mad Oak Studios in mid-March. Further details are still pending, however the band has made it clear on their FB page that the songs will be posted online shortly. However, we may get our first listen of Death Ray Vision live before anything is posted online.
The band has also confirmed via Facebook that Death Ray Vision will make its live debut at this year’s New England Metal & Hardcore Festival. DRV is set to perform on April 15 (the festival’s second day), though exactly what time and which stage they’ll be performing is still unsure. This certainly makes the second day a bit more exciting. Not to say that a lineup featuring Biohazard, Bury Your Dead, Winds Of Plague, and Terror isn’t anything less than cool, but the addition of what’s pretty much an Overcast mini-reunion (since the band also features guitarist Pete Cortese) makes it just a little bit more special. This is definitely something many New England hardcore/metal fans would be interested in checking out. Plus, now we can say that two Killswitch Engage side groups are performing at the festival, with Times Of Grace being a new addition to the third day’s lineup. Now all we need is the other Shadows Fall side project to be added to the festival’s lineup to make this even more of a Masscore super event (even though that group’s sound might be a little too hard rock for the metal and hardcore festival). We’ll keep you updated if any more information is confirmed or revealed.
[via The PRP]
Before hitting success with their current bands, Shadows Fall singer Brian Fair and Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D’Antonio were a part of the influential masscore group Overcast. Since originally disbanding, the band has since performed and re-recorded old material. However, it would appear that Overcast’s most famous members, along with Overcast/Seemless guitarist Pete Cortese, are working together on a new project.
3/5ths of Overcast are being joined by drummer Colin Conway and guitarist Zach Wells in a new project called Death Ray Vision. Though the band has yet to post music online, Fair posted a link to the new group’s Facebook page on his own FB account. In the same status post, he claims that this group will be “Bringing a sound based on our old school influences (Cro-Mags, Integrity, Leeway, Ringworm, etc.),” and that music will be posted shortly. This project seems to be coming at a perfect time, with D’Antonio’s KSE buddies currently on the road supporting Times Of Grace, and Fair’s Shadows Falls band mates appearing to be making headway on their own side project. We will keep you updated when more is revealed about Death Ray Vision, though we have a hunch that Overcast’s influence will have some sort of effect on the sound. Just a hunch.
Remember when we reported that Matt Bachand and Jon Donais of Shadows Fall were looking for a singer to join the supergroup they were forming with ex-Unearth drummer Derek Kerswill and ex-Seemless bassist Jeff Fultz? Well, it looks like they’ve found their guy AND a name for the group. In addition to revealing the addition of ex-Goaded singer Jason White, the New England supergroup dubbing themselves Dead Of Night also gave fans their first taste of what to expect.
Dead Of Night are currently streaming three demoed songs on their newly created MySpace page. True to their word, the music heads in a more hard rock direction, though still has its heavier elements. In other words, it’s more radio friendly than Shadows Fall or Unearth, but not a total mainstream sellout either. The demos definitely have potential to gain rock radio airplay, but we’ll just have to wait and see how active this super group will actually be (especially on the road). Kerswill may have more free time on his hands, but Donais and Bachand still have Shadows Fall to worry about.
Old school fans of Killswitch Engage were ecstatic to hear that guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz was working with ex-KSE singer Jesse Leach on the project Times Of Grace. But with the announcement of the groups touring lineup, fans might be getting more of a KSE reunion than they bargained for. It’s been revealed that fellow Killswitch Engage guitarist Joel Stroetzel will be touring with his current and former band mate. In addition to performing in KSE with both Leach and Dutkiewicz, Stroetzel also accompanied Times Of Grace during their acoustic performances for iTunes and SiriusXM’s Liquid Metal. Though this isn’t a full fledge reunion of the KSE lineup featuring Leach (that happened back in March of last year), this will probably be the closest to a full blown tour featuring the original lineup.
Also a part of the touring lineup will be bassist Daniel Struble (former bassist of Five Pointe O) and drummer Dan Gluszak (ex-Envy On The Coast). An updated itinerary of Times Of Grace’s upcoming tour can be seen after the jump, while their new video for the song “The Forgotten One” can be seen above. Read more »
Back in December of 2010, Avenged Sevenfold confirmed that Mike Portnoy would not continue with the band after the New Year. At the time, A7X had yet chosen who would be filling in behind the drum kit during their upcoming Nightmare After Christmas tour, which starts tonight. However, today the band officially announce that former Confide drummer Arin Ilejay will be joining the band on the tour.
A7X released the following statement:
“We recently asked several friends who knew Jimmy and his style, and also knew our music and each of our personalities to suggest drummers to tour with us starting this year. Our long time studio drum tech, Mike Fasano, recommended Arin Ilejay. We’ve rehearsed with Arin and have been impressed with his technical skills, attitude and work ethic. We’re very excited to tour with Arin and hope all of you will give him the warm welcome to the family we have.
Thanks for your never ending support. It means the world to us. See you on the Nightmare After Christmas.”
Ilejay left Confide in 2009 before the metalcore group officially called it quits back in the Fall of 2010. It is still unsure, though, whether Ilejay will become the permanent replacement for the late Jimmy “Rev” Sullivan, or if he will just be playing with Avenged Sevenfold for the upcoming tour. We will keep you posted when more is revealed.
[statement via]
Just four months ago, Chimaira revealed that they were parting ways with Ferret Music and searching for a new label home. Now it looks like they’ll be looking for more than just a label next year.
Chimaira has revealed this morning that bassist Jim LaMarca has left the band. Daath guitarist Emil Werstler will be filling in during the band’s upcoming Blue Collar Brawler Tour with Impending Doom, Daath and This Or The Apocalypse.
The band released the following statement:
“After a decade of good times and achievements, our friend and band mate Jim LaMarca [bass] has decided to retire from Chimaira. We wish him nothing but the best as he settles in and starts a family. As for seeking a replacement… we’ll cross that bridge down the line. In the meantime, consider it ‘business as usual’ with the Chimaira you know and love.”
We will keep you updated when more is revealed.
[Picture via]
When we last checked in with drummer Derek Kerswill, he was psyched about his new project T A NG E N TS, but was also looking forward to writing the new Unearth record and doing a European tour with them. What a difference a month makes, as the band has released a statement saying that he’s no longer in the band due to “creative differences.” Kerswill had joined the band as a fill-in drummer after parting ways with Mike Justian and a stint with Strapping Young Lad’s Gene Hoglan filling in. His first date with the band was in June of 2007, and he wrote and recorded with them for their most recent album, 2008′s The March.
After three-plus years of touring the world together and playing on our latest album, The March, we have parted ways with drummer Derek Kerswill. The most notable reason for the split are the creative differences. The time has come for Unearth to write a new album and creating music with a tight unit is the only way we can assure the best collection of songs possible.
The differences between Kerswill and the band started off as subtle, but became increasingly obvious over the past few months and it was time for both parties to go their separate ways. We have shared a ton of great experiences and achieved many of the goals we set for ourselves in the time he was in the band. There is no ill will from either side of this decision and we wish him only the best moving forward.
Unearth won’t skip a beat, though, as we will be announcing a replacement drummer for our upcoming European stint on the Persistence Tour shortly. Lastly some exciting plans are coming together for the recording to the follow-up to The March sometime early in 2011.”
For Kerswill’s part, while he’s released a statement agreeing that it was creative differences and wishing the band the best, it still must have come as a surprise to him. “I have a priority in Unearth, but those dudes really dig the record and they’re being totally cool about everything,” he told Metal Insider last month. He also stated that his main priority besides T A NG E N T S was working on writing the new album.
It’s no secret that Kerswill had interest in music other than metal, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the most in-demand drummers out there, playing with Kingdom of Sorrow and Shadows Fall, among other bands. He’s also a very diplomatic dude, so what really went down behind the scenes might never come out. We’ve reached out to him via his publicist, but he hadn’t responded as of this posting.
T A NG E N T S’ debut album, One Little Light Year, comes out tomorrow on Angle Side Side Records.
During their show in Clifton Park, NY on September 24, Unearth had to perform without guitarist Buz McGrath. The reason behind McGrath’s absence is still unknown. However, filling in for him and helping out Unearth were All That Remains’ Mike Martin and Carnifex’s Jordan Lockree.
The PRP has posted footage from multiple fans, but you can view video of Lockree performing “My Will Be Done” with the band above.
Last month, rumors hit the internet that former Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach would be joining the band on their New York City dates and fill in for singer Howard Jones (who has been absent from this past tour). Well, old-school KSE fans were given a treat last night.
Leach indeed joined Killswitch Engage during their gig at the Filmore New York at Irving Plaza last night (March 18). He performed five songs during the band’s regular set, including “My Last Serenade”, “Numbered Days”, “Self Revolution”, “Vide Infra” and “Temple From The Within.” But that was just the first surprise the crowd was to witness. For the encore, the band performed as the original lineup, which saw Adam Dutkiewicz on drums, Joel Stroetzel on guitar, Mike D’Antonio on bass and Leach on vocals. The original incarnation performed the songs “Prelude”, “Life To Lifeless” and “Fixation On The Darkness” during the encore.
Video of Leach performing “My Last Serenade” with the band last night can be viewed above. While Killswitch Engage are playing New York City once again tonight (March 19), there is no confirmation on whether Leach will join them again. All That Remains’ frontman Phil Labonte has been filling in for Howards Jones during this past Spring Tour.
UPDATE: Leach once again performed with Killswitch Engage during the band’s second stint in New York City (March 19). Check out MetalSucks.net’s review of the evening.
While the prog-metal stylings of Dream Theater and the metalcore-esque radio rock of Avenged Sevenfold don’t necessarily fit together, drummer Mike Portnoy announced that he’ll be laying down drums for the new Avenged Sevenfold album following the untimely death of James “the Rev” Sullivan in December.
“We asked Jimmy’s all time favorite drummer Mike Portnoy to record on behalf of him,” Avenged Sevenfold said in a statement. “Mike said it would be an honor, and without question, that’s what Jim would have wanted. It’s comforting to us that someone like Mike, who is undoubtedly revered as one of the best drummers in the world, held such respect and adoration for the Rev’s abilities.”
Portnoy released his own statement about his decision to record on Avenged Sevenfold’s upcoming record, their fifth:
Even under normal circumstances, I would’ve been happy to help the guys out in any way I could as I think Avenged Sevenfold are a great band…but under these incredibly sad and tragic circumstances, I must say I am truly honored to have been asked to play with them and I didn’t even have to think twice about saying ‘yes.’
“These guys are a true family and it is an incredibly emotional experience to be here with them for the first time without their lost brother. But they have welcomed me into the family with open arms and there’s a real excitement to make the record they had set out to make.
“I am treating my participation on this album with the utmost respect for Jimmy’s memory and am remaining as true as possible to the drum parts that he wrote for the songs and the record he wanted to make.
“I want their fans to realize that I’m not trying to step into or fill The Rev’s shoes…I’m just merely lacing ‘em up for him!
This is a win-win for everyone. When we interviewed him last year, Portnoy came off as, above all, a big fan of all metal. It’ll be interesting to hear how the new record comes out. Not that it will bring Dream Theater fans to Avenged Sevenfold (nope) or Avenged Sevenfold fans to Dream Theater (maybe), but it’s really just a classy thing to do.
Last week, Shadows Fall singer Brian Fair and Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D’Antonio (both of whom also from Masscore legends Overcast) announced a new project hardcore/metal project called Death Ray Vision. While the band has since created a Facebook page and Twitter account, no new music has been posted as of yet. However, that is about to change soon since the band is reportedly planning to record new music at Mad Oak Studios in mid-March. Further details are still pending, however the band has made it clear on their FB page that the songs will be posted online shortly. However, we may get our first listen of Death Ray Vision live before anything is posted online.
Posted by Zach Shaw on Mon, Feb 21, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Metalcore Musical Chairs, Metalcore Supergroup