TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy has confirmed to Terrorizer that drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, EXODUS, FORBIDDEN) has left the band.
Currently working on their new album, The Dark Roots Of Earth, which features Gene Hoglan on drums, Paul has been out of action due to a “serious injury” and unable to record or tour.
Chuck explains that Paul has decided to step down permanently, leaving the band with the task of finding a new member.
“We just found out last week Paul Bostaph is not coming back to the band, he’s starting his own new project and doing some things on his own. So we’re actually going to be holding a couple of auditions with probably small group of drummers that we chose – we don’t want to have a revolving drum stool, we have a new record, we want a permanent drummer.”
Back in September, Bostaph was a guest on the 107.7 The Bone’s Metal Zon, where he discussed with Nikki Blakk the injury that has kept him from drumming most of 2011, as well as his new project, BLACKGATES.
James Murphy, former guitarist of both Death and Testament, As well as founding member of the death metal band Disincarnate, has had a relapse of the brain tumor that sidelined him back in 2001. Murphy stated that the tumor had returned but that it was a non malignant and that it was being treated pharmacologically. Unfortunately, those medications have serious side effects that have left him unable to work. The option for different medications is available, but at a cost of over $1000 a month, and he needs a minimum of 6 months of medication for treatment to be effective. With his medical expenses extremely high and James not being able to work due to the side effects of the current medications, the metal community is being asked to come together and help one of their brothers and donate to help him beat this once and for all.
In August 2001, Murphy was discovered to have a massive tumor growth near the base of his brain (on the pituitary gland) and was quickly scheduled for an urgent life-saving operation. James underwent surgery on September 17, 2001, involving a Maxillary Swing procedure that made entry through the left side of the face. An incision was made underneath the left eye, along the side of the nose, and finally through the middle of the upper lip. The facial tissue was then pulled back and the cheekbone removed. They then cut through James‘ sinus and made entry below the orbit of the eye to remove a portion of the growth. More was removed through an incision made in the soft pallet inside the mouth. About 70% of the tumor was removed, the remainder being too close to vital structures to risk further damage. The sinus was then packed with fat tissue taken from the lower abdomen via an incision below the navel and reattached. The cheekbone was set back in place and held with two small titanium plates. The facial tissue was then sutured closed along with the soft pallet. His mouth was fitted with prosthesis to protect the pallet tissue while it healed. The remaining 30% of the tumor was treated with a medication called Parlodel (Bromocriptine) to shrink it called which James was told he would have to take for the rest of his life. This treatment was more or less successful for 9 years.
A spike in the hormone indicator for the tumor, as discovered by a blood test that was followed up by an MRI to confirm, showed that the tumor was again active, and had grown a bit. Luckily not enough to require surgery, but radiation treatment was still on the table. The decision was made to defer the radiation treatment for 6 months, during which time the tumor would be attacked pharmacologically, increasing the dose of the drug used to hinder its growth to a level which leaves James wiped out, overly fatigued, nauseous, and unable to work to earn his living at full capacity. A better drug, one that has less side-effects, and would require a much smaller dosage is available, but considerable vastly more expensive. Click Here to Donate:
Cleveland, OH natives Chimaira are set to perform with co-headliners TESTAMENT and Anthrax at their upcoming San Francisco, CA show, taking place at The Warfield on October 23rd. Rise To Remain will also perform at this select date.
“We’re very excited to be playing this show,” states Chimaira frontman Mark Hunter. “We’re all big fans of TESTAMENT and Anthrax and it’s a pretty big deal for us to join this show as fans!”
Head to this location to purchase your tickets for this show now!
In other news, TESTAMENT and DEAN GUITARS are pleased to announce an exclusive Eric Peterson Signature Hunter V Electric Guitargiveaway at the October 22nd, 2011 Los Angeles, CA date of the heaviest tour this year: the band’s upcoming co-headlining run with Anthrax and special guests Death Angel! The giveaway will take place during the show at Club Nokia. One lucky attendee will be chosen at random, brought up on stage, and personally awarded the guitar by Eric Peterson himself. Make sure to be there at Club Nokia on October 22nd for this special opportunity to win this unique guitar, and listen in all week to Sirius XM Liquid Metal for more details! Purchase your tickets for the Club Nokia show at this location.
Also, TESTAMENT are brining Dark Roots Of Earth studio drummer and world-famous percussionist GENE HOGLAN on the road for select dates on their upcoming co-headlining run with Anthrax. Gene will join TESTAMENT from October 28th through November 13th.
TESTAMENT still has VIP/Meet & Greet Packs for sale for the current tour! For more information on how to obtain your special VIP/Meet & Greet Pack, head over to www.slotix.com now.
Purchasing a VIP/Meet & Greet Pack allows you the opportunity to spend intimate, quality time with TESTAMENT. TESTAMENT offered these packs on last year’s monumental American Carnage Tour also featuring Megadeth and Slayer, which presented fans with a unique and exclusive chance to spend time with the band before doors opened, take photos and get autographs, throw up the horns, and chat. This year with the VIP/Meet & Greet Packs, fans will have another chance to hang out, sign autographs and take photos with the band, as well as have access to a ticket to their performance, special merchandise hand-picked by the band, and a collectible TESTAMENT laminate to commemorate this ultimate fan experience!
Testament Meet & Greet Package Includes (Full Details):
One General Admission ticket
Meet & Greet with select members of Testament
Photo with select members of Testament
Autograph opportunity with select members of Testament
Testament merchandise items*
T-shirt of your choice from the merch booth (before doors open)
Opportunity to purchase a second item at half off from the merch booth (before doors open)
Assorted guitar picks
Wristband
Rare, out of print “Live At The Filmore” cassette
Original printing of “Demonic” CD
Collectible Testament laminate
TESTAMENT have been spending time in the studio recording Dark Roots Of Earth, the follow up to their 2008 Golden God ‘Album of the Year’ award winning album, The Formation of Damnation, released on Nuclear Blast Records to critical acclaim. The album was named SiriusXM Liquid Metal’s ‘Album of the Year’ in 2008, and debuted at #59 on the Billboard Top 200. The Formation of Damnation is TESTAMENT‘s highest charting release in their 24-year history.
The band has spent the last three years touring the world in support of The Formation of Damnation, and now brings its original, classic lineup back home to the United States with Anthrax and Death Angel. See below for all currently confirmed tour dates.
TESTAMENT w/ Anthrax & Death Angel:
10/11 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Orbit Room
10/15 Chicago, IL @ Congress Theater
10/16 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
10/18 Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
10/19 Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
10/21 Las Vegas @ LVCS
10/22 Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theater
10/23 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
10/24 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
10/26 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
10/28 Dallas, TX @ South Side Music Hall
10/29 Austin, TX @ Emo’s East
10/30 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
11/1 Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
11/2 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
11/4 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
11/5 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
11/6 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
11/8 Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
11/10 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
11/11 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
11/12 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
11/13 Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
11/15 Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
11/17 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
11/18 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
11/19 Milwaukee, WI @ Rave Ballroom
11/21 Fargo, ND @ The Venue
11/23 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
11/25 Reno, NV @ The Knitting Factory
For more info on TESTAMENT and how to purchase tickets for the upcoming tour, be sure to visit:
TESTAMENT will no longer be playing on October 21 at the LVCS in Las Vegas, NV. Bay Area thrash legends DEATH ANGEL will now be headlining in their absence with local bands as support. Tickets will be $15 at the door.
DEATH ANGEL guitarist Rob Cavestany is giving away three autographed Jackson JS32 Rhoads guitars! Rob and Jackson Guitars will be giving these away while DEATH ANGEL is on tour in the US with ANTHRAX and TESTAMENT.To enter the drawing and find out more info visit this linkand then come out to your select show.
ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL
10/17/11 Riot Room – Kansas City, MO ç DEATH ANGEL ONLY
10/18/11 The Cotillion – Wichita, KS
10/19/11 The Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
10/21/11 LVCS – Las Vegas, NV ç NO ANTHRAX
10/22/11 Club Nokia – Los Angeles, CA
10/23/11 The Warfield – San Francisco, CA
10/24/11 House of Blues – San Diego, CA
10/25/11 Martini Ranch – Scottsdale, AZ ç DEATH ANGEL ONLY
10/26/11 Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM
10/27/11 Sorority House – Amarillo, TX ç DEATH ANGEL w/ EXHUMED, CEPHALIC CARNAGE, HAVOK
10/28/11 South Side Music Hall – Dallas, TX
10/29/11 Emo’s – Austin, TX
10/30/11 Warehouse Live – Houston, TX
11/01/11 House of Blues – Lake Buena Vista, FL
11/02/11 Revolution Live – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
11/03/11 Brass Mug – Tampa, FL ç DEATH ANGEL ONLY
11/04/11 House of Blues – North Myrtle Beach, SC
11/05/11 The Fillmore (Charlotte) – Charlotte, NC
11/06/11 The Fillmore (Silver Spring) – Silver Spring, MD
11/08/11 Northern Lights – Clifton Park, NY
11/09/11 Mavericks – Ottawa, ON – CANADA ç DEATH ANGEL ONLY
11/10/11 Electric Factory – Philadelphia, PA
11/11/11 The Palladium – Worcester, MA
11/12/11 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ
11/13/11 The Paramount – Huntington, NY
11/15/11 Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
11/16/11 Alrosa Villa – Columbus, OH ç DEATH ANGEL ONLY
11/17/11 Stage AE (Indoor Stage) – Pittsburgh, PA
11/18/11 House of Blues – Cleveland, OH
11/19/11 The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
11/20/11 Vaudeville Mews – Des Moines, IA ç DEATH ANGEL ONLY
TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL
11/21/11 Fargo, ND – The Club at The Venue
11/23/11 Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
11/25/11 Reno, NV – Knitting Factory
DEATH ANGEL will release their brand new DVD entitled DEATH ANGEL: A Thrashumentary in the Spring of 2012. DEATH ANGEL: A Thrashumentary is a combination live video and documentary, all wrapped up in one thrashing DVD. The footage was directed by Tommy Jones (SOILWORK, KATAKLYSM) and mixed by Chris Clancy of The Studio. The film gives the viewer an in-depth look into one of the longest running thrash acts out of the San Francisco Bay Area, an area known for turning out historic thrash bands such as METALLICA, TESTAMENT and EXODUS.
The latest music video from DEATH ANGEL,“River of Rapture”, is now available for viewing at the following location (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbwOUpgOk38). The footage was shot and edited by director Tommy Jones during the bands tour with SOILWORK. The song comes off their new album Relentless Retribution, which was released on September 14, 2010.
The graphic video clip for the song “Truce” was shot by director Robert Sexton (SOULFLY, THE DWARVES, MONDO GENERATOR, AMEN) and can be viewed here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erSBEaeL808&feature=related). Sexton previously worked with DEATH ANGEL on the clip for the track “Dethroned” off the band’s 2008 effort “Killing Season”. Photos from the video shoot can also be viewed at the following location http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=193298&id=9938175758.
Relentless Retribution sold around 2,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 10 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200. The record also came in at #188 on Billboards Top Current Albums chart, making it DEATH ANGEL’s highest charting record since the bands reformation in 2004. Relentless Retribution Track Listing:
1. Relentless Revolution
2. Claws In So Deep
3. Truce
4. Into The Arms of Righteous Anger
5. River Of Rapture
6. Absence Of Light
7. This Hate
8. Death Of The Meek
9. Opponents At Sides
10. I Chose The Sky
11. Volcanic
12. Where They Lay
“Claws In So Deep” features performances by the popular acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. The track “Truce” also features a guest guitar solo by Producer Jason Suecof.
Relentless Retribution was recorded at Audio Hammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with production genius Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, AUGUST BURNS RED, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, ALL THAT REMAINS, WHITE CHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER). Cover art was handled this time by Brent Elliot White (JOB FOR A COWBOY,CARNIFEX, WHITECHAPEL).
TESTAMENT Issues Update on Exclusive VIP/Meet & Greet Packs Tour Kicks-Off Next Week in Grand Rapids, MI!
Anthrax & Testament
Bay Area thrash kings TESTAMENT are pleased to announce that current Dark Roots Of Earth studio drummer and world-famous percussionist GENE HOGLAN will be joining them on the road for select dates on their upcoming co-headlining run with Anthrax. Gene will join TESTAMENT from October 28th through November 13th.
“As many of you know, I just played on the new TESTAMENT record, Dark Roots Of Earth, which went amazingly well,” states Gene Hoglan. “The dudes were kind enough ask me to join them for a couple weeks on this tour with Anthrax and Death Angel. I’m super stoked to do the shows. It’s going to be a great time. Just so everybody knows, I will be selling my Drum Instructional DVD, The Atomic Clock, at the shows (shameless plug). If you can’t make it out to one of the shows, buy it on line!”
TESTAMENT recently announced that they will again be offering special VIP/Meet & Greet Packs on their upcoming co-headlining tour with Anthrax with support from Death Angel. The band is pleased to announce that the cut off time to purchase VIP/Meet & Greet packs before each individual show has been extended to eight (8) days! The VIP/Meet & Greet packs are selling quickly, so make sure to purchase your pack soon! For more information on how to obtain your special VIP/Meet & Greet Pack, head over to www.slotix.com now.
Purchasing a VIP/Meet & Greet Pack allows you the opportunity to spend intimate, quality time with TESTAMENT. TESTAMENT offered these packs on last year’s monumental American Carnage Tour also featuring Megadeth and Slayer, which presented fans with a unique and exclusive chance to spend time with the band before doors opened, take photos and get autographs, throw up the horns, and chat. This year with the VIP/Meet & Greet Packs, fans will have another chance to hang out, sign autographs and take photos with the band, as well as have access to a ticket to their performance, special merchandise hand-picked by the band, and a collectible TESTAMENT laminate to commemorate this ultimate fan experience!
Testament Meet & Greet Package Includes (Full Details):
One General Admission ticket
Meet & Greet with select members of Testament
Photo with select members of Testament
Autograph opportunity with select members of Testament
Testament merchandise items*
T-shirt of your choice from the merch booth (before doors open)
Opportunity to purchase a second item at half off from the merch booth (before doors open)
Assorted guitar picks
Wristband
Rare, out of print “Live At The Filmore” cassette
Original printing of “Demonic” CD
Collectible Testament laminate
“We love connecting with our fans and showing them same the respect and admiration they show us year after year,” states vocalist Chuck Billy. “Hanging out and talking to the fans was a phenomenal experience for everyone last year. It was a first for us as well as the fans. It’s a great way to join us at the shows in celebration of all that is heavy metal and to make a personal connection with us, so come hang out and commemorate this great tour!”
TESTAMENT have been spending time in the studio recording Dark Roots Of Earth, the follow up to their 2008 Golden God ‘Album of the Year’ award winning album, The Formation of Damnation, released on Nuclear Blast Records to critical acclaim. The album was named SiriusXM Liquid Metal’s ‘Album of the Year’ in 2008, and debuted at #59 on the Billboard Top 200. The Formation of Damnation is TESTAMENT‘s highest charting release in their 24-year history.
The band has spent the last three years touring the world in support of The Formation of Damnation, and now brings its original, classic lineup back home to the United States with Anthrax and Death Angel. See below for all currently confirmed tour dates.
TESTAMENT w/ Anthrax & Death Angel:
10/11 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Orbit Room
10/15 Chicago, IL @ Congress Theater
10/16 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
10/18 Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
10/19 Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
10/21 Las Vegas @ LVCS – No Anthrax
10/22 Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theater
10/23 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
10/24 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
10/26 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
10/28 Dallas, TX @ South Side Music Hall
10/29 Austin, TX @ Emo’s East
10/30 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
11/1 Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
11/2 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
11/4 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
11/5 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
11/6 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
11/8 Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
11/10 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
11/11 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
11/12 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom * NEW
11/13 Huntington, NY @ The Paramount * NEW
11/15 Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
11/17 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
11/18 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues * NEW
11/19 Milwaukee, WI @ Rave Ballroom
For more info on TESTAMENT and how to purchase tickets for the upcoming tour, be sure to visit:
New Tour Dates Added in Sayreville NJ, Huntington, NY, and Cleveland, Ohio
Bay Area thrash kings TESTAMENT are pleased to announce that they will again be offering special VIP/Meet & Greet Packs on their upcoming co-headlining tour with Anthrax with support from Death Angel. This is your chance to spend intimate, quality time withTESTAMENT– up close and personal! TESTAMENT offered these packs on last year’s monumental American Carnage Tour also featuring Megadeth and Slayer, which presented fans with a unique and exclusive chance to spend time with the band before doors opened, take photos and get autographs, throw up the horns, and chat. This year with the VIP/Meet & Greet Packs, fans will have another chance to hang out, sign autographs and take photos with the band, as well as have access to a ticket to their performance, special merchandise hand-picked by the band, and a collectible TESTAMENT laminate to commemorate this ultimate fan experience!
Testament Meet & Greet Package Includes (Full Details):
One General Admission ticket
Meet & Greet with select members of Testament
Photo with select members of Testament
Autograph opportunity with select members of Testament
Testament merchandise items*
T-shirt of your choice from the merch booth (before doors open)
Opportunity to purchase a second item at half off from the merch booth (before doors open)
Assorted guitar picks
Wristband
Rare, out of print “Live At The Filmore” cassette
Original printing of “Demonic” CD
Collectible Testament laminate
For more information on how to obtain your special VIP/Meet & Greet Pack, head over to www.slotix.com now!
“We love connecting with our fans and showing them same the respect and admiration they show us year after year,” states vocalist Chuck Billy. “Hanging out and talking to the fans was a phenomenal experience for everyone last year. It was a first for us as well as the fans. It’s a great way to join us at the shows in celebration of all that is heavy metal and to make a personal connection with us, so come hang out and commemorate this great tour!”
TESTAMENT have recently been spending time in the studio recording Dark Roots Of Earth, the follow up to their 2008 Golden God ‘Album of the Year’ award winning album, The Formation of Damnation, released on Nuclear Blast Records to critical acclaim. The album was named SiriusXM Liquid Metal’s ‘Album of the Year’ in 2008, and debuted at #59 on the Billboard Top 200. The Formation of Damnation is TESTAMENT‘s highest charting release in their 24-year history.
“We’re more than halfway done recording the new album, Dark Roots of Earth,” affirms guitarist Alex Skolnick. ”It’s coming along as well or better than any album this band has done. It just seems to have a focus, clarity and definition on a level that I don’t remember at this point in the process. Of course, you can never truly sum up an album until all the tracks are recorded, the mixes are done and the entire collection is mastered. But from where things stand right now, it’s looking like we may have a winner.”
The band has spent the last three years touring the world in support of The Formation of Damnation, and now brings its original, classic lineup back home to the United States with Anthrax and Death Angel. See below for all currently confirmed tour dates.
TESTAMENT w/ Anthrax & Death Angel:
10/11 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Orbit Room
10/15 Chicago, IL @ Congress Theater
10/16 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
10/18 Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
10/19 Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
10/21 Las Vegas @ LVCS – No Anthrax
10/22 Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theater
10/23 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
10/24 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
10/26 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
10/28 Dallas, TX @ South Side Music Hall
10/29 Austin, TX @ Emo’s East
10/30 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
11/1 Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
11/2 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
11/4 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
11/5 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
11/6 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
11/8 Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
11/10 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
11/11 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
11/12 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom * NEW
11/13 Huntington, NY @ The Paramount * NEW
11/15 Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
11/17 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
11/18 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues * NEW
11/19 Milwaukee, WI @ Rave Ballroom
For more info on TESTAMENT and how to purchase tickets for the upcoming tour, be sure to visit:
LOS ANGELES, CA – Tuesday, September 6, 2011 — Thrash titans Anthrax and Testament, who haven’t toured together in more than a decade, are set to co-headline a U.S. tour beginning Friday, October 14 in Grand Rapids, MI (itinerary below). Anthrax will close all shows, and Death Angel will be main support for the entire tour. The coast-to-coast trek will figure to decimate more than two dozen cities over a five-week period, with both Anthrax and Death Angel debuting brand new material from their new albums, both set for summer/fall release; Testament’s new album is set to be released in 2012.
“We’ve been tight with the guys in Testament for a long, long time,” said Anthrax’s Charlie Benante. “so we’re really looking forward to hanging out with them on the road. And all of us in Anthrax are big Death Angel fans, so this is going to be a monster of a good time – for all of us and for the fans. Plus, with the incredible success of The Big Four shows over the last year, we wanted to tour with some of the ‘second wave’ of thrash bands.”
The tour will follow Anthrax’s Big Four “hometown” appearance at Yankee Stadium on September 14, with Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth.
“We’re excited to do this tour because Anthrax was actually the first band we ever toured with,” adds Testament vocalist Chuck Billy. “It’s an accomplishment 20 odd years later that we’re going to do it again. The tour kick-off date is actually about five days difference from the kick off date of the first tour 20 years ago. The first time we performed with Anthrax, we only had a total of ten songs, so obviously now we have many songs to pick from so it will be very different. It’s good to see that a lot of the faces in the bands are the same as back when we first did this original tour 20 years ago.”
Dates are subject to change and more will be announced – the itinerary for the Anthrax/Testament/Death Angel Fall 2011 tour is as follows:
On July 23rd and 24th, 10 000 metalheads descended upon Downsview Park in Toronto ON for Heavy T.O. The two day festival took place the same weekend as Heavy MTL. This was the third year for Heavy MTL and its success from right from the first year prompted MTL organizers Daniel Glick and Nick Farkas to team up with Live Nation to create Heavy T.O. Two stages had bands playing right after each other, about 11 per day. Heavy T.O. sponsor, Jägermeister had a tent area set up with games and were hosting some of the autograph sessions. Certain bands like Megadeth and Slayer had line-ups of over a hundred people waiting to get signatures from their favorite musicians.
San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT have entered the studio with producer Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, MACHINE HEAD, MEGADETH) to start recording their follow up to 2008′s The Formation Of Damnation.
Bassist Greg Christian checks in with an update from the studio: “Eric, Gene, Andy and I have been in the studio jammin’ on the new songs since last week and today is the last day of pre-production. Gene starts recording the drum tracks tomorrow. It’s coming to be, and it’s heavy as shit.”
As previously reported, due to an undisclosed serious injury, drummer Paul Bostaph will not be able to participate in the recording of the as yet untitled album. Gene Hoglan (DEATH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY), who played on Testament’s 1997 album Demonic, will be handling drum duties.
Additionally, LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler is scheduled to make a special guest appearance on a couple of bonus tracks.
Bostaph is expected to rejoin Testament for future touring activity. Currently booked dates are as follows:
Slayer has been in the frontlines of thrash metal and extreme metal for nearly four decades. Several classic songs such as Hell Awaits, Raining Blood, South Of Heaven, Dead Skin Mask, Cult etc are immortal and present a well oiled metallic war machine pushing forward relentlessly and show the brutality of thrash metal. However, the thrash metal machine needs a powerful inexhaustible source of intense drumming to create the well-known Slayer tempo. Dave Lombardo is definitely at the core of the unique sounds of Slayer. Despise his absence from Slayer, his role in the world of Slayer has become, and still is, an important part of Slayer. Metal-Rules.com had the great pleasure to have a moment with Dave Lombardo.
Thanks to Silke from Tough Enough Promotion for setting up the interview and Laura Thiessen for the transcription
Testament has undergone quite an eventful history (both in good and bad) within all those 24 years they have existed under the Testament name. The band´s existence was seriously at stake in early 2002 when the band´s vocalist Chuck Billy was diagnosed with a rare kind of cancer. Luckily, after undergoing numerous treatments, he finally managed to fully recover.
THE FORMATION OF DAMNATION, Testament´s highly acclaimed comeback album in 11 years, came out in 2008 – and since then the band has spent long periods on tours of which taking a part of Megadeth´s "Rust in Peace 20th Anniversary Tour" around the U.S.A. in March 2009 together with Exodus, was undoubtedly one of the highlights for the Testament team.
Testament has also become a regular visitor for the Finnish metal fans over the recent years; the band has visited Finland for the last 4 years in a row, playing at some of the precious Finnish summer (metal) festivals. This year, they made their 2nd appearance at Tuska festival where they played in 2005 for the 1st time. Everyone who has seen Testament playing live within the last 2 years since they released their strong comeback record THE FORMATION OF DAMNATION in 2008 (which was also chosen as "The Best Metal Album of 2008" by the Metal-Rules.com staff), can subscribe the fact the live chemistry between each band member in Testament, is on a phenomenal level; so well they have welded together as a band over the years.
Chuck Billy talked to Metal-Rules.com again about some of the most current Testament-related things – like including naturally band´s hard touring in general, a slow song writing process for their follow-up album to T.F.O.D., etc. – and the 2nd album from Dublin Death Patrol, kind of "all-star jam band", was talked about a little bit, too.
TESTAMENT will play two very unique shows on board. At the first show they will prove their Titan trash status by playing The Legacy album in it’s entirety. At the second show they will play another iconic masterpiece: The New Order album. Are you ready to witness history in the making? 70000TONS OF METAL, The World’s Biggest Floating Heavy Metal Festival. Don’t miss the boat! BOOK NOW! Only very few cabins remain!
70000TONS OF METAL, The World’s Biggest Floating Heavy Metal Festival wishes you Happy New Year!
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
Agent Steel
Amon Amarth
Blackguard
Blind Guardian
Cripper
Dark Tranquillity
Death Angel
Destruction
DuskMachine
Ensiferum
Epica
Exodus
Fear Factory
Finntroll
Forbidden
Gamma Ray
Iced Earth
Korpiklaani
Malevolent Creation
Marduk
Moonspell
Nevermore
Obituary
Rage
Raven
Sabaton
Sanctuary
Saxon
Sodom
Sonata Arctica
Swashbuckle
Testament
Trouble
Twilight Of The Gods (performing BATHORY masterpieces)
Týr
Uli Jon Roth
Unleashed
Voivod
Witchburner
SAXON will play two unique shows. One night they will perform the Wheels Of Steel LP in its entirety and on a different night, for the second show, they will play Strong Arm Of The Law from start to finish.
70000TONS OF METAL will sail Monday, January 24, 2011 aboard the Royal Caribbean “Majesty of the Seas” from Miami FL to Cozumel, Mexico and will not return you to the real world for four days until Friday, January 28, 2011.
Make no mistake, 70000TONS OF METAL is not your grandma’s cruise. It’s also not one of the cruises that share the ship with normal cruise guests. This is an all heavy metal cruise! Can you imagine that? A whole luxury cruise ship full of metalheads? And since there is no backstage area you will have the opportunity to mingle side-by-side with the artists in this incredibly fan-friendly scenario that has no comparison. It’s like everyone has a backstage pass!
Ticket prices start at US$666 plus US$249 taxes and fees per person and include all on-board entertainment, all meals, non-alcoholic and non-carbonated beverages at the dining rooms, most on-board restaurants and 24 room service!
What are you waiting for? You might even need a vacation from this vacation when all is said and done! Check out http://www.70000tons.com/ for more information and book your cabin NOW!
TESTAMENT WRAP-UP ON THE AMERICAN CARNAGE TOUR, BEGIN WRITING AND RECORDING NEW ALBUM, DUE MID-2011
STAY TUNED FOR MORE UPDATES ON THE FOLLOW UP TO THE AWARD WINNING ALBUM ‘THE FORMATION OF DAMNATION’!
Bay Area heavy metal legends TESTAMENT have just wrapped up on the historical AMERICAN CARNAGE tour with Slayer and Megadeth! The band would like to thank all of their loyal and remarkable fans for supporting them on this recent run, and enjoyed meeting their biggest supporters at the exclusive VIP Meet & Greets! Now that TESTAMENT is back from tearing up the stage on the AMERICAN CARNAGE tour, they are ready to head into writing and recording mode for their upcoming follow up to their Golden Gods “Album of the Year”, The Formation of Damnation!
“The AMERICAN CARNAGE tour was great for us, but now is the time for us to hold off on performing and go full steam ahead on getting the record finished,” affirms vocalist Chuck Billy. “We currently have studio time booked at the end of this year, and we’re shooting for a mid-2011 release. The new album will most likely be a culmination of The Gathering and The Formation of Damnation, but we’re definitely not going to forget who we are or our roots. I think we’ve found a comfortable spot in our writing style.”
“I think the tour went really well for us. It’s the first time we had a stage set to our live performance, which was a lot of fun, and it brought the band to a whole new level in regards to performing. Playing with Megadeth and Slayer again was a lot of fun,” adds guitarist Eric Peterson. “We’re going to be home during the fall and winter working on new material. As we speak, I’m working on new music, and we’re shooting to record by the end of the year. That’s our plan, but we’re not going to just put out a record to put out a record. We have standards, and we’re picky as to what exactly we want to put out.”
Make sure to keep an eye out for more updated information and on the writing and recording of the new album! Stay tuned for in-studio updates later this fall and winter! You can keep up with all things TESTAMENT at www.myspace.com/testamentlegions!
Can’t wait until next year to get your TESTAMENT fix? Tune in to Australia’s ‘The Racket’ to hear Chuck and Eric host the Triple J show! The show will air on Tuesday, September 28th at 10pm ET Australia time/8am ET US time. Tune into the show at this link: http://triplej.net.au/racket
TESTAMENT’S highly successful and award-winning album The Formation of Damnation was recently reissued in a deluxe tour edition in celebration of their two amazing tours this year. See below for information on the album!
The Formation of Damnation (Deluxe Tour Edition)
2-disc deluxe tour edition of the band’s comeback album! Includes bonus
footage of classic tracks + more:
Disc 1:
1. The Persecuted Won’t Forget
2. Killing Season
3. Afterlife
4. The Evil Has Landed
5. The Formation Of Damnation
6. Henchmen Ride
7. More Than Meets The Eye
8. Dangers Of The Faithless
9. False Evidence Appearing Real (F.E.A.R.)
10. Leave Me Forever
Disc 2
• The New Order *Audio and Video
• Practice What You Preach *Audio and Video
• Souls Of Black *Audio and Video
*Recorded in Alcatraz for their MTV “52/52” special
ENTER TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED ERIC PETERSON OLD SKULL V GUITAR!
Dean Guitars, Ultimate-Guitar, and TheLiveLine are teaming up to bring you what may be the most entertaining contest of the year: The Ultimate TESTAMENT Karaoke Contest! Contestants will call TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson’s phone number at TheLiveLine to record a verse from any TESTAMENT song, and the best voice impression (winner) will win an autographed Eric Peterson Old Skull V electric guitar from Dean Guitars.
How to enter
1. Call Eric Peterson @ TheLiveLine for FREE to enter for your chance to win:
(877) 323-4455
2. Leave Eric a voice message with your best voice impression from any verse in any TESTAMENT song, and our celebrity panel of judges below will review and find the winner.
3. Create a profile on TheLiveLine and become a fan of Eric Peterson on TheLiveLine’s online community. Sign up, and you’ll be able to get SMS text alerts whenever Eric updates his AudioBlog. Your registration is necessary! If you win, your information will be used to contact you!
And it just keeps getting better. Just like American Idol (but in METAL terms), a panel of judges has been assembled to work together to find the winner of The Ultimate TESTAMENT Karaoke Contest!! The judges are:
-Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT – vocals)
-Dan Nelson (BLACKGATES / ex-ANTHRAX)
-Brian Tatler (DIAMOND HEAD – guitarist)
-Curse Mackey (Marketing + Special Projects Director of Dean Guitars)
If you know the concept of American Idol, you’ve got some great singers, and some not-so-great ones, too. To enjoy the full experience and listen to all submissions, sign into your profile at TheLiveLine, or take a quick second to create one if you don’t yet have one: http://www.theliveline.com, and make sure you become a fan of Eric Peterson.
Dean Guitars, Ultimate-Guitar, and TheLiveLine look forward to all of your entries. Additional shenanigans are recommended.
TESTAMENT just finished up their run on the AMERICAN CARNAGE TOUR! Stay tuned for updates on the recording of TESTAMENT’s follow up to their Golden Gods “Album of the Year”, The Formation of Damnation!
TESTAMENT’S CHUCK BILLY APPEARING IN SMITHSONIAN’S ‘NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN’ EXHIBITION: “UP WHERE WE BELONG: NATIVE MUSICIANS IN POPULAR CULTURE”
TESTAMENT’S CHUCK BILLY APPEARING IN SMITHSONIAN’S ‘NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN’ EXHIBITION: “UP WHERE WE BELONG: NATIVE MUSICIANS IN POPULAR CULTURE”
EXHIBITION OPEN NOW THROUGH JANUARY 2ND, 2011, LOCATED ON THE NATIONAL MALL IN THE SEALASKA GALLERY
Singer Chuck Billy said, “I’m humbled and proud to be recognized as a Native American contribution to the Arts and Music”.
TESTAMENT vocalist and Native American activist Chuck Billy is pleased to announce his inclusion in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian’s new exhibition, “Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture”. The exhibition is located on the National Mall on the second-floor level of the Sealaska Gallery, and is open until January 2nd, 2011.
Quoting the Smithsonian official press release, “Up Where We Belong” tells [Native artist’s] stories and histories and provides visitors the opportunity to hear music and discover artists with whom these exceptional musicians collaborated. Visitors will also learn of the musical greats who inspired these artists, as well as the growing number of contemporary performers who follow in their path.”
Chuck Billy is featured in the “Encore” segment of the exhibition, which features artists who represent the span of Native achievement in mainstream music over the past half century, according to the Smithsonian. Other musicians featured in this segment are saxophonist Jim Pepper, and singer Debora Iyall.
For more information about the “Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture” exhibition, please visit this website.
CATCH CHUCK BILLY WITH TESTAMENT ON THE ROAD NOW:
TESTAMENT ON THE 2010 AMERICAN CARNAGE TOUR W/ SLAYER AND MEGADETH
8/19 Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena
8/20 Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion
8/21 Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
8/23 Kansas City, KS @ Capital Federal Park @ Sandstone Arena
8/25 Denver, CO @ Magness Arena
8/26 Albuquerque, NM @ Tingley Coliseum
8/27 Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre
8/29 San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
