Deftones

Alice In Chains, Mastodon Talk BlackDiamondSkye Tour, The 'Almond Joy' Of Hard Rock

29 Jul 2010 17:04:52 EDT

'You get three great flavors on one tour,' Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell jokes.
By James Montgomery

When it was first announced back in April, the BlackDiamondSkye Tour — which brings together three titans of hard rock: Alice in Chains, Deftones and Mastodon — instantly became a must-see show of the fall. But now, with something like two months until the first date, it's starting take on another mantle too: It may very well be the most delicious tour in recent memory.

"You've got three bands that are pretty distinct, you know, and pretty unique in their own way, and who have worked really hard at throwing out some music. And we're gonna throw it all out together," Alice in Chains mastermind Jerry Cantrell told MTV News. "It's better than a Reese's. You know, Reese's, you get two great tastes together ... we're kind of like an Almond Joy. You get almonds, chocolate and coconut, so you get three great flavors on one tour."

"It's interesting you say that," Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor joked. "Because we are currently seeking sponsorship for the tour, and I think Almond Joy would be a great one."

Someone should get the folks from Hershey's on the phone, stat. And while the guys are joking, they do make a rather important point: BlackDiamondSkye may very well be the, uh, sweetest tour to come down the pike in a long time, at least for fans of hard rock. Three heavyweight acts with three really excellent back catalogs to draw from, all sharing one stage. It'll be epic, for sure ... as long as the fans of each band can co-exist.

"I don't think that's gonna be a problem," Cantrell smiled. "We all have a fanbase that's been loyal to the band, and I think that as much as we're all unique as groups, I think we have a lot of overlap too. We're all about good music — not just creating it, but being a fan of it, too — so, for me, I'm excited to finally see each of these bands play a full set. It's gonna be cool to check these guys out."

"And get in the pit too. That'll be great," Dailor cracked. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going in there. I got my leather pants, and I don't need a shirt, so I'm ready."

Are you looking forward to seeing the BlackDiamondSkye Tour? Let us know in the comments!

Related Artists

Alice In Chains, Deftones, Mastodon Hit Road On Blackdiamondskye Tour

29 Apr 2010 09:21:00 EDT

'We're really looking forward to touring with our friends,' says Alice in Chains guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell.
By James Montgomery

After a week's worth of mysterious YouTube clips and countdown clocks, it's officially time to make the announcement: This fall, Alice in Chains, Deftones and Mastodon, three of the heaviest and most influential bands in the business, will join forces for a tour of epic proportions.

Dubbed "Blackdiamondskye" (an amalgamation of AIC's Black Gives Way to Blue, Deftones' upcoming Diamond Eyes and Mastodon's Crack the Skye album titles), the trek will kick off September 16 in Chicago and will pummel cities across the U.S. and Canada, before coming to a close on October 16 in Las Vegas.

According to a statement from tour organizers Live Nation, additional dates will be announced shortly. Tickets will go on sale in select markets beginning May 15 at Blackdiamondskye.com and LiveNation.com. Fan-club presales begin on May 10. For more information, check out the tour's official site.

And after spending all that time building up the mystery, both organizers and the bands are raring to unleash this beast on their legions of fans.

"We're really looking forward to touring with our friends, Deftones and Mastodon," Alice in Chains guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell said in a statement. "Each band has its own unique flavor and the combination of all three will make for a great show and a good time on the road."

Blackdiamondskye Tour dates are as follows:

» September 16 - Chicago, IL @ Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island
» September 17 - Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
» September 18 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
» September 20 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
» September 22 - Boston, MA @ Agannis Arena
» September 24 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
» September 28 - Atlanta, GA @ Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
» October 1 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
» October 4 - Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
» October 7 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
» October 8 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
» October 9 - Portland, OR @ Rose Quarter - Memorial Coliseum
» October 16 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint

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Abigail Williams Talk Demi Lovato, Jay-Z And Fans Eating Roadkill; Plus Mastodon, Deftones, & More News That Rules, In Metal File

14 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

'Have her people contact my people,' frontman says of working with the Disney star.
By Chris Harris

Back in late August, Metal File had an opportunity to chat with Demi Lovato, the squeaky-clean 16-year-old star of the Disney Channel's "Camp Rock." LovatoLovato, who some have dubbed "the next Miley Cyrus," got her start in the business at age 7, as one of the tykes on "Barney & Friends." She admitted to the File that, despite her image, she's something of a closet metalhead — she listed Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Lamb of GodLamb of God, Dr. Acula, Underoath, Dimmu BorgirDimmu Borgir, the Devil Wears Prada and Abigail Williams as some of her favorite metal acts.

At the time, Lovato also confessed that she'd secretly love to make metal music at some point, by providing backing vocals for a song on a metal band's album. Ken Sorceron, who fronts Abigail Williams, said his band would definitely be down with working on some material with the teen star, because, well, selling records is a good thing.

"I read she was a fan, but otherwise, I'd have no idea she existed," Sorceron said. "My mom showed me an article online about her being a metal fan, and I was like, 'What?' I was reading it, and I'm thinking, 'What, are you kidding me?' At the same time, I thought that was kind of badass. She was all talking about how she wants to work with a metal band, and I was like, 'Dude, she should sing on our next CD. We'll sell a sh-- ton of records.' Have her people contact my people."

Unfortunately, a collaboration between the Disney sensation and the symphonic black metallers won't be happening anytime soon, what with Abigail Williams having just released their latest LP, In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns, which was produced by James Murphy of Testament, Cancer, Death and Obituary fame. The album, which is in stores now, may just be one of the band's greatest achievements — replete with orchestral movements, Emperor drummer Trym Torson's punishing double-bass brilliance, sinister guitar riffs and Sorceron's gravely vocals, it's an experimental offering that took the band more than six months to track.

"There were a lot of difficulties we'd experienced during the recording of this one," the singer explained. "My computer crashed, and I had hard drives fail on me, so I lost a lot of material I ended up re-creating; I listen back to the CD now, and I'm realizing I forgot certain parts, but that's fine. It sucked. I wrote most of the songs while we were on hiatus — I used that time to regroup the whole thing and find new people to record with."

Sorceron said he'd always wanted to record with Murphy, whom he'd befriended several years ago — he ended up moving in with Murphy for three months while the two worked on the album. At the moment, Abigail Williams is on tour in the U.S., trying to spread the word about In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns. They'll be on the road with the Faceless, Veil of Maya, Neuraxis and Decrepit Birth through November 22 in San Diego, and the band is lining up tours for early 2009 with Cryptopsy, Mayhem and Marduk.

"I hate being home, because being out here, there's always something f---ing ridiculous happening," Sorceron explained. "We've had kids eat roadkill off our trailer for shirts."

Wait — what was that?

"We played a show in Milwaukee and, after the show, we were partying with these kids out in the parking lot," he continued. "We noticed there was something dead on our trailer — there was fur and everything, just stuck to the trailer. I don't remember who came up with this idea, but we told them if they licked it, we'd give 'em a shirt. So, the first kid licks it, and then, the second kid comes up a pulls off a big old piece and ate it. Then, the last kid comes up, and he eats a healthy amount, too. After that, I had all three of them make out with their unsuspecting girlfriends. When they found out, they were gagging."

Abigail Williams' three roadkill-devouring fans don't get any special thanks in the liner notes for Thousand Suns, but it may surprise you who does: rappers Jay-Z and GZA. The File asked Sorceron to explain the gesture.

"Well, Jay-Z took our video location one day," he said. "We had a video location all lined up for 'Into the Ashes,' and it was in New York. The day before we're about to shoot, it was canceled because Jay-Z came in and decided he wanted that space ... and I'm guessing he had money. This happened a couple of months ago. I think he was just using the space, which was an orchestra room, for his new album. So, that's why we thanked Jay-Z. We also like his music, and we're into GZA. Sometimes, we just want to see if people notice stuff like that — to see if they're paying attention."

The rest of the week's metal news:

It's been over a week since we elected a new president, and over at the Headbangers Blog, you can see what members of Cattle Decapitation, Animosity, Armored Saint and others think about Barack Obama's historic run for the White House. ...

MastodonMastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher has been hospitalized in London with an undisclosed malady. A spokesperson for the band said that doctors continue to run tests on Kelliher to determine what it is that's ailing him, but that he should be out of the hospital in time for the start of Mastodon's European headlining run, which kicks off November 30 in Holland. "He's feeling better, but there's been no confirmation of what he has," the spokesperson said. ...

DeftonesDeftones bassist Chi Cheng remains under a hospital's care after sustaining injuries last week in a vehicular accident. According to the band's spokesperson, Cheng, who has been in a coma since the crash, is feeling better, and more news on his recovery will be released sometime next week. Cheng's condition remains stable; he's started breathing on his own, and is starting to move his eyes underneath his eyelids. Earlier this week, Korn bassist Fieldy visited Cheng in the hospital. ...

Brother Von Doom, Woe of Tyrants and This or the Apocalypse will be teaming up for a two-week trek that begins November 29 in Claremore, Oklahoma. Dates are booked through December 13 in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania. ...

Inked in Blood have thrown in the towel. According to frontman Joey Trump, the band's members simply aren't available to tour, and, even if they were, they don't have a van to get them from show to show. "This is probably it for Inked In Blood," he wrote in a statement, "which is such hell, because the good times were more than good. They were life-changing, and the most precious we've ever had. And the credit can only go to those who have supported us time and time again." ...

Diecast has parted ways with Century Media Records. The band, in a statement, called the move "a mutual decision by both of us." Diecast is now shopping a four-song demo around, and they've "already been contacted by a few labels that are very impressed with the songs and we believe we'll have a new home before the end of March 2009." ...

Arsis has another new drummer, with Borknagar's David Kinkade joining the ranks. In addition, bassist Nick Cordle has also joined the group, replacing recently departed bassist Noah Martin.

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Deftones Bassist Chi Cheng Shows Signs Of Improvement After Car Crash

11 Nov 2008 12:25:00 EST

Cheng still in coma but responds to reflex tests.
By Chris Harris

Doctors treating DeftonesDeftones bassist Chi Cheng — who suffered life-threatening injuries in a car accident that happened in Santa Clara, California, last week — say they're hopeful the musician will make a full recovery and be back onstage in the not-too-distant future.

According to updates posted to the band's studio blog, the 38-year-old Cheng, who has been in a coma since the crash, has been making progress toward recovery. "This Sunday saw the first signs of your prayers in action," reads one of the most recent posts. "Chi was able to hear and respond to his father's request to move his lower lip. His father also administered a tendon reflex test, of which both legs responded with movement. Doctors continue to remain optimistic, and the energy at the hospital remains very positive."

Cheng, who remains in serious but stable condition in a Northern California hospital, was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, although that information has not been confirmed. According to reports, Cheng was returning from his brother's memorial service when the crash occurred. Authorities have yet to release additional information regarding the crash or Cheng's injuries.

One post suggests his condition could have been worse, had it not been for three men who happened to be driving by. "The family would also like to send a special thank you out to the three off-duty EMTs that stopped shortly after the accident and saved Chi's life," the post reads. "It was by the Grace of God that these three individuals happened to be traveling on the road with medical gear in tow at the time of the accident. If not for them, the chances of Chi making it to the hospital alive would have been poor."

In a separate post, Deftones drummer Abe Cunningham wrote, "The neurosurgeon treating Chi says the first 72 hours are critical, and as of now, he is fighting the good fight and the doctors remain optimistic. We are seeing your prayers in action. The family asks that all the prayer warriors out there continue to pray for Chi, and keep sending out your positive energy."

Cheng's mother, Jeanne, also released a statement through the band's MySpace page, saying that, while a tough recovery is expected, "Chi will be playing his bass again. I've been reading your e-mails to him. You are so wonderful. My heart aches with love for you. We are all connected."

There's no word yet on how Cheng's recovery will impact the band's forthcoming LP Eros, which was being eyed for release this spring.

Cheng's family has also asked that fans reach out to the homeless, which was something the bassist — who released a spoken-word album called The Bamboo Parachute in 2000 — tried to do as often as he could.

"In the past, when Chi was not on tour, he would gather a few instruments together once a week and meet the homeless kids in the park to play music with them," reads a statement from the family. "Today, we ask you to give a homeless person a blanket, some warm clothes or some food. If you don't see a homeless person, reach out to a child near or far, and show some kindness to them. Keep sending your good thoughts and prayers; they are keeping him with us, and he is improving daily."

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Deftones

Deftones Bassist In 'Serious But Stable' Condition After Car Crash

05 Nov 2008 01:46:00 EST

Chi Cheng is believed to be in a coma in a California hospital.
By Chris Harris

According to Deftones frontman Chino Moreno — who took to the Sacramento band's studio blog Tuesday — bassist Chi Cheng is in serious but stable condition following a car crash in California. Cheng is believed to be in a coma.

"It deeply saddens me to inform you all that our brother Chi Cheng was involved in a terrible car accident last night," Moreno wrote on the band's site. "He is currently in a Northern California hospital in serious, but stable condition. I am on my way up north right now to be by his side, along with the rest of our bandmates and family. Chi is one of the strongest people I know, and I'm praying that his strength will get him through this. Please say a prayer for him as well."

Little is known about the injuries Cheng — who is a spoken-word poet outside of the band — sustained in the accident, just as little is known about the circumstances surrounding the crash. According to The Associated Press, Cheng, 38, was injured in the crash Monday in Santa Clara, California.

The Deftones have been recording their sixth studio LP, Eros, for nearly a year. The record follows 2006's Saturday Night Wrist. A source close to the band told MTV News' Metal File back in June that the album "sounds nothing like what they've done in the past." Cheng has also said in interviews that the album would be "heavy as f--- with a sh--load of groove. ... I always say this sh--, but I truly believe this album to be well worth the wait and appreciate all your support and kind loyalty."

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Deftones

Norma Jean Snare Chino Moreno For Guest Spot; Plus Amon Amarth, Every Time I Die & More News That Rules, In Metal File

18 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Frontman says they wooed Deftones singer with gifts while touring.
By Chris Harris

Artist collaborations can happen in a number of different ways. In the realm of pop, they're usually orchestrated by some crafty record-label executive operating on the assumption that if you double the artists, you'll double the album sales. In hip-hop, often it's some producer who'll get two rappers in the same room and press "record." When metal and hardcore acts team up, it's almost always born out of touring — two bands will head out together, strike up a friendship along the way over brewskies and, at some point, agree to hit the studio.

For the members of Christian metalcore outfit Norma Jean,Norma Jean, who wrangled DeftonesDeftones frontman Chino Moreno for a guest spot on the track "Surrender Your Sons" from the band's forthcoming LP The Anti Mother (in stores August 5), it wasn't touring together but at the same time that helped beget the collaboration of their dreams.

"The way it started was, we were on tour at the same time they were on tour, and we kept hitting the same clubs within like a day of each other," recalled frontman Cory Brandan, from the Charlotte, South Carolina, stop on this summer's Warped Tour. He said all of the members of Norma Jean are tremendous D-Tones fans. "So we started leaving stuff for them. We'd leave merch and CDs and notes for them, telling them how much we liked their band. I remember playing the Fillmore in San Francisco, and we left them more stuff."

Apparently, Moreno and the rest of the Deftones found the left-behind gifts and took an interest in Norma Jean.

"I think we were playing in Norfolk, Virginia, one night, and they'd played the day before and left us a bunch of stuff," the singer said. "We were like, 'Wow.' That was literally our relationship for months — leaving each other stuff at different venues. Then we just got ahold of Chino, and he was down to do it. He took some time off from recording with the Deftones, and he came in for a couple of days while we were in the studio, and we wrote two songs: 'Surrender Your Sons' and another we didn't use."

Later on, Norma Jean used one of their contacts to get ahold of Page Hamilton, Helmet's esteemed mastermind. After catching the band's live show, he was in. But Brandan said they didn't just want these two hardcore icons swinging by to track guest vocals. They didn't want to just hurl prepared lyrics at them, shove them into a recording booth and say, "Go." They took a different approach.

"We wanted to collaborate with these artists and have their personalities in the songs as well," he said. "Because their personalities fit with the vocals they'd be doing later, and it makes the songs cooler. The one we worked on with Chino, it sounds like a mix between the Deftones and Norma Jean, and the one we do with Page, same thing — it sounds like Helmet meets Norma Jean. We didn't want to just have guest vocalists come in, we wanted to collaborate with them and write songs — have them come in as if they were in the band. It was cool to see how others work within your own band."

Seeing as The Anti Mother is their final album for Solid State Records, the only label home they've ever known, Brandan said they "wanted to go out with a bang," and securing Moreno and Hamilton — as well as producer Ross Robinson — helped. Ultimately, the singer said he's confident that this is their best offering to date.

"We've been working our butts off on this record more than any other record we've done, and we put our souls into this record," he said. "It's a heavy record, and there's tons of melody throughout the record too. We've experimented with tons of melodies, mixed with chaos and heavy riffs, and I'm singing on some songs. There are songs on here that are that straight-up, classic Norma Jean sound, and there are songs on this record that we've always wanted to write but hadn't. We didn't want to pull any punches, musically."

The band began working on The Anti Mother last fall with new drummer Chris Raines and recorded the LP's final note just three days before they had to head out on Warped. For Brandan, who has two children (ages 14 and 9), a lot of the lyrics on the album were inspired by his own personal travails; he separated from his wife back in January and headed for his second divorce. Dealing with that pain helped shape the songs' meanings.

In addition to a headlining trek this fall with Haste the Day and Oh, Sleeper, Brandan said Norma Jean are mulling where they'll end up next, now that they've fulfilled their Solid State contract. While none of the majors have approached the band yet, the deluge of free dinners is just around the corner.

"We want to wait and be patient and not jump into something foolish," he said, obviously learning from the mistakes of other bands that have made the major-label jump, only to regret it. "I don't think, at this point in the music industry, that it's a bad idea to be a free agent. So we want to experiment and try some things out. We're just waiting to see what comes across the table."

The rest of the week's metal news:

The reunited Overcast, featuring Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio and Shadows Fall frontman Brian Fair, has booked a handful of live gigs for next month. They'll play Hackensack, New Jersey, on August 21; Albany, New York, on August 22; Providence, Rhode Island, on August 23; South Burlington, Vermont, on August 24; Worcester, Massachusetts, on August 29; and Waterbury, Connecticut, on August 30. ...

The wife of Divine Heresy's Dino Cazares (ex-Fear Factory) wrote on her MySpace blog that the couple was attacked over the weekend by former Divine Heresy frontman Tommy "Vext" Cummings, who was recently recruited to front the reunited Snot. While backstage, Jen Cazares claims Cummings chucked a beer at her head and then punched her in the face, before grabbing her husband by the hair. Security intervened, and the two men fell to the floor, where Dino cut open his head. It's the second time in recent months that the Cazares have alleged Cummings attacked them. ...

Amon Amarth will be joined this fall by Ensiferum, Belphegor and the Absence for a U.S. run that kicks off October 1 in Anaheim, California. Dates are scheduled through October 21 in Springfield, Virginia. Amon Amarth recently finished recording Twilight of the Thunder God, which will land on store shelves September 30. Look for the effort to feature 10 tracks, including "Where Is Your God?" "Tattered Banners and Bloody Flags" and "Embrace of the Endless Ocean." ...

Sweden's the Haunted have been working on new material, and now they've named their forthcoming effort Versus. It's set to drop sometime in October, according to a press release. ... Every Time I Die have completed their contract with Ferret Music and are currently entertaining offers from other labels. According to frontman Keith Buckley, "I think people will be very pleased to know that it looks like we will not be signing with a major. Some were interested, but I don't think we even got down to discussing deals." ...

In This Moment have completed the recording of their next LP, which they've dubbed The Dream. According to the band, they're "extremely excited with the results. We were all living and recording in the same house, and it has been such an awesome experience for us." The disc will feature 12 tunes, but no official release date has been cemented just yet. ...

Anal Cu--, Anal Blast and Infernaeon have rolled out a bunch of West Coast dates for next month, the first being August 22 in Hollywood. Nine gigs have been booked, and the run ends August 31 in Reno, Nevada. ... Children of Bodom and Between the Buried and Me will be heading out this fall for a U.S. trek that kicks off in Baltimore on September 11 and concludes October 10 in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Related Artists

Gojira Flesh Out New LP, Work On Pronunciation; Plus Slipknot, Deftones & More News That Rules, In Metal File

20 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EDT

'I don't know, myself, how to pronounce it correctly,' frontman Joe Duplantier says of his band's name.
By Chris Harris

If you're not exactly sure how to pronounce "Gojira," don't fret — neither does Joe Duplantier, who fronts the French death-metal outfit of the same name.

"I don't know, myself, how to pronounce it correctly," he confessed with a slightly embarrassed chuckle to Metal File last week, in between tracking vocals for the band's upcoming fourth LP, The Way of All Flesh, which is slated for a Stateside release October 14. "In France, people say Go-gee-rah, and some say Ga-jeer-uh, but I think the right way is the Japanese way: Go-jeer-ah. That's the one I always go with."

You say to-may-toe, I say to-mah-toe — let's call the whole darned thing off. After all, Gojira have a lot going on these days. In addition to self-producing The Way of All Flesh ("We have many loans," Duplantier said), their much-anticipated follow-up to 2005's From Mars to Sirius, the guys are planning out their fall tour plans, working on ideas for album number five, and working on their broken English. Duplantier said he'd like to move to New York — his "favorite place on Earth" — for a year "to improve my English."

But first, let's talk about the new record. According to Duplantier, Flesh is a conceptual work, focusing on the morbid topic of death.

"That's the theme — it's about death itself," he explained. "It's also about the immortality of the soul. That's the main subject for us. Since we started to play and release albums, we've always talked about the same thing: the soul.

"This album's got a more dramatic feel to it, and some of the lyrics are almost cynical," continued Duplantier, who worked with the Cavalera Conspiracy on their latest LP. "Usually, with my lyrics, I'm always positive. But on this album, I'm so pissed off with the situation on Earth right now, how we're abusing so much, and we take everything that we can take from the ocean, and we kill off endangered species. So in some of the songs, it's almost like a requiem for the Earth. This record is a lot darker — like, a lot darker, I would say. The music is darker and more violent."

At times, he said, the mostly midtempo material — including the tracks "The Art of Dying," "Esoteric Surgery" and "Yama's Messengers" — bears an almost old-school thrash sound, like Slayer's earliest material, while other tracks incorporate elements of hardcore. When the album drops (or leaks — whichever comes first), fans will discover that some tracks boast unusual atmospherics, while others are punctuated by their tortured melodies, all backed by pig-on-fire vocals, compliments of Duplantier. Machine Head's Logan Mader will be mixing the effort.

"I think that, probably, some people will be disappointed by some things we did on this album, but there is also a very logical evolution of our music since From Mars to Sirius," Duplantier said. "It's pretty much what we want to hear from a band, and that's been our goal since the beginning — to play music we could enjoy. And for the first time, we are happy with the sound we've achieved by being our own producers for all these years. We've never had an external person telling us what to do, and for the first time, we're very happy with the sound, because it's just so powerful"

Duplantier also promises a surprise cameo on the effort by someone he claims will be well-known to the band's U.S. fans. He wouldn't discuss the collaboration any further, "because I'm not allowed to. You'll just have to wait."

And even though the band is still recording The Way of All Flesh, the singer said he's already looking to the future. "Some of the songs we wrote didn't fit with the rest of this album, so we're holding them over for later," he said. "And we have tons of riffs. ... The fifth album's already on our minds."

While Gojira have no immediate U.S. touring plans, Duplantier said they will be crossing the pond in October for an American trek. They're also hoping to acquire the rights to the 1926 Italian silent film "Maciste all'Inferno," he said.

"In 2003, we were invited to play this big festival in the south of France, but they wanted us to compose an hour and a half of material to play live, during the projection of this movie," he said. "We watched the movie for a week and worked on brand-new music, just for this movie. Now, we want to put it on a record or release it as a DVD with the movie. We want to do it now. We want to record it, but we have to promote the new album for the next two years."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Right now, you can head over to the Roadrunner Records Web site and download the title track from All Hope Is Gone, Slipknot's forthcoming LP, for free. And starting July 1, you'll be able to hear more material from the disc, which won't be in stores until sometime later this summer, when the record's first single, "Psychosocial," will be added to iTunes and other digital-download retailers. ...

Last week's column promised that this week, we'd be brining you a feature on Judas Priest and their new album, Nostradamus. Well, that story actually popped up on MTV News' site on Thursday. You can check it out here. ...

According to guitarist Kerry King, Slayer's upcoming album could be out before the year's up. In an interview with writer Joel McIver, excerpts from which can be found here, King said, "We're supposed to have [an album] ready at the end of the year. There's been talk of all kinds of odd things, because the record industry changes every day. We've talked about maybe putting out a couple of songs from an upcoming record through iTunes, so we can play something new on the Unholy Alliance III tour. You know, that's not so far outside the realm of possibility. As far as how much we're gonna get done by the end of the year? I have no idea." Hey, fellas — please, just take your time with this one. ...

The Deftones are hard at work on their next album, which one source close to the band told Metal File "sounds nothing like what they've done in the past." Eros, which could be out before 2008 expires, will, according to bassist Chi Cheng, be "heavy as f--- with a sh--load of groove. ... I always say this sh--, but I truly believe this album to be well worth the wait and appreciate all your support and kind loyalty." ...

Unearth have begun work on the follow-up to 2006's III: In the Eyes of Fire. The yet-untitled effort is being eyed for an October release. Produced by Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz, the record, according to a press release, will feature the band's "most dynamic material to date." ...

Walls of Jericho, 36 Crazyfists, It Dies Today, Sea of Treachery and Flatline will be hitting the road together in August for a string of live gigs. That trek commences August 20 in Syracuse, New York, and dates are booked through August 31 in beautiful Mokena, Illinois. ...

Iced Earth's forthcoming album, The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part II), has been scheduled for a September 9 release. Look for it to include the tracks "The Sacred Flames," "Crown of the Fallen" and "I Walk Alone." ...

Darkane's forthcoming CD, Demonic Art, is currently in the mixing phase. While no release date has been etched in stone yet, it's looking like the disc will contain 11 tracks, including "Variations of an Eye Crush," "The Killing of I" and "Wrath Connection." ...

Cattle Decapitation plan to return to the studio in August with producer Billy Anderson to finish tracking their next LP, which has yet to be christened. Expect the disc to feature more macabre material from these kings of deathgrind, including "Tooth Enamel & Concrete," "We Are Horrible People" and "The Body Farm."

Related Artists

DragonForce Frontman Not As Impressed As 'Guitar Hero' Fans; Plus Deftones, All That Remains And More News That Rules, In Metal File

09 May 2008 08:02:00 EDT

'I think sometimes it could be better,' ZP Theart says of bandmate Herman Li's unrivaled shredding.
By Chris Harris

Anyone who's ever played "Guitar Hero" knows full well that one of the game's most challenging tracks belongs to DragonForce, the British power-metal outfit that sounds — as someone famously (and accurately) said — like a "cross between Journey and Slayer." And the reason "Through the Fire and Flames" is such a thorny tune to master is Herman Li, the band's virtuoso shredder, who can produce sounds with a guitar that would make even Tom Morello scratch his chrome-dome.

Li's mastery of the guitar is nothing short of mind-blowing — so long as you're not ZP Theart, DragonForce's poodle-haired lead singer.

When asked how imposing Li's playing is on the band's forthcoming, still-untitled LP — which they're still six weeks away from finishing and is already scheduled for release on August 26 — Theart was nonchalant. Perhaps he was just kidding (something tells us he was). "Actually, I think sometimes it could be better," he confessed. "Some people have a knack for making freaky noises that other people like. I'm not a guitarist, so he doesn't really impress me, no."

Perhaps Theart is just used to Li's manic guitar abuse, but Herman certainly dazzled audiences during 2006's Ozzfest, which was basically DragonForce's formal introduction to American metalheads. And Li's playing will certainly captivate this summer when the band heads out on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, which kicks off July 9 in Auburn, Washington, with a bill that includes Slipknot, Disturbed, Mastodon, Airborne, Five Finger Death Punch, 36 Crazyfists, Machine Head, Black Tide, Suicide Silence, the Red Chord and Walls of Jericho.

"I am so, so looking forward to that," Theart said. "It's incredible. It's basically the festival that killed off Ozzfest, isn't it? It's such a big idea and such a cool thing they are doing. ... I hope it lasts as long as Ozzfest, if not longer. In a way, it's the same thing, only with a different name. We know Disturbed from Ozzfest, and I hear Slipknot's a party bunch, so, should be fun."

In addition to their reputation for playing intricate and machine-gun-paced metal, DragonForce are one of those bands who are known for their excessive merrymaking, which Theart defends as just part and parcel of being a metal band: "We are just f---ing playing metal — and we do what metal is all about, which is having a good time and partying your f---ing ass off," he said, before launching into a tour story.

"Last year, on our first tour of the year, we were in Russia," he recounted. "We had a gig in St. Petersburg, and then we took the overnight train to Moscow, and I bumped into a few Russians and got horribly pissed on some proper Russian vodka. In the middle of the night, I got up and took a piss all over [drummer] Dave [Mackintosh's] bunk — with him in it. When I woke up the next morning, everyone was laughing at me, and I didn't know what was going on. Later, I went to apologize, 'cause I felt like a f---ing t--, and he goes, 'Dude, that's so rock and roll.' I thought he would have been pissed, but it was a big rock and roll moment for him."

After this summer's Mayhem Fest, DragonForce will likely head over to the U.K. for a quick tour before heading back to the States for a coast-to-coast headlining run.

According to Theart, DragonForce have been working on the follow-up to 2006's Inhuman Rampage for nearly seven months now, and they've come up with a total of 10 songs. Only nine will likely appear on the record, with the extra one being saved as a bonus track.

"Everyone's going nuts on this one," the singer said. "This is the next step up from Inhuman Rampage, and everyone is going completely hard on this one. We're producing it ourselves, because we know exactly how we sound and what we want to sound like. Once you let a third-party interest in, that all changes.

"We've got a bit of a varied sound thing going on with this album, that I think we wanted to do," he continued. "There's a bit more of a variation in sort of, well, not styles, but we've encompassed a lot more sounds and elements than I think we had on the previous ones. It's the DragonForce formula — we don't mess with that."

The rest of the week's metal news:

It's official! The Deftones are back in recording mode and have begun tracking their next one, the tentatively titled Eros. Terry Date (Soundgarden, Pantera) has signed on to produce the effort. ... Having run out of studio time due to touring commitments, New Jersey's God Forbid have announced that their next album won't be finished anytime soon. Instead, they'll be returning to the studio after the tour to pick up where they'd left off. What this means is, we'll have to wait until the fall to hear some fresh GF. In the meantime, the band's live DVD, "Beneath the Scars of Glory and Progression," will land in stores June 10. ...

Metal File's good pal Phil Labonte and the rest of All That Remains have started preproduction on their next studio offering, which will be helmed by producer Jason Suecof (Chimaira, God Forbid). The band hopes to record 11 tracks for the effort, which could be in stores as early as late August. ... Horse the Band are in the market for a permanent replacement drummer for Chris Prophet, who bailed back in February. The Number Twelve Looks Like You's Jon Karel has been filling in but must return to New Jersey to rejoin his own band. Anyone familiar with the Nintendo-core act's sound knows that it takes a special kind of person to be in Horse the Band. "You have to have touring experience in really horrible conditions (picking up skin diseases from sleeping on floors, being rejected by ugly chicks, not sleeping for 60 hours or more), not think you are cool, not be way into sitting on your laptop in the 'green room,' and be a really good drummer," the band said in a statement. You can contact the band via their MySpace page if you'd like to audition. ...

Sad news to report this week, as Tripp Joye, the drummer for North Carolina's Anything on Fire, was killed in a car accident on May 2 in Winston-Salem. He was only 25 years old. ... Clutch have been on more record labels than, well, anyone we know — and it appears they took good notes. The band has decided to launch its own label, called Weathermaker Music. Clutch will issue all of their future releases through the label, and this summer, they plan to release a live DVD with a companion CD. ... Progressive jazz-leaning death-metallers Cynic have inked a deal with Season of Mist Records. According to frontman Paul Masvidal, "We're deep in the preproduction album process now and will be headed into the studio in a couple weeks to dive even deeper and start the recordings." The band's forthcoming, yet-untitled LP is due to hit stores this fall. ...

Death-metal innovators Cannibal Corpse have already begun work on the follow-up to 2006's Kill, but don't expect the record to be finished until the winter. So in the meantime, they've assembled their first-ever career retrospective. In July, the band will issue a three-disc DVD set called Centuries of Torment: The First 20 Years. It will feature live and rare footage, plus interviews with the band. ... Cattle Decapitation spent the last few months writing new songs for an album they hope to have recorded in time for an early 2009 release. So far, they've written four complete songs, which they hope to preview at some of their upcoming West Coast gigs later next month. ... Veil of Maya, the Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, With Dead Hands Rising, and Brother Von Doom will join forces for a spate of shows next month. The first is set for June 8 in Elk Grove, Illinois, and the trek expires June 21 in Louisville, Kentucky.

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Jamie Lynn Spears Gets Her GED; Plus Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Oscars, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, DJ Khaled & More, In For The Record

25 Feb 2008 17:41:00 EST

Weezy pleads not guilty to gun charges; Jay sued, but not by Kool Herc; Oscar ratings down 21 percent.
By MTV News staff

Jamie Lynn Spears was photographed last month in Louisiana carrying a GED book, and now the pregnant 16-year-old has passed the high school equivalency exam and is thinking about college, a family friend told People magazine. The "Zoey 101" star passed the test about a month ago, scoring particularly well in reading comprehension. "She's already got her diploma," the friend said of Britney's younger sister. "She wants to take her ACT [college-entrance test]. She's not wasting any time. People don't know her. When she gets something in her head, she'll make it happen. Everybody is so supportive of her." ...

Lil Wayne was in a New York courtroom Monday morning (February 25), where he entered a not-guilty plea at his arraignment on gun charges stemming from an arrest in July following his first major headlining gig in the city at the Beacon Theater. According to his lawyer, Stacey Richman, Wayne (born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) was arraigned on two felony charges of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Following the show at the Beacon, police searched Wayne's tour bus and arrested the rapper for criminal possession of a .40-caliber pistol. ...

Jay-Z has been all up in the headlines in recent days. First, he showed up at Madison Square Garden as a guest of Linkin Park on Friday night. Hov and his friends mashed it up once again on the songs "Encore" and "N---a What, N---a Who (Originator 99)." On Monday, he was at the center of more controversial news: New York's Daily News reported unsubstantiated talk that Jay and Nas are planning to release a duet LP called The Kings of Hip-Hop, for release through a Warner Music Group label, and also asserted that Jay will soon be launching a new label. Also on Monday, the New York Observer originally reported — erroneously — that hip-hop founding father Kool Herc (a.k.a. Clive Campbell) was suing Jay, developer Bruce Ratner and Barclays Bank for $5 billion, filing a "claim of lien" in property records that seeks slavery reparations; the three are associated through the $4 billion Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, New York, which is in the process of building more than 6,000 apartments and a new basketball arena in the NYC borough. Barclays owns the naming rights to the arena, and has been accused of having links with the slave trade; the bank has denied those claims, according to the report. The Observer later published a correction noting that the Clive Campbell who filed the suit was not in fact Kool Herc, but actually a Brooklyn activist with the same name. Campbell said in the claim, which was filed in October, that Ratner and Jay-Z worked "in concert" with Barclays and "profited from the African slave trade and continue to profit from these gains, through a conspiracy dating back hundreds of years and continue to date to oppress black people, enslave them, unlawfully deport them to all corners of the Earth," according to the report. Reached by MTV News on Monday, Jay-Z's rep had no comment on the Daily News and Observer stories. ...

The Oscars were a ratings dud. Viewership for Sunday's telecast was down 21 percent from last year, according to preliminary numbers from Nielsen Media Research. The least-watched Oscars ceremony ever was in 2003 with 33 million viewers; Nielsen has no estimate yet on how many people watched, but based on ratings from the nation's biggest markets, the Oscars will be hard-pressed to avoid a record low. ... As the new honorary cultural ambassador for her home country of Barbados, Rihanna is already using her clout to do some good. According to People magazine, the singer is working with the international donor network DKMS to help find a bone-marrow donor for 41-year-old New Yorker Lisa Gershowitz Flynn, a mother of two young children who suffers from leukemia and has four to six weeks to find a donor. "When I heard about Lisa's plight, my heart broke," Rihanna told the magazine. "I said, 'I need to get the word out about Lisa right away.' " ...

A rep for Alicia Keys announced over the weekend that the singer/songwriter will have to postpone two U.K. tour dates this week, one in Glasgow and one in Manchester, after the Grammy winner's doctor ordered her to go on vocal rest. According to her publicist, Keys is suffering from laryngitis and will resume her tour after taking a few days off. ... Do all of DJ Khaled's friends happen to be hip-hop or R&B top dogs? The boisterous producer/record-spinner/self-promoter headlined the Winter Fest concert at New York's Nassau Coliseum on Friday night. After a T-Pain set (Pain brought out Fabolous as his special guest), Khaled brought out Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes and the Diplomats. Unfortunately, the show ended a little anticlimactically when another DJ had several miscues trying to get the music right for Jim Jones' "We Fly High." Snoop Dogg also performed earlier in the night. ...

On Friday, a California assemblywoman introduced a bill dubbed the "Donda West Law" that requires a health check before a person undergoes elective plastic surgery. The Associated Press reported that Democrat Wilmer Amina Carter was inspired by West's niece to propose the legislation. Carter said Dr. West's death — which occurred on November 10, a day after she underwent a number of plastic-surgery procedures — showed that patients should be required to get medical clearance before cosmetic surgery. Yolanda Anderson, Donda West's niece, said the late educator's son, Kanye, is enthusiastic about the bill. ... Jimmy Kimmel got his revenge on longtime girlfriend Sarah Silverman on a special post-Oscars episode of his talk show Sunday night. In the wake of her hit viral video, "I'm F---ing Matt Damon," Kimmel unleashed his answer track, "I'm F---ing Ben Affleck," which not only featured the late-night talker cavorting topless with Damon's BFF, but was packed with a guest appearance from Brad Pitt as a FedEx guy, a drive-by kiss from Harrison Ford, and an all-star chorus, featuring Ashlee Simpson, Pete Wentz, Cameron Diaz, Josh Groban, Lance Bass, Benji and Joel Madden, Don Cheadle, Perry Farrell, Meat Loaf, Christopher "McLovin" Mintz-Plasse, Robin Williams, Huey Lewis, Joan Jett and Macy Gray. The video is available to stream at ABC.com. ... It seems like the second weekend in August is just too juicy to ignore. Just weeks after the cancellation of the proposed New Jersey festival from the organizers of Lollapalooza and England's Reading Festival, another East Coast festival for August 9-10 was announced. The third-annual Virgin Mobile Festival will take place at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, just three hours from the Radiohead-headlined All Points West Festival that same weekend. The lineup for the Virgin Fest will be announced soon. ...

During As I Lay Dying's gig Sunday night in Australia, guitarist Nick Hipa was struck "in the head by an empty glass Maker's Mark bottle," he wrote in a statement. While the blow stunned and disoriented the rocker, he's doing fine. "Lucky for me the bottle was huge so it didn't break, and I have no need for stitches. I'm sorry we had to stop our set, but I was quite discombobulated for a good while, and more importantly the EMT dude wouldn't let me play because my head was bleeding quite a bit ... or some sort of mumbo jumbo like that."

The Deftones are looking to hit the studio in late March with producer Terry Date (Soundgarden, Pantera) and engineer Scott Olson (Deftones, Unearth) to begin tracking their forthcoming sixth studio album, Eros. ... The recently reunited Filter are planning a tentative May 13 release for their new album Anthems for the Damned. The track "Soldiers of Misfortune" is expected to serve as the first single from the release, and will hit the airwaves March 18. ... Interpol drummer Sam Fogarino has formed a new band called Magnetic Morning, with Swervedriver guitarist Adam Franklin. The band's self-titled EP, recorded with Claudius Mittendorfer, will be released on April 19. ...

Three Nine Inch Nails songs will be made available next week as premium downloadable content for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of "Rock Band," according to the game's developers. "March of the Pigs," "The Collector" and "The Perfect Drug" will be available individually and as part of a three-pack.

2.22.08

One-hundred miles and ... you're pulled over: Ne-Yo was arrested early Tuesday for reckless driving in Cobb County, Georgia, after police clocked him doing "well over 100 mph" in his 2006 Range Rover, according to TMZ. Ne-Yo (real name: Shaffer Smith) was charged with reckless driving and not having a valid license. A representative for his label, Def Jam, had no comment when reached by MTV News. ...

A lot of drama went into getting a restraining order against Sam Lutfi to prevent him from seeing or contacting Britney Spears, but the hearing regarding the matter on Friday (February 22) was uneventful. Jeffrey Wexler, an attorney for the singer's father, Jamie Spears (who has conservatorship powers over his daughter), told the court that a

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Fergie, John Legend Confirm Grammy Performances; Plus Beatles, Lindsay Lohan, Hannah Montana, Beastie Boys & More, In For The Record

05 Feb 2008 22:27:00 EST

Beatles guru dies; Lohan breaks silence about rehab; Miley Cyrus flick to remain in theaters indefinitely.
By MTV News staff

A few more performers and presenters have been added to Sunday's Grammy Awards, including a duet between Fergie and John Legend and a salute to the pioneers of rock and roll featuring Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and John Fogerty. Pop-classical heartthrob Josh Groban will team up with opera superstar Andrea Bocelli in their first-ever duet, and Grammy-nominated jazz legend Herbie Hancock will perform a special jazz/classical segment. Among the new list of presenters are Chris Brown, Miley Cyrus, Solange Knowles, George Lopez, Lyle Lovett and Ludacris. ...

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi — the Beatles guru who brought transcendental meditation to the Western world — has died, The Associated Press reports. His death was apparently due to "natural causes, his age," Transcendental Meditation movement spokesman Bob Roth reportedly said. Maharishi's age was thought to be 91. ...

Lindsay Lohan has spoken out publicly for the first time since leaving a recovery center six months ago. In a cover story for the U.K. edition of Glamour, the actress/singer said she's ready to work again and is getting rid of the bad influences in her life. "There are friends that have been hard to hang out with because they've gone done a different path," Lohan, 21, said. "But it's hard because I'm the kind of person who wants to trust everyone." According to an excerpt on People.com, Lohan, who expressed sympathy for fellow struggling young stars Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse, said she's learned how to be comfortable being alone if necessary. "I'm fine being alone during the day, but I hate being alone at night. I like having friends around me, but now I'd much rather be at home." With her career momentum slowed by her rehab stint, Lohan said she mostly fills her days writing in her journal and watching TV, but "that's not to say I'll never go to a club again ... because I'd be lying." Asked what the biggest misconception is about her, Lohan said, "That I don't have my head in the right place. That, and probably that I'm not a good person ... because actually I am." ...

After an astronomical $29 million on just 683 screens, the "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" flick will remain in theaters "indefinitely," a Disney representative told MTV News. Originally slated to end its run Friday, the flick — which follows pop sensation Miley Cyrus on her sold-out trek — now has "no end date," according to the rep, and will stay in theaters contingent on audience demand. The flick set several box-office records over the weekend, including the largest-ever haul for a concert film and a 3-D movie. It also bested "Titanic" for the biggest gross over a Super Bowl weekend. ...

Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch has announced the launch of his own independent film-distribution company called Oscilloscope Pictures. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Yauch plans to buy narrative and documentary features from movie festivals and provide funds to complete and release unfinished films. The company will be run by former ThinkFilm VP David Fenkel, who worked with Yauch on the Beasties' concert doc "Awesome! I F---in' Shot That!" The company's first release will be announced within the next month and will hit theaters by summer, with current plans calling for two to 10 films released per year. ...

If you've ever seen the Deftones live, then you already know that frontman Chino Moreno's a big fan of "skater socks." Now the singer has formed his own clothing company called ChinoSox. "Every time I'm on tour, people come up to me and ask me about the socks I wear onstage. No one can ever seem to find dope-looking skater socks," he said. "So I thought it would be cool to make my own signature line of skate socks, so that fans could pick them up. They're pretty sick." You can pick up a pair online, exclusively through the ChinoSox Web site. ...

Remember the Darkness? Well, they've been quiet since the 2006 departure of frontman Justin Hawkins, but have returned with a new name. The band still includes former Darkness singer Richie Edwards, drummer Ed Graham and guitarist Dan Hawkins, but with henceforth be known as Stone Gods. The band will release an EP sometime this year.

2.4.2008

When it comes to Amy Winehouse, never believe what you read. Despite reports that she would be appearing at the Grammys on Sunday, the singer's publicist told MTV News a decision hasn't been made either way. And no, Amy hasn't left rehab yet, although she did depart the Capio Nightingale clinic, where she's been staying the last few weeks, to make a pre-scheduled meeting at the United States Embassy. According to her rep, the meeting was arranged so that the singer could discuss renewing her visa. ...

It sounds like Snoop Dogg may be welcome in England again. The rapper, who has been banned from the U.K. since a melee at London's Heathrow Airport in 2006, told Larry King on Friday that he's been given the green light to travel to the country again. After writing to the British government recently in a bid to get his ban overturned, the rapper told King, "I was wrongfully accused, and now I've been accepted back in. The judge overturned it. He looked at the evidence and looked at what I've been doing, just checked my character out and found me to be innocent, and now I'm able to go back out there. So, everybody in the U.K., big Snoop Dogg will be back to come give you all what you want." British authorities have not yet confirmed the rapper's claims. ...

Raymundo Ortega, the man who is suing Lindsay Lohan for her collision with his van in October 2005, has dropped his claim against the Ivy — the restaurant in West Hollywood, California, where Lohan had dined before the crash — according to TMZ.com. Ortega has alleged that Lohan, who was 19 years old at the time, drank alcohol at the Ivy before the crash, but the restaurant insisted Lohan did not. The next court date is reportedly set for March 21. ...

The Spice Girls' triumphant world reunion tour has hit a roadblock. The group announced on Friday that dates in Australia, China, South Africa and Argentina have been scrapped due to "family and personal commitments." The last stop of the tour is now going to be in Toronto on February 26. "Sadly the tour needs to come to an end by the end of February due to family and personal commitments for Emma, Geri, Mel B, Melanie C and Victoria," the group announced on its Web site, explaining that the rest of the dates were canceled "due to the phenomenal demand for tickets in the U.K. and the U.S., along with the touring logistics for such a massive production [that] it was not possible to fit everything in." And though there is rumored tension once again in Spice World, the note ends with the good news that "as the girls return to normal family life and the kids go back to school, they are reviewing all the options, who knows what the future might bring!" ...

Muse will release a live DVD/CD on March 17 in the U.K., although it's yet unclear if the set will see a U.S. release. H.A.A.R.P. - Muse Live at Wembley Stadium shows the band onstage performing tracks like "Knights of Cydonia," "Hysteria," "Butterflies and Hurricanes" and "Starlight" during a two-night stretch at the venue last summer. ... P.O.D. founding guitarist Marcos Curiel — who split from the band in 2003 — is back in the fold, and the group has signed a new deal with INO/Columbia that includes its new LP, When Angels and Serpents Dance. "Things are exciting again," singer Sonny Sandoval said in a statement. "When the four of us are in a room making music it's definitely right, and Marcos brings that passion for music into the band." Helmet's Paige Hamilton, Suicidal Tendencies' Mike Muir, the Marley Sisters — and a gospel choir! — crop up on the April 8 release, the first single of which is "Addicted." ...

The Arcade Fire are considering suing Fox after one of their songs was used in a Super Bowl ad, allegedly without the group's permission, according to Pitchfork. The ad, which promoted Fox's NFL coverage and also appeared on the network during the regular football season, features the group's song "No Cars Go." It's reportedly unclear if Fox asked the Arcade Fire for permission to use the song, if the network owes the band any money, or if the move was illegal. ... Iron and Wine will tour the U.S. with Califone throughout April. The gigs start April 9 in New Orleans and end April 20 in Louisville, Kentucky. ... Grizzly Bear are hitting the big time. The New York indie-rockers will give their biggest performance yet with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the city's Walt Disney Music Hall on March 1. Following that, the Grizzlys will hook up with Paul Simon for a three-part series at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The veteran singer/songwriter handpicked the group for "Love in Hard Times: The Music of Paul Simon," which will take place April 23-27. ...

The green dress Keira Knightley wears during key romantic scenes with James McAvoy in "Atonement," which is up for seven Academy Awards, is being auctioned for charity on 2008 Grammy Awards Performers And Presenters Related Artists