Members of Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, and Adrenaline Mob to Present Metal Masters 3 Clinic in April

 

Samson, Hartke, Zoom, and Best Buy are pleased to announce the third installment of Samson’s “Metal Masters” series of instrument clinics, which will be held on Thursday, April 12, at the Key Club on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, CA. Doors will open at 7:00pm.

Having surprised the audience at Metal Master 2 in New York City with surprise appearances by Philip Anselmo (Pantera / Down) and Scott Ian (Anthrax), as well as a full Anthrax performance, Charlie Benante and Frank Bello (Anthrax), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Mike Portnoy (ex–Dream Theater/Adrenaline Mob), Kerry King and now Dave Lombardo (both of Slayer) are back on the West Coast with an exclusive metal experience that’s bigger than ever. Artists will perform both individually and collectively, demonstrating their personal techniques and how they all come together to create the music that millions bang their heads to every day.

“We’re extremely excited to be bringing the Metal Masters series back to the West Coast where it originated,” says Mark Menghi, Samson’s Director of Marketing. “And with the artists we have participating and the surprises we have planned, Metal Masters 3 is going to be the best one yet.”

Tickets are available for $20 (first come, first served) at the Key Club’s box office, located at 9039 Sunset Boulevard, or via www.keyclub.com. With door giveaways and surprise guests, all should purchase their tickets early for this All Ages event to witness the return of the Metal Masters.

 

 

The Official video for Set To Fail premieres today at myspace.com/lambofgod. Check it out and preorder your copy of the deluxe version here so that you are sure to have a code for the Escape The Plague contest! To celebrate the release of their fifth studio album Wrath, Lamb of God have created the Escape The Plague contest. The first 100,000 copies of the album (CD, vinyl and deluxe editions) will include a card that will direct the fan to Lamb-of-God.com/escapetheplague. Once at the site, the fan will be instructed to enter the code listed on the card and answer three questions. The site will then randomly select 100 winners, who will then be directed to the prize page to select their prize. As each prize is chosen, the site will automatically delete that prize and will do so until all prizes are claimed. The site will go live at 12:01 AM EST February 24th, 2009. Escape The Plague prizes include: 2 - Trips for two to see Lamb of God perform at a major UK festival in August 1 - Barbecue at your home hosted by Randy Blythe 1 - Mark Morton guitar lesson 1 - Willie Adler guitar lesson 1 - John Campbell Bass lesson 1 - Chris Adler drum kit w/ an autographed Chris Adler snare (Courtesy of Mapex drums) 2 - Mark Morton Guitars (Courtesy of Jackson guitars) 2 - Willie Adler Guitars (Courtesy of ESP Guitars) 2 - John Campbell Basses (Courtesy of Jackson Guitars) 10 - Introduce the band onstage in your town 20 - Roadie for a day in your town 7 - Sing on stage at soundcheck with the band 5 - Golden laminates, good for entry at any Lamb of God show for a year 20 - $50 giftcards to the Lamb of God webstore (Courtesy of Bravado) 25 - Autographed limited edition Wrath box, which includes the CD, Vinyl, and USB stick with bonus tracks

Prog Metal veterans Dream Theater are currently wrapping up work on their tenth studio album. The band commenced work on the as-yet untitled album –their second for Roadrunner Records, following up 2007's Systematic Chaos—in October of last year. Drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist John Petrucci are once again producing the CD, while engineer Paul Northfield will mix the record. Roadrunner plans to release the album in early summer upon which the band will immediately embark on a world tour to support it.

Heavy metal band Black Label Society is currently touring Europe, but the rockers have announced plans to bring the party back to North America for an early spring trek. More than 20 dates have been confirmed for the Black Label Bash, from the March 7 opener at The New Oasis in Sparks, NV, with the band coming full-circle for a May 1 show at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, NV. The 24-date run includes a March 13 show at the Knitting Factory in Spokane, WA, a March 28 gig at Congress Theater in Chicago, IL, an April 10 concert at the historic Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, NY, and an April 21 performance at Warehouse Live in Houston, TX. Two gigs are booked for Canada: March 21 at Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg, MB, and April 4 at Sound Academy in Toronto, ON. Fans who register on the Black Label Bash Web site will receive an e-mail with a username and password for the site that will give them access to the presale. According to the site, tickets purchased through the presale will have reduced service fees. However, the process is on a first come, first served basis with a maximum of four tickets per order. The Black Label Bash will be the band's first run of North America since the completion of its 2006-2007 world tour. At the moment, Black Label Society is on the road in Europe and will wrap that jaunt with a December 6 performance at the Hard Rock Hell Festival in Prestatyn Sands, Wales. The band's last studio effort, "Shot to Hell," was released in 2006 and peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200. According to the band's tour announcement, a greatest hits record is in the works for 2009, making March the right time to begin touring. "The time felt good to get back on the bus with the guys back home," leader Zakk Wylde is quoted. Mar 6 2009 8:00P The Fillmore San Francisco, California Mar 7 2009 8:00P The New Oasis Sparks, Nevada Mar 9 2009 8:00P The Senator Theatre Chico, California Mar 11 2009 8:00P McMenamins Crystal Ballroom Portland, Oregon Mar 13 2009 8:00P Knitting Factory Spokane, Washington Mar 14 2009 8:00P Showbox SoDo Seattle, Washington Mar 15 2009 8:00P Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, British Columbia Mar 17 2009 8:00P Calgary Corral Calgary, Alberta Mar 18 2009 8:00P Edmonton Events Centre Edmonton, Alberta Mar 20 2009 8:00P Odeon Events Center Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Mar 21 2009 8:00P Burton Cummings Theatre Winnipeg, Manitoba Mar 22 2009 8:00P The Myth St. Paul, Minnesota Mar 24 2009 8:00P McElroy Auditorium Waterloo, Iowa Mar 25 2009 8:00P Harrah¹s North Kansas City, Missouri Mar 27 2009 8:00P Eagles Ballroom Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mar 28 2009 8:00P Congress Theatre Chicago, Illinois Mar 29 2009 8:00P Madison Theatre Covington, Kentucky Mar 31 2009 8:00P Emerald Theatre Mt. Clemens, Michigan Apr 1 2009 8:00P Club Zoo Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Apr 3 2009 8:00P Main St. Armory Rochester, New York Apr 4 2009 8:00P Sound Academy Toronto, Ontario Apr 6 2009 8:00P Webster Theatre Hartford, Connecticut Apr 7 2009 8:00P Starland Ballroom Sayreville, New Jersey Apr 9 2009 8:00P Verizon Wireless Arena Manchester, New Hampshire Apr 10 2009 8:00P Hammerstein Ballroom New York, New York Apr 11 2009 8:00P The Electric Factory Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Apr 14 2009 8:00P House of Blues Boston, Massachusetts Apr 15 2009 8:00P Ram¹s Head Live Baltimore, Maryland Apr 17 2009 8:00P House of Blues Noth Myrtle Brach, South Carolina Apr 18 2009 8:00P Wild Bill¹s Duluth, Georgia Apr 21 2009 8:00P Warehouse Live Houston, Texas Apr 24 2009 8:00P Stubb¹s Waller Creek Austin, Texas Apr 25 2009 8:00P Palladium Ballroom Dallas, Texas Apr 26 2009 8:00P Cain¹s Ballroom Tulsa, Oklahoma Apr 28 2009 8:00P Marquee Theatre Tempe, Arizona Apr 29 2009 8:00P Marquee Theatre Tempe, Arizona May 1 2009 8:00P House of Blues Las Vegas, Nevada May 2 2009 8:00P The Wiltern Los Angeles, California

Pre-order Wrath, the latest album from Lamb of God before the release date February 24th and get an exclusive Wrath t-shirt from the Official Lamb of God Webstore. Go to lambofgodstore.com for all the details. Additionally, everyone who pre-orders any version of Wrath will automatically be entered into a sweepstakes to win a BAND AUTOGRAPHED GUITAR. One lucky runner-up will receive TWO TICKETS and a BACKSTAGE PASS to an upcoming show!

Roadrunner Records and Slipknot have a pair of tickets to EVERY SINGLE TOUR DATE on the All Hope Is Gone tour and we are excited to let you know you don't have to do anything for them! If you are on the Slipknot mailing list you are already entered to win for your area! If you aren't, HURRY and sign up! We're giving away all kinds of FREE SHIT all the time and the only way for you to know about it, or be entered to win, is if you are on the list! Sign up for the mailing list and get a free metal compilation album on us! Be sure to select the check box "Add me to the RR mailing list!" And pay attention to your email because we'll be letting the winners know close to the show! Good luck Maggots! Go to http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/freeshit/giveaway.aspx?contestID=1402 to enter

Opeth Announce US Headline Tour Swedish metal titans, Opeth, announce US headline tour to begin in May. The tour will be sponsored by Decibel Magazine and Enslaved are confirmed to support. Tour routing is as follows: 01 May New Jersey @ Starland Ballroom 02 May Boston MA @ House of Blues 03 May Montreal @ Medley 04 May Toronto ON @ Sound Academy 05 May Pittsburgh PA @ Mr. Smalls 06 May Chicago IL @ House of Blues 08 May Omaha NE @ Sokol Auditorium 09 May Boulder, CO @ Fox Theater 11 May Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory 12 May Portland OR @ Roseland Theater 13 May Chico, CA @ Senator Theater 14 May San Francisco, CA @ Grand Ballroom 15 May Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse 16 May Los Angeles CA @ Avalon or Henry Fonda Theater 17 May Tucson AZ @ Rialto Theater 19 May San Antonio, TX @ Scout Bar 20 May Oklahoma City OK @ Diamond Ballroom 21 May Memphis TN @ New Daisy Theater 22 May Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theater 23 May Columbus OH @ Newport Music Hall 24 May Detroit, MI @ Emerald Theater or Clutch Cargos 26 May New York, NY @ Grand Ballroom @ the Manhatten Center 27 May Washington DC @ 930 Club

SLIPKNOT ANNOUNCES U.S. ARENA HEADLINE TOUR SLIPKNOT ANNOUNCES U.S. ARENA HEADLINE TOUR BAND RETURNS HOME IN SUPPORT OF ALL HOPE IS GONE 2009 MARKS 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BAND'S LANDMARK DEBUT ALBUM New York, NY - Grammy-award winning hard rockers Slipknot announced today their first U.S. headline tour in support of their #1 album All Hope Is Gone. The tour, which kicks off on January 23rd in St. Paul, MN, will hit 33 cities across the country, and include an historic stop at New York's Madison Square Garden, a first for the band. Coheed and Cambria and labelmates Trivium round out the bill. Frontman Corey Taylor says of the trek, "2009 is the 10 year anniversary of the world's first taste of this band. To celebrate we are coming back out with a killer tour, a couple great bands and the same ferocity with which we attack life. We want all of our maggots to come and celebrate with us, because if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have been here for 10 years. Get ready for chaos!" A special iTunes presale will start on December 3 and will be open to those who took part in the band's digital album presale earlier this year. Internet presales via Ticketmaster, will commence on December 5, and the majority of dates will go on sale December 6. The All Hope Is Gone World Tour marks Slipknot's first headline run in America since the release of the album in August. The band is currently playing to sold out arenas on the other side of the globe; including stops in Russia, Japan, Australia, Europe and wrapping in the United Kingdom with three sold-out nights at London's Hammersmith Apollo. Preceding All Hope Is Gone's #1 debut, the band held the headline slot on this summer's sold-out inaugural Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, which drew the biggest crowds to a metal festival since Slipknot played Ozzfest in 2004. The latest single from All Hope Is Gone, "Dead Memories" is quickly climbing the charts at rock radio with current positions at top 20 at Active rock and top 40 at Modern Rock. The video, directed by P.R. Brown and Slipknot's M. Shawn Crahan, is in Elite 8 rotation at MTV2 and sitting at #3 on Fuse's Viewer Choice Countdown. To celebrate the tour, Hard Drive, hosted by Lou Brutus will be airing a Slipknot All Hope is Gone World Tour Special from December 3rd-6th on radio stations all across the country. The special will feature exclusive live tracks from their current tour as well as candid interviews and other surprises. The band has also launched a new website, allhopeisgone.com to coincide with the launch of the tour. All pre-sale and onsale information will be made available there. The dates are as follows: 01/23/09- Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, MN 01/24/09- Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO 01/25/09- Mid America Center - Council Bluffs, IA 01/27/09- Alliant Energy Center Memorial Coliseum - Madison, WI 01/28/09- Wells Fargo Arena - Des Moines, IA 01/30/09- Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL 01/31/09- The Palace of Auburn Hills - Auburn Hills, MI 02/02/09- Peoria Civic Center - Peoria, IL 02/03/09- Pepsi Coliseum - Indianapolis, IN 02/05/09- Madison Square Garden - New York, NY 02/06/09- Tsongas Arena - Lowell, MA 02/07/09- Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ 02/09/09- Greensboro Coliseum Complex - Greensboro, NC 02/10/09- Cricket Arena - Charlotte, NC 02/11/09- Bi-Lo Center - Greenville, SC 02/13/09- 1st Mariner Arena - Baltimore, MD 02/14/09- Rupp Arena - Lexington, KY 02/15/09- Sommet Center - Nashville, TN 02/17/09- Gwinnett Center - Duluth, GA 02/18/09- UCF Arena - Orlando, FL 02/19/09- Pensacola Civic Center - Pensacola, FL 02/21/09- Concrete Street Amphitheater - Corpus Christi, TX 02/22/09- Nokia Theatre - Grand Prairie, TX 02/23/09- BOK Center - Tulsa, OK 02/25/09- Verizon Wireless Theater - Houston, TX 02/26/09- Verizon Wireless Theater - Houston, TX 02/28/09- El Paso County Coliseum - El Paso, TX 03/01/09- Freeman Coliseum - San Antonio, TX 03/03/09- Denver Coliseum - Denver, CO 03/04/09- Tingley Coliseum - Albuquerque, NM 03/05/09- Jobing.com Arena - Glendale, AZ 03/07/09- The Forum - Inglewood, CA 03/08/09- Cox Arena - San Diego, CA 03/10/09- Citizens Business Bank Arena - Ontario, CA 03/11/09- ARCO Arena - Sacramento, CA

Heaven and Hell, the band comprised of members of the Dio-era Black Sabbath incarnation (Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice), have confirmed tour dates for Europe for late spring 2009. The list of dates is as follows: May 30 - Moscow, Russia, B1 May 31 - Moscow, Russia - B1 June 1 - St. Petersburg, Russia - New Arena June 2 - Helsinki, Finland, Icehall June 4 - Oslo, Norway, Spektrum June 6 - Solvesborg, Sweden, Sweden Rock Festival June 8 - Giessen, Germany, Hessenhallen June 9 - Berlin, Germany, Zitadelle June 10 – Bamburg, Germany, Jakoarena June 13 – Bergum, Holland, Waldrock Festival June 14 – Karlsruhe, Germany, Europahalle June 16 – Bonn, Germany, Museumsplatz June 17 – Zurich, Switzerland, Volkshaus June 19 – Clisson, France, Hellfest June 26 – Dessel, Belgium, Graspop Festival June 27 – Milan, Italy, Gods Of Metal More shows will be announced soon. The band has just finished recording their new studio album at Rockfield Studios in Wales, with a tentative release date in April 2009. This is the first original music from the quartet, who reunited in late 2006 to write three new tracks for the CD Black Sabbath: The Dio Years, which was followed by a year long trek around the world. The band took off most of 2008 to write, rehearse and record the new material, stopping only for a brief tour of North America on the “Metal Masters” tour with Judas Priest, Motorhead and Testament. For more information, visit www.heavenandhelllive.com.