Hit The Lights has featured many great guitarists in its brief existence thus far, including G3 alumni Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert and Billy Sheehan. Now, another name can be added to that list. John Petrucci has been a part of Dream Theater for nearly twenty-five years, an act that has been a flag-bearer for progressive metal in recent years, aiming to further expose the genre via its "Progressive Nation" tour package. The group's songs generally defy commercial conventions, though "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" nonetheless cracked the top ten of the Billboard 200. For that, Dream Theater deserve recognition.
"Black Clouds & Silver Linings" marks Dream Theater's tenth full length studio album, and second full length to be issued through Roadrunner Records. Work began during October 2008 at Avatar Studios in New York City, and concluded during March 2009. Produced by drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist John Petrucci, mixing was handled by Paul Northfield. As part of special issues of the album, six recorded covers were available, comprising; "Stargazer" by Rainbow, "Tenement Funster" / "Flick Of The Wrist" / "Lily Of The Valley" by Queen, "Odyssey" by Dixie Dregs, "Take Your Fingers From My Hair" by Zebra, "Larks' Tongues In Aspic" by King Crimson, and "To Tame A Land" by Iron Maiden.

Portnoy and Petrucci handled lyrics, lyrics that touch upon a wide array of topics. "A Nightmare To Remember" was about a car accident Petrucci was involved in as a child, whereas "The Count Of Tuscany" concerned an encounter he had in Tuscany. "Wither", meanwhile, comments upon the creative process, whereas "A Rite Of Passage" delves into Freemasonry. "The Best Of Times" was written by Portnoy about his father, who succumbed to cancer, whereas "The Shattered Fortress" marks the conclusion of Portnoy's Twelve-step suite which began upon 2002's "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence". In late March, a music video was shot for "A Rite Of Passage".

In its first week of release, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" shifted forty-thousand copies in the United States, and went to number six upon the Billboard 200, their highest position upon that chart. The "Progressive Nation" 2009 North American tour pairs Dream Theater with Zappa Plays Zappa, Bigelf and Scale The Summit.

On July 28th at 21:00 GMT, Hit The Lights' Robert Gray telephoned an individual in production through his mobile, who subsequently handed the phone to John Petrucci. Discussing "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", the act were due to perform that night in Atlanta, Georgia at The Tabernacle.

John Petrucci: Hello?

UG: Hello. This is Robert Gray from Ultimate-Guitar.com. How are you John?

How are you?

I'm ok. Thus far, how has the 'Progressive Nation' 2009 North American tour progressed?

So far, so good. As part of the North American 'Progressive Nation' tour, we've performed three shows thus far. Also, we performed a whole European leg back in June, and that was totally awesome. It's going great.

How does Dream Theater approach composing a set list?

Actually, we leave all that up to Mike. Years ago, when we didn't have too many songs, we used to all talk about it together, and compose set lists. As we recorded more and more albums, we had more songs, and so it was more difficult to select songs. We became involved in a lot of arguments about songs, so eventually, we just let Mike compose set lists. He just selects our set lists, and these set lists are based on a lot of factors, including what we played last time in the area and whatever. Mike is really good at composing set lists.

Will 'Progressive Nation' become a regular tour package?

Every time we tour, it's something we'd like to do. We won't have this occur on every leg, but will just have this happen several times as a part of each tour. Sometimes the concert will be 'Progressive Nation', and then sometimes the concert will be just Dream Theater. We'll try to include 'Progressive Nation' with every touring cycle, though, and will attempt to include at least one run. For the first time this year, we'll bring 'Progressive Nation' to Europe as well, which'll be interesting.

Behemoth Posts New Song Online

Polish extreme metallers Behemoth are streaming a brand new track, "Shemhamforash", on their MySpace page. The song comes off the band's ninth full-length studio album, "Evangelion", which is scheduled for release on August 7 in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records and August 11 in North America through Metal Blade. The CD was mixed at Miloco Studios in London, England by Colin Richardson, who has previously worked with Machine Head, Slipknot, Napalm Death and Bullet For My Valentine, among many others.

"Evangelion" track listing:

01.Daimonos
02.Shemaforash
03.Ov Fire And The Void
04.Transmigrating Beyond Realms Ov Amenti
05.He Who Breeds Pestilence
06.The Seed Ov I
07.Alas, Lord Is Upon Me
08.Defiling Morality Ov Black God
09.Lucifer

The digipack edition will include a bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes footage and expanded artwork.

"Shemhamforash"

(music and lyrics by Nergal)

Consumed By Tongues Ov Fire
Burning Like Phlegethon
Holy Gardens Reduced To Ash
Extinguishing Light Ov Hope
Bringing The End Ov The Days

Words Ov My Gospel Scattered
Sacrilegious Scorn Spat In Pale Creeds
Thin Is The Line Between Pure Being And Pure Nothing
My Sole Companion
Woe To Thee!

At My Command:
Let The Blood Ov The Infants Flood The Streets Ov Bethelehem!

O Ye Ov Little Faith
With Ethics Rotten In A Moral Cage
Dead Meat Thrown Down To The Worms
To Feed Religious Tumor
Corrupting Marrow Ov Repugnant Swirl

At My Command:
Let The Blood Ov The Infants Flood The Streets Ov Bethelehem!
At My Command:
Let The Heads Ov Samaritan Pave My Ways!

Shemhamforash!!! [End of lyrics]

According to Behemoth: "The Shemhamphorasch is an epithet for a 216-letter name of God discovered by medieval kabbalists in the book of Exodus by reading the letters of three verses in a specific order. The name is composed of 72 groups of three letters, each of these triplets being the name of an angel or intelligence. According to the magical tradition, King Solomon evoked 72 demons, confined them in a bronze vessel sealed by magical symbols, and obliged them to work for him. These demons are catalogued in various magical grimoires, most notably in Lemegeton, which gives descriptions of their powers, appearance and manner, as well as instructions for controlling them. These demons are shadows of the 72 angels of shemhamphorasch. Using their names and sigils, we are able to call on the various demons for various favors. Regardless of our opinions on subjectivity or objectivity of such a phenomenon, despite of our interpretative model of their existence, be it ontological (magicko-religious) or epistemological (magicko-scientific), certain things do happen. Demons and angels enable us to categorize life experience and to face it more consciously. Our life and art is not about providing you with ideology and persuade different 'isms.' It is a battle field for opposite forces, pangs of childbirth whose name will be Perfection."

Behemoth is currently on the road as part of the second annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The band is performing on the Hot Topic stage alongside Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Job For A Cowboy and Whitechapel

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/online_downloads/behemoth_posts_new_song_online.html

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Yngwie Malmsteen To Release All-Instrumental Acoustic Album

Legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen will release an all-instrumental acoustic album, "Angels Of Love", which will contain rearrangements of his ballad songs played on acoustic guitar and string and choir arrangements only. It is a masterpiece showing the tender, delicate version of his classic songs as well as a new composition. A March 10 release via Rising Force Records is expected. 

 

"Perpetual Flame", the new album from Malmsteen, sold around 2,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. 

Released on October 14, 2008, the CD is the first-ever Yngwie effort to be issued via Rising Force Records (distributed via Koch) and it marks the debut of Malmsteen's new singer, ex-Judas Priest/Iced Earth frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens. 

Yngwie Malmsteen will team up with Deep Purple for the following Japanese dates: 

04/08 - Tokyo, JPN @ International Forum
04/09 - Zepp, JPN @ Nagoya
04/10 - Hiroshima, JPN @ Koseinenkin Kaikan
04/12 - Kanazawa, JPN @ Kanko Kaikan
04/13 - Osaka, JPN @ Koseinenkin Kaikan
04/15 - Tokyo, JPN @ International Forum 

Yngwie Malmsteen was inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk on October 13, 2008 in front of the Guitar Center at 7425 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. 

Hollywood's RockWalk is the only sidewalk gallery dedicated to honoring those artists who have made a significant impact and lasting contribution to the growth and evolution of rock 'n' roll, blues and R&B. Yngwie Malmsteen's handprints will reside alongside the handprints, signatures, and faces of other equally accomplished musicians and innovators such as Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Bonnie Raitt, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, John Lee Hooker and Earth Wind & Fire, among numerous others. 

Video footage of Yngwie Malmsteen shredding the axe at the Marshall booth at the 2009 winter NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, which was held January 15-18, 2009 in Anaheim, California

Radiohead Sumbang Lagu untuk Tunawisma


Getty Images/Jim Dyson



LONDON, RABU - Radiohead telah menyumbang sebuah lagu untuk digunakan dalam sebuah iklan yang akan ditayangkan di layar kaca sehubungan dengan kegiatan amal Shelter di Inggris, yang menangani bantuan bidang perumahan dan para tunawisma.

Iklan itu, yang disebut House of Cards, ironisnya justru tidak menampilkan lagu Radiohead yang berjudul House of Cards. Yang digunakan malah lagu mereka yang berjudul Videotape, dari album Rainbows (2007). Lagu House of Cards masuk nominasi Grammy Awards 2009 untuk kategori-kategori Best Rock Performance by Duo or Group with Vocals dan Best Rock Song, sedangkan album In Rainbows menjadi nomine untuk kategori Album of the Year dan meraih penghargaan Best Alternative Music Album.

Berbicara mengenai keterlibatan mereka dalam iklan tersebut, Radiohead mengatakan bahwa mereka senang bahwa musik mereka bisa membantu untuk mendorong orang-orang menyumbang untuk kegiatan amal itu. "Kami selama ini selalu menjadi pendukung Shelter dan percaya bahwa sekarang Shelter benar-benar membutuhkan bantuan dan dukungan agar tetap bisa menjalankan pekerjaan pentingnya," kata band Inggris itu lagi.

"Videotape merupakan lagu yang sempurna untuk mendukung iklan tersebut sehingga kami memutuskan untuk mengizinkan Shelter menggunakannya dalam iklan baru mereka dengan harapan akan membawa hasil nyata," masih kata band tersebut.

Urung Manggung di Jakarta, Rihanna Kena Denda

Urung Manggung di Jakarta, Rihanna Kena Denda
Rabu, 11/2/2009

Getty Images/Vittorio Zunino Celotto
Rihanna


JAKARTA, SELASA — Showmaster—penyelenggara konser vokalis R&B Rihanna di Jakarta, yang sedianya akan diadakan pada Kamis yang akan datang (12/2)—telah mengumumkan secara resmi pembatalan konser tersebut. Pengumuman itu dilakukan dalam jumpa pers di Jakarta pada Selasa (10/2) malam.

"Konser Rihanna yang akan berlangsung pada Kamis minggu ini, 12 Februari 2009, di Istora Senayan, secara resmi kami batalkan," kata Troy Reza Warokka, yang menangani marketing dan media communications Showmaster.

Sebelumnya, pada Senin (9/2), pihak Showmaster mengadakan live teleconference dengan pihak Rihanna yang diwakili oleh Tony Goldrong dari William Morris Agency (WMA), yang mewakili manajemen yang mengurus Rihanna.

Troy juga membantah kabar yang menyebut bahwa kru Rihanna sudah telanjur tiba di Jakarta pada Selasa (10/2). Kata Troy lagi, mereka baru sampai di Hongkong dan segera kembali ke AS sesudah mendapat informasi dari manajemen Rihanna bahwa konser Rihanna di Jakarta urung digelar.

Diduga kuat, Rihanna batal ke Jakarta untuk tampil dalam konser yang merupakan bagian dari Good Girl Gone Bad World Tour-nya itu gara-gara masalah yang menimpa sang kekasih, vokalis R&B Chris Brown. Asal tahu saja, Brown dilaporkan oleh seorang perempuan ke pihak kepolisian Los Angeles pada Minggu (8/2) dengan tuduhan melakukan penyerangan terhadap perempuan itu. Media di AS memberitakan, perempuan dimaksud diduga keras adalah Rihanna sendiri.

Diterangkan pula oleh Troy, jumlah tiket yang sudah laku mencapai 80 persen untuk kelas festival dan kelas tribun. "Pihak Showmaster akan berusaha keras untuk mengganti semua tiket yang terjual dalam waktu tujuh hari kerja," janjinya.

Showmaster kini tengah menyiapkan langkah selanjutnya mengenai pembatalan konser tersebut, baik dari segi hukum, maupun sisi finansial. Kata Troy, Showmaster akan tetap berkomunikasi dengan pihak WMA untuk menyelesaikan masalah-masalah lainnya seperti denda. Kabar beredar, manajemen Rihanna bersedia membayar denda 200 persen dari jumlah nominal uang yang telah dikeluarkan oleh Showmaster.

Ketika ditanya apakah Showmaster jera untuk mengadakan konser musik band atau penyanyi dari luar negeri sepanjang 2009, Troy menjawab dengan yakin bahwa Showmaster akan tetap mendatangkan band atau vokalis luar negeri tahun ini. "Kami akan melakukan survei terhadap pasar Indonesia karena kami akan tetap memboyong artis luar negeri yang diidolakan oleh orang-orang Indonesia," tuturnya. (ALG/kompas.com)