SPIRITUAL BEGGARS releases new album 'Earth Blues' in North America

Sweden's classic rock heavyweights SPIRITUAL BEGGARS have released their new album, Earth Blues, in North America! To purchase Earth Blues, please head over to iTunes for a digital copy or CM Distro for various physical formats.

 

 

Earth Blues is the band's 8th studio release and marks SPIRITUAL BEGGARS' 20th anniversary as a band. The band's lineup includes current and past members of metal heavyweights ARCH ENEMY, CARCASS, OPETH, FIREWIND and WITCHERY. For previews of Earth Blues, please check out the previously released album tracks below:

"Kingmaker"

"Turn the Tide"

"Wise As A Serpent"

 

Earth Blues track-listing

1. Wise As A Serpent

2. Turn The Tide

3. Sweet Magic Pain

4. Hello Sorrow

5. One Man's Curse

6. Dreamer

7. Too Old To Die Young

8. Kingmaker

9. Road To Madness

10. Dead End Town

11. Freedom Song

12. Legends Collapse

In order to promote this upcoming release as well as the band's anniversary, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS have confirmed a European tour for April with support by German rockers ZODIAC, in addition to some summer festivals around the world. See below for all upcoming tour dates:

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS - "Earth Blues Tour" w. special guest ZODIAC + more

Presented in G/S/A by Metal Hammer, Guitar, Eclipsed & powermetal.de

4.16.2013 - Köln (Germany) - Underground
4.17.2013 - Ludwigsburg (Germany) - Rockfabrik
4.18.2013 - München (Germany) - Backstage
4.19.2013 - Pratteln (Switzerland) - Galery
4.20.2013 - Nürnberg (Germany) - Rockfabrik / Rock'n'Roll Overdose Festival
4.21.2013 - Tilburg (The Netherlands) - 013 / Roadburn Festival
4.22.2013 - Paris (France) - La Scene Bastille
4.25.2013 - Madrid (Spain) - Caracol
4.26.2013 - Barcelona (Spain) - Sala Music Hall
4.27.2013 - Erandio / Bilbao (Spain) - Sonora
4.28.2013 - Toulouse (France) - Le Saint Des Seins

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS @ Festivals 2013:

4.20.2013 - Nürnberg (Germany) - Rockfabrik / Rock'n'Roll Overdose Festival
4.21.2013 - Tilburg (The Netherlands) - 013 / Roadburn Festival / www.roadburn.com

5.25.2013 - Mexico City (Mexico) - Circo Volador

6.23.2013 - Clisson (France) - Hellfest / www.hellfest.fr

Earth Blues is the follow-up to 2010's critically acclaimed Return To Zero, and it promises to be another milestone in the band's fertile and challenging musical evolution.

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS discography:

Spiritual Beggars - CD 1994

Another Way To Shine - CD 1996
Violet Karma - 10" EP 1998
Mantra III - CD 1998
Ad Astra - CD/2LP 2000
It's Over - Split 7" EP with GRAND MAGUS 2001
On Fire - CD 2002
Demons - CD 2005
Live Fire! - DVD 2006
Return To Zero - CD/LP 2010
Earth Blues - CD/LP 2013

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS line-up:
Michael Amott (Guitars | ARCH ENEMY, ex CARCASS)
Ludwig Witt (Drums | GRAND MAGUS, ex FIREBIRD)
Per Wiberg (Keys | ex OPETH)
Sharlee D'Angelo (Bass | ARCH ENEMY, WITCHERY)
Apollo Papathanasio (Vocals | ex FIREWIND)

ARCH ENEMY and Christopher Amott Part Ways, Recruit Replacement

ARCH ENEMY have parted ways with guitarist Christopher Amott in an amicable split. Christopher Amott was a member of ARCH ENEMY between 1996-2005 and again between 2007-2011. The following is a joint statement from ARCH ENEMY:

"We thank Christopher for the time he's worked with the band and of course wish him the very best in his future endeavors.

Thankfully, there is no drama behind the scenes here. This is the best way forward for all involved. Christopher simply does not feel at home with playing extreme metal anymore.

We have already chosen and rehearsed with a new guitar player and we will complete the 'Khaos Legions' 2012 touring cycle as planned. We are highly motivated and look forward to continue spreading our music around the world!

Finally, our deepest thanks go to the ARCH ENEMY fans, whose amazing support and belief inspires us ever onward."

ARCH ENEMY are pleased to welcome 26-year-old American guitarist Nick Cordle on board as they continue their touring activity following the release of their recent album, Khaos Legions (2011).

Founding guitarist Michael Amott comments:

"Nick was my first choice as he ticks all the right boxes for Arch Enemy with his musicality and technicality as well as his personality and dedication. Looking forward to having him join us stage, the rehearsals have shown we have a devastating twin axe attack going on!"

Nick Cordle was raised in a musical family in Virginia by parents who teach classical piano and was immersed in 19th century piano music as a child. Rachmaninoff, Brahms, and Liszt are his early memories. There were piano and violin lessons from a very early age but a rebellious streak led to the guitar at the age of 10, and within a few years he discovered the classic thrash metal albums by Megadeth, Metallica, and Slayer. This was his first real musical passion and gateway into extreme music.

Nick studied jazz and music theory at the University of Virginia from 2003 to 2007 but remains self taught in the ways of "shred" and metal. Shortly thereafter, he joined American death metal band ARSIS playing bass and guitar over a three year period performing with them on various European tours and countless gigs across the US, Canada, and Mexico as well as performing and writing on their most recent album Starve For The Devil (2010).

SKELETONWITCH Announce Headline Dates, Post Studio Video

American metal monsters SKELETONWITCH have announced a string of Midwestern headline dates around the release of their new album, Forever Abomination, due out in North America on October 11. These dates will immediately follow their run supporting Arch Enemy and Devildriver. See their full list of dates below. 

In addition, the band has posted the first in a series of "behind-the-scenes" videos documenting the recording of Forever Abomination in Los Angeles with producer Matt Hyde (Slayer, Hatebreed, Children of Bodom). Check out this first vignette, which introduces new drummer Dustin Boltjes (Demiricous), now.

Forever Abomination will be issued in three formats: digital download; a six-panel, plastic-free digipak; and a triple-gatefold LP (which in turn will be available in several color variants). More details and pre-order are available at ForeverAbomination.com. The album features artwork by Andrei Bouzikov (Municipal Waste, Holy Grail, Cannabis Corpse), who also contributed the cover art for the band's 2009 release, Breathing The Fire. The track "The Infernal Resurrection," which can be heard on that page, has also been added to Siriux/XM's Liquid Metal rotation, so request it now on their Facebook page.

The band, who last weekend completed a European tour that included stops at the Wacken, Bloodstock, Summer Breeze and Party.San festivals, also contributed an exclusive song recorded during the Forever Abomination sessions to DECIBEL's subscription flexi-disc series.

Forever Abomination will be released internationally on the following dates:

Mainland Europe: October 7
United Kingdom: October 10

North America: October 11

Japan: October 19

SKELETONWITCH on tour:

8/30 Tucson, AZ - The Rock ^

8/31 Farmington, NM - Top Deck ^
9/1 Lubbock, TX - Jake's Sports Café ^

9/2 Austin, TX - Emo's ^

9/3 Houston, TX - Scoutbar ^

9/4 Little Rock, AR - Juanita's ^

9/6 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade ^

9/7 Norfolk, VA - Norva ^

9/8 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live #

9/9 New York, NY - Best Buy Theater #

9/10 Worcester, MA - Palladium #

9/11 Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall #

9/12 Quebec, QC, Canada - Theatre Imperial #

9/13 Montreal, QC, Canada - Metropolis #

9/14 Toronto, ON, Canada - Phoenix Concert Theatre #

9/15 Flint, MI - The Machine Shop ^

9/17 Winnipeg, MN, Canada - The Garrick Centre #

9/18 Saskatoon, SK, Canada - Louis' Pub ^

9/19 Calgary, AB, Canada - MacEwan Conference & Event Centre, University of Calgary #

9/20 Edmonton, AB, Canada - Edmonton Event Centre #

9/21 Prince George, BC, Canada - The Generator ^

9/22 Vancouver, BC, Canada - Commodore Ballroom #

9/23 Seattle, WA - Showbox Sodo #

9/24 Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory Concert House #

9/26 San Fransisco, CA - Regency Center #

9/27 Los Angeles, CA - Club Nokia #

9/29 Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theater #

9/30 Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater #

10/1 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre #

10/2 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground ^

10/3 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue #

10/4 Chicago, IL - House of Blues #

10/5 Sauget, IL - Pop's ^

10/8 Lawrence, KS- Jackpot Music Hall

10/9 Wichita, KS- The Sceneary 

10/10 Fayetteville, AR- Rogue on Dickson

10/11 Memphis, TN- Hi Tone Café

10/13 Newport, KY- The Historic Southgate House

10/14 Columbus, OH- Ravari Room

^ w/ DevilDriver

# w/ Arch Enemy, Devildriver

Over the last four years, SKELETONWITCH has performed alongside a who's who of modern heavy metal, including Amon Amarth, Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Mastodon, High On Fire and many more, in addition to participating in high-profile festival tours (Ozzfest, Danzig's Blackest of the Black). The group's last album, Breathing The Fire, cracked the Billboard Top 200 and peaked at #2 on the magazine's Heatseekers Chart.

ARCH ENEMY TEAMS UP WITH ALTEC LANSING TO REVEAL ‘KHAOS LEGIONS’ COVER ART

Swedish extreme metal powerhouse, Arch Enemy, has teamed up with industry leading audio technologies manufacturer, Altec Lansing, to unveil the cover art for the band’s forthcoming full-length record, Khaos Legions.


Head over to Altec Lansing's Facebook Page for a glimpse at the artwork, which comes courtesy of renowned artist, Brent Elliott White (Megadeth, Death Angel).


Fans can also leave a comment on the Altec Lansing Facebook or Twitter pages with the phrase, "Arch Enemy brings the Khaos", for a chance to win a pair of Altec Lansing Muzx Core headphones.

Khaos Legions, Arch Enemy’s ninth studio album, will hit stores in late spring/early summer on Century Media Records. The record will mark a return to new, original material, after releasing the Tyrants Of The Rising Sun – Live In Japan live DVD/CD (2008) and the re-recordings album, The Root Of All Evil (2009).

Arch Enemy has confirmed several summer dates and festivals in support of the forthcoming album, including a newly added performance on Sonisphere Festival 2011.


ARCH ENEMY – Live 2011:

14-May-2011 - Boulevard Festival @ C.O.C. Stadium, Morocco, Casablanca
27-May-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Switzerland, Pratteln
28-May-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Germany, Dessau
29-May-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Austria, Mining
31-May 2011 - Majestic Music Club, Bratislava, Slovakia
04-June-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Hungary
05-June-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Czech Republic
25-June-2011 - Graspop Metal Meeting Dessel, Belgium
10-July-2011 – Sonisphere (Apollo Stage), Knebworth, UK
12-July-2011 - Metal Camp, Tolmin, Slovenia
14-July-2011 - Lez' Art Scenique Festival, Selesat, France
22-July-2011 - Tuska, Suvilahti, Helsinki, Finland
30-July-2011 - MetaLmorphosiS 2011, Cyprus
18-August-2011 - Summer Breeze Open Air Dinkelsbühl, Germany
27-August-2011 - Summers End Open Air, Andernach, Germany