Kataklysm's Jean-Francois Dagenais gets detained by US customs officials

It seems like every other news story these days involves foreign metal bands getting royally fucked over by US Customs & Security officials.  The latest band member to face the rubber glove of injustice is Kataklysm guitarist Jean-Francois Dagenais;

“Well, this was one odd week especially yesterday. First, we finally flew out to Russia for the first time and we didn’t know what to expect. There’s always been this grim picture painted of that country to us. Having said that, we thought we’d arrive under dark skies, with rain and depressed looking people everywhere. Instead, we arrived to sunshine and enthusiastic people that looked happy and energetic and we were through customs in matter of minutes. So I said to myself, ‘This will be interesting.’ We were soon greeted there with open arms by the promoters and we were off. We played St-Petersburg first then Moscow. The shows were fantastic and everything was top notch. Fans knew all the lyrics and went ballistic! We even had Russian special forces soldiers stage diving! It was just a crazy, all-around good time and the shows were packed! I could have stayed there another week but we said our goodbyes and headed back home.

“We arrived in Washington D.C. with a layover to Chicago where I live now (the rest of the band still live in Montreal). So we grabbed our bags and went through immigration with no problems, as expected. As we’re waiting in line for the customs exit, some uniformed guy grabs J-F and takes him away with his bags. We assumed it was just a random check.

“So we make our way to our next gate for our plane and realize it’s been over an hour and there’s still no sign of J-F. This was 4 p.m. I go back to the customs area and the place is deserted. At this point, we started worrying and asking questions but we received no answers. We decide to board our plane at 4:30 p.m. with still no sign of him. Someone from United Airlines tells me finally he won’t be joining our flight but still no reason is given. At this point I’m like, ‘What the fuck is happening?’

“So we jet out of D.C. and get back to Chicago where the guys were staying over at my house until today to go back to Canada. After fruitless calls to the airport we just decided to wait for some sort of sign of life. That sign came at 11 p.m. in Chicago at O’Hare airport.

“Apparently, Washington customs official grabbed J-F and threw him in a room with only one chair and a table. He was there for five hours until they finally talked to him and they told him that he was wanted internationally and by the U.S. government. I could have imagined his face when they told him this, it must have been priceless. People that know J-F know he couldn’t hurt an ant. He’s one of the most down-to-earth and sweetest people you could meet. After a few hours of denying everything, Interpol sent in a picture and that picture didn’t match his. What happened was that there was another Jean-Francois Dagenais that is listed in the FBI’s most wanted list and they thought they’d caught him. I mean, what the fuck!? He was given a tap on the shoulder and apology and rebooked to Chicago! Even though we were really worried, all of us laughed it off at the end. It’s just ironic that we expected this to maybe happen in Russia, but in the end it ended up happening right here at home!”

What the fuck is up with US Customs & Immigration lately?  It seems like they have a major hard-on for metal bands of late, even more so than usual.

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Goreaphobia set to replace Pathology on the upcoming Master tour

The upcoming Master tour has undergone yet another line-up change as Pathology have been forced to pull out and are now being replaced by Goreaphobia;

Due to a recent turn of events, reunited cult favorites Goreaphobia will be replacing Pathology on this summer’s Slaves to Society U.S. tour featuring death metal legends Master and Ibex Moon Records label mates Dreaming Dead. This trek across the States, the band’s first in over 17 years, will be more than just an opportunity to re-acquaint Goreaphobia with the hordes of maniacs who have kept their name alive throughout the years, but will also allow them to showcase new material from their highly anticipated full-length debut, Mortal Repulsion. If you consider yourself a fan of quality death metal, then you cannot miss this chance to see two of the 90’s most legendary names together on one stage! Guitarist Alex Bouks offers these words in regards to what promises to be the summer of brutality:

“We are excited to unleash our dark metal magick across the U.S. after all these years.The tour will coincide with the release our new record Mortal Repulsion. We will be showcasing our brand of dark, blackened heavy metal . Jim, Chris and myself are looking forward to see all you metal tyrants on the road.”

Goreaphobia‘s full length debut Mortal Repulsion is set to be released by Ibex Moon Records on August 17th.  The full set of tour dates are listed below;

GOREAPHOBIA with MASTER and DREAMING DEAD:
Jul. 10 – BIG V – St Paul, MN
Jul. 11 – Nite Caps – Chicago, IL
Jul. 12 – Mac’s Bar – Lansing, MI
Jul. 14 – The Muse – Nashville, TN
Jul. 16 – Schotzi’s – College Station, TX
Jul. 17 – Walter’s – Houston, TX
Jul. 18 – The Pit at Jasobi’s – San Antonio, TX
Jul. 20 – The Compound – Albuquerque, NM
Jul. 21 – UB’s – Bar Mesa, AZ
Jul. 22 – The Jumping Turtle – San Marcos, CA
Jul. 23 – The Knitting Factory – Hollywood, CA
Jul. 24 – Annie’s Social Club – San Francisco, CA
Jul. 25 – The Cheyenne Saloon – Las Vegas, NV
Jul. 27 – Union Station – Colorado Springs, CO
Jul. 28 – Knickbockers – Lincoln, NE
Jul. 29 – The Riot Room – Kansas City, MO
Aug. 01 – The Canopy Club – Urbana, IL (Central Illinois Metalfest)

Goreaphobia‘s current line-up consists of Incantation & Master touring guitarist Alex Bouks, Incantation drummer Jim Roe and former Absu bassist/vocalist Chris Gamble.

I’ve only heard the Vile Beast Of Abomination album and it was a very solid album, granted, it was a compilation of material recorded over roughly 14 years, but still, it was promising enough that I’m interested in hearing the new full length.  I’d also much rather see Goreaphobia live than Pathology, just wish the tour was heading here.

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Dutch death metallers Houwitser record a new demo, seeking a new label

Dutch death metallers Houwitser, featuring guitarist Michel Alderliefsten of Sinister, are currently seeking a new label and have recently released a two-track promo CD titled Sledgehammer Redemption;

Hails,
Finaly is the new promo cd a fact, Including two brand new songs!
1. Sledgehammer redemption
2. Hatred vindicated

The song are recorded,mixed and masterd by W.Remeijer at WR studios Rotterdam.

The promo-cd will be available at gigs, and can be ordered on www.houwitser.nl
The song Hatred vindicated will be on the houwitser-myspace.

Regards and stay brutal,
Houwitser

The new track up on their MySpace page is promising, albeit straight forward death metal.  I’m sure someone will sign them, wouldn’t mind hearing a new full length from them if the material is along the lines of the promo track.

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Municipal Waste reveal the artwork for their upcoming new album "Massive Aggressive"

Crossover thrashers Municipal Waste have unveiled the artwork (done by Andrei Bouzikov) for their new full length album, Massive Aggressive, due out August 25th on Earache Records says vocalist Tony Foresta;

We wanted to work with Andrei Bouzikov again because he is like a brother to us.  He is one of the few people that can tolerate me and Ryan’s insane pickiness and attention to detail. Not only that but he is multi talented and can do many different styles of art and understands exactly where we are coming from.

The attitude on Massive Aggressive is quite different than any other MUNICIPAL WASTE record and the band needed the artwork to make it apparent from the very first glance. We knew we wanted to stray away from the traditional painted covers that so many new ‘thrash’ bands seem to be doing since Hazardous Mutation came out. We wanted the artwork to go a different direction the same way that our music has. I think we have achieved it.  I’m really happy with it. It’s my favorite one yet.

The cover art for the new Municipal Waste album "Massive Aggressive" due out August 15th on Earache Records

Old school cheese never really goes out of style.  Even shitty old school cheese.  Unfortunately.

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Dying Fetus set to release "Descend Into Depravity" on Relapse Records on September 15th

Maryland brutal death metallers Dying Fetus will be releasing their sixth full length effort titled Descend Into Depravity on Relapse Records on September 15th.

The follow-up to 2007′s War Of Attrition was recorded at Wright Way Studios in the group’s hometown with producer Steve Wright. Additional album details, including a preview of the artwork, will be made available shortly.

DYING FETUS will begin a massive world tour in support of Descend Into Depravity this week as it embarks on the annual Summer Slaughter Tour alongside labelmates NECROPHAGIST and ORIGIN as well as SUFFOCATION, ENSIFERUM, and many more. This five-week North American trek will kick off on Friday, June 5 in Baltimore.

Following Summer Slaughter, DYING FETUS will join HATEBREED and CHIMAIRA for the month-long “Decimation Of A Nation Tour” beginning in August. DYING FETUS will then hit the road in Europe alongside CANNIBAL CORPSE this fall. This four-week tour will also include OBSCURA and EVOCATION in the mainland followed by ANNOTATIONS OF AN AUTOPSY and TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED in the United Kingdom.

Ever since they decided they wanted to be a “technical death metal” band more than a “brutal death metal” band, they’ve bored the fucking shit out of me.  I dig their first few releases to a certain degree, but everything they’ve released on Relapse Records puts me to sleep.

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Torture Division set to record a new three-track demo

Swedish death metallers Torture Division, featuring Lord K. Philipson of The Project Hate MCMXCIX, Jörgen Sandström (ex-Entombed & ex-Grave) and Vomitory drummer Tobias “Tobben” Gustafsson are preparing to record a new three-song demo.

Wow, that went fast. Three new songs are now a 100% completed music-wise for the next demo, the first in trilogy number two. We will try our best to get this thing recorded during the summer and have Dan Swanö mix it in August or something (you know, the guy’s a fuckin’ busy mofo) like that. J will now start working on lyrics and whatnot, which is something we are looking forward to hear. The whole concept for the next trilogy is already thought out and we will continue to write songs whenever we have the time, but now it’s time to start practicing these three so master-blaster Tobben can put down his wonderful grind’n'roll for the songs so we can move forward and get this fucker recorded.

All of Torture Division‘s demo material is available for download from the band’s official website for free!  If you haven’t checked them out, their material is pretty solid, definitely worth a listen… hell, it’s free, so why not?

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Nile are currently in studio working on their newest full length effort

South Carolina-based “Egyptian” death metallers Nile are currently at Erik Rutan’s (Hate Eternal) Mana Recording Studio recording the band’s sixth full length effort.

We’ve been getting lots of questions about NILE‘s new album and touring, so, we thought we’d give a little update on what NILE is up to these days…

NILE has been working their fingers to the bone for quite some time, writing and rehearsing to record their new album. On Monday, June 8, they head to Tampa, Florida to track drums at Erik Rutan’s [MORBID ANGEL, CANNIBAL CORPSE] Mana Recording Studio. Neil Kernon [CANNIBAL CORPSE, NEVERMORE, DEICIDE] will be on board as well.

NILE is shooting for an October release of the upcoming album.

There is a European tour in the works for November of this year, and an American tour planned for January 2010. Details will be announced as they are confirmed.

I’ve never been a big fan of Nile, but I do appreciate the influence they’ve had on a number of bands.  I always find Nile tends to overdo things, but hopefully their next album will be entertaining.  At the very least, hopefully it’ll influence a few more guitarists who can take bits and pieces of Karl’s riffing style and incorporate it more fluidly into some killer new dark death metal.

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Behemoth to headline three Summer Slaughter shows

Polish death metallers Behemoth will be taking a few dates off from their appearance during the upcoming Mayhem Festival 2009 tour headlined by Marilyn Manson and Slayer to be “special guest headliners” for three shows on the upcoming Summer Slaughter tour, featuring Necrophagist, Dying Fetus, Origin and Decrepit Birth.

Here are the three dates;

July 05 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
July 06 – Calgary, AB @ The Whiskey
July 07 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory

Unfortunately, for whatever fucking reason, the Summer Slaughter tour won’t be hitting the biggest city in Western Canada, Vancouver… motherfuckers!  Oh well… hopefully those attending the shows in Edmonton and Calgary will have a blast, although Suffocation won’t be playing either Canadian date.  Lame!

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