Demon Hunter Acoustic Show Recap
On March 14th Demon Hunter frontman Ryan Clark and guitar tech Patrick Judge performed a rare acoustic set in Quakertown, PA. Over 400 fans, some driving eight hours, packed the hall in anticipation of this intimate Demon Hunter experience. Ryan was met with cheers and a flurry of camera flashes as he took the stage. Ryan and Patrick performed nine songs including Carry Me Down, Follow The Wolves, and Deteriorate. To the delight of the fans, Ryan and Patrick spent over an hour shaking hands and posing for pictures. This was the third time Demon Hunter has performed an acoustic set and the only official U.S. appearance for 2009.
The Devil Wears Prada Post New Song
Ferret Music’s The Devil Wears Prada premiered a new song called Dez Moines on myspace metal Friday the 13th. The song is from their highly anticipated Ferret Music debut With Roots Above and Branches Below, which is scheduled for release May 5th. The band’s headlining tour subtitled “The Sweet Brag Tour” with A Day to Remember, Skyeatsairplane, and Emarosa started Saturday in Plano, TX. On the tour the band is offering an exclusive pre-order incentive that can only be purchased at their shows. Upon purchase of the new record the buyer will receive a download card at the show which allows them to download two songs off the forthcoming album.
For tour dates & other news, visit:
myspace.com/tdwp
Pre-Order As I Lay Dying’s New DVD
In honor of AS I LAY DYING’s upcoming DVD release This is Who We Are (out 4/14/09), Metal Blade is offering fans the chance to pre-order the DVD at a special low rate. Fans can also pre-order This is Who We Are as part of a bundle package that includes a Metal Blade Records Pirate logo t-shirt. In additional to this pre-order, the first 500 fans to order will receive an autographed booklet so be sure to place your order now. Head over to Metal Blade’s Online Store to view and purchase your copy of the DVD today. San Diego based Grammy Nominated metalers AS I LAY DYING have appeared on TASTE OF CHAOS, OZZFEST, headlined the 2006 SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND Tour, CORNERSTONE, BAMBOOZLE 2006 and just about every significant hard music festival around the globe. With This Is Who We Are, AS I LAY DYING steps into new territory by releasing their first ever DVD consisting of a 3DVD set produced and directed by Denise Korycki (Cannibal Corpse Centuries of Torment DVD) that provides viewers with live performances and a complete AS I LAY DYING audio/visual history. Be on the lookout for an exclusive preview of an As I Lay Dying segment from their upcoming dvd. More details to follow here as we get closer to April 6 (which will be when we launch it).
For more info on As I Lay Dying, check out:
asilaydying.com
Kekal News
Kekal has announced the departure of Azhar Levi from Kekal. Jeff from Kekal released this press release about the departure:
“Hi, I’m Jeff from Kekal. I have a news for you. Just recently, I got a message from Azhar Levi that he decided to leave Kekal. I am not in the position to tell you what the reason is, but it was nothing inter-personal, we remain friends and respect his decision in this case. Without Levi, Kekal will never be the same again. His departure from Kekal closed a book of ours. But it will not stop Kekal as a musical unit. Life is about moving forward, and Kekal reflects our lives with all the bitterness and struggles. So to speak, both Leo and I have agreed to continue with the name, and to keep the legacy. Kekal should be “kekal” in its literal meaning, and disbanding Kekal is totally out of question. “Audible Minority” marks as the final album from the first era of Kekal, a 14 years era that now has been closed with the departure of Levi. We are now moving forward into the new era of Kekal and start over again from page one. As soon as all things left behind have been sorted-out, Kekal will be resurrected with an entirely new focus, new approach, new musical direction, and new vision! We wish Levi a best of luck on his ventures, and will remember all those years with him. Thank you and see you again later in all NEW everything! More news coming. Stay tuned!”
Jeff
KEKAL
March 2009
MxPx Posts New Song From Upcoming Cover Album
As the fourth installment in their weekly Monday promotional news update for the new covers album, On The Cover II, MxPx has teamed up with SPIN.COM to release an online stream of their version of The Ramones’ “My Brain is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg)”. The stream is available now at: spin.com/mxpx-ramones. In light of the track release, SPIN.COM will also be hosting the band’s matching Ramones promotional photo. And for the fourth straight week, ABSOLUTEPUNK.NET will be unveiling another photo of the band! Fans have already heard three tracks off of On The Cover II, which comes out March 24 via Tooth & Nail Records, including “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash, “Suburban Home” by Descendents, and “Punk Rock Girl” by Dead Milkmen.
New Website Turns Negative Tension Into Positive Momentum
recent article in Britain’s Telegraph brought international attention to a decision by Oxford University Press to remove certain terms associated with Christianity (i.e. disciple, abbey) from a popular children’s dictionary, replacing them with modern words like “MP3 player” and “blog.” In short order, this story has become fodder for the blogosphere, and it’s not hard to see why. After all, our understanding of the world and of ourselves is formed, in the most foundational sense, by our vocabulary. Words are powerful. Words are important. Author Jason T. Berggren is among the many who have spoken out against the attempt to expunge Christian words from the new lexicon. And so it comes as a surprise to many that his first book release is entitled 10 Things I Hate About Christianity: Working Through the Frustrations of Faith, with his website similarly dubbed 10thingsihate.com. How could a Christian author—and former pastor, no less—use such derisive language to describe his faith? Choosing the right word has always been important to Berggren. As the founder, former front man, and lyricist for the hardcore Christian band Strongarm, he developed a knack for turning memorable phrases. Strongarm is considered by many in the hardcore Christian music community to be one of the most influential bands in the history of that genre, based in large part on the power of Berggren’s verbal style. His rocker/poet days behind him, Berggren now traffics in prose, with recent freelance credits including an article for Engage, a newsletter for North Point Community Church leaders. As an author, Berggren is convinced that the right words—even negative words—can bring about positive change. 10 Things I Hate About Christianity is based on his realization that all of the problems in his Christian life originated from a relatively short list of issues and misunderstandings. The book is completely free of pretense, church-speak, and even the basic niceties one would expect from a work on Christian living. Berggren’s goal is to get readers talking about some of the biggest let-downs in Christendom—whether it’s faith that doesn’t deliver, love that doesn’t come easy, or churches you’d rather avoid—and to see them rise above their frustrations. His website, www.10thingsihate.com, will be the main site for the book once it releases, featuring ordering and booking information and a free sample of the book, as well as the link to Berggren’s blog. The blog (MorethingsIhate.com) is the perfect place for believers, seekers, and skeptics to engage in the kinds of discussions that fill the pages of Berggren’s book. Featuring everything from the latest non-chick movie trailers to laugh-out-loud personal reflections to commentary on current events, Berggren describes the blog as “the ongoing version of the book.” Recent posts include “Sometimes I Hate Christians,” “I Hate the Green Bible,” and “I Hate the Media.” Berggren firmly believes that positive momentum begins with negative tension. This often requires plumbing the depths of difficult issues, both for him and his readers. As such, Berggren expects to offend some people—but he considers this to be merely a step in the process of maturing in faith. “I have worked in construction off-and-on for years. The first thing you do before you remodel is demolition. If you ever watch HGTV, you know this to be true,” Berggren states. “You tear down walls and break up old cabinets to make way for the new. That’s what this book and this website are about. I am simply trying to change into the person I want to be and inviting you to join me in the process.” While his fledgling writing career begins to take flight, Berggren also runs a handyman business to provide for his family. He and his wife have been married since 1999. The couple has three boys and attends North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA, where they lead a small group. A review will be forthcoming in the next issue of HM…
Believer Posts New Song On MySpace
In honor of their new release Gabriel, Pennsylvania based thrashers BELIEVER have released a second track ‘Stoned’ via the band’s MySpace page. The highly anticipated release Gabriel is out now through Cesspool Recordings/Metal Blade Records. “As we were mixing Stoned, the ripping old school death metal riff and locking into a groove felt great until we added the weird piano section. After repeated listens to this part during the mix, both Jeff and Kevin developed throbbing headaches and severe nausea. It must have been the odd, conflicting timing between the keys, guitars and drums totally screwing with their inner ears or something. Obviously Kurt and I felt great (not sure what that says about us), but I guess that’s what one might call ‘feeling the song’. Warning: Listening to this section over and over again may induce physical illness” states drummer Joey Daub. Formed in the mid eighties, BELIEVER gained worldwide recognition for their boundary-breaking, artistic form of extreme metal as a part of Roadrunner Records prog-metal/thrash campaign “The Breed Beyond” alongside Cynic and Pestilence. After a long hiatus, BELIEVER is back with an intense fury and the band’s new record, Gabriel, once again sees BELIEVER conquering new musical and artistic territory. With an upgraded sound and songwriting that has been alluded to as a “sick, insane cross between Tool, Voivod, NIN, and Destruction”, Believer’s 4th release Gabriel shows a band simply not focused on regurgitating and reliving their past. To this end, Bachman and Daub have surrounded themselves with new creative blood in keyboardist/programmer Jeff King, guitarist Kevin Leaman and bassist/programmer Elton Nestler. Securing a new home with legendary Metal Blade Records, BELIEVER is determined to win over fans of old and new with their brand of ‘Believer-esque’ metal.
Vota Releases New Music Video
VOTA’s, “Hard To Believe” will make its television debut on Gospel Music Channel, March 27. Already playing at HearItFirst.com, the video was directed by Carl Diebold (Third Day, Switchfoot, Skillet, Kutless) and demonstrates the vitality of the band, utilizing razor sharp graphics and cutting edge animation. The new pop/rock band had a successful iTunes ®Discovery Download campaign in early February when thousands of people downloaded “Hard To Believe.” Editorial staff at iTunes ® select a few songs throughout the year among countless current singles to be featured as a free download for a week.
Check out their video here:
youtube.com/watch?v=rXruyT3ziUU
The One Lamb Opens March 30th
The One Lamb, an emotionally gripping film produced by University City United Methodist Church over the past three years, is set to hit select cities nationwide on March 30, 2009. A small church in Charlotte, North Carolina, very far removed from the scene in Hollywood, will release the feature film with a remarkably wide spread launch, opening in 100 theaters in 34 states across the U.S.. An inspirational story of hope and redemption, The One Lamb captures the elements of life transforming films such as Chariots of Fire and the recent Fireproof, telling the poignant story of the rise and fall of a promising campaign manager/lawyer named Jackson Price, played by Bryan Forrest, who is battling cancer and competes in the New York City Marathon as part of a personal spiritual rebirth. Although Price is facing an enormous battle against the cancer rapidly destroying his life, his biggest struggle is the fight against the mistakes of his past. Price is befriended by a cranky, retired pastor who helps find redemption for his past failures and hope for his future. Starring John W. Price, Alyson Lowe, Anna Holmes and Bryan Forrest , The One Lamb highlights a crew of dedicated volunteers from different races, backgrounds and walks of life joined together to give their talents and their hearts to this motion picture experience that is sure to inspire. Mike Minter, 10-year NFL superstar Safety for the 2003 Superbowl runner-up Carolina Panthers, makes a featured appearance in The One Lamb as a spirited pastor. The film also features a powerhouse performance by John W. Price (Pastor Earl) that is sure to garner high critical praise. In addition, Bill Ebel, who was the on-set, contributing editor for the blockbuster release FIREPROOF, has done a masterful job editing this powerful film.
The movie is written and directed by visionary Bryan Forrest who turned to a grassroots marketing plan similar to the recent blockbuster hits FIREPROOF and Facing the Giants, having developed the film over the past three years. “Every part of me, creatively and spiritually, was consumed by this story,” he said. “I had to get it out or I was going to go crazy.” “People are losing hope in America,” admits Forrest. “This movie will remind us all that it is time to hope again. And hope big! We did.” The One Lamb was filmed on location in Charlotte, Concord, New York City and Holden Beach, N.C. The movie was shot by a crew of just 6 people with only one camera. Forrest is a first time screenwriter and admits he didn’t know how to bring a story from the written word to the big screen. “I actually used a book I kept next to my computer entitled How to Write a Screenplay. I knew I had been called to write this story and was faithful God would reveal His plan for making it into a movie.” Forrest explains. Forrest initially presented the idea to his home church council at University City United Methodist Church, and they unanimously agreed to establish the movie as a non-profit ministry of the church. “The church had undertaken a lot of creative projects before, but never something on this scale,” said Matt Guild, the church’s minister of worship and the arts, who also plays a role in the film. “But everyone thought it sounded like a great idea.” Throughout the summer of 2007, enthusiastic church members showed up to casting calls for the opportunity to play featured roles. Most were first time actors with no experience. In October of 2007, with a shoestring budget, one camera and mostly church members as cast and crew, filming began on The One Lamb and a nationwide theatrical release was born. Over the past year, Forrest has formed alliances with area churches, asking them to support the film. And in a most unorthodox visionary endeavor, Forrest is creating plans to drive around the country in an RV plastered with posters of the movie to raise money and support. While on the road, he is considering running a series of marathons, visiting churches, cancer centers and other community events to promote the film surrounding the forthcoming DVD launch, following the March 30th theatrical release. A National Advance Screening of The One Lamb will be presented in 100 cities at the same time, this Monday, March 16th at 1:30 p.m. Admission is FREE and seating is limited to a first come first serve basis.
To find your city and theater, visit:
theonelambmovie.com/screening
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