Wow. I guess there is something to this acoustic record with a possible country flavor that mastermind Jonathan Davis is working on. Pulse of Radio reports this morning Marilyn Manson says he’s working on “Southern-sounding” acoustic blues material — and that it will feature Korn‘s Jonathan Davis. Speaking in a Reddit session with fans, Manson revealed a “completely unexpected” project he hinted at earlier this month was an unplugged record, explaining, “That’s some of the plans of the style of music that I’m working on right now. I don’t know what it’ll turn into. Some of it will be with Jonathan Davis, I think, because he has plans of doing something similar — something that might even cross over the boundaries of being more Southern-sounding.” Manson added, “I did record (1995 EP) Smells Like Children in Mississippi, which is where the blues came from, so there might be something more acoustic and blues in my future. I like the rawness of it.”
Davis recently posted a photo on Instagram showing him working in the studio with country duo Big & Rich on what was dubbed a “country music project.” Manson and Davis last joined forces in 2002 on a song called “Redeemer” for the soundtrack of the movie Queen Of The Damned. The shock rocker also recently said he was working on music with actor Johnny Depp, and added that he wouldn’t be surprised if he and Smashing Pumpkins frontman William Corgan collaborated in the studio as well after their upcoming summer tour together. The Manson/Pumpkins End Of Times tour begins on July 7th in Concord, CA. Check out Manson’s entire Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session here Went to JD’s Facebook and he confirmed it too. So this “blues” thing is coming around in a HUGE way, eh? Oh and speaking of Jonathan, appears from a post on his Facebook that his oldest son, Nathan (Nate) was married on May 30th. Congrats to Nate and the Davis family!
Shinedown released a new song called “Cut The Cord,” which will serve as the first single from the band’s upcoming new album. The group’s fifth studio effort will come out in September, although an exact release date and title are yet to be announced. Shinedown singer Brent Smith told us what we can expect from the record: “A lot of bands and a lot of artists take the initiative to say — if they’re lucky enough to get to a fifth album — ‘Yeah, it’s such a different record’ and all these things. And you listen to it and you go, ‘That’s cool, it sounds exactly the same as your last records.’ That’s really not the case with this. It’s a devastating record. It’s a heartbreaking record. It’s a beautiful record, but it’s ferocious.” Smith said in a statement about “Cut The Cord,” “In your truest moment of weakness . . . When everyone and everything has betrayed you, and evil and hatred has wrapped itself around your mind, body and soul . . . this is the song that you play. This is the statement to the world that you will not give up, you will not give in, and you refuse to fail!!! Now is your time . . . to ‘Cut The Cord.‘” Shinedown will embark on its first major tour in more than two years this summer, visiting theaters and other intimate venues across the country. Nothing More will serve as support on the bulk of the headlining dates. Shinedown returns to the road starting on July 9th in St. Petersburg, FL.
Disturbed singer David Draiman told a Boston radio station that the band’s upcoming album Immortalized contains its first-ever attempt at a love song. The vocalist, known for his dark and often pessimistic lyrics about human nature, said that a track called “You’re Mine” was written for his wife Lena, adding, “It’s something that I had not done, really, on any record, and it’s probably Disturbed’s first attempt at, dare I say, a pseudo, kind of, love song. It’s lyrically not as dark as you’ve come to expect from us.”
Guitarist Dan Donegan told us the recording sessions for Immortalized were the most open-minded of the band’s career: “Everybody at any moment could make a suggestion and we would try it. There was no ideas that weren’t at least tried to be executed. Any suggestions that came up, we tried them, and we’d see if it made it better.” Draiman said the album’s closing number, “Who Taught You How To Hate,” was inspired by becoming a father, explaining, “Children playing in a playground, they don’t pay attention to the color of skin, or their religion, or what part of the world they come from, or how much money they have. It’s pure, it’s simple, and it’s unbiased and it’s beautiful. And that was definitely one of the things that my son showed me, and it’s definitely reflected in that song.”
Draiman spent a lot of time during Disturbed’s four-year hiatus with Lena and their son Samuel, who was born in September 2013. He took time away only to record and tour briefly with his side project Device.
Immortalized will arrive on Aug 21st and features the single “The Vengeful One,” which is just about to break into the rock radio Top 10. The album is available for pre-order everywhere and follows 2010’s gold-certified Asylum, Disturbed’s fourth consecutive Number One on the Billboard album chart.
Spoke with Padge (Michael Paget), Bullet For My Valentine guitarist from outside a pub in Cardiff, Wales yesterday! I would expect him to be no place else! LOL The band is getting ready to pack up to head to South America on their first leg of their Venom Tour in support of the album due Aug 14th. Their tune “No Way Out” is in Smash Or Crash this week, and of course Padge encourages you to vote for them! And the band also just dropped their first official single “You Want A Battle (Here’s A War).” It’s very heavy subject matter deals with domestic violence & abuse. Matt Tuck said it was inspired by his young days when he was severely bullied in school for being different. Check out the video and stay tuned for the interview to air on hardDrive and hardDrive XL with Lou Brutus!
Blabbermouth reported Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett will appear at next month’s Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA at the Nuclear Blast / Stern Pinball / KVH Toys / JSR Merchandising booth. Fans in attendance who buy one of the new series of limited-edition figures from Hammett’s horror toy line at the booth are guaranteed a ticket on Saturday (July 11th) for either a 1:30 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. signing session by Hammett.
Gotta dash. Aranda are coming into the studio today. More tomorrow!