Machine Head’s manager, Joey Huston, recently took the time out to post a message on the band’s official website at www.MachineHead1.com about the current situation for the band in the USA. “I have not taken occasion to post on this forum, but due to current circumstances I felt it was important. I know many of you have expressed concern, and in some cases, frustration in regards to the release of ‘Through The Ashes Of Empires’ in various territories. I wanted to take this opportunity to clarify things and to express thanks on behalf of MACHINE HEAD and myself for your patience and understanding. “The album was released in Europe and the U.K. on Oct. 27th and it is due out in Australia and Japan toward the end of this month. As for the U.S., Canada and South America, we are still in the negotiation process with several labels. Traditionally, MACHINE HEAD albums have been released almost simultaneously worldwide. Due to circumstances already elaborated upon by [guitarist/vocalist] Robb [Flynn] to you all, this release is different. We have narrowed down the field of potential label partners for the above-mentioned territories, and our hopes are that we will have an agreement in place at some point over the weeks ahead. It is important for MACHINE HEAD to have a label in place that knows the band, the music, and all of you í¢ä‰åäó the people that support them. It is not as much the financial aspect of the deals that is consuming time as much as it is the mechanics of structuring a deal that allows MACHINE HEAD to be MACHINE HEAD. We are fairly close, and of course, as soon as something is inked you all will be the first to know. “These markets, especially the U.S., require a fair amount of lead time to release an album properly (magazine ads, interviews, etc.), but we are confident that a deal will be in place and the process of releasing the album will be well underway before the end of the year, meaning ‘Through The Ashes Of Empires’ should be released in North and South America within the first quarter of the new year. MACHINE HEAD spent the time to write and record an amazing album and were more hands-on with this album then anything they have ever done, and they have done one hell of a job. The tour is going great and everyone is excited about the response that the album is receiving. Do not get discouraged, the album will be out in whatever country you reside in soon, and we will try to be sure you all get a little something special for waiting. Again, thanks to you ALL for your support and your patience, none of this is possible without you.”

As previously reported, on the Roadrage tour we had the bands interview eachother… and in this report, Chimaira’s singer Mark, interrogates their drummer, Andols. 1. When I am in Europe and the UK, I often enjoy the over abundance of late night meals, and amazing food we find. What are your feelings on the matter? “I feel the same way. When I’m hankering for something tasty, nothing satisfies like a bag of chips and a bottle of coke. Hot food be damned!” 2. When was the last time your mamogram went wrong? “I believe it was in my parents van driving to Ohio University. What a fiasco that was!” 3. If you could mate with any member of your band, who would it be, and why? “Definitely Jim, cause he wouldn’t be pushy about it.” as before, much laughter follows

This week ‘Imperium’ is selection #982 in the ‘Banned’ section (10 p.m. – 3 a.m.) Chad Kroeger’s ‘Hero’ has also been re-added – selection #109.

Dirty Americans will be doing a live interview on Detroit radio station WRIF on the Motor City Riffs show this coming Sunday, November 23rd. The show starts at 10:00 PM (EST) and the Dirty Americans are on about 10:30 PM (EST). The band will be playing tracks from their …kiss ’em all goodbye EP, and maybe even sneak in an unreleased track from the Strange Generation CD that will be released in 2004. You can hear the interview live on the internet at www.wrif.com.

Slipknot’s infamous home video release ‘Welcome To Our Neighborhood’ is finally made available on DVD from Monday Nov 17th with bonus unseen footage. You can pick it up for around 퉌£9.99 from HMV, Virgin, MVC, Music Zone and all official ‘Roadrage’ stores or buy online from Amazon.co.uk & get 25% off!

Earlier this week, we brought you Ill Nino’s Top Ten Tour Bus Moments from the Roadrage 2003 tour. Now, this is Chimaira’s… compiled by Andols, Chris, Rob, Jim, and Mark. Chimaira’s Top Ten Tour Bus Moments 1. Sharing with our nu-metal friends in Spineshank. 2. Having 19 people in an 18 bunk bus. 3. Actually getting a bus in the first place. 4. The bus crash. [Andols is confused at this point, and adds a bus crash from a previous tour. Knowing of the Chimaira curse, in which flat tyres, crashes, & fires are not uncommon, we decide it can stay in, as there is still 24 hours of Roadrage to survive.] 5. Rob Koenig (light engineer) bitching out Jim. 6. Mike S. chasing girls on the bus… naked of course. 7. Arguing with Spineshank about who and what is nu-metal. 8. Dealing with Mike Shank and his bullshit. 9. Trying to find McDonalds in the middle of nowhere. 10. Our driver’s refusal to stop at McDonalds, even when they are right off the motorway.

If you’re a Fear Factory fan, you’ll likely have noticed that their official site www.FearFactory.com is down right now. Not much news has been reported on them lately. All gone quiet on the FF front. We dropped Christian a line and asked him what’s up and what’s new…. new band member, album title, touring plans, new songs (& titles), new website, and more…. here’s his exclusive report. “Everything is going great! We just finished tracking 14 songs at Rumbo Recorders in LA. This is where Guns N Roses recorded all their albums! The studio had a great vibe. A lot of history in this place! Roy Orbison still wanders thru the hallways! I must say this was the smoothest record we have ever recorded. We tracked the whole thing in 28 days! The record is called “Archetype” and was produced by FF ourselves. We used Ken Marshall (Skinny Puppy) to engineer and record the album. Another Canadian!! LOL! Currently I’m finishing up programming and keyboards with Rhys Fulber, Steve Tushar and John Bechdel. We will start mixing on the first of December in Vancouver with Ken Marshall. I must say this is a pretty heavy classic FF album and our hardcore fans will be pleased! No watered down songs, no stripped parts…blah blah blah…Just brutal Fear Factory!!!! Raymond has especially pushed the bar in Metal drumming to the next level!!!! The drums on this record make Demanufacture for beginners!!!! LOL…. I played all the guitars and bass on the album and we will start rehearsing with Byron Strout (Strapping Young Lad) on bass guitar in December. He will be our bass player for FF. I feel Byron has the perfect mentality for FF and he’s a cool motherfucker!!!! And he’s from Canada!!!! What’s up with all them Canucks!!!!! LOL! We will be touring with Korn and Static-X in February which we’re really excited about!! Both Static and Korn are longtime friends and I have nothing but respect for those guys! It’s gonna be a great tour…and a great year for Fear Factory! We feel this FF is stronger that ever..more hungry than ever….and most important of all….Burton, Ray and myself have become best friends in the last 2 years! We see and hang out more with each other now than we did in 10 years of touring!!! It feels truly amazing!!!!! The website is under construction. We are doing a better site at the moment! Tracklisting Slave Labor Cyberwaste Act of god Default Judgement Corporate Cloning Archetype Drones Bite The Hand That Bleeds… Bonescraper Undercurrent Human Shields Ascencion (outro) School “Nirvana cover” Bonus track I played some for Ross Robinson and he looked at me saying this is the best work he’s heard from FF yet. Rhys is saying similar things…… It feels good to be back!!!!!” ‘Archetype’ will be released by D3 in the USA, and by Roadrunner in Europe. A release date has tentatively been set for April 2004.

I arrived at the venue around 6:30 and got in line for possibly the gig of the year. The doors opened later than expected, with a girl outside becoming pareletic, best wishes go out to whoever she was. Anyway when we finally all got inside the show really started. Chimaira were on first and what a set considering they only had as much as half an hour, but when they return in February they are now guranteed a following. Mark Hunter split the crowd giving himself the nickname metal moses, but not one of the band gave a poor display. Crunching guitar riffs and intense fast drumming got the pit moving. Songs such as Dehumanizing Process and Cleansation tore the place down, and I dont believe there will have been one complaint, apart from the length of the set, but definitely more than expected from probably the best have metal band to emerge onto the scene in recent time. Pure Hatred ended it and everyone simply went mental. Ill Nino had a tough act to follow and to be honest they certainly didnt disappoint. Their set stretched from songs off the new album such as ‘how can i live’ to older classics such as god save us and unreal. But flashing lights and heavy drummin, three drummers at one point. But the latino mettallers are back and with performances like this i would expect them to be around for a long time yet. A band to look out for all youngsters just gettin into this music. Finally, was Spineshank and they were awesome. Synthetic, Smothered and the beginning of the end. Songs that will long remain in the minds of heavy metal fans all over Manchester. I’ll just say that one special lady made this set very enjoyable for me. [Webm’s note: Oh? Now THAT sounds like an interesting Roadrage tale…] Jonny Santos was ripping up with his ferocious vocals and the guitaring was amazin. Words cant describe how good this band performed on the night, with the finally being Mark Hunter coming on to join Jonny in a last minute rampage. This tour has been a success and for the good of metal, i hope that this continues for years to come, bands such as the ones last night need to get the apprecciation they deserve for all the hard work they put into making these records and putting on shows such as this. Heavy metal lives on in the hearts of those that were their last night, and if this tour continues it will for many years to come. Nice one Richard (and your lady friend…). Good time had by all then!

We thought it’d be fun to have the Roadragers interview eachother…. Questions, decided by the interviewer. Limited to three. Answers, given by another Roadrager… either chosen by the interviewer, or selected at random. Part 1 Interviewer: Jonny Santos (Spineshank) Interviewee: Mark Hunter (Chimaira) 1) How does it feel being the front man of the fastest rising nu-metal sensation? “It’s a lot like cooking dog for dinner. You know all about how both feel, right? It’s unfortunate that you lead the fastest sinking nu-metal sensation. I think that you’re just jealous that Asians are equipped with about an inch of man power eh buddy?!” 2. Describe your life as a post-op transexual? “I think you’re confusing me with our bass player. He is the one who spends an hour in the shower, combs his hair for 2 hours, and looks like he is wearing eye shadow!” 3. Have Manowar sued you for stealing their riffs yet? “Yes they have, much like Orgy sued you… and KoRn… and System… and Stabbing Westwood… and all the other nu-metal sensations that sued you guys! [much laughing follows]

Do note, the following shows below make up the Machine Head European tour. If you are planning to catch a show, make sure you get tickets fast if you haven’t already… a number of shows have already sold out. Here are the dates in full: 10.31 – Dublin, IRE – Ambassador (w/Local Acts) ** SOLD OUT ** 11.02 – Strasbourg, FRA – La Laiterie (w/Kill II This) ** SOLD OUT ** 11.04 – Paris, FRA – Elysee Montmartre (w/Kill II This) ** SOLD OUT ** 11.06 – Barcelona, SPA – Razzmatazz (w/Kill II This) 11.07 – Bergara, SPA – Sala Jam (w/Kill II This) ** SOLD OUT ** 11.08 – Oporto, POR – Teatro S퀌ç da Bandeira (w/Kill II This) ** SOLD OUT ** 11.09 – Lisbon, POR – Voz do Oper퀌çrio (w/Kill II This) 11.11 – Madrid, SPA – Divina Aqualung (w/Kill II This) 11.13 – Milan, ITA – Transilvania (w/Kill II This) 11.14 – Treviso, ITA – New Age (w/Kill II This) 11.16 – Zurich, SWI – X-tra Limmathaus (w/Kill II This) 11.17 – Geneva, SWI – Usine (w/Kill II This) 11.18 – Munich, GER – Elserhalle (w/Kill II This) 11.19 – Stuttgart, GER – Longhorn (TBD) 11.20 – Cologne, GER – Live Music Hall (TBD) ** SOLD OUT ** 11.22 – Luxembourg, LUX – Den Atelier (TBD) 11.23 – Den Bosch, NET – Aardshock Metal Bash 11.24 – Antwerp, BEL – Hof Ter Lo (TBD) ** SOLD OUT ** 11.25 – Lille, FRA – Splendid (TBD) ** SOLD OUT ** 11.27 – London, ENG – Astoria (w/Sikth, Breed 77) 11.28 – London, ENG – Astoria (w/Sikth, Breed 77) ** SOLD OUT ** 11.29 – Portsmouth, ENG – Pyramid Centre (w/Sikth, Breed 77) ** SOLD OUT ** 12.01 – Bristol, ENG – Bristol Academy (w/Sikth, Breed 77) 12.02 – Nottingham, ENG – Rock City (w/Sikth, Breed 77) 12.03 – Birmingham, ENG – Birmingham Academy (w/Sikth, Breed 77) 12.04 – Manchester, ENG – Manchester Academy (w/Sikth, Breed 77) 12.05 – Glasgow, SCO – Barrowland (w/Sikth, Breed 77) 12.08 – Hamburg, GER – Hamburg Docks (w/Sikth) 12.09 – Copenhagen, DEN – Pumpehuset (w/Sikth) 12.10 – Oslo, NOR – Rockefeller (w/Sikth) 12.11 – Stockholm, SWE – Arenan (w/Sikth) 12.13 – Helsinki, FIN – Nosturi (w/Sikth) ** SOLD OUT ** 12.15 – Berlin, GER – Columbiahalle (w/Sikth) 12.16 – Warsaw, POL – Proxima (w/Sikth) 12.17 – Prague, CZE – Roxy (w/Sikth) 12.18 – Vienna, AUS – Planet Music (w/Sikth) 12.19 – Leipzig, GER – Werk 2 (w/Sikth)