Graspop Metal Meeting

BLACK SABBATH REUNITES TO RECORD FIRST NEW STUDIO ALBUM IN 33 YEARS AND LAUNCH MASSIVE WORLD TOUR IN 2012

OZZY OSBOURNE, TONY IOMMI, GEEZER BUTLER AND BILL WARD UNVEILED THEIR PLANS ON 11/11/11 AT A LOS ANGELES PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE WHISKY A GO-GO, WHERE THE BAND PERFORMED THEIR FIRST LOS ANGELES DATE EXACTLY 41 YEARS AGO.

After much speculation, the original four members of BLACK SABBATH, OZZY OSBOURNE (vocals),TONY IOMMI (guitar), GEEZER BUTLER (bass) and BILL WARD (drums)--have reunited to record their first studio album in 33 years with producer Rick Rubin (seven-time Grammy winner, two of those as Producer of the Year) and to embark on an extensive world tour in 2012.

OSBOURNE, IOMMI, BUTLER and WARD as well as Rubin gathered last week on (11/11/11) to announce the news at a Los Angeles press conference at the legendary club, the Whisky A Go-Go, the site of the groundbreaking and influential band’s first L.A. concert exactly 41 years ago (Nov 11, 1970). The event was hosted by the revered musical and spoken word artist Henry Rollins who has said that “Any band worth their weight in napalm wishes they had written ‘War Pigs.’”

Selling over 70 million albums together, the Grammy-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees have signed a new record deal; worldwide with Vertigo and Vertigo/ Universal Republic in the U.S.,the band’s original label. BLACK SABBATH is now in the studio recording the as-yet-untitled new album for release in the fall of 2012 (exact date TBA). It will mark their ninth studio album together and their first since 1978’s Never Say Die!

Next summer, BLACK SABBATH will do a worldwide headlining tour and yes, it’s official! BLACK SABBATH have been confirmed as headliners for the 17th edition of Graspop Metal Meeting and will close the festival on Friday 22 June.

BLACK SABBATH also announced the launch of www.blacksabbath.com, the first-ever official BLACK SABBATH website for all authorized BLACK SABBATH news. Expect to see more coming from the band by way of Facebook and Twitter.

BLACK SABBATH released their self-titled debut album in 1970. “Black Sabbath is credited with creating heavy metal,” according to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “The success of their first two albums--Black Sabbath and Paranoid--marked a paradigm shift in the world of rock. Not until Black Sabbath upended the music scene did the term ‘heavy metal’ enter the popular vocabulary to describe the denser, more thunderous offshoot of rock over which they presided.”
In 1998, BLACK SABBATH released Reunion from their 1997 concerts in Birmingham, England, a two-CD live set. The band periodically got together to perform shows from 1999 - 2005; headlining Ozzfest in 1999, 2001, 2004, & 2005. They've now enthusiastically reformed to record and release a long awaited; long overdue full length album.

Graspop Metal Meeting is very proud to secure one of the true giants in metal history. What can we say about Black Sabbath that hasn’t been said a thousand times before? Widely regarded as the founding fathers of the genre, Black Sabbath and heavy metal are still going strong after more than forty years. Black Sabbath will appear in the original lineup that churned out metal milestone after milestone between 1969 and 1979: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) have not only announced their long-awaited reunion but a new studio album is also in the works. Rick Rubin (seven-time Grammy winner, two of those as Producer of the Year) has been hired as the producer for the new release, which will feature the foursome’s first new material since 1978.

Black Sabbath played a blistering set at GMM1998 and now they’re back for more. Prepare to delve into forty years of metal history with the absolute masters of the genre!

IMPORTANT FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT

We regret to announce that OZZY OSBOURNE has been forced to cancel Saturday evening’s performance at Graspop Metal Meeting. Regretfully, Ozzy has severe laryngitis and his doctor has ordered an immediate 72 hours vocal rest before further evaluation.

Says Ozzy: “ I was so looking forward to performing at the legendary Graspop Metal Meeting. It really pains me to let people down and it is with great disappointment that I am unable to perform for the great fans of Belgium.”

We wish him all the best of course!

Obviously we need to reschedule the programme. Judas Priest will now headline on Saturday in a two-hour performance featuring a special laser show.

Fortunately Channel Zero, Belgium’s number one metal outfit, were more than willing to fill the vacant slot. This is the first time they’ll be playing the new album Feed ’Em With a Brick live.

With career album sales in excess of 100,000 copies, Channel Zero is easily Belgium’s biggest metal band. Last year, they made a triumphant comeback and with their new album finished they are ready for more. Feed ‘Em With a Brick is brutal, vicious and full of power. The album is rooted in metal history but the overall sound, the lyrics and the sheer energy oozing from every track are very much 2011. Channel Zero 2011 AD is Channel Zero at its absolute best.

This is the new main stage schedule for Saturday 25 June:

JUDAS PRIEST: 22.50 / 01.00 - 130' set
WHITESNAKE: 20.20 / 21.35 - 75' set
CHANNEL ZERO: 18.15 / 19.15 - 60' set
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY: 16.20 / 17.10 - 50'set
FIREWIND: 14.35 / 15.20 - 45'set
LACUNA COIL: 12.50 / 13.40 - 50'set
DIABLO BLVD: 11.30 / 12.10 - 40'set

Jag funderar på att åka till Graspop men det är så jäkla långt bort. Vilka tänkte åka dit? Någon med bil?

GMM2011 LINEUP COMPLETE!


The lineup for the 16th edition of Graspop Metal Meeting is complete! Today we’re adding the final four names, including two homegrown bands.

‘Youth is the future’ is a saying that certainly applies to the West Flemish band STEAK NUMBER EIGHT. Winners of the 2007 edition of the prestigious Humo’s Rock Rally at the tender age of 16, these young guns graft their fierce postrock/noise on heroes Isis, Mastodon and Neurosis. Steak started building a faithful following the moment they burst upon the scene and the release earlier this year of their brilliant second album ‘All Is Chaos’ is another major step forward. The band has clearly matured since they blew us away at GMM2008 and who knows what else this year has in store for the Wevelgem quartet? Surely a major international breakthrough is just a question of time… (Sunday 26 June)

DIABLO BLVD the band around stand-up comedian Alex Agnew is coming to Dessel for the second time. They’ve just released a new album, ‘Builders of Empires’, and judging by the new material their GMM set will beat Agnew’s five sold out shows in the Antwerp Sportpaleis hands down. It’s obvious by now that Diablo Blvd is not a frivolous side project at all; this groovy metal uppercut is the real deal. (Saturday 25 June)

With SWEET SAVAGE, GMM proudly presents one of the pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, also known as the NWBHM. Founded in 1979, the Northern Irish band only became known to a wider audience in 1996 when Metallica covered their song Killing Time as a B-side for their single Unforgiven. The band split in 1983 and then briefly reformed in the mid-eighties and towards the end of the millennium, but it wasn’t until 2008 that Ray Haller reassembled the troops for real. The untimely death of guitarist/songwriter Trev Fleming last October was a body blow but the band nevertheless continued work on their new full-length album Warbird. Be sure to check them out! (Friday 24 June)

In 1992, the New York crossover band PRO-PAIN raised a bunch of eyebrows with their excellent debut ‘Foul Taste of Freedom’. The album is still considered a milestone thanks to the uncompromising mix of hardcore and metal. Twelve studio albums later, Pro-Pain are still a force to be reckoned with, especially live on stage. The New York foursome have a special treat in store for their GMM set as they’ll be playing the entire Foul Taste of Freedom album front to back. Whether you’re an early fan or need an introduction, Pro-Pain doesn’t take any prisoners so consider yourselves warned! (Sunday 26 June)

MORE BANDS ADDED TO GMM2011 LINEUP!

We are pleased to announce yet another batch of promising names for GMM2011.
After fifteen years of gothic rock/metal LACUNA COIL can safely be called a household name on the heavy music scene and what better place to blow out fifteen candles than on the GMM stage! Shapely frontwoman Cristina Scabbia narrowly missed out on the title of ‘Sexiest Female’ in Kerrang’s 2010 readers’ poll - much to the chagrin of many a male metalhead we might add. As for the music, Lacuna Coil follows a tried and tested recipe of contrasting voices, infectious beats and captivating melodies! (Saturday 25 June)

‘Can we make it? You bet we can!!’ has always been the credo of Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow. For over thirty years, he’s been the driving force behind ANVIL on their ongoing mission to give audiences worldwide a heavy fucking metal kick in the ass. Lips & Co are primed and ready to showcase their new record ‘Juggernaut of Justice’. Anvil is one of the select few bands whose music remains as relevant today as when they started out all those years ago. Don’t despair if you’re having no luck with the ladies; after all, an eargasm is better than nothing.(Sunday 26 June)
Static-X have played GMM twice before in the past but this time around WAYNE STATIC is going it alone to promote his solo album ‘Pighammer’. The rest of Wayne’s wall of sound will be bricked up with a number of typical Static-X classics: hard, kinky and in your face. (Sunday 26 June)
Late last year, the American metalcore band AFTER THE BURIAL released their third album with ‘In Dreams’. The album is a prime example of what modern metal should sound like. After the Burial is definitely one of the most promising young bands in metal today. One to watch out for! (Saturday 25 June)
Raw, fast, hard and unpolished are just a few of the adjectives used to describe the music of Dirty Rotten Imbeciles or D.R.I. as they are commonly known. For three decades, this American hardcore punk/crossover thrash band has enjoyed a well-earned cult status. Thanks to little gems like ‘Dealing with It’, ‘Crossover’ and ‘Four of a Kind’, their music appeals to punk, hardcore and metal fans alike. The pioneers of crossover are still a force to be reckoned with and they will come, see and conquer old school style! (Sunday 26 June)
Even more old school punk/hardcore violence with THE DWARVES. In the mid-eighties, this American band shook the underground with their raw mix of garage rock, punk and hardcore. Following a seven-year hiatus, the depraved gang is primed and ready for the next round. Fans of pure and unadulerated punk rejoice! (Friday 24 June)

The DIO DISCIPLES are coming to town! Simon Wright, Craig Goldy and Rudy Sarzo have launched a Ronnie James Dio tribute project under the moniker Dio Disciples. Vocalists Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens (Malmsteen, Judas Priest, Iced Earth) and Toby Jepson (Little Angels, GUN) are to share lead vocalist duties and are two of the few singers capable of doing Dio justice. Wendy Dio announced the tribute project herself, claiming that “there will never be another Dio but we wanted to keep the music alive”. We have no doubt the Dio Disciples will do just that. (Friday 24 June)
Formed in 1980, THE RODS declared war on disco with their traditional heavy metal sound. Over a six-year period, The Rods released eight albums full of raw, powerful and uncompromising energy and they toured with some of the world’s biggest metal acts, such as Iron Maiden, Ozzy, Judas Priest and Metallica. The Rods disbanded in 1986 only to reform twenty years later. Today, the power trio are back with (a) ‘Vengeance’, their first release in a quarter century… (Friday 24 June)
Apart from THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, we are also glad to confirm THE BLACK SPIDERS for GMM2011! Last year, this new British band won Metal Hammer’s ‘Best Underground Band’ category and their sound is sure to appeal to the fans of Black Sabbath, The Stooges and Turbonegro! (Saturday 25 June)
CHECK THE DAY SCHEDULE HERE!
Cancellations are always part of the deal and unfortunately this year is no different. MASTERS OF REALITY and ALL THAT REMAINS have cancelled their appearance at this year’s festival. DISTURBED have been forced to cut their European tour short and will therefore not appear at Graspop Metal Meeting 2011.
LAST WEEK TO BUY YOUR BOOZEBAG!
Graspop tokens are the only currency that buy food and drinks at the festival. The price for one token is 2,50 euros. The good news is that the presale price of one token is 2,25 euros. In presale, Graspop tokens are only available in the form of booze bags and are available until 1 May (or while stocks last) in the form of vouchers.
SO BUY YOUR BOOZEBAG NOW!