Signature Grindstix, NAMM & Blast-Off!

News from: www.sickdrummer.com

We are pleased to announce the development of our first 4 signature GrindStix models. We are currently working with: Sean Reinert, Adam Jarvis, Marco Pitruzzella and Eric Park on their own signature Grindstick. Plan on seeing these sticks available sometime around February or March 08'. We will also be introducing an artist incentive program, where a percentage of each signature stick sold, will go back to the artist and a charity of their choice. Talk about working hard to promote Extreme Metal and it's drumming!

On a different note, We will be doing a live interview with Sean Reinert from Winter NAMM in January. There will be capability to login to our interview and ask questions direct to Sean and I believe he will have some audio or video to stream for all the listeners...??

Grind Percussion is going to be hosting our first "Blast-Off" Drum Competition! This will take place in Denver, Colorado early next year. We are aiming for the last weekend in March. The Judging will be led by John Merryman of Cephalic Carnage! There will be plenty of prizes and a nice package for the winner. If you are interested in becoming a competitor or sponsor for this event, please send a message to randy - at - sickdrummer.com

Drummer for DECAPITATED is dead.

DECAPITATED drummer Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka passed away in a Russian hospital from the injuries sustained in a recent road collision. He was 23 years old.

Vitek and DECAPITATED singer Covan (real name: Adrian Kowanek) were hurt in an accident earlier in the week involving DECAPITATED's tour bus and a truck carrying wood in Gomel near the Russia/Belarus border. Both musicians reportedly sustained serious head injuries in the collision.

Forbidden To Reunite

Forbidden To Reunite
by Diamond Oz. (thanks Blabbermouth)

Legendary San Francisco Bay Area thrashers FORBIDDEN will reunite for several shows in 2008. Russ Anderson (vocals), Craig Locicero (guitar), Paul Bostaph (drums), Matt Camacho (bass) and Glen Alvelais (guitar) will bring something that so many of their peers, old-school fans and especially the younger generation of fans that never got to see FORBIDDEN live have been asking for: a true FORBIDDEN reunion!

"We want to show everyone what we used to do was as relevant and powerful as anybody else of that era," Locicero said in a statement released to BLABBERMOUTH.NET. "The gravity of our influence is really dawning on us now and we're very humbled. We owe it in turn back to those who supported our influenced us in the past. We'll be concentrating mostly on 'Forbidden Evil' [1988] and 'Twisted into Form' [1990] material to give the people what they want. The time is right and it's gonna be a lot of fun. 2008 will also be the 20th anniversary for the release 'Forbidden Evil'. It'll be VERY HEAVY and we're all excited to get started."

Added drummer Paul Bostaph: "Though out the years I've been asked about FORBIDDEN by many people. Fans and friends alike have been wanting to see us play live again. I'm very happy to see this become a reality! I've been honored to play in some great bands. To play with Craig, Glenn, Matt and Russ (a truly great vocalist) again will be a longtime wish come true. I hope FORBIDDEN fans get a kick outta this as much as I will!"

FORBIDDEN is looking to book one Bay Area show for late January early February and look into some festivals in Europe, Japan and Australia starting in late May. These will all be exclusive gigs and there are no plans for a full-fledged tour, at least not in the immediate future. Locicero says, "We'll put our blood and guts into it and give it all we've got! Get ready to have your heads ripped off, motherfuckers!!!"

Any promoters and booking agents that need to get a hold of the band can reach out to them at www.myspace.com/forbidden__evil.

NEW SICKENING HORROR DRUMMER By: Diamond Oz. - Blabbermouth

Greek extreme metallers SICKENING HORROR have announced the addition of drummer Yannis Theodorakis to the group's ranks. "Yannis is a very talented musician and a great guy and has contributed some fantastic stuff to our songs, present and future," the band writes in a statement. "He combines speed and groove in a very unique way. The rehearsals are devastating so far and we can't wait for our first gig!"

SICKENING HORROR released its new album, "When Landscapse Bled Backwards", on June 25 via Neurotic Records. The CD was mixed and mastered by Neil Kernon (NEVERMORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE).

NILE drummer George Kollias quit SICKENING HORROR in February 2007. He stated at the time, "We had some major problems the last year and I feel I want no longer play in this band, so I take off on this bad timing since I lose all the good stuff that supposed to follow after the release of our first full-length album. I feel really sad about it after all these years of dedication and the hard work I did for this band…although I know I don't belong there anymore."

Cephalic Carnege

Denver’s Cephalic Carnege have announced a number of globe-spanning tour dates in support of their brand new album, Xenosapien. Cephalic Carnege are currently in Mexico for a headlining tour, their first in Mexico. Immediately following, Cephalic Carnege will join The Black Dahlia Murder for a week-long tour of Australia and New Zealand. Upon returning Stateside, Cephalic Carnege will join up with label-mates Dying Fetus on their US headlining tour along with Skeletonwitch, Demiricous, and The Absence.

Cephalic Carnege released Xenosapien this past May and have recently posted the first video from the album, for “Endless Cycle of Violence”, on their MySpace: www.myspace.com/CephalicCarnage. Xenosapien has been praised by international metal press since its release, being described as “[the] most insane metal ever” (METAL HAMMER), “colorful and dynamic” (DECIBEL), “[an] album made to ridiculously high standard(s)” (BIG CHESSE) and “blindingly expansive” (BRAVE WORDS & BLOODY KNUCKLES).

MAYHEM Drummer HELLHAMMER Joins GAAHL-Fronted Version Of GORGOROTH

GORGOROTH frontman Gaahl and bassist King ov Hell — who are involved in a legal dispute with guitarist Infernus over the rights to the group's name — have released the following update:

"Continuing on with the new agenda now forged for GORGOROTH, Gaahl and King have enlisted none other than Hellhammer (MAYHEM, DIMMU BORGIR) to join them on battery beginning in 2008.

"Gaahl and King are creating a force which will only contain members of a strong and creative energy in honor of the art that is GORGOROTH and their renewed sense of destruction and war! Hellhammer possesses these ideals and he will add another dimension to this new and different beginning.

"Please welcome Hellhammer to the battle!"

GORGOROTH recently entered Grieghallen Studios in Norway with producer Pytten (ENSLAVED, TRELLDOM) to begin work on a new live album, "Live in Grieghallen 2007".

GORGOROTH's video for the song "Carving a Giant" has been posted online. The track comes off GORGOROTH's latest CD, "Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam", which was released last year via Sweden's Regain Records. -Blabbermouth.net

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