Metal Assault: News

Occult Rock Bands BLOOD CEREMONY and ANCIENT VVISDOM to Support On Highly Anticipated Winter Tour!     

Mysterious Swedish buzz band GHOST has announced that it will embark on its first ever North American headlining tour in January, 2012.  GHOST cult leader “Papa Emeritus” (who takes the stage in the form of “a satanic pope”) and his anonymous ghouls will team up with doom rockers BLOOD CEREMONY and ANCIENT VVISDOM for a two week trek dubbed the “13 Dates of Doom” tour that will launch on January 18 in New York City.  GHOST continues to tour in support of its debut album Opus Eponymous, which has been called “amazing” byStereogum and “a primer on the creation of melodic hard rock” by The Big Takeover.

GHOST floored music fans with its first U.S. shows earlier this year and served notice that it is not only a “band to watch” but a force to be reckoned with for years to come.  In its live review of GHOST‘s NYC show, the Village Voice called the group’s performance “lurching and menacing”, saying “Ghost’s sound is like heavy metal trapped in a state of suspended animation since 1973”.  Check out the band performing the song “Satan Prayer” as part of its headlining set at the 2011 Maryland Deathfest at this location.

“It is with an evil haunting chuckle that we are announcing that we are finally coming to North America,” states GHOST‘s Papa Emeritus.  “In the name of Satan, we will conduct thirteen rituals in thirteen different cities throughout the United States and Canada and now we are summoning all of our devotees to partake in these blasphemous eves of black magic.”

GHOST‘s Opus Eponymous is a daringly fascinating combination of satanic rock music merged with an almost unthinkable pop sensibility.  Enveloped in a shroud of mystery and standing anonymous beneath the painted faces, hoods and robes which their sect demand, the GHOST deliver litanies of pulsating heavy rock and stimulating lyrics which “glorify and glamorize the disgusting and sacrilegious”.  The music and philosophies of GHOSTspecifically target “individuals who have a void in their life perhaps caused by some form of emotional trauma or upset” (research suggests these are most likely adolescents); this dearth can then be alluringly filled by GHOST‘s music and philosophies.  LA WEEKLY recently tagged the band as part of a hot list of “Bands Bringing Rock Back To Metal” callingGHOST “incredibly catchy dark-rock” with “Hooks and melodies that stay with you for days”.

The itinerary for the GHOST / BLOOD CEREMONY / ANCIENT VVISDOM winter North American tour is as follows:

January 18       New York, NY              Bowery Ballroom
January 19       Washington, DC          Rock N Roll Hotel
January 20       Boston, MA                 Middle East (downstairs)
January 21       Montreal, QC              Corona Theatre
January 22       Toronto, ON                The Mod Club
January 24       Chicago, IL                 Bottom Lounge
January 25       Saint Paul, MN            Station 4
January 27       Denver, CO                 Marquis Theatre
January 28       Salt Lake City, UT       The Vertigo (The Complex)
January 30       Seattle, WA                 El Corazon
January 31       Portland, OR                Hawthorne Theater
February 1       San Francisco, CA        Bottom of the Hill
February 2       Los Angeles, CA           The Roxy 

Swedish metallers IN FLAMES will join forces with Florida’s TRIVIUM for a co-headining North American tour in January/February. Support on the trek will come from VEIL OF MAYA and KYNG.

The dates are as follows:

Jan. 12 – The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
Jan. 13 – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak, MI
Jan. 14 – Rams Head Live – Baltimore, MD
Jan. 15 – Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA
Jan. 17 – The Ritz Ybor – Ybor City, FL
Jan. 18 – Center Stage – Atlanta, GA
Jan. 20 – Warehouse Live Ballroom – Houston, TX
Jan. 21 – Emo’s East – Austin, TX
Jan. 22 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
Jan. 24 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
Jan. 25 – Burton Cummings – Winnipeg, MA
Jan. 27 – Edmonton Events Centre – Edmonton, AB
Jan. 28 – MacEwan Hall Ballroom – Calgary, AB
Jan. 31 – Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC
Feb. 01 – Roseland Theatre – Portland, OR
Feb. 02 – Knitting Factory Concert House – Boise, ID
Feb. 03 – Showbox SODO – Seattle, WA
Feb. 04 – Knitting Factory Concert House – Spokane, WA
Feb. 06 – The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA
Feb. 07 – Wiltern Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
Feb. 08 – The Marquee – Tempe, AZ
Feb. 09 – Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM
Feb. 10 – The Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
Feb. 11 – The Beaumont Club – Kansas City, MO
Feb. 13 – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH
Feb. 14 – Sound Academy – Toronto, ON
Feb. 15 – Metropolis – Montreal, QC
Feb. 17 – The Palladium – Worcester, MA
Feb. 18 – Best Buy Theater – New York, NY
Feb. 19 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
Feb. 21 – House of Blues – Chicago, IL

“After a restless night spent hurtling through the desolate Canadian wilderness, I crawled from my bunk on the tour bus to face reality, grudgingly aware that the the dark dream that gripped us would not fade with the day. We have lost a brother, a husband, a son, and one of the most talented musicians that ever slung an ax. Cory Smoot, longtime lead guitar player for the band GWAR, has passed at the age of 34.

As the singer of GWAR and one of his best friends, I feel it is my duty to try and answer some of the questions that surround his tragic and untimely death. I know the sense of loss and pain is far greater in scope than in the insulated environment of a band on tour, and I will do my best to provide what clarity and comfort I can.

The most glaring question is how? And unfortunately that is the hardest question to answer. The truth will not be known until the medical officials have finished their work. All I can do is relate what we saw with our own eyes.

The last time I saw Cory was after our show in Minneapolis on Weds. night. It was a great show at First Avenue in Minneapolis, one of our favorite places to play. Cory was happy. He was excited about the band and especially the new studio he was building in the Slave Pit back in Richmond. He was deeply in love with his wife, Jamie, and was busily planning their family and future in the beautiful home they had. As usual, after some autographs and banter, I was probably the first person in their bunk as we got ready for a big drive into Canada, and Cory and the rest of the guys were not far behind. As I fell into the slumber that only playing GWAR shows can induce, everything seemed right in the world.

We found Cory the next morning as we collected passports for a border crossing. He was in his bunk, unresponsive, and it quickly was clear that he was dead. It was without a doubt the most horrible moment of my life. That’s all I can say about it.

Within moments everybody was off the bus, standing in a wind-swept parking lot in the middle of nowhere, trying to come to grips with the shock of it. First the ambulance arrived, and then the police, but there was nothing that could be done other than fully investigate the scene and remove Cory with care and respect.

We are completely devastated and shocked beyond belief. One night we had our friend and colleague, happy and healthy in the middle of our best tour in years- and the next morning, so suddenly, he was gone. Never have I seen starker proof of the fragility of life.

Cory will be transported home to Richmond over the next few days, and an announcement regarding services will be made soon. We ask everyone to respect the families wish for privacy, and especially to keep his wife, Jamie, in your thoughts and prayers.

As we work our way through these difficult days the question is — what will GWAR do? After a lot of consideration, we have decided to carry on with the tour. Although the great temptation would be to return home, curl into a fetal position, and mourn, we can’t do that. First off, Cory wouldn’t want that. He would want us to go on and would be pissed if we didn’t. Plus we know the fans don’t want us to quit. They are going to want a chance to come to grips with their loss, and there is no better place to do that than at a GWAR show. Though it’s hard to believe, I think we all would feel a lot worse if we stopped. For better or worse we have to see this through.

That doesn’t mean that Cory will make his final journey without us. When the arrangements have been finalized, Cory’s best friend and GWAR’s music tech Dave “Gibby” Gibson, and myself will return home to attend the services and pay the proper respects to our comrade.

Out of respect to Cory, we have officially retired the character of Flattus Maximus. Flattus has decided to return to his beloved “Planet Home”, and will never return to this mudball planet again. And this is a sadder place for that.

Just the other day I heard Cory tell a story about how some 20 years ago he was fourteen years old, at his first GWAR show, grabbing at the rubber feet of our then- current Flattus, and how blown away he was at the fact that now HE was the one getting his feet pulled by the same kid that he used to be. Cory was always in awe of the patterns of life and went through it with a wide-eyed amazement that translated through his playing. I’ve never known anyone who could pick up literally any instrument and rock it the first time he touched it, and more than that make it look easy. Behind that rubber monster outfit, and sometimes even obscured by it, was one of the most talented and beautiful people I have ever known. I know everyone who’s life was touched by Cory truly loved him, as do we, his bandmates and brothers.

There should be some kind of announcement soon regarding services, etc. It would be great to have a memorial show at some point soon, where some of the bands that Cory worked with could come together and show their love for this truly amazing man who left us all too soon and will be sorely missed by many, many people.”

Dave Brockie, Nov. 4, 2011

Gigantour 2012 dates (more to be announced):

Jan. 26 – Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
Jan. 27 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
Jan. 28 – New York, NY – Theater at Madison Square Garden
Jan. 29 – Lowell, MA – Tsongas Arena
Feb. 01 – Glens Falls, NY – Glens Falls Civic Center
Feb. 02 – Quebec City, QC – Colisee Pepsi Arena
Feb. 03 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Feb. 05 – Kingston, ON – K-Rock Centre
Feb. 07 – Oshawa, ON – General Motors Centre
Feb. 08 – Hamilton, ON – Copps Coliseum
Feb. 09 – Auburn Hills, MI – Palace of Auburn Hills
Feb. 10 – Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
Feb. 12 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom
Feb. 14 – St. Paul, MN – Myth
Feb. 16 – Saskatoon, SK – Prairieland
Feb. 17 – Edmonton, AB – Shaw Conference Centre
Feb. 18 – Calgary, AB – Big 4 Building
Feb. 20 – Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Ent & Sports Centre
Feb. 21 – Kent, WA – Showare Center
Feb. 23 – San Jose, CA – Events Center
Feb. 24 – Universal City, CA – Gibson Amphitheatre
Feb. 25 – Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre
Feb. 26 – Albuquerque, NM – Tingley Coliseum
Feb. 28 – Denver, CO – The Fillmore Auditorium