Peta2 Serj Tankian has spent countless hours trying to raise the awareness of human rights, and now in a new Peta2 video he’s taking the time to address how we view animal rights, as well. The System of a Down singer challenges the idea that animals are lesser beings on this planet, and states, “I think that’s something that we always forget with our self-differentiation and egos – that we think that we’re different, but we are animals.” By putting out the idea that we as humans are actually animals, too, the singer is hoping that it changes the way that we view things like the killing of other creatures. Tankian says that he’s surprise that there aren’t more people adopting animals from shelters. “There’s so many animals in the shelters right now and have been for a good period of time and statistics are that at least 50% of them are killed,” says Tankian. “It’s cause no one adopts them, and it’s a shame.” He also chimes in on the seal slaughter that goes on annually in Canada, stating, “It’s shocking that something like this could still be happening today.” The singer has joined the likes of fellow rockers Dave Navarro , Rise Against ‘s Tim McIlrath, OTEP , Dillinger Escape Plan , Social Distortion ‘s Mike Ness and more in teaming with peta2 in trying to sway the way that humans view cruelty toward animals. Tankian’s peta2 video can be seen below: Watch Serj Tankian Talk To Peta2 [button href=”http://loudwire.com/system-of-a-down-serj-tankian-offers-his-take-on-the-2012-u-s-presidential-election/” title=”Next: Serj Tankian Talks 2012 Presidential Election” align=”center”]
Prospect Park Congrats are in order for Five Finger Death Punch , as the group’s latest record, ‘ American Capitalist ,’ has been certified gold for shipping over 500,000 copies in the United States. The band’s previous two albums — 2007′s ‘The Way of the Fist’ and 2009′s ‘War Is the Answer’ — also achieved the mark. ‘American Capitalist’ shot out of the gate with a solid start, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart back in October 2011. Guitarist Zoltan Bathory says of the accomplishment, “I think it’s a huge win for all of us, not just for us as a band but for the entire genre of hard rock and heavy metal. This is a loud and clear indicator that heavy music is in demand and if a relatively new band like us can accomplish something like this, then maybe this is just the prelude for the shape of things to come.” The album sales also coincide with the band’s chart success with their singles, as the group has surpassed 3.6 million songs sold. In total, the group has scored ten Top 10 singles at Active Rock radio and a No. 1 song with the current single ‘ Coming Down .’ Singer Ivan Moody says, “Radio stations across the U.S., and basically the whole world, have been very supportive of the band. We are grateful and remain indebted to them for stepping behind us, and as our fan base continues to grow year after year, it is clear that rock radio is far from dead. People are listening.” Five Finger Death Punch spent the summer headlining the Trespass America tour, and they’re currently catching a breather before finishing up 2012 with their performance on the Shiprocked Cruise leaving from Fort Lauderdale, Fla,. on Nov. 27. Guitarist Jason Hook recently stated that the group is looking ahead to the ‘American Capitalist’ follow-up and have an eye toward January to start work on the effort. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/five-finger-death-punch-invite-next-generation-of-heavy-metal-onstage/” title=”Next: Five Finger Death Punch Teach Next Generation of Metal” align=”center”]
Photo by Zac Fisher The Devil Wears Prada ‘s new single ’Mammoth’ is one of the most powerful songs off the band’s critically acclaimed 2011 album ‘Dead Throne,’ and now Loudwire is proud to bring you the exclusive premiere of the tune’s equally powerful music video (watch below). The video offers a visual contrast, as the clip opens with a joyful infant inside an open wooden coffin. As the camera opens to wider shots we see the coffin moving in mid-air in a contradicting world. Below there are fields of green, beautiful nature scenes and a ground lit by a sunny day. Above, ominous clouds hover over the child. As the video continues, that joyful infant grows into a young boy and eventually a elderly man, but the expression on his face has grown solemn, mirroring the intensity of the track and the skies above. The Devil Wears Prada themselves are also featured in the video, as Mike Hranica and Jeremy DePoyster deliver their vocals in silhouette against the backdrop of the burned out sky while the other band members pound away on their instruments. Not only is ‘Mammoth’ featured on the album ‘ Dead Throne ,’ it also has become a favorite at live shows and appears on the band’s ‘ Dead & Alive ‘ concert disc. At present, the Devil Wears Prada are catching a break in the schedule after a successful summer on the Mayhem Festival . The group will pick up their instruments again Oct. 18 when they launch a European trek that will keep them on the road through late November. Watch The Devil Wears Prada’s ‘Mammoth’ Video [Exclusive Premiere] [button href=”http://loudwire.com/the-devil-wears-prada-mike-hranica-talks-dead-throne-touring-with-slipknot-dance-parties/” title=”Next: The Devil Wears Prada Talk ‘Dead Throne’ + Dance Parties” align=”center”]
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire DevilDriver frontman Dez Fafara has made good on his promise to help out his sister Kerri by writing and releasing a benefit song about her that will help raise funds for her breast cancer treatment. Fafara states, “‘Dark Meadowlark’ is about my sister, who is a ray of sunshine, but has a dark sense of humor, much like myself, thus the [track title].” The singer also tweeted, “Love and light to my sister Kerri, diagnosed with breast cancer. She has always had my back since we were kids.” Kerri says, “As soon as my big brother heard … he unleashed the most powerful healer there is – compassion. Not a day has passed without a message of love and encouragement from him. That’s really what gives us the strength to take the next step – knowing that someone cares about us 100 percent.” Even with insurance, Kerri is unable to cover the costs of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation that is yet to come. In addition, she’s relocated from Idaho to California to be closer to the treatment center. To make a donation, you can check out Kerri’s Microgiving website here . To purchase ‘Dark Meadowlark,’ click here . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/dez-fafara-dishes-on-devildriver-next-album-love-for-punk-rock-more/” title=”Next: Dez Fafara Discusses Next DevilDriver Album” align=”center”]
Nuclear Blast Records A couple of weeks after releasing the audio version of ‘For Your Vulgar Delectation,’ Cradle of Filth has unveiled a lyric video for the track from their upcoming album ‘The Manticore and Other Horrors.’ It’s set to be released on Oct. 30. Frontman Dani Filth also details the band’s latest escapades, including a video shoot, on the band’s blog . With the imminent release date for ‘The Manticore and Other Horrors,’ Cradle of Filth has been traveling worldwide doing press. Filth describes in a posting an interesting flight from France to Germany, recalling, “I am sat next to a woman with mild Tourette’s. Mild, as it’s fortunately only random whistling and exclamations as opposed to defamation and swearing, yet strangely enough it’s still unnerving even for @$$%&£@ me. I inadvertently keep my head buried in the Dennis Wheatley ‘Black Magic’ paperback I bought secondhand in Brighton a few weeks back, as landing brings on a bunch of R2D2 style expletives from the poor woman.” Filth also gives a behind the scenes look at the filming of the video for ‘Frost on Her Pillow,’ perhaps revealing a bit too much information. “I have to withstand not taking a poo for nigh on five hours due to the constraint of being physically locked into my costume by a bloody great chain,” explained the singer. “Still, it’s a riot, especially miming to the track, and I make myself hoarse for the first time in years actually singing over the blistering loud PA, then very shrill-sounding having had the bloody great chain swing pendulously back into my testicles, being leather-covered notwithstanding.” As you’d expect from a Cradle of Filth video, there are plenty of interesting characters. Filth describes, “Theres a Canadian Incubus, a glut of wenches, a fearsome-looking voodoo priest who ends up borrowing my contact lenses to become even more fearsome-looking (lovely bloke mind despite the head shrinking curse he puts on me), the beautiful victim Nina and some nice authentic Victorian props, pulpits, a glass coffin and plenty of fire!” Filth has posted several photos of the press junket and video shoot in the blog post. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/cradle-of-filth-unveil-the-manticore-and-other-horrors-track-listing/” title=”Next: Cradle of Filth Unveil ‘The Manticore and Other Horrors’ Track Listing” align=”center”] Watch the Cradle of Filth ‘For Your Vulgar Delectation’ Lyric Video
Noel Vasquez, Getty Images Veteran punk rockers Rancid have set up shop in a San Francisco studio to record what will be their eighth album, reveals drummer Branden Steineckert via Twitter . Details are sparse on the group’s new disc, which will be their first since 2009′s ‘Let the Dominoes Fall.’ The band has yet to reveal their producer, though Bad Religion’s Brett Gurewitz has overseen each of their records since 2000. While an official release date has not been announced, the disc is tentatively expected to arrive in early 2013. Rancid will break from the studio on Oct. 16 to play a benefit show in Los Angeles at the home of Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea . The event, which takes place on the bassist’s birthday, will raise funds for Flea’s non-profit Silverlake Conservatory . Rancid will then finish out 2012 with a U.K. tour launching in Belfast Nov. 28. In related news, Rancid singer Tim Armstrong just revealed via Twitter that his other band, the Transplants, are currently in the process of mixing their next album.
Lucy Johnston, Getty Images The Melvins are in the midst of their ’51 States in 51 Days’ tour, attempting to set a Guinness World Record for fastest tour of the United States. Frontman Buzz Osborne has been keeping a tour diary at Spin.com , and had some interesting observations about previous tours with Nine Inch Nails and White Zombie . Playing Sioux Falls, S.D. on the tour reminded Osbourne of the last time the Melvins played there, which was with Nine Inch Nails in the mid ’90s. He remembers NIN smashing up the dressing room there, causing about $30,000 in damage. “This was NIN’s ‘Downward Spiral’ tour, which ended up being the bands zenith, meaning it was their biggest and most interesting album along with the biggest and most semi-interesting point in their career,” Osborne writes. “I honestly didn’t know much about NIN before this tour. I mean I knew they were popular with the MTV baby rock crowd and that they had sold a lot of records but I had never actually listened to one of them. Why would I? I usually have no interest in checking out what sort of bands the baby rockers dig. This is as a result of almost always hating whatever bands the baby rockers dig.” Osborne says at least Nine Inch Nails and their crew were nice to them during the tour. He can’t say the same about White Zombie, and unloads with both barrels. He describes it as the worst tour experience of his life, due mainly to a road manager dubbed ‘Mr. Mullet.’ “Mr. Mullet told us straight up that he was going to see to it that we got fu–ed over every night PA-wise in order to not piss off his boss, the swollen White Zombie dictator Rob Zombie,” Osborne recalls. “And it just went from there. He openly told us that Rob acted a prick to him, and that’s how life on the road was going to go for us as well. Perfect.” He goes on to say, “One insane thing after another every day for the whole tour. On one of the few times we actually got a soundcheck, Mr. Mullet came on stage and pulled the plug because Rob was eating and that we were to “shut the f–k up” because he didn’t like the “noise.” The ’51 States in 51 Days’ tour isn’t even halfway done yet, with plenty more tour diary entries to come. Hopefully Osborne will spill more great stories from the good old days as the tour progresses.