Phil Demmel collapsed on stage today during Machine Head’s last song at the Sonisphere Festival in Pori, Finland, but reports are saying that he is fine.

Phil stated to Sonisphere:

“Basically I want to apologize to all the fans for cheating them of their last song. I feel I short-changed the fans and really want to make it up for them, thanks for all the concern.”

Phil suffers from a rare condition called Cardiogenic Syncope, which causes the heart to have a sudden drop in blood flow, causing blackouts.

[via: Blabbermouth]
[image: Newscom]

Post from: Metal Martyr

• Byzantine breaks up…3 days after they release Oblivion Beckons.
• Light This City break up before releasing the last record.
• Arsis changes members more than their underwear.
• The Black Dahlia Murder lose a guitarist…steals one from Arsis.
• Phil Demmel of Machine Head passes out twice on stage.
• DJ Sid from Slipknot breaks both of his feet…keeps on trucking.
• Joey Jordison breaks an ankle, cancels UK shows.
• Nachmystium gets booted from the Opeth tour for undisclosed shenanigans.
• Kristen Randal shows her boobs…and they’re only slightly better than Amy Winehouse’s.
• Winds Of Plague drummer Jeff Tenney abruptly leaves the band mid-tour. Says he’s tired of seeing Kristen Randall’s boobs.
• Gwen Stacey singer Bobby Oakley leaves the band…cites that he’s going to sing for Mary Jane Watson.

• All That Remains Cancels remaining US tour dates Thanksgiving week due to vocal issues with Phil Labonte.
• Gorgorath’s Gaahl almost, slightly, kind of admits that he is a homosexual.
• Axl Rose released Chinese Democracy.
• Scar Symmetry loses a singer…hires two more.
• Metallica released an album that wasn’t really all that bad.
• Divine Heresy fires Tommy Cummings and an alleged assault takes place later on.
• Tommy Cummings is hired by funk-metal band Snot to fill the shoes of the late, great Lynn Strait. (That was a totally unintentional rhyme)
• Limp Bizkit reunion rumors float around…for a day.
• Celtic Frost break up again.
• Gas prices rise to over $5.00 a gallon and bands start to drop off tours left and right.

The list goes on but these are just the ones I could think of right now. If you can think of some more, please feel free to fill it in the comments section. Other than that, it’s been a great year in metal. 2009 can only get better!

Post from: Metal Martyr

This time of year there is never a surplus of time for anyone. Besides the snail speed flow of report worthy metal news this week, time just hasn’t been on my side. To keep things short, here are some significant things that went on the Metal since Friday.

• Machine Head’s Phil Demmel collapsed on stage again on Friday. This is the third time it’s happened and the second time it’s happened this year. Machine head has canceled the last tow shows on this leg of their tour and will be heading back top the states. Phil suffers from a rare heart condition called Cardiogenic Syncope. Wish him well as Machine Head will be heading back out on tour on Wednesday with Metallica and The Sword.
• Lacuna Coil has revealed the name of their next album as “Shallow Life” which will come out some time in 2009. For the record I, like many others still find Christina Scabbia extremely sexy.
• Chimaira is in the mixing stage of their follow up to Resurrection. I still haven’t heard of a release date for this yet.
• Job For A Cowboy parts way with guitarist Ravi Bhadriraju just as they’re are getting ready to hit the recording studio. No word a yet who will replace Bhadri…Bhadrij…Bhadji…him.
• Haste The Day has lost their drummer. Devin Chaulk has decided to move on after 8 years with the band and pursue active ministry with his family.
• Say It Ain’t So, Dave…Rumors are starting to flow over the net that the next run for Megadeth’s Gigantour will have bands on the bill such as Avenged Sevenfold and Bullet For My Valentine. I’ve never been to a Gigantour and unless it swings by my way I probably won’t go to one anytime soon. With that said I still feel for anyone that wants to go to see Megadave play and has to sit through those two bands. Let’s just hope that it’s a bad rumor. Hit up the Megadeth Forums and beg and plead with Dave not to let this travesty happen!

Post from: Metal Martyr

Axl and Vince over at Metalsucks interviewed Phil Demmel (Machine Head) and Troy Sanders (Mastodon) at Mayhem fest (Badass concert) a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been waiting for their lazy asses to transcribe them already and finally they did. Here are excerpts from each, but if you want to read the entire interview then you’ll have to follow the links over to Metalsucks.net.

With Phil Demmel of Machine Head:

Wow. How does it feel to have been a part of an album that’s been so well received by old fans, new fans, and the press? Everyone seems to have just really climbed on top of this album and loved it…

I’m proud of it, man. I am, because it was a long writing process and the recording process… it seemed like nobody wanted us to finish this record. Problems just kept coming up with gear, the studio, ProTools and everything. I mean anyone who’s an artist wants their art to be liked, so it’s like redemption because I joined this band when it was at its lowest point. It’s been like an escalator ever since. It hasn’t stopped. I’m playing with the guys that I’ve always wanted to play with. They’re my favorite band, and to be able make music like this makes me really proud.

Read The Rest here

With Troy Sanders od Mastodon

So is the new album more in that hard rock direction as well?

I think most of our new material is going to be more under the rock category, but it’s pretty epic and involved, extremely layered, broad, melodic, dark, and creepy. When we met up with Brendan, he had heard some of our demos and he liked some of the rock elements that we had with our stuff. We told him that we were interested in recording, quote, “a classic rock record that will hopefully have a long shelf life and have solid songs from start to finish, and that will live a lot longer than just listening to it a few times and shelving it.” Our favorite records of all time that we always constantly revisit in our own collection are by bands like Journey, Yes, King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Kansas, and all the shit that we grew up with and were inspired by and continue to revisit. We kind of wanted to attempt to capture a record like that, [at least] in our eyes and ears. The stars had aligned perfectly because Brendan’s a perfect match, a funny dude and a great musician who has an amazing ear. He can pick out little things that we can try to do that we hadn’t even thought of before, whether it be vocally or sonically with the guitars or something. So it is going to be more of a rock kind of Count Chocula-meets-Deep Purple thing. That’s kind of what we’re saying. We finish that record in September. There’s currently not a title, other song titles aren’t confirmed, and that’s all we can really say about that record now because we’re not going to spoil the element of mystery.

Read The Rest Here

Post from: Metal Martyr

“I’ve suffered from episodes of Cardiogenic Syncope for the last 17 years or so,” Demmel said. “But [doctors] ran a series of tests that came up inconclusive. I hadn’t had it happen for awhile until last December in Italy, when I passed out roughly about the time my father passed away back in the States. The incident in Virginia felt similar to what has happened in the past. I have to thank my techs Alan, Brian and good friend Chief for catching me.”

 

“Today is the last day of the Mayhem Festival and I will be seeing my specialist within the week,” said Demmel. “I appreciate all the concern from all my family, friends and fans.”

I hope it’s nothing serious and Phil  get’s well for his own sake and can continue on with Machine Head. I think he brings a good sound to the band and we’re all looking forward to the follow up of The Blackening.

Post from: Metal Martyr

I’m not trying to give a lesson in hydration here, but too much alcohol and not enough water in the sun and humidity can creep up on you out of nowhere. Dehydration can set in long before you actually pass out from it and it’s tough to get your body to absorb water quickly when it sets in. Even if Phil had been drinking water during his set, he could have already been dehydrated to the point where he needed rest, a cool place and water. It’s tough for people to acclimate themselves to the weather when they are bouncing all over the U.S., and the drinking these guys do on top of that just sets them up to be a heat casualty.

Can’t wait to see what Machine head has next on their agenda.

Post from: Metal Martyr