Sanctuary Records will re-issue the debut album from Birmingham heavy metal band QUARTZ in early 2004. Originally issued on Jet Records in 1977, the album was produced by BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi and features guest appearances by Ozzy Osbourne and QUEEN guitarist Brian May.

Considered one of the leading NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) bands, QUARTZ guitarist Mike Hopkins had previously played with John Bonham's WAY OF LIFE while second guitarist Geoff Nicholls would join BLACK SABBATH in 1979. Drummer Malcolm Cope was involved with pre-production for BLACK SABBATH's "Born Again".

Over their career QUARTZ toured heavily — playing the Reading Festival three times ('76, ''77 and '80) — and touring as support to the likes of UFO, IRON MAIDEN, SAXON, GILLAN and RUSH. The band released four albums.

The following is an edited extract from Garry Sharpe-Young's acclaimed BLACK SABBATH biography "Never Say Die" (more info):

QUARTZ was on the rise and having Tony Iommi acting as producer on their album lent extra kudos. "Working with Tony as a producer on our debut record was great, very different to some of the big name producers we had used in the past," reckons Malcolm Cope. "Tony put guitar on two tracks on the record and even played his flute on 'Sugar Rain'. He's a great flute player. Not many people know that."

Contracts kept any notion of actual performance credits out of the public arena as acknowledged by Geoff Nicholls. "Tony had produced the record and he was obviously going to play on it too. It's just that we couldn't say that at the time for legal reasons. He did quite a bit on the record actually, a couple of solos. Ozzy sang on 'Sugar Rain' too. Again, we weren't allowed to credit him."

It would not only be the SABBATH duo that featured on the record. Tony's friend Brian May of QUEEN fame was invited down to the recording studio. The man would get to add a splash of that famous hand made guitar onto the track "Circles", once more featuring a certain Mr. Ozzy Osbourne on backing vocals. "Ozzy tried to put some harmonica on too," laughs Malcolm.

"Circles" inexplicably never made the album, only appearing as the B side to the subsequent "Stoking The Fires Of Hell" single.

The Sanctuary re-release features many bonus tracks, including "Circles", and liner notes from Garry Sharpe-Young. A detailed QUARTZ biography and discography can be found at Rockdetector.

DIET OF WORMS Begin Work On New Album

DIET OF WORMS, the Florida-based band featuring SAVATAGE singer Damond Jiniya and MORBID ANGEL producer Juan "Punchy" Gonzalez, have set "Hactivision" as the working title of their fourth studio album, tentatively due in the summer.

The follow-up to last year's "Tantrum Land" CD is currently being recorded at the group's own studio (D.O.W.) in Seffner, Florida, where MORBID ANGEL and UNHOLY GHOST tracked their most recent albums.

The group — whose current lineup is rounded out by Orbis (bass, keyboards, vocals) — recently parted ways with drummer Steve "Divine" Wright. According to the band's web site, Steve "left the ranks to pursue other interests. We wish him all the luck in the world...and then some."

NOOSEBOMB, the Brockton, Massachusetts-based band featuring former members of GRIEF and DISRUPT (guitarist/vocalist Jeff Hayward and bassist Randy Odierno) along with drummer Mike Butkiewicz of BANE OF EXISTENCE, will release their debut CD, "Brain Food For The Braindead", in the spring of 2004 through Shifty Records.

The album was recorded with producer Bill T. Miller (GRIEF, DISRUPT) at Headroom studios in Boston in November and will feature artwork by Eric C. Harrison (GRIEF, 16, FISTULA).

NOOSEBOMB's musical style is being described as "[the sound of] GRIEF injecting caffeine into their veins while drinking beers with CELTIC FROST."

Upcoming NOOSEBOMB show:

Feb. 28 - Cambridge, MA @ All Asia Café (w/ HIRUDINEA, UNEARTHLY TRANCE, THE DYING LIGHT)

For more information on NOOSEBOMB, visit the Shifty Records web site at this location.

John Henderson of Naples Daily News is reporting that RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson faces criminal charges after a scuffle with Collier County sheriff's deputies at The Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida on New Year's Eve.

Lifeson, a.k.a. Alex Zivojinovich, a founding member of RUSH, was arrested after what deputies describe as a drunken, violent outbreak at the posh hotel.

Zivojinovich (mug shot), 50, faces six charges that include aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and disorderly intoxication. Also arrested in the brouhaha were his 33-year-old son Justin Zivojinovich (mug shot) and Justin's wife, Michelle (mug shot), 30.

Deputies say they had to use a stun gun on Alex Zivojinovich and his son during the fracas. And in their reports they accuse Alex Zivojinovich of pushing a female deputy down a hotel stairwell during the struggle, and of spitting blood on a deputy's face.

But his son Justin, who was visiting his father on vacation from Canada, gave a very different account of what happened during an interview Thursday night.

He said his father, who was still in the Collier County jail as of late Thursday, had his nose broken by deputies, and as he was spitting out the blood from the injuries, deputies assaulted him again. He also said his father did not push the female deputy down the stairs as stated in arrest reports.

Instead, Justin Zivojinovich said, the deputy tumbled down the stairs as she pushed him down the stairwell.

He said the trouble began after he got up on the stage where the house band was performing at the hotel.

"I was singing Happy New Year's, that's all I was doing, singing to the whole crowd. That's all I said, 'Happy New Year,'" Justin Zivojinovich said. "Everyone was enjoying themselves. That's when someone apparently started yelling for one of the security guards. There was no violence on our part.

"I was ready to leave. I was asked to leave, and I said, 'OK, I'm going to go. I'll grab my wife and be out of there.' They didn't want that. They didn't want me to leave on a high note. They felt they would lose. They decided to aggravate me. They stunned me, as well as my father, with a stun gun." Read more.

ABLOOM (formerly MOTHRA), the California-based group featuring former SOULFLY members Mikey Doling (guitar), Marcello D. Rapp (bass), and Roy Mayorga (drums), have posted two new tracks in MP3 format at their official web site. The songs, "January 2nd" and "What You Came For", will be available for download for one day only.

ABLOOM's current lineup is rounded out by guitarist Levon Sultanian and vocalist Jason Radford (both of ONESIDEZERO). The band, who are presently unsigned, expect to release their debut album sometime in 2004.

McFarlane Toys will be releasing a new Gene Simmons "Destroyer" 12" action figure in April, according to the German KISS fan site KissFanShop.de. More information (in German) and a photo of the toy can be viewed here.

In other news, Simmons has posted the following message on his official web site:

"Spent the day of New Year's Eve looking at real estate space for our new Cable Network project (which I'll be able to talk about soon).

"Wound up New Year's Eve at Hef's PLAYBOY MANSION. No better party exists anywhere on the planet. The lovely Miss Tweed came with me and sightings included: DREW CARREY, who was in great spirits, a very 'happy' BILL MAHER, MICHAEL KEATON and Playboy's Miss October '03, AUDRA, Gene Simmons Tongue cover girl SHAUNA SANDS, our very own TOMMY THAYER and his lovely date DEVON DEVASQUEZ, and HEF himself, surrounded by his seven (!!!) live in girl friends."

GORGOROTH new homepage and DVD
 
Gorgoroth have their brand new homepage up and running! Besides merchandise, a download section, the latest band news, a forum and a guestbook you'll find more universal band information and new pictures from every Gorgoroth member (taken by the approved Peter Beste!). This page will be updated regularly and it's definitely worth to behold! Check that hellish site at www.gorgoroth.org
The guys are also preparing a live DVD which will be released next year. It'll be recorded in Poland / Krakow and you can look forward to an amazing live show, unique bonus material and interviews. "We have a big thing going on in Poland this month - DVD production, with lots of pyro, gallons of blood, live crucifixion, nude models used and abused in the name of Satan" says Infernus.

More news regarding that matter can be found on the guys new homepage soon!