(BTBAM photo credit: Andrew Lipovsky)

Here’s a fun little tidbit to get the metalsphere salivating this afternoon: The Number of the Blog is reporting that MetalSucks-fave multi-instrumentalist Keith Merrow is teaming up with Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler and Between the Buried and Me axeman Paul Waggoner on a new side project. I contacted Keith this morning for comment, and here’s what he had to say about it:

As of right now, it’s a very casual collaboration. We have 3 or 4 song ideas we’ve tossed around over the past few months, and they are all really cool. Very different from any music you’d hear from each of us, individually. All of us are pretty busy these days, but this is a collaboration that we are all really excited about!

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It’s true, and it’s finally here — after so many relentless album spins, Germany progressive metal collective The Ocean will finally grace our earholes stateside and decimate the back room at Public Assembly in Brooklyn. Add to the mix MS faves East of the Wall and death-grinders Flourishing, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a show.

Vince and I will most certainly be in tow and whiskey’d up, as will Toto and the Tin Man, and many more of your least-favorite NYC r-tards….

JOIN US.

Thanks to BBG from Brooklyn Vegan & Rich Hallford from 1000 Knives for making this show happen.   Dreams can come true.

Be sure to catch The Ocean on their MetalSucks-sponsored tour around ‘merica with Job For A Cowboy and BTBAM starting this Friday — tour dates after the jump.

-KW

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We’ve been hoping this day would come ever since we saw Devin Townsend open for Cynic and BTBAM on the Bonergasm Tour back in January; Devin basically played like a headliner on that tour anyway, despite his 3rd-from-the-top billing slate. The big lights, the scrims, the crystal clear sound, the totally pro performance… in our minds and our metallicized hearts, Devin headlined that show. Except it was like a really short, 30 minute headline set where two great bands played after him, leaving us with a severe case of Devin blue balls.

Blue balls no more, now that Devin will be doing his first ever U.S. solo headline tour come October. Wait, strike that — blue balls will continue, as only six West Coast dates have been announced. DAMN YOU, Devin! And damn you Anso DF, as the resident Los Angeles MetalSucks correspondent, for being the only one who gets to attend this tour and fap furiously along to DT’s music along with 1,000 or so other horny fans. And damn you all Europeans, who can catch Devin this Summer. Damn everyone.

In case you missed it, check out the posts Devin wrote for us when he took over MetalSucks for the entire release day of his album Addicted. It was, like, really cool and stuff.

West Coast Devin dates are posted after the jump. Hopefully a full U.S. tour is in the works…

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This, the final track off my #1 album of 2007, blows my frickin’ mind every time. Where the fuckin FUCK can this band go from here?!? I for one expect a great deal from BTBAM’s next offering, and can’t wait to see these dudes on a serious headlining tour, even bigger than the halloween show me and my broken shoulder attended (when I almost drunkenly/stupidly rampaged the pit). Not that supporting Opeth n Dream Theater is a bad gig…

In any case, this is an epic one, long n proggy as shit…just the way we like ‘em

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME – “White Walls”, from Colors (2007)

Hmmm…me wonder who’s me’ll pick for #1 this year? Tune in on Monday for all the gory detailzzz…

-KW