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Briefly: System of a Down, Fantasy Island fest, Celine Dion, Chevelle
System of a Down is "in the late stages of pre-production" for a new album that's expected to hit stores later this year, according to the group's publicist.
The band has been writing and rehearsing new material since January, and hopes to begin recording in early summer.
"The whole world's gone crazy over the past couple of years, so that's brought out a lot of emotions and affected our songwriting," guitarist Daron Malakian said in a statement. "We just want to make a great rock record, a record that will be heavy, but heavy in emotion, not just heavy in riffs."
Velvet Revolver and The Darkness will head up Fantasy Island, a June 26-27 music festival at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, NJ.
According to a press release, the event--co-produced by Maxim, Blender and Stuff magazines--will take place at a specially built 10-acre park at the resort.
Velvet Revolver heads up the festival's first day, sharing the bill with Robert Randolph and The Family Band and other guests to be announced. The Darkness headlines day two, with Fountains of Wayne also confirmed.
Celine Dion has called off her Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (5/12-14) performances of "A New Day ..." at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
According to a press release, she has been hampered by a sprained neck for the last week, and a doctor has recommended five consecutive days of rest.
Chevelle is in a Los Angeles studio, working on the follow-up to 2002's "Wonder What's Next," according to Epic Records. The band is producing the set with Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who engineered "Wonder What's Next."
One track that is expected to appear on the new album is "Still Running," which is featured on "The Punisher" movie soundtrack. Epic expects to issue the as-yet-untitled album this fall.
