sick-thrash

What a few months this has been for At War. Our plane has just returned to the good ole USA and we could not be happier with our trips to Mexico City and Germany! (again). I would like to take this chance to thank Antonio, Jose, and Javier, for the great show and super awesome hospitality they showed us while in Mexico City. This show was absolutely killer! The thing that struck me the most was how the metalheads of Mexico are so true. I only wish American fans were as rabid as our southern counterparts are. We met some very cool people and want to play more in their great country.

You know (or maybe you don’t), but we almost had to cancel these two shows. Shawn was rushed into emergency surgery on tuesday and we were to be on a plane bound for Mexico City on Thursday. He had back surgery where they had to remove parts of a herniated disc. He is a real Metal Warrior, refusing to back down on these shows, he did an excellent job and everyone appreciated what he went through. We too are in awe of his dedication. He is doing much better now and we have no doubt he will be completely healed soon. Good Luck bro!

On to Germany!! The “Headbangers Open Air” Festival in Bramstedt outside of Hamburg was one of the coolest things we as a band has ever done. We’d like to thank Thomas and Jurgen for having us and really putting on a top notch event. This was three days of pure unadulterated “metal for maniacs pure”. We met so many cool bands and people from all over the world I can’t begin to mention the half of them. If you have ever wanted to go to a European festival I cannot recommend this one any higher. Wacken is the biggest… H.O.A is the truest!! This show was filmed by “Streetclips” TV and a video of the show will be released. Look for it!!

On the At War front here’s the latests news: ok for the September issue of “Metal Edge” Magazine due on the stands on August 7th and check out the free compilatin CD that comes with the magazine. It contais an all new At War song “Semper Fi” from our upcoming new CD “Infidel”! This is the first brand new song we’ve recorded in 17 years. We are still working hard on the new CD and hope to be in the studio by November. We are also proud to announce that our new CD “Infidel” will be released on “Heavy Artillery” Records with wide distribution. This deal with “Heavy Artillery” is a matter of fate for us. What a perfect match!

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 07/30/2008

It’s been too long and I wanted to give you all an update, after all you deserve it! Since I last posted, we went to Germany and thrashed it hard! I have to tell you, all of my best expectations were exceeded ten fold. That show could not have gone better or be better run or have a better crowd! It proved once and for all! METAL LIVES in Germany!! I want to thank everyone who showed up and most of all to Oliver for inviting us and to our good friend Wolfram for acting as our guide and all around cool guy!

As a result of that show we have been invited to play this years “Headbangers Open Air” show in July along with the likes of Exodus and Sodom. This is one of Germanies most looked forward to shows of the year and we are proud as hell to be a part of it. We will allso be making our first of what hope to be many trips to Mexico on July 19th at the “Circo Volador” along with veterans Agent Steel! We are STOKED to be playing to the Mexican Metal fans.. the scene there is incredible! For those who can’t make it to those two shows… we will be playing in Brooklyn, NY on June 22nd with the one and only Possesed!! The last time this happened was 20 years ago at the famed L’amours! Get your asses out there!

The new live DVD should be out by the end of June and it kicks the proverbial ass! The material for the new CD is coming right along and we are still hoping to be in the studio by August! Thanks for your patience! It will be worth the wait!! The skate decks will be here in the next few weeks, so those of you who have pre-ordered, their coming and those of you who want one, there are only a few left, so get your orders in!

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 05/26/2008

Gutten Tag!! We are just mere weeks away from landing on the shores of Europe and the Deutschland metal scene! We cannot wait. It has been long overdue and I guarantee… well worth the wait! I can’t tell you how cool it is going to be to get to meet what could be some of the most hardcore followers of metal in the world. We’ll be right where we belong. Make sure to come by and say hi to all of us. We have quite an entourage coming along.

The new cd is also progressing still.. and the new live DVD is on track to make it’s appearance this spring. Thrash Lives!!!

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 02/05/2008

The death of ’07 draws nigh my pretties and what a year it has been for At War! We have put in motion the beginings of what we hope to be the dawning of the new age of At War! The show in October was without a doubt…the Hellfire missle of what will be our new and eternal assault. We thank evryone who attended and by the reviews and reactions it could not have gone better.

Our new DVD should be ready for release early in ’08! You have to check this out.. Damn good if I say so myself. We are steady working on the new CD, so hang in there! We will guarantee kicked asses for all.

We are also looking forward to Germany in February. You have no idea how stoked we are to finally get to play in front of our German fans. They and a lot of the European fans deserve a huge thanks for keeping it metal when the USA was gaying it up during the ninties with the loads and loads of crap that was being released. It feels so good to see the Thrash scene have this resurgence. It the greatest form of music EVER. Keep checking back and drop us a line. We’re looking forward to ’08 and hopefuly we will see you in your home town.

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 12/19/2007

Here we are… on the precifice of what will turn out to be our most monumental show! The BIG ONE! October 26th at the Norva in Norfolk Virginia we are set to kick your asses! We have pulled out ALL the stops on this one. We are so sick of the half-assed lame shows bands put on these days that we swore this show would be nothing like what most folks have come to expect from a band. This will NOT be a concert this will be a SHOW, a Thrash Metal show!

Lights, Camera, Action! We will be filming our first live DVD for release, so wear your At War T shirts and be prepared to go APESHIT! We have on board the largest and best light crew on the east coast, along with the best soundman you could want on your side! We have the hottest young Thrash band on the bill “Merciless Death” they are coming all the way from LA just to do this show and we are so stoked to have them. You must make it a point to see these guys. If any band has it down, it’s Merciless Death. They do thrash right!! This is a great bunch of guys and a personal top choice of mine. I love these guys and so will you. What can I say about Download… They are one of the most brutal bands I know, and also great friends… I have seen these guys tons and am always blown away by their sheer brutality. Be prepared to get swept away in the pit that they will surely get started.

I want to thank everyone who has pushed us to get to this point and want you all to know that we do this for you and you only.. sure it will be fun for sure, but it is you that we dedicate this show to. I thank you all from the bottom of my soul and thank you for forcing me to see what I was missing! URAH!! Be prepared to Eat Lead!!!!!!

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 10/09/2007

Well Deloras we are back from Brooklyn and all I can say is “HELL MUTHAFUCKIN YES”!!! The show could not have kicked more ass if there was more ass-kicking going on. It feels so great to get back on the stage and be made to feel so welcome and appreciated as the folks in Brooklyn, NY did us.

It was such a pleasure to be on the bill with so many killer thrash bands. I can’t thank Tom Pascual enough for doing such a great job and being such a huge supporter of At War and the entire scene. We thank you man! The crowd response and level of enthusiasm made us go off even more. I want to thank everyone who came out to show support. To those of you who could’nt make it.. Your turn is coming!!! Thanks

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 08/29/2007

Sorry for the delay in posting updates but we’ve been rollin baby! A lot has happened since I last updated this. We’ve gone from talking the talk about playing out again to being 6 days away from the big RE-EMERGENCE show. That’s right folks we are six days away from busting out in Brooklyn, NY. We will be throwing audible murder out on Sunday August the 26th at Club Europa as part of the World War IV Thrash festival with 9 other outstanding Thrash bands including Early Man and Merciless Death and VA’s own Gravewurm, plus many others. We are scheduled to go on around 11:00PM and can’t wait. Get your asses out there! We have been working hard and are fuming!

For all our local VA/NC fans that feel betrayed by us going to NY first… Be bummed NOT! For we have not forsaken you. We are on the verge of announcing the show to end all shows right here in the Tidewater area. This will not be just another show trust me. You will NOT want to miss this!

We have two new shirt designs we will be debuting at the NY show and will be posting more info on them here. Dave’s original drum kit is back and you won’t believe what the combination of Dave Stone and his monster kit is like until you have seen it for yourself. Drummers… school is in session! You gotta love it man!

The new At War CD will be coming sometime early next year! Hey it’s been 14 years what’s another few months huh? We have LIVE in our sights now! Thanks to all of you for the support! Please come by and say hey to Dave, Shawn and myself! Ready as a motherfucker!

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 08/20/2007

Here it is mid May… Man this year is hauling ass! Here’s whats up. We had a set back when Dave had to go in for carpal tunnel surgery about a month ago. We had our first practice last night and I’m happy to say I think Dave will live! He’s still got some numbness, but we are back on track for sure. Shawn and I have been working on new songs while Dave was out and we now have a few more on the roster.

It goes without saying that the studio is still a few months away, but we’re still hoping to be on stage by August! HELL FUCKING YEAH!!!! We are steady building our arsenal of equipment to proportions we and At War fans have never been witness to. God help the soundman and your ears. Thanks again for all your support and encouragement it means everything! Stay Metal!!

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 05/16/2007

Moving into the fourth month of rehearsals since we started in earnest to bring to you At War the state of the union is ….Great! December was full of downtime due to holidays and injuries, but we are back on track and with a vengence. I continue to be hounded by all kinds of people wanting to know when? when? when? Here’s what i can tell you. We have decided to focus our attention on the material for the new album, so we are now in a writing, frenzy. We have some pretty abmitious plans for upcoming releases… yes… I said releases with an s. This means we have a lot of work ahead of us. I just ask that everyone please bear with us. You will not be dissappointed!

I’ve had several people tell me that all folks are going to want to hear live is OTK and Ret. Strike and don’t care about new stuff. Well we do and we’re doing this for us and we hope you dig it as well. When we do our live set you will be propelled into the world of true speed/thrash metal and you wil hear all the classics.

We hope to be in the studio sometime in May and you heard it first here… we are shooting for our first show back to be in August ’07. Though no formal plans have been made these are the tentative dates we are going for. I hope you tell everyone and most of all I hope to see and meet all of you there. Dig It!!

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 02/11/2007

Here we are at the two month mark since we started in earnest to get things rolling again and I can say “the state of the At War Nation is EXCELLENT!”. We have, for the most part, been on track as far as practices go and life has only fucked up a few of our regularly scheduled rehearsals. This holiday season will undoubtably get in the way. We understand this and have agreed that Janurary ’07 will bring a “ramp-up” in the amount of work we intend to get done.

We are simultaniously working on the material for our next album AND our live set. If there are songs you really want to hear live, by all means let us know and we will take all suggestions into consideration. We are at a point where we feel the rust is pretty well gone and we are gelling once again. It’s a good thing…yes it is!

I have been inundated with the same question: When? Let me say, I want this as bad as everyone asking this question. Consider this, It has been over a decade since we played together. Dave, Shawn and I understand this and have all agreed that bottom line is, At War will play when At War is convinced you will be seeing At War in the best capacity possible. We will not do this half-assed! This holds true for the recording of the next album. Rumor has it that Alex Perialas is on board to make sure this happens. STOKED!!

I want to take a moment to express our gratitude to everyone for the overwhelming positive response to what is happening here at the At War camp. I feel naive and stupid not realizing how many people At War had an impact on. If we knew this back then who knows where we’d be now. To all the local musicians and bands: You guys are the best and we all appreciate your support and we will do all we can to bring our scene to the forefront and support all of you!

originally submitted to the At War myspace by Paul Arnold on 12/??/2006