News about The Killing Words:

Summer may be over, but the catch-up on postings is only getting started. We’ve captured shows by Tantric, Candlebox, Doro and My Chemical Romance on camera, with lots of sweet results. You can practically see the sweat flying off Doro’s crew at their Highline Ballroom gig, and My Chemical Romance’s light show at Madison Square Garden was as colorful as fireworks. Among the next items to come: A lengthy posting on my latest writing and photography work.

Awaiting the autumn,

Titus

News about The Killing Words:

Yes, an actual update! Slowly (much much much more slowly than I’d ever intended) The Killing Words is getting back up to speed. Work, work and more work has kept my hands tied, although that’s a story for the next blog entry. For now, there are two new items posted. Guest contributor/Testament afficianado Sian Flinders gives you the lowdown on Testament’s visit to Starland Ballroom (we severely regret the publishing delay, but better late than never), and Chris Peary corresponds with fellow guitarist Joe Satriani about his latest intergallactic endeavor, Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock. Turns out Satch’s musical noodlings have made a lateral move from aliens to robots. Go figure.

Christa

News about The Killing Words:

Good morning! Our first photo gallery is up, and it’s of—you guessed it—Queensrÿche. The setting: Nokia Theater in New York on Feb. 8, during the band’s Hits and Rarities tour. We snapped the Rÿche onstage and off, capturing some memorable images of Mike Stone’s headphones, Michael Wilton’s teeth, Geoff Tate’s sax skills and Scott Rockenfield’s wry expressions. Eddie Jackson, despite battling a bad cold, also photographed like a trooper. Enjoy!

News about The Killing Words:

No April foolin’—She’s officially here!

Name: The Killing Words

Date of conception: Sometime in September 2007

Date of birth: In the wee minutes of April 1, 2008. (She’s no preemie—she was just impatient to arrive.)

Proud mother: Christa Titus

Father(s): Determination, stubbornness, eccentricity. (Kindly withhold comments about the mother’s moral character.)

Godparents: Web sages Therese McKeon, Ken Pierce

Sign: Aires. It’s no accident that she’s a fire sign whose astrological symbol is the stubborn goat. You can get an idea what of kind of personality she will likely display at Bewitchingways.com. But it will be tempered with her mother’s more cautious and even-keeled Virgo nature.

Future ambition: To be one of the best rock/metal sites on the Web.

Thanks for paying her a visit!

Greetings!

In addition to giving updates on The Killing Words, this section will serve as notice for the latest items I have published in other magazines/Web sites or other related news. Check back often, for I tend to keep maddeningly busy.

News about The Killing Words: First, a major thank you to Therese McKeon and Ken Pierce for their support and guidance in the birth of my most demanding, exhausting, challenging and rewarding Internet child. Therese is a photographer/Web guru/my therapist for all things TKW-related who does the nuts and bolts of the design, trains me in Wordpress and holds my hand as I weep over such life-threatening decisions as what colors I should make the text. She is as patient as she is competent—and Therese is very damn competent. Peruse her body of work at theresemckeon.com and her music site shoutweb.com.

Ken is master and commander of beloved metal Web site piercingmetal.com. Whenever I attend a show, odds are 2-1 that not only is he in the vicinity, he’s also met the band, interviewed them, shot their show, distributed his card and picked up his next assignment. He provides much advice related to TKW. I am full of gratitude, yet I must ask: Please reinstate Raul, your high-maintenance receptionist. I know he’s a saucy bitch, but he gets things done.

Meanwhile, the Archive section is a work in progress. My hope is to collect as much of my writing and photography here as possible. I’ve also put it together because with the Web changing so frequently, links tend to go dead and stories get lost. This links below are to what I have published so far since the beginning of this 2008.

Queensrÿche
Photo for R&R
Event: Backstage at Queensrÿche’s Feb. 8, 2008, concert at Nokia Theater, New York.
Pictured, from left, are Queensrÿche’s Michael Wilton, radio personality Eddie Trunk and Queensrÿche manager Susan Tate.
Published March 1, 2008. © Copyright 2008/Christa Titus

Queensrÿche
Photo for Billboard
Event: Backstage at Queensrÿche’s Feb. 8, 2008, concert at Nokia Theater, New York.
Pictured, from left, are Universal Music’s Kevin Chiramonte, Queensrÿche’s Eddie Jackson, Queensrÿche manager Susan Tate, Queensrÿche’s Geoff Tate and Michael Wilton, radio personality Eddie Trunk and Queensrÿche’s Mike Stone and Scott Rockenfield.
Published March 1, 2008. © Copyright 2008/Christa Titus

Queensrÿche
Live review and photos for Metal Edge’s Web site
Summary: With greater audience anticipation of the set list restored, Queensrÿche
lightened up in typical fashion—delving into songs about abandonment, the drug trade, treacherous artificial intelligence and stalking.
Feb. 8, 2008; Nokia Theater, New York
Posted February 2008
metaledgemag.com

Ascension of the Watchers
Live review and photos for Metal Edge’s Web site
Summary: The ambient rock group’s decision to hold the event at the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors reflected its music’s purpose: to reach a willing audience beyond the audio level, hopefully stirring its inner consciousness.
Feb. 18, 2008; Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, New York
Posted March 2008
metaledgemag.com

Kaki King
Review of Kaki King’s song “2 O’clock” for Billboard
Summary: “2 O’clock” from “Dreaming of Revenge” (March 11) details a gray afternoon where King examines a relationship’s final countdown as her lover sleeps in.
Published March 1, 2008
billboard.com

Enemy of the Sun
Q&A with Waldemar Sorychta of Enemy of the Sun for Blistering.com
Summary: When drummer Dave Lombardo left groove/thrash outfit Grip Inc. and returned to Slayer full time, Grip principal Waldemar Sorychta immediately started assembling another band.
Posted February 2008
blistering.com

Theory of a Deadman
Review of Theory of a Deadman’s song “So Happy” for Billboard
Summary: Theory previously skirted from overly cribbing Nickelback (604 is Chad Kroeger’s label), but it finally gives into temptation on “So Happy.”
Published Feb. 16, 2008
billboard.com

Black Tide
Article about Black Tide for Billboard. (Picked up by more than 15 news outlets, including the Washington Post and ABC News.)
Headline: Black Tide Proves You’re Never Too Young To Rock
Published Feb. 23, 2008
reuters.com

10 Years
Review of 10 Years’ song “Beautiful” for Billboard
Summary: “Beautiful” purposely drifts as it rocks, comfortably winding to its resigned end.
Published Feb. 16, 2008
billboard.com

DragonForce
Review of DragonForce’s song “Through the Fire and Flames” for Billboard
Summary: They all have to keep time as one to gloriously cavort through a song that’s so over the top, you have to smile—and air-guitar with glee.
Published Feb. 16, 2008
billboard.com

AshesDivide
Review of AshesDivide’s song “The Stone” for Billboard
Summary: This is nicely handled alterna-pop that [Billy] Howerdel pierced together with help from seldom-seen Concrete Blonde principal Johnette Napolitano and [A Perfect Circle] drummer Josh Freese.
Published Feb. 9, 2008
billboard.com

k.d. lang
Review of k.d. lang’s album “Watershed” for Billboard
Summary: “Watershed,” k.d. lang’s new torch-and-twang exploration, will hover delicately in the background of many a coffee shop, but it does little to elevate itself to a more conscious musical experience.
Published Feb. 9, 2008
billboard.com

Bullet for My Valentine
Review of Bullet for My Valentine’s album “Scream Aim Fire” for Billboard
Summary: Determined treatise “Scream Aim Fire” is a joy ride of sleek, “Guitar Hero”-ready metal that’s indoctrinating both genders into the fold.
Published Feb. 9, 2008
billboard.com

Alter Bridge
Review of Alter Bridge’s single “Watch Over You” for Billboard
Summary: Like the images of nature it invokes, “Watch Over You” is pristine and majestic.
Published Feb. 2, 2008
billboard.com

Egypt Central
Review of Egypt Central’s song “You Make Me Sick” for Billboard
Summary: First single “You Make Me Sick” strikes all the right notes for radio, likely because Josh Abraham (Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park) knows his way around this kind of airwaves-ready rock.
Published Jan. 19 2008
billboard.com

Bullet for My Valentine
Review of Bullet for My Valentine’s song “Scream Aim Fire” for Billboard
Summary: Welsh up-and-comer Bullet for My Valentine puts haters on notice from the first drum kick of “Scream Aim Fire” as to what to call them: a metal band, and don’t you forget it.
Published Jan. 19 2008
billboard.com

Bullet for My Valentine
Article about Bullet for My Valentine’s album “Scream Aim Fire”
Headline: No. 1 With A ‘Bullet’? A Bonafide U.K. Hit, Bullet For My Valentine Aims For A Piece Of The American Pie
Published Jan. 12 2008
billboard.biz

News about upcoming items I am publishing: I’ve just completed an article about Epicurean, a Minnesota band that blends progressive metal with hardcore, for Metal Maniacs. It’s my first article for the magazine and is scheduled to appear in the July issue. Thank to editrix in chief Liz Ciavarella for giving me the green light ; )