Veteran San Francisco Bay Area melodic metallers VICIOUS RUMORS

have confirmed that they have signed a multi-album recording contract with Holland's Mascot Records (as first reported here last week).

“Mascot Records is a very 'guitar shred'-oriented label signing guitar legends such as Michael Schenker, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman and now VICIOUS RUMORS' Geoff Thorpe & Ira Black have now been added to their monster guitar roster,” reads a posting on VICIOUS RUMORS' web site. “Label President, Ed van Zijl, and Geoff Thorpe have worked together before in the early days when VR first broke into Europe — Ed was then with Roadrunner Records.”

The group's first release for Mascot will be a DVD, entitled “Crushing the World – Part 1”. Included on the disc will be the following:

* VR live at the Wacken Open Air & Bang Your Head festivals in Germany.
* Tour clips from the 2002 European tour with SAVATAGE
* Clips from U.S. gigs in 2002 with AEROSMITH, SCORPIONS & DEATH ANGEL.
* 3 new, unreleased songs “that kill!”
* AND, as a special bonus, four MTV videos from the '90s featuring none other than the late, great Carl Albert and the old-school VR lineup!!!

The group's follow-up to 2001's “Sadistic Symphony”, titled “Immortal”, is tentatively due before the end of the year. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include “Poveglia”, “Broken Wings”, and “Fight”. More information will be made available soon.

February 23. 2004