DISTURBED RETURN TO THE ROAD SEPTEMBER 22 TO HEADLINE THEIR ‘MUSIC AS A WEAPON’ TOUR

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/KRISTINE ASHTON/ LATHUM NELSON/MARIE REMELIUS

DISTURBED RETURN TO THE ROAD SEPTEMBER 22
TO HEADLINE THEIR ‘MUSIC AS A WEAPON’ TOUR;

NEW MULTI-MEDIA INTRODUCTION PROMISES TO LEAVE FANS ‘DISTURBED’

As their 1.6 million-selling Giant/Reprise debut album THE SICKNESS builds even more momentum–it’s bulleted at #32 this week on Billboard’s album chart after 69 weeks–DISTURBED have announced another major headlining tour. Launching September 22 in Denver, the fall trek is billed as the “Music As A Weapon Tour.” According to frontman DAVID DRAIMAN, we’re “waging a war against the sugar-coated, non-sensical boy-girl pop band bullshit that prevails in the industry and dominates radio and TV. We’re using our music as a weapon.”

Fresh off the Ozzfest mainstage, DISTURBED-lead vocalist DRAIMAN, guitarist DAN DONEGAN, drummer/programmer MIKE WENGREN and bassist FUZZ-have drafted such hard rock allies as Adema, Drowning Pool, Stereomud and Systematic to their cause. The “Music As A Weapon Tour” is being supported by JVC and Pony.

As always, fans should expect the unexpected, including a startling multi-media experience planned for DISTURBED‘s introduction, which, notes DRAIMAN, is “the ultimate statement and the example of how the world deals with people who don’t fit in.” DRAIMAN also revealed in a recent Rolling Stone story that the introduction will “shock, confuse and perhaps offend some people.” For now, DRAIMAN is unable to unveil any details. The stage production will further illuminate the essence of DISTURBED, a band that rails against the forces that try to suffocate individuality, as reflected in the sentiments of their current hit “Down With The Sickness.” Mixing the distinctively rhythmic sound and the primal rage and passion of DRAIMAN‘s vocals, the anthemic rocker is currently #6 and #14 on Billboard’s Mainstream and Modern Rock Tracks charts, respectively. DRAIMAN recently clarified the song’s meaning to MTV Radio: “People always assume that the abuse section in the song is about me and my mother, and it’s not…The mother represents the mother culture of society who’s trying to beat the child–who is striving for individuality and independence–into submission.” As dedicated performers, DISTURBED have built a solid reputation as a formidable live act who deliver fiercely focused shows. In his New York Times Ozzfest review, Ben Ratliff praised DISTURBED as one of four bands who “detonated the crowd,” further noting that DRAIMAN‘s “…authoritative manner” was “…totally commanding.”

Headlining their own tour after Ozzfest will allow DISTURBED to perform a longer set, including new songs from the band’s in-progress follow-up to THE SICKNESS. Guitarist DAN DONEGAN spoke about the group’s new material in the September issue of Guitar World, explaining how they “want to grow and evolve as a band and continue experimenting and trying new things, so we won’t be putting out another CD that sounds like The Sickness.”

The combination of powerfully addictive songs from The Sickness and intense non-stop touring are fueling the success of DISTURBED, a band Alternative Press’ Andrew Lentz called “a synth-friendly beast whose spooky electro squiggles and darkwave effects sneak up from behind and bludgeon you gently.” The band’s explosive hits “Stupify” and “Voices” reached the Top 10 and Top 20, respectively, on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart, commanding respect for the band’s music while increasing their faithful audience. Rolling Stone’s Matt Diehl best described the music of DISTURBED when he noted how “Draiman, along with guitarist Dan Donegan, drummer Mike Wengren and bassist Fuzz, creates industrial-strength hard rock with a human heart-albeit one that pumps rage.”

Here are the “Music As A Weapon” tour dates:

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