Bellingham, WA progressive rock/metal trio WILD THRONE (formerly known as DOG SHREDDER) emerges with Blood Maker, the debut EP under their new moniker. A mind bending amalgamation of progressive rock, metal, jazzy syncopations and swirling melodies, Blood Maker was recorded this past spring with legendary producer Ross Robinson (AT THE DRIVE IN, GLASSJAW, MACHINE HEAD). The album is set for release via Brutal Panda Records on March 4th via limited edition LP and digital download.

The cover art was designed by Orion Landau (RED FANG, INTER ARMA) and LP preorders are being taken at this location.
Video ‘Shadow Deserts’:
Guitarist/vocalist Josh Holland had this to say about the new material:

"Working with Ross Robinson on this new release is a huge step for us growing as a band. We went into the studio hoarding a ton of new material we had written since our last release and laid it all out in the open. He really believed in the music and helped us hone it all in and focus our energies on the best stuff for this record. We are thrilled with how it turned out and very excited to release these new songs with Brutal Panda!"
The band are fresh off a west coast run with Red Fang and HELMS ALEE, with additional tour dates set to be announced in the coming weeks.

SINBREED, the German power metal band featuring BLIND GUARDIAN guitarist Marcus Siepen and drummer Frederik Ehmke, will release its sophomore album, "Shadows", on March 28 in Europe and April 15 in the U.S. via AFM Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Bleed02. Shadows03. Call To Arms04. Reborn05. Leaving The Road06. Far Too Long07. Black Death08. Standing Tall09. London Moon10. Broken Wings

Siepen in 2012 joined SINBREED as a full-time member after previously performing live with the band at a couple of shows, including the ProgPower USA XIII festival in Atlanta, Georgia.

Fan-filmed of SINBREED performing a brand new song, "Reborn", during their ProgPower USA XIII set can be seen below.

SINBREED's debut album, "When Worlds Collide", was released in March 2010 via Ulterium Records. The CD was produced by Flo Laurin, mixed and mastered by Markus Teske (VANDEN PLAS, SYMPHONY X), and it included guest appearances by Joost van den Broek (AFTER FOREVER) and Morten Sandager (MERCENARY) on keyboards, and Thomas Rettke (REDKEY, ex-HEAVEN'S GATE) on vocals. The artwork was created by Felipe Machado Franco (ICED EARTH, AYREON).

SINBREED's brand of power metal is described as a "blistering combination of speed, melodic and aggressive arrangements combined with high and soaring vocals."

SINBREED is:

Herbie Langhans (SEVENTH AVENUE) - VocalsFrederik Ehmke (BLIND GUARDIAN) - DrumsAlexander Schulz - BassFlo Laurin - Guitar, KeyboardsMarcus Siepen (BLIND GUARDIAN) - Guitar

For more information, visit www.sinbreed.com.

Chicago-based multinational extreme act AGAINST THE PLAGUES has parted ways with guitarist Marco Martell "due to his personal obligations" and has replaced him with Aaron Covarrubias (pictured; ex-EBONMORTIS, UNSPOKEN FEAR).

Says the band: "We wish Marco nothing but the best with his future and thank him for all his hard work and tremendous contributions to AGAINST THE PLAGUES."

Regarding the recent events in the AGAINST THE PLAGUES camp and the group's future plans, the band states: "Last year has brought AGAINST THE PLAGUES a lot of new experiences and also some unexpected events.

"We released a new album 'The Quaternion' and received amazing reviews, played series of killer promotional/album release shows, we increased the number of fans, we met with new promoters etc. On the other hand, we had some lineup changes, practice-room changes and few more tough decisions we were forced to deal with.

"We have emerged a much stronger and dedicated group at the end of it all.

"2014 will be a new chapter in the history of the band.

"We have done a lot of work to get ourselves to the point where we are able to begin working on new music, new video, new merchandise and a killer new live shows.

"It will require unquestionable reliability, dedication, input, and most important — a mutual sense that we are in this together."

AGAINST THE PLAGUES is:

* Varyen Chylinski (DAMNATION, FOREST OF IMPALED) - Drums* Shaun Albro (APOTHECARRION, EBONMORTIS) - Vocals* Aaron Covarrubias (EBONMORTIS, UNSPOKEN FEAR) - Guitar* Milo Kovacevic (KOMMANDANT, EZURATE) - Bass

Just before Christmas, Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, PRETTY MAIDS, JORN) finalised the mix of Scandinavian band EVIL MASQUERADE's upcoming album The Digital Crucifix.

This is their sixth album due for release via Dark Minstrel Music and it marks a new important chapter of the band, since it introduces Swedish powerhouse singer Tobias Jansson who joined the band last summer.
Guitarist Henrik Flyman spent about a year (between shows and tours) composing the new album. This has now resulted in, what is likely to be considered, their best collection of songs ever, according to a press release. The Digital Crucifix is playful, powerful and sometimes almost aggressive. It has already been described as "IRON MAIDEN on crack" and "ABBA on speed." Add some darkness to that and it’s close to the truth.

As if this wasn't enough, Evil Masquerade are celebrating 10 years as a band, this will be an exciting year!

For more information on Evil Masquerade, check out their official website Evilmasquerade.com.

Black metallers PERENNIAL ISOLATION have inked a deal with Darkwoods for the release of their debut full-length album, which will be entitled Conviction Of Voidness.

A press release describes the band: “And the fact is that the intense and powerful black metal they play, full of feelings, nature, magic and mysticism on the same way, is a true masterpiece in front of which we have absolutely fall at its feet. A music absolutely true to the origins of the genre, where raw and melody are combined in a mastery way in order to create an outstanding atmosphere of nostalgia and melancholy as we have not listed to for very a long time.”
The cover art, tracklisting, and release date will be revealed soon. Their first EP can be streamed on Bandcamp.

Funeral doom/death goliaths EYE OF SOLITUDE has premiered the music video for ‘Act II: Where The Descent Began’. The song comes off the band’s newest album, Canto III, which is now available worldwide on Kaotoxin Records. The album is being sold as a digital download or limited-edition, hand-numbered double digi-CD that features six bonus tracks taken from the band's 2012 and 2013 EPs - Awoken By Crows and The Deceit.
In support of Canto III, Eye Of Solitude will embark upon their first-ever tour early next year. A brief, yet devastating, trek across the UK that includes stops in London, Liverpool and Manchester, the Chants Of Grief tour will finally give doom fans the opportunity to experience one of the genre's most massive-sounding acts in the flesh. The tour, featuring direct support from Belgian doom/death unit MARCHE FUNÈBRE, is sponsored by Zero Tolerance Magazine.
Chants Of Grief UK tour dates:

January
29 – London, UK – The Blackheart
30 – Manchester, UK – Satan’s Hollow
31 – Liverpool, UK – The Lomax

For more info visit Facebook.

Relapse Records has announced the vinyl repressing of two classic albums from the original hardcore thrash merchants CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER.

A seminal act in the '80s crossover movement, CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER effortlessly fused politically charged, punk aggression with lightning-fast thrash metal. Now available on remastered vinyl for the first time ever and on any vinyl format for the first time in over 10 years, the reissues will see an official release on February 18 and are available for pre-order here. A trailer for the reissues can be viewed below.

CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER's 1986 debut, "Convicted", will be repressed on limited edition blood-red vinyl (limited to 500 copies) along with standard gram black vinyl while 1987's "Money Talks" will be reborn on green vinyl (500 copies) and standard gram black wax.

Additionally, both reissues will include digital downloads of the complete remastered albums plus all of the available bonus tracks from the CD reissues. Born in the summer of 1984 and fused in crossover music that bears its dominance through a collection of punk and prescient metal riffs, CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER (along with D.R.I., CORROSION OF CONFORMITY and the contributions of punkers like DISCHARGE and THE EXPLOITED) built up the genre of thrash music from haphazard crossover to a science of more terrifying, instantaneous music.

Italian progressive metallers ELDRITCH will release their new album, Tasting The Tears, on February 17th in Europe and February 18th in North America. The album was produced by Eugene Simone, mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni (DGM).
Tasting The Tears tracklist is as follows:
'Inside You'
'Tasting The Tears'
'Alone Again'
'Waiting For Something'
'Seeds Of Love'
'The Trade'
'Something Strong'
'Don't Listen'
'Iris'
'Love From A Stone"
'Clouds'
'I Will Remember' (QUEENSRŸCHE cover)

Listen to the first single, 'Alone Again', below:
Eldritch lineup:

Terence Holler: vocals
Eugene Simone: lead guitars
Rudj Ginanneschi: rhythm guitars
John Crystal: bass
Gabriele Caselli: keyboards
Raffahell Dridge: drums
More on Eldritch on Facebook.

The TYKETTO DVD Documentally Yours, which walks through the first 25 years of Tyketto will be on sale later this month. Check out the artwork below:
Documentally Yours features a 75-minute documentary, 90-minute live footage from Tyketto's 2011 Worldwide Webcast and much more.

Drummer Michael Clayton Arbeeny recently updated band activities as they gear up to hit the road:

"As with any family, not all members can always make the get togethers. Sadly, Brooke (St. James - guitar) won’t be joining us on the spring run, as he has commitments with fellow Tyketto brother Steve Augeri here in America. After a worldwide search, we struck gold. Joining us on the March/April run will be guitar whiz Chris Green (CJ Snare’s RUBICON CROSS, as well as the all-star lineup of SCRAP METAL). He’s a monster player and a heck of a nice guy, although with he and Ged now in the band, Tyketto is 40% British! Also, without PJ Zitarosa around, I am the lone Italian."
Rounding off Tyketto 2014 is singer Danny Vaughn and bassist Jimi Kennedy.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions has signed West Virginia's black/death metal demons HELGARDH and will release their album, The Black Flame Descent, on February 4th on CD and Digital formats.

A description reads: A dark and aggressive force is emerging out of the cold and arid atmosphere of the Appalachian Mountains. Helgardh is comprised of the unique blend of ardent death metal and baleful black metal. Founded by guitarist and vocalist Famine in 2009, they have since been on a quest to disperse their somber and sickening message. Spewing words of the Occult and Witchcraft underneath technically written composition and rugged melodies, this band will become perpetual. The debut full length, The Black Flame Descent, is a slaying monster that’s spreads its putrid filth upon all, infesting the universe with plague and descending from the rocks where which Helgardh came to disperse their epidemic. This indomitable beast will surely poison your mind!
Tracklisting:

'Palace Of The Fading Light'
'The Trance Of Empyrean'
'Angeli Cruciatus (May Angels Come)'
'Exorcismus'
'Blessings From The Funeral Pyre'
'The Black Shrine Offering'
'Abomination'
'Ethereal Dawn'
'Crown Of Fire'
'nemA'

'Ethereal Dawn':
Pre-order the CD for only $10 with free shipping here. Pre-order the Digital Download for only $6.66 at this location.

Legendary US crossover thrashers INFAMOUS SINPHONY will see their 1989 debut album, Manupulation reissued through Xtreem Music during February. After being silent for almost 20 years, the band reformed with all five former members, self-releasing their third album, Enemies Of The State, last year - and now the band have reached an agreement with Xtreem Music to see their legendary debut reissued.
Manipulation was released by the infamous label Wild Rags back in 1989 and got a great recognition with their raging brand of thrashcore, comparable to bands like CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER, S.O.D., LETHAL AGGRESSION, NUCLEAR ASSAULT and the likes. Now the 16-song album will come out on CD with mastered sound for the first time ever including three bonus tracks taken from their 1990's 4-way split double 12" LP. Booklet will come with lyrics, photos, flyers and liner noter from the band.

The reissue of Manipulation is expected to come out on February 15th.

Los Angeles metal band BRUTE FORCZ - featuring ex-professional wrestlers Slammer and Jammer - have combined heavy metal music and porn in their first video for the song 'Sex Machine', featuring adult actresses Ava Devine and Missy Martinez.
"It was incredibly HARD to remain focused, we felt like we were in the middle of a porn shoot, which by the way was f-ing awesome," says Slammer. "Working close with Ava, we now know why she is considered a sexual legend in the business. And Missy quite frankly, is beautiful and has the best pair of tits we have ever felt - I mean ever seen. The girls vie for the title of the sex machine, and we still don't know who won the title, but it was a heavyweight battle with two of the absolute sexiest in the business. Someone's going down!"
"The sensor patrol was working overtime during the shoot," states Jammer, "but when the camera was off, things really got nasty. These girls ooze sex from beginning to end, and that help make the video what it is. The video has a really unique twist at the end, so make sure you watch the whole video. It is an old school metal video, like back in the day, with just good loud music and hot, sexy looking women. We will do another video to go with 'Sex Machine' said Jammer, and having Ava and Missy in them, we will definitely keep you a breast when that happens.”
'Sex Machine' can be found on their debut album Out For Blood.

Frontiers Records will release WINGER's new studio album, entitled Better Days Comin', this spring. Complete album details will be rolled out over the coming weeks.
Following the success of last August's reunion shows to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album release, Winger have been confirmed to play three shows in Japan this month. All dates will feature the full reunion Winger lineup, including Kip Winger, Reb Beach, Rod Morgenstein, John Roth and original keyboardist, Paul Taylor.

"Winger will ROCK Japan with a performance of the first album from beginning to end plus all the hits from our other records. We can't wait to see all our Japanese friends again." - Kip Winger

Japan 25th anniversary reunion shows:

January
11 - Club Citta - Kawasaki, Japan (with FIREHOUSE, Y&T)
12 - Club Citta - Kawasaki, Japan (with Firehouse, Y&T)
13 - Namba Hatch - Osaka, Japan (with Y&T)

Nine years after releasing of Sex, Drinks And Metal demo, Polish black/thrashers NECROSADIST are back with a new line -up and new material. The new EP is entitled Infernal Stench Of Blasphemy and was born through mixing sperm, blood and sulphur, according to a press release. The cover art was made by Perversor (Ars Macabra, Krypt, Demonic Slaughter and many
more).
The new track 'Sadomasochistic Rape' can be heard via Necrosadist's Bandcamp page here.

Necrosadist's line-up is as follows: Necroführer (guitars/vocals), Bitchmaster (vocals), Thoth (drums) and Desecrator (bass).

Wurzburg, Germany's WILD ZOMBIE BLAST GUIDE, featuring THE NEW BLACK guitarist Fabian Schwarz, will release their second album, Salute The Commander, worldwide via all digital outlets on January 30th. They have released a lyric video for the song 'Damnation', found below:
The tracklist for the new album is as follows:

'Salute The Commander
'This Is Hell'
'Under Toxic Skies'
'Thrash It Or Trash It'
'Mission Complete'
'Damnation'
'Birds Of Prey'
'End Of Your Rope'
'You've Died Before'
'UTZA'
Watch this page for updates, go to this location for more information.

Swedish instrumental progressive act PALEFEATHER will release their self-titled debut album via Aftermath Music on March 3rd. The album was recorded and mixed last year at Garaget Studios in Stockholm, and recently mastered by CULT OF LUNAS' Magnus Lindberg.
Tracklisting:

'Megaloceros Giganteus'
'The Trumpeter'
'Rombol'
'Pale Feathered Wind'

'Rombol':
Album teaser:
Band lineup:

Björn Pettersson - guitar
Pierre Stam - guitar, bass, keyboards
Robin Bergh – drums, percussion

CHEAP TRICK will guest on Guitar Center Sessions on DIRECTV presented by JBL with host Nic Hartcourt on January 17th at 9pm ET/10pm PT on DIRECTV’s Audience Network, channel 239.

A clip of Cheap Trick performing ‘Surrender’ below:
Cheap Trick live:

February
7 - Arcada Theater - St Charles, IL
8 - SeaWorld Bayside Stadium - Orlando, FL
14 - Ridgefield Playhouse - Ridgefield, CT
15 - The Wellmont Theater - Montclair, NJ
16 - Lynn Auditorium - Lynn, MA
21 - BMO Harris Bradley Center - Milwaukee, WI

March
3 - New Orleans Convention Center - New Orleans, LA
6 - Deerfoot Inn & Casino - Calgary, AB
7 - Casino Regina - Regina, SK
9 - Thunder Bay Community Auditorium - Thunder Bay, ON
11 - Hamilton Place - Hamilton, ON
12 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON Cana
13 - National Arts Centre - Ottawa, ON
15 - Metropolis - Montreal, QC

M:PIRE OF EVIL - featuring ex-VENOM members Tony Dolan (DEMOLITION MAN) and Jeff Dunn (MANTAS) together with drummer Marc Jackson (JXN) - have launched a preview page for their forthcoming album, Unleashed. Short instrumental snippets can be found here.



Song titles on the new album include:

'Electric Hell'
'A Dead Sea'
'Dein Fleisch'
'Preacher Man'
'Bad Blood'
'Holy Water'
'The Evil That They Do'
'Visceral'
'Something Wicked'
'Black Serenity'

More details will be revealed soon.

M:Pire Of Evil's latest album Crucified, featuring re-recorded Venom tracks from the Dolan years, is out now. Check out the artwork below.

The complete Crucified tracklist is as follows:

'Temples Of Ice'
'Parasite'
'Kissing The Beast'
'Blackened Are The Priests'
'Carnivorous'
'Black Legions'
'Need To Kill'
'Wolverine'
'Crucified'
'Demone'
'Taking It All'

Check out an exclusive interview with Dolan about Crucified here.

Atlanta, Georgia heavy rock trio ROYAL THUNDER has entered the studio to record its sophomore LP and follow-up to 2012's critically acclaimed debut "CVI". The band is once again tracking at Aria Recording Studio in Marietta, Georgia with producer Joey Jones. A fall 2014 release via Relapse Records is expected. Comments ROYAL THUNDER vocalist/bassist MLny Parsonz: "We meet again with our longtime friend and producer Joey Jones at Aria Recording Studio in Marietta.

"We have no idea what this next album is going to sound like!

"We are anxious to see what the outcome will be. With that being said, we have NO agenda, NO formula, NO limits.

"This one is for the gods of rock!"

ROYAL THUNDER spent all of 2013 on the road all over the globe, including festival appearances at Bonnaroo and Roadburn, plus high-profile tours with labelmates BARONESS, MONSTER MAGNET, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, PALLBEARER, and more. Their unique brand of blues-infected hard rock has been praised by everyone from Rolling Stone's David Fricke, who described them as "heavy with the meaty, base elements of early-Seventies British blues," and NPR, who call them "a revved-up Southern hard-rocker that howls like LED ZEPPELIN astride a psychedelic unicorn." MLny Parsonz also appearedon the cover of Decibel magazine's inaugural "Women In Metal" issue.

"Eidolon", a brand new song from Spanish extreme metallers NOCTEM, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Exilium", which will be released on March 3 in Spain, and on April 7 in the rest of Europe. The artwork for the effort was designed by Edmundo Saiz Photography and Victoria Francés.

"Exilium" track listing:

01. Enuma Elish02. Apsu Dethroned03. Decrepit Human Kingdom04. Namtar's Crown05. The Rising Horns06. Halo Of Repugnance07. Egregor08. The Splint Of Destinations09. Eidolon10. The Adamantine Doors

Says "Exilium" producer Daniel Cardoso: "The extreme Spanish boys did it again.

"After weeks in the studio, I can say that the new album 'Exilium' is going to be another break through release on NOCTEM's career. Expect nothing but quality, high-speed, riffing extravaganza and dark ambiences."

The band adds: "This new album will be darker, faster and will contain more atmosphere, something we specially worked in to combine the aesthetic of the band and the compositions in all its glory."

Progressive metal band EXIST — featuring members of CYNIC, DEATH TO ALL and former NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis' backing group — has just released its debut album titled "Sunlight". Copies are available in both digital ($2 or name your own price) and physical ($10 CD) format via link textwww.existband.com.

EXIST is:

Max Phelps (guitar, vocals)Alex Weber (bass, vocals)Matt Clise (drums)

Regarding the songwriting process in EXIST, Phelps told Decibel magazine: "The compositions are just based on ideas that I have in my head, sometimes with the guitar, but they're intuitive ideas that I just really like and get attached to. And then I try to just build the compositions around that. It's a pretty natural process, one of those things where it kind of felt like it wrote itself. Maybe that seems cliché to say, but it wasn't a forced process, it was just that I liked these ideas and I played them over and over in my head and it just formed itself after a while. I don't know if there were really literal concepts as much as ideas that kind of built. And I guess the improv thing is part of it 'cause that's just how we play. [Some of it] might have been the result of toying around with a chord progression that I already. I think some of [the improv] comes out because that's what we do already. We jam a lot. When we have a rehearsal, we'll stretch that stuff out, explore things… not even productively, just for fun. [laughs]"

Swedish progressive death metallers IN MOURNING have parted ways with drummer Christian Netzell.

Says the band: "After fourteen years of playing with IN MOURNING, Christian has decided to leave the band, mainly due to musical differences.

"We will be departing from an amazing drummer and a formidable guy.

"There are no hard feelings behind this departure and we wish Christian the very best in all his current and future projects.

"For our upcoming live shows, our friend Mattias Bender will be joining us as a stand-in drummer.

"Regarding the future in a longer perspective, we will keep you informed on what will happen. However, IN MOURNING will continue to work on a new record, that's for certain."

IN MOURNING's third full-length album, "The Weight Of Oceans", was released on April 18, 2012 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was recorded in late 2011 at the Abyss and Black Lounge studios in Sweden with engineer Jonas Kjellgren. The cover art was created by Kristian Wåhlin.

"I Live With Your Ghost", the animated video from MENACE, the brainchild of NAPALM DEATH axeman Mitch Harris, can be seen below (courtesy of U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine).

MENACE's debut album, "Impact Velocity", will hit the stores on March 14 in Europe or March 18 in North America via Season Of Mist. The CD features contributions from Derek Roddy (drums), Fred Leclercq (bass), Nicola Manzan (violin, cello, viola), Shane Embury (bass), and Russ Russell (producer and navigator of paradoxology).

MENACE is a project for those who dare to be challenged. It is a journey across genres; neither claiming nor conforming to any particular known style, and a result of all musical history and culture.

Mitch comments: "The band is called MENACE, but to me, it is more than just a band or a solo project. It is the result of my life's work. It's a concept that has been in production for some time with most of the songs and intense work done in the last two years.

"The initial idea for MENACE began with a plan to work with Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY) and drummer Brann Dailor (MASTODON). Although Brann recorded two songs initially, his responsibilities with MASTODON didn't allow time for such an intricate collaboration. In fact, we all became incredibly busy and as a result, new directives evolved, and to achieve my goal for MENACE I needed to see the album through myself.

"To me, MENACE is the old meeting the new; heavy and melodic, descriptive and adventurous, epic and futuristic, carnal and primitive, and so on. MENACE brings unrealized dreams closer to fruition. It is about overcoming loss and hardship, and a combination of many interests, including spiritual philosophy, psychology, science, physics, theatrics, the supernatural, the paranormal, film, poetry, photography, art, sculpture and video; the things I've focused all my energy on over the last twenty years. It's an organic meets technological approach to exploration and self discovery through a direction I term audio-installationism (A.I.)."

Harris concludes, "Those familiar with my previous work will be in for a surprise and should expect the unexpected, but I'm a firm believer that even the most improbable dreams should be explored. MENACE is a statement in itself, a way of saying that there is always a way forward, no matter how difficult it seems. If you are still alive, then there is still something to achieve."

"Raw" footage of Austrian extreme metallers MASTIC SCUM performing the song "Controlled Collapse" on January 10 at Szene in Vienna can be seen below.

MASTIC SCUM's fifth album, "CTRL", was released on December 6, 2013 via Massacre Records. The CD contains 11 tracks, including a re-recorded aong from the band's 1994 demo. The effort was mixed at Metalforge Studio by Mike Kronstorfer. The artwork was designed by Isisdesignstudio.

Says the band: "The concept of the album depicts a futuristic vision of the technological evolution and development of society — the need to control and the inevitable collapse of a system!"

"CTRL" track listing:

01. Controlled Collapse02. Dehumanized03. Cause & Effect04. Brute-Force-Methode05. D1s3mb0d1m3nt06. Rebornation07. Perceptive Illusion08. Hyper-Detection 2.009. Create/Negate10. The Vortex Within11. Resurrection

MASTIC SCUM's previous album, "Dust", was released on November 13, 2009 via Twilight Distribution.

The band in 2009 parted ways with vocalist Will due to "musical differences" and replaced him with Maggo Wenzel (INZEST, TRISTWOOD, WATCH ME BLEED).

Season Of Mist has announced the signing of the sci-fi focused technical death metal masters WORMED.

The band issued the following statement about the new collaboration with Season Of Mist: "WORMED is really proud to announce the signing with the almighty label Season Of Mist, a label with some of the bands that have influenced us throughout these years! Being part of this label is a big step in our career!"

Commended for its "astronomically high mindfuck factor" by Decibel magazine, last year's "Exodromos" served as the prequel to "Planisphaerium" (originally released in 2003 in Japan then remastered last year by Willowtip), which centers itself around futuristic science concepts and chaotic visions of the last human left in the cosmos. The CD was recorded at Sadman Studios in Madrid, Spain and mastered by Mika Jussila (AMORPHIS, IMPALED NAZARENE, CHILDREN OF BODOM, NIGHTWISH) at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland.

Sophisticated, sharp and meticulously calculated, with "Exodromos" WORMED hurled a maniacal ambush of concentrated brutality and deep space delirium. Made of dissonant yet dynamic hyper-technical guitar traveling at breakneck speeds, the record offered up some of the band’s most technical and plainly obliterating material to date.

San Diego death metal outfit CARNIFEX will release its Nuclear Blast debut on March 7, (Europe) and March 4, 2014 (North America). Entitled "Die Without Hope", the CD was recorded at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida and produced by Mark Lewis (ARSIS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, DEICIDE, SIX FEET UNDER). Cover art for the album was created by renowned artist and longtime collaborator Godmachine.

"CARNIFEX and Godmachine have been working together for many years," commented CARNIFEX vocalist Scott Lewis. "To be able to bring his art to the cover of this album is truly when all the pieces fell into place.

"The artwork here represents the tone and overall blackened feeling 'Die Without Hope' captures."

"Die Without Hope" will contain 10 tracks and over 35 minutes of crushing metal. Lewis states, "'Die Without Hope' is CARNIFEX at our very best. This is an album over two years in the making. We pushed ourselves every step of the process to include new elements never before heard on any previous CARNIFEX album."

"Die Without Hope" track listing:

01. Salvation Is Dead02. Dark Days03. Condemned To Decay 04. Die Without Hope 05. Hatred And Slaughter 06. Dragged Into The Grave 07. Rotten Souls 08. Last Words 09. Reflection Of The Forgotten 10. Where The Light Dies

The official lyric video for the song "Dragged Into The Grave" can be seen below.

On recently signing to Nuclear Blast, Lewis continues: "Signing with Nuclear Blast is a career-defining moment for CARNIFEX.

"To be aligned with the largest metal label on earth is a true honor.

"This worldwide deal signals a turning point for us as a band and individuals. Together with Nuclear Blast, you will see CARNIFEX like you have never seen us before. Prepare yourself for an album that crushes any and all expectations. An album that will stand as the definitive mark for modern metal."

CARNIFEX's Nuclear Blast Records debut will also introduce new lead guitarist and longtime friend of the band, Jordan Lockrey.

CARNIFEX's last studio CD, "Until I Feel Nothing", was produced by Tim Lambesis (AS I LAY DYING) and was released in October 2011.

CARNIFEX is:

Scott Lewis - VocalsShawn Cameron - DrumsJordan Lockrey - GuitarCory Arford - GuitarFred Calderon - Bass