A389 Recordings has announced the signing of Arkansas-based underlords NAPALM CHRIST. Formed in late 2010, NAPALM CHRIST unites a crew of longtime henchmen who have helped shape the Little Rock area extreme music scene over the past two or more decades.

Since the early 1990s, the four horsemen who form NAPALM CHRIST have collectively spent time at war with the mainstream in RWAKE, SHREDDING CORPSE, PALE UNEARTHED, SHITFIRE, WITCH'S TIT and others. In this cult, they unify their hateful ways and debauchery-ridden tactics into a volatile brew of charged-up, doom/grind-influenced death metal, reeking of days past, yet with enough potency to give fair warning of much darker days to come. Initiated as a side-project, things got out of control, and NAPALM CHRIST began infecting the planet with recorded material, thus far accumulated in a series of random online demos, singles and comp inclusions. The latter of said demos was released via Bandcamp in June 2013, and that's when A389 caught a whiff of the band's trail.

Recorded by Alan Wells with assistance from Keith Bracy in Little Rock, and mastered by Collin Jordan at Boiler Room Mastering in Chicago, and masked with illustrations by Dennis Lee Hughes, this half-hour of disturbing anthems will be made available as an official 12-inch vinyl release, followed by a debut LP later in the year. Exact street dates on both releases will be announced in the coming weeks. NAPALM CHRIST is:

Kiffin Rogers (RWAKE) - Guitar, VocalsMichael Lawrence (WITCHES TIT, SHITFIRE) - GuitarAlan Wells (SHITFIRE, ex-RWAKE) - Bass, VocalsDavid Sroczynski (SHREDDED CORPSE) - Drums
2013 Demo by Napalm Christ

"Morbid Shroud Of Sickness", the new video from German death metallers SLAUGHTERDAY, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's debut album, "Nightmare Vortex", which will be released on December 6 via FDA Rekotz on CD, LP and digital formats. The follow-up to "Cosmic Horror" limited cassette demo features "insane cosmic death metal that falls somewhere between AUTOPSY's 'Mental Funeral' and HYPOCRISY's 'Penetralia'," according to a press release. "Featuring stunning guitar melodies, fat bass lines, hellish vocals and annihilating drums, the movements from speeding ferocity to crawling crush are the stuff of traumatic audio terror." The artwork was created by Mark Cooper. "Nightmare Vortex" track listing:

01. Unearthly Evocation02. Nightmare Vortex03. Addicted To The Grave04. Cosmic Horror05. Morbid Shroud Of Sickness06. Cult Of The Dreaming Dead07. Obsessed With The Undead08. Cryptic Desolation09. The Ghoul (PENTAGRAM cover) (LP bonus track)

The official lyric video for the title track of "A Life To Die For", the twelfth studio album from Danish/American hard rockers ROYAL HUNT, can be seen below. Due on November 29 in Europe and December 3 in North America via Frontiers, the CD is described in a press release as "a concept album not in the lyrical sense but musically, which sees the band expand their musical boundaries and bring their symphonic and grandiose musical element to the max employing a large number of classical/orchestra players in the studio as well as a large choir.

"A Life To Die For" track listing: 01. Hell Comes Down From Heaven02. A Bullet's Tale03. Running Out Of Tears04. One Minute Left To Live05. Sign Of Yesterday06. Won't Trust, Won't Fear, Won't Beg07. A Life To Die For

Audio samples of all the tracks that are set to appear on "A Life To Die For" are available for streaming at HeavyHarmonies.com. "Once again, the U.S. singer DC Cooper sees his trademark vocals shine throughout the songs penned by keyboard maestro Andre Andersen. The songwriting and performances are absolutely top notch and this is ROYAL HUNT at their symphonic best! In short, 'A Life To Die For' is another trademark release from ROYAL HUNT and truly an essential addition to any fan of progressive metal." Andre Andersen said: "This album is all that any fan of this kind of music might dream about: strong songs with huge choruses, infectious riffs, technical yet memorable instrumental parts, stellar production this time mighty reinforced by classical instruments and — of course — instantly recognizable style." "A Life To Die For" will be made available in three different versions:

* Digipack CD + DVD (containing live footage from the band's last year tour, tour documentary and interviews)* Regular CD* 180-gram vinyl, gatefold The cover artwork was created by Kai Brockschmidt (PINK CREAM 69, PRETTY MAIDS) and can be seen below.

ROYAL HUNT is:

Andre Andersen - KeyboardsDC Cooper - Lead VocalsAllan Sorensen - DrumsAndreas Passmark - BassJonas Larsen - Lead Guitar

Guest musicians:

* Kenny Lubcke, Alexandra Popova - backing vocals * Jacob Kjær - guitar solo on "Running Out Of Tears" * Soma Allpass, Christina Lund, Patricia Skovgaard, Christina Larsen - strings * Erik Rosenqvist, Mads Kofoed - brass/woodwinds * CV Company - choir

Norwegian metal outfit NOCTURNAL BREED will release its first album in seven years in February 2014. The band is coming back with a punch of epic old-school thrash metal with a blackened rock and roll undercurrent.

NOCTURNAL BREED's as-yet-untitled fifth full-length CD will be the follow-up to 2007's "Fields Of Rot", which is available for streaming in its entirety on Bandcamp. Formed in 1996, NOCTURNAL BREED is made up of present and past members of DIMMU BORGIR, SATYRICON, AETERNUS and GEHENNA. The current lineup includes S.A. Destroyer on bass and vocals, Tex Terror on drums, I.Maztor on guitar and the group's latest addition, V.Fineideath on guitar.

NOCTURNAL BREED has announced a headlining appearance at Hammerslag Festival in Tonsberg, Norway on February 14, 2014.

Australian metalcore outfit I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN recently signed to Epitaph Records worldwide. The band has just finalized the recording of its new album in Gothenburg, Sweden with producer Fredrik Nordström (BRING ME THE HORIZON, AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, ARCHITECTS), with plans to release the new material in 2014.

A trailer for the CD can be seen below.
Following his stint with BRING ME THE HORIZON, songwriter and guitarist Jona Weinhofen returns to his role in I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN and he states: "We are absolutely ecstatic to join the Epitaph Records family. Having worked with the label previously with BRING ME THE HORIZON, I knew exactly what Epitaph was capable of and that it would be the perfect home for I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN.

"Epitaph is already the home to so many of our heroes such as CONVERGE, REFUSED, PENNYWISE and EVERY TIME I DIE, and has helped launch our good friends PARKWAY DRIVE, THE GHOST INSIDE, DAY OF CONTEMPT, LETLIVE. and more. To say that we are a part of this family is truly an honor."

Weinhofen continues:
"We are dying to get this album out and into the hands of old and new I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN fans everywhere.

"To me, this record feels as though I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN never took a break and is a natural progression of the band. You will hear hints of our side projects and new influences, but make no mistake, this is an I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN record through and through. It's fast, melodic, heavy, catchy and we have added a couple of new elements which really bring it up there with the level of music being created these days."
 


I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN is also making plans to tour in 2014 in support of the new album.

Tuomas Holopainen — the keyboardist and main songwriter of NIGHTWISH — has spent most of 2013 writing and producing his solo album based on a graphic novel called "The Life And Times Of Scrooge McDuck", written and illustrated by Don Rosa.

"Music Inspired By The Life And Times Of Scrooge - Written And Produced By Tuomas Holopainen" is scheduled for a release in April 2014 via Nuclear Blast.

Holopainen comments: "This is my longtime dream come true, 14 years in the making. And a homage to one of the best storytellers of our time.

"Thank you for sharing this celebration of life and adventure!"

This 12-chapter book tells the life story of Scrooge, from his early years in the 19th century Scotland to his adventures all around the world until the 1950s. The story contains such immense depth, detail, wit and emotional power that the moment Tuomas read it nearly 20 years ago, it instantly became a story of profound personal interest and love for him. The initial spark of "coloring" this story with music, i.e. creating a kind of "soundtrack" for the book, came to him already in 1999, and has ever since haunted the back of his mind.

"Music Inspired By The Life And Times Of Scrooge - Written And Produced By Tuomas Holopainen" contains 10 songs, with total duration of approximately 60 minutes. The music is said to be in the soundtrack / classical / folk genre in the vein of Vaughan Williams, Michael Nyman, James Newton Howard and Enya.

Pip Williams did the orchestral arrangements for the "Life And Times Of Scrooge" disc, continuing his collaboration with Tuomas after the NIGHTWISH records "Once", "Dark Passion Play" and "Imaginaerum".

There are a number of guest musicians appearing on "Life And Times Of Scrooge", including the London Orchestra, The Metro Voices (a choir from London) and four lead vocalists: Alan Reid, Johanna Kurkela, Johanna Iivanainen and Tony Kakko. Other guest appearances include Troy Donockley (uilleann pipes, low whistles, bodhran), Mikko Iivanainen (guitars and banjo), Teho Majamäki (didgeridoo), Jon Burr (harmonica) and Dermot Crehan on the solo violin.

The recordings took place during August - October 2013, first at Angel Studios in London, then in various locations around Scotland and Finland.

The author of the book, Don Rosa, did the artwork for the album.

There will be a single release, for the track "A Lifetime Of Adventure", and a music video to go with it in early 2014.

Holopainen recently spoke to Finland's YLE about "Music Inspired By The Life And Times Of Scrooge - Written And Produced By Tuomas Holopainen". Check out the report below.

Tuomas previously stated about how the idea for the project came about: "It was back in 1999, during the 'Oceanborn' tour, that I remember first having the idea of writing a 'soundtrack' to my all-time favorite piece of Disney comic, 'The Life And Times Of Scrooge McDuck', by Don Rosa, the apparent heir of the almighty Carl Barks. This book has had such an overwhelming effect on me throughout these years, and finally I have the means and the time to make that dream a reality.

"It all started with a story called 'Last Sled To Dawson', which was published in a Finnish Donald Duck magazine in the late '80s. It instantly became one of my favorite Scrooge/Donald stories and also introduced Mr. Don Rosa to my Disney universe. This story is not part of the actual 'Life And Times' opus, though, but 'a companion story,' set in between the chapters #8 and #9. Then when the massive 12-chapter piece was released in mid-'90s, I was completely and utterly hooked. It was similar to reading 'The Lord Of The Rings' as an 8-year-old, or seeing 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark' for the first time. Adventure, fun and the strangely familiar feeling of home.

"With Scrooge, there was also a much deeper level hidden between the stories and the gags.

"This is a book about life itself. What an unfathomable privilege it is, what are the things that truly matter during our existence. It's about the immense beauty of the world and its possibilities seen through the eyes of a very relentless, honest and complex character. It's about love and family, gain and loss, darkness and rebirth.

"And on top of that, well, it's just your good old-fashioned storytelling fun!"

Photo credit (below): Mika Jussila

DOCKER'S GUILD have issued the following update:

"Docker's Guild is back! After 6 months on hiatus, I have decided to carry on and see the project to its conclusion. Here's what's new so far...

The official website is finally up. Fans that sign in to the mailing list will get a previously unreleased high quality demo track from the first album. The store is also finally up so fans can purchase all kinds of products to support the project.
The second album is underway. The Heisenberg Diaries - Book A will be a collection of 20th century sci-fi movies and TV series soundtracks reworked in the Docker's Guild style. It will not be a disconnected covers filler album. Instead it will be an introduction and a journey of discovery in the past of Dr. Jack Heisenberg, the main character of The Mystic Technocracy.

The cast: so far we have Fiamma Cardani (SHOOTING STARS) and Roxy Petrucci (VIXEN) on drums, Anna Portalupi (TARJA TURNEN, HARDLINE) on bass, Mio Jäger (FRANTIC AMBER) and Roberta Raschellà (Shooting Stars) on guitars, Douglas R. Docker on keyboards and vocals, Amanda Somerville (AVANTASIA), Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE) on vocals. More guests to be announced soon.

A crowdfunding effort will be announced soon. We're working with PledgeMusic to make it happen."

Vocalist Doogie White (RAINBOW, MICHAEL SCHENKER, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), drummer Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL, DIO) and bassist Marco Mendoza (THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE) have joined forces with 16-year-old Polish guitarist Iggy Gwadera in WAMI, a brand new project which will see the light of day next spring.

The idea to record an album together was born after THIN LIZZY's concert in Poland. Mendoza — impressed with Iggy, who supported THIN LIZZY with his band ANTI TANK NUN — suggested that they record some music together. This first idea, which was maturing for the next dozen-odd months, eventually evolved into the above-mentioned project, which is recording a brand new album with Iggy. Appice and Mendoza have already laying down the bass and drum tracks in Los Angeles.

White is currently in a studio in Szczecin, Poland recording his parts for the project.

In the current issue of Polish edition of Metal Hammer magazine, Vinny stated about WAMI: "The music is quite heavy. but not as dark as, for example, BLACK SABBATH or KILL DEVIL HILL. It's melodic music, and very well performed. I would label it high-quality heavy rock." He added: "When I first heard that music, I really liked it. Later on, I was informed that the guitarist is only 16 years old. I thought, 'Wow, what an incredible instrumentalist.' And then I learnt that Marco Mendoza will be involved in this project and that made me even more interested in this idea. The demo versions of the tracks sounded very promising so I can't wait for the final results."

Midwest Music Scene conducted an interview with drummer James Cassells of the British metalcore act ASKING ALEXANDRIA on November 17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about AVENGED SEVENFOLD's chart success with the band's latest album, "Hail To The King", Cassells said: "AVENGED SEVENFOLD, they're good friends of ours. We've been on tour with them, and they're sweet dudes, awesome guys. They are stepping it up, man; they're going to the next level. They're already a massive, massive band, but they're becoming, like, the next METALLICA, the next IRON MAIDEN, a band that's gonna go down in history."

He continued: "It's so good how a true metal/rock act is getting to the point where it's, like, you're making this a mainstream thing, you're becoming a household name. And them doing that is helping every band that plays metal."

Commenting on the fact that AVENGED SEVENFOLD has gotten a lot of criticism for blatantly showing its influences on "Hail To The King", James said: "I think it's fucking sweet; I love it. People are knocking it: 'Ah, it sounds just like METALLICA.' I'm, like, 'Yeah, it does sound a bit like METALLICA. But who gives a fuck?' I like METALLICA and so do they. You've gotta remember as well, they lost one of the main writers in the band [drummer James 'The Rev' Sullivan, who died in 2009].

"We were talking to them and they said it was a fucking difficult album to write. And I can totally imagine: you not only lost your great friend, you've lost a major writer in the band. So it's gonna be different to their old stuff. But I fucking love it. They've got some serious tunes on the album, serious tunes. 'Hail To The King' fucking is an awesome single. It's still, like, doing fucking insane shit."

Portuguese metallers MALEVOLENCE today release Antithetical, their brand new studio album.

Says vocalist/guitarist Carlos Cariano: "The path leading to this point has been long, it wasn’t easy to pass some of life's adversities in the process, and through it 14 years flashed before our eyes. The burden of carrying such a colossal work on our shoulders for so many years is now gone but thinking in retrospective every single day we spent on the process to achieve the musical work depicted on Antithetical was extremely challenging and rewarding. Albums like this are tremendously demanding, life consuming and sometimes extremely painful to create. On the other hand the music is incredibly invigorating and inspiring. Love Us Or Hate Us – Malevolence sounds like no other except for the similarities to the minds from where it has arisen."

Antithetical is the follow-up to 1999’s Martyrialized that was recorded in Fredman Studio by Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, OPETH, SOILWORK). The album was produced by Carlos Cariano and recorded in 20M2SEA Studio by Paulo Pereira in Portugal. Mixed and mastered at Woodshed Studio by V. Santura (TRIPTYKON, PESTILENCE), the album counts with drummer extraordinaire Dirk Verbeuren (Soilwork, DEVIN TOWNSEND) on the drumming patterns.
Antithetical tracklisting:

'Slithering'
'Cult of the Everlasting'
'Devoured Unlimited'
'Antithetical'
'Equilibrium in Extremis'
'Exocortex Momentum'
'Mechanisms of Destructive Behaviour'

'Antithetical':
'Slithering' video:
'Devoured Unlimited':
For more details visit Facebook.

Professionally filmed video footage of BABYMETAL — the heavy metal offshoot of the Japanese pop idol group SAKURA GAKUIN that performs a distinctly Japanese mix of schoolgirl J-pop and death metal — performing the song "Catch Me If You Can" at the Summer Sonic festival in Japan this past August can be seen below.

BABYMETAL released its first-ever concert Blu-ray, "Live ～Legend I, D, Z Apocalypse～", on November 20 (the limited-edition DVD box was issued on October 19). The set contains footage of the band's performances at Shibuya O-East (October 2012), Akasaka Blitz (December 2012) and Zepp Tokyo (February 2013).

BABYMETAL's "Megitsune" single was released on June 19. The song is said to combine traditional Japanese instruments with metal overtones and an enka ballad to create a festive sound. The theme of the track is "women are born actresses." Four different versions were made available for fans to purchase: a limited "Tsu", limited "Ki", and a limited "Ne" edition, as well as a less expensive regular edition. The limited versions come with bonus videos from the BABYMETAL live events that were held from 2012 to early 2013.

BABYMETAL recently embarked on the "Death Match Tour 2013" and was accompanied by a "full metal band."

In the spring of 2013, Suzuka Nakamoto graduated from junior high school and therefore had to "graduate" from the group SAKURA GAKUIN (which consists of girls of up to junior high). However, it was decided by the management that BABYMETAL would not dissolve and would continue their activities as a band.

BABYMETAL released its first major single, "Ijime, Dame, Zettai", on January 9.

BABY METAL is:

Su-Metal - Vocals and DanceMoametal - Screamer and DanceYuimetal - Screamer and Dance

"Garden Of Stone", the new video from DENIED, the Swedish metal band featuring vocalist Johan Fahlberg (JADED HEART) and bassist Fredrik Isaksson (formerly of THERION and GRAVE), can be seen below. The clip was filmed a The Woodland Cemetery (Skogskyrkogården) in Stockholm and was directed by Fylo and DENIED.

"Garden Of Stone" is taken from DENIED's third album, "Let Them Burn", which was released in January via Sliptrick Records. The CD was recorded with producer Fredrik Folkare (UNLEASHED) and was mastered at Dugout Productions. The artwork was created by Alexander Lifbom.

DENIED was formed in Upplands Väsby, Stockholm, Sweden in 2003 by Andreas Carlsson. Devoted to heavy-yet-melodic metal, he wanted to expand his vision beyond a simple dream. The band recorded its first album, "Seven Times Your Sin", in 2005 and supported it with local gigs.

In September 2005, DENIED underwent its first lineup change when bassist Robert Stellmar and drummer Pete Dolls were recruited. The group's second album, "New Army For The Old Revolution", saw the light of day in late 2008.

In 2009, DENIED enlisted longtime friend Fahlberg as their new vocalist and in November of that same year, guitarist Chris Vowden joined the group. In May 2011 the band parted ways with Stellmar and recruited Isaksson.

DENIED has "earned a reputation as a great live act from their performances in various rock clubs in the Stockholm area," according to a press release." Through the years, DENIED has supported such acts as DREAM EVIL, SISTER SIN and ENTOMBED. Their ability to work the crowd and drive them into a frenzy has become a trademark for DENIED."

Video footage of MEMORY GARDEN's November 15 performance at the ProgPower Oslo festival in Oslo, Norway can be seen below.

MEMORY GARDEN's fifth album, "Doomain", was released on April 15 in Europe and April 16 in North America via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Annoying Sound Factory and SolnaSound Recording by the bandmembers themselves, with a little engineering assistance from Mike Wead (KING DIAMOND) during the lead guitar sessions. The mix was handled by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH, NIGHTINGALE) at Unisound studios in Örebro, Sweden.

MEMORY GARDEN was formed in 1992 in Sweden and has since then released five albums, three of them under the flag of Metal Blade Records ("Verdict Of Posterity" in 1998, "Mirage" in 2000 and "Doomain" in 2013).

MEMORY GARDEN is:

Stefan Berglund - VocalsSimon Johansson - Lead GuitarAndreas Mäkelä - GuitarsJohan Fredrikson - Bass Tom Björn - Drums