Extreme metal bulldozer SYSTEM DIVIDE — featuring current members of ABORTED and former members of DISTORTED — has entered Sound Division Studios in Hagen, Germany to begin recording its second full-length album entitled "The Cult Of Indifference". The band is tracking 11 brand new songs for the CD, which will be mixed by Pete Rutcho (REVOCATION, THE GHOST INSIDE, BURY YOUR DEAD). Tentatively due in the fall/winter, the effort will feature artwork by Spawnfall and will include the song "Ephemera", the official lyric video for which can be seen below.

Due to scheduling conflicts, longtime SYSTEM DIVIDE drummer Mike Heller (who is now the full-time drummer for FEAR FACTORY) is being replaced by Ken Bedene of ABORTED.

Comments SYSTEM DIVIDE vocalist Sven De Caluwé: "So far, things are going great.

"The album has been in the works for nearly two years now.

"We have all been busy with our other bands, and it feels good to finally record this piece of work. Alas Mike had too many other commitments when he joined FEAR FACTORY, but Ken is laying down killer tracks and the material is lightyears beyond anything the band has done.

"If you think you know SYSTEM DIVIDE, think again! The material is far more intricate, extreme and progressive without losing the groove and melodic aspects. I am sure this will turn quite some heads."

He continues: "As mentioned above, longtime drummer Mike Heller was too busy with his commitments with FEAR FACTORY to be able to tour and record with SYSTEM DIVIDE. He is our brother, and as much as this saddens [us], we completely understand and also have to move on from our side. We wish him the best and would like to welcome our brother, Ken Bedene, to the fold. Ken already replaced Mike on our Japanese tour earlier this year and did a killer job, [so] we are very excited to hear him lay down his killer style on these tracks."

Adds Bedene: "I'm happy to have the opportunity to play with such a good band with good musicians and work hard to fill the shoes of one of my favorite drummers and good friends, Mike. I hope to bring as much intensity as Mike did.

"Tracking these new songs has been quite a challenge and I am sure everybody will be quite surprised with the outcome!"

SYSTEM DIVIDE's full-length debut, "The Conscious Sedation", was released on September 14, 2010 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Conquistador studios in Cleveland, Ohio and was mixed and mastered by James Murphy (OBITUARY, TESTAMENT, DEATH).

Founded in summer 2008, SYSTEM DIVIDE set out to revolutionize the conventions of the over-saturated melodic death metal genre, proving that extreme metal can have more depth than blast beats, while female vocals do not have to conform to the precepts of the "goth" genre.

DEFTONES frontman Chino Moreno says that it is now more likely than ever before that the band's shelved 2008 album "Eros" will see the light of day.

In late 2008, the group was putting the finishing touches on the CD when their bassist, Chi Cheng, suffered major injuries and was left in a coma following a November 2008 car crash in Santa Clara, California.

After the accident, DEFTONES decided to scrap the project and later recruited Sergio Vega, formerly of QUICKSAND, to play bass. They have released two albums since.

Cheng, who formed DEFTONES with singer Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter and drummer Abe Cunningham in 1988, died last month at the age of 42.

Speaking to Artisan News (see video below) on the "black carpet" at the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods awards on May 2 at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles, California, Moreno was asked if "Eros" will ever come out. "It will," he said. "I think [the chances of that happening are] more so now probably than ever [before]." He added: "I actually went back and listened to some of it recently and… you know, I don't know when [we will put it out] or… but I feel it's a little more appropriate now for us to think about that [than it has been] in the last few years to think about."

In a June 2009 online posting announcing their decision to scrap "Eros" and start anew and begin tracking an entirely new album, the band explained: "The songs recorded for 'Eros' are very special to us as they are the latest with Chi (and we certainly hope not the last); they have history and significant meaning to us. However, as we neared completion on 'Eros', we realized that this record doesn't best encompass and represent who we are currently as people and as musicians.

"The decision to hold off on releasing 'Eros' has no connection with Chi's condition or anything associated. This was, and is, purely a creative decision by the band to write, record, and deliver an amazing product."

Cheng was performed on DEFTONES' first five albums. His final release was 2006's "Saturday Night Wrist".

ANTHRAX's May 10 concert at Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, Chile was professionally filmed for a live DVD. The show consisted of a special extended set featuring tracks from the band's whole catalog.

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Among The Living
02. Caught In A Mosh
03. I Am The Law
04. Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
05. A Skeleton In The Closet
06. March Of The S.O.D. (STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH cover)
07. In The End
08. Deathrider
09. T.N.T. (AC/DC cover)
10. I'm Alive
11. Indians
12. Medusa
13. In My World
14. Got The Time (Joe Jackson cover)
15. Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't

Encore:

16. I'm The Man / Raining Blood (SLAYER cover)
17. Madhouse
18. Antisocial (TRUST cover)

SHADOWS FALL guitarist Jon Donais, who has been touring with ANTHRAX since Rob Caggiano's departure in January, handled the lead-guitar parts at the Santiago show.

ANTHRAX has just completed the "Metal Alliance Tour", which also featured EXODUS, HIGH ON FIRE, MUNICIPAL WASTE and HOLY GRAIL.

"Anthems", ANTHRAX's long-awaited, eight-track EP that pays tribute to the classic songs by some of the band's favorite acts from the 1970s, sold around 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 52 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released in North America on March 19 (MRI/Megaforce), and on March 22 in Europe (Nuclear Blast).

ANTHRAX's latest full-length album, "Worship Music", sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at No. 12. The band's previous studio CD, 2003's "We've Come For You All", opened with just under 10,000 units to debut at No. 122.

Fan-filmed video footage of CHIMAIRA performing two new songs — "I Despise" (at 12-minute mark) and "All That's Left Is Blood" (at 21-minute mark) — on May 10 at Diamond Pub & Billiards in Louisville, Kentucky can be seen below.

CHIMAIRA has announced a massive crowdfunding campaign surrounding the release of its brand new LP, "Crown Of Phantoms". The CD will be made available on Tuesday, July 30 via eOne Music.

The band is seeking support for a special fan-edition CD/DVD. This edition and its perks will only be available to campaign supporters and will not be sold anywhere else. Specifically, supporters will be contributing to the following:

* Two narrative music videos
* A behind-the-scenes making-of documentary, "Crown Of Phantoms"
* Seven additional tracks exclusive to the fan edition
* Various behind-the-scenes videos
* Expanded version of "Dr. Z" with fan-determined ending
* Full-length album commentary that features dialog from all the band members as they listen to the record start to finish
* Graphic art storyboards created specifically for the music videos included in the fan-edition booklet
* Original artwork and packaging exclusive to the fan edition

To further conceptualize their plan, the band has released a video explaining, with some satire, the details of their campaign along with a sneak peek of a brand new track called "Kings Of The Shadow World" and a visual display of the many creative perks they're offering to contributors.

Commented singer Mark Hunter: "When I started this band, I had a desire to make extremely heavy, eclectic metal. Nothing has changed in that regard. I wanted to merge all the styles I loved into a hybrid of sounds. Having the chance to reinvent the group gave me the opportunity to work with unbelievable players and take the essence of CHIMAIRA to uncharted territory. Assembling the right team was essential to creating what I feel is some of the craziest and most passionate music I've had the pleasure to be a part of. The past defines us while the present refines us."

In a 2012 interview with Metal Insider, Hunter stated about CHIMAIRA's plans for the new CD: "We want to come out with an album that not only captures the essence of what the fans have grown to know over the years, but we want to do something not only for the scene that's special, but for musicians out there, too. The musicianship in this band now is definitely on the next level. Everyone's pretty much a virtuoso at their instrument. Some of the stuff Emil [Werstler, guitar] was writing yesterday on this new song, I'm watching him play and I'm like, 'There are only going to be about a handful of people that'll able to play this!' [laughs] I'm imagining like a kid getting home, getting our new record and maybe they have the guitar, and they go sit down and try play along to it. And it's going to take them a very long time. [laughs]"

He added: "We couldn't be happier moving forward. It sucks that we had to go through hell — no pun intended — to get to where we are now. But I think all of us, coming from lessons of life, lessons of bands, lessons of the industry, we've lived and learned and now we have something completely different to prove."

CHIMAIRA's current lineup is as follows:

Mark Hunter - Vocals
Matt Szlachta (DIRGE WITHIN) - Guitar
Jeremy Creamer (DAATH) - Bass
Emil Werstler (DAATH) - Guitar
Sean Zatorsky (DAATH) - Keyboards
Austin D'Amond (BLEED THE SKY, THE ELITE) - Drums

Itay's STIGMHATE will soon reveal details on when and where they will record their fourth album, and other information related to the new material.
The band have acquired Simone "Atum" Lugas (DIVINE CODEX, SETHERIAL, IMPIETY, MALFEITOR, etc.) as session drummer for the new album.
Says the band: "For us it is a pleasure to have him as a session drummer in terms of professionalism and musical taste. He is the utmost for his devastating drumming, we could not have made a better choice."

Updates to follow. More on Stigmhate at this location.

SKULL FIST guitarist and singer Jackie Slaughter had to be rushed into the hospital after a skateboarding accident earlier this week.
His bandmates comment on the accident and the picture above: "Jackie Slaughter's face of death. He's in the hospital for a while, due to a skateboarding accident. But will forever ride the beast!“ We wish Jackie all the best, get well soon brother!"
Meanwhile the following statement has reached us from Jackie: "I have broken my neck, fractured my skull, broken my cheek bone, fractured my eye socket, got a very bad concussion, cracked my ribs, all at once. Our Mexico tour and dates this month will all be pushed back one month.“

Stay tuned for updates. More on Skull Fist at this location.

Canadian grinders FUCK THE FACTS check in with the following update on their forthcoming Amer EP:

"It’s been almost two and half years since we released Die Miserable & Misery, so we’re very stoked to have some new music to share with you all! We will be independently releasing a new EP, entitled Amer, on 10-inch vinyl, cassette and digitally.

Amer was recorded and mixed at our very own Apartment 2 Recording studio and mastered by Scott Hull (PIG DESTROYER, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED) at Visceral Sound. As usual all artwork was created by FTF vocalist Mel Mongeon."
Amer EP tracklisting:

'Une triste vue'
'Vent du nord'
'Panser la plaie au lieu de soigner le mal'
'A void'
'Jour de souffrance'
'L'enclume et le marteau'
'Amère'

Amer will be available on:

Vinyl - 500 10-inch records. 400 copies on milky clear vinyl and 100 copies on black vinyl. All vinyl pre-orders will receive a digital copy of the EP on June 18th and records will ship by August 1st. Pre-order here.

Cassette - 200 cassette tapes. 100 copies for on-line orders and 100 copies of a special version only available at live shows. All cassette pre-orders will receive a digital copy of the EP on June 18th and cassettes will also ship by June 18th. Pre-order here.

Digital - Digital version released on June 18th. Pre-order here.

More on Fuck The Facts at this location.

Almost exactly two years since the release of their breakout album "Leveler", Manheim, Pennsylvania-based quintet AUGUST BURNS RED will return with its highly anticipated fifth CD, "Rescue & Restore", due on June 25 via Solid State Records.

The new effort, described by guitarist and principal songwriter JB Brubaker as the band’s "most ambitious album yet," turns a critical eye to the oft-maligned genre of metalcore, leading by example to prove that bands can still find exciting new ways to expand the genre.

"'Rescue & Restore' is about challenging other bands and ourselves, as well as fans of this music, to want more than whatever happens to be the current buzz," explains Brubaker.

"We’ve done our best with each new album to try to push our sound in new directions and we’d like to see our peers do the same.

"People need to realize that there’s not much of a difference between a metalcore song that has a couple breakdowns with a repeating chorus and the latest LADY GAGA song. This genre used to be better than that. It can still be better than that."

Throughout the album, AUGUST BURNS RED continue to do their part to challenge the conventions of heavy music. Over the course of 11 tracks, the band artfully blend piano, cello, violin, trumpet, various percussive elements and more into their sonic arsenal, taking their music into new aesthetic territory and contorting the boundaries of the genre.

In support of "Rescue & Restore", AUGUST BURNS RED will perform all summer long as a mainstage act on the 2013 Vans Warped Tour, marking their third appearance overall and first since 2011.

With "Rescue & Restore", AUGUST BURNS RED have proven that it is possible to reshape music in a way that challenges listeners, reinvigorates fans and puts art first. But for any fans who fear AUGUST BURNS RED turning their back on the sound that catapulted them to the forefront of a genre, Brubaker advises them not to worry.

"“At the end of the day, we are still a very heavy band," he explains. "'Rescue & Restore' still has plenty of really heavy stuff, techy odd meter riffs, and all the stuff that people have come to expect from us; it just has a lot more surprises along the way."

b>"Rescue & Restore" track listing:

01. Provision
02. Treatment
03. Spirit Breaker
04. Count It All As Lost
05. Sincerity
06. Creative Captivity
07. Fault Line
08. Beauty In Tragedy
09. Animals
10. Echoes
11. The First Step

Philadelphia-based, progressive/doom metal band, SEASON OF MOURNING, have announced that Joey Vera (ARMORED SAINT, FATES WARNING) will be mastering their new cd, entitled, Salvation at Bridge Recording Studio in Woodland Hills, CA.
"I've been acquainted with Joey for some time now", states Season Of Mourning vocalist, Czar. "When I brought it up to the rest of the band, it was a no-brainer. Joey is very well respected in the metal community and has worked with a number of great bands." Besides being a current member of both Armored Saint and Fates Warning, Joey has played with SEVEN WITCHES, ANTHRAX and ARCH/MATHEOS, as well as having many engineering, mixing, and mastering credits to his name.

Salvation will be released in the fall of 2013 on the Philadelphia-based, independent label Toil Records/Toil Inc. The label released the bands' previous effort, Nameless Ones (ep), in the spring of 2012 in digital download format.

For more details click here.

Unspeakable Axe Records have set July 9th as the release date for the worldwide reissue of Victims Beyond All Help, from Winnipeg, Manitoba thrashers BESIEGED.
Besieged have been terrorizing music listeners in their hometown of Winnipeg for some time, putting out a demo (Visions Of Pain) in 2004 and then releasing their debut in 2010. Their sound is lightning-fast death-tinged thrash metal, indebted to the old gods of the scene while also bringing in new influences and ideas. No jokey lyrics, no phony retro affectations, just pure bludgeoning for fans of SEPULTURA's Beneath The Remains, SLAYER's Reign In Blood, DARK ANGEL's Darkness Descends, and other uncompromising, furious albums that pushed the genre to its limits.

Victims Beyond All Help was self-released by the band in 2010 and limited to just 300 copies on pro CD-R; now it will be officially reissued with an upgraded layout. This reissue will use the same completely old school artwork painted by the legendary Ed Repka. This will be the second release by Unspeakable Axe, the new sub-label of Dark Descent Records.
Tracklisting:

'Internal Suffering'
'Death'
'Buried Alive'
'The End'
'Victims Beyond All Help'
'Trapped Inside'
'Black'

Listen to tracks from the album below:
More on Besieged at this location.

AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis' attorney believes his client may have been the victim of a setup in connection with the singer's alleged attempt to hire someone to kill Lambesis' estranged wife.

Tim was arrested without incident on Tuesday (May 7) around 2 p.m. at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Oceanside, California and was ordered held on $3 million bail during his arraignment hearing on Thursday. He faces nine years in state prison if convicted.

Prosecutors initially requested that Superior Court Judge Martin Staven set Lambesis' bail at $20 million, saying the singer remains "substantially motivated to kill his wife."

Speaking to Artisan News (see video below), Tim's attorney, Anthony Salerno, revealed that Tim's charges were a lot heavier initially, with the potential consequences being life in jail.

"He was arrested for conspiracy to commit murder, which carries a life sentence, as well as being booked for soliciting murder," Salerno said. "I won't necessarily get too deep [in the details of] the law surrounding conspiracy, but I came to believe very strongly that there is absolutely no way that he could be even charged with conspiracy, much less convicted of it. [So] one of the first things I did was to reach out directly to the [district attorney] that was assigned to the case and had some conversations with her. And she, in fact, did decide for Tim not to be charged with conspiracy, which was a big victory, 'cause that took a potential life sentence off the table before he was even charged. That's something that jumped out at me right away — that I needed to do that early intervention — so we did that."

Salerno also said that Lambesis was originally being held without bail before the attorney was able to intervene.

"At the point Tim was first arrested, the Sheriff's Department asked for and received permission to hold him with no bail," he said. "They got that permission for a judge and I knew that that was well in excess of what the bail schedule in San Diego County calls for. So my next order of business was to try to see what we could do to get that bail… well, first of all, to get a bail, and then to get it set as low as possible. That, of course, was what the bail hearing was about [on Thursday]. I was a little bit disappointed; I thought the bail should have been much lower. The scheduled amount for the charge that he ultimately has now is just $250,000. And, in fact, the scheduled amount for even solicitation to commit murder is a million [dollars]; and the judge set it at three million. So I was a little disappointed that it was that high. On the other hand, the D.A. was asking that the bail continued to be set at no bail whatsoever, and then she said — [which] I thought [was] kind of over the top — that as a backup, it ought to be set at $20 million. I think the fact that an earlier judge had said 'no bail' kind of must have influenced our judge, and that's [why] he set the three million. So right now the gameplan is to try to work on getting Tim out at that three million or possibly to have it lowered."

The lawyer added that someone may have given false information about Lambesis to authorities in order to "save his own skin."

"I would anticipate myself asking for quite a bit of additional discovery, particularly on this person I strongly suspect is a snitch and is an informant for the police and was really creating this whole scenario and sort of setting Tim up," he said. "I believe there's a good probability he may be a police informant. And that information is only available internally with the police department, or in this case the San Diego Sheriff's Department, and through the D.A.'s office, and that's something I'm gonna have to explore as well."

He added: "There's one other element to this, too, which is… I don't want to start to make accusations on this one unless I have some more information, but I will point out that Tim's wife's brother, I understand, is a San Diego Sheriff's deputy, and I think I would be remiss if I didn't fully explore that, 'cause that is a litte bit… it's at the bare minimum very coincidental, and it may be more than that."

According to the San Diego Sheriff's Department web site, as of Friday afternoon (May 10), Lambesis had yet to post bail one day after pleading not guilty to a charge of solicitation of murder. The singer remains behind bars at a Vista, California detention facility and his next court date is set for June 10.

Lambesis was ordered to wear a GPS monitor and turn in his passport and was warned by the judge that, if he is released from jail, he must stay away from his immediate family.

Frontiers Records will release WHITESNAKE's "Made In Britain/The World Record" in Europe on July 5 and in North America on July 9. The album will be released in Japan on June 19 via Ward Records.

A trailer for "Made In Britain/The World Record" can be seen below.

During 2011, the mighty WHITESNAKE embarked on one of their most successful world tours in recent times, performing 96 shows in more than 35 countries, starting in North America in May until the second U.K. run in December. The request for another live album came from WHITESNAKE's incredibly loyal fans — never ones for being notoriously shy about insisting what they want from their favorite musical reptiles. Before heading out on the "Forevermore World Tour 2011", the decision was made to record every performance on the tour.

After spending the early part of 2012 editing and mixing the WHITESNAKE "Made In Japan" DVD, the production team consisting of The Brutal Brothers (WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale and Doug Aldrich and Mikey Mac), had the task of listening to over 90 shows and 130 hours of WHITESNAKE performances. Inspired by the performances from the nine sold-out U.K. shows and a further 87 performances from around the world, the live albums "Made In Britain" and the accompanying "The World Record" were born. The recent "Forevermore" songs shine as brightly as classic WHITESNAKE songs such as "Is This Love", "Still Of The Night" and "Here I Go Again", all performed with feverish energy, encouraged by remarkably enthusiastic audiences from Newcastle to Sao Paulo.

Asked about the decision to release two separate live albums — "Made In Japan" and "Made In Britain" — several months apart, WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale told Sweden's Metalshrine: "We didn't plan the Japanese project. You know, the Japanese tour was booked and we were invited to headline at Loud Park and I hadn't headlined a Japanese music festival since 1984, so that was a very exciting premise for me. They made a very generous offer and then asked if they could film three songs for a TV special. We said OK and my co-producers, Doug Aldrich and Michael McIntyre, and I, mixed the three songs and obviously watching the video and going crazy. It looked fantastic and we had them send over the rest of the footage and thought, 'This could be a fabulous follow-up to 'Still Of The Night'.' And where we are now, featuring new songs for the first time. The record company we work with, Frontiers, they were absolutely positive in their response, so we added that to the mix.

"What we're doing with the 'Made In Britain' CD, is giving it a different sonic identity. The CD from 'Made In Japan' is a soundtrack and the bonus stuff features behind-the-scenes, soundcheck stuff we recorded in different Japanese venues. Having fun with some our songs, like trying an unplugged version of 'Good To Be Bad' and 'Tell Me How' from the 'Forevermore' album. Stuff that people normally don't get to hear. For the second CD, it's 'WHITESNAKE the world record.' We're taking songs from all over different cities, like Oslo and there might be a Sweden Rock. I'm not sure if we legally can do that. Stuff from Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rio. It's two entirely different projects, and for the end of the year, we're hoping to achieve a limited-edition box set for Christmas, called 'Forevermore - The Complete Collection', which will have everything 'Forevermore'-related plus outtakes, alternate mixes, acoustic versions of songs, behind-the-scenes footage. Really cool stuff.

"Made In Britain/The World Record" track listing:

Disc 1 - "Made In Britain"

01. Best Years
02. Give Me All Your Love Tonight
03. Love Ain't No Stranger
04. Is This Love
05. Steal Your Heart Away
06. Forevermore
07. Love Will Set You Free
08. My Evil Ways
09. Fare Thee Well
10. Heart Of The City
11. Fool For Your Loving
12. Here I Go Again
13. Still Of The Night


Disc 2 - "The World Record"

01. Bad Boys
02. Slide It In
03. Lay Down Your Love
04. Pistols At Dawn
05. Snake Dance
06. Can You Hear The Wind Blow
07. Fare Thee Well
08. One Of These Days
09. The Badger
10. The Deeper The Love
11. Soldier Of Fortune
12. Burn / Stormbringer
13. Ain't Gonna Cry No More (Acoustic) *

* Bonus track for Japan

Video footage of Chicago heavy rockers SOIL performing a brand new song, "My Time", on May 2 at Offsides Sports Bar & Grill in Woodstock, Illinois can be seen below. The track will appear on the band's new album, "Whole", which is due in August. The CD was recorded with longtime producer Ulrich Wild. The band recently worked on 13 songs in pre-production with engineer Don Byczynski at BOTA Studio in Lake In The Hills, Illinois.

Ulrich previously produced SOIL's 2006 album "True Self" and co-produced the band's last effort, 2009's "Picture Perfect".

SOIL's forthcoming CD will mark the band's first release with singer Ryan McCombs since 2004's "Re.De.Fine".

"This new album has a very classic SOIL feel to it," bassist Tim King previously said.

"We [are] calling all the shots on this one," said King. "Every decision will be made by myself, Adam [Zadel, guitar], and Ryan."

Distribution in North America will be handled through Sony RED/MRI via Pavement Entertainment, in which SOIL has an interest. Europe/rest of world will go through SOIL's long time partner AFM Records. Pavement Entertainment president Mark Nawara, welcomes the experience. "I am happy to be a part of the new SOIL album," he says. "We have structured an innovative and unique business venture that lets the band stay 100 percent independent while giving them access to the many resources they require to release an album successfully."

In a recent interview with Metal Forces, McCombs stated about the band's next CD: "This is the first time Adam, Tim and I have been writing together since 'Re.De.Fine', so you have the key component of what made those records. I was always the lyric writer of those albums, and if I stumbled somewhere, Adam was always there to give me a little boost, and give me a little direction here and there. You've got us back together as far as the lyrics that I write go. You've got Adam too; he was 98.9% of the music on those records, and if he ever had any struggle with whatever — if he ever had any questions — I was always there to help with the arrangement of the songs. We really got the key components of those albums back together again, and I feel like the material that we're coming up with is that perfect anchor to where you had 'Scars' and 'Re.De.Fine'. I think this album is the next stage, the next album in line for SOIL."

According to the San Diego Sheriff's Department web site, as of Friday afternoon (May 10), AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis had yet to post bail one day after pleading not guilty to a charge of solicitation of murder. The singer, who is accused of trying to hire someone to kill his estranged wife, remains behind bars at a Vista, California detention facility and his next court date is set for June 10.

Tim Lambesis was arrested without incident on Tuesday (May 7) around 2 p.m. at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Oceanside, California and was ordered held on $3 million bail during his arraignment hearing on Thursday. He faces nine years in state prison if convicted.

Prosecutors initially requested that Superior Court Judge Martin Staven set Lambesis' bail at $20 million, saying the singer remains "substantially motivated to kill his wife."

During yesterday's arraignment, Deputy District Attorney Clausia Grasso stated: "On April 23 of 2013, the defendant met with an individual from his gym and asked him if he knew of someone that could kill his wife. The previous day, that same individual from the gym ran into another gym individual that happened to make a remark of, 'Oh, the defendant is doing well on tour, but he would be better if his wife was killed.' So, this individual thought that was strange — they agreed to have another meeting, and this meeting took place on April 24. There, the defendant reiterated and asked this gym individual if he knew of someone that could kill his wife. He said that she was not letting him see the kids, that she was making this divorce 'impossible' and further, that it was better for the children to have one healthy relationship with one parent than two unhealthy ones, and he wanted her gone."

Grasso continued: "On May 7, the defendant agreed to meet with 'Red,' who was an undercover agent posing as a hitman. The defendant told Red that he wanted his wife gone and to never see her again. When asked if he wanted her dead, the defendant replied, and on recording, 'Yes, that is exactly what I want.' The defendant told Red that he wanted his wife killed when the children were with him so he would have an alibi. The defendant then handed the undercover agent an envelope with $1000 cash for expenses, pictures of Mrs. Lambesis, her address and gate codes — how to get into her home, to her complex and specific dates when this could be done, which were the same dates that he was due to have the children."

Lambesis was ordered to wear a GPS monitor and turn in his passport and was warned by the judge that, if he is released from jail, he must stay away from his immediate family.

Defense attorney Anthony Salerno said afterward that he believed his client may have been the victim of a setup. "Law enforcement was fed something by someone who effectively orchestrated the whole thing ... [Tim] did not intend to harm anybody," said the lawyer, who added that someone may have given false information about Lambesis to authorities in order to "save his own skin." "If I had to hang a tag on it, I'd call it a scumbag snitch setup," he said. According to MTV News, Salerno also pointed to the large crowd of supporters who had shown up for the hearing — including Lambesis' bandmates and AS I LAY DYING fans — as proof that the frontman was not a flight risk.

"I don't know that I've ever seen so many people in support of someone at a bail hearing," Salerno said.

Irish thrashers GAMA BOMB have released their new video, for the track 'Shitting Yourself To Live', featured on the band's new album, The Terror Tapes. Watch the new clip below:
The Terror Tapes, the band’s fourth album, is out now via AFM Records and follows the band’s 2009 album Tales from the Grave in Space.
The Terror Tapes tracklisting:

'The Wrong Stuff'
'Legend of Speed'
'Backwards Bible'
'Beverly Hills Robocop'
'Smoke The Blow With Willem Dafoe'
'We Started The Fire'
'Terrorscope
'The Cannibals Are In The Streets - All Flesh Must Be Eaten'
'Shitting Yourself To Live'
'Matrioshka Brain'
'Metal Idiot'
'Wrecking Ball'

The video for 'Terrorscope' is avaialble below:
For more on Gama Bomb visit Facebook.

HEAVEN & EARTH has issued a video recap from their packed record release party at the Fonda in Hollywood, CA. The clip features footage of the band's electric performance that night, as well as a quick peek into the night's festivities; check it out below:
The band's new album, Dig, is now available via Quarto Valley Records.

As the band's founder and visionary, guitarist Stuart Smith says about Dig, "I feel that with the crafting of the songs on this album, the incredible band we’ve put together, especially with powerhouse vocalist Joe Retta and the unwavering support of Quarto Valley Records' President, Bruce Quarto, we really have a shot at getting Heaven & Earth the attention it deserves. This album is by far, the best thing I have ever done in my life!"

A video for the song 'I Don't Know What Love Is' will be released later this month. Until then, enjoy ‘No Money, No Love’:

San Francisco Bay Area metallers KILL RITUAL featuring former members of IMAGIKA and DARK ANGEL have issued the following update:

"Kill Ritual drummer Wayne DeVecchi has left the band. If you're a pro drummer interested in the gig contact us asap. All the usual requirements apply; pro gear, attitude, image, work ethic and ability to commit on pro level. Music is thrash based with elements of NWOBHM, classic. modern and hard rock. US Tour in September. New CD to be released in 2014. Please submit inquiries by video or audio performances, recent photo and playing background. You will be contacted with details if we’re interested. Email: killritualmetal@gmail.com."

Kill Ritual are nearing completion of their sophomore CD to be titled The Eyes Of Medusa, which will be completed in September and again mixed by Andy LaRocque of KING DIAMOND fame and engineered by Kill Ritual guitarist Steve Rice. The CD finds the band expanding on there already diverse metal sound with new found hooks and aggression, according to a press release.
Kill Ritual has also announced rescheduled US Tour dates for September after the injury to guitarist Mehl Anoma forced the cancellation of the band's tour that was to have taken place in March. Mehl Anoma has since left the band due to his continued injury issues and the band will move forward as a four-piece (with a drummer to be announced).

The new rescheduled dates are:

September
5 - Las Vegas, NV – The Cheyenne Saloon
6 - Gilbert, AZ – Crabby Don’s
7 - Albuquerque, NM – Hooligans
8 - El Paso, TX – Bombardiers
9 - Las Cruces, NM – The Green Room
12 - Midland, TX – Fast Freddy’s
14 - Ft Worth, TX – The Rail Club,
15 - Austin, TX – Headhunters
16 - San Antonio, TX – Zombies Bar
19 - Corpus Christi, TX – Zero’s Hard Rock Club
20 - Houston, TX – Acadia
21 - Dallas, TX – Boiler Room
22 - Oklahoma City, OK – The Chameleon
23 - Wichita, KS – Kirby’s Beer Store
24 - Kansas City, MO
25 - Lincoln, NE
26 - Cheyenne, WY
27 - Casper, WY – The Sandbar Lounge
28 - Salt Lake City, UT
29 - Reno, NV – Shea’s Tavern

More dates and venue info will be added when available.

In celebration of their astounding 35th anniversary, KILLING JOKE unveils their latest video single, in the form of 'Corporate Elect'. The tune comes by way of the band’s MMXII full-length, released last year via Spinefarm Records, and serves as a taster of the band’s three-CD anthology — The Singles Collection 1979-2012.
Conceived, filmed and directed by Mikee Goodman, the video is only the fourth official clip sanctioned by the band in the past few years, following 'In Excelsis', the animated 'European Super State' and the 'In Cythera' clips in which the band have barely appeared.

Notes Goodman, former frontman of UK outfit SIKTH, one half of PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION (along with IRON MAIDEN guitarist, Adrian Smith), and now recording with new project, OUTPATIENTS: "This video has been my biggest creative challenge yet. I had never previously met Jaz Coleman, but was blown away by the powerful and passionate performance he delivered. I did not sleep properly for five weeks. Now I have, I have looked at it again with fresh eyes. And smiled. I was honored to be asked to make a music video for Killing Joke, and so pleased to hear they liked it."

Watch the new clip below:
Killing Joke's new set, The Singles Collection 1979 -2012, out this week on Spinefarm/Universal, captures their ever-evolving story with a series of dark, apocalyptic songs, they have successfully combined disco and funk and a shamanic wisdom with the dark side of the punk fall-out. Their influence has been enormous, with an unlikely roll-call of musicians taking their cues from the KJ catalogue – from NIRVANA to most modern American metal to many DJs and dance music mavericks… few, however, coming close to the band’s innate power.
The Singles Collection 1979 – 2012 is released on download, Limited Edition 3 CD, and Super Deluxe Edition. The album is streaming in it's entirety below:

Swedish death metal masters Diabolical have released a lyric video for the track ‘Into Oblivion’, which is taken from the upcoming album Neogenesis.

Check out the video below:

Bassist Dan Darforth comments: “We are thrilled to finally be able to share this track with the world. We have put several years of hard work into the creation of Neogenesis and it is with great pride and enthusiasm that we now put this first part of Neogenesis out for people to enjoy. The video is created by Sovka Ivanov, a great video artist that deserves a lot of respect and recognition. We are excited that he made this video for ‘Into Oblivion’ and I hope people will like it.”

Diabolical has just launched a minisite for Neogenesis, where preorder bundles can be taken.

The band recently pushed back the release of the album to September 27th for various reasons. They also revealed that there is more to the new album than just a collection of songs. Neogenesis is also a novel telling the story of the end of the world and what lies beyond. The book is written by guitarist Carl Stjärnlöv and each chapter of the book is represented by a song on the album.

Stjärnlöv explains: “I’ve had this idea for many years and I’m very pleased that we went ahead and actually realized it. The novel tells the story of a man who fights to survive in a world that has come to an end. This struggle for survival is not only physical but also metaphysical and spiritual. The struggle of the protagonist is also a reflection of our struggle as human beings in a world which we cannot take for granted much longer.”

Neogenesis will contain the following 11 tracks:

'Into Oblivion'
'Metamorphosis'
'Oracle'
'Ex'
'World In Silence'
'Reincarnation Of The Damned'
'Fields Of Nihil'
'Dialogue With The Dead'
'Wolves' Choir'
'The Age To Come'
'Humanitas'

Sydney, Australia-based death metal act BACKYARD MORTUARY will see their Lure Of The Occult album released on 12" LP, on June 14th.
Tracklisting:

'Last Rites'
'Beyond The Grave'
'Mutation'
'Diseased'
'Deprivation'
'Macabre Butchery'
'Lure Of The Occult'
'Demons Blood'

The album can be streamed below:

Lure of the Occult 12"LP by BACKYARD MORTUARY

Backyard Mortuary formed in 2002 with the intention of creating rotten death metal in the vein of the late 80s/early 90s classics. The demo Dead Goregous was recorded and self-released later that year and shortly after the line-up was completed and live shows followed. In 2005 a self-titled EP was recorded and released through Australian label Beer in Your Ear and on cassette through Swedish label Zombie Ritual Tapes (an old sub-label of Blood Harvest Records). A cover of DEATH's 'Mutilation' was also recorded for a tribute to Chuck Schuldiner compilation, released through Chinese label Area Death Productions.

Finally, in early 2011 the album Lure Of The Occult was recorded and then, after further delays, self-released on CD in 2012.
Backyard Mortuary lineup:

Dave Thomas - Guitars
Chris Archer - Vocals
John - Drums
Stuart Prickett - Guitars
Bianca Jamett - Bass

More on Backyard Mortuary here.

BLACK SABBATH will make a rare television appearance when the band performs a new song on the season finale of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation". The episode is set to air on Wednesday, May 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET on CBS-TV. The band will world premiere a song called "End Of The Beginning" from their upcoming album "13". The episode's plot follows the CSI team as they investigate a series of murder that resemble the sins in "Dante's Inferno", with the trail leading the detectives played by Ted Danson and Marc Vann to attend a SABBATH concert.

Behind-the-scenes video footage from the set can be seen below. In the clip, Danson explains that the season finale will see his character, DB Russell, and a trio of suspect serial killers hold a meeting backstage at a BLACK SABBATH gig.

"It's my first BLACK SABBATH concert. How cool is that?" says Danson.

"I've watched ['CSI'] — every episode — since it started, 'cause I like crime stuff, and it was realistic," says bassist Geezer Butler.

"I'm not an actor," says singer Ozzy Osbourne. "It's like a hurry-up-and-wait. When you see it on TV, it's all done, but when you're filming, there's a lot of stuff going on."

He adds about the band's return to the spotlight: "It's been a long time, but the wait has been well worth it, 'cause the album is really good. I'm really pleased with the outcome.

"It's good fun and it's a good way of telling people that we're back together, you know?"

"13" is due out on June 11 and is the first SABBATH album in 35 years to feature Ozzy, Geezer and guitarist Tony Iommi.

Ozzy told an Australian radio station that the new album is "mindblowing," adding, "It's better than my wildest dreams; it's so good."

The drum tracks on the album were laid down by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE sticksman Brad Wilk following original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the reunion.

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" is nearing the end of its 13th season and regularly wins its time period with nearly 12 million viewers per episode.

It is also a global ratings hit, earning the International TV Audience Award for the "most-watched show in the world" for the third consecutive year and its fifth time in seven years.

Legendary VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash (pictured below) has paid tribute to SLAYER axeman Jeff Hanneman, who passed away on May 2 from liver failure at the age of 49.

In a statement to LA Weekly, Slash said: "For me, Jeff Hanneman was the king of thrash/speed metal guitar. SLAYER was the first speed metal band I ever listened to; the riffs and chord changes were genius. And that right hand blew my mind. Never heard anything quite like it."

Members of SLAYER released a statement on Thursday (May 9) saying that Hanneman died of alcohol-related cirrhosis.

Hanneman had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman's last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the "Big Four" concert in Indio, California.

US-based metal stalwarts SEVEN WITCHES are set to release their ninth studio album, the first for new label home FrostByte Media; Rebirth is due out on July 16th in North America. Rebirth is produced by Seven Witches founder/lead guitarist/mainstay Jack Frost (ex-SAVATAGE) and features a gritty, hook-laden sound, according to a press release. It's a return to basics for the band highlighting Jack Frost's signature axe work.
In addition to Frost this time around, Seven Witches is rounded out by Ronnie Parkes (SLIPPERY WHEN WET, FARCRY) on bass, Johnny Kelly (TYPE O NEGATIVE, DANZIG) on drums, and brand new frontman Anthony Cross. Look for the band to tour the United States this summer near the release of Rebirth.

Listen to an audio preview of Rebirth below:
Seven Witches is taking part in the Metal Masters 2013 September/October North American tour. The 30 plus date trek will also feature VICIOUS RUMORS, and LEATHERWOLF with support coming from POWER THEORY on select dates.

Confirmed dates are as follows:

September
21 - Indianapolis, IN (as part of the Indianapolis Metal fest)
28 - The Montage - Rochester, NY

October
2 - Saint Vitus - Brooklyn, NY
4 - Bentz Street - Frederick, MD
5 - Ground Zero - Spartanburg. SC

US heavy metallers WARLORD revealed exclusively to Rock Overdose that their April 27th concert at the Gagarin 205 in Athens on will be released in High Definition Blu-ray/DVD and at least double live CD.
The shooting of the concert took place with five cameras and was recorded in 24-channel HD Audio. The DVD will also feature various outtakes. The concert from Thessaloniki will only be included on the live CD.
Bill Tsamis comments: "I can't wait for the live DVD with multiple cameras and professional recording. However, 'Aliens' has always been one of my favorite Warlord songs . . . and it is fun to play."

Warlord performed:
'Intro'
'Deliver Us From Evil'
'Winter Tears'
'Child of the Damned'
'Penny for a Poor Man'
'Black Mass'
'Mrs. Victoria'
'Lost and Lonely Days'
'Aliens'
'Soliloquy'
'City Walls Of Troy'
'Kill Zone'
'Interlude Pan's Labyrinth'
'Father'
'Glory'
'War in Heaven'
'Winds of Thor'
Encore:
'Beginning' / 'Lucifer's Hammer'
'Achilles Revenge'

Check out fan-filmed footage below:

According to The Local, the sale of IRON MAIDEN's Trooper beer has been halted in Sweden by the country's state-run liquor store monopoly Systembolaget due to legal concerns over the skull and crossbones motif on the label.

"There has been a discussion about the label. The alcohol law stipulates how it can look. We therefore don't yet know when it can be launched," Therese Elmgren at Systembolaget told the Aftonbladet newspaper.

The label on the 4.8 percent-strength Trooper's packaging is taken from IRON MAIDEN' single "The Trooper", which was released in 1983.

"Trooper was the blindingly obvious thing to call it," IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson recently said. "We have a tremendous piece of artwork — it's one of the world's most tattooed images. And it's like Spitfire. It's in the great tradition of British military prowess — well, military disaster in this case."

In 2010, Systembolaget suspended sales of the U.S. beer Founders Breakfast Stout over concerns about the use of a child's face on the bottle's front label.

More recently, in April 2013, a brewery in Denmark was forced to change the label on its Lust beer after Systembolaget deemed the depiction of a topless women to be too sexy for Sweden.

The Trooper beer was officially launched on Thursday (May 9) at Robinsons Brewery in Cheshire, with a reception attended by brewing trade representatives from both the U.K. and internationally.

As fans may have read recently, the unprecedented upfront demand for the beer meant Robinsons had to brew three times a day, six days a week for the first time ever in the brewery's 175-year history to cope with pre-orders in excess of 300,000 pints. Robinsons were overwhelmed by the number of enquiries they'd had from all over the world and sent the band a comprehensive listing of whereabouts the interest had been — from a staggering 184 countries.

Trooper is now available to order online throughout most of Europe, and Robinsons are working to ensure it will be available to the rest of the world as soon as possible.

For updates on when Trooper is coming to a pub, bar or supermarket in your town/country, keep checking www.ironmaidenbeer.com.

Austria-based thrashers THE LAST WARNING has released a new song, ‘The Beast’, taken from their upcoming album, Progression, which will be released June 28th via Massacre Records.

Check out ‘The Beast’ below:



Progression tracklisting:
‘The Beast’
‘Devil Inside’
‘Progression’
‘The New Sign’
‘Pain And Hate’
‘Awake The Red Lion’
‘Run’
‘Down To The Ground’
‘Haunted’
‘Now I Bleed’
‘Fake Blood’
‘Say Goodnight’

The Last Warning is:
Stefan Reiter - Bass
Markus Zuber - Drums
Hans-Jürgen Moitzi - Vocals
Stefan Lanz - Guitar
Roland Sattler - Guitar/Vocals

For more info visit Facebook.

Houston-based progressive metal act OCEANS OF SLUMBER have released a video for the song 'Remedy', off their self-released debut, Aetherial.
Released on February 1st, Aetherial deftly blends an array of styles, emotions and atmospheres for one of 2013's most impressive DIY albums. The album is available through all major online music retailers or by visiting OceansOfSlumber.com

Check out the video for 'Remedy' below:
Oceans Of Slumber are seeking a record label to release Aetherial. Interested parties should contact dobberbeverly@gmail.com or clawhammerpr@gmail.com. Aetherial is available for purchase now from iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and other online retailers, or by contacting the band at oceansofslumber@gmail.com.

BraveWords scribe Greg Pratt's Aetherial review can be found here.
Oceans Of Slumber is:

Ronnie Allen - Vocals
Sean Gary - Guitar
Anthony Contreras - Guitar
Keegan Kelly - Bass
Dobber Beverly - Drums

More on Oceans Of Slumber at this location.

Early this morning, GREAT WHITE appeared live on The Morning Blend on KTNV TV in Las Vegas, NV. Visit this location to see the band perform the ballad 'Hard To Say Goodbye' from their album, Elation.
Great White's complete live itinerary is as follows:

May
10 - Las Vegas, NV - The Railhead at Boulder Station Casino
11 - Northglenn, CO - Cheers (special all acoustic performance)
31 - Anaheim, CA - The Grove

June
1 - Salt Lake City, UT - Ride For A Cure at Harley Davidson
7 - Vernal, UT - Thunder Rocks at Western
8 - Lancaster, CA - Thunder On The Lot at Antelope Valley Fairgrounds
15 - Rothbury, MI - Sandy Corley Memorial Run at JJ Resort
21 - Deadwood, SD - Mountain Event Center at Grand Casino
22 - Sheridan, WY - Trails End
27 - Santa Ynez, CA - Chumash Casino
29 - Brainerd, MN - Lakes Jam at Brainerd International Raceway

July
3 - Del Mar, CA - San Diego County Fair
6 - Hollister, CA - Pepper Tree Ranch at Guerra Cellars
11 - Gettysburg, PA - Bike Week
12 - Kankakee, IL - BBQ Festival at Kankakee Valley Park
13 - Streetsboro, OH - The Z-Plex at Stringz & Wingz
18 - Oshkosh, WI - Rock USA Festival
20 - Waukesha, WI - County Fair
26 - Akron, NY - Brauns Concert Cove
27 - Mattawa, ON - Voyageur Days at Museum Grounds
28 - St Catherines, ON - Barracuda Pretty

August
1 - Englewood, NJ - Bergen Performing Arts Center
2 - Detroit, MI - Rockin On The River at GM Renaissance
3 - McMinnville, OR - Yamhill County Fair
10 - Stuart, IA - Rocktastic at Stuart Speedway
15 - Escanaba, MI - UP State Fair
16 - Laredo, TX - Energy Arena
17 - Beaumont, TX - Ford Park Event Center

September
1 - Omaha, NE - Septemberfest

October
26 - Calgary, AB - Deerfoot Inn & Casino

Finnish death metallers DECAYING are proud to share with fans a brand new song entitled ‘El Alamein’ from their upcoming third album The Last Days Of War.

Due out on May 20th via Hellthrasher Productions, The Last Days Of War carries on their long tradition of writing about actual events that took place during the First and Second World War, and while their previous two albums were incredibly strong and consistent efforts, they’ve finally hit their stride here. There's definitely an amazing progression at hand here, as Decaying just keep upping their own ante and have crafted some excellent and epic death metal songs.

Check out the new song ‘El Alamein’ below:



The Last Days Of War tracklisting:

‘Preparation’
‘Code Name Overlord’
‘The Ardennes Offensive’
‘Firestorm’
‘’The Last Days Of War’
‘Passchendaele’
‘El Alamein’
‘The Pacific’

Check out the song 'Code Name Overlord' below:



Decaying are:
Matias Nastolin - guitars, vocals
Henri Hirvonen - guitars
Sebastian Bergman - bass
Benjam Lahdenpää – drums

To preorder the album visit this location.

Members of THE QUIREBOYS, FASTER PUSSYCAT, DANGEROUS TOYS and ADLER contributed guest vocals joined CINDERELLA on stage during the Monsters Of Rock cruise, which embarked on its second voyage March 16 and returned four days later. Departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this cruise visited the private island of CocoCay, plus Nassau, Bahamas with a rockin' bonus day at sea.

CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer was unable to make the trip after catching the flu which, left untreated, turned into pneumonia.

Professionally filmed video footage of CINDERELLA performing the ROD STEWART classic "Maggie May" with John Corabi, former lead singer of MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE SCREAM and UNION, during the Monsters Of Rock cruise can be seen below.