HALESTORM was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 55th annual Grammy Awards, which was held last night (Sunday, February 10) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. HALESTORM was nominated for the track "Love Bites (So Do I)" , from the band's 2012 album "The Strange Case Of…"

Writing on her Instagram, HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale said: "Last night was an incredible moment...

"I want to say a few words now that my head is together.

"This is such a huge milestone for us. I've been in this silly band HALESTORM since I was 13. That's 16 years I've been working at this.

"We've been playing an average of 260 dates a year since I was a teenager. So after dedicating my life to rock, receiving a Grammy for 'Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance' last night is such an amazing honor!

"I'm so proud to represent for my genre, which, by the way, is the beating heart and inspiration for so many other genres (even all the pop kids want to be rock stars). I'm also so proud to represent for all my femme freaks out there; I am the first female to win a Grammy in this category. I hope to use this gift as a weapon of empowerment.

"Nothing great comes without hard work and patience. It's a huge combo of luck and tunnel vision.

"I'm living proof that you can achieve your goals in life.

"Thank you to everyone who gave us a chance and has supported us throughout the years. Most of all, thanks you to our families and our freaks for enabling us to do what we love every day. We love you!"

"Love Bites" hit No. 1, making HALESTORM the first female-fronted act in history to top the Active Rock chart.

The nominees in this year's "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category were as follows:

ANTHRAX - "I'm Alive"
Track from: "Worship Music"
(Megaforce)

HALESTORM - "Love Bites (So Do I)"
Track from: "The Strange Case Of..."
(Atlantic)

IRON MAIDEN - "Blood Brothers"
Track from: "En Vivo!"
(Ume)

LAMB OF GOD - "Ghost Walking"
Track from: "Resolution"
(Epic)

MARILYN MANSON – "No Reflection"
Track from: "Born Villain"
(Cooking Vinyl)

MEGADETH - "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)"
Track from: "TH1RT3EN"
(Roadrunner)

Former NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon has posted a two-minute audio snippet of a demo version of a new solo track called "Falling". Check it out in the YouTube clip below.

Olzon in 2011 released two demo tracks that she recorded in 2009 for what was supposed to become her debut solo album. She said at the time, "The songs are not mixed or produced, just recorded in the moment, and therefore are very rough songs. But I still want you to hear them since I am proud of them and I think they show another part of me than you hear in NIGHTWISH." She added, "The first song is called 'Floating' and I call it the 'circus' song. It gives me a happy feeling and the vibe in it is happy and joyful. The second song ['Invincible'] is a song I wrote for my son and therefore it's very special to me."

Olzon announced in April 2011 that she decided to push back the tentative release date of her debut solo album to after NIGHTWISH had completed touring in support of its then-yet-to-be-released new studio album, "Imaginarium".

Olzon worked on material for her solo CD in 2009 with Swedish producers Stefan Örn and Johan Glössner. The album was slated to be co-produced by Swedish producer/songwriter Anders Bagge, who has previously worked with MADONNA, CELINE DION, JANET JACKSON and JESSICA SIMPSON, among others. He was also one of judges on the Swedish TV talent competition "Idol" and a producer of the TV series "Made in Sweden".

Olzon in 2009 hired a personal manager — the Swedish management company Hagenburg Management, which also represents EUROPE and THE CARDIGANS.

Olzon abruptly left NIGHTWISH last September in the middle of the band's North American tour. She has since been replaced on the road by former AFTER FOREVER and current REVAMP singer Floor Jansen.

SAVAGE ATTACK, the new Richmond, Virginia-based thrash band featuring former IMMORTAL AVENGER and current DARKITECT guitarist Tommy Gunn, has posted three demo tracks on its ReverbNation profile: "The Flood", "Selfish" and "Love Song". Check them out using the widget below.

SAVAGE ATTACK describes its musical style as "a full-throttle thrash assault. This is the real deal. Some of the meanest, most aggressive thrash you'll ever hear. This is not boogie-boards-and-skinny-jeans music! Party's over, kids!!!"

SAVAGE ATTACK is:

Larry Fucking Floyd - vocals
Tommy Gunn - guitar
George Lawhorn - bass
Mike Dishman - drums

Unique Leader Records has announced the signing of Oregon's OMNIHILITY to multi-album deal. The band will enter the studio this summer to record its new album.

Hailing from the Willamette "Valley Of Death" amongst the woods of Eugene, OMNIHILITY is "all about creating intense brutal and technical death metal," according to a press release. "A nod to the old-school past combined with the immense speed and precision of contemporary death metal, all while subconsciously channeling energy from arcane sources to destroy the minds of the multitude. Expect nothing... feel nothing... as the onslaught ensues."

OMNIHILITY is:

Dan Rabago - Guitar
Jeremy Leishman - Bass
John Kurzejeski - Vocals
Steve Crum - Drums

ANNIHILATOR mainman Jeff Waters will record a guest appearance next week on the new album from Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM.

In a recent interview with Finland's Soundi magazine, CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho stated about Waters' contribution to the new BODOM CD: "I played on ANNIHILATOR's album 'Metal' in 2007, so the way I see it, Jeff Waters owes BODOM a solo or two! It's payback time."

CHILDREN OF BODOM recently entered Danger Johnny Studios in Helsinki to begin work on its as-yet-untitled eighth album. For the recording of the LP, CHILDREN OF BODOM has teamed up with recording engineer Mikko Karmila, who worked with the band on their fan-favorite albums "Hatebreeder", "Follow The Reaper" and "Hate Crew Deathroll", as well as Swedish producer Peter Tägtgren (MARDUK, AMON AMARTH), who is overseeing production of both vocals and keyboards on the record. The album will be mixed at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki for a summer release via Nuclear Blast Records.

"It's a nice change to the regular method where we lock ourselves up at a studio in the middle of the woods, usually also during the darkest time of the year," Laiho said. Tägtgren travelled to Finland earlier thos month to oversee the keyboard and vocal recordings for his longtime allies.

In an in-depth interview with Soundi last September, CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist Roope Latvala expressed interest in taking a more prominent role in the arranging of the band material.

"In my opinion many guitar parts could be made more interesting and balanced with just minor tweaks," Roope said, perhaps inspired by his recent work with Finn composer Anssi Tikanmäki's national anthem album project.

Has this comment led to Alexi giving the former STONE axeman more leeway and responsibility in the fine-tuning of the songwriting process?

"Now that you mention it, Roope did voice his opinions more than usual this time around," Alexi said. "And maybe the others, too. As far as the actual question goes, the usual rule applies: all good ideas are taken into consideration."

And finally, CHILDREN OF BODOM wouldn't be CHILDREN OF BODOM without some new off-the-wall cover tracks recorded during the sessions for later use as bonus tracks for the as-of-yet untitled disc, due out before the summer.

"We will be doing our versions of songs by BANANARAMA and ROXETTE, and a track chosen for us by the readers of the Japanese magazine Burrn!" Alexi said.

"The Tiberius Cliff (Exile To Capri)", the brand new video from EX DEO, the Ancient Roman-themed arsenal fronted by KATAKLYSM singer Maurizio Iacono, can be seen below. According to EX DEO, the clip "showcase[s] the band's theatrical and crushing live show, just in time for the upcoming Euro conquests!"

"The Tiberius Cliff (Exile To Capri)" comes off EX DEO's sophomore album, "Caligvla", which was released in August 2012 via Austria's Napalm Records.

"Caligvla" was mixed by KATAKLYSM guitarist Jean-François Dagenais, who has previously worked with MALEVOLENT CREATION, MISERY INDEX and DESPISED ICON, among others. The artwork and layout for the album were handled by SEPTICFLESH's Seth Siro Anton. The booklet for the album features commentaries and descriptions from frontman Iacono with his views on each song. The limited first pressing was released as a six-panel digipack featuring the bonus track "Burned To Serve As Nocturnal Light", a song dealing with Caligvla's madman rival emperor Nero.

"Caligvla" features contributions from ALL SHALL PERISH guitarist Francesco Artusato, TRISTANIA singer Mariangela Demurtas, SEPTICFLESH's Seth Siro Anton and GRAVEWORM's Stefano Fiori. Every invited guest on the album is of Roman or Greek descent.

"Caligvla" track listing:

01. I, Caligvla
02. The Tiberius Cliff (Exile To Capri)
03. Per Oculos Aquila
04. Pollice Verso (Damnatio Ad Bestia)
05. Divide Et Impera
06. Burned To Serve As Nocturnal Light
07. Teutuborg (Ambush Of Varus)
08. Along The Appian Way
09. Once Were Romans
10. Evocatio: The Temple Of Castor & Pollux

"Oddfellows", the new video from TOMAHAWK — the alt-rock supergroup featuring Duane Denison (THE JESUS LIZARD, UNSEMBLE), Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE, FANTÔMAS), John Stanier (BATTLES, HELMET) and Trevor Dunn (MELVINS LITE, MR. BUNGLE) — can be seen below. The live clip, which features an assortment of animation and appropriately odd graphics, was filmed and animated by Vincent Forcier.

"Oddfellows" is the title track of TOMAHAWK's new album, "Oddfellows", which came out on January 29 via Ipecac. The band's first CD in over six years sold 5,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release.

TOMAHAWK returns to the road tomorrow, with the quartet's first West Coast dates in over a decade kicking off at The Showbox in Seattle. Other upcoming performances include a stint on Australia's Soundwave festival and stops at Lollapalooza in both Brazil and Chile.

In a November 2012 interview with Nashville Scene, Denison stated about the new CD, "Some of this album is, to me, fairly straightforward hard rock, and then some of it is ... I don't know what you'd call it — avant-pop or something? If anything, I think the album is a bit hookier and has bigger choruses than anything we've done. There's a lot of group vocals from song to song, almost these Greek choruses showing up. To me, it's kind of depressing when I go see a band or hear a record where the songs all have a similar rhythmic feel or the vocals always start on the downbeat. At the same time, you don't want things to be so different that it doesn't even sound like it's the same band. You want it to sound like it's the same people with the same point of view — you're just expressing it in a different way."

TOMAHAWK was dormant for five years after releasing a trio of albums: "Tomahawk" in 2001, "Mit Gas" in 2003 and "Anonymous" in 2007.

German/British melodic hard rockers PINK CREAM 69 are preparing to film a video for the song "Special" and are looking for people to act as Internet users/chatters. The track's lyrics are about people pretending to be something they are not in the social media.

If interested, please make a short video of yourself sitting in front of a computer doing "stuff" and send it to: special@pinkcream69.com (e-mail or download link). You should be looking funny, crazy, weird or sexy. You will be chatting with the video's main female character. The best short videos will make it to he actual video with a length of 1-2 seconds max.

"Special" comes off PINK CREAM 69's new album, "Ceremonial", which was released on January 25 in Europe and January 22 in North America via Frontiers Records. The cover artwork was created by Kai Brockschmidt (PRETTY MAIDS, ROYAL HUNT) and can be seen below.

Six years after the critically praised "In10sity" CD, PINK CREAM 69 delivers another slice of great arena hard rock. Hot on heels after a successful German tour with HELLOWEEN and STRATOVARIUS, "Ceremonial" is PINK CREAM 69's second studio effort for Frontiers and the first with their new drummer, Chris Schmidt. Recorded partially at Hofa Studios and mixed at Dennis Ward's private studio — The TrakShak — the effort is possibly the freshest and most diverse PINK CREAM 69 album to date

"The songs had to be 100% ready and we took all the necessary time," states bass player and producer Dennis Ward. "This gaves us the possibility to experiment and to achieve the best possible result." And indeed, the explosive, energetic opening track "Land Of Confusion", the contemporary rocking "Wasted Years", the biographic "I Came To Rock" the heavily '90s-influenced "Find Your Soul" and the soulful "Passage" are all new, bright and shining diamonds in a discography full of highlights and hits.

"We deliberately called the album "Ceremonial" because we feel it's kind of a celebration of music styles we all grew up with, regardless of what PINK CREAM 69 has done in the past", continues Ward.

"There were various projects that I was involved in over the last couple of years", adds singer David Readman. "But the work on 'Ceremonial' felt like coming home. A real relief."

"Ceremonial" track listing:

01. Land Of Confusion
02. Wasted Years
03. Special
04. Find Your Soul
05. The Tide
06. Big Machine
07. Let The Thunder Roll
08. Right From Wrong
09. Passage Of Time
10. I Came To Rock
11. King For One Day
12. Superman

Check out audio samples in the YouTube clip below.

PINK CREAM 69 is:

David Readman - Vocals
Alfred Koffler - Guitar
Uwe Reitenauer - Guitar
Dennis Ward - Bass
Chris Schmidt - Drums

FDA Rekotz has announced the signing of East-Frisian zombielovers SLAUGHTERDAY. The band has signed on with FDA Rekotz for two releases, the first of which will come on March 1st with the publication of their demo, Cosmic Horror.
Four tracks stretched across more than 20 minutes of pure and filthy death metal written in the classic tradition of the genre. Cosmic Horror will be issued as a limited-edition cassette, with only 166 hand-numbered copies being made. The release will also be available as a digital download at Itunes, Amazon, and other digital music retailers.

Pre-orders for the cassette are now being taken at this location.

Check out the track 'Cult of the Dreaming Dead' below:
Tracklisting:

'Abyss Of Nameless Fear'
'Cult Of The Dreaming Dead'
'Crawling In Secrecy'
'Cosmic Horror'

Slaughterday was formed in 2010 by Jens Finger (Guitars/Bass - ex-OBSCENITY) and Bernd Reiners (Drums/Vocals - ex- BK 49) to play raw and sick old-school death metal, heavily influenced by bands like AUTOPSY, ASPHYX, ENTOMBED, MASSACRE, etc.
More on Slaughterday at this location.

Emerging from the blues and psychedelic rock of the 1960s and '70s, heavy metal has been a driving force in music for nearly 50 years — known for its massive sound, extended guitar solos, and unrelenting intensity. Despite being critically reviled throughout its history, metal has stood the test of time with bands such as BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST and MÖTLEY CRÜE achieving legendary status, unfathomable wealth and exerting a profound influence on generations of musicians and fans. Unlike many forms of popular music, whose followers are fickle and transitory, metalheads tend to embrace their favorite bands and follow them over decades. Metal is not only a pastime — it's a lifestyle.

Written by veteran rock journalists Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman, "Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History Of Metal" (It Books; May 14, 2013; Hardcover; $32.50) was assembled from more than 300 interviews with members of METALLICA, MEGADETH, KORN, PANTERA, VAN HALEN, LIMP BIZKIT and many others, conducted over a 25-year span. Turman and Wiederhorn dug deep into their extensive list of contacts to uncover never- before-heard stories, eye-opening admissions and the truth behind metal's most explosive legends. With an introduction by Scott Ian of ANTHRAX and an afterword by Rob Halford of JUDAS PRIEST, this is the book metal fans have been waiting for.

Icons of the genre offer candid and confessional commentary, including: Ronnie James Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, Bruce Dickinson, Eddie Van Halen, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, Lita Ford, Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Axl Rose, Slash, Corey Taylor, Dave Mustaine, Chuck Schuldiner, King Diamond, Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor, Kerry King, Philip Anselmo, Rob Zombie and more. The many musicians interviewed offer their take on their influences, touring, the music business and songwriting, as well as their often-traumatic upbringings, battles with substance abuse and bizarre sexual exploits. Industry insiders (including managers, record label executives, family members, friends, scenesters, groupies, journalists and porn stars) provide additional insight.

"Louder Than Hell" explores the transformation of metal culture, with stories and anecdotes straight from the mouths of the most infamous and successful bands. Filled with hundreds of revealing interviews representing every type and era of heavy metal — from metal progenitors such as BLUE CHEER, LED ZEPPELIN, and the MC5 to current day innovators including SLIPKNNOT, MASTODON and LAMB OF GOD — "Louder Than Hell" is the ultimate look behind the curtain at one of our most dynamic, controversial and enduring musical genres.

Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE): "Katherine Turman and Jon Wiederhorn know metal. 'Louder Than Hell' is an amazing gathering of different breeds of heavy metal rockers telling the tales metal fans want to hear."

Alice Cooper: "This is the book every metal fan should own. A fascinating high-octane chronicle of metal mayhem that takes readers on a wild ride, from metal's earliest days to the headbanging present. I'm not saying this just because I'm in the book, but . . . if you love metal, great stories, and music history told by the people who made it, then 'Louder Than Hell' is a must-read."

French industrial/ambient/black metal band SPEKTR is to release a new album, entitled Cypher, on February 5th in Europe, February 19th in North America, via Agonia Records. The album track, 'Teratology', is streaming below:
Cypher is an experimental black metal album, recorded entirely without vocals except sampling. The album introduces industrial and ambient elements and as a whole should be considered as a strongly psychedelic release; it produces a feeling, as if the mind of the listener, dragged into the music, were unable of concentrate itself or were experiencing a powerful hallucinogen effect.

The album will be made available on CD, vinyl and digital download.
Cypher tracklisting:

'Hermetism'
'Teratology'
'The Singularity'
'Solitude'
'Antimatter'
'Solve Et Coagula'
'Cypher'
'Decorporation'
'Le Vitriol du Philosophe'

Check out an album preview below:

Swedish death metallers ENTRAILS have completed the recordings for their upcoming third album, Raging Death. The album was recorded in different studios: the drum recordings took place at the Racetrack studios while the basis recordings were done at Jimmy Lundqvist's own The Crypt recording studios. The album was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound.

The band comments on the album:"This is the perfect next step for Entrails. A massive stench of death, right in your face! Raging Death as a title suited the album as a whole, since it's pure death metal without mercy!"
Raging Death will be released on May 10th/13th via Metal Blade Records in Europe on vinyl, as a limited Digi-CD with bonus-cd and as a jewelcase CD. In North America, the album will be available on May 14th. More details on the content will be revealed shortly.

Entrails formed in the '90s, but split up before they were able to release a demo or even an album. It took them until 2008 to come back when guitarist Jimmy Lundqvist rediscovered some old tapes. In a moment of nostalgia, he decided that they deserved to be released as they should have been originally. With modern recording technology, the first Entrails demo could finally take shape. After releasing another demo in 2009, Entrails recorded and released their debut album, Tales From The Morgue, in 2010. Just a year later, The Tomb Awaits was released, an album that gained worldwide attention of music fans of the extreme and was considered by many as the best death metal release of 2011. Entrails has played numerous prestigious festivals in 2012 including gigs at Party.San Open Air, Summer Breeze Open Air and Hell Inside festival.

Entrails is:

Joakim Svensson - Vocals/Bass
Jimmy Lundqvist - Guitar
Mathias Nilsson – Guitar
Adde Mitroulis – Drums

More on Entrails at this location.

As an appetizer for their upcoming album, The Mouths Of Madness, San Francisco-based doom rockers ORCHID will release the Wizard Of War EP on 10" vinyl, February 22nd via Nuclear Blast.
The EP will contain the following tracks:

'Wizard Of War'
'Demon"s Eyes'
'Albatros'

A lyric video for 'Wizard Of War' can be seen below:
Wizard Of War will also appear on the upcoming full-length album, The Mouths Of Madness, which will be released on April 26th. The cover art for The Mouths Of Madness was created by singer and tattoo artist extraordinaire, Theo Mindell.

Mindell comments on the cover: "I wanted the cover of the album to be really classic and strong, like one of the records from my childhood where when you'd see the colors and shapes on it from across the room, you'd immediately recognize it. A classic "icon"... so it's very simple really. But then I did a really elaborate painting for the inside that is totally ornate... I wanted people to open this kind of sparse, plain thing and be drawn into another world that kind of visually told the story of some of the emotions of the record. Kind of like peeling a weird fruit open... the inner painting was really inspired by some of the Latino psychedelic murals that were done around San Francisco in the late 60's-early 70's.... like the cover of Abraxsis by SANTANA which is a record I grew up on and always loved. So, it's the "Orchid version" of those murals."
Guitarist Mark Thomas Baker on the extensive production process: "Most of the tracks on Mouths Of Madness were cut in early June 2012. We were pretty fresh off of our European tour and full of confidence. The basics done at that time were the best recording experience that we've had so far. Everybody got along great and did great work. We did this album with a completely different guitar sound than Capricorn. I think it sounds much heavier in that regard. We take a lot of time to get things right. I hope people enjoy it and let it sink in. I think it's miles above our past efforts.“

Producer Richard Whittaker, who also took care of the latest BLACK SABBATH and THIN LIZZY rereleases/analogue transfers, comments: "I've been a huge fan of Orchid since I first heard their debut EP back in 2009, and they've certainly come a long way since then. So, as you can imagine, to be asked to work with Orchid on their records was an honour and a pleasure, they're a great bunch of guys and a stellar band to be involved with. The Mouths Of Madness is such a well crafted and awe inspiring album. Sonically, its 1974 meets 2013 which, for me, takes the Sabbath/PENTAGRAM vibe to whole new level.“
WITCHCRAFT and Orchid will embark on a tour together in April and May. Dates include:

April
26 - Lichtenfels, Germany - Paunchy Cats
27 - Berlin, Germany - Desertfest
28 - Warschau, Poland - tbc
29 - Krakau, Poland - Lizard King
30 - Wien, Austria - Szene

May
1 - Darmstadt, Germany - Steinbruch Theater
2 - München, Germany - Backstage Halle
3 - Siegen, Germany - Vortex
4 - Paris, France - Trabendo
6 - Tilburg, Netherlands - O13
7 - Aarau, Switzerland - Kiff
9 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 3
10 - Madrid Spain - El Sol
11 - San Sebastian Spain - C.C. Intxaurrondo
12 - Toulouse, France - Le Saint des Sains
13 - Milano, Italy - Lo Fi Club
14 - Rome, Italy - Traffic Live Club
15 - Bologna, Italy - Freak Out Club
16 - Dornbirn, Austria - Schlachthaus
17 - Stuttgart, Germany - Universum
18 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
19 - Gelsenkirchen, Germany - Rock Hard Festival (Orchid only)

Tampa, Florida-based metallers DARK SERMON have have revealed details on their upcoming debut full-length, In Tongues, due for release on March 26th via eOne / Good Fight Music.

Says the band, "We have worked tirelessly for the better part of two years to bring you our debut full length. If you're looking for something fast, dark, ominous and heavy as hell itself, this record is for you."

The record was recorded at Audio Hammer Studios with world renowned artist Eeiran Kantor (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT) being tapped to create Dark Sermon's first official record cover.
The band will be touring with AEGAEON for the next several weeks leading up to the release of In Tongues with an appearance on this year's New England Metal And Hardcore Fest. Dates can be seen below:

February
11 Fayetteville, NC - The Drunk Horse Pub
12 Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern
13 Douglasville, GA - The 7 Venue
14 Daytona Beach, FL - Cornado Civic Center
15 Boynton Beach, FL - Limitless Studios
16 Tampa, FL - Epic Problem
17 Jacksonville, FL - The Phoenix Taproom
19 Decatur, AL - Excalibur
20 Evansville, IN - The Hatch
21 St Louis, MO - Fubar
22 Wichita, KS - Below The Mainstream
23 Omaha, NE - The Commons
24 Milwaukee, WI - Miramar Theatre
25 Joliet, IL - Mojoes
26 La Porte, IN - Game Emporium
27 Whitesburg, KY - Letcher County Tourism Building
28 Toledo, OH - Frankies

March
1 Bufflo, NY - Broadway Joes
2 Manchester, NH - The Jam Factory
3 Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
4 Deerk Park, NY - 1 Stop Media
5 Poughkeepsie, NY - The Loft
6 Montreal, QC - Piranha Bar
8 Toronto, ON - Hard Luck
9 Hamilton, ON - Club Absinthe
10 London, ON - APK Live
12 Clinton Twp, MI - The Detroit Pub
13 Riverview, MI - The Crimson Lounge
14 Indianapolis, IN - Hoosier Dome
15 Louisville, KY - The Ram
16 Ringgold, GA - Cloud Sprins Deli
17 Albany, GA - Knights of Columbus

April
21 Worcester, MA - NEMF @ The Palladium
Dark Sermon was formed in 2009 and has been making their mark on the Florida scene in spades. The band uses their fast, thrashy riffs, bone-crushing blast beats, and throaty vocals to bring something fresh and new to the table.

Dark Sermon arrives in the worldwide metal community determined to stand apart from the cookie-cutter garbage and trend-following cretins who have overcrowded the scene. They don’t care about what’s marketable or what sells. The band has nothing less than total domination on their minds, armed with a new kind of heavy. The suffocating stomp of BEHEMOTH, the brash experimentalism of GOJIRA and the all-out ferocity of American heroes like JOB FOR A COWBOY and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER all have a home in the Dark Sermon cookbook, which slices and dices its way through the most exciting elements of metal’s subgenres with relentless aggression.
Dark Sermon lineup:

Johnny Crowder - Vocals
Austin Good - Guitar
Neal Minor - Guitar
Austin Chandler - Bass
Bryson St. Angelo - Drums

More on Dark Sermon at this location.

Turkey's PITCH BLACK PROCESS have released a lyric video for the track, 'To The Villain', to be featured on the band's upcoming album, Hand Of God? The lyric video can be found below:
The new album was recorded at Dugout Studios in Uppsala, Sweden, produced by Daniel Bergstrand (IN FLAMES, MESHUGGAH, SOILWORK) and Pitch Black Process, and mastered by Thomas Eberger at Stockholm Mastering.

Further details to follow.
Pitch Black Process lineup:

Emrah Demirel - Vocals, Guitars
Kerem Inci - Guitars
Fikri Yargici - Drums
Emre Demirel - Bass

More on Pitch Black Process at this location.

Polish doom metallers EVANGELIST are streaming a rough mix of the track, 'Pain and Rapture', off their upcoming sophomore effort, entitled Doominicanes.
Listen to the track below:
Doominicanes will include the following tracks:

‘Blood Curse’
‘Pain and Rapture’
‘Martyr’s Commandment’
‘To Praise To Bless To Preach’
‘Militis Fidelis Deus’
Stay tuned for updates. More on Evangelist at this location.

Palermo, Italy-based melodic death metallers DER GEIST have released their debut album, entitled The Pain We Don't Feel. The album artwork can be seen below:
The Pain We Don't Feel tracklisting:

'Intro'
'A Moment'
'Desert'
'Another Cutting Weapon'
'Cornfields'
'Magic Box'
'The Court Of Guilty Ones'
'Animals'
'My Revenge'
'The Struggle Within'

More on Der Geist at this location.

Chicago-based doom legends TROUBLE have issued the following update:

"Hey Trouble fans! We are still in the process of putting together a brand new Trouble website! This will coincide with the new Trouble release this spring.

During our 25 years in the music business we’ve seen so many amazing Trouble pictures, paintings and digital art works that we feel it’s time for your loyalty and hard work to be seen!"

Back in November 2012, Trouble guitarist Rick Wartell posted what could be the artwork for the band's forthcoming new album, possibly titled The Dark Riff, and due for a 2013 release. Check it out below:
An update prior to that read as follows: "Things are starting to pick up in our camp so we decided to put up a quick page to fill you guys in on what's happening with us. Look for the new site to coincide with our upcoming release this spring.

We just would like to give you a quick update on what's going on in Trouble world. The songs are coming along just great! We have some final guitar stuff to finish up and the vocals aren't far behind. We are very impressed with the talent Kyle (Wartell, guitar) has brought to Trouble and those are just the demos! Trouble fans will be pleased to say the least!

We are all very excited about this new album and look forward to seeing you all in the spring / summer of 2013. Please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest news! Thank you for your patience and loyalty over the years!"

Trouble lineup:

Kyle Thomas - vocals
Bruce Franklin - guitar
Rick Wartell - guitar
Shane Pasqualla - bass
Mark Lira - drums
More on Trouble at this location.

SINGLE BULLET THEORY frontman Matt DiFabio recently checked in with the following update:

"So, after a six month search and literally 36 submissions later, I am beyond thrilled to announce that Single Bullet Theory has found a permanent drummer. I would like to introduce Jeff Willet to everyone... this guy will blow your mind!
When I assembled SBT version 7.0 (maybe 8.0) back in the fall of 2011, it seemed pretty evident that we had a group of musicians together that were capable of total domination on the stage front. This proved to be 100% true and we became not only the best version of Single Bullet Theory but also a live act that was second to none. With the departure of Joe Brannigan and Nick Bunczk after our August tour with INTO ETERNITY, I really felt defeated and had no idea how we were going to get back to that level.

Now, I am absolutely ready to get back out there and do what we do best.

Most of you know that Harry Lannon is our new guitarist. Man, the talent this kid has is completely insane. Twenty-four years old and can play like Andy Larocque. Now with the addition of Jeff, I have to say we have officially created the 'coup de grâce' in SBTs 13 year history.

Please take a moment and head on over to Jeffs website. There is also a fair amount of videos on Jeff @ his youtube page. Links to everything can be found at JeffWilletMusic.com

We shall see you all soon."

The band recently posted a sample of the new track, 'Damnation', to be featured on the band's forthcoming album, The Arena. Listen below:

Italy's MESMERIZE has revealed the complete cover to their fifth album, Paintropy, due out April 29th via Punishment 18 Records, marking the 25th anniversary of the band. The artwork was created by the finnish artist Jan Yrlund of Darkgrove Design (MANOWAR, STRATOVARIUS, KORPIKLAANI).

"We're really satisfied with the result," says bass player Andrea Tito. "It really captures the feeling of the album itself: the combination of Pain and Entropy, translating negative events or emotions into a chaotic and painful state of mind. Furthermore, we really have to thank Jan for his help: besides being very professional all the way, he's been very patient with us, and our requests of changes and fine-tuning (yes, we can be a real pain in the ass sometimes!)"
Paintropy will include 11 original tracks, plus a cover version of the CRANBERRIES classic Promises, revisited in a power/thrash metal style.

Paintropy tracklisting:
'It Happened Tomorrow'
'2.0.3.6.'
'A Desperate Way Out'
'Monkey In Sunday Best'
'Midnight Oil / Within Without'
'One Door Away'
'Paintropy'
'Shadows At The Edge Of Perception'
'Mrs. Judas'
'You Know I Know'
'Masterplan'
'Promises' (The Cranberries cover)

"Paintropy is a word that combines the concepts of Pain and Entropy" - says guitarist Piero Paravidino, "and it refers to a chaotic and painful state of mind, coming from the aggregation of negative events or emotions. In turn, this state can cause a reaction of total inertia or the exact opposite, unleashing a downright furious transformation. These concepts will be depicted both in the songs and in the graphics of the album."

A studio preview of Paintropy can be viewed below:

Denmark-based death metal act CROCELL have checked in with the following update:
"Hi everybody,

Today we entered Death Island Studio in Nykøbing Mors to record the third, as yet untitled Crocell album. So far the drums for a couple tracks are done, and the guitar sound is also more or less ready.

All recordings will take place during the next 14 days and then the album will be mixed and mastered here as well. We will put up some photos and video on our Facebook page so remember to check in and see what is happening.

The album will be out through our new American partner, Metal Hell Records, who has shown to be a very serious and hard working label and we expect the album out in the early summer.

The new album will be darker and a bit more blackened, so expect nothing but a brutal Scandinavian death metal album."

In 2012, Crocell parted ways with lead singer Magnus Jørgensen, who was replaced by Asbjørn Steffensen (also in MORDAX).
Crocell made two new songs available for streaming recently. The two songs, 'Come Forth Plague' and 'Perfidious Ceremony', are produced by Jacob Olsen at JBO Sound, and are the first recordings with Asbjørn handling the vocal duties.

Listen to the tracks below:
Crocell lineup:

Asbjørn Steffensen - vocals
Smukke Ken - guitar
Tommy Christensen - guitar
Onkel Kusse - bass
Andreas Posselt - drums
More on Crocell at this location.

ONWARD/GODLESS RISING guitarist TOBY KNAPP has announced the titles of the nine tracks to appear on his forthcoming solo album Static Warfare.

They are as follows:
'Static Warfare'
'Weaponology'
'The Impossibility of Reason'
'X Class Flare'
'Plasma Spheroid'
'Not If But When'
'Trashed Radiation Shield'
'The Arrival Of Polaris'
'The Doomsday Clock'

Knapp recently stated the following about the release: "When I began writing the album the idea I had in mind was a totally uplifting melodic guitar instrumental album, something an Eric Johnson fan would like. As I finished I realized it's probably, unintentionally, going to be one of darkest and most abrasive "instrumental" albums out there. What I write just naturally comes out dark, the happy shred "guitar boy" disappeared long ago".

For more details visit Tobyknappmusic.com.

DEVICE, the new industrial-style project featuring DISTURBED frontman David Draiman and former FILTER guitarist Geno Lenardo, will play a number of shows this spring and summer in support of its debut album, which is due out April 9. The CD will feature guest appearances from AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows, SYSTEM OF A DOWN vocalist Serj Tankian, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello, HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler and ex-DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes.

Lenardo will not be part of the DEVICE touring band due to previous commitments.

Other members of the live lineup include EVANESCENCE drummer Will Hunt and DOPE guitarist Virus.

A 44-second teaser for DEVICE's forthcoming album can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Artisan News, Draiman stated about Lenardo's absence from the road: "Geno is tied up in his own projects and doing things on his own and he wants to be able to stay close to home and spend time with his son, so he won't be a part of the live part of this project, which is why I enlisted the services of [Will and Virus] to be partners in this project and to lend me their creative and their playing might."

Draiman was also full of praise for his bandmates, stating: "Will is just a monster behind the kit and he definitely was one on a short, short list of guys that we were looking at. And Virus as well — a very accomplished musician in his own right, has done some amazing work with DOPE, he's worked with a number of tremendously accomplished artists, [he's] a great songwriter in his own right. So I definitely wanted to find the right union of people that we had a good energy together, we had a good camaraderie, and we're ready to just take this monster of a record and unleash it on the world."

Draiman told Noisecreep that DEVICE's touring plans have yet to be finalized, but that he doesn't expect to be headlining the same venues that DISTURBED does. He explained, "I'm ready to open for other artists and I definitely don't have any delusions of grandeur with this. It's like going back to the beginning."

DEVICE is the first non-DISTURBED music that Draiman has created in 16 years and he told The Pulse Of Radio why that was important to him. "This really gave me the opportunity to step outside of my box from a creative aspect and from a musical aspect," he said. "It's still dark, it's still rhythmic, it's still got my characteristic vocal delivery at times, but I definitely go places vocally on this record that I've never gone with DISTURBED."

The first single from the DEVICE album, called "Vilify", arrives at rock radio on February 19. A video is being produced as well.

The official lyric video for "Zombie Blood Curse", a brand new song from death metal behemoths SIX FEET UNDER, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's tenth full-length album, "Unborn", which will be released on March 19 via Metal Blade Records. The follow-to to 2012's "Undead" was mixed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who has previously worked with SUICIDE SILENCE, ALL THAT REMAINS, SHADOWS FALL and SOULFLY, among others. The cover artwork for the CD can be found below.

Led by the inimitable Chris Barnes, owner of one of the most powerful and instantly recognizable voices in the genre, SIX FEET UNDER are returning with an overhauled lineup that sees them reinvigorated and churning out some of the most visceral music they have ever put their name to.

In November of 2010 when vocalist and founding member Chris Barnes first started to get the idea of working with new writers for SIX FEET UNDER's next release, he contacted Rob Arnold, Jari Laine, and Ben Savage to share in the writing process. After just two years of writing and recording 20 plus tracks, and releasing "Undead" in May of 2012, SIX FEET UNDER are now proud to unveil "Undead"'s demented fraternal twin...

"The journey to create, write, and record 'Undead' and 'Unborn' has been the most challenging and exciting musical endeavor and process I have ever been involved with," says Barnes. "Working with all these amazing writers and musicians like Ben Savage (WHITECHAPEL) on songs like 'Neuro Osmosis' and 'Fragment' are some of the most dynamic, beautiful, and brutal songs I've ever had the pleasure of putting lyrics to." Barnes continues, "I believe Ben is a true innovator of the death metal genre. It was also a lot of fun working Jari Laine from TORTURE KILLER again. We wrote a great album together a few years back called 'Swarm!' — one of my favorite releases I've been involved with — and Jari is someone who I have really wanted to work with again ever since. I wanted to revisit collaborating with Jari because of how well we work together; proof of that on 'Unborn' are the hook heavy sounds of songs like 'Zombie Blood Curse' and 'Incision'."

Barnes concludes, "I can't wait for 'Unborn' to be unleashed upon the death metal masses this spring!! 'Unborn' is gonna make you wish you were never born."

SIX FEET UNDER in May 2012 announced the addition of Swedish rhythm guitarist Ola Englund (FEARED, SCARPOINT) to the group's ranks. Englund, who made his first official appearance with the band on the "18 Nights Of Blood Tour", took the place of Rob Arnold (CHIMAIRA).

"Undead" was released on May 22, 2012 through Metal Blade Records. The 12-track CD was produced by Mark Lewis (DEICIDE, DEVILDRIVER) and mixed by Jason Suecof (WHITECHAPEL, JOB FOR A COWBOY), at AudioHammer Studios in Sanford, Florida.

SIX FEET UNDER last year parted ways with bassist Matt DeVries and replaced him with Jeff Hughell, formerly of the Santa Cruz, California technical death metal band BRAIN DRILL and Concord, California death metal group VILE, and currently of RECIPROCAL.