MEGADETH has resumed work on its fourteenth studio album with producer Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis), who has previously worked with DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD and STAIND. The CD is currently being recorded at MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California for an early 2013 release via an as-yet-undisclosed label following the band's recent split with Roadrunner Records.

In a tweet earlier today, Mustaine wrote: "Three songs tracked and almost done. New MEGADETH music is coming to getcha!"

Mustaine previously told NME about the direction of MEGADETH's new material, "Some of it's a little darker, some of it's a little faster. Being in this position right now, not knowing where we're gonna go or what we're gonna do, it's kind of like the world's ours to do what we want. Are we gonna go back to the speed and thrash metal roots that made us who we are? Are we gonna experiment and rely on the melody that we've discovered in MEGADETH songs?"

Mustaine also spoke about how he likes to keep MEGADETH's music more melodic than that of most thrash bands. "We've tried to do that in MEGADETH, have a little melody so that it's not just the same old grinding music like everybody else has," he said. "We're just happy to get going and get to the studio."

Johnny K produced MEGADETH's last album, 2011's "TH1RT3EN", which was also recorded at Vic's Garage. Mustaine previously stated about the recording process for "TH1RT3EN", "We've got a great new partner with Johnny K. I mean, I was satisfied with our last co-producer, with Andy Sneap, and Andy really took us — and he even admits — as far as he could take us, and it was great because we wanted to go back to the big leagues where we were, and we feel that Johnny is, obviously, a big-league producer; not that Andy isn't — don't get me wrong. But we feel that this record is definitely one of our best. It's a great feeling, because, you know, finishing some of the last record, I can honestly say, in my heart I knew that it wouldn't contend with some of the great records in the past, just because of the timing, the label that we were on and stuff like that. Lineup changes and stuff… But I really think that everything just lined up for this record."

"TH1RT3EN", sold 42,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD marked the recorded return of bassist David Ellefson who was part of the band's classic lineup from 1983 to 2002. In a move that delighted the band's legion of diehards, Ellefson returned to performing live with MEGADETH in early 2010 and has remained a fixture on the stage ever since. This was the first time Ellefson has played on a MEGADETH record since 2002's "Rude Awakening".

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing's Steel Mill website has listed his top five most significant releases of all time. The list with his comments read as follows:
1. JIMI HENDRIX - Are You Experienced
"Simply the beginning of metal."

2. Jimi Hendrix - Axis Bold as Love
"A continuation of the above."

3. JOHN MAYALL - A Hard Road
"Classic blues from a classic line up, very influential album to all guitarists."

4. Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland
"Just a stunning masterpiece of musical ability and song writing."

5. CREAM - Fresh Cream
"Again another great band and great debut album that pushed blues to another level."

Swedish heavy metallers PORTRAIT have released the following statement:

"Richard Lagergren [guitar] is no longer a member of PORTRAIT. This, however, does NOT mean that the band is dead, or something as ridiculous as that.

"It has come to our knowledge that some lies and false rumors concerning this are being spread, so please don't believe anything you hear or see about the band if it's not announced [by the bandmembers themselves].

"The next album, entitled 'Crossroads', is still in the making and despite some internal turbulence lately things are finally moving forward. David Olofsson (formerly on bass guitar) has taken over Richard's guitar duties, and he is the most talented guitarist the band has ever had. Because of this, we do, of course, have a new bass player as well and that is none other than Cab Castervall, whose skills everyone knows from his former band HYPNOSIA. The rehearsals with the new lineup have gone immensely well and the future looks bright."

Quality video footage of PORTRAIT's January 26, 2012 performance at 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands can be seen below (courtesy of "letthedeathmetalflow").

PORTRAIT released its second full-length album, "Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae", in May 2011 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Necromorbus Studio (WATAIN, UNANIMATED, DESTRÖYER 666) in Alvik, Sweden. The album features cover artwork by Tobias Forge of REPUGNANT/SUBVISION fame and a guest appearance by Kimmo Kuusniemi from the Finnish cult act SARCOFAGUS.

Reunited grunge legends SOUNDGARDEN are offering a free download of the songs "Thousand Days Before" and "Rowing" from their recent performance on "Late Show With David Letterman" as a "thank you" to their fans for their support in 2012. Enter B33CMZ at this location to redeem the recording.

SOUNDGARDEN tapped FOO FIGHTERS frontman and documentary director Dave Grohl to get behind the camera on Tuesday (December 18) and shoot the band's new video for its song "By Crooked Steps". The track is taken from SOUNDGARDEN's first album in 16 years, "King Animal", which came out last month and sold 83,000 copies in its first week of release to debut at No. 5 on the Billboard album chart.

Grohl has directed a number of videos for FOO FIGHTERS, and has completed his first feature-length documentary, "Sound City", which will be released early next year. The film chronicles the history of the legendary Los Angeles studio where acts like NIRVANA, FLEETWOOD MAC, TOM PETTY, METALLICA and many others recorded classic albums.

"By Crooked Steps" will likely follow "Been Away Too Long" as the second single from "King Animal". Singer Chris Cornell told The Pulse Of Radio a little about the tune: "It's one of the earlier songs that we started working on, but I also felt like it, to me, is like definitely sort of a new chapter for us. If you wanted to take one example of SOUNDGARDEN progressing, that's a good one for me."

SOUNDGARDEN reunited in 2010 after a 13-year break, releasing a retrospective collection called "Telephantasm" and a concert album titled "Live On I-5".

The band kicks off a winter North American tour on January 18, 2013 in Washington DC.

US prog-power metallers AWAKEN have released their self-titled debut via their new deal with Mausoleum Records.

Awaken was formed in 2009 by Glenn DaGrossa, lead vocalist, chief songwriter and founding member of LAZARUS, the now-defunct power metal band. For his new band Awaken, DaGrossa has assembled an all–star cast of veteran New York musicians, including bassist Freddy Villano with whom Glenn originally formed Lazarus, and who also played with QUIET RIOT and WIDOWMAKER, along with Nick D’Alessandro on drums, who was also in Lazarus. The line–up is completed by guitarists Joe Todaro (SMOKING BUDDHA) and Scott Bennett (LOST LEGACY, PRESENT DARKNESS).
According to a press release, "Awaken blend shredding guitar solos, masterful vocals, and destructive drum fills with fluid bass playing, and so achieve an outstanding sound and stage presence."

Currently the band is in pre production for a new CD to be released in September of 2013.

Current tour dates:

January
2 - Vail Leavitt Music Hall - Riverhead, NY (opening for PAUL DIANNO)
18 - Hurricane Sandy Benefit - The Trash Bar Brooklyn NY

March
10 - The Emporium - Patchogue NY(opening for QUEENSRŸCHE)

For more details visit Reverbnation.com.

"Reclamation", the new video from San Francisco Bay Area "blackened, technical post-death metallers" OBLIVION, who feature in their ranks former ALL SHALL PERISH guitarist Ben Orum on bass, can be seen below. The special "End Of The World" version of the clip was directed by Brandon Hunt and is the first OBLIVION video to feature the band's two new members: Orum and guitarist Victor Dods (HACKSAW TO THE THROAT).

"Reclamation" comes off OBLIVION's debut album, "Called To Rise", which will be released on January 1, 2013.

OBLIVION is:

Nick Vasallo - Vocals
Ben Orum - Bass
Ted O'Neill - Guitar
Victor Dods - Guitar
Luis Martinez - Drums

Orum announced his departure from ALL SHALL PERISH earlier this month, explaining in statement that he "could not fulfill [his] duty as a touring musician any longer" due to the fact that he needed to provide for his family. He added: "While I am done with touring, I will never stop writing music. I am joining the extreme metal band OBLIVION as a bassist and contributing songwriter. We are beyond excited to unleash [our debut album] onto the metal world. I've always been into death metal and extreme music, [and] this is my return to true death metal."

Progressive instrumentalists SCALE THE SUMMIT will enter Basement Studios in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on January 2 with producer Jamie King (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, HE IS LEGEND, FOR TODAY) to begin recording their new album, "The Migration", for a spring release via Prosthetic Records.

A new video update about the songwriting process for the CD can be seen below (courtesy of Metal Injection).

SCALE THE SUMMIT's third album, "The Collective", sold around 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 39 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

The follow-up to 2009's "Carving Desert Canyons", "The Collective" was recorded at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida with producer Mark Lewis (DEVILDRIVER, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER).

SCALE THE SUMMIT formed in 2005 while attending the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. The band relocated to Texas in 2006, where they recorded their first, self-released album. After signing with Prosthetic, they issued "Carving Desert Canyons", which Revolver called "a cinematic blast of intricately melodic fretwork and pummeling percussion," in 2009.

"Hell Above", the new video from the California-based progressive post-hardcore band PIERCE THE VEIL, can be seen below. The clip showcases the group's energetic live performance and fan reaction.

"Hell Above" comes off PIERCE THE VEIL's third album, "Collide With The Sky", which sold 27,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. Recorded with producers Dan Korneff and Kato Khandwala (MAYDAY PARADE, PARAMORE, A DAY TO REMEMBER), the CD embraces the San Diego quartet's unique blend of incendiary guitar lines and soaring melodies. The album was tipped by Alternative Press in their rundown of the "Most Anticipated Music Of 2012."

Following a colossal summer on the main stage of Vans Warped Tour and a U.K. headline run in September, PIERCE THE VEIL recently completed the "Rockstar Energy Presents The Collide With The Sky Tour" with direct support from SLEEPING WITH SIRENS, TONIGHT ALIVE and HANDS LIKE HOUSES.

German metallers GLORYFUL have inked a deal with Massacre Records. The band's debut album will be released next summer. The CD is being recorded with legendary Swedish sound alchemist Dan Swanö.

GLORYFUL was formed in summer 2010 by lead singer Johnny La Bomba and Shredmaster JB (a.k.a. Jens Basten, who is also NIGHT IN GALES' guitarist and songwriter). A three-track demo, "Sedna's Revenge", garnered great reviews in the classic heavy metal underground and the band played a number of shows with such acts as POWERWOLF, VICIOUS RUMORS, ORDAN OGAN and HELSTAR.

According to a press release, GLORYFUL's "music is not about any clichés or bullshit. It's just what it is: heavy metal!"

GLORYFUL's lineup is rounded out by Vito Papotto (guitar), Oliver Karasch (bass) and Hartmut Stoof (drums).

Commented the band: "We are very happy to be part of the Massacre family now! As Massacre Records is one of Germany's most important and long-living addresses for quality metal music, it's an honor for us to release our debut album with them in 2013!"

Johnny La Bomba - Vocals
Jens Basten - Guitar
Vito Papotto - Guitar
Oliver Karasch - Bass
Hartmut Stoof - Drums

Swedish hard rockers BULLET have released the following statement:

"Fellow headbangers and hellraisers! Erik Almström [guitar] will no longer be a part of BULLET as he has been since the start of this band back in 2001. This decision is well thought through and there is absolutely no hard feelings between Erik and the rest of us in the band. This is Erik's choice and his reasons are his own. We wish to thank him for the ups and downs, hardships and fun times we have experienced together. Now it's time for BULLET to reload once more, but rest assured, we will be back early next year with new shows as we have no plans to go slow!"

The official lyric video for the song "Running Away" from BULLET can be seen below. The track comes off the band's fourth album, "Full Pull", which was released in North America on September 25 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Gutterview Recorders in Solna, Sweden with producers Nicke Andersson (HELLACOPTERS, ENTOMBED) and Fred Estby (DISMEMBER).

A single, "Full Pull", was released on July 13 via Nuclear Blast Records. The single was made available digitally and on vinyl, with various colors.

BULLET's third full-length album "Highway Pirates", entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 3.

Austrian female-fronted symphonic metallers EDENBRIDGE have set "The Bonding" as the title of their eighth studio album, which is scheduled for release in early 2013.

Commented the band: "'The Bonding' is the connection of the baby to the mother right after the birth, as well as the connection to the bigger whole in the major sense.

"The change of times [in] 2012 is nothing else than a new starting cycle, in which our memory of the bonding will increasingly appear. To this degree, that we will trust in our inner force and dare into life, though it might be full of insecurities.

"We owe our mind enormous awareness and achievements, but is not able to open our hearts; it's just able to prevent it due to the fear of all sorts of things. But we ourselves decide what we think, when it is useful to make up our minds and when it is time to let our thoughts leave and go into our hearts. Then 'The Bonding' can happen again!"

"The Bonding" will feature orchestral parts by the Klangvereinigung Vienna orchestra, conducted by Gerald Mair and recorded at Home Music Studio in Vienna with Georg Luksch. EDENBRIDGE guitarist Lanvall stated: "The result is overwhelming. We have decided to record strings, brass/woodwinds and percussion seperately this time. Everything sounds more voluminous and cleaner. The musicians of the orchestra did a tremendous job. Be prepared for a real blast!"

The drum tracks for "The Bonding" were recorded by Max Pointner at Sunprojects Studio.

EDENBRIDGE's seventh album, "Solitaire", entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 95 back in July 2010.

The "Higher" video can be viewed below. The clip was filmed with director Silvan Buege (Blackstage TV).

EDENBRIDGE's live album, "LiveEarthDream", was released in May 2009. The disc was recorded at various concerts in 2008 and was only available through the band's fanshop.

Reformed Chicago death metallers BROKEN HOPE have written 11 songs so far for their new studio album, to be released next year via Century Media Records. The band states: "The new material is so ferocious, we jokingly sum up the vibe of the new music as 'Reign In Bowels', because it's like someone took SLAYER's 'Reign In Blood' and mated that intensity and horror with the extremity and sickness of BROKEN HOPE's 'Bowels Of Repugnance' album... It's insanely heavy and unrelenting! That said, here's a couple song titles we can release to you all — chew on these: 'The Flesh Mechanic' and 'Give Me the Bottom Half'. We can't wait for you to hear 'em all!"

BROKEN HOPE was formed in 1988 by Wagner, while he was in high school. Shortly after formation, they recorded two demo tapes and signed with indie label, Grind-Core Records. Then in 1991, they released their debut album, "Swamped In Gore", launching the band out of the underground and into the mainstream. From there, the band signed to Metal Blade Records and released three more albums, all stellar examples of BROKEN HOPE's fury, which etched their place in death-metal history.

After BROKEN HOPE's last album (1999's "Grotesque Blessings") and world tours, Wagner cleaned house and put BROKEN HOPE into "metal hibernation" in 2000. On January 20, 2010, original BROKEN HOPE vocalist Joe Ptacek tragically committed suicide. He was only 37 years old. Before his death, Ptacek met with Wagner and Glass and discussed the resurrection of BROKEN HOPE. With Ptacek's death, Wagner and Glass took time off to reconsider their next moves.

In 2012, BROKEN HOPE signed with Hard Impact Management and vowed to make BROKEN HOPE a full-time monster. Wagner and Glass recruited longtime friend and GORGASM vocalist Damian Leski as their new frontman and shortly after marked their return on the highly successful Carnival Of Death tour. BROKEN HOPE's high-intensity concerts received top praise, and confirmed the band was back and more rabid than ever.

BROKEN HOPE 2012 is:

Damian Leski - Vocals
Jeremy Wagner - Guitars
Shaun Glass - Bass
Chuck Wepfer - Lead Guitars
Mike Miczek - Drums

Swedish death metallers AMON AMARTH have tapped British producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY, ACCEPT) to helm their next studio album, tentatively due in June 2013 via Metal Blade Records.

"We are still in the writing process, and are right now working on finishing the last pieces," AMON AMARTH guitarist Olavi Mikkonen tells Decibel magazine.

Regarding AMON AMARTH's decision to work with Sneap after utilizing Jens Bogren for the band's last three studio efforts (2006's "With Oden On Our Side", 2008's "Twilight Of The Thunder God" and 2011's "Surtur Rising"), Mikkonen said, "We were looking for a change, and Andy has been in our thoughts for some years now. After meeting with him, we felt a good connection. We think this is going to be a ripper."

AMON AMARTH's eighth studio album, "Surtur Rising", sold around 15,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 34 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Twilight of the Thunder God", opened with more than 11,000 copies back in 2008 to land at No. 48.

In a March 2011 interview on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, AMON AMARTH vocalist Johan Hegg stated about working with Bogren on "Surtur Rising": "He's very meticulous, he's very thorough in his work, and he cares very much about the production and we felt that when we sat down and talked to him about some of the stuff that we wanted to develop and [achieve] with this recording, we felt that he really had good ideas and we felt that he had a commitment to the band and to the recording that was really something that we wanted to have other than the production. And he's just a great guy to work with; he's almost like a slavedriver when you're in the studio, but then again he gets results, and that's also what we need — somebody to kick us in the butt to get things the way they should be. [laughs]"

Swedish death metallers DEMONICAL have issued the following update:

"Due to a few non-interesting reasons, we have postponed the recordings of our upcoming full-length attack until late January.

"As expected, our new material is clearly the best DEMONICAL stuff ever written and the next album will be a hellish journey into the world of Swedish death metal darkness and beyond.

"Street date in late May/early June through Cyclone Empire."

The recording sessions for DEMONICAL's new CD are expected to take place at Necromorbus Studio (WATAIN, UNANIMATED, DESTRÖYER 666) in Alvik, Sweden.

DEMONICAL recently announced the addition of guitarist Daniel Gustavsson to the group's ranks. The band stated, "Daniel has been touring with us as session member since early spring, and as all admission tests executed on the road turned out nothing but excellent, he therefore became the obvious choice for our vacant axe position."

DEMONICAL's third album, "Death Infernal", was released in April 2011 via Cyclone Empire.

Two of the four members of New York City hardcore/speed metal legends STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH have set out to forge a new path of punishment in 2013.

UNITED FORCES unites S.O.D.'s bassist Danny Lilker (BRUTAL TRUTH, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, NUNFUCKRITUAL, LOCK UP, ex-ANTHRAX) and notorious frontman Billy Milano (METHOD OF DESTRUCTION), the longtime cohorts taking their mayhem to new turf. Milano and Lilker recruited two additional henchmen to help carry out their forthcoming disorder, with the thunderous Nick Barker (LOCK UP, ANCIENT, ex-CRADLE OF FILTH, ex-DIMMU BORGIR) on percussive duties, and Anton Reisenegger (CRIMINAL, PENTAGRAM (Chile), EXTREME NOISE TERROR, LOCK UP) handling guitars.

With Lilker located in upstate New York, Milano in central Texas, Barker in England and Reisenegger in Spain, details on the outfit's plans concerning touring or recording remain unknown, but UNITED FORCES is, without question, a pending force with which to be dealt.

Notes Milano on the eclectic union of metal soldiers: "I'm not out to reinvent myself at my age. I just want to have a lot of fun with this. We called it UNITED FORCES because we're located all over the place, in different countries, but this is something we're going to come together for." Adds Lilker: "It's gonna be really fun to get together with some good friends — who are also great musicians — and play some earsplitting, hardcore-tinged thrash metal! And obviously, we know how to do just that."

At this year's installment of the Fun Fun Fun fest in Austin, Texas, modern thrash heavyweights MUNICIPAL WASTE were joined by Lilker and Milano onstage to help unleash the S.O.D. staple "United Forces". Check out the carnage below.

Future UNITED FORCES plans will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Sammy Hagar (CHICKENFOOT, VAN HALEN, MONTROSE) has revealed in a new holiday video message that CHICKENFOOT will take 2013 off to focus on other projects. He said: "Joe's [Satriani, CHICKENFOOT guitarist] doing his thing and Chad's [Smith, CHICKENFOOT drummer] just coming off a [RED HOT] CHILI PEPPERS tour and he's not gonna wanna go into the studio. So I think Mikey [CHICKENFOOT/ex-VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony] and I and the WABOS, we'll just go out and do some stuff." That "stuff" will likely include "more shows, maybe a proper tour" and possibly even a new record."

In other news, Hagar will perform at the third-anniversary party of the Cabo Wabo Cantina in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 9,. Wristbands free on a first-come-first-served basis.

CHICKENFOOT recently reissued its gold-selling 2009 self-titled debut as a double-disc set. The new version features bonus live tracks recorded on the group's tour behind its sophomore studio effort, "III"

CHICKENFOOT's most recent touring lineup included legendary drummer/musician Kenny Aronoff, who was filling in for Smith while Chad was on the road with RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.

GIANT X, the new band formed by RUNNING WILD members Rolf Kasparek and Peter J. Jordan, will release its debut album, "I", on January 18 in Germany, January 21 in the rest of Europe and January 22 in USA/Canada via Steamhammer/SPV.

Audio samples of all the tracks that will appear on the CD can be streamed at SPV.de.

This sensational collaboration was sparked by the unexpectedly euphoric reactions from all over the world to the Kasparek/Jordan composition "Burning Wheels" (off EMI's rock/metal album), which featured Kasparek on vocals. Encouraged by those positive responses, Jordan and Kasparek decided to co-compose more tracks and offer them to interested record companies under the band name of GIANT X. They decided on the Hanover label Steamhammer/SPV, which previously released the latest RUNNING WILD opus, "Shadowmaker".

"GIANT X have a broader musical range which allows Rolf and myself to present ourselves from a totally different side," Jordan explains. "Our material consists of consciously multi-layered numbers, more in the tradition of KISS, QUEEN, THIN LIZZY, VAN HALEN but also BILLY TALENT. In other words: rock music in the tradition of the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties — our shared musical roots. The main thing for us was that people would be able hear the lightness and spontaneity of our collaboration."

"I" contains a total of 13 brand new songs, all of them penned by Jordan and Kasparek. The recording was produced and mixed by Jordan, with lots of support from Kasparek and RUNNING WILD's live mixer Niki Nowy.

No plans for GIANT X's future have yet been made, but according to Jordan and Kasparek, they are happy to "take things as they come. We don't rule anything out at this point."

"I" track listing:

01. The Rise Of The Giant X (intro)
02. On A Blind Flight
03. Don't Quit Till Tomorrow
04. Badland Blues
05. Now Or Never
06. Nameless Heroes
07. Go 4 It
08. The Count
09. Rough Ride
10. Friendly Fire
11. Let's Dance
12. Soulsurvivors
13. R.O.C.K.

Audio samples of all the songs that will appear on "Symphonic", the very special album from Norwegian hard rock singer Jorn Lande, can be streamed at MelodicRock.com. The CD will be released on January 25 in Europe and January 22 in North America via Frontiers Records.

"Symphonic" is not a proper new album, but rather a selection of tracks taken from Jorn's previous studio releases, which have been carefully selected by the Norwegian singer himself and painstakingly remixed in order to add a grandiose classical orchestra arrangement to the existing hard rock structure.

"I didn't want to choose the most obvious Jorn songs, as I didn't want this album to come out as a typical 'best-of' release," explains the former MASTERPLAN frontman. "Some songs that are not too typical in a Jorn context, were chosen simply because some great songs often tend to be forgotten and therefore deserve a second chance."

Tracks like "I Came to Rock", "Burn Your Flame" and "Behind The Clown" are presented in a very intriguing and different new dressing, which enhances the variety and depth of Jorn's classic songwriting and performance style. In Jorn's words: "'I Came To Rock' might now even remind the listener of a Broadway musical, not coming from a heavy rock band like Jorn. The new version of 'Behind The Clown' shows how much as a young boy I have been fascinated by Kate Bush. 'Burn Your Flame' instead came out really fresh and different, compared to the original version on 'Spirit Black' from 2009." "Symphonic" also includes a previously unreleased track: a cover version of DIO's "Rock And Roll Children".

"I hope you will enjoy the album and maybe you will even rediscover some songs you had forgotten…" concludes Jorn.

"Symphonic" track listing:

01. I Came To Rock
02. Rock And Roll Children
03. The World I See
04. Burn Your Flame
05. Man Of The Dark
06. My Road
07. Time To Be King
08. Black Morning
09. Like Stone In Water
10. Vision Eyes
11. War Of The World
12. Behind The Clown
13. A Thousand Cuts
14. The Mob Rules

"I Came To Rock" audio sample:

Los Angeles theatrical rockers BLACK VEIL BRIDES premiered their brand new movie, "Legion Of The Black", this past Friday, December 21 at the Silent Movie Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Directed by Patrick Fogarty, written by Andy Biersack, Patrick Fogarty and Richard Villa III, "Legion Of The Black" tells the visual story of BLACK VEIL BRIDES' upcoming album, "Wretched And Divine: The Story Of The Wild Ones". The film follows a group of rebels known as "The Wild Ones" as they defend their hearts, minds and bodies against F.E.A.R.

A video report from the movie premiere — which includes interviews with the band and Fogarty — can be seen below.

"Wretched And Divine: The Story Of The Wild Ones" will be released on January 8 via Lava/Universal Republic. The CD was produced by by John Feldmann (PAPA ROACH, THE USED, ATREYU) and is a full-fledged concept effort, though the band's lead singer, Andy Biersack, has not revealed the exact narrative just yet. "Lyrically, the most important thing for me is, how can I tell a cohesive story?" he told Revolver magazine. "How can I take the story and kind of weave it into songs that are written otherwise about a lot of personal experiences and the band's experiences?"

BLACK VEIL BRIDES will launch the first leg of "The Church Of The Wild Ones" world tour on January 4 in Las Vegas. The trek will wrap in San Francisco on March 8.

MURDERDOLLS frontman Wednesday 13 will release his fifth solo album, "The Dixie Dead", on February 18 in The UK and on February 19 in North America.

"The Dixie Dead" limited-edition packing with expanded artwork is available only in the U.S. or througn a U.S. source for initial orders. Retail limited edition will have a pullout poster and expanded artwork, which comes in DVD packaging. The version ordered during the web site pre-orders comes with the above and an exclusive patch and an exclusive sticker.

"The Dixie Dead" track listing:

01. Death Arise (intro)
02. Bloodsucker
03. Get Your Grave On
04. Curse The Living
05. Too Fast For Blood
06. Hail Ming
07. Coming Attractions
08. The Dixie Dead
09. Ghost Stories
10. Fuck You (In Memory Of...)
11. Carol Anne... They're Here
12. Hands Of The Ripper
13. Death Arise (overture)

In a recent interview with Metalkrant, Wednesday 13 stated about "The Dixie Dead": "I think it's the best CD I have ever made. It's a great combination of everything I have done over the years. It's heavy, it's still catchy and singalong songs, it's a full horror record."

He continued: "The album is going to look like a 1980s horror movie. It's a special way we did it. I'm more excited about that than everything I can remember that I put out. We have some different sounds, too, that we've tried. There's some really heavy stuff. Heavy for me — I don't mean like SLAYER heavy. [laughs] But for me, it's heavy. There's a track on the record that reminds me of BLACK SABBATH and there's one that reminds me of MINISTRY and METALLICA. There are a lot of influences in there and it showcases my lineup that I have now. I didn't play anything on the record, but vocals and keyboards. It's the first time I haven't played guitar on a record. I wrote everything, but I let the band play it. So to me, that definitely added something to it. I think I have a great band and my guitar player is amazing. The things he does and what he brought to the table… It's the perfect record for me. I feel like it's taken me 10 years to… Not that I didn't like what I did before, but I feel like this is finally the one that we got where I wanted it to be. I'm super excited and I hope people will embrace it the same way."

2013 is a special year for Wednesday 13 as it marks 20 years of him releasing recorded music and 10 years of the band WEDNESDAY 13.

Video footage of SCORPIONS' November 30 performance at Le Dome in Marseille, France can be seen below.

Check out photos at the ChurchOfNowhere.com web site.

SCORPIONS' "Comeblack", a new album of classic rock covers and fresh performances of signature repertoire recorded last year, sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 90 on The Billboard 200 chart.

SCORPIONS' last collection of all-original material, "Sting In The Tail", opened with 18,500 units to land at No. 23. This marked the band's highest chart debut in over 20 years. The CD also landed at No. 6 on the Rock Albums chart.

German grindcore/death metal act MILKING THE GOATMACHINE will release its new concept album, "Stallzeit", on March 1, 2013 via NoiseArt Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Only Goat Can Judge Me
02. Goatriders In The Sky
03. Stallzeit
04. 3 Room Shed
05. Goatpainter
06. The Day I Lost My Bell
07. Salt Lick City
08. Milk 'Em All
09. Hornbreaker
10. Whoola Hoove Groove
11. Strawless
12. Look @ These
13. When A Goat Loves A Woman
14. Udder Infection
15. In 10 Years We Are Old School
16. Ace Of Spades (MOTÖRHEAD cover; bonus track)

MILKING THE GOATMACHINE's cover version of MOTÖRHEAD's "Ace Of Spades" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

According to a press release, "With 'Stallzeit', MILKING THE GOATMACHINE sets new standards. The killer production really nails it to the point, it's a hard-slamming, riff-sh*tting, grind shouting record with a massive wall of guitars, goatdowns, mosh parts and ferocity. A true fest of grind/death with a twist of nonsense and craziness, the trademark of them goats."

Commented the band: "The album will be, like all other MILKING THE GOATMACHINE albums, a concept album. The topics are the experiences that we've made on your planet and how we narrate everything to our Goatlord on planet GoatEborg...it's effectively a goat diary! The song 'When A Goat Loves A Woman', for example, describes the difficulty when you receive a phone number from an earth-doe and you try to dial the number with hooves on your touchscreen smart phone... Musically, we stayed true to ourselves and we grind down everything that we are up against."

Austrian death/ black metal metallers BELPHEGOR have commissioned Greek artist Anthon Siro Seth to create the artwork for the band's new album. Seth has already started working on the cover art and some magical images. He says in a statement: "It will be a great challenge creating the artwork for BELPHEGOR's new masterpiece. My mission is clear: creating the most disturbing artwork I have ever made!"

Commented BELPHEGOR mainman Helmuth: "It’s good to have Seth recruited again. He did the 'Pestapokalypse VI' graphics back in 2006.

"The lyrical content deals with blasphemy, exorcism, and blackest romantic. He's the perfect choice for the atmosphere we are looking for."

BELPHEGOR's new album is tentatively due in August 2013 via Nuclear Blast Records. The third and last recording session for the CD took place from November 29 through December 14, with Helmuth laying down the final vocals, overdubs and the guitar solos. The follow-up to 2011's "Blood Magick Necromance" was recorded at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL, MORBID ANGEL, CANNIBAL CORPSE).

Commented Helmuth: "This album is gonna be brutal, way more death metal blasphemy than the last records. The nine sound collages will reveal a new dimension of chaos, with the uttermost aggressive soundwall possible."

He added, "It's fantastic to work with Erik; this dude is really challenging, to give the best... 'cause you demons deserve it."

Quality fan-filmed video footage of DEATH ANGEL's December 9 performance at the Distortion festival in Eindhoven, Holland can be seen below.

DEATH ANGEL's long-awaited DVD, "A Thrashumentary", will be released in early 2013. Guitarist Ted Aguilar recently stated about the set, "It's gonna cover the history of DEATH ANGEL from the very beginning all the way up to the current version of DEATH ANGEL now. It's gonna be jam-packed with a lot of old footage, stuff from early D.A., even their side projects after D.A., when D.A. broke up and THE ORGANIZATION formed, and the reformation of the band [for an appearance at] Thrash Of The Titans [festival in 2001]."

According to a press release, "A Thrashumentary" is a combination live video and documentary, all wrapped up in one thrashing DVD. The footage was directed by Tommy Jones (SOILWORK, KATAKLYSM) and mixed by Chris Clancy of The Studio. The film gives the viewer an in-depth look into one of the longest-running thrash acts out of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region known for turning out historic thrash bands such as METALLICA, TESTAMENT and EXODUS.

With the band surviving a span of 30 years of activity, and 25 years since the release of the classic album "The Ultra-Violence", now was the time to tell the story. Filmed on the "Relentless Retribution" world tour, the film shows the bands energetic live performance, cut with documentary-style interview footage. "Fly-on-the-wall" filming of the band talking about their career and footage of the band on the road give the viewer a personal connection to what is known as the mighty DEATH ANGEL.

RIGOR MORTIS frontman Bruce Corbitt has announced plans to start an online fundraiser for the family of the band's guitarist, Mike Scaccia, who died this past Saturday night (December 22) while performing with RIGOR MORTIS at The Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas at Corbitt's 50th-birthday celebration. Bruce states: "Also, there will possibly be a Scaccia tribute/benefit show put together for them to honor Mike and also raise money to help them. It could be as soon as this coming weekend. So I will also need to know what bands are interested in being part of this or if anyone can help in any way. "

He adds: "I also understand that it is Christmas time and I know Mike wouldn't want this to ruin that for anyone. He would want us all to know he went out doing what he loved doing surrounded by everyone he loved. He would want us to block this out and enjoy our Christmas with our families and loved ones."

Scaccia, who is also known for his work with MINISTRY and the REVOLTING COCKS, died of a sudden heart attack brought on by a heart disease (official cause of death: atherosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease), according to the Tarrant County medical examiner's office. Officials ruled it a natural death. He was 47 years old.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, police responded to a call from the club at 11:45 p.m. Saturday, and Sciacca was pronounced dead at 12:26 a.m. in the emergency room at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth.

His daughter Sarah posted a message on his Facebook page at 3 a.m. Dallas time on Sunday, saying, "I love you so much dad. I love you so much."

Mike is survived by his wife Jenny Rowen Scaccia, with whom he has two toddlers, and daughters Sarah Scaccia and Taarna Scaccia Hopkins.

"I'm The One", the new video from SOMETHING UNTO NOTHING (S.U.N.) — the band featuring the whiskey-soaked voice of Sass Jordan, a Canadian icon and Juno Award winner, alongside music partner, renowned drummer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brian Tichy, known for his tours of duty with BILLY IDOL, FOREIGNER, OZZY OSBOURNE and currently WHITESNAKE — can be seen below.

SOMETHING UNTO NOTHING recently inked a deal with Robo Records (a division of Waterfront Ent. Group), which released the band's self-titled debut album digitally on November 20. On Tuesday, January 15, 2013 the CD will be made available physically, with distribution through Fontana.

Previously working together is what brought Jordan and Tichy together in collaboration of the new music. "I had played drums on Sass's 'Rats' record," explains Tichy. "I knew she was one of the best rock singers going. So after many years, we reconnected and tried a bit of writing together." Both felt that in order to write the best, trend-free music they could, they needed to get away. They chose the mountains of Canyon Country and in an old, deserted shack S.U.N. was born. "We didn't realize where we going when we started out," says Jordan. "As we continued the songwriting path from 'Burned' to 'Mobile Again' to 'Nomad' and on ... The whole thing started to take shape in the form of a '70s odyssey, a time travel trajectory."

Completing the band that drives this music home is Michael Devin (WHITESNAKE, JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE, KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD) on bass and Tommy Stewart (GODSMACK, LO PRO, EVERCLEAR, FUEL) on drums.

For more information on S.U.N., go to this location.

"Abused", the new video from German melodic death metallers DYING HUMANITY, can be seen below. The clip was produced by Ambitious Films (EVOCATION, POWERWOLF, TERROR).

"Abused" comes off DYING HUMANITY's third album, "Living On The Razor's Edge", which was released last year via Bastardized Recordings.

According to a press release, "Living On The Razor's Edge" is DYING HUMANITY's first concept album, which, in contrast to the band's rather typical death metal band name, does not explore the depths of gore and violence but actually deals with a story that is an ideal, all too common example of how we humans ruin our existence daily. Visually supported by a stunning comic-styled artwork, "Living On The Razor's Edge" tells the tale of a woman that experiences all the hardships mankind is able to provide from a broken home over drugs, hypocrisy and abuse until a bitter end. Unfortunately, a story that is all too real nowadays especially in our rich, well-stuffed society. Mixed and mastered by Jörg Uken at Soundlodge Studio in Germany, this excursion into the abyss called "reality" comes across in powerful sounding and smartly arranged songs. Like its predecessor, the album once again features cover artwork by Gustavo Sazes (ARCH ENEMY, KRISIUN, GOD FORBID) and ultimately offers extreme music with lyrical substance that is a refreshing difference to tons of superficial, mediocre and forgettable releases.

DYING HUMANITY is:

Marcus Dietzsch - Vocals
Kai Seidel - Guitar
Simeon Keller - Guitar
Hendrik Wetzel - Bass
Danny Vanis - Drums

Greek/German heavy metallers MYSTIC PROPHECY are preparing to enter the studio to begin recording their eighth album for an early 2013 release. The recording process will once again take place at the Prophecy & Music Factory Studios in Germany, with singer Roberto Dimitri Liapakis (SUICIDAL ANGELS, VALLEY'S EVE, INSIDEAD) in the producer's chair. The set will also contain a bonus live DVD from MYSTIC PROPHECY's ProgPower USA performance, and will be made available in various limited-edition formats.

Commented Liapakis: "After a successful tour last spring, summer festivals and an amazing trip to ProgPower USA, the time has come for us to enter the studio for our next album. The band is even stronger and united, with more versatility and depth in our new compositions, and with even more power, we couldn't imagine it any better."

MYSTIC PROPHECY is already scheduling its 2013 concerts.

The band's seventh album, "Ravenlord", was released in November 2011 via Massacre Records.

A "fan-made" roadtrip video from MERCENARY's trip to the Czech Republic this past summer to perform at the Basinfire Festival can be seen below. The band states: "[The 'Black Brigade' clip] was made by our friend Don G, whom we've previously coorporated with for the cover of 'Metamorphosis'. He kindly filmed the raw material for this vid and put it together for his own sake but we thought it was way too great not to share with you. More footage from the Basinfire Festival performance will be used for another video coming in early 2013."

MERCENARY is currently working on material for its seventh album for an early 2013 release via NoiseArt Records in Europe and Prosthetic Records in North America.

"Metamorphosis", the sixth album from MERCENARY, entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 42. The CD was released in the U.S. on March 29, 2011 via Prosthetic.

"Metamorphosis" was produced by Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, VOLBEAT, NIGHTRAGE, HATESPHERE, PYRAMAZE).

MERCENARY 2012 is:

Jakob Mølbjerg - Guitar
René Pedersen - Bass, Vocals
Martin Buus - Lead Guitar
Peter Mathiesen - Drums