Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of RIVERS OF NIHIL. The modern progressive death metal quintet, which formed in 2009, was born from the ruins of their decaying hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania and are on a relentless path of taking their music to the next level. RIVERS OF NIHIL's music is as dark and heavy as the coal and iron their home city was built upon, taking influences from some of death metal's heaviest, most abrasive hitters: MORBID ANGEL, GOJIRA, SPAWN OF POSSESSION and DECAPITATED, to name a few.

Says the band: "We're super stoked to be a part of the Metal Blade family! Being on a such a strong label with some of our favorite bands is truly an honor and we look forward to the future with Metal Blade."

A demo version of a new RIVERS OF NIHIL song, "Rain Eater", from the band's upcoming Metal Blade Records full-length debut, which will be recorded with Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL) at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida in March 2013 can be streamed below.

The members of RIVERS OF NIHIL honed their chops as high schoolers in various bands in the Reading scene, eventually coming together to form RIVERS OF NIHIL in 2009. They recorded their first EP, "Hierarchy", that year with Carson Slovak (CENTURY), regularly toured the Northeast and Midwest, and scored local opening gigs for the likes of DECAPITATED, DECREPIT BIRTH, SUFFOCATION, DYING FETUS and MISERY INDEX. Two years later they regrouped with producer Len Carmichael to record their next EP, "Temporality Unbound", which saw the band earn recognition in the national metal scene as well as start to attract the attention of record labels.

RIVERS OF NIHIL is:

Jake Dieffenbach - Vocals
Brody Uttley - Guitar
Jon Kunz - Guitar
Adam Biggs - Bass/Vocals
Ron Nelson - Drums

Baltimore, Maryland's MISERY INDEX will release a live album, "Live In Munich", on February 19 (four days earlier internationally) via the French label Season Of Mist. The CD was recorded at Backstage in Munich, Germany on February 18, 2012 and it will be made available as a hand-numbered die-cut LP, strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide.

"Live In Munich" track listing:

01. Sleeping Giants
02. The Carrion Call
03. You Lose
04. The 7th Cavalry
05. The Spectator
06. The Great Depression
07. The Illuminaught
08. Traitors
09. Siberian (2012 remix)

MISERY INDEX's next studio album is expected in late 2013.

MISERY INDEX's latest CD, "Heirs To Thievery", sold around 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The effort landed at position No. 43 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. Released in North America on May 11, 2010 via Relapse Records, the album was recorded at Wright Way Studios (DYING FETUS, SLIPKNOT, MOS DEF) with engineer Steve Wright.

Australia's NOCTURNAL GRAVES has inked a deal with Hells Headbangers for the release of the band's sophomore album. The group will enter I-HQ Recordings in two weeks to begin recording the as-yet-untitled CD, which will contain "35 minutes of explosive, violent death/thrash metal," according to a press release.

A cult name in the fertile, fetid Australian metal underground, NOCTURNAL GRAVES released its debut album, "Satan's Cross", on Nuclear War Now! Productions in 2007 and a split LP with HELL SPIRIT on the same label in 2010.

NOCTURNAL GRAVES recently underwent a lineup change with the addition of Shrapnel (ex-DESTROYER 666) on lead guitar and L. Wilson (DENOUNCEMENT PYRE) on drums.

The band's current lineup is:

J. - Bass/Vocals
Decaylust - Guitar
Shrapnel - Lead Guitar
L. Wilson - Drums

In May 2013, NOCTURNAL GRAVES will the road in Europe, with confirmed shows in Germany (at Deathkult Open Air), France, Belgium, the U.K., Ireland, Denmark, and Sweden, among others.

The official lyric video for the song "Salvation" from Finnish grindcore maniacs ROTTEN SOUND can be seen below. The track comes off the band's new EP, "Species At War", which will be released on January 18, 2013 on CD, etched vinyl and digital. The CD was recorded at Nordic Audio Labs this past summer and was mixed and mastered by drummer Sami Latva at Latva Studios.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Cause
02. The Game
03. War
04. The Solution
05. Salvation
06. Peace

"Finding a strong label to release the EP and next full-length in Europe was our priority for this year," ROTTEN SOUND vocalist Keijo Niinimaa said. "We are very excited about this deal with Season Of Mist and we can't wait to get back on the road with the EP. Take a deep breath, get exhausted with 'Species At War' and see you at the shows!"

Michael Brandvold Marketing has announced its newest client, GUNS N' ROSES lead guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. Michael Brandvold Marketing will be helping guide Ron's online marketing and e-commerce efforts.

Said Ron: "I am looking forward to working with Michael Brandvold Marketing. Michael's experience over the years working with artist web sites, fan communities and online stores is a perfect fit for all my expanding online activities. I am excited to have him join the Bumblefoot team."

Bumblefoot has 20 years of releasing music, international festivals and headlining solo tours, and covers of guitar magazines. Bumblefoot's latest releases were an innovative song-a-month series that include transcriptions and backing tracks for guitarists and recording stems for remixers, including a cover of "The Pink Panther Theme" featuring members of GUNS N' ROSES. Lead guitarist of GUNS N' ROSES since 2006, Bumblefoot has toured sold-out shows in over 40 countries, headlining festivals with crowds of 150,000. Bumblefoot's unique "fretless guitar" can be heard throughout GN'R's "Chinese Democracy" album.

Bumblefoot has collaborated as a songwriter/producer with many artists, his music often heard in TV, film and video games including theme songs to Spike TV's "MXC" and VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show", "So You Think You Can Dance", Oprah Winfrey, ESPN, UFC, WWE, NFL, dozens of MTV/VH1 shows and more. Bumblefoot has appeared on stage with Joe Satriani, Nancy Sinatra, Chris Jericho and FOZZY, Cyndi Lauper, members of BADFINGER, Paul McCartney & WINGS, and on recordings with diverse artists such as DREAM THEATER's Jordan Rudess, ANVIL's Steve "Lips" Kudlow, Jessica Simpson, rapper Scarface, comedian Don Jamieson and many more.

Studying music since age 7, he began teaching at age 13 and for the last 10 years has taught music production at SUNY Purchase College. He teaches master-classes at schools and venues around the world, and has been a guest music coach on MTV's "Made".

Bumblefoot is continuously donating songs and performances to fundraising CDs, often making appearances and donating autographed items for charities. He often performs at events for medical research, disaster relief, and children's health issues, visiting patients at children's hospitals all over the world with guitar in hand.

Upcoming projects in 2013 include accompanying vocalist Tony Harnell & THE WILDFLOWERS on acoustic guitar, releasing his own line of Bumblefoot hot sauces.

Bobby Rondinelli (RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH), Greg Smith (TED NUGENT, ALICE COOPER, RAINBOW), Chris Slade (AC/DC, THE FIRM), Craig Goldy (DIO), Geoff Nicholls (BLACK SABBATH) and John Corabi (MÖTLEY CRÜE) have joined forces in the CLASSIC ROCK ALL STARS, a new supergroup which will embark on 10-show tour of Russia in February.

Commented Corabi: "[I'm] really excited about [this] tour I'm doing with a great bunch of guys. We're doing ten shows throughout Russia, starting on February 1st in Moscow. Stay tuned for details."

A video message from Goldy announcing the formation of the CLASSIC ROCK ALL STARS can be seen below.

Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE), Morgan Rose (SEVENDUST, CALL ME NO ONE), Kevin Martin (CANDLEBOX, THE GRACIOUS FEW), John "JD" DeServio (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, CYCLE OF PAN) and THE INFINITE STAIRCASE will team up to write and record a song in an effort to help raise money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy

Architekt Music, the state-of-the-art recording facility where SEVENDUST recently tracked their upcoming album, "Black Out The Sun", and THE INFINITE STAIRCASE continue to record their new CD, located in Butler, New Jersey, has, along with recording engineer Mike Ferretti, graciously agreed to donate their services to help make this project come to fruition.

The song will be released, as an iTunes exclusive, on January 8, 2013 via Vanity Music Group.

Each musician involved in this project has very close ties to the New York and Jersey area, having either grown up there, having very close friends and family who currently live there, or in the cases of DeServio and Lenny and Jeff Cerzosie of THE INFINITE STAIRCASE, still residing in the storm-damaged areas.

This storm has touched the lives of so many… Everyone's hearts are in the right place.

Heading into the studio this week, expect more details on this project and its release to be announced shortly.

Despite rumors to the contrary, Ross Robinson says that he has not yet been officially confirmed as the producer of the next studio album from Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH

Robinson, who has previously worked with such acts as KORN, SLIPKNOT, SEPULTURA, SOULFLY and LIMP BIZKIT, met with BEHEMOTH last month in Warsaw. BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski posted a photo on his Facebook page of him, BEHEMOTH bassist Tomasz " Orion" Wróblewski and Robinson, captioning the picture with just three words: "Things ARE happening…"

Responding to a fan on Twitter earlier today, Robinson wrote that he is "not confirmed" to be working with BEHEMOTH on their next record.

In a 2008 interview with Sevenstring.org, former EMPEROR vocalist/guitarist Ihsahn was asked if there was any truth to the rumor that Ross Robinson was in talks to produce the band's ill-fated fifth album. "There has been many rumors concerning that," Ihsahn replied. "[Ross] came backstage after a show in L.A. in 1999, together with Casey Chaos from AMEN, and said he would love to work with EMPEROR. However, we always liked doing the decision making on our own, so we said, 'No, thanks.' To this day, I've never worked with a producer, though I try to be one myself, I guess. Apparently, Ross got hate mail for even suggesting working with EMPEROR, which is kind of stupid, as in all black metal ideology fairness, I think, we were capable of deciding who and who not we wished to work with."

One of the most successful hard rock producers of the late '90s, Robinson began as a thrash metal guitarist (he was a member of MURDERCAR, which included future SACRED REICH and MACHINE HEAD drummer Dave McClain, and he played on DÉTENTE's classic 1986 LP, "Recognize No Authority"), before receiving his first studio credit, as an assistant engineer for W.A.S.P.'s 1993 concept album, "The Crimson Idol". He eventually hooked up with the then-up-and-coming alt-metal band by the name of KORN and produced the group's first two albums. Robinson also helmed the debut CD from LIMP BIZKIT, 1997's "Three Dollar Bill Y'All", before going on to work with such acts as SLIPKNOT, MACHINE HEAD, SEPULTURA (their RIAA-gold-certified release "Roots"), SOULFLY, AMEN, COLD, GLASSJAW, AT THE DRIVE-IN, THE CURE and VANILLA ICE's rap-metal makeover/comeback album, "Hard To Swallow".

Often called their finest album, GODFLESH's "Hymns" was released on 2001 and is now being reissued by The End Records as a special-edition deluxe remaster with bonus tracks, liner notes, lyrics and never-before-seen photos and images.

The reissue will be available on February 19, 2013 in 2CD and 2LP formats. Orders can be placed at this location.

"Hymns" reissue track listing:

Disc 1: 2012 Remaster

01. Defeated
02. Deaf, Dumb & Blind
03. Paralyzed
04. Anthem
05. Viodhead
06. Tyrant
07. White Flag
08. For Life
09. Animals
10. Vampires
11. Antihuman
12. Regal
13. Jesu

Disc 2: Bonus Material

01. Voidhead (Demo 2012 Mix)
02. Vampires (Demo 2012 Mix)
03. Deaf, Dumb & Blind (Demo 2012 Remastered)
04. Anthem (Demo 2012 Remastered)
05. Paralyzed (Demo 2012 Remastered)
06. For Life (Demo 2012 Remastered)
07. If I Could Only Be What You Want (2012 Remastered)

Bassist Mat Sinner of German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR has issued the following update:

"We're working hard on the future of the band at the moment. Aside of the two shows at the year's end, we can announce today that we will sign a new recording contract soon. Our target are two new studio recordings and a new live DVD/CD/Blu-ray package. After next year's Rock Meets Classic tour (featuring four members of the band), we will start with the songwriting for the new album and we have a lot of great riffs and even an album title in mind. Recordings will take place in July/August 2013. Stay tuned for more updates soon!"

PRIMAL FEAR's latest album, "Unbreakable", sold around 600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 44 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.

Released on January 24, 2012 in the U.S. via Frontiers Records, "Unbreakable" was tracked in part at House Of Music studios in Winterbach, Germany with producer/bassist Mat Sinner and engineer Achim Köhler (EDGUY, MASTERPLAN).

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based grindcore activists COMPLETE FAILURE will release their new album, "The Art Gospel of Aggravated Assault", on February 19, 2013 (four days earlier internationally) via Season Of Mist. The CD is described in a press release as "the band's tour de force, fusing ferocious speed and aggression with their iconoclastic stance and unwavering vision."

"The Art Gospel of Aggravated Assault" track listing:

01. Mind Compf
02. Errant Social Mile Marker
03. The Art Gospel Of Aggravated Assault
04. Head Hanger To Be
05. Drag Migrator
06. Exitist
07. Defenseless Mechanisms Of Self Inflicted Heartbreak
08. Disinvictus
09. Hero Of The Church Herd
10. The Unlove Overhue

Despite the brutal crushing power of "The Art Gospel of Aggravated Assault", a musical intelligence can be found that reveals COMPLETE FAILURE to be more than just another grindcore act. For those who like PIG DESTROYER, BRUTAL TRUTH, MISERY INDEX, ROTTEN SOUND and NASUM, this album is a sure bet, yet these Americans beg to differ. None shall escape their wrath!

Commented COMPLETE FAILURE: "Written and recorded in its entirety, then scrapped and rebuilt from scratch, 'The Art Gospel Of Aggravated Assault' is as natural and honest an album as it is human, without the glitter of gimmick or remorse."

COMPLETE FAILURE has toured the world with such bands as TODAY IS THE DAY, ANTIGAMA, MISERY INDEX, REVOCATION, RWAKE and FUCK THE FACTS.

COMPLETE FAILURE is:

Mike Rosswog - Drums
James B. Curl - Guitar
Mark Bogacki - Bass
Joemack - Voice

SOLUTION .45 — the Swedish/Finnish progressive metal "supergroup" which features in its ranks former SCAR SYMMETRY vocalist Christian Älvestam — has parted ways with bassist Anders Edlund. According to the band, "This is very much a mutual split, based on a mutual understanding. With that said, we'd like to thank Anders for his contributions and years in the band, wishing him good luck in his future endeavors. Although our musical journey ends, our friendship will stay intact."

Regarding his decision to leave SOLUTION .45, Edlund said in a statement, "My private situation makes it impossible to put as much effort into this machinery needed and as I would want to in order to make the best possible outcome. And in order not to be a hindrance for the other guys on their journey I simply choose to stand aside."

"I have the biggest respect for my Swedish and Finnish brothers in SOLUTION .45. I'm sure they will keep this machinery going and there are no hard feelings between us at all since this is a decision made through mutual understanding. I simply just want them to continue spreading the fabulous music of SOLUTION .45."

SOLUTION .45's debut album, "For Aeons Past", was released in Europe in April 2010 and in North America one month later. The CD was recorded at Panic Room studios in with producer Tomas "Plec" Johansson and was made available in Japan through Marquee/Avalon. The album features lyrics written entirely by Mikael Stanne of DARK TRANQUILLITY. The cover artwork was created by Pär Olofsson.

Guitarist Jani Stefanovic left SOLUTION .45 in 2010 for "personal reasons." He has since been replaced by Patrik Gardberg of TORCHBEARER, THE FEW AGAINST MANY and AMMOTRACK.

Italian symphonic power metallers RHAPSODY OF FIRE have inked a worldwide deal with AFM Records.

The band's signature sound, consisting of power metal, soundtrack-like elements and classical influences, gave a new meaning to the word "epic" since the release of "Legendary Tales" in 1997.

Commented RHAPSODY OF FIRE: "After playing the 'From Chaos To Eternity' world tour 2012 all around Europe, Canada, North America and Latin America, we became even more excited and motivated to continue building our career and creating new exciting music. So now we are finally proud to announce that RHAPSODY OF FIRE signed with a great label such as AFM. That's a new great epic start and we already started working on different projects."

RHAPSODY OF FIRE 2012 is:

Fabio Lione - Vocals
Alex Staropoli - Keyboards
Roberto De Micheli - Guitar
Tom Hess - Guitar
Oliver Holzwarth - Bass
Alex Holzwarth - Drums

The new RHAPSODY OF FIRE lineup made its live debut on April 6 at the PPM Fest at the Lotto Mons Expo in Mons, Belgium.

Staropoli and RHAPSODY OF FIRE guitarist Luca Turilli last year announced their decision to go their separate ways.

Due to legal reasons, Staropoli is continuing under the RHAPSODY OF FIRE name. Turilli, on the other hand, is making his efforts available under the RHAPSODY moniker (RHAPSODY OF FIRE's original name), in which he is joined by guitarist Dominique Leurquin, bassist Patrice Guers, singer Alessandro Conti (TRICK OR TREAT) and drummer Alex Landenburg (AT VANCE, ANNIHILATOR, MEKONG DELTA, STRATOVARIUS).

RHAPSODY OF FIRE's latest album, "From Chaos To Eternity", was released in North America on July 12, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records. Described by the band as "the natural evolution" from 2010's "The Frozen Tears Of Angels", the CD marks RHAPSODY OF FIRE's final release based on the fantasy saga started in 1997 with the group's debut album, "Legendary Tales".

Swedish melodic/progressive metallers VINDICTIV, formed and led by guitar sensation Stefan Lindholm, have tapped producer/engineer Lars Chriss (LION'S SHARE) to mix their brand new studio CD, tentatively due in early 2013 via an as-yet-undetermined record label.

The band's third album, "Cage of Infinity", will mark the recording debut of their new singer, Marco Sandron (ex-EDEN'S CURSE), and will see them heading in a more straight-ahead heavy metal direction.

"I made an effort to make the album cohesive, but as a notorious shredder, I couldn't restrain myself completely," laughs Lindholm.

VINDICTIV released two albums so far — the self-titled debut in 2008 and "Ground Zero" in 2009. Apart from his main band, Stefan has been a successful soloist on a number of albums, among them record producer Tom Galley's international project "Phenomena" and "Soulspell". Other great vocalists Stefan has worked with include Tony Martin (BLACK SABBATH), Oliver Hartmann (AT VANCE, AVANTASIA) and Mark Boals (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, RING OF FIRE).

"Kluskap O'Kom", a brand new song from Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD, can be streamed below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Target Earth", which will be released on January 22, 2013 (one day earlier internationally) via VOIVOD's own company, Iron Gang Factory, and Century Media. The CD was recorded in January 2012 at Pierre Rémillard's (OBLIVEON, CRYPTOPSY, KRISIUN, MISERY INDEX) Wild Studio in a small town called St-Zénon in Quebec, Canada and was mixed by Sanford Parker (PELICAN, NACHTMYSTIUM). The follow-up to 2009's "Infini" contains the band's first music to be written with new guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain (MARTYR) following the passing of original axeman Denis "Piggy" D'Amour in 2005. The original art was once again drawn by VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin and features color schemes from each one of the band's previous albums. The effort will be available as a CD, gatefold double vinyl and a limited edition deluxe box set.

Regarding what the new VOIVOD songs sound like, Mongrain said in an interview, "As a VOIVOD fan since I am 12 years old and early rise of VOIVOD in late '80s and everything, I think… I'm in conflict of interest right now. [laughs] I like the old stuff as much as the new stuff, so I think it's a blend of everything. It's really a team work and Blacky [Jean-Yves Thériault] is back on the 'blower bass' — he's got the original sound — and we're having a blast jamming. I think it's working pretty good."

On the topic of the lyrical themes covered in the new VOIVOD tracks, singer Denis "Snake" Bélanger said, "The song we played [on the early 2012 European tour] ['Kaleidos'] is about conspiracy involving drugs and the FBI… [Laughs] It's hard to describe because we're kind of early in the process. There's another song called 'Target Earth', which is more like a spacy, conspiracy, controlling the information around the world. The main thing is the 'war' of information. You know, somebody Osama Bin Laden is dead, someone [else] says he's not… It gets to a point where everybody has his own story and nobody is sure what the truth is. There's people above everything controlling the information."

"Kluskap O'Kom" audio stream:

Former PANTERA and current DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo recently interviewed rapper 50 Cent for the Boxing Insider web site, to which Anselmo has been a frequent contributor.

In the introduction to his interview, Anselmo writes, "I am so far removed from pop culture, it’s pitiful. My foundations (for those of you who know me) are well laid and stern to the point of outright deafening indifference . . . especially when it comes to boxing . . and music.

"But fuck all that, that's my problem.

"So, with an intro like the above reads, I gotta say, when I was assigned an interview with 50 Cent, I had no clue who the man was.

"Seriously.

"Call me morbid, call me pale, call me a victim of pugilistic dementia, but I must say, speaking to this man was an interesting experience. I was beyond impressed with his smarts, his sense of humor, his accomplishments and his future plans.

"Despite my hardheaded 'opinions' when it comes to the music that pops up randomly on my iPod, as people go, 50 Cent was, and is, a super-class act, and deserves all the accolades he gets."

You can check out the chat at BoxingInsider.com.

Greek extreme metal veterans ROTTING CHRIST will release their eleventh full-length studio album, "Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy" ("Do What Thou Wilt"), on March 5, 2013 (four days earlier in Europe) via Season Of Mist. The band spent more than four months at Deva Soundz studios in Athens crafting what it says "may be its darkest and more mystical and occult outcome ever." The CD was mixed by Jens Borgen (AMON AMARTH, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA, OPETH) at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.

"Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy" track listing:

01. In Yumen - Xibalba
02. P'unchaw Kachun - Tuta Kachun
03. Grandis Spiritus Diavolos
04. Kataton Demona Eaftou
05. Cine Iubeste Si Lasa
06. Iwa Woodoo
07. Gilgames
08. Rusalka
09. Ahura Mazda Anra Mainiuu
10. 666

The album will be made available as jewel case CD, double gatefold LP and limited-edition digibox, including a digipak CD with bonus track "Welcome To Hel", a pendant in velvet bag and a flag.

In a recent interview with RockOverdose.gr, ROTTING CHRIST mainman Sakis Tolis stated about the band's new CD, "The album was recorded entirely by me, except, of course, the drums which were taken care of by my brother."

ROTTING CHRIST's last album, "Aealo", came out in March 2010. The CD sold around 400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 144 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.

Guitarist Ralph Santolla (DEICIDE, OBITUARY, ICED EARTH) and vocalist Daniel Ädel (VILDHJARTA, UNEVEN STRUCTURE) will make guest appearances on the debut album from Swedish groove metallers DEATHEMBER. Entitled "Going Postal", the CD will be released in early 2013 via Violent Groove Music Group.

Commented DEATHEMBER: "It was a huge honor for us to have Ralph and Daniel on two separate songs on the album. Ralph is one of the greatest metal guitarists of all time and Daniel's band VILDHJARTA is one of the most important bands today in modern metal."

DEATHEMBER is:

Simon Tarasewicz - Vocals
Elias Ryen-Rafstedt - Drums
Pontus Wicklander - Bass
Staffan Birkedal - Guitars
Rikard Bonander - Guitars

A pre-production version of a new DEATHEMBER song entitled "Spirals" can be streamed below.

METALLICA has just released a live DVD called "Quebec Magnetic" through the band's newly launched Blackened Recordings label. The double DVD and single disc Blu-ray is available for a price a "very METALLICA fan-friendly" price — suggested retail is $15.98 for either format. Filmed by Wayne Isham during a two-night stand in October of 2009 in Quebec City, it is METALLICA's first self-released project. "We just played two really phenomenal shows. They were outrageously great and the audience was great and we had a bunch of people filming it," METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett told Billboard.com. "We felt like we're really doing a disservice just sitting on this great live footage, so we decided to put it out."

"Quebec Magnetic" track listing:

01. That Was Just Your Life
02. The End Of The Line
03. The Four Horsemen
04. The Shortest Straw
05. One
06. Broken, Beat & Scarred
07. My Apocalypse
08. Sad But True
09. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
10. The Judas Kiss
11. The Day That Never Comes
12. Master Of Puppets
13. Battery
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman
16. Killing Time
17. Whiplash
18. Seek & Destroy

Bonus songs:

19. For Whom The Bell Tolls
20. Holier Than Thou
21. Cyanide
22. Turn The Page
23. All Nightmare Long
24. Damage, Inc.
25. Breadfan
26. Phantom Lord

The "Damage, Inc." performance clip from "Quebec Magnetic" can be seen below.

METALLICA announced on November 30 that it has taken ownership of all the band's master recordings and long-form videos under a provision of the band's 1994 joint venture agreement with the Warner Music Group. According to that provision — almost unheard of for acts signed to major label contracts — all the masters reverted back to the band. Frontman James Hetfield said in a statement, "We would like to thank everyone at the Warner Music Group for 28 years of a fantastic relationship, particularly since 1994 where we truly felt we had partners in every aspect of our business in North America."

The band has also revealed that it is launching its own label, called Blackened Recordings, that will be the new home for all of their recordings and videos, as well as anything else that the band may come up with. All marketing and promotion will be handled by Blackened, with distribution through Rhino Entertainment in North America and the Universal Music Group internationally. Drummer Lars Ulrich said, "Forming Blackened Recordings is the ultimate in independence, giving us 100 percent control and putting us in the driver's seat of our own creative destiny."

Ulrich told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that METALLICA was long past the point where the band needed a corporate record label to support it. "The great thing about being in a band like us is that we're in a position to bypass the record company," he said. "Basically record companies act like banks. And when you don't need the bank element of a record company, then you can kind of do it yourself."

METALLICA is also working on a 3D feature film for release next summer, as well as a new studio album that should surface in early 2014.

Swedish sleaze rockers HARDCORE SUPERSTAR will release their new album, "C'mon Take On Me", in Europe on March 1, 2013 via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2010's "Split Your Lip" was produced by the bandmembers themselves and mixed by Randy Staub (METALLICA, MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE CULT).

The first single from the album, "One More Minute", can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. It is also available for free download from the Nuclear Blast web site.

"C'mon Take On Me" will be made as a CD in slipcase, as a digital download, on black vinyl and on strictly limited pink vinyl (only available at the Nuclear Blast mailorder).

Commented HARDCORE SUPERSTAR drummer Magnus "Adde" Andreasson: "We came up with the idea [for the 'C'mon Take On Me' cover] during the recordings of the album. It's just so sexy when a woman jumps into a drum kit — what could be more exciting? We discussed the concept with photographer Micke Johansson, who loved the idea. What we especially like about it is the combination of sex and bruises!"

"C'mon Take On Me" track listing:

01. Cutting The Slack
02. C'mon Take On Me
03. One More Minute
04. Above The Law
05. Are You Gonna Cry Now
06. Stranger Of Mine
07. Won't Take The Blame Pt. 1
08. Won't Take The Blame Pt. 2 (Sect Meeting)
09. Dead Man's Shoes
10. Because Of You
11. Too Much Business
12. Long Time No See

HARDCORE SUPERSTAR celebrated its 10th anniversary last year with a best-of album, "The Party Ain't Over 'Til We Say So". The collection contained songs from all the records that the band released between 2000 and 2010 along with a newly written track, "We Don't Need A Cure".

"Split Your Lip" was released in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records except in Scandinavia, where it was made available through Gain Records.

Fan-filmed video footage of QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate's solo performance on the ShipRocked 2012 music cruise, a five-day sailing excursion putting fans on a luxury liner with a number of their favorite bands, can be seen below.

Tate's second solo album, "Kings & Thieves", sold 1,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD arrived in stores on November 6 via InsideOut Music.

In a recent interview with ARTISTdirect.com, Tate stated about his vision for "Kings & Thieves", "Typically, when I make a record, I have an idea of what I want to try to accomplish. I go about making that happen by making lists. I'm a list maker. I jot down all of these ideas I've got and I form those ideas into an outline. Then, I start using it as a punch list to take care of all these details I'd like to do. I knew I wanted to make a really solid rock record. I didn't want to stray too far into other musical endeavors. I wanted to keep it more rock-oriented with traditional rock instruments. I also knew that I wanted it to be more of a live record where all of the musicians get in a room and actually play together. A lot of it was recorded and written at the same time. That was very fun, and I've never done that before. It has an effect that makes the music seem more immediate and raw rather than being a polished, rehearsed-into-the-ground record, which I've done throughout most of my career. Making this record was a different process for me, and I made it very quickly. It flowed from the moment I started until the time I was done with it. It only took about six months to make. By comparison, QUEENSRŸCHE records have taken years to make."

Asked if there is any connection to his first solo record, Tate said, "Well, it has been a long time. It's been a long time coming too. They're two really different records to me. On that first solo record, I really wanted to stretch outside of the QUEENSRŸCHE box and do everything I could never do. I wanted to explore my influences in my writing. That first album has R&B influences, which I'm very into. It's got classical and electronica influences, but it doesn't have a lot of rock. "Kings & Thieves" is really a rock record. I focused on that aspect."

California rockers BUCKCHERRY will release "Gluttony", the first single from their forthcoming sixth studio album, "Confessions", on December 11 via iTunes. The official lyric video for the track can now be seen below.

"Confessions" will be BUCKCHERRY's first domestic release with new label Century Media Records. The CD is due on February 13, 2013 on Century Media in the United States and via Eleven Seven Music in other parts of the world.

"Confessions" is an album based on the seven deadly sins, and is part of a larger vision that includes a film written by Josh Todd, who based the album's lyrics on his childhood and transformation into adulthood.

Asked about the reports that "Confessions" is a "concept" album, guitarist Keith Nelson told PopCultureMadness.com, "Basically, it kind of started off as a concept record and then evolved away from that, so I wouldn't really call it a concept record right now. But it definitely has a theme to the record. And the record, it evolved into Josh writing a screenplay, basically, loosely based on some events of his life. So the story of the record goes with the film and the film goes with the record and they really work together. It tells a story."

He added, "The whole idea was to, basically, make the record stand alone on its own and the film stand alone on its own, but they could both come together and work really well together. And same thing with the songs — there isn't anything on the record that is so weird that you wouldn't understand it unless you saw the movie. So the record really needs to stand on its own, like every other record we've made."

Todd told an Oklahoma radio station about the "Confessions" screenplay, "It's based around the seven sins and true events that happened in my life as well, when I was younger."

Todd, however, shot down the idea of playing the lead role in the film, although he did say that the band will appear somewhere in it.

He added, "I think (the film is) gonna be a real treat for people who love this band and people who are just discovering BUCKCHERRY for the first time."

As for "Confessions", Todd said that the new disc is "definitely a heavier, musically, record than we've ever had, and more melodic. It's pretty intense, but everybody's gonna love it. It's quintessential BUCKCHERRY at the end of the day."

BUCKCHERRY will join KID ROCK as special guests on the upcoming "Rebel Soul" tour beginning February 2 in Kansas City, Missouri.

"Before Your Eyes", the new video from Swedish metallers CLOUDSCAPE, can be seen below. The clip was filmed, edited and produced by Raimo Gedda.

"Before Your Eyes" comes off CLOUDSCAPE's long-awaited fourth album, "New Era", which was released in the U.S. on September 11 via Nightmare Records

CLOUDSCAPE is a melodic power metal band with progressive touches from southern Sweden. Fans of both progressive metal, such as EVERGREY, SYMPHONY X, DREAM THEATER, and PAGAN'S MIND, and old-school rock, like AEROSMITH, SCORPIONS, and JOURNEY, are sure to find something enjoyable about CLOUDSCAPE.

Since 2004 CLOUDSCAPE has called the prestigious Roastinghouse Studios in Malmö, Sweden their home for all of their albums to date. CLOUDSCAPE continue to progress with each record, breaking new boundaries in their style and continue to mature in their writing and composition. "New Era" is without a doubt the band's crowning accomplishment to date. The record was produced and mixed by Micko Twedberg. Twedberg was assisted on the mixing by Anders "Theo" Theander. The mastering was also handled by Theander.

CLOUDSCAPE's compositional ambitions have always bridged progressive metal and straightforward melodic rock/metal, creating music accessible to a wider audience by virtue of its intense melody, but with enough complexity to satiate the ears of casual and serious music enthusiasts. The band's following has continued to grow with performances at highly acclaimed metal festivals, including the prestigious Sweden Rock Festival (Sweden), Bloodstock Open Air (UK), ProgPower Europe (Netherlands), ProgPower Scandinavia (Denmark), and Metal Heart Festival (Norway).

Despite a short hiatus to work on side projects and lineup changes, the band's core membership and ambition are as solid as ever. All involved anticipate a "New Era", continuing on CLOUDSCAPE's current success and their promising future.

CLOUDSCAPE 2012 is:

Mike Andersson: Lead, Backing Vocals
Stefan Rosqvist: Guitar
Patrik Svärd: Guitar
Håkan Nyander: Bass
Fredrik Joakimsson: Drums

German extreme metallers NEAERA have extended their recording deal with Metal Blade Records.

Comments the band: "There's one simple reason why so many prestigious bands have worked with this label over the years and why Metal Blade stands out as one of the leading record companies in metal: The people who work there do a hell of a job, period. We are greatly looking forward to the renewed collaboration, and we will waste no time to come out all guns blazing with our next album — so be prepared!"

More details on the as-yet-untitled new CD will be released shortly.

Catch NEAERA live and feed off their enormous stage energy when they hit the road at the Persistence tour happening next January.

NEAERA will play a special old-school show with a setlist consisting of songs from the first three albums on December 26 in Osnabrück, Germany.

NEAERA's last album, "Forging The Eclipse", came out in October 2010.

ICED EARTH's August 19 concert at the ancient Kourion Amphitheater, outside Limassol in Cyprus, was professionally filmed and recorded for an upcoming CD/DVD release. 1,500 fans witnessed the show, which ran for three hours and featured on-stage scenery and artwork that was uniquely created for this special event. Veteran producer Jim Morris of Morrisound Studios (ICED EARTH, SEPULTURA, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH, SAVATAGE) flew in from Tampa, Florida to supervise the entire audio section with the help of the ToneDeaf Recording Studio.

In a brand new posting on the band's Facebook page, ICED EARTH mainman/guitarist Jon Schaffer writes, "We are locked and loaded and ready to roll out for the final leg of the Dystopia World Tour.

"The 'Live In Ancient Kourion' DVD will be released in early April, so I thought I would share the artwork with you.

"Nathan Perry and Felipe Machado Franco teamed up once again to bring you this kick-ass image.

"There is a lot of good things coming your way next year so stay tuned for updates.

"Now dust off your leather jackets and come out and RAGE with us during these upcoming shows!"

The setlist for ICED EARTH's August 19 concert was as follows:

01. Dystopia
02. Burning Times
03. Angel Holocaust
04. Slave To The Dark
05. V
06. When The Night Falls
07. I Died For You
08. Invasion
09. Motivation Of Man
10. Setian Massacre
11. Stormrider
12. Pure Evil
13. Wolf
14. Dark City
15. End Of Innocence
16. Dracula
17. Ten Thousand Strong
18. End Of Innocence
19. Anthem
20. Decleration Day
21. Days Of Rage
22. Melancholy (Holy Martyr)

Encore 1:

23. In Sacred Flames
24. Boiling Point
25. Damien
26. Watching Over Me
27. Dantes Inferno
28. Iced Earth

Encore 2:

29. The Hunter

Pivotal Rockordings have made NONEXIST’s cover of the MERCILESS track, ‘Realm Of The Dark’, available for free download at this location, along with the single, 'Fire At Will', and covers of ATOMIC ROOSTER, MEGADETH and CORONER at the same link, with more free covers to be made available in the coming weeks.
The free artwork has been made available to accompany the band’s latest digital-only release and features 20 full pages of custom album art as well as front and back covers, all available in multiple formats (JPG, PDF, PSD) for fans to do with as they see fit - print, wallpaper, fanart, etc. All artwork was conceptualized and created by Sofia Bennrup and Johan Reinholdz specifically for this album and its songs.

The above mentioned tracks are streaming below:
The band features former ARCH ENEMY and current HEARSE vocalist Johan Liiva and ANDROMEDA/SKYFIRE guitarist Johan Reinholdz. Nonexist has released its first new full-length album in 10 years, From My Cold Dead Hands, on November 2nd digitally via Pivotal Rockordings.

Nonexist will make its first live appearance at Scorched Tundra Festival, set to take place December 28th at Sticky Fingers in Sweden, playing alongside ZOMBIEKRIG, SWITCH OPENS, NO HAWAII and label mates ELDRIMNER. Nonexist live lineup will include the following musicians:

Johan Liiva (ex-Arch Enemy) - Vocals
Johan Reinholdz (Skyfire, Andromeda) - Guitars
Linus Abrahamsson (Andromeda) - Bass
Johan Ålgard (FAITHFUL DARKNESS) - Guitars
Joakim Strandberg-Nilsson (Faithful Darkness) - Drums

From My Cold Dead Hands was recorded at Multipass Studios, features nine tracks and is also accompanied by cover songs that Pivotal Rockordings is releasing for free via various social media websites and media outlets.

Tracklisting:

'Dark and Tortured Universe'
'Presence Everlasting'
'Flesh Falls From The Bone'
'Days Without End'
'Fire At Will'
'Collective Coma'
'From My Cold Dead Hands'
'Lost In Darkness And Confusion'
'Here Comes The Pain'

Free bonus tracks:

MEGADETH - 'In My Darkest Hour'
CORONER - 'Masked Jackal'
ATOMIC ROOSTER - 'Death Walks Behind You'
MERCILESS - 'Realm Of The Dark'
EUCHRIST - 'Greeting Immortality'

Progressive rock/metal band CYNIC will enter Perfect Sound studios in Hollywood, California later today (Tuesday, December 11) to begin recording its new album for an early 2013 release.

In a February 2012 interview with Ireland's Molten magazine, CYNIC guitarist/vocalist Paul Masvidal stated about the musical direction of the band's new material, "It's almost like, I don't know how to explain it, but if I had to put it in a box it's more sci-fi, futuristic and alien but at the same time very song-driven. It's kind of like, to me, coming into CYNIC's body more. It feels very modern and at the same time it just feels really cool. I'm big in the space. It's definitely new. It's not like anything we've done before. It's a new color, a new space. I think people will really take note of even the guitar stuff. I'm really shifting gears, I'm trying things in a different way and the way stuff is played. It's a new space for CYNIC, for sure. It definitely sounds like us, except completely new."

CYNIC's latest EP, "Carbon-Based Anatomy", was released in November 2011 via Season Of Mist. The CD artwork was designed by the great Robert Venosa, the artist behind the covers of CYNIC's previous releases "Focus", "Traced in Air" and "Re-Traced".

All bass parts on "Carbon-Based Anatomy" were recorded by one-time CYNIC bassist Sean Malone.

CYNIC was joined by Brandon Giffin on bass and Max Phelps on guitar and vocals during the group's North American and European tours in support of "Carbon-Based Anatomy".

London, England-based, female-fronted metallers MORTAD are currently recording their sophomore album for a 2013 release. A short video message from the band's lead singer, Somi Arian, filmed at an airport before she made her way to Germany to lay down the vocals on the new MORTAD CD, can be seen below.

MORTAD's "The Voice" video can be seen below. The song comes off the band's debut album, "The Myth Of Purity", which was made available with the February 2012 issue of Metal Hammer magazine. The CD was recorded in October 2011 with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR, EVILE).

"The Voice" honors the memory of Neda Agha Soltan, a young Iranian woman who was killed during the pro-democracy up risings in Iran in on June 20, 2009.

MORTAD was formed in 2009 by Iranian vocalist Somi Arian, whose lyrics take aim at the hypocrisy of religion and the government as well as seeking inner truth and strength in the face of such oppression.

MORTAD released a music video and an EP, entitled "Pandemic Paranoia", in early 2011. This effort brought the band immense attention on the social media sites, placing the group as the No. 1 metal band on ReverbNation London metal chart, and attracting over 50,000 Facebook fans.

Dutch multi-instrumentalist/vocalist and AYREON mastermind Arjen Lucassen has checked in with the following update:

"This is a very cool video to one of my songs made by Cary Gordon as a school project. Watch 'til the end; I laughed out loud!"
Lucassen recently posted a new video for the track 'Pink Beatles In A Purple Zeppelin', taken from his new album Lost In The New Real. The video was mainly shot where Arjen grew up, near the sea in Holland.

In regards to the video, Arjen comments: "It's a very 'Dutch' clip, windmills and all! So you could say this clip goes back to my roots, also musically. It features many visual links (at least ten!) to the bands and albums that I grew up listening to. Peace, man!"

Watch 'Pink Beatles in a Purple Zeppelin' on YouTube below:

Featuring artwork created by Arjen and renowned designer Claudio Bergamin, plus an appearance by legendary actor Rutger Hauer as the album's narrator, Lost In The New Real is a double-CD that tells the story of Mr. L, a 21st century man who was cryo-preserved at the moment of clinical death from a terminal disease. The album begins as Mr. L is being revived at a point in the distant future, when technology has advanced enough to cure his disease. Mr. L finds himself in a world that has drastically changed -- to the point that the line between what's real and what's not is no longer clear.

The tracks on disc 1 follow Mr. L's emotional journey as he is confronted with both serious and comical aspects of the "New Real" and desperately tries to decide if he can find a meaningful place within it. Disc 2 is a mix of tracks that are part of the concept but didn't fit on disc 1, plus cover songs related to the concept.
Tracklisting:

CD1:
'The New Real'
'Pink Beatles In A Purple Zeppelin'
'Parental Procreation Permit'
'When I’m A Hundred Sixty-Four'
'E-Police'
'Don’t Switch Me Off'
'Dr Slumber’s Eternity Home'
'Yellowstone Memorial Day'
'Where Pigs Fly'
'Lost In The New Real'
* Bonus CD Rom section: “Behind The New Real”

CD 2:
'Our Imperfect Race'
'Welcome To The Machine' (PINK FLOYD cover)
'So Is There No God?'
'Veteran Of The Psychic Wars' (BLUE ÖYSTER CULTCover)
'The Social Recluse'
'Battle Of Evermore' (LED ZEPPELIN Cover)
'The Space Hotel'
'Some Other Time' (ALAN PARSONS PROJECT Cover)
'You Have Entered The Reality Zone'
'I’m The Slime' (FRANK ZAPPA Cover)
* Bonus CD Rom section: “The Artwork”

Check out a trailer below: