Connecticut hardcore/metal masters HATEBREED have inked a European deal with Nuclear Blast Records. North America will be handled by Razor & Tie. The band's new album was co-produced by HATEBREED, Chris "Zeuss" Harris (SUICIDE SILENCE, ALL THAT REMAINS, SHADOWS FALL) and Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD) and is scheduled for release in January. Wilbur also handled mixing duties on the CD, which will be supported by extensive global touring that will stretch well into 2014.

Commented HATEBREED singer Jamey Jasta: "We're really excited to be working with such great people at both Razor & Tie and Nuclear Blast. We've made an awesome album and we're chomping at the bit to get it out and hit the road. Global domination begins now."

In a joint statement, Pete Giberga, VP of A&R, and John Franck, SVP of Marketing for Razor & Tie, said: "HATEBREED's anthems coupled with their do-or-die work ethic continues to make them a dominant force in hardcore and metal today. Their inclusionary message and deep relationship with their fan-base also makes them a band that is built for these times. With the group playing some of the best shows of its career, their renewed sense of purpose has never sounded more steadfast and resolute than it does on this forthcoming new record."

Added Nuclear Blast A&R representative Jaap Wagemaker: "In the past, we had seen HATEBREED play several times live when they were headlining indoor hardcore festivals or when they played one of the many shows at Graspop in Belgium. The band that defined metal/hardcore with their releases 'Perseverance' and 'The Rise of Brutality' will be releasing another milestone in their career by the beginning of 2013!!

"After seeing HATEBREED turning this year's Hellfest upside down in front of 30,000 hardcore and metal fans and doing the same a couple of months later at Bloodstock in the U.K., it became very clear that HATEBREED and Nuclear Blast would be the perfect match. Something that became even stronger after we had the chance to listen to a couple of new songs!

"We are very proud to welcome HATEBREED to the ever-growing Nuclear family!! In 2013 their new album will be out and I can tell you that the fans who have been waiting for this for a couple of years now won't be disappointed!! HATEBREED is back, stronger than ever!!"

A two-camera edit of HATEBREED's September 27 performance at Ace of Spades in Sacramento, California can be seen below (courtesy of Rock Hard Live).

Regarding the musical direction of the new HATEBREED material, Jamey Jasta told "Maximum Threshold", "We did enough experimenting, I think, on the last record… A lot of people really liked that record and it did gain us a lot of new fans, but on this record, with the 10-year anniversary of [HATEBREED's 2002 album] 'Perseverance' and with Wayne [Lozinak, guitar] being back in the band — this will be his second record with us — it's just fun to kind of keep with the old-school influences. I hear more CRO-MAGS and KILLING TIME and SHEER TERROR and OBITUARY and BOLT THROWER and SLAYER and ENTOMBED and those kind of '80s and '90s influences in there. Which is fun for us, because we emulate the bands that we love. We try to make it our own sound and make it our own style, but at the end of the day, we're just fans of those styles of bands."

HATEBREED will headline the Persistence Tour 2013 in Europe in January.

The sixth full-length album from progressive/avant-garde metal band EPHEL DUATH will be released in the spring of 2013 via Agonia Records. The CD title and cover artwork have been finalized and will be revealed later this year. The follow-up to this year's "On Death And Cosmos" EP will mark the recording debut of bassist Bryan Beller (Mike Keneally, Steve Vai, DETHKLOK, THE ARISTOCRATS, James LaBrie, Dweezil Zappa). Drummer Marco Minnemann will once again appear on the new album, bringing the creative relationship between drums and guitars to a dynamism never reached before by the band.

According to a press release, "the album itself can easily be described as a new mountain-sized challenge in EPHEL DUATH's career, that Davide Tiso [founder/guitarist] — along with the support of vocalist Karyn Crisis — is taking step by step in order to reach the zenith."

"EPHEL DUATH's new album is the musical statement I wish this band will be remembered for," Davide says. "All I've learned or not learned musically, all I've always wanted my lyrics to be, live and breathe in these eight new songs. This album holds together all that EPHEL DUATH's music has touched in the last fifteen years and pushes its boundaries even further. I feel that a whole new expressive world is opening up to me and this band. My intent is to blindly follow this recent path and to bring EPHEL DUATH to higher and higher levels of intensity, riff after riff, song after song, with patience and obstinacy, an open heart and dedication."

In January, EPHEL DUATH will enter Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Erik Rutan to record guitars and vocals and to mix the album.

At the moment the band is busy putting the finishing touches on what will be the final guitar and vocal tracks.

EPHEL DUATH's current recording lineup is:

Karyn Crisis - Vocals
Marco Minnemann - Drums
Bryan Beller - Bass
Davide Tiso - Guitar

INTRONAUT, the notorious post-metal prog act hailing from Los Angeles, has entered the studio to begin tracking its fourth full-length album for a spring release via Century Media Records. Drums will be recorded by producer John Haddad (EXHUMED, PHOBIA) at Trench Studios, while Derek Donley (BEREFT) will be handling recording duties for the instruments. Andrew Schneider (UNSANE, CAVE IN) will be mixing the album and David D'Andrea will be working with the band again on artwork and layout.

Commented INTRONAUT vocalist and guitarist Sacha Dunable: "After a year of intense, full-time writing mode, we are elated to begin recording our fourth full-length this week. It's a little early to have perspective on how it compares to our past records, but it should be a banger. Expect a wildly technical, emotionally charged, organic sounding record."

Video footage of INTRONAUT practicing a new song can be seen below.

INTRONAUT's last studio album, "Valley Of Smoke", was met with vast critical acclaim and the band toured extensively in support of the CD.

In addition to landing a slot as direct support for TOOL, INTRONAUT hit the road with ANIMALS AS LEADS, CYNIC, THE OCEAN, HELMET and more.

CIVIL WAR — the new Swedish metal band featuring former SABATON members Rikard Sundén (guitar), Daniel Mullback (drums), Daniel Mÿhr (keyboards) and Oskar Montelius (guitar) alongside singer Patrik Johansson (ASTRAL DOORS, LION'S SHARE) and bassist Stefan "Pizza" Eriksson (VOLTURYON) — has set "Rome Is Falling" as the title of its first single. The track will appear on the group's recently completed debut EP, which will be released via Despotz Records. A full-length album will follow a few months later.

According to Sundén, CIVIL WAR's sound is "more old-school hard rock," with "a little less keyboards" than that of SABATON. He says, "With Patrik's vocals on top, it becomes a different thing, but there are some parallels [to our previous band]."

Regarding how CIVIL WAR came together, b>Mullback told the Swedish-language newspaper Dalarnas Tidningar (DT), "It came pretty naturally. We always thought Patrik had a good voice and he accepted our offer when we asked him to join the band."

"I had no hesitation about getting involved," Patrik said. "ASTRAL DOORS certainly has a solid fan base, but we are a little more underground. I see this as an opportunity to reach a wider audience."

The four ex members of SABATON were never involved in the songwriting process with their former band since those duties were usually handled by vocalist Joakim Brodén. But in the new group, everyone is contributing ideas.

"This has been a reawakening of sorts," Mÿhr said. "I have never been in a situation where there has been so much creativity."

On the topic of whether CIVIL WAR will continue SABATON's tradition of focusing on war-related themes in its lyrics, Mÿhr said, "No, we won't. Now the lyrics can be about anything. [CIVIL WAR was just] a good name that sounded good."

"Flammenreich", the new video from German avant-garde black metallers VON BRANDEN, can be seen below. The clip was filmed and edited in Lublin, Poland under the direction of Lukasz Jaszak.

VON BRANDEN, consisting of musicians from NIGHTFALL, MANDRAKE and MEPHISTOPHELES, will release their new album, "Flammenreich", on October 26 via Apostasy Records. The CD was produced by Jörg Uken at Soundlodge Studio (GOD DETHRONED, SINISTER, DEW-SCENTED) in Rhauderfehn, Germany. The artwork was created by Lukasz Jaszak (DECAPITATED, VOMITORY, HELRUNAR).

"Flammenreich" track listing:

01. Für Die Nächste Ewigkeit
02. Eremite
03. Flammenreich
04. Sehnsucht
05. Reverence
06. Verlust
07. Desert Sand
08. Monologue

Rock quintet FLYLEAF will release its third studio album, "New Horizons", October 30 via A&M/Octone. The CD's cover artwork was designed by FLYLEAF bassist Pat Seals, who also created a fold-out poster as part of the packaging.

"Making the art for 'New Horizons' has been a very rewarding experience," Seals told Revolver magazine. "Putting the woodcut imagery together for the cover as well as the supplemental material has been a rare opportunity for me to interpret our music into a group of images that provide a sort of allegory which the listener can impose his or her own meanings upon, as many of us do whenever we view certain images.

"Over the past couple of years spent trying to learn what I could from other artists, I have come to feel that too much explanation of one’s work often hinders the experience for the viewer. At the risk of this occurrence, it appears to be necessary for me to explain the meaning of a particular portion of the cover, that being the eye appearing in the center. I decided to use this eye to express the opening of refreshed vision and rebirth of the soul, which I feel running throughout the songs on this record.

"I had always found the single disembodied eye compelling and deemed it adequate as a symbol to express the vision of renewed consciousness acquired in spiritual rebirth. Though it may resemble the fabled and ubiquitous 'All Seeing Eye' found on the dollar bill, the eye on 'New Horizons' holds similarity to it only in very general design and does not serve the same purpose or house whichever meanings may have imposed upon it by various groups over the centuries. My eye, at the crest of a feather, is intended to be a sort of reflection of your own eye, as you look at it. I mean it to mirror the persons looking at the art, and the next horizon that they may be presently witnessing their own lives or selves.

"There are many eyes strewn throughout the rest of the album design, all intended to represent reborn vital consciousness and the renewed awareness of God's presence in each new horizon in our lives, should we choose to see it."

"New Horizons" track listing:

01. Fire Fire
02. New Horizons
03. Call You Out
04. Cage On The Ground
05. Great Love
06. Bury Your Heart
07. Freedom
08. Saving Grace
09. Stand
10. Green Heart
11. Broken Wings

MANOWAR has released the following statement:

"We regrettably inform you that, due to unsolvable technical issues provided to the band in the last minute, MANOWAR is unable to perform their previously scheduled shows in Barcelona and Madrid on October 13 and 14.

"All fans planning to attend those shows are encouraged to seek a full refund from the point of sale.

"'The Lord Of Steel' world tour continues in Paris, France on Tuesday, October 16, 2012."

The retail edition of MANOWAR's twelfth studio album, "The Lord Of Steel", originally scheduled for September 28, will now hit the stores on October 19 on CD, limited-edition picture vinyl and as digital album.

"The Lord Of Steel" was made available earlier this summer as a limited-edition pre-release as the "Hammer Edition" in collaboration with U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine.

The retail edition of "The Lord Of Steel" will feature different mixes and mastering, an additional song, spectacular new art by fantasy artist Ken Kelly, and other surprises.

The official lyric video for "Liquid Fire", a song from French progressive metallers GOJIRA, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's fifth album, "L'Enfant Sauvage", which sold almost 11,000 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, "The Way Of All Flesh", opened with 4,200 units back in 2008 to land at No. 138.

"L'Enfant Sauvage" entered the official chart in France at position No. 7 (No. 17 on the digital chart).

"L'Enfant Sauvage" (which translates to "The Wild Child") features 11 tracks of mind-bending, thunderous metal. The CD was recorded at Spin Recording Studios in Long Island City, New York with co-producer Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD).

In an interview with Metalshrine, GOJIRA guitarist/vocalist Joseph Duplantier stated about the new album title, "We couldn't call it 'The Wild Child', because it's hard to translate 'L'Enfant Sauvage'. It's not really the wild child as understood in English, because a wild child for me, has an aspect like someone out of control somehow. 'L'Enfant Sauvage' in French… 'Sauvage' is something that is not educated or something that is like free and completely free in nature. A wild flower that goes wherever she wants and becomes something beautiful. The idea with 'L'Enfant Sauvage' is like with a human that would grow up in nature, raised by wolves, for example, without the influence from others and the influence from institutions or society in general. Without a social security number. [laughs] Not even a name. This is what you are and I am on the inside, right? How much the education and the culture, emotions and the guilt are interacting with us and it changes us and how far are we from this pure child inside? That's the question we had on this album."

A special collector's package of "L'Enfant Sauvage" features two bonus tracks and a double-colored vinyl version of the record, along with an exclusive t-shirt.

Listenable Records has announced the signing of veteran death metallers ACHERON. The band's new album, "Kult Des Hasses", is scheduled for release in the spring.

The infamous underground legends have been a cult band for over two decades and have released a number of recordings throughout their existence.

Commented ACHERON founder and frontman Vincent Crowley: "ACHERON has been a thriving entity for many years now. We never got a proper push from any of our past labels to get to the next level.

"The band has received a lot of interest within the last year.

"When Listenable Records talked with me about signing ACHERON, I was indeed interested. The reason being is that he was a fan of ACHERON a long time ago. He believes in our music and wants to finally give ACHERON the push we deserve.

"'We are not just a band, we're a fucking diabolic War Machine!'"

Dutch extreme metallers THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT entered the studio last month to begin recording their fourth full-length album, "Tetragrammaton", for an early 2013 release via Season Of Mist. Songtitles set to appear on the the follow-up to 2008's "Trivmvirate" include "Human Wave Attack", "Drugs, Thugs & Machetes", "Todesnacht von Stammheim", "Quasr Al-Nihaya" and "Aslimu!!!-All Slain Those Who Brought Down Our Highly Respected Symbols To The Lower Status Of The Barren Earth". According to the band, the CD's overall lyrical theme will be roughly the same as on "Trivmvirate" and "The White Crematorium" (2005). "But then again," said guitarist/vocalist Michiel Dekker, "who cares about lyrical themes in death metal?"

As on "Trivmvirate", producing duties and Pro Tools wizardry will be done by Pascal Altena. Mixing duties will be handled by Guido Aalbers.

Also, hailing back from an unsurprisingly failed attempt to make "proper grown-up music," synthmeister Carsten Altena has sheepishly returned to the DEATHCULT flock as a full band member and will contribute much wailing and gnashing of teeth both on "Tetragrammaton" and during the band's live performances.

"Since 2008 — when we redefined art, music and human civilisation — we've been milking 'Trivmvirate' until it's cheese," said bassist/vocalist Robin Kok, "so we decided to make a new album and see if we can milk that even further."

CHURCHBURN — the musical collaboration between two of the undergrounds masters of misery Dave Suzuki, best known for his mesmerizing guitar work and brutal drumming in VITAL REMAINS and Ray McCaffrey, who carved out sonic drum patterns for SIN OF ANGELS and GRIEF — has announced the addition of former CONFESSOR guitarist Shawn McCoy to group's ranks.

Commented McCaffrey: "Dave and I are very pleased to have Shawn aboard and cannot wait to start working with him on all our future material.

"In regards to are bass player situation, we may ask a couple of people, but nothing set in stone. We're looking to round out the lineup by the end of this year."

According to a press release, Suzuki and McCaffrey have set out to share with the world their love of the riff, not only the heaviest but also the most haunting. Each song is crafted with the most sinister of intent. CHURCHBURN wants the listener to feel a true sense of dread as the song progresses.

"CHURCHBURN is very different from VITAL REMAINS," said Suzuki. "Ray and I wanted to do something slow and heavy...just something pummeling to the listener."

CHURCHBURN is:

Dave Suzuki - guitar, vocals
Ray Mccaffrey - drums, vocals
Shawn McCoy – guitar

The band is currently writing and demoing material for its debut album, tentatively due in early 2013 via an as-yet-undetermined record label.

German power metallers GAMMA RAY will release "Skeletons & Majesties Live" on double CD, Blu-ray and DVD on November 30. The set will feature footage of the band's April 29, 2011 performance at the legendary Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland.

A five-minute for the set can be seen below.

"Skeletons & Majesties Live" has a playing time of two hours and is a tour de force through the band's history so far, including lots of hits and classics, but also tracks which were undeservedly under-represented to date.

"The EP, 'Skeletons & Majesties', is practically a continuation of our 'Skeletons In The Closet' concept, in other words: new versions of songs which didn't receive the attention they deserve, as well as unplugged versions of some of our classics," says Kai Hansen, the band's vocalist, guitarist and founder. In terms of "Skeletons & Majesties Live", this means a thoroughly haunting show, from the dynamic openers "Anywhere In The Galaxy" and "Men, Martians And Machines" to the furioso finale, "Future World".

Speaking of "Future World", to accompany the Hansen-penned HELLOWEEN classic on stage, GAMMA RAY enlisted the services of HELLOWEEN's long-standing frontman Michael Kiske. In addition, Kiske can be heard and seen on "Time To Break Free" and "A While In Dreamland".

The double CD will consist of a total of 18 songs (plus intro and interlude); DVD and Blu-ray will feature six additional bonus tracks with alternative versions of "The Spirit", "Wings Of Destiny", "Farewell", "Gamma Ray", "Time To Break Free" and "Insurrection", all recorded the previous day at the Zeche in Bochum.

The release of "Skeletons & Majesties Live" will mark the beginning of an eventful 2013 for GAMMA RAY: after Hansen stayed true to his word and spent 2012 concentrating mainly on his second band, UNISONIC, he and his three colleagues Henjo Richter (guitar), Dirk Schlächter (bass) and new addition Michael Ehré (the FIREWIND/LOVE.MIGHT.KILL drummer has replaced Daniel Zimmermann, who left the GAMMA RAY fold on friendly terms) are now focusing exclusively on GAMMA RAY again. A co-headlining tour with HELLOWEEN has been scheduled for February 2013 and will also mark the arrival of a new GAMMA RAY studio recording.

"GAMMY RAY will have top priority in 2013," comments Hansen, "and 'Skeletons & Majesties Live' is the perfect harbinger of this!"

"Skeletons & Majesties Live" track listing:

01. Anywhere In The Galaxy
02. Men, Martians And Machines
03. The Spirit
04. Wings Of Destiny
05. Farewell
06. Gamma Ray
07. Money
08. Time To Break Free (w/ Michael Kiske)
09. Rebellion In Dreamland (acoustic)
10. Send Me A Sign (acoustic)
11. Dethrone Tyranny
12. Watcher In The Sky
13. Hold Your Ground
14. A While In Dreamland (w/ Michael Kiske)
15. Rise
16. Brothers
17. Insurrection
18. Future World (w/ Michael Kiske)

The official lyric video for "Cyanide", a brand new song from German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's 30th-anniversary album "Spiritual Genocide", which will be released on November 23 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Gernhart Studios in Troisdorf, Germany with engineer Martin Buchwalter and was mixed by Andy Classen. The album features guest appearances by Thomas "Angelripper" Such (SODOM), Andreas "Gerre" Geremia (TANKARD) and Ol Drake (EVILE). In addition, the "Mad Butcher"/"Release From Agony" lineup of DESTRUCTION — featuring guitarist Harry Wilkens and drummer Oliver Kaiser — reunited for one song.

"Spiritual Genocide" track listing:

01. Exordium
02. Cyanide
03. Spiritual Genocide
04. Renegades
05. City Of Doom
06. No Signs Of Repentance
07. To Dust You Will Decay
08. Legacy Of The Past (feat. Andreas "Gerre" Geremia, Thomas "Angelripper" Such)
09. Carnivore
10. Riot Squad
11. Under Violent Sledge

Limited-Edition Digipack Bonus Tracks:

12. Princess Of The Night
13. Carnivore (feat. Harry Wilkens, Oliver Kaiser)

DESTRUCTION vocalist/bassist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer previously stated about the band's new CD, "So fast, brutal and yet groovy we haven't ever sounded, probably! The album will destroy even more than [2011's] 'Day Of Reckoning': fast riffs, double bass attacks and brutal groovy songs, I think this time we found the 100% right mix!"

He added, "Cool artworks are very important for us. For the new thrash thunderstorm, our artist Gyula created a real hammer again! The artwork makes clear immediately where to go — FULL THROTTLE — as it has to be."

Inspired by IRON MAIDEN, MERCYFUL FATE, MOTÖRHEAD and VENOM, DESTRUCTION was formed as KNIGHT OF DEMON in 1982. The band's original lineup included vocalist and bassist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, drummer Tommy Sandmann, and guitarist Mike Sifringer. They soon changed their name to DESTRUCTION and released a demo titled "Bestial Invasion Of Hell" in 1984.

Fan-filmed video footage of MERAUDER's September 26 performance at the Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida can be seen below.

MERAUDER will enter the studio later this fall to record a brand new EP, to be issued on Rebel Sound Records. Also planned for release is a live album from the band's "God Is I" tour.

MERAUDER kicked off its first U.S tour since 2009 last week, with support from MURDER DEATH KILL, WAR HOUND and DARASUUM. Footage will be taken every night for a 25-year MERAUDER documentary that will be released in the near future, along with a music video.

For any MERAUDER fans that will attend these shows, the band will play songs off the "Master Killer" (1995) and "God Is I" (2009) albums.

Former KING DIAMOND guitarist Pete Blakk is one of the guest musicians who will perform with Swedish multi-instrumentalist Snowy Shaw at a special Halloweeen concert event on November 3 at Sparbankshallen in Varberg, Sweden. Also scheduled to appear is legendary MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND guitarist Michael Denner. More guests will be announced soon.

Snowy's backing band will be as follows:

* Mark U Black (M.A.N., ex-DREAM EVIL, KUNG DIAMANT) - Lead Guitar
* Petter Karlsson (ex-THERION, DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA) - Drums
* Vikki Valkyrie (ex-ICE AGE, THEM SLUTS) - Bass

Snowy states: "Like last time around, I'm delighted and grateful to be joined on stage by some of the best friends from my former bands… and I'm looking forward to one helluva kick-ass performance with a specially designed Halloween theme that will make last year's performance seem like a band practice by comparison."

Shaw's live album, "Snowy Shaw Is Alive!", was released last December via iTunes. The CD was recorded during his May 27, 2011 concert at the Brew House in Gothenburg, Sweden , which saw Snowy performing "all his favorite songs" from "all his former bands" — including KING DIAMOND, NOTRE DAME, DREAM EVIL, MERCYFUL FATE, THERION, MEMENTO MORI, ILLWILL, XXX and DIMMU BORGIR — and featured guest appearances by the following musicians:

* Andy La Rocque (KING DIAMOND, ILLWILL)
* Mike Wead (BIBLEBLACK, KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE)
* Hal Patino (KING DIAMOND)
* Mats Levén (THERION, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, TREAT, KRUX)
* Thomas Vikström (CANDLEMASS)
* Kee Marcello (EUROPE)
* Jackie Patino (a.k.a. Maryann Cotton)

Snowy's backing band consisted of the following players:

* Kristian Niemann (ex-THERION) - Lead Guitar
* Mannequin De Sade (ex-NOTRE DAME, ENGEL) - Drums
* Elvira - Bass

The "Snowy Shaw Is Alive!" artwork was created by Snowy Shaw, with illustration by Andrej Bartulovic.

Due to the "astonishing response" and many offers from festival promoters and booking agencies, Snowy has decided to postpone the release of the DVD version of the Brew House concert "with the intention of having even more material filmed and included from the upcoming shows," according to a press release.

"Time I", the -awaited new album from Finnish epic metallers WINTERSUN, will be released via Nuclear Blast Records on the following dates:

October 19: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway
October 23: Italy
October 24: Sweden
October 22: North America, Rest Of Europe

The fourth teaser for the bonus DVD that will be available with the limited edition of "Time I" can be seen below.

According to WINTERSUN mainman Jari Mäenpää, there are several reasons why the band's new effort, "Time" is being released as two separate albums, titled "Time I" and "Time II". He says:

* "All the 80 minutes of material won't fit on a regular CD and we didn't want to cut anything out.
* "We want you to be able to hear new material sooner and not wait any longer and we want to go on tour sooner.
* "The music is very full and complex, so listening this kind of 'hard listening (not easy listening)' material straight for 80 minutes is a bit too much (even for me).
* "Both albums will be approximately. nice 40 min epic packages of fireworks.
* "We like the idea of releasing two albums within one year, so the band will stay more visible longer, which is important in these 'modern times.' No more years of silence for us!"

"Time I" track listing:

01. When Time Fades Away
02. Sons Of Winter And Stars
I) Rain Of Stars
II) Surrounded By Darkness
III) Journey Inside A Dream
IV) Sons of Winter And Stars
03. Land Of Snow And Sorrow
04. Darkness And Frost
05. Time

"Time II" will be released in 2013.

WINTERSUN will headline this year's edition of the Heidenfest tour, set to take place in October. Support on the trek will come from KORPIKLAANI, VARG, TROLLFEST and KRAMPUS.

WINTERSUN's debut CD was released in September 2004 through Nuclear Blast Records.

Fan-filmed video footage of NIGHTWISH's October 9 performance at Diamond Ballroom in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma can be seen below.

Dutch vocalist Floor Jansen (REVAMP, ex-AFTER FOREVER) made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington.

In a blog post on her official web site at FloorJansen.com, Floor said, "It is now 10 years ago I joined NIGHTWISH on tour with AFTER FOREVER as their support act. We stayed in touch ever since and that made the whole situation so much easier and smooth."

Olzon joined NIGHTWISH in 2007 as the replacement for Tarja Turunen after the latter was fired in 2005.

NIGHTWISH stated about the sudden singer switch, "In recent times it has become increasingly obvious that the direction and the needs of the band were in conflict, and this has led to a division from which we cannot recover."

They added, "We are all strongly committed to this journey, this vehicle of spirit, and we are sure that this will lead to a brighter future for everyone.

"We forever remain excited about the adventures to come, and we are extremely proud of the two beautiful albums and the wonderful shows we shared together."

NIGHTWISH's long-awaited "Imaginaerum" film — based on the band's album of the same name — will be released theatrically in Finland on November 23.

The official soundtrack of the movie, "Imaginaerum By Nightwish: The Score", will be released on the day before the premiere — Friday, November 9. The album features 13 grandiose, unreleased re-interpretations of "Imaginaerum" tracks by Petri Alanko.

The "Imaginaerum" album was released in the U.S. on January 10 via Roadrunner Records.

PRESTO BALLET, the progressive rock band led by ex-METAL CHURCH guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, has announced the addition of lead vocalist Chuck Campbell. Chuck joins the group as the replacement for METAL CHURCH/ex-LILLIAN AXE frontman Ronny Munroe, who quit PRESTO BALLET in January.

According to a press release, "Chuck brings a great classic rock edge to the band — a bit of grit, soul and emotion that adds new element to the PRESTO BALLET sound."

PRESTO BALLET's new album, "Relic Of The Modern World", is available for purchase at this location.

The band's keyboardist, Kerry Shacklett, contributed a beautiful piano piece to the CD, "Prelude To Farewell", which is a setup for the 19-minute-long title track.

"Relic Of The Modern World" track listing:

01. The Chemical Age
02. Watching The Radio
03. Broken Toys
04. Prelude To Farewell
05. Relic Of The Modern World

PRESTO BALLET's next effort will be a double concept album that will continue the story introduced on "Relic Of The Modern World".

PRESTO BALLET is:

Kurdt Vanderhoof - Guitar
Chuck Campbell - Vocals
Kerry Shacklett - Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Bobby Ferkovich - Bass, Backing Vocals
Chris Gorczyca - Drums

VENOMOUS CONCEPT, the old-school hardcore/punk project featuring Shane Embury (guitar, NAPALM DEATH), Kevin Sharp (vocals, BRUTAL TRUTH), Danny Lilker (bass, BRUTAL TRUTH, NUCLEAR ASSAULT) and Danny Herrera (drums, NAPALM DEATH), is working on material for its third album, tentatively due next year. According to a message on the group's Facebook page, "three blistering new tracks of savage ANTI CIMEX-inspired mayhem" have just been completed, with more to come.

VENOMOUS CONCEPT's second effort, "Poisoned Apple", came out in April 2008. it was the follow-up to 2004's "Retroactive Abortion", which was released on Mike Patton's Ipecac Recordings.

Multi-camera video footage of ALL SHALL PERISH's September 27 performance at Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, California can be seen below.

ALL SHALL PERISH's fourth full-length album, "This Is Where It Ends", sold around 8,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 50 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Awaken The Dreamers", opened with 5,000 copies back in 2008 to land at No. 126.

"This Is Where It Ends" was released last July via Nuclear Blast Records. The majority of the effort was recorded and mixed once again at Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland with producer Zack Ohren (LIGHT THIS CITY, DECREPIT BIRTH, SUFFOCATION).

Gabe Cheng, the son of ailing DEFTONES bassist Chi Cheng, joined the band on stage last night (Wednesday, October 10) at The Warfield in San Francisco, California to perform the song "Root". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Chi Cheng has been in a semi-comatose state since being injured in a November 2008 car accident.

Much of Cheng's treatment at a special facility in New Jersey has been funded by fans and friends, with DEFTONES holding several benefit concerts and donating money from the band's tours. Singer Chino Moreno said that the group's fans have continued to help as well. "Whatever people can do, it's all appreciated, and it's all just in the hopes that there will be one day where he can talk back and have a conversation and see his kids and, you know, continue on living, you know," he said. "That's what we pray and hope for, you know what I mean, that's all we can do."

Sergio Vega continues to play bass for the band. Vega stepped in for touring purposes after Cheng's accident, and stayed on to record 2010's "Diamond Eyes" with the group. Sergio also appears on DEFTONES' new album, "Koi No Yokan", which comes out on November 13.

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe joined HATEBREED on stage last night (Wednesday, October 10) at The National in Richmond, Virginia to perform the song "Doomsayer". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

After a successful reunion with singer Randy Blythe at the two Knotfest shows in mid-August, LAMB OF GOD has announced a 38-date fall U.S tour starting October 30 in Phoenix, Arizona. Joining LAMB OF GOD as direct support for the entire tour is IN FLAMES. HATEBREED will be joining the package from October 30 until November 19, at which point HELLYEAH will replace them for the remainder of the shows. British band SYLOSIS will open all dates.

Blythe was released from a prison in the Czech Republic on August 2, more than a month after he was arrested and incarcerated. Blythe was facing the possibility of conviction and a long-term jail sentence after a 2010 incident in which a fan attending a LAMB OF GOD show died almost a month later, allegedly from injuries sustained when he was thrown off the stage. Blythe's predicament galvanized the heavy rock community, with artists across the hard rock genre pledging their support.

"The Scarred People", the new video from Sweden's TIAMAT, can be seen below. The song is the title track of the band's tenth studio album, which will be released via Napalm Records on the following dates:

October 31 - Spain, Finland, Sweden, Greece
November 02 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
November 05 - Rest of Europe
November 06 - USA/Canada

The CD was recorded at Woodhouse Studios in Hagen, Germany with producer Siggi Bemm.

"The Scarred People" cover artwork, which was created by TIAMAT mainman Johan Edlund, can be seen below. Also available is video footage of Edlund working on the design.

"The Scarred People" track listing:

01. The Scarred People
02. Winter Dawn
03. 384 - Kteis
04. Radiant Star
05. The Sun Also Rises
06. Before Another Wilbury Dies
07. Love Terrorists
08. Messinian Letter
09. Thunder & Lightning
10. Tiznit
11. Born To Die (digipack bonus track)
12. The Red Of The Morning Sun
13. Paradise (digipack bonus track)
14. Divided (live) (digipack bonus track)
15. Cain (live) (digipack bonus track)

A picture of the "The Scarred People" limited-edition box set (which includes a TIAMAT pendant) can be seen below.

Romanian female-fronted metal band MAGICA will release its sixth album, "Center Of The Great Unknown", on October 12 via AFM Records. The CD's cover artwork was created by Claudio Bergamin and can be seen below. The album is based on "The Diary Of Admiral" by R.E. Byrd, "Godess Of Atvatabar" by W. Bradshaw, "Beasts, Man And Gods" by F.A.Ossendowsky and a few more authors and adventurers.

According to a press release, "Fans can look forward to a diverse and powerful album, again very much effected by Ana's [Mladinovici] outstanding vocals and the guitar work of Bogdan Costea."

"Center Of The Great Unknown" track listing:

01. Center Of The Great Unknown
02. Masterspell
03. King Of The World
04. Open
05. The Earth Is Young?
06. Step Into The Night
07. No Horizon
08. One Angry Gaia
09. Mark Of Cain
10. Under The Auroras
11. Daca 2012 (bonus track)

The video for the "Center Of The Great Unknown" title track can be seen below.

MAGICA's fifth album, "Dark Diary", was released in May 2010 via AFM Records.

MAGICA is:

Ana Mladinovici - Vocals
Bogdan Costea - Guitar
Emy Burcea - Guitar
Tiberiu Dutu - Bass
Sebastian Natas - Drums

"Center Of The Great Unknown" video:

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett was among the musicians who attended yesterday's (October 9) premiere of LED ZEPPELIN's press new concert movie, "Celebration Day", at the historic Ziegfeld Theater in New York's theater district.

Asked what LED ZEPPELIN means to him, Hammett told Artisan News (see video below), "It was the soundtrack to my youth. They were pretty much the first band I actually sat down with with a guitar and tried to learn the guitar solos and the songs."

He continued, "I cannot say enough about LED ZEPPELIN and the fucking impact that they've had on me and my musical career.

"Jimmy Page has been one of my heroes for year and years and years … He was the band. I mean, he was all-encompassing. He was a brilliant songwriter, he was a brilliant musician, he was a brilliant producer, he was a brilliant showman. I mean, he had it all — he had a great tone and a great attitude.

"I mean, what's not to like about LED ZEPPELIN? He was such a big influence on my life."

"Celebration Day" will have its U.K. premiere at London's legendary Hammersmith Apollo on October 12. Page, John Paul Jones and Robert Plant will also be attendance for this special event and a limited number of tickets will be made available to fans for £20.

Premieres for the film will follow in Berlin on October 15, where Jones is confirmed to attend, and Tokyo on October 16, which will have Page in attendance.

The film of "Celebration Day" will see a worldwide theatrical release by Omniverse Vision on 1,500 screens in over 40 territories on October 17. Tickets for the public screenings are available now via LedZeppelin.com.

"Celebration Day" will then be available in multiple video and audio formats on November 19 from Swan Song/Atlantic Records.