LIMP BIZKIT guitarist Wes Borland has commented on bandmate DJ Lethal's decision to go public with the fact that Lethal and drummer John Otto have become estranged from the band's frontman, Fred Durst, and may soon be getting the axe from the group.

In a series of tweets from March 30, DJ Lethal revealed that "Fred has plans for a 'new' LIMP BIZKIT which doesn't include John Otto or I." He added, "From what I understand, Fred doesn't approve of our lifestyle which includes partying and fun."

After a number of LIMP BIZKIT fans voiced their displeasure over the prospect of Otto and DJ Lethal being booted from the band, Borland took to his own Twitter account to defend Durst and to explain why a change in LIMP BIZKIT's lineup may be necessary in order for the group to be able to move forward.

"We are seriously trying our best to help John and Lethal, but this whole thing was something that should have stayed internal," Wes wrote earlier today (Sunday, April 1). "[DJ Lethal] should not have made this a public affair and you (the fans) should not have ever had to deal with something so personal and damaging. Making this public has caused way more damage than was necessary and now we’re faced with an even harder situation than before. You (our supporters and friends) do not have the information needed to form valid opinions on the situation and we can't give it to you…. because you'd have to have lived through it in order to understand. That being said, LIMP BIZKIT is still a functioning unit and we have no plans to stop moving forward.

"Our intentions have never been to try and divide our fans. Our only intention has been to move ahead with the parts of the band that can function together.

"All that being said, we are trying our hardest to make the best out of this situation. And none of this has been Fred's decision alone. It's been between Sam [Rivers, bass], Fred, and I and has been an ever-evolving situation. So please get off Fred's back about it, because we are together in this.

"Once again, I'm sorry for you that this was ever made public. If it hadn't [have] been, you may never have even known about it. Unfortunate.

"We weren't 'keeping a secret from fans.' We were trying to get it worked out internally, like I said."

LIMP BIZKIT recently signed a new record deal with Cash Money Records, the American hip hop label founded in 1991 by the brothers Bryan "Baby" Williams (a.k.a. Birdman) and Ronald "Slim" Williams.

Durst told Billboard.com last month that LIMP BIZKIT was working on what he called "the heaviest, most crazy metal record of all time," "The Unquestionable Truth, Part 2", which Durst said would probably be an EP.

Swedish metallers SABATON — who last week confirmed the departure of guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, drummer Daniel Mulback and keyboardist Daniel Mÿhr — have unveiled their new touring lineup. It is as follows:

Joakim Brodén - Vocals
Pär Sundström - Bass
Chris Rörland (NOCTURNAL RITES) - Guitar
Thobbe Englund (WINTERLONG, RAUBTIER) - Guitar
Robban Bäck (BALTIMOORE, PREY) - Drums

Commented the band: "At the moment we are still searching for a keyboard player. Until we have found the right guy we will still have Daniel Myhr with us, in digital form, since he has specially recorded all keyboards for us to use on tour. Therefore, we are not cancelling any shows at all — the war machine of SABATON will go on just as planned!"

A four-minute video clip in which the new members of SABATON are introduced can be seen below. Also available are the first two photos of the band's new lineup.

SABATON's new album, "Carolus Rex", will be released in Europe on May 25 via Nuclear Blast Records. The lyrics for the CD, which will be made available in both English and Swedish, deal with the Swedish Empire (referring to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721).

The band previously stated about "Carolus Rex": "For the first time ever we have had an expert to help us out with the theme, the well-known Swedish historian Bengt Liljegren. We have also added some extra time in the studio to find the absolute right sound on 'Carolus Rex', and our producer, Peter Tägtgren, says that this album will mark a brand new standard for how a heavy metal album should sound like!"

Liljegren's published works include acclaimed biographies of Adolf Hitler and Karl XII. He also appeared in the popular Swedish TV series "Boston Tea Party".

SABATON will embark on a North American headlining tour next month. The "Swedish Empire Tour 2012" will kick off on April 10 in Tampa, Florida.

"Carolus Rex" - English version track listing:

01. Dominium Maris Baltici
02. The Lion From the North
03. Gott Mit Uns
04. A Lifetime of War
05. 1 6 4 8
06. The Carolean's Prayer
07. Carolus Rex
08. Killing Ground
09. Poltava
10. Long Live the King
11. Ruina Imperii

"Carolus Rex" - Swedish version track listing:

01. Dominium Maris Baltici
02. Lejonet från Norden
03. Gott Mit Uns
04. En Livstid i Krig
05. 1 6 4 8
06. Karolinens bön
07. Carolus Rex
08. Ett Slag Färgat Rött
09. Poltava
10. Konungens Likfärd
11. Ruina Imperii

Marilyn Manson will release his new single, "No Reflection", as a white seven-inch vinyl in Europe on April 21. The vinyl will be strictly limited to 1500 copies and will feature "No Reflection" (album version) and "No Reflection" (single edit). The release is in support of Record Store Day.

About Record Store Day: Record Store Day is managed by the Music Monitor Network and is organized in partnership with the Alliance Of Independent Media Stores (AIMS), the Coalition Of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) and celebrates the culture of independent record stores by playing host to in-store events/performances, signings and special product releases on a global scale.

Record Store Day takes place annually on the third Saturday of April.

MARILYN MANSON will release his long-awaited new album, "Born Villain", on May 1 (one day earlier internationally) via Cooking Vinyl and Manson's own label Hell, Etc.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Hey Cruel World…
02. No Reflection
03. Pistol Whipped
04. Overneath The Path Of Misery
05. Slo Mo Tion
06. The Gardener
07. The Flowers Of Evil
08. Children Of Cain
09. Disengaged
10. Lay Down Your Goddamn Arms
11. Murders Are Getting Prettier Every Day
12. Born Villain
13. Breaking The Same Old Ground

Check out the front and back cover artwork below.

The album's first single, "No Reflection", was premiered on March 7 on the Los Angeles radio station KROQ and was made available exclusively on iTunes on March 13.

"The new record put simply has the ambition and determination of how I started making music in the first place," Manson says. "It sounds like the first record in that it's not afraid to do anything. I had to remove myself from my lifestyle and start fresh."

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, Manson stated about his new CD, "It doesn't really sound like any of my old records. In fact it sort of sounds like what I listened to before I made records — KILLING JOKE, JOY DIVISION, REVOLTING COCKS, BAUHAUS, BIRTHDAY PARTY … It's very rhythm-driven. It's actually very bluesy. It's the first record where I repeat verses. I just sign the words in a different key, the next time. I've never done that before, because I've always felt like I needed to write a lot of words in the past … I think this will probably be the grandest concept record of all."

Manson's U.S. theater tour is scheduled to kick off April 27.

The singer last September unveiled a new music video for the song "Born Villain" directed by actor Shia LaBeouf.

Drummer Ginger Fish (real name: Kenneth Robert Wilson) quit MARILYN MANSON in February 2011 and has since joined ROB ZOMBIE. He has been replaced by the Los Angeles-based drummer Jason Sutter.

MARILYN MANSON in 2009 parted ways with longtime record label Interscope following the disappointing sales performance of "The High End Of Low".

When asked what the problem was with Interscope, Manson told Revolver magazine, "They don't care about music. They never did. I mean, Jimmy Iovine [Chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M] used to, when he produced records a long time ago. They care about Vitamin Water... And when you've got so much money, it's just about ego. I don't really care what their problem is. I was just happy to get out of there. And I have to be objective, I don't take it personally. I don't regret the records I made — I regret the way they treated them. I think I made great records, and they tried to dilute the very essence of what they signed me for. 'Don't be so offensive' — what the fuck does that mean? 'Don't be what we signed you for. Don't be what you are.'"

He added, "I would say after 'Antichrist Superstar'... It was a pressure that everyone's on your back, flashing cameras and suggestions and publicists, saying, 'Oh, you've gotta do this, or you're not going to be successful!' You almost start to question what you do and why you do it, and that will lead to you losing your identity. And that's something no one can fix, no psychiatrist, no legal team, no scientists, no anything. You just have to really strip it down and go back to the basics. the bigger picture is that I can't really consider myself simply a musician, with my painting and everything visual. It's always been a big struggle. From the beginning, the question was, 'Aren't you worried that the image will overshadow the music?' I'm like, absolutely not — it's hand in hand. But then, when I became a painter, I didn't want to seem like the rock star with a hobby."

"The High End Of Low" was Manson's first album with longtime bassist Twiggy Ramirez since 2000's "Holy Wood".

"Mass Frustration", a brand new song from the Denmark-based groove metal band CHAINFIST, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below. The track was recorded at Six String Studios with Søren Jensen and was mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios.

CHAINFIST, which recently signed a worldwide management deal with Germany's Rock N Growl Management, consists of the following musicians: Jackie Petersen (vocals), Michael Kopietz (guitar), Thomas Hvisel (guitar), Jesper Heidelbach (drums) and Braca Pedersen (bass).



CHAINFIST is currently recording its second, as-yet-untitled album for a late 2012 release. The new material is described in a press release as "stronger, heavier and even more melodic than the songs on the band's debut CD, "Black Out Sunday'."

"Black Out Sunday" was released in October 2010 via SAOL/H'art/Zebralution. The CD featured a guest appearance by guitarist Jakob "Batten" Hansen from ILLDISPOSED.

Reunited seminal Swedish hardcore band REFUSED played a "secret" show this past Friday, March 30 at Debaser Medis in Sotckholm, Sweden.

Video footage of the gig can be seen below.

REFUSED's first concert in 14 years took place on February 29 at the tiny club The Scharinska House in their hometown of Umeå.

REFUSED has confirmed a number of shows on both sides of the Atlantic, including an appearance at this year's Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, to be held for the first time over two consecutive weeks in mid-April.

REFUSED was only together seven years (from 1991 to 1998), but released three full-length albums before calling it quits. Their "The Shape Of Punk To Come" LP is considered one of the best punk albums ever.

The members of REFUSED released a statement in January explaining their decision to reunite by saying, "We never did 'The Shape Of Punk To Come' justice back when it came out; too tangled up in petty internal bickering to really focus on the job. And suddenly there's this possibility to do it like it was intended. We wanna do it over, do it right. For the people who've kept the music alive through the years, but also for our own sakes. We feel that you deserve it and we hope the feeling is mutual."

Two years ago, REFUSED lead singer Dennis Lyxzén told Excite in an interview, "To be in that band is one of those things that half the time I'm sympathetic and understanding towards why people would do it. The other half, it's just such a useless maneuver. It's a defeatist attitude but if your objective is to play music with your friends and have a good time, there's no harm in reuniting your band for a couple of shows. For us, there have always been so many other aspects of what we did, that it always felt like a complete no-no. You can't do that shit. MINOR THREAT never got back together. That's kind of our take on it. With some things, the legend is better than the actual thing."

REFUSED's legacy was chronicled via the "Refused Are Fucking Dead" collection, which featured never-before-seen material and videos. In addition, REFUSED's landmark 1998 album, "The Shape Of Punk To Come", was remixed and remastered in 5.1 surround DVD audio format, and was re-released through Epitaph Records. Also re-released were remastered editions of REFUSED's "Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent" and "The EP Compilation" CDs.

Long-running Arizona metallers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have commenced the pre-production sessions for their new album, tentatively due later in the year.

Several photos from the studio can be seen at this location.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM last summer parted ways with drummer Craig Nielsen and was rejoined by Kelly David Smith.

The band's current lineup is the same as the one that recorded the "Cuatro" (1992), "Drift" (1995) and "High" (1997) albums:

Eric "A.K." Knutson - Vocals
Ed Carlson - Guitar
Michael Gilbert - Guitar
Jason Ward - Bass
Kelly David Smith – Drums

Funding for the next FLOTSAM AND JETSAM album is being aided by the PledgeMusic.comproject, which encourages fans to contribute funds to the recording of albums and the artists themselves to donate to charity as a part of their fundraising. An early 2012 release is expected.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's latest album, "The Cold", was released in Europe in February 2011 via Nuclear Blast. The CD's cover artwork was created by Travis Smith, who has previously worked with OPETH, NEVERMORE, AMORPHIS and KING DIAMOND, among others.

"The Cold" was released in North America on September 14, 2010.

U.D.O., the German metal band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider, will release a "rare-tracks" album with some very special gems for the fans. Entitled "Celebrator", the effort will be made available on May 4 via AFM Records.

"Celebrator" track listing:

CD 1:

01. Stormbreaker ("Rev-Raptor" Japan BONUS)
02. Tallyman (Taken from the "Rev-Raptor" recording session)
03. Run! (Remix)
04. Free Or Rebellion (bonus "Leatherhead" Single)
05. Bleeding Heart ("Dominator" Japan bonus)
06. The Silencer (Taken from the "Dominator" recording session)
07. Bodyworld (bonus "Infected" Single)
08. Systematic Madness (bonus "Infected" Single)
09. HAMMERFALL feat. Udo Dirkschneider - Head Over Heels
10. Balls To The Wall (piano version)
11. Artificialized (Taken from the "Mastercutor" recording session)
12. LORDI feat. Udo Dirkschneider - They Only Come Out At Night
13. Streets Of Sin (bonus "Wrong Side Of Midnight" single)

CD 2:

01. Tears Of A Clown ("Classical Version")
02. Man A King Ruler ("Mastercutor" Japan bonus)
03. Hardcore Lover (remix from "24/7" single)
04. Scream Killers (bonus "24/7" single)
05. U.D.O. feat. Faktor2 - Platchet Soldat (remix with national Russian artist)
06. Borderline ("Thunderball" Japan bonus)
07. U.D.O. feat. Doro - Dancing With An Angel (remix)
08. X-T-C (remix from "A Tribute To ACCEPT Vol. 2")
09. Azrael (remix from "No Limits")
10. The Key (remix from "No Limits" Japan bonus)
11. Metal Gods (from "A Tribute To Judas Priest")
12. RAVEN feat. Udo Dirkschneider - Born To Be Wild

Check out the cover artwork below.

U.D.O.'s November 16, 2011 perormance at Hristo Botev Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria was professionally filmed for the band's next official live DVD, tentatively titled "Rev-Raptor Tour - Live from Sofia", for an August/September release.

U.D.O.'s latest album, "Rev-Raptor", was released on May 20, 2011 via AFM Records. The recordings for the CD took place between June 2010 and February 2011 at Roxx studios (owned by U.D.O. guitarist and ex-ACCEPT drummer Stefan Kaufmann) in Pulheim, Germany. The effort was mastered by Manfred Melchior at MM Sound Digital studios in Steinhagen, Germany. The album's cover artwork is once again a comic-like motif: but the "Dominator" character is this time "a lot more effectual and colorful," according to a press release.

The next album from Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend to be released under the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT banner is "Epicloud", a "poppy, proggy" record which will feature a guest appearance by former THE GATHERING frontwoman and previous Devin collaborator Anneke Van Giersbergen.

Townsend debuted a song from "Epicloud" called "Back Where We Belong" during an acoustic performance this past Saturday, March 31 at Club Saw in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada as part of this year's Junofest. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

The idea for "Epicloud" came about while Devin was attempting to write material for the follow-up to his 2007 "Ziltoid The Omniscient" concept album about a fictional extraterrestrial being named Ziltoid from the planet Ziltoidia 9.

In a recent interview with Soundwave TV, Devin stated about how "Epicloud" was conceived, "In this sort of process of writing that I've discovered that I guess I'm capable of now, with a sober frame of mind, part of that is just not second-guessing it, so if I write something like that, I just do it, and just finish it."

He continued, "Over the past couple of years, I thought, 'OK, I've gotta write this next 'Ziltoid' thing; I'm inspired to make this epic space opera and, like, really overdo it, and [make it] really dark. And so I sat down to write, but every time I went to write, I'd write some poppy hard rock thing. And I was like, 'OK, we'll get that one out of the way and then I'll write 'Ziltoid'.' And I got it out of the way and I'd go write 'Ziltoid'. And I'd write another one. So I'm thinking, 'OK, it's pretty obvious to me that I've got this that wants to come out before that.'"

Anneke, who is scheduled to record her parts for "Epicloud" next month at Devin's studio in Vancouver, stated about what fans can expect from the project, "For now, I only heard the demos. Initially, [Devin] said it would be a softer album, but I think it's going to be very intense and diverse, and also heavy. It's progressing as we speak. It's going to be very, very nice."

Regarding the musical direction of "Epicloud", Devin told Noisecreep, "Over the course of the full record, there's sort of new agey stuff, jazzy stuff, really heavy stuff. We basically cover the gamut. 'Epicloud' is the first record that I felt confident enough to include all those things on one record so it goes between melodic hard rock to schizophrenic heavy metal to country to really ambient stuff and it's all in one place. I'm using a gospel choir, a string section and a horn section for this one as well. On [the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT album] 'Deconstruction', I got to use the Prague Philharmonic [orchestra] and really go far into making an absurd album as over the top as possible and on 'Epicloud' I'm trying to take the same advantages to make some things musically very pleasing, as opposed to just claustrophobic."

"Epicloud" will contain the following tracks:

* Taurus
* Animals
* Liberation
* Back Where We Belong
* Save Our Now
* Kingdom (re-recording of PHYSICIST song)
* Divine
* Grace
* More!
* Heatwave
* Hold On
* Angels

On the topic of his decision to re-record "Kingdom", a song from his PHYSICIST album, which came out in 2000 on Townsend's label, HevyDevy Records, Devin said, "We re-did 'Kingdom' because it's a live set staple, and so much better now than the PHYSICIST recording."

Las Vegas metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH played an acoustic version of the song "Remember Everything" for the first time last night (Saturday, March 31) at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington.

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

According to The Pulse Of Radio, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH ditched the usual performance footage for the "Remember Everything" video. The clip was shot over the course of three days in Los Angeles in February, with the band members taking small cameo roles in the plot-driven narrative. Singer Ivan Moody told Noisecreep, "When we first developed the concept for 'Remember Everything', we decided we didn't want the band performing in the video. There are far too many ego shots of musicians these days playing their instruments in the desert, or churches or random places, that really have nothing to do with the song itself."

The video opens in a white setting and follows a little boy as he gets older, becomes an adult and eventually joins the military. As the boy continues to grow, he uses other means to create more visuals.

"Remember Everything" comes off FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's third album, "American Capitalist", which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart, selling 91,000 copies in its first week of release. Both the chart and sales numbers were career highs for the group.

"American Capitalist" was released as a standard CD, and a limited-edition deluxe CD format complete with special packaging plus second disc containing a number of exclusive remixes, including one for "Under And Over It". Meanwhile, the iTunes version carries the bonus track "The Tragic Truth".

Last September, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine underwent surgery for stenosis, a neck and spine condition that he says was caused by years of headbanging.

In a March 31 tweet, Mustaine offered the following update on his health: "Got my 6 mos. X-rays 3/30/12 on my neck. Totally fused, and I can FINALLY start exercising. Thank God, and thanks for your prayers."

Speaking to the Detroit Free Press in February, Mustaine stated about his surgery, "My neck is completely recovered. The surgery was a breeze. The doctor I used ... did Peyton Manning's surgery. Fortunately, my recovery time has been a lot faster than Peyton's. He was in before me and I'm out playing before him. I wish him well in his recovery."

When asked if he can still headbang, Mustaine said, "I can headbang, but I've found with the limitation of, 'Do I want to headbang or do I want to be in a wheelchair?' I kind of toned it down a little bit. There's more body parts you can move around. I mean, I'm not dancing or anything like that but I'm making the best use of it I can."

Speaking to Decibel magazine last November, Mustaine stated about his neck injury, "The way [2011's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival] ended, with me being hurt, I knew I was hurt, but I didn't know how bad. Nobody knew the writing was on the wall. I pretty much thought, 'Well, I''m hurt, but I'll just take it easy, have a couple of glasses of wine. I'll get through it, get a couple of trigger point injections, get an epidural.' There were a couple of times they gave me a shot in my neck that numbed me up. I saw chiropractors and masseuses all the time. It inevitably gets to the point where you're starting to take medication, and that's never good, because if you're taking something and you never feel the pain… You saw Curt Schilling when he was playing for the Diamondbacks, and Randy Johnson; I can't remember if [Schilling] was playing for the Diamondbacks that time he had the bloody sock or if he'd gone back to Boston or not yet — [he] did some heroic feat where he had his foot put back together and he went out there and played."

He added, "I'm an athlete, as a guitar player and as an onstage persona. But as far as being a musician that has to do hurdles — I don't think most musicians, when they start playing music, think that they're going to be playing this demanding-type music that those of us who are part of the 'Big Four' and all the bands we influenced and kind of created [play]. With the advent of the headbanging — which was not my invention, by any means; I'm not like Al Gore who invented the Internet — there was that whole headbanging thing that came around, it's hurt a lot us… What is headbanging, anyway? It's kind of like chronic whiplash syndrome, isn't it?"

In a brand new interview with Billboard.com, AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's long-awaited new album, which is tentatively due this summer.

AEROSMITH began work on its first all-new album since 2001 last year, with the rest of the band working on music while singer Steven Tyler made his "American Idol" debut.

The CD is being helmed by producer Jack Douglas, who previously worked with AEROSMITH on classic early albums like "Toys In The Attic" and "Rocks" as well as on 2004's "Honkin' On Bobo".

"This record is different from the recent past, say the last 20 years, where everybody is getting in the studio and throwing down their songs," Perry said. "Some of the songs are completed and some are just riffs. This record is a lot more band-written stuff than there has been in the recent past.

"We probably have two songs to write to finish. Or certainly there are slots to fill. We don't sit there and listen to the songs as a bunch. First time we did that was two weeks ago. The record company came in and wanted to hear what's happening and that gave us a chance to listen to everything as a bunch. We get a sense of where we're at and we'll do that again very soon."

AEROSMITH is currently mixing a reworked version of its 1991 outtake "Legendary Child" (originally written during the "Get A Grip" sessions) for inclusion in the upcoming summer film "GI Joe: Retaliation" (which arrives in theaters around the U.S. on June 29).

AEROSMITH's "The Global Warming" tour will kick it off on June 16 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota and wrap up on August 8 in Tacoma, Washington.

"This tour, in addition to a couple songs we know we're going to play from the new record, we want to bring out songs we just haven't played for years," Perry told Billboard.com. "We'll be playing some of those -- songs that were staples in the sets back in the old days that will be new songs to a lot of people if they don't know the albums."

MOTÖRHEAD mainman Lemmy Kilmister tells the Artisan News that he is furious at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame organizers, but it's not just because the Hall has virtually ignored them.

"They lost my 'Ace Of Spades' tour jacket," Lemmy said. "They had this heavy metal presentation thing and they said, could they borrow a pair of boots and a bass and my 'Ace Of Spades' tour jacket, so I lent it to them, and they said they lost it. A likely story. Look me in the eye and tell me again. One of their girlfriends is wearing it, no doubt."

When asked if he would accept the honor if the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame organizers voted MOTÖRHEAD in now, Lemmy replied, "What honor? They owe me a jacket before I'll even speak to them."

The committee that nominates artists for the Hall has repeatedly ignored a number of acts that many feel deserve induction, including KISS, RUSH, YES, DEEP PURPLE and dozens of others.

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash, who will be in attendance next month when the band is inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, told The Canadian Press that he has mixed feelings about it. "It's sort of a bittersweet thing too because there's so many artists that aren't inducted, that came way before GUNS did, that really actually almost deserve more to be in there and they're not in there," he said, listing off RUSH, DEEP PURPLE, CHEAP TRICK and KISS as examples.

MOTÖRHEAD picked up its first — and only — Grammy Award in 2005 in the "Best Metal Performance" category for the band's cover of METALLICA's "Whiplash", which was featured on "Metallic Attack: Metallica - The Ultimate Tribute" album.

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King has released the following statement regarding the passing of his longtime tech Armand Crump (pictured below):

"Holy shit. Never thought I'd be writing this.

"The world lost a great man yesterday.

"It was an incredibly rough day for me, I can't imagine what it was like for his family and Cassie [Armand's longtime girlfriend Cassandra Dines]. Needless to say, no one saw this coming.

"I thought I had a great guitar tech until the day I retire.

"Life is short. Enjoy what you have while you have it.

”I was one of the few lucky ones. I saw him Friday, played him some new SLAYER and watched him bang his head and play air guitar.

"What a great dude!! I even got what may have been his last man hug.

"Love ya, buddy."

For more musician tributes and remembrances of Crump, go to this location.

Video footage of Armand Crump taking Dunlop TV through King's live rig back in 2010 can be seen below.

The Pulse Of Radio reports: Although some pretty sketchy early videos of NINE INCH NAILS founder Trent Reznor have surfaced online in the past few years, an especially embarrassing clip has just found its way onto YouTube thanks to a fan. The clip shows Reznor and an early lineup of NIN lip-synching the track "Down In It" on the Eighties TV show "Dance Party U.S.A." The track was the very first song Reznor ever wrote, the first NINE INCH NAILS single and later appeared on the band's 1989 debut, "Pretty Hate Machine".

The footage was discovered on a video cassette purchased for $100 by a NINE INCH NAILS fan, according to Stereogum.

Reznor discussed the clip in a series of tweets on Wednesday (March 28), writing, "Many years ago, a young and naive NINE INCH NAILS were asked what TV shows they'd be interested in appearing on. As a joke (and likely drunk), they thought of the most absurd choice they could come up with at the time. They were then informed their bluff had been called and were actually booked on said show."

He continued, "They hopped in their Honda Civic touring vehicle (hatchback) and traveled many miles to (I think) NJ for the big show. They had a laugh making fun of the people, their fashion choices and hairstyles. Life was good. Years later, the internet is discovered . . . there's a moral in there somewhere. Come to think of it, Skrillex may indeed owe me some publishing on that hairdo."

After spending last year working on the score for "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", Reznor plans to record a new NINE INCH NAILS album this year — minus hairdo — and will also issue the full-length debut disc from HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS, which features Reznor, his wife Mariqueen Maandig and frequent collaborator Atticus Ross.

Slash, the iconic, Grammy-winning rock guitarist and songwriter, has released a special video and song to raise awareness for the plight of homeless youth in Los Angeles. Fans can make a donation to the Los Angeles Youth Network (LAYN) by downloading the song — a special mix of "Gotten", with Adam Levine of MAROON 5 on vocals, from Slash's previous 2010 debut solo album.

A comprehensive nonprofit organization, LAYN provides for more than 10,000 runaway and homeless youth on the streets of Los Angeles every night, with emergency shelter and group homes for those 12-17 years old and long term transitional housing for young adults 18-24. The goal is to keep these often neglected, abused and homeless youth off the street and provide them with the basic necessities of life such as safety, food, shelter, counseling and supportive services.

To watch, donate and download "Gotten", click here.

Shot in downtown Los Angeles, the star-studded cast for "Gotten" features Slash as himself, as well as Amanda "AJ" Milchalka ("Hellcats", "Super 8"), Kristin Bauer ("True Blood"), Clifton Collins Jr. ("Traffic", "Capote"), Jacob Vargas ("Next Friday", "Traffic"), Sevier Crespo ("Fast Lane") and Judd Nelson ("The Breakfast Club"), among others.

"This video was created to make people take notice of the homeless teen epidemic which is rampant in L.A. as well as in the rest of the country," explains Slash. "The story in this video is just one scenario amid millions of potential situations happening at any given time in Los Angeles alone. Everybody involved with the making of this video selflessly donated their time and talents to this cause. I thank them with all my heart."

"LAYN is extremely grateful to Slash, Astound Studios, GenAudio and the entire creative force that has come together to support the programs and services of LAYN for homeless and runaway youth often missed by so many systems and who have such limited options for support," explains Mark Supper, executive director of the Los Angeles Youth Network. "Your donation helps us prevent the potential harm these youth are vulnerable and at risk for, and assists us in keeping them from being exploited or victimized on the streets of Los Angeles."

"Gotten" was remixed at Astound Studios from its original version using GenAudio's unique 3D spatial audio technology, AstoundSound, which is based on over two decades of research and development into how the brain processes audio information. AstoundSound delivers a deeper and significantly enhanced artist-fan connection that stimulates a powerful artist-fan connection triggering a more intensive emotional response. "The team at Astound Studios and GenAudio were very excited to work on this with Slash and his people," said Jerry Mahabub, CEO of GenAudio and owner of Astound Studios. "Slash is a visionary, an idol to many, and a friend to me. It was both an honor and a pleasure to work on this project for the benefit of homeless youth that need all of our help."

Finnish gothic metallers TO/DIE/FOR have inked a deal with Massacre Records. The band's sixth album, "Samsara" — which was made available in Finland last December — will receive a wider European release during the summer.

"Samsara" track listing:

01. Kissing The Flames (4:49)
02. Damned Rapture (5:12)
03. Cry For Love (IGGY POP cover) (4:21)
04. Death Comes in March (3:13)
05. Folie á Deux (7:11)
06. Hail Of Bullets (4:25)
07. Love's A Sickness (5:54)
08. Raving Hearts (3:48)
09. Oblivion: Vision (6:13)
10. Someday Somewhere Somehow (6:38)

A video for the song "Hail Of Bullets" can be seen below.

Regarding the musical direction of the new material, vocalist Jape Perätalo previously stated, "[The next TO/DIE/FOR CD] is gonna be much darker compared to [2006's] 'Wounds Wide Open', but it will include some rocking ones, too."

He added, "We are not trying to create anything very 'technically nice' and very 'new'... We just record whatever the fuck we want to . . . We're gonna keep things simple but one thing is important for us... it must have real soul in it!"

TO/DIE/FOR's current lineup is as follows:

Jape Perätalo - Vocals
Juppe Sutela - Guitar
Antza Talala - Guitar
Eza Viren - Bass
Matti Huopainen - Drums
Juska Salminen – Keyboards

TO/DIE/FOR released a "best-of" collection, "Epilogue From The Past - Best Of", in January 2011 via Spinefarm Records. Included on the set was the brand new song "Angelica".

TO/DIE/FOR's fifth album, "Wounds Wide Open", was released in Finland in October 2006. The follow-up to 2005's "IV" was recorded by Samu Oittinen at Fantom Studios and by Jari-Jukka Nippala at Sonic Image, and was mixed at Sweden's Abyss Studios by Peter Tägtgren (DIMMU BORGIR, CELTIC FROST).

Several musicians and members of the rock music community have paid tribute to SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's longtime tech Armand Crump (pictured below), who passed away earlier today.

Dave Lombardo (SLAYER): "SLAYER and the metal road crew community is mourning the loss of a hard worker and dear friend Armand Butts Crump III. He was the best, he had to be to work for Kerry King. I'm going to miss him fucking with me from stage left. I still can't believe it. We are deeply saddened. RIP ABCIII."

GUNS N' ROSES: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague and friend. Your spirit lives on! RIP Armand."

Dave Mustaine (MEGADETH): "Rest In Peace guitar tech, Armand Crump."

Phil Demmel (MACHINE HEAD): "It's times like these when I realize how much I take for granted how lucky and blessed I am to have my health and the love of family and friends. My thoughts and prayers go out to Armand's family. The world is a darker place without you my friend, you will be sorely missed."

Zach Myers (SHINEDOWN): "For the big man with a even bigger heart ... Boise tonight is for Armand! Thanks for being so nice to me."

Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT): "One of the best guitar techs I've ever known, Armand Crump — whom I borrowed from my friend Kerry last year — has passed away. RIP AC."

Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD): "A bro died — Kerry King's tech Armand Crump. Known him for 12 years, from the very first LAMB OF GOD tour when he was with AMEN. RIP bro. We will miss you"

Rob Dukes (EXODUS): "I will miss you my friend. Me and John are gonna take our ride in your honor. You will be missed."

Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA): "Fuck!!! Just heard about Armand!!! Man, this sucks big time, So sad. My feelings goes to Armand's family. RIP my friend...."

Paolo Gregoletto (TRIVIUM): "Just heard about Armand, Kerry King's tech, passing away. He was a very nice dude and always treated us well when we toured together."

Matt DeVries (FEAR FACTORY, CHIMAIRA, SIX FEET UNDER): "Armand was a such a great dude and was always nothing but kind and helpful to me when I was in Chimaira. RIP brother."

Brian Fair (SHADOWS FALL): "So sad to hear about Armand Crump passing away. Was a great friend for years. Teched for Amen on one of the 1st ever Shad tours. RIP brother."

Tony Campos (SOULFLY, ex-STATIC-X): "Saddened to hear an old friend, Armand Butts Crump, passed today. His bad attempts at cholo Spanish always made me laugh. Rest in piece, my friend."

Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED): "My heart hurts for the friends & family of Armand Crump. He always made me smile. R.I.P."

Chris Beattie (HATEBREED): "The world lost a really awesome guy RIP Armand Crump."

Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY): "Just heard about guitarist Kerry King's longtime tech Armand Crump passing away. Great guy... Was always cool to see him. Very sad news. RIP"

Mark Hunter (CHIMAIRA): "RIP Armand… always treated us like family."

EMG: "SLAYER tech Armand Butts Crump passed away today. We don't have any of the details but our hearts and thoughts go out to the SLAYER camp and all of Armand's friends and family. Armand was a really kick-ass guy and one hell of a tech... It's a sad day to lose someone so talented and so young. R.I.P. brother..."

Brian Slagel (Metal Blade Records): "This is terrible, Armand was such a great guy. We are saddened by the tragic loss. Your spirit lives on! RIP Armand."

Video footage of Armand Crump taking Dunlop TV through King's live rig back in 2010 can be seen below.

LIMP BIZKIT's DJ Lethal has revealed via Twitter that he and drummer John Otto have become estranged from the band's frontman, Fred Durst, and may soon be getting the axe from the group. In a series of tweets from March 30, DJ Lethal wrote, "So far the only news I've heard is that Fred has plans for a 'new' LIMP BIZKIT which doesn't include John Otto or I. I'm hoping for the best.

"From what I understand, Fred doesn't approve of our lifestyle which includes partying and fun. I don't want to cause drama. It's unfair.

"I've tried to reach out and make things better. But Fred seems to have made up his mind. Bands fight and argue all the time. [I] just don't get it.

"This is not an April Fool's joke, unfortunately.

"I love being in LIMP; it's been my life for 15 years. A lot of good people and good times.

"I'm not going to whine about it. I just had to vent because it's pretty sad. And had to address all the fans that a going to a 1/2 BIZKIT show."

TMZ.com has since reached out to DJ Lethal, who told the site, "We've worked together the last four years to bring LIMP BIZKIT back to where it is today ... and to just be thrown out on the street after the band gets a new deal and a new chance at life isn't cool."

He added, "You can't push away the people who helped you get there. The fans should know that if two-fifths of the original band are not playing at the concerts, it won't be truthful to them."

LIMP BIZKIT recently signed a new record deal with Cash Money Records, the American hip hop label founded in 1991 by the brothers Bryan "Baby" Williams (a.k.a. Birdman) and Ronald "Slim" Williams.

Durst told Billboard.com last month that LIMP BIZKIT was working on what he called "the heaviest, most crazy metal record of all time," "The Unquestionable Truth, Part 2", which Durst said would probably be an EP.

Swedish metallers TAD MOROSE have announced the addition of guitarist Kenneth Jonsson to the group's ranks.

Commented TAD MOROSE guitarist Christer "Krunt" Andersson: "Kenneth is a very talented guitar player. Some of you probably already heard of him from bands such as TORCH and THE CITADELL.

"We have been searching for another guitar player since Markus left the band and we are really pleased with Kenneth.

"We will play the first show with Kenneth at Tuppenz in our hometown of Bollnäs, Sweden on Friday the 6th of April. This show will also include CIBOLA JUNCTION and a suprise headliner!

"The new album, 'Revenant', is soon completed! Finally!!!!!

"TAD MOROSE will also play at the Swordbrothers Festival in Germany on September 8th.

"We are really, really looking forward to get on the stage again! ....and last but not least, to get that album out!!!! When that is done, we will have a release party where I will celebrate until it hurts!!! Anyone dare to join?

Added Kenneth: "It's an honor to be a part of TAD MOROSE and I'd like to thank the guys in TAD MOROSE for giving me the opportunity. I've been listening to the band since the '90s and have always thought that they where one of the best heavy/power metal band out there. The decision for me to make was even easier after listening to the new TAD MOROSE songs for the upcoming album, 'Revenant'! This is truly going to be a blast and I hope to see all of you fans out on the tour!"

TAD MOROSE 2012 is:

Christer "Krunt" Andersson (Guitar)
Peter Morén (Drums)
Ronny Hemlin (Vocals)
Tommi Karpanen (Bass)
Kenneth Jonsson (Guitar)

TAD MOROSE in August 2008 announced the addition of singer Ronny Hemlin (STEEL ATTACK) and bassist Tommi Karpanen (ex-MORGANA LEFAY) to the group's ranks.

The band's last album, "Modus Vivendi", came out in 2003.

Swedish death metallers EVOCATION have entered IF Studios, the IN FLAMES-owned facility in Gothenburg, Sweden, with producer Roberto Laghi (IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE, HARDCORE SUPERSTAR) to begin recording their fourth album for a late 2012 release via the band's new label home, Century Media Records.

Commented the band: "Janne [K. Bodén, drums] has been extremely efficient as usual. 10 tracks are already laid down after two days of work. The sound is very impressive, to say the least! Producer Roberto Laghi has set an sound that is overwhelming."

Video footage from the studio can be seen at this location.

In addition, Century Media will issue a compilation of EVOCATION's entire demo discography, plus additional footage, comments, liner notes, exclusive artwork and unreleased songs. A summer 2012 release is expected.

EVOCATION's third album, "Apocalyptic", was released on October 29, 2010 via Cyclone Empire Records.

KEN MODE was honored in the "Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year" category at this year's Juno Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards), which is being held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 26 - April 1.

This new category is an award to honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the Canadian recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position. Eligible albums include metal, metalcore, hardcore, heavy rock, thrash metal, death metal and their respective sub-genres including (but not limited to) nu-metal, power metal, grindcore, extreme metal, industrial metal, viking metal, folk metal, doom metal, gothic metal, speed metal, and sludge metal.

"Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year" nominees were as follows:

* ANVIL - Juggernaut of Justice (The End/Sony)
* CAULDRON - Burning Fortune (Earache/eOne)
* FUCK THE FACTS - Die Miserable (Relapse/eOne)
* KEN MODE - Venerable (Profound Lore/Sonic Unyon)
* DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT - Deconstruction (HevyDevy/eOne)

Jesse Matthewson of KEN MODE told The Canadian Press that he was surprised when he first saw that his band was nominated for this year's award. "I thought, well, that's kind of cool, but I didn't really take it that seriously because I just assumed it'd be treated more like the Grammys where it's only the very, very big bands that could ever have a hope in hell of getting nominated. And then when I saw the list and it's like ... what is going on here?"

He added, "With a lot of quote unquote 'normal' people, that sort of thing really excites them — it's almost like we're a legitimate band now. (My parents') friends are like: 'Wow, they're like, really talented, aren't they?"'

"It's nice that Canada's finally waking up to appreciate some of the darker arts," he said. "It's cool that hopefully we'll start getting more recognition on a grander scale."

For more information about Canadian Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences (CARAS) and the Juno Awards, go to www.junoawards.ca.

KEN MODE is a name synonymous with the Canadian hardcore and metal scenes. The band has effortlessly blended Amphetamine Reptile-styled noise rock with pure hardcore fury to become one of the Canada's most crushing acts. In the process, it has built a reputation for itself through its unique brand of metallic noise rock as well as touring with musical titans such as MASTODON, PELICAN, CURSED, PROPAGHANDI, BARONESS and more. Now KEN MODE is back once again with a plan to conquer the aggressive music scene and establish iself as the leaders of innovative and aggressive music.

KEN MODE's "Venerable" was released in March 2011 via Profound Lore Records. The CD was produced by Kurt Ballou (CONVERGE, TRAP THEM, TORCHE) at Godcity Studios and was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side.

"Venerable" features 10 tracks that blur the lines between raw sonic energy and introspective, melodic moments. Songs like "Batholith" and "Book of Muscle" raise the bar for hardcore standards a little higher while "A Wicked Pike" pays homage to bands like THE JESUS LIZARD with spastic noise rock elements and "Flight of the Echo Hawk" (a tribute to David Kelly from KITTENS) is an instrumental masterpiece that will certainly play well for fans of ISIS, PELICAN, JESU, etc.

The spectacular cover art for "Venerable" features imagery by Julie Anne Mann and layout by Josh Graham (SOUNDGARDEN, NEUROSIS, A STORM OF LIGHT).

"Venerable" track listing:

01. The Book Of Muscle
02. Obeying The Iron Will
03. Batholith
04. The Irate Lumberjack
05. A Wicked Pike
06. Flight Of The Echo Hawk
07. Never Was
08. The Ugliest Happy You've Ever Seen
09. Terrify The Animals
10. Mako Shark

"Obeying The Iron Will" audio stream:

Italy's grind demons CRIPPLE BASTARDS will release a brand new seven-inch EP, "Senza Impronte", featuring their fastest, most aggressive and pissed off material to date. Due on April 24, the limited-edition EP is band's first recording for new label Relapse Records.

A brand new CRIPPLE BASTARDS track, taken from the forthcoming EP, is currently available for streaming via the official Relapse Podcast.

For more information, visit Relapse.com.

Reactivated classic early '80s metal band OBSESSION has inked a deal with Inner Wound Recordings for the release of its long-awaited new album, "Order Of Chaos". The CD will be made available later in the year.

The group's current lineup is as follows:

Michael Vescera - Vocals
John Bruno - Guitar
Scott Boland - Guitar
Chris McCarvill - Bass
BJ Zampa – Drums

Video footage of the OBSESSION performing the song "Scarred For Life" at the 2010 edition of the Keep It True XIII festival, which was held April 23-24, 2010 at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany, can be viewed below.

The band's 2006 CD, "Carnival of Lies", was re-released through Mausoleum Records on February 12, 2008. This reissue featured new artwork and the bonus tracks "Panic In The Streets" (previously only available on the Avalon release in Japan) and "Judas". The album's title track featured Swedish guitar sensation Robert Marcello (DANGER DANGER, IRONHORSE) and Boston based neo-classical shred-god Joe Stump (REIGN OF TERROR).

OBSESSION gained success in the late '80s with the release of a four-song EP, 1984's "Marshall Law" (Metal Blade Records), two LPs (1986's "Scarred For Life" and 1987's "Methods Of Madness", both for Enigma/Capitol Records), and an MTV "Headbanger's Ball"-aired video for "For the Love of Money", from "Methods of Madness".

OBSESSION's original lineup featured Michael and Jay along with Bruce Vitale, Art Maco (guitar, retired) and Matt Karagus (bass, retired).

Black metal star Euronymous is leading a poll to find a new tailfin design for Norwegian. Photograph: Peter Beste

Norwegian black metal is more closely associated with murder and burning churches than with low-cost air travel, but that might be about to change. The late Øystein Aarseth, aka Euronymous – the guitarist of Mayhem, who was murdered by his fellow black metaller Varg Vikernes in August 1993 – may soon be the image painted on the tailfins of Norwegian jets.


The proposal is part of a contest by Norwegian, a low-cost airline that flies Boeing 737s across Scandinavia and into the UK. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the carrier is asking passengers to vote on a new set of heroes for their aircraft's tailfins. There are four separate sweepstakes, for planes in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger, and the nominees include everyone from beauty queen Julie Ege to footballer Knut Torbjørn Eggen. Visitors to the website can even nominate their own "tail heroes".


In Oslo, Aarseth is winning. After being put forward by a local nominating committee, the Mayhem founder has collected the highest share of votes, leading over Trond André Bolle, a soldier who died in 2010, and the Lutheran reformist Hans Nielsen Hauge. Metal fans have rallied behind him, acting on a rare chance to get the musician's silhouette on a multi-million pound flying machine.


Despite Mayhem's massive influence on Norwegian black metal, Aarseth's grisly hi-jinks are at least as well known as his music. Aarseth founded the band in 1984, when he was just 16, and later assumed the pseudonym Euronymous. But when Mayhem's frontman, Per "Dead" Ohlin, shot himself in 1991, the guitarist didn't immediately call the police; he first went and bought a camera, according to legend, snapping photos of the bloody scene and saving pieces of bone to make jewellery. Aarseth was killed two years later, by Burzum's Varg Vikernes, who claimed Aarseth had planned to torture him to death.


Norwegian's tailfin contest closes on 28 March.

Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL have answered a number of fan-submitted questions via their official Facebook page. A couple of excerpts follow below.

Q: In the last couple of years, many metal greats have passed away. How did this influence your decision to make a double album, and will there be noticeable tributes in its sound?

Fernando Ribeiro (vocals): The death toll in metal was quite high these past few years. Besides the physical death of some friends in the scene, Peter Steele [TYPE O NEGATIVE] on top of the list, what is more painful is the notion that their legacy can go unnoticed by the future generations who are drowned every day with product bands, with invented sub-styles and simply by people with no talent the labels and managers tell you to respect and kiss ass with just because they sell more than what you do in the U.S. The death of those greats, as you so nicely put it, brought a void and a certain dry winter to the music we like. MOONSPELL feels it's is our duty, as a Nineties band, to carry the torch even if we burn our fingers. "Alpha Noir" and "Omega White" are records that also portray a certain way of being in music that involves certain characteristics fans sometimes opt not to understand. "Omega White" is especially fertile in an honest tribute to the bands that influenced us. Listen to a song called "New Tears Eve" from "Omega" and you will get my point.

Q: How did TYPE O NEGATIVE influence the band?

Miguel "Mike" Gaspar (drums): Well, first of all, I remember very early in the band's career that we were all huge fans . We would listen to them all the time, especially "Bloody Kisses". We identified immediately with their sound. The deep vocals, melodic guitars, thick drums and keyboards, including samples like if from a horror movie. All this with the contrast of the raw hardcore from the streets of Brooklyn made it a perfect band for us to admire. We later got to tour with them on one the biggest European tours they had done to date with the album "October Rust" in 1996. [It] goes without saying that this tour changed and taught MOONSPELL a lot. We couldn't have had a better band to show us the ropes. Not only did we identify musically, but also personally. I think we both felt like outsiders and nothing we ever did was good enough. This developed a dark view on the world also even though our music was, didn't mean we took our selves too seriously. We joked about everything you could think of We had similar backgrounds at different times in other continents but still so familiar. Maybe that's why they felt like big brothers. Pete Steele watched our back and was a true gentleman at all times. Great respect and how we miss him. We will never forget the good friend you were to us. We are eternally grateful and will keep your memory alive. TYPE O NEGATIVE was for sure the best of their time. Brooklyn says it all!

Q: Would you make a tour with a track list that goes through every MOONSPELL album ever? Taking on account that every concert would last at least two hours and a half minimum.

Fernando: We always try to play a set that pleases our fans. But people have to understand that there are other factors we need to take in account and that musicians understand better than the fans, after all it's our job! A good MOONSPELL set has to contain enthusiasm, nostalgia, romance, power and atmosphere. Also the band has to be motivated live, so choosing the songs ourselves, it's essential for that feeling to occur. The sets have to flow and sometimes it's like a jigsaw that we have to put together ourselves. We once asked the fans for an ideal set on our old Moonspell.com forum and the result of it was… unplayable. Like I said, it's a privilege we have and know how to make it work and fans have to trust us again. I guess we always make our best while also to be in control and be a bit more than just entertaining people, even tough that's a noble thing to do. I guess the set would be a bit longer than that two and a half hours. We once played the Lisbon Coliseum two and a half hours and it was quite long, I'd say. A perfect set is a 90 minutes, one where you can play a lot of songs without getting into something exhausting for everyone. I believe "Alpha" and "Omega" will sound great live and also it's a chance of finding out also the Alpha and the Omega on our old songs that will intertwine with old songs that will fit more into the metal, others more towards the dark. Rest assured, it will be fun!

Q: Fernando, how would you describe the development of your voice during the years in MOONSPELL? Also, do you take any special care of it?

Fernando: I think my voice grown and changed as I was growing and changing as a person as well, it was quite natural. Remember, I was just 18 when we recorded the "Anno Satanae" demo and 20 when we did "Wolfheart". I was born in August 1974. So I was just coming out of my teens and my voice would have changed anyway. After I started touring, thus singing more, I also had to learn how to keep the vocal stamina up in an intense and sometimes chaotic tour schedule. I remember I did, and so did the singers on the other bands, almost 40 dates in a row, no days off, on the tour with SAMAEL and ROTTING CHRIST back in 1996. That's why I started taking lessons with Brigit Zacher, a German singer who also features in many of our albums. She was great and I learnt almost everything with her. The rest is no big secret, really. I like to party, buy I like more to have a nice, heartfelt and professional performance on stage. People do not buy tickets to put up with my hangover's shortcomings. So it's all a matter of practicing a lot to keep the endurance and quality of the vocal, to open it, especially in the days before a show. Also I drink 3 to 5 Liters of water per day, maybe more in a show day. Hydration is essential to a good vocal apparatus. I checked my vocal cords in a specialist a couple of months ago and we were both amazed that they were clean, white, pristine and healthy. After so many years of abuse, it seems I am handling them the right way and it was a relief to know that everything is still solid and strong and that I can scream my lungs out for the years to come.

Original GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler has apologized to the band's lead singer, Axl Rose, and the other members of the current lineup of GUNS N' ROSES for calling them "hacks."

In an interview with Loudwire conducted on Thursday, March 29, Adler spoke about his desire to see the original lineup for GUNS N' ROSES perform at the band's upcoming induction into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, saying that he and fellow ex-GUNS N' ROSES member, Slash, would love to take the stage with their former bandmates once again.

"[Slash is] my brother. I know he's up to it," Adler said. "He wants to do it. I want to do it. Just from what I hear, Izzy [Stradlin]'s not gonna show up and Axl will probably want to play with his hack band — his band of hacks. 'Axl and His Hacks' — it shouldn't even be GUNS N' ROSES. He's just driving that name into the freakin' ground. 'Axl and His Hacks.'"

Earlier today, Adler released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"Sometimes my emotions get the best of me when talking about my former band. It's hard to see your ex in bed with somebody else. We created one of the biggest-selling debut albums of all time and it's no secret that I want to finish what we started 25 years ago and play together at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The guys that Axl has put together are all great players. They're not hacks in the sense that they can't play, they're all incredible musicians. I just meant that they are not the original lineup. I would like to apologize to Axl, Bumblefoot, D.J., Tommy, Dizzy, Richard, Frank, and Chris for my statement."

Rose was ambivalent in a recent interview about the Hall Of Fame, and told Billboard.com in 2009 that he could never see himself playing with Slash again, saying, "One of the two of us will die before a reunion. However sad, ugly or unfortunate anyone views it, it is how it is."

The 27th annual Hall Of Fame ceremony will be held on April 14. In addition to GUNS N' ROSES, other artists being inducted include the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, the BEASTIE BOYS, the FACES/SMALL FACES, DONOVAN and LAURA NYRO.

The ceremony will be taped for broadcast by HBO, which plans to air it in early May.

Former CHARON guitarist Jasse von Hast and drummer Antti Karihtala (CHARON, KYPCK) have joined forces with vocalist Ville Lind (SEITH, DAWN OF RELIC, CRYPTID) in a new band called TOMB OF FINLAND.

With regards to how TOMB OF FINLAND came together, Jasse said, "TOMB OF FINLAND got the first shovel full of soil into its mouth in the fall of 2009. That was a natural process because a difficult season of tortured and painful life was digging a grave for itself without hands.

"Thousands of nights filled by misery and tons of tormented thoughts were gathered together. First nails to the coffin had been hammered. Worms in TOMB OF FINLAND's corpse crawled to freedom and were fed by my rotten brains in January 2010. That was the day of birth for the first TOMB OF FINLAND's song called 'Life & Slavery'. That song was written at once when torturing my guitar for the first time in six months.

"First demo recordings were made instantly with my dusty guitar. It was the day when the curtain of darkness fell down.

"By the unholy thoughts of northern pagan mind, it felt so true and fresh after many years of straightforward rock 'n' roll and productional perfectionism. The pieces of wild thoughts were gathered as one in my confused mind. That was the point of return.

"The coffin was now ready and open wide for depressed and anquished souls.

"A lot of new material were written in a few days. My mind was open for new season of darkness.

"If necessary, you could describe TOMB OF FINLAND's music as a some kind of a combination of early 1990s doom/black/death metal with modern twist.

"In the beginning TOMB OF FINLAND was only a one-man project but thought of a real working band was burning my mind.

"Later I contacted my previous band member A. Karihtala (CHARON) and the coffin got more flesh inside.

"He decided to help me with my new project. Drums were recorded in Soundtrack studios/Magnusborg, Porvoo on February 2011.

"At first I thought I'd make all the vocals by myself with black metal shrieks but then I came up with an idea that music would sound more destructive with lower growls. So Antti suggested to ask Ville to join our woe. Vocals were recorded on November 2011 in Oulu. The coffin was now full and ready to rot."

Video footage of ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante laying down the drum track to a cover version of RUSH's "Anthem" (from the Canadian rock band's second album, 1975's "Fly By Night") for an upcoming tribute album can be seen below. No further details are currently available.

According to guitarist Scott Ian, ANTHRAX's sold-out March 15 concert at O2 Islington Academy in London, England was filmed for an upcoming DVD.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Earth On Hell
02. Fight 'Em Till You Can't
03. Caught In A Mosh
04. Antisocial
05. The Devil You Know
06. I'm Alive
07. Indians
08. In The End
09. Deathrider
10. Belly Of The Beast
11. Medusa
12. Among The Living

Encore:

13. Be All, End All
14. Madhouse
15. Metal Thrashing Mad
16. I'm The Man
17. I Am The Law

ANTHRAX's video for the song "The Devil You Know" can be seen below. The clip contains clips of all the band highlights of last year.

"The Devil You Know" comes off ANTHRAX's latest album, "Worship Music", which sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous studio CD, 2003's "We've Come For You All", opened with just under 10,000 units to debut at No. 122.

The CD cover artwork for "Worship Music" was handled by renowned comic book artist Alex Ross, who has worked with Marvel Comics and DC Comics and is known for his "Marvels", "Kingdom Come", and "Astro City" illustrations. Ross also did the original artwork for ANTHRAX's "We've Come For You All" and "Music Of Mass Destruction" albums.

"Worship Music" was produced by ANTHRAX, Rob Caggiano and Jay Ruston and recorded over a four-year period at studios in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Singer Joey Belladonna's return to the band prompted some of the songs originally recorded with previous singer Dan Nelson to be re-crafted with fresh lyrics or tweaked to better suit his overall vibe and energy. Some of the songs were completely replaced with brand-new songs and, of course, all have Belladonna's inimitable vocal stamp on them.

ANTHRAX recently completed the second leg of its U.S. tour with TESTAMENT and DEATH ANGEL.

GWAR frontman Oderus Urungus has slammed Dave Mustaine for his controversial political views, saying that the MEGADETH mainman should "keep [his] mouth fucking shut."

During an interview with Turbo from RSU Radio and the Metal Meltdown conducted this past Wednesday, March 28 (see video below), Oderus noted that both he and Mustaine have been in the press a lot lately. "Yeah, but see, the difference between Dave Mustaine and Oderus is that Dave Mustaine, every time he opens his mouth, he makes a fucking idiot out of himself," the GWAR frontman said. "You know what?! Keep your mouth fucking shut, Dave Mustaine. Play your fucking guitar, all right?! Maybe keep it to the lyrics of 'Peace Sells'. Anything else… We don't wanna fucking hear about how Obama was born in Africa and how Rick Santorum is your man; he hates fucking heavy metal. Shut the fuck up, Dave Mustaine. Shut the fuck up, you God, cock-s***ing f****t."

Mustaine recently made headlines when he told Canadian television and radio personality George Stroumboulopoulos that he is certain that President Obama "was born somewhere else than America."

"I have a lot of questions about [Obama], but certainly not where he was born," Mustaine said. "I know he was born somewhere else than America."

When Stroumboulopoulos pointed out that this school of thought made the musician part of the so-called "birther" movement, Mustaine countered, "I'm not calling a question to it, I just, you know, it's a point. How come he was invisible until he became whatever he was in Illinois?"

Stroumboulopoulos tried to further challenge Mustaine on his claims, causing the MEGADETH frontman to attempt to change the subject.

"I don't want to talk about my president," Mustaine said, before going on to admit that he was going to "have to do some more homework on where Obama came from."

Jo Schüftan of Horns Up Rocks! conducted an interview with bassist Byron Stroud of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada metallers 3 INCHES OF BLOOD before the band's March 21 concert at the Gramercy Theater in New York City. You can now watch the chat below.

When asked what the reason was for his recent departure from FEAR FACTORY, Byron said, "It was just time to leave, man. The way I put it to everybody is that life's too short to spend it with people that don't love and respect you."

3 INCHES OF BLOOD' new album, "Long Live Heavy Metal", was released on March 27 via Century Media Records. According to a press release, "fans can expect a blast of pure metal assured to leave no face unmelted."

For "Long Live Heavy Metal", 3 INCHES OF BLOOD reunited with producer and engineer Terry "Sho" Murray (CITY OF FIRE, EXHIBITIONISTS), who worked with the band on their seven-inch single, "Anthems For The Victorious".

3 INCHES OF BLOOD teamed up with Kim Thiessen to perfect their artistic vision for the album, which was released as a digipack and when opened, lays out similar to that of a book.

3 INCHES OF BLOOD is currently taking part in the "Metal Alliance Tour 2012" alongside DEVILDRIVER, THE FACELESS, DYING FETUS, JOB FOR A COWBOY, IMPENDING DOOM and WRETCHED.