Slash has recruited THE CAB's Frank Sidoris (pictured below) to play rhythm guitar on the former GUNS N' ROSES axeman's upcoming tour. Slash says, "He's in for a long, crazy ride." Sidoris replaces Bobby Schneck, who parted ways with Slash's band a few months ago after spending much of the last two years on the road backing the VELVET REVOLVER guitarist.

Slash is currently in a Los Angeles studio putting the finishing touches on his second solo album. Entitled "Apocalyptic Love", the disc is due out May 22 on Slash's own label Dik Hayd International distributed through EMI

For the new album, Slash — along with and his bandmates Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums) and Todd Kerns (bass) — teamed with producer Eric Valentine, who also produced the "Slash" (2010) disc.

"The Fatal Feast", the title track of the forthcoming fifth studio album from the Virginia crossover thrash metal band MUNICIPAL WASTE, can be streamed below.

"The Fatal Feast" will be released on April 10 in North America and April 13 in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records. The cover artwork for the CD was created by Justin Osbourn of Slasher Design and can be seen below.

"The Fatal Feast" track listing:

01. Waste In Space
02. Repossession
03. New Dead Masters
04. Unholy Abductor
05. Idiot Check
06. Covered In Sick/The Barfer
07. You're Cut Off
08. Authority Complex
09. Standards And Practices
10. Crushing Chest Wound
11. The Monster With 21 Faces
12. Jesus Freaks
13. The Fatal Feast
14. 12 Step Program
15. Death Tax
16. Residential Disaster

Both the digipack and vinyl editions will include the bonus track "Eviction Party".

"The Fatal Feast" features guest appearances by John Connelly (guitarist and vocalist for NUCLEAR ASSAULT), Steve Moore (who plays bass and synthesizers for ZOMBI), and vocalist Tim Barry (ex-AVAIL).

MUNICIPAL WASTE will film a video for "The Fatal Feast" title track this weekend with Jeff Speed Films.

Video footage of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway of British/American grindcore pioneers NAPALM DEATH revealing "secret facts" about each member of the band can be seen below.

NAPALM DEATH will release its 14th studio album (excluding the cover album "Leaders Not Followers"), "Utilitarian", on February 27 in Europe and February 28 in North America via the band's longtime partner, Century Media Records. The cover artwork (see below) perfectly fits the album's theme and was created by the Danish artist Frode Sylthe, who is also responsible for THE HAUNTED's "rEVOLVEr" artwork.

In anticipation of this release, the band has now launched an "Occupy Napalm" Facebook tab to show their support for the Occupy movement and to provide fans with the latest news about their politically-charged "Utilitarian". With downloadable Occupy-themed stencils and screensavers, plus a special video teaser for "Utilitarian" created by Mitch Harris (guitar, vocals), this Facebook tab is the place to go for everything NAPALM DEATH!

"Utilitarian" track listing

01. Circumspect
02. Errors In The Signals
03. Everyday Pox
04. Protection Racket
05. The Wolf I Feed
06. Quarantined
07. Fall On Their Swords
08. Collision Course
09. Orders Of Magnitude
10. Think Tank Trials
11. Blank Look About Face
12. Leper Colony
13. Nom De Guerre
14. Analysis Paralysis
15. Opposite Repellent
16. A Gag Reflex
17. Aim Without An Aim (bonus track)
18. Everything In Mono (bonus track)

Upon "Utilitarian"'s release, NAPALM DEATH's limited-edition "Analysis Paralysis" seen-inch EP will also be available for purchase at CM Distro in black and clear vinyl. Its B-side includes the exclusive track "Youth Offender", making this a very collectable piece for any diehard NAPALM DEATH fan.

Greenway explains the album title and concept: "After some deliberation, we have decided on 'Utilitarian' as the album title. We generally try to avoid generic titles, and this seemed to have a lot of scope to it. I won't explain the full meaning of utilitarianism here because it's an ethical theory, and as ethical theories go, the depth and debate around it is quite heavy at times. It has a certain 'morality' aspect to it and that isn't something that drives me, so I also certainly have issues with it."

"So, rather than just nail that straight to the mast, of course we wanted to put our own spin on it by suggesting that those (i.e. the utilitarian in us, perhaps) who try to challenge everything, or fight against conventions, well, we go through periods of real self-doubt where we wonder if we're really making a difference. I suppose the conclusion is that, for the sake of all our freedoms, you should never stop, as even the feeling of resistance is at least a signal to those who would like to entirely control and dominate us — meaning everything from our instinctive behavior to our human entitlement to walk the earth unprovoked.

"Regarding the album overall, the final creases should be ironed out fairly soon, and immediately after that, we thought it would be good to top it off with a few U.K. dates. We've been playing one new song ('Quarantined') out on a tour of Canada and it's been well received, so we hope to perhaps throw in another one for now. Either way, we'll be bouncing off the walls again near you very soon."

Finnish technical death metallers DE LIRIUM'S ORDER (DLO) will release their third album, "Veniversum", on March 16 via DLO Productions, distributed by Inverse Records.

According to a press release, "Veniversum" is "not to be taken lightly — its compelling sounds, myriad instruments, and incredible solos combined with unprecedented musical madness leaves you puzzled and wanting more.. will you survive this blasting inferno?"

"Veniversum" track listing:

01. Autistic Savant
02. .44
03. Maximum Sentence
04. Seppuku
05. The Gravity of Crime
06. Schizophrenic
07. My Kingdom from Baekdu
08. The Aftermath

DE LIRIUM'S ORDER's "twisted riffs and trashing talent have built the band strong cult following, and with over 800,000 views and moew than 3,000 followers in YouTube, DLO's Ukri Suvilehto is himself a wonder child among the modern death metal drummers."

WATCH ME BLEED — the German "groove" thrash metal band featuring MYSTIC PROPHECY guitar player Markus Pohl and ex-SYMPHORCE drummer Steffen Theurer — will release its sophomore album, "Kingdom", on May 4 via the "label alternative" SAOL/H'art. The CD was produced, mixed and mastered by Eike Fresse (DARK AGE, CALLEJON, GAMMA RAY) at the Hammerstudios in Hamburg. The cover artwork was once again created by the German artist Matthias Bäuerle from Season Zero.

"Kingdom" track listing:

01. The Rising Tide (intro)
02. The World Stops Turning
03. Here Come The Red
04. War Calls Us
05. The Blackest Of The Black (interlude)
06. Kingdom
07. Rack The Slide
08. Death And Pain
09. A Question Of Honor (interlude)
10. Judgement
11. The Sons Of Fenris
12. From Down Below
13. Let Them Try
14. Will You Stand With Me (outro)

Commented Pohl: "'Kingdom' is our statement. It's a big 'fuck you!!!' to all the people who can't stand loud guitars and aggressive singers. That's us…raw, heavy and loud"

Video footage from the recording sessions, including snippets of the title track, "Kingdom", can be viewed below.

WATCH ME BLEED's debut album, "Souldrinker", was released in October 2009 via Silverwolf Productions.

Former EXODUS and current HATRIOT and DUBLIN DEATH PATROL singer Steve "Zetro" Souza makes a guest appearance in the track "Angerhead" from the San Jose, California metal quartet ANGERHEAD. The song comes off ANGERHEAD's latest three-song EP, which is available for streaming in its entirety using the ReverbNation TuneWidget below. In addition to the song "Angerhead", the EP features the cuts "Buried Inside" and "Pissed Off!!"

ANGERHEAD is:

Eric Beard - Guitar
Paul Hastey - Vocals
Larry Luv - Bass
David O'Neal - Drums

ANGERHEAD will support TESTAMENT and HATRIOT on Sunday, February 19 at The Avalon in Santa Clara, California.

"Awoken Broken", the debut album from PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION, the project featuring IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith and SIKTH frontman Mikee Goodman, will be released in the U.S. on April 17 through Spinefarm Records. The CD, which will be made available in Europe on February 27, was produced by Adrian and Mikee, and mixed by Simon Hanhart, whose previous credits include everyone from TIN MACHINE to SAXON. The album features 12 tracks top to tail, and it will be available on digipak CD, digital download and double colored vinyl in gatefold sleeve.

"Awoken Broken" track listing:

01. No Friendly Neighbour (4:53)
02. No Place Like Home (3:06)
03. I See Lights (4:59)
04. Bright As A Fire (6:21)
05. Savage World (3:38)
06. Tortured Tone (5:08)
07. White Sheet Robes (5:16)
08. As Tears Come Falling From The Sky (0:47)
09. Awoken Broken (4:58)
10. Search For Bliss (4:13)
11. Snake Ladders (4:43)
12. Mirror and the Moon (5:04)

Audio samples of all the tracks that will appear on "Awoken Broken" can be streamed below.

The brainchild of Adrian Smith and Mikee Goodman, U.K. musicians with different stories to tell, PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION is a fresh new project that manages to be both reassuring and unexpected at one and the same time…

On the one side, there's Adrian, a key member of the IRON MAIDEN setup, a band he first joined back in 1980; and since that time, MAIDEN has gone on to become one of the biggest hard rock bands the world has seen, playing to vast and staunchly committed crowds all over the world, opening exciting new doors in parts of the globe many people will never even have heard of! Their last studio album, "The Final Frontier", hit the No 1 slot in over 28 countries!

With MAIDEN's reputation having been forged through their ability to blend well-crafted vocal and guitar melodies with the sheer brute force of prime heavy metal, it will surely come as no surprise that the debut PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION album, "Awoken Broken", delivers fully on both fronts, but with an extra nod to the underground, the alternative and the downright edgy — an aspect of the music that is enhanced from start to finish by the presence of one-time SIKTH frontman / lyric-writer/spoken-word maestro, Mikee Goodman.

With SIKTH now universally lauded as one of the major inspirations of the new "Djent" movement, it's perfect timing for Mikee to return to the music scene in full force, following that band's decision to take a break after their second "Death Of A Dead Day" album back in 2006; Mikee's unique vocal approach — an arresting, signature blend of spoken word plus a wide variety of vocal tones (some dark and disturbing, others that owe a debt to the world of animation) — was very much a part of what made SIKTH stand out from the chasing pack, and fans will be delighted to know that his key vocal mannerisms have been both retained and honed for PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION, in a form tightly bound to the structure of the songs themselves.

Yes, there are spoken-word elements, and yes, there are more extreme vocal moments peppered throughout the tracks, but generally speaking, this is a more mature and experienced Mikee, showcasing a strong, melodic voice plus an impressive vocal range, using the more "adventurous" end of his repertoire as a way of providing contrast and effect.

In essence, PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION is the meeting of different minds, different mentalities and different musical backgrounds, but the end result is very much a cohesive, self-produced whole… albeit one that reflects the individual talents of the musicians involved: Adrian provides the guitars, the bass and the advanced song-writing skills — the sense of drama, of light and shade, of music designed to stir the senses, all of them.

Right from the start, it's been very much a labor of love…

Adrian: "It was great working at my own pace and in my own studio with no time constraints. I think during the making of this album I went around the world twice with MAIDEN, working on the project in between. In the process, it allowed for a bit more of an experimental approach."

Meanwhile, Mikee goes head to head with this renowned player as a full writing & production partner, adding new (sometimes surprising, often experimental) layers to the tracks, and ensuring that the music glistens with an inherent contemporary sheen.

Mikee: "Adrian inspired me in many ways. I learnt the importance and the power of choruses in songs. Adrian also gave me a lot more belief in myself melodically. I think we pulled each other out of our comfort zones, creating something fresh and exciting along the way. We co-produced the album together, and the whole recording process was very relaxed — no deadlines, just honing the songs naturally as we recorded them, a new experience for both of us."

In addition to the PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION pair, there are backing vocals on three of the tracks (delivered by Tarin Kerry, discovered by Mikee while he was acting as producer for a band she was in), viola on the bulk of the songs (provided by Abi Fry of BAT FOR LASHES), plus original SIKTH member Dan "Loord" Foord on drums.

The track "I See Lights" can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION was originally scheduled to play a "one-off, under-the-radar" gig on January 15, 2011 at the Wycombe Bucks Student Union, but the gig ended up being canceled after it was inadvertently advertised via the Internet.

Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE have entered a Thailand studio with longtime engineer Martyn "Ginge" Ford to begin recording their fourth album.

A two-and-a-half-minute video tour of the studio courtesy of BULLET guitarist/vocalist Matt Tuck can be seen on the band's Facebook page.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE released a deluxe CD/DVD edition of its third full-length album, "Fever", titled "Fever Tour Edition", in February 2011. The set featured three new songs recorded live at Xfm radio in the U.K. ("Fever", "The Last Fight" and "Bittersweet Memories") and a DVD of "Your Betrayal", "Fever" and "Waking the Demon", recorded live from Graspop Metal Meeting 2010 in Dessel, Belgium. The DVD also included videos for "Your Betrayal", "The Last Fight" and "The Making of The Last Fight" as well as a BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE track-by-track commentary of "Fever".

"Fever" sold 71,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart. "Fever" also landed in the Top Five in Australia, the U.K., Japan, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

In a September 2011 interview with Lithium Magazine, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE guitarist Michael "Padge" Paget stated about "Fever", "As opposed to the other albums, this is right up there. This is definitely where we wanted to go as a band and it's definitely the right record when it comes to maturing. It's the third album; it's definitely where we wanted to go and has taken us where we want to be. It's ticking all the boxes so far and hopefully the next record does the same thing . . . We strive to write great songs and I think 'Fever' comes across as a great album, not just songs, and a complete album. You can sit down and listen to the whole thing as opposed to 'Scream, Aim, Fire'. We tried to take it back to the roots to the 'Poison' sort of thing on the new album, if you know what I mean."

Mediaskare Records has announced the signing of Auckland, New Zealand's ANTAGONIST A.D. The band's new album, "Nothing From No One", will be released this summer.

Formed in 2006, ANTAGONIST A.D. has been steadily building up its reputation in the international hardcore community, touring countries like Australia, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and more alongside bands such as HAVE HEART, PARKWAY DRIVE and EARTH CRISIS.

"Mediaskare is a great label with a great reputation," said ANTAGONIST A.D. vocalist Sam Crocker. "We know their bands are hard-working, 'real' bands that actually tour and make music. Less gimmicks & more heart — which is what we are all about. The music is paramount — first and foremost, before any hype/spin/fashion/faux industry bullshit."

The band recently entered the studio to begin recording "Nothing From No One" and will be documenting its progress via a series of video updates on Mediaskare's YouTube channel.

"The new album steps in a more personal direction than our previous releases," added Sam. "There are still the usual themes you can expect from ANTAGONIST A.D. with songs about animal rights, consumerism, and apathy, but where it differs is dealing with anxiety, depression — feelings of alienation. I think for me, being from a tiny town on a small isolated island at bottom of the world I really started to feel that isolation — the lyrics have been a lot more therapeutic than anything I have written before."

To give new ears a taste of their music, Mediaskare and the band have teamed up to give away their seven-inch EP, "Old Bones Make New Blooms", for free. More information is available at this location.

Massive, massive news from the Black Sabbath camp as they’ve announced that they’ll now only be performing at Download this summer.

Black Sabbath have revealed that they have cancelled the mass majority of their planned European tour!
Sorgnatt (00:24:11 18/02/2012)
The 2012 tour dates are as follows:

BLACK SABBATH

DATE CITY VENUE
Sun 6/10 Donnington UK Download Festival

OZZY AND FRIENDS
DATE CITY VENUE
Wed 5/23 Helsinki,
8:30:11: Finland Hartwall Arena
Fri 5/25 Stockholm, Sweden Stadium
Sun 5/27 Jelling, Denmark Jelling Festival
Tue 5/29 Bergen, Norway Bergen Calling Festival
Thu 5/31 Oslo, Norway Spektrum
Sat 6/2 Malmo, Sweden Malmo Stadium
Mon 6/4 Dortmund, Germany Westfalenhalle
Wed 6/6 Prague, Czech Rep O2 Arena
Fri 6/15 Vitoria, Spain Azkena Rock Festival
Sun 6/17 Clisson, France Hellfest
Fri 6/22 Dessel, Belgium Graspop Metal Meeting
Sun 6/24 Milan,
8:30:12: Italy Gods of Metal Festival
Tue 6/26 Vienna, Austria Stadthalle
Thu 6/28 Belgrade, Serbia USCE Park
Sun 7/1 Athens, Greece Rockwave Festival – Terra”

So as not to let the promoters and fans down, OZZY OSBOURNE will now perform the majority of the previously scheduled BLACK SABBATH dates (both festival performances and the headlining shows) billed as OZZY & FRIENDS. These “first ever” OZZY & FRIENDS shows will feature appearances by “special guest” musicians including GEEZER BUTLER (who will join Ozzy for a special BLACK SABBATH set as a show of respect and support to their friend, Tony Iommi) and longtime former OZZY band member Zakk Wylde. In addition, OZZY will be accompanied by longtime collaborator and friend Slash at select shows, with other “special guests” set to join the tour at various stops along the way (full list of dates, appearances below).

Tony Iommi continues to make excellent progress and is looking forward to getting back out on the road. Meanwhile, BLACK SABBATH continue to write and record music in the U.K. for their upcoming album. More information about these dates and BLACK SABBATH’s recording and touring plans is forthcoming.

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson last fall became one of 100 students in the distance education program at the Concordia Seminary in Clayton, Missouri. Classes include "Lutheran Distinctions," "Preaching I & II," "Introduction to Worship" and "Scripture and Faith."

Speaking to Ken Kelly of The Music Nerd Chronicles, Ellefon stated about his decision to try to become an ordained Lutheran pastor, "My decision really stemmed from attending the church that I have raised my children in. The pastor of the church is a really cool guy. He's a musician and a songwriter and knows a lot about rock n roll. When he moved to Scottsdale to become the Senior Pastor at the church we attend, he and I really hit it off and he was the one who actually suggested that he felt I would be a good fit. He told me that the church needs to have more current and relevant people in their ranks. In a way, he felt as though I was the perfect example because there was a time in my life that I had turned away from the church, but ultimately returned triumphantly. My story is a believable one and that is something that people look towards when they are deciding whether to trust in you. I believe that playing in MEGADETH has been one of my primary purposes in life. However, I feel as though a lot of people reach a point in their lives where there is a fork in the road and aren't quite sure where to turn. I'm proud to be taking the seminary training so that one day, I might have a solid answer to give back to them."

When asked if studying to become a pastor is kind of at odds with playing "the devil's music," Ellefson told the QMI Agency in a separate interview, "Well, the thing of it is, we don't play the devil's music. On (1986's) 'Peace Sells ... But Who's Buying?' there were some songs about seances and things like that. But they weren't written because we did them. Certainly I didn't do them. You can write a song about anything ...and those songs weren't about Satan. They were about questioning things. People that thought it was just about Satan just didn't want to do any homework and went, 'If it's different, then it must be wrong and therefore it's the devil's work.' That's about as closed-minded as you could be."

On the topic of whether he feels an obligation to intervene when he sees other musicians and young people on the wrong path, Ellefson said, "My attitude is that you suit up, you show up and you behave accordingly. And you let, for lack of a better term, God's spirit pass through you. People will see that. If they want to inquire, they know where to go. If someone ain't asking, you don't need to be telling. But if they start asking, that's an opportunity to share what your life was like. The testimony-based approach comes from a place where it's genuine. And I think most ears will hear that a lot better than if you're just standing at the airport beating them over the head with a Bible as they come through the door."

Ellefson recently started MEGALife Ministry, a Christian-based ministry focused on serving all people in their development of faith. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, the ministry is designed to help engage the needs of both churched and un-churched individuals and families worldwide.

Through the endowment of MEGALife's music ministries, personal testimonies and captivating multi-media, it offers a dynamic center for developing a faith in Jesus Christ, especially to those who are new to Christianity or seeking a new church home.

Drummer Roland Navratil has left LEAVES' EYES — the German/Norwegian band formed by ex-THEATRE OF TRAGEDY singer Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull and members of ATROCITY — for "private reasons" and has been replaced by Felix Born.

Commented Felix: "I am really happy to announce that I am the new drummer of LEAVES' EYES. As I got the offer to do a jam session with the band, I was highly motivated, because I love their music. The combination of grooves and nice melodies is exactly what I appreciate being a drummer. During the jam session, I realized the fact that I wanted the job even more, because I felt very comfortable with the whole band. I am really happy about joining LEAVES' EYES and I am looking forward to seeing you all on the road soon!"

Added Liv: "Felix convinced me straight away through his way of playing, for both [my solo band] as well as for LEAVES' EYES. He is a highly talented drummer, probably one of the greatest talents in Germany, in the studio as well as on stage. He is a fresh breath to our music."

In other news, Greece's Rock Overdose recently conducted an interview with Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull. During the chat, which can be streamed below, Liv discusses plans for LEAVES' EYES' next studio album — which she says will be heavier than last year's "Meredead" — her next solo album, and the forthcoming CD from ATROCITY.

Interview (audio):

Miami purveyors of hard rock TORCHE will release of their third album, "Harmonicraft", on April 24 via Volcom Entertainment. The bandmembers produced the CD in their hometown studio, Pinecrust, and delivered the finished recordings to Kurt Ballou of CONVERGE for mixing.

A song from "Harmonicraft" entitled "Kicking" can be streamed below.

Led by vocalist/guitarist Steve Brooks (formerly of doom dropouts FLOOR), Jonathan Nuñez and Rick Smith (also members of the grindcore outfit SHITSTORM) and new guitarist Andrew Elstner (former vocalist/guitarist for St. Louis' RIDDLE OF STEEL), TORCHE has been steamrolling the underground-metal scene since its 2004 inception and made big waves in 2008 with the release of "Meanderthal", their second full-length album. With outlets like Pitchfork, Spin, Paste and Stereogum piling praise upon the band for their super-heavy-yet-totally-accessible brand of melodic metal, TORCHE soon found themselves on top of the underground metal heap, not to mention plenty of year-end lists, most notably grabbing the #1 spot on Decibel magazine's "Top 40 Albums Of 2008."

TORCHE's collection of singles, aptly titled "Songs For Singles", was released in September 2010 via Hydra Head.

"American Idol" finalist Adam Lambert was interviewed on this morning's (Thursday, February 16) edition of "Big Morning Buzz Live" on VH1. You can now video footage of his appearancee below.

When asked about the rumors that he will join the legendary British rock band QUEEN for a tour this summer, Lambert replied, "I'm talking to QUEEN about doing something. I got to perform with them on the [MTV European Music Awards last November], which was so incredible — such an honor to be asked. And there may be something on the horizon, but I'm not joining the band. I have my own album that I need to promote this year, so… I think in a perfect world, I would like to try to find some sort of balance between the two projects, so I'm working on it."

Lambert recently told U.K.'s Daily Star that he had "no intention" of trying to replace QUEEN's original frontman Freddie Mercury.

"The intention is to pay tribute to Freddie and the band by singing some fucking great songs. It's to keep the music alive for the fans and give it an energy that Freddie would have been proud of," he said.

He added, "After the EMAs, I heard faint little slithers of backlash from people saying, 'You can't replace Freddie Mercury.' But I already knew that. There's no intention in my mind of replacing Freddie. That's impossible. The way I'm choosing to view it is that it's a great honor and one I'm in no way going to shirk."

QUEEN drummer Roger Taylor confirmed to Billboard late last year that he and guitarist Brian May were in talks to hit the road with Lambert. After going public with the fact that QUEEN is essentially retired as an active touring unit, Taylor said, "[Lambert] has grown into a really great performer with an astonishing voice with a range that's great. We would like to work with him again. There's nothing signed just yet but we're talking about live dates. It could be very exciting."

1991's "Innuendo" was the last album of new music QUEEN released during Freddie Mercury's lifetime. Mercury died of AIDS on November 24, 1991 at age 45.

In 1995, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon overdubbed Mercury's final piano and vocal recordings to create the band's 15th — and final-four man QUEEN album — "Made In Heaven".

Deacon officially retired from music in 1997 — although he is still a voting member and quarter partner in QUEEN.

In 2008, Brian May and Roger Taylor, who had been touring with Paul Rodgers as QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS, released the chart bomb, "The Cosmos Rocks", before calling it a day as a trio and a recording entity — despite a string of globally sold-out concerts.

Quebec, Canada-based metallers AETERNAM will enter Badass Studios with engineer Jean-François "Jef" Fortin this spring to begin recording their new album, "Moongod", for a late 2012 release via Galy Records.

Commented the band, "The album will contain nine songs plus a short and wicked intro. As far as it goes, there's still a lot of blast beats and brutal stuff, but the music is way more epic and melodic, really more groovy and let's say... dangerous? Lyrics deal a lot with religions (again), but the focus is more on pre-Islamic rites and actual stuff that is going on right now in the Middle East. Nevertheless, there's still some new ideas and conceptsL we do even have a song that talks about Mayan culture! Crazy stuff!"

"Moongod" track listing:

01. Moongod
02. Invading Jerusalem
03. Cosmogony
04. Iram Of The Pillars
05. Rise Of Arabia
06. Xibalba
07. Descent Of Gods
08. Idol Of The Sun
09. Hubal, Profaner Of Light

Video footage of AETERNAM performing the new song "Descent Of Gods" live for the first time in January 2011 at Impérial in Quebec City can be seen below.

In other news, AETERNAM has announced the departure of bassist Jean-François Boudreault.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based technical death metallers DERELICT will release their new album, "Perpetuation", on April 20. Vocalist Eric Burnet states, "The date coincides with our Montreal CD-release show, which will kick off a run of similar events around Quebec and Ontario, followed by some tours in the summer and fall."

"Perpetuation" track listing:

01. Perpetuation
02. Spoils Of War
03. Expiry
04. Digital Birthright
05. Intricate Decay
06. Olympic
07. Ergogenic
08. Recreated
09. Yours To Surpass
10. Shackles Of Indoctrination
11. The Iridium Layer
12. Emergence

A teaser video, a performance of the guitar solo from "Shackles Of Indoctrination", can be seen below.

For more information, visit www.derelictmetal.com.

Portuguese/Finnish heavy rock/ melancholy metal/ progressive ambient project VERTIGO STEPS has inked a record deal with the Portuguese label Ethereal Sound Works. An EP/single entitled "Sublight" will be released in March, featuring three tracks from the forthcoming "Surface/Light" full-length album, plus three video clips.

"Sublight" will include the brand new video for "Someone (Like You)", directed by Norwegian artist and VERTIGO STEPS fan Sigurd Svidal Randal, and featuring experimental and stunning Bergen-area landscape and timelapses.

"Surface/Light" will be made available in April, along with a highly limited special digipack edition including all three VERTIGO STEPS albums ("Vertigo Steps", "The Melancholy Hour", "Surface/Light"). The CD was recorded in late 2011 at UltraSound Studios with producer Daniel Cardoso — who also handled bass and drum duties — and features, in addition to the core duo Bruno A and Niko Mankinen, special guest vocals by Jan Transit, Stein R Sordal, Patrik Karlsson and Sophie.

"Sublight" track listing:

Audio:

01. Silent Bliss
02. Someone (Like You)
03. Nothing At All (ROB DOUGAN cover)

Video:

01. Someone (Like You)
02. Fire Eaters
03. Inhale

Surface/Light recording lineup:

* Bruno A - Music, Guitars, Keys, Ambiences, Samples
* Niko Mankinen - Lead Vocals
* Daniel Cardoso (ANATHEMA, LEAFBLADE, HEAD CONTROL SYSTEM) - Drums, Bass

Vocal guests:

* Jan Transit (IN THE WOODS..., TRANSIT)
* Patrik Karlsson (THIS HAVEN)
* Stein R Sordal (GREEN CARNATION, SORDAL)
* Sophie (UGARIT)

Rock band SIXX: A.M., which consists of bassist Nikki Sixx, guitarist DJ Ashba and vocalist James Michael, has announced a rare performance, and its first in four years, set to take place on April 11 at Revolver Golden Gods Awards at Club Nokia in Los Angeles.

As each band member has been kept busy with their other careers — Sixx is also the bassist for MÖTLEY CRÜE and a syndicated radio host; Ashba is currently touring with GUNS N' ROSES; James Michael is a famed rock producer who is currently working on new records for PAPA ROACH, HALESTORM and others — this marks the band's first chance to perform in support of their current album, "This Is Gonna Hurt", which has already supplied the #1 rock anthem "Lies Of The Beautiful People".

Michael attended the Golden Gods press conference in Los Angeles yesterday (Wednesday, February 15) to announce the band's involvement in the awards, which coincide with the impact of the band's next single, "Are You With Me Now".

"7", the latest EP from SIXX: A.M., came out in December and sold around 2,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The effort contains acoustic versions of songs from the group's first two albums — 2007's "The Heroin Diaries" soundtrack and 2011's "This Is Gonna Hurt".

"This Is Gonna Hurt" has sold around 100,000 copies since its May 2011 release. Released on May 3, 2011, the 11-track CD is a companion piece to Sixx's "This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography And Life Through The Distorted Lens Of Nikki Sixx" book, a follow-up to his New York Times bestseller, "The Heroin Diaries".

The long-awaited Tribunal Records 100th release has finally arrived! Due on March 6, the digital-only release "Tribunal Records 100: Cover To Cover" was begun as a celebration of Tribunal Records artists covering some of their favorite songs and it wound up being quite a diverse bunch of tracks from artists like METALLICA, COLDPLAY, HEART, PINK FLOYD, KORN, EMF, MEGADETH, CORONER, SEAL, CARCASS, MICHAEL SEMBELLO, ROB ZOMBIE, THIRD EYE BLIND, QUEENSRŸCHE, MUSE, INSIDE OUT, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY and LED ZEPPELIN.

Says the label: "The compilation was initially intended for release during Tribunal Records' ten-year anniversary, but a project this grand eventually took on a life of its own and there was no way to possibly complete it in time. We could have simply halted work given the dire circumstances but quitters we are definitely not, so we forged on and now we have 21 tracks (most never before released) to present to all the fans in this special digital collection. Kick back, crank it up and enjoy our 100th release for what it symbolizes…having fun!"

"Tribunal Records 100: Cover To Cover" track listing:

01. THE FEDS - "Barracuda"
02. BLATANT DISARRAY - "Holy Wars…The Punishment Due"
03. ARIA (with Christopher Kincaid) - "Clocks"
04. VANISHER - "Of Wolf & Man"
05. AGE OF RUIN - "Buried Dreams"
06. ASECRETDEATH - "Welcome To The Machine"
07. KILLWHITNEYDEAD - "Sacrifice
08. SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE - "The Razor’s Edge"
09. LINE OF FIRE - "I Will Remember"
10. WOMBWRECKER - "Here I Stay"
11. JONIN - "Caffeine"
12. HE IS LEGEND - "Wounded"
13. SARGANT FURY - "Maniac"
14. CENTURY - "A Kiss From A Rose"
15. CANVAS SOLARIS - "Arc Lite"
16. UNCLE SLAM - "Dazed & Confused"
17. ENEMY IS US - "Stockholm Syndrome"
18. SWIFT - "Unbelievable"
19. VANISHER - "Superbeast"
20. SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE - "Be Quick Or Be Dead"
21. KILLWHITNEYDEAD/JONIN - "Vote With A Bullet"

BLATANT DISARRAY - "Holy Wars…The Punishment Due" audio stream

ALTER BRIDGE will release its new DVD, "Live At Wembley", on March 27. The disc contains footage of one of the biggest headline shows of ALTER BRIDGE's career, which took place on November 29, 2011 at Wembley Arena in London, England. The 2D version (complete with a live CD) will be released everywhere late next month while the 3D version will come out in the summer of 2012. Longtime ALTER BRIDGE director Daniel E Catullo III ("Live From Amsterdam", "One By One", "Isolation", webisodes, etc.) was brought in to direct "Live At Wembley" by The Dude Films, a new production and distribution company with offices in Laguna Beach, California and Maui, Hawaii headed up by "One By One" executive producer Stuart Margolis and executive producer Chris LaBabera. Lionel Pasamonte, who produced the band's last DVD, "Live From Amsterdam", is producing with Catullo.

ALTER BRIDGE's setlist for the Wembley show was as follows:

01. Slip To The Void
02. Find The Real
03. Ghost Of Days Gone By
04. Before Tomorrow Comes
05. Come To Life
06. All Hope Is Gone
07. White Knuckles
08. Brand New Start
09. Metalingus
10. Broken Wings
11. I Know It Hurts
12. One Day Remains
13. Coeur D'Alene
14. Buried Alive
15. Blackbird
16. Wonderful Life (Acoustic Version)
17. Watch Over You (Acoustic Version)
18. Ties That Bind
19. Isolation

Encore:

20. Open Your Eyes
21. Dueling Guitar Solos - Mark and Myles
22. Rise Today

A preview clip of "Slip To The Void" from "Live At Wembley" can now be seen below.

ALTER BRIDGE drummer Scott Phillips told Stereoboard that it's unlikely fans will hear from the band again until 2013, but that they shouldn't take that as a bad sign. Phillips explained, "We'll certainly be visible [in 2012], but it'll be on various projects and then probably 2013 will be the reunion there of ALTER BRIDGE and we'll diligently get to work on a new record and tour as soon as we can."

ALTER BRIDGE spent much of 2011 on the road behind its last album, "AB III", but 2012 will see singer Myles Kennedy return to work as the lead singer in Slash's band, while the other three members of the group will reunite with vocalist Scott Stapp for a new CREED tour and album.

Phillips said, "Each of us have our own thing. I think we've got a lot of different paths we're heading on in 2012," adding that in addition to working with CREED, guitarist Mark Tremonti is prepping his first solo album for release.

Last fall, ALTER BRIDGE released a special edition of "AB III" featuring three previously unheard songs and an hour-long documentary on the group's career.

Decibel magazine subscribers will soon receive a limited-edition yellow-on-green flexi-disc from the Virginia crossover thrash metal band MUNICIPAL WASTE of the track "Religion Proof". The song, which was recorded during the sessions for the group's forthcoming fifth studio album, "The Fatal Feast", but will not be featured on the CD, can now be streamed below.

"Ever since I got that PLUTOCRACY/APROCTOUS split back in the day, I always wanted to put out a flexi record. When Decibel asked us, I was pumped," states MUNICIPAL WASTE vocalist Tony Foresta.

MUNICIPAL WASTE will take part in a one-of-a-kind "Meet & Eat" today (Friday, February 17) in conjunction with L.A.'s own Grill 'Em All truck consisting of an exclusive burger-eating contest and autograph session. More information can be found on the flyer below.

"The Fatal Feast" will be released on April 10 in North America and April 13 in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records. The cover artwork for the cD was created by Justin Osbourn of Slasher Design and can be seen below.

"The Fatal Feast" track listing:

01. Waste In Space
02. Repossession
03. New Dead Masters
04. Unholy Abductor
05. Idiot Check
06. Covered In Sick/The Barfer
07. You're Cut Off
08. Authority Complex
09. Standards And Practices
10. Crushing Chest Wound
11. The Monster With 21 Faces
12. Jesus Freaks
13. The Fatal Feast
14. 12 Step Program
15. Death Tax
16. Residential Disaster

Both the digipack and vinyl editions will include the bonus track "Eviction Party".

"The Fatal Feast" features guest appearances by John Connelly (guitarist and vocalist for NUCLEAR ASSAULT), Steve Moore (who plays bass and synthesizers for ZOMBI), and vocalist Tim Barry (ex-AVAIL).

MUNICIPAL WASTE will film a video for "The Fatal Feast" title track this weekend with Jeff Speed Films.

Québec-based death metallers BLINDED BY FAITH will release their new album, "Tchernobyl Survivor", on March 10 via Galy Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Tchernobyl Survivor
02. Pace Of The Race
03. Dead End
04. Drastic Medicine
05. So Speak The Voice Of Law
06. Stranger In The Mirror
07. Shrivelled Wings
08. Alone
09. Bitter Aftertaste
10. Pornscars
11. Prophet Of Nothing

The song "So Speak The Voice Of Law" can be heard in the YouTube clip below.

BLINDED BY FAITH is:

Tommy Demers - Vocals
Jean-Philippe Morin - Bass
Michaël Beaudoin - Guitar
Julien Marcotte - Drums

For more information, visit www.blindedbyfaith.com.

Former BLACK SABBATH singer Tony Martin has announced the 2012 lineup of his HEADLESS CROSS touring project.

The group, whose live set celebrates the SABBATH album "Headless Cross", consists of the following musicians:

* Tony Martin (BLACK SABBATH, THE CAGE) - Vocals
* Danny "Danté" Needham (VENOM) - Drums
* Geoff Nicholls (ex-BLACK SABBATH) - Keyboards
* Dario Mollo (VOODOO HILL, THE CAGE) - Guitar
* Magnus Rosén (ex-HAMMERFALL) - Bass

HEADLESS CROSS is scheduled to perform on the east coast of England at the end of July, with more appearances to be announced.

A slightly different lineup of HEADLESS CROSS — with Martin, Nicholls and Needham as the only holdovers — was scheduled to tour the U.S. in 2009 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of "Headless Cross", but was forced to cancel the trek at the last minute, reportedly due to promoter issues.

BLACK SABBATH released six albums with Tony Martin on vocals: "The Eternal Idol" (1987), "Headless Cross" (1989), "Tyr" (1990), "Cross Purposes" (1994), "Cross Purposes Live" (1995) and "Forbidden" (1995).

In a 2011 interview with CriticalMass.se, Martin made it clear that he was not interested in reuniting with BLACK SABBATH again. "Not the band," he said. "But I don't have any problems with the people, though. For example, I would work with Tony Iommi, maybe. It's just that I wouldn't like to do the same thing that I did before. Just singing Ozzy songs, Dio songs and all the rest of it and my music being pushed aside. That was my issue.

Martin also revealed that made fans will, unfortunately, not see him on tour that much anymore. "It's just too hard," he explained. "Every time we go out on the road, we lose money. They expect us to play for free or for less and less each time and we can't run an operation like that. It's just not possible. That's disappointing, 'cause I want to be out on the road! It's a natural place for a musician to be. Playing gigs is part of the fun. But you can't do it for nothing, and if you have to sell your house or your car or have to get a day job as an electrician or something to pay to go and play, then that's no fun and it's also damaging to your family and your life."

Martin's last solo album, "Scream", was released in November 2005 via MTM Music. The CD featured legendary drummer Cozy Powell (BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE) on the track "Raising Hell" as well as songwriting contributions by another SABBATH member, Geoff Nicholls.

Fan-filmed video footage of Vinnie Paul Abbott (HELLYEAH, PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN) and Chip Z'Nuff (ENUFF Z'NUFF) performing a cover version of THE KINKS classic "You Really Got Me" (as recorded by VAN HALEN) with Los Angeles glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER on February 10 at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen below.

STEEL PANTHER's sophomore album, "Balls Out", sold nearly 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on November 1 via Universal Republic Records, the follow-up to 2009's "Feel The Steel" contains 14 soon-to-be classics such as "Just Like Tiger Woods", "Gold Digging Whore" and "Weenie Ride". The album also features cameos by Dane Cook on the album opener "In The Future" and NICKELBACK frontman Chad Kroeger and EXTREME axeman Nuno Bettencourt show up on an instant classic "It Won't Suck Itself". "Balls Out" was produced by Grammy-nominated producer/mixer Jay Ruston who produced the band's "Feel The Steel" debut and is known for his work with ANTHRAX, MEAT LOAF, THE DONNAS and MORRISSEY, to name a few.

STEEL PANTHER is Michael Starr (vocals), Satchel (guitar), Lexxi Foxx (bass) and Stix Zadinia (drums).

SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner filled in for Charlie Benante at two ANTHRAX shows in Argentina this past weekend.

Fan-filmed video footage of ANTHRAX's February 13 concert at Cosquin Rock in Buenos Aires, Argentina can be seen below.

Benante and ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello (who is Charlie's nephew) missed several shows on ANTHRAX's recent North American tour in order to spend time with Charlie's mother, who was terminally ill. On February 4, Benante informed fans via his official web site that his mother passed away.

Bittner previously joined ANTHRAX on stage on November 8, 2011 at Northern Lights in Clifton Park, New York to perform the ANTHRAX classic "Madhouse". He also filled in on drums for Benante for two ANTHRAX shows in January 2006 after Charlie was forced to leave the tour early to attend to his wife Sandra, who gave birth to the couple's first child, Mia Charley Benante.

Finnish death metallers TORTURE KILLER will release a new three-song EP entitled "I Chose Death" on March 7 via Dynamic Arts Records. It contains two new tracks and a cover version of DEMIGOD's "Succumb To Dark" song from the "Unholy Domain" demo tape. The cover artwork was created by Mark Riddick and can be seen below.

"I Chose Death" marks the recording debut of the group's new singer, Pessi Haltsonen (RETALIATORY MEASURES), who is described by his new bandmates as "a perfect fit" and "a human powerhouse."

"I Chose Death" track listing:

01. All Will End In Terror
02. Succumb To Dark
03. I Chose Death

The song "I Chose Death" is now available for streaming below.

TORTURE KILLER's third album, "Sewers" came out in 2009 via Dynamic Arts Records.

The band's sophomore CD, "Swarm!", was released by Metal Blade Records and featured legendary death metal vocalist Chris Barnes from CANNIBAL CORPSE and SIX FEET UNDER.

For more information, visit www.torturekiller.com.

THE INIQUITY DESCENT, the extreme-metal project featuring vocalist Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns of Finnish folk metallers FINNTROLL, will release its debut album, "The Human Apheresis", on May 25 via Massacre Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. In Prostration
02. An Empty Temple
03. The Human Apheresis
04. Obedience Torn
05. Collector Vs Protector
06. Believers In The Apotheosis; Imaginary Ectoplasmic Hands
07. Decimate, Disintegrate
08. Trust The Serpent
09. The Invisible
10. Infected

A demo version of the song "An Empty Temple" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. Also available is the CD cover artwork.

THE INIQUITY DESCENT released its debut EP, "Trust The Serpent", in November 2010. The CD was mastered at Nordic Audio Labs by Sami "Hannu" Koivisto and contains four songs (out of 11 that were tracked).

THE INIQUITY DESCENT is:

Mathias Lillmåns - Vocals
Mikael Mannström - Guitars
Philip Kerbs - Guitars
Jonas Frilund - Bass
Kenna Nygård - Drums

Polish female-fronted traditional heavy metal act CRYSTAL VIPER will release its new album, "Crimen Excepa", in Europe on April 27 and in the U.S. on April 24 via AFM Records. The concept effort about holy inquisition, black magic and witches, where fiction is mixed with historical facts, was produced by Bart Gabriel (SACRED STEEL, JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR) and recorded with sound engineer Mariusz Pietka (MORTICIAN, LONEWOLF).

"Crimen Excepta" will feature two special guests: David Bower, vocalist of HELL will appear in the title track, while VADER mainman Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek will be heard in the cover version of the classic VADER song "Tyrani Piekiel", which will be available as the bonus track on the first, limited edition of the album.

"Crimen Excepta" track listing: (Note: Even-numbered songs are "hidden" bonus tracks.)

01. Witch's Mark
03. Child Of The Flame
05. It's Your Omen
07. Crimen Excepta (feat. David Bower)
09. Medicus Animarum
11. The Spell Of Death
13. Hope Is Gone, Here's New Law
15. Fire Be My Gates

CD Bonus tracks:

17. Tyrani Piekiel (VADER cover, feat. Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek)
18. Ghosts Of Sherwood (from the "Robin Hood: Ghosts Of Sherwood" motion picture soundtrack)

"We already announced that fans should expect the unexpected," says CRYSTAL VIPER frontwoman Marta Gabriel. "The new album is different than everything CRYSTAL VIPER did in the past. Of course it's still traditonal metal, and it's still CRYSTAL VIPER — but this time, everything was different, starting from the compositions, through our attitude and inspirations, up to equipment we used and the recording session itself."

She adds, "It was amazing to have Peter in the studio. We all are huge fans of VADER, and I think he was also amazed when he heard how our voices sound together in this heavy metal version of 'Tyrani Piekiel'. And when you will hear the lines of William The Judge recorded by David of HELL, you will have your jaw on the floor. We had."

CRYSTAL VIPER's last album, "Legends", was released in October 2010 via AFM Records. The CD's lyrics were based on the original Polish legends from the middle ages. The effort's cover artwork was painted by the French artist Chris Moyen, who has previously worked with SLAYER, TRIVIUM, BEHERIT and BLASPHEMY.