MURDER CONSTRUCT, the Los Angeles, California-based band featuring Travis Ryan (CATTLE DECAPITATION) on vocals, Leon del Muerte (EXHUMED, PHOBIA, IMPALED) on guitar and vocals, Kevin Fetus (FETUS EATERS, WATCH ME BURN) on guitar, Danny Walker (INTRONAUT, EXHUMED, UPHILL BATTLE) on drums, and Caleb Schneider (BAD ACID TRIP) on bass, has entered the studio to begin work on its full-length debut full-length for a mid-2012 release via Relapse Records. The as-yet-untitled follow-up to the group's acclaimed self-titled EP is being tracked at Architeuthis Sound with engineer Sean Vahle and at Trench Studios with John Haddad (ABYSMAL DAWN, EXHUMED, INTRONAUT). The mastering duties will be handled by Dan Randall (TOXIC HOLOCAUST, IMPALED, MAGRUDERGRIND) at Mammoth Sound.

Commented MURDER CONSTRUCT's Leon del Muerte: "I'm not even sure we thought we'd ever finally get around to doing this shit. Over the last couple of years, we've managed to piece together 12 shivarees to the blast beat. We decided to invite some of our friends over to help with the shenanigans, too! Overall, should be a big, fat, noisy fucking mess that picks up where the EP left off."

According to The Canadian Press, "Vincent Goes To Hell: An Alice Cooper Doc Opera", the upcoming documentary about the shock rocker's evolution from preacher's son to superstardom, is among five English-language and three French-language projects that are getting funds through the Theatrical Documentary Program from Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group Of Funds.

Telefilm says the funds will support production or post-production work on the projects.

In a recent interview with Spinner.com, Canadian documentarian Sam Dunn of Banger Films ("Metal: A Headbangers Journey", "Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage") stated about the Cooper documentary, "We know Alice through various projects that we've done," he said. "We interviewed Alice for 'Headbanger's Journey'. He's also featured pretty prominently in two episodes of [the new groundbreaking documentary series] 'Metal Evolution', both in [the] Shock Rock and Early Metal U.S. [episodes]. He's a pretty fascinating character, who has been through a lot in his life. He's one of those musicians that maybe he hasn't had a hit in a long time, but everyone knows who Alice Cooper is because of his influence on pop culture and the big songs he had in the '70s. . . We're in the early stages of telling the story of his career. We're probably going to focus in on his early years up to his comeback in the '80s. We're exploring a different stylist approach with this film. It won't be talking heads; it's going to be more of an archival and animated journey through his career. He's such a rich visual artist, it makes so much sense to try and do it in a different way. I think we're just a little bit sick of doing talking head interviews, to be honest [laughs], after doing 300 of them for 'Metal Evolution'. So it's really the story of Alice's career from the '60s right up to the '80s and everything he went through — the ups and the downs, battles with alcoholism, being raised in a Christian family, rebelling against that but then coming back to faith later in his career, and moving from town to town, and trying to find his place."

The Alice Cooper documentary is tentatively scheduled to premiere at the TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in September 2012.

Alice Cooper's new album, "Welcome 2 My Nightmare", sold 18,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 22 on The Billboard 200 chart. Cooper's previous CD, 2008's "Along Came A Spider", opened with just under 10,000 copies to land at No. 53.

Recorded with longtime collaborator Bob Ezrin, who produced the original multi-platinum "Welcome To My Nightmare" album in 1975, "Welcome 2 My Nightmare" picks up right where they left off, with Alice trapped in his own warped mind.

That original album is an all-time rock classic that spawned a worldwide theatrical tour and pioneering U.S. TV special and cemented Alice Cooper as a visionary trailblazer whose influence persists today in rock, metal, pop, punk, theater, television, film and much more.

GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell has released the following statement:

"To all my friends:

Just wanted to announce that I will be coming back with my band, GREAT WHITE, and a BRAND NEW lineup.

"My new bandmates are some of the most incredible musicians I have ever had the privilege to play with: Matthew Johnson, former guitarist for GREAT WHITE; Derrick Pontier, former drummer for GREAT WHITE; Dario Seixas, former bassist for FIREHOUSE and the Stephen Pearcy band; and Robby Lochner, former guitarist for Rob Halford's band and Cherie Currie.

"I am very excited about this new beginning.

"I am feeling better than ever, despite any rumors you may hear to the contrary.

"Unfortunately, and as confusing as it will be, my former bandmates and their manager have decided to continue to tour next year under the name I created, GREAT WHITE. I will be touring under the name GREAT WHITE FEATURING JACK RUSSELL to try avoid any confusion.

"So now the true fans will know the difference.

"I will be announcing tour dates as soon as they become available.

"Our first performance will be at the pre-NAMM Jam on January 14, 2012. Only shows advertised as GREAT WHITE FEATURING JACK RUSSELL will include myself on vocals.

"I have missed all of you terribly and look forward to seeing you all on the road. You have no idea how much your love and devotion has meant to me during what has been one of the hardest periods of my life.

"Happy holidays! Much peace and love to you and your families. Have a blessed New Year.

"Yours, as always, Jack Russell, founder and lead vocalist, GREAT WHITE

"P.S.: JACK IS BACK!!!!!!!!"

IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson, JETHRO TULL frontman Ian Anderson and Justin Hayward of the MOODY BLUES performed for the first time together under the name Canterbury Rocks At Christmas, on Saturday, December 10th at the Canterbury Cathedral Nave in Kent, England in support of The Canterbury Gift, which raises funds for the ongoing renovation work on the cathedral.

The Canterbury Cathedral Appeal was launched to protect and enhance Canterbury Cathedral's future as a religious, heritage and cultural centre. Every five years the cathedral carries out a major structural review. The last so-called Quinquennial made it very clear that a combination of centuries of weathering, pollution and constant use had taken its toll on the building and there were some serious problems at Canterbury Cathedral that needed urgent action.

Much of the cathedral's stonework is damaged and crumbling, the roofs are leaking and much of the stained glass is badly corroded. It is thought that if action is not taken now, the rate of decay and damage being inflicted on the building will increase dramatically with potentially disastrous results, including closure of large sections of the cathedral in order to guarantee the safety of the million plus worshippers, pilgrims and tourists who visit the cathedral every year.

Ian Anderson spoke of the importance of supporting Canterbury Cathedral recently: "If our generation and the future generations don't do it, then it will be lost," he said. "There is a real parallel regarding the preservation of our great buildings, and the greater sense of conserving our world. We need a huge change of thinking about the stewardship of our planet and all it contains, both natural and man-made. Canterbury Cathedral is a place for life today. But it is also a place for the future and, whether you are a Christian or not, it is a place which should remain forever close to our hearts."

IRON MAIDEN vocalist Bruce Dickinson, who is a licensed commercial pilot, has set up a state-of the-art Boeing 737 flight simulator at London's Heathrow Airport and is holding training sessions for members of the Iron Maiden Fan Club.

Footage from some of this month's training sessions can now be seen below.

In a press release that was issued last month, Bruce commented, "I can't wait to sit in the simulator with fans and share the buzz of what it is really like to fly a modern passenger jet such as Flight 666 and all the challenges that entails."

Bruce Dickinson has a huge passion for flying — so much so that he is a commercial airline captain and a talented originator — devising an ingenious method of converting a Boeing 757 to allow him, the band, their crew and tons of equipment to tour three times around the world in their customised plane "Ed Force One", call sign "Flight 666".

Not content with just entertaining fans on the ground, Bruce then instigated a series of highly acclaimed "Bruce Air Flight 666" excursions, filling the plane with fans and personally flying them to and from various IRON MAIDEN concerts around Europe.

Dickinson told CNN.com in a 2007 interview, "Aviation's been kicking around my family for as long as I can remember; my uncle was in the RAF. But I always thought I was too stupid. I was useless at maths and majored in history at university, so I thought history majors don't become pilots, let alone rock stars. And then our drummer learned to fly so I said if a drummer can learn to fly then anyone can."

He added, "I never dreamed I would end up flying an airliner. I ended up flying IRON MAIDEN around on tour in a little eight-seat, pressurized, twin-engine plane. Basically we were flying round all the world's major airports, flew across the Atlantic and back, which was quite an adventure. At the end I thought I really want to fly something bigger, but I can't afford it — I can't buy my own 707. If I'm going to do that I have to get a job."

METALLICA's official web site has been updated with the following message:

"Last week we celebrated our 30th anniversary together with fan-club members from around the world by playing four nights at the historic Fillmore in San Francisco . . . It was quite the bash each and every night!

"If you were able to join us at any or all of the parties, thanks for coming out to hang with us. And whether or not you were there, you may have heard that we added some unreleased tracks from the 'Death Magnetic' sessions to the set list — one 'new' song each night as part of the shenanigans on stage.

"This week, we’re releasing those four tracks through iTunes exclusively in North America and on iTunes and additional digital retailers in other parts of the world as the 'Beyond Magnetic' EP. All four studio versions of these songs were sent to Met Club members for free immediately following their live debut on stage at the Fillmore and tomorrow they will be available to everyone via the magic of digital downloading. They are the rough mixes, unfinished to their original degree of mixing from March of 2008, and those of you with very keen senses of sound might recognize bits and pieces from the 'Mission Metallica' videos posted in the summer of 2008.

"Thanks again to everyone who visited us in San Francisco. As Lars [Ulrich, drums] mentioned at the end of the last show, we'll be back here in January with an announcement about a special interactive fan event in June of 2012 . . . we may ask you to do a little traveling again!"

"Beyond Magnetic" track listing:

01. Hate Train
02. Just A Bullet Away
03. Hell And Back
04. Rebel Of Babylon

Finnish dark metallers SOULFALLEN will release their third album, "The Promise Of Hell", on January 18, 2012 via the band's own label, Grave New Music, with distribution from Inverse Records/Supersounds (Finland), Plastic Head (U.K.), Bertus (Holland), Sound Pollution (Sweden), Disk Union (Japan), The End Records (USA), Rebeat (Austria), Non Stop (Switzerland), and LSP/MetalZone (Belgium). The cover artwork was created by Maija Ranka and can be seen below.

Commented SOULFALLEN frontman Kai Leikola: "The new album will be the final part of a trilogy, the closing of a chapter. It will bear the trademark sound of SOULFALLEN with some new flavors directly from the ever-burning kitchens of Hell. The story will continue where 'Grave New World' left off: at the burial of the world. Something has gone terribly wrong and life has united with death in a way never seen before. Humanity is not allowed rest but trapped in a Hell where even death cannot save those already dead."

A video for the song "Scars Aligned" was filmed this past fall and will make its online debut next month to coincide with the album's release. The clip features a guest vocal appearance by Annika Jalkanen.

EVANESCENCE performed at this year's Nobel Peace Prize concert this past Sunday, Decemebr 11 in Oslo, Norway at the Oslo Spektrum. The concert was held a day after the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, whose honorees include President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and women's right activist Leymah Gbowee, both of whom are from Liberia, and democracy activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen. EVANESCENCE joined a number of other accomplished performing artists, including singer-songwriter David Gray, vocalist Jill Scott, country duo SUGARLAND and Matthew Morrison from "Glee". The concert was broadcast globally in up to 130 countries, including those in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, South, Central and North America. The event was also streamed live on CNN International.

"Far Too Long", another brand new song from the progressive/power metal act KATAGORY V, can be streamed using the ReverbNation TuneWidget below. The track will appear on the band's upcoming fifth album, "Resurrect The Insurgence", to be released in 2012.

Commented KATAGORY V bassist Dustin Mitchell: "We know it has been rather quiet in the KATAGORY V camp, and many have been wondering when the new album will be released, but rest assured we are still fighting the good fight, and the new album will be delivered in good time. However, it has been difficult to nail down a release date in the current state of the industry with the constant changes abound. Nevertheless, we are still alive!

"A few months back we uploaded a new song from the upcoming album, 'Resurrect The Insurgence', which was completed earlier this year with the help of producer Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69, ANGRA, PRIMAL FEAR), and felt it was time to throw out another musical morsel from the new album out there for everyone to test drive.

"Lyrically, 'Far Too Long' is about the ending of a very long relationship with someone, the ripple effect that it causes, the expectations from those around you, and the changes that need to be overcome. This song was written four years ago, and only recently, became self-prophesying for myself, which I found to be rather ironic.

"Musically, this song is a very straight ahead, very melancholy track with a bit of an AOR approach. Dennis and I joked that this would be our radio hit if such a thing existed for the band, or in general these days, as it is by far the most accessible song on the album. It has many of the classic KATAGORY V progressive trademarks with the phrasings and structures, however, with a lot more emphasis on melody and hook. Once again, our influences are very apparent here in this song and we are very proud of how this turned out. It musically and emotionally compliments the lyrical content.

"We picked this next song to show the fans another side of the band, as well as the more melodic direction we are taking with the new album. We feel that the production and performance of this song highlights the album as a whole."

"Resurrect The Insurgence" is the first KATAGORY V album to be recorded, produced, and engineered by Mitchell, who is the sole remaining original member in the band.

To honor Chuck Schuldiner's (DEATH, CONTROL DENIED) legacy as a death metal pioneer, an inimitable vocalist and one of the best guitarists to thoughtfully shred the six-string on the 10th anniversary of his death, Lars Gotrich of NPR's "All Songs Considered" blog asked eleven metal musicians to pick their favorite DEATH song, and write what it and Schuldiner has meant to them. For Paul Masvidal (CYNIC), Gene Hoglan (FEAR FACTORY) and Richard Christy (CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED) — all former members of DEATH (and there have been a lot) — it's telling that all three chose songs from 1991's watershed album, "Human". In the modern metal scene, younger musicians like Arthur von Nagel (CORMORANT), Elizabeth Schall (DREAMING DEAD) and John Dyer Baizley (BARONESS) all grew up with the legend of DEATH and have taken its heavy lessons to heart.

Read the article in its entirety at NPR.org.

Swedish deathcrust ensemble BOMBS OF HADES has inked a deal with Pulverised Records.

Spawned in 2002 as a crustpunk act, BOMBS OF HADES quickly mutated into a gristly old-school Swedish death metal direction, while still retaining a strong d-beat/crust vibe. Fronted by Jonas Stålhammar (GOD MACABRE, UTUMNO) who recently served briefly with legendary Swedish thrashers THE CROWN, the band is now geared up for its second full-length, entitled "A Serpent's Redemption". The follow-up to 2010's "Chambers Of Abominations", which was released via Blood Harvest Records, is expected to drop sometime next year.

Commented Stålhammar: "BOMBS OF HADES are psyched to have the next album released through Pulverised.

"'A Serpent's Redemption' will satisfy souls starved for some true old-school death metal and will be unleashed before the summer of 2012."

Added Pulverised Records A&R manager Calvin Chiang: "BOMBS OF HADES are one band that have been on our radar for some time now. We finally thought it was time to seize the opportunity to grab them for a brand new record. To further confirm that our gut feeling was correct, our good old friend Ayong (founder of Pulverised Records) coincidentally recommended the band and strongly insisted we get BOMBS OF HADES on our roster by hook or by crook! Expect full-blown death metal abomination!"

rench brutal djent metal mongers OUTCAST have inked a deal with Listenable Records. The band's third album, "Awaken The Reason", will be released in Europe on February 20, 2012. According to a press release, the CD will be the group's "strongest and most solid recording so far," which "genuinely capture[s] the band's musical madness." It features "a modern-sounding-yet-organic production spiced up by some frenzy extreme guitar and drums assaults."

Commmented OUTCAST: "'Awaken The Reason' was recorded between January and September 2010 at The Artist The Office Studio. It was mixed at Split Second Sound Studio by Jochem Jacobs (TEXTURES) in October/November 2010 and then mastered at West West Side Music by Alan Douches (MASTODON, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN). The album was composed between 2006 and 2009, mixing various influences, [including] Steve Vai, GOJIRA, DREAM THEATER, DEVIN TOWNSEND, TEXTURES and SIKTH. Our main goal was to stay away from traditionnal death music and produce a progressive album with personnal signature. Eighty percent of the album was composed by Nicolas [Soulat, guitar] but everyone was at work to improve melodies and songwriting. That's why the album sounds like a concept album even if it's not. This way of thinking music mixed with several aproaches of riffing and soloing constitute, in our opinion, the main guideline and would confer strong marks to the listener. So our minds were opened and focused on originality using old and new references in the whole metal industry."

Regarding how the new album compares to OUTCAST's earlier efforts, the band said, "The more obvious difference between 'Awaken The Reason' and 'Self Injected Reality', our previous album, is the production, which gives more space and organic feelings to the composition. The composition and songs themselves are more colored and progressive, more subtle in the ambiences are not just full-rooted in death metal."

According to TMZ.com, former WARRANT singer Jani Lane left behind no will when he died of alcohol poisoning in August, and now his oldest daughter has asked the court to approve an estate administrator to start figuring things out.

Lane's estate is reportedly valued at $600,000, though it's unclear exactly what it's made up of.

Jani is survived by his wife, Kimberly; a brother, Eric; three sisters, Marcine Williams, Michelle Robinson and Victoria Oswald; a daughter from his first marriage, Taylar Lane; a daughter from his second marriage, Madison Lane; and two stepdaughters, Ryan and Brittany.

Lane suffered from "acute ethanol poisoning" when he died at a Comfort Inn motel room in Woodland Hills, California on August 11.

The singer had battled alcoholism for years and also had a history of alcohol-related arrests. His sister, Vicky Oswald-Ley, told RadarOnline.com that the death of their mother seven years ago affected Lane's battles against alcohol. "She would always talk him into going into rehab and hospitals," she said. "I think when she passed, that desire to stay healthy died too."

"He finally succumbed to that," Steinman said. "He lost his battle over alcohol."

A mere 71 days after announcing Dilana Robichaux as the band's new lead singer, L.A. GUNS has already parted ways with the former "Rock Star: Supernova" reality-TV show contestant and has replaced her with former BLACKLIST UNION frontman Tony West.

Although no reason was given for Robichaux's departure, she insisted on her Facebook page that she never quit L.A. GUNS. "Tracii [Guns, L.A. GUNS guitarist] walked out saying, 'Thank you, it was fun while it lasted,'" she said, before calling the band "a fucking joke" and claiming that she has already secured a publisher for a planned tell-all book that would include her version of what happened during her short-lived stint as the group's lead vocalist. "I have all the notes written n some recorded about this very fucked up L.A. GUNS tour," she wrote. "One day, you will understand!"

Commenting on Dilana's time with L.A. GUNS, Tracii tweeted, "It was truly the best L.A. GUNS I ever heard on stage, hands down. Sometimes the greatest art comes from the madness and this was the case here. I know Dilana is ripping on every aspect of the situation and I know that’s how she vents, so I am OK with it."

British progressive metallers THRESHOLD have set "March Of Progress" as the title of their new album, due early next year via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD will mark marks the return of the band's original vocalist Damian Wilson (HEADSPACE, STAR ONE) who rejoined the group in 2007 following the departure of Andrew "Mac" McDermott, who sadly passed away in August.

"March Of Progress" is being produced at Thin Ice Studios and Eightspace Studio in the U.K. by Karl Groom and Richard West.
Provisional songtitles set to appear on the CD include:

* Ashes
* Return of the Thought Police
* Colophon
* Staring at the Sun
* Liberty Complacency Dependency
* Divinity
* The Hours
* Don't Look Down
* That's Why we Came
* The Rubicon
* Coda