According to DailyMail.co.uk, British Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) Louise Mensch revealed that she is lobbying for a knighthood for former LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page, who is one of her husband's former clients.

Louise is married to Peter Mensch — a co-owner of Q Prime, a talent management company that handles the careers of such artists as METALLICA, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SHANIA TWAIN and JOSH GROBAN.

Louise Mensch wrote of her campaign to turn Page into Sir Jimmy on Twitter. "I've proposed Jimmy Page. Waiting to see if that finds favour with Honours Directorate. I hope so," she said. However, she denied that her husband's past role as his manager had any influence, saying, "Clearly there is nobody more worthy of a knighthood and I am glad to say I have gathered support from every major record label in the U.K."

Relapse Records has announced the signing of California anarcho-grinders LIBERTEER. The band's debut album, "Better To Die on Your Feet Than Live On Your Knees", will be released on January 31, 2012.

The creation of Matthew Widener (CRETIN, CITIZEN), LIBERTEER is a manifestation of total anarchy, driven by an incendiary lyrical message designed to burn the system down!

Commented Widener: "My thoughts on politics slowly changed over the past six years. In CITIZEN I had a sense of outrage about our government, but because it still supported the idea of state, it doesn't make much sense to me now. I've come to embrace the ideas of anarchy.

"The old band name, CITIZEN, represents a system of exclusion and nationalism, things I can't stand now, so I had to rename the band and change a lot of things.

"I think the good things about the music are still there — the thematic, major-key riffs, the d-beats and blasts — but the message is now pure.

"The album is one long song, with a handful of the coolest riffs reappearing as leitmotifs, like a pissed off opera made of blasts and d-beats. It's utterly relentless. Plus, there's a training montage at the halfway point."

Das neue IRON MASK Album „Black As Death“ erscheint am 16. Dezember via AFM Records. Neben der CD Version wird auch eine auf 500 Stück Limitierte Vinyl Auflage erhältlich sein. Die 2 LP im Klappcover enthält einen speziellen Bonus Track: „March Of The Slaves“.

Bandleader und Gitarrist Dushan Petrossi dazu:
„Bei jeder neuen Veröffentlichung fragen mich Fans nach einer Vinyl-Auflage. Ich bin froh, dass wir diesem Wunsch mit „Black As Death“ nun zum ersten Mal nachkommen können. Das Coverartwork hat uns total umgehauen, und es wird im Vinylformat sicher großartig zur Geltung kommen. Das erhöht unsere eigene Vorfreude auf den Release sogar nochmals.“

Tracklist “Black As Death”:

01. From Light Into The Dark
02. Black As Death
03. Broken Hero
04. Feel The Fire
05. Genghis Khan
06. God Punishes, I Kill
07. Rebel Kid
08. Blizzard Of Doom
09. The Absence
10. Magic Sky Requiem
11. Nosferatu
12. When All Braves Fall

Evil Strikes In Silence (CD & Vinyl Bonustrack)
March Of The Slaves (Vinyl Bonustrack)

Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT will release "Live From Beyond Hell/Above Heaven" in Europe on November 25 via Vertigo/Universal on double DVD, Blu-ray, limited double DVD + audio CD, CD, digital download and VOD.

With engines revving, VOLBEAT takes "Live From Beyond Hell/Above Heaven" into overdrive and jacks up their musical ride with footage from their sold-out show in front of 10,000 fervent fans at the Forum in Copenhagen, to the House of Blues in Anaheim, California and the Rock Am Ring show in Germany. It's VOLBEAT conquering performance territory Stateside and across Europe, showing fans that the band is just as comfortable, charged and throttled in front of an audience as intimate as 1,100 or as vast as 80,000.

Filmed on 11 cameras, leaving no musical stone unturned, this is as close to a backstage pass as you can get. And joined by such musical greats as Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano of ANTHRAX/THE DAMNED THINGS, Michael Denner (MERCYFUL FATE), Mille Petrozza (KREATOR), Jacob Øelund, and L.G. Petrov (ENTOMBED), viewers also witness VOLBEAT in a rock and metal Hall Of Fame.

DVD 1

Live at Forum in Copenhagen, Denmark:

01. Intro
02. The Mirror And The Ripper
03. Maybellene I Hofteholder
04. Hallelujah Goat
05. 16 Dollars
06. Heaven Nor Hell
07. Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood
08. Who They Are
09. Evelyn
10. Mary Ann's Place
11. Sad Man's Tongue
12. We
13. 7 Shots
14. Pool Of Booze, Booze, Booza/BOA
15. A Warrior's Call
16. The Garden's Tale
17. Fallen
18. Thanks
19. The Human Instrument

DVD 2

Live at House Of Blues in Anaheim, California:

01. A Moment Forever / Hallelujah Goat
02. Radio Girl
03. Angelfuck
04. Mr. & Mrs. Ness
05. Still Counting
06. Pool Of Booze, Booze, Booza/BOA
07. I Only Wanna Be With You

Live at Rock am Ring in Nürburgring, Germany:

01. Sad Man's Tongue
02. Mary Ann's Place
03. Still Counting

* Beyond The Scenes [Behind the Scenes]

CD

01. Intro
02. The Mirror And The Ripper
03. Maybellene I Hofteholder
04. 16 Dollars
05. Heaven Nor Hell
06. Who They Are
07. Evelyn
08. Sad Man's Tongue
09. 7 Shots
10. Pool Of Booze, Booze, Booza/BOA
11. A Warrior's Call
12. The Garden's Tale
13. Fallen
14. Thanks
15. The Human Instrument
16. Angelfuck
17. Still Counting
18. I Only Wanna Be With You

Late October Lisa announced to her fellow bandmembers she’d decided to leave Draconian starting as soon as possible. It had been on the table for some time.

It’s with sadness we state this message. Lisa has, since her appearance on the Draconian demo “Dark Oceans We Cry”, continued to astonish and melt thousands of people’s hearts over the years with her emotional vocal. The addition of Lisa is what helped us to get our long awaited record contract. We are very aware what she has meant to our band and the legacy she’s left us with.
We are further sorry about all fans that never got the chance to see this line-up of Draconian; a line-up that made Draconian what it is today. This bad news will however NOT mean the end for us. The band is determined to enter a new era of productivity and artistic expression.

Lisa’s appearance with Draconian at the 9th edition of Metal Female Voices in Belgium became her last show with the band. It’s a worthy end of an almost 10 year calling and a beginning of something new for Draconian.

Our profoundest appreciation and gratitude to our friend Lisa Johansson for these years working together. We wish her and her family the best possible for the future.

Underneath, read Lisa’s good bye letter

/Draconian


“It’s hard for me to write this; something I have thought about for a long time. I have argued with myself back and forth but have finally come to the conclusion to leave Draconian.

So why? One of the reasons are that since I had my son I feel I don’t want to, for emotional reasons, go away on longer trips to perform. I count the hours until I’m back again. Another reason is that I have a demanding job six days a week, and this leads to, along with having a child to care for, that I have difficulties finding passion and energy to engage myself in Draconian to the extent I should.

It’s actually with a heavy heart I sit and write this. I don’t want to give up either my fans or the guys in Draconian, but I feel I have to prioritize my family.
I don’t need a sobbing and weepy farewell with the members of Draconian. I will keep meeting them, but it’s the thought of you who are listening to all our songs and all you whom I’ve met on our shows which is the hardest to let go of. To all of you I want to say Thank You! I will carry all the memories with me and all of you in my heart always. And a part of me will always be ‘Lisa in Draconian’. “

/Lisa Johansson
14.11.2011

Decadence, the debut album from Maldives-based death/black metallers NOTHNEGAL, will be released on January 20th (January 24th in North America) via Season Of Mist.

Salvation'
'Claymore'
'Janus'
'Decadence'
'Armageddon'
'R.A.D.A.R'
'Sins Of Our Creations'
'Singularity'

You can listen to a 40-second snippet of 'Claymore' at the band's homepage.

Frontiers Records has set a January 24, 2012 North American release date (four days earlier in Europe) for the long-awaited new MOLLO/MARTIN album, entitled "The Third Cage".

Dario Mollo and Tony Martin first got together when the Italian guitar player/produced and composer needed the right singer after the put together a new set of songs in the late '90s. The former BLACK SABBATH frontman's involvement came about on a suggestion from producer Kit Woolven (UFO, THIN LIZZY) with whom Mollo had been working during his CROSSBONES years. Martin wrote lyrics and melodies for the amazing tracks that Dario had already assembled, and thus THE CAGE was born.

THE CAGE's first album, released independently in 1999, gained a great success among the hard rock fans and the critics and Dario started finally to make himself a reputation over the international markets. This debut was later followed by an equally acclaimed second album in 2002.

Mollo has been very busy since then, releasing one more album with the VOODOO HILL project with Glenn Hughes. He then toured Europe with Graham Bonnet and Don Airey. After Don became a permanent DEEP PURPLE member, Dario and Graham Bonnet formed ELEKTRIC ZOO, touring Europe again, performing songs from RAINBOW, ALCATRAZZ, VOODOO HILL and THE CAGE. In 2008 Dario released an album with the more alt-rock Italian band NOIZE MACHINE, before getting again to work on a new set of hard-rocking songs for a new record with Martin.

"As usual, we are 50/50 partners," explains Mollo. "I write all the music and Tony then contributes with the melodies and lyrics. We also try together different structures of the tracks and we rearrange them to better fit the vocal parts. Then I go ahead and take care of the entire production of the album, tracking, mixing and mastering."

The songwriting, the sound and the video production of this new project are absolutely stunning and show the great skills that Mollo has developed in the past few years. All hard rock lovers should simply not miss this record which bravely melts several influences in a cutting edge release. "There are much better songs, performances and production on this album, plus we will finally bring this project live out there: we have a lot of great songs to perform to our loyal fans, we look forward to meet them," concludes Mollo.

"The Third Cage" track listing:

01. Wicked World
02. Cirque Du Freak
03. Oh My Soul
04. One Of The Few
05. Still In Love With You
06. Can't Stay Here
07. Wardance
08. Don't Know What It Is About You
09. Blind Fury
10. Violet Moon
11. Wicked World (videoclip)

Bassist Alex Webster of Florida-based death metal veterans CANNIBAL CORPSE spoke to U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine about the band's forthcoming twelfth studio album, which the band began recording at the end of the summer at Sonic Ranch studios in Texas with producer Erik Rutan.

"I can't tell you the album title or the songtitles or what the artwork's gonna look like," Alex said. "The artwork will be a bit more like what we were known for in the past and a bit less subtle than the last two albums. They were fairly subtle by CANNIBAL CORPSE standards. The lyrics on this record are pretty much what we're known for and the title is not going to be a huge shocker for anyone either. Music-wise, there has been a pretty interesting development on this record. I've been one of the main writers on the last few records, and on 'Evisceration Plague' I wrote seven whole songs — lyrics and music — and another half of another song plus lyrics for 'Scalding Hail', which Rob [Barrett, guitar] and me did together. So I did a lot, but this time round I wanted Pat [O'Brien, guitar] and Rob to get involved a little more and I was afraid that by writing so much, they were so busy learning my stuff that they hadn't been able to focus on writing their own stuff."

He continued, "I had another recording project going on anyhow, so I decided to lay off the writing a little. In the end, Pat wrote four songs and Rob wrote three, so there's a much more even division of songwriting and a lot more variety on this record. It's still CANNIBAL CORPSE-style death metal, but there are more different flavors. Rob and Pat are very talented writers so they should contribute a lot! They're a great resource and we want to have them contribute as much as they can. Rob's songs are the three best songs he's written for us, I think."

Erik Rutan worked with CANNIBAL CORPSE for both "Kill" (2006) and "Evisceration Plague" (2009) and is returning for a third time. Rutan previously stated, "I am super-excited to work with CANNIBAL CORPSE for our third album together. We are determined to make the best album we possibly can. Everyone is very focused and the new material is awesome. There is a great blend of classic, old-school CANNIBAL CORPSE with a newer, more heavy, dynamic and aggressive approach. I look forward to the challenge of making one heavy-as-hell record!"

CANNIBAL CORPSE's latest album, "Evisceration Plague", sold 9,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. This was more than 50 percent higher than the opening tally of the band's previous CD, "Kill" (2006), which landed at No. 170 after shifting more than 6,000 copies. In 1996, CANIBAL CORPSE's "Vile" premiered at No. 151, with more than 6,100 copies sold.

"Global Evisceration", the fourth DVD from CANNIBAL CORPSE, sold around 900 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 17 on the Top Music Videos chart. The disc also landed at No. 5 on the Canadian chart.

Released on March 15 via Metal Blade Records, "Global Evisceration" was shot and edited by director Denise Korycki (Wild Wind Productions) who also worked on the group's "Centuries of Torment - The First 20 Years" DVD in addition to releases from such other bands as AS I LAY DYING, MASTODON, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and SUPERJOINT RITUAL.

"Global Evisceration" contains one disc and is approximately three hours long with artwork by the infamous Vince Locke. The main program includes full live-song performances from two live shows: the Gothic Theater in Englewood, Colorado on May 3, 2010 and Sunshine Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico on May 8, 2010. It also contains bonus performances and extra segments, including behind-the-scenes footage covering CANNIBAL CORPSE's tours in support of the "Evisceration Plague" album.

Indie Recordings has announced the signing of Norway's EL CACO. The band's new album, "Hatred, Love And Diagrams", will be released on January 27, 2012 in Europe and January 31, 2012 in North America.

EL CACO has been an institution and a well-kept secret in the Norwegian music scene for the past decade. The band's music is a culmination of three very talented individuals, each with a very eclectic taste in music. Inspired by the best, but never stripping themselves of their own unique identity, they have the rare ability to grasp the finer elements of their influences and mould them into their own diverse sound.

On their new album, EL CACO "push the envelope even further than they have done before," according to a press release. "Having explored the melodic aspects of rock and metal for more than a decade, this album shows us yet another side of this multi layered band. With an organic and natural sound the trio displays true musicianship and great songwriting skills on this 10-track album which is their definitive peak, their Opus Magna. It sounds more like a band than most other bands. A true organic unit moving fluently with the songs, expressing the underlying emotions through their instruments in a way we know from the greater bands of history."

Marcelo Cabuli, the husband of former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen, and his business partners are demanding nearly 100,000 euros (approximately $135,000) in defamation damages from the parties behind the NIGHTWISH book "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006". Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila.

According to YLE.fi, proceedings began at Helsinki District Court on Tuesday, with Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners arguing that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book, which was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later, blames Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

The Argentine businessman is seeking more than 50,000 euros in damages over claims made in the book, while three of his Brazilian business partners are seeking 15,000 euros each.

Cabuli earlier in the year dropped some of his previous demands, such as that the author and publisher should receive harsher punishment because "Cabuli is a citizen of Argentina," according to Ilta-Sanomat.

Like Kustannus Oy CEO Päivi Isosaari and Ollila deny the charges and stand behind the 380-page book, which chronicles NIGHTWISH's rise to the status of one of the most successful symphonic metal acts in the world, including the circumstances that led to the departure of Turunen. Isosaari and Ollila insist that they had good reason to believe that the claims of the book were true and they intend to call Ollila's sources, including several influential music-business figures, as their witnesses.

"Well, I did read the text and I authorized it to be published and therefore I stand behind the book," Isosaari told Ilta-Sanomat in a 2009 interview.

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH a year before the book was published.

In his 2006 review of the book, Jarkko Jokelainen of Helsingin Sanomat wrote, "The book points the finger [for the split with Tarja] most firmly in the direction of Marcelo Cabuli, husband and personal manager of the band's former vocal soloist Tarja Turunen. With every turning page, the charges against the Argentine Cabuli get heavier and heavier.

"The portrait of Marcelo Cabuli depicts a money-grasping, less-than-honest, arbitrary, and manipulative manager who was engaged on setting up his wife's solo career and who drove a wedge between her and the other members of the power metal band.

"NIGHTWISH's contractual dealings and touring plans became a painful exercise, as there was 'a Hispanic in the works' at every turn.

"Against this background, it is somewhat awkward that the defendant himself does not get a hearing in the book, even though the other sources close to the band are given full rein to open their hearts and mouths. Not even Tarja Turunen gets to comment on her husband's doings.

"It is probable that the decision is the couple's own, but this does not disguise the fact that it is the book's greatest drawback. The author Marko 'Mape' Ollila has sought to be even-handed in his coverage, but in part for the reasons above, this band-history inevitably becomes a speech on behalf of the male members of the group and other figures in the background.

"NIGHTWISH would seem on the basis of this work to have been so divided into two distinct camps that both sides of the story cannot be fitted between the covers of one book."

"Heaven's Venom", the latest album from Canadian extreme metallers KATAKLYSM, was honored in the "Album Of The Year" in the "Metal/Hardcore" category at the Gala Alternatif De La Musique Indépendante Du Québec (GAMIQ), an awards show that recognizes achievements by Quebec independent artists. The event was held this past Sunday, November 13 at Théâtre Plaza in Montreal.

Independent and indie Quebec albums released between Indie albums released between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011 were eligible for the GAMIQ 2011.

Nominees were decided by a jury made up of journalists (newspaper, radio, TV, web), venues and festival bookers, record store owners, and cultural organization members throughout the province of Quebec, both francophones and anglophones.

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

* KATAKLYSM - "Heaven's Venom"
* LES ÉKORCHÉS - "Frères De Sang"
* NEURAXIS - "Asylon"
* THE EXPECTORATED SEQUENCE - "The Prolonged Disaster
* UNEXPECT - "Fables Of The Sleepless Empire"

Bassist Tom Murphy has announced his departure from the Maryland-based experimental, progressive metal band PERIPHERY. He says in a statement, "I have had so many unforgettable experiences and have met so many wonderful people while playing with the band and just want to say thank you to all the fans for making that possible. I am leaving to pursue something new."

The remaining members of PERIPHERY add, "We're very saddened by this, but wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors. Fortunately, this will not affect our upcoming touring plans as [Adam 'Nolly' Getgood of RED SEAS FIRE] will be filling in on bass and Mark Holcomb will take up his position as full-time guitarist."

Professionally filmed video footage of DOWN's performance at this year's edition of the SWU Music And Arts Festival on Monday, November 14 in Paulínia, São Paulo, Brazil can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Temptations Wings
02. Lifer
03. Pillars Of Eternity
04. Hail The Leaf
05. Underneath Everything
06. Losing All
07. Eyes Of The South
08. Stone The Crow
09. Walk (PANTERA cover; not full song)
10. Bury Me In Smoke

More fan-filmed video footage of VENOM's November 12, 2011 concert at the Rock Legends festival at Arenele Romane in Bucharest, Romania in front of approximately 1,000 people can be seen below. Check out photos from Bloodbath.ro.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Black Metal
02. Bloodlust / Black Flame (Of Satan) / Bloodlust
03. Straight To Hell / Welcome To Hell / Calm Before The Storm / Krakin' Up / Ressurection / Evil One
04. Antechrist
05. Hail Satanas
06. Nemesis
07. Possessed / Countess Bathory / 7th Gates Of Hell / Possessed
08. Hammerhead
09. At War With Satan / Too Loud For The Crowd / Nightmare / Rip Ride / At War With Satan
10. Warhead
11. Metal Black

Encore:

12. Pedal To The Metal
13. In League With Satan

Encore 2:

14. Witching Hour