North Carolina's DAYLIGHT DIES has issued the following update:

"Another round of rehearsals for the new album is coming up in May. We're finishing up the last songs and refining everything else.

"From a writing perspective, the light at the end of the tunnel shines bright. Egan [O'Rourke, bass] has contributed more material than previously, so overall the material shines in a bit different light, while remaining distinctly DAYLIGHT DIES.

"We haven't yet booked the studio nor have a release date, but those details will become clearer once the final songs are completed."

"With Shivering Hearts We Wait", the long-awaited new album from Stockholm, Sweden's BLINDSIDE, will receive an "underground release" on May 6, with a "worldwide release" to follow on June 7 via INO Records. The CD was produced by Howard Benson, Mike Plotnikoff and BLINDSIDE and was recorded at Bay 7 studios in Valley Village, California and Stockholm, Sweden.

"With Shivering Hearts We Wait" track listing:

01. There Must Be Something In The Water
02. My Heart Escapes
03. Monster On The Radio
04. It’s All I Have
05. Bloodstained Hollywood Ending
06. Our Love Saves Us
07. Bring Out Your Dead
08. Withering
09. Cold
10. There Must Be Something In The W

Guitarist Christian Muenzner (OBSCURA) has released an all-instrumental solo album, entitled "Timewarp". The CD features Hannes Grossmann (OBSCURA, BLOTTED SCIENCE) on drums and Daniel Galmarini (MERCURY FALLING) on keyboards, with bass duties split between Steve DiGiorgio (DEATH, SADUS, ex-TESTAMENT, ex-ICED EARTH) and Jacob Schmidt (DEFEATED SANITY). The album also includes guest appearances by Shrapnel recording artists Derek Taylor, Per Nilsson (SCAR SYMMETRY, KAIPA), Ryan Knight (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, ex-ARSIS), Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND) and Alex Guth (STORMWARRIOR).

"Timewarp" track listing:

01. Maybe Tomorrow
02. Confusion
03. The Tell-Tale Heart
04. Timewarp
05. Victory
06. Rocket Shop
07. Soulmates
08. Over The Mountains
09. Wastelands
10. Dawn Of The Shred
11. The Gunslinger
12. Endless Caravan

Two songs from the album — "Maybe Tomorrow" and "Confusion" — are available for streaming at this location.

urrently unsigned, MAD ME$$IAH - featuring former MORGANA LEFAY members Tony Eriksson (guitars), Robin Jonsson (formerly Engström/drums) and Micke Åsentorp (bass) - have issued the following update:

"To celebrate our new, lovely band page we thought we'd annoy you with another little teaser of the upcoming song 'From The First Day To The Last Day' even though we don't have any vocals on it yet. Jim will return June 2:nd, then we'll start recording vocal tracks on the stuff."

Go to this location to hear the new material. Check out Mad Me$$iah's official MySpace page here.

Wacken Open Air organizers report:

"This year the W:O:A will be accompanied into battle by an appropriate hymn. Following DORO in 2009 and U.D.O in 2010 now GRAVE DIGGER will compose oneself to present the Wacken Open Air with their hymn, 'Wacken Will Never Die'.

Vocalist Chris Boltendahl and his comrades follow in the footsteps of their two ancestors without any trouble and present another powerful hymn which knows how to transport the spirit of Wacken to their fans.

The purchasable single will be available during the upcoming festival and in stores after the end of W:O:A 2011."

Here are the lyrics of the song:

We're standing in the first row
Raising our fist
Screaming at our idols
Coming out of the mist

Like a thunder from the sky
Rolling on the stage
Metal Monsters are unleashed
Fighting side by side

Bridge:

For Metal we live
For Metal we'll die
We are riding the sky
Til the morning light

Chorus:

ALL FOR ONE
AND ALL FOR METAL
WACKEN WILL NEVER DIE

WE ROCK UNTIL THE DAWN
WITH ENDLESS POWER
WACKEN WILL NEVER DIE
WACKEN WILL NEVER DIE

No time to wait, get out on the road
And never give up
Time to burn, time to learn
Every second we yearn

Danish metallers HATESPHERE have added new dates in Holland to their current touring schedule. All dates are now as follows:

May
7 - Hauzenberg, Germany - Walpurgis Metal Days

June
3 - Madrid, Spain - Ritmo y Compás
4 - Barcelona, Spain - NF Festival
10 - Zierikzee, Holland – Brogum
11 - Reichenbach, Germany - Chronical Moshers Fest

July
15 - Hoofddorp, Holland – Duyker
16 - Neukirchen-Vluyn, Germany - Dong Open Air
29 - Saldus, Latvia - Zvera Festival


In other news, Hatesphere has inked a deal with 3rd Tsunami Agency who will be taking care of their Danish bookings.

Also, the band has announced they have booked a studio for the recordings of their upcoming album. Once again they have chosen to work with Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio in Aarhus, Denmark. Album recordings start in June with the band looking at an early September release. More information will be released soon.

Dag Stokke, who has played keyboards for Norwegian hard rockers TNT since 1987, lost his battle with cancer early this morning (Wednesday, April 27). He was only 44 years old.

TNT drummer Morten "Diesel" Dahl told VG Nett about his bandmate, "He was simply a wonderful human being — very positive and [full of] life."

Former TNT singer Tony Harnell wrote on his blog, "I can't believe I am writing these words. Sadly, this morning I have to say goodbye to Dag Stokke, my longtime friend and keyboardist for TNT, who has left us today way too young. He fought a hard battle with dignity, courage and optimism. I will always see him in my mind, smiling at me from across the stage. A gentle giant, a huge spirit, truly an angel on this earth. I loved him very much, as did so many that he touched in his brief time here. My thoughts are with his son Jonathan and his family and friends. Have a good journey, my friend. I will miss you dearly."

On May 3, AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler will release his autobiography, "Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?" and it will be accompanied by the first solo single of his entire career, a poppy tune called "Feels So Good". "I can hear it coming out of people's cars this summer," he told Rolling Stone magazine.

Catch the premiere of "It Feels So Good" on Ryan Seacrest's show May 9 and pick it up on iTunes the following day (May 10).

An audio sample of "It Feels So Good" is available at Amazon.com.

Pulverised Records has announced the signing of Swedish death metallers SKINEATER.

Formed in late 2008, SKINEATER features scene veterans Håkan Stuvemark (ex-WOMBBATH, ex-IN THY DREAMS), Stefan Westerberg (ex-CARNAL FORGE, ex-IN THY DREAMS), Thomas Ohlsson (APOSTASY, ex-THE PROJECT HATE MCMXCIX) and Jörgen Ström (THE MARY MAJOR).

Commented Stuvemark: "All we've heard about [Pulverised] — and through our own experience during negotiating with the label — has been good! Now we can aim to record the debut album. The recording will take place this summer and with this excellent lineup, we are ready to cause some damage, so keep yer eyes and ears open!"

Added Pulverised Records A&R manager Calvin Chiang: "After we heard about SKINEATER, it was obviously a no-brainer that their brand of crushing death metal fitted the Pulverised roster perfectly. With their downright devastating and ruthless vibe combined with a slight tinge of melodic elements; we knew there was something remarkable about SKINEATER! The band is all set to record their debut album in the summer, so be prepared for some skin-crawling death metal this year!"

Wisconsin death metallers JUNGLE ROT have inked a deal with Victory Records. The band's new album, "Kill On Command", will be released on June 21.

The Kenosha-based quartet has garnered a great and faithful following in the last 17 years due in large part to having a style more similar to the "Big Four" heavyweights rather than the typical CANNIBAL CORPSE and SUFFOCATION imitations that the underground extreme music scene is so oversaturated with. The style and approach JUNGLE ROT exposes the public to is one of efficiency and execution that has been perfected over the years. Touring with such notable acts as HATEBREED, DEICIDE, CATTLE DECAPITATION, GOATWHORE, VADER, and many others has solidified the band's place in metal history.

"We are all very happy to be a part of the Victory family," said guitarist and vocalist Dave Matrise. "'Kill On Command' is our eighth album, and it's by far our heaviest and most brutal to date. Our new drummer, Jesse Beahler, really took this new CD to the next level of heaviness.

"As always, there were ups and downs when making the record, but we do what we do best: keep fighting through all the bullshit that is dished out while being in a band, and in the end we came out with a killer new CD and a killer new label."

Sumerian thrashing black metallers MELECHESH have amicably parted ways with bassist Rahm, who joined the band a year ago. The remaining members of the group cited "professional reasons" as the reason for the split.
Commented MELECHESH mainman Ashmedi: "The band unanimously decided it is best to part ways with Rahm due to professional reasons that could have seriously affected the well being of the band. We wish him nothing but the best, we had good times. For now we will be auditioning bass players/backing vocalists."

MELECHESH will start auditioning experienced bass players effective immediately.

Candidate requirements:

* Interest in the themes and music of MELECHESH is paramount
* Of semi-sound and open mind
* Skilled musician
* Team player
* Living in or around The Netherlands is a plus

Applicants should send, recordings, musical resumes as well as photos and videos.

The band says: "NO time-wasters , no ulterior motivations, no joyriders, please."

"Satanarchie", a brand new song from German black metallers ENDSTILLE, is available for streaming below. The track comes off the band's seventh album, "Infektion 1813", which will be released on May 17 (one day earlier internationally) via Season Of Mist. The first pressing of the CD will be a limited-edition digipak.

"Infektion 1813" track listing:

01. Anomie
02. Trenchgoat
03. Bloody H (The Hurt-Gene)
04. The Deepest Place in Earth
05. When Kathaaria Falls
06. Satanarchie
07. World Aflame
08. Wrecked
09. Endstille (Völkerschlächter)

"Satanarchie" audio stream:

Extreme metal supergroup LOCK UP will release its new album, "Necropolis Transparent", on July 1 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded in November-December 2010 at HVR Studios in Ipswich, United Kingdom and was mixed in January.

According to a press release, "the songwriting and production on ['Necropolis Transparent'] surpasses everything the band has done so far. The speed, riffing and intensity make this record more than just a grindcore album and see LOCK UP come into their own true identity."

"Necropolis Transparent" track listing:

01. Brethren Of The Pentagram
02. Accelerated Mutation
03. The Embodiment Of Paradox And Chaos
04. Necropolis Transparent
05. Parasite Drama
06. Anvil Of Flesh
07. Rage Incarnate Reborn
08. Unseen Enemy
09. Stygian Reverberations
10. Life Of Devastation
11. Roar Of A Thousand Throats
12. Infiltrate And Destroy
13. Discharge The Fear
14. Vomiting Evil
15. Stigmatyr (bonus track)
16. Through The Eyes Of My Shadow Self
17. Tartarus (instrumental)

Metal Injection conducted a short interview with former DREAM THEATER/AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer Mike Portnoy on the "black carpet" of the third annual Revolver Golden Gods Awards, which was held last Wednesday, April 20 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California. You can now watch the chat below.

When asked if it was weird to have his exit from DREAM THEATER play out so publicly because of the existence of the Internet, Portnoy replied, "It kind of sucks, actually. It's like getting a divorce on national TV. It's kind of fucked up because anything I would say would be misinterpreted or taken the wrong way. It was never my intention to even go public with this; I wanted to have a quiet, little personal situation happen. But it is what it is, and I'm here and I'm happy."

Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER more than 20 years ago, abruptly quit the band last summer while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD.

He played on AVENGED SEVENFOLD's latest album, "Nightmare", following the death of that band's drummer, Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, and toured with them for the entire second half of 2010.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD frontman M. Shadows told The Pulse Of Radio that the band was not happy about the public way in which Portnoy's split with DREAM THEATER was played out, which may have soured Portnoy's relationship with AVENGED. "We were actually a little more shocked," M. Shadows said. "We felt that maybe both parties could have handled it a little more internally without being so press release-happy about what had happened between them. Because we're a band that, really, when it comes to news all over web sites or this or that about bands, you know, we don't tweet much, we don't try to put ourselves out that much, and all the drama and controversy wasn't something that we wanted at all."

Portnoy recently began laying down tracks on the debut album from the new band featuring SYMPHONY X frontman Russell Allen and guitar virtuoso Mike Orlando (SONIC STOMP). Portnoy is also involved in a separate new project with guitarist Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE, DIXIE DREGS), multi-instrumentalist Neal Morse (TRANSATLANTIC, SPOCK'S BEARD), bassist Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS) and vocalist Casey McPherson (ALPHA REV, ENDOCHINE). That group's debut album is tentatively due later in the year.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada natives BARN BURNER will release their second full-length record, entitled "Bangers II: Scum Of The Earth", on June 7 via Metal Blade Records.

With the volume, technicality and intensity that embodies heavy metal and the overarching catchiness and longevity of stoner and classic rock, BARN BURNER captures a signature sound that cannot be easily placed or categorized. Cultivating the principles of partying and the everlasting might of the riff, BARN BURNER creates a live atmosphere that render an audience incapable of standing still. Whether it is giving your best friend a well-deserved swill of beer or lovingly smashing the bottle over his head to the sound of a ruthless riff, BARN BURNER will fulfill the demands of its listeners. Having finished their second record and follow up to the critically acclaimed "Bangers", BARN BURNER is prepared to unleash something more fierce.

"Bangers II: Scum Of The Earth" saw BARN BURNER teaming up with producer/engineer Adrian Popovich once again to create a truly original heavy metal record. While maintaining some of the core aspects of its previous album, BARN BURNER has captured something more intense, taking steps to create an album more dynamic then their last.

"Bangers II: Scum Of The Earth" track listing:

01. Scum Of The Earth
02. Dark Side Of The Barn
03. Gate Creeper
04. Keg Stand And Deliver
05. The Earth's Crust
06. Quest For The Cube
07. Brother Fear
08. Skid Marks The Spot
09. Crushing Defeat
10. Ghost Jam

The debut single from the album, "Keg Stand And Deliver", can be heard using the SoundCloud player below.

"As Hammer To Anvil", a brand new song from "gore-metal" originators EXHUMED, can be streamed below. The track comes off the band's new full-length album, "All Guts, No Glory", which will be released on July 5 via Relapse Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Anatomy Is Destiny" was recorded at Arcane Digital Recordings in Arizona with engineer Ryan Butler (MISERY INDEX) and at Trench Studios with John Haddad (ABYSMAL DAWN, INTRONAUT). It was mixed and mastered at Mana Recording Studios by Brian Elliott (GRAVES OF VALOR).

"All Guts, No Glory" track listing:

01. All Guts, No Glory
02. As Hammer To Anvil
03. Your Funeral, My Feast
04. Through Cadaver Eyes
05. Death Knell
06. Distorted And Twisted To Form
07. I Rot Within
08. Dis-assembly Line
09. Necrotized
10. Funereality
11. So Let it Be Rotten…So Let it Be Done

"As Hammer To Anvil" audio stream:

A newly released clip from "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne", the much-anticipated "intimate" documentary that delves deep into the life of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, can be viewed below. The one-and-a-half-minute clip features Ozzy's first children, Jessica and Louis, discussing their relationship with their father.

"God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" premiered on Sunday (April 24) at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City and received a positive review from Entertainment Weekly, which said, "What could have been a glossy, fawning tribute to the most visible face in heavy metal music history — especially considering it was co-produced by his son, Jack — actually turned out to be a remarkably evenhanded look at Ozzy's monumental musical influence as well as his less exemplary life as an addict and often-absent father."

Critic Joseph Brannigan Lynch added, "'God Bless Ozzy Osbourne' may not answer the question 'What makes Ozzy act so... Ozzy-like?', but it's hardly a fluffy tribute. This documentary succeeds in offering a balanced portrait of a man who made many mistakes over the course of his addiction-riddled life and also happens to be one of the most influential hard rock singers ever."

Lynch also wrote that the film "starts with Osbourne's poor childhood in the cramped quarters of inner-city Birmingham, England, and goes up to his long-sought sobriety following the end of the water-cooler fodder reality series 'The Osbournes'."

While the movie does not delve into certain aspects of Ozzy's life — such as his attempted strangulation of wife/manager Sharon years ago — frank interviews with his five children "portray him as an absentee father even when he was physically present due to his mind-numbing abuse of pills, cocaine and liquor," according to Lynch.

The film will screen twice more during the festival, on Thursday (April 28) and Saturday (April 30). It includes interviews with many of Ozzy's family members, friend and colleagues, including Paul McCartney, the members of BLACK SABBATH and MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee.

Plans for theatrical distribution have yet to be announced.

KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque has contributed a guest guitar solo to a cover version of the METALLICA classic "Seek And Destroy" which will appear on the forthcoming EP from the Norwegian heavy metal band CRITICAL SOLUTION. Entitled "Evidence Of Things Unseen", the CD was recorded at La Rocque's Sonic Train studios in Varberg, Sweden and features the following five songs:

01. Dead Man Walkin'
02. Sad Hill
03. Crime Of Passion
04. Seek And Destroy (METALLICA cover; feat. Andy La Rocque)
05. War Machine

A mid-May release via iTunes and Spotify is expected.

CRITICAL SOLUTION is:

Christer Slettebø - Lead Guitar/Vocals
Egil Mydland - Drums
Tov Glesnes - Rhythm Guitar
Eimund Grøsfjell - Bass

"Seek And Destroy" (METALLICA cover; feat. Andy La Rocque) audio stream:

Into The Light, the new video from Finnish death metallers CORPSET, can be viewed below. The song comes off the group's debut album, "Ruins", which is scheduled for release on April 27 via Violent Journey Records. The CD was recorded at various facilities — from professional studios to a horse ranch in the Finnish countryside — and was mixed and mastered at the Coal Hole studio in Hämeenlinna with the group'a former bassist and studio pro Janne Tauriainen.

According to a press release, "Ruins" is "a ruthless ten-piece of contemporary Finnish death metal. With combining old-school sounds to more modern approach and joining hook-filled melodies with pure aggression, 'Ruins' is sure to put Finnish metal-scene on its knees. CORPSET, holding some familiar names from different well-known Finnish acts in their lineup, has managed to create a breath-taking example of twisted Finnish death metal and is a welcome breeze of fresh air to today's stiff metal soundscapes."

"Ruins" track listing:

01. The Light Divine
02. Castrate
03. Blair
04. Moment Of Clarity
05. Into The Light
06. Give & Go
07. World Hate Center
08. Behind The Sauna
09. V.P.O.
10. Caesar's Palace