THE JELLY JAM, the three-piece progressive rock band featuring KING'S X guitarist/vocalist Ty Tabor, DREAM THEATER bassist John Myung and DIXIE DREGS drummer Rod Morgenstein, has had its first two albums — "The Jelly Jam" (2002) and "The Jelly Jam 2" (2004) — re-released as high-resolution MP3 downloads through Molken Music. Also available is a fan package titled "Additives", which contains a previously unheard rehearsal track from the second album sessions, stem mixes, and THE JELLY JAM ringtones. Stem mixes are included for the song "I Can't Help You" (album version on the debut album). Stem mixes are high-resolution stereo MP3 files with isolated vocals and instrument reduction tracks, giving anyone with basic digital audio editing software the capability to virtually remix the entire song and also hear the individual performances of each band member.

The following six stem mixes for "I Can't Help You" are included as individual MP3 files:

* Drums
* Bass
* Rhythm Guitars
* Lead Guitar
* Lead Vocals
* Backing Vocals

Rounding out the "Additives" package are four ringtones of THE JELLY JAM tunes. Each ringtone is included as a *M4R (Ringtone) file as well as an MP3 file.

The following four ringtones are included:

* "Nature's Girl" (from "The Jelly Jam")
* "I Am the King" (from "The Jelly Jam")
* "Not Today" (from "The Jelly Jam 2")
* "Allison" (from "The Jelly Jam 2")

THE JELLY JAM is currently putting the finishing touches on its third album, "Shall We Descend?", for an early 2011 release via Molken Music on CD and MP3. It will be the first new album of THE JELLY JAM music in over six years.

"Additives", "The Jelly Jam" and "The Jelly Jam 2" are available now exclusively at Molken Music.

John Doran of The Quietus recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On his refusal to share the stage with the openly Satanic Swedish metal act DISSECTION back in 2005:

Mustaine: "I'm a Christian and a headliner who has been playing for 30 years. That gives me the right to pick who I want to play with. So if it's my concert and there's someone on the bill who I don't want to play with, then I should be able to say, 'I don't want 'em on there.' If it's a festival, well, that's kind of different. But I told my agent, 'Don't book me with any satanic bands.'"

On his fighting history:

Mustaine: "I have a first degree in Ukidokan karate. My sensei — Benny 'The Jet' Urquidez — has the style of karate, kung-fu, aikido, judo, ju-jitsu, taekwondo, Greco-Roman wrestling, Muay Thai boxing and American boxing. So it's all those things rolled into one. It's a nine-style discipline. My second black belt is in Songham taekwondo and I was an assistant instructor in that style, and then I taught it privately for a while."

On whether his former lack of happiness may have been necessary to his talent:

Mustaine: "No, no, no, no. No, no, no, no! Listen dude, the last break we just had, we went home for three weeks and it was the most enjoyable three weeks I ever had. Because the career is going so fast and furious at the moment and everything is going so well. We're playing good, we've got a great band, we've got a great crew, our shows are really good... what have I got to complain about? And I was thinking, 'Wow. This is the greatest period of my life.' I was sitting there holding my wife with my kids lying on me, we were watching TV on the couch and I was thinking, 'I wouldn't change a thing. I would go and do the same 30 years of work to have this same exact freedom that I have right now.'"

AVENGED SEVENFOLD frontman M. Shadows told The Pulse Of Radio that the band was not happy about the public way in which drummer Mike Portnoy's split with his former group DREAM THEATER was played out, which may have soured Portnoy's relationship with AVENGED, ultimately causing his departure from the Orange County, California-based act. "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."

DIRGE WITHIN/ex-SOIL guitarist Shaun Glass has issued the following update:

"Well, here we are nearing the end of 2010, and as most know, we [DIRGE WITHIN] have been fully focused on the writing of our next album and all is flowing nicely on that end. I think the songs are more powerful and musical than some of the past tracks but still remaining true to our sound. We have been doing some [pre-production] demos and all is sounding amazingly solid. If all goes as planned, we're looking at starting [to record] the album late February/March of 2011. Also, we have been asked by the dudes from NONPOINT to start the New Year off with a nice mini-run of dates so this may be a good place for us to test a few new songs in our live set. So try and make a show if one is nearby!"

Swedish death metallers INSISION have parted ways with guitarist Magnus Martinsson due to his "involvement and focus on other bands and projects" and have recruited death metal/jazz-influenced axeman Tobias Alpadie as a session member.

Commented Tobias: "Since their release of 'Beneath The Folds Of Flesh' I've been a fan of INSISION and feel honored that the band wants me as a session member. I really feel stoked about this and can't wait to start rehearsing with the guys in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully everything will turn out just great."

INSISION recently inked a deal with the U.S. label Sevared Records. The band's new EP was recorded at Off Beat Studio in Stockholm with engineer Anders Eriksson and is scheduled for release in early 2011. The group states, "It has been brutal and fun working with this new material and we're all excited about the release. We felt a need to get it out there while writing our next full-length album, mainly for the fans supporting us down the years as it has been just too fucking long since our last release. But now finally, we're here. This time it's going to be a five-track release, giving you four completely new killer tracks, the fifth bonus track being a remake of a song from our early days. It's just a brutal beating, a package delivering brutal and aggressive death metal, the INSISION way, of course!! This one will break your necks for sure!!"

Commented Sevared Records in a statement: "Sevared Records is very honored to sign the mighty INSISION!! I personally have been a huge fan of this incredible band since the first mini-CD. I'm extremely excited to release the new mini-CD and the following full-length CD, I know these brutal death metal veterans will crush every fan of brutal death metal skulls in!! And finally get the recognition of brutality they deserve!!"

TUCK FROM HELL, the Swedish metal band featuring drummer Nils Fredrik Johansson — son of LION'S SHARE/ASTRAL DOORS singer Nils Patrik Johansson — will release its debut album, "Thrashing", on January 25, 2011 via Metalville Records.

In 2007, five young metalheads decided to join forces in a band to create some serious metal in the Bay Area thrash style. The band quickly earned a reputation of being a wild live unit and soon the fan base increased. Their fans call themselves "Tuckers" and wherever TUCK FROM HELL performs, the "Tuckers" are there in the pit.

In 2008 they went to the Darkside, the studio run by Martin Haglund, formerly of ASTRAL DOORS. There they recorded a four-track demo entitled "Barbeque Beast". It received great reviews in many European metal magazines, including Sweden Rock.

The year 2009 saw the band once again playing a ton of live shows. They were support act to bands like ASTRAL DOORS, HELLFUELED and LION'S SHARE and also had a successful headlining run of their own. Later that year, TUCK FROM HELL started writing new songs. Bay Area thrash was still their main influence, but they wanted to bring something new to the genre: strong and catchy sing a long choruses.

January 2010, the guys, all born 1988, entered Darkside studio once again to record their debut album. Three months later they came out with a debut album that is sure to be a favorite for metal heads across the globe,.

Led by Johansson, the charismatic singer Niclas Ingels, guitar wiz kid Petrus Granar, insane rhythm guitarist Polo Bengts and bass player Tomas Sonesson, TUCK plans on dominating the thrash scene for many years to come.

Louisiana rockers LILLIAN AXE, who parted ways with singer Ronny Munroe (ex-METAL CHURCH) in early October, have issued the following update:

"We now have narrowed our search for a new singer down to two candidates and we will be announcing our new singer in January.

"We, along with our manager took our time going through numerous submissions and auditions to find the right man for the job and we are almost there.

"Please be patient and we know you will not be disappointed.

"We just wanted to make sure we have the right singer to help move LILLIAN AXE forward and to continue to make great music.

"We are going to start 2011 with a full-throttle assault. We are going to record a new song with our new singer that will be available for download so everyone can hear some new LILLIAN AXE! Then we will be hitting the road to tour and finally support [the latest LILLIAN AXE album] 'Deep Red Shadows' with a new setlist and stage production with the same LILLIAN AXE intensity that will blow your minds.

"The new Cuba Gooding Jr. movie 'The Hit List' will finally be released in March and features the single '47 Ways To Die' as the main song in the movie."

Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, GUNS N' ROSES) underwent surgery on his sinuses after he developed a hole (perforation) in the cartilage of his nasal septum as a complication from years of cocaine use. He writes on Twitter, "Thanks for the well wishes on my sinus surgery. All went great! This is NOT from cocaine relapse ([as] was reported somewhere!). Just old scar tissue."

McKagan revealed in a 2004 interview that he was forced to give up his hard-living lifestyle after encountering serious pancreas problems. He said, "I was drinking a gallon of vodka a day, doing cocaine, any pill I could get my hands on, heroin. And on May 10 1994, my pancreas exploded. The pain was like in the war movies, where they say, 'Kill me. Put me out of my misery.' I got out of the hospital, and I started riding my mountain bike; I was shaking so bad I didn't know what to do. The first day I rode for, like, eight hours. I didn't want to be static, or else I would think about drinking. Then I met Benny The Jet, my sensei. He saved my life, got me kickboxing. It's pretty much the most intense workout there is. I face everything in the ring that you face in life. Now I work out six days a week — kickboxing, lifting weights... I'm an extreme person. When I did drugs and drank, I was extreme, and when I go to the gym, it's not just to fuck around."

In a 2009 interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Duff stated about his sobriety, "I had a relapse on pills in 2005. It came out of nowhere. It was because of all this bullshit. Xanax was prescribed for me. I was supposed to take one if I had a bad panic attack. I had them in my bag and that was my first mistake. I took one, and the next day, I took two. In only nine days, I was up to 22. That is what guys like . . I do."

Santa Cruz, California-based progressive hardcore/death metallers ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS are preparing to enter Castle Ultimate studios in Fremont, California with producer Zack Ohren (AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK, ALL SHALL PERISH) to begin recording their fourth album for a mid-2011 release via Century Media Records.

Commented vocalist Jared Monnette: "This record is packed with a metric shit-ton of different sounds, directions, styles and grind. We've really tried to incorporate a new sound while keeping the important elements of ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS, while letting the past year and half's experience and stories of tour steer the rest of the album.

"We've been through quite a bit in the recent year, and it's almost impossible to not incorporate all of our travel tales into the new sound. Every song has something special to offer, or a new story to tell that allows anyone listening a temporary escape. If its not the first song that you'll enjoy, then it will be the next.

"We've taken the next step in progressing our music, and it may be the first into a full sprint."

ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS' latest album, "Portals", was released in July 2009 via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded by Zack Ohren and features 11 glorious grinders like "My Cup's Half Empty" and "Violence in Fluid - Triceratops".

According to a press release, "Portals" sees ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS "in new form, now using only one vocalist instead of their previous two-singer attack. The presence of the one vocalist serves to sharpen the band's straight-ahead metal attack and more importantly creates a cohesive album the flows perfectly from start to finish."

The so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX — has been confirmed as for the French edition of the Sonisphere festival, set to take place July 8-9, 2011 in Amnéville. Also scheduled to appear is SLIPKNOT. The "Big Four" will perform on Saturday, July 9.

METALLICA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and SLAYER were recently confirmed for their first "Big Four" show of 2011, scheduled for the U.K. edition of the Sonisphere festival on Friday, July 8. This will be the first gig featuring all four groups since they did a series of shows together in Eastern Europe last summer to massive crowds and acclaim.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement, "As soon as the 'Big Four' gigs started rolling across Sonisphere festivals in Eastern Europe last summer, we all felt we were part of something special. The vibe within the bands was more than anyone had anticipated and the vibe with the fans was so next level, it completely blew our minds... there was no way this should not happen again!!!"

The so-called "Big Four" are arguably the biggest and longest-lasting acts to emerge from the thrash/speed metal underground of the late '80s, but never shared a stage together until this year.

Ulrich recently told The Pulse Of Radio that there's no competition among the four bands when they play together. "The only competition is for METALLICA to go out and be the best METALLICA it can be every night, or for Lars to go out and try and make it through without one of his arms flying off or, you know, whatever. So the only competition is just really internal. I think that the bands now are so established that it's just not about, like, 'Let's see if we can blow the other guys off,' or, you know, 'Let's see if they can follow that.'"

It is not clear yet whether more "Big Four" events are planned for next year, although there is strong speculation that more shows in Europe and North America are in the works.

A deluxe CD/DVD package filmed and recorded at a "Big Four" show in Sofia, Bulgaria last June was released in November.

According to CBS, JON BON JOVI won’t need a ticket to Cleveland this year. But the New Jersey-born rocker can expect to spend some time in Washington.

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame failed to induct the band from Sayreville into the 2011 class on its first nomination. The hall instead picked NEIL DIAMOND, ALICE COOPER BAND, New Orleans musician DR. JOHN, DARLENE LOVE and singer-songwriter TOM WAITS.

President Barack Obama named Jon Bon Jovi to the White House Council for Community Solutions.

Bon Jovi performed during Obama’s inaugural concert. The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation works to alleviate poverty and homelessness across the US.

The Asbury Park Press reports the rocker said he has seen “firsthand the powerful impact when people from the public, private and nonprofit sectors work together.”

Norway's legendary black metal duo DARKTHRONE and Britain's independent heavy metal powerhouse Peaceville Records will continue to re-release new editions of classic DARKTHRONE albums, from the recently acquired Moonfog Productions catalogue titles. To celebrate the release of the next two titles to be reissued, "Goatlord" and "Ravishing Grimness", the band and label are calling on fans to create new artwork for the now-classic albums.

DARKTHRONE guitarist/vocalist Nocturno Culto issued the following statement: "We are pleased to announce that Peaceville/Snapper has bought the entire Moonfog catalogue of DARKTHRONE, that is seven albums in total. The plan is to release these albums within the next year, with new distro network and fresh thinking around these albums.

"There are two albums that will have entirely new cover artwork: 'Ravishing Grimness' and 'Goatlord'. This is a decision that is made by Fenriz and myself. And the idea now is that we are making a competition out of this. If you now feel the urge to contribute to this competition, you are most welcome to send in your art to Peaceville. Only serious contributions will reach Fenriz and me to decide upon. Thank you in advance, we're looking forward to this."

Submissions should be e-mailed to competition@peaceville.co.uk before January 31.

Head over to this location for full terms and conditions.

The "Goatlord" and "Ravishing Grimness" re-releases will be available later next year.

APOCALYPTICA and HIM are among the nominees in the "Metal Album Of The Year" category at next year's Emma Gaala (Finnish Grammy equivalent), which will be held on February 26, 2011 at Barona Areena in Espoo, Finland. The awards ceremony will be televised on Finnish TV channel YLE TV2 on February 26 at 20:10-21:50 and 22:05-22:35 (live) and will be rebroadcast the next day.

"Metal Album Of The Year" nominees are as follows:

* APOCALYPTICA - 7th Symphony
* HIM - Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice
* MOKOMA - Sydänjuuret
* STAM1NA - Viimeinen Atlantis

HIM and STAM1NA were also nominated in the "Band Of The Year" category, while APOCALYPTICA and HIM are up for the "Music Video Of The Year" award, for "End Of Me" and "Heartkiller", respectively. Elsewhere, STAM1NA's "Viimeinen Atlantis" was nominated for "Album Of The Year" and RECKLESS LOVE is competing for the "Newcomer Of The Year" award.

For a complete list of nominees (in Finnish), visit www.emmagaala.fi.

French symphonic gothic ensemble WHYZDOM, which recently announced the addition of singer Clémentine Delauney to the group's ranks, has issued the following update:

"Dear friends, here [see video below] is a small Christmas gift for all friends of WHYZDOM! We decided to record a very special song to let you discover Clémentine's voice. It's a traditional Irish song called 'Bonny Portmore'. It's very different from what we usually play, so it won't be released on the forthcoming album. Moreover, we shot a video clip for it, to celebrate Clémentine arrival! Enjoy!"

WHYZDOM previously stated about Delauney: "Clémentine received an intensive artistic training since her youngest age: contemporary dance, classical and jazz piano, theatre, classical singing (she joined the Maîtrise of Lyon Opera in 2003). Motivated by the everlasting will to let her voice express itself in a symphonic metal band, it's an immense pleasure to welcome her in our family."

WHYZDOM recently played two shows with Lisa Middelhauve, former frontwowman for German goth metallers XANDRIA, filling in, following the departure of singer Telya Melane. Middelhauve is also expected to appear on WHYZDOM's next album as a guest singer.

Former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has released the following statement:

"Yes, the rumors are true... Sadly my time with AVENGED SEVENFOLD has come to an end... The band has decided to carry on into 2011 without me...

"I had a great time with them throughout 2010, but it was their choice to end the relationship at the end of 2010 as was always the initial plan....

"I had an awesome time on stage with the guys every night and have so many cool memories from the experience with them... I am proud to always be part of the AVENGED SEVENFOLD family and history. I also adore the AVENGED SEVENFOLD fans and totally appreciate the way they welcomed me aboard and were so loving and supportive during my time with the band...thank you!

"As far as my future, I am excited by the endless musical possibilities that lie ahead of me...my love for music runs very deep and my taste is very broad and ecclectic which will give me the chance to explore many different things and collaborate with many great friends and artists I admire and respect...

"Happy holidaze to you all and c-ya in the New Year."

MelodicRock.com has uploaded 45-second audio samples (see below) of all the tracks that will appear on "What If…", the new album from the reunited MR. BIG. The CD will be released in Europe on January 21, 2011 via Frontiers Records. The North American release, also on Frontiers Records, will follow on February 8.

"What If…" is MR. BIG's first "all-original" album since the reunion of the four original members, Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey, back in early 2009. Sixteen years after the release of "Hey Man", the new recording is set to bring back MR. BIG on the height of the current hard rock scene.

Guitarist Paul Gilbert said: "This is the first MR. BIG album I have been a part of, since fourteen years and it was done in a snap. It was fun and we had really a good time in making this one." Adds Billy Sheehan: "It's so great to be back with Paul, Eric and Pat, too. We wrote this record like we did in the old days for the first two records. Jamming together in the same room to write songs." Pat Torpey states: "Some of the recording process is different now from what we were used to in the old times. But I think this record really managed to capture the performances of the band, not of the individual musicians." Eric Martin concludes: "I like to compare this to the first album, when we just got to know each other in a reharsal studio and cut it in eight or nine days. This is like chapter two. We had so many years, so many records and so many things behind us. Now this feels like a beautiful brand new chapter starting for all of us."

"What If…" was produced by Kevin Shirley (AEROSMITH, RUSH, IRON MAIDEN) and the release will be followed by a world tour which will kick off in South America in March and will hit Europe in early summer.

Formed in 1988, MR. BIG forged its place in hard rock history by combining trademark "shredding" musicianship with awesome vocal harmonies. The original lineup produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres, be it ballads, heavy metal, or blues rock. Their hits included "To Be With You" (Billboard Hot 100 number one single in 15 countries for weeks, in 1991, propelling the band the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions), "Wild World", "Green-Tinted Sixties Mind", "Just Take My Heart", and a host of heavy metal songs that were played mostly during their live performances: "Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy", "Addicted to that Rush", "Colorado Bulldog", and "Take Cover".

"What If…" will be released in a special edition CD + DVD in digipak, regular CD, vinyl and digital download and in a limited-edition luxury box including the CD, DVD, LP and exclusive memorabilia.

Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL will return to the stage this weekend for an exclusive pair of dates in New York and New Jersey just in time for the holidays.

Commented vocalist Brian Fair: "Can't wait for the shows this weekend in New York and New Jersey! These will be our last two shows before we go into writing mode and a perfect way to end our tour cycle for 'Retribution'.

"SHADOWS FALL has not played a show in New York City for way too long and a spot like Santos Party House is the perfect place for an up-close-and-chaotic metal show. We head to Starland Ballroom in New Jersey the next day, a venue that has always been one of our favorite places to play and always an amazing crowd. Both shows are early, so no slacking. Get down early and get the party started."

The dates are as follows:

Dec. 18 - Santos Party House - New York, NY
Dec. 19 - Starland Ballroom - Sayerville, NJ

According to the unofficial BLACK SABBATH web site Black-Sabbath.com, Universal/Sanctuary has set a February 7 release date for the deluxe edition of BLACK SABBATH's "Dehumanizer". Originally issued in 1992, the LP was the first SABBATH effort to feature the vocals of the late, great Ronnie James Dio since 1981's "Mob Rules". With a lineup completed by founding members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, and drumming duties carried out by Vinny Appice, "Dehumanizer" is arguably one of SABBATH's heaviest albums. This edition is expanded with the single edit of "Master Of Insanity", an alternate version of "Letters From Earth" that originally appeared as the B-side to the "TV Crimes" single, and a version of "Time Machine" originally recorded for the soundtrack to the movie "Wayne's World". In addition, the set includes five rare live tracks from Florida's Sundome recorded at the beginning of the "Dehumanizer" tour in July 1992, including a previously unreleased live version of "Master Of Insanity".

The set includes liner notes from Metal Hammer's Dom Lawson, based on new interviews with Tony Iommi.

"Dehumanizer" deluxe edition track listing:

Disc One (Original Album 1992)

01. Computer God
02. After All (The Dead)
03. TV Crimes
04. Letters From Earth
05. Master Of Insanity
06. Time Machine
07. Sins Of The Father
08. Too Late
09. I
10. Buried Alive

Disc Two (Bonus Tracks)

01. Master Of Insanity (Single Edit)
02. Letters From Earth (B-Side Version)
03. Time Machine (Wayne's World Version)

Live at The Sundome,Tampa, Florida 25th July 1992:

01. Children Of The Sea
02. Die Young
03. TV Crimes
04. Master Of Insanity
05. Neon Knights

DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci joined Joe Satriani on stage on December 13, 2010 at the Best Buy Theater in New York City to perform the track "Summer Song".

Fan-filmed video footage of Petrucci's appearance can be viewed below.

Satriani's setlist was as follows:

01. Ice 9
02. Hordes of Locusts
03. Flying In a Blue Dream
04. Light Years Away
05. Memories
06. War
07. Premonition
08. Satch Boogie
09. Revelation
10. Pyrrhic Victoria
11. Crystal Planet
12. The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing
13. Dream Song
14. God Is Crying
15. Andalusia
16. Littleworth Lane
17. Why
18. Wind In The Trees
19. Always With Me, Always With You
20. Big Bad Moon

Encore:

21. Crowd Chant
22. Summer Song

Dan Rutledge of Rip It Up magazine conducted an interview with METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich prior to the band's October 2010 concert in Auckland, New Zealand. You can now watch the first part of the chat below.

On the craziest stuff he's read about himself on the Internet:

Ulrich: "I don't read a lot of it. I mean, of course, you end up looking at some of it, but you try to... The great thing about the Internet, obviously, is that you have access to information and you can find... [There's] no need for hard copies and if you wanna check out a quick review or what somebody [wrote], it's all there. The bad thing about the Internet, of course, is that it gives everybody an opinion and it gives everybody kind of a... they get a chance to be anonymous. And sometimes, as you know, things that people can write and end up writing are not particularly pleasant or respectful. So I'm pretty thick-skinned and have been pretty thick-skinned for most of my life. As I get a little older, I find myself being less and less interested in... You know, when you are 20 or 30, it's like, 'Oooh, what are people thinking? What are people writing?' As you get to be 150 years old like me, it gets a little less interesting; I don't do it as much. But, obviously, when you start a tour or whatever, your managers, they send you six links, six reviews of the gig or whatever — that type of stuff. But I don't spend a lot of time sitting, Googling myself or finding out what somebody... what they say. I mean, listen, I'm an Internet junkie as much as everybody else is, but not so much about myself; [I'm] looking for things that are more interesting."

On the weirdest things he's heard about himself on the Internet:

Ulrich: "I think probably the weirdest thing in the wake of the Napster thing [METALLICA famously sued the original Napster several years ago for making the band's music available online without its permission. — Ed.] — and I'm not a guy who spends a lot of time defending myself; I [don't] feel this particular need to be combative back — but the one thing about all that Napster stuff... Well, the two things about the Napster stuff that were really weird was that we were anti-Internet... I mean, I have, probably, in my house... I think we have, like, nine computers. We have, like, a computer in every room. I have an iPad, I have, like, three iPhones... I mean, I'm the computer whore. Seriously. I am the reason [Apple head honcho] Steve Jobs has sold half the devices that he has. Trust me. So this whole thing, like, 'Lars Ulrich is anti-Internet.' That one's out there. The other one that came in the wake of all that stuff was the stuff about Lars Ulrich being really greedy. I've always had an incredibly aloof relationship with money. Like, when I didn't have any money, it was not anything that mattered to me. And now that we're fortunate to have some money, it doesn't really play a role in anything we do, it doesn't really play a role in anything I do. I don't sit there and look at my bank balances or count the money or sit there and micro-manage METALLICA... 'If we do this, if we do this, or if we do this... It'll be 17 dollars...' None of that stuff happens at all. I mean, the great thing about being successful is, obviously, in the wake of that comes... It gives you freedom, it gives you freedom to not think about it, actually; that's the best thing. And it gives you freedom to, kind of, put as much money back into the shows and into the travelling and into making it all work. But this thing about, like, we're some sort of Gene Simmons-like people that sit there and count pennies or something like that, it's absolutely preposterous. Those were the two strange things that came in the wake of all that. Are we control freaks? Absolutely. Guilty as charged, your honor. Slap on the wrist, all that stuff. Are we interested in, sort of, managing what happens to 'TALLICA and our songs and our name and all this type of stuff. But anti-Internet? Crazy. And greedy? Absolutely crazy."

METALLICA wrapped up its two-year-long "World Magnetic" tour on November 21 with the last of three shows in Melbourne, Australia, bringing to an end a trek that began on September 12, 2008 in Berlin to support the band's ninth studio album, "Death Magnetic". The group issued a statement compiling the tour's numbers, which included "45 countries, 143 arena shows, 34 festival shows, 29 stadium shows, four club/theater shows, three TV/radio shows, two Hall of Fame shows, 3790 songs, and not a single setlist was the same."

The group played a total of 216 shows in 800 days.

METALLICA is already confirmed to headline Rock In Rio next September in Brazil.

British quintet ARCHITECTS will releae its new album, "The Here And Now", via Century Media Records on the following dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland: January 21
Rest Of Europe: January 24
USA/Canada: January 25
Australia/NZ: January 28

The CD was produced by Steve Evetts, who has previously worked with THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and SEPULTURA, among many others.

"The Here And Now" track listing:

01. Day In Day Out
02. Learn To Live
03. Delete, Rewind
04. BTN
05. An Open Letter To Myself
06. The Blues
07. Red Eyes
08. Stay Young Forever
09. Heartburn
10. Year In Year Out/Up And Away
11. Day In Day Out (Big Chocolate Remix)

PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix joined DEFTONES on stage on Wednesday, December 15 at Le Trianon in Paris, France to perform the song "7 Words". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be viewed below. Check out photos at this location.

DEFTONES' setlist was as follows:

01. Headup
02. My Own Summer (Shove It)
03. Lotion
04. Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
05. Feiticeira
06. Korea
07. Digital Bath
08. Diamond Eyes
09. Rocket Skates
10. CMND/CTRL
11. Risk
12. Sextape
13. Royal
14. You've Seen The Butcher
15. Hexagram
16. Hole in the Earth
17. Xerces
18. Change (In the House of Flies)
19. Back To School (Mini Maggit)

Encore:

20. Birthmark
21. Root
22. Engine No. 9
23. 7 Words (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)

MIDAS FATE, the band featuring former RIOT/MASTERPLAN frontman Mike DiMeo, will release a new single, "What Dreams May Come", on January 25, 2011. It was mixed by Paulo Brancaccio at Diesel Studio and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studio.

The track listing is as follows:

01. What Dreams May Come
02. Liars In The Name Of Faith
03. History Repeats Itself (exclusive single track)

The song "Liars In The Name Of Faith" is avaliable for streaming at www.midasfate.com.

MIDAS FATE is:

Mike DiMeo - Lead Vocals, Choir
Vitor Campos - Guitar, Choir
Renato Videira - Bass, Choir
Felipe Vieira - Drums, Choir

Guest musicians:

Christian Trivelatto: Piano, Keyboards
Rafael Videira: Violin, Viola

LED ZEPPELIN's "Ramble On" and DEEP PURPLE's "Highway Star" are among "The 10 Best Road-Trip Songs" as chosen by Wired.com readers.

The entire list looks as follows:

01. "Radar Love" by GOLDEN EARRING
02. "Rambling Man" by THE ALLMAN BROTHERS
03. "Runnin' Down A Dream" by TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS
04. "La Grange" by ZZ TOP
05. "I"ve Been Everywhere" by JOHNNY CASH
06. "Roadhouse Blues" by THE DOORS
07. "The Distance" by CAKE
08. "Highway Star" by DEEP PURPLE
09. "Ramble On" by LED ZEPPELIN
10. "Fat Bottomed Girls" by QUEEN

The first solo album from the YAKUZA frontman Bruce Lamont,
"Feral Songs For The Epic Decline", will be made available worldwide via the brutally eclectic At A Loss Recordings on Tuesday, January 25, 2011. The cover art and layout for the CD were crafted by Seldon Hunt (NACHTMYSTIUM, SUNN O))), ISIS).

"I began working on solo material in early 2006," states Lamont, on the inspiration behind the album. "I wanted to delve further into creating music without limits or boundaries, devoid of predicable twists and turns which is simply a reflection of personality, while challenging my own mind and beliefs." Entitled "Feral Songs For The Epic Decline", the diverse album bears seven tracks Lamont himself envisioned and created utilizing an arsenal of instruments including reeds, saxophones, guitars, moog synths, contact mics, percussion and more, as well as incorporating a multitude of vocal styles, looping tones and creating post-doom/metal elements infiltrated with everything from grating noise to cerebral soundscapes. "I enjoy melody." he continues. "Not in a formulaic sense though. I have more of a desire to move beyond melody, syncopated rhythms, creating moods and textures, pushing voice and instruments into an unconventional realm, allowing my subconscious to dictate the flow of ideas, living and reveling in the moment."

"Feral Songs For The Epic Decline" track listing:

01. One Who Stands On The Earth
02. The Epic Decline
03. Year Without Summer
04. The Book Of The Law
05. Disgruntled Employer
06. Deconstructing Self Destruction
07. 2 Then The 3

"2 Then The 3" is available for streaming at this location.