MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has issued the following update:

"So now that the 'Big Four' dates have come and gone, I feel it is time to check in, say 'Hello' and tell you what has been going on in my world.

"First off, when we left San Marcos [California] and Mustaine Music Studios, a.k.a. Vic's Garage, we had no idea what to expect, other than the fact that we wanted to make a point; we wanted to make the other bands feel comfortable, we wanted the fans to all leave this momentous occasion feeling completely satiated, we wanted the guys in METALLICA to know that we could be depended on to pull our share...

"I don't know if we delivered for everyone, but for the tens of thousands of people each night, and ultimately hundreds of thousands of fans over the entire run of the 'Big Four' festivals (affectionately dubbed 'Sonisphere'), it seemed to me that the fans were finally able to put aside the silly stuff that the press has kept on life support for so many, many years. We did several round-table interviews with a member from each camp of the 'Big Four,' and one thing that was a constant and that we all agreed on was that the press was the responsible parties for keeping the feuds alive.

"You heard it straight from our mouths; we are all at peace with one another, and we all are friends. End of story — or in other words, several shit magazines will now have to learn how to write real interviews, reviews, and features, instead of causing so much turmoil with us four, all in the spirit of selling their publications."

Dutch extreme metallers DETONATION has issued the following update from vocalist Koen Romeijn:

"As you all will know by now, the music industry is a tough place nowadays for an underground metal band such as Detonation.

We are still working on getting a record deal to release our new album, Reprisal. It's difficult, but don't worry, we'll get it released one way or another. It might take some time, but the wait will be worth it.

Good news is that we are shooting a professional video clip for 'Washing Away The Blood' from the new album, together with the company Framecat from Belgium. It's half way done by now, and it looks pretty brutal ;) Can't wait to have it finished!

If there's news, we'll let you know right away."

Recently, the band announced, "Finally! The new album is finished! We have set Reprisal as the title for our fourth full length album. Check out the cover artwork (left) (made by Kevin Storm).

We're very pleased with the outcome of this CD, it's heavier than anything we've done in the past, and the songs also feel more personal and in your face. Our new band mates Michiel and Danny also put their mark on it, and both did an excellent job on Reprisal.

We have uploaded the song 'There Is No Turning Back' for you guys to check out. But as always, it's difficult to capture the whole albums' vibe with just one song. But anyway, check it out (here) and let us know what you think!"

Reprisal tracklisting:

'Enslavement'
'There Is No turning Back'
'Feeding On The Madness'
'Ruptured'
'Absentia Mentis'
'Washing Away The Blood'
'Falling Prey'
'Insults To My Heritage'

According to Glasswerk.co.uk, METALLICA was nominated in the "Music Game Of The Year" category in the world's biggest video games awards event, the Golden Joystick Awards. The band's "Guitar Hero: Metallica" title will face stiff competition from the hugely popular "The Beatles: Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero: Van Halen".

All three bands released their games in the past 12 months and are nominated alongside seven other blockbuster console based music games.

The full list of nominations in the "Music Game Of The Year" category for the 2010 Golden Joystick Awards:

* Guitar Hero: Metallica
* DJ Hero
* Guitar Hero on Tour: Modern Hits
* Guitar Hero 5
* The Beatles: Rock Band
* Guitar Hero Greatest Hits
* Band Hero
* Guitar Hero: Van Halen
* Just Dance
* Lego Rock Band

Gary Graff of Billboard.com recently spoke to IRON MAIDEN guitarist Dave Murray about "The Final Frontier", the band's forthcoming 15th studio LP which will be released in North America on August 17 (one day earlier internationally) via Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).

"We breezed through the album, really," Murray tells Billboard.com. "We actually finished it in six weeks. We were getting down a track a day — all playing together as a band, Bruce (Dickinson) singing, all in the same room, so there's a very live-in-the-studio feel to it. Once we finished a track we'd jump straight into doing some extra guitar bits. It was very quick for us."

Murray says the 10-track set mixes "straight-ahead, uptempo rock songs with good grooves with some other tracks that are kind of longer and more complex." The album closer, "When the Wild Wind Blows", is an 11-minute track that's one of the longest songs IRON MAIDEN has ever recorded. "The rhythm's a little bit different from what we've done before, and there's lots of melodies," Murray says. "It's a big song. We learned it in sections just because it was such a complex arrangement, but it sounds quite natural (on the record)."

Glorious the fourth album from Greek Power Metallers WOLFCRY has been released on the Netherlands based Painkiller Records label. Recorded at the Devasoundz Studio in Athens, and mixed by by Fotis Benardo (SEPTIC FLESH, ex-NIGHTRAGE), the nine-track album was also produced by Benardo, together with Wolfcry, and mastered at the Jailhouse Studio by Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, PRETTY MAIDS, STORMWARRIOR, amongst others).

Tracklisting for Glorious as follows:

'God Of Deception'
'Fadin’ Visions'
'Holocaust Of Nothing'
'Consequence Of Ignorance'
'The Golden Era'
'Payback Time'
'Vile Mind'
'Face The Fear'
'I, the Sinner'

The current lineup of Wolfcry featuresAndreas “The Wizard” on drums, Costas Hatzigeorgiou on vocals, Nikos Hortis on bass, Elias Koskoris on guitars, and Gus Dibelas on keyboards.

Below you can see the official video for the track 'God Of Deception' from the Glorious album.

Swedish progressive/experimental metallers THERION will release their new album, "Sitra Ahra", in September via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was mixed at the legendary Polar Studios in Stockholm by Lennart Östlund (LED ZEPPELIN, ABBA). The cover artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard, who worked on all of the band's most recent releases in addition to collaborating with EDGUY, AVANTASIA, RAGE and HAMMERFALL, among others.

"Sitra Ahra" was mastered in New York and it features the following track listing:

01. Sitra Ahra
02. Kings Of Edom
03. Unguentum Sabbati
04. Land Of Canaan
05. Hellequin
06. 2012
07. Cu Chulain
08. Kali Yoga III
09. The Shells Are Open
10. Din
11. After The Inquisition: Children

On July 9, reformed Dutch death metal outfit ASPHYX will release the "Abomination Echoes" deluxe seven-inch box set exclusively through CMDistro.com.

Featuring artwork from Ketola (WATAIN, KAAMOS), the set contains six seven-inch EPs, including:

* "Enter The Domain" demo
* "Crush The Cenotaph" demo
* Rehearsals
* "Mutilating Process"
* Promo '91
* Live in Holland '89

Also included is a 20-page booklet with lyrics, introduction by Metalion (Slayer magazine), liner notes by the band, old flyer designs and more. The set also includes a previously unreleased track, "Priest Of Mendes".

Danish thrashers HATESPHERE have recruited Esben "Esse" Hansen of AS WE FIGHT as the group's new vocalist. In addition, the band has parted ways with bassist Mixen Lindberg and has temporarily replaced him with returning HATESPHERE member Mikael Ehlert (who will remain with the group until the end of 2010).

Commented Esben "Esse" Hansen: "It didn't take me much time to decide that I wanted to be the new singer of HATESPHERE. Besides making some of the best metal music on Danish soil, HATESPHERE is one of the coziest bands in Denmark. And I'm very excited to be a permanent part of it all. Looking forward to screaming my lungs out for you on stage!"

Added guitarist Peter "Pepe" Lyse Hansen: "After having searched up and down and in between, we're honored to present Esse as new frontman in HATESPHERE. He's got the qualities that we have been looking for but which have shown very hard to find. He's got a brutal varied voice that will be a pleasure to hear in HATESPHERE. He's got the necessary experience you will only get by playing tons of shows in front of big and small crowds. He knows what he is getting into — and last but not least, he's a great guy! Welcome to HATESPHERE — we look forward to kicking major ass!"

Chibi, die quirlige Frontfrau unserer Lieblinge von der Synth-Rockband THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE aus Toronto/Kanada, gab kürzlich per Myspace-Meldung den Veröffentlichungstermin für das neue Album bekannt und hielt da bereits die fertig gemasterte Platte in Händen.
Mehrfach wurden ja durch die langwierigen Arbeiten an dem ersehnten 4. Fulltime-Werk Konzerte auch in Deutschland gestrichen.

"Pins And Needles" kommt demnach am 14. September 2010 auf den Markt und hoffentlich zeitnah auch hier in Deutschland an. Das Label METROPLIS zeigt nun das Artwork der CD und die Tracklist.



Tracklist Album "Pins And Needles":

01. In The Dark
02. Always
03. Pale
04. Control
05. Shallow Grave
06. Sideways
07. Midnight
08. Pins And Needles
09. Two Hearts
10. Sleepwalking
11. Secret

Produziert wurde "Pins And Needles" von Rainbow und M.Falcore und abgemischt durch Dave 'Rave' Ogilvie, Rainbow und teilweise bei den Stücken "Midnight" sowie "Sleepwalking" mit Unterstützung des Musikers und Musikproduzenten Kevin James Maher bearbeitet.

Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR will launch the first leg of their "Darkness Reborn World Tour" by supporting KORN on the following dates:

Sep. 19 - HMH, Amsterdam, NETH
Sep. 23 - Eishalle Seutweg, Winterthur, SWI
Sep. 24 - Zenith, Munich, GER
Sep. 26 - Gasometer, Vienna, AUT
Oct. 01 - Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, BEL
Oct. 02 - Rosengarten, Mannheim, GER
Oct. 03 - Palladium, Cologne, GER
Oct. 05 - Haus-Auensee, Leipzig, GER
Oct. 06 - C-Halle, Berlin, GER

Commented DIMMU BORGIR guitarist/songwriter Silenoz (real name: Sven Atle Kopperud): "We really look forward to finally start the touring cycle in support of our new monster! Special thanks to Jonathan [Davis] and KORN for giving us the opportunity!"

Reunited Swedish death/thrash metal act THE CROWN has inked a worldwide deal with Century Media Records. The band's new album, "Doomsday King", is scheduled for release in September.

Commented THE CROWN guitarist Marko Tervonen: "We are happy as hell to turn a new page in THE CROWN's history book...and to pick up the journey with Century Media Records supporting us feels great. We can't wait to unleash 'Doomsday King' upon you all!!!"

Added Jens Prueter, head Of A&R at Century Media in Europe: "Some of the very early Century Media signings have been UNLEASHED, GRAVE, TIAMAT, ASPHYX, MORGOTH — the glory days of the first death metal wave. We are still in love with death metal and are more than proud to announce the signing of Swedish death metal legend THE CROWN. They haven't lost any aggression since the early '90s and are still a guarantee for some death metal holocaust! In case of doubt, go to one of the summer festivals and hear some new songs live before the album's coming out this fall."

Florida's INFERNAEON has completed recording its second full-length album for a late summer release via Prosthetic Records. The CD was recorded at Erik Rutan's Mana Recording Studios (GOATWHORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATE ETERNAL) in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Brian Elliott. The follow-up to 2007's "A Symphony of Suffering" marks the group's first release with new guitarists Taylor Nordberg and Steven Harger and bassist Mike Poggion.

Commented INFERNAEON founder and ex-MONSTROSITY vocalist Brian Werner: "It's been one hell of an adventure getting this thing done, man; we went up to down, good to bad and back to better than before. We faced a ton of obstacles in the process of this and rolled right over every motherfucker that got in our way and at the end of the day, perseverance really paid off.

"It was an honor to work with everyone in involved in this final product and it turned out better than we ever could have imagined."

INFERNAEON has shared stages with the likes of MALEVOLENT CREATION, DEICIDE, ATHEIST, DEEDS OF FLESH, VILE, and IMPALED, and is ready to show the underworld that Florida is still firmly atop the heap of extreme metal.

Norwegian doom metallers SYRACH have issued the following update:

"Last weekend we had Adam [Suleiman, drums] coming over the mountains from Oslo, and we started working on a pre-production of four brand new tracks. With little or no preparations, we had a certain pressure to get them right. Adam had never played the tracks before, and had to come up with the drum tracks and rehearse them. Also it had to be done close to perfect, since we recorded everything live in our rehearsal room. Luckily, Adam and the rest of us managed to get a few tracks right, and in the end we had all four tracks recorded even with some time to spare for some leads and some food...

"We were supposed to get the vocals done last week, but since mister Ripper [Kenneth Olsen] decided to spend the night fishing (without getting any, of course...) he had to call in sick and could not do any vocals at all. but fear nothing; he'll get it done this week, and the songs will sound great in the end!

"As of now, we are very satisfied with the outcome, as a demo. We'll probably not go into studio before 3-4 more songs are made, but we have plenty of material lying around, so hopefully it won't take too long. The pre-prod is about 40 minutes already, so we'll soon enough be ready for studio, we hope."

Michigan thrashers NOCTURNAL FEAR have announced the addition of guitarist "The Axes Of Death" Chris and bassist "SpecialForces Kommando" Warmonger to the group's ranks. The band is currently writing material for its fifth full-length album, tentatively titled "Excessive Cruelty", for a late 2010/early 2011 release via Moribund Records. Working songtitles set to appear on the follow-up to last year's "Metal Of Honor" include the following:

* "I am War"
* "Human Shield"
* "Murder for Hire"
* "You're the Disease (I'm the Cure)"
* "Rolling Thunder"
* "Excessive Cruelty"
* "Absolute Annihilation"
* "World War 3"

The first trailer for "All In", the new album from KICKHUNTER, the German rock band featuring HELLOWEEN bassist Markus Grosskopf, can be viewed below. The CD will be released on July 23 via AFM Records.

"All In" track listing:

01. Mine All Mine
02. Revolution
03. Another Tear
04. Feels Like Home
05. All In
06. Shy Shy Shy
07. Check's In The Mail
08. Boogie Town
09. Deep In My Heart
10. Call Me
11. Ocean

Southern California's ANTAGONIST will release its new full-length album, "World In Decline", on August 17 via Prosthetic Records. The CD was recorded at Buzzbomb Studios in Orange, California with producer Paul Miner (TERROR, THRICE, THROWDOWN) and it features guest vocal appearances by ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS' Jared Monette and John Strachan of THE FUNERAL PYRE. The cover artwork was created by Daniel McBride, who has previously worked with VEIL OF MAYA and BORN OF OSIRIS.

Commented vocalist/guitarist Carolos Garcia: "'World in Decline' focuses on the downfall of human civilization as a result of our own selfishness, ignorance, and greed.

"The artwork was handled by our boy Daniel McBride, and the cover art is based on the lyrics for 'Darkest Darkness', which is, basically, about me going to 'confession' just to realize I'm just as guilty as everyone else in contributing to our decline.

"We can't wait for Prosthetic to release the album, and we're even more excited to hit the road and play the new songs for everyone!"

"World In Decline" track listing:

01. The Bane of Existence
02. Sasha Grey
03. Disguised In White
04. God On Fire
05. Wake Up And Smell The Lies
06. New Human
07. A Voice Unspoken
08. Already Dead (feat. John Strachan)
09. Darkest Darkness (feat. Jared Monette)
10. World In Decline (feat. Jared Monette)

"Kick In The Teeth", the new video from Californian rockers PAPA ROACH, can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's upcoming album, "Time For Annihilation...On The Road and On The Record", which will feature a mix of live tracks and new studio cuts. PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix told The Pulse of Radio why the band decided to issue a live album now. "Everybody keeps going, 'Man, you guys, you know, you guys kill it live, you guys are a great live band,' and we were like, 'You know what, it's time for us to do a live record,'" he said. "And so we wrapped up 2009, we were doing dates with SHINEDOWN, and we started recording shows towards the end of that. We got nine live songs, and then we have five studio songs, and so it's kind of like the best of both worlds."

Shaddix explained why the band split the album between live and studio material, saying, "We've always wanted to capture the energy of our live shows but didn't want to do the same old thing that most bands do, so we decided to put five brand new studio tracks on the record along with some of our favorites from the road and we are really proud of the final result."

"Easton Hope", the new video from ORDEN OGAN — the melodic/power/folk metal band from Arnsberg, Germany — can be viewed below. The song is the title track of the group's latest album, which was released on January 22, 2010 via AFM Records.

"Easton Hope" track listing:

01. Rise and Ruin
02. Nobody Leaves
03. Goodbye
04. Easton Hope
05. Welcome Liberty
06. All These Dark Years
07. Nothing Remains
08. Requiem
09. We Are Pirates
10. The Black Heart
11. Of Downfall and Decline

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS, the Swedish band featuring ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott and bassist Sharlee D'Angelo, along with new vocalist Apollo Papathanasio (FIREWIND), has inked a deal with InsideOut Music for the release of the group's seventh studio album, "Return To Zero". Due in Europe on August 30, the follow-up to 2005's "Demons" was recorded at Sweetspot Studio with producer Rickard Bengtsson.

"The new SPIRITUAL BEGGARS album is to my ears some of best stuff I've ever done with this band and I'm very much looking forward to releasing the seventh SPIRITUAL BEGGARS studio album, 'Return To Zero', with the help and expertise of the InsideOut team!" stated Amott. "At the end of the day, it was a no-brainer to do a new licensing deal with the InsideOut label, they did a great job on the 'Demons' album and the 'Live Fire!' DVD (2006). Since then, they have merged with the Century Media company whom I have a long and successful history with. I already know a lot of the people that will be involved in this release, and that feels good. I respect InsideOut label boss Thomas Waber for being a true music fan and for his undying enthusiasm and efforts in making this deal happen."

Added InsideOut's Waber: "We had a great experience with the 'Demons' album and are looking forward to working the new one as well. After all the turmoil last year, things are back on top and better than ever and SPIRITUAL BEGGARS will no doubt benefit from this!"

"Stick Tight", a brand new song from the Los Angeles hardcore/metal band TERROR, can be streamed using the Soundcloud player below. The track comes off the group's fifth album, "Keepers Of The Faith", which is scheduled for release on August 30 in Europe and September 14 in North America via Century Media Records. Doom Patrol will issue the album in Japan on September 1. The CD contains 13 new tracks produced by Chad Gilbert of NEW FOUND GLORY at Buzzbomb Studios in Orange County, California. It was engineered by Paul Miner (DEATH BY STEREO, ADAMANTIUM) and mixed by Matt Hyde (SLAYER, HATEBREED).

LIFE OF AGONY/ex-TYPE O NEGATIVE drummer Sal Abruscato has completed an album titled "And Hell Will Follow Me" with new his band A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH.

Commented Sal: "This is my first album where I composed and play all instruments, including vocals. Along with co-producer/guitarist Matt Brown (SEVENTH VOID), we have accomplished a very fresh sound and it includes guest appearances by Bobby Hambel (BIOHAZARD), Keith Caputo (LIFE OF AGONY) and Ulrich Krieger (LOU REED).

"We are shopping for a deal, but in the meantime there will be a special-edition digipack available online in August 2010. There is also a memorial page dedicated to my good friend Peter Steele [late TYPE O NEGATIVE frontman] in the album as well.

"It is the darkest music I have ever written and recorded in my life, back to my sinister roots and I believe the fans will learn a completely different side of me."