The Public Record has announced Rob Zombie as its next featured artist to launch a collaborative remix project entitled The Mix Massacre. Beginning April 27, 2010, Rob Zombie is enlisting the talent of musicians and remixers across the The Public Record global music community to remix his songs "Mars Needs Women" and "Sick Bubblegum" for a special worldwide release.

The Public Record is a new, interactive, music collaboration site that began as the personal pursuit of music industry pioneer Scott Humphrey. Renowned for his work as an award-winning and record-breaking studio mixer and producer, Humphrey founded The Public Record as a solution to match the dynamic shifts of the web with the evolution of digital recording.

"We take the biggest names in the music industry and allow undiscovered musicians and producers around the world to collaborate with them," Humphrey says. "What started as an experiment has led to a full-time operation in which we're continually adding the best acts from every genre with new programs and features."

The Public Record provides a virtual environment to jump-start careers and showcase talent, while delivering a unique opportunity for top-tier talent to connect directly with fans. Within the short months of its official February 2010 launch, the popularity of The Public Record has grown to host international icons including Tommy Lee, Deadmau5, Dan Jacobs of ATREYU, John 5 to now Rob Zombie and the Elements employing The Public Record platform as a conduit to work with the music community at large on official projects and releases.

Santa Barbara, California metallers DEVILDRIVER have tapped producer Mark Lewis (TRIVIUM, CHIMAIRA, ALL THAT REMAINS) to helm their new album, tentatively due in early 2011 via Roadrunner Records. The CD is being recorded at Sonic Ranch studios in Tornillo, Texas and was previously described by vocalist Dez Fafara as "intense" and "full of raw emotion."

DEVILDRIVER recently finished pre-production on 14 new songs with former SPEAK NO EVIL bassist Greg Weiss at the helm.

In an interview with Metal As Fuck, Fafara stated about DEVILDRIVER's plans for its next studio album, "Record five with this band, and I've said it before, even with record five, six, seven, eight and nine, will continue to get better. Not a lot of bands can say that and not a lot of bands have done that. Most bands, by the time they've done that amount of records, they're either over it or they're not giving you the anticipation of the record release that they should. But we want to keep DEVILDRIVER fans on their feet. So every two years we're going to release a record and just continue to tour like we do, and we're booked until May 2012. Then we're going to take about six months off. That'll be the most time I've had off in about fourteen years."

DEFTONES' new album, "Diamond Eyes", is available for streaming in its entirety at IHeartRadio.com.

"Diamond Eyes" is scheduled for release on May 4 via Warner.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Diamond Eyes
02. Royal
03. CMND/CTRL
04. You've Seen the Butcher
05. Beauty School
06. Prince
07. Rocket Skates
08. Sextape
09. Risk
10. 976-EVIL
11. This Place Is Death

The iTunes deluxe edition of "Diamond Eyes" will contain three exclusive cover versions:

* Do You Believe (THE CARDIGANS cover)
* Ghosts (JAPAN cover)
* Caress (DRIVE LIKE JEHU cover)

Sydney, Australia's extreme metal unit THE AMENTA has begun working on an EP which will function as an introduction to the band's new lineup and as a teaser for the upcoming third full-length album. Tentatively titled "V01D", the EP will feature re-recorded songs from both full-length albums, an unreleased "Occasus"-era track, various instrumentals and experiments, a cover and multiple video clips, live shots and extraneous media.

THE AMENTA has just finished destroying selected venues around Australia with BEHEMOTH, JOB FOR A COWBOY and GOATWHORE. The group states, "The shows we played were some of the best of our career and it was a pleasure to share the stage with our old friends in BEHEMOTH again. Many people had their first taste of the new lineup and the response was excellent."

THE AMENTA is:

Cain Cressall (Vocals)
Timothy Pope (Samples/Programming)
Erik Miehs (Guitar)
Dan Quinlan (Bass)
Robin Stone (Drums)

"n0n", the latest album from THE AMENTA, received a U.S. release on February 10, 2009 via Listenable Records. The CD, which came out in Europe in October 2008, was mixed at The Vault Studios in Sydney, Australia with longtime engineer Lachlan Mitchell (NAZXUL). Mastering for the album took place at Studios 301 with Australia's premier mastering engineer Steve Smart.

New Jersey progressive death metallers THE BINARY CODE will release a new three-song EP, "Priest", in May. The EP will be available exclusively at the band's May shows, a string of dates they're doing with Pennsylvania-based ska metallers THE GLOOMINOUS DOOM. The "Priest" EP will be available on CD for free with the purchase of a t-shirt, or, for creative barter, make the band an offer and they might just accept. Look for it to be available for download online following these dates.

The EP is the first new music from THE BINARY CODE since the critically acclaimed "Suspension of Disbelief" full-length album, which was released digitally via MetalSucks in December 2009. Fresh off the road from a 30-date U.S. run with REVOCATION and HYPNO5E, THE BINARY CODE was anxious to return to the studio to record some of the new songs it had been working on.

A trailer for the "Priest" EP can be viewed below.

"Priest" EP track listing:

01. Priest
02. Encircled
03. Ocean of Light

San Francisco Bay Area thrash veterans HELLHOUND, who reunited in January 2009, have recruited SICK CELL lead singer and guitarist Joe Liszt to replace ex-vocalist Mike Walish, who left the band in March. Liszt, who fronted and toured with the band D-TRAIN in the early '90s, is also a veteran of the Bay Area metal scene.

HELLHOUND's new lineup is currently hard at work writing material for a new album, and a few demo tracks with Liszt have already been recorded.

In other news, HELLHOUND has been confirmed for Germany's Keep It True XIV festival, set to take place April 29-30, 2011. Bassist and founding member Rich Pelletier states, "We are beyond excited to be playing this festival with so many great bands. Germany has always been very special for us, as a large number of our fans in the early days were from that country. To play there is a dream we've had for a long time."

Formed in the early '80s and based in San Francisco's South Bay area, HELLHOUND developed concurrently but independently of North and East Bay acts such as LEGACY (pre-TESTAMENT), DEATH ANGEL, FORBIDDEN EVIL (pre-FORBIDDEN) and HEATHEN. HELLHOUND eventually shared stages with all these bands during the thriving thrash scene of the mid-Eighties. Before disbanding in 1988, they had played shows with the likes of SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX.

Since its untimely demise, HELLHOUND has built a strong cult following due to CD releases of their classic demo tapes. It was after the most recent release, on Stormspell Records, that four out of the five original members decided to finally reunite and expose a new generation of metal fans to the music of HELLHOUND.

Drummer Henry Moreno has left San Francisco Bay Area power/thrashers IMAGIKA and has been replaced by Wayne De Vecchi (pictured below). A current member of HELLHOUND, Wayne's past bands include PURGATORY SF and DOOM SOCIETY, who toured both the U.S. and Europe. Bringing in his influences of everything from SLAYER to DREAM THEATER to PANTERA, Wayne is looking forward to taking another step in his music career by joining IMAGIKA. He will make his live debut with the group on June 25 at the Warriors Of Metal Fest 3 in Chillicothe, Ohio.

IMAGIKA's "A Portrait In Metal" U.S. tour will begin July 23 and run through August 8. The trek will be in support of the North American release of the band's "Portrait Of A Hanged Man" CD, which was made available in Europe on March 19. Due in the U.S. on May 11 via Metalville, the CD was recorded at Fang Studios in San Mateo, California by IMAGIKA guitarist Steve Rice and was mixed at KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque's Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden. In addition to mixing the effort, La Rocque makes a guest appearance on the instrumental "A God No More". Moreno was once again responsible for designing all the art for the CD (see cover image below), which marked the recording debut of new bassist Jim Pegram.

"Portrait Of A Hanged Man" track listing:

01. Scared To Death
02. The Hit
03. Keep The Wolves At Bay
04. G.H.B.
05. Portrait Of A Hanged Man
06. Simple Servant
07. One Word
08. My Final Hour
09. A God No More (feat. Andy La Rocque)
10. Halo Of Flies

Metalville is the band and label pool launched by the Cologne, Germany-based company Flying Dolphin Entertainment Group UG.

IMAGIKA's last album, "Feast for the Hated" was released in the U.S. on May 20, 2008 via Locomotive Records. The CD was mixed at Sweden's Sonic Train Studio with Andy La Rocque.

Swedish progressive/experimental metallers THERION have completed work on their new album, "Sitra Ahra". The CD was mixed at the legendary Polar Studios in Stockholm by Lennart Östlund (LED ZEPPELIN, ABBA), who commented, "What you have made here is truly unique." 13 songs were recorded for the CD, although it is presently unclear if all of the tracks will end up on the final record.

"Sitra Ahra" will be mastered in New York tomorrow for a late 2010 release.

THERION mainman Christofer Johnsson previously stated about the upcoming CD, "Expect something spectacular, even by THERION's standards!"

Christofer Johnsson announced in May 2009 that vocalist Thomas Vikström (ex-CANDLEMASS) had become a permanent member of THERION.

THERION's new rhythm section is comprised of Johan Koleberg (ANIMAL, ZAN CLAN, LION'S SHARE) on drums and Nalle "Grizzly" Påhlsson (TREAT, ZAN CLAN, VINDICTIV) on bass guitar.

THERION's latest CD/DVD, "The Miskolc Experience", was released in June via Nuclear Blast Records.

SHADOWS FALL frontman Brian Fair is currently writing new music and recording demos with his TRANSIENT side project in which he plays guitar (after originally playing drums for the group).

TRANSIENT was spawned from the collective conscious of three inebriated minds, trapped for nearly four years in a miniscule, resin coated rehearsal space in the industrial underworld of Charlestown, Massachusetts. The summer of 2003 found the band relocating its rehearsal space to Fitchburg, Massachusetts (aka "the Dirty Burg") and tracking a new demo in May 2004 in the very same room.

The music of TRANSIENT is based on constant motion and infinite growth. The ambient guitar melodies drift along side ethereal vocals drenched in effects. The relaxed song structures and solid rock and roll rhythms serve as an anchor, holding the soaring melodies from escaping into the atmosphere.

Despite a history rooted deeply in metal and hardcore (the band also features ex-OVERCAST guitarist Scott McCooe on bass), TRANSIENT has created a soothing and ambient soundscape constructed on a foundation of swirling melodies, dramatic builds and undeniable hooks.

In May 2005, TRANSIENT underwent its first lineup change with the addition of Kevin Rheault to the drum stool and Brian Fair's bold move to second guitar.

TRANSIENT is:

Tim Hayes - Guitar/Vocals
Scott McCooe - Bass
Brian Fair - Guitar
Kevin Rheault - Drums

A brand new MISERY INDEX track, "Heirs To Thievery", is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The song is the title cut of the group's new album, "Heirs To Thievery", which is set for a May 11 North American release via Relapse Records. The CD was recorded at Wright Way Studios (DYING FETUS, SLIPKNOT, MOS DEF) with engineer Steve Wright.

"Heirs To Thievery" track listing:

01. Embracing Extinction
02. Fed To The Wolves
03. The Carrion Call
04. Heirs To Thievery
05. Spectator
06. The Seventh Cavalry
07. Illuminaught
08. Plague Of Objects
09. You Lose
10. Sleeping Giants

Swedish death metal legends GRAVE will release their new album, "Burial Ground", on June 14 via Regain Records.

"Burial Ground" track listing:

01. Liberation
02. Semblance In Black
03. Dismembered Mind
04. Ridden With Belief
05. Conquerer
06. Outcast
07. Sexual Mutilation
08. Bloodtrail
09. Burial Ground

German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR have completed work on a brand new live DVD, "16.6 - All Over The World", recorded in various locations between September and November 2009, and a live CD, aptly titled "Live In The USA". Frontiers Records will release the two products separately and in a limited-edition combo version on June 2 in Europe and June 22 in the USA.

“The main part of the DVD was recorded in Switzerland at the Z7, but there is more footage from a headlining show held at the ProgPower festival in Atlanta, USA plus footage from Brazil, Sao Paulo; Tokyo and Osaka, Japan and more places," explains bassist and producer Mat Sinner. "That's why the DVD is named '16.6 - All Over The World' while the live CD is titled 'Live In The USA', because the live CD was recorded in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles during the last tour that the we did across the ocean."

The DVD is filled with an abundance of extra materials, such as an entire bootleg section with funny moments on the road, some bootleg footage from various festival appearances and other concerts, all of PRIMAL FEAR's most recent promotional videos, plus the making-of footage for "16.6" and a brand new interview section about the past, present and future of PRIMAL FEAR.

Concert track listing (available on the CD and on the DVD) is:

* Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
* Under The Radar
* Battalions Of Hate
* Killbound
* Nuclear Fire
* Six Times Dead (16.6)
* Angel In Black
* Sign Of Fear
* Fighting The Darkness (a. Fighting The Darkness; b. The Darkness; c. Reprise)
* Riding The Eagle
* Final Embrace
* Metal Is Forever
* Hands Of Time
* Seven Seals (DVD only)
* Chainbreaker

DVD bonus materials include

* Videoclips:

- Killbound
- Sign Of Fear
- Fighting The Darkness
- Six Times Dead (16.6)
- Metal Is Forever

* The Making Of "16.6 - Before The Devil Knows You're Dead"

* Bootleg Section: episodes and scenes from festivals and tours in Asia, South America, North America, Europe and more!

* Famous last words.

The DVD will be exclusively released on NTSC Region Free video format and the mix will be 2.0 and 5.1 with screen 16:9 and 4:3.

Progressive/jazz metal masters YAKUZA have completed work on their new full-length album, "Of Seismic Consequence". The band's darkest, heaviest, most introspective and most primal sounding album to date, the CD was recorded by Sanford Parker in a very live, stripped down environment between two studios (Electrical Audio and Semaphore).

YAKUZA decided to approach "Of Seismic Consequence" a bit differently than its previous releases. With the traditional YAKUZA elements still ingrained within the band's expansive and multi-faceted sound canvas, "Of Seismic Consequence" comes across as YAKUZA's most song-oriented album while at the same time being the band's heaviest and most oppressive-sounding album to date.

One of the standout traits that "Of Seismic Consequence" presents is the more expansive use of Bruce Lamont's vocals where his clean voice is the dominant force. Also what makes "Of Seismic Consequence" the darkest YAKUZA album is how some of the more melancholic and introspective moments on the album present themselves in such an epic and monumental fashion (as can be witnessed on such tracks as "Be That As It May", "Farewell To The Flesh" and the stirring album closer "Deluge"). And, of course, one of the most distinct elements to the YAKUZA sound, namely Lamont's talents as a saxophone player, is once again showcased on "Of Seismic Consequence", where it actually enhances the darkness that dominates the CD.

Filmmaker Justin Baron has been documenting the recording process for the new YAKUZA album.

Due on June 22 via Profound Lore Records, "Of Seismic Consequence" will feature the following track listing:

01. The Ant People
02. Thinning The Herd
03. Stones And Bones
04. Be That As It May
05. Farewell To The Flesh
06. Testing The Waters
07. Good Riddance (The Knuckle Walkers)
08. The Great War
09. Deluge

Veteran German thrashers SODOM are putting the finishing touches on their long-awaited new DVD, "Lords Of Depravity - Part II", tentatively due this summer.

Commented bassist/vocalist Thomas "Angelripper" Such: "The time has come. After we [sifted through the] vast stuff we've collected over the last 15 years we are currently editing the DVD which will [hopefully] be finished [sometime in] the next month. The whole creation will offer you over five hours only of SODOM's finest. You had to wait for this DVD long enough but, guys, your patience will be [rewarded]. [According] to our producer, Ronald Matthes, it [will] be the most extensive music project he has ever [been involved with] and [produced]. At the moment I'm not [in a position] to talk about [a provisional] release date but the DVD will be available in stores this summer and [in time for] the festival season, for sure."

SODOM issued the "Lords of Depravity - Part I" DVD in the U.S. on February 21, 2006 via SPV. The first of two double-DVD sets contained the SODOM history from 1982 to 1995 plus live footage from concerts in Sofia and at the With Full Force, Wacken Open Air and Rock Hard festivals.

Sweden's WITCHERY will release its new album, "Witchkrieg", on July 18 via Century Media Records. The CD will mark the recording debut of the band's new vocalist, Legion (MARDUK, DEVIAN).

Commented guitarist Jensen: "So it's finally, finally, FINALLY time for a new WITCHERY album! And not just any ol' new album, no sir. This is quite possibly the best WITCHERY album to date. Let me correct myself. This IS the best WITCHERY album to date.

"I know a lot of bands claim their current releases to be 'their best work' and everyone knows that's a load of bullshit. However, in our case, I can say its 100% true. If you don't believe me, then check out the album. You will notice how your flapping jaws slowly close, how you crank the volume and how you forget about your miserable life for while!

"On a sadder note, due to conflicting schedules, we have had to part ways with founding member Toxine. We wish our brother in metal all the best in the future. Therefore, I would like to introduce to the world, a new unholy axis of musical terror. We wish to welcome a new fulltime member to the WITCHERY coven; none other than: Legion!!!"

Swedish death metallers EVOCATION have set "Apocalyptic" as the title of their third album, tentatively due in in October via Cyclone Empire Records.

Commented guitarist Marko Palmén: "[The recording sessions are] progressing just as we planned. Yesterday we finished laying down all guitars except for solos which we are planning to do almost last. So far we have done drums, guitars and bass.

"By the way, for the drums we had some amazing help this time — Roberto Laghi (producer for IN FLAMES, etc.). And the result — well, to be honest, I haven't ever heard such an amazing drum sound... Prepare to be blown away. Same goes for the guitars and the bass as well — the sound has progressed and is more evil than ever!

"Next up to get to work is Thomas [Josefsson; vocals]. After having heard his ideas for the vocal patterns together with the songs, we all feel very confident that this album will become by far our strongest achievement up to date. It might sound like a cliché but trust me and wait until the album is released."

The cover artwork for "Ekpyrosis", the sixth full-length album from Swedish black metallers SETHERIAL, can be viewed here (art by Bartosz Nalezinski). The CD is scheduled for release in May via Regain Records.

Commented drummer Alastor Mysteriis, "The lyrical theme of 'Ekpyrosis' is about a metaphoric connection to the unavoidable conflict of the universe, through the Satanic angle and perspective.

"The 'Ekpyrotic' universe draws its name from the ancient Greek word ekpyrosis, meaning 'conflagration' (disastrous fire or conflict). A tribute to the complete obliteration spiral of all particles that is ever created where the all-seeing/all-destroying eye of Satan's singularity is represented by the destructive forces and dark energy of this vast, unknown universe."

SETHERIAL kicked off a European tour with IMPIETY on April 10 in Germany.

Long-running German power metallers BLIND GUARDIAN are currently putting the finishing touches to the long-awaited follow-up to 2006's A Twist In The Myth.

Singer Hansi Kürsch checks in with BraveWords.com about what fans can expect: "I would say it’s the perfect definition of Blind Guardian and a new invention of Blind Guardian at the same time. It’s very classical, it’s very epic, it contains the biggest choirs, the strangest power metal vocals I’ve ever done, the harshest and roughest rhythm guitar section we’ve ever had. It’s very modern though it contains all the Blind Guardian root elements. It certainly is the perfect definition and explanation why we did albums like Night At The Opera and A Twist In The Myth. I believe this one is on a level of Nightfall In Middle Earth and Imaginations From The Other Side, if not above."

Los Angeles-based black metal band THE FUNERAL PYRE will release its new album, "Vultures At Dawn", on June 8 via Prosthetic Records. The follow-up to 2008's "Wounds" was recorded by Adam Campbell at Awkward Studios, mixed by Ryan Butler (LANDMINE MARATHON, MISERY INDEX, PHOBIA) at Arcane Digital and mastered by Dave Shirk (INCANTATION, NILE, TODAY IS THE DAY) of Sonorous Mastering. Artwork for the album is being handled by Justin Barlett, known for his work with bands such as TRAP THEM, INTRONAUT and SUNN0))).

"Vultures At Dawn" track listing:

01. Vultures
02. Destroying Gods
03. Monolith
04. Blistered Hands
05. Personal Exile
06. Seeking Flesh and Bone
07. To Watch the Earth Rot
08. Clarity of Time

The band commented on the sound of the new record: "On this record we stepped out of our comfort zone and tried to create better songs, never focusing on what style of metal it actually is. Just writing the songs was most important to us."

Long-running Danish hard rockers PRETTY MAIDS have parted ways with bassist Kenn Jackson.

Commented the band: "PRETTY MAIDS would like to thank Kenn for his 19-year-long contribution and we wish him all the best of luck in the future. A replacement will be announced soon."

"Little Drops of Heaven" comes off PRETTY MAIDS' new album, "Pandemonium", which will be released on May 14 in Europe and June 8 in the U.S. via Frontiers Records.

"Pandemonium" track listing:

01. Pandemonium
02. I.N.V.U.
03. Little Drops of Heaven
04. One World One Truth
05. Final Day of Innocence
06. Cielo Drive
07. It Comes at Night
08. Old Enough to Know
09. Beautiful Madness
10. Breathless
11. It Comes at Night (remix)*

* Bonus track available first pressing in digipak

According to a press release, "Pandemonium" "truly shows the band in their finest moment [and] is their best effort in many years." It is said to be "a return to the 'Future World' / 'Red Hot and Heavy' era of the Eighties but with an updated sound and freshness that consolidates that PRETTY MAIDS are as strong as ever."

Written in the fall 2009 and recorded in the winter 2010, "Pandemonium" was produced by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, RAUNCHY) and will be supported by several festival appearances during the summer of 2010 and a full-scale European tour in October/November 2010.

"Pandemonium" introduces keyboard player Morten Sandager as a permanent member of the band.

PRETTY MAIDS' "comeback" album, entitled "Wake Up To The Real World", was released in November 2006 via Frontiers Records.