Reunited Cleveland metallers SHOK PARIS performed to a capacity crowd at the Auburn Records 25th Anniversary Concert on December 12, 2009 at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio. It was their first show since 2004 when the group played Auburn's 20th Anniversary Concert and the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Balingen, Germany.

The band's setlist for the Cleveland show was as follows:

01. American Dream
02. Find A Way Out
03. Caged Tiger
04. Never Say Why
05. Hot On Your Heels
06. Go Down Fighting
07. On Your Feet
08. Concrete Killers
09. Go For The Throat
10. Steel And Starlight
11. Burn It Down
12. Run But Don't Hide

SHOK PARIS will headline the first night of the Headbangers Open Air festival, set to take place July 29-31, 2010 in Brande-Hörnerkirchen, Germany.

"Headbangers Open Air can't get here soon enough", says vocalist Vic Hix. "It is another great opportunity to play for the best metal fans on earth.

"We had an incredible time in '04 at Bang Your Head!!! and I know it will be another great show, but this time in northern Germany."

Adds guitarist Ken Erb, "I'm amped about this festival. The band is very excited and honored to be part of HOA 2010.

"We'll be adding some more obscure songs to the set for the diehard HOA fans. We're gonna burn the garden to the ground!"

SHOK PARIS has plans to record and release new studio material next year.

"It is great working together with Vic (Hix) again," says Erb. "His voice is as strong as ever.

"I have a lot of new material I have been writing that is perfect for SHOK PARIS.

"Vic and I have always had a special songwriting connection. We're excited to be back!"

SHOK PARIS released three albums on Auburn — "Go For The Throat" (1984), "Steel And Starlight" (1987) and "Concrete Killers" (1989) — and was one of the label's most productive bands. "Go For The Throat" was Auburn's very first release, while "Steel And Starlight" and "Concrete Killers" were released through a joint partnership between I.R.S./ MCA and Auburn.

"I started working with SHOK PARIS before my 'Cleveland Metal' album was released in 1983," says Auburn Records president Bill Peters. "They had never played out live, a different singer and only three songs written at the time — 'Burn It Down', 'Run But Don't Hide' and 'Go Down Fighting'. I was an early believer and saw the potential. The band won me over after our first meeting.

"The song we recorded for the compilation, 'Go Down Fighting', became a big regional hit with extensive airplay on college radio and WMMS. The rest is history."

SHOK PARIS was the first Auburn Records band to get signed to a major label (I.R.S./MCA). They did extensive touring in the U.S. with SAVATAGE and LIZZY BORDEN in the late '80s, produced two MTV music videos and were the featured band in a science-fiction horror movie called "The Hidden".

"I asked Ken if he would be interested in putting a SHOK PARIS lineup together for my Auburn Records 25th Anniversary Concert several months ago", explains Peters. "The reunion went so well that the band decided to keep things going.

"It is great to be working with them again. I have always loved their music. Our trip to Germany in 2004 was one of the best and most fun of my many overseas trips.

"We'll have new studio material ready for next year and reissue some of my Auburn back catalog for the fans."

SHOK PARIS is:

Vic Hix - Vocals
Ken Erb - Guitar
John Korzekwa - Guitar
Ed Stephens - Bass
Donovan Kenaga - Drums

The web site for ICED EARTH guitarist/mainman Jon Schaffer's new project/solo album called SONS OF LIBERTY has been launched at this location. On the web site, visitors are able to download and listen to the debut LP, "Brush-fires of the Mind", for free. You can now also purchase a high-resolution version of the album for only $7.99 via PayPal.

"My desire is for SONS OF LIBERTY to become part of a much larger movement that is happening around the world," Schaffer said in a statement. "This new website will be a think-tank containing lots of interesting web links, book and movie recommendations, and much more. This will be an ongoing process, so check back often."

He added, "This is about the message and not the messenger. This is a project that I encourage you to copy and share with your friends.

"I care very much about what is happening in our world. We've been steamrolling down this road for a long time, so I assure you this is not a politically biased message. I'm hoping to set a few brush-fires in the minds of the listeners with this one. So please, check it out, do the research and get involved!

"Looking forward to getting your responses on this new chapter in my life!"

Swedish death metal veterans UNLEASHED have set "As Yggdrasil Trembles" as the title of their tenth full-length album, due in early 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. According to the band, the musical direction of the forthcoming CD, which is being recorded at guitarist Fredrik Folkare's Chrome studio, will be "the logical continuation from 'Midvinterblot' [2006] and 'Hammer Battalion' [2008]. Lyrically, you will recognize what has become the UNLEASHED trademark since more than 20 years, the combination of the past, present and future of viking struggle and way of life. A few of the songs also mark the beginning of a story never before told."

UNLEASHED's ninth full-length album, "Hammer Battalion", was recorded in Sweden and produced by Folkare, "Hammer Battalion" took a battle-hardened axe to the misguided concepts of self-subjugation, transparent corruption and unneeded suffering in the name of religious figureheads and provides a perfect link between the ancient struggles of their Nordic forefathers and the ills of our modern society. The blistering "The Greatest Of All Lies" and "Long Before Winter's Call" took on old religious myths re-cast as pure fact, while "Your Children Will Burn" served as a warning of the consequences of blind faith. "Whatever is done in the name of different religions is often done against Mother Nature," noted vocalist/bassist Johnny Hedlund. "And she has the means of striking back."

RUDRA's video for the track "Hymns from the Blazing Chariot" can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Jacen Tan and was "filmed over a period of two months, using some cool 'green-screen' effects," according to the band. "The concept is based on the ancient battle of Kurukshetra, focusing on the dialogue between two warriors, Arjuna and Krishna."

"Hymns from the Blazing Chariot' comes off the Singaporean metallers' new album, "Brahmavidya: Transcendental I", which was released earlier in the year via Vic Records. The CD was produced by Joshua G. Nair and Sean Loo and features fourteen tracks with a total running time of about 70 minutes.

"Brahmavidya: Transcendental I" track listing:

01. Bhagavatpada Namaskara
02. Ravens of Paradise
03. Amrtasyaputra
04. Hymns from the Blazing Chariot
05. Meditations at Dawn
06. Advaitamrta
07. Natural Born Ignorance
08. Immortality Roars
09. Reversing the Currents
10. Venerable Opposites
11. Avidya Nivrtti
12. Not the Seen but the Seer
13. Adiguru Namastubhyam
14. Majestic Ashtavakra

RUDRA recently announced the addition of guitarist Vinod to the group's ranks. RUDRA bassist/vocalist Kathir stated, "[Vinod] isn't someone new to RUDRA or the Singaporean metal scene. Vinod has played in many bands before and has been known to us for almost eight years. We are looking forward to writing the new album and touring with him."

Added Vinod, "It is truly an honor to be chosen and be part of RUDRA, a pioneer metal band. The first extreme metal band I listened to that inspired me and made me believe it is possible for local Singaporeans to start a band and be successful. I've known the members for a while. And now being in the band, I'm excited to work with them. Thus looking forward to contribute my part in the upcoming albums."

The third in a series of video clips featuring footage from the recording sessions for BORKNAGAR's new album, "Universal", can be viewed below. Due on February 22, 2010 in Europe and March 2, 2010 in North America through Indie Recordings, the effort will be made available in four different formats: regular jewelcase CD, limited digipack (including bonus disc), CD box with extras and gatefold LP with double vinyl.

Commented the band: "We are really proud to finally reveal the cover for 'Universal'. It has been a long process to circle in and establish the perfect visual approach for this album. A cover that is able to visually represent the album. We firmly believe that we have achieved that with the new cover and the general designs (including CD, CDL, LP and CD box) represent nothing less."

"Universal" track listing:

01. Havoc
02. Reason
03. The Stir of Seasons
04. For a Thousand Years to Come
05. Abrasion Tide
06. Fleshflower
07. Worldwide
08. My Domain (feat. guest vocals by I.C.S Vortex)

Finnish gothic metallers TO/DIE/FORhave uploaded a demo version of a new song, "Unknown III", to their MySpace page. The track is one of four cuts — alongside "Angelica", "My Hysteria" and "Sad" (working title) — which are being used to procure new management and a record deal. Vocalist Jape Perätalo previously stated that "most of the guitars [on the new album] will be played by Krisse. He is not a band member. He is doing this as a session musician and he is Tonmi's [Lillman; TO/DIE/FOR drummer] friend from Helsinki." He added, "We still do not know who will be TO/DIE/FOR guitarist in future, but now we have 'one' who could be."

Finnish symphonic power metallers EXCALION will release their third album, "High Time", on January 29, 2010 via Limb Music. The follow-up to 2007's "Waterlines" was recorded at Watercastle studio in Jyväskylä, Finland. The CD was produced by EXCALION and Arttu Sarvanne and was engineered and mixed by Arttu Sarvanne. The cover artwork was created by Fernando R. Garcia and can be viewed below.

"High Time" track listing:

01. Enter A Life (04:07)
02. From Somewhere To Anywhere (03:48)
03. Sun Stones (04:52)
04. The Flags In Line (06:16)
05. Bring On The Storm (04:51)
06. The Shroud (04:35)
07. Firewood (04:44)
08. Lifetime (03:33)
09. Quicksilver (04:10)
10. A Walk On A Broken Road (05:11)
11. Foreversong (04:05)

"Sound Of Destruction", the new video from Greek modern melodeath metallers THE FALLEN WITHIN, can be viewed below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Intoxicated", which was released on December 1 via Coroner Records. The CD, which is described in a press release as "an avant garde melodic death work with many dark atmospheres," was recorded and produced by Bob Katsionis from FIREWIND, and mixed and mastered by Ahti Kortelainen at Tico Tico Studio in Finland.

"Intoxicated" track listing:

01. My Vanity
02. Sound Of Destruction
03. Pain Right Under
04. I Am Hate
05. Extinction
06. Endless Reality
07. Intoxicated
08. Last Breath
09. The Great Fall
10. Timeworn

Greek extreme metallers ROTTING CHRIST will release their new album, "Aealo", on February 15 in Europe and February 23 in the U.S. via Season Of Mist. The CD was recorded at Lunatach Studios in Katerini, Greece and will feature guest appearances by Greek-American vocalist Diamanda Galas and PRIMORDIAL frontman Alan A. Nemtheanga.

"Aealo" track listing:

01. Aealo
02. Eon Aenaos
03. Demonon Vrosis
04. Noctis Era
05. dub-sag-ta-ke
06. Fire Death and Fear
07. Nekron Iahes...
08. ...Pir Threontai
09. Thou Art Lord
10. Santa Muerte
11. Orders from the Dead

DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has released his annual "Best Of..." list for 2009 as well as a "Best Of 00s Decade-End Wrap-Up". His music-related selections are as follows:

Best Of 2009

CDs:

01. BIGELF - Cheat The Gallows
02. MASTODON - Crack The Skye
03. ALICE IN CHAINS - Black Gives Way To Blue
04. THE FLAMING LIPS - Embryonic
05. BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - The Great Misdirect
06. THEM CROOKED VULTURES - Them Crooked Vultures
07. MEGADETH - Endgame
08. THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT - Ki/Addicted
09. HEART OF CYGNUS - Over Mountain Under Hill
10. ANIMALS AS LEADERS - Animals As Leaders

Honorable Mentions:

LAZARUS A.D. - The Onslaught
MUSE - The Resistance
PORCUPINE TREE - The Incident
BARONESS - Blue Record
RIVERSIDE - Anno Domini High Definition

And, of course:

DREAM THEATER - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
TRANSATLANTIC - The Whirlwind

Best Of Decade-End Wrap-Up

CDs:

Top 10:

01. MUSE - Absolution
02. BIGELF - Cheat The Gallows
03. OPETH - Blackwater Park *
04. SPOCK'S BEARD - Snow
05. THE FLAMING LIPS - At War With The Mystics
06. ENDOCHINE - Day Two
07. BEARDFISH - Sleeping In Traffic Pts 1&2
08. METALLICA - Death Magnetic
09. LAMB OF GOD - Ashes Of The Wake
10. PETER GABRIEL - Up
11. BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - Colors
12. MACHINE HEAD - The Blackening
13. WILCO - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
14. SLIPKNOT - Vol 3: The Subliminal Verses
15. PAIN OF SALVATION - Remedy Lane
16. COLDPLAY - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
17. KING CRIMSON - The Power To Believe
18. WEEZER - Green Album
19. PORCUPINE TREE - Fear Of A Blank Planet
20. MASTODON - Crack The Skye

Commented Portnoy: "A special mention must be made declaring OPETH as my 'Band of the Decade' as I could have easily listed 'Deliverance', 'Damnation', 'Ghost Reveries' and 'Watershed' all in my top 10 as well, but I had a self-imposed rule of only one album per band... I had similar issues picking a definitive album from PORCUPINE TREE, PAIN OF SALVATION, MASTODON, LAMB OF GOD and THE FLAMING LIPS, who all put out very consistent, quality releases all decade."

Patrick Mameli (guitar, vocals) of the resurrected late '80s/early '90s death metal outfit PESTILENCE has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"The waiting has come to an end. PESTILENCE has found a new drummer for the U.S. tour and maybe even the next PESTILENCE album!!!

"After, actually, a short period of time, after many mails and auditionings, our minds (Patrick Mameli and Patrick Uterwijk's) were already set in the same direction. Somebody caught our attention. Someone really special and driven. His blasts and double-bass drum parts are amazing and furious!! His way of thinking about Peter (Wildoer's) parts are phenomenal and give just the right vibe to the already recorded songs for the 'Resurrection Macabre' album.

"Video footage of the infamous audition will follow shortly.

"His name is Yuma Van Eekelen. Remember that name! He's gonna be VERY BIG pretty soon! He is a very worthy replacement of Peter Wildoer, who will remain a drumgod!

"Let's go back to Yuma for a second! We will follow up shortly with an update on this guy and show you parts of his audition so y'all can see this guy's skills.

"So, people, please don't send in more stuff because PESTILENCE has found a NEW DRUMMER!!!

"Stay tuned on what happens next!!!"

CANDLEMASS, HAMMERFALL and HARDCORE SUPERSTAR are among the five final nominees that are competing for the "Best Hard Rock" honor at the Swedish Grammis awards, which will be held January 15, 2010 at Münchenbryggeriet in Stockholm. The bands are all nominated for their most recent releases, all of which came out during 2009.

"Best Hard Rock" nominees:

* CANDLEMASS - Death Magic Doom
* HAMMERFALL - No Sacrifice, No Victory
* HARDCORE SUPERSTAR - Beg For It
* MUSTASCH - Mustasch
* RAISED FIST - Veil Of Ignorance

"Best Rock" nominees:

* EUROPE - Last Look At Eden
* [INGENTING] - Tomhet, Idel Tomhet
* BOB HUND - Folkmusik För Folk Som Inte Kan Bete Sig Som Folk
* KENT - Röd
* MANDO DIAO - Give Me Fire!

Last year's Grammis award in the "Best Hard Rock" category was won by in flames for the band's "A Sense Of Purpose" CD. The band also performed the song "Alias" during the ceremony, which was broadcast live on Swedish national channel TV4.

IN FLAMES was presented with the award by Joey Tempest, singer for the reactivated Swedish hard rock band EUROPE.

Razar Ice Records has set a January 21, 2010 release date for TOKYO BLADE's "Live In Germany" DVD. The effort was recorded in November 2008 at the Keep It True festival in Würzburg, Germany during the band's "Die By The Sword" tour.
"Live In Germany" was mixed and mastered by Sid Garcia at Sight 16 Studios in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The DVD, which is the companion to the already released "Live In Germany" CD (available at this location), contains bonus material, including candid footage with the band, additional live songs from throughout the 2008 tour as well as previously unreleased photo galleries.

"Live In Germany" DVD track listing:

01. Intro - The Killer
02. Lovestruck
03. Lightning Strikes
04. Midnight Rendezvous
05. Death On Main St.
06. Dead Of The Night
07. Attack, Attack
08. Monkeys Blood
09. Long Live Rock and Roll
10. If Heaven Is Hell
11. Night Of The Blade

To pre-order a copy, go to this lo

Austrian female-fronted symphonic metal band EDENBRIDGE has set "Solitaire" as the title of its seventh album, due in May 2010.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Entree Unique
02. Solitaire
03. Higher
04. Skyline's End
05. Bon Voyage Vagabond
06. Come Undone
07. Out Of This World
08. Further Afield
09. A Virtual Dream?
10. Brothers On Diamir
11. Exit Unique

The limited-edition version of the album will include two additional songs: "Eternity" and "Inward Passage".

"Dream Oblivion", a brand new song from Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY, is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The track comes off the group's ninth album, "We Are The Void", which will be released via Century Media Records on the following dates:

* Sweden: February 24
* Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy, Australia: February 26
* Spain, Portugal: March 2
* Finland, Hungary: March 3
* U.K., France, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Rest Of Europe: March 1
* North America: March 9

The drums for the CD were recorded at bassist Daniel Antonsson's studio, while the remaining instruments were tracked at Martin Brändström's (electronics) newly renovated Rogue music facility. The mixing duties were once again handled by Tue Madsen (HALFORD, BEHEMOTH, KATAKLYSM, THE HAUNTED) at his Antfarm studio in Århus, Denmark. Working songtitles set to appear on the CD include "I Am The Void", "Zero Distance", "The Burden Of Love Alive", "Archangelsk" and "Memories In Reverse".

The reunited original lineup of the New York hardcore/metal band BIOHAZARD will enter Los Angeles' Underground Sounds Studio on January 19 to begin recording its new album for a summer 2010 release. This will be the first time the four original members — Evan Seinfeld, Billy Graziadei, Danny Schuler and Bobby Hambel — have recorded together since 1994's breakthrough CD "State Of The World Address".

Commented bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld, "BIOHAZARD and our four diverse, yet equal and integral parts converge upon our L.A. Underground Sound studio and resurrect our patented 'meat grinder' writing process. Each guy brings something — riffs, lyrics, concepts, songs, melodies, chants — and we get in a room and hammer it out.

"I have personally missed this process over the last years, but having Bobby back in the band has brought back some extra fire that has helped remind all of us what the Brooklyn style is all about. The process is exhausting, humbling, magical and empowering all at the same time. One of the songs we wrote in our first 'round' of this battle, 'Vengeance Is Mine', we just played in all of Europe, London, and Moscow and went over so well live that I am sure we are on the right track."

A world tour will commence in April 2010 and will last through late 2011.

Starting with its self-titled 1990 debut, BIOHAZARD released eight acclaimed studio albums which have sold over three million copies worldwide. During that time, the band was also featured prominently on two revered, gold-certified compilations: "Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath" — they were represented with the album-opening cover of "After Forever" —and the groundbreaking soundtrack to the film "Judgment Night", for which they provided the title track (a collaboration with the rap group ONYX).

Known for its incendiary live show, the band has played over 3,200 concerts in their career.

Knoxville, Tennessee death metallers WHITECHAPEL will enter Audiohammer studios in Sanford, Florida on December 27 with acclaimed producer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER) to begin recording their third album for a late spring/early summer release via Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2008's "This Is Exile" will feature artwork by Dusty Peterson, who has previously worked with SIX FEET UNDER and BLOODBATH.

Commented guitarist and founding member Alex Wade: "We're really excited to announce that we will be hitting the studio in January with a producer who needs no introduction, Jason Suecof. Suecof has produced some of the most brutal metal albums to date and we are excited for him to get his hands on our new material to make it the heaviest music we've created thus far. Also, Dusty Peterson has been signed on to handle the artwork duties. His dark, yet meticulously detailed style of hand-drawn artwork is sure to bring out a truly vivid and brutal masterpiece.

"We really wanted our artwork for the record to speak as loudly for us as the music we are creating, thus Dusty was picked for his unbelievably realistic and detailed hand-drawn style.

"In this day and age where downloading a CD is as easy as typing the CD's name into a search bar, we wanted to make the artwork something creative and special for the fans who actually purchase the CD. Almost like owning a piece of art.

"As for the title and track listing, you'll just have to wait for that as the CD comes closer to completion."

Relapse Records will re-release CONVULSE's first proper full-length, "World Without God", this coming January. "World Without God" is an underground metal classic and will be available once-again for the first time in over 10 years on January 19. The reissue will be re-mastered, repackaged, and feature the band's legendary 1990 demo, "Resuscitation of Evilness". Additional information on this release is available now at this location.

CONVULSE only released two full-length albums during its short-lived death metal career but is still considered among the forefathers of the Finnish metal scene.

'80s underground thrash metallers HELLHOUND have reformed and are currently recording their first new material in over 20 years.

The band will perform new and classic songs during its January 9, 2010 concert at the Venuez in Santa Clara, California.

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, DEATH ANGEL, FORBIDDEN EVIL 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.

Braunschweig, Germany-based metal/hardcore act FOREVER IT SHALL BE will release its sophomore album, "Sonic Death Squad", in early 2010 via Maintain Records. The 12-song CD was recorded at Rape of Harmonies studio (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, MAROON) in Triptis, Germany and will feature cover artwork (see below) by Justin Osbourne of Slasher Design.

The "Sonic Death Squad" title track is now available for streaming on the FOREVER IT SHALL BE MySpace page.

FOREVER IT SHALL BE's debut album, "Reluming the Embers", was released in June 2007 via Maintain Records. The CD was produced by Ralf Mueller and Alexander Dietz (HEAVEN SHALL BURN) at Rape of Harmonies and features a guest appearance by John Gahlert (FALL OF SERENITY).

Bielefeld, Germany-based thrashers LOST WORLD ORDER have made their entire new album, "Marauders", available for free download via the band's official web site. The CD contains eight "thrash anthems" that were recorded by Jörg Uken at the Soundlodge studio in Rhauderfehn, Germany between November 2 and November 12.

Commented the band: "We chose the way of a download offer to make the world listen to our new music, and we hope that you all enjoy it as much as we do. We'd appreciate if you told your friends about our download, too. As a physical medium, there will be no CD. But we will release an LP of the album in January 2010, coming in a gatefold and in splatter vinyl, containing a bonus patch."