"Year Of The Suckerpunch", the new video from Finnish metallers AMORAL, can be viewed here. The song comes off the band's latest album, "Show Your Colors", which will be released in Japan on July 22 via Marquee/Avalon. The CD recently entered the official chart in the band's home country of Finland at position No. 19.

"Show Your Colors" was released in the U.S. on June 9 through Spinefarm Records via Fontana distribution. Available in Finland since May 6, the CD was recorded at Sound Supreme Studios in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

An e-card for "Show Your Colors" can be accessed at this location.

"Year Of The Suckerpunch", the first AMORAL track to be released featuring new singer Ari Koivunen, entered the national chart in the band's home country at position No. 19. In addition to the title cut, which was written and composed by guitarist Ben Varon, the single includes a cover of the MISFITS song "Dig Up Her Bones".

Fresh off of a U.S. tour opening for Trey Spruance's amazing SECRET CHIEFS 3, KAYO DOT has arrived in Seattle to begin recording its second full-length release for Hydra Head Industries.

Throughout the tour, KAYO DOT performed and refined the new compositions, bringing them to new audiences and honing them for the upcoming recording, with Toby Driver also picking up bass duties for SECRET CHIEFS 3 each night.

According to a press release, "The new music features another sonic shift in the ever-evolving sonic lexicon of KAYO DOT. Expect a more visceral rhythmic sound with overdriven chorus basses, cave-echoed horns, vocals and strings, tuned struck metal, and a purveying melodic darkness threaded delicately throughout the sound of the music. Once again, the album will be recorded by Randall Dunn (SUNN O))), EARTH, SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE) who also recorded KAYO DOT's critically acclaimed Hydra Head release from 2008, 'Blue Lambency Downward'."

Expect new music to be released in the fall, with a September/October European tour and U.S. trek to follow.

TWISTED SISTER's video for the new song, "30", which the band recorded for the 25th-anniversary reissue of the "Stay Hungry" album, can be viewed below.

TWISTED SISTER's 25th anniversary edition of "Stay Hungry" was released on Tuesday, June 30 on Rhino. The package includes:

* "Stay Hungry" remastered
* Ten never-before-heard songs originally demoed for "Stay Hungry"
* Five early demos of songs from "Stay Hungry"
* One brand new song
* One rare radio spot using "SMF" as the music bed

"Stay Hungry" bonus tracks:

* "Death From Above"
* "Prime Motivator"
* "Were Not Gonna Take It"
* "Death Run"
* "This One's For You"
* "SMF"
* "We're Coming On"
* "Call My Name"
* "Burn In Hell"
* "Pay The Price"
* "What's Love Without You"
* "Our Voice Will Be Heard"
* "You've Got To Fight"
* "The Price"
* "Stay Hungry"
* "30"

BLABBERMOUTH.NET can reveal the track listing for MEGADETH's twelfth studio album, "Endgame", which is due on September 15 through Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at the band's brand new, self-built studio in San Marcos, California — Vic's Garage — which was named after the legendary and iconic Vic Rattlehead character.

"Endgame" track listing:

01. Dialectic Chaos
02. This Day We Fight!
03. 44 Minutes
04. 1,320
05. Bite The Hand That Feeds
06. Bodies Left Behind
07. Endgame
08. The Hardest Part Of Letting Go... Sealed With A Kiss
09. Headcrusher
10. How the Story Ends
11. Nothing Left To Lose

THIN LIZZY's management company has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET that the band has parted ways with guitarist/vocalist John Sykes.

Commented THIN LIZZY guitarist and mainstay Scott Gorham: "It's been a very tough time of late for myself and the band, firstly with drummer Tommy Aldridge's injury and now the subsequent decision for John and the rest of the group to go their separate ways. I can only apologize to everyone who has supported us over the years, but we will be back up to full speed soon."

Gorham intends to announce future plans for THIN LIZZY shortly.

All previously announced THIN LIZZY shows will be canceled or postponed until further notice.

THIN LIZZY's most recent touring lineup was as follows:

Scott Gorham - Guitar
John Sykes - Vocals, Guitar
Tommy Aldridge - Drums
Francesco DiCosmo - Bass

Norway's HELHEIM will play two Russian shows in September. This will be the first foray into the region for the Viking metallers who incorporate their love for their Norse heritage not only into their music but also into their live performances, with the use of VJ effects to create a spectacular backdrop, illustrating each individual song with historic and symbolic images.

Drummer Hrymr confirmed that HELHEIM will be taking their VJ, Gjert, with them to Russia. "The effects have now become an integral part of the HELHEIM and we are sure that the Russian fans will appreciate the atmosphere we are now able to create," he said. "It will be our first time in the country, and we are really looking forward to playing there, and hopefully of being able to get a glimpse of Russia, albeit a very rapid one."

The dates are as follows:

Sep. 11 - Arktika, St. Petersburg, RUS
Sep. 13 - Rock City, Novosibirisk, RUS

Finnish folk metallers ENSIFERUM have set "From Afar" as the title of their fourth album, due on September 9 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was produced by Tero Kinnunen (NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS) and Janne Joutsenniemi ('Victory Songs' producer) and was mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, SENTENCED, AMORPHIS).

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. By The Dividing Stream
02. From Afar
03. Twilight Tavern
04. Heathen Throne
05. Elusive Reaches
06. Stone Cold Metal
07. Smoking Ruins
08. Tumman Virran Taa
09. The Longest Journey (Heathen Throne Part II)
10. Vandraren (limited-edition bonus track; NORDMAN cover)

The 2009 Kerrang! Awards will be held at a top secret London location on August 3 and this year's event will be hosted by SLIPKNOT vocalist Corey Taylor and ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian.

SLIPKNOT and METALLICA head up the nominations for the Kerrang! Awards 2009. Fresh from their triumphant Download festival headline appearance, the Iowa-based nine-piece has notched up six nominations (including two nominations for "Best Single") while metal legends METALLICA are nominated in five categories.

"I am thrilled," SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor said in a statement. "It is just another reason (why) this has been the best time of our career."

The shortlist for the Kerrang! Awards 2009 can be viewed below.

Best British Newcomer

* MY PASSION
* IN CASE OF FIRE
* ATTACK! ATTACK!
* YOUNG GUNS
* FEI COMODO

Best International Newcomer

* SHINEDOWN
* FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
* THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM
* METRO STATION
* VERSA EMERGE

Best Live Band

* METALLICA
* SLIPKNOT
* ENTER SHIKARI
* THE PRODIGY
* GALLOWS

Best Single

* METALLICA - All Nightmare Long
* THE PRODIGY - Omen
* SLIPKNOT - Dead Memories
* SLIPKNOT - Psychosocial
* PLACEBO - For What It's Worth

Best Video

* PAPA ROACH - Hollywood Whore
* SLIPKNOT - Sulfur
* METALLICA - The Day That Never Comes
* MASTODON - Oblivion
* PLACEBO - For What It's Worth

Best Album

* GREEN DAY - 21st Century Breakdown
* METALLICA - Death Magnetic
* SLIPKNOT - All Hope Is Gone
* GALLOWS - Grey Britain
* PLACEBO - Battle For The Sun

Best British Band

* BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
* BRING ME THE HORIZON
* YOU ME AT SIX
* ENTER SHIKARI
* GALLOWS

Best International Band

* GREEN DAY
* SLIPKNOT
* METALLICA
* MADINA LAKE
* LAMB OF GOD

Swedish "pop/metal" band DEAD BY APRIL played two songs ("Promise Me" and "Losing You") acoustically for Expressen TV's "XL Live" in May 2009. Watch video footage of the performance here.

DEAD BY APRIL has been confirmed for the METALLICA-headlined inaugural Sonisphere festival, set to take place on August 1-2 at the legendary Knebworth Park, United Kingdom.

DEAD BY APRIL's self-titled debut album was released in Sweden on May 13 via Universal. The CD was produced by Henrik Edenhed, who has previously worked with ROBYN, LAMBRETTA, TEDDYBEARS, CHRISTIAN WALTZ and THE SOUNDS.

"Dead By April" track listing:

01. Trapped
02. Angels of Clarity
03. Losing You
04. What Can I Say
05. Erased
06. Promise Me
07. Falling Behind
08. Sorry For Everything
09. In My Arms
10. Stronger
11. Carry Me
12. A Promise
13. I Made It

"Losing You", the first single from DEAD BY APRIL, topped the official chart in the band's home country.

"Losing You" was released as a digital single in the U.K. on May 11 via Spinefarm Records. The title cut is available, along with bonus cut "My Saviour", plus the "Losing You" video.

According to the group's official bio, "DEAD BY APRIL is a collaboration between some free-spirited, like-minded musicians. It has evolved from just being a project to a full-time band in a very short amount of time."

Reactivated seminal technical metal pioneers ATHEIST are currently streaming the song "Unquestionable Presence" — taken from the forhtcoming live album, entitled "Unquestionable Presence: Live At Wacken" — on their MySpace page.

"Unquestionable Presence: Live At Wacken" is scheduled for release on July 21 via Relapse Records. The set, which was mixed by Matt Washburn at LedBelly Sound Studio in Canton, Georgia, features the band's complete performance at the 2006 edition of the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany along with a bonus disc featuring "essential ATHEIST tracks" hand-picked by the group. Also included is a 24-page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos.

ATHEIST vocalist Kelly Shaefer previously stated about the "Live At Wacken" release, "It's a very stripped-down, no-overdubs live recording from our appearance at Wacken Open Air in 2006 as part of the reunion dates we did. This was only the fourth show on what would become many. So why record the fourth show? Well, we did not actually ever intend on it, but we found out that Wacken had raw tracks that could be remixed, whereas most recordings we get are from soundboards, and you cannot turn up guitars, vocals etc on those type of recordings. So... we obtained the raw tracks and have mixed eight tunes with Matt (MASTODON, GNOSTIC) at LedBelly studios in Atlanta. The results? A very very live (mistakes and all) and raw set of tracks from the 'Piece of Time' and 'Unquestionable Presence' era of ATHEIST. It sounds suprisingly warm, and for those who were there in Germany that afternoon to see ATHEIST on what was probably one of the more 'magical' performances we have ever had as a band, it was really the first time we had played for people who had been around back in the early days of the band, and were now writers, or owned record companies, plus all of the new fans of this strange technical metal genre of music... This will encapsulate that experience for us, you and as well as those who were not there that day... It was a great day!

"Unquestionable Presence: Live At Wacken" track listing (first disc only):

01. Mother Man
02. Unquestionable Presence
03. Your Life's Retribution
04. Enthralled in Essence
05. Incarnation's Dream
06. Formative Years
07. Brains
08. And The Psychic Saw

"At The Bottom", the new video from Walkerton, Ontario, Canada-based metallers ODIUM, can be viewed here. The clip was directed by Chad Archibald of Black Fawn Films at and old abandoned farmhouse in Guelph, Ontario. The track is taken from the group's recently released Year of the Sun debut album of the same name, which was produced by Greg Dawson (THE END, MONEEN, STARRING JANET LEIGH).

Commetned ODIUM's Dale Burrows: "The video looks phenomenal. Chad Archibald did an amazing job executing the vision he had for the song and that's why he is one of the best video directors in the scene right now. The abandoned house looked like it was straight out of 'The Blair Witch Project', with all kinds of graffiti on walls and all the windows had been smashed out. Everything for the video turned out incredible and we're excited for people to finally see it."

According to a press release, ODIUM's brand of melodic metal collides with anthemic choruses that creates dark soundscapes that have begun creating a buzz around the group's debut album. Inside Pulse proclaimed "ODIUM has taken the blueprint of melodic metal from Sweden's IN FLAMES and tempered the attack with a hint of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE to create a sort of Canadian leviathan."

ODIUM developed a following by playing packed shows throughout Ontario with the likes of ARISE AND RUIN, FUCK THE FACTS and STARRING JANET LEIGH. The group's "sound of molten metal collides with anthemic choruses to create dark and creepy soundscapes," according to a press release.

The cover art for "Sing-Along Songs For the Damned and Delirious", the upcoming album from the Swedish avant-garde rock band DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA, can be viewed here. Due in Europe on September 21 via Ascendance Records, the CD's cover art was made by the acclaimed Swedish illustrator Peter Bergting, most notable for his work with the graphic novel "Gängkrig", which is a #1 bestseller in Sweden right now.

Recorded at In Flames studio in Gothenburg with producer Roberto Laghi (IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE, MUSTASCH, HARDCORE SUPERSTAR), "Sing-Along Songs For the Damned and Delirious" will come in two editions for the stores. The "normal" edition will be a four-panel digipack containing the CD and a 12-page booklet, while the "special" edition, limited to just 2000 copies, will come in a gorgeous eight-panel digipack containing the CD, a 12-page booklet and a bonus DVD featuring all sorts of goodies, like live footage, behind-thescenes material, photo albums and whatever else can be crammed in!

A "very special" edition will be available directly from Ascendance by mailorder only, with an individually numbered band logo Dog Tag pendant, a set of postcards and a vinyl sticker included with the CD/DVD version. This will be stricly limited to 300 copies.

According to DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA, fans of the band's 2006 self-released debut, "The Butcher's Ballroom" (later licensed to Candlelight Records in Europe and Sonic Cathedral in the U.S.), will recognize the DSO sound but it has developed into something even more playful and at times far more aggressive than before.

DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA will play a launch party show in London on October 2 at the Purple Turtle, Camden. The venue has a limited capacity and tickets are selling fast.

The unique genre-hopping Swedish sextet has already garnered an ever-growing army of fans on the strength of "The Butcher's Ballroom" and its European festival perfomances, including Metal Female Voices Fest and Summer Breeze.

German melodic death/thrash metallers BURDEN OF GRIEF are currently working on material for their new album, tentatively due in early 2010. The follow-up to 2007's "Death End Road" will contain 10 songs, seven of which have already been completed, and will be mixed and mastered by Swedish producer/multi-instrumentalist Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH). The limited-edition version of the album will include a bonus CD featuring cover versions of the following eight metal classics:

* IRON MAIDEN - "Aces High"
* METALLICA - "The Four Horsemen"
* PANTERA - "Mouth For War"
* SEPULTURA - "Refuse/ Resist"
* WHITESNAKE - "Fool For Your Loving"
* BLIND GUARDIAN - "Valhalla"
* AC/DC - "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be"
* THE DOORS - "Break On Through"

On July 13, BURDEN OF GRIEF's debut album, "Haunting Requiems", will be re-released by the Polish label Metal Mind Productions. This remastered re-release comes in a limited, hand-numbered digipack with a new 16-page booklet and four previously unreleased bonus tracks from the band's 1996 demo tape, "My Blood".

BURDEN OF GRIEF released its fourth full-length album, "Death End Road", in March 2007 via Remedy Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Fields of Salvation" was recorded at Krachgarten Tonstudio in Kassel, Germany and was mixed at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark with producer Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, PRETTY MAIDS, HATESPHERE).

Finnish goth metallers THE 69 EYES have made their new track "Dead Girls Are Easy" available for free download at this location. The song comes off the band's new album, "Back In Blood", which is scheduled for release in Europe (excluding Finland) on August 28 via Nuclear Blast Records (September 15 in the U.S. through The End Records). The CD, which was tracked with the Grammy-winning producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, MONSTER MAGNET, FU MANCHU), features a guest appearance by MONSTER MAGNET's Ed Mundell. The recording process took place both in Helsinki and Los Angeles.

"Dead Girls Are Easy" is described in a press release as "a nasty power anthem for sleazy pin-ups complete with a sing-a-long chorus aimed at those online chicks with the looks that kill!" The video for the song was directed by MTV superstar and close friend Bam Margera and the artwork was designed by Estevan Oriol, whose work has graced countless covers from such artists as CYPRESS HILL, THE TRANSPLANTS and SNOOP DOGG.

THE 69 EYES has scheduled a listening party for its new album, "Back In Blood". Fans will get a chance to meet and greet guitarist Pasi Moilanen and Jussi Heikki Tapio Vuori as well as rock out to the new tunes while having a beer or two with the guys on Sunday, June 28 at club Wild At Heart in Berlin, Germany beginning at 8:00 p.m. Guest tickets are limited to 50 and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

"Back In Blood" track listing:

01. Back In Blood
02. We Own The Night
03. Dead N' Gone
04. The Good, The Bad & The Undead
05. Kiss Me Undead
06. Lips Of Blood
07. Dead Girls Are Easy
08. Night Watch
09. Some Kind Of Magick
10. Hunger
11. Suspiria Snow White
12. Eternal

Norway's THEATRE OF TRAGEDY has finalized the track listing for its seventh album, "Forever Is The World", due in Europe on September 18 via AFM Records. The CD was recorded at Room 13 studios in Oslo with producer Alexander Møklebust, who has previously worked with ZEROMANCER, SEIGMEN, GÅTE, MONOMEN and DELAWARE, among others. The mastering was handled by Bjørn Engelmann at the Cutting Room in Sweden.

"Forever Is The World" will be available in three different versions: a limited digipack with one bonus song, a very limited double vinyl version with two bonus tracks (one exclusive to the vinyl edition!) and a regular jewelcase.

"Forever Is The World" track listing:

01. Hide and Seek
02. A Nine Days Wonder
03. Revolution
04. Transition
05. Hollow
06. Astray
07. Frozen
08. Illusions
09. Deadland
10. Forever is the World

The first audio sample will be released on August 1.

Check out video footage from the studio here.

"Hurting Not Helping", the new video from the Boston, Massachusetts-based hardcore/metal band BURY YOUR DEAD, can be viewed here. The song comes off the group's latest album, "It's Nothing Personal", which sold around 3,250 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (Note: Internet/digital sales **ARE** included in the SoundScan totals.) The CD landed at position No. 2 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"It's Nothing Personal" was released on May 26 via Victory Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Hurting Not Helping
02. Without You
03. Broken Body
04. The Great Demonizer
05. Dead End Lovesong
06. Swan Song
07. Lakota
08. The Forgotten
09. Lion's Den
10. Legacy of Ashes
11. Closed Eyes
12. Enough

CREED/ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti — who has a sticker of late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN axeman "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott on the bottom of his guitar — has told AOL Music that he's always been a fan of much more aggressive music than he is allowed to play with the reunited kings of modern rock radio. "Yeah I grew up in Detroit so the heavier the music you listened to, the cooler you were, you know?" he said. "So at the time SLAYER was the heaviest band. They were one of my favorite bands of all time. METALLICA, you know, CELTIC FROST, or 'Keltic,' however you want to pronounce it, VENOM and MORBID ANGEL, all the heavy stuff you can get your hands on we were into."

"Counting Down The Days", the new video from Los Angeles-based technical progressive metallers THE HUMAN ABSTRACT, can be viewed here. (Note: Video stream may not be available to some non-U.S. residents.) THe song comes off the band's sophomore full-length album, "Midheaven", which was released in August 2008 via Hopeless Records. The CD "follows a full cycle of man while he makes his ascent and discoveries and is eventually brought down by his lust of conquest and greed," said vocalist Nathan Ells. "Basically we wanted to have this album be cohesive all the way through. We came up with themes for each song and then wrote the songs like we were doing a film score and try to capture the mood musically for what each theme represents."

Although the initial sessions for "Midheaven" were helmed by veteran producer Toby Wright (METALLICA, SLAYER, ALICE IN CHAINS, SOULFLY, FEAR FACTORY), the CD was completed with a different producer and Wright's name was "wiped off all credits," according to Powell.

THE HUMAN ABSTRACT's Hopeless Records debut, "Nocturne", was released in August 2006.

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER has set "Deflorate" as the title of its new album, due on September 15 via Metal Blade Records.

"Majesty", the brand new DVD from THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, sold 2,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Top Music Videos chart.

Released on May 12 via Metal Blade, "Majesty" is a first-ever look into the group's relentless touring lifestyle and a "side-splitting peek into the hard-working band's humor-laced brand of daily life [that] will have you smelling the funk of the van from coast to coast and keep you coming back for more. Brimming with bone-crushing live performances and hilarious after show antics, 'Majesty' is your ticket to ride. Witness the real history as told by the band! Behold the ravenous legions of fans! Learn the secrets of the ape! What you hold in your hands is the ultimate BLACK DAHLIA experience… now shut up and get in the van!"

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's last album, "Nocturnal", was released on September 18, 2007 via Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2005's "Miasma" was recorded with Eric Rachel (who mixed "Miasma") and was mixed by Jason Suecof.

British heavy metal leegnds JUDAS PRIEST have chosen 10 songs not previously released in live album form for "A Touch of Evil: Live", which is due out July 14, in the midst of the band's U.S. summer tour. According to HMV.co.jp, the CD will be available in Japan on July 22 and will include two bonus tracks: "Worth Fighting For" and "Deal With The Devil".

"A Touch of Evil" includes live renderings of longtime fan favorites such as "Painkiller", "Dissident Aggressor", "Riding on the Wind", "Between the Hammer & the Anvil" and "Eat Me Alive", as well as "Hellrider" from "Angel of Retribution", the group's 2004 reunion album with frontman Rob Halford, and two tracks — "Death" and "Prophecy" — from last year's rock opera "Nostradamus".

"I love those songs," Halford told Billboard.com. "All of those songs just crush. Because they've never been recorded live in this way, it's just something fresh to put out. And when you listen to it and think this band has been around for three decades, with a combined age of 250-something years...I mean, how cool is that? It's a very fierce record and just captures the band's attitude and feeling in a very strong, determined way."

Recorded by Martin Walker and Brian Thorene during JUDAS PRIEST's mammoth 2005 and 2008 world tours, "A Touch Of Evil: Live" marks the first PRIEST album that producer Tom Allom has worked on since 1988 (co-producing along with the band). It was such Allom-produced albums as the aforementioned "Unleashed In The East", as well as "British Steel" and "Screaming For Vengeance" (among others) that made PRIEST not only one of the premier metal acts, but one of the leading global rock acts.

"A Touch Of Evil: Live" track listing:

01. Judas Rising
02. Hellrider
03. Between The Hammer & The Anvil
04. Riding On The Wind
05. Death
06. Beyond The Realms Of Death
07. Dissident Aggressor
08. A Touch Of Evil
09. Eat Me Alive
10. Prophecy
11. Painkiller

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST kicked off their "British Steel" 30th-anniversary tour last night (Monday, June 29) at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Rapid Fire
02. Metal Gods
03. Breaking The Law
04. Grinder
05. United
06. You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise
07. Living After Midnight
08. The Rage
09. Steeler
10. The Ripper
11. Prophecy
12. Rock Hard Ride Free
13. Victim Of Changes

Encore:

14. Freewheel Burning
15. Diamonds And Rust
16. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

DIVINE HERESY, the California-based band featuring FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares, will release its sophomore album, "Bringer of Plagues", in North America on July 28 via Century Media Records.

The track listing for the CD (cover) is as follows:

01. Facebreaker
02. The Battle of J. Casey
03. Undivine Prophecies (Intro)
04. Bringer of Plagues
05. Redefine
06. Anarchaos
07. Monolithic Doomsday Devices
08. Letter to Mother
09. Enemy Kill
10. Darkness Embedded
11. The End Begins
12. Forever the Failure

The song "Face Breaker" is available for streaming on the group's MySpace page.

The creative force behind the genre-defying, legendary metal titans FEAR FACTORY, guitarist Dino Cazares, has returned with a mind-blowing, scathing new offering that shatters the boundaries of conventionality with unrelenting intensity, precision and speed. This new offering from Cazares' extreme metal juggernaut DIVINE HERESY also features one of the genre's most acclaimed drummers, Tim Yeung (ex-NILE, VITAL REMAINS), bassist Joe Payne (ex-NILE) and newcomer vocalist Travis Neal (ex-THE BEREAVED, PUSHED). This pummeling new offering, "Bringer Of Plagues", redefines the meaning of aggression and takes extreme to an all new level.

DIVINE HERESY teamed up once again with acclaimed producing team Dirty Icon (Logan Mader and Lucas Banker) who has recently produced CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, GOJIRA, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH.

"Bringer of Plagues" features the legendary machine-gun riffs that'll take your breath away, combined with some jaw-dropping double-bass drum insanity. This album undeniably upped the ante in brutality, precision and technicality as the group are more focused and tighter than ever before.

After a year and a half of touring with the likes of ALL THAT REMAINS, STATIC-X, ARCH ENEMY, SHADOWS FALL and CHIMAIRA, DIVINE HERESY have proven that they are a stellar live act and are a force to be reckoned with.

Cazares comments: "With Neal now having a few shows under his belt, his confidence is coming across through the new material. The songwriting process has been great and the ideas are constantly flowing. Collaborating with Tim Yeung, Joe Payne and Neal, all together hashing out ideas in the practice space has been very therapeutic and enjoyable. We all have a collective desire to take our performances to the next level with this release to undoubtedly prove that we are one of the most devastating bands in the scene today."

Cazares doesn't accept second best. As you'd expect from the man who co-founded both FEAR FACTORY and BRUJERIA, his new band isn't about to tread well-worn primrose paths. Meet DIVINE HERESY — not so much a metal band for the modern era as crimson innovators ready to transcend time and place. You see, when you've already made your mark with bands like those mentioned above, there are two things you can do. "I could have carried on being successful in Latin America with BRUJERIA, and my other band, ASESINO," admits the guitarist. "But that wasn't enough. I wanted to do something that would go beyond what I've achieved before. Something to take metal into the 21st century."

He continues, "I know that my fans expect something special from me. "And I would never let them down. With every project that I've done, what's been important is to ensure that I deliver music that doesn't just meet people's expectations, but goes beyond them. That's important to me. I know that I could coast along and do well on the back of my reputation, but that would be to cheat everyone — including myself. I really do believe that with DIVINE HERESY, I'm once again setting the highest standards."

METALLICA's July 7, 2009 concert in Nimes, France at Arènes de Nîmes will be professionally filmed for a forthcoming DVD release. The disc will be made available on October 19 through French music stores and online shops only, as well as via the band's official web site, Metallica.com.

METALLICA's French record company and WorMee are giving fans tickets and a chance to participate in the making of the DVD. Winners will film the show and record a report from there, two minutes of which will appear as an extra in the final release.

The contest is open to residents of France only and runs through July 2, ending at 11:59 p.m. There will be ten winners and you can check out all the details and enter at metallica.wormee.com.

WorMee will stream METALLICA's concert in Nimes from July 10 until July 13. You just need to register with the site to watch, and the stream is available to everyone around the world.

As previously reported, METALLICA's three concerts in Mexico City were also filmed for a separate DVD release. The band played Mexico City for the first time in a decade on June 4, June 6 and June 7, with the group keeping the shows on its schedule despite the recent outbreak of swine flu that originated in the area.

METALLICA has issued several DVDs in the past, including "Cliff 'Em All", "Cunning Stunts", "S&M With The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra" and "A Year And A Half".

The band, recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, continues to tour behind "Death Magnetic", which has sold 1.78 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. They'll play Europe throughout the summer before returning to North America in the fall.

METALLICA's video for the song "Broken, Beat And Scarred" can be viewed below. The performance clip was shot by METALLICA's longtime friend and collaborator, famed video director Wayne Isham, on December 13, 2008 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California and December 12, 2008 at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.

German power metal band ETERNAL REIGN has finished recording its third album, "The Dawn Of Reckoning", tentatively due in September/October via Limb Music Products. The CD was tracked at Sunday Music studios and and will be mixed and mastered by Achim Köhler (SINNER, PRIMAL FEAR). It will contain 10 "powerful, melodic [and] a bit progressive" songs, including the band's first-ever ballad, "Still Remains", and a cover version of BLACK SABBATH's "Devil and Daughter" (off the "Headless Cross" album).

ETERNAL REIGN is:

Dirk Stühmer - Vocals
Michael Sebastian - Guitar
Torsten Fünfhaus - Guitar
Jörg Hassel - Bass
Björn Meyer - Keys
Lennart Medebach - Drums

Gary Graff of Billboard.com recently conducted an interview with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King about the band's forthcoming album, "World Painted Blood", which is scheduled for release late summer via American Recordings/Columbia Records. Songtititles set to appear on the CD include "Psychopathy Red" (which was released as a limited-edition red vinyl seven-inch single in April for Record Store Day), "Beauty Through Order", "Unit 731", "Playing with Dolls", "Public Display of Dismemberment", "Americon" and the title track.

"I figured, and I'm sure the other guys figured, that if there was another five-year gap this would probably be our last record," King told Billboard.com. "If we're going in five-year gaps, that means two records in 10 years. I think we all didn't want to wait that long. Not that we didn't have ideas — we toured, put out DVDs and box sets and had a lot of other stuff going on."

13 songs were laid down for "World Painted Blood" with producer Greg Fidelman (METALLICA, SLIPKNOT) — six by King, seven by fellow guitarist Jeff Hanneman — 11 of which will appear on the album.

"I like when Jeff writes as much as he did for this record," King said. "When you have one guy doing most of the writing you only get one perspective. A lot of Jeff's stuff has a very punky vibe this time; the stuff I write sounds thrashy but with a hint of punk, and when Jeff writes the stuff is more punk with a hint of thrash. It works together well."

Swedish technical death metal outfit SPAWN OF POSSESSION has issued the following update:

"Two very talented and competent musicians has recently joined SPAWN OF POSSESSION. Matthew Chalk (ex-PSYCROPTIC) is going to handle the vocal and lyric writing. Christian Münzner (OBSCURA, ex-NECROPHAGIST) is going to do the lead guitar part and unleash his madness into the multicolored and distorted universe of SPAWN OF POSSESSION.

"The songwriting process has been going quite well these last few months
and five new songs are now complete. Seven other songs are in the works."

SPAWN OF POSSESSION's current lineup:

Vocals - Matthew Chalk (PSYCROPTIC)
Bass - Erlend Caspersen (VILE, BLOOD RED THRONE, DECREPIT BIRTH)
Drums - Richard Schill
Guitar - Christian Münzner (OBSCURA, NECROPHAGIST)
Guitar - Jonas Bryssling

SPAWN OF POSSESSION recently posted a two-minute pre-production teaser of a new song at this location.

SPAWN OF POSSESSION's sophomore album, "Noctambulant", was released in 2006 via Neurotic Records. The CD was recorded at Pama Studios in Kristianopel, Sweden with producer Magnus Sedenberg.