Brazilian thrashers SEPULTURA have just entered the studio to begin recording their new album, which is based on the Anthony Burgess novel "A Clockwork Orange" (later turned into the classic film by Stanley Kubrick). An October release via SPV is expected.

Check out photos of the band preparing for the recording sessions at this location.

SEPULTURA was one of the headliners of the XIII Festival Arte-Nativo Viña Rock 2008 festival on May 1 at the Auditorio Municipal, Villarrobledo (Albacete), Spain.

Professionally filmed video footage of the song "Roots Bloody Roots" can be viewed below.

Check out photos from the concert at this location.

Viña Rock is the music festival which has the greatest impact in Spain, with more than 70,000 attendees each year. The annual event has been running for thirteen years and features a lineup that consists solely of Spanish and Latin American artists.

Reactivated Norwegian cult black metal act KHOLD will release its fifth opus, "Hundre År Gammal", on June 9 via Tabu Records.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Der Kulden Rår [Where the Cold reigns]
02. Forrykt [Mad, Cracked]
03. Hundre År Gammal [Hundred Years Old]
04. Mester Og Trell [Master and Thrall]
05. Troløs [Faithless]
06. Rekviem [Requiem]
07. Sann Ditt Svik [See Your Betrayal]
08. Villfaren [Stray]
09. Bønn [Prayer]
10. Kor [Choir]
11. Straff [Punishment]

Check out the album artwork at the Northern Metal webzine.

KHOLD in April 2006 announced that it was going on hiatus "for an undetermined length of time."

KHOLD's self-produced video for the song "Innestengt I Eikekiste" can be viewed below. It was the second clip from the band's fourth album, "Krek".

Formed in 2000, KHOLD is said to be "one of the most unique bands" in the extreme metal genre. Their 2004 CD, "Morke Graves Kammer", was their first with proper U.S. distribution.

Thiago Sarkis of Roadie Crew magazine (web site) organized a poll in which 330 guitarists were asked about their favorite guitarists of all time. Among the participants in the poll were current and former members of such bands as GUNS N' ROSES, KISS, MACHINE HEAD, NIGHTWISH, MEGADETH, SCORPIONS, TESTAMENT, ARCH ENEMY, KING DIAMOND, SEPULTURA, DIO, TWISTED SISTER, KAMELOT and DOWN (see full list below).

The results of the poll — published in the new issue of Roadie Crew (#112) — are as follows:

01. Jimi Hendrix
02. Eddie Van Halen
03. Yngwie J. Malmsteen
04. Randy Rhoads
05. Ritchie Blackmore
06. Jimmy Page
07. Tony Iommi
08. Steve Vai
09. Jeff Beck
10. Michael Schenker
11. David Gilmour
12. Dimebag Darrell
13. Allan Holdsworth
14. Uli Jon Roth
15. Angus Young
16. James Hetfield
17. Brian May
18. Marty Friedman
19. Joe Satriani
20. Jason Becker
21. Gary Moore
22. Paul Gilbert
23. Eric Clapton
24. Al Di Meola
25. Zakk Wylde
26. John McLaughlin
27. John Petrucci
28. Adrian Smith
29. Steve Morse
30. Stevie Ray Vaughan
31. Slash
32. Kirk Hammett
33. Robert Fripp
34. Alex Lifeson
35. Chuck Schuldiner
36. Ace Frehley
37. George Lynch
38. Dave Murray
39. Glenn Tipton
40. Neal Schon
41. Eric Johnson
42. Trey Azagthoth
43. K.K. Downing
44. Andy LaRocque
45. Malcolm Young
46. Django Reinhardt
47. Jeff Loomis
48. Steve Lukather
49. John Sykes
50. Denis "Piggy" D'Amour

Current and former members of the following bands participated in the poll:

ANGRA
ANTHRAX
ARCH ENEMY
AT THE GATES
AYREON
BEHEMOTH
BLUE CHEER
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT
CACOPHONY
CARCASS
CELTIC FROST
CHILDREN OF BODOM
DARK TRANQUILLITY
DIO
DOWN
DR. SIN
EXODUS
FAITH NO MORE
FATES WARNING
FOCUS
GAMMA RAY
GENESIS
GIRLSCHOOL
GUNS N' ROSES
HALFORD
HEART
HELLOWEEN
KAMELOT
KING DIAMOND
KING'S X
KISS
KREATOR
LIVING COLOUR
MACHINE HEAD
MANOWAR
MARILLION
MEGADETH
MERCYFUL FATE
MICK JAGGER
MINISTRY
NAZARETH
NIGHTWISH
NILE
OPETH
PARADISE LOST
SAVATAGE
SCORPIONS
SEBASTIAN BACH
SEPULTURA
SIR LORD BALTIMORE
SOULFLY
STRATOVARIUS
SYMPHONY X
TEN YEARS AFTER
TESTAMENT
TOTO
TRIUMPH
TWISTED SISTER
URIAH HEEP
YES

ABOVE, a new project involving members of the long-running Swiss industrial metal band SAMAEL, has made another track available on the group's MySpace page. Check out the song "Polygames" at this location.

According to the band's official bio, ABOVE was formed on June 6, 2006 and "is the fruit of a collaboration between creative minds who wanted to focus on a common project." The group's musical direction is described as "merciless over-the-top metal with an intensity rarely achieved."

ABOVE is:

Legion-z - Vocals
Zen - Guitar
Drala - Guitar
Yang - Drums

Fan-filmed video footage of former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen performing the NIGHTWISH classic "Wishmaster" with her solo band on May 11, 2008 in Zlin, Czech Republic can be viewed below.

Turunen released her new solo album, "My Winter Storm", in the U.S. at the end of February. The CD was made available in two exclusive U.S. versions via Fontana: the standard and deluxe editions (the latter featuring extra tracks not released elsewhere, as well visually stimulating bonus DVD content).

"My Winter Storm" was produced by Daniel Presley (FAITH NO MORE, JEWEL, THE BREEDERS), who has been joined in the studio by a truly stellar line-up of musicians: Doug Wimbish on bass (LIVING COLOUR, ANNIE LENNOX, JOE SATRIANI, JEFF BECK, MADONNA, ROLLING STONES), Alex Scholpp on electric guitars (FARMER BOYS) and Earl Harvin on drums (SEAL, PET SHOP BOYS, AIR), a player personally selected by Tarja after she saw him stealing the show at a SEAL concert. Keyboards and programming, meanwhile, are being provided by Torsten Stenzel, whose previous credits include NELLY FURTADO, MOBY, TINA TURNER, VANESSA MAE and more.

From the metalheads who brought you "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" comes "Global Metal", a feature documentary that will take audiences to unexpected corners of the world — from Indonesia, Japan and China to India, Israel, Dubai and Brazil – to check out the international flavors of what turns out to be a most universal music — heavy metal.

In "Global Metal", directors Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn set out to discover how the West's most maligned musical genre — heavy metal — has impacted the world's cultures beyond Europe and North America. The film follows metal fan and anthropologist Sam Dunn on a whirlwind journey through Asia, South America, South Asia and the Middle East as he explores the underbelly of the world's emerging extreme music scenes — from Indonesian death metal to Chinese black metal to Iranian thrash metal. "Global Metal" reveals a worldwide community of metalheads who aren't just absorbing metal from the West — they're transforming it — creating a new form of cultural expression in societies dominated by conflict, corruption and mass-consumerism.

Along the way Sam reunites with many of his metal heroes, witness BLACK SABBATH perform for 40,000 fans in a soccer stadium in Rio De Janeiro; SLAYER play to a sold-out hall in Jakarta; and ARCH ENEMY rock an open-air festival in Tel Aviv. More importantly, in each local Sam will explore how metal has taken on traditional musical differences, how it speaks to issues of power, class and economic disadvantage, what it says about religion, and how it fits into, or stands opposed to local tradition and history.

Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn share producer/writer/director credits on "Global Metal". Scot said that the impetus for "Global Metal" came from the overwhelming response to their first film "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey". "We had high hopes for the documentary but after the premiere at 2005 TIFF things took off beyond our expectations."

"'Metal' was picked up by distributors in over 30 countries from Europe to the Middle East, Asia and South America and it was getting great reviews from both press and audiences. As word of the film spread, we got emails from metalheads around the world thanking us for finally telling the story of this community with respect. These metal fans also told us about the emerging metal scenes in their countries: places we never imagined heavy metal existed. It made us realize that metal has spread far beyond its roots in industrial Europe and suburban America to become a global phenomenon. So Sam and I decided to make another documentary about metal! Although we both felt that the film shouldn't just be a sequel — it should take us somewhere completely new. We wanted to know what heavy metal means to people who are coming from such vastly different cultural, political and religious backgrounds. How did metal arrive in these countries? And does it have the same rebellious, anti-religious spirit that it does in the West? We thought that metal could be a fascinating 'lens' through which to explore the globalization of culture and its impact on youth around the world."

For more information, visit www.globalmetalfilm.com.

MOONSTONE PROJECT, the ambitious musical creature of Italian guitarist Matt Filippini, will release the "Hidden In Time" CD later this month on Mausoleum Records. According to a press release, "it's not a brand new studio album but a revamped reissue of the debut album, originally released as 'Time To Take A Stand' back in 2006. That new enhanced edition, with a new title, will also feature brand new artwork by Rainer Kalwitz, already known for his works for Century Media, Metal Blade, Frontiers and more. And apart [from] nine tracks featuring guests like Graham Bonnet, Carmine Appice, Steve Walsh, Eric Bloom, Tony Franklin and more, the new release features three bonus tracks featuring DEEP PURPLE men Ian Paice and Glenn Hughes!"

Filippini says: "It's useless to hide what happened with my old management and old record company. They both contributed to fuck all the things about my first album...so it didn't get the right exposure I think it would deserve! Not to speak about the huge loss of money I had for their faults! And it's a pity 'cuz every day lots of guys write me to ask where to find the album... Luckily enough, my new management did believe in the project and the chance to re-release it again with a brand new package and bonus material. And here it is… while waiting for the new studio album release!"

MOONSTONE PROJECT's as-yet-untitled new studio album will see Matt working alongside his "buddy and co-producer" Alex Del Vecchio on the final sessions before commencing the mixing process in June. A tentative winter release is expected.

DREAM THEATER last week kicked off the Progressive Nation 2008 tour, also featuring OPETH, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME and 3.

DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has posted the following update on the Progressive Nation web site:

"Welly, welly, welly, my fellow prog fans... Progressive Nation 2008 is finally underway and rocking its way across North America!!!

"I am so very proud of this bill. I had such a strange reaction on opening night in L.A…. sitting on the side of the stage watching all three of the opening bands, grinning ear to ear like a proud father!! : )

"I must tell you (as if it wasn't obvious enough having hand-picked the bands), I soooo love these three bands and am sooo enjoying getting to watch them each and every night.

"3 are so incredibly musical and seem to be bringing the house down each and every night. (DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF COMING LATE AND MISSING THESE GUYS!) I think they stand to benefit the most from this tour, as I'm seeing most people walking away from the show each night being most surprised by them.

"BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME are so technically intense... they are like a hurricane just swarming over the audience everynight. I love looking out and seeing the audience sitting there with their jaws dropped. I only wish I could offer them more time to hear 'Colors' in its entirety... (sorry, the union fees are just too expensive for us!)

"And OPETH... what can I say about them that I haven't already? I love these guys so much. I was telling them the other night that I just get such a 'feeling' and 'vibe' from their music that very few other bands give me... I just feel a real deep-rooted connection to their whole sound and style. It's hard for me to put into words, but they are so dark and brutal yet hypnotic and beautiful at the same time. I have been a big supporter of them for such a long time and I am so happy to just be able to watch them everynight! (and Mikael specifically put 'The Baying Of The Hounds' in their set for me as I told him I think it's one of the greatest metal songs of the past decade!)

"So far we've had some great friends and supporters coming out to see the show. In L.A., my friends Nick D'Virgilio (SPOCK'S BEARD), Nate Morton (the 'Rock Star: Supernova' house band) and Brendon Small ('Metalocalypse') all came to show their support. And in Vancouver, Devin Townsend came out early in the day and spent some time hanging with Mikael Åkerfeldt and myself.

"Speaking of Vancouver, we had a film crew out to capture DREAM THEATER's set for our upcoming DVD that I have begun work on. (It will feature live footage from all throughout the entire tour from the past year or so...)

"There is also something very cool and special in store for fans of DREAM THEATER and OPETH, but I am not able to talk about it just yet... but stay tuned..... : )

"OK, gang, I’m looking foward to the coming weeks and seeing all of your shining happy faces out there. It’s a long and intense night of music, so make sure to eat your Wheaties before coming out!"

German metallers DOMAIN have announced the addition of drummer J.B. to the group's ranks. According to the band, "J.B. already performed with DOMAIN on stage during the last tour in 2007 and the chemical respective musical factors fit that perfect together, so the band decided to keep him as a permanent band member."

DOMAIN recently spent time in the studio recording its ninth album, entitled "The Chronicles of Love, Hate and Sorrow". According to the band, the CD will be a concept album along the lines of the "Last Days of Utopia" LP, but this time it will be arranged and conceived as a "metal opera."

"The Chronicles of Love, Hate and Sorrow" will be released in the fall.

DOMAIN ended its collaboration with singer Chity Somapala (ex-FIREWIND, AVALON, FARO) last summer a little more than six months after he joined the group.

DOMAIN released its 20th anniversary album, "Stardawn", on October 13, 2006 in Europe and November 7, 2006 in the United States via Limb Music Products.

On June 14, guitar wizard Axel Ritt of DOMAIN will serve as one of four jury members of the Guitar Fight Club contest in Bischofswerda, Germany.

Eight young and motivated guitar shredders will compete against each others in front of about 2,000 enthusiastic fans. The winner will take it all: "fame, glory and instruments," according to a press release.

MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars has laid down a guest solo on the upcoming album from singer Dilana Robichaux, who is best known for her participation on the CBS reality show "Rock Star: Supernova". According to Dilana, Mars' solo "is blazing and we had too much fun doing it."

Dilana's CD was recorded with producer Toby Wright (ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, METALLICA, FEAR FACTORY) and is currently being mixed by Brian Malouf (MICHAEL JACKSON, MADONNA, PEARL JAM). A late summer/early fall release via Hurricane Music Group (HMG) is expected.

Robichaux last year signed a worldwide, long term, co-publishing agreement with Cherry Lane Music Publishing Company Inc., whose roster includes songwriters such as Quincy Jones, the BLACK EYED PEAS, and John Legend.

Footage of Dilana Robichaux performing with ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA (Tommy Lee, Jason Newsted, Gilby Clarke) can be viewed below.

Former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony has revealed in a posting on his web site that he is currently collaborating with ex-VAN HALEN singer Sammy Hagar and "a couple of good friends" on a new project. "It is going to be totally KICK-ASS!!" says Anthony.

Anthony told Billboard.com last October that he's not going out of his way to keep tabs on VAN HALEN's current reunion tour with singer David Lee Roth. He admitted that he was "bummed out for a little bit" after being booted from the band — and especially after he was temporarily replaced from album cover images on the group's web site — but that he's largely over it.

"I'm totally fine with it now 'cause it is what it is," Anthony explained. "There's no use dwelling on it or whining about it. The fans know the band. They know what we've done, and I'm really proud of the history of the band. But I'm focusing on having fun and doing what Sam [Sammy Hagar] and I are out doing right now. As long as I keep that perspective on it, that's good."

Former STRATOVARIUS mainman/guitarist Timo Tolkki has recruited ex-ADAGIO singer Gus Monsanto for his new REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE band.

Commented Tolkki: "I'm writing this from Hong Kong overlooking the amazing bay. It is a great pleasure to announce the new singer of REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE I have chosen from over 400 vocalists that sent me their MP3s. Thank you so much for sending all those...all together I have received over 1500 applications and I have listened through them all. I am sorry for those who were not chosen, but I can tell you that you should NEVER give up. Follow your heart and you will get there eventually. Don't think about money or success, think about your art, the money comes by itself, not the other way around.

"In Gus I have found everything I look for a singer. He is a real world citizen and a soulmate. We all feel this connection and that we did not arrive crossing each other's paths by accident. Gus has a very versatile voice, amazing range and no accent and he can sing in many different styles yet he has a very recognizable voice. Now the only remaining thing is to find the bass player who fits into this team that is multinational, but spirituality doesn't know any nationalities.

"It's been over two years since I wrote the songs for [the debut REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE album] 'New Era' and because the first album was kind of a special one, we want to make our first real album together soon, so we will enter the studio already in this August to record the new album. We are very excited and full of good and positive energy. We don't know when the album will come out, but probably already January 2009 followed by a massive world tour where we will of course play all the biggest STRATOVARIUS hits and few less played as well and material from the two RR albums. We will also be doing a massive South American tour in December this year just to have some fun and present ourselves to the fans.

"So here it is ladies and gentlemen: THE REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN!!!!"

Commented Monsanto: "I am a 33-year-old metal singer from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and I am really glad to announce I have been chosen amongst a bunch of talented beasts to front REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE. The band is going to be an amazing experience and the album 'New Era' totally kicked my ass when Timo sent it to me.

"I have been on a beautiful journey making music since I started playing the guitar age 10. Ups, downs, ins, outs, but this infatuation keeps coming back and you're more and more into it.

"In brief: the last four years of my life were spent fronting the metal band ADAGIO. We played all over the world, did the 'Dominate' album and it was a great learning experience for me. Lately, I have also replaced Jeff Scott Soto, one of the best singers in business, in TAKARA. Two days after ADAGIO and I parted ways, I got this great message from Timo and the rest is history in the making.

"Timo used to be surrounded by a great band that made history. I am aware of the responsibility. I am aware of the fans. Rest assured: we will kill. He's got all my respect, since he didn't take the easy way, which would be using the old bands name. Personally, I even had the mega pleasure of introducing Bruno Agra, one of my best friends and kick-ass drummer extraordinaire, to Timo and REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, which makes it even more special."

Norwegian black metal pioneers DARKTHRONE will release a three-CD box set entitled "Frostland Tapes" on June 23 via Peaceville Records.

For the past 21 years, DARKTHRONE has been one of the leaders of the black metal scene. To coincide with this anniversary, Peaceville Records will release "Frostland Tapes", a fascinating trip into the earliest years of the band and the first official release ever to contain all four of DARKTHRONE's demos in one place. "Frostland Tapes" also includes a rare live recording from Denmark in 1990 (one of only a handful of live appearances that DARKTHRONE has ever made) and, perhaps most significantly, the previously unreleased version of the infamous 1991 "Goatlord" rehearsal session. These songs were intended to feature on the proposed second album before the band changed direction and the tapes were confined to the vaults. Vocals were subsequently added in the mid-Nineties, but they are presented here as the recording sounded in 1991 — instrumental genius, showing the complexity and intricacy of a band with a great future ahead of them. The set comes in a rigid digibook featuring an interview with the band, chronicling their early days, ambitions and inspirations.

Disc 1:

"Land Of Frost" Demo (1988)

01. Land of Frost
02. Winds of Triton
03. Forest of Darkness
04. Odyssey of Freedom
05. Day of the Dead

"A New Dimension" Demo (1988)

06. Intro: Twilight Dimension
07. Snowfall

"Thulcandra" Demo (1989)

08. Eon
09. Thulcandra
10. Archipelago
Extra track: "Soria Moria"

Disc 2:

"Cromlech" Demo (1989)

01. The Watchtower
02. Accumulation of Generalization
03. Sempiternal Past/Presence View Sepulchrality
04. Iconoclasm Sweeps Cappadocia

Live From Denmark 1990:

05. Cromlech
06. Sunrise over Locus Mortis
07. Soulside Journey
08. Accumulation of Generalization
09. Sempiternal Past/Presence View Sepulchrality
10. Iconoclasm Sweeps Cappadocia
11. Neptune Towers

Disc 3:

"Goatlord" – Rare Instrumental Version (1991)

01. Rex
02. Pure Demoniac Blessing
03. (The) Grimness of which Shepherds Mourn
04. Sadomasochistic Rites
05. As Desertshadows
06. In his Lovely Kingdom
07. Black Daimon
08. Toward(s) the Thornfields
09. (Birth of Evil) Virgin Sin
10. Green Cave Float
11. A Blaze In The Northern Sky
12. Fenriz Drum Solo

For more information, click here.

MY DESIRE, es conformada en el año 2005 buscando un estilo que reúna elementos del metal y el rock, con guitarras agresivas y ritmos densos que contrasten con voces limpias. Actualmente, MY DESIRE se encuentra componiendo las canciones que harán parte de su próximo CD y prepara material para su primer video profesional.

El líder de la banda comenta: "Estamos componiendo y preparando un performance con un grupo de teatro. MY DESIRE tiene pensado dejar de ser una agrupación de musica, se convertirá en un proyecto artístico. Es decir logicamente seguimos haciendo musica, pero se incorpora el teatro, la arquitectura, la pintura, la poesía, mas intrumentos musicales. Nosotros seguiremos haciendo rock pero la idea es incorporar teatro, montar obras completas que no sean simplemente conciertos de rock. Cuando hablo de teatro son obras teatrales. Por ejemplo mientras estamos en concierto...salen actores y hacen malabarismo, etc. Es un performance, no un concert, sino un show con luces, con actores, con instrumentos diferentes. Nuestra musica es pasion! La hacemos mas con el corazón que con la cabeza. Somos un proyecto artistico, no una simple banda de rock. Trabajarán con nosotros fotografos, diseñadores, pintores, musicos, actores, arquitectos, artistas plasticos. Yo empiezo a entrenar kung fu porque necesito mas estado fisico necesito, ganar elasticidad. Mi cuerpo debe aprender muchas mas cosas. No quiero ser solo un cantante, sino un artista. Necesito seguir aprendiendo los movimientos, los gestos, las miradas. Estamos concentrado componiendo en español tambien. La idea es llegarle a mas parsenas".

A principios del año 2007, MY DESIRE se concentra en la grabación de su primer trabajo, en Stereomatik Studios en la ciudad de Medellín. Este lleva el nombre de “Memories” y reúne 5 temas propios. Para mediados del año, MY DESIRE se presenta en el Bar Liverpool, reconocido bar local.

Italian symphonic power band SECRET SPHERE have finalized the track listing for their new album, "Sweet Blood Theory", due later in the year. The CD was recorded between December 2007 and February 2008 at Authoma Studios by Federico Pennazzato and mixed in March 2008 at Germany's Indiscreet Audio by Achim Köhler (PRIMAL FEAR, BRAINSTORM).

According to a press release, "Sweet Blood Theory" is a concept album based on the novel "The Vampire", written by John William Polidori in 1814. The book is widely considered to be one of the earliest novels to include a vampire character.

To embrace the concept and create the music for this fantasy epic, the band took inspiration from the famous movie director Tim Burton ("Nightmare Before Christmas", "The Corpse Bride", "Edward Scissorhands" etc) in trying to re-create the typical atmospheres of his most famous movies in both the orchestral score (reminiscent of that of Danny Elfman, who did the music for the aforementioned Tim Burton movies) and for the artwork. The result is huge step forward for the band — the music is as aggressive as before yet keeping the typical SECRET SPHERE melodic touch.

"Sweet Blood Theory" track listing:

01. Evil Or Divine
02. Stranger In Black
03. From A Dream To A Nightmare
04. Bring On
05. The Shadows Of The Room Of Pleasure
06. Welcome To The Circus
07. The Butterfly Dance
08. Sweet Blood Theory
09. Feed My Fire
10. All These Words
11. Vampire's Kiss
12. The Day At The End Of The World

Check out audio clips of all the tracks at this location.

SECRET SPHERE's "Heart & Anger" album was released in May 2005 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE will release the song "Waking the Demon" on Monday, June 16 as a download-only track exclusively through iTunes. There is also going to be a digital comic book based around the track itself available to download.

"Waking the Demon", the new video from BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's sophomore album, "Scream Aim Fire" (Jive/Zomba), can be viewed below.

Getting bullied in school — it's every young student's worst nightmare, and the basis of "Waking the Demon". "Waking the Demon" is probably the hardest song on BULLET's album and has its roots in the bandmembers' own experiences of getting beat up at school because they had long hair or because they were in a band.

According to BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's vocalist/lyricist Matt Tuck, "'Waking the Demon' is about finding someone's inner demon. Most of us in the band got pushed around in school so the song is about getting tormented, day in and day out for years, and then one day — 'snap!' — like that!"

The video for "Walking the Demon" was written and directed by Max Nichols (son of Academy Award-winning director Mike) and will breathe a visual life into BULLET's lyrics: "There's just no limits to the boundaries you push / I've warned you but still you just f**k with my mind / There's no escape from this rage / That I feel / Nothing is real / Breathe for me, don't wake me from this slumber / Stay with me possession taking over."

Knoxville, Tennessee-based death/grind metallers WHITECHAPEL will release their second album, "This Is Exile", in Europe on July 14 via Metal Blade Records (July 11 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy). The CD was tracked by Jonny Fay (ex-guitarist of THE RED CHORD) of Backyard Studios in New Hampshire and was mixed by Zeuss, who has produced ION DISSONANCE, EMMURE, BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED, SHADOWS FALL and HATEBREED, among others. The cover artworkwas handled by Colin Marks, who has previously worked with ABORTED, THE END, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and THE RED DEATH). "He [did] a phenomenal job and we are extremely pleased with the outcome of his work," the band previously stated. "He has done a wonderful job of portraying the concept of the record through his artwork."

"This Is Exile" track listing:

01. Father Of Lies
02. This Is Exile
03. Possession
04. To All That Are Dead
05. Exalt
06. Somatically Incorrect
07. Death Becomes Him
08. Deamon (The Procreated)
09. Eternal Refuge
10. Of Legions
11. Messiahbolical

WHITECHAPEL's debut album, "The Somatic Defilement", was released last year via Candlelight Records USA. The band has since inked a deal with Metal Blade and is planning on issuing a new CD later in the year.

The UK's THE ROTTED (formerly GOREROTTED) has posted a short trailer for its upcoming album, "Get Dead Or Die Trying". Watch it below.

"Get Dead Or Die Trying" was produced by Russ Russell (THE WILDHEARTS, DIMMU BORGIR, THE EXPLOITED, SPACE RITUAL, NAPALM DEATH), with assistance from James Dunkley (BLAZE BAILEY, CRASS, FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM). The CD will be released in Europe on June 30 (June 27 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy) via Metal Blade Records.

"Get Dead Or Die Trying" track listing:

01. Nothin' But A Nosebleed
02. The Howling
03. A Return To Insolence
04. Kissing You With My Fists
05. Angel Of Meth
06. A Brief Moment Of Regret
07. The Body Tree
08. Get Dead Or Die Trying
09. It's Like There's A Party In My Mouth (And Everyone's Being Sick)
10. Fear And Loathing In Old London Town
11. 28 Days Later

Legendary UK doom metallers MY DYING BRIDE have announced the extension of their partnership with Peaceville Records.

On signing the new deal, guitarist Andrew Craighan commented, "We've been with Peaceville since the release of our very first album way back in 1992 and it's a pleasure to announce that we'll continue working together for the coming future, as we feel there is a great understanding between ourselves and Peaceville moving forward, and both look forward to bringing more crushing doom your way soon."

MY DYING BRIDE is currently recording its highly anticipated follow-up to 2006's "A Line of Deathless Kings" with longtime producer Mags. A late 2008 release is expected.

Peaceville Records last month released MY DYING BRIDE's "An Ode to Woe", a two-disc live CD/DVD in digibook packaging.

The show — which was originally streamed on the online concert channel Fabchannel.com — was filmed at the world-famous Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland, in April 2007. The legendary venue (previous performers include NICK CAVE, THE ROLLING STONES, NIRVANA and the SEX PISTOLS) provides the perfect setting for this special gig.

The band, including newest members Dan Mullins (drums) and bassist Lena Abé, alongside original members Aaron Stainthorpe and Andrew Craighan (the lineup completed by Hamish Glencross on guitars and Sarah Stanton on keyboards), storm through renditions of favorites from as far back as their 1992 debut "As the Flower Withers", right through to latest studio album, "A Line of Deathless Kings", and not forgetting the inclusion of timeless MDB classics like "The Cry of Mankind".

RollingStone.com conducted an interview with METALLICA frontman James Hetfield on Wedneday (May 14), a few hours before the band's performance at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

RollingStone.com: Does the new METALLICA album have a title yet?

Hetfield: It's got a title and we're still playing with it to see if we like it. But I guess the album's done. It's still got to be mixed. All the singing, all the recording is pretty much done. And we're pleased with it.

RollingStone.com: What brought you to Rick Rubin?

Hetfield: It was time to get a fresh set of ears. Bob Rock has done amazing stuff with us. It got a little comfortable. Maybe the fire wasn't there as much, in our viewpoint. Bob is a great person, a great friend. I feel extremely safe and comfortable with him, and maybe that wasn't what we needed to feel on this. We needed to argue a bit. We needed to get shaken up a little bit. That's what the mission was.

RollingStone.com: Did you always agree with what Rubin had to say?

Hetfield: Definitely not. But I was very willing to look at it and try it. If he's suggesting it, there's a reason behind it. And most times it was better, sometimes it was not. We like to be open, but there are times when we just know we're right and it's as simple as that. It wasn't head-butting like in the past, but there was some negotiating going on.

RollingStone.com: What was the idea behind making this album?

Hetfield: The direction is embracing our past in the now. We know what we know. It's hard to erase that. But to strip it down again, and get back to why we're doing this? Why did we write songs that way? The template was "Master of Puppets" and the strength of that record. How can we do that now?

RollingStone.com: You still see that album as a high mark for the band?

Hetfield: Oh definitely, no doubt about that. Hopefully this will be another one. We feel this record is really good, especially after "St. Anger". It was very one-dimensional and abusive to the listener. That was the anger coming out. And if you weren't feeling that, it didn't feel so good. But this one is a lot more moody. We a lot of things I think make a diverse and interesting record.

Read the entire interview at RollingStone.com.

William Goodman of Spin.com conducted an interview with METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich earlier today (Thursday, May 15) about the group's much-anticipated new record, which, according to Lars, the outfit will cap next week with "a couple of nips and tucks" for release this September.

Here are some bullet points from Lars' comments about the forthcoming CD:

* The yet-to-be titled new record will drop sometime in September.
* The quartet will wrap production on the record next week, "by Wednesday or Thursday," Ulrich confirms.
* The band hit the studio "with 26 songs," then "went down to 14 with Rick [Rubin, producer]" and recorded 11. Only 10 songs will make the final tracklisting due to constraints of physical media.
* The album's tunes "are long songs ... we're talking seven-minute, eight-minute, nine-minute nutty-ass songs. We don't make them long or short on purpose; you just kind of do what feels natural. We're not really gonna edit them, (so) we're gonna lose another one at some point in the next month or so and probably end up with 10."
* Sonically, the songs are "definitely pretty all over the place. There's a lot of variation, a lot of fast, slow, melodic ... kind of hardcore, nutty super-fast speed stuff. It's a little more like how some of the earlier records were a little more dynamic within the songs."
* This week the quartet have been working with its graphic designer on the album art.
* In the recording of the new set METALLICA was seeking "a little bit of a more sane environment," unlike the records they produced in the early '90s, "[which] were just completely stressed-out and just nutty, that we were gonna try and have a little more sane environment — and we've actually, surprising mostly to ourselves, been able to keep to that. We've pretty much finished the music now, so all the next level stuff is just starting to go down."

American power metal band VAINGLORY, fronted by vocalist Kate French (CHASTAIN) and featuring lead guitar virtuoso Corbin King, has parted ways with recently acquired drummer Mike Oliviero. According to the band, "All along we were looking for (and still are) a person that can be devoted to the band and not want to be in a million side-projects and other bands at the same time. There's just nothing special about someone that is in more than one band at a time who all seem to be competing with each other in the same genre of music. We have nothing against anyone that wants to be in multiple projects, that's just not what we are looking for."

Interested parties can contact VAINGLORY via the band's MySpace page for information on how to submit a resume and demo package.

VAINGLORY recently inked a deal with Locomotive Records. The group is hard at work recording the follow-up to 2007's self-titled "Vainglory" CD for a fall 2008 release. The new album is tetatively titled "Manifesting Destiny" and will contain 11 "bone-crushing, devastatingly heavy tracks," according to a press release. "The sound of this CD will be a bit different than the previous in that the songs are heavier, tougher, the choruses bigger, and feature the best performances from all the bandmembers."

Joining King and French in the band's current lineup is bassist Chris Banja.

VAINGLORY's self-titled CD was released in Europe in April 2007 via MTM Music.

According to a press release, VAINGLORY "has all the ingredients in place to be a major force on the metal market for years to come. Kate's ability to mix power, conviction, emotion, and true heavy metal singing is very uncommon in today's 'metal' vocalists. Kate is a veteran to heavy metal and has not only pushed beyond the normal bounds of female vocalists, but has delivered her best recorded performance to date on this CD."

Watch VAINGLORY's video for the song "Burdened" below.

Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer Neil Kernon (NEVERMORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEICIDE) ahs finished mixing the solo album from NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis, according to a posting on the band's official forum. The CD was recorded at the Robert Lang Studios in Richmond Beach, Washington with Mark Arrington (ex-NEVERMORE) handling the drums. The ambitious offering is "an all-instrumental effort [that] is destined to shed some much deserved spotlight on the genre's most notable, yet unsung, guitar player," according to a press release.

Loomis previously said: "Mark completed the drums for 10 tracks in about three and a half days. He did some incredible drum work that I know will bring this record to a higher level than I expected.

"Mark and I worked before back in 1993-94 when he played half the songs on our [NEVERMORE's] debut CD.

"Being able to do this entire recording with Neil is really amazing as well. We've done some great work in the past, but being able to focus on an entire instrumental record is going to be great.

Video footage of Jeff Loomis shredding it up in March at the Schecter booth at the Musikmesse Frankfurt 2008 fair in Frankfurt, Germany can be viewed below (courtesy of "MaryJana666").

NEVERMORE is currently working on material for the follow-up to 2005's "This Godless Endeavor", tentatively early 2009 via Century Media Records.

NEVERMORE last year parted ways with guitarist Steve Smyth due to "personal and business differences."

During Smyth's time away from the touring circuit (Smyth was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure in 2006 and hadn't toured with the band in over a year), NEVERMORE had been utilizing the services of longtime session guitarist Chris Broderick (JAG PANZER, now in MEGADETH).

"Prevail", the new album from Canadian death metallers KATAKLYSM, is available for streaming in its entirety on the group's MySpace page.

"Prevail" was mixed at AudioHammer Studios in Orlando, Florida with producer Jason Suecof. The CD, which is scheduled for release via Nuclear Blast Records on May 23 (Europe) and May 27 (North America), features guest solo appearances by Pat O'Brien (CANNIBAL CORPSE), Dave Linsk (OVERKILL) and producer and guitar shredder Jason Suecof himself. "Prevail" will also include a bonus DVD with a full performance recorded from a live Internet concert stream at DeepRockDrive studios in Las Vegas, NV on December 3, 2007.

Bonus DVD track listing:

01. Like Angels Weeping The Dark
02. As I Slither
03. In Shadows & Dust
04. Crippled and Broken
05. The Ambassador of Pain
06. Let Them Burn
07. Manipulator of Souls
08. The Resurrected
09. Face The Face of War
10. Where The Enemy Sleeps
11. The Road To Devastation

KATAKLYSM's video for the track "Taking The World By Storm" can be viewed below. The clip was shot and directed by David Brodsky.

KATAKLYSM vocalist Maurizio Iacono states: "It was a true pleasure to work with David on this video, his level of professionalism is outstanding and his vision is great. We had fun filming this video although we froze our fucking balls off for 12 hours! David really captured the energy and apocalyptic feel of the track and the song is definitely one of my favorites on the album. Enjoy!"

Director David Brodsky had this to say: "Working with KATAKLYSM was an awesome experience… really, what am I going to say besides that? I mean… they're fucking KATAKLYSM! But truly, in the middle of the biggest blizzard of 2008 in NY/NJ, KATAKLYSM showed up eager to the location in the ass-end of seedy Newark, NJ and truly nailed it. Twelve grueling hours in a cold, nasty, wreck of a building and not one complaint, only true professionalism. Some of the shit they did had me cheering. KATAKLYSM is an awesome force to behold — they are the performer's band. They perform with an indefinable swagger and verve. They are all natural showmen… and to be able to spend some time capturing them was a great honor and a great pleasure...besides all that, I can't get that fucking chorus out of my head!"

Los Angeles tharshers SLAYER have issued the following update:

"Due to production reasons, we need to postpone our show in Moscow this summer from June 25th to November 29th. All tickets for the June 25th show are valid for entry on the rescheduled November 29th date."

Upcoming SLAYER shows:

Nov. 29 - B1 Club - Moscow, Russia

SLAYER won a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 50th annual Grammy Awards, which was held on February 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. SLAYER was nominated for the track "The Final Six", from the band's 2007 limited-edition "Christ Illusion". The song, written by Araya and guitarist Jeff Hanneman and produced by Josh Abraham, is a chilling look at an hypothesized end of the world. The track made its debut last July as the "Single of the Week" on MySpace where it has since accumulated some 750,000 plays, an astounding number for a song that received no commercial airplay.

SOULFLY has hired Robert Sexton (MONDO GENERATOR, AMEN, ICED EARTH) to direct the video for the song "Unleash" — the first single off the group's forthcoming album, "Conquer".

"Conquer" is scheduled for release on July 29 via Roadrunner Records. The CD's cover artwork can be viewed at this location (artwork by Android).

SOULFLY members Max Cavalera (guitar/vocals), Joe Nunez (drums), Marc Rizzo (guitar), and Bobby Burns (bass) entered Porch Studio in Florida on September 12, 2007 to begin recording the band's sixth studio LP.

SOULFLY's upcoming CD will feature guest appearances by MORBID ANGEL frontman David Vincent and THROWDOWN singer Dave Peters.

"Conquer" track listing:

01. Blood Fire War Hate
02. Unleash
03. Paranoia
04. Warmageddon
05. War Ghost
06. Rough
07. Fall Of Sycophants
08. Doom
09. Rot
10. Touching The Void
11. Soulfly VI

Swedish dark, melodic metal act EVERGREY has unveiled the cover artwork and track listing for its new album, "Torn", which will arrive at the stores at the beginning of September via the band's new label, Steamhammer/SPV.

"Torn" track listing:

01. Broken Wings
02. Soaked
03. Fear
04. When Kingdoms Fall
05. In Confidence
06. Fail
07. Numb
08. Torn
09. Nothing Is Erased
10. Still Walk Alone
11. These Scars

Commented EVERGREY mastermind Tom S. Englund: "It's been a long fucking year negotiating this deals, not something we've enjoyed too much. It's taken its toll on everything from economy to psyche. BUT now it's finally done and we are extremely curious on what the future has in its hands for us!

"We have made changes in everything surrounding EVERGREY, everything from management, record label to booking and perhaps most important, changed our own approach to this thing called EVERGREY.

"It came to a time a while ago where we ALL were tired of everything surrounding this bitch called the music industry. It affected our whole perception of what and who we were. It most certainly killed everything close to joy and in the end made it feel like a boring 9-5 job where you don't like your co-workers and just want to go home. But, as I said, we've been through that now and coming out on the other end of this rather dark tunnel are five guys who have the same determination, goals and fire to keep this ball spinning for another couple of laps!"

"Torn" was previously described by Englund as a "modern mix of 'In Search Of Truth' and 'Recreation Day'." "The tracks are all guitar-oriented and very atmospheric," he said. "They have exactly the sound that our fans expect from us." According to Englund, the slightly more experimental direction of EVERGREY's previous release, "Monday Morning Apocalypse", has given way again to old strengths and virtues. "Two years ago we needed an album with a slightly different approach and an expensive producer, just to find out how that sort of thing works," he explained. "It was the right album at the time, but now we have returned to our typical trademarks." This is one of the reasons why the tracks on "Torn" were self-produced by Englund together with drummer Jonas Ekdahl. In addition, the band has a new bassist, Fredrik Larsson having been replaced by former STRATOVARIUS musician Jari Kainulainen.

Since the band arrived on the scene in 1998, EVERGREY has brought out six studio albums and one live release. All of them made the Top 20 in the group's native Sweden and the last two cracked the Top 10 (No. 6 and 3, respectively). On top of that, EVERGREY's DVD was No. 1 for four weeks and was nominated for the Swedish Grammy equivalent.

Regarding the upcoming reissues of the band's complete back catalogue, Englund said, "There is so much additional material for each album that we could theoretically re-release it on an extra DVD. Whatever we manage to do — premium reissues are certainly a possibility."

Brazilian death metal veterans KRISIUN will release their new album, "Southern Storm", in Europe on July 21 via Century Media Records. The CD was once again recorded at Stage One Studios in Borgentreich, Germany with producer Andy Classen (TANKARD, ROTTING CHRIST, DEW-SCENTED), who previously worked with the group on 1999's "Conquerors Of Armageddon" and 2006's "AssassiNation". According to a press release, the CD "offers everything the band's rabid fan base loves since day one: ferocious high-speed blasting, infectious double bass-driven grooves, razor-sharp riffs, devastating leads and a unique feel for combining catchiness with technicality. Tracks like the massive opener 'Slaying Steel', 'Combustion Inferno' or the band's rendition of the SEPULTURA classic 'Refuse/Resist' are nothing but crushing death metal hits!"

"Southern Storm" track listing:

01. Slaying Steel (4:11)
02. Sentenced Morning (3:59)
03. Twisting Sights (4:05)
04. Minotaur (3:51)
05. Combustion Inferno (4:23)
06. Massacre Under The Sun (4:43)
07. Bleeding Offers (3:24)
08. Refuse / Resist (SEPULTURA cover) (3:00)
09. Origin Of Terror (4:05)
10. Contradictions Of Decay (4:08)
11. Sons Of Pest (4:47)
12. Black Wind (0:48)
13. Whore Of The Unlight (4:23)

KRISIUN will embark on a short European tour with ROTTING CHRIST and RAVENCULT in June. A full-length trek with UNLEASHED and ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET will follow in November/December.

The band recently signed a personal management agreement with Strictly Heavy Management, owned and operated by veteran personal manager Theresa C. Mullins-Aldao.

Gino Alache of RockumRadio.com conducted an interview with KRISIUN drummer Max Kolesne on December 4, 2007. Download the chat as an MP3 audio file at this location.

KRISIUN last year completed the seventh leg of the band's AssassiNation world tour. In just under two years the group played over 250 shows in 25 countries in support its latest CD.

Footage of KRISIUN performing live in Los Angeles, California in 2007 can be viewed below.

Sean Palmerston of View magazine recently conducted an interview with CRYPTOPSY drummer Flo Mounier. A few excerpts from the chat follow.

On extremely rough mixes of songs from CRYPTOPSY's upcoming album, "The Unspoken King", being leaked online without the band's approval:

"I don't know who, but someone got their hands on a copy and passed it along to someone who put them up [online] when they weren't even mixed or finished. . . It is pretty funny how big of an impact [the songs] had on some people. There is nothing wrong with constructive criticism — or any criticism for that matter — but there were a lot of idiots that said a lot of stupid things that just should not have. If you don't like something, just don't listen to it. You don't need to get rude or aggressive about it. I thought it was a funny reaction. Especially now, it's even funnier that some of those original naysayers are now getting used to the new songs and coming back and saying they think they are great. There is a whole mixed bag of comments and the people that are most persistent on the Internet are usually the ones that don't even buy the albums or go to shows — they just stay on the Internet and bitch.”

On the departure of singer Lord Worm and the band's musical growth:

"It was pretty simple. He and I had a talk and we both came to the conclusion that it was time that CRYPTOPSY found a new singer. It was for different reasons, both for him personally and for the band as well. As far as evolving and experimenting, we need someone who is a little more on the money with the structures and phrases. As far as he is concerned, Lord Worm is 42 years old now and the touring lifestyle takes a toll. It was a mutual decision and it was not an unfriendly one. We just decided it was time to do something different.

"We really set out to make an album that was more extreme, with dynamic changes and dynamic verses in the songs. Basically, what it comes down to is just taking music and taking doable extremes and matching them up in a way where it becomes a song and not just riff after riff after riff.

"I think the challenge was to create something that is completely ridiculously fast and brutal and then bring it down to something that is incredibly catchy and then bring it back up. To make the record breathe and give it this huge diversity to challenge people and make it interesting and even more fun to play."

On the addition of vocalist Matt McGachy to the group's lineup:

"I had checked out Matt live at one of his shows. I found he was right on the money pitch wise and was really aggressive, full of energy and figured we should try him out. He came in, did a few songs and banged them out so perfectly that it was really quite impressive."

Read the entire interview at www.viewmag.com.

"Opus Magnum", the new full-length album from the Austrian symphonic extreme metal outfit HOLLENTHON, will be streamed in its entirety on Sunday, May 18 at HeavyLaw.com.

"Opus Magnum" will be released on May 30 in Europe and June 7 in North America via the Austrian record label Napalm Records. The CD will feature eight songs and a cover version, plus a video.

The band has scheduled a CD-release party in Vienna on Saturday, May 31 at Escape Metalcorner. A special release show has also been confirmed for Sunday, June 1 at Planet Music (formerly known as Rockhaus and Fritz), also in Vienna.

"Opus Magnum" tentative track listing (in no particular order):

01. Ars Moriendi
02. Of Splendid Worlds
03. Once We Were Kings
04. To Fabled Lands
05. Dying Embers
06. Misterium Babel
07. On The Wings Of A Dove
08. Son Of Perdition
09. The Bazaar (THE TEA PARTY cover) (limited edition only)
10. Son Of Perdition (video) (limited edition only)

Check out the "Opus Magnum" cover artwork at this location.

The "Son Of Perdition" video can be viewed below.

HOLLENTHON issued two critically acclaimed albums nearly a decade ago — "Domus Mundi" (1999) and "With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell" (2001).