San Francisco Bay Area metal veterans VICIOUS RUMORS have entered Trident Studios in Pacheco, California with producers Juan Urteaga and Geoff Thorpe to begin recording their new album, "Electric Punishment", for an April release via Steamhammer/SPV.

Geoff Thorpe, Brian Allen, Larry Howe, Stephen Goodwin and Thean Rasmussen are back with nine new songs and a wicked cover of "Strange Ways" by KISS, all of which are sure to satisfy the faithful VICIOUS RUMORS fans. "Black X List" and "D-Block" are thrashy speed killers while "Escape (From Hell)" and "Together We Unite" add a classic flavor.

"Electric Punishment" will feature special guest appearances by Mark McGee, Brad Gillis and VICIOUS RUMORS' touring guitarist Bob Capka.

VICIOUS RUMORS released a new live album, "Live You To Death", on November 27, 2012 (one day earlier internationally) through SPV/Steamhammer. The CD was recorded by Pontus Norgren of HAMMERFALL, mixed by Juan Urteaga and produced by VICIOUS RUMORS guitarist Geoff Thorpe.

2011 was the year VICIOUS RUMORS stormed European stages with their highly acclaimed studio album, "Razorback Killers", playing 92 shows in 12 months.

"Live You To Death" was recorded in December 2011 on the band's European tour as the support act for Swedish metallers HAMMERFALL. It features 11 songs, including two very special studio recordings: cover versions of "Sign Of The Southern Cross" by BLACK SABBATH and "Running Wild" by JUDAS PRIEST.

"Razorback Killers" was released in Europe in March 2011 and in the U.S. in April 2011 via SPV/Steamhammer. The CD was recorded at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California with producers Juan Urteaga and Geoff Thorpe.

Finnish metallers KALMAH have entered the studio in January to begin recording their seventh album for a spring release. The follow-up to 2010's "12 Gauge" will feature cover artwork by Juha Vuorma, who worked on the first three KALMAH albums as well as releases from USURPER, METUJA, DEATHMARCHED and ALTARS OF DESTRUCTION.

Says drummer Janne Kusmin: "Drums are ready and I am happy. Recordings went pretty well. Faster songs were easy and fun to play and slower songs were hard to play. Conclusion: Slow songs suck, fast songs rule or do I need more practice? Hahaa!!!"

Check out video footage from the studio below.

Keyboardist Marco Sneck left KALMAH in 2011 after seven years and three albums with the band.

KALMAH's sixth album, "12 Gauge", entered the official chart in the Finland at position No. 15. The CD was recorded between June and August 2009 at Tico Tico studio in Kemi, Finland and was mastered at the Cutting Room in Sweden.

Rarely does a debut record come bursting out of the gates so violently angry, and perennially pissed off. Hurling forth a scorching mix of NAPALM DEATH and HIS HERO IS GONE, Colorado hardcore/punk/powerviolence perpetrators CALL OF THE VOID pound out a furious ten-song grand slam of a record with the fittingly titled "Dragged Down A Dead End Path" offering. Blasting forth a low-end assault of dissonant chords and broken harmonies, "Dragged Down A Dead End Path" truly lives up to its name, beating listeners into submission with a 25-plus-minute sonic slaughterfest.

Formerly known as IRONHORSE, CALL OF THE VOID's crust and grind elements seamlessly merge to conjure visions of grind godfathers PIG DESTROYER while effortlessly treading the abrasive, caustic nature of CONVERGE's hybrid progressive hardcore and MASTODON's technical metal-tinged rock mastery. Recorded at the Boar's Nest in Salt Lake City, Utah by Andy Patterson, mastered by Chris Mcnaughton with the strikingly dismal cover art of Anthony Lucero, "Dragged Down A Dead End Path" will see digital, CD and LP North American release on March 19, preceded by European release dates of March 15 in Germany, Benelux and Finland, and March 18 in the U.K. and all other territories.

"Dragged Down A Dead End Path" track listing:

01. Failure
02. Theory of Mind
03. Bottom Feeder
04. Endless Ritual Abuse
05. Abomination
06. Breeding Grounds
07. Napalm Lungs
08. The Liar's Heart
09. I Hope You Two Fuck
10. Faith & Filth

A video teaser for the record can be seen below.

Munich, Germany-based black metal band SYCRONOMICA will release a new mini-CD, "Neverest", on April 2 via Nocturnal Empire Production. In addition to three brand-new tracks, the set will include the 15-year-old, long-out-of-print 1998 three-song demo "Durch Das Geäst". As a bonus, the MCD will contain a brand-new video for the song "Neverest".

The release party for the "Neverest" MCD will take place on March 31 at the Dark Easter Metal Meeting in Munich where SYCRONOMICA will perform " a special show with a unique setlist" alongside ENSLAVED, BETHLEHEM, DARK FORTRESS and HELRUNAR, among others.

The "Neverest" video was filmed in April 2012 at the Ragnarök festival in Germany by Felix Opahle and Wolfgang Lanzenberger and it features additional original footage from Bavarian alps and the Himalayan mountains. The track was recorded in October 2011 at SOS Studios in Munich by Michael Zech (SECRETS OF THE MOON, ex-NEGURA BUNGET).

SYCRONOMICA's third album, "Sycroscope", was released in October 2009 via the Bavarian label Silverwolf Productions. The CD was recorded at Munich's Helion Studios, where both of SYCRONOMICA's previous albums — "Paths" (2004) and "Gate" (2006) — were tracked. The cover artwork was created by drummer Michael Bayer.

SYCRONOMICA 2013 is:

Oliver Walther - Vocals
Florian Winter - Keyboards
Johannes Jüde - Guitar
Ruben Raff - Bass
Christian Metz - Guitar
Thomas Hagl - Drums

L.A. GUNS has apparently parted ways with its guitarist of one month, Frankie Wilsey (SEA HAGS, ARCADE), and has replaced him with Michael Grant from ENDEVERAFTER. Grant will make his live debut with L.A. GUNS this weekend in Chicago and Detroit.

Writing on his Facebook page, L.A. GUNS bassist Scotty Griffin said: "Is [Michael] our permanent guitarist? What happened to the last guitarist? Whose solo album is better, Paul's or Ace's? I can't say... I'm just the bass player. But you heard it here first. Stay tuned." He added in a separate post: "Set up and ready to rock Illinois tonight! First show of the year, and first show with our newest member, Michael Grant of ENDEVERAFTER on lead guitar!"

Due to "extenuating circumstances and musical differences," guitarist Stacey Blades announced his departure from L.A. GUNS in early December.

Blades played on four L.A. GUNS albums: "Rips The Covers Off" (2004), "Tales Trom The Strip" (2005), "Loud And Dangerous: Live From Hollywood" (2006) and "Hollywood Forever" (2012). He also authored a book, "Confessions Of A Replacement Rockstar", which was published in 2009.

Truth Inc Records has announced the signing of the South Australian melodic death act INFILTRAITOR. The band has just started recording its as-yet-untitled full-length debut for a summer release. The CD will be mixed at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden by Fredrik Nordström, who has previously worked with AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, ARCH ENEMY, SOILWORK and BRING ME THE HORIZON, among others.

Commenting Truth Inc label manager Greg Shaw: "It has been a long time since the label signed a hometown band from Adelaide. Jason (label co-manager) and myself saw INFILTRAITOR perform the band's first show back in '07, and have since seen the band develop into an exceptional melodic death/thrash band. We are very pleased to be working together and look foward to unleashing what will be an awe-inspiring debut album."

Since forming in 2007, INFILTRAITOR have worked tirelessly and gained a reputation for being an extremely polished live band with a strong DIY ethic. Drawing influences from various sub-genres of metal, the band's sound is driven by precise dual guitar work, melodic and ambient keyboard lines, pounding technical drums and vocals that range from harsh death metal growls to clean, harmonized singing. The past four years has seen the band release two EP's (2009's "Shadows" and 2011's "Void"), both mixed by Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMMETRY, CARNAL FORGE) at Black Lounge studios in Sweden, and share the stage with a diverse range of bands such bands as MISERY SIGNALS, VEIL OF MAYA, MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE, THE AMITY AFFLICTION, FOR TODAY, BLOOD DUSTER and CARPATHIAN, among others.

EMPIRE DROWNS, the new Danish metal/rock band featuring former members of AURORA, URKRAFT and WITHERING SURFACE, will release a four-song mini-album entitled "Bridges" in Europe on March 11 via Mighty Music. The CD was produced and mixed by Kristian Thomsen (THE STORM, SUPERCHARGER, OLIVER WEERS).

Delivering a tasteful blend of doom-laden metal and dark, gothic rock, EMPIRE DROWNS set themselves apart with "Bridges". The mini-album is characterized by an intense rhythm section and soaring, melodic guitar work, which together with the, at the same time, grim and authoritative vocals, create a heavy and captivating atmosphere.

As songwriters, EMPIRE DROWNS showcase a refreshing diversity. Every song comes to life with its own unmistakable identity, yet this exploration of different musical paths results in an integral and pensive sound that EMPIRE DROWNS can proudly call their own.

EMPIRE DROWNS is formed by experienced musicians and their live shows so far have been greeted by a highly enthusiastic audience response and 2013 will see EMPIRE DROWNS intensify their live work. The band is already an established live act, having performed alongside some of the most important Nordic doom bands like SATURNUS, BLAZING ETERNITY and CAUSTIC. Furthermore, EMPIRE DROWNS appears on the "Gothic Spirits 16" compilation CD with the song "Crawl" from their 2011 EP, alongside well-established acts such as PARADISE LOST, TIAMAT and THE 69 EYES.

"Bridges" track listing:

01. Bridges
02. Stumble Undefined
03. Glamourous
04. Rats

The "Bridges" title track is available for streaming below.

EMPIRE DROWNS is:

Michael H. Andersen - Vocals
Jan Kromann - Bass
Anders Vestergaard - Guitar
Thomas Birk - Guitar
Kim Jørgensen - Drums

California rockers TRAPT have announced the addition of ATREYU guitarist Travis Miguel to the group's ranks. Miguel will join the band on the road this week as TRAPT kick off their U.S. tour in support of their new album, "Reborn", which hits stores on Tuesday, January 22 via Epochal Artist Records/Capital Music Group. The CD will be released in a standard version as well as a deluxe edition which will feature five acoustic songs from "Reborn" as well as the never-before-released fan favorite "Avelyn".

"This record is really a new sound for TRAPT," states TRAPT vocalist/songwriter Chris Taylor Brown. "With 'Reborn', we really wanted to use new sounds and textures as well as experiment with other techniques we have learned over the years or have heard in our influences. Lyrically, this album is as deep and thoughtful as any album that TRAPT has done in the past."

"Reborn" was produced by Brown and engineered by Matt Thorne, known for his work with THE EELS, THE DONNAS and BONNIE MCKEE. From the opening note of the first single "Bring It" to the album closer "You're No Angel", it is clear TRAPT is back to pick up where previous hits such as "Headstrong", "Echo" and "Who's Going Home With You Tonight?" left off.

TRAPT kicked off its U.S. tour last night (Thursday, January 17) in Seattle, Washington, with dates running throughout February.

"Reborn" track listing:

01. Bring It
02. Love Hate Relationship
03. Experience
04. Eye Of The Storm
05. Livewire
06. Going Under
07. Too Close
08. Strength In Numbers
09. Get Out Of Your Own Way
10. When It Rains
11. You're No Angel

On January 28, SACRAMENTUM's classic debut album, "Far Away From The Sun", will be re-released on CD, LP and picture vinyl.

Sold out for over ten years, "Far Away From The Sun" has only been available for exorbitant prices for the last couple of years. Now all fans of the real Swedish death/black metal that missed to grab a copy of the album back then finally get the chance to fill the gap in their collections.

"Far Away From The Sun" is one of the few huge classics of blackened Swedish death metal and ranges amongst legendary albums such as "Ancient God Of Evil" (UNANIMATED), "Welcome My Last Chapter" (VINTERLAND), "Vittra" (NAGLFAR), "Afterlife Kingdom" (SATANIC SLAUGHTER) and "The Somberlain" (DISSECTION).

The re-release of "Far Away From The Sun" is being done in close cooperation with the band. The impressive cover artwork was newly scanned by its painter Kristian "Necrolord" Wåhlin and the entire layout was reworked. Dan Swanö, who recorded the album back in 1995, has done a careful remastering of the sound and Olivier Badin an in-depth interview with guitarist Anders Brolycke and drummer Nicklas Rudolfsson.

An unreleased video clip of the album's opening track, "Fog's Kiss", can be seen below.

Pioneers of Finnish black metal BLACK CRUCIFIXION will release their new album, "Coronation Of King Darkness", in March on vinyl, CD and as a digital download via via Spinefarm Records.

"Coronation Of King Darkness" track listing:

01. Coronation Of King Darkness
02. What The Night Birds Sang
03. Heroes End Up On Gallows
04. Millions Of Twigs Guide Your Way Through The Forest
05. Threefold
06. In The Bright Light Of Night I Await The Turning Tide
07. Lodestar
08. Thieves

The track "What The Night Birds Sang" is available for streaming in the YouTube clip below.

Work on BLACK CRUCIFIXION's full-length debut, "Faustian Dream", began in 1996 and was not finalized until 2006 when it saw the light of northern day.

In 2009, BLACK CRUCIFIXION returned to the live stage, playing dates in Germany, Holland and Belgium. The new and revitalized lineup continued playing selecte shows in Finland throughout 2010 and released its 20th-anniversary album, "Hope Of Retaliation", containing new studio and live tracks.

Firefighters were called to Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's home in Beverly Hills, California Thursday morning (January 17) after a candle Sharon had left burning through the night exploded in its glass vase and sparked a small blaze in their living room.

Speaking about the incident on today's edition of the CBS program "The Talk", which she co-hosts, Sharon said: "Everybody is fine. There was only Ozzy, myself and the dogs in the house last night.

"At five o' clock [in the morning], I heard a noise like metal had fallen. I thought it was my housekeeper coming in and she had dropped her keys on the tiles, that's what it sounded like, so I didn't pay any attention. A few minutes later, my eyes are stinging and my throat's closing up, [I thought], 'Something's weird smelling in here.' Then my dog started to bark. I go downstairs and the whole living room [was on fire]. The candle had burst and the cracking sound was the glass and the candle exploding...

"My husband had an operation on his hand yesterday so he's in a complete cast... He comes down and goes, 'Oh, the fire, the fire!' [and tries to put it out[ with his hand in the cast. Then he opens the French doors and I go into the kitchen and throw water on it and it erupted...

"Ozzy's front of his hair from (his ear down is), gone! His eyebrows (are gone)... he's got like, skinned cheeks. We are, like, two idiots, it was like The Three Stooges... Everything you are not meant to do — go to bed with candles alight, open the doors and put water on — we did it all."

She continued: "[The firemen] come up, they give us a lecture, and Ozzy's like, 'She's been doing this to me for 32 years! You tell her, you tell her, no more candles!'

"I apologize to my husband because he put himself out. He made his hand worse, it started to bleed, the whole nine yards, and I'm sorry and I love you and I will never light a candle again...

"I want to thank the firemen from Beverly Hills Fire Station because you are magnificent there and I want to say to everyone out there, please, please check your candles before you go to bed."

In March 2005, a fire broke out at Ozzy's Buckinghamshire mansion, causing considerable damage to the home. No one was reported injured during the blaze, but Ozzy and Sharon were treated for smoke inhalation, as were two of their employees.

"Hoax The System', the first video from CORRECTIONS HOUSE, the new collective featuring Mike IX Williams (EYEHATEGOD), Scott Kelly (NEUROSIS), Sanford Parker (NACHTMYSTIUM) and Bruce Lamont (YAKUZA), can be seen below. The clip was created by Mortichrome Productions.

CORRECTIONS HOUSE has scheduled a string a rare live shows in January/February. The 19-date trek will commence on January 21 in Brooklyn, New York and wind its way through much of the of the East Coast before concluding in Denver, Colorado. Special solo sets by Parker, Lamont, Kelly and Williams will be performed prior to closing each night as CORRECTIONS HOUSE.

German sympho-gothic metallers CORONATUS are working on material for their next album. They plan to record the CD in May/June and release the effort before the end of the year via Massacre Records.

Carmen R. Lorch (pictured below), who was CORONATUS' soprano voice from 2004 until 2010, will join the band for the new album recording sessions.

CORONATUS' fourth LP, "Terra Incognita", came out in late 2011 via Massacre. A digital compilation, "Best Of 2007-2011", followed this past December, featuring the top 16 songs from spanning the band's entire career.

The for the song "Vor Der Schlacht", taken from "Terra Incognita", can be seen below.

Tim Yeung (MORBID ANGEL, DIVINE HERESY, VITAL REMAINS, HATE ETERNAL) is selling his 2006 seven-piece double-bass Ddrum Dominion Ash kit with custom paint via eBay.

Says Yeung: "It was one of the first double-bass kits made by Ddrum and has been seen in multiple video and photo shoots with me and has been on multiple tours and recordings from 2006 to 2008. I used this kit to record the first DIVINE HERESY album, 'Bleed The Fifth', which was released in summer in 2007 and did all of the major touring for that album with it as well. It was also featured in Drum! magazine with me in the spring 2008 issue. It was also used in the DIVINE HERESY 'Failed Creation' and 'Bleed The Fifth' videos as well as the YouTube DIVINE HERESY 'jam session' video."

With the inspiration of a songwriting mother and artistic father, Tim began playing drums in 1990 at the age of eleven. Within a few short years he was recording demos and playing live shows within the local muisc scene in upstate New York. He attended Hochstein School Of Music in Rochester and got his first big break in 1997 when he joined the death metal band HATE ETERNAL.

Now based in Los Angeles, Yeung has performed and worked with such national acts as ALL THAT REMAINS, HANK WILLIAMS III, NILE, VITAL REMAINS and DECREPIT BIRTH. His straddling of the extreme and mainstream is perhaps best reflected in his work with his band DIVINE HERESY, whose music features elements of extreme death metal as well as more mainstream genres.

For more information, visit Tim's official web site at TimYeung.com.

"When The Siren Calls", a brand new song from veteran German metallers SACRED STEEL, can be streamed using the widget below. The track comes off the band's eighth full-length studio album, "The Bloodshed Summoning", which will be released on February 16 via Cruz Del Sur Music. The CD was produced by Bart Gabriel (CRYSTAL VIPER, LONEWOLF, JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR), and will be made available as a limited-edition vinyl LP, CD with three bonus tracks (including a MISFITS cover version) and as a digital download.

"The Bloodshed Summoning" track listing:

01. Storm Of Fire 1916
02. No God / No Religion
03. When The Siren Calls
04. The Darkness Of Angels
05. The Bloodshed Summoning
06. Under The Banner Of Blasphemy
07. Black Towers
08. Crypts Of The Fallen
09. The Night They Came To Kill
10. Join The Congregation
11. Journey Into Purgatory
12. Doomed To Eternal Hell

CD bonus tracks:

13. Perversions Of The Scriptures
14. Unbinding The Chains
15. Dig Up Her Bones

SACRED STEEL, which was previously signed to such labels as Metal Blade and Massacre, established itself in the '90s as one of the leading true metal bands. Their albums "Wargods Of Metal" or "Bloodlust" are considered by many to be some of the best '90s traditional metal releases.

SACRED STEEL's last album, "Carnage Victory", was released in 2009, and was supported by a number of European live shows, including well-received appearances at such festivals as Bang Your Head!!!, Summer Breeze and Rock Hard.

SACRED STEEL is:

Kai Schindelar - Bass
Jens Sonnenberg - Guitar
Mathias Straub - Drums
Jonas Khalil - Guitar
Gerrit P. Mutz - Vocals

DARKITECT, the new Richmond, Virginia-based metal band featuring former ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY vocalist Johnny Throckmorton, has made three "production demo" tracks — "Machines Of Deceit", "Radiation" and "Within These Walls" — available for streaming using the ReverbNation widget below. The group is currently fine-tuning more than 10 songs for its debut album while actively searching for a label to release the record.

DARKITECT started with Wes Derrickson and Mike Dishman, just getting together and writing songs. Once they had seven songs musically completed, the two realized it was time to bring in other members and establish this project as a real band. They then contacted their mutual friend Tommy Gunn, a former bandmate and the obvious choice for the second guitar slot. DARKITECT spent the next few months writing and tracking pre-production demos while searching for a bassist and a vocalist. In late August 2012, they found the perfect frontman in Throckmorton, a seasoned veteran whose lyrics and vocal abilities not only fit the music like a glove,but also took it up a notch.

DARKITECT is:

Johnny Throckmorton - Vocals
Wes Derrickson - Lead Guitar
Tommy Gunn - Guitar
Mike Dishman - Drums

DISTURBED went on an open-ended hiatus in 2011, following the completion of the touring cycle for its 2010 album "Asylum". The band's frontman, David Draiman, has since launched a new project, DEVICE, with former FILTER guitarist Geno Lenardo, while DISTURBED bassist John Moyer branched out recently by joining ADRENALINE MOB, a new group also featuring ex-DREAM THEATER and AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer Mike Portnoy.

Speaking to Artisan News earlier this month (see video below), Draiman stated about DISTURBED's current status: "It's just exactly what it means. I mean, the beast certainly is not dead — it's just sleeping for a little while."

He continued: "Look, myself, Dan [Donegan, guitar], Mike [Wengren, drums] and John [Moyer, bass], we've given our lives to that band, but there's more to us, each individually. John went to go work with ADRENALINE MOB for a little while, and he's got his music school that he's trying to get off the ground. I know Dan and Mike have been enjoying spending time with their families, and I hear whisperings that they have a little thing [new project] going on as well. I think that it's good for each of us to take some time away from something that's been so all-encompassing in every part of our lives for 16 years."

According to Draiman, DISTURBED's decision to take a break was not caused by internal strife and he says that the bandmembers remain in regular contact while pursuing other interest and musical projects.

"We're all on great terms and we continue to have a very, very huge mutual respect and admiration for another; we check in on each other's families," he said. "This was not a hiatus that was brought about by bad blood, this was not a hiatus that was brought about by any sort of legality or for me to decide to start a family or any of the rest of the nonsense that gets thrown out there. All the rest of the guys have families and we've been touring on the road with them the entire damn time. So one has nothing to do with the other."

DISTURBED has not indicated when it plans to return, although all four members say they're likely to come back.

"Vilify", the first single from DEVICE, will go for radio adds on February 19. The band's full-length debut will follow on April 9 via Warner Bros.

Sarabande is the latest of JON LORD's (DEEP PURPLE) works to have gone through a complete check up.

The new full score of Sarabande in Lord’s revised 2010 edition for group and orchestra is a milestone in Hal Leonard‘s and EMI Music‘s upcoming Jon Lord Edition. The 180-page score has been meticulously revised and edited by conductor Paul Mann in consultation with every available source, including the manuscript and a set of orchestral parts from the original 1975 recording sessions, which are held in the Lord family archive.

The work is being published for the first time in any form, and will be available in Spring 2013 as a study score for sale, with the corresponding performance material on hire.

The revised edition was first performed in Budapest, Hungary on September 18, 2010. Watch footage of that day’s dress rehearsal below:
Musicians used on Sarabande include bassist Paul Karass, percussionist Mark Nauseef, guitarist Andy Summers (prior to forming THE POLICE) and drummer Pete York. Lord, who co-produced the album with Martin Birch, plays the Hammond B-3 organ, piano, clavinet and synthesizer.

Sarabande tracklisting:

‘Fantasia’
‘Sarabande’
‘Aria’
‘Gigue’
‘Bouree’
‘Pavane’
‘Caprice’
‘Finale’

Click here for complete details.

Belgian progressive death metallers IN-QUEST have set "8 - The Odyssey Of Eternity" as the title of their new album, scheduled for a late spring release. The follow-up to 2009's "Made Out Of Negative Matter" was recorded at Split Second Sound studio with producer Jochem Jacobs (ex-TEXTURES).

Commented IN-QUEST guitarist Douglas Verhoeven: "As the world didn't perish in 2012, we are back celebrating our existence' eternity with a massive concept album. For over a year, these songs and themes have been distilled and purified into perfection where everything is connected. I am proud to finally come out with the first of news about our new album. A dense, catchy, polyrhythmic eight-string cyclic opus which will for sure surprise a lot of our fans. A new sound, a redefinition or our core elements, and for sure a new form of aggression. Technical, rich and thick with typical IQ bombastic riffing, lyrical insanity and hypnotic melody work. Think heavy... beyond heavy! Insiders have claimed the new album to be the missing link between 'The Comatose Quandaries' groove and 'Made Out Of Negative Matter' compositional/technical prowess, all wrapped into one big insane ride."

"8 - The Odyssey of Eternity" track listing:

01. Enter Eternity Of Lethargy
02. Taedium Vitae
03. Elliptical Orbits In Disbelief
04. Reiterated Cycles Of Celestial Spheres
05. Neo-Pseudo Existence
06. Infinite Sleep For The Hollow
07. The Algorhythmic Alignments
08. Yearn To Return [Liquidation Fails]

The third in a series of webisodes featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the studio can be seen below.

IN-QUEST recently re-released 2009's "Made Out Of Negative Matter" digitally on iTunes, Spotify, Deezer and others. A new version of "Stahlmacht" was added as a bonus track.

IN-QUEST is:

MiQe Löfberg - Vocals
Douglas Verhoeven – Lead Guitar
Gert Monden - Drums
Korre Lauwereins - Rhythm Guitar
Frederick Peeters - Bass

Finnish melodic death metallers MYGRAIN will release their fourth album, "Planetary Breathing", on April 26 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was recorded during August and September at Sound Supreme studio with Janne Saksa, who previously worked with the band on their first two albums. The mixing and mastering was again handled by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH, NIGHTINGALE) at Unisound studios in Örebro, Sweden.

Commented MYGRAIN: "The debut album, 'Orbit Dance', was released in 2006. The second album, 'Signs Of Existence', came out two years later and the third one, 'MyGrain', in 2011. The last-mentioned felt like a launch to something new and it was like a new beginning for the band.

"'Planetary Breathing' can be characterized through familiar MYGRAIN elements: the catchy choruses, melodies and keyboard lines are still there, whereas the winding and striking guitar riffs being a solid base of the MYGRAIN sound.

"We are so excited of the result we achieved with this album! Together with Janne and Dan, we managed to capture the most rich and balanced MYGRAIN sound so far.

"Those of you who have witnessed us live must know that we love touring — performing for you guys. To us, that is the very essence of all of this. Thus, we are really looking forward to the gigs that are following the release of the new album. The tour dates will be announced later this spring.

"We are currently putting up a sample preview of the album's songs and it will be available for all of you to listen during February. You will also see an epic music video by Eva Lingon Ltd. Oy Ab that will be released before the album comes out."

"Planetary Breathing" track listing:

01. Incantation
02. Waking Up The Damned
03. Ambivalentine
04. Black Light Supernova
05. Dreamscape
06. Rats in The Cradle
07. The Ghost in Me
08. Mechanimal Instinct
09. The Final Skyline
10. Planetary Breathing

MYGRAIN's third, self-titled album entered the official chart in the group's home country at position No. 23. Released in January 2011 via Spinefarm Records, the CD was recorded atSeawolf Studios in Helsinki with producer Janne Joutsenniemi (SUBURBAN TRIBE, STONE) and was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö.

MYGRAIN's second album, "Signs of Existence", entered the Finnish national chart at position No. 32. The CD was released in February 2008 via Spinefarm Records.

Former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno has recorded a song with the Paraguayan metal band RUSHMORE.

In 2008 RUSHMORE was the band that supported Di'Anno on his Latin American tour.

After a lot of negotiations, RUSHMORE was finally able to get their old friend to collaborate with them on their new album.

The first single from the CD, "Kingdom Of Demons", is available for streaming below. (Note: The track doesn't feature Di'Anno.)

Danish thrashers ESSENCE will release their new album, "Last Night Of Solace", on March 29 via NoiseArt Records. The effort will be made available as a limited CD in a slipcase and will include a bonus track. The CD was recorded, engineered and produced by Swedish mastermind Peter Tägtgren (PAIN, HYPOCRISY, IMMORTAL, CHILDREN OF BODOM, DIMMU BORGIR) at his Abyss Studio.

Commented ESSENCE: "'Last Night Of Solace' is very different from our last album. We have matured in our songwriting, our abilities and our expression.

"It is difficult to describe the album with words, but 'enormous' covers a lot of what the listener will hear on the record.

"We needed to make this album the way it is today, because it is a statement and it will serve as a point of reference in the future. Also, we did what came naturally and 'all by itself' to us.

"There is nothing 'forced' on this album and it is just our clean personal energy captured on in 10 tracks. You can hear that the album is recorded in extreme sub-zero temperatures and in the middle of a frozen Swedish winter."

"Last Night Of Solace" track listing:

01. Intro
02. Final Eclipse
03. Arachnida
04. For The Fallen
05. Children Of Rwanda
06. Gemstones
07. Dark Matter
08. Last Night Of Solace
09. Opium
10. Fractured Dimension (bonus track)

The cover artwork can be seen below.

ESSENCE was awarded the deal with NoiseArt Records as part of a contest launched by the Austrian management and booking company Rock The Nation. This unique competition was presented and promoted by several leading European metal magazines, including Noizeletter, Metalnews.de, Stormbringer.at and Rock Hard Italy.

The Rock The Nation Award was launched in 2009 and has resulted in record and booking deals for STEELWING, SUICIDAL ANGELS (2009), SKULL FIST (2010), KRAMPUS and NEXUS INFERIS (2011).

ESSENCE has already shared stage with such acts as IN FLAMES, ENTOMBED and VADER nas has played the Roskilde (Denmark) and Vagos Open Air (Portugal) festivals, among others.

Former AUGURY drummer Antoine Baril has joined Canadian death metallers DEVIANT PROCESS. The band is currently working on its first full-length album, which will be produced by Antoine Baril at his Hemisphere Studio. The pre-production process has already started and the actual recording of the album is scheduled for the spring.

Commented DEVIANT PROCESS: "We are pleased to announce that Antoine Baril has joined DEVIANT PROCESS as our new drummer. We would like to thank Olivier Genest for his outstanding work in the band and wish him all the best in his future projects."

The seeds for DEVIANT PROCESS, formerly PSYCHIC PAIN, were planted in 2008 by JD Villeneuve (guitars/lead vocals) in Quebec City, Canada. After releasing a self-produced demo, JD managed to get the attention of PL Beaulieu (bass), Stéphane Simard (guitars/backing vocals) and Olivier Genest (drums), which led to the creation of DEVIANT PROCESS in 2009. Collectively, the band decided to move away from PSYCHIC PAIN's symphonic style and focus their energies into creating genuinely brutal and original progressive death metal.

"Megalodon", the new EP from Raleigh, North Carolina legends CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, is available for free download at this location. The CD was released on November 13, 2012 via Scion Audio/Visual, (a.k.a. Scion A/V), the in-house record label and lifestyle marketing division of the Scion marque produced by Toyota Motor Corporation for the North American market.

"Megalodon" track listing:

01. Feed On
02. Priest Brains
03. The Megalodon
04. Strong Medicine Too Late
05. The Vulture

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY guitarist Woody Weatherman stated about "Megalodon", "We did that in our hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina, which is kind of nice, to be able to hang around in town and not have to go out somewhere, go to L.A. or New York. Sometimes it's nice to record at home. You get a little better vibe. Plus I got to use all of my own gear. So it was fun."

Candlelight Records last year re-released CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's "Eye For An Eye". This special reissue has been remastered/packaged and includes the EP "Six Songs With Mike Singing". Both titles have been out of print for years. It follows the successful release of the band's self-titled album last year. A deluxe digibook edition of the album, limited to 1000 for North America, is available at limited retailers and via Candlelight's official webstore. The digibook version includes extended liner notes and a rare pictorial gallery.

Formed in Raleigh in 1982, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY quickly transformed heavy music. Politically charged and socially aware, the band has influenced countless others and today remains humble about their accomplishments. With over 1.1 million albums sold in the United States, the band continues to find new fans via nonstop touring.

U.K. modern metallers MALEFICE will release their fifth album, "Five", on April 28 via Transcend Music.

Since bursting onto the U.K. metal music scene in 2007, MALEFICE has established its very own unique sound often described as brutal, belligerent, bold and undeniably British.

Commented singer Dale Butler: "After being written off, we're back to where we thrive the most. Being the underdog.

"We've always delivered something new and exciting in adversity and this time is no exception. The changes we have made have given us time to regroup and reinvent the sound of this band.

"Expect more bounce than ever, more hate than ever and more soul than ever. This is a record of feelings, how we are, where we want to be and where we will get to. This is the album we always wanted to write, where the evolution has taken us and has renewed our 'take-no-prisoners' attitude, something we always have at our live shows. You can hear the clarion call to arms in this recording.

"All music is a personal statement. This is our statement that no matter what, nothing can hold us back, nothing will keep us down and together we can, will and have survived all the bullshit thrown at us. This record represents everything we are as a collective and as individuals. It'll be the soundtrack to your parties in 2013."

"Five" track listing:

01. V
02. The Great Deceiver
03. Never Say Die
04. Wasted
05. Time
06. Blueprints
07. Reach Up

MALEFICE's last full-length album, "Awaken The Tides", was released in July 2011 via Metal Blade Records. The 10-song effort was recorded at The Face studios in Reading with drums laid down at Fortress Studios in London. All tracks were mixed and mastered by Justin Hill.

Wind-Up Records has announced the signing of rock act FILTER. The band is currently readying a new album in Los Angeles at Blue Room studios with producer Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, ATREYU, SALIVA). This will be the group's sixth studio LP, and follows the 2010 offering "The Trouble With Angels". The CD is being written and recorded by leader Richard Patrick and guitarist Jonny Radtke, as well as collaborator Marlette. There will also be performances from touring members Jeff Friedl and Elias Mallin (drums) and Phil Buckman (bass). The lead single will impact radio in March, with the album following in May.

Wind-up Records President Ed Vetri states: "We're thrilled to welcome Richard Patrick and FILTER into the Wind-Up family. This is a successful band with an extremely impressive body of work and I'm happy to say that based on the demos I've heard, this new album could very well be their best to date. FILTER is more committed than ever to delivering great repertoire and bringing these songs to life at their live shows throughout 2013."

Adds Patrick: "We're excited to enter a new phase of our career with Wind-Up. They're expecting great things from us and we plan to deliver."

In a 2012 interview with "All Knowing Force", Patrick said about the songwriting process for the new CD, "One of the main things we set out to do, we said let's make a song with all the elements of 'Hey Man Nice Shot', and we sat there and it wrote itself." He added, "We didn't want to write the same bass line or guitar progression, but it had to be an amazing riff; let's start with that. The riff was so good, it's a two-bar pattern, and we throw guitar over it with drums and I scream and the bass line never changes, it's a nonstop bass line that never ever changes."

Regarding the inspiration for the new material, Patrick said, "We were talking about some of the things that are going on in my life; there's been a lot of betrayal from people surrounding me. So we were thinking 'Hey Man Nice Shot', that's something that describes a desperate man's actions and trying to make sense of it, almost like a joke. So we started talking about betrayal and we played around with the words 'Take That Knife Out of My Back' and all of a sudden this song just wrote itself."

On the topic of the overall direction of the new CD, Patrick said, "We have this beautiful record that starts off heavy and mean and then it goes back to the more moody, almost joyful parts of life. For me, the record that we always try to model is the 'Title Of Record' era — that sets the standard in how heavy and how light we can go. We just aspire to make the songs as good and I think the songwriting is superior, we just have to make sure the performances are as desperate and powerful as those crazy takes I did when I was kid."

Italian singer Chris Heaven has resurrected the EDGE OF TIME project with Japanese guitarist Yasu Matsushita and Italian keyboard player Luigi Accardo.

In 2002, Heaven and Michael Von Knorring (Yngwie Malmsteen's drummer on the "Eclipse" LP) recorded some songs together for benefit tribute albums and started to work on material for EDGE OF TIME. But Von Knorring left the group in order to receive treatment for the same health problems he suffered during "Eclipse" tour and EDGE OF TIME eventually disbanded.

EDGE OF TIME's forthcoming album will feature guest appearances by former members of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, DIO and EMPIRE, among others.

San Diego death metallers PATHOLOGY have inked a deal with extreme label Sevared Records. The band has completed its three-album commitment to Victory Records and has decided to go back to its underground roots.

PATHOLOGY is working on its seventh studio album for a tentative summer release.

PATHOLOGY in December announced the return of singer Matti Way and original guitarist Tim Tiszczenko to the group's ranks. The band stated at the time: "This is now the prime PATHOLOGY lineup from the 'Age Of Onset' [2009], 'Legacy Of The Ancients' [2010] era.

"We are very excited for this change, We will now have the best of both worlds with a mix of the old and new."

PATHOLOGY is:

Dave Astor - Drums
Kevin Schwartz - Lead Guitar
Matti Way - Vocals
Tim Tiszczenko - Guitar

PATHOLOGY's latest album, "The Time Of Great Purification", was released in September 2012 via Victory Records. The CD was recorded at Lambesis Studios with Daniel Castleman.

"The Time Of Great Purification" featured artwork by Pär Olofsson, creator of the cover art for PATHOLOGY's last two albums, 2010's "Legacy Of The Ancients" and 2011's "Awaken To The Suffering".