Brader Bo (a.k.a. Bo Skullbanger) of Singapore’s only metal radio show, "Vicious Volume", which airs on Ria 89.7FM, a station of MediaCorp., conducted an interview with Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) before SOULFLY's October 20 performance at Malaysia's Rockaway festival. You can now watch the chat in four parts below.

On his as-yet-unnamed new project with Greg Puciato (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN), Dave Elitch (ex-MARS VOLTA) and Troy Sanders (MASTODON):

Max: "Troy [Sanders] from MASTODON just joined the band, too, so now we've got three singers for the project, which is also really killer. I'm really excited about that, too. I think it's gonna be a very original project. I don't know any other metal projects out there with three people singing like this. So it can be almost like a TRANSPLANTS of metal. TRANSPLANTS had three singers; this also has three singers, and it can be very, very great. I'm following, in a lot of ways, some of the same footsteps as NAILMBOMB [Max's mid-1990s project with Alex Newport of FUDGE TUNNELin my approach to this project — a lot of do-it-yourself, punk-rock kind of feeling to the project. So the songs are written really quick — I don't think too much about it. I like it more like that, so they are very raw. We are working on the [music] in December and then we're hoping to get in the studio in January. The main thing we don't have is a name."

On why he doesn't play as much guitar live with SOULFLY nowadays as he used to in the past:

Max: "Well, I think it's my own choice. I don't have to play every song if I don't want. And I feel that sometimes I prefer to just grab the mic and just go wild with the mic by mself without the guitar and get the crowd moving. I do that on 'Seek 'N' Strike' and end of 'Eye For An Eye'. It's all for the best of the show. If somebody is that technical, then they should not be into SOULFLY, 'cause SOULFLY was never that technical, or SEPULTURA. We're not into technical metal that you have to play everything… I'm more into the punk-school mentality that if you don't wanna play guitar, fuck it — throw the guitar on the floor and just sing. Don't give a fuck. And like I said, if that bothers people, maybe they don't understand my philosophy. Now, maybe they'll read this, and maybe they'll understand why. That's why I do it. It's kind of like my own choice, for the freedom that I have in music. If I don't wanna play guitar, I don't have to. There's no place that says I have to play guitar; I play if I want to. And on the stage, I like that kind of mentality — do what you want, what you like. It comes from punk rock, actually, and SEPULTURA was really into punk stuff. Sometimes I think that is a problem with metal, especially really technical metal can become kind of boring; they become very robotic and they just do the same every night. I don't like that. I like to change setlists every night and play different songs, improvise in the moment, play different shit, play a song that bobody's expecting."

According to Hot Metal, veteran rockers BANG TANGO have commenced work on the material for their new album for a tentative 2013 release. Among the track set to appear on the follow-up to 2011's "Pistol Whipped In The Bible Belt" is "When Will I Get Paid", written by Johnny Blade and previously recorded by Birmingham, Alabama's PLAYER/KOMMANDER.

"The swinging, funky aspect of our music is something we want to work on, it's what people like about us," drummer Trent Anderson tells Hot Metal. "We were really happy with the success of 'Pistol Whipped' and and we're anxious to get back into the studio.

"At this stage, we haven't booked any studio time."

BANG TANGO, along with videographer Drew Fortier, is working on a documentary of the band for release next year. Tentatively titled "The Bang Tango Movie", the documentary will contain interviews with current and original BANG TANGO members as well as most of the in-betweeners who have performed with the group over the years. The film will explore the history of the band and what the original members are up to now, but for the most part it will give insight into the recording of "Pistol Whipped In The Bible Belt".

FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares has issued the following update on his DIVINE HERESY project:

"Hello, DIVINE HERESY fans. I just wanted to give you the latest news on DIVINE HERESY. 'Cause there are a lot of rumors out there on whats going on with DIVINE HERESY. Well, only I can give you the truth.

"I have five songs written for the new CD. It's technical, brutal and melodic. Everything you would want from a DIVINE HERESY CD.

"I'm currently on tour with FEAR FACTORY for the rest of 2012 And part of 2013. When I'm off, I will complete the writing process and I will let you know who will be performing on the new CD.

"I am currently shopping for a new record company and have some surprising offers."

Bassist Joe Payne quit DIVINE HERESY in January 2011.

Drummer Tim Yeung, who has been recording and touring with MORBID ANGEL for the past couple of years, is no longer a member of DIVINE HERESY.

DIVINE HERESY frontman Travis Neal recently joined DIRGE WITHIN as the replacement for Jeremy "Jerms" Genske.

DIVINE HERESY's sophomore album, "Bringer of Plagues", sold around 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 148 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at No. 4 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

DIVINE HERESY's first album, "Bleed The Fifth", opened with 2,700 units back in September 2007.

"Bringer of Plagues" was released in North America on July 28, 2009 via Century Media Records.

US progressive metal act MINDCAGE have announced the addition of vocalist Jeff Hignite to the group.

Hignite commented: “I haven't experienced the musical kinship before like I do with Mindcage. It is something I just can't explain, but hopefully with the project coming together you will hear what I mean.”

Guitarist Dietrick Hardwick commented: “Jeff sets himself apart from the other super-singers with his own distinctive approach. He is an incredible person with a lot of heart, and you totally feel this when he sings. People literally get gooseflesh. He's been the missing part of this family and now it's like he has been in Mindcage all along. He just belongs. We have finally found the voice of Mindcage.”

Hignite joins the band as they begin work on their new concept album titled Our Own Devices which will be released in 2013.

Producer, Michael Wagener (OZZY OSBOURNE, METALLICA, MEGADETH, MOTLEY CRUE, W.A.S.P., OVERKILL, ACCEPT) has offered to produce the lead vocals and guitar solos, as well as mix and master the new album at Wireworld studios in Nashville.

The band consists of guitarist Dietrick Hardwick, bass player Brian Howell, drummer Craig Nudo, and new singer Jeff Hignite.

According to a press release: “Set in an alternate history of a highly plausible future, Mindcage's ground-breaking concept album, Our Own Devices warns of what may become of our society if we turn our backs on the importance of arts, music, humanities, and spirituality. It also introduces the world to Arabella Vash, a woman on a mission to awaken and enlighten a world gone wrong. Her message is sure to shake humanity to its very core.”

A video introduction to the album can be seen below:

Hollywood, CA’s SYNICAL - featuring MURDERDOLLS' Eric Griffin – has announced that their debut album, entitled Quit While You're Behind, will be released in December.

The album features guest appearances by Roy Mayorga ( STONE SOUR , ex-SOULFLY ) and Alex Carapetis (NINE INCH NAILS, JULIAN CASABLANCAS).

The album is available for streaming and preorder at this location.

The track ‘True Hollywood Story’ can be heard below:

Quit While You're Behind by SYNICAL
Tracklisting is as follows:

‘Never Meant To Last’
‘Learn To Love It’
‘Low Quality Guy’
‘Bad To Worse’
‘The Worst Human’
‘Way Of The Future’
‘Come Down’
‘Quit While You're Behind’
‘True Hollywood Story’

MAIDEN UNITED, the all-acoustic IRON MAIDEN tribute project featuring Damian Wilson (THRESHOLD, HEADSPACE) and Ruud Jolie (WITHIN TEMPTATION) have posted live footage from the Mind The Acoustic Pieces album presentation, which took place on December 9th, 2010. Check it out below:
Maiden United released their new album, Across The Seventh Sea, on September 28th on CD, limited edition vinyl and as digital download. The cover artwork for the CD was once again created by Blacklake, who also worked with Maiden United on their first studio album Mind The Acoustic Pieces. It can be found below:



Across The Seventh Sea tracklisting:

'Seven Deadly Sins'
'Only The Good Die Young'
'2 Minutes To Midnight'
'Prowler'
'Flash Of The Blade'
'Children Of The Damned'
'Infinite Dreams'
'22 Acacia Avenue'
'The Evil That Men Do'
'Wasted Years'

Audio samples of the songs '2 Minutes To Midnight', 'Flash Of The Blade', 'Infinite Dreams', 'Children Of The Damned', ‘Only The Good Die Young’ and ‘Prowler’ can be heard below:
Contributing artists:

- Damian Wilson (Threshold, Headspace): vocals
- Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation): guitar
- Joey Bruers (UP THE IRONS): bass
- Marco Kuypers (CLOUDMACHINE): piano
- Mike Coolen (Within Temptation): drums

Drummer Mike Portnoy (ADRENALINE MOB, ex-DREAM THEATER), bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG), guitarist TONY MACALPINE and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, ex-Dream Theater) wrapped up their tour of Asia on November 11th in Jakarta, Indonesia. A few days earlier, Portnoy posted the picture below with the following message:
"For some reason beyond our comprehension, the Asian promoter has taken it upon himself to name our band without our consent!!! SOOOO NOT COOL...for the record, this is NOT the name of the band!"

According to a recent fan update, during the PSMS show in Manila, Philippines on November 6th, Portnoy had a "meltdown" during the band's set. His on-stage rap/rant is available in the clip below
Portnoy issued the following statement regarding the incident:

"Not to excuse my actions, but at least to explain the situation:

This PSMS tour has been VERY difficult on all of us in terms of gear and production. The only way we have been able to make it to such far away places such as Manila, Russia, Israel, Indonesia, etc (where it is normally VERY expensive to tour unless you are a 'name"'band that has been around for many years) is we've have had to make concessions by using supplied gear and local techs at each show.

Granted, WE agreed to these terms and are willing to make it work - however, on at least a half dozen occasions on this tour we have been incredibly frustrated to arrive at the venue only to find the band's gear requirements were simply blatantly ignored (wrong keyboards, wrong amps, Zildjian cymbals, etc) AND were not setup and ready for us as was supposed to be the case and what the promoters had promised.

We have been as patient and understanding as we possibly can be...but when you get 4 guys who haven't slept more than a couple of hours every night in order to fly to these shows without sleep...sometimes our patience can wear thin.

In the case of the Manila show, we arrived hours before the show to find out the drums weren't setup, cymbals were missing, Billy's amp was wrong (again) and Tony had a buzz on his gear that would not go away...but we forged ahead because we were VERY excited to play for the fans!

At the start of 'Stratus' (where the video on youtube is from) - my snare drum mic fell off and I motioned for the tech to come put it back on the stand/drum...and instead, he comes up to the drum kit and takes the mic away...leaving me playing with NO snare mic!!! (you'll hear I begin playing the high tom instead of the snare)...realizing he had no idea what was going on or how to fix the situation, I stopped playing and did my little "rap" while they fixed the situation and we wouldn't have to play the whole song with no snare in the mix.

In the video, you can see I was at least making a joke out of it and wasn't maliciously trying to hurt anybody or storming off in anger.

Moral of the story: WE ARE HUMAN! And sometimes frustrating circumstances create frustrated behavior. I'm not saying I was right in stopping the song...but if you see a video from later in the show, you'll see I explain to the audience that I've been waiting my whole career to play in Manila and I wasn't going to let ANYTHING ruin my night or their show! And we carried on and everybody had a great night...

And I look forward to returning... although this may be the last time I tour without my own kit and my own drum tech...hahahaha!"

UK industrial metalcore group OCTOBER FILE are set to release a limited one-thousand copy run of their Live CD/DVD package entitled Renditions In Juxtapositions - Live At Bloodstock on January 28th.

The DVD and CD combo encapsulates the band's live set at Britain's Bloodstock Festival. Both the Concert DVD and the CD include an as-yet still unreleased song entitled ‘I Fuck the Day’.



Tracklisting for both the CD and DVD can be seen below:
‘A Munitions crusade’
‘Crawl’
‘Falter’
‘Eau du War’
‘A Public Display Of Anger’
‘I Fuck The Day’
‘Dredge’
‘Isolation’

October File have also announced that 2013 will also see the release of a fourth studio album with an as-yet unconfirmed release date.

Philadelphia-based dark power/prog band SHADOWDANCE have inked a deal with Rock It Up Records, who will release the band's
sophomore album, Future Negative Fantasy, in spring 2013 on CD. The album is currently available as a digital release only.
Future Negative Fantasy was mixed by guitarist Carlos Alvarez and mastered by Brett Caldas-Lima (KALISIA) at his Tower Studio.

Tracklisting is as follows:

‘Neon Abyss’
‘Branded’
‘All Or Nothing’
‘Stare At The Sun’
‘Balance’
‘Moonlight Tide’
‘Walk With Fate’
‘Suspension’
‘One More Taste’
‘Future Negative Fantasy’

CD bonus track TBA.

Listen to 'Neon Abyss' below:

Bialystok, Poland-based death/black metal act NORTHERN PLAGUE have signed with Canadian undergound label Mulligore Production. The band's debut EP, Blizzard Of The North, will be released in North America on December 13th.
Says Northern Plague vocalist Fenris: "I'm hugely proud, that we were able to sign this contract, thanks to it our music will reach another continent. It's a next important step in the progress of Northern Plague. And be assured it's Blizzard Of The North's last hurrah..."
Blizzard Of The North tracklisting:

'Intro'
'Blizzard Of The North'
'Ishtar Gate's A Ruin'
'Pestilence'
'Wind Of Eternity'
Northern Plague lineup:

Fenris - guitar, vocal
Janus - lead guitar
Ghorakh - bass, additional vocals
Damyen - drums

More on Northern Plague at this location.

Norwegian black metallers ENDEZZMA will release their debut full-length album, Erotik Nekrosis, via Agonia Records on November 28th in Europe and on February 5th, 2013 in North America. The album track, 'Junkyard Oblivion', can now be streamed below:
Endezzma were recently in the studio filming a video for 'Junkyard Oblivion', the opening track from the album.

Morten Shax, the band’s frontman had this to say about the video: “We chose this particular track because of all the tracks on the album it feels like a link between the music of Endezzma a few years ago, and the Endezzma of today. The whole idea of a video was something new for us, it’s not a medium we had worked with before, and it proved to be a very interesting process. We are satisfied with the shoot, and the eventual outcome looks promising. After a weekend of determined effort and some very hard work I hope we managed to create something that was as morbid and memorable as we had originally envisaged.”
It is anticipated that the video will be ready to release on December 1st. Check out a still photo above.

Erotik Nekrosis is the follow up to the Alone EP, which was released five years ago. The seven-track album, with artwork by the Kazakhstani artist Alexandr Balinets, has a line up that speaks of years of experience in the realms of Black Metal with Morten Shax on vocals, the late Trondr Nefas (URGEHAL, BEASTCRAFT, VULTURE LORD) and Mattis Malphas (BEASTCRAFT) on guitars, Sregroth (URGEHAL, ÅSMEGIN) on bass and Carl Balam (NATTEFROST, ASTAROTH, ex INFERNAL) on drums. According to Shax, Erotik Nekrosis will serve as a tribute to Nefas, whose contribution to the album was considerable and whose loss has been keenly felt by the Norwegian black metal community.

Tracklisting:

'Junkyard Oblivion'
'Enigma Of The Sullen'
'Against Them All'
'Swansong Of A Giant'
'Hollow'
'Krossing The Rubikon'
'Soulcleansing'
More information about Endezzma can be found on Facebook.

Three tracks from Endezzma's Alone MCD can be heard below:

ENDEZZMA PLAYER by ENDEZZMA (Official)

New rock supergroup SOMETHING UNTO NOTHING (S.U.N.) is set to digitally release their debut full-length self-titled album Tuesday, November 20th, on Robo Records. On Tuesday, January 15th, 2013 the CD will be available physically with distribution through Fontana/ Universal Music Distribution.

As the band’s first single ,'I’m The One', continues buzzing at radio nationwide, S.U.N. has also announced a week-long string of West Coast promo tour dates, kicking off Friday, November 16th in Las Vegas. They’ll also host a special record release party 11/20 at the Key Club in Los Angeles.

Below is a video to promote that show:
Legendary multi-platinum selling Canadian vocalist, Juno Award winner and Canadian Idol judge SASS JORDAN, has teamed up with songwriter and multi-instrumentalist BRIAN TICHY, known for his tours of duty with BILLY IDOL, FOREIGNER, OZZY OSBOURNE and currently WHITESNAKE, to record an album of anthemic rock songs, under the band name S.U.N. Previously working together is what drove Jordan and Tichy to collaborate on new music.

“I had played drums on Sass' Rats record” explains Tichy. “I knew she was one of the best rock singers out there. So after many years, we reconnected and tried a bit of writing together.”

Both felt that in order to write the best, trend-free music they could, they needed to get away so they hunkered down for two weeks to write.

“We didn't realize where we were going when we started out,” says Jorday. “As we continued the songwriting path from the quintessential rock tunes 'Burned' to 'Mobile Again' to 'Nomad' and on... The whole thing started to take shape in the form of a 70's odyssey, a time travel trajectory.”

Completing the all-star ensemble is bassist Michael Devin (Whitesnake, JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE, KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD) and drummer Tommy Stewart (GODSMACK, LO PRO, EVERCLEAR, FUEL).
Jordan has an innate talent capable of conveying powerful emotion through heart-stomping, primal, rock-and-roll singing. S.U.N’s debut album, self-produced by Jorday and Tichy and recorded in Canyon Country, CA, is explosive, crushing, real and soulful with its natural fusion of blues and rock. Jordan's vocal intensity proves a perfect match for the high-energy guitar playing of Tichy and her bandmates which provide the unique music palette that is S.U.N.

S.U.N. tour dates:

November
16 - Las Vegas, NV - Vamp’d
17 - Costa Mesa, CA - Venue TBA
18 - San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick
20 - Los Angeles, CA - Key Club
S.U.N. tracklisting:

'Burned'
'Crazy Head'
'Nomad'
'Did Me No Good'
'Mobile Again'
'I'm The One'
'If I Was You'
'The Beginning Of The End' (Instrumental)
'Razed'
'Wide Ocean'
'No Way Home'
'S.U.N.'
'Goodbye'

More on S.U.N. at this location.

Norwegian death metal band NO DAWN has signed a deal with Wormholedeath/Aural Music Group.
In February, No Dawn will travel to Parma in Italy to record their debut album. Wormholedeath will unleash the album worldwide through Aural Music Group in early 2013.

The band states: "We are very happy to share the news of being signed with Wormholedeath! This being our first record deal ever, we are totally confident with the aggreement and the people involved. In short, No Dawn will push the envelope further together with Wormholedeath!”

A&R "Worm" stated: "It is just great to be working with the norwegian bands since they are all so professional, passionate and experienced. No Dawn is one of these! I met these guys in Rome few months ago and I really loved their attitude and I understood how they were working hard on their project, so I decided to sign them. They already toured with big names like CANNIBAL CORPSE, SIX FEET UNDER and MASTER, as these bands wanted No dawn to support them. The songs are just fantastic... We have all the elements to make a great album here. Please support this band, you will hear a lot from them!"
No Dawn hails from Steinkjer, in the middle parts of Norway. Formed back in 2002, as a thrash metal project, the band sounds quite different today opposed to the beginning, going from extreme thrash to being a more brutal and technical death metal act. The band has more and more frequently entered the stage and toured with bands like Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under and Master.
More on No Dawn at this location.

NIGHTWISH's long-awaited "Imaginaerum" film — based on the band's album of the same name — will be released theatrically in Finland on November 23.

The movie had its premiere last night (Saturday, November 10) at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland, where the audience was treated to both a full-scale NIGHTWISH concert and the first-ever public screening of the movie.

The "Imaginaerum" screening at Hartwall Arena waspreceded by a show by the musicians in NIGHTWISH themselves in what was their last concert in Finland this year.

Fan-filmed video footage of NIGHTWISH's performance can be seen below.

The official soundtrack of the movie, "Imaginaerum By Nightwish: The Score", was released on the day before the premiere — Friday, November 9. The album features 13 grandiose, unreleased re-interpretations of "Imaginaerum" tracks by Petri Alanko.

Eagerly anticipated around the world, "Imaginaerum" creates a musical fantasy world in the vein of David Lynch, Neil Gaiman, and Cirque du Soleil. The movie is an innovative mixture of story-telling and music, an extraordinary tale of the power of imagination… and what's ultimately important in life.

Shot and post-produced in Canada, the movie was directed by Stobe Harju and produced by Solar Films, and features appearances by all NIGHTWISH members. The screenplay is based on a wild vision that Tuomas Holopainen, the mastermind of the band, devised after the album "Dark Passion Play" came out in 2007.

Calgary's GALES OF AVALON have released a teaser video for their forthcoming EP, When the Ravens Return. A video for the song 'What Hell Have I, which is due to appear on the EP, is also available. It was shot at Vernstock 2012 in Calgary, Alberta.
Earlier this year the band was interviewed on The Core Of Brutality blogspot page. An excerpt from the interview follows:

Q: What lyrical theme do you guys use in your music? What message do you want to send?

A: "On our first releases the lyrical theme is basically celtic folklore, but we are trying to get away from that in our new songs. Now we are just writing whatever comes to mind. Our full length Black Island is a concept island, so all of the lyrics on that album stick to the same theme. The EP features 3 songs, that are on the full length, as well as two additional songs."

Q: How do you guys feel about the classifications in metal? Like deathcore, metalcore and other subgenres and how some get a negative rep.

A: "Personally, I hate classifications, and I think some of these subgenres are hilarious... GOA is a heavy metal band, and we play heavy metal music. You can call it death metal, power metal, black metal, folk metal, fart metal, whatever you wanna call it, metal is metal."

Read the full interview at this location.

Swedish death metallers SYN:DROM will release their sophomore album, "Iconoclasm", on February 15, 2013 via ViciSolum Productions. The CD was recorded in part at Nevo Studios in Sundsvall, Sweden and was mixed by Roger Bergsten (guitar) and Daniel Mikaelsson (drums). The artwork was created by Pär Olofsson and can be seen below.

"Iconoclasm" track listing:

01. Black Dawn
02. A Silent Void
03. Cold Existence
04. The Filth Unmasked
05. Solitude Breeds Death
06. 13th Serpent
07. Reversion
08. Through Divine Intoxication
09. Iconoclastic View
10. Imposing As Gods Amongst Men

The follow-up to 2009's "With Flesh Unbound" includes "10 tracks of furious death metal and is the result of over a year of hard work and a proof of great songwriting skills and musicianship," according to a press release. "The songs on this album are more dynamic than on 'With Flesh Unbound'. There are new dimensions added to the songs and the fact that we have evolved as songwriters since then resulted into a killer album that will blow your mind. It has everything from very fast blast beats and sick guitar parts to heavier groundshaking pieces. Still the main focus is bone-crushing death metal as it should be."

Regarding the artwork for the new CD, SYN:DROM drummer Daniel Mikaelsson states, "We had Pär in mind for 'With Flesh Unbound' as well, but it didn't work out that time. We are extremely pleased with the work he has put in to it and it came out exactly as we wanted it to be from the start. It's a classic already!"

The video for the song "Black Dawn" can be seen below. The clip was directed and edited by Håkan Sjöström.

France-based power metallers GALDERIA will release their debut album, The Universality, on November 26th via Metalodic Records.

The band is now streaming the title-track off the new album. It can be heard below:



The Universality was recorded by Galderia and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios.

According to a press release: “The album is based on the universal spirit of unity. It drives the idea that we are all a part of a cosmic ocean of energy, an infinite and eternal consciousness that is all and in all. This is the idea behind the word: Universality. The songs of the album are full of melodies and choirs. 10 chorus singers full of cosmic energy have given their voice for the glory of the universal light.”

Cover art for the new album was created by Felipe Machado Franco from Final Frontiers (BLIND GUARDIAN, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, IRON SAVIOR, RAGE). Check it out below:
The Universality tracklisting:

'Universal Glory'
'Children Of The Earth'
'Universality'
'Raise The World'
'Sundancers'
'Farspace'
'Galderians'
'Ocean Of Light'
'Beyond The Cosmic Winds'
'Rising Soul'
'One Million Dreams'
'Call To The World'
'Outro'

A sample of four tracks from the album can be streamed below:

Galderia

More on Galderia at this location.

At the beginning of 2012, Blood Music reported that the long-awaited, long-suffering STRAPPING YOUNG LAD 7xLP box set would be issued. According to an update from mastermind DEVIN TOWNSEND "the first piece of the long-awaited Strapping Young Lad box set is complete. And yes, these will *only* be available in the ultra-limited Die Hard edition."

The photo below features Townsend backstage in the process of signing posters for the release.
box set will contain all five Strapping Young Lad full-lengths; as well as extra vinyl dedicated to the band's non-album material; plus other special, newly-created gifts (yet to be announced).

The genre-busting Canadian industrial/death band has never seen their seminal albums, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing, SYL, nor The New Black touch wax before. Their other two records, City and Alien, were pressed in ultra limited numbers of 500 copies only and sold out within months of their release.

The massive box set is slated for an early 2013 release.

Stay tuned for updates.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach revealed on his Facebook page that he was in the studio yesterday (Friday, November 9) recording with a "top-secret project that will revolutionize popular music as we know it." No further details are currently available.

A photo from the sessions can be seen below.

Bach in July posted a letter on his Facebook page in which he said he was willing to reunite with SKID ROW. "For the fans, I would be willing to put my ego aside and do something that would be special for the people who put us where we are today," he wrote. "I do not personally want it myself. But it's not always about 'what I want.' If the fans really want to see us together, I would do it for the fans. Sometimes you can do things for people other than yourself."

Bach said he wanted to write the letter in response to current SKID ROW singer Johnny Solinger's interview in which Johnny said a recent tweet by Bach about a possible SKID ROW reunion was an attempt to "get attention."

Bach's most recent solo album, "Kicking & Screaming", sold 6,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 73 on The Billboard 200 chart. The singer's previous CD, "Angel Down", opened with 6,400 units back in November 2007 to debut at No. 190.

Danish metal band ALOOP released their second full-length album Dead End/New Deal in Europe on August 27th. The band has now released the video for the track ‘'Plot To Kill’. Check it out below:
Tracklisting for Dead End/New Deal is as follows:

'Deception'
'Automation'
'Point Of No Return'
'Plot To Kill'
'Chemical Kiss'
'Django'
'Sudden Death'
'Masquerade'
'Falling'
'Brave New World'
'Hell On Earth 2 Part 1'
'Hell On Earth 2 Part 2'
The previously released videos for the tracks 'Automation', and 'Deception', can be seen below:

Bautzen, Germany-based metallers LED ASTRAY have inked a deal with Massacre Records.
Says the label: "The band's sound is a deadly blend of various metal styles and other kinds of extreme music. Melodies, blast beats, mosh and groove – no limits, no boundaries just straight ahead energetic power!"

Led Astray released their debut album, One Million Bullets, in 2008. They've shared the stage with bands such as ALL SHALL PERISH, MAROON, HATESPHERE, BORN FROM PAIN and FINAL PRAYER.

The band's second album, Decades Of Addiction, will be released in early December 2012 via Massacre.
Led Astray lineup:

Gabriel Kriedel – Guitars
Manuel Lehmann – Guitars
Martin Boxhammer – Vocals (Growls)
Maximilian Panzer – Drums
Felix Enderlein – Vocals (Screams)
Nico Jacob - Bass

More on Led Astray here.

Innerstrength Records has announced the latest addition to its stable of artists: Chicago metal road warriors ELYSION FIELDS, whose debut full-length album, New Beginnings, is slated for release on February 12th, 2013.

As metal fans with an eye on the underground already know, Elysion Fields have spent the past few years pummeling the live scene as one of the genre’s worst-kept secrets, making their presence known on stages alongside marquee names like AUGUST BURNS RED, MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE, WE CAME AS ROMANS, MISERY INDEX and more. The band increased its profile by storming SXSW, where it played four showcases including the main stage at the heralded Full Metal Texas party.

On a clear trajectory as a burgeoning metal powerhouse, Elysion Fields are taking the next logical step by launching a partnership with Innerstrength for the release of New Beginnings.

“We are very excited to be a part of the Innerstrength family. Since the beginning they have been very transparent about everything, and that is how business with a label should be done,” says vocalist Chris Fernandez.

“Building a team around your band is an integral part to being successful,” adds guitarist and vocalist Josh Woods. “So many artists are quick to sign a contract with a label that doesn't even market their tours or promote their artists. Jason at Innerstrength was able to do just that while at the same time remaining open to what we want to do in regards to moving forward with both music creation and all business aspects.”
On New Beginnings, Elysion Fields takes that sound in bold new directions in the first of what is sure to be many landmark moments in the career of this exciting young band.

“With this album, we really wanted to touch on many different aspects of not only metal, but music in general, that we could. We use lots of guitar solos, breakdowns, and odd time signatures that are all staples of classic metal, but we also take pride in our carefully crafted choruses and melodic sections that really round out the songs,” says guitarist Scott Georgeson.

“We are all extremely proud of the music that we have put together on New Beginnings, and we are happy to be releasing this record with Innerstrength,” Fernandez adds. “This is just another dream come true for us and definitely is a new beginning for the band.”

Catch Elysion Fields on tour throughout the eastern US with THE PARAMEDIC, starting October 26th. Following that, the band will embark on a run with IT LIES WITHIN, culminating with a performance at OutRage Festival in Tyler, TX alongside THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS, HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS and many more.

More on Elysion Fields at this location.

Punishment18Records has announced it will rerelease Italian death metallers LUNARSEA’s furst two albums, 2006’s Hydrodynamic Wave and 2009’s Route Code Selector.
Hydrodynamic Wave tracklisting is as follows:

'Beside The Driver’
‘Hate Net On Broken Heart’
‘Dead End Road He Walked’
‘Qubenauts’
‘Still Age Still Time’
‘Solstice Woman’
‘Evolution Plan’
‘The Smokers’
‘Onirica Frequencies’
‘And The Gardens Of Jaded Remained Void’
‘Tales Of N.D.E.’
Route Code Selector tracklisting is as follows:

‘Magnitude 9.6’
‘Metamorphine’
‘In A Firmness Loop Day’
‘The Apostate’
‘Ashen’
‘Five-Sided Platform Shape’
‘Found Me Cryogenized’
‘Infinite Process One’
‘Suphur's Song, The Swan Died’
‘Subspace Transition’

The albums can be purchased at this location.
The band is currently working on their third full length album scheduled for a May 2013 release via Punishment18Records.

Quality video footage of Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL performing an acoustic version of the song "Falling" on October 28 at Koko in London, England can be seen below.

On October 17, LACUNA COIL filmed a video for an as-yet-undisclosed song with Italian director Roberto Cinardi (a.k.a. Saku).

LACUNA COIL previously worked with Saku on the clips for the songs "Spellbound" and "I Won't Tell You", taken from the band's 2009 album "Shallow Life".

LACUNA COIL earlier in the year completed the "Dark Legacy" North American tour. The band's only headlining run in the United States in 2012 featured a set of more than two hours, with material spanning all of LACUNA COIL's albums.

LACUNA COIL's new album, "Dark Adrenaline", sold around 20,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 15 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Britain's EIBON LA FURIES - self described as "a fusion of avant-garde black metal, dark rock and occult spiritual ascendance", will release their new album, The Immoral Compass, in early 2013 via Italian label Code666 Records.

The album artwork can be seen below:
The Immoral Compass tracklisting:

'The Compass Awakes'
'Immoral Compass To The World'
'Astronomy In Absences'
'Imperial Jackal's Head'
'Flames 1918 (A Song For The Silence)'
'An Enigma In Space And Time'
'Who Watches The Watchers?'
'Conjure Me'
'Ascending Through Darkness'
'The Vanguard'
'The End Of Everything... (Or The Beginning Of It All)'

Frontman Lord Eibon comments on the album: "Worship no one, bow to none. No gods exist here. You are your own compass (moral, amoral or immoral). The balance of greatness can be tipped either way. Ascending through darkness is our only way. The new Eibon la Furies album, The Immoral Compass, is a concentrated look at humanity through our own occult lens of avant-garde dark rock and black metal fusion."
More on Eibon la Furies at this location.

Östergötland/Norrköping, Sweden-based occult rock quintet YEAR OF THE GOAT are in the final stages of preparation for the release of their debut full-length, Angel’s Necropolis, the album to be set free upon the Earth this December 7th, via Germany’s cult clique Ván Records.
Preceded only by two short EPs, also released by their comrades at Ván Records, Angel’s Necropolis is a brilliantly infectious album highlighting the classic metal/occult rock harmonies, Year Of The Goat seemingly permeate the air around them with, rather than “perform” or “execute” said riffery. The atmospheric permeation of the eight rituals which comprise their Angel’s Necropolis offering form the proper conditions to transport the listener to another plane of existence for over fifty minutes; a meditative state in tribute to Lucifer and his legions.
Angel’s Necropolis tracklisting:

'For The King'
'Angels' Necropolis'
'Spirits Of Fire'
'A Circle Of Serpents'
'Voice Of A Dragon'
'This Will Be Mine'
'I'll Die For You'
'Thin Lines Of Broken Hopes'

Listen to 'I'll Die For You' below:
More on Year Of The Goat at this location.

Cleveland, OH-based metallers AFFIANCE have released first music video from their upcoming album, The Campaign. The video is for the opening track, 'Kings Of Deceit', and shows the band performing as well as newsworthy moments from the last few decades. The song also features Dustin Davidson from AUGUST BURNS RED (courtesy of Solid State) who gives a great vocal performance.

Dennis Tvrdik (vocals) states: "We were really excited to do a serious and dark video since our biggest video is us running around in our pajamas and playing a video game. This video is for the first track on the album and we wanted to start The Campaign off by calling out the media and the powerful who orchestrate and manipulate the biggest events throughout modern history. It also shows a different side of us than our 'Call To The Warrior' video. You know us as easy going, good time dudes, but we are also dead serious about making positive change in the world around us."

Watch the new video below:
Hot off the heels of their newest single, 'You WIll Be Replaced', the band is gearing up for the release of their full length album, The Campaign, due out on Bullet Tooth on November 13th. The album was produced by Carson Slovak at Atrium Audio who has recently finished records for August Burns Red, TEXAS IN JULY, and more.

The new song is an absolute behemoth (and hit #6 on the iTunes Metal Chart!) and will no doubt hold fans over until The Campaign is released. 'You WIll Be Replaced' can be downloaded at iTunes, Amazon, LastFM, eMusic and Rhapsody, and streamed at Spotify.
Singer Dennis Tvrdik commented on the upcoming album, "The Campaign is multiple levels above No Secret Revealed in every area. The vocals, the drums, the guitars, the recording quality, the song structure, the variety... We couldn't be happier or more confident with a sophomore album. It almost feels like we skipped a release between the two albums! There is not a doubt in my mind that this will be a game changer for us and will open many doors to opportunities otherwise closed off from us."

More on Affiance, including the band's release show/tour itinerary at this location.