The official headstone ceremony for late RIOT guitarist Mark Reale will be held this Saturday, August 11 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Cross Cemetary (17501 Nacogdoches Rd.) in San Antonio, Texas (behind Rolling Oaks Mall). The event is open to the public.

Reale died on January 25 in a San Antonio hospital due to complications of Crohn's disease — an ailment he had battled for most of his life. He was 56 years old.

Reale had reportedly been in a coma for two weeks after suffering a subarachnoid hemorrhage on January 11.

Mark is survived by his father, Anthony Reale, and was preceded in death by his mother, Frances Reale.

Mark spent most of his life working and performing while enduring almost constant pain and the side effects of treatment for Crohn's disease. He was in Texas bravely attempting to practice for the shows, but was felled by a severe onset of Crohn's symptoms, leaving him in the Intensive Care Unit at an undisclosed facility. Mark was struggling with these symptoms throughout the production of RIOT's new album, "Immortal Soul", and guitarist Mike Flyntz recorded a major portion of the guitars on the LP with Mark's creative direction while Reale was unable to perform.

Video footage of TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick tracking harmonies at Spin Studios in Long Island City, New York for the band's cover version of the SCORPIONS classic "Animal Magnetism" can be seen below. The song is included on the CD/DVD and vinyl versions of TESTAMENT's new album, "Dark Roots Of Earth", which was released in North America on July 31 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was produced, mixed and mastered by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, ACCEPT, EXODUS). Special bonus tracks were recorded, mixed and mastered by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS, TED NUGENT, NIGHT RANGER) at his Trident Studios. The cover artwork for the effort (see below) was painted by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.

"Dark Roots Of Earth" jewel case CD track listing:

01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth
04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace
07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence

"Dark Roots Of Earth" CD/DVD track listing:

01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth
04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace
07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence

Bonus:

10. Dragon Attack (QUEEN cover)
11. Animal Magnetism (SCORPIONS cover)
12. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN cover)
13. Throne Of Thornes (extended version)
+ Bonus DVD

"Dark Roots Of Earth" vinyl track listing:

Side A:

01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth

Side B:

04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace

Side C:

07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence

Side D (Bonus):

10. Dragon Attack (QUEEN cover)
11. Animal Magnetism (SCORPIONS cover)
12. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN cover)

Tracking harmonies for "Animal Magnetism":

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a 39-year-old woman suffered a severe cervical neck sprain after hundreds of gate-crashers rushed the fence at Lollapalooza Friday afternoon (August 3), just hours before BLACK SABBATH took the stage in Chicago's Grant Park.

Cindy Glaser and her husband — who counts SABBATH as his "favorite band of all time" — were injured at around 5:30 p.m. Friday while they were sitting on a grove just east of the Bud Light main stage.

"They knocked the fence over. I heard the crash. The kids started running. And we were hit from behind. A kid bent me in half. His head hit my husband's head and he hit me in the back of the neck and bent my head forward. I couldn't see anything until the kids hit us," Glaser told the Chicago Sun-Times.

"One of the kids who fell over us laid there and tried to get off. By then, police came and peeled him off and put handcuffs on him. Some people said it was about 50. Police were only able to catch three of them."

Despite Lollapalooza's first-ever suspension and evacuation due to inclement weather, the 2012 festival drew a staggering 270,000 fans to a jam-packed Grant Park this weekend.

Lollapalooza was suspended for several hours on Saturday (August 4) and the festival grounds were evacuated due to warnings that a severe thunderstorm was going to hit the area. Every stage was shut down at 3:30 p.m. CT, with concertgoers cleared from the park and sent into three shelters set up underground in the surrounding streets. The storm, reported to have caused heavy damage west of Chicago, included hail, heavy rain, lightning and wind gusts up to 75 mph.

Lollapalooza was SABBATH's only North American performance of 2012 as guitarist Tony Iommi continues his treatment for cancer. The rest of the scheduled SABBATH tour dates were played by Ozzy Osbourne and billed as "Ozzy & Friends."

German death metallers OBSCENITY will release their eigth studio album, "Atrophied In Anguish" on September 14 as a digipak and as a digital download via Apostasy Records. 10 relentless tracks will bludgeon you back into the early '90s. The CD was again recorded at Soundlodge Studio in Rhauderfehn with producer Jörg Uken.

Commented the band: "'Atrophied In Anguish' is the quintessence of diverse epoches of OBSCENITY. We combined typical '90s melodic parts and leads with modern blastparts. The new album is a mixture of 'The 3rd Chapter' and 'Cold Blooded Murder' with a giant sound that goes without Lego-Trigger and other technical stuff."

The cover artwork for "Atrophied in Anguish" was created by Remy of Headsplit Design (ARCH ENEMY, PSYCROPTIC, WHITECHAPEL) and can be seen below.

"Atrophied In Anguish" track listing:

01. Erase The Divine
02. All You Can Kill
03. Atrophied in Anguish
04. From Heroic To Depraved
05. Swine To The Slaughter
06. Perfect Pain
07. Neurotic Frenzy
08. Diary Of A Scapegoat
09. Monoistic Living
10. Hystarical Illusion

A snippet of the album's title track is available for streaming using the SoundCloud player below.

OBSCENITY last year announced the addition of bassist Jörg Pirch (ex-TEARS OF DECAY) and guitarist Christoph Weerts (ex-ASSASINATED) to the group's ranks. The band was also rejoined by drummer Sascha Knust (ex-THE AWAKENING, SETHNEFER).

OBSCENITY in 2010 recruited Tampa, Florida native Jeff Rudes as its new singer.

OBSCENITY's seventh CD, "Where Sinners Bleed", was released in 2006 through Armageddon Music. The follow-up to 2002's "Cold Blooded Murder" was recorded at Soundlodge studio in Rhauderfehn, Germany.

OBSCENITY was previously signed to Morbid Records, which issued four of the band's albums, ending with "Cold Blooded Murder".

OBSCENITY is:

Jeff Rudes - Vocals
Hendrik Bruns - Guitar
Christoph Weerts - Guitar
Jörg Pirch - Bass
Sascha Knust - Drums

The official lyric video for "Supremacy Enforced", a brand new song from Australian/Los Angeles tech-metal masters DEVOLVED, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Reprisal", which will be released on November 20 via Unique Leader Records. The CD will feature guest appearances by Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH), Nate Vennarucci (ONTOGENY, ANOMALOUS), Malcolm Pugh (DISKREET, A LOATHING REQUIEM) and Vishal Singh (ROBOTS PULLING LEVERS).

Commented DEVOLVED drummer, lyricist and founding member John Sankey: "I deliberately wanted to combine an organic death metal approach with more progressive and modern elements, while still incorporating a cold and futuristic soundscape which has always been a signature of our sound and concept.

"I had a very specific vision for this album and it is finally the definitive representation of what I have always wanted DEVOLVED to be.

"After our last studio release, 'Oblivion', I decided to work on my own and wrote all the new song structures and arrangements in their entirety by tracking just drums and vocals myself. Once they were complete, I recruited new guitarist Mark Hawkins [ROBOTS PULLING LEVERS] who then wrote and recorded all the guitar and bass parts. His involvement really allowed us to push the boundaries of each track and took the music to a totally new level of speed and technicality.

"To say the guitar work on this album is far beyond anything we have done before would be a huge understatement! New singer Mark Haggblad [UNVEIL THE STRENGTH] also brings a rejuvenated ferocity to the band; his relentless vocal delivery is extremely aggressive throughout each track while still maintaining a unique tone that fits the dynamics and diversity of the songs perfectly.

"It has been a renewed creative experience working with such focused and talented new members, and it has definitely allowed us to surpass anything the band has been capable of in the past. 'Reprisal' is without doubt the album I have always strived to create since the formation of DEVOLVED!"

"Reprisal" track listing:

01. Systematic Avenger
02. Accelerated Human Degeneration
03. Reprisal Of The Damned
04. Supremacy Enforced
05. Embodiment
06. Collateral Damage
07. Apocalyptic Visionary
08. Terminal Enslavement
09. Corrupted Mind Processor
10. Inanimate Infinity
11. (Cadence Of) The Dirge (EXHORDER cover; bonus track)

Sankey late last year recorded all the demo drum sessions for the new FEAR FACTORY album, "The Industrialist", and co-wrote and programmed all the drum parts, along with FF guitarist Dino Cazares, for the final CD. He was unable to join FEAR FACTORY as the band's new touring drummer due to visa restrictions.

Cazares previously stated about the new DEVOLVED material, "Systematic brutality at its best. Raising the bar once again with their intellectual song arrangements [and] insane drum patterns that would make any tech metal fan turn their heads. This band just keeps getting better and better. Welcome to the end of everything that you once knew and say hello to the future."

DEVOLVED's last album, "Oblivion", was released in May 2011 via Unique Leader Records.

San Francisco metallers EARLY GRAVES will release their new album, "Red Horse", on October 30 via No Sleep Records. The CD — which was recorded with Tim Green at Louder Studios — marks the band's intrepid return since the tragic death of founding singer Makh Daniels two years ago, and the next chapter of the group's career, with close friend John Strachan of THE FUNERAL PYRE taking over vocal duties.

EARLY GRAVES recently released a rough demo of the song "Days Grow Cold", featuring Strachan on vocals. You can now stream it using the SoundCloud player below.

The band will hit the road with fellow metalheads SKELETONWITCH in September.

EARLY GRAVES formed in the Bay Area in early 2008 and released two full-length albums, "We: The Guillotine" (2008) and "Goner" (2010), on Metal Blade Records' Ironclad imprint. The band's sound has been described as a mixture of old-school Swedish death metal and American hardcore punk and has drawn comparisons to NAPALM DEATH, CARCASS, TRAGEDY and TESTAMENT, among others.

In the summer of 2010, tragedy struck when EARLY GRAVES was involved in a van accident, which resulted in the death of singer Makh Daniels. After about a year of contemplation, the band decided to continue on, with close friend, John Strachan, of THE FUNERAL PYRE (who were in the same van during the accident) stepping in for Daniels.

The band reconvened with Strachan helming vocals at last summer's Power Of The Riff festivals in Los Angeles and San Francisco alongside PELICAN, PENTAGRAM and more. Since then, the band has battered the western half of the U.S., appearing at Scion's Metal Matinee series with the CRO-MAGS and performing with such bands as NASUM, GHOUL, RINGWORM and CANCER BATS.

In early 2012 EARLY GRAVES began writing and recording demos for their follow-up to "Goner" and first with Strachan.

Icelandic extreme death metal act ANGIST has signed with Abyss Records. The band's five-track EP, "Circle Of Suffering", was made available for the first time in North America by Abyss this summer and can be purchased at www.officialabyssrecords.com. "Circle Of Suffering" was recorded, mixed and mastered by Wann at Emissary Studio. Abyss Records will release the band's full-length debut in the near future.

"Circle Of Suffering" track listing:

01. Circle Of Suffering
02. Godless
03. Silence
04. Unwelcome Thoughts
05. Death Incarnate

Formed in 2009 by vocalist/guitarist Edda Óskarsdóttir and guitarist Gyða Þorvaldsdóttir, with Halli, Edda's brother later joining as the band's bassist player. ANGIST has seen a revolving door of dummers before settling on current skinbasher, Tumi Gíslason.

2012 so far has seen ANGIST performing at Eistnaflug Festival to a highly receptive crowd as well as supporting BENEATH at their CD-release show.

Swedish blues rockers GRAVEYARD have set "Lights Out" as the title of their next album, due on October 26 via Nuclear Blast Records. A single, "Goliath", will precede the full-length CD on September 21 as a digital download and on seven-inch vinyl. The single will include a special non-album track, "Leaving You".

The "Goliath" seven-inch vinyl will be issued in four different colors (see below), featuring four different cover artworks.

Comments the band: "The ['Goliath'] lyrics deal with the feeling that everyday life is a constant David vs. Goliath scene. You all know the story and the scene. You look around, get pissed off and want to 'stick it to the man.' Musically, it has many influences. And, as usual, we've tried to get it both heavy and swinging at the same time. So why don't you just shake your record collecting old ass to the beat of the new tune from your favourite Swedish numbskulls?“

Regarding the "Lights Out" cover artwork, GRAVEYARD states, "The cover is something completely different than the last cover. It has a lot to do with the title, 'Lights Out'. Our goal was that both the title and the cover would sum up the feeling of the album. And just to make things clear, 'Lights Out' is not a reference to either UFO or ENTOMBED. Even though both are excellent bands."

GRAVEYARD was honored with the "Best Hard Rock/Metal" award at the Swedish "Grammis" gala, which was held on February 14 at Kungliga Operan in Stockholm.

GRAVEYARD's second full-length album, "Hisingen Blues", sold 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 48 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.

"Hisingen Blues" entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 1. The CD, which was released in North America on April 19, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records, was produced, recorded, and mixed in 100 percent analog by Don Alsterberg (JOSÉ GONZALES, JUNIP, SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES, THE INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONSPIRACY) at Don Pierre Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden.

PROJECTED, the new project featuring SEVENDUST members John Connolly (guitar) and Vince Hornsby (bass) alongside ALTER BRIDGE/CREED drummer Scott Phillips and guitarist/vocalist Eric "Erock" Friedman (a.k.a. Erock; TREMONTI), will release its debut album, "Human", on September 18 via Connolly's own Yaya Papu LLC label.

Commented Connolly: "The idea behind this project originally started as nothing more than a group of us who were friends already, going into the studio to just record some tunes we had laying around and basically just have a good time with it. No pressure from labels or any preconceived notions or expectations. Just making music and having a good time.

"This album, 'Human', is the end result of us working without dealines or budget constraints… or really a budget at all

"The drums and rhythm guitars were recorded by Bill Papp, Jacob Crabb and Ryan Denman at Paint It Black studios [in] Orlando [Florida]. The vocals and guitar solos, overdubs and bass were tracked by myself and Bill at studio 1119, which is the studio in my home office when it's not being used by my wife to pay the bills or my daughter to play Webkins. Editing was done by Jef Moll, Ryan Denman, Jacob Crabb. Programming by Jef Moll, Eric Friedman and myself. String arrangements and mixed by Michael 'Elvis' Baskette and mastered by Ted Jensen. Produced by John Connolly, co-produced by Elvis Baskette.

"I've honestly had the time of my life making this record and couldnt have done it without everyone involved."

"Human" track listing:

01. Into
02. HELLo
03. Watch It Burn
04. So Low
05. Bring You Back
06. 12804
07. Alive
08. The Crown
09. Stella
10. Closure
11. Breaking Me

The official lyric video for the song "Watch It Burn" can be seen below.

Check out more audio samples at www.projectedband.com.

Connolly previously revealed that the song "12804" was written as a tribute to late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

The songtitle "12804" is a reference to the December 8, 2004 date, which is when Abbott was shot and killed onstage while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio.

Connolly describes PROJECTED's musical direction as "not super heavy. . . somewhere closer to FOO FIGHTERS/A PERFECT CIRCLE. It's sorta heavy, just not real metal. I guess. The songs are pretty badass, though."

PROJECTED is:

John Connolly (SEVENDUST) - Guitar, Vocals
Vince Hornsby (SEVENDUST) - Bass
Scott Phillips (ALTER BRIDGE, CREED) - Drums
Eric Friedman (a.k.a. Erock; TREMONTI) - Guitar, Vocals

According to AOL's Noisecreep, for the "Human" artwork, PROJECTED reached out to the fans on Facebook to submit their original concepts. The winner's design graces the final album cover, while 16 runner-ups will have their artwork included in the CD case and on the back cover. One "Wild Card" winning submission will be seen under the disc inside the case. All finalists are receiving a "Top Tier Bundle" music and merchandise package, which includes the CD, T-shirt, autographed poster, sticker, and lifetime VIP laminate, all of which will arrive two weeks before the album is released. All of the submitted artwork can be seen on the band's web site.

German metallers MOB RULES are putting the finishing touches on their seventh album, "Cannibal Nation", for a tentative fall release. According to the band, the CD title "is taken from an eponymous song that will be included on the album. It is about Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the African human butcher."

MOB RULES in 2010 parted ways with longtime keyboardist Sascha Onnen and replaced him with Jan Christian Halfbrodt.

MOB RULES is:

Klaus Dirks - Vocals
Matthias Mineur - Guitar
Sven Lüdke - Guitar
Jan Christian Halfbrodt - Keyboards
Markus Brinkmann - Bass
Nikolas Fritz – Drums

MOB RULES's latest album, "Radical Peace", was released in November 2009 via AFM Records. The CD was recorded at Bazement Studio with longtime engineer Markus Teske (VANDEN PLAS, SPOCK'S BEARD, OASIS). A single, "Astral Hand", preceded the full-length CD on October 9, 2009.

German melodic folk/death metallers SUIDAKRA have issued the following update:

"We are still writing new songs for the upcoming album. Six tracks are already finished now. [Famous Belgian graphic artist] Kris Verwimp is again creating the lyrical concept and we will also have a few guest musicians on the new record. Arkadius [Antonik, vocals] will meet [longtime collaborator] Tina Stabel this Friday to work on a new song and we all are excited about the upcoming release."

SUIDAKRA is tentatively scheduled to enter the studio in January to begin recording its new CD for a mid-2013 release. Arkadius recently told Metal Kaoz, "The songs we have finished [so far] are bombastic and we also finished the first song with Tina's female vocals. This time, it's gonna be a faster song with a real epic and catchy chorus."

SUIDAKRA's tenth album, "Book Of Dowth", was released on March 25, 2011 via AFM Records. The CD was recorded at Gernhart Studio in Siegburg, Germany with producer Martin Buchwalter. Kris Verwimp once again created the cover artwork and lyrical concept.

Inspired by the darker side of Celtic lore, the concept of "Book Of Dowth" chronicles the mythology of a mysterious race of demonic beings known as the "Fomor." Starting with the discovery of an ancient book at the excavation of Dowth (a Neolithic passage tomb in the Boyne Valley, Ireland), it unveils the yet untold story of the rise and fall of the Fomorian horde throughout history and far, far beyond…

Frontiers Records has announced the signing of KIX. The return of the Maryland rockers will materialize with the worldwide release of the band's first-ever live DVD and CD entitled, "Live In Baltimore", on September 21 in Europe and September 25 in North America.

Since KIX's return to the national stage in 2008 with appearances at two of the biggest rock festivals in the U.S., Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma and Rock The Bayou in Houston, Texas , KIX has played a large number of successful live shows all across the USA, with regular appearances at festivals, casinos and biker rallys, culminating with headlining the hugely successful M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, Maryland two years in a row. The new live CD/DVD is packed with fan favorites and a choice catalog of great hard rock KIX songs recorded live in Baltimore, Maryland.

As the demand from the fans for new KIX music has never subsided and, in fact, has only increased over the last few years, the bandmembers have decided that they can no longer ignore the overtures from the fans and are writing new KIX songs for a new album, due out on Frontiers Records in 2013.

KIX singer Steve Whiteman stated: "This is a great thing for us and we hope it's a great thing for KIX fans all around the world. We are so thrilled to finally be able to give the fans what they have been asking for, a live DVD and new KIX music in 2013! We have been hard at work getting new material together that we think will stand shoulder to shoulder with any previous KIX record. It's a really exciting time for KIX!"

KIX lineup includes original members Steve Whiteman, Jimmy Chalfant, Ronnie Younkins and Brian Forsythe, with Mark Schenker on bass.

"Live In Baltimore" will be released in a CD/DVD configuration with the following track listing :

CD:

01. No Ring Around Rosie
02. Atomic Bombs
03. Lie Like A Rug
04. Don't Close Your Eyes
05. Girl Money
06. Cold Blood
07. Cold Shower
08. She Dropped Me The Bomb
09. Blow My Fuse
10. Kix Are For Kids
11. Midnite Dynamite
12. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

DVD:

01. No Ring Around Rosie
02. Atomic Bombs
03. Lie Like A Rug
04. Sex
05. The Itch
06. Don't Close Your Eyes
07. Hot Wire
08. Same Jane
09. Girl Money
10. Ronnie "10/10" (Solo)
11. Cold Blood
12. Jimmy "Chocolate" (Solo)
13. Cold Shower
14. She Dropped Me The Bomb
15. Blow My Fuse
16. Kix Are For Kids
17. Midnite Dynamite
18. For Shame
19. Brian "Damage" (Solo)
20. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

Digital Edition (audio only):

01. No Ring Around Rosie
02. Atomic Bombs
03. Lie Like A Rug
04. Sex*
05. The Itch*
06. Don't Close Your Eyes
07. Hot Wire*
08. Girl Money
09. Cold Blood
10. Cold Shower
11. She Dropped Me The Bomb
12. Blow My Fuse
13. Kix Are For Kids
14. Midnite Dynamite
15. For Shame*
16. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

* Bonus Tracks

Lead guitarist Ian Gray (a.k.a. Shrapnel) has left Australia-based blackened thrash metallers DESTRÖYER 666 for personal reasons.

Commented guitarist/vocalist KK: "The end of an era — Shrapnel has for personal reasons decided that the past weekend's Southern Cross Fest will be his last show with DESTRÖYER. The man has been with the band since 1996 and has been pivotal to the bands career over the past 16 years. It was, without doubt, a fitting end to what has been one hell of a ride. A fine musician, a great mate, a brother, and an integral member of this pack, he will be greatly missed. DESTRÖYER will continue..."

Added Sharpnel: "Many thanks for all the words of support. I raise my glass to you all. DESTRÖYER 666 has been a massive part of life for the last 16 years and will always be a part of me. The journey it has taken me on has been simply incredible. From the other side of the planet... to places I never dreamed of going, to meeting people from all over the world... and many becoming my friends. No, I'm not stopping music or turning my back on metal. I can't... it runs through my veins. I wish my brothers KK, Matty and Mersus every success and the beast that is DESTRÖYER 666 will continue. AUSTRALIAN AND ANTICHRIST FOREVER!!!!!"

After the success of last year's reissue of DESTRÖYER 666's classic "Cold Steel… For An Iron Age", many fans asked for the 2000 masterpiece "Phoenix Rising" to get the same treatment. Well, that time has come. On August 24 (August 28 in North America), the band's sophomore album will hit the stores as CD and LP in remastered editions with brand new artwork and liner notes from the band.

With the release of "Phoenix Rising", the band reached a new dimension. With their steadily growing popularity, DESTRÖYER 666 had clearly delivered a must-have masterpiece in the view of old and new fans alike.

The icing on the cake is that the long-awaited reissue of "Cold Steel…" on vinyl LP will be released on August 24 as well.

Universal Music Germany and the renowned rock/metal label Napalm Records have signed a long-term distribution partnership deal. The news was officially announced by both companies yesterday (Monday, August 6). From now on, Universal Music will distribute all Napalm Records longplayers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Markus Riedler, founder and CEO Napalm Records Handels GmbH, states: "For Napalm Records, the distribution deal with Universal is both a challenge and an incentive. In addition, it will lead to a lot more metal and rock in the home of Universal. Along with Universal, we want to further improve our strengths, find trends in the metal and rock scene, establish newcomers and to take care of international acts. Napalm Records, the independent rock and metal label joining forces with the strongest partner in the music business, will present the market with lots of surprises. We look forward to this exciting co-operation and are happy about the trust put in our label. Thanks a lot to the whole Universal team!"

Tom Bohne, Senior Vice President Universal Music GmbH, adds: "Markus and his Napalm Records team are one of the big names in the metal scene. With Universal Music, Napalm Records shall become the leading brand of the genre. I look forward to the cooperation and I am sure that it will be exciting, successful and loud."

Bassist Terry Butler (OBITUARY, MASSACRE, DEATH) and guitarist Michael J. Gardner (DEADLANDS) have recorded guest appearances on a cover version of the classic DEATH song "Pull The Plug" from Panama City, Florida-based death metallers DEATH BEFORE DYING. The track, which was recorded at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida, can be streamed using the ReverbNation player below.

According to DEATH BEFORE DYING's official bio, DEATH BEFORE DYING "faithfully translate their influences and retain the core principles of their predecessors while creating a new genre of music altogether, incorporating their unique style to craft artfully arranged tales of mayhem and darkness. The core foundation and execution of their sound calls to mind bands such as DEATH, CANNIBAL CORPSE, MORBID ANGEL and the like all while forging ahead with the elements that make DEATH BEFORE DYING innovative and exciting. The prevalent musicianship is a key factor to their success in accomplishing this, and one would be hard pressed to find a rival for the technical prowess displayed by DBD among their peers or otherwise."

DEATH BEFORE DYING is:

Michael Grim - Vocals/Bass
Kris Sallawy - Lead Guitar
Chris Smith - Drums
Geoffrey Whorter - Guitar

Billy Graziadei of BIOHAZARD joined Welsh ragga-metallers SKINDRED on stage at the Hegyalja Fesztivál — which was held July 18-22 in Tokaj, Hungary — to perform the song "Nobody". Video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Commented Billy: "We toured with DUB WAR [pre-SKINDRED] and DOG EAT DOG earlier in our career and got along great with Benji [Webbe] and the guys. SKINDRED is an awesome band on and off stage, I had an great time jamming with them! Looking forward to touring with them sometime soon!"

BIOHAZARD's latest album, "Reborn In Defiance", was released in Europe on January 20 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Not only is "Reborn In Defiance" BIOHAZARD's first original lineup album in 18 years, but it also marks the last album recorded by the band before the departure of bassist and co-vocalist Evan Seinfeld. The effort remains a testament to the four founding members (Billy Graziadei, Bobby Hambel, Evan Seinfeld and Danny Schuler) and their unique chemistry.

Seinfeld left the band in June 2011 after the band's new CD was completed and was replaced by Scott Roberts, who played on the band's 2005 "Means To An End" album and has been part of the BIOHAZARD extended family since.

SKINDRED's fourth album, "Union Black", came out in April 2011 via BMG/7pm Records. The CD was recorded at Britannia Row Studios in London with producer James Loughrey.

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson has uploaded a 10-minute clip featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the band's August 7 performance at Fort Canning in Singapore. Check it out below.

During a recent interview with Infowars.com, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine stated about the band's plans for the immediate future, "Well, we're really excited about what's going on. We're getting ready to do a new record. We're leaving in a couple of days for Asia, and we'll be coming back and continuing work on this new record. And we'll go to South America in September and come back and continue to do work on the new record. We're looking for a new release the beginning of next spring, hopefully."

He continued, "We're super, super excited about what's going on for us. We've continued to congeal as a band, with [bassist] David Ellefson coming back and he and [drummer] Shawn Drover as our rhythm section. It's very important that the bass player and the drummer are tight. And David is such an excellent bassist and Shawn is such a great drummer, the two of them just needed to be familiar with one another. They spend time together all day long when we're on tour, travelling and doing things — mostly seeking out Starbucks around the world. [laughs]"

He added, "I'm excited about the music that we're gonna be writing. We just changed agencies; we're with the prestigious CAA agency in Beverly Hills. We're gonna be going to sign a new contract for our recording career. Our contract with Roadrunner's up. We haven't really notified anybody what our decision is; we're still kind of deciding. But for the most part, we're getting ready to record this next record and I'm sure it's gonna be chock-full of all kinds of subject matter that our Class Of 2008 has given us."

MEGADETH's latest album, "TH1RT3EN", sold 42,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Reunited '80s cult metal outfit SANCTUARY — which features in its ranks NEVERMORE frontman Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard — performed on August 3 at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

In an interview with Rock My Monkey TV, Dane stated about SANCTUARY's future plans, "We're gonna do a new record. We've got a lot of new songs written and we're working on a deal with Century Media; it's kind of an imminent thing. I've been with that label since 1995, so I know the people that work there, I trust them, and I have a very good working relationship with them, so it makes the most sense for me right now. And for the rest of the guys, too. So we'll see. Nothing's ever written in stone, but it looks like that's what's gonna happen."

Regarding how SANCTUARY's reformation came about, Dane said, "[SANCTUARY guitarist Lenny Rutledge and I] always talked to each other, but never really been friends again. And when the whole thing came about, that we were actually friends again, that's when we started talking more about doing it. And it definitely wasn't because NEVERMORE was imploding... which it was, at that point . . . We all just started talking with each other again. That was kind of the groundwork for it. And then we started saying, 'Well, gosh, let's make music again.' And my god! Lenny is writing some stuff that is so friggin great! Obviously, he's been bottling this up for years, because he really hasn't been doing anything... Well, he's had bands here and there. But he's really writing some great stuff that's really inspiring me, and making me fall in love with music again, with the creative process... everything that revolves around that. Really inspiring me to write really evil lyrics."

Regarding the sound of SANCTUARY's upcoming studio album, tentatively titled "The Year The Sun Died", Dane said, "This record is not going to sound like the other two. It might sound very similar to the second one ('Into The Mirror Black'). It's definitely not going to sound like the first one, because we're all a little bit older and I can't come up with a c-clamp for a scrotum and a helium tank . . . It's not going to sound like the old ones... it's 2011. It's still gonna be that good, I think, and there's gonna be high-pitched screaming. I'm making sure of that. With NEVERMORE, high-pitched screaming was never really called for. You know, with SANCTUARY... of course it is."

SANCTUARY last year tapped Brad Hull (FORCED ENTRY) to play second guitar for the band.

Hull and Shannon Sharp, one of the moderators at Metalguitarist.org, were the top picks for the SANCTUARY second-guitarist position. Brad, having previously toured with SANCTUARY, was given the opportunity to play the dates in Atlanta (ProgPower USA XII festival) and Greece.

Hull has spent the last few years playing the role of "James Hetfield" in the METALLICA tribute band BLISTERED EARTH, which plays "classic songs ranging from 1983's 'Kill 'Em All' to 1991's self-titled 'Metallica'."

SANCTUARY's current touring lineup:

Warrel Dane - Vocals
Lenny Rutledge - Guitar
Brad Hull - Guitars
Jim Sheppard - Bass
Dave Budbill – Drums

Former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Matt Sorum has defended his performance in the classic GN'R track "November Rain", insisting that "drumming isn't all about fancy drum fills and splash cymbals."

Ex-DREAM THEATER and current ADRENALINE MOB drummer Mike Portnoy, who normally doesn't shy away from his two cents on any music-related discussion, took to his Twitter account on August 4 to pose the question: "'November Rain' is an all-time classic song... but why on Earth did Matt Sorum play the SAME EXACT fill every 4 bars? (23 times, to be exact!)"

Two days later, Sorum finally replied to Portnoy, writing on Twitter, "That fill was Axl's [Rose, GUNS N' ROSES singer] idea as a musical phrase that carried on through the trilogy, 'Don't Cry' and 'Estranged'. Those albums, 'Use Your Illusion' [parts] 1 and 2 have sold 20 million combined."

He added, "Remember, kids, drumming isn't all about fancy drum fills and splash cymbals. Ask Charlie Watts, Ringo [Starr] and Phil Rudd."

In a 2009 interview with Music Radar, Sorum spoke in more detail about his drumming approach on "November Rain", explaining, "The track I get the most amount of grief for, from drummers, is 'November Rain'. The reason I did that tom fill so many times is I felt it was a musical part. A lot of drummers were like, 'Why'd you play the same fill so much?!'

"Me and Axl were sitting in the studio late one night, having a couple of drinks and listening to Elton John, a song called 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me'.

"Axl goes, 'Do you hear that?' I'm like, 'Yeah, I love Nigel Olson, man'. He says, 'Do that on the song we're going to record tomorrow!' We'd rehearsed it but I didn't have all the fills and stuff, it was just a groove. In the end of 'November Rain', I get into that whole marching band trip."

Professionally filmed video footage of MACHINE HEAD's performance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival, which took place August 2-4 in Wacken, Germany can be seen below.

MACHINE HEAD has been confirmed for this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival, set to take place August 10-12 at Catton Hall in Walton On Trent, Derbyshire, England.

Fans will be given the unprecedented opportunity to influence MACHINE HEAD's setlist. Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the band's first-ever live performance at their roadie Mike "Scum"'s getting-evicted-from-his-house party — for which they performed five songs — the band will give Bloodstock ticket holders the opportunity to vote for the five "Burn My Eyes" songs they most want to hear MACHINE HEAD play during their headline set Saturday night, with the five that receive the most votes included in the setlist.

For more information, visit Bloodstock.uk.com.

MACHINE HEAD recently filmed a video for the song "Darkness Within" in the Czech Republic. The track comes off the band's new album, "Unto The Locust", which sold more than 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 22 on The Billboard 200 chart — putting MACHINE HEAD in the Top 25 for the first time in the band's 17-year history.