DUBLIN DEATH PATROL (DDP) — the band featuring TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy and former EXODUS and LEGACY (pre-TESTAMENT) vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza — will release two albums on the Mascot Records label, 2005's "DDP 4 Life" and 2011's follow-up effort, "Death Sentence", on August 14.

The "Death Sentence" cover artwork was created by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ATHEIST, SODOM, SIGH, ANACRUSIS, GWAR) and can be seen below.

Billy originally teamed up with fellow Dublin, California ragers Willy Lange (RAMPAGE, LAAZ ROCKIT), Souza and three of the Billy brothers as well as some other local Dublin boys.

The seeds were planted in or about 1980 with a Bay Area thrash band called RAMPAGE, featuring neighborhood kids from Dublin, California — Chuck Billy, along with his brother Andy Billy, Greg Bustamante, Ernie Boehm and Willy Lange. The guys were about 18 years old and had all known each other since they were about five. They grew up listening to a variety of bands — from LED ZEPPELIN, KISS, AEROSMITH to THE DEAD KENNEDYS and THE SEX PISTOLS — and were influenced by the sounds of the late '70s and early '80s.

Souza recalled how the idea to reactivate the ultimate DUBLIN DEATH PATROL came to him: "Originally it was Willy's and Chuck Billy's idea. The first I heard of getting this project together was at a Raider pre-season game in 2005. Willy was telling me his idea of DDP and getting the old RAMPAGE guys together. But this version would have Chuck and I singing on every song and include different musicians that grew up in Dublin to play on this record. Well, I was right in."

After six months of writing, arranging and restructuring songs new and old. the guys went in to record the first DDP album through strains and pains with Vinnie Wojno. Souza boldly claimed, "This is what we have to give to the metal world, a kick-ass, straight-up aggressive and in-your-fucking-face album of music by guys just from Dublin, California. Represented by members of TESTAMENT, LEGACY, EXODUS, VIO-LENCE, LAAZ ROCKIT, TESLA, HEIST and a group of headbanging Dubliners that deserved status. For fans of the Bay Area thrash whom I love and will always, I hope they dig what Chuck and I have done vocally on the DDP project."

In 2011, DUBLIN DEATH PATROL went back into the studio with the same team to record their crushing second album, "Death Sentence". That same year, DDP played the famous Belgian metal festival Graspop Metal Meeting. Needless to say, the crowd went completely nuts.

DUBLIN DEATH PATROL is:

Chuck Billy - Lead Vocals
Steve Souza - Lead Vocals
Willy Lange - Bass
Andy Billy - Rhythm/lead guitar
Steve Robello - Lead/ Rhythm Guitar
Greg Bustamante - Rhythm Guitar
Danny Cunningham -Drums
Troy Luccketta - Drums
John Hartsinck - Lead Guitar
John Souza - Bass
Eddie Billy – Bass

Fan-filmed video footage of DUBLIN DEATH PATROL (DDP) performing on June 25, 2011 at Effenaar in Eindhoven, Holland as the support act for CAVALERA CONSPIRACY can be viewed below.

DREAM THEATER's August 19 and August 20 concerts at Estadio Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina will be professionally filmed and recorded for the band's next live DVD, to be released sometime next year.

DREAM THEATER — James LaBrie (vocals), John Myung (bass), John Petrucci (guitar and vocals), Jordan Rudess (keyboards and continuum) and Mike Mangini (drums) — launched a major North American headlining summer tour on June 15 in Rochester, New York. The tour includes stops at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey plus a two-night engagement at the Paramount Theater on Long Island, New York. They are touring behind their 11th studio album, "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", which had 14 Top 10 debuts around the world. It also produced the band's first-ever Grammy nomination for "On The Backs Of Angels" in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category.

Joining DREAM THEATER, starting June 16 in Columbus, Ohio and for the rest of the tour, is special guest CRIMSON PROJEKCT featuring Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Markus Reuter, Julie Slick and Tobias Ralph. They are performing the songs of progressive rock legends KING CRIMSON.

DREAM THEATER was among the nominees in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category at the 54th annual Grammy Awards, which was held on February 12 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Professionally filmed video footage of TURBONEGRO's performance at this year's edition of the Hellfest festival, which was held June 15-17 in Clisson, France, can be seen below.

TURBONEGRO released its ninth studio album, "Sexual Harassment", digitally on June 13 via Volcom Entertainment. Fine quality LPs and CDs of "Sexual Harassment" will be available in August. The first single from the album, "You Give Me Worms", recently premiered on Vice, and is now available digitally.

Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York, "Sexual Harassment" is a ten-song album which "showcase TURBONEGRO's roots in hardcore punk, '80s alternative, the thrift-store riffs of THE STOOGES and THE ROLLING STONES, platform-booted glitter rock, and spectacular bubblegum radio music of any era — all executed with an attitude that's unmistakably TURBONEGRO," according to a press release. The CD was produced by Matt Sweeney and mixed at Malabar Studio in Oslo by Nick Terry. The artwork was created by Martin Kvamme, Gardar Eide Einarsson and Matias Faldbakken.

TURBONEGRO is:

Tony Sylvester (a.k.a. Duke Of Nothing) - vocals
Euroboy - lead guitar
Rune Rebellion - rhythm guitar
Happy-Tom - bass
Tommy Manboy - drums

Professionally filmed video footage of NASUM's performance at this year's edition of the Hellfest festival, which was held June 15-17 in Clisson, France, can be seen below.

NASUM played the first concert of its "farewell" tour on May 11 at Kulturhuset in Örebro, Sweden.

NASUM was hit hard by the passing of guitarist and co-founder Mieszko Talarczyk in the 2004 Asian tsunami, but announced the farewell performances to mark the band's 20th anniversary and close the book on the influential act.

The members of NASUM (Anders Jakobson: drums, Jesper Liverod: bass/vocals, Urban Skytt: guitars, Jon Lindqvist: guitars/vocals) have enlisted the help of ROTTEN SOUND vocalist Keijo Niinimaa to handle the screams for the current dates.

NASUM brought total devastation to North America beginning May 18 in Chicago, Illinois with grindmates BRUTAL TRUTH and seminal hardcore troupe DROPDEAD for a series of Midwest and East Coast dates before co-headlining the 10th annual Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore, Maryland. Immediately after, NASUM headed out to the West Coast for a series of shows including support from BLACK BREATH, FROM ASHES RISE, MASSGRAVE and more bands. NASUM wrapped up this run at Chaos In Tejas in Austin, Texas on May 31.

In addition to the North American dates, NASUM has also been confirmed for a dozen festivals in Europe, including Wacken Open Air, Graspop Metal Meeting, Obscene Extreme and many more.

NASUM 2012 is:

Anders Jakobson - Drums
Jesper Liveröd - Bass And Low Vocals
Jon Lindqvist - Guitars And Low Vocals
Urban Skytt - Guitars
Keijo Niinimaa - Vocals

Former ARCH ENEMY guitarist Christopher Amott has set "Impulses" as the title of his new solo album, tentatively due before the end of the summer. He says, "There's been a few delays, but that's what happens when you strive for perfection! Can't wait to release this one — I am really pleased."

The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below.

Amott in March issued a statement explaining that he left ARCH ENEMY to pursue his solo career. He said, "I'm gonna continue to be very active in music, working with all kinds of styles — this does not rule out metal."

ARCH ENEMY recruited 26-year-old American guitarist Nick Cordle (ARSIS) to replace Christopher.

Christopher Amott started his career in music in 1995 as a founding creative force and guitarist in ARCH ENEMY. In this context, he is known for his tastefully technical guitar work and memorably emotive playing style.

After garnering his early success, Christopher had the desire to express himself on a personal level in the same genre. At this time he began writing albums under the name ARMAGEDDON. Christopher wrote and recorded three albums over the next few years as ARCH ENEMY grew into an internationally recognized act, with his compositions featuring his own vocal stylings on the last album. This would be Christopher's first foray into singing and a spark of inspiration for his later musical ventures.

In 2008, Christopher began to consider his creative options as a mature musician. He began writing songs of an entirely different atmosphere, which saw his guitar playing focused less on technical ecstasy and more on a chord-based blues rock ambience as a foundation for more prominent vocal and lyrical ideas. These compositions developed into his next solo project; the album would be called "Follow Your Heart", released under his own name in 2010.

A quality three-song audio recording of VAN HALEN's March 28 performance in Washington, D.C. can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Featured tracks:

* You Really Got Me
* Tattoo
* Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love

According to The Pulse Of Radio, VAN HALEN has now officially canceled the 31 North American tour dates it initially postponed in May. Although the band itself has not confirmed the cancellations, Pollstar reported that Ticketmaster was listing all shows after June 26 as canceled, with refunds now available at the point of purchase. The shows, which were supposed to begin on July 7, included stops in Baltimore, Detroit, Memphis, Sacramento, Reno and Milwaukee.

The fact that the shows have now been scrapped completely, as opposed to just postponed to a later date, will probably fuel another round of speculation about the future of the band and its internal relationships.

Both singer David Lee Roth and guitarist Eddie Van Halen denied rumors that they were fighting again on the road, with fatigue and an over-ambitious schedule given as the reasons for curtailing the group's live work.

Eddie told USA Today last month that the band will resume touring in November with shows in Japan, adding, "In the new year, we'll possibly do something special, but I can't talk about it." The group is also said to be a top contender to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in early 2013.

Eddie also told Guitar World in a new interview that the band intends to stick around for a while, saying, "It feels more like a band and a family than it ever has . . . We're all very opinionated about things, but it's all for the benefit of the music."

The band has been supporting its new album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", VAN HALEN's first album in 14 years and first with Roth since 1984.

A performance video for the song "Mild" from PHILM — the Los Angeles-based experimental post-hardcore triumvirate featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (SLAYER), guitarist/vocalist Gerry Nestler (CIVIL DEFIANCE), and bassist Pancho Tomaselli (WAR) — can be seen below. The track comes off the band's debut album, "Harmonic", which was released on May 15 via Ipecac Recordings.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Vitriolize
02. Mitch
03. Hun
04. Area
05. Way Down
06. Harmonic
07. Exuberance
08. Sex Amp
09. Amoniac
10. Held In Light
11. Dome
12. Killion
13. Mezzanine
14. Mild
15. Meditation

"When people hear about my involvement in PHILM, they automatically assume that it will compare to SLAYER's sound," explains Lombardo. "They couldn't be more different. I have scaled down my drum set to a four-piece, reminiscent of the drummers from the late '60s that influenced me. Each song is unique in itself, I like to refer to it as 'rhythmic emotion.' It's almost like taking all the heavy songs of the '60s and bringing that era to a modern plateau, then blending them with the modern trance and psychedelic sounds of today."

"We decided to record 'Harmonic' in the intimate setting of a home, with various vintage recording equipment," says Lombardo on the band's debut album. "The music was written collectively in an improvisational manner, unlike the majority of recordings I've done before. This was very important given this is my first recording where I'm carrying the title of producer and performer. The album achieves a dense, unholy convergence of tones and discords. We also touch on haunting, desolate, ambient sounds. Our music tends to be written in a manner where we never know the outcome until we listen back to what we recorded. A harmonic journey."

While there are elements of metal detected throughout PHILM's sound, the band manages to also incorporate such other styles as jazz, ambient, hardcore punk, experimental, and funk into its unpredictable, cacophony-heavy style. An obvious reason for this multi-genre amalgamation can be directly linked to the gentlemen that play alongside Lombardo in PHILM — Tomaselli is a longtime member of funk rockers WAR, and Nestler fronts prog metallists CIVIL DEFIANCE. Add it all up, and you get the wonderful world of PHILM.

Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD have released the following statement:

"As many of you know, Randy [Blythe, vocals] is being held in Czech jail for a crime we believe he did not commit. We are still learning about the legal system there and the situation is fluid. We have retained local legal counsel, have support from the U.S. embassy and we are flying over additional lawyers to try and assure that Randy has the best representation possible. As many of you have pointed out, the simple fact is that the legal fees are adding up very quickly.

"While we appreciate the outpouring of support, we are not interested in trying to profit or gather press or sympathy from this event. We have assembled this page to make it possible for people that feel so inclined to donate to the expenses incurred in defending this case. One hundred percent of the money raised will go to the legal fees and any remaining balance will be given to a charity of Randy's choice upon his release."

To donate, go to this location.

Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after Mazer posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S.

Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval.

WTVR-TV, the CBS television affiliate based in Richmond, Virginia, spoke to GWAR frontman Dave Brockie (a.k.a. Oderus Urungus) about the apparent lack of publicity and outrage about LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe still being locked up on a manslaughter

"Oh, if it was Justin Bieber, there'd be an army of shrieking 14-year-olds that would tear down the walls of the prison and bust him out of there," Brockie said. The president of Sony would call up Barrack Obama, he added, "'Oh, Mr. President! We've got to get Justin Bieber out! Record sales are going down!' [And the president is like], 'Send in the Marines!' Everyone would love him. His re-election would be assured.'"

Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Said Brockie: "Slam dancing has been established for so long now, everybody knows the rules. No one is surprised when they see it anymore."

He continued, "Randy is obviously being accused of something by people who understand nothing about what's going on. I mean, when someone walking in off the streets and sees a slam pit and a metal band like LAMB OF GOD is playing, yeah, they're going to go, 'Oh my God!'"

Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after his manager posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S.
Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval.

"It's like, it takes 10 days to process a bail request?" Brockie said. "I mean, what are they working with, clay tablets, or something? You know, 'Let's get some pack mules and send the clay tablets over to the Minister of Fuddy Duddery."

Despite previous reports that Blythe was considered a flight risk, the musician will be allowed to leave the Czech Republic, said his defense lawyer Martin Radvan.

Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM were forced to cancel their July 3 concert in Oslo, Norway and July 4 show in Malmö, Sweden after the band's guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho was rushed to the hospital with extreme stomach pain.

The group has since issued the following update:

"This is not an easy letter for us to write. Alexi is suffering from a serious infection. He is still in hospital in Oslo under supervision of the doctors and we don't know yet when they will release him.

"We have no choice other than canceling Ruisrock in Turku on Saturday as well. This is a very bitter pill for us to swallow. We had decided to do only two festivals in our homeland this summer to make it real special, and now this. We hope that we will be able to make up for this very soon.

"To all our fans who had been looking forward to rock with us at Ruisrock this weekend, take our apologies and enjoy the festival. In our spirits, we will be there, too."

CHILDREN OF BODOM recently inked a worldwide deal (excluding Japan) with Nuclear Blast Records. The band, which kicked off a year-long celebration of its 15th anniversary with a successful North American tour alongside labelmates ELUVEITIE, has a new studio album planned for release in 2013.

"Holiday At Lake Bodom (15 Years Of Wasted Youth)", a very special CD+DVD career retrospective in celebration of CHILDREN OF BODOM's 15th anniversary, spotlights specially selected tracks from every one of CHILDREN OF BODOM's critically acclaimed albums (1997's "Something Wild", 1999's "Hatebreeder", 2000's "Follow The Reaper", 2003's "Hate Crew Deathroll", 2005's "Are You Dead Yet?", 2008's "Blooddrunk" and 2011's "Relentless Reckless Forever"), plus two newly recorded (and undeniably fun) cover songs and detailed liner notes penned by the members of CHILDREN OF BODOM themselves. The DVD portion of the package includes "candid touring and backstage footage from around the world”, plus the "Shovel Knockout" video.

Artists Den Entertainment and Universal Music Group will release "Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy: Live From The Artists Den" on 5.1 Blu-ray and DVD in the U.S. on July 10. On July 9, these products will be released internationally under exclusive license through Universal Music Group international. This epic show was filmed as a rare, intimate performance at the historic War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Selections from the show aired nationwide on public television's "Live From The Artists Den", the hit music series featuring acclaimed artists performing in extraordinary settings. Now released in full for the first time, the DVD features bonus interview clips and concert footage not included in the television broadcast, including six LED ZEPPELIN classics, three of which have never been shown before. The DVD will also be presented as a featured story and product release for public television's "National Pledge" starting July 26, The series is a production of Artists Den Entertainment in association with WNET New York Public Media, and is distributed by American Public Television. The show was filmed at the magnificent War Memorial Auditorium, a landmark building established in 1925 as a tribute to the thousands of Tennesseans who gave their lives during World War I. A rare snowy day in Nashville set the stage for an even rarer event at the one-of-a-kind venue — a career-spanning concert by icon Plant and the BAND OF JOY, featuring LED ZEPPELIN favorites, traditional songs, hits from Plant's solo catalog, and new material.

Robert Plant explains the excitement of the evening in his own words in the liner notes included with the DVD: "Some years back I was propelled by chance, with little planning or expectation into an American way...with a lean and pull into a new direction...voices and harmony, restraint and explosion, tight and loose, great joy in great company....in a blizzard in Nashville. My thanks to one and all for aiding and abetting this exciting bend in the road."

"Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy: Live From The Artists Den" is the sixth concert DVD release from the Artists Den.

Track listing:

01. Black Dog
02. Angel Dance
03. Houses Of The Holy
04. House Of Cards
05. Cindy, I'll Marry You Someday
06. Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down
07. Somewhere Trouble Don't Go
08. Tangerine
09. A Satisfied Mind
10. Move Up
11. Down To The Sea
12. Ramble On
13. Gallows Pole
14. In The Mood
15. Rock And Roll
16. I Bid You Goodnight

The "Gallows Pole" performance clip can now be seen below.
A one-and-a-half-minute video clip featuring snippets of the "Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy: Live From The Artists Den" performance can be seen below.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Robert Plant has over 40 years invested in his legendary career in music — and he's still going strong. In 1967, he formed a group called the BAND OF JOY with drummer John Bonham, before the two joined with guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones the following year to form the world-renowned LED ZEPPELIN. After his 2007 "Raising Sand" collaboration with Alison Krauss garnered him six Grammy Awards, Plant created a new BAND OF JOY, which features Nashville native Buddy Miller and Artists Den alumna Patty Griffin. Their widely acclaimed album, "Band Of Joy", was nominated for "Best Americana Album" and "Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance" at the 2011 Grammy Awards.

Guitarist Joel Stroetzel of Massachusetts metallers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE is one of a number of musicians who have come out in support of LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe, who is facing manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic.

Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Writing on KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's Facebook page, Joel said, "Everyone in our camp was shocked to hear about what Randy has been going through. LAMB OF GOD have been longtime friends and tourmates of ours. Our thoughts are with them and we all hope everything gets resolved soon! A death is always a tragic thing, but Randy certainly does not deserve such accusations."

Rock legends KISS played an intimate showlast night (Wednesday, July 4) during at London, England's Forum. The concert served as a benefit for the British "Help For Heroes" organization, which raises money for its wounded, sick and injured troops. The band owes its own debt of gratitude to the English, admitting that its new album, "Monster", is influenced by the country's great, legendary rock groups who influenced and inspired them to pick up their instruments in the first place.

"We're all Anglophiles in this band," says KISS bassist/vocalist Simmons. "America may have invented rock and roll, but England knew what to do with it. They gave us THE BEATLES, THE ROLLING STONES, LED ZEPPELIN and THE WHO."

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Detroit Rock City
02. Hell Or Hallelujah
03. Deuce
04. Shout It Out Loud
05. Makin' Love
06. I Love It Loud
07. Shock Me
08. Calling Dr. Love
09. 100,000 Years
10. Love Gun
11. Black Diamond

Encore:

12. Crazy Crazy Nights
13. Lick It Up
14. Rock And Roll All Nite

A two-and-a-half-minute video report on last night's concert from the Associated Press can be seen below.

KISS' 20th studio album, "Monster", is scheduled for release in October through Universal Music Enterprises. KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley calls the track, "a battle cry that encapsulates the entire record...one way or another, we're going to do it our way."

Described in a press release as a "12-track, straight-ahead rock 'n' roll album," "Monster" features collaborations among all four members — including co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and longtime members guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer — in an album that shows the band at the top of its game. And that's saying something, considering their illustrious, 40-plus year history — 28 U.S. gold albums, the most gold records for any American rock band, 40 million sales in the U.S., and a total exceeding 100 million worldwide.

LAMB OF GOD guitarist Willie Adler has posted a message on his Facebook page inviting all of the band's supporters in the Richmond, Virginia area to attend the "Free Randy Blythe Vigil" on Sunday, July 8 on Browns Island from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at the band's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal group — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Willie writes: "I want to thank all for the support first and foremost. I also want to share the link to the event this Sunday on Brown Island here in Richmond. An event spearheaded by Mr. Tommy Streat. It’s a get-together for all who care to attend to show support for our brother Randy Blythe, and to voice our concerns over the travesty of justice that is currently unfolding. I hope to see you all there."

Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after Mazer posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S.

Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval.

For more information on the "Free Randy Blythe Vigil", go to this location.

Indie Recordings has announced the signing of Norway's NETTLECARRIER.

NETTLECARRIER is freezing cold, satanic black metal at its best. Starring T. Ciekals (DJEVEL, LJÅ), Mannevond (KOLDBRANN, URGEHAL) and Dirge Rep (ORCUSTUS, GEHENNA, GORGOROTH, ENSLAVED), the group will release its debut album later in the year.

NETTLECARRIER was formed in 2004 when T. Ciekals, who was a member of the band LJÅ at the time, moved to Oslo and teamed up with Mannevond from the infamous KOLDBRANN. "I had been in contact with Mannevond a few years back and we were both fans of each others bands," said Ciekals. They had a burning desire to create a black metal band that did not sound like anyone else, but with an older and more sinister sound. In late 2006, Vold joined in on drums for a short while and as a three-piece the pace increased. This resulted in the release of the seven-inch vinyl single, "To Strangle The Hero Of Heaven".

When Mannevond started Urgehal and T. Ciekals formed DJEVEL, NETTLECARRIER was put on ice for almost three years. "I left LJÅ in 2007 to focus on DJEVEL and Mannevond was busy with URGEHAL, but NETTLECARRIER wasn't dead, just buried for a while," explained Ciekals. After the DJEVEL album was released, Ciekals was finally able to focus on NETTLECARRIER again. The very talented Dirge Rep joined the band on drums in 2010 and the decision to record an album was made.

Barbara Caserta of Italian web radio Linearock.it conducted an interview with former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach after his June 22 performance at this year's Gods Of Metal festival in Milan, Italy.

As previously reported, Bach "lost" his microphone while spinning it around in the air during the opening song of his Gods Of Metal concert. Bach and his band briefly stopped the show while his microphone was getting fixed and restarted the set a few minutes later.

Speaking about the incident, Bach told Linearock.it, "It was funny, because I ran out there. My [In-Ear monitor] wasn't working; it snapped off. My monitor man snapped it back on, and then I ran out there and I missed the first word, 'cause I was fucking around with my ear. Then I was [spinning] the mic around and the cord shredded. I was like, 'How is that possible?' It's happened, like, once or twice [before], but in 25 years. I'm lucky that the microphone didn't hit anyone; I don't want anybody to get hurt. But I don't understand in physics how you can whip the mic so hard that the cord shreds. The mic didn't come off the cord — the cord shredded."

Bach lat month released a video for the song "I'm Alive". The clip is one of three videos (alongside "Kicking & Screaming" and "TunnelVision") that the singer filmed on June 28, 2011 in Hollywood, California with director Devin DeHaven of Fortress Entertainment (PAPA ROACH, WHITESNAKE, METHOD MAN, TALIB KWELI).

"I'm Alive" comes off Bach's new album, "Kicking & Screaming", which 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.

Interview:

While at last month's Orion Music + More festival in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Metal Injection asked members of RED FANG, THE SWORD, BLACK TUSK, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, BARONESS, CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED, KYNG, LANDMINE MARATHON and THY WILL BE DONE about what the most metal way to celebrate Independence Day is. You can watch their answers below.

The annual Independence Day celebration across the United States was capped off Wednesday with the traditional nighttime fireworks displays.

This year's celebration marked the 236th anniversary of the country's declaration of independence from Britain, making it the United States' most cherished symbol of freedom.

Guitarist/vocalist Helmuth Lehner of the Austrian blackened death metal outfit BELPHEGOR, who underwent "a serious and difficult" operation last October, is still not fully recovered and will therefore be unable to handle lead vocals at the band's upcoming Extremefest appearances. Filling in for him until he is "able to do the vocals again and give 100 percent" wil be the band's former bassist, Bartholomäus "Barth" Resch, who is described by Helmuth as "our man behind the curtain since 1998." Helmuth adds, "[Barth] knows exactly how we roll."

Extremefest dates are as follows:

July 5-7 - Hünxe, Germany - ExtremeFest Germany
July 5-7 - St. Pölten, Austria - ExtremeFest Austria
July 5-7 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland - ExtremeFest Switzerland

BELPHEGOR entered Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL, MORBID ANGEL, CANNIBAL CORPSE) to begin laying down its as-yet-untitled new CD for a March 2013 release via Nuclear Blast Records. The recording sessions and the mixing/mastering process will be completed by mid-October.

Rutan previously stated about the upcoming CD: "I am very excited to be recording and mixing the new BELPHEGOR album at Mana. After many discussions with Helmuth and hearing some clips of new material, I know that the band is very focused and determined on making a harmoniously evil extreme masterpiece. We shall make one beast of an album that the fans have come to expect from BELPHEGOR!"

BELPHEGOR's last album, "Blood Magick Necromance", was released in January 2011 in Europe and February 2011 in the U.S. via Nuclear Blast Records. The album was produced by Peter Tägtgren (IMMORTAL, CELTIC FROST, HYPOCRISY, DIMMU BORGIR) at his Abyss Studios in Pärlby, Sweden and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren.

"Sandpaper", the lead single from "Sin And Bones", the new album from FOZZY — the band featuring WWE wrestling superstar Chris Jericho and STUCK MOJO mastermind Rich "The Duke" Ward — is now available for streaming at RevolverMag.com. It can also be heard using the SoundCloud player below.

"Sandpaper" will be released via iTunes on July 17.

Fan-filmed video footage of FOZZY performing "Sandpaper" at the pre-awards show boat party that cruised up the Thames to the Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards on June 11 at Indigo2 in London, England can be seen below.

"Sin And Bones" will be released on August 14 (one day earlier internationally) via the group's new label, Century Media Records. The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below.

Speaking to U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, Jericho stated about how the new album title came about, "It's actually pretty funny. It's such a deep title and it can mean a lot of things. But how it really came about was Rich was texting me, saying, 'Man, I've gotta eat something on this tour. I'm all skin and bones.' And 'skin and bones,' he missed the [letter] 'k' and it came out [as] 'sin and bones.' And I showed it to him. I go, 'Dude, what do you think of this as an album title?' And he was like, 'Yeah, it's perfect.'"

In an interview with Sophie K of Total Rock at this year's Download festival, which was held June 8-10 at Donington Park in Leicestershire, United Kingdom, Jericho said about FOZZY's new CD, "Every artist says this, but it's definitely the best thing we've ever done. It kind of takes the FOZZY concept of what we do best, which is very heavy with very melodic choruses and a lot of harmonies. We're just super-proud of it. We worked on it for the last eight months."

He added, "We said we wanna make this like our 'black' album where all the songs kind of fit the same vibe. They're kind of darker lyrically, darker songs, but still catchy and hooky. So I'm really proud of the lyrics that I wrote for this. When I write lyrics, I give them to Rich Ward, and he takes them and writes riffs and songs based around what he feels the tone of the songs are. And I guess the lyrics I wrote are very dark, because it's a very dark record."

When asked if the "darker" vibe of the new album is reflection of personal things that might have gone on in his life, Jericho said, "I don't think so. I've just always been more attuned to that. Like, I write by songtitles. I read somewhere something about somebody woke up with a spider in their mouth. And I was like, 'Spider In My Mouth'. That's like the best title I could ever think of. So I wrote a bunch of lyrics that kind of fit that vibe. So a songtitle will lead… The first single is called 'Sandpaper'. And it's not about a piece of paper that you rub on your face that chafes you, it's just about an abrasive type of a feeling that you might have toward somebody. So it's just stuff like that. But we still sing it with a smile on our faces."

Speaking about some of the individual songs that make up the new FOZZY album, Jericho said, "We've been playing 'Sandpaper' live, and right off the bat people are bobbing their heads. So people can get into it right away, which is cool. I mean, there are so many great songs. There's another song called 'She's My Addiction', which is kind of a more [THE ROLLING] STONES-y, GUNS N' ROSES-type thing, but also very dark. Phil Campbell played a solo for it, from MOTÖRHEAD; he's been a very good friend of the band. There's a song called 'Inside My Head'. There's an 11-minute song about D-Day called 'Storm The Beaches'. 'Blood Happens'… that's a heavy one."

Elaborating further on how the "Spider In My Mouth" songtitle came about, Jericho said, "I read it in a Stephen King book. It said, 'He couldn't have been more disgusted if he woke up with a spider in his mouth. And I was like, 'Ahhh… Dude, how heavy is that?' And I wrote it down in my little songtitles book and about a year or two later, I went back and I looked through and it was like, 'Boom, I could do something with that.' So…"

Ward previously stated about the forthcoming CD, "Although every band says 'this is the best thing we've ever done,' I can honestly say that this new album is going to blow everyone away. It's the epitome of who FOZZY is as a band and will expand upon the ultra-heavy yet super melodic and hooky territory that we've refined for the last 12 years. I have a strong feeling that this will be known as our definitive masterpiece for years to come."

FOZZY last year parted ways with bassist Sean Delson and replaced him with Paul DiLeo (ADRENALINE MOB).

Los Angeles, California death dealers MURDER CONSTRUCT have completed work on their highly anticipated debut full-length entitled "Results". Featuring 11 tracks of violent, uncompromising death/grind, the CD displays cut-throat songwriting and top-notch musicianship mixed with the band's own brand of twisted experimentation to create one of 2012's most punishing auditory experiences.

Due on CD/LP/digital on August 28 via via Relapse Records, "Results" was recorded in Hollywood, California's Architeuthis Sound studio with engineer Sean Vahle while drums were tracked at Trench Studios in Corona, California with John Haddad (ABYSMAL DAWN, EXHUMED, INTRONAUT).

Watch the "Results" trailer below.

MURDER CONSTRUCT features Travis Ryan (CATTLE DECAPITATION) on vocals, Leon del Muerte (EXHUMED, PHOBIA, IMPALED) on guitar and vocals, Kevin Fetus (FETUS EATERS, WATCH ME BURN) on guitar, Danny Walker (INTRONAUT, EXHUMED, UPHILL BATTLE) on drums, and Caleb Schneider (BADACID TRIP) on bass. The band previously released a seven-song EP in November 2010.

Swedish epic power metallers SABATON have unveiled the "Swedish Empire" online game. Check it out at this location.

SABATON's new album, "Carolus Rex", registered the following first-week chart positions:

Sweden: #2
Poland: #7
Germany: #7
Finland: #9

"Carolus Rex" sold around 950 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 29 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.

"Carolus Rex" was released on May 22 via Nuclear Blast Records. The lyrics for the CD, which was made available in both English and Swedish, deal with the Swedish Empire (referring to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721).

The band previously stated about "Carolus Rex": "For the first time ever we have had an expert to help us out with the theme, the well-known Swedish historian Bengt Liljegren. We have also added some extra time in the studio to find the absolute right sound on 'Carolus Rex', and our producer, Peter Tägtgren, says that this album will mark a brand new standard for how a heavy metal album should sound like!"

Liljegren's published works include acclaimed biographies of Adolf Hitler and Karl XII. He also appeared in the popular Swedish TV series "Boston Tea Party".

SABATON recently parted ways with guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, drummer Daniel Mulback and keyboardist Daniel Mÿhr. The band's new touring lineup is as follows:

Joakim Brodén - Vocals
Pär Sundström - Bass
Chris Rörland (NOCTURNAL RITES) - Guitar
Thobbe Englund (WINTERLONG, RAUBTIER) - Guitar
Robban Bäck (BALTIMOORE, PREY) - Drums

Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, GUNS N' ROSES) joined MOTÖRHEAD on stage this past Tuesday, July 3 at the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival in Auburn, Washington to perform the song "Killed By Death". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED played seven sold-out shows in Germany last November as the opening act for MOTÖRHEAD. In his ESPN.com blog, McKagan wrote about his then-touring partners, "MOTÖRHEAD came to be sometime around 1979. With a perfect mix of all the good parts of punk and heavy metal, MOTÖRHEAD forged the way as leaders to all of the rest of us who would shortly form bands.

"From METALLICA to MEGADETH to ALICE IN CHAINS, SOUNDGARDEN, GUNS N' ROSES, and on and on … they all have noted MOTÖRHEAD as a key influence.

"And it's not just the music of MOTÖRHEAD that sets them apart from all of the rest of us. Lemmy's no-B.S. attitude toward touring and making records, and his relentless touring stamina, make everyone else rather pale and weak in comparison. He is like the Brett Favre of rock 'n' roll … well, except Lemmy Kilmister is still playing and doesn't cry.

"Through all of the fads and assorted 'press darling' bands and artists over the past 30 or so years, MOTÖRHEAD just simply pinned their ears back and did what they wanted. They could never be bothered with trying to fit in. And their consistency remains a sort of explosive touchstone for all of us who need to be reminded of what is real and true and honest about rock music."

San Diego death metallers PATHOLOGY have revealed the cover art for their new album, "The Time Of Great Purification", due on September 25 via Victory Records.

PATHOLOGY putting the finishing touches on the new CD at Lambesis Studios with Daniel Castleman.

"This is definitely our heaviest and most technical album to date," states drummer Dave Astor.

"The Time Of Great Purification" features 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". The concept is simple: the doctor is controlling the 2012 apocalypse and destroying the world!

PATHOLOGY is gearing up for a twenty-six city headlining run on the "Slaughter Survivors Tour" with ENFOLD DARKNESS, FALLUJAH, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and AEGAEON. The tour kicks off in Santa Cruz, California on July 21.

PATHOLOGY will perform three brand new tracks on the upcoming trek.

Fan-filmed video footage of Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD performing the title track of their forthcoming album, "Target Earth", on June 29 at Zone Portuaire de Chicoutimi in Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada can be seen below.

"Target Earth" is tentatively due before the end of the year. The CD was recorded in January at Pierre Rémillard's (OBLIVEON, CRYPTOPSY, KRISIUN, MISERY INDEX) Wild Studio in a small town called St-Zénon in Quebec, Canada. The follow-up to 2009's "Infini" will contain the band's first music to be written with new guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain (MARTYR) following the passing of original axeman Denis "Piggy" D'Amour in 2005.

VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin has unveiled the band's new logo which will be used on the upcoming CD. Check it out below.

Several photos from the recording sessions can be found on the band's Facebook page.

According to a posting on the page, fans can "expect something in the vein of 'Nothingface' with some elements from the other albums. It will be a classic VOIVOD album."

Regarding what the new VOIVOD songs sound like, Mongrain said in a recent interview, "As a VOIVOD fan since I am 12 years old and early rise of VOIVOD in late '80s and everything, I think… I'm in conflict of interest right now. [Laughs] I like the old stuff as much as the new stuff, so I think it's a blend of everything. It's really a team work and Blacky [Jean-Yves Thériault] is back on the 'blower bass' — he's got the original sound — and we're having a blast jamming, improvising and writing. I think it's working pretty good."

On the topic of the lyrical themes covered in the new VOIVOD tracks, singer Denis "Snake" Bélanger said, "The song we played [on the recent European tour] ['Kaleidos'] is about conspiracy involving drugs and the FBI… [Laughs] It's hard to describe because we're kind of early in the process. There's another song called 'Target Earth', which is more like a spacy, conspiracy, controlling the information around the world. The main thing is the 'war' of information. You know, somebody Osama Bin Laden is dead, someone [else] says he's not… It gets to a point where everybody has his own story and nobody is sure what the truth is. There's people above everything controlling the information."

In an interview with Exclaim.ca, Away stated about VOIVOD's forthcoming studio album, "It's more in the progressive metal vein, so it's reminiscent of the 'Dimension Hatröss' era."

VOIVOD debuted the "Target Earth" title track during their April 12 concert at the Roadburn festival at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. You can watch fan-filmed video footage of their performance below.

VOIVOD 2012 is:

Denis "Snake" Bélanger - Vocals
Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain - Guitar
Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault - Bass
Michel "Away" Langevin - Drums

LAMB OF GOD manager Larry Mazer spoke to RollingStone.com's Greg Prato about the arrest of the band's singer, Randy Blythe, last week in the Czech Republic on suspicion of manslaughter.

Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after Mazer posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S.

"We were told on Saturday that he had been approved by the judge for bail – $200,000 – and if we paid it, he would be released probably this morning," Mazer told RollingStone.com on Tuesday (July 3). "We all went to bed thinking that he would be out. I had flights booked for him to come back. And then at 4 o'clock this morning — because they're six hours ahead — I received a call from the lawyer in the Czech Republic telling us that the prosecution was challenging the bail, and because of that, he wouldn't be released today."

Although none of Blythe's bandmates recall the incident in question, "there are YouTube videos, which 100 percent show Randy's innocence," Mazer says. "As a matter of fact, all of those videos have now been sent to our lawyer, and he's presenting it to the judge tomorrow morning [July 4]. This case is so full of holes. Nobody reported an injury of any kind at the concert, or after the concert. It was at least an hour to two hours later, supposedly, when this kid went to a hospital.

"So that's number one — why did nothing occur during the show? Number two, he had supposedly been in a coma for 30 days, but it wasn't [until] a couple of months later that they contacted the promoter to ask his understanding of the events. He said the same thing — that the show went on fine, no nothing, no incidents. They told him that a person had been injured, which led to a death, which he had no knowledge of whatsoever. And then it went away. Two years go by, and Randy gets arrested."

Regarding the aforementioned YouTube video, which can be seen below, Mazer tells RollingStone.com, "I got sent this video, which clearly shows a security guy sitting at the edge of the stage. This kid, by the way, climbed up on stage twice prior. The third time, he tried to climb up on stage, the security guard grabs him, throws him down the stage. You see him thrown on the floor. How does the prosecution in the Czech Republic do an investigation of this, charge Randy Blythe with manslaughter, when this video shows a security guy throwing the guy onto the floor?"

Czech web site Blesk.cz conducted an exclusive interview with LAMB OF GOD manager Larry Mazer about the ordeal of the band's lead vocalist, Randy Blythe, who has been jailed in Prague, the Czech Republic, where he is accused of causing the death of a fan at one of the group's shows. Blythe was arrested on June 27 and is facing manslaughter charges in connection with a 2010 Prague concert at which he allegedly shoved a local fan off the stage. The man, who is said to have stormed the stage three times during the show, reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage that resulted in his death 14 days later.

[BLABBERMOUTH.NET would like to thank Martin Lipták for his help with the Czech-to-English translation of the interview below.]

Blesk.cz: What is the latest on Randy Blythe's release?

Larry Mazer: "I have no idea. The bail [in the amount of $200,000] was posted Tuesday morning [July 3]. We tried to make bail on Monday, but everything took a bit longer to be processed. Randy should be released immediately. His lawyer told us so on Saturday [during a court hearing]. In the U.S., he would have been. You post the bail and you're free."

Blesk.cz: How long will Randy stay in jail?

Larry Mazer: "I was told that it may take up to 20 days — that the investigator may require more time to investigate the case."

Blesk.cz: How have the other bandmembers reacted to this whole ordeal?

Larry Mazer: "Everybody is shocked. It's absurd. It seems like a bad joke that Randy is sitting in your jail. He did nothing wrong. He is innocent."

Blesk.cz: Were you aware that a Czech fan of LAMB OF GOD died two years ago shortly after attending the band's concert?

Larry Mazer: "Nobody had contacted us in the last two years. My contact information is publicly available, but I never heard from the family [of the deceased fan]. We did not even hear anything about it from the concert organizer. Nobody called us to let us know."

Blesk.cz: When did you first find out about the fan having died after allegedly sustaining injuries at the LAMB OF GOD concert?

Larry Mazer: "Last Wednesday [when Randy was detained at the Prague airport]. The organizer of the concert at Abaton [the club where the 2010 concert took place] now says that the Czech police contacted him three months after the boy died. I do not understand why no one got in touch with us to let us know. The boy was in a coma and then he died, and we never heard from anybody."

Blesk.cz: The Czech police say that they contacted the American authorities...

Larry Mazer: "No one told us anything. Do you think that I would send the band to the Czech Republic to play a concert knowing that something like this could happen? No way!"

Blesk.cz: According to the police, Randy shoved the Czech fan off the stage...

Larry Mazer: "There is one video from the concert [see below] where you can see someone jumping into the audience. But it wasn't Randy that pushed him. The security guard shoved him off the stage."

Blesk.cz: In the video you can see both Randy and the security guard pushing the person off the stage...

Larry Mazer: "But there is no footage of the man falling to the ground. He fell into the crowd, but you can't see that in the video."

Blesk.cz: Is it common for LAMB OF GOD concerts to be so wild?

Larry Mazer: "It's typical for rock concerts. People want to have fun. But nothing like this has ever happened at a LAMB OF GOD show before that I am aware of."

An attorney for LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe, who was arrested in the Czech Republic in connection with the death of a fan two years ago, tells Blesk.cz that the singer is very sorry and he wants to meet the fan's family upon his release, which is expected early next week.

Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after his manager posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S.

Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval.

Despite previous reports that Blythe was considered a flight risk, the musician will be allowed to leave the Czech Republic, said his defense lawyer Martin Radvan.

LAMB OF GOD manager Larry Mazer told The Prague Post said that he and Randy's bandmates were shocked to learn of the incident.

According to Mazer, neither he nor the band heard about the case until they arrived in Prague last week for a June 28 performance in the city.

"We are stunned," he said. "We flew in from Norway and were looking forward to putting on a great show. We would never have come out here if we knew this was going to happen."

Mazer added that he couldn't understand why he hadn't been contacted earlier with information related to the case.

"I would raise blood and hell trying to find the person who killed my son. The whole thing is a crock of shit," he said.

Another one of Blythe's Czech attorneys, Tomáš Morysek, told Blesk.cz that his client would have immediately cooperated with the police had he learned of the incident earlier.

Image below courtesy of Czech Republic's TV Nova

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe's attorney Martin Radvan and clerk Tomáš Morysek spoke to Blesk.cz about the singer's continued detention in Prague, Czech Republic, where he is accused of causing the death of a fan at one of the group's shows. Blythe was arrested on June 27 and is facing possible manslaughter charges in connection with a 2010 Prague concert at which he allegedly shoved a local fan off the stage. The man, who is said to have stormed the stage three times during the show, reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage that resulted in his death 14 days later.

"[Randy] was in complete shock [when he found out about the fan's passing]," said Morysek. "For two whole years he never knew that someone had died after the band's concert in Prague and he had no chance at all to deal with it. I am convinced that if he had known about it, he wouldn't have shied away from facing criminal prosecution."

Blythe remains in custody in the Pankrác Prison in Prague even after his manager posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S.

Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval.

"In every other country, the accused would have been released once the bail had been met. Unfortunately, this does not apply to Czech Criminal Procedure Code," added Morysek.

According to Morysek, Blythe is slowly getting used to his stay behind bars. "There's a Mongol with him, so Randy is learning some Mongolian phrases from him and the Mongol is picking up a few English words," he said. "But he hasn't complained about anything. We already went to see him twice. He is still quite confused about the whole thing."

The crime of which Blythe is being accused is punishable by up to ten years in prison.

Once released from custody, Blythe — whose passport will not be taken away — is expected to immediately leave the Czech Republic and fly back to the U.S. where he won't be considered a fugitive.

"The court, which decided the conditions of the bail, did not provide a condition that Randy will have to stay in the Czech Republic," Morysek said.

Images below courtesy of Czech Republic's TV Nova

DISTURBED's David Draiman and GWAR's Oderus Urungus are continuing to speak out in defense of LAMB OF GOD vocalist Randy Blythe, who has been jailed in Prague, the Czech Republic, where he is accused of causing the death of a fan at one of the band's shows in 2010. Blythe was arrested last week at the Prague airport and charged with manslaughter in connection with a 2010 Prague concert at which he allegedly shoved a local fan off the stage. The man, who is said to have stormed the stage three times during the show, reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage that resulted in his death 14 days later.

Blythe faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Although he posted the Czech equivalent of $200,000 in bail, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval.

Draiman: "The only thing [Randy] is guilty of [is being involved in] a horrible accident. Someone comes up on stage, they get thrown back into the pit. [I've] done it a hundred times myself. The fault should be in the hands of the venue security who were supposed to ensure that no one got up there. It's a dangerous thing to try."

Oderus: "I LOVE Europe and its many pleasures and fully support Euro metalheads. What I am concerned about is the lack of outrage. There should be shows, protests, and continual harassment of the authorities until Randy is free. There should be a mob of metalheads outside the jail where he is being held, 24-7, so when he gets out he can see with his own eyes that he has not been abandoned. All of the video of the incident shows it for what it truly was… a tragic accident. Fucking let him out already!"

A number of other rockers have come to Randy's defense, with many of them citing the 2004 shooting death onstage of PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott as the reason why musicians are so defensive nowadays about fans invading the stage.

Draiman's bandmate and drummer Mike Wengren told The Pulse Of Radio not along after Dimebag was shot that his death had cast a shadow over live performing. "I think one of the most scariest things is, you go up onstage, and there's this energy transfer between the band and the crowd, and you almost feel invincible. You feel very empowered. Never in a million years would anyone ever think something like that was even possible, and I think it just caught everyone off guard. It's pretty scary."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael simply tweeted, "Everything changed on December 8, 2004. #stayoffthestage #FreeRandyBlythe," while ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian wrote, "It's complete and utter bullshit for him to be treated like a criminal for something he didn't do. Now fans can see firsthand why there's no stage diving anymore. Especially in the post-Darrell world we live in . . . Of course it's sad that this person died, it's a tragedy, but it's not Randy's fault."

LAMB OF GOD had been touring Europe in support of its latest album, "Resolution", when Blythe was arrested. The band canceled the rest of its shows and returned home to Richmond, Virginia on Sunday (July 1) — all, of course, except Blythe.

LAMB OF GOD's publicist, Adrenaline PR, issued a statement on June 30 stressing that "under no circumstances was there a fight of any kind involved [during LAMB OF GOD's 2010 concert]. This incident deals with a fan that three times during the concert jumped the barricade and rushed Randy during the performance. It is alleged that the third time, security was not able to reach him and that Randy pushed him back into the audience where supposedly he fell and hit his head."