Finnish melodic black metallers CATAMENIA will release "The Rewritten Chapters" on April 27 via Massacre Records. The collection, which was recorded last fall at Mastervox Studios in Oulu, Finland with Kari Vähäkuopus, contains re-recorded and rearranged versions of 14 songs from CATAMENIA's previous albums as well as a brand new cover version of BON JOVI's "Born To Be My Baby". According to a press release, "This six-piece band brings the old songs back with better sounds and giving them some new brutality, but still respecting enough the original versions." The cover art and booklet was designed by Riku Hopeakoski and Elsa Bergström.

"The Rewritten Chapters" track listing:

01. Hollow Out – ChaosBorn
02. Blackmension
03. Alive...Cold...Dead!
04. Cavalcade
05. Passing Moment of Twilight Time
06. The Day When The Sun Faded Away
07. My Blood Stained Path
08. Post Mortem
09. Morning Crimson
10. Eskhata
11. Coldbound
12. Lost in Bitterness
13. Pimeä Yö
14. Kuolon Tanssi
15. Born To Be My Baby (BON JOVI cover)

CATAMENIA in December 2010 announced the addition of vocalist Juha-Matti Perttunen (ALL AGAINST) to the group's ranks. The band also parted ways with Ari Nissilä (guitar, vocals), Toni Kansanoja (bass/backing vocals), Kari Vähäkuopus (clean vocals) and Mikko Nevanlahti (drums) and replaced them with Mikko Hepo-oja (bass), Tony Qvick (drums) and Sauli Jauhiainen (guitar).

The current CATAMENIA lineup is:

Riku Hopeakoski - Guitar
Mikko Hepo-oja - Bass
Tony Qvick - Drums
Sauli Jauhiainen - Guitar
Juha-Matti Perttunen - Vocals
Jussi Sauvola - Keyboards

CATAMENIA's most recent album, "Cavalcade", was released in February 2010 via Massacre Records. The CD was recorded and mixed by Kari Vähäkuopus at Mastervox Studios in Oulu, Finland and was produced by CATAMENIA. POISONBLACK/ex-SENTENCED frontman Ville Laihiala makes a guest appearance on the album's opening track, "Blood Trails".

Long-running French extreme metal band NO RETURN will release its eighth album, "Inner Madness", on April 23 via Great Dane Records. The CD was recorded at the Sainte Marthe studio with producer Francis Caste.

"Inner Madness" track listing:

01. N.I.L. 2
02. Inquisitive Hegemony (S€v€n)
03. Backdoor
04. Near Death Experiences
05. Morgane's Song
06. Inner Madness
07. Borderline
08. The Dead Inside
09. Death Scars

Great Dane Records is a young label from the north of France created by Raph and Geoff (ex-DISGUST guitarist).

NO RETURN's seventh album, "Manipulated Mind", came out in 2008 via Dockyard 1.

NO RETURN is:

David Barbosa: Bass
Boban Tomic: Drums
Nicolas Coudert: Guitar
Alain Clement: Guitar
L. Chuck D.: Vocals

"Caligvla", the sophomore album from KATAKLYSM frontman Maurizio Iacono's Ancient Roman-themed arsenal EX DEO, si scheduled for release on August 31 via Austria's Napalm Records.

In addition to the previously announced guest appearances by ALL SHALL PERISH guitarist Francesco Artusato and TRISTANIA singer Mariangela Demurtas, the CD will feature contributions from SEPTICFLESH's Seth Siro Anton and GRAVEWORM's Stefano Fiori. Every invited guest on the album is of Roman or Greek descent.

"Caligvla" is being mixed by KATAKLYSM guitarist Jean-François Dagenais, who has previously worked with MALEVOLENT CREATION, MISERY INDEX and DESPISED ICON, among others. The artwork and layout for the album will be handled by SEPTICFLESH's Seth Siro Anton.

"Caligvla" track listing:

01. I, Caligvla
02. The Tiberius Cliff (Exile To Capri)
03. Per Oculos Aquila
04. Pollice Verso (Damnatio Ad Bestia)
05. Divide Et Impera
06. Burned To Serve As Nocturnal Light
07. Teutuborg (Ambush Of Varus)
08. Along The Appian Way
09. Once Were Romans
10. Evocatio: The Temple Of Castor & Pollux

EX DEO recently canceled its participation in the "Paganfest America Part III" tour with TURISAS, ALESTORM, ARKONA and HUNTRESS due to delays in the production of "Caligvla". The band will still perform with Paganfest on April 1 in Montreal at Club Soda and April 2 in Toronto at The Opera House.

EX DEO last year completed a North American tour with NILE, PSYCROPTIC and KEEP OF KALESSIN.

"Romulus", the debut album from EX DEO, landed at position No. 90 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.

Austrian blackened death metal outfit BELPHEGOR has commenced the rehearsal sessions in Abtenau, Austria for its upcoming album recordings.

Commented guitarist/vocalist Helmuth Lehner: "All good so far. We just finished the second rehearsing session. Currently we're working on nine sound-collages, added a lot new arrangements, elements and structures. Serpenth, Marthyn and me shredded our asses off in these eleven days. There will be three more 'till we enter the studio by end of May 2012 and start to tracking drums. The titles on the setlist are working titles. Hell awaits!"

Several photos from the rehearsal sessions can be found at this location.

BELPHEGOR's as-yet-untitled new CD will be released in late 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The band'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.

"Saxon - Heavy Metal Thunder - Live - Eagles Over Wacken" is the no-fat-no-bullshit-100%-pure CD/DVD featuring DVD highlights from SAXON's Wacken shows in 2004, 2007 and 2009 comprising thirty songs, plus a live CD from Glasgow in 2011. Each set captures the Barnsley-bred British heavy metal legends delivering classic after classic, from "Denim & Leather" to "Metalhead" to "Heavy Metal Thunder" to "Princess Of The Night" to "Crusader" in front of 75,000-pluds loyal, ravenous fans, who have come to expect (and receive) the levels of performance SAXON have been delivering for 32 years.

The second video podcast in which the members of SAXON discuss the upcoming release can be seen below.

"When we first played Wacken, it was a small festival with a small stage in a small field, driven by nothing more than raw enthusiasm, which appealed very much to us," says Biff Byford, SAXON's venerable frontman. "It started as fans putting on a festival for fans, and now it's fair to say that it is to heavy metal what the Donington festival used to be. That was the iconic heavy metal festival of the '80s, and Wacken is the iconic heavy metal festival of now."

Now you can feel that electricity for yourselves thanks to "Saxon - Heavy Metal Thunder - Live - Eagles Over Wacken", the no-fat-no-bullshit-100%-pure CD/DVD featuring DVD highlights from SAXON's Wacken shows in 2004, 2007 and 2009 comprising thirty songs, plus a live CD from Glasgow in 2011. Each set captures the Barnsley-bred British heavy metal legends delivering classic after classic, from "Denim & Leather" to "Metalhead" to "Heavy Metal Thunder" to "Princess Of The Night" to "Crusader" in front of 75,000-pluds loyal, ravenous fans, who have come to expect (and receive) the levels of performance SAXON have been delivering for 32 years.

"And when the eagle comes down at Wacken, when it opens up over the audience, it is always an electric moment for those there," says Biff emphatically of the famous SAXON eagle, a ton or so of steel and lights, rescued from a storage space in the British home counties where it had lain dormant gathering rust. In many ways, the eagle's rebirth and Wacken's ascent are partners on the journey, as it was Wacken's organizers who offered to restore the mighty metal bird so as it could become a live centerpiece of both Wacken and SAXON's history.

And when it comes to heavy metal, SAXON's history is, indeed, rich. Rightly seen as one of the premier vanguards of heavy metal alongside the likes of IRON MAIDEN, SAXON were a major influence behind platinum-coated stars such as METALLICA and MEGADETH. Formed as SON OF A BITCH in 1976 (and becoming SAXON in 1978) they enjoyed tremendous commercial success in the U.K. during the '80s, with 8 U.K. top 40 albums, and have sold over 13 millions albums worldwide, while albums such as "Wheels Of Steel", "Strong Arm Of The Law", "Denim & Leather" and "The Power & The Glory" have become legendary staples of any self-respecting metal fan’s collection.

But it has always arguably been on stage where SAXON have excelled the most. There's no hiding once you hit the boards, and whether playing to 20000 people in Buenos Aires or 2000 people in Bolton, Byford, Carter, Glockler, Quinn and Scarratt source the same high-voltage energy reserves and deliver the same high-octane, blood and sweat-soaked show that makes SAXON a perennial touring favorite.

"We've consistently tried to write, and perform songs which both us and our audience enjoy," says Biff, "and we've worked very hard to maintain that link with our audience, because if you don't have that connection it can be very dangerous. We need them, and we need to be ready to deliver for them at every show, that's the challenge and it's one we gratefully accept and enjoy. If the audience are prepared to get crazy, then it's always going to be a strong show, and Wacken always delivers us a fantastic connection. You cannot fake that electricity, everyone wants that 'charged' atmosphere and it is absolutely priceless..."

"Heavy Metal Thunder - Live - Eagles Over Wacken" is available in a variety of formats, including the Golden Ticket D2C/Direct To Consumer Box.

Strictly limited, this exclusive package contains the "Best Of Wacken" DVD, plus the full and complete SAXON Wacken Open Air performances from 2004/2007/2009 each on a separate DVD, plus a SAXON flag.

The real surprise is that 10 Golden Tickets are randomly included in the box sets, which will allow the lucky winners to visit any SAXON concert in any city around the world (excluding festival appearances).

Silver Tickets giving access to special online content are for the remaining boxes so there are no losers - only winners.

Release dates:

April 23 - U.K.
April 20 - Rest Of Europe
May 22 - North America

Several preview clips from "Heavy Metal Thunder - Live - Eagles Over Wacken" can be seen below.

Video podcast - part 2:

Canadian blackened death metal blasphemers WEAPON entered The Physics Lab studio in their hometown of Edmonton on March 18 with producer Terry Paholek to begin recording their long-awaited Relapse debut and follow-up to 2010's critically acclaimed "From The Devil's Tomb". Continuing on the same scathing path as their previous works, the upcoming release, planned for the fall of 2012, is sure to be their most vicious and all-out evil offering to date.

Commented WEAPON guitarist/vocalist Vetis Monarch: "WEAPON loyalists can expect no-holds-barred Satanic death metal that the band displayed on it's previous work, but further refined and sharpened to ferocious perfection. 'Embers And Revelations' will be the apex of malice via music."

In other news, WEAPON has confirmed a three-week tour with black metal legends MARDUK and 1349, with additional support from WITHERED. The trek begins on June 2 in Baltimore, Maryland and ends on June 20 in San Diego, California.

"The Infernal Resurrection", the new video from Athens, Ohio's SKELETONWITCH, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's new album, "Forever Abomination", which was released last November via Prosthetic Records. The follow-up to 2009's "Breathing The Fire" was recorded at a Los Angeles studio with producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, MACHINE HEAD, KREATOR). The effort includes the track "The Infernal Resurrection", the demo version of which appears as the B-side on the final seven-inch of a limited-edition vinyl trilogy. This marks SKELETONWITCH's first recording with the group's new drummer, former DEMIRICOUS skin-pounder Dustin Boltjes. The album was issued in three formats: digital download; a six-panel, plastic-free digipak; and a triple-gatefold LP (which in turn will be available in several color variants). More details are available at ForeverAbomination.com.

Prosthetic Records will reissue "Breathing The Fire" and "Beyond The Permafrost" from SKELETONWITCH at the end of March. The deluxe, limited gatefold packages will be made available to coincide with the band's U.S. tour with THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, NILE and HOUR OF PENANCE.

Pictured below is the new "Fire Splatter" edition of "Breathing The Fire" vinyl, one of three versions that will be available of the band's 2009 release. Also available is a close-up photo of the LP. The "Fire Splatter" LPs come in a new gatefold Stoughton "tip-on" jacket, and unlike the first and second pressings that sold out long ago, they come with a lyric insert so that Andrei Bouzikov's gatefold artwork appears unobstructed. This version is limited to 500 copies. "Breathing The Fire" will also be available on heavy duty 180-gram black vinyl (also limited to 500 pieces), in addition to a very limited edition red/yellow half-and-half 2-color vinyl that will only be available exclusively through the Prosthetic store.

The LP version of SKELETONWITCH's critically acclaimed 2007 breakthrough "Beyond The Permafrost" will also be available in three variants, all of which come in new gatefold Stoughton "tip-on" jackets as well: 180-gram black vinyl (approximately 500 pieces), "Permafrost splatter" (blue on white, approximately 500 pieces) and limited white/blue half-and-half 2-color wax that will be a Prosthetic store exclusive. The black vinyl versions of both titles will be available in select North American stores on April 10, but pre-orders will begin shipping around the third week of March.

Lastly, there are a limited amount of "Forever Abomination" blue marble pressing of their latest release, "Forever Abomination", still available. This particular release comes with two free posters.

"Murder...Suicide", the new video from Toronto, Ontario, Canada-based black metallers ECLIPSE ETERNAL, can be seen below. The clip was filmed the weekend of February 18-19 by Ax Media Studios.

"Murder...Suicide" comes off ECLIPSE ETERNAL's third full-length album, "The Essence Of Hopelessness", which was released on January 14 via Archaic North Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Ragnarok
02. Deathbound
03. Ancient Voices On The Wind
04. Ode To A Time Long Gone
05. The Essence Of Hopelessness
06. Death Obsession
07. Writing With A Razor Upon The Blue Lines
08. Murder...Suicide
09. Noose
10. What Comes Next (hidden track)

Recorded once again at Glen Drover's (MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND, EIDOLON) Eclipse Studios, "The Essence Of Hopelessness" finds ECLIPSE ETERNAL "mix[ing] the vicious, harsh nature of their previous album with an emotional intensity that is rarely seen in current black metal," according to a press release. "They have delved into their innermost suffering and wrenched forth an album that is both poignant and memorable. From cold atmospheres to absolute chaos, from acoustic and spoken word interludes to ripping shredding, this album is as brutal as it is stirring. With lyrics swinging from Odes to ancient Pagan times to suicide to murder most foul, ECLIPSE ETERNAL holds back nothing on this third full-length album. This is death-obsessed black metal at its best."

Video footage of , the experimental band led by TESTAMENT/ex-SAVATAGE guitarist Alex Skolnick, performing at the Musikmesse Frankfurt 2012 fair in Frankfurt am Main, Germany on Friday, March 23 can be seen below.

ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO's fourth album, "Veritas" (Latin for"Truth"), was released in March 2011 via the innovative jazz label Palmetto Records. The 11-track album contains nine original compositions, a cover of METALLICA's "Fade To Black" and a bonus remix of the song "Bollywood Jam" by Jay Sustain and Nik Chinboukas. The record was produced by Alex Skolnick and recorded at Spin Recording Studios in Long Island City, New York.

"Veritas" appeals to music fans that enjoy some of the pillars of jazz guitar — Scofield, Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery, Bill Frisell, Jim Hall and George Benson — but recast from an edgier and more energetic perspective.

Alex Skolnick is a true guitar hero. At sixteen years old, he joined a group of twenty-somethings who'd formed a thrash metal band called TESTAMENT. Alex stayed with the band through five critically acclaimed albums and countless tours with, among others, SLAYER, MEGADETH, JUDAS PRIEST and WHITE ZOMBIE. After hearing and seeing one of Miles Davis' electric bands on TV, Alex relocated to New York City to play and study jazz.

ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO (AST) was formed while Alex was earning his BFA in jazz from New School University in Manhattan. AST has been lauded by critics, fans and musical heroes alike ranging from Downbeat to Jazziz to the Village Voice to Kirk Hammett of METALLICA.

Swedish female-fronted heavy rockers SISTER SIN have set "Now And Forever" as the title of their third album, due on May 22 via Victory Records. The CD was recorded at Standstraight Studios in Stockholm with producer Chris Snyder.

Various pre-order options for "Now And Forever" can be found at VictoryRecords.com.

SISTER SIN last fall released a video for its cover version of the MOTÖRHEAD classic "Rock 'N' Roll". The track, which was made available on all digital platforms worldwide via Victory Records in September, features guest vocals from the German metal queen Doro Pesch. It was produced by Snyder at Standstraight and was mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, England.

SISTER SIN's second album, "True Sound Of The Underground", landed at position No. 97 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.

SISTER SIN in November 2010 announced the addition of bassist Andreas Strandh to the group's ranks.

"True Sound Of The Underground" was released in North America on June 22, 2010 via Victory Records and was issued in Europe on July 23, 2010 through Metal Heaven Records. It was produced by Henrik Edenhed (DEAD BY APRIL, ROBYN, LAMBRETTA, TEDDYBEARS, CHRISTIAN WALTZ, THE SOUNDS) in Stockholm at Studio 301 and Cosmos Studios.

For more information, visit www.sistersin.com.

"Infernal Battlefield", the new video from the Brazilian blackened death metal band CAUTERIZATION, can be seen below. The clip was produced by Felix Marine.

"Infernal Battlefield" comes off CAUTERIZATION's debut EP, "Males Infestus", which came out in 2011.

CAUTERIZATION is fronted by female singer/guitarist Maysa Rodrigues, who was named one of the best vocalists of 2011 by the A Ilha do Metal web site.

Maysa Rodrigues - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Well Moia - Bass And Backing Vocals
Trojillo Jr. - Drums

Swedish glam rockers CRASHDÏET are in the process of writing and recording pre-production demos for their as-yet-untitled fourth album. A new 23-second "sneak peek" into the sessions is available below.

CRASHDÏET's third album, "Generation Wild", was recently released on vinyl. This gatefold LP features the new bonus track "Hollywood Teaze" as well as updated artwork.

"Generation Wild" entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 3. The CD, which was made available in Sweden in April 2010 through Gain/Sony Music, was helmed by RamPac, the production and songwriting team formed by Johan Ramström and Patrik Magnusson, in Gröndal, Sweden and was mixed by Tobias Lindell.

CRASHDÏET in 2009 announced the addition of Simon "Simme" Cruz from the Stockholm act JAILBAIT as the group's new lead singer.

The band parted ways with its previous vocalist, the Finland-based H. Olliver Twisted, in July 2008.

The third trailer for "Die Gottlosen Jahre" (English translation: The Godless Years), the forthcoming DVD from long-running German metallers ATROCITY, can be seen below. The set will be released on March 30.

Commented the band: "After years of preparation, rediscovering old treasures and unveiling unforgettable memories of our musical adventures, we are finally able to share our history which extends over a period of more than two decades since we formed the band in 1985. The DVD features the three-hour long anthology 'Die Gottlosen Jahre', including tons of unreleased and rare footage, moreover, more than 80 inteviewes from the global metal and gothic scene. It makes us unbelievably proud that so many people helped us during this long and detailed production process. The movie chronicles happenings around the scene bound to each period, evolving into its own chapter. Additionally, the double DVD including audio CD release includes the 25th-anniversary special show at Wacken Open Air 2010, as well as a number of bonus clips, such as the short, Dreath-Sidestory Underground."

"Die Gottlosen Jahre" features more than 80 interviews, including those with members of CARCASS, ARCH ENEMY, KREATOR, DIMMU BORGIR, DEICIDE, OBITUARY, SODOM, LACRIMOSA, DAS ICH, OOMPH!, PAIN, CREMATORY, ENTOMBED, MORGOTH, NAPALM DEATH, PUNGENT STENCH, UMBRA ET IMAGO, SAMSAS TRAUM, as well as journalists, label staff, DJs, photographers, and fans. Reels and reels of rare unreleased film material and hundreds of photographs accompany the 25-year career of this German cult band. Of course, no ATROCITY retrospective would ever be complete without the legendary 25th-anniversary concert (performed at Wacken Open Air 2010 to a red-hot crowd led by frontman Alex Krull) or without an abundance of bonus material such as the documentary "No Sleep 'Til Wacken", the short "Dreath Sidestory Underground", featuring Alex Krull and Ralf Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR), as well as a substantial collection of the band's video clips, including some of their greatest hits ("Taste of Sin", "Love Is Dead" and "Cold Black Days"), which were completely remastered to guarantee their fans the utmost enjoyment. As with all Mastersound Studio releases, the remaining material also boasts of a state-of-the-art production.

"Die Gottlosen Jahre" track listing:

DVD 1:

Documentary - Die Gottlosen Jahre (The Godless Years)

01. Prolog
02. Untergrund
03. Aufbruch
04. Turbulenzen
05. Transilvanien
06. Weltmusik
07. Zusammenkunft
08. Hass und Feuer
09. Neue Ufer
10. Zweigeist
11. Verlorenes Paradies
12. Dunkle Schönheit
13. Stimmen der Vergangenheit
14. Epilog

DVD 2:

Live in Wacken 2010 + Bonus Clips

01. No Sleep 'Til Wacken
02. Fatal Step
03. Necropolis
04. Blut
05. Willenskraft
06. Seasons in Black
07. Clash of the Titans
08. Die Todgeweihten
09. Danse Macabre
10. The Great Commandment
11. Fade To Grey
12. The Sun Always Shines on TV
13. Shout

Bonus Clips:

01. Blut
02. Cold Black Days
03. The Sun Always Shines on TV
04. Reich of Phenomena (Liveclip)
05. Die Liebe (feat. Das Ich)
06. Taste of Sin
07. Shout (Liveclip)
08. Love is Dead
09. Fade to Grey (Liveclip)
10. Calling the Rain (feat. Yasmin)
11. The Great Commandment (Liveclip)
12. Miss Directed
13. Dreath - Sidestory "Underground"

DVD Specification:

Aspect Ratio: 16:9 PAL DV
Sound: Stereo 2.0
Language: English/German
Subtitle: English / German
Regional Code: All Regions
Running Time DVD I: 180 minutes
Running Time DVD II: 116 minutes

Bonus Audio CD:

Live in Wacken 2010

01. Fatal Step
02. Necropolis
03. Blut
04. Willenskraft
05. Seasons in Black
06. Clash of the Titans
07. Die Todgeweihten
08. Danse Macabre
09. The Great Commandment
10. Fade To Grey

In other news, drummer Roland Navratil left ATROCITY "for private reasons and has been replaced by Joris Nijenhuis. The band states, "Not only is he a great guy; he also totally blew us away during his audition. He is the perfect match for the new ATROCITY material!"

States Joris: "I'm really excited to announce that I'm the new drummer for ATROCITY. After quitting DRDOOM, it wasn't easy to find a new band, but then [bassist] J.B. [Van Der Wal] told me that ATROCITY was looking for a new drummer. So I recorded an audition video of 'Reich Of Phenomena' and was asked to come to the studio a few weeks later to meet everyone. I'm really looking forward to play on the upcoming album and play a lot of shows."

"Murderous Horde", the new video from Washington D.C.-based female-fronted heavy metallers A SOUND OF THUNDER, can be seen below, The song comes off the band's second full-length album, "Out Of The Darkness", which will be released on March 27 via Nightmare Records. The follow-up to last year's "Metal Renaissance" was produced by Kevin "131" Gutierrez (SHINEDOWN, WHILE HEAVEN WEPT, DECEASED) at Assembly Line Studios in Virginia. According to a press release, "the 10-track album plays like a love letter to all that is metal, encompassing traditional heavy metal, modern power metal, prog and classic rock, with timeless songs that could have been written in 1971, 1991 or 2011."

The material on "Out Of The Darkness" was composed by Josh Schwartz and the rest of A SOUND OF THUNDER, with lyrics written by Nina Osegueda and Chris Haren. Legendary RAVEN frontman John Gallagher makes an appearance on the album, performing a duet with Nina on the CD's title track.

"John Gallagher was so awesome to work with," says Nina. "I learned a lot from him in the short time we were in the studio together, and I really respect his skills and experience which shine through on this track."

"Out Of The Darkness" track listing:

01. The Day I Die
02. The Night Witch
03. Kill That Bitch
04. Murderous Horde
05. A Sound of Thunder
06. Out of the Darkness
07. Calat Alhambra
08. Fight Until the End
09. This Too Shall Pass
10. Discovery

In support of their upcoming release, A SOUND OF THUNDER has announced a string of North American tour dates, including a special CD-release show and appearances with SABATON and VIRGIN STEELE.

A SOUND OF THUNDER is:

Nina Osegueda - Vocals, Lyrics
Josh Schwartz - Guitars, Keyboards
Chris Haren - Drums, Lyrics
Jesse Keen - Bass, Keyboards

For more information, visit www.asoundofthunderband.com.

Icelandic death metal band BENEATH will release its debut album, "Enslaved By Fear", on July 17 via Unique Leader Records. The CD was mixed by Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, BEHEMOTH, IN FLAMES, DARK FUNERAL) and features artwork by Raymond Swanland (DEEDS OF FLESH, PSYCROPTIC).

"Enslaved By Fear" track listing:

01. As Gods Walk The Earth
02. Lies Of The Dead
03. Enslaved By Fear
04. No One Above
05. Heretics
06. Bloodlust
07. Writhe
08. Monolith
09. Sacrificial Ritual

The song "As Gods Walk The Earth" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

According to a press release, BENEATH mixes "furious speed and technicality with song structures and melodies, resulting in a distinctively Icelandic brand of extreme metal. Not afraid to draw influences from other genres, BENEATH infuses old-school vibe into modern death metal while creating soundtracks to their apocalyptic and anti-religious lyrical content."

BENEATH's debut EP, "Hollow Empty Void", was released in February 2010 via Mordbrann Musikk. The CD was recorded, mixed and mastered by guitarist Johann Ingi Sigurdsson at Fossland Studio in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.

BENEATH is:

Gisli Sigmundsson - Vocals
Johann Ingi Sigurdsson - Guitar
Unnar Sigurdsson - Guitar
Gisli Runar Gudmundsson - Bass
Ragnar Sverrisson - Drums

For more information, visit www.beneathmetal.com.

PUMP, the German heavy rockers featuring ex-BRAINSTORM singer Marcus Jürgens, are working on their fourth album, tentatively titled "Waiting For The Rapture", for a late 2012 release.
A rough-mix version of a new PUMP song, "Halo (I Don't Care)", can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

PUMP is:

* Marcus Jürgens (BRAINSTORM, KASHMYR) - Vocals
* Marcel "Selly" Bernhardt (TALES OF SORROW, UNFROYND) - Guitars
* Michael Vetter (WATCH ME BLEED, CHINCHILLA, OUTRAGE, UNFROYND) - Bass
* Axel "Aki" Reissmann (DOWNSPIRIT, HAZY SHADE) - Guitars
* Andreas Minich (UNFROYND) - Drums

PUMP was formed in February 2002 by a group of talented, hard-working musicians. Tired of being told what type of music they should play, PUMP decided to go against the pervasive grunge/nu-metal grain to write the hard rock music they love in the vein of SKID ROW, TESLA, WHITESNAKE, AEROSMITH and DOKKEN.

The guitar team of Marcel "Selly" Bernhardt and Aki Reissmann each bring his own unique guitar style to this hard-driving mix: bluesy, yet melodic with a heavy twist. Bassist Michael Vetter and drummer Andreas Minich provide the solid, rhythmic foundation on which the music is built.

"Chaos Lives In Everything", the new video from KORN, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's tenth studio album, "The Path Of Totality", which was released last December via Roadrunner Records.

"The Path Of Totality" is an experimental album which finds KORN shifting gears and exploring new territory. That should hardly come as a shock to the band's diehard fans, as KORN exploded onto the scene in the '90s and established themselves as hard rock game-changers from that point on.

For "The Path Of Totality", the band collaborated with some of the leading dubstep and electronic producers in the world, including Skrillex, Excision, Datsik, Noisia, Kill the Noise, and 12th Planet. The result is something completely new, yet utterly and definitively KORN.

Speaking to Kerrang! magazine about the reaction to "The Path Of Totality", KORN frontman Jonathan Davis said, "I always felt KORN was the black sheep of the metal community because we didn't fit in anywhere. When I did the first record I was inventing a new genre of music then. It's the same shit now. I haven't been this excited in years."

The band's recent (and much lauded) collaboration with dubstep's hottest producer, Skrillex, titled "Get Up!", was the surprise rock hit of the summer, the buzz of which started in Coachella's dance tent in April 2011, when Jonathan and Munky joined Skrillex on stage for a show-stealing unannounced performance of the song.

"The Path Of Totality" track listing:

01. Chaos Lives In Everything
02. Kill Mercy Within
03. My Wall
04. Narcisstic Cannibal
05. Illuminati
06. Burn The Obedient
07. Sanctuary
08. Let's Go
09. Get Up!
10. Way Too Far
11. Bleeding Out

The album was released in two configurations: as a standard 11-song CD and a special edition CD that included bonus tracks as well as a DVD of "The Encounter", a full-length video concert of KORN's mind-blowing, once-in-a-lifetime performance in the middle of a 900-foot-long crop circle in a wheat field in Bakersfield. The complete concert, previously seen in 2010 on TV and online in an abbreviated form, was offered in its entirety to those who purchase the deluxe version.

"Biggest Fan", the first single from CALL ME NO ONE, the new project featuring SEVENDUST members Clint Lowery (guitar) and Morgan Rose (drums), can be streamed at Loudwire.com. The song comes off CALL ME NO ONE's debut album, "Last Parade", which will be released on June 5 via SEVENDUST's own label, 7 Bros. Records (through a partnership with Asylum Records, Warner Music Group's division designed to provide a variety of services to urban independent music labels and artists).

In a recent interview with Zoiks! Online, Clint stated about CALL ME NO ONE's upcoming debut, "It's not really a heavy record, but it's not a light record like the HDMS (HELLO DEMONS MEET SKELETONS) stuff I do. It's somewhere in the middle. Some of the songs are pretty progressive, some of the songs are just rock. It all has a dark spooky twist to it; kind of NINE INCH NAILS meets FOO FIGHTERS."

When asked how the project came about, Clint said, "Morgan and I just, for years, loved talking about different directions and things we couldn't do in SEVENDUST. I hate to say it like this, but there is a ceiling with what we can do as SEVENDUST. We've done so many records; with that particular formula, there is only a certain amount you can do, musically. There is nothing wrong with that. There is a lot fulfillment within SEVENDUST and that whole process. We all love each other, the guys are great, the music is fun and the energy is really good. We felt like it was time to explore a little bit beyond SEVENDUST. I've always wanted to go and do a record and Morgan showed a lot of interest in helping me. We just decided to partner up. We're going to try and make a band out of it and make a go at it while we have some down time in SEVENDUST. We're not trying to set any expectations; we're just trying to make a good record."

During the same interview, Clint also spoke about the inspiration behind CALL ME NO ONE's name. "It's about humility," he said. "I've always been the kind of guy that's in the background on things. There's always been a Lajon [Witherspoon, SEVENDUST vocalist] or a Brett [Hestla, DARK NEW DAYS] or singers like that. I see myself as a pretty regular person and that is basically what the name is, CALL ME NO ONE. At the end of the day, it's about the humility of it and the mystery of it. I'm a very human singer."

TOOTH AND NAIL — the new project featuring current and former members of DOKKEN — George Lynch (guitar), Jeff Pilson (bass), and Mick Brown (drums) — has been forced to shorten its name to T&N for legal reasons. The band states, "We cannot keep [the name] as TOOTH AND NAIL as there is a label that has it trademarked. [Fans] can still call us TO$%H AND NA$L... We can't."

T&N last week taped an appearance on an episode of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" which will air on April 14.

T&N's debut album is expected later in the year. The CD will feature new original material as well as reworked versions of around five or six DOKKEN classics. Pilson has contributed vocals to a new track title "When Eagles Die", with additional lead vocal duties on the CD by former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach (on DOKKEN's "Alone Again"), Doug Pinnick (KING'S X), Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, DIO DISCIPLES on a killer new version of DOKKEN's "Kiss Of Death" in what is described as a Ronnie James Dio-inspired performance) and Mick Brown (on DOKKEN's "When Heaven Comes Down"). The drum tracks on the new, original compositions were laid down by Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER).

Regarding how T&N came together, Pilson said in an August 2011 interview, "The DOKKEN [original lineup] reunion has been scrapped, and I take a lot of the initial responsibility for that because of my schedule and commitment to FOREIGNER. . . Then George asked me about working with him on the next LYNCH MOB record — and I jumped at the chance. He and I started writing, got into a groove and wrote an album's worth of stuff, all with the intention of Oni [Logan, LYNCH MOB singer] writing lyrics and it being their next record. Brian Tichy laid down some incredible drums at his studio (and co-wrote some music on one track) and we had an incredibly strong start. Then Oni just wasn't feeling the music as being LYNCH MOB, so it was shelved. We figured it'd be the start of another LYNCH/PILSON record some day. Then, actually, it was Brian who had the idea that Mick, George and I should do a band, similar to what HEAVEN & HELL was to BLACK SABBATH, and call it TOOTH AND NAIL. Because of everything else we have going, it'll be just a recording project at first, but sure sounds fun. We'd record the classics keeping true to the originals but make them fresh and organic. Then the idea of doing new songs came up, and it grew from there."

He added, "I have absolute belief that the music George and I make together (along with Brian Tichy in this case) is real and inspired, and that's what it's really all about. So out of a mess of a reunion attempt, I think we'll end up with a really fabulous record, and what could be better than that?"

When asked if T&N is basically DOKKEN without Don, Pilson said, "Don is, and will always be, the singer of DOKKEN and an invaluable part of the DOKKEN chemistry. No one ever wants to take that away or dispute it one iota. But the three of us do have time tested amazing chemistry, and because we were writers on these songs, I feel we have a lot to express. If anything I think this will be a show of respect for Don, not some kind of competition. I only hope people enjoy it in the spirit for which it's intended . . . Don't think of this as DOKKEN without Don... that's misleading. Think of it as a band with great chemistry coming up with new music that excites them, and also paying tribute to DOKKEN — music which the members all are heavily invested in emotionally."

The cover artwork for DOKKEN's forthcoming album, "Broken Bones", can be seen below. The drums for the CD were laid down at MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's The Atrium studio in Calabasas, California. A summer release via Frontiers Records is expected.

DOKKEN frontman Don Dokken stated in a recent interview about the new album title, "[It]is a metaphor that we all have broken bones, be it from an accident, failed relationship, or a broken heart. Everybody gets wounded as we go through life, but, as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Dokken previously described the band's new material as "very uptempo and heavy." He added, "We know our fans like the classic DOKKEN sound, and this is where our new music is headed. It's been a band of brothers doing what we love: 'music.'"

Regarding the new songs' lyrical approach, Dokken said, "I write what comes from the heart, I don't believe in writing music trying to repeat what you've already done. I understand what the fans want but as an artist I see no point in painting the same picture over and over."

The cooperation between Frontiers and DOKKEN started with the European release of the group's "Lightning Strikes Again" CD in 2007. The album marked a return to DOKKEN's signature style with melodic hooklines and blazing guitar riffs that epitomized the band's sound on such records as "Tooth And Nail", "Under Lock And Key", "Back For The Attack" and "Dysfunctional".

DOKKEN's current lineup consists of Don Dokken on lead vocals, Jon Levin on guitar, Sean McNabb on bass and Mick Brown on drums.

Don Dokken was interviewed on the March 5 edition of of the "Poolside With Dean Delray" podcast. You can now watch video footage of his appearance at this location.

"The Idea Of Poverty", the new video from BLINDED IN BLISS — the Ontario, Canada-based metal band featuring current and former members of SOILWORK, THREAT SIGNAL and MUTINY WITHIN — can be seen at this location. The clip was directed and produced by Tommy Jones of The Studio.

"The Idea Of Poverty" comes off BLINDED IN BLISS's debut album, "Constancy", which was released independently on February 14. The CD was produced and engineered by Jon Howard of THREAT SIGNAL at his home studio, Woodward Avenue, in Hamilton, Ontario. The effort was mixed by Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER), with additional mix engineering by Eyal Levi, at Audiohammer studios in Sanford, Florida. The mastering duties were handled by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (SEPULTURA, SUFFOCATION, UNEARTH) in New Windsor, New York.

BLINDED IN BLISS is:

* Bjorn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) - Vocals
* Rudy Martinez - Vocals
* Baron Pierce - Guitar
* Bryan Leger - Guitar
* Pat Kavanagh (THREAT SIGNAL, ARKAEA, A CANCEROUS AFFAIR) - Bass
* Bill Fore (ex-MUTINY WITHIN, VEXT, ANGEL VIVALDI) - Drums

Strid — who is currently based in Toronto — produced vocals and, with the exception of the song "Washed Away", wrote all of the melodic choruses on "Constancy".

"Into The Fire", the new single from Swedish all-girl hard rock quartet CRUCIFIED BARBARA, is available for streaming and download below. The song comes off the band's third studio album, "The Midnight Chase", which will be released on May 23 in Japan and May 28 in Europe. A North American release via Nuclear Blast is expected this summer. The CD was recorded at Music-A-Matic Vintage Recording Studio in Gothenberg, Sweden with sound engineer Henryk Lipp and producer Chips Kiesby.

Commented guitarist/vocalist Mia Coldheart: "I've never felt this good about anything we've made before. I'm so damn proud of the new songs and the sound is better than ever. We can't wait to go on tour and perform them live!"

Formed in Stockholm in 1998 by bassist Ida Evileye (now-wife of MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake) and guitarist Klara Force, CRUCIFIED BARBARA plays a fiery brand of rock 'n' roll tinged with metal and lashings of punk, pop, thrash, and whatever else dares to cross their path. Ida Evileye dominates her trusty Sandberg bass, Klara Force rocks steady on her '76 Gibson Explorer, Mia Coldheart belts out her unapologetic vocals while riffing all over her Gibson Gothic Flying V, and Nicki Wicked pounds on her hot pink sparkle Yamaha Maple drum kit until you're splayed across the floor with a bull's-eye knock-out punch that'll make you spit your teeth out. Now you know what happens when MOTÖRHEAD mates with THE RUNAWAYS.

No strangers to hard work or success, CRUCIFIED BARBARA's debut single from their 2005 debut, "In Distortion We Trust", climbed to #8 on the Swedish pop chart. They played Australia, toured across Europe opening for MOTÖRHEAD, SEPULTURA, IN FLAMES, and DORO, and earned a prestigious slot alongside BLACK SABBATH, VELVET REVOLVER, and SYSTEM OF A DOWN at the U.K.'s Download festival. With all that touring, it would be four years before the band got around to recording their second album, 2009's "'Til Death Do Us Party". Next thing you know, there they were on national television performing at the 2010 edition of Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest.

So how did they get their name? The band members attended Denmark's legendary Roskilde Festival and came across something very unexpected in a nearby forest: a blow-up doll (generically called "Barbara" throughout Sweden) attached to a crucifix. And no, they didn't identify with the victim, they claimed the power of the aggressor right on the spot and have never looked back.

California metallers BONDED BY BLOOD have finished recording their third studio album for a summer release via Earache Records. The CD was tracked at at Darth Mader Music in Los Angeles with producer and former MACHINE HEAD/SOULFLY guitarist Logan Mader (DEVILDRIVER, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH).

Commented BONDED BY BLOOD drummer Carlos Regalado: "It's been a crazy and totally cool month for us. We have finally finished up recording album #3! We love the sound we got and the way the songs came out — it's so aggressive and punchy. We poured everything we had into these songs (8 months!), and we can't wait for everybody to hear it! Mauro did such an amazing job and it's different from our previous records for sure, as is the music, but he really showed what he had and just totally blew us away. Our writing styles just keep evolving and we can't even believe we are capable of creating such power. The writing and recording was a blast, Logan is cool as shit and it's almost like he knew exactly what we wanted. We hope everybody enjoys this record as much as we do; we are gearing up for the road soon — see you in the pit!"

BONDED BY BLOOD is gearing up for a North American tour with KITTIE, BLACKGUARD and THE AGONIST which will kick off on April 10 in Poughkeepsie, New York.

BONDED BY BLOOD's second album, 2010's "Exiled To Earth", sold around 600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 86 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.

Swedish death metallers SARGATANAS REIGN have announced that Mathias Lillmåns, the frontman of FINNTROLL, THE INIQUITY DECENT and MAGENTA HARVEST, has laid down "some awesome growls on two songs" on the upcoming SARGATANAS REIGN CD, "Godwork". The band adds, "He is a great guy who took the time to come over the Baltic Sea to help us make the best album of the year!"

Also making a guest appearance on "Godwork" is SCAR SYMMETRY singer Roberth Karlsson, as well as two other vocalists, to be named later.

SARGATANAS REIGN's sophomore album, "Bloodwork - Techniques Of Torture", came out in 2005 via Blooddawn Productions/Regain Records.

According to the band's official bio, SARGATANAS REIGN's take on old-school American death metal creates a unique blend that is sure to attract fans of the most brutal metal and more commercial metal genres alike.

After the release of "Bloodwork", bassist Niklas Samuelsson and vocalist Jonas Matsson left SARGATANAS REIGN due to personal reasons.

InsideOut Music has announced the signing of the progressive metal band HEADSPACE to a worldwide deal.

HEADSPACE keyboardist Adam Wakeman (son of YES' Rick Wakeman and member of Ozzy Osbourne's backing band) comments on the signing: "We are so pleased to be joining forces with InsideOut. We have spent a long time making sure that this album is exactly how we want it; and to have a label behind us that fully understands where the band is coming from and what we're about is incredibly important to us. It's a perfect match."

HEADSPACE began as a way for Wakeman and a close circle of his musician friends to reconnect. There were no preconceptions of launching a progressive metal band, and certainly no visions of grandeur — they just played music that they loved. "We're quite open about our influences because that's the music that we love," the band comments. "There's RUSH, YES, GENESIS, a lot of bands. We even give a tip of the hat to DREAM THEATER in a few sections. That's all a part of what we are."

This impromptu collaboration amongst friends quickly turned into something more serious, leading to the official formation of HEADSPACE and the completion of their debut album, "I Am Anonymous", which will be released this psring through InsideOut Music. The band comments, "Indeed, with players like keyboardist Adam Wakeman, vocalist Damian Wilson (THRESHOLD, ARJEN LUCASSEN), bassist Lee Pomeroy (Rick Wakeman's ERE, IT BITES), HEADSPACE is destined to go in an 'unashamedly prog' direction. People may be surprised to find, however, that for a band led by a keyboardist and vocalist — at least on paper — 'I Am Anonymous' is a heavily guitar-oriented record."

Guitarist Pete Rinaldi and drummer Richard Brook round out the band's lineup, making HEADSPACE a progressive metal powerhouse in the music world.

HEADSPACE is:

Adam Wakeman - Keyboards
Damian Wilson - Vocals
Pete Rinaldi - Guitars
Lee Pomeroy - Bass
Richard Brook - Drums

According to The Pulse Of Radio, LINKIN PARK singer Chester Bennington appears to have admitted that the band went too far with the experimental, heavily electronic sound of its last album, "A Thousand Suns". Speaking with Kerrang! magazine about the band's fifth LP, which is being recorded now for a summer release, Bennington said, "With this album, we've incorporated a lot of guitar work with big choruses and the heavier electronic stuff to give it that really big wall of sound feeling without getting too metal. This will be more familiar to people than 'A Thousand Suns' was, where we were like 'Fuck it, we're just going to go bonkers."

"A Thousand Suns" polarized the band's fans, while not selling nearly as many copies as the group's previous three multi-platinum studio efforts.

Vocalist Mike Shinoda told The Pulse Of Radio at the time that LINKIN PARK were glad they went in a new direction. "I think we were just at a point where were hearing out things out there in the music world, a lot of stuff that was kind of boring us," he said. "The music that we were writing that sounded like something that LINKIN PARK would do was kind of boring us. And we wanted to really challenge ourselves to try something that felt fresh and exciting."

Bennington also told Kerrang!, "Over the previous two records, we were trying hard to break out of the nu-metal box that we'd found ourselves in. It's very easy to characterize us as that based on (first two albums) 'Hybrid Theory' and 'Meteora', but we knew there was more to us than that . . . I feel like we've found a place where we've become comfortable in our skin."

Bennington also revealed that the band would stay away from the political themes it tackled on "A Thousand Suns", writing more this time "about relationships."

MARILYN MANSON’s achtes Studio Album "Born Villain" wird am 1. Mai 2012 via Cooking Vinyl Records erscheinen. Jetzt wurde die "Born Villain" Track List und das Cover Artwork enthüllt.

"Born Villain" Track List:

01. Hey Cruel World…
02. No Reflection
03. Pistol Whipped
04. Overneath The Path Of Misery
05. Slo Mo Tion
06. The Gardener
07. The Flowers Of Evil
08. Children Of Cain
09. Disengaged
10. Lay Down Your Goddamn Arms
11. Murders Are Getting Prettier Every Day
12. Born Villain
13. Breaking The Same Old Ground

David Fefolt, singer/songwriter for American metallers FIREWOLFE, has left the band and is pursuing a career in the Christian music genre.

Fefolt, who has previously fronted such acts as VALHALLA, HAWK, MASI, FORGOTTEN REALM, and ANGELS OF BABYLON, states, "I wrote some Christian lyrics in ANGELS OF BABYLON with David Ellefson [MEGADETH bassist] and Rhino [ex-MANOWAR], but the band was seen mainly as secular. I've been a Christian most of my life and I feel the time is right for creating music that truly glorifies God. I lived the rock and roll lifestyle for many years and have come to realize you can only serve one Master... I choose the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ."

FIREWOLFE's debut album was previously described as "a turbine-powered, twin guitar, screaming eargasm" with overtones of DIO, IRON MAIDEN, SCORPIONS, and JUDAS PRIEST.

FIREWOLFE's current lineup includes guitarists Paul Kleff and Nick Layton, and drummer Jay Schellen (HURRICANE, ASIA)

The band is currently searching for a new vocalist.

For more information, visit FIREWOLFE's official web site.