Portugal's most brutal, depraved and infamous band known as HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL has inked a deal with Xtreem Music for the worldwide release of its third full-length album, "Gorefilia" (in Portugal, the CD will be made available through Raging Planet Records and Raising Legends Productions). Due in April, the 18-song effort was recorded at 213 Studios in Portugal and was mixed and mastered at Hertz Studio (BEHEMOTH, VADER, KRONOS, DECAPITATED, ABORTED) in Bialystok, Poland.

According to a press release, "Gorefilia" will showcase HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL's more brutal and intense, songwriting, with songs varying from one to three minutes without fillers, [with] influences from bands like ABORTED, CANNIBAL CORPSE, early DERANGED, NAPALM DEATH, SUFFOCATION, CARCASS."

HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL previously described "Gorefilia" as a "concept album [which] involves sexual arousal and gratification towards sexual behavior that is atypical and extreme. As always, you can expect self-torture, bizarre love and loads of sperm tainted with blood. Musically, some big changes are expected; however, the band is still committed to death metal and grind."

Commented bassist Z. Pedro: "Back in 1997 when HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL was born, bands such as INCANTATION, VADER, DERANGED, IMMOLATION, DEEDS OF FLESH… were not only an influence to the sound which we were creating, they also had released material though the legendary death metal label Repulse Records. This label became Xtreem Music a few years ago and is still releasing brutal music, gathering over 100 releases so far, [with] 'Gorefilia' [being] their 108th release."

Added guitarist/vocalist Eduardo F. : "We've known Dave Rotten [Xtreem Music A&R] for over a decade, having in on stage in some gigs as special guest and we also shared stage with AVULSED in several European festivals. Adding to this, a release history of more than 100 titles, make us strongly believe that Xtreem Music is the reliable and hardworking label that we were looking for."

The song "Objectofilia Platonica", taken from "Gorefilia", can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

DEF LEPPARD guitarist and MANRAZE frontman Phil Collen has recorded a guest appearance for the upcoming OEDIPUS album, "Vicious Little Smile", in stores in North America on March 13 via THC: Music/Rocket Science. Phil contributed lead and rhythm guitars to the track "Final Machine".

"We had built up a mutual admiration through our label, who also releases Phil's MANRAZE project, and the idea came up for him to play on a track, and miraculously, it ended up happening," says OEDIPUS bassist/vocalist Jeremy Haffner. "It turned out amazing. We couldn't be happier or more honored. Phil is such a legendary and spectacular talent, and we were all just blown away with how cool and naturally it came together."

Added Collen: "I loved the track as soon as I heard it. These guys have got phenomenal energy. Playing on it was a blast, and I look forward to hearing the rest of the album."

Produced by Darian Cowgill (SLEEPING GIANT, MIDDLE CLASS RUT), "Vicious Little Smile" formally releases several of the L.A. trio's international hits, including "Tres Las", "Burn It Down" and "Gimme a Chance", which have already received airplay in over 30 countries.

"Vicious Little Smile" track listing:

01. L.I.Z.Z.Y
02. Kiss On The Fist
03. Tres Las
04. Burn It Down
05. Liar
06. Cheat
07. Final Machine (featuring Phil Collen)
08. Gimme A Chance
09. Every Piece Of You
10. Tied Together
11. Perfect Strangers
12. Moonlight

The song "Kiss On The Fist" can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

For over a decade, OEDIPUS has been one of L.A.'s best-kept secrets, from their roots as an underground progressive rock favorite to achieving status as an international rock powerhouse with massive success in Europe.

In 2010, Polish radio giant Eska Rock added OEDIPUS' single "Tres Las", which went on to top the Polish rock charts and became the genesis of 3 #1 Polish rock singles, followed by repeated visits to Europe, including a performance at Ursynalia, where the band performed at Poland's biggest open-air festival, alongside KORN, GUANO APES, ALTER BRIDGE, SIMPLE PLAN and more.

OEDIPUS will return to Europe twice more in 2012, and follow it up with a U.S. run in April with ZERO 1, The hard rock project featuring actor/comedian Hal Sparks.

Vocalist Mat Maurer has quit Australian thrash metal veterans MORTAL SIN. He says in a statement, "I have decided to leave the band for personal reasons and irreconcilable differences." He adds, "Last year was an incredibly difficult year for me personally and I have decided to put my family first. Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years."

Quality video footage of MORTAL SIN's December 4, 2011 performance in Antwerp, Belgium can be seen below.

MORTAL SIN's new album, "Psychology Of Death", was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 via NoiseArt Records. The effort includes the group's classic debut LP, "Mayhemic Destruction", as a bonus disc in the limited digipak version. The follow-up to 2007's "An Absence of Faith" was mixed with producer/engineer Darren "jENK" Jenkins and marks the recording debut of guitarist Ryan Huthnance, who replaced Mick Sultana.

MORTAL SIN in 2009 released a live album, "Into the Inferno (Live in Oslo)", via Riot! Entertainment. The CD, which contains the group's March 2008 performance in Oslo, Norway, was described by the band as "possibly the best live show MORTAL SIN have ever had recorded."

Once hailed as the next METALLICA, MORTAL SIN have become legends in their home country Australia, having been inducted into the Kerrang! Heavy Metal Hall of Fame in 2005 and being the only Australian band to have played with the big five of thrash — METALLICA, SLAYER, ANTHRAX, MEGADETH and TESTAMENT — on tours in Australia and overseas.

ROB ZOMBIE bassist Matt Montgomery (a.k.a. Piggy D.) has joined forces with experimental vocalist Shannon Gallant in a recording project called THE HAXANS. The band's first single, "Cold Blood", was co-written/engineered by Chris Baseford and mixed by David Spreng. It is presently available at BlackVictoryStore.com, with an iTunes release to follow.

Commented Montgomery: ""It only took us five years to get our broom sticks together. But here it is!"

For more information, go to this location.

Swedish hard rockers EUROPE will release their ninth studio album, "Bag Of Bones", in April/May (exact date to be announced). The CD was produced by Kevin Shirley, who has previously worked with IRON MAIDEN, JOE BONAMASSA, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, BLACK STONE CHERRY and JOURNEY, among others.

The "Bag Of Bones" cover artwork can now be seen below.

Regarding the new CD title, EUROPE drummer Ian Haugland said, "It's not [called 'Bag Of Bones'] because we all have lost tons of weight or found a new interest in archeology or dogs... It's just because it sounds fuckin' cool!"

In a July 2011 press release, EUROPE singer Joey Tempest stated about the band's new CD, "We still feel we have one hell of a rock record to make. Kevin's the man for the job. We love his work with BONAMASSA, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, and BLACK STONE CHERRY. He's the real deal. We're ready to do some serious damage."

Last year, EUROPE met up with Shirley in Stockholm to discuss the direction of the next album. Based on reactions from the fans and media, EUROPE's 2009 album, "Last Look At Eden", proved to be the band's most important record since "The Final Countdown". "I've been a big fan of EUROPE's work for many years," said Shirley. "The band is influential and highly underrated. I can't wait to make the upcoming album their most explosive to date."

The new material suggests a more straightforward rock approach evident in "Doghouse" — a new song EUROPE performed on their most recent U.K. tour (see video below). The song is also featured on EUROPE's "Europe: Live at Shepherd's Bush" DVD, released in August 2011 via earMUSIC CDs and DVDs.

earMUSIC last year released a limited deluxe book with pictures by Denis O'Regan. "Live Look At Eden" features exclusive live audio and the stunning performance at 2010's iTunes Festival in London.

Virtuoso keyboardist Mistheria (ROB ROCK, BRUCE DICKINSON) has announced the official lineup for his new instrumental metal album, "Hands Of Fire", to be released later this year.

The effort will feature Mistheria on keyboards, piano, keytar, organ, and bass pedal, along with the following three musicians:

* Roger Staffelbach (ARTENSION, ANGEL OF EDEN) - Guitar
* Steve DiGiorgio (SADUS, TESTAMENT, DEATH, ICED EARTH) - Bass
* John Macaluso (JAMES LABRIE, ARK, TNT, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, RIOT, STARBREAKER, HOLYHELL) - Drums

Commented Mistheria: "Songwriting and arrangements are completed, recordings will start in the next weeks. The album will feature both original songs and heavy-arranged classical masterpieces (Albinoni, Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Paganini, Rimsky-Korsakov). Songlist, artwork and label will be announced soon."

Mistheria's latest neo-classical/progressive metal album, "Dragon Fire", was released in 2010 via Lion Music.

French progressive technical death metallers GOROD have inked a North American deal with Unique Leader Records. The band's fourth full-length album, "A Perfect Absolution", will be released in the U.S. on May 8. The CD was mixed by producer Frédéric "Elmobo" Motte, who oversaw the recording of the drums, bass and vocals, while all guitars were tracked by GOROD's mastermind Matthieu Pascal at his Bud Records Studio. The mix and the mastering were done at Elmobo's Conkrete Studio by Pascal and Elmobo.

The lyrical concept of "A Perfect Absolution" is based on the history of Kievan Rus during the 10th century.

In the year 945, Igor, King of Kiev, was killed while collecting a "tribute" when he visited a neighbor pagan tribe (the Derevlians) who lives in the forest. He left a widow, Olga, who avenged him in an extremely harsh manner before converting to Orthodox Christianity.

"A Perfect Absolution" features guest guitar solos by Christian Muenzner (OBSCURA) and Mike Keene (THE FACELESS).

GOROD will join OBSCURA for the "Omnivium Europe 2012" tour in March/April. Also appearing on the bill are SPAWN OF POSSESSION and EXIVIOUS.

GOROD's latest full-length album, "Process Of A New Decline", came out in 2009 via Listenable Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Leading Vision" marked the recording debut of GOROD's new drummer, Samuel Santiago.

GOROD's "Transcendence" EP came out last spring. The disc included a 15-minute-long new song, one acoustic track, a CYNIC cover and two re-recorded songs from the band's first two albums.

SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner is filling in for Charlie Benante at two ANTHRAX shows in Argentina.

Fan-filmed video footage of ANTHRAX's February 11 concert at Cosquin Rock in Cordoba, Argentina can be seen below.

Benante and ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello (who is Charlie's nephew) missed several shows on ANTHRAX's recent North American tour in order to spend time with Charlie's mother, who was terminally ill. On February 4, Benante informed fans via his official web site that his mother passed away.

Bittner previously joined ANTHRAX on stage on November 8, 2011 at Northern Lights in Clifton Park, New York to perform the ANTHRAX classic "Madhouse". He also filled in on drums for Benante for two ANTHRAX shows in January 2006 after Charlie was forced to leave the tour early to attend to his wife Sandra, who gave birth to the couple's first child, Mia Charley Benante.

Swedish progressive/experimental metallers THERION will celebrate their 25th anniversary by embarking on a European tour in September/October. The trek, aptly dubbed the "25th Anniversary Tour", and will include the following dates:

Sep. 28 - NL - Eindhoven - Effenaar
Sep. 29 - NL - Groningen - Oosterpoort
Sep. 30 - B - Antwerp - Hof ter Loo
Oct. 01 - F - Paris - Bataclan
Oct. 04 - E - Madrid - Heineken
Oct. 05 - E - Barcelona - Razzmatazz 2
Oct. 06 - E - Bilbao - Rock Star
Oct. 07 - F - Toulouse - Bikini
Oct. 09 - F - Lyon - Transbordeur
Oct. 10 - CH - Pratteln - Z7
Oct. 11 - I - Trezzo d'Adda - Live Club
Oct. 12 - D - Glauchau - Alte Spinnerei
Oct. 13 - CZ - Zlin - Masters of Rock Café
Oct. 14 - CZ - Prague - DK Vlatvska
Oct. 15 - PL - Krakow - Club Studio
Oct. 16 - PL - Warsaw - Stodola
Oct. 17 - H - Budapest - Club 202
Oct. 19 - RO - Bucharest - Arenele Romane Tent
Oct. 20 - GR - Thessaloniki - Apothiki Mylos
Oct. 21 - GR - Athens - Gagarin 205

More shows will be added later.

In other news, THERION is currently working on its as-yet-untitled new studio album, to be released in September, shortly before the tour kicks off.

THERION's latest CD, "Sitra Ahra", sold around 800 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 44 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.

"Sitra Ahra" was released in North America on October 26, 2010 through Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was mixed at the legendary Polar Studios in Stockholm by Lennart Östlund (LED ZEPPELIN, ABBA). The cover artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard, who worked on all of the band's most recent releases in addition to collaborating with EDGUY, AVANTASIA, RAGE and HAMMERFALL, among others.

As a special "Valentine's Day gift" to its fans, JOURNEY has released a video for the song "Resonate", taken from the band's latest album, "Eclipse" The clip was filmed in San Francisco and Los Angeles and it "captures some of [the group's] favorite live moments during the 'Eclipse' tour."

JOURNEY guitarist Neal Schon told The Pulse Of Radio that he called upon keyboardist Jonathan Cain to use one of the band's classics as the template of the new material he wanted for the group's latest album, "Eclipse". "Jon, y'know, he had brought in some ballads and they were good, but I felt that we had other stuff that was more relevant for this record," he said. "And I said, 'Y'know, you wrote 'Separate Ways', man, with [Steve] Perry,' I said, 'Go grab one of those. I know you have one of those sitting somewhere. And so 'Resonate' he brought in and I went, 'That's frickin' great!' Y'know, I love that."

"Eclipse" arrived in May 2011 and is being sold exclusively through Wal-Mart.

Perhaps the album's nod toward JOURNEY's older style is what led Schon to recently say that former singer Steve Perry is welcome to join the band as a special guest on tour.

Schon said current singer Arnel Pineda is "totally down, and such a humble human being, that he would be overjoyed" if Steve performed with the band.

Perry said last year that he had written 50 songs for his first solo album since 1994, but no further information about the project has surfaced.

ROYAL THUNDER, the Atlanta four-piece Brooklyn Vegan described as "Johnette Napolitano of CONCRETE BLONDE fronting BLACK SABBATH," has completed recording its debut album, "CVI", for a May 22 release via Relapse Records.

"We poured all of our hard work and passion into this 10-song LP," says ROYAL THUNDER vocalist/bass player Mlny Parsonz of the band's mid-2011 recording sessions at Aria Recording Studio in Marietta, Georgia. "We saw highs and lows along the way, but in the end, we made it. We made something we are so proud of. We look back on our past efforts and take with us the good, and strive to keep going and growing. We can't wait to see what the future holds and we hope this new album is an inspiration and light in the lives of everyone who listens to it."

ROYAL THUNDER — Parsonz, founder Josh Weaver (guitar), Lee Smith (drums) and Josh Coleman (guitar) — will join BLACK TUSK for a half dozen dates leading up to performances at South By Southwest (SXSW; specific showcase information to be announced). ROYAL THUNDER will also perform at this Saturday's Scion Relapse Showcase at The Roxy in West Hollywood, California.

ROYAL THUNDER released a self-titled EP in 2010 which won praise from a wide variety of outlets, including Paste magazine ("blues-infused rock'n'roll, wrapped in protective barbed-metal packaging"), NPR ("a revved-up Southern hard-rocker that howls like LED ZEPPELIN astride a psychedelic unicorn") and Terrorizer ("'Royal Thunder' grabs you right from the first listen").

"Black Waltz", the fourth full-length album from Swedish metallers AVATAR, is available for streaming in its entirety at AOL Music. Due on February 14 via eOne Music, the CD was produced by Tobias Lindell (EUROPE, MUSTASCH, HARDCORE SUPERSTAR) and includes songs from a limited-edition EP that was released in Sweden at the end of October 2011.

"Black Waltz" track listing:

01. Let Us Die
02. Torn Apart
03. Ready For The Ride
04. In Napalm
05. Black Waltz
06. Blod
07. Let It Burn
08. One Touch
09. Paint Me Red
10. Smells Like A Freakshow
11. Use Your Tongue

Behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for the "Black Waltz" album and making of the "Black Waltz" video can be seen below. The "Black Waltz" clip, which was directed by Johan Carlén and shot in Sweden's largest amusement park, features an appearance by the world-famous American circus sideshow Hellzapoppin.

AVATAR's third, self-titled album was released in 2010.

AVATAR is:

Johannes Eckerström - Vocals
John Alfredsson - Drums
Jonas Jarlsby - Guitars
Simon Andersson - Guitars
Henrik Sandelin - Bass

Making of "Black Waltz":

Endless Winter signed an agreement on the issue full-length debut album of FALLING LEAVES (Jordan). The album, entitled "Mournful Cry Of A Dying Sun" is a mix of expressive emotions: grief, loss, internal strife, death and all that with this connected. The conflict between calmness and anger expressed in mixed clean and harsh vocals, and the use of string instruments gives the atmosphere of the hard death/doom sound.
The album is unique in the number and composition of the guest stars.
The record included:
Paul Kuhr (NOVEMBERS DOOM) Vocals
Pim Blankenstein (OFFICIUM TRISTE, THE 11th HOUR) Vocals
Josep Brunet (HELEVORN) Vocals
Olof Göthlin (DRACONIAN) Violin
Pete Johansen (THE SINS OF THY BELOVED) Violin

Release is scheduled for March or April.

More video footage from the recording sessions for "Torture", the twelfth studio album from Florida-based death metal veterans CANNIBAL CORPSE, can be seen below. Due on March 13 via Metal Blade Records, the follow-up to 2009's "Evisceration Plague" offers up 12 tracks of maniacally precise, soul-searing death metal. "Torture" was again produced by HATE ETERNAL's Erik Rutan at his own Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida as well as Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, and features the maniacal cover art by longtime CANNIBAL CORPSE artist Vincent Locke.

While "Torture" marks the latest progression in the band's sound, it also witnesses a return to what drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz accurately terms "the frenzied attack of 'Butchered At Birth' (1991) or 'Tomb Of The Mutilated' (1992)," infusing the band's advanced musicianship with the raw savagery that haunted their earlier releases, and in the process conceiving the definitive CANNIBAL CORPSE record. Adds bassist Alex Webster on the outcome of the record: "We're extremely happy with how 'Torture' turned out. Erik Rutan did an amazing job with the production, and the songwriting and performances may be our strongest yet. We can't wait until our fans get to hear the whole thing!"

From the monstrous chugging of "Sarcophagic Frenzy" to the deeply sinister "Followed Home Then Killed" or the loping evil of "Scourge of Iron", every track hits with sledgehammer force, and each one boasts its own hideous character, the band refusing to repeat themselves at any point.

"While we make everything as heavy as possible there's a very strong emphasis placed on song writing in this band, trying to make every song individual, and I think you should be able to hit play at any point on a record and be able to tell one song from another almost instantly," states Webster. "We want all the songs to be brutal death metal, but we also want them to be instantly identifiable from one another, and that's something that is definitely true of the songs on 'Torture'."

Webster also believes that stability in the band's ranks greatly contributes to the record's strength, "Torture" being the third consecutive album featuring the current lineup of himself and co-founding member Mazurkiewicz, alongside guitarists Rob Barrett and Patrick O'Brien, and vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher. "The band is at its strongest right now, and I think we're at our very peak as far as playing ability and song writing maturity. As a result of that this is the album where we've been able to finally best get across what we wanted to do as players and as song writers." Equally, this is their third release to be helmed by producer Erik Rutan (of HATE ETERNAL fame), and while "Kill" and "Evisceration Plague" were recorded entirely at Rutan's Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida, this time out the sessions were split between Mana and Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas. Having tracked 1999's Colin Richardson-produced "Bloodthirst", as well as 2002's "Gore Obsessed" and 2004's "The Wretched Spawn" (both produced by Neil Kernon) at Sonic Ranch, the band were keen to once again experience the isolation of working essentially in the middle of nowhere, this time with Rutan calling the shots.

"The studio is about forty miles outside of El Paso, and we made a point of not having a rental car so we were stuck there, that way all we could think about was the record," Webster states. "When we record in Florida usually the only guy in the studio with Erik is the one recording that day, and having us all together rather than scattered really helped us focus and totally immerse ourselves in the music, and I think that it's a far better record for it." This approach has resulted in a record that not only delivers a devastating punch but also eschews merely replicating the sound of their previous collaborations, and Mazurkiewicz asserts that their relationship with the producer is a tremendously beneficial one. "He's a death metal guitar player and a death metal singer, which makes him 'one of us'. On top of that he's a great guy, a workaholic, and a great motivator because he's not only an extremely talented peer but he's always nitpicking and doing what he's got to do to make everything better. He pushes us to make the best possible record and does what needs to be done to give it a distinctive sound of its own."

Though the band continue to dwell on dark and disturbing lyrical areas, they long ago transcended the early notoriety bestowed upon them (based solely upon their artwork and lyrics) through proving themselves one of the best — and hardest working — live bands in modern heavy music. As such, while they certainly stand defiant as part of the old guard in death metal, through their devotion to touring and consistently releasing bigger and better records they have retained both their relevance and bite while many of the bands that hacked their way out of the scene twenty years ago have fallen by the wayside. Equally, as the genre's profile has begun to once again grow in recent years the band do not concern themselves with thoughts of being dethroned by younger generations of bands following in their wake.

"We get inspired by seeing these other bands doing killer music, but we definitely don't feel threatened by it," Webster states. With a great many contemporary death metal bands perhaps overly concerned with being recognized as the 'fastest' or 'most technical', the art of the song itself seems often overlooked, and that is a trap CANNIBAL CORPSE have never fallen into. "I am very into ultra-fast music that shows off chops, but I think that it's important to develop ability as a musician not to show off that ability but rather to use it to write killer songs. Writing a genuinely memorable, killer song is very challenging, but the best albums are the ones with the best songs, period."

In 2012, CANNIBAL CORPSE have ensured that the twelve songs comprising "Torture" are the very best and therefore cohere to make the best possible album, though they are not content to rest upon their laurels and they are as hungry as ever to unleash their distinctive breed of aural horror upon heaving mosh pits. "I haven't been this excited about a release in a long time," enthuses Mazurkiewicz. "We worked so hard at it and we hope that the fans feel the same way we do. Being out there and getting to play these songs live will once again prove to people we're not going anywhere. We're not going through the motions, we're really trying to be the best band we can be, and we're just getting better."

"Torture" track listing:

01. Demented Aggression
02. Sarcophagic Frenzy
03. Scourge Of Iron
04. Encased In Concrete
05. As Deep As the Knife Will Go
06. Intestinal Crank
07. Followed Home Then Killed
08. The Strangulation Chair
09. Caged...Contorted
10. Crucifier Avenged
11. Rabid
12. Torn Through

The song "Demented Aggression" can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

As a precursor to the release, CANNIBAL CORPSE will perform a special one-off show at the Culture Room in West Palm Beach, Florida on January 22 then head to the seas to take part in this year's edition of the 70,000 Tons Of Metal cruise. The band will get a short break before a near month-long march through Europe on the Full Of Hate 2012 tour with labelmates BEHEMOTH.

U.K. progressive black/death metallers DE PROFUNDIS have completed work onb their third album, "The Emptiness Within", to be released in April/May. The CD was once again produced by Fernando Pereira Lopes (MISANTHROPE, ORAKLE) and DE PROFUNDIS and was mixed at the Studios Davout (AC/DC, THE ROLLING STONES, OZZY OSBOURNE) in Paris, France.

"The Emptiness Within" track listing:

01. From The Depths... (intro)
02. Delirium
03. Silent Gods
04. This Wretched Plague
05. Twisted Landscapes
06. Release
07. Dead Inside
08. Parallel Existence (instrumental)
09. Unbroken (A Morbid Embrace)

DE PROFUNDIS' second album, "A Bleak Reflection", came out in February 2010 via Kolony Records.

DE PROFUNDIS is:

Craig Land - Vocals
Roman Subbotin - Guitar
Shoi Sen - Guitar
Arran McSporran - Fretless Bass
Nick Tingle - Drums

Long-running French extreme metal band NO RETURN has inked a deal with Great Dane Records. The group is currently working on material for its eighth album, to be released later in the year.

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

Finnish metalcore group SINKING CHARLIE has just released a new EP, entitled "Shelter".

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Siamese Amazement
02. Nap Stitches
03. Shelter

According to SINKING CHARLIE's official bio, the band was formed in June 2011, after the previous incarnation of the lineup with a different name disbanded, due to musical/artistic differences. The early musical influences were taken mostly [from] the Swedish melodic death metal scene and elements of black metal were heavily present."

SINKING CHARLIE's debut release was a two-song single, which was unleashed upon the world at the end of 2011 trough White-Noise Music Publishing.

SINKING CHARLIE is:

Niko Finnilä - Vocals
Markus Suomela - Guitar
Sami Arvonen - Guitar
Henri Piispanen - Bass, Clean Vocals
Henri Kopra – Drums

For more information, visit the SINKING CHARLIE Facebook page.

Indian progressive metal band SKYHARBOR will release its double-disc debut album, "Blinding White Noise: Illusion & Chaos", on April 23 via Basick Records. The CD promises to be a landmark release for the Indian independent music scene, in no small part thanks to the incredible number of international guest appearances it will see, including the likes of Marty Friedman (ex-MEGADETH), Daniel Tompkins (ex-TESSERACT), Vishal J. Singh (AMOGH SYMPHONY) and Sunneith Revankar (BHAYANAK MAUT).

Commented SKYHARBOR guitarist Keshav Dhar: "After four years of epiphanies and disappointments, frustration and jubilation, I’m thrilled to finally be getting our debut album out. It has taken three years to write and another to produce, and what I am most proud of is that I feel each song stands on its own, and while they span a wide range of ideas, sounds and stories, they all belong. Having been able to collaborate with some of the finest names in modern music was the icing on the cake, and I hope people enjoy this album as much as I have enjoyed creating it."

Starting out as a simple bedroom studio project, guitarist Keshav Dhar has seen SKYHARBOR quickly evolve into one of India's hottest metal prospects, with huge admiration coming in from some of the biggest names in metal worldwide. An astonishing amount of buzz also surrounded the bands first ever performance at the Bacardi NH7 Festival in Pune, India earlier this month, where they played to over 1,000 people and were one of the weekend’s highlights.

The track "Maeva" has been released for streaming from the forthcoming album and can be experienced here.

"Blinding White Noise: Illusion & Chaos" track listing:

Disc One (running time: 34 minutes 20 secons)

01. Illusion: Dots
02. Illusion: Order 66
03. Illusion: Catharsis
04. Illusion: Night
05. Illusion: Aurora
06. Illusion: Celestial
07. Illusion: Maeva

Disc Two (running time: 13 minutes 38 seconds)

08. Chaos: Trayus
09. Chaos: Aphasia
10. Chaos: Insurrection

Californian blues-rockers RIVAL SONS are back in the studio throughout February to record their new album, due later this year via Earache Records. The CD is being laid down at Honey Pye Studios in Nashville, Tennessee with Grammy-nominated producer Dave Cobb, who has worked on all three previous releases from the band, and Grammy-winning engineer Vance Powell.

RIVAL SONS once again teamed up with video director Greg Ephraim for the "All Over The Road" video, which can be seen below

RIVAL SONS frontman Jay Buchanan commented: "Just like in the last video, there was no green screen used for this one. We actually did drive a Cadillac through outer space with a bunch of hot, naked chicks in the backseat. I haven't seen a final edit yet because they're trying to lower it to at least an 'R' rating. We'll see if that actually happens."

"All Over the Road" is taken from RIVAL SONS' new album, "Pressure And Time", which is out now worldwide on CD and limited-edition audiophile vinyl, as well as on iTunes with two exclusive bonus tracks.

RIVAL SONS was nominated for two Classic Rock awards, in the categories of "Best New Band" and "Best Album".

Finnish heavy metal monsters LORDI will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the release of their debut album and the 20-year anniversary of LORDI's conception (then just featuring the band's mainman, Mr. Lordi) the by issuing a new CD/DVD, entitled "Scarchives Vol. 1", containing rare and previously unreleased material.

Commented LORDI mainman Mr. Lordi: "The [proposed] box set will NOT come out as a box per se. The items that were supposed to be in the box will be released separately item by item. The reason for this unforeseen change of plans is that all the planned items in the physical box would have raised the production costs so high that the very small, limited quantity of the box would have put the price of each individual box probably unbearable for most of the fans. So it was decided that the best solution is to divide the set in parts. This way the price of each item will not be as pricy, and everyone can decide for themselves what items they want and can afford. So, in a way, the contents of the box set are coming, but the actual physical box is not."

He continued, "The first part to be released is a CD/DVD. It will include the very first unreleased LORDI album, 'Bend Over And Pray The Lord - The Heavy Rock Album' (CD) from 1997. The original booklet is included with no touch-ups whatsoever, plus a long story about making the album. As bonus tracks, 'Get Heavy', which was added to the album a bit later on, is included, as well as 'Hulking Dynamo', produced and mixed by late TT Oksala for 'Get Heavy' in 2002, with little additional work done this year by Mikko Karmila. The other part is a DVD, which includes the very first LORDI show from Nosturi, Helsinki 2002. The show was filmed by multiple cameras, and it is completely unfixed and none of the mistakes and embarrassing moments are edited out. The setlist includes, naturally, all the 'Get Heavy' songs. As a bonus, commentary track by myself and a gallery of all the unreleased merchandise from that era."

"Babez For Breakfast", the fifth studio album from LORDI, sold around 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 43 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.

Polish female-fronted traditional heavy metal act CRYSTAL VIPER will release its new album, "Crimen Excepa", in Europe on April 27 and in the U.S. on April 24 via AFM Records. The concept effort about holy inquisition, black magic and witches, where fiction is mixed with historical facts, was produced by Bart Gabriel (SACRED STEEL, JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR) and recorded with sound engineer Mariusz Pietka (MORTICIAN, LONEWOLF).

"Crimen Excepta" will feature two special guests: David Bower, vocalist of HELL will appear in the title track, while VADER mainman Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek will be heard in the cover version of the classic VADER song "Tyrani Piekiel", which will be available as the bonus track on the first, limited edition of the album.

"We already announced that fans should expect the unexpected," says CRYSTAL VIPER frontwoman Marta Gabriel. "The new album is different than everything CRYSTAL VIPER did in the past. Of course it's still traditonal metal, and it's still CRYSTAL VIPER — but this time, everything was different, starting from the compositions, through our attitude and inspirations, up to equipment we used and the recording session itself."

She adds, "It was amazing to have Peter in the studio. We all are huge fans of VADER, and I think he was also amazed when he heard how our voices sound together in this heavy metal version of 'Tyrani Piekiel'. And when you will hear the lines of William The Judge recorded by David of HELL, you will have your jaw on the floor. We had."

CRYSTAL VIPER's last album, "Legends", was released in October 2010 via AFM Records. The CD's lyrics were based on the original Polish legends from the middle ages. The effort's cover artwork was painted by the French artist Chris Moyen, who has previously worked with SLAYER, TRIVIUM, BEHERIT and BLASPHEMY.

Former RAMONES drummer Marky Ramone has inked a deal with Simon & Schuster to publish his memoirs. He says, "It will be a book written just by me. For sure, out 2013."

Marky Ramone is best known for the 15 years he spent drumming for the legendary RAMONES. Marky appeared in the cult classic film "Rock n Roll High School" in 1979, performed over 1700 shows and recorded over 15 albums (studio, live) with the RAMONES. In 2002, Marky and his bandmates became the first punk rock ensemble to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Marky's radio show on Sirius XM satellite radio was rated the #2 show on the Faction channel in 2009. Also appearing on various TV shows (including Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" and IFC's "Z Rock"), Marky shows no signs of slowing down as he continues to tour the world with his new band, MARKY RAMONE'S BLITZKRIEG, also featuring Michale Graves (ex-MISFITS) on vocals, Crazy Joe on guitar and Graham Vanderveen on bass. The band plays all the classics that lead to Marky's induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame!

Two original members of Chicago doom legends TROUBLE — vocalist Eric Wagner and drummer Jeff "Oly" Olson — have joined forces with the band's longtime bassist Ron Holzner in a new heavy rock/doom metal act called THE SKULL.

When asked why they decided now was the right time for THE SKULL to come together, Ron told Metal Kaoz, "The 'TROUBLE aam' set at last year's Days Of The Doomed Fest [in Kenosha, Wisconsin] was the catalyst for this whole thing. Eric and Oly hadn't had the chance to talk much before [Days Of The Doomed Fest], and then when I got there the next day and we all got to hang out and talk... it was really nice! Playing 'End Of My Daze' with the whole fucking crowd singing... that's what it's all about! We all looked at each other on stage and simply went, 'Wow!'"

He added, "All of us have our [respective] bands that are doing well, but the fans really want to hear the old [TROUBLE] songs the way they're meant to be heard.

"After the [Days Of The Doomed] fest, Eric basically said to me, 'Let's start a band!', and after that night the three of us thought, 'That would be cool.' We want to give the fans to the best of our ability what they deserve. When people speak loud enough, you hear it. Well, we hear it! We're doing this because we want to, and because the fans want us to. It's all about the fans. The fans spoke out, and the fans have been heard.

"The thing is, we can't just sit back and not listen to the fans. We want to go out and have fun and play the old songs. We don't have to go out and do this because we all have our own bands that are doing well with records coming out. We're doing this because we want to, and because the fans want us to."

Olson was equally enthusastic about the formation of THE SKULL, telling Metal Kaos in an e-mail, "[I'm] excited to jam some TROUBLE again! [I] was a little worried there would be some drama with the fans, like with the two L.A. GUNS bands performing the same material, but there is nothing I want more than a reunion with all TROUBLE members. For now, this will do."

Wagner, Olson and original TROUBLE bassist Sean McAllister shared the stage for the first time since 1986 during Olson's RETRO GRAVE set on June 18, 2011 at the Days Of The Doomed Fest in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Video footage of Wagner, Olson and McAllister performing the song "Victim Of The Insane", which was written by Olson for TROUBLE's full-length debut "Psalm 9" (1984), can be viewed below.

TROUBLE formed in 1979 and released several classic albums like "Trouble", "Manic Frustration" and "Plastic Green Head".

Eric was one of the guest singers on Dave Grohl's (NIRVANA, FOO FIGHTERS) heavy metal side project PROBOT, whose 2004 album featured heavy metal vocalists from the '80s and '90s. Wagner also makes a guest appearance in the forthcoming horror film "Jezebeth" (written and directed by Damien Dante of Satania 6 Films), to be released on Blu-ray in early 2012.

Eric Wagner left TROUBLE in April 2008, citing his disdain for the touring life as the main reason for his departure.

According to SF Weekly, a rare and valuable bass guitar belonging to EVANESCENCE bassist Tim McCord was stolen from the San Francisco apartment he shares with his girlfriend.

On Tuesday, shortly after McCord's girlfriend, Ashley Dunlop, left for work at 8:15 a.m., someone broke into their apartment in San Francisco's Panhandle neighborhood, and stole, among many other valuables, McCord's Yamaha bass guitar that had been handed down to him by his father after he died.

"He is absolutely heartbroken," Dunlop told SF Weekly. "It is the most important possession he has and it means the world to him. To have that taken — he was broken by it."

Read more from SF Weekly.

The lyric video for "Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion", a brand new track from Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH, can be seen below. The songtitle is an excerpt from a quote by philosopher, physician, organist, and 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer: "Revenge… is like a rolling stone, which, when a man hath forced up a hill, will return upon him with a greater violence, and break those bones whose sinews gave it motion."

"Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion" comes off MESHUGGAH's new album, "Koloss", which will be released in Germany on March 23 and the rest of Europe on March 26 (March 27 in North America) as a CD digi, limited-edition Magic Cube (CD digi plus DVD exclusive to Nuclear Blast mail order) and two-LP brown vinyl via Nuclear Blast Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. I Am Colossus
02. The Demon's Name Is Surveillance
03. Do Not Look Down
04. Behind The Sun
05. The Hurt That Finds You First
06. Marrow
07. Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion
08. Swarm
09. Demiurge
10. The Last Vigil

In a recent intervie with MSN's metal music section Headbang, MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake stated about the band's decision to call the new album "Koloss", "It's not so much like a theme, it's kind of how the overall album is more towards something heavier than anything that we've ever done. We wanted something that had that sound to it, something monolithic, something huge. Also a few things that tied into that was the stress and anxiety that a few of us went through up until we started recording this album because of previous sessions where we felt we were doing things the wrong way. That lingers with you, you don't want to do the same mistakes again, you want to save the mental health of a few in the band as well, try to do things another way. So it felt like a colossal thing to get out of the hat this time, even though it went smoother in a lot of ways. Also once we knew what artwork we were using, because it's not artwork that was designed for this album, it was an existing piece of art by this Russian artist Luminokaya, we just fell in love with the piece and we found out it hadn't been used for anything, so we could buy the rights for it. Once we saw that, and we already had the title 'Colossus', we had that song in there, we just felt like this creature on the cover looks like, is it a god, is it a devil, what is it? The word 'Koloss' just fit for some reason."

Regarding how the band found the album artwork, Haake, "I don't even remember, I think I was just looking through random art online probably three or four years ago I saw this guy's art the first time. I got in contact with him, and initially he was supposed to do something for the album but we trailed off into other things and we didn't stay in touch for a while. I just took for granted that the piece had been used for something already, but when I finally asked him he said no, it was up for grabs. He's done a lot of additions and renditions and versions of it for the whole layout, so he's spent a lot of time on it too, and we're really stoked that we ended up using this art."

Regarding the suggestion that "Koloss" sounds like MESHUGGAH deliberately tried to expand its sound even more than on "ObZen", Haake said, "We definitely pushed ourselves hard with 'ObZen', too, but maybe that one feels even more like a flirtatious thing with the stuff we were doing earlier on and the stuff we grew up with. I still feel there's some of that on this one too, with the different tunings, and a couple of the songs are actually written for six-string guitar and not all of them being really down-tuned eight-stringed stuff. That's definitely to get that old-school thrash vibe in there, even though the music is different, of course. There's definitely a little bit of that going on this album, too. But apart from that, we basically tried to create something that we find intriguing. We always try to find new ways of writing our own music, so to speak, to see if there's an additional lateral movement, a sideways step that we can take for ourselves to feel that we did something new with this one and that we pushed ourselves into doing something that came out cool and refreshing. That's kind of what we always aim for, and this time it came out like this."

Released in March 2008, MESHUGGAH's last album, "obZen", debuted at No. 59 on The Billboard 200 chart and at No. 14 on the iTunes Top Rock Albums chart.

MESHUGGAH's first DVD, "Alive" sold around 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 8 on the Top Music Videos chart.

"Crucify", a brand new song from British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST, is available for free download at CenturyMedia.com (e-mail sign-up required). The track comes off the band's new album, "Tragic Idol", which will be released on April 24 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded in part at The Chapel studios in Lincolnshire, England and features cover art by by Parisian designer Valnoir, who has previously worked with MORBID ANGEL, LAIBACH, ULVER and WATAIN, among others.

Stated PARADISE LOST singer Nick Holmes about "Crucify": "My father always used to say that typical life stresses were crucifying him. I always thought it was such a dramatic way of stating that. He was just uncomfortable with a situation that would soon be remedied. I also refer to an actual person as a literal crucifixion at the end. The words 'for eternity you’re my sentence' is my favorite line on the whole album."

In other news, PARADISE LOST will embark on a U.K. headlining tour this April. To celebrate the event, PARADISE LOST will have a very limited number of VIP tickets available (10 per show) which you can purchase online from the band's web site.

Commented singer Nick Holmes: "This is a pretty extensive U.K. tour for us. I'm speechless and excited. It's nice to know there's a WH Smith in every town we play"

The dates are as follows:

April 16 - Cardiff, England - Great Hall 2
April 17 - Southampton, England - The Brook
April 18 - Folkestone, England - Quarterhouse
April 19 - Colchester, England - Arts Centre
April 20 - Stoke, England - Sugarmill
April 22 - York, England - The Duchess
April 23 - Glasgow, Scotland - King Tuts
April 24 - Sheffield, England - Corporation
April 25 - Wolverhampton, England - Slade Rooms
April 26 - Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms
April 27 - Manchester, England - Club Academy
April 29 - London, England - Scala
April 30 - Norwich, England - Waterfront

PARADISE LOST's last full-length effort, "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us", came out in October 2009.

The band recently released the "Draconian Times MMXI" DVD via Century Media.

Sony Music reissued PARADISE LOST's seminal 1995 album "Draconian Times" through the "Legacy" series; featuring the entire digitally remastered album, including a 5.1 Dolby Surround mix in a brand-new collector's edition digipak box set, so fans could hear the album like never before. Along with this release, the band performed "Draconian Times" live at a series of seven exclusive gigs this past spring in Utrecht, Bochum, London, Paris, Athens, and Thessaloniki.

"Draconian Times MMXI" features the London show at The Forum on April 1, 2011, a documentary from the whole tour filmed by the band's bass player Steve Edmondson, interviews about the history of "Draconian Times" with producer Simon Efemey, Nick Holmes (vocals), Greg Mackintosh (guitar), Aaron Aedy (guitar), Steve Edmondson (bass) and Andy Farrow (manager since 1990) and the two promo videos from PARADISE LOST's latest album, "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us".

"Bodiless Sleeper", a brand new song from Swedish tech-death assassins SPAWN OF POSSESSION, can be streamed below (courtesy of GuitarWorld.com). The track comes off the band's third full-length album, "Incurso", which will be released in North America on March 13 via Relapse Records. The CD, which will contain nine tracks plus an instrumental intro, was recorded at Pama Studios in Kristianopel, Sweden with engineer Magnus "Mankan" Sedenberg.

According to a press release, "devastating riffs, jaw-dropping time-signatures and improbably complex songwriting coalesce to create an opus of next-level death metal on 'Incurso', which the band promises to be their most supreme work to date, and more devastating than ever."

The "Incurso" cover art was created by graphic artist Pär Olofsson (IMMORTAL, IMMOLATION, DYING FETUS) and can be seen below.

"Incurso" track listing:

01. Abodement
02. Where Angels Go Demons Follow
03. Bodiless Sleeper
04. The Evangelist
05. Servitude of Souls
06. Deus Avertat
07. Spiritual Deception
08. No Light Spared
09. Apparition

The song "Where Angels Go Demons Follow" can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

As previously announced, SPAWN OF POSSESSION will embark on a month-long European tour in March as the support act for labelmates OBSCURA. Also scheduled to appear on the bill are GOROD and EXIVIOUS.

SPAWN OF POSSESSION (Jonas Bryssling: guitar, Dennis Röndum: vocals, Erlend Casperson: bass, Henrik Schönström: drums, Christian Münzner: guitar) formed in 1997 and has previously released two full-length albums. The band's latest CD, "Noctambulant" (2006, Neurotic Records), received international critical acclaim for its blend of musical chops and unfettered extremity.

"Bodiless Sleeper" audio stream:

Greece's Rock Overdose recently conducted an interview with Finnish quitarist Timo Tolkki (STRATOVARIUS, REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, SYMFONIA). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Rock Overdose: You announced a retirement after the fact that SYMFONIA would not go on as a band, and a lot of fans were surprised by this. What was the story behind that?

Timo: I simply said that in the present market situation, it is not possible to earn an income by being a professional musician. My career spans over 20 years in STRATOVARIUS plus the other works. So it was a simple rational decision. We are going to see more bands from the middle league falling in the next 3-5 years simply because record companies are dying themselves and they take the last bits there are to take and it's gonna make the situation even worse. It was the same situation with REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE. Music business is firstly becoming boring and predictable and secondly it is dying.

Rock Overdose: So, I suppose that you will focus to your solo career from now on?

Timo: I dont know, man. The same situation applies to a possible solo career. In this moment, I am not doing anything and maybe I never will record anything anymore for commercial purpose. We ll have to see what happens in the next years.

Rock Overdose: Your last album of your solo career was 2008's rock opera "Saana - Warrior of Light Pt. 1". We must wait for "Part 2" now or…?

Timo: "Saana" was a fun album to make to experiment for the first time with three singers singing a story. It was very very cheaply done but it does have my key message in it, my life philosophy in there. I really dont think there will be part 2, but if I am going to record something still, I am sure it could be something like musical or maybe more rock- or metal-orientated story with a lot of dynamics.

Rock Overdose: There are some rumors that some old members of STRATOVARIUS will form a group named STRATO. Did they approach you to play with them? Are you thinking to do it?

Timo: Yes, it's true. We have met many times in the last two years. Me, Tuomo Lassila (the founding member of STRATOVARIUS) and Antti Ikonen went to see Roger Waters' "The Wall" in Helsinki together. We have talked about making an album called "Return To Dreamspace". I wrote to STRATOVARIUS and asked if we could use the name for this one album because there is the founding member of the band involved and who invented the name. We got a vicious letter from the lawyer that we will be sued immediately if we would use the name. It just shows the attitude and it is sad to see that a band that once had life and soul in it is now a simple franchise. A money-making machine except that the industry situation gets to them as well. Jörg Michael [drums] decided to leave the band because he did not like the music the band was heading to. Now he plays in some Greek band, I think. STRATOVARIUS will not exist anymore in five years.

Read the entire interview from Rock Overdose.