Guitarist Jeff Waters of Canadian thrash metal veterans ANNIHILATOR makes a guest appearance on the song "Hide Your Self" by the up-and-coming Finnish metal act FREEDOMINATION. The track is featured on FREEDOMINATION's new promotional release, "Power Of Nightmares", and will also appear on the group's upcoming full-length album.

Commented FREEDOMINATION guitarist/vocalist Timo Ahlström: "This song truly stands out to me because my biggest musical influence Jeff Waters plays a killer guest solo on it! As a longtime ANNIHILATOR fan, I get goosebumps every time the solo gets near!! Our whole band is damn stoked about this!"

According to the French SCORPIONS fan club Crazyscorps, German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS will release "Comeblack", a collection of re-recorded versions of the band's classics songs, on November 4 via Sony. The effort will be made available as a CD and on double vinyl.

"Comeblack" track listing:

Re-recordings:

01. Rhythm Of Love
02. No One Like You
03. The Zoo
04. Rock You Like A Hurricane
05. Blackout
06. Still Loving You
07. Wind Of Change

Covers:

08. Tainted Love (GLORIA JONES)
09. Children Of The Revolution (T. REX)
10. Across The Universe (THE BEATLES)
11. Tin Soldier (SMALL FACES)
12. All Day And All Of The Night (THE KINKS)
13. Ruby Tuesday (THE ROLLING STONES)

Former METAL CHURCH singer Ronny Munroe will release his new solo album, "Lords Of The Edge", on October 18 via Rat Pak Records. The CD features the guitar mastery of Stu Marshall (EMPIRES OF EDEN), Chris Caffery (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, SAVATAGE), and Michael Wilton (QUEENSRŸCHE) and is described in a press release as "a true metal offering that delivers an onslaught of fist-pumping, guitar-driven heavy metal."

"We wanted to create something that was totally new, but at the same time, true metal fans could hear everything that we were influenced by growing up in the classic metal era," says Ronny. "'Lords Of The Edge' sounds a little bit like what would happen if you put METAL CHURCH's 'Light In The Dark' CD into a blender with QUEENSRŸCHE's first EP and JUDAS PRIEST's 'Painkiller', then mixed it with some present-day themes and a shot of pure adrenaline."

The opening tracks, "Just Breathe" and "Full Circle", offer fast and furious guitar assaults with high-energy vocals, while tracks like "The Vision" and "Touched By A Demon" take on a more haunting melodic approach that set up the listener for the gritty, power-metal influenced tracks like "Let Them Feed" and "Rock And A Hard Plac

Niklas Kvarforth, founder and frontman of Swedish extreme metallers SHINING, has announced details of the upcoming release of a solo project that will chart fifteen years of his often controversial musical career. "Fifteen Years Of Absolute Darkness", scheduled for release via Spinefarm Records on December 7, will feature 15 tracks from various bands on which Kvarforth has guested on vocals. Included are tracks from bands such as GRAVDAL, BETHLEHEM, THE VISION BLEAK, DEN SAAKALDTE, as well as a previously unreleased alternative version of SHINING's "Förtvivlan, Min Arvedel". The double CD will come with a lavishly illustrated booklet which contains Kvarforth's comments on all the tracks.

"Fifteen Years Of Absolute Darkness" track listing:

Disc 1

01. KKOAGULAA - Excerpt 4
02. DIABOLICUM - Salvation Through Vengeance
03. MANES - Bli Med Mig
04. IN LINGUA MURTUA - Cold Void Messiah
05. MONUMENTUM - The Colour Of Compassion
06. SHINING - Förtvivlan, Min Arvedel (alternative version)
07. HJARNIDAUDI - A Darkblue Afternoon
08. LIVSNEDAD - Fobisk Sälta

Disc 2

01. THE VISION BLEAK - I Dined With The Swans
02. GLORIOR BELLI - The Night Scalp Challenger
03. FUNERAL DIRGE - Alpha Sans Omega
04. GRAVDAL - Mishandlet
05. NEKROS - The Black Serpent
06. BETHLEHEM - Yesterday I Still Died Today
07. DEN SAAKALDTE - Mesias

Three tracks of from "Fifteen Years Of Absolute Darkness" can be heard using the SoundCloud player below.

Norwegian black metallers 1349 will release their first-ever live DVD, "Hellvetia Fire - The Official 1349 Bootleg", on October 24 via Candlelight Records. The disc was filmed at Bikini Test La chaux De Fonds in Switzerland in 2005 and features a special guest appearance by Tom G. Warrior (HELLHAMMER, CELTIC FROST, TRYPTIKON).

"Hellvetia Fire - The Official 1349 Bootleg" track listing:

01. Hellfire
02. Riders Of The Apocalypse
03. Majhicanalenheten
04. Nekronath
05. Chasing Dragons
06. Satanic Propaganda
07. I Am Abomination
08. Aiwass-Aeon
09. Sculptor Of Flesh
10. The Ursurper
11. Slaves To Slaughter
12. Hellfire

The critically acclaimed album "Demonoir" by 1349 will be reissued as a limited box set as part of the Indie Recordings Norwegian Collector's Edition Series. It contains seven bonus tracks, including an unreleased track that did not appear on the expanded edition or the limited edition, 12-page booklet, poster, guitar pick, a patch and autographed photo card. The box is handnumbered and limited to 1000 copies worldwide.

For U.S. fans, the box set will be available only on FYE on November 25.

"Demonoir", the fifth full-length album from 1349, was recorded at Studio Nyhagen, deep in the woods in Norway with Tom G. Warrior (HELLHAMMER, CELTIC FROST), who showed the greatest respect for the task and played a key role as motivator and catalyst. His technical role of the recording was that of a co-producer, but far more important was his presence and understanding of what a challenging project "Demonoir" was.

1349 is:

Ravn - Vocals
Archaon - Guitar
Seidemann - Bass
Frost - Drums

"Wastehead", the new video from Finnish metallers PROFANE OMEN, can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Jussi Hyttinen and Pete Voutilainen. The track comes off the group's third album, "Destroy!", which was released on September 28 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was produced by Ville Sorvali (MOONSORROW) and Mikko Herranen (RUST) and was recorded in part at Petrax studios in Hollola, Finland. The effort was mastered at Chartmakers in Helsinki.

Legendary San Francisco Bay Area gore grind act AUTOPSY has issued the following update:

"AUTOPSY will be entering Fantasy studios in Berkeley, California late October to record a few new tracks for an upcoming collection entitled 'All Tomorrow's Funerals'. This monstrous release will be on Peaceville Records and will contain all of AUTOPSY's EPs remastered by the band themselves as well as the new cuts, totalling 21 tracks all together. Everything from 'Retribution For The Dead' to the now-sold-out 'The Tomb Within' will be presented on CD and DLP with all original artworks, liner notes from the band and a killer new cover from Matt Cavotta. This is something the band has wanted to do for a long time, having all these chunks of material in one cohesive release, with the best sound and packaging possible. AUTOPSY will make every effort to make sure this death metal assault is top quality and worthy of your attention. The release date is tentatively set for March of 2012."

Knoxville, Tennessee extreme metallers WHITECHAPEL will release a new EP, "Recorrupted", on November 8 via Metal Blade Records. The effort features a brand new track titled "Section 8", a cover of PANTERA's "Strength Beyond Strength", an acoustic version of "End OF Flesh", and remixes of "Breeding Violence" by BIG CHOCOLATE and "This Is Exile" by Ben Weinman from THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN.

"Section 8" and "Strength Beyond Strength" mark WHITECHAPEL's very first recordings with drummer Ben Harclerode of the Glendale, Arizona band KNIGHTS OF THE ABYSS, who replaced Kevin Lane earlier in the year.

"Recorrupted" is a limited-edition print run and will only be available through the WHITECHAPEL webstore, Metal Blade's webstore, iTunes, and at the band's merch table.

Fans can check out a video that was shot and edited by guitarist Alex Wade, with animations by Vince Edwards, that features studio footage set to the band's brand new track "Section 8".

"Recorrupted" track listing:

01. Section 8
02. Strength Beyond Strength (PANTERA cover)
03. Breeding Violence (Big Chocolate remix)
04. This Is Exile (Ben Weinman remix)
05. End of Flesh (acoustic version)

WHITECHAPEL's third album, "A New Era Of Corruption", sold around 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 43 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on June 8, 2010 via Metal Blade Records, the CD was recorded at Audiohammer studios in Sanford, Florida with acclaimed producer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER).

WHITECHAPEL's previous album, "This Is Exile", opened with 5,900 copies in July 2008 to land at No. 117.

Mikko Laine, the 30-year-old guitarist of the Finnish metal band SOLE REMEDY, was killed in a traffic accident last night (October 2) in the Dutch municipality of Baarlo — just hours after the band's performance at the ProgPower Europe festival. According to a spokesperson for the Sjiwa youth center (where the concert took place), the accident occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m. when Laine, who was sleeping next to a fence, was run over by a truck, which was loaded with the backline, instruments and other equipment, as the driver drove backwards and turned onto the road. The 50-year-old driver, a local man, didn't see the Finn, who died at the site.

Note: The Dutch media erroneously reported that it was the band's drummer, Henry Silmonen, who was killed in the accident.

Formed in 1998, SOLE REMEDY's sophomore album, "Apoptosis", was released in September 2010 via Aftermath Music. The CD was described in a press release as the band's "most ambitious and diverse piece of music to this day. There are moments of pure metal, pop and even an acoustic ballad. Alternative-progressive metal without losing the catchiness."

FULLFORCE — the new Swedish melodic metal outfit featuring Mike Andersson (CLOUDSCAPE, SILENT MEMORIAL, PLANET ALLIANCE) on vocals, Stefan Elmgren (HAMMERFALL) on guitar, Anders Johansson (HAMMERFALL, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) on drums, Carl-Johan Grimmark (NARNIA) on guitar, and Tommy Larsson (HEED) on bass — has issued the following update:

"FULLFORCE will during the rest of 2011 and early 2012 focus on finalizing their remaining songs for their second album. The band is very excited about the new metal tunes and will settle all details about the recording of the album very soon. More concert news 'might' come up soon as well. Stay tuned!!"

Floridian blackened death metal band INFERNAEON has announced the addition of singer Eric Rhodes to the group's ranks.

Commented bassist Kevin Gibbons: "We all think it's great to work with a guy like Eric. His voice and range are amazing and he really contributes to our sound. Jeramie Kling, Steven Harger, Dave Stein, and Taylor Nordberg are all on this next album, too ... so it's going to be brutal."

Added guitarist Steven Harger: "We have a lot in store for the next recording...I'm really convinced it's going to be the best album yet for the band."

The reactivated original lineup of SPINESHANK — featuring Jonny Santos (vocals), Tommy Decker (drums), Mike Sarkisyan (guitar) and Rob Garcia (bass) — will release its fourth album, "Anger Denial Acceptance", next year through an as-yet-undetermined record label. Produced by Sarkisyan and Decker and mixed by Mike Plotnikoff (PAPA ROACH, BUCKCHERRY), the CD promises to surpass everyone's expectation of what SPINESHANK is capable of.

One of the songs from the forthcoming effort, "Murder Suicide", can be streamed below (courtesy of AOL's Noisecreep).

"Face To The Floor", the new single from CHEVELLE, can be streamed using the audio player below (courtesy of AOL's Noisecreep). The track comes off the band's as-yet-untitled sixth studio album, which is scheduled for release on December 6. The follow-up to 2009's "Sci-Fi Crimes" was produced by Joe Barresi, who has previously worked with TOOL, BAD RELIGION, APOCALYPTICA, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and WOLFMOTHER, among others.

Drummer Sam Loeffler recently hinted at a collaboration with a female vocalist for one song on the album, but did not say that was happening for sure.

The trio will also have a song on the soundtrack of "Underworld Awakening", the upcoming fourth film in the vampire/werewolf series, which arrives in January.

CHEVELLE's current tour with BUSH and FILTER is scheduled to wrap up on October 28 in San Antonio.

"Face

Audio samples of all the tracks that will appear on the recently completed third full-length album from the Danish death metal outfit CORPUS MORTALE can be heard in the YouTube clip below. The band is currently looking for a suitable label to release the as-yet-untitled CD, which was recorded at Tue Madsen's Antfarm studio (VADER, KATAKLYSM, MOONSPELL, ILLDISPOSED) and at Antfarm's former location — now known as JBO Sound studios — with producer Jacob Olsen (PANZERCHRIST, CROCELL). According to a press release, the CD consists of ten tracks with a running time of 42 minutes featuring the band's "most-honest-yet-powerful production to date."

CORPUS MORTALE released its second full-length album, "A New Species Of Deviant", in September 2007 via Neurotic Records. The CD featured the artwork of the label's in-house artist Joel Sta.

Pitch Black Records has announced the signing of the Danish female-fronted melodic death metal outfit ILLNATH. The band's third album, "Third Act In The Theatre Of Madness", will be released on November 18.

Formed in 1999, ILLNATH is a band which has evolved explosively through the years. Initially labeled as a symphonic black metal act their style is now a "mature" blend of melodic/symphonic death metal.

Having released a demo in 2000, IILLNATH's debut album ("Cast Into Fields Of Evil Pleasure") came in 2003 with the follow-up ("Second Skin Of Harlequin") in 2006. The band toured extensively in Europe and has also played in various European festivals.

"Third Act in the Theatre of Madness" is ILLNATH's most melodic yet at the same time extreme offering to date.

The band has a completely new lineup comprised of original member Pete Falk on guitars (also handling the main songwriting tasks), the powerful voice of Mona Beck, the killer basslines of Kenneth Frandsen and session drummer Reno Kiilerich.

"Third Act In The Theatre Of Madness" will be available worldwide through Pitch Black Records and its distribution partners as well as through all major digital music stores. The CD version will also feature a bonus track.

"Third Act In The Theatre Of Madness" track listing:

01. Third Act
02. Scarecrow
03. Lead The Way
04. Snake Of Eden
05. Shorthanded
06. Spring Will Come
07. Tree Of Life And Death
08. Fall Of Giants
09. Vampiria
10. Kingship Incarnate (CD bonus)

ORANGE GOBLIN, the heavy-hitting British metal band, has set "A Eulogy For The Damned" as the title of its seventh album, due in early 2012 on CD and vinyl (including limited-edition "clear" vinyl via Candlelight Records. The effort was recorded at The Animal Farm studio in London and features the following track listing:

01. Red Tide Rising
02. Stand For Something
03. Acid Trial
04. The Filthy & The Few
05. Save Me From Myself
06. The Fog
07. Return To Mars
08. Death Of Aquarius
09. The Bishops Wolf
10. A Eulogy For The Damned

This fall, Reprise Records will release a limited edition vinyl box set from Sacramento, California's DEFTONES. "Deftones: The Vinyl Collection, 1995 - 2011" will be available October 25 exclusively via Deftones.com and BecauseSoundMatters.com. The collection is a seven-album (8 LP) retrospective containing the band's six studio albums — 1995's "Adrenaline", 1997's "Around The Fur", 2000's "White Pony", 2003's "Deftones", 2006's "Saturday Night Wrist", and 2010's "Diamond Eyes", and the limited-edition 2011 Record Store Day release "Covers". Each album has been exclusively re-cut for vinyl from the original master recordings and pressed on 180-gram European virgin vinyl. The collection, which includes a unique lithograph and cover art, comes packaged in a hand numbered collector's box pressing of 1,000 copies worldwide.

"Lilith Immaculate", the new single from British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH, is now available to download from all major download stores. An extended version of the track is included on "Evermore Darkly", the forthcoming CD/DVD set that will be released in Europe via Peaceville Records on October 24 (October 18 in North America).

A new video blog taken from the DVD can be viewed below. The blog features CRADLE OF FILTH singer Dani Filth discussing the perils of life on the road before risking life and limb to get to the tour bus.

"Evermore Darkly" is a follow-on from last year's triumphant "Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa" album. The CD/DVD package includes new tracks and rarities, along with a lengthy on-the-road documentary and ten songs filmed live at this year's Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium, as well as the video for "Lilith Immaculate".

The CD features brand new musical beast "Thank Your Lucky Stars", plus a special remix of "Forgive Me Father", courtesy of Rob Caggiano from ANTHRAX, the extended rendition of "Lilith Immaculate", as well as tempered demo versions of three "Darkly, Darkly…" songs. The mini-album closes with a special taster from CRADLE OF FILTH's impending orchestral project, in the form of a haunting, classic reworking of fan favorite "Summer Dying Fast".

The "Evermore Darkly" DVD contains footage from summer

French tech-death metallers GOROD have entered the studio with producer Frédéric "Elmobo" Motte to begin laying down their new album for an early 2012 release. Elmobo will oversee the recording of the drums, bass and vocals, while all guitars will be tracked by GOROD's mastermind Matthieu Pascal at his Bud Records Studio. The miix and the mastering will be done at Elmobo's Conkrete Studio by Pascal and Elmobo.

WARRANT, RATT and Richard Blade have been working with Artist Wine in creating blends of wine from the Napa area in California and Kristian Story winery.

Warrant Red already sold out the 2007 blend and new one is being created for release in December.

The Warrant Red won a silver metal in one of the top wine competitions in the San Fransisco Chronicle.

RATT has two wines to be released called Ratt N Roll Chardonnay "Body Talk" and Ratt N Roll Cabernet "Slip of The Lip!"

Commented RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer: "Grapes are one of nature’s richest and tastiest gifts. The colors, the flavors, and the beauty in which they grow. Vines reaching all across the land growing in mother earth's finest of soils. Reaching from one end of the earth to the other, like music does.

"I have had a love affair with wine for over 30 years now.

"I have been blessed to make my living doing one of life's other greatest gifts; the gift of music.

"There is such harmony in music and in wine, for these last 30 years I have travelled all around the world with my band RATT and it's been one heck of a ride, I'll tell you that. This ride has allowed for the opportunity to experience so many different tastes and terroirs.

"Sit back and enjoy my new and first wine, 'Body Talk'."

For more information, visit www.artistwine.com.

U.K. metallers POWER QUEST have parted ways with Sri Lankan vocalist Chitral "Chity" Somapala (FIREWIND, FARO, AVALON) — a little over a year after the Germany-based singer first joined the group.

Commented the band: "We are sorry to have to announce that Chity Somapala has left POWER QUEST, making the appearance at Bloodstock Open Air his last with the band. Chity decided that, at this stage of his career, he wanted to move away from metal to focus on his solo work which is more rock- and blues-based."

Added POWER QUEST keyboardist/mainman Steve Williams: "Clearly the last thing I wanted after releasing the 'Blood Alliance' album earlier this year was to have another lineup change, having been through so many in recent times. Having said that, we all have to do what is right for us at specific points in time and we part ways with Chity on very good terms and wish him all the very best for the future. Myself, Andy [Midgley; guitar], Paul [Finnie; bass], Rich [Smith; drums] and Gav [Owen; guitar] have been auditioning potential replacements for the past couple of months and we have now decided on who will be the man to take up the frontman role in the band. We would like to thank everyone who has submitted recordings and travelled to auditions as well.

"We are already hard at work rehearsing for the U.K. dates in November and we can promise quite a different setlist to what we have been performing so far this year.

"We will be revealing the identity of our new frontman very soon... This guy blew us away at the auditions!

"The first shows with the new vocalist will be in Bedford on November 25th and Wakefield on November 27th, and the Wakefield show will be streamed live on the web!"

POWER QUEST's latest album, "Blood Alliance", was released earlier this year via Napalm Records. Eleven songs were laid down at Foel Studios (PAUL RODGERS, NAPALM DEATH, THE WILDHEARTS) in Wales for the follow-up to 2008's "Master Of Illusion", including one bonus track. The CD cover artwork was once again designed by Felipe Machado (BLIND GUARDIAN, SILENT FORCE).

SOULFLY has completed recording its new studio album for an early 2012 release via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at a Phoenix, Arizona studio with producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who has previously worked with CHIMAIRA, HATEBREED, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE ACACIA STRAIN, BORN OF OSIRIS and SHADOWS FALL, among others. The band's new drummer, David Kinkade (BORKNAGAR, ARSIS, MALEVOLENT CREATION), described the group's new material on his Facebook page as "crushing, fast thrash, blasting, tribal and fueled by extreme burrito fury. . . The record is sounding fucking SICK. Thrashy as fuck... totally 'Arise' [referring to SEPULTURA's classic 1991 album] on crack and speed."

Grammy-nominted metallers AS I LAY DYING have announced the details of their upcoming release, "Decas", coinciding with the band's 10-year anniversary.

With over a million units sold in the U.S. in just less than 10 years, the San Diego act will celebrate this milestone with the very special release, "Decas", due on November 8 in North America and November 7 in Europe (except in Germany, Austria and Switzerland where it will arrive three days earlier) via Metal Blade Records.

"Decas" celebrates the band's accomplishments by offering three brand new songs, cover songs that pay homage to just a few of the bands that have influenced AS I LAY DYING, and remixes by Innerpartysystem, Benjamin Weinman (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN), Kelly "Carnage" Cairns (AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE, WAR OF AGES), and Big Chocolate (ASKING ALEXANDRIA, IWRESTLEDABEARONCE, SUICIDE SILENCE).

"Decas" track listing:

01. Paralyzed
02. From Shapeless To Breakable
03. Moving Forward
04. War Ensemble (SLAYER cover)
05. Hellion (JUDAS PRIEST cover)
06. Electric Eye (JUDAS PRIEST cover)
07. Coffee Mug (DESCENDENTS cover)
08. Beneath The Encasing Of Ashes (re-recorded medley)
09. The Blinding Of False Light (Innerpartysystem remix)
10. Wrath Upon Ourselves (Benjamin Weinman remix)
11. Confined (Kelly "Carnage" Cairns remix)
12. Elegy (Big Chocolate remix)

"Electric Eye" (JUDAS PRIEST cover) audio stream (courtesy of AOL's

"Cold Winds On Timeless Days", the sophomore album from CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED — the project led by acclaimed metal drummer Richard Christy (ICED EARTH, DEATH, LEASH LAW, CONTROL DENIED, BURNING INSIDE) — can be streamed in its entirety at RockHard.de. The CD is scheduled for release on October 11 via Metal Blade Records. Audiohammer's Jason Suecof produced and Mark Lewis mixed, while mastering was handled by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (SEPULTURA, SUFFOCATION, UNEARTH) in New Windsor, New York. Christy states, "It's 12 songs of crushing heavy metal and I CAN'T WAIT for everyone to hear it.