ProgRock Records has checked in with the following update:

Ghosts is the anxiously awaited third studio album German progressive band, FREQUENCY DRIFT. While the story of their previous two album series Personal Effects was set in a dark urban and futuristic setting, the new songs are connected by a different theme. They are about things that haunt us, things that cannot fully be grasped, things we carry with us, emotions that echo from former times. The band conveys this with a slight change in their music and in the atmosphere that is created. Although the cinematic approach is still there, the music is enhanced by the increased use of guitar. Furthermore there is now an even larger variety of stylistic influences such as jazz or even heavy metal. Another highlight are the new hauntingly beautiful yet adventurous violin solos, '70s style flute parts and intriguing electric harp sections.

The band had this to say: "We are very excited about being signed to Progrock Records. We are sure that with the help of a strong partner and our best album yet we can bring our band to the next level."

Label president Shawn Gordon comments: "I really enjoyed the first two albums from the band, so I was very happy to be able to work with them on this new release, they’ve really done a fantastic job with it."

Ghosts is the first release from Frequency Drift on ProgRock Records and is available for immediate ordering at a $2 discount until late-July 2011 and will be shipped in early August. Audio samples, information and ordering can be found at this location.

Legendary New York metal/hardcore outfit PRO-PAIN is proud to be celebrating its twentieth year in existence in 2011.

Since the band's inception in 1991, PRO-PAIN has toured the world countless times, dominated the stages of the world's largest metal fests and infiltrated the hearts and lives of millions over the course of its incredible, and still heavily active, career. The band's massive back-catalog bears thirteen full-lengths and a plethora of other releases including singles, DVDs and a live album and two greatest hits compilations to date.

PRO-PAIN now proudly unveil the details for a special release designed specifically in celebration of their twenty-year anniversary; the massive CD/DVD combo appropriately titled "20 Years Of Hardcore". Set for North American release on August 30 via AFM Records this behemoth collection of material is much more than just a "greatest hits" or random compilation of tracks. The CD kicks off with four brand new tracks to get things moving! The disc also contains four re-recorded tracks (featuring PRO-PAIN alumni Rob Moschetti, JC Dwyer, Mike Hanzel and Eric Klinger), cover songs, and a fourteen-song live set filmed in the Czech Republic, in total bearing over 78 minutes of material! The DVD that joins the disc contains over 90 minutes of additional material, including tons of live footage featuring several full concerts, as well as fan-filmed footage and tons of extras, making this an absolute must-have for any fan of PRO-PAIN's patented, groove-laden thunder.

"20 Years Of Hardcore" track listing:

CD:

New tracks:

01. Damnation
02. Hands In The Jar
03. Someday Bloody Someday
04. True Liberation

Re-recorded tracks:

05. Foul Taste Of Freedom 2011
06. Make War (Not Love) 2011
07. Denial 2011
08. Shine 2011

Cover track:

09. Keine Amnestie für MTV

Live In Brno (CZ)

10. Unrestrained
11. Three Minutes Hate
12. Can You Feel It
13. UnAmerican
14. Neocon
15. No Way Out
16. F*ck It
17. Draw Blood
18. The Shape Of Things To Come
19. In For The Kill
20. Let The Blood Run Through The Streets
21. Foul Taste Of Freedom
22. All For King George
23. Destroy The Enemy

DVD:

Beograd Concert - SKC 1998:

01. Shine
02. Make War (Not Love)
03. State Of Mind
04. The Stench Of Piss
05. Life's Hard
06. Get Real
07. Time
08. Foul Taste Of Freedom
09. Crush
10. Box City
11. Blood Red
12. Bad Blood

Live at With Full Force:

01. Casualties Of War - 2002
02. UnAmerican - 2005
03. Fuck It - 2007

Live at Lausitzring 2005:

01. Neocon
02. One World Ain't Enough
03. Left For Dead
04. Life's Hard
05. Get Real

Fan-filmed footage:

01. Iraqnophobia 1993
02. Johnny Black 1996
03. Act Of God 1999
04. Smokin' Gun 1999
05. Implode 2005

* Rare clips from the vault: A montage of old rare footage

* Official promo video: "Down For The Cause"

Aggressive, meticulous, passionate, righteous — all distinguishing traits that have come to symbolize the fundamentals of metal/hardcore pioneers PRO-PAIN. Since the band's crushing debut album, "Foul Taste Of Freedom", stormed onto the scene in 1992, PRO-PAIN has become a household name of heavy music listeners around the globe. The group's successful and enviable career has perpetually prospered throughout its course and yet they still manage to find room to improve, and more importantly, impress.

Formed by vocalist/bassist Gary Meskil (ex-CRUMBSUCKERS), PRO-PAIN has over the years benefited from substantial support from an ever-growing and loyal fanbase, international extreme music press and media, hard rock radio, MTV's "Headbangers Ball", and more, helping the band's worldwide catalog sales approach one million units to date.

"Lake Ablaze", the new video from Florida-based extreme metal veterans HATE ETERNAL, can be viewed below. The clip was directed by David Brodsky, who has previously worked with AS I LAY DYING, SUICIDE SILENCE, KATAKLYSM, ARSIS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, among others. The song comes off the band's latest album, "Phoenix Amongst The Ashes", which sold around 1,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 14 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.

Persian death metal band ARSAMES will release a four-song EP, called Persian Death Metal Tribute To Warriors Of Metal, later this summer.

The album includes tracks from AMON AMARTH, KREATOR, CARCASS and SEPULTURA.

The tracklisting:

'Phobia' (Kreator cover)
'Roots' (Sepultura cover)
'Polarized' (Carcass cover)
'The Pursuit Of Vikings' (Amon Amarth cover)
'Testament Of The King' (remix)

Following the turbulent and successful release of Road Salt One in the year 2010 (with numerous chart entries, Russian train bombs, an appearance at the huge Swedish Melodifestivalen as well as highly controversial video clips), not to mention the touring activities in its support which climaxed this year with shows in India, South America, and last month's triumphant appearance at France's Hellfest, PAIN OF SALVATION can now finally reveal that the Road Salt Two album is scheduled for a October 11th, 2011 release date in North America via InsideOut Music. The European release date is set for September 26th.

Dutch progressive metallers TEXTURES have set "Dualism" as the title of their fourth album, due in in Europe, South America, Australia and Asia on September 23 and in North America on September 27 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Split Second Sound Studio in Amsterdam and was produced by TEXTURES guitar player Jochem Jacobs, who helmed all of the band's previous albums. The first single, "Reaching Home", will be released on August 19 through all major download sites.

The "Dualism" cover artwork was designed by former TEXTURES frontman Eric Kalsbeek and the band's bass player Remko Tielemans.

Commented Eric: "The guys asked me to co-create the artwork together with Remko, for good old times' sake. Of course I said yes! I might not be in the band anymore, but I'm still involved in some ways. We're still pretty close, you know. It was a challenge; it had to be 'different' but still TEXTURES-like. Hope you like it!"

"Dualism" track listing:

01. Arms Of The Sea
02. Black Horses Stampede
03. Reaching Home
04. Sanguine Draws The Oath
05. Consonant Hemispheres
06. Burning The Midnight Oil
07. Singularity
08. Minor Earth, Major Skies
09. Stoic Resignation
10. Foreclosure
11. Sketches From A Motionless Statue

From years of relentless touring, Los Angeles thrashers WARBRINGER have become known as one of the hardest-working bands in metal, as well as a ferocious live act — and they bring all of that raw aggression into the creation of their third album, "Worlds Torn Asunder", scheduled for a September 27 release via Century Media Records.

"Worlds Torn Asunder" was produced and mixed by Steve Evetts (SUICIDE SILENCE, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SYMPHONY X), and features artwork by Dan Seagrave, who designed WARBRINGER's previous album cover (in addition to art for bands such as ENTOMBED, SUFFOCATION and MORBID ANGEL).

Commented WARBRINGER vocalist John Kevill: "The concept behind 'Worlds Torn Asunder' was the decline of our existing world at the hands of the human race. The artwork depicts the world literally being torn and we wanted to include the setting in the cosmos along with a darker 'higher' force lurking behind the shadows. We had worked with Dan Seagrave before on 'Waking Into Nightmares' and were very comfortable with the way he expressed himself. He's been the artist for many bands we love and are inspired by."

The album's first single, "Living Weapon", will be released in the coming weeks.

"Worlds Torn Asunder" track listing:

01. Living Weapon
02. Shattered Like Glass
03. Wake Up...Destroy
04. Future Ages Gone
05. Savagery
06. Treacherous Tongue
07. Echoes From The Void
08. Enemies of the State
09. Behind the Veils of Night (instrumental)
10. Demonic Ecstasy

Finnish melodic death metallers INSOMNIUM will release their new album, "One For Sorrow", on October 12 in Finland, October 17 in the rest of Europe and October 18 in North America via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded in Gothenburg, Sweden with sound engineer Daniel Antonsson (also bassist in DARK TRANQUILLITY and guitarist in DIMENSION ZERO) and at Fantom studios in Tempere, Finland, where the album was also mixed by Samu Oittisen.

"Restless", a brand new song from the Norwegian progressive/avant-garde metal band LEPROUS, can be streamed on the group's Facebook page (note: you must "like" the band in order to hear the track). The cut comes off the group's new album, "Bilateral", which was skillfully mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street studios (OPETH, PAIN OF SALVATION, DEVIN TOWNSEND, SYMPHONY X) in Sweden.

e on August 22 in Europe and August 23, in North America via InsideOut Music, "Bilateral" "is set to musically redefine what it means to be progressive rock and/or metal, both for the devotees of the genre and the metal fans looking on from a safe distance," according to a press release.

Commented LEPROUS vocalist/keyboardist Einar Solberg: "'Restless' represents 'Bilateral' in many ways. It's complex, but at the same time catchy and plain. Even though it's one of the shortest songs on the album, I feel it's flavored with all the things that make LEPROUS special. It has the catchy chorus, it has the groove, it has progish feel and last but not least it has the heaviness."

LEPROUS tapped surrealistic American artist Jeff Jordan to create the artwork for "Bilateral". Solberg said: "Jeff Jordan is probably best known from his work with THE MARS VOLTA, and his paintings are highly rated all over the world. [Spanish designer] Ritxi Ostariz did the artwork for our previous album 'Tall Poppy Syndrome' (released 2009 through Sensory Records) and, of course, we want him to be part of this new album. Ritxi, too, is a critically acclaimed designer, and in our opinion one of the very best in his field."

"Storm Seeker", the debut album from Norway's ICS VORTEX, the project led by the former DIMMU BORGIR and current BORKNAGAR member, will be released on August 22 in Europe and August 23 in North America via Century Media Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. The Blackmobile
02. Odin's Tree
03. Skoal!
04. Dogsmacked
05. Aces
06. Windward
07. When Shuffled Off
08. Oil In Water
09. Storm Seeker
10. Flaskeskipper
11. The Sub Mariner

Danish extreme metallers CORPUS MORTALE check in with the following update:

“This will be the last studio update until we're ready to announce that the whole thing is completed.

The rhythm guitars was done in mid-June, and we immediately proceeded with the vocals... the lead guitar and bass guitar has been recorded simultaneously and now where very close to having everything on disc. We're hoping to be 100% through this weekend.

The mixing hasn't been planned yet but with a little luck we can do it in the following weeks thus the album with be ready for shopping in August.

August has been our deadline from the start and it's really nice that it seems we'll make it.

The title is found but we'll hold on to that for a little longer...”

The band's new album, produced by Jacob Olsen (PANZERCHRIST), will be released in late 2011.

ANOTHER ANIMAL — the band featuring GODSMACK members Tony Rombola on guitar, Robbie Merrill on bass and Shannon Larkin on drums — is preparing to release a new single, "Fall Of Rome". The track was mixed by Dave Fortman (MUDVAYNE, EVANESCENCE), who produced the latest album from GODSMACK, "The Oracle".

ANOTHER ANIMAL also includes original GODSMACK guitarist Lee Richards and former UGLY KID JOE frontman Whitfield Crane. Larkin told The Pulse of Radio that he personally wanted to bring Crane into the band to repay him for giving Larkin a job with UGLY KID JOE during the peak of that band's success. "He took me out of one of the darkest places in my life, when I was ready to just quit the music business," he said. "Well, Whit was in his own dark place, so I got to call him and say, 'Dude, guess what? I have this side project, so I'm offering you a chance now to be back on a major label and get your voice on the radio again. I was able to return a favor that was life-changing for me."

ANOTHER ANIMAL's self-titled debut album came out in October 2007 and was supported by a tour with ALTER BRIDGE.

MOTÖRHEAD's legendary frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister tells Billboard.com that he has recorded 10 songs for a solo album he's been working on for the past seven years. Guests so far include Dave Grohl (FOO FIGHTERS, ex-NIRVANA), REVEREND HORTON HEAT, THE DAMNED and SKEW SISKIN, and Lemmy is hoping to finish it soon for possible release in 2012. "It's good. It goes all kinds of directions," he says. "It's either very inconsistent or very eclectic, depending how you look at it."

In a 2004 interview with Metal Maniacs magazine, Lemmy stated about his solo CD, " I've got two [songs recorded] with SKEW SISKIN [reportedly titled 'Stand Upon The Mountain' and 'Don't Matter To Me' — Ed.], which are fucking great! And I've got two with the REVEREND HORTON HEAT, some good psycho-metal-billy! I've got a track from Dave Grohl that I'm still sorting out and two tracks from THE DAMNED [including a cover of THE DAMNED's 'Neat Neat Neat']. That's with Dave and The Captain! Some good stuff."

It was previously reported that guitarist Jim Voxx of SKEW SISKIN, who own Berlin's Monongo studios, was producing/recording and mixing two of the songs for the project. A full horn section was recorded, a saxophone player, a blues piano player and a lot more.

Legendary guitarist Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) was joined by guest singer Fergie (a.k.a. Stacy Ann Ferguson) during his July 10, 2011 appearance at the Oxegen Festival in Naas, Ireland.

Slash's setlist was as follows:

01. Ghost
02. Mean Bone (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT song)
03. Sucker Train Blues (VELVET REVOLVER song)
04. Back From Cali
05. Nightrain (GUNS N' ROSES song)
06. Mr. Brownstone (GUNS N' ROSES song)
07. My Michelle (GUNS N' ROSES song)
08. Beautiful Dangerous (with Fergie)
09. Barracuda (HEART cover) (with Fergie)
10. Sweet Child O' Mine (GUNS N' ROSES song)
11. Slither (VELVET REVOLVER song)

Encore:

12. Paradise City (GUNS N' ROSES song)

"Inception Of The End", a brand new song from Florida metallers TRIVIUM, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's new album, "In Waves", which will be released on August 9 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2008's "Shogun" was recorded primarily at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida (with only the drums having been tracked at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida) with the production/mixing team of Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, SLIPKNOT, FEAR FACTORY) and Martin "Ginge" Ford, along with engineer Carl Bown.

"The Enemy", a brand new song from New York hardcore-metallists VISION OF DISORDER (a.k.a. V.O.D.), can be streamed below. According to guitarist Matt Baumbach, the track will appear on what will be V.O.D.'s next release "once we figure out what the best option will be for it to come out." He added, "We may just do a self-release at this point. This track is a good example of the style of the record so that's why we picked it first." Other working songtitles that are set to appear on V.O.D.'s next release include "Hard Times", "Annihilator" and "Be Up On It".

The lyric video for "Not Again", the new single from Massachusetts rockers STAIND, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's seventh studio album and first full-length release in three years, "Staind", which arrives in stores and at all digital retailers on September 13. Produced by Johnny K – known for his work with 3 DOORS DOWN, DISTURBED, and SEVENDUST, not to mention his Grammy Award-nominated collaboration with STAIND, 2008's "The Illusion Of Progress" — and mixed by the legendary Chris Lord-Alge, "Staind" stands as STAIND's most intense and powerful work to date.

Neurot Recordings has announced the signing of Belgian sorcerers AMENRA.

A perfect fit to Neurot's already organically soulful and cerebrally crushing roster, AMENRA's newly completed fourth full-length album, "Mass V", will be released in the coming months, with a confirmed street date and more details to be brought forth shortly.

AMENRA have pulverized audiences abroad since the turn of the 21st century via an arsenal of split and mini-releases, as well as three full-length albums to date. They have proven themselves in the live setting as well, having toured with the likes of NEUROSIS, CONVERGE, PELICAN, STARKWEATHER, BATTLEFIELDS and countless others, and via notable performances at massive festivals, including Roadburn, Eurosonic and more.

Stated AMENRA in a collective statement about signing with Neurot: "Since day one, and for a decade now, we found ourselves in a cold and lonely place. Until our paths crossed with the Neurot family. A warm embrace. We believe now we have found a place we can call our own, and with great pride. We sincerely see this as the opportunity for us to prove to the world that our being here on Earth, In time, will not go unnoticed, but will be well spent. 'Mass V'. We will make it mean something, always and everywhere."

Neurot Recordings founder and NEUROSIS guitarist/vocalist Steve Von Till also made an official statement on the label's choice to bring AMENRA into the Neurot family. "For us in NEUROSIS and Neurot Recordings life has always been a quest searching for something deeper, something more meaningful, something that moves one to feel something real in a world full of soul killing triviality," he said. "AMENRA is deep, and real, and moving, and incredibly inspiring. Their family is dedicated and like-minded in a way that we relate to completely. Kindred spirits. Their musical and visual aesthetic is pure and runs through everything they do, their music, their words, their graphics, their visuals, and print media. That unspoken spiritual core that we seek, weaves throughout their being. It is with great honor that we welcome them to our home, and to our label. There are few in our tribe in this world, and we are definitely stronger when we are together. I am eagerly awaiting the sonically induced spirit quest that will be 'Mass V' at the Church of Ra."

In related news, AMENRA will support NEUROSIS once again on several live dates in Germany, Austria and France over the coming week, for the first time with the two artists now as official labelmates. Stated the band on the upcoming performances: "Our second tour with NEUROSIS. A restless heart. An unpredictable force of nature. NEUROSIS broke down walls and used those stones to build a path that now AMENRA is able to walk. Without them we might not even have existed at all. Who knows. The recognition we get might be more substantial to us than breath, a light that fills the dark chambers of our hearts, until it will be gone. I expect and wish the shows to be out of this vvorld. We will try and guide the sparks, stoking and tending the flames, where NEUROSIS will set the bonfire alight. And each night, together, we will build that pyre. It will always be a godsgift and honor. for us to share stages with them. And travel with them, in silence. In everything we give thanks."

Anglo-Chilean thrash masters CRIMINAL will release their seventh studio album, the first since the departure of guitarist/founding member Rodrigo Contreras and the subsequent addition of Basque guitar wizard Olmo Cascallar, on August 19 via Massacre Records.

"Akelarre" was recorded at HVR Recording Studios in Suffolk, U.K. and features the following track listing:

01. Order From Chaos
02. Resistance Is Futile
03. The Ghost We Summoned
04. Akelarre
05. State Of Siege
06. Tyrannicide
07. Feel The Void
08. The Power Of The Dog
09. Vows Of Silence
10. La Santa Muerte

MURDERDOLLS frontman Wednesday 13 will release his new solo album, "Calling All Corpses", on October 11.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Blood Fades To Black
02. I Wanna Be Cremated
03. Ghoul Of My Dreams
04. One Knife Stand
05. Calling All Corpses
06. Miss Morgue
07. Silver Bullets
08. Bad At Being Human
09. London After Midnight
10. Candle For The Devil
11. We All Die
12. Something Wicked This Way Comes
13. Blood Fades To Black (Reprise)

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT have set "The Dark Roots Of Earth" as the title of their new album, tentatively due in October via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD is currently being recorded with British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE and MACHINE HEAD, among others.

Due to a "serious injury," drummer Paul Bostaph was unable to take part in the new CD recordings but will rejoin TESTAMENT for future touring activities. Playing drums on the follow-up to 2008's "The Formation Of Damnation" is Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan (ex-DARK ANGEL, ex-STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK), with LAMB OF GOD's Chris Adler set to make a special guest appearance on a couple of bonus tracks.

SADUS drummer Jon Allen sat behind the kit for TESTAMENT when the band performed in the place of IN FLAMES at the first two shows of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival — on Saturday, July 9 in San Bernardino, California and on Sunday, July 10 in Mountain View, California.

"Metal Zone" host Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco, California radio station 107.7 The Bone conducted an interview with TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy at the second show of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival on July 10 in Mountain View, California. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

On TESTAMENT's rotating-drummer situation:

Chuck: "Paul Bostaph is injured right now, so he couldn't do the record. We kind of put the record off a little while waiting for Paul. We found out he was not gonna be ready, so we brought on Gene Hoglan. Gene Hoglan came in and crushed, killed the drums in about a week. And Gene, of course, couldn't do [the Mayhem] shows, so we have Jon Allen performing today with us from SADUS."

On how Jon Allen (SADUS) came to do the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival shows with TESTAMENT:

Chuck: "When Paul was hurt, Jon came in the studio and was working with us to write some of the stuff. And he's been in TESTAMENT before, so he knows the songs. He was there, his drums were [set up], so we were, 'OK, you're playing the shows.'"

On whether Paul Bostaph will be ready to tour South America with TESTAMENT in August:

Chuck: "He's not gonna be able to make that, so Jon Allen is gonna do South America, and then after that, there's nothing really set in stone yet, so we're kind of waiting. Hopefully he's ready to go after South America."

On how "The Dark Roots Of Earth" compares to 2008's "The Formation Of Damnation":

Chuck: "Alex [Skolnick, guitar] and everybody really contributed to the writing of this [album], so it's really, really a true TESTAMENT record. With the other one, Alex just touched it, played some solos and it really felt good, 'cause we structured the songs for him. But this one, everybody really contributed, so…"

On TESTAMENT's upcoming tour in support of "The Dark Roots Of Earth":

Chuck: "We plan to tour. It's gonna be October/November. I think it's OK to say, it's gonna be [with] ANTHRAX, DEATH ANGEL and OVERKILL. So that'll be in America. That'll be probably a five- or six-week tour in America. It would be good to have [the new TESTAMENT] record out [to coincide] with that [tour]. But if [it doesn't come out in time], we'll have something out we'll be promoting with that tour."

On how LAMB OF GOD's Chris Adler came to play the drums on two of the tracks on "The Dark Roots Of Earth":

Chuck: "When we knew that Paul wasn't gonna make it, [we were like], 'OK, we have to find drummers to do the record.' And all these names came up. It was just weird because that day Chris and Gene both kind of got back to us. So we were like, 'Why not? Let's just have them both do it.' Gene was already planning to come up and do most of it. So we just said, 'Let's just stick with Chris doing two songs.' He was already set up doing the [new] LAMB OF GOD record in New York. So we sent him the tracks out there and he just learned them and did them while he was set up for LAMB OF GOD."