"Savor The Kill", the new video from Washington D.C. metallers DARKEST HOUR, can be viewed below (courtesy of ARTISTdirect.com). The clip was filmed in Los Angeles with in Los Angeles with director Ramon Boutviseth, who has previously worked with TRIVIUM, INCUBUS and ALL THAT REMAINS, among others. The video features a timber wolf known for its use in the ABC show "The Gates" and both "Twilight" movies.

The reunited original ELECTRIC BOYS lineup — Franco Santunione (guitar), Andy Christell (bass), Niklas Sigevall (drums) and Conny Bloom (guitar, vocals) — will release its first album since 1992 called "And Them Boys Done Swang" on April 6 via Supernova Records, a division of the Cosmos Music Group. The CD will be made available in Japan on March 16 through JVC with three bonus tracks.

"And Them Boys Done Swang" track listing:

01. Reeferlord
02. My Heart's Not For Sale
03. Father Popcorn's Magic Oysters
04. Angel In An Armoured Suit
05. Ten Thousand Times Goodbye
06. The House Is Rockin'
07. Welcome To The High Times
08. Sometimes U Gotta Go Look For The Car
09. Put Your Arms Around Me
10. The Day The Gypsies Came To Town
11. Rollin' Down The Road
12. A Mother Of A Love Story
13. Chickalicious (Japanese bonus track)
14. Down On Shakin' Street (Japanese bonus track)
15. Nowhere To Go But Up (Japanese bonus track)

"Freedom To The Slave Makers", the forthcoming album from Israeli metallers BETZEFER, is available for streaming in its entirety at the band's Facebook page. The CD will be released worldwide on February 18 via AFM Records.

"Freedom To The Slave Makers" was recorded with acclaimed producer Warren Riker (DOWN, CYNIC, LAURYN HILL, SANTANA) and features the following track listing:

01. Best Seller
02. Backstage Blues
03. Feels So Right
04. Diamond Director
05. Nothing But Opinions
06. Doomsday
07. Empty Magazine
08. Perfect Lie
09. Song For The Alcoholic
10. Heavensent

Check out the cover artwork below.

Italian avantgarde black metal project OGEN will release its debut EP, "Black Metal Unbound", in the spring via Kolony Records. The CD is currently being recorded at Elfo Studio in Italy with producer Daniele Mandelli (FORGOTTEN TOMB, DARK HORIZON). It features a guest appearance by BE'LAKOR lead singer George Kosmas in the song "Shattered Earth Volcano".

OGEN was formed in 2010 as a solo project of mastermind Hartagga who had the desire to explore the field of extreme metal, pushing his lifelong musical quest further. The path to follow was clear since the beginning: from the early stages of the project, OGEN was meant to contribute its view and compositions to the ever-changing genre of black metal. With this in mind, the songwriting process started to flow easily, revealing OGEN's ability to forge tunes made of both black metal edges and episodes of not-so-obvious harmonic tapestry. An EP was born, set to firstly declare OGEN's will to provide the world of metal with an enchantingly estranging extreme metal outfit, which never lacks perspective and whose wall of sound, easily more relevant than speed for speed's sake, will take listeners on a trip to the deep heart of forgotten landscapes.

"Black Metal Unbound" track listing:

01. Shattered Earth Volcano
02. Black Tusk Retaliation
03. Crest Of The Forgotten
04. As A Leaden Sun Shineth Upon
05. Steep Rope To Desolation

Baltimore, Maryland-based progressive metal band IMAGES OF EDEN will release its third album, "Rebuilding The Ruins", on March 1.

According to a press release, IMAGES OF EDEN boasts "a very dynamic sound with a wide range of metal/ hard rock styles, ranging anywhere from progressive rock to power metal. They combine thought-provoking, inspirational lyrics, stellar musicianship with complex compositions and an honest and powerful vocal delivery, keeping the technical and unpredictable aspect of prog-metal but with very accessible hooks and melodies."

"Rebuilding The Ruins" is a 74-minute concept CD, mastered by Grammy-nominated producer Eric Zimmermann (FATES WARNING, LIMP BIZKIT, DEFTONES, BUCKCHERRY, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES). The title track, "Rebuilding The Ruins", was also selected by an indie film company to be used as a soundtrack for an upcoming short film to debut at Cannes/Tribeca film festivals next year.

Inspired by bands such as IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRŸCHE, FATES WARNING and SYMPHONY X, as well as other progressive metal bands, IMAGES OF EDEN's songwriting walks the line between accessibility and unpredictability, thus appealing to more than just a prog-metal audience.

"I would say that most of my influences are more prog-metal or 'old-school' British metal rather than new," says IMAGES OF EDEN vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, Gordon Tittsworth. "However, I actually have some old thrash influences as well. They range from FATES WARNING (all, but more specifically the John Arch era), QUEENSRŸCHE, BADLANDS, PANTERA, IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH, DREAM THEATER, TYPE O NEGATIVE to SLAYER, RUNNING WILD, MOTÖRHEAD and various European metal, among many others. I'm sure you can imagine that my writing should be a bit heavier than it is, but the influences of the rest of the band are more on the prog-rock side — bands like RUSH, KANSAS, ELP, GENESIS, MARILLION, PORCUPINE TREE, etc. These influences added more dimension and melody to an initial heavier sound, but the chemistry really worked well, I think."

IMAGES OF EDEN previously released two full-length CDs — "Chapter I" (independent, 2001) and "Sunlight Of The Spirit" (Nightmare Records, 2006).

"Deconstruction" and "Ghost" — the third and fourth in a series of albums from Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, STEVE VAI, LAMB OF GOD, DARKEST HOUR, GWAR) to be made available under THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT moniker — will likely be issued in early summer via InsideOut Music. Townsend writes on his Twitter account, "If the mix is delivered by the first [of March], the release for both [CDs] would be June."

A newly released video clip from the orchestral recording sessions for "Deconstruction" can be viewed below.

Townsend has tapped Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, PARADISE LOST, BLOODBATH) to mix "Deconstruction". The sessions are taking place at Fascination Street studio in Örebro, Sweden. The CD will feature a guest appearance by former EMPEROR frontman Ihsahn (real name: Vegard Sverre Tveitan) as well as two drummers — Ryan Van Poederooyen (TERROR SYNDROME, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND) for the "crushing stuff," and Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK, SCARVE, ABORTED) for the "inhuman stuff."

Devin previously described "Deconstruction" as "brutal in a lot of parts, but pretty glorious in others. It rides the fence of negativity but ultimately ends supremely positive."

According to Devin, "'Ghost' is the mellowest (by far) and prettiest record I've done so far" with a "very wonderful vibe."

Townsend has just made a five-song live EP available for free download by spreading the word about this page at on Twitter and Facebook. The EP contains the tracks "Supercrush", "Kingdom", "Truth", "Om" and "By Your Command".

"Learn To Live", the new video from British metallers ARCHITECTS, can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Stuart Birchall of You Know Ltd.

"Learn To Live" comes off ARCHITECTS' new album, "The Here And Now", which sold around 900 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 47 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.

Bassist Tomasz "Reyash" Rejek has left Polish death metal veterans VADER. He has released the following statement on the matter:

"Ave! After over two years of cooperation, I've decided to quit VADER due to personal reasons. I'd like to thank my bandmates for hundreds of gigs played together, I wish you all the best. At the same time I'd like to inform that I shall continue my music adventure along with my bands CHRIST AGONY, SUPREME LORD and WITCHMASTER. See you in Hell."

Massachusetts metallers UNEARTH will be rejoined by their former drummer Derek Kerswill for an appearance at a benefit concert for their ex-bass player Chris "Rover" Rybicki, who tragically lost his life at the hands of an alleged drunk driver this past September. The show will take place this coming Saturday, February 19 at Saint Michaels Hall in Lynn, Massachusetts and will feature a performance by another one of Rover's former bands, NO CHOICE, as well as sets by SCREAMS OF ERIDA and GASKET. All proceeds will go directly to the Rybicki family.

Commented UNEARTH: "In an effort to keep the focus on recording our new album and to show everyone that we are still indeed friends with our former drummer Derek Kerswill and that our split was solely because of 'creative differences,' we have decided that he is the best fit to play drums for us at Roverfest this Saturday night.

"Both the band and Derek agree that this was the best way to end our chapter together while also paying tribute to our fallen friend and former bassist Chris 'Rover' Rybicki. So if you are attending the show on Saturday at St. Michaels Hall in Lynn, you will get a chance to see our last gig with Kerswill."

For more information, go to this location.

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST announced in December that they will head out on their farewell world tour beginning in 2011. The band intends to hit all major cities across the globe as they sign off on a career that has lasted for nearly 40 years. The "Epitaph" tour will launch in early June and hit a number of European festivals throughout the summer, with more dates yet to be confirmed.

In a brand new posting on JUDAS PRIEST's official web site, the band writes, "We are planning on possibly doing a track from every album throughout our careers in the set list, so let us know what your favorites are and maybe we'll pick some of them!!"

JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing recently answered a number of new fan questions via his official web site. When questioned about his plans for the future after PRIEST completes its farewell tour, Downing replied, "To be perfectly honest I have not given any thought as to possible case scenarios after the final tour. At the moment though I feel that PRIEST has played its part in music history and feel very proud to have achieved what we have. So there is a good positive feeling inside me and of course I feel very indebted to the fans all over the world. As for the future, we probably need the help of Nostradamus."

According to a posting on JUDAS PRIEST's official web site, the band is currently working on new material. The message adds that "all is going really well" and promises that more details will be made available at a later date.

A separate posting on JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton's official web site reads, "As you may already be aware, PRIEST have announced a fair well world tour beginning this summer.

"We are all excited about the tour and are currently having meetings to discuss the stage production, but above all the set list. We intend to include some classic PRIEST songs that we haven't played before and of course the old favorites that everybody will want to hear.

"To put everyone's mind at rest, this is by no means the end of the band. In fact, we are presently writing new material, but we do intend this to be the last major world tour."

JUDAS PRIEST's most recent double-disc concept album, "Nostradamus", sold 42,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart. This marked the band's highest-ever chart position in the U.S. In Canada, the CD opened at position No. 9 after shifting close to 4,000 units.

JUDAS PRIEST's previous studio CD, "Angel of Retribution", premiered with 58,000 copies in the U.S. back in March 2005 to debut at No. 13.

Former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has begun laying down tracks on the debut album from the new project featuring SYMPHONY X frontman Russell Allen and guitar virtuoso Mike Orlando (SONIC STOMP). Portnoy states, "This stuff is SLAMMIN'!"

Although the project was initially supposed to go under the name UNDAUNTED (with an official Facebook page that is still being regularly updated), that is now apparently no longer the case. Portnoy tells BLABBERMOUTH.NET, "Russ and Mike started working on stuff as UNDAUNTED and since I've joined up, we've changed the name and are adding a bass player and second guitarist."

Fan-filmed video footage of NAPALM DEATH's February 13, 2011 concert at Klubi in Tampere, Finland can be viewed below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Downbeat Clique
02. Hung
03. Continuing War on Stupidity
04. Next on the List
05. When All Is Said And Done
06. If the Truth Be Known
07. Lucid Fairytale
08. Social Sterility
09. On the Brink of Extinction
10. Mentally Murdered
11. The World Keeps Turning
12. Pride Assassin
13. Conform (SIEGE cover)
14. Politicians (RAW POWER cover)
15. Greed Killing
16. Scum
17. Control
18. M.A.D.
19. Nazi Punks Fuck Off (DEAD KENNEDYS cover)

Encore:

20. Suffer the Children
21. Instinct of Survival

"Complex Terms", a brand new song from California metallers THE HUMAN ABSTRACT, can be streamed at AltPress.com. It is also available for listening using the audio player below. The track comes off the band's third full-length album, "Digital Veil", which will be released on March 8 via eOne Music.

"Digital Veil" track listing:

01. Elegiac
02. Complex Terms
03. Digital Veil
04. Faust
05. Antebellum
06. Holographic Sight
07. Horizon To Zenith
08. Patterns

German black metal heathens INFESTUS will release their new album, "E x | I s t", on May 19 in North America (one day earlier internationally) via Debemur Morti Productions. The cover artwork and track listing to the long-awaited follow-up to 2008's "Chroniken des Ablebens" will be revealed soon.

INFESTUS rose from the ashes of the formation DUNKELFRONT in 2003. After releasing a demo, the debut album and a split CD, guitarist Harbarth left INFESTUS in 2006 owing to a lack of time and devotion. Thereafter, INFESTUS developed into something more than just a musical appearance in this world. It turned into an entity which totally embodies their anti-social, mind- and life- devastating disease with more efficiency and devotion than ever before. Andras took over the whole instrumentation, whereas Dagon concentrated on the vocals. In 2008, they created the concept album "Chroniken des Ablebens", which was released by Debemur Morti Productions and received excellent reviews. But this was not enough. After intonating the moment of dying and expanding these few seconds to the length of an album, Andras was driven by the idea of using his very personal experiences, having emerged from these abysmal depths. He was determined to finally gain catharsis by creating "E x | I s t" . However, Dagon somehow slowly detached from the musical side of the entity INFESTUS, which then in the summer of 2010 forced them to determine that Andras had to go on alone by taking over the vocals. "E x | I s t" was finished in the summer of 2010 and is once again born into this world by Debemur Morti Productions.

INFESTUS still dissociates from all political ideas, fraternities and other unnecessary coalitions. INFESTUS solely renders homage to everlasting darkness, the perfection of nocturnal forests and all types of mental depravities.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, METALLICA will not revert to their ten-year-old sessions from Presidio in San Francisco for their new album. The group's drummer Lars Ulrich states that the band did not use any of those 'lost' recordings on their 2008 album, "Death Magnetic", nor do they wish to revisit them for new material they will work on this spring.

Ulrich told The Pulse Of Radio, "There's certainly no plans right now. The Presidio was a real awkward time as we were kind of getting our feet wet again and when we were doing the whole 'Death Magnetic' stuff, we didn't go back and wade through hours and hours of Presidio stuff to try and see what could be resurrected."

The Presidio sessions were abandoned after frontman James Hetfield entered rehab for an extended period. When the band later regrouped, they started fresh and recorded the album, "St. Anger".

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett told RollingStone.com that the band will hit the studio in May to begin work on a mysterious new "recording project" that may not exactly be an album. Hammett elaborated, "We want to record it in two weeks. We had planned on doing it in March, but we pushed it back to May. I don't want to give too much away, but it's not really 100 percent a METALLICA record. It's a recording project, let's put it that way. Without getting too deep into it, it's more a recording project than a bona fide METALLICA album. Whether or not we can pull it off in just two weeks remains to be seen."

One question, however, is how any new record would come out, since Ulrich told The Pulse Of Radio that METALLICA's contract with Warner Music Group is now done. "I do believe that we are without a record contract for the next record, so we'll come around to that one," he said. "I certainly at this point cannot say anything about what's gonna happen with the next record. It's not a conversation we've had, or at least not any conversation I've been part of in the last couple of years, and it's kind of cool to have nothing but options. So we'll see how it plays out."

CHEAP TRICK guitarist Rick Nielsen joined Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) on stage this past Sunday, February 13 at the House Of Blues in Chicago, Illinois to perform a cover version of the FATS DOMINO song "Ain't That A Shame" (which was also recorded by CHEAP TRICK). Slash introduced Nielsen by calling him "a major influence" and "a motherfucker of a guitar player," and admitted that he "even played air guitar to [Rick] before I learned how to play" the instrument properly.

You can now watch fan-filmed video footage of Nielsen's appearance and the rest of Slash's concert below.

Slash said in a recent interview that he thought Axl Rose being voted greatest lead singer of all time was "pretty fucking cool," adding, "We may have had our differences and this and that and the other, but I will never undermine the fact that I thought GUNS N' ROSES, when it was originally together, was one of the best rock bands, and Axl has always in my mind been one of the best frontmen/lyricists in rock and roll, period."

Slash is currently touring behind his self-titled solo album as the opening act for Ozzy Osbourne.

The guitarist said that a decision on VELVET REVOLVER's new vocalist will be coming in the next few weeks. The band has reportedly been working with one fairly well-known singer — rumored to be SLIPKNOT/STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor — but has yet to announce whether he will join the band.

To celebrate the reissue of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's 1998 self-titled debut, Rekords Rekords will release a very limited-edition seven-inch single featuring "How To Handle A Rope (A Lesson In The Lariat)" (taken from the aforementioned debut LP) accompanied by the B-side "Avon". Each single will be individually numbered and made available exclusively through Josh Homme's own Rekords Rekords label in partnership with Domino on February 28.

Canadian extreme metallers KATAKLYSM have begun the long process of putting together elements for their upcoming 20th-anniversary DVD. Titled "The Iron Will: 20 Years Determined", this documentary will begin with the band's inception in 1991 and tell the lasting story behind of one of the most important extreme musical exports in Canada's short 143-year history. Director and producer Tommy Jones (LAMB OF GOD, SOILWORK, DEATH ANGEL) will catch the band's heartbeat on the road and to put the memories together. The DVD will also include interviews with a wide range of characters, including the band's infamous first frontman Sylvain Houde, who sang on the first three KATAKLYSM albums: "The Mystical Gate Of Reincarnation" (1993), "Sorcery" (1996), and "Temple Of Knowledge" (1999).

A single and a video clip for the title track "The Iron Will" will be recorded this summer.

The massive content of the DVD will include KATAKLYSM's upcoming headlining show at Summer Breeze festival in Germany where the band will perform classics from all of its eleven releases.

Commented KATAKLYSM frontman Maurizio Iacono: "This is something that we are doing first for ourselves to look back at the long and hard road traveled and to be grateful that twenty years later this band is stronger than ever and still means something in the music world. It's an accomplishment to exist this long and this DVD is dedicated to our fans who solely kept us alive in this destructive and turbulent scene.

"I decided to scrap my book idea (it was taking way too long and time is of the essence) and instead tell our story on 'The Iron Will' in detail to get things off my chest once and for all.

"We've been the underdogs for so long and looking back, this is a good a place to be."

The North American leg of KATAKLYSM's "Spread the Venom 2010 - 2011 World Tour" will include support from groove-laden death shredders ALL SHALL PERISH, technical/progressive death masters DECREPIT BIRTH, Sumerian Records' touring juggernaut CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE, and Relapse Records' modern death metal merchants ABYSMAL DAWN. This will be just a part of a massive worldwide tour that will be the band's last before a much-needed break from extensive performance schedule.

KATAKLYSM's latest album, "Heaven's Venom", sold around 2,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 8 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.

KATAKLYSM's previous CD, "Prevail", opened with 2,250 units back in June 2008.

"Heaven's Venom" was produced by Jean-Francois Dagenais and was mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, MNEMIC, DARK TRANQUILLITY).

Quality fan-filmed video footage of KATAKLYSM's January 23, 2011 perofrmance at Patronaat in Haarlem, The Netherlands can be viewed below (courtesy of "letthedeathmetalflow").

Neckbreakers Ball 2011 — which also features LEGION OF THE DAMNED, EQUILIBRIUM, MÅNEGARM and MILKING THE GOATMACHINE — kicked off on January 14 in Geiselwind, Germany and concluded on February 6 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Swedish "pop/metal" band DEAD BY APRIL will release will release its sophomore album in May via Spinefarm Records. Produced by Swedish studio-meister Jacob Hellner (RAMMSTEIN) at his own Big Island Studio in Stockholm, the CD will be mixed by fellow RAMMSTEIN regular Stefan Glaumann and will feature the session guitar work of Pontus Hjelm, who left DEAD BY APRIL last year to focus more on the writing and production side; his songs (including "More Than Yesterday"; the demo version of which appeared on the compilation mini-album "Stronger", recently released via Spinefarm) will also be included, providing the all-important continuity with the self-titled debut, a Top 2 outing in Sweden.

Commented the band: "The new recordings are almost complete, and we're delighted with the way they're turning out — they are WAY beyond anything we've done before, smashing our debut! Jacob Hellner is now giving us the heaviness we've always craved… We are super-excited, and can't wait for our fans, and everyone else, to hear the results!"

DEAD BY APRIL's self-titled debut album, was released in the U.K. on August 3, 2009 via Spinefarm. Issued in Sweden on May 13, 2009 via Universal, the CD was produced by Henrik Edenhed, who has previously worked with ROBYN, LAMBRETTA, TEDDYBEARS, CHRISTIAN WALTZ and THE SOUNDS.

"Losing You", the first single from DEAD BY APRIL, topped the official chart in the band's home country.

AMARANTHE (formerly AVALANCHE) — the new project featuring Olof Mörck (NIGHTRAGE, DRAGONLAND), Jake E (ex-DREAM EVIL, DREAMLAND), Andy Solveström (WITHIN Y, EVILDOER, CIPHER SYSTEM), Morten Lowe Sorensen (THE ARCANE ORDER, SUBMISSION) and Johan Andreassen (ex-ENGEL) — will release its self-titled debut album in the U.K. on April 13 via Spinefarm Records. A single, "Hunger", will precede the full-length effort, with an accompanying video directed by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company (DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE, KAMELOT). The CD was recorded at Hansen Studio in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, MERCENARY, NIGHTRAGE).

Mörck previously stated about the "Hunger" video, "We are very exicted about working with Patric Ullaeus, as we've all been fans of his work for quite some time!

"Our concept for the video is quite cinematic and action oriented; we're going to try to capture all the energy in AMARANTHE's music in the visuals — expect explosions, fast vehicles and grand locales!"

Johan Carlén conducted an interview with AMARANTHE when the band played a hometown concert in Gothenburg, Sweden on January 6, 2011. You can now watch the chat below.

AMARANTHE vocalist Elize Ryd has been selected to fill the female singer spot on KAMELOT's upcoming European and South American tours.

Elize previously performed with KAMELOT on last year's "Summer Pandemonium Tour" and the band's European trek in April/May 2010.

Mörck previously stated about the band: "AMARANTHE has for long been an idea between me and Jake E to break out of the mold of our past projects and create something new and fresh entirely and to give room for ideas not appropriate for the other acts and projects we are part of. The result is an onslaught of soaring melodies, heavy riffing and guttural screams from the netherworld, a result of having three singers in the band; Jake E on clean vocals, cabaret virtuoso Elize on female vocals and Andy on screams. The result is a quite distinct sound, especially combined with the music itself that draws upon influences from a varied spectrum of genres, all to create a thrilling experience for the listener."

NOMAD, the Polish death metal band featuring BEHEMOTH guitarist Patryk Dominik "Seth" Sztyber, will release its new album, "Transmigration Of Consciouness", on March 21 via Witching Hour. The CD was recorded with Arek "Malta" Malczewski at Hendrix Studio in Lublin, Poland and is now being mastered at Hertz Studio. Eight songs of "ultra-heavy and sophisticated death metal" were laid down during the sessions, "with intro and outro encapsulating the album into one massive apocalyptic composition. The cover artwork was designed by Michal "Xaay" Loranc (NILE, BEHEMOTH, TRAUMA) and can be viewed below.

"Transmigration Of Consciouness" will be released as a digipack CD and limited 12-inch LP.

"Transmigration Of Consciouness" track listing:

01. Intro - Are You Ready…
02. The Demon's Breath
03. Intro
04. Dazzling Black
05. Intro
06. Identity With Personification
07. Intro
08. Pearl Evil
09. Intro
10. Abyss Of Meditation
11. Intro
12. Flames Of Tomorrow
13. Intro
14. Raised Irony
15. Intro
16. Four Percent Of Hate
17. Outro

Guitarist/producer Wojtek Lisicki (LOST HORIZON, LUCIFERION, AGAINST THE PLAGUES) has joined forces with vocalist Niclas Johnsson (FULL STRIKE, TWILIGHT ILLUSION, FATAL SMILE) in the brand new JAGGERNAUT lineup. The musicians are currently working on material and putting together a new band with a view towards releasing an album later this year.

JAGGERNAUT's previously written tracks have been considerably "rearranged, reorchestrated and protagonized" by Wojtek, who has also composed all the new material while Niclas has come up with all the vocal arrangements and lyrics for the upcoming CD.

According to a press release, "This intriguing fusion of different artistic approaches now results in a material with wide spectrum of styles and richness of strange elements coded in a singular manner within the details, therefore also increasing the range of attraction for different metal tastes. You are going to experience everything from uplifting, catchy parts right in your face, through touching melodies, cosmic and mystical synths/effects from unknown dimensions, through aggressive, thrashy and punky riffs, then suddenly heavy and very groovy rhythms succeeded — out of nowhere — with mathematical structures executed with robotic strokes and beats. Everything amalgamated with Niclas' powerful and convincing voice, full off anger and life's misery, but then also filled with mighty lines of hope and strengthening of your inner self."

Veteran Spanish death metallers AVULSED will celebrate their 20th anniversary this year by re-recording 18 of the band's "best" songs for a CD entitled "Fleshcube".

According to a press release, "Instead of just doing a compilation with the original recordings (that would be too easy and cheap), [AVULSED] decided to re-record all these songs with the current line-up, the current guitar sound (way heavier than before), their current drummer (who has empowered the playing of the songs) and in general, the usual modifications that each song suffers after being played for years and years. In resume, it'll be an album with only the best songs of the band. No fillers, just classics!! A special limited edition will be released, most probably a box containing a double CD, exclusive shirt, stickers, photos and other goodies, limited to the first ones to come, but it's still undecided how it'll be."

AVULSED is currently working on material for its sixth full-length album with the working title of "Ritual Zombi". The CD, which is tentatively due to be recorded in 2012, "will serve to introduce the zombie element into AVULSED's lyrics to make them not just brutal, gore and macabre, but fucking horrifying as well," according to a press release.

In late 2010, AVULSED recorded a cover of BLACK SABBATH's classic "Neon Knights" for an upcoming double tribute CD to Ronnie James Dio featuring some of the most relevant Spanish metal bands. AVULSED is the only death metal band on this compilation and the group's contribution is said to be "the heaviest and most brutal song on the whole tribute."

Early demo recordings from Polish extreme metal veterans BEHEMOTH — "The Return Of The Northern Moon" and "…From The Pagan Vastlands" — will be released in March by Witching Hour as exclusive collector's LP editions. Both recordings will be available in different color LP versions, as digipack CD and cassette. All releases are strictly limited and will be made available as a special box with extra items. Everything comes with ravamped layout and original artwork.

"Majesty", the new video from AVA INFERI, the Portugal-based band whose lineup includes Norwegian guitarist Rune Eriksen (a.k.a. ex-MAYHEM guitarist/songwriter Blasphemer), can be viewed below. The clip was filmed in Bucharest, Romania with director Costin Chioreanu of Twilight13 Media.

Commented Eriksen: "It was indeed an inspiring process to be a part of [the making of the 'Majesty' video], and once again Costin did an amazing job to capture these essences unto film. I believe that the mysterious surroundings and the heavy atmosphere on the locations did wonders to the feeling and the vibe of the video, too. It was almost like something greater was with us those days in early February. Something which guided us and gave us the inspiration we needed. All in true, vintage Hammer fashion.

"I would like to extend a deep gratitude to those who did their share for this filming to go on as planned: Valeriu Catalineanu, Corina Craja, Vlad Lordache, Florin Ene, Alexandru Barbulescu, Andy Ionescu and Ghita Adrian. They all worked hard for this video to unfold the way it did. Last, but certainly not least, a very special salute goes to Mr. Costin Chioreanu and Twilight13 Media, who did an amazing job during the events, and whose dedication, determination and hard work resulted in something truly special (again). We are eternally grateful!"

Director Costin added: “For me, to make 'Majesty' was a real challenge. But when you have really special artists to work with, the true art reveals. It's by far the most intense video I ever made, spiritually speaking. And that was mostly caused by the intense sharing of artistic thoughts and visions between Rune, Carmen and me and my crew. It was a deep chemistry there, and that is the best air for an artist to breathe."

Northwestern metallic hardcore assassins BLACK BREATH have unveiled a number of new tour dates as they forge their way across the Midwest and Northeast U.S. on a return trip to Massachusetts' Godcity Studios (CONVERGE, TRAP THEM, THE SECRET, DISFEAR) where they will record their second full-length album with producer Kurt Ballou. The CD will be released later in the year via Southern Lord Recordings.

BLACK BREATH's tour dates are scheduled to kick off with an appearance at the Scion Rock Fest in Pomona, California on March 5 alongside labelmates NAILS, as well as MORBID ANGEL, INTEGRITY, OBITUARY, BASTARD NOISE, ATHEIST and countless more.

Like ENTOMBED fighting WOLFPACK in a POISON IDEA cover song competition after soaking in bourbon for a year, BLACK BREATH's tonal massiveness is as crushing and dominating as it is upbeat and empowering. The Seattle-based quintet's heavy sound integrates elements invented by Swedish death metal and hardcore legends, yet still flowing with plenty of pissed-off American blood, as proven on their potent "Razor To Oblivion" EP — released in early 2009 then re-released by Southern Lord later in the year — and then even more impressively on their debut full-length, "Heavy Breathing", which infiltrated endless best of 2010 lists everywhere.