Cleveland, Ohio metallers CHIMAIRA have inked a new deal with eOne Music for North America, South America and Japan. The band is currently in the studio working on its next full-length album, which will be released later this year.

Commented CHIMAIRA frontman Mark Hunter: "We would like to thank Scott Givens and eOne.

"We are excited to start the new decade with a team that believes in our music, has our back and thinks outside the box.

"eOne are one of the very few labels out there who still give a damn about the genre and CHIMAIRA are proud to be a part of that. Expect great things in 2011."

According to JonLord.org, former DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Jon Lord will perform four concerts in Russia in April, taking in both Moscow and St. Petersburg but also Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar. The shows will feature Hungarian DEEP PURPLE tribute band CRY FREE, and two different orchestras (depending on the city) as well as singers to be confirmed.

The dates are as follows:

April 12 - Krasnodar, Russia - DI Primiera
April 14 - Rostov-On-Don, Russia - KSK Express
April 17 - St Petersburg, Russia - BKZ Oktyabrskiy Concert Hall
April 20 - Moscow, Russia - Crocus City Hall

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Robert Plant says that BAND OF JOY's next studio set won't rely on cover songs and will be the band's first to feature newly-written original material. Plant and the band are currently out on the road and dipping into his solo catalogue and including his 1988 solo hit "Tall Cool One" in the show's setlists, along with revamped versions of such LED ZEPPELIN classics as "Ramble On", "Houses Of The Holy", "Tangerine", "Gallows Pole", "Thank You" and "Rock And Roll".

Plant told The Pulse Of Radio that for BAND OF JOY to continue to grow as a band, they need to hunker down and start creating new original music. "We're talking, we have to write songs now," he said. "It's all very well celebrating other people's songwriting, and I know there are other artists who have had an entire career; whether it be Elvis (Presley) or (Frank) Sinatra, or a lot of the country artists who never write. But we've got to be heading that way soon."

"Band of Joy" sold 49,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 5 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Plant's first release since recording the six-time Grammy-winning bluegrass album "Raising Sand" with collaborator Alison Krauss in 2007, the "Band of Joy" CD enlists the help of an array of U.S. musicians, all of whom are performing with Plant on tour.

The new lineup of BAND OF JOY includes: Patty Griffin on vocals; Darrell Scott on multiple instruments and vocals; Byron House on bass and vocals; Marco Giovino on drums, percussion and vocals; and co-producer Buddy Miller on guitar and vocals.

The Pulse Of Radio reports that CHICKENFOOT is scheduled to begin recording its second album on January 29, according to bassist Michael Anthony. Anthony told Rich's Music Exchange that the band will "hopefully" tour later this year, saying, "If people want to hear it, we're out there to play it." Anthony added that CHICKENFOOT was still fun for him, saying, "At this point in my life and career, I won't do it unless it's fun. One of the great things . . . is that I can do what I love to do. The other guys in CHICKENFOOT feel the same way."

Drummer Chad Smith told The Pulse Of Radio that playing with Anthony, singer Sammy Hagar and guitarist Joe Satriani just for fun was how CHICKENFOOT started out. "I mean, it's funny 'cause this thing started as just like me and Sam down in Mexico, and I'd always see him and we'd jam and it was always fun, and then it just turned into this, 'Oh, now it's like a band,' you know, where it was just gonna be this thing to do while I had time down from the PEPPERS," he said. "They're all like, 'Oh yeah, you're in another band.' I'm like, 'Yeah!'"

Smith is recording right now with his main band, the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, and although he has said in interviews that he has set time aside to work on the second CHICKENFOOT album, it's not clear if that is still the case.

Legendary hard rock singer Joe Lynn Turner (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) is featured on the new album from THE JAN HOLBERG PROJECT, "Sense Of Time", which is being released in Norway on March 28 via Nordic Records.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Sense Of Time
02. Mesmerized
03. Sorry
04. Heart Of Summer
05. Wild Eyes
06. The Meadow (instrumental)
07. Invincible
08. Vision Of Lust
09. Come Rain Come Shine
10. Mother Nature (instrumental)

Five songs from the CD can be streamed at NordicRecords.no.

The musicians on the album are:

* Jan E. Holberg - Bass
* Joe Lynn Turner (RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) - Vocals
* Gulli Briem (MEZZOFORTE, EARTH AFFAIR) - Drums
* Eythor Gunnarsson (MEZZOFORTE) - Keyboards
* Skalg Mikaelson Raaen (SAMBANDET, ESPEN LIND) - Guitar
* Bente Smaavik (BLONDE ON BLONDE, PERFECT CRIME) - Backing Vocals

Led by Norwegian bassist Jan E. Holberg, THE JAN HOLBERG PROJECT will play three shows in Norway in April in support of the CD. In addition to showcasing songs from "Sense Of Time", the band will perform material from Joe Lynn Turner's time as a frontman in RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE, plus a few songs from Joe's solo career.

The dates are as follows:

April 27 - Blaest - Trondheim, Norway
April 28 - John Dee - Oslo, Norway
April 30 - Hemnehallen - Hemne, Norway

Jan says, "The idea behind the album is that music should be free, there are no musical borders, on this album. You can hear ballads, pop songs, instrumentals and funk. This is what I am all about as a musician."

Turner adds, "I had a great time stretching out the vocal style on Jan's songs. I'm always interested in something different with quality. Looking forward to the concert dates!"

A studio/session bassist for many years, Holberg in 2008 decided to start writing his own music. After laying down the initial tracks, he came up with the idea to contact some of the musicians that have been a major influence to him. In the spring of 2010 he went to Reykjavik, Iceland to record the "Sense Of Time" album. Joe Lynn Turner did all the vocals a studio in New Jersey.

Reunited Heavy Metal band SLEEPY HOLLOW will enter the studio on Sunday, January 30th to begin recording their anticipated return album Skull Thirteen. The LP album will first be released, this May, through German vinyl specialists High Roller Records.

The CD and DDL versions will be announced in the coming weeks. A source close to the band states that they are currently seeking a label that will accommodate these versions. However, if a suitable label is not found, the band will opt to release the CD and DDL version of the album, independently, in the fall of 2011.

Skull Thirteen will contain ten tracks featuring the four original members: Bob Mitchell - vocals, Steve Stegg - guitars, Steve Brink - bass and Tom Wassman -

HYPERSONIC, young and new melodic metal band from Italy has announced a deal with the historic Italian label Underground Symphony, for the release of their debut album titled Fallen Melodies, out January 31st.

The Sicilian band, featuring the beautiful voice of singer Alessia Rapisarda, offers a typically melodic metal whit power, gothic and AOR influences, inspired by bands like SONATA ARCTICA, STRATOVARIUS, NIGHTWISH and EUROPE.

Fallen Melodies will also see the participation of the singer Jo Lombardo (METATRONE, ORION RIDERS) as a special guest on a track on the disc.

This message was posted on PATRIA MySpace page:

"We proudly announce that we have signed to the french cult label Drakkar Productions for our next three albums, including the upcoming one "Liturgia Haeresis" that's already recorded and planned to be released in the first semester of 2011. We're very excited with this new deal and we would like to cheers Cyril from Drakkar for the big support and beginning of a great partnership as also a huge hail to Dmitry from Monokrom for all the efforts, supporting Patria for these last two years! The new material contains nine exclusive songs plus a cover version for "Black Winter Day" [Amorphis]. The album will be available in a DIGICD, 300 limited copies in LP + POSTER and also as DIGITAL DOWNLOAD. More coming soon!

We're launching our Official Website!

A new PATRIA song was posted. "Death's Empire Conqueror" was taken from the upcoming album "Liturgia Haeresis" planned to be released in this first semester of 2011 by the french cult label DRAKKAR PRODUCTIONS. Hope you enjoy the pest!".

Bob Zerull of Zoiks! Online recently conducted an interview with KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Zoiks! Online: What I liked most about your last album was it was a return to your roots, but at the same time it was still new and fresh. What were you going for with the last album?

Munky: I think we were trying to capture the live element, playing as a band, recording onto tape. We just wanted to get that fire and excitement back about recording a record and not knowing what's going to happen, being in the moment as your writing and tracking, the excitement it captures, as opposed to getting everything into the computer.

Zoiks! Online: What did Ray [Luzier, drums] bring to the album?

Munky: Ray brought a lot of…a lot of killer beats (laughs). He's just a really great drummer and in this business there are very few drummers who can play like him. It was nice to have someone new, fresh blood in the mix, bringing his talent into what we already had. It was refreshing and really exciting. He'd been playing all of our songs, the old catalogue, stuff that he hadn't written, so it was nice to see him write his own stuff and see the passion behind his performance. Really, he gave more than anybody thought.

Zoiks! Online: While preparing for this interview I came across an interview with [KORN bassist] Fieldy and he said that you had already begun recording demos for the next album. How far along are you with that process?

Munky: We have probably three songs we wrote a couple, two, three months ago. We went into the studio, we wrote some songs, Jon [singer Jonathan Davis] demoed the songs on his computer, and then we took them into the studio and played them live and tweaked them a little bit. Then we put those down and recorded them. They're cool. They kind of remind me a little bit of the SOUNDGARDEN style, that sort of Seattle sound… just one of them. The other songs are sort of different, a little more in the experimental stage right now. I don't want to give too much away. We're definitely moving forward, we'll probably start recording in April to try and finetune this sound we're developing.

Zoiks! Online: Speaking of new albums I was researching on the always-reliable Wikipedia and it said that your side project FEAR AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM was on pace to release its first album this year.

Munky: Yeah, yeah. It's getting closer. There are just three more songs to mix, find somebody to distribute it and go from there. I still have to talk to my manager and ask him what he thinks about it. I've done this up to this whole point all on my own with the other guys in the band. I didn't want anybody — a manager, a record company — looking over my shoulders saying I don't hear a single here. This is an album, these are the songs. I didn't want anybody standing over me telling me creatively which direction to go. It just took on a life of its own. I really need advice on what's the best way to release it, and get it to as many people on an independent level, whether it be Roadrunner or somebody else. But yeah, it should be ready hopefully by the summer.

A brand new song from Japanese rock band DIR EN GREY's upcoming EP, "Lotus", will premiere on BBC Radio 1's "Rock Show with Daniel P. Carter" this Tuesday.

14 months after the release of "Hageshisa To, Kono Mune No Naka De Karamitsuita Shakunetsu No Yami", also a track on the "Saw 3D" soundtrack and DVD, DIR EN GREY is back with a new single called "Lotus". The title track stands out with its heavy chords and vocals that are unreserved in presence making it a beautiful yet intense number. Defying the stereotypical definition of melodic, the song leaves a new type of impression with a sound that is unlike something from before that would remind you of a new process of evolution. This track brings a sense of an unrelenting self-depiction together with an expanding personification of the band.

DIR EN GREY joined forces with mix engineer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, DEVILDRIVER) and Tue Madsen (AUGUST BURNS RED, SUICIDE SILENCE, THE HAUNTED) on this track. The single was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (SEPULTURA, SUFFOCATION, UNEARTH) in New Windsor, New York.

"Lotus" will be released via iTunes on January 26.

"Lotus" track listing:

01. Lotus
02. Obscure
03. Reiketsu Nariseba (live)

Chicago's extreme metal artists WITHERING SOUL have inked a deal with Mortal Music. The band's new album, "No Closure", will be released on March 8 via MVD Entertainment Group distribution. The CD was recorded and mixed by Chris Wisco (NOVEMBERS DOOM, MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO, LAZURUS A.D.) at Belle City Sound in Racine, Wisconsin and mastered at The Cutting Room in Sweden.

According to a press release, WITHERING SOUL's music can be described as "a combination of symphonic black metal and melodic death metal... with some gothic overtones thrown in as well. Featuring carefully crafted songs full of interesting changes and climactic phrasings, the band delivers a mature sound that is not normally achieved on a first release. Also, as an underlying blue print, the band draws on influences from some of the finest in Scandinavian black metal before venturing off and establishing their own style. Throughout the album, you will find sinister yet majestic clean vocal melodies, catchy rhythms, and a haunting vibe that would make for an amazing soundtrack to a classic horror novel. As a special treat, guest backing vocals have been provided by Melissa Ferlaak (ECHOTERRA, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, AESMA DAEVA) on the songs 'Lifeless They Lie' and 'Unquiet'."

"No Closure" track listing:

01. Night of the Revenant
02. Phantasmal Chaos Divinity
03. The Sequitor
04. Tides of the Accursed
05. Possession of Deception - Part II
06. Sadistic Redress
07. Manifest Transparency
08. Lifeless they Lie
09. Unquiet
10. Requiem of Sorrow

Santa Cruz, California-based tech-death masters DECREPIT BIRTH have been rejoined by original bassist Derek Boyer (SUFFOCATION). Derek will continue as a full-time member of SUFFOCATION as well but will now be a part of not one, but two of the most uncompromising and innovative bands within the extreme metal genre.

Comented DECREPIT BIRTH guitarist Matt Sotelo: "We are very proud to announce that bassist Derek Boyer is returning to the full-time DECREPIT BIRTH lineup!

"Derek was a very strong force on our debut album, and his skills have only improved over the past years as the bassist for the mighty SUFFOCATION.

"Having Derek back in the band is a really exciting situation for us, because he brings so much to the table and is one of our best friends.

"Come check out Derek on tour with us during February and March with KATAKLYSM, ALL SHALL PERISH, CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE and ABYSMAL DAWN, throughout the U.S. and Canada!

"We would also like to thank Joel Horner for his years in the band. Joel decided to leave on positive terms due to personal decisions. We remain close friends with him, and wish him the best of luck!"

Derek Boyer added: "From before playing with them, to doing '...And Time Begins' with them, to seeing grow to where they are now — I've always loved DECREPIT BIRTH! It's an honor to be playing with these guys again!"

Norwegian doom metallers SYRACH have announced the addition of drummer Jan Åge Svendsen (TEMPLE SLEEP, OCTAVIA SPERATI) to the group's ranks.

Commented the band: "We will now focusing on rehearsing the new material, so that we can start recording a new and great doom album, with the brand new lineup. All songs are made, but will now be shaped into the great SYRACH-ian style! We will be ready to take on gigs as well, if anything comes along."

Drummer Adam Suleiman left SYRACH in October 2010 due to the fact that he lived in Oslo while the rest of the band resided in Bergen.

Knoxville, Tennessee-based female-fronted metal/hardcore act STRAIGHT LINE STITCH has completed work on its new studio album, "The Fight Of Our Lives", for a March 22 release via eOne Music. The follow-up to 2008's "When Skies Wash Ashore" was produced and mixed by the Grammy Award-nominated producer Johnny K (DISTURBED, MACHINE HEAD, SEVENDUST) and is set to include eleven new songs. Additional work on the album was done by Ben Schigel.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based band VENGEFUL entered the studio last November with producer Chris Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY, THE LAST FELONY, NEURAXIS) to begin recording its third album for an early 2011 release. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Delusional", "Malice", "Decay" and "Distant Exit".

Commented the band: "Here we are in 2011. An important year for VENGEFUL as we're releasing our third album this year. The third album often being regarded as the most important one in a band's career.

"As you probably already know, we're giving it all we got on this one and we're recording a double album. A notion that a lot of music listeners might not really grasp nowadays.

"We have now reached the phase where we track the guitars for the album closer ('Distant Exit') and we've started with the vocals on January 18th.

"Expect something varied on the vocal front. There will even be a few surprises here and there. Plus, we will have our traditional guest vocalists.

"We should be back on stage this spring to introduce the new material. In the meantime, we finally got a hold of some footage from our last appearance alongside TOWARDS DARKNESS. The two best excerpts from that recording [can be viewed below]."

"Molestation", the new video from Spanish thrashers DESECRATION, can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's debut album, "Lords Of Misery", which was released on January 11 via the band's web site (online store) in jewel case and also in digital format. The artwork was created by Cesar Valladares and the photographic work was handled by Leandro García. The CD was recorded at Moontower Studios in Rubí (Barcelona) and was produced by Javier Félez. Two additional tracks were recorded by DESECRATION at the band's own home studio.

"Lords Of Misery" track listing:

01. Prelude To Depravity (2:10)
02. Molestation (1:27)
03. Lords Of Misery (5:32)
04. Mass Immolation (4:02)
05. Die Young (BLACK SABBATH cover) (2:54)
06. Face Your Fear (5:56)
07. Menthal Anesthesia (3:42)

We are very happy indeed to announce the return to IQ of Tim Esau. As you will know, Tim was the original bassist with the band from 1981 to 1989 and we are thrilled to be able to welcome him back to the IQ family in time for our 30th anniversary year.

Here are some words from Tim himself:

"Well, I'll start by adding my best wishes to John for his future. I've only met him a couple of times myself but I know he is a great entertainer and was hugely popular with the IQ faithful.

So, following John's departure and having recovered from the initial shock of receiving a most unexpected email, I am extremely grateful to Pete, Mike and Cookie for thinking of me and inviting me back to play bass for IQ and I'm very happy to accept that invitation. I look forward very much to working with them again, meeting and working with Neil, seeing many faces that I haven't seen in many a year and, of course, meeting lots of new ones. I can't believe it's 30 years since I first joined IQ but I guess I've had a nice long rest so I'm ready to do some work and get on with the celebrating of this 'quite remarkable' anniversary".

Rest assured we have no plans for further line-up changes in the near future! We look forward to seeing you all on this year’s exciting IQ30 tour.

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE — the Shreveport, Louisiana quintet now transplanted to Birmingham, Alabama — proved that metal could be fun and still be devastating with the release of its debut effort, "It's All Happening". Since then, the band has become one of the hottest groups in the American metal scene, toured the world multiple times and established itself as a force to be reckoned with. After a two-year album cycle, IWRESTLEDABEARONCE is now ready to create another slab of electro-grind for the masses and has built a studio from the ground up to do it in.

The production duties on the new IWRESTLEDABEARONCE album are being handled by the bandmembers themselves with assistance from Ryan Boesch (FOO FIGHTERS, MELVINS, ANDREW W.K.), who will also mix the effort. The band has also launched its own Tumblr account to document the experience. Fans are encouraged to log on to iwabo.tumblr.com for a constant stream of pictures, videos and more from the band while they create their sophomore effort.

Commented guitarist Steven Bradley, "Well it's been exactly two years since we were in the studio recording 'It's All Happening' and… well... a shit ton has happened! We have made more friends/fans than I ever thought possible and seen the world in the process! And now, after two years of almost non-stop traveling, we have spent the past few weeks writing and are ready to begin tracking our second full-length!

"This time around, we decided to just buy some new recording gear and I will be producing/engineering/mixing the album with some help from our 'sixth Beatle' and co-producer on the last album Ryan Boesch.

"If you liked our first EP and 'It's All Happening', then chances are you will enjoy this album too. We try to continuously evolve and push the envelope further in every direction, but we definitely still sound like us.

"Thanks for the support over the past few years and we're beyond stoked to see you back on tour in 2011 with some new songs in our set!"

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE will hit the road in early March alongside DANCE GAVIN DANCE, IN FEAR AND FAITH, CLOSE TO HOME and JUST LIKE VINYL.

Due to his "very busy schedule," bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling (PESTILENCE, OBSCURA) has been forced to leave MAYAN, the new band featuring EPICA guitarist/songwriter Mark Jansen alongside Jack Driessen (ex-AFTER FOREVER) and Frank Schiphorst. MAYAN says in a statement, "MAYAN wishes [Jeroen] all the best for the future and you'll see him around at one of the MAYAN shows for sure."

Thesseling's replacement in MAYAN is Rob van der Loo (ex-SUN CAGED, DELAIN).

Norwegian metallers TOMORROW'S OUTLOOK have revealed the tracklist and the final cover art, for their forthcoming debut album, 34613.

The band (represented by Trond Nicolaisen) have released the following statement:

"34613 has been in the works for the past two and a half years, so it feels real good to complete the tracklist with a new song called 'Ice Mountain'. Ice Mountain is about one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. It's about how the largest passenger steamship in the world at the time (1912), struck an iceberg and sank, resulting in the deaths of 1,517 people. I guess you've all figured by now the song is about The RMS Titanic. Graham Bonnet (MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, ALCATRAZZ, RAINBOW) is upon our request writing the lyrics and he will also handle all vocals. Ice Mountain will not sound that far off something he did back in the days with Alcatrazz and IMPELLITTERI, and it will definitely be one of the highlights on the album. We are really overwhelmed working with one of our all-time favourite singers. Well, while we are waiting for Graham Bonnet to finish this last song, we are putting the final touches on the rest of the album. Right now we're recording some additional vocal harmonies and some additional guitarparts for a few songs. We're getting there, slowly but surely, just like good wine! We will start shopping for labels real soon so stay tuned for more news coming up shortly!"




34613 was recorded on a song-by-song basis (mid 2007 through mid 2010). It was recorded in different locations around the world (Norway, USA, Finland and Germany). All the mixing and mastering was handled by Colin Davis at Imperial Mastering (Pacheco, California).

34613 tracklisting:

'As Darkness Falls (Intro)'
'Gate To Freedom'
'Glass Mountain'
'A Song For You'
'Doubt'
'The Ethereal Dream'
'34613 (Instr.)'
'White Lightning'
'Liquid Scream '
'Kill Again '
'March Of The Demons'
'Red Rum' (LIZZY BORDEN cover)
'The Ethereal Dream' (feat. Michael Kiske)

Musicians:
Andreas Stenseth (bass)
Mike Haid (drums)
Charlie Zeleny (drums)
Sami Saarinen (guitar)
Michael Harris (guitar)
Oystein K. Hanssen (guitar)
Mike Gorham (vocal)
Norman Kiersnowski (SKI) (vocal)
Scott Oliva (vocal)
Graham Bonnet (vocal)
Michael Kiske (vocal)

Songwriters:
Trond Nicolaisen (music and lyrics)
Andreas Stenseth (music)
Mike Gorham (lyrics)
Norman Kiersnowski (SKI) (lyrics)
Oystein K. Hanssen (lyrics)
Graham Bonnet (lyrics)