Gothenburg, Sweden-based metal sextet MARIONETTE recently entered Studio Fredman with producer Fredrik Nordström (IN FLAMES, BRING ME THE HORIZON) to begin recording its as-yet-untitled third album for a tentative early 2011 release via Listenable Records.

Commented guitarist and backing vocalist Aron Parmerud: "We spent a great deal of time after our last [European] tour with BLESSTHEFALL working on new songs and ended up with over 14 songs. Last month Jimmy [Olausson, drums] came in and nailed each of the songs on drums and from there we began tracking the guitars and bass all at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg. Linus [Johansson, keyboards] and I are working with the ambiance of the music and the keyboards. Alexander [Andersson, vocals] is currently working hard on the lyrics and vocal lines.

"Fans of our 'Spite' [2008] and more so 'Enemies' [2009] albums will find some familiar elements in our new songs. Listeners will certainly hear contrasts between brutal and beautiful, progressive and catchy, and up-tempo and down-tempo. There are more elements that will be very new to our listeners.

"We're eager to perform a few of these new songs live on our upcoming 'The SlaughTour 2010' dates in the U.K. and Denmark, and our recently confirmed shows with fellow Gothenburgers DARK TRANQUILLITY in Sweden and Norway. So come out, see us live, and be the first to hear some new MARIONETTE songs this October and November!"

AVA INFERI, the Portugal-based band whose lineup includes Norwegian guitarist Rune Eriksen (a.k.a. ex-MAYHEM guitarist/songwriter Blasphemer), has announced the addition of guitarist André Sobral to the group's ranks.

Comments Eriksen: "André has been on stage with us a couple of times already, and has proved himself worthy (of membership). We now feel that the band is reinvigorated and most ready for bigger challenges, having found the important 'equilibrium' on all levels."

In other news, AVA INFERI recently entered TopRoom Studio in Norway to lay down the drums, bass and guitars for eight brand new songs. Eriksen states, "The [forthcoming AVA AINFERI] album, scheduled for a early 2011 release (on the one and only Season Of Mist), has actually been ready for a while, at least in terms of compositions. But instead of doing the usual 'rush,' we have now used time to our advantage, ensuring nothing slips our attention. I actually remember I made the first riff for 'By Candlelight & Mirror', one of the new songs, already back in March last year, giving the song more than a year to mature into what we feel is optimal.

"It might be a cliché to proclaim this these days, but we truly feel that this material is by far the most interesting and mature we have produced so far. And easily the most raw material as well. It's somewhat typical AVA INFERI, as I really believe we have our own brand of gothic doom by now, but it definitely has a few changes to it.

"The songs are more straight-forward, some of them a tad shorter than what's expected from these shores (set aside 'The Heathen Island', which closes inn at approximately 10 minutes), some downright spooky and dirty, others immeasurably dark even strangely beautiful, but most importantly, they all ooze of an all-consuming power.

"We really believe that with this album we have created the ultimate AVA INFERI record so far!"

Four years after the release of the critically acclaimed "Generator" album, Italian/Norwegian electro/post black metallers ABORYM are back with their fifth CD. Set for a November 8 European release (November 23 in the U.S.) via Season Of Mist, the new full-length is entitled "Psychogrotesque" and is composed of a single song written by the band's mastermind Malfeitor Fabban and talented new guitarist Hell:IO:Kabbalus.

On September 17, Finnish metallers AMORPHIS will celebrate their 20th anniversary by releasing a special retrospective, "Magic & Mayhem – Tales From The Early Years", featuring newly re-recorded versions of the songs from the band's first three albums (1992's "Karelian Isthmus", 1994's "Tales From The Thousand Lakes" and 1996's "Elegy") with slightly different arrangements, better audio quality and featuring the band's current lineup. AMORPHIS guitarist Esa Holopainen told Petri Silas of Finland's Soundi magazine in early June that he was especially happy with how "My Kantele" and "Song Of The Troubled One" turned out. The collection will also include such gems as "Vulgar Necrolatry" and the band's cover of THE DOORS' "Light My Fire". The latter song was previously recorded by the band and was included on the reissue of the "Tales from the Thousand Lakes" LP, but the new collection will feature a all-new version that was tracked in early 2010.

"Magic & Mayhem – Tales From The Early Years" track listing:

01. Magic And Mayhem
02. Vulgar Necrolatry
03. Into Hiding
04. Black Winter Day
05. On Rich And Poor
06. Exile Of The Sons Of Uisliu
07. The Castaway
08. Song Of The Troubled One
09. Sign From The North Side
10. Drowned Maid
11. Against Widows
12. My Kantele
13. Light My Fire (bonus track)

STONE SOUR's third album, "Audio Secrecy", is now available for pre-order in three different versions:

* Standard edition
* Limited-edition two-LP version which comes with the double LP in gatefold packaging and a special signed album cover lithograph that you can't get anywhere else. Hidden throughout 30 copies of the limited edition of "Audio Secrecy" are golden tickets that will give access to a special meet-and-greet with STONE SOUR.

Limited-edition bonus tracks:

* Hate Not Gone
* Anna
* Home Again

* Special edition of "Audio Secrecy" which includes the above-mentioned three bonus tracks and a DVD featuring a 45-minute in-studio documentary about the making of "Audio Secrecy" and video of three songs from STONE SOUR's performance at the U.K.'s Download festival in June 2010.

"Audio Secrecy" is scheduled for release on September 7 via Roadrunner Records.

Former VENOM members Jeff "Mantas" Dunn (guitar), Antony "Antton" Lant (drums; brother of VENOM frontman Conrad "Cronos" Lant) and Tony "The Demolition Man" Dolan (bass, vocals) have joined forces in a brand new band called PRIME EVIL. The group is currently working on material for its debut album, tentatively due in 2011. The CD will feature a guest appearance by another former VENOM member, guitarist Mike Hickey, who may also join the band's touring lineup.

DEMONICA — the new project featuring MERCYFUL FATE guitarist Hank Shermann — made its "official" live debut on August 6, 2010 at Lakei in Helmond, The Netherlands. The band also played a "secret" show the night before in Copenhegen, Denmark.

Video footage of both performances can be viewed below. More clips from the Helmond concert are available at this location.

DEMONICA recently inked a North American deal with Giddy Up! Records. The band's debut album, "Demonstrous", was released domestically on June 8.

"Demonstrous" was released in Europe on February 26 via Massacre Records. The CD, which was made available in Japan on February 17, was recorded in the Bay Area, the Rocky Mountains and Copenhagen (Denmark), and was mixed at Flatline Audio in Denver, Colorado with Dave Otero (CEPHALIC CARNAGE, MARTRIDEN, COBALT).

"Demonstrous" track listing:

01. Demon Class
02. Ghost Hunt
03. My Tongue
04. Luscious Damned
05. Below Zero
06. Alien Six
07. Palace Of Glass
08. Fast And Furious
09. Summoned
10. Astronomica

DEMONICA is:

Hank Shermann (MERCYFUL FATE) - Guitar
Craig Locicero (FORBIDDEN) - Guitar
Klaus "Hyr" Hansen (BATTALION, TRAUMA CENTER) - Vocals
Mark Hernandez (FORBIDDEN, HEATHEN, DEFIANCE, VIO-LENCE) – Drums
Marc Grabowski (CORRUPTION) - Bass

Iconic singer Greg Graffin of groundbreaking West Coast punk rock band BAD RELIGION will release his new book, "Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science and Bad Religion in a World Without God", co-authored with science journalist Steve Olson, on September 28. The book will coincide with the release of BAD RELIGION's new album, "The Dissent of Man". "Anarchy Evolution" is currently available for pre-order at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Borders.com and bundled with "The Dissent of Man" at BadReligionStore.com. Additionally, a limited number of special signed, first editions of "Anarchy Evolution" are available for pre-order at AnarchyEvolution.com until September 28 when Graffin will kick off his book tour in New York City.

"I've always had a problem with authority." - Greg Graffin ("Anarchy Evolution")

This is how most of the world knows Greg Graffin, the rebellious lead singer of the legendary punk band BAD RELIGION. What few people know is that Graffin also received a PhD from Cornell University and teaches evolution at UCLA.

Co-written with Olson, "Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science, and Bad Religion in a World Without God" (It Books) weds Graffin's experiences in punk culture and the academic world, and explores the deep connection between art, religion, and science.

As an adolescent growing up when "drugs, sex, and trouble could be had on any given night," Graffin discovered that the study of evolution provided a framework through which he could make sense of the world. In this provocative and personal book, Graffin describes his own coming of age as an artist, as well as the formation of his naturalist worldview on questions involving God, science, and human meaning.

While the battle between religion and science is often displayed in the starkest of terms, "Anarchy Evolution" provides fresh and nuanced insights into the long-standing debate about atheism and the human condition. It is a book for anyone who has ever wondered if God really exists.

Greg Graffin, born in Madison, Wisconsin, obtained his Ph.D. at Cornell University in zoology, and his master's degree at UCLA in geology. Graffin was the recipient of the Bryan Patterson prize from the Society of Vertebrate Paleontologists and also received the Harvard Cultural Humanism award. He has served as lecturer in life science and in paleontology at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Guitarist Olof Mörck of Swedish power metallers DRAGONLAND has issued the following update:

"There has passed some time since we published a demo teaser track for all of you to hear, and first of all; the reactions up 'till this day have been nothing short of amazing; thank you for your continued support! Much water have flown under the proverbial bridge since then, and thusly I figured it was time to issue an update about the comings and goings inside the DRAGONLAND camp!

"We have been hard at work with the new material since around uploading the demo song, and the last five months or so we have kicked things into overdrive. A majority of the new album stands completed, and as 'Shadows' indicated, it is a glorious return to our roots from at least a lyrical side.

"I have spent the last years drawing up concepts and polishing details about the story, but in general I can say that it will dark fantasy with quite a genuine touch! Classical mythology and literature such as 'The Odyssey', 'The Aenid', Shakespearian drama and the epic 'Gilgamesh' stands as main influences, and lends depth and credibility to the story.

"I know there are a multitude of metal fans who love the fantasy concept but are outright embarrassed with how the medium is usually transferred into the metal context; clichéd and without any finesse or depth. This album and its lyrics is a deliberate attempt to speak to these individuals — and anyone else willing to share the journey.

"Musically, this album sure does not stray backwards, quite the opposite. More bombastic, orchestral and progressive is how I would like to describe the material, and we have gone far to ensure the music accompanies the epic described within the lyrics.

"I would also like to share some of the song titles that will appear on the new album: 'The Tempest', 'A Stranger I Know', 'The Shadow Of The Mithril Mountains', 'A Thousand Towers White'.

"Expect momentous sonical vistas from phantasic worlds when this journey starts in 2011!"

The German edition of the Metal Hammer magazine celebrated the second edition of its annual awards at this year's Wacken Open Air festival, which was held August 5-7 in Wacken, Germany. The winner in each category was chosen via an online vote, a musicians' jury, and the Metal Hammer staff. Some of the winning artists were presented with their awards at the festival's main stage, while others sent video messages expressing their gratitude for the honor.

The complete list of winners:

* Best Album: RAMMSTEIN - "Liebe ist Für alle da"
* Best Debut: STEEL PANTHER - "Feel The Steel"
* Best German Band: BLIND GUARDIAN
* Best International: MOTÖRHEAD
* Best Live Act: IRON MAIDEN
* God Of Riffs: Kerry King (SLAYER)
* Legend: Ronnie James Dio
* Maximum Metal: ANVIL and DORO
* Metal Anthem: BEHEMOTH - "Ov Fire And The Void"
* Up and Coming: ELUVEITIE

Video messages from the following musicians and artist representatives are available at this location:

* Wendy Dio on behalf of Ronnie James Dio
* Kerry King (SLAYER)
* Lemmy (MOTÖRHEAD)
* Orion (BEHEMOTH)
* STEEL PANTHER

Polish female-fronted traditional heavy metal act CRYSTAL VIPER will release its brand new studio album titled "Legends" on October 22 via AFM Records. As the title suggests, all the lyrics on the CD are based on the original Polish legends from the middle ages. The effort was recorded and mixed at the MP Studio in Poland, with engineer Mariusz Pietka and producer Bart Gabriel.

"Legends" features guest appearances by Rhino (ex-MANOWAR), Stefan Kaufmann (U.D.O., ex-ACCEPT), Mat Sinner (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER) and Sven D'Anna and Dano Boland (WIZARD).

"World In Decline", the new album from Southern California's ANTAGONIST, is available for streaming in its entirety at HailsAndHorns.com. Due on August 17 via Prosthetic Records, the CD was recorded at Buzzbomb Studios in Orange, California with producer Paul Miner (TERROR, THRICE, THROWDOWN) and it features guest vocal appearances by ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS' Jared Monette and John Strachan of THE FUNERAL PYRE. The cover artwork was created by Daniel McBride, who has previously worked with VEIL OF MAYA and BORN OF OSIRIS.

Hard-hitting Danish four-piece THE BURNING will release its third album, "Hail The Horde", in Europe on October 22 via Massacre Records. The CD was produced by Jacob Bredahl (HATESPHERE, PURIFIED IN BLOOD), while the drum recordings and mastering were handled by Tue Madsen (SUICIDE SILENCE, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, SICK OF IT ALL). The album features guest vocals by Scott and Bjørn Jensen (DAWN OF DEMISE) and Søren "Nico" Adamsen (ARTILLERY).

"Hail The Horde" track listing:

01. Godless
02. Bait The Hook
03. Nihilist Life
04. Flames Be Your Friend
05. Inverted Cross Syndrome
06. Wolf Moon (feat. Søren "Nico" Adamsen)
07. Hail The Horde (feat. Scott and Bjørn Jensen)
08. Swing The Pendulum
09. Turn Or Burn
10. Metamorphosis
11. Baptized In Bong Water
12. Disownment

Commented THE BURNING frontman Johnny Haven: "We knew that we wanted the Jensen brothers to guest on one of the more rock-oriented songs on the album. And the title track has a simple 'in-your-face' riff that sounds like MÖTLEY CRÜE played on 33 rpm with Grave's guitar sound and their deep growls were a perfect match for that song.

"'Wolf Moon' is the closest thing a band like ours will ever come to a ballad, and Nico's voice goes really well with the DANZIG-inspired chorus. This is also the first THE BURNING song to ever feature acoustic guitar."

New Jerseys pirate thrash metal maniacs SWASHBUCKLE will release their new album, "Crime Always Pays…", on September 10 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented singer Patrick Henry (a.k.a. Admiral Nobeard): "'Crime Always Pays...' is our heaviest and fastest record to date. It'll tear your head off of your neck and shove a pegleg in your eye-sockets.

"We're proud to have Nuclear Blast release this malicious metal madness, and we're sure you'll all be pleased with the shennanigans that are about to ensue.

Thrash hard, mosh fast, and leave a decaying corpse swingin' from the noose!"

"Crime Always Pays…" track listing:

01. Slowly Wept The Sea
02. We Are The Storm
03. This Round's On YOU!
04. Powder Keg
05. Where Victory Is Penned
06. Of Hooks And Hornswogglers
07. A Time Of Wooden Ships & Iron Men
08. Crime Always Pays
09. Raw Doggin' At The Raw Bar
10. The Gallow's Pole Dancer
11. Legacy's Allure
12. At The Bottom Of A Glass
13. To Steal A Life
14. You Bring The Cannon, We'll Bring The Balls
15. Surf-N-Turf (For Piratical Girth)
16. Rope's End

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine tells RollingStone.com that he hasn't ruled out the possibility of a tour featuring the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — headliners METALLICA alongside MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX. "If the opportunity came up again, we would all go for it," says Mustaine, who was was booted from METALLICA in 1983 due to his excessive drug and alcohol use. "I think it would even be cool if it was just us and METALLICA. It was fun for us, great for our career, and great for all the fans because at the end of that night, when I went up and hugged James [Hetfield, METALLICA guitarist/vocalist], and I heard how loud that cheer was versus any other time we were playing — that was the [moment] you dream about when you're a kid. The big show — the biggest show you'll ever do."

Mustaine released his long-awaited autobiography, "Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir" (formerly "Hello Me... Meet The Real Me"), in the U.S. on August 3 via HarperCollins's It Books imprint (focusing on pop culture, sports, style and content derived from the Internet). The U.K. edition, "Mustaine: A Life In Metal", will hit bookstores in the U.K. on September 30.

"Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir" was co-written by New York Times journalist Joe Layden who also authored "The Last Great Fight" about what is considered by many to be the biggest upset in the history of boxing: James "Buster" Douglas' tenth-round knockout win over Mike Tyson in 1990.

North Carlina metallers VANISHER have inked a deal with Tribunal Records. The band's full-length debut, "The History Of Saints", will be released on September 14.

VANISHER may a new band to most, but only in name as within their ranks veterans from BLOODJINN (Pluto Records) and GLASS CASKET (Century Media/Abacus Recordings) reside and they are confidently leading the new pack of metal bands surfacing in North Carolina. While not bearing much resemblance to their former bands, VANISHER has set out to carve a new path and capture audiences with its futuristic metal brand. VANISHER combines an old-school thrash/death metal mentality with an absolutely modern melodic fluency allowing it to succeed in shattering all stylistic barriers. "The History Of Saints" is well rounded in all things relevant in metal today (production/songwriting/artwork) and quickly establishes VANISHER as a band that everyone should keep their eyes and ears on.

The physical release of "The History Of Saints" contains an eight-track bonus CD not available on the digital release.

"The History Of Saints" track listing:

01. Born To Breed
02. I Am Failure
03. The Architect
04. A Wolf In The Fold
05. Oceans
06. Liaisons
07. State Of Adversity
08. Frustrated Static
09. The History Of Saints
10. Cave Dweller
11. Pure Diesel
12. Conviction Cell

Bonus CD:

01. Kings
02. The Road
03. Spiraling Downwards
04. Into The Sands
05. The Staredown
06. Feverish Crimes
07. New Brand Of Justice
08. Reaction

According to a posting on the BLACK SABBATH fan site Black-Sabbath.com, Tony Iommi's Iommi SG guitar (see photo below) was stolen at the tribute show HEAVEN & HELL performed on July 24 at the High Voltage festival at Victoria Park in London, England.

If you have any information or leads regarding the guitar's whereabouts, contact Iommi's webmaster. A reward is being offered for the instrument's return.

Surviving HEAVEN & HELL members Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice played a very special tribute to their fallen bandmate, Ronnie James Dio at the High Voltage festival. The musicians were joined by legendary former DEEP PURPLE and BLACK SABBATH man Glenn Hughes and Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande, who sings for power metallers MASTERPLAN and has just released his own tribute to Ronnie.

The setlist was as follows (vocalist for each track listed in parenthesis):

01. The Mob Rules (Jorn Lande)
02. I (Jorn Lande)
03. Country Girl (Glenn Hughes)
04. Children Of The Sea (Glenn Hughes)
05. Turn Up The Night (Jorn Lande)
06. Voodoo (Jorn Lande)
07. Bible Black (Glenn Hughes)
08. Falling Off The Edge Of The World (Glenn Hughes)
09. Die Young (Jorn Lande)
10. Heaven And Hell (Jorn Lande, Glenn Hughes)
11. Neon Knights (Jorn Lande, Glenn Hughes, Philip Anselmo)

Check out a professional photo gallery from Express & Star.

Proceeds from this performance will go to the Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up And Shout" Cancer Fund.

BLIND GUARDIAN's tenth studio album, "At The Edge Of Time", has entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 2 — the band's strongest chart showing ever in its home country.

Commented vocalist Hansi Kürsch: "Unbelievable. With each new record we get closer to the top and I am quite happy that quality still counts.

"'At The Edge Of Time' is a milestone in our history and I am proud that so many people share this opinion. Our fans are the best!"

"At The Edge Of Time" is now available for pre-order in the U.S. on iTunes. Sale pricing runs from August 10 to August 23.

METAL WARRIORS, the MANOWAR tribute band featuring members of TERÄSBETONI and ANTHRIEL, played its second concert last Saturday, August 7, at Dante's Highlight in Helsinki.

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be viewed at this location. A couple of the clips are available below.

METAL WARRIORS made its live debut at the Sauna Open Air metal festival in Tampere in June 2010.

METAL WARRIORS is:

J. Ahola (TERÄSBETONI, NORTHERN KINGS) - Vocals, Bass
Jari Kuokkanen (TERÄSBETONI, ANTHRIEL) - Drums
Jussi Ojanen - Guitar
Antti Hakulinen (ANTHRIEL) - Keyboards