Danish metallers PYRAMAZE have issued the following update:

"After auditioning some really good singers during the last couple of months, we have finally found a new band brother — none other than singer extraordinaire Urban Breed (ex-TAD MOROSE) has joined our ranks, and we are all very excited. Urban is well known for his powerful voice, stage presence and great diversity. We welcome Urban into the band, and we hope that our fantastic fans will approve of this choice too. Trust us when we say there's no one better to fill out the big shoes left by his predecessors. To those of you who do not know Urban yet, I would like to encourage you to check out the MP3s in the news section of Pyramaze.com — this is just a little taste of what Urban sounds like. Please note — the songs are NOT new PYRAMAZE songs, but material from Urban's past recordings."

Urban Breed comments: "I am very pleased to join ranks with the great guys and talented musicians of PYRAMAZE. I'm looking forward to the challenge of filling those big shoes and working with these guys live and in the studio. I think we have a lot to offer each other, and I hope PYRAMAZE fans are as excited as we are to hear us working together."

PYRAMAZE's "Immortal" album was released in the U.S. on June 24 via Locomotive Records. Handling the vocals on the record was ICED EARTH singer Matt Barlow.

"Immortal"'s vocal sessions were helmed by producer Jim Morris, who has worked with ICED EARTH on the group's last few releases. The CD was mixed by Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, INVOCATOR, MERCENARY).

Barlow originally joined PYRAMAZE as the replacement for Lance King who left the band in November 2006.

PYRAMAZE will support fellow Danes VOLBEAT on five shows in Denmark in November.

Long-running Irish rock band THERAPY? has tapped Andy Gill to produce and mix the group's forthcoming 12th album, tentatively due in early 2009 via Demolition Records.

Gill is a founding member and guitarist for the English rock group GANG OF FOUR, considered among the most influential post-punk bands. Gill also produced much of GANG OF FOUR's output, and albums for many other artists, including the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, THE JESUS LIZARD, THE STRANGLERS, THE FUTUREHEADS, MICHAEL HUTCHENCE, KILLING JOKE and THE YOUNG KNIVES.

According to a press release, "Versions of new [THERAPY?] songs like 'The Head That Tried To Strangle Itself', 'Low Winter Sun', 'I Told You I Was Ill' and 'Mingusisyphus' illustrate the classic mix of intense instrumentation and dark pop that has made THERAPY? internationally renowned. Whilst most of their '90s peers have been content to follow the options of rehash/reform/rollover, the UK trio have always carved their own unique musical furrow bolstered by a formidable live reputation and a stream of chart hits."

A compilation of THERAPY?'s various BBC recordings was released in February 2007. It was available exclusively on iTunes for two weeks, and then through all good download stores.

THERAPY?'s latest album, "One Cure Fits All", was released in April 2006. The follow-up to 2004's "Never Apologise Never Explain" was produced by Pedro Ferriera, who had previously worked with COLOUR OF FIRE, THE DARKNESS and TOKYO DRAGONS, among others.

Swedish multi-instrumentalist Snowy Shaw (THERION, DREAM EVIL, KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE, MEMENTO MORI, NOTRE DAME) has just finished laying down the drum tracks for the debut album from EYES OF NOCTUM, the California-based band fronted by actor Nicolas Cage's 17-year-old son Weston (MySpace page). The CD recordings are currently proceeding at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg with acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, IN FLAMES, HAMMERFALL). Norwegian drummer Hellhammer (MAYHEM, DIMMU BORGIR) also made a guest appearance on three tracks.

Weston introduced DIMMU BORGIR from the stage at the April 16, 2008 concert at The Grove in Anaheim, California.

Florida metallers TRIVIUM have tapped Colin Richardson (SLIPKNOT, MACHINE HEAD, FEAR FACTORY, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, NAPALM DEATH) to mix their new album, "Shogun", which is scheduled for release on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. The CD is currently being mixed in London, with Jeff Rose and Martin "Ginge" Ford assisting on engineering duties.

For "Shogun", TRIVIUM chose not to record in the familiar environs of their home state of Florida. Instead the band headed to Nashville, Tennessee to work with producer Nick Raskulinecz (RUSH, FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR). The result is a monolithic album that crystallizes the band's sound and showcases TRIVIUM's finest elements. Vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy is thrilled with the album, saying, "We made a cohesive, epic metal album that combines all of the ingredients of everything we feel we have ever done 'right' musically, while adding a new direction that the music called for. We had so much fun creating this album and hope our fans feel that energy when they listen."

"Shogun" track listing:

01. Kirisute Gomen
02. Torn Between Scylla And Charybdis
03. Down From The Sky
04. Insurrection
05. Into The Mouth Of Hell We March
06. Throes Of Perdition
07. He Who Spawned the Furies
08. Of Prometheus And The Crucifix
09. The Calamity
10. Like Callisto To A Star In Heaven
11. Shogun

TRIVIUM reportedly wrote around 40 songs last year and demoed the best 15 or so before commencing the new LP recording sessions. "When we went in, we thought, 'Hey, these songs are good enogh for the album already,' but we've overhauled almost everything," Heafy told Revolver magazine. "Nick has encouraged us to explore so many new ideas that we never would have thought of."

In a previous interview with Revolver, guitarist Corey Beaulieu stated about the upcoming CD, "We want to capture the best ingredients of everything we've done. Each song has a little bit of everything, going between something heavy and then melodic, and then back to something heavy. So it has a really interesting balance. On 'The Crusade', Matt did almost all singing, so this time we're bringing back some of the screaming that's on [2005's] 'Ascendancy'."

SANCTIFICATION, the Swedish death metal band featuring current/former members of GOD AMONG INSECTS, IN BATTLE and SOULDRAINER, entered Abyss studio in Sweden on July 7 with producers Tommy and Peter Tägtgren to begin recording its sophomore album for a fall release. The CD will be mixed by Peter and mastered by Dan Swanö. Guest musicians on the album include Secthdeamon (ZYKLON, MYRKSKOG), Masse (a.k.a. Emperor Magus Caligula; DARK FUNERAL).

Commented the group: "The music is done and Peter is at the moment working on the drum tracks and the guitars in his studio. At the same time we are recording the vocals in the other studio. Everything is going just fine and we hope to be done in a a few weeks."

Check out photos from the recording studio at this location.

SANCTIFICATION recently inked a deal with the Singapore-based label Pulverised Records.

The group's debut album, "Misanthropic Salvation", was released in 2003 through Remission Records.

DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey's previously announced European tour in support of his recently released solo album, "A Light In The Sky", has been cancelled "due to Don's busy touring schedule with DEEP PURPLE," according to Airey's record label, Mascot Records. The trek will be rescheduled, says the label.

For "A Light In The Sky", Airey gathered together a different set of collaborators (though Laurence Cottle of Sting/ Eric Clapton/ Brian Eno/ Bill Bruford fame once again contributes precision bass-playing), though naturally Don provides the record's central creative thrust — an entertaining mixture of instrumental and vocal songs, from the "Bladerunner"-style "Ripples In The Fabric Of Time" to the hook-laden hard rock of "Shooting Star".

METALLICA kicked off the second leg of its summer 2008 European tour earlier tonight (Wednesday, July 16) at the Bergenhus Castle in Bergen, Norway.

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Ride The Lightning
04. Leper Messiah
05. The Unforgiven
06. Breadfan
07. …And Justice For All
08. Bleeding Me
09. No Remorse
10. Master Of Puppets
11. Damage Inc.
12. Nothing Else Matters
13. Sad But True
14. One
15. Enter Sandman
--------------
16. Last Caress
17. So What?
18. Seek And Destroy

Reactivated British thrashers ONSLAUGHT have issued the following update:

"Just to let you all know, ONSLAUGHT will now begin work on writing the follow-up album to last year's thrash assault 'Killing Peace'. First track was written and completed early last year, but now over the next few months we will forge ahead to write the remaining slabs of 666% pure thrash. We have a choice of three titles for the new album and all of the basic song outlines are firmly in place...

"We're all real excited about making this album. We have our own studio set-up and a whole new outlook on how to make this next record a screaming fucking monster!!! With [new guitarist] Andy Rosser-Davies now in the band there's gonna be lots of fresh input and a slightly different slant to the SLAUGHT. He's a very aggressive player, very much like me, so the musical violence is gonna be increased considerably...with serious amounts of shredding!!!"

Due to popular demand, Back On Black Records recently released four ONSLAUGHT albums on vinyl (colored) complete with gatefold sleeves. The albums that were made available are: "Killing Peace" [2007], "Power From Hell" [1985], "The Force" [1986] and one purely for the fans of the embryonic ONSLAUGHT, a collection of early hardcore punk demos from 1983 entitled "Shadow Of Death".

ONSLAUGHT's latest album, "Killing Peace", was released in March 2007 via Candlelight Records. The CD was recorded at Backstage studio in Derbyshire, England with producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE).

Metal Mind Productions released ONSLAUGHT's "Live Polish Assault" DVD in a special DVD+CD limited swing case edition on March 3 in Europe (May 13 in the U.S. via MVD).

"Self-Employed Chemist" — one of the highlights on NORMA JEAN's fourth album "The Anti Mother", due out August 5 on Solid State Records — is streaming now on the front page of Alternative Press magazine's web site.

Featuring separate collaborations with Page Hamilton of HELMET and Chino Moreno of DEFTONES, "The Anti Mother" marks NORMA JEAN's most melodic, heaviest and furious material to date. "We've never been this excited about anything we've done," says vocalist/guitarist Cory Brandan.

The Atlanta-based group re-teamed with producer Ross Robinson (SLIPKNOT, THE CURE, DEFTONES) and engineer Ryan Boesch to record "The Anti Mother". The resulting crushing and sonically adventurous 10-song offering easily achieves the artistic and creative high point of NORMA JEAN's career.

NORMA JEAN is currently debuting songs from "The Anti Mother" live to fans all summer long as main-stage headliners on the Vans Warped Tour. Expect the group to announce a fall U.S. tour soon.

NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis has posted a solo track called "Jato Unit" on his MySpace page. The song comes off Loomis' forthcoming solo debut, "Zero Order Phase", which is scheduled for release on September 30 via Century Media Records.

As a result of his invaluable contributions to NEVERMORE's trademark sound, Jeff Loomis has become one of modern metal's most recognizable guitarists and the source of many of the last decade's best riffs. Taking the classic techniques he learned from listening to legends like Jason Becker and Yngwie Malmsteen as a teen and applying his own ingenuity, he has managed to carve his own niche and create an instantly recognizable style. With the increased visibility, there has been a call by fans to record and release a solo album; an opportunity that has not presented itself with the busy schedule NEVERMORE has kept. Fortunately for those fans, the band has taken a well deserved break, leaving Loomis time to hit the studio himself to record ten blazing, instrumental metal tracks.

Robert Lang Studios played host to Loomis' first solo venture earlier this year with producer Neil Kernon and drummer Mark Arrington joining the fray. Arrington had been with NEVERMORE in 1993-94 to play on half of the songs that ended up on the band's self-titled debut, and Kernon recorded the first three NEVERMORE albums. So while there was a sense of familiarity, the reunion was refreshing and this spirit carried over into the songs themselves. Also contributing to the album are Ron Jarzombek (WATCHTOWER), who splits solos with Loomis on "Jato Unit", Pat O'Brien from CANNIBAL CORPSE on "Rage Against Disaster", celebrated jazz bassist and solo musician Michael Manring on "Cashmere Shiv", and Kernon himself playing a fretless guitar solo on the same track.

"Zero Order Phase" track listing:

01. Shouting Fire At A Funeral
02. Opulent Maelstrom
03. Jato Unit
04. Azure Haze
05. Cashmere Shiv
06. Race Against Disaster
07. Sacristy
08. Devil Theory
09. Miles of Machines
10. Departures

DREAM EVIL, the Swedish melodic metal band featuring acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, IN FLAMES, HAMMERFALL) on guitar, will release its first live DVD/CD, "Gold Medal In Metal (Alive & Archive)", on August 25 via Century Media. The live DVD was recorded at the on November 25, 2006 show in the band's hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden by acclaimed director Patric Ullaeus of the Revolver Film Company (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, KAMELOT, etc.) and the cover artwork for this release was created by Seth (PARADISE LOST, EXODUS, MOONSPELL). The double CD (with a playing time of over two hours!) and the special DVD version (playing time of the DVD is over 100 minutes and both audio CDs are included in this package as well) are a complete guide into the vaults of DREAM EVIL and "a trip to the core of true metal at its very rockin' best," according to a press release. The bonus disc ("Archive") features over an hour of previously unreleased and rare material, including plenty of Japanese bonus songs from the recording sessions for "The Book Of Heavy Metal" (featuring former band members Gus G. on guitar and Snowy Shaw on drums) and earlier albums, some outtakes from the band's latest studio opus "United" and three brand new studio tracks recorded especially for this release in 2007.

Indie Recordings has announced the signing of the Norwegian extreme avantgarde/black metal band ENSLAVED. The group's new album, "Vertebrae", will be released in September 2008.

According to a press release, "Vertebrae" is ENSLAVED's "most important achievement to date, and will convince through haunting songs, the most powerful production and unmatched integrity."

Commented the band: "We've known the people behind [Indie Recordings] for years, and have first-hand knowledge of their dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism. This signing makes perfect and utter sense to us; and we are proud to start off this cooperation with our strongest album ever."

Following the new album's release, ENSLAVED will embark on an extensive European tour with support from fellow Norwegians STONEGARD and KRAKOW.

Vocalist John Tardy of the legendary Florida death metal band OBITUARY has issued the following update:

"September 16, 2008 is the official release date for our new 'Left To Die' EP. I think you guys are gonna really like this. It is a completely sick EP. It is really good timing too, the first show of our 2008 U.S. tour is September 16 in Atlanta, GA!!! Looking forward to it!

"We have been working on some new songs for our new CD that will be out next year and going over our set for the third and final run through Europe next week. The first show is in Lithuania and then we will be in Holland, Finland, Germany and Denmark! Hope to see you all out there."

OBITUARY's "Left to Die" EP (see cover artwork below) will contain four songs: two new originals, a new 2008 studio recording of "Slowly We Rot", and a cover of "Dethroned Emperior" by CELTIC FROST.

The Pulse of Radio reports: Ex-KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch's new single, called "Flush", became available on iTunes earlier this week and is already making its way onto rock radio stations around the country. The track is taken from Welch's debut solo album, "Save Me From Myself", which has been set for release on September 9. Welch told The Pulse of Radio what it was like for him to write an entire album on his own for the first time. "You know, after three or four successful albums with the guys in KORN, I really was striving to write like, you know, to keep up the success, and it started to become not fun," he said. "So this album, I had fun and let it come to me. It was really peaceful and exciting, you know, to do it that way, and there was no pressure to be popular or nothing. I just did whatever I felt inside, you know."

Welch's album shares its title with his memoir, "Save Me from Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story", which was published last year.

Welch left KORN in early 2005 to devote his life to Christianity. He announced his departure from the band, as well as his embrace of Christ, in front of 10,000 people at a Bakersfield, California mega-church.

Welch said that his life as a rock star and addictions to numerous drugs were destroying his life and his relationship with his daughter.

According to a posting on METALLICA's official web site, the group's guitarist Kirk Hammett and his wife Lani (photo) welcomed a healthy baby boy named Vincenzo Kainalu on June 28. The couple also has a 22-month-old son named Angel Ray Keala Hammett (born on September 29, 2006).

Kirk and Lani got married on January 31, 1998 in Kailua, Hawaii after his first marriage (to Rebecca) ended in 1990 during the recording of the band's "black" album.

A medley of five new songs from Swedish metallers FALCONER, taken from the group's forthcoming album, entitled "Among Beggars And Thieves", is available for download as an MP3 audio file at this location.

Due in August via Metal Blade Records, "Among Beggars And Thieves" was recorded at Andy La Rocque's (KING DIAMOND) Sonic Train Studio in Varberg, Sweden. 13 songs were mixed during the sessions, including two bonus tracks for the LP's first edition.

"Among Beggars And Thieves" track listing:

01. Field Of Sorrow
02. Man Of The Hour
03. A Beggar Hero
04. Vargaskall
05. Carnival Of Disgust
06. Mountain Men
07. Viddernas Man
08. Pale Light Of Silver Moon
09. Boiling Led
10. Dark Ages (bonus)
11. Skula Skorpa, Skalk
12. Dreams And Pyres
13. Vi Sålde Våra Hemman (bonus)
+ Music Video

FALCONER shot a video for the song "Carnival Of Disgust" at the medieval Vadstena castle on a windy and cold April day. The clip, which will begin airing later this summer to coincide with the new album's release, "exceeds [all] expectations," according to a press release.

FALCONER guitarist Stefan Weinerhall previously stated about the upcoming CD. "The lyrics will all be about Swedish medieval life and episodes. Not a concept album really but still something in that direction. What I decided early on what that it wouldn't become 'Northwind Pt. 2'. 'Northwind' is as good as it can be, therefore we'll make things a tad different this time."

Robert Levine of The New York Times reports: A decade and a half after releasing its previous album, GUNS N' ROSES plans to put out a new song in September — on the video game Rock Band 2. MTV expects to announce on Monday that the sequel to its popular Rock Band game will include "Shackler's Revenge", a track from the GUNS N' ROSES album that has been in the works for more than a decade, said people familiar with the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity because the arrangement has yet to be announced.

The inclusion of the song on a game suggests that the GUNS N' ROSES album "Chinese Democracy" will come out this fall, after years of delays. Axl Rose, who has selected replacements for the other original members, has said that the album is finished, but a release date has not been announced.

German thrashers ABANDONED have parted ways with guitarist Holger "Holg" Ziegler. His replacement is Fabian Schwarz (RUNAMOK, THE NEW BLACK, ex-PARADOX, STORMWITCH).

Upcoming ABANDONED shows:

With Holger "Holg" Ziegler on guitar:

Jul. 26 - Headbangers Open Air, Brande-Hörnerkirchen
Aug. 16 - Flak You!-Festival, Böhl-Iggelheim

With Fabian Schwarz on guitar:

Oct. 18 - Metal Rage Festival, Selestat, France (w/ REBELLION, PARAGON)
Dec. 25 - Batschkapp, Frankfurt, Germany (w/ TANKARD)
Dec. 26 - Turock, Essen, Germany (w/ TANKARD)
Dec. 28 - Quasimodo, Pirmasens, Germany (w/ TANKARD)

ABANDONED recently parted ways with drummer Konrad "Konny" Cartini and replaced him with Sven Vormann (DESTRUCTION, JESUS CHRYSLER SUPERSKUNK).

ABANDONED's sophomore album, "Thrash You!", was released in June 2007 via Dockyard 1.

"Thrash You!" is the follow-up to "Thrash Notes", which was recorded late 2005 at Hammer Music Studio (formerly Karo Studio) in Brackel, Germany and was released in 2006 via Dockyard 1.

NIGHTSHADE, the new project featuring former USURPER guitarist Rick Scythe, has released an "unofficial" promo trailer for its forthcoming debut album, "Autumnal Equinox". Watch the clip below.

NIGHTSHADE will release "Autumnal Equinox" on Halloween through Sempiternal Productions. It will be made available as a 13-song full-length CD plus DVD complete with promo videos, a photo gallery, interviews and more. The 13 audio tracks will also be available to download through iTunes, Amazon, MySpace and other Internet outlets.

NIGHTSHADE's current touring lineup consists of Scythe (guitar, vocals), Mr. Faust (strings, lead guitar and organs), DanYell (keys and organ), Naughty Norty (bass; SHALLOW GRAVE, SATANIC SYMPHONY) and Timedeus (drums).

According to a posting on the unofficial AC/DC web site AC/DC Electric Shock, AC/DC's new album, whch will most likely be called "Black Ice", will be released by Columbia Records on October 28 in North America and October 27 in the rest of the world. The first single, "Runaway Train", which was also a contender for the album's title, will be released in late August. Details for a world tour starting in late 2008 should be announced in the coming days.

AC/DC's new album will follow 2000's "Stiff Upper Lip". It was recorded at a Canadian studio with PEARL JAM and BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN producer Brendan O'Brien.

Sony BMG, Columbia's parent company, recently revealed that the disc will be sold exclusively through Wal-Mart stores, which has caused controversy with critics and fans.

Finnish "progressive death" metallers ELENIUM, whose lineup includes current OMNIUM GATHERUM vocalist Jukka Pelkonen (a.k.a. "J"), have posted two new demo tracks — "Counterflare" and "Inorganic" — on their MySpace page.

Commented the band: "We did a rough rehearsal demo of two brand new songs. Mikael Grönroos was very polite and took care of the recording duties. These are the first new tracks we've recorded with our current lineup so all kind of feedback is very welcome. And yes, we know the first demo is always the best. These versions will not be officially released since they are only for pre-production. You can still get a vague preview to our future releases."

ELENIUM last fall announced the addition of Anssi Hallio (drums), Ville Leppänen (guitar; DISORDEAD) and Lauri Koskenniemi (guitar; CRYSTAL BLAZE, ex-IMPERANON) to the group's ranks.

Connecticut metal/hardcore heavyweights HATEBREED have set a September 2, 2008 release date for their first-ever DVD, "Live Dominance". The DVD will include the band's entire 80-minute show shot in front of a crazed, sold-out crowd at Harpo's in Detroit on the Supremacy tour, plus additional live concert footage shot all over the globe in such cities as Philadelphia, New Haven, New York and more.

"Live Dominance" will include over two hours of live footage. In addition, the DVD is set to cotain a ton of bonus features shot specifically for the release including brand-new band interviews, concept videos, fan testimonials, and much much more.

The Harpo's Detroit show was shot entirely in hi-definition and directed by Kevin Custer with musical production/mixing from Grammy Award winner Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD).

HATEBREED vocalist Jamey Jasta says, "Our fans have been asking for a proper HATEBREED live DVD for a long time so it feels great to finally be ready to unleash this on the world. This is a top-notch DVD that we are all very proud of and it really shows how far we've come as a band and how truly diehard and dedicated our supporters are worldwide.”

The full Harpo's concert track listing is as follows:

01. This Is Now
02. Perseverance
03. A Call For Blood
04. To The Threshold
05. Empty Promises
06. Destroy Everything
07. Voice of contention
08. As Diehard As They Come
09. Hallow Ground
10. Doomsayer
11. Betrayed By Life
12. Straight To Your Face
13. Facing What Consumes You
14. Before Dishonor
15. Never Let It Die
16. Last Breath
17. Beholder Of Justice
18. Smash Your Enemies
19. Proven
20. Defeatist
21. Live For This
22. I Will Be Heard

HATEBREED enlisted Vinnie Paul Abbott (HELLYEAH, ex-PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN) to produce, document and record the band's May 27, 2008 concert in Dallas, Texas at the Palladium Ballroom. The resultant recording will be released as HATEBREED's live album, "Live in Dallas", due in early 2009. An all-covers album entitled "For the Lions" — featuring HATEBREED's renditions of songs by MISFITS, METALLICA, JUDGE, CRO-MAGS, D.R.I., NEGATIVE APPROACH, AGNOSTIC FRONT, MADBALL, SHEER TERROR and OBITUARY, among others — is expected late October.

"Bloodpath", the new video from veteran Stockholm, Sweden-based death metallers GRAVE, can be viewed below. The clip was reportedly filmed over a three-day period in Visby, Gotland, which is Sweden's largest island, with directors Joakim Ytterberg and Kave Raufi.

"Bloodpath" comes off GRAVE's eighth album, "Dominion VIII", which was released in April via Regain Records.

GRAVE's live DVD, entitled "Enraptured", came out in Europe on November 27, 2006 via Metal Mind Productions and in the U.S. on February 1, 2007 via MVD Visual.

The band shot the DVD with seven cameras on August 24, 2006 at the Stodola Club in Warsaw, Poland. The set, which was made available as a standard DVD edition and a DVD+CD limited edition, also features rare live footage, video clips and more.

Metalhead TV conducted an interview with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY/ex-SEPULTURA drummer Igor Cavalera at this year's Hellfest, which was held June 20-22, 2008 in Clisson, France. Watch the seven-minute chat below.

When asked for his thoughts on his brother Max's recent statements in the press that he would like to take part in a SEPULTURA reunion, Igor replied, "I don't know, man. I have my personal reunion already. I'm playing with Max [in CAVALERA CONSPIRACY] — a lot of new stuff from CAVALERA, a lot of old stuff from NAILBOMB, from SEPULTURA, stuff that me and Max wrote when we were, like, 15 or 16, so for me, I have already my reunion — I don't need another SEPULTURA reunion."

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY recently tapped Johny Chow (a.k.a. John Mark Bechtel; FIREBALL MINISTRY, SOULS OF WE, ex-SYSTEMATIC, MY RUIN) to play bass on the group's current European tour. Joe Duplantier of the French progressive death metallers GOJIRA, who laid down all the bass tracks on CAVALERA CONSPIRACY's debut album, "Inflikted", is currently in the studio working on the new GOJIRA CD and is unable to join CAVALERA CONSPIRACY on the road.

Italian power metal band RHAPSODY OF FIRE (formerly known as RHAPSODY) has issued the following update:

"First of all, thank you for all the patience you had in these last times despite the lack of news regarding the band.

"We wanted to inform you that we are in the middle of a hard legal fight with MCM [MANOWAR's Magic Circle Music] and [the company's] main representative Mr. Joey De Maio [MANOWAR bassist/leader]. That's the reason why in the last months we had to keep all strictly confidential and could not release any official declaration that could obviously be used against us from the opposite side. And that's also the reason why we were constricted to stop completely our band's activity. Frankly, we are not able to imagine if all this can end in a very close future, but we want to assure you that we are ready to fight with all the strength of body and soul in order to protect yours and our beloved band. Yes, aside from these bad events, we ask you to not lose your faith in us. As soon as this sad situation will be solved, we'll be ready for a great and mighty come back. A new album, a real masterpiece of speed/epic metal, is already composed and ready to be recorded and after its release an immense worldwide tour will finally follow for yours and our extreme satisfaction."

RHAPSODY OF FIRE's first-ever DVD, "Visions from the Enchanted Lands", was released in July 2007 through Magic Circle Music. The disc chronicles the 2005 tour and production for the albums "Symphony of Enchanted Lands, II" and "Triumph or Agony". Highlights of this double DVD are recordings from RHAPSODY OF FIRE's first tour through U.S. and Canada as well as their outstanding performance at the Eartshaker Fest 2005. A clip from the DVD can be viewed below.

RHAPSODY OF FIRE's latest album, "Triumph or Agony", was released in September 2006 via Magic Circle Music. According to a press release, the new CD sees the group continuing "to explore musical fantasy worlds with the precision musicianship and unique symphonic concepts that their fans have come to expect and adore. Fresh on the heels of the band's first live album release, 'Live In Canada 2005 - The Dark Secret', a new name and renewed vigor ensure that RHAPSODY OF FIRE still hold the passion and power that have always been associated with their music."

Finland's Sony BMG will release the new single from LORDI, "Bite It like a Bulldog", on August 13. The song comes off the Finnish hard rock monsters' new album, which is scheduled for release in North America on October 28 via The End Records. The as-yet-untitled CD "will showcase the band's trademark melodic hard rock sound, something the band has amplified from the debut, 'Get Heavy', onto the mega-successful 'The Arockalypse'," according to a press release.

An international success, "The Arockalypse" has sold 350,000 units to date and was certified gold in Sweden and Germany — not to mention attaining triple platinum status in Finland.

In 2008 the band has concentrated heavily on studio work, though it has taken time off to play select shows, such as the Rock2Wgtn music festival in Wellington, New Zealand, where it shared the stage with its musical and visual mentors, KISS. The band was also featured at various European summer festivals.

Mitchell Peters of Billboard (via Reuters) reports that SLIPKNOT will launch its own clothing line this summer. Tattered and Torn is named after a song on the band's self-released 1996 album, "Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat", and will initially be sold exclusively in North America at Hot Topic stores beginning in late July, according to Tom Bennett, CEO of Bravado, the merchandising arm of Universal Music Group.

"It's just something more for our fans," SLIPKNOT vocalist Corey Taylor said. "It's a way for them to get cool clothing at affordable prices."

Tattered and Torn will launch with "basic boys and girls hoodies" before becoming a "full-range clothing line," Bennett said.

WHITESNAKE and DEF LEPPARD have cancelled their participation in this weekend's Magic Circle Festival in Bad Arolsen, Germany due to "contractual differences." No further details are currently available.

WHITESNAKE and DEF LEPPARD were scheduled to perform today (Saturday, July 12) prior to headliners and festival organizers MANOWAR's set.

The second annual Magic Circle Festival, which is being held July 9-12, features four days of metal, 20,000 free beers, 20,000 free copies of the new MANOWAR single and four custom-built choppers owned by MANOWAR members to be given away.

MANOWAR was scheduled to perform on the Friday evening of the festival, where they were to play "Battle Hymns", "Into Glory Ride" and "Hail To England". On the Saturday evening, the band will play "Sign Of The Hammer", "Fighting The World" and "Kings Of Metal". This set will also feature, for the first time, a rendition of "The Crown And The Ring (Lament Of The Kings)", which will feature the original choir and orchestral performance that has never been seen before.

Magic Circle Festival 2007 took place July 6-7, 2007 Bad Arolsen, Germany and was reportedly attended by 25,000 fans.

Los Angeles-based progressive thrash metal band PROTOTYPE has announced the addition of drummer Nic Ritter (see video below) to the group's ranks. "Nic has been working with us for the last 6-8 months or so and is responsible for the drum tracks on our new four-song pre-production demo as we begin preparing for the next album," the group says in a press release.

PROTOTYPE continues: "You may see a press release soon about Nic playing with another band [rumored to be WARBRINGER — Ed.] in the coming weeks. To minimize confusion, we want to let you all know ahead of time that he is in both bands and still a member of PROTOTYPE. We can't tell you the name of the other band at this time as it hasn't been made official yet.

"You'll be hearing Nic's work with PROTOTYPE in just a few weeks as we near the mixing phase of the demo songs and will share them with you [as soon as possible]!!!"

PROTOTYPE is featured in the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock video game with the song "The Way It Ends", taken from the group's sophomore album, "Continuum". Players are able to put their skills to the test, playing lead, rhythm or bass guitar on this challenging PROTOTYPE track. Also included in Guitar Hero III are songs from METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, IRON MAIDEN, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, THE SEX PISTOLS, SLAYER and other top rock artists.