Some two years after their split, AUTUMNBLAZE announce their resurrection - in the classic line-up of their album "Bleak" (2000). Alongside his former companions Arisjel and Schwadorf (The Vision Bleak, Empyrium amongst others), the band's mastermind Markus B. a.k.a. Eldron is looking forward to a creative future with his long-term main band.

A new AUTUMNBLAZE album carrying the working title "We Had To Burn Our Fucking Kingdom" is already in the making and is scheduled for recording at Klangschmiede Studio E this autumn. Lyric-wise, the band is going to pick up where the philosophy of "DämmerElbenTragödie" and "Bleak" left off, while in musical terms, you can expect the heaviest and most varied AUTUMNBLAZE album yet.

"Hello everyone!

Maybe this sounds a bit too elevated but the truth is that life has torn us apart and life also gave us back again our dignity and pride. As friends we went to war and lost everything thereby.

But the seed, we spread with our first album "DämmerElbenTragödie" almost ten years ago, was never destroyed entirely. We have realised that the spell of our friendship is much stronger than the unspeakable chasms, which the mundane quarrel with life has inflicted us.

Only in times of bitter misery and solitude you recognize the true friend. Hence words are the salve but only alcohol defogs the senses and bares the view on the inerasable music that has saved us.

We have lived and loved, invented and annihilated Autumnblaze, but a sole spark has settled down deep within our souls and this spark is enough to distil everything abolutely. Now we are ready to add a new chapter … "We had to burn our fucking kingdom" is the working title for our forthcoming reunion record and this title is definitely programmatic because we first had to burn our fucking kingdom to establish a more solid one.

Lyrically we'll continue the philosophy of our first two records on a more mature and retrospective level and musically we will drown our sound into a metal wall of darkness – very heavy, intense, diversified and with a wide range of harsh and clean vocals.

Thereby we are utterly proud to work again with those people who understood and supported Autumnblaze all way long - our dear friend and pulse Ulf Teodor Schwadorf as well as our label Prophecy Productions, in particular Martin Koller.

ELDRON/ARIJSEL may 2008"

Swedish metallers SONIC SYNDICATE have set "Love and Other Disasters" as the title of their third album, due on September 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. In addition to the regular CD, a digipack version of the album will made available featuring two bonus tracks and a DVD.

"Love and Other Disasters" track listing:

01. Encaged
02. Hellgate: Worcester
03. Jack of Diamonds
04. My Escape
05. Fallout
06. Power Shift
07. Contradiction
08. Damage Control
09. Red Eyed Friend
10. Affliction

Bonus Tracks:

11. Ruin
12. Dead Planet

SONIC SYNDICATE's sophomore CD, "Only Inhuman", entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 64 — an impressive feat considering the group had never performed in the country prior to the album's release. The CD also landed at No. 22 on the Swedish chart.

"Forevermore", the new video from Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL, can be viewed here.

Commented the band: "There's some sick footage from the Red Bull Air Race in there that you have to see. If you don't know what the Red Bull Air Race is then now's a good time to find out. We can definitely consider it a pretty metal sport!"

As previously reported, SHADOWS FALL has been confirmed for the ninth annual Busan Rock Festival, set to take place August 2-3, 2008 in Busan, South Korea.

Commented vocalist Brian Fair: "I am very excited to announce that SHADOWS FALL will be returning to Korea this year to headline the annual Busan Rock Festival!! We always have an amazing time playing club shows in Korea and we are really looking forward to the opportunity of performing in front of a large festival audience. This will be one of our only headlining shows of the summer so we plan on pulling out all the stops and unleashing a set that will cover the entire history of SHADOWS FALL. It is going to be a killer day of music and partying so make sure you get on down to Dadaepo Beach in Busan, Korea on August 2-3. The show is free and we will be playing with a bunch of great Korean bands so there are no excuses for missing it. We will see ya there soon!!"

SHADOWS FALL will also take part in a taping for Korean national TV on Monday, August 4 on EBS TV's Space.

SHADOWS FALL recently received a Grammy nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category for "Redemption", the first single from the band's newest release, "Threads of Life". This marked SHADOWS FALL's second Grammy nomination in the category, following the group's nod at the 2006 awards for "What Drives The Weak" off the Century Media release "The War Within".

The band's overview of its years as a Century Media recording act (before signing with Atlantic for the U.S. and Roadrunner for Europe), "Seeking the Way: The Greatest Hits", was released in late October.

SHADOWS FALL reissued its Century Media debut, "Of One Blood", on April 15.

Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON held a press conference earlier today (June 4) prior to their headlining show at Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg.

"We just got back fron Los Angeles where we've finishing tracking the drums [for the new SATYRICON studio album]", revealed frontman Satyr. "I'm going back to L.A. to do the guitars and will finish the album on August 2. The album wll be released on November 3."

He added, "The new album isn't just another album, it's a milestone. It's epic and still the choruses are catchy. Some of the songs are really long."

Satyr also revealed that a musician "celebrity" visited the band at Sound City studios in Van Nuys, California, where METALLICA recently recorded its forthcoming album.

"Daron Malakian, who was the main songwriter in SYSTEM OF A DOWN, came down one night and we did a song together in just a few hours, which is very unusual for us," Satyr said. "I don't think the song will appear on the album; we'll most likely use it as a bonus track."

A previously unreleased SATYRICON song, "My Skin Is Cold", is included on the band's new EP of the same name, which was issued on June 2 in most of Europe. The track was omitted from the final running order of the group's 2002 album "Volcano" and has remained unreleased up until this point. Joining those two tracks are live versions of "Repined Bastard Nation" and "Mother North" that were recorded in Gjallarhorn and include members of the Oslo Philarmonic Orchestra and the Norwegian Broadcast Orchestra as well as "Live Through Me" and "Existential Fear-Questions", two tracks that were only released as bonus songs on the LP edition of "Volcano".

"My Skin Is Cold" was released as a seven-inch gatefold vinyl single including a five-track CD. This is the only physical version of the EP and the packaging is said to be "truly one of a kind!"

SATYRICON is currently streaming a sample of the title track of the "My Skin Is Cold" EP on the splash page of the band's official web site.

The EP was relased via Roadrunner Records worldwide, except in Norway, where it came out through SATYRICON's new partner, Indie Recordings.

Rafi Kirder (bass, vocals) and Sevan Kirder (bagpipe, flute, whistles, vocals) have announced their departure from the Swiss folk metal band ELUVEITIE.

Commented Rafi: "Sevan and I decided to leave the band ELUVEITIE after four years activity. Our last concert will be held at Bloodstock festival in England.

"This decision was not easy for us, since we were allowed to experience beautiful moments in all the years. Unfortunately, there have been several reasons and occurrences which forced us to let the band continue without us.

"We're really sorry to bring you such bad news, but there are moments in life where everyone must look to himself; we hope you'll understand.

"We want to say thank you, our fans, from our heart, for all the unforgettable times we had together, and wish the band all the best for the future.

"Please respect that we can't answer any questions concerning our exit (due personal reasons)."

Capital Chaos has posted video footage of ELUVEITIE performing at The Boardwalk in Orangevale, California on May 7, 2008. Watch the clip below.

Andy Osborn of the KSUB radio station in Seattle conducted an interview on May 5 with guitarist/vocalist Chrigel Glanzmann of ELUVEITIE. The 15-minute chat is available for download as an MP3 file at this location.

ELUVEITIE's new album, "Slania", was released on February 15 via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Spirit" is "the perfection of the first album, but still there is enough room to give some new influences a chance," according to a press release. 'Expect nothing less than a masterpiece of hellish heavy folk metal with an 'x' factor!"

ELUVEITIE will team up with PRIMORDIAL, EQUILIBRIUM, CATAMENIA, FINNTROLL and MÅNEGARM and for the Heidenfest Tour 2008 in October/November.

Polish death metal veterans VADER have issued the following update:

"As you might know, a few weeks ago, VADER, in association with Abysmo, made a new videoclip for one of the band's classic songs, 'Carnal'. The trailer for this video is available online [below]. Full version of the video will available online pretty soon so stay tuned! The song was re-recorded exclusively for VADER's anniversary album 'XXV', out now on Regain Records."

"XXV" was specially recorded for VADER's 25th anniversary and features re-recorded songs from the band's history. The album was entirely recorded, mixed and mastered at Hertz Studio with the Wieslawscy Bros. at the helm, known for their previous VADER collaborations on such releases as "The Art Of War" and "Impressions In Blood". The regular double-disc edition of the album features 25 songs, including "Carnal", "Cold Demons", "Black To The Blind", and a previously unreleased song called "Tyrani Tyrani Piekiel" from the very early days of the band. A special digipack edition of "XXV" has been made available with an additional DVD featuring bonus songs (Polish versions of "Trupi Jad" and "Reborn In Flames") and some historical rarities in the form of video footage recorded between 1986 and 2001. All the graphics and the entire "XXV" layout was designed by Jacek Wisniewski, the Polish graphic artist resposible for the cover art of previous VADER releases "Black To The Blind", "Litany", "Revelations" and "The Beast".

Legendary guitarist Joe Satriani has posted the fifth in a series of weekly video podcasts from his European tour. Check it out at this location.

Satriani released his 13th solo album "Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock" on April 1.

"Professor Satchafunkilus" was produced through the creative envisioning of Satriani and John Cuniberti; guiding the musical talents of longtime drummer/percussionist Jeff Campitelli and renowned bassist Matt Bissonette. A special addition to the album's artist list is Joe's own son, ZZ Satriani, playing the tenor sax.

Last year marked the 20th anniversary of his groundbreaking album "Surfing with the Alien" and was commemorated with new expanded edition in a meticulously restored two-disc set including the newly remastered album and a never-before-seen live show filmed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1988.

Long-running extreme metallers ANGELCORPSE have added a second guitarist — Kelly McLauchlin of PESSIMIST, UNHOLY GHOST and DIABOLIC fame — just in time for their West Coast shows. According to a press release, "it was quite important to get back to the wall of sound that could not be accurately recreated live with only one guitar."

ANGELCORPSE's upcoming dates are part of the Blood Of The Damned Tour which includes GOSPEL OF THE HORNS, CEMETARY URN, and ARES KINGDOM, among other extreme bands.

ANGELCORPSE's latest album, "Of Lucifer and Lightning", was released in the U.S. last June via Osmose/The End Records.

Legendary hard rock band MOTÖRHEAD has finished recording its new album, entitled "Motörize", due before the end of the year via SPV Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Kiss of Death" was recorded at FOO FIGHTERS frontman/ex-NIRVANA drummer Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, California.

"Kiss of Death" entered the national album charts in the following countries: Germany: #4, Norway: #9, Sweden: #13, Austria: #20, Switzerland: #26, U.K.: #45, Denmark: #53. The CD was recorded at the Paramount studios in Los Angeles with Cameron Webb, who also worked with the group on 2004's "Inferno". The album includes guest appearances by POISON guitarist C.C. Deville and ALICE IN CHAINS bassist Mike Inez.

As previously reported, the life and career of MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy Kilmister is being celebrated in a new documentary, tentatively titled "Lemmy" and slated for release in 2009.

The film promises fans more access than ever before to Kilmister's life, and includes interviews with past and present bandmates and such peers/admirers as Slash, Dave Grohl, THE CLASH's Mick Jones, Alice Cooper, Steve Vai and wrestling superstar Triple H.

Directors/producers Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski (both of whom have contributed to Billboard) are shooting the film on a combination of HD video and super 16 mm film. Other giants from the world of metal and hard rock will appear in the film as well, with details to be announced. "We haven't heard the word 'no' yet after any interview request," Olliver says.

Watch a "teaser" for the movie here.

Bassist Eerik Purdon (CRYSTAL BLAZE, AMORAL) has left the Finnish metal band OMNIUM GATHERUM. According to the group, there was "no drama, no fights, nothing, as we ain't got a clue really what the hell happened here!"

OMNIUM GATHERUM is currently accepting submissions from bassists at ogatherum@gmail.com. However, this won't affect the band's touring plans in any way and all the previously announced gigs will go ahead as scheduled.

OMNIUM GATHERUM recently finished recording its fourth album, "The Redshift", at Sound Supreme Studios in Hämeenlinna, Finland with Janne Saksa and SouthEastSounds studio in Karhula with Teemu Aalto. The CD was mixed at Unisound Studio in Örebro, Sweden by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, HAIL OF BULLETS, NOVEMBERS DOOM).

Rock legend ALICE COOPER will release his new album, "Along Came A Spider", through SPV/Steamhammer on the following dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland: July 25
Rest of Europe: July 28
North America: July 29

Check out the CD artwork here.

"Along Came A Spider" was co-produced by Greg Hampton and Danny Saber in Los Angeles. It reportedly features guest appearances by Ozzy Osbourne, who plays harmonica on a track he co-wrote with Cooper, and Slash, who plays guitar on the record as well.

Alice recently told Billboard.biz that his forthcoming LP is "a real 'Alice' album. Conceptually, it's going to be pretty interesting."

Cooper wouldn't reveal too many details, but said the album is based on a fictional serial killer named Spider, who wraps his victims in a silk web. "Every song is sort of a letter to the police," he explains. "They think they're investigating it from the outside, but he's actually woven them into the whole thing."

"Along Came A Spider" track listing (in alphabetical order):

01. Catch Me
02. Hungry
03. I Am The Spider
04. I Know Where You Live
05. (In Touch With) Your Feminine Side
06. Killed By Love
07. Salvation
08. The One That Got Away
09. Vengeance Is Mine
10. Wake The Dead
11. Wrapped In Silk

Austrian symphonic extreme metal outfit HOLLENTHON has issued the following update:

"We have learned that iTunes online store sold the new [HOLLENTHON] album 'Opus Magnum' in its promo version, with voiceover on some tracks. This also happened to other acts.

"We deeply regret that the band has not been involved in that whole process and hence could not anticipate that fault. Nevertheless we have been informed that iTunes is going to reimburse those who got the wrong version.

"Apart from this annoying news we celebrated the new album's release last Friday, May 30, with a party at Vienna's Escape Metalcorner as well as a successful show at Planet Music last Sunday, June 1.

"The new material proved to be really made for being played live and the band is really looking forward to bringing all of the new material to stages near all of you as soon as possible!"

"Opus Magnum" will be released on June 10 in North America via the Austrian record label Napalm Records. The CD features eight songs and a cover version, plus a video.

HOLLENTHON issued two critically acclaimed albums nearly a decade ago — "Domus Mundi" (1999) and "With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell" (2001).

The second video trailer for "Holographic Universe", the third CD from Swedish metallers SCAR SYMMETRY, can be viewed here. An e-card for the CD is available at this location.

Due on June 20 via Nuclear Blast Records, "Holographic Universe" will feature the following track listing:

01. Morphogenesis (3:54)
02. Timewave Zero (5:13)
03. Quantumleaper (4:09)
04. Artificial Sun Projection (4:00)
05. The Missing Coordinates (4:37)
06. Ghost Prototype I (Measurement of Thought) (4:35)
07. Fear Catalyst (5:03)
08. Trapezoid (4:17)
09. Prism and Gate (3:46)
10. Holographic Universe (9:05)
11. The Three-Dimensional Shadow (3:57)
12. Ghost Prototype II (Deus Ex Machina) (6:03)

Check out the cover artwork at this location.

Brazilian thrashers SEPULTURA entered the studio last month to begin recording their new album, which is based on the Anthony Burgess novel "A Clockwork Orange" (later turned into the classic film by Stanley Kubrick). Guitarist Andreas Kisser has finished recording all the guitar tracks for the CD, and Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. "is killing the bass tracks right now and me and Derrick [Green] are finishing the lyrics and vocal arrangements," according to Andreas.

SEPULTURA's forthcoming CD will be the group's first to feature drummer Jean Dolabella, who replaced founding member Igor Cavalera in 2006. Igor has since reunited with his brother and former SEPULTURA frontman Max Cavalera in CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.

Check out photos from the recording studio at this location.

SEPULTURA debuted a new, then-still-incomplete song during their May 17, 2008 concert at Festival Maquinaria in São Paulo, Brazil. Watch fan-filmed video footage of the performance below.

Andreas Kisser recently completed work on his solo debut, entitled "Hubris I & II". A two-disc set, it is tentatively scheduled for release later in the year via Holland's Mascot Records. The CD was recorded in part at A Voz do Brasil studio in São Paulo, Brazil.

Kisser previously stated about his upcoming solo album, "I'm very pleased with the result and I'm excited to hear it all done. It was a long process, a learning process and a great experience. It's a musical journey trough the influences I had for last 15 years of my life and at the same time it's very different from everything I did so far."

German metal/hardcore outfit NEAERA has commenced the songwriting process for its next album, tentatively due in the spring/summer of 2009. More details will be made available during the coming months.

"Armamentarium", the latest album from NEAERA, entered the German Media Control chart last September at position No. 65. The limited first edition of the album contained a bonus DVD recorded live at the band's sold-out show on May 19, 2007 in their hometown of Münster.

Recorded at Hansen Studios in Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen, "Armamentarium" is "the most aggressive, focused and best sounding NEAERA album to date," according to a press release.

NEAERA's second CD, "Let the Tempest Come", was released in April 2006.

SATELLITE SYNDROME is a brand new project featuring former KORN drummer David Silveria along with some of the top musicians in the Huntington Beach, California area, handpicked by Silveria himself. The group officially formed in May 2008, and is currently in the studio recording its first-ever songs.

SATELLITE SYNDROME's full-length debut album should be available early next year through a major record label.

SATELLITE SYNDROME is:

Adam York: Vocals/Guitar
Chuck Ferguson: Bass
David Silveria: Drums
Donny Ace: Lead Guitar

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/satellitesyndrome.

European death metal butchers ABORTED, whose members hail from Belgium, France and UK, will release their sixth full-length album, "Strychnine.213", on June 24 via Century Media Records.

A widget for the CD is available below.

In addition to unveiling the album's macabre cover artwork by Colin Marks / Rain Song, ABORTED is currently streaming two songs from its stunning follow-up to 2007's "Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture" at the band's revamped MySpace page.

"I35" demonstrates how ABORTED have successfully increased the modern, darker and surprisingly dynamic and melodic elements of their sound, whereas "Pestiferous Subterfuge" is another brutal groove monster, heavy to the max!

Combining the band's undeniable live energy with a powerhouse production from Eric Rachel (THE RED CHORD, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, GOD FORBID) and a "fuck you rock 'n' roll" approach to the overly edited, sterile sounding death metal records of today, ABORTED succeed in retaining their vicious roots while evolving in terms of melody, musical virtuosity and vigor.

ABORTED will team up with THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, KATAKLYSM, VADER, CRYPTOPSY, THE FACELESS, DESPISED ICON, BORN OF OSIRIS, PSYCROPTIC and WHITECHAPEL for this year's "Summer Slaughter Tour" beginning on June 20.

Virginia-based technical death metal outfit ARSIS has parted ways with drummer Darren Cesca. According to lead guitarist/vocalist James Malone, "the reasoning behind this decision is simply differences in personalities and an overall difference in direction. Darren is an amazing musician and we harbor no ill feelings towards him. We wish him all the best." He continues, "We are most excited to announce that Alex Tomlin, a longtime friend of ours and an outstanding drummer, will be replacing Darren. His first shows with us will be on the 'In Thrash We Trust' tour starting this Wednesday [June 4]. Come out and support ARSIS and the new addition to our lineup!"

Visit www.myspace.com/arsis to view "In Thrash We Trust" tour dates.

The animated video for the title track of ARSIS' new album, "We Are the Nightmare", can be viewed be viewed below. The clip was directed by David Brodsky (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, SOILENT GREEN, SHAI HULUD) of MyGoodEye.

"We Are The Nightmare" was released on April 15 (North America) through Nuclear Blast Records. The package contains a bonus 45-minute DVD that includes the band's time in the studio, off-stage antics, and some general goofing around. The album was produced by Zeuss (AGNOSTIC FRONT, HATEBREED, MUNICIPAL WASTE) at Planet Z Studios in Massachusetts and was mastered by Alan Douches (KATAKLYSM, UNEARTH, SHADOWS FALL).

Germany's DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER has posted two brand new songs from its upcoming album "Licht" on the group's MySpace page. Check out the tracks "Es Wird Schlimmer" and "Der Weg" at this location. The band will also release an exclusive EP "Der Weg" (cover) via iTunes on June 27, featuring four songs, two of which will only be available on this EP. A strictly limited print mailorder edition of this EP will be available through the Nuclear Blast mailorder store.

"Licht" is scheduled for release on August 29 via Nuclear Blast Records. The upcoming CD will be the group's first to feature new guitar player Lady Cat-Man, who replaced Pitrone in February 2008.

DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER previously stated about the upcoming CD and new lineup, "Don't expect anything less than an absolute killer record! The sound is damn heavy, melodic and chock-full of surprises. Lady Cat-Man may look like an angel, but she's playing like the devil! Treat our metal sister real nice, she is part of the family now."

DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER's sixth album, "Riders on the Storm", was released in August 2006 via Nuclear Blast.

The German edition of Metal Hammer magazine recently conducted an interview with UNLEASHED frontman Johnny Hedlund. An excerpt from the chat follows.

Metal Hammer: What made you listen to heavy metal in the first place?

Johnny: "Life itself did, and society back in the early '80s. Metal music in all its forms indicates rebellion against all that is false and unjust. It is also one of very few musical styles in the world to which the fans are loyal and do not escape to what's more commercial for the moment. And death metal in particular is an amazing tool for rebellion. In the early days, heavy metal was the most brutal musical style there was… so it was a good start."

Metal Hammer: What's the future of metal, what's the next thing to come?

Johnny: "The future of metal music is fantastic! It will keep flowing and new styles within it will come and go, but it will always be metal. It is eternal, just like rock'n'roll, which is it's roots. There's nothing good enough to take over metal music. And I am then talking about all styles and various labels within it. In UNLEASHED, we have the idea to develop Swedish death metal for the next 15-20 years, just watch and see."

Metal Hammer: What was the craziest thing you ever did as metal musician?

Johnny: "When I sat my ass down inside a bomber aircraft inside a NATO airforce base in Germany (early '90s) with a beer in my hand looking happy and drunk as few. Scary shit. But those military guys at the time were UNLEASHED fans and they wanted to show us their planes and take us to a party at the base. Not recommendable, will make any tour manager go nuts."

Read the entire interview in English or German.

URIAH HEEP has cancelled its previously announced nine-date tour of Russia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus which was scheduled to commence in Chisinau, Moldova tomorrow, Wednesday, June 4. According to the band, "the last-minute cancellation comes as a result of the tour promoter's complete lack of adherence to contractual stipulations concerning PA, lights, backline equipment, visas, tour itineraries, travel arrangements and failure to make scheduled payments.

"URIAH HEEP bitterly regret having to cancel the tour, but over the past few weeks it has been impossible to finalize arrangements for the tour due to the promoters total failure to fulfil their contractual obligations or supply the band with the correct advance information. Cancelling the tour has come as a last resort and after extensive negotiations to resolve the issues, URIAH HEEP were not in a position to have any confidence that shows could be put on, or even take place, up to the band and the fans expectations.

"URIAH HEEP would like to apologize to all their fans for the cancellation due to a situation completely beyond their control and would certainly hope to be able to visit these countries again in the future to put on a show that the fans deserve."

URIAH HEEP's first studio album in almost ten years, "Wake The Sleeper", is due out this month via Universal Music.

Recorded in 2007, "Wake The Sleeper" was produced by Mike Paxman (STATUS QUO, JUDIE TZUKE).

This is the band's first album without their long-standing and original drummer, Lee Kerslake who sadly had to leave the band due to ill health in January 2007. Filling the drum stool for the very first time is the hugely well respected Russell Gilbrook (TONY IOMMI, VAN MORRISON, JOHN FARNHAM and LONNIE DONNEGAN).

Current band lineup is:

Mick Box - guitar, vocals
Trevor Bolder - bass, vocals
Phil Lanzon - keyboards, vocals
Bernie Shaw - lead vocals
Russell Gilbrook - drums, vocals

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA's May 30, 2008 performance at the Pinkpop festival in Landgraaf, The Netherlands can be viewed below.

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Ride The Lightning
04. The Four Horsemen
05. Bleeding Me
06. ...And Justice For All
07. Devil's Dance
08. The Memory Remains
09. Fade To Black
10. Master Of Puppets
11. Whiplash
--------------
12. Nothing Else Matters
13. Sad But True
14. One
15. Enter Sandman
-------------------
16. Last Caress
17. So What
18. Seek And Destroy

As previously reported, METALLICA has tapped Greg Fidelman — an engineer/producer who has worked with current METALLICA producer Rick Rubin on albums for the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, SLIPKNOT and AUDIOSLAVE, among others — to mix the group's new CD, which is due out in September.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich took part in a conference call on May 15 to promote this year's Bonnaroo festival, which METALLICA will headline on June 13, Ulrich told reporters that METALLICA recently met with a graphic designer to begin planning the new CD package, though there's no confirmed title for the album yet and the songs still have working names.

Philadelphia's death metal legends GOREAPHOBIA have inked a deal with Ibex Moon Records. The band will play a few select shows this year while working on new material for its first full-length recording, due out in 2009.

According to a press release, GOREAPHOBIA was "one of the most important and highly praised" death metal bands from the New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania area in the early '90s. But due to internal turmoil, the group broke up before it was able to release its debut album on Relapse Records.

GOREAPHOBIA 2008 lineup is:

Chris Gamble (BLOODSTORM, ABSU) – Bass, Vocals
Alex Bouks (INCANTATION) - Guitar
John McEntee (INCANTATION, FUNERUS) - Guitar
Jim Roe (D.O.M., MORBID SIN, WOMB, MR GRIM, INCANTATION) – Drums

Chris Gamble, GOREAPHOBIA's bassist and vocalist, states: "I'd like to start by saying that at the turn of the 1990s, both INCANTATION and GOREAPHOBIA had strong status in the underground death metal scene. We both have played hundreds of shows together and with bigger worldwide extreme heavy metal acts. With all our years of experience recording, writing, and performing extreme metal music. John McEntee, Jim Roe, Alex Bouks, and myself are set on taking all of our knowledge and forming together a paragon force of extreme death metal, being that we feel we are at the height of our professional careers.

"Both INCANTATION and GOREAPHOBIA together complement each other's styles and sound. Both bands have joined together into one to make us (GOREAPHOBIA) twice the extreme death metal act that we ever hoped for. The songwriting and live performances are sure to leave a great memory for all fans of both bands worldwide.

"John and Jim's joining into GOREAPHOBIA really offers alot more inspirations, and musical vastness into what Alex and I have created with the band. The name alone has strong underground respect and influence on the extreme metal scene of today!

"We are ready for some new and exciting shows, recordings, videos, and whatever else the future may hold for GOREAPHOBIA!"

John McEntee (Ibex Moon Records, INCANTATION, FUNERUS and now GOREAPHOBIA) states: "I'm totally psyched to be releasing the debut GOREAPHOBIA album. What makes it even cooler for me is that I'm also jamming with them too.

"GOREAPHOBIA is one of the most important death metal bands of the late '80s early '90s. Anyone that knows their death metal history knows how innovative and a important GOREAPHOBIA is to the U.S. death metal scene.

"It's an honor to be associated with one of my favorite bands of all time.”

Last year, Necrohermonic Productions released a GOREAPHOBIA retrospective CD entitled "Vile Beast Of Abomination".

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/goreaphobia.

Dimitris Kontogeorgakos of Metal Temple recently conducted an interview with CANDLEMASS mainman/bassist Leif Edling. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

Metal Temple: I read on your website that you [were going to] film yesterday's [May 20] show in New York, so how did it go?

Leif Edling: Actually, we did not film the show.

Metal Temple: Why?

Leif Edling: Mmm, I think there were some "problems" with the negotiations with the camera crew that did not show up! I guest that it might have been some misunderstanding between them and the manager or the record label. To be honest with you, I don't know what actually happened, and I was pretty disappointed when the cameras weren't there.

Metal Temple: Will you make another attempt to film a U.S. show?

Leif Edling: No, it supposed to be done in New York and the camera crew was from there. So we cannot afford to get on the road. There won't be a DVD shooting in this tour. Well, apart from our own cameras and stuff.

Metal Temple: So, Rob's [Lowe, vocals] addition to the lineup changed the atmosphere in the band?

Leif Edling: Yeah, we definitely have much better atmosphere in the band. We have more fun as a band and I think this is the way it should be. Everyone seems to have more fun and actually feels more relaxed. With Messiah [Marcolin, former singer] things were difficult because he made it that way. Now it is totally a different thing like night and day. It's like walk in the park being in CANDLEMASS!

Metal Temple: What about the next album, do you have any thoughts about it?

Leif Edling: Most of the tracks are ready and when we return home after the U.S. tour in the middle of June, we will do some more live dates, then we will have some vacation time during July and finally on August get on the studio to record it.

Metal Temple: Musically, where does it stand?

Leif Edling: Well, I think it will be better than the "King Of The Grey Islands" that was better than the white album. So, we will continue in this pattern (laughs). Basically, it is pretty much in the same vein and I can surely say that I am very pleased with it.

Read the entire interview at Metal-Temple.com.

Greg Prato of Billboard.com reports: After a 12-year absence, veteran rock act KING'S X returned to The Billboard 200 last week with "XV" (InsideOut/SPV), debuting at No. 145 [with 4,450 copies sold in its first week of release].

"The first few records, we all wrote a lot of music on our own and reworked it as a band," KING'S X guitarist Ty Tabor tells Billboard.com. "We went through a period where we were writing everything in the studio, because it was much more spontaneous. But if we do anything for too long, we have to switch it up to keep ourselves interested. So we decided this time to do some writing ahead of time again, and see how that worked."

The end result is something the guitarist is quite happy with. "I like a larger percentage of this record than I have in a very long time. There are a few that I think are undeniably some of the best stuff Doug [Pinnick] has come up with," he says.

Read more at Billboard.com.

METALLICA's classic 1986 album "Master of Puppets" will be reissued on heavy-duty vinyl on July 15 – one month later than the previously announced June 17 release date. This is the third in the band's series of vinyl reissues. Like "Kill 'Em All" (1983) and "Ride The Lightning" (1984), "Master of Puppets" will be made available in the following formats: a single disc at 33 rpm and a deluxe two-disc version on 180-gram vinyl spinning at 45 rpm.

As previously reported, METALLICA has tapped Greg Fidelman — an engineer/producer who has worked with current METALLICA producer Rick Rubin on albums for the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, SLIPKNOT and AUDIOSLAVE, among others — to mix the group's new CD, which is due out in September.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich took part in a conference call on May 15 to promote this year's Bonnaroo festival, which METALLICA will headline on June 13, Ulrich told reporters that METALLICA recently met with a graphic designer to begin planning the new CD package, though there's no confirmed title for the album yet and the songs still have working names.

UK grind outfit BRAINCHOKE has set a July 7 release date for its new album, "Introspective". The self-released CD will be distributed by Grindethic Records and Code 7 via Plastic Head.

According to a press release, "Introspective" is "an idiosyncratic blast of old-school grindcore mixing the traditional sound of bands like NAPALM DEATH and NASUM with some more unique elements including black metal-tinged sections, banjos, heavy metal solos and some good old fashioned toe-tapping melodies."

Production for the album was handled by Danny B, a member of the cult South American thrash band CRIMINAL.

"Introspective" track listing:

01. Intro
02. 2012
03. Learn The Hard Way
04. Leave This Place
05. IVth Time Lucky
06. Square One
07. Delusional Patriotism
08. Culture Shocked
09. Blue Blood
10. Upward Spiral (mp3)
11. Spiritual Medication
12. Crystal Clear
13. Erectile Projectile
14. The Brainless And The Blind
15. 1st World Hypocrisy
16. Past Six Years

"Introspective" is BRAINCHOKE's fourth release, following the debut album "Migraine Music" in 2000, the "Mental Clarity" EP in 2001 and the "Microchipped and Mindcontrolled" split with FETUS EATERS in 2003 on Grindethic Records.