MATT ZANE: It's true. Matt Zane has donated over 17 inches of his trademark hair to the non-profit organization Locks Of Love. Locks of Love provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Their mission is to return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children. "People have identified who I am as my long hair for years. Something that I needed because it was expected of me and for awhile I have fallen into that trap. Recently I felt like I've entered a new chapter in my life and wanted to let go of certain expectations that people had. I was told about Locks Of Of Love and thought it was a great idea. I am glad some good can come of this considering all the hate mail I will get from girls on MySpace." Says Zane. If you happen to be one of many woman upset by Zane's decision you can still see him and his hair in all it's glory on his latest movie Radium Volume #2 coming in May through Evolution Erotica. For those interested Matt Zane's new hair cut will be posted soon on his MySpace. MySpace.com/MattTheLordZane. For more on Locks Of Love visit www.LocksOfLove.org. (Rogue PR)

ATTACKHEAD: Hey all you metal maniacs and gutter dwellers the rumors you have heard are true, WE ARE BACK!! In case you don't have a clue what I am talking about I will fill you in. In November of last year Steve Cordero and Christian Bargados left the band. After taking a short time off to enjoy the holidays George and I began searching for the perfect replacement members to fill the vacancies. After several months we finally found the right people. We are pleased to announce the addition of Brian Suminski on drums and Dave Dunn on bass. Both are excellent musicians and we look forward to a great future with both of them. We are busy rehearsing and should be announcing new gigs very soon. Also, we have a new clothing endorsement from Bad Bones. They have brutal clothing designs and are sure to make your mother run for cover. You can check out their online store at www.badbones.com. Keep an eye on the upcoming show schedule for a gig near you. You can go to www.myspace.com/attackhead or www.attackhead.com and see new photos and bios (as they become available). We appreciate your support and hope to see you all this Summer.

MICHAEL KNIGHT If you like 80’s metal & hard rock, come by & check out the video I put together of Ricochet, for the song, “Rockin’ the Hard Way”. Dig the flashy 80’s style clothes and big hair !! Check out the infamous 80’s style stage moves, including: the Guitar Shotguns (aiming the neck of the guitar like a gun when playing a riff), the Synchronized Guitar Thrust (guitarists thrusting guitars forward to highlight an accent) and Unison Head Banging!!! Come by and let me know what you think. Find other 80’s moves and styles in the video and leave comments about them. I was guitarist in the band from 1985 - 1991. We played the NY Area clubs and this song was our regional single. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux8OudZucbM. Video is also posted on my myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/michaelknight. Two new reviews for two great movies now posted ! Just completed reviews for the following horror DVDs: Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon and Buried Alive. Both were enjoyable DVDs for the horror fanatic and just in time for the Halloween season. Check out the reviews at: http://www.mantaraypictures.com.

MICHAEL KNIGHT: OK peeps, here's the latest... Come celebrate the launching of my own youtube channel, metal4shred. http://www.youtube.com/metal4shred. Currently there are 4 videos posted which include live show vids from Michael Knight's band and Skulgrinder. I am currently archiving 15 years of video footage including live stuff from my first gigging band, Ricochet (circa 1984-1991). please add me as a friend on youtube and subscribe to my youtube channel. There will be many surprises to come including classic stuff from Guitar-2001 Magazine. The June/July postings on Guitar Nine website includes a new article from me: "Survival Guide To Lean Times For Musicians, Part II: Your Fans". check it out at: http://www.guitar9.com. (btw. all Michael knight & Skulgrinder cds are only $10. at Guitar9.com) I have new horror dvd reviews posted at Mantaray Pictures.com. Reviews for "The Garden" starring Lance Henriksen and "Death Row" are now posted. check it out at: http://www.mantaraypictures.com. We have a fan video posted for the Skulgrinder song "Ego Critical" It was compiled and edited by our friend Rob (mercury-x) who also did the cover artwork for my "Electric Horrorland" Cd. Thanks, Rob! Check it out at the Skulgrinder Myspace page or at my Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/metal4shred.

MICHAEL KNIGHT: Recession Buster Sale!!!! *****$10. $10. $10. $10.***** NY guitarist, Michael Knight and Guitar Nine Records have teamed up to give you the most bang-for-the-buck during these economically challenged times. For a limited time we have slashed the price on all KM Records Releases sold through guitar9.com. Now you can get all of the Michael Knight solo Cds and the Skulgrinder releases for only $10. each. That would include Michael Knight releases: Dreamscapes, Mechanica Diablo, and his latest shred-fest, Electric Horrorland plus the full-length Skulgrinder release, "Island of Lost Souls". Get em' while they're hot! Get em' while supplies last!! Get em' for only Ten Bucks ($10.)!!! Get em' at: http://www.guitar9.com. Michael Knight - Music Video: The music video for the song, "The Phoenix" is now posted on my Myspace page and Youtube. "The Phoenix" was from my 1st CD release, Dreamscapes. Come by & Check it out !!! http://www.myspace.com/michaelknight (click on view my: videos) Michael Knight's Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/metal4shred.

MERCILESS RECORDS: Dear friends of Metal! We are sorry to tell you that were not able to release Seamounts 2nd. album "Light and Truth", its out on Church-Within-Records! Good luck with it! Since the big succes of the debut album and the huge request for a CD formate we have decided to release this great album on CD, too. So it is out now and available: SEAMOUNT ntodrm CD: (Germany/U.S.A.) Classical Doom Metal. Finally available on CD. Remastered Version for Compact Disc with a total running time of 77:44 min. Release date. December 1. 2009. Limited Edition: 1000 copies. Retail orders can be made here: Metribution.com - Distribution of Metal Music www.metribution.com. First 20 order will be shipped with an original piece Linolium from the Linolium cut Pergament print certificat from the Double LP Pergament Edition. Labels, Mailorders, Distributors get in touch! We maybe alble to do some small selected trades as well. http://www.merciless-records.de or http://www.myspace.com/mercilessrecords. Don't get in touch via Myspace with us, we don't use it anymore!

MERCILESS RECORDS: Hi Maniacs ! Got a bunch of important news for you: DOOM YEAH ! SEAMOUNT went out quite successfull. SEAMOUNTs ntodrm Double LP and the Pergament Edition went to topsellers within short time. A Handfull Pergament Edition are left, take it now, or never here at: Metribution.com - Distribution of Metal Music www.metribution.com You can still download the digital version of the ntodrm Album here: www.myspace.com/seamountdoom. Check also the new uploaded Witchfinder General Coverversion. Reviews of the Album so far more then brilliant http://www.powermetal.de/review/review-12442.html or www.metal-district.de/cdkritik-4605-seamount-ntodrm.html. LABELS & DISTIBUTORS: We do not start a big Mailorder again so we can not do trades anymore. We are working on TERRITORIAL EXCLUSIVE Distribution deals, If your company interested to work with us get in touch! NEW RELEASES COMING SOON: In the work now and a release set up in the next two month: M.R.CD022 KHAZAD DHUM Human Breeds Evil CD - (Germany) The second unreleased album from 2002 will finally see the dark of the night, simply to destroy all human life on Earth. Anti Human Black Metal, the Blackest Metal for the blackest Souls! M.R.CD023 TRAUMATIC VOYAGE Cogito Ergo Sum CD - (Germany) The Fourth album, Sickest Psycho Black Metal ever. FORTHCOMING RELEASES: ORDER FROM CHAOS T.B.A. Imperium Pt. 2. LP/CD FULGOR Collection, Confession, Condemnation & Condolence LP/CD TRAUMATIC VOYAGE All releases. ....YOU'LL HATE US ! then YOU'LL HATE YOUR LIFE !! and at least YOU'LL HATE YOURSELF !!! http://www.merciless-records.de or http://www.myspace.com/mercilessrecords. Don't get in touch via Myspace with us, we don't use it anymore!

ETERNAL DESCENT: Eternal Descent's Llexi Leon has officially formed a mutually beneficial strategic alliance with ESP Guitars. Leon, an Incendium Records recording artist performing goth/industrial/ metal music, has used ESP Guitars throughout his career and now endorses the product. ESP Guitars have also provided a prototype Eclipse model guitar which will feature artwork from the upcoming Eternal Descent comic book series. In addition, the comics will feature the likeness of other ESP endorsed artists and ESP guitars throughout the series. "It's great to be involved with a company I have so much respect for. I’ve been using ESP guitars for years, and they’ve always been at the cutting edge when it comes to function and form," affirms Leon. "Awesome designs and killer tone! I feel like my voice can really travel through the ESPs. They react to the nuances of my playing where other electric guitars just fall short. When it came to creating a comic book realization of my concept album, it was the obvious choice to have ESP guitars in the artwork too. The F-series and EX body styles already look like something demonic or supernatural, so they fit right in! The ongoing collaboration between my Eternal Descent comic book and ESP guitars, is a very exciting project. Its great to be a part of the ESP artist family, and I'm looking forward to including other ESP artists in my work." Llexi Leon, the mastermind behind the multimedia concept ETERNAL DESCENT began making noise in London, England in 2005. His highly intricate guitar style exhibits the many influences corralled to create his intense sound - from classical, flamenco, electronica, and ambient genres to the more prominent genres of rock and metal. All of these genres infused to one, Leon has created a cinematic fantasia with a gothic flair, which will soon branch out to a comic book series. Leon began playing classical guitar at 8 years old and progressed to electric guitar at 13, the now-22-year-old has continued to broaden his horizons. Leon has since studied piano, violin, and percussion, adding diversity to his instrumental performances, whilst continuing to embrace new guitar techniques. Leon began incorporating original music with art and writing ideas, soon realizing he had to bring the concept to life. His main aspirations are bringing stories to life through escapism, utilizing everyday events and his vivid imagination to create more avenues for his multimedia enterprise. To prove its tangibility, Leon has assembled a team of artists to create the Eternal Descent comic book series with the first issue slated for publication in early 2009. He also began his own production company, Incendium Records to release his first concept album "Losing Faith" and the EP "The Phantom of the Opera". This fulfilled his desire to have all Eternal Descent media developed to the highest standards, under one roof. Having grown significantly over just a few short years, Incendium is now working with major names in the music and comic book industries. In 2009, Eternal Descent plans to expand globally in both areas. Incendium is already working closely with ESP Guitars on several exciting projects. Expect to see some custom signature guitars in the comic books and some headlining recording artists performing on them throughout the storylines. The possibility of these concepts could crossover to real life. Leon was recently approached by Faith Guitars as an endorsee for their products, and the two are working on a series of promotional collaborations, video demonstrations, and custom acoustic instruments for future Eternal Descent recordings. Orange Amplifiers has also been an extremely supportive collaborator. The have been creating and developing anything Leon requires for the upcoming studio album, including an amplifier that doesn't look like your typical Orange amp, but still has the trademark tones associated with the brand. Orange-inspired designs will also be featured in the comic book on backline and an occasional wall of cabinets. With these powerful collaborators and Leon's creativity combined, the Eternal Descent comic books and album releases are sure to explode worldwide, making Incendium a premier multimedia conglomerate. http://www.eternaldescent.com or http://www.myspace.com/eternaldescent. (Serge Entertainment)

ETERNAL DESCENT IDW Publishing has launched a PSP version of the Eternal Descent comic book via the new digital comic format released exclusively on Playstation Portable. The Eternal Descent comic book features an option to hear a complete panel by panel audio commentary from writer Llexi Leon, set to orchestral themes taken directly from the Eternal Descent album now in production. Issue #1 in the series is available directly through SONY on their playstation store at HERE. Sony has issued a Playstation Store update: “IDW continue their fantastic support with Eternal Decent #1 “A radical new title brought to you by the industry leaders in heavy rock and metal: ESP guitars and Marshall Amplification”. A rather unique comic featuring a guitar wielding protagonist, plenty of demons and one gorgeous succubus. The comic comes with an eccentric audio commentary and accompanying music by the writer Llexi Leon.” Digital Comics puts some of the world's greatest comics and graphic novels on your PSP. Download everything from rare classics to the latest releases, and enjoy them wherever you want. Eternal Descent comic book issue one kicked off the series by introducing Llexi Leon’s original characters and sets the stage for their epic battle. Metal bands God Forbid, Atreyu, Firewind, Static X, Children of Bodom, among others, will appear in Issue two and onward, with corresponding interviews included in each comic. Leon began making noise in London, England in 2005. His highly intricate guitar style exhibits the many influences corralled to create his intense sound - from classical, flamenco, electronica, and ambient genres to the more prominent genres of rock and metal. All of these genres infused to one, Leon has built a cinematic metal fantasia with his music, which has branched out to a comic book series. His main aspirations are bringing stories to life through escapism. Leon utilizes everyday events and his vivid imagination to drive him to create more avenues for his multimedia enterprise. To prove its tangibility, Leon, who is responsible for the basic concept artwork, storyboards, and character design/creation, has assembled a team of artists through Space Goat Productions, including: ~ Jason Metcalf on pencils and inks, and a driving force behind detailing the Eternal Descent world, who previously worked on The Darkness and Magdelina. ~ David Rivera will begin inking over Jason’s pencils from issue two and beyond, while Javier Tartaglia and Joel Chua, both veterans of many Marvel and DC comics titles, provide stunning colors. Leon began his own production company, Incendium Records, to release his first concept album “Losing Faith” and the EP “The Phantom of the Opera.” This fulfilled Leon's dream of having all Eternal Descent media developed with the highest standards under one roof. The Eternal Descent comic book issue #1 hit store shelves March 31st. To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook or visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com. A 5-page preview of the comic is available online at http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=4792&disp=table. http://www.eternaldescent.com or http://www.myspace.com/eternaldescent. (Serge Entertainment)

ETERNAL DESCENT IDW Publishing has launched a forum on their company web site featuring the Eternal Descent gothic comic book series created by guitarist Llexi Leon. IDW is the home of comics like 30 Days of Night, Star Trek, TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE, and many more. The first Eternal Descent issue hits retailers' shelves March 31st, 2010. The comic book series features iconic metal guitarists as comic book characters. The IDW forum is posted at http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewforum.php?f=22 and features discussion about the comic book, guitarists and polls moderated by Llexi Leon himself. Eternal Descent comic book issue one kicks off the series by introducing Leon’s original characters and sets the stage for their epic battle. Metal bands God Forbid, Atreyu, Firewind, Static X, Children of Bodom, among others, will appear in Issue two and onward, with corresponding interviews included in each comic. In addition, video footage featuring IDW's Justin Eisinger interviewing Eternal Descent's Llexi Leon is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr7R3GyY4Tg. The footage was filmed at the 2010 NAMM Convention in Anaheim, CA this past January and contains highlights about the comic book's concept with shots of new products featuring Eternal Descent art. Leon began making noise in London, England in 2005. His highly intricate guitar style exhibits the many influences corralled to create his intense sound - from classical, flamenco, electronica, and ambient genres to the more prominent genres of rock and metal. All of these genres infused to one, Leon has built a cinematic metal fantasia with his music, which has branched out to a comic book series. His main aspirations are bringing stories to life through escapism. Leon also began his own production company, Incendium Records, to release his first concept album “Losing Faith” and the EP “The Phantom of the Opera.” This fulfilled Leon's dream of having all Eternal Descent media developed with the highest standards under one roof. Leon recently began recording his third CD release with producer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, KISS) at the helm. Presales for the comic book are now available. To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook or visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com. http://www.eternaldescent.com or http://www.myspace.com/eternaldescent. (Serge Entertainment)

ETERNAL DESCENT: London, UK - Eternal Descent's Llexi Leon officially formed a mutually beneficial strategic alliance with ESP Guitars in October, 2008 and since that time, the mastermind behind Eternal Descent has been on a whirlwind campaign. With the release of a CD, an EP, a comic book via IDW, and a forthcoming CD in the works with producer Eddie Kramer, Leon, an Incendium Records recording artist and guitarist, has aligned with ESP Guitars to produce three original custom model guitars. These unique guitars, based on LTD's EX, F, and EC models, have custom graphics of the main Eternal Descent comic book characters and feature color-coordinated DiMarzio pickups. Eternal Descent and ESP Guitars have teamed up for a contest - you win the contest, you pick the guitar! The contest winner can choose either the Lyra, Loki, or Syrian model guitar, all based on the Eternal Descent comic book characters. To enter, follow this link: http://www.eternaldescent.com/contest/index.php. In addition, ESP Guitars has launched an exclusive Eternal Descent web portal/section for the Eternal Descent comic book. Filled with info highlighting the comic book published by IDW with the first issue released on March 31st and 23 subsequent issues, this section will feature art, contests, news as well as anything else Eternal Descent comic book related. The comic book boasts the first ever to feature ESP endorsed guitarists from bands including God Forbid, Static X, Firewind, and Atreyu as characters in comic book issues. To visit this exclusive section on the ESP Guitars web site, follow this link: http://www.espguitars.com/eternaldescent.html. To support his expanding career, Eternal Descent/Llexi Leon are covered in the April 2010 issue of Guitar World where Leon talks about his concept for his music and comic book: "I love writing music that creates an atmosphere. Yet at the same time, I'm a big fan of epic films and comics that deal with the whole good-versus-evil theme. So I thought "why not combine the two?", and that's how I came up with Eternal Descent." He has also secured a publishing deal with IDW to release 24 issues of his comic book featuring artists Jason Metcalf, David Rivera, Javier Tartaglia and Joel Chua beginning March 31st.http://www.eternaldescent.com or http://www.myspace.com/eternaldescent. (Serge Entertainment)

ERIK NORLANDER: In the spirit of his much-acclaimed Rocket Scientists “Looking Backward” multimedia box set comes a new combination DVD/CD release from symphonic rock keyboard virtuoso Erik Norlander. "The Galactic Collective” is a fresh and innovative take on the best of Erik’s vast instrumental catalog written for Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane, and his own solo albums over the years. The versatile keyboardist recorded with an astounding array of classic analog synthesizers, Hammond organ, and a Steinway grand piano at Cleveland’s Magnetic North Studio with engineer Chris Keffer (Syzygy) and executive producer Dena Henry. Musicians included bassist Mark Matthews, drummer Nick LePar, and a cadre of stellar guest guitarists including John Payne (Asia Featuring John Payne), Mitch Perry (Asia Featuring John Payne, Michael Schenker Group) and Mark McCrite (Rocket Scientists) along with leading Ohio artists Freddy DeMarco and Ron Redfield. "The Galactic Collective" CD/DVD audiophile package will be released by Chian Productions. Erik Norlander is an accomplished keyboardist/composer/producer who has recorded over 25 albums with his band Rocket Scientists, his vocalist spouse Lana Lane, and his own seven solo albums including the stunning "Live in St. Petersburg" DVD from his landmark concert in Russia. He also produced the 2009 epic Roswell Six—"Beyond the Horizon", written by Erik in collaboration with best selling science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson. Erik also plays keyboards for Asia Featuring John Payne and Joe Lynn Turner's Big Noize. Mark Matthews has been a first call bass player for a diverse assemblage of musical acts such as Skin, Elijah Black, Hypocrit, and 52 Street. He has also worked with Alan White, Jani Lane, Defcon, and Kevin Dubrow. Nick LePar studied drums with Joe Vitale (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joe Walsh) and has been gigging since his high school years touring the Northeast and Midwestern USA with various showcase bands. Nick has won numerous percussion awards and also played in successful bands like Dreamstreet and Defcon, which featured members of the band Survivor and toured across the country. Freddy DeMarco is an in-demand session player with a litany of credits as a co-leader in the DeMarco Brothers Band, opening for Zakk Wylde, Michael Schenker and Nuno Bettencourt, and as a guitar/bass instructor and clinician. The Solar Fire Lightshow is a lighting outfit that has toured internationally with Hawkwind, Gong, Ozric Tentacles, Porcupine Tree, and many others. Expect some great visuals! http://www.eriknorlander.com or http://www.myspace.com/eriknorlanderandlanalane. (Serge Entertainment)

ASIA: Classic AOR band ASIA Featuring John Payne has inked a recording deal with Steve Vai's Favored Nations record label. A June/July release is scheduled for the yet-to-be-named CD. Asia Featuring John Payne is currently planning worldwide tourdates to support the new album. "I am very excited about working with Steve Vai and Dean Schachtel [Favored Nations A&R]," John Payne states. "Apart from being consummate professionals that I admire and respect, their added knowledge of the business is superlative. In a time of change within this industry and conglomerates run by bean counters, Favored Nations is the ideal company for our music and our future. I could not be more happy with this union." "The artists signed to Favored Nations are a unique, dedicated breed that have attained the highest performance level on their chosen instruments. If you're a music lover who is passionate about real musicianship, we know you will want to hear our albums. " - Steve Vai, from http://www.favorednations.com. John Payne became the frontman of the supergroup ASIA in 1992 at the invitation of keyboardist Geoff Downes, replacing vocalist/bassist John Wetton. ASIA extensively toured the world for the next 14 years performing new classics and old favorites. With John Payne fronting the band, ASIA released 8 stunning studio albums and several live recordings. In 2006, Geoff Downes left the band to reform the 1982 line up for their 25th anniversary. On the 9th of May 2006, John Payne, Geoff Downes, John Wetton, Carl Palmer and Steve Howe contractually agreed that John Payne would continue his 14 year legacy with ASIA as ”ASIA Featuring John Payne”. For more information about ASIA Featuring John Payne, please visit http://www.theasiaband.com and http://www.myspace.com/asiafeaturingjohnpayne. For additional information about Favored Nations, please visit http://www.favorednations.com. (Serge Entertainment)

PARIS KEELING: Surgeland Records, a division of Serge Entertainment Group LLC, inked a worldwide distribution deal with Nightmare Distribution to distribute the CD "End of Ride Revisited" by rock band Paris Keeling. The deal provides distribution of the physical CD to retailers around the world. The CD features songs previously released on the 2006 Paris Keeling CD "End of Ride" along with bonus tracks and remixes. The CD features the renowned vocal talents of Kelly Keeling (Baton Rouge, Michael Schenker Group, Blue Murder, Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus, King Kobra, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, O'2L) and guitarist Marty Paris (The Marty Paris Band, Permanent Reverse) as well as celebrity musicians' performances by Don Dokken, Carmine Appice, George Lynch, Al Pitrelli, Erik Norlander, and Shane Gaalaas. Along with Paris and Keeling, core band members consist of Rick van Benschoten, Matt Goeke, Gintas Janusonis with additional performances by Nate Howell, and The Aevia Trio featuring Diane Cox, Maud Kelley, and Juli Roach. The collaboration between Paris and Keeling began several years ago with the culmination of their songwriting styles blossoming into melodic rock political and relationship-based songs. "I've known Lance King, owner of Nightmare Distribution, for a good ten years now," remarks Sandy Serge, owner/president of Surgeland Records. "He distributed some of Surgeland's previous titles. I look forward to working closely with Lance to promote sales for this astounding melodic rock CD, especially in Europe and Japan." Surgeland Records previously released several CDs including a rock collaboration between former Sleeze Beez (Atlantic Records) members Andrew Elt and Don van Spall titled The Moon; a "Best of" CD by legendary Milwaukee rock band Bad Boy (featuring former Cheap Trick member Xeno); and "Seeing in the Dark", the acoustic-driven CD by Iowa alt band NineDollarMelonBaller. All CDs including Paris Keeling's "End of Ride Revisited" are available on iTunes and at CD Baby. For more information about Paris Keeling, please visit http://www.pariskeeling.com and http://www.myspace.com/pariskeeling. For more info about Surgeland Records, please visit http://www.sergeentertainmentgroup.com and http://www.myspace.com/surgelandrecords. (Serge Entertainment)

CARMINE APPICE: Fuel Records released the Guitar Zeus project by legendary drummer Carmine Appice, featuring a compilation of 24 of the best Guitar Zeus songs. Conquering Heroes hit the streets on August 25th. The double-disc set showcases the prolific talents of many world renowned rock guitarists. Queen guitarist Brian May's extraordinary lead guitar stylings are featured on the prolific song Nobody Knew (Black White House), a prominent track on the Guitar Zeus compilation. Media personality Dave Lawrence recently interviewed Brian and excerpts from the interview are now featured on the Official Brian May web site. To view an interview excerpt transcript, please visit http://brianmay.com/whatsnew.html. To hear the entire interview, please click here or visit http://brianmay.com/brian/briannews/briannewssep09a.html#. "As soon as I heard the track, I thought it had a very haunting quality to it," remarks Brian May about the song Nobody Knew (Black White House), "evoking the 70's in some ways perhaps, but with a very modern slant. I also found the backing track itself very powerful and appealing, driven by Carmine's very recognizable style so I was keen to play on the track straight away, despite being incredibly snowed-under with work at the time!" Author, clinician, drummer... Carmine Appice first came to prominence as the percussionist with the late 1960s psychedelic band Vanilla Fudge. He contributed distinctive background harmonies with bassist Tim Bogert, adding to the group's high decibel sonic assault. After five albums, Appice and Bogert left Vanilla Fudge to form the blues rock quartet Cactus with vocalist Rusty Day and guitarist Jim McCarty. Eventually, Appice left Cactus with Bogert to join Jeff Beck in the power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice, and then later joined Rod Stewart's backing band in 1977, co-writing hit songs such as "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and "Young Turks". In 1978, Appice played drums on Paul Stanley's first solo album. He was a member of KGB featuring Ray Kennedy, Rick Grech, Mike Bloomfield and Barry Goldberg, and has recorded with Stanley Clarke, Ted Nugent, and Pink Floyd. He was the drummer for the bands King Kobra and Blue Murder, and toured with Ozzy Osbourne. Appice first created Guitar Zeus in 1995 when he recruited some of the most famous guitarists in the world to be a part of his project, from Zakk Wylde and Ted Nugent to Brian May (Queen) and Slash (Guns N Roses), even tennis legend John McEnroe. Songs also included guest vocals by Dug Pinnick and Edgar Winter. Throughout the late 1990's, three Guitar Zeus CDs were released to worldwide critical acclaim. "Guitar Zeus for me was an amazing experience, working with so many great guitarists", Appice affirms. "It was fun picking out songs for each. Each guitarist loved the songs. It was awesome. I would do it again in a minute even though it was alot of work. I consider these drum tracks to be some of my best drum performances in my career!" For more information about Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus, please visit the following web sites: http://www.carminappice.net or http://www.myspace.com/guitarzeus. (Serge Entertainment)

TERRA INCOGNITA: Symphonic rock's Erik Norlander and Lana Lane have joined forces with internationally bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson (Dune novels with Brian Herbert, Star Wars and X-Files novels) for a groundbreaking crossover novel and progressive rock recording project titled Terra Incognita. Anderson has created an incredible fantasy universe with sailing ships, sea monsters, and the crusades. Erik Norlander, an accomplished keyboardist/composer and a founding member of progressive rock band Rocket Scientists, joined the project upon its inception to pen the music and produce the recording after a meeting with Anderson and Shawn Gordon of ProgRock Records. Norlander's wife, Queen of Symphonic Rock Lana Lane, was recruited as the lead female vocalist. "The 'Terra Incognita' project is really the perfect convergence of spirits," affirms Norlander. "I have been a fan of Kevin's novels for some time, and Kevin enjoys many of the CDs I've produced. Normally we would have a hard time collaborating as we really work in different media. But we found a common link in ProgRock Records chief, Shawn Gordon, with whom I have worked for several years as both my label distributor and general comrade-in-arms. Shawn brought us all together for a lunch meeting last year, and that was the catharsis for this excellent project. This is surely a unique exercise in mixed media, and I'm thrilled to be involved." John Payne (ASIA Featuring John Payne) is featured as a vocalist on the project. Norlander became an official member of ASIA Featuring John Payne at the end of 2007, and has been touring and recording with Payne since that time. A special live performance featuring John Payne and Lana Lane as special guests with Norlander's Rocket Scientists band is scheduled for Saturday, March 28th at The Winchester in Cleveland, Ohio. http://www.thewinchester.net. Other Terra Incognita vocalists include James LaBrie (Dream Theater) and Michael Sadler (ex-Saga). Additional musicians include David Ragsdale (Kansas), Gary Wehrkamp (Shadow Gallery), Chris Quirarte (Prymary), Kurt Barabas (Under the Sun), and Chris Brown (Ghost Circus) with Shawn Gordon (ProgRock Records) as executive producer. Collectively, this creative team has sold over 40 million units worldwide. Terra Incognita is a synergistic project unlike anything ever seen in the publishing and music business - an original novel and original CD from the same author. Anderson developed and expanded one of the novel's storylines to form the basis of an epic rock CD under the band name Roswell Six. He and his wife, bestselling author Rebecca Moesta, wrote all of the lyrics to the songs. Terra Incognita is available now for pre-sales through ProgRock Records at http://www.progrockrecords.com/artists/view.php?id=116. The CD will ship in late April and the novel titled Terra Incognita: The Edge of the World by June. Street date for brick and mortar retailers is June 2, 2009. Special bundling and discounted offers will also be available on the ProgRock site along with a limited amount of autographed copies. http://www.eriknorlander.com or http://www.lanalane.com or http://www.johnpaynemusic.com. (Serge Entertainment)

ETERNAL DESCENT: Eternal Descent, the up-and-coming industrial/metal/goth band from London, UK, announced today that legendary producer Eddie Kramer, famed for his work with artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Kiss, will be overseeing production and engineering their second album. Kramer explained, “I’m excited to be working with such great creative and energetic artists. Eternal Descent reminds me of "The Garden of Earthly Delights"; particularly the sinners panel! The project is indeed a challenging one as it encompasses all of the skills both myself and the artists have learned. We will need to be at the top of our game to make it a reality. The scope of this recording appeals right to the core of my production and engineering skills.” Rob Sutherland, the Eternal Descent second guitarist who worked with Kramer on a previous project remarked, "It's such an honour to be working with Eddie. His musical skill is of such a high level that it's just awesome to know that he will be guiding us through this behemoth of a recording". As well as producing and mastering the album, Kramer will also be co-orchestrating the arrangement of orchestral parts, based on scores by Eternal Descent mastermind Llexi Leon. "Eddie is not just a world-renowned producer and one of the craziest guys we know" said Leon, "He is also an extremely accomplished musician who studied classical piano, cello and violin at the prestigious South African college of Music. Since Eternal Descent is a melting pot of gothic, ambient metal with ubiquitous orchestral soundscapes, Eddie is the perfect guy to work with on these powerful moving sections." The recording will take place both in London where the band are based and also in LA where they will have meetings with Eddie to work on various parts of the album. The first trip to LA will be sponsored by Faith Guitars. "We are off to the Winter NAMM show next year and we will meet Eddie there to kick the whole thing off. It's going to be great! It will be my first trip to America and I can't wait," said Sutherland. "Faith and ESP have just been so supportive of everything we do it is mind blowing. It's great to work with companies who understand the value of an artist," Leon affirms. To date, Eternal Descent has had two releases - an EP and a full-length CD release. The "Phantom of the Opera" EP released earlier this year, is a taste of things to come from the new Eternal Descent album and comic slated for a 2009 release. Eternal Descent's 2007 release "Losing Faith" continues to see significant success with the media and has been hailed as one of the best concept albums on the market. WCH Radio named the track "Our Own Devils" from "Losing Faith" as one of the Top 30 songs of 2007. Eternal Descent's sound weaves elements of metal, industrial, ambient and experimental music fused with romantic filmscore arrangements. Using cutting edge cinematic sound effects, narrative lyrics and fusions of styles from ethereal soundscapes to crushing metal, the aim of this project is to integrate comic book visuals and animation within an album style series of releases. "Losing Faith" was the first in this series. Going one step further than simply creating a soundtrack to the comic, the audio for all releases includes narrative style lyrics and quotes from the scripts, along with dynamic sound effects and orchestration to accurately portray events and atmospheres within the story. Each track represents a comic book, and the "Losing Faith" album is split into 3 chapters of 4 tracks. Each chapter will be released as a 4 issue miniseries in comic book format. The first comic to be released will be an issue #0 preview, giving depth to the main characters and providing a backstory and timeline for the album. The first issue will be published early in 2009. Music videos are also being created in animation format to bring pivotal events of the story to life in an anime style. Eternal Descent endorses ESP guitars, Faith guitars, Ernie Ball strings, and Orange amplifiers. http://www.eternaldescent.com or http://www.myspace.com/eternaldescent. (Serge Entertainment)

ETERNAL DESCENT: Eternal Descent's Llexi Leon has managed to secure yet another endorsement - this time with musical strings manufacturer Ernie Ball. Leon, an Incendium Records recording artist performing goth/industrial/metal music, began using Ernie Ball products at an early age, and he now endorses the product. "I remember first buying a pack of Ernie Ball strings at 13 years old," Leon reminisces. "I didn’t know what I was getting, but the neon packaging really stood out. As it happens, I made a great choice. Years later, I always turn to Ernie Ball sets to get great playability and consistent reliable tone. For my baritone guitars, there is something about the 12-56 sets that just sounds absolutely huge, but still has that slinky feel for slides and bends, the other brands just feel stiff in comparison. For everything else , I’ve been tearing it up on the 10-52 sets in Eb, which I find a prefect balance between crushing riffs and scorching leads. The Ernie Ball brand also has a unique visual aesthetic, with bright colours and killer inked designs, im looking forward to collaborating with them more on our upcoming Eternal Descent plectrums and apparel. Look out for some Ernie Ball references and hidden easter eggs in the Eternal Descent comic book, too!’’ Llexi Leon, the mastermind behind the multimedia concept ETERNAL DESCENT began making noise in London, England in 2005. His highly intricate guitar style exhibits the many influences corralled to create his intense sound - from classical, flamenco, electronica, and ambient genres to the more prominent genres of rock and metal. All of these genres infused to one, Leon has created a cinematic fantasia with a gothic flair, which will soon branch out to a comic book series. Leon began playing classical guitar at 8 years old and progressed to electric guitar at 13, the now-22-year-old has continued to broaden his horizons. Leon has since studied piano, violin, and percussion, adding diversity to his instrumental performances, whilst continuing to embrace new guitar techniques. Leon began incorporating original music with art and writing ideas, soon realizing he had to bring the concept to life. His main aspirations are bringing stories to life through escapism, utilizing everyday events and his vivid imagination to create more avenues for his multimedia enterprise. To prove its tangibility, Leon has assembled a team of artists to create the Eternal Descent comic book series with the first issue slated for publication in early 2009. He also began his own production company, Incendium Records to release his first concept album "Losing Faith" and the EP "The Phantom of the Opera". This fulfilled his desire to have all Eternal Descent media developed to the highest standards, under one roof. Having grown significantly over just a few short years, Incendium is now working with major names in the music and comic book industries. In 2009, Eternal Descent plans to expand globally in both areas. Incendium is already working closely with ESP Guitars on several exciting projects. Expect to see some custom signature guitars in the comic books and some headlining recording artists performing on them throughout the storylines. The possibility of these concepts could crossover to real life. Leon was also approached by Faith Guitars as an endorsee for their products, and the two are working on a series of promotional collaborations, video demonstrations, and custom acoustic instruments for future Eternal Descent recordings. Orange Amplifiers has also been an extremely supportive collaborator. The have been creating and developing anything Leon requires for the upcoming studio album, including an amplifier that doesn't look like your typical Orange amp, but still has the trademark tones associated with the brand. Orange-inspired designs will also be featured in the comic book on backline and an occasional wall of cabinets. And now Ernie Ball has jumped on board this successful project and has quickly become a valuable team player. With these powerful collaborators and Leon's creativity combined, the Eternal Descent comic books and album releases are sure to explode worldwide, making Incendium a premier multimedia conglomerate. http://www.eternaldescent.com or http://www.myspace.com/eternaldescent. (Serge Entertainment)

ETERNAL DESCEND: It was announced today that session guitarist, clinician and Youtube icon Robert Sutherland (Chapman) whose playing is described by Megadeth's James Lomenzo as “fiery and mesmerizing”, has joined forces with Eternal Descent as second guitarist. "I have always been a huge fan of instrumental metal, especially the playing of Marty Friedman and Alex Skolnic," explains Sutherland. "When I first heard Eternal Descent, it just got me excited about music in a way that I hadn't been for a long time. It is an honour to be joining forces with such a skilled musician as Llexi Leon, who despite his obvious natural ability for composition and his insane technical ability, manages to remain humble and focused on what has become our goal of writing the best fusion of Gothic, Metal, Ambient, and Industrial ever." Sutherland leaves behind his band of 5 years The Black Hand, and dives straight into the recording of Eternal Descent's second album, where he will be adding a strong rhythm element along with scorching counterpoint riffs and harmony lines. "Llexi seemed to be around every corner I looked," adds Sutherland, "whether it was endorsing Orange Amplifiers and Faith Guitars alongside me or melting faces on Myspace with his technically superb neo classical metal. We had been working together on a few projects including a Guitar Tuition DVD in which I had asked him to cameo. When we discussed collaborating on Eternal Descent, I knew I had to give it my full attention. It was a simple decision to make despite leaving my current band of 5 years, who had just finished a successful UK tour. I'm elated to be a part of Eternal Descent, and I can't wait to take this show live. It's just going to be epic". Sutherland is a London guitar institute graduate and has performed at sessions for Universal Records UK. He also worked on the Yngwie Malmsteen Master Class DVD and the Jimi Hendrix Monterey DVD, both released by Universal Records. Sutherland has over 1400 Youtube subscribers and receives in excess of 4000 video views per day on his Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/robchappers. The channel has received numerous awards for being a top-viewed European channel. These awards have generated interest from Sonic State, World Guitars, and Barnes and Mullins, for which he now records gear demonstration videos. http://www.eternaldescent.com or http://www.myspace.com/eternaldescent. (Serge Entertainment)

ETERNAL DESCENT: On the heels of a recent ESP Guitars endorsement, Eternal Descent's Llexi Leon has officially secured an endorsement with UK based Faith Guitars. Leon, an Incendium Records recording artist performing goth/industrial/ metal music, found that Faith Guitars were best suited to acquire atypical tones and effects on his recordings, and he now endorses the product. "I’m excited to be involved with a forward thinking company like Faith," affirms Leon. "My use of acoustic guitars on Eternal Descent material is quite unconventional, playing with low altered tunings, staggered delay effects, MIDI triggering, and layered loops. Thankfully none of this was an issue for Faith! Already we've been discussing ideas for Baritone scale Acoustic guitars featuring custom electronics, whilst keeping a darker modern aesthetic that works within the world of Eternal Descent. Currently, I’m using the mid-range Eclipse models in my studio as writing tools. They're a pleasure to pick up and play - great definition and the overtones ring out for days!''" Llexi Leon, the mastermind behind the multimedia concept ETERNAL DESCENT began making noise in London, England in 2005. His highly intricate guitar style exhibits the many influences corralled to create his intense sound - from classical, flamenco, electronica, and ambient genres to the more prominent genres of rock and metal. All of these genres infused to one, Leon has created a cinematic fantasia with a gothic flair, which will soon branch out to a comic book series. Leon began playing classical guitar at 8 years old and progressed to electric guitar at 13, the now-22-year-old has continued to broaden his horizons. Leon has since studied piano, violin, and percussion, adding diversity to his instrumental performances, whilst continuing to embrace new guitar techniques. Leon began incorporating original music with art and writing ideas, soon realizing he had to bring the concept to life. His main aspirations are bringing stories to life through escapism, utilizing everyday events and his vivid imagination to create more avenues for his multimedia enterprise. To prove its tangibility, Leon has assembled a team of artists to create the Eternal Descent comic book series with the first issue slated for publication in early 2009. He also began his own production company, Incendium Records to release his first concept album "Losing Faith" and the EP "The Phantom of the Opera". This fulfilled his desire to have all Eternal Descent media developed to the highest standards, under one roof. Having grown significantly over just a few short years, Incendium is now working with major names in the music and comic book industries. In 2009, Eternal Descent plans to expand globally in both areas. Incendium is already working closely with ESP Guitars on several exciting projects. Expect to see some custom signature guitars in the comic books and some headlining recording artists performing on them throughout the storylines. The possibility of these concepts could crossover to real life. Leon was approached by Faith Guitars as an endorsee for their products, and the two are working on a series of promotional collaborations, video demonstrations, and custom acoustic instruments for future Eternal Descent recordings. Orange Amplifiers has also been an extremely supportive collaborator. The have been creating and developing anything Leon requires for the upcoming studio album, including an amplifier that doesn't look like your typical Orange amp, but still has the trademark tones associated with the brand. Orange-inspired designs will also be featured in the comic book on backline and an occasional wall of cabinets. With these powerful collaborators and Leon's creativity combined, the Eternal Descent comic books and album releases are sure to explode worldwide, making Incendium a premier multimedia conglomerate. http://www.eternaldescent.com or http://www.myspace.com/eternaldescent. (Serge Entertainment)

SLOUGH FEG: San Francisco’s veterans SLOUGH FEG will release their long-awaited new album, Ape Uprising this May! Release dates vary, landing on the 8th of May in Germany and Europe, 11th of May in UK and June 2 in USA/Canada via Cruz Del Sur Music. Ape Uprising consists of eight tracks and it is undoubtedly the heaviest release in the twenty-year long history of the band. The band used the usual team for recordings, Justin Phelps and Justin Weis, later mastering the album at Traxwork studio. The cover artwork was created by Californian artist Larry Luna. View the cover art at the band's MySpace page or Cruz Del Sur label website. A vinyl version of Ape Uprising will be released by end of April by German label Iron Kodex, in a limited edition of 666 copies. http://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com" or http://www.myspace/sloughfeg. (Earsplit)

FUNERAL MIST: Release: Maranatha; FUNERAL MIST manifests rarely but when it does, it is in exceptional glory. While the taint of the pandemonium that was Salvation is never to disappear, for it undeniably set new standards within Black Metal and beyond in terms of musical violence, chaos and the channeling of ominous spiritual energies, Maranatha materializes like the unadulterated omen of the end of times, like a glowing pitch black pit whose appeal to jump within nothing can resist. The violence and the musically bizarre are still there, displayed with a rare mastery but a thorough work on atmospheres and structures and the addition of complex layers of ill sounds make this new album by FUNERAL MIST a renewed challenging experience, as perilous for your mind’s sanity as it is for your soul’s deliverance. Unique, unmistakable when set alongside anything else, FUNERAL MIST stands with splendor as the epitome of extremism. It is only way beyond one’s limits that an encounter with the dimension summoned by Maranatha is made possible, an encounter as perilous as this work is cruel. The mastermind of FUNERAL MIST is none but Arioch/Mortuus also vocalist of MARDUK. The massive and iron-hard production is courtesy of the well-known Endarker Studios, Sweden (run by Devo of MARDUK). Funeral Mist is one of the most respected and acclaimed Swedish Black Metal entities within purist circles… one of the very few bands actually revolutionizing extreme music with an incredibly unique approach to song-writing and conceptual matters. http://www.myspace.com/thefuneralmist. (earsplit)

DEATHSPELL OMEGA: Release: Veritas Diaboli Manet in Aeternum : Chaining the Katechon MCD; Chaining the Katechon is a 22-minute long eschatological journey exploring the primeval fracture, the Summa Divisio, the corruption inherent to reality. The Katechon being the last rampart, preventing the Son of Perdition from manifesting himself. This recording paints quite a versatile range of sonic landscapes, from the sheer summoning of chaotic violence, not unlike the precedent full-length Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum, to elegiac moments leaving room for melodic layers to develop and grow. http://www.deathspellomega.com. (Earsplit)

OFERMOD: Release: Tiamtü; Returning with the original line-up, the infamous, Swedish kult act OFERMOD are more sublime than ever!. On Tiamtü - their debut full-length release from these savages - they unleash their Kliphotic incantations in utter sinister black metal perfection. http://www.myspace.com/ofermodofficial. (Earsplit)

PERSONA NON GRATA: Newly signed to Sensory, Greek progressive metallers PERSONA NON GRATA (Latin for "an unwelcome person") are gearing up to release debut full-length Shade In The Light on February 24, 2009. The band formed in 2003 when keyboardist John Ioannidis asked guitarist Chris Gatsos to join his then-group Fatal Error. Ioannidis' rock-roots complimented Gatsos' heavy metal background almost instantly and it wasn't long before the two changed the name and recruited new members. Today featuring Ioannidis, Gatsos, vocalist Bill Axiotis and session musicians Akis Gavalas (drums) and Chris Vogiatzis (bass), Shade In The Light displays a band rooted deeply in the classic progressive metal sound of Dream Theater and Vanden Plas, while still wielding a personal touch borrowed from the culture of their homeland. For fans of Circus Maximus, Vanden Plas and Poverty's No Crime. http://www.personanongrata.info or http://www.myspace.com/personongrata. (Earsplit)

LEPROUS: Sensory is proud to announce the signing of Norwegian progressive metal upstarts LEPROUS. Hailing from the town of Notodden - home to such metal luminaries as Emperor, Zyklon, Ihsahn and Peccatum - LEPROUS formed in 2001 and features within its ranks Einar Solberg (synth/vocals; live Emperor), Tor Oddmund Suhrke (guitar), Halvor Strand (bass), Øystein Landsverk (guitar) and Tobias Ørnes Andersen (drums). With an eclectic list of influences ranging from King Crimson, Tool, Massive Attack and Peccatum to Devil Doll, Dillinger Escape Plan, Mr. Bungle and Chopin and ages ranging from just 18 to 23 years, the young quintet have already made themselves visible on the Norwegian prog and metal scenes as two-time finalists in the prestigious Norwegian Rock Championship. Of particular note: LEPROUS is currently working as legendary Emperor main man Ihsahn's session band, supporting Swedish progressive death metal juggernaut Opeth on their Norwegian tour this March. Last August, the diligent quintet recorded Tall Poppy Syndrome which is set for release this April via Sensory Records. http://www.leprous.net or http://www.myspace.com/leprousband. (Earsplit)

THE AURORA PROJECT: Shadow Border is the second album from Dutch progressive rock band THE AURORA PROJECTS. Their 2005 debut, Unspoken Words, brought them much acclaim in the worldwide progressive rock community. The band has twice been invited to perform at the prestigious ProgPower Europe festival in Baarlo, Netherlands. After the demise of their record label, the band signed with The Laser’s Edge in 2008. TAP creates atmospheric progressive rock with a metallic edge – this is contemporary music for a forward thinking audience. Liquid keyboard solos duel with heavy, crunch filled guitar riffs. Vocals take a theatrical approach ultimately reminding us that this is after all a prog band. Their ability to skillfully blur the fine line between prog rock and metal creates strong crossover potential that will find The Aurora Project appealing to fans of Riverside, Rush, Arena and Porcupine Tree. http://www.theauroraproject.com or http://www.myspace.com/auroraproject. (Earsplit)

SUNN O))): SUNN O))) is proud to present their 7th studio album, after 10 years of existence, entitled Monoliths & Dimensions. The album showcases the core guitar duo - Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson - incorporating influences from a plethora of guest musicians, bringing the SUNN O))) sound to epic new levels. The band also collaborated with composer Eyvind Kang (notable for his work with John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Bill Frisell, etc.) on various acoustic ensembles, in addition to the Helios fueled electric guitars and basses. Key players on the album include Australian guitar genius Oren Ambarchi, enigmatic Hungarian vocalist Attila Csihar (Mayhem, Tormentor, etc.) and slow music godfather Dylan Carlson (Earth), as well as Julian Priester (worked with Sun Ra in the 50s, John Coltrane’s African Brass band, and Herbie Hancock’s Sextant band) and new-music horn player Stuart Dempster. There’s also an upright bass trio, French & English horns, harp & flute duo, piano, brass, reed & strings ensembles, and a Viennese woman’s choir led by Persian vocal savant Jessika Kenney. The album is not "SUNN O))) with strings" or "metal meets orchestra" material. The band took an approach concentrating on more of allusion toward the timbre of feedback and the instruments involved, so the piece is really illusory, beautiful and not entirely linear, stating that the end product is "the most musical piece we’ve done, and also the heaviest, powerful and most abstract set of chords we've laid to tape" The album was recorded and mixed by Randall Dunn & Mell Dettmer at various points over the last 2 years, and will be released late May 2008. Monoliths & Dimensions is practice in density, gravity and momentum. http://www.ideologic.org or http://www.southernlord.com. (Earsplit)

GNAW: Gnaw present their debut album This Face, viciously assaulting listeners with their unique brew of ultra-depressive, scathing, slug-paced extreme metal. Formed in 2006 by Alan Dubin (ex-Khanate, OLD) along with Jamie Sykes (ex-Burning Witch, Thorr's Hammer, Atavist), Carter Thornton (Enos Slaughter), Jun Mizumachi (ex-Ike Yard: 80's NYC industrial legends) and Brian Beatrice (Emmy Award winning sound design/mix wizard), Dubin thought it would be fantastic to collaborate with some of his respected musician/friends, all who have diverse music backgrounds to see/hear what would develop. Gnaw's debut album This Face is the sonic culmination of over a year of sound experimentation. It's a genre-destroying journey that almost defies description. Sykes is a percussive madman blasting out anything from tribal beats to ultra slow tom killings. Mizumachi is a sound designer for film and television and is a master of electronics including synth, factory noise, metal bashing and other craziness. Beatrice is also a sound designer and mixer for film and television and was responsible for mixing This Face, as well as experimenting and adding additional sounds of torture. Thornton is a crafty musician who actually makes his own instruments, contributing guitar, bass, piano and some unnamed homemade "things" to the album. Dubin rounds out the group with his gut-wrenching vocals, noise and arrangements. Screaming, singing, whispers and chants can be heard throughout This Face. Dubin's lyrics are vivid portrayals of all things bad. This Face will be released by Belgium's Conspiracy Records on February 20, 2009. http://www.myspace.com/gnaw666. (Earsplit)

THE HUMAN QUENA ORCHESTRA: Release: The Politics Of The Irredeemable CD; Release date: 4/21/2009; We will be releasing The Politics Of The Irredeemable, the second album from The Human Quena Orchestra in April. Some of you might have heard this pulverizing industrial-doom duo on their first disc Means Without Ends that came out a couple of years ago on Daft Alliance. If you did, then yer already schooled in how bleak and devastating the soundwaves get from the Orchestra. You know us - we like it heavy. And when these guys sent us a copy of their initial recordings for this album, their immense droneological blackness and eschatological nightmares knocked us f'ing flat. Politics is one long, dead stare into the imminent collapse of the human species, and I'm banking on this being one of the heaviest releases -both in tone and in sound- that Crucial Blast will be releasing in 2009. Human Quena Orchestra first took shape as a solo project from Ryan Unks, who had previously played guitar in the final lineup of the Pittsburgh metal band Creation Is Crucifixion. After moving from CIC, Unks began to work on a new project that would incorporate elements of black metal, crushing drone music, extreme psychotropic noise and psychedelic/krautrock influences into a sound that would be much heavier any of his previous projects. The first album from Human Quena Orchestra was released in 2007 on Daft Alliance; Means Without Ends was a disturbing, introspective slab of blackened industrial doom that stood out in stark contrast from the rest of the slow n' low extreme doom scene, utilizing layers of harsh textured distortion and electronics to create a caustic form of monstrous doom that shared as much of industrial music's cold, machine-like aesthetic as it did the ultra-slow riffage of the most extreme variants of doom metal. At the same time that the bands debut was taking shape, Unks was joined by another former member of Creation Is Crucifixion, Nathan Berlinguette (who was also a member of the dark ambient project M.Kourie and the deathdrone duo 5/5/2000). With the addition of Berlinguette's skilled application of dark ambience and expansive soundscapes, Human Quena Orchestra began to move into even more textured territory which has culminated with the second HQO full-length, The Politics of the Irredeemable, a series of apocalyptic visions and epiphanies of end time realization, prophetic screeds that look to a future rendered pustulent and war-stricken by the failed machinations of the human race, presented as six chapters that enter your consciousness through a delivery system of extreme industrial dread. The Politics of the Irredeemable is crushing and oppressive, a crawl through abstract fields of low-end sound that move from punishing blasts of ultra-heavy machine-doom and earth-shaking tectonic riffs, to thick fogs of black electronic ambience that shimmer with subsonic pulses and celestial drones, the presence of malevolent electricity crackling in the air around the lumbering, nightmarish electro-sludge monstrosity of the Human Quena Orchestra. And at the same time, there are passages of immense beauty on this album that lurk at the peripheries of HQO's malevolent crush; the track "Aspirations" for instance, where pummeling slow-motion industrial percussions grinds in an infinite loop beneath a swirling nightsky of kosmiche synthesizers and heavenly, blissed-out ambience, the drums becoming like distant mortar blasts heard over the horizon as terrified screams ring out and stars fall dead from the skies. This is seriously apocalyptic deathmachine grind ambience. http://www.myspace.com/thehumanquenaorchestra. (Earsplit)

OVERMARS: Release: Born Again CD; Release date: 6/09/2009; Previously released through the French label Appease Me overseen by members of Blut Aus Nord, Born Again is the latest full length from the French sludge band Overmars, a single album-long piece that descends deep into themes of self-immolation, horror, and rebirth. France's Overmars have already established their atmospheric, electronically-tainted sludge-metal sound with their previous splits with Donefor,Iscariote, Fugüe and Icos, and their excellent 2005 album Affliction, Endocrine...Vertigo, but Born Again is something new from the band; this forty-minute epic moves from pulverizing industrial dirge blanketed with heavily textured layers of guitar and fearsome gutteral roars intermixed with captivating female vocals, to passages of haunting dark ambience and bottom-heavy churn, and a magisterial finale that stretches gloom-ridden, moody riffage, vaporous electronics and dramatic singing out over the song's last fifteen minutes, building into an earth-shaking crescendo. Immensely bleak and heavy, Born Again brings together elements of Godflesh's industrial pummel, black metal, tribal dirge , the crushing nihilism of Swans, death metal, and psychedelia into an austere sound of their own that moves them even further away from the Neurosis comparisons that have surrounded their earlier releases. As soon as I heard this, it became one of my new favorite French metal albums. We are doing a deluxe CD edition for the US release of the album through Crucial Blast, with different packaging than the original Appease Me release, and we'll be putting together some other cool stuff for the release of Born Again here in the US. http://www.destroyalldreamers.org or http://www.myspace.com/overmars. (Earsplit)

NASHVILLE PUSSY: They're back to kick your ass! For over a decade, Nashville Pussy has been bringing the fire and spirit of REAL rock n' roll to stages all across the planet. With four acclaimed full-lengths and a Grammy nomination in tow, the band has honed their most impressive recording to date in the form of From Hell To Texas. Indeed, From Hell To Texas stacks up perfectly against other masterful 'Pussy classics such as Let Them Eat Pussy and High As Hell As always, Ruyter Suys' spectacular axe-work is front and center, breathing even more whiskey-fueled passion into husband Blaine Cartwright's creations, with burners such as "I'm So High," "Drunk Driving Man," and "Pray for the Devil" leading the charge. The album was recorded at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio in Texas on the same two-inch tape machine which Willie himself has used to cut all of his legendary albums. In the past year, they've continued to cement their reputation as one of the hardest working bands in the world, with tours of Australia, Brazil, Japan, Europe and most recently almost a year straight with the Reverend Horton Heat all over North America. All the while, band mastermind Cartwright (vocals, guitar), Ruyter Suys (guitar), Karen Cuda (bass) and Jeremy Thompson (drums) spent three years working on the release. "We allowed ourselves this time to give the songs the chance to turn out as perfect as possible," Cartwright explains. 2009 will be another ambitious year for Nashville Pussy. Along with the March 3rd release of the new album, the band's roadmap is already set: an exhaustive trek across Europe, followed by summer festivals and full-scale North American tour. The rock never stops. Bottom line, Nashville Pussy is the genuine article. Accept no substitute! http://www.nashvillepussy.com or http://www.myspace.com/nashvillepussy. (Earsplit)

JAVELINA: Javelina reveals album details for upcoming record! Philadelphia's Javelina (pronounced "ha-va-'lE-na") are preparing their sophomore release for Translation Loss Records and will hit Chicago this March to spend a week with Sanford Parker at Volume Studios (Pelican, Rwake, Nachtmystium, Minsk) and will be mastered by Mick Mullin at Super 8 Studios (Intronaut, Mastodon, Fight Amp). The band will be recording nine original tunes for their Translation Loss follow up to 2008's self-titled release along with a Buzzv*en cover that will be featured on a upcoming tribute record. Some song titles include... "You're Going to Hate This", "Towers of Silence", "The Black Blizzard" and "Stepchild". Expect a late summer - early fall release on both cd/vinyl formats and check in at http://www.myspace.com/javelinaphiladelphia for show/tour dates and music. (Earsplit)

SUIDAKRA: With the rise in popularity in the Pagan/Celtic Metal Scene, one of the true pioneers of the Genre is ready to take the United States scene by storm. Over their fourteen year history, SuidAkrA have stayed true to their roots and the sound that they have become known for. The German Celtic metallers are returning full steam with their ninth studio album; Crógacht Combining fast melodic death metal, Irish folk music, and a torrent of harmonies, SuidAkrA proves yet again that they possess the ability to blend several different influences into their unique sound. To put a spin on things, new elements have been introduced, like traditional instruments (bagpipes, banjo, tin whistles), a sixteen member choir and epic orchestral arrangements. Recorded at Gernart Studios with producer Martin Muchwalter, Crógacht delivers an aural assault. In addition to that, the eyes and mind of the listener will also be pleased, as famous Belgian graphic artists Kris Verwimp is responsible not only for the magnificent artwork in the digipack and 16-page booklet, but also for the lyrics of this fascinating concept album. Crógacht, meaning bravery, is based on one of the most dramatic tales in Irish mythology. It tells the story of the hero Cuchulainn’s epic journey to the Isle of Skye, where he seeks to learn the arts of war from the Scythian warrior woman Scathach. The decisions he then has to make set the events in motion that will lead up to his son Conlaoch’s tragic fate… With overwhelming reactions to their 2006 release, Caledonia, and their November 2008 DVD/Best of CD, 13 Years of Celtic Wartunes, SuidAkrA have performed at over 200 live shows (including the Wacken Open Air Festival five times), and successfully completed several tours in Europe, Russia, and a first-ever American tour. http://www.suidakra.com or http://www.myspace.com/suidakra. (Earsplit)

ABSU: Absu premiere track from new album! Texas-based mythological occult metal band Absu have posted the song “Girra’s Temple” from their self-titled new album due in stores February 24 on their official MySpace page. The song offers fans the first listen to material on the anxiously awaited new album that features an all-star array of guest musicians. Bring your browser to http://www.myspace.com/absu. Absu is the first new recording from the trio since their highly acclaimed album Tara released in 2001. Produced by the band with mixing assistance from J.T. Longoria (King Diamond, Solitude Aeternus), the album features artwork from Belgian artist Kris Verwimp. Drummer/vocalist Proscriptor says of the album’s lyrical concepts, "I am concentrating more on Sumerian-based occult themes of magick and mythology versus the Celtic aspect of my previous writings, which was heavily expressed on the last few Absu studio albums. Musically speaking, the material will be quite similar to Tara, but with more of a '70s progressive/psychedelic texture within it.” Absu came to international prominence with the release of their debut, Barathrum: VITRIOL in 1992. Originally released via Gothic Records, the label later licensed the record to France’s Osmose Productions (Immortal, Enslaved, Marduk). Absu would establish a solid relationship with the label and thus release all later recordings via the renowned independent, including the highly regarded Tara (2001). In 2007 the band would announce a new partnership with London-based Candlelight Records. Track listing for Absu is: 1. Between The Absu Of Eridu & Erech, 2. Night Fire Canonization, 3. Amy, 4. Nunbarshegunu, 5. 13 Globes, 6. …Of The Dead Who Never Rest In Their Tombs Are The Attendance Of Familiar Spirits…Including: A.) Diversified Signs Inscribed, B.) Our Earth Of Black, C.) Voor, 7. Magic(k) Square Cipher, 8. In The Name Of Auebothiabathabaithobeuee, 9. Girra's Temple, 10. Those Of The Void Will Re-Enter, 11. Sceptre Command, 12. Ye Uttuku Spells, 13. Twix Yesterday, The Day & The Morrow. http://www.absu.us. (Earsplit)

MAEGASHIRA: Available now is the full-length debut from New Jersey-based doom mongrels Maegashira, The Stark Arctic. The six-track, hour-long album was recorded and mixed by Lou Gorra (Halfway To Gone) at Redline Archiving in Little Silver, NJ, and mastered by Mick Mullin (High On Fire, Zodiak, Total Fucking Destruction) and sees distribution through Connecticut’s Spare Change Records. The band had this to say: “The day we thought would never come finally has. The Stark Arctic is for sale now, right there on the MaegashiraSpace. We busted our collective ass getting it together, are extremely proud of this album and happy to see it come out. Thanks for your support and your patience. We hope you enjoy it.” The Stark Arctic Track Listing: 1. Ongoing Corneal Erosion (3:50); 2. Caribou Crossing (6:31); 3. Ammonia For Sweat (9:11); 4. Baggage Claim/Skin Slip (10:48); 5. Hi From Jersey (6:51); 6. Back To Muro (22:02). http://www.myspace.com/maegashira. (Earsplit)

HARPOON: Dean Costello and Toney Vast-Binder were originally introduced in 2004 by drummer, John Mendola of Hewhocorrupts. The three of them formed the band Gun Kata (later adding Eugene Marino of The Killer on bass). They released only one split CD with grind legends, Tower of Rome (on Sonic Deadline). Gun Kata ended amicably in 2006 after a hand full of live shows. At that point, Dean started Crazy Stallion (with members of Weekend Nachos); recording one EP and touring the east coast, while Toney focused on his role in the production and support of the last 7000 Dying Rats release Season in Hell (on Hewhocorrupts Inc.) In January of 2007, Dean approached Toney about starting a new drum machine project. The two began writing and rehearsing almost immediately. They settled on the name Harpoon right away. Originally Toney played bass, as well as doing vocals, while Dean played guitar and programmed the drums. They quickly booked time with Sanford Parker (Minsk, Nachtmystium, Lair of the Minotaur) at Volume Studios after Toney had worked with him the previous year on 7000 Dying Rat’s Season in Hell. They completed a 9-song demo with Parker in May of that year which was then mastered by Scott Hull (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed) at Visceral Sound. They took their live performance on a short east coast tour that summer after playing only two shows locally in Chicago. Harpoon continued to play many Chicago shows as well as a touring the East coast and the south with The Muzzler (also from Chicago). They went back into the studio in August of 2008, this time with Andy Nelson (of Weekend Nachos) to record the songs for the new CD/LP, Double Gnarly/Triple Suicide. In the interest of uniformity, they rerecorded the songs from the demo as well as three new songs. Scott Hull, once again, performed the mastering duties. A video for the opening track, Company Man, was filmed in August by director, Darryl Miller and is schedule to be released at the same time as Double Gnarly/Triple Suicide. Since completing Double Gnarly/Triple Suicide, Harpoon added DJ Barraca (formerly of Lair of the Minotaur) on bass. DJ and Toney had worked together in the past in 7000 Dying Rats. http://www.myspace.com/harpoonrockin4u.(Earsplit)

BATTLE KOMMAND: Candlelight Records today confirms the extension of their cooperation with Chicago-based Battle Kommand Records. Founded by Nachtmystium vocalist/guitarist Blake Judd in 2004, Candlelight will now look after the noted underground label’s catalog around the globe; previously the deal was in place for only England and the European continent. Nachtmystium’s highly regarded catalog will be the first to find reissue under the new deal. In stores April 21, each of the band’s early recordings, namely Reign of the Malicious, Nachtmystium, The First Attacks, Demise and the highly acclaimed Instinct: Decay, will again be available for the band’s growing stateside fanbase. Reissues from Krieg, Obscurus Advocam and Glorior Belli among others will follow shortly thereafter. Bonus material is planned on many of the reissues with specifics to be confirmed at a later date. Judd says of the cooperation, “it is with much honor that we can announce this collaboration. Music fans worldwide will now have much easier access to older BKR releases.” In addition to the reissue series, the cooperation will see new signings that Judd notes, “will maintain the unique brand identity of Battle Kommand Records.” Judd will retain control of the label’s A&R while Candlelight’s worldwide team will handle marketing and distribution. "With Candlelight's funding behind BKR's new signees,” says Judd, “I anticipate that more of our artists will be touring here and abroad. A more major push for all of our artists marks a major step for the label, and we intend to push-forward with full force." Since its launch in 2004, Battle Kommand Records has released nearly 30 albums. The roster’s artists span black, doom, death, experimental noise and ambient rock. The label has seen cooperation in the US previously with Los Angeles-based Southern Lord Records as well direct relationships with numerous indie and underground distributors. Candlelight Records with offices in London and Philadelphia has a worldwide catalog containing over 400 titles including recordings from Emperor, Opeth, 1349, Blut Aus Nord, Crowbar, Abigail Williams, Obituary and many more. Candlelight is distributed in the United States via Caroline Distribution, EMI Music is the label’s new distributor for Canada with England and European distribution handled by Plastic Head Music. http://www.battlekommand.com. (earsplit)

ROSS THE BOSS: Release: New Metal Leader; Twenty years after the release of Manowar’s classic Kings Of Metal album, Ross continues his legacy with an album that displays his charismatic writing style. Fist-pounding, foot-stomping metal a-la "Battle Hymns" and "Hail To England," New Metal Leaders is a record that will satisfy old and new fans alike. Album was produced by Tarek Maghary (Majesty) and mixed and mastered by Achim Köhler (Primal Fear). Performing since the early 70’s Ross has seen music through its changing cycles. Originally as a member of The Dictators, he is best known for his work as co-founder of Manowar. As the band’s main songwriter and guitarist, his work can be found on the band’s first six albums. While New Metal Leaders does feature his name in the billing, Ross confirms it is a full band and one that is dedicated and determined to satisfy their immediate fan base. http://www.rosstheboss.com. (Earsplit)

SINNER: Release: Crash & Burn; Its been a few years since this popular German metal band have released new material. A staple on the scene going back to 1983, with the release of their debut Fast Decision, the quartet have established a sizeable and loyal worldwide audience. Band leader Mat Sinner calls the album “pure energy with real hard rock roots.” Album engineered by Dennis Ward (Angra) & mixed by Achim Köhler (Amon Amarth). Sinner have shared the stage with Deep Purple, Savatage, Mr. Big. The band have had European chart entries (The Nature of Evil debuting on the German charts at position 63). Already available in Europe, Crash & Burn has found much support and positive reaction. The band, currently featuring guitarists Henny Wolter and Christof Leim, drummer Klaus Sperling with vocalist/bassist Mat Sinner, have already hit the road in Europe in support of the record. http://www.myspace.com/sinnerofficial. (Earsplit)

DIMENSION ZERO: Release: He Who Shall Not Bleed; Its not merely the pedigree or experience of the members that makes Dimension Zero a stand out in the metal world. With this, their fourth album, the band continues to challenge themselves musically all while delivering the quality songwriting their fans have to expect. Additional guitar work coming from Annihilator’s Jeff Waters, the album contains 11 new blistering tunes that will appeal to their core audience as well those of the band members other projects. Formed in 1996 as a side project between In Flames Jesper Stromblad & Glenn Ljungstrom, from the get-go Dimension Zero wanted to take a more aggressive lean with their songwriting. The band would record their first three records for Sweden’s Regain Records (with licenses for the US). He Who Shall Not Bleed was recorded at In Flames Studio (formerly Studio Fredmann). While less thrasier then their previous albums it is another metal gem from this regarded and diverse band. http://www.dimensionzero.se. (Earsplit)

ELTHARGY: Release: Purification; The second release from the newly formed Powerage Rock label, Purification is a great example of solid riff-driven hard rock and impeccable musicianship. The Wales-based quartet take classic as well modern musical influences to craft eleven catchy and melodic songs that are sure to quickly find a passionate US fan base. Produced by David Prater (Dream Theater), it is an impressive start for a promising band. A brief chat with the members of Lethargy will reveal influences as far ranging as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Manic Street Preachers, Dream Theater, Radiohead and Alice In Chains, to name but a few of the diverse sounds the band take into creating their own material. Far ahead of their years (with all members in their late teens/early twenties), when noted journalist Geoff Barton (Classic Rock Magazine) got a hold of their self-financed 2005 album he was immediately impressed; the album later went on land in the magazine’s Top 20 albums of the year. http://www.myspace.com/lethargymusic. (earsplit)

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM: In February Southern Lord will proudly release the vinyl only version of the new Wolves In The Throne Room EP entitled Malevolent Grain, featuring two brand new tracks from the Pacific Northwest organic black metallers. Conspiracy Records will offer a limited edition picture disc of the 12" for Europe, while Southern Lord will release a black 180-gram version worldwide. Additionally the band will press a limited CD version for tour purposes only. The EP features the band's newly designed logo crafted by renowned artist Christophe Szpajdel, designer of black metal band logos for Kult Ov Azazel, Emperor, Moonspell and other international acts. The third WITTR full-length Black Cascade will follow, to be released on March 31st on Southern Lord Records. More info will follow soon on this wholly organic black-drone masterwork. Both the EP and the full-length were recorded to 2-inch tape by Randall Dunn and Mell Dettmer in Seattle this Winter. The new recordings are the first to feature their new guitar player Will Lindsay (Middian) who had previously served as the band's touring bass player, in addition to longtime members, brothers Nathan and Aaron Weaver. http://www.wittr.com or http://www.myspace.com/wolvesinthethroneroom. (Earsplit)

HAVOK: Candlelight Records confirms the signing of Denver-based thrashers Havok. The band are currently completing their debut album titled Burn which is expected for release early spring. The album, produced by vocalist/guitarist David Sanchez at Dirty D Studios and mixed by Bart McCrorey at Motaland Studios, contains twelve songs from the youthful band featuring guitarist Shawn Chavez, drummer Ryan Bloom and bassist Jesse de Los Santos with Sanchez. Havok have been impressing their growing fanbase since their formation in 2004. To date the band have performed alongside Exodus, Destruction, Into Eternity, Cephalic Carnage, and have toured with fellow new thrashers Bonded By Blood. Via two independent recordings, PWN ‘Em All and Murder By Metal (both quickly selling out their pressings) the band have reached audiences far outside their regional borders. Sanchez says of the band’s signing, "this is the break we’ve been working toward and now that it’s finally here we’re more than ready to make the most of it. We are both psyched and humbled to be a part of the Candlelight roster." Chavez adds, "this is the beginning of great things to come. We know that the work is really just beginning and that the pressure is on but pressure as you know makes diamonds." With final details of Burn being finalized now the band look to hit the road shortly after album release date. Track listing as of press time includes: Wreckquiem, The Root of Evil, Path to Nowhere, Morbid Symmetry, Identity Theft, The Disease, Scabs of Trust, Ivory Tower, To Hell, Category of the Dead, Melting the Mountain, Afterburner. http://www.myspace.com/havok. (Earsplit)

BICLOPS: Biclops (ex and current Postman Syndrome / East Of The Wall / Day Without Dawn) will be entering the studio on March 15th to record their debut full-length for a to-be-determined label. Recording and mixing will be handled at The Machine Shop (Clutch, King Crimson, Lamb Of God) by producer Will Putney. In addition, two releases from the bands' previous incarnation, The Postman Syndrome, are planned for the coming year as well. The first will be the long awaited release of The Postman Syndrome's demos for an unreleased record that was scrapped when the band's former label, Now Or Never Records, folded in 2004. These demos will finally come to light this summer. Finally, original Postman Syndrome members Mike Somers (East Of The Wall), Matt Lupo (East Of The Wall), Chris Alfano (Biclops), and Brett Bamberger (Biclops / East Of The Wall) will join forces with Kevin Conway (Biclops / East Of The Wall) to compose new Postman Syndrome material. The writing sessions will begin this May following completion of the Biclops record, and the current plan is to release two or three new songs on a split or an EP in late 2009 or early 2010. http://www.Biclops.net or http://www.myspace.com/BiclopsIsABand. (Earsplit)

RAMPART: We're really proud to announce the new album by Bulgarian HEAVY METAL band RAMPART will be out in November 2009 on INFERNO Records ! Entitled "Voice Of The Wilderness", this album will include 9 songs to please all maniacs into classic Heavy Metal bands like RUNNING WILD, GRAVE DIGGER, ADX, HELLOWEEN & IRON MAIDEN ! Three NEW songs from the album ("Desert Of Time", "The Flood", "Age Of Steel") and the HELLOWEEN cover"Just A Little Sign" to appear on the "HELLORAY" tribute album to HELLOWEEN/GAMMA RAY are now online ! You can listen to them on RAMPART official MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/rampartbg !!! Support this band & don't miss the album ! You'll be amazed ! Track-list: Under Control; Warriors; Voice Of The Wilderness; The Flood; Desert Of Time; Orchrist; Age Of Steel; Mirror To Dreams; Stay Aside.

NACHYMYSTIUM: NACHTMYSTIUM's Doomsday Derelicts MCD To Be Released Next Month. In an update issued by the band: "We're proud to announce that we've licensed our own new EP, Doomsday Derelicts from our North American label, Century Media, to be released on our own in-house label Battle Kommand Records for release in North America! The CD will be at press shortly and we anticipate a release date of May 5th, 2009. This will be a limited edition release, and there will be a mail-order only version with additional items included. More news TBA." This will be available from the band at the Nachtmystium store @ Battlekommand.comBattlekommand.com or http://www.myspace.com/nachtmystium. (Earsplit)

BATTLEFIELDS: BATTLEFIELDS Stream Entire New Album Thresholds Of Imbalance Online! You can now stream BATTLEFIELDS’ entire new record Thresholds Of Imbalance online for free! Click the link below to stream their new album: http://www.tinyurl.com/thresholdsofimbalance. Thresholds Of Imbalance was officially released on March 31st. You can still order the exclusive preorder CD / TS deal directly from the Translation Loss Webstore here: http://translationloss.com/tempstore.htm. (Earsplit)

VORUM: Finnish death metal troupe VORUM will release their first MCD baptized Grim Death Awaits on April 8th in Scandinavia and April 24th worldwide through Woodcut Records. Prelisten to the MCD at: http://www.vorumdeath.com. Formed in 2006, VORUM is a death metal band from Ahvenanmaa, Finland. The three members -- J. Johansson, M. Jalava and M. Josefsson -- rehearsed almost daily. Eventually, the band -- then under the moniker of Haudankaivaja -- recorded a seven-song demo in the summer of 2007 though this demo was never officially released. The band played a few gigs in Mariehamn and in late February of 2008, VORUM went to Panu Posti to record a new demo that would later garner positive reviews from Internet fanzines like imperiumi.net as well print magazines such as Miasma. VORUM has also enjoyed some radio play on the YleX Metalliliitto show and was seen on the front cover of the Finnish metal/rock magazine Inferno this year. The latest demo in question -- now titled Grim Death Awaits -- is going to be released as a MCD by Woodcut Records later this spring. It is the band's first official release. VORUM is currently writing new material for their debut full-length album. VORUM videos available on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/woodcutrecords. http://www.myspace.com/vorumdeath. (Earsplit)

DARK CASTLE: DARK CASTLE To Release Spirited Migration. The city of Saint Augustine, FL has the distinction or being the oldest city/port in the United States and the home of the duo DARK CASTLE. Brought to the attention of At A Loss Recordings by both Sanford Parker (Minsk/Buried At Sea) and Philip Cope (Kylesa), the couple will release there first full-length Spirited Migration on May 26th. Recorded by Phillip Cope and mastered by Scott Hull (both Kylesa, Baroness etc.), Spirited Migration continues the metallic doom psyche journey the band's stunning Flight Of The Pegasus began. Guttural howls and towering volume are broken up with post-rock interludes. Exotic scales and haunting rhythms pull the listener further into DARK CASTLE's unique atmospheres. For fans of Yob, Rwake, Samothrace etc. http://www.myspace.com/darkcastlemetal. (Earsplit)

SUSPERIA: SUSPERIA: Singer's Operation A Success Despite Further Complications. Despite further complications SUSPERIA singer Athera (Pal Mathiesen) successfully underwent open heart surgery on Monday March 16th 2009 at Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Originally scheduled to have a triple bypass operation, surgeons discovered further problems which resulted in the vocalist also having a main artery - which previously ran to his lungs -connected directly to his heart. Athera will remain in hospital to recuperate and has been advised by doctors that full recovery will take between three and five months. Still in some agony from his ordeal and in reflective mood, Athera said: "Wow - Well what happened there?! It looks like this time my name wasn't on the guest list at the pearly gates or the other place down below. I got through the surgery and I'm now back in the regional hospital after five days at the specialist heart clinic. Here in my hospital bed I'm contemplating the enormity of what happened - the what ifs and the what might have been. I'm in agony but the strong medication helps. It was a heavy operation having my body parts re-arranged - If a musician ever needed a "TUNE UP," I hope this was it. There are some tough times ahead but I will get there in the end." Commenting further on the messages of support and with an eye on the future he added: "I'm truly amazed at people's humanity at times like this, with all the goodwill messages I've been getting from friends and strangers. Once again the metal community comes through with flying colors, putting their prejudices aside to come together as one. Respect to those who took the time to send messages of support. It's heart-warming to get messages from metalheads who don't have the time of day for my band yet still find the time to send a message.You all helped me get through this, and strengthened my metal heart! .I will be out of the game for a while till my chest bones completely heal and I can sing fully again. I wish my boys a good trip round the UK in May on the tour, and am confident they will bring along a singer that will make the show worth while for you. I wish I could be there, " The release of SUSPERIA's next studio album is set for early summer as planned, through Candlelight Records. Full details will be announced shortly. http://www.susperia.net. (Earsplit)

GOD REVOLVER: Translation Loss Records are extremely pleased to announce the addition of Provo, Utah’s GODS REVOLVER to their roster! Translation Loss will release the band’s new untitled full length in early 2010, which the band is currently writing. The band will be handling the recording duties themselves while mastering will be completed by Super 8 Studios (Fight Amp, High On Fire, Intronaut). GODS REVOLVER features singer Reid Rouse, drummer Adam Loucks, bassist Elliot Secrist, guitarists Jon Larsen and Trey Gardner. Check the band out at: http://www.myspace.com/godsrevolver. (Earsplit)

MOTHRA: New Release: Dyes; If you like blastbeats, sonic beat downs, hoarse vocals, choppy riffs and something like Unsane on speed, then you've got it here in MOTHRA. Songs take a left turn and then a right before circling back and threatening to turn the wheel violently while stepping on the gas, damn the consequences. Just when you think you're in for a high-octane ride, they throw a slow burner at you, and yet you're compelled by the power of MOTHRA to stay on board. And when you've about caught your breath, they throw even more tricks at you , if only to demonstrate that when you think you have this band figured out, you probably don't. Fans of Converge, Burnt By The Sun and older The Dillinger Escape Plan pay head! http://www.myspace.com/mothra. (Earsplit)

EGOIST: New Release: Ultra-Selfish Revolution; Besides some solos from Patrick Mameli of Pestilence and C-187 fame, a maniac from Poland named Stanislaw Wolonciej recorded and produced the album Ultra-Selfish Revolution himself, under the name EGOIST, and that included writing and performing all of the music himself. And what does this music sound like? Well, take the off-time tempo, crunch and clean-tone moments of Meshuggah and add prog metal influences and sound effects from outer space, and clean and supremely confident vocals over top, and you have something approximating what EGOIST does on this, the second release. Fat, downtuned riffs pile up, ready to slap upside the head anyone who foolishly isn't paying attention. Melodies and harmonies with large helpings of reverb and texture weave an enveloping cloud that will give any prog rock enthusiast something to get excited about. And throughout it all EGOIST keeps moving, not content to ride any one set of ideas for too long before expanding, growing and tugging you along for the ride. http://egoist.metal.pl/ or http://www.myspace.com/egoistpoland. (Earsplit)

GORGOROTH: GORGOROTH TRADEMARK VERDICT REACHED! Oslo City District Court has delivered a verdict on the main question in the GORGOROTH trademark case, which took place at the end of January 2009. The court has decided that King Ov Hell's trademark registration #243365 of the band name GORGOROTH is NOT valid and shall therefore be deleted. The court states that King ov Hell and Gaahl excluded themselves from the band GORGOROTH when they tried to fire Infernus in October 2007. The court further states that Infernus cannot be excluded from GORGOROTH, unless he himself decides to quit. Infernus is very pleased, but not surprised, by this verdict. The remaining issues concerning financial matters and such are yet to be decided upon. Blabbermouth.net has received the following statement from bassist Tom Cato Visnes and vocalist Kristian Espedal regarding the latest developments in their legal dispute with guitarist Infernus over the rights to the GORGOROTH band name: "Regarding the recent court case over the use of the name GORGOROTH, Kristian Espedal and Tom Cato Visnes confirm that parts of the verdict have been decided and went in favour of Infernus. This is only a partial verdict on the case. Because of the complexity of this case, there will be further court hearings and the final verdict will be announced within a few weeks.” "Gaahl and King wish Infernus the best of luck using the banner of GORGOROTH on his art.”http://www.gorgoroth.info. (Earsplit)

SUSPERIA: SUSPERIA VOCALIST TO UNDERGO OPEN HEART SURGERY. SUSPERIA vocalist Athera (Pal Mathieson) remains under close observation at Akershus Universitetssykehus Hospital in Lørenskog, Norway following his heart attack last week. The singer has been diagnosed with a previously undetected genetic disorder that will require the replacement of three narrowed arteries and three heart valves. He will undergo a triple heart by-pass operation through open heart surgery on Monday March 16th 2009. Meanwhile the singer is being kept on heavy doses of medication to keep his blood thin and his heart rate down. Though in a serious, but stable condition, a highly spirited and medicated Athera speaking from his hospital bed sent the following message: "Hey everyone out there in the metal universe - friends and strangers. Thanks for all your messages of support. I'm lying here in the hospital reading them all and it's really nice to see that so many of you have taken the time to send them. It's overwhelming. I've had a big shock and it's not something I would want anyone to experience. You know, I always wanted to hit the headlines - but not in this way! Looks like the SUSPERIA curse has hit again, a new album and tour on the way and one of us complicates it all. But damn it, we will never let anything stop us - ever! Even if death itself comes knocking and believe me it did. I am undergoing open heart surgery this Monday to replace some broken valves and veins, and then this metal heart will beat once again. The Doc(tor) says I'll be back stronger than ever. I will have to spend a long time in the hospital, but it's not that bad. You should see the nurses taking care of me. Could be worse. Looking forward to getting back up and on the road again. Sorry for the shows that I'm not going to be able to do. I will make it up to you guys. You all make me stronger, I am truly grateful." The release of SUSPERIA's next studio album is still set for early summer as planned, through the band's new label Candlelight Records. Full details will be announced shortly. http://www.susperia.net. (Earsplit)

DIAMATREGON: New Release: Crossroad LP; Record number three from this French black metal horde. A concept record of sorts, influenced heavily by the blues, hence, Crossroad. Buzzing, blasting, blurred black metal fury, but with a strange melodic undercurrent, close listening does in fact reveal some blues, but those blues are buried beneath a roiling black sea of furious guitars, wild drum blasts and howled vokills. Gloriously grim, noise drenched and black.Who would have thought that members of distorto psych rockers The Gunslingers and avant alchemical post rockers Aluk Todolo were capable of such black brutality. - Andee/tUMULt Sound sample here: http://www.paragonrecords.org/mp3/01_wine.mp3. (Earsplit)

SECTIONED: Oldschool melodic death metallers, SECTIONED, have posted their demo for free download here: http://www.filezzz.com/download/36262/Sectioned.rar.html. Their debut album, title TBA, will be released later this year. (Earsplit)

KHORS: New Release: Mysticism; Band info: Formed by former Astrofaes bassist, Khorus, and later joined by Helg (Runes Of Dianecht) and Khaoth (Tessaract, ex-Astrofaes, ex-Hate Forest), Khors play Ukrainian black metal that combines a somber atmosphere with rich melodies. Since their formation, KHORS have quickly garnered a reputation for their unforgettable live performances, playing alongside Obtest, Behemoth, Butterfly Temple, Bloodrain, and many more. Khors have previously released two acclaimed albums on the Oriana label in addition to a live DVD. Mysticism, is out now on Paragon Records. http://www.khors.info or http://www.myspace.com/khorspagan. (Earsplit)

SUSPERIA: Athera ( Pal Mathieson) , vocalist with Norwegian band SUSPERIA, was rushed to Akershus Universitetssykehus Hospital in Lørenskog, Norway on the morning of March 9th suffering from acute stomach pains and heavy bleeding. Initial tests revealed that the singer had suffered a heart attack caused by a damaged blood vessel. Athera is currently in the intensive care unit under close observation, while further tests are carried out. He is expected to remain hospitalised for the foreseeable future. At this moment future plans including touring commitments remain unchanged, until a full diagnosis of his condition has been confirmed. Athera recently completed vocals on SUSPERIA's fifh studio album, which is due for an early summer release through the bands new label Candlelight Records.The band worked continuously throughout 2008 on the album which Athera described as "going back to the early days with the melancholic riffing and dark emotional vocals and coming all the way through to today, with a perfect blend of everything Susperia has been and become." Everyone involved with the band wishes Athera a fast and speedy recovery. http://www.susperia.net. (Earsplit)

BACHTMYSTIUM: NACHTMYSTIUM Booted From The Scion Rock Fest Bill. In a statement made on Friday, February 27, 2009: "NACHTMYSTIUM has sad news today with a once-again recurring issue surfacing from the wake of our past. We've been forced, at the request of the promoters and the folks at Scion / Toyota, to pull out of the Scion Rock Fest, scheduled for Saturday, February 28. This news came to us just this past Tuesday and was very disheartening to say the least. A troubling, and unjustly-applied notion that we are, or ever have been, in any way, a 'Nazi' band or a political band on any level, is completely absurd and we are disgusted that there is someone out there who really believes we are of this ilk. It made it as far as the sponsors of this event's desks, and now we are forced to pull out of it after some political threatening on the part of these ridiculously uneducated person/people who have caused this ruckus. "We'd like to make light of at least one aspect of this situation and use the opportunity to once again clear the air — we are, IN NO WAY, a 'Nazi' band. We do NOT support such groups, political beliefs or bands that are affiliated with that world. We have canceled tours in the past and dodged working with bands and people BECAUSE they had these ideologies and we never wanted to be affiliated with it. Yet, here we are, a metal band whose members are more like hippies than your typical leather-clad metal maniacs, and we're being falsely accused of this association once again. We will be taking legal action against the people who slandered us in this situation, and in the future will file defamation / slander charges against any person or organization who attempts to prevent us from performing anywhere, especially in the United States. We are as offended by this as someone might be at the notion of a Nazi band playing a big corporate-sponsored festival. So — let it be known loud and clear for the LAST TIME, we ARE NOT a Nazi band, ARE NOT political, are certainly NOT racists and DO NOT support that world or any band, person or business affiliated with it. "My deepest apologies to all of our friends, fans and people who have worked on and supported us being a part of this festival, we are sorry for these awful circumstances and you can be certain this will not defeat us." - Blake Judd (Earplit)

ANAAL NATHRAKH: Candlelight Records today confirms the worldwide signing of England’s Anaal Nathrakh. The popular extreme metal duo are currently in the studio working on their label debut titled In The Constellation Of The Black Widow. The album is expected for a summertime release. Vocalist V.I.T.R.I.O.L. says, “Candlelight have shown a strong belief in Anaal Nathrakh and looking at some of the acts on their roster both past and present it seems they are capable of backing up their good intentions. With their help we hope we can finally get the planet cracked in half.” Formed in 1998, Anaal Nathrakh have recorded five full-length albums, their most recent Hell Is Empty and All The Devils Are Here released in 2007 via Feto Records (co-owned by member Mick Kenney and Napalm Death’s Shane Embury). Based in Birmingham, the band sonically fuse traditional black metal with elements of industrial, grindcore, and early-day death metal resulting in a one-of-a-kind soundscape that has earned them high acclaim from media and fans around the globe. Reviewing 2005’s album Eschaton Blabbermouth called the band, “the best at marrying drum machine grind, speed riffing death, and bombastic black metal grandeur to a depraved, filthy and overdriven musical framework. Malevolence oozes from every note, brooding insanity in every scream, and a mastery of just what makes extreme metal such a dark and difficult pleasure. Sick, ugly, essential.” Commenting on the new album, V.I.T.R.I.O.L. reveals, “Constellation will be faster, more insidious, more ominous, more musically dextrous and wilder than ever before. The album will feature a curve ball guest appearance from Zeitgeist Memento of Mexican extremists Republika.” According to the band’s official website, Anaal Nathrakh was created for one purpose - to be the soundtrack for Armageddon and the true spirit of necro taken to its musical extremes. The band have collaborated with such legendary figures as Attila Csihar (Mayhem), Shane Embury and Danny Herrera (Napalm Death), Nick Barker (Testament, Dimmu Borgir), Joe Horvath (Circle of Dead Children), Sethlans Teitan (Watain) and more. The band have appeared on BBC’s Radio 1 (per the behest of icon John Peel), headlined a stage at the annual Inferno Festival in Norway, and have found themselves included among countless ‘Best Album of the Year’ polls around the world. Anaal Nathrakh’s status as one of the leading lights in extreme metal is undeniable. http://www.anaal-nathrakh.tk/ or http://www.myspace.com/anaalnathrakh. (Earsplit)

SLOUGH FEG: With a 20-year long career and seven full-length albums, SLOUGH FEG are a reference for metal fans around the world. As with many underrated American bands, the band had to first build their reputation in Europe to be appreciated stateside. Today the band's name lies among other top contemporary metal bands; incorporating a healthy dose of NWOBHM and love for classic metal with their own unique attributes, the band have infected and engrossed the minds of thousands of fans in recent years, due in part to touring US with THE SWORD in 2008 and having over 150,000 plays on their Myspace page. Ape Uprising marks another step ahead in the band's colorful history, bringing forth another dose of trademark SLOUGH FEG metal, invoking tragic, emotional, passionate and yet ironic views on life. Around the figure of founding member Mike Scalzi (vocals/guitar), moves a versatile and talented lineup (bassist Adrian Maestas, “Don” Angelo Tringali on guitar and new drummer Harry Cantwell) whose chemistry reaches the highest levels yet on Ape Uprising, delivering what can be considered the heaviest SLOUGH FEG release ever! http://www.sloughfeg.com or http://www.myspace.com/sloughfeg. (Earplit)

CRESCENT SHIELD: California's traditional melodic metal band CRESCENT SHIELD and label Cruz del Sur Music are now streaming the entire new album The Stars of Never Seen. Stop by the band's site or Cruz Del Sur's site to check out the album now! The band features the talents of former DESTINY'S END guitarist Dan DeLucie and former ONWARD vocalist Michael Grant, drummer Craig Anderson (IGNITE, ENGINE) and bassist Melanie Sisneros (ex-NEW EDEN, THE IRON MAIDENS, SINERGY). CRESCENT SHIELD enlisted the talents of legendary metal producer/engineer Bill Metoyer to co-engineer, co-mix, and master the new album and the artwork for the CD was again created by comic book artist Gerry Alanguilan. The Stars of Never Seen will be released by Cruz del Sur Music in North America on June 2nd, 2009. http://www.crescentshield.com or http://www.myspace.com/crescentshield. (Earplit)

ENSOPH: Since 1997 Italian act Ensoph has forged an extremely artistic path with their genre-blending concoction of extreme metal, gothic, progressive and electro-industrial styles with a unique and immediately recognizable weird experimental taste. Their aesthetic research has its roots in the attempt to read and interpret the modern inquietude for an unthinking future with suggestions coming from esotericism, philosophy, apocryphal literature and tragical theology. The result is a perfect soundtrack for the nowadays (yet ancient) neurotic, insatiable, desperate hunger for apocalypse, as showcased on their their 4th studio full-length Rex Mundi X-Ile. After many successful live shows and festivals alongside bands like Katatonia, Deathstars, Novembre, Arcturus, Dope Stars Inc. Kirlian Camera, Theatres des Vampires and more over the years the band hope to infect North American audiences more than ever on the new album, and eventually bring their madness stateside. Rex Mundi X-Ile is a talented and versatile album that will please fans of gothic, industrial, extreme and progressive music (and features a cover of ALICE IN CHAINS' classic "Would"). http://www.ensoph.it or http://www.myspace.com/ensoph. (Earplit)

CROWN THE LOST: Almost three years removed from their debut album Reverence Dies Within, melodic thrash metallers CROWN THE LOST return with their second full-length, Blind Faith Loyalty. The culmination of over a years worth of intense songwriting, band turnover and turmoil, and unbridled creativity, Blind Faith Loyalty sees CTL expand upon its melodic thrash metal template, adding new, exotic layers of extremity, grace, and technicality. Blind Faith Loyalty hits stores on May 5th in North America. The band has a CD release show and other local performances planned for the coming weeks, and much more in the works for the rest of 2009. http://www.crownthelost.com or http://www.myspace.com/crownthelostmetal. (Earplit)

HADES: New Jersey's HADES came to the thrash metal scene in 1987 with the release of Resisting Success. After receiving glowing reviews in all the major metal magazines they followed up a year later with the album If At First You Don't Succeed. In the U.S. HADES performed countless shows opening for bands that included Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, Manowar, Overkill and Danzig, and during the summer of 1989 they toured Europe for the first time. In the middle of the tour they decided to break up after the tour was over. Alan Tecchio moved to Texas to join Watchtower. Dan Lorenzo started a doom band that he named Non-Fiction. Alan eventually rejoined up with Dan in Non-Fiction; they released 3 albums and toured the world. In 1999 HADES got back together. Over the next three years the band recorded three new albums for Metal Blade Records. They put in a strong performance at the Wacken Festival in 2000. Then, just as quickly, they were gone once again. Never got to see HADES live? The Bootlegged In Boston 1988 DVD is your chance! Watch as the band opened for Manowar and Nuclear Assault on December 30th, 1988. The DVD includes interviews with Dan Lorenzo, Alan Tecchio, Jimmy Schulman, Ed Fuhrman and Scott LePage, tons of old video clips, live footage, TV appearances and more. Bootlegged In Boston 1988 hits the streets in North America on May 5th. http://www.myspace.com/hadesusa or http://www.DanLorenzo.net/hades. (Earplit)

UFO: New UFO album available. In constructing this new album, legendary rock icons UFO composed more than 35 new tracks in advance of hitting the studio, 13 of which were short-listed and produced at the studio, and 10 of them making the final cut. The final product; the band's new album, The Visitor. The current UFO lineup continues to consist of the three original members, Phil Mogg (vocals), Paul Raymond (guitar, keyboards), and Andy Parker (drums), as well as American world-class guitarist Vinnie Moore. Bass legend and original member Pete Way is currently suffering from a liver disease and was unfortunately not available for the studio production. "All those who have been into UFO for a long time will find all our characteristic trademarks on The Visitor, and anybody new to the band will be impressed by our enthusiasm and dynamism," frontman Phil Mogg enthuses on the subject of the new songs. The Visitor sees the band benefiting especially from their collaboration with Vinnie Moore, who joined UFO in autumn 2003 and has made an excellent impression on the albums You Are Here (2004) and The Monkey Puzzle (2006), and on the band’s tours. Mogg continues,"Without running down previous UFO lineups, it's been a long time since we had a team as strong as this one. Vinnie contributes his youthful energy and amazing guitar technique, and in Andy's return we've seen the reappearance of a musician who has always been very important to the band's original sound." UFO's The Visitor is in stores June 2nd, 2009. http://www.ufo-music.info. (Earplit)

CASTEVET CASTEVET drops debut 7-inch; full-length details emerge. Castevet's debut 7", "Stones/Salts" has been officially released through Paragon Records. The 7” is available on clear vinyl, and is limited to 300 copies worldwide. You can preview “Stones/Salts” now at the following site: http://castevet.bandcamp.com. "Stones/Salts" can be purchased through the band's website or from Paragon's site now. In the demonology tome The Lesser Key of Solomon, Paimon is keeper of the secrets of music, art and philosophy. His appearance is heralded by demons in the form of men blaring discordant trumpets and rattling cymbals. In order to receive Paimon’s knowledge, a conjurer must first allow him to ask any question he wishes. “Stones/Salts” reshapes the grim, dissonant riffing and anguished rasp of black metal into a new form that asks questions of the listener before revealing the secrets hidden within its epic structures. Castevet will be entering PAINcave Studios this September to record their debut full length with engineer Colin Marston (Dysrhythmia, Behold...The Arctopus, Krallice). The album, which is not yet titled, will be seeing a 2010 release. http://www.castevet.com. (Earsplit)

UNANIMATED: In celebration of Unanimated's upcoming new album In The Light of Darkness, the band has been dubbed Myspace's Band of the Week in Sweden. This means that the entire album is available for streaming for the rest of this week at http://www.myspace.com/unanimated08. (Earsplit)

NECROPHOBIC: Regain has also launched a special promo page for the upcoming Necrophobic album Death To All this week. Preview a new track from the upcoming album and check out the new photos and info: http://www.myspace.com/dta2009. New tracks from the album will be updated shortly. (Earsplit)

BICLOPS: BICLOPS (ex-Postman Syndrome, current East Of The Wall) are currently in the studio at The Machine Shop (King Crimson, Clutch, Lamb Of God) with producer Will Putney, completing their debut full-length for a to-be-determined label. Demos for three of the nine songs can be heard at http://www.Biclops.net. (Earsplit)

CITY OF SHIPS: Translation Loss Records signs CITY OF SHIPS and co-release new record. Translation Loss Records are extremely excited to announce the addition of Richmond, VA’s CITY OF SHIPS to their roster! CITY OF SHIPS has been touring relentlessly since its inception in 2005, promoting self-released EPs as well as CD and Vinyl releases from independent Richmond, VA labels Forcefield Records and the Perpetual Motion Machine. Look What God Did to Us is CITY OF SHIPS’ first release with Translation Loss. The album will be co-released with indie label Sound Study Recordings from Gainesville, FL. Translation Loss will take charge of the CD release (expecting a mid-late summer release) while Sound Study will handle the vinyl and digital versions for this remarkable 10 song full-length debut. Both record labels are intensely passionate about the band’s music and look forward to helping present CITY OF SHIPS to the world. Drew Juergens from Translation Loss on the signing and co-release: "I could not be more excited about working with CITY OF SHIPS. Ever since I heard their tour EP and saw them live, I knew they were destined to create greatness. The new record is absolutely amazing and will take the world by surprise with its intrinsic groove and the jaw-dropping musicianship it presents." CITY OF SHIPS’ Translation Loss debut entitled Look What God Did to Us was tracked and mixed over two sessions in February and March of this year with producer Andrew Schneider at Translator Audio (Pelican, Made Out of Babies, Unsane) in Brooklyn, NY and will be mastered by Nick Zampiello at New Alliance East in Boston. http://www.cityofships.com or http://www.myspace.com/cityofships. (Earsplit)

SAGA: For months, thousands of Saga fans have been asking themselves anxiously: how will the band sound after vocalist Michael Sadler’s departure? Before going into any more detail, let’s answer the big question: on their latest album, The Human Condition, Saga still sound unmistakably like Saga but with a big dash freshness. The essential elements of the sound which the band has continuously developed over decades, their rocking attitude, haunting melodies, virtuoso solo passages and intelligent arrangements, haven't changed one bit in 2009. And what is more: the band members, Ian Crichton (guitar), Jim Crichton (bass, keyboards) and Jim Gilmour (keyboards) have used the recent line-up change for an artistic evolution of their expressive means. To cut a long story short: The Human Condition is 100% Saga, and much more. Let’s travel back in time: autumn 2007 saw founder member Michael Sadler leave the band to set off to pastures new. No farewell in anger, no personal or musical differences – as we have frequently seen in other bands –, but an extremely amicable separation from a musician who is looking for new challenges, privately as well as artistically. For the remaining musicians, Sadler’s departure never called into question the group’s existence. Saga immediately started a global search for a new frontman and struck lucky in January 2008 when they came across Rob Moratti, until that time vocalist with the Canadian act, Final Frontier. With Moratti as their new band member, Saga got together and arranged the material they had been individually writing for six months. The Human Condition was produced by Saga and mixed by Pat Regan at the Sound Image studios in Van Nuys, California, in February 2009. The result is a spirited recording with nine versatile numbers which redefine the borderline between rock music and progressive attitudes. The Human Condition features vocal melodies consisting of several voices, Crichton’s unmistakable staccato guitars and sweeping solo passages which extend into the spheres of fusion and jazz. The Human Condition substantiates the good news about Saga’s unaltered sound: they are continuing their great career and are set to present many more examples of their great creative power. http://www.sagaontour.ca or http://www.myspace.com/sagaca. (Earsplit)

DELAIN: Sensory Records to release sophomore DELAIN album. The much anticipated second album from Delain is finally here. It is fascinating to witness how the band has evolved! Originally conceived by Within Temptation keyboard player Martijn Westerholt as a studio project, the success of the debut album Lucidity tipped his hand and Delain has since evolved into a full blown active band. With Charlotte Wessels on vocals, Ronald Landa on guitar and grunt vocals, Sun Caged bassist Rob Vander Loo, and Sander Zoer on drums, Delain took the Netherlands by storm. The band has toured extensively throughout Europe, opening for many acts including sister band Within Temptation, and appeared at many festivals. Ultimately they became a headliner in their own right. With that behind them they headed into the studio to create their sophomore opus, April Rain. Licensed to Sensory Records (with US distribution through Ryko/Canadian distribution thorough Sonic Unyon) from Roadrunner Records who released the album in Europe, April Rain is cut from similar cloth from Lucidity but different enough to hear the evolution mentioned above. Instead of the multiple guests that were featured on Lucidity, April Rain does benefit from the return of Nightwish bassist Marco Hietala who sings male vocals on two tracks, as well as world renowned cellist Maria Ahn. Martijin Westholt is clearly at the helm - the big symphonic sound is still in place. Those elements that he brought to Within Temptation are clearly evident. There is a difference though...perhaps because of Jacob Hansen's mix the sound is more focused and even grittier, crunchier (thank you Mr. Landa). Songs tend to be on the shorter side but they slam harder. Having been familiar with Rob Van Der Loo's intense basswork with Sun Caged its great to see him bring that progressive element to the rhythm section. Charlotte Wessels is young but has developed into the perfect voice and face for Delain. The com parisons to Within Temptation will continue but it's obvious that Delain has come up with their own sound that stands on its own. April Rain is THE symphonic gothic metal album of 2009. The album debuted this week on the Dutch Top 100 album charts at #14, and debuted at #1 on the Dutch Alternative Charts. The band is currently on tour in Europe as direct support for Kamelot, which takes them immediately into their headlining tour. Through the kindness of Roadrunner NL we are able to offer the special limited edition digipak edition, with the exclusive bonus track "Come Closer". http://www.delain.nl or http://www.myspace.com/delainmusic. (Earsplit)

VIKING SKULL: Powerage Records in cooperation with popular metal news site Deciblog (www.decibelmagazine.com/blog) today unveil the new video from England's Viking Skull. The clip for "Hair of the Dog" was filmed just after the band’s US shows with Clutch this past Christmas season. It was filmed at The Note and various locations in and around the Westchester area where director Bam Margera lives. The song comes from the band’s latest album, Doom Gloom Heartache & Whiskey available now on Powerage Rock/Candlelight. Released November 25, Doom Gloom Heartache & Whiskey is the band’s first album with proper US distribution and promotion. In an interview conducted with radio tip sheet FMQB late in 2008 drummer Jess Margera said, "this record is the epitome of every good rock band smashed into one." As the lone American in the band, Margera remembers his initial introduction to the ‘Skull. "I think five years ago was the first time I heard Viking Skull get played on the jukebox at the Crobar in London. The whole place went insane. It was kind of like when I was a kid hearing Back in Black for the first time. I bought everyone there a shot of Makers mark and a beer." With limited support and resources, Viking Skull have single-handedly created their own early opportunities. Independently recording their first release for a whopping $500, their 2003 mini-album titled Chapter One remains the only album to score 11 out of 10 in England’s Metal Hammer. The band’s full length debut, Born in Hell, was released in 2005. While finding limited stateside exposure, in Europe the band continued to build on a growing fanbase and profile. Tours with Clutch and cKy would see them through the year setting up the recording of their second album. Chapter Two would be released in early 2007 and featured guest appearances from members of Fireball Ministry. It would also feature the first contributions from Margera (also a member of cKy and stoner super-group The Company Band). http://www.myspace.com/vikingskull. (Earsplit)

SOUTHERN LORD RECORDS: Southern Lord artists dominate new Jim Jarmusch movie soundtrack. Southern Lord is proud to announce that three of the label's artists will be represented in acclaimed film director Jim Jarmusch’s latest tour de force, The Limits Of Control. The film’s soundtrack features music by Earth, sunn 0))) and Boris, all representatives of Southern Lord Recordings. Responsible for such films as Down By Law, Dead Man, Ghost Dog, Broken Flowers and Coffee and Cigarettes, Jarmusch is notorious for tying music to his films, previously casting musicians such Tom Waits, RZA and more as characters. Jarmusch's films are scored to fit hand-in-glove with the transitions/conflicts within the plot, the songs acting as an actual “soundtrack” to help propel his unique, minimalist character-driven productions, as seen in previous Jarmusch works include Neil Young’s soundtrack for the movie Dead Man, or with the inclusion of doom-artists Sleep in the movie Broken Flowers. Southern Lord is honored to house artists worthy of Jarmusch’s newest work, The Limits of Control. These acts are contemporary musical heavyweights in today’s doom, drone and ambient genres, and should act as an incredible soundtrack for this artistic drama. About the movie, The Limits of Control: The new movie from filmmaker Jim Jarmusch (Broken Flowers, Down by Law, Dead Man) is set in the striking and varied landscapes of contemporary Spain. The location shoot there united the writer/director with acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle (In the Mood for Love, Paranoid Park). Isaach De Bankole stars in the lead role for Mr. Jarmusch; this marks the duo's fourth collaboration over nearly two decades, following Night on Earth, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, and Coffee and Cigarettes. The film also features several other actors with whom Mr. Jarmusch has previously worked, including Alex Descas, John Hurt, Youki Kudoh, Bill Murray, and Tilda Swinton; and actors new to his films, including Hiam Abbass, Gael García Bernal, Paz De La Huerta, Jean-François Stevenín, and Luis Tosar. The Limits of Control is the story of a mysterious loner (played by Mr. De Bankole), a stranger, whose activities remain meticulously outside the law. He is in the process of completing a job, yet he trusts no one, and his objectives are not initially divulged. His journey, paradoxically both intently focused and dreamlike, takes him not only across Spain but also through his own consciousness. The Limits of Control is out in theaters, June 3rd, 2009. The Limits of Control movie trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/focus_features/thelimitsofcontrol. The Limits of Control Soundtrack will be available on Lakeshore Records: http://www.lakeshore-records.com. http://www.southernlord.com. (Earsplit)

MERAUDER: Regain Records signs NYHC veterans MERAUDER. Regain Records is very proud to announce the signing of NYHC veterans MERAUDER! Jorge Rosado (vocals) has issued the following statement: "MERAUDER, the metalcore kings and creators, are teaming up with Regain Records to bring you the long awaited album titled God Is I. This is one of the most important and brutal records we've ever worked on and it's all worth it!!! Come out and support us on tour with THE HAUNTED.." The most focused recording since the band's classic album Master Killer, God Is I finds MERAUDER in perfect shape. Melding the bands roots with modern bite, the intent becomes immediately clear within seconds of the albums sucker punch opening riff; “Until” hones in on its listener and the chase begins. Runaway freight train grooves, mid-pace stomps, seething gang vocals and death metal drenched riffs all find themselves vying for supremacy amidst their patented NYHC delivery. God Is I is set for release on Regain Records June 19th, 2009. http://www.myspace.com/merauder. (Earsplit)

LECHEROUS NOCTURNE: Lecherous Nocturne - new album out now. Perseverance. Determination. Integrity - Three words that unmistakably describe South Carolina's Lecherous Nocturne. Formed by guitarists Kreishloff, Chris Lollis and vocalist Hohenstein, the group has ignored every musical trend that has sprung up around them for nearly a decade, all the while building on and refining their sound through two critically hailed releases - 2003's self-titled EP, 2006's debut full-length Adoration of the Blade (Deepsend Records) and their intense, relentless live shows. Throughout their tenure, this extreme-metal entity has endured hardships that would cripple or even kill most bands. Numerous bass and drummer changes, label shifts, a 1500 mile relocation, and even having everything they owned on tour, including their touring vehicle, stolen from them in 2007. And still... they persevere. In 2008, fueled by theft, and an overwhelming urge to break from obscurity, the band entered Soundlab Studio in Columbia, SC to record The Age of Miracles Has Passed, out now on Unique Leader Records. Absolutely the band's most defining record to date, TAOMHP is filled with the trademark Lecherous speed, intelligence, and technicality, while building upon the brutality with refined vocals and infectious hooks certain to appeal to longtime fans of LN, as well as a legion of new ones to come. http://www.myspace.com/lecherousnocturne. (Earsplit)

BLACK PYRAMID: Release: Black Pyramid; Black Pyramid play doom with the rumbling down-tuned tones of stoner metal gods like Sleep, Electric Wizard, and High On Fire, but with the epic arrangements of old school metal and doom acts such as Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and The Obsessed. Add to the sonic brew perfectly executed forays into vintage psych and progressive rock, along with the apocalyptic lyrical ravings about war, the occult, and general alienation, and you've got an accurate picture of what the band is all about. Prepare to be crushed by the weight of the Black Pyramid...http://www.myspace.com/blackpyramidkills. (Earsplit)

FREEDOM HAWK: Release: Freedom Hawk; Loud, hard, and powerful riff-rock wrapped in metal tones, with melodic high-pitched vocals and slight psychedelic tastes. Freedom Hawk’s music slashes away, tearing its way into the ears of all those who listen with explosive and very tasteful leads. With original quality matched only to those which have proven themselves in days past. The driving beat and heavy guitars with timeless vocals gives light to a new birth in heavy music, with a ray of excitement allowing you to rock away to Freedom Hawk’s dark music fueled by the sun. This band is a must see on-stage to fully experience their true power...http://www.myspace.com/freedomhawk. (Earsplit)

LEECHES OF LORE: Release: Leeches of Lore; Leeches of Lore have stepped through the rift to offer us salvation. Spilling forth their musical seed, the intergalactic dust bowl is healed by a sour-mash tincture of sound. Like hard rock carnival barkers from the future, Steve Hammond and Andy Lutz blend classic metal, thrash, and country doom into an alter-dimensional spaghetti western to mesmerize the rubes, whilst elevating the rest of us upon the shoulders of the sonic Sasquatch. These are the songs we hear when fight must be chosen over flight. The war upon mediocrity has begun! The arrival of Leeches of Lore's debut album signals the return to halcyon days, the beginning of the end. Rapture will follow...http://www.myspace.com/leechesoflore. (Earsplit)

NEW KEEPERS OF THE WATER TOWERS: Release: Chronicles; New Keeper of the Water Towers are a sonic Swedish collision between the heaviest of metal and the firmest of rock. Wrapped up with the lyrical themes of dwelling beast and filthy creatures, the sound can only be described as massive. http://www.myspace.com/NKotW. (Earsplit)

SNAIL: Release: Blood; Analogous to the slow, relentless power of erosion, SNAIL melts mountains and reshapes earth with their latest offering, Blood. A band that once shared the stage with Stoner/Doom contemporaries SLEEP, SNAIL embarked on a 13-year sacred journey to Sheol from whence they recently emerged. Crushing proto-metal psychedelic fuzz-fests march on with sweet melodies shrouded by psyched-out oscillations. This is an album that should be measured on the Geologic Time Scale. http://www.myspace.com/snailexhumed. (Earsplit)

PELICAN: Pelican sign to Southern Lord. It is with immense reverence that Southern Lord Recordings announces the signing of Chicago heavy-rock instrumental icons Pelican. Their genre-defying sound and eagerness to explore new musical directions will fit right at home alongside similar bands on the label like Earth, Boris and sunn 0))). Pelican is currently at Red Room studios in Seattle, WA recording an EP that will be their first release on Southern Lord. The new material promises to be heavier, darker and very "riff-oriented" comments guitarist Trevor De Brauw. A very special guest guitarist who has been heavily influential to the band will be making a guest appearance more details to be revealed shortly! http://www.myspace.com/pelican. (Earsplit)

SUSPERIA: Candlelight signs Susperia. Candlelight today confirms the worldwide signing of Norway's Susperia. Currently finishing work on their fifth album, the band recently announced a string of early spring UK dates that will kick off what is expected to be a busy year for the popular Norwegian metal band. "Ten years and still the same five guys," exclaims vocalist Athera of the band's long commitment to their music. "We have worked nearly two years on this material, perfecting it for your pleasure and our devoted fans. It will take you back to the early days with melancholic riffing and dark emotional vocals. It's a perfect blend of everything Susperia has been and become." "A blend of thrash metal drawing on influences that include Sepultura, Anthrax, and Testament," says Allmusic.com of Susperia's now highly regarded sound. The popular music portal continues its early 2005 review noting "their songs are melodic yet intense and forceful, and shredding guitars are the rule." Formed in 1998 by drummer Tjodalv (then of Dimmu Borgir) and guitarist Cyrus (then of Satyricon/Old Man’s Child), the band released their debut, Predominance, via Nuclear Blast in 2001. The band's much-acclaimed second album, Vindication, followed in 2003. Signing with Norwegian-based Tabu Records (with release in the US via Candlelight Records) in 2004, the band released their third album, Unlimited, later that year. Brave Words Bloody Knuckles called the album, "a scorcher from start to finish, on par with Testament classic The Gathering." A powerful live act, the band has consistently remained focused to the live arena. With numerous high profile support, headline and festival appearances, one of the band's most cherished experiences thus far remains supporting the newly reformed Testament in late 2005. The dates would culminate in the release of the band's Norwegian charting mini-album Devil May Care. Work on their fourth album, Cut From Stone, would see out the end of the year. Unfortunately due to financial constraints two trie s to visit the US to support the Daniel Bergstrand-produced album during 2007/08 would set back the album’s overall sales target but the band remained committed. Touring Europe, including numerous dates with W.A.S.P, the band's ambitions stayed and continue to remain in tact. "We now have the backing of one label worldwide and this is going to make life easier for us," says bassist Memnock. "We hope that finally we get to play to our American fans." Susperia's still untitled label debut is expected for release early summer. Recorded in Norway it was mixed at Studio Fredman in Sweden. Susperia currently includes guitarists Cyrus and Elvorn, bassist Memnock, with drummer Tjodalv and vocalist Athera. http://www.susperia.net. (Earsplit)

EGOIST: Selfmadegod Records is proud to announce the signing of one-man alternative metal band Egoist from Bielsko-Biala, Poland. Egoist was founded and lead by the very young and enormously talented musician Stanislaw Wolonciej (guitars, bass, drums, vocals, synthesizers, production, artwork). The artist was born in 1986 in Bielsko-Biala, Poland. In his 20s, Stanislaw’s father was a bass player in the band Fatum. Music has always been present in Stan’s home. Everything began when he was eight, though. His parents wanted him to take piano lessons, which he did for about four years. One of the really cool things that he could have done, but never did, was take part in the makings of the debut album from C-187, together with Patrick Mameli (ex-Pestilence), who is his old-time hero. Patrick wanted him to appear on the album, but in the end Sean Reinert (Cynic, Death) performed the drums. In the summer of 2008 Stan decided to make a new piece of art. After months of changing equipment, customizing his guitar and drums, and recording ideas on pocket PCs he started the sessions for Ultra-Selfish Revolution. It took about a month and a half. In the late phase of the recordings, Patrick Mameli recorded solos for , “These Strange Things” and “/Not/ The End” at Stan’s request. The music is a little more aggressive, much more alternative, and less progressive than what Stan worked on before. A Polish label from Biala Podlaska called Selfmadegod contacted Stan, and told him that they are interested in releasing the material. Stan is constantly musically active. And there will be much more collaborations and new projects with really fresh music in the future. Stay tuned, and explore his musical point of view. Ultra-Selfish Revolution will be released in the Spring of 2009. Audio samples from the forthcoming album can be heard now via the band’s MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/egoistpoland. (Earsplit)

MOTHRA: Selfmadegod Records is proud to announce the signing of mathcore/metal band Mothra from Opole, Poland. Mothra has been destroying stages since 2000 with Piotr Koryzma (vocals), Daniel Szwed (drums), Andrzej Burzynski (bass) and Pawel Stefan Rosiak (guitar) on board. After first few months of existence, band recorded their first promo single, entitled "Sugar ‘01." After that, the musicians focused on touring and writing new songs, which appeared on 2004's demo CD - a six-track EP, recorded by the band. It wasn’t awesome-sounding material with killing production work, but even still, listeners found energy rarely presented in the same way, joined with mathematicly combined yet still melodic playing. The following years were filled with a lot of gigs and meeting a lot of interesting and inspiring people, which helped the band to realize some of their ideas. It was Mothra's breakout period, as they composed material for their full-length debut album. Planet Decibelian was released by the young polish label Red Swallow in May of 2006. It contained 11 brutal-sounding, math-combined songs and got enthusiastic reviews. The band is touring nationwide constantly with recognized and appreciated bands like Modern Life is War, Maroon, Born From Pain, Omission, First Blood, Napalm Death, Suffocation, Sunrise, and Nyia to name few. In September 2008 the band recorded seven tracks with renowned producer Szymon Czech (Antigama, Blindead, Third Degree, Nyia, Unsun) for their second full-length Dyes to be released in the Spring of 2009 via Selfmadegod Records. The music of Mothra will definitely appeal for fans of Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge and Burnt By The Sun. Audio samples from the forthcoming album can be heard now via the band’s MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mothra. (Earsplit)

BATTLEFIELDS: Battlefields have posted the new song "Quake and Flood" from their upcoming Translation Loss Records debut Thresholds Of Imbalance, due late March 2009: http://www.myspace.com/battlefieldsdoom. Battlefields' Translation Loss debut Thresholds Of Imbalance was recorded at The Devil's Workshop in Minnesota with drummer and engineering Rob Schmidt manning the helm and was mastered by Nick Zampiello at New Alliance Audio. The band will be performing at this weekends KUMA fest in Chicago, IL and will also be embarking on a full US tour with labelmates Irepress in early 2009! (Earsplit)

SEPULTURA: It is upon us.... the latest release from the almighty Sepultura! Following up 2006's incredible Dante XXI, the Brazilian battalion have created another impressive concept release with A-Lex; the album based completely on the classic novel A Clockwork Orange. Sepultura from Brazil are a prime example of an intelligent thrash metal act whose powerful compositions continue to tackle exciting and ingenious subjects. 1996 saw the band devote their landmark release, Roots, to the fate of the Xavante Indians on the border of Brazil and Bolivia; in spring 2006 the musicians put to music an opus by the Italian poet and philosopher, Dante Alighieri, on their album, Dante XXI. Now this concept has reached a new climax: on their latest release, A-Lex, guitarist Andreas Kisser and his three colleagues, Derrick Green (vocals), Paulo Jr. (bass) and new addition Jean Dollabella (drums), have dedicated themselves to Anthony Burgess's book A Clockwork Orange, creating an awesome thrash metal opus around this timeless and exciting subject. A-Lex will be available on Steamhammer/SPV January 27, 2009 and certainly has what it takes to shake up the foundations of the metal scene: few other albums from this genre sound as ambitious or impressive. Along with Sepultura’s familiar raw metal tunes, which are omnipresent on the one-hour recording, they have authentically translated Alex’s affinity with Ludwig van Beethoven: supported by classical symphonic musicians from Sao Paulo, the track ‘Ludwig Van’ picks up Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and transposes it into a heavy metal context. This number is a definite must, and it would be impossible to optimize this combination of classical music and savage thrash metal. The material was produced by Sepultura and Stanley Soares at the Trama Studios in Sao Paulo and mastered by George Marino at New York’s Sterling Sound studios. A-Lex is the first Sepultura album to feature new drummer Jean Dolabella, who joined the fold during the Dante XXI tour. We've known Jean for more than three years; he’s from our hometown of Belo Horizonte and joined us when Roy Mayorga left to team up with Stone Sour," Kisser introduces his new drummer. "He’s ten years younger than the other band members and has brought a new approach into the band. Jean has an amazing amount of energy and motivation. We're very happy to have him with us, and we're proud of the positive impact he’s had on the material on A-Lex." With Dolabella as Sepultura’s driving force and more outstanding guitar work courtesy of Andreas Kisser, A-Lex proves to be a dynamic and extremely haunting metal opus which was written in just three months and created more or less on the basis of extended studio jams. The listener feels this spontaneity and vibrancy in every single note. A-Lex will be available in two versions: a regular jewel case and a vinyl gatefold LP. http://www.sepultura.com or http://www.myspace.com/sepultura. (Earsplit)

MAEGASHIRA: New Jersey doom 'n' roll bastards Maegashira have completed work on their forthcoming full-length debut, The Stark Arctic. Comprised of six songs, the hour-long album was recorded by Halfway To Gone vocalist/bassist Lou Gorra at Redline Archiving in Little Silver, NJ, and will see distribution through Connecticut's Spare Change Records (Negative Reaction, When The Deadbolt Breaks, A Day Of Pigs). A January 20 release date has been set for the album, now available for preorder. In addition, the band has posted anti-hipster anthem "Hi From Jersey" to their MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/maegashira. More tracks and info to come in the next few weeks. http://www.maegashiraband.com. (Earsplit)

EMPEROR: Candlelight Records confirms the completion of the final recordings from black metal legends Emperor. Titled Live Inferno, the special live series features various releases recorded/filmed during the band’s sold out 2005-2007 reunion performances. Several formats will be available including a 2xCD/slipcase with 16-page booklet, a limited edition box featuring 2 CDs & DVD with an enhanced 24 page booklet, a single DVD, and two limited edition double-vinyl gatefold sets. April 16 is set as the European release date for the series with April 21 set as the North American release date. The audio aspect of the Live Inferno series features exclusive recordings from the band’s headlining performances at Norway’s Inferno Festival and Germany’s Wacken Open Air Festival. Each recording will be pressed as individual double-vinyl sets; the first pressing limited to 1000 on black vinyl with any additional pressings in varied colors selected by the band. A special gold-vinyl seven-inch limited to 2000 titled Thus Spake the Nightspirit (featuring a live rendition of the band’s famed song from the album Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk with a live recording of "Inno A Satana" from the album band's popular In the Nightside Eclipse album) will be pressed and released via the label’s official webstores beginning February 16. The video portion, titled Live at Wacken Open Air 2006 - A Night of Emperial Wrath, has a running time of 70-minutes and includes footage professionally filmed at the Wacken Open Air Festival with additional on-stage and exclusive backstage footage filmed and compiled by the band. "It looks like these releases will be the final nail in the coffin for Emperor," says guitarist Samoth. "They are a testimony of the live reunion that took Emperor to even new heights; unique events like Wacken where Emperor headlined in front of 60 000 people. We had a great run of shows and feel lucky that we were able to come back even bigger and perform songs from our complete catalogue for a lot of dedicated fans old and new. There will be several cool formats and limited editions coming that should be a nice treat for the fans and a worthy representation of the Emperor legacy. Emperor is dead, long live the Emperor!" Confirmed track listings include: Disc 1/Inferno: Infinity Burning (medley), Cosmic Keys to My Creations & Times, Thus Spake the Nightspirit, An Elegy of Icaros, Curse you all Men!, Wrath of the Tyrant, With Strength I Burn, Towards the Pantheon, The Majesty of the Nightsky, The Loss and Curse of Reverence, In the Wordless Chamber, Inno a Satana, I am the Black Wizards, Ye Entrancemperium, Opus a Satana. Disc 2/Wacken: Infinity Burning (medley), Cosmic Keys to My Creations & Times, Thus Spake the Nightspirit, An Elegy of Icaros, Curse you all Men!, With Strength I Burn, Towards the Pantheon, The Majesty of the Nightsky, The Loss and Curse of Reverence, In the Wordless Chamber, I am the Black Wizards, Inno a Satana. Forming in 1991, Emperor recordings have sold hundreds of thousands worldwide. Their impact on black/extreme metal ranks them as one of the genre's most influential. Respected by musician, fan and critic alike, Emperor recorded their final album, Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise, in 2001. Guitarist Samoth and drummer Trym continued together in Zyklon; their third and latest album, Disintegrate, released in 2006. Vocalist/guitarist Ihsahn went on to work with the now defunct band project Peccatum. He produced/recorded the debut from Hardingrock (featuring musical contributions from partner Heidi S. Tveitan from Starofash and famed Norwegian fiddler Knut Buen) and released his second solo album, angL, earlier this year. Candlelight reissued each of Emperor's four genre-defining albums, Wrath of the Tyrants, In the Nightside Eclipse, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk and IX Equilibrium in 2004. Each feature additional bonus footage and material unavailable previously on both European and US-licensed versions. A special tablature book titled Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath was released October 2006. Initially sold at the band’s sold out performance at London’s Astoria Theatre, the popular book saw worldwide release shortly thereafter. The 132-page oversized book featuring foreword and transcriptions by vocalist/guitarist Ihsahn includes tabs for thirteen Emperor classics contained on the band's 2003 compilation of the same name. http://www.myspace.com/emperorhorde. (Earsplit)

THE ENEMY SOIL The Enemy Soil Smashes The State Live DVD, the official collection of some of the band's explosive live performances, will see release in December 2008 in Europe and January 13th 2009 in the United States through Selfmadegod Records. The DVD is a must for all of the Enemy Soil fans all over the world that never got a chance to see the influential political grindcore band live, as well as for those who want to see how the various incarnations of the group performed, presented here through raw video originally captured on analog camcorders. Enemy Soil from Virginia, USA, despite being broken up for over a decade, has seen its classic Relapse 7" from the mid-'90s reissued and its select discography Enemy Soil Smashes the State! (of which the DVD is a companion release) repressed numerous times. The various members of the band have gone on to form several other bands, not the least of which being City of Caterpillar and Pig Destroyer, and have gone into such diverse groups as Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Frodus and Drugs Of Faith. Featuring never-before seen live footage of 24 songs taken from shows from 1996 to 1998 and the set from the 2001 reunion gig at CBGB's in New York City, Enemy Soil Smashes the State Live is packed with over an hour of music, including a previously unreleased live in the studio audio recording, a photo and flyer gallery, and liner notes. This marks the first time that video of Enemy Soil is available for a mass audience. http://www.enemysoil.drugsoffaith.com or http://www.myspace.com/enemygrind. (Earsplit)

KREATOR: SPV is proud to bring you our first release of 2009 - Hordes Of Chaos from German metal legends Kreator! As one of the architects of the original thrash metal revolution, Kreator roared out of Essen, Germany and onto a burgeoning thrash scene in the mid-80s, delivering a string of all-time metal classics (Pleasure To Kill, Extreme Aggression, etc.) in their wake. Quickly developing a uniquely ferocious, off-the-rails style, the band became a huge source of inspiration for countless soon-to-be metal musicians around the planet and have remained one of the cornerstones of the genre along with one of its most dedicated practitioners for over twenty years. With Hordes Of Chaos (the follow-up to 2003's ultra-successful Enemy Of God), Kreator delivers ten tracks of pure unadulterated thrash metal like only the true masters can. Long known for often incorporating lyrics that confront political hypocrisy and inhumanity, our current world climate provides a natural well of inspiration for guitarist, vocalist and bandleader Mille Petrozza. "The global political situation has come apart at the seams. The Eastern and Western Blocs no longer exists, today it's a case of dog eat dog." Petrozza considers the album's furious finale (featuring the songs "To The Afterborn, "Corpses Of Liberty", and "Demon Prince") "a warning to the coming generation. Everybody has to go their own path in life and should try not to buy into the propaganda lies that governments feed us." Hordes Of Chaos was recorded at Berlin’s Tritonus studios under the direction of producer Moses Schneider. Schneider is renowned for his fresh and exceptionally dynamic working methods with a variety of cutting-edge, successful artists across Europe. "We consciously decided on Moses as our producer for the live recording of the basic tracks at the studio," Petrozza explains. "This was the first time since Pleasure To Kill that we worked in this way. The new album is a 100% realistic reflection of Kreator's live qualities. Instead of exploring every little detail to sterile perfection with the help of computer technology, this time around we wanted to deliver as dynamic a production as possible. There can be no doubt that we've achieved our target in Hordes Of Chaos. The album was mixed in London by Colin Richardson (Slipknot, Bullet For My Valentine, Cradle Of Filth, etc.). http://www.kreator-terrorzone.de or http://www.myspace.com/officialkreator. (Earsplit)

BLACK COBRA: Rafa Martinez and Jason Landrian have been coalescing Black Cobra's sonic brew for nearly six years now, yet neither were strangers to heaving heavy riffage prior, with Rafa doing time with Acid King and 16, and Jason in Cavity. But the pair unleash a tone heavier than a trio of both guitar and drums. Their impenetrable hardcore doom chemistry evokes an intensity that sets them apart from the others, both live and recorded. The band have toured seemingly endlessly on both US and foreign soil ssince their 2002 inception, sharing the stage with The Sword, Weedeater, High On Fire, Torche and countless other bands in the upper ranks of metal and doom, most times blowing the competition away completely. Black Cobra plans to record their first album for Southern Lord sometime in the first half of 2009. http://www.blackcobra.net or http://www.myspace.com/blackcobra. (Earsplit)

EAGLETWIN: Hailing from Salt Lake City, the mighty Eagle Twin has mainly solidified into proper form over the course of this year. Guitarist Gentry Densley is a very old friend whose previous band Iceburn was one of the most interesting and incredible bands of the 90s hardcore/post-hardcore movement. Gentry and Greg Anderson (Southern Lord, sunn 0))), Goatsnake) collaborated on the Ascend album Ample Fire Within record, released by Southern Lord earlier this year. The Eagle Twin sound is stained with early doom and blues-roots rock backing mythology of epic Old Testament proportions. Drummer Tyler "T-Top" Smith beats the living shit out of his drums and perfectly compliments the thunderous fire that bursts out of Gentry's antique tube amplification! The band will be recording their debut album with Randall Dunn (Earth, sunn 0))), ) in Seattle this Winter and it should be released before summer of 2009. http://www.myspace.com/eagletwin. (Earsplit)

DARK CASTLE: At A Loss is pleased to announce it will be working with St. Augustine, Florida's female / male duo Dark Castle, releasing their next full length album in 2009. Phillip Cope (Baroness / Kylesa / Withered) recently recorded the tracks for the upcoming release at the infamous Jam Room, capturing the band's unique brand of metallic , psyche-doom. More album and tour info will definitely be announced shortly...http://www.myspace.com/darkcastlemetal. (Earsplit)

THYRFING: Thyrfing has delivered its very own brew of metal music since 1995. After five full-length albums and numerous live performances the band now releases Hels Vite, still carrying the integrity and trademarks known since their 1998 self-titled debut album, brought forth through Valdr Galga (1999), Urkraft (2000), Vansinnesvisor (2002) and Farsotstider (2005). In 2007 a new line-up was formed after the departure of long time members Thomas Väänänen and Henrik Svegsjö, introducing new vocalist Jens Rydén (ex-Naglfar). The band name is taken from the sword "Tyrfing" in Scandinavian mythology - a cursed blade that appears in several tales and myths. With massive critical acclaim already beginning to pour in on this blackened Pagan metal masterpiece the world over, Hels Vite is about to bring Thyrfing to a whole new level. Hels Vite will be unleashed in North America January 27, 2009. http://www.thyrfing.com or http://www.myspace.com/thyrfingband. (Earsplit)

DESTRUCTION: Germany's Destruction are celebrating their 25th year of ravaging the planet with their highly influential style of thrash! Their latest release D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. displays the trio's metal at its most comprehensive, showcasing the full spectrum of this band's powerful thrash approach which has carried them to the top ranks of thrash metal. "...an effort such as this still proves them as relevant as Slayer or Kreator, their only true competition today." - Exclaim! "An aural battering never felt so good. " - Brave Words Bloody Knuckles "The 25-year celebration motivated the band to write more edgy and rawer material than before... This is a simply amazing album..." - Metal-Rules.com. http://www.destruction.de or http://www.myspace.com/officialdestruction. (Earsplit)

BLOOD I BLEED: Blood I Bleed from Holland have entered the studio to record their debut full-length, tentatively entitled Gods Out Of Monsters. The band have recorded 23 songs including several older tunes, re-recorded this time with singer Rosco (also ex-My Minds Mine) who joined the Dutch trio two years ago. Expect nothing less than just one solid piece of rabid hardcore thrash/grind the way the band displayed it on their previous release High Octane Thrash, as well as a cover of Enemy Soils song "Lost." The release date for the album is set for early 2009 via Selfmadegod Records (CD) and Fast & Furious (LP), with artwork handled by Nabbe (Insult) who previously did work for Regurgitate, Collision, Reproach and other notable acts. http://www.myspace.com/bloodibleed666. (Earsplit)

SYMPHONY X: InsideOut Music is proud to announce that Symphony X has released a special 5.1 Edition of their critically acclaimed release Paradise Lost. The double disc package includes a DVD 5.1 mix by Jens Bogren of the entire album as well as two enhanced HD videos for “Set the World on Fire” and "Serpent’s Kiss." The album can be pre-ordered on amazon.com. Also Newbury Comics will have an exclusive signed booklet edition, that features an autographed booklet signed by the entire band. These are limited to 500 so go to http://www.newburycomics.com/rel/v2_home.php?storenr=103&deptnr=606 and pre-order now. (Earsplit)

SAXON: HThe new Saxon studio album Into The Labyrinth will be released via SPV in Germany on January 9th, in Europe January 12th and in the USA/Canada January 13th! In the meantime, be a part of the "RIFF KING contest" - a once in a lifetime competition to play WITH Saxon on stage!See the details at http://www.youtube.com/riffking and http://www.myspace.com/saxonriffking. (Earsplit)

HANSON BROTHERS: The Hanson Brothers will be releasing their live album, It’s A Living, this autumn on their own imprint Wrong Records. If there were any doubts whether this band could deliver the goods away from the safe confines of a recording studio, It’s A Living will surely demonstrate their ability to deliver a set worthy of their impossibly high standards. The fine acoustics of Coaldale’s Motor Inn provide a natural amphitheater for the Brothers. http://www.myspace.com/hansonbrotherscanada. (Earsplit)

OUTLAW ORDER: In May 2008, the US offices of Season of Mist were nearly destroyed due to a deluge of water damage and the resulting attack of black toxic mold. Can this be a direct result of the volume voodoo unleashed by the signing of a certain southern, outlaw organization? Yeah, sure N'awlins is located in the southern United States but doesn't mean it belongs to it. It is no longer part of the so-called, stereo-typical southern region. NOLA is now its own sovereign nation, leading the rest of the country and even the world in a revolution of extreme music that is unparalleled. Due to the subsequent destruction of the fair hedonistic city by a bitch named Katrina, they have been freed from their restraints to begin a new crime wave in the form of Outlaw Order, the Zero / Zero percent. This group of restless reprobates cultivated under the scrutiny and beat-downs of an oppressive redneck authority. Being well placed members of local New Orleans conspiracies Eyehategod, Soilent Green and Hawgjaw, these gentlemen have united under one negative war banner to blast the system with a twist to the N'awlins sound of rebellion and pollution. A fully realized organization, these null-percenters follow no one. They do however wear the Louisiana influence on their black arm banded sleeves and shine a stolen police flashlight into the darkened rooms inhabited by law enforcement cockroaches. This is truly a new separatist set of rules. Combining their militant safecracking skills with leading sonic boom specialists Season of Mist, the debut record Dragging down the Enforcer is set to explode this autumn. http://www.myspace.com/outlaworder. (Earsplit)

CROWN THE LOST: Pittsburgh melodic thrash metallers Crown The Lost have signed a worldwide deal with Italy-based Cruz del Sur Music for the release of their Blind Faith Loyalty album, set for a March 2009 release. Commented guitarist David E. Gehlke: "Obviously, we're enthused to be working with such a reputable label like Cruz del Sur. We've heard plenty of good things about the label from both fellow bands and colleagues alike, so it was quite an easy decision to make. We look forward to finally getting Blind Faith Loyalty out and giving it the proper promotion it needs." "I am very excited about releasing Crown The Lost's Blind Faith Loyalty," said label owner Enrico Leccese. "Few newcomers made such an impact on me as when I first heard CTL’s first self-released album, so I felt I had to follow the evolution of the band closely. Then came the first cuts from Blind Faith Loyalty and I was so blown away by their perfect balance between aggressive thrash metal and classic heavy metal that I felt the urge to offer them to be part of our roster. I am sure Blind Faith Loyalty will be one of the albums you'll remember on your 2009 best of the year lists." The follow-up to 2006's critically-acclaimed Reverence Dies Within album, Blind Faith Loyalty expands upon Crown The Lost's intricate and memorable blend of progressively-tinged thrash and melodic metal, this time with a greater emphasis on vocal dynamics and instrumental breaks. http://www.crownthelost.com or http://www.myspace.com/crownthelostmetal. (Earsplit)

ABSU Texas-based mythological occult metal outfit ABSU has announced the addition of bassist/co-vocalist Ezezu (ex-Panzram) to the group's ranks. This is the first time the band is experiencing a permanent quartet-type line up since the band’s debut album Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L. Drummer/vocalist Proscriptor says of the latest addition, "We are very proud to welcome Ezezu as the newest member of ABSU. He was the missing element we have been searching for and definitely fits in the group. We are delighted to convey our next chapter of mythological occult metal with him." Absu has just completed the recording of their latest album, Absu to be released in the beginning of 2009 on Candlelight Records. The album was more or less engineered by the band, mixed by none other than J.T. Longoria at Nomad Recording Studio (King Diamond, Solitude Aeternus, etc.) and will be mastered by Proscriptor at his studio Tarot Productions. http://www.absu.us or http://www.myspace.com/absu. (Earsplit)

VIKING SKULL: Powerage Records in cooperation with Candlelight Records proudly announces the November 25 American release for Doom Gloom Heartache & Whiskey, the new album from England’s Viking Skull. Recorded and produced outside Philadelphia, where Candlelight's American offices are located, the record is the first to feature new drummer Jess Margera (cKy). Born to rock and rock hard they do, Viking Skull make their proper US introduction with the release of Doom Gloom Heartache & Whiskey. Due to limited label support and resources the band’s two previous albums are hard-to-find items for the band’s fast growing fanbase. Vocalist Roddy Stone notes, "being signed to a record company that actually wants to sell records and help us out a bit by splashing some cash so we can actually record an album and tour is a first for us. It’s like upgrading from sails to a big jet engine on a battle ship armed with riffs and songs so dense they can crush planets. It's a perfect combination to rid the world of the piss weak metal we hear today; bands who spend more time doing their hair and chasing the latest fad than actually writing a decent tune. This is the year of the skull, our boots are heavy and your hinges are weak; watch out!" Stone with bassist Waldie, guitarists Dom and Brandwine Eel and Margera take their love of Sabbath and add to it modern rock icons to create a good ole rock n roll vibe that is contagious and fun. Already a noted live performer in Europe where the band have toured with the likes of Dio, Him, Clutch, and two appearances at the prestigious Download Festival, Viking Skull are looking forward to their first big performances in the US. “Its about time Viking Skull got to play some proper gigs in the US," says drummer Jess Margera. "I was starting to get sick of always having to fly across the Atlantic Ocean every time I needed to get my fix. The United States needs Viking Skull! Maybe the country would be in better shape right now if we got John McCain and Barack Obama a beer, a shot of whiskey and the new Viking Skull album." Formed in 2003, Viking Skull draw deeply on a mix of Black Sabbath, AC/DC, WASP, Motörhead, The Who, Kiss and Thin Lizzy for good measure. The band recorded and independently released their early songs for a whopping $500. The recording, titled Chapter One, was met with amazing reviews; the album still the only one to date to score 11 out of 10 in Metal Hammer! In 2005 the band recorded Born in Hell, their debut full-length. European tours with Clutch and cKy would follow as the band’s profile continued to grow. Late 2006 would see the band return to the studio for recordings of the first record to see limited US release. Chapter Two was released in early 2007 and featured guest appearances from members of cKy and Fireball Ministry. Doom Gloom Heartache & Whiskey is the first album from newly-formed London-based Powerage Records. A joint venture between Classic Rock Magazine/Future PLC and Plastichead Music Distribution, Powerage Records was intently formed to champion high-voltage rock and roll. A&R veteran Derek Oliver has been brought in to oversea artist liaison while the editorial and sales teams of Classic Rock and Plastichead Music tackle the marketing and sales for the artists. In the US, Candlelight Records will oversee and coordinate all efforts for Powerage with the help of Caroline Distribution/EMI Music Marketing. The track listing for Doom Gloom Heartache & Whiskey: Start a War, Doom Gloom Heartache & Whiskey, In Hell, Hair of the Dog, Shot Down, Double or Quits, In for the Kill, 19 Swords, Drink. http://www.myspace.com/vikingskull. (Earsplit)

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS: In The Shadow of a Thousand Suns, the blistering debut full-length for American atmospheric black metal outfit Abigail Williams is taking critics and fans of the genre by critically-acclaimed storm. After multiple successful North American and European tours, festival appearances and shows with Emperor in 2007 already under their belt, and tours through the rest of the year announced or in the works, this band will become a household name in the metal genre in no time. Produced by James Murphy and featuring the drumming of Trym Torson (Emperor/Zyklon), In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns is an undeniably intense, professionally executed release. (Earsplit)

SOTHIS One of Candlelight's latest signings, LA's black metal unit Sothis is garnishing a bit of attention. As recently featured on Myspace's metal page, their debut full-length De Oppresso Liber unloads nine tracks of scathing, soulless, synth-laden battery, and sets the band up for an active year. Tour and show news is pending for the band with more news to follow shortly. An interview recently posted to Youtube shows Sothis drummer Dross in an in-depth mixing board discussion on the album in-studio in Sweden with producer Andy LaRocque: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc5RlE_TWqw. (Earsplit)

DESTRUCTION: There is no better champion of thrash than Germany's Destruction. Hailed as one of the genre's innovators (and best) the trio have consistently delivered a characteristic one-two knock out punch of speed and intensity. Uncompromising, honest and determined, they continue decades after their genesis. The new album D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. not only represents the latest release from the thrash juggernaut, it additionally celebrates 25 years of commitment from Destruction that continues to prove there is no slowing down for them. Following the impressive 2005 Inventor of Evil and 2007 re-recorded album Thrash Anthems, D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. unveils a hurricane of technically skilled, energetic thrash, executing an array of material that bears influence from all eras of their discography. Destruction never fail to deliver. (Earsplit)

OMNIUM GATHERUM: Formed in 1996, Omnium Gatherum quickly amassed a loyal fanbase. Confidently blending melody and aggression this band has entertained an international audience that has grown with each new recording. Signing to Candlelight in 2006 the band released Stuck Here on Snake’s Way in 2007. The album was supported by numerous European tours, including runs with Dark Tranquility, Caliban, and Entombed, and hit the Finnish charts at position 31. Now with The Red Shift the band again commence to touring with a fall run alongside Nile and Grave. The band have already completed a video for the album’s lead off track which is already available at numerous sites. The Red Shift is a development priority recording for Candlelight this fall. Producer Dan Swano, who masterminded the album’s recording proclaims, "I hate bands like Omnium Gatherum... they are so good it pisses me off!”(Earsplit)

KHOLD: Primitive yet mature, this Norwegian band’s seemingly simplistic compositions incorporate dark, noxious atmospheres within ther demanding, sonic riffing. Their Norwegian lyrics add further charm to their music for their largely English-speaking fanbase. After several successful European tours and numerous major metal festivals, the band took a brief hiatus (some of the members concentrating on their Tulus project) and return now in 2008 with their newest full-length Hundre Ar Gammal. (Earsplit)

SOTAJUMALA: "Oikeutus", the new video from the Finnish death metal band Sotajumala, can be viewed below. The clip was shot in April 2008 in Vaasa, Finland. The song comes off the group's second album, Teloitus (Finnish for "execution"), which entered the Finnish chart last October at position No. 17. SOTAJUMALA "OIKEUTUS" video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8nRTkK1zCE. Sotajumala is a Finnish death metal band founded in 1998. The name translates to “Wargod” and almost all lyrics are in their native language. The band has gained loyal following through hard work, several shows and solid releases. Current members are Mynni Luukkainen, Kosti Orbinski, Pete Lapio, Tomi Otsala and Timo Häkkinen. As a result of meticulous writing process the band has just unleashed their sophomore album, Teloitus. The current line-up has solidified their own sound and the approach to song-writing has also taken some very important steps forward. With these eight songs Sotajumala proves they are band to keep an eye on. Expect nothing but a massive dose of crushing Finnish death metal! http://www.sotajumala.com or http://www.myspace.com/sotajumala . (Earsplit)

DOOM:VS: DOOM:VS / Dead Words Speak release date: 10/20/2008. Johan Ericson is a multitalented musician and producer with a number of projects of his own. The most distinguished of these is gothic/doom act Draconian, which Johan established in 1994. From the profound elevation of this distinct mind calls also the spirit of Doom:VS; a project born from the idea of constructing something utterly dark and personal in the unique field of doom metal. Near the closure of 2004 the self produced demo album Empire of the Fallen was released; a four track obscure and prominent contribution to the doom metal underground. The demo was very well received and led to a deal with the Finish label Firedoom Music (extreme doom metal specialist label of Firebox Records). Soon after that the debut album Aeternum Vale was recorded and finally released in 2006 and made very good reviews throughout the doom metal community. In January 2008 the work began on yet another album. Dead Words Speak was written and recorded by Johan himself at the Draconian rehearsal room. With a more heavy approach regarding the sound than previous efforts, the music is both darker and more eerie than ever before. Filled with emotion and despair Dead Words Speak is a personal settlement with the past. Almost crushing sometimes, the music never lacks the evocative melodies that signify Doom:VS. (Earsplit)

PANTHEIST: PANTHEIST / Journey Through Lands Unknown release date: 11/17/2008. Pantheist started as a musical concept in early 2000 in Belgium. After little experimenting with dark synth music at first, their attention turned to slow, dark metal. In late 2001 Pantheist recorded with the assistance of a session bass player; a first demo called 1000 Years. The demo drew the attention of Finnish Firebox Records, who offered Pantheist a two-album deal. The band entered the studio in January 2003 for the recording of a first album called O Solitude. Several live performances in Europe followed, with the likes of Morgion, Evoken, Mourning Beloveth, Skepticism, While Heaven Wept and Esoteric. In May 2004 Kostas decided to move the band to the United Kingdom due to the geographical distance with the other band members. As in the early days, the band became again a two-man studio project, but Kostas and Nicolas saw soon two talented musicians join their ranks, namely Andy and Mark, at the time both in Esoteric. With this line-up, the band recorded Amartia at The Lodge studios, Northampton. Pantheist have renewed their contract with Firedoom and their third album Journey Through Lands Unknown is to be released this year. Also, the band's debut album O Solitude will be reissued in 2009 with new artwork. (Earsplit)

FOREST OF SHADOWS: FOREST OF SHADOWS / Six Waves of Woe release date: 11/17/2008. Sweden's Forest of Shadows was founded as a solo-project in the autumn of 1997 by Niclas Frohagen. After having recorded the demo The Silent Cry, multi-instrumentalist Micce Andersson joined the band. Together they reinterpreted and polished up the old material and released it as promotion material both on cd and online at mp3.com, all with the intention of attracting a record deal. The English label Rage of Achilles (home for Mistress, Manitou, Spiritus Mortis, etc.) had noted this and offered the band a record deal. In 2001 the MCD Where Dreams Turned to Dust was released and soon afterwards the work on a full-length album began. During its production, Niclas and Micce started drifting apart, not as friends but in terms of musical direction. This resulted in that Niclas finished the album, later on titled Departure, on his own. As if the separation wasn't bad enough Rage of Achilles went out of business just as the album was finished. The record deal was handed over to Finnish label Firedoom Music who not only released the album but also offered a deal for yet another album. This time things went more smooth and in 2008, after three years of slow progression, the album Six Waves of Woe was finished. (Earsplit)

SPIRITUS MORTIS: The oldest Finnish doom metal band Spiritus Mortis has signed a contract with Firebox Records. One 7"EP (first ever Firebox 7" vinyl), a new album (to be recorded in December) and debut album reissue (2xCD, remastered & bonus tracks) are all planned for 2009. (Earsplit)

SUNN 0))): sunn 0))) - Dømkirke 2xLP; Last year sunn 0))) was invited to perform at a ancient cathedral in Bergen Norway. The performance was captured via 24 track mobile recording and the results were pressed onto double 180 gram black vinyl. This recording will be available exclusively on vinyl only. There will not be a digital release (cd or downloads) - pure analog! The 0))) lineup for this performance includes Attila Csihar (Mayhem) on vocals, Steve Moore (Earth, Ascend) on the church's legendary pipe organ and Norwegian native Lasse Marhaug on electronics. Behold the glory! (Earsplit)

GORE: Gore - Hart Gore/Mean Mans Dream (remaster/reissue) CD + (2) 2xLP; An essential reissue of the first two albums from this seminal instrumental Dutch band who ruled in the 90s. Relentless, heavy pounding instrumental ROCK, whose influence on other instrumental outfits like Pelican, Don Caballero, Russian Circles etc.. is painfully obvious. With their use of repetitive heavy rolling rhythms and bombastic execution (sans vocals) Gore pioneered a new style of music for the time. Gore’s sound is a monolithic one, uncompromising and seemingly singular in its vision. For the first time ever these recordings have been painstakingly remastered and are now available again to amaze, overwhelm and bewilder! Each disc of this double-CD set contains the remastered album in all its glory PLUS unreleased bonus material from the same era as the album. This 2xCD set contains 33 songs in total! In the tradition of quality Southern Lord packaging these albums are packaged with a 32 page booklet that contains several never before seen photos plus meticulous liner notes from bassist Rob Frey. (Earsplit)

VELVET CACOON: Velvet Cacoon - Genevieve CD (Southern Lord version); Velvet Cacoon consists of sole songwriter Josh and his dreampop muse Angela, two souls mesmerized by chemicals and the after-hours. They are architects of a minimalist sound existing somewhere between experimental black metal and ambience. Velvet Cacoon cleverly fuse the ominous darkness and mystery of their surroundings in the Pacific Northwest with the bleak dreary depression of black metal. Genevieve is recognized as their first true release and is already regarded as a classic American Black Metal album. The influence of this album has been exhibited by current bands like: Wolves In The Throne Room, Nachtmystium, Xasthur etc... Insanely packaged in a beautiful velvet jacket with the Velvet Cacoon logo in black foil. (Earsplit)

FUNEREAL MOON: Autopsy Kitchen Records proudly announces our new signing/collaboration with Mexico's ambient/occult/black metal project Funereal Moon! Funereal Moon have been creating Satanic audio blasphemies in this world since 1993 with the debut release of their Prayers Of The Crystal Tablet Of Beli demo cassette. They have had a unique approach to the dark arts from their very inception and it has only grown phenomenally over the decade since. We first became familiar with Funereal Moon's mysterious presence with their 1997 vinyl only release Grim...Evil.... Soon after that release the band all but disappeared from this planet with only 2 very limited "commemorative/best of" CDs containing a scattering of new tracks being released in a span of almost a decade! Funereal Moon eventually returned from absolute obscurity however and began recording full time once again much to our own pleasure. We decided to approach the band about doing a re-release of Grim...Evil on CD format and in the end we got much more than we bargained for...Funereal Moon have made Autopsy Kitchen their new home for all obsessive intents and Satanic purpose in life...The first collaboration is fully recorded and will consist of a re-release of the tracks from the previously mentioned "Grim...Evil..." LP as well as the first new Funereal Moon recordings in years: Satan's Beauty Obscenity. Following this release, the aptly titled brand new full length recording Bringer Of Evil will also materialize to assist in your pain and pleasure as Funereal Moon have done for us all these years. (Earsplit)

FANATICS: Every now and again the rare occasion arises that you come across a record clearly created by fanatics that simply can't help but stand apart from the crowd. Fanatics that have deep roots in nothing else but bashing out the most grim yet beautiful sounding doom... doom isn't the genre here, doom is the atmosphere. Eyes peer beyond shadows and blood flows beneath footprints. The world is not as vast as the mind. Reality suffers the consequence and we are it's slaves. Peasant is Thou's 2nd full length after their debut LP Tyrant and both LPs were summoned in their hometown of Baton Rouge, LA which many here in the states consider the home state of that true soulful doom vibe somewhat akin to Motown via Detroit. Unlike many bands of the ilk, Thou doesn't just simply plow over you with riff after unbearably crushing riff over the duration of the album but choose to riff over your soul track by track with more venom per ounce than is likely healthy by any standard. Needless pain and suffering are all around you, Thou are not the answer... they are the alternative. No true pleasure can ever be experienced without a healthy dose of pain. Look no further. (Earsplit)

MURMUR: The amazing debut album from Wisconsin's true merchants of bleakness and depravity, Murmur, will follow Marblebog. Their album "Mainlining The Lugubrious" has been under wraps for almost a year now and we are ecstatic to unleash the vision of Mr Matthias Vogels upon the world. The CD will feature sharp spot printing throughout the layout and we've also planned a vinyl release of "Mainlining" (no date) with an entirely different layout than said CD version. The Murmur sophomore effort is currently being recorded as well so expect that sometime in 2009 via AKR. (Earsplit)

GULAGGH: The first Gulaggh album Vorkuta has been completed. Gulaggh of course being the name of a new trilogy of releases rising from the ashes of the now defunct Stalaggh. The album has been produced by Luther Feuer). Vorkuta will be released in a limited edition of 1,000 hand numbered digipak CDs just as all the Stalaggh CDs in the past. Following Vorkuta will be Norilsk and finally Kolyma. As stated by members of Gulaggh: "These are the names of the worst Soviet gulag concentration camps that were located north of the Arctic Circle. We used many classical instruments and over 20 vocalists of which 15 are children... wait till you hear their screams... they will haunt you forever!" (Earsplit)

DEFIANCE: Candlelight Records today announces the signing of Oakland, California based Defiance. The band currently featuring vocalist Steev Esquivel (Skinlab), guitarist Jim Adams, bassist Mike Kaufmann and drummer Mark Hernandez (Vio-lence, Forbidden) has started early tracking of their new album at Trident Studios and Greendot Studios in East Bay, California. The currently untitled album is expected for Spring 2009 release. Formed in 1985, Defiance have recorded three albums all for Roadrunner Records - Product of Society (1989, produced by Jeff Waters/Annihilator), Void Terra Firma (1990, produced by John Cuniberti), and Beyond Recognition (1992, produced by Rob Beaton). In 1994 the members put Defiance on hiatus allowing them opportunity to work on outside projects. In 2005 after requests from fans and new vigor on the part of band members, Defiance reunited. In an interview with popular portal Metal-Temple.com Mike Kaufmann reveals, "We have received lots of messages from fans who have said they would love to hear some new Defiance. We always felt the band broke up too early so we plan to use this opportunity to pick up where we left off." Defiance along with their fellow mosh pit peers of the 80's (Testament, Exodus, Death Angel) contributed to the rise and immense popularity of thrash metal for over a decade. In recent years with the reformations of many of the classic bands, fans have been given opportunity to re-embrace the aggressive sound of the American-flavor of the genre. Defiance plan to finish recording of their Candlelight debut by year's end. The band expects to announce touring plans in the early part of 2009. http://www.defiance1.com or http://www.myspace.com/defiancemetal. (Earsplit)

GUILLOTINE: The Executioners have returned! Reactivated and armed with a ferocious new album Blood Money, Guillotine sets the benchmark of intense Thrash Metal to deadly new heights; essential melodic hooks with just the right amount brewed into perfection to split your skull into pieces! Featuring Nils Eriksson and Fredrik Mannberg from the mighty Nocturnal Rites and together in collaboration with the master of Thrash Metal artist Ed Repka (Megadeth, Atheist, Death, Venom, etc), Guillotine will crush all competitors in the genre and emerge as the reigning kings of Thrash Metaldom! Mixed at Toontrack Studio by Mattias Eklund (Nocturnal Rites, Naglfar, etc) and mastered by Goran Finnberg at The Mastering Room (Soilwork, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, etc), Blood Money will be released by Pulverised Records October 27, 2008. http://www.myspace.com/guillotine2007. (Earsplit)

EAST OF THE WALL: Born from the dissolution of the Postman Syndrome, East of the Wall formed as Brett Bamberger (bass, Biclops/ex-Day without Dawn/ex-Postman Syndrome) and Mike Somers (drums, ex-Postman Syndrome) joining forces with guitarist Jeff Speidell (Delft). The self-titled EP that followed was noteworthy for its duplicitous nature, straddling the line between an engulfing ambience and crushing force. Shortly after the release of the EP, the band added guitarist Matt Lupo (ex-Postman Syndrome) to its ranks and began working on the material that would eventually become its latest release, Farmer’s Almanac. In the spring of 2007, Speidell left the band to pursue other musical interests and was replaced by Kevin Conway (Biclops). Farmer’s Almanac is a fully-realized vision, drawing inspiration from a wide range of emotions and ideas. Rather than songs designed to be viewed as individual compositions, the record provides a linear listening experience, where monstrous riffs dissolve into beautiful melodies seamlessly. Recorded in February 2008 by Colin Marston (Dysrhythmia, Behold…the Arctopus, Krallice, Indricothere, Byla) at his studio in Queens, NY, East of the Wall captured a range of sonic possibilities that brought their concept to life. Farmer’s Almanac is a perfect storm of intricate compositions, carefully crafted tones and extraordinary performances, supplemented by a guest Warr Guitar solo by Marston. It inhabits a wide range of stylistic landscapes, making it accessible to fans of any genre of music. Farmer’s Almanac will be released this October on Forgotten Empire Records. Right now the band is focused on writing their next full length which will be preceded by a split release on Level Plane Records with Rosetta and Year of no Light, both to be released next year. http://www.mypsace.com/eastofthewall. (Earsplit)

SELFMADEGOD RECORDS: Formed in 2001, Selfmadegod Records out of Poland has finally launched a North American webstore for all the maniacs who have been desperately seeking its products in the United States. They now can order recent releases at www.selfmadegod-usa.com. More than that, Selfmadegod has inked a long-awaited agreement for exclusive distribution in North America. From now on, thanks to Lumberjack Mordam Music Group, you can get our back catalog and newest products in American record stores, chain stores and online sources such as Best Buy and Hot Topic. Selfmadegod Records has consistently become one of the underground's most promising, forward-looking, independent record labels. Delivering quality releases from an array of artists that span the genres of grindcore, hardcore, metal, experimental or punk, the label has steadily grown throughout the years, gaining a worldwide reputation for strong music. (Earsplit)

BLACK ELK: Black Elk has just wrapped up their new album Always A Six, Never A Nine, the CD for which is scheduled to come out on October 21st. Always A Six, Never A Nine is the second album and the follow up to the 2006 self-titled debut from Portland, OR aggro wreckers Black Elk, whose psychotic brand of crushing, noise-rock influenced heaviosity is a return to the unhinged underground rock force of bands like Jesus Lizard, Melvins, Black Flag and Hammerhead. This new album features ten songs of seething weirdness, with the dissonant, crushing riffage, lunging rhythmic push and awesome freaked out, Yow-esque vocals of singer Tom Glose that made their debut a fave among anyone who remembered the days when Amphetamine Reptile ruled the underground rock scene, but with some interesting new elements (bleak guitar ambience, piano, etc.) that add new shadows to Black Elk's ferocious sound. Always A Six, Never A Nine will be coming out through Crucial Blast on October 21st and will be available as both a CD in deluxe gatefold packaging and digital download, with a West Coast tour to coincide with the release. (Earsplit)

NOISM: Crucial Blast is releasing the first official CD release from the Japanese glitch/shred duo Noism, which follows up their appearance on the Relapse Records compilation Drummachinegun from 2006. Formed by guitarist Yoshiro Hamazaki and programmer Tomoyuki Akiyama in 1999 in Tokyo, Noism focuses on ridiculously complex and spastic death/grind instrumentals using programmed drums that are cut up and spliced back together into impossible rhythms, a million brain-melting riffs and dissonant shredding, all of which is chopped up and processed into abstract death blasts that defy physics. This twelve-song, twenty-one minute disc features a unique, glitched-out chop shop of Planet Mu-esque beats delivered at truly meth'd levels of chaos and fused with sweeping technical death metal guitar insanity. This one is recommended for those fans of extreme, way-out avant-guitar spazz and absurdly technical deathgrind. ± will be available in stores 8/26/08. (Earsplit)

GEISHA: limited-edition CD from UK whitenoise rockers Geisha coming soon. It's been in the works for awhile, but we're finally announcing the release of the new CD from Bristol's Geisha, which follows their awesome Mondo Dell'Orrore CD that we released in 2006. Titled Die Verbrechen Der Liebe (taken from de Sade, I presume), this hour-long, six track monolith follows Geisha into a psychedelic black storm, their blown-out and raw rock infused with a bone-rattling recording and covered in a thick sheen of white noise and gritty distortion. As with their previous album, the spirit of seminal noise rock / sludge rock (think Cherubs, Melvins, My Bloody Valentine's Isn't Anything for coordinates) is combined with violent, chaotic NOISE and tainted with blurred VHS cassette visions and vague allusions to BDSM, and then jammed through an orgone accumulator, forming a ferocious, crushing rock beast that reveals it's powerful hooks and melodies underneath the churning distorted bass rumble and sludgemetal riffage , blasts of psychedelic drone-noise and corrosive skree, percussive pummel, and deranged singing. The sound is immense, and the first five tracks on Die Verbrechen Der Liebe deliver Geisha's in-the-red heaviness and hooks in surplus. "Prelude To Amber Pays The Rent", "A Wilderness, Except By Sight", "Sportsfister" - every one is a crusher. But then Geisha pull out the monstrous thirty-minute, thirty-five second closer "Theme From Diana", and the tone changes completely. This track is a re-working of a "metal percussion" set that Geisha originally performed live several years ago, and it begins as a slowly building fog of voices and effects and shimmering metal that blooms into an expanse of droning, fx-heavy guitar, looping samples, cosmic effects, and improvised percussion. It's a kind of rumbling industrial dronescape that stretches out forever, until suddenly in the last few minutes the drifting drones and psychedelic guitars and sampled voices suddenly explode in an immolating nuclear blast of overdriven, speaker-annhilating noise and the track immediately, terrifyingly changes shape into a monstrous lumbering noise-metal dirge that bulldozes out of your speakers, whooshing Hawkwind effects swooping overhead, the band knotted together into a white-hot blast of ultra heavy riffage, distortion, and a wall of percussive force. "Diana" is one of the most crushing pieces of music that I have ever heard from Geisha, like some majestic and brutal conglom of Swans, Skullflower, Merzbow, and Burmese forged into a destructive space-metal supernova. Crucial Blast is releasing the CD version of Die Verbrechen Der Liebe in a limited edition of 1,000 copies, packaged in a full-color gatefold jacket. The CD will be available in stores on October 21st. (Earsplit)

WILDILDLIFE'S PEAS FEAST: Wildildlife's Peas Feast 12" Coming November 2008. Crucial Blast will be releasing a vinyl edition of Wildildlife's Peas Feast, slated for a late October release to coincide with the bands upcoming Fall tour. The band released this EP as a handmade CD-R that has been sold at shows over the past year, but the songs on Peas Feast are so cool that we wanted to give this a proper vinyl documentation. We are also planning to include a digital dropcard in the vinyl package that will allow you to download the tracks from the Peas Feast EP as well as access some additional bonus music that will be exclusive to the digital download. The Peas Feast 12" will be coming out around late October. Wildildlife's tour dates will be announced soon. (Earsplit)

GOTHKILL: GOTHKILL It’s Open Season On Goth Kids! Available on DVD May 12, 2009. Wild Eye Releasing is pleased to announce the release of cult New York midnight movie GOTHKILL on DVD, featuring the dark talents of Flambeaux and FUSE favorite Mistress Juliya. When Catholic priest and inquisitor Nicholas Dread finds out that innocents are being burned as witches he decides to do something about it. Unfortunately for him, his superiors don’t agree and he’s burned at the stake alongside two women he forced confessions from. While dying, Nick curses God and makes a pact with Satan to reign over his own kingdom someday at any cost. Now, in 21st century New York City, Dread has returned to finish the deal. His end of the bargain with Satan must be fulfilled, and many will die so Dread can take the throne in his kingdom of over one hundred thousand corrupt souls. He just has to find the right bunch of victims…and it just so happens the best Goth Club in the city is ripe for this bloodthirsty butcher bent on revenge! Can a group of Goths and wanna-be vampires hold their own when the real thing arrives? This tongue-in-cheek, JJ Connelly horror fest features a willing cast of New York underground and avant guard music and fetish performers, including Flambeaux, Eve Blackwater, and FUSE’s Mistress Juliya. Website and Trailer: http://wildeyereleasing.com/gothsite.html. (Earsplit)

SANCTIFICATION: SANCTIFICATION Release New Video: Swedish death metallers SANCTIFICATION have just released a new music video for the song "Storm," from their upcoming new album Black Reign. The video was filmed by Standard Film Team from Umeå, Sweden and features an appearance by Dark Funeral's Emperor Magus Caligula (who also appears on the record). Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUhkkYoeQK0. Breaking away from Swedish tradition, SANCTIFICATION offer an American-style of uncompromising death metal. Black Reign is a first-class album filled with catchy hooks and top-notch musicianship executed with deadly precision. The record features Hypocrisy’s Peter Tägtgren and Dark Funeral frontman Emperor Magus Caligula on guest vocals. Black Reign was recorded at Abyss Studio (Children Of Bodom, Destruction, Dark Funeral etc.) by Tommy Tägtgren and mixed and mastered by Peter Tägtgren. Black Reign will hit streets May 12th via Pulverised Records. http://www.myspace.com/sanctificationband.(Earsplit)

THE FEW AGAINST MANY: THE FEW AGAINST MANY - Album Artwork And Final Tracklisting Revealed: Swedish All-Star collaboration THE FEW AGAINST MANY, featuring ex-Scar Symmetry singer Christian Älvestam, Pär Johansson of Satariel and Demiurg fame, Patrik Gardberg (Torchbearer), Jani Stefanovic (Miseration, Solution .45, etc) and Anders Edlund (Incapacity, Angel Blake, etc) have revealed the tracklist and cover art to upcoming debut SOT. SOT combines death metal brutality with a progressive sensibility and features the striking artwork of legendary artist Dan Seagrave (Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Dismember, Entombed etc.). The record was produced by Tomas "Plec" Johansson at Panic-Room Studios in Sweden. In addition, Mikael Stanne of Dark Tranquillity and Jonas Renkse of Katatonia/Bloodbath are credited for some of SOT's lyrics. Comments Älvestam: “It's a great honor and privilege to once again work with my good friend Roy Yeo and his Pulverised Records. We have known each other for almost 12 years now, through our past work together with Unmoored and Quest Of Aidance, so it feels very much like coming home in a way. We are very happy and excited to see where this re-established cooperation can lead us as a team!” Release date to be announced soon. Check out the cover art here: http://www.myspace.com/thefewagainstmany. (Earsplit)

DEVIN TOWNSEND: DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT To Release KI. In a world of increasing conformity and musical banality, Devin Townsend is among the few real personalities who have character, charisma and surprising innovative creativity. As a solo artist and producer, a member of the (by now disbanded) Strapping Young Lad, with whom he played Ozzfest and the main stage at the Download festival, and vocalist on Steve Vai’s album, Sex And Religion, – Townsend has always inspired fans and critics alike. The latest chapter of his extremely diverse career is entitled Ki and will be out in May/June 2009. “Ki is the first in a series of four albums under the moniker ‘Devin Townsend Project’. Each album is essentially a different band or collection of session musicians playing my music,” Townsend explains. “They were chosen based on what the theme of the album is and the vibe that the album is trying to project. The album Ki is very specific in this quartet of albums in that it controls its anger throughout, barring one song - ‘Heaven Send’ - and really is an exercise in having little to prove.” The most renowned project member on Ki is drummer Duris Maxwell (62), who has played with many acts, such as Heart, Jefferson Airplane, The Powder Blues, Tommy Chong and The Temptations. Maxwell even jammed with Hendrix. “I am very conscious of drummers and the energy they bring to the bands,” Townsend says. “I went to a blues club way up in the North of Canada and watched Duris. He has the vibe I wanted for the drums here: nothing to prove, but strong and a bit angry. Duris is an older cat but he’s heavy.” He is supported by bassist Jean Savoie. “Jean plays in a Beatles cover band and spent years playing the cruise ships all over the world. Name a style and he can jam it for hours. His technique is accomplished, and the fact that he had never played heavy music made him and Duris perfect for the project.” Dave Young is the keyboardist, and Townsend has been working with him for years: “He’s the most schooled musician out of all of us and can play any instrument. Keyboard players typically annoy the hell out of me, but Dave is more of an ambient musician and fills the spaces with fitting but unusual note choices simply by watching where I am on my fretboard.“ After an extremely difficult phase (“I quit many bad habits in my life after SYL ended. I felt depressed, angry and unhealthy and was not satisfied with living that way for the rest of my life. I quit all drugs, alcohol and a host of other addictions that were controlling me and my world”), Ki now sees him embark on an unmistakably new path. Although not overly aggressive, the album oozes a haunting intensity, a vitality which hides below a seemingly smooth surface. “Ki is a subtle, severe album, a challenge in some ways. The point to the music is that the whisper is louder than the roar in many ways. Ki is - on the surface - quiet and unassuming. Whenever it begins to lose its temper, it stops and doesn’t let go. It is avoiding that temptation, as that sort of anger is really gratifying but ultimately just leaves me unhappy.“ In perfect unison with this thoroughly unusual, gripping and intelligent album, Townsend presents a three-dimensional cover artwork. As the music on Ki, the graphic design is also consciously multilayered. Townsend: “I live in the North of Canada and I believe that the native cultures of the world have it really down in terms of spirituality. Nature is ‘God’, in all its subtlety and terror. And we are all a part of it, whether or not we want to be. The mask on the cover is based on native North American and Chinese paintings. It is not authentic and is just meant to be two faces in one.” And what will the future bring? “When all four records in the DTP series are done and the ultimate box set is released at the end (eight records plus a DVD), I will play selected shows throughout the world. I will not climb into a van and play clubs in the middle of nowhere, though, I am going to assemble a sober team of incredible musicians to play ALL the records, perfectly, to many people. You will see me soon, and get ready for the next three records in the series; Ki is a subtle introduction to a sprawling theme. Please enjoy, it’s good to be back.” http://www.myspace.com/devintownsenddtb. (Earsplit)

THE ACCUSED: Southern Lord Records is pleased to announce the signing of legendary Seattle splatter rock kings THE ACCUSED! Said label head Greg Anderson: "THE ACCUSED and guitarist Tommy Niemeyer were basically responsible for turning me onto hardcore/punk and underground metal. If it wasn't for me witnessing THE ACCUSED slay the audience -- and me -- in 1985 I may be writing this today!" Added Niemeyer on joining the Southern Lord roster: "Because we are a pretty unclassifiable band, THE ACCUSED has had a rough time finding a label who really knows what this band is about; that our fans are all over the place demographically. Greg Anderson at Southern Lord is the guy who totally 'gets it' when it comes to THE ACCUSED. He knows exactly 'how metal' we are and 'how punk' we are and all the other weird shit in between that makes The Accused what it is: splatter rock. Hooking up with Anderson and the great staff of Southern Lord is the best thing that's happened with this band in a long time. It feels like THE ACCUSED are strapped onto a huge bottle rocket and Greg's about to light the fuse." The band will enter the studio with uber producer Billy Anderson (Melvins, Neurosis, Brutal Truth, Cattle Decapitation, High On Fire etc) to record 14 new tunes. Appropriately titled The Curse Of Martha Splatterhead, the release will mark their first full-length studio effort in four years. The band will be making several live appearances in support of their new opus, including a freshly announced slot at SuperSonic Festival in Birmingham England July 25, 2009 alongside Corrupted and Thorr's Hammer. Prepare to hear a lot more from Martha and the boys via Southern Lord in the very near future! You have been warned...http://www.splatterrock.com or http://www.myspace.com/kingsofsplatter.(Earsplit)

THE TARDY BROTHERS: Since forming Xecutioner, later renamed Obituary, in 1984 brothers John and Donald Tardy have unquestionably become a household names for metal fans. Each have earned the respect of their peers: John for his distinct and unrivaled guttural voice and Donald for his supreme drum abilities. With Bloodline, the duo expand their musical playcard showcasing not only a new artistic outlet but also extending opportunity for them to take their global fanbase on an exciting new journey. Bloodline features guitar work by Ralph Santolla (Obituary/Death/Deicide) and original Xecutioner guitarist Jerry Tidwell and solo work from 19-year-old John Lee and long time friend Scott Johnson. Obituary -- featuring core brothers John and Donald Tardy with guitarist Trevor Peres -- are considered one of death metal's most successful and respected bands. Releasing the majority of their material for Roadracer, a now defunct division of Roadrunner, the band signed to London-based Candlelight Records in May of 2007. Xecutioner’s Return was released late August 2007 and would find support around the globe. “The distorted sludge and swampy groove that made Obituary one of the most distinctive of death metal's first wave are well and truly intact,” said Kerrang! "Xecutioner's Return totally smokes everything they've done since 1992's The End Complete," confirmed Decibel. Obituary delivered the special/limited Left To Die EP in mid-September 2008. Featuring two brand new songs, a re-recording of the band's classic "Slowly We Rot," plus the legendary thrash band's remake of Celtic Frost's "Dethroned Emperor," the EP also contains the Headbangers Ball video favorite "Evil Ways." Said John Tardy of the project: "This is something Donald and I have talked about and planned for many years and we just never had the time to do it. With the addition of our new studio, it has finally given us the abilitity to get this music recorded. It is not going to affect anything that Obituary is doing nor is it supposed to sound like Obituary." Bloodline is the first of several planned releases for the duo. Inviting some of their many musician friends, the pair hope to explore ranges outside the norm of their regular recording commitments and avenues (fact: Donald stepping out from behind the kit to tackle many of the rhythm guitar duties on Bloodline). Tardy Brothers are planning some live performances while continuing work on the new Obituary album planned for release later this year. http://www.tardybrothers.com. (Earsplit)

AXIS POWERS: Album: Marching Towards Destruction; Origin: Sweden; Battalion commanders AXIS POWERS charge forth with brand new full-length Marching Towards Destruction. Featuring members of Swedish death thrashers Suicidal Winds, AXIS POWERS specialize in malicious, uncompromising war metal. Marching Towards Destruction was produced at Studio Evocation by Vesa Kenttmpu (Suicidal Winds, Evocation, Lake Of Tears) and includes stunning artwork and layout by Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu at Twilight13Media (Grave, Demonical etc). http://www.myspace.com/axispowersdeathmetal.(Earsplit)

CONSPIRACY: Album: Concordat; Origin: The Netherlands; Founded and operated by former Melechesh bassist Al'Hazred (known here as Alex "Carpathian Wolf"), CONSPIRACY's sophomore offering Concordat captures the essence of traditional heavy/thrash metal with eight battering tracks mastered by Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) at Sonic Train Studio in Sweden. The disc features artwork by Dan Seagrave (Morbid Angel, Entombed, Pestilence et al). Available in super jewel box format, Concordat will be limited to 1000 copies worldwide. http://www.myspace.com/metalconspiracy. (Earsplit)

VANMAKT: Album: Ad Luciferi Regnum; Origin: Sweden; Swedish black metal horde VANMAKT return with second full-length Ad Luciferi Regnum, nine tracks of pure Nordic hatred and blasting torment. Featuring members of Nidrike and Broken Dagger among others, Ad Luciferi Regnum proves dynamism and dissonance can peacefully co-exist within the confines of black metal. The record was mixed and mastered by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Tribulation, Nominon et al). Blasphemy never sounded so good. http://www.myspace.com/vanmakt or http://vanmakt.com/. (Earsplit)

ASSAULTER: Album: Salvation Like Destruction; Origin: Australia; Salvation Like Destruction is the debut record from Australian comrades ASSAULTER. Featuring former Destroyer 666 bassist Simon Berserker, ASSAULTER's brand of unprocessed blackened thrash metal is soul searing, memorable and true. Seven tracks of bring-you-to-your-knees brutality. Sounds like: Metal cutting into bone. www.myspace.com/burningfront. (Earsplit)

BURIAL HORDES: Album: Devotion To Unholy Creed; Origin: Greece; Greek black metallers BURIAL HORDES spit in the face of all that is pure with Devotion To Unholy Creed, their follow-up to 2006's maniacal War, Revenge & Total Annihilation. Featuring members of a host of extreme metal projects including Enshadowed, Vomit Church and Merciless Crucifixion, Devotion To Unholy Creed is impossibly brutal. Fans of early Marduk and Mayhem will revel in this soon-to-be cult classic. http://www.myspace.com/burialhordes or http://burialhordes.tripod.com/biogr.htm. (Earsplit)

GOLLUM: Wilmington, North Carolina eclectic metallers GOLLUM unleash latest full-length The Core today on Rotten Records! Recorded in Wilmington, NC at Umbilical Studios by guitarist Frank Stroehmer and mastered by Today Is The Day frontman Steve Austin at Austin Enterprise in Nashville, TN, The Core is dedicated to the memory of drummer Hunter Holland who died suddenly of heart failure just a short time after completing the drum tracks to the new record. "You helped lay the foundation and blueprint, then you left us with a gift," writes the band on their official MySpace page. "We will never forget. Thank you for the inspiration you have given each of us. Your beat goes on and forever with us you shall be." Guest appearances on The Core include the return of D. Randall Blythe and Dave “Dixie” Collins (who both appeared on the band's stellar 2004 Lesser Traveled Waters) as well as Scott Angelacos of Hope & Suicide, the angelic vocal work of Cassie Sipe and Dr. George Zervos, professor of Religion/Philosophy at UNCW. http://www.myspace.com/gollum. (Earsplit)

SEANCE: Album: Awakening Of The Gods; Origin: Linköping, Sweden; Genre: Death Metal; Formed in 1990 (originally as Orchriste and Total Death before that), Linköping's Seance played a pivotal role in the first wave of Swedish death metal with 1992's lauded Forever Laid To Rest and 1994's Saltrubbed Eyes. The band disbanded in 1998 but reunited early last year to craft the crushing Awakening Of The Gods. The 11-track full-length finds Seance as potent as ever, remaining true to their technically-infused approach to death metal while adding more thrash-oriented elements to the mix. Featuring past and present members of Witchery (Tony Kampner aka "Toxine," Rille Rimfält and Micke Pettersson aka "Mique Flesh"), the disc was recorded and mixed at Linköping’s HellSmell Studio and mastered by Peter In De Betou at Tailor Maid Productions (Dimmu Borgir, Dismember, Meshuggah, Hypocrisy, etc). http://www.myspace.com/seanceseance. (Earsplit)

TRIBULATION: Album: The Horror; Origin: Arvika, Sweden; Genre: Thrash/Death Metal; Formed in 2001, Tribulation's full-length debut The Horror is a debilitating display of catchy, vile death metal executed with the passion and precision that made the genre so exciting in the first place. Featuring artwork and layout by guitarists Adam Zaars and Jonathan Hultén, The Horror was recorded at Hvergelmer Studios by the band and Olof Wikstrand (Enforcer) and mixed and mastered by Tore Stjerna of Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Nominon, In Battle etc.). http://www.myspace.com/soultribulation. (Earsplit)

DECEIVER: Album: Thrashing Heavy Metal; Origin: Strängnäs, Sweden; Genre: Thrash/Heavy Metal; The appropriately titled Thrashing Heavy Metal is the final full-length from recently disbanded cult metallers Deceiver. Nods to early Mercyful Fate, King Diamond and Judas Priest are undeniable and impeccably fused with the band's own signature thrash metal sound making for one of the finest swansong albums in years. Thrashing Heavy Metal was recorded and mixed at the infamous Abyss Studio under the engineering talents of Tommy Tägtgren (Dark Funeral, Marduk, In Aeternum, etc), mastered by Nicklas "Terror" Rudolfsson (Runemagick, Swordmaster), and features album art by Israeli Metal artist Eliran Kantor (Testament, Aghora, Sickening Horror, To-Mera, etc). http://www.myspace.com/deceiverswe. (Earsplit)

ANALL ANTHRAKH: Candlelight Records today confirms the worldwide signing of England’s Anaal Nathrakh. The popular extreme metal duo are currently in the studio working on their label debut titled In The Constellation Of The Black Widow. The album is expected for a summertime release. Vocalist V.I.T.R.I.O.L. says, “Candlelight have shown a strong belief in Anaal Nathrakh and looking at some of the acts on their roster both past and present it seems they are capable of backing up their good intentions. With their help we hope we can finally get the planet cracked in half.” Formed in 1998, Anaal Nathrakh have recorded five full-length albums, their most recent Hell Is Empty and All The Devils Are Here released in 2007 via Feto Records (co-owned by member Mick Kenney and Napalm Death’s Shane Embury). Based in Birmingham, the band sonically fuse traditional black metal with elements of industrial, grindcore, and early-day death metal resulting in a one-of-a-kind soundscape that has earned them high acclaim from media and fans around the globe. Reviewing 2005’s album Eschaton Blabbermouth called the band, “the best at marrying drum machine grind, speed riffing death, and bombastic black metal grandeur to a depraved, filthy and overdriven musical framework. Malevolence oozes from every note, brooding insanity in every scream, and a mastery of just what makes extreme metal such a dark and difficult pleasure. Sick, ugly, essential.” Commenting on the new album, V.I.T.R.I.O.L. reveals, “Constellation will be faster, more insidious, more ominous, more musically dextrous and wilder than ever before. The album will feature a curve ball guest appearance from Zeitgeist Memento of Mexican extremists Republika.” According to the band’s official website, Anaal Nathrakh was created for one purpose - to be the soundtrack for Armageddon and the true spirit of necro taken to its musical extremes. The band have collaborated with such legendary figures as Attila Csihar (Mayhem), Shane Embury and Danny Herrera (Napalm Death), Nick Barker (Testament, Dimmu Borgir), Joe Horvath (Circle of Dead Children), Sethlans Teitan (Watain) and more. The band have appeared on BBC’s Radio 1 (per the behest of icon John Peel), headlined a stage at the annual Inferno Festival in Norway, and have found themselves included among countless ‘Best Album of the Year’ polls around the world. Anaal Nathrakh’s status as one of the leading lights in extreme metal is undeniable. http://www.anaal-nathrakh.tk/ or http://www.myspace.com/anaalnathrakh.(Earsplit)

AXEMASTER: AXEMASTER is happy to announce that ringtones from all the songs off of "Blessing in the Skies" are now available from Myxer at http://www.myxer.com/get/artist/16630860/ for $1.99 apiece. You can even pick which section of the song you want! The new CD "The Inner Terror" is still coming along slowly. We apologize for all the delays and the time it has taken. The data on the studio hard drive that crashed a few months ago was not able to be retrieved, so the band had to start the recording over. The music is almost completed, then comes the long process of vocals, editing, and mixing. The recording's sounding excellent, MUCH better than before. The extra time has allowed the band members to better perfect their parts and write some new things that are kick ass!, The overall sounds are also improved. Brian even added on to his drum kit which added an extra touch. As we have said before, the CD will be well worth the wait as it will be the best that AXEMASTER has ever had to offer by far! In other news, the band's release "5 Demons (Imperative is their Demise)" from 1991 has been added to Smog Veil Records' I-Tunes roster for downloading (joining "Blessing in the Skies"). "5 Demons" was the last release the band did while still active and the last time they released all new music. It's quite possibly the best of their old material. Check it out at http://www.smogveil.com/ecom/. Sol Music Management (http://www.solmusicmanagement.com/) hooked the band up with the Independent Artist Company and KAIC to create a page which includes two of the band's most popular old songs to specifically be downloaded by radio stations for airplay. The songs have gotten great response from several shows/stations. You can see the page at http://iacmusic.com/artist.aspx?id=93089. http://www.myspace.com/thebandaxemaster

UNOFORGOTTEN ROCK: Released back in 1995 on cassette and vinyl only. This one of a kind release features THE YARDBIRDS EXPERIENCE, which includes original Yardbird Jim McCarty and Noel Redding (ex-Jimi Hendrix Experience), former Talas/Peter Criss vocalist PHIL NARO, Hypnotic/A&M recording artist YAM KAT, RED BARON, featuring former Lady Vocalist Christian Reinhardt, LORD LITTER, original Bill Haley's Comets pianist JOEY WELZ, and international acclaimed underground ball bustin' guitar rocker DAVID LADUKE. Download this here: http://www.ballbustermusic.com/hard_announcements/unforgotten_rock.html. Track Listing: Play That Funky Music White Boy (Phil Naro/Yam Kat); Satisfaction (David LaDuke); Whole Lotta Love (Yardbirds Experience) - -Shapes Of Things (Yardbirds Experience); Shake Rattle & Roll (Joey Welz); Long Distant Run Around (Phil Naro); Little Girl (Lord Litter); For Yasgur's Farm (Red Baron); Evil Women (Red Baron).

DAVID LADUKE: 'HEYWIRE' For Free Download: 'Heywire' is a collection of guitar out-takes and previously released instrumentals. To that end the title cut is pretty much self-indulgent guitar masterbation, a sonic 6-string work out with LADUKE in full orgasmic flight. Download the complete 'Heywire' EP FREE @ Megaupload Now! http://www.megaupload.com/?d=H5U0CVKL. Also posted, Rolling Stones Classic "Satisfaction" including the down 'n' dirty blues track "Bad Luck" at his personal myspace page by his band 'The David LaDuke Group'. "Raw Tracks" is a collection of tunes that were recorded during a rehearsal and that's pretty much what they are...raw tracks. Guitar rock with a bootleg quality sound. Raw Tracks also includes some classic David LaDuke rockers like "Right From Wrong" & "Cryin' For Help," plus "Save The U.S.A. & more. www.myspace.com/davidladuke

OBITUARY: Candlelight Records have set September 16 as the American release date of Left to Die, the new EP from Obituary. The EP follows the worldwide success of 2007's Xecutioner's Return and as previously announced includes two brand new songs from the legendary death metal band plus a re-recording of the band's classic "Slowly We Rot," and remake of the Celtic Frost classic "Dethroned Emperor." The EP additionally contains the band's popular "Evil Ways" video. Obituary's core of brothers John Tardy (vocals) and Donald Tardy (drums) with guitarist Trevor Peres came together in 1984 forming one of death metal's most successful and respected bands. Releasing six full-length albums with Roadrunner Records, the band announced their cooperation with England's Candlelight Records in early spring of 2007. Xecutioner's Return was released August 28 to extensive acclaim and supported with full American and European tours. "Xecutioner's Return totally smokes everything they've done since 1992's The End Complete," said Decibel Magazine. "A tour de force of old school death metal," adds Blabbermouth. http://www.obituary.cc (Earsplit)

BICLOPS: Three new tracks from Biclops (ex-Postman Syndrome / Day Without Dawn), from their summer 2008 4-song demo, have just been uploaded to their website. The band is in the process of completing the rest of their debut record, which they plan on releasing in 2009 through a to-be-determined label. http://www.biclops.net or http://www.myspace.com/biclopsisaband. (Earsplit)

GRAVE: "Bloodpath", the new video from Stockholm death metallers GRAVE, can be viewed below. The song comes off the group's latest album Dominion VIII, which was recorded by Ola Lindgren in Studio Soulless/Stockholm and mixed by Peter Othberg in Sandkvie Studio/Visby. Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci9iiVAZxxQ. http://www.grave.se or http://www.myspace.com/gravepromo. (Earsplit)

HADES: Rome's own Cruz Del Sur Music will release the first ever live Hades DVD, due this November 2008. The DVD includes 'Behind The Metal' filmed during the recording of The Downside album. It includes interviews with Dan Lorenzo, Alan Tecchio, Jimmy Schulman, Ed Fuhrman and Scott LePage plus old video clips, live footage and TV show appearances, as well as a video for "Frozen Planet" from Dan Lorenzo's first solo album. New Jersey's Hades came on to the thrash metal scene in 1987 with the release of Resisting Success.They received glowing reviews in all the major metal magazines. They followed up a year later with the cd If At First You Don't Succeed.In America Hades performed countless shows opening for bands that included Megadeth,Slayer, Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, Manowar, Overkill and Danzig. During the summer of 1989 HADES toured Europe for the first time. In the middle of the tour they decided to break up after the tour was over. All the hard work they had put in would never come to fruition. Alan Tecchio moved to Texas to join Watchtower. Dan Lorenzo started a doom band that he named Non-Fiction. Alan eventually rejoined up with Dan in Non-Fiction and they released 3 CDs and toured the world. In 1999 Hades got back together. Over the next three years HADES recorded three new cds for Metal Blade Records. They put in a strong performance at the Wacken Festival in 2000. Just as quickly they were gone once again. http://www.myspace.com/hadesusa. (Earsplit)

DAGON: Dagon (hailing from Texas) was formed in 2003 and has released the Architects of the Black Crown demo in 2005, and a full-length album They Who Abideth Amidst the Poison in 2006, both out on Desastrious Rex. A second full length album In Desolationem Per Nefandum is now available through Fire of Fire, a division of The Ajna Offensive. In Desolationem Per Nefandum encapsulates the plagued state of the Fifth, the soon to be fetid birth of the Sixth, and the radiance of the Shining Seven in totality. This album is not about self empowerment, rather, it is an awakening to the nature of conscious manipulation and was created with iniquitous intent within the vibratory patterns of the current. Dagon is an expression of the hermetic beliefs and practices of the members; it is not orthodox devil worship. Dagon's live performance is acclaimed for its ability to align within THE current. Those who have seen it know this truth. http://www.cultofdagon.com, http://www.fireoffire.com, or http://www.theajnaoffensive.com. (Earsplit)

ANAEL: Paragon Records is proud to announce the signing and the release of the latest album of Germany's Anael, entitled From Arcane Fires. Anael have released two prior albums on the Barbarian Wrath label, in addition to limited vinyl editions on Iron Tyrant Productions, both receiving worldwide acclaim by critics as well as fans. Described by Diabolical Conquest webzine as "An unholy synthesis of Xantotol/Taranis/Holy Death-esque despondency, the transcendental otherworldliness of first two album Rotting Christ/early Tiamat, the Mesopotamian exoticism of Absu and Melechesh, as well as a substantial dose of Blood Ritual/Ceremony Of Opposites Vorph/Xy magic." Regarding Anael's latest album, From Arcane Fires, guitarist/vocalist Seraphackh states "While it's predecessor On Wings Of Mercury" was a journey deep into the realm of the occult, From Arcane Fires is a little more direct, more rooted in history and personal experiences of a gloomy reality. This means not only the lyrics but also the music of our third album, and it was the main reason to choose a harsh, dark and epic approach for this monument. From Arcane Fires is aimed to show the darkness and the fire forming the foundation of our spirit and so of our music, and to set a sign that some flames will never be extinct." From Arcane Fires is due out early Autumn via Paragon Records. http://www.anael.de, or http://www.myspace.com/wheresilenceechoes. (Earsplit)

EHNAHRE: The first cooperation between Earsplit and the UK's Sound Devastation Records comes in the from of the crushing and tumultuous debut release from Bostonian outfit Ehnahre. The members of the avant-death project culminate from fallout of bands such as Biolich, Kayo Dot, Forcefedglass (went on to form Converge...) and more, here combining their influences into a uniquely infectious, technically-driven, artistically-drunk gut-punch of death/doom experimentation. A concept record in five parts, based on the writings of Donald Justice, the debut album The Man Closing Up is something that can only be digested, not described accurately... dig, delve, and disgust yourself in it's gutsy glory... clips from the monstrosity are posted on the band's MySpace page now. http://www.myspace.com/ehnahremetal. (Earsplit)

XYSTUS: Sensory is extremely proud to announce the upcoming release of Dutch progressive metal band Xystus’ third album, Equilibrio; This rock opera was recorded with a 60 piece orchestra and a 30 member choir, and includes guest performances from Simone Simmons of Epica and George Osthoek of Orphanage. With an influx of gothic, progressive and traditional heavy metal influences melding with this dramatic orchestration, fans of Epica, Ayreon and Kamelot should keep both eyes peeled for this release to strike. Release date of September 30. Xystus is a Dutch progressive metal band formed in 1999 by drummer Ivo Van Dijk and guitarist/vocalist Bas Dolmans. They enlisted bassist Mark Brekelmans and second guitarist Bob Witsma. Through the course of releasing two albums – 2004’s Receiving Tomorrow and 2006’s Surreal the band built up a buzz and fanbase in The Netherlands. The band supported Kamelot and made numerous festival appearances. In December 2005, Xystus went on a European tour in support of Epica. The band had even greater ambitions and in 2006 they contacted the Utrechtsch Studenten Concert - the oldest symphony orchestra in The Netherlands. The resulting two-year collaboration resulted in the rock opera Equilibrio. Conceived as both an actual stage production and studio recording, Equilibrio was performed to four sold out audiences in July, 2008 - over 4,000 people witnessed the opera. Sensory is proud to release the studio recording of Equilibrio, which features key scenes from the opera. In addition to the 60 piece US Concert orchestra and 30 member choir, Xystus enlisted vocal performances from Simone Simons (Epica), George Osthoek (Orphanage, Delain) and Dutch theater veterans Michelle Splietelhof and John Vooijs. The story of Equilibrio revolves around a wanderer named Diegu (Bas Dolmans) who finds himself caught between the forces of good and evil the power mad ruler Primos (John Vooijs) and the altruistic rebel Avelin (Michelle Splietelhof). Primos makes a pact with Death (George Osthoek) take over the world. After unsuccessful efforts by Diegu to mediate between Avelin and Primos, the latter ends up with complete power and the world is thrown out of balance. Diegu is summoned by the godess Lady Sophia (Simone Simons). She watches over Earth and entrusts Diegu with the job reuniting Primos and Avelin in order to restore the balance between good and evil again. http://www.xystus.nl or http://www.myspace.com/xystusmusic. (Earsplit)

METAL CHURCH: Celebrated as one of the most outstanding metal talents of today, Metal Church was founded in the early eighties in Seattle, WA. In 1984 they released their debut album Metal Church. The album was hailed by the critics: "The band's amazing musicality is an absolute highlight in itself. This album will always be known as a classic of American straight-ahead heavy metal." The strong praise of Metal Church continued two years later with their next release The Dark. After the release of The Dark, Metal Church underwent the first of several line-up changes. Frontman David Wayne left the group and was replaced by former Heretic vocalist Mike Howe. Reinforced by Howe and John Marshall (guitar), the riffs became heavier and the lyrics became more ambitious with a number of songs on Blessing in Disguise and The Human Factor dealing with burning political and social issues. The nineties saw the Metal Church members pursue different and more personal directions. As the decade was coming to an end, 1999 brought about the highly anticipated reunion of the original Metal Church lineup, as well as the release of the album Masterpeace. The release of Masterpeace was followed by appearances at numerous festivals worldwide. The arrival of The Weight of the World album in 2004 introduced Metal Church's new singer Ronny Munroe to the public. Respectfully characterized by the music press as "Rob Halford meets Dio," Munroe immediately catapulted the band to a new level in terms of vocals and content. Metal Church continues to be a thoroughly positive band, which you can hear on their new album This Present Wasteland, being released through SPV/Steamhammer on September 23rd. With their new album: This Present Wasteland, Metal Church makes a true return to form with some of their strongest material in years. http://www.metalchurchmusic.com or http://www.myspace.com/metalchurch. (Earsplit)

THE LIVING FIELDS: Candlelight Records today confirms the signing of multi-national progressive doom-death outfit The Living Fields. The trio, with members based in Chicago, London and Ottawa, has received early acclaim via their self-released 2004 and 2007 recordings. Now working on their Candlelight debut, currently titled Running Out of Daylight and planned for release in early 2009, the band looks to take the next step in their still developing career. "Candlelight has been very successful working with bands that defy convention,” says guitarist Jason Muxlow regarding the band’s choice of label. “Their discography is filled with milestones. Their legacy undoubtedly speaks for itself and we're thrilled to be part of their future.” Originally formed in 2002 by Muxlow, The Living Fields have had their sound likened to that of My Dying Bride, November’s Doom and others. But with a twist. Together with vocalist Jon Higgs (also of Monsterworks) and drummer Chad Walls (Brodequin, Enter Self), Muxlow and The Living Fields explore a wide range of sounds and styles utilizing a palette of guitar, drums, bass, strings, piano, and spine-chilling vocals that will amaze fans and critics worldwide. "True epic metal of a most norm-shattering aspect," says Terrorizer of the band’s self-titled debut. “Mandatory,” adds Metal Maniacs. The Living Fields are the latest to join London-based Candlelight’s growing US roster, a strong concentration of artist development for the rising label. Home to all catalog from Emperor, Ihsahn, Zyklon, 1349, Insomnium plus early recordings from Opeth and Burzum, Candlelight’s American roster now includes Obituary, Crowbar, Daylight Dies, Abigail Williams (new album this fall), Absu, Averse Sefira, Sothis and Sourvein. The label is distributed exclusively in the United States via Caroline/EMI, PHD Canada for the northern country and Plastichead Music for Europe. http://www.thelivingfields.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/thelivingfields. (Earsplit)

BLACKWINDS: Blasphemy is the disrespectful use of the name of one or more gods. It may include using sacred names as stress expletives without intention to pray or speak of sacred matters; it is also sometimes defined as language expressing disapproved beliefs, or disbelief. This album praises blasphemy exclusively... Featuring members of longtime black metal cult Setherial, Blackwinds' debut for Regain Records features album art from Watain's Erik Danielsson, Flesh Inferno showcases purely punishing Swedish black metal with no filler, no gimmicks, no bullshit. http://www.myspace.com/blackwindsdomain. (Earsplit)

EARSPLIT/ PULVERISE RECORDS: Beginning the new cooperation for the Americas between Earsplit and the almighty Pulverised Records, we are ready to unleash three scorching new releases for your consumption:
Impiety - Dominator MCD - It’s never too early to Die by Power! The Barbaric Horde of Apocalyptik Storms unleashes their all-new 5 track Mini Album entitled Dominator. Savage, Punishing and Unmerciful – One of their most brilliant creations to date! Mini CD version limited to 1000 only in a special slipcase edition exclusively by Pulverised Records. A cover of the Sarcofago song “The Black Vomit” had been specially recorded for the Dominator MCD. Founded in 1990, IMPIETY has long been the leading Black/ Death Metal act hailing from Singapore.
Netherbird - The Ghost Collector - The Swedish cruel masters of melancholic Black Metallers Netherbird finally brings forth 13 tracks of symphonic malevolence, filled with the beautiful darkness to enchant even the most estranged lost souls. This grandeur creation by Nephente and Bizmark has summoned some of the most elite fiends in the battalion, which includes Adrian Erlandsson (ex-Cradle Of Filth, ex-The Haunted, At The Gates), Janne Saarenpää (ex-The Crown), Brice LeQlerc (ex-Dissection) and Mojjo (The Project Hate, ex-Lord Belial, ex-Runemagick, etc) on the drums.. Let the Black Bird soar eternally!
Those Who Bring The Torture - Tank Gasmask Ammo - A filthy spectacular display of an album that reeks of what the forefathers of this genre manifested in the early years, Those Who Bring The Torture lucidly brought it up to another level, filled with the perfect dosage of Death Metal, Grind and a colossal amount of groove; enough to leave the listener tasting regurgitation in their own mouth and yet filled with delight. Tank Gasmask Ammo is probably the ultimate marriage of current groove-grind that putrid like Aborted and early gore-grind that stinks of an aroma like Carcass. TWBTT is comprised of some very well-known musicians in the scene. Rogga Johansson (aka Crawl) is involved with countless bands including Paganizer, Ribspreader and Demiurg. Rogga was also called on board by legendary multi-instrumentalist Dan Swano to be the main singer for Edge Of Sanity’s Crimson II album. Ronnie Bjornstrom (aka Worm) is also the guitar player for Taedeat, Knife In Christ, etc. David Ekevarn (aka Maggot) is currently involved and playing drums with Ghamorean, Apostasy, Mesolimbie and more. http://www.mightyimpiety.com; http://www.netherbird.com; http://www.myspace.com/twbtt; http://www.pulverised.net/; http://www.myspace.com/pulverisedrecords. (Earsplit)

HEAD ON COLLISION: Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, thrash metal miscreants Head On Collision inject every authentic utterance, essence and nuance of the crumbling urban metropolis they call home into their Beer City debut, Ritual Sacrifice. The result is the sick, polluted ennui of a dying city conveniently packaged and shrink wrapped for your listening pleasure. Ritual Sacrifice rips open with the impeccable "Arise From the Wreckage" and doesn't let up until the titular final track, accumulating eleven straight tracks of sullied, gory gold. These days metal is rarely this unfiltered and unaffected; the boys in HOC let the guitars scream for themselves and manage to make it through the eleven track onslaught with nary a drum loop or a bullshit Taxi Driver sample in the way. Authentic metal for authentic metalheads, Ritual Sacrifice is a straight shot of 100 proof thrash metal that should thoroughly disintegrate whatever is left of your brain stem come album's end. Commence consumption immediately. http://www.myspace.com/headoncollisionmetal or http://www.myspace.com/beercityrecords. (Earsplit)

ASVA: As the title suggests, Asva's second album maps an internal landscape - wild, vast, open - at once breathtakingly beautiful as it is potentially dangerous. A psychogeographical vista of mountain highs, barren rolling plains and oceanic lows. Helmed by Stuart Dahlquist, formerly of Burning Witch, Goatsnake and Sunn0))), and recorded with the cream of the Pacific Northwest's rich musical talent, including members of Burning Witch, Mr. Bungle and Earth. What You Don't Know Is Frontier is a lyricless album of immense personal meaning to its creator, giving a very real sense of catharsis for both listener and performers alike. But there's also real hope and resolution at its core. http://www.southern.net/asva or http://www.myspace.com/asvaband. (Earsplit)

DAYLIGHT DIES: Candlelight Records has posted an interview with members of Daylight Dies to their official YouTube page. The interview finds the band answering about their latest album Lost to the Living as interrogated by Metal Maniacs Magazine. Bring your browser to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YnPf3GEbH4. Mixed at Fascination Street Studios/Sweden by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia), Lost to the Living features nine new songs from this cherished, North Carolina-based doom metal band. Working with Travis Smith (Amon Amarth, Soilwork) for the album’s packaging, it is already in its initial release weeks coming to be another fan and critic favorite. "We all feel confident this is the strongest album we've made," says drummer Jesse Haff. "The material is a mix of beautiful, melancholic leads and harsh dissonant rhythms; all the despair-driven hooks and dark atmosphere you've come to expect from us." Formed in 1996, Daylight Dies drummer Haff with guitarist Barre Gambling slowly crafted songs that would make their appearance on the band's 2002 debut No Reply (Relapse). Their second album, the impressive Dismantling Devotion, was released March 2006 via Candlelight Records. Revolver Magazine called it "as thoughtful and compellingly musical as it is bleak and vengeful... essential." A US tour with Moonspell and friends Katatonia, the band including vocalist Nathan Ellis, bassist Egan O'Rourke, guitarist Charley Shackelford, together with Gambling and Haff completed 2006 on an all-time high. http://www.daylightdies.com or http://www.myspace.com/daylightdies. (Earsplit)

TRINACRIA: Enslaved's artistic, occult extension! These Norwegians prove that there is beauty in chaos. Incongruous, exhilarating soundscapes – challenging and highly innovative music performed by Norway’s finest. Featuring Ivar Bjornson, Grutle Kjellson and Ice Dale of the almighty Enslaved, and members of Fe-Mail and Emmerhoff, Trinacria take you across the border into a realm where beauty meets chaos. Enslaved meets Neurosis meets Lisa Gerrard. The band comments: “The road from what began as a one-off concert to this full-fledged maelstrom of a monster album has been nothing short of fantastic for all of us!” http://www.myspace.com/trinacriamusic. (Earsplit)

ULI JON ROTH: Legendary guitarist Uli Jon Roth will release his first real rock record since 1985's Beyond The Astral Skies in Japan on August 20 via Marquee Records. The European and USA releases will follow a month later on SPV. Entitled Under A Dark Sky, the CD is the first official release in the long-awaited series of Symphonic Legends, which is a cycle of music written by Uli for his all-encompassing Sky of Avalon project. Fans of the Scorpions and Uli Jon Roth alike will be in awe of the guitar master once again as he delivers his next masterpiece. http://www.ulijonroth.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/ulijonroth/. (Earsplit)

SOTHIS: De Oppresso Liber, the full-length debut from Los Angeles-based black metal band Sothis was recorded in the band's home city and mixed in Sweden by Andy LaRocque (King Diamond). A track from the album, "Of Night & Silence” has been uploaded to Sothis' Myspace page and website this week. Sothis have been a creative fixture on the Los Angeles area for years and already have a growing international fanbase. Sothis released through independent channels their four-song mini-album in late 2004. Finding the immediate attention of Revolver, Canada's Brave Words Bloody Knuckles, who stated "behold the next big black metal band," and England's Zero Tolerance, the recording triggered a very active and productive period for the five-piece. The band are regular live performers for the West Coast and have successfully toured throughout the Southwest (inspiring 2 self produced DVD releases). The band have also confirmed the filming of a video for the title track "De Oppresso Liber." The video will be shot in LA, directed by Joe Suarez (Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, Evanescence) with an expected October release. Vocalist Drogoth states on the video: "We're very excited to be working with the immensely talented group of individuals that have signed on to work on the video.... Joe has been working closely with the band to explore the band's ideas, and has brought a lot of creativity to the project with ideas of his own. We feel that Joe is the best fit for directing the video and everyone is working to come up with the best possible visuals for a very high quality music video. We have some very creative ideas for the visuals, and some of the themes that were explored with the album cover artwork will be revisited for the video." http://www.sothis.us/ or http://www.myspace.com/sothis/. (Earsplit)

MOTORHEAD: For a band with a history that spans three decades, it is a challenge in itself for Motörhead to live up to even their own previous achievements. However, 2008 proves to be a huge year for the Grammy award winners. With the August 26 release of Motörizer, Motörhead has broken their own sales records and Billboard top 200 chart debut history! Their first week of sales has placed Motörhead in the top 100 overall charts, and top 5 on the Indie Charts. "It's refreshing to hear a group that's been around so long playing with so much energy and passion, sounding like they're having a blast doing it. You can add Motörizer to the long line of kick ass Motörhead CDs." - About.com The pre-release attention that Motörizer received was intense and justified. As the album artwork adorned the enormous backdrop on their high-profile Metal Masters Tour, Motörhead reintroduced their fans to some classic tunes, while also debuting songs off of Motörizer. Though this "tour of the year" has just concluded, Motörhead has now set out across the US once again, as headliners of the Volcom Tour with the Misfits. In addition to these two monstrous tours, Motörhead has been seen on magazine covers around the world, heard on nearly every radio airwave, and will have their song "Rock Out" used as the theme song for the WWE pay per view show "Unforgiven." As Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles puts it, "'Rock Out'...a great song, an anthem that is loud, proud and an uncompromising fuck you to anyone who doesn't get it. It'll also be stuck in your head for days, the track one of the catchiest in the group's repertoire”. In addition to countless other radio, print, and television opportunities, it has also just been announced that AT&T will be airing the Motörhead commercial for another 4 months due to its popularity. Motörhead has once again delivered a well-received record that continues to validate their status as "legendary." http://www.imotorhead.com/. (Earsplit)