Metallian Heavy

NEAR DEATH CONDITION, is readying to release its sophomore full-length for Unique Leader Records in March. Titled Evolving Towards Extinction, the record was mixed at Hertz Studio (VADER, HATE, DEAD INFECTION, VESANIA, etc.) in Poland.

Chris Barnes and friend have formed a new project called IHATE. This is a death metal band. A track called Seeing Red is available. The band can be tracked here: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/ihate

Lavadome has announced the signing of Long Island’s death metal unit DAY OF DOOM. The label will re-release band’s third album, The Gates Of Hell, this Spring. The Gates Of Hell was released by the band independently in 2013.

Dutch thrash metal band LEGION OF THE DAMNED released an album, Ravenous Plague, on January 7th through Napalm Records. The album was produced by Andy Classen at the Stage One Studio in Germany. It has landed in the German charts.

TESTAMENT bassist Greg Christian has left the band again and been replaced by bass-for-hire Steve DiGiorgio. Christian will announce a new musical project soon.

Following a three-year gap since the 2011-released O’ Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres LP, American death/doom duo, ENCOFFINATION, confirms its third full-length album, III – Hear Me, O’ Death. (Sing Thou Wretched Choirs), for arrival in mid-2014 through Selfmadegod.

EYEHATEGOD‘s recently announced 25 Years Of Dysfunctional Family Abuse Tour 2014, which included five Australian dates, was derailed when the band was left stranded at the airport. The band is blaming the Australian promoter.

Sacramento technical death metal band, ALTERBEAST has issued its full-length debut through Unique Leader this Spring. Titled Immortal, the eight tracks were recorded throughout 2013. Guitars and bass were recorded at Augmented Audio in Los Angeles with former THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER bassist Ryan “Bart” Williams.

IMMORTAL BIRD is conducting a ten-city tour of USA. The Akrasia In The East Tour 2014 will begin February 28th in Columbus, Ohio and end in Cleveland, Ohio on March 9th. The band will be touring in support of its Akrasia EP, released late last year through Closed Casket Recordings.

SONS OF TONATIUH is heading to Japan this month for nine shows.

SKELETONWITCH will release a hand-screened, 180-gram limited vinyl edition of its 2013 release, Serpents Unleashed, of which all proceeds will be donated to two animal shelters in the band’s home state of Ohio, namely The Athens County Humane Society and Columbus’ Pets Without Parents.

Long-running Italian act CRIPPLE BASTARDS’ Nero In Metastasi LP is out mid-February.

Slovak death metal band PERVERSITY has released a new MCD called Infamy Divine. It was issued on January 7th through Lavadome Records.

Lugga Music has issued KILLFACE’s Feeding The Dead demo. The Irish band plays death metal.

CANNIBAL CORPSE will enter Audio Hammer Studio in Sanford, Florida with Mark Lewis (TRIVIUM, DEICIDE, SIX FEET UNDER) producing a new album this spring. Bassist Alex Webster has a new recording with his CONQUERING DYSTOPIA side-project.

Following recent line-up changes Spain’s DARK ETERNITY has changed its name to DYSNOMIA. The band is expecting a new album soon. Amazingly any fans who show the band an old T-shirt will receive a new one free.

The Slaughter Of The Soul line-up of AT THE GATES has announced a new album called At War With Reality. The band has signed with Century Media and expecting to record early in the summer for an autumn release.

GORGOROTH has completed recording its new album, Instinctus Bestialis, due for a mid-2014 release.

Guitarist Mark Morton of LAMB OF GOD is sitting out the band’s current European tour due to a “family emergency.” Filling in for him is Paul Waggoner of BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME. LAMB OF GOD has announced a hiatus for activities following the current tour.

Polish band LOST SOUL is mixing its new album, Atlantis – The New Beginning, at Sound Division Studios with Arek “Malta” Malczewski. It is due this summer.

MASSACRE will release its album, Back From Beyond, in March through Century Media Records. The band is guitarist Frederick “Rick Rozz” DeLillo and bassist Terry Butle, as well as drummer Mike Mazzonetto (M INC. and PAIN PRINCIPLE) and singer Ed Webb (DIABOLIC and GENERICHRIST).

Germany’s KREATOR will be featured on the show Schau In Meine Welt on German children’s television channel KiKa.

AEON has recruited guitarist Ronnie Björnström replacing Daniel Dlimi. Björnström produced the band’s Aeons Black album from 2012.

Dan Lilker (BRUTAL TRUTH, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, EXIT 13, etc.) has announced that: “I regret to inform BRUTAL TRUTH fans that as of October 18th, 2014, I will be retiring from being a full-time recording and touring musician. That date is my 50th birthday…”

Brazil’s NERVOSA will release its debut album, Victim Of Yourself, on March 11th in North America through Napalm Records.

CARCASS recorded several songs — The Cadaver Pouch Conveyor System, Unfit For Human Consumption, Captive Bolt Pistol and Carneous Cacoffiny — at the BBC Maida Vale Studios in London, England for a BBC Radio 1 session.

Former MACHINE HEAD bassist Adam Duce has filed a lawsuit against his former band-mates claiming trademark infringement, breach of partnership agreement in which he holds 25% and defamation, among other things. He was fired on February 11, 2013 just before the band signed with Nuclear Blast.

Eric Cutler of AUTOPSY has joined SCOLEX.

ABORTED is again at Hansen Studio in Ribe, Denmark to record a new album, called The Necrotic Manifesto.

On its upcoming North American tour, Swedish band DARK TRANQUILLITY will sell a 7” EP entitled A Memory Construct. It is limited to 500 copies.

Relapse Records is reissuing two CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER albums, Convicted and Money Talks, on vinyl.

Season Of Mist has signed “sci-fi focused technical death metal masters” WORMED.

After 14 years in the band IN MOURNING has parted ways with drummer Christian Netzell due to musical differences.

LOST SOCIETY will release a new album, Terror Hungry, on April 4th through Nuclear Blast Records. It was produced by Nino Laurenne (AMORPHIS, ENSIFERUM, LORDI, etc.) at Sonic Pump studio.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM will release No Place For Disgrace – 2014, a re-recording of the band’s second album, No Place For Disgrace, on February 14th through Metal Blade Records.

Back To The Front is the name of a new album that was recorded last year by four members of the most recent line-up of ENTOMBED, namely singer Lars Göran Petrov (vocals), Nico Elgstrand (guitar), Victor Brandt (bass) and drummer Olle Dahlstedt (drums). The album will now be issued as ENTOMBED A.D. given the exclusion of guitarist Alex Hellid. Original guitarists Alex Hellid (guitar) and Ulf “Uffe” Cederlund, alongside former singer Orvar Säfström will perform the band’s Clandestine on February 1st at Gävle Konserthus in Gävle, Sweden. They will play with a 65-piece Gävle Symphonic Orchestra and a 40-piece choir.

During SUICIDAL TENDENCIES’ January 22nd show in in Switzerland as part of the Persistence Tour a stagediving fan ended up dying following an epileptic Seizure.

HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL has signed a deal with Bizarre Leprous Production and issued an EP called Larvas.

UK’s MARTYR DEFILED will release a new album, No Hope No Morality, on April 29th through Siege Of Amida.

HOLY MOSES’ Redefined Mayhem is out on April 29th.

Inspired by KEEL? Former ENGEL singer Magnus Klavborn has joined the reformed THE DUSKFALL.

Inspired by KEEL? Former Wild Rags band CENTINEX has reformed after an eight-year absence. Martin Schulman has brought CENTINEX and will play a comeback show in September at the Kill Town Death Fest in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Spain’s MORBID FLESH has signed a deal with Unholy Prophecies for the release of its new EP, Embedded In The Ossuary. It is out March 31st.

An agreement between Czech death metal band DESTROYING DIVINITY and Lavadome means the band’s new album Hollow Dominion will be out this spring.


Metallian Hard

ANNIHILATOR's latest album, Feast, will be re-released now featuring re-recorded ANNIHILATOR song on CD and the Wacken Open Air festival show on DVD, in a special Ecolbook version with a new 3D cover.

MEGADETH’s founder Dave Mustaine will be a featured soloist with the San Diego Symphony this spring. The classical music concert, Symphony Interrupted, will be held at Copley Symphony Hall in San Diego, California on Saturday, April 12th.

MEKONG DELTA will release In A Mirror Darkly in April.

HOLY TERROR guitarist Mike Alvord is in a new band called MINDWARS. It is named after the Mindwars album of HOLY TERROR, which was issued in 1988.

EDGUY has announced Space Police - Defenders Of The Crown as the title for its next album. Nuclear Blast will release it on April 18th.

BLACK SABBATH was given the Grammy in the Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance category at the 56th annual Grammy Awards, for the song God Is Dead? which was held on January 26th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

BIGELF will release its next album, Into The Maelstrom, on April 1st through InsideOut Music. Into The Maelstrom features drummer Mike Portnoy (formerly of DREAM THEATER), whose Progressive Nation At Sea cruise includes BIGELF.

ALMAH has released Motion Playback Band, which is a version of 2011's "Motion, where every song has four backing tracks with one of the instruments or vocal part is missing. Fans could now play along with the band.

HELSTAR will release a new album, This Wicked Nest, on April 25th through AFM Records. Bassist Jerry Abarca out due to health reasons and temporarily replaced for the band's shows by Mike LePond of SYMPHONY X.

White metal band BARREN CROSS commemorates its 30th anniversary by releasing its first new album in 18 years, entitled Birth Pangs. It was recorded live at the 2012 Elements Of Rock festival in Switzerland.

Danish/German hard rockers MIRACLE MASTER will release a debut album, Tattooed Woman“, on March 7th through GoldenCore Records/ZYX Music.

Romanian funeral doom band, DESCEND INTO DESPAIR, has joined the Domestic Genocide roster for the release of its forthcoming full-length, The Bearer Of All Storms. It is out now.

Swedish hard rock band SISTER will release its new album, Disguised Vultures, on January 21st through Metal Blade Records. The album was recorded with Martin Sweet and Linus Birbrant.

SKID ROW will enter the studio on February 2nd to record a new EP called United World Rebellion - Chapter Two. The band intends to record a series of these EPs.

Metal Mind Productions will re-release the debut album by the best Polish hard rock band KRUK. The album, entitled Before He’ll Kill You, was first released in 2009 and now will be available again in a new digipak edition with three bonus tracks recorded live in 2011.

Inspired by KEEL? Early ‘70s band BANG, which is Frank Ferrara, Frank Glicken and drummer Tony Diorio) has reformed and looking to play shows. The group’s earlier reformation came in 2000. Find the group at www.bangmusic.com.

Inner Wound Recordings is re-releasing early ANDROMEDA albums II = I and Chimera. Both albums are remastered and feature new liner notes written by ANDROMEDA guitar player Johan Reinholdz.

GAMMA RAY’s Empire Of The Undead is out soon. The title track has appeared on the single/EP Master Of Confusion which was released last year and served as precursor to the forthcoming full-length.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY has replaced guitarist Nick Catanese with LIZZY BORDEN’s Dario Lorina. Elsewhere, LIZZY BORDEN's Appointment With Death line-up — Lizzy, Ira Black, Joey Scott and Marten Andersson—reunited for a special show on Friday, January 24th at the Epiphone party at NAMM at Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa, California. The new BLACK LABEL SOCIETY album, Catacombs Of The Black Vatican, will be released in Europe on April 7th through Mascot and one day later in North America through eOne Music.

Lita Ford was joined by Slash and Glenn Hughes during her show on Thursday, January 9th at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

Finnish band PROFANE OMEN will release its fourth album, Reset, on March 14th through Spinefarm.

MERCYFUL FATE drummer Kim Ruzz has left METALRUZZ. An explanation was not offered.

Century Media co-owner Oliver Withöft died on Monday, January 20th after becoming ill several months ago. He was 49. Former US President Marco Barbieri has been rehired to once again run the US division for the label. He had been label president from 1995 to 2007.

EVERGREY have signed a deal with AFM Records.

As believable as American justice: MÖTLEY CRÜE has announced its Final Tour. The band’s announced final string of dates (presented by Dodge and Live Nation) will begin on July 2, 2014 and continue for two years. Sensing general disbelief following years of false ‘final tours’ by acts ranging from STATUS QUO to OZZY OSBOURNE to JUDAS PRIEST the band has signed a "cessation of touring" agreement. ALICE COOPER will open the band’s farewell tour. Mick Mars is working on his solo band.

ARAPACIS is working on fourth full-length album, which is due next year, with several guests. The Montreal, Canada female-fronted hard rock/metal band is preparing “another eclectic mix of different styles of music for this album.” The writing for the album is almost done and demos are being recorded at the moment. Featured guests on the album will be keyboardists Leonardo Fagelli (an original member of the band), Guy LeBlanc of prog group CAMEL and Don Airey.

Swiss melodic metallers KIRK will release a studio album, called Masquerade, produced by Dennis Ward, on March 7th through Mausoleum Records.


Metallian Demos

Hammerfist – Isolation
This band hails from Venice, California and sure sounds like it. Having said that, the group’s style was not obvious at all to begin. The monicker Hammerfist would indicate a traditional heavy or power metal band. Song titles like Ultima Thule, Illusio and Forest Of the Dead hint at death metal. The band’s thrashcore and crossover sound is powerful and full of energy. This is how it should be done. When slower and mid-paced the songs are a bundle of energy. This thing is huge. When the group goes into full-speed mode, like the start of Forrest Of The Dead, it is brutally chaotic. Heavy, fast, or both the sound is punchy with the guitars especially crashing through the speaker. Being hardcore, the solos are an afterthought, but when the band does delve into them they are capable. The singer Jake Fist (real name: Joseph Herbert Smithsonan III??) is hardcore through and through. It is a compelling package. Write the band at jakefist714@gmail.com (mind you the Google is downloading your e-mail to NSA and other thugs) or visit corporate website www.facebook.com/hammerfist924. - Ali “The Metallian”

Lecher - Werewolf
Werewolf is these Brazilians’ debut four-song EP. It was first released in 2011. The quintet's picture on the back cover looks on the silly side. Musically, the band has clear roots in standard heavy metal a la Iron maiden or Black Sabbath, but the music has moved on and borrowed mid-tempo riffs from other influences and combined with the vocals of Juliano Costa the output has a minimalist black metal feel. The (start of) the third song, Heavy Battle, is perhaps the best illustration of all the preceding description. The other titles much like the music and production are traditional and conventional. They are Twilight Of Prophecy Heroes, Vampire and Werewolf. Contact Juliano, Rodolfo, Sergio, Marcelo and Diego by email at lecher_heavybattle@hotmail.com. – Anna Tergel