Metallian Heavy

AGATHODAIMON is at the Kohlekeller Studio with producer Kristian “Kohle” Kohlmannslehner recording a new album, called In Darkness, for a June 28th release through Massacre Records.

Agony Defined, the debut LP from Baltimore-based thrash band NOISEM — formerly known as NECROPSY — is out on June 11th through A389 Recordings.

Following the release of its debut full-length Ascending To Red Heavens through Selfmadegod Records this winter, Chicago death metal horde TERMINATE has announced the departure of bassist, Alfred Mulle, to his day job. A replacement will be announced shortly.

SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman died at about 11 a.m. on Thursday May 2nd. He was 49 years old. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure subsequent to two years of being sidelined following a ‘spider bite’ and contracting necrotizing fasciitis. SLAYER had used stand-in guitarists in the last two years, but the band was writing for a new album due this year.

Swiss grindcore band MUMAKIL is preparing to release its completed third LP, Flies Will Starve, through Relapse this spring.

ANTIGAMA will release a full-length called Meteor through Selfmadegod on May 28th.

MEGADETH’s Super Collider album is scheduled for a June 4th release through MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine’s new label, Tradecraft, which is distributed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).

Dutch death metal band PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT has joined Willowtip Records’ stable for the release of its upcoming new studio offering. Entitled From Crotch To Crown, it is the follow-up to 2008’s Descendants Of Depravity.

Power thrashers SANKTUARY are proud to announce they will be unleashing their debut album Something Fierce on Tuesday, July 2nd through Canadian metal label Spread The Metal Records.

Texas crossover band POWER TRIP has wrapped up production for its debut LP, Manifest Decimation, for Southern Lord. The band is currently touring.

AMON AMARTH will soon issue its ninth studio album. Entitled Deceiver Of The Gods, the album was recorded at Backstage Studio in Derbyshire, UK, and produced, mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap. Deceiver Of The Gods will be released in North America through Metal Blade Records June 25th, in Europe June 21st/24th and Japan on June 26th.

Godslayer, a 7” from Midwestern US band LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR, was out last month on the occasion of Record Store Day. The band’s Grind-House Records is handling the release.

Philip H. Anselmo, frontman of PANTERA and DOWN, will release his first career solo album, Walk Through Exits Only, on July 19th through Season Of Mist in partnership with Anselmo’s own Housecore Records.

Reunited French black metallers SETH will release a new album on June 7th. Entitled The Howling Spirit, this fifth full-length record for the act will be the band’s first release in nine years.

ENEMY REIGN has announced the release of Tormented To Oblivion LP this month. The nine-track LP will feature remixed and remastered tracks from the band’s ravaging (and unreleased) Diametrically Opposed EP featuring original throat Sherwood Webber (ex-Skinless) as well as remixed and remastered choice cuts from their critically-lauded, Between Hell and Oblivion full-length.

KALMAH is unleashing its seventh studio offering this June. Titled Seventh Swamphony, the follow-up to 2010’s critically lauded 12 Gauge release, was recorded at Tico-Tico Studios in Kemi, Finland, and features eight tracks, mixed and mastered at Sweden’s Fascination Street Studios by Jens Bogren (OPETH, PARADISE LOST, etc.).

VITAL REMAINS’ Eastern Canadian Tour Dates takes the band to six cities this month.

Swedish black metal band WATAIN has picked The Wild Hunt as the title for its next album, which is due on August 19th through Century Media Records. The album was mixed at the Necromorbus Studio in Alvik, Sweden by Tore Stjerna.

White metal band DELIVERANCE will release its final studio album, Hear What I Say!, on September 3rd through 3 Frogz Records/Roxx Records.

Another new week and another new band for these guys: DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN is a new project by Rogga Johansson and Dave Ingram. They are working on a full-length debut to be released later in the year through Cyclone Empire Records.

HYPOCRISY has been forced to cancel its North American tour due to reasons beyond its control. The members had received verbal visa approvals when the USA embassy informed them that the earliest the visas would be available was late June.

HECATE ENTHRONED has recruited vocalist Elliot Beaver (AETERNUM) and drummer Gareth Hardy.

Century Media has signed THANATOS. The band and label are connected given THANATOS guitarist Paul Baayens membership in ASPHYX. An album is due in 2014.

Inspired by KEEL? CARNAL FORGE has reformed. The band is singer Jens C. Mortensen, guitarists Jari Kuusisto and Petri Kuusisto, bassist Lars Lindén and new drummer Lawrence Dinamarca (LOCH VOSTOK and BLEEDING UTOPIA). The band is recording a demo.


Metallian Hard

Former KROKUS drummer Dani Crivelli has died.

WOODS OF YPRES was honoured in the Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year category at this year's Juno Awards, which was held in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The band’s leader David Gold died in an accident in 2011. Gold’s mother accepted the award on his behalf.

RUSH was nominated for the Rock Album Of The Year category at this year's Juno Awards for its latest album, Clockwork Angels.

Inspired by KEEL? EXTOL will release its self-titled album on June 24th through Indie Recordings.

Life Sentence, the new album from SATAN, is out through Listenable Records.

ENSIFERUM has signed a deal with Metal Blade Records following several releases on Spinefarm.

Following the departure of Eduardo "Edu" Falaschi ANGRA is hoping its earlier singer Andre Matos will return.

MERCENARY has completed mixing its seventh album, Through Our Darkest Days, for a July 26th release through NoiseArt Records.

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing has a guest spot on the new album of GEOFF TATE formerly of QUEENSRŸCHE. The album has entered the Billboard 100. Frequency unknown is out through Cleopatra Records. JUDAS PRIEST commemorates its 40th year as a recording band with the global cinema release of the live concert Epitaph. Expect it this month.

The METALLICA 3D IMAX film Metallica Through The Never, produced by Nimród Antal, is hitting IMAX theatres in late summer.

ICED EARTH has picked Plagues Of Babylon as the title of its new album, which is due in October through Century Media Records. The band is touring Europe in 2014.

CRASHDÏET's manager Michael Sundén died on April 19th after a fall in the basement of the Rock City club in Nottingham, England. The Swedish man was 45 years old.

VICIOUS RUMORS singer Brian Allen is not able to tour during the month of May due to a sudden family matters . Brian intends to return to VICIOUS RUMORS for the summer European tour in July and August and the Metal Masters Tour featuring VICIOUS RUMORS, LEATHERWOLF and SEVEN WITCHES from September 18 to October 25th. Replacing him during the months of May and June in Europe will be former VICIOUS RUMORS singer and HELSTAR singer James Rivera.

TANK has hired former DRAGONFORCE and current I AM I singer ZP Theart to front the band for its upcoming shows while TANK's most recent vocalist, Doogie White, is out on tour and recording in the studio with MICHAEL SCHENKER.

ARAPACIS has released a free EP with its 2012 line-up (Lizzie Fyre, Mathieu Roy, John Yates and Jerry Fielden). Comprised of four of its older songs redone with that line-up, it is available for free download on its website at www.arapacis.com. ARAPACIS' latest and again completely revamped line-up is comprised of founding guitarist Jerry Fielden, new bassist John Aguilar (ex-VIRULYS), new singer Shelle Macpherson and new drummer Steve Charest are working on a new CD. Singer Victoria Fedulova and bassist John Yates are already out.

Ticket sales are a safety hazard? AEROSMITH has cancelled its May 11 ‘The Global Warming world tour concert at JIExpo in Kemayoran, Jakarta, Indonesia "due to safety reasons." The band had earlier cancelled its Taiwanese show. The band’s Back On The Road 2011 tour of Japan is now a DVD called Rock For The Rising Sun.

Italian metallers MASTERCASTLE returned on 19th of April 2013 with the new album On Fire, which was released through Lion Music. The band’s new guitarist is Pier Gonella.

The debut album by Bergamo-based band THUNDER AXE, entitled Grinding The Steel, was issued on April 22nd, 2013 through My Graveyard Productions.

Germany’s progressive metal band ASSIGNMENT has signed a two-album deal with Mausoleum Records. The group’s debut album, Inside Of The Machine, is scheduled for a release this summer.

Evilution, the debut from Sacramento, California-based power metal act DEADLANDS is out now on Massacre Records. The band was formed in 2010.

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY is touring the USA with DANZIG.

The seventh studio full-length from by Oulu, Finland’s symphonic metal band ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW, Saivon Lapsi, is out worldwide on Massacre Records.

The self-titled debut album by hard rock band HEX will be released on May 28th 2013 through logic(il)logic Records.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions has signed SERPENT CROWN. The band's self-titled album is out on May 28th. The album features drummer Will Carroll of DEATH ANGEL.

Finnish band BATTLE BEAST will release its second and self-titled full-length album on May 17th through Nuclear Blast Records. The band’s new singer is Noora Louhimo.