Metallian Heavy

After four years in the band bassist Diego “D” has Montreal’s NECRONOMICON. He is preoccupied with his career.

VADER has tentatively picked Return To The Morbid Reich as the title for its next album. The title refers to the band’s early demo. The album will be recorded in April of 2011 at Hertz Studio in Bialystok, Poland and will be released in September through Nuclear Blast Records.

MANTIC RITUAL has parted ways with drummer Adam Haritan. The drummer didn’t have his heart in the band any longer.

Pervade Records has the following releases out soon: AUSPEX’s Heliopause, STOLEN MEMORIES’ The Strange Order, EIGHT OF SPADES’ Driven By Hate, XTRUNK’s Full Confession and EVIL ONE’s Militia Of Death. EVIL ONE has signed a contract for 35 gigs in the USA for 2011.

No Mercy Fool!/The Suicidal Family features re-recorded tracks from SUICIDAL TENDENCIES’ second album, Join The Army, originally released in 1987 as well as tunes from the second full-length from NO MERCY, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES’ guitarist Mike Clark’s speed metal band from 1986. No Mercy Fool!/The Suicidal Family will be released through Suicidal Records on September 7th.

MAYHEM is booked for three shows in Japan this month. Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka will host the Norwegians.

Former ENTOMBED guitarist Uffe Cederlund has joined ATLANTIC TIDE featuring UNLEASHED veteran Freddie Eugene.

Candlelight Records has announced October 26th as the North American release date for The Isolationist, the new album from KRIEG. Recorded at Volume Studio in Chicago, the nearly hour-long album is KRIEG’s sixth full-length recording and the first since 2006’s Blue Miasma.

Former VENOM members guitarist Jeff “Mantas” Dunn, bassist Tony Dolan and drummer Antony “Antton” Lant have joined forces in a band called PRIME EVIL. The group is currently working on its debut album, tentatively due in 2011.

The I Am EP from now-defunct Swedish black metal band ARMAGEDDA is available next month through Eisenwald/Nordvis. The EP features four never-before-released tracks including the song I Am which was previously performed during the Marching Towards Christian Extermination Tour in 2002.

Former EXODUS singer Steve “Zetro” Souza and producer Walter Morgan (promoter of the Thrash Of The Titans 2001 benefit concert) have formed “the world’s premiere AC/DC tribute band.” AC/DZ will also feature guitarist Rob Toto, Jon Allen (SADUS and TESTAMENT) on drums and Elena Luciano Repetto (BOMB SCARY, MOTHER EARTH, IMAGIKA) on bass. AC/DZ is negotiating with Old School Metal Records to release a full-length album in 2011.

Norwegian band MANIFEST will release a demo, Written In Blood, on October 11th through its own imprint, Violent Media.

Norway’s 1349 will come back to North America in October for a co-headline tour with TRIPTYKON entitled, Weltenbrand World Tour. Chicago’s YAKUZA will also appear on the bill. This will be its second trek in North America in support of its album, Demonoir, which was released in April through Prosthetic Records. The band’s last visit to North America was cut short due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland and visa issues.

Xtreem Music has issued FRACTURED INSANITY’s Mass Awakeless album. The band hails from Belgium.

HAIL OF BULLETS has picked On Divine Winds as the title for its second album, which is out on October 12th through Metal Blade Records. The band’s drummer, Ed Warby, produced the album.

SUFFOCATION will tour North America this autumn with prog-deathster THE FACELESS, deathcore band THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD, DECREPIT BIRTH, and Italy’s FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE.

INTERMENT, which feature within its ranks members of DEMONICAL and the now-disbanded CENTINEX, has issued its debut full-length, Into The Crypts Of Blasphemy. The record is set for North American release on August 31st through Pulverised Records.

SODOM has picked In War And Pieces as the title for its next album, due on November 23rd. Waldemar Sorychta is producing the album.

Fresh off the recording sessions of the band’s fourth studio album, Jupiter, ATHEIST has parted ways with bassist Tony Choy. The bassist reportedly quit the band four weeks prior to the recording sessions. he reports that he was not into the music and has joined a project called SYNCHRONICITY which also features former KING DIAMONDer Matt Thompson.

Current and former members of ABIGAIL WILLIAMS and ABORTED have a new project called BRO JOVI. Singer Rob Montague, guitarists Cole Martinez and Ken Sorceron, bassist Andrew Lenthe and drummer Thomas Haywood have readied an album called Songs to Crush Beers To Vol. I : Slippery When Blacked.

Lithuanian metal music festival Devilstone Open Air 2010, which took place in the town of Anyksciai on from July 16th to 18th has received criticism from the local religious community. Recently, a group of local Catholics and the Dean of the local church publicly expressed their opposition towards the festival. They initiated a pre-trial investigation accusing the festival and participating band MAYHEM of provoking religious disunion.

A benefit and memorial show took place on August 6th for Makh Daniels, vocalist of EARLY GRAVES, who died last month – on August 2nd – in a van accident while on tour in Oregon. The show featured ANTAGONIST, EXHAUSTED PRAYER and DESTROY JUDAS.

Metal Blade USA and Nuclear Blast Europe will be releasing the BEHEMOTH‘s second-ever DVD, Evangelia Heretika, this autumn. The band was to hit the road with WATAIN, WITHERED and BLACK ANVIL this November in North America. Singer and guitarist Adam Darski of BEHEMOTH was taken to the Gdansk Medical University Hospital in Gdansk, Poland in August to receive treatment for leukemia. He needs a marrow transplant to fight the sickness he has recently been diagnosed with. The band has suspended all activity.

Season Of Mist has signed THE PROJECT HATE MCMXCIX to its roster. The Swedes’ 6-song, 60+ minute seventh album will be mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö and has been tentatively scheduled for an early 2011 release. Additionally, KYLESA’s fifth album is entitled Spiral Shadow and will be out through the label on October 25th. Recorded at the Jam Room in Columbia, South Carolina earlier this summer, the eleven-track album was once again produced by band member and producer Phillip Cope.

Inspired by KEEL? INTERMENT will release its debut album, Into The Crypts Of Blasphemy, on August 31st through Pulverised Records.

Finland’s OMNIUM GATHERUM has signed a deal with Lifeforce Records. The band is in the studio now to begin recording its fifth album for an early 2011 release.

DISMEMBER‘s Tobias Cristiansson played bass for GRAVE at the Manizalez Grita Rock festival in Colombia on August 15.

ONSLAUGHT has picked Sounds Of Violence as the title for its fifth album, set for release in November through AFM Records.

Kill-town Death Fest is a new Danish death metal festival that seeks to promote underground death metal bands. The festival will be a 3-day event taking place from 16th-18th of September 2010 at the alternative venue, Overdrevet/ Dödsmaskinen in Copenhagen. The festival will present 21 Scandinavian and International acts, metal DJs, indoor and outdoor bars and more. The festival has opted to not have any headliners; however, groups like MIASMAL, DEAD CONGREGATION and Japan’s ANATOMIA are all booked. More information can be found at www.killtowndeathfest.dk.

INCANTATION has announced several special shows where the band will perform its debut album, Onward To Golgotha in its entirety. Expect US shows in November.

Speed metal forerunners EXCITER will issue a new album, Death Machine, on September 24th through Massacre Records.

Poland’s MAGNUS will release a new album, Acceptance Of Death, on September 15th through Witching Hour Productions.

ARTILLERY singer Søren “Nico” Adamsen has joined INMORIA the Swedish band featuring Christer Andersson (TAD MOROSE) on guitar, Peter Moren (TAD MOROSE, STEEL ATTACK) on drums and Danne Eriksson (ex-TAD MOROSE) on keyboards. The group is recording an album.

Has he actually asked THE GREAT KAT? Referring to the song Five Magics, MEGADETH bassist Dave Ellefson recently told an interview that “I think Beethoven would be proud of MEGADETH.” He is apparently especially proud of that particular track.

INSOMNIUM has signed a worldwide deal with Century Media Records. The band will enter the studio in December to record its new album for a 2011 release.

DEFIANCE guitarist Shawn Bozarth has formed a new metal band called ONE LESS ENEMY The band is performing live.

LORD BELIAL has signed a deal with Dozer Records and will begin recording a new album soon.


Metallian Hard

SYMPHORCE will release a new album, Unrestricted, on September 24th through AFM Records.

AVANTASIA is touring Europe starting with Switzerland and Germany in November and December.

ASTRAL DOORS will release a compilation CD called The Best Of Astral Doors in November. The band is also working on a live DVD.

NWOBHM band BLACK ROSE has been rejoined by original guitarist Kenny Nicholson. The band is playing shows in support of its third album, Cure For Your Disease.

In a recent interview Derek Riggs, the artist responsible for much of IRON MAIDEN’s artwork, has admitted to walking away from work with the English band in order to disentangle himself from the bands management and art director.

JOE SATRIANI’s Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards album is out on October 5th through Epic Records.

IMV Blueline has announced October 19th as the release date for Attack In Switzerland: Live In 2002 DVD by MOTÖRHEAD. It was recorded for Swiss TV at the Open Air Gampel Festival in Wallis, Switzerland on August 16th, 2002.

‘80s hard rock band SILVER MOUNTAIN will reunite for a one-off show at Pildammsteatern in Malmö, Sweden on September 4th 2010

The proposed BORKNAGAR tour of South America was cancelled last night following multiple cities cancelling in advance.

MÅNEGARM has lost bassist Pierre Wilhelmsson. Singer Erik Grawsiö will handle both the vocals and the bass.

Joe Lynn Turner visited Mayor Mustafa Akaydin of Antalya Turkey last month to solicit support for an international music festival he plans to organize in the city. He reportedly received a positive response.

AGATHODAIMON has parted ways with guitarist Jan Jansohn "due to musical and personal differences" and replaced him with Thilo Feucht. The new guitarist has worked with the band before.

Guitarist Odd Eivind Ebbesen has left MADDER MORTEM. Patrick Scantlebury of FRANTIC BLEEP has replaced him.

Soap Opera? Snowy Shaw has returned to THERION after joining DIMMU BORGIR in the meantime. The group is keeping vocalist Thomas Vikström (ex-CANDLEMASS) as well.

Singer Andy Pyke has left MARSHALL LAW. He is looking for a new gig and can be reached through info@lycanmedia.co.uk.

Another week another line-up change or two in CLOVEN HOOF! The band has lost guitarists Ben Read and Mick Powell as well as drummer Jon Brown. The band was scheduled to play at the Metal Warning Festival III in Helsinki, Finland and the Swordbrothers Festival in Andernach, Germany this summer.

GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell was forced to sit out August 12th concert at the Brixton in Redondo Beach, California due to a perforated bowel which requires surgery. His replacement for the show was Terry Ilous of XYZ with the band members also helping out on vocals.

CRYSTAL VIPER will release its new album, Legends, on October 22nd through AFM Records.

SECRET SPHERE has moved from Dockyard 1 to Scarlet Records. The band’s Archetype album is due this month.

Germany's doom metal band MIRROR OF DECEPTION will release its next album, A Smouldering Fire, in November through Cyclone Empire.

MASTERS OF REALITY, featuring Chris Goss (producer for bands like QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and KYUSS), will release its next album, Pine/Cross Dover, in on September 14th through Cool Green Recordings.

Y&T bassist Phil Kennemore has been diagnosed with cancer. The bassist is also undergoing a hip replacement surgery.

AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler has confirmed reports that he will join Jennifer Lopez and current judge Randy Jackson for next season's American Idol as a judge. AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry later noted that he was not informed of his singer’s new position and had only learnt of it on the Internet.

WHITESNAKE has recruited bass player Michael Devin. the musician has been playing with LYNCH MOB along with new WHITESNAKE drummer, Brian Tichy. This union completes the new WHITESNAKE line-up alongside guitarists Doug Aldrich, Reb Beach and keyboardist Timothy Drury for the new album which is in the works. An album is expected through Frontiers Records in 2011.

Metal Mind Productions will release a new studio album by TANK called War Machine. The band now features three new recruits, namely ex-RAINBOW and YNGWIE MALMSTEEN frontman Doogie White, ex-BRUCE DICKINSON bassist Chris Dale and ex-ZODIAC MINDWARP drummer Dave 'Grav' Cavill.

CELESTY has parted ways with guitarist Tapani Kangas. The band will continue without a second guitarist.

SG Records has signed the Italian “multifaceted heavy metal" band DREAM OF ILLUSION. The band’s album, called Decadence, is ready and will be issued this autumn.

Nuclear Blast has issued a North American mail-order digi-pak of ACCEPT’s Blood Of The Nations album, which features the bonus track Time Machine.

FEAR FACTORY’s tour bus caught fire while en route to London from Sheffield in England. The fire reportedly stemmed from a back wheel tire before spreading throughout the double-decker coach. BBC News confirms the fire closed down two lanes of the southbound M1 as Northamptonshire fire officials battled the blaze.

American hard rockers LIZZY BORDEN recruited guitarist AC Alexander (WARRIOR and HATETIMESNINE) for its European tour including Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.

After performing at the Sonisphere festival in Stockholm on August 7th HAMMERFALL performed at the after party at Pub Anchor in Stockholm later that night. The band is working on a new album.

CRADLE OF FILTH has picked Darkly Darkly Venus Aversa as the title for its next album, which is due in Europe on October 22nd through the band's own AbraCadaver label and in North America on November 9th through Nuclear Blast Records.

VIRGIN STEELE will release a new album, The Black Light Bacchanalia, through SPV in October. It is nearly 80 minutes in length.

Intense Millennium Records is a company that is releasing material from the Intense/Frontline/Alarma Records group which specialized in white metal. This will be the first time that many of these titles will have seen any form of quality release since their original releases back in the 1980s and 1990s. VENGEANCE RISING, BLOODGOOD, SACRED WARRIOR reissues will be released in November.

POWERWORLD, featuring former FREEDOM CALL and MOON' DOC bassist Ilker Ersin, has signed with SPV/Steamhammer. The band's album, Human Parasite, will be released on October 22nd.

Luca, the singer and bass player of AS WE DIE has left the band. The band is already working with a new singer called Tommaso.

RHINO BUCKET is kicking off a European tour on January 6th of 2011.