Metallian Heavy

Dallas death metal band CLERIC will issue its debut LP, Gratum Inferno, through Tofu Carnage Records on September 26th. The band features members of KILL THE CLIENT, BARING TEETH and TYRANNOSORCERESS.

A389 Recordings has announced an autumn release of Under The Heptagram, the newest EP from European crossover band BLIND TO FAITH. The band features members of RISE AND FALL, REPROACH and Dutch band INSULT.

Code666 has issued ANGRENOST Planet Muscaria.

NEPHELIUM has recruited drummer Dave Black (BLASTMYCOSIS and WILL OF THE ANCIENTS) to its line-up. The band’s former drummer Alan will continue as a full-time drum instructor.

Polish band ARMAGEDON will release a new album, Thanatology, on October 2nd through Mystic Production.

HATESPHERE will release its next studio album, Murderlust, on September 27th through Massacre Records. The album was recorded at Antfarm Studios in Aarhus.

PYREXIA’s Feast Of Iniquity is out on October 29th through Unique Leader Records. Both Dave Culross and Doug Bohn drum on the disc.

A389 Recordings has signed Columbus, Ohio-based death metal band EMPIRE OF RATS and will issue its self-titled debut full-length recording this autumn.

Waiting For The End To Come is the name of the next concept album from KATAKLYSM. Ex-NEURAXIS man Oli Beaudoin is drumming while Max Duhamel deals with alcoholism. Oli drummed for the band as a stand-in last year as well.

Drummer Phil Baheux of reformed Belgian band CHANNEL ZERO died on August 10th at the age of 45. CHANNEL ZERO paid tribute to him on August 14th by playing a short acoustic set on the stage of the Mont Des Arts at the Brussels Summer Festival.

SATYRICON will release a new and self-titled album on September 8th through Roadrunner Records.

DEATH ANGEL will release an album, The Dream Calls For Blood, on October 11th through Nuclear Blast Records.

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante is recovering from surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. Jon Dette has been filling in.

ONSLAUGHT will release an album, called VI, on September 20th through AFM Records. It is the follow-up to 2011’s Sounds Of Violence.

German black metal band KING FEAR will release its full-length album, Frostbite, on September 27th through Quality Steel Records/Soulfood.

Inspired by KEEL? DARK ANGEL was working on reforming for live shows next year, including the Keep It True XVII festival on April 25 and 26, 2014 at in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany. The band was to be singer Don Doty, guitarists Eric Meyer and Justin Zych, bassist Mike Gonzalez and drummer Gene Hoglan. While it was initially announced that the plans are definite, Doty and Hoglan later qualified the statement. In the meantime guitarist Jim Durkin has chimed in that only Ron Rinehart would be the singer of a reunion.

Norwegian black metal band SARKOM has signed a two-album deal with Dark Essence Records. The band’s third full-length, Doomsday Elite, will be released this autumn.

Inspired by KEEL? Another false disbandment: SKINLESS has reformed after a two-year hiatus and will play at the Delaware Deathfest this October alongside DEICIDE, SUFFOCATION, a reformed BRUTALITY, DYING FETUS, EXHUMED and more.

Guitarist Ol Drake has quit EVILE.

Inspired by KEEL? TOXIK has recruited former DEATH, DEICIDE, etc. guitarist-for-hire Ralph Santolla. SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner is also part of the picture.

GENERATION KILL, the band featuring EXODUS singer Rob Dukes, has signed a deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The group’s new album is due in November.

Inspired by KEEL? BROKEN HOPE’s Omen Of Disease will be released on October 1st through Century Media Records. NECRONOMICON, DISGORGE and BROKEN HOPE will support DEICIDE on the No Salvation Tour 2013 in October.

Reunion 2014-2015: guitarist and singer Doc Coyle has quit GOD FORBID. The band has been less successful in recent years. Subsequently, the band has thrown in the towel. Matt Wicklund will try again in GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS.

SKELETONWITCH has a new album called Serpents Unleashed. Set for release on October 29th, the album was recorded earlier this year at GodCity Studio with Kurt Ballou (CONVERGE, TRAP THEM, HIGH ON FIRE, etc.).

Recorded in November and December of 2012, MEGADETH’s Countdown To Extinction 20th Anniversary Tour featured a show at Los Angeles’ Fox Theatre last December, which is now Countdown to Extinction: Live a CD and DVD. The band performed a short acoustic set on August 7th in front of a number of fans at Vevo studio in New York City.

The Stalker, the fourth full-length album from Brazilian band EMINENCE is now out. It was produced by Tue Madsen.

Shrine Of The Pentagram is a comprehensive release of TREBLINKA (pre-TIAMAT band), which will be released on October 7th by Century media.

Following its recent signing to Century Media Records, DARK FUNERAL will reissue its previous six albums. Expect these in November. Following Blackmoon’s death the band is still looking for a vocalist. Candidates may e-mail vocalist@darkfuneral.se.

ARTILLERY will release a new album, Legions, in Europe on November 22nd through Metal Blade Records.

DEICIDE will release a new album, In The Minds Of Evil, this autumn through Century Media Records. The album is being recorded at AudioHammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof.

Singer Randy Blythe of LAMB OF GOD has uploaded a short film called Prague: The Devil Is The Details, which he had shot earlier this year in Prague, Czech Republic while he was on trial for manslaughter.

Danish death metal group INBREEDING REDNECKS, featuring members of AUTUMN LEAVES, FRAMELESS SCAR, MEMORIAL and MERCENARY, will release an album called Abnormal Life Portrayed on October 14th through Mighty Music/Target. The album was recorded at CB Studios by Christian Bonde.

Joey LaCaze, drummer for EYEHATEGOD and OUTLAW ORDER, has died at age 42 years old. Cause of death was given as “respiratory failure.”

HIRAX will release a new album, Immortal Legacy”, on October 22nd through SPV/Steamhammer. Bill Metoyer produced the album.

MAN MUST DIE will release a new album, Peace Was Never An Option, on October 28th through Lifeforce Records. The album features a guest appearance by Max Cavalera.

One-time THE HAUNTED and present AT THE GATES guitarist Anders Björler will release his first solo album, Antikythera” (formerly The Antikythera Mechanism), on November 6th through Razzia Notes. The label is owned by IN FLAMES singer Anders Friden. The album was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio in Aarhus, Denmark.

After spending time on Willowtip Records, Relapse Records has signed grind maniacs MARUTA. The band was founded in South Florida in 2005.

Oooh we are so important: French band GOROD has parted ways with drummer Samuel Santiago. The band assures us that: “The reasons for this split up only concern Samuel and GOROD.”

Singer and guitarist El Cochino (a.k.a. Martin Schirenc) has resurrected a version of PUNGENT STENCH called THE CHURCH OF PUNGENT STENCH. Enjoying the stench with him are Danny Vacuum (GENOCIDE SS and THE ACCIDENTS) on bass and vocals and drummer Mike G. Mayhem (HOLLENTHON). The band’s first show is on Friday, December 13th at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting in The Netherlands.


Metallian Hard

Germany’s ATLANTEAN KODEX will issue its second album, The White Goddess (A Grammar Of Poetic Myth) through Cruz Del Sur.

Drummer Nigel Durham (ex-SAXON. and ex-OLIVER/DAWSON SAXON) has joined the U.K. hard rock band MORPHEUS RISING.

HELL’s Curse And Chapter will be released on November 22nd through Nuclear Blast. The package will include a DVD containing six songs from HELL's February 23rd, 2013 show at the Darwin Suite Assembly Rooms in Derby, UK. A single, The Age Of Nefarious, will precede the full-length album.

KILL DEVIL HILL, featuring drummer Vinny Appice and bassist Rex Brown (PANTERA and DOWN), has signed a multi-album North American contract with Century Media Records. The group's new album has already been recorded and will be released this autumn. The band’s debut was issued by SPV.

SONATA ARCTICA has parted ways with bassist Marko Paasikoski citing the man’s inability to tour. The new bass player is Pasi Kauppinen (SILENT VOICES, ex-REQUIEM and WINTERBORN) who has recorded with the band before.

HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris has a new project called ANDI DERIS & BAD BANKERS. The man has recruited three musicians local to him to form a new band around an anti-corporate image.

CRONIAN (formerly ION) —featuring BORKNAGAR members Øystein G. Brun (guitars and programming) and Andreas "Vintersorg" Hedlund (vocals and programming) — will release a new album, called Erathems, on November 8th through Season Of Mist's Underground Activists division. The band is best described as avant-garde.

VENGEANCE will release a new album, Piece Of Cake, on November 5th through SPV/Steamhammer.

According to Carl Palmer, the drummer for bands like EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER and ASIA, he was asked by Tony Iommi to play for BLACK SABBATH when the band was going to record its 13 album. Palmer declined due to his commitment to ASIA.

Inspired by KEEL? Despotz Records has signed veterans TAD MOROSE. After a 10-year hiatus, TAD MOROSE will release its next album, Revenant, this November.

DYNAZTY has signed a deal with Spinefarm Records. The band's fourth album, tentatively titled Renatus, will be released in early 2014.

IN SOLITUDE will release its third album, Sister, on October 1st through Metal Blade Records. The album was recorded in March at Studio Cobra in Stockholm, Sweden. The band is playing with WATAIN this autumn in the USA.

MAD MAX will release a new album, Interceptor, on October 28th through Steamhammer/SPV. The cover artwork for the album was created by Thomas Ewerhard and it actually refers to the film, Mad Max.

TROUBLE has recruited bassist Rob Hultz of SOCIAL DECAY.

SPV has signed EAT THE GUN. The band - Hendrik Wippermann (vocals and guitar), new member Peter Bergmüller (bass) and Gereon Homann (drums) and will release its 10-song fourth studio album, Stripped To The Bone, in November. A single, called Loner, will precede the full-length CD in October.

AEROSMITH has canceled its two scheduled festival shows in East Asia for August 21st in Shanghai, China and August 24th in Taipei, Taiwan allegedly due to the local promoters' failure to "meet contractual obligations." AEROSMITH was supposed to make its Chinese live debut at the Shanghai Hongkou Stadium.

An aeroplane carrying members of RATT and DOKKEN was forced to make an emergency landing in Illinois after A reported fire broke out in the jet's cockpit. The bands are touring with SEBASTIAN BACH and LITA FORD.

Swedish hard rock band DAGGER has released a 7” EP entitled Mainline Riderers through High Roller Records. The band is singer Jani Kataja (SIDEBURN), guitarist David Blomqvist (ex-DISMEMBER), bassist Tobias Cristiansson (GRAVE and DISMEMBER) and drummer Fred Estby (NECRONAUT and ex-DISMEMBER). The title track is a QUARTZ cover. The band is working on a full-length.

Founding BLUE ÖYSTER CULT guitarist and keyboardist Allen Lanier died on August 14th of chronic lung disease (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). He was 66 years old.

Sean Peck and Dave Garcia of CAGE have recruited three new members. MONUMENT guitarist Casey Tras, drummer Sean Elg of NIHILIST and bassist Dwight Magic of DETONATED are in. The band is working on a new album. Garcia has a solo album.

FLYLEAF's new EP, entitled Who We Are, was released on July 9th through A/Octone Records. It contains live songs from FLYLEAF's recent tour with new singer Kristen May and a guest appearance by P.O.D. lead singer Sonny Sandoval.

College trumps pop? THE MAN-EATING TREE, featuring former SENTENCED drummer Vesa Ranta, has a new singer called Antti Kumpulainen. Keyboardist Heidi Määttä has chosen her studies over the band and left.

MICHAEL MONROE’s Horns And Halos album is out August 27th through Spinefarm Records.

KAMELOT keyboardist Oliver Palotai and EPICA singer Simone Simons are expecting a child. Coen Janssen from EPICA is stepping to tour with KAMELOT.

BURZUM man Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh), who with his wife was let go by French police after being arrested on suspicion of planning a "massacre" with rifles, is planning to sue French police for their “brutal” behaviour. He is collecting funds for the purpose. He had earlier called French authorities professional.

BORKNAGAR singer Andreas "Vintersorg" Hedlund will be replaced by Pål Mathiesen (a.k.a. Athera) of SUSPERIA and CHROME DIVISION at the Brutal Assault festival due to his work obligations.

During its current string of dates en route Texas LILLIAN AXE had a tour bus accident and had to cancel its shows.

KISS has hired Alan G. Parker to direct a band film called You Wanted The Best… You Got The Best - The Official Kiss Movie.

Inspired by KEEL? EMPEROR will headline next year's edition of Wacken Open Air festival, due to take place July 31-August 2, 2014 in Wacken, Germany. Samoth, Bard “Faust” and Ihsahn will participate. It marks the twentieth anniversary of the In The Nightside Eclipse album. In the meantime, EMPEROR singer Ihsahn will release his solo album, Das Seelenbrechen, on October 22nd.

MOTÖRHEAD was forced to cut its show short at this year's Wacken Open Air festival due to Lemmy's health. He had haematoma, which is a condition where blood masses outside of blood vessels. It was revealed last month that Lemmy was also fitted with a defibrillator. Several sources had proclaimed him dead.

German based hard rock band KING’S CALL will issue a new album, Lion’s Den, on September 27th through Mausoleum Records.

Metal Mind Productions will release a new album by EXLIBRIS from Poland. The band’s sophomore release is entitled Humagination and is scheduled for release on October 21st.

Dave Mustaine has not said anything remotely correct this month either.


Metallian Demos

UNTIL DAWN - HORIZON
A quintet from Northern Alberta, Canada? What might the listener expect? For one thing while the location and origin of the band may be 'original' or unusual the music is not. Until Dawn cover the metalcore bases not unlike Killswitch Engage and to some extent - with the ever present influences of - In Flames and At The Gates. In other words Horizon, officially the band's second full-length, doesn't contain anything really new. The production is loud, heavy and intense but this is, as always, at least partially negated by the random mishmash of grunts and cleaner vocals. Fully clean vocals are absent on Horizon, however, but that is small consolation. There doesn't seem to be any method to the madness that is metalcore and Horizon is the same. The riffs are heavy, sometimes solid heavy metal too, but this doesn't completely rescue Horizon by itself. A song like Third Knee is heavy metal in a good way, the melody supplied by the guitars of Steve White and Deke Worrell work too, but that's it. There is perhaps just enough in the more extreme side but certainly a good chunk in the less extreme too. This copy of Horizon features two 'bonus' tracks in WM3 and Richard for a total playing time of over 53 minutes. Contact the band at www.untildawn.ca. – Anna Tergel

LIFE TRAGIC - DESTINY HOW ARE YOU?
Life Tragic is a rock/hard rock quartet from Minnesota. The opening song, Easy Enough, has a Guns’ N Roses feel. The Life Tragic opens up experimentally with effects and contains more of it, it tries to maintain a high energy level and mostly succeeds. Do Me Bad Things is more in the Alice In Chains mold. Stay is a grungy hard rock style ballad, it would have had (and still does?) decent commercial potential in the ‘90s. Complications lacks originality, the song's rhythm seems tired and forced. Sea Of Red seems to be darker but it does maintain an interesting tempo. Undertow takes another shot at being Guns N Roses and hopes it misses Alice In Chains. Angel Lust is a four minute acoustic piece. D.O.A. is a 90's type rock-ish song, Meant To Live is much the same with somewhat more intensity. Before concluding Destiny, How Are You? with the 'original version' of The Life Tragic the band cover Prince's (yes the very same artist formerly known as Prince!) When Doves Cry and present their own take on it. Life Tragic apparently started life as a cover band. Check them out at www.lifetragic.com. – Anna Tergel