Metallian Heavy

The official cause of SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman’s death has been revealed to be alcohol-related cirrhosis and not necrotizing fasciitis infection.

Candlelight Records has announced June 25th as the release date for Unnatural Selection, the new album from Denver thrashers HAVOK. The ten-song album was produced by David Sanchez and mixed by Terry Date. The band is touring Europe with SUFFOCATION and CEPHALIC CARNAGE.

Thrashers UNSOULED are the latest additions to the rooster of Art Gates Records. The band’s new album is entitled Evolve and out this June.

LA-based black metal band LIGHTNING SWORDS OF DEATH is part of a North American tour this June. The band will be supporting MELECHESH alongside VREID and REIGN OF LIES. The tour begins on June 16th in Los Angeles at The Joint and will wrap up on June 30th in Brooklyn. The band recently issued an album called Baphometic Chaosium.

Singer Tim Lambesis of San Diego band AS I LAY DYING, who is reputed to be a Christian, was arrested for allegedly hiring someone to kill his estranged wife, Meggan. The 32 year old was taken into custody without incident on Tuesday May 7th. He has pleaded not guilty.

DARKANE will release its next album, The Sinister Supremacy, on June 28th through Massacre Records.

HIRAX is in the studio with producer Bill Metoyer recording a new full-length album, called Immortal Legacy, due for an autumn release through SPV/Steamhammer.

Former OBITUARY and SIX FEET UNDER guitarist Allen West was arrested and incarcerated at the end of March in Lake Panasoffkee, Florida for methamphetamine production and possession. Police discovered the material and substance upon being called to the house to investigate two intruders.

Art Gate Records will issue SECRETPATH‘s Wanderer And The Choice this June.

This September 7th and 8th, Spread the Metal Records will host one of its annual Spread The Metal Festival in Toronto, Canada. Headlining the festival will be SUFFOCATION, with additional headliners to be announced at a later date. Direct support will be provided by THE AGONIST, AUGURY and SKULL FIST. Additional support bands include BEHEADING OF A KING, THE CATALYST, EDGE OF ATTACK, DEATHPOINT, CRIMSON SHADOWS, NEPHELIUM, HALLOWS DIE, EVERTRAPPED, ANSWER WITH METAL and SANKTUARY.

Following its European release in late March, We Are Ghosts -the fifth full-length from German metalcore quintet SIX REASONS TO KILL – is now released in North American shores through Massacre Records.

CARCASS has signed with Nuclear Blast Records. The band’s Surgical Steel is due in September.

Viking band MÅNEGARM has picked Legions Of The North as the title for its next album, due on June 28th through Napalm Records.

Canadian thrash metal band FATALITY is issuing its new CD, Psychonaut, on June 28th, 2013 along with a tour of Canada and the USA that will kick off in Oshawa, Canada June 21st and wrap up in Buffalo, NY on August 28th.

Dark Path, the debut LP from Harrisonburg, Virginia-based EARTHLING, is out now on Forcefield Records. The band is touring the USA.

KILL DIVISION, featuring members from LEGION OF THE DAMNED and GOD DETHRONED, has signed a deal with Metal Blade Records. The group’s debut album, Destructive Force, will be released in the autumn. The album was recorded at Toneshed studio and was mixed and mastered at Andy Classen’s Stage One studio.

BLOOD RED THRONE will release a self-titled album on May 21stthrough Sevared Records. The album was recorded by Audun Grønnestad at Mayhem Music Studio and was mixed and mastered by Martin Berger Enerstvedt at Skar Productions.

Finnish black metallers MORMANT DE SNAGOV are set to release a second full-length album, Derisive Philosophy, the 30th of June 2013 through Pest Records.

Massachusetts-based ALL PIGS MUST DIE has announced its second LP, dubbed Nothing Violates This Nature. It is pending release this Summer through Southern Lord.

San Antonio’s HOD was recently added to the annual Chaos In Tejas fest supporting BENEDICTION. The show took place on May 30th at Red 7 [inside stage] in Austin, Texas.

Italian metal label Kolony Records will bring its country’s own TRAGODIA to its roster, as the band prepares to release its third full-length release worldwide in the coming months. The band is at Piacenza-based Elfo Studio with producer Daniele Mandelli.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its first LP, LETHAL + II, on Mausoleum Records, NITRO returns with Uranium, the first single from its upcoming album, Flechette.

On June 17th, Dutch Black Metal band COUNTESS will release a new EP entitled Sermons Of The Infidel. The EP will exclusively be available digitally through the band’s official Bandcamp site. Please visit http://countessmetal.bandcamp.com.


Metallian Hard

MYSTIC PROPHECY will release its next album, Killhammer, on September 27ththrough Massacre Records.

Inspired by KEEL? SANCTUARY has signed a deal with Century Media Records. The band's reunion album, reportedly called The Year The Sun Died, is scheduled for a release this year. Guitarist Brad Hull of FORCED ENTRY has joined the line-up.

THE WINERY DOGS, featuring Billy Sheehan (MR.BIG), Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, etc.) and Richie Kotzen (MR. BIG, POISON), has signed a deal with Loud & Proud Records. The band's self-titled debut album will be released in the USA on July 23rd. It was released in Japan on May 15ththrough Victor Entertainment.

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford is in England to operate or treat his severe back pains. He was recently wheelchair bound.

URIAH HEEP bassist Trevor Bolder died of cancer at the age of 62.

After a seven-year hiatus and the signing of a new deal with Metal Blade Records KING DIAMOND is again touring Europe. An album is expected this year.

CRIMSON DAWN has signed a deal with My Graveyard Productions to release the album In Strange Aeons. The band, led by Dario Beretta (DRAKKAR) and Antonio Pecere (RAPID FIRE and BETOKEN), plays doom metal inspired by bands such as CANDLEMASS and BLACK SABBATH. The album was recorded at Elnor Studio by Mat Stancoiu (DRAKKAR, LABYRINTH, etc.) and mastered at Unisound Studio by Dan Swanö. It is scheduled for release in September, 2013.

TROUBLE will release a studio album, The Distortion Field, in July 26 through FRW Records.

RAVEN will release Rock Until You Drop - A Long Days Journey DVD as a digipak this June through SPV/Steamhammer.

THE QUIREBOYS will release a studio album, Beautiful Curse, on June 24th through Off Yer Rocka Recordings. A single, Too Much Of A Good Thing, will precede the full-length.

Playing songs from the DIO records that they appeared on LAST IN LINE is guitarist Vivian Campbell, drummer Vinny Appice, bassist Jimmy Bain and keyboardist Claude Schnell, alongside singer Andrew Freeman of HURRICANE and LYNCH MOB. Shows are planned.

JON OLIVA'S PAIN and SAVATAGE singer Jon Oliva will release his solo album, Raise The Curtain, on June 5ththrough AFM Records.

Members of THE QUIREBOYS, FASTER PUSSYCAT, ADLER and DANGEROUS TOYS conducted guest vocals for CINDERELLA during the Monsters Of Rock cruise following singer Tom Keifer’s bout of pneumonia.

BLACK SABBATH will make a network television appearance when the band performs a new song End Of The Beginning on the season finale of serial CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. The episode is set to air in the US of A on Wednesday, May 15th.

Inspired by KEEL? KILLER DWARFS will reunite to tour for the release of its unreleased album Start @ One. The songs on the disc were recorded in 1993 at Powerlines Studio in Toronto, Canada with producer Fred Duvall.

Frontiers Records will release WHITESNAKE's Made In Britain/The World Record in Europe on July 5th. The album will be released in Japan on June 19th through Ward Records.

Australian heavy metal band TABERAH has signed a two-album deal with the German label Dust On The Tracks Records. Work on the band’s second album, Necromancer, is completed and its worldwide release is scheduled for July 2013.

GRENOUER’s upcoming album Blood On The Face is out now through Mausoleum Records.

Inspired by KEEL? A reformed METAL CHURCH — Ronny Munroe on vocals, Kurdt Vanderhoof and Rick Van Zandt on guitars, Steve Unger on bass and Jeff Plate on drums — rare at Vanderhoof's own English Channel Studio in Washington recording an album due this autumn for Kurdt's Body Of Work Recordings.

Inspired by KEEL? Frontiers Records will release KING KOBRA's new studio album, called II, on July 5th.

Leif Edling, founder and bassist for CANDLEMASS, is currently recording a full-length album with his new project AVATARIUM. Also in the band are Marcus Jidell (ROYAL HUNT, EVERGREY) and drummer Lasse Sköld (TIAMAT).

Svart Records has announced June 14th as the release date for CANDLEMASS' vinyl-only Epicus Doomicus Metallicus - Live at Roadburn 2011 album. It features original ‘Epicus’ singer Johan Längqvist.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, the three LED ZEPPELIN members turned down former USA President Bill Clinton's request to reunite at 2012’s 12-12-12 Hurricane Sandy benefit concert held at New York's Madison Square Garden, which raised over $50 million for storm victims.

DEEP PURPLE’s Now What?! Album has entered the Austrian and German Media Control chart at the Number 1 position.

ICED EARTH has parted ways with drummer Brent Smedley for personal and family reasons. His replacement is Raphael Saini of CHAOSWAVE who will join the group for shows starting this summer. The band has picked Plagues Of Babylon as the title for its next album, which is due in October through Century Media Records. It is to be recorded in Germany.

Australia’s PEGAZUS has recruited singer Axel Winter. The new man takes the place of Justin Fleming.

KIX is working on a new album with producer Taylor Rhodes (AEROSMITH). The album will be released late autumn through Frontiers Records.

White metal veterans STRYPER have picked No More Hell To Pay as the title for a new studio album, which is due this autumn through Frontiers Records.


Metallian Demos

HOLLYWOOD RED - Same
This four-piece is a new name around here, but take that not as a bad thing. This disc is full of tight head shaking goodness that is modern and hard rocking at the same time. The band has gotten a good sound that shows off every instrument and is clear. Dominic Frissora is more than a decent singer and varies his voice to give the listeners some action. The first song is upbeat and grabs a girl's attention. Next comes a heavy start to a tune that even goes to an Iron Maiden harmony. Next it slows down. Track three is downright downbeat. The man sings of life and troubles. It's almost bluesy. The band's last cut here showcase a young band whose lyrics are mature and again sadder/defiant. The short bursts of soloing leave a girl hanging. The solid solid rhythm section couldn't be any better. This is a band whose sound references the anti-democratic activities that went on south of the border when a dozen Hollywood characters were accused of believing in communism. Stupid. Too bad these guys don't have the image thing down since they are all posing with short hair. Come on, give a girl what she wants. Hollywood Red, 1145 Summer Hill Place, Gahanna, OH. 43230 USA or e-mail jdsuh4@gmail.com. - Sheila Wes Det

RATZMATAZ – GOD BLESS ROCK ‘N ROLL
I don't know about God or rock 'n roll, but these guys definitely know hard rock. With influences ranging from AC/DC to Guns 'N Roses to Motley Crue the band could be satisfactory or unsatisfactory, but as it turns out this is supercharged, fun, hard and loud from start to finish. The most Crue-ish song is the opening cut, the title track, which is energy-driven with pumping bass, drums and guitars. The band is on top of its instrument and the singer has attitude. Too bad only one of these guys has long-ish hair (sexy). Go To Gay Pride is an odd title and I don't know what the band is trying to be lyrically, but the ending is again Kickstart my Heart. The second half of this disc slows down more, jams more and is more diverse, but trust me boys and girls the quality is not diminished. Angel's strings are interesting, but the song bulks up fast (slow). Still, let's get away from song by song descriptions in favour of an overall positive report for a hard rock band that is catchy, driven and tempers sing-alongs with beef. www.myspace.com/ratzmataz or http://www.atomicstuff.com/ OK? - Sheila Wes Det

KATYA - ROCK LIVES (DELUXE EDITION)
This CD features Armored Saint's Ganzo Sandoval and other guest musicians otherwise it is Katya on vocals, guitars, keyboards, 'weird effects' and most anything else including dog and human apparel designer! Her bio describes her as “a first generation, American-born, Russian Freedom Rocker,” whatever those latter words mean. The opening The Power Of Rock And Roll is hard rock-ish, lively and impressive. However up next is Plugged In and Katya dives right into accessible pop. Like A Dream (A Love Song) is a ballad and is more a showcase of Katya's melodic vocal capabilities. By the fourth song, We Never Say Goodbye, the listener may be excused for wondering if Katya used up her hard rock quota in the opener. Vicious Little Brat, however, is a rock song but a rather underwhelming one at that. The songs continue to churn out sleepy and not so sleepy riffs again showcasing various aspects of Katya's musicianship and songwriting. Three bonus acoustic songs round out this deluxe edition that also comes with a Katya branded guitar pick and autographed cover. orders@KATYAMUSIC.COM - Anna Tergel