Inspired by KEEL? Canada’s IVORY KNIGHT has returned after an eight-year hiatus.

UK’s SOLSTICE has come back from 15 years of not recording with a demo called Death's Crown Is Victory. It was recorded at GM Studio.

MEGADETH’s Supercollider tour of the U.S.A with FEAR FACTORY and NONPOINT will kick off in late November.

ROYAL HUNT will release its next album, A Life To Die For, on November 29th through Frontiers.

New Orleans’ CROWBAR has recruited bassist Jeff Golden. The Bolton, Connecticut native will be when the band when the act enters the studio in December to begin recording its new album for an early 2014 release.

New Jersey-based progressive metal band EAST OF THE WALL will be releasing its fourth full-length, Redaction Artifacts, on October 29th, once again through Translation Loss Records. Chris Alfano has moved from guitar/vocals to bass/vocals. The band has added Ray Suhy on guitar as well as guitarist/vocalist Greg Kuter.

Jolly Roger Records celebrates its first five years of activity releasing a 12" split vinyl between doom band L'IMPERO DELLE OMBRE and heavy metal band BUD TRIBE. L'IMPERO DELLE OMBRE’s side will contain one unreleased track titled Corvi Neri, an unreleased alterative version of Divoratori Della Notte and Dr. Franky. BUD TRIBE’s side will contain Warrior Creed and Rule the Lightning. These songs were CD bonus tracks from the Eye of the Storm and Star Rider albums.

Brazilian band HAZY HAMLET has announced its next full-length. Filled with influences from the NWOBHM, the new disc will present a more traditional sonority than its predecessor and will be called Full Throttle. The album was to be out this September by a European label, but due to “frequent communication problems” HAZY HAMLET has opted for a contract termination. The record will now be the first release by Arthorium Records, a new label founded by singer and songwriter Arthur Migotto. The label will be dedicated to old-school trends like heavy, speed and thrash metal.

ATLANTEAN KODEX’s second album The White Goddess (A Grammar Of Poetic Myth) is out through Buck Spin on Tuesday, October 1st.

KXM is a new project featuring guitarist George Lynch (LYNCH MOB and DOKKEN) adidas rock drummer Ray Luzier (KORN) and bassist/vocalist Doug Pinnick (KING'S X). The band has signed with Rat Pak Records.

Brian "Messiah" Langley (formerly of INFERNAL MAJESTY, TYRANTS BLOOD and AGGRESSION) is filling the role of singer, as well as guitarist, for Canada’s CRADLE TO GRAVE. Singer Greg Cavanagh has quit.

MARTY FRIEDMAN is working on what he calls his heaviest album to date. He is in California working on an album due in January.

On October 25th HELL will issue a 10” EP, The Age Of Nefarious, through Nuclear Blast Records. It features several live tracks recorded at Bloodstock Festival.

CADAVERIA will release its DVD, Karma, on October 22nd through Scarlet Records.

Inspired by KEEL? VARGA, which reformed in 2011, is working with producer Julius "Juice" Butty on its Enter The Metal and Return Of The Metal demo CDs.

LARS ERIC MATTSSON has 18 new songs on what is described as “his most personal album to date.” The album is entitled Epicentre and out on September 20th through Lion Music.

Humagination, the new studio album by the Polish heavy metal band EXLIBRIS is scheduled for release on October, 21st through Metal Mind.

NOW OR NEVER, featuring ex-PRETTY MAIDS members Ricky Marx (guitars) and Kenn Jackson (bass), NIGHTMARE vocalist Jo Amore and drummer Fabian Ranzoni (SULTAN) will release its self-titled debut album this November through Mausoleum Records. NOW OR NEVER recorded their eponymous debut at the Peek Studio in the South of France, co-produced by the band and Pat Liotard.

To make money off the twentieth anniversary of The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh, CRADLE OF FILTH will release a comic book and a compilation disc.

ENTOMBED has signed a deal with Century Media Records. The band's next album, Back To The Front (presumably not related to boretallica), will be some time in 2014 after initially being due on October 29th. It was recorded at Studio Bohus in Kungälv, Sweden with producer Roberto Laghi who has worked with IN FLAMES.

CREMATORY has signed a deal with Steamhammer/SPV. The band's next album, Antiserum, will be released on February 25, 2014. It promises to incorporate even more electronica!

LIZZY BORDEN guitarist Dario Lorina will release his solo album, Dario Lorina, through Shrapnel Records.

Jon Torres of ANGELWITCH, ULYSSES SIREN, HEATHEN and LÄÄZ ROCKIT, died Monday September 2nd due to heart failure.

CHASTAIN, which now again features Leather Leone on vocals, has announced Surrender To No One as the title for its next album. The band is shopping its music to labels.

IMPERA will release a studio album, Pieces Of Eden, on October 18th through Escape Music. The album was mixed by Lars Chriss of LION'S SHARE.

The NWOBHM acts DIAMOND HEAD and RAVEN are playing Vancouver on the 8th of October. The bands are heading back to the US this Fall.

BLACK SABBATH’s DVD, Live... Gathered In Their Masses, will be issued on November 26th through Vertigo. The video features footage from the band's April 29th and May 1st, 2013 concerts in Melbourne, Australia in support of the band’s 13 album.

Original GREAT WHITE bassist Lorne Black, who appeared on the band’s first three records, has died.

LUCIFER’S LEGION – ABOMINATIONS
I wanted to like this CD so much. It has been a while since a real brutal state-of-the-art black metal album was sent my way and my senses were tingling for brutality and purity. The inverted Jesus on the cover writhing in the flames of pain seemed like a good fit for the bill. Sad to say, the music is beyond elementary and more a parody of black metal than black metal. The music sounds like a primitive venture of Venom’s Demon Demo. Except that demo had better musicianship and production. This sounds like a four-track recording trying to out-raw Venom. The sound’s hissing to perfectly match the sub-four track levels. To make things worse, there is a litre of keyboards per song added to make the songs wash up to peppiness. The guitar solos sound like the man picked up his guitar yesterday. Speaking of which, for a project calling itself Lucifer’s Legion one would think there would be more than one head involved. Instead, the whole thing is the work of the one and only Brad Dillion. Satan himself must be feeling down and lonely right now. Let’s give some credit though. The subwoofer ‘rhythm guitar’ sound makes Mortician sound wussy in comparison. Brad Dillion is at dark_soul9666@hotmail.com and www.lucifers-legion.com – Ali “The Metallian”

THE FINITE BEINGS - Same
This New Jersey duo (with help from additional musicians) comprised of Donny DePaola on vocals, guitars and bass and Mike Nicholas on drums and vocals apparently use "biblical truths along with personal experience to connect and relate to the listener lyrically" and they don't forget to thank Jesus first and foremost, of course. Lyrically no further explanation is needed. Musically, white rock is the style one would guess. The 1:45 intro is mystical sounding and otherwise doesn't really give away much. The guys seem to jump from heavy or mid-tempo rock to ballad structures and songs. They do explore a bit of the different, for example with Awaken The Night. The production here is really good and clear and the instruments are mixed well. The musicianship deserves similar praise. Check them out www.thefinitebeings.com. – Anna Tergel

ALL ELSE FAILS - FUCKTROPOLIS
This EP by the Edmonton, Canada quartet starts with AntiMartyr and a rather long political speech that goes something like 'If we shrink the world's population to 100 people ... six people would have 59% of the wealth and all six would be American'. That speech along with the title of this EP probably best betrays the attitude of the band. The speech or declarations continue throughout the song. The music borrows from the metalcore but includes things straight thrashy too. Clean vocals and synths make appearances too, as do less heavy segments. The latter segments can be compared to Disturbed or even System Of A Down. The band's bio describes the band's metal as dark and this holds true and the song titles and lyrics support the characterization. Besides the opener, the other songs are Better Left Undead, La Demencia Violenta, Obedience At The Altar Of Sacrifice, A Most Unwanted Reprieve and the bonus or hidden outro or track The Deep Roads that runs for a whole 24 seconds. They try not to fail the listener at www.allelsefails.ca. – Anna Tergel

JOHN MAMONE - ORDER AND CHAOS
John is from Hamilton, Canada and has been around in one form or another since 1988. Order And Chaos is 12 songs and a relatively short - for that many songs - 41 minutes. The music is solid hard rock with a full sounding production, the vocals by the man himself are somewhat ordinary, but not poor. The tempo is often up-tempo and lively enough not to bore the listener. Keyboards, often only present in the background, don't take away from the heaviness too much. Kelly Kereliuk and Lee Nedlich provide a good dose of solos to make sure Order And Chaos stays on the good side of hard rock. Magnus Tempestas is one highlight track and is epic ‘80s metal style without sounding dated. By the time this is done it can be placed in the 'better than expected' category with another highlight being Mastermind. John and co are at www.johnmamone.com. – Anna Tergel

CHOSEN – RESOLUTION
Chosen is an above average band with potential that in typical self-inflicted fashion goes unfulfilled. Firstly, the band is originally Irish, but has left the land of corporate tax cuts (bankruptcy), no abortions (medieval nostalgia) and Guinness (unshapely beer belly) and moved to Vancouver for better luck where a bunch of people pursue or aspire for the same things. This type of metal is not unusual in Canada so the band has to step up its game, but given Ireland’s metallic output the Chosen few are a surprisingly good band.
Speaking of which, the sound is good, the band is tight, the speed and power do make a showing and the songs make much sense… until… the bad becomes noticeable. Chosen’s Resolution wastes a lot of time with intros, instrumentals, acoustic strumming and so forth in order to avoid filling the disc with real songs. It is nowhere near Manowar proportions, but any more of this and these gents could wear loincloths, get on motorcycles (hopefully both at the same time) and play to drunkard yahoos in Greek and German arenas. Moreover, the intro is clearly a case of folk music attempting to infiltrate heavy metal domains. Think, Over The Hills And Far Way crappery. Most excruciatingly, the clean vocals make repeated calls where they do not belong. Rubbish Factory was lame in 1995 and it is even lamer now. Mimick Fear Pathetictory and assign yourself to the dustbin of history. Corrective action required! So there it is. For now, the band is at www.chosen.ie or reach them through band@chosen.ie or their publicist ashermedia@gmail.com. All e-mails will be scanned and downloaded periodically to the American (and from there to the Israeli) spy agencies. Do note, however, that while a digital download is available the band has issued deluxe CD versions with extra music and bonus material. – Ali “The Metallian”

THE LAMB – KEYS OF TREASURE
This demo arrived with a couple of other CDs. One of those CDs (Symptomen) was a brilliant heavy metal album and, as such, one could reasonably have high expectations for its mailing siblings. It was not to be. The amateurish cover should have been a giveaway.
The songs are uneven and only occasionally show moments of interest. The vocals are an acquired taste at best and off-tune at worst. The disc has some of the worst soloing ever. The lead guitars are atrocious. Normally, as a metal listener, asking for more solos and guitars comes naturally. Keys Of Treasure prompts the opposite!
It is not all bad however. Yes, everything above stands, misplaced leads pop up in strange places and keyboards make an appearance as well; however, the rhythms are tight and occasionally catchy. The vocalist tries some emotion and style on for size “no rest, no rest for the weeeeked…” Dark Dream is somewhat catchy and Far From Home shows signs of life again with its gallop and shrieks before slowing down.
Think of the band as a weak version of the Mercyful Fate demos or an uneven jumble of Cirith Ungol - yes, a band that is worse than Cirith Ungol! – Hammers Of Misfortune and Solitude Aeternus. Incidentally, The Lamb shares a love for Jesus Christ Their Lord And Saviour with that last band. Never mind, that not only Jesus couldn’t save himself, he can’t save these bands from commercial disaster. – Ali “The Metallian”

NOISE CONTROL – THE ROOM AT THE END OF THE HALL
If I had read the bio I would know it, but since I hadn’t I went ahead and based on the band’s name, album’s title and cover artwork supposed the band is grindcore all the way to Napalm Death. Instead, the band is a Vancouver rock band! At least, the alleged keyboards didn’t materialize.
Noise Control is as if Mind Funk married alternative Voivod to become Ugly Kid Joe in the land of Alice In Chains. People thought grunge died in Seattle. It just moved to Vancouver.
The songs are totally there. The production is of high quality and astounding. Stand out musician is the bassist (who also sings) Reggie Hache. The man is also the band as everyone else is listed as “studio musicians.” Still, everyone steps in and contributes. Not my favourite musical style, but Noise Control is worthy of an introduction to your ears. The band is online at http://www.bandmix.ca/noisecontrol and http://www.noisecontrolmusic.com/. Contact them/him at info@noisecontrolmusic.com. - Anna Tergel