Metallian Heavy

DEW-SCENTED has kicked guitarists Florian Müller and Hendrik Bache out and replaced them with Michael Borchers and Martin Walczak. The band has also made old drummer Marc-Andrée Dieken, who had toured with the band in 2004, the new skinsman.

The North American tour of ENSLAVED, SWALLOW THE SUN and KEEP OF KALESSIN scheduled for May 2009 is cancelled due to logistical issues.

BRANDED SKIN singer Alex Hille has left the band due to musical differences. A new singer is being sought.

Former VADER and BEHEMOTH bassist Marcin “Novy” Nowak has joined the Polish thrashers VIRGIN SNATCH, whose Act Of Grace album is out through Mystic Production.

DISARMONIA MUNDI’s The Isolation Game will, despite rumours, not be released by Scarlet Records. SOILWORK’s Bjorn “Speed” Strid will sing on the album.

A DAWN OF DEMISE EP called Lacerated will be released this month through Deepsend Records. The five-song EP will feature three covers of SUFFOCATION, AT THE GATES and OBITUARY.

Finland’s COLOSSEUM has posted a sample track from its upcoming album Chapter 2: Numquam on http://www.colosseumdoom.com/. The album will be released in early 2009 by Firedoom Music.

DEMIGOD has once again thrown in the towel. Xtreem Music has coincidentally just issued DEMIGOD T-shirts featuring the artwork from The Slumber OF Sullen Eyes artwork.

Xtreem Music has just issued a 10-CD compilation comprised of 175 bands with 215 songs called Spain Kills. The compilation of Spanish metal is accompanies by shirts and also available as separate discs.

DEICIDE and its tour adventures: the American black metal band has cut short its trek though Central America claiming the airline had given away the band’s tickets and forced a delay. The band further claims lack of contact and cooperation from the local Honduras promoter leading to a decision to fly back to the USA.

DARK FUNERAL has prevailed in court and secured the rights to its No Fashion Records back catalogue (1996 to 2001) following a legal battle with the label. The material’s rights have reverted back to Lord Ahriman and Caligula.

ABYSMAL DAWN is embarking on a western US tour with SOTHIS. The tour, dubbed the Endless Wintour, will kick-off on December 5th in Bakersfield, CA and end in Hollywood on December 14th. ABYSMAL DAWN just filmed a video for the title track to its album, Programmed To Consume.

Italy’s HORRID has a new drummer named Dez.

JUNGLE ROT has surprisingly signed with Austria’s Napalm Records. The band will enter Studio One with engineer Chris Djuricic this month in order to record its new album, What Horrors Await.

MR. DEATH — featuring guitarists Stefan Lagergren (TREBLINKA and EXPULSION) and Alex Stjärnfeldt (OCEANLIFT), bassist Jörgen “Juck” Thullberg (TREBLINKA and TIAMAT), singer Jocke Lindström (DIGRESSION ASSASSINS) and Jonas Ohlsson (VOID and MASSIVE) on drums — has signed a deal with Agonia Records and is entering Sunlight Studio.

FEAR MY THOUGHTS is touring Europe with DARK TRANQUILLITY and POISONBLACK. The band is supporting its Isolation album, which was released by Century Media.

The thrashers of LAMB OF GOD have picked Wrath as the title for its next album. The record will be issued in February by Epic in America and Roadrunner in Europe.

Drummer Antichrist has left ABGOTT. The famous (or not) Megiddo has replaced him.

Sweden’s THE PROJECT HATE has signed with Vic Records. The band is issuing an album in 2009.

CANNIBAL CORPSE has picked Evisceration Plague as the title for its next album, which is due on February 3rd through Metal Blade Records. This is the follow-up to 2006’s Kill album and is again produced by Erik Rutan at Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida.

CHILDREN OF BODOM, CANNIBAL CORPSE and Finland’s DIABLO are touring Europe in January, February and March.

It was recently reported that MEZZERSCHMITT‘s Herr Schmitt was injured in September during an attack allegedly designed to stop the scheduled and annual conference held by MZZR’s umbrella organisation SWIRFT happening just outside Kharkov, Ukraine. The band will soon attack the studio to record a new album due in late 2009.

AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED and INSECT WARFARE have issued a split release, which is available on both CD and vinyl. The former band is working on a new full-length.

Austria’s INZEST will release its second album, entitled Grotesque New World, on November 21st through Mad Lion Records. The CD was mixed at Stage One Studio with producer Andy Classen.

‘80s MEGADETH guitarist Jeff Young will release a solo album, Equilibrium, next year. Michael Wagener mixed the CD.

Original member and bassist Dennis Pepa has left DEATH ANGEL after playing his farewell show in October at the Grand Ballroom in San Francisco, California. Replacements candidates may email the band at deathangelbass@gmail.com.

EMBRIOMA members have been locked in the Brazilian studio Estudio 12.02, owned by one of the band’s guitar players Luiz Portinari, and are finishing the production (by Luiz himself) of about 20 songs from which 10 – 13 will be included on the new album, tentatively called Post-Industrial Metastasis.

COFFIN TEXTS has signed a deal with Blood Harvest Records for the release of its second album, Tomb Of Infinite Ritual, which is due in early 2009.

BURIAL HORDES’ Devotion To Unholy Creed album is out this month through Pulverised Records.

FATALIST, the band formed by ex-members of EXHUMED, UPHILL BATTLE and STUMP to play old school Swedish death metal in the vein of ENTOMBED, is currently finishing work on its debut album, The Depths Of Inhumanity for Ibex Moon Records.

Singer Mårten Björkman and guitarist Mathias Kamijo have resurrected ALGAION and are recording an album. CORPORATION 187’s Viktor Klint and Robert Eng have joined as session members.

Singer Filip Carlsson has quit CORPORATION 187 citing severe and regular headache.

Long-running black metal band SATHANAS has completed recording a new album called Nightrealm Apocalypse, which is due for release next month through Pagan Records. The band will tour Europe in the spring alongside Nunslaughter.

VREID will issue its newest album, Milorg, on January 5th through Indie Recordings.

The reunited DEVASTATION has already thrown in the towel after the members were unable to get along on the road. The band has dropped off the SOULFLY tour of the USA as a consequence.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM has picked The Cold as the title for its album for former Driven Music Group, which is owned by former KORNo Brian Welch. The disc is out in February.

Singer Kyle Thomas (EXHORDER), guitarists Ralph Santolla (OBITUARY, ICED EARTH, DEATH and DEICIDE), Jack Owen (CANNIBAL CORPSE and DEICIDE), bassist Steve DiGiorgio (TESTAMENT, SADUS, ICED EARTH, DTP and DEATH) and drummer Tony Laureano (DIMMU BORGIR, 1349, NILE, ANGELCORPSE and ACHERON) are going to form a band and tour Japan as the DEATH METAL ALLSTARS this month.

In the Spain promotes Spain department: GOTHMOG has signed a deal with Xtreem Music for the imminent release of its debut album, a Step In The Dark on January 1st of 2009.

Paragon Records has issued KHORS’ (featuring former Astrofaes bassist Khors) Mysticism CD and ANAEL’s Arcane Fires Slipcase CD.

The Wreaking is the name of a new mini-CD by Canada’s FUCK THE FACTS. It is limited to only 19 copies and features material from 2005 prior to the band being signed to Relapse Records.

Florida’s For links use: HATE ETERNAL has been forced off the JOB FOR A COWBOY North American tour following an infection in Erik Rutan’s hand and a disease of the kidney. Rutan was admitted to an Iowa City hospital.


Metallian Hard

Former RAINBOW personnel singer Joe Lynn Turner, bassist Greg Smith, keyboardist Tony Carey and drummer Bobby Rondinelli have done the next best thing and recruited Ritchie Blackmore’s son, Juergen Blackmore (former of IRON ANGEL) and formed RAINBOW cover band OVER THE RAINBOW. The band is touring Russia in February.

The state run official Chinese media is slamming the new GUNS ‘N ROSES album, Chinese Democracy, as insulting to China. The album, which is charting everywhere including number two in the USA on its first week, will not be issued in China.

And then there were none: the very last holdout is not holding out any longer. Inevitably, KEEL is reforming following a 20-year absence and in time for the band’s 25th anniversary. Catch the band on January 31st at Club Vodka in Hollywood.

Not to be left behind… The original line-up of New York’s THE RODS has signed on for Headbangers Open Air festival of July, 2009 Germany.

JET BOY has recruited drummer Doug Hovan following the departure of Jeff Moscone.

Former BLACK SABBATH and GREAT WHITE bassist Dave Spitz has resurfaced in the BLACK SABBATH cover band WAR PIGS.

IRON FIRE will release a new album called To The Grave through Napalm Records in January.

JASON BECKER has just released the Jason Becker Collection on Shrapnel Records. It contains three new recordings totaling over 20 minutes in length and includes new performances by some of Becker's guitar buddies, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Michael Lee Firkins, Marty Friedman, Steve Hunter and Greg Howe. The CD is enhanced and contains bonus material.

The new SAXON studio album Into The Labyrinth will be released through SPV on January 9th. The band is touring Europe as co-headliners with SAXON in February.

Finland’s ADASTRA will release its second album, Death Or Domination, on December 10th through Violent Journey Records.

TURISAS is touring North America as support to DRAGONFORCE. The tour follows the release of a DVD called A Finnish Summer With Turisas, which was issued last month.

Switzerland’s BACKWASH is working on a new full-length.

DANGEROUS TOYS performed a 20th-anniversary concert on November 8th at the Red Eyed Fly in Austin, Texas with all original members participating.

Bassist Frank Bindig has left Austria’s EDENBRIDGE. Replacements candidates may email the band at info@edenbridge.org. In the meantime, the band will issue a live album called LiveEarthDream next spring.

ENTWINE has picked Painstained as the title for its next album, which is out on January 14th through Spinefarm Records.

VIKING SKULL has been rejoined by its original guitarist Darren Smith for its current UK tour due to guitarist Rich Vose being missing and not calling the band back!

Mitch Mitchell, drummer for JIMI HENDRIX, was found dead in a Portland hotel room on November 12th. The 62 year old died of natural causes.

FATE, the band of MERCYFUL FATE guitarist Hank Shermann, which recently reformed has already parted ways with singer Per Johansson.

HADES will reunite for one European concert at the Keep It True XIII festival in April 2010 in Germany. The group is also working on a DVD called Bootlegged in Boston 1988 which is due in January through Cruz Del Sur.

Inspired by its success with TOURNIQUET Metal Blade Records has signed white metal band BELIEVER. The band will issue a new album in the spring.

MY DYING BRIDE has picked For Lies I Sire as the title for its new album, which is due in 2009 through Peaceville Records. Long-time producer Mags is in charge of the sound.

JOE STUMP, featuring singer Ian Parry of ELEGY fame, is in the midst of a European tour.

Robert Plant has let drop that he will record a new album with Alison Krauss. The remaining LED ZEPPELIN members Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham are apparently rehearsing with potential replacements.

In the Italy promotes Italy department: VISION DIVINE has signed a contract with Frontiers Records. The band's next album, 9 Degrees West Of The Moon, is out on January 23rd.

TRANSPORT LEAGUE 1997 line-up from the Superevil album is coming together again.

Pennsylvania’s SHADOW KINGDOM is having the following reissues: ASYLUM - The Earth Is The Insane Asylum Of The Universe (US Technical Doom, 1985) CD THE LORD WEIRD SLOUGH FEG - The Slay Stack Grows Early Demos and Live Recordings (US Heavy Punk / Heavy Metal, 1990-2002) DCD / 4LP and THE HAND OF DOOM - Poisonoise (German Punk Rock/Heavy Metal, 1978/79) DCD / 2LP.

BLOODBOUND has signed a worldwide deal with Blistering Records. The band's third album, Tabula Rasa, will be released in early 2009. The label is also issuing LION’s SHARE’s Dark Hours in March. Dark Hours will be mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren (OPETH, SYMPHONY X, PARADISE LOST and AMON AMARTH), and features guest slots by Mike Romeo (SYMPHONY X) and Conny Pettersson (ANATA).

MELDRUM’s next album is called Lifer and due our early next year. The new album is a tribute to the band’s founder, Michelle Meldrum, who died earlier in 2008.

ECHOES OF ETERNITY is entering the studio in order to record the follow-up to The Forgotten Goddess for Nuclear Blast Records. It will be produced and mixed by ex-MACHINE HEAD guitarist Logan Mader

Singer Damian Wilson who recently rejoined THRESHOLD has made his solo work available for free download through www.damianwilsonmusic.com. Voluntary donations are accepted and will go towards the recording of future material.


Metallian Demos

7TH NEMESIS – ARCHETYPE OF NATURAL VIOLENCE
7TH Nemesis has been releasing astounding music for more than five years. During this time the knights of Metallian Towers have consistently found gratification listening to the group’s superb delivery and offered the band support. The group was offered a recording deal following the independent release of a demo called Violentia Imperatrix Mundi in 2006. With the fledgling deal falling apart the Frenchmen have rerecorded the said CD and renamed it Archetype Of Natural Violence. The result? Typical 7Th Nemesis.
While the Paris-based combo is no longer a straightforward panzer of brutality a la early Kataklysm, Brutal Truth et al the newer material is diverse, yet heavy; crushing while atmospheric and certainly not lacking in intensity. In essence, 7Th Nemesis’ newest is a showcase in playing and composition ability within the setting of an exceedingly extreme metal band. With suspense and build-ups as tools of the trade the band sounds like no other, while simultaneously penetrating with power. Admittedly, the band is best when it picks up to full force speed, but listen to the song Divinus Afflatus and hear a band that takes two minutes to construct tension before going for the proverbial jugular with both confidence and violence.
Archetype Of Natural Violence is atypical, but that just denotes the band’s talent and maturity within its brutal context. Head over to www.myspace.com/7thnemesis. - Ali “The Metallian”

CURIMUS – UNDER MY SKIN
Curimus is a young Finnish band and plays a powerful mix of thrash and death metal. Yes, what you just read is like reading America is the land of science and wisdom, but in this case it really is true (Curimus being powerful that is). The demo features four songs that demonstrate a band ready to inject loads and loads of energy into its songs, not afraid of speed and a gimmick or two to boot. The bassist, in particular, has mastered the art of distortion adding a kick-ass dimension to the group. Even the hidden percussion outro is cool (Sepultura eat your sell-out heart out). For some intense underground metal write to mika.management@curimus.com or visit www.curimus.com. - Anna Tergel

FEAST OF CORPSES - SICKNESS OF MANKIND
This Sept Iles, Canada trio have been around playing since early in the decade, Sickness Of Mankind is its second release and is a follow-up to 2003’s Unexpected Plan. The guys recorded this in Bestial’s, one of the guitarists and vocalists, basement. The style is somewhat chaotic death metal. Feast Of Corpses plays a mostly speedy mishmash, but the sound is mainly a side-effect of the raw or cheap sound and production. Comparisons can perhaps be made to Broken Hope but Feast Of Corpses borrows a lot more from the myriad of death metal bands of the ‘90s, ones that utilized all of the slower and the faster, the technical and the less technical, and the growling and the screams in their music. Get in touch with the band at feastofcorpses@hotmail.com or visit http://www.feastofcorpses.com.

SHAMELESS – NOW PLAYING
As soon as the CD was sent my way I checked and two out of the four members have cool long hair with guitarist James Davis, in particular, having a hot aura around him. The disc’s cover is a photo of a marquee, which seems fitting because the band has played out a lot locally in California. Now Playing is a full-length, which as the band perfectly put it is about “fusing rock and metal.” Songs like She’s So Pretty, Lifestyles (spelt Liefstyles on the back) and Bad Heart are straightforward tunes with enough rocking and catchiness to stick in the mind. She’s So Pretty and Knock On Wood have a drive that the band does really well with, although the concept of simplicity and minimalism is sometimes take a little too far. Toll On Me is the obligatory ballad and reminds me of Poison even though the band is not exactly glam or sleazy. The lyrics throughout sing of broken hearts, betrayed loves and relationships gone awry. The band is a nice little hard rock act out of California that should do it for Bon Jovi fans. Write them at 909 Records, 9311 Jersey Boulevard Ste E., Rancho Cucamonga, CA. 91730 USA or email davis1cal@yahoo.com and visit http://www.myspace.com/909records. – Sheila Wes Det

FREUND HEIN – CHAOS IMMANENT
The demo’s title is not misspelt. The word ‘immanent’ apparently exists, although I had to look it up. It roughly means inherent or ‘working within.’ OK then, the parameters this Austrian band works within is a chaotic mixture of several metal styles with a lot of theatrics built in. Indeed the band reminds me of an American gang I accidentally heard several years ago called The Lord Weird Slough Feg. The chaos is inclusive of growls and shouted singers, rapid-fire music that sounds sped-up, pianos, offbeat chords and as many tempo changes as hardcore metallers Meshuggah on a bad day. The music is weird obviously but nowhere near the eccentricity of the artwork, cartoons and caricatures. In fact, one could go as far as saying that is where the bands forte lies. The booklet is a feast of gross-out pictorials. There are no photographs included so a girl cannot say whether there are any hotties with long hair in the band or what sort of an image the band has, although the doodling might be enough to scare anyone away. Contact the band through freundhein@gmx.net. - Sheila Wes Det