Friday May 29th 2009

Mortification released their new album The Evil Addiction Destroying Machine. They need to sell 1000 copies through retail sales, and another 1000 copies through wholesale channels to cover the project cost wise. The band is also working on the 20th Anniversary album. This album will have five re-recorded classics: Nocturnal, Grind Planetarium, Impulsation, Hammer Of God and The Majestic Infiltration Of Order. And the album will have fifteen live tracks from five different shows including the first Mortification show ever (June 1990) and the band's performance at the Nordic Fest in 2007.

Youngside Records has now officially signed Coriolis. This band plays music in the vein of Circle Of Dust, Klank, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. The band's debut album is sold out, but Youngside Records will re-release the album with a bonus track. Expect it out in late June. Coriolis can also be seen at the Cornerstone Festival.

The Dutch ska/rock/punk band Make Up Your Mind recently went to Switzerland for the Springtime Festival. They made a short video with impressions from this trip:

Grave Forsaken has released a new album called This Day Forth. The Australian band plays thrash, combined with death and doom.

Another new release is Apocalyptic Visions from the promising UK band Ecthirion. They play atmospheric metal with influences from classical music, folk music, Spanish music and more.

Becoming The Archetype will record a single they will release on iTunes. The song is called Necrotizing Fasciitis. They are recording it with Matt Malpass in Atlanta.

Welcome To The Masquerade, the new Thousand Foot Krutch album, will come out on September 8th.

Friday May 22nd 2009

Sacrificium has a new bassist. His name is Thorsten and plays bass for three years. You can see him live for the first on June 16th, when Sacrificium plays in the Backstage in Munich with The Black Dahlia Murder.

Narnia published the artwork for their new album Course Of A Generation. The artwork was made by Carlos Barbosa/Artiside from Brazil, while the logo was redesigned by Rainer Mittelstädt, InLine design, Germany. The songs are: Sail Around The World; When The Stars Are Falling; Curse Of A Generation; Scared; Kings Will Come; Rain; Armageddon; One Way To Freedom; Miles Away; Behind The Curtain. Here's the cover:

The Norwegians from In Vain have delayed their new album after the summer.

Ulterium Records will release a limited 12" picture-disc edition of the new Impelliteri album Wicked Maiden on August 4th. The LP will be strictly limited to 250 copies. Side A contains: Wicked Maiden; Last Of A Dying Breed; Weapons Of Mass Distortion; Garden Of Eden; The Vision. Side B has: Eyes Of An Angel; Hi-School Revolution; Wonderful Life; Holy Man; The Battle Rages On.

Want to know what MxPx has been up to? Check out their video blog:

MeWithoutYou has a new album out called It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream! It's Alright!

Seventh Angel posted the first song from their upcoming album The Dust Of Years on myspace. The song is called Chaos Of Dreams.

And on myspace you can also hear a new song from Emery called Curbside Goodbye. This is a track from the upcoming album ...In Shallow Seas We Sail, coming out on June 2nd.

Friday May 15th 2009

Two guys from the now defunct band Still Remains have started a new group called Juleus. Former SR members Mike Church and drummer AJ Barrette (who played in The Showdown as well) are in Juleus. They've started their myspace page which features a demo video.

Speaking of videos, Today Forever released their video for the song Pinpoint The Shift. This is a track from their second album Profound Measures. You can download the video: DivX AVI 1280x720 or Windows Media WMV 1280x720 or H.264 Quicktime 1280x720 or DivX AVI 1920x1080 or Windows Media WMV 1920x1080 or H.264 Quicktime 1920x1080.

Jacobs Dream signed with Retroactive Records for the release of Beneath The Shadows. This new album will come out around July 2009.

Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster will release their next album III on June 23rd. They've put the new song Just A Shock on their myspace profile.

Fans of black metal act Crimson Moonlight will have to be patient. Right now the band is going through a difficult period as only two members are left: Pilgrim and Gustav - founding members. However , they have decided to continue, but they are not able to do their gig at the Elements Of Rock Festival in Switzerland. Right now they are uncertain as to the future of the band, but they hope to find new members and "record the most furious and atmospheric album in ages."

Hardcore band Call To Preserve are returning home from touring to start working on their new album. Check out this old video of Unsinkable:

Friday May 8th 2009

Spoken will be writing and recording a new album over the next few months.

During May the Swedish band Darkwater will stream their entire debut album Calling The Earth To Witness on myspace. Thus the band want to celebrate the fact that the record was released two years ago. Right now Darkwater is working on new material. They hope to enter the studio later this year.

Headbangers Blog premiered the latest video from As I Lay Dying. This video was compiled from live footage recorded over the years. The song featured is I Never Wanted from the An Ocean Between Us album:

Eden In Ruins and Transfigural Form will be ended. Both were projects from Todd Brandt. He will focus on his Nothern Ash two-man-band.

Believer has been rehearsing to start playing live shows. They also are also starting to write riffs for their fifth album.

Friday May 1st 2009

Slechtvalk has signed a deal with Whirlwind Records from Germany. The band will record their fourth album in November/December. To ease the waiting time, Whirlwind Records will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the band by releasing a compilation album with old songs and some demo versions of new songs.

The new August Burns Red album comes out on July 14th. The disc is called Constellations. The album was produced by Jason Suecof (Sevendust, All That Remains, God Forbid, Trivium). Constellations is the follow-up to Messengers that sold over 80,000 copies.

The Chariot's new album Wars And Rumors Of Wars is streaming in its entirety on their myspace page now. The album is out next week. You can also view the new video for Daggers:

Hardcore band Everdown is back. They've recorded two new tracks. One of the songs is called WD-40.

Speaking of hardcore, the German band Today Forever released their new album Profound Measures. You can listen to the album here (hit the tiny play buttons in front of the song titles).

Strike First Records has signed In The Midst of Lions. This group plays deathcore and technical metal, inspired by bands such as The Faceless, Meshuggah and Veil Of Maya.

Sympathy will be recording again this month. They will do twelve songs for an album called Beast. Some of the song titles are: Kill The Prophet; Infidel; Inspired By Evil; We Are The Dead; The Rise Of The Strong; Wargod. The album will be released through Bombworks Records. On myspace you can hear a demo of Kill The Prophet.

The new Seventh Angel album is now being manufactured.  The album is called The Dust Of Years and here's the cover:

Callisto has cancelled their European tour. Their singer Jani Aki-Hukkala was taken into hospital due to a seriously infected cecal appendix. He's not able to work for the next three weeks. Callisto regrets much they had to cancel the tour, but hope to reschedule it in the future.

A group that wasn't featured here before, is heavy rock band Crooked X. They released their self-titled debut album in January through EMI/Capitol Records. Check out this video:

Thousand Foot Krutch is working hard on their next release. This one will be called Welcome To The Masquerade. It comes out this Fall.

The Almost is also in the studio, recording their new album.

My Silent Wake are planning to enter the studio in July to record songs for the split album with The Drowning. They also want to make a promo video this summer.

The German hard rock band Mad Max was voted no. #3 in the readers poll for the May issue of Heavy Magazine. They landed just after AC/DC.

Venia released their new album Victory By Surrender.

Friday April 24th 2009

This Is Who We Are, the first As I Lay Dying DVD has hit the charts. The triple DVD reached #2 in the Billboard Top Music Videos Chart in its first week out in the USA. A #3 position was reached in Canada where the DVD has already shipped platinum.

Underoath has a new video out. It's for the song Too Bright To See Too Loud To Hear from their Lost In The Sound Of Separation album:

Retroactive Records has signed the band Liberty n' Justice. Their next album has a new title: Light It Up. Expect it out this fall.

Believer posted two new songs from the Gabriel album on myspace. Check out Redshift and Medwton.

Fort Knox Amsterdam is breaking up. Guitarist/vocalist TJ Knox is moving from Amsterdam to Oregon. A farewell show will be held in The Cave, in Amsterdam, on Saturday May 16th. The show is free.

Pop punk band Stellar Kart will release a best-of album called Life Is Good: The Best Of Stellar Kart.

And pop punk band FM Static published their video for Boy Moves To A New Town With Optimistic Outlook:

Rob Jennens has left hard rock band Stairway. He has decided to dedicate more of his time to his family. The group will continue as a three piece and is working on their new album.

For Today will release their new record Portraits on June 9th. It will be put on the market by Facedown Records.

The Dutch metal band Docile has a new bassplayer called Jeremy Regensburg. Right now Docile is working on their next CD. Drums will be finished in the next week or two.

Another Dutch band, Picture Of The Moon, has called it quits.

Want to read an interview with Wes Hein, from Enigma Records, who signed Stryper in the early eighties? Check this page.

Friday April 17th 2009

Deuteronomium will release their Retaliatory Strike EP tomorrow. This will happen at the Immortal Metal Fest in Nokia in Finland. However, the vinyl version is delayed.

The German metal band Arcane Legion released a new EP called Dark Side Of Men. You can download songs from Mp3.de.

Stryper will headline the Saturday night at Rocklahoma 2009. This festival takes place from July 9th through 12th in Pryor, Oklahoma, USA. Other bands appearing at Rocklahoma are Danger Danger, Mad Max, Anthrax, Saxon, Metal Church, Thin Lizzy, Skid Row, Great White, Bonfire, Vixen and many others.

A new release on Strike First Records is Numbered With The Transgressors from Earth From Above.

My Silent Wake put their rendition of Attirition's Two Gods on their myspace.com page. This song was recorded in the band's home studio for the Attrition tribute album Wrapped In The Guise Of My Friend.

The Chariot added a new song to their myspace.com profile. The track is called Daggers and comes from their new album Wars And Rumors Of War (out May 5th)

Inevitable End was added to the Fear Dark Festival to replace Willow's Whisper.  You can listen to the band's new album The Severed Inception here.

Friday April 10th 2009

Jacobs Dream is recording their fifth studio album called Beneath The Shadows. It's a concept album about a person who gets lost in a life of drug addiction. As a result of his actions he loses everything he loves which sends him on an emotional journey of his own personal hell. Jacobs Dream hopes to have the new record out in July. The band also filmed their first music video. It's for the song Welcome To My World from the new album.

Only 8000 copies will be pressed of Awake, the new Zao album that comes out on May 5th. The other option is buying the music as a digital release.

HM Magazine published another preview of the As I Lay Dying triple DVD This Is Who We Are:

German death metal band World To Ashes finished their new album entitled In Contemplation Of Death. It comes out in May through Whirlwind Records.

Emery will release their new album In Shallow Seas We Sail on June 2nd. Check out the song Cutthroat Collapse on myspace.

Also As Cities Burn are getting ready for a new album. The record is called Hell Or High Water and comes out on April 21st. On myspace you can listen to two new tracks: Into The Sea and 84 Sheepdog.

And MeWithoutYou has a new song on myspace as well. It's called Every Thought A Thought Of You and this one comes from their upcoming album It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream! It's Alright. The disc comes out on May 19th.

Dreamt Music (an imprint of Facedown Records) signed Sleep For Sleepers. Their debut album The Clearing appears on May 12th.

The Chariot has a new song on myspace called Evolve. It comes from the Wars And Rumors Of War album that they will release on May 5th.

Miseration will enter the Panic Room studio in late June with producer Tomas "Plec" Johansson. They will record the follow-up to Your Demons - Their Angels. The new disc will be called The Mirroring Shadow. It will contain eight to ten songs with hard-hitting, non-compromising death metal. The album comes out through Lifeforce Records later this year. On May 15th a European tour will start. First appearance is at the Fear Dark Festival in Holland. They tour with Inevitable End.

Harmony will record a music video for Prevail, one of the tracks of their Chapter II: Aftermath album. The band will use the same crew and director the band Darkwater used for their video The Play. Both bands are on Ulterium Records.

By the way, here's the video of The Play II from Darkwater:

Theocracy released a limited edition picture disc version of Mirror Of Souls. There's also a possibility of a Theocracy European tour this fall.

Theocracy, Harmony, Darkwater, Incrave, Ivory Moon and Grand Lux (all on Ulterium Records) are writing songs for upcoming releases.

The Belgian female fronted metal band Willow's Whisper is on a hiatus. New drummer Theo left. Right now the band don't feel like putting energy in finding a drummer again. The planned concerts are cancelled, including their performance at the Fear Dark Festival in May.

Solution.45 signed a contract with AFM Records. This band was formed by Christian Älvestam, Mikko Härkin, Jani Stefanovic, Tom Gardiner, Anders Edlund and Rolf Pilve. Their debut album will be recorded in the Panic Room studio in September. Producer is Tomas "Plec" Johansson. The aim is to include ten to twelve songs on the album.

The Weakening are ready to announce the release date of an EP called Chaos Harmony.

Melodic rock band Liberty N' Justice are working on The Cigar Chronicles. This will be their ninth studio album and their fifth all star project. Four guest vocalist announced so far are Dale & Troy Thompson (Bride), Marq Torien (Bulletboys) and Chris Holmes (WASP).

Emocore band I Am Terrified released a six song EP on Gotee Records. Now there's a video on videorocket.com.

Tentative title for the new Bride album is Tsar Bomba.

FM Static has a new album out called Dear Diary. It's a concept album following the life of Aero, who moves to a new town. On Purevolume you can listen to the song Boy Meets Girls (And Visa Versa).

The first seven names are made known of bands playing the second edition of the Brainstorm Festival. This festival takes place on November 13th & 14th 2009 in Club Gigant, Apeldoorn, Holland. These bands are booked so far: Narnia, Harmony, Darkwater, Mad Max, Forsaken, Deuteronomium and In Vain.

Friday April 3rd 2009

Swedish based label CM Sweden/Rivel Records will release two new albums on May 15th. First of all Chaos And Greed. This is the new Heel album and the follow-up to Evil Days. The other album is Higher from ReinXeed. This band is also working on songs for their third album. ReinXeed hopes to be touring abroad, especially in Japan where they've gained a lot of fans since their debut record The Light.

The US release date of Callisto's new album Providence is May 26th.

War Of Ages had their new video world premier for All Consuming Fire on Headbanger's Ball last Saturday. This live video was filmed in the Forward hall in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. Watch the video on Headbanger's Blog:

Interested in reading a lengthy interview with Kurt Bachman of Believer? Check this out. And here's another interview.

Stryper will do a US tour, starting in September. They will approximately visit 50 cities. This will be followed by an international tour in January and February. The 25th Anniversary Tour will be a 2 set show. The first set will be new Stryper material and include bassist Tracy Ferrie, along with original members Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet and Oz Fox. The second set will be classic Stryper hits and will be all 4 original members, including original bassist Tim Gaines. Michael Sweet Jr's band will be the opening band on the tour. 2009 also marks the release of Stryper's newest studio album Murder by Pride on Big3 Records.

On April 16th Oz Fox's other band Bloodgood will release a new DVD called Live In Norway.

Pillar is working on a new album. They're looking for a September 22nd release date.

In late April Bride will be recording their new album. Their idea is to make a fan financed album. This means you can help them finance the new project. You can donate $20 or more to Bride to help finance the new project and they
will get you a signed copy of the release when it becomes available. Bride will also mail you links to places where they will post pre-production recordings of the songs so you can listen to the project as it is happening. The project will be completed in late June or early July. Bride accepts Paypal and US money orders.  For more information, mail: bride@bridepub.com.

Bombworks Records is still in signing mode. They've signed another two bands: Monolith and Darkness Before Dawn.

Impending Doom released their new album The Serpent Servant this week.

The first As I Lay Dying triple DVD is about to come out. There's a nice preview on Headbanger's Blog: