[Classic_Rock_Forever] Def Leppard, Metallica, Megadeth, King Diamond and tons of hard rock and heavy metal news

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According to NBC Miami, a former Broward Sheriff's Office deputy who faked a car accident to recoup money spent on DEF LEPPARD concert tickets was convicted Wednesday on charges of grand theft and filing a fraudulent insurance claim.

Shawn Terel Barber, 44, is facing 10 years behind bars when he's sentenced on January 27, Palm Beach County prosecutors told the Sun-Sentinel.

Barber had purchased four tickets for DEF LEPPARD's on March 29, 2008 show at the Seminole Hard Rock but his babysitter backed out at the last minute. Instead of eating the $630 ticket costs, Barber filed a fake accident report, which would have triggered the tickets' insurance clause.
 
MATT SORUM Says VELVET REVOLVER's Recordings With COREY TAYLOR 'Sounded Cool' - Dec. 15, 2011
 
MERCYFUL FATE members King Diamond (vocals), Hank Shermann (guitar), Timi Hansen (bass) and Michael Denner (guitar) were among the musicians who joined METALLICA on stage on December 7 for the second of four intimate shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of METALLICA's 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only.

Longtime MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND manager Olé Bang has posted the following recap of the event on King's official web site:

"I have received a couple of mails asking me to post a few notes about the 'METALLICA event'... so here a short rundown of what was going on.

"It actually started a while ago, when [METALLICA drummer] Lars Ulrich approached the original MERCYFUL FATE members to find out if able and willing to participate. It was all to be secret to keep in line with the surprise effect. When that was sorted, we went to San Francisco; Timi, Michael, Hank and myself from Denmark, and King, obviously, from [his home base of] Dallas [Texas].

"It would be King's first appearance since he joined METALLICA on stage in Dallas, and his first since the bypass.

"We were all anxious and excited about the event, and met up at the San Francisco hotel booked for us.

"[It was] really nice to see the guys together again; a first time in 18 years.

"The following morning (December 7th), we were taken to soundcheck, which was also kept under tight secrecy... [We] actually, had to enter the Fillmore through the kitchen of a Korean restaurant, and up the fire escape staircase.

"The soundcheck was a blast for me to watch.

"Michael and Hank were given each a METALLICA flying V guitars and a bass was ready for Timi.

"A few moments later, the eight guys on stage went through the medley already agreed on, spending quite some time on getting detail absolutely right. King and James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] went over who would sing which part and after some adjustments on the monitors, it ended with a complete run-through of the medley. Altogether it was a very smooth soundcheck, with a really nice and friendly METALLICA crew, whom we all owe a huge 'Thank You!'

"During soundcheck, both Livia [King's wife] and I got some photos of the action, some of which have already been posted online. METALLICA had their own photographers all over the place, so you'd surely seen the action by now.

"The Fillmore was set for a great evening, and we now realized who would be the other surprise guests of the evening. They turned up one by one for their soundcheck, and we spend some time checking out the 'Metallica Museum' with rare and unusual effects on display. We then had an afternoon break and returned in the evening around 9 p.m.

"The place was packed, and upstairs in the VIP area we had a chance to meet up with a lot of old friends in the business, whom we had not seen for years. One very important person in the MERCYFUL FATE history is [former KUSF radio DJ and Metal Mania fanzine editor] Ron Quintana, who was partly responsible for spreading the word of the band, way back in the early '80s.

"Our label boss, [Metal Blade Records head honcho] Brian Slagel, was there, and we simply just ran into people we knew again and again.

"King arrived in full makeup and made his way to a small dressing room, right by the stage, at the time when Lou Reed performed on stage. He might have gotten a small surprise when he got off stage, or maybe someone had warned him.

"When Jason [Newsted, former METALLICA bassist] went on stage, it was time for MERCYFUL FATE to be ready. Only a few seconds after he left stage, we heard Lars starting his story of the 'good old days' back in Copenhagen when recording their first albums. The next 10 minutes are documented on all the video footage much better than I can describe it... and after this, there's really not much to say.

"It was an amazing experience and I believe there are loads of comments and stories about how it was to be in the audience.

"The following morning we checked out and flew back home...

"Oh, yes, we did hang out for a while after the show, and yes, we did go to a place for after-hours drinks... but that's another (private) story."
 
Ex-METALLICA guitarist and current MEGADETH frontman Dave Mustaine joined his former bandmates on stage this past Saturday night (December 10) for the fourth and final intimate show at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of METALLICA's week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only.

When asked by Music Radar if it "felt nice to have mended all fences with" METALLICA, Mustaine said, "You know, there's still going to be some dumb fucker who says to me, 'So, do you guys get along?' [laughs] I just know it. The world is full of idiots, and I seem to run into a lot of them. It does feel good, though.

"It was very cathartic to go up there last weekend. I was pretty unsure of what was going to happen. I wasn't nervous; I just didn't know what to expect. Those guys are a lot different from MEGADETH. We like to know what songs we're going to do. They play pretty loose from the hip — which is cool.

"I was trying to figure out, 'Do I learn the demo versions of the [METALLICA] songs or the 'Kill 'Em All' versions of the songs?' Well, I found out it was the 'Kill 'Em All' versions. OK, 'Do I learn my solos from the demos, or Kirk's [Hammett] solos? What solos should I play?' Then, when I got there, Kirk said, 'You know, why don't you play all the solos?' And I was like, 'Oooh!' [laughs] I had to quickly go through my bag of tricks. In the end, I got up on stage, and everything came together. I was making it much too difficult for myself.

"It was fun, I had a good time, everybody smiled a lot. Gave out a bunch of high-five knuckles and hugs. Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] kissed me a couple of times...[laughs]

"It's neat that people are able to see what this whole thing is about.

"The media made this so ugly for so long.

"We all still really care about each other.

"Everything has come full circle. It's 30 years later, and here we are. It's really weird, the whole mythology to this."

Mustaine, who was one of the original members of METALLICA, was fired from the band by drummer Lars Ulrich in 1983. He was replaced by Kirk Hammett and went on to form MEGADETH and achieve worldwide success on his own.

In an interview with Revolver magazine conducted earlier this year, Mustaine was asked what he remembers about writing music with METALLICA while he was in the group. "I had always called us, as a group, the 'Four Horsemen,'" he said. "Before I was in METALLICA, I really loved this band called MONTROSE, and their guitarist was Ronnie Montrose. He went on to form a band called GAMMA. One of their records [1980's 'Gamma 2'] had a shark fin cutting through the grass, which I thought was so awesome. Anyway, he had a song on there called 'Four Horsemen' that I did with my band PANIC, which I was with before METALLICA. So when I joined METALLICA, I had the song 'Mechanix', which I wrote, and 'Four Horsemen' was a suggestion of mine to do 'cause we were doing cover songs. So that had planted the seed with James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman]. And one day when we were coming to rehearsal, Lars had just said something about slowing down my song, 'Mechanix'. I had just gotten to the studio with Cliff [Burton, METALLICA bassist], and we had been listening to LYNYRD SKYNYRD, and I was being a jerk, so I played 'Sweet Home Alabama' instead of 'Mechanix', and that's basically the middle part of what would become METALLICA's 'The Four Horsemen'."

Regarding what his favorite METALLICA song is, Mustaine said, "I had to do a lot of coming to terms with myself in order to listen to METALLICA. Before, whenever I heard them, it triggered me in my mind to get up on my soapbox and spit out complaints of what had happened to me. And then once I finally realized, 'Dave, you're lucky, you're blessed, you're in a great band, you're in another great band.' I finally just said, 'You're missing it.'

"And I remember hearing this song when I was talking to Lars once and telling him this is my favorite song off the 'Black Record.' And he goes, 'Really? Fuck, man.' It was 'The Unforgiven'. I liked it because I thought this was really the first time I've ever really heard James [Hetfield] sing. He had sung before, and he was a great singer. But that was the first time I ever heard him really, really sing."
 
Chris Broderick plays guitar in Megadeth - he made his name with Jag Panzer and Nevermore - and now takes his orders from Dave Mustaine.
"It's Dave's band," Broderick says down the line from LA and adds a hearty chuckle. "He makes the rules, I have no problem with that - anyone that stays committed to one band for this long deserves to make the rules; he's the captain of the ship. Besides, it was always his vision, Megadeth is his band."
Broderick has been on board the good ship Megadeth since 2008 - in fact he joined just days before he was on stage.
"That was incredible, really, just surreal. I mean here I was being asked to learn these parts from a band I had grown up listening to; not just listening to actually, worshipping," there's a pause for a chuckle. "I mean every kid with a guitar dreams of jamming with their heroes, right? And this was me - getting to play the parts to songs that I had obsessed over. It was daunting and wonderful, you want to play these songs with all the love and attention you can, you want to be respectful to the original parts but you also want to put your own stamp on them where you can."
Broderick first recorded his own sound as part of Megadeth with the band's 2009 album, Endgame, but he joined the band at a time when there was a lot of looking back. Broderick's playing already graces three live Megadeth albums - including a revisit of the entire Rust in Peace album (Rust in Peace Live).
He's on the phone to discuss the brand new album, TH1RT3EN (yes, it's the group's 13th studio album and in the absence of a clever title comes the stylised block-capitals with the numbers 1 and 3 encased in the word; like a horror film-title from the early 2000s).
Broderick acknowledges that looking back has helped Mustaine - and therefore the band - to move forward.
"There's definitely been some reconciling of the past - and it's been a great way for me to come into the band, learning and playing all of these songs I grew up with. I knew so many of them - but when you have to learn a whole catalogue like that it's pretty intense. We've played around the world with the Rust in Peace shows and then did The Big 4. Now we return to playing new material and TH1RT3EN reminds me of so many of the Megadeth albums from the past. I mean, I hear bits from so many of the band's albums - but it's cool; we've locked in to a sound that is informed by the past. And I think for Dave especially it's been really important to work through his catalogue. In TH1RT3EN I think there is definitely a lot of the sound of Killing Is My Business in places and also Peace Sells, Countdown to Extinction, Rust in Peace and Youthanasia. It's all in there. All part of the patchwork and the legacy continues with the new album. That's the hope..."
Mustaine once said of erstwhile guitarist Marty Friedman (a band member from 1990-2000) that the key to their swap-around lead/rhythm playing was that they both had such different approaches to soloing; Marty soloed with a lot of love, which countered Mustaine's solos that he considered full of hate.
Broderick laughs at this before deciding that "actually that's pretty close to the relationship that Dave and I have in a playing sense. I'm not saying I play like Marty - or as well as Marty - but I'm trying to perform that role, to be a foil and I think Dave and I play off each other as well as Marty and he did at their best. I'd like to think we give each other space and I think that's what works and that's been part of what's been so great being in this band."
Another thing that Broderick believes has been great is the return of bassist Dave Ellefson. "Obviously I wasn't in the band the first time around when he was but he's an important part of the sound of classic Megadeth and there's just so much history - and he's another part of that; an important part of the band's sound."
The goal with TH1RT3EN was to make "a really heavy album" but one that "has melody; melody is important - and Megadeth does melody well". Broderick is proud of the album - he trots out a few of the usual platitudes about it being the best album the band has done in a while. Except, maybe he has a point - it's certainly the best Megadeth album I've heard in a long time - and though I know from interviewing musicians they're generally trained to say that whenever a new album is released, Broderick definitely takes his role and his instrument very seriously.
When I speak to him the album has just been released and though there have been some warm-up shows the band is only just starting to plan its schedule. So a break for Broderick, then?
"Well, erm," there's an interrupting chuckle, an almost embarrassed laugh, "I've been practising. I take practice pretty seriously - as you need to - so I've been getting in some eight- and 10-hour days working on technique, working on all sorts of ideas. I am still working at playing - whenever I get a spare moment. I'm a long way off being the player I want to be and I find it's really important to keep the ideas flowing, just to maintain your ability."
Will we hear any of his ideas on future Megadeth albums?
"Oh, Dave is still very much the boss there - but he's receptive to my ideas; I make suggestions, I get to suggest options. But I also take orders. That's the nature of the job and the role - it's his band. If he told me to play something a certain way instead of what I was doing - well then I'd do that. Dave gets to decide. And I respect that. Hell, I just think I'm f**king lucky to be playing in a band I love. A band I f**king loved when I was a teenager, when I was growing up and hoping to make music more than just a hobby. So it's all still pretty amazing to me that I get to be in this band and contribute my playing.
"TH1RT3EN is very much a renaissance for Megadeth, I can't say it's a comeback because we've not gone away. But we're as good as ever - I say that with all respect to all past members of the band. We're rocking hard and heavy and I am very proud that there's been something of a return to the thrash elements - and there are a lot of Bay Area bands now that are feeling informed by the work that Megadeth and Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax created in the 1980s. That side of metal is back - and I'm very pleased about that. It's great hearing some of the kids in LA and San Francisco really hitting it hard. For a while there metal was a dirty word and I never understood that."
We've just got time for the usual call about how the band hopes to return to New Zealand. "Well, we always have a good time there and the Kiwi audiences do seem to get what we do - you're a passionate lot so we hope to see you on the next tour. I would hope we'd be out there in the New Year. The plan is to tour this record pretty hard and I like to think that since we've done the Rust in Peace and Big 4 shows we would definitely play a lot of this new album - but of course we'll always offer a selection of the old songs too."
Have you heard TH1RT3EN? Are you a Megadeth fan still? Were you ever? And what do you think of Chris Broderick as the new kid on the block? How do you like his sound compared with the past guitarists'? What's your favourite Megadeth lineup? How do you rate the new lineup? And what's your favourite album by the band?
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MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio spoke to the Swedish TV channel SVT about the organizational difficulties encountered by the promoters of the 2012 edition of the Getaway Rock Festival, which MANOWAR is scheduled to headline.

Joey was alerted to problems with the festival last month and flew to Sweden to sort them out.

This year's Getaway Rock festival is set to take place July 5-7, 2012 in Gävle, Sweden.

DeMaio appeared onstage at this past summer's Getaway Rock festival to announce MANOWAR's appearance at the event as next year's headliners.

This will be the fulfillment of MANOWAR's promise to return in triumph to the Swedish festival scene after 12 years.

"The Swedish fans have won; their belief, shown by their non-acceptance of false metal is the reason we will finally return," said DeMaio after the announcement. "There was no compromise in their voices, nor in our resolve; we promised each other that it's all or nothing.

"It is no secret that there was a war between promoters as to who would bring MANOWAR back to Sweden and finally give the fans what they want and Getaway won.

"We played our last festival in Sweden in 1999 and we promised we would not return until we could give our fans what they deserve and next year that promise will be fulfilled. We vow to crack the earth with power and might.

"This will be a show which no true metal warrior will want to miss. We are calling all Manowarriors not only from Scandinavia, but from all over the world to join us for earth-shattering, face-melting metal..

"The voice of the fans in Sweden has been heard, many other countries will also take heed and their voice, too, will be the reason MANOWAR will appear in their country next."

Added Getaway Rock festival organizer Tomas Gernberg: "This is a major step for us and naturally we are honored that we could secure MANOWAR as headliners for Getaway Rock festival 2012. MANOWAR have a strong and loyal following in Sweden, Scandinavia and all over the world. We are proud to be the ones to bring the band back to Sweden."

For more information, visit www.getawayrock.se.
 
Candlelight Records has set a February 28, 2012 North American release date for the self-titled new album from CORROSION OF CONFORMITY. Recorded at Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, California, the CD was produced by the band in cooperation with longtime collaborator John Custer. It was mixed by John Lousteau (FOO FIGHTERS) and features artwork by Seldon Hunt (MELVINS, HIGH ON FIRE).

"Corrosion Of Conformity" will be available on standard CD, deluxe digipak, and two exclusive vinyl formats.

Featuring the esteemed "Animosity" lineup of vocalist/bassist Mike Dean, guitarist Woody Weatherman, and drummer/vocalist Reed Mullin, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's album closes a six-year recording gap and completes over a year of concentrated writing and recording for the band.

Reflecting on the past year and the album's recording process, Dean notes, "We tracked the songs at Studio 606, then headed for Europe, toured the U.S., and returned to Europe. We then did some vocals at home in North Carolina. but not where we originally planned; the studio was flattened by a system of spring tornadoes. We made our way back to 606 about seven months later and mixed twelve songs in ten days. The whole time we were out there, we were living in the onion fields of Ventura County and had to drive over the Santa Susana Pass to the San Fernando Valley every day. That was some fuel intensive time to reflect."

He added, "As a whole, the album was an inspired and efficient collaboration.

"John Custer told me he thought we were all working together as one organism; which is an apt description."

"Corrosion Of Conformity" features eleven new songs, with the deluxe digipak and vinyl formats set to include two additional tracks. Vinyl collectors will want to seek out both formats of the record; the European configuration is confirmed as a double 180-gram clear vinyl, and the American version will feature a single 180-gram black-and-white splatter vinyl with a limited seven-inch single which will include the album's bonus songs. Both versions will feature a gatefold sleeve.

Comments Dean: "We like the idea of pressing this music on vinyl because so much of our inspiration comes from music that precedes the digital era. It's also cool to have that large format for the artwork and the lyrics and the credits. It's such a tangible physical product you can hold in your hands. In Europe, the vinyl will include a CD so you can get the files into your digital realm. In the U.S., a download card is included."

"Corrosion Of Conformity" track listing:

01. Psychic Vampire
02. River Of Stone
03. Leeches
04. El Lamento De Las Cabras
05. Your Tomorrow
06. The Doom
07. The Moneychangers
08. Come Not Here
09. What We Become
10. Rat City
11. Time Of Trials
12. Canyon Man (deluxe/vinyl only)
13. The Same Way (deluxe/vinyl only)

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY will close out 2011 with performances alongside CLUTCH between December 27 and 31.

The band will kick off 2012 with a recently announced show in North Carolina with friends HAIL!HORNET.

Mullin co-founded CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in 1982 as a hardcore punk act alongside Weatherman and Dean before leaving the band in 2001 amidst health concerns.

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's latest album, "In the Arms of God", came out in 2005 on Sanctuary Records. The group's first collection of new material since 2000's "America's Volume Dealer" was produced by C.O.C.'s longtime collaborator John Custer.
 
Canadian thrashers THINE EYES BLEED — who feature in their ranks former KITTIE guitarist/technician Jeff Phillips and bassist Johnny Araya (brother of SLAYER's Tom Araya) — have just released their third album, "The Embers Rise", independently via iTunes. The CD was recorded with producer Siegfried Meier at his Beach Road Studios in Ontario, Canada and features a guest appearance by Tom Araya in the song "Eyes To The Sky".

"The Embers Rise" track listing:

01. Ashes We Called Skin
02. Creeper
03. Eyes To The Sky
04. A Dying Man
05. Comorbid
06. Beards Of Prey
07. The Last Dead
08. End With The Night
 
AFM Records will kick off its 2012 North American release schedule with the CD version of the highly-anticipated debut from BUCK SATAN AND THE 666 SHOOTERS, the psycho-country/metal alter-ego of MINISTRY's infamous founder, Al Jourgensen.

In addition to his worldwide notoriety as the Godfather of industrial metal, the public has long been aware of Al Jourgensen's doppelganger, Buck Satan; an idea birthed in homage to his longtime country music hero Buck Owens. Owens, just prior to his death, "blessed" Jourgensen's country side-project BUCK SATAN AND THE 666 SHOOTERS, and now finally fully realized years later, this anticipated, apocalyptic bit of filthy modern Americana is complete, the collection of hymns dubbed "Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free".

Jourgensen recruited additional henchmen for the debut recordings from BUCK SATAN AND THE 666 SHOOTERS, including Rick Nielsen (CHEAP TRICK), Tony Campos (STATIC-X) and Mike Scaccia (RIGOR MORTIS), in addition to a plethora of guest musicians bearing fiddles, cellos, pedal steel guitars, mandolins, banjos, and more for the construction of the album, utilizing his extensive knowledge of country music to accomplish the album, including eleven original numbers as well as a nod to the legendary Gram Parsons on "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man". Weighing in with over fifty minutes of high-octane "country core" debauchery, "Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free" should no doubt be a highly anticipated release for diehard MINISTRY/Jourgensen fans as well as anybody with a penchant for outlaw country music or raging American rock in general.

"Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free" will be released on CD via AFM Records through Dismanic Distribution on January 17, with the digital release being handled by Jourgensen's own Thirteenth Planet Records.

"Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free" track listing:

01. Quicker Than Liquor
02. What's Wrong With Me
03. Medication Nation
04. Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man
05. The Only Time I'm Sober Is When You're Gone
06. Cheap Wine, Cheap Ramen
07. Down The Drain
08. Sleepless Nights and Bar Room Fights
09. Friend of the Devil
10. Ten Long Years In Texas
11. I Hate Every Bone In Your Body Except Mine
12. Take Me Away
 
GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna tells Dave Wedge of BostonHerald.comthat the band is heading back to the studio in January to mix a live disc and record a handful of cover songs that Erna says "inspired us along the way." A spring tour with fellow Massachusetts rockers STAIND also is on tap.

Erna's December 16 solo performance at The Wilbur Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts will be professionally filmed for an upcoming 3D DVD release. The concert is also slated to air on Palladia, a cable music channel that ran a documentary about the making of his solo album "Avalon".

Regarding his past solo performances in support of "Avalon", Erna said, "Just like any other tour, it took us a week or a week and a half to get into a groove ... and polish the fluidity of the performance. But it came together because all the musicians in this band are so talented. ... It felt really like it grew internally for us, and externally for the audience it was smoother."

He added, "It was very refreshing to see people get it. It really translated to people. Every night, there were people in the audience with tissues, wiping tears from their face. Other times, it was more of an uplifting vibe, and it was powerful and showed the power of music and what it can do when it's presented the proper way."

Released in September 2010, "Avalon" features flutes, cellos, hand drums and other exotic instrumentation, along with female vocals. Erna has emphasized that it is "not a rock record."
 
The Pulse Of Radio reports that SHINEDOWN is inching closer to revealing more details about its fourth studio album, which will follow up the band's massively successful 2008 effort, "The Sound Of Madness". The Jacksonville, Florida-based group has apparently finished recording the disc — which it began working on back in August — and is now in the process of mixing the album. This is according to a video message posted by guitarist Zach Myers, who added that the album's title and release date are coming soon.

On January 3, a new SHINEDOWN single, "Bully", will reportedly be released to radio, with the full-length effort to follow in the spring.

SHINEDOWN recorded the new album in Los Angeles with producer Rob Cavallo, who previously collaborated with the group on "The Sound Of Madness".

"The Sound Of Madness" sold more than 1.2 million copies and produced six hit singles, including "Devour", "The Crow and The Butterfly" and "If You Only Knew".

A deluxe edition of the record was issued last year, which included a bonus track that became yet another radio hit, "Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)".

Myers recently told Gibson.com about the band's songwriting process, "We aren't a band that goes into the studio and makes a record in six weeks. 'The Sound Of Madness' took 24 months to write. Brent has this weird thing when we're writing, we go into the studio, and there are no clocks around; there are no calendars on the wall. He doesn't like to have a time limit on being creative."
 
Virginia crossover thrash metal band MUNICIPAL WASTE has completed work on its fifth studio album, "The Fatal Feast", for a spring 2012 release via Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented MUNICIPAL WASTE lead singer Tony Foresta: "[This] record is going to feature some guest spots from John Connelly [guitarist and vocalist for NUCLEAR ASSAULT], Steve Moore [who plays bass and synthesizers for ZOMBI], and [vocalist] Tim Barry [ex-AVAIL]."

He added, "The WASTE is really looking forward to providing you with the soundtrack to the end of the world in 2012. See you there!"


"Massive Aggressive", the latest album from MUNICIPAL WASTE, landed at No. 10 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Massive Aggressive" was released on August 25, 2009 via Earache Records
 
WARRANT drummer Steven Sweet has released a holiday album, "Steven Sweet's Family Christmas", through Downboys Records via iTunes. The collection "was [initially] intended [just] for family and friends, but it [came out] very funny, with Steven's multiple character voices and his sweet daughter and wife singing."

"Steven Sweet's Family Christmas" track listing:

01. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On an Open Fire)' (featuring Steven Sweet)
02. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (featuring Beth Whitney Chamberlin)
03. Let It Snow (featuring Steven Sweet)
04. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (featuring Steven Sweet, Katelyn C.)
05. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (featuring Beth Whitney Chamberlin)
06. Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer (featuring Steven Sweet, Beth Whitney Chamberlin, Katelyn C.)
07. Silent Night (featuring Steven Sweet, Beth Whitney Chamberlin, Katelyn C.)
Drummer Eric Young of Swdish glam rockers CRASHDIET fractured his right hand and his unable to perform with his bandmates in Rome, Italy (December 13); Milan, Italy (December 14); and Lichtenfels, Germany (December 167). Filling in for him for those shows is Michael Sweet, the "kid brother" of CRASHDIET guitarist Martin Sweet.

As previously reported, CRASHDIET's third album, "Generation Wild", was recently released on vinyl. This gatefold LP features the new bonus track "Hollywood Teaze" as well as updated artwork.

"Generation Wild" entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 3. The CD, which was made available in Sweden in April 2010 through Gain/Sony Music, was helmed by RamPac, the production and songwriting team formed by Johan Ramström and Patrik Magnusson, in Gröndal, Sweden and was mixed by Tobias Lindell.

CRASHDIET in 2009 announced the addition of Simon "Simme" Cruz from the Stockholm act JAILBAIT as the group's new lead singer.

The band parted ways with its previous vocalist, the Finland-based H. Olliver Twisted, in July 2008.
 
Members of EVIL SURVIVES (Heavy Artillery Records) and PUTRESCENCE (No Escape Records) have formed a JUDAS PRIEST tribute band called JUDAS PRIEST DANCE PARTY.

According to a press release, JUDAS PRIEST DANCE PARTY will perform "all the mid-paced dancey PRIEST tunes" this Friday, December 16 at the Zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. "You'll hear classics such as 'Starbreaker', 'Diamonds And Rust', 'Stained Class', 'Rock Hard Ride Free', among many more, paying tribute to one of the greatest metal bands of all time." Support at the show will come from BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA and THE LONELY VULCANS.
 
Scheduled to launch in early 2012, the Bandhappy online music community, founded by PERIPHERY drummer Matt Halpern, promises to "reshape how music teachers and students connect in a first-of-its-kind music community." Bandhappy will offer either in-person lessons or online lessons anywhere on the planet via a custom-built, in-house video chat system.

"Bandhappy really spent the time gathering information from students, teachers and touring artists to create the most well-rounded and groundbreaking online music tool that I've seen," states LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler. "I've given and taken lessons on here myself and even picked up something I used on the new LAMB OF GOD recording. Bandhappy has it all."

Musicians can use Bandhappy for instant access to a readily available pool of potential students, so they can teach whatever they want, whenever they want, wherever they want. Bandhappy makes it easy for musicians to manage their teaching schedules effortlessly, while still doing what they love to do and earn income even when they're out on the road. The touring musicians who created Bandhappy have made the entire process hassle-free for both students and teachers. Everything from scheduling to payment is handled seamlessly in one place, on their easy-to-navigate, user-friendly site.

Students have a unique opportunity to interact with and learn from their favorite performers, often without even leaving home. Teachers that have already signed on include Tosin Abasi (ANIMALS AS LEADERS), Rich Redmond (JASON ALDEAN BAND), AJ Minette (THE HUMAN ABSTRACT), Evan Brewer (THE FACELESS), Paul Waggoner (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME), Rody Walker (PROTEST THE HERO), Peter Wichers (SOILWORK), Willie Adler (LAMB OF GOD), Louis Cato (MARCUS MILLER BAND), Spencer Sotelo (PERIPHERY), and more.

Bandhappy offers access to one-on-one lessons — in person or online — with the teacher of your choice, chosen from an impressive roster of professionals in every possible genre. Students will also have the opportunity to learn all things music related from studio production to song writing. Bandhappy has amassed many well known music industry professionals as part of the service launch. Additional teacher applications will be accepted soon.

"Being in PERIPHERY with Matt, I've been able to watch the building of Bandhappy from the beginning," states PERIPHERY guitarist and producer, Misha Mansoor. "It's amazing, actually, seeing how it started as an idea and now being able to use it! The layout of the site is simple and fun, super user-friendly, and can really connect a lot of people. It's a revolutionary system with customized video chat specifically geared toward music lessons. Any musician from any genre, or any part of the music world will be able to apply to teach and join an incredible starting roster of teachers. It enables musicians to teach or take lessons, even if they never have before in a way that is hassle-free and exciting. Bandhappy will help musicians make a stronger connection with their fans, give fans and students a real and live, personal learning experience, and allow musicians to run their own teaching businesses. There has never been anything like this before and it's truly going to change the musical landscape."
 
Terry Butler (DEATH, MASSACRE, SIX FEET UNDER, DENIAL FIEND, OBITUARY) and Frederick "Rick Rozz" DeLillo (MANTAS, DEATH, MASSACRE, M INC.) will celebrate the 20th anniversary of MASSACRE's classic "From Beyond" album by embarking on a European tour in January/February 2012. Dubbed "Army Of Darkness", the trek will feature additional performances from MACABRE and MASTER.

Prior to heading over to Europe, MASSACRE will play a one-off U.S. show on Saturday, January 14 at The Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida.

Commented Rozz: "[I am] really looking forward to this tribute to MASSACRE. It has been over 20 years and a lot of hair loss since Terry Butler and I have jammed together, and it's going great, along with Mike Mazzonetto (drums) and Ed Webb (vocals). This is going to be a great time with old and new friends, and the 'From Beyond' tracks have never sounded this heavy/brutal."

Added Butler: "We are very excited to be bringing the fans a proper MASSACRE show and tour. We've been working our asses off to fine tune a few things and bring you the best show possible. It's been a long time, but better late than never. It makes it even better to be touring with legendary friends MACABRE and MASTER. This is going to be a killer show for the fans."

The dates are as follows:

Jan. 25 - Osnabrück, Germany @ Bastard Club
Jan. 26 - Munich, Germany @ Backstage
Jan. 28 - Zürich, Switzerland @ Industrie 45
Jan. 29 - Lyon, France @ Le Kao
Jan. 30 - Paris, France @ Divan Du Monde
Feb. 03 - Valencia, Spain @ Durango Club
Feb. 04 - Badalona/Barcelona, Spain @ Estraperlo Club
Feb. 05 - Montpellier, France @ Secret Place
Feb. 07 - Maribor, Slovenia @ Mc Pekarna
Feb. 08 - Zagreb, Croatia @ Tvornica Kulture
Feb. 11 - Winterthur, Switzerland @ Gaswerk
Feb. 13 - Dresden, Germany @ Chemiefabrik
Feb. 14 - Berlin, Germany @ K-17
Feb. 15 - Bochum, Germany @ Matrix
Feb. 16 - Leer, Germany @ Zollhaus
Feb. 17 - Eindhoven, Holland @ Dynamo
Feb. 18 - Rotterdam, Holland @ Baroeg
Feb. 19 - Drachten, Holland @ Iduna

MASSACRE's touring lineup:

* Mike Mazzonetto (M INC., PAIN PRINCIPLE) - Drums
* Ed Webb (DIABOLIC, GENERICHRIST, DESTINED TO RUIN) - Vocals
* Frederick "Rick Rozz" DeLillo – Guitar
* Terry Butler - Bass

The first photo of the new MASSACRE lineup can be seen below.

MASSACRE's tentative setlist for the tour:

01. Chamber Of Ages
02. Succubus
03. Defeat Remains
04. From Beyond
05. Cryptic Realms
06. Provoked Accurser
07. Dawn Of Eternity
08. Bio-Hazard
09. Warhead
10. Corpse Grinder

A revamped version of MASSACRE — consisting of DENIAL FIEND members Sam Williams (guitar), Curt Beeson (drums; NASTY SAVAGE), along with ex-MASSACRE/DENIAL FIEND members Terry Butler (bass), Steve Swanson (guitar) and Kam Lee (vocals) — completed a European tour in late 2007.
 
Australia's extreme metal unit THE AMENTA is working on material for their third album for a 2012 release. Vocalist Cain Cressal states, "All arrangements and lyrics are 90% complete. I'll be flying over to Sydney soon to finetune vocal patterns/lyrics after much demoing over the last few months. We intend to start tracking the album in January."

Tentatively titled "Flesh Is Heir", the follow-up to 2008's "n0n" is a crystallization of THE AMENTA's methods. Featuring the expansive, aggressive riffing of the "Occasus" album and the ambient electronic destruction of "n0n", "Flesh Is Heir" also introduces a new eeriness courtesy of Cressall and the unique musical and visual element he brings to the band. Lyrically, "Flesh Is Heir" deals with the two warring sides of the human psyche: The Obliterate (the part of the human thats seeks to escape wordly woes by destroying the concept of self) and the Realist (the part that embraces pain, seeing it as a challenge, the meeting of which creates a better human).

"n0n" received a U.S. release on February 10, 2009 via Listenable Records. The CD, which came out in Europe in October 2008, was mixed at The Vault Studios in Sydney, Australia with longtime engineer Lachlan Mitchell (NAZXUL). Mastering for the album took place at Studios 301 with Steve Smart.
 
SHINING (Norway; not to be confused with the Swedish extreme metal act), TAAKE, VREID and INSENSE have been nominated in the "Metal" category at the 40th annual Spellemann awards (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards). The largest and oldest Norwegian music awards show will be held Saturday, January 14 at Folketeateret in Oslo, Norway and will be broadcast live on the Norwegian channel NRK1.

The nominees in the "Metal" category are as follows:

* INSENSE - "Burn In Beautiful Fire"
* SHINING - "Live Blackjazz"
* TAAKE - "Noregs Vaapen"
* VREID - "V"
* ÅRABROT - "Solar Anus"

Last year's Spellemann award in the "Metal" category went to ENSLAVED for the band's "Axioma Ethica Odini" album.
 
THE INIQUITY DESCENT, the extreme-metal project featuring vocalist Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns of Finnish folk metallers FINNTROLL, has inked a deal with Massacre Records. The band has entered the studio to begin recording its debut album for a 2012 release.

THE INIQUITY DESCENT released its debut EP, "Trust The Serpent", in November 2010. The CD was mastered at Nordic Audio Labs by Sami "Hannu" Koivisto and contains four songs (out of 11 that were tracked).

THE INIQUITY DESCENT is:

Mathias Lillmåns - Vocals
Mikael Mannström - Guitars
Philip Kerbs - Guitars
Jonas Frilund - Bass
Kenna Nygård – Drums
 
Swiss metallers SYBREED have entered Downtone Studio in Geneva to begin recording their fourth album, "God Is An Automaton", for a 2012 release via Listenable Records. The follow-up to 2010's "The Pulse Of Awakening" will once again be mixed in Los Angeles in April 2012 by Rhys Fulber, who has previously worked with FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, FEAR FACTORY and PARADISE LOST, among others. The artwork will be created by Seth Siro Anton (SOILWORK, PARADISE LOST, SEPTICFLESH).

SYBREED earlier in the year recorded a new song called "Challenger", which was released for download on April 23 exclusively on iTunes. The track was enhanced with three "ass-kicking" remixes from BAK XIII, Voicians and Drop.

The "Challenger" EP was a standalone release, meant to serve as a sneak preview of the "catchy" kind of material SYBREED is working on for its next CD.

"The Pulse Of Awakening" was released in North America in July 2010 via Listenable Records.

SYBREED will head out to Australia for a tour in March 2012.
 
Maryland extreme metallers DYING FETUS have set "Reign Supreme" as the title of their new album, due mid-2012 via Relapse Records. The CD is being recorded at Wrightway Studios in Baltimore with longtime producer Steve Wright (SLIPKNOT, MISERY INDEX). The effort will feature nine tracks and is "a 'return to roots,' with production focused slightly more on slam than in the band's last few works," according to a press release. "Thematically, the album is set to be a good old-fashioned piece of social and political commentary in the style of DYING FETUS as we have come to know."

Commented DYING FETUS guitarist/vocalist John Gallagher: "The last album had some groove in it, but [it] was basically a lot of tech; this one is a return to form of older DYING FETUS albums, so to speak — more modern production, though, of course. Everything's tight, the sound is crushing, the drums are amazing."

DYING FETUS will join forces with DEVILDRIVER, THE FACELESS, JOB FOR A COWBOY, 3 INCHES OF BLOOD and IMPENDING DOOM for the Metal Alliance Tour in March/April 2012.

DYING FETUS' latest album, "Descend Into Depravity", sold around 2,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 166 on The Billboard 200 chart. The effort landed at position No. 4 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
 
 
Swedish death metallers SKINEATER have revealed the cover artwork for their debut album, "Dermal Harvest". The CD is scheduled for an early 2012 release via Pulverised Records. The band states, "There are some guitars and bass left to record. Some vocals, too. No big deal! This will be a really brutal release!!"

SKINEATER earlier in the year announced the addition of drummer Matte Modin (DARK FUNERAL, RAISED FIST, DEFLESHED, SPORTLOV) to the group's ranks.

Formed in late 2008, SKINEATER features scene veterans Håkan Stuvemark (ex-WOMBBATH, ex-IN THY DREAMS), Stefan Westerberg (ex-CARNAL FORGE, ex-IN THY DREAMS) and Jörgen Ström (THE MARY MAJOR).
Regarding the band's deal with Pulverised, Stuvemark said, "All we've heard about [Pulverised] — and through our own experience during negotiating with the label — has been good! We are ready to cause some damage, so keep yer eyes and ears open!"

Added Pulverised Records A&R manager Calvin Chiang: "After we heard about SKINEATER, it was obviously a no-brainer that their brand of crushing death metal fitted the Pulverised roster perfectly. With their downright devastating and ruthless vibe combined with a slight tinge of melodic elements; we knew there was something remarkable about SKINEATER!"

SKINEATER is:

Jörgen Ström - Vocals
Håkan Stuvemark - Guitars
Stefan Westerberg - Bass
Matte Modin - Drums

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