Metal News for January 12, 2005
Last updated on October 4, 2025 at 3:07 AM ET
We post metal news every day, throughout the day, covering thousands of metal bands including underground and unsigned bands. You are currently browsing the news archive, but you can also find news by band.
Hot Topics
- Trivium Parts Company With Drummer
- Kreator To Release New Album In January
- Enthroned To Release New Album In December
- Potato Premiere New Single & Music Video "YUGE PP"
- Omnium Gatherum Drops "Walking Ghost Phase" Video
- Messa Shares New Music Video "Reveal"
- Spite Premiere New Single & Music Video
- Carcosa (AngelMaker) Premiere New Single & Video
- Stellar Circuits Premiere New Single & Music Video
- Agnostic Front Premiere New Single & Lyric Video
32 news articles posted on this day.
Nominon Adds Second Guitarist
The Swedish death metal band Nominon have announced the addition of second guitarist Kristian Strömblad to the group's ranks.
In other news, the new album, "Recremation", will include nine previously unreleased Nominon tracks. Mostly new and written during 2004/05, plus an old track that Nominon previously recorded late 2001, but with new song lyrics, though. Among the songs you will find "Condemned To Die", "Into Black", "The End Written In Blood", "Submit To Evil", "Sickening", Buried By Me."
More News On Kamelot's New Album
Kamelot's new album, "The Black Halo", will be released in Japan on February 16 and will include two bonus tracks ("Epilogue" and "Soul Society" radio edit), according to the group's management. The European version, which is scheduled to it stores on March 14, will be a limited-edition digipak with two additional bonus cuts ("The Haunting" radio edit and "March of Mephisto" radio edit). The CD is scheduled for release in North America on March 15 via SPV Records.
"The Black Halo", which was recently named Album of the Month by the writers of Burrn! (Japan's biggest and most respected metal magazine), was produced by Sascha Paeth and Miro at Gate and Pathway studios in Germany. Guest musicians on the album include Shagrath (Dimmu Borgir), Jens Johansson (Stratovarius), Simone Simons (Epica), Mari (Masqueraid), as well as the Kamelot choir, featuring Herbie Langhans (Seventh Avenue), Amanda Somerville-Scharf, Miro, Gerit Göbel, Thomas Rettke (Heaven's Gate) and Elisabeth Kjaernes, among others.
Warmachine Enlist New Permanent Drummer
Torontonian metal lords Warmachine have posted this message on their official website:
It's been quite a while since we decided to part ways with Andrew. Over these past several months we've played with a variety of different drummers...some good and some not so good. But through out it all we've always had Michael Amaral to come back to. He's come along way with us and has stood the test of time. He's definitely paid his dues and that is why we've decided to make Michael a permanent member of Warmachine. Please make him feel welcome Warheads!
New Judas Priest Album To Be On DualDisc Format
Epic will celebrate the reunion of the original Judas Priest lineup by issuing a DualDisc for the band's upcoming "Angel Of Retribution" title. It is scheduled for March 1, coinciding with the release of the CD.
Kataklysm Drummer Leaves, Former Drummer Returns
Canadian death metallers Kataklysm parted ways with drummer Martin Maurais. The band did not explain why this change took place, they just referred to "personal and professional reasons". Replacing Maurais will be Max Duhamel, who performed on five of Kataklysm's albums, including 2002’s “Shadows & Dust”.
In other news, Kataklysm will support Danzig on his North American tour, starting on Feb. 18th.
Stormwitch Instrumentalists Leave
The future of German power metallers Stormwitch appears uncertain, since singer Andy Mück is now the only remaining member after the rest of the most recent line-up (which released “Witchcraft” in 2003) left. Fabian Schwarz (guitar), Martin Winkler (guitar), Dominik Schwarz (bass), Alexander Schmidt (keyboards) and Marc Oppold (drums) regarded this step necessary, because Mück and the band’s management continuously refused to let the musicians take part in business decisions.
The Duskfall Bassist Leaves
Bassist Kaj Molin has left Sweden-based melodic death metallers The Duskfall because of the ever-popular “musical differences”. No replacement has been announced yet, even though the band are scheduled to start recording their third album in April, tentatively due late next year via Nuclear Blast Records. Producing will be Daniel Bergstrand (In Flames, Meshuggah, Stuck Mojo) at Dug-Out Studios in Uppsala, Sweden.
Thunderstone Begins Mixing New Album
Finnish power metallers Thunderstone have begun mixing their new album, the follow-up to “The Burning” (2004), at Goldenworks Mixing Suite, owned by Stratovarius mastermind Timo Tolkki. Mixing will be Thunderstone’s guitarist/producer Nino Laurenne. The final tracklisting and the title of the album have not been announced yet, but some selections are:
‘Welcome to the real’
’I will come again’
’Land of innocence’
’Feed the fire’
The album will contain 11 songs total.
More Subliminal Verses Tour Dates Announced
Round two of dates for Slipknot's upcoming Subliminal Verses Tour with Lamb Of God and Shadows Fall have been confirmed. They are as follows (with openers for the shows noted):
With The Bled:
Mar. 25 New Orleans @ UNO Lakefront Arena
Mar. 26 Houston, TX @ Reliant Arena
With Devildriver:
Mar. 28 Oklahoma City, OK @ Fairgrounds Arena
Mar. 29 Valley Center, KS @ Kansas Coliseum
Mar. 31 Corpus Christi, TX @ Concrete Street Amphitheatre
Apr. 01 San Antonio, TX @ Freeman Coliseum
Apr. 02 Grand Prairie, TX @ Nokia Live
With Trivium:
Apr. 04 Albuquerque, TX @ Albuquerque Convention Center
Apr. 05 El Paso, TX @ El Paso County Coliseum
Apr. 06 Glendale, AZ @ Glendale Arena
Apr. 08 San Diego, CA @ Cox Arena
Previously announced tour dates: More...
Napalm Death Pre-Listening Show To Feature Guest
One of the three guests on Napalm Death's upcoming album - Jello Biafra, Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) and Jeff Walker (Carcass) - is planned to join the band during their two exclusive pre-listening shows – who? See with your own eyes and hear with your own ears!
Jan. 22 (D) Bochum – Matrix
Jan. 24 (UK) London – Underworld
Napalm Death’s upcoming album “The Code Is Red… Long Live The Code” will hit European shops April 25th.
DEP To Be Part Of "100 Acts Of Support"
On Thursday, January 20th, the Dillinger Escape Plan is set to appear at the Virgin Mega Store in NYC as part of the "100 Acts of Support - The Concerts for Banda Aceh," event that is being staged to raise money for the Music For Relief Fund, in conjunction with the American Red Cross. Accross the country at every Virgin Megastore, bands will be playing that day as part of this event. Those who attend the event will be offered the chance to purchase a wrist band/bracelet showing their suport of the event, and donation boxes will be in place.
Auctions will also take place on the same day at each store This is an event not to be missed for reasons not just music related. There will be other bands playing on this night as well. DEP is to hit the stage between 8 and 9pm that night.
New Every Time I Die Song Posted Online
A new song from Every Time I Die, entitled "Guitared And Feathered" has been posted online and can be heard by clicking here. The song is expected to be included on their upcoming new album, tentatively titled "Gutter Phenomenon". The album will be released later this year through Ferret Records.
The second song on the site, "Needle Man" is a new demo track from A Life Once Lost.
Rage Guitarist To Join Aria Singer
Rage guitarist Victor Smolski will be joining ex-Aria singer Valery Kipelov at a Moscow studio in the second half of January for the recording of Kipelov's new solo album. After the CD is released, Smolski will perform several live dates with Kipelov's band. More information will be made available soon.
Rage will perform at the Rolling Hall in Seoul, Korea on February 3. The upcoming show will mark the group's second-ever appearance in Korea. Rage had previously headlined the Busan Rock Festival in 2003 alongside Skyfire, Arch Enemy, Soilwork and Neil Zaza, among others.
Iron Maiden Rumored To Appear At Leeds Festival
It's an event normally relied on to attract some of the music world's coolest names. Franz Ferdinand, Marilyn Manson, The White Stripes – they've all delighted rock's fashionistas at Leeds Festival in recent years. But it seems the trendier elements of the festival's crowd could be left scratching their well-groomed heads this summer.
For rock dinosaurs Iron Maiden are being tipped as one of the 2005 bash's main attractions.
Internet messageboards are awash with speculation that the heavy metallers will be bringing their long hair, guitar solos and spectacular stage show to Leeds in August. If the rumours prove to be true then Maiden's capture will be something of a coup.
The band are currently enjoying one of their biggest hits in years, with the re-release of their 1982 single "The Number of the Beast" going into the charts at number three on Sunday. They also remain a hugely-popular live act, recently selling nearly 90,000 tickets in the space of a few hours for a series of dates in Scandinavia.
Other stars said to be in the frame for this year's festival, meanwhile, include British guitar outfit Muse and New York art-rockers The Strokes.
A spokeswoman for organisers Mean Fiddler would not be drawn today on which bands were likely to feature. However, managing director Melvin Benn HAS confirmed that two of the main stage headliners are already booked. In an interview in November, he joked: "You know I can't tell you who they are, but they've both got singers and use guitars. They both have drummers as well. That's as much as you're getting!"
The three-day festival is due to take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend at Bramham Park, near Wetherby, its home since 2003. The event moved from Temple Newsam Park, in east Leeds, after violence for three years running.
More than 50,000 fans attended last summer, when the bill included Morrissey, The Darkness and 50 Cent.
Zero Mentality Complete New Album
Zero Mentality have completed their new album for GSR. Entitled "In Fear Of Forever," the effort was recorded and mixed by Jacob Bredahl (of Hatesphere), and mastered by Tue Madsen. Look for the record to hit streets on February 25th.
100 Demons and Since The Flood Tour Dates
Dates have been solidified for the upcoming 100 Demons and Since The Flood tour. Here's the schedule:
2/15 Richmond VA @ TBA
2/16 Chamblee GA @ Forever Nights
2/17 Jacksonville FL @ The Imperial w/ Dreams You Die In
2/18 Tarpon Springs FL @ Neptunes Lounge w/ Dreams You Die In
2/19 West Palm FL @ Spanky's w/ Dreams You Die In
2/20 Orlando FL @ The Backbooth w/ Dreams You Die In
2/21 Naples FL @ TBA w/ Dreams You Die In
2/22 Alabama @ TBA
2/24 Baton Rouge LA @ The Darkroom
2/25 Houston TX @ Mary Jane's
2/26 San Antonio TX @ The Sanctuary
2/27 Dallas TX @ Reno's Chop Shop
2/28 Memphis TN @ The Complex
3/1 Louisville KY @ Keswick Democratic Center
3/2 Illinois @ TBA
3/3 Muskegon MI @ The Eagles Lodge
3/4 Canton OH @ Fallen Eyes
3/5 Pittsburgh PA @ TBA
Adema Announce New Vocalist
Adema have finally replaced recently departed singer Mark Chavez. The new man is Luke Caraciolli. He'll make his debut with the band on new album 'Planets', due out on Earache during April.
Cold Name New Album
Florida's Cold are now to call their new album 'The Calm That Killed A Storm'. Due out in May, it's been produced by Michael Baskette and mixed by Ben Grosse.
Johnny Depp Inspired By Marilyn Manson
Movie star Johnny Depp has revealed that he based his performance as Willie Wonka in the upcoming movie 'Charlie And The Chocolate Factory' on Marilyn Manson. The Antichrist Superstar was Depp's inspiration in making the character dark and mysterious.
Details On Snapcase's Upcoming Final Show
Snapcase will play their final show on January 22nd. The event will take place at The Sphere in Buffalo and according to the band, they will play a 20-song set with material pulled from their entire discography. As for the group's impending breakup, vocalist Daryl Taberski has released the following statement:
"Fourteen years of Snapcase has been an amazing and unexpected journey for us. It has been an incredibly fun and interesting part of our lives where tangible rewards came as a result of hard work. We have had an amazing run as a band with the support of our friends, families and of course, great fans. Putting an end to something that has been so meaningful to us has been a difficult decision to make, but we feel it's the right one. Our final show is going to be a celebration of our time as a band and the music that has been created by us over that period. We will go out on a positive note and show that it's okay to celebrate death."
Bloodsimple Post Three New Songs Online
Three tracks from Bloodsimple's (Vision Of Disorder, Downset.) forthcoming new album "A Cruel World" are now available for listening to online, you can check them out here. "A Cruel World" is expected to see a March release date through Bullygoat/Warner
Deftones Speak Out About Upcoming Album
The Deftones recently spoke out about their upcoming new album which they have been working on with producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Kiss) as of late, you can read all they had to say about that here.
SOiL Rare Gibson SG Guitar Up For Auction On EBay
SOiL guitarist Shaun Glass has thrown his rare 2004 Gibson SG guitar up for sale on E-Bay. This very rare, limited edition 6 string has seen "light use, and is in excellent condition". To view, and to bid on the peiece, click here.
Black Label Society To Tour US In Spring
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will be hitting the road this spring. Here are all of their upcoming dates:
January 22 - Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues
March 10 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
March 11 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues - Anaheim
March 12 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
March 15 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
March 16 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
March 18 - Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumont Club
March 19 – Sauget, IL @ Pops
March 20 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Quest
March 23 – Milwaukee, WY @ The Eagles Club II
March 24 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues - Chicago
March 25 – Covington, KY @ Madison Theatre
March 26 – Detroit, MI @ Harpos Concert Theatre
March 28 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
March 29 – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
March 31 – Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock Cafe
April 1 - Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
April 2 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
April 3 – Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre
April 8 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
April 11 - West Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
May 14 - Nagoya, JPN @ Club Quattro
May 15 - Osaka, JPN @ Shinsaibashi Club Quattro
May 17 - Tokyo, JPN @ Shibuya Club Quattro
May 18 - Tokyo, JPN @ Shibuya Club Quattro
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY upcoming album Mafia (cover art) is due out on March 8th.
Gorgoroth's Studio Time Delayed
Gorgoroth's plans to go in studio have been delayed. Anticipated plans for studio time and recording schedules conflicted with an already booked timetable at Grieghallen Studios. The band will however lay down drum tracks for Gorgoroth's eagerly awaited and upcoming album "Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam" at Lydriket Studios, on January 14th in it's stead.
Anata To Begin Recording In June
Fresh from their debut European tour with DISMEMBER, technical Death Metal destroyers Anata have begun to think about the follow up record to Under A Stone With No Inscription, with all the material apparently written and arranged. Recording is scheduled to take place in June, with a possible release in line for October 2005.
In the meantime the band have sent this message thanking the fans for their support during the tour:
“Anata are back from a 4-week European tour. Anata would like to thank the ultra-cool guys in Dismember, Psycroptic, Soul Demise and Fall Of Serenity for making this tour such a pleasant trip. But most of all, we would like to thank all the people who came to see the shows, you people rule! Thanks for your support, we hope to see you all again!”
Nikki Sixx Slams Mick Mars Replacement Rumors
Nikki Sixx has posted the following message on the groups web page diary:
"As far as the FCC probe and MÖTLEY CRÜE (On 'Leno'), wouldn't our country be better served if our government put their resources in better places? This is just proof that we are moving backwards. A four-letter word slip-up after midnight is not world news, but considering their ridiculous stance, I will say it reeks of the 1950s.
"Anyway, doesn't Motley Crue usually do the probing?
"About Mick Mars and all the rumors of his replacement? He was the guy whose bone disease had tore him physically down and wore out his hip. He was the one who said 'I'm gonna get this fucking hip replaced,' so you guys better be ready 'cause I wanna go kick ass. We are, he has and the rest, as they say, is history.
"See you CRÜEheads on tour..."
Killswitch Engage Singer Sat Out Toronto Show
Killswitch Engage frontman Howard Jones was forced to sit out the band's performance in Toronto on Sunday (01/09) due to a "blown-out" throat (as guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz put it in a public announcement before their set). Trevor Phipps from support act Unearth joined Killswitch Engage on stage for a few songs, despite having little knowledge of the lyrics. Two fans who apparently knew the songs were also pulled from the crowd to help out in the vocal department, with one managing to sing the entire song "When Darkness Falls". But after four tracks, and a tired Phipps, the band called it a night.
Killswitch Engage's set list for the Toronto show on January 9 (without singer Howard Jones!):
01. The End Of Heartache
02. Life To Lifeless
03. When Darkness Falls
04. My Last Serenade
Cynder Loses Bid On Ozzfest Tour
Triad metal band Cynder's bid for a coveted spot on the Ozzfest tour ended Monday night as MTV viewers voted Dallas' A Dozen Furies winner of the reality show "Battle for Ozzfest."
Cynder, which recently changed its name to CYN but is called Cynder on the show, was chosen out of hundreds to be one of eight bands on the show.
Asheboro's Ryan Camp, the singer, spent six weeks out on the road with Ozzfest as the royal couple of metal, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, whittled the field to two. The final cut -- and winner of the spot on Ozzfest, $60,000 and new band equipment -- was chosen by votes on MTV's Web site.
Even without the grand prize, exposure from the show has been priceless, say band members, who already have been approached by other groups to join them on tour.
"No matter what happens, something good will come out of this," Camp said last week before heading with the rest of the band -- bassist John Ward of High Point, drummer Brandon Alford of Lexington, DJ Mike Yow and guitarist Robert Jones, both of Seagrove -- to Los Angeles to tape the show's finale. "If we don't win, I'm sure something else will come up. Hopefully, someone will want to sign us, or we'll go on tour with another band."
Corrosion Of Conformity Change Title Of New Album
Corrosion of Conformity appear to have changed the projected title of their new album to "In the Arms of God" from its previously announced Spanish-language equivalent, "En Los Brazos Del Dios".
"We start back this week with the final mixdown of the new music," guitarist Woody Weatherman writes on the group's web site. "Looks like 12 tunes will make it onto the actual record, that leaves a few songs unmixed for the time being maybe they'll appear later."
"In the Arms of God" is tentatively scheduled for release on April 5 via Sanctuary Records. Song titles set to appear on the CD include "En los Brazos del Dios", "Never Turns to More", "Stone Breaker" and "World on Fire". Producing the album is C.O.C.'s longtime collaborator John Custer. Besides working on four of the band's previous albums, Custer also produced C.O.C. bassist Mike Dean's track on Dave Grohl's Probot project and C.O.C.'s contribution to "Nativity In Black", the Black Sabbath tribute compilation. Playing drums is New Orleans' Stanton Moore, skinsman for the renowned jazz-funk combo Galactic.
Emok To Tour With DEP And Candiria
Emok, the hard-hitting, precedent breaking three piece will be touring Japan with Dillinger Escape Plan and Candiria.
Tour dates:
March 07 Osaka, JAP - Club Quattro
March 08 Nagoya, JAP - Club Quattro
March 09 Tokyo, JAP - Club Quattro
March 10 Tokyo, JAP - Club Loft
Emok’s members all originally hail from Israel, and currently reside in Brooklyn. Their debut album "Shove Your Head into the Ground and Feed It to the Earth" will be released on Wrong Records Feburary 22, 2005.
"Shove Your Head into the Ground and Feed It to the Earth," on Wrong Records is a collision of composition and cacophony; intellect and emotion; heritage and progression.
The album was recorded, produced, and designed entirely by the band. Emok’s music has a pronounced Middle Eastern influence stemming from their Israeli upbringing, but restated as an explosive, intense, thoroughly modern – even futuristic – style uniquely their own. The songs on "Shove Your Head into the Ground and Feed It to the Earth" are whirling storm systems sonic hurricane force colored with vivid distortion and crackling slipstreams of harsh electronic samples. Throughout the sound is potent and relentless, utterly engulfing the listener in its dark fury, sonic tendrils probing the powerful, hidden places deep inside the psyche. The words are torn and conflicted, attempting to reconcile the ideal with the real – influenced by the circumstances of their homeland. Lyrics evince both fear and hope: they address global hate, unification by fear, distrust in political systems, divided empathy, and frustration with all that, then alternate that with idylls of exotic lands, the trust bred through friendship, hope, and escape.
Just For Fun
Black Metal Denounced By The Vatican
These are some excerpts from an article posted in the Washington Times:
"PARIS, France, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Satanism is growing so quickly worldwide that as of next month a papal university in Rome will offer courses on this frightening phenomenon.
It is the Internet that, along with "black metal"-type rock music and its chilling lyrics, attracts the world's young to the Prince of Darkness.
A cursory glance of gruesome incidents linked to Satanism worldwide proves that this is the true locus of the "culture of death" Pope John Paul II never ceases to denounce. In recent years, these things occurred, for example:
-- In Finland a youthful pair was jailed for eating part of a fellow devil worshiper's body, abusing it sexually, then cutting it into small pieces, all to the tunes of Black Metal music - and all in a Satanist ritual.
-- Only recently in a forest near Milan, Italy, youngsters danced on the graves of two coreligionists they had just killed - in a Satanist ritual murder"
Read the full article at Washington Times.
Navigate forward or backward through each day of news below: