Latest Metal News
Last updated on March 13, 2014 at 3:10 PM ET
We post metal news every day, throughout the day, covering thousands of metal bands including underground and unsigned bands.
Below is the latest news, but check back often for updates. You can also browse our news archive or find news by band.
Hot Topics
- Decapitated Recording Album, Announces Drummer
- Hell And Heaven Festival Cancelled
- Two Dead At SXSW
- Close Your Eyes Posts Studio Performance
- Vallenfyre To Release "Splinters" Album
- Hornss Streaming New Track
- Madball Recording New Album
- Amberian Dawn Signs With Napalm Records
- System Divide On "Indefinite Hiatus"
- Blatant Disarray To Release New Album
22 news articles posted today (and counting...)
Menace Streaming Full New Album
Menace, the brainchild of Napalm Death axeman Mitch Harris, is currently premiering debut full-length "Impact Velocity" in its entirety. Give it a listen below, courtesy of AllMusic.com.
"Impact Velocity’ features contributions from Derek Roddy (drums), Fred Leclercq (bass), Nicola Manzan (violin, cello, viola), Shane Embury (bass), and Russ Russell (producer and navigator of paradoxology).
The album will be released on March 14th (March 18th in North America) and is already available for pre-order on the Season of Mist e-shop. More...
Wolvhammer Enters The Studio
Midwestern black/death act Wolvhammer is currently deep in the process of laying down the tracks that are to become the band's third LP.
Occupying Hideaway Studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wolvhammer is currently tracking the follow-up to Profound Lore debut, "The Obsidian Plains," with Dan Jensen at the soundboard.
Stated guitarist Jeff Wilson today on the recording process, "Just waking up on what is day five of recording for LP #3... fortunately for myself not hungover today. We finished up all of the drums/auxiliary percussion last night, which means we'll be knocking out guitars and bass for the next three days or so. Wrapping it up on Wednesday and shipping it off to be mastered. This one is definitely going to come out of left field for some of those familiar with our other material. Be forewarned."
In addition to Wilson, Wolvhammer is comprised of drummer Heath Rave (ex-Across Tundras), bassist Joe Noel (ex-Samothrace, ex-Altar of Plagues, live) vocalist Adam Clemans (Shaidar Logoth) and guitarist Brendan Seven.
Upon its completion, details on the new album's official Summer release date and more will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
Cellador To Support Hatchet And Diamond Plate
Denver, CO metal outfit Cellador is taking its brand of speedy power metal on the road to San Francisco act Hatchet and Chicago trio Diamond Plate on the upcoming "America Under Plague" North American tour. Confirmed dates so far are as follows:
04/11: Tulsa, OK @ Downtown Lounge
04/12: Oklahoma City, OK @ Chameleon Room (Leon’s Lounge)
04/13: Dallas, TX @ The Boiler Room
04/15: Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
04/16: Austin, TX @ Dirty Dog Bar
04/18: Big Spring, TX @ Sugars Bar
04/22: Las Vegas, NV @ The Dive Bar
04/23: Phoenix, AZ @ Club Red (Red Owl)
04/24: Fullerton, CA @ The Slidebar
04/25: Canoga Park, CA @ Cobalt Café
04/26: Walnut Creek, CA @ Red House Live
04/27: Sacramento, CA @ Press Club
04/30: Sparks, NV @ The Alley
05/01: Salt Lake City, UT @ Burt’s Tiki Lounge
05/02: Denver, CO @ Moon Room More...
Psychotic Gardening Posts Album Teaser
After deliberately and methodically lying low to prepare new material while vocalist Chuck Labossiere filled in with Broken Hope for tour dates in Europe and Canada, Winnipeg's death metal band Psychotic Gardening is proud to announce its return in 2014.
Psychotic Gardening's forthcoming album "Hymnosis" set for release on May 13th to follow 2011's "Humanitorium" and the 2007 debut "Hürdür." A teaser trailer is available below.
"Hymnosis" features nine heavy hitting assaults that include a cover of Death’s "Open Casket" with a guest appearance from Tim Roth (Into Eternity) and Chuck Wepfer (Broken Hope).
Andrew Wiens (guitarist) comments: “Hymnosis, for us, is a defining album. It has some of the fastest stuff we’ve ever done and some of the most dark, heavy and crushing doom as well. This release is dynamic and we take you on a journey, the way a record was meant to. If we’ve done our job - and I think we have - you feel like it has taken you somewhere that somehow life has changed, shifted and moved underneath you.”
Chuck Labossiere (vocals/guitar) adds: "This album is special to me because I feel the band has outdone itself creatively. These guys really understand what Psychotic Gardening is all about artistically and have poured so much attitude and spirit into it. this is a record that's all its own, something that's unique to each member's style." More...
Teramaze Streaming New Song
Aussie progressive metallers Teramaze will release their 4th album "Esoteric Symbolism"
on April 15th via Nightmare records and distributed by Sony/RED.
Today you can hear the song "Punishment By Design" below, and pre-orders are available at this location. The album's track listing is as follows:
1. All Seeing Eye
2. Line of Symmetry
3. Transhumanist
4. Bodies of Betrayal
5. Parallels-Dual Reality
6. Spawn
7. Punishment by Design
8. Dust of Martyrs
9. The Divulgence Act
10. Esoteric Symbolism
11. vi Order Out of Chaos
12. vii Darkest Days of Symphony
13. viii In Vitro More...
Close Your Eyes Posts Studio Performance
Close Your Eyes is currently wrapping up a tour with Affiance and has partnered with Hurley to launch an “In The Hurley Studios” session. Check out a video of the band performing “The End” below, which is taken from latest album "Line In The Sand."
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Holocausto Canibal Reveals EP Details
"Larvas" is the title of the upcoming EP from Portuguese perverted grinders Holocausto Canibal, which will be released this year through Bizarre Leprous Production.
As announced a few weeks ago, this new opus includes four new songs, six live tracks (recorded at the Obscene Extreme Festival 2013 in Czech Republic) and three remixes of songs taken from the band's previous album, "Gorefilia." Drummer Diogo P. comments:
“As we said before, the whole purpose of this new release is to make the transition between 'Gorefilia' and the new songs we’re working on for the next album. In addition to the four unreleased tracks featured in 'Larvas', we’ll also have six songs from our show at the one and only Obscene Extreme Festival 2013, which was undoubtedly one of the best shows on the whole Gorefilia touring cycle. Also, we contacted a few friends to remix some tracks from 'Gorefilia' - psytrance master Mad Magus, minimalistic experimentalists Ermo and chaotic dnb deliverer Epitome Criminal. All of them resulted to be amazing collaborations!” More...
Hell And Heaven Festival Cancelled
Several bands that were set to attend the 2014 Hell and Heaven Festival have posted online via Facebook that the event is now cancelled. Marduk posted this message online sent from the festival's organizers:
"Dear all,
"We first want to apologize about the miscommunication the last few days. It's very sad and painful for us to inform you that for reasons that we don't understand yet and we are pretty sure that you heard about it... The HELL AND HEAVEN METAL FEST 2014 is definitely cancelled.
"We did everything in our hands to avoid this situation but at the end it was impossible to keep going with this project for now.
"Apparently we've been blocked in the entire country to do this amazing festival for political issues and private interests of the big entertainment companies. More...
Hornss Streaming New Track
Hornss will release "No Blood No Sympathy" on May 13th, 2014 and today you can hear the new track "Heir to the Pickle Throne." Check it out below, courtesy of The Obelisk. The following press release was also issued about the band:
"Unlike some who are content to adopt that desert sound, San Franciscan trio Hornss were born into it. Moulded by it from the very beginning in the case of members Mike Moracha and Nick Nava, who originally got their start in the Palm Springs band Solarfeast alongside ex-Kyuss/Evolution’s End member Chris Cockrell.
"Formed in 2010 with a line-up completed by drummer Bil Bowman (formerly of Zodiac Killers, blackQueen and Scrog) Hornss have taken to the stage in support of Fatso Jetson, Naam, Windhand, YOB and The Freeks and are every inch the band you’d hope they would be given the ancestry, influence and arid air that forged their formation.
"Thanks to the LA based label EasyRider Records, this May the trio will have a debut album to call their own. Recorded at Earhammer Studios in Oakland with Greg Wilkinson, if you were sold on the strutting doom groove of their demo The Red Death then No Blood No Sympathy is going to blow your mind and then some. Drawing on influences such as Hawkwind, St. Vitus and The Ramones Hornss deliver devastating doom, death punk fury (both Mike and Nick were also founding members of San Fran punk band The Jack Saints), stoned out meanderings and crushing desert progressions that will strike a chord no matter where your allegiances lie." More...
Incantation Splits With Guitarist
U.S. death metal outfit Incantation has issued the following announcement about parting ways with the band's guitarist:
"With a heavy heart we announce the resignation of our long time metal brother Alex Bouks. Over the last few years there have been some rough waters that we have all been navigating.
"A hiatus is more desired, thinking this is the best thing to do to save the magic that we have all worked together on.
"With respect we wish only the best to Alex and his work outside the band. He is truly an amazing musician and we are happy to have worked with him." More...
Vallenfyre To Release "Splinters" Album
On May 12th in Europe and on May 13th in North America, Vallenfyre's second full-length, "Splinters," will be released via Century Media Records.
The cover artwork was created by Brian D'Agosta, who previously drew a logo for Vallenfyre bassist Scoot's other band, Extinction of Mankind. For a first preview of "Splinters," a video trailer featuring part of the album's opening track, "Scabs", can be viewed belwo.
"Vallenfyre was something I felt utterly compelled to do. It was almost like I didn't have a choice. I was told by a bereavement counselor that I should write down and vocalize my feelings. I did just that and then everything just seemed to take a natural course," is how Greg Mackintosh (vocals/lead guitars) describes the initial spark helping him to transform the anger and sadness ensuing the loss of his father into the band's firs talbum "A Fragile King" (2011). More...
Headline News
Two Dead At SXSW
The annual SXSW festival in Texas features a variety of metal showcases and is currently underway, but the festivities were put on hold this morning when two people died and 23 were injured outside The Mohawk. BBC News reports:
Two people have been killed after a drunk driver crashed through barricades set up for the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in the US, police say. A man and a woman died and many others were injured on the crowded street in Austin, Texas.
The driver is thought to have been trying to escape from the police when the collision happened. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said he had now been taken into custody after officers shocked him with a stun gun.
The driver will face two counts of capital murder over the crash, which took place about 12.30am local time (05:30 GMT) on Thursday.
Read the full article at BBC News.
System Divide On "Indefinite Hiatus"
System Divide has issued the following announcement about dropping off a tour with Soilwork and going on indefinite hiatus:
"We understand there is some confusion regarding our appearance on the Soilwork tour. To clarify we have cancelled our appearance to the agent little over 2 months ago so we don't know why we are still being announced as part of the Soilwork tour.
"The reason of us cancelling is personal, and all we can say for now is that there will not be any System Divide shows in the foreseeable future.
"More news will eventually follow, as of now the band is in indefinite hiatus. We thank you all for your support and love." More...
Lacuna Coil Posts New Lyric Video
Italy's Lacuna Coil is currently on tour in the U.S. with Revolver Magazine's "Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock Tour." The band's new album "Broken Crown Halo" is set for release April 1st via Century Media Records.
Now the band has released a lyric video for the "Die & Rise" single, which can be seen below. Upcoming Lacuna Coil tour dates are also available after the jump. The track list for "Broken Crown Halo" is:
1. Nothing Stands In Our Way
2. Zombies
3. Hostage To The Light
4. Victims
5. Die & Rise
6. I Forgive (But I Won't Forget Your Name)
7. Cybersleep
8. Infection
9. I Burn In You
10. In The End I Feel Alive
11. On Cold Day More...
Decapitated Recording Album, Announces Drummer
On March 10th, Polish death metal band Decapitated hit Hertz Studio in Poland to record a sixth record, which will follow "Carnival Is Forever" (reviewed here). The yet-untitled creation is set for a release in September via Nuclear Blast.
In another note, the band also today announces drummer Michal Lysejko as a full-time member of Decapitated. Commented guitarist Waclaw "Vogg" Kieltyka:
“We would like to share few news with you. All you know that we've been quite busy lately. We had some personal changes in the band and also we did I guess the best tours we had; with Meshuggah, Lamb Of God, and Children of Bodom.
"First of all we want to introduce you to Decapitated's new drummer Michal Lysejko. Some of you had a chance to meet him already during tour with LAMB OF GOD this January. Also I want to say THANK YOU to the rest of the people who took a challenge and sent their video for an audition.
Also since January this year we signed worldwide management contract with Continental Concerts & Management.
"That's for sure big step and opportunity for us and big challenge. But I guess the most important news for most of you is that after almost nine years we back to Hertz Studio (albums: 'Nihility,' 'The Negation,' 'Organic Hallucinosis') to record new album which will be released autumn this year. We will inform you about details soon. Keep it touch!!”
11.04 BE Bomal-sur-Ourthe - Durbuy Rock Festival
07.05. F Vannes - L’Echonova
08.05. F Matignicourt Et Goncourt - Lezardos Festival
06.06. D Gelsenkirchen - Rock Hard Festival
28.06. PL Ilawa - Fama Rock Festival
09.08. UK Walton on Trent, Derbyshire - Bloodstock
31.07. - 02.08. D Wacken - Wacken Open Air
13.08. PL Wegorzewo - Seven Festival
13.08. – 16.08. D Dinkelsbühl - Summer Breeze
Madball Recording New Album
The New York hardcore legends in Madball have entered the studio to begin work on their 8th full-length release, and the first since 2010's "Empire."
The band is recording basic tracks with Unearth's guitarist Ken Susi at System Recordings in Grafton, Massachusetts. Additional recordings will take place at Pinecrust Studios, in Miami, Florida with Jonathan Nuñez at the helm.
The band will hand over mixing duties to producer/mixer Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who worked with the band on "Legacy" (2005) and "Infiltrate The System" (2007).
The still-untitled album will feature some special guest appearances to be announced later and is slated for a mid summer release.
Commented the band: "We are currently in the studio... about to wrap up our new record next week...we are feeling very excited and enthusiastic about the material and hope those that eventually hear it will feel the same! It has all the elements you'd want to hear from us of course. But, it also has some 'newer' elements that actually have more of a 'throw-back' vibe, if that makes sense. Influences from music we grew up with i.e. It'll always have the MB stamp on it though. You all will have to be the ultimate judges...prepare yourselves! Hardcore lives..." More...
Blatant Disarray To Release New Album
Blatant Disarray, the Raleigh based thrash metal band, is set to release second full-length album, “The Harbinger,” on May 13th, 2014 via new label home Dirt Records.
“The Harbinger” will be available for pre-sale here starting on April 2nd, along with the release of the first single “There Will Be Pain."
The new album was recorded at Mike Schaefer’s own studio, Schaefer Sound Productions, in Raleigh, NC from March 2013 to January 2014. Over that 11 month time period, Schaefer personally produced, engineered, and mixed the record.
When asked about the decision to take such a large role in the production process Schaefer said: “I’m not sure if I recommend it to be honest. There were a number of times throughout the process when I thought it was just a bad, bad idea and I should really be paying someone else to do this. In music, nothing is ever perfect. You have to be willing to let it go at some point and be happy with what you’ve captured. That can be tough when you wear so many hats. Now that it’s done, I am very happy we chose to do it this way. It has definitely been a great experience.”
“The Harbinger” shows a progression in the band’s sound, due in part to the addition of two new members during the writing process for the album: drummer Trey McLamb and bassist Patrick Strickland. A number of special guest performances push this new sound even further, including guest vocals by Reed Mullin of Corrosion of Conformity on “Arise” and “Born in a Body Bag.” More...
Machine Head To Release Record Store Day Vinyl
Machine Head is currently in the studio recording an eighth album, which will be followed by a massive worldwide tour cycle. The first production blog from the album's recording can be found at this location.
This summer Nuclear Blast Entertainment will have the privilege of releasing Machine Head’s next full-length album, the band’s debut for the label. In anticipation and to celebrate Record Store Day (April 19th, 2014), the label is excited to release a limited edition 10” featuring a demo version of a brand new track entitled "Killers & Kings." Side B of the release will also feature Machine Head covering a track by the southern CA hardcore outfit, Ignite.??
“I remember growing up in the thrash scene and always wanting to hear the demo version of songs,” commented vocalist/guitarist Robb Flynn. “You searched them out. Thankfully my buddy Jim was a big ‘tape trader,’ and through trading we had both Metallica demos, Exodus demos, bootlegs of songs sometimes ‘years’ before they came out. I knew how to play every note of 'Pleasure Of The Flesh' by Exodus, easily 2 years before the record was out! My friends and I would debate the merits of each, but we all agreed, It was so much cooler to hear it BEFORE the album is out! So we're gonna do that for you. I can't wait for you guys to hear this stuff."
This limited edition 10” will also feature four alternate covers with two specific colors, each limited to 1,000 copies each.?? The track listing is as follows:
Side One: Killers & Kings (demo version)
Side Two: Our Darkest Days/Bleeding (Ignite cover)
Amberian Dawn Signs With Napalm Records
Amberian Dawn has issued the following announcement about inking a deal with Napalm Records:
"We're happy to announce that we've signed a worldwide deal with legendary Napalm Records. Release date of our new album 'Magic Forest' is scheduled for June 2014.
"Our deal covers all territories, including USA and that's really important to us since we haven't got our CD's released there properly yet despite that we have a lot of fans there. We love the fact that Napalm is able to get our music available everywhere."
Songwriter Tuomas Seppälä also comments: "I'm very glad about this new deal with Napalm Records. I'm sure that our co-operation will be successful and enjoyable. This label showed us some interest already in very beginning of our career so I feel very comfortable in landing on this great label. Together with our booking agency/management Twisted Talent Concerts we're surely going to make something happening here.
"New album Magic Forest is AD's first studio album with singer Capri. Now with her I've been able to fulfill some of my early dreams with musical styles and this new style is really big, fresh and naturally flowing. New sound is more keyboard driven and the vocal lines have some strong influence of 1980's. But since this is AD, there's of course also some fast songs included and some really serious guitar & keyboard shredding too. Mr. Jens Johansson of Stratovarius once again contributed some really awesome playing in form of one keyboard solo. Thank you Jens, you've been supporting us so many years now. More...
Dust Bolt Unveils New Album Artwork
Bavaria's thrash metal band Dust Bolt has revealed the cover for upcoming sophomore release "Awake the Riot."
The art, available below, was created by Andrei Bouzikov (Skeletonwitch, Municipal Waste) and the album will be released as a standard CD edition, limited 2LP gatefold, and on digital format. The track listing is as follows:
1. Living Hell
2. Soul Erazor
3. Beneath the earth
4. You lost sight
5. Agent Thrash
6. Living a Lie
7. Awake the riot - The final war
8. Eternal Waste
9. Drowned in blind faith
10. Worlds built to deceive
11. The Monotonous - Distant scream
12. Future Shock (Evil Dead Cover)
The album will see release on these dates:
30. May 2014 G/A/S, FIN & Benelux
02. June 2014 UK & Rest of Europe
04. June 2014 ESP/SWE/NOR
10. June 2014 USA/CAN More...
I Miti Eterni Signs With Jolly Roger Records
Jolly Roger Records announced the signing of Italian act I Miti Eterni, the side project of In Aevum Agere mastermind Bruno Masulli. The debut album "Historia Cumae" is targeted for release in Autumn 2014. The ambitious project mixes Italian, English and ancient languages with an exciting power metal sound. Formed in 2004, the first demo, "Demo I," was issued in 2013, in which Masulli played all instruments and sang.
More information on the debut full length album is expected soon.
Bloody Hammers Announces New Album
Fresh off signing with Napalm Records/Spinning Goblin, Blood Hammers has revealed that the new album will be entitled "Under Satan's Sun." The album will be issued in North America on June 10th (May 30th G/A/S, FIN & Benelux, June 2nd UK & Rest of Europe, June 4th ESP/SWE/NOR). It will be available as a regular CD, limited edition vinyl gatefold and digitally.
Their first singled entitled "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" is available for streaming at this location. Limited editions of the 7" single are available for purchase as well through Napalm Records' website. The A side features "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" and the B Side is a non-album track called "Glimpse" which will only be available on this release. The single is available in both white and red vinyl.
"Under Satan's Sun" contains the following track listing:
1. The Town That Dreaded Sundown
2. Spearfinger
3. Death Does Us Part
4. The Moon Eyed People
5. Second Coming
6. Welcome To The Horror Show
7. Under Satan´s Sun
8. Dead Man´s Shadow On The Wall
9. The Last Alarm
10. Necrommancer More...
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