ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has posted a short video clip of the band's March 31 performance at Carnaval Beach Ancol in Jakarta, Indonesia. Check it out below.

Photos of ANTHRAX's and HELLYEAH's joint press conference in Jakarta, which took place on March 30 at the Sheraton Hotel, Gunung Sahari, are available at iRockumentary.com.

ANTHRAX has begin recording a cover version of RUSH's "Anthem" (from the Canadian rock band's second album, 1975's "Fly By Night") for an upcoming tribute album. No further details are currently available.

According to guitarist Scott Ian, ANTHRAX's sold-out March 15 concert at O2 Islington Academy in London, England was filmed for an upcoming DVD.

ANTHRAX's latest album, "Worship Music", sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous studio CD, 2003's "We've Come For You All", opened with just under 10,000 units to debut at No. 122.

The CD cover artwork for "Worship Music" was handled by renowned comic book artist Alex Ross, who has worked with Marvel Comics and DC Comics and is known for his "Marvels", "Kingdom Come", and "Astro City" illustrations. Ross also did the original artwork for ANTHRAX's "We've Come For You All" and "Music Of Mass Destruction" albums.

ANTHRAX recently completed the second leg of its U.S. tour with TESTAMENT and DEATH ANGEL.

Jägermeister recently hosted its latest "Ice Cold" studio session, where rock bands and icons meet for the first time in a recording studio and "break the ice" by working on a track together. The "Ice Cold" studio session featured British heavy metal band MALEFICE and football legend Marcus Hahnemann and took place at London's famous Strongroom Studios.

Hahnemann, the U.S. international goalkeeper who is currently playing for Everton, is a well-known heavy metal fan, but it was the first time he had ever taken his passion for metal into a recording studio.

Said Hahnemann: "[It was] a great day. I wanted to come down and just see what recording would be like, piecing a track together. I had an awesome time."

Added MALEFICE vocalist Dale Butler: "[The session went] really well. It exceeded expectations. We knew Marcus was going to be good, but he was actually better than even he firstly anticipated."

The video for "Omega" can be seen below. The clip features footage that was taken by Daniel Bache, Edd Haddon and Jeremy Haddon and edited by Mark Smith at The Dark Box.

MALEFICE's third full-length album, "Awaken The Tides", was released in July 2011 via Metal Blade Records. The 10-song effort was recorded at The Face studios in Reading with drums laid down at Fortress Studios in London. All tracks were mixed and mastered by Justin Hill.

São Paulo, Brazil-based metallers KAMALA will release their third studio album, "The Deadly Seven Chakras", before the summer via MS Metal Records. The cover artwork, which features the Brazilian adult-film actress Bruna Vieira, was created by Luiz Moura, who previously worked with KAMALA on the band's first two albums, 2007's "Kamala" and 2009's "Fractal".

Comments KAMALA guitarist and founder Raphael Olmos: "In defining the concept of the album during the recording process, we met with Luiz Moura thinking about the way the artwork should take in this new album. The idea to show the naked body exposed to the world seemed like the right way to represent the whole context, because the human body reflects the sins and absorbs energy through the chakras in a pure form and with no influence."

He adds, "We met Bruna Vieira through [porn film producer] Xplastic, with whom we established a partnership last year, where in one scene Bruna had our music as the soundtrack. We stayed in touch, and when she heard about the project, she was really into it. She has a very strong visual presence, and together with Castro's art, resulted in a wonderful job, not only on the cover, but in all contents of the booklet, which contains 24 pages. We can't wait to share it all with you!"

"The Deadly Seven Chakras" track listing:

01. Envy
02. Gluttony
03. Root
04. Heart
05. Solar Plexus
06. Third Eye
07. Greed
08. Pride
09. Sloth
10. Sacral
11. Lust
12. Wrath
13. Throat
14. Crown

Swedish/Spanish death metallers PUTREVORE, who feature in their ranks Rogga Johansson (PAGANIZER) and Dave Rotten (AVULSED), are currently mixing their sophomore album, "Macabre Kingdom", for a late 2012 release via Xtreem Music. The instrumental parts were recorded during January/February in Sweden, this time with the help of Brynjar Helgetun on drums, who previously played with such bands as CRYPTICUS, RIBSPREADER and THE GROTESQUERY. The vocals were recorded at the end of March in Spain. Nine songs were laid down during the sessions, eight of which will be featured on the new album and one of which will be set aside for possible use on a future split EP.

"Macabre Kingdom" track listing:

01. The Mysteries Of The Worm Part I
02. The Mysteries Of The Worm Part II
03. Beyond Human Comprehension
04. Universal Devourer
05. Awaiting Awakening Again
06. The Morbid Mass Of Swarming Entities
07. The Tentacles Through Time
08. Tattooed Skin Map

The cover art for "Macabre Kingdom" was once again created by the Spanish artist Juanjo Castellano.

"Macabre Kingdom" will initially be released on 12-inch vinyl around June — several months before the effort is made available on CD.

Barbara Caserta of Italian web radio Linearock.it conducted an interview with U.K. rockers THE TREATMENT when they supported STEEL PANTHER on March 22 at Alcatraz in Milan, Italy. You can now watch the chat below.

THE TREATMENT will support KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE on their upcoming North American co-headlining tour, simply dubbed "The Tour", which will kick off on July 20 in Bristow, Virginia and run through September 23 in Hartford, Connecticut.

THE TREATMENT will next hit the road with legendary rockers THIN LIZZY in May.

In other news, THE TREATMENT was recently in the studio laying down tracks for a brand new EP; as with the band's debut album, "This Might Hurt", released by Spinefarm Records last year, production has been overseen by Laurie Mansworth at IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris' Barnyard Studios, with Tony Newton taking care of the mix.

The track listing for the EP — a choice selection of '70s covers — is as follows:-

01. Run Run Run (JO JO GUNNE)
02. Take Me Bake 'Ome (SLADE)
03. Evil Woman (ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA)
04. Motorbikin' (CHRIS SPEDDING)
05. Let's Work Together (CANNED HEAT)

The boyfriend-girlfriend team of Alex Lopez of SUICIDE SILENCE and Alexia Rodriguez of EYES SET TO KILL have launched an official webstore for their collaborative art, Secret Destroyers.

In a 2010 interview, Alexia said, "When I'm not writing or playing music, I am usually doodling or painting. Lately we have been so busy with tour that we barely have down time at home. So I always make sure to bring some sidewalk chalk and a sketch pad."

In an exclusive interview with "Showbiz Tonight", members of the band KISS slam the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. KISS, who performed at the NCAA Big Dance Concert Series this weekend, has been eligible to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame since 1999, but has never received the honor. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley critique the organization, saying that the voting process is an insult to artists.

Tune into "Showbiz Tonight" at 11 p.m. ET/PT to hear the complete interview with KISS. A preview clip is available below.

For the 13th year in a row, KISS has been passed up for inclusion into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Had they been inducted in 1999, the year they were first eligible, they would have entered with Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Dusty Springfield, and Curtis Mayfield, among others. That year, instead of KISS joining those legends in the Hall, the late Del Shannon was inducted — an artist, whose influence and fan-base simply can't be compared to the New York rockers. Over the years, KISS has watched such '70s peers as AEROSMITH, the RAMONES, AC/DC, ZZ TOP, the SEX PISTOLS, the STOOGES, and Alice Cooper enter before them.

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley spoke about once again being shut out of the Rock Hall, with Simmons telling Rolling Stone: "It's become a joke. We've been thinking about it and the answer is simply, 'We'll just buy it and fire everybody.' In all seriousness for the fans, for something to be called Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is such an insult to MADONNA, BLONDIE. . . Who the fuck knows what other disco act is in there? It's an insult to them because they don't get to be in the 'Dance Hall Of Fame', because that's what they do. They're legitimate dance, disco artists. They don't belong in rock and roll."

Paul Stanley went on to add: "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has reached a point where they're really scrounging and scratching to find someone left that they consider viable. With all due respect, when you get to Patti Smith, you're about two steps away from Pete Seeger."

Gene Simmons told The Pulse Of Radio that awards hold little allure for him, since it's the fans that ultimately decide who stays around and who doesn't: "Our awards are under the 'K' section in record stores. Every time somebody goes out and plunks down their hard-earned money — either for a KISS ticket or for an album — that's the award, and reward."

Paul Stanley told The Pulse Of Radio that he looks at the big picture when considering KISS' career. "When you think of Muhammad Ali, you think of him as the champ," he said. "You don't think of the times he lost — and he did. I'd rather think of us in those terms. Nobody stays on top all the time, but who's been champ longest?"

KISS has just wrapped production on their 20th album, "Monster". No release date has been announced.

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich and MACHINE HEAD's Robb Flynn were the featured guests on this past Saturday's (March 31) episode of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show". You can now watch the entire program below.

Remaining episodes in season ten of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show":

Premiere date - April 7:

* Alice Cooper
* Jack Russell (GREAT WHITE)
* Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE) (guest drummer)

Premiere date - April 14:

* Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES)
* George Lynch (DOKKEN, LYNCH MOB, T&N)
* Jeff Pilson (DOKKEN, T&N, FOREIGNER)
* Mick Brown (DOKKEN, T&N)
* Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE) (guest drummer)

Premiere date - April 21:

* Adrian Smith (IRON MAIDEN, PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION)
* Michael Schenker (guest guitarist)

Premiere date - April 28:

* Robert Mason (WARRANT, LYNCH MOB)
* Jerry Dixon (WARRANT)
* Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister (MOTÖRHEAD)
* Michael Schenker (MSG, UFO, SCORPIONS) (guest guitarist)

Premiere date - May 5:

* Michael Schenker (MSG, UFO, SCORPIONS)
* Mike McCready (PEARL JAM)
* Frank Hannon (TESLA) (guest guitarist)

Premiere date - May 12:

* Billy Duffy (THE CULT)
* Ian Astbury (THE CULT)
* Doro Pesch
* Frank Hannon (TESLA) (guest guitarist)

Premiere date – May 19:

* Vinnie Paul Abbott (PANTERA, HELLYEAH, DAMAGEPLAN)
* Tommy Shaw (STYX)
* James Young (STYX)
* Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) (guest guitarist)

Episodes originally shot for Season 10 that will now air as part of Season 11 this summer:

Premiere date - to be announced:

* Bobby Blotzer (RATT)
* Steve Riley, Phil Lewis (L.A. GUNS)
* Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) (guest guitarist)

Premiere date - to be announced:

* David Draiman (DISTURBED)
* Russell Allen, Mike Orlando (ADRENALINE MOB)
* Mike Portnoy (ADRENALINE MOB, DREAM THEATER) (guest drummer)

Distilling decades of your favorite hard rock and heavy metal into sixty minutes of mayhem; "That Metal Show" will deliver the ever-popular "Stump The Trunk" as well as the triumphant return of "TMS Top 5" to your TV every Saturday night at 11 p.m., only on VH1 Classic.

"That Metal Show" is a production of VH1 Classic. Lee Rolontz and Keshia Williams as executive producers for VH1. Jeff Baumgardner serves as producer for the series for VH1.

Knoxville, Tennessee hard rockers 10 YEARS will release their new album, "Minus The Machine", on July 17 via their own Palehorse Records in conjunction with Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group. The CD marks the band's first release on their new label, after a long tenure at Universal.

10 YEARS frontman Jesse Hasek explains the decision to release the album independently: "We wanted to create an album that has no boundaries. When you feel like you're being told to go through motions and jump through hoops, it takes the heart out of it. It's better to do what comes naturally and then figure out the after-effect."

The band will kick off the "Minus the Machine" headlining tour on June 27 in New Orleans, supported by FAIR TO MIDLAND and KYNG. The four-week trek will take the band to Dallas, Nashville, Chicago and more, and includes a hometown show in Knoxville on July 6.

After a hugely successful year and a half tour to support their previous record "Feeding The Wolves", the rock quartet is ready to get back on the road and see the fans. "We live and die by the loyalty of the club audiences," says Hasek. "Our fans are loyal. They travel with us, and they want us to be loyal to ourselves. What we tried to do on this album is really give them what they want because they've been so good to us through the ups and downs of our career."

On March 28, Rustyn Rose of Metalholic.com conducted an interview with guitarist Rob Barrett of Florida death metal veterans CANNIBAL CORPSE. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

CANNIBAL CORPSE's twelfth studio album, "Torture", sold 9,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Evisceration Plague", also opened with 9,600 units to land at No. 66. That was more than 50 percent higher than the opening tally of CANNIBAL CORPSE's 2006 CD, "Kill", which entered the chart at No. 170 after shifting more than 6,000 copies.

"Torture" was again produced by HATE ETERNAL's Erik Rutan at his own Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida as well as Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, and features the maniacal cover art by longtime CANNIBAL CORPSE artist Vincent Locke.

While "Torture" marks the latest progression in the band's sound, it also witnesses a return to what drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz accurately terms "the frenzied attack of 'Butchered At Birth' (1991) or 'Tomb Of The Mutilated' (1992)," infusing the band's advanced musicianship with the raw savagery that haunted their earlier releases, and in the process conceiving the definitive CANNIBAL CORPSE record.

DEF LEPPARD vocalist Joe Elliott was interview on today's (Monday, April 2) edition of the "Mark And Mo In The Morning" show on the Cincinnati, Ohio radio station WEBN-FM. You can now listen to the chat in two parts below.

DEF LEPPARD will make a return to the United States this June with a massive summer tour which will include fellow rockers POISON and LITA FORD.

DEF LEPPARD's influential career includes numerous hit singles and ground-breaking multi-platinum albums — including two of the best-selling albums of all time, "Pyromania" and "Hysteria". Most recently, the band released their first live album, "Mirror Ball: Live & More" last summer, which rose to the Top 20 on The Billboard 200 chart. The album captures the group's legendary concert experience, bringing together live versions of classic LEPPARD hits such as "Rock Of Ages", "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Foolin'".

With 100 million records sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards to their credit, DEF LEPPARD — Joe Elliott (vocals), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick "Sav" Savage (bass) and Rick Allen (drums) — continues to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the sound for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group's spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, have become synonymous with their name. For the past thirty years the band's concerts have become must-see events and have quickly made them an institution in the touring industry, as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide.

Part 1:



Part 2:

"Let The Maggots Have It", the new video from Danish thrash metallers THE KANDIDATE (formerly THE DOWNWARD CANDIDATE), can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's sophomore album, "Facing The Imminent Prospect Of Death", which was released in January via Napalm Records.

According to a press release, "Facing the Imminent Prospect of Death" "continues to deliver the band's characteristic vigor and intensity. Songs like 'Total War', 'Let The Maggots Have It' and 'Fucked In The Search For Life' speak a stern language dominated by heavy riffs and all-destroying grooves sure to cause more than one case of whiplash. The band's sound also includes death and hardcore elements that give the album a newfound energy. The recording, mixing, and mastering were personally overseen by Jacob Bredahl himself. His expertise is apparent in the resulting release. 'Facing The Imminent Prospect Of Death' is a brutal riff rapid-fire barrage to be most enthusiastically received in the mosh pit!"

"Facing The Imminent Prospect Of Death" track listing:

01. Death
02. Beyond The Mind, Sleep You'll Find
03. One And Alone
04. Total War
05. Modvind
06. Let The Maggots Have It
07. Standing On The Cliffs Of Madness
08. Fucked In The Search For Life
09. Disillusionized
10. Dommedag
11. The Knives Spit

RockNLive.org recently conducted an interview with vocalist Michael Starr nd drummer Stix Zadinia of Los Angeles glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER. You can now watch the chat below.

STEEL PANTHER's sophomore album, "Balls Out", sold nearly 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on November 1 via Universal Republic Records, the follow-up to 2009's "Feel The Steel" contains 14 soon-to-be classics such as "Just Like Tiger Woods", "Gold Digging Whore" and "Weenie Ride". The album also features cameos by Dane Cook on the album opener "In The Future" and NICKELBACK frontman Chad Kroeger and EXTREME axeman Nuno Bettencourt show up on an instant classic "It Won't Suck Itself". "Balls Out" was produced by Grammy-nominated producer/mixer Jay Ruston who produced the band's "Feel The Steel" debut and is known for his work with ANTHRAX, MEAT LOAF, THE DONNAS and MORRISSEY, to name a few.

When asked what lessons STEEL PANTHER learned from its 2009 debut, "Feel The Steel", that he and his bandmates applied to this new album, guitarist Satchel told Guitar International, "It's funny because we haven't learned any lessons from our first record. We don't even think of it as our sophomore album, we think of it as our second debut release. Many bands will try to make a different-sounding record for their second release, but we couldn't really get any better than our first record. Our first record was awesome, so we decided to go in and make the same record for our second album, just better. We didn't really grow as writers. We didn't grow as musicians. In fact, I think I got a little bit worse . . . But because of that it's much better. It's kind of like a fine wine. If you let it sit there and let it get moldy, that's what they do with wine, right? Then you let the mold fester in the bottom of the bottle, that's what our music is like on this record. We're like a moldy cheese that's been left out in the sun all summer. You wouldn't think that it would taste good at the end of the summer, but surprisingly, it does. That's us in a nutshell."

STEEL PANTHER is Michael Starr (vocals), Satchel (guitar), Lexxi Foxx (bass) and Stix Zadinia (drums).

Scott Vogel (TERROR) is the latest guest musician to appear on the forthcoming full-length album from the Los Angeles hardcore band STRIFE. The group enlisted longtime friend Igor Cavalera (SEPULTURA, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY) to play drums on the CD, which is being produced by TERROR drummer Nick Jett (TAKE OFFENSE, LIONHEART). Igor laid down the drum tracks at Mix Nova Studios in Brazil, with additional recordings taking place at Blood Tracks Studio and Sunset Lodge in Los Angeles. Producer Matt Hyde (HATEBREED, SLAYER) will take care of the mastering duties later this month.

STRIFE's new album will also feature a guest appearance by guitarist Marc Rizzo (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY).

Commented STRIFE guitarist Andrew Kline: "Igor absolutely killed the drum tracks. He played a lot more straight-forward than he normally does to fit our style, and then added the right fills and touches to really stand out."

A final release date, label, cover art and additional information on STRIFE's first CD since 2001's "Angermeans" will be revealed in the near future.

Cavalera previously made a guest appearance on STRIFE's second album, 1997's "In This Defiance".

STRIFE is:

Rick Rodney - Vocals
Andrew Kline - Guitar
Chad Peterson - Bass
Todd Turnham - Guitar
Pepe Magana - Drums

Video footage of GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna performing an acoustic cover version of the METALLICA classic "Nothing Else Matters" during his solo concert last night (Sunday, April 1) at the Paramount in Huntington, New York can be seen bleow.

A review of the concert by Elliot Levin of the NY Hard Rock Music Examiner is available at this location.

Erna is touring to promote the release of "Avalon Live", his upcoming live DVD/Blu-ray that features the singer and an eight-piece band performing songs from his 2010 solo debut, "Avalon". A late April release for the disc is planned, although an exact arrival date has yet to be confirmed.

Many fans feared when Erna announced his solo project a couple of years ago that it would mean the end of GODSMACK. But Erna told The Pulse Of Radio that nothing could be further from the truth. "For me, I didn't go off and do a solo thing because I was angry at my band," he said. "As an artist, I need both for balance. It's just creative, you know, juices that need to come out and I can't write some of the stuff I wrote for the solo record and fit it into GODSMACK's world. It doesn't work, it's not the same texture."

The limited edition of "Avalon Live" will include the show, a documentary and behind-the-scenes footage on three DVDs, two CDs, a book, T-shirt, guitar pick, poster, incense, and a custom Sully Erna engraved metal box with a suede lining. There will only be 5,000 of the box sets produced.

GODSMACK will release a live album called "Live And Inspired" this spring. The effort will include 13 songs recorded at a show in Detroit, Michigan on the band's last tour and will be packaged with a bonus disc containing four cover songs.

DEATH DIVISION — the heavy, technically aggressive and melodic band founded by bassist Jerry Montano (HELLYEAH, DANZIG, NOTHINGFACE), drummer Tim Yeung (MORBID ANGEL, DIVINE HERESY, HATE ETERNAL, NILE), vocalist/guitarist Sean de La Tour and lead guitarist Rick Di Marco — has started recording new material with engineer Matt Starr (BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, Dizzy Reed) .

Commented the group: "We are tracking everything at Deathcult Manor (DEATH DIVISION headquarters). We are doing it old school like [LED] ZEPPELIN, DOWN and [Dave] Grohl. The band is extremely excited about getting music out."

In other news, Bill Weiss (THE EXIES videographer) has been hard at work editing the DEATH DIVISION short film. Described as a "a look into DEATH DIVISION" featuring Andrew Bryniarski (who played Leatherface in Newline Cinema's remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre") and Lacey Conner (singer, songwriter, "Rock Of Love" TV show contestant), the film was shot at Deathcult Manor and contains "nudity, violence and DEATH DIVISION."

Also on the DEATH DIVISION front, the band has been working with Carin Cronacher of Hazmat Design (OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE, ALICE COOPER) on the group's official logo and artwork.

For more information, visit the DEATH DIVISION Facebook page.

Fan-filmed video footage of HELLYEAH's March 31 concert at Carnaval Beach Ancol in Jakarta, Indonesia as the support act for ANTHRAX can be seen below.

Photos from the two bands' joint press conference in Jakarta, which took place on March 30 at the Sheraton Hotel, Gunung Sahari, are available at iRockumentary.com.

HELLYEAH's third album, "Band Of Brothers", will be released on June 5 via the band's new label home, Eleven Seven Music. The CD was recorded in Dallas, Texas at drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott's home studio, VP's Upstairs Studio, and was produced by the band and Jeremy Parker (GODSMACK, EVANESCENCE), who also served as engineer.

Having produced track after track of heavy-hitting, in-your-face, feel-good rock and roll on their previous two albums (2010's "Stampede" and 2007's self-titled debut), HELLYEAH takes a slightly different musical direction on "Band Of Brothers". Drawing on their former bands' collective metal roots for inspiration, the influences and style of MUDVAYNE, PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN and NOTHINGFACE are immediately recognizable in tracks such as "Band Of Brothers", "War In Me" and "Rage Burn", while the party anthem "Drink, Drank, Drunk" retains the essence of earlier HELLYEAH.

The official lyric video for "Subjected To A Beating", a brand new song from Maryland extreme metallers DYING FETUS, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Reign Supreme", which will be released on June 17 via Relapse Records. The CD, which was recorded at Wrightway Studios in Baltimore with longtime producer Steve Wright (SLIPKNOT, MISERY INDEX), 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."

Video footage of DYING FETUS performing a brand new song, "Invert The Idols", on March 20 at Sonar in Baltimore, Maryland can be seen below.

DYING FETUS is currently on the road in North America with DEVILDRIVER, THE FACELESS, JOB FOR A COWBOY, 3 INCHES OF BLOOD and IMPENDING DOOM as part of the Metal Alliance Tour.

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.

"Subjected To A Beating" lyric video:

"Reign Supreme" teaser:



"Invert The Idols" performance footage:

Professionally filmed video footage of MASTODON performing the song "Dry Bone Valley" on February 11 at the O2 Academy in Brixton, England (suburban London) can be seen below.

MASTODON will hit the road for a spring North American tour in support of their current album "The Hunter", which was released by Reprise Records in September. The tour kicks off on April 4 in Portland, Maine, and visits more than 30 cities in the U.S. and Canada before wrapping up with a hometown show at Atlanta's Masquerade Music Park on May 12. These shows will feature an amazing night of powerful music featuring a dream bill with Swedish metal band OPETH as co-headliners, with special guest GHOST providing support on all dates. Collectively MASTODON has stated: "We're excited to co-headline this tour with OPETH for whom we have great respect and admiration. Having GHOST along as well will make this tour a special event."

MASTODON was among the nominees for the 54th annual Grammy Awards, which was held on February 12 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The band's Grammy nomination was for "Curl Of The Burl", the first single from MASTODON's new album, "The Hunter".

MASTODON received its first Grammy nomination in 2006 for the single "Colony Of Birchmen", from the band's Reprise Records debut album, "Blood Mountain".

Miami, Florida's ABIOTIC has inked a worldwide, multi-album deal with Metal Blade Records.

ABIOTIC stormed onto the underground metal scene with the release of the "A Universal Plague" EP in September 2011. Since then, through word of mouth online and steady gigging in the Southeast, ABIOTIC has become one of the top bands to watch. Their music video for "Vermosapien" was released in January 2012 and was viewed over 40,000 times within the first month of its release. The band has proven that they have the wherewithal to stand alongside the best and brightest in the technical death metal genre worldwide. Fans of OBSCURA, VEIL OF MAYA, and CANNIBAL CORPSE will immediately identify with their finely-honed technical attack.

Commented ABIOTIC on the signing; "We can't express how amazing it is to be on the same label as some of our favorite bands and how great it feels to be working with one of the biggest labels in metal!"

Added Metal Blade: "It's rare to come across a band as well put together as ABIOTIC. The video for 'Vermosapien' makes it immediately evident that this band has the chops, songs, work ethic, and live show to perform alongside any contemporary death metal act. We very much look forward to releasing this band's music to a worldwide audience later this year!"

Hometown and Florida-area fans will be able to see ABIOTIC's prowess live and in person on the "Shredded To Pieces Tour" with KING CONQUER, FORTY WINTERS, and IN REFERENCE TO A SINKING SHIP throughout April. Following those dates, ABIOTIC will tour the Midwest/southeast on the "Shred Till You're Dead Tour" with Sumerian Records artists ENFOLD DARKNESS and VALE OF PNATH, who recently signed a deal with Willowtip Records. Also in tow will be AFTER THE SPIRE. These tours feature some of the best up-and-coming talent in extreme metal and should not be missed!

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing has posted the following year-end message on his official web site, Steel Mill:

"I am extremely pleased to announce the five-year anniversary of the Steel Mill!

"It brings me great pleasure to thank you all for your participation and your enthusiasm and, of course, for your dedication to what the Steel Mill is all about, great music and great bands, and not forgetting most important of all: great fans.

"Let's hope that the next five years will not only be just as great for Steel Mill but also see things get even better for all of the talented artists and bands that are trying so hard to get started.

"One thing is for sure: many new bands are getting a chance to be seen and heard this year at many of the great festivals that are again taking place, so be sure to check out as many as you can, even if it means missing breakfast!

"I could be wrong, but it seems like almost every band in the world will be out there somewhere this summer, so, to me, things couldn't be better.

"Anyway, for those that can't wait for the festivals to start, there are still plenty of good things going on, Michael Schenker's MSG, for example, in Wolverhampton on the 9th of May! Definitely a good one for me, a classic band not to be missed.

"It seems an eternity ago that UFO and PRIEST were at Morgan Studios together in London around 1975 when we were recording 'Sad Wings'! I believe the guys were making 'No Heavy Petting'! I remember having a beer and playing darts with the guys including, of course, the inimitable Michael Schenker. We were all young men, little did we know how many miles we would travel or how many gigs we would play. All we knew is that it was what we wanted, and what we had worked so hard at for so long.

"For sure, when UFO write their book, I will be the first to buy one, as there is no doubt that UFO could tell more good rock and roll stories than anyone I could ever think of.

"Today [March 18 at the time of Downing's writing] is Mother's Day in the U.K. so I am just off to see my dear mom! How she must have worried about me throughout the decades, all of that travelling and all of the possible dangers that could befall me. The life of being a parent to a rock musician must have been a difficult one, the times I heard, 'Why don't you get a proper job, son?' must have exceeded ten times my age. I remember getting very frustrated. It's only now I have become to realise that my mother just wanted me to be safe and see more of me. So all of you rockers and metallers out there; don't do what I did and leave it so late to appreciate the worry, concern and the love that your parents have for you whilst you're out there having a blast!

"And finally as always my sincere thanks to the Millworkers and to all of you lovers of great music across the world. Have a great metal year and be safe where ever you are and where ever you go."

"Tragedy Of Days", a rare track from Ohio metal goliaths SKELETONWITCH, can be streamed below. Never formally released on record in the States, the tune was recorded during the "Forever Abomination" sessions with producer Matt Hyde and appeared on the Decibel magazine flexi-disc series (October 2011 issue) as well as the Japanese edition of "Forever Abomination".

Comments SKELETONWITCH guitarist Scott Hedrick: "'Tragedy Of Days' was an epic instrumental by [guitarist] Nate [Garnette]'s former band SERKESORON. They disbanded after the untimely passing of SERKESORON's frontman Thom Wright. Shortly after the band called it quits, SKELETONWITCH was born. We re-recorded the track and Chance [Garnette] added vocals as a tribute to Thom, immortalizing him in song."

The new vinyl reissues of the SKELETONWITCH's breakthrough releases "Breathing The Fire" and "Beyond The Permafrost" are now shipping from the Prosthetic store. Both are available in three variants — splatter, half-and-half and 180-gram black wax — and feature gatefold Stoughton "tip-on" record jackets. The black vinyl versions of both albums will be available in select retail stores on April 10.

SKELETONWITCH is currently setting stage ablaze on tour alongside THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, NILE and labelmates HOUR OF PENANCE. This marks the group's first North American tour action of 2012 in support of "Forever Abomination". The band will take a brief break before heading overseas for a stretch of European dates.

Raleigh, North Carolina-based progressive rock/cutting-edge metal band BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME will tour Europe in October in support of its new album, the details of which are forthcoming. Support on the trek will come from PERIPHERY and THE SAFETY FIRE.

Comments BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME bassist Dan Briggs: "I'm excited Europe wants to have us again! On this tour we'll celebrate the release of our new album, so you'll be some of the first to hear new songs… if we can actually play them by then!"

The dates are as follows:

Oct. 10 - Antwerp, Belgium – Trix *
Oct. 11 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
Oct. 12 - Köln, Germany - Luxor
Oct. 13 - Münster, Germany - Sputnikhalle
Oct. 14 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega
Oct. 16 - Stockholm, Sweden - Debaser Slussen
Oct. 17 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Sticky Fingers
Oct. 18 - Hamburg, Germany - Logo
Oct. 19 - Berlin, Germany - Lido
Oct. 20 - Prague, Czech Republic - Rock Café
Oct. 22 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Randall Club
Oct. 23 - Budapest, Hungary - Dürer Kert
Oct. 24 - Wien, Austria - Szene
Oct. 25 - München, Germany - Backstage
Oct. 27 - Novara, Italy - Rock´n´Roll Arena
Oct. 28 - Zürich, Switzerland - Dynamo
Oct. 29 - Stuttgart, Germany - Universum
Oct. 30 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
Oct. 31 - Paris, France - La Maroquinerie

* No PERIPHERY

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME's latest album, "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues", was released on April 12, 2011 via Metal Blade Records. The three-song, 30-minute tour de force was recorded at Canada's Metalworks Studios and Rattlebox Studios and helmed by the Grammy award–winning producer David Bottrill (TOOL, MUSE, KING CRIMSON, DREAM THEATER).

"The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues" represents BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME's musical and conceptual masterwork; the record showcases both the quintet's vivid execution and ambitious vision. The otherworldly conceptual thread linking each of the songs is mobilized around two human characters that live in different planes of existence and are separated by millions of light years, each confronted with similar personal issues. Subsequently, both characters make decisions that will change their lives, and perhaps the course of the universe, forever. Musically, the release presents aura-rich atmospheres rife with roaring volumes, corrugated rhythms and trance-inducing intricacies. Cerebral and visceral, soft and heavy, melodic and abrasive, tender and brutal, familiar and strange and taut yet sprawling and epic, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME has crafted a sound that is musically sophisticated yet primal and a disc where every new passage leads to the culmination of an epic adventure.

Virginia's speed metal punks MUNICIPAL WASTE are bringing their space terror back to North America beginning May 27 on a two-leg headlining run presented by Scion A/V. The first leg features BLACK TUSK as support; second leg features 3 INCHES OF BLOOD as direct support and openers BLACK TUSK.

Tour dates are:

With BLACK TUSK:

May 27 - Soapbox Laundro-Lounge - Wilmington, NC
May 28 - 529 - Atlanta, GA
May 29 - The Social - Orlando, FL
May 30 - Vinyl Music Hall - Pensacola, FL
Jun. 01 - Chaos In Tejas Music Fest - Austin, TX (Municipal Waste only)
Jun. 02 - Rubber Gloves - Denton, TX

With 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, BLACK TUSK:

Jun. 15 - Neumo's - Seattle, WA
Jun. 16 - Hawthorne Theater - Portland, OR
Jun. 21 - Reggie's - Chicago, IL
Jun. 22 - Screaming Willy's - Columbus, OH
Jun. 23 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH
Jun. 24 - Bogie's - Albany, NY
Jun. 25 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA
Jun. 26 - Santo's Party House - New York, NY

Additional dates will be announced soon.

The video for "The Fatal Feast", the title track of the new MUNICIPAL WASTE album, can be seen below. The clip was filmed with director Jeff Speed of Halo Of Flies in Los Angeles on the former set of the space western television series "Firefly".

Commented MUNICIPAL WASTE vocalist Tony Foresta: "We've been wanting to work with Jeff again since we did the 'Sadistic Magician' video with him years ago. We felt that his vision and talent was exactly what we needed to help tell the tale of this cannibalistic space voyage. We hope this video makes people headbang, laugh, and puke all at the same time."

Added guitarist Ryan Waste: "As a huge sci-fi horror movie enthusiast, it was amazing to work on this type of film set. Jeff Speed and his crew have really raised the bar with this video and we couldn't be happier. Prepare for space terror and feast on our latest clip!"

Jeff Speed shares the following about working with MUNICIPAL WASTE for a second time: "One glimpse at this video and you will understand why my brother Chris [Speed, production designer] and I love to work with these guys. Anything goes! They have a great sense of humor, shredding tunes and bloodlust that is only matched by our own. Accepting the invitation to collaborate on more debauchery with MUNICIPAL WASTE was a no-brainer. A cannibalistic space voyage?! Where do we sign? We had a lot of fun making this vid and we were thrilled with the end product. I hope the world is hungry because the 'feast' will be festering on their plates and minds for a long time. Thanks for the opportunity, dudes! The Speed brothers will always be down to spill blood with the WASTE!"

MUNICIPAL WASTE's fifth studio album, "The Fatal Feast", will be released on April 10 in North America and April 13 in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records. The cover artwork for the CD was created by Justin Osbourn of Slasher Design and can be seen below.

"The Fatal Feast" track listing:

01. Waste In Space
02. Repossession
03. New Dead Masters
04. Unholy Abductor
05. Idiot Check
06. Covered In Sick/The Barfer
07. You're Cut Off
08. Authority Complex
09. Standards And Practices
10. Crushing Chest Wound
11. The Monster With 21 Faces
12. Jesus Freaks
13. The Fatal Feast
14. 12 Step Program
15. Death Tax
16. Residential Disaster

Both the digipack and vinyl editions will include the bonus track "Eviction Party".

"The Fatal Feast" features guest appearances by John Connelly (guitarist and vocalist for NUCLEAR ASSAULT), Steve Moore (who plays bass and synthesizers for ZOMBI), and vocalist Tim Barry (ex-AVAIL).

Guitarist Jack Frost (SAVATAGE, BELLADONNA, SEVEN WITCHES) has released the following statement:

"Just wanted to let you know that SEVEN WITCHES will be doing two special shows this month (April.) I say special because of the KILLER lineup that the band boasts this time around. First off, we have none other than Alan Tecchio (HADES, NON-FICTION) back on vocals for these dates. Those of you that have seen Alan sing with us know that this will be insane 'cause he goes for it at every gig. On drums, we have Jonny Kelly (TYPE O NEGATIVE, DANZIG, A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH) and on bass Ronnie Parks (FARCRY).

"Does it get any better than a lineup like this?! I think not!

"These shows will be an insane tribute and celebration to the metal animal inside all of us, as SEVEN WITCHES takes the stage and annihilates everything in sight! Come out and support metal in its purest form at these two upcoming gigs."

The dates are as follows:

April 20 - Dingbatz - Clifton, NJ
April 21 - Jimmy's Place - Allentown, PA

Vocalist James Rivera (HELSTAR, VICIOUS RUMORS, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM) announced his departure from SEVEN WITCHES in September.

Rivera sang on SEVEN WITCHES' "Passage To The Other Side" (2003), "Year Of The Witch" (2004) and "Call Upon The Wicked" (2011) albums.

"Call Upon The Wicked" was released on June 3, 2011 via Massacre Records. The CD features material that ranges in sound from classic JUDAS PRIEST to a touch of RAINBOW. There's even an epic song featuring female vocals, a new step in the band's chapter. The record is a bit of a concept, talking about how women have been the decline of men since the beginning of time.

The "Always…"-era (1992) lineup of the Dutch rock outfit THE GATHERING played its 20th-anniversary celebration concert last night (Sunday, April 1) at W2 in Den Bosch, Holland. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

Regarding their decision to recurrect the "Always…" lineup of THE GATHERING, the group previously said, "After years we (THE GATHERING) came in contact again, thanks to Facebook, with the nice people from ACROSTICHON (Corinne and Richard). Of course, we talked a lot about the good old days, especially the ones we had at the Willem II concert hall in Den Bosch. There was a matinee gig every month (I think it was every last Sunday), and we saw some great bands such as CANDLEMASS, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH, and, of course, we played there as well. Those days were so much fun. We had a great nostalgic trip talking about those days. Soon we came to the conclusion we would love to do this again!

"As you might know, our debut album, 'Always…', is almost 20 years old (April 1992). [We] contacted all old-school THE GATHERING 'Always…'-era members and everybody immediatly liked the idea to do something together. An old-school doom/death party! ACROSTICHON released their debut album, 'Engraved In Black', almost the same period, and our friends from PENTACLE released their debut demo, 'Caressed By Both Sides', as well 20 years ago. Why not celebrate this?"

THE GATHERING's latest album, "The West Pole", was released in North America on June 2, 2009 via Season of Mist. The CD was issued in most of Europe on May 4, 2009 via the group's own label, Psychonaut Records.

"The West Pole" marks the recording debut of new THE GATHERING singer Silje Wergeland, who was previously in the Norwegian band OCTAVIA SPERATI. It also includes two very talented guest vocalists, Anne van den Hoogen and Marcela Bovio (STREAM OF PASSION), along with other guest musicians.

Olga Kaye, a presenter on Cool FM in Belfast, Northern Ireland, conducted an interview with KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu before the band's March 31 concert in Belfast. You can now watch the chat below.

KORN's latest album, "The Path Of Totality", saw the band teaming up with dubstep producers and DJs to add a whole new electronic layer to their sound.

Much of the material for the album was recorded at singer Jonathan Davis' home studio, and he laid down vocals at home or in hotel rooms while on tour.

Davis said that title refers to the fact that "in order to see the sun in a full solar eclipse, you must be in the exact right place in the exact right time. That's how this album came together . . . I'm not sure it could ever happen again."

The album was released in two configurations: as a standard 11-song CD and a special edition CD that included bonus tracks as well as a DVD of "The Encounter", a full-length video concert of KORN's mind-blowing, once-in-a-lifetime performance in the middle of a 900-foot-long crop circle in a wheat field in Bakersfield. The complete concert, previously seen in 2010 on TV and online in an abbreviated form, was offered in its entirety to those who purchase the deluxe version.

A three-minute video clip of SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo talking about the upcoming third installment of Samson's "Metal Masters" series, which will be held on Thursday, April 12 at the Key Club on the famed Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, can be seen below (courtesy of AOL's Noisecreep).

Having blown audiences away at "Metal Masters 2" in New York City with surprise appearances by Philip Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN) and Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), as well as a full ANTHRAX performance, Charlie Benante and Frank Bello (both of ANTHRAX), David Ellefson (MEGADETH), Mike Portnoy (ADRENALINE MOB, ex-DREAM THEATER), Kerry King and now Dave Lombardo (both of SLAYER) are back on the West Coast with an exclusive metal experience that's bigger than ever. Artists will perform both individually and collectively, demonstrating their personal techniques and how they all come together to create the music that millions bang their heads to every day.

Tickets are available for $20 (on a first-come-first served basis) at the Key Club's box office, located at 9039 Sunset Boulevard, or via www.keyclub.com. With door giveaways and surprise guests, all should purchase their tickets early for this all-ages event to witness the return of the "Metal Masters".

Metal Injection conducted an interview with SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn Crahan at this year's South By Southwest conference, which took place last month in Austin, Texas. You can now watch the chat below.

SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor has been ambivalent about working on new material following the death in May 2010 of the group's bassist, Paul Gray, although Crahan and drummer Joey Jordison have been much more confident about the band recording again.

When asked to clarify the difference in opinion between members of the band as to whether new material is being written or not, Crahan told Metal Injection, "I can clear it up easily for you. Everyone in the band is writing all the time, whether it's a micro-cassette recorder or a memo on your iPhone or Corey writing down random things he invents in his head on a piece of paper or Joey saying, 'I got nothing to do, I'm gonna go in the studio with all these ideas. I'm going to rent out a studio for a month and a half and I'm going to fucking write.'

"I think what people don't understand about what's being said is that we're all dealing with Paul's death differently. And some want to move, some want to take time. But basically, what's being said is, of course, things are being written. But nothing is done because we're not together yet. And there is no reason to get together and talk about it because there are other things moving, like the grieving process.

"STONE STOUR [featuring Taylor and SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root] is going to go out and do their thing, which they should. They've earned it. It's a good thing. Just me down here at SXSW, I'm the only guy here, doing something. I should be allowed to have this outlet.

"So, I mean, really, what it all comes down to is that, yes, writing is being done seriously every day, but it is going to be a while. It's just going to be. There's things going on. It gets a little perverted in the press, almost like, 'he says yes, he says no, we got a problem.' It's just more like, yeah, writing is going on but it's going to be a while, and both of them are telling the truth, and I'm here to tell you, we're not going nowhere!"

SLIPKNOT last summer completed a three-week European tour that was the band's first run of dates since the death of Paul Gray. Taylor, who has been unsure of SLIPKNOT's future since Gray's death, told The Gauntlet last November that there are currently "no solid plans to do a SLIPKNOT album. Joey and Paul were really the ones who would get things started. Then I would take what they wrote and really try to put it in a song sense and then that would get us all going. Especially on [the latest SLIPKNOT album, 2008's] 'All Hope Is Gone', they gave me a lot of great material to work with. It was up to me to shorten it and make the songs into songs, basically."

He continued, "There is a huge pull in this band right now. It doesn't mean we can't go out on the road and share the music we have with the audience. But rushing in and making another album does not compute to me right now. It will be a few years before it does.

"There are some guys in the band that are painting me as the villain, but at the same time I have some guys in the band that support me and feel the same way.

"There are a lot of things in the band that have to change before we can go in and make an album. There are a lot of things we have to figure out and make peace with. We already know what the album is going to be about; we just need to find the strength to do it the right way."

Taylor told Billboard.com that when SLIPKNOT does eventually make it back into the recording studio, "We know that everything we do on that album is going to be about Paul. It's going to be very melancholy. It's going to be a more saddened form of rage when it does happen, and it'll be a whole path that we've never gone down before." He added that he personally was "not as anxious to make a new album as maybe certain people in the band are, and I know a lot of the guys in the band feel the same way I do, whether they want to admit it or not. It just makes more sense to try and figure things out before we try to get into a studio... I don't want to risk losing what we've built because somebody's trying to prove a point."

Jordison said last year that SLIPKNOT can carry on "with or without" Taylor.

SLIPKNOT will headline this summer's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival in the U.S.

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, has announced OZZY OSBOURNE seven-inch and 12-inch vinyl releases created especially for Record Store Day 2012, celebrated at independent record stores worldwide on Saturday, April 21.

Now in its fifth year, Record Store Day is an annual day-long celebration of record store culture taking place on the third Saturday in April. In January, RSD announced the appointment of Iggy Pop to the post of Record Store Day 2012 Ambassador.

Legacy Recordings' OZZY OSBOURNE releases for Record Store Day 2012 are:

* "Live" 12-inch 180-gram audiophile vinyl LPs (two-disc set): A limited, numbered collector's edition recorded live on the 1981 "Blizzard Of Ozz" tour with legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads

* "Believer" live seven-inch single: A limited, numbered collector's edition on polka-dot vinyl featuring "Believer" (live) + "Goodbye to Romance" (2010 guitar and vocal mix)