Resurrected MASSACRE Signs With CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS

Resurrected 1990s Florida-based death metallers MASSACRE have inked a worldwide deal with Century Media Records. The band entered CGM Studios in Altamonte Springs, Florida on February 17 with Tim Vazquez at the helm to record two brand new songs — "Succumb To Rapture" and "Back From Beyond" — to be released as a seven-inch single in August, in time for the group's appearance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.

MASSACRE played "Succumb To Rapture" for the first time during the group's January 14 headlining concert at The Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida. Video footage of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of Brutal Broadcast).

The Brass Mug show marked the first-ever appearance by MASSACRE's new lineup, which consists of bassist Terry Butler and guitarist Frederick "Rick Rozz" DeLillo alongside the band's latest additions, Mike Mazzonetto (drums; M INC., PAIN PRINCIPLE) and Ed Webb (vocals; DIABOLIC, GENERICHRIST, DESTINED TO RUIN).

MASSACRE's current lineup is as follows:

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

Commented Rozz: "I am overwhelmed, and overly flattered, for this great honor in this day and age of being part of the Century Media family.

"I remember touring with [Century Media CEO] Robert Kampf and his band DESPAIR back in the late 1980s, on tour with DEATH, when he was first starting Century Media... and now we are on the same team 25 years later.

"After so many years gone by, it is great to be working with Terry again and our former DEATH manager Eric Greif, as well as getting to write and record with Ed Webb and Mike Mazzonetto.

"This whole thing came together on the fly, after 17 years in the waiting. Way cool... if you ask me. Nothing but respect!"

Added Butler: "It's a great honor to be part of the Century Media family and for me personally to be working with Rick again! We have found the perfect bandmembers in Ed and Mike to solidify the lineup. We are very excited and focused to get a new album out in 2012."

Stated Jens Prüter, head of A&R at Century Media Records in Europe, "Last October I met Terry in L.A. at a GRAVE show. Terry mentioned that they plan to reform MASSACRE and record a new album. Like many fans, I was a little bit skeptical if Ed can replace Kam Lee, but I was 100% convinced when I saw the MASSACRE show at the 70,000 Tons Of Metal cruise a few months later and made a handshake deal on the boat while the sun was going down over the Caribbean sea. Death metal romance — love at first sight! Listening to the first rough mixes of the upcoming 7", I can already tell you that 2012 is going to be a great year for death metal. So welcome another death metal legend to the Century Media roster!"

Some of MASSACRE's old buddies and new labelmates have offered the following words of welcome:

Ola Lindgren (GRAVE): "I'm very excited to hear that Century Media inked a deal with my old-time friends in MASSACRE. They are one of the originators of the scene, the 'From Beyond' album kicks ass and it's very cool to now have them as labelmates. GRAVE toured both the U.S. and Europe with them back in '91-'92 and they surely were memorable tours. We also had the pleasure to have Mr. Butler in our crew on our latest U.S. tour and he made sure to supply the metal and just being an amazing bro!"

Marc Grewe (MORGOTH, INSIDIOUS DISEASE): "I first met Rick and Terry in March 1989 when DEATH played their first-ever show on German soil. I would have never imagined back then sitting in a tour bus with them only two years later, but this time with death metal heroes MASSACRE on the legendary MORGOTH / MASSACRE / IMMOLATION tour back in 1991. It was just great to hear from Rick that there will be a 'Back From Beyond' 20 years thing this year. And I'm highly excited to see those guys back after more than 20 years! Welcome back, true brothers in blood!!!”

Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY): "MASSACRE was one of the bands that I worshipped when I first got into the death metal underground scene back in the days. Their astonishingly brutal demos and live tapes encapsulated everything that I loved about the genre. Looking forward to see what damage they can do now!"

Rozz started his career at the age of 16 when he formed MANTAS with Chuck Schuldiner. The band's "Death By Metal" demo from 1984 was as influential on the early death metal scene as early recordings by POSSESSED (who released their infamous "Death Metal" demo the same year) and HELLHAMMER's 1983 demos. MANTAS changed its name to DEATH later in 1984, followed by the creation of MASSACRE, with Butler joining the group a short time later. After recording and touring as members of DEATH, Rozz and Butler released the MASSACRE death metal cult classic "From Beyond" in 1991, influencing generations of extreme metal bands worldwide.

"From Beyond" was reissued as a limited-edition digipak CD via Earache Records.The long-out-of-print album was made available on CD with four bonus EP tracks and comes housed in a digipak with extended artwork and a fold-out poster.

A different version of MASSACRE — consisting of DENIAL FIEND members Sam Williams (guitar),Curt Beeson (drums; NASTY SAVAGE),along with Terry Butler, Steve Swanson (guitar) and Kam Lee (vocals; MASSACRE, DEATH, MANTAS) — completed a European tour in late 2007.

On February 25, Brian Rademacher of RockEyez conducted an interview with Rozz. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

"Succumb To Rapture" performance footage (January 14 at The Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida):

Rehearsal recordings of new MASSACRE lineup:

RockEyez interview with Rick Rozz (February 25):