SEVERE TORTURE

Begin writing for the next album

Dutch death metallers SEVERE TORTURE have started the writing process for their next album, the follow-up to 2007's Sworn Vengeance. Severe Torture bassist Patrick Boleij discusses the band's recent activities: "Here's a short update to let you all know what's been going on in the Severe Torture camp over the last couple of months. We've actually been working our asses off, writing the finest death metal tunes possible. We have about six songs down and riffs and ideas for four or five more. We'll be finishing those in the next two months. Musically it's gonna be one of the fastest, sickest and most brutal Severe Torture records ever! This stuff is gonna be fuelled by the sheer disgust of all the whimpy, lame-ass, fashion-crap that's been polluting the music industry for years. And it made us realize all the more what we love most... Playing brutal fuckin' death metal. The plan is to start pre-production in July and have everything ready for recording in September.”... More...

RAMMSTEIN

Issues new album update

RAMMSTEIN's official website has issued the following update: "No words can describe how happy we were to receive an official invitation to a listening of the first three Rammstein songs from the upcoming album. Three uncompromising songs and three attacks upon 'common taste and morality.' An album isn’t an album until the last line has been sung and the final note has sounded. However, it's no big secret to tell you about our great enthusiasm. ... More...

KORPIKLAANI

New album tracklisting revealed

Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI will release their sixth album, "Karkelo" (English translation: "Pleasure" or "Party"), on June 26 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Petrax studio in Hollola, Finland.... More...

STRATOVARIUS

Vocalist performed for Russian president

Metal From Finland reports: "STRATOVARIUS vocalist Timo Kotipelto performed for the President of Russia, Dmitri Medvedev, on Monday (April 20th) in Finland. It was a part of presidential dinner held by Finnish President Tarja Halonen in honour of Dmitri Medvedev who is visiting Finland. Timo was accompanied by Matias Kupiainen (Stratovarius), Jani Liimatainen (CAIN'S OFFERING, ex-SONATA ARCTICA) and Kaarti Orchestra."... More...

NEW YORK PRESS

The Evasive Evil Empire

Adam Wisnieski of the New York Press has penned an article about the New York black metal scene. An excerpt follows below. "Black metal is different from other forms of metal, in both sound and content. Think of SLAYER, only scarier and lo-fi.The guitars sound like phonebooks being continuously ripped in half, the drums are fast-blast beats and the vocals are shrieking. Songs are built on intricate harmonies with chord progressions that defy common metal logic. Many New York bands, with the freedom of a nonexistent scene, have tinkered with these styles, unafraid to apply their own American influences.There are even fewer boundaries in content.The famed Norwegian black metal scene in the early 1990s was mainly anti-Christian, but today's bands have lyrics ranging from astronomy musings to confessions of self-hatred.... More...

GENERICHRIST

New album announced

Tampa, Florida's GENERICHRIST has set "Minddumpster" as the title of its next special-edition CD, to be released by the Asian underground label Xmusick/AreaDeath Productions. The follow-up to 2008's "Fuck Ritual" will include seven new tracks and feature the artwork of Florida artist Mark Cooper. It will also be the first GENERICHRIST release with new members Marc Ciccosanti (drums) and Nick Palm (guitar).... More...

BELPHEGOR

Checks in from the road

Austrian black metal horde BELPHEGOR have issued the following road update: "Alright...what a strong tour, each day packed and crowded venues, a lot of die hard demons with passion and fire for metal attend these shows. Besides that, it's an honour for Belphegor to share stages with thrash legends EXODUS and KREATOR. We headed back to Canada a couple of days ago and have played about 14 shows so far. 23 convents are left on this run. So be warned friends, better show up early, some start around 7pm, get your Fleisch in the venues to celebrate total Krieg with us. Hail chaos - hail death!"... More...

ARGUS

Debut album tracklisting revealed

ARGUS, the Pennsylvania-based metal band featuring former PENANCE vocalist Brian "Butch" Balich, will release its self-titled debut CD in May through Shadow Kingdom Records. The group says, "We've got Professor John Gallo (ORODRUIN, BLIZARO) guesting on the album, contributing an intro piece to 'The Damnation of John Faustus'. Art was completed by the masterful Brad Moore."... More...

GOATWHORE

Carving Out The Eyes of God

GOATWHORE — the New Orleans-based band featuring vocalist L. Ben Falgoust II (SOILENT GREEN) and guitarist Sammy Duet (ACID BATH, CROWBAR) — has set "Carving Out The Eyes of God" as the title of its new studio album, due in the U.S. on June 23 via Metal Blade Records. For the follow-up to 2006's "A Haunting Curse", GOATWHORE headed back to St. Petersburg, Florida to record with producer Erik Rutan at Mana Recording Studios, with mastering being handled by Alan Douches of West West Side.... More...

DEMIANS

New album in the works

DEMIANS singer Nicolas Chapel recently stated that he is currently writing new music for the follow-up to the critically acclaimed debut Building An Empire. The new material will be recorded during the summer. Chapel says he is excited about writing and producing new music again, and has no plans for a tour this year since this new album has "turned to an obsession": "I don't want to do anything but sit behind the piano or smash fuzz pedals right now. Writing this new music has really washed away my frustrations."... More...

THERION

The Miskolc Experience

Nuclear Blast Records has set a May 22 release date for "The Miskolc Experience", the new CD/DVD from Swedish progressive/experimental metallers THERION. The set's description reads as follows: "After the phenomenal last studio album 'Gothic Kabbalah' (2007), easily THERION's most stunning effort since 'Theli', and the follow-up live CD 'Live Gothic' (2008), THERION mastermind and only remaining founding member Christofer Johnsson decided to go for a rather special project: the band's appearance at the remarkable and renowned International Opera Festival in Miskolc, Hungary in 2007 was taped on and off stage to preserve a truly unique classic metal event for the THERION fanbase! ... More...

DEATH ANGEL

New DVD details revealed, preview available

Five years after the released of the band's acclaimed comeback album, "The Art Of Dying", and the follow-up effort, "Killing Season", influential Bay Area metallers DEATH ANGEL will release a DVD with two full-length concerts filmed in Germany. Entitled "Sonic German Beatdown", the package — which was released on April 17 — includes footage from the 2007 edition of the Rock Hard Festival and a 2008 performance in Adelsheim. As an added bonus, the set includes a live CD.... More...