Dimmu Borgir's Silenoz
Photo: Nuclear Blast

On October 14, Dimmu Borgir — who just happen to be Demi Lovato's favorite black-metal band — will release a a three-disc DVD/CD set called "The Invaluable Darkness," the band's first visual offering since 2002's "World Misanthropy." Boasting live footage shot last year, during gigs in Norway, Germany and England, "The Invaluable Darkness" demonstrates the unbridled furor of seeing Dimmu live, guitarist Silenoz said.

"It shows the honest rawness and atmospheric darkness of our concerts," the Norwegian told Metal File last week, after dismissing recent online rumors that his band's next LP would be coming out through Roadrunner Records. "Basically, it shows the intense live side of the band, as opposed to the perfection and the cleanness of how we sound on our albums. It's just a different side to the band, basically."

Dimmu Borgir began thinking about "The Invaluable Darkness" two years ago, but didn't start capturing footage until last summer, Silenoz explained, adding that the band will use its current stint on the Blackest of the Black Tour — which got underway Thursday night in Miami Beach, Florida, and also features the tour's founder, Danzig, along with Moonspell, Winds of Plague and Skeletonwitch — to promote the DVD. Dimmu Borgir will not, however, use the tour to write material for their next LP.

"It's our first time on Blackest, but Glenn [Danzig] had wanted to bring us out before [on the tour], but we weren't available until now," Silenoz said. "We've done Ozzfest before, but we're looking forward to this tour more. We did the main stage on Ozzfest, playing in f--_ing broad daylight. This tour will let us play in bigger places, but at the same time showcase more of what the band's about, visually. We are going to concentrate on the tour for now. Some years ago, we tried putting [material] together on the road, but once we got home, we listened back to it, and were like, 'What the f--- is this?' So, we just scrapped it all. We find it's so much better to totally focus on one thing at a time, and then, when that's over, you move on to the next [thing]. We don't really feel like we need to rush things, anyway, so we'll just take our time, and it's going to be what it's going to be."

Dimmu Borgir hope to reconvene in late December to begin writing the follow-up to 2007's diabolically titled In Sorte Diaboli. "We have some ideas floating around already, but we haven't arranged any material yet," he said. "We'll start doing that once the touring for this DVD is over." The band's frontman, Shagrath, is also due to marry soon — he's engaged to actor Nicolas Cage's ex-girlfriend, Christina Fulton, so that may have an effect on when Dimmu finish their next album, which Silenoz said could be out this coming spring.

"I'm sure [Shagrath] won't let anything get in the way [of] the band — I think, I hope," the guitarist said. "We don't need a Yoko [Ono] situation."

While Dimmu have been at it going on 15 years now, Silenoz said he doesn't think their forthcoming material will be much of a departure from their previous black-metal offerings.

"And we have always been about more than just that term, 'black metal,' " he said. "Luckily for us, the older you get, the less concerned you get with the categorization and putting labels on your music. Things start getting more and more limitless with us, and we know that we operate within certain frames. But we try not to analyze things too much, because it's just going to be working against you in the end. When we write new stuff, we don't think about what we should write — we just get together, and put material together, and if we like it, we keep it. That's the formula, if we even have a formula."

Dimmu Borgir are definitely getting older — guitarist Galder will be missing Blackest because of a recent addition to his family, and Susperia's Cyrus will be filling in for him; while former Vader drummer Dariusz Brzozowski takes over for Hellhammer, who had to leave the band in 2007 after sustaining a neck injury that's now limited the use of his right arm. As Dimmu has gotten on in years, Silenoz admits they have failed to keep pace with some of the more extreme black-metal acts that have followed in their wake.

"We helped open doors for the more extreme bands out there," Silenoz said. "I'm sure we helped open doors for bands like Watain, [insomuch as] people that had maybe started listening to us first then went on to the more extreme stuff. Let's face it — we're not as extreme as Watain and other bands like that, but we're fine with that."

The Blackest of the Black Tour continues through November 10 in San Francisco.

The rest of the week's metal news:

Dimmu's tourmates on Blackest, Winds of Plague, have announced ex-Azusa drummer Art Cruz has joined their ranks — he replaced Jeff Tenney. According to the band's blog, "Art has already added a new spark to the band and has provided us with a solid backbone that will allow us to continue our rampage stronger than ever." ...

What the world really needs is another Led Zeppelin box set, so, on November 4, Rhino Records will issue the Led Zeppelin Definitive Collection Mini LP Replica CD box set. For just $200, you'll get 1969's Led Zeppelin, 1969's Led Zeppelin II, 1970's Led Zeppelin III, 1971's Led Zeppelin IV, 1973's Houses of the Holy, 1975's Physical Graffiti, 1976's Presence, 1976's The Song Remains the Same, 1979's In Through the Out Door and 1982's Coda, as mini-LP replicas, with artwork from the original U.K. LP sleeves. Now, you know what you can get your dad for Christmas. ...

Former Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach and current Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz have teamed up for a new project they're calling Times of Grace, and they've already started working on material for their debut album. According to Leach, "We have two songs to go and we will be finished with all of the vocals. Adam has taken lead vocals in three songs as of yet and he is doing a great job. We also worked on a track yesterday that is so epic — we trade vocals and do two different melodies at the same time. This album went from a melodic metal album to an epic mix of metal/rock/pop/shoegaze and punk. So all of your metal expectations will be incorrect — we are pushing genre boundaries." To quote "Meet the Parents," we'll look forward to that, Greg. ...

The Funeral Pyre and Early Graves will be hitting the road together next month, starting November 7 in South Lake Tahoe, California. Dates are booked through November 21 in Hollywood. ...

The latest incarnation of Brujeria, which features Carcass frontman Jeff Walker and Napalm Death's Shane Embury, have lined up several U.S. dates for this winter. The band will begin its brief trek November 28 in Denver, and wrap things up in Dallas on December 7. ... Demiricous will be touring with the Gates of Slumber starting November 9 in Denver, for a jaunt that's scheduled to run through December 6 in Indianapolis. ...

Nearly three years after Roadrunner Records' Roadrunner United concert, which took over the Nokia Theater in New York's Times Square, the label is now releasing footage from that special night as "Roadrunner United: The Concert." The DVD, which hits stores December 9, will boast two discs and 24 live tracks, including Life of Agony's "River Runs Red," King Diamond's "Abigail," Killswitch's "My Last Serenade," Type O Negative's "Black No. 1" and Sepultura's "Refuse/Resist." ...

According to Blabbermouth, Verrot, bassist for Swedish black-metal outfit Elimi, committed suicide on October 3. In a statement, the band said, "Verrot was a very good friend, brother, an excellent bass player/musician and an important part of Elimi; we respect his decision and hope he'll find his way with the dark gods of Chaos. Let your black flame be a part of what brings forth the day of wrath."

• Dimmu Borgir
• Led Zeppelin
• Brujeria

In This Moment
Photo: Century Media

Maria Brink can't help the way she looks (tall, blond, blue-eyed and voluptuous), just as she can't help who shows up (uncouth, basement-dwelling dudes with spare tires and beer muscles) to her melodic metal band In This Moment's gigs. But she can control who stays and who goes at her shows.

"I won't let people disrespect me," she told Metal File last week, just days before In This Moment's sophomore LP, The Dream, hit stores. "I've been onstage and I've had people harass me, and if it gets to be too much, I just have security usher them out. [Last fall's] Megadeth tour was probably the most challenging for me, as far as learning how to deal with an aggressive crowd. Most of the crowds we played to were 95 percent male, and the drunker they got, the louder they got."

And, apparently, the cruder they got. Brink — who by most men's standards is a bona fide knockout — said she's learned to deal with the rude hand gestures she's often met with when she takes the stage. She's also learned to block out the boorish comments guys toss her way. Her boyfriend, on the other hand, hasn't — and he's been known to take care of business from time to time.

"I've been onstage and guys have yelled, 'Show me your t--s, bi---,' and I've been able to ignore them, but then I see my boyfriend plowing through the crowd, into the pit, attacking somebody, and I'm trying to sing, and he's on top of someone, and I'm singing and I'm terrified," she explained of her beau, DevilDriver bassist Jon Miller. "He definitely doesn't take too kindly to people sexually harassing me when I'm onstage. On the Megadeth tour, some guy in the crowd said something, and I stopped the show to have him kicked out. I remember the next day, [Megadeth frontman] Dave Mustaine wanted to have a meeting with me, because he'd heard about what had happened, and he told me I was 100 percent right. He told me to tell the crowd that Dave Mustaine would kick their ass if they stepped out of line, and that was pretty awesome."

Unfortunately, Miller and Mustaine won't be able to shield Brink and In This Moment — who'll be on tour with Five Finger Death Punch, Bury Your Dead and Another Black Day through December 4 in San Diego — from some of the critical backlash they're liable to face from fans. The Dream is a decidedly different album than the band's 2007 debut, as it forsakes the metalcore feel of Beautiful Tragedy in favor of a more straight-up rock sound. But Brink says she wouldn't call it a drastic departure.

"It actually, to me, feels a lot more comfortable than the first album," she said. "I think our fans are really going to like it. We didn't really want to worry about what everybody else was going to say. We tried to just do what we wanted to do. Of course we care about our fans, but we thought if we stayed true to what we really wanted to do, that hopefully everyone else would get it. Not everyone is going to like it, and that's OK. We are who we are, and we never claimed to be a brutal metal band or that we're really heavy and hard. We just do what we do — that's it."

On The Dream, Brink elected to give her pipes a break, so instead of screaming her way across the album's 11 tracks, she wanted to let her natural singing voice shine through. Brink said the rest of the band was cool with her ditching the screams, and the music just naturally followed suit.

"As a vocalist, screaming always came really easy for me — it wasn't much of a challenge, it just came out of me," Brink explained. "The singing vocals were always more challenging. People always complimented me on my scream, but I didn't get a lot of feedback on my singing, so I just wanted to challenge myself a lot more on this record. I'm not anticipating a backlash. If people like us, then they like us. If they don't because we don't fall into their standard of being a brutally heavy band, then that's OK. We don't feel like we have anything to prove to anybody."

And just as she's learned to ignore chauvinistic fans, she's also learned to ignore criticism. "I try not to read what the critics write or Blabbermouth," she said. "A lot of people love Blabbermouth, but some of the people who write on it are just brutal."

Brink said she's thrilled with the band's maturation, which is more than evident on The Dream, but ultimately, the album isn't everything she'd hoped it would be — thanks to Chino Moreno.

"I wanted Chino to sing on this album with me more than anything," she said of the Deftones frontman. "That was, like, my dream, and I had somebody talk to his management, and he sounded like he was maybe into it but wanted to hear the song. But we just didn't have enough time to push it or dwell on it, unfortunately. He's my favorite singer, so I'm really disappointed that didn't get to happen. Let's see — maybe we'll get it to happen on the next album."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Contrary to online reports, Dimmu Borgir have not inked a three-year deal with Roadrunner Records. Guitarist Silenoz told Metal File this week that he's heard rumors suggesting his band's next album would not be issued by Nuclear Blast but shot them down. "I don't know where this rumor is coming from," he said. "People have been asking me about that. They've also been asking me if Max Cavalera would be producing the new album, and if we're going to Egypt to record it. Where the hell do people take this from? I've never said anything like that. Sometimes confusion is good, but not when it haunts you like that." Check back next week for the rest of our interview with Silenoz, who will be heading out with Dimmu on October 9 in Miami Beach, Florida, for the Blackest of the Black Tour (with Danzig, Moonspell, Winds of Plague and Skeletonwitch). ...

How's this for a collaboration to end all collaborations? System of a Down's Serj Tankian and ex-Faith No More frontman Mike Patton have written a song together, called "Bird's Eye," which will appear on the soundtrack for the film "Body of Lies." Awe. Some. ... If you've ever wanted to be in a Mudvayne video, you'll soon get your chance — so long as you're willing to travel to New Jersey. On Saturday, the band will be in East Hanover to shoot a clip for "A New Game," the first single from their forthcoming album, The New Game. The shoot starts at 11 a.m., and those interested in taking part in the video should send an e-mail to Casting@BlueStreakEnt.com for more information. ...

With the band's forthcoming album almost in the can, frontman Jon Gula has decided to leave Turmoil. A founding member of the group, Gula's departure followed some serious soul-searching. He told Lambgoat that he "just [couldn't] devote 100 percent of myself to Turmoil anymore. I've got too many things to attend to right now, and I didn't think it would be fair to our fans, or to the rest of the band, to delay the inevitable." He also said he wasn't sure what the future holds for the band but that he'd "understand if they carry on with someone else. I'm not sure if I would call it 'Turmoil' going forward, but I support whatever decision they make. Obviously, they've got to do what's right for them." ...

The Black Dahlia Murder, Misery Index and Soilent Green will be hitting the road together this December for a mostly Canadian run of shows. Aside from a gig in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on December 3, the remainder of the tour will take place north of the border, wrapping December 18 in Toronto. ... Brutal Truth will be entering the studio next week to start tracking their next LP. They've written 24 songs for the effort, including "Grind Fidelity," "Evolution Through Revolution" and "Detached." ... Born of Osiris, Shai Hulud, After the Burial and Burning the Masses will kick off the Progressive Damnation Tour next month. The trek launched in Seattle on November 16 and runs through December 22 in Des Moines, Iowa.

• In This Moment
• Dimmu Borgir
• Mudvayne

Otep
Photo: Capitol Records

Otep's forthcoming third full-length album, The Ascension, was written long before the Los Angeles metallers boarded a plane bound for New Orleans — where they'd track the effort with Grammy-winning producer Dave Fortman (Evanescence, Mudvayne) over the course of several months.

During the band's stay, though, frontwoman Otep Shamaya said she couldn't help but get caught up in the emotion of living and working in this forgotten, battered metropolis, left devastated in the wake of 2005's Hurricane Katrina. Shamaya said the cheerless vibe that permeated this once grand city, and the hopeful spirit of the resilient survivors who continue to rebuild their lives down there, bled into Otep's new material.

"We went there for a couple of reasons: Dave was there, and we wanted to get out of L.A.," she explained. "It's very easy for bands to make records where they live, but when you go home every night, it becomes more of a job. You can't live the album all day, every day. In New Orleans, we could never escape that energy. We also really wanted to try to bring something to the economy of that area, but we didn't realize how bad it was. Nothing's happening there."

When Otep arrived, Fortman drove the band through the city's Ninth Ward, "and it was shocking. Absolutely shocking. There are entire neighborhoods that are just gone — pulverized. Boats pinned beneath houses. So that kind of seeped into the songs a bit. A part of that energy — part of the people who asked us when they saw us not to forget about them — that did seep into what we were doing. It had to. It was very important for us to include that energy in our music and remember how important art is and what it can do."

Working with Fortman on The Ascension, which hits stores March 20 and features a cover of Nirvana's "Breed," was important for the bandmembers, Shamaya said, because they are huge fans of his previous collaborations.

"We liked the sound of his albums, the tonality of them," she said. "For the type of band that I think we are, where every instrument counts, I wanted every instrument to have its own voice and tell its own story. With Dave, when you listen to the records he's made, every instrument has a clear, signature sound. That was really important for us for this album; that's what we wanted to happen."

Otep — made up of Shamaya, guitarist Karma Cheema, bassist "Evil" J. McGuire and drummer Brian Wolff — had to refocus their attention for this effort, the singer said, and forget about anything they'd done in the past.

"From my perspective, knowing a lot of bands and listening to a lot of bands, the first record — even if it isn't their best record — has this energy about it, this risk," Shamaya said. "It seems that there's this sophomore curse for most bands, but they still seem to become confident in the idea that they can write the music. But there's something missing sometimes. I wanted to refocus our attention and pretend this was our first record and really try and not look at what we know, what's worked and get mixed up in that whole corporate mentality. I wanted to fall back on our instincts and write songs that are important to us."

On her end, Shamaya feels she's grown as a growler and that, through her lyrics, she's become a better storyteller. "I just wanted to be better at what I do. I think our strength lies in our ability to be a fusion band. Every player has their own influences and own styles, and that helps us create something different and new each time."

But longtime fans shouldn't expect a complete shift in Otep's sound. Shamaya said this third set contains the same elements found on the band's previous LPs, along with several fresh sonic elements. Lyrically, the singer said she derived inspiration from her own observations on society. The track "Invisible," for instance, is a commentary on conformity, while "Perfectly Flawed" is a song that celebrates "uniqueness, and how we don't all have to look like supermodels." "Noose and Nail" is an attack "on the pharmaceutical culture in this country," while "Home Grown" addresses the issues of domestic violence. "Eat the Children" was inspired by "those mothers who've been murdering their children, sometimes in the name of God," she said.

"Sometimes," she added, "I wish I could just sit back and write a song about a sunny day or a car passing, but that's just not the way my instincts work at this point."

The rest of the week's metal news:

How's this for a killer metal package? Dimmu Borgir, Unearth, Devildriver and Kataklysm have announced that they'll tour the U.S. this spring, hitting more than 25 cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Seattle and Los Angeles. The trek kicks off April 20 in Cleveland, with dates booked through May 29 in Atlanta. Dimmu's forthcoming album, In Sorte Diaboli, has been set for an April 24 release. ... The Red Chord are in need of a new guitarist, given Jonny Fay's departure this week. Fay said he wants to devote more time to running his New Hampshire recording studio, hence, the Chord will hold auditions in March. Those interested should make a video or audio recording of themselves playing "Black Santa," from the band's 2005 LP Clients. Touring experience is a must, and candidates should be willing to give up eight to 10 months of the year to the road. Interested? Contact the band through its MySpace page for more details. Fay, who will still contribute to the Red Chord's forthcoming album, said the decision "was not an easy [one] to make. I have loved every second of my time in this band, and I will miss it dearly. However, as long as I have been involved in music, my true passion has been recording, and I feel that the time has come for me to give it my undivided attention." ...

Mastodon's recent stroll across the Grammy Awards' red carpet caught the attention of E!'s "Fashion Police." The boys were slammed for their "greasy hair" and offending "rat tails." Not that the 'Don's about to take fashion advice from anyone, but you can watch them get raked over the proverbial coals in an arresting clip on YouTube. ... Comeback Kid, It Dies Today, This Is Hell and Endwell will be hitting the road together next month for a series of 25 gigs. The tour will get under way March 21 in Philadelphia and run through April 17 in Seattle. Parkway Drive will also be on the trek between April 5 in Metairie, Louisiana, through the Seattle date. ... Century Media's inaugural "Metal For The Masses" tour, which will be co-headlined by the Haunted and Dark Tranquillity, with Into Eternity and Scar Symmetry providing support, will launch March 19 in Orlando, Florida. The trek will make 22 stops, including Atlanta, New York, Detroit, Chicago and Seattle, before wrapping up in Hollywood on April 14. ...

Lacuna Coil and Shadows Fall will play a number of off-dates during the upcoming Jägermeister Music Tour, which also features Stone Sour. The bands will be rattling the floorboards of Piere's in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on March 29; Northern Lights in Clifton Park, New York, on April 2; the Lincoln Theater in Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 11; the Rialto Theater in Tucson, Arizona, April 26; and on April 27, the Sunshine Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... Massachusetts metallers — and Ozzfest 2006 vets — All That Remains, who are on their first North American headlining jaunt, will film their February 25 gig in Philadelphia. The footage will be featured on the band's forthcoming, yet-untitled DVD, which should hit stores before year's end. The band has been compiling footage for the effort for more than two years. ... Italian black metallers Graveworm have put the finishing touches on their sixth, yet-untitled LP with producer Andy Classen (Krisiun, Belphegor) at the helm. The album will feature 10 fresh cuts, with guest appearances by Kataklysm's Maurizio Iacono and the Sorrow's Matze. Look for the disc in stores May 11. ...

Victory Records has signed South Dakota's Nodes of Ranvier. According to frontman Jon Parker, the band "could not be any more excited about the opportunity to continue to do what we love with a label that understands what it means to have humble beginnings and achieve big dreams." The band plans to hit the studio later this month to start working on its Victory Records debut, which should surface in July. ... Will Haven's reunion LP, Hierophant, has been set for a June release through Bieler Bros. In other album-release news, Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet has now been slated for an April 24 release. ... Canadian power trio Rush will release their new album, Snakes & Arrows, on May 1. The first single, "Far Cry," will hit radio in March, and a full North American tour is being scheduled for this summer. The album was recorded in fall 2006 and was co-produced by the band with Grammy-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver). ...

Prog-rock maestros Dream Theater have signed with Roadrunner Records for their next album, Systematic Chaos, which is scheduled for release in June. "This album's got all of the elements we've become known for," drummer Mike Portnoy said in a statement. "The focus on musicianship, the skull-crushing riffs, the big progressive epics and the heart-wrenching melodies are all there." A world tour will follow the album's release. ... Slipknot guitarist Jim Root and axe maestro Joe Satriani will guest on the new solo album by Rob Zombie guitarist John5 (ex-Marilyn Manson). The disc, The Devil Knows My Name, comes out April 3, and the songs are all about serial killers. "I wanted a different tone to the instrumental with twisted imagery of sounds," John5 said. "Utilizing serial killers came to light for this project while looking at their crimes and how distorted their minds work." If that's not scary enough, the disc will include a cover of Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle." Backing John5 on the album is Zombie drummer Tommy Clufetos and bassist Piggy D. ...

Demiricous will enter the studio on February 15 to start recording the follow-up to their self-titled 2005 debut. The disc will be the band's first to feature new drummer Justin Boltjes (ex-The Dream is Dead). ... Canadian misanthropes Unexpect have hired a new violinist named Blaise. "His talent will undoubtedly contribute to the developing mutation of our music," the band said in a statement. Unexpect's debut, In a Flesh Aquarium, came out in 2006.

• Otep
• Dimmu Borgir
• Unearth
• DevilDriver
• The Red Chord

Manntis (file)
Photo: Century Media

Although Manntis didn't end up the big winners at "Battle for Ozzfest," Sharon Osbourne's "American Idol" meets "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" reality-television experiment, Jake Sirokman says the crushing Southern California quintet's doing just fine. The singer says it seems as though Manntis have been on the road ever since taking home the third-place ribbon in "Battle"; at the moment, they're tagging along with Otep on that band's U.S. tour. Plus, the furious act's Cameron Webb (Motörhead, Social Distortion)-produced Century Media debut, Sleep in Your Grave, hits stores June 28.

"We're happy we didn't win," Sirokman said bluntly. "I mean, we were bummed at first. But hey, we're f---ing signed. We're stoked. We knew there was no way we were going to win. The other two bands were a little more radio-friendly. But we're stoked."

The band — Sirokman, bassist Clint Gregory, drummer Jimmie Sanders, and guitarists Jeremy Swanson and Adair Cobley — even has a video on the way, for the track "Axe of Redemption."

Shot at the Poodle Parlor in downtown Los Angeles in late May, the video will feature Manntis playing before a rabid crowd of mosh-frenzied fans. And then it really gets good, as the pit's invaded by 20 dodgy-looking, tattoo-heavy Suicide Girls. Sirokman said the sexy punk pin-up chicks proceed to dispense a severe pounding on the windmilling, lawnmower-starting dudes.

Alas, there was no time for love after the shoot, Dr. Jones: "We've all got girlfriends, man," Sirokman explained, with a slight hint of regret in his voice.

The rest of the week's metal news:

Iron Maiden will release a dubiously titled double-disc, The Essential Iron Maiden, on July 5. Tracks include "2 Minutes to Midnight," "Brave New World," "The Klansman," "Aces High" and "Wasted Years," none of which will be performed during the band's jaunt on this year's Ozzfest since Maiden's set will only feature songs from their first four albums. ... Industrial black metallers Dimmu Borgir will start writing songs for their next record in August or September, according to the band's Web site; look for a mid-2006 release for the as-yet-untitled offering. ... This summer, W.A.S.P. headline American Metal Blast 2005, which will also feature L.A. Guns and ex-Ratt singer Stephen Pearcy. Metal Church and Twisted Sister will be added on select dates. The tour begins June 28 in West Hollywood and runs through August 20 in Dallas. W.A.S.P.'s last album, The Neon God, Pt 2: The Demise, came out September 28. ...

New England metal stalwarts Shadows Fall will headline a number of Ozzfest off-dates with Arch Enemy, In Flames, the Haunted and Trivium, among others. ... This year's Hellfest is starting to take shape and might end up being one of the darkest to date. The annual event, set for August 19 through August 21 at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey, will feature close to 200 bands, including Between the Buried and Me, Bold, Converge, Curl Up and Die, Dead to Fall, the Early November, Hatebreed, Madball, Nile, Pig Destroyer, the Red Chord, Sick of It All, Suffocation, the End and a reunited Youth Of Today. ...

Rob Zombie's longtime guitarist Riggs is on tour with his new band Scum of the Earth. They'll play Chicago on Friday night (June 17), and dates run through July 21 in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. Riggs described the show as a "full carnival of carnage" and added, "I figured out more spots in the show where I could douse people in blood and still play the songs." Bring a raincoat. ... Finnish rockers Amorphis have begun writing and rehearsing new material for the follow-up to 2004's Far From the Sun, which could see release before the end of the year. A statement from the band characterized the new songs as "heavier than ever" and said there'd be an "epic theme through the album." ...

In one fell swoop, Swedish melodic-metal band Cipher System have lost their singer, Daniel Scholdstrom, and bassist, Henric Carlsson. "Due to lack of inspiration and fire, our friends Henric and Daniel have decided to quit," the remaining bandmembers wrote in a statement. They're currently seeking replacements. ... Crematorium's all finished with their next opus, The Process of Endtime; look for the record to hit stores on July 19 through Prosthetic Records. ... Post-hardcore Texans the Jonbenet have signed a deal with Pluto, which will release a compilation of previously released material from the band called The Plot Thickens in July. Look for its full-length debut to drop later this year. ...

Belgian grindcore quintet Leng Tch'e will release their third album, The Process of Elimination, on June 28. For those keeping score, the band's name is Chinese for "death by a thousand cuts," referring to an ancient execution ritual in which a victim is severely drugged and slowly cut to pieces. ... Hardcore band Terror have reissued their first album, 2003's Lowest of the Low, with three extra studio tracks and a full 10-song set recorded in Tokyo. The band will appear on the Sounds of the Underground tour, which launches June 25 in Lowell, Massachusetts, and runs through July 31 in Denver. ...

French extreme-metal band Blut Aus Nord will release their previously unavailable back catalog in the U.S. on June 28. Both 1995 albums, Ultima Thulée and Memoria Vetustae, will be remastered. The group is currently working on songs for its next record, MoRT, which is scheduled for release in early 2006. ... Scars of Life will release their new album, What We Reflect, on August 9. The band's songs have previously been heard in numerous pay-per-view shows, commercials, video games and other "Ultimate Fighting Championship"-related media. New tracks include "Alone Inside," "Lost Years" and "Away From Me."

• Manntis
• Dimmu Borgir
• W.A.S.P.
• Terror
• Crematorium

System of a Down guitarist Daron Malakian will release Volcano by Norwegian black metal band Satyricon on April 6 through his Sony Music imprint EatUrMusic. The record originally came out last year in Europe. ... Dimmu Borgir have issued a statement addressing the recent departure of Nicholas Barker, the former Cradle of Filth drummer who played on the Norwegian black metal band's last two studio albums. "Nicholas has been removed from the lineup of Dimmu Borgir," the statement reads. "A session drummer will be used in the future. Don't waste your time speculating why, we have already moved on. See you on the road very soon! — The boyz." The band has been nominated for a Norwegian Grammy in the metal category. The awards show will take place February 28 in Oslo. ...

Fireball Ministry and CKY are teaming up for a European tour that kicks off March 1 in Dublin. The bands have just over two weeks of dates lined up. ... Members of Halfway to Gone, Puny Human, Five Horse Johnson, Novadriver and various other Small Stone Records artists recently convened to drink and make music. The result of their so-called "Rustbelt Sessions" is expected to hit stores this fall. ...

Bleeding Through will headline the Mutilation Tour beginning in March, supported by Death by Stereo and Himsa. Bleeding are in Europe supporting Sick of It All and Most Precious Blood. The band also subjected itself to an eight-camera shoot of a late-January hometown headlining show at the Glasshouse in Pomona, California, for a live DVD. It will be released as part of Kung Fu Records' "The Show Must Go Off!" series. ... 

New Jersey's God Forbid will tour in support of their February 24 release, Gone Forever, with Walls of Jericho, Blood Has Been Shed, Full Blown Chaos and A Life Once Lost. The trek kicks off the day after the album's release and runs through March 10. ... Alabama Thunderpussy will hit Richmond, Virginia's Glass Hand Recording Studio next week to begin work on Fulton Hill, the band's first album with new singer Johnny Weils. Producer Mark Miley will oversee the project. ...

Unearth recently shot their concert in Farmingdale, New York, for an upcoming DVD. Singer Trevor Phipps called the show "an amazing experience" and said the DVD "should turn out to be a great representation of who Unearth are and what we do as a band." ... Bile have pulled out of the Kings of Roadkill Tour with Six Feet Under. They will be replaced by Reflux. ...

Norma Jean have parted ways amicably with singer Brad Norris, who plans to dedicate more time to his family. Former Eso-Charis frontman Cory Putman is filling in for upcoming tour commitments. A permanent replacement has yet to be announced. ... Century Media Records has become majority owner of Now or Never, the label responsible for releases from Dillinger Escape Plan, Brand New Sin, All Else Failed and Diecast. ...Dark Tranquility will issue remastered editions of 1995's The Gallery and 1997's The Mind's I with new artwork and bonus material in the U.S. later this year. ...

Morgion are working on a new album, Cloaked in Ages, Crowned in Earth. Their Dark Symphonies label has no release date for the LP yet. ... European metalcore band Caliban are in the studio working on their follow-up to Shadow Hearts with In Flames singer Anders Friden producing. ... Angelville are home in Indiana recovering from the near-fatal van crash that sidelined their tour outside of Atlanta. Johnny V's arm required several hours of reconstructive surgery and physical therapy. ...

Eighteen Visions drummer Ken Floyd switched to the long-vacant second-guitar position shortly after the band finished recording sessions for Obsession, their follow-up to 2002's Vanity. Jason Shrout, formerly of Saved by Grace, now plays drums. Obsession is due later this year. ... Drummer Jesse Smith, bassist Rob Horner and singer Josh Ashworth have left Zao. Daniel Weyandt, who sang on the band's previous six releases, has returned to the fold as they gear up to record their first album for Ferret Records this spring. No rhythm-section replacements have been announced. ...

In Flames have resumed work on the video for "The Quiet Place," the first single from their forthcoming Soundtrack to Your Escape, now that singer Anders Friden has returned to Gothenburg, Sweden, from touring with his side project, Passenger. "I'm in a movie theater, falling asleep, falling into the movie and walking around in a 'Matrix'-like landscape, and the other guys are playing there," Friden said of the video's concept. ...

Original Mercyful Fate guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael Denner have recorded an album with their new Copenhagen, Denmark-based band, Force of Evil. The self-titled disc also features former Mercyful Fate drummer Bjarne Holm, King Diamond bassist Hal Patino and singer Martin Steene. The band came together in 1999 while Mercyful Fate were on hiatus. Force of Evil tracks include "Dawn of Dominion," "Hell on Earth," "Demonized" and "Under the Blade." ...

Hypocrisy have just completed a science-fiction video for "Eraser," the first single from the band's new record, The Arrival, due February 12. Since releasing 2002's Catch-22, the band has replaced drummer Lars Szoke with Horgh and added second guitarist Andreas Holma. ...

The fourth album by Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo's side band Grip Inc., Incorporated, comes out March 16. Track titles include "Curse (of the Cloth)," "Prophecy," "Skin Trade" and "The Gift." The album was produced by guitarist and keyboard player Waldermar Sorychta. ... Death metallists Suffocation disbanded in 1998 but reformed last year and are in the studio working on their comeback album, Souls to Deny. The band is recording at New York's Full Force Studios with engineer Joe Cincotta. The band's '90s bassist, Chris Richards, has been replaced by Scott Krall and guitarist Doug Cerrito has been replaced by former member Guy Marchais. Tentative track titles include "Subconsciously Enslaved", "Surgery of Impalement" and "Tomes of Atrimony." ...

Thrash punk band Zeke will release 'Til the Livin' End on April 6. Tracks on the Jack Endino-produced record include the title cut, "Ten to the Riverside Blues," "On Through the Night" and "Long Train Runnin." Before the record is out, Zeke will launch a tour that begins March 5 in Seattle and runs through March 28 in San Francisco. ... Dutch atmospheric female-fronted band The Gathering will release their first semi-acoustic album, Sleepy Buildings, on March 9. ... Malaysian black metal band Bazzah will release their second album, Kingdom of the Dead, this summer. Their self-titled debut, which was originally printed in a 300-copy limited edition, will also be included on the disc. ... Devilinside, the new band by members of Minnesota metalcore outfit Disembodied, will release two discs this year. Their debut EP, Prelude, recorded in 2002, will come out April 6, and a new full-length will follow soon after. ...

Former Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson will guest in the Soulfly video for the song "Prophecy," the title track of the band's new record, due March 30. The clip was shot on Thursday in Arizona at a location seven hours outside of Phoenix. Ellefson played on the album version of the song and on the tracks "Execution Style," "Defeat U" and "Mars." ... Wrath, Attacker, Hirax and a bundle of other '80s thrash metal notables will perform at the Classic Metal Fest 4 on May 13 to 15 in Lansing, Illinois. Other bands on the bill include Solitude Aeturnus, Deceased, Impaler, Celestial Dawn and Destructor.

• System of a Down
• Dimmu Borgir
• Fireball Ministry
• Puny Human

Greetings all, and welcome once again to the realm of all things hard, heavy and metal. This week we have word on Judas Priest's first show with Rob Halford in more than a decade, the "Hellboy" soundtrack, and a member of Cannibal Corpse getting a new gig. Enjoy:

The recently reunited Judas Priest will join UFO, Children of Bodom, April Wine, Exodus, Opeth, Slade, Entombed and a host of others for the three-day Sweden Rock Festival 2004 in June. The gig, whose motto is "Fill your head with rock," marks the first announced date of Priest's upcoming reunion tour. ... Cannibal Corpse guitarist Jack Owen has teamed up with drummer Kevin Astl (Epitaph, Resurrection) to form Adrift. The group also includes singer Mark Elm, guitarist Analia Pizzaro and bassist Michael Campuano. ... Two songs from Norwegian black metal powerhouse Dimmu Borgir are featured in a new trailer for the forthcoming film "Hellboy," based on the popular comic book of the same name. ...

Archetype, Fear Factory's first album since the 2002 departure of guitarist Dino Cazares, is due in April. The disc is being mixed in Vancouver by guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers and was recorded at Rumbo Recorders in Los Angeles with engineer Ken Marshall. The 11 tracks include "Cyberwaste," "Act of God," "Corporate Cloning" and "Bite the Hand That Bleeds." ... Wrestler and Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho will sing three songs on the reunion album by Nasty Savage, titled Psycho, Psycho. The band was one of the staples of the Florida thrash scene in the '80s and released four albums before breaking up in 1989. The new disc, due in March, will feature 12 songs, including a new version of "Savage Desire," which previously only appeared on a demo. ... Fleshcrawl recently wrapped sessions for Made of Flesh at Sweden's Underground Studio. The album is due March 9. ...

Swedish death metal vets Hypocrisy will release The Arrival on February 17. The disc was recorded at frontman Peter Tagtgren's Abyss Studios and includes the tracks "Born Dead Buried Alive," "Slave to the Parasites," "Stillborn" and "Dead Sky Dawning." ... Early next year, Anthrax will enter the studio to re-record songs from their first five albums for a new best-of disc called Metallum Maximus Aeternus. Singer John Bush, hired in 1992 for the following year's Sound of White Noise, will sing on the tracks, which will be selected online by fans. A live CD and DVD will also be released, culled from shows happening this weekend. The package is due in late spring. ... Godhead have parted ways with drummer Ken Jay because of an undisclosed ailment that rendered him unable to play. Original drummer James O'Connor, who has been out of the group for two years, has rejoined. ...

Monster Magnet have hired drummer Bob Pantella (ex-Raging Slab) to replace Michael Wildwood. The band recently finished Monolithic Babies with producer Scott Humphrey (Rob Zombie, Andrew W.K.). The disc features new bassist Jim Baglino and will include the songs "Slut Machine Mach 2," "Ultimate Everything" and "Master of Light." ... Although March will see the European release of In Flames' Soundtrack to Your Escape, the follow-up to 2002's Reroute to Remain currently has no U.S. release date. "F(r)iend," "The Quiet Place," "Discover Me Like Emptiness" and "Evil in a Closet" are among the album's 13 tracks. ... On a similar note, Machine Head are still trying to secure a North American record deal for Through the Ashes of Empires, which is already out overseas. The San Francisco Bay Area band will remain on tour in Europe until late December. ...

Eighteen Visions have chosen Obsession as the tentative title for the follow-up to 2002's Vanity, which the band is currently recording with producer Mudrock (Godsmack, Avenged Sevenfold). The album is due April 20. ... The soon-to-disband Shai Hulud are combing through their archives in hopes of compiling a lengthy rarities collection to be called A Comprehensive Retrospective Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Release Bad and Useless Recordings, according to the band's Web site. The band also plans to mount a final tour featuring former singer Chad Gilbert, who has spent his post-Hulud days playing guitar in New Found Glory and Hazen Street. ...

Ken Susi of Unearth has signed on to produce the upcoming effort from Massachusetts' Beyond the Embrace. The band hopes to have Insect Song wrapped up by mid-January. ... Stoner-rock purveyors Orange Goblin have set a February 24 release date for their upcoming Thieving From the House of God. The band also has a DVD and covers album in the works. ... Premonitions of War have parted ways with bassist Nick Hale. The Ohio-based metalcore band, who are planning a West Coast tour in January with Curl and Die and Bury Your Dead, has yet to name a replacement. ...

— compiled by Ryan J. Downey, Robert Mancini and Jon Wiederhorn

• Judas Priest
• Fozzy
• Cannibal Corpse
• Anthrax
• Dimmu Borgir

Howdy metallions, what's up? Iann Robinson, back again. I guess the big news this week is all the stuff going down with Exodus. Now for those new to the scene, Exodus were part of the Bay Area thrash scene that exploded in the '80s. Metal suffered a serious blow when original Exodus vocalist Paul Baloff died of a stroke in February of 2002. Well Exodus are back now and going strong. They've signed to Nuclear Blast Records and have finished up an album titled Tempos of the Damned, which will hit stores in February on the two-year anniversary of Paul's death. The band is also planning to hit you with a DVD that traces the roots of Exodus, going back beyond the Bonded by Blood era.

It's also a big weekend for us wrestling fans, as current WWE champion Triple H takes on Goldberg at this Sunday's pay-per-view "Unforgiven." It's not exactly metal, but this will be a killer match, and if Goldberg loses he has to retire from wrestling forever, which would suck. Plus, you have Shane McMahon in a "Last Man Standing Match" with Kane — that'll be trouble. It's gonna be a killer card for everybody who loves wrestling like I do. Well that's all for me, enjoy Metal File and I'll see you at the shows.

Superjoint Ritual, Dimmu Borgir, Type O Negative, Morbid Angel and Cradle of Filth will headline the two-day New Jersey Metal and Hardcore Fest in Asbury Park, New Jersey, on November 14 and 15. Other confirmed acts are Nile, Nevermore, Children of Bodom, Hypocrisy, Strapping Young Lad, Deicide, Suffocation, Hate Eternal, Biohazard and Krisiun. Hundreds of other skull-crushing bands will play the event, which will take place at Asbury Park's Convention Hall complex. Tickets are $40 for Friday, $45 for Saturday and $75 for both days. ... Speaking of Nile, the acrobatic death metal band will embark on the Art of Noise II Tour on October 1 in Houston. Dates run through October 31 in Atlanta. Support acts will include Kreator, Vader, Amon Amarth and Goatwhore. The first Art of Noise Tour was last January, and featured Nile, Napalm Death and Strapping Young Lad. Nile's latest album, In Their Darkened Shrines, came out in August 2002. ...

Six Feet Under, Skinless, the Black Dahlia Murder and Behemoth with play the Un-Natural Born Killers Tour, which will launch October 16 in Tampa, Florida. Dates run through the end of November. Six Feet Under's new album, Bringer of Blood, comes out September 23. ... Meanwhile, the Black Dahlia Murder have run into more trouble. The band is now looking for a new vocalist. To expedite the search, Black Dahlia have put an instrumental MP3 for the song "Funeral Thirst" on their Web site. Hopefuls should go there, download the song and put their vocal stylings over it. ...

Long Island screamo band Bayside will enter Phase Studios in College Park, Maryland, on October 7 to record their new album, Sirels and Condolences. Ex-Jawbox frontman J. Robbins will produce. After a month in the studio, Bayside will tour through the end of the year. The new album will be released early next year. ... The fifth studio album by hardcore metal band Speedealer, titled Bleed, will come out November 25. The disc was recorded on June 10 and 11 at Top Hat studios in Austin, Texas, by ex-Butthole Surfers bassist J.D. Pinkus. The band will launch a tour on September 20 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dates run through September 28 in Springfield, Massachusetts. ... December are reissuing their album Praying, Hoping, Nothing on October 7 through Porn King Matt Zane's Inzane Records. ...

Brujeria's first show ever in the U.S. — which was supposed to take place at Allen's Theatre in Southgate, California, on September 27 — has reportedly been scrapped. No reason was given for the cancellation. ... Manowar are back in the studio recording a new album for release in 2004. … Seattle band Zeke are releasing a DVD called "Zeke You" to commemorate their 10-year anniversary. The DVD will hit stores November 18. ...

Russ Herpich from the band Watch Me Burn is directing the video for Cattle Decapitation's "To Serve Man." The clip is expected to surface in October. ... Vehemence recently hit the studio to begin recording their next album, tentatively titled Helping the World to See. The band hopes to have the album in stores early next year. ...

The recently reunited Cancer will release an EP titled Corporations in early November. ... Former Nile members Chief Spires and John Ehlers have joined forces in a new band called Shaitan Mazar. … And again, it ain't quite metal, but it's close: the movie "Bubba Ho-Tep," which stars Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis as delusional retirees who think they are Elvis and JFK, respectively, battling a mummy, will be released Friday in Portland, Oregon, and will then slowly open in theaters through the States. ...

—compiled by Iann Robinson, Robert Mancini and Jon Wiederhorn

• Superjoint Ritual
• Dimmu Borgir
• Exodus
• Manowar

Ministry
Photo: David James

Hey fellow metallers, how's it going? Iann Robinson here, finally back from L.A., and I'm ringing in my return by heading to the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. Lots of amazing bands for two days of real metal. So what did you think of the "Headbangers Ball" premiere? I know there are some kinks to work out, but how cool was it to see videos from Shadows Fall and High on Fire?

Phil from 16 sent me their new record, Zoloft Smile, and it's brilliant. You guys should attack them with e-mails requesting it to be released ASAP in America. I also checked out the new Himsa, which is a totally great hardcore/metal blend, so expect big things from them. Well, that's it for now. Next week I'll give you a full report on the festival, and until then, see you at the shows:

Rob Zombie hosts this week's edition of "Headbangers Ball," airing Saturday at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT on MTV2. Staind will also be stopping by the set. ... CKY have been invited to open Metallica's homecoming show at the Fillmore in San Francisco on Sunday. The show will be the first for guitarist Chad I Ginsburg since he broke his tailbone in March. ... The Metal Gods tour, featuring Halford, Testament, Immortal, Carnal Forge, Primal Fear, Pain Museum and Amon Amarth, has been derailed. Reasons for the move remain unclear, though organizers said the problems facing the tour have nothing to do with any of the bands on the bill. ...

A deafening Ministry performance on May 6 in Philadelphia was pumped with even more firepower when former Skinny Puppy vocalist Nivek Ogre and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian took the stage for the band's trademark "Stigmata." The track was originally featured on the 1988 album The Land of Rape and Honey. ... 40 Grit bassist Kevin Young was ordered by doctors to sit out for seven dates after he suffered a herniated disc during a show in Ladd, Illinois, with Pissing Razors, Society 1 and Luxt. A Pissing Razors guitar tech will fill in for Young for the next week. ...

Vehemence are writing material for their next album, tentatively titled Helping the World to See. Bassist Mark Kozuback should have his hands full since he'll be working on the disc and learning to be a father at the same time. Kozuback's baby girl is due in August. ... Polish metal warriors Vader will release an EP this fall that will combine their import EP Reign Forever World (2001) with a second EP of new material. ... High on Fire will launch a tour for their album Surrounded by Thieves on June 12 in Los Angeles. Dates run through late July. Support acts will include Drunk Horse, Chinese Stars, Hidden Hand, Floor, the Whip and Camarosmith. ...

Leadfoot, a band featuring ex-Corrosion of Conformity members Karl Agell (vocals) and Phil Swisher (bass), have recalled all 1,400 copies of their third record, We Drink for Free, because the discs contain multiple digital errors that cause them to skip and pause. Anyone who bought the album should return it to the place of purchase. ... Dio will release the live DVD "Evil or Divine" on July 1. The concert was recorded at New York's Roseland Ballroom on December 13. The DVD includes backstage footage, an interview with frontman Ronnie James Dio, and the video for "Push," which features Tenacious D. ... Alabama Thunder Pussy have split with vocalist Johnny Throckmorton, who joined the band when it formed more than six years ago. Daring souls should contact alabamathunder@hotmail.com or relapse@relapse.com. The band has nine new songs completed for its next record. ...

You think you've heard it all? Not yet. Agoraphobic Nosebleed have released the three-inch CD called Altered States of America, featuring 100 chaotic, disjointed and blistering songs in a mere 21 minutes. The band will follow up the project in early 2004 by releasing a split CD with Jesu, the new band featuring ex-Godflesh frontman Justin Broadrick and his former bandmates Ted Parsons and Paul Neville. ... Life of Agony are getting ready to release a double live CD titled River Runs Again Live 2003. The CDs will contain their biggest songs as well as four bonus tracks. ... The Crown recently headed back into the studio to record a new album. Vocalist Johan Lindstrand is now back with the band. ...

Long-running Christian thrash metal band Living Sacrifice, whose guitarist, Rocky Gray, has recently been drumming for Evanescence, have announced plans to disband following their next few scheduled performances, including a July 5 appearance at the Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois. The band had previously planned to replace singer/guitarist/founding member Bruce Fitzhugh after their upcoming gigs and continue on, but has opted to split instead, according to the group's Web site. ... Norwegian black metal outfit Dimmu Borgir are mixing their next album, Death Cult Armageddon, at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. The band has reportedly recorded a cover version of an old Bathory song as well. ...

Henry Rollins and his band will revisit the former Black Flag frontman's roots: Rollins and company will play only Black Flag songs on an upcoming tour to benefit the West Memphis Three — the young Arkansas men convicted of the grisly murders of three boys. Dates for the tour can be found at Rollins' Web site, 21361.com. ... New York legends Prong are putting the finishing touches on a new album called Scorpio Rising, which was co-produced by Tommy Victor. The album should hit stores next month on Locomotive Music. ...

—compiled by Iann Robinson, Ryan J. Downey, Robert Mancini and Jon Wiederhorn

• Ministry
• Dimmu Borgir
• Halford
• Living Sacrifice
• Prong

Ozzfest at the CTNOW.com Meadows Music Centre in Hartford, CT 07.10.2004

• Slipknot
• Slayer
• Otep
• Lacuna Coil
• Lamb of God