Hate Eternal
Photo: Metal Blade

Two days before Florida death-metal band Hate Eternal were scheduled to embark on the 2006 Jägermeister tour with Chimaira, Arch Enemy, Nevermore and God Forbid, drummer Derek Roddy quit to join Today Is the Day, forcing frontman Erik Rutan (ex-Morbid Angel) to scramble for a way to salvage the situation.

Not only was Rutan determined not to disappoint Jägermeister, Hate Eternal also had a live DVD shoot that had been planned for ages scheduled in London following the tour.

So Rutan picked up the phone and called Kevin Talley (ex-Chimaira), who had just finished filling in on a Black Dahlia Murder tour, and asked him if he was interested in playing with Hate Eternal. "It was a shot in the dark," Rutan said. "I just said, 'Hey man, we're leaving in two days. Can you learn six songs fast?' And he said, 'Sure.' He's an incredible drummer, so it worked out great."

For the DVD shoot, Rutan recruited Reno Kiilerich (ex-Dimmu Borgir), who had to learn 14 songs while Hate Eternal were touring the U.S. with Talley. Then the band flew to Holland, practiced for two days and shot the London show without a hiccup.

For Rutan, overcoming such obstacles is commonplace. But the stressful incidents left their marks. And there would be more to come. Not long after returning home, bassist Randy Piro Jr. left the band as well. Now Rutan had two slots to fill before he was able to focus on the follow-up to Hate Eternal's 2005 album, I, Monarch. The yet-untitled LP is scheduled for release in February.

The drummer situation resolved itself first. When word got out that Roddy was no longer with the band, hundreds of players contacted Rutan, including Montreal native Jade Simonetto (ex-Camilla Rhodes).

"He sent me a video of him playing some of the songs, and he did everything perfectly," Rutan said. "He totally made himself available whenever we needed him — which was a week here and a week there, since I was producing albums by other bands [including Six Feet Under, Vital Remains and Demiricous] at the same time. Then, when I could focus on Hate Eternal full-time again, he came down, and we finished everything up. He's a great player, and he's really dedicated and wants to work for the future."

Finding a bassist proved more complicated. Rutan originally planned to work with Jared Anderson, who had played with Rutan in Morbid Angel and on the first two Hate Eternal records. But on October 14, Anderson died in his sleep of undetermined causes. Unable to find a suitable replacement, longtime friend and Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster stepped in to record.

The numerous hardships Rutan has experienced will be reflected on the new Hate Eternal record, which will be more diverse and emotionally expressive than the band's other two discs. "Jared was one of my best friends, and his passing away really affected me and influenced this record a lot," Rutan said. "It's a very dark and heavy record — not just heavy as in 'heavy metal,' but heavy-hearted as well."

Partially in reaction to the chaos and seeming randomness of events in his life, Rutan decided to throw caution to the wind and write in an almost stream-of-consciousness style, without concern for rules or traditions. "I just did whatever I wanted and didn't pay attention to whether one riff is faster than another or whether one section is better than the next," Rutan said. "It's the first album [on which] I wasn't concerned about outside influences or sources. It was more just coming from the soul and it created a lot of diversity in terms of dynamics."

But while certain elements of songs like "Hell and Venom" and "Parabellum" will explore new sonic themes, the trademark anger and intensity will be as present as ever. "Hate Eternal has always been based around rage and fury," he said. "For me, this band is all about expressing negative emotions and turning them into something positive. That will never change."

The rest of the week's metal news:

The new video from Shadows Fall, for their track "Another Hero Lost," is set to make its debut on "Headbangers Ball" this weekend, and for frontman Brian Fair, the clip is particularly special. The video is an extremely personal commentary on the toll of the Iraq war: One of Fair's cousins, a U.S. soldier, was killed last year while on duty there, and a brother of his is still fighting over there as well. The video is a tribute to the nation's fallen soldiers, according to the band. In a recent issue of Revolver, Fair explained that "the thought that [his cousin] was never [going to come] back — knowing that he probably knew before he passed away that he'd never see his 2-year-old son ever again — was so mind-blowing. I went to the cemetery with my grandmother, and standing in front of that stone had such a huge effect on me that I got home that night and the lyrics [for the song] just all came out." ... According to Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt, the band has finished recording the drum tracks for its forthcoming, yet-untitled new album. "We're recording a total of 11 songs — three of them are covers that we're doing, since we had some extra time, [and] the rest are originals out of which I think we'll leave one off the album," he said in a statement. We'll keep you updated as more information is revealed. ...

Ministry, Meshuggah, Hemlock, Ensiferum, Turisas, TYR and Eluveitie are the first bands to be named to the lineup for 2008's 10th annual New England Metal & Hardcore Festival, which is set to take place April 25-27 at the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. More bands will be announced in the coming months. ... J2, a new project featuring enigmatic performer Jarboe (ex-Swans) and Justin Broadrick (Jesu, ex-Godflesh), have signed a label deal with the End Records. The act's debut should surface this spring. ... Nebraska singer Criss Cain is in the process of forming what he hopes will be the ultimate Ozzy Osbourne cover band. Prince of Darkness will feature members of different groups on Metal Blade Records, and we'll bring you more information about the group as it comes to light. ...

Boston experimental-metallers Kayo Dot have wrapped the recording of their forthcoming LP, Blue Lambency Downward. The set will feature seven tracks, including "Right Hand Is the One I Want," "The Awkward Windwheel" and "Symmetrical Arizona." Produced by Randall Dunn (Boris, Sunno)))), the record includes guest spots by Behold ... the Arctopus' Charlie Zeleny. Look for it to drop in March. ... Bullet for My Valentine have set a January 29 release date for Scream Aim Fire, the forthcoming follow-up to 2006's The Poison. The band enlisted producer Colin Richardson (Machine Head, Funeral for a Friend) to helm the LP, which was recorded at Sonic Ranch near El Paso, Texas, earlier this year. It boasts 11 cuts, including "Hearts Burst Into Fire," "Deliver Us From Evil" and "Say Goodbye." ... Danish melodic death/thrash-metallers Hatesphere have added singer Jonathan Albrechtsen to their lineup. He replaces Jacob Bredahl, who left the group over the summer. ... Hellyeah will shoot a video for their track "Thank You" at the Palladium Ballroom in Dallas on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the band's drummer, Vinnie Paul Abbott, says he's working hard on "Dimevision, Vol. 2," the second DVD tribute to his fallen brother, late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. A Dimebag photo book is also said to be in the works, and both that and the DVD will be in stores sometime next year. In related news, Dime is on the ballot for Guitar World's annual Readers Poll Awards, as a nominee for the mag's Hall of Fame award. Head on over to the magazine's Web site, where you can vote on all the nominees. ...

All Parallels have an EP called Solitude on the way. The five-song effort should hit stores soon and will include "See You in Hell," "Funeral Pyre Eyes" and "Newark International." They'll be promoting the outing with a series of live gigs, the first of which is set for Saturday in Long Branch, New Jersey. The band will also play New York (November 23); Allston, Massachusetts (November 30); Bennington, Vermont (December 1) and Danbury, Connecticut (December 15). ... Less than two weeks after the death of drummer Witold Kieltyka comes news that Polish death-metallers Decapitated have signed with Nuclear Blast Records. "We're looking forward to the upcoming mix of technical superiority, brutal riffs and blast-beats on album number five," the label said in a statement. "The joy over this awesome news is of course overshadowed by the tragic death of [Kieltyka]." The drummer died of severe head trauma following an accident in Russia that also involved frontman Adrian Kowanek, who was injured in the crash as well. Kowanek is currently at a hospital in Kraków, Poland, where doctors have listed him in stable condition. He's said to be showing signs of improvement every day. ... A slew of bands have DVD projects in the works. The Number Twelve Looks Like You will film their December 15 gig at the School of Rock in South Hackensack, New Jersey, for an upcoming DVD/EP release, due out in the spring. Meanwhile, H.I.M. filmed their Wednesday and Thursday shows at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles for an upcoming live DVD release, and Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta will film the upcoming Stillborn Fest shows — they begin December 20 in Springfield, Virginia, and end December 30 — for a future DVD release as well. ...

Children of Bodom's next opus has been named, and they're calling it Blooddrunk. Look for it to drop April 7 and include nine new songs along with four covers. ... Arson Anthem, the group featuring Down frontman Phil Anselmo on drums as well as guitarist Hank Williams III, bassist Colin Yeo and Eyehategod's Mike Williams on vocals, have lined up three gigs with Rigor Mortis. The band has been writing material on and off for the last few years, and according to reports, the band's debut could be in stores in February, although no official announcement has been made yet. Catch the Anthem December 13 in Nashville; December 14 in Little Rock, Arkansas; and December 15 in New Orleans. ... Swedish death-metallers Dismember are planning to release their self-titled new album in March. The LP features 11 tracks, including "Death Conquers All," "The Hills Have Eyes" and "No Honor in Death." ... After dumping their management firm, thrash titans Demiricous have been forced to drop off their tour with Dying Fetus and Skeletonwitch. In a statement, the band said it's "not happy to leave this tour, but [we] have to clean house and get our career and finances back under our control." ...

Long-dormant Brooklyn, New York, experimental metallers Candiria will soon release two new collections of material. The first will be a compilation of never-before-heard material, rare tracks and B-sides written and recorded during various recording sessions prior to 2001. There will also be a remix disc of material from the band's first three releases. No official release dates have been set in stone, but we'll keep you posted. ... French black-metallers Blut Aus Nord have hit the studio to record the companion to 2005's Thematic Emanations of Archetypal Multiplicity, EP. There's no word on when the new set, which has been titled Lighteater, will be available. Once those sessions wrap, the band will begin working on the second part of 1996's Memoria Vetusta I -- Fathers of the Icy Age, which will be titled Dialogue With the Stars. ... Hydra Head Records is close to reissuing material from the Huguenots, the Massachusetts band that was active during the 1990s and featured Converge's Kurt Ballou, Piebald's Aaron Stuart and the Explosion's Dan Colby. Look for it to hit stores this winter. ... Swedish black-metallers Mörker will release their second full-length album, Höstmakter, early next year. In the meantime, you can check out some of the new material over at the band's MySpace page.

• Hate Eternal
• Shadows Fall
• Ministry

Watain
Photo: Season of Mist

Anyone who has ever walked away from one of Gwar's gigs understands that, in all likelihood, by evening's end, they'll end up completely soaked in fake blood, urine, pus and vomit. It's become the extraterrestrial metallers' trademark, and they incorporate it into their performances to heighten the overall experience and inject a dose of flippancy into the proceedings.

Conversely, Erik Danielsson, the malevolent singer/bassist who fronts Satan-loving Swedish black-metal magicians Watain, doesn't have a flip bone in his body. To see Watain perform live is nothing if not a pestilent experience, which is just the way Danielsson wants it. Instead of fake blood, Watain drench the crowd with what the frontman maintains is real blood, collected "from the Watain cellars, of course." The band actually douses itself in the same blood during sets, which, when coupled with sweat, creates a pong on their bus a label spokesperson described as "that of an open grave."

From the stage, Danielsson has "seen people both crying and vomiting at the same time." He's even watched fans "taking the blood that we've thrown at them and licking it up off the floor, and giving this genuine impression of being psychopaths all of a sudden."

He said he often wonders "what those people thought when they woke up that morning, in their clean little beds at home. Did they think that they would stand and lick blood from the floor at the concert halls? We aim to present a different reality to them, because this reality exists far away from the nice little houses with clean beds. That is what happens at a Watain gig, and we look forward to bringing this to the U.S., because it's fertile soil for such experiments. It's all about wild, raw fire and getting loose. Some people can take it. Some can't."

In May, Watain's loyal American allegiance will get its first chance to lap up lots of "rotten" blood, when the band crosses the pond for a string of East Coast gigs. The tour will be in support of the group's April 17 release, Sworn to the Dark, which follows up its second album, 2003's Casus Luciferi. While Danielsson wouldn't discuss which bands will be touring with, he did promise "an extremely strong package" boasting "bands that know how to play black metal for real."

Sworn to the Dark, which Watain started working on three years ago during what was an "extremely intense period in the history of Watain," will feature 11 tracks, including "Satan's Hunger," "Dead but Dreaming" and "Storm of the Antichrist." The lyrics for two of the songs on the album were actually provided by some of the band's underground associates: Dissection guitarist Set Teitan penned the cut "Legions of the Black Light," and Ofermod's Belfagor — "who gave us one of his old lyrics because he went into prison and could not finish the album that he had planned," Danielsson said — wrote the song "Darkness and Death."

"We're trying to take away the superfluous parts, in favor of a more easily approachable feeling of the whole album," the frontman said of Sworn to the Dark. "We want to take away the parts that are just confusing and leave the primal, raw energy in there that everyone can understand. This whole album is more traditional. Each melody, each song, is much more powerful. We thought much more about it, and we felt much stronger when we wrote this record than anything we did previously. But it's a pretty natural evolution — to scale away the superfluous parts and leave room for the things that really mean something."

Danielsson claims he tried to "simplify things a bit" with his lyrics on this LP, because "before, I was using a lot of very obscure metaphors, while now, I try to take it to a level where even a kid, at parts, could understand what we're about. The lyrics on this album are, in a way, a lot more banal. It's a strange word to use, but you don't need a master's degree in philosophy to figure out what we're about."

What, ultimately, does Watain hope to accomplish with Sworn to the Dark? "World War III," Danielsson said, matter-of-factly. And while he doesn't advocate church burnings, murders or desecrations, he does see a correlation between black metal and actual physical violence.

"Many people say that they have all these dreams, and they want to do this and they want to do that, and one day they claim they will — but in the end, they end up in their caskets rotting," he explained. "Every thought, every word and every feeling doesn't really hold any relevance until it manifests on a physical plain. That is when it becomes alive. Black metal is not just a funny thing we do in our spare time. It's what we live and breathe. I think [violence is] a very natural component to the black-metal scene ... because black metal is growing grounds for extreme thought, extreme speeches and extreme feelings. At one point or another, these things always manifest. If you call upon death, death will come."

The rest of the week's metal news:

The Dillinger Escape Plan will begin recording their forthcoming LP with producer Steve Evetts (He Is Legend, Sepultura) within the next few weeks. The band hopes to have the disc — which will include "Saigon Whore," "Doll Keeper" and "Party Smasher" — out in September. ... Shadows Fall's Atlantic Records debut, Threads of Life, has been slated for an April 3 release. The album, produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver), will include "Redemption," "Burning the Lives," "Another Hero Lost" and "Venomous." ... Job for a Cowboy and Despised Icon will join forces for a two-week road trip across North America. The trek launches February 28 in Springfield, Missouri, and wraps up March 15 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. ... Bassist Valentin Rakhmanov has left Nebraska metal collective Cellador. A statement from the band claims "all parties involved in the decision agreed that it would work out best for everyone," and "the issues involved in reaching this conclusion were not personal-related, but rather simply musical differences and contrasting professional agendas." Cellador will audition potential replacements soon, and those interested should contact the band via its MySpace page. ...

Poison the Well, the End and This Is Hell will tour together next month. Just seven dates have been confirmed, and they run from February 22 in Tallahassee, Florida, through March 1 in Jacksonville, Florida. ... Hate Eternal have signed with Metal Blade and are working on fresh material for their forthcoming full-length, which they'll record in June. ... Immolation have wrapped the recording of Shadows in the Light, which is slated for release in April. Look for the set to feature 10 tracks, including "Hate's Plague," "The Weight of Devotion" and "Whispering Death." ... The Haunted and Dark Tranquillity will hit the road in March, with Into Eternity supporting. The tour commences March 19 in Orlando, Florida, and dates are booked through April 13 in Anaheim, California. ... Zao have announced that guitarist Russ Cogdell has rejoined the band following a brief hiatus during which he recovered from knee surgery. Meanwhile, the band has lost drummer Jeff Gretz due to a "difference in attitude and goals." Josh Walters, formerly of the Juliana Theory, has been enlisted as Gretz's replacement. ...

Southern Lord has signed San Francisco's Om, a duo formed by the rhythm section of the disbanded stoner-metal band Sleep. The recording of Om's forthcoming LP will begin this summer at Electrical Audio Studios with Steve Albini (Nirvana, High on Fire). No release date for the yet-untitled LP has been offered. ... From a Second Story Window, Heavy Heavy Low Low and the Cancer Bats will head out on a U.S. run next month. The trek kicks off February 8 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and wraps February 21 in Bakersfield, California. ... With Deftones frontman Chino Moreno and Far's Shaun Lopez behind the boards, Will Haven recently tracked three new songs that will appear on the band's forthcoming summer studio offering. ... Deicide drummer Steve Asheim was recently detained by police in Innsbruck, Austria, and questioned on suspicion of bank robbery. While the drummer was inside a bank, depositing money from merch sales, staffers allegedly grew suspicious of Asheim's appearance. They were further alarmed by the fact that most of money was marked with red dye. The police were summoned, and the drummer was transported downtown, where he was interrogated about a recent bank robbery in the area. Several hours later, after having explained to police that the money was earned by his band and that a leaky pen caused the discoloration, he was released. ...

All-male Seattle stoner-experimental band Lesbian will release their four-song full-length album, Power Hör, March 27. The disc was recorded with producer Randall Dunn (Earth, Asva) at Avast! and Aleph Studios, and the music veers back and forth between ominous atmospheric sound waves and scalding, mid-paced death metal. ... The third album by Norwegian black-metal band Furze may not be heaviest thing you've ever heard, but surely you've never seen a disc with a longer name. UTD: Beneath the Odd-Edge Sounds to the Twilight Contract of the Black Fascist/ The Wealth of the Penetration in the Abstract Paradigmas of Satan will be released February 20 and include two songs featuring Satyricon and 1349 drummer Frost: "A Life Above My Sabbath" and "Beneath the Wings of the Black Vomit Above." ... Sicko Philly thrashers Rumpelstiltskin Grinder have returned to life following the departure of singer Eli Shaika in August. Guitarist Matt Moore and bassist Shawn Riley will now share singing duties. The band's first show in this form will be March 10 in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. Rumpelstiltskin Grinder are currently writing songs for the follow-up to 2005's Buried in the Front Yard. ...

Alabama Thunderpussy recently shot a video for "Words of the Dying Man," which will be featured on the band's March 6 album, Open Fire. The video was shot in their hometown — Richmond, Virginia — in a house party setting with film team Day by Day (Lamb of God, Municipal Waste). "It'll be nothing too fancy or cerebral because, well, that's not what we do," drummer Bryan Cox said. "The goal for this thing is have something entertaining and fun to watch." Open Fire was recorded at the Etching Tin Studios in Richmond with engineer Ian Whalen (Lamb of God, Rah Bras) and will be the group's first recording to feature singer Kyle Thomas. ... Swedish black-metal veterans Naglfar will release their sixth album, Harvest, March 6. The disc includes "Into the Black," "Odium Generis Humani," "Feeding Moloch" and "Plutonium. In the days ahead, the band will shoot a video for "The Darkest Road" with director Roger Johansson (Arch Enemy, In Flames). Naglfar's last album, Pariah, came out in 2005. ...

British '80s thrash-metal band Onslaught will release Killing Peace, their first album in more than 15 years, March 6. The band started working on the new material after re-forming in 2005 to play festivals. Killing Peace will include "Tested to Destruction," "Shock 'N' Awe" and "Planting Seeds of Hate," which features sound bites of President Bush. ... Got $2? You can either get a slice of pizza or see the $2 Brawler Tour, which features Burn in Silence, Ligeia, Apiary and the Handshake Murders. Dates start February 9 in Dover, New Hampshire and run through March 2 in Saratoga Springs, New York. ... Australian goth-metal band Virgin Black will release their new album Requiem - Mezzo Forte on April 3. The disc will be the first release of a three-part series to be rolled out this year. The other discs will be Requiem - Pianissimo and Requiem - Fortissimo.

• Shadows Fall
• The Furze
• The Haunted
• Dillinger Escape Plan
• Immolation

Hatebreed
Photo: Universal Records

Rumors have been swirling for weeks that Hatebreed are now part of the Roadrunner Records kith. But while a deal has yet to be inked, a source said the band's been in continuing negotiations with the label — and is close to signing the proverbial dotted line.

"We ended up doing two records with Universal, and our time at that label was killer," frontman Jamey Jasta explained when asked about the talks. "We sold over 300,000 on [2002's] Perseverance and 200,000 on [2003's] The Rise of Brutality. We got a Grammy nomination. But we feel we need to be at a label that deals with more metal bands and is more involved in the whole grand scheme of metal and hardcore."

Jasta added that Roadrunner's long tradition of fostering acts such as Madball, Biohazard and Sepultura is also appealing. "It [would] just [be] the right home for us," he said.

There's a lot going on in Hatebreed's world these days. They've just finished recording Supremacy, which Jasta calls an "all-out onslaught of completely adrenaline-charged, in-your-face brutality." Due in early August, the album will feature 13 tracks of Hatebreed's "best material yet."

"This album's just more charged, more focused," he added. "There are classic Hatebreed songs on here — ones I can see being in our set for years to come. I really set out when writing these songs with these guys [that] if it didn't make my hair stand up or give me chills down my spine, I didn't use it. I wanted to tap into pure adrenaline — the speed, the brutality, the breakdowns. I wanted to make a crushing record that was going to have a memorable impact on people."

He said Supremacy will include the first single, "To the Threshold," and the second single, "Never Let It Die," which the band is shooting a video for in May. Also expect it to have "Defeatist," "Spitting Venom," "As Diehard as They Come," "Mind Over All" and "The Most Truth."

At the end of April, Hatebreed will head to Australia, where they'll open gigs for Korn. A Canadian run is scheduled to precede the band's mainstage slot on this summer's Ozzfest, as will several European festival bookings. The Connecticut hardcore dudes will also headline a number of club shows this summer — on Ozzfest off-dates — with Strapping Young Lad.

Fans will see a new face onstage this summer, as Hatebreed have welcomed guitarist Frank "3 Gun" Novinec (Terror, Ringworm, Integrity) into the fold on second guitar. "This album is really involved with second guitar, and that was my original vision [for the band] — I always wanted it to be a five-piece," Jasta said. Novinec replaces Lou "Boulder" Richards, who departed the band in 2002.

Jasta says Hatebreed will pack a lot of hardcore into their Ozzfest sets, promising that half the songs they play will come from their catalog. The rest will be Supremacy selections. "I'm really psyched we're able to do [Ozzfest] again because for a while there, we didn't even know if there were going to be anymore Ozzfests," he said. "Even though Ozzy's only doing 10 shows, it's obviously a huge honor. We will have enough time to get some of the new songs on there and play all the classics too. We're just looking forward to getting back on the stage. It's been a while."

The rest of the week's metal news: All That Remains have chosen The Fall of Ideals as the title of their forthcoming album, which is slated to hit stores July 11. ... Full Blown Chaos, who are signed to Jamey Jasta's Stillborn Records, will release their second disc, Within the Grasp of Titans, July 11. The band will tour with Exodus from April 15 in Concord, California, through May 19 in San Francisco. ... Ozzfest 2006 second stagers Unearth have decided upon III: In the Eyes of Fire as the title of their forthcoming disc. According to a statement released by the band's publicist, the album contains the "angriest, darkest, fastest and heaviest" material Unearth have ever composed. "The title is a reflection of a couple different things for us," the band wrote. "For starters, it puts us in the place of our current worldly events. Last record we wrote about things brewing all around us in politics, environmental issues and war — but this record deals with the effects of those very things and the consequences we are all dealing with right now and will continue to deal with until changes are made. We are in our nation's most critical point since the '60s and more importantly, devastation looms in the near future if we continue to make mistake after mistake with unjust wars and environmental disregard. The title also represents the personal struggles we all face, day to day, and our constant battles to overcome adversity." Um, sure. ...

Zakk Wylde's not exactly known as a fashion plate. The dude wears a lot of leather and denim — actually, that's pretty much all he wears. But for those who've been longing to replicate the Wylde look, Red Monkey's here to help. The leather purveyors are issuing a limited run of leather vests worn by Wylde and Black Label Society, which have previously been available "only to a select few in the BLS inner circle." One can be yours for $350, but the vests do not feature the BLS patches that adorn all of Wylde's accoutrements — those'll set you back another $75. More information's available at RedMonkeyDesigns.com. ... Deicide frontman Glen Benton should be exhausted after the band's upcoming trek with Vital Remains, as he'll be fronting both sets during the God Killers Tour, Part 2. The run launches April 5 in Santa Ana, California, with Desolation and Crematorium opening. Dates are booked through April 17 in Las Vegas. ...

Losa have parted ways with Metal Blade Records, and drummer Dave Hall and guitarist Kory Koch have both left the band. The group hasn't offered an explanation for either the label split or the unexpected departures. ... Lair of the Minotaur and Unearthly Trance will hit the road together for an East Coast jaunt that kicks off April 14 in Bowling Green, Ohio, and winds down April 28 in Pittsburgh. ... After barely surviving Ozzfest 2005, Bury Your Dead headed to Florida's Audio Hammer Studios to begin working on their next LP with producer Jason Suecof (If Hope Dies, Trivium). Tentatively titled Beauty and the Breakdown, the record's nearly complete, and Suecof declared it "the heaviest f---ing album I've ever gotten to work on." The band has also announced it's found a new bassist in Aaron Patrick, who'll take the stage with Bury Your Dead this spring during their upcoming run with DevilDriver, Remembering Never, If Hope Dies and Southern metal groovers Artimus Pyledriver. ... Pyledriver will release their new album June 6. "This is the sh-- that bridges the gap between David Allan Coe and Black Flag," singer Dave Slocum said. A video for the first single, "Swamp Devil," will be filmed later this month. ...

Hate Eternal drummer Derek Roddy has jumped ship. "Real-life situations have forced me to resign," he said in a statement, adding that he "can no longer afford the expenses of touring." In his place the band's Kevin Talley will man the kit during Hate Eternal's upcoming trek with Chimaira and Arch Enemy. Frontman Erik Rutan said he learned of Roddy's departure when he spotted the announcement online. "Anyone and everyone in this business knows if you think you are going to make tons of cash playing metal, then you are in it for the wrong reasons," he wrote in a separate statement issued later this week. "What band has not had financial woes?" ... Seminal hardcore act Lifetime have signed a deal with Decaydance, Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz's imprint label through Fueled by Ramen. The band's working on new songs but there's no word yet on when they might surface. ...German death-metal outfit Fall of Serenity have put the finishing touches on their forthcoming LP, Bloodred Salvation. Look for it to include "A Piece of You," "Raise Your Remorse" and "Swallowed Lies" when it surfaces in mid-May. ...

Eclectic doom-metal band Kylesa have hired two drummers to replace Brandon Baltzley, who left the group in June. Detroit resident Jeff Porter and Savannah, Georgia, native Carl McGinley are currently helping the band write material for the follow-up to its 2005 album, To Walk a Middle Course. Kylesa will take a break from writing to carry out a spring tour that starts April 13 in Jacksonville, Florida, and runs through May 31 in Charleston, South Carolina. ... The Receiving End of Sirens guitarist and singer Alex Bars was badly injured in a fall down a flight of stairs last week in Boston. Bars was taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital and treated for a fractured left scapula, three fractured ribs, a punctured lung and a few damaged vertebrae. He is currently at home and expects to fully recover. The band has decided not to cancel or postpone any dates on the New Hope Tour, which starts March 31 in Providence, Rhode Island, and runs through May 10 in Poughkeepsie, New York. A replacement for Bars has not been announced. ...

Swedish atmospheric voyagers Cult of Luna will release their fourth album, Somewhere Along the Highway, June 27. Recorded by Magnus Lindberg in northern Sweden, the LP includes "Marching to the Heartbeats," "And With Her Came the Birds" and "Back to Chapel Town." ... Chicago experimental extremists Yakuza have shot a live video for their nine-minute epic "Back to the Mountain," which can be viewed at MySpace.com/Yakuza . The track closes the band's second album, Samsara, which came out March 21. Yakuza will launch tours with Deadbird and Ringworm in April. ... Dayton, Ohio, metallers the Devil Wears Prada have signed with Rise Records. The band's forthcoming LP, which will feature tracks from a previously released EP, will be in stores in July. ... Metalcore group Phoenix Mourning will release their debut, When Excuses Become Antiques, April 18. The band recently shot a video for the single "Across Twenty-Six Winters" with director Adam Grabarnick (Cattle Decapitation, Some Girls). ...

• Hatebreed
• Bury Your Dead
• Lair of the Minotaur
• Hate Eternal

Mastodon (file)
Photo: Relapse

When Lamb of God jumped from an indie to Epic Records a couple of years back, the results were mixed; Ashes of the Wake sounded somewhat watered-down, and inevitably, major-label influence was believed to be the culprit. But prog-metallers Mastodon — who became the latest addition to the Warner Bros. kith last month — claim they'll be different.

"It's a big step for a band like us that doesn't really have any radio hits or ... any plans to write any radio hits or anything like that," drummer Brann Dailor explained.

"We wanted to make sure that [Warner Bros.] knew that," guitarist Bill Kelliher added. "We told them, 'We're not going to change into a Backstreet Boys or anything like that.' We're not going to change our sound. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Mastodon say three major labels battled over them for more than six months. Dailor said they've already started working on new material for their Warner Bros. debut, which will actually be a joint release with Relapse, the indie imprint that issued the band's critically hailed Leviathan and Remission.

"Relapse feels more like a home, and it feels like we're flying the coop, so to speak," Dailor said, "but it was the logical next step. If we don't take the chance, what are we going to do?"

The band's been compiling footage for an in-the-works DVD for the past year, but its main focus right now is a prized spot on this summer's Ozzfest. Mastodon plan to write material while on tour and hit the studio in early fall.

Dailor said Mastodon will play three Ozzfest off-dates with Iron Maiden and a slew of others with Rob Zombie. A concrete list of those dates could come as early as next week.

"I'm looking forward to those Zombie shows as much as those Ozzfest shows," singer/bassist Troy Sanders said. "That's a no-brainer, because [those shows] will be [sold out] five minutes before tickets go on sale. That should have really good energy."

The rest of this week's metal news:

Hate Eternal — which features ex-Morbid Angel guitarist Erik Rutan — will release their third album, I, Monarch, June 28. Tracks include "Two Demons," "Behold Judas" and "To Know Our Enemies." The band will launch a North American tour with Krisiun, Incantation, Into Eternity and All Shall Perish on June 16 in West Springfield, Virginia. Dates run through July 23 in Tampa, Florida. ... Cephalic Carnage just completed a video for "Dying Will Be the Death of Me" with director Darren Doane (Deftones, Nile). In the clip, the band kidnaps a mall brat and gives him a lesson in unbridled metal. The song's from the band's fourth album, Anomalies. Cephalic will launch a North American tour with Suffocation, Cryptopsy and Aborted on October 6 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and wind down at BB King's Blues Club in New York on November 7. ...

New Jersey thrashers God Forbid will play a benefit concert on June 4 at the Wayne Firehouse in Wayne, New Jersey. Proceeds from the gig will support their friend Frank Piegaro, former guitarist for the Degenerics and Ensign. Piegaro has been battling a rare skin disease for several years, and money raised during the show will help fund his recovery. Nora, the Number Twelve Looks Like You, Fanshen and Hot Cross will also perform; tickets are priced at $15. ... Founding Exodus drummer Tom Hunting has been forced to leave the veteran thrash band because of a serious but undisclosed illness, which has required several hospital stays over the past two months. In a post on their Web site, Exodus write that Hunting's ailment is not drug-related, and that he kicked his addiction more than a year ago. The band has recruited ex-Slayer/Forbidden drummer Paul Bostaph to replace him and is currently working on a new record due in September. ...

In Flames' main man, Anders Fridén, announced on the band's Web site that its forthcoming album will be titled Crawl Through Knives. The disc will feature 13 tracks, including "Dead End," "Reflect the Storm" and "Take This Life." ... Peter "Peavey" Wagner, singer for '80s German power-metal band Rage, suffered a broken elbow last week when he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. He underwent a two-hour operation to repair the broken bones and will remain in a splint for six to eight weeks and then undergo intensive physiotherapy. He hopes to return to the stage in time for the band's June 4 show at the Tradate Iron Fest in Tradate, Italy. ... Glenn Danzig is organizing his own summer metal festival (think of it as Ozzfest lite). At this point, it appears that all Danzig's solidified is the name: the Blackest of the Black. All-important details like the lineup and dates are still being ironed out. ...

Tucson, Arizona, metalcore rookies the Bled have Found in the Flood set for a late summer/ early fall release through Vagrant. Tracks will include "Gutter Shark," "Listen for the Flood," "Daylight Bombings" and "I Don't Keep With Liars Anymore." ... Canadian muscleman Thor will release his seventh studio album, Thor Against the World, July 12. Recorded in Los Angeles in April and May 2004, the album includes "Megaton Man," "Creature Feature" and "Serpent's Kiss." Before testing his mettle with heavy metal, Thor was a professional bodybuilder and was elected both Mr. Canada and Mr. U.S.A. ... Seattle power-metal band Nevermore will release their seventh album, This Godless Endeavor, July 26. Produced by Andy Sneap (Arch Enemy, Opeth), the LP features the recording debut of Steve Smyth, who previously acted as the group's second guitarist in concert and was a member of Testament before that. Nevermore will travel this summer as part of Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine's Gigantour, which will also feature Megadeth, Dream Theater, Fear Factory and Dillinger Escape Plan. ...

English power-prog gods Biomechanical will release their second disc, The Empires of the Worlds, June 28. Tracks include "Enemy Within," "Assaulter" and the four-part epic "Absolution." ... New Jersey metalcore outfit SoIHadtoShootHim have entered Atomic Studios in Brooklyn to work on their first record, Alpha Males and Popular Girls, due November 22. ... Maryland's Recourse will issue their first disc, Weakening the Structure, on July 12. The album was produced by Dying Fetus singer/guitarist John Gallagher. ... Denver's Fear Before the March of Flames have joined the Sounds of the Underground tour, which launches June 25 in Lowell, Massachusetts. ... Sydney, Australia, metal band Daysend will launch their first U.S. tour May 12 in Pomona, California, and wind down June 25 in Detroit. All dates also feature Otep, Gizmachi and Devilinside. ...

A DVD of 2004's Metalmania festival, one of the biggest headbanging soirees in Eastern Europe, will be released June 21. The disc includes performances by Soulfly, Moonspell, Tiamat, the Michael Schenker Group, Enslaved and Krisiun. ... Some Girls, a San Diego underground ensemble featuring members of the Locust, the Plot to Blow up the Eiffel Tower, Give up the Ghost and Unbroken, have signed to Epitaph. The band will release an LP this fall. ... Ex-Kyuss bassist Scott Reeder has joined Butcher. The group's debut, Auricle, comes out in June. Reeder also recently finished producing an album by the Whores of Tijuana. ... Floridian hardcore crew Remembering Never's been busy writing God Save Us, which will be released early next year through Carl Severson's Ferret Records. ... Finnish thrashers Am I Blood have signed with A1 Metal LTD. The band just put the finishing touches on its long-awaited new disc, The Truth Inside the Dying Sun, slated for a late summer release. ...

• Mastodon
• The Bled
• Cephalic Carnage
• Thor
• Glenn Danzig

Porcupine Tree (file)
Photo: Lasse Hoile

It could be said that Porcupine Tree owe a large chunk of their fanbase to Opeth, and vice versa. Steven Wilson, frontman and production bon vivant behind the grandiose British progressive rockers, has produced Opeth's last three records — 2001's Blackwater Park, 2002's Deliverance and 2003's Damnation. But associations aside, "People either like the music or they don't — so they must be liking it," Wilson said.

"I think we've both kind of benefited from [the connection], although that was never the intention," he continued. "We just worked together because we had great admiration for each other's bands. I have to say, it's been great seeing a lot more young metal kids at the shows, digging what we're doing."

Alas, extensive touring and his commitment to Porcupine Tree have prevented Wilson from helming the new Opeth LP, which the band started working on last month. Porcupine Tree — whose new disc, Deadwing, drops May 3 — will hit the road May 13 in Washington, D.C., for an all-encompassing U.S. tour. In a nod to the band's roots, the two former guitarists from long-running prog-rock titans King Crimson will be splitting the opening slot: Adrian Belew will open the East Coast gigs, while Robert Fripp will cover the West.

Deadwing will be released in three formats: a generic stereo mix, a DVD-Audio disc with a surround mix, and a special edition combining the two with a 72-page hardback book. The album is based on a script Wilson wrote several years ago. "I like hanging an album on one particular subject," he said. "It's important that every record have some sort of thematic unity." The story focuses on a man who "arrives at a point in his life fate never intended" and involves the "unraveling of the situation, to get him back to where he should have been." It's a surreal "ghost story," said Wilson, and "the idea's ultimately that this album will form a kind of companion with [the] feature film."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine is putting together a list of second-stage acts for his upcoming Gigantour. In a post on his Web site, Mustaine said he is seriously considering Dry Kill Logic, Diecast, Otep, Overkill, Pain of Salvation, Taproot and Symphony X and plans to review other acts as well. Gigantour launches next month and features Megadeth, Dream Theater, Dillinger Escape Plan and Nevermore on the main stage. ...

Florida extremists Hate Eternal will release I, Monarch on June 28. Recorded and mixed by frontman Erik Rutan in his Tampa studio, Mana, the album's tracks include "Two Demons," "The Victorious Reign" and "To Know Our Enemies." The band launches a tour with Krisiun, Incantation, Into Eternity and All Shall Perish June 16 in West Springfield, Virginia; the tour wraps July 23 in Tampa. ...

A gang of concertgoers rushed the stage and attacked metal-core act From a Second Story Window during the band's set at Milwaukee's Chaos Fest on Monday night. Apparently upset by frontman Will Jackson (who, in an unrelated incident, accidentally kicked a ceiling tile loose during a crowd-surfing incident in Chicago the night before), the aggressive gaggle injured one of the band's guitarists and broke some instruments before heading outside and smashing the windshield of the band's van. ...

Unearth will shoot a video for the track "Endless" on Saturday at the Showcase in Corona, California, with director Jerry Clubb. ... Gotham City hardcore act Most Precious Blood will hit Atomic Studios in Brooklyn, New York, in the next few weeks to start work on Merciless with producer Dean Baltulonis (the Promise, No Warning.) ...

Progressive Finnish metal band Amorphis are in the studio working on the follow-up to 2004's Far From the Sun. The record will feature new vocalist Tomi Joutsen, who replaced Pasi Koskinen, who left last year because of the usual personal and professional differences. Koskinen had been with Amorphis since 1996. ...

Upstate New York metalcore upstarts It Dies Today had their van and equipment stolen last week in California. The group was in the middle of a tour with God Forbid, Caliban and Full Blown Chaos and was staying with friends from the band Cold War when the ride was broken into. The van was later recovered — empty, its fuel lines cut — forcing the band to cancel shows in San Francisco and Denver. Full Blown Chaos and Caliban will lend It Dies Today their equipment for the remainder of the tour. Those with information about the theft should contact Steve Koenig at scott@kingartistmanagement.com. ...

Kansas heavy music powerhouses the Esoteric will hit the road with Lovehatehero, Still Life Projector and Secret Lives for a 15-date tour that kicks off in Houston on May 10. ... On August 23, thrash-core specialists Municipal Waste — a band featuring ex-Burnt by the Sun drummer Dave Witte — will release Hazardous Mutation through Earache. ... Melodic Connecticut metallers In Pieces will release Lions Write History on May 10; tracks include "Age of Oceans," "Night of the Long Knives" and "No Letter, No Note." ...

Canada's Devin Townsend Band will be spending August and September recording a new LP titled Sychestra. ... Horse the Band have enlisted producer Matt Bayles for their second offering, Super Horse the Band, which they'll start recording May 13. Tracks include "Octopus on Fire," "Taken by Vultures" and "A Million Exploding Suns." ... Dry Kill Logic have parted ways with bassist Danny Horboychuk, replacing him with Casey Mahoney. ...

Sludge slingers Eyehategod will release a 10-song collection of rare and live tracks on May 10, in the form of Preaching End-Time Message. ... The sixth album by German power metal band Primal Fear is due in October. The still-untitled disc is being produced by Charlie Bauerfeind. ...

Classical-leaning Finnish veterans Stratovarius will release their self-titled 12th studio offering in late August or early September. The band's agreed to change the title of the track "Hitler" to "Götterdämmerung (Zenith of Power)." And while the song still includes a snippet of a speech by Germany's nefarious former dictator, guitarist Timo Tolkki said in a statement that the track is "as strongly against Hitler as a song can be." Other cuts include "Manic Dance," "The Land of Ice and Snow" and "Back to Madness." Stratovarius will tour North American with Into Eternity in September. ...

British goth metal legends My Dying Bride will unleash a box set, Anti-Diluvian Chronicles, on May 23. The three-disc package will feature tracks from each of the band's 10 albums, as well as new remixes of "The Wreckage of My Flesh," "My Wine in Silence" and "The Raven and the Rose." ...

Thrashy metalcore band Martyr A.D. broke up days before a scheduled tour with Agnostic Front. "[There's] not much to say right now, but hopefully there will be a last show in Minneapolis," wrote the group on its Web site.

• Porcupine Tree
• Megadeth
• Hate Eternal

Hate Eternal
Photo: Frank Wright

Hey, what's up, metallions? How's it going? Iann Robinson here. There's lots going on in the Metal File this week, so I'll try to keep this short.

The big news I'm hearing about is Black Dahlia Murder pulling out of the Soilent Green tour. Now, Black Dahlia released one of the best metal records of the year with Unhallowed, and when they pulled off the tour it was followed by rumors that they'd broken up. From what I understand, drummer Cory Grady was arrested and half of the band stayed to get him out and half flew back to Detroit. Rumors have since flown that the band has broken up, but Metal Blade Records is adamant that the band is not breaking up and will make the Arch Enemy tour. No word from the guys yet, but I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything.

I did get to see the Soilent Green show that Dahlia missed, and it was amazing to see Ben Falgoust back up and being the amazing frontman he is, especially so soon after breaking both of his legs.

All right, everybody, I'm out of here. Stay metal, and I'll see you at the shows.

Jared Anderson, bassist of Hate Eternal, has left the band due to his struggles with substance abuse. "Due to a continuous ongoing drug problem for the last couple of years, I've committed myself to rehabilitation," Anderson said in a statement. "I will be leaving Hate Eternal due to the time and dedication it's taking to get myself back on the right track." Randy Piro has been filling in for Anderson and will continue to do so during Hate Eternal's U.S. tour. ...

Monster Magnet have just started work on their new album, tentatively titled Radiation Day. ... Neurosis have just started work on their new, still-untitled album. It's being recorded by Steve Albini and should be released early in 2004. ... Former Judas Priest singer Tim "Ripper" Owens has joined Iced Earth. ...

Southern rockers Throttlerod have finished their new album, Hell and High Water, for Small Stone Records. ... Orange Goblin have now finished work on their new album, Thieving in the House of God, and hope to have it in stores later this year on Rise Above. Produced by Billy Anderson, the album includes a cover of ZZ Top's "Just Got Paid." ...

The Crown have set an October 20 release for their new album, Possessed 13, which will be released in a special limited-edition double-CD Digipack. The package includes a bonus CD of demos — including "Forever Heaven Gone," "Forget the Light" and "Rebel Angel" — and a cover of Bathory's "Burnin' Leather." ...

Former Skinlab guitarist Scott Sergeant, currently the touring bassist for M.O.D., will reunite with his former band (sitting in for his replacement, Glen Telford) for a string of West Coast shows in late August before Skinlab begin a lengthy hiatus. "It's been a while since we jammed with Scott," frontman Steev Esquivel wrote on the band's Web site, "[but] if there's any guitarist who can pick up three albums' worth of material to play in three weeks, he's the man!" ...

Solid State Records and Metal Maniacs magazine are teaming up to sponsor a fall tour featuring Norma Jean, Figure Four, the Agony Scene and Beloved. The trek kicks off September 5 and takes the bands through the South, Midwest and West Coast. ... Time in Malta will open three West Coast dates for Thursday and Year of the Rabbit. The San Francisco Bay Area band is still searching for a replacement for drummer Eric Alexander, who recently announced that he'll be leaving. ...

The October release of My Ruin's The Horror of Beauty will be preceded by an EP called The Shape of Things to Come on August 18. The Los Angeles band is fronted by Tairrie B., the former Manhole vocalist and onetime gangsta rapper who was assisted by Eazy-E in releasing an album called The Power of a Woman in 1990. ...

The once more-metal-leaning Boston band Cave In must be looking to reacquaint themselves with their roots, because next month they're teaming up with the decidedly metalcore From Autumn to Ashes, Every Time I Die and Funeral for a Friend for a U.S. tour. The band is currently on Lollapalooza supporting their Failure-inspired major-label debut, Antenna. ...

Throwdown have been added to the West Coast dates of this year's Take Action Tour, which already featured Throwdown guitarist Keith Barney's other band, Eighteen Visions. A new outfit comprising ex-Botch members called These Arms Are Snakes has also been added to the shows in Seattle and Portland, Oregon. ...

Nevermore will join Hypocrisy, Children of Bodom and Norwegian black metallers Dimmu Borgir on a North American tour scheduled to begin in November. The Seattle band, whose Enemies of Reality recently hit stores, will support Type O Negative at a hometown show later this month. ...

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

• Judas Priest
• Hate Eternal
• Iced Earth
• Cave In