Mastodon's Brann Dailor
Photo: MTV News

There are plenty of characters that pop up throughout Mastodon's epic Crack the Skye album, which hit stores Tuesday (March 24) — if you're not up to speed on the backstory, Masto drummer Brann Dailor explains it here — but there's perhaps no character as central to the entire story as Grigori Rasputin.

There are several reasons for this. Most of them involve the fact that Rasputin — the bearded Russian mystic who influenced the tsars, drank heavily and had his way with the ladies — totally ruled.

"Yeah, he's awesome. We always wanted to pay respects to Rasputin, this amazing character in history," Mastodon singer/guitarist Brent Hinds laughed. "He was invincible. They tried to poison him, they shot him — it didn't work. ... They finally had to drown him."

"There are so many rumors that surround his death. They fed him poisoned cakes, and he ate, like, eight of them but didn't die. So they shot him, but he survived. And finally, they had to, like, knock him out and throw him in a river," Dailor added. "And when they got him out, and he had officially drowned, they burned his body, and he sat up, and everybody was like, 'Oh my God, Rasputin, he's still alive! Jesus!' So, I mean, how could we not write about that guy?"

So they did ... a lot. Rasputin shows up about midway through Crack the Skye — as the vessel for the spirit of a paraplegic boy who is lost in a nether realm and needs a way back home (seriously) — and doesn't leave until the very end. It is perhaps the most fitting tribute to the mystic in the history of heavy music. The result is impressive, even for a band known for stretching technical metal to its limits, both sonically and conceptually. In fact, Mastodon may very well have created an entire new genre of music: Let's call it "Rasputin rock."

"It's just really intriguing, and I think Rasputin kind of got a bad rap, you know, because he liked the ladies," Dailor smiled, before launching into a graphic description of part of the long-dead Russian's anatomy, which is reportedly kept in a jar at a museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

"No way, really? See, even I didn't know that," Hinds added. "Bottom line, he was handsome, and he was very knowledgeable, and he ruled that scene with an iron fist. That's awesome."

• MTV News RAW: Mastodon

• Mastodon

Photo: MTV News

• Mastodon

Mastodon
Photo: MTV News

By their own admission, Mastodon have always injected themselves into the far-reaching concepts of their, uh, concept albums. Leviathan was as much about loading into a white van to tirelessly tour the U.S. as it was about Captain Ahab's quest for the mythic whale. Blood Mountain was about their perilous dealings with the major label system as it was about ascending a treacherous peak.

Which is why their new album, Crack The Skye, is so different: It's both their most personal and their most out-there concept album to date. Taken from the twin experiences of drummer Brann Dailor (who wrote most of the lyrics) and guitarist Brent Hinds (who penned most of the music), it's a far-reaching story that's rooted in the deeply personal.

"My sister passed away when I was a teenager and it was awful, and there's no better way to pay tribute to a lost loved one than having an opportunity to be in a group with my friends and we make art together," Dailor told MTV News. "Her name was Skye, so Crack the Skye means a lot of different things. For me personally, it means the moment of being told you lost someone dear to you, [that moment] is enough to crack the sky.

"Death is part of life. Everybody goes through loss at some point in their life, but when someone commits suicide very young, it has very damaging, lasting effects," he continued. "It's our duty as musicians and artists to reach down as deep as possible into human and life experiences and put that into your art. And it felt like Brent was coming from a deeper place, musically, so I felt like perfect opportunity to connect with him."

That place Hinds was coming from was equally bleak. After a post-VMA incident in 2007 left him with "severe" head injuries (Hinds won't talk about the incident, except to mutter that if he ever meets up with the parties involved, well, bad things are going to happen), he was hospitalized and spent nine months recovering. When he eventually returned home, he began churning out spirally, doom-y guitar lines, echoing the spiraling dizziness he felt in his brain.

"The music I was diving into was more of a laid-back feel, because of the state I was in — the recovery state, in your pajamas, just taking it super easy," Hinds said. "I had extreme vertigo ... my equilibrium was totally messed up. For nine months, I was dizzy ... I kind of got used to it after a while, and I didn't mind that, but after a while, I told Brann, I was like, 'Man, I'm kind of getting tired of feeling euphoric.' "

So they took those experiences and worked them into a story which could best be summed up as "spaced out." The spirit of a paraplegic boy leaves his earthbound body, flies too close to the sun, gets lost in a ghost realm, begs to be sent back to earth, eventually binds to the soul of early 20th-Century Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin, is with him through his death, is cast back into the heavens and is eventually led back to his own body, where he's cured of his ailments (or something like that). And if you're at a loss to see how Mastodon are reflected in that, well, you're not the only one.

"We're not really in this record," Hinds laughed. "I mean, not as much as in previous albums. But, I can look at some of the lyrics, like [on album opener "Oblivion"], 'I flew beyond the sun before it was time,' I look at that lyric as being about the VMA night, you know? Like I went beyond the sun before it was time. I took it too far, and they were trying to pull me back in."

Skye isn't just different conceptually, it's also different sonically. For the first time, songs don't feel like exercises in shredding — they're given time and space, which leads to some seriously (dare we say it) jammy moments (recalling the Mars Volta or Frank Zappa) and some seriously lengthy running times. Don't worry though, it's still a Mastodon album, which means there's also plenty of airtight riffs, pounding drums and sandpaper yowls. But after delving so deep and coming so close to death, you can't blame the guys for wanting to slow things down a tad — to get epic and ponderous. And that's what they've done here.

"This is the record we wanted to make right now," Dailor said. "It is my favorite thing we've ever done, and I hold it very dear."

"We always wanted to make something timeless, like time is amazing to us, we obsess on it. We're getting older by the second, everyone is, everything is moving so much, that we want to stop just one track of it, and just have it to be part of rock and roll history," Hinds added. "To me, it comes across as a classic rock album, I hope it makes it into that status, every time I listen to it, all I can think of is how lucky and proud I am to be hanging out with these dudes."

• MTV News RAW: Mastodon

• Mastodon

Abigail Williams
Photo: Candlelight Records

Back in late August, Metal File had an opportunity to chat with Demi Lovato, the squeaky-clean 16-year-old star of the Disney Channel's "Camp Rock." Lovato, who some have dubbed "the next Miley Cyrus," got her start in the business at age 7, as one of the tykes on "Barney & Friends." She admitted to the File that, despite her image, she's something of a closet metalhead — she listed Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Lamb of God, Dr. Acula, Underoath, Dimmu Borgir, the Devil Wears Prada and Abigail Williams as some of her favorite metal acts.

At the time, Lovato also confessed that she'd secretly love to make metal music at some point, by providing backing vocals for a song on a metal band's album. Ken Sorceron, who fronts Abigail Williams, said his band would definitely be down with working on some material with the teen star, because, well, selling records is a good thing.

"I read she was a fan, but otherwise, I'd have no idea she existed," Sorceron said. "My mom showed me an article online about her being a metal fan, and I was like, 'What?' I was reading it, and I'm thinking, 'What, are you kidding me?' At the same time, I thought that was kind of badass. She was all talking about how she wants to work with a metal band, and I was like, 'Dude, she should sing on our next CD. We'll sell a sh-- ton of records.' Have her people contact my people."

Unfortunately, a collaboration between the Disney sensation and the symphonic black metallers won't be happening anytime soon, what with Abigail Williams having just released their latest LP, In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns, which was produced by James Murphy of Testament, Cancer, Death and Obituary fame. The album, which is in stores now, may just be one of the band's greatest achievements — replete with orchestral movements, Emperor drummer Trym Torson's punishing double-bass brilliance, sinister guitar riffs and Sorceron's gravely vocals, it's an experimental offering that took the band more than six months to track.

"There were a lot of difficulties we'd experienced during the recording of this one," the singer explained. "My computer crashed, and I had hard drives fail on me, so I lost a lot of material I ended up re-creating; I listen back to the CD now, and I'm realizing I forgot certain parts, but that's fine. It sucked. I wrote most of the songs while we were on hiatus — I used that time to regroup the whole thing and find new people to record with."

Sorceron said he'd always wanted to record with Murphy, whom he'd befriended several years ago — he ended up moving in with Murphy for three months while the two worked on the album. At the moment, Abigail Williams is on tour in the U.S., trying to spread the word about In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns. They'll be on the road with the Faceless, Veil of Maya, Neuraxis and Decrepit Birth through November 22 in San Diego, and the band is lining up tours for early 2009 with Cryptopsy, Mayhem and Marduk.

"I hate being home, because being out here, there's always something f---ing ridiculous happening," Sorceron explained. "We've had kids eat roadkill off our trailer for shirts."

Wait — what was that?

"We played a show in Milwaukee and, after the show, we were partying with these kids out in the parking lot," he continued. "We noticed there was something dead on our trailer — there was fur and everything, just stuck to the trailer. I don't remember who came up with this idea, but we told them if they licked it, we'd give 'em a shirt. So, the first kid licks it, and then, the second kid comes up a pulls off a big old piece and ate it. Then, the last kid comes up, and he eats a healthy amount, too. After that, I had all three of them make out with their unsuspecting girlfriends. When they found out, they were gagging."

Abigail Williams' three roadkill-devouring fans don't get any special thanks in the liner notes for Thousand Suns, but it may surprise you who does: rappers Jay-Z and GZA. The File asked Sorceron to explain the gesture.

"Well, Jay-Z took our video location one day," he said. "We had a video location all lined up for 'Into the Ashes,' and it was in New York. The day before we're about to shoot, it was canceled because Jay-Z came in and decided he wanted that space ... and I'm guessing he had money. This happened a couple of months ago. I think he was just using the space, which was an orchestra room, for his new album. So, that's why we thanked Jay-Z. We also like his music, and we're into GZA. Sometimes, we just want to see if people notice stuff like that — to see if they're paying attention."

The rest of the week's metal news:

It's been over a week since we elected a new president, and over at the Headbangers Blog, you can see what members of Cattle Decapitation, Animosity, Armored Saint and others think about Barack Obama's historic run for the White House. ...

Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher has been hospitalized in London with an undisclosed malady. A spokesperson for the band said that doctors continue to run tests on Kelliher to determine what it is that's ailing him, but that he should be out of the hospital in time for the start of Mastodon's European headlining run, which kicks off November 30 in Holland. "He's feeling better, but there's been no confirmation of what he has," the spokesperson said. ...

Deftones bassist Chi Cheng remains under a hospital's care after sustaining injuries last week in a vehicular accident. According to the band's spokesperson, Cheng, who has been in a coma since the crash, is feeling better, and more news on his recovery will be released sometime next week. Cheng's condition remains stable; he's started breathing on his own, and is starting to move his eyes underneath his eyelids. Earlier this week, Korn bassist Fieldy visited Cheng in the hospital. ...

Brother Von Doom, Woe of Tyrants and This or the Apocalypse will be teaming up for a two-week trek that begins November 29 in Claremore, Oklahoma. Dates are booked through December 13 in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania. ...

Inked in Blood have thrown in the towel. According to frontman Joey Trump, the band's members simply aren't available to tour, and, even if they were, they don't have a van to get them from show to show. "This is probably it for Inked In Blood," he wrote in a statement, "which is such hell, because the good times were more than good. They were life-changing, and the most precious we've ever had. And the credit can only go to those who have supported us time and time again." ...

Diecast has parted ways with Century Media Records. The band, in a statement, called the move "a mutual decision by both of us." Diecast is now shopping a four-song demo around, and they've "already been contacted by a few labels that are very impressed with the songs and we believe we'll have a new home before the end of March 2009." ...

Arsis has another new drummer, with Borknagar's David Kinkade joining the ranks. In addition, bassist Nick Cordle has also joined the group, replacing recently departed bassist Noah Martin.

• Abigail Williams
• Mastodon
• Deftones

The Haunted
Photo: Century Media

Peter Dolving, the outspoken frontman for Swedish thrash-metal titans the Haunted, might not be able to vote in next week's election, but that doesn't mean he can't have an opinion on this year's presidential hopefuls. Anyone who frequents Blabbermouth.net knows that Dolving has an opinion on just about everything — and Tuesday's momentous vote is no exception.

But were Dolving a U.S. citizen, and eligible to vote, he's not so sure he could pull the lever for Barack Obama or John McCain.

"If I had citizenship, I couldn't vote for any of the two candidates, because it's a mockery on democracy," Dolving posited. "You have a two-party system, and it's just ridiculous. It's not even remotely politics, and it's in complete disregard of anything that has to do with the constitution. There is a truly great political tradition in the U.S., of democracy and speaking out, but it's been subverted so harshly by business-market interests over the last 150 years that it's just sad. The potential for something truly great, something so radical that no other country's tried it, something that's truly libertarian ... it's been stabbed in the back by people who have no interest whatsoever in that kind of thought tradition and that kind of society, because it doesn't promote their personal goals and gains. It's really sad."

Dolving said he's been keeping a close eye on both campaigns, and he even watched the three televised debates. But he's not impressed with either candidate and feels they're just espousing the same old politics of their predecessors.

"It's all complete bullsh--," Dolving said. "It's really f---ing sad to see how American politics have turned into pure promotion and PR machinery. It really is sad, because it has nothing to do with the basic idea of building something that resembles the dream or the ideal, what Americanism could be and should be."

Dolving and the Haunted won't be here for next week's election, but with a new album, Versus, in stores now, they'll most likely be returning to the States this spring for a full headlining run. The band is currently in the middle of planning that trek. Versus, the band's sixth offering, is a more aggressive affair than 2006's experimental set, The Dead Eye, and marks the band's return to recording live.

"A lot of bands have started coming out around the metal and hardcore scene, and all these bands — we call them Pro Tools bands — they sound 10,000 percent better on record than they can ever deliver live, because they can't deliver that sh-- live," Dolving said. "We wanted to take the live setting back into the studio for this one, and we recorded it live over eight days, and then fiddled with the vocals and some solos over the next couple of days. It was a laid-back, quick recording. We decided we'd record it live and not try to worry too much, and it worked out really, really well. It's got the dynamic of what we are as a band, and, as we've gone along, we've felt more and more that it's really important for us to represent on record what we do live."

Versus is a confrontational record, he said, with elements "of everything we've done over the years." The disc contains "music we really dig," and the Haunted decided to take their time with the record to make sure all of the songs worked well together.

But don't expect to catch the Haunted on Ozzfest this summer. The singer said that, if offered another chance to join the bill (they were on the tour in 2005), they'd probably turn it down.

"If it was something like the Ozzfest, but with better organization and less internal bullsh-- going on, it might be interesting," he said, "but there was too much drama and power plays going on around that whole circus. When it comes down to it, that's not what this is about, so why would we waste our time and energy on something like that? We're here to make music and entertain people, and you don't do that when you let your personal-drama bullsh-- bleed over into, and affect, shows. The whole circus feel of it was just kind of ridiculous."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Mastodon have christened their forthcoming LP Crack the Skye. The record, produced by Brendan O'Brien (Rage Against the Machine), is expected to hit stores early next year and will feature seven tracks, including "Divinations," "Ghost of Karelia" and the 15-minute closer "The Last Baron." ...

As I Lay Dying will be filming several of their upcoming live gigs as part of a DVD release that could be out in the spring. The set will feature live performances, backstage footage, interviews, photos, production videos and a documentary on the group. The band's shows on November 17 (San Marcos, California), November 19 (in a yet-to-be-determined city) and November 21 (Anaheim, California) will be taped and feature support acts Bring Me the Horizon, Terror and Born of Osiris. ...

Into Eternity will be rejoined by guitarist Tim Roth for four shows in western Canada this week, including a Winnipeg show alongside Dismember and a headlining appearance on Halloween night at Zombiefest in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

New Jersey's God Forbid have titled their forthcoming full-length Earthsblood. The LP is tentatively set for a February release through Century Media. According to guitarist Doc Coyle, the title "came to me after watching the film 'There Will Be Blood.' What is the price of ambition? Is the blood of our bodies and the blood of the earth one and the same? With the current energy crisis, and its relation to many of the military conflicts worldwide, there has been a global, collective consciousness that has emerged in regards to the interdependence between humankind and the planet in which we inhabit. Coincidentally, the lyrics that Byron Davis and Dallas Coyle had written meshed with these revelations perfectly. This isn't a preachy, trendy, 'hip to be green' album, nor is it a concept album. It's just an abstract observation." ...

Slayer have posted a new track, called "Psychopathy Red," on YouTube. The song was inspired by Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo and is one of the three new tracks the band recorded during a recent studio session. In the next few months, Slayer will return to the studio to finish tracking their next one, which could be in stores by next summer, if all goes well. ...

Several ex- and current members of three popular metal groups have teamed up to form an '80s metal cover group called Kobra Kai. The band, featuring Shad guitarist Jon Donais, Frank Aresti of Fates Warning and former All That Remains drummer Mike Bartlett, have booked several gigs, including one set for Friday night (October 31) in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. ...

Behemoth are streaming a new track, called "Quadosh," over on their MySpace page. The song will be featured on the band's forthcoming EP, Ezkaton, which hits stores November 11. ...

According to Blabbermouth, founding bassist Dennis Pepa has quit Death Angel. "Throughout my career with the band, I've brought a punk-influenced edge to the Death Angel sound, and as an open-minded musician in need of change, I'd like to diversify and explore other opportunities within and beyond the genre of metal," he said in a statement, issued to the metal site. "I look forward to being involved in new music projects and continuing to connect with all of you."

• The Haunted
• Mastodon

Slipknot's Corey Taylor
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Since the mid-1990s, Kevin Lyman's Warped Tour and Sharon Osbourne's Ozzfest have both managed to coexist amiably within a cutthroat summer touring market rife with competition. While Warped — which turns 14 this summer — has long catered to the needs of the punk and emo faithful, Ozzfest — now entering its 12th year of existence — has been there to keep the nation's hardcore metal fans in check.

But that's all about to change. In addition to this summer's Warped Tour, Lyman is also launching a metal festival in direct competition with Ozzfest. Rumors have already been spreading that this summer's Ozzfest will be heading out on a smaller run than in past years, following last summer's free, corporate-sponsored version.

Anchored by headliners Slipknot and Disturbed, both of whom plan on releasing new material this spring, Lyman's inaugural Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival will be the first serious competition Ozzfest has faced since its inception. On Thursday morning (January 31), Lyman confirmed the tour's lineup to MTV News.

The tour will also feature Mastodon and DragonForce on the main stage, and Sevendust, Airborne, Five Finger Death Punch, 36 Crazyfists, Machine Head, Black Tide, Suicide Silence, the Red Chord and Walls of Jericho on two separate side stages. Many of the bands comprising the energy-drink-supported festival's bill have appeared in prior Ozzfests.

"This summer, we are truly bringing mayhem," Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor said in a press release. "Slipknot is excited to be a part of it, and to be able to bring the new chapter of our history to the masses. We are already working, building and designing a new show. We cannot wait. We cannot lose. Get ready for Mayhem."

Disturbed's David Draiman said his band is looking forward to being on the tour's first bill. "It's a great lineup, which should set a new standard for rock tours, and we're excited to be a part of it," he said.

The tour will get under way July 9 in Seattle and runs through August 21 in Holmdel, New Jersey.

Dates for the Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival, according to Kevin Lyman (subject to change):

· 7/9 - Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
· 7/11 - Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
· 7/12 - San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
· 7/13 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
· 7/15 - Fresno, CA @ Selland Arena
· 7/16 - San Diego, CA @ Coors Amphitheatre
· 7/18 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
· 7/19 - Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
· 7/20 - Denver, CO @ Coors Amphitheatre
· 7/22 - Kansas City, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
· 7/23 - St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
· 7/25 - Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Centre
· 7/26 - San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Ampitheater
· 7/27 - Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
· 7/29 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
· 7/30 - Miami, FL @ Sound Advice Amphitheater
· 8/1 - Atlanta, GA @ HiFi Buys Amphitheatre Amphitheatre
· 8/2 - Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
· 8/3 - Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
· 8/5 - TBA
· 8/6 - Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
· 8/8 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
· 8/9 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
· 8/10 - Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
· 8/12 - TBA
· 8/13 - Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
· 8/15 - Camden, NJ @ Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
· 8/16 - Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion
· 8/17 - Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center
· 8/20 - Saratoga, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
· 8/21 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

Planning on going to Rockstar Mayhem or any other big music fests this year? Be sure to join the You R Here community, where you can upload your concert photos, videos and reviews. Go there now to check out coverage of last year's Warped Tour.

• Slipknot
• Disturbed
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Mastodon
• Dragonforce

Protest The Hero
Photo: KC Armstrong

Some bands write music to score chicks, others for the hope of stardom and a few even do it because they love to play. But Whitby, Ontario, quintet Protest the Hero have an altogether different reason for rocking out.

"We all just get bored really easily, so we're always trying to do something that will keep our interest," singer Rody Walker said. "When we write a record, we want something that will still keep our attention a couple years down the line, but it never works."

Protest the Hero's new album, Tuesday's Fortress, should retain the interest of Walker and his bandmates — guitarists Tim Millar and Luke Hoskin, bassist Arif Mirabdolbaghi and drummer Moe Carlson — for quite a while. The songs are rhythmically complex, technically proficient, fiercely metallic and strikingly melodic, sounding a bit like a hybrid of Coheed and Cambria, Slayer and the Dillinger Escape Plan. Songs like "Bloodmeat," "Limb From Limb" and "Bone Marrow" swerve through a barbed-wire obstacle course of epileptic beats, serrated riffs and constantly changing rhythms that make the challenging compositions on their 2006 full-length debut, Kezia, sound like Kiss songs. Of course, that was exactly the point.

"Right now, I don't ever want to play those songs on Kezia again," Walker said. "I'm so sick of them, and I know we're going to have to [play them] when we tour. We hate being labeled, but if we have to be called something, I think 'ADD metal' applies."

The band started writing Fortress in January 2007 at its rehearsal space, and although the material was far from simplistic, the process was productive. First, the group assembled a wide array of jigsaw-puzzle beats and riffs into coherent structures, and after that, Walker decided where to scream in the songs and where to sing.

"In the beginning, it was a rather daunting task to sit down at my computer and have to write vocals over this progressive gobbledygook," the singer said. "But once I got on a roll, it was pretty easy. If you have a grasp of melody, and you understand how chords will fit together and how vocals will sound overtop, it's not so hard. I just listened to each song a million times on a CD, and I figured out what to do over it."

Protest the Hero entered the studio with producer Julius "Juice" Butty, who worked with the band on Kezia, in mid-June and spent about a month layering dozens of tracks. Then Butty worked closely with Walker to get the best performances out of him.

While Walker sang his melodies in the studio, he created them with Mirabdolbaghi's lyrics, just as he did with Kezia. Back in 1999, when Protest the Hero formed, Walker used to write his own songs, but when the bassist brought some ideas to an early jam session, everyone was blown away.

"Arif is just so talented," Walker explained. "He's a literature master. When he was 17, he went to a [Fyodor] Dostoevsky symposium in Switzerland and was the youngest person to ever be invited to one of those. It's kind of funny. This time, Luke and I were like, 'Hey, man, can you write a party song about how we want to drink beers and f--- b----es?' And he came up with this really complex lyric for 'The Dissentience' ... that was all metaphorical. That was his idea of a party lyric."

It goes without saying, the songs on Fortress aren't about getting drunk or laid. The album is a loose concept record divided into two parts: "On Conquest and Capture" and "Isosceles." And while there isn't a narrative arc to the whole thing, the album explores various lofty themes.

"It's really a look at past, present and future, through the battles that have been fought and are being fought and supposedly will be fought," Walker said. "It goes through Genghis Khan and Flidais, which is from Irish mythology. A lot of the themes are centered around goddess worship because these days people seem to only want to be worshipping Allah and Jesus Christ and all these strange male figures. And in the past we used to very much worship female figures. So it's very much about bringing back the femininity to God."

Of course, as with Coheed and Cambria, if you're not feeling too geeky and you just wanna rock out, you can ignore all the profundity and simply bang your head — providing you can keep up with the beat.

"Some of the stuff can be deep, but I really think we're a party band," Walker insisted.

The rest of the week's metal news:

Children of Bodom have wrapped the recording of their forthcoming album, Blooddrunk, which is slated for an April 15 release. The disc will feature nine songs, including "Hellhounds on My Trail," "Smile Pretty for the Devil" and "Banned From Heaven." ... The rumors are flying about this summer's Rockstar Mayhem Tour, Warped Tour mastermind Kevin Lyman's answer to Ozzfest. While Disturbed and Slipknot will anchor the bill, Metal File is hearing that Sevendust, Mastodon and DragonForce could be added to the lineup soon, along with previously rumored performers Five Finger Death Punch, Suicide Silence and Walls of Jericho. None of this has been confirmed yet, but we'll keep you posted. ... The Dillinger Escape Plan went unplugged recently, performing an acoustic version of "Horse Hunter," complete with its cameo from Mastodon's Brent Hinds. According to a post on the band's MySpace apge, "[We] don't know what's better about it, the fact that it's the first time we've played that song in any capacity, or the fact that half of his face is covered in tattoos at this point." ...

Nate Johnson has left South Carolina death-metallers Through the Eyes of the Dead, freeing him up to join the ranks of Since the Flood. According to a statement from the singer, he quit because "it just wasn't my thing. Yes, I am a big fan of death metal, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to be in [the band]." He added that he just lost interest. Through the Eyes of the Dead are now looking for a new frontman. ... ->

Through the Eyes of the Dead have a new frontman and drummer after the respective departures of Nate Johnson and Josh Kulick. "We are excited to announce that Lech, formerly of As Blood Runs Black, will be handling drums for us on the upcoming tour," the South Carolina death-metallers said in a statement. "He's a monster behind the kit and has proven to us to be the right fit for our style. And stepping into the vocal spot is Lou Tanius, who has previously put time in with On Paths of Torment and Invocation of Nehek." Now that he's freed up, Johnson has joined the ranks of Since the Flood. According to a statement from the singer, he quit TTEOTD because "it just wasn't my thing. Yes, I am a big fan of death metal, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to be in [the band]." He added that he just lost interest. The Scum of the Earth Tour featuring TTEOTD, Throwdown, Soilwork and War of Ages starts February 29 in Pomona, California, and ends April 3 in Las Vegas. ...

Finnish metallers Kalmah have been hammering away on their next record since October, and the yet-untitled album will surface in stores in early April. ... Meanwhile, fellow countrymen Dead Shape Figure have signed with Season of Mist, which will release the thrash act's debut album, The Grand Karoshi, in the spring. ... Canadian metallers Into Eternity continue to write material for their next record. According to a statement from guitarist Tim Roth, "the new songs are sounding really good and really heavy." The band hopes to start tracking the songs next month, and the record could be finished in time for a late 2008 release. ...

First Blood are hard at work on their next LP, which they've christened Silence Is Betrayal. The record should see the light of day in the summer. Frontman Carl Schwartz said the band has had more than two years to get roundly peeved, and that's reflected in the songs. "This upcoming album will be nothing short of brutal — and quite possibly the most critical, condemning, and controversial material we will ever release," he said in a statement. ... How's this for a lineup? The Devil Wears Prada, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Gwen Stacy and Whitechapel will hit the road together in the spring for a string of U.S. dates. The trek gets under way April 25 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is scheduled to run through May 13 in Dayton, Ohio. ...

Zimmers Hole, which features Strapping Young Lad guitarist Jed Simon, bassist Byron Stroud and drummer Gene Hoglan, will release their forthcoming album, When You Were Shouting at the Devil ... We Were in League With Satan, March 11. The disc will boast 11 cuts, including "We Rule the F---ing Land," "Anonymous Esophagus" and "Hair Doesn't Grow on Steel." ... German death-metal outfit Fragments of Unbecoming will release their next record, which carries the working title Everhaunting Past Chapter IV - A Splendid Retrospection, before year's end. Expect the effort to feature eight tracks, including "It's Me, the Grotesque," "A Voice Says: 'Destroy!' " and "Shipwrecked in the Yesteryears."

[This story was originally published at 8:00 am E.T. on 01.25.2008]

• Protest The Hero
• Children Of Bodom
• Mastodon

Mariah Carey
Photo: Mariah Carey/Getty Images

Mariah Carey got a win in court last week when a federal judge decided that a copyright-infringement case against her had no merit. Singer Rachele Chafir had sued Carey in April 2006, claiming that Carey's hit "It's Like That" was copied from her song "Sexy" and lifted key pieces, including the music, for the chorus. Chafir, who copyrighted the song in 2004, claimed Carey had access to "Sexy" since it was available on a Web site, but U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood decided that wasn't proof Carey or her collaborators had gone to the Web site or lifted the material, which wasn't "strikingly similar" enough to be considered infringement. With "no genuine issues of material fact," Wood closed the case. "It was the right decision," Carey's lawyer Ilene Farkas told MTV News. "The record was clear in this case." Meanwhile, Carey is moving on with her yet-untitled follow-up to The Emancipation of Mimi, which her record label confirmed is now due December 4. ...

Going, going ... to Cooperstown. And with an asterisk on it. Baseball star Barry Bonds' record-breaking home-run ball, which was purchased two weeks ago in an online auction by hip-hop fashion mogul Marc Ecko, will be heading to the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum after all. Ecko bought the ball and launched a Web site giving fans the chance to vote on the ball's final destination: outer space or to Cooperstown, with or without an asterisk signifying Bonds' alleged steroid use in helping him become the all-time home-run king. The announcement was made Wednesday morning (September 26) on the "Today" show after a week of voting. According to Vote756.com, over 10 million votes were cast, of which 47 percent chose to send the tagged ball to the famed baseball museum. ...

The twisted saga of the investigation into the unsolved 1997 murder of the Notorious B.I.G. took another turn this week when Waymond Anderson, an inmate serving life for murder, recanted testimony in which he had implicated the Los Angeles Police Department in the rapper's murder. The Los Angeles Times reports that Anderson said in a recent deposition that he lied about LAPD involvement as part of a "scam" cooked up with two other convicts to get a big monetary settlement from the city of Los Angeles. Most shockingly, Anderson accused the rapper's family — which has filed a wrongful-death suit seeking damages from the city — and its lawyer of taking part in the scheme and offering to pay him a percentage of the settlement for false testimony against the LAPD. In the August 20 testimony, Anderson said he had never met the officers he implicated, despite earlier statements in which he described conversations with the two disgraced ex-LAPD cops. A lawyer for Biggie's family, Perry Sanders, called Anderson's allegations "100 percent, demonstrably false," adding yet another twist to the already-knotted-up story by saying that Anderson appeared to be changing his story at the behest of Chuck Philips, a Times reporter who has written extensively about the murder investigation and has questioned the theory of LAPD involvement. Phillips and the Times dismissed the allegations. ...

In other Biggie news, the recently released documentary "The Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life" follows the rapper's life from his early days to his death with interviews from many of the behind-the-scenes music-industry figures and friends who watched the rapper rise from a street-corner hustler to one of the biggest rap stars in the world. The film also features several minutes of previously unreleased footage shot by a bystander of the scene on the night Biggie was gunned down. The fan's video — which director Peter Spirer ("Beef," "Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel") said has been reviewed by authorities — doesn't capture the moment Biggie's car was shot at, but it does have audio of the shots and shaky footage of the chaotic aftermath. ...

Embattled football player Michael Vick is facing stricter release conditions after testing positive for marijuana earlier this month, The Associated Press reports. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson imposed the new conditions, which include restricting Vick to his home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. with electronic monitoring and making him submit to random drug tests. He was ordered to continue participating in substance-abuse and mental-health counseling. Vick was put under pretrial release supervision in July, and the restrictions included refraining from the use of narcotic drugs or other controlled substances. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback, who pleaded guilty in August to federal dogfighting charges, is awaiting sentencing December 10 — and Vick's violation of the conditions of his release could be taken into consideration by the judge. He faces up to five years in prison for the federal charges, and has been indicted on additional state charges in Virginia as well. ...

A second woman has filed a lawsuit against Lil Wayne over a melee that broke out during one of his shows at Morgan State University in Baltimore in October. According to an AP story, Carlisa Dixon said she was impaled on a metal pole after the crowd surged to snatch up money that was being tossed from the stage. Dixon is seeking $1 million from Wayne's record label and touring companies, and another $1 million from the university, claiming she underwent surgery for a puncture wound as a result of the crowd surge. A lawsuit was filed in August by another woman who claimed she was trampled in the same money-throwing incident. A spokesperson for Wayne could not be reached for comment at press time. ...

A man died at a Smashing Pumpkins concert in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Monday night in what police think may have been a crowd-surfing or moshing accident. The Canadian Press reports that Vancouver police say the man was unconscious when he was dragged out of the crowd at the Pacific National Exhibition Forum during the show and worked on by first-aid personnel on site before being transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have ruled out foul play. ... The Voodoo Music Experience is shifting locations, but just slightly. The fest, to take place October 26-28, has a new site in New Orleans City Park to accommodate ongoing restoration and improvement of the park. The shift brings the fest closer to Tad Gormley Stadium, where Voodoo was first held in 1999. ...

Do you march to Nelly's beat? The rapper is cobbling together a marching band for his performance at the BET Hip-Hop Awards on October 13. Auditions will be held Sunday starting at 11 a.m. in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New Orleans and St. Louis, and Nelly is looking for girls who can play drums, tri-toms, bass drum, tuba or trumpet. Prospective players need to know how to perform his song "Grillz" and move to the beat of the song while playing their instruments. Final auditions will be held October 8 in Atlanta, and those who can't make the auditions in person can post a one-minute video clip on Nelly's drum-line-audition site. ... If you've been doubting Swizz Beatz's fashion sense, think again — Gap has tapped the hugely popular producer for its spring ad campaign. ...

VH1 Rock Docs picked up its first Emmy win on Monday as "DMC: My Adoption Journey" earned the award for News & Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Arts & Culture Programming. The program, which revolves around the Run-DMC member's search for his birth mother, premiered in February 2006 and will re-air on VH1 on Saturday at 10 p.m. ... Have you already imported Babyface's Playlist into your own playlist? Then mark you calendar — the singer is putting together a tour in support of his recently released LP. Babyface will play a gig in the Philippines on October 13, followed by a stretch in Japan; after that he'll hit Oakland, California, on November 23, and Sparks, Nevada, the following day. ...

During a recent visit to "The Howard Stern Show," Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx spoke out about drummer Tommy Lee and his apparent departure from the band. He told Stern that Lee quit, and Sixx blamed the current legal problems the band is having with one of its former managers for the turmoil. Sixx said that, since Lee isn't the Crüe's frontman or chief songwriter, the band should be fine without him. He added that he harbors no ill will toward Lee. ... Snow Patrol keyboardist Tom Simpson was expected to appear in court in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday to answer to drug-possession charges filed against him this summer. While the charges weren't dropped, the prosecution doesn't intend on taking "further action," meaning the charges will either have to be re-raised again or dropped altogether. ...

Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard's side project Brad are getting back together for a one-night-only show on October 17 at New York's Webster Hall. The benefit event will also feature Billy Bragg and be hosted by Tim Robbins. It is being held to support Woody and Marjorie Guthrie, and the 40th anniversary of the Huntington's Disease Society of America, which was founded by Marjorie. ... Puddle of Mudd aren't ones for Southern hospitality, apparently. Frontman Wesley Scantlin has been banned from Memphis' Graceland after hopping in the pool in Elvis Presley's mansion during a tour on Monday. ...

The Eagles will perform on an awards show for the first time when they take the stage at the Country Music Awards, which will air November 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Carrie Underwood is also slated to perform. ... The Rolling Stones' recent tour didn't just carry the band to the top of Forbes' list of biggest-earning music acts — it landed them in the Guinness World Records, according to Reuters. The classic-rockers' A Bigger Bang tour took $437 million dollars to give them a new record, for the world's most successful music tour. ...

Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God will be teaming up for a late-fall co-headlining tour, which is set to kick off November 28 in Lowell, Massachusetts, with dates booked through December 17 in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. DevilDriver and Soilwork will open on all dates. ... Chris Cornell has added another round of dates to his North American tour, which began in the spring. He has booked another 28 gigs, meaning the trek will continue through November 23, when he's expected to perform at the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. ...

A photo from Elton John's collection has been pulled from a British gallery where it was to be displayed over concerns by police that it might be child pornography. The photo — which was taken by award-winning American photographer Nan Goldin — shows two young girls, one with her legs spread apart, and was to be displayed at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in northern England before it was seized by police, according to London's Times Online. John released a statement, explaining, "The photograph entitled 'Klara and Edda belly-dancing' (1998) is one of 149 images comprising the 'Thanksgiving' installation by renowned U.S. photographer Nan Goldin ... The photograph exists as part of the installation as a whole and has been widely published and exhibited throughout the world [and] has been offered for sale at Sotheby's New York in 2002 and 2004, and has previously been exhibited in Houston, London, Madrid [Spain], New York, Portugal, Warsaw [Poland] and Zürich [Switzerland] without any objections of which we are aware."

09.25.07

While her fellow Black Eyed Pea Will.I.Am is hyping his new project, Songs About Girls, Fergie isn't slowing down with her own solo affair, last year's The Dutchess. The singer just shot a clip for the song "Clumsy" with directors Marc Webb (Diddy, the Pussycat Dolls) and Rich Lee (Chamillionaire, Dashboard Confessional). The surreal, humorous clip features Fergie falling head over heels — get it? — for love in various scenarios. ...

A House panel cast a congressional light on hip-hop lyrics on Tuesday (September 25), with David Banner and Master P giving sharply different views. The Associated Press reports that the latter rapper (real name: Percy Miller) told the Energy and Commerce subcommittee that he is determined to create clean lyrics. "I want to apologize to all the women out there. I was honestly wrong," he said of his prior material. Banner (real name: Levell Crump), on the other hand, defended his profane lyrics, saying, "Change the situation in my neighborhood, and maybe I'll get better." But while P and Banner didn't see eye to eye in terms of who is responsible for derogatory language in hip-hop, they agreed that the government shouldn't censor lyrics. "If by some stroke of the pen hip-hop was silenced, the issues would still be present in our communities. Drugs, violence, sexism and the criminal element were around long before hip-hop existed," Banner said. According to AP, the hearing was similar to the 1985 event in which late rocker Frank Zappa made a feisty appearance also railing against censorship. ...

Like the sound of the "Rocawear Arena" instead of the "Continental Airlines Arena"? Yeah, so does Jay-Z. The ambitious hip-hop mogul is bidding for the arena's naming rights, according to New Jersey's Star-Ledger. Although he is the co-owner of the New Jersey Nets and his Rocawar is a sponsor of the NBA team — which currently plays at Continental — sportswear maker Southpole has made the highest bid so far, $2 million. But there's a catch: The reason the name is up for grabs is because Continental is backing out of its deal with the arena, and both the Nets and hockey team the New Jersey Devils are planning to move to other venues. ...

Life isn't getting any easier for Britney Spears. Kim Robard-Rifkin, the reported woman whose car the singer hit in August — for which she was charged with two misdemeanors on Friday — has spoken out to CelebTV.com. "I was not surprised with the criminal charges — this is what happens when somebody hits your car and runs — especially when it is all caught on video," she said in a statement. Spears' former bodyguard Tony Barretto also spoke out on Monday, telling "Today" show host Matt Lauer that he had witnessed her using drugs on two occasions. While Barretto did not specify which drugs he supposedly saw her taking, he said both incidents occurred at a nightclub in Los Angeles, one at the table she was sitting at and the other in a private restroom. When Lauer asked him about a third incident in which he alleges to have seen her strung out in a Los Angeles hotel room, Barretto replied, "I did." ...

Sarah Silverman was surprised by the reaction that met her controversial VMA monologue, in which she flung derogatory insults at Britney Spears, among others, she told Us Weekly. Regarding one of her saltiest remarks — that Spears' kids "are the most adorable mistakes you will ever see" — Silverman replied, "The joke that everyone was upset about ... was the most innocuous joke. It never occurred to me that [it] would be deemed hurtful or over the line." She also told the magazine for its new issue, which streets Friday, "I don't want to get into feuds with girls half my age. I'm in it to be funny and not for the drama. It's embarrassing." ...

Look, up in the sky, it's a new Gnarls Barkley album! And as Cee-Lo recently told MTV News of the follow-up to St. Elsewhere, "It sounds otherwordly. ... It sounds like an original, if I do say so myself. The theme is progression and how there's a first time for everything. You just have to go for it." Beyond that, though, Cee-Lo didn't want to give up too much. Asked about collaborators, he demurred: "Danger Mouse is my special guest. He's my counterpart in the enigma of Gnarls Barkley." No duh — we meant, anyone else? "Let me continue to surprise you," Cee-Lo smiled. For those who caught Cee-Lo's take on Prince's "Darling Nikki" with the Foo Fighters at the VMAs, he wants fans to know that his performance at the show was supposed to be a surprise appearance with Amy Winehouse, "believe it or not." But since she had to bail from the show, he's saving that collaboration for a future appearance. ...

The Sex Pistols — who just tacked two more gigs onto their upcoming November reunion in London, according to BBC News — have another trick up their collective sleeve: A newly recorded rendition of their punk staple, "Anarchy in the U.K." The band entered the studio for the first time in 30 years to record the track, which will surface on "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock." ... As I Lay Dying clearly have more than a few gasps left — the metal band edged out Switchfoot, Jason Mraz and others to win the San Diego Music Award for Artist of the Year. AILD nabbed the same honor in 2005. ... Canadian singer/songwriter Patrick Watson and his band have pulled off an arguably more impressive feat: The Montreal quartet have nudged by Arcade Fire and Feist to land the Polaris Music Prize for Best Album. ...

Despite the recent head injuries sustained by guitarist Brent Hinds, Mastodon have booked a gig, opening for the Queens of the Stone Age on October 29 in Los Angeles. The band is also scheduled to appear at the Vegoose festival on October 27 in Las Vegas, where Hinds was jumped following Mastodon's performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Police claim Hinds was attacked outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on September 10 during an encounter with System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian and his friend William Hudson. According to police, Hudson assaulted Hinds, and Odadjian witnessed the incident. ... While at the VMAs, Mastodon told MTV News that they wrote their best song ever — even though it's not quite finished yet — while on the way to the big show. "It's pretty much the best record we've yet to write," guitarist Bill Kelliher said before singing a couple of the riffs with Hinds. "That's how it goes — du-duh-du-duh na-nah-nah. We wrote it in the car on the way over here, at least the intro of it. Part one. We're at the really beginning stages. It's going to be awesome, though. Everything we do is amazing." ...

The Game entered his expected not-guilty plea on Tuesday to three felony counts stemming from a pickup basketball game in Los Angeles in February. The rapper (real name: Jayceon Taylor) is free on $50,000 bail and has a pretrial hearing set for October 30. ... Jack Bauer might not be such a hero after all: Kiefer Sutherland was arrested early Tuesday morning for drunken driving in Hollywood, Reuters reports. The actor was pulled over after making an illegal U-turn and blew more than the .08 legal limit upon taking a breathalyzer test. He posted $25,000 bail at a Hollywood police station and is due in court on October 16. ...

The Phil Spector murder trial is in the hands of the jury now, but that hasn't stopped more bizarre developments from emerging in the case. According to AP, over the weekend, a threatening post appeared on a MySpace page possibly belonging to the music producer's wife, Rachelle. "I love Phil Spector!!! The Evil Judge Should Die!!!! Xoxo Chelle," read the post, a police spokesperson told the news outlet. The page, which features an image of Rachelle wearing a "Team Spector" tee, was referred to a sheriff's department unit that investigates such threats. The post has since been removed. ...

Amazon's new digital-music store is up and running, with songs going for 89 to 99 cents and albums selling for around $6-$10. The songs, which don't have copyright protections, can be burned onto CDs and copied to multiple computers. Record-label giants Universal and EMI, in addition to a flood of indie labels, are selling their songs through the site. ... A former trustee in James Brown's estate might have misappropriated up to $7 million of the late music legend's money, special administrators told a South Carolina judge on Monday. State Circuit Judge Jack Early told David Cannon, the former co-executor of Brown's will, to pay $400,000 and produce additional documents. Early also said Brown's family could pursue the claims. ...

The Cult will headline the fall installment of the Jägermeister Music Tour, which is set to launch October 17 in Pala, California, and run through mid-December, with the full list of dates coming soon. Rounding out the bill will be Vietnam, the Cliks and Action Action. ... Former L7 leader Donita Sparks is going out on her own with her debut solo effort, Transmiticate, due January 22. The effort, which will feature her new backing band, the Stellar Moments, shifts away from the grunge and metal sounds that defined L7 and tinkers with more pop and dance elements. ...

Fans of Los Angeles ska act Hepcat are mourning the passing of bassist Dave Fuentes, 36. While details are scarce, the band did issue a statement, saying, "We are sad to announce that our brother, beloved bandmate and amazing friend, David Fuentes, is no longer with us. He will be missed by everyone but especially everyone in the Hepcat family." He leaves a wife, Yohanna, and two sons, Andrew, 7, and Darren, 3. A memorial fund has been established to help his family. ... A special-effects technician working on the set of the Batman sequel "The Dark Knight" was killed when a truck carrying a camera platform rammed into a tree on Monday in London, AP reports. Filming was not taking place at the time of the accident, which is under investigation.

• Mariah Carey
• Notorious B.I.G.
• Lil Wayne
• The Smashing Pumpkins
• Killswitch Engage

Fergie
Photo: Interscope

While her fellow Black Eyed Pea Will.I.Am is hyping his new project, Songs About Girls, Fergie isn't slowing down with her own solo affair, last year's The Dutchess. The singer just shot a clip for the song "Clumsy" with directors Marc Webb (Diddy, the Pussycat Dolls) and Rich Lee (Chamillionaire, Dashboard Confessional). The surreal, humorous clip features Fergie falling head over heels — get it? — for love in various scenarios. ...

A House panel cast a congressional light on hip-hop lyrics on Tuesday (September 25), with David Banner and Master P giving sharply different views. The Associated Press reports that the latter rapper (real name: Percy Miller) told the Energy and Commerce subcommittee that he is determined to create clean lyrics. "I want to apologize to all the women out there. I was honestly wrong," he said of his prior material. Banner (real name: Levell Crump), on the other hand, defended his profane lyrics, saying, "Change the situation in my neighborhood, and maybe I'll get better." But while P and Banner didn't see eye to eye in terms of who is responsible for derogatory language in hip-hop, they agreed that the government shouldn't censor lyrics. "If by some stroke of the pen hip-hop was silenced, the issues would still be present in our communities. Drugs, violence, sexism and the criminal element were around long before hip-hop existed," Banner said. According to AP, the hearing was similar to the 1985 event in which late rocker Frank Zappa made a feisty appearance also railing against censorship. ...

Like the sound of the "Rocawear Arena" instead of the "Continental Airlines Arena"? Yeah, so does Jay-Z. The ambitious hip-hop mogul is bidding for the arena's naming rights, according to New Jersey's Star-Ledger. Although he is the co-owner of the New Jersey Nets and his Rocawar is a sponsor of the NBA team — which currently plays at Continental — sportswear maker Southpole has made the highest bid so far, $2 million. But there's a catch: The reason the name is up for grabs is because Continental is backing out of its deal with the arena, and both the Nets and hockey team the New Jersey Devils are planning to move to other venues. ...

Life isn't getting any easier for Britney Spears. Kim Robard-Rifkin, the reported woman whose car the singer hit in August — for which she was charged with two misdemeanors on Friday — has spoken out to CelebTV.com. "I was not surprised with the criminal charges — this is what happens when somebody hits your car and runs — especially when it is all caught on video," she said in a statement. Spears' former bodyguard Tony Barretto also spoke out on Monday, telling "Today" show host Matt Lauer that he had witnessed her using drugs on two occasions. While Barretto did not specify which drugs he supposedly saw her taking, he said both incidents occurred at a nightclub in Los Angeles, one at the table she was sitting at and the other in a private restroom. When Lauer asked him about a third incident in which he alleges to have seen her strung out in a Los Angeles hotel room, Barretto replied, "I did." ...

Sarah Silverman was surprised by the reaction that met her controversial VMA monologue, in which she flung derogatory insults at Britney Spears, among others, she told Us Weekly. Regarding one of her saltiest remarks — that Spears' kids "are the most adorable mistakes you will ever see" — Silverman replied, "The joke that everyone was upset about ... was the most innocuous joke. It never occurred to me that [it] would be deemed hurtful or over the line." She also told the magazine for its new issue, which streets Friday, "I don't want to get into feuds with girls half my age. I'm in it to be funny and not for the drama. It's embarrassing." ...

Look, up in the sky, it's a new Gnarls Barkley album! And as Cee-Lo recently told MTV News of the follow-up to St. Elsewhere, "It sounds otherwordly. ... It sounds like an original, if I do say so myself. The theme is progression and how there's a first time for everything. You just have to go for it." Beyond that, though, Cee-Lo didn't want to give up too much. Asked about collaborators, he demurred: "Danger Mouse is my special guest. He's my counterpart in the enigma of Gnarls Barkley." No duh — we meant, anyone else? "Let me continue to surprise you," Cee-Lo smiled. For those who caught Cee-Lo's take on Prince's "Darling Nikki" with the Foo Fighters at the VMAs, he wants fans to know that his performance at the show was supposed to be a surprise appearance with Amy Winehouse, "believe it or not." But since she had to bail from the show, he's saving that collaboration for a future appearance. ...

The Sex Pistols — who just tacked two more gigs onto their upcoming November reunion in London, according to BBC News — have another trick up their collective sleeve: A newly recorded rendition of their punk staple, "Anarchy in the U.K." The band entered the studio for the first time in 30 years to record the track, which will surface on "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock." ... As I Lay Dying clearly have more than a few gasps left — the metal band edged out Switchfoot, Jason Mraz and others to win the San Diego Music Award for Artist of the Year. AILD nabbed the same honor in 2005. ... Canadian singer/songwriter Patrick Watson and his band have pulled off an arguably more impressive feat: The Montreal quartet have nudged by Arcade Fire and Feist to land the Polaris Music Prize for Best Album. ...

Despite the recent head injuries sustained by guitarist Brent Hinds, Mastodon have booked a gig, opening for the Queens of the Stone Age on October 29 in Los Angeles. The band is also scheduled to appear at the Vegoose festival on October 27 in Las Vegas, where Hinds was jumped following Mastodon's performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Police claim Hinds was attacked outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on September 10 during an encounter with System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian and his friend William Hudson. According to police, Hudson assaulted Hinds, and Odadjian witnessed the incident. ... While at the VMAs, Mastodon told MTV News that they wrote their best song ever — even though it's not quite finished yet — while on the way to the big show. "It's pretty much the best record we've yet to write," guitarist Bill Kelliher said before singing a couple of the riffs with Hinds. "That's how it goes — du-duh-du-duh na-nah-nah. We wrote it in the car on the way over here, at least the intro of it. Part one. We're at the really beginning stages. It's going to be awesome, though. Everything we do is amazing." ...

The Game entered his expected not-guilty plea on Tuesday to three felony counts stemming from a pickup basketball game in Los Angeles in February. The rapper (real name: Jayceon Taylor) is free on $50,000 bail and has a pretrial hearing set for October 30. ... Jack Bauer might not be such a hero after all: Kiefer Sutherland was arrested early Tuesday morning for drunken driving in Hollywood, Reuters reports. The actor was pulled over after making an illegal U-turn and blew more than the .08 legal limit upon taking a breathalyzer test. He posted $25,000 bail at a Hollywood police station and is due in court on October 16. ...

The Phil Spector murder trial is in the hands of the jury now, but that hasn't stopped more bizarre developments from emerging in the case. According to AP, over the weekend, a threatening post appeared on a MySpace page possibly belonging to the music producer's wife, Rachelle. "I love Phil Spector!!! The Evil Judge Should Die!!!! Xoxo Chelle," read the post, a police spokesperson told the news outlet. The page, which features an image of Rachelle wearing a "Team Spector" tee, was referred to a sheriff's department unit that investigates such threats. The post has since been removed. ...

Amazon's new digital-music store is up and running, with songs going for 89 to 99 cents and albums selling for around $6-$10. The songs, which don't have copyright protections, can be burned onto CDs and copied to multiple computers. Record-label giants Universal and EMI, in addition to a flood of indie labels, are selling their songs through the site. ... A former trustee in James Brown's estate might have misappropriated up to $7 million of the late music legend's money, special administrators told a South Carolina judge on Monday. State Circuit Judge Jack Early told David Cannon, the former co-executor of Brown's will, to pay $400,000 and produce additional documents. Early also said Brown's family could pursue the claims. ...

The Cult will headline the fall installment of the Jägermeister Music Tour, which is set to launch October 17 in Pala, California, and run through mid-December, with the full list of dates coming soon. Rounding out the bill will be Vietnam, the Cliks and Action Action. ... Former L7 leader Donita Sparks is going out on her own with her debut solo effort, Transmiticate, due January 22. The effort, which will feature her new backing band, the Stellar Moments, shifts away from the grunge and metal sounds that defined L7 and tinkers with more pop and dance elements. ...

Fans of Los Angeles ska act Hepcat are mourning the passing of bassist Dave Fuentes, 36. While details are scarce, the band did issue a statement, saying, "We are sad to announce that our brother, beloved bandmate and amazing friend, David Fuentes, is no longer with us. He will be missed by everyone but especially everyone in the Hepcat family." He leaves a wife, Yohanna, and two sons, Andrew, 7, and Darren, 3. A memorial fund has been established to help his family. ... A special-effects technician working on the set of the Batman sequel "The Dark Knight" was killed when a truck carrying a camera platform rammed into a tree on Monday in London, AP reports. Filming was not taking place at the time of the accident, which is under investigation.

09.25.07

Could what went around come back around again for Justin Timberlake? The singer will look to replicate his VMA success overseas at the MTV Europe Music Awards, as he leads the list of nominees. JT is up for four awards: Ultimate Urban, Headliner, Video Star and Solo Artist of 2007. Beyoncé, Amy Winehouse, Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, My Chemical Romance, Rihanna, Linkin Park and Nelly Furtado also grabbed three noms for the event, which will take place November 1 in Munich, Germany. Kanye West was noticed twice and will again face off against Justice, for Video Star — he threw an onstage tantrum after losing to the group in the Best Video category last year. Snoop Dogg will host the ceremony. ...

Britney Spears' new lawyer, Sorrell Trope, and her ex-husband Kevin Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, met privately with Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon in the judge's chambers on Monday (September 24). They discussed how to "refine" the court order issued last week that imposed random drug testing, counseling and parenting classes on Spears, who has until November to sort out some of her child-custody-dispute issues. According to a source close to the situation, Spears' misdemeanor charges of hit and run, causing property damage and driving without a valid license have no bearing on the custody discussion, though there's no word yet if any new decision or arrangements have been made. Spears is due in court October 10 for her arraignment on the criminal charges. ...

A week after calling it off, 50 Cent has rescheduled his U.K. tour, scotching suggestions that he had made good on his promise to (kind of, maybe) retire if Kanye West debuted higher than him on last week's record charts. According to BBC News, the rapper, who was soundly thrashed by 'Ye last week on the charts, has announced eight arena gigs in November, though 50's reps did not return calls seeking confirmation. ...

Chalk up another first for Beyoncé: She's joining the ranks of Shaun White and Larry David with her own American Express "Are You a Cardmember?" commercial, which is set to debut on airwaves Monday night. The singer is the first recording artist to be featured in a 60-second spot for the company. In Beyoncé's clip, directed by music-video veteran Paul Hunter (Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige), she's seen traveling on tour and going from a photo shoot to a dance rehearsal to a press conference — all in one day. Her parents pop up for quick cameos as well. The singer will also be featured in AmEx print ads. ...

By now, you've probably heard about — and maybe also seen — the apparent Meg White sex tape, but we've got some news for you: It's not real. That's according to the White Stripes' publicist, Chloe Walsh, who told MTV News in an e-mail that "the tape circulating on the Internet as featuring Meg White is fake." Earlier this month, the Stripes canceled all their remaining tour dates for 2007, citing White's "acute anxiety," and when news of the sex tape broke over the weekend, conspiracy buffs began circulating the idea that it was the cause of said anxiety. But, as Walsh said, "it's definitely not Meg." ...

There could be a glimmer of hope for a Hot Boys reunion after all, although fans might not want to count their chickens just yet. Footage from a Lil Wayne concert has popped up online, and in the clip, the Rapper Eater tells spectators he's back with his one-time group and that a project is in the works for next year. That said, the date of the clip has not been authenticated as of yet, and a spokesperson for Wayne told MTV News that there are no plans for an album. Moreover, as fans well know, Hot Boy Turk is still in jail on murder charges, and Juvenile and B.G. have denounced Wayne and Cash Money Records since they left the fold years ago. ...

Though the exact cause of death has not yet been determined, authorities investigating the remains of two dogs found buried at an Arizona home belonging to DMX said that one had serious bite wounds and another had signs of trauma to its abdomen. The Associated Press reports that investigators, looking into allegations of animal neglect, also found a third dog carcass, which had been burned so badly an exam was inconclusive. The remains were dug up on August 24 when investigators looking into the allegations raided the rapper's home and seized 12 pit bulls, a number of weapons and a quarter-ounce of marijuana. No charges have been filed against the rapper (born Earl Simmons), who has said that caretakers were looking after the animals in his absence. ...

Carrie Underwood will try to snag a second Female Vocalist of the Year trophy at the Country Music Awards, which air November 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. The singer is up for the same award she won last year, and her "Before He Cheats" single earned her two additional noms, for Music Video of the Year and Female Vocalist, Single. She'll perform at the show, as will Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney and others. ... And speaking of award shows, Jimmy Kimmel will return to host the American Music Awards, which will air November 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Nominees, select performers and new online-voting procedures will be unveiled October 9 in Beverly Hills, California. ...

Phil Spector's defense filed a motion in court on Monday asking Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler for help in clarifying the controversial new instructions he gave the jury last week, AP reports. In a hearing, for which the jury wasn't present, Fidler listened to arguments regarding the motion but didn't specify how he would rule. Also on Monday, jurors requested use of a VCR, although it's not known what they wanted to watch. ... If the Rolling Stones are touring, it's a fair bet they're going to top Forbes magazine's list of biggest-earning music acts. From June 2006 to June 2007, the sexagenarian rockers earned an estimated $88 million, with Jay-Z biting at their heels with $83 million — he bested Madonna, who raked in a paltry-by-comparison $72 mil. Jersey's finest, Bon Jovi, landed at #4 with $67 million, while Elton John bagged $53 million. Celine Dion came in sixth with $45 million, out-earning country star Tim McGraw at $37 million, with 50 Cent breaking in at #8 with $33 million, followed by U2 ($39 mil) and Diddy, who closed out the top 10 with $23 million. Justin Timberlake just missed the top 10 with a nice showing of $20 million. ...

Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne and Cee-Lo are among the many guests who'll appear on season two of "The Boondocks," which kicks off October 8 on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block. Busta Rhymes and Ghostface are two other musical guests slated to make cameos on the animated series, while actors Donald Faison, Terry Crews and Marion Ross will also make guest appearances. Mos Def and MTV News' own Sway will reprise their guest spots from last season. ... The Killers' much-ballyhooed B-sides album will be called Sawdust and will hit stores on November 13, according to their label, Island Records. There's no firm track list for the record, but we know that it'll include at least one new track, a duet with Lou Reed called "Tranquilize." ... As if coffee-crazed music fans needed another reason to go to Starbucks, the chain is vowing to give away 50 million tracks October 2-7 to promote its new hookup with the iTunes wireless service. Starbucks chains in the U.S. will dole out 1.5 million "song of the day" cards each day for redemption on iTunes. The first track is Bob Dylan's "Joker Man," which will be followed by songs from Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell and 37 other acts, including Dave Matthews, Joss Stone, John Mayer and Band of Horses. ...

Radiohead have spent much of the past year updating fans on the progress of their seventh album via a series of mysterious, sometimes incomprehensible blog posts. So now that they've finished the record, why should anything be different? Over the weekend, the band posted a series of bizarre hieroglyphics on its blog, featuring a sorta-smiley-faced character some fans recognized from a Radiohead T-shirt. (The shirt in question has a hand-drawn figure with stick arms and a frown, and the phrase "Hello My Name Is Worm Buffet.") Fans then got to work creating a Rosetta stone to decode the so-called "Worm Buffet" glyphs, and by Monday morning, they had succeeded. So far the five messages the band has posted ("Yes we are still alive," "Might not operate properly," etc.) are about as obtuse as frontman Thom Yorke's lyrics, leading some fans to presuppose that the messages actually are snippets of Yorke's lyrics from the upcoming album. Chatter on the band's forum speculates the band is slowly revealing the words to the song "Bodysnatchers," though a spokesperson for the band would only tell MTV News that while Radiohead are definitely posting coded messages, the content of them is not known. ...

Prince closed out his 21-date residency at London's O2 arena in style Friday night, busting out a truckload of hits including "Controversy," "U Got the Look," "Diamonds and Pearls," "Little Red Corvette," "I Would Die 4 U" and "Delirious." According to British reports, his customary afterparty included a guest spot from his avowed musical crush of the moment, troubled British singer Amy Winehouse, who took the stage at O2's intimate Indigo venue to sing her song "Love Is a Losing Game" with his Purpleness. ... Sean Paul and Talib Kweli also took to the stage over the weekend, at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, New York. The two were joined on Saturday night by Mark Ronson, who DJ'd a set at the Bacardi-sponsored show, B-Live, which donated $20,000 to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. ... Alice in Chains plan to continue their revival with a spate of unplugged shows this fall after the conclusion of their current tour with Velvet Revolver. The band's 10-gig run begins Saturday in Austin, Texas, and continues through October 21 in Kansas City, Missouri. ... The first dates for Hellyeah's upcoming Balls Volume Strength Tour, with openers Otep and Bloodsimple, have been revealed. Only nine gigs have been announced, the first on October 30 in Detroit and the last on November 10 in El Paso, Texas. ...

Richie Ramone was only in the Ramones for four years, but he figures the songs he wrote during his tenure are worth a million bucks. Richie (born Richard Reinhardt) filed a federal lawsuit on Friday, claiming he's owed almost $1 million in royalties for a handful of songs he wrote while in the group from 1983-'87, according to AP. Reinhardt's suit names Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Apple Inc., RealNetworks Inc., the Ramones' management and the estate of late lead guitarist Johnny Ramone, claiming that he never fully signed over the rights to digitally sell six songs he wrote for the group, including "Smash You," "Somebody Put Something in My Drink" and "I'm Not Jesus." Richie Ramone claims he's owed $900,000 in royalties and has asked the court to issue an injunction preventing further use of his songs without permission. ...

Christian metallers Norma Jean have parted ways with drummer Daniel Davison. In a statement, Davison said the decision was personal and effective starting November 8. "Recently, I have come to the point in my life where I no longer see Norma Jean as a ministry, and for me to continue in the band, saying that it is, would in my opinion be wrong," he said. "I am not leaving the band on bad terms with any of the guys, but there are differences between us, both personal and spiritual, that I felt were too great for me continue on with or ignore any longer." The band will search for a new drummer and plans to begin writing material for its next album this winter. ... Mogwai drummer Martin Bulloch underwent heart surgery last week to have his pacemaker replaced, and now his old one could be yours. Bulloch plans to auction it off to raise money for a heart foundation. The pacemaker will be up for grabs on eBay, and the sale of the item will benefit the British Heart Association.

• Fergie
• Jay-Z
• Britney Spears
• Gnarls Barkley
• Mastodon

Mastodon's Brent Hinds (second from right)
Photo: Reprise

While details surrounding the incident were unclear at press time, Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds suffered what a publicist for for the band's label, Warner Bros., described as a "severe" head injury in an incident that took place sometime after the VMAs early Monday morning. He remains under physicians' care in a Las Vegas hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

According to a Las Vegas police spokesperson, Hinds was inebriated at the time of the assault. Witnesses and security camera footage captured of the incident point to Hinds as the instigator; police said he'd removed his shirt and began hitting his assailant with it before he was knocked to the ground. Detectives are investigating the incident, but no charges had been filed at press time. According to police, a man by the name of William Hudson attacked Hinds; a police spokesperson said Hudson is an artist and attended the show with System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian, but did not provide any further information.

Hinds' nose was also broken, and he sustained two black eyes, according to the band's manager, Nick John. Although John did not provide details about what led to Hinds' injuries, he said they occurred at around 3 a.m. Monday morning, after the band had finished one of the highest-profile performances of its career — a guest spot in the Foo Fighters' suite during Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Mastodon performed their single "Colony of Birchmen" with Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme; the song appears on the band's 2006 LP, Blood Mountain.

"Thankfully, it seems he's going to [make a full recovery]," said John. "All I know is he had a bad head injury, broken nose and blacked-out eyes. He doesn't recall much."

• Mastodon

2007 VMA: Foo Fighters And Guests Live From The Fantasy Suites

• Foo Fighters
• Gnarls Barkley
• System of a Down
• Mastodon
• Queens of the Stone Age

50, Kanye, Diddy, Lil Wayne, Eve, Adam Levine Set For 2007 MTV Video Music Awards

• Rihanna
• Fall Out Boy
• Timbaland
• Justin Timberlake
• Foo Fighters

Kings Of Leon, Mastodon, Flava Flav, More Rock SXSW '07

• Lily Allen
• James Iha
• Kenna
• The Bravery
• Razorlight

Red Carpet Spectacular: Photos From The 2007 Grammy Awards

• Pussycat Dolls
• Wolfmother
• Ministry
• Jamie Foxx
• Rihanna

MTV.com Exclusive: Mastodon Photos 05.12.2005

• Mastodon