Christmas came a bit early around these parts, with the recent arrival of AC/DC's "Live At Donington" DVD. Recorded live during the band's August 1991 set at the legendary English venue, the DVD captures a ton of the band's classic anthems (no "Sin City," but we're not going to get greedy) and adds audio commentary from Angus and Malcolm Young. Hopefully the holiday season will deliver plenty of gems like this. Until then, we have a fistful of metal news to stuff in your stocking:

On Saturday (December 7), four contest winners were blindfolded and whisked to the Houdini Mansion outside Los Angeles where Slipknot are wrapping up work on their new album. The fans got to sample a handful of new tracks; the rest of the world will have to wait until the spring. ... After several years away from the band, original Cryptopsy singer Lord Worm has returned. The band is hard at work writing material for its fifth album, which will be recorded in March. ... Haste the Day's Burning Bridges, the Indianapolis Metalcore band's first release on Solid State, hits stores March 23. ...

The new full-length studio album from black metal architects Mayhem, Chimera, is due in March. ... Mastodon have completed a video for the track "March of the Fire Ants" and plan to begin recording the follow-up to last year's Remission in January with producer Matt Bayles (Botch, Burnt by the Sun). ... Crisis are finishing up their new album, Like Sheeps Led to the Slaughter, with producer Billy Anderson (Neurosis). The disc is due in the spring on The End Records. ... Viking-obsessed black metal band Enslaved's Below the Lights has been nominated in the Norwegian Music Awards' Best Album category. ...

Three members of Orange County's Throwdown have formed side projects: the Lost, a band in the vein of HIM and Mötley Crüe, features bassist Dom Macaluso and guitarist Tommy Love, while the a Perfect Circle-inspired Medic includes singer Dave Peters on guitar. Following an appearance at a Syracuse, New York, Hardcore Festival on New Year's Day, Throwdown will embark on tours of Japan and the U.K. ... Texas' Embodyment have called it a day. The group leaves behind three albums on Tooth & Nail/Solid State and last year's Songs for the Living, released on XSRecords. ...

Solid State Records is releasing a best-of collection from Zao, who split from the label for Ferret Records this year. Due December 23, Legendary will contain 14 songs from six of the band's seven releases on Solid State as well as a three-song demo recorded when singer Corey Darst was fronting the band. ... Meanwhile, in the wake of their singer's split to join Zao, the remaining members of Society's Finest have formed the Kinetic Sense and are looking for a singer in the Dallas area. ...

Grotesque Swedish death metal band Deathwitch will release their latest slaughterfest, Violence, Blasphemy, Sodomy, on February 24. Track titles include "Blood Sucking F---," "Abhorrent Sadistic Tormentor" and "Coffin Fornicator." ... Disfear, another group of Swedish metal merchants, have hired Entombed guitarist Uffe Cederlund as the band's second guitarist. Cederlund will perform double duty on the Entombed, Disfear and Raised Fist European tour, which began December 3. ... Bleeding Through frontman Brandan Schieppati and guitarist Brian Leppke have formed a new project with members of the defunct Sante Sangre called Unholy. The band will record a demo in January following Bleeding Through's current round of touring commitments. ...

Ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore recently recorded the soundtrack for a Turkish horror spoof called "Okul" ("The School"). After finding out that Moore was on hiatus in Istanbul, Turkey, the film's director and producers tracked him down, and Moore delayed the recording of his third Chroma Key album to work on the project. "Okul" will be released in Turkey on January 9, but there are no plans for a U.S. showing. ...

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

• Slipknot
• AC/DC
• Mayhem
• Mastodon
• Enslaved

Hello Metalions, Iann Robinson here. It's that time of the week again, the big Metal File report. Lots happening since we last spoke: First and foremost let me extend my pride and admiration to all the true believers out there who keep metal alive despite lack of interest by the corporate machine. A report recently released by USA Today states that metal-album sales are up by 232 percent, while everything else is failing or having a hard time moving forward. That's not only great news for the bands and labels who've worked so hard to make this scene what it is, but also for us, it proves that dedication to a lifestyle and belief in the scene and music you're about will always triumph over shelf-life music, no matter how popular it gets. We knew this all along, but it's good to see others forced to recognize it as well.

In other fun stuff, I got to hear the new Iron Maiden record, and, unlike some recent bands that have released albums that destroy their once-great legacy, Iron Maiden are still in full, true form. Like the new record or not, it's totally Iron Maiden; no attempts to be hip or cool to try to sell records here — just true Maiden in Maiden form. OK gang, be proud of yourselves and I'll see you at the shows:

Black Label Society will release their live DVD, "Boozed, Broozed & Broken-Boned," on August 12. The DVD was recorded live at Harpo's in Detroit. ...

Six Feet Under have settled on 11 tracks for their upcoming Bringer of Blood album, due September 23. The CD will include "Sick in the Head," "My Hatred," "Murdered in the Basement," "When Skin Turns Blue," "Bringer of Blood," "Ugly," "Braindead," "Blind and Gagged," "Claustrophobic," "Escape From the Grave" and the album's first single, "Amerika the Beautiful," for which a video is in the works. ...

Early reports that Immortal have called it a day may be a little off, according to Nuclear Blast, which claims the band is taking an extended break but not officially breaking up. ... Mayhem are going to record their new record, Chimera, in a mobile studio tucked away somewhere in the Norwegian mountains with the help of technician Børge Finstad. … Morbid Angel are filming a video for the track "Enshrined by Grace" from their upcoming Heretic album, due out in September. ... Helloween, Beyond the Embrace and Jag Panzer will team up for a tour kicking off on October 1 in Tempe, Arizona. So far, the bands have two weeks' worth of dates lined up. ...

A best-of series from Roadrunner Records hits stores on September 22. The first seven releases include Deicide, Life of Agony, Brujeria, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Madball and Malevolant Creation. ... Speaking of Brujeria, the band is gearing up for its first live show on September 4 in Bellflower, California. The group's current lineup includes Dimmu Borgir drummer Nick Barker, vocalist El Brujo, guitarist El Asesino (a.k.a. Dino Cazares, ex-Fear Factory) and Napalm Death bassist Shane Embury replacing ex-Faith No More bassist Billy Gould. ...

On August 12, Georgia sludge giants Harvey Milk will release The Singles through Relapse Records. The collection includes 13 rare tracks. ... God Forbid will enter Trax East Studios this week to record their new full-length album. Look for an EP, titled Gone Forever, in August. ...

Anathema, whose sound over the years has run the gamut from glacially paced death metal to progressive Pink Floyd and Radiohead-inspired rock, has entered the U.K.'s Parkgate Studios to begin work on the follow-up to 2001's A Fine Day to Exit. "It's fair to say you can expect a variety of songs and soundscapes on this one, peaceful and ambient tones to sonically massive great noises that we are barely able to control," guitarist Daniel Cavanagh recently posted on the group's Web site. ...

In the middle of August, Ministry will re-enter the studio to work on the follow-up to this year's Animositisomina. Frontman Al Jourgensen also plans to release albums by his side projects Revolting Cocks and Lard next year. The last Cocks album, Linger Ficken' Good ... came out a decade ago and the last Lard disc, Pure Chewing Satisfaction, hit shelves in 1997. ... Swedish girl-fronted melodic death metal band Arch Enemy will kick off a 12-date U.S. tour on August 25 in Springfield, Virginia. Shows run through September 8 in Los Angeles. Hate Eternal, Evergrey and Black Dahlia Murder will support. ...

Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, ex-Racer X guitarist Paul Gilbert, former Dixie Dregs bassist Dave LaRue and Pain of Salvation vocalist Daniel Gildenlow have formed the Led Zeppelin tribute band Hammer of the Gods, which will play November 7 at the Montreal Jazz Festival. ... Influential '80s German thrash band Kreator will launch a tour October 1 in Houston. Dates run through Halloween in Atlanta. The band has just released a double live CD, Live Kreation, and the DVD "Live Kreation - Revisioned Glory." ...

Napalm Death are finishing up a covers album, Leaders Not Followers 2, which will come out by year's end. The disc will feature versions of songs by Cryptic Slaughter, Offenders, Devastation, Agnostic Front, Attitude Adjustment, Sepultura, Hellhammer, Kreator, Discharge, Massacre and others. ... On August 26, thrash band Pro-Pain will release the covers album Run for Cover, with songs by Slayer, Agnostic Front, Motorhead, Sepultura, Discharge, Operation Ivy, Black Flag and others. ...

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

• Iron Maiden
• Six Feet Under
• Immortal
• Mayhem

Numerous 2003 NAACP Image Awards were awarded to musicians on Saturday. India.Arie won Outstanding Female Artist and Outstanding Duo or Group (with Stevie Wonder), LL Cool J won Outstanding Male Artist, Ashanti took Outstanding New Artist and Mary J. Blige took Outstanding Music Video (for "No More Drama"). The event was held at the Universal Amphitheatre in Hollywood, and will be broadcast on Thursday at 8 p.m. on Fox. ...

Blink-182, Puddle of Mudd, 311, Def Leppard, Sum 41 and Trapt have been lined up for this year's Rolling Rock Town Fair. Set for July 26, the event will be staged at Heinz Field, home of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers. ... The Flaming Lips will launch their first headlining tour in support of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots on April 15 in Athens, Georgia. The band, which toured last fall with Beck, will wrap the trek May 4 in Urbana, Illinois. ...

New York metalcore powerhouse Sworn Enemy, whose forthcoming major-label debut, As Real As It Gets, was produced by Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta, have been added to this year's Ozzfest festival. Up-and-comers Motograter have also joined the second-stage lineup. ... Black metal mavericks Mayhem created a little more carnage than they bargained for at a recent show in Norway. While carving up a dead sheep onstage, the band lost control of the head and the thing rocketed out into the crowd, smacking square into Per Kristian Hagen's head and fracturing his skull, according to the Associated Press. The concertgoer later said, "My relationship to sheep is a bit ambivalent now. I like them, but not when they come flying through the air." Hagen has filed involuntary assault and battery charges against the band, which has offered him a free ticket to its next show. ...

String Cheese Incident, Gov't Mule and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe are headlining the first Suwannee Bound festival on April 19 and April 20 in Live Oak, Florida. The North Mississippi Allstars, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Charlie Hunter are also on the bill. ... Garbage, Beth Orton, Travis frontman Fran Healy, Evan Dando, Echo & the Bunnymen singer Ian McCulloch and others still to be announced will perform at the One Big No anti-war concert at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on Saturday. Yoko Ono and Badly Drawn Boy are expected to deliver video messages at the event, the proceeds from which will go to the Stop the War Coalition and the Council for Nuclear Disarmament. ...

TheDoors' Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger have been hit with another lawsuit from another drummer. Stewart Copeland, formerly of the Police, is seeking $1 million from Manzarek and Krieger for breaching an oral contract to use him for the upcoming Doors 21st Century tour and album. Original Doors drummer John Densmore sued the group earlier in the year for using the Doors name without his consent. ... The debut album from Amphibious Assault, the solo project of former Kittie guitarist Fallon Bowman, has been pushed back. District 6, which features a guest appearance by Bowman's fellow Kittie expatriate Talena Atfield, won't be released until sometime in the spring, according to the group's official Web site. …

03.10.03

Metallica will be the subject of this year's "mtvICON," which will be taped before a live audience in Los Angeles on May 3. The heavy metal veterans will be the third act honored in the annual celebration, which previously paid tribute to Janet Jackson and Aerosmith. The special will celebrate Metallica's 20-year career, and spotlight their contributions to metal, music video and pop culture. The event will include performances and testimonials from artists influenced by Metallica and will be capped off with the band's first television performance with new bassist Robert Trujillo. ...

Neil Young & Crazy Horse have been added to the Bonnaroo Music Festival. The jam band event, happening June 13-15 in Manchester, Tennessee, will also feature the Flaming Lips, Ben Kweller, Emmylou Harris, the Roots, Sonic Youth, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Jack Johnson and dozens more. ... New York art-rockers the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have signed with Interscope Records and will release their debut album, Fever to Tell, on April 29. The first single from the 11-track LP will be "A Date With a Night." The Yeahs will embark on a 22-date U.S. tour starting April 4 at New York's Bowery Ballroom, and, after meandering over to the West Coast, will wrap things up back in the Big Apple with a two-date stint at Irving Plaza on May 7 and 8. ...

On May 27, expect to see some trembling and excited Led Zeppelin fans at your local record store. Hitting shelves will be the "Led Zeppelin DVD," which includes rare live footage culled — under the supervision of guitarist Jimmy Page — from such legendary performances as the 1970 London Royal Albert Hall concert and the July 1973 Madison Square Garden show that was featured in "The Song Remains the Same" concert film (the only previously released live Zep footage); and "How the West Was Won", a three-CD live album that includes a 23-minute medley based around "Whole Lotta Love" and a 25-minute version of "Dazed and Confused." ...

Fountains of Wayne have set a June 3 release date for their third album, Welcome Interstate Managers, which features a guest appearance by former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha. The group's Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood have also completed the theme song and other material for "Hey Joel," and new animated VH1 series created by Entertainment Weekly columnist Joel Stein. The duo will appear as characters on the show as well. ... Still supporting their 2002 disc, Kill the Moonlight, Texas indie rockers Spoon will kick off a month-long, 17-date U.S tour beginning with a South by Southwest show March 14 at Stubb's BBQ in Austin, Texas, with Cat Power and Yo La Tengo. Opening for the group on the rest of the jaunt, which will finish up on April 13 at the Echo Lounge in Atlanta, will be former Archers of Loaf singer Eric Bachmann's group Crooked Fingers. ...

CKY guitarist Deron Miller will collaborate with members of Malevolent Creation on a Death tribute record, which should be ready for release by 2004. Proceeds will go to help pay the medical bills of former Testament and Death guitarist James Murphy, who is being treated for a brain tumor. Death founder Chuck Schuldiner died of a brain tumor in December 2001. ...

• Ashanti
• LL Cool J
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Puddle Of Mudd
• The Flaming Lips