Norma Jean
Photo: Solid State Records

Artist collaborations can happen in a number of different ways. In the realm of pop, they're usually orchestrated by some crafty record-label executive operating on the assumption that if you double the artists, you'll double the album sales. In hip-hop, often it's some producer who'll get two rappers in the same room and press "record." When metal and hardcore acts team up, it's almost always born out of touring — two bands will head out together, strike up a friendship along the way over brewskies and, at some point, agree to hit the studio.

For the members of Christian metalcore outfit Norma Jean, who wrangled Deftones frontman Chino Moreno for a guest spot on the track "Surrender Your Sons" from the band's forthcoming LP The Anti Mother (in stores August 5), it wasn't touring together but at the same time that helped beget the collaboration of their dreams.

"The way it started was, we were on tour at the same time they were on tour, and we kept hitting the same clubs within like a day of each other," recalled frontman Cory Brandan, from the Charlotte, South Carolina, stop on this summer's Warped Tour. He said all of the members of Norma Jean are tremendous D-Tones fans. "So we started leaving stuff for them. We'd leave merch and CDs and notes for them, telling them how much we liked their band. I remember playing the Fillmore in San Francisco, and we left them more stuff."

Apparently, Moreno and the rest of the Deftones found the left-behind gifts and took an interest in Norma Jean.

"I think we were playing in Norfolk, Virginia, one night, and they'd played the day before and left us a bunch of stuff," the singer said. "We were like, 'Wow.' That was literally our relationship for months — leaving each other stuff at different venues. Then we just got ahold of Chino, and he was down to do it. He took some time off from recording with the Deftones, and he came in for a couple of days while we were in the studio, and we wrote two songs: 'Surrender Your Sons' and another we didn't use."

Later on, Norma Jean used one of their contacts to get ahold of Page Hamilton, Helmet's esteemed mastermind. After catching the band's live show, he was in. But Brandan said they didn't just want these two hardcore icons swinging by to track guest vocals. They didn't want to just hurl prepared lyrics at them, shove them into a recording booth and say, "Go." They took a different approach.

"We wanted to collaborate with these artists and have their personalities in the songs as well," he said. "Because their personalities fit with the vocals they'd be doing later, and it makes the songs cooler. The one we worked on with Chino, it sounds like a mix between the Deftones and Norma Jean, and the one we do with Page, same thing — it sounds like Helmet meets Norma Jean. We didn't want to just have guest vocalists come in, we wanted to collaborate with them and write songs — have them come in as if they were in the band. It was cool to see how others work within your own band."

Seeing as The Anti Mother is their final album for Solid State Records, the only label home they've ever known, Brandan said they "wanted to go out with a bang," and securing Moreno and Hamilton — as well as producer Ross Robinson — helped. Ultimately, the singer said he's confident that this is their best offering to date.

"We've been working our butts off on this record more than any other record we've done, and we put our souls into this record," he said. "It's a heavy record, and there's tons of melody throughout the record too. We've experimented with tons of melodies, mixed with chaos and heavy riffs, and I'm singing on some songs. There are songs on here that are that straight-up, classic Norma Jean sound, and there are songs on this record that we've always wanted to write but hadn't. We didn't want to pull any punches, musically."

The band began working on The Anti Mother last fall with new drummer Chris Raines and recorded the LP's final note just three days before they had to head out on Warped. For Brandan, who has two children (ages 14 and 9), a lot of the lyrics on the album were inspired by his own personal travails; he separated from his wife back in January and headed for his second divorce. Dealing with that pain helped shape the songs' meanings.

In addition to a headlining trek this fall with Haste the Day and Oh, Sleeper, Brandan said Norma Jean are mulling where they'll end up next, now that they've fulfilled their Solid State contract. While none of the majors have approached the band yet, the deluge of free dinners is just around the corner.

"We want to wait and be patient and not jump into something foolish," he said, obviously learning from the mistakes of other bands that have made the major-label jump, only to regret it. "I don't think, at this point in the music industry, that it's a bad idea to be a free agent. So we want to experiment and try some things out. We're just waiting to see what comes across the table."

The rest of the week's metal news:

The reunited Overcast, featuring Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio and Shadows Fall frontman Brian Fair, has booked a handful of live gigs for next month. They'll play Hackensack, New Jersey, on August 21; Albany, New York, on August 22; Providence, Rhode Island, on August 23; South Burlington, Vermont, on August 24; Worcester, Massachusetts, on August 29; and Waterbury, Connecticut, on August 30. ...

The wife of Divine Heresy's Dino Cazares (ex-Fear Factory) wrote on her MySpace blog that the couple was attacked over the weekend by former Divine Heresy frontman Tommy "Vext" Cummings, who was recently recruited to front the reunited Snot. While backstage, Jen Cazares claims Cummings chucked a beer at her head and then punched her in the face, before grabbing her husband by the hair. Security intervened, and the two men fell to the floor, where Dino cut open his head. It's the second time in recent months that the Cazares have alleged Cummings attacked them. ...

Amon Amarth will be joined this fall by Ensiferum, Belphegor and the Absence for a U.S. run that kicks off October 1 in Anaheim, California. Dates are scheduled through October 21 in Springfield, Virginia. Amon Amarth recently finished recording Twilight of the Thunder God, which will land on store shelves September 30. Look for the effort to feature 10 tracks, including "Where Is Your God?" "Tattered Banners and Bloody Flags" and "Embrace of the Endless Ocean." ...

Sweden's the Haunted have been working on new material, and now they've named their forthcoming effort Versus. It's set to drop sometime in October, according to a press release. ... Every Time I Die have completed their contract with Ferret Music and are currently entertaining offers from other labels. According to frontman Keith Buckley, "I think people will be very pleased to know that it looks like we will not be signing with a major. Some were interested, but I don't think we even got down to discussing deals." ...

In This Moment have completed the recording of their next LP, which they've dubbed The Dream. According to the band, they're "extremely excited with the results. We were all living and recording in the same house, and it has been such an awesome experience for us." The disc will feature 12 tunes, but no official release date has been cemented just yet. ...

Anal Cu--, Anal Blast and Infernaeon have rolled out a bunch of West Coast dates for next month, the first being August 22 in Hollywood. Nine gigs have been booked, and the run ends August 31 in Reno, Nevada. ... Children of Bodom and Between the Buried and Me will be heading out this fall for a U.S. trek that kicks off in Baltimore on September 11 and concludes October 10 in Worcester, Massachusetts.

• Norma Jean (Metal)
• Deftones
• Amon Amarth
• Every Time I Die

Disturbed's David Draiman and Dan Donegan
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

Last week, Australia's Beat magazine ran an article on New Jersey's Dillinger Escape Plan, in which guitarist Ben Weinman said he'd once witnessed one of Disturbed's soundchecks and spotted something rather curious. "[They were] practicing where they were going to walk and when they were going to put their leg up on the monitor and pose," Weinman said. "That was weird for us. There are times [during live gigs] where I don't even know where I am."

Weinman's remarks were an obvious dig at Disturbed, who release their fourth studio effort, Indestructible, on June 3. It's not the first time Dillinger have started beef with a band, and it probably won't be the last. But when asked about the claims about their "onstage posing," Disturbed guitarist Dan Donegan seemed stupefied.

"I never even remember meeting these guys, and I think we know anybody that's even in the room during our soundchecks, so that's shocking to me, because I would think that we would have met them if they were standing there during our soundcheck," Donegan said. "That's funny. When we do a bigger production, there may be certain lighting cues for certain highlights of the show, but I wouldn't call it 'posing,' just a cue for our lighting guy, so he can add more drama to the set. If [Dillinger] sold some records, and were at the level we're at, maybe they'd see that, for bands like Kiss and Metallica, there are certain highlight points during a set that you want to focus on. If I'm going to go over to one spot and do a guitar solo, my lighting guy may need to know that, so he can focus in on that.

"If that's posing, then so be it," the guitarist continued. "To me, I don't think we talk about when we're going to put our foot up on a monitor. That's just silly. It's a natural thing we do. Those guys can say whatever they want. If that's supposed to be a jab at us, am I offended? I don't give a sh--. If they're saying it because they're haters, why? Because we sell millions of records and lots of tickets? It sounds more like jealousy to me."

Plus, Donegan points out, Disturbed's stage shows often feature pyrotechnics displays — as they will this summer, when the band co-headlines the inaugural Rockstar Energy Mayhem Fest with Slipknot. "We have millions of fans, and we find ways to connect with them," he added. "We utilize theatrics and pyro, so we have to rehearse where the pyro is going to go off, because we don't want to have a James Hetfield moment and get caught in the flame. But that's something Dillinger Escape Plan would know nothing about, because they don't play arenas —: they play clubs."

Now that that's all sorted out, there's new material to be discussed: Indestructible, an album Donegan feels is Disturbed's finest achievement to date.

"To us, its even heavier than [2005's] Ten Thousand Fists, and there's more attitude to it," he said. "I know 'heavy' is a relative term, but to me, heavy isn't just Cookie Monster vocals and playing as fast as you can. Heavy metal, to me, was the classic metal bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest — guitar- driven bands with powerful, melodic vocals. [Frontman] David [Draiman] is a melodic singer, like Bruce Dickinson. For these hardcore fans who hear melody in a song and think a band's soft or that we're not metal enough for them, oh well. The metal I grew up on were those classic bands that are still playing today and are respected by everybody. That's the path we've always tried to go down, and we seem to be going down that path."

For Disturbed, the biggest challenge making Indestructible was the production of it. The band decided they wanted to handle it themselves, which their label and management weren't so sure about at first.

"We had to make sure they were OK with us doing it without another set of ears in there — someone who could referee those times where we might be battling it out," he said. "We're just so comfortable with each other, and just so respectful of what each guy's role is in the song writing and recording process, that once we got the first couple of songs tracked, it was enough to keep the label and management out of the way. Removing that producer role had people more on the edge of their seats, just making sure we could handle it that way, without somebody else, and we proved to them — and ourselves — that we can. And it gave us the best record we've made yet."

Thematically, the record's also one of the darkest records the band's churned out. The LP's first single, "Inside the Fire," may be the most personal of all the record's tracks, and the video is a reflection of that, Donegan said. Directed by Nathan Cox, it deals with the same theme the song tackles: suicide.

"It's the darkest song David's written, and it has a personal connection to him; it's about an ex-girlfriend of his, when he was a lot younger, who committed suicide — she overdosed," the guitarist explained. "The video has to do with that same subject, but it's his girlfriend hanging herself. At the front of the video, we wanted to get a suicide prevention hotline number up there, so there's no misinterpretation of what we're saying. We're not condoning suicide, but raising awareness to the issue, so anyone who feels suicidal or is depressed or going through a hard time, hopefully it will hit those people enough to make them know that there's somebody out there willing to listen to them, so maybe they should talk to someone else if they have those feelings."

After this summer's Mayhem Fest, Disturbed plan to head overseas for a few months of live gigs, and will be back in the states before Christmas for a little rest and relaxation. Then, they'll hit the road again with their "Music as a Weapon" tour, which Donegan said is now in the planning stages.

"We continue to evolve as players and songwriters," he said, when asked what fans can expect from Indestructible. "I don't know the magic formula to being able to do it, except that we go into it with the mindset that we're doing it for ourselves and meeting our own expectations. You can't guess what the rest of the world wants. But our fans have proven they're with us, and they're here to stay and we're certainly not going anywhere — whether you like it or not."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Within Chaos and the Destro have been added to this year's Ozzfest, which has been reduced to a one-day destination festival, set for August 9 at Pizza Hut Park in Dallas. The bill also features Metallica, In This Moment, the Sword, Goatwhore, Witchcraft and Soilent Green, among others. Oh, yeah, and they'll be dusting Ozzy off again so he can headline. ...

Norma Jean are in the middle of recording their fourth album, The Anti Mother, with producer Ross Robinson (Glassjaw, At the Drive-In) behind the boards. Slated for release later this summer, the band apparently collaborated on material separately with Helmet's Page Hamilton and Chino Moreno of Deftones. According to a statement from the band, the album's title's derived from "a character we created, which represents anything that is deceptive, and yet possesses an outwardly beautiful nature." ...

Six Feet Under have begun recording new material for their forthcoming Metal Blade Records set. According to the band, "It's great to be back in the studio, and we feel really psyched to lay these new songs down. They are some of the best stuff we have come up with, and [we] can't wait for all of our fans to hear the new stuff." ... The JonBenét have been touring the U.S., road-testing some new material, which they plan to record later this year. The band will be rolling through Anthony, Texas, Friday night (May 16), and dates are booked through June 14 in Austin, Texas. ...

It Dies Today have set Lividity as the title of their next album, which they'll be self-producing for a fall release. ... On August 19, the Acacia Strain will release their forthcoming album, Continent. The disc is being produced by Zeuss, who has worked with the likes of Hatebreed and Shadows Fall.

• Disturbed
• Dillinger Escape Plan
• Norma Jean (Metal)
• The Acacia Strain

Lily Allen
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

Lily Allen is returning to work after suffering a miscarriage last week, Us Weekly reports. The British songstress will begin shooting her upcoming TV show, "Lily Allen and Friends," on Wednesday. The show will air on the U.K.'s BBC3. "She has insisted on coming back to work," a BBC insider told Us. "Obviously it's tough for her right now, but she is a professional and sees going back to work as a way to focus on something else." Allen was four months along with her first child with boyfriend Ed Simons, one-half of the Chemical Brothers, when she had the miscarriage. ...

Pinhead Gunpowder, a side project for Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, will be playing two very rare shows next month. The band is booked to perform February 3 at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California, and on February 4 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. The last time the band performed live was back in 2001. ...

Four eyewitnesses have reportedly stepped forward to support a claim from real-estate agent Gerard Rechnitzer that he was assaulted by Sean "Diddy" Combs at an Oscar party last year. The Associated Press reports that papers filed by Rechnitzer's attorney contain a witness report from Marianna Ruiz, who said in papers filed last week that Combs struck Rechnitzer unprovoked. "I just kind of remember seeing him go flying, not flying as in like feet off the ground, but he went back significantly," said Ruiz, who was part of a group at the club with the Rechnitzer. "I was just in shock that somebody would ... just kind of strike somebody out of nowhere." A second witness, Michael Sherman, reportedly said that, "all of a sudden, he hit him. And there was a taxi behind Gerard. Gerard got knocked into the taxi." Sherman added that Combs then allegedly tried to spit on Ruiz, who was standing nearby. Rechnitzer is seeking unspecified damages in the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last year over the incident, which took place on February 25, 2007. The suit, which Combs' attorneys have called "completely baseless," also claims that the rap impresario pushed Rechnitzer's girlfriend. ...

Paris Hilton had a rather uncomfortable experience the last time she appeared on David Letterman's talk show — but not uncomfortable enough to keep her from coming back. Hilton will appear on "The Late Show With David Letterman" on February 1, according to TMZ. During Hilton's September 28 visit, Letterman asked questions about the heiress' stint in prison and wouldn't let up. It will be Hilton's sixth appearance on the show. In other Hilton news, Us Weekly caught up with the celeb at Sundance to ask about her on-and-off friend Britney Spears. "She's such a sweet girl when I'm alone with her; she's a completely different person than she's made out to be," Hilton told Us. "And I love her. I think she's very sweet and has a big heart. She's amazing." The "Simple Life" star wished the best for the troubled pop star. "I just want her to be happy," she said. "I think everything's going to be OK." ...

Kiefer Sutherland was released from jail early Monday morning after serving 48 days on a drunken driving charge. According to The Associated Press, the "24" actor was quickly ushered out of a back door of the Glendale, California, jail to avoid the crush of press. Sutherland, who had his own cell and ate alone, reportedly spent most of his jail sentence apart from other inmates, interacting with fellow prisoners only when he was on the way to the laundry room where he worked cleaning sheets, pillowcases and blankets. The actor pleaded no contest in October to driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of 0.08 percent and was sentenced to 30 days, as well as 18 days for violating probation stemming from a 2004 drunken-driving arrest. ...

AFI plan on returning to the same studio where they recorded most of their earliest albums, to begin work on what will be their next LP. Guitarist Jade Puget wrote on the band's MySpace blog, "We're currently working on new songs," and noted that being in the old studio has the band feeling "very nostalgic." ... Why was Gwyneth Paltrow hospitalized last week? Her chef pal Mario Batali says the actress' trip to New York's Mount Sinai Hospital was due to "a little gastrointestinal situation," according to UsMagazine.com. "It's now been straightened out," said Batali, who is traveling with Paltrow to Spain in three weeks to shoot a PBS cooking show, set to air in October. Paltrow's rep issued a statement on Tuesday (January 22), saying, "She is at home and OK." ...

The original lineup of New York hardcore legends Biohazard will reunite for a series of performances this summer in commemoration of the band's 20th anniversary. Bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld, guitarist/vocalist Billy Graziadei, drummer Danny Schuler, and guitarist Bobby Hambel have not performed together publicly since 1995. "Biohazard was the single most important chapter in our lives," Seinfeld said. "Our music brought us together and helped us rise up out of the streets of Brooklyn. Our journey has been an amazing one, and for me, it's all about my brothers Billy, Bobby and Danny, and of course the fans, whose undying support has never given up on the hopes of a reunion of the original band." ...

Christian metalcore outfit Norma Jean have tapped Spitfire's Chris Raines as their new drummer. The announcement ends months of auditions to find a replacement for Daniel Davison, who left in September.

1.21.08

Usher's father, Usher Raymond III, passed away at an Atlanta hospital on Friday, a rep for the singer confirmed to MTV News. The cause of death was not immediately known; People.com reported that the funeral will take place this week at the Taylor Funeral Home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. ...

Britney Spears spent more than two hours at the Los Angeles office of Kevin Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, on Monday (January 21) for an ongoing deposition in the former couple's custody battle, according to People.com. Spears was videotaped driving up to the office, accompanied by friend Sam Lufti, at around 10:40 a.m. PT and left at around 1:20 p.m. The deposition is expected to continue on Tuesday.

1.18.08

Lindsay Lohan has gotten a harsh assignment as part of her community service for misdemeanor drunk driving. The Associated Press reported that the 21-year-old actress will be working two four-hour days at a morgue as part of her court-ordered program meant to show drivers the real-life consequences of drunk driving. Lohan — who must serve 10 days of community service as part of her plea deal — worked at an American Red Cross blood-services facility in a Los Angeles suburb in November. She has also been ordered to spend two days working in a hospital emergency room. ...

A New York judge told Foxy Brown on Thursday that she's going to have to provide medical proof for why she should be let out of jail to repair her defective cochlear implant, a surgically implanted hearing device. AP reports that acting Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Melissa Jackson told the rapper (born Inga Marchand) that she needs more information before deciding if she can let Brown out of jail to fly to California for treatment and a repair of the implant. Brown, who was sentenced to a year in jail in September for probation violation, recently petitioned the court via a handwritten letter to allow her to travel for treatment, saying that her hearing condition is worsening in jail and that she faces serious, potentially permanent hearing loss if the issue isn't resolved. Assistant District Attorney Cindy Chung had objected, saying Brown had not shown any proof that the procedure could not be done in New York and calling the request a "desperate and frivolous petition." Before being led out of court, Brown reportedly told the judge she had done a lot of thinking in jail about how to control her emotions and make better decisions, saying, "I have too much talent to throw it away. ... I know I will make you proud and my family proud." The seemingly nonplussed judge replied, "I'm glad you're learning some very hard lessons that needed to be learned." ...

Britney Spears, who has done little to promote her Blackout album aside from appearing in the tabloids on a daily basis, has landed a paying gig. Spears will host a party for the Scandinavian Style Mansion at a private residence in Beverly Hills, California, on February 16, party organizer Claus Hjelmbak confirmed. "She's going to do the press line and be there for a few hours," Hjelmbak told MTV News. She was a guest for a similar party for the Mansion featuring items from luxury brands on December 1. "Even though she wasn't the host, she was so sweet to everybody and so generous with her time," Hjelmbak said. "She made all these little kids and all my clients feel amazing." ...

Amy Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, was in court Friday (January 18) to enter a plea of innocent to charges of assault and conspiracy. According to The Associated Press, Winehouse was not in the London courtroom to hear Fielder-Civil confirm his name and enter the plea, but she did show up afterward in a silver BMW, surrounded by bodyguards who shielded her from the paparazzi. Despite rumors that the couple could be headed for divorce, Winehouse was seen whispering, "I love you handsome ... gorgeous one," to her husband as he was led away. Fielder-Civil, 25, who is accused of attacking a pub landlord, and then later conspiring along with several other men to convince the man to withdraw as a witness in the trial, has been in jail since November. Fielder-Civil is due back in court on February 29 to enter a plea on the charge of obstructing justice. AP reports that the landlord in the case, James King, denied the conspiracy charge during his appearance on Friday. ...

Dreams come true: Paramore are set to co-headline a tour with their idols Jimmy Eat World. The trek will launch in March, with dates to be announced shortly. "If it all ends tomorrow, we will be happy knowing that we got a tour with the band that gave us a reason to play music," Paramore singer Hayley Williams said in a statement. "We got to know them last December while playing festivals together. They put on a great show and we think it's going to be an awesome bill," added Jimmy Eat World singer Jim Adkins. ... Every Time I Die, Chiodos, Motion City Soundtrack, Meg and Dia, Thrice and the Bled are featured on the audio portion of the Take Action! Volume 7 CD/DVD compilation, which is scheduled for a March 4 release. ...

The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. — the site of a recent bid by talk-show host Stephen Colbert to have his portrait enshrined alongside some of America's legendary presidents — is about to unveil an exhibition honoring hip-hop. "Recognize! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture" will open February 8 and feature photographer David Scheinbaum's portraits of famous rappers, paintings by Kehinde Wiley of LL Cool J and Ice-T based on famous European and American paintings from the 17th-19th centuries, and a poem by Nikki Giovanni that will be transcribed onto the walls of the exhibition by artist Shinique Smith. There will also be four portrait murals created by a pair of Washington graffiti artists that will be featured in the hallway between the galleries. ...

Velvet Revolver's Slash recently told Illinois' Northwest Herald that the band will begin working on its next LP in April. Slash is also planning to record a solo album sometime in the next year or two, he said. ... Staind frontman Aaron Lewis' three-night solo acoustic run at the Mohegan Sun Arena and Cabaret in Uncasville, Connecticut, next month will be filmed for the rocker's first-ever solo DVD. There's no word yet on when the effort will be ready for mass consumption, but we'll keep you posted. ... Chevelle and Finger Eleven will hit the road together next month for a spate of live gigs. The first is set for February 19 in Flint, Michigan, and so far, shows are booked through March 18 in Providence, Rhode Island. More dates will be revealed in the coming weeks. ...

Hard as it may be to believe, Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore has recorded the score to an adult film, according to Wired. "Extra Action (And Extra Hardcore)," which hits stores March 18 and was directed by Richard Kern, is an hourlong film that features "unpretentious, unadorned and definitely undressed" women, asked to "roll around and do something interesting for a few minutes." ...

Seal has signed on as the headliner of Musicians on Call's fourth annual Benefit Concert & Auction, which will take place January 29 at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York's Times Square. Among the items up for bid from the organization, which brings music to patients in health-care facilities, are two front-row concert tickets and a one-on-one piano lesson from Gavin DeGraw, a Fender bass signed by Sting, an acoustic guitar signed by Bon Jovi, and a meet-and-greet and two tickets for a Daughtry or Carrie Underwood/ Keith Urban show. ... Against stiff odds, Tanya Andersen has beaten the Recording Industry Association of America again. The single mother, who became a folk hero among the thousands of targets of the association's downloading lawsuits when the RIAA dropped its 2005 suit against her for lack of evidence, got word on Tuesday that a judge had ruled in her favor once more. Wired News reports that an Oregon judge ordered the RIAA to pay the 42-year-old Andersen's legal-defense fees from the copyright-infringement case, upholding a September ruling that the organization had appealed.

[This story was originally published at 2:48 pm E.T. on 1.22.2008]

• Lily Allen
• Green Day
• Diddy
• AFI
• Biohazard

All That Remains' Phil Labonte
Photo: MTV News

New England metalcore champs All That Remains have become one of the standout acts on this summer's Ozzfest, decimating one sun-soaked crowd after another and delivering ferocious sets that obviously leave a lasting impression with the audiences at each stop on the tour.

The proof's in the pudding, as they say. All That Remains' latest, crushing LP, The Fall of Ideals, opened at #75 on Billboard's album sales chart two weeks ago, selling close to 13,000 copies its first week in stores. The following week, the disc took a bit of a slide, falling to #139 with around 6,000 units sold. The Fall of Ideals is on pace to outsell the band's previous offering, This Darkened Heart, which racked up first-week sales of 1,050 copies when it was released two years ago. The album failed to chart but has gone on to sell about 62,000 copies.

For frontman Phil Labonte, the album's got the potential to sell a lot more — and that's where the band's second-stage turn on this year's Ozzfest comes in.

"We did Sounds of the Underground last year, but still, there's a huge crowd of people out here who ... this is going to be the only show they go to all year," he said. "It's such a huge deal, and there's a huge percentage of people here who have never even heard of us, so it's a huge opportunity and we're coming in with a really solid foundation and really good groundwork from last year. Our last album sold 60,000-something copies without Ozzfest. So we're hoping this record does the same or more. With the help of tours like Ozzfest, maybe we'll do that."

Some of the material on The Fall of Ideals spotlights the band at its most brutal — with tons of double-bass and pummeling blast beats. But at the same time, the LP's also All That Remains' most accessible outing to date, thanks to Labonte's vocals, which, in keeping with the current trend, come across as much cleaner.

"There are more clean vocals on the record, but there's more vocal variety overall," he argued. "I do way more of the really guttural death-metal stuff than I've ever done. The song 'The Weak Willed' is the heaviest thing we've ever done — it's a death-metal song. But there's more clean singing on this one because I've gotten better at that. We're not that band that's like, 'Oh, here's a formula — let's go ahead and do it and write all our songs this way.' We've always been an extreme band, and certainly not something you could consider anything less than a metal band."

Of course, being on the Ozzfest — which wraps up August 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida — can obviously lead to bigger and better things for a band. And it seems the tour's already started paying off for All That Remains. In September, they'll head out with DragonForce and Horse the Band for a tour that's expected to kick off September 8 in Los Angeles. Just four dates for the trek have been announced, including September 9 in San Francisco, September 23 in Detroit and September 24 in Toronto. More dates will be unveiled in the coming weeks. Labonte said the band also plans on setting out on a headlining run this winter.

"We want to stay on the road as long as we can, because that's how you make fans and that's how you become successful as a band," he explained. "Being on Ozzfest is pretty humbling, because you have so many huge bands that are gigantic now that got their start on the second stage — Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, Hatebreed. It's a huge thing to be a part of it, and it's a huge thing to be able to say, 'Hey, we were on Ozzfest.' I couldn't be any happier."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne will appear Friday afternoon (July 28) at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York to unveil Hard Rock's latest Signature Series T-shirt — which was designed by Ozzy himself. Proceeds from the sale of the shirt will benefit the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The shirt — available in black for men and ivory for the ladies — features the hand-painted stick figure that's become Ozzy's signature logo. "Most people know Ozzy as the outrageous, envelope-pushing rocker, but underneath the wild exterior lies a heart of gold," Sharon said in a press release. "We contribute to several causes and Ozzy is extremely supportive of the mission of this Colon Cancer Program." ... The lineup for the inaugural Radio Rebellion Tour has been revealed. Norma Jean, who're on the bill for this summer's Ozzfest, will headline the run, with Between the Buried and Me, Fear Before the March of Flames, Misery Signals and revolving openers the Fully Down and the Confession. A full list of dates and venues for the trek will be revealed in the coming weeks, but the tour's expected to kick off October 6 in Nashville. In the meantime, fans can check out a track from Norma Jean's forthcoming album, Redeemer, called "Blueprints for Future Homes," over at the band's MySpace page. Redeemer is slated for release September 12. ...

Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society will hit the road in October with Black Stone Cherry for a 36-date U.S. trek that's set to commence October 14 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The run, of course, will be in support of the band's forthcoming LP, Shot to Hell, which is set for release September 19. Dates are scheduled through December 8 in Los Angeles. ... On September 12, Roadrunner Records will release several best-of collections, featuring selections from the back catalogs of such metal heavyweights as Ill Niño, Sepultura, Fear Factory and Type O Negative. ... Starting August 1, Strapping Young Lad will be joined by onetime Megadeth bassist James MacDonough; he'll be replacing Byron Stroud, who'll be touring with Fear Factory overseas starting August 5. ... Unearth will head out on a headlining tour September 7 in Cleveland, with Bleeding Through and Animosity in tow. Fifteen dates have been announced thus far, with shows scheduled through September 25 in Atlanta. ...

Heaven Shall Burn will issue their forthcoming album Deaf to Our Prayers September 5. Look for it to include "Stay the Course," which has been posted on Lambgoat's Web site. ... The guys in Deicide have booted the band's booking agent — a move that's forced them to postpone their forthcoming Stench of Redemption Tour. The band plans to reschedule a full U.S. run for 2007, but The Stench of Redemption will be in stores August 22. ... Nemhain, which features Cradle of Filth drummer Adrian Erlandsson and his missis, fetish model Morrigan Hel, will hit the studio this weekend to record a five-song demo, featuring "Blood Runs Free," "Heroin Child" and "Honey." The band will make its live debut August 27 in London. ... Diecast's upcoming LP Internal Revolution will land in stores September 19 and feature 11 tracks, including "Fractured," "Out of Reach" and "Definition of a Hero." ... Swedish black-metallers Naglfar have begun writing new material for the follow-up to last year's Pariah. There's no word yet on when the LP might surface, but when it does, expect it to include "The Way of the Rope," "Odium Generis Humani" and "Prayer of Cain." ...

Pioneering death-metal outfit Necrophagia have replaced former guitarist/singer Frediablo with Diablos guitarist Undead Torment. Frediablo left the band last year to concentrate on his other band, Grimfist. "A true passion for horror and gore, plus his dedication to the metal scene, [made] Undead Torment a perfect fit," the band wrote on its Web site. ... Madball bassist Hoya Guerra has been cast as Louie Savage in the forthcoming film "Rapturious," which was written and directed by Kamal Ahmed of the Jerky Boys. It will be Guerra's first turn as a thespian. ... Bassist Michael Håkansson has left Swedish metallists Evergrey, saying he feels "a strong urge to do something different in music." He has been replaced by former Hammerfall bassist Fredrik Larsson. ... New Jersey's Knife the Glitter need some help. Stranded in California with a van in desperate need of an oil pump, the bandmembers have called upon their fans to float them some cash. They're hoping some of their 3,200 MySpace friends will donate a buck or two to their PayPal account so they'll "have enough to get our van fixed and going again. We all feel pretty crappy, having to beg for money, but we really don't know what to do." If you're feeling generous, you can check out the band's MySpace page for more information. ...

When post-hardcore metal warriors the Wayward aren't destroying their audience's eardrums, singer and guitarist Nick Skrobisz and his brother and guitarist Jesse work as sign-language interpreters. Both their parents are deaf, so they learned to sign as kids, and because of their experiences growing up, they decided to dedicate their non-rocking hours to helping others who are hearing impaired. While their folks had never heard a note of their two sons' bombastic music, last week in Baltimore their dad watched his kids perform onstage for the first time ever. And the guy takes pride in looking at the artwork of the Wayward's eponymous full-length debut, which came out June 6. ... Think the Sword are unique? Go back and listen to Chicago pioneer stoner-metal band Trouble, which Dave Grohl has listed as one of his all-time favorite metal bands. On September 26, Trouble's long-out-of-print first and second discs, 1984's Psalm 9 and 1985's The Skull, will be reissued, and doomsayers will rejoice — even if Satan cringes. As heavy and gloomy as they are, Trouble are actually a Christian band. But don't let that stop you: The desperation and pain in songs like "Pray for the Dead" and "Bastards Will Pay" are 10 times more intense than the sinister shtick of most Norwegian devil-lovers. ...

A new DVD series called Dynamo Classic Concert 1991 will launch this fall with a performance by Metal Church filmed that year at the Dynamo Open Air Festival in Eindhoven, Holland. Other bands that played Dynamo that year include Armored Saint, Morbid Angel, Extreme, Obituary, Primus and Saigon Kick. The Metal Church DVD is scheduled for release October 10. ... Less than two years after Nasum guitarist/singer Mieszko Talarczyk died in Thailand in the tsunami that devastated the region, Nasum drummer/singer Anders Jakobson has resurfaced in a new band called Coldworker. The group, which plays a combination of death metal and grindcore, will release its debut album, The Contaminated Void, this fall. The band also features singer Joel Fornbrant, guitarist Anders Bertilsson, guitarist André Alvinzi and bassist Oskar Pålsson. A composite of several songs from the release can be heard on Coldworker's MySpace page. ... Yngwie Malmsteen, Brian May, Slash, Vivian Campbell, Zakk Wylde, Ted Nugent, Mötley Crüe's Mick Mars and others have contributed guitar solos to the new Carmine Appice solo project Ultimate Guitar Zeus, which comes out August 15. Vocals were performed by Edgar Winter and Doug Pinnick (King's X). The disc — which includes "Gonna Rain," "This Time Around" and a new rendition of "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?," written by Appice but made famous by Rod Stewart — was originally available for fan-club members on Appice's Web site. ...

Voivod will release their new album Katorz on vinyl in November. The record will feature new artwork and will be limited to 1,000 copies. The CD version of Katorz came out Tuesday. ... Every Time I Die recently shot a video for "The New Black" from their 2005 album, Gutter Phenomenon. The clip was directed by Dan Rush (Lamb of God) and depicts the bandmembers at a '70s party attended by Evel Knievel, go-go dancers, a half-naked man in rainbow suspenders and a guy playing with a Rubik's Cube (never mind that the Cube wasn't sold in America until 1980). In a somewhat nonsensical press statement, frontman Keith Buckley said, "In 1967, a man named Robert Patterson filmed the mythical beast Sasquatch as it strolled casually out of the woods and across an open field. Now set in 1972, director Dan Rush captures the existence of a musical beast called Every Time I Die as they partied poolside at an L.A. mansion." ... Polish death-metal pioneers Vader will release their new album Impressions in Blood on September 5. The disc was produced by Wojtek and Slawek Wieslawscy at Hertz Studios in Poland. Tracks include "Between Day and Night," "As Heavens Collide ...," "Field of Heads" and "ShadowsFear."

Where do your favorite metal bands rank on our list? Find out in the feature "The Greatest Metal Bands of All Time."

• All That Remains
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Necrophagia
• Trouble
• Norma Jean (Metal)

Ashley Parker Angel
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

Opening musical acts are like the redheaded stepchildren of the music scene: neglected, underappreciated and designated as second-class citizens by many concertgoers.

Many fans skip the supporting act and show up for concerts right before the headliner hits the stage. But in many cases, they're missing out on seeing the "next big thing" before it's selling out arenas. Or at the very least they're missing out on discovering a great band that they might really enjoy.

This summer, many opening acts are just as good — if not better — than the bands they're supporting. And don't forget about the slew of festivals, where even more up-and-comers play before the sun goes down. Here are some worthy supporting acts you might want to head out early for:

Who: The Pink Spiders
Supporting: Vans Warped Tour
Where you might have heard them: The band's "Little Razorblade" has been rocking the airwaves, and the video premiered on "TRL" in April.
Why you should show up early: Named one of the 100 Bands You Need to Know in 2006 by Alternative Press magazine, the Pink Spiders play garage pop-rock infused with deliriously catchy hooks bound to get your head bobbing and your foot tapping. Don't be deceived by their pink outfits and oversized sunglasses: These guys know how to rock.

Who: Ashley Parker Angel
Supporting: Ashlee Simpson
Where you might have heard him:
A regular on the reality-TV circuit, Angel got his big break when he was chosen as a member of O-Town for "Making the Band." After the group disbanded, Angel's struggle to launch a solo career was documented in the MTV series "There and Back."
Why you should show up early: Angel has undergone a musical and physical makeover since his stint as O-Town's resident heartthrob. Not only has he grown out his blond locks and started sporting a more laid-back rock style, but his solo songs feature an edgier sound that proves he's more than just a pretty face. Ashlee fans might dig the other Ashley's honest, attitude-laced pop.

Who: Augustana
Supporting: The Fray
Where you might have heard them: Augustana have earned a spot in the regular rotation at many radio stations nationwide with the emotional track "Boston," and they've already hit the road opening for the Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls.
Why you should show up early: Only in their early 20s, the members of Augustana seem to draw from a well of life experience equivalent to that of people twice their age. The band might be on the fast track already, having also secured an opening spot for Snow Patrol in September.

Who: X-Clan
Supporting: Jurassic 5
Where you might have heard them: In the early '90s, X-Clan made a significant mark on the rap scene as a conscious hip-hop act in the vein of Public Enemy or Brand Nubian.
Why you should show up early: After breaking up almost a decade ago, the group was recently reunited by Brother J, and a new album is scheduled to drop this fall. Like headliners Jurassic 5, X-Clan are a hip-hop group that rejects the gangsta-rap persona, shuns commercialization and blends a positive message with their beats.

Who: Frank Black
Supporting: Foo Fighters
Where you might have heard him: Frank Black is regarded as an indie-rock icon owing to his turn as frontman for the Pixies, who everyone from Kurt Cobain to Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard have cited as an influence.
Why you should show up early: Black's solo music is much more subtle and toned-down than the Pixies' gritty blasts. But his engaging, mellow tunes are more fitting for the Foo Fighters' current tour, during which they're playing stripped-down, acoustic sets.

Who: Rogue Wave
Supporting: Guster and Ray LaMontagne
Where you might have heard them: Like seemingly every other just-under-the-radar indie band, Rogue Wave had a tune, "Publish My Love," that made it into an episode of "The O.C." that aired this past season.
Why you should show up early: Signed to Sub Pop, the mecca of indie labels, the band blends sing-song vocals with layers of pop-rock. They've been drawing comparisons to everyone from My Bloody Valentine to Neil Young.

Who: Norma Jean
Supporting: Ozzfest
Where you might have heard them: The "Headbangers Ball" darlings have toured incessantly over the last few years, opening for Atreyu and As I Lay Dying, and their 2005 album, O God, the Aftermath, reached #62 on the Billboard albums chart last year.
Why you should show up early: They may be a Christian band, but Norma Jean's music isn't for the gentle-hearted. With their thrashing guitars and guttural vocals, the music demands a mosh pit and gets it. In addition to high energy, they're known to bring elaborate light shows and smoke machines to the stage.

• Ashley Parker Angel
• Augustana
• Pink Spiders
• Rogue Wave
• Frank Black

Norma Jean
Photo: Solid State Records

AUBURN, Washington — Most of the bands that have worked with master metal producer Ross Robinson (Slipknot, Korn, At the Drive-In) characterize the experience as life-changing. And for GeorgiaGeorgia metalcore band Norma Jean, it was no different.

"I'd wanted to record with him for 10 years," explained drummer Daniel Davison, who tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend three weeks ago — a life-altering experience in itself. "His input and insight into the songs [that will appear on the band's fifth LP, Redeemer, due in stores August 15] was subtle — small things that gave the record a little more character. He was just the most positive and encouraging person I have ever met, and he had this way of bringing a lot out of us, emotionally, and he got the most intense sounds out of us."

Norma Jean — who, on Wednesday, were rehearsing for their summer appearance on Ozzfest's second stage — are still reeling from the Robinson experience, which began back in January. The band, which had spent most of 2005 on the road in support of its rabid O God, the Aftermath, considered the entire undertaking therapeutic, said Davison.

"We would talk about each song for, like, two hours," he recalled. "We'd talk about the lyrics and what certain lines meant and what they meant to each of us, where certain lyrics came from, what inspired the songs. And that's going to stick with us forever. This record just blows away anything we've ever done, and Ross captured all of the raw intensity of the entire recording process."

Before Redeemer's release in August, of course, there's Ozzfest, which kicked off here Thursday. Norma Jean are nervous about playing before some of the biggest crowds they've ever seen, but just because "we've only practiced once since we returned from the studio" earlier this month; Davison was on his honeymoon for two weeks.

"But we did play the Sounds of the Underground last year, which was a neat way to be introduced to summer festival tours — it was a good primer for Ozzfest," he noted. "I think we offer something a little different than the straight-up metal bands on the bill, so it should be awesome."

Norma Jean plan to spend the rest of the year promoting the album. This fall, they'll follow Ozzfest with a U.S. headlining trek, along with Between the Buried and Me, Fear Before the March of Flames and two other to-be-determined openers. The first single from the 11-track LP will be "A Grand Scene for a Color Film," but the band has no plans to shoot a video yet.

More news that rules:

The Haunted are currently mastering their new disc, the follow-up to 2004's rEVOLVEr. "I'm proud as f---," wrote singer Peter Dolving on the band's Web site. "It's bigger, better, madder and thicker. It rocks. Big time." While the album will likely be heavier than a suspension bridge, Dolving said it's not as fast as the group's other albums. "We were sick of the whole 900-[beats per minute]-chugga-chugga-AAARRRGGGGH-PUKE-end," he wrote. "This album is simply more diverse and dynamic. Bands like Trouble, Autopsy, G-Anx, Masters of the Universe, King Crimson and early Metallica have all had a great influence on us, and I think this album really draws a lot in color from those artists." ...

Motörhead's Kiss of Death will contain 13 new tracks, including a remake of the band's 1991 tribute to the Ramones, "R.A.M.O.N.E.S." The disc, which comes out August 29, will also feature "Sucker," "Trigger," "Devil I Know," "God Was Never on Your Side," "Sword of Glory," "Be My Baby," "Kingdom of the Worm" and similarly subtle titles. The album was produced by Cameron Webb, who also worked on the band's 2004 album, Inferno. And, yes, Motörhead still sound very much like Motörhead. ...

Chicago art-metal trio American Heritage will release their fourth album, Millenarian, September 19. The disc was recorded and mixed at Chicago's Volume Studios by Pelican and Yakuza engineer Sanford Parker. Tracks include "BrOOtal: Axxes of Evil," "Toilet Paper and Leotards" and "Spina Bifida." ...

Swedish death-metal vets Necrophobic will release their sixth album, Hrimthursum, August 22. The 60-minute-long record was produced by the band with engineers Anders Bentell and Fredrik Folkare, and will be Necrophobic's first new offering since 2002's Bloodhymns. The new track "I Strike With Wrath" can can be heard at MySpace.com/CandlelightRecordsUSA. ...

Walls of Jericho have confirmed August 22 as the release date for their third album, With Devils Amongst Us. The band recently shot a video for the first single, "A Trigger Full of Promises," with director Dale Resteghini (Hatebreed, Fall Out Boy). Walls of Jericho will be the only female-fronted group on the second stage of this year's Ozzfest. ...

After laying waste to North America, Slayer, Lamb of God, Children of Bodom, Mastodon and Thine Eyes Bleed will head to Europe for Unholy Alliance Chapter II: Preaching to the Perverted. The tour launches October 20 in Holland and runs through November 20 in London. The U.S. leg of Unholy Alliance wraps July 26 in Denver. ...

Swedish metal band Wolf are working on their fourth album, The Black Flame, with producer Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman in Sweden. The producer also worked with the band on its second full disc, 2002's Black Wings. The new record is tentatively scheduled for release this fall. ...

A DVD of Ronnie James Dio-era Rainbow titled "Live in Munich" will be released August 22. The recording is the only available live footage of the band's 1977-78 lineup, which featured Dio, drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Bob Daisley, keyboardist David Stone and, of course, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. A double-CD of the performance came out June 13. ...

Look for the fourth album by experimental instrumental metal band Estradasphere, Palace of Mirrors, September 19. Tim Smolens, bassist for the Santa Cruz, California, outfit said, "The album distills the elements in the group that are clearly the strongest, while trimming the fat of our previous efforts. Expect to hear Romanian gypsy death metal, heavy doses of '60s foreign-cinema rock, expansive orchestrations, progressive spaghetti westerns, no lead vocals and even an automated calliope band that can be struck up for just a quarter." ...

All That Remains have posted their new video for the song "This Calling" at MySpace. The clip was directed by Frankie Nasso (Mudvayne, Hatebreed) and shot at the end of May at the decommissioned Hancock Naval Base in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. All That Remains' third album, The Fall of Ideals will be released on July 11. ...

Phoenix grindcore band Landmine Marathon will release their debut Wounded July 25. The group is largely influenced by early Earache Records acts, including Bolt Thrower and Napalm Death, and is fronted by dynamic she-beast Grace Perry. Tracks include "25th Hour," "Crisscross Thoughts" and "Thunder Blasted Bodies." ...

Oakland, California's modern-death-metal mavens All Shall Perish will release their second album, The Price of Brutality, August 8. The band will preview material from the disc on its upcoming tour, which runs from July 14 in Ogden, Utah, to September 6 in Sacramento, California. ...

Following two weeks of rehearsals and pre-production, Mnemic have started tracking drums for their new album in a California studio with Warren Riker and Fear Factory's Christian Olde Wolbers. The upcoming disc will be the first to feature new singer Guillaume Bideau, who replaced Tony Jelencovich in late May. "Things are sounding great and we're just getting started," the band said in a statement.

• Norma Jean (Metal)
• Motörhead
• Necrophobic
• Walls Of Jericho
• Estradasphere

DragonForce
Photo: Roadrunner Records

In two months U.S. record stores will, at long last, be able to stock an album by British power-metallers DragonForce. While the band's been around since 1999, the sextet's presence in the U.S. hasn't been felt much, considering DragonForce's three albums — 2003's The Valley of the Damned, 2004's Sonic Firestorm and 2006's Inhuman Rampage, which was issued four months back — haven't been released here. Hell, the band has yet to set foot on American soil, so DragonForce fans here have been deprived to say the least.

But that's all about to change, guitarist Herman Li said. Visa problems kept DragonForce from performing at New York's CBGB club back in November, but Li said that's not going to happen again on April 30, when the band plays its first U.S. gig at the New England Hardcore and Metal Festival. But he did warn fans that DragonForce shows aren't like most metal shows.

"We're famous for accidents onstage now," he said. "We have trampolines we jump on and four different boxes of different heights, which allow us to jump in the air and spin around. Even though the music is really fast and complicated, we're jumping in the air, playing the guitar upside down ... it's fun. We finish each tour with bruises on our legs and everything."

Eight additional U.S. club dates have been lined up: May 2 (New York), May 3 (Philadelphia), May 4 (West Springfield, Virginia), May 5 (Cleveland), May 6 (Chicago), May 8 (Denver), May 10 (San Francisco) and May 11 (West Hollywood, California), with Protest the Hero and Sanctity. Most of those shows have already sold out, but Li did mention that the band's working on securing a spot on an American festival tour, like Sounds of the Underground or Gigantour 2 — so fans who miss them this time around might be able to catch the 'Force this summer. But Li said the band hopes, in time, to be headlining tours in the U.S.

First, though, there's the matter of getting an album on store shelves. On June 20, Roadrunner Records will release Inhuman Rampage in the U.S., but DragonForce have already begun writing new material for that record's follow-up. Fans, Li said, can expect the new stuff to be just as fast, frenetic and technically perverse.

Most of Li's guitar stylings have been inspired by video game music, he said. In fact, on Inhuman, he tweaked and scratched the strings to create sounds he claims he borrowed from "Pac-Man." And those sounds are difficult to replicate live.

"When we finish an album, it's like, 'Whoa — we've got to learn these songs? It's going to be tough,' " Li said of the recording process. "But it's better that way because it makes you a better player afterwards."

The rest of the week's metal news: Cradle of Filth's forthcoming album, Thornography, will hit stores September 19. Look for it to include "Libertina Grim," "Tonight in Flames," "Cemetery and Sundown," "I Am the Thorn," "The Byronic Man" (featuring guest vocals from H.I.M.'s Ville Valo) and "Temptation." ... Arch Enemy's Angela Gossow will lend her pipes to Demonized, the forthcoming LP from Greek female metallers Astarte. The disc should be in stores before year's end. ... Fear Factory's late-fall headlining trek with Suffocation, Hypocrisy and Decapitated will launch October 26 in San Francisco. Dates thus far run through November 26 in Saginaw, Michigan. ... Slipknot's Joey Jordison has signed on to produce the forthcoming, yet-untitled 3 Inches of Blood album, which should feature "Night Marauders," "Goatriders' Horde" and "Black Spire" when it's released early next year. ... Devin Townsend-led Canadian extremists Strapping Young Lad have revealed the tentative track list for their forthcoming opus, The New Black, which will hit stores July 11. The album will feature 11 cuts, including "You Suck," "Far Beyond Metal" and "Almost Again." ...

Ill Niño, God Forbid, Eyes of Fire, Silent Civilian and Bleed the Sky will hit the road together under the tour banner One Nation Undivided. The trek kicks off May 10 in New York and will pass through 25 cities. Dates so far are booked through June 1 in Chicago, with additional gigs to be announced in the coming weeks. ... It Dies Today, Haste the Day, the Showdown, Chiodos and Flee the Seen will tour together starting June 1 in Syracuse, New York. Dates run through June 26 in Memphis, Tennessee. ... San Diego gore-grinders Cattle Decapitation have found someone to fill the void left behind the kit with the departure of Michael Laughlin: ex-Unholy Ghost drummer J.R. "Kid Gnarly" Daniels. ... DevilDriver will be this weekend's guests on MTV2's "Headbangers Ball." The band launches a U.S. tour May 8 in San Diego with Bury Your Dead, Remembering Never, If Hope Dies and Artimus Pyledriver, with dates running through June 2 in Sayreville, New Jersey. ...

Grind specialists the County Medical Examiners — "a collection of real-life pathologists with an unhealthy adoration of and fixation on Carcass," with one member who's said to be 63 years of age — have signed with Relapse Records. They'll release Olidus Operattas, their first album in three years, this fall. ... Brooklyn's Made Out of Babies will begin recording Coward, their second full-length LP, next month in Chicago with Steve Albini (Nirvana, Mono). ... North Carolina vegan metallers Undying have parted ways. "As is always the case, we have our reasons for the breakup — some petty, some great, none of which we will go into here," the band said in a post on its MySpace page. "Suffice to say that for the past eight years we have had the rare opportunity to travel the world, have more than a few interesting experiences and make friends, too many to be counted here, who we will hold heart-close and dear for a lifetime and more. Be kind, live well, go vegan." ... The Vows — a new hardcore band featuring John Pettibone (Himsa, Undertow), Rob Moran (Unbroken, Some Girls), Ryan Murphy (Undertow, Ensign), Aram Arslanian (Champion) and Chris Williams (Champion) — will issue its debut EP later this spring. ...

Finnish black-metal outfit Horna's next offering, Ääniä Yössä, will land in stores June 6. The epic record features four tracks and runs about 40 minutes. ... Live In: Nerd Rage, the debut CD by comedian Brian Posehn, will be reissued July 11. The record features Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, Shadows Fall guitarist Jonathan Donais, Armored Saint bassist Joey Vera and ex-White Zombie drummer John Tempesta. It also has the cut "Try Again, Again" by the mock metal group Titannica, which were featured on the HBO cult-classic comedy "Mr. Show." ... Richmond, Virginia, crossover metal band Municipal Waste have posted a gory, uncensored live music video for "Unleash the Bastards" on Earache's Web site. The clip depicts fans in the crowd tearing stage divers limb from limb and eating their body parts "Dawn of the Dead"-style. Not a great incentive to attend their gigs, if you ask us. ... Slipknot and Korn producer Ross Robinson is in the studio with Norma Jean working on the band's follow-up to 2005's O God, the Aftermath. The team entered the studio April 7 and hopes to finish by the end of May before embarking on Ozzfest. "We are thrilled to an insane degree," singer Cory Brandan said in a press statement. "We really think Ross Robinson will be able to bring something out in us and our music." ...

Grindcore band F--- the Facts are working on their debut album, Stigmata High-Five, in Montreal. The disc is slated for a late summer release and includes "The Wrecking," "Carve Your Heart Out" and "The Sound of Your Smashed Head." The Ottawa band begins a monthlong Canadian tour April 14. ... Longtime Origin drummer John Longstreth has rejoined the Kansas technical metal band. He replaces James King, who left in October due to personal and creative differences. The group starts a tour July 19 in Oklahoma City with dates running through August 26 in Milwaukee. ... Two classic melodic death/black-metal albums by Sweden's Dissection will be reissued June 27 as double-CD sets. The Somberlain, which originally came out in 1993, will be resurrected with the 1991 EP Into Infinite Obscurity, previously unreleased live recordings, demos and rehearsal room tapes. Storm of the Light's Bane (1995) will re-emerge with an alternate mix of the full album, demos and the 1996 EP Where Dead Angels Lie. Dissection's long-awaited new album, Reinkaos, comes out May 16.

• Dragonforce
• Cradle of Filth
• Anthrax
• Horna
• Fear Factory

Norma Jean's Daniel, Scottie and Cory (file)
Photo: Solid State Records

When Solid State Records released the third album from Atlantan metalcore act Norma Jean on March 1, no one — not the band's management, its label, and certainly not the bandmembers themselves — expected the disc would sell more than 19,000 copies in a week. But O God, The Aftermath did sell just that in its first week in stores, roaring into the Billboard albums chart at #64.

"We would never have thought that would happen," said drummer Daniel Davidson. "It just totally blew us away. The music is so brutal and heavy and chaotic."

Don't think Norma Jean's going to let sales figures get to their heads, though: There's too much work coming up for them even to pat each other on the back. Norma Jean's one of the main attractions for this summer's Sounds of the Underground Tour; they'll be spending April and May in Japan, the U.K. and Australia with Atreyu and Unearth; and they'll be shooting a video for "Liarsenic" at some point in between those road trips.

But singer Cory Putnam did say the bandmembers are glad the Ozzfest folks snubbed 'em. "If you play Ozzfest, that's just like instant credit for your band, but it just costs too much money to be on it," he explained. "You end up playing at 10 in the morning. I think [the Sounds of the Underground] is a tour that really cares about the bands that are on it, and cares about the music. And that's what we care about."

The rest of the week's metal news:

The Deftones are said to be working on their next album, which is due out this summer. In the meantime, the long-delayed self-titled debut from frontman Chino Moreno's experimental trip-hop side project, Team Sleep, will finally see the light of day on May 10 and feature the tracks "Your Skull Is Red," "Our Ride to the Rectory," and "Paris Arm." ... Canadian extremists Strapping Young Lad's video for the track "Love?," which was shot by director Joe Lynch and pays homage to the cult film classic "The Evil Dead," will debut on MTV2's "Headbangers Ball" Saturday night. ...

Taking a cue perhaps from Rob Zombie, former Misfits frontman Glenn Danzig has penned a screenplay for "Gerouge," a voodoo/horror tale that's said to unfold in New Orleans during the 1900s. Danzig will also direct the film. ... Can't make it to Ozzfest this summer? Well, there's always Judas Priest. Rob Halford and the gang will join forces with Queensrÿche for a North American tour that'll kick off on June 1 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. A third band is being considered as the official opener, and a complete list of all of the dates for the eight-week run still needs to be ironed out. ... Gore-metallers Cattle Decapitation have plans to release a split 7-inch single with Caninus. They'll start working on the material for that effort next month. ...

Losa will be hitting the road with Sinaibeach and Death by Stereo on April 14, playing just six shows on that trek before meeting up with Dead to Fall, 12 Tribes, and Fight Paris for a 26-date stint. ... Goop-spewing gimmick rockers Gwar will release a live album on May 31 called Live From Mt. Fuji. The enhanced CD will contain 12 live cuts, including "Bring Back the Bomb," "Horror of Yg," "Krosstika," "Sick of You," "Womb With a View" and "Immortal Corruptor." ...

Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo and electronic artist DJ Spooky have teamed up for Drums of Death, a disc of rumbling, experimental songs that comes out April 26. Public Enemy's Chuck D. and Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid guest on the disc, which was co-produced by Spooky and Meat Beat Manifesto. Track titles include "Quantum Cyborg Drum Machine" and "Metatron." ... Industrial supergroup Pigface will embark on their Free for All tour starting April 14 in Palatine, Illinois. Dates run through May 21 in Columbus, Ohio. The ever-mutating lineup will be filled this year by frontman Martin Atkins and members of KMFDM, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Atari Teenage Riot, Nocturne, Hate Dept. and Bile. Nocturne and Sheep on Drugs will open all shows. ...

Bodies in the Gears of the Apparatus will be hitting the road in June with Internal Bleeding and Strong Intention for a full U.S. tour. ... Recently unearthed death-metal pioneers Obituary will replace Lamb of God for a concert April 9 in Inglewood, California. Lamb of God were banned from playing the venue because venue owners took offense to the group's former name, Burn the Priest. While the group hasn't used that moniker since 1998, its self-titled debut was re-released last week. Obituary recently completed its comeback album, which is tentatively scheduled for release this summer. ... SikTh have written all of the material that'll comprise the English math-metal band's second album — which will serve as its Stateside debut. The band will hit the studio to record the album, which hasn't been named yet, in April. Look for it to drop later this year through Bieler Bros. Records. ...

Every Time I Die will be touring Europe with Lamb of God and Unearth in June. The band's latest offering, Gutter Phenomenon, will be released through Ferret this summer. ... The Number Twelve Looks Like You will release their next full-length offering, Nuclear, Sad, Nuclear, on June 7, through the chaotic metal-core band's label, Eyeball. ... Darkest Hour's Devin Townsend-produced effort Undoing Ruin is in the final stages of being mixed; the album drops June 28. ... Deutschland thrashers Dew-Scented will release Issue VI in Germany on June 20 through Nuclear Blast. However, American fans will have to wait: its U.S. release has not yet been set. ...

New Orleans demolition duo Blackfire Revelation are working on their debut album, which will be the follow-up to their recently released EP, Gold & Guns on 51. The disc is due by the end of the summer. The band will open for New York noisemasters Unsane starting May 11 in Columbus, Ohio. Dates run through May 28 in Philadelphia. ... Danish band Fear My Thoughts will release their fifth album, Hell, Sweet Hell, on July 27. The disc was recorded last year with Jacob Hansen, who has previously worked with Mercenary. ... Progressive British band Porcupine Tree will release their most metallic offering to date, Deadwing, on May 3, the savage sounds of which were probably influenced by frontman Steven Wilson's production work with Opeth. Porcupine's last major-label album, In Absentia, was released in 2002. ... Atlanta band Lilitu have hired 20-year-old bassist Noah Martin to fill the slot recently vacated by Shane Bell.

• Norma Jean (Metal)
• Deftones
• Judas Priest
• GWAR
• Danzig

Norma Jean live at Downtime during CMJ week in New York City October 22, 2003

• Norma Jean (Metal)