Cryptopsy
Photo: Century Media

When it was first revealed back in December that Cryptopsy — the underground technical death-metal outfit from Montreal — would be shifting styles and taking their sound in a more deathcore direction, incorporating more melodic elements as well as clean vocals into their tunes, the online backlash from longtime fans was nothing short of brutal. Fans took to the forums of various metal Web sites to tear Cryptopsy a new one without even hearing the songs that comprise the band's latest LP, The Unspoken King, which is in stores now. They launched an anonymous wave of condemnation that suggested the band had sold out by booting founding vocalist Lord Worm from the fold and bringing in fresh faces like frontman Matt McGachy, which, they all surmised, would mark the end of the influential act. One fan even went so far as to dub Cryptopsy's move toward clean vocals "the 9/11 of metal."

Drummer Flo Mounier, Cryptopsy's sole remaining founding member, read the harsh words and criticisms fans had for his band, and some of it did get to him.

"I remember reading sh-- like, 'I hate you — f--- off,' and, 'I hope you die in a tour bus accident,' " Mounier said during a break from this year's Summer Slaughter tour, which runs through July 28 in Chicago and also features the Black Dahlia Murder, Kataklysm, Vader and more.

"My reaction was, first of all, get a f---ing life. Second of all, we're doing metal music. We don't have a formula we have to follow for every album. We're not making enough money to follow a formula. If you don't like it, don't listen to it. This record's still Cryptopsy, just now, there's clean vocals in some parts ... maybe 10 percent of the album. Big f---ing deal!

"The Internet gives everybody a voice," he continued. "There's a lot of peer pressure out there, and if some guy calls something [lame], some other guy might like it, but won't want to admit it. You see a lot of that online."

Mounier, who said the band will return to the States in October for a headlining run, makes no apologies for taking the band's sound in a different direction, because it was the direction, he claims, Cryptopsy had always wanted to go in.

"For a very long time, we've wanted to experiment with different vocal ranges, and it just happened that we never had the vocalist who could pull it off," he said. "So when we parted ways with Lord Worm, that's what we set out to do on this record. We wanted to have that possibility if it was needed in the songs. It was a cautious move, but we just wanted to experiment and attempt one extreme from another, and pull it off smoothly, because it hadn't really been done before — music that's 300 BPMs and then comes down to something incredibly catchy."

Not surprisingly, several fans have changed their tunes since actually hearing some of the new material. The drummer said he's been approached by contrite fans at several Summer Slaughter stops who feel bad for jumping to conclusions.

"We have fans coming up to us apologizing for writing sh-- on the Internet," he said. "There's been a lot of sh---talking going on, and yesterday, in fact, about five fans came up to us and said, 'Man, I sh---talked you online, but when I saw you guys, you crushed, man.' And a lot of people are turning around on the Internet. There's a lot more positive comments than there were a few months ago, because the album's growing on people. People are always scared of change initially, but if they get into the vibe of the record, they'll enjoy it for sure."

To Mounier's mind, The Unspoken King captures Cryptopsy at its most mature, but it's also an album of extremes. "Some parts we've never played that fast before, and on this one, some parts are completely catchy and melodic," he said. "I think fans will be surprised that, from song to song, it takes you on a different trip, and each song is different. They create different feelings and emotions in people, and the album flows so smoothly between the brutal and melodic parts."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha has teamed up with former Mars Volta kitman Jon Theodore to form One Day as a Lion; they'll release their eponymous debut EP on July 22. Guess that throws a wrench into those RATM reunion rumors?

Looks like long-defunct Long Island hardcore heroes Vision of Disorder have caught the reunion bug. The band's planning on getting back together this summer for a handful of shows. The first has been scheduled for August 16 at the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, New York. Additional shows will be announced in the coming weeks.

Sepultura have wrapped the recording of their next full-length. According to bassist Paulo Pinto, the band is "very happy with the results." The as-yet-untitled effort will be mixed July 12, and should be ready for release later this year.

Erstwhile Syracuse, New York, act Godbelow will reportedly reunite for this month's Les Fest, a tribute to Les Daniels, who recently passed. The show will also feature Ledyard, Heatseeker, Born Again Rebels, Sinpush, the Infidels, When Everything Fails, Schmied and the Sleep. That gig's set for July 12 at the Lost Horizon in Syracuse.

Philadelphia thrashers Rumpelstiltskin Grinder are in the studio, tracking their next effort for Relapse Records. Look for the still-untitled LP to land in stores this fall.

A September 16 release has been set for Intimacy, the new album from Light Yourself On Fire. The effort will contain six songs, including "New Baby Girl," "Five Blows" and "Montag."

• Sepultura
• Cryptopsy

Cavalera Conspiracy
Photo: Roadrunner Records

Several Sepultura records have surfaced since Max Cavalera quit the band in 1996, and he's yet to listen to a single one. He hasn't heard one note from 1998's Against or one riff from 2001's Nation, and he has shunned both 2003's Roorback and 2006's Dante XXI. And, no, the man who helped form the band doesn't plan on giving them a spin anytime soon.

"I compare it to — although I've never been divorced — going out with your ex-wife and her new husband," Cavalera said during a chat with Metal File on Wednesday, the same day Inflikted, the debut LP from his new band, Cavalera Conspiracy, opened at #72 on the Billboard albums chart, selling more than 9,000 copies during its first week in stores. "I don't think anyone would want to do that. It's unpleasant, it's weird. I've stayed away from them. People have been blown away that I haven't heard those records. But I went my own way, and I don't even know what they sound like anymore."

But perhaps Cavalera will reconsider, since he's mended fences with his brother Igor, his former Sepultura/ current Cavalera Conspiracy bandmate, after a 12-year rift, during which the brothers spoke not a word to each other. Max's decision to leave Sepultura created unbelievable tension between the siblings until about a year ago, when they banded together once again for the Conspiracy, perhaps the closest thing fans will get to a Sepultura reunion.

"Maybe now that I'm more at peace, I'll give them a listen," Cavalera said. "But probably not."

For metalheads far and wide, it's nice knowing the Cavaleras are tight again and sounding perhaps better than ever on Inflikted. For Max, it's even more rewarding to know that he's resolved the issues he'd had with Igor.

"It's been really cool, man," he said of working with his brother again. "Just to play with Igor and talk to him again, that was my own personal victory, because those 12 years without talking to him were tough. Anybody who has a family crisis like that knows it's not a good situation at all. So to just be back with him was great, but on top of it, to make a record and now have so many people into it, it's very exciting, man."

What are the chances Sepultura might be revived? Cavalera makes no promises, but he said that if the band were to get back together, it would be for a good cause — and wouldn't necessarily feature the Roots lineup.

"I like to say that I'm waiting for the Armageddon, so we can be the band that plays right before the end of the world," Cavalera joked. "I would like to see [a reunion happen], more so for our fans, because my sons, they're 12, and they're getting into metal big-time. And they want to see a Sepultura with me and Igor. So I definitely would like to do that, but it has to be the right time. The time is not right now. I can say it won't be happening this year, but I think it would be cool.

"People always ask me about the Roots lineup, but I'd rather get back with the guys who were there in the beginning, like Jairo Guedes," he continued. "That was a very essential time for the band, so if a reunion ever comes, I would push to invite the older guys or maybe even just get a cool kind of jam session together with other musicians."

For Inflikted, Cavalera said the band (which also features Gojira's Joe Duplantier) just wanted the tracks to evolve in an organic manner, so they didn't hit the studio with any preconceived notions — just some riffs, a couple of songs and lyrics.

"I came into this project with doubt and had no idea what was going to happen, so I just let it happen," Cavalera said. "The only thing we did on purpose was we didn't allow interference from other [genres] to bleed into our sound. It was a return, for me, to when I was 14, wore black shirts and listened to metal and hardcore and nothing else. I had that kind of vibe on this record, and when Igor would start doing beats that were a bit tribal, I'd come in and say, 'Nah, man — not that sh--, not right now. You need to play angry, play mad and beat the sh-- out of those drums.' I was kind of motivating them to maybe do a more violent, brutal record. To me, to be back with Igor, I wanted to recapture that fire of what we had with Sepultura.

"I wanted to create a really chaotic, heavy album — it just felt right," he said. "It's 2008, and the world is going to sh--, and I felt this would be a good time to write a really heavy record."

But the new band isn't the only thing keeping Max busy. He also just finished recording the next Soulfly record, which he said could be out in August.

"In terms of the world-music sh--, I went to Egypt for a while and wanted to capture some really crazy Egyptian instruments," he said. "I recorded stuff down by the Nile River and used different instruments I'd found over there. And we have two collaborations on the album. One is the heaviest Soulfly song ever, with David Vincent from Morbid Angel — it's very intense and may even scare Soulfly fans. The other is with Dave [Peters] from Throwdown. We came up with this really old-school, hardcore, Pantera/Sepultura track called 'Unleash.' The album is pretty brutal — probably more brutal than anything else Soulfly has done."

For now, though, Cavalera's just amped to get back out on the road and tour with his brother Igor again. But much like Van Halen and Guns N' Roses tours of yore, he's not so sure it will all be smooth sailing.

"I'm sure there will be a lot of chaos coming our way on tour," he said. "Maybe we'll need to take out insurance."

The rest of the week's metal news:

We've heard virtually nothing — at least nothing official — about this year's Ozzfest, including whether there will even be one this year. But it seems Ozzfest's organizers are close to making an announcement, and within the next couple of weeks, all will be revealed. Metal File can tell you what rumors we've come across, besides the one that has Ozzfest morphing into a two-day fest in Dallas: We've heard this year's edition could feature Korn, Alice in Chains, Filter, System of a Down's Serj Tankian, Bullet for My Valentine, Killswitch Engage, Dimmu Borgir and even the Cavalera Conspiracy (Max says he hasn't heard anything about Ozzfest). But we've heard all sorts of crazy rumors, so who knows? ...

After five years with the band, bassist Todd Evans (a.k.a. Beefcake the Mighty) this week announced his departure from Gwar. Evans plans to focus full-time on his new band, Mobile Deathcamp, who rumor has it will be touring this summer with the reunited Green Jelly. ... Unfortunately, we won't be seeing Nevermore at this year's New England Metal and Hardcore Fest. According to guitarist Jeff Loomis, the boys weren't able to replace Chris Broderick, who recently left to join Megadeth; the band claims it can't play as a four-piece. "We have tried ... but were unable to reach the real Nevermore sound, especially in a live setting, which is what our fans could expect from us," Loomis said in a statement. "We really feel sorry about this, as we know that our fans were waiting to see us at the New England Metal Fest. We hope to see you all soon." ...

It looks like some dates for that rumored Heaven and Hell/ Judas Priest North American run have leaked. Pollstar listed the dates on its Web site and subsequently pulled them down. The tour would also feature Motörhead and Testament, but so far there's been no official confirmation that the tour is happening. If those Pollstar dates are to be believed, the trek will get underway August 7 in Bristow, Virginia, and hit Holmdel, New Jersey; Long Island, New York; Toronto; Uncasville, Connecticut; Burgettstown, Pennsylvania; and Clarkston, Michigan. The final date listed was August 19 in Tinley Park, Illinois. ...

Ozzfest '06 veterans Norma Jean have revealed that they plan to enter the studio this week to begin recording their LP, which they've titled The Anti Mother. Producer Ross Robinson will once again helm the effort, which could be in stores late this summer. ... For Swedish progressive metal outfit Burst, 2007 was spent writing material for a new record. Now, in 2008, it's time to put those tunes to tape. Burst entered the studio last week, and according to the band, the effort will most likely be released early next year. ...

Another week, another supergroup. Looks like Fear Factory members Christian Olde Wolbers and Raymond Herrera have teamed up with Threat Signal's Jon Howard to form a new band, the hard-to-pronounce Arkaea. The band will hit the studio soon to begin tracking, and Olde Wolbers said in a statement that the material they've been working on was "designed like the Fear Factory songs that Raymond and I always wrote. However, we've been able to push the boundaries and go out of that context, while remaining heavy." The band's debut is being eyed for a fall release.

• Cavalera Conspiracy
• Max Cavalera
• Sepultura
• Judas Priest

Atreyu
Photo: Hollywood Records

Atreyu singer Alex Varkatzas used to deal with severe anxiety by taking antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication including Lexapro and Klonopin, which helped him work and tour without suffering from panic attacks. However, for the writing and recording of Atreyu's new album Lead Sails Paper Anchor, Varkatzas went cold turkey and let his emotional upheaval inform the band's songs even more directly. Of course, as any psychiatric worker will tell you, being off your meds can have its drawbacks as well.

"I lose my mind a couple times a day now," Varkatzas admitted. "But I try to deal with my emotions instead of hiding behind them, and that's something that's new for me. In the past, I always used to drink or take a pill. Now I'm learning to cope with reality."

One of Varkatzas' main coping methods these days is writing lyrics, which is partially why new tracks like "Honor," "Can't Happen Here" and first single "Becoming the Bull" are so fraught with tension and aggression. But while Varkatzas is raging as hard as ever, he's no longer ranting about getting dumped or betrayed. Instead, he's addressing larger issues such as war, self-empowerment and the importance of family.

"I'm dealing with grown-up stuff now lyrically because that's what's going on in my life," he said. "I'm 25 now. I bought a condo, so I'm dealing with the responsibilities of being a homeowner. I just had my grandpa pass away when I was on tour, and it was horrible that he was dying and I couldn't go home. There was nothing I could do about it, and I had to learn to accept that."

In addition to maturing as a lyricist, Varkatzas has branched out as a singer. With the help of vocal coach Ron Anderson and an awful lot of persistence, Varkatzas is no longer leaving all the melodic parts up to drummer Brandon Saller. Sure, Saller's honey-sweet voice washes through many of the choruses, but Varkatzas has learned to carry a tune as well, and now offers a variety of voices including a more powerful roar ("Can't Happen Here"), pained croon ("Lead Sails [And a Paper Anchor]") and Vince Neil-style yowl ("Blow").

"This is the most nervous I think I've ever been for a record," Varkatzas admitted. "I wanted to do something different and to live up to my potential, so I worked really hard to be able to handle the singing parts. I'm still not a natural singer, but when I set my mind to something, I refuse to take no for an answer."

Various stylistic nuances also contribute to the album's fresh feel. "Falling Down" is a shuffling romp that sounds like a metallic Green Day with horns; "Becoming the Bull" is embellished with industrial effects; and "Slow Burn" features pedal-steel guitar.

"This album isn't just about guitars, bass, drums and vocals," Saller said. "There are strings, opera vocals, hand claps, mandolins, Turkish saz — anything we could think of that seemed cool at the time."

Contributing to the diversity of the album was producer John Feldmann (Goldfinger, the Used), who encouraged Atreyu to push their boundaries and take chances. "He really helped us with our structuring, and figuring out what works and what didn't, and bringing a different set of ideas to our band than we would normally have," Varkatzas said. "But we put in a lot of really long and hard days. He'd make me come up with lyrics on the spot and push me so hard. I would work my ass off and try as hard as I could, and then John would go, 'You know, that's good, but you can do better.' But that pushing helped us all get to new levels on this record."

In the end, Atreyu created their most diverse and ambitious album — a disc that should shatter the metalcore box they've been forced into and help earn them a new following that appreciates good, challenging music. At the same time, many of the elements on Lead Sails Paper Anchor are poppier than past excursions — occasionally bordering on Linkin Park territory.

"This is definitely a metal record, but there's more to it as well," Saller said. "There are rock and roll, punk and even almost dance aspects. But in essence, it's a true Atreyu record. This is where we come from. This is what we are."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Machine Head's upcoming U.S. tour will be light one member. Bassist Adam Duce will miss the fall run after breaking his leg while dirt-bike riding in Redding, California. At first, doctors thought Duce had merely sprained the limb, but X-rays later confirmed the break. The injury required surgery that involved attaching a steel plate and two screws to the broken bone. Machine Head — who are in the final stages of selecting Duce's temporary replacement — will kick off their tour September 7 in Anaheim, California, and bring it to a close October 12 in Hollywood. ... Lamb of God throat specialist Randy Blythe makes a guest appearance on Overkill's next one, Immortalis, which is slated for an October 9 release. According to a statement from the band, Blythe "stepped in to give the track 'Skull and Bones' the ultimate hellish vocal-duet vibe." ... Exodus will release The Atrocity Exhibition ... Exhibit A in late October. The disc boasts nine cuts, including "Riot Act," "Children of a Worthless God" and "The Garden of Bleeding." ...

First they were calling themselves Inflikted. But now the new band — featuring Sepultura founders Max and Igor Cavalera, along with Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier on bass and Soulfly's Marc Rizzo on guitar — will go by the moniker the Cavalera Conspiracy. The band is in the process of tracking its debut LP in Los Angeles and hopes to have it ready in time for an early 2008 release through Roadrunner. ... Nebula, Les Breastfeeders and Bonk will team up for a North American tour set to kick off September 28 in Whistler, British Columbia. The trek, called "Rock de National," runs through November 10 in Los Angeles. ... On October 22, Swedish-metal minstrels Opeth will release The Roundhouse Tapes, a two-disc live set captured during the band's November 9 performance at the Roundhouse in Camden, London. The collection will include live versions of Opeth classics like "Under the Weeping Moon," "Bleak" and "Demon of the Fall." ...

Droid are no longer opening the main stage on the Family Values Tour — they're now closing the fest's second stage. ... Colorado's Planes Mistaken for Stars are throwing in the proverbial towel but plan on going out in style with a spate of to-be-announced farewell shows. In a statement, the band blamed the split on "financial strain" and "family obligations," before adding that "we just felt it was time. Our love for each other and our music has not diminished. It will always be there." ... Fear Before the March of Flames will hit the road this fall with Circa Survive and Ours for a series of 34 live gigs. The first is scheduled for October 10 in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the last for November 25 in Cleveland. ...

Dutch death-metal act Prostitute Disfigurement have finished work on their next studio outing, the aptly titled Descendants of Depravity. The set will feature nine fresh songs, including "The Sadist King and the Generalissimo of Pain," "Killing for Company" and "Fatal Fornication." ... German black-metallers Dark Fortress have found themselves a new frontman in Morean, best known for his work with Noneuclid. "Our decision is based on his immense musical and vocal abilities ... and dedication to extreme and dark music," the band said in a statement. "He will be responsible for the lyrical concept of the forthcoming album, which will be completely finished by the end of October. Expect a worldwide release via Century Media Records in early 2008, followed by increased live activities." The band's previous singer, Azathoth, left back in May, citing personal reasons. ... Norwegian death-metal outfit Chain Collector — which features Carpathian Forest guitarist Gøran Boman — will release their sophomore LP, Unrestrained, on October 22 in Europe. There's no word yet on when — or if — the disc will see an American release yet, but expect it to feature "Your Halo of Thorns," "Bringer of Sins" and "As the Play Unfolds." ...

Sometimes band breakups can be confusing or overly dramatic. In the case of Austrian extremists Pungent Stench, it's both. According to drummer Alex Wank, the band's split was "very sudden and sad," and he blames the internal strife on singer Martin Schirenc. Wank claimed in a statement that Schirenc is "jealous about my work for the Stench." Tension between the two now puts the future of the Stench's upcoming LP in doubt, as Schirenc has vowed to stop playing live gigs and working on the record. "I think the band has come to an end and there won't be any future live activities, which is sad," the drummer said. "This was always the most important thing with Pungent Stench, at least for me, and I think our supporters honored that in coming to our shows and let us feel good. I am very sorry that this unique project has come to an end." ... French black-metal act Blut Aus Nord have posted a new track, "The Sounds of the Universe," on their MySpace page. The cut is from the group's Odinist, which hits stores October 22. ... Rwake and Total F---ing Destruction will head out in October for a brief 10-date run of shows. The first takes place in Atlanta on October 5 and the last date is scheduled for October 14 in Chicago. ...

Reunited grindcore trailblazers Brutal Truth have started writing material for their forthcoming LP, which will be released through Relapse. So far, the boys have finished six new songs, which bassist Danny Lilker said in a statement "are shaping up to be some of the most intense sh-- we've ever written. After eight years, it feels damn good to write some really psychotic grind, and we've jumped right into the deep end of the pool." ... Bury Your Dead have lined up a headlining fall tour with support acts Bring Me the Horizon, Ion Dissonance and Nights Like These. The trek launches September 21 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and runs through October 20 in Tampa, Florida. ... Dates are still being confirmed for a fall tour that will see Jesu and Torche teaming up. Things will get started in Washington, D.C., on October 18, and so far, gigs are booked through October 30 in Lawrence, Kansas. More dates will be announced in the coming weeks. ... As Cities Burn have been tapped as the support act for Dredg's upcoming tour, which begins September 20 in Reno, Nevada, and runs through October 7 in Los Angeles.

• Atreyu
• Dark Fortress
• Brutal Truth
• Machine Head
• Lamb of God

Seemless
Photo: B. Bettis/ Equal Vision Records

Seemless frontman Jesse Leach has no regrets.

When he walked out on his Killswitch Engage comrades back in 2002, he knew it was time. His vocal cords were barely functional and he couldn't stand life on the road when he couldn't bring his wife along with him. Plus, his relationship with the rest of the Killswitch dudes had become frayed, and the band was teetering on the brink of total collapse. So, he did what he had to do — he hopped off the Killswitch train, just as it started to pull out of Obscurity Station.

But rock was still in his system. So, while he'd cashed in his metal chips, he hadn't given up on music altogether.

"This is where I belong — this is where I feel good," said Leach, when asked if he laments the decision to leave Killswitch for his current band, straight-ahead rockers Seemless. "Mentally and spiritually, I am in the right place. I wouldn't change a damn thing. I was miserable and had just really lost my passion for singing that kind of music. I didn't feel it anymore. This band's just much easier on my soul. After doing metal for close to 10 years, I felt like it was just getting old for me. I felt like I had done all I could do. I look at [Killswitch's 2002 LP] Alive or Just Breathing, and that was sort of my farewell to that style of music. I felt like I left my mark with that album, and that was it — it was time to move on. After that album, I was ready to just stop and 'be a normal guy and have a normal life.' But I love music so much, I couldn't escape it."

Leach — who is on good terms with his Killswitch pals — said when he first heard Seemless (at the time they had a different lead singer), he recognized that the band respected rock's roots and honored its past, while injecting a modern heaviness into the mix. And that has no doubt helped Seemless win over thousands of metalheads. "It had the stuff I was raised on," he recalled. "It just seemed like a natural progression to regress back to my roots."

But the Chris Cornell-emulating Leach said the band's self-titled 2004 debut was more like a demo. At the time of the recordings, the band was still just getting warmed up. In fact, most of the tracks were recorded before he even joined the band, which also features ex-members of Shadows Fall, Overcast and Medium. Leach said the follow-up, What Have We Become, "feels like it's our first proper album. We jell now, as a unit. We're like brothers at this point. In every aspect, this feels like our first album." It hits stores on Tuesday and features "In My Blood," "Jaded," "Parody" and the first single, "Cast No Shadow." The band recently shot a video for the latter cut, DIY-style, with director Ramon Boutviseth (Sanctity, Daylight Dies).

Seemless — who're on the road with Nonpoint through Tuesday and are set to hit the road with Trivium and the Sword in October — "wouldn't change a single thing on this record," Leach added. He said the band recorded the material in about a week, even writing several of the tracks while in the studio. "I can listen to it, from start to finish, and have no problem with it. We believe in it so much. It's just a more focused album, and we had a real strong sense of who we are as a band going into this album."

And for Leach, much of the album's lyrical content was born out of his frustration with rock's money-grubbing, narcissistic ways. "It's about my disgust with the state of music and the state of the industry," he said. "And all of the rock star crap too."

But it's obvious that Seemless — who plan to stay on the road for the remainder of the year and for much of 2007 — have found a solid comfort zone and have progressed past the initial growing pains. In fact, he said, even with the release of their second LP just days away, Seemless have started working on material for album number three.

"We write songs within hours in this band," he said. "It's never a struggle for us. It just flies right out. We're already working on our next album. We have a bunch of tracks for it, and the new stuff we're working on is even more diverse than the record we're putting out next week. I am having fun for the first time in my life, with a project that works on all levels. It's great."

Still, Leach does wish Seemless could be a bit more profitable — which means he'd appreciate it if you picked up the band's latest disc on Tuesday.

"We're not looking for the fame and the fortune," he said, adding that he's working two jobs just to make ends meet, as he's facing the prospect of car repossession. "I won't lie — I have bills to pay and I would love to make some more money. But if we can just get by, we'll continue to do this band. I just want to survive off of it. There's a real blue-collar mentality to this band."

The rest of the week's metal news: Sepultura founders Max and Igor Cavalera have been involved in an intense feud since Max's stepson Dana died in a car accident in 1996; Max left the band soon after and formed Soulfly. But on August 17, at a Soulfly show in Tempe, Arizona, in tribute to Dana, the Cavaleras took the stage together for the first time in 10 years. Igor stepped behind the drums toward the end of the set to play an instrumental jam and remained onstage for performances of the Sepultura songs "Roots Bloody Roots" and "Attitude." Even if the reunion eventually triggers the rebirth of the original Sepultura, for now Max is continuing to support Soulfly's 2005 album, Dark Ages, with a new U.S. tour that begins September 18 in San Diego and runs through October 6 in Atlanta. ... In October, McFarlane Toys will release an exclusive 3-D sculpture of the cover of Metallica's seminal 1986 LP, Master of Puppets. The sculpture will be approximately 7 by 7 inches and will be made from PVC. A sculpture of the Jimi Hendrix Experience's Are You Experienced? will follow in November. On Monday, McFarlane released a 3-D cover of the Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. Additional titles will be announced in the coming months. ...

Belphegor drummer Nefastus, who replaced Torturer in early 2005, has left the band. Nefastus made the decision following the completion of the group's sixth album, Pestapokalypse VI, which will be released on Halloween. Players who wish to fill the vacant slot can contact Belphegor@aon.at, but they must have stage and touring experience, be able to rehearse in Austria, be able to play with a click track and be interested in black and death metal. Before announcing Nefastus' departure, the band shot two new videos for "Bluhtsturm Erotika" and "Belphegor - Hell's Ambassador" between August 8 and 11 with director Florian W. The former features a blood-covered naked succubus named Dani, and the latter includes shots of gnarly musicians, ghostly apparitions and lots of fog. ... Swedish grindcore outfit Regurgitate have announced an October 17 release date for their next album, Sickening Bliss. The disc was recorded at BackBone studios by RGTE and Patrik Jonsson and engineered by drummer Jocke Pettersson and Jonsson in April and May. Marking a return to the nauseating lyrics of the band's early days, the album features 26 tracks, including "Upheaval of Human Entrails," "Excremental Ingestment," "Battered With a Brick" and "Euphoric State of Butchery." ...

Glenn Danzig will release Black Aria II on October 17. The sequel to his 1993 classical album, Black Aria, features organ, strings, percussion, chiming, chanting and operatic vocals. Produced and written by Danzig, the record tells the story of Lilith, Adam's wife before Eve, and includes "Dance of the Succubi," "Bridal Ceremony of the Lilitu," "Unclean Sephira" and "The Succubus Feeds." Says Danzig: "The first Black Aria is very Wagnerian, and also has these violent, Scottish/ Celtic qualities. This one is more Eastern, because it's about Lilith. It still has a lot of the classic elements I like, but many of the sounds come from elsewhere because of this fascinating story, which has its origins in even older myths and legends." ...

Fear Factory, Hypocrisy, Suffocation and Decapitated will launch the Machines at War Tour on October 26 in San Francisco. Dates run through November 9 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The only band on the bill with an upcoming album is Suffocation, who will release their self-titled album on September 19. ... Teutonic power-metal warriors Blind Guardian have announced the dates for their North American winter tour. The shows will begin November 8 in Tempe, Arizona, and will run through December 11 in Austin, Texas. Blind Guardian's A Twist in the Myth will be released September 5. ... Youthful thrash-metal flag-wavers Trivium will launch a North American tour with equally young power-metal torchbearers Cellador starting October 1 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Dates run through October 9 in Toronto. Doom-metal heroes the Sword and schizophrenic metallers Protest the Hero will also be on the bill. Trivium's triumphant third record, The Crusade, comes out October 10.

• Seemless
• Metallica
• Sepultura
• Fear Factory
• Trivium

E-40's <I>My Ghetto Report Card</I>
Photo: Warner Bros/ Wea

Move Over, Crunk: E-40 claims to have inserted "It's all good" and "fo' shizzle" into the hip-hop lexicon, and this week he's trying to incorporate the hyphy movement into the mainstream with My Ghetto Report Card. He's called all hands on deck for the effort, including Mike Jones, Juelz Santana, Too Short, UGK, T-Pain and Oakland, California's best-named artist, Keak Da Sneak. Lil Jon was apparently too busy behind the decks to spit out any verses on tracks like "They Might Be Taping," "Do Ya Head Like This" or the curious two-part skit "GetTheF---On.com."

Score Another One for the Underdogs: Re-releasing albums with a bonus DVD shortly after their original release is all the rage — but Fall Out Boy aren't ones to conform. Instead they're revisiting their Grammy-nominated From Under the Cork Tree with just one disc, a limited-edition item specifically designed for their Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour. They've managed to squeeze extra cuts on the new version, endowing them with their hi-larious titular prowess: "Snitches and Talkers Get Snitches and Walkers," "The Music or the Misery" and "My Heart Is the Worst Kind of Weapon." There's also remixes of "Sugar, We're Goin Down" (by lead singer Patrick Stump) and "Dance, Dance."

Old-School Boogie: DMC is shooting for high scans this week with his long-awaited solo debut, Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll — more scans, that is, then the disappointing number Run-DMC counterpart the Rev Run tallied with his own solo debut, Distortion, late last year. A limited run comes with a bonus DVD — and, of course, those peculiar guest spots by Kid Rock, Sarah McLachlan, Jam Master Jay and members of Korn, Buckcherry and Aerosmith.

Meanwhile, Boogie Down Productions — who treaded the path beaten by Run-DMC — are also recalled this week with Blast Master Tapes: The Best of the B-Boy Sessions. There's a heap of unreleased songs from 1985-'87 sprinkled over the course of the two discs, including the very fermented "D-Nice Rocks the House" and an alternate version of "Criminal Minded."

Hard Up for Bonus Tracks?: You'd have to think all the way back to last summer to recall Hard-Fi's Stars of CCTV making a splash in the U.K. (and subsequently getting some lovin' from the Brit Awards), but now the neo-ska band's debut disc is finally hitting U.S. shores. So what extra treats await all you holdouts? None, unfortunately: Free of bonus content, the U.S. version has the same 11 tracks that appeared on the U.K. one, including "Middle Eastern Holiday," "Tied Up Too Tight" and "Feltham Is Singing Out."

Party on, Dave: Don't want to sit through a movie to hear your favorite hip-hop artists perform? Well, that's what soundtracks are for. The one for "Dave Chappelle's Block Party" has a dozen delectable delights, including the Roots' eye-popping pair-up with Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap, Mos Def's "Universal Magnetic" and "Umi Says," and more Erykah Badu performances than you can shake a stick at.

Kids' Stuff: The "Kidz Bop" clan pummeled the competition with its little fists a couple of weeks ago, and now there's a second wave of pint-size threats this week led by Devo 2.0. Ranging in age from 10 to 13 years old, Nicole, Nathan, Kane, Jackie and Michael put a pre-pubescent polish on Devo classics like "Whip It" and "Cyclops" — even though, according to their profiles, they're more into the Mars Volta and Chopin. If you still don't believe this project, feast your eyes on the accompanying DVD, which has performance material by the teensy troupe, plus footage of original Devo members and some computer-animation elements.

Over on the other side of the playground, Nickelodeon Kids' Choice, Vol. 2 lets the original artists do the talking, and this time around that means Gwen Stefani, Ciara, Weezer and Franz Ferdinand. Extra special is Simple Plan's live performance of "Shut Up" from the 2005 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

Slightly older kids — namely those 45 years and above — will jump for joy upon seeing, for the first time in the U.S., the soundtrack to the movie version of hallucinogenic children's show "H.R. Pufnstuf." There's more tracers, er, traces of Sid and Marty Krofft this week with the reissue of "The Bugaloos" soundtrack, which was a show about a bunch of rock musicians with wings who live in a magical forest and are hunted by Benita Bizarre, who wants to deprive them of all their happiness. Now that's what you call a bad trip.

Lest Ye Forget: Sonic Youth have hundreds of records to their name, but even loyal fans are probably lacking the original EP the band put out way back in October 1981. Well, they're in luck this week: Not only is Geffen re-tailoring the five-song set with eight additional tracks (mostly live stuff from that year), they're also tossing two more related titles back into stores after being out of print for more than a decade. The Whitey Album, a Madonna tribute of sorts by Ciccone Youth — the SY-ers, plus the Minutemen's Mike Watt and Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis — is back, as is SY guitarist Thurston Moore's 1995 solo affair, Psychic Hearts.

And in other play-it-again news, Now ReIgnition Records is giving Black on Black: A Tribute to Black Flag another push. Initial Records originally slipped out the disc in mid-2003, but the label went bust shortly thereafter. BF and metalcore fans alike should take note, because there are six bonus covers by Bleeding Through, Most Precious Blood, the Black Dahlia Murder and others appended on the re-release.

Song Titles of the Week:

"Auntie Toothache" and "What a F---ing Lovely Day!" from Stephin Merritt's Showtunes

Other Notables:

Nicolai Dunger's Here's My Song: You Can Have It ... I Don't Want It Anymore/ Yours 4-Ever: Gotten over that title yet? Good. Dunger — a seasoned Swedish singer/songwriter who's collaborated with Will Oldman, Calexico and others — has found new friends in Mercury Rev, with whom he partnered for his new LP. He co-produced and recorded the album with the New Yorkers, letting them handle most guitar duties, although the album isn't officially a joint release between the two camps. Don't miss the slick slide guitar on "Country Lane."

NOFX's Never Trust a Hippy: Twenty-two years into their career, NOFX have finally accomplished their mission. "Thing is, NOFX will be going to hell for this EP," the band says on its Web site. The six-song menu includes a song to that end, "I'm Going to Hell for This One," plus "Everything in Moderation (Especially Moderation)," "Golden Boys," "You're Wrong" and two slices that will resurface on the band's incoming Wolves in Wolves' Clothing LP: "Seeing Double at the Triple Rock" and "The Marxist Brothers."

Miss Kittin's Radio Caroline: French neo-electro whiz Miss Kittin pays homage to pirate station Radio Caroline with a mix CD featuring 15 artists you've never heard of. They include Jesper Dahlbäck, Der Zyklus and Andreas Fragel. Hopefully this disc's as animated as her Web site (MissKittin.com).

New Releases:

• Ambulance LTD - New English EP (TVT)
• Axxis - Paradise in Flames (Locomotive)
• Big City Rock - Big City Rock (Atlantic)
• Border Crossing - Ominous (Recall)
• Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise - What About That: New Year's Eve in Bloomington (two-CD live album; Kufala)
• Bonnie Bramlett and Mr. Groove Band - Roots, Blues & Jazz (Zoho)
• Devo 2.0 - Devo 2.0 (digipak with DVD; Disney)
  Read: "Are They Not Kids? Yes, They Are — And They're Giving Devo A Disney Makeover"
• DMC - Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll (limited edition comes with DVD; Asylum)
  Read: "DMC Hoping 67-Year-Old White Guys Dig His New Record"
• Nicolai Dunger - Here's My Song: You Can Have It ... I Don't Want It Anymore/ Yours 4-Ever (Zoë/ Rounder)
• E-40 - My Ghetto Report Card (Warner Bros.)
  Buy Now: My Ghetto Report Card (Warner Bros.)
• Donald Fagen - Morph the Cat (deluxe edition with DVD also available; Reprise)
• Paul Flaherty and Chris Corsano - Beloved Music (Family Vineyard)
• Flee the Seen - Doubt Becomes the New Addiction (Facedown)
• Jimmy Gaudreau - In Good Company (CMH)
• Jackie Greene - American Myth (Verve Forecast)
• Grace Griffith - My Life (Blix Street)
• Grand National - Kicking the National Habit (limited edition; Recall)
• Guillemots - From the Cliffs (EP; Fantastic Plastic)
• Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV (Atlantic)
  Read: "Hard-Fi Don't Need Clash Comparisons To Know They're Cool"

Buy Now: Stars of CCTV (Atlantic)
• Etta James - All the Way (RCA)
• Lanterna - Desert Ocean (Jemez Mountain)
• Las Rubias Del Norte - Panamericana (Barbès)
• Miss Kittin - Radio Caroline (Mental Groove)
• Willie Nelson - You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker (Lost Highway)
• NOFX - Never Trust a Hippy (EP; Fat Wreck Chords)
• Pure Inc - A New Day's Dawn (Locomotive)
• Duke Robillard - Guitar Groove-a-Rama (Stony Plain Music)
• Joe Satriani - Super Colossal (Epic)
• The Saw Doctors - The Cure (Shamtown/ Ryko)
• Sepultura - Dante XXI (SPV)
• Seven Glory - Over the Rooftops (7spin Music)
• Jules Shear - Dreams Don't Count (Mad Dragon)
• SheDaisy - Fortuneteller's Melody (Lyric Street)
• Slick Ballinger - Mississippi Soul (Oh Boy)
• Soledad Brothers - The Hardest Walk (Alive)
• Garrison Starr - The Sound of You & Me (Vanguard)
• Thomas Stronen - Parish (ECM)
• Warren Zanes - People That I'm Wrong For (Dualtone)
• Various artists - Nickelodeon Kids' Choice, Vol. 2 (Nick)
• Various artists - Pickin' on the Dixie Chicks: A Bluegrass Tribute (CMH)
• Various artists - Pickin' on Keane: A Bluegrass Tribute (CMH)
• Various artists - "Dave Chappelle's Block Party" soundtrack (Geffen)
• Various artists - "The Shaggy Dog" soundtrack (Disney)
• Various artists - "She's the Man" soundtrack (Lakeshore)

Notable Reissues And Archival Material:

• Bill Anderson - The Definitive Collection (Hip-O/ MCA Nashville)
• Benise - Nights of Fire! (Rosanegra)
• Black Sabbath - Greatest Hits 1970-1978 (Rhino)
• Boogie Down Productions - Blast Master Tapes: The Best of the B-Boy Sessions (two CDs; Traffic Entertainment)
• Bobby Brown - The Definitive Collection (Hip-O/ Geffen)
• Cameo - The Definitive Collection (Hip-O/ Mercury)
• The Chesterf!elds - Electric Guitars in Their Hearts: The Best of the Chesterf!elds (Cherry Red)
• Ciccone Youth - Whitey Album (Geffen)
• Dr. John - Right Place, Right Time: Live at Tipitina's - Mardi Gras '89 (The Music Force)
• Fall Out Boy - From Under the Cork Tree: Limited Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour Edition (Island)
  Read: "Fall Out Boy Promise An 'Event' Video For 'Sixteen Candles' "

Buy Now: From Under the Cork Tree: Limited Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour Edition (Island)
• Rick James - The Definitive Collection (Hip-O/ Motown)
• Charlie Louvin - Echoes of the Louvin Brothers (Varèse)
• Hugh Masekela - Hugh Masekela Presents: The Chisa Years 1965-1975 Rare and Unreleased (BBE)
• Stephin Merritt - Showtunes (Nonesuch)
• Thurston Moore - Psychic Hearts (Geffen)
• Vinnie Moore - Vinnie Moore Collection: The Shrapnel Years (Shrapnel)
• Willie Nelson and Roy Clark - An Introduction to Willie Nelson & Roy Clark - The Liberty & Capitol Masters (Fuel)
• The Pretenders - Pirate Radio: 1979-2005 (box set with four CDs and a DVD; Rhino)
• Prince - Ultimate (two CDs; Rhino)
• John Rich - Underneath the Same Moon (BNA/ Legacy)
• Otis Rush - Fuel Presents: An Introduction to Otis Rush (Fuel)
• Sonic Youth - Sonic Youth (EP; Geffen)
• Various artists - Black on Black: Tribut to Black Flag (Law of Inertia)
• Various artists - Punk 101: The Best of the Punk Years (Cleopatra)
• Various artists - "Bugaloos" soundtrack (Él)
• Various artists - "Heartworn Highways" soundtrack (Shout! Factory)
• Various artists - "H.R. Pufnstuf" soundtrack (Él)

DVDs:

• Benise - "Nights of Fire!" (Rosanegra)
• Conspiracy - "Live" (Cleopatra)
• Chick Corea - "Rendezvous in New York: New Trio" and "Rendezvous in New York: Chick Corea & Gonzalo Rubalcaba Duet" and "Rendezvous in New York: Now He Sings, Now He Sobs Trio" (Image Entertainment)
• Danielle Dax - "Bad Miss M: Danielle Dax Live" (Cherry Red)
• Jazz Crusaders - "New Morning: The Paris Concert" (Music Video Distributors)
• Lovedolls Superstar - "Fully Realized" (Eclectic)
• Poison - "Seven Days Live" (Music Video Distributors)
• Mike Stern - "New Morning: The Paris Concert" (Music Video Distributors)
• Tankard - "Fat, Ugly and Still (A)Live" (Locomotive)
• Type O Negative - "Symphony for the Devil" (SPV)
• Townes Van Zandt - "Be Here to Love Me" (Palm Pictures)
• Various artists - "ATL Underground Live" (Carlos Glover)
• Various artists - "The Butterfly Ball" (Music Video Distributors)
• Various artists - "Funk You Very Much" (Music Video Distributors)

Coming Attractions:

March 21:

• Teddy Geiger - Underage Thinking (Columbia)
• My Chemical Romance - Life on the Murder Scene (with DVD; Reprise)
  Read: "My Chemical Romance's 'Murder' DVD Just Got Bigger"
• Prince - 3121 (Universal)

March 28:

• Ghostface Killah - Fishscale (Def Jam)
  Read: "Ghostface Killah Spins Tales From The 'Hood On Fishscale"
  Buy Now: Fishscale (Def Jam)
• T.I. - King (limited-edition re-release with bonus DVD; Atlantic)
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones (Interscope)

Read: "Are The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Anxious About Bones? No No No"
Buy Now: Show Your Bones (Interscope)

April 4:

• Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Flaming Lips Go To War Against Britney, Gwen On New LP"

Buy Now: At War With the Mystics (Warner Bros.)
• Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors (Sanctuary)
• Pink - I'm Not Dead (La Face)
  Read: "Pink Pens An Open Letter To President Bush On New Album"

• E-40
• Fall Out Boy
• Hard-Fi
• Nicolai Dunger
• Darryl "DMC" McDaniels

Sepultura
Photo: Roadrunner

When guitarist Andreas Kisser sat down more than a year and a half ago to start working on the forthcoming album by Brazilian heavy-metallers Sepultura, he wanted to find "a strong source of inspiration" to help shape the songs he'd be crafting for the effort.

"We've done many soundtracks for films in Brazil, so we thought about picking up a movie or a book to be inspired by," Kisser explained. "We thought about 'A Clockwork Orange,' a few other things," he said. But then the guitarist picked up a copy of Dante's "The Divine Comedy" and a few pages in "was blown away. It's a f---ing strong story and very rich in detail. It's very human."

Kisser says Sepultura's 11-track Dante XXI — which hits stores March 14 — will make the perfect soundtrack to Dante's book. "We read the book and started making a parallel between the book and today," Kisser said. "It was very inspiring for the music, the lyrics, the artwork, everything. The album is divided too — the first five songs [including 'Dark Wood of Error,' 'Convicted in Life' and 'Fighting On'] represent [Dante's travels through] hell, and the next five songs [like 'Ostia,' 'Buried Words' and 'Repeating the Horror'] represent purgatory."

The album's closing track, "Still Flame," signifies paradise. "It's a song that's totally different than anything we've ever done," Kisser said. "It sounds more like Massive Attack."

Kisser — who was in Los Angeles last week to record his contribution to the forthcoming album from Asesino, a band that features former Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares and Static-X bassist Tony Campos — is also preparing his first solo album. "I've been working on it for the past three years," he said. "It will be a double album — the first [disc] will be related to the electric guitar, with different musicians, and the second will be acoustic. I'm taking my time with it, and it should be out by the end of this year, [although] nothing's set. It won't be a masturbation guitar album; it will explore different tones, different guitars and different instrumentation."

Like any metalhead worth his salt, Kisser said he's heard all the rumors about Sepultura reuniting with founding member and current Soulfly frontman Max Cavalera for a spot on this summer's Ozzfest. He's even heard the one that involves the band's "plans" to perform three different sets from the main stage — one featuring Soulfly material, a second of just Roots and Chaos A.D. tracks, and the last consisting of songs off Dante XXI. But at this point he said they're nothing more than rumors, period.

"Nothing is really set," he said. "We need to go on tour with this new album, but nothing's set. There's a lot of talking going on, but nothing's being done as far as I know. A lot of people are working for these things to happen, but so far nothing's going on. People are excited to hear that there's a possibility for us to get back [together], and it would be cool to play with Max again, to jam together. It would be great and it's cool to see that everyone thinks it's a good idea. The way I see it is, if you do this sh--, we're only going to do stuff that we recorded up to Roots and hopefully maximize — do a DVD or something. I haven't talked to Max [about a reunion]. So far it's just really rumors — which is a start."

The rest of the week's metal news:

More details have emerged about Iron Maiden's long-awaited "Death on the Road" triple-DVD set, which will come out February 21. The first two discs feature a full set from a show at Westfalenhalle Arena in Dortmund, Germany, in December 2003. Tracks include "Wrathchild," "The Trooper," "Rainmaker" and "Paschendale." The third disc includes two documentaries on the band, "Life on the Road" and "Death on the Road," interviews with fans and videos for "Rainmaker" and "Wildest Dreams." Iron Maiden released the live double-CD Dance of Death last year. ... Fans waiting to hear Dimebag Darrell's posthumous guitar playing on the upcoming Rebel Meets Rebel will have to wait a little longer — the album's been bumped from April 4 to May 2. The disc, a metal-country hybrid recorded between 1999 and 2002, features country-music maverick David Allan Coe, Dime and Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul and bassist Rex Brown. Tracks include "Nothin' to Lose," "No Compromise," "Rebel Meets Rebel" and "One Night Stand." ... Madball, Zao, Remembering Never, Scarlet and the Banner will help hardcore and metalcore label Ferret celebrate its first decade of existence on the Under the Gun Tour. The festivities kick off March 14 in Cleveland and run through April 5 in Tempe, Arizona. The headliner will rotate every night and additional opening bands will be announced in the days ahead. ... Jawsh Mullen has left Denver's Cephalic Carnage, trading in his bass for the books. "I have decided to retire from the road," he wrote in a post on the band's Web site. "This has not been an easy decision to make, trust me — however, where I want to be in 10 years requires sacrifice. I'm gonna go back to school. But right now I have to work and save to get there." Mullen's last gig with the band is set for February 24 at Denver's 3 Kings Tavern. Cephalic are in need of a bassist — e-mail them at info@cephaliccarnage.net for details. ...

As I Lay Dying's out-of-print Pluto Records releases will be reissued in May as one disc. It will contain the band's debut, Beneath the Encasing of Ashes, along with As I Lay's half of a split they did with American Tragedy. The record will also feature a revamped version of "Reinvention." ... The out-of-print 2003 tribute record Black on Black: A Tribute to Black Flag will be re-released March 14 with six extra tracks by newer artists Bleeding Through ("My War"), the Black Dahlia Murder ("I've Heard It Before"), Zao ("Black Coffee"), Remembering Never ("Spray Paint the Walls"), Most Precious Blood ("Rise Above") and Drowningman ("Loose Nut"). Highlights resurfacing include Converge's take on "Annihilate This Week," Coalesce's cover of "Jealous Again" and the Dillinger Escape Plan's version of "Damaged." ... Through the Eyes of the Dead have replaced Bullet for My Valentine on the upcoming Children of Bodom tour, which kicks off March 18 in New Haven, Connecticut. In related news, both Bullet for My Valentine and Trivium have been confirmed for this year's Download Festival bill; the three-day fest is set for June 9 through June 11 in England's Donington Park. ... Emperor frontman Ihsahn is nearly done with his debut solo record, The Adversary, tentatively scheduled for release April 18. The enigmatic Norwegian wrote all the songs for the album, which he recorded at Symphonique Studios in Norway. Ihsahn also played all the instruments on the disc, except drums, for which he recruited Borknagar member Asgeir Mickelson. "He has been the perfect drummer for this album," Ihsahn said in a statement. "He has really brought to life the patterns I programmed in pre-production." ... The Sword kicked off their U.S. tour with Priestess and Early Man February 1 in Philadelphia. Dates run through March 11 in Hoboken, New Jersey. ...

Exodus will head out on a U.S. headlining tour that begins in Concord, California, April 15. Dates run through May 19 in San Francisco, with Full Blown Chaos, Cryptopsy, the Classic Struggle, Suffocation and Immolation opening on various dates. The band will be Jamey Jasta's guest of honor Saturday night during MTV2's "Headbangers Ball." On a related note, Full Blown Chaos will enter New Jersey's Trax East Studios this month to record their next album, scheduled to drop sometime this summer. ... Swedish death-metal veterans Dismember will release their seventh full album, The God That Never Was, March 7. The disc was recorded at Dug Out Studios and produced by drummer Fred Estby. Tracks include "Shadows of the Mutilated," "Autopsy" and "Into the Temple of Humiliation." The band's entire back catalog was recently reissued with bonus tracks. ... Indiana Christian metalcore band Haste the Day have hired singer Stephen Keech to replace Jimmy Ryan, who left in November to pursue other ventures. Keech's first major outing with the band will be with Bleeding Through and Every Time I Die. Dates start February 11 in Reno, Nevada, and run through April 1 in Anaheim, California. Haste the Day will return to the rehearsal space in April to start writing material for their next album. Their second album, When Everything Falls, came out in June. ...

Melancholic Swedish doom-metal band Katatonia will release their seventh record, The Great Cold Distance, March 14. The album was recorded and mixed at Fascination Street in Orebro, Sweden, and co-produced by singer Jonas Renske, guitarist Anders Nystrom, Jens Bogren and David Castillo. Tracks include "Leaders," "Consternation," "Increase" and "My Twin." A single featuring two versions of "My Twin" and the B-sides "Displaced" and "Dissolving Bonds" will be released February 14, but will be available for download on Katatona.com starting February 6. Katatonia's last album was Viva Emptiness, which came out in 2003. ... Arkansas exploratory sludge-metal band Rwake are working on their next album, which is scheduled for release later this year. Titles include "The Lure of Light," "The Finality" and "Fire and Flight." The group's last disc, If You Walk Before You Crawl You Crawl Before You Die, came out in 2004. ... North Carolina gloom-metal band Daylight Dies will release their second disc, Dismantling Devotion, March 7. The follow-up to the band's 2002 debut No Reply, was mixed by Jens Bogren. Tracks include "A Life Less Lived," "Dead Air" and "All We Had." Daylight Dies will open for Emperor on their four U.S. reunion/farewell shows in July. ... Nerve Gas Tragedy have begun writing their second album. The band, which features ex-members of All Out War, will hit New Jersey's Big Blue Meenie Studios this spring to record the effort. Meanwhile the band's lined up 14 East Coast dates, spread out between February 3 in Middletown, New York, and June 4 at the Adams Aggressive Music Festival in Adams, Massachusetts.

• Iron Maiden
• Sepultura
• The Sword
• Dante

Voivod
Photo: Danny Clinch

Back in August, just days before Denis "Piggy" D'Amour succumbed to advanced colon cancer, Voivod drummer Michael "Away" Langevin said he awoke one morning to a ringing phone. It was D'Amour, and he wanted Langevin to stop into the Montreal hospital where he was being treated. D'Amour said he wanted the drummer to come as soon as he possibly could.

"He told me, 'You have to come [to the hospital] right now. I have something to tell you,' " Away recalled. "I went, and he told me that the doctor informed him he had days to live. He said he really wanted to fulfill his contract with the End Records," Voivod's label home, "and then he instructed me to grab his laptop and started telling me where to find these files."

The files contained what Away described as "four albums' worth" of lead, rhythm and solo guitar tracks D'Amour had recorded prior to checking himself into the hospital the previous spring. While Voivod — rounded out by former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted and singer Denis "Snake" Belanger — had spent more than two years working on fresh material together, none of it was recorded with state-of-the-art equipment in a professional studio. The music on D'Amour's laptop was.

A couple of hours after Away's bedside visit to D'Amour, "Piggy's mind started to wander, and I was asking him questions about the [computer files] and he had no idea what I was talking about. It's almost like he woke up and felt his brain was going and realized he needed to tell me [about the tracks] as soon as possible. He slipped into a coma a day or two later, so this album came very close to not existing."

"Close" is an understatement. But the good news is the album — which the band worked on with producer Glen Robinson (Gwar, Annihilator) by writing and recording around Piggy's guitar parts — is done. Away says he feels the yet-untitled effort's a fitting homage to his fallen bandmate. "It's quite a miracle that this music will live on," he said.

The disc, to be released this spring, will feature 10 tracks, with working titles like "Red My Mind," "The Getaway," "Polaroids," "After All" and "No Angel." Voivod plan to return to the studio in the fall to record another 13 tracks for an album Away said will surface in 2007.

"I'm proud of this album in the sense that it would have been a disaster that Piggy's music would go unheard," the drummer said. "Now it will be released, which is a miracle. I am proud that we were able to gather our spirits enough to actually finish off his work."

Voivod have no immediate touring plans, Away said. That's because it's been too hard for the band to discuss the topic. "We decided to concentrate on finishing this album and think about the live aspect of it later," he said. "Right now it's difficult for us to think about touring without Piggy being onstage with us. I think we'll have to eventually sit down and really discuss it, but it was hard enough to go into the studio and finish the album without him.

"Piggy was a founding member and has been there with us all the way through. I have been jamming with him since '79, so it's really hard to picture a tour without him. ... We'd have to find a replacement that Piggy would be proud of."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has reached out to DeviantArt.com to help redesign the band's longtime logo/mascot, Vic Rattlehead. In a contest that runs until February 14, applicants are asked to upload their design to DeviantArt.com and Mustaine will choose the winning design. "I created the first Vic Rattlehead, and now it's your turn. Show me your stuff, deviants," Mustaine said. Prizes include three Dave Mustaine Signature Series electric guitars from ESP: the Ltd Axxion, Ltd DV8-R and Ltd DV200. ... Vernon Reid & Masque will release their second album, Other True Self, April 18. Tracks include "Prof Bebey," "Flatbush and Church Revisited," "White Face" and covers of Radiohead's "National Anthem" and Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence." In addition to his work with Masque, the Living Colour guitarist recently contributed music for the Laurence Malkin film "Five Fingers," the upcoming PBS documentary "Almost Home" and the new Derek-Wan-directed horror movie "Shadow: Dead Riot." ... Lamb of God's debut album, New American Gospel, has been remastered and will be re-released on April 4 with new packaging, four bonus tracks and liner notes penned by members of the band. The reissue will also include a video for "Black Label." ... Carnal Forge continue to work on the follow-up to 2004's Aren't You Dead Yet?, which should hit stores before the end of the year. The album will feature "Burning Eden," "Subhuman," "Forever Guilt" and "The Dead." ... Isis have booked a handful of dates, the first being on March 29 in Redding, California, with These Arms Are Snakes and Zombi. The bill for the last of the confirmed dates — May 2 in Baltimore — will feature Dälek, Torche and Zombi. ...

Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton will release two albums on March 7. The first will be a reissue of his eclectic 1997 solo album Baptizm of Fire, with two previously unreleased bonus tracks, "Himalaya" and "New Breed." The record features bass playing by the late John Entwistle of the Who, Metallica's Robert Trujillo, ex-Talas frontman Billy Sheehan and session player C.J. DeVillar; drumming by Godsmack's Shannon Larkin, Rainbow/ Black Sabbath's Cozy Powell and session player Brooks Wackerman; and keyboards by ex-Ozzy Osbourne accomplice Don Airey. The second disc, Edge of the World, is a batch of previously unreleased songs by Tipton, Entwistle and Powell that were recorded during the same session. Tracks include "Unknown Soldier," "Friendly Fire" and "Resolution."... Former Kittie guitarist Lisa Marx has joined Day of Contempt, who're on tour with Avenged Sevenfold and CKY. The band's latest EP, The Will to Live, was released in April. ... Children of Bodom mainman Alexi Laiho broke his toe during a recent gig in Barcelona, Spain, after "slamming it into a monitor wedge," the singer wrote on the band's Web site. "So if and when you see me moving around like a retard ... that's why." The injury won't affect the band's upcoming U.S. tour with Chimaira and God Forbid. ... Pro-Pain have been writing material for their yet-untitled forthcoming album, which should surface later this year. The recording of the effort should get underway in five months or so. ...

A June 6 release date has been set for Sikth's forthcoming disc, Death of a Dead Day. ... Dutch progressive-goth-metal band the Gathering have confirmed seven North American shows for March, for which they will be supported by Giant Squid and Unexpect. The first date will be March 17 in Austin, Texas, as part of the South by Southwest music conference. The tour wraps up March 24 in Montreal. The Gathering are currently finishing their ninth album, Home, with producer Attie Bauw, who produced their 1999 outing, How to Measure a Planet? Most of the recording was done in an old church in Maurik, Holland, and the album is due this spring. ... Sixteen bands have been lined up for February 15's Edgefest 2006 at the 180 Skatepark in Huber Heights, Ohio. Suffocate Faster, xTyrantx, In This Defiance, Sealed With a Kiss and Son of Day are just some of the acts scheduled. ... Comeback Kid, First Blood, Ignite, the Sinking Ships and This Is Hell will be teaming up for a U.S. tour that kicks off in Seattle on February 26. Dates run through March 28 in Syracuse, New York. ... Florida thrashers A--holeparade have entered Goldentone Studios in Gainesville to begin work on Say Hello, the band's forthcoming disc. The album will feature 20 cuts, including a rendition of Septic Death's "Thaw (Frozen World)." Look for it in April. ... The seventh-annual Facedown Fest will go down on March 31 and April 1 in Pomona, California. The lineup will include Nodes of Ranvier, Seventh Star, Inked in Blood, No Innocent Victim, Bloodlined Calligraphy and xLooking Forwardx. ...

Street Drum Corps, the percussive project formed by members of S.T.U.N., the Start and Circus Minor and embraced by the Used's Bert McCracken, will release their self-titled debut February 21. The disc was produced by Limp Bizkit's DJ Lethal and includes "Wrecks," "Rabbit," "Body Sounds 101" and "Bang!" A bonus DVD featuring 48 minutes of live and backstage footage will accompany the release. ... Veteran hardcore-metal band Starkweather will release their new album Croatoan May 2. The disc was produced by Pierre Remillard (Cryptopsy) and features art work by Paul Romano (Mastodon, Godflesh). Croatoan is the band's first new recording in more than five years. ... Hell Within will tour with War of Ages starting February 3 in Portland, Oregon. Dates run through February 26 in Williamsburg, Virginia. The band's debut, Asylum of the Human Predator, came out last April.

• Megadeth
• Lamb of God
• Voivod
• Sepultura

"Get Rich or Die Tryin' " soundtrack
Photo: Interscope Records

Die Another Day: Whereas 50 Cent faced us head-on, albeit through a cracked mirror, on his Get Rich or Die Tryin' debut, the still-shirtless rapper has his back turned — and a baby in arms — on the soundtrack to the movie of the same name. To the delight of those protesting the movie's billboards, perhaps, the clean version of the soundtrack doesn't show a gun sticking out of 50's pants (but the explicit one does). Tracks include: "When It Rains It Pours" (50), "I'll Whip Ya Head Boy" (50 featuring Young Buck) and "When Death Becomes You" (M.O.P. featuring 50).

Hits Me Baby One More Time: Can't artists let their best songs speak for themselves? 'Parently not. If you've got a little extra gold lying around, you might want to splurge on the CD+DVD version of the Beastie Boys' Solid Gold Hits, which has a live video for "Brass Monkey," filmed at a sold-out Madison Square Garden show last October. Limp Bizkit take a less consumer-friendly approach by selling their CD and DVD separately, while Lenny Kravitz bests even that by making fans buy his Greatest Hits all over again: It's coming out as a limited-edition tour version with a bonus DVD.

Rap With a Twista: You just heard from Twista with last month's The Day After, but his pal Paul Wall's gotta pay the bills too, so they're dishing up the album again, screwed-and-chopped style (and with a purple album cover). The Alchemist is also taking a seemingly-innovative-but-in-reality-kinda-dull approach by re-releasing last year's 1st Infantry — in instrumental form.

Rick Rubin Everywhere: Sure, the perplexing producer has Melanie C and Sir Mix-a-Lot in his oeuvre, but Neil Diamond? That's right — Rubes spruced up the 12 songs on Diamond's first studio record in four years called, uh, 12 Songs. The Digipak version defies the album title with two bonus cuts: "Men Are So Easy" and an alternate take of "Delirious Love" with Brian Wilson. Incidentally, several bands Rubin has bonded with in the past also have releases coming out this week: the Beastie Boys, the Mars Volta, Limp Bizkit and Johnny Cash.

Song Title of the Week:

"Gods Are Fearing Men" (Filthy Thieven' Bastards' My Pappy Was a Pistol)

Other Notables:

The Mars Volta's Scab Dates: After their first record, the Mars Volta followed it up with a 43-minute live "EP" loosely based (read: improvised) around the same material. Now they're chasing March's Frances the Mute with Scab Dates, an even lengthier live collection of material from 2003-2005 that clocks in around 70 minutes. Only two studio albums in, and already two live releases that nearly total the time of the band's studio-recorded output? Gotta be a first.

Guided by Voices' Suitcase 2 - American Superdream Wow and Briefcase 2 - The Return of Milko Waif, Suitcase 2 Abridged: If Guided by Voices were a circus prop, they'd be one of those taxis the clowns pile out of indefinitely. Even though they broke up last year, they've managed to cull 100 more tracks for their fourth box (emphasis on the "Wow"). Two decades' worth of demos, sketches and live tunes are packed into this Suitcase, including the original version of "I Am Decided," which Kim Deal later recycled on her 1995 Amps record, Pacer. To make matters a little more frustrating, GBV are putting two exclusive tracks on Briefcase 2 - The Return of Milko Waif, Suitcase 2 Abridged, a separate set that is otherwise a distilled version of Suitcase 2. Plus there's a vinyl version of Briefcase 2 with an exclusive cut of its own, proving that, if you are in fact trying to be a GBV completist, you've completely lost your mind.

Peter Gallagher's 7 Days in Memphis and the various-artists collection The O.C. Mix 5: So if Ryan Atwood is a fish out of water in the O.C., what does that make Sandy Cohen in Memphis? A recording artist, apparently. The reception Peter Gallagher got after barreling out a cover of a Solomon Burke number in a recent episode "The O.C." must have been tremendous, because that's all the actor needed to hole up in Soulsville USA for 7 Days in Memphis — and it's all Epic Records needed to sign him. This week gets even soapier with The O.C. Mix 5, although that 12-track comp probably won't cater to the soul crowd; it features tastemakers like Gorillaz, Stars, Phantom Planet, Shout Out Louds and Kasabain.

New Releases:

• 501 Click - Code 501 (Sugar Water)
• The Advantage - Elf Titled (5 Rue Christine)
• Akron, Family and Angels of Light - Akron, Family and Angels of Light (Young God)
• The Alchemist - 1st Infantry: The Instrumentals (Koch)
  Read: "Lloyd Banks, Game, M.O.P. Join The Alchemist's 1st Infantry"
• Annihilator - Schizo Deluxe (Locomotive)
• Atomic Betty - Atomic Betty (Koch)
• AZ - A.W.O.L. - Version 1.5 (Fastlife)
• Beastie Boys - Solid Gold Hits (Capitol)
  Read: "Beastie Boys Join Hilary, ODB's Ranks With Greatest-Hits LP"
• Bell Orchestre - Recording a Tape of the Colour of the Light (Rough Trade)
• Jenny Bliss - See You Again (EP; V2)
• Brave Combo - Holidays (Rounder)
• The Brothas & Sistas - Woke Up This Morning: Theme From the HBO Hit Series "The Sopranos" (Passport Audio)
• Geoffrey Burgen - "The Chronicles of Narnia" soundtrack (Silva America)
• Kate Bush - Aerials (two CDs; Columbia)
• Calico System - They Live (Eulogy)
• Jeremy Camp - Live >> Unplugged >> Franklin, TN (BEC)
• Kenny Chesney - The Road and the Radio (BNA)
• Diane Cluck - Countless Times (Voodoo-Eros)
• Comet Gain - City Fallen Leaves (Kill Rock Stars)
• ConQuest - Queezy Baby (Sugar Water)
• D4L - Down for Life (Atlantic)
• Neil Diamond - 12 Songs (Digipak with additional tracks also available; Columbia)
• Dogs of Winter- Cut Down to the Quick (Exotic)
• Paul Duncan - Be Careful What You Call Home (Hometapes)
• Fenix TX - Purple Reign in Blood - Live (Drive-Thru)
  Read: "Fenix TX's Homage To Prince Gets Them A Cease-And-Desist Letter"
• Filthy Thieven' Bastards - My Pappy Was a Pistol (BYO)
• Floetry - Flo' Ology (Geffen)
• Robert Fripp - Love Cannot Bear (Discipline)
• Peter Gallagher - 7 Days in Memphis (DualDisc also available; Epic)
• Glass Joe - Glacious (Felonious)
• Grabs - Sex, Fashion, & Money (The Grabs Records)
• Gris Gris - For the Season (Birdman)
• Grizzly Bear - Horn of Plenty (with extra CD of bonus remixes; Kanine)
• Guce - Controversial (SMC)
• Harvey Danger - Cream and Bastards Rise (EP; Kill Rock Stars)
• Headlights - The Enemies (EP; Polyvinyl)
• Hella - Concentration Face/ Homeboy (with DVD; 5 Rue Christine)
• Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (two CDs; SPV)
• Il Divo - The Christmas Collection/ Il Divo (limited edition; Columbia)
• Knut - Terraformer (Hydra Head)
• Cyndi Lauper - The Body Acoustic (DualDisc also available; Epic)
• Lil' Romeo - "Romeo! TV Show (The Season)" soundtrack (Koch)
• Limp Bizkit - Greatest Hitz (Geffen)
  Read: "Fred Durst Says Limp Bizkit Are About To Bring On The Gravy"
• Sheek Louch - After Taxes (Koch)
• Harry Manx - Mantras for Madmen (Dog My Cat)
• The Mars Volta - Scab Dates (live; GSL/Strummer/Universal)
• Marin Mazzi/ Jason Danieley - Opposite You (P.S. Classics)
• The Mean Reds - Together at Last and This Is Our Wedding (Record Collection)
• Mi & l'Au - Mi and l'Au (Young God)
• The No-Neck Blues Band - Qvaris (5 Rue Christine)
• Nonpoint - To the Pain (Beiler Bros.)
• Novatone - Time Can't Wait (Wax Orchard)
• Danny Owen - The Environmental Sounds of Crawford, Texas (Koch)
• The Pharcyde - Sold My Soul: The Remix & Rarities Collection (two CDs; The Funky Chemist)
• The Primeridian - Da All Nighta (All Natural Inc.)
• Purple City - Paris to Purple City (Babygrande)
• Eros Ramazzotti - Calma Apparente (Columbia)
• Relient K - Apathetic EP (Capitol)
• Ruts - Rhythmic Collision, Vol. 1 (Remixes) (Echo Beach)
• Sepultura - Live in São Paulo (two CDs; SPV)
• So I Had to Shoot Him - Alpha Males and Popular Girls (Crucial Blast)
• Tarantula A.D. - Book of Sand (Kemado)
• These Glass Eyes - House of Glass (Martyr)
• Tristeza - A Colores (Better Looking)
• Twista - The Day After - Chopped & Screwed by Paul Wall (Atlantic)
• Marshall Tucker Band - Carolina Christmas (Shout! Factory)
• Tanya Tucker - Live at Billy Bob's Texas (Image)
• Steve Tyrell - The Songs of Sinatra (Hollywood)
• Vandals - Shingo Japanese Remix Album (Kung-Fu)
• Windy & Carl - The Dream House/ Dedications to Flea (with limited-edition EP; Kranky)
• Young Buck - T.I.P. (Mass Appeal)
• Zu Vs. Mats Gustafsson - How to Raise an Ox (Atavistic)
• Various artists - A Quiet Revolution: 30 Years of Windham Hill (Windham Hill)
• Various artists - Blues Guitar Women (Ruf)
• Various artists - Gilles Peterson Digs America: Brownswood U.S.A. (Luv N Haight)
• Various artists - Putumayo Presents: Asian Lounge (Putumayo)
• Various artists - Stand-Ins for deciBels - A Tribute to the db's (Paisley Pop)
• Various artists - Thrasher Mag: Skate Rock, Vol. 12: Eat the Flag(DualDisc; Volcom)
• Various artists - "Beauty and the Beast: Of Love and Hope" soundtrack (Rykodisc)
• Various artists - "Cronicas" soundtrack (Palm)
• Various artists - "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " soundtrack (G-Unit/Interscope)
  Read: "New 50 Music Hits Airwaves; MC Admits That He Too Was Once A Window Shopper"
• Various artists - The O.C. Mix 5 (Warner Bros.)
• Various artists - Smallville: The Metropolis Mix (Interscope)

Reissues & Archival Notables:

• Johnny Cash - The Complete Sun Recordings 1955-1958 (three-CD box set; Time Life)
• Rosanne Cash - The Very Best of Rosanne Cash (Columbia/Legacy)
• Corm - Audio Flame Kit (Polyvinyl)
• Crowded House - Crowded House (DualDisc; Capitol)
• The Damned - Play It at Your Sister (three CDs; Castle/Sanctuary)
• John Entwistle - Rigor Mortis Sets In, Smash Your Head Against the Wall and Whistle Rymes (Sanctuary)
• Eurythmics - Ultimate Collection (Arista)
• Fleetwood Mac - Men of the World: The Blues Years (three CDs; Sanctuary)
• Guided by Voices - Suitcase 2 - American Superdream Wow (four CDs; Recordhead) and Briefcase 2 - The Return of Milko Waif, Suitcase 2 Abridged(two CDs; Recordhead)
• The Highwaymen - The Road Goes on Forever (limited-edition remaster with DVD; Capitol)
• Miranda July - 10 Million Hours in a Mile (Kill Rock Stars)
• King Cole Trio - Transcriptions (three CDs; Blue Note)
• Lenny Kravitz - Greatest Hits (limited tour edition with DVD; Virgin)
• John Lennon - Live Peace in Toronto, 1969 (gold CD; Mobile Fidelity)
• Bob Marley and the Wailers - Africa Unite: The Singles Collection (Island)
• Maximum Joy- Unlimited 1979-1983 (Crippled Di-- Hot Wax)
• Nickelback - Silver Side Up/ Live at Home - The 25th Anniversary Series (live; special edition; Roadrunner)
• R.E.M. - Document (DualDisc; Capitol)
• Sonny Rollins - Essential Sonny Rollins: The RCA Years (RCA)
• T. Rex - Dandy in the Underworld, The Slider, The T. Rex Wax Co. Singles: A's and B's 1972-77 and Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow EP (two CDs each; Rhino)
• Patti Smith - Horses/Horses (two CDs; Arista)
• Traffic - The Last Traffic Jam (DualDisc; Epic)
• The Tragically Hip - Hipeponymous (four CDs; Universal/Fontana)
• Venom - MMV (box set; Castle/Sanctuary)
• Steve Winwood - About Time (DualDisc; Epic)
• Zapp & Mr. Capone-e - Ol' Skool Music, Vol. 1 (Thump)
• Various artists - "The Warriors" soundtrack (A&M)

DVDs:

• 50 Cent - "Refuse 2 Die: The Unauthorized Biography" (New Line)
• Björk - "Medulla Videos" (Elektra)
• Lindsey Buckingham (with special guest Stevie Nicks) - "PBS Soundstage Presents: Lindsey Buckingham Live in Concert" (Koch Vision)
• Ray Charles - "50 Years in Music" (Image)
• Alice Cooper - "Good to See You Again - Live 1973: The Billion Dollar Babies Tour" (Shout! Factory)
• The Charlie Daniels Band - "The Charlie Daniels Band Live" (Koch)
• Game - "Chronicles of the Street" (Shoot II Films)
• Legendary Pink Dots - "A Dream Is a Dream" (live; Beta-Lactam Rin)
• Ute Lempter - "Blood & Feathers - Live from the Café Carlyle" (Koch)
• Limp Bizkit - "Greatest Videoz" (Geffen)
• Bob Marley and the Wailers - "Live at the Rainbow" (Island)
• The Offspring - "Complete Music Video Collection" (UMD Mini for PSP; Columbia)
• The Police - "Synchronicity Concert" (A&M/Universal)
• Sage Francis - "Life Is Easy" (Epitaph)
• Sepultura - "Live in São Paulo" (two DVDs; Warner Bros.)
• The Tragically Hip - "That Night in Toronto: Pierre & Franco" (Universal/Fontana)
• UFO - "Showtime" (live; two DVDs; SPV)
• Usher - "Truth Tour: Behind the Truth - Live in Atlanta" (available exclusively through Best Buy until February; three DVDs; Arista)
• The Who - "Tommy and Quadrophenia Live With Special Guests" (three DVDs; Rhino)
• Various artists - "All Access: DVD Magazine #10" (Kraze)
• Various artists - "Live 8: One Day, One Concert, One World - July 2nd 2005" (four DVDs; Capitol)

Coming Attractions:

November 15:

• Mariah Carey - The Emancipation of Mimi: Platinum Edition (Island)
  Read: "Mariah Carey Emancipating Mimi Again, With Bonus Tracks"
• Green Day - Bullet in a Bible (with DVD; Reprise)
• Madonna - Confessions on a Dance Floor (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Madonna Making 'Spontaneous' And 'Unapologetic' Dance Music"

November 22:

• John Mayer Trio - Try! John Mayer Trio Live in Concert (Columbia)
  Read: "John Mayer Trio Geek Out With Live Album, Rolling Stones Jokes"
• Britney Spears - Britney Spears Remixed (Jive)
• System of a Down - Hypnotize (DualDisc also available; Columbia)
  Read: "System Of A Down Album Preview: Hypnotize Even Wilder Than Mezmerize"

November 29:

• Master P - Living Legend: Certified D-Boy (Gutter)
• Dave Matthews Band - Weekend on the Rocks (two CDs with DVD; RCA)
• Shakira - Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (Columbia)

• 50 Cent
• Beastie Boys
• Limp Bizkit
• The Mars Volta
• Johnny Cash

The Haunted
Photo: Century Media

On Tuesday, the Haunted held a band meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, and discussed the band's future on the Meshuggah, God Forbid and Mnemic tour — which hits Denver's Ogden Theatre on Friday (October 21). Frontman Peter Dolving was dealing with some intense pain; he'd pinched a nerve in his back the week before and hadn't been the same since. Would the band recruit a fill-in for Dolving or would it drop off the tour?

Luckily for the Haunted's fans, Dolving was treated for the pain, and the Ozzfest 2005 vets pushed on. For guitarist Patrik Jensen, it was important that the band see this trek through. "We've been seeing lots of Ozzfest T-shirts, and on that tour we only did 20-minute sets," he said; on this run, the band's playing a full 45. "We owe it to our fans."

And the Haunted means that. The band's prepping a headlining tour of the U.S. that'll kick off in mid-February called the Bad Seeds Tour; Jensen said the guys haven't decided on openers just yet but were considering a number of bands.

"We've done so many opening tours on this album [2004's rEVOLVEr] that we need to come back to the U.S. and treat everybody to a headlining set, playing an hour and 15, hour and 20 minutes instead of playing just the 30- and 40-minute shows," said Jensen, who's also known for his work with Witchery. The tour will last five weeks and will be the band's first U.S. headliner in over two years.

Despite the short sets, Ozzfest was certainly a memorable experience for Jensen. "It was cool hanging out with all the bands and getting to know all the people. Ozzfest is like a small community, traveling all across America," he said. "And I never expected the members of Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath would be in the backstage catering area and that I'd be able to talk to them." Still, he doesn't expect to see the Haunted ever returning to the package tour unless they were offered a better slot.

"We've done it once," he reasoned. "It would be better to maybe do the Gigantour and play in front of a new crowd again."

After this current jaunt, the Haunted will head overseas for a European trip with God Dethroned and God Forbid. In between the December 17 end of that tour and the start of Bad Seeds, Jensen said the band will write material for a still-untitled rEVOLVEr follow-up.

The rest of the week's metal news:

Mudvayne, whose "Forget to Remember" is the lead track on the "Saw II" soundtrack, will play a midnight set at the film's screening party in Las Vegas October 27. "Saw II" star and former New Kids on the Block member Donnie Wahlberg will also attend — though a duet of the teen-pop band's hit "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)" seems unlikely. The soundtrack comes out Tuesday and also features remixes of songs by Marilyn Manson, Queens of the Stone Age and Puscifer (Tool's Maynard James Keenan with ex-Nine Inch Nails guitarist Danny Lohner), plus songs from the Used, Sevendust, Papa Roach, Skinny Puppy, Bloodsimple, Revolting Cocks, Buckethead and others. ... Songs from Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory, Trivium, Chimaira, Soilwork and others will be featured on the forthcoming "Rainbow Six: Lockdown" soundtrack. ... Dutch doom specialists Orphanage split this week. "From recent internal discussions, it appeared that there was too much irritation and a lack of mutual trust to be able to make a new Orphanage product by the high-quality standards that the band has been known for throughout the years," the band said in a statement. ...

Portland, Oregon, brutal sludge band Facedowninsh-- are nearly finished writing their third album, Npon. The disc will be recorded in November at Pontchartrain Studios in Durham, North Carolina, and should be out by March. ... Static-X will hit the road with Ill Niño and Opiate for the Masses from November 9 in Tempe, Arizona, through November 26 in Fargo, North Dakota. The new single from the band's current album, Start a War, will be "Dirthouse." ... Dokken, whose forthcoming, tentatively titled album Lightning Strikes Again should fall sometime next year, have rolled out a slew of new tour dates, the first being November 30 in Las Vegas. The band will hit Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle and Salt Lake City before things wind down December 20 in Solana Beach, California. ... The Deep Purple DVD "Live in Concert 72/73," which features the band's powerhouse lineup — singer Ian Gillan, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist Roger Glover, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice — comes out November 15. The DVD features nine songs in black and white from a 1972 show in Denmark and three in color from a 1973 concert in New York. Tracks include "Space Truckin'," "Highway Star" and "Smoke on the Water." ...

Brazil thrash band Sepultura will release separate versions of the CD and DVD Live in Sao Paulo on November 8. Both formats capture a show from April 3, 2005, that spanned the band's career from 1985 to 2003. The DVD features a second disc with a documentary of the band and the videos "Mindwar," "Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Choke." ... A Motörhead double DVD "Stage Fright" will be released on January 10. The first disc is a concert which was filmed in Düsseldorf, Germany, in 2004 and the second features clips of soundchecks, backstage footage and a documentary about the band's road crew. ... Swedish death-metal band Darkane will embark on their first-ever U.S. tour, supporting Fear Factory and Strapping Young Lad from October 28 in Lawrence, Kansas, through December 5 in Vancouver. Soilwork and It Dies Today are also on the bill. Darkane's fourth album, Layers of Lies, came out in July. ... Kreator and Napalm Death will be bringing A Perfect Murder and the Undying out with them on a 34-date U.S. tour set to kick off February 21 in Quebec; dates run through March 25 in West Springfield, Virginia. ... Oakland, California, stoner-grunge band Totimoshi are working on their third album, which is being produced by Helmet frontman Page Hamilton. The record is tentatively scheduled for release in early 2006. ...

Brutal Cornhuskers Cellador will hit Tampa's Mana Studio on December 16 to start working on their debut disc. Erik Rutan (Soilent Green, the Absence) will produce the effort, which is set for a late spring 2006 release. ... Finnish stoner-rockers Mannhai will begin working on their forthcoming opus next month. Look for the as-yet-untitled disc to include "Fuzzmaster," "Downers" and "Better Hate Yesterday." ... Black-metal legends Marduk will "unleash upon mankind" 17 live cuts recorded during the band's recent Deathmarch Tour in the form of Warschau: Dance of Death. The band intends to produce just 10,000 copies of the disc; no word yet on a potential release date. ... Several bands have been confirmed for Thrashtoberfest 2005, which will take over North Six in Brooklyn, New York, on November 4. Deceased, Thine Eyes Bleed, Sun Descends, Dimentianon, Sunlord and the original Rigor Mortis lineup (frontman Bruce Corbitt, guitarist Mike Scaccia, bassist Casey Orr and drummer Harden Harrison) have all signed on to participate. ... Massachusetts hardcore act Think I Care will hit Atomic Studios late next month with Dean Baltulonis (No Warning, the Promise) to start recording their next disc, which should drop this spring.

• The Haunted
• Sepultura
• Dokken
• Orphanage

He's got the album, the DVD, the mixtapes, the tour, the videos, the shoe line — and now 50 Cent's got the clothes. In the ever-expanding 50 empire, the superstar rapper has launched his G-Unit clothing label in partnership with Ecko Unlimited. The first line — available now for the fall season — consists of five T-shirts emblazoned with different G-Unit logos. ... (Click for photos)

Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil turned himself in to Nevada police and posted a $1,000 bond, according to the Lyon County district attorney's office. Neil's attorney has yet to make arrangements for Neil to appear in court to face charges of misdemeanor battery for allegedly attacking a prostitute at a brothel last month, so no date has been set yet. ... N.E.R.D.'s follow-up to their Short List Prize-winning In Search Of ... is due November 18 and will be titled Fly or Die. ...

Sepultura's new record, Roorback, will come out August 26. The disc was produced by Steve Evetts at Mosh Studios in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and will include a cover of U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky." Select pressings will also feature a bonus CD consisting of covers of songs by Jane's Addiction, Massive Attack, Devo, Exodus and Hellhammer. Sepultura plan to tour North America in October. ... Killer Mike will join Baltimore Ravens star Jamal Lewis for Giving Back Day in the Park Saturday at Adamsville Recreation Center near Atlanta. They will hand out free school supplies to underprivileged children. ...

Third Eye Blind, LeAnn Rimes and Tracy Chapman are among those slated to perform at the two-day One World One Heart festival, sponsored by Ben & Jerry's ice cream and Rock the Vote. Other artists scheduled to play the fest, to be held August 23-24 in Bethel, New York, include George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic and Hootie and the Blowfish's Darius Rucker. ... Canadian pop-punkers Gob want you to be in the video for "Oh! Ellin," the second single from their latest album, Foot in Mouth Disease. Interested parties should show up at Vancouver's Clark Park Tennis Courts on Wednesday morning. ...

08.01.2003

Britney Spears has switched choreographers for her upcoming fall tour. Jennifer Lopez's ex Cris Judd is now out, while Jamie King ("Dance Fever") will be keeping the pop singer in step. Auditions were held Friday in Los Angeles for dancers to join her on tour. ...

Rather than fight his latest arrest, "Jackass" co-star Steve-O (whose real name is Stephen Glover) has resolved the criminal charge against him stemming from allegedly urinating in front of a crowd in late July during a Lollapalooza stop near Pittsburgh. The stuntman paid a $300 fine last week for the charge of disorderly conduct. ... "American Idol" champ Ruben Studdard is reportedly suing 205 Flava Inc., the people who make the "205" jerseys that Studdard wore early in the competition. According to the Associated Press, Studdard is accusing the company of illegally profiting from his image, and claims that 205 Flava saw a sales bump of $2 million after unlawfully using his likeness. ...

A Hummer that once belonged to Tupac Shakur could soon be yours if you have a working Web browser ... and a whole lot of cash. An online auction for the 1996 Hummer will open on eBay on August 13, according to CNN. Bidding starts at $500,000. ... Several current metal bands including Disturbed, Slipknot, Kittie and Meshuggah will talk about the importance of '80s thrash metal in the upcoming film "Get Thrashed," which is being directed by Rick Ernst and should be out by year's end. The movie also features concert and interview footage of Metallica, Anthrax and others. ...

The confrontational Irish songbird Sinead O'Connor's swan song, a double-disc set called She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty, will be released September 9. One disc will feature rare and unreleased originals and 11 covers of songs by artists such as ABBA, B-52's and Aretha Franklin. The second disc will be a live recording from a concert last year at Vicar Street in Dublin. A live DVD called "Goodnight, Thank You, You've Been a Lovely Audience" will come out August 26. ...

The Party of a Lifetime Tour has broken up early. The last five dates of the Sammy Hagar/ Lynyrd Skynyrd co-headlining tour were canceled when Skynyrd's lead guitarist, Gary Rossington, who had open-heart surgery in February, was told by doctors to immediately drop off the trek in order to combat medical fatigue. Ticket holders for the scrapped shows — between August 1 in Pelham, Alabama, and August 5 in Beaumont, Texas — can get refunds at point of purchase. Hagar will still play the August 6 show in Corpus Christi, Texas. ...

Living Colour's first studio album in a decade, Collideoscope, will come out September 22. The 16-track disc will include the songs "Son Without Sin," "A ? of When," "Operation Mind Control" and "Nightmare City." ... Judas Priest-inspired band Iced Earth have hired dethroned Priest singer Tim "Ripper" Owens to replace Matthew Barlow. The band's new record, The Glorious Burden, will come out this fall and will feature the tracks "The Reckoning," "Hollow Man" and "Red Baron/Blue Max." Owens was ousted from Priest last month after longtime singer Rob Halford rejoined the band. ...

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Roadrunner United 12.15.2005

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