Metallica's James Hetfield
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

Metallica are so excited about their upcoming "Guitar Hero" video game that they couldn't wait to tell their fans what songs were in it.

The band's official Web site recently revealed the full set list of songs that will appear in "Guitar Hero: Metallica," due March 29, which includes 28 tracks spanning Metallica's entire career, as well as tunes from 21 other artists, such as Foo Fighters, Slayer, Queen, Alice in Chains, Lynyrd Skynyrd and System of a Down.

"Metallica gave us input on guest artists they'd like to see in their game, bands that they felt were really important to them," the game's lead designer, Alan Flores, told MTV News during a demo in New York earlier this month. "Guitar Hero: Metallica" is similar to November's full-band music game, "Guitar Hero: World Tour," but players will get to jam to songs strictly by Metallica and the musicians that inspire them.

The game's plot line is based on a true story of European fans who attended every Metallica show until they were finally invited by the band to open for them onstage. Players will take on the role of musicians trying to follow in Metallica's footsteps, but they'll also be able to play as singer James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo.

"The very first thing you do is you play as Metallica," Flores explained. "We wanted to hit you hard, and we didn't want to put that off."

Flores, a longtime Metallica fan himself who's worked on past "Guitar Hero" games, said that when his company, Activision Blizzard, showed the band their work on June's "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith," it was a no-brainer. "They were really impressed by it, and they basically wanted a similar treatment," he said. "So we took that as a blueprint and crammed a lot of new bonus stuff in there."

The bonus material includes virtual re-creations of the venues Metallica's played in, pop-up trivia about the band's history and lyrics, unlockable videos of live performances and exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage from their motion-capture sessions.

The biggest addition is the "expert-plus" difficulty to all the gameplay modes, which adds a second bass pedal so that "Guitar Hero" drummers can play double bass drum tracks with both feet, just like Ulrich does. The second bass pedal, compatible with the existing "Guitar Hero: World Tour" drum peripheral, will be sold in stores separately when "Guitar Hero: Metallica" is released.

"It's a game that can be really hard if you're up for that challenge," Flores said. "But if you want to get in there and just play some songs, it's there for you. Even if you don't like Metallica but you like 'Guitar Hero,' the songs are just so fun to play."

The track list for "Guitar Hero: Metallica," according to Metallica's Web site:

Metallica Tracks:
• "All Nightmare Long"
• "Battery"
• "Creeping Death"
• "Disposable Heroes"
• "Dyers Eve"
• "Enter Sandman"
• "Fade to Black"
• "Fight Fire With Fire"
• "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
• "Frantic"
• "Fuel"
• "Hit the Lights"
• "King Nothing"
• "Master of Puppets"
• "Mercyful Fate (Medley)"
• "No Leaf Clover"
• "Nothing Else Matters"
• "One"
• "Orion"
• "Sad but True"
• "Seek and Destroy"
• "The Memory Remains"
• "The Shortest Straw"
• "The Thing That Should Not Be"
• "The Unforgiven"
• "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
• "Wherever I May Roam"
• "Whiplash"

Other Artists:
• Alice in Chains - "No Excuses"
• Bob Seger - "Turn the Page"
• Corrosion of Conformity - "Albatross"
• Diamond Head - "Am I Evil?"
• Foo Fighters - "Stacked Actors"
• Judas Priest - "Hell Bent for Leather"
• Kyuss - "Demon Cleaner"
• Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Tuesday's Gone"
• Machine Head - "Beautiful Mourning"
• Mastodon - "Blood and Thunder"
• Mercyful Fate - "Evil"
• Michael Schenker Group - "Armed and Ready"
• Motörhead - "Ace of Spades"
• Queen - "Stone Cold Crazy"
• Samhain - "Mother of Mercy"
• Slayer - "War Ensemble"
• Social Distortion - "Mommy's Little Monster"
• Suicidal Tendencies - "War Inside My Head"
• System of a Down - "Toxicity"
• The Sword - "The Black River"
• Thin Lizzy - "The Boys Are Back in Town"

For more gaming coverage, check out our Multiplayer blog.

• 'Guitar Hero: Metallica' Music Videos

• Metallica
• Foo Fighters
• Slayer

The Killers' Brandon Flowers
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

The news happens all the time, even while you're catching up on beauty sleep. Check out this brief rundown to bring you up to speed this morning — a quick heads up from your friends at MTV News.

Here's what we've got:

DJ Khaled has a pretty sweet setup: He's creating hit songs ("We Takin' Over," for example) without writing, producing or even really performing on the track. Want to follow his lead? Khaled shared his seven collabo commandments with us. "I get all my beats first, straight up," the DJ revealed. After that it's about drafting a game plan and putting together the perfect team for each track. Take notes. ...

Slayer and Marilyn Manson are touring together this summer, but while the acts are co-headliners, Manson has last licks every night. "He wanted to close every day, and we're like, 'Hey, knock yourself out,' " guitarist Kerry King told us. The unlikely pairing is "definitely going to be weird," King said, but it could work — if Manson picks the right set list. "If he comes out and plays 'Tainted Love,' half the place is going to leave." ...

Following the Tom Hanks model is a good bet for a lasting acting career, but Zac Efron is doing the opposite. The "High School Musical" star spilled details to us on his upcoming movie "Seventeen," which plays like a reverse "Big" — in "Seventeen," the main man is a grown man who reverts to his high school self. "I hope I don't play the old guy," Efron laughed. And he's not sure what he'll be playing in "Haunted High School Musical" — the big-screen sequel to the TV movie hit — if anything at all. "At this point, it is not in my hands." ...

Quote of the Day: "Every day that I knew Frankie, I grew a little more colorful inside. Her vibrance, it dyed me forever." — Frankie Abernathy's sister Mamie

Here's what everyone else is talking about:

The San Diego Union-Tribune has announced the lineup for the city's annual Street Scene festival. The Killers, Panic! at the Disco, Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Social Distortion, Spoon, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and The Academy Is ... are on board for the September 22-23 event. Tickets go on sale Saturday. ...

Paris Hilton is using her time in jail to reflect on improving her life, and her plans include more charity work and less time spent with "toxic" people, TMZ.com reports. The extra-helpful gossip site even jumps in with some suggestions for which friends to dump. Paris should cut ties with Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie and Steve-O, TMZ advises, and spend more time with Dakota Fanning. ... Paris could be released on Monday, and her neighbors aren't looking forward to her impending return — and the media presence that will undoubtedly come along with it. Perez Hilton got his hands on a flyer distributed by a couple of Hilton's Hollywood Hills neighbors, calling for locals to "take a united stand" by reaching out to the authorities in an effort to prevent a repeat of the "intolerable" press attention. ...

The morning after New York rapper Stack Bundles was laid to rest, the body of aspiring rapper Charles White was found in the Queens neighborhood of Springfield Gardens, killed in a shooting that police believe may be retaliation for Stack's death, WABC reports. ...

Ra Ra Riot announced Friday that they will carry on as a band without late drummer John Pike, who died earlier this month. "As we continue, the pain of missing a dear friend will remind us how much we loved him. Coinciding with the wishes of John's family, we have decided to continue onward." ...

Suge Knight participated in a live chat with The Washington Post readers on Monday, sharing details of his upcoming reality show (which attempts to set 20 troubled kids on the right path, and will feature appearances by Lil Wayne and T.I.) and his new discovery Rock Star ("He's like a 2000s MC Hammer). Knight also revealed that Biggie, Pac and Jay-Z are on his greatest MCs list — and even laughed off a comment that people who work for him may "get shot mysteriously." ...

Lindsay Lohan's party is over. The July 2 birthday bash scheduled at Las Vegas' Pure nightclub has been canceled, People reported Monday. Lohan is currently in rehab (not a great precursor to a huge 21st b-day blowout) and the Pure proprietors were very understanding of the "unique circumstances" — or at least they said so in their statement. "We think the world of her and look forward to working with her in the future." ...

Look out, Harry Potter:Jack Black is enrolling in witch school — with a bunch of girls. Black will play a schoolteacher who discovers he's got the power in "Man-Witch," a comedy directed by Todd Phillips, Variety reports. ...

Put "The Six Million Dollar Man" on a budget and you get "The $40,000 Man," a movie spoof of the bionic series, focusing on an astronaut rebuilt in a cost-cutting effort. The comedy's script was co-written by John Francis Daley — baby geek Sam on Judd Apatow's "Freaks and Geeks" — and was bought by New Line, Variety reports. ...

And if you want a piece of "The Sopranos" before it all cuts to black, props from the show will be available at a Queens, New York, warehouse sale that begins today at 10 a.m., New York's Daily News reports. Furniture, lamps and books from the set will be up for sale, but you won't find any of the show's scenery stars — like the bowling bag that held Ralphie's head — according to the paper.

• The Killers
• Panic at the Disco
• Paris Hilton
• Stack Bundles
• DJ Khaled

Slayer's Kerry King
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Guitarist Kerry King can't even remember the last time his band — the iconic speed-metal maelstrom that is Slayer — played a gig it didn't close out. That's because, with more than 25 years in the business, Slayer have been a headlining act for quite some time. When Slayer take the stage, no one else follows. Or at least that's the way things were before the band decided to team up with Marilyn Manson.

Slayer's summer co-headlining run with Manson is set to kick off July 25 in West Palm Beach, Florida, and will hit 25 cities before concluding September 1 in San Antonio (see " 'Satan Is Alive And Well': Marilyn Manson, Slayer Announce Summer Tour Dates").

"[This tour has] been in the works for a good part of this year, and the way it started out was, we were looking to do another Unholy Alliance this summer," King explained of the festival, which featured Mastodon, Lamb of God, Children of Bodom and Thine Eyes Bleed last year (see "Slayer Forge 'Ozzfest Alternative' With Mastodon, Lamb Of God"). "Then, when we found out we'd probably be touring with Manson, he didn't want to call it [the Unholy Alliance]. So, we were like, 'Fine, man. Let's just go out and do a big tour.' He basically said [playing festival runs] wasn't who he is anymore, and we were like, 'All right.' It didn't make much sense to me, but that's who he is now, I guess."

So, while this summer's trek is billed as a "co-headliner," King said each and every date on the tour will end with a set from Manson.

"It is completely co-headlining, except that he wanted to close every day, and we're like, 'Hey, knock yourself out,' " King said. "We've been in so many situations like that, and sometimes, it's better not to be the last band on. So, we're just kind of happy about it. I don't have the ego that makes me — and I'm not saying Manson does — but I don't have the ego that makes me have to close every show. I won't be playing any longer, and we'll be done with our show and be able to chill for a change."

But, while some speculate that the two artists have vastly different fanbases, King said the pairing does make sense to him. And if Manson plays his cards right, he might not witness a mass exodus of Slayer fans leaving each venue once King's crew is through.

"It's definitely going to be weird," he admitted. "My whole thing is, it depends on what Manson plays, whether our kids stay or not. If he comes out and plays 'Tainted Love,' half the place is going to leave. No offense to Manson — I'm just saying what's up. I want him to come out and kick ass, because I'm an old-school fan. He can succeed on this tour, if he chooses the right set."

Slayer fans might be pleased to know that this summer's tour will coincide with the re-release of 2006's Christ Illusion on July 24 (see "New Slayer Album Might Be Their Fastest Yet"). The limited-edition set will contain the previously unreleased cut "The Final Six," as well as an alternate version of "Black Serenade." The reissue marks the band's first collaboration with new label home Columbia Records; Slayer left Warner Bros. when longtime producer Rick Rubin jumped ship to head Columbia back in May.

"This version of 'Black Serenade' is the version [guitarist] Jeff [Hanneman] originally wrote, and during the miscommunications of recording, it came out the way it did," said King. "I like the original version better. And 'The Final Six' was a song that just wasn't finished in time for the record, because [frontman] Tom [Araya] had to head home for [gall-bladder] surgery" [see 'Slayer's Tom Araya Says He'll Be 'A Little Slow' On Speed-Metal Tour]."

"The Final Six," said King, "isn't going to sound out of place, because it was written for Christ Illusion. So, it's just another song off of that album, and it's not separate at all. The track was recorded by the time Christ Illusion came out — we just had to have Tom sing on it."

The reissue will also boast a bonus DVD called "Slayer on Tour '07." It will include the "Eyes of the Insane" video; a live rendition of the band's 1988 LP South of Heaven that was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, on last year's Unholy Alliance run; and a behind-the-scenes, five-minute documentary-style montage of footage shot earlier this year when the band performed in Florida and Australia.

As for Slayer's next album, King said it will be a while. The band hopes to book another tour toward the end of this year but has no definitive plans to write or record anytime soon. "It would be awesome to have football season off," King joked.

• Slayer
• Marilyn Manson

Marilyn Manson
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Certain activist groups across the United States are probably stocking up on crucifixes and holy water as we speak: On Monday morning (May 7), details of a co-headlining summer tour featuring shock rocker Marilyn Manson and thrash-metal legends Slayer were revealed. The bands are joining forces for a jaunt set to launch in West Palm Beach, Florida, on July 25, and will be joined for the 25-city trek by Bleeding Through and another support act to be named later.

"Satan is alive and well and living on the planet Earth, and now you know exactly where to find him — this tour." Manson told MTV News last week. "Our differences complement each other, and the uniting element in all of it is the darkness that both bands represent," he added (see "Marilyn Manson Reveals He Came Close To Suicide; LP 'Was My Salvation' ").

The tour will crisscross North America, making stops in Atlanta, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and Dallas before winding down on September 1 in San Antonio, Texas.

Manson will use the tour to promote his forthcoming album, Eat Me, Drink Me, which is slated for release June 5. Slayer, of course, continue to spread the word about their latest, Christ Illusion, which was released last August. Slayer spent last summer traveling the States with Lamb of God, Mastodon, Children of Bodom and Thine Eyes Bleed as part of the band's Unholy Alliance Tour (see "Slayer Forge 'Ozzfest Alternative' With Mastodon, Lamb Of God").

Marilyn Manson/ Slayer co-headlining dates, according to Slayer's publicist:

»7/25 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Sound Advice Amphitheatre
»7/27 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
»7/28 - Atlanta, GA @ Hi Fi Buys Amphitheatre
»7/30 - Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
»7/31 - Cleveland, OH @ Tower City Amphitheatre
»8/2 - Philadelphia, PA @ Tweeter Center
»8/4 - Worcester, MA @ DCU Center
»8/5 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
»8/7 - Quebec, QC @ Centre de Foire
»8/8 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
»8/10 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
»8/11 - Detroit, MI @ DTE Music Theatre
»8/13 - Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena
»8/14 - Minneapolis, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
»8/18 - Denver, CO @ Coors Amphitheatre
»8/21 - Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
»8/23 - Concord, CA @ Sleep Train Pavilion
»8/24 - Los Angeles, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
»8/25 - San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
»8/27 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Pavilion
»8/28 - Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
»8/30 - Dallas, TX @ Nokia Theatre
»8/31 - Houston, TX @ Reliant Arena
»9/1 - San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

• Marilyn Manson
• Slayer

Rick Rubin
Photo: Stephen Shugerman/ Getty Images

Rick Rubin never having won the Producer of the Year Grammy was the musical equivalent of Martin Scorsese never having won the best-director Oscar. And on Sunday, two weeks before Scorsese is expected to finally get his prize, Rubin was at last honored — and then honored again and again and again.

In the end, Rubin walked away (not literally — he did not attend) with five Grammys: for Producer of the Year; Album of the Year and Country Album of the Year for the Dixie Chicks' Taking the Long Way; Record of the Year for the Chicks' "Not Ready to Make Nice"; and Best Rock Album for Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chili Peppers' Stadium Arcadium (see "Timberlake Rocks; Blige Weeps; Chicks, Chilis Clean Up At Grammys").

And, while we're counting, he was also a part of five other Grammy-winning projects: Song of the Year and Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal for the Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready to Make Nice"; Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal and Best Rock Song for Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Dani California"; and Best Metal Performance for Slayer's "Eyes of the Insane."

"It feels so good to know our work touched listeners," Rubin said in a statement. "During the process, we are making our own favorite music. [These awards are] confirmation that what is true and real in the emotion of music is contagious."

The Grammys undoubtedly add an exclamation mark to a very successful 2006 for Rubin. But it's understandable that he called the year "not unusually special" in an interview with MTV News (see "Rick Rubin Calls His Year 'Not Unusually Special'; Grammy Nods Tell Another Story") — particularly if you look at what 2007 has in store for him.

As always, Rubin is working with a variety of artists and hoping to give new life to a couple of them along the way. Here's a rundown:

Linkin Park: "They really are reinventing themselves," Rubin said of the band, mixing now for a summer release. "It doesn't sound like rap-rock. There's very strong songwriting. I've heard guys in the band say that it transcends everything they've done before, like it puts them in a whole different light in their minds, and they really like that. It's very melodic. It's a progressive record."

Metallica: "I saw [the warts-and-all Metallica documentary 'Some Kind of Monster'], and it made me really nervous," Rubin said. "Then we started working, and it's the opposite direction of that. They're really productive, really communicative — it seems like they really like being in the room together. It's a great process. They say they're more excited than they have been in a long time about making music. We're going to start recording in March. I asked them not to reinvent themselves so much as to make a defining album, like the purest of what Metallica is. That's the aim, so we'll see what happens."

Weezer: "Rivers [Cuomo] just gave me some demos, the first round for this album," Rubin said. "I'm trying to get my head clear to really just dive in."

U2: "We've talked about doing some more, but they're on tour," said Rubin, who produced two tracks for the band's recent hits compilation, U218 Singles, including the Green Day collaboration "The Saints Are Coming." "Hopefully we'll get to do some more together."

Dan Wilson of Semisonic: "The album's done and hopefully will be out this summer," Rubin said. "It's mind-blowing. It's my favorite album. He's just great."

The (International) Noise Conspiracy: "I heard one set of demos that were really good, and I'm waiting for the next batch," the producer said.

Rubin's long-in-the-works compilation of peace songs: "It has not yet come to pass, but hopefully it will," Rubin said (see "Audioslave, Chili Peppers Play For Peace On Rick Rubin Compilation"). "It felt more meaningful to me at the beginning of the [Iraq] war, when it felt like there was a lot of pro-war sentiment. As it's changed, and more and more people are realizing [the war is] a bad idea, it feels like we're preaching to the converted now. At the time, we felt like we'd be leading the charge. At this point, it feels less pressing, which I think is a great thing."

For more on Rick Rubin, check out the feature "What's Up With That Bearded Guy in the '99 Problems' Video?"

The show's over but there's plenty of Grammy hotness here on MTVNews.com. Check out photos of the hottest red-carpet and onstage action; join our reporters as they hit all the Grammy week parties; and let us know what you think about the performers, winners and losers. Plus see videos of all the nominees on MTV.com and check out exclusive video footage from the big night right here.

• Rick Rubin: The Man Behind The Beard
• Grammys '07: Who Won, Who Sung?

• It's Showtime!: 2007 Grammy Awards Photos
• Red Carpet Spectacular: Photos From The 2007 Grammy Awards

• Rick Rubin
• Linkin Park
• Weezer
• Metallica
• Dixie Chicks

Brandy
Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images

Police ruled out mechanical failures as contributing to the fatal car crash involving Brandy on Thursday (January 25), Reuters reports. Still, the singer could be found to be primarily at fault or criminally negligent in the December 30 crash, which took place in Los Angeles. A police spokesperson, who said investigators will be sifting through more evidence and conducting more interviews in the coming days, added that Brandy was being "fantastically cooperative" with authorities. ...

Ludacris, John Legend, Norah Jones and New Edition will anchor this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, The Associated Press reports. Luda and Jones — along with Rod Stewart, Van Morrison and others — are slated for the first weekend, April 27-29. Legend, New Edition, ZZ Top, Steely Dan and others will perform May 4-6. ...

James Brown's children want the trustees of the late music icon's estate removed, citing mismanagement, AP reports. In an emergency petition filed Wednesday, the six children also warned that some of Brown's assets are in danger of being "lost or dissipated or stolen." An irrevocable trust that was signed in 2000 is said to contain most of Brown's assets, and Buddy Dallas — a trustee, as well as Brown's former lawyer — told AP that the process was handled "appropriately and properly" when Brown passed away. ... A full-on Crowded House reunion tour is in the works, Reuters confirms. The band, which has been confirmed to perform at the Coachella festival on April 29, has yet to unveil dates for the trek, although it has been revealed that a new LP will coincide with it. The lineup will feature singer/guitarist Neil Finn, bassist Nick Seymour and keyboardist Mark Hart, and auditions are being held for a new drummer. ...

The latest addition to the Grammy Awards lineup is a triple-threat collaboration between nominees John Legend, John Mayer and Corinne Bailey Rae. The trio will play together at the February 11 ceremony, which will also feature previously announced performers Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, the Dixie Chicks, Gnarls Barkley, Ludacris, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Justin Timberlake and Carrie Underwood. ...

The Beastie Boys have been quietly working on a new studio record, the group revealed to Australian newspaper The Age. Down Under fans will get a first taste of the new material when the Boys headline next month's Good Vibrations Festival. Mike D told The Age that the new album "is actually really different," and joked that fans "can expect to be disappointed; they can expect to be angry at us." ... Lily Allen, the Shins and Cold War Kids will headline radio station KCRW's sixth annual A Sounds Eclectic Evening festival April 14 in Universal City, California. Rodrigo y Gabriela and Bitter: Sweet will also take the stage at the Gibson Amphitheatre. ...

Tool will tour the U.S. again in March. Nine confirmed gigs have been announced through the band's Web site; additional dates will be released in the coming weeks. Confirmed dates run from a March 15-16 stint in Las Vegas through a March 27 show in Corpus Christi, Texas. The trek will also take the band to San Diego; Tucson, Arizona; El Paso, Texas; and San Antonio. ... The sold-out Slayer show scheduled for February 17 at the House of Blues in Atlantic City, New Jersey, has been nixed due to "venue production issues." The stop was part of the band's 22-city North American jaunt, which kicked off Wednesday in Tucson, Arizona. ...

20th Century Fox is after YouTube to disclose the identity of a user uploading entire episodes of the network's shows, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Google-owned video-sharing site was served Wednesday with a subpoena by Fox, demanding that YouTube reveal the name of the member that posted recent installments of "24" and "The Simpsons." It is not known whether YouTube has complied with the legal request, the trade paper reports. Fox also hit video site LiveDigital with a similar subpoena. A spokesperson for the smaller video-sharing portal told the Reporter that the company would comply. ... Nicole Kidman was taken to — and subsequently released from — a Los Angeles hospital after being involved in a car crash Thursday, AP reports. The accident happened downtown, where Kidman has been shooting the sci-fi thriller "The Invasion." ...

Relient K, the band that brought you "Be My Escape," is heading out for a long spell starting March 9 in New York. Relient K are using the tour — which will keep them on the road through May 20 in Cleveland — to promote their March 6 release, Five Score and Seven Years Ago. ... VH1 is calling on Mat Kearney to headline the first You Oughta Know Tour. The jaunt, which will also feature Rocco DeLuca and the Burden and the Feeling, begins March 17 in Denver and ends April 20 in Atlanta. VH1 will give the Burden another boost by rebroadcasting its documentary, "I Trust You to Kill Me" — which features their tour manager, Kiefer Sutherland — February 2. ...

Godsmack frontman Sully Erna will sign copies of his forthcoming memoir, "The Paths We Choose," February 24 at Borders on Vine Street in Los Angeles. The book hits stores February 7. ... Staind frontman Aaron Lewis is hitting the road on a solo acoustic trek that kicks off March 1 in Royal Oak, Michigan. The tour runs through April 4 in Buffalo, New York. ... AFI have added six more shows to their winter trek, which kicks off Wednesday in Tampa, Florida. Five of the new dates are in California (Davis, San Bernardino, Bakersfield, Chico and Eureka), beginning with the Davis stop on March 1. ...

Pop/rockers Locksley — who have toured with OK Go, We Are Scientists and She Wants Revenge — will lend the Rapture some support as the latter band spreads its dance-rock goodness across the Northeast and Midwest next month. The Rapture — whose Universal Motown LP Pieces of the People We Love came out in September — and Locksley will hit Cincinnati (February 2); Pittsburgh (February 3); Milwaukee (February 5); Indianapolis (February 6); State College, Pennsylvania (February 7); and Northampton, Massachusetts (February 10). ... Now-defunct Scottish indie squad Arab Strap are getting a send-off with Ten Years of Tears. The 18-track set will feature unreleased demos, plus new recordings, B-sides, remixes and more. ...

Hot Rod Circuit's forthcoming LP, The Underground Is a Dying Breed, will land in stores March 20. The effort will feature guest vocals from Kenny Vasoli of the Starting Line and Anthony Green of Circa Survive. ... Days of the New are returning to the stage as a trio on Saturday, performing at the Gasparilla Pirate Fest in Tampa Bay, Florida. A representative for the band said that frontman Travis Meeks, who chronicled his journey to rehab for drug addiction in an episode of the A&E series "Intervention," has been clean for a year and a half and is rehearsing with bandmates Ray Rizzo and Malcolm Gold in New York. ... NYC indie-rockers Stellastarr are writing their second album but will put their pens down for a handful of East and West Coast gigs. The seven-date run starts February 5 in San Diego and ends February 22 in the band's hometown. Stellastarr have been demoing their new songs in Philadelphia and posting them to their MySpace page.

01.24.2007

Snoop Dogg's attorney entered a not-guilty plea for the rapper Wednesday (January 24), answering a possession-of-a-deadly-weapon charge from the rapper's fall arrest at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California. Snoop, who has said the baton found in his luggage was a prop for a video, remains free on $150,000 bail. Meanwhile, he has yet to be charged in connection with two other arrests in Burbank in October and November. ...

Brandy was involved in a four-car freeway crash on December 30 that left a 38-year-old woman dead, according to a California Highway Patrol report released Wednesday. Brandy, driving at about 65 mph, allegedly hit the back of a 2005 Honda, which spiraled out of control and was then hit by an oncoming car. The driver was taken to a hospital, where she died of blunt-force injuries. The coroner's office ruled her death an accident. "I wish to publicly express my condolences to the family of the deceased," Brandy said in statement. The singer was not injured and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time, her spokesperson told The Associated Press. ...

A hearing scheduled for Wednesday in the DJ Drama/ DJ Don Cannon mixtape bust has been postponed. Officials at Atlanta's Fulton County Superior Court did not announce a rescheduled date as of press time. Each DJ faces five years in prison and fines of up to $100,000 if convicted. ...

Beware of the Swarm: The Wu-Tang Clan announced Wednesday that they will reunite to release 8 Diagram later this summer. The effort is the first by the eight-man collective in six years and also marks the first Clan reunion on CD since the passing of founding member Ol' Dirty Bastard. RZA confirmed that ODB's vocals will be featured on the album, as well as "Life Changes," a dedication track to the late rapper. "People want something that gives them an adrenaline rush," RZA said in a statement. "We're here to supply that fix." ...

The long-dormant Jesus and Mary Chain have been added to the lineup for this year's Coachella fest, to take place in Indio, California, in April. Day-to-day lineups for the now-three-day gala have also been unveiled: Björk, Interpol, Jesus and Mary Chain, Arctic Monkeys, Sonic Youth, Peaches and We Are Scientists are on for April 27; Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Arcade Fire, Ghostface Killah, the Nightwatchman — a.k.a. Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave — and the Decemberists anchor the following day; and the reunited Rage, Lupe Fiasco, the Roots, Tapes 'N Tapes, Kaiser Chiefs and revived vets Crowded House will convene for the April 29 show. ...

Producer Rodney Jerkins will finally release his much-discussed all-star remake of "We Are Family," a benefit for Points of Light Foundation's Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, February 27. Chris Brown, Ciara and Ray J are among those who guest on the song, which reunites Sister Sledge for the first time in two decades. ... G-Unit and Sha Money XL are also recruiting some big names. The two are helping pull together a star-studded panel for the One Stop Shop Conference, a two-day workshop geared toward music producers. Swizz Beatz, DJ Premier, Hi-Tek and others will participate in the event, taking place February 10-11 at the Hyatt Regency in Phoenix. The workshop will conclude with the One Stop Shop Beat Battle Final Round, with G-Unit members, Sha Money and others acting as judges. ...

Not sick of Paris Hilton yet? Fans of the celebutante can get even more Paris via a new pay Web site called ParisExposed.com. The site launched Tuesday, according to to AP, and promises subscribers Hilton photographs, home videos and diaries, along with love letters from former beau Nick Carter, recorded phone conversations and phone numbers of friends and celebrities, which were all left behind at a Los Angeles storage facility. The site charges $40 a month for access and claims to also have several Hilton sex tapes and nude photos. The items were sold to an unidentified buyer after a third party failed to make payments to the facility. "We certainly are going to explore all of our legal options about this matter," Hilton's spokesperson Elliot Mintz told the wire service. ...

The National Restaurant Association is flipping out over Kevin Federline flipping burgers, Reuters reports. The restaurant organization is demanding that Nationwide Insurance yank an ad — slated to air during the Super Bowl — that features K-Fed as a failed rap star who is instead working in the fast-food industry. "An ad such as this would be a strong and a direct insult to the 12.8 million Americans who work in the restaurant industry," NRA Chief Executive Steven Anderson told the outlet. A Nationwide spokesperson said the ad was designed to be entertaining and that it reflects the company's goal of meeting the insurance needs of its consumers. ... Stolen Babies drummer Gil Sharone has been summoned to fill in for Travis Barker on (+44)'s current European tour, according to Sharone's MySpace page. Barker was forced to drop off the tour after he re-injured his broken arm. "I played my first show with them [Saturday] after learning the whole record on the plane ride over to Germany," Sharone wrote. "I'm glad to help the band out and fill in for a drummer that I have a ton of respect for." ...

TV on the Radio multi-instrumentalist/producer Dave Sitek has ganged up with electro-pop buzz band the Knife to remix their latest single, "Marble House." The single — the fourth one from the Swedish band's third album, Silent Shout — will hit stores February 20 and feature five additional remixes, as well as a video for the track. ... Eddie Van Halen is joining forces with Fender for a new guitar, amp and product line called EVH. Among those items being offered is the striped "Frankenstein" guitar the icon has used throughout his career. That replica — which copies everything down to the cigarette burns — will be limited to 300 instruments. Megadeth axeman Dave Mustaine is following a similar route, teaming with Dean Guitars for the guitar line Vehement: VMNT. The initial model, a flamed Mustaine V autographed by the musician, is limited to 150 instruments. ... The Prodigy are currently recording a new album, which the group will release on their own Ragged Flag label through a worldwide distribution deal with Cooking Vinyl. "They are sounding big and mean," frontman Liam Howlett said of the new songs. ...

Kaiser Chiefs will return to North America in April for a tour in support of their forthcoming sophomore LP, Yours Truly, Angry Mob. With the Walkmen lined up as the support act, the trek hits the U.S. starting April 6 in Philadelphia and concludes April 29 at Coachella. ... Manchester, England's James are re-forming for their first live shows in six years. According to a post on the band's newly launched site, WeAreJames.com, the Laid-era lineup of the band will be touring with "a back catalogue to die for and a bunch of new songs." Tickets go on sale Friday for six U.K. shows scheduled for April. ... Auditions for the sixth season of "American Idol" just wrapped up, but if you've got a yearning to perform and an ogre inside hoping to break out, "Shrek" might be your ticket to the stage. A Broadway production of the animated film is hosting an open call at New York's Chelsea Studios on Thursday for performers to play Shrek and Donkey in the musical. The producers describe ideal Shrek candidates as singers in their 20s or 30s with "a powerful presence and strength with rock or R&B voices" (no word on fake Scottish accents), while Donkey hopefuls should have "urban edge and great humor," with performers from the hip-hop and poetry-slam worlds preferred.

• 49th Annual Grammy Awards Performers And Presenters
• The 49th Annual Grammy Nominees

• Brandy
• John Legend
• John Mayer
• Beastie Boys
• Tool

Eminem
Photo: Anthony Mandler/ Interscope

Eminem and Kim Mathers finalized their second divorce Tuesday (December 20), The Associated Press reports. The two parties will divide their property under terms of a private settlement and will share custody of Hailie Jade Scott, who is 10 years old. Eminem did not comment after the brief hearing, but Circuit Judge Antonio P. Viviano said the couple "conducted themselves with dignity and respect. All in all, they are a very fine couple to deal with." ...

If you've wanted to share the screen with Lindsay Lohan but are a bit lower down on the star ladder, this could be your chance. A Lohan thriller tentatively titled "I Know Who Killed Me" is seeking extras (18 and over, with ID) available to film key scenes in San Luis Obispo, California. The open call will be held Tuesday from 5-10 p.m. at Maggie's Diner in San Luis Obispo. ...

What's good for Drew Lachey is apparently good for Joey Fatone. The 'NSYNC member told Orlando, Florida, radio station WTKS-FM on Friday that he'd like to appear on the hit TV show "Dancing With the Stars," AP reports. Fatone said producers of the show had asked him three times to appear, but that he'd turned it down. Now that the show has become a hit, he's reconsidered. "I like doing it because it's challenging," Fatone said of dancing. "Can you imagine me wearing those stupid tuxes?" ...

A February 13 release date has been set for the Unholy Alliance collection, a CD/DVD set chronicling the Slayer-anchored tour's July 13 stop in Vancouver, British Columbia. The discs will include performances from all of the bands on the trek's bill: Slayer, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Children of Bodom and Thine Eyes Bleed. The DVD also includes backstage footage and band interviews. ... The Warner Music Group is about to get a bit more hardcore. The home of soft-rocker James Blunt has agreed to pay $73.5 million to acquire a majority stake in heavy-metal label Roadrunner Music Group, home to Slipknot, Megadeth and Nickelback. Roadrunner, based out of Amsterdam, will be a freestanding label within the Atlantic Records Group, already home to hard acts Metallica and Staind. ...

As he is wont to do, Bright Eyes — a.k.a. indie wunderkind Conor Oberst and whoever he feels like playing with — will release not one but two recordings (at least) next year. On March 6, they'll drop Four Winds, a six-song EP featuring six new tracks, including "Reinvent the Wheel," "Smoke Without Fire" and "Cartoon Blues." Then, on April 10, they'll release the full-length Cassadaga, featuring guest appearances by M. Ward, Gillian Welch and former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. The album — which was recorded in New York; Los Angeles; and Lincoln, Nebraska — is actually named after a Florida town that is commonly known as "The psychic center of the world." ...

You Hear It First alums and Woodie Award winners Plain White T's have set aside a chunk of 2007 for touring. The gang will head out for a March 4 gig in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and follow through until a May 2 concert in Chicago. ... Another band of up-and-comers, Mewithoutyou, will hit the road for a co-headlining jaunt with Sparta on February 22 in Omaha, Nebraska. That 22-date trek ends March 19 in St. Louis. ... In more tour news, Badly Drawn Boy has sketched out a North American run that will see him hitting Philadelphia March 3 and wind down in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 27. ... And finally, the reunited Lemonheads will check in again with another leg come early '07. Evan Dando and company will hit Carrboro, North Carolina, on January 25 and conclude the tour in Hoboken, New Jersey, on February 24. ...

It was cool while it lasted. On Monday, members of the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, the Doors and Santana sued the owner of Wolfgang's Vault, which has been offering streams of hundreds of rare concert recordings from major rock stars on its Web site. According to Reuters, the bands are claiming the site was illegally offering the recordings by artists ranging from A Flock of Seagulls to Bob Marley, the Clash, the Who and Bob Dylan — some of the thousands it acquired from the vault of late concert promoter Bill Graham — in order to stimulate sales of its concert T-shirts, photos and vintage posters. The suit was filed against Vault owner William Sagan, who bought Graham's assets for $5 million three years ago. ... In related news, the Dead and Doors will receive lifetime-achievement Grammys prior to the awards show on February 11, AP reports. Folk icon Joan Baez, jazz great Ornette Coleman, opera singer Maria Callas, soul stalwarts Booker T. and the MG's and departed country hero Bob Willis will also receive the honor. ...

Stacie Orrico has finished the video for her new single, "I'm Not Missing You." The song is featured on Beautiful Awakenings, an album she co-wrote many songs to that is due January 16. Orrico's self-titled album, which earned her a Grammy nomination, came out in 2003. ... Doing a sitcom for VH1 in which she played herself apparently wasn't enough reliving for Tori Spelling.The former "Beverly Hills 90210" starlet is writing a memoir as well, in which she'll discuss her childhood privileges, tabloid misperceptions, success and regrets in a humorous and self-deprecating way. The yet-untitled book is due for publication in spring 2008 by Simon Spotlight. ...

Legendary soul label Stax is relaunching in 2007 to mark the golden anniversary of its 1957 formation. The recording home of such R&B luminaries as Otis Redding, Sam and Dave and Isaac Hayes plans to release 20 CDs and DVDs in the new year, including new music from Hayes and Angie Stone. ... A warrant was issued by immigration officials Monday for Yoko Ono's driver, Koral Karsan — who was arrested last week and charged with attempted grand larceny after he allegedly threatened to kill Ono and her son Sean Lennon and release personal audio recordings unless he was paid $2 million. According to AP, immigration officials issued the warrant to determine if the native of Turkey is in the U.S. legally. ... Joseph Barbera, an animator who co-created dozens of cartoon series — including "The Flintstones," "Tom and Jerry," "Yogi Bear" and "Scooby Doo" — with creative partner William Hanna, died Monday in Los Angeles of natural causes. He was 95.

12.18.2006

Justin Timberlake will perform with an unsigned artist at the Grammy Awards via a new contest put on by Yahoo! Music and the Recording Academy. My Grammy Moment will allow fans to vote for their favorite unsigned act at Yahoo! Music, and the three finalists will also be able to participate in a variety of music-education initiatives put on by the Recording Academy. ...

Even without a new album out, Britney Spears is #1. But the chart the singer is topping is probably not one she was hoping for. ViralVideoChart.com has released a list of the top viral videos of the year, and Spears has locked up the top two spots. A clip of her burping and babbling about time travel was seen more than 3 million times, followed by the infamous footage of soon-to-be ex-husband Kevin Federline apparently getting the news of his impending divorce via text message, which clocked 2 million hits. The Spears and Federline clips were followed by comedian Michael Richards' racist stage rant and footage of Lindsay Lohan dissing Paris Hilton. To make matters worse, Spears also earned the mantle as 2006's worst celebrity dog owner, according to a poll of dog-magazine readers. "She once had three Chihuahuas ... and never left home without at least one of them on her arm," Hilary O'Hagan, editor of The New York Dog and The Hollywood Dog said in a statement The Associated Press. "As soon as she met K-Fed and had kids, [the dogs] disappeared." ...

Ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin joined the band for five songs during its Sunday gig in Los Angeles, Reuters reports. Stradlin — who left the fold 15 years ago but has made sporadic appearances at GN'R reunion shows — played and sang harmonies to "Paradise City," "Patience," "Nightrain," "Used to Love Her" and "Think About You." ... Pay no mind to the speculation that Korn's days may be numbered. Nothing could be further from the truth, frontman Jonathan Davis wrote in a blog post. Since the announcement last week that drummer David Silveria was "taking a break" from Korn, fans have been wondering if they should be worried about the band's future. "He really needed to take a break," Davis wrote. "He was very burnt out. He will not be on this record [we're working on at the moment] or tour, but will be back for the next one, if ready. Until then, we will have a fill-in drummer. We are NOT breaking up, this is not the last album. Everything is fine, this is only temporary." ...

By now, Michael Jackson fans should know to always make backup plans. After promising to appear at an expensive Christmas party for fans on Tuesday in Tokyo, Jackson has postponed the event until next year so he can add another date to the meet-and-greet, according to a Reuters report. The party for 1,600 fans that was to include dancers, a band and gospel singers will now take place on March 8 and offer more tickets at the top prices. Platinum ticket holders were promised a chance to meet Jackson and take a photo with him for a mere $3,428 each. Buyer beware — Jackson will not perform at the show but will watch it from a VIP box and make brief remarks. The second-day event will give fans a chance to see a show featuring dancers performing Jackson's hits as he looks on from the VIP area. ...

J Dilla's Ruff Draft album is being re-released as a two-CD set in March. Bonus vocal tracks, interludes and instrumentals will be included. ... The singers behind the Kidz Bop albums are going on tour in the spring in conjunction with volume 11, due February 20. The group recently debuted on QVC. ... Whitney Houston, her mother, Cissy Houston, and cousin Dionne Warwick have recorded a song together for the first time. Aptly titled "Family First," the song will be featured on the soundtrack to "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls," due January 9. The CD will also feature songs from Beyoncé, R. Kelly and a collaboration between Anthony Hamilton, Jaheim and Musiq. The movie opens February 14. ...

The Arctic Monkeys have announced a huge show to celebrate the release of their second album in the spring. The 50,000-capacity gig — which they've promised will feature their longest set to date — will take place July 28 at the Lancashire County Cricket Ground in Manchester, England. The show will include yet-unannounced support bands chosen from among the group's favorite acts, according to an announcement on its Web site. ... The Kaiser Chiefs are launching a North American tour April 13 in New York. The tour, sponsored by the New Musical Express, currently includes stops in Toronto, Chicago and San Francisco, with more to be announced in January. ...

Pete Townshend will be the keynote speaker at next year's South by Southwest Music and Media Conference. The Who guitarist will give his keynote address on March 14 and perform with artist Rachel Fuller and other special guests the following day. ... The first U.S. performance by Yusuf — a.k.a. Yusuf Islam, a.k.a. Cat Stevens — will be broadcast Thursday. Recorded in New York on November 19 to an invite-only crowd, the intimate gig will air at 11:15 a.m. PT on Santa Monica, California's NPR affiliate, KCRW. ...

The reunited Glassjaw are offering fans a chance to become the band's next ex-member. The winner will be made an official member of the band, get kicked out, then will be listed as an ex-member on the band's Web site and even receive a phone call from an actual former member of Glassjaw. More information on the contest can be found at the band's MySpace page. ... Pastor Troy was arrested Friday morning in Atlanta for an alleged parole violation following an interview on the city's Hot 107.9 radio station, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The rapper, who was on probation for driving offenses, was arrested after a tipster called the authorities to report that he was at the studio. Officers took Troy into custody after confirming a warrant for unspecified probation violations.

• Lindsay Lohan
• *NSYNC
• Mastodon
• Slayer
• Lamb of God

Rick Ross' <I>Port of Miami</I>
Photo: Def Jam

Fans have waited years for Rick Ross' inaugural offering, Port of Miami, to finally make its way onto record store shelves — and it would appear that those same fans couldn't wait another minute to get themselves a copy of the rapper's debut.

With first-week sales reported at more than 187,000, Ross' Port of Miami replaces the latest entrant in the imposing Now That's What I Call Music! compilation series at the top of Billboard's albums chart. According to the latest SoundScan figures, Ross' path to #1 was direct and virtually unimpeded, outselling Breaking Benjamin's second-place finishing Phobia by more than 62,000 units.

Ross and the Breaking boys were among the five newest releases to open in the chart's top 10, pushing Now to #3. With sales clocked at 104,000 and change, the compilation — featuring contributions from Kelly Clarkson, Ne-Yo, Sean Paul and Bubba Sparxxx — ends its four-week run in the top two.

The self-titled debut LP from Diddy-backed R&B songstress and "You Hear It First" alumna Cassie racked up sales of 100,000, to bow at #4 on the chart. Cassie is followed by another new entry, Slayer's Christ Illusion, which sold more than 62,000 copies during its first week out to take #5. While Christ Illusion earned the devilish metal icons the highest debut showing of their illustrious career, it's far from Slayer's best-selling debut: That distinction belongs to 1994's Divine Intervention, which opened at #8 with 93,000 scans.

The soundtrack to the film "Step Up" — which boasts material from Yung Joc, Chamillionaire and Chris Brown — occupies the #6 spot with week-one sales coming in at just over 59,000. The remainder of the top 10 is filled with familiar faces: The 10th release from the Kidz Bop Kids takes #7 with 56,000 units sold; Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere slips one to #8 with close to 54,000 copies snatched up; DMX's Year of the Dog, Again falls from #2 to #9, selling 47,000-plus units; and Nickelback's All The Right Reasons rounds things out at #10, with sales of close to 47,000.

In all, 19 fresh releases crack Billboard's top 200, including Hellogoodbye's Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!, which opens at #18 with nearly 38,000 in week-one scans. Ozzfest vets Unearth take #35, selling 22,000 copies of their latest outing, III: In the Eyes of Fire, while Ani DiFranco's Reprieve pops up at #46 with sales of about 18,000.

The Jonas Brothers' It's About Time lays claim to Billboard's #91 position, selling 10,000 units, while the self-titled debut from Under the Influence of Giants claims the #134 slot with more than 6,000 copies sold. Gin Blossoms return to the chart at #159 after selling more than 5,000 copies of their latest, Major Lodge Victory. Todd Snider's The Devil You Know checks in at #173 with nearly 5,000 scans, just 100 copies ahead of Masta Killa's Made in Brooklyn, which scores #176. B.G.'s Play It How It Go debuts at #191 after selling more than 4,000 copies. And just making the chart cut at #200 is Waterloo to Anywhere, the debut LP from "You Hear It First" artists Dirty Pretty Things, which came up one disc short of 4,000 sold.

• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)
• Breaking Benjamin
• Cassie
• Slayer
• Gnarls Barkley

Rick Ross' <I>Port of Miami</I>
Photo: Def Jam

A New Hustle: Weighing 300 pounds and standing 6 feet 2 inches tall, Rick Ross should be making quite the impact with his forever-in-the-works Port of Miami debut this week. The underground hero's paean to his hometown has already grabbed ears with its leadoff single, "Hustlin', " and his guest roster will have other hip-hop fans feeling the Miami heat: Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne, Mario Winans, Lyfe Jennings, Akon, Jazze Pha, DJ Khaled and Cool & Dre. On "Push It," Ross samples "Scarface" theme "Push It to the Limit," while his hometown homies the Carol City Cartel step in on "It Ain't a Problem," and Jay and Jeezy shine on a remix of "Hustlin'."

Blunt Bloc: While Ross' debut has yet to be tested, James Blunt and Bloc Party have already made seismic introductions with theirs. And now it's time for the brazen Brits to capitalize with video follow-ups. Blunt's "Chasing Time: The Bedlam Sessions" encapsulates concert performances, interviews, videos and documentaries by the "Oprah" darling/former soldier. It's also bolstered by a CD featuring covers of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?" and Crowded House's "Fall at Your Feet." "God Bless Bloc Party" is a bit more spare; the hour-long documentary draws from gigs at Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre and in Belfort, France, though it does chalk up band and fan interviews for good measure.

No, You're Not Seeing Things: Slayer and their fans alike were dying for the band's latest LP to drop on 6/6/06, but they had to wait two more months for Christ Illusion to appear. The band's first disc in six years marks its recording reunion with original drummer Dave Lombardo and is the first one in ages that doesn't feature Rick Rubin behind the boards. While Rubin executive produces, the band has made no secret of its resentment for his recent teaming with rivals Metallica and tapped Josh Abraham (Velvet Revolver, Pink) to do the knob-twiddling instead. The album's gory cover art of a mutated Jesus has — surprise! — turned off a few retailers, but fans will no doubt be sacrificing themselves for "Cult," the first single; "Jihad," a song about 9/11 that's told through the eyes of a terrorist; and "Eyes of the Insane."

"You Hear It First" Face-Off: They've both been featured in MTV's recent "YHIF" series, and now it's time for Diddy-backed Cassie and Libertines leftovers Dirty Pretty Things to go head-to-head. Cassie hopes her 4 million MySpace hits and indie-chart appeal carry her self-titled debut — featuring the single "Me & U," "Ditto" and "Miss Your Touch" — to great heights. Dirty Pretty Things are aiming to make cousin Pete Doherty jealous with their maiden release, Waterloo to Anywhere, which boasts "Blood Thirsty Bastards," "Last of the Small Town Playboys" and "Bang Bang You're Dead."

Sibling Rivalries: For musicians, there's virtually no escaping their kith this week. Kevin, Nicholas and Joseph Jonas — a.k.a. teen sensations the Jonas Brothers — finally deliver their debut, originally due in the spring but the title to which, It's About Time, now carries extra meaning. The delay was due to a track list changeup: The youngsters swapped "Dear God" and "Hey We're Gonna Be Alright" for an acoustic version of "Please Be Mine," "Year 3000" and "What I Go to School For."

Youthful peers Aly & AJ see their Into the Rush debut re-released in deluxe form, with a bonus DVD dishing up videos for "Chemicals React," "Rush" and "On the Ride." The animated clip for "Chemicals" that's featured in the "Sims 2: Pets" video game is also featured.

Slightly older Korean-American sisters Meg & Dia wrote all the tracks on their Something Real debut and have been promoting it as the MySpace House Band on this year's Warped Tour. The 18- and 21-year-old ladies called on their friends to help record "Courage, Robert," "Cardigan Weather" and the first single, "Monsters."

That duo probably admire Tegan and Sara, the Canadian twins whose 2004 effort, So Jealous, granted them more recognition — on MTV and elsewhere — than they received in their previous six years combined as a band. Their generous "It's Not Fun. Don't Do It!" DVD tries to expand on that success, compiling a full concert from their homeland, plus a self-made tour doc, all their videos, a photo album, a feature on the making of So Jealous, a photo album and commentary galore.

One sibling did manage to escape from his sister, though: Matthew Friedberger, the Fiery Furnaces captain who's making his first solo outing. The two-CD Winter Women/ Holy Ghost Language School finds him breaking from the other half of the Furnaces, sister Eleanor, and doing almost all the performing and singing himself — save a little percussion help from Tortoise's John McEntire. 859 Recordings' classy christening set comes in a brilliant box with nine-panel fold-out art and a lyric sheet.

Also feeling familial are Revolution Mother, pro skateboarder Mike Vallely's new band, who prove their hardcore mettle on the Enjoy the Ride EP; Sister Sledge, who's being hailed with a two-disc The Definitive Groove Collection; and Massachusetts metallers Unearth, whose III: In the Eyes of Fire boasts "Sanctity in Brothers."

Siblings Richard and Stefanie Reines deliver Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!, the debut by Panic! at the Disco tour mates Hellogoodbye, on their Drive-Thru Records imprint. Jamin Wilcox of Under the Influence of Giants, who make their self-titled bow this week, is the son of Hall & Oates collaborator Willie Wilcox. Oh, and femme fave Ani DiFranco — who births Reprieve this week — just announced that she's pregnant.

Song Title of the Week:

"Daughters Spelled Wrong" from the Daughters' Hell Songs

Other Notables:

The Cure and the Glove reissues: Their reunion concerts have drawn hundreds of thousands and their name has been dropped by virtually every new emo band, but if you still haven't brushed up on the deacons of depression, now's your chance. Double-disc versions of Head on the Door, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me and The Top boast a combined 53 unreleased and rare songs, not to mention pristine remastered sound and bulked-up booklets. Frontman Robert Smith's side project the Glove are also recalled with a reissue of their only album, Blue Sunshine, the second disc to which features 16 unreleased tunes.

Sigur Rós' Saeglopur: Los Angeles' Worker's Institute label spent its first year putting out only instrumental Icelandic music, but while its expanding its scope this year, a new item by Reykjavik dreamers Sigur Rós falls in close proximity to those releases. The EP has one track from last year's Takk ... and three new tunes, while the DVD contains videos for the title track, "Glosoli" and "Hoppipolla."

Blood Meridian's Kick Up the Dust: Waiting for your fix of Black Mountain or the Pink Mountaintops? Look no further than yet another related project, this one fronted by singer/bassist Matthew Camirand. The ex-Black Halo finds himself wallowing in "McDonald's Blues," "In the Forest, Under the Moon" and also wonders, "Work Hard, for What?"

New Releases:

• A Heartwell Ending - Trust Us, We Lie (Mediaskare)
  
• Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain (The End)
  
• All Shall Perish - The Price of Existence (Nuclear Blast America)
  
• Tab Benoit - Bayou Blues: Best of the Vanguard Years (Vanguard)
  
• Blood Meridian - Kick Up the Dust (V2)
  
• Fiona Boyes - Lucky 13 (Yellow Dog)
  
• Breaking Benjamin - Phobia (Hollywood)
  Buy Now: Phobia (Hollywood)
  
• Greg Brown - The Evening Call (Red House)
  
• C-Bo - Money to Burn (West Coast Mafia)
  
• Cassie - Cassie (Bad Boy)
  Read: "You Hear It First: Cassie"
  Buy Now: Cassie (Bad Boy)
  
• Cinder - House Full of No Trust (Rock Ridge)
  
• Comets on Fire - Avatar (Sub Pop)
  
• Copycats - Piano Tribute to Pearl Jam, Piano Tribute to "Wicked" the Musical and Soul Sax Tribute to Smokey Robinson (CC)
  
• Ferry Corsten - L.E.F. (Loud Electronic Ferocious) (Ultra)
  
• Cult of Luna - Somewhere Along the Highway (Earache)
  
• Daughters - Hell Songs (Hydra Head)
  Buy Now: Hell Songs (Hydra Head)
  
• Ani DiFranco - Reprieve (Righteous Babe)
  Buy Now: Reprieve (Righteous Babe)
  
• Dirty Pretty Things - Waterloo to Anywhere (Interscope)
  Read: "Ex-Libertines Rock On Without Pete Doherty, Unleash Dirty Pretty Things"
  Buy Now: Waterloo to Anywhere (Interscope)
  
• Deryl Dodd - Full Circle (Dualtone)
  
• Bernard Fanning - Tea & Sympathy (Lost Highway)
  
• Fourplay - X (RCA)
  
• Matthew Friedberger - Winter Women/ Holy Ghost Language School (two CDs; 859)
  
• Gin Blossoms - Major Lodge Victory (Hybrid)
  Buy Now: Major Lodge Vidtory (Hybrid)
  
• Anthony Gomes - Music Is the Medicine (Adrenaline)
  
• Nina Gordon - Bleeding Heart Graffiti (Warner Bros.)
  Buy Now: Bleeding Heart Graffiti (Warner Bros.)
  
• Heads - Under the Stress of a Headlong Dive (Alternative Tentacles)
  
• Hello Stranger - Hello Stranger (Aeronaut Records)
  
• Hellogoodbye - Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! (Drive-Thru)
  Buy Now: Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! (Drive-Thru)
  
• Steve Holy - Brand New Girlfriend (Curb)
  
• Hour of the Wolf - Power of the Wolf (Limekiln)
  
• Jonas Brothers - It's About Time (Columbia/ Daylight)
  Read: "More Blink-182 Than Hanson, It's Time For The Jonas Brothers"
  
• Kaki King - Until We Felt Red (Velour)
  
• La Rocca - The Truth (Dangerbird)
  
• Left Alone - Dead American Radio (Hellcat)
  
• Lola Ray - Liars (Red Ink)
  Buy Now: Liars (Red Ink)
  
• Love Arcade - Love Arcade (Atlantic)
  
• Tony Lucca - Canyon Songs (Rock Ridge)
  
• Masta Killa - Made in Brooklyn (Nature Sounds)
  
• Meg & Dia - Something Real (Doghouse)
  
• Modwheelmood - Enemies and Immigrants (Buddyhead)
  
• Moshav - Misplaced (JMG)
  
• Jim Noir - Tower of Love (Barsuk)
  
• Judith Owen - Here (Courgette)
  
• Reckless Kelly - Reckless Kelly Was Here (two CDs and one DVD; Sugar Hill)
  
• Revolution Mother - Enjoy the Ride (EP; Mike V. Incorporated)
  
• The Kelly Richey Band - Speechless (Sweet Lucy)
  
• Rick Ross - Port of Miami (Def Jam)
  Read: "A Newcomer 10 Years In The Making: Rick Ross Gets Help From Jay-Z, Akon On First LP"
  Buy Now: Port of Miami (Def Jam)
  
• Sadies - In Concert Volume One (two CDs; Yep Roc)
  
• Bob Schneider - The Californian (Shockorama)
  
• Selah - Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album (Curb)
  
• Sigur Rós - Saeglopur (EP with DVD; Worker's Institute/ Krunk/ Filter)
  Buy Now: Saeglopur (Worker's Institute/ Krunk/ Filter)
  
• Slayer - Christ Illusion (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "New Slayer Album Might Be Their Fastest Yet"
  Buy Now: Christ Illusion (Warner Bros.)
  
• Todd Snider - The Devil You Know (New Door)
  
• Taste of Chaos Ensemble - The Taste of Chaos Ensemble Performs Mastodon's Leviathan: The String Quartet Tribute (Vitamin)
  
• Under the Influence of Giants - Under the Influence of Giants (Island)
  Buy Now: Under the Influence of Giants (Island)
  
• Unearth - III: In the Eyes of Fire (limited-edition version with bonus DVD also available; Metal Blade)
  Buy Now: III: In the Eyes of Fire (Metal Blade)
  
• Jody Watley - The Makeover (two discs; Avitone)
  
• Wires on Fire - Wires on Fire (Buddyhead)
  
• Various artists - "The Last Kiss" soundtrack (Lakeshore)
  
• Various artists - "Step Up" soundtrack (Jive)
  
• Various artists - "World Trade Center" soundtrack (Sony Classical)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

• Aberdeen City - The Freezing Atlantic (Red Ink)
  
• Aly & AJ - Into the Rush - Deluxe Edition (Hollywood)
  Buy Now: Into the Rush - Deluxe Edition (Deluxe Edition)
  
• Average White Band - The Definitive Groove Collection (two CDs; Rhino)
  
• Tab Benoit - Best of the Bayou Blues (Vanguard)
  
• Boozoo Bajou - Juke Joint II (!K7)
  
• James Brown - Funk It!: Remixed Hits (Cleopatra)
  
• Chic - The Definitive Groove Collection (two CDs; Rhino)
  
• The Cure - Head on the Door, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me and The Top (two CDs; Rhino)
  
• Delgados - The Complete BBC Peel Sessions (two CDs; Chemikal Underground)
  
• DJ Quik - Born and Raised in Compton: The Greatest Hits (Arista/ Profile/ Legacy)
  
• Doors - The Best of the Doors (two CDs; Rhino)
  
• Funkadelic - Motor City Madness: The Ultimate Funkadelic Compilation (two CDs; Westbound)
  
• The Gap Band - Gold (two CDs; Hip-O)
  
• The Glove - Blue Sunshine (two CDs; Rhino)
  
• Grandmaster Flash - The Definitive Groove Collection (two CDs; Rhino)
  
• Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I and Part II (Sanctuary)
• Hootie & the Blowfish - Live in Charleston (Sneaky Long)
  
• Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gold (two CDs; Geffen)
  
• Mavericks - Gold (two CDs; MCA Nashville)
  
• Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada - El Niño y el Sol (Eighteenth Street Lounge)
  
• Roy Orbison - Crying, In Dreams and Sings Lonely and Blue (Monument/Legacy)
  
• Ginny Owens - If You Want Me To: The Best of Ginny Owens (Rocketown)
  
• Ozark Mountain Devils - 1980 Reunion Concert: Rhythm and Joy (Varèse Sarabande)
  
• Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Gold (two CDs; Motown)
  
• Bob Schneider - The Galaxy Kings, I've Seen the End of the World and It Looks Like This, Songs Sung and Played on Guitar at the Same Time and Underneath the Onion Trees (Shockorama)
  
• Sebadoh - III (Domino)
  
• Sherbet - The Very Best of Sherbet (Renaissance)
  
• Sister Sledge - The Definitive Groove Collection (two CDs; Rhino)
  
• Slave - The Definitive Groove Collection (two CDs; Rhino)
  
• Tears for Fears - Gold (two CDs; MCA Nashville)
  Buy Now: Gold (MCA Nashville)
  
• UFO - An Introduction to UFO (Fuel)
  
• Joe Walsh - The Definitive Collection (Universal)
  
• Various artists - '70s Soul Gold (two CDs; Hip-O)
  
• Various artists - An Introduction to Country Gospel (Fuel)
  
• Various artists - Blue's Clues: Blue's Biggest Hits (Nick)
  
• Various artists - Breakfast Club: London (Water)
  
• Various artists - British Invasion Gold (two CDs; Hip-O)
  
• Various artists - Sugar Hill Records: The Definitive Groove Collection (two CDs; Rhino)
  
• Various artists - Women & Songs 2 (Rhino)

Music DVDs:

• 12Rael - "Kopernik" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Acid Drinkers - "The Hand That Rocks the Coffin" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Arch Enemy - "Live Apocalypse" (Century Media)
  
• Bloc Party - "God Bless Bloc Party" (Vice)
  
• James Blunt - "Chasing Time: The Bedlam Sessions" (with bonus CD; Atlantic)
  
• Chrome & Helios Creed - "Dual Forces" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Deep Purple - "Total Rock Review" (Classic Rock Legends)
  
• Deftones - "School of Brilliant Things" (United States Distributors)
  
• David Grisman Quartet - "Classic Dawg" (Shanachie)
  
• Kiss - "Asylum of Death: Interviews" and "Satanik Kreatures: Interviews" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Chris Layton - "Double Trouble Drums" (Hot Licks)
  
• Led Zeppelin - "The Origin of the Species: A Critical Review of the Band's Roots and Branches" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Lil Troy - "Paperwork Subject Scarface" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Tadeusz Nalepa - "60-Te Urodziny" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Pink Floyd - "The Dark Side: Interviews" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Queen - "Bohemian Champions: Interviews" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• The Rolling Stones - "Under Review 1962-1966: An Independent Critical Analysis" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Tommy Shannon - "Double Trouble Bass" (Hot Licks)
  
• Tegan and Sara - "It's Not Fun. Don't Do It!" (Vapor)
  
• Various artists - "2005 Reggae Music Video, Vol. 4" (Keeling)
  
• Various artists - "ATL Unplugged Part 2.5" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Various artists - "Authentic Reggae Music Videos, Vol. 1" and "Vol. 2" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Various artists - "Jazz Shots From the East Coast, Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Various artists - "Jazz Shots From the West Coast, Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Various artists - "Reggae Heroes" (Keeling)

Coming Attractions:

August 15:

• Christina Aguilera - Back to Basics (two CDs; RCA)
  Read: "Christina Makes Her Comeback Twice As Nice By Expanding Basics Into Double LP"
  Preorder: Back to Basics (RCA)
  
• Obie Trice - Second Round's on Me (Aftermath)
  Preorder: Second Round's on Me (Aftermath)
  
• Various artists - Snakes on a Plane: The Album (enhanced; New Line)
  Read: "Snakes On A Soundtrack — Samuel L. Jackson Film Nabs Fall Out Boy, Panic!, Cee-Lo"

August 22:

• Kelis - Kelis Was Here (Jive)
  Read: "Kelis Preparing To Get 'Bossy' With Her Next 'Strong Kind Of Girl Record' "
  Preorder: Kelis Was Here (Jive)
  
• Lamb of God - Sacrament (deluxe edition with DVD also available; Epic)
  Read: "Lamb Of God Ease Up On Bush But Get Deep Musically On Sacrament"
  Preorder: Sacrament (Epic)
  
• Method Man - 4:21 ... The Day After (Def Jam)
  Read: "Method Man Drops Diddy, Seeks Clarity On New LP, 4:21 ... The Day After"
  Preorder: 4:21 ... The Day After (Def Jam)
  
• Outkast - Idlewild (La Face)
  Read: "Missing Outkast? They've Already Lined Up Three 'Idlewild' Singles"
  Preorder: Idlewild (La Face)
  
• Paris Hilton - Paris (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Paris Hilton's Debut Merges Hip-Hop, Reggae, Rod Stewart"
  Preorder: Paris (Warner Bros.)

August 29:

• Tego Calderón - The Underdog/ El Subestimado (Atlantic)
  Preorder: The Underdog/ El Subestimado (Atlantic)
  
• Roots - Game Theory (Def Jam)
  Preorder: Game Theory (Def Jam)
  
• Jessica Simpson - A Public Affair (Epic)
  Read: "Jessica Simpson Album Shifts Gears Along With Personal Life"
  Preorder: A Public Affair (Epic)
  
• Pete Yorn - Nightcrawler (Red Ink)
  Read: "Dave Grohl Helps Pete Yorn Rock, Tupac Inspires Him To Be Prolific"
  Preorder: Nightcrawler (Red Ink)
  
• Young Dro - Best Thang Smokin' (Atlantic)
  Preorder: Best Thang Smokin' (Atlantic)

• Cassie
• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)
• James Blunt
• Bloc Party
• Slayer

Red Chord's Guy Kozowyk
Photo: MTV News

AUBURN, Washington — While most young metal acts would maim — maybe even kill — for a chance to spend their summer traveling the U.S. as part of Ozzfest, the Red Chord's Guy Kozowyk's sort of blithe about the whole situation.

Sure, he's excited about being on this summer's Ozzfest and appreciates his band being invited. But to him, it's no big deal — he's not nervous, like some of the other bands on the tour because, the way he sees it, Ozzfest is just another gig.

"Whatever," he said, when asked what was going through his head the morning before Ozzfest kicked off here. "Honestly, for us, it's just like another day at the office. It's definitely exciting. If you'd asked me a year ago if my band would ever be on Ozzfest, it's like, 'We're a death-metal/grindcore/whatever band — Ozzfest is never going to go for that.' And so it's definitely unexpected and definitely crazy, but at the same time, we've played over 800 shows. We've played backyards, we've played basements and we've played the Sounds of the Underground in front of thousands of people. We're ready for anything. As excited as we are, we're just going to go do what we always do."

Kozowyk, who runs his own label, Black Market Activities, knows that Ozzfest is perhaps the biggest tour his band will ever be on and has heard people talking about how beneficial a slot on the fest can be for a band like the Red Chord. But he's not letting it go to his head.

"People say Ozzfest can make or break a band, but for us, we're ready to get bigger and we're ready to go back if it comes down to it," he said. "We've played so many small shows, and we're so comfortable in the small environment, that if Ozzfest doesn't break us into the mainstream, we're ready to go back to playing VFWs and basements. We've had such a good time that it doesn't matter what happens on Ozzfest for us. We're going to just roll with it. If it comes down to us being the big Ozzfest success, that's great. We'll sell a bunch of records. But as soon as the metal/hardcore/extreme-music thing drops off, and it isn't making the Billboard charts anymore, we really don't care — whatever. We'll be happy selling 20,000 records and playing to a couple hundred kids a night. It doesn't matter to us.

"Our attitude has always been the Red Chord are normal people playing to normal people out in the crowd. We're not better or bigger than anyone," he continued. "It's intriguing to think that we can come out of this tour and be the biggest death-metal band to date, because I don't know that there's any real brutal death-metal bands that have done this in the past. I think if [death metal's] ever going to get big, this might be our only shot. If it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be. We could care less."

The Red Chord's 2005 LP, Clients, was reissued last month with demo and live tracks, and Kozowyk said the band will settle into the writing process for its next album following Ozzfest and some more U.S. touring. He hopes to start recording the Chord's third disc, which they've already named Birdbath, early next year.

"We started naming songs but we haven't really written any songs yet," he explained. "We have a bunch of song titles ['I Am Not a Lawnmower,' 'The Robot From the Future,' 'Skin Beef' and 'The Brian Slagel Song,' to name a few], ideas and a bunch of parts, but we just don't have the actual songs done yet. We want to have a new record ready for next summer."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Want to hear Slayer's forthcoming album Christ Illusion before it lands in stores August 8? Well, if you live in or around Brooklyn, New York, you'll get a chance this weekend. Duff's Brooklyn, a bar in Williamsburg, will host a listening bash for the disc Saturday night. Look for the band to perform on "The Henry Rollins Show" on the Independent Film Channel July 29. ... Soulfly will tour this fall with Full Blown Chaos, Wicked Wisdom and Incite along for the ride. After an appearance August 17 in Tempe, Arizona, the band plans to return to the road on September 18 in San Diego. So far just seven dates have been announced, running through October 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. More gigs will be revealed in the coming weeks. ...Virginia extremists Arsis will hook up with Becoming the Archetype next month for a run of shows that'll keep them on the road through early September. Demiricous will open the first two gigs (August 18 in Madison, Wisconsin, and the following day in Indianapolis) and Ed Gein will lead things off on the remainder of the trek. Dates are scheduled through September 2 in Hinesville, Georgia. ...

Long Island, New York, hardcore outfit This Is Hell have parted ways with guitarist Joe Osolin. The band has not offered an explanation for his departure, stating only, "We wish him luck in the future." This Is Hell plan to carry on as a foursome for the remainder of their current tour with I Am the Avalanche and the Blackout Pact, and plan to enlist a replacement axeman in time for their August gigs, for which they'll be opening for the reunited Gorilla Biscuits. ... The Relapse Records-sponsored Contamination Tour, which this year boasts Unearthly Trance, Facedowninsh--, F--- the Facts, Jucifer, Buried Inside, Minsk and others, will launch September 2 in Philadelphia, with dates scheduled through October 1 in Middletown, Connecticut. ... Animosity's Evan Brewer and Look What I Did's Barry Donegan have teamed up for what they're describing as a "genre-bending" new side project. The guys have started working on material and hope to have an album's worth of songs ready to go by the middle of next year. The project will boast a number of surprise collaborators, but there's no word yet on what they'll be calling the project or what label will be releasing it. ...

Montreal stoner-rock enthusiasts Priestess will join Gwar and Suicide City next month for a week of shows, according to the band's Web site. The first stop's set for August 15 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with dates running through August 21 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The band also revealed that it will be busy this fall "on a sweet package bill that [we] can't just yet divulge, but it's really sick." ... The Melvins have set A Senile Animal as the title of their forthcoming LP, which will be in stores October 10. Frontman Buzz Osborne said that he's "very pleased with the results" and "can't wait to play this stuff live." ... Isis will issue their first DVD, "Clearing the Eye," September 26. The release features live footage captured at New York's CBGB and West Hollywood's Troubadour, as well as a music video for "In Fiction," interactive photo galleries, a discography and a 20-page booklet. Isis, who will release their yet-untitled CD on Halloween, will tour this fall as the opening act on Tool's North American trek. ...

Some of the biggest names in modern and experimental metal drumming have contributed audio and video tracks to Drum Nation Volume 3, which comes out August 15. The CD and DVD package will include cuts by Lamb of God's Chris Adler, Shadows Fall's Jason Bittner, Killswitch Engage's Justin Foley, Dillinger Escape Plan's Chris Pennie, Unearth's Michael Justian and others. Musical styles range from ethereal soundscapes to blast-beat metal. The DVD also features additional footage shot in unusual settings: Bittner is interviewed while getting a tattoo; Soulfly's Joe Nunez answers questions from the dentist's chair; Candiria's Kenneth Schalk talks from a golf course and more. ... Massachusetts '80s thrash band Meliah Rage will release The Deep and Dreamless Sleep September 12. The disc will be the follow-up to their 2004 album, Barely Human, which marked their return following an eight-year recording hiatus. The new record was recorded at Danger Multitrack Studios in Providence, Rhode Island, and Sherwood Forest Recording Studios in Bedford, Massachusetts. Tracks include "Permanently Damaged," "Twisted Wreck," "Last of the Wanted" and "Undefeated." A video for the latter can be seen on the band's Web site. ...

Metalcore purists Caliban will launch a North American tour with the Acacia Strain September 8 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The Burning Season and Across Five Aprils will open until September 14 in Indianapolis, when Bloodlined Calligraphy and Too Pure to Die will start warming the crowd for the two main acts. Light This City and Stick to Your Guns will take over the early slots starting September 27 in Fresno, California, and will remain onboard until the final date: October 1 in West Hollywood, California. ... Gritty Syracuse, New York, quintet Brand New Sin will release their third album, Tequila, on October 3. The disc was recorded last fall at Method of Groove Studio in Brooklyn with producer Joey Z (Life of Agony, Stereomud). Type O Negative frontman Pete Steele appears on one track, "Reaper Man." Frontman Joe Altier said fans can expect a tougher, more immediate-sounding record than 2005's Recipe for Disaster, "We recorded this album live as a band, and we think it perfectly captures our raw energy," he said. "We feel that a lot of bands nowadays make things sound too polished, and we have been told for years that our albums are good but our live shows are much better, so that's what we went for." ...

Contemporary hardcore-metal savages Terror will release their third disc, Always the Hard Way, Tuesday. Zuess (Hatebreed , All That Remains) produced the disc. "The album turned out exactly how we wanted in terms of songwriting, recording, layout and lyrics," singer Scott Vogel said. "The final product is the most aggressive, fastest, hardest, heaviest thing we have ever done." ... Psychedelic sci-fi metal band Danava will release their self-titled debut on Halloween. The effect-laden disc was recorded and produced by Johnny Jewel and is reminiscent of early Monster Magnet crossed with Cream. Tracks include "Long Dance," "By the Mark," "Maudie Shook" and "Quiet Babies Astray in a Manger." ... Multicultural death-metal band Echoes of Eternity are in the studio working on their debut album with Los Angeles engineer Eric Ryan. Female singer Francine Boucher, who may be the hottest vixen in extreme metal since Arch Enemy's Angela Gossow, fronts the band. The band's album, due in 2007, will likely include "Gardens of the Gods," "Circles in Stone," "The Sacred Feminine" and "Expressions of Flesh." ... Defunct punk-metal pioneers Botch will release four new discs in the next year. The first, which comes out September 26, is a reissue of out-of-print 7-inch material, compilation cuts and other rarities called Unifying Themes Redux. The disc was originally released on Excursion Records in 2002, the year the band broke up. The 16 songs on the album include "God Vs. Science," "Contraction," "Leavers Take on Genesis" and "Liquored Up and Laid."

• The Red Chord
• Slayer
• Botch
• Terror

Warning: These Album Covers May Contain Explicit Content

• The Beatles
• The Mamas & The Papas
• Moby Grape
• Jimi Hendrix
• John Lennon

Ozzfest at the CTNOW.com Meadows Music Centre in Hartford, CT 07.10.2004

• Slipknot
• Slayer
• Otep
• Lacuna Coil
• Lamb of God

Pantera & Slayer: Extreme Photos

• Pantera
• Slayer