What up, fellow metalists, how's it been going? Things are good here, lots of cool stuff to report here on "Metal File" this week. There's been so much going on that it's hard to figure out what to talk about first. I guess the biggest thing for me right now is that I'm going to listen to the new Metallica record, which by all reports is quite good -- back to the old Metallica we all know and love. I'll fill you guys in on my feelings on it next week. As far as this week goes, I'm stoked on the new Cattle Decapitation album, that should be really good. I mean, with a title like "Humanure," how can you go wrong? The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival just added Superjoint Ritual and Meshuggah, kicking the festival up another notch. The whole thing will go down May 16-17, and it's gonna be huge. Definitely jump on over to www.metalandhardcorefestival.com and find out more about it. Another big tour to think about spending your hard-earned cash on is the North American Contamination Tour 2003, which kicks off May 2 in Memphis, Tennessee. This is the tour with Mastodon, Cephalic Carnage, Dysrhythmia and Uphill Battle -- doubtful you'll find a more extreme tour happening this summer. Well, dig into the metal file and hopefully it'll turn you on to something cool. Remember, if metal for you is Linkin Park or Finch, this might be too extreme for you.

Napalm Death are putting together a two-CD set for release this summer on Earache. Noise for Music's Sake will feature one CD of tracks from the band's 10-album career with Earache and a second CD of rare recordings, including previously unreleased material from Napalm's early days. ... Swedish death/thrash metal outfit In Flames have finalized the track listing for their EP, Trigger, due June 17 on Nuclear Blast: "Trigger" (single edition), the new "Watch Them Feed," a cover of Genesis' "Land of Confusion," "Cloud Connected" (Club Connected Remix) and "Moonshield" (C64 Karaoke Version). In Flames are also gearing up to head out on a massive U.S. tour with Soilwork. ...

Killing Joke will now title their new album The Death and Resurrection Show. It's to be released on their own Malicious Damage label in June. As reported, Dave Grohl will guest on drums. ... Long-running Christian metal band Living Sacrifice have named Cory Putman as replacement for guitarist, vocalist and founding member Bruce Fitzhugh, who will exit amicably following a few more appearances. For touring commitments next month, the Blamed guitarist Bryan Grey will fill in for Rocky Gray, who is currently drumming for Evanescence. ...

Amorphis' long-awaited 10th anniversary CD, Chapters, will be issued by Relapse in deluxe packaging on June 3. In addition to the highlights of Amorphis' career, Chapters also contains some special surprises, extensive liner notes and a DVD-ROM. ... God Forbid have issued a statement saying that rumors about Byron Davis no longer singing for the band are false. God Forbid are currently writing new material for their next album. ... The two-day New England Metal and Hardcore Festival will be preserved for posterity on DVD and released later this year. Taking place May 16 and 17 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the fifth annual metal extravaganza features Superjoint Ritual, Meshuggah, the Haunted, Shadows Fall and Opeth. ...

Carnal Forge will release their new album, The More You Suffer, on April 22. ... In the wake of the successful inaugural Relapse Records Contamination Festival, the label has announced the North American Contamination Tour 2003, featuring Mastodon, Cephalic Carnage, Dillinger Escape Plan, Dysrhythmia and more. The 22-city tour kicks off May 2 in Memphis, Tennessee, and runs through May 23 in Lansing, Michigan. ... Following several dates with The Haunted and an appearance at the Syracuse, New York, Hellfest, Bleeding Through will enter the studio to begin recording the follow-up to last year's Portrait of the Goddess. The Orange County, California, metal band, which features former Eighteen Visions guitarist Brandon Schieppati on vocals, is eyeing an October release for the album, their first for the Trustkill label. ...

Almost a year after they were served with a cease and desist order from another band who shared the name, hardcore luminaries American Nightmare have changed their name to Give up the Ghost. Their 2001 album, Background Music, will be re-released this summer under the new moniker. ... Also on the name change front, Louisville, Kentucky's Black Widows -- who count members of Endpoint, By the Grace of God and The National Acrobat among their ranks -- have changed their name to Black Cross following a similar dispute with another band. The group recently completed its debut album with über-producer and former Jawbox frontman J. Robbins. ...

With their members now close to fully recovered from an early 2002 van accident, New Orleans metal merchants Soilent Green are kicking back into gear with newly added bassist Scott Crochet and second guitarist Tony White and hope to enter the studio by the end of the year to record a follow-up to 2001's A Deleted Symphony for the Beaten Down. ... In spite of last year's "farewell tour" in support of their Parade of Chaos album, the most recent lineup of the band Zao is discussing the possibility of recording at least one more album, as well as plans to appear at this summer's Cornerstone Festival. ... Veteran Seattle band Nevermore plan to mix Enemies of Reality,, the follow-up to 2000's critically well-received Dead Heart in a Dead World, next month for a late July release. The group enlisted Queensÿrche/ Dokken producer Kelly Gray for its latest effort. ...

—Compiled by [article id="1453177"]Iann Robinson[/article], Ryan Downey and Joe D'Angelo