For those of you who just can't wait until New England metalcore brutalists Killswitch Engage release a fresh batch of thunderous tracks, we've got some bad news. Waiting's what you'll be doing a lot of, considering KsE plan on taking a break from writing until at least next summer.

Bassist Mike D'Antonio -- the man behind Killswitch's engaging album art -- said a vacation from his instrument's long overdue. After this summer's Ozzfest, Killswitch will head across the pond for the Taste of Chaos tour, and once that trek's in the bag, it's R&R time, kids.

There's also considerable work that needs to be done on the band's first-ever DVD, which KsE have yet to give a proper name to; if things move ahead with the retrospective project as scheduled, it could hit stores as early as this fall.

"We've been talking about it for about a year, and it's really something we wanted to take our time with," D'Antonio explained. "We didn't want to blow our load and put out a DVD that's total crap. So we've been talking about what makes DVDs suck so bad, and why they're so terrible. People just get bored with them, so we wanted to throw in all sorts of different comments by members of the band -- but, again, have it move at a faster pace than most of these self-serving DVDs that're coming out, with these bands who've got diarrhea of the mouth, talking about how great they are and all this crap that doesn't pertain to what we're doing at all. Who cares what guitar your guitarist had when he was 10 years old?"

The bassist is completing artwork for the DVD and said the finished product will feature some of the group's earliest live footage -- before the departure of original vocalist Jesse Leach, when they'd play to 30 people in some hole-in-the-wall pub -- as well as extensive interviews with the entire band.

Killswitch will perform "Rose of Sharyn" for "Last Call With Carson Daly" on Monday, then it's off to Ozzfest, where they'll co-headline the second stage with Rob Zombie. But things could have been different.

"We were offered the main stage, but turned it down," D'Antonio said. "I'm not so sure we could blend with that 'sitting down' audience. We're more the type ... that needs a pit and likes to stand there and participate. We want to feel the emotion back from the crowd. I mean, main stage bands are treated a lot better, and there's a lot of stuff that would have made our lives a lot easier had we chosen that route. But the second stage is more fun -- that's where we want to be."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Norwegian black metallists Dimmu Borgir have decided against hiring a full-time replacement for drummer Nick Barker, who left the band in 2004. But that's not gonna slow down the progress of two new projects, both of which will feature Mayhem drummer Hellhammer. In August the band will start writing material for the follow-up to 2003's Death Cult Armageddon, planning a mid- to late 2006 release. Dimmu are also planning sessions with producer Peter Tagtgren to re-record their 1996 album, Stormblast. The disc will include previously unreleased tracks. ... Blisteringly intense grindcore kings Drowningman are down a drummer. Brian Curry's departure has been characterized as "amicable" by the band, which is asking anyone who's interested in replacing him -- and also lives or would like to live in the Burlington, Vermont, area -- to e-mail them at drowningman@lawofinertia.com. Don't forget to attach an MP3 with a sample of just how badass you are. ... Swedish death metallers Dismember will start work on their seventh album August 15. Slated for an early 2006 release, the disc will feature "The God That Never Was," "Feel the Darkness" and "Through the Unbroken Black." ...

Blastcore baddies Flattbush have started recording their forthcoming disc, Seize the Time, at San Francisco's Hyde Street Studios. Former Faith No More bassist Billy Gould will produce the effort, which is slated for a fall release through his Kool Arrow Records. ... Jacksonville, Florida, punk metallists Evergreen Terrace will head to Michigan on July 16 for a two-day video shoot for their song "New Friend Request." Scrambled Visual, who have previously worked with AFI and Suicide Machines, will direct the video. Evergreen Terrace are on tour through July 30; their sixth album, Sincerity Is an Easy Disguise in This Business, was released in June. ... Danish thrashers Hatesphere will release The Sickness Within on September 26 through SPV Records. Produced by Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Pretty Maids), the disc will feature 11 tracks, including "Bleed to Death," "Marked by Darkness," "The Fallen Shall Rise in a River of Blood" and "Reaper of Life." ... Legendary metal Swedes Entombed are working on the as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2003's Inferno. Expected to drop early next year, the album will include "The Fiery Father," "I Need Hell" and "Burn the Flag." ...

Power-metal bands Hammerfall and Edguy will tour together starting August 10 in Toronto. Dates run through August 30 in Los Angeles. Hammerfall's Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken was released in April, while Edguy's Hellfire Club came out in April 2004. ... Las Vegas metalcore band Curl Up and Die will launch a tour beginning July 18 in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, and running through July 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The band's new album, The One Above All, the End of All That Is, will be released on August 23. ... Thrash-metal veterans Exodus have titled their upcoming album Shovel Headed Kill Machine. Produced by Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Arch Enemy), the disc is scheduled for an October 5 release and is the band's first to feature ex-Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph and new singer Rob Dukes. ... Swedish melodic death-metal band the Duskfall will release their third album, Lifetime Supply of Guilt, on September 6. Tracks include "Trust Is Overrated," "Break the Pact" and "Going Down Screaming." ... Germany's progressive power-metal band Masterplan will release their second album, Aeronautics, on September 20. The band's self-titled debut came out in 2003.