Swedish metallers Avatar have issued the following update on their MySpace blog:

"We are happy to make official that we will support US rockers Warrior Soul on their upcoming tour in March-April. See you out there!"

Announced dates are as follows:

Mar. 25 - Hamburg, Germany - Knust
Mar. 26 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Club
Mar. 27 - Bochum, Germany - Zeche
Mar. 28 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
Mar. 29 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
Mar. 30 - Stuttgart, Germany - Röhre
Mar. 31 - Saarbrücken, GER - Garage
Apr. 02 - London, UK - Islington Academy
Apr. 04 - Birmingham, UK - Academy 2
Apr. 05 - Sheffield, UK - Academy 2
Apr. 07 - Weert, The Netherlands - Bosuil
Apr. 08 - Hengelo, The Netherlands - Metropool

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Avatar
Event:	Warrior Soul

Swedish metallers Aeon have issued the following update on their MySpace blog:

"We are happy to say that we are now finished with our new album Path Of Fire. The album was recorded at the Empire Studio in Östersund / Sweden in September 2009. Mixed at Mana Studio / St Petersburg, FL, USA by Erik Rutan in October 2009 (and some minor changes where made in January 2010). Mastering was done by Alan Douches for West West Side Music. All artwork and layout made by Daniel Dlimi.

Path Of Fire is probably the most intense Aeon album up to date. And with a production that sounds more organic and "classic death metal" sounding rather then the nowadays typical "supermodern, compressed right-the-fuck-out of dynamics, loudness war" production... you are all in for a real treat. Folks... this is death metal!

Needless to say, we are really happy with how the album turned out and and we can't wait for you to get a chance to listen to it. The album will be released later this year by Metal Blade Records.

More album details and release dates will be announced later on so keep your eyes open."

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Aeon

UK metallers Cathedral will release their forthcoming album, The Guessing Game, on March 26 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The album was recorded at the Chapel studios (The Darkness, Napalm Death, Uriah Heep, Wet Wet Wet, Simple Minds) in Lincolnshire, UK and was once again produced by Warren Riker (Down, Crowbar). It also sports stunning new artwork from band collaborator Dave Patchett.

The Guessing Game cover art] tracklist:

Disc I:
01. Immaculate Misconception
02. Funeral Of Dreams
03. Painting In The Dark
04. Death Of An Anarchist
05. The Guessing Game
06. Edwige's Eyes
07. Cat's, Incense, Candles & Wine

Disc II:
01. One Dimensional People
02. Casket Chasers
03. La Noche Del Buque Maldito (aka Ghost Ship Of The Blind Dead)
04. The Running Man
05. Requiem For The Voiceless.
06. Journey's Into Jade

Read more ››

Source:	nuclearblast.de
Band profile:	Cathedral

Official press release

Hello all,

I regret to say that as of today the band will be dissolving and we will be going our separate ways.

A huge thanks from the bottom of our hearts for the fans and support we have received over the course of the last 9 years. It has been an exciting and often turbulent ride, but everything must come to an end eventually.

Unfortunately, we will be unable to go on the May tour with Primal Fear, so our apologies to the people who were looking forward to hanging with us out on the road.

To our local fans, we will more than likely be playing one more Madison show sometime in the next few months, we'll keep everyone posted.

Thanks again,

Brian Koenig.

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Luna Mortis

Official press release

Axel Rudi Pell will release the brand new studio album called The Crest via SPV on April 26th 2010 (Germany: April 23rd 2010). It will feature 10 brand new songs which run approx. 57 min.

"This is definately our masterpiece so far, it has everything to become a real classic in the long Axel Rudi Pell history! A record packed with energy and emotions! In a few weeks we will put one complete track on this site for your listening pleasure, so stay tuned!"

Axel and the band will start their next tour in May. "We will split the tour in different sections, so the dates for May are only the first part. We will definately do more shows in the fall around October and a few summer dates as well!"

The Crest was produced by Axel Rudi Pell, recorded by Torsten Sickert at W:A:T: Studios Bochum and mixed by Charlie Bauerfeind at Mi Sueno Studios, Tenerife Spain and Twilight Hall Studios, Grefrath Germany. The cover art was done by Martin McKenna.

The Crest cover art] tracklist:

01. Prelude Of Doom (Intro)
02. Too Late
03. Devil Zone
04. Prisoner Of Love
05. Dreaming Dead
06. Glory Night
07. Dark Waves Of The Sea (Oceans Of Time Pt. II: The Dark Side)
08. Burning Rain
09. Noblesse Oblige (Opus #5 Adagio Contabile)
10. The End Of Our Time

Read more ››

Source:	axel-rudi-pell.de
Band profile:	Axel Rudi Pell

Swedish black metallers Marduk will embark on the "South American Deathmarch" tour in April.

Announced dates are as follows:

April 09 - Campo Grande, Brazil - República Music Bar
April 10 - Fortaleza, Brazil - Clube Santa Cruz
April 11 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Teatro Odisséia
April 14 - Bueno Aires, Argentina -
April 15 - Campinas, Brazil - Hammer Rock Bar
April 16 - São Paulo, Brazil - Hangar 110
April 17 - Belo Horizonte, Brazil - Bar Brasil
April 18 - Brasília, Brazil - Boate Capital Clube
April 19 - Porto Alegre, Brazil - Bar Opinião

Read more ››

Source:	marduk.nu
Band profile:	Marduk
Event:	Marduk: South American Deathmarch Tour

Chain Reaction's management informs us that:

Italian Kolony Records will release Chain Reaction's second LP in Europe. ?Cutthroat Melodies" will be out in stores in May 2010. The album will be also available through the band and label's websites and during live shows.
?Cutthroat Melodies" is a powerful album comprising of eleven energetic songs revolving around groove-thrash style.

Once again, the album was recorded and mixed by one of the best Polish rock Producers, Tomasz Zalewski, in ZED Studio in the last months of 2009.

Chain Reaction's debut, ?Vicious Circle" was released by Kolony Records in March 2009

Cutthroat Melodies' track list:
01. Twinge
02. Prime Integers
03. God Lives Too Long
04. Elder Thrived
05. Insomnia Revised / H. B. Woodrose
06. Class ?A" Prisoner
07. Projecting. AM
08. No Logo
09. When Road 'n Booze Collide
10. Intra Vires
11. Even if

I heard a bunch of these songs live and I thought they were better than the debut, although whether this is confirmed on the album itself remains to be heard... Lets see if the band has the guts to let us review it!

Read more ››

Band profile:

Chain Reaction

Swedish metallers Amon Amarth have issued the following update on their MySpace blog:

"We can finally announce that we'll be returning to North America this spring! And we're happy to bring Eluveitie and Holy Grail with us as support, plus a special co-headline show with Fear Factory in San Francisco."

Announced dates are as follows:

April 08 - Los Angeles, CA - House Of Blues
April 09 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom (with Fear Factory)
April 10 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater
April 11 - Seattle, WA - Showbox
April 12 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw
April 14 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall
April 15 - Edmonton, AB - EEC
April 16 - Saskatoon, SK - The Odeon
April 17 - Winnipeg, MB - The Garrick
April 18 - Minneapolis, MN - Station 4
April 19 - Chicago, IL - Logan Square
April 21 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
April 22 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis
April 23 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial Theatre
April 24 - Worcester, MA - New England Metal Fest
April 25 - New York, NY - Fillmore at Irving Plaza

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Amon Amarth
Event:	Amon Amarth: N. American Tour

Florida death metalers Cannibal Corpse are gearing up to hit the road in the band's first headline run since the band headlined the Hot Topic stage on 2009's Rockstar Mayhem Festival. Joining Cannibal Corpse on The Evisceration Plague Tour is Skeletonwitch, Lecherous Nocturne, and 1349 on select dates.

Bassist Alex Webster comments; "We are very excited to announce our tour with 1349, Skeletonwitch, and Lecherous Nocturne. This is a killer line-up of bands that we're sure our fans will love. Prepare for an evening of pure sonic brutality!"

Apr 20 - Orlando, FL Club @ Firestone
Apr 21 - Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Apr 22 - Raleigh, NC Volume 11 Tavern
Apr 23 - Springfield, VA JAXX
Apr 24 - Worcester, MA Palladium (Metal Fest)
Apr 25 - Long Island, NY Crazy Donkey
Apr 27 - Montreal, QC Club Soda
Apr 28 - Toronto, ON Opera House
Apr 29 - Chicago, IL House of Blues
Apr 30 - Milwaukee, WI Eagles Club
May 01 - St. Paul, MN Station 4
May 02 - Lawrence, KS Granada Theater
May 03 - Denver, CO Gothic
May 05 - San Francisco, CA Slim's
May 06 - Los Angeles, CA House Of Blues
May 07 - Tucson, AZ The Rock (no 1349)
May 08 - Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater (no 1349)
May 10 - Corpus Christi, TX House of Rock (no 1349)
May 11 - Austin, TX Emo's (no 1349)
May 12 - Houston, TX Wired Live (no 1349)
May 13 - New Orleans, LA House of Blues (no 1349)
May 14 - Jacksonville, FL Freebird Live (no 1349)
May 15 - Tampa, FL tate Theater (no 1349)

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Cannibal Corpse
Event:	The Evisceration Plague Tour

Official press release

Formed in 2005 in Belfast by vocalist John "Harv" Harbinson, Stormzone recorded their debut album soon after and secured a deal with UK Rock label Escape Music who released Caught In The Act in 2007 (also released by Avalon/Marquee in Japan in the same year). The album was a superb hard rock record was also essentially a "studio" band album with Harv and friends playing all instruments. The cover artwork for Caught In The Act was painted by famous fantasy artist Rodney Matthews. Rodney has also contributed the artwork for the new Stormzone album Death Dealer.

It was not until later in 2007 that the full Stormzone line-up was formed, essentially to tour in promotion of the debut album with all the musicians being from Belfast. Most had previously played in local bands except drummer Davy Bates. He was the sticks-man for legendary Belfast band Sweet Savage (immortalized when Metallica covered their "Killing Time" opus as the B side of The Unforgiven).

Stormzone attracted many friends with the debut album including admiration from legendary producer/DJ Neal Kay who saw in the band the same early signs of stardom shown by another group he discovered, Iron Maiden! With the band playing live constantly they inevitably hardened up their sound so the new recordings came out much more aggressive than the first album but still kept the quality, melody and harmony of before. Co-produced by Neal Kay the new album was finished towards the end of 2009.

The recordings were sent by Davy Bates to Jess Cox the M.D. of Metal Nation Ltd. (Jess is the original Tygers Of Pan Tang vocalist and previous owner of Neat Records who also recorded the Killing Time Sweet Savage album ten years earlier). He was so impressed he offered to manage the band immediately and shortly afterwards licensed the new album to SPV/Steamhammer in Germany.

The new album Death Dealer will be released in Europe on April 26th, 2010 (in Germany April 23rd, 2010).

Death Dealer cover art] tracklist:

01. Death Dealer
02. Secret Gateway
03. The Memory Never Dies
04. Immortals
05. The Legend Carries On
06. Labyrinth
07. Wasted Lives
08. Stand Up And Fight
09. The Chosen One
10. World Of Sorrow
11. The Greatest Sacrifice
12. Final Journey

Samples are online at http://www.myspace.com/stormzoneuk.

Read more ››

Source:

myspace.com

Tampa, Florida thrash/death metal band Generichrist have joined forces with extreme metal label Xmusickchina/AreaDeath Productions to release their new, special limited edition album entitled Minddumpster to the world later this month. The album will also feature the artwork of Florida underground artist Mark Cooper who has handled the artwork for Generichrist through the years on the band's past releases.

Minddumpster cover art] tracklist:

01. Intro
02. Hexx
03. My Lovely Whore
04. Mindumpster
05. Clothes Hanger Abortion
06. Sonic Casket

AreaDeath Productions has put out releases by such acts as Necrophagia, Nunslaughter, Thanatos, Rotting Corpse, Skitzo and Deceased to name just a few. The Minddumpster album features a revamped line-up led by the founder and frontman Tony Anderson (Skintomb).

In related news Generichrist have also confirmed that they will be doing a split with thrash/death metal band Esodic from the country of Jordan in May. This split will be put out by West Virginia-based label Death Star Records and will feature four tracks from each band.

For more information about the band visit http://www.myspace.com/generichrist.

Read more ››

Source:

myspace.com

An unmixed version of a brand new track, "Obsessed By Sodomy", from Swedish metallers Death Breath, is available for streaming at the band's MySpace page.

"Obsessed By Sodomy" song will appear on the band's forthcoming album, due later in the year via Psychout / Black Lodge.

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Death Breath

Danish metallers Volbeat have issued the following update on their MySpace blog:

"The writing process is well under way and a title is already set:

Front man Michael Poulsen explains: "The Album title is Beyond Hell / Above Heaven (no reference to religious beliefs). The title refers to the overall theme of the album, and it continues the storyline from where Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood left off...

The album will be released in September throughout Europe. The band are very excited about the writing process, carrying the songs into both extreme metallic territory, punk variations and some very catchy stuff at the same time. On top Volbeat is bringing in various guest appearances.

We have fast, slow and mid-tempo songs. We still blend different styles of punk, rock'n'roll, rockabilly, metal, heavy metal, thrash metal, country - we still keep it very open, it's just music! I cannot say too much about it right now, but we're really excited about it and it's going to be very, very cool. Again we're going to give people something they haven't heard before. We always try to do something special and different on each and every album."

Watch out for much more news about Beyond Hell / Above Heaven upcoming shows and much more on www.volbeat.dk..."

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Volbeat

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has revealed the setlist for the upcoming Rust In Peace 20th Anniversary Tour, with Exodus and Testament. Here's the update - with the least as possible "Megaman" blabla. For the full statement just go here:

"Rehearsals are all done and we are ready for pre-production next week, and then we will be heading out to start the tour. Just so you know, we are playing 10 songs from over our 25+ year careers, as well as all 9 songs off of Rust In Peace.

Next to everything on Rust In Peace, we are playing:

* Set The World Afire
* Wake Up Dead
* In My Darkest Hour
* Sweating Bullets
* Skin O' My Teeth
* Head Crusher
* A Tout Le Monde
* Symphony Of Destruction
* Trust
* Peace Sells, But Who's Buying?

One great thing is that we all know so many, many songs, and that this is just the starting point. Remember, David Ellefson knows everything of Megadeth's career, excluding a few new tracks, Shawn knows them all, and Chris is learning them as fast as he can. All in all, I think that we have approximately 40 songs we can do on this next month's tour.

We will return to the Endgame Tour after that, and may play any of the RIP tracks over the coming years. We already play several songs off of RIP; "Holy Wars", "Take No Prisoners", "Tornado Of Souls", and "Hangar 18". It will be fun to have some new gems added to our set list, and also the possibility of us revisiting songs that I mentioned were added to our playlist for potential songs to perform from Killing Is My Business or Peace Sells, But Who's Buying?."

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Megadeth
Event:	Megadeth: Rust In Peace 20th Anniversary Tour

Dubai-based promoter Center Stage Management will not be organizing any annual events in the Middle East in 2010, including the much-awaited and renowned Desert Rock Festival, held in March every year since its inception in 2004.

In a statement posted on their website, Center Stage Management announced they will not be organizing any events in the United Arab Emirates in the year 2010. The annual festivals, which include, Desert Rock, Desert Rhythm, Urban Desert & Back 2 School Festival, are postponed until further notice, in an effort to extend the reach of the company, as part of a strategic move of CSM.

Jackie Wartanian, Managing Director, explains: "This decision was not taken lightly and was well-thought-through with my team in my company's best interest. It marks the beginning of a new era for CSM, a human-sized yet international entertainment-specialized company, which I've chosen to grow beyond UAE boundaries. I have focused uniquely on the Middle East in the past 10 years, which has positioned CSM to build a credible and reputable name ; it's now time to take it to another level. We've always taken pride in producing top-quality events which is why in order to develop my company in a professional manner (to equal its standards), we will to focus on our international projects and artist management, until further notice".
Steps taken toward company growth

Center Stage Management's ambition to expand globally started in 2008, by organizing the Urban Desert tour with Akon, Fat Joe and Black Violin at the end of the first quarter in South Africa. 7 months later, the American subsidiary based in Los Angeles opened as Scorpio International Inc., engaged in numerous and various projects such as reality TV shows, theatrical movies and music production.

In the spring of 2009, Center Stage Management scored a deal with FIFA as a contractor to execute both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Football Confederations' Cup in South Africa, held over the summer in preparation to the FIFA 2010 World Cup. At the end of 2009, it was confirmed that Center Stage Management would have the same role in working on FIFA World Cup 2010 Opening & Closing Ceremony.

At the same time, CSM had organized a tour for the band Nervecell whom they signed under a management deal, putting them on the road for 3 months in Europe to perform at some of the biggest festivals on the continent and striking a record deal before the end of the tour.

Read more ››

Source:	csmme.com
Event:	Dubai Desert Rock Festival