Grammy-nominated hard rock juggernaut Mastodon have confirmed dates for their Spring North American Tour in support of their second album for Reprise Records, "Crack The Skye". This first tour behind the groundbreaking new album will sweep across the US and Canada playing to smaller theaters and clubs to insure a maximum and up close intimate environment in which to be exposed to brand new songs and old favorites for Mastodon fans.

Confirmed Mastodon tour dates with special guests Kylesa and Intronaut, as follows:

Apr. 10 - Workplay Theater - Birmingham, AL
Apr. 11 - House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
Apr. 13 - Granada Theater - Lawrence, KS
Apr. 14 - Fox Theatre - Boulder, CO
Apr. 16 - Martini Ranch - Phoenix, AZ
Apr. 18 - Coachella - Indio, CA
Apr. 19 - Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
Apr. 21 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR
Apr. 22 - Neumo's - Seattle, WA
Apr. 23 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
Apr. 24 - MacEwen Ballroom - Calgary, AB
Apr. 25 - Starlite Ballroom - Edmonton, AB
Apr. 26 - The Odeon - Saskatoon, SK
Apr. 28 - The Garrick - Winnipeg, MB
Apr. 29 - Fine Line Music Hall - Minneapolis, MN
Apr. 30 - Metro - Chicago, IL
May 01 - Crofoot Ballroom - Pontiac, MI
May 02 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH
May 04 - Le National - Montreal, QC
May 05 - Opera House - Toronto, ON
May 07 - House of Blues - Boston, MA
May 08 - TLA - Philadelphia, PA
May 09 - Fillmore @ Irving Plaza - New York, NY
May 10 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
May 12 - 9:30 Club - Washington DC
May 13 - Cat's Cradle - Carbarro, NC
May 14 - Orange Peel - Ashville, NC
May 15 - Center Stage - Atlanta, GA

Read more ››

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

Finnish metal band Norther parts ways with long time singer/guitarist Petri Lindroos. Norther was forced to let Petri go to be able to continue. Petri´s full time engagement in Ensiferum increasingly prevented Norther from functioning as an active band.

Petri wishes Norther all the best for the future. Current Norther crew, Kristian, Jukka, Tuomas and Heikki, wants to thank Petri for all these great years together and wishes him the best of luck with Ensiferum.

Additional information concerning the recruitment of a new singer will be provided soon.

Read more ››

Source:	norther.net
Band profile:	Norther

New songs from NeVeR's third upcoming album "Back To The Front" have been added to band's official MySpace profile. You can find two whole songs (including one out of four done with Angela Gossow from Arch Enemy) and two samples from the upcoming album.

Also Maurycy "Mauser" Stefanowicz (known from Vader, currently UnSun) will appear on the final release doing guest lead guitar.

The whole production was done with some world famous names such as Fredrik Nordström (Producer, Studio Fredman, Sweden) who did for example At The Gates' "Slaughter Of The Soul" and Arch Enemy's "Rise Of The Tyrant"; Tom Mayer (Master&Servant Mastering Studio, Hamburg, Germany), Niklas Sundin (Cabin Fever Media/Dark Tranquillity/Lethora) and more.

"Back To The Front" will consist of 11 songs of technical death/thrash metal with high-pitched, high-class screaming vocals. The date of the release of the CD isn't known yet, but the management of the band says it would be announced shortly.

Read more ››

Source:

myspace.com

It's been a month and a half since Dual-Coma's new album "Reprogrammed H.A.T.E." got released and now the band's management is preparing a Dual-Coma tour in Poland. You can see the band in:

28.02.2009 Lyski -Blizzard
28.03.2009 Gliwice - Dziupla
02.04.2009 Mikołów - Fraktal
03.04.2009 Poznań - Fort Columb
04.04.2009 Gdańsk - Cockney
05.04.2009 Gdynia - Anawa
24.04.2009 Chorzów - Leśniczówka
05.06.2009 Wadowice - Wehikuł Czasu
27.06.2009 Tychy - Tawerna

Hailing from Katowice, Poland and formed in 2004, this four-piece band is said to play thrash/death metal with a lot of melody. "Reprogrammed H.A.T.E." was released in January and contains material from the previously released "Program H.A.T.E." demo, the "Bulletproof Heart" EP and also features a video for the song "Bulletproof Heart". Check out some samples at http://www.myspace.com/dualcoma.

Read more ››

Source:	let-them-come.eu
Event:	Dual-Coma

Official press release

Ascendance Records is hugely proud to announce the signing of Diablo Swing Orchestra to a worldwide deal.

The unique genre-hopping Swedish sextet has already garnered an ever-growing army of fans on the strength of their self-released debut "The Butcher's Ballroom" (later licensed to Candlelight Records in Europe and Sonic Cathedral in the US) and their European festival perfomances including Metal Female Voices Fest and Summer Breeze.

The new album "Sing-Along Songs For The Damned & Delirious" is tentetively scheduled for a September release. As well as the normal release we will also be producing a strictly limited and numbered boxed version, available by direct mail order only. It will feature an exclusive DVD, a set of postcards, a pewter pendant and a sticker all in an embossed tin box. Full details will be made available closer to release.

The album will be recorded at In Flames studio in Gothenburg under the supervision of producer Roberto Laghi who, besides his work on the latest In Flames effort, has also worked with the likes of Sonic Syndicate, Mustasch and Hardcore Superstar. Recordings will commence on April 6th and will be finished on May 1st. Mixing will be done between the 1st and 12th of June. The band will be posting a studio report at the end of each week on their MySpace site so that you can follow how the recordings are progressing.

The band say that fans of "The Butcher's Ballroom" will recognize the D:S:O sound but it has developed into something even more playful and at times far more aggressive than before.

Read more ››

Source:	ascendancerecords.com
Band profile:	Diablo Swing Orchestra

In the middle of March, Vader will enter Hertz Studio in Bialystok, Poland to begin recording session of band's next studio album entitled "Necropolis". All the tracks will be recorded at Hertz and engineered by Wieslawski Bros. Tue Madsen (who previously worked with such bands as Moonspell, Cataract, Heaven Shall Burn and many more...) will mix the album at his famous Antfarm Studios in Denmark.

"Necropolis" will be the first album recorded in Vader's new line up featuring band's new musicians Paul (drums), Reyash (bass) and Vogg (guitars). Famous Polish artist Jacek Wiśniewski (who made cover arts for such albums as "Black To The Blind", "Revelations", "The Beast" and some more...) will take care of the album artwork and its whole layout. One of the songs recorded during the latest pre-production session at Haertz Studio is available for download directly from the band's MP3 section.

Band leader Peter stated about new ideas and plans: "Welcome again, Brothers and Sisters! One of the brand new Vader songs recorded in December at Hertz Studios is available on our Site... It's called "Raise Of The Undead"! We are back to the Underworlds, Dark Spheres and Forgotten Eons. Kind of the Anthem to the undead ideas of Dimensions which exist Here and Beyond. This is gonna be also a teaser of our upcoming creation "Necropolis" - Vader's new album. Recordings starts in the middle of March and we'll stay in the studio for about four weeks. Then we'll move to AntFarm Studios in Denmark to transform all tracks into some kind of venomous incantations. Of course, we will keep You updated about the progress of recordings with words and video reports. Before the work is done there will be another new song available on http://www.vader.pl. "Impure"! And from May: more shows are coming!"

Read more ››

Source:	vader.pl
Band profile:	Vader

Finland's extreme power metal outfit Wintersun have canceled all scheduled shows in 2009 due to further problems with the completion of their album "Time". The band's frontman Jari Mäenpää posted the following message on the band's official website:

"There has come again unexpected problems with technology, which will make finishing the "Time" album even more harder than it has been. Which will delay it even more. There's also some personal problems concerning my apartment.

Because of all the problems, I have fallen under a serious amounts of stress, which is sometimes causing me "writer's blocks". This album making is now turned into such a "risky business", that I have no , but to cancel Summerbreeze and Bloodstock.

The thing is, the album has to be done first, before we can play any shows. Playing just old songs after many years isn't something we want to do and what probably no one wants to see.

After the album has been mixed, I need to mix again a "backuptrack livemix" (of the synths&orchestrations). Then we have to of course practise the new songs and arrange them into "live format" (especially mine and Teemu's guitar parts). We also need to update our humble live gear.

All these arrangements take time, so we don't want to risk it, that we might have to cancel the shows last minute. It must be done now and put finishing the album the number one priority. After the album is done, we will start booking shows again.

I know there's lots of disappointed people and I have to apologize. But I hope that you..ll understand my decision under these circumstances. I have to put the album first and finish it before we play any shows. Thanks for listening!

Jari"

Read more ››

Source:	wintermadness.net
Band profile:	Wintersun

Steve Rowe posted the following:

"This month we finalise the Mortification Recording of the new Studio Album "the evil addiction destroying machine". The Album is sounding Intense and Ripping! Well pleased with three years of hard work now coming to completion. "the evil addiction destroying machine" will be available from this site (www.roweproductions.com) through the www.soundmass.com store from late May. In the coming April update I will have some of the Official photo shoot available for all of you to view. Please see Track List below (subject to change).

TRACK LISTING:
the evil addiction destroying machine
A Sense Of Eternity
Elasticised Outrage
Pushing The Envelope Of The Red Sonrise
I'm Not Confused
The Master Of Reinvention
Pilots Hanging From Shoulder Dust
One Man With Courage Makes A Majority
Alexander The Metalworker
Resurrection Band (A Tribute To Rez)

"the evil addiction destroying machine" is being Recorded at Australia's finest Studio for Metal music, Penny Drop Studio Melbourne. You can check out Penny Drop on The Net. Penny Drop has the finest quality Recording equipment in the world. No expense is being spared with this Album to ensure a world class Production. The latest in all equipment relating to Audio Metal music Recording.

The Album has an initial limited release on Rowe Productions. You will still be able to pre-order up to the release date but you only have until April 10th to get your name on "The Mortification Im-Mort-Alized Supporters" list! At this point in time the best way you can support this Mission. Licensing deals will see "the evil addiction destroying machine" released worldwide with your name on it! Make your statement for the message to which we All Stay True!!!!!!!

Blessings,

Source:	roweproductions.com
Band profile:	Mortification

...Time's up, everyone. We hope you have cast your votes already, because if you haven't already, it's officially too late.

Now it is time to take a look at the results! Click on the big banner on the frontpage to see them, or follow this link. In case you're wondering, the album mentioned in green letters under each category is the album you voted for (if you voted in the that category), the album displayed in dark letters is the winner. Click on the category for more details.

For all your comments - here's the appropriate place to drop them. The Staff picks will be announced soon.

- The Metal Storm Staff

Read more ››

Source:

metalstorm.ee

A sample of a new Agathodaimon song, entitled "Alone In The Dark (Death Angel's Shadow)", is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. This song is one of the bonus tracks of the limited digipack edition of the band's new album, entitled "Phoenix".

Another new song from the album, "Heliopolis", was already posted on the same page.

"Phoenix" is scheduled for release on March 20 via Massacre Records. According to the band: "It's a 6 page-digipack, features 14 tracks with a playing time of more than 72 minutes, and a booklet of 20 pages".

"Phoenix" cover artwork] tracklisting:

01. Heliopolis
02. Devil's Deal
03. Decline
04. Ground Zero
05. Ghost Of A Soul
06. Winterchild
07. Time Is The Fire
08. To Our Ashes
09. Amongst The Vultures
10. Oncoming Storm
11. Throughout The Fields Of Unshaded Grace
12. Grey Whisper

The limited edition also features "Alone In The Dark" in 2 versions (a new version with Ashtrael and Sathonys on vocals) and the original soundtrack version (Ruth "Ophelia" Knepel on vocals, who also sung "Solitude" on Agathodaimon lastest album "Serpent's Embrace").

The band adds: "Next week, we'll present a video, taken during the recording of the album at the Kohlekeller studio, plus a new song snippet."

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Agathodaimon

Finnish metallers Amoral have posted a new song, "A Shade Of Gray", on their MySpace page.

"A Shade Of Gray" comes off the band's as yet untitled new album, which was recorded at Sound Supreme Studios in Hämeenlinna, Finland. The CD is tentatively due in May via Spikefarm.

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Amoral

Sounds Of The I, an instrumental band from France mixing metal, rock and jazz, have put two new tracks from their first upcoming album "Sounds Of The I" on their MySpace. The tracks are called "Entering" and "About Truth", check them out at http://www.myspace.com/soundsofthei.

A release date is due in Spring.

Read more ››

Source:

myspace.com

Official press release

Faith No More have always stood out as some sort of unique beast; part dog, part cat - its music almost as schizophrenic as the personalities of its members. When it all worked, it worked really well, even if the chemistry was always volatile. Throughout our 17 years of existence, the mental and physical energy required to sustain this creature was considerable and relentless. Though amicable enough, when we finally split, we all followed paths seemingly destined to opposite ends of the universe.

Yet during the entire 10 years that have passed since our decision to break up we've experienced constant rumors and requests from fans and promoters alike. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, none of us kept in regular touch, much less to discuss any possibilities of getting together.

What's changed is that this year, for the first time, we've all decided to sit down together and talk about it. And what we've discovered is that time has afforded us enough distance to look back on our years together through a clearer lens and made us realize that through all the hard work, the music still sounds good, and we are beginning to appreciate the fact that we might have actually done something right.

Meanwhile we find ourselves at a moment in time with zero label obligations, still young and strong enough to deliver a kickass set, with enthusiasm to not only revisit our past but possibly add something to the present. And so with this we've decided to hold our collective breaths and jump off this cliff... BACK, GOD FORBID, INTO THE MONKEY CAGE!!!

We can only hope that the experience of playing together again will yield results erratic and unpredictable enough to live up to the legacy of FNM. Who know where this will end or what it will bring up...only the future knows. But we are about to find out!

Faith No More are:

Mike Bordin - drums
Roddy Bottum - keyboards
Bill Gould - bass
Jon Hudson - guitar
Mike Patton - vocals

Source:	fnm.com
Band profile:	Faith No More

Swedish black metallers The Legion announced the following on their website:

"We present you the tracklist and full cover art (made again by Kris Verwimp) for our upcoming album "A Bliss To Suffer". A full audio track from the album will be uploaded here, and to our official MySpace, sometime this weekend."

"A Bliss To Suffer" track listing:

01. Shining Redemption
02. Call Of The Nameless Black
03. A Toil Beneath The Skin
04. Blood, Be Gone!
05. A Curse For The Dead
06. The Luring Depths
07. The Inimical
08. Man-Beast
09. The Reaping Of Flesh And Blood

Read more ››

Source:	legion.nu
Band profile:	The Legion

For the first time Amon Amarth will finally go to South America. The band comments: "This is something we've been waiting for and working on for a very long time! We know a lot of our friends and fans have been waiting for this for a very long time but it has not been possible for us to go there until now. All we can say is that it's about time! We will also return once again to Mexico, these dates are confirmed so far:"

05.05 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - The End
07.05 - Santiago de Chile, Chile - Teatro Novedades
08.05 - Montevideo, Uruguay - (Venue to be announced)
10.05 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Citibank Hall
12.05 - Caracas, Venezuela - (venue to be announced)
14.05 - Bogota, Colombia - Teatro metropol
16.05 - San Jose, Costa Rica - (venue to be announced)
17.05 - Mexico City, Mexico - Circo Volador

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Amon Amarth
Event:	Amon Amarth