New Jersey act Julius Seizure has posted a video introduction to the music and members of the band, featuring the recording sessions of drummer Kyle Wilson. Check out the footage below. “Beware the Ides of March,” the debut EP from Julius Seizure, will be available on May 15th, 2012.

Goatwhore has posted more studio footage online of the band’s time recording the new album “Blood for the Master” (reviewed here) at Mana Studios with producer Erik Rutan. Check out the footage below.

Goatwhore also recently revealed the details for a European tour with 3 Inches of Blood. Check out more on the run of shows here.

Blind Guardian has posted a third video entry online in the “Guardian TV” series, in which the band answers fan submitted questions. Check out the clip below. The band also commented:

“2012 is Blind Guardian’s 25th anniversary. One way to celebrate this special occasion is the release of ‘Memories of a Time to Come’ in January 2012.

“Leading up to the release we would like to introduce you to Guardian TV. The third episode features Hansi and André talking about song selection and remixes.”

Polish death metal outfit Sphere recently released the “Homo Hereticus” album, and the band has now posted a drum playthrough clip online for a song off the release. Check out the drum footage for “Grave’s Cold Darkness” in the player below.

The album’s track listing is as follows:

01. Forever Sworn to Blasphemy
02. Godless Profanity
03. Third Scent Carcass
04. Sadistfucktion
05. Homo Hereticus
06. Holistic Paralysis
07. Psalm to the Dark One
08. Grave’s Cold Darkness
09. Vengeance’s Core
10. Devils’ Reunion
11. Beyond Madness of Gods
12. Wa

Finnish progressive death metal supergroup Barren Earth will soon be releasing the band’s sophomore full-length album “The Devil’s Resolve.” Barren Earth has now checked in with the following announcement about working on a music video for a track off the album:

“We are happy to announce that work for the The Rains Begin music video is now almost complete and the premiere is expected early next week. You had better put on your rubber boots and take out your umbrella. The rains are about to begin!”

“The Devil’s Resolve” is due out on March 13th in North America on Peaceville Records, and Metalunderground.com will be premiering three tracks from the album prior to its release in early March. Stay tuned for further details.

The album has the following track listing:

1. Passing Of The Crimson Shadows
2. The Rains Begin
3. Vintage Warlords
4. As It Is Written
5. The Dead Exiles
6. Oriental Pyre
7. White Field
8. Where All Stories End
9. Martyrs of Devotion (Special Edition)
10. World in Haze (Special Edition)

High On Fire will release its new studio album “De Vermis Mysteriis” on April 3rd via eOne Music. Recorded in Salem, Massachusetts’ GodCity Studios with producer and Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, the 10 song effort is the band’s sixth studio recording and the follow up to 2010′s “Snakes for the Divine.” “De Vermis Mysteriis” (or Mysteries of the Worm) takes its title from a fictional grimoire created by Psycho author Robert Bloch and incorporated by H. P. Lovecraft into the Lore of the Cthulhu Mythos. Check out the tracklisting below. Also after the jump is a series of concert dates that High On Fire will embark on.

1.) Serums of Liao
2.) Bloody Knuckles
3.) Fertile Green
4.) Madness of an Architect
5.) Interlude
6.) Spiritual Rites
7.) King of Days
8.) De Vermis Mysteriis
9.) Romulus and Remus
10.) Warhorn

High On Fire will perform a number of live dates as part of the 2012 SXSW Music and Media Festival in Austin, TX. The band is expected to preview new material at the SXSW shows. The just-announced dates are as follows:

March 13 Austin, TX Emo’s East (Non-SXSW headline show)
March 14 Austin, TX SXSW (MetalSucks day party)
March 15 Houston, TX Fitzgerald’s
March 16 Austin, TX SXSW (Brooklyn Vegan day party)
March 17 Austin, TX SXSW TBA
March 18 Austin, TX SXSW (High Times day party)

Finally, on June 30, High On Fire will join Slayer, Slipknot, Anthrax and more as part of the 2012 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Tour. The 26 city jaunt will kick off in San Bernardino, CA and run through August 5 in Hartford, CT. The itinerary for the monster trek is as follows:

June 30 San Bernardino, CA San Manuel Amphitheater
July 1 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
July 3 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre
July 4 Nampa, ID Idaho Center Amphitheatre
July 6 Phoenix, AZ Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion
July 7 Albuquerque, NM Hard Rock Casino
July 8 Greenwood Village, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
July 10 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
July 11 The Woodlands, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
July 13 Tampa, FL 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
July 14 Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
July 15 Noblesville, IN Klipsch Music Center
July 18 Oklahoma City, OK Zoo Amphitheatre
July 20 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 21 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
July 22 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
July 24 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
July 25 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
July 27 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
July 28 Burgettstown, PA First Niagara Pavilion
July 29 Bristow, Virginia Jiffy Lube Live
July 31 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
August 1 Corfu, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
August 3 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center
August 4 Scranton, PA Toyota Pavilion
August 5 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre

Happy Friday to all you Rock Band fanatics! This week there unfortunately aren’t that many new metal tracks hitting the Rock Band Network, with the main track of interest coming from reactivated thrashers Forbidden and music from Otep and Pyschostick also coming to the PS3 version next week.

These songs are now available on the Xbox 360 edition of the game:

Anarchy Club – “Built to Grind” (160 MSP)
Forbidden – “Omega Wave” (160 MSP)
Strikken – “Ashes” (80 MSP)
Strikken – “Ashes (2x Bass Pedal)” (80 MSP)

These tracks will hit the PS3 on 2/28/2012 (North America) and 2/29/2012 (Europe):

Otep – “Fists Fall” ($1.99)
Psychostick – “BEER!!” ($1.99)

Rite of Passage Records has checked in with the following announcement about inking a deal with melodic hardcore act Truth and it’s Burden:

“Rite of Passage Records is proud to announce the signing of Johannesburg, South Africa based TRUTH AND ITS BURDEN. The band’s new album ‘Choices’ is set to be released on May 22nd through Rite of Passage; a song from the album titled ‘Threadbare’ can be listened to on the band’s Facebook page located here.

“Formed in 2008, TRUTH AND ITS BURDEN started out as an idea to bring a sincere message of hope, and to do so with a real sense of urgency. Those same ideals that gave life to this band still chorus through in every song 4 years later. To be aware, to challenge, to follow through, to ignite ideas into dreams, to re-invigorate life itself and to find meaning and purpose. Over the past four years, the band has toured throughout Europe and Africa with bands like The Ghost Inside, Haste The Day, Have Heart, and many others.”

“The main idea behind ‘Choices’ is pretty simple;” stated vocalist Ashley DeBeer. “Making choices that reflect clear consideration for dreams and aspirations, it’s not something that merely applies to me/us alone, but rather something many can relate to. I wrote a lot of the songs during a period in my life when change was necessary and I guess with choices in my life I found there was a constant balancing act that took place.”

“There are many contributing factors to making serious life decisions that balance a good choice and help make things a little clearer,” added DeBeer. “Many of the songs reflect the idea of finding myself, building myself, deciding things and just trying to make a conscious effort at being a better person in general.”

New Jersey’s Julius Seizure has entered the studio to record the band’s debut EP, “Beware The Ides Of March.” You can check out the artwork for the release below.

The band was formed earlier this year by former members of Will Killmore and Simensis. The record is being produced by guitarist Steve Toth, who also produced the self titled Will Killmore album, and will be released on May 15th, 2012.

Julius Seizure will perform a record release show at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ on May 19th and summer tour dates in support of the EP are soon to be announced. For more details follow the band’s progress, check out the Julius Seizure Facebook profile.

3 Inches of Blood recently announced that it will be heading overseas to Europe this coming May for its first ever full headlining tour on the continent. 3 Inches of Blood vocalist Cam Pipes commented on the tour by saying:

“We are extremely excited and proud to announce our first full headlining European tour. It has been far too long since our last time over there, so we feel it is our duty to bring a mighty strong package with us to help bring heavy metal power to the fans across the continent. This will be a tour not to be missed. Long live heavy metal in Europe.”

The currently announced dates for the tour can be found below. The band will be joined by Goatwhore and Havok.

May 05 – Essen, Germany – Turock
May 06 – Rotterdam, Netherlands – Baroeg
May 07 – Nottingham, UK – The Rescue Rooms
May 08 – Aberdeen, UK – The Tunnels
May 09 – Manchester, UK – Moho
May 10 – Belfast, Ireland – Limelight
May 11 – Dublin, Ireland – The Pint
May 12 – Plymouth, UK – White Rabbit
May 13 – London, UK – Underworld
May 14 – Antwerp, Belgium – Trix
May 15 – Stuttgart, Germany – 1210
May 16 – Winterthur, Switzerland – Gaswerk
May 17 – Munich, Germany – Feierwerk
May 18 – Massa, Italy – Swamp Club
May 19 – Misano Adriatico (RN), Italy – Boulevard Club
May 20 – Vienna, Austria – Viper Room
May 21 – Ljubljana, Slovenia – Gala Hala
May 22 – Prague, Czech Republic – Hoodoo Club
May 23 – Dresden, Germany – Chemiefabrik
May 24 – Hamburg, Germany – Markthalle
May 25 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Pumpehuset

Canadian metal/hardcore band Obey The Brave will make its U.S. debut at the 14th Annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on Friday, April 20th.

The new band features former members of Century Media recording artists Despised Icon and Mediaskare’s Blind Witness.

“Some of my favorite touring memories took place at the Palladium,” said vocalist Alex Erian. “So stoked to be back and can’t wait to play Obey The Braves’ first US show ever at the NEMHF. Shit’s about to get real, fellas.”

Obey The Brave is managed by Good Fight Entertainment and is now working on its debut album for a label to be announced.

The 14th Annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival will take place Friday, April 20 through Sunday, April 22 at the Palladium in Worcester, Mass.

The complete lineup for Friday includes The Black Dahlia Murder, The Acacia Strain, Oceano (final show), All Shall Perish, Nile, Skeletonwitch, Carnifex, Death Threat, Lionheart, First Blood, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Molotov Solution, The Contortionist, Conducting From The Grave, Gaza, Reign Supreme, Fit For An Autopsy, CDC, This Is Hell, Incendiary, Palehorse, Obey The Brave, FocusedXMinds, Legion, Hour of Penance, Rude Awakening, and Longshot.

Saturday’s lineup is All That Remains, DragonForce, Overkill, Protest the Hero, Unearth, Iwrestledabearonce, Periphery, Bane, 100 Demons, Cruel Hand, Holy Grail, Shipwreck, God Forbid, Structures, The Mongoloids, Naysayer, Rotting Out, Elitist, Expire, The Greenery, Cockpunch, Hung, Revenge, Diamond Plate, Wrong Answer, Manners, Suidakra, and Trumpet The Harlot.

Sunday will close out the weekend with Killswitch Engage, Every Time I Die, Vanna, For Today, Sleeping Giant, Chelsea Grin, Stick to Your Guns, Attila, MyChildren MyBride, For the Fallen Dreams, On Broken Wings, Recon, Texas In July, In the Midst of Lions, Upon a Burning Body, Like Moths To Flames, Volumes, Hundreth, No Bragging Rights, Glass Cloud, Counterparts, Gideon, The Air I Breathe, and Fire in the Skies.

Seventh Rule has issued the following announcement about signing a deal with Author & Punisher:

“Seventh Rule Recordings is proud to announce the latest signing to their eclectic roster, San Diego’s AUTHOR & PUNISHER. Iconoclastic in the truest sense of the word, Tristan Shone, the sole propagator behind this haunting, claustrophobic cacophony inverts the tenets of doom metal completely, relying on cold steel and soulless machinery to bring despondency to life. His new record, entitled ‘Ursus Americanus’, will be his first release on Seventh Rule, and is due out as digipack CD and other digital formats on April 24, 2012.

“AUTHOR & PUNISHER can be described most succinctly as ‘industrial doom,’ but of course, is much than a mere genre tag. This one-man project utilizes primarily custom designed and fabricated machines and speakers, devices that draw heavily on aspects of industrial automation and robotics and focus upon the eroticism of interaction with machine. The machines are designed to require significant force from the performer, aligning he or she with the plodding doom influenced sounds that are created – ‘Like Godflesh meets The Bug meets Flying Lotus,’ according to MSN Metal’s Adrien Begrand.

“AUTHOR & PUNISHER has performed with and shown these machines extensively at festivals and exhibitions in the United States and abroad, and has more live actions planned for 2012.”

Check out songs from the band’s “Drone Machines” release in the player below.

Drone Machines by Author & Punisher

Canadian metal act Ancients has revealed details behind its forthcoming headline performance, which is sponsored by Metalunderground.com. The band has announced that it will be teaming up alongside Burning Ghats, Nylithia, Cathar and Graves for a full night of diverse metal on Friday, March 23 at the Rickshaw Theater in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Ancients will also be performing all-new material from its forthcoming, as-yet-untitled, full length for the first time. The new album, which is currently planned for release later this year, is set to be issued from a currently unnamed record label. Further announcements on the band’s upcoming record are expected in the coming weeks.

In the meantime you can check out an unmastered version of the album’s first single, titled “Raise the Sun,” from the upcoming album at this location.

Saskatoon’s thrash trio Untimely Demise have just locked down a Spring tour of the western half of Canada and the United States.

The young crew will take their blazing modernized classic thrash metal to the highways of North America kicking off in their home province of Saskatchewan at the end of March and rage west across the country and down the U.S. West Coast. Untimely Demise will share the stage with Excruciator, Hatched, Hemoptysis, Exmortus and labelmates Mares Of Thrace, and more along the trek, even including a co-headlining slot at San Jose’s Beyond The Realms of Metal Festival.

This brutal trek is being booked in conjunction with the upcoming vinyl edition of Untimely Demise’s debut full-length “City Of Steel,” set to be co-released by Sonic Unyon and War On Music. Limited to 1,000 copies worldwide, the 12″ features a full-color insert and a bonus track of the anthem “My Tragedy,” from the band’s 2009-released “Full Speed Metal” EP. The wax version of “City Of Steel” will hit the streets of Canada on March 13th and invade the U.S. on March 27th, with European distribution to be confirmed shortly.

Untimely Demise is also still streaming the entire “City of Steel” album online through Metalunderground.com at this location. The band’s upcoming tour dates are as follows:

2/25/2012 Manitoba MetalFest – Winnipeg, MB w/ Suffocation, Dissolution, Hoarfrost, Alphakill
3/30/2012 The Fez – Saskatoon, SK
4/01/2012 Vern’s Pub – Calgary, AB
4/02/2012 The Pawn Shop – Edmonton, AB
4/06/2012 Funky’s – Vancouver, BC
4/07/2012 *TBA – Seattle, WA
4/08/2012 Nemesis (house show) – Tacoma, WA
4/09/2012 Plan B – Portland, OR w/ Excruciator, Motorthrone
4/14/2012 The Annex – San Lorenzo, CA w/ Hatchet, Fog Of War, Psychosomatic, Hemoptysis
4/15/2012 Beyond The Realms of Metal Festival – San Jose, CA
4/16/2012 Around The Corner Bar & Grill – West Covina, CA
4/17/2012 *TBA – San Diego, CA
4/19/2012 The Doll Hut – Anaheim, CA
4/20/2012 The Metaphor Cafe – Escondido, CA w/ Exmortus
4/21/2012 Riff Haus – Fullerton, CA w/ Exmortus
4/22/2012 Cheyenne Saloon – Las Vegas, NV
4/23/2012 Burt’s Tiki Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT
4/25/2012 *TBA – Phoenix, AZ
5/04/2012 Amigos Cantina – Saskatoon, SK w/ Mares Of Thrace
5/12/2012 The Distillery – Calgary, AB w/ Massacre (*Chuck Schulinder Memorial Birthday Bash)
5/14/2012 *TBA – Calgary, AB

As was previously announced, Detroit thrashers Battlecross will be hitting the road as a part of the Occupation Domination 2012 tour featuring heavyweights Origin, Cattle Decapitation, Decrepit Birth, Aborted, and Rings of Saturn.

The Occupation Domination 2012 Tour kicks off at Sonar in Baltimore, MD on April 20 and wraps up May 18 in Lawrence, KS at the Granada Theater. The Occupation Domination 2012 tour marks Battlecross’ first major US tour and will see the band promoting the devastating Metal Blade debut, “Pursuit of Honor,” which just dropped August 02, 2011. The band commented:

“Battlecross is stoked to share the stage with bands as respected as Origin, Cattle Decapitation, Decrepit Birth, Aborted, and fellow newcomers Rings of Saturn. We’re thankful to have the support of Liquid Metal and fan support on YouTube. We anticipate that a lot of kids are going to come out to support the tour and we’re going to thank each and every one of them! We can’t wait to inject some Detroit thrash into this extremely heavy & talented lineup and make some new friends along the way. See you on the road!”

In other news, on Friday February 17 Battlecross landed in the #1 position of Sirius XM’s the Devil’s Dozen Countdown with the single “Push Pull Destroy.” Here’s what metalhead and Sirius XM-Liquid Metal DJ and Headbanger’s Ball host Jose Mangin had to say about Battlecross’s recent feat:

“They’ve been stirring up our fan base since day one, clawing their way to the top of the Devil’s Dozen Countdown, inciting mobile mosh pits every time they’re on Liquid Metal! That’s the power of straight to your core American made Metal!”

Check out the video for “Push Pull Destroy” here – shot by Roy Warner Creative & Videography on location at the Yankee Air Museum, located on the grounds of the historic Willow Run Airport. It was at Willow Run where Henry Ford mobilized his manufacturing base to contribute to the war efforts by mass producing the B-24 Liberators that provided American Air Power to win WWII for the Allies.

03/12 Nashville, TN The Muse
03/13 Little Rock, AR Downtown Music Hall
03/14 FortWorth, TX Tom Cats West
03/15 Austin, TX SXSW – details coming soon!
03/17 St Louis, MO Fubar
03/18 Barrington, IL Penny Road Pubb
03/24 Westland, MI Token Lounge – Exploder CD Release Bash w/ Exploder
03/31 Peru, IN Hangar 18 w/ Deliver Us From Evil
End tour
Occupation Domination 2012 Tour featuring: Origin, CATTLE DECAPITATION, Decrepit Birth, Aborted, Rings of Saturn, and BATTLECROSS
04/20 Baltimore, MD Sonar
04/21 Wilmington, DE Mojo 13
04/22 Trenton, NJ Backstage at Champs
04/23 Keene, NH Railroad Tavern
04/24 Brooklyn, NY Europa
04/26 Peoria, IL Brass Rail
04/27 Joliet, IL Mojoe’s
04/28 Portage, IN Camelot Arena
04/29 St Louis, MO Fubar
05/02 Albuquerque, NM El Rey Theater
05/04 San Diego, CA Ruby Room
05/05 Tempe, AZ The Clubhouse
05/06 Hollywood, CA The Whisky A Go-Go
05/07 Fullerton, CA Slidebar
05/08 San Francisco, CA DNA Lounge
05/09 Stockton, CA Plea For Peace
05/10 Sparks, NV The Alley
05/11 Portland, OR Branx
05/12 Seattle, WA Studio Seven
05/13 Boise, ID The Venue
05/14 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
05/15 Denver, CO The Summit Music Hall
05/18 Lawrence, KS Granada Theater

Counterparts has posted a new guitar demo video online showing how to play the songs “Jumping Ship.” Check out the clip below.

Counterparts begins a tour with Shai Hulud and more today. Check out all of the dates below.

w/Shai Hulud, A Plea For Purging, Dead Icons:

02/24/2012 – Danbury, CT @ Heirloom Arts Center
02/25/2012 – Trenton, NJ @ Championships
02/26/2012 – Poughkeepsie, NY @ THE CHANCE
02/27/2012 – Crofton, MD @ MACC
02/28/2012 – Fredricksburg, VA @ The Refuge
02/29/2012 – Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
03/01/2012 – Sylacauga, AL @ New Needle Tattoo
03/02/2012 – Jackson, MS @ The Carter
03/03/2012 – Fort Worth, TX @ TomCats West
03/04/2012 – San Antonio, TX @ The White Rabbit
03/05/2012 – El Paso, TX @ Lips Lounge
03/06/2012 – Mesa, AZ @ The Undeground
03/07/2012 – Anaheim, CA @ Mirror Image Studios
03/09/2012 – Temecula, CA @ The Vault
03/10/2012 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Sanctuary
03/12/2012 – Canoga Park, CA @ Cobalt Cafe
03/13/2012 – Sunnyvale, CA @ Dosa Biryani
03/14/2012 – Reno, NV @ The Holland Project
03/15/2012 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Salt Lake Foursquare
03/16/2012 – Cheyenne, WY @ The Banaza
03/17/2012 – Springfield, MO @ Outland Ballroom
03/18/2012 – Evansville, IN @ The Hatch

More tour dates:

Apr 14, 2012 Toledo, OH @ Headliners w/Born of Osiris, We Came As Romans, Emmure
Apr 22, 2012 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium New England Metal and Hardcore Festival
May 3, 2012 Ottawa, ON, CA @ Maverick’s
May 4, 2012 Kingston, ON @ Time To Laugh
May 8, 2012 Newmarket, ON, CA @ Royal CDN Legion
May 9, 2012 Windsor, ON, CA @ Dominion
May 10, 2012 London, ON, CA @ London Music Hall
May 11, 2012 Toronto, ON, CA @ Sneaky Dees
May 12, 2012 Kitchener, ON, CA @ Club Wax
May 13, 2012 St. Catherines, ON, CA @ LEVEL 3
May 17, 2012 Thunder Bay, ON, CA @ Black Pirates
May 19, 2012 Regina, SK, CA @ THE DISTRIKT
May 20, 2012 Saskatoon, SK, CA @ WALKERS NIGHT CLUB
May 23, 2012 Edmonton, AB, CA @ Avenue Theatre
May 24, 2012 Calgary, AB, CA @ SAIT
May 26, 2012 Vancouver, BC, CA @ Tom Lee Music Hall

Impending Doom has just wrapped up two music videos for the tracks “Deceiver” and “Murderer” off the band’s upcoming new record “Baptized in Filth.” A behind-the-scenes clip from the recording process can be found here.

The band will release “Baptized in Filth” on March 13th, 2012. Produced by Andreas Magnusson (The Black Dahlia Murder) and Machine, this is the bands fourth full length and most ferocious effort to date. The track listing is as follows:

1. Murderer
2. For the Wicked
3. Chaos: Reborn
4. Deceiver
5. Falling Away
6. Absolute Horror
7. Angry Letters to God
8. Baptized in Filth
9. My Light Unseen
10. Death. Ascension. Resurrection

The Prestige has posted a trailer online for the upcoming “The Truth” video clip which can be viewed below. The band also commented:

“We’re playing in the UK for the first time ever this weekend with The Cold Harbour. To celebrate this sick and over-emotional event, here is the trailer of our first video clip ‘THE TRUTH’ directed by Berzerker.”

“The Truth” is off the “Black Mouths” album, due out April 3rd, 2012 through Basement Apes Industries / Tangled Talk Records / Enjoyment Records and Brain Ache Records.

Texan electronic metallers The Browning have confirmed a U.S. tour with industrial metal titans Fear Factory. The tour is scheduled to kick off on May 1st in San Antonio, Texas, and also includes Shadows Fall, The Devastated, and Legacy of Disorder.

The Browning drummer Noah “Shark” Robertson comments:

“We are extremely excited to be touring with such legendary bands in the metal scene as Fear Factory and Shadows Fall. We really look up to these bands that helped pave the way for the metal of today, and we’re definitely inspired by their ability to stick around for so long doing this, especially Fear Factory, being that they are one of the pioneers of the industrial metal genre. Also, we can’t wait to hit the road again with our good friends in The Devastated. This tour is gonna be insane!”

See The Browning on tour at the following shows:

May 01 – San Antonio, TX – Backstage Live
May 02 – Dallas, TX – Trees
May 03 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar
May 05 – St. Petersburg, FL – State Theater
May 06 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
May 09 – Winston-Salem, NC – Ziggy’s
May 10 – Philadelphia, PA – Theater of Living Arts
May 11 – Hampton Beach, NH – Wally’s Pub
May 12 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
May 13 – Baltimore, MD – Sonar
May 16 – Pontiac, MI – The Crofoot Ballroom
May 20 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall

Montreal brass metallers Fallstaf have posted their latest music video “Pull The Knife” online, which is in support of their debut album “Bastard Sons of A Pure Breed” (reviewed here). The video was produced by 1oeilouvert and the live footage was taken from Fallstaf’s concert w/Slaves On Dope and Buffalo Theory in Beauharnois, QC last December.

“This is our second music video for ‘Bastard Sons of A Pure Breed.’ The fans asked for more, so we’re giving them more! More BRASS METAL! Great work by 1oeilouvert’s Rémi Joannette. Just like David Méliès, who did the first video ‘The Cost,’ he’s part of what we call THE SOUTH WEST CREW. This is ‘Pull The Knife’ and we are Montreal’s own and unique BRASS METAL band!” commented Fallstaf bassist Ben Forte.

Lancaster, PA metalcore act One Year Later will be releasing the debut full-length album “The Sound of a Broken World” on March 13th, 2012. A song from the release has now been posted online for streaming. Check out the song “Absolution” in the player available below.

The musical sensation Russkaja has inked a new record deal with Napalm Records. According to the label, the band plays a mix of “heavy polka beats, thrash metal, world jazz, and rock in the vein of Frank Zappa. This results in the highly explosive genre known as Russian turbo polka rock.”

A first update with regard to the new album will be issued soon. Russkaja also issued the following brief statement:

“After such a successful year, We are very happy to start our cooperation with the well-respected label Napalm Records in order to take the next steps as a unit.”

For more details on Russkaja, head over to the band’s MySpace music profile.

David Ellefson of Megadeth has checked in with a video update from the San Jose stop of Gigantour 2012. Check out the video clip below.

Megadeth will also be embarking on a co-headlining U.S. tour with Rob Zombie in May. Details on the run of shows are available at this location.

Los Angeles thrashers Hirax will enter the Skull Seven Studio in Hollywood, CA in the beginning of June 2012 to record their fourth studio full-length album. Bill Metoyer (Slayer, D.R.I., C.O.C.) will produce and engineer the album. Black Devil Records will release the album worldwide.

The yet-untitled recording follows their 2009 effort, “El Rostro de la Muerte.”

Hirax has scheduled a brief South American tour in April, including a special show with German thrashers Sodom. See the dates below.

April 11th, Lima Perú (Hirax and Sodom)
April 13th, Arequipa Perú “Vuelve La Destruccion A Arequipa”
April 14th, Juliaca Perú “Metal Rules Festival”

Hirax front man, Katon de Pena spoke with Metal Underground before co-headlining the 5th annual Goregrowler’s Ball Festival in November. Read the interview.

New Orleans natives Goatwhore are continuing their worldwide campaign in support of their latest effort, “Blood for the Master,” this May with a tour across Europe. They’ll be joining forces with 3 Inches of Blood, Angelus Apatrida, and Havok. The tour begins in May and all dates can be seen below. All of Goatwhore’s current tour dates are available on the band’s facebook page here.

Dates are as follows:

05.05.12 Germany Essen @ Turock
06.05.12 Holland Rotterdam @ Baroeg
07.05.12 UK Nottingham @ The Rescue Rooms
08.05.12 UK Aberdeen @ The Tunnels
09.05.12 UK Manchester @ Moho
10.05.12 North Ireland Belfast @ Limelight
11.05.12 Ireland Dublin @ The Pint
12.05.12 UK Plymouth @ White Rabbit
13.05.12 UK London @ Underworld
14.05.12 Belgium Antwerp @ Trix
15.05.12 Germany Stuttgart @ 1210
16.05.12 Switzerland Winterthur @ Gaswerk
17.05.12 Germany München @ Feierwerk
18.05.12 Italy Massa @ Swamp Club
19.05.12 Italy Misano Adriatico (RN) @ Boulevard Club
20.05.12 Austria Wien @ Viper Room
21.05.12 Slovenia Ljubljana @ Gala Hala
22.05.12 Czech Rep Prague @ Hoodoo Club
23.05.12 Germany Dresden @ Chemiefabrik
24.05.12 Germany Hamburg @ Markthalle
25.05.12 Denmark Copenhagen @ Pumpehuset
26.05.12 Germany Berlin @ K17

British Hard Rock legends UFO will release their new studio album “Seven Deadly” on February 24th in Germany, February 27th in Europe, and on February 28th in the USA/Canada through SPV/Steamhammer.

Starting today EddieTrunk.com, the online home of famed hard rock and metal DJ Eddie Trunk, is hosting an exclusive stream on the entire new UFO album “Seven Deadly.” Get a first listen at this location.

The album’s track listing is as follows:

1. Fight Night 4:35
2. Wonderland 5:08
3. Mojo Town 3:58
4. Angel Station 6:25
5. Year Of The Gun 4:07
6. The Last Stone Rider 3:54
7. Steal Yourself 4:46
8. Burn Your House Down 5:15
9. The Fear 3:31
10. Waving Good bye 5:24
11. Other Men’s Wives 4:09 (bonus track)
12. Bag O` Blues 5:21 (bonus track)

Lichtensteinian gothic metal band Elis has decided to call it quits with the recent departure of Simone Christinat (Legenda Aurea) due to “too much stress.” The band has seen its share of bad luck with the death of Sabine Dünser in 2006 due to a cerebral haemorrhage on July 8, 2006. After the death the band vowed to carry on and hired Ex-Eyes of Eden original vocalist Sandra Schleret, who joined the band in 2006 and stayed until 2011, having only recorded one album, “Catharsis” in 2009. The band decided to make one last attempt and hired Simone Christinat in 2011. Less than a year later Christinat has departed and the band has called it a day.

The following statement was issued on the band’s official website:

We have to inform you that ELIS has passed into history.Simone told us a couple of days ago, that she will leave ELIS immediately due to too much stress.We have decided now to quit the band. Too much things happened during all these years to continue once again.

But on the other side, there were a lot of good and lucky moments in this almost ten years of ELIS. Therefore we want to say thank you for your support, your dedication and your friendship through all these years!

But this will not be the end of our musical careers, some projects are already in the pipeline.
You will find more information about these things very soon on this location.

Cheers and take care!
Max, Tom, Pete, Chris

Starting March 1st, death metallers Deicide will be back on tour in North America for their headlining “March Of Death 2012″ trek, presented by SMN News. With Jungle Rot, Abigail Williams, and Lecherous Nocturne also along for the run, Deicide will be touring in support of their latest release, “To Hell With God,” and their new music video from the album, “Conviction.”

Directed by David Brodsky and Tim Kellen (Brodsky also handled editing duties while Kellen animated the video) and produced by MyGoodEye LLC, “Conviction” tells the story of front-man Glen Benton and his pursuit of Jesus, claymation-style. To watch their hellish descent into the depths of the underworld (and to read an exclusive interview with Deicide’s own Steve Asheim), head over to SMN News. The video is also available in the player below.

3/1/12-West Springfield, VA-Jaxx
3/2/12-Reading, PA-Reverb
3/3/12-New York, NY-The Gramercy Theatre
3/4/12-Montreal, QUE-FouFounes
3/5/12-Quebec City, QUE-Imperial de Quebec
3/6/12-Toronto, ONT-Opera House
3/7/12-Rochester, NY-Montage Music Hall
3/8/12-Cleveland, OH-Peabody’s
3/9/12-Detroit, MI-Blondie’s
3/10/12-Chicago, IL-Reggie’s Rock Club
3/12/12-Winnipeg, MB-The Osbourne Village Inn
3/13/12-Regina, SK-The Exchange
3/14/12-Edmonton, AL-Starlite
3/15/12-Calgary, AL-Dickens
3/16/12-Kelowna , BC-Rutland Centennial Hall
3/17/12-Vancouver, BC-Rickshaw Theater
3/18/12-Seattle, WA-El Corazon
3/19/12-Portland, OR-Hawthorne Theatre
3/20/12-San Francisco, CA-The Grand Ballroom
3/21/12-West Hollywood, CA-House of Blues
3/22/12-Tempe, AZ-Clubhouse
3/23/12-Salt Lake City, UT-The Complex
3/24/12-Denver, CO-Bluebird Theater
3/26/12-Dallas, TX-Trees
3/27/12-Austin, TX-Emo’s Alternative Lounging
3/28/12-New Orleans, LA-The Hangar
3/29/12-Orlando, FL-The Club at Firestone

Umea’s Naglfar has now premiered a new single, “An Extension Of His Arm And Will,” taken from the band’s upcoming album, “Téras” – the band’s first studio release since 2007. Featuring artwork by Niklas Sundin (DARK TRANQUILLITY), who has already designed artwork for bands such as In Flames, Arch Enemy, At The Gates, and many others, “Téras” will be released through Century Media Records on March 26th in Europe and in North America with nine tracks of pristine, Swedish melodic black metal.

To listen to the latest single from the band, head over to No Clean Singing.com now at this location. To hear the album’s first single, “Pale Horse,” head over to Naglfar’s official Facebook. The complete track-listing for Téras is below.

1. Téras
2. Pale Horse
3. III: Death Dimension Phantasma
4. The Monolith
5. An Extension Of His Arm And Will
6. Bring Out Your Dead
7. Come Perdition
8. Invoc(H)ate
9. The Dying Flame Of Existence

The album will be available as regular CD, limited deluxe CD Digipak (including the studio bonus track “Tired Bones” and a logo patch), digital download and noble deluxe 2LP with 180g vinyls, gatefold sleeve, an etching on side D, printed inner sleeves as well as the aforementioned bonus track.

Prio to the album’s release, Century Media Records will release the “An Extension Of His Arm And Will” 7″ EP, limited to 500 hand-numbered copies. The EP also includes the exclusive non-album track, “As Long As They Fear.”