January ended four days ago, so it’s past time for our usual monthly round-up of news about forthcoming albums. I have to confess that this list is even more spotty and sporadically assembled than usual — which is saying something. Various distractions prevented me from keeping a sharp eye out for news about new releases, so I have no doubt this list is incomplete.

Here’s how this round-up usually works: In these METAL IN THE FORGE posts, I collect news blurbs and press releases I’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like at NCS (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, I cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — THIS ISN’T A CUMULATIVE LIST. If we found out about a new forthcoming album earlier than the last 30 days, we probably wrote about it in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier. For example, on this list you won’t see such notable releases as the forthcoming albums from Meshuggah, Enthroned, Unleashed, Psycroptic, Goatwhore, Asphyx, Naglfar, or Autopsy, because we’ve mentioned them elsewhere. Or at least I think we did.

Having said all that, please feel free to leave Comments and tell all of us what I missed when I put this list together. Let us know about albums on the way that  you’re stoked about, even if you don’t see them here!

7 HORNS 7 EYES: “Progressive, atmospheric, death-metallers 7 HORNS 7 EYES will be releasing their debut full-length album, Throes Of Absolution, on April 23rd, 2012 throughout Europe via Basick Records. Featuring a guest appearance by Jeff Loomis (ex-NEVERMORE) and already named one of Metal Sucks’ “Albums That Will Fuck Your Face Off In 2012”, this highly anticipated album has been many months in the making, but worth the wait!”

ANTIGAMA: “Warsaw, Poland’s revolutionary grind/metal assassins ANTIGAMA announce their return to Selfmadegod Records! Following two full-length releases via Relapse Records over recent years, ANTIGAMA have re-signed with their longtime friends at Selfmadegod and are currently locked away in Warsaw’s Progresja Studio with sound engineer Pawel “Janos” Grabowski. The band are in the process of recording several brand new tracks for two different upcoming releases — a 3-way split with Noisear (USA, Relapse) and  The Kill (Australia), as well as a MCD tentatively entitled Stop The Chaos. The session started on February 1st 2012, and final mixes and mastering duties will be completed by none other than the band’s long time friend and famous Polish music producer Szymon Czech (Nyia, Third Degree). Both releases are due this Spring via Selfmadegod Records, and plan on recording a new full-length for the label later in the year as well.”

BENEATH THE MASSACRE: “The lyric video for “Left Hand”, a new song from Montreal’s monsters of tech-death mayhem BENEATH THE MASSACRE, has been released. The track comes off the band’s new album, “Incongruous”, which will be released in the U.S. on February 14, in the U.K. on February 20, in mainland Europe on February 24 and in Canada on February 28 via Prosthetic Records. The CD was produced and mixed by Chris Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY) and mastered by Alan Douches (HATEBREED, SHADOWS FALL, CONVERGE).”

BORKNAGAR: “Norwegian avantgarde metallers BORKNAGAR have completed work on their new studio album with Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (OPETH, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA) in Örebro, Sweden. Entitled“Urd”, the CD will be released on March 26 in Europe and March 27 in North America via Century Media Records.”

CANNIBAL CORPSE: “Florida-based death metal veterans CANNIBAL CORPSE will release their twelfth studio album, “Torture”, on March 13 via Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2009′s “Evisceration Plague” offers up 12 tracks of maniacally precise, soul-searing death metal.”

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT: From a DT Facebook post on Jan. 15: “Just finished writing track one for Z2! (Ziltoid 2) It’s about a year and half away now… scary! ”

ENSHADOWED: “Greek misanthropic blackmongers ENSHADOWED have inked a deal with Pulverised Records. Due later in the year, the band’s third full-length effort, entitled “Magic Chaos Psychedelia”, is “the ultimate combination of orthodox black metal with experimental grotesquery parts. Chaos, ritualism, paranoia — the formulas of how it can be harmonized with the chaos and the utter,” according to a press release.”

GENERAL SURGERY: “A Collection of Depravation, a compilation of 30 GENERAL SURGERYchoice cuts will see its official release via Relapse on March 27th and is available for pre-order now.  The collection was digitally remastered by Pig Destroyer’s Scott Hull and contains a 24 page booklet with extensive liner notes from the band.”

GOROD: “French progressive technical death metal act GOROD has officially joined the LISTENABLE RECORDS roster. Fall 2011 the band entered the studio with talented french metal producer Frederic “Elmobo” Motte. Their fourth full-length A Perfect Absolution will be released  in March 2012. The lyrical concept of this album is based on the history of Kievan Rus during the 10th century. Heavier, more progressive, catchy songs, awesome guest solos by Christian Muenzner (Obscura) and Mike Keene (The Faceless).”

HOODED MENACE: “Finnish death / doom bringers HOODED MENACE have entered the studio to record their highly anticipated new album and first for Relapse Records. The new record, entitled Effigies of Evil, is being self-recorded by the band at their very own Horrisound Studios, the group’s personal compound of stench and decay. Drums are being tracked at SF Sound and the band plans to complete recording in mid February for a Summer 2012 release.”

HOUR OF PENANCE: “Italian death metal band HOUR OF PENANCE has set “Sedition” as the title of its fifth album, due on March 27 in North America, April 2 in the U.K. and April 6 in mainland Europe via Prosthetic Records. The follow-up to 2010′s “Paradogma” (Unique Leader) was recorded at Cellar Studio in Rome with producer Stefano Morabito.”

IMPENDING DOOM: “IMPENDING DOOM will release their brand new full length album entitled Baptized in Filth on March 13, 2012. Produced by Andreas Magnusson (The Black Dahlia Murder) and Machine, this is the band’s fourth full length and most ferocious effort to date.”

KREATOR: “German thrash metal veterans KREATOR have set “Phantom Antichrist” as the title of their new album, due on June 1 in Europe and June 5 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD is currently being recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with renowned producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK,DEVIN TOWNSEND, AMON AMARTH). ”

LECHEROUS NOCTURNE: “South Carolina-based extreme metal band LECHEROUS NOCTURNE has set “Behold Almighty Doctrine” as the title of its third album, due later in the year via Unique Leader Records. The CD was recorded at SoundLab Studio in Lexington, South Carolina with longtime engineer Bob Moore.”

MASTER: “Legendary death metallers MASTER have set “The New Elite” as the title of their eleventh album, due later in the year via Pulverised Records. The CD, which was once again recorded, mixed and mastered at Shaark Studios, contains “11 tracks of unambiguous death metal in its wretched form, in perfect coalition with the offensive Paul Speckmann-spewed lyrical shitstorm,” according to a press release.”

NEPHELIUM: “Nephelium, the Dubai death metallers whom now reside in Toronto, Canada are now exclusively streaming their highly anticipated debut album “Coils of Entropy” on MetalRecusants.com at the following link here. “Coils of Entropy” is set for release next week on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 and a free download of their first single “Merciless Annihilation” is available here.”

NIGHTFALL: “Greek metallers NIGHTFALL have commenced work on a new album for a late 2012 release. The follow-up to 2010′s “Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants” will contain 11 tracks.”

OUTCAST: “Listenable Records has set April 4th, 2012 as the North American release date for Awaken the Reason, the third album from French brutal djent metal mongers OUTCAST. Awaken the Reason is the band’s strongest and most solid recording to date and it genuinely captured the band’s musical madness. Expect a modern sounding, yet organic production spiced up by a frenzy of extreme guitar and drums assaults. Awaken the Reason was recorded between January and September 2010 at The Artist The Office Studio. It was mixed at SplitSecond Sound Studio By Jochem Jacobs (Textures) in October /November 2010 and then mastered at West West Side Music by Alan Douches (Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan).”

PALLBEARER: ” By encompassing the more traditional metal style of their brand of doom, PALLBEARER’s sound takes cue from such legendary doom metal bands as Candlemass, Trouble, and Warning along with a ‘70s prog influence and some influence taken from “Gothic” era Paradise Lost that finds its way into the band’s epic yet sorrowful odes. PALLBEARER’s debut album Sorrow and Extinction will be released by Profound Lore on February 21 in the U.S. and February 28 in Europe.”

PELICAN: “Thunderous post-instrumental outfit PELICAN have announced the long awaited follow-up to their sprawling 2009 full length What We All Come To Need, a new four song EP Ataraxia/Taraxis to be released via Southern Lord on April 10. With members now residing in separate cities, the EP represents a new chapter in the band’s evolution with a reenergized focus on composition and the utilization of the recording studio as a creative tool in the songwriting process, yielding one of the most diverse efforts in the band’s prolific discography.”

PUTERAEON: “The Death Metal platoon, PUTERAEON, hailing from Sweden which released the incredibly acclaimed debut album “THE ESOTERIC ORDER” (Cyclone Empire) in January 2011, wants to inform you that they will lock themselves up in the studio “RZA Mobile Recording” on the 30th of January 2012. Together with sound engineer Kristian “Risza” Isaksson (Evergrey, Hardcore Superstar, Psycore, Reclusion, Notre Dame, Snowy Shaw) they will record the follow up entitled “CULT CTHULHU”. 
The album will have 11 tracks and, as the debut, will be mixed by none other than super guitarist Andy LaRocque (King Diamond, Death, At The Gates) at Sonic Train Studios and the album is planned to be released in May 2012 via the German label Cyclone Empire.”

SECRETS OF THE MOON: “Prophecy Productions has announced that SEVEN BELLS, the new SECRETS OF THE MOON album, will be out on March 16th, 2012.”

SIX FEET UNDER: “Florida-based death metallers SIX FEET UNDER are currently mixing their new album at Audiohammer studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, TRIVIUM). The band’s frontman, Chris Barnes, writes on Twitter, “The new SIX FEET UNDER CD is sounding fucking unbelievable!! [The] mix [is] almost done!!”

VEIL OF MAYA: “Chicago’s VEIL OF MAYA are back to lead the charge of the American progressive-deathcore assault, with the release of their mind-blowing third album, “Eclipse”, out via Sumerian on 27 February. Produced by djent hero Misha Mansoor of Periphery, ”Eclipse” is a stunningly concise yet diverse metal record, packed full of death-metal chops, tech-metal grooves, progressive arrangements and hardcore rip-yer-throat-out attitude.”

WRETCHED: “Wretched has entered the studio to record their third full-length album, Son of Perdition.  The forthcoming effort is set for a March 27 release and will be produced by Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, He Is Legend, For Today) at The Basement Studio in Winston Salem, North Carolina.”

WYKKED WYTCH: “Female-fronted extreme metal band WYKKED WYTCH and Goomba Music have teamed up with HailsandHorns.com for an exclusive premier of the song “Despised Existence” off the band’s forthcoming album. The Ultimate Deception. The Ultimate Deception is set to be released on February 14th and is currently available for pre-order through Goomba Music.”

December and 2011 are both over, and with the end of the last month, it’s time to round up what we saw over the last 30 days about forthcoming albums.

We usually try to post these updates on the first of the month, but the first of this month was New year’s Day, and I was moving kinda slowly that day. Plus, I’ve been focusing on year-end lists from a variety of sources, and, well, I’m late with this. I have more excuses, if you’d like to hear them.  No?  Okay, I understand.  I’ll just shut up and get going with this list.

So, here’s the deal:  In these METAL IN THE FORGE posts, I collect news blurbs and press releases I’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like at NCS (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — THIS ISN’T A CUMULATIVE LIST. If we found out about a new forthcoming album before December, we wrote about it in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier.

This month’s list begins right after the jump. It includes some real eye-openers. In fact, it’s not too soon to say that 2012 is already looking like yet another royally skull-fucking year for metal. But as usual, this list is half-assed rather than comprehensive. I confess that in December I was even more half-assed than usual in keeping my eyes open for news about new albums. So, feel free to leave Comments and tell all of us what I missed when I put this list together. Let us know about albums on the way that  you’re stoked about, even if you don’t see them here!

ABORTED: “”The Origin Of Disease”, a brand new song from Belgian death metalers ABORTED, can be streamed at NO CLEAN SINGING. The track comes off the band’s seventh studio album, “Global Flatline”, which will be released on January 24, 2012 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records.”

THE AMENTA: “Australia’s extreme metal unit THE AMENTA is working on material for their third album for a 2012 release. Vocalist Cain Cressal states, “All arrangements and lyrics are 90% complete. I’ll be flying over to Sydney soon to finetune vocal patterns/lyrics after much demoing over the last few months. We intend to start tracking the album in January.” Tentatively titled “Flesh Is Heir”, the follow-up to 2008′s “n0n” is a crystallization of THE AMENTA‘s methods.”

ASPHYX: “Deathhammer is the title track of ASPHYX‘s new studio album, which will be released on February 27, 2012 in Europe and February 28, 2012 in North America via Century Media Records.”

BLOODSHOT DAWN: “First formed in 2003, Bloodshot Dawn have evolved from a straight forward, groove orientated death metal band into an unrelenting, hyper speed, extreme-metal machine. Hailed by Terrorizer as a band that delivers “blistering live shows”, Bloodshot Dawn have become a household name in the UK underground.  In September 2011, Bloodshot Dawn entered the studio again, this time at 11th Cellar Studios in Rome (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour Of Penance, Inherit Disease), to record their debut full-length release. The album was finished in December 2011 and is set for a limited release on 26 January 2012.”

BORKNAGAR: “Norway’s BORKNAGAR has entered Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden to begin mixing its new album with Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with such acts as KATATONIA, OPETH, PARADISE LOST and AMON AMARTH. The CD is tentatively due in February 2012 via Century Media Records. ”

CANCER BATS: “‘Old Blood‘, a brand new song from Canadian metallers CANCER BATS, was premiered on tonight’s (Monday, January 2) edition of BBC Radio 1‘s “Rock Show With Daniel P Carter”. You can now stream the track in a YouTube clip here. “Old Blood” comes off CANCER BATS‘ fourth album, “Dead Set On Living”, which is due in April via Distort Inc. ”

THE CONTORTIONIST: “Indianapolis, Indiana’s prog-metal prodigies THE CONTORTIONIST will enter AudioHammer Studios in Sanford, Florida in February with producers Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER) and Eyal Levi (AUGUST BURNS RED, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) to begin recording their sophomore album for a late spring/early summer 2012 release via Good Fight Music.”

CONVERGE: “Terrorizer have heard on the hardcore grapevine that the mighty Converge are set to start recording their eighth album, the follow up to 2009′s smasher, Axe To Fall. This is to be titled ‘All We Love We Leave Behind’ and it’s due out in the late spring/early summer through Epitaph.”

DRUDKH: “Unconventional, dramatic and mysterious, Ukrainian black metal outfit Drudkh are announcing a new album called Eternal Turn of the Wheel out February 24. The new album “marks a return to the band’s roots and early sound,” according to Season of Mist, the French label that has been releasing Drudkh‘s albums since 2009.”

DYING FETUS:  ”John Gallagher, guitarist and vocalist of Dying Fetus, has announced that the group has entered the studio to record a new full-length album. The band will once again be working with long-time producer Steve Wright (Slipknot, Misery Index) at Wrightway Studios in Baltimore, MD. Set to be released in mid 2012 through Relapse Records, the album will feature nine tracks and is a “return to roots” with production focused slightly more on slam than in the band’s last few works.

DYSRHYTHMIA: From the band’s facebook page: “Happy new year, all. We are excited to announce we will be working with Profound Lore Records, for the release of our next album! Recording will commence this Spring with Colin Marston, with a projected late Summer/ Fall release date. We’re gonna do our most to make this the best Dysrhythmia yet.”

ELUVEITIE: “ELUVEITIE’S fifth studio album, Helvetios, will be released on February 10 (Europe) and February 28 (North America) 2012 via Nuclear Blast.”

ENOCHIAN THEORY: Life . . . And All It Entails, the new album by UK progressive metallers Enochian Theory will be released on Feb 12, 2012 by Mascot Records and is available for pre-order here, where the album art is also on display.

ENTHRONED: “Belgian black metallers ENTHRONED have inked a two-album deal with Agonia Records. The band’s new album, “Obsidium”, will be released in early 2012.”

GOATWHORE: “New Orleans’ GOATWHORE has set “Blood For The Master” as the title of its new album, due on February 14 in North America via Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2009′s “Carving Out The Eyes Of God” was recorded at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer with Erik Rutan.”

HEIDEVOLK: “Dutch folk/viking band Heidevolk announced that it will release the band’s fourth LP entitled “Batavi” on March 2, 2012 through Napalm Records. The album is the follow up to the 2012 release “Uit Oude Grond.” More details on the album are expected shortly.”

HIGH ON FIRE: “Oakland, CA hard rock band HIGH ON FIRE has entered Salem, Massachusetts’ GodCity Studios to begin tracking their as-yet-untitled new album. The world renowned group featuring drummer Des Kensel, bassist Jeff Matz and guitarist / vocalist Matt Pike (also of legendary stoner metal trio SLEEP) is collaborating with producer and Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou on the new effort; the band’s sixth studio recording and follow up to 2010′s Snakes for the Divine which debuted at #62 on the Billboard Top 200 and has been called “wonderful” by The New York Times and “an exhilarating rush” by The Chicago Tribune. A mid-2012 release date is expected via eOne Music.”

MAGENTA HARVEST: “MAGENTA HARVEST, the Finnish death metal band featuring current and former members of FINNTROLL, CHTHONIAN, MYGRAIN and …AND OCEANS, will enter the studio later this month [December] to begin recording its second demo. According to a press release, the new effort will see the group widening its soundscape with the help of Aleksi Virta of FINNTROLL, who “will create some epic keyboard stuff” to go along with the material. An early 2012 release is expected.”

MESHUGGAH: “Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH have issued the following update: ”After a long time of deep soul searching and intense wrecking of the psyches, the new album is finally done. Soon you will meet this colossus that will pulverize your being. Welcome to the other side on March 27.”"

MORBID ANGEL: “On February 24, 2012 (February 28 in North America), Season of Mist will release a compilation of remixed tracks from MORBID ANGEL’s latest album, “Illud Divinum Insanus”. Far from being just revamped versions of the seminal extreme metal band’s newest songs, this collection will present the work of 39 artists from the electro / industrial, techno and club scene.”

MUNICIPAL WASTE: “Virginia crossover thrash metal band MUNICIPAL WASTE has completed work on its fifth studio album, “The Fatal Feast”, for a spring 2012 release via Nuclear Blast Records.”

MURDER CONSTRUCT: “MURDER CONSTRUCT, the Los Angeles, California-based band featuring Travis Ryan (CATTLE DECAPITATION) on vocals, Leon del Muerte (EXHUMED, PHOBIA, IMPALED) on guitar and vocals, Kevin Fetus (FETUS EATERS, WATCH ME BURN) on guitar, Danny Walker (INTRONAUT, EXHUMED, UPHILL BATTLE) on drums, and Caleb Schneider (BAD ACID TRIP) on bass, has entered the studio to begin work on its full-length debut full-length for a mid-2012 release via Relapse Records.”

NAGLFAR: “Swedish black metallers NAGLFAR have completed work on their sixth album, “Téras”, for a March 2012 release via Century Media Records. The drum tracks on the CD were laid down by Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK).”

NAPALM DEATH: “NAPALM DEATH will release its 14th studio album (excluding the cover album “Leaders Not Followers”), “Utilitarian”, on February 27 in Europe and February 28 in North America via the band’s longtime partner, Century Media Records. ”

PALLBEARER: “Little Rock, Arkansas doom metal disciples PALLBEARER have completed work on their debut album, “Sorrow And Extinction”, for a February 21, 2012 release via Profound Lore Records.”

PSYCROPTIC: “Pre-orders are now available for Tasmanian technical death metal outfit PSYCROPTIC’s upcoming fifth studio album, The Inherited Repression. The Inherited Repression will be released in Europe on February 7th in North America and on February 10th in Europe on Nuclear Blast Records.”

SEAR BLISS:  ”Eternal Recurrence, the 7th album from Sear Bliss, is set to be released in February, 2012 through Candlelight Records. The songs are dramatic and unsettling, dark and painful.”

SHINING: “Sweden’s SHINING the, extreme metal band founded by controversial front man Niklas Kvarforth, has today [Jan 2] entered the Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden, with producer Andy La Rocque to begin recording the band’s eighth full-length album, which, as is usual with SHINING, currently only bears the working title VIII.”

SIGH: “Japan’s SIGH will release its ninth album, “In Somniphobia”, in March 2012 via Candlelight Records. According to a press release, the CD is “by far more musically varied” compared to the [band's] last two albums. Put heavy metal, classical music, jazz, Indian traditional music, Stockhausen, and Xenakis into a cauldron of hell and stir it, you’ll get ‘In Somniphobia’. It is a pure sonic nightmare that lasts more than an hour.”

SOILWORK: “After a highly successful run of European festivals and select club shows, Swedish melodic metal maestros SOILWORK have started writing music for the follow-up to The Panic Broadcast, which debuted the US Billboard charts at #88 upon its release in July 2010.”

SOREPTION: “Soreption will enter the studio in February to begin the recording of the next album. The release is not set yet, but we´re aming for fall next year.”

SPAWN OF POSSESSION: Swedish tech-death assassins SPAWN OF POSSESSION have completed work on their third full-length album, “Incurso”, for a March 13, 2012 release via Relapse Records. The CD, which will contain nine tracks plus an instrumental intro, was recorded at Pama Studios in Kristianopel, Sweden with engineer Magnus “Mankan” Sedenberg.

SWALLOW THE SUN: “SWALLOW THE SUN’S fifth full-length album, “Emerald Forest And The Blackbird”, will be released on February 1 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was recorded during September and October 2011 by Mikko Karmila (NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS, CHILDREN OF BODOM) at Drumforest Studios in Viitasaari and Sonic Pump 2 in Helsinki, and by Hannu Honkonen at Noisework Studios in Helsinki. The effort was mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, APOCALYPTICA, AMORPHIS, MOONSPELL) and will be mastered by Mika Jussila (NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS, SENTENCED) at Finnvox Studios.”

TESTAMENT: “TESTAMENT‘s new album, “The Dark Roots Of Earth”, is tentatively due in late April/early May 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records. Due to a “serious injury,” TESTAMENT drummer Paul Bostaph was unable to take part in the recording sessions for the CD and was replaced by Gene “The Atomic Clock” Hoglan (DARK ANGEL, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK). Bostaph has since announced his departure from the group.”

November is done, and the countdown begins to the end of 2011 and he beginning of the New Year. We’ve been so focused this week on the year behind us, since 2011 Listmania is now in full swing, that we almost forgot that there is a future, and it will be filled with metal.

So, here’s the deal:  In these METAL IN THE FORGE posts, we collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month (November) about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — THIS ISN’T A CUMULATIVE LIST. If we found out about a new forthcoming album before November, we wrote about it in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier.

This month’s list begins right after the jump. As usual, this list is half-assed rather than comprehensive. So, feel free to leave Comments and tell all of us what we missed when we put this list together. Let us know about albums on the way that  you’re stoked about!

A BAND OF ORCS: “A BAND OF ORCS, the fantasy-themed heavy metal band from Santa Cruz, California, has entered Trident Studios in Pacheco, California with producer Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD) to begin recording their new concept album about killing giants. The artwork is being created by Chuck Lukacs.”

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS: “American black metal outfit ABIGAIL WILLIAMS has put the finishing touches on its new album, “Becoming”, for a January 24, 2012 release via Candlelight Records. Mixed by vocalist/guitarist Ken Sorceron with Michael Keene (The Faceless), “Becoming” contains over 60 minutes of new material and features art by Metastazis (Morbid Angel, Watain, Ulver).”

AUTOPSY: “Legendary San Francisco Bay Area gore grind act AUTOPSY has completed work on its new collection, “All Tomorrow’s Funerals”, for a February 28 release via Peaceville Records. This monstrous 22-track effort will contain all of AUTOPSY‘s EPs remastered by the bandmembers themselves, as well as new cuts.”

BLEEDING THROUGH: “Bleeding Through is currently wrapping up the recording process for their next album, now titled “The Great Fire.” The effort is expected to hit stores in early-2012 via Rise Records.”

BONE5: “Drummer Pasi Pasanen (ex-SWALLOW THE SUN, PLUTONIUM ORANGE) has joined the Jyväskylä, Finland-based rock/metal band BONE5. The group’s new album, “From The Ashes”, will be released on December 7.”

CALIBAN: “German modern metal force Caliban is proud to announce the release of their eighth studio album, I Am Nemesis on February 28, 2012 via Century Media Records. After spending 10 months writing new material, the band is very excited to get the record out to fans. ‘It was important to us to have an elaborate album without any fillers,’ says lead guitarist Marc Görtz. ‘Additionally, the sound of the album is the best we’ve ever had by far: it is heavy and brutal without being chaotic.’”

CATTLE DECAPITATION: “In November 2010, Cattle Decapitation returned home from headlining The California Blood Tour and decided to take the next year off and immediately began writing the follow up to their critically-acclaimed 2009 release The Harvest Floor.The band has been holed up in the confines of their rehearsal studio in National City, California ever since and are preparing to unleash a new slab of human-dissecting carnage for a Spring 2012 release via Metal Blade Records. The band will be recording in January/February in Denver, Colorado”

DEATH: “The next chapter in Relapse Records’s Death reissue campaign is Vivus!, a deluxe 2CD collection compiling two separate Death concerts. Each recorded in 1998, Disc One features the band at the height of their prowess tearing the roof off of the infamous Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles while Disc Two is a brilliant recording of the band on the festival stage at Dynamo Open Air.
Vivus! is set for a February 28th North American release date, March 2nd in the Benelux / Germany, and March 5th in the UK and rest of Europe.”

EMMURE: “Emmure has spent a good portion of November in New York City writing material for their next album. The band will enter the studio in January with producer/engineer Joey Sturgis (We Came As Romans, The Devil Wears Prada) to begin tracking the effort. Sturgis also recorded the band’s last release, Speaker of the Dead.”

EPHEL DUATH: “Formerly Italian, currently US based band EPHEL DUATH, known as a modern mixture of avant-garde metal and progressive rock with jazz-fusion and hardcore punk elements, has inked a worldwide deal with Agonia Records for the release of an EP and two full-length albums. Under the leading role of talented guitarist and songwriter Davide Tiso, the machine of EPHEL DUATH is ready to send out a new musical impulse, with the artistic contribution of a new line-up of well-known special session musicians, soon to be announced. The upcoming spring release EP is going to be recorded in January 2012 at Sharkbyte Studios (Machine Head, Exodus, High On Fire) in Oakland, California. Erik Rutan will do the mixing at his Mana Recording Studio (Cannibal Corpse, Hate Eternal, Goatwhore, Agnostic Front) in San Petersburg, Florida. Alan Douches will master the material at West West Side Music (Death, Swans, Mastodon, Converge, Baroness, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Clutch) in New York.”

GOD OF ATHEISTS: “Former DIMMU BORGIR and current BORKNAGAR member ICS Vortex(real name: Simen Hestnæs) will handle the lead vocals on the upcoming debut album from GOD OF ATHEISTS, the Norwegian extreme metal project led by Asgeir Mickelson (SARKE, SPIRAL ARCHITECT, BORKNAGAR, TESTAMENT). Drums on the CD were recorded by Trym (EMPEROR, ZYKLON, ENSLAVED), while the rhythm guitars were laid down by Mickelson.”

KING GIANT: “Taking the dark tales of their Appalachian folk forefathers to contemporary Southern doom territory, Northern Virgina-based quintet KING GIANT have wrapped up the final details on their sophomore full-length release, Dismal Hollow, and are preparing to self-release it just after the kickoff of the new year. Dismal Hollow will be available worldwide on January 31, 2012 — a split release between KING GIANT’s band-operated imprint Graveyard Hill Records and The Path Less Traveled Records, part of the MRI Group, with distribution by RED, Code 7 and Plastichead — and will be available in CD, LP and digital download formats.”

LIBERTEER: “Relapse Records is extremely proud to announce the signing of California anarcho-grinders Liberteer. The creation of Matthew Widener (Cretin, Citizen), Liberteer is a manifestation of total anarchy, driven by an incendiary lyrical message designed to burn the system down! The band’s debut album, entitled Better To Die on Your Feet Than Live On Your Knees, will see it’s release on January 31st of 2012.”

LIFELESS: “German traditional death metal machine LIFELESS has signed with FDA Rekotz for the release of the band’s as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2010′s“Beyond The Threshold Of Death” (Ibex Moon Records). The new album is currently slated for a spring 2012 release.”

MISERY SIGNALS: “Fans of Misery Signals know that the group hasn’t released a new album in several years. Said fans shouldn’t have to wait too much longer though, as the group is currently working on material for their next full-length. Misery Signals tentatively plans to enter the studio in early-2012 to commence tracking, though neither a studio nor producer have been selected thus far. Notably, this will be the band’s final album under their current contract with Ferret Music.”

NAGLFAR: “Fans of Swedish black metal take heed: five years have passed since the release of mighty Naglfar’s last album Harvest, but now the band is back in the studio again, finishing-up their sixth album, Téras! Expect nothing less than another prime example of infernal, melodic black metal from the vanguards of the scene. Diehard Naglfar fans will also be pleased to hear that prior to the release of Téras, the band will release a very limited-edition 7″ EP featuring one track from the upcoming album and an exclusive second track that will only be available on this vinyl. Téras will ascend from hell’s blackest voids in spring/summer 2012.”

NAPALM DEATH: “As leaders of extreme music and one of the hardest working bands around, the legendary Napalm Death is currently putting the final touches on their 14th studio album (excluding the cover album Leaders Not Followers). This new piece of brutality is entitled Utilitarian, and it will hit stores on February 27th in Europe and February 28th in North America via the band’s long time partner, Century Media Records.”

NORMA JEAN: “Following their just-announced “Pizza Riot 2011″ Tour, Norma Jean will be hitting the studio to record their sixth full-length album. The band is currently writing material for the effort and will head into the studio with producer Jeremy Griffith in January 2012.”

NOTHNEGAL: “Maldives-based death/black metallers NOTHNEGAL will release their full-length debut, “Decadence”, on January 20, 2012 (January 24 in the U.S.) via Season Of Mist. The CD was mixed by Greg Reely (FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, DEVIN TOWNSEND) and Ahti Kortelainen (SENTENCED, SONATA ARCTICA).”

NUFUTIC: “Drummer Romain Goulon (NECROPHAGIST) and vocalist Trevor Sadist (SADIST) have joined NUFUTIC, the fusion-metal project founded by Dutch bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling (PESTILENCE, ex-OBSCURA) and Italian guitarist/keyboardist Tommy Talamanca (SADIST).”

OBITUARY: “OBITUARY is currently writing material for the follow-up to the “Darkest Day” full-length CD, released in 2009 via Candlelight Records. “Our goal is to be in the studio by January or February and to release the album in May or June of 2012,” said guitarist Trevor Peres.”

OBSCURA: “The wildly-progressive German metal quartet OBSCURA has announced their first ever demo collection, entitled ‘Illegimitation‘ and set to be released independently by the band this March.  The collection will include ten never-before-heard tracks, including the band’s earliest recordings from 2003, unreleased songs from the Cosmogenesis sessions of 2006, and brand new cover songs with the newest line-up from 2011.”

OPERA IX: ““Strix Maledictae In Aeternum”, the new album from the Italian symphonic black metal band OPERA IX, will be released on January 24, 2012 in Europe and February 28, 2012 in North America via Agonia Records.”

PARADISE LOST: “British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST have entered The Chapel studios in Lincolnshire, England to begin recording their new album,“Tragic Idol”, for an April 24, 2012 release via Century Media Records. Commented Gregor Mackintosh: “The [new CD] will again be produced by Jens Bogren and is influenced by classic doom metal and classic metal. I would say it is more melodic than the last record whilst retaining the heaviness.”

PERIPHERY: “Maryland progressive metal outfit Periphery enters the studio today to begin tracking a new full-length. Recording will take place with engineer Taylor Larson (I The Breather) and a spring release via Sumerian Records is expected.”

PRIMER 55: “Atlanta-based band PRIMER 55 — featuring Bobby Burns (guitar, bass, vocals), The DRP (vocals), Heath Shaw (drums), and Mattytime (bass) — has signed a worldwide distribution deal with THC:Music/Rocket Science Ventures. The group’s's self-titled LP will be released on March 13. The effort will be preceded on February 14 by “The Big F.U.”, a retrospective B-sides and rarities collection, featuring nearly 20 tracks from PRIMER 55‘s classic lineup.”

PSYCROPTIC: “Aussie technical death metal outfit, Psycroptic, has announced that its fifth studio album, The Inherited Repression, will hit stores on February 7 in North America and February 10 in Europe. The upcoming nine-track full-length will mark the band’s second release on Nuclear Blast Records. Commented Psycroptic guitarist, Joe Haley, “The Inherited Repression is far and away my favorite Psycroptic album thus far – all of us in the band think this. It’s the age-old cliché from bands when they talk about their current album as being the best of their career, blah, blah, but I have to say it because it’s true.”

SLAYER: “Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo has revealed that the band is currently writing material for a new album. Details are sparse, with Lombardo offering only the following: “Slayer is writing a new record.”

SPAWN OF POSSESSION: “Swedish tech-death assassins SPAWN OF POSSESSION have completed their highly anticipated third full-length album, Incurso, and are preparing it for release upon the helpless masses this Spring (on Relapse records).”

3 INCHES OF BLOOD: “Metal veterans 3 Inches Of Blood will soon be entering the studio to begin tracking their fifth full-length album, planned for release in 2012 via Century Media Records. The band will be working out of Vogville Studios and Profile Studios in Vancouver with engineer and producer Terry Sho Murray, who also worked on the band’s last 7″.

UNLEASHED: “The legendary Swedish Viking Death Metal outfit UNLEASHED have started the recordings of their 11th studio album. The album name is still a secret – but you’d better get ready for another classic album. With their blend of melody and brutality UNLEASHED includes to the founder of the Viking death metal. Their riffs are pure shrapnel, but their choruses are epic, melting uncompromising brutality with anthemic odes to the Odin. The new album will be released in spring 2012 via Nuclear Blast.”

WORMED: “Willowtip Records is excited to announce the official signing of Madrid, Spain’s “Sci-Fi Death Metal” band Wormed. The group is currently in the writing stage of a new full-length album that will be released in the spring of 2012. Prior to the new album, Willowtip will be reissuing Wormed’s previous two releases: 2010′s Quasineutrality EP and 2003′s Planisphaerium CD. Both reissues will be released in early 2012.”

October is over, except for Halloween, which continues to go on and on here at the metallic island that NCS calls home. Your humble editor spent the end of the month and the beginning of this new one grinding away at his fucking day job, which explains why this installment of METAL IN THE FORGE is late. It also explains why it’s more than typically incomplete, but more on that later.

Here’s the deal:  In these posts, we collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — THIS ISN’T A CUMULATIVE LIST. If we found out about a new forthcoming album before September, we wrote about it in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier.

This month’s list begins right after the jump. I fell down on the job of monitoring the interhole and press releases to catch news about new albums that looked potentially cool to me, so I know I missed announcements of new releases that should be included here. So, feel free to leave Comments and tell all of us what I missed. Let us know about albums on the way that  you’re stoked about!

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS: “American black metal outfit ABIGAIL WILLIAMS is putting the finishing touches on its new album, Becoming, for a January 24, 2012 release via Candlelight Records. ”

ALLEGAEON: “Allegaeon is preparing to enter the studio to record their second album for Metal Blade, and the follow up to the highly rated Fragments of Form and Function. This time around, the guys will be heading to San Diego to record with immensely talented up-and-coming producer, Daniel Castleman at Lambesis Studios. The band plans to record this December.”

THE AMENTA: “The Amenta is currently writing, recording and pre-producing the full length follow up to 2008′s divisive n0n album. With a working title of Flesh is Heir, the third full length is a crystallization of The Amenta’s methods. Featuring the expansive, aggressive riffing of the Occasus album and the ambient electronic destruction of n0n, Flesh is Heir also introduces a new eeriness courtesy of frontman, Cain Cressall and the unique musical and visual element that he brings to the band. The Amenta estimate that the album will be available early 2012.”

AMORAL: “”Silhouette”, the new video from the Finnish metal/hard rock outfit AMORAL, can be seen at Iltasanomat.fi. The song comes off the band’s fifth album, Beneath, which will be released on October 26.”

ANDROMEDA: “Swedish progressive metal band ANDROMEDA will release its new album,“Manifest Tyranny”, on November 25 in Europe via Inner Wound Recordings and November 21 in North America through Nightmare Records.”

ARKAIK: “Arkaik has officially locked down recording dates for their much anticipated sophomore release “Metamorphignition“. They will be entering Castle Ultimate Studio’s in February of 2012, and will be recording for the first time with new members Ivan Munguia (bass), and most recent addition Alex Hernandez Bent on drums.”

AUTOPSY: “AUTOPSY will be entering Fantasy studios in Berkeley, California late October to record a few new tracks for an upcoming collection entitled All Tomorrow’s Funerals. This monstrous release will be on Peaceville Records and will contain all of AUTOPSY’s EPs remastered by the band themselves as well as the new cuts, totalling 21 tracks all together.”

BASTARD PRIEST: “Sweden’s whore-filth death metal duo, BASTARD PRIEST, return to stink up your speakers with latest full-length, Ghouls Of The Endless Night. Featuring eight flesh-tearing tracks, the follow-up to 2010′s Under the Hammer of Destruction is set for release via Pulverised Records on November 7, 2011!”

CARACH ANGREN: “Dutch symphonic black metal act CARACH ANGREN has inked a deal with the French record label Season Of Mist. Commented the band: “We are very proud to be on Season Of Mist‘s roster! This covenant will enable us to release more hauntings upon the world in the years to come. A new horrific concept album is being written this autumn and recordings will start in less than two weeks. We promise you it will be darker and more epic than ever before!”

DIMMU BORGIR: “Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR have issued the following update via their Facebook page: ”Wanted to let you guys know that DIMMU BORGIR had several studio sessions lately and have lots of new material for the upcoming 20th-anniversary album.”"

DREAMING DEAD: “California death metal trio DREAMING DEAD are readying to unleash their long-awaited new full-length entitled Midnightmares. The follow-up to their 2009 Within One opus, was recorded from June through September of this year. All guitars and bass were tracked at the band’s own studio in downtown Los Angeles while the drums and vocals were tracked at Architeuthis Sound, (where Midnightmares was also mixed). The final product is nothing short of immense. Midnightmares offers up nine tracks of crushingly elaborate death metal anthems as led by band leader, vocalist and guitar priestess, Elizabeth Schall. Midnightmares will be released on October 31, 2011 as a digital download via the band’s official WEB SITE.”

GAZA: “Gaza enters the studio November 1 to record its third full-length album, the follow-up to 2009’s acclaimed He Is Never Coming Back. As yet untitled, the album will be produced by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou (Trap Them, Today Is The Day) at GodCity Studio in Salem, MA, and will be released in 2012 on Black Market Activities. Says Gaza frontman Jon Parkin, “We’ve been writing and crafting all summer long and then some. The songs are exactly what critics and haters have been wanting to hear from us. We didn’t write these for ourselves. We only care about what the world thinks.”

GHOUL PATROL: “Finnish death ‘n’ rollers GHOUL PATROL have inked a deal withSpinefarm Records. The band’s self-titled debut album will be released on October 26. According to a press release, the CD contains “45 minutes of swampy American-styled death ‘n roll!”"

GOROD: “French tech-death metallers GOROD have entered the studio with producer Frédéric “Elmobo” Motte to begin laying down their new album for an early 2012 release.”

HOUR OF PENANCE: “Italian death metal band, HOUR OF PENANCE, will enter Cellar Studio in Rome on October 16th, with producer Stefano Morabito, to record their Prosthetic Records’s debut, and fifth album overall. Guitar player Giulio Moschini commented: “Following the tradition of releasing an album every two years, the time has come now and we’re ready to hit the studio and record our fifth album. . . . Moreover, as some of you know, this will be the first album with a new line up and as you can imagine having a new singer and a new drummer helped us to renew and improve our sound, once again.. this will be like the rebirth of Hour of Penance, in a better shape of course !”

ILLNATH: “Pitch Black Records has announced the signing of the Danish female-fronted melodic death metal outfit ILLNATH. The band’s third album, Third Act In The Theatre Of Madness, will be released on November 18.”

LECHEROUS NOCTURNE: “LECHEROUS NOCTURNE will enter SoundLab Studio in Lexington, South Carolina on December 10 with longtime engineer Bob Moore to begin recording its third album. A tour with DEICIDE in support of the new record will kick off in March 2012.”

MANIFEST: “Norwegian metallers MANIFEST will release their third album, Written In Blood, on November 11 via the band’s own record label, Violent Media.”

MYSTIC PROPHECY: “Greek/German heavy metallers MYSTIC PROPHECY will release their seventh album, Ravenlord, on November 25 via Massacre Records. The CD was recorded at Prophecy Music Factory studios with singer/producer Roberto Dimitri Liapakis (MYSTIC PROPHECY, SUICIDAL ANGELS, VALLEY’S EVE, INSIDEAD) and was mixed by Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, ARCH ENEMY, IN FLAMES).”

NECROPHOBIC: “Stockholm, Sweden-based death/black metallers NECROPHOBIC have inked a deal with Season Of Mist. The band, which was recently joined by guitarists Robert Sennebäck (DISMEMBER, UNLEASHED) and Fredrik Folkare (UNLEASHED), is currently writing material for its seventh album, tentatively due in late 2012.”

NOTHNEGAL: “NOTHNEGAL’s debut album is finally in sight! The Maldivian band named their upcoming full-length Decadence. Decadence is NOTHNEGAL’s first official studio release and the first release featuring the current line-up. Decadence was mixed by Greg Reely (FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, DEVIN TOWNSEND) and Ahti Kortelainen (SENTENCED, SONATA ARCTICA), and has been scheduled for a January 20th (January 24th in the US) 2012 release.”

OBITUARY: “OBITUARY is currently writing material for the follow-up to the “Darkest Day” full-length CD, released in 2009 via Candlelight Records. “Our goal is to be in the studio by January or February and to release the album in May or June of 2012,” said Trevor Peres. “Of course, the album will be followed up by a ton of tour dates. We will start out in Europe with the summer festival circuit, followed by a proper European tour package and then do a full North American tour in the fall of 2012.”

ORANGE GOBLIN: “ORANGE GOBLIN, the heavy-hitting British metal band, has set A Eulogy For The Damned as the title of its seventh album, due in early 2012 on CD and vinyl (including limited-edition “clear” vinyl) via Candlelight Records.”

SHADOWS FALL: “Razor & Tie has announced the signing of two-time Grammy-nominated metal act SHADOWS FALL to a multi-album, North American deal. The band entered Zing Studios in Westfield, Massachusetts to begin recording its new album for a spring release.”

SOULFLY: “SOULFLY has completed recording its new studio album for an early 2012 release via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at a Phoenix, Arizona studio with producer Chris “Zeuss” Harris, who has previously worked with CHIMAIRA, HATEBREED, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE ACACIA STRAIN, BORN OF OSIRIS and SHADOWS FALL, among others. The band’s new drummer, David Kinkade (BORKNAGAR, ARSIS, MALEVOLENT CREATION), described the group’s new material on his Facebook page as “crushing, fast thrash, blasting, tribal and fueled by extreme burrito fury. . . The record is sounding fucking SICK. Thrashy as fuck… totally ‘Arise’ [referring to SEPULTURA's classic 1991 album] on crack and speed.”"

VIKING: “Legendary drummer Gene “The Atomic Clock” Hoglan (DARK ANGEL, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK) has laid down the drum tracks on the long-awaited comeback album from Los Angeles thrashers VIKING, entitled “No Child Left Behind”.

September is behind us. Here in Seattle, it was such a beautiful month that it seemed like nature’s compensation for how late the summer started. Unfortunately, with September’s end, we’re on a short track to the onset of winter, which means about six months of short, cold, grey, ceaselessly wet days. Ain’t that just fuckin’ great?

Well, bitchin’ about the winter ahead won’t change one fucking thing. I prefer to think instead about the deluge of new metal that’s headed our way and try (momentarily) to forget about the deluge of rain on the horizon. Which brings us to the latest monthly edition of METAL IN THE FORGE.

You know the drill:  In these posts, we collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — this isn’t a cumulative list. If we found out about a new album before August, we wrote about it in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier. This month’s list begins right after the jump. Look for your favorite bands, or get intrigued about some new ones. As usual, also feel free to tell us about how we fucked up by omitting releases that you’re stoked about.

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS: “Abigail Williams will begin recording their third full-length album today. The process begins in the band’s new home of Southern California as the band enter Keene Machine Studios with The Faceless’ Michael Keene and Abigail Williams’ mainman Ken Sorceron engineering. Former Abigail Williams and Black Dahlia Murder drummer Zach Gibson will be playing on the album, as previous band mate Ken Bedene focuses on The Aborted. . . . The new album has an anticipated January release, followed by additional US tours supporting Dark Funeral and then Deicide.”

AMON: “AMON, the resurrected Florida-based death metal band featuring former DEICIDE members Eric Hoffmann (guitar) and Brian Hoffman (guitar), will film a new music video on October 22 in Clearwater, Florida with director Chris Nemzek (former CROSSBREED guitarist). AMON has set an October 31 release date for its new album, “Liar In Wait”.

ANIMALS AS LEADERS: “Progressive instrumentalists ANIMALS AS LEADERS will release their second full-length album, “Weightless”, in North America on November 8, in mainland Europe on November 4 and in the U.K. on November 7 via Prosthetic Records.”

ANAAL NATHRAKH: “U.K. extreme metallers ANAAL NATHRAKH — consisting of Mick Kenney and David Hunt — are currently working on the follow-up to “Passion”, released earlier this year via Candlelight Records. Hunt commented from the studio, “The songs we’ve recorded so far have come out very well. They are stylistically quite heterogeneous yet somehow sounding focused at the same time. And there’s one section that’s completely from left field, which we’ve included as a personal tribute. It’s all still in a raw, hardly mixed and not-yet-mastered state, but it’s all sounding quite powerful.”

A PLEA FOR PURGING: “”The Life”, a brand new song from the Nashville, Tennessee-based Christian metal/hardcore act A PLEA FOR PURGING, can be streamed in a new YouTube clip. The track comes off the band’s new album, “The Life & Death Of A Plea For Purging”, due on November 8 via Facedown Records.”

BIOHAZARD: “”Reborn In Defiance”, the long-awaited new studio album from New York hardcore metal legends BIOHAZARD, will be released on January 20, 2012. The CD will be made a vailable via Nuclear Blast outside of North America, with a U.S. label partner soon to be announced. The band will celebrate the launch with a record-release party in its hometown of Brooklyn, New York before setting off on an extensive international tour.”

BLEEDING THROUGH: “Orange County, California’s BLEEDING THROUGH is working on material for its next album, tentatively due in early 2012 via the Portland, Oregon-based independent record label Rise Records.”

CANNIBAL CORPSE: “Cannibal Corpse has begun recording their twelfth studio album at Sonic Ranch studios in Texas with producer Erik Rutan. The band has spent months writing the album and has recorded at Sonic Ranch in the past, but never with Rutan at the helm. More details on the album, including art, songs, title and more will be revealed in the months to follow. For now, the band is hard at work forging their next death metal offering.”

CARNIFEX: ““Until I Feel Nothing” will be released on October 25 via Victory Records. Produced by Tim Lambesis (AS I LAY DYING), the follow-up to 2010′s “Hell Chose Me” “captures an in-your-face extremity that drips with malice and ferocity, solidifying the effort as the most anticipated album of the year,” according to a press release. The cover artwork was created by famed comic book illustrator Menton3 (Silent Hill, Monocyte).”

CITY OF FIRE: CITY OF FIRE, the band featuring Burton C. Bell (FEAR FACTORY), bassist Byron Stroud (FEAR FACTORY, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD), guitarist Terry “Sho” Murray, and drummer Bob Wagner, will enter the studio this week to begin recording its sophomore album.”

CLOCKWORK SPIRIT: “AMARANTINE, the Helsinki, Finland-based metal band featuring members of AJATTARA, KIUAS, LIE IN RUINS and HANGING GARDEN, have changed its name to CLOCKWORK SPIRIT to coincide with the release of its self-titled debut album. Due on October 28, the CD will be distributed by the German label Dance Macabre Records and will initially be available only in Europe.”

CRADLE OF FILTH: “The UK’s premier extreme metal antagonist, Cradle Of Filth, has revealed the track list and artwork for the band’s upcoming CD/DVD mini-album entitled, Evermore Darkly…. The follow-on from last year’s, Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, will hit stores in North America on October 18 through Nuclear Blast Records. Artwork comes courtesy of Natalie Shau, whom also contributed the cover art for Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa.”

CYNIC: “Progressive rock/metal band CYNIC will release a new EP, “Carbon-Based Anatomy”, on November 11 in Europe and November 15 in North America via Season Of Mist. Unlike last year’s “Re-Traced”, this new EP consists exclusively of brand new material.”

DYING FETUS: “DYING FETUS, HAIL OF BULLETS, WACO JESUS, SUFFOCATION and LOCK UP are among the artists who are featured on the “Death Feast Open Air 2010″ DVD. The set, which has a running time of almost two hours, was filmed and recorded during last year’s edition of the Death Feast Open Air festival on June 10-12, 2010 in Hünxe, Germany. As an extra bonus, the DVD includes a 30-minute special from Death Feast Open Air 2011. You can pre-order the “Death Feast Open Air 2010″ DVD for 15 euros (plus shipping and handling) at the Death Feast Open Air shop. Delivery starts November 1.”

FINNTROLL: “Finnish metal marauders FINNTROLL will release a special tour edition of their last album, “Nifelvind”, at the end of September. The digipak tour edition comes with new artwork by the band’s guitarist, Skrymer, and an extra CD including three brand-new cover versions: “Insects” (OINGO BOINGO), “Can You Forgive Her?” (PET SHOP BOYS) and “The God That Failed” (METALLICA). The cover versions were recorded and mixed at Sonic Pump Studios between June 27 and July 4 by FINNTROLL and Nino Laurenne.”

GOATWHORE: “Video footage of New Orleans natives GOATWHORE performing a brand new song, “Beyond The Spell Of Discontent”, on September 16 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida [has been recorded]. The entire concert is available at Tyronehood.tv. GOATWHORE recently entered Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer with Erik Rutan to begin recording the follow-up to its most successful album to date, “Carving Out The Eyes Of God”. An early 2012 release via Metal Blade Records is expected.”

HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE: “With a newly rejuvenated lineup and its signature sound intact, San Francisco’s HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE has returned with “17th Street”, a brash and heartfelt song cycle, blending the best elements of NWOBHM, thrash, doom, and American folk music while somehow sounding unlike any of these. Due in Europe on October 24 (three days earlier in Germany), “17th Street” takes the band’s inimitable sound to a new level . . . . “I can see how someone could find it an upbeat record,” says John Cobbett, guitarist and producer of the band, also of underground metal legends LUDICRA and SLOUGH FEG. “There are glimmers of hope there. But if you listen carefully to each song, you’ll find that each one has its own point of view; you might find hope, or something very different, very dark.”

I DECLARE WAR: “Seattle’s I Declare War is back with their sophomore Artery Recordings album, the self-entitled “I Declare War”. The album will be released on October 11th. “I Declare War” is produced by Andreas Magnusson (The Black Dahlia Murder, Haste The Day). The album is the first the band recorded with new vocalist, Jamie Hanks.”

JOB FOR A COWBOY: “Arizona extreme metallers JOB FOR A COWBOY have entered Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida to begin recording their next album for an early 2012 release via Metal Blade Records. The band is once again working with producer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER), who helmed the group’s latest EP, “Gloom”.”

KORN: “KORN will release its tenth studio album, “The Path Of Totality”, on December 6 via Roadrunner Records. But this one is unlike any KORN record. It’s even unlike any record released before. “The Path Of Totality” is an experimental album which finds KORN shifting gears and exploring new territory. For “The Path Of Totality”, the band collaborated with some of the leading dubstep and electronic producers in the world, including Skrillex, Excision, Datsik, Noisia, Kill the Noise, and 12th Planet. The result is something completely new, yet utterly and definitively KORN.”

KRISIUN: “Brazilian death metallers KRISIUN will release their new album, “The Great Execution”, on October 31 in Europe and November 1 in North America via Century Media Records. The band’s eighth studio CD “musically expands KRISIUN trademark high-speed death metal violence with a heavily increased amount of diversity ranging from extreme tempo variations over distinct rhythm patterns to clean guitars and even Flamenco parts!” according to a press release.”

LIKE MOTHS TO FLAME: “Ohio-based metalcore quintet LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES has inked a European deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The band’s full-length debut, “When We Don’t Exist”, is scheduled for a November 11 release.”

METALLICA/LOU REED: “The musical collaboration between Lou Reed and METALLICA, “Lulu”, will be released on November 1 in North America via Warner Bros. Recordsand one day earlier (October 31) in the rest of the world through Universal Music.”

MORBUS CHRON: “The fine folks at Invisible Oranges are currently streaming MORBUS CHRON’s full-length debut “Sleepers In The Rift” in its entirety! The latest offering from the Swedish makers of audio filth is set for release in North America via Pulverised Records on September 27, 2011. A throwback to crude, early ’90s death metal, the hellions from MORBUS CHRON rekindle the vital atmosphere of this genre. “Sleepers In The Rift” was produced by Nicke Andersson (ex-Entombed), features artwork by Spanish fantasy/horror artist Raul Gonzales (Deceased, Abraxas, etc.) and will prove to be one of the finest hours in blistering, old-school death metal; the mortuary is now open and no corpse shall be spared! Prepare to be gut-fucked. Slay your ears HERE.”

MY DYING BRIDE: “Following the release of Evinta earlier this year, in which the band marked 20 years of existence with a release of symphonic compositions re-imagining past My Dying Bride themes, the UK doom legend now presents its latest chapter in the form of new EP, The Barghest O’ Whitby, to be released November 7th through Peaceville Records on CD and limited vinyl. This single track, 25-minute epic represents the epitome of poetic grace and funeral soundscapes from one of gothic doom’s most celebrated acts. With a masterful blend of pounding guitar riffs and sombre atmospheric passages, My Dying Bride embarks on a chilling journey through superstition and folklore.”

NIGHTWISH: “Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH will release their new album, “Imaginaerum”, in Finland on Wednesday, November 30 and the rest of Europe on Friday, December 2 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD will be made available in North America through Roadrunner Records.”

NOCTURNAL RITES: “Swedish power metallers NOCTURNAL RITES are currently rehearsing new songs and are preparing to start recording them in a few weeks or so. In the meantime, the band has released “a little trailer to let [the fans] know [the group is] still alive!”"

REDEMPTION: “REDEMPTION, the U.S. progressive metal band featuring in its ranks guitarist/songwriter Nick van Dyk and legendary FATES WARNING vocalist Ray Alder, will release its fifth studio album, “This Mortal Coil”, on September 26 in Europe and October 11 in North America via InsideOut Music.”

RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER: “Candlelight Records has announced the worldwide signing of thrashers RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER. The Philadelphia-based band is already working on its new album, titled “Ghostmaker”, expected for release early spring 2012.”

SHADOWS FALL: “Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL will enter the studio in October to begin recording their new album for an early 2012 release.”

SHINING: “Norwegian “blackjazz” outfit SHINING (not to be confused with the Swedish extreme metal band of the same name) will release its first-ever live DVD and CD, “Live Blackjazz”, on November 11 via Indie Recordings. The effort was produced by SHINING frontman Jørgen Munkeby and was mixed by Sean Beavan (MARILYN MANSON, NINE INCH NAILS, SLAYER). The mastering duties were handled by Tom Baker (MARILYN MANSON, NINE INCH NAILS).”

SLIPKNOT: “It’s been 10 years since SLIPKNOT unleashed its second album, “Iowa”, on the world. . . . To celebrate the album’s decade of existence, the band is releasing a special, tenth-anniversary edition of this landmark release, which will drop on November 1. . . . Disc One will comprise the original “Iowa” album along with a remix of “My Plague” as an added bonus track. Disc Two will include the full live audio from the legendary “Disasterpieces” DVD, where the band’s 2002 show at the London Arena was captured by 30 cameras and released as a concert film. The DVD will include “Goat”, a new film directed by M. Shawn Crahan featuring never-before-seen interviews and footage showing the madness that surrounded the “Iowa” era, plus four music videos.”

SOULDRAINER: “Swedish death metallers SOULDRAINER will release their second full-length, “Heaven’s Gate”, on November 25 via ViciSolum Productions. The follow-up to 2007′s “Reborn” was recorded at Empire Studio in Frösön, Sweden and was produced, mixed and mastered my Marcus Edvardsson.”

STORM CORROSION: “STORM CORROSION, the much-anticipated collaboration project between OPETH’s Mikael Åkerfeldt and PORCUPINE TREE’s Steven Wilson, has completed work on its self-titled debut album for an April 2012 release through an as-yet-undicslosed record label.”

SWALLOW THE SUN: “Finnish doom metallers SWALLOW THE SUN check in with the following update: ‘During the well-deserved break we took from shows this year, we’ve been preparing new music, and now we are happy to announce that we have entered Drumforest Studios at Viitasaari to record our fifth full length album, which will be released February 1, 2012 by Spinefarm Records.’”

TAAKE: “TAAKE’s fifth full-length album, “Noregs Vaapen”, was released in Europe on September 20 via Dark Essence Records and will be made available on November 1 in the USA.”

TERROR: “On November 1, Los Angeles hardcore/metal band TERROR will release the “Defining The Faith” DVD as part of the special deluxe reissue of the group’s latest CD, “Keepers Of The Faith”. Produced, edited, and authored by Carlo Oppermann and Ambitious.Films, “Defining The Faith” features a full live set that is composed of three different TERROR shows in three distinct settings: a small club, a big hall, and a massive European festival.”

TESTAMENT: “TESTAMENT has been spending time in the studio recording its new album, “Dark Roots Of Earth”, tentatively due in February 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records.”

UFOMAMMUT: “Italian masters of thunderous psychedelic doom UFOMAMMUT have inked a deal with Neurot Recordings for the release of their next album. . . UFOMAMMUT is in the studio at this very moment working on their next epic.”

VENOM: “VENOM, the hugely influential U.K. outfit now celebrating a full 30 years since the release of its “Welcome To Hell” debut, will have a brand new studio album released on November 28 via Spinefarm Records/Universal. Titled “Fallen Angels” and featuring 13 fresh recordings produced by mainman/bassist Conrad “Cronos” Lant, this is the follow-up to 2008′s “Hell” release, and sees the trio (completed by guitarist Rage and drummer Dante) adopting a style highly redolent of classic early VENOM with modern studio technology employed only to increase the general level of nastiness.:

VOIVOD: “Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD are continuing to write and demo new material for their upcoming album, tentatively due in early 2012. The follow-up to 2009′s “Infini” will contain the band’s first music to be written with new guitarist Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain (MARTYR) following the passing of original axeman Denis “Piggy” D’Amour in 2005.”

It’s Labor Day Weekend, August is a thing of the past, and as some people count it, summer is over. School is on the verge of resuming for people still attempting to educate themselves, and a ton of new metal tours are looming on the horizon for the fall. And of course, the fall will be filled with new album releases, too. Which brings us to the latest monthly edition of METAL IN THE FORGE.

You know the drill:  In these posts, we collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — this isn’t a cumulative list. If we found out about a new album before August, we wrote about it in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier. This month’s list begins right after the jump. Look for your favorite bands, or get intrigued about some new ones. And feel free to tell us about how we fucked up by omitting releases that you’re stoked about.

ABSU: “ABSU’s forthcoming sixth full-length opus, Abzu, is set for North American release on October 4. The band’s second album for international heavyweight Candlelight Records, Abzu is the second part of a trilogy of recordings from the band.”

THE AGONIST: “Mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, SUICIDE SILENCE), THE AGONIST‘s new full-length album is slated for an early 2012 release via Century Media Records.”

AMEBIX: “Cult British underground heavyweights AMEBIX recently parted company with Alternative Tentacles Records after 26 years. The band has decided to step up to the challenge of releasing its own work and has founded Amebix Records in conjunction with Easyaction. They are releasing the new album and back catalogue under the new label while Profane Existence will continue to manufacture and sell the band’s work as high-quality vinyl releases, with global distribution through Cargo Records. AMEBIX‘s new album, “Sonic Mass”, will be made available on September 23 as a CD and gatefold vinyl LP, as well as a digital download.”

BRUTAL TRUTH: “BRUTAL TRUTH’S new full-length album, “End Time”, will be released on September 27 in North America via Relapse Records. The CD was recorded with Doug White at Watchmen Studios in Lockport, New York and was mixed by Jason P.C. at Goatsound Studios. Mastering duties were handled by Scott Hull at Visceral Sound.”

COLDWORKER: “COLDWORKER — the Örebro, Sweden-based “blasting” death metal band consisting of current and former/current members of such acts as NASUM, RELENTLESS, RUIN and PHOBOS — has inked a deal with Listenable Records. The group’s third album, “The Doomsayer’s Call”, will be released this winter.”

CONDEMNED: “San Diego, California-based death metallers CONDEMNED will release their second album, “Realms Of The Ungodly”, on November 8 via Unique Leader Records.”

DARKTHRONE: “Peaceville Records has set a September 5 release date for the reissue of DARKTHRONE‘s seventh album of primitive black metal, “Ravishing Grimness”, featuring new artwork selected by the band, plus a bonus commentary disc with Fenriz and Nocturno describing their inspirations, as well as memories from the time of recording.”

ELUVEITIE: “Swiss melodic-folk-death-metallers, ELUVEITIE, has just launched a brand new and completely redesigned website and has taken the occasion to announce the title and production status of their upcoming album Helvetios.”

ENTRAILS: “You’ve been waiting for this one! If you thought Entrails’ Tales from the Morgue was one of the best old school Swedish death metal releases of 2010 (and many of you did), then be prepared to crown The Tomb Awaits king for 2011. The album is set for a September 9th release on Dark Descent Records in North America and on FDA Rekotz in Europe. Once again mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan Swano, The Tomb Awaits also features guest vocals by Swano and cover art by Daniel Devilish. Expect nothing less than festering, rotten death metal.”

FALLUJAH: “Northern California’s FALLUJAH will release its new album, “The Harvest Wombs”, on November 22 via Unique Leader Records.”

FESTER: “Norwegian black/death metallers FESTER have completed work on their first studio album in 17 years, “A Celebration Of Death”, for a late 2011/early 2012 release via Abyss Records. Original member Bjørn “Tiger” Mathisen has recruited Thomas Andresen (ALGOL) on vocals, Jon Bakker (KAMPFAR) on bass, and jazz musician Audun Kleive on session drums.”

FUCK THE FACTS: “FUCK THE FACTS has recently completed work on their brand new full-length, Die Miserable. Die Miserable was recorded in-between touring at the band’s home studio and has been set for an October 11th North American release date.”

HATESPHERE: “The infamous Danish institution responsible for delivering the heaviest of riffs unleashes its latest album “The Great Bludgeoning”: a merciless and brutal inferno that will leave a trail of destruction in its wake. Guitarist and mastermind Peter “Pepe” Hansen and his accomplices confirm the band’s supremacy and reach new heights with blistering tracks, such as “Venom”, “Need to Kill”, and “Smell of Death”. High-speed riffs, furious solos, and grueling drums are the foundation of HateSphere’s sound, in which technical prowess and appeal brilliantly unite. Esben “Esse” Hansen, the new man on the mic, emerges as a driving force, using his aggressive vocals to push the band even further. As a result of this perfectly balanced cooperation, HateSphere delivers a compact and uncompromising album that will outflank even the band’s previous classic releases. “The Great Bludgeoning” is scheduled for release on September 27 in North America and a day earlier in Europe.”

HULL: “Hailing from the streets of Brooklyn, New York, HULL has yet again emerged with a creation to outlive the ages. Hard at work since the release of their 2009 debut, Sole Lord, ideas were envisioned and the mighty wind of creativity brought upon this Earth the latest saga, Beyond The Lightless Sky. Beyond The Lightless Sky will be released on October 11, 2011 via The End Records.”

IMPENDING DOOM: “California-based Christian death metallers IMPENDING DOOM will enter the studio this week to begin recording their as-yet-untitled new album. The CD will be produced by Andreas Magnusson (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, THE FAMINE) and will be mixed by Machine, who has previously worked with LAMB OF GOD, SUICIDE SILENCE and DEMON HUNTER, among others.”

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE: “Massachusetts metallers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE are preparing to enter the studio to begin working on the follow-up to their 2009 self-titled album. Guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz writes on the band’s Facebook page, “YO! It’s Adam D! We’re about to begin writing our new record. Thanks to all of our fans for waiting so friggin’ patiently … now let’s turn on the ‘riff faucet’ and RAGE.”"

MARTYR: “Metal Blade Records has set a November 8 North American release date for “Circle Of 8″, the long-awaited new album from Dutch metal veterans MARTYR.”

MORS SUBITA: “The Oulu, Finland- based MORS SUBITA have inked a deal with Violent Journey Records. The band’s highly anticipated debut titled ”Human Waste Compression” is scheduled to be released on 21. of September.”

PAGAN RITES: “Swedish black metal veterans PAGAN RITES have completed work on a new mini-album, “Preachers From Hell”. The CD was recorded in Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden with Stefan Karlsson (ex-SOUL REAPER) and was mastered by Andy La Rocque (KING DIAMOND). “Preachers From Hell” will be released later in the year via Unexploded Records.”

REDSCREAM: “Three members of the legendary Swedish death metal band GRAVE have joined forces with Florida-based guitarist Ralph Santolla (OBITUARY,DEICIDE) in a brand new group called REDSCREAM. The project is currently writing material in Stockholm while seeking a lead singer to complete the band’s lineup.”

SVARTTJERN: “Norwegian black metal outfit SVARTTJERN — featuring vocalist HansFyrste from RAGNAROK, and guitarist Haan and bassist Terror from BLOODSPAWN — will release its new album, “Towards The Ultimate”, on September 27 in Europe and October 25 in North America via Agonia Records.”

TEXTURES: “A six-minute YouTube featuring audio samples of all the tracks that will appear on “Dualism”, the new album from the Dutch progressive technical metal band TEXTURES, can now be heard. Due on September 23 in Europe, South America, Asia and Australia and September 27 in North America, the “Dualism” CD can be pre-ordered from Nuclear Blast USA‘s webshop.”

THREAT SIGNAL: “Canadian modern metal masters THREAT SIGNAL will release their third, self-titled album on October 7 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Planet Z studios in Hadley, Massachusetts with producer Chris “Zeuss” Harris (CHIMAIRA, HATEBREED, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE ACACIA STRAIN, BORN OF OSIRIS, SHADOWS FALL).”

THRONE OF KATARSIS: “Norwegian black metal act THRONE OF KATARSIS will release its new album, “Ved Graven”, on October 24 in Europe and November 1 in the U.S. via Candlelight Records. According to a press release, “the album title ‘Ved Graven’ can be translated to ‘At the Grave’, and is by far the darkest material written by the band to this date.”

THULCANDRA: “Obscura mastermind Steffen Kummerer continues his musical journey through time by taking Thulcandra’s latest album, “Under a Frozen Sun”, back to the Sweden of the early 90s. The entire band is deeply rooted in the infamous sound of Sweden’s black death metal, which combines scorching riffs, anthemic melodies, delicate solos supported by driving drums, and intense vocal renditions. Thulcandra is able to find a balance between ice-cold heaviness and melodic appeal. “Under A Frozen Sun” is scheduled for release later this fall on Napalm Records.”

VALLENFYRE: “Century Media Records has revealed more details about its latest signing, the U.K. death metal band VALLENFYRE. The group is the brainchild of Gregor Mackintosh, songwriter and guitarist of PARADISE LOST, and features members of MY DYING BRIDE, AT THE GATES andDOOM. . . . “A Fragile King” will be released on October 31 in Europe and on November 1 inNorth America.”

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM: “Today, Pitchfork Media are hosting a stream of “Thuja Magus Imperium,” the opening track from the WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM clans’ new astral black metal document, Celestial Lineage. Weighing in at over eleven and a half minutes, the anthem beholds some of the band’s most elemental blackened prowess, their signature cavalcade of percussion, and the contrast between both scathing and beautiful clean vocals, the track also boasts some of the most epic guitar leads the band has ever put to tape. Hear the mammoth hymn at this location. With Celestial Lineage set for release via Southern Lord in less than two weeks, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM have already embarked on their latest tour to promote the new material.”

July is behind us, and the last month of the summer has begun. Drifting along even more stupidly than usual, I let the first day of the month come and go without posting our usual monthly  installment of METAL IN THE FORGE. So, we’re late with this, but I have a feeling no one was holding their breath waiting for it anyway.

You know the drill:  In these posts, we collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — this isn’t a cumulative list. If we found out about a new album before July, we wrote about it in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier. This month’s list begins right after the jump. Look for your favorite bands, or get intrigued about some new ones. And feel free to tell us about how we fucked up by omitting releases that you’re stoked about.

ACHREN: “After a triumphant set at this years Metalcamp 2011 and their forthcoming invasion of Wacken Open Air, on Thursday 4th August at 2.15PM on the WET stage, rising Scottish metallers Achren have announced that they plan to release their long-awaited debut album on Thursday the 11th August at the UK’s Bloodstock-Open-Air 2011 festival, on the night they open the festival. Entitled ‘The Forgotten King’ this first full-length release was recorded around their native Scotland, mixed at Drop Hammer Studios in Finland by Matias Helle and mastered at Fascination Street Studios, Sweden by Jens Bogren (Amon Amarth, Opeth, Bloodbath, Devin Townsend Project).”

ANTERIOR: “U.K. modern metallers ANTERIOR will release their second album, “Echoes Of The Fallen”, in Europe on August 29 and North America on September 13 via Metal Blade Records. The 10-track effort was recorded at Grindstone Studios with producer Scott Atkins.”

BIOHAZARD: “Seminal New York City hardcore/metal band BIOHAZARD has se t“Reborn In Defiance” as the title of its tenth studio album, due in Europe on September 26 (three days earlier in Germany) via Nuclear Blast Records.”

BORKNAGAR: “BORKNAGAR is currently recording the next album roughly planned to be released in February 2012 through Century Media Records. The album will be mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at famous Fascination Street Studios in Sweden in November.”

CIPHER SYSTEM: “15 years after the birth of the band, CIPHER SYSTEM returns with what has to be described as a masterpiece in a genre where innovation has become sparse, putting their murderous machinations on public display, forged with fearsome skill and precision: “Communicate The Storm”. Packed in the rapturous art of a true genius of darkened visuals, Seth Siro Anton (SOILWORK, PARADISE LOST, SEPTICFLESH), and with a mix once again stemming from the hallowed grounds of Studio Fredman, this colossus of an album is sure to send tremors throughout the scene when it hits the street on September 9.”

CRIMINAL: “Thrash masters CRIMINAL — originally formed in Chile and now based in the U.K. — have set “Akelarre” as the title of their seventh studio album, the first since the departure of lead guitarist and founding member Rodrigo Contreras and the subsequent addition of Basque guitar wizard Olmo Cascallar. . . . “Akelarre” will be released on August 19 by Massacre Records.”

DEMON HUNTER: “Ryan Clark and DEMON HUNTER will return to producer/longtime collaborator Aaron Sprinkle in November to begin work on what will become their sixth album.”

DESCENDING: “After a long period of intensive work in Greece and Sweden along with producer Fredrik Nordström (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, ARCH ENEMY) at Fredman studios, Athens, Greece-based death/thrash metal band DESCENDING has completed work on the follow-up to its debut album, “Enter Annihilation”, which was released in European and Japanese markets in 2008-2009. The new CD, “New Death Celebrity”, will be made available on September 23 via Massacre Records.”

DREAM THEATER: “A Dramatic Turn Of Events, the much-anticipated album from progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER, which marks new drummer Mike Mangini’s recorded debut, will be released on September 13 via Roadrunner Records.”

EX DEO: “EX DEO — the Ancient Roman-themed arsenal led by KATAKLYSM frontman Maurizio Iacono — will enter JFD studios in Dallas, Texas and Montreal, Canada in the fall with producer Jean-François Dagenais (KATAKLYSM, MALEVOLENT CREATION, MISERY INDEX, DESPISED ICON) to begin recording its sophomore album, “Caligula”, for an early 2012 release via Austria’s Napalm Records. According to the band, the CD will feature “the most intense ‘epic metal soundtrack’ to come out in recent history.”

FALLOCH: “Based in Glasgow, Scotland, the duo known as FALLOCH is a growing glimmer on the atmospheric, post-black metal horizon. Set for release on September 27 via Candlelight Records, “Where Distant Spirits Remain” was produced by Ronan Chris Murphy (ULVER,KING CRIMSON) and includes six songs that showcase the band’s unique blend of styles. Fans of ALCEST, AGALLOCH, PRIMORDIAL and others will embrace FALLOCH‘s somber soul.”

GOREAPHOBIA: “Legendary Philadelphia death metal battalion GOREAPHOBIA have joined forces with Dark Descent Records for the release of their new full-length, Apocalyptic Necromancy. Slated for release on August 9th, the follow-up to 2009′s Mortal Repulsion was recorded, mixed and mastered by drummer Jim Roe and features new guitarist VJS (KULT OV AZAZEL, CRIMSON MOON, DEMONCY, etc.).”

GRAVEWORM: “Our Italian friends of GRAVEWORM will enter the “Dreamsound Studio” in Munich at the beginning of July to record the successor of “Diabolical Figures” (2009). Eleven tracks will be taped up, which are described as a “combination of GRAVEWORM’s typical elements” by frontman Stefan Fiori. Hardness meets melody – once again an individual mixture of Gothic Metal and Melodic Death Metal, the two main pillars of the South Tyrolean’s sound. The album will be entitled “Fragments Of Death” and will be released on the 14th of October via Nuclear Blast.”

HELLSAW: “Austrian black metallers HELLSAW entered Munich, Germany’s Dreamsound Studios last week to begin recording their fourth full-length album. Titled “Trist”, the follow-up to 2009′s “Cold”, is due for release in early 2012 on Napalm Records.”

INSOMNIUM: “Finnish melodic death metallers INSOMNIUM will release their new album, “One For Sorrow”, on October 12 in Finland, October 17 in the rest of Europe and October 18 in North America via Century Media Records.”

LEVIATHAN: “If all goes according to plan, the cursed and wretched new LEVIATHAN full-length album, “True Traitor True Whore”, will see its official release on Nov 8th. The return of Wrest imminent…”

MEGADETH: “MEGADETH has set “13″ as the title of its new album, tentatively due in November via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine‘s Vic’s Garage studio in San Marcos, California with producer Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis), who has previously worked with DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD and STAIND, among others.”

MOURNING CARESS: “Münster, Germany-based melodic death metallers MOURNING CARESS have inked a deal with MDD Records for the release of their third album. “Deep Wounds, Bright Scars” contains nine tracks plus a cover of the SCORPIONS classic “Blackout” as a bonus track. A new song, “Wastelands Within”, will be made available in September. The band says, “It’s a very special one for us, since it features guest vocals by the mighty Mikael Stanne from DARK TRANQUILLITY.”

OPERA IX: “Italy’s OPERA IX has inked a deal with Agonia Records for the release of the band’s new album, “Strix Maledictae In Aeternum”. Due in November, the CD — which is described in a press release as “a great opera dedicated to the dark ages of medieval witchcraft” — was recorded at the Occultum studios, owned by the OPERA IX guitarist Ossian, and was mastered at the Necromorbus Studio in Alvik, Sweden.”

PAIN OF SALVATION: “Following the turbulent and successful release of “Road Salt One” in the year 2010 and the touring activities in its support which climaxed with shows in India and South America earlier this year, Sweden’s PAIN OF SALVATION will issue “Road Salt Two” on September 26 in Europe and October 11 in North America via InsideOut Music.”

PATHOLOGY: “San Diego-based brutal death metal/slam band PATHOLOGY is completing the mixes for their new album. The effort, produced by Daniel Castleman (As I Lay Dying, Winds of Plague, Impending Doom) at Lambesis Studios, is entitled Awaken to the Suffering, and will be released Sept. 13th, 2011. Once again the band has utilized the talents of Par Olofsson (Immolation, Malevolent Creation) to handle the artwork.”

REDEMPTION: “REDEMPTION, the U.S. progressive metal band featuring in its ranks guitarist/songwriter Nick van Dyk and legendary FATES WARNING vocalist Ray Alder, will release its fifth studio album, “This Mortal Coil”, on September 26 in Europe and October 11 in North America via InsideOut Music. The follow-up to 2009′s “Snowfall On Judgment Day” was recorded and mixed with producer Neil Kernon (QUEENSRŸCHE, NEVERMORE, DEICIDE). The CD’s cover artwork was created by acclaimed artist and longtime band collaborator Travis Smith (OPETH, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, NEVERMORE).”

ROSE FUNERAL: “Beyond The Entombed, a brand new song from Cincinnati, Ohio’s ROSE FUNERAL, has been released for streaming. The track comes off the band’s new album, “Gates Of Punishment”, which will be released on September 27 via Metal Blade Records.”

SINGLE BULLET THEORY: “Philadelphia’s SINGLE BULLET THEORY will release its new album,“IV”, on September 27 via Goomba Music. The CD contains nine fresh tracks featuring new members John Ruszin III (guitar) and Jeff Kalber(bass).”

SKELETONWITCH: “SKELETONWITCH have announced October 11th, 2011 as the release date for their new album, Forever Abomination.  The band recorded the album in Los Angeles with producer Matt Hyde (Slayer, Hatebreed).”

SUBSIGNAL: “SUBSIGNAL, the new German band featuring former SIEGES EVEN members Arno Menses (vocals) and Markus Steffen (guitar), will release its second album, “Touchstones”, on September 30 via ZYX Music.”

SUFFOKATE: “Oakland, California death metallers SUFFOKATE have set “Return To Despair” as the title of their new album, due later in the year via Mediaskare Records. The CD was recorded at Undercity Studios in North Hollywood, California.”

SVARTSOT: “Danish folk metallers SVARTSOT will release their third album, “Maledictus Eris”, via Napalm Records on the following dates: July 27 – Spain, Finland, Sweden; July 29 – Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy; August 1 – Rest Of Europe. According to the band, “Maledictus Eris” “recounts the tale of the Black Death’s incursion into Danish history from 1349 to 1350.”

VOYAGER: “Western Australia’s masters of progressive metal experimentation VOYAGER have signed with the New Jersey-based prog metal pros at Sensory Records for the release of the band’s upcoming fourth full-length album, “The Meaning Of I”. The official street date for the incredibly layered “The Meaning Of I” is set for October 11, 2011.”

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM: “After devoting late Winter season to writing and recording, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM have completed their fourth full-length opus of epic, earthen Black Metal ceremony. . . . The WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM clan have confirmed the title of this forthcoming astral black metal document as Celestial Lineage. Like both previous albums, it will be released via Southern Lord Recordings, with a street date of September 13, 2011 now confirmed.”

June is behind us, July lies ahead. Here in the U.S., we’re about to start the long weekend leading up to Independence Day, when Americans celebrate the birth of the nation by buying explosive ordinance wherever fine explosive ordinance is sold and lighting up the night sky (in addition to blowing the shit out of objects and sometimes themselves). People will also be exposing unsightly parts of their bodies wherever sun can be found and eating large quantities of health food prepared on outdoor grills. Our Founding Fathers would be proud of what they wrought!

Because the last month has ended, that means it’s time for another installment of METAL IN THE FORGE, in which we collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — this isn’t a cumulative list. If we found out about a new album during May or preceding months, we wrote about them in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier. This month’s list begins right after the jump. Look for your favorite bands, or get intrigued about some new ones. And feel free to tell us about how we fucked up by omitting releases that we overlooked.

ABORTED: “Death metal psychopaths ABORTED have entered Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen (INVOCATOR,HATESPHERE, VOLBEAT) to begin recording their seventh full-length album, “Global Flatline”, for a late 2011 release via Century Media Records. 15 tracks of “the most brutal and intense material the band has written to date” are laid down for the effort, with 12 tracks set to appear on the regular CD and the rest to be used as bonus material.”

ABORYM: “Legendary Italian industrial/post-black metallers ABORYM have inked a worldwide deal with Agonia Records. The band’s sixth album will be released in 2012 and it will coincide with the group’s 20th anniversary.”

ADRENALINE MOB: “ADRENALINE MOB, the new band featuring former DREAM THEATER/AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer Mike Portnoy, SYMPHONY X frontman Russell Allen, guitar virtuoso Mike Orlando (SONIC STOMP), bassist Paul DiLeo and STUCK MOJO/FOZZY axeman Rich Ward, has posted audio samples from its upcoming debut album on the group’s Facebook page (you must “like” the page in order to hear the samples).”

ALL SHALL PERISH: “Oakland, California extreme metallers ALL SHALL PERISH will release their fourth full-length album, “This Is Where It Ends”, on July 26 (North America) and July 29 (Europe) via Nuclear Blast Records. A pre-order package containing the new CD, an official ALL SHALL PERISH “party tech” 34 oz. mug and shot glass, a new ALL SHALL PERISH shirt, and five ALL SHALL PERISH condoms is now available for “only $32 dollars.” A press release states, “For the price of two CD’s you can get drunk, have safe sex, and still support an incredible band. What are you waiting for? ”

AMON: “Former DEICIDE members Eric Hoffmann (guitar) and Brian Hoffman (guitar) recently resurrected their pre-DEICIDE band AMON with Jesse “Jecheal” Jolly (PROMETHEAN HORDE, DIABOLIC, SUCCESS WILL WRITE APOCALYPSE ACROSS THE SKY, AFTER DEATH) on vocals/bass and and Mike Petrak (LEPROSY, SUCCESS WILL WRITE APOCALYPSE ACROSS THE SKY) on drums. The Florida-based quartet entered RedRoom Recorders in Tampa on December 10, 2010 with producer Mark Prator to record its new album, entitled “Liar In Wait”.”

ANIMALS AS LEADERS: “ANIMALS AS LEADERS is currently recording its second CD with drummer Navene Koperweis handling production duties. A fall release is expected.”

BLUT AUS NORD: “”777 – The Desanctification”, the eagerly awaited second part of BLUT AUS NORD’s “777″ trilogy, is currently being recorded and will be released via Debemur Morti Productions this coming September.”

CADAVERIA: “CADAVERIA, the Italian band featuring former OPERA IX vocalistCadaveria and ex-OPERA IX drummer/NECRODEATH vocalist Marçelo Santos (a.k.a. Flegias), has issued the following update: “Well, we can say the new album is almost done! We are finishing the mix and refining the last tracks and, during the next week, we will begin working on the mastering. It is now early to talk about an official release date for CADAVERIA fourth full-length. However, we can assume it could be in stores before the end of this year.”

CHIMAIRA: “A 43-second video teaser for “The Age Of Hell”, the new album from Cleveland, Ohio metallers CHIMAIRA, can be seen here. The CD is due in August in North America, South America and Japan via eOne Music.”

CIPHER SYSTEM: “Nuclear Blast Records has announced the signing of the Swedish futuristic and extreme metal act CIPHER SYSTEM. 15 years after the birth of the band, CIPHER SYSTEM returns with what has to be described as a masterpiece in a genre where innovation has become sparse, putting their murderous machinations on public display, forged with fearsome skill and precision: “Communicate The Storm”. Packed in the rapturous art of a true genius of darkened visuals, Seth Siro Anton (SOILWORK, PARADISE LOST, SEPTICFLESH), and with a mix once again stemming from the hallowed grounds of Studio Fredman, this colossus of an album is sure to send tremors throughout the scene when it hits the street on September 9.”

DECAPITATED: “Polish technical death metal band DECAPITATED will release their fifth studio album, “Carnival Is Forever”, in North America on July 12 viaNuclear Blast Records.”

DENIAL FIEND: “Horror metal supergroup DENIAL FIEND will release its second full-length album, “Horror Holocaust”, on August 2 via Ibex Moon Records. Recorded at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida, the long-awaited follow-up to 2007′s “They Rise” is the band’s first CD to feature DENIAL FIEND‘s current lineup of drummer Rob Rampy (D.R.I.), vocalist Blaine Cook (THE ACCUSED), bassist Terry Butler (DEATH, SIX FEET UNDER, MASSACRE) and guitarist Sam Williams (DOWN BY LAW).”

DESCENDING: “After a long period of intensive work in Greece and Sweden along with producer Fredrik Nordström (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, ARCH ENEMY) at Fredman studios, Athens, Greece-based death/thrash metal band DESCENDING has completed work the follow-up to its debut album,“Enter Annihilation”, which was released in European and Japanese markets in 2008-2009. The new CD, “New Death Celebrity”, will be made available on September 23 via Massacre Records. A single, “How Much This Life Weights?”, is now available for free download at this location.”

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA: “Dayton, Ohio Christian metalcore band THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA has set “Dead Throne” as the title of its new album, due in the U.S. on September 13 via Ferret Music and one day earlier internationally through Roadrunner Records.”

DIR EN GREY: “Japanese rockers DIR EN GREY will release their eighth studio album,“Dum Spiro Spero”, two years and ten months after “Uroboros”, which garnered overwhelming support as the strongest and the maddest record resonating across the globe.”

DOMINANZ: “DOMINANZ, the atmospheric metal band from Norway, will release its new album, “As I Shine”, in Europe on August 19 via Industrial Silence Production and Rock N Growl Distro/Cargo Records. The CD was recorded and mixed at Conclave Studio by Bjørnar E. Nilsen and Roy N. Mathisen and mastered at Earshot Studio by Herbrand Larsen.”

DOWN: “DOWN guitarist Kirk Windstein has confirmed to Radio Metal that the band is planning to release four separate EPs over the course of the next couple of years. “We’re going to do four EPs, and they’ll all be different,” he said. “We have many elements to our sound, so each one will have its own characteristics. Like, for example, this one we’re writing right now and are about to start recording will be really hard, with heavy DOWNstuff. Then we’ll have a mellow one, then a doom one — you know, slower and doomy stuff. A little bit of everything.”

DYING FETUS: “Maryland-based extreme metallers DYING FETUS will enter the studio in November to begin recording their new album for an early 2012 release.”

EAST OF THE WALL: “Technical metal subversives EAST OF THE WALL have completed the recording process for their upcoming third full-length, The Apologist, the highly anticipated opus set for release this October on Translation Loss Records for the CD and digital release, and on Antithetic for the vinyl release. The album’s official release date, track listing and more will be announced within the next few weeks.”

GENERATION KILL: “GENERATION KILL, the crossover metal outfit featuring EXODUS frontman Rob Dukes, has set “Red White And Blood” as the title of its debut album, due on September 16 in Europe and September 27 in North America via Season Of Mist. A digital single containing the CD’s title track and a cover of the NINE INCH NAILS classic “Wish” will precede the full-length effort on July 4.”

GHOST BRIGADE: “Finnish metallers GHOST BRIGADE will release their third album, “Until Fear No Longer Defines Us”, on August 19 in Europe and August 23 in North America via Season Of Mist.”

GOJIRA: “The GOJIRA EP (Sea Shepherd) is tentatively scheduled for release in September, with a new full new album to follow later. Regarding what the new GOJIRA material sounds like, Duplantier said, “It’s GOJIRA but wiser and heavier.”

GORGORTH: “”Under The Sign Of Hell 2011″, the re-recording of GORGOROTH’s third album, will be released by Regain Records and has had it release date pushed back to August 29 from the previously announced June 20 due to “manufacturing problems.” On the LP, Pest and Infernus repeat their roles as vocalist and guitarist/bassist, respectively, from the original 1996 recording, while Tomas Asklund handles the drums.”

HACKNEYED: “German death metal lunatics HACKNEYED will release their third album, “Carnival Cadavre”, on August 22 in Europe and August 30 in North America via Lifeforce Records.”

HATESPHERE: “Danish thrashers HATESPHERE have entered Antfarm Studio in Aarhus, Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (SICK OF IT ALL, THE HAUNTED, GOREFEST, MOONSPELL) to begin recording their new album for a September release via Napalm Records.”

INSOMNIUM: “Finnish melodic death metallers INSOMNIUM have set “One For Sorrow” as the title of their new album, due in October via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded in Gothenburg, Sweden with sound engineer Daniel Antonsson (also bassist in DARK TRANQUILLITY and guitarist in DIMENSION ZERO) and at Fantom studios in Tempere, Finland, where the album is also currently being mixed by Samu Oittisen.”

LANDMINE MARATHON: “LANDMINE MARATHON are recording the follow-up to 2010′s “Sovereign Descent”. Once again, the band’s as-yet-untitled fourth CD is being tracked at guitarist Ryan Butler‘s Arcane Digital Recording Studios, where he’s recorded past efforts from the band, as well as those by MISERY INDEX, PHOBIA, THE FUNERAL PYRE and many more. LANDMINE MARATHON is about to enter the mixing stage and is aiming for a late fall release.”

LEVIATHAN: From the Profound Lore label — “We will be releasing the next full-length from the cursed U.S. black metal enigma LEVIATHAN in the late stages of the fall (if all goes accordingly to schedule). Recently the notorious Wrest has tracked the new album with Sanford Parker at Engine Studios in Chicago and will be laying down the final touches to this hateful, wretched piece of tormenting dismal black metal art soon enough. Beware…”

MACHINE HEAD: “San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD have set “Unto The Locust” as the title of their new album, due in late September via longtime label Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at JingleTown Studios in Oakland, with frontman Robb Flynn producing, and it is sure to level anything and everything that happens upon its path.”

METALLICA: “Producer Rick Rubin, who is also co-chairman of Columbia Records, tells Billboard.com in a new interview that METALLICA is “about to start writing” material for the follow-up to 2008′s “Death Magnetic” album, Rubin‘s first collaboration with the group. “I had a meeting with [METALLICA drummer] Lars [Ulrich] in San Francisco… to explore what the focus was going to be this time around,” Rick says.”

NIGHTRAGE: “Multi-national thrashers NIGHTRAGE have set “Insidious” as the title of their fifth album, due on September 27 (one day earlier internationally) via Lifeforce Records. The CD features guest appearances by Gus G. (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIREWIND), Tomas S. Englund (EVERGREY), Apollo Papathanasio (FIREWIND, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS), John K (BIOMECHANICAL) and the band’s former frontman Tomas Lindberg (also known for his work with AT THE GATES, THE CROWN and LOCK UP).”

PUSCIFER: “PUSCIFER, the project ringleader Maynard James Keenan describes as “‘Twin Peaks’ in the desert,” will release “Conditions Of My Parole” on October 18 via Puscifer Entertainment. “Man Overboard”, the first single from the album, will be available via iTunes and other digital service providers on July 19.”

RINGWORM: “Cleveland, Ohio hardcore heavyweights RINGWORM will release their fifth album, “Scars”, on July 19 via Victory Records. Twenty years after its 1991 birth, RINGWORM “rise above with the brutal new release to remind fans why they are the pioneering visionaries of the hardcore genre known as ‘crossover,’” according to a press release. ”

SKELETONWITCH: “Athens, Ohio’s SKELETONWITCH has set “Forever Abomination” as the title of its new record, due in the fall via Prosthetic Records. The follow-up to 2009′s “Breathing The Fire” is being recorded at a Los Angeles studio with producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, MACHINE HEAD, KREATOR).”

SOULDRAINER: “Swedish death metallers SOULDRAINER have inked a deal with ViciSolum Productions. The band’s second full-length album will be released in the fall. . . . SOULDRAINER previously decribed the new material as “beautiful, evil, slightly more aggressive and heavier” than that on “Reborn” (2007). The band added, “Prepare for an epic death/doom album so heavy it will blow your face off.’”

SPAWN OF POSSESSION: “Drummer Henrik “Morris” Schönström of Swedish technical death metallers SPAWN OF POSSESSION has entered Pama Studios in Kristianopel, Sweden with engineer Magnus “Mankan” Sedenberg to begin recording the band’s new album for a fall release via Relapse Records. The CD will contain nine tracks plus an instrumental intro.”

SPINEFARM ALLSTARS: “Finnish record label Spinefarm Records will celebrate its 20th anniversary by organizing a “summer camp” in July where members of various bands signed to the company — including those from SHINING, MOONSORROW, SWALLOW THE SUN, FINNTROLL, MEDEA and ENSIFERUM — will collaborate with each other in creating and recording new songs. The resulting album, tentatively titled “Spinefarm Allstars”, will be released before the end of the year.”

TESTAMENT: “San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT have just entered the studio with British producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, MACHINE HEAD) to begin recording their new album for a late 2011 release.”

YOB: “Doom metallers YOB will release their sixth album, “Atma”, on August 16 via Profound Lore Records. The follow-up to 2009′s “The Great Cessation” is described in a press release as “dirtier and sludgier than ever before.” The CD features guest appearances by NEUROSIS’ Scott Kelly on the tracks “Before We Dreamed Of Two Mastered” and “Adrift In The Ocean”.”

Damn, I’m finally able to go outside without shivering and being beaten about the head and shoulders with high winds and rain blowing sideways. That must mean it’s June in Seattle!  And so it is. A largely dismal May is behind us, the Seattle Mariners are astonishingly only a game and a half out of first place in their division (that’s baseball for you outlanders), and the summer lies ahead.

What else lies ahead? A bunch of new metal, of course. And because it’s the beginning of a new month, we’re bringing you another installment of METAL IN THE FORGE, in which we collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — this isn’t a cumulative list. If we found out about a new album during April or preceding months, we wrote about them in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier. This month’s list begins right after the jump. Look for your favorite bands, or get intrigued about some new ones.

THE ACACIA STRAIN: “Massachusetts metallers THE ACACIA STRAIN will release their first live album on June 21 via Prosthetic Records. The Most Known Unknown is a double-disc set, limited to 5,000 copies, and coming out just in time for the band’s first appearance on the long-running Vans Warped Tour. The music on the album comes from two separate shows — a sold-out concert at the Worcester Palladium in December 2008 and a gig at the much smaller and more intimate Waterfront on the band’s home turf of Holyoke, Massachusetts — which were documented on 2009′s The Most Known Unknown DVD.”

ALL SHALL PERISH: “Audio samples of all the tracks that appear on This Is Where It Ends, the fourth full-length album from ALL SHALL PERISH, can be streamed in a YouTube clip. The CD will be released on July 26 (North America) and July 29 (Europe) via Nuclear Blast Records.”

ALMAH: “Brazilian progressive power metal band ALMAH — the side project of ANGRA members Edu Falaschi (vocals) and Felipe Andreoli (bass) — will enter Norcal Studio in São Paulo, Brazil today (Monday, May 2) to begin recording its third album for a September release. 10 songs are being tracked for the effort, which was composed by the entire band and is described in a press release as ‘really heavy and up-to-date with less influences of typical melodic metal.’”

BARREN EARTH: “Finland’s progressive death/doom maestros BARREN EARTH have entered Helsinki’s Sonic Pump Studios to record the follow-up to last year’s highly acclaimed debut album, Curse Of The Red River. The band has written 12 new songs, and is currently laying them down with engineer/co-producer Jukka Varmo. Dan Swanö (KATATONIA, OPETH) will once again be at the mixing helm. The album is due for release in autumn 2011 on Peaceville Records, and the artwork will be made by Paul Romano (MASTODON).”

BATHORY: “Black Mark has set a July 18 U.K. release date for a limited-edition BATHORY vinyl box set. The collection, which is being released in honor of the band’s late mastermind Quorthon, contains the following:  Three double gatefold LPs ; 48-page booklet; BATHORY “Goat” poster (70x100cm); Picture-disc recreation of the original BATHORY “yellow goat” 1984 pressing of the band’s debut album.”

BURY YOUR DEAD: “Slaughterhouse Five, a brand new song from BURY YOUR DEAD, can be streamed at YouTube. The track comes off the band’s new album, Mosh & Roll, which is scheduled for release on August 2 via Mediaskare Records.”

DECAPITATED: “Polish technical death metal band DECAPITATED have set Carnival Is Forever as the title of their fifth studio album, due later in the year via Nuclear Blast Records.”

ENTHRONED: “Belgian black metallers ENTHRONED have inked a new deal with Regain Records. The band is currently writing material for its new album for a late 2011 release. Commented the group: ‘We’ve been working on the successor to ‘Pentagrammaton’ for the last months and even if there’s still some parts of the book to be written, the overall idea looks very promising.’”

EVILE: “British thrashers EVILE will release their third album, Five Serpents’ Teeth, on August 29 via Earache Records. The CD was recorded at Parlour Studios in Kettering, U.K., with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR), who also worked on the band’s previous CD, 2009′s Infected Nations.”

GLORIOR BELLI: “Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of France’s GLORIOR BELLI. The band’s new album, The Great Southern Darkness, will be released in the fall.”

GORGOROTH: “Under The Sign Of Hell 2011, the re-recording of GORGOROTH‘s third album, will be released by Regain Records on June 20. On the LP, Pest and Infernus repeat their roles as vocalist and guitarist/bassist, respectively, from the original 1996 recording, while Tomas Asklund handles the drums. As for the still-untitled next GORGOROTH album consisting of new material, the band states that ’66,6 % of the material has now been written, and work on the album is continuing at a steady pace. If all goes according to plan, the album will be recorded later this year.’”

GRIEF OF EMERALD: “Swedish death/black metal band GRIEF OF EMERALD will release its fourth album, The Devils Deep, on June 3 through Non Serviam Records. The first CD to feature the group’s current lineup sees GRIEF OF EMERALD ‘increase[ing] the power by adding some new intricate songs, boosting harmonies with haunting keyboards, tight double-bass drumming, backed by a massive guitar sound and haunting vocals, plus superb packaging,” according to a press release.’”

ICS VORTEX: “Norway’s ICS VORTEX, the project led by the former DIMMU BORGIR and current BORKNAGAR member, has signed a worldwide deal with Century Media Records for the release of its debut album, Storm Seeker. Due on August 22 in Europe and August 23 in North America, the CD ‘takes the musical elements from [ICS Vortex's] 10-plus years of experience withDIMMU BORGIR as well as the legacy of the classic bands with whom he is still active (BORKNAGAR, ARCTURUS and LAMENTED SOULS), topping things off with his signature clean vocals in order to make Storm Seeker become a perfectly balanced axe, whether a song is cutting fast, or dicing slow.’”

ISIS: “ISIS, who disbanded in May of last year, is set to release a series of five live albums that span the Los Angeles-by-way-of-Boston band’s thirteen year career.  The digital releases begin with Live I 9.23.03, a four-song, forty-minute recording from a performance at The Fillmore in San Francisco, which will be available on May 31. Each subsequent recording will be released at two week intervals.”

THE KONSORTIUM: “”Lik Ulven”, a brand new song from Norway’s THE KONSORTIUM, is available for streaming. The track comes off the band’s self-titled debut album, which is scheduled for release on June 24 via Agonia Records. The effort will be available as a limited heavy vinyl, digipack CD and a limited fan metal pack CD. The Konsortium was recorded over a one-year period at SOS Studio in Stavanger and Crystal Canyon Studio in Oslo and it features Teloch from MAYHEM and NIDINGR on guitar, and guest vocals by Erlend Hjelvik from KVELERTAK.”

LOCK UP: “Extreme metal supergroup LOCK UP will release its new album, Necropolis Transparent, on July 1 in Europe and July 12 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. Necropolis Transparent will feature guest appearances by HYPOCRISY/PAIN mainman (and one-time LOCK UP vocalist) Peter Tägtgren along with Jeff Walker (CARCASS, BRUJERIA).”

MALEFICE: “U.K. modern metallers MALEFICE will release their third full-length album, Awaken The Tides, in the U.K. on July 18, in the rest of Europe on July 15, and in North America on August 2 via Metal Blade Records. The 10-song effort was recorded at The Face studios in Reading with drums laid down at Fortress Studios in London. All tracks were mixed and mastered by Justin Hill.”

MEGADETH: “MEGADETH has tapped Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis; DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD, STAIND) to produce the band’s new album, tentatively due this fall via Roadrunner Records. The drum tracking for the CD began earlier this month, with the entire recording process expected to be completed by the time the group hits the road this summer as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival with DISTURBED and GODSMACK.”

MORS SUBITA: “Finnish metal quintet MORS SUBITA will release its debut album, Human Waste Compression, this summer via an as-yet-undetermined record label. According to a press release, the CD will contain ’11 tracks of aggressive, melodic and groovy metal.’”

NAPALM DEATH: “Grindcore progenitors NAPALM DEATH have entered Parlour Studio in Kettering, U.K. with longtime producer Russ Russell to begin recording their 14th album for a tentative October release via Century Media Records.”

OPETH: “Swedish progressive metallers OPETH have set Heritage as the title of their tenth album, due in September via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded earlier this year at Atlantis studios (formerly Metronome studios) in Stockholm. Mixing duties were handled by OPETH vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt and Steven Wilson (PORCUPINE TREE). The new material has been described by the band as ‘good.’”

PATHOLOGY: “San Diego’s PATHOLOGY will enter Lambesis Studios in the band’s hometown this summer with producer Daniel Castleman (IMPENDING DOOM, AS I LAY DYING, WINDS OF PLAGUE) to begin recording its new album for a fall release.”

SOULDRAINER: “Swedish death metallers SOULDRAINER have inked a deal withViciSolum Productions. The band’s second full-length album will be released in the fall.”

SUICIDE SILENCE: “California deathcore masters SUICIDE SILENCE will release their new album, The Black Crown, on July 12 via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded with heavyweight producer Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, EVERY TIME I DIE, HATEBREED) and features the following songtitles, among others: “Human Violence”, “Cancerous Skies” and “Fuck Everything”.”

TEXTURES: “Dutch progressive metallers TEXTURES recently entered Split Second Sound studios in Amsterdam to begin recording their fourth album for a fall release via Nuclear Blast Records. The as-yet-untitled CD is being produced by TEXTURES guitar player Jochem Jacobs, who helmed all of the band’s previous albums.”

UNEARTH: “Massachusetts metallers UNEARTH will release their new album,Darkness In The Light, in Europe on July 4 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Zing Studios in Westfield, Massachusetts with producer (and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist) Adam Dutkiewicz. Sitting in on drums during the sessions was Justin Foley of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE/BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED.”

VEIL OF MAYA: “Prior to their appearance at this year’s edition of The Bamboozle festival, which was held April 29 – May 1 at the New Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Chicago’s VEIL OF MAYA was busy in the nation’s capital demoing new material with their great friend and Sumerian labelmate Misha Mansoor (PERIPHERY) for their as-yet-untitled new record that will be dropping in the fall.”

WARBRINGER: “Los Angeles thrashers WARBRINGER entered the studio on April 18 with producer Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SYMPHONY X, SEPULTURA, HATEBREED) to begin recording their third album for a late 2011 release via Century Media Records.”

YOUR CHANCE TO DIE: “Red Cord Records has announced the signing of the South Carolina-based female-fronted melodic death metal band YOUR CHANCE TO DIE. The group’s second album, Suscitatio Somnus, will be released on August 16. The CD was recorded with renowned producer Jamie King (THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD, THE HUMAN ABSTRACT, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME).”

What the hell is that big yellow thing up in the sky? It looks vaguely familiar, but it’s appeared so rarely here in The Emerald City over the last six months that we’re having trouble placing the name. Well, maybe the name will come to us. The great wheel of the seasons surely must continue to turn someplace, but in Seattle it seems to have been stuck on Winter since, like, forever. In some parts of the world, April showers bring May flowers, but here, April showers will probably bring . . . May showers.

Okay, enough whining. At least we don’t get tornados dropping from the sky like atom bombs and wiping whole towns off the map. And even though the weather hasn’t been our friend, we have metal to make up for the cold shoulder — and there’s a bunch of new metal headed our way.

What we do with these installments of METAL IN THE FORGE is collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know them yet. And in this post, we cut and paste the announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

This isn’t a cumulative list, so be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported in previous installments. This month’s list begins right after the jump. Look for your favorite bands, or get intrigued about some new ones.

AMORPHIS: “‘You I Need‘, the new single from Finnish metallers AMORPHIS, is available for streaming at this location. The song, which will be released digitally in Finland on April 20 and in other countries on April 22, comes off the band’s new album, The Beginning Of Times, due on May 27 via Nuclear Blast Records.”

AUGUST BURNS RED: “Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based Christian metalcore quintet AUGUST BURNS RED has set Leveler as the title of its fourth album, due on June 21 via the band’s longtime label Solid State Records. For Leveler, AUGUST BURNS RED re-teamed with super producer Jason Suecof, the man behind the board on the band’s previous CD, 2009′s Constellations. The result is an album that pushes the band’s sonic boundaries in every direction, and yet is unquestionably heavier than its predecessor.”

BEHEMOTH: “The masters of Polish blackened death metal BEHEMOTH have set Abyssus Abyssum Invocat as the title to the band’s expanded repackaging of their early 2000′s EPs “Conjuration” and “Slaves Shall Serve”. Set for release in the U.S. on June 7 via Metal Blade Records,Abyssus Abyssum Invocat features both EPs remastered and includes bonus tracks, new artwork, and new liner notes from BEHEMOTH frontman Adam “Nergal” Darski.”

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER: “Michigan’s unstoppable sons of molten melodic death metal THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER will release their new album, Ritual, in Europe on June 17 and in North America on June 21 via Metal Blade Records. The effort will also be available as a box set, limited to 2,000 units including special, exclusive digibook, witch board, magic wand, sage, incense sticks and coffin nails. The CD was once again be produced by Mark Lewis (TRIVIUM, BURY YOUR DEAD, DEICIDE), who also worked on 2009′s Deflorate.

BLOOD MORTIZED: “BLOOD MORTIZED — the Swedish death metal band featuring former AMON AMARTH guitarist Anders “Hansson” Biazzi (who played on AMON AMARTH’s first two albums, 1996′s “Sorrow Throughout The Nine Worlds” and 1998′s “Once Sent From The Golden Hall”) and CRYPT OF KERBEROS drummer Mattias Borgh — has inked a deal with Chaos Records for the release of the group’s Bestial EP. The effort was recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by drummer Mattias Borgh at Underworld Recording in Sweden. The four-song EP features artwork by Thomas Kynst and Daniel Devilish and is slated for a June/July 2011 release on both CD and vinyl format.”

BOOK OF BLACK EARTH: “Seattle, WA blackened death metal outfit Book Of Black Earth, will release their new album, The Cold Testament, on May 24th via Prosthetic Records. The album was tracked with Chris Common (Pelican, The Sword) at the Red Room Studio in Seattle and mixed and mastered by Dan Swano (Bloodbath, Nasum, Opeth) at Unisound in Sweden.”

BRUTAL TRUTH: “BRUTAL TRUTH (Kevin Sharp: vocals, Dan Lilker: bass, Richard Hoak: drums, Erik Burke: guitar) has completed work on their brand new full-length album titled End Time. BRUTAL TRUTH recorded End Time with Doug White at Watchmen Studios in Lockport, NY. The self-produced album was mixed by Jason P.C. at Goatsound Studios and is currently being mastered by Scott Hull at Visceral Sound. . . . End Time is expected to see a late summer 2011 release date with additional album information will be made available shortly.”

CHROME DIVISION: “CHROME DIVISION, the Norwegian five-piece featuring DIMMU BORGIR frontman Shagrath (a.k.a. Stian Thoresen) on guitar, will release its third album, 3rd Round Knockout, in Europe on May 6 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Marius Strand Studio in Oslo.”

DAWN OF DISEASE: “German death metallers DAWN OF DISEASE will release their debut album, Legends Of Brutality, on April 29 via Noise Art Records. The CD was recorded at Soundlodge Studio (GOD DETHRONED, DEW-SCENTED, SINISTER) with producer Jörg Uken.”

DEGRADEAD: “Stockholm, Sweden-based melodic death metallers DEGRADEAD will release their third album, A World Destroyer, in North America on June 28 via Metalville Records. The CD was recorded at Peter Tägtgren‘s (HYPOCRISY, PAIN) Abyss studios in Pärlby, outside Ludvika, Sweden, with producer Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMMETRY, CENTINEX, WORLD BELOW).”

DERANGED: “‘Depraved And Zombified‘, a brand new song from Swedish death metal masters DERANGED, is available for streaming in a YouTube clip . . . The song comes off the band’s eighth full-length album, Cut, Carve, Rip, Serve, which is scheduled for release in May via Sevared Records. The CD was recorded at Berno Studio in Malmö, Sweden.”

DESCENDING: “After a long period of intensive work in Greece and Sweden along with producer Fredrik Nordström (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, ARCH ENEMY) at Fredman studios, Athens, Greece-based death/thrash metal band DESCENDING has completed work the follow-up to its debut album, Enter Annihilation, which was released in European and Japanese markets in 2008-2009. The as-yet-untitled new CD will be made available on September 23 via Massacre Records. A brand new digital single will be posted online on June 1.”

THE DEVASTATED: “THE DEVASTATED, the Southern California-based band featuring former members of IMPENDING DOOM and OBLIGE, has inked a deal with Century Media Records. The band is currently in the studio with young producer Chris Eck recording its debut album for a summer release. The CD will be mixed later this month with Daniel Castleman at Lambesis Studios in San Diego, California.”

EARTH CRISIS: “Reunited hardcore legends EARTH CRISIS have set Neutralize The Threat as the title of their seventh album, due on July 12 via Century Media Records. The CD was produced by Chris “Zeuss” Harris (SHADOWS FALL, HATEBREED). ”

EXELOUME: “Norwegian death/thrashers EXELOUME have inked a deal with the Swedish label ViciSolum Productions as their first non-Swedish band. The group’s debut album, Fairytale Of Perversion, will be released on Friday, May 13. Produced by Rune Stavnesli (KEEP OF KALESSIN,BLOODTHORN) and mixed/mastered by Dan Swanö, the CD does features guest appearances from Andy La Rocque (KING DIAMOND) and Dan Swanö (ex-EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH, NIGHTINGALE). The artwork was created by Ed Repka (DEATH, ATHEIST, MEGADETH).”

ELITIST: “Portland, Oregon-based grind/death metal act ELITIST will release its debut album, Fear In A Handful Of Dust, on June 21 (one day earlier internationally) via Season Of Mist’s Underground Activists division. The CD is described in a press release as a ‘wild piece of old-school death metal mixed with sludgecore influences.’”

FALCONER: “Swedish metallers FALCONER will release their seventh album, Armod, in Europe on June 3 via Metal Blade Records. The CD features 11 songs completely sung in Swedish and four bonus tracks that are said to be English versions of the bandmembers’ favorite new songs. Armod was once again recorded at KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque‘s Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden.”

FATHER BEFOULED: “American death metal act FATHER BEFOULED has inked a deal with Dark Descent Records for the release of the group’s third album, Revulsion Of Seraphic Grace, on CD and LP formats. The effort will be recorded in August 2011 and is tentatively due before the end of the year. A new split seven-inch single with Chile’s DEMONIC RAGE will be made available in May, featuring the FATHER BEFOULED song“Abolition of the Seraphic Vestige”.”

GALLHAMMER: “GALLHAMMER — the Japanese extreme metal group that draws on black metal, doom metal, and crust punk — will release its third studio album, The End, on May 31 via Peaceville Records. A mini-site for the CD containing an album teaser, desktop background, free song download, and more can be accessed at this location.”

GHOST BRIGADE: “Finnish metallers GHOST BRIGADE have completed work on their third album, Until Fear No Longer Defines Us, for a late summer release via Season Of Mist.”

GOATWHORE: “New Orleans extreme metallers GOATWHORE will enter the studio in late July to begin recording their new album for a late 2011 release.”

HATE ETERNAL: “The first in a six-part series of clips featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Phoenix Amongst The Ashes, the new album from Florida-based extreme metal veterans HATE ETERNAL, can be viewed below. Due on May 10 via Metal Blade Records, the CD was recorded at HATE ETERNAL mainman Erik Rutan’s Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida and was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (SEPULTURA, SUFFOCATION, UNEARTH) in New Windsor, New York.”

KRISIUN: “KRISIUN will enter Stage One Studios in Bühne, Germany in May to begin recording its eighth full-length album for a fall release via Century Media Records. The CD will once again be produced by Andy Classen, who previously worked with the band on the Conquerors Of Armageddon (1999), AssasiNation (2005) and Southern Storm (2008) releases.”

MACHINE HEAD: “San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD will enter GREEN DAY‘s Jingletown Studios in Oakland, California this Saturday, April 16 to begin recording their as-yet-untitled seventh album for a late summer release via Roadrunner Records.”

MALIGNO: “Mexican doom rockers MALIGNO will release their third album, The Funeral Domine, in May. The CD was recorded by MALIGNO at La Nave studios in Monterrey, Mexico and was mixed at 7hertz Studios in Los Angeles, California with American producer/engineer Billy Anderson (MELVINS, NEUROSIS, CATHEDRAL, SLEEP). The effort was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (CONVERGE,HATEBREED, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) in New Windsor, New York. The Funeral Domine features collaborations with the acclaimed Mexican guitar duo RODRIGO Y GABRIELA and TESTAMENT guitar legend Alex Skolnick.”

CHRISTIAN MUENZNER: “Guitarist Christian Muenzner (OBSCURA) has revealed the cover artwork and track listing for his upcoming, all-instrumental solo album, Timewarp. The CD features Hannes Grossmann (OBSCURA, BLOTTED SCIENCE) on drums and Daniel Galmarini (MERCURYFALLING) on keyboards, with bass duties split between Steve DiGiorgio (DEATH, SADUS, ex-TESTAMENT, ex-ICED EARTH) and Jacob Schmidt (DEFEATED SANITY). Due by the end of April, it features guest appearances by Shrapnel recording artists Derek Taylor, Per Nilsson (SCAR SYMMETRY, KAIPA), Ryan Knight (THE BLACK DAHLIAMURDER, ex-ARSIS), Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND) and Alex Guth (STORMWARRIOR).”

HIDEOUS DIVINITY: “Italian death metallers HIDEUOS DIVINITY have inked a multi-album deal with Unique Leader Records. The band’s debut album, Obeisance Rising, will be released in June. The CD was recorded at the renowned 16th Cellar Studios by mastermind Stefano “Saul” Morabito, the man who has turned the knobs on Italy’s most acclaimed extreme productions. The lyrical concept is based on John Carpenter‘s immortal masterstroke “They Live”.

INFESTUS: “German black metal heathens INFESTUS will release their new album,“E x | I s t”, on May 19 in North America (one day earlier internationally) via Debemur Morti Productions.”

MY DYING BRIDE: “2010 marked the 20th anniversary of U.K. doom metal legends MY DYING BRIDE. To commemorate two decades of doom and gloom from the elite British act, the band embarked upon a special project to re-work familiar melodies and themes from its extensive catalogue into long, flowing symphonic compositions, incorporating new vocals and passages from vocalist, Aaron Stainthorpe. These arrangements have been brought to life in co-operation with keyboard maestro Johnny Maudling (of BAL-SAGOTH fame), as well as a clutch of talented classical musicians, and shared vocals courtesy of professional opera singer Lucie Roche. The collection — titled “Evinta” — will be released on May 31 via Peaceville Records as a two-disc set and deluxe three-disc edition with 64-page book inspired by MY DYING BRIDE’s illustrious recordings of the past two decades.”

NECROPHAGIA: “Legendary gore metal pioneers NECROPHAGIA will release their new album, Deathtrip 69, on May 17 (one day earlier internationally) via Season Of Mist. The band’s fifth official full-length CD, which features guest appearances by Maniac (SKITLIV, ex-MAYHEM) and Casey Chaos (AMEN), was recorded at Last House On The Left Studios in Ohiowith vocalist Killjoy and guitarist Boris Randall handling production duties. The cover concept and title track are based on the “Manson family” ordeal of the late 1960s.”

NOCTEM: “Spanish black/death metallers NOCTEM will release their sophomore album, Oblivion, on June 13 via Rising Records. A “signed limited tour edition” of the CD will be made available in Spain on May 24.”

ORIGIN: “American technical death metal innovators ORIGIN will release their new album, Entity, on June 7 in North America and June 10 in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records.”

POISONBLACK: “POISONBLACK — the Finnish band featuring former SENTENCED frontman Ville Laihiala — will release its fifth album, now titled Drive (working title was “Lead & Roll Vol. 5″), in Scandinavia on April 27 via Hype Records. The CD was recorded at Antfarm Studio in Århus, Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, MOONSPELL, DARK TRANQUILLITY, GOREFEST).”

QUEENSRŸCHE: “Seattle progressive rockers QUEENSRŸCHE will release their twelfth studio album, Dedicated To Chaos, on June 28 in North America via Loud & Proud Records, a Roadrunner Records imprint focusing on established artists. The band is currently planning a tour in support of the new opus, which was recorded in the group’s hometown and produced by Kelly Gray.”

REVOCATION: “REVOCATION has recently completed work on their brand new album titled Chaos of Forms. The band recorded Chaos of Forms at Damage Studios in Southbridge, Massachusetts with engineer Pete Rutcho. The follow-up to the band’s break-through Relapse debut Existence Is Futile will feature 12 new tracks totaling a little over 45 minutes in length. An August 2011 release date is expected with additional album information to be posted soon.”

SCAR SYMMETRY: “The Unseen Empire, the new album from Swedish progressive melodic death metallers SCAR SYMMETRY, will be released on April 15 in Europe and May 17 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records.”

SUICIDE SILENCE: “California deathcore masters SUICIDE SILENCE have set The Black Crown as the title of their new album, tentatively due in July via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded with heavyweight producer Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, EVERY TIME I DIE, HATEBREED) and will feature the following songtitles, among others: “Human Violence”, “Cancerous Skies” and “Fuck Everything”.

SUPREME PAIN: “Dutch brutal death metallers SUPREME PAIN, who feature in their ranks members of SINISTER, CONSOLATION, PUTREFIED and FONDLECORPSE, have inked a deal with Massacre Records. The band’s third album, Divine Incarnation was recorded at Soundlodge Studiosin Leer, Germany with producer Jörg Uken and is scheduled for release on May 27. According to the group, the album will contain “nine blasting death metal tracks with an evil and twisted atmosphere.”"

SYBREED: “Swiss metallers SYBREED have recorded a new song called “Challenger”, which will be released for download on April 23 exclusively on iTunes. The track will be enhanced with three “ass-kicking” remixes from BAK XIII, Voicians and Drop. The Challenger EP is a standalone release, meant to serve as a sneak preview of the “catchy” kind of material SYBREED is working on for its next CD, tentatively due in the spring of 2012. ”

TRAPPED UNDER ICE: “Baltimore, MD hardcore band Trapped Under Ice will enter the studio in June to begin recording a new full-length titled Big Kiss Goodnight. The effort will be produced by Chad Gilbert (of New Found Glory) and engineered by Paul Miner (Death By Stereo, Terror). A late-fall release via Reaper Records is planned.”

UNEARTH: “US metallers Unearth have revealed their upcoming new album will be titled Darkness In The Light. Darkness In The Light is due for a Summer-2011 release via Metal Blade Records. The album was recorded at Zing Studios in Massachusetts, US with producer Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage guitarist).”

VADER: “Polish extreme metal veterans VADER entered Hertz Studio in Bialystok, Poland last month to begin recording their new album,Welcome To The Morbid Reich. The band is laying down a total of 12 songs for the CD, which will be mixed and mastered in May for a tentative late 2011 release.”

VOIVOD: “Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD will release a new live album, Warriors Of Ice, in the U.S. on June 21 via Sonic Unyon Metal. The CD, which can already be purchased digitally, will be made available in Canada on June 17 through Indica Records.”

YGGDRASIL: “Swedish folk metal masters YGGDRASIL will release their new album,Irrbloss (English translation: “Will-o-wisps”) on April 25 via Grand Master Music. The long-awaited follow up to 2008′s Vedergällning was recorded, mixed and mastered at Grand Master Audio in Sweden.”