My, how time flies. Another month is in the history books. However much time you have on earth, you now have 31 days less of it since since the last installment of this post. Drink up!

But have no fear. You’re headed for a better place. That’s right, basically the same existence you had a month ago, but with more new metal ahead of you. Drink up!

And all those physical processes that are inexorably decaying your bodies on the rocky road to your demise, they’re still there and they’re still working on you like termites that have found a rotting log. But hey, you can still bang your head, so . . . Drink up!

Yes, we’re now a full seven months into 2010, and so it’s time for another monthly update to the list of forthcoming new albums we first posted on January 1. (All the other updates can be found via the “Forthcoming Albums” category link on the right side of our pages.) Below is a list of still more projected new releases we didn’t know about at the time of our previous updates, or updated info about some of the previously noted releases.

Once again, we’ve cobbled together news blurbs about bands whose past work we’ve liked, or who look interesting for other reasons. Perhaps needless to say, these are bands that mostly fit the profile of music we cover on this site — the kind that would like to tear your head off.

So, in alphabetical order, here’s our list of cut-and-pasted items from various sources since our last update about forthcoming new releases. Look for the bands you like and put reminders on your calendar. Or if you’re like us, just stick post-it notes on your forehead. Of course, if your foreheads are the low, sloping kind, you may only have room for a few, so be choosy.

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS: “Candlelight Records today confirms September 28 as the North American release date for In the Absence of Light, the second full-length album from black metallers Abigail Williams. Recorded at Conquistador Studios in Cleveland, Ohio, the album was mixed by Peter Tagtgren (Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Celtic Frost) and features artwork by Farron Kerzner (Nachtmystium, Lightning Swords of Death). In The Absence of Light is true to the rules of black metal. . . .”

ARCKANUM: “Swedish black metallers ARCKANUM will release their new album, Sviga Læ, later in the year via Regain Records. . . . Commented Shamaatae (all instruments): ‘The new ARCKANUM album, Sviga Læ, is a dedication to Surtr; Giant and Ruler of the world of flames Múspellzheimr, and Loki; the Flaming Giant and Archenemy of the worlds. Sviga Læ is a manifestation of the blazing Chaos and the burning of the gods.’”

AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK: “A full 4 years after their deathcore masterpiece, Allegience, As Blood Runs Black are finishing up work on their sophomore album. . . . A statement from the band reads: ‘Our first single for our new album is finally being mixed!! Sounds fucking awesome!! Can’t wait to put it up. “Instinct” COMING SOON.’ The album is expected to drop before the end of the year.”

AUTOPSY: “U.S. gore legends AUTOPSY have completed the recording of their first tracks since officially reforming last year. The Tomb Within consists of five new tunes of gore and depravity and will be released on September 13 through Peaceville Records on CD and 12-inch vinyl, with general release set for September 27. Cover art is supplied by renowned fantasy/horror artist Matt Cavotta.”

THE AUTUMN OFFERING: “A seven-minute trailer/teaser for THE AUTUMN OFFERING‘s new, self-titled album [has been released]. Due on August 31 via Victory Records, the new CD is ‘the band’s most crushing release to date’ and is ‘chock-full of blast beats and twin guitar wizardry’ while ‘vocalist Matt McChesney sounds as if he is being burned at the stake,’ according to a press release.”

BAD RELIGION: “Celebrating three decades of influential, thought-provoking and groundbreaking punk rock, BAD RELIGION will release its fifteenth studio album, The Dissent Of Man, on September 28.”

BENEATH THE MASSACRE: “Montreal masters of tech death brutality, Beneath The Massacre, have announced they will be releasing an EP, featuring five brand new tracks, in the coming months. This will be the band’s first release since 2008′s Dystopia.”

CITY OF FIRE: “CITY OF FIRE, the new band featuring vocalist Burton C. Bell, bassist Byron Stroud, guitarist Terry Murray, guitarist Ian White, and drummer Bob Wagner, made a surprise live appearance last weekend opening for FEAR FACTORY at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver. The performance marked the first live appearance for the band this year as they ready themselves for the anticipated release of their self-titled debut album on August 24.”

THE CROWN: “‘Blood O.D.’, a brand new song from the reunited Swedish death/thrash metal act THE CROWN, is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page. The track comes off the group’s new album, Doomsday King, which is scheduled for release on September 27 via Century Media Records.”

DAGOBA: “‘Black Smokers’, a brand new song from French metallers DAGOBA, can be streamed on the band’s MySpace page. The track comes off the group’s fourth album, “Poseidon”, which will be released on August 30 via the French label XIII Bis Records. The CD was recorded at Hyperion Studioin Marseille, France with ‘Brew’ Varea and was mixed by Dave Chang at Philia Studio in the U.K.”

DEMIURG: “DEMIURG — the Sweden-based band featuring Rogga Johansson (RIBSPREADER, PAGANIZER) on vocals and guitars, Johan Berglund (THIS HAVEN) on bass, Ed Warby (GOREFEST, AYREON, HAIL OF BULLETS) on drums and Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE, BLOODBATH) on lead guitar and keyboards — will release its third album, Slakthus Gamleby, on July 30 via Cyclone Empire Records.”

DEVILDRIVER: “DEVILDRIVER recently finished recording its fifth album at Sonic Ranch studios in Tornillo, Texas with producer Mark Lewis (TRIVIUM,CHIMAIRA, ALL THAT REMAINS) for a tentative early 2011 release through Roadrunner Records. According to drummer John Boecklin, acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, MACHINE HEAD, NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY) will mix the effort in late July at Andy‘s Backstage studio in Derbyshire, England.”

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA: “The Devil Wears Prada will release their previously announced EP on August 24th via Ferret Music [entitled] Zombie . . . .  Both a teaser and a track (“Outnumbered”) from the EP can be found via www.tdwpslays.com.”

DEVOID/ALBATROSS: “Demonstealer Records has announced the signing of two of India’s most promising young bands: DEVOID (MySpace page), a thrash metal act from Mumbai, and ALBATROSS (MySpace page), a group that likes to mix horror and metal. Both bands’ debut efforts — ALBATROSS‘ Dinner Is You EP and DEVOID‘s A God’s Lie album — are scheduled for a worldwide release in September. ALBATROSS‘ Dinner Is You EP was mastered by acclaimed Swedish producer Andy La Rocque (KING DIAMOND, DEATH, ILLWILL, X-WORLD/5).”

ENSLAVED: “Norwegian psychedelic post-black metal band ENSLAVED will release its new album, Axioma Ethica Odini, in Europe on September 27 and in North America on September 28. The CD’s cover artwork was created by the Norwegian artist Truls Espedal, who has painted every ENSLAVED album cover since 2001′s Monumension.”

GHOST MACHINERY: “Finnish melodic metallers GHOST MACHINERY will release their second album, Out For Blood, in Europe on August 27 and in North America on October 5 via Germany’s Limb Music.”

GOAT THE HEAD: “Norwegian death metallers GOAT THE HEAD will release their second full-length album, Doppelgängers, on September 13 via Aftermath Music. The CD was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (HALFORD, BEHEMOTH,KATAKLYSM, THE HAUNTED) at his Antfarm Studio in Århus , Denmark and it ‘boasts 10 furious tracks exerting about every color of the metal palette,’ according to a press release.”

GRAVE DIGGER: “German power metallers GRAVE DIGGER have set The Clans Will Rise Again as the title of their new album, due in Europe on October 1 via Napalm Records. . . .The Clans Will Rise Again is a loose sequel of the Tunes Of War album, but this time not a concept album about the Scottish history, rather a work about Scotland, its mysticism and its people.”

IMMORTAL: “The Seventh Date Of Blashyrkh, the band’s first official live DVD and live CD release in the history of their existence, features songs that span IMMORTAL‘s timeless discography and includes three back-to-back-to-back selections from their most acclaimed release to date. The leather and spikes, the “war paint,” the bursting pyrotechnics, the essential anthems, Abbath‘s on-stage acrobatics, and an audience that drew upwards of 70,000 people… the magic’s all there, ready to be absorbed into your consciousness. . . .  The Seventh Date Of Blashyrkh will be released in Europe on August 6 and in North America on September 14 via Nuclear Blast.”

INFERNAEON: ““Ziasudra”, a brand new song from Floridian extreme metallers INFERNAEON, is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page. According to a press release, the track tells the story of the Sumerian king of the same name from which the story of Noah is derived. “Ziasudra” comes off INFERNAEON‘s new album, Genesis To Nemesis, which is scheduled for release on August 31 via Prosthetic Records. The CD was recorded at Erik Rutan‘s Mana Recording Studios (GOATWHORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATE ETERNAL) in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Brian Elliott.”

IRON MAIDEN: “IRON MAIDEN‘s 15th studio LP, The Final Frontier, will be released in North America on August 17 (one day earlier internationally) via Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). The band reunited with long-time MAIDEN producer Kevin “Caveman” Shirley in early 2010 at Compass Point Studios, Nassau to record the album and then moved to The Cave Studios in Malibu, California to finish the recording and do the mixing.”

THE MAN-EATING TREE: “THE MAN-EATING TREE — the new atmospheric metal band featuring former SENTENCED drummer Vesa Ranta alongside current/former members of POISONBLACK, REFLEXION and EMBRAZE — will release its debut album, Vine, in Finland on September 22 via Cobra Records and in other territories through Century Media Records. The CD was recorded at Mastervox Studio in Oulu, Finland with producer Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, SENTENCED, AMORPHIS).”

MUSHROOMHEAD: “Ohio’s MUSHROOMHEAD has changed the title of its new album to Beautiful Stories For Ugly Children from the previously announced Slaughterhouse Road. Due on September 28 via Filthy Hands/Megaforce Records, the CD was mastered by Roger Lian at Masterdisk in New York City.”

NEAERA: “The first in a series of webisodes featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for Forging The Eclipse, the fifth album from German extreme metallers NEAERA, [have been released]. Forging The Eclipse is scheduled for an October 22 release via Metal Blade Records. . . . The mixing/mastering will be handled by Tue Madsen (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DARK TRANQUILLITY, MOONSPELL).”

NIGHTFALL: “The cover artwork for Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants, the new album from reformed Greek metallers NIGHTFALL — featuring frontman and lyricist Efthimis Karadimas alongside Evan Hensley on guitar, Stathis Kassios on keyboards and Jörg Uken on drums — [has been released]. The CD is scheduled for release on August 31 (one day earlier internationally) via Metal Blade Records. The cover artwork was created by Travis Smith (OPETH, DEATH, NEVERMORE, KATATONIA).”

OBSCURA: “Progressive death metal act OBSCURA has entered Woodshed Studio in southern Germany with engineer V. Santura (TRIPTYKON, DARK FORTRESS) to begin recording its new album for an early 2011 release via Relapse Records.”

ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET: “ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET, the Swedish band featuring former THE CROWN vocalist Johan Lindstrand, is currently writing material for its fourth album, tentatively due in early 2011.Lindstrand states, ‘We will enter Black Lounge studio in October and together with Jonas Kjellgren we will try to create the best possible ARMYalbum ever. If we succeed or not is up to you to judge, but all I can say is that for the first time all songs feels like keepers.’”

PANTERA: “PANTERA found its growl and groove on Cowboys From Hell, a landmark album whose bone-powdering intensity, razor-sharp riffing and pummeling rhythmic assault represented a turning point in modern metal when it was released in 1990. . . . To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of Cowboys From Hell, Rhino rounds up a three-disc “Ultimate Edition,” a three-disc “Deluxe Edition,” and a two-disc “Expanded Edition.” All three editions include a newly remastered version of the original album along with unreleased and rare live performances from the “Cowboys From Hell” tour. The “Ultimate” and “Deluxe” editions will also feature a disc of unreleased demos for nearly every album track, plus, “The Will To Survive”, a previously unreleased song recorded during the album’s sessions.The “Deluxe” and “Expanded” editions of “Cowboys From Hell” will be released September 14 at all retail outlets, including www.pantera.com and www.rhino.com .”

PRO-PAIN: “Absolute Power, the thirteenth full-length album from PRO-PAIN, will be released in North America on August 10 via Regain Records. According to a press release, the CD ‘explores several sides to the tried-and-true American unit’s somewhat patented sound. While a vast chunk of the album immediately recalls standard PRO-PAIN New York City-style metal/hardcore crossover attacks, many elements at play on Absolute Power infiltrate totally new ground for the band.’”

THE SHOWDOWN: “‘Heavy Lies The Crown’, a brand new song from the Tennessee’s riff-tastic southern metal outfit THE SHOWDOWN, can be streamed on the band’s MySpace page. The track comes off the group’s fourth album, Blood in the Gears, which is scheduled for release on August 24 via Solid State Records.”

THERION: “THERION will release its new album, Sitra Ahra, in North America on October 26 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was mixed at the legendary Polar Studios in Stockholm by Lennart Östlund (LED ZEPPELIN, ABBA). The cover artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard, who worked on all of the band’s most recent releases in addition to collaborating with EDGUY,AVANTASIA, RAGE and HAMMERFALL, among others.”

WINDS OF PLAGUE: “Los Angeles metallers WINDS OF PLAGUE will enter the studio later this summer with producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, HATEBREED) to begin recording their third album for an early 2011 release via Century Media Records.”

WITHIN THE RUINS: “Western Massachusetts own Within The Ruins prepares for the release of their second full-length album Invade, follow-up of the band’s 2009 release Creature. Invade is set to hit stores officially on August 31st through Victory Records.”

We’re now five months into 2010, and it’s time for another monthly update to the list of forthcoming new albums we first posted on January 1. (All the other updates can be found via the “Forthcoming Albums” category link on the right side of our pages.)  Below is a list of still more projected new releases we didn’t know about at the time of our previous updates, or updated info about some of the previously noted releases.

Once again, we’ve cobbled together news blurbs about bands whose past work we’ve liked, or who look interesting for other reasons. Needless to say (but we’ll say it anyway), these are bands that mostly fit the profile of music we cover on this site.

So, in alphabetical order, here’s our list of cut-and-pasted blurbs from various sources since our last update about forthcoming new releases. Look for the bands you like and put reminders on your calendar. Or if you’re old school like us, just get ‘em tattooed someplace you can see without a mirror (because reading stuff backwards is hard).

THE ACACIA STRAIN: “Western Massachusetts’ chuggernauts The Acacia Strain, have completed work on their new album, which will be released July 20th in North American and August 2nd in Europe via Prosthetic Records.”

ATHEIST: “Reactivated seminal technical metal pioneers ATHEIST will enter LedBelly studios in Atlanta, Georgia on July 5 to begin recording their long-awaited, as-yet-untitled fourth album. Engineering the session will be Matt Washburn. Additionally, the band has secured the services of one of metal’s most significant talents of the past decade, Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER), to handle the mixing of what promises to be a modern classic from the pioneers of technical metal. . . . ATHEIST‘s forthcoming album is tentatively scheduled for a late 2010 release and will be followed by a world tour in 2011.”   (more after the jump . . .)

THE AUTUMN OFFERING: “The Autumn Offering is nearing completion of the recording process for their new self-titled album. Vocals are currently being tracked and the effort will be mixed by Pete Rutcho (Bury Your Dead) in June. A September release via Victory Records is planned.”

BONDED BY BLOOD: “‘Blood Spilled Offerings’, a new song from Pomona, California thrashers BONDED BY BLOOD, is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page. According to a press release, the track is ‘a charging juggernaut of a song that gives a look at the inner workings of the Crong. They are the alien race that have taken control of future Earth in the band’s original sci-fi tale. ‘Blood Spilled Offerings’ comes off BONDED BY BLOOD‘s upcoming sophomore album, Exiled To Earth, which is set 600 years in the future and tells the tale of the Crong, an alien race who were sent to Earth long ago with one goal: global domination. A skilled group of warriors must now face the impossible and overthrow the Crong to take back our planet. Exiled To Earth will be available in North America on August 10 via Earache Records.”

BRUTUS: “Dutch death metallers BRUTUS have inked a deal with Unique Leader Records and Deity Down Records for the release of their sophomore album, Murwgebeukt (Total Loss). Due on July 20 in Europe via Deity Down in collaboration with Alpha Prime Music and Unique Leader Records in the rest of the world, the CD was recorded with drummer Ploegbaas, who took his own life shortly after the sessions were completed. A song from the album, “Lijdensweg” (Living Hell), is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace profile.”

BURDEN OF GRIEF: “German melodic death/thrash metallers BURDEN OF GRIEF will release their new album, Follow The Flames, on July 2 in Europe via Massacre Records. The follow-up to 2007′s Death End Road will contain 10 new songs. The limited-edition version of the CD will include a bonus disc featuring cover versions of eight metal classics. The album was mixed and mastered by Swedish producer/multi-instrumentalist Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, OPETH, DISSECTION, BLOODBATH). The cover artwork was created by Gustavo Sazes (ARCH ENEMY, SONIC SYNDICATE, GOD FORBID).”

COPROLITH: “Finnish ‘blackened death metallers’ COPROLITH will release their full-length debut, Cold Grief Relief, on June 17 via Violent Journey Records. The CD was recorded at Cut Circle Studio by Roland Nordström and was mixed by Jonas Eriksson at Second Floor Studio.”

DAATH: “Always one determined to abide by no preconceived industry standards and stray far from conventionality are the Atlanta based quintet Daath, who against all odds triumphantly return and enter the studio early next month to begin tracking their highly anticipated third full-length release. The drumming phenom Kevin Talley (ex-Chimaira, Dying Fetus) begins tracking in Atlanta on June 7th with renowned producer Mark Lewis (All That Remains, Trivium, Devildriver) and co-producer Eyal Levi (guitars) at the helm. . . . ‘We’re currently in the final stages of pre-production and begin recording with Mark Lewis on June 7th here in Atlanta. The release is planned for this fall.’”

EQUILIBRIUM: “Verbrannte Erde, a brand new song from German pagan/folk metallers EQUILIBRIUM, is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page. The track comes off the group’s new album, Rekreatur, which is scheduled for release on June 18 via Nuclear Blast Records.”

GRAVE: “Swedish death metal legends GRAVE will release their new album, Burial Ground, on June 14 via Regain Records.”

HASTE THE DAY: “Indiana-based Christian metalcore band HASTE THE DAY will release its new album, Attack Of The Wolf King, on June 29 via Solid State Records. A brand new song from the album, “Dog Like Vultures”, is available for streaming via the band’s MySpace page.”

HATE: “Polish extreme metallers HATE will enter Hertz Studio in Bialystok, Poland on June 5 to begin recording their new album, Erebos, for a late 2010 release via Listenable Records. Erebos, which comes from ancient Greek and means literally “deep darkness” or shadow, will contain at least nine new songs, which are said to be a fusion of blackened death metal, industrial and ambient sounds, deathcore and heavy metal.”

HELMET: In a recent interview, vocalist/guitarist Page Hamilton of the alternative metal legends HELMET said that the release of the band’s new album (Seeing Eye Dog) “has actually been pushed back to August 24 as we try to finish artwork and finalize the tracks.”

HORNED ALMIGHTY: “Danish black metallers HORNED ALMIGHTY have finished recording their fourth album, Necro Spirituals, for a late 2010 release via Candlelight Records. The effort will once again be mixed and mastered by Jacob Bredahl (LAST MILE, ex-HATESPHERE), who previously worked with the band on last year’s Contaminating The Divine CD.”

IMMORTAL: “Norwegian black metallers IMMORTAL will release a concert DVD, The Seventh Date Of Blashyrkh, this summer via Nuclear Blast. The disc will include professionally filmed video footage of the band’s headlining performance at the 2007 edition of the Wacken Open Air festival, which was held August 2-4, 2007 in Wacken, Germany.”

IN THIS MOMENT: “Century Media Records has set a July 13 U.S. release date for A Star Crossed Wasteland, the third album from Southern California’s IN THIS MOMENT. The CD was recorded at The Wolves Den studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with producer Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH).”

ISIS/MELVINS: “The split 12″ from Isis and Melvins has now been slated for a July 13th release via Hydra Head Records. The split will feature two songs from each band. The Isis tracks are amongst the last recorded output to be released by the band. Both were recorded during sessions for the band’s Wavering Radiant album. Meanwhile, Melvins’ contribution is comprised of two tracks from their latest full-length, The Bride Screamed Murder. However, said tracks have been remixed and reworked.’”

KATAKLYSM: “Canadian death metallers KATAKLYSM have completed the recording process for their new album, Heaven’s Venom, for an August 24 release (one day earlier internationally) via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2008′s Prevail was produced by KATAKLYSM guitarist Jean-Francois Dagenais (MALEVOLENT CREATION, MISERY INDEX) and is currently being mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, MNEMIC, DARK TRANQUILLITY).”

KYLESA: “Between extensive tours of Europe, Kylesa will enter the studio on May 31 to begin recording the follow-up to the critically-acclaimed album Static Tensions. The new album is the band’s debut for Season of Mist Records. The sessions will take place over the month of June at the legendary Jam Room in Columbia, SC with Phillip Cope (Baroness, Withered) at the helm as producer.”

MUSHROOMHEAD: “In a March 2010 interview with the ’Iron City Rocks’ podcast, Jeffrey Nothing revealed that the working title of MUSHROOMHEAD‘s new album is Slaughterhouse Road. The band recently finished mixing the CD for a tentative late August/early September release via Megaforce. Produced by co-founding member and drummer Steve ‘Skinny’ Felton, the album promises to be the band’s ‘most violent- and epic-sounding to date!’”

PRIMORDIAL: In an interview with The Obelisk (here), Primordial frontman Alan ‘Nemtheanga’ Averill disclosed that the Irish black/folk metal band plans to record its next album in June, with a  release projected for September or October 2010.

RAMESSES: “The psychedelic doom trio RAMESSES was spawned in the woodland of Dorset, England in 2003, and has been brutalizing its devoted fanbase ever since . . . . 2010 brings the next slab of raging doom from RAMESSES, in the form of their second mammoth full-length release, Take The Curse, which is set to infect the general public on the 2010 Summer Solstice, June 21. Releasing the album is new label Ritual Productions; the label formed by the band’s management.”

SERENITY DIES: “Melodic thrashers SERENITY DIES will release the Hacksawcracy EP on July 15, 2010. Taking inspiration from the likes of MEGADETH and METALLICA with a uniquely modern twist that emphasizes memorable songwriting, surgically precise riffing, and one hell of a rhythmic punch, the Maldives-based act sprints out of the blocks with refreshing vigor. The EP features guest appearances by Rob Caggiano (ANTHRAX) and Mikko Salovaara (KIUAS) who perform guitar solos on “Psycho Ride” and “Dystopian Law”, respectively.”

SEVERE TORTURE: “Dutch death metallers SEVERE TORTURE will release their fifth full-length album, Slaughtered, on June 29 (one day earlier internationally) via Season of Mist. The CD was recorded at Split Second Sound Studios in Amsterdam with producer Jochem Jacobs.”

SODOM: “The band will enter the studio during the coming months to begin recording its new album for a late 2010 release. Bassist/vocalist Thomas “Angelripper” Such recently stated about the group’s new material, ‘There has never been a SODOM album which is so wide-ranged, as powerful and as typically SODOM as this one.’”

SOTAJUMALA: ““Paratiisin kutsu” (The Call of Paradise), the new video from Finnish metallers SOTAJUMALA [is now available for viewing]. The song comes off the band’s new album Kuolemanpalvelus, which is scheduled for release on June 2 through Cobra Records. The CD was recorded at Studio Audio and Basement Alliance studios in Jyväskylä, Finland while the mastering was handled by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers in Helsinki. Kuolemanpalvelus is available for streaming in its entirety for a limited time at the Record Shop X web site.”

SPECIAL DEFECTS: “Meshuggah guitarist Fredrik Thordendal recently began recording material for his second album (the first as Fredrik Thordendal’s Special Defects in 1997). The effort will likely be available later this year. Among those contributing to the album is Soilwork drummer Dirk Verbeuren.”

VINDICATOR: “Midwest thrash maniacs VINDICATOR will release their sophomore album,The Antique Witcheries, on August 10 via Heavy Artillery Records. . . . The Antique Witcheries is described in a press release as ‘a masterpiece of modern thrash metal mayhem sure to please fans of DARK ANGEL, TESTAMENT andEXODUS.’”

WHITECHAPEL: ““Breeding Violence”, a brand new song from Knoxville, Tennessee death metallers WHITECHAPEL, is available for streaming . . . . The track comes off the group’s third album, A New Era Of Corruption, due on June 8 via Metal Blade Records.”

ZOROASTER: “Atlanta, Georgia’s “psych metal” band ZOROASTER has completed work on its sophomore album, Matador, for a July 13 North American release via E1 Music.”