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.”

Yeah, it’s kinda late in the day for another post, but I just saw a press release about a new tour running from March 15 through April 21 of next year that I thought was worth talking about. This tour had been forecast previously, but now we have a concrete schedule. Here’s the line-up:

DevilDriver
The Faceless
Dying Fetus
Job For A Cowboy
3 Inches of Blood
Impending Doom
Wretched

Why is this interesting? Well, first of all, it should be loaded with new music. The Faceless is currently putting the finishing touches on its third album for a tentative February release on Sumerian. Stands to reason that they’ll be performing songs from that album. I’ll be curious to hear it, because guitarist Michael Keene has described the CD as “the most musical and progressive record we’ve made” and says the songs will be more focused “on musicality and making an expressive, unique, moody and expansive record.”

On top of that, Dying Fetus is currently recording a new album. It’s not projected for release until the middle of next year on Relapse, but they will clearly be finished with the recording before hitting the road on this tour, and so we can expect new songs from them, too. And that’s not all.

Job For A Cowboy has also recently finished recording their next album for an early 2012 release on Metal Blade. So yes, we can expect to hear new songs from them, too. I thought the Gloom EP released this year was a step ahead for this band, and their next full-length is something I definitely want to hear.

And 3 Inches of Blood? They’re currently recording their next album as we speak.

What about Wretched? According to their facebook posts, they’ve been writing new songs and plan to play new music on their tours this winter, pointing toward a new album next year.

Impending Doom is also planning to release a new record in 2012, though whether the songwriting is sufficiently advanced for road-testing of new music I don’t know. Still, I’ve never been disappointed in one of their live shows.

Probably nothing new from DevilDriver, but I know from experience that they kick plenty of ass in a live performance — as do all of these bands. So even if there were no new music coming, this would still be a tour worth checking out. But getting new music from almost all of these bands in a live setting? Bonus!

Here are the dates and places:

Mar. 15 – Austin, TX @ SXSW / Scoot Inn
Mar. 16 – New Orleans, LA @ The Hangar
Mar. 17 – St Petersburg, FL @ State Theater
Mar. 18 – Charlotte, NC @ Amos’ Southend
Mar. 20 – Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
Mar. 21 – New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater
Mar. 22 – Danvers, MA @ Palace Ballroom
Mar. 23 – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
Mar. 24 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House
Mar. 25 – Columbus, OH @ Alrosa Villa
Mar. 26 – Joliet, IL @ Mojoe’s
Mar. 27 – St Paul, MN @ Station 4
Mar. 28 – Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick Centre
Mar. 29 – Regina, SK @ Riddell Centre
Mar. 30 – Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Events Centre
Mar. 31 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theater
Apr. 01 – Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
Apr. 03 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
Apr. 05 – Oakland, CA @ The Pound
Apr. 06 – Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater
Apr. 07 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theater
Apr. 09 – Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
Apr. 10 – Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium
Apr. 11 – Des Moines, IA @ 7 Flags Event Center
Apr. 13 – Memphis, TN @ New Daisy Theater
Apr. 15 – Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater
Apr. 16 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
Apr. 19 – Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
Apr. 20 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s East
Apr. 21 – Houston, TX @ House Of Blues

Just when we were beginning to think it was a law that all metal bands from North Carolina south to the Florida border had to sound like Mastodon or Baroness, we discovered Wretched and their new album Beyond the Gate (with that very cool Dan Seagrave album cover). Not that we have anything against Mastodon or Baroness. In fact, we’re fans. But Wretched ain’t cut from that cloth, not by a long shot.

Instead, in their new album on Victory Records, North Carolina’s Wretched are wearing the mantle of melodic, technical death metal with some interesting progressive threads woven into the fabric. Think about bands like The Faceless, Veil of Maya, and Black Dahlia Murder, and you’ll start to get close to Wretched’s musical territory. But there are also some big surprises in store.

Seven of the album’s 11 songs are fast-paced and feature shuddering rhythms with jolting staccato bass lines and weaponlike drumming, intricate math-metal riffs, and fire-breathing guitar leads and solos. The vocals are predominantly mid-range growlers, but they occasionally drop lower or vault higher into cutting shrieks.

But those seven songs aren’t simply exhibits in a case of “let me prove how fast I can play.” They’re actual songs, with structure and melody, that happen to be executed with a lot of fancy fretwork and blazing double-kicks. Wretched also spices up a few of those songs with some attention-grabbing surprises, like the brief extract from a Cuban folk song at the end of “Birthing Sloth” or the cello-and-guitar outro at the conclusion of “The Talisman”.

But there are four songs left to be discussed. They’re all instrumentals, and they’re not at all what you would expect from the musical style of the other seven.  (more after the jump, including a sample track and more examples of Dan Seagrave’s eye-catching album covers . . .)

Three of the four are sandwiched in the middle of the album, surrounded by those technical blasters. “On the Horizon” sounds like a symphonic overture. That may be because it’s performed by The University of South Carolina Symphony Orchestra. Yes, it does create one of those “where the fuck did that come from?” moments.

“On the Horizon” is followed by “Part I: Aberration”. It’s a mixture of extreme metal pounding, acoustic flamenco guitar, and a clean electric guitar solo that preserves the Spanish-style melody, plus an exotic, wailing vocal.

And then comes “Part II: Beyond the Gate,” which may be the most interesting song on the album. It also features an acoustic, flamenco-style guitar melding with a swirling electric lead, some extremely cool guitar solos, and at about the 5:00 mark, everything stops except for a slow acoustic guitar, which is eventually joined  by a violin, to end the song on a beautiful, reflective note.

The fourth instrumental track is the one that ends the album, “Eternal Translucence”. It’s a slow, ominous song that’s carried by a dissonant lead guitar and the solitary pounding of the drum — and then the electronically distorted drum alone finishes the song.

The diversity of the songs on Beyond the Gate isn’t random. Instead, it’s explained by the fact that this is a concept album, which tells a story about an alchemist who opens a gate into another world, where his soul is stripped from his body. To save himself, he strikes a bargain with the guardians of that alien realm to return to his own world and bring back with him a talisman of power — that he will either then surrender or use to destroy the forces that once trapped him.

Some people might find the divergence in the music during the middle of the album and at the end a bit jarring, but we thought it was cool. With their second album, Wretched have proven themselves to be as ambitious and musically adventurous as they are technically skilled. Beyond the Gate is an intriguing mix of high-powered tech-death and melodic instrumentals, and marks a big step ahead for Wretched. This is a band we’ll continue to watch with interest.

Here’s a track from Beyond the Gate for you to sample. The album is available from Amazon, iTunes, and elsewhere.

Wretched: My Carrion

P.S. Since we’re suckers for cool album art, and continue to believe that it should not be allowed to die out regardless of how music gets distributed, we’ve got to say that the cover for Beyond the Gate is awesome. A typically eye-catching piece by Dan Seagrave and a typically wicked logo by Chris Horst.

And while we’re on the subject of Dan Seagrave, how ’bout some more of his covers? See if you recognize them. The bands whose album covers we’re showing are listed in order at the end.

DEMON HUNTER
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
USIPIAN
DISMEMBER
DECREPIT BIRTH
PESTILENCE
BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE

Another month has ended, and like a drug-resistant strain of sexually transmitted disease, we’re still here.

And because we’re now a full six months into 2010, 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 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 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.

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.”

CEPHALIC CARNAGE: “Denver, Colorado-based technical death/grind metallers CEPHALIC CARNAGE have set Misled By Certainty as the title of their new album, due on August 31 via Relapse Records. The follow-up to 2007′s Xenosapien was recorded at the band’s own studio with longtime engineer/producer Dave Otero. The CD is described in a press release as a ’50-plus-minute journey into metal’s most extreme realms’ which ‘see[s] these veterans takes it to edge before pulling it back with ‘Repangea’, perhaps their most sprawling and epic work to date.’”

(lots more after the jump . . .)

CHIMAIRA: “Cleveland, Ohio metallers CHIMAIRA have posted a trailer for their Coming Alive DVD, which is scheduled for release on July 20 via Ferret Music. The set includes a four-part documentary filmed over the course of a year and a half while the entire package includes over seven hours of exclusive content. The DVD, filmed entirely in HD, showcases CHIMAIRA in the studio while recording the The Infection album, and chronicles the band’s recent, worldwide touring season.”

THE CONTORTIONIST: “Indianapolis, Indiana’s THE CONTORTIONIST has completed work on its full-length debut, Exoplanet, for an August 31 release via Good Fight Music. The CD was produced by UNEARTH guitarist Ken Susi, who feels that THE CONTORTIONIST has something fresh and unique to bring to the table.”

COUGH: “Relapse Records is proud to announce the signing of Richmond, VA’s Cough. Cough formed in 2005 and has independently released an EP, The Kingdom, as well as a full-length album, Sigillum Luciferi, via Forcefield Records. The band has recently written the follow-up to Sigillum Luciferi and has been working on the album with producer Sanford Parker. The new full-length, titled Ritual Abuse, is expected to see a fall 2010 release date.”

THE CROWN: “Reunited Swedish death/thrash metal act THE CROWN has inked a worldwide deal with Century Media Records. The band’s new album, Doomsday King, is scheduled for release in September.”

CYPHOSIS: “Finnish metal band CYPHOSIS has inked a deal with Violent Journey Records. The group’s sophomore album, To North And Under, will be released in the fall. . . . CYPHOSIS‘ new single, “Time Is An Enemy”, is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page.”

DEATH ANGEL: “Vocalist Mark Osegueda of San Francisco Bay Area metal veterans DEATH ANGEL was interviewed backstage at this year’s Sweden Rock Festival, which was held June 9-12, 2010 in Sölvesborg in southern Sweden. During the chat, Osegueda reveals that Nuclear Blast Records has set an August 27 European release date for the band’s new album.”

DIMMU BORGIR: “Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir proudly announce their collaboration with Norwegian composer and Berklee College of Music summa cum laude alumnus Gaute Storaas in addition to the 51 members of KORK (the Norwegian Radio Orchestra) and the 38-member Schola Cantorum Choir for their as-yet-untitled new album. To date, over 101 musicians have lent their talents to the making of the new release. . . . Dimmu Borgir’s ninth studio album will be released in Germany on October 8th, in the rest of Europe on October 11th, and in North America on October 12th.”

EARLY MAN: “EARLY MAN‘s sophomore full-length album, Death Potion, will be released on July 20 via The End Records. The Los Angeles- and Brooklyn–based band tracked the 12-song CD at Soundhouse Recording in Seattle, Washington with producer Jack Endino. ”

FLESHWROUGHT: “Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of experimental death metal band FLESHWROUGHT (formerly FLESHROT). The group’s debut album, Dementia/Dyslexia, will be released on August 3. FLESHWROUGHT features Navene Koperweis (former drummer of Bay area grind band ANIMOSITY, currently in ANIMALS AS LEADERS) and Jonny Davy (vocalist of Arizona’s JOB FOR A COWBOY), with Navene performing all instruments on Dementia/Dyslexia and Jonny Davy handling lyrics and vocals.”

HELMET: “Seminal rock band HELMET will release a new full-length album, Seeing Eye Dog, on September 7. The band’s first LP since 2006′s critically acclaimed Monochrome and its seventh album overall will be made available on the indie Work Song label (with physical distribution by Redeye and direct-to-fan digital delivery by Topspin).”

HIRAX: “On June 29 (one day earlier internationally), Season of Mist will release a new compilation album from HIRAX, Noise Chaos War. Consisting of three thrashing EPs — remastered, remixed and available on CD for the first time — this release also includes a video for Bombs of Death, filmed live in Japan last year.”

INFERNAEON: “Florida’s INFERNAEON has completed recording its second full-length album for a late summer release 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. The follow-up to 2007′s A Symphony of Suffering marks the group’s first release with new guitarists Taylor Nordberg and Steven Harger and bassist Mike Poggion.”

INSIDIOUS DISEASE: “Extreme metal legends have united as INSIDIOUS DISEASE to unleash the most violent death metal album in 2010. The evil breed consisting of Dimmu Borgir’s main songwriter Silenoz, Shane Embury of Napalm Death, Old Man’s Child’s Jardar, drum animal Tony Laureano (Angelcorpse, Nile) and vocalist Marc Grewe (from German death metal legend Morgoth) will release its debut album Shadowcast via Century Media Records on July 12th in Europe and July 27th in the US. Expect nothing but pure, honest and brutal death metal carnage at its very best!”

KING OF ASGARD: “Swedish viking folk/death metal band KING OF ASGARD recently completed work on its debut album, Fi’mbulvintr, for a tentative August European release via Metal Blade Records.”

THE LAST FELONY: “‘We Are Future Housing Developements For Maggots’, a brand new song from Canadian death metallers THE LAST FELONY, is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page. The track comes off the group’s sophomore album, Too Many Humans, which is scheduled for release in North America on August 17 via Lifeforce Records.”

MADBALL: “New York City hardcore legends MADBALL will enter Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida in July with producer Erik Rutan (MISERY INDEX, CANNIBAL CORPSE, GOATWHORE) to begin recording their new album, Empire, for a late September/early October release via Good Fight Music.”

MALEVOLENT CREATION: “MALEVOLENT CREATION‘s eleventh album, Invidious Dominion, will be released on August 24 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records (three days later in Europe through Massacre). The effort will made available in various territories as a regular CD; digipack with bonus material; and vinyl LP. MALEVOLENT CREATION‘s new album was recorded at Mana Recording Studios (CANNIBAL CORPSE, VITAL REMAINS, GOATWHORE) in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Erik Rutan (MORBID ANGEL, HATE ETERNAL, CANNIBAL CORPSE).”

MORBID ANGEL: “Death metal pioneers Morbid Angel entered the studio on Tuesday to begin tracking their ninth full-length album. The effort is being recorded at Mana Recordings Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida with engineer (and former Morbid Angel member) Erik Rutan at the helm and a late-2010 release via Season Of Mist is expected.”

NECRONAUT: “NECRONAUT, the solo project of former DISMEMBER/CARNAGE drummer Fred Estby, has posted another new track, “In Dark Tribute”, on its MySpace page. The song features Hellbutcher (NIFELHEIM) on vocals and Tyrant (NIFELHEIM) on guitar. NECRONAUT‘s self-titled album is scheduled for a September 2010 release via Regain Records.”

OBSIDIAN: “Dutch death/thrash metal act OBSIDIAN will release its new album, Point Of Infinity, on September 20 via Candlelight Records. The follow-up to 2007′s Emerging will contain ‘nine new brutal and grooving tracks, revealing a more evolved OBSIDIAN,’ according to the group.”

OCTOBER TIDE: “Candlelight Records has set a September 28 North American release A Thin Shell, the new album from Sweden’s OCTOBER TIDE. Featuring guitarist/founder Fredrik Norrman (KATATONIA), vocalist Tobias Netzell, drummer Robin Bergh, and session bassist Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMMETRY, CARNAL FORGE), the band’s first album in ten years and follows the 2009 reissue of its debut, Rain Without End (Candlelight).”

THE ROTTED: “U.K. punk-infused death metallers THE ROTTED entered the studio in May with producer James Dunkley to begin recording Anarchogram, a self-released EP consisting of two new tracks and four bonus cuts. . . . After the release of the EP this summer, THE ROTTED will resume work on its new full-length album. The band plans to enter Parlour Studio in January 2011 with Russ Russell at the production helm.”

SADISTIK FOREST: “Oulu, Finland-based death metallers SADISTIK FOREST have inked a deal with Violent Journey Records. The band’s self-titled debut will be released on August 12. SADISTIK FOREST was formed in 2007 by guitarist Antti Heikkinen, drummer Vesa Mutka and bassist/vocalist Markus Makkonen. The lineup was completed early this year when guitarist Matti Salo joined the ranks. SADISTIK FOREST‘s riff-based, ferocious and brutal assault has often been compared to UNLEASHED and early MORBID ANGEL.”

SHADOWS FALL: “Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL will release a new concert DVD, Madness In Manila: Shadows Fall Live In The Philippines 2009, on August 24 via Everblack Industries/Ferret Music. The disc will include footage that was shot on April 30, 2009 at the Pulp Summer Slam in Manila, Philippines.”

THE SHOWDOWN: “Tennessee’s riff-tastic southern metal outfit, The Showdown, has announced an August 24th street date for their Solid State Records sophomore release, Blood in the Gears. The forthcoming full-length was recorded at Anthem Productions in Nashville, and produced by The Showdown’s own, Jeremiah Scott.”

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS: “SPIRITUAL BEGGARS, the Swedish band featuring ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott and bassist Sharlee D’Angelo, along with new vocalist Apollo Papathanasio (FIREWIND), has inked a deal with InsideOut Music for the release of the group’s seventh studio album, Return To Zero. Due in Europe on August 30, the follow-up to 2005′s Demons was recorded at Sweetspot Studio with producer Rickard Bengtsson.”

THE SWORD: “Austin, Texas metal luminaries THE SWORD are kicking it into high gear as the release of their highly anticipated third full-length, Warp Riders (August 24; Kemado Records) rapidly approaches. The band has finally revealed the album’s artwork and will be releasing additional visual companions in the form of an upcoming picture disc and an epic video trilogy.”

SYSTEM DIVIDE: “SYSTEM DIVIDE, the extreme modern metal act featuring Sven De Caluwé (ABORTED) and Miri Milman (ex-DISTORTED) on vocals, Cole Martinez (ex-YEARS OF FIRE, ANTENORA) and Joseph Spiller (ex-THE BINARY CODE) on guitars, Andrew Lenthe (ANTENORA) on bass, and Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY) on drums, has completed work on its full-length debut, The Conscious Sedation, for a tentative late 2010 release via Metal Blade Records.”

UNLOCKED: “Lead guitarist Peter Huss (SHINING, ex-SINERGY) will make a guest appearance on the upcoming debut album from UNLOCKED, the band featuring members of PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT, VISCERAL BLEEDING, GORGOROTH, and ENTHRONED. The CD is currently being recorded at Blackout studios in Brussels, Belgium for a late 2010 release via Crossfirecult Records.”

WRETCHED: “Wretched has completed their new album, Beyond the Gate, which is set to be released on August 3rd, 2010 through Victory Records. The album will feature a piece written and orchestrated by new guitarist John Vail, and performed by the University of South Carolina Symphony Orchestra. The album will also feature guest appearances by Jesse Clasen of Charlotte, NC band Harvard, Andy Lynn on violin, and Randy Nashleanas on cello.”