Releases
Soon there will be light for the Sons of Northern Darkness, when Norway’s mighty and reunited Immortal releases their new album, All Shall Fall. Look for it in North America on October 6 via Nuclear Blast Records with a European release slated for September 25… Gorgoroth is currently recording the upcoming Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt tentatively set for an October 2009 release through Regain Records… New Jersey thrashers Whiplash will release Unborn Again through Pulverized Records later in 2009 …
Swedish black metallers Istapp have signed a deal with Metal Blade with Blekinge set for a 2010 release… Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh) has finished writing nine songs for Burzum’s new album, which he hopes to release in 2010. He’s the Burzum mastermind convicted of murdering Mayhem guitarist Oystein Aarseth (a.k.a.Euronymous) in August 1993 and setting fire to three churches…
The Curse Of The Antichrist - Live In Agony, the new double-live album from German thrash metal veterans Destruction, has had its release date pushed back from July 31 to Sept. 25 (via AFM Records)…. Austrian blackened death metal outfit Belphegor has completed work on its eighth full-length studio album, Walpurgis Rites – Hexenwahn, due in October …

Personnel
And speaking of metal mayhem, Mayhem’s Hellhammer (a.k.a. Jan Axel Blomberg) has reportedly agreed to lay down the drums on ANTI-human, the debut album from Germany’s Death of Desire… Generation Kill, a new crossover outfit featuring Exodus frontman Rob Dukes, has released its first demo track, “Hate,” via the band’s official My Space page. The group consists of Dukes on vocals, Rob Moschetti (bass/backing), Lou Lehman and Jason Trenczer (lead guitars) and Sam Inzerra (drums). They’re currently in the studio working on more material and prepping to complete a small east coast tour later this year…

Lemmy lovers unite
The almighty Motorhead supported by Reverend Horton Heat and Nashville Pussy is set for a lethal strike at the Palladium in Dallas on Sept. 19…

Well Said
Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has been quoted as saying, “I don’t think it’s proper For Sepultura to go on without the Cavaleras.”

Signings…
Sweden’s deadly Unleashed has signed a deal with Nuclear Blast for their upcoming tenth studio album, for this October/November.

Lords of WTH
Vocalist Sigurd “Satyr” Wongraven and drummer Kjetil-Vidar “Frost” Haraldstad of Norwegian black metal band Satyricon have expressed their disgust over reports that the Lords Of Chaos book is being turned into a movie. Reportedly, Jackson Rathbone, the teen heartthrob from Twilight has agreed to play Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh) mentioned earlier in the column. That should be real scary.

Books
Former Hellhammer/Celtic Frost main man, Tom Gabriel Fischer, and Bazillion Points Books have announced November 2009 as the publication date for Only Death Is Real: An Illustrated History of Hellhammer and Early Celtic Frost. Authored by Fischer with cooperation from Hellhammer / Celtic Frost partner Martin Eric Ain, the deluxe large-format 288 page hardcover will feature over 300 astonishing high-quality photos documenting the very dawn of death metal and black metal….

Dallas Hard Rock
Darrell Abbott’s guitar from Pantera’s 2000 Reinventing the Steel tour is on display at the new Dallas Hard Rock Café…

Rock with Your **** Not Out
A man named Cock-a-licious competed in the Los Angeles Air Sex Championship in June 2009 by getting his freak on to an imaginary sex partner to the sound of Slayer’s “Angel Of Death.” Go to You Tube and search keywords “Los Angeles Air Sex Championship.” It’s the first video posted. Mr. Licious is wearing a black, Speedo-styled under britches. It’s unbelievably funny.

Anthrax Funnies
Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian is writing a two-issue Lobo comic for DC. It’s being drawn by artist Sam Kieth and is set for a fall release. It’s nice to know Ian has a “Plan B” if needed. Early in the month, the Thrax canned Dan Nelson, their new and unknown vocalist. Nelson was the fourth vocalist to take a ride on the Anthrax train. The vocal tracks Nelson laid down for the upcoming Anthrax album will more than likely be erased, thus putting Nelson into obscurity. Search for vocalist Number Five is currently underway.

It’s gotta be the shoes
Both King Diamond and Mercyful Fate have worked out a deal with C1rca Shoes to feature artwork on several of their sneakers. C1rca has mentioned a possible release of an Abigail sneaker and a Don’t Break The Oath sneaker for this fall with possible approved releases of Them and 9 for spring 2010…

Mantic Ritual - Lola’s Sixth Street, 7/20/09
On their first trip through Texas in support of Executioner, this Pittsburgh, PA quartet got the nod opening for the mighty Destruction. On this second stop at Lola’s, they proved that they could serve up the thrash. Opening with “One By One,” Adam Haritan attacked the drums with sheer force and speed, while Ben Mottsman (bass) kept the frantic rhythm moving almost effortlessly. The “Executioner” showed great guitar interplay between Jeff Potts and Dan Wetmore, which continued throughout the set. Watching these ax-slingers trade solos and spitfire rhythms was fun and jaw dropping at times. “By The Cemetery” was break-neck thrash at its best, while “Next Attack” was an infectious mid-tempo headbanger, which also showed off Wetmore’s gritty. When you think of how thrash should sound - look no farther than Mantic Ritual. They definitely deliver the goods. (Travis Tutwiler)

Threat Signal/Autumn Offering – Ridglea Theater, 7/22/09
With so much metal on the bill, some things just don’t go as planned. Having The Destro hit the stage at 6:30 pm was the only glitch this night, because they served up five new songs during their set and tore it up – from what I was told.
Sybreed and The Agonist kept the crowd energized for the top bills. The Autumn Offering opened with killer track “The Curtain Hits The Cast” and kept the set grooving hard. Matt McChesney (vocals) mixed in the screams and harmonies, while Tommy Church (guitar) annihilated the fretboard with blistering riffs throughout the set.
Threat Signal came out with a vengeance and threw down hard as they served up new songs from the upcoming Vigilance cd as well as from their Under Reprisal release. The Ridglea, yet again, brought some killer metal to the Metroplex. (Travis Tutwiler)

Killswitch Engage

Obituary - Darkest Day, Candlelight Records
Darkest Day proves there’s no slowing down this Florida death metal product. Opener “List Of Dead” is a thrashing track with thunderous drums and plenty of guitar leads. There are lots of drum-heavy tracks like the tribal groove of “Blood To Give” or the deep bass drum intro to “Your Darkest Day.” The low-end swing feel to “Outside My Head” is catchy, and guitar leads are infectious The blistering “Violent Dreams, clocking in at just under two minutes, is pure speed and features some of Trevor Peres and Ralph Santolla’s best guitar work. Darkest Day shows that Obituary is still high atop the death metal mountain.
(Travis Tutwiler)

Disarmonia Mundi - Nebularium + The Restless Memoirs EP, Coroner Records
Nebularium, the first release from Italy’s Disarmonia Mundi has been remastered in this two-disc set. There’s also a bonus EP of previously unreleased tracks spanning from 1999-2006. “Guilty Claims” from Nebularium features several styles ranging from rock to prog with a mix of scowling and soaring-clean vocals. “Mechanichell” is an up-tempo heavy track, while “Demiurgo” is more of a cornucopia of styles and tempo changes. From The Restless Memoirs EP, opener “Across The Burning Surface” is a fierce track reminiscent of the heavier side of In Flames. So is the smoking “Spiral Dancer” but with more guitar. This cd set makes a great listen, while the band is working on new material.
(Travis Tutwiler)

Devildriver - Pray For Villains, Roadrunner
On their fourth release, Devildriver is firing on all cylinders like a well-oiled machine. “Pray For Villains” is a punishing and reaches straight for the jugular, while “Pure Sincerity” lulls you with a false sense of security before hammering with monstrous grooves. There’s a killer guitar intro on “I’ve Been Sober” before it kicks into gear. “Resurrection Blvd” is a shred-fest with plenty of sweeping. “It’s In The Cards” has a slower, heavy groove with an infectious rhythm and finds Dez’s vocals a little cleaner. Devildriver has unleashed a true monster with Pray For Villains. Pick up the special edition, which includes a dvd and four bonus tracks, including a cover of Iron Maiden’s “Wasted Years.”
(Travis Tutwiler)