Sad news to report. CORROSION OF CONFORMITY (C.O.C.) drummer and founding member Reed Mullin has passed away at the age of 53.

Mullin had dealt with health issues during the past several years, forcing him to take step aside from drumming duties more than once.

C.O.C. confirmed the news tonight: “It’s with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to a friend, a brother and pioneer. Reed, you are loved and always will be. Lets all take a moment.”

Whenever CORROSION OF CONFORMITY releases a new album, folks take notice. But their latest is a true event. It’s been a dozen years since C.O.C. recorded new material with vocalist/guitarist Pepper Keenan at the helm...

MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars has apparently had a change of heart, in concern with a statement he made after the Crue had supposedly retired, when he stated the following:

“If (another tour) happens, I would invite the world to come for free,” Mars quipped.

This comes after he did an about face, well, with what’s left of his… and said he was “only joking about giving everyone free admission.”

Let’s be straight up, the Crue and their senior citizen axe slinger never planned a free global tour, because they are sluts for money. While that sort of thing was never going to happen, Mars now feels remorse after making such a mean spirited joke to his own damn fanbase, after the glam girls Mötley Crüe said they were done touring once they signed “the End” agreement.

No...

Polish extreme metal act VADER have debuted the first single, “Shock And Awe,” from their upcoming album, titled Solitude In Madness and due out this spring. The new track can be streamed above via lyric video.

Vader comment: “I am so excited to finally show everyone how the new album sounds! ‘Shock And Awe’ is the opening track of ‘Solitude In Madness’ and includes all that you would expect from Vader: speed, aggression and blasting brutality. The album has been finished for a while but the procedure requires a little bit more patience. Expect this frantic song to be included on the set list for the upcoming tour in US/Canada. And of course, more hellish thunder is to come soon.”

Different sources see the beginnings of VADER and interpret it in various ways...

Following roughly thirty years of existence, extreme metal unit ABSU has thrown in the towel. Mastermind Proscriptor McGovern (née Russley Randell Givens) announced the band’s dissolution today via the following statement:

After meager deliberation and zero remorse, I have decided to dissolve Absu after three decades of existence. Collectively and universally speaking, this decision is finite due to insoluble circumstances, which has led to this ultimate result. No amount of time, exertion, formula or fashion can alter my verdict.

Refusing to further comment on the subject, I leave thee with the following enchantment:

{Vii} For there are bitter waters of Chaos held immobile under (the) ground – And the Sovereigns, who personify them, reign over Opacities and Beyond.

[II...

HATEBREED have announced that the first single from their new album will arrive next month. That track, “When The Blade Drops“, will see a release On Valentine’s Day (February 14th). A teaser for the track has been made available HERE ahead of time. Hatebreed wrapped the recording sessions for their eighth studio album earlier this month. A May release is tentatively expected with the band having once again worked with Chris “Zeuss” Harris (Rob Zombie, Demon Hunter).

With a new album comes a new touring cycle and the band have the following shows lined up at the moment:

With Parkway Drive, Stick To Your Guns and Venom Prison:

04/01 Hamburg, GER – Sporthalle (Tickets)
04/02 Leipzig, GER – Arena (Tickets)
04/03 München, GER – Olympiahalle (Tickets)
04/04 Zürich...

British grindcore band NAPALM DEATH have booked a North American tour this spring. The dates are scheduled to include a few West Coast gigs featuring support from THE LOCUST, while the rest of the tour will feature ABORTED and WVRM. Some of the dates will include TOMBS.

NAPALM DEATH Tour dates:

Apr. 03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Decibel Metal & Beer Fest
Apr. 04 – Philadelphia, PA @ Decibel Metal & Beer Fest
Apr. 09 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco Theater*
Apr. 10 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall*

Apr. 14 – Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom*
Apr. 15 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo*
Apr. 17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall^
Apr. 18 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theater^
Apr. 19 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room Monday^
Apr. 20 – St Louis, MO @ Red Flag^
Apr...

The 62nd Grammy Awards took place last night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. “Best Metal Performance” was awarded to TOOL for their song “7empest.”

Tool beat out fellow nominees Candlemass, Death Angel, I Prevail, and Killswitch Engage for the award, their fourth Grammy and third for “Best Metal Performance.”

Grammy-winning rock quartet Tool established themselves as one of America’s most enduring and unpredictable acts with their ever-evolving brand of muscular but mind-altering sonics, wry sense of humor, and mystical aesthetic that attracted a cult-like following of devoted fans with just a handful of albums spread across decades...

American metalcore act, BLEED THE SKY, fell off the heavy metal music map twelve years ago, and frankly, many fans like myself pretty much lost all hope of them returning until this 2020 comeback release dropped entitled “This Way Lies Madness.”

The band’s third full-length album is released via Art Is War Records and kicks off with the scorching track “Tongue Louse” – a pulverizing ear blaster, no doubt. Next the listener is brought deeper into their darkened world with the cut “Carnage (Join Me In The Fire). “I don’t give a fuck when it comes down to it,” screams vocalist Noah Robinson. Guitarist Kevin Garcia co-produced this record along with Ben Schigel (Chimaira/Drowning Pool), and the production level is definitely on point...

Canadian all-star metal powerhouse IMONOLITH have announced the release of their highly anticipated debut album “State of Being” on March 27 via Imonolith Music and are streaming a new single/video, ‘Instinct’.

Featuring drummer Ryan ‘RVP’ Van Poederooyen (Devin Townsend Project) guitarist Brian ‘Beav’ Wadell (Devin Townsend Project), Jon Howard (Threat Signal), guitarist Kai Huppunen (Methods of Mayhem, Noise Therapy) and Scott Whalen (Econoline Crush), Imonolith is a collective of heavy-hitting players at the top of their game, and ‘Instinct’ serves as a great taster of what can expected on their debut album.

“State of Being” features 10 hook-laden, riff-heavy tracks including ‘Hollow’, the debut single that made big waves for Imonolith straight out of the gate, ra...

Joe Payne, former bass player for DIVINE HERESY and NILE, has passed away at the age of 35. A cause of death has yet to be revealed.

The news comes via Divine Heresy (and Fear Factory) founder, Dino Cazares, who issued the following statement:

“Our Metal brother Joseph Payne has passed away. Another one gone way to young, he was 35 years old. I wasn’t going to say anything until I got confirmation from his family, which I now did. At this time no cause of death has been revealed.

“Joe was a great friend, a great band member and an incredible musician. Although he played bass in ?Divine Heresy?, he was an incredible guitarist. I first saw him playing bass in Nile and right then and there, I said, ‘I want that guy in my band...