Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM have tapped Matt Hyde (HATEBREED, MONSTER MAGNET, FU MANCHU) to produce their new album, which is currently being recorded at a studio in Helsinki, Finland. Drummer Jaska Raatikainen has finished laying down his tracks and is scheduled to return to the studio tomorrow to record a couple of as-yet-undisclosed cover tunes. He says, “Recordings for me went good and I’m super-excited about the new songs. They ARE killer. I’m sure you will love the new material. And yes, there’s gonna be nine new tracks on the album.”

CHILDREN OF BODOM will support BLACK LABEL SOCIETY on the “Black Label Berzerkus” tour this fall. Also scheduled to appear on the two-month North American trek are CLUTCH and 2CENTS, with CLUTCH and CHILDREN OF BODOM sharing the main-support slot.

“Skeletons In The Closet”, the latest album from CHILDREN OF BODOM, entered the official chart in the band’s home country at position No. 9.

“Skeletons In The Closet” was released on September 23, 2009 through Spinefarm. The follow-up to 2008’s “Blooddrunk” is a selection of cover versions, some of them existing recordings, others specially laid down for this release.

CHILDREN OF BODOM has been recording covers since the early days of its career, some predictably heavy (“Silent Scream” by SLAYER, for example), others reflecting an altogether broader taste (“Talk Dirty To Me” by POISON).

CHILDREN OF BODOM last fall completed a month-long North American headlining tour. The 20-city trek launched on September 18, 2009 at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island and wrapped on October 14, 2009 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Support on the tour came from THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and SKELETONWITCH.

We received word on Thursday that Fear Factory had a close brush with death while on tour in the UK. Here are the details from the FF camp: In the early morning hours Fear Factory narrowly escaped fire that quickly engulfed their tour bus while in route to London. The fire reportedly stemmed from a back wheel tire before spreading throughout the double-decker coach. BBC News confirms the fire closed down two lanes of the southbound M1 as Northamptonshire fire officials battled the blaze.

Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares released the following comment moments ago: “We had just finished playing a sold out show in Sheffield and we were on our way to London. Everyone was asleep except for two of our crew. At about 3:30am the bus driver noticed smoke coming from the back right wheel. He stopped, jumped out and noticed a flame underneath the wheel well. He tried to extinguish it but the flames were too much. Everyone on the bus was woken up by one of our crew yelling ‘Get everyone up and out of the bus.’ Everyone grabbed their bags and ran off the bus. We stood on the side of the freeway going ‘thank god we all made it out’ until someone noticed our merchandise guy was still asleep on the bus. A good friend of ours ran back on the smoked-filled bus and got him out just minutes before the bus was completely in flames.”

Fear Factory are currently on tour in the UK continuing performances in support of their latest album, Mechanize. The band completed their most recent American tour on July 27th to a captivated audience in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The following evening the band departed from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport for an additional three weeks of dates in the UK and other various European festivals.

Cazares adds, “our eyes are burning and we were all coughing from the smoke. Some of us lost wallets, money, computers but that’s not important compared to our lives. It only took about 20 to 30 minutes for the bus to be completely covered in flames. The fire trucks and the police finally arrived but it was too late to save anything on the bus. A coach bus picked us up and brought us safely to a nearby hotel. We found out only a short while ago that the trailer was saved where all our gear was. But the bus is just a metal frame on the side of the road.”

According to The Pulse of Radio, word has begun to spread across the web that A PERFECT CIRCLE has officially been reactivated. On Tuesday (August 3), the group’s recently launched Twitter account began posting tweets tagging various band members with cryptic messages like “Go tell aunt Rosie…The old grey goose is not dead.”

Meanwhile, guitarist and founder Billy Howerdel tweeted, “The APC dust is shaking off!” and drummer Josh Freese posted on Facebook, “I’m happy to report that A PERFECT CIRCLE is waking up from its six-year slumber…and we’re going to be ‘doing stuff’ soon.”

There’s been no official word yet on the band’s re-emergence.

Singer Maynard James Keenan has been promoting his PUSCIFER project and “Blood Into Wine”, the documentary about his Arizona vineyard business, while also touring with TOOL and reportedly prepping a new album with them.

Keenan hinted to The Pulse of Radio last year that A PERFECT CIRCLE could be making new music in 2010, although whether a full-length album was in the works remained to be seen.

Keenan made a surprise appearance during a show by Howerdel’s other band, ASHES DIVIDE, at the Viper Room in Los Angeles in June, and the pair also performed together a few days earlier at the E3 video game convention.

The last A PERFECT CIRCLE record, a collection of political cover songs called “Emotive”, was released in 2004.

“Time Bomb”, a brand new song from MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee’s METHODS OF MAYHEM project, can be purchased via Amazon and iTunes. A 30-second audio sample of the track is also available.

“Time Bomb” comes off METHODS OF MAYHEM’s new album, “A Public Disservice Announcement”, which is scheduled for release on September 21 via Loud & Proud Records, a Roadrunner Records imprint focusing on established artists.

“A Public Disservice Announcement” track listing:

01. Drunk Uncle Pete
02. Time Bomb
03. Louder
04. Fight Song
05. Blame
06. Two Ways
07. Talk Me Off The Ledge
08. Only One
09. All I Wanna Do
10. Back To Before
11. Party Instructions

“Fight Song” can be streamed using the audio player below (courtesy of AOL’s Noiscreep).

“A Public Disservice Announcement” features Tommy Lee collaborating with the world. Lee commented, “When I founded METHODS in 1999, the whole purpose of the band was to be all over the place. In keeping with that, this METHODS isn’t anything like the last one. There’s no hip hop and there’s no roster of guest stars. This time, it’s me, my band, and the world.”

Tommy Lee and his team, including producer Scott Humphrey, singer-guitarist J3 and others, wrote and recorded the songs for the new album, then made the core components of each available for download on www.thepublicrecord.com to anyone who wished to add their playing or otherwise re-interpret the music however they saw fit. Lee listened to every single submission that was uploaded, chose the best, and integrated the actual audio tracks into the album’s final cuts. Every single musician whose part was used is credited and thanked on the album.

The song files were made available on The Public Record web site on October 5, 2009. By the end of the submission period in February, 2010, the page was viewed over 1 million times and over 10,000 submissions were uploaded. What came back once the public got its hands on the raw ingredients was truly all over the map — just as Tommy Lee had hoped. The diverse submissions included techno tracks sent in from Japan, hand drum rhythms from India and searing guitar solos from as close to home as San Diego.

METHODS OF MAYHEM self-titled debut was released in 1999 and was certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of 500,000 copies in the United States alone. The album featured Snoop Dogg, Kid Rock and Fred Durst, among others. METHODS OF MAYHEM’s set was a featured highlight of 2000’s Ozzfest.

According to IncGamers, Metalocalypse: Dethgame, the spin-off game from Adult Swim’s gore-splattered animation about the adventures of DETHKLOK, the world’s “most popular” death metal band, will no longer be happening.

The title was reportedly being developed for release on Xbox LIVE Arcade / PlayStation Network, but Adult Swim has confirmed to GamePro that “Cartoon Network Enterprise has indeed ended production on the previously-announced Metalocalypse: The Dethgame.

“The decision was made that the creative direction of the game would not live up to the high standards we had set for the project and we did not want to release a less-than-outstanding game.”

Created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha, “Metalocalypse” premiered on August 4, 2006 on Adult Swim. The television program centers around the melodic death metal band DETHKLOK and often portrays dark and macabre content, such as subjects dealing with violence, death, and the drawbacks of fame, but in an often ironic and humorous fashion. The show can be seen as both a celebration and parody of heavy metal culture. The music is written by guitarist/creator Brendon Small, is credited to the band, and is featured in most episodes including actual guitar-fingerings and other band-movements of the characters.

he only thing surprising about this gimmick is that Gene Simmons of KISS hadn’t thought of this money maker first. Here is the announcement from the Ozzcamp: Hard rocking brides and grooms looking for an exciting unique way to tie the knot this summer can now walk down the aisle on their special day with the Unholy Matrimony Package at a stop on this summer’s Ozzfest, August 14-24. As with other wedding packages, the one-stop Unholy Matrimony Packages provides just about everything the happy couple will need…except a marriage license. Each special package includes a variety of items to mark the special day and 10 general admission pit tickets for the bride & groom and 8 guests; an official Ozzfest wedding ceremony by ordained minister, Ozzfest’s MC Big Dave; an Ozzfest cake and champagne toast. In addition, all 10 guests will get early entry into the venue with an exclusive pre-show backstage tour hosted by Big Dave; access to the Ozzfest VIP lounge; specially designed Ozzfest tour shirts; collectible tour posters (numbered, limited), PIIQ - Bass Masq Earbuds by Sony and official Ozzfest guitar picks. Beyond the above, each lucky couple will be eligible for a special Ozzfest wedding gift from the Unholy Matrimony bridal registry, generously supplied by this year’s Ozzfest sponsors. Items will include a Monster Energy Refrigerator (with twelve cases of Monster Energy Drink to get started), a special ESP LTD Signature Series GUS-200. Details on the registry will be released in the coming weeks.

While the Unholy Matrimony Package options have already been sold for the California, Connecticut and New Jersey shows, the Tuesday, Aug 17 at the First Midwest Bank Amp. in Chicago, IL, Thurs, Aug 19 at the First Niagara Pavilion in Pittsburgh, PA and Tue, Aug 24 at the Comcast Center in Boston, MA remain available.

This year’s Ozzfest main stage will feature full sets from Ozzy, Motley Crue, Rob Halford, DevilDriver and Nonpoint. Second stage headliners and six-time Ozzfest veterans Black Label Society will be joined by Drowning Pool, Kingdom of Sorrow, and Goatwhore, Skeletonwitch, Saviours and Kataklysm. In addition to non-stop music on both stages, concert-goers can once again visit the Ozzfest “Village of the Damned” featuring a mix of interactive activities, shopping and entertainment throughout the venue concourses. All six dates of the explosive Live Nation-produced tour will feature “all-in ticket pricing” which means there are no hidden fees whatsoever–no parking charges at the shows, no facility or surcharge fees–the price you see is the price you pay. Tickets prices start as low as $30 per ticket when purchased in a 4-pack.

A pigeon infestation forced Kings of Leon to cut their performance at St. Louis’ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre short Friday night. Bird excrement rained down on the band, forcing them offstage just three songs into their set. According to the Riverfront Times , fans initially thought the band was pulling a hoax when they exited after “Taper Jean Girl,” but an announcement followed that the show had been canceled “due to concerns over the band’s safety.” Drummer Nathan Followill explained to fans that a pigeon defecated directly into bassist Jared Followill’s mouth.

“So sorry St. Louis. We had to bail, pigeons shitting in Jared’s mouth. Too unsanitary to continue,” Nathan Followill wrote on his Twitter. “Don’t take it out on Jared, it’s the fucking venue’s fault. You may enjoy being shit on but we don’t. Sorry for all who traveled many miles.” Added the band’s manager Andy Mendelsohn in a statement, “I’m surprised they stayed on for as many songs as they did. Jared was hit several times during the first two songs. On the third song, when he was hit in the cheek and some of it landed near his mouth, they couldn’t deal any longer. It’s not only disgusting — it’s a toxic hazard. They really tried to hang in there.”

The band was warned prior to the show that a “significant pigeon infestation” had plagued the stage for several years, but officials at the venue insisted they were working on a solution. Pigeon excrement rained down on both of the opening acts, the Postelles and the Stills — the Postelles at one point dedicated a song “to our bassist, who just got shat on” — but the Kings of Leon decided to give their show a go because they believed it would have been unfair to cancel at that late moment. “We couldn’t believe what the Postelles and the Stills looked like after their sets,” Jared Followill said in a statement. “We didn’t want to cancel the show, so we went for it. We tried to play. It was ridiculous.”

The fans, many of whom couldn’t see what exactly was transpiring onstage, were upset, loudly booing and chanting “Refund!” after the house lights came on. Kings of Leon promised to return to St. Louis again “as soon as we can.” In the meantime, Live Nation promised refunds to all those in attendance.

The year 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of CATHEDRAL and in order to commemorate the occasion the band will perform a one-off show on December 3 2010 at the O2 Academy in Islington, North London.

For one night only CATHEDRAL will be performing two sets, including the entirety of their landmark debut album and doom metal classic, “Forest of Equilibrium”, where Lee Dorrian and Garry Jennings will be joined by the recording lineup Mark “Griff” Griffiths, Adam Lehan and Mike Smail. This will be followed by a second set of songs performed by the current lineup of Lee Dorian, Garry Jennings, Brian Dixon and Leo Smee.

Vocalist Lee Dorrian elaborates: “CATHEDRAL has come along way since those dirge-ridden smoke-filled, cheap-lager- and sweat-infested early rehearsals back in 1990.

“To be brutally honest, back then we never imagined that we would have continued on a 20-year journey and still be here to tell the tale.”

“A lot of bands that have been around this long tend to shy away from their roots, in favor of more ‘accessible’ material that they wrote in their ‘maturing’ stages. Well, despite the fact that we may have expanded on our sound and style since those early days, we are certainly not embarrassed by our origins, in fact the opposite is true. To commemorate (commiserate?) this 20-year marathon, we thought it would be a cool idea to regroup the lineup of our first studio album for a special one-off show, and perform it in its entirety. Fortunately, everyone from those days agreed. This will mark the beginning of the evening, which will be followed by a set of material ‘post-Forest,’ bringing us right up to date with our latest album, ‘The Guessing Game’.

“We are excited about this event and look forward to seeing you there.”

Vocalist Magnus “Masse” Broberg (a.k.a. Emperor Magus Caligula) of Swedish black metallers DARK FUNERAL has released the following statement:

“I would like to inform all of our fans that on Saturday, August 21, at the Summer Breeze festival in Germany, I will be doing my last show with dark funeral.

Naturally, I have ‘mixed feelings’ about this decision, but it is final!

“They say that every person will have about 15 minutes of fame during their life! Well, I have had a ‘hell of a ride’ for 15 years now together with Lord Ahriman and DARK FUNERAL.

“As some people love to spread weird rumors about others, let me make this clear once and for all. I have not committed suicide, I have not taken an overdose, nor are there any personal issues between me and DARK FUNERAL. However, my life has taken a new turn lately, and I am also getting married this year (NOT to some crazy bitch in the U.S though… Hahaha), whereof my priorities in life lie somewhere else.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank ALL of our fans for their amazing support during all the 15 years I’ve been with the band. And I would also like to thank my brothers in DARK FUNERAL for all these years together.

“Lord Ahriman and I have managed to raise DARK FUNERAL from the deepest of abyss, when we have confronted problems before. And there is NO doubt in my mind, that DARK FUNERAL, without me, will raise once more, stronger than ever…

“Thus I have spoken, thus shalt it be…”

Fan-filmed video footage of Swedish black metallers DARK FUNERAL performing the song “Stigmata” on June 19, 2010 at Hellfest in Clisson, France can be viewed below.

“Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus”, the new album from DARK FUNERAL, was released in North America on January 26, 2010 via Regain Records. The CD, which was made available in most European countries between November 18, 2009 and November 27, 2009, was recorded at Abyss Studio in Grangärde, Sweden with famed engineer and legendary producer Peter Tägtgren (PAIN, HYPOCRISY). Nine songs are featured on the effort, which is being described in a press release as “the band’s most technical and varied album to date. And while still being true to their roots, they have taken a great step forward in the evolution of their brand of fine Swedish black metal. ‘Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus’ is, from the very beginning to the end, a hell ride you simply don’t want to miss!”

The “Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus” cover artwork was created by Morbid (Daniel Valeriani).

“Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus” was released in a couple of different formats, including a two-disc limited edition containing one CD and one live DVD. The bonus live DVD features approximately 55 minutes of previously unreleased material professionally filmed with six cameras during the band’s 15th anniversary show at the Peace & Love festival on June 28, 2008 in Borlänge, Sweden. The album also includes two versions (soft and hardcore) of the band’s brand new video, “My Funeral”.