After successful shows in Adelaide earlier this year, Queensland's Japunga return to rock Le Rox on Fri 1 Aug with Full Frontal Lobotomy, Ungkas, Anotherfall, Officer Down, Stigmartyr, Star Ten Hash, 8th Degree, Equal Minded and Joint Fusion. This all ages event kicks off at 6pm - be there early, as it will sell out. For those inclined more towards hardcore and punk, America's Strike Anywhere will play the Enigma Bar on the same night. On the following evening, fans of heavier music will be treated to a night of metal at O2 Nightclub with Raven Black Night, Juggermatt, Dephiler, One Step Beyond and 12 Guage.
Following record label troubles and a line-up reshuffle, Melbourne melodic doom band The Eternal (formerly Cryptal Darkness) have regrouped and are now set to release their first promo. A limited number of this self-titled release with soon be for sale, but in the meantime, head to clik.to/theeternal to download samples of all five tracks plus a complete mp3 of The Cruel Misfortune.
Rob Halford and Glenn Tipton have announced a reunion of the most celebrated line-up of the pioneering heavy metal band Judas Priest for a world tour and a new album next year. Current Priest vocalist Tim 'Ripper' Owens has left the band to accommodate the original members. The classic line-up of Halford, Tipton and guitarist K.K. Downing will regroup in Sept to write songs for the band's 16th studio album.
Morbid Angel have finally announced the title of their forthcoming album, due for release in late Sept. In keeping with the band's tradition of naming their albums in alphabetical order, starting with 1989's 'Altars of Madness' and continuing through to 2000's 'Gateways to Annihilation', Morbid Angel's eighth Earache album will be suitably titled 'Heretic'.
In other Earache news, the UK-based label has officially confirmed the signing of Satanic black/death metal band Akercocke to a world-wide, multi-album recording contract. Akercocke rose to prominence with their brand of Satanic/erotic occultism, displayed on the self-released 'Rape of the Bastard Nazarene' in 1999 and 'Goat of Mendes' in 2001. The band are currently mixing their new album 'Choronzon', described as "faster, heavier, more disturbing and much fucking nastier" than their previous output, for a late 2003 release.\charscalex95
Dave Miller, long-time vocalist of Brisbane's Hollow, has parted ways with the band after five years. The band will continue on without him, and are currently looking for a new singer to finish off their long-awaited debut album. Interested vocalists can contact the band through Kento at ward69music@bigpond.com.
Rob Zombie has signed on with comic book companies MV Creations and CrossGen Entertainment to create a six-issue comic series, entitled 'Rob Zombie's Spook Show International'. According to the press release, the first story "begins as the evil Zombie is freed from his eternal slumber", the second is based on the stories behind Zombie's "hit" movie 'House of 1000 Corpses', while the third "entails espionage, kidnapping, strip clubs and monsters galore".
Keyboardist Talie Helene has left Hobbs Angel of Death to focus on her own black-tinged doom band Stone Maiden. This leaves founder Peter Hobbs, drummer Bruno Canziani and bass player Dave Frew seeking both a new keyboardist and a new lead guitarist (original guitarist Mark Woolley parted ways with the band earlier this year). After being dormant for most of the '90s, Hobbs Angel of Death have yet to find a stable line-up, although their album 'Satan's Crusade' has just been released through Modern Invasion. Meanwhile, Stone Maiden have secured a horror movie soundtrack deal, details of which will be announced closer to the film's release.
Metallica's Sydney and Melbourne shows, apparently costing fans $131 a ticket, have now sold out. Some tickets are still available for the Mon 19 Jan Brisbane show, while Adelaide dates have yet to be announced.
Nick Byckoff, drummer for Russian death metal band Merlin was killed in a car accident on Sun 13 July while the band was in the middle of recording their third album, 'Brutal Constructor'. It is understood that the studio sesssions will continue without Byckoff, as he had already recorded his drum tracks a few weeks ago. The new album will be released later this year through Great White North Records.
After four years apart, the notorious Anal Cunt have reformed. So far, the reunion will only result in a tour of Japan and the States. A new recording may also eventuate but, according to vocalist Seth Putnam "We aren't gonna burn ourselves out on it and end up hating each other as usual". Otherwise, Putnam had only this to say about it: "You might think that's impossible since I said we never would get back together, but we did. If you want to complain about it, go fuck yourself".
