In a recent interview HERE Motorhead legend Lemmy Kilmister confirmed that Motorhead will be taking part in this years Mayhem Festival.  "Well, we've got festivals in Europe in the summer and then we do the Mayhem Tour in July with Slipknot. But that'll be a short set, too, then I guess." To read the entire interview CLICK HERE!

The main stage for this summer's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival will feature Slipknot, Slayer and a major special guest which will be announced on March 5th (and now confirmed Motorhead). The fourth slot on the main stage will feature a rotation of The Devil Wears Prada, As I Lay Dying and Asking Alexandria

In 2012 the tour has upgraded the production on the festival stage and this year the Jagermeister Stage will feature a special headline set by Anthrax supported by a rotation of The Devil Wears Prada, As I Lay Dying and Asking Alexandria, along with Whitechapel, High On Fire and the Jagermeister opener. Please note that bands may vary per market.

As always RockMyMonkey.com plan full coverage of this event. There will be tons of photos, in person video interviews, and more.

Commented the band in a collective statement: “TOAD has long been preparing for this moment, and the time has finally come. This journey will lead us into uncharted territory and will spark the widespread corruption of anyone and everyone that is either willing or unfortunate enough to participate. We are confident that this experience will be only the beginning of the debauchery and mayhem that is yet to come.”

TOAD — short for “Take Over And Destroy” — will be touring in support of their criminally underrated five-track Rotten Tide EP, self-released last year. Flaunting a fully analog recording, the monolithic offering was produced by Bob Hoag at Flying Blanket Recording and features the exclusive use of vintage gear from the ‘60s and ‘70s to create “a true rock ‘n’ roll sound.” An underground masterwork of sorts, Rotten Tide has created a stir amongst scene diehards in the know. Said Metal Storm in a 9.4/10 review: “It's got that raw, grooving rock n roll appeal that you'll find with the likes of Bison B.C. combined with the grim psychedelic feel offered by few others than Nachtmystium.” Added The Sleeping Shaman: “Rotten Tide comes across like the bastard son of Entombed with its spit-in-your-eye attitude and brash swagger. It’s rough and raw, whilst managing to sound decently produced…it grooves, it has dark psychedelia, it’s catchy, it’s unhinged; there is a mash up of punk, black metal, crazy treble picking, utterly abrasive and yet catchy.” The Obelisk agreed: “Rotten Tide blends a variety of styles from bombastic hardcore metal to post-Mastodonic technicality, and — perhaps most curiously of all — a preference for analog recording that’s almost entirely absent from the larger scope of modern metal. “

TOAD Tour Dates 2012:

3/02/2012 Palo Verde - Tempe, AZ

3/03/2012 Lyzards - Prescott, AZ
3/04/2012 Burt’s Tiki Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT w/ OldTimer
3/05/2012 Curtis Street Pub - Denver, CO w/ Low Gravity, Backwoods Payback
3/06/2012 Kelly’s Irish Pub - Wichita, KS

3/07/2012 JR’s Lightbulb Club - Fayetteville, AR w/ Left Holding The Gun, Perpetual Werewolf
3/08/2012 Downtown Music - Little Rock, AR w/ Crankbait, Lost Coves
3/09/2012 The Buccanneer - Memphis, TN w/ Lo-Pan
3/10/2012 WonderRoot - Atlanta, GA  w/ Sons Of Tonatiuh, Canopy
3/11/2012 TBA
3/12/2012 The Tiki Bar -  Shreveport, LA w/ Black Market Ministry
3/13/2012 Tsunami - Monroe, LA w/ Black Market Ministry
3/14/2012 TBA
3/15/2012 TBA - New Orleans, LA
3/16/2012 The Saturn Bar - New Orleans, LA w/ PonyKiller, Brain
3/17/2012 TBA - Austin, TX

To offer help with any TBA dates please contact Earsplitpr2@aol.com or takeoveranddestroy@gmail.com.

A maniacal six-piece, TOAD formed in 2008 and has rapidly evolved into a complex entity. TOAD’s sound is hardly definable but rather a divine amalgamation of and elaboration upon all things heavy within the last four decades of rock music. Though obviously influenced by the Scandinavian death and black metal movements of the 1990s, the band ensures that every song pulsates with the groove established by metal’s forefathers – bands like Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. With the addition of former Slut Sister and Drone Throne guitarist Alex Bank Rollins, and the replacement of original guitarist Danny Labarbera by former Queen Beast member Nate Garrett, the band has solidified a group that is road-ready and unstoppable in both its creative output and self-promotion. Rounding out the lineup are original members Andy Leemont on vocals, Shane Taylor on drums, Trey Edwin on bass, and Pete Porter on organ. TOAD strive to be at the forefront of the progression of the genre, alongside bands that are pushing metal into new territory, such as Ghost, Kvelertak, and Watain. TOAD are carrying the American torch in this exhilarating new movement.

https://www.facebook.com/TOADmusic

http://takeoveranddestroy.bandcamp.com

Catch the band live as they tour the states in support of Blood for the Master alongside label-mates Hate Eternal.

GOATWHORE, HATE ETERNAL, Fallujah, Cerebral Bore
02/22 Hollywood, CA The Whisky
02/23 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst Atrium
02/24 Portland, OR Branx
02/25 Seattle, WA Studio Seven
02/26 Boise, ID The Venue
02/27 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
02/28 Colorado Springs, CO Black Sheep
02/29 Kansas City, MO Beaumont Club
03/01 St Paul, MN Station 4
03/02 Des Moines, IA House Of Bricks
Tour w/ The Faceless, Dying Fetus, Volumes, Last Chance To Reason
03/04 Pittsburgh, PA Mr Smalls Theatre
03/06 Lansing, MI The Loft
03/07 Toledo, OH Omni
03/08 Indianapolis, IN Emerson Theater
03/09 Peoria, IL Brass Rail
03/10 Covington, KY Bangarang's
03/12 Evansville, IN Boney Junes
03/13 St Louis, MO Fubar
03/14 Fayetteville, AR The Rogue
End Tour
03/15 Little Rock, AR Downtown Music Bar
03/16 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone

Here's what press has been saying about the new album:
"Five albums in, GOATWHORE still hold the crown as the hardest-working band in metal. With Blood for the Master, all of their sacrifices have finally paid off…Blood for the Master reeks of blasphemy, brimstone, Jägermeister and fire." Decibel Magazine

"Blood for the Master is free of irony, pretentiousness, and bullshit…No frills rarely gets more satisfying than this. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a colossal winning streak, and we can keep hearing about just how much the band hates Jesus for years to come." MetalSucks.net

"They still cherry pick the best elements from the fertile fields of black, thrash and death, but they've set their sights on classic metal this time round, and its influence shows in the comparatively straightforward thrills contained in this offering" 4/5 Kerrang Magazine

"This combination of ingredients — old-school riffage, modern sheen, charismatic singer, insanely metaaal imagery — makes for a record that's almost impossible not to like." MetalReview.com

"…if you listen to Blood for the Master with a critical ear you'll catch an album way ahead of the genre it's lumped into. That's the magic with Goatwhore, you can take what they do at face value or you can dig deeper. Either way you'll end up dancing around your room and debating whether or not tonight is the night you burn the Earth to cinders." CraveOnline.com

"There's more fantastic thrash moments mixing in nicely with the core black metal sound and the repetition isn't there as much this time around. It's a dirty, grimey record but catchy as hell and well worth the attention it's getting. So yeah, I'm just like everyone else and tossing this one on my short list for best album of 2012." Popdose.com

"Blood for the Master is another great album from Goatwhore that easily matches up to the last one. At this point in their career, a common sound has been woven that fans expect to hear. There may be other bands who tout this black/death style, but very few can make it both catchy and devastating. Goatwhore have been getting better as the years wear on, and this album established them as a metal band not to be ignored." About.com

"this is one of the best straight-up Metal releases I've heard in a long time." 9/10 metal-temple.com

"Goatwhore shows the capacity to combine blast beats with chuggy, layered guitars and vocals that are screamed but not beyond comprehension" BloodyGoodHorror.com

"Blood for the Master is a record that twists and turns effortlessly; each of the tracks are direct, passionate and emptied of frivolous, extraneous melodrama. This is ferocious, menacing and utterly beguiling stuff." AlternativeMatter.net

"lighting a fire under the ass of metal with their blood drenched combination of death metal, black metal, Motörhead grooves and punk." CraveOnline.com

"From 'A Haunting Curse' all the way to their brand-spanking-new release, Blood for the Master, these swamp-dwellers from New Orleans have refined their brand of blackened death metal" TheNewReview.net

"they slap false metal across the face" metal-army.com

http://www.facebook.com/thegoat666
http://twitter.com/GoatwhoreNOLA
http://www.Goatwhore.net http://www.myspace.com/Goatwhore

Born in 2007, Sharks is James Mattock (vocals), Andrew J. Bayliss (guitar), Sam Lister (drums), and Tony Corrales (bass).  They released their first independent EP, Shallow Waters, in 2008 and drummed up a serious buzz while playing with the likes of Gallows, The Wedding Present, and Babyshambles. Barely old enough to drive, the group garnered critical acclaim from tastemakers such as KERRANG!, The Guardian, and NME for 2010's Show of Hands EP and incendiary performances supporting The Gaslight Anthem in the UK.  In April 2011, they released The Joys of Living 2008-2010, a 14 song collection of previously released tracks and two band new ones that garnered them instant acclaim.  Zane Lowe praised the collection as "the sound of a band reaching that moment when they are absolutely ready," while Kerrang called them "one of the best bands around."
 

Unlike many of their UK predecessors the band has toured extensively in the United States, often living in their van.  In the United States they have toured with Social Distortion and just this past year played the entire Vans Warped Tour and Fall Alternative Press Tour.  They are currently featured in the "Most Anticipated Music of 2012" issue of Alternative Press.  The magazine said their music "bristles with a wonderful sense of rock 'n' roll heritage that serves as a tribute to fallen heroes such as the Clash while simultaneously molding those influences into something refreshing and contemporary."

“For the past five months we had been in talks with Neil Sheehan, owner of Standby Records, about the band and have developed a great repertoire with him,” said front man Caleb Harbin. “He really understood the direction we wanted take our music, and we all agreed this was a perfect match.”

Farewell, My Love will head to Cleveland, Ohio’s, Studio D Productions, this spring to begin tracking its debut record with producer, Don Debiase (Modern Day Escape, Beneath The Sky, For All Those Sleeping), and the band is more than eager to begin the next chapter of its career.

“We have been writing and demoing constantly for the past couple of months,” added guitarist, Robby Creasey. “The process has been non-stop, aside from the week we spent filming our first music video for ‘Portraits,’ off our EP. We brought a lot of ideas to the table and are anxious to show the world what we are all about.”

As Farewell, My Love gears up to enter the studio, the band is pleased to present the aforementioned music video for “Portraits,” taken from the self-produced EP, ‘A Dance You Won’t Forget.’ The video was filmed in Flagstaff, AZ with directors, Brent Henderson and Clayton Lumley, and it is now streaming on the band’s official YouTube page at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvU1Y-iTVN4.

“Instead of filming a bunch of live scenes for the video, we wanted to portray the concept of the song through a sequence of dreams,” commented drummer, ChadK.

‘A Dance You Won’t Forget’ released in late 2011 and helped the band to quickly gain a loyal local fan base. From playing as opening acts, to performing before sold-out crowds, Farewell, My Love has continuously sought to create a world where art, not hype, transcends the entire performance both musically and visually.

“The first EP was really an outlet for us to voice inspiration to those that felt misguided or lost. Our LOVERS, are the reason we’re here, and we aim to help them know they can be anything they dream,” said ChadK.

“We faced a lot of skepticism early on, but we pressed on, and we want our fans to do the same,” added bassist, Gary Grant.

Stay tuned to the official Farewell, My Love Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/farewellmyloveofficial and StandbyRecords.net for more information.


Farewell, My Love is…

Caleb Harbin – Vocals
Röbby Creasey – Guitar
ChadK. – Drums
Gary Grant – Bass


Standby Records online…

http://www.standbyrecords.net
http://www.facebook.com/standbyrecords
http://www.twitter.com/standbyrecords
http://www.myspace.com/standbyrecords
http://www.youtube.com/StandbyTube
http://www.last.fm/label/Standby+Records
http://www.reverbnation.com/label/standbyrecordsnet

Being And Nothingness contains nine tracks of progressive thrash proficiency, closing with an epic eight-part suite, and features a hand-painted cover by celebrated extreme metal illustrator Kristian Wåhlin/Necrolord (King Diamond, Dissection, Emperor, etc) viewable HERE.

Commented HeXeN in a collective statement: “We are completely stoked for this long-worked on, long-awaited second release and we can’t wait to showcase this opus live to all our fans. Unlearn what you have learned about metal!”

Being And Nothingness Track Listing:

1. Macrocosm

2. Grave New World

3. Defcon Rising

4. Private Hell

5. Walk As Many, Stand As One

6. Stream Of Unconsciousness

7. Indefinite Archetype

8. The Nescient

9. Nocturne -

i. Opus 55 № 1 in Fmin

ii. Out of Reach

iii. Existential Crisis

iv. Entrance of the Absurd

v. The Unbearable Lightness of Being

vi. With Salvation I Persist

vii. Elegy of the Night

viii. End in Purplexity

Being And Nothingness will be released via Pulverised Records. Stay tuned for more announcements from HeXeN.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HeXeN/266806818176

http://www.pulverised.net

Commented gentlemen drummer/wordsmith John Longstreth of ORIGIN:

"Hey ladies n' germs, it's Longstreth of ORIGIN here with a little dirt on what we currently have on the table. We're calling it OCCUPATION DOMINATION 2012. Simply put, it’s the most brutal death metal tour package of the spring and it’s starting up in the end of April and running all the way through till the end of May. This tour is for fans of the extreme, blast beat driven, face melting, skull crushing, type of DEATH METAL that parents and young children are still afraid of. In addition to ORIGIN, we have CATTLE DECAPITATION, ABORTED, DECREPIT BIRTH, and new comers RINGS OF SATURN and BATTLECROSS coming through your town to lay waste to your local music venues. It would be appropriate to consider these shows more endurance tests than metal concerts. Come out and treat yourself to death metal boot camp this spring to ensure yourself that you will be in top shape for the next ‘progressive’ core band or washed up ‘old school death metal’ fest tour that will be sure to roll through the states soon after. Cheers and see you there!"

OCCUPATION DOMINATION 2012

ORIGIN, CATTLE DECAPITION, DECREPIT BIRTH, ABORTED, RINGS OF SATURN, BATTLECROSS

April 20 Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
April 21 Wilmington, DE @ Mojo 13
April 22 Trenton, NJ @ BackStage at Champs
April 23 Keene, NH @ Railroad Tavern
April 24 Brooklyn, NY @ Europa
April 26 Peoria, IL @ Brass Rail
April 27 Joliet, IL @ Mojoe's
April 28 Portage, IN @ Camelot Arena
April 29 St Louis, MO @ Fubar
May 2 Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater
May 4 San Diego, CA @ Ruby Room
May 5 Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse
May 6 Hollywood, CA @ The Whisky A Go-Go
May 7 Fullerton, CA @ Slidebar
May 8 San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
May 9 Stockton, CA @ Plea For Peace
May 10 Sparks, NV @ The Alley
May 11 Portland, OR @ Branx
May 12 Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
May 13 Boise, ID @ The Venue
May 14 Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
May 15 Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
May 18 Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater

Entity was released on June 7, 2011, and was recorded at Chapman Recording Studios in Lenexa, Kansas with longtime engineer and friend Robert Rebeck. Artwork was handled this time around by Colin Marks (NEVERMORE, KATAKLYSM, EXODUS).

One of the most intense and technical forces of the contemporary death metal world, ORIGIN has returned to stake its claim as the leader of metal's new wave of extremity with its fifth studio effort, Entity. As expected, the death the band continues to churn out frantic, hell-paced grids of metal torment, but now further complements the arrangements with a newfound propensity for churning grooves and the hook-laden approach that first reared its ugly, but accessible head on the band's 2007 offering, Antithesis. As stated multiple times in the past, ORIGIN proves once again that they stand head and shoulders above their peers.

For more info visit: www.myspace.com/Origin666 | www.facebook.com/Origin

Some of the track titles on the new album include: Forced Gender Reassignment, A Living, Breathing Piece of Defecating Meat, and The Carbon Stampede. All of the details from the new album such as, cover art, track list, guest appearances, and pre-order info will be revealed in the coming months.

Cattle Decapitation is also pleased to announce their participation in the "Occupation Domination 2012 US Tour" with Origin. Vocalist Travis Ryan has posted the following update: "We're fresh out of the recording studio and are very much looking forward to dissecting the auditory canals of all who bear witness to our set on the upcoming US tour with our friends Origin! We're hitting up some areas that we haven't in a while and those who we are missing this time, not to worry… you will be seeing us back out on the road over the coming months as we support our upcoming album. We will also be focusing a lot on international touring on this new album, which will keep us away from the states for a bit, so we urge our USA fans who want to see us to be sure to mark when we're coming through their town on their calendars. We are very excited to show the world our new material and are looking forward to sharing information regarding our new album in the coming month! Stay tuned… stay GORE!"

CATTLE DECAPITATION
Occupation Domination Tour
w/ Origin, Decrepit Birth, Aborted, Rings of Saturn, BATTLECROSS
04/20 Baltimore, MD Sonar
04/21 Wilmington, DE Mojo 13
04/22 Trenton, NJ BackStage at Champs
04/23 Keene, NH Railroad Tavern
04/24 Brooklyn, NY Europa
04/26 Peoria, IL Brass Rail
04/27 Joliet, IL Mojoe's
04/28 Portage, IN Camelot Arena
04/29 St Louis, MO Fubar
05/02 Albuquerque, NM El Rey Theater
05/04 San Diego, CA Ruby Room
05/05 Tempe, AZ The Clubhouse
05/06 Hollywood, CA The Whisky A Go-Go
05/07 Fullerton, CA Slidebar
05/08 San Francisco, CA DNA Lounge
05/09 Stockton, CA Plea For Peace
05/10 Sparks, NV The Alley
05/11 Portland, OR Branx
05/12 Seattle, WA Studio Seven
05/13 Boise, ID The Venue
05/14 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
05/15 Denver, CO The Summit Music Hall
05/18 Lawrence, KS Granada Theater

http://www.facebook.com/cattledecapitation
https://twitter.com/cattledecap
http://www.indiemerchstore.com/cattledecap
http://www.cattledecapitation.com/

"Fair to Midland have yet to make an epic game changer of an album, but Arrows and Anchors comes close." - REVOLVER Magazine.

"Arrows and Anchors is all killer, no filler," - OUTBURN Magazine.

In regards to this video, Niklas Sundin comments: "I wanted to create a live video that would capture the energy of our show both from the audience's perspective as well as from the stage. To accomplish this, we headed out on our recent Europe/Russia tours equipped with a GoPro HD camera, which was mounted on various objects (guitar necks, vocal microphone, member's bodies etc.) on most of the shows. Despite probably looking pretty weird for those in the crowd that noticed the little device, we arrived home with a lot of interesting footage, and after a lot of editing we're happy to present the final result: A clip for 'In My Absence', filled with an energy and closeness out of the ordinary. Enjoy!"

DARK TRANQUILLITY, the unstoppable metal machine from Gothenburg, Sweden, has already played over 160 shows all over the world in support of We Are The Void, and the band continues to tour, heading to exotic locations such as China, Japan, South Korea, Israel, and Turkey, as well as appearing at European summer festivals in the upcoming months.  In fall 2012, they will take a break to focus on a new album.

All upcoming tour dates for DARK TRANQUILLITY are below, so check to see when they'll be coming to a city near you!

DARK TRANQUILLITY live 2012:
08.03.2012 - Close-Up Båten (Metal cruise), Sweden & Finland
23.03.2012 - Beijing, China
24.03.2012 - Shanghai, China
27.03.2012 - Tokyo, Japan
28.03.2012 - Osaka, Japan
31.03.2012 - Seoul, South Korea
05.05.2012 - Tel Aviv, Israel
06.05.2012 - Istanbul, Turkey
31.05.2012 - Metalfest, Austria
02.06.2012 - Metalfest Dessau, Germany
03.06.2012 - Metalfest Poland
05.06.2012 - Metalfest Croatia
06.06.2012 - Metalfest Italy
08.06.2012 - Metalfest Loreley, Germany
10.06.2012 - Metalfest Switzerland
15.06.2012 - Metal Gate, Czech
28.o7.2012 - Faceplant Metalfest, Sweden
16.08.2012 - Summer Breeze, Germany
17.08.2012 - Motocultor festival, France
13.10.2012 - Metal Invasion Festival, Germany

 
DARK TRANQUILLITY online:
http://www.darktranquillity.com
http://www.myspace.com/dtofficial
http://www.twitter.com/dtofficial
http://www.facebook.com/dtofficial