• KENNY OLSON, better known to Kid Rock fans as the original guitarist for the Twisted Brown Trucker band, returns for one special night with his new band The Flask to open for Kid Rock on August 26th at Boyne Mountain in Michigan. Fans will have the opportunity to hear new material from the band's upcoming album, "Match In The Gas Tank," which is slated for release October 10th on Takes The Biscuit. Mixed by the legendary Eddie Kramer, the music has been described by Olson as old-school Rock 'N' Roll, with decided Blues and R&B influences on grooving up-tempo material and ballads alike.

• MACHINE HEAD are set to enter Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California this Monday, August 21st to record their newly titled upcoming album, "The Blackening." Vocalist/guitarist Robert Flynn will be returning to the producer's chair for the band's sixth studio album. Long-time collaborator Colin Richardson (Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, Bullet For My Valentine) will also be returning to mix "The Blackening" alongside Flynn this October in London. "Words can't really describe how excited we are to get into the studio and record this record," exclaims drummer Dave McClain. "We're fired up!"

• ALICE IN CHAINS are set to release "The Essential Alice In Chains" collection on September 5th as a celebration of their 20th anniversary. Ten years after their last concert, the band also reclaimed their heritage to embark on a surprise U.S. club tour as a warm up for their 5-month tour of the UK and Europe. They returned for several U.S. festival dates, and will pick up again in the Fall, with dates to be announced soon. "The Essential Alice In Chains" gathers its tracks from all four original albums and the two EPs they recorded. Also included are remixes of two songs from the "Last Action Hero" soundtrack.

• BLUT AUS NORD will release their new album, "MoRT," on October 3rd via Candlelight Records. The new offering adds to the band's trilogy of albums and growing stateside sales and fanbase. Introduced to U.S. audiences via their early 2004 Candlelight debut, "The Work Which Transforms God," Blut Aus Nord have crafted an album in "MoRT" that is complete, haunting, and bound to draw the band critical applause. A singular composition consisting of eight united chapters, "MoRT" contains the gruesome soundtrack that has quickly become the trio's acclaimed hallmark.

• HELLOGOODBYE hit the road this October for a nationwide headlining tour, with the antics beginning in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 11th. Joining the band on select dates are Reggie And The Full Effect, Ozma, Cute Is What We Aim For, Peachcake, and Dave Melillo. Hellgoodbye are touring in support of "Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!" - their Drive-Thru Records full-length debut album, which was just released last week on August 8th. The band has spent most of 2006 on tour with artists such as All American Rejects, The Rocket Summer and Panic! At The Disco, and were also on the Warped Tour bill.

• EPICA are set to invade the U.S. on their first tour alongside friends Kamelot this Fall. Kicking off September 16th at the sold-out ProgPower Festival in Atlanta, where the band will perform alongside U.S. labelmate Jorn (the events headliner), the sextet will make stops in New York, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and others before completing dates in Los Angeles on November 11th. The dutch sextet featuring former After Forever guitarist Mark Jansen and classically trained mezzo-soprano beauty Simone Simons command attention with their multi-layered Symphonic/Power/Gothic compositions.

• THE SUMMER OBSESSION will release their debut album, "This Is Where You Belong," on Virgin Records with just a few days of Summer to spare. Musically inspired by extensive and varied Pop and Rock influences including The Police, Rage Against The Machine and Blink-182, the songwriting pulls from the band's own personal experiences as well as stories from their fan mail. The Summer Obsession were initially discovered in 2004 by Myspace founder Tom Anderson and became one of the first Myspace bands - the initial buzz propelling the band to enter the studio with Josh Abraham (Pink, Velvet Revolver).

• UNEARTH have added Bleeding Through as main support for their upcoming "Sanctity Of Brothers" tour. Also on the bill are this year's "Sounds Of The Underground Tour" heavy hitters Terror and Through the Eyes Of The Dead. Also throwing down on the "Sanctity Of Brothers" tour are one of the underground;s newest Metal bands on the rise, Animosity, as opener. Unearth Drummer Mike Justian proclaims: "The upcoming 'Sanctity Of Brothers' tour is like a seven layer burrito - it's got all the right ingredients, and when you put them together it makes for a very delectable treat."

• WEDNESDAY 13, the former Murderdolls frontman whose campy reinvention of the Horrorcore genre has turned the king of shock rockers, Alice Cooper, into a fan, is set to release "Fang Bang," a 13-track album set for a Sept. 12 via Rykodisc. Wednesday 13 explains of the new release: "This is truly going to be the catchiest glam-punk-rock 'n' roll record that I have made in my entire history. The new tracks are fast, fun, dumb, and I'd say a little more reminiscent of my earlier days with Frankenstein Drag Queens (From Planet 13), but with a new twist. I'm really approaching it with a 'less is best' attitude."

• BELPHEGOR have signed a new recording deal with Nuclear Blast Records. Vocalist/guitarist Helmuth had this to say about the new partnership: "For over eleven months we've been working on 'Pestapokalypse VI.' We continued to develop and refine the songs over and over again. Never before have we spent so much time in the rehearsal room, and never before have we put so much energy in our new material. The producer Andy Classen provided us with a massive wall of sound at Stage One Studios." "Pestapokalypse VI" is scheduled for a North American release on October 31st.

• P.O.D. have parted ways with Atlantic Records, to which they had been signed since 1999. According to a statement, the group became disillusioned with changes at the label. "We've been proud to be Atlantic recording artists, but it's not the same place anymore," the band says. "For most of our stay, we were blessed by a staff that was gracious towards our vision, faith and love of music," it continues. "It's time to dream again with a new staff and we leave with grateful hearts." The group's final album for Atlantic, "Testify," was released in February and has sold about 200,000 copies in the United States.

• AKERCOCKE have been confirmed as headliners for the Terrorizer stage at this year's Damnation Festival, set to take place on October 15th at Jilly's Rockworld in Manchester, UK. The festival is fast becoming a celebration of all things Earache, boasting no fewer than five current or former Earache bands on the bill. Akercocke mainman Jason Mendonca issued a typically uncompromising warning to fans about what they can expect at the festival: "Manchester beware, we are coming to ruin lives with a crushing assault of necromantic terror blasts and face melting guitar work."

• 3 DOORS DOWN band members have presented two checks to aid Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Guitarist Matt Roberts presented a $25,000 check Tuesday to Resurrection Catholic School, which he attended, to help replace library books. Principal Darnell Cuevas said the school lost thousands of books when Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast last Aug. 29. "We've learned since the hurricane that things are not cheap, and this will help so much," Cuevas said. In Gautier, guitarist Chris Henderson presented a $75,000 check to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance volunteers who have been aiding victims.

• NEVERMORE's first three releases -- their self-titled debut album, sophomore offering "The Politics Of Ecstasy" and the "In Memory" EP -- will be reissued by Century Media with new bonus tracks come September 5th. All the reissues have been remastered, and include additional liner notes by vocalist Warrel Dane and BW&BK's Martin Popoff, plus revised layout and artwork. "Nevermore" also includes a video enhancement for 'What Tomorrow Knows,' "The Politics Of Ecstasy" features a video enhancement for 'Next In Line,' and "In Memory" includes 5 bonus tracks.

• ROB ZOMBIE's third release 'Let It All Bleed Out' off the Educated Horses CD [Geffen Records] hits the airwaves tomorrow, August 10th. This release comes out on the heels of the successful single the 'American Witch.' Zombie's "Educated Horses" album entered the Billboard Top 200 at #5 and maintains status in the Top 200 to date after 19 weeks. In other Rob Zombie news, CD USA has invited him to rock the house live to a sold out audience tomorrow in their Hollywood studios. The show will then air Saturday, August 12th on Direct TV at 3pm EST/6pm PST, and then again for the next 48 hours after that.

• THRESHOLD are now back at Thin Ice Studios in Surrey, England to start recording their new album, which is expected to be completed by the beginning of November. Keyboard player Richard West says: "The writing's been going really well. We've been modernizing the way we approach certain aspects of our writing, but we've still got the same core Threshold values. We're really looking forward to getting everything produced and finished. Hopefully it'll be our best album yet, with one or two surprises for you..." The album is scheduled for release on Nuclear Blast Records early in 2007.

• FURIOUS STYLES have signed a recording deal with Hand Of Hope Records. In early 2005, five friends from the Emerald City got together and decided it was time to show the world that the Northwest isn't all "stage-dives and high fives." Drawing influences from bands such as Blood For Blood, Madball, Biohazard and Fury Of Five with the addition of modern Hip-Hop elements, Furious Styles was born. Plans for the band include a debut full-length release in 2007 as well as relentless touring. They have already shared the stage with the likes of Terror, Hoods, Donnybrook and more.

• THREAT SIGNAL guitarist Rich Howard has left the Canadian band to pursue other life goals. "We totally respect his decision and wish him the best of luck in the future," commented vocalist Jon Howard via their official website. "Rich, your time in the band was amazing and we'll never forget the kick-ass riffage you threw down!" Howard will play the remaining shows on the band's August itinerary. Afterwards, current bassist Marco Bressette will take over guitar duties. Due to the recent turn of events, Threat Signal are thus in need of a new bassist for the band's upcoming North American Fall tour.

• PINK FLOYD guitarist David Gilmour will perform in Venice this weekend after his concerts in St. Mark's Square were canceled because of a problem with the stage. Gilmour will perform in the lagoon city Friday and Saturday, according to a statement posted on his website. The concerts scheduled for Aug. 4-5 were canceled because the stage appeared to be unsafe, Italian news reports said. One of the columns supporting the stage was slightly angled and therefore unable to hold the weight of the lights and other stage equipment, according to the reports.

• DEATH BREATH have inked a deal with Relapse Records to have the Swedish band's debut album, "Stinking Up The Night," released in North America. Inspired by the recent resurgence in the classic old-school Death Metal sound and the book "Choosing Death," Entombed/Nihilist founder and current Hellacopters front man Nicke Andersson created Death Breath - the ultimate tribute band to all that was rough, raw and wretched in Extreme Metal. "Stinking Up The Night" was recorded at Acetone Studio in Stockholm by the band and Michael Borg, and is scheduled for an October 17th release.

• THE KNACK's frontman Doug Fieger, perhaps best known for the 1979 hit 'My Sharona,' underwent successful brain surgery Thursday, his doctor reported. Fieger, 53, had two brain tumors removed during the operation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, publicist Guy McCain said. Dr. John Yu said the surgery was successful and Fieger was expected to have a full recovery, McCain said in a statement. The Knack's upcoming concert tour has been postponed as a result. The tour had included stops at the Corbin Music Festival in Corbin, Kentucky, and at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, Oregon.

• SEVERE TORTURE have been busy honing their skills in their native Holland preparing to play two massive Metal festivals: The Party-San in Germany (with Six Feet Under, Cryptopsy and more) and Brutal Assault in the Czech Republic (with Fear Factory, Ephel Duath and more). The band are also gearing up for a full supporting tour with Vader and God Dethroned in the Fall, and are aiming to return to the studio in early 2007 to record new material. Severe Torture's latest effort, "Fall Of The Despised," is available from both the U.S. and UK Earache web stores.

• ESTRADASPHERE has set September 19th as the release date for their fourth album and debut for The End Records, entitled "Palace Of Mirrors." The Santa Cruz, California band's eclectic and unclassifiable style brings together elements from a wide range of genres (Gypsy music, 60's foreign cinema Rock, Jazz arrangements, expansive orchestrations). About the material found on the new album, bassist Tim Smolens commented: "The new album by Estradasphere distills the elements in the group that are clearly the strongest, while trimming the fat of our previous efforts."

• WASTEFALL have made the following announcement: "We unfortunately have to announce that we will not be participating in this year's ProgPower USA Festival in Atlanta, Georgia on September 16th. When applying for the visa to be able to perform in the U.S., we ran into some unexpected problems with Greek authorities, which have made it impossible for us to go. We're really sorry about this, as we know a lot of fans had been looking forward to seeing us in America for the first time, as well as ourselves looking forward to the whole experience of our first gig outside of Greece."

• THE BURDEN BROTHERS' latest effort, "Mercy," will be released on October 31st. From the heart of Texas, they are a big sounding, hard-hitting band who are making an impact on the radio and on the road. The Burden Brothers have come a long way from being an Internet-only project, who released their debut full-length album, "Buried In Your Black Heart," in 2004. Formed by Toadies vocalist Vaden Todd Lewis and acclaimed drummer Taz Bentley (Reverend Horton Heat, Tenderloin, Izzy Stradlin), The Burden Brothers are a band with an admiration for the history of Rock 'N' Roll and no fear to push the decibels.

• ANGTORIA's 'God Has A Plan For Us All' will be seen in video format come September. Says vocalist Sarah: "The song covers two subjects but they are both linked. Written about a man who preaches God's word yet finds it acceptable to sexually abuse children, it describes the pitiful cliche used by many religous people who can't offer any other explanation as to why people suffer in their life. Rape, murder, poverty, whatever it may be, the only excuse that can be offered is 'God Has A Plan For Us All.'" The video was filmed at Njurunda Kyrka church and an abandoned deteriorated building over a three-day period.

• THE HOPE CONSPIRACY's "Death Knows Your Name" will be released September 19th via Deathwish Inc. The album, recorded and engineered by Kurt Ballou (Converge, Modern Life Is War) at Godcity Studios, marks the first recorded appearance of Tim Cossar (American Nightmare, Bars) with The Hope Conspiracy, as well as the return of guitarist Neeraj Kane (The Suicide File) to the songwriting fold. From the haunting first notes of 'They Know Not' to the earth shaking 'Stolen Days,' the unforgiving heaviness and rage of the album is awe inspiring.

• EMPYRIUM's new album, "A Retrospective...," will be released in November. As the title suggests, it's a look back on the work of Ulf Theodor Schwadorf's band. Apart from newly mastered songs from Empyrium's four studio albums, "A Retrospective..." contains a newly recorded and newly arranged version of 'The Franconian Woods In Winter's Silence' (from 'A Wintersunset...') as well as two new tracks. An extensive booklet will contain a detailed biography that unravels the history of the band and all their influences, and makes apparent the whole artistic aspect of Empyrium over the years.