DARKEST ERA guitarist Ade Mulgrew has issued the following short update.

“Here’s a very short update from Foel Studios in Wales where we are currently hard at work recording what will be our debut album. We’ve been here a few days now and everything is running very smoothly with Chris Fielding at the helm. The studio is well renowned for it’s warm production and analogue facilities and has been used in the past by everyone from Porcupine Tree to Primordial, Hawkwind, Napalm Death, The Wildhearts, and many more.

In total we will spend 2 weeks here putting everything we’ve got into trying to capture on record, the Celtic metal storm that has become our sound over the past number of years.

More updates to come.

Ade

Northern Ireland’s DARKEST ERA recently signed to Metal Blade Records worldwide and will be working alongside Primordial’s Alan Averill in his new A&R role with the label. More over at http://www.myspace.com/darkestera.

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Listen to new SOUNDGARDEN music below: Soundgarden – Black Rain Go to SMNnews

Metal Blade Records is pleased to announce it has inked an imprint deal with Alan Averill ‘Nemtheanga’ of Primordial to handle distribution of his label Poison Tongue Records in North America.

The first two signings on the imprint label are PORTRAIT from Sweden and is DARKEST ERA hailing from Ireland. Check them both at www.myspace.corm/darkestera and www.myspace.com/portraitmetal.

Interested bands seeking A&R support can email Alan at: alan.averill@gmail.com.

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In an exclusive interview with Noisecreep.com today, Joey Belladonna candidly talks about rejoining ANTHRAX again.

You will be recording new vocals for some of the songs that were supposed to be on ‘Worship Music,’ the unreleased album Anthrax recorded with Dan Nelson. I spoke with Charlie Benante, and he said that you took a quick pass at one of the songs and it reminded him of ‘Spreading the Disease’ era Anthrax.

He said that? That’s really great to hear! I just tried singing over it for a couple of hours. I actually think it sounds more like ‘Persistence of Time’ era stuff. But I’m glad he liked what he heard.

Check out the entire Q&A here!

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TYPE O NEGATIVE singer/frontman Peter Steele has been confirmed dead at the age of 48. The legendary frontman Peter Steele is rumored to have passed away due to heart failure. His passing was first reported by metal blogess Mistress Juliya on the social networking tool Twitter. The cause of death was apparently confirmed by Kenny Hickey, bassist for the band Peter Steele fronted – TYPE O NEGATIVE.

• “He passed of heart failure today. Just spoke to Kenny.”

• “Today is a very sad day in metal. End of an era. Peter Steele passed today. I loved my friend…our idol…my heart is with his band and family…

Peter Steele was previously rumored to have died in 2005, when an image of a tombstone was posted to the group’s website bearing his name. The announcement turned out to be a hoax. Peter Steele had recently been thought to have overcome his long-standing cocaine and alcohol dependencies.

Peter Steele was born in 1962 and released seven studio albums with TYPE O  NEGATIVE between 1991 and 2007.

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The KOTTONMOUTH KINGS have revealed the next era in their ongoing legacy by announcing the addition of the group’s newest member, the Dirtball. This notorious party monster has been a label mate of Kings for years, releasing a series of cult classic albums under the Suburban Noize banner and doing countless tours alongside the group. The group initiated the Oregon based rapper by having him get a KMK crown tattooed on his chest. The logo is a symbol of pride worn by not only the group, but it’s thousands of die-hard fans who have it tattooed all over their bodies.

Fans can watch Dirtball’s initiation into the group online below:

The folks at Relapse Records have just confirmed the signing of Finland grinders ROTTEN SOUND. The band is currently writing for their follow-up to Cycles but will first see an EP release early next year. The EP, Napalm, is scheduled for a March release via Relapse. Additional details on this release will be announced soon.

Rotten Sound’s vocalist Niinimaa commented on the recent signing; “Relapse Records has been a strong label for grindcore since they started, which is one of the reasons that made us want to re-release our “Murderworks” album through them in 2005. We will fit to their roster like a fist to an ass. Being along the same line with other label-mates is very important for us because we want to tour all over this planet with bands we like ourselves. The upcoming “Napalm” EP and the next full-length album will start a new and (even) more aggressive era for Rotten Sound. Doing it together with Relapse Records will make this period more grind than any of our phases before.”

Noisecreep.com has just posted their “Top 10 Guitarists of the Shred Era” which was written by SMNnews contributor Carlos Ramirez. Checkout  what Carlos has to say about these top ten guitarists Yngwie Malmsteen (Alcatrazz, Steeler, solo), Michael Angelo Batio (Nitro, solo), Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big, Racer X),  Marty Friedman (Hawaii, Cacophony, Megadeth, solo), Jason Becker (Cacophony, David Lee Roth, solo), Richie Kotzen (Poison, Mr. Big, solo), Tony MacAlpine (M.A.R.S., Planet X, solo), George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob, Souls of We), Vinnie Moore (Vicious Rumors, UFO, solo) and David T. Chastain (Chastain, solo). Check out the list here and let us know what you think.

At an his art opening in NYC yesterday, alt-country star RYAN ADAMS was sporting a Pleasure to Kill era Kreator shirt. SMNnews wonders if Mr. Mandy Moore really likes the German thrashers or he’s just trying to be cool. Check out more pics from the art show here.

Noisecreep.com has posted their list of “Top 10 John Bush Era Anthrax Songs” today. Some of you might remember that they posted a list of the Joey Belladonna songs a couple of weeks back. Anthrax have not announced who their official singer will be now that Dan Nelson isn’t in the fold.

Check out the John Bush list here and the Joey Belladonna one here.