“Jon is a bro and he’s also a total fucking ripper,” said Scott Ian in an official press statement. “I’ve worked with him twice before on side projects and he tears it up. I’m excited to have him on my right burning up the stage with Anthrax. 13′s gonna be a good year.”

Donais revealed that Caggiano has been helpful in preparing for his Anthrax debut, going so far as to video chat with the Shadows Fall guitarist to help with guitar parts.

“I grew up on Anthrax, they’re the thrash scene, they’re one of The Big Four, I’d be crazy to not want to play with them,” said Donais. “Initially, Rob called and told me he was leaving the band, and asked if I’d be interested in filling in. Then Scott called me and everything fell into place. Rob and I are using Skype to work on solos and other guitar parts, so he’s being great. I also have to give special thanks to my band – Brian, Matt, Jason and Ed – who have been incredibly supportive and encouraged me to do this.”

Shadows Fall are no strangers to loaning talent to Anthrax. Drummer Jason Bittner filled in for Charlie Benante on a handful on live dates in 2012.

There is no word yet on who the band might be considering as a full-time replacement for Caggiano.

Metal Alliance Tour Dates

MARCH
22 House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
23 House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
24 Marquee, Tempe, AZ
25 House of Blues, San Diego, CA
27 House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA
28 Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
29 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
30 Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC CANADA
31 Showbox SODO, Seattle, WA

APRIL
2 Summit Music Hall, Denver, CO
4 First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
5 House of Blues, Chicago, IL
6 The Fillmore, Detroit, MI
7 Bogart’s, Cincinnati, OH
9 House of Blues, Dallas, TX
10 House of Blues, Houston, TX
12 House of Blues, Orlando, FL
13 Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
14 Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD
16 House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
18 Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
20 Irving Plaza, New York, NY

Welsh metal band Bullet for My Valentine have just premiered an official music video for the song “Riot,” off their much-anticipated new album, Temper, Temper. Watch it below, and let us know what you think in the comments!

Temper, Temper is due out February 12. For more on the album — and a full list of our most anticipated albums of the years — head here.

Swedish progressive metal outfit Opeth have just announced a headlining North American tour that’s set to kick off April 18 in Buffalo, New York. Dates for the 30-city trek can be found below.

The second stop on the tour will see Opeth join an all-star roster of bands — including Anthrax, Suicidal Tendencies and Hatebreed — at the New England Metal & Hardcore festival. Also of note is the Clifton Park, New York show in April 28, which is set to feature a special appearance from Mikael Akerfeldt’s Storm Corrosion collaborator Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree.

Opeth are wrapping up touring activities this year in support of 2011′s Heritage. The album was critically lauded, but proved divisive to some fans for its prog-rock leaning and lack of harsh vocals.

“I’m not really interested in those type of vocals these days,” Akerfeldt told Guitar World in 2011. “I’ve done them for a long time and I feel that I can’t take it further. If I can’t develop something, I tend to lose interest in it.”

He continued, “But that’s our roots, so to speak. It’s not like I’m turning my back on that, but I’m letting the music guide what type of vocals I’m gonna use. So I can’t say, but my screams aren’t getting better. On the contrary, I think I’m a worse screamer than I used to be.”

Opeth are expected to commence work on the follow-up to Heritage during 2013.

Opeth 2013 Headlining Tour Dates:

4/18 — The Town Ballroom — Buffalo, NY
4/20 — New England Metal & Hardcore Festival — Worcester, MA
4/21 — Capitole — Quebec City, QC
4/23 — Halifax Forum — Halifax, NS
4/24 — Casino New Brunswick — Moncton, NB
4/26 — Guelph Concert Theatre — Guelph, ON
4/27 — Crocodile Rock — Allentown, PA
4/28 — Upstate Concert Hall — Clifton Park, NY
4/29 — Music Hall of Williamsburg — Brooklyn, NY
4/30 — NorVa Theater — Norfolk, VA
5/2 — Culture Room — Ft. Lauderdale, FL
5/3 — State Theatre — St. Petersburg, FL
5/4 — Georgia Theatre — Athens, GA
5/5 — Lincoln Theatre — Raleigh, NC
5/6 — The Orange Peel — Asheville, NC
5/8 — Buster’s Billiards & Backroom — Lexington, KY
5/9 — The Vogue — Indianapolis, IN
5/10 — The Machine Shop — Flint, MI
5/11 — Mojoe’s — Joliet, IL
5/12 — House of Blues — Cleveland, OH
5/14 — The Venue — Fargo, ND
5/15 — Wooly’s — Des Moines, IA
5/16 — Pop’s — Sauget, IL
5/17 — Bourbon Theatre — Lincoln, NE
5/18 — Cain’s Ballroom — Tulsa, OK
5/20 — Fox Theatre — Boulder, CO
5/21 — Fox Theatre — Boulder, CO
5/23 — Rialto Theatre — Tucson, AZ
5/24 — The Roxy — Los Angeles, CA
5/25 — The Canyon Club — Agoura Hills, CA
5/26 — The Catalyst — Santa Cruz, CA

With Zakk on the hot seat, it seemed a no-brainer to have him roasted by the man who eventually took his place as Ozzy Osbourne’s lead guitarist, Gus G. Take a look at the video below to see how Gus went over with a tough crowd.

Want to attend the live taping of this year’s Rock and Roll Roast of Dee Snider — sponsored by Epiphone and Monster — on Thursday, January 24, at the Grove in Anaheim, California? The Roast is open to the public this year and will air live on AXS TV at midnight ET (9 p.m. PT).

A portion of the proceeds will benefit MusiCares, a nonprofit organization of The Recording Academy that provides emergency financial assistance and addiction recovery resources to music people in need. Snider was recently named one of the 100 greatest living rock stars by Revolver.

Click here for more info on this year’s roast.

“It surprises me that we’ve come up with such a hard-hitting album at this point in our career,” Clutch guitarist Tim Sult recently told Guitar World. “I think it’s definitely, song-wise, the most intense, riffy, in-your-face experience yet.”

Earth Rocker, which is set for a March release, saw the band reunite with producer Machine, who last worked with the band on 2004′s Blast Tyrant.

After much Internet-based speculation about a new album from the Black Dahlia Murder, the band confirmed the rumors last night with an image (see above) posted to their Facebook page.

The sixth studio album from the Michigan-based death metal band is set for a June release through Metal Blade, and bears the title Everblack.

The follow up to 2011′s Ritual will be the first proper recording to feature new bassist Max Lavelle. Following last year’s departure of drummer Shannon Lucas, there’s no word yet on a permanent replacement. Former Abigail Williams drummer Alan Cassidy has been manning the skins during recent live shows.

“Put It to the Torch” is taken from the band’s upcoming album, The Divinity of Purpose, which is slated for a January 29 release via Razor & Tie.

The Divinity Of Purpose U.S. Tour

Jan 26 – Flint, MI – Machine Shop
Jan 27 – Joilet, IL – Mojoes
Jan 28 – Omaha, NE – Sokol Auditorium
Jan 30 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater
Jan 31 – Flagstaff, AZ – Orpheum Theater
Feb 1 – Los Angeles, CA – Roxy
Feb 2 –Chico, CA–Senator Theater
Feb 3 – Reno, NV – Knitting Factory
Feb 5 – Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep
Feb 6 – Wichita, KS – Cotillion
Feb 7 – Sauget, IL – Pop’s
Feb 8 – Lexington, KY – Busters
Feb 9 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
Feb 11 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
Feb 12 – Jacksonville, FL – Freebird Live
Feb 13 – Jacksonville, NC – Hooligans
Feb 14–West Springfield, VA – Empire
Feb 15 – Allentown, PA – Crocodile Rock
Feb 16 – Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater
Feb 17 – Amityville, NY –Revolution

Massachusetts-based metal band Killswitch Engage have set Disarm the Descent as the title for their upcoming sixth studio album. It will be the first album to feature vocalist Jesse Leach since 2002′s Alive or Just Breathing.

“It is with a grateful spirit that we prepare for this record’s release,” Leach said in a press statement. “From the music, to the lyrics, to the artwork, we are all proud of what we have accomplished. To me this is by far my best vocal performance, much thanks to Adam’s guidance and faith in my abilities. I am very grateful to be where I am in life, back in an amazing band with a record we are all excited for the world to hear. Thanks to all the fans for their warm welcome back and their undying love for Killswitch Engage.”

The first single from the album, the aptly titled “In Due Time,” is due out February 5.

Disarm the Descent is out April 2 on Roadrunner Records.

Track Listing:

“The Hell In Me”
“Beyond the Flames”
“New Awakening”
“In Due Time”
“A Tribute to the Fallen”
“The Turning Point”
“All That We Have”
“You Don’t Bleed for Me”
“The Call”
“No End in Sight”
“Always”
“Time Will Not Remain”

Today, we’re excited to be able to bring you the shocking and violent new trailer for the new Wednesday 13 album, The Dixie Dead, featuring a taste of the brand new song, “Get Your Grave On.” Check it out below, and let us know what you think in the comments!

The Dixie Dead is out February 19.

The news may come as a bit of surprise for fans given the band’s recent revitalization, culminating in a Grammy nod for the Worship Music track, “I’m Alive.” In an official statement, Caggiano explained that he wanted to focus more on production and studio work, and that he has no regrets about his years in Anthrax. His full statement reads:

“I’m extremely proud of my time in Anthrax. Actually, that’s an understatement! We accomplished so many great things together over the years and I shared some of the best times of my life with these guys. As a band, we also weathered quite a few storms along the way. It’s been a wild ride (to say the least) from Day One and I wouldn’t change one single thing about the last 12 years. This is an extremely difficult and emotional decision for me to make but my heart is just steering me in a different direction right now.

I’ve always been one to follow my heart in everything that I do and while this might be one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, it feels like the right one for me at this time. Scott, Charlie, Joey, Frankie (and John Bush) will always be part of my family and this decision doesn’t change the way I feel about that in the slightest. I would also like to say thanks to all the amazing fans I’ve met and hung out with worldwide over the years. You guys always were and always will be the reason why I make music! In this day and age, being a musician isn’t always easy -also an understatement- but the fans truly make it worthwhile for me. I hope to see each and every one of you again really soon. The fact that Anthrax is at the top of their game right now and totally ‘out for blood’ after all these years is a testament to this band’s longevity and conviction! I’m truly honored to have been a part of their brilliant legacy.

I can’t wait to get back in the recording studio again! Over the years, I’ve been blessed with the privilege of working with a wide range of great bands/artists from Anthrax and Cradle of Filth all the way to Bruce Springsteen, and I look forward to a hopeful continuation of that side of my career while I figure out my next move as an artist. BTW in case anyone was wondering after reading all of this, I do FULLY intend to get back out there on the road very soon in some way shape or form….it’s in my blood! Please feel free to follow me on Twitter @RobCaggiano for any and all updates on what I am up to.”

Anthrax issued a short statement in response, saying, “Rob has been an integral part of Anthrax for so many years, as our lead guitarist, in a production capacity, but most of all, as our close friend. His contributions to the band have been enormous. While we are sad that he is leaving, we wish him nothing but great success going forward, and hope to share the stage with him again sometime down the road.”

The band are expected to make an announcement regarding their lead guitarist situation for the upcoming Metal Alliance tour soon.