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Swedish progressive death-metal quintet Opeth will release their ninth full-length album, Watershed, June 3 on Roadrunner Records. Co-produced by vocalist-guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt and producer Jens Bogren (Opeth's Ghost Reveries, Katatonia, Paradise Lost) at Örebro, Sweden's Fascination Street studio, this will be the first Opeth release to feature guitarist Fredrik Åkesson and drummer Martin Axenrot. Opener "Coil," an acoustic number, features Swedish folk singer Nathalie Lorichs, who has previously performed with Axenrot. The group also recorded four B-sides: a new Opeth song titled "Derelict Hands" and covers of classic blues rocker Robin Trower's "Bridge of Sighs," Roxette vocalist Marie Fredriksson's solo song "Den Ständiga Resan," and Seattle grunge band Alice in Chain's "Would?". Opeth will tour this April with Dream Theater, 3, and Between the Buried and Me.

Watershed tracklisting:

01. "Coil"
02. "Heir Apparent"
03. "The Lotus Eater"
04. "Burden"
05. "Porcelain Heart"
06. "Hessian Peel"
07. "Hex Omega"

Randy Blythe, frontman of Virgina-based neo-thrashers Lamb of God, recently announced that he's working on a side project with

Glenn Danzig associate Steve Zing. Blythe told MTV the project will be "kinda creepy," which fits the M.O. of Zing, who co-founded horror punks Samhain with Danzig after the latter departed the Misfits. Blythe also recently revealed he's working on a comic book but didn't mention a release date. During the rest of 2008, Lamb of God will work on a new, currently untitled album and will release a DVD this spring.

Swedish heavy metal outfit In Flames have completed work on its new album, A Sense of Purpose, set for release on April 1, 2008 via Koch Records.

The follow-up to the band's most successful album to date, 2006's Come Clarity, A Sense of Purpose was recorded at the band's all new IF Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden. The record was mixed by Toby Wright (Metallica, Slayer).

The roll out song from A Sense of Purpose will be the album's lead track "The Mirror's Truth." The track will be made available worldwide on March 11 via iTunes. In Flames have also tagged "The Mirror's Truth" as the first music video from the new album.

When asked to comment on A Sense of Purpose, the band stated, "We are extremely happy with the end result and are so proud of what we have achieved with the new album. We can't wait for you all to hear it."

A Sense of Purpose's cover art (pictured) and layout was designed by artist Alex Pardee (The Used, Kid Robot). The surreal artwork ties in with A Sense of Purpose's overall packaging and design and visually tells the tale of a titular character navigating through a labyrinth while avoiding various dangers (representing life's difficulties) that pepper his journey.

The final track listing for A Sense of Purpose is as follows:

1.) The Mirror's Truth
2.) Disconnected
3.) Sleepless Again
4.) Alias
5.) I'm the Highway
6.) Delight and Angers
7.) Move Through Me
8.) The Chosen Pessimist
9.) Sober and Irrelevant
10.) Condemned
11.) Drenched In Fear
12.) March To The Shore

In support of A Sense of Purpose, In Flames will tour North America as one of the featured acts of "Gigantour 2008." In Flames has been handpicked by Megadeth's Dave Mustaine to provide direct support to his legendary metal band on the 29 city tour that will also include Children of Bodom, Job For A Cowboy and High on Fire. "Gigantour" will kick off on April 12 in Denver, CO. A full listing of upcoming In Flames tour dates follows this message.

In Flames is one of the pioneers of what has become known as "the Gothenburg sound" (also referred to as "melodic death metal") and has influenced scores of metal / hard rock acts since its formation in 1990. The band's last album, Come Clarity debuted at number #58 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, and has sold over 400,000 copies worldwide, while the band has won three Grammis Awards (equivalent to Swedish Grammy Awards) and shifted over 1,500,000 albums over the course of its distinguished career.

In Flames features Björn Gelotte (Guitar), Peter Iwers (Bass), Jesper Strömblad (Guitar), Daniel Svensson (Drums) and Anders Fridén (vocals).

Brutal Truth will kick-off their two week European tour tomorrow, February 6th in Belgium. From there, the recently reunited seminal grinders will make stops in the U.K., Netherlands, France, Spain and more. A listing of confirmed Brutal Truth tour dates can be found below with more to be announced soon.

Since reforming, Brutal Truth has also begun writing for a new full-length album. The band currently has nearly 15 new tracks completed and will be performing much of the new material live on this tour.

Brutal Truth recently checked in prior to the tour. Guitarist Danny Lilker comments: "Brutal Truth can't wait to start this tour and grind like the grinding bastards we are!! We will be doing the live debut of brand new tunes to show the freaks that support us what the future of grind is gonna be!!! The savage implementation of velocity will continue..." Drummer Rich Hoak simply adds; "...see you in the pit!".

For more information on Brutal Truth access www.MySpace.com/BrutalFuckingTruth.

Brutal Truth Tour Dates:

February 6 Hasselt, Belgium Muziek-o-drom
February 7 London, United Kingdom Underworld
February 8 Sheffield, United Kingdom Corporation
February 9 Glasgow, Scotland Ivory Blacks
February 10 Rotterdam, Netherlands De Baroeg
February 11 Strasbourg, France Molodoi
February 12 Paris, France La Locomotive
February 13 Durango, Spain Plateruena
February 14 Corroios, Portugal Cine Teatro de Corroios
February 15 Madrid, Spain Sala Live
February 16 Barcelona, Spain Sala KGB
February 17 Plaisir, France La Clef Des Champs

Christian extreme-metal firebrands Living Sacrifice have reunited. Formed in 1989, they inspired countless groups (As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis, for instance, frequently cites them as one of his favorite bands) as they evolved from thrash to death metal to metalcore over six albums, the last of which, Conceived in Fire, came out in 2002. The newly reformed lineup features co-founders Bruce Fitzhugh (vocals, guitar) and Lance Garvin (drums), as well as bassist Arthur Green and former Evanescence drummer Rocky Gray on guitar. Expect to see the band on the road this summer, and a new album later this year.

Deftones/Team Sleep vocalist Chino Moreno—who doesn't seem to leave his house without a pair of long skater socks on—has launched his own sock company called ChinoSox. The socks are available for purchase online exclusively through the ChinoSox website, which currently offers two purchasing options. The first is a three-pack of 22-inch striped skate socks with Moreno's name inscribed inside. There's also a five-pack of socks that includes a limited-edition pair: the singer's signature red, white, and blue stage socks. Says Moreno, "Every time I'm on tour, people come up to me and ask me about the socks I wear onstage. No one can ever seem to find dope-looking skater socks. So I thought it would be cool to make my own signature line of skate socks, so fans could pick them up. They're pretty sick!"

The lineup of drone-metal duo OM will be temporarily reduced by half following the departure of drummer Chris Haikus (pictured on right). Vocalist-bassist Al Cisneros (ex-Sleep) intends to continue the group with an as-yet-unannounced drummer. The Oakland, California, band pulled out of its Roadburn Festival appearance and a London gig. A live album titled OM: Live at Jerusalem will be this lineup's final release together. "Thank you to all of you," Cisneros said in a public statement. "Live dates resume in late spring. There is a lot of new material on its way."

Frances Bean Cobain, the only child of deceased Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and the eternally troubled (and entertaining) Courtney Love, will make her modeling debut in the March 2008 issue of Harper's Bazaar. Let's hope this doesn't end badly.

This past weekend, legendary black-metal titans Mayhem picked up a Spellemann Prize, the Norwegian equivalent to a Grammy Award, for last year's Ordo ad Chao. They beat out other nominees including Audrey Horne, Dimmu Borgir, and Red Harvest. The album entered the Norwegian charts at No. 12, the band's highest chart position to date. Speaking with Dagbladet, a Norwegian newspaper, bassist Necrobutcher commented: "For us to make a record is such a big undertaking that I have to admit I can't entertain the idea of starting a new one. We'll see in a couple of years, but I can't guarantee anything whatsoever."

If you've ever literally banged your head in a Slayer moshpit and woken up with a nasty bump (or worse), worry no longer. The mighty thrash lords have joined forces with O'Neal USA, one of the leading manufacturers of motorcycle and BMX accessories, to produce a limited edition of Slayer helmets. The chrome domes will launch under the name of RockHard and will be sold at all Cycle Gear locations and at finer motorcycle dealerships worldwide. In addition, each helmet will be certified and numbered with its own Certificate of Authenticity. Slayer's RockHard Helmets go on sale on Monday, February 25, and once they're gone, they are gone.

Slayer's RockHard Helmets will be available in three unique shells: Full Face Street (retail from $349), Off Road Dirt ($249 to $269), and Half Shell (Harley style) ($159 to $179). Every helmet will be boxed in a custom-made container patterned after Anvil road cases, which are used to transport band equipment while on tour. Each helmet passes the highest international safety standards as well as the certified standards in each country in which they are sold.

"The RockHard Helmet line, and the Slayer helmet in particular, has generated a huge amount of buzz with our retail outlet buyers," says Jim O'Neal of O'Neal USA. "Personally, I'm very psyched about this product, as it takes Slayer to another merch level."