New York hardcore legends MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD are in the studio recording what will be their third full-length release on Trustkill/Roadrunner Records. The album’s tentative title, “Merciless”, encompasses both the lyrical themes and music found on this new release. “The songs are a culmination of years and years of life experience: Betrayal, loss, grief, abandonment but forever trudging on in the face of immortal adversity. Life is merciless as are all the new songs,” says guitarist Justin Brannan. Though it promises to be the most punishing MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD release yet, the band has also expanded their musical repertoire to include orchestral and electronic sounds with production co-handled by themselves and Dean Balutonis. The band had intended to follow up the recording of the new album with a six-week festival tour across Europe with NAPALM DEATH and DIECAST but unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond their control, announced this morning on their official website that this had been cancelled. The band’s statement reads: í¢ä‰åñUnfortunately we’ve got some bad news… for the first time in our lives we’ve been given absolutely no choice but to cancel our upcoming European summer tour supporting Napalm Death. This all happened quite suddenly. To put it as diplomatically as possible, some promises that were made to us were not being kept and now there is no way we can afford to do a 7 week tour in Europe. We will most definitely be back in Europe before the end of 2005 and that’s a promise we will keep. We don’t go back on our word… I just wish we could speak for everyone when saying so. The good news is the new album is just about finished and I think it’s the best thing any of us have ever done. We can’t wait for you to hear it. We’ll post some samples and a track listing soon. Thanks for the support!í¢ä‰åŒ MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD’s mix of aggressive riffs and scathing social commentary have been an integral part of the hardcore scene, particularly New York hardcore, following in the footsteps of forbears like AGNOSTIC FRONT and SICK OF IT ALL, who they have toured and are good friends with. The band has always been adamant about bringing the message with hardcore. Working with PETA and the ASPCA, distributing literature, speaking out and generally living by the hardcore philosophy, the members of MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD remain true to their roots and have not been afraid to court controversy for their beliefs. The cover of their last album, “Our Lady of Annihilation”, was released to furor from retailers everywhere who refused to stock the album which featured the Lady Madonna with a bomb strapped to her chest. “The ferocity of the songs on this album will cause the controversy this time,” Brannan says. “We’ve never been afraid to try new things and we’re not going to stop now, but we know what’s what and this will be a bonafide MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD hardcore album í¢ä‰åäó more pissed off than ever before and 100 percent justified.” The band is made up of guitarists Justin Brannan and Rachel Rosen, bassist Matty Miller, vocalist Rob Fusco and drummer Colin (the twelfth in a rotating cast which still draws “Spinal Tap” comparisons) and formed in the summer of 2000 after the breakup of notable hardcore band INDECISION, of which Rachel and Justin were members. The relentlessness of their guitars and the fury of their words have landed MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD on MTV2’s “Headbanger’s Ball” as well as on the pages of acclaimed music publications Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Alternative Press and Revolver magazine and have seen them tour with BLEEDING THROUGH, RISE AGAINST, THE EXPLOSION and REMEMBERING NEVER.