Original Carnivore guitarist Keith Alexander was reportedly killed in a bike accident earlier this week – Monday night (July 11). His wake is being held today (July 14) between 2:00 and 5:30 p.m., and between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. at: Scarpaci Funeral Home 1401 86th Street Brooklyn, New York 11228 718-331-8000 In addition to playing with Carnivore, Alexander spent a three-year stint with Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, touring extensively throughout North America and Scandinavia, with some audiences numbering over 20,000. A body piercer since 1991, Keith had performed well over 22,000 piercings and over 150 cuttings and brandings. Formerly a staff piercer for Gauntlet, Inc. in New York City, Keith spent one year as a full-time apprentice to master piercers Dan Kopka and Mark Seitchik. Gauntlet founder Jim Ward issued Keith’s certificate on August 2, 1994. For more information on Keith Alexander’s life work and accomplishments, CLICK HERE. Our condolences go out to Keith’s family and friends. R.I.P.

Roadrunner Records is proud to announce the signing of seminal punk rock artists the New York Dolls. Since rising to the heights of the lower east side glam/punk scene, the NY Dolls have become synonymous with low-fi, down and dirty, rock music. The band Rolling Stone Magazine credits with “the sound and snarl of jubilant outlaw spirit,” will soon record an album of fresh, original material due out on Roadrunner in the Spring of 2006. Featuring founding members David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain, with Steve Conte (guitar), Sami Yaffa (bass), Brian Delaney (drums) and Brian Koonin (Keyboards) the band is currently touring North America with scheduled stops at Bumbershoot in Seattle, Sunset Junction Fest in LA and the Voodoo Fest in New Orleans. Says Roadrunner Records Director of A&R David Bason, “I can’t believe I just signed the most dangerous band in the history of Rock’n’Roll! I’ve heard all about the legendary first few years, bought the records, read the books, saw the photographs. From what I can tell the first time was just a dress rehearsal. Watch yer back!” In a time in music that is chock full of comebacks (the reunited Pixies & M퀌_tley Cr퀌_e experiencing enormous success on their tours, among others), Smiths legend, Morrissey, experienced his highest US sales ever with the release of You Are The Quarry. Morrissey, less notably a past President of the New York Dolls fan-club years before he even joined The Smiths, made the request that reunited the New York Dolls in 2004 for the Meltdown Festival in the UK. Ever since, the ‘Dolls have been touring steadily, playing festivals around the world including two dates in Ireland as special guests of fans the White Stripes. Says the LA Times, “on stage, the ‘Dolls proved worthy of the legendary status that has been built over the years, and then some.” In addition, the band has been headlining shows around the US including Little Steven’s Underground Garage Festival on Randall’s Island, NY, WHFestival in Baltimore, MD and shows at both SXSW and NXNE. Comments Johansen, “We know that we’re right where we’re supposed to be.”

In the run-up to this years KERRANG! AWARDS (August 25th), a set a very exclusive/intimate gigs have been arranged at the London Barfly. We are proud to announce that the event, entitled Kerrangs Most Wanted, shall be climaxing with the “RIFF-MEISTER-GENERALS” themselves……..TRIVIUM!!. So if you missed the chance of seeing Trivium on the Roadrage tour this will probably be the last chance to see them play in such an enclosed environment, after this it’s stadiums all the way! “Everyone will be on top of one another, we’ll be in each other’s faces and everyone’s going to have a good time!” – MATT HEAFY For more details pick up this weeks Kerrang! in addition to all the information about the gig the mag is giving away a signed Flying V that Trivium were burning on last weeks cover. Sure it’s unplayable, but it’s looks the NUTZ!!! Tickets will go on sale at 10am on July 18 and will be available online from aloud.com or by calling 0870 998 8888

TRIVIUM are now set for global domination. Over the past few months the bands release of Ascendancy has spiraled the bands popularity into an uncontrollable circle pit. If you haven’t heard the “next Metallica” we urge you to pick up a copy today. For those of you who need more convincing, why not check out this video footage from download. CLICK HERE ENJOY!!

Ill Nino’s forthcoming album One Nation Underground is Out 26th Sep. Whilst you are all waiting with baited breath, here is the full tracklisting for the album. 1.This Is War 2.My Resurrection 3.What You Deserve 4.La Liberacion Of Our Awakening 5.Turns To Gray 6.All I Ask For 7.De La Vida 8.Corazon Of Mine 9.Everything Beautiful 10.In This Moment 11.My Pleasant Torture 12.Violent Saint 13.Red Rain Also recently uploaded is the album artwork, go to the bands section on the site to check it out. CLICK HERE

In celebration of SLIPKNOTS recent release, BEFORE I FORGET, Roadrunner & PlayRecord.net put together a competition to truly make the lips of any maggot weep. A SIGNED SLIPKNOT IBANEZ GUITAR!!!! was up for grabs, and we’re proud to say that Carly White, is the proud winner. So from all here at Roadrunner Congratulations Carly. For the more curious of you (referring to the competition a pose to ones sexual orientation) here are the questions and answers: 1.) Where was the live version of ‘The Blister Exists’ recorded that is included on the ‘b’ side of the 1st ‘Before I Forget’ pic disc ? Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden 1.) Who mixed the live version of ‘Three Nil’ on the ‘b’ side of the 2nd ‘Before I Forget’ pic disc. Colin Richardson 3.) Who took the band photo on the front of both ‘Before I Forget’ pic discs?. Megan Holmes

In addition to the regular release of SOULFLY’s – DARK AGES there will also be a limited edition 3 panel Digipack (and yes it is as fancy as it sounds). The addition tracklisting is as follows Track Listing: Soulfly í¢ä‰åäóì í¢ä‰åñDark Agesí¢ä‰åŒ 1. The Dark Ages 2. Babylon 3. I And I 4. Carved Inside 5. Arise Again 6. Molotov 7. Frontlines 8. Innerspirit 9. Corrosion Creeps 10. Riotstarter 11. Bleak 12. (The) March 13. Fuel The Hate 14. Staystrong 15. Soulfly V Bonus tracks 16. Salmo-91 17. Prophecy (live) 18. Seek’n’Strike (live)

Check out this awesome interview with FearFactory vocalist Burton C. Bell. Conducted by Blasting-Zone, the interview looks at the band successes and ambitions for the new album TRANSGRESSION – OUT AUG 22nd Some excerpts include: Blasting-Zone.com: What can you tell us about your new album? Burton: “I really feel it’s going to be something very fresh for Fear Factory fans. Producer Toby Wright has helped us find something we have been searching a very long time for. The music has a really good feeling. It has a really good sound to it. I think it’s a couple of steps forward from ‘Archetype’, that’s for sure.” Blasting-Zone.com: Really? Wow.I thought that disc was great. Burton: “It was a great record, ya know? It was a great comeback record, a great reminder, if you will. With this one, it will be obvious right off the bat. We feel like we almost kinda played it safe with ‘Archetype’, but with this record, each member of the band is totally moving forward. Listening to Raymond beats, it’s just incredible. it’s like, ‘How the fuck is he even doing it?’ Christian and Raymond have been writing together. Raymond has been writing to Christian’s riffs. The riffs are really sick and there’s a lot of different time signatures. I’m very happy with the sound on this record.” Blasting-Zone.com: In your opinion, what has been the main creative difference between “Archetype” and your latest disc? Burton: “I think everyone is just a lot more focused. It’s hard to really say what it is that we did different. The only real difference is that we’re working with a producer of Toby Wright’s calibre. He’s brought something to Fear Factory that’s really interesting. That’s the only way I can really describe it. I’m really excited about it. It’s totally Fear Factory yet something a little different, ya know? You gotta hear it to understand it, really. I think it’s gonna really surprise a lot of people. We’ve got our core fan base that just love Fear Factory. If we can interest a few more people.” Blasting-Zone.com: Would you say that the sound on the new record is a radical departure from what your fans have grown accustomed to? Burton: “I wouldn’t say it’s radical.I’d say it’s an evolution that makes sense. With ‘Archetype’, we were all kinda playin’ it safe. ‘Let’s jut put out a Fear Factory record,’ ya know? We had a new guitar player. That was part of it. He was already a member of Fear Factory he was just changing guns, so to speak. In a sense, we had to show our fans, those that knew the whole story of what had happened during those three years, that we could still make a Fear Factory record. ‘Archetype’ is the definition of Fear Factory in its most basic form. We had to do that record due to extenuating circumstances. Not only were we playing it safe, Raymond and I were getting used to a new guitar player as well. We chose Christian because we couldn’t think of anybody else. We were like ‘Why don’t you do it?’ It’s a hell of a lot easier to find a new bass player than a guitar player.” Blasting-Zone.com: Well, he did have some pretty serious shoe to fill. Burton: “Dino was a great guitar player. He wrote some great riffs for Fear Factory. Above that, that’s the way it is. Whatever else happened just happened. You just can’t control that shit. I will give him props, though. He was a great guitar player.” To read the entire interview

The 2nd track from Every Time I Die’s ‘Gutter Phenomenon’ is available for free!! You can check out ‘Bored Stiff’ HERE. Did you know?? Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance) and Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw) both feature on the forthcoming album GUTTER PHENOMENON OUT AUG 22nd

Check out this weeks KERRANG! for an momentous front cover and 5 page feature on the MIGHTY TRIVIUM. And if your looking for the magazine in the shops, just look for the cover with four metal gods holding a blazing flying V guitar!!!! ROCK!!!! The piece opens with the simple, yet honest description of where the band are at… “Trivium will be the biggest metal band on earth soon, their music is amazing, they look, act and fuck like rock stars. You need to hear them as soon as possible” The piece weaves between all the classic themes love, life and Fuckin’ Rock n’ Roll, and offers a great insight into the band and who they actually are as individuals. It also is full of interesting snippets of TRIVIUM TRIVIA. For example… Did you know?? “During their recent UK tour, Matt signed a fans body who then got it Tattooed on permanently!” This awesome edition of KERRANG! is OUT NOW. So what are you waiting for? Run down the shops and get your copy now!!!