Symphonic metal ensemble Within Temptation have unveiled their new CD title and cover. “The Heart of Everything” is the title of the Dutch sextet’s forthcoming studio album and the first single will be titled “What Have You Done” and features a duet with Keith Caputo of LIFE OF AGONY.

One lucky winner, will have the chance to interview Adam and Howard of Killswitch Engage before their gig on the 13th of January and you will also (if you win) a pair of tickets for the show! If you want to be in with a chance of interviewing the Boston metal legends for Metal Hammer TV, all you have to do is email metalhammer@futurenet.co.uk ten questions you would ask them, and the guys at Metal Hammer will pick the person who submits the best questions. So email metalhammer@futurenet.co.uk to be in with a chance of winning. You have to make sure you are free to be in London on 13th January.

Pick up a copy of this months Drummer magazine (Slayers Dave Lombardo on the front), for your chance to win a Massive Pearl/Paiste Joey Jordison signature set-up worth a stunning 퉌£2450! Good Luck!

The guys at BellaOnline.com recently conducted an interview with SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn Crahan. Here are a few excerpts: On how SLIPKNOT‘s new two-DVD set, entitled “Voliminal: Inside The Nine“, came to be: “I’ve had a lot of revelations in probably the last five years of my life starting with being a part of a really evil way of living with real corrupt biz, managers and this type of deal. Ending a cycle in the world in America with 9/11 the ‘Iowa‘ record cycle being cut short and where the world was and where the people in the world’s frustrations was. And then to not see a lot of peopleí¢ä‰åŒ_these are my brothers í¢ä‰åŒ_for two years and then going to the mansion and healing completely more or less. Taking chemo more or less to get rid of the cancer and get it in remission. And that’s where we went and we worked so hard spiritually. I think we all knew in our hearts deep down that we were going to get it together. And that’s why we all showed up. We didn’t have any managementí¢ä‰åŒ_anybody helping us get to the mansion. We just all got there on our own because we believe in hope and we really wanted to believe we were the band against the world. So we made this record called ‘Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses‘ and everything opened up again like the way it did in ’98. But at a different level. We can’t re-create anything we did. It’s impossible. We ourselves are all insurgent. But there was a feeling, kind of like ’98 where we’re talking again and there’s kind of a little hunger. Things are going on. People are getting on. And all of a sudden, boom, it just all happened again. “So during this process, following the release of ‘Disasterpieces‘ , which definitely was a DVD that was made to capture the idea I had which was that time of us right there and the only way to do was not behind the scenes but the whole show. The idea of THIS one was about three weeks before I go to the mansion, I told the label I was going to be filming and what the idea was and what some of the scenes were going to be. And I needed a little help buying some video tape and maybe some camera cleaning type stuff. There would be a time that I would have to shift from the guy who was going to be filming to the guy who would have to be playing with his band. So I would have to hire someone and someone would have to pay for this guy. I had made a promise to myself in the very beginning that I was going to spend as many years as possible collecting as many different scenarios of SLIPKNOT as possible. Then when someone who had the authority to come up to us and say, ‘I think we should release a DVD,’ which I had all on film, then I would start importing, editing and getting it out. Well, during those three years, I made little tests along the way putting it together and showing the band. Letting them in on where I was going. So they were in on it from the beginning, seeing all these little ideas. They didn’t know I was listening to them. If they would comment or laugh together, I’d know there was something good. But if they’d answer a phone or walk out of the room, I’d know that this whole section bored the crap out of them. So I was constantly testing them in a way, just making sure they were interested because this is their band. I’m only one ninth of the enigma. So it’s all about representing what we are really.” On the involved editing process, requiring him to sift through 400 or so videotapes: “I have tapes that I would import and it would take me a month to get my head around it. Like for instance, there’s a shot ofí¢ä‰åŒ_we were in Australia and there’s giant vampire bats or fruit bats. I don’t remember what they are. But they’re gigantic. We filmed that whole thing. They would be like 8 feet over our head sometimes. And I would have to go through that footage just to find that one and a half second bat edit that’s in there. The reason why it took me a month to figure it out was the bat footage had to compete with something like 400 other video tapes. And the thing I wanted to convey was, ‘Hey kiddies, you might be in another country where a big bat will fly over your freaking heads while you’re playing.’ Did you ever think that was going to happen from Des Moines, Iowa? So I go down to Australia and I go ‘Jesus, there’s bats in the air.’ I’m going to film it and share it with you because it’s part of our lives together. But most bands and people don’t want to share that side of it and I think that’s wrong. And I’ve been holding all that backstage stuff forever, waiting for the right way to do it. And here’s the beautiful thing. We’re going in reverse. So you’ll get Iowa next. And you’ll probably get live songs and behind the scenesí¢ä‰åŒ_you’ll probably get the best of both worlds. So we’re going back in time and eventually you’ll get that ’98 footage when you’re ready and you’re good. And you’ll get the real stuff. And personally as one of the guys who’s been there from the beginning, I haven’t felt the world come to ’98 yet so you ain’t getting that feeling yet. So we’re starting in reverse. We’re going backwards.” “It wasn’t hard for me to go through them because I’m a magician, man. I’m looking for the concoction. The remedy. The antidote. I’m looking for the potion. It’s not work. It’s love. I cried so many times in this process. And when I say cried, I mean just like, I would just put something together and get an epiphany about how wonderful the people are who are in my band. And maybe I haven’t seen it in a while. But I’m so attached to it and it’s right in front of me. I just want to start crying, because, man, this guy is so talented. And I’m in a band with him. What am I bitching about? I need to praise a little more. So it was very easy for me to go through with because I had something to do. Right now, I have nothing to do. I’m not doing a goddamned thing.” Read the entire interview at BellaOnline.com.

Joey Jordison picked up gongs in Drum! Magazine’s Reader’s Poll in three different categories this year: – Best Metal Drummer – Best Live Drummer – Best Drum Performance on a Recording. Congrats to Joey!

Trivium have been interviewed by www.deanguitars.uk.com. They talk about their guitar heroes, and give good advice to all you budding rock stars, and what they like about dean guitars!

Here at Roadrunner UK, we have teamed up with Scuzz TV to bring you the best start to 2007 there is! You can win every single major album and DVD release from Roadrunner records for the whole of 2006 and 2007!! To watch these DVDs you will be getting a free DVD player, and if that’s not enough for you to kick start your year, Scuzz TV have joined forces with Live Nation to bring you a Golden Ticket for the entire year!! That means to can check out all your favourite Roadrunner Bands live! And all you have do is text Scuzz, followed by GOLDEN to 64343! For terms and conditions CLICK HERE Scuzz TV is available on Sky channel 364 and NTL channel 347

Trivium‘s tour diary from their tour in Germany has been posted online here.

Megadeth main man Dave Mustaine has posted the following end of year update: “Droogies! Well, the holiday season is here and some of us are definitely getting coal in the ol’ stocking, which is getting off easy. Me, I probably deserve a boxcar of the stuff, but again I look back and what looked like a topsy-turvy year, but in the end turned out to be one of the best years in my career yet. From the gifts of Gigantour 2006 and all the bands, Gigantour Australia and all the bands (some from G2006), Gigantour Day in Tokyo (some from G2006), the new Megadeth record nearing completion, hiring my new bassist and very close friend James Lomenzo, changing management to the illustrious Azoff Artists group under the watchful eye of my new fantastic manager Mark Adelman, the same can be said about the changing of agencies to the perfect home for Megadeth with Scott Sokol and Pinnacle Entertainment, to the best gift of all í¢ä‰åäóì reconciling with my wife and family, . . . that is what Christmas is really about for me. I thank every one of you for your kind words, prayers, positive vibes, and the cards, letters, and gifts, . . . as well as the insults, curses, bad blood, negative posts, threads, and just plain existence for being my inspiration, to have made what is a record I can’t stop listening to. Even though it has taken a long time to make this one needed to be this way. A “statement” is going to be made in less than four months. I also just agreed to the first confirmed concert date next year in the summer in Europe in one of my favorite countries and as soon as I can say something, I will. It could be today, if we have permission to say. Lastly, while I left ESP guitars as an endorser, I also left behind friends in the staff. To Matt, Jose, Allen, the girls in the office, and the guys in the shipping and back room, I miss you and happy holidays. I have a new guitar home and will be announcing it at NAMM 2007. So long to Kevin Gasser and his lovely wife Lisa, and new born son Austin, to John Dee, and to his staff at Benchmark Jenni and who knows who else, to Keith Sarkesian and William Morris Agency, and to anyone else that we worked with that we have completed our time together on this earth, I thank you and wish you the very best in all things and with all of your families. And to you, my very special Droogs, where would I be without you? I would have all this music and no one to thrash to it. Thank God thank you are all here and a part of my life. I am eternally grateful to my band mates and the special relationship the four of us have with you. I think about how to play for you night and day. Everything I read I turn into a song and everything I see I want to share with you, but alas that is garbage for a romance novel. Until then, I, speaking on behalf of Megadeth, will see you again . . . real soon! (like maybe me and Glen next month in Birmingham)”

Dragonforce’s rhythm virtuoso Dave Mackintosh has taken time out of his hectic schedule to update us on the bands current UK tour once again. BIRMINGHAM, 03/12/06 FUCK A DUCK! academy is a huge room! I was taken aback,especially considering it was sold out! again! the fans were loud as fuck. We had a great time,(must have done, I cant remember shit) lol. highpoint of the day getting recognised as I shopped for footwear. lowpoint everyone stepping on my nice new clean converse boots! quote of the day: play faster you girl. If you have any pictures from the tour, why not send them in? If they’re good enough we’ll post them up with a credit. You may even get a cheeky treat in the post. SEND A PIC