Chimaira, fresh off a tremendously successful year that saw the release of the band’s critically acclaimed, self-titled, 3rd album and a world tour, has welcomed original drummer Andols Herrick back into the group. í¢ä‰åñHe is a totally different person,í¢ä‰åŒ enthused singer Mark Hunter. í¢ä‰åñWe jammed the other day and he’s a monster behind the kit. There is a lot of passion and excitement in his eyes, I can really tell he is renewed.í¢ä‰åŒ Andols will hit the road with the band for a handful of US headline dates in March and then with the band as they tour the US with Children of Bodom. Chimaira will official welcome Andols back with a hometown show at Peabody’s Down Under on March 31st. Many people got a glimpse into the reasons why Andols originally left the group in Chimaira’s DVD, The Dehumanizing Process. Seen pacing parking lots for hours at a time, Andols clearly, was not happy being on the road. í¢ä‰åñBeing away from the band and touring for almost two years made me realize how much I missed it,í¢ä‰åŒ said Herrick. í¢ä‰åñBeing involved in the Roadrunner 25th album and concert made me realize that this is where I want to be.í¢ä‰åŒ The reemergence of Andols means that recent drummer Kevin Talley is no longer in the group. í¢ä‰åñKevin is an amazing drummer,í¢ä‰åŒ stated Hunter. í¢ä‰åñThis decision had nothing to do with his skills and everything to do with getting someone back who has been with us since day one. Some of us have known Andols since we were in High School.í¢ä‰åŒ The split was amicable and Talley is tapped to play drums with The Red Chord on their upcoming US tour.

Blabbermouth.net recently posted the following news about Machine Heads forthcoming abum: MACHINE HEAD frontman Robert Flynn recently took time out to update the group’s fans on the songwriting process for the group’s new album, tentatively due in late 2006/early 2007 via Roadrunner Records.

“So what does are new shit sound like?” Flynn wrote.

“Well… it doesn’t sound like [METALLICA‘s] ‘Master of Puppets’ [as Flynn was quoted as saying in a Revolver magazine article] all that much… at least yet. I guess I’ll try and explain it like this. It’s pretty varied, has elements of all the records, and has a semi-‘Through the Ashes of Empires’-ish vibe, and definitely NOT a ‘Burn My Eyes Pt. II’ vibe. It’s not ‘back to the roots.’ We have about four songs that I think are 80% to 90% there musically (not lyrically), and we have another 9 or 10 parts (intros / bridges / verse with a chorus / half songs) floating about that are definitely NOT there. As of now (Jan. 9th, 2006), we have no ‘Imperium’s or ‘Descend the Shades’ and our feeling is that if we can’t come up with a new ‘Imperium’ that kicks the old ‘Imperium’‘s ass…well…we’re just gonna try something else.

“Of the four songs I’m really excited about, Dave [McClain, drums], Phil [Demmel, guitar] or myself have written the bulk, and Adam [Duce, bass] has brought in lyrics and a chunk of riffs too. Even though Phil was there for part of the writing process of ‘Through the Ashes of Empires’ (and co-wrote three songs), Phil being part of the whole writing process is adding another, very cool dimension to it all. In fact, the one song that I’m most excited about was penned largely by Phil, with me adding some melodic three-part guitar harmonies / two-part vocal harmonies in the bridge, plus a SEPULTURA-style thrash / lead part in the middle, Dave‘s added some Keith Moon-style drumming in the bridge which sounds crazy, but kicks serious ass, and Adam is hitting some ball-squeezing high notes that will have Rob Halford smiling (…about the high notes, not the ball-squeezing *cough*). Since we don’t have many titles right now, that one I just mentioned is jokingly called ‘In The Presence Of Davidian Jr.’ (mainly for its mid tempo). The bridge to this song is on some serious U2-gonna-make-you-cry-worthy-ness.

“I think most of you will be interested to know that í¢ä‰åŒ_ a lot of the lyrics had taken on a more social nature, and a less personal tone (at least for now). They have also taken on a very depressing nature as well í¢ä‰åäó though I don’t know why í¢ä‰åäó it’s just what I’ve been feeling like writing about. The lyrics that I think are really working well are the ones that are the most depressing, including some about suicide, or the idea of suicide.

“Of the other songs, ‘Iron Rush-ian’ (as it is called by our manager ’cause it has a MAIDEN / RUSH vibe to it) was the first completed of the four. We like to call it ‘Notey Intro / Mega In Chains’. It has a cool up-tempo vibe, a part that reminds me of old MEGADETH a little, big ‘The More Things Changeí¢ä‰åŒ_’-era breakdown in the middle, dual leads… it’s rockin’… but has no lyrics.

“There’s ‘Priest Harbor -aka- Victim Of Changes III’, which has an ‘Elegy’-ish vibe to it, though longer and more complex, it has a very melodic PRIEST-ish chorus, cool build-ups, and heavy breakdowns, fast parts, leads, harmonies galore, and vox harmonies galore too. Overall it’s pretty melodic musically / vocally and I could see RR eyeing this for a single, though at six minutes that’ll be a stretch.

“The fourth song is jokingly called ‘The Thrash-terpiece!’, and it’s what the name implies, fast as all hell, with a full-on ‘Blood For Blood’ / ‘Struck a Nerve’ / Bay Area thrash vibe to it. Probably the fastest song we’ve written in 10 years, and though it doesn’t sound like it, is probably the most difficult song (guitar-wise) we’ve ever attempted to play (down-picking / million-note mania). Cool, very complex bridge / lead section that takes it in a musically melodic direction, with trade-off leads and harmonies. No singing at all, just hard vox. It’s the one song that is also the most finished lyrically, and the only song with an actual title. It’s called ‘Aesthetics of Hate’ and it’s my take on neo-con and Dimebag critic William Grim, and people like him. Some of you may remember that the song ‘Independent’ (Max‘s [Cavalera] and my song from the ‘Roadrunner United’ album) was very loosely based on the same topic. This is my much more pointed, specific and pissed off take on it.

“You’ve probably seen the word ‘complex’ pop up a buncha times, and it’s fitting. It’s musically complex, though it doesn’t sound it, and that seems like a good thing.

“The guys have unanimously chosen ‘your boy here’ to produce the album again, and between ‘Through the Ashes of Empires’ and my production work on the ‘Roadrunner United’ album, I feel really confident going into this next record.

“We took a break for the Roadrunner [anniversary] party / holidays and began jamming the other day for the first time in six weeks… WHEW… YIKES! To quote Lemmy, ‘If we practiced next to your house, we would have killed your lawn!’ We’ll get back into it though, and I feel like the break did us good, gave us perspective.” source:blabbermouth

Are you tired of watching the Far Away video on your computer screen? Then why not check it out on one of the many channels that are now showing it. Here are the details of the channels and selection numbers. All you have to do now is vote and watch. THE BOX – 09056 52 52 52, SELECTION NUMBER 110 THE HITS – 09056 525 777 SELECTION NUMBER 110 KERRANG! – 09056 525666 SELECTION NUMBER 935

Roadrunner’s 25 years of existence co-incided with the birth of Heavy Music as we know it today. In the label’s earliest days, Roadrunner began licensing now-classic U.S. releases for distribution to rabid fans overseas, truly growing American Metal on a Worldwide scale.By the late eighties, Roadrunner was signing it’s own talent í¢ä‰åäóì bands from around the World that would quickly become titans in their own right. In 2005, to commemorate 25 years of genre-defining music, Roadrunner will re-release those albums that are truly Metal classics, each with bonus content relevant to the era in which it was put to tape plus extensive liner notes and expanded artwork.These are the ultimate editions of must-have albums. From March 6th roadrunner will be releasing Nickelbacks classic album Silver Side Up, complete with additional DVD. Nickelback ‘Silver Side Up’ CD/DVD Tracklisting- CD1: Never Again How You Remind Me Woke Up This Morning Too Bad Just For Hollywood Money Bought Where Do I Hide Hangnail Good Times Gone. DVD: ‘Live At Home’ longform DVD

Roadrunner’s 25 years of existence co-incided with the birth of Heavy Music as we know it today. In the label’s earliest days, Roadrunner began licensing now-classic U.S. releases for distribution to rabid fans overseas, truly growing American Metal on a Worldwide scale.By the late eighties, Roadrunner was signing it’s own talent í¢ä‰åäóì bands from around the World that would quickly become titans in their own right. In 2005, to commemorate 25 years of genre-defining music, Roadrunner will re-release those albums that are truly Metal classics, each with bonus content relevant to the era in which it was put to tape plus extensive liner notes and expanded artwork.These are the ultimate editions of must-have albums. From March 6th we’ll be giving you two more of these classic albums: Killswitch Engage ‘Alive Or Just Breathing’ Double CD Tracklisting- CD1: Numbered Days Self Revolution Fixation On The Darkness My Last Serenade Life To Lifeless Just Barely Breathing To The Sons Of Man Temple From The Within The Element Of One Vide Infra Without A Name Rise Inside. CD2: In The Unblind When The Balance Is Broken* Untitled and Unloved* Numbered Days (demo)* Transfiguration (demo)* Just Barely Breathing (demo)* Fixation on the Darkness (with Howard Jones) Alive Or Just BreathingStudio Outtakes Video Enhancement 1. My Last Serenade 2. Fixation on the Darkness 3. Life To Lifeless (Metalfest 2002) * Previously unreleased. Nickelback ‘Silver Side Up’ CD/DVD Tracklisting- CD1: Never Again How You Remind Me Woke Up This Morning Too Bad Just For Hollywood Money Bought Where Do I Hide Hangnail Good Times Gone. DVD: ‘Live At Home’ longform DVD

As previously reported DragonForce are playing a one off warm-up show at the Oxford Zodiac on the 24th of January. There are only a few tickets left for the show, so get yours as soon as you can. BUY TICKET ONLINE. In other DragonForce news the band released their awesome debut album on Roadrunner on monday. To hear a couple of tracks from Inhuman Rampage check out the bands e-player and CLICK HERE

Unfortunately, due to work permits not being supplied by their booking agent, the Obituary gig at the Mean Fiddler last night was cancelled. This was completely out of our control, and advise any ticket holders to contact the agent who they bought their tickets from for a full refund (minus any booking fees).

German metalcore five-piece CALIBAN are set to tour the UK to coincide with the release of their new album, ‘The Undying Darkness’, which is set to hit stores on 27th February. CALIBAN’s last UK appearance was last June when they floored everyone at the Download Festival with their brutal and uncompromising stage show. Don’t miss them this time around. Full dates read as follows: Thu 23rd Feb í¢ä‰åäóì Stoke Sugarmill Fri 24th Feb í¢ä‰åäóì Leeds Joseph Wells Sat 25th Feb í¢ä‰åäóì Manchester Academy 3 Sun 26th Feb í¢ä‰åäóì Glasgow King Tuts Mon 27th Feb í¢ä‰åäóì Birmingham Barfly Tue 28th Feb í¢ä‰åäóì Oxford Zodiac Wed 1st Mar í¢ä‰åäóì London Garage The band’s new album is their fifth (but second for Roadrunner) following last year’s breakthrough release, ‘The Opposite From Within’. This new one was recorded at Prinzipal Studios in Germany with In Flames frontman, Anders Friden behind the production desk and was mixed at Backstage studios in Derby by metal whiz, Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Killswitch Engage, Arch Enemy).

Alaskan legends 36 Crazyfists have posted another awesome diary entry on their offical site. “From us and ours to you and yours, hope everyone had a great holiday season, ok, back to business. Brock and I are back in Jersey doing the finishing touches on the record, a few guitar parts, a couple vocals and some backing vocals. We should be wrapping up here next week. I will then be flying across the pond to Derbyshire, England and going to Backstage Productions, Andy Sneaps amazing studio to mix this hog of a record with the master himself, and I cant wait, besides the flying. In others news we have a title for the record folks. Rest Inside The Flames shall be the banner under which these songs will fall. Until next time… -HOLT

THE MIGHTY STILL REMAINS have announced a set of headline shows around the Kerrang! XXV tour. The headline dates are as follows: Birmingham Barfly 18th Jan Liverpool Barfly 22nd Jan