Whilst over here recently during their UK tour, Corey Taylor popped into the Top Of The Pops recording studios to record a special version of ‘Bother’ – out last week, amd charting this weekend at #28 in the UK singles charts! What was so special about it? Instead of performing the song by himself, he brought along a string quintet – all local musicians (4 lovely ladies and a lucky chap to be precise). And now you can see it broadcast on TV this coming Friday in the usual Tops Of The Pops slot at 7:30pm – just note, that due to Comic Relief programming, you’ll find this beast on BBC2 not BBC1 this week. Enjoy.

a couple notes of interest… …Stone Sour is back in the States after a month long tour of Europe (see VIDEO section for a couple live video clips from their London Astoria show, inc new live clip of ‘Blue Study’)…they will resume touring come mid-April. Until then, you still just might be hearing them at concert venues – word has it that Stone Sour music will be played right between the acts at the US Disturbed tour throughout March and April. True. …What’s the Bruce Willis situation? “He was trained to follow orders. He became a hero by defying them,” or so tells the tagline of the upcoming movie Tears Of The Sun. In said movie, Bruce plays a Special-Ops commander who leads his team into the jungle of Nigeria. Why the hell are we mentioning this? Ill Nino’s “I Am Loco” is track played during the trailer of this movie. True. (Ill Nino is currently writing material for their upcoming second release) …Spotted earlier this week in a mini-marketing meeting at the Roadrunner US office were two of our own nerds (and we mean that in the nicest possible way) sitting side by side…both wearing long sleeve Killswitch Engage shirts, both sporting shaved heads (though, only one of the shaved heads is out of choice, the other being out of necessity). Speaking of KsE, the final video for “Fixation On The Darkness” should be in house come Tuesday (March 11) after the band puts their stamp of approval on the piece. Lookin’ mighty fine too. …and last, on Friday at Systems Two Studios in Brooklyn – where all Type O Negative albums have been recorded – the Type O Negative photoshoot for their upcoming album took place. Smile.

Earlier this week we told of troubles at the Chimaira shoot for the “Down Again” video. Well, the contingency plan has already been enacted: Chimaira’s stay in Cali was extended by a couple days. During said time, band performance footage was shot, in fact the shoot wrapped up March 6th. The band are now back in the safe confines of the greater Cleveland area. Even with the fire and delay, word has it the video will still be delivered on schedule. True. A ‘shout out’ goes out to video director Paul Brown and his crew for keeping shit in shape and for keepin’ on… Chimaira ‘The Impossibility Of Reason’ in stores May 12th.

Coming April 8th, a Fear Factory release by the name of Hatefiles should be hitting the streets. Meant for the hardcore FF fan, this album is 18 tracks of b-sides, rarities, and remixes made over the band’s 10+ year career. And now in our MUSIC section, an MP3 for the track “Frequency” has been posted…one of the 18 rarities to be found on the Hatefiles release. Enjoy. Full track listing is below: 1. Terminate 2. Frequency 3. Demolition Racer 4. Machine Debaser 5. Invisible Wounds (The Suture Mix) 6. Edgecrusher (Urban Assault Mix) 7. Descent (Falling Deeper Mix) 8. Body Hammer (Colin Richardson Mix) 9. Zero Signal (Colin Richardson Mix) 10. Resurrection (T.L.A. Big Rock Mix) 11. Cars (Numanoid Mix) 12. Dark Bodies (demo) 13. Replica (live) 14. Cyberdyne 15. Refueled 16. Transgenic 17. Manic Cure 18 New Breed (Spoetnik Mix)

Are you ready for new Junkie XL music? It’s coming… The new single ‘Catch Up To My Step’ featuring Solomon Burke to be released 19th May. The new album ‘Radio JXL: A Broadcast From The Computerhell Cabin’ coming 2nd June. JUNKIE XL (aka Tom Holkenborg) is all set to return. Did you know that the Elvis Vs JXL ‘Little Less Conversation’ track released last year literally conquered the world securing the number 1 spot in over 24 countries? It’s true. The much-anticipated third Junkie XL album was forged in Junkie’s state-of-the-art Amsterdam studio. It’s a star-studded opus featuring a host of contributors including Gary Numan, Chuck D, Robert Smith, Terry Hall and of course Republica’s crimson-quiffed Saffron – as previewed on the recent dance chart hit ‘Beauty Never Fades’. ‘Radio JXL’ is based around the concept of a virtual pirate radio station. The double CD demonstrates a versatility that spans chart-toppling pop nous with the stealthiest of narco-freaked dance workouts all captured within the ‘3pm’ and ‘3am’ theme. Junkie XL’s objective remains clear: “What I want is that Junkie XL should be a mark of quality when it comes to a certain sound. I feel really comfortable saying I make progressive dance music I’m always asking, ‘How far can I go?'” Expect pummelling dynamics embellished with echoing industrial effects, subtle yet powerful, drama mixed with grace. Check out ‘Breezer’, co-produced with Sasha. The remix from T퀌¿esto features peak upon peak of sun-showering bliss – it’s a sure-set crowd-pleaser that’s been topping the most respectable DJ charts. Again. And it seems Holkenborg has become used to working with royalty… the new single features the ‘King of Rock N Soul’ – the one and only Solomon Burke. Solomon is a legendary Hall of Fame inductee & just scooped a Grammy, topping the competition in the category of Contemporary Blues. For those attending the Winter Music Conference in Miami this month – you can find Junkie XL DJ’ing a set at the Ultra Music Festival, Saturday 22nd March, Bayfront Park. He rounds off an impressive bill including Underworld, Paul Oakenfold, Timo Maas, Tiesto, Sasha, John Digweed and many more! Expect UK appearances soon and a personal set from the man himself at the forthcoming ‘Radio JXL’ launch party. And there’s more to come…

The Blood… The Sweat… The Years… A decade of uncompromising metal captured on one live album! At long last, Machine Head’s ‘Hellalive’ is out this coming Monday, March 10th. Featuring í¢ä‰åñTen Ton Hammerí¢ä‰åŒ, í¢ä‰åñDavidianí¢ä‰åŒ, í¢ä‰åñFrom This Dayí¢ä‰åŒ & í¢ä‰åñThe Blood, The Sweat, The Tearsí¢ä‰åŒ and recorded at the London Brixton Academy this is truly a must for your CD collection! As a special promotion, if you buy ‘Hellalive’ from one of the following official Roadrage stores, they’ll give you a FREE limited edition Roadrunner lanyard while stocks last! And the stores are: Aberdeen – One Up, Abingdon – Modern Music Amersham – Record House Ashby de la Zouche – Martins Records Ashford – Music Room, Richard’s Records Aylesbury – Record House Banbury – Record Savings Barnstaple – Sound’n’Vision, Solo Music Billericay – Slipped Disks Birmingham – Swordfish Bishop Auckland – Top Sounds Blackburn – Reidys Bolton – X Records Brentwood – Moondance Bridgend – The Jungle Bridlington – Sounds Bridport -Record Centre Bristol – Replay Broadstairs – Soundhouse Burton on Trent – More Than Music Bury – Vibes Buxton – Tune In Camberley – Rock Box Canterbury – Richard’s Records Cardiff – Spillers Carlisle – Pink Panther Chelmsford – Slipped Discs 2 Cheltenham – Badlands Chesham – Track Records Chorley – Malcolms, Townsend Christchurch – Trax Music Croydon – 101cd.com Derby – Reveal Diss – Revolution Doncaster – Track Dorchester – Record Centre Downham Market – Lewks Dudley – S.T.Records Durham – Concepts East Grinstead – Alice’s Records Eastbourne – Powerplay Edinburgh – Avalanche, CODA Elgin – Sound & Vision Exeter – Solo Music Glasgow – Avalanche, Missing Glenrothes – CODA Guernsey – Teleskill, Number 19 Records Halifax – Bradleys Harrogate – Mix Music Hawick – Spences Henley On Thames – Music World Hertford – Tracks Hinckley – Skandalous Ipswich – Rex Records Kilmarnock – Valhalla Launceston – Rhythm & Rhyme Leeds – Crash Leicester – Ainleys, Rockaboom Leigh-on-Sea – Fives Letchworth – David’s Music Lewes – Octave Lichfield – Tudor Tunes Livingston – CODA Llandudno – Kavern London (Berwick St) – Selectadisc Loughborough – Left-Legged Pineapple, Castle Melton Mowbray – Pendulum Newark – R&K Newbury – Powerplay Newcastle – JG Windows Newport – Diverse Music, Hitman Northampton – Spinadisc Nottingham – Selectadisc Nuneaton – What Records Ormskirk – Quirks Perth – Goldrush Plymouth – Different Class Preston – Action Reading – Sound Machine Retford – Pendulum Rugby – Spinadisc Salisbury – Solo Music, Stand Out Scunthorpe – Record Village Sheffield – Hillsborough, Record Collector Shoreham – Atomic Sounds Skipton – Mix Music Southsea – Reflex Recs St Neots – Barneys Street – Music Factory Sutton-In-Ashfield – Diskits Swansea – Musiquarium, Sullivans Tamworth – More Than Music Thame – Record House Trowbridge – HJ Knees Truro – Solo Music Tunsall – Replay Wallingford – Music Box Walsall -Sundown Walthamstow – Cavern Records Waterlooville – Focus Sounds Wickford – Adrian’s Wimborne – Square Records Wolverhampton – Highway 61 Workington – Silica Discs Wrexham – Phase One Yate – Kays Music Yeovil – Acorn Music York – Track.

Created exclusively for this site by street teamer Tommy Allen, you can now download for free some cool desktop wallpaper for the new Machine Head live album ‘Hellalive’ which is out on Monday! Check it out in our WALLPAPER area.

“I’m fuckin’ awesome right now, I just met Tony Soprano,” tells Chimaira vocalist Mark Hunter whilst standing outside of Paul Brown’s studio in Culver City, CA. Through the receiver on the other end of the phone, you can hear someone else yell, “Hey, the mom from Home Alone just drove by…” What next? Belinda Carlisle hanging out on the street corner? “Everyone is fine,” Mark continues, “I’m just glad everyone is okay. We’ll continue on to make a full throttle, ass ripping metal video at a later date.” Mark speaks in reference to their video shoot being set ablaze, literally. Last night (Mar 3) Chimaira arrived in L.A. to shoot the video for “Down Again,” a track off their upcoming The Impossibility Of Reason CD. They hung out with some of the boys from Spineshank at the Rainbow. Everything was fine. Yesterday (Mar 4), they started the video shoot at Paul Brown’s studio. Something about a tomb, a lot of white gauze, and the band doing the performance portion of the video. Everything was fine. “Basically, we were eating lunch, looked over, and someone said the set is on fire.” Everything not fine. “It went up in like a second, dude. In a split second it was taller than a person.” And a minute later, the sprinklers were on, everyone was outside, the fire department on the way… All happened around 2:00pm PST, the Chimaira video shoot up in smoke. Once again, everyone involved is fine. As for the video contingency plan? “We’ll tell you when we know,” explains Mark. “For now, gonna enjoy the rest of the evening in sunny LA…till then, smoke acid.” and surely that last comment was meant in the nicest possible way…folks, do not try such deeds at home… Currently, Chimaira is scheduled fly back to the greater Cleveland area this afternoon (Mar 5)…but who knows now? We’ll update the Chimaira video situation once Plan B has been established. “It’d be a shame should something happen to your video shoot” – Tony Soprano…for photos from the day (including Chimaira with James Gandolfini), check out Chimaira’s PHOTO GALLERY.

Some current notes of interest from the studio this week: 36 Crazyfists – up in Portland writing and laying some tunes down to tape. Currently sussing out the producer situation, the boys from Alaska could be entering the studio as early as May. Deathride – Dez’s new clan is all out in L.A. shacked up in a hotel, readying to record their debut piece of the metal. Drum tracking will start this weekend. Ross Hogarth – who did the latest Coal Chamber album – will be producing and mixing the LP. Dirty Americans – pure rock n’ roll, it is…and their debut recording should be finished come next week… goneblind – Randy Staub will start mixing their first full length effort come Thursday (March 7). Scene of the crime, Vancouver. Ill Nino – the band has been laying down tracks for demos. Should be starting pre-production with producer Bob Marlette next week. Recording of their sophomore effort will take place in illustrious northern New Jersey, home of the Meadowlands (the New York football Giants and Jets). Killswitch Engage – writing right now. Should have a new record come summer, around the time they head out on this year’s US Ozzfest. This will be their first album with vocalist the Howard Jones. Oh, and their live video for “Fixation On The Darkness” – also with the Howard Jones on vocals – is close to completion. Nickelback – recording as we speak…hitting the studio (Greenhouse in Vancouver) here and there to lay down this and that…should have a new Nickelback album complete come first thing in June. Sinch – they are writing…and will be laying down a few new tracks to tape come the end of March. This will happen in Philly…we do hear it is lovely there this time of year.

Did you catch the TV show ‘Roadies’ some weeks ago? A Nickelback episode of this show goes out on March 12 on UK Horizons! If you’re a Machine Head fan, tune into the XFM Rock Show – this Saturday March 8th – Robb Flynn will be calling into the show between 9-10pm to have a chat and set a competition question for the chance to win Machine head goodies (inc, copies of the ‘Hellalive’ album, T-Shirts + Hoodie) Also, if you didn’t hear the Radio 1 Rock Show last night, you missed a cool interview with Corey & Jim of Stone Sour. Check out their website HERE for a chance to hear the interview again + see the drawings Jim & Corey did that will be given away later this month!