SLIPKNOT Cover story – Kerrang! KSE 9/10 album review – Metal Hammer Page news story on June tour – Metal Hammer FEAR FACTORY 8/10 album review – Metal Hammer 4K album review – Kerrang! 4/5 album review – Classic Rock 4-page feature – Metal Hammer SOULFLY 3-page feature – Metal Hammer DIRTY AMERICANS 1/4 page piece – Metal Hammer

As for what’s new with Zao, these dudes will be headlining the Ferret Tour out in the US with Scarlet, Misery Signals, Remembering Never and Twelve Tribes from May 1st to June 20th. Cool lineup eh? May 1st they are also set to be one of the 5 headliners at New England Metal Fest (even more awesome lineup) in Worcester, Massachusetts. They are currently finishing recording their album at Trax East in New Jersey. The title is still ‘tba’ but word has it it’s “really really good!”

As this is being written, Slipknot’s track “Duality” is playing on KROCK NY, being played as the #1 track on the station’s Furious Five At Nine…the same spot it has been at all week since the track debuted on the station. That being said, Slipknot played the Roseland Ballroom in NYC this past Monday. Pics from the show can be found in the band’s PHOTO GALLERY. Give a look. And speaking of tour dates, check our TOUR section for all upcoming Slipknot dates.

Well, Dez is no stranger to Europe, but collectively as a group, this week DevilDriver head across the Atlantic for the first time. First stop, Goteborg, Sweden. Starting April 16 and running through the end of the month, DevilDriver will be touring Europe with In Flames and Caliban. Don’t miss their UK shows! DevilDriver’s summer touring will be rounded out by playing the 2nd stage on the US Ozzfest.

Killswitch Engage is less than a week away from hitting the road…heading to Japan, to be exact. And then Australia before heading back to the US for the 6th Annual Metal and Hardcore Festival in Worcester, MA…and then hitting the road with In Flames. Oh, and May 10th marks the release date of KsE’s upcoming The End Of Heartache CD. In fact, you can hear it all right now. And you should. Check it out, www.killswitchengage.com/ecard.

Earlier last week we gave the news of the latest signing to Roadrunner, the band Trivium. Well, now it’s time to hear what this band is about. In our MUSIC section you can now find an MP3 download of a Trivium song, “Like Light To The Flies.” This particular song was recorded about 6 months ago in Orlando. As RR A&R tells about the song, “When these Floridian types get down to business, it’s riff-mania, pure metallurgy and melodic flourish. They cover the bases effortlessly – like a riff duel-off between vintage Metallica, prime-time KsE and Dream Theatre in thrash modus extremi.” and it couldn’t have been said any betta…

As announced in Kerrang! magazine today, Slipknot are confirmed for a one-off special signing session to mark the release of their new album. Taking place at the Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street (nearest tube station Tottenham Court Road), maggots will have the opportunity to meet the masked metallers from midnight on Sunday, May 23, as well as getting the chance to buy the limited-edition version of the album in the first minutes of its Monday release. This special edition will unlock sections of www.slipknot1.com that hold special content, including an exclusive track which isn’t on the album. Slipknot are also planning another very special London event to take place on May 24…. more information to be divulged in the future…

Joey recently sent a message to our Slipknot street team on behalf of the band… “Hello from Des Moines, Iowa. Things are overly insane at the moment…but then again we wouldn’t have it any other way. Like to tell the UK street teamers thank you for all the help & dedication. We will be there soon enough, the wait will be worth it. Street teamers freak us out, especially those creeps in the UK.” – SLIPKNOT – Nice to know all the efforts are appreciated. If you fancy joining the Slipknot team and getting in on all the action, all you need to do is CLICK HERE.

A cult classic…. Scarlet’s latest release is indeed. Check out the below review from Metal Hammer magazine, posted in their press section! Metal Hammer Cult Classic A cult classic? Pretty damn close! Naming your new album ‘Cult Classic’ is either a very brave or a very stupid thing to do when your music sits somewhere between the Black Flagand Dillinger Escape Plan. On first listen you’d be forgiven for dismissing Scarlet as bandwaggoneers, yet on repeated spins of ‘Cult Classic’ it becomes evident that what we are dealing with here is much more than a rag tag bunch of musical pilferers, as they take the more interesting elements of the afore mentioned influences and stamp their own fresh, yet eerie perspective on proceedings. You can just envisage this material slaying in the live arena, it’s all about epic guitars and crashing drums! But at the end of the day hailing this as just a ‘cult classic’ would be an unfair and embarrassing proclamtion to make, however ‘Cult Classic’ comes pretty damn close! Brian Magill 8/10

Dez Fafara’s black-metal-tinged DEVILDRIVER have lined up their first London headline show at the Camden Underworld on 4th May. This follows their appearance with In Flames at the Astoria on 24th April. Tickets are on sale now at the Underworld box office and all usual agents, priced 퉌£8.50. DevilDriver’s eponymous debut album garnered rave reviews upon release last year and earned the band many votes in the ‘Best New Band’ categories of 2003’s magazine readers polls. Elsewhere in Roadrunner land, FEAR FACTORY confirm their first UK dates in three years when they play the following shows: 21st June – LONDON Astoria 22nd June – MANCHESTER Academy 23rd June – GLASGOW QMU The band’s new album, ‘Archetype’, is unleashed on 19th April and features Christian Olde Wolbers on guitar (moving over from bass since the departure of Dino Cazares) and new bassist Byron Stroud (of Strapping Young Lad).