Metallica to begin writing new album in 2011?

If Lars Ulrich has anything to say about it, the band will begin writing music sometime in 2011. However, knowing the pace of Metallica, we likely won't see a new album until at least 2012 (if that).

Death Magnetic is surprisingly well written, so lets hope all these Big Four shows have reignited the flame and the band delivers at least one more album to remember them by. I haven't listened to Death Magnetic for awhile, so here's a refresher.

*Video removed, will try and put up a new one here shortly.

Best news I've heard in awhile from Shadows Fall

In a recent interview with the Rock it Out! Blog, Shadows Fall frontman Brian Fair was asked about plans for a new studio album.

This is what he had to say:

"We've been talking about the new record. We haven't really started writing, but me, Matt [Bachand, guitar] and Jon [Donais, guitar] were talking, [and] we wanna write a really fast, technical thrash record this time around — really just kind of keep it nice, brutal and heavy."

As a long time Shadows Fall fan, I just want to say 'hell yes!' This is the news a lot of us old school fans were waiting to hear, and while I do like a lot of the slower more melodic Shadows Fall songs, the heavier stuff on Of One Blood, The Art of Balance and The War Within is still where it's at.

Let's hope the band delivers on its word. If so, Shadows Fall might just be my favorite modern metal band once more (Retribution was great in my opinion, but it takes a lot to make up for Threads of Life).

Children of Bodom set to record new album, perform on Black Label Berserkus Tour in Des Moines

Children of Bodom has been very 'hit or miss' lately.

Blooddrunk had a few solid songs, like "Hellhounds on my Trail" and the title track, "Blooddrunk", Are You Dead Yet was a little stale, and I won't even get started on the covers album.

The last really great album the group put out was 2003's Hate Crew Deathroll (which is what took the band slightly away from the neoclassical style to all-out-heavy music).

Now, word is the band is preparing to record its next full-length album. If the band can somehow channel the energy and technicality found on the older discs (including my personal favorite, Follow the Reaper, and combine that with the heaviness of Hate Crew, then maybe Alexi Laiho and co. can finally get the respect they all deserve, while making us longtime fans happy.

However, it's not Bodom's job to impress us, so I guess we will just have to wait and see. In the mean time, Children of Bodom will be hitting the road and playing a show in Des Moines, Iowa, along with Black Label Society (whose newest album hits stores on August 10).

It should be interesting to see Zakk Wylde perform sober and Children of Bodom break out some new tracks.

Concert info is below:

Black Label Berserkus Tour
Featuring Black Label Society, Children of Bodom and Clutch.
7 Flags Event Center, Clive, IA
Fri, Oct 1, 2010 7:00 PM

Rammstein: Anti-American Nazi-Lovers or just German Music Innovators?

Rammstein is preparing to release a new CD sometime this year in the good ol' USA. I admittedly only began liking the band long after the "Du Hast" days of old. At first I thought they were just being trendy, but the band definitely has a cool sound.

Apparently the first single off the latest album is called "Pussy" (with both English and German lyrics) and will be coming out as a digipack with another tune "Rammlied".

In the latest issue of Decibel, guitarist Richard Kruspe described the album as being a return back to Rammstein's heavier sound. Let's hope he's right.

Update: New album cover revealed below. Oh and the title of the CD is Liebe Ist Für Alle Da. Official release date is October 20.

Killswitch Engage Suck.

Actually I kind of like em'. But it would be shameful to admit that to the metal community. "Alive or Just Breathing" was a good CD and despite being blatantly metalcore, the album has energy that makes it fun to listen to.

Wish I could say that same about the rest of their catalog...

Who knows, maybe Killswitch Engage will surprise us with the new self-titled album coming out on June 30. Check out the videos below and the band performing the new song "Light in a Darkened World" live below.

It's always hard to judge new music live and on Youtube, but it's safe to say they aren't straying from their formula established on the last two albums.