SEVENTH CALLING will be entering the studio to begin tracking for their new album "Epidemic" on February 15th of this year. This will mark the group’s 3rd release, and 2nd full length since their debut in 2007 with "Monuments".

KORN will embark on a cross-Canada tour this spring, beginning March 29 in Vancouver, and ending April 6 in Toronto. One of America’s hottest new hard rock bands, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, will be providing support on all shows, as well as upstarts STILLWELL.

Northern Kentucky thrash metallers PAIN LINK have set "Descendants Of Defiance" as the title of their new album, tentatively due in early 2010. "Descendants Of Defiance" is PAIN LINK’s first new studio album since 2007’s video-enhanced EP "Uncivil Servant". The CD is currently being recorded at Vigilante Studio in Hebron, KY. This will mark the bands fourth independent release since 2003.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has apparently changed the title of his upcoming autobiography to "Wake Up Dead: A Heavy Metal Memoir" from the previously announced "Hello Me... Meet The Real Me".

NOMINON will finally return to the live scene during May to celebratethe release of the fourth album "Monumentomb" (to be out March 23rd through Deathgasm RDS). On this Swedish crusade of destruction the guys will have direct support coming from the genuine Spanish coffin robbers GRAVEYARD who released back in September 2009 their amazing new album "One With The Dead" (Black Seed Productions). Additional support acts to be announced later. The following raids have been confirmed sofar:

Dr Pepper, the oldest major soft drink in the US, teamed up with legendary rockers KISS as a first-time advertiser during Super Bowl XLIV.

SIENA ROOT will make two exclusive shows in Athens, 5th and 6th March. This long awaited premiere in Greece will take place at Rodeo Club.

KISS’ new album, "Sonic Boom", album will be pressed on 180-gram vinyl in five colors — purple, red, green, blue and black. The LP will be packaged in a full-color gatefold jacket and it iwll include lyrics on the inner sleeve and an exclusive 22" x 33" color poster.Only 1,000 of each color will be pressed!! Because of the limited quantities, KissOnline.com is now taking pre-orders and expect the albums to ship in 6-8 weeks.

Swedish progressive/experimental metallers THERION are putting the finishing touches on their new album, "Sitra Ahra", which will be mixed at the legendary Polar Studios in Stockholm. 13 songs are being recorded for the CD, although it is presently unclear if all of the tracks will end up on the final record.

New Jersey’s VTT is proud to announce a confirmed March 12 show in the band’s home state of New Jersey alongside legendary American Metal band W.A.S.P. on their headlining trek. In addition to the high-profile gig at Sayreville’s Starland Ballroom, two New York shows are also lined up, February 10 and March 27, respectively. Plans are also underway for a tour of greater America later this year, most likely this summer; details will be available on that trek shortly.

RUFFIANS are playing Broadway Studios in San Francisco on Friday February 26th. This rounds with THE BUTLERS & THE THRASHERS "America’s Youngest Rock Band".

The booking agent of DARK FUNERAL posted the following announcement about the ’Metalgate Festival’ cancellation.

German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS will release their final studio album, "Sting In The Tail", in North America on March 23 via Universal Music Enterprises. The CD was recorded at a studio in Hannover, Germany with Swedish producers Mikael "Nord" Andersson and Martin Hansen (the team behind THE RASMUS’ "Dead Letters" CD).The track listing for the CD is as follows:01. "Raised On Rock"02. "Sting In The Tail" 03. "Slave Me"04. "The Good Die Young" (feat. Tarja Turunen)05. "No Limit"06. "Rock Zone"07. "Lorelei"08. "Turn You On"09. "Let’s Rock"10. "SLY"11. "Spirit Of Rock"12. "The Best Is Yet To Come"

Swedish melodic Metal masters LION’S SHARE is confirmed for the ’Rockweekend’ festival this summer together with bands like SAXON, DEEP PURPLE, SEPULTURA etc.

"Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice", the new album from Finland’s hard-rock heroes HIM, is available for streaming in its entirety on the band’s MySpace page.

Reunited U.S. rockers WARRIOR SOUL will embark on a European tour this spring. The dates are as follows:

Canadian metal legends ANVIL will embark on a short tour of Japan in April. The dates are as follows:

TAROT — the Finnish group led by NIGHTWISH/ex-SINERGY bassist Marco Hietala — will release its ninth studio album, "Gravity Of Light", on April 23 via Nuclear Blast Records (excluding Finland). A tour will follow, including a stop in Moscow, Russia as well as a number of summer festival appearances.Check out the "Gravity Of Light" artwork below.

Switzerland’s Hard Rockers CHINA support KROKUS Shows. The tour dates are showing below:

Denmark’s crushing sludge beast THE PSYKE PROJECT recently signed an international booking deal with London based First Contact Agency.