The Master of monster mayhem is back to unleash two new ghoulish delights with the best of Rob Zombie’s psycho-metal music in tow. Rob Zombie – Icon (Geffen/UMe) is a double assault with a 12-track single-CD and 24-track double-CD versions are out in the stores now.  Revising as well as updating his previous collections with tracks from his most recent super-smash studio masterpiece album—the Top 10-charting Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls And The Systematic Dehumanization Of Cool—  

Maldives-based thrashers SERENITY DIES have recently parted ways with bassist/vocalist Chuck and guitarist Xiao due to personal reasons. According to a statement from the band, there is no ill-will on either side and everyone remains close friends. Despite this obstacle, SERENITY DIES are fully committed to moving forward as a band and are pleased to announce that guitarist/vocalist Jared MacEachern (ex-SANCTITY) and bassist Addo (ex-FASYLIVE) have joined the fold. With this newly revamped roster, SERENITY DIES are more powerful than ever and are hard at work on a follow-up to their Hacksawcracy EP, which was released earlier this year.  

Swedish death-mongers CALIBER 666 are pleased to announce that they have signed with North America’s premier death metal label, Ibex Moon Records. The band’s full-length debut, Blood Fueled Chaos, will be available digitally on October 1st via  

United Stations nationally syndicated radio shows HardDrive and HardDrive XL returns next week with the second annual HARDDRIVE LIVE TOUR 2010 branded and produced in conjunction with its’ weekend and nightly radio programs.  The tour launches on October 4th in Augusta, GA at The Country Club.  

  New Jersey death metal group Abacinate has issued the following statement in the wake of vocalist Jason Sica’s death:  

  The masters of musical mayhem have paired up yet again to embark on a three week tour of debauchery. Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper have returned to destroy a city near you on The Halloween Hootenanny Tour with special guests Murderdolls.   

Eternal Descent and ESP Guitars have once again joined forces to sponsor a contest to win a guitar – an LTD Wayne Static Signature Series Static-600 ESP guitar. This menacing guitar is in ESP’s famous EX shape, with a black nickel diamond plate cover, Seymour Duncan pickup, ebony fretboard with 24 XJ frets, Grover tuners, and more. Contest entries are accepted from now until November 30, 2010 at  

Play Yard Blues,” the latest solo album from Europe guitarist John Norum, is now available on Mascot Records. The long-awaited album takes a different approach than Norum’s past releases, showcasing a more bluesy side of his soulful style. “Play Yard Blues” consists of 10 tracks, recorded in Norum’s hometown of Stockholm, Sweden.  

Every metal fan knows that Black Metal found its raw, dark, low budget origins in the vast cold of the Scandinavian peninsula of Northern Europe. Somewhere along the lines, that harsh brutality found its way across the Atlantic, took up residence in the Windy City of Chicago, and bore Ezurate and their brand of “Pure Armafuckingeddon Soulraping Black Metal” to unsuspecting ears. Their newest release, “Eve of Desecration” rightfully out on Rotting Corpse records, is an hour of ear splitting black metal that is squarely derived from is Scandinavian ancestors and contemporaries.  

    Last night at the Paramount Lot in Los Angeles, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), UMe and gaming publisher Activision Publishing, Inc. awarded Soundgarden with a platinum plaque acknowledging the innovative partnership and distribution behind Soundgarden’s newest album in 13 years, Telephantasm (A&M/UMe).    

Extreme metal’s most infamous act, Cradle Of Filth, has teamed up with America’s horror magazine, Fangoria, to premiere the band’s latest music video for the new track, “Forgive Me Father (I Have Sinned)”.  The video was directed by Dani Jacobs, and the song comes from the forthcoming full-length, Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, to be released on Nuclear Blast Records on November 9th.   

Motel 6 and Primary Wave Music, one of the largest music publishing and marketing companies in the United States , announce the third round of their wildly popular “Rock Yourself to Sleep” campaign.  Initially launched in August 2009, the campaign offers free rooms to touring bands.