The poetic irony of Shakespeare’s phrasing is not lost on Anthony Head. When the Bard wrote that “uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,” even he could not have known what was in store for the actor Head’s royal character as the fourth season of MERLIN begins this Friday, January 6, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Syfy.  

Having made one of 2011’s most impressive rock’n’roll comebacks that included the 9/13/11 release of the band’s long-awaited new album Worship Music that landed on boatloads of “Best of 2011…” lists, metal masters ANTHRAX will keep the pedal to the metal in 2012. The band launches the New Year with the delivery to radio of a second single from Worship Music, “I’m Alive,” and plans to tour extensively beginning January 22 with round two of a U.S. co-headline tour with fellow thrash titans, Testament (dates are below).  

Metallica has announced that is “has decided to go old school” and will release its current digital EP, Beyond Magnetic, on CD worldwide at retail on January 30th and on January 31st in North America. The EP, released via all digital retailers on December 13th, features four tracks recorded during the sessions for 2008’s 2x-platinum Death Magnetic, the band’s fifth consecutive No. 1 album.  

Marvel’s making sure all comic book stores worldwide are armed for the biggest super hero war of all time with the Avengers VS X-Men Launch Parties on Tuesday, April 3rd at 8pm (local time), one day before the first issue goes on-sale. In addition to being the first in line to purchase Avengers VS X-Men #1, fans will also be able to receive special items exclusive to these parties, specific to the team—Avengers or X-Men—supported by the store.  

Following a short batch of dates with Clutch in December, Raleigh, North Carolina legends CORROSION OF CONFORMITY are pleased to announce a U.S. headlining tour this March. Set to commence on March 1 at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City, the trek will hit 15 cities including two performances at this year’s SXSW Music Conference in Austin. The band will be joined by Torche, Valient Thorr and A Storm Of Light.  

Steve Rogers most trusted partner and a former Captain America, Bucky Barnes, must tackle his greatest challenge yet as Winter Soldier #1 hits store shelves everywhere this February! After going toe to toe with the Nazis and being assumed dead for decades, Bucky Barnes went through hell and back as the Soviet Union rebuilt his war torn body into their own one man army known to all as the Winter Soldier. But what if he wasn’t the only one?  

Wake up North America… after three decades of waiting, British thrash masters ONSLAUGHT will cross the Atlantic for their first ever tour of the continent in March and April!  

Atlantic recording group Shinedown has announced the upcoming release of their much anticipated new album. “AMARYLLIS” will arrive in stores and at all digital retailers on March 27th, 2012.  

Madison, WI’s traditional heavy metal warriors LORDS OF THE TRIDENT have a video for “Face of the Enemy,” a song taken from 2011’s Chains of Fire. The video was proudly produced by the band in 100 percent DIY fashion. You can check it out at  

Swedish tech-titans SPAWN OF POSSESSION have announced the final details for their upcoming third full-length, Incurso — the band’s first album for Relapse Records — which is already one of the most anticipated death metal releases of 2012.  

Having won over audiences across Europe via major metal/hardcore tours and massive festival appearances since their 1993 inception, German metalcore heavyweights HATE SQUAD will drop their newest full-length, Katharsis, onto North American audiences via Massacre Records this January 17th.  

The time is now. Dynamic crossover killers BIRTH A.D. will enter Pyramid Sound on January 3rd to record the highly anticipated full-length follow up to their critically acclaimed Stillbirth of a Nation EP. Titled I Blame You, the album will be engineered and produced by Alex Perialas (SOD, Testament, Overkill, Carnivore, Nuclear Assault).