CATHEDRAL’s The Last Spire was released last week in North America and serves as the final entry in the band’s vastly influential, decade-spanning career. Lee Dorrian explains that he feels “comfortable leaving The Last Spire as our legacy. The funeral of Cathedral has been a long but gratifying process. Deciding to end the band wasn’t an easy decision to make but we knew deep down in our hearts that it was the right thing to do.”  

Four years ago Mammoth Grinder released their last full length album, Extinction of Humanity. This album was released through Relapse and Cyclopean Records. The album showcased the band’s drive to devel into a distinctly death metal sound, full of aggression and with a punk flare. The band continued in this spirit on 2011’s split LP with fellow Austin, Texas-based Hatred Surge. Now they have joined with 20 Buck Spin for the release of their wildly anticipated third full length album Underworlds.  

It’s been three years since the release of Grimus’ EP, Gutter Earth. Hailing from Elizabeth, New Jersey this death metal band is releasing their first full-length studio album, Omnicide.  

Metallica has announced that their 3D feature film Metallica Through the Never will open in theaters on September 27th. It will play in approximately 300 IMAX theaters around the world for a week. For those without an IMAX theater in their area, there’s no need to worry as the movie will expand out to additional theaters in full 3D a week later on October 4th.  

Finnish death metal band Kalmah have released a music video of a single coming off of their new upcoming album, Seventh Swamphony. This album is being put out through Metal Interjections. Swaphony cleverly titled due to the described sound of the band which is “swamp metal”.  

Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman he passed at a hospital near his home…he was 49 years old. Hanneman was recovering from a “Flesh Eating” bacteria the past couple of years, and was not currently on tour with the band. The band stated he passed from Liver failure. More news as it breaks.  

Master We Perish, the new EP from The Body was released this week. This band comprised of Lee Buford who is the rhythm mind of percussion and Chip King the guitar and vocals of the band. They recorded in Rhode Island this summer with a slough of other artist to help with the compilation of their new album.  

More and more through out the comic community we have seen musicians veering their talents towards a different outlet. Out of our stereos and into our hands have fallen some great names in music and hopefully soon to be big names in books. There has been a vast production of these books as of late. However, what most haven’t realized is that this trend has been going on for awhile.  

Kaotoxin Records will release a new single from French U.S.-style Death Metallers DARKALL SLAVES on June 3 (June 4th in the UK). “Abysses of Seclusion,” from the revamped, two-vocalist band – featuring past and present members of Unsu, Amputated Repugnance and Visceral Carnage – began as a pre-production demo (Tsun Tsun Productions) that Kaotoxin found so impressive that the label decided to release it as a single featuring two tracks (plus an “intro”) of bulldozer-ing Brutal Death Metal proudly performed in a style that is distinctly American.  

Italian progressive metal outfit KINGCROW has crossed continents and is currently on North American soil touring in support of their grand fifth full-length, In Crescendo, out now on Sensory Records.  

Psychedelic extreme metal vanguard GIGAN will begin recording their newest studio offering next month. Titled Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery And Super-Science, the band’s third full-length, and second to be released through legendary, forward-thinking label imprint, Willowtip Records, will once again be recorded with long-time friend and acclaimed engineer Sanford Parker and will be unleashed sometime this Fall.  

With less than twenty-four hours to official release, Cvlt Nation in cooperation with Candlelight Records presents the exclusive full-album stream of WOE’s Withdrawal. Produced by vocalist/guitarist Chris Grigg, Withdrawal hits stores with sizeable early acclaim; the album placing on CMJ’s Loud Rock impact chart at position 3 last week. The 43-minute album is available on both CD and vinyl (Restricted Release) formats and features songs premiered exclusively by Pitchfork and Stereogum.