Washington, D.C. heavyweights DARKEST HOUR have signed with E1 Music in North America, joining artists such as Hatebreed, High On Fire, Overkill, among others. The band will enter the studio to record new material to be released early next year. “We couldn’t be more excited to announce that Darkest Hour has found a new home with E1 Music,” says founding guitarist Mike Schleibaum.  

Kylesa, whose 2009 album “Static Tensions” was one of the most critically acclaimed metal albums of last year, has signed with Season of Mist with work already underway on the follow-up to the album Revolver awarded 4 stars and Spin referred to as “Midnight in the garden of drop-tuning and evil.”  

Comicraft/Active Images is proud to announce the option of their Image Comics series ELEPHANTMEN by Zucker Productions for major motion picture development.   The treatment for the movie is being drafted by Richard Starkings, creator and writer of ELEPHANTMEN. Starkings shares, “I’m very pleased to be working with producer Janet Zucker and everyone at Zucker Productions.  

High On Fire stormed into the Gramercy Theatre in New York on April 9th and had a sold out crowd whipping with fury throughout their entire set.  

Well, not really live. But close enough. Andrew and Mikael travel up north to the land of Curling, Canadian Bacon and Alpha Flight. Where everyone says “Eh” and Wolverine first encountered The Hulk! “Oh Canada…” The Fortress invades Wizard World Toronto and the guys got to speak to several atendees. Podcast: Play in new window | Download  

Ibex Moon Records’ most recently acquired brutalists, Cardiac Arrest, will be appearing live at Chicago’s Red Line Tap (7006 N Glenwood) on April 24th with the almighty Deceased. Also appearing on the bill will be Superchrist and Trials.  

Marvel is pleased to announce that S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 has sold out at Diamond (though copies may still be available at the retail level) and will return with S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 Second Printing Variant!  

After 12 years of working on other projects, the Grammy-winning godfathers of grunge are reuniting to rock. Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd are lifting the proverbial lid off Soundgarden and rejoining the “Soundtable.”  

A brand new song from Canadian melodic thrash metal pioneers ANNIHILATOR is available to listen to online now at the Earache Records MySpace page.  

“We want to go back to our roots, play little hole-in-the-wall places where fans can be right there in front of the stage, where we can hand someone a mic and really have the fans be an active part of the show, not behind a barrier ten feet away.”  

The Artificial Truth from Ankara, Turkey’s SINCE YESTERDAY has been getting rave reviews from the international metal/hardcore press community. Here is what they are saying:  

FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired the home entertainment, broadcast, digital and merchandise rights to three anime movies which continue the story of the series “Eden of the East” (known in Japan as “Higashi no Eden”) from Fuji Creative Corporation.