12 STONES will release their fourth album, BENEATH THE SCARS, May 22 on the Executive Music Group label via Fontana/Universal.  The band joined forces, once again, with producer Skidd Mills (Saving Abel, Skillet, Saliva), who had previously worked with 12 STONES on 2007’s ANTHEM FOR THE UNDERDOG.  The first single, “Infected,” mixed by Johnny K (3 Doors Down, Disturbed, Staind), is currently being serviced to Rock radio and will be available for download on iTunes and Amazon on February 28.  

Los Angeles thrash battalion HeXeN are set to unleash their second album, Being And Nothingness. Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Vivid Tone Recording Studio (Lividity, Guthrie Govan, etc.) by producer Rich Bruce, the sonic onslaught of Being And Nothingness sees the band moving toward a far more comprehensive and thorough voyage of metal musicality and further distancing themselves from being just another run-of-the-mill revival band.  

The next big Spider-Man epic begins in Amazing Spider-Man #682, part one of Ends Of The Earth, by Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli! The Sinister Six, led by the vengeful Doctor Octopus, is back and they’re looking for revenge!  

The Cult will make its 2012 concert debut when the band plays the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival next month, headlining the Auditorium Shores Stage on Saturday, March 17.  The Auditorium Shores Stage show will be free and open to the public, and The Cult will take the stage at 8:00PM.  

ROB ZOMBIE and MEGADETH have just announced a co-headlining tour guaranteed to raise the temperature on the planet. The trek, which marks the first time the two bands have toured together, kicks off Friday, May 11 in Holmdel, NJ and encompasses high-profile appearances at several rock festivals, including Rock On The Range and Rocklahoma. Rob Zombie will headline Rocklahoma, co-line (with Incubus) Rock On The Range, and will close all shows on the Megadeth dates.  

Having his American acoustic tour alongside Bob Wayne and Jay Munly in December, and just recently a trek through Australia and New Zealand alongside John Baizely, SCOTT KELLY‘s newest U.S. solo tour with support from EUGENE S. ROBINSON (Oxbow) is now underway.  

Following its US theatrical release in 75+ cities and its national broadcast premiere on PBS the award winning documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone will be available on DVD today, February 21st, 2012 by The Cinema Guild on SPARK, a new home video label dedicated to releasing quality documentaries on the arts.  

It’s not often that rock fans get the chance to catch Lemmy fronting another band besides the legendary Motörhead. But on March 17th, Lemmy’s rockabilly outfit, HeadCat, will be rocking the Roxy Theater (located at 9009 West Sunset Boulevard, in West Hollywod, California). Joined by Stray Cats drummer Slim Jim Phantom and Rockats guitarist Danny B. Harvey, the trio will be performing tunes from the critically acclaimed ‘Walk the Walk…Talk the Talk,’ which is released via the Niji Entertainment Group.  

“The Making of Equilibrium” video series gives a first look at God Forbid’s upcoming album from inside the studio. Part 1 features Corey Pierce tracking drums and dropping hints about the new music especially when he says, “The rawness of what you are makes everything else THAT much better.”  

CHICKENFOOT, the super group featuring guitarist Joe Satriani, drummer Kenny Aronoff, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and frontman Sammy Hagar have announced A DIFFERENT DEVIL TOUR in continued support of their newest record “Chickenfoot III” (eOne Music/earMUSIC/Edel). “  

Jersey devils HAMMER FIGHT have unleashed a brand new rock n’ metal anthem upon the unwashed masses. Entitled “Ginger Rails,” the tune encompasses the most unruly characteristics of a band that conjures up images of Motorhead getting into a drunken bar brawl with Sick Of It All.  

Fan favorite artist/creator Darwyn Cooke spoke to metalmachine.net from the floor of this years Megacon 2012 in Orlando, FL. Darwyn spoke about the controversy surrounding Before Watchmen, the up coming seven series prequel books to the much loved and revered Watchmen comic book. Cooke will be working on two of those projects…The Minutemen and Silk Spectre. Check out the video interview below…