Attendees of Image Expo, taking place February 24, 25, and 26 in Oakland, California will get something else in addition to excellent programming, array of exhibiting publishers and artists, and face time with their favorite collectors — the chance to get six comics with convention-exclusive covers.  

he time has finally come. Female-fronted extreme metal band WYKKED WYTCH has unleashed their newest album, The Ultimate Deception, upon the masses. This Valentine’s Day massacre is now available at iTunes and FYE.  

Writer Daniel Corey returns in March with more adventures of the nefarious Professor Moriarty, arch nemesis of Sherlock Holmes, in MORIARTY: THE LAZARUS TREE VOL 2 TP from Image Comics. Collecting issues #5 through #9 of the ongoing series, MORIARTY: THE LAZARUS TREE features artwork from Anthony Diecidue (Stan Lee’s TIME JUMPER) and comic book legend Mike Vosburg (HBO Tales from the Crypt), with colors by Perry Freeze and letters and design by Dave Lanphear.  

RISING will head out on a full European Spring tour in March and April in support of To Solemn Ash. The tour starts on March 16th in Berlin and includes dates in Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Italy and Luxembourg.  

Due to unforeseen visa issues, California ministers of gore EXHUMED have been forced to cancel their previously scheduled dates in Brazil this week with Aborted.  

Renowned Dutch radio station VPRO 3voor12 — known for being streaming the full Roadburn Festival lineup each year — is now streaming WINO & CONNY OCHS‘ album Heavy Kingdom in its entirety, RIGHT HERE.  

CROWBAR have officially announced new tour dates alongside NYC based PRONG this spring. WITCHBURN has been tapped to support. The band will set out on these dates in continued support of their latest release, “Sever the Wicked Hand” released last year.  

KITTIE is pleased to announce the return of bassist Trish Doan to the band following the departure of Ivy Vujic. Doan was previously with the band from 2005-2007, appearing on the band’s 2007 release “Funeral for Yesterday.”  

Legendary thrash band, OVERKILL have announced new details around their upcoming ELECTRIC AGE TOUR. Supporting will be GOD FORBID, DIAMOND PLATE and SUDIKARA. Dates will stretch coast to coast and run through April and May, click HERE for up to date ticket information.  

A new video clip from CANNIBAL CORPSE’s Torture sessions is currently viewable at their official landing page. The band will unleash their twelfth offering of audio devastation to North American fans on March 13, 2012 via Metal Blade Records.  

As previously announced, DARK NEW DAY–Clint Lowery (guitarist from Sevendust), Will Hunt (drummer from Evanescence), Troy McLawhorn (guitarist from Evanescence), Brett Hestla (lead singer/guitarist from Virgos Merlot) and Corey Lowery (bassist from Stereomud and Eye Empire)—will release their highly anticipated sophomore album, NEW TRADITION, February 28 on Goomba Music (distributed by eOne Music). To make the release extra special, the band is offering a bonus track to fans who buy the full album and send in a photo of themselves holding the CD or a digital photo of their purchase online. A MP3 of “Rising Sun” will be available for a limited time only (February 28 through March 6). Photos can be e-mailed... 

Having produced track after track of heavy-hitting, in-your-face, feel good rock and roll on their previous two albums (2010’s STAMPEDE and 2007’s self-titled debut), Band of Brothers sees HELLYEAH taking a slightly different musical direction. Drawing on their former bands’ collective metal roots for inspiration, the influences and style of Mudvayne, Pantera, Damageplan and Nothingface are immediately recognizable in tracks such as “Band of Brothers,” “War In Me” and “Rage Burn,” while the party anthem “Drink, Drank, Drunk” retains the essence of earlier HELLYEAH.