With the reunion of Fear Factory with Monte Conner, now with Nuclear Blast Entertainment, it sets the stage for the next FF record. It’s hard not to root for Fear Factory, even after all of the ups and downs of their career. The classic Demanufacture and Soul of a New Machine, and even the more recent Mechanize, have made their mark upon the scene. Let’s hope the band have another top-notch album up their sleeves for next year. – Kyle McGinn
General Housekeeping
Our newest giveaway: win a copy of Impurium and Throne of Sacrilege’s recent split cd!
Features
Germany’s Slaughterday inform us about how to play retro-death metal without sounding recycled.
Matt Coe chats with Warrel Dane of Sanctuary about their highly anticipated new album.
Instrumentalists Set and Setting explore death and loss.
One-man black metal outfit Infestus checks in.
Botanist’s Otrebor tells us how they work with the hammered dulcimer as their main instrument.
Reviews
Black Crown Initiate give us a must hear full-length with The Wreckage of Stars.
Melodic death goodness comes in the form of Twilightfall’s The Energy of Soul.
Matt Coe calls Evergrey’s Hymns for the Broken, “a premiere release from a veteran band.”
Get your drone on with Monarch!’s Sabbracadaver.
Sons of Crom’s Riddle of Steel is a “no frills, but exciting debut.”
Death metal with groove is on display with Decapitated’s Blood Mantra.
One-woman black metal band Myrkur leave a strong first impression with Myrkur.
Bridget Erickson exclaims, “No one does nature-reveled, acoustic, folky black metal like Fall of Rauros” on their new album, Believe in No Coming Shore.
The news in ten
1. Metallica joins the Guinness Book of World Records.
2. Fen to release Carrion Skies in November.
3. Belphegor forced to cancel headlining North American tour.
4. Type O Negative: Peter Steele’s estate withdrawals endorsement of forthcoming biography.
5. Unearth releases Watchers of Rule album details.
6. Primal Fear adds new drummer.
7. Hatebreed to play 20th anniversary show in London.
8. Slayer: more studio footage available.
9. Bloodbath to return with Grand Morbid Funeral in November.
10. Fear Factory inks deal with Nuclear Blast Entertainment.