02/07
EXMORTEM
Danish death metallers Exmortem have completed work on their fifth album, Funeral Phantom, for an October 20 release via Mighty Music. The CD was self-produced by the band, while the mixing was handled by Jacob Bredahl. According to a press release, fans should "expect a crushing, sludgy, energetic death machine."

Funeral Phantom track listing:

01. Black Opium
02. Souls of Tyrants
03. Fixed in Slime
04. Funeral Phantom
05. The Vultures Gather
06. Anger Trumpet Blow
07. Salvation
08. For the Grave of History
09. Slow Death Regimes
10. View to a Death in the Morning
[source:blabbermouth.net]

02/07
BEING KILLED
Being Killed, the Southern California-based death metal band featuring Dave Astor, Tim Tiszczenko and Levi Fuselier, has posted two brand new songs on its MySpace page. The tracks "Kill Yourself" and "Apocalypse Begun" come off the group's new CD, Kill Yourself, which is due in August via Comatose Music. [source:blabbermouth.net]

02/07
MORBID ANGEL
According to the web site of the Florida Department of Corrections, former Morbid Angel guitarist Richard Brunelle was released from the Zephyrhills Correctional Institution, located just north of Tampa, on June 21, 2008 after serving 14 months for cocaine possession.

Brunelle was in Morbid Angel from 1985 until 1992 and he appeared on the band's first two albums, 1989's Altars of Madness and 1991's Blessed are the Sick. He returned to the group a couple of times - most notably in 1994 and 1998 - to help out with live work, but he never took part in any additional recording sessions with the band. [source:blabbermouth.net]

02/07
BLOODBATH
Swedish death metal "supergroup" Bloodbath will release its new studio album, The Fathomless Mastery, on October 6 via Peaceville Records. The band described the upcoming CD as representing "nothing but hateful brutality." Promising its "most crushing production yet," the group's lineup on The Fathomless Mastery is the same as that on Bloodbath's Unblessing the Purity mini-CD, which came out in March:

Mikael Åkerfeldt - Vocals
Martin "Axe" Axenrot - Drums
Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström - Guitar
Jonas Renkse - Bass
Per "Sodomizer" Eriksson - Guitar
[source:blabbermouth.net]

25/06
CEREBRAL BORE
Scottish death metal band Cerebral Bore will embark on a DIY tour, ranging from Las Vegas to New York in July and August.

Shows confirmed so far:

Jul. 5 - Rox Nightclub, Las Vegas - with Guttural Secrete, Casketborn, Cerebral Incubation
Jul. 6 - Funky Jah Punkys, Las Vegas
Jul. 9 - Chasers, Tempe - with Condemned, Inherit Disease, Meathook, He Who Binds Himself
Jul. 11 - Harlequin Alley, Shreveport - with Cancerwhore, Expletive
Jul. 12 - East Texas Deathfest - with Cancerwhore
Jul. 13 - Rock Botton Tattoo Bar, San Antonio - with Inherit Disease, Condemned, Exulcerate, Horde Casket, Iniquitous
Jul. 18 - 20 - Central Illinois Metal Fest 2008 - with Suffocation, Origin, Devourment, Waking The Cadaver
Jul. 21 - Topeka - with Condemned, Inherit Disease, Amagortis
Jul. 25 - Bongo's Nightclub, Long Island
Aug. 1 - Lucky 13 Saloon, Brooklyn
Aug. 2 - Rumble in the Bronx Open Air, New York City - with Mortician
Aug. 8 - New England Deathfest pre-show, Rhode island
Aug. 9 - Ozone Park, Queens

More info can be found on: www.myspace.com/cerebralbore2

25/06
SUPREME PAIN
Dutch brutal death metal band Supreme Pain has parted ways with drummer Robert Kovacic. According to a posting on the group's MySpace page, "Robert said he has a busy schedule as a session drummer and therefore he has not much time left for Supreme Pain and also he can not be certain to play live with Supreme Pain. Because of this unreliable situation we were not able to confirm shows and Supreme Pain would like to play live shows. For Supreme Pain there was only one option to solve this situation and that is to part ways with Robert and search for a new drummer. So from now on the search is on to find a new blasting drum machine! Because Supreme Pain will continue with the blasting death metal sickness! Every drummer who is interested to be part of the supreme brutality can contact us through MySpace or sending an e-mail to us: supremepain@gmail.com." [source:blabbermouth.net]

19/05
DIE
Vocalist Simon Pedersen has left the Danish metal band Die in order to focus on his other group Fairytale Abuse and his family life. According to Die, "Simon has been an integral part of Die and our music as frontman since the birth of the band, and he will be missed by us and many others. We support Simon in this difficult decision and we wish him and Fairytale Abuse all the best in the future."

The band continues, "The search for a new singer ended quickly when we found Søren Christensen, a young musician with a voice that we all believe will be a perfect match for Die. Listen to an excerpt from the title track from Rise of the Rotten here for an idea of what to expect.

"The recording of our upcoming debut album, Rise of the Rotten, proceeds as planned and as the mixing and mastering will happen at the Antfarm Studio [with Tue Madsen], it will end up sounding as good at it possibly can. Søren will record the vocals and we are sure that the final product will kick some serious ass! We believe that his vocal style will benefit our music greatly and cannot wait to let the rest of the world hear and see what we are about."

Die's current line-up is as follows:

Tajs Kolman - Lead Guitar
Jonas Møller - Bass
Rasmus Henriksen - Rhythm Guitar
Bent Bisballe Nyeng - Drums
Søren Christensen - Vocals

19/05
THORIUM
The Danish death cult Thorium has parted ways with longtime guitarist Allan Tvedebrink. "Allan has been a part of Thorium since 1998 and has contributed a lot to Thorium during his ten years in the band," vocalist MHA said in a statement. "But due to the good old family- and work-related issues, he has decided to quit the band. We, of course, respect his decision and still remain friends."

The singer continued: "Having been in touch with the guys from Deranged for many years, it was bitter to see this great band split, but also the perfect opportunity for Thorium to ask guitar player Johan Axelsson to join Thorium. Johan gladly accepted the challenge and is now the new guitar player of Thorium. KB, our bass player, has previously played with Johan in the band Killaman and suggested Johan as new guitar player for Thorium. I was hooked on the idea, since Johan is an excellent guitar player, looks great on stage plus it definitely gives him that little extra he is Swedish." [source:blabbermouth.net]

19/05
SEVERED SAVIOR
San Francisco-based death metallers Severed Savior have parted ways with drummer Troy Fullerton. As a result, the group has cancelled its appearance at the Central Illinois Metalfest, which is scheduled to take place July 18-20 at the Canopy Club in Urbana, Illinois.