On May 4th, the new Xandria album, Sacrificium, will hit the stores via Napalm Records. This will also be the first album to feature new bassist Steven Wussow and new singer Dianne van Giersbergen. Today the band is unveiling what the album tracklist will look like and the first snippet of the upcoming single "Nightfall". Listen to it right here.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Xandria

A couple of days ago, German heavy metal machine U.D.O. signed a long-term contract with their current label AFM Records. The new deal includes the release of 3 studio albums and 3 DVDs. After 27 years of existence, the band already released 14 full-length albums. Their latest, Steelhammer, came out last year in May.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	U.D.O.

Following the recent departure of guitarist Per "Sodomizer" Eriksson, Katatonia now announced a fill-in guitarist for their summer shows. It will be their friend Tomas Åkvik from Stockholm's Nale. He will perform at the summer festival gigs where he'll fill in on second guitar. Bruce Soord (The Pineapple Thief/Wisdom Of Crowds) will step in as a session live guest on the Dethroned & Uncrowned - Unplugged & Reworked tour in May.

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Source:	katatonia.com
Band profile:	Katatonia

In a surprising announcement, death metal legends Morbid Angel have announced that they are bringing their Covenant tour to Australia. Yes, that's exactly what you think it means. They are playing the whole Covenant album from start to finish, and a few classic goodies after that, of course.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Morbid Angel
Event:	Morbid Angel: Australian Covenant Tour 2014

If you have been following the drama surrounding Pungent Stench, you know there are now two versions of the band, much like with Entombed and Queensrÿche. One is led by vocalist and guitarist El Cochino (Martin Schirenc), with the name The Church Of Pungent Stench, and the other by drummer Alex "Rector Stench" Wank, Pungent Stench. Well, there are new developments. Rector Stench promised action and due to a restraining order, the name The Church Of Pungent Stench cannot be used and has been changed to Schirenc. Confused?

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Schirenc Plays Pungent Stench

As of now, you can hear the first new Sinbreed song taken from their new album. Their single "Bleed" has been released digitally and so the band took the opportunity to release a video for the song as well. Check out the new Sinbreed video for "Bleed" right here. How do you like the new song?

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Sinbreed

Another band joins the Napalm Records roster. German based outfit Megaherz have announced their signing to the Austrian label. Following their last album Götterdämmerung, the band is currently working on a new album, to be released this fall via Napalm Records.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Megaherz

Ralf Schulz, a German heavy metal drummer who played in the bands Sinner, Tyran' Pace and Vinder, just passed away. Frontman Mat Sinner himself broke the news. RIP Ralf Schulz.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Sinner

Epica have presented the first part of the studio documentary of The Quantum Enigma. The documentary gives a behind the scenes look at the recording process of the band's sixth studio album that will be released in May through Nuclear Blast. It also previews the first music from the upcoming album. Don't miss out on the chance to listen to the first new material below.

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Source:	epica.nl
Band profile:	Epica

In case you didn't know, symphonic metallers Stream Of Passion are preparing the release of a new album. A War Of Our Own, as it is called, is set for release on April 18th through Pias/Rough Trade. You can see how the album cover artwork will look like as well as check out the song titles right here.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Stream Of Passion

The details of the follow-up to Mekong Delta's album Wanderer On The Edge Of Time are finally in. The German progressive thrash metal band announced that their new album is called In A Mirror Darkly and picks up thematically where its 2010 predecessor left off. It will be released in Scandinavia on April 23rd, in Germany on April 25th, in Europe on April 28th and in the USA on April 29th through SPV/Steamhammer. The cover and tracklist are available below. Take a look at them.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Mekong Delta

If you have been eagerly awaiting the new Ophis album, rejoice because the German death/doom metallers will enter the studio today. Their third album will be called Abhorrence In Opulence and the tentative release date is set for autumn. If you want to check out one of the new songs, watch the video available below.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Ophis

So this, the 10th Annual Metal Storm Awards, have come to pass.

The awards have continued to grow, with numerous categories surpassing 1000 votes cast, despite a lack of big name clout. For point of comparison, Therion was the biggest vote getter in our first ever awards, racking up 191 for Lemuria. In 2014 they barely would have cracked the Top 25. And that is only if Kvelertak doesn't score two more votes as I type this during the waning hours of the month. That is some growth.

While in general this lack of big names in many genres lead to some closer contests, as with each of the prior 9 editions, we also had the typical big name beat downs. Carcass racked up nearly 600 votes, nearly half cast in the Death Metal field. Tesseract also pulled nearly half the votes in Djent, thumping their competitors. Ever popular Amorphis exorcised Ghost B.C. by over 200 votes, and garnering a third of the vote in a busy Heavy/Melodic metal.

Conversely Orphaned Land won a relatively tight 20 vote victory over Finntroll in a strong Folk / Pagan / Viking cast, and Amaranthe for eeking out a "count the difference on your fingers" victory over Shining in Industrial/Cyber Metal. Congrats and hails to Gloryhammer for winning Best Debut.

Best Clandestine Cut was the newest, bestest, tightest race ever. How tight? Try a tie. Our first tie ever. Deception was winning by a paltry two votes over Pin-Up Went Down as I wrote this up with about an hour before voting closed and went down to the wire as a tie with 20 minutes to go. This has left me furiously typing and updating this piece so it's accurate. Maybe we can find the brick who voted for My Dying Bride to break the tie?

Earlier this year your humble narrator didn't have great things to say about the latest Megadeth? Looks like the Metal Storm masses found it equally limp, Burn!ing it with Biggest Letdown, with more than double the write-ins of second place "winner" Turisas.

And much to my surprise, Carcass Black Sabbath took Biggest Surprise for making an album that wasn't even remotely surprising. Not sure what y'all were expecting from them? Grind Zydeco? Death Doom Himalayan Throat Singing?

Check out all our winners here.

So 10 up, 10 down. Congratulations to our winners. But more importantly, congratulations to those fans who found new bands, and those bands who found new fans.

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After their Waldschrein EP last year, folk metallers Equilibrium will be returning to the studio to record their new album. The group is currently working on the follow up to their 2010 album, Rekreatur. In a few days, they will enter the Helion Studios in Munich to kick off the recordings with guitar player and producer René Berthiaume. The other good news is that you can expect the yet untitled album to be released this summer via Nuclear Blast.

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Source:	nuclearblast.de
Band profile:	Equilibrium

US sludgers Coffinworm are giving us yet another brand new track entitled "Black Tears" for streaming at this location. Tell us about your impressions. The song is taken from their upcoming new opus IV.I.VIII which will see the light of day on March 18th via Profound Lore Records.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Coffinworm