Mechanize is a full-fisted blast of passion and innovation that sounds like the missing link between 1995’s groundbreaking Demanufacture and 1998’s more texturally nuanced Obsolete. Songs like “Industrial Discipline” and “Powershifter” are crushing and colossal, melding fast and precise rhythms with vocals that pinwheel from raw and scathing to hauntingly melodic while “Fear Campaign,” which features harrowing spoken word passages, quickly segues into a showcase of punishing beats, rapid-fire riffs and ghostly keyboards. For the first time in years, the band’s industrial roots glimmer through its street-lethal metal, thanks in part to Fulber, who worked on FEAR FACTORY’s popular industrial remix albums Fear is the Mindkiller and Remanufacture.

“I didn’t want any of the soundscapes to sound natural,” says Bell. “I wanted them to be really mechanical because I wanted that aspect of FEAR FACTORY to really shine again. I feel it kind of got dulled over and that’s the aspect that I really enjoyed a lot about FEAR FACTORY. I was a huge fan of industrial music and still am. And you don’t hear much of that anymore these days.”

As work began on the album in early April, Bell, who resides in Pennsylvania, admitted he initially expected the years apart would leave him feeling awkward or uncomfortable. However, when Cazares picked him up at the airport his apprehensions melted. “After being with him a couple hours and talking to him everything was cool,” Bell says. Three months later the duo had a fresh batch of new songs written and more importantly a renewed confidence in their union.

“Our creative juices were really flowing the whole time,” says Cazares about the entire creative process. “All of a sudden we’d look at the clock and go, ‘Holy shit, it’s already 2:30 or 3:00 am.’ We just lost track of time because we were all bouncing ideas off each other really productively. We were adding touches right up until the final second to make the record as fresh as it could be.”

“This is definitely a different chapter for us and I think it’s the best thing we’ve ever done,” Cazares adds. “Obviously, Burton and I have grown up and we’ve pretty much perfected what we do. More importantly, we’ve discovered why we so were good together in the first place. Our combination just works. All the ingredients and the elements that we had in the past, combined with what we’ve learned since being apart feels like putting on a new glove that still feels as good as an old glove.”

Go here to listen to the song: http://www.guitarworld.com/ihsahn_frozen_lakes_on_mars

ARSIS

Here’s the track listing:

01. “Forced To Rock”
02. “A March For The Sick”
03. “From Soulless To Shattered (Art In Dying)”
04. “Beyond Forlorn”
05. “The Ten Of Swords”
06. “Closer To Cold”
07. “Sick Perfection”
08. “Half Past Corpse O’Clock”
09. “Escape Artist”
10. “Sable Rising”

ARSIS will be touring North America on the “Tyrants of Evil” tour with ARCH ENEMY, EXODUS, and MUTINY WITHIN beginning January 20th, 2010. Guitarist/songwriter/singer Jim Malone commented on the upcoming tour: “Not only will it be our first tour in support of our new album, but it will also be the first time that ARSIS toured in the United States in well over a year. I hope to see many familiar faces; I have greatly missed hanging out with all the ARSIS fans at shows.” Exclusive pre-sale tickets for the tour are available here: https://tix.artistarena.com/ARCHENEMY/

For North American tour dates, visit ARSIS online at www.myspace.com/arsis.

Consisting of Scott “Wino” Weinrich (ST. VITUS, THE HIDDEN HAND), Scott Kelly (NEUROSIS), Al Cisneros (OM, SLEEP), and Dave Crover (MELVINS), the Neurot Recordings band formed earlier this year and recorded their self-titled debut album in just three days. Check out the track “Pyramid of the Moon” from the band’s forthcoming album:

Download audio file (Pyramid%20of%20the%20Moon.mp3)

SHRINEBUILDER’s show at The Viper Room is being presented by Club My War O))), founded by Eddie Solis (label manager for Southern Lord Records and frontman of LA-based punk/metal band IT’S CASUAL). Tickets are $15. Buy them at www.viperroom.com.

Visit these links for more info on SHRINEBUILDER:
http://www.neurotrecordings.com/artists/shrinebuilder/index.aspx
http://www.myspace.com/shrinebuildergroup

“He’s well and alive, so that’s good news,” said Keithley.

According to the Canadian Press, the reports seem to have originated from a single blog post written by New York freelance writer James Greene Jr., who has since claimed that he was duped by an anonymous emailer.

Read the full article here.

“This is my first album written with 8-string guitars as basis which has been both challenging and inspiring. I also decided early on that I wanted to mix this album with Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA) and recorded the album with that in mind. Asgeir and Lars have again delivered superb performances. I’ve always wanted to implement the saxophone in my music; Jorgen’s contributions truly added a silver lining to the album.

“I have felt more confident and more at ease with the material. In letting the songs themselves lead the way I just followed the natural impulses.”

Confirmed track listing for After is:
1. “The Barren Lands”
2. “A Grave Inversed”
3. “After”
4. “Frozen Lakes on Mars”
5. “Undercurrent”
6. “Austere”
7. “Heavens Black Sea”
8. “On the Shores“

“Journeys Into Jade”
“The Casket Chasers”
“Funeral of Dreams”
“Death of an Anarchist”
“La Noche del Buque Maldito”
“Open Mind Surgery”

Artwork for the album will once again be crafted by long-time CATHEDRAL album art collaborator, Dave Patchett. The Guessing Game is scheduled for a March/April 2010 release through Nuclear Blast Records.

“We’re really excited about this new track along with the other material we’ve been working on. It doesn’t have any vocals or leads put to it yet though, just guitars with a drum machine for people to get the basic idea. We thought we’d give everyone a small taste of what’s to come and show people what we’re currently looking for in a drummer. Plenty of capable drummers have shown interest in auditioning but we’re looking for someone that can take us a step further and play these new songs. Until we find the right person we’ll keep writing the most brutal and misanthropic metal imaginable.”

The band will be playing a show at The Whisky in Hollywood with VEHEMENCE and RECIPROCAL on November 19th. Visit the band’s MySpace page to listen to the demo track and stay up-to-date on ABYSMAL DAWN news and tour information: http://www.myspace.com/abysmaldawn

“I am approximately half way there in the song-writing process, and quite happy with the direction it is taking. Musically this album will be more up-beat and rock oriented than before, and also more vocal driven. I spent more time on the compositional stage, exploring different compositional techniques and forms. All material is written on piano, pen and paper to focus fully on the actual song rather than production.”

STAROFASH’s last release was a special release via her label, Mnemosyne Productions, for the soundtrack to the Irish film, Ulterior, which came out earlier this year.