San Diego metallers CAGE have scheduled the following dates:

July 03 - Nicholby’s - Ventura, CA (California Music Fest showcase)
July 17 - The Aruba Hotel - Las Vegas, NV
July 18 - Club Red - Tempe, AZ (Destruction in the Desert Metal Fest)

CAGE’s fifth album, “Science Of Annihilation”, was released in Europe on May 22 through Music Buy Mail (June 7 in the rest of the world). The follow-up to the epic “Hell Destroyer”, “Science Of Annihilation” sees CAGE “pushing its boundaries yet again in every department,” according to a press release. “With tracks like ‘Planet Crusher’, ‘Speed Kills’, and ‘The Scarlet Witch’, be prepared to feel the need to turn it up, get in your car and drive fast as Hell! All of the classic CAGE heavy metal sound is intact and found all throughout this 12-track smasher! Like all previous CAGE offerings, these songs will stick in your mind and cause many sleepless nights! If you love classic metal anthems, vocals that soar to the heavens and shatter glass, riffs that crunch your spine, and drums that blaze with thunder then behold…the science of annihilation!!”

Australian “darkwave metal” band TEMPLAR will release its new album, “Dark Circus”, on July 21 via Rotting Corpse Records. The follow-up to 2008’s “Preaching to the Perverted” will include the single “Welcome to the Show”, the video for which can be viewed below.

TEMPLAR is:

Dan Yohan - Vocals,Guitars
Rafael - Bass, Synthesizers
Toad - Vocals, Screams
Sy Mon - Drums

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/paradoxxmuzic.

Guitarist Phil Sgrosso of San Diego metallers AS I LAY DYING is accepting fan-submitted questions in the Washburn Artist Forum this week. The forum is now open for your posts and will be locked on Friday, June 26 at 5:00 p.m. CST. Phil will take the weekend to answer the questions and his responses will be posted on Monday, June 29 for all to read and enjoy.

AS I LAY DYING’s first-ever DVD, “This Is Who We Are”, sold 4,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Top Music Videos chart. It also debuted at No. 3 in Canada, where the DVD has already shipped platinum.

AS I LAY DYING has appeared on Taste Of Chaos, Ozzfest, headlined the 2006 Sounds Of The Underground Tour, Cornerstone, Bamboozle 2006 and just about every significant hard music festival around the globe. With “This Is Who We Are”, AS I LAY DYING steps into new territory by releasing its first-ever DVD consisting of three discs produced and directed by Denise Korycki (CANNIBAL CORPSE’s “Centuries of Torment” DVD) that provide viewers with live performances and a complete AS I LAY DYING audio/visual history.

“It’s hard to believe that we’ve been a band for as long as we have yet have never released an official DVD documenting our first seven years,” said vocalist Tim Lambesis. “As a result, we’ve included so much content that you hardly have to like our music to be entertained. With that said, it feels good knowing how many diehard fans over the years have supported our band and their simple enjoyment of our music has given us the chance to see the world!”

Fan-filmed video footage of MEGADETH performing a brand new track entitled “Headcrusher” last night (Wednesday, June 24) at the General Motors Place (commonly known as GM Place) in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada can be viewed below (courtesy of “groo74″).

MEGADETH and SLAYER kicked off the “Canadian Carnage” tour in Vancouver by playing in front of about 6,000 people at the 12,285-capacity venue (17,000 for basketball/hockey events), with MACHINE HEAD and SUICIDE SILENCE opening the show.

MEGADETH’s setlist was as follows:

01. Sleepwalker
02. Wake Up Dead
03. Hangar 18
04. Skin O’ My Teeth
05. Rattlehead
06. Kick The Chair
07. In My Darkest Hour
08. She-Wolf
09. Headcrusher
10. Symphony Of Destruction
11. Peace Sells
12. Holy Wars…The Punishment Due

As previously reportedd, the studio version of “Headcrusher” is available for listening by calling MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine’s number (866.597.6342) at TheLiveLine, a service he launched that enables musicians to connect to their audience over the phone.

“Headcrusher” comes off MEGADETH’s twelfth studio album, “Endgame”, which is tentatively due in September through Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at the band’s brand new, self-built studio in San Marcos, California — Vic’s Garage — which was named after the legendary and iconic Vic Rattlehead character.

“Endgame” was helmed by Mustaine and acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (EXODUS, NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY, MACHINE HEAD). Sneap also manned the boards for 2007’s “United Abominations”. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include “Headcrusher”, “1,320″, “How the Story Ends” and “This Day We Fight!”

According to a press release, “Endgame” “boasts the technicality, ferocity and snarl that’s synonymous with MEGADETH and Mustaine. It’s a violent masterwork that represents Mustaine’s best work in nearly two decades. In a musical world dominated by bands that make generic, blanket statements, ‘Endgame’ finds Mustaine, once again, making informed and substantial lyrical declarations about the state of the world we live in.”

Commented Mustaine: “Thematically, I’ve never been known to be a silent bystander in a world that needs our participation. As more is revealed about our former President’s legacy, a little-known yet staggeringly frightening document which was signed into law, named ‘Endgame’, has been uncovered. The album ‘Endgame’ is the most energetic music offering I have penned in over a decade and is far more believable than knowing someone signed ‘Endgame’ — the document — into law. The album is also the perfect ‘ass-kicking’ music to listen to once you are done reading the aforementioned document!”

He added, “This new album is my proudest moment since the famous (or infamous) ‘Rust in Peace’ album. With this album, I am also very excited to be introducing my new lead guitarist, Chris Broderick, to the world. I have always felt lucky to have had top shredders in that position, but after touring with Chris in support of my last album, I couldn’t wait to get into the studio and see what he could do.”

Stryper manager Dave Rose has issued the following statement about seeking fan support for upcoming tour dates:

“Stryper friends and fans…

“As you know, we’re in the middle of working on the 25th Anniversary Tour. There are a million variables that go in to making a date and city work for a tour. But one of the key elements is promoters and venue owners need to feel that there is interest in the community about Stryper. They need to know that hundreds if not thousands of people will come to a Stryper show, and that you will help make sure this happens.

“I’ve received several emails from people saying ‘I noticed you don’t have [my city] on the tour schedule. Will Stryper be coming to [my city]?’

“This is where the fans come in. You can help. In each market there are venues that hold anywhere from 750 to 2000 or more people. They have rock shows. Maybe it’s a club. Maybe it’s a theater. They’re everywhere throughout America. And trust me, we’ve contacted them. And in many cases they’ve made offers that we are currently reviewing.

“But these promoters / venue owners need to know there is interest in the community. We need you to call these venues. Email these venues. Tell them you heard Stryper was touring and that you are hoping they will bring Stryper into that venue.

“They’ll know how to get in touch with our agent. All real venues know our agent, and most likely he’s already contacted them. They have his contact info, so there’s no need to provide that.

“Let these venues know that you’re willing to help spread the word. You’ll hang flyers around town. You’ll help them in any way you can to make the show a success. Promoters are scared these days, and rightfully so. Ticket sales are down nationwide. If we want to get Stryper into [your city], then these promoters need to know there are people like you willing to help.

“And don’t just say that you’ll help. Actually do it. Saying that you will might make the show a reality, but doing it… actually helping pass out flyers and hang posters…. will make sure the show is a success. And do you know what that means? It means next time Stryper tours, this promoter will most definitely bring Stryper back to [your city], because the last time was a huge success, thanks to you.

“In case you do need to pass along our agents information to venues or promoters, it can be found in the contact section of Stryper.com. His name is Mark Guynn.

“So if you’re looking at the tour dates and wondering why we’re not playing [your city], it means we could use your help. Start calling and emailing every cool venue you know in town and sincerely let them know you will help ensure they have a successful night. The more people we can get doing this in each city, the more comfortable promoters and venue owners will be about bringing in Stryper.

“Spread the word. Let your local venue know that you want Stryper!”

Riverside, CA based death metal band IMPENDING DOOM has announced that they’ve been forced to cancel their upcoming European tour. They posted the following message on their myspace page:

We regret to inform you that we will not be touring Europe this August, due to a miscommunication with our European Label.  We promise you will be going overseas to all of Europe as well as other countries and continents very soon.  We will keep you updated on when that will be, sorry for the inconvenience. God bless, -Impending Doom