If you enjoy juicy backstage brawls, check out the smackdown that Godsmack’s crew laid on Story of the Year in Noblesville, IN this past weekend at Blabbermouth.net.

Morbid Angel's Trey Azagthoth and Steve Tucker are confirmed to be guest hosts on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball on Saturday, June 12th. Regular host Jamey Jasta will be away on tour with Hatebreed on the Ozzfest tour.

Enuff Z’Nuff gets a double-whammy of bad news. Shortly after the announcement that drummer Ricky Parent has been stricken with colon cancer, former guitarist Derek Frigo passed away. A benefit show at the Metro in Chicago for Parent is in the works, and the band has yet to announce an official statement regard Frigo.

Sum 41 were recently filming a documentary for War Child Canada in Congo, Africa, when they were forced to evacuate by the United Nations to Uganda as war erupted around them. It is believed the band was flown safely out on commercial flights.

Mudvayne have wrapped up recording on their next album with producer Dave Fortman (Superjoint Ritual, Evanescence) and will begin post-production next weekend. Stay tuned for more details.

05/25/04

This fall’s ‘Jägermeister Music Tour’ will feature Slayer as the headliner again.

Pigmy Love Circus will be releasing The Power of Beef on June 8th through Go Kart Records. The album was produced by drummer Danny Carey, who was an original member of the band, before taking off and climbing the ladder with Tool. Carey will be joining the band on a series of dates, that will be scheduled around Carey's obligations with Tool. Confirmed dates so far include:

06/12/04 West Hollywood, CA Key Club
06/18/04 San Francisco, CA The Pound
06/19/04 Sacramento (Orangevale), CA The Boardwalk

From Earache Records: In an incident that calls to mind the antics of Jim Morrison and The Doors, Society 1 have been banned for life from a nightclub in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after frontman Matt "The Lord" Zane exposed himself onstage during the band's performance there with Orgy last week. With police storming the venue, Zane fled the venue in disguise and escaped town in a fan's vehicle.

Brides of Destruction's Nikki Sixx reportedly threw his bass into the crowd at their gig in Sparks, NV on Saturday and knocked a fan out when it bonked him on the head. The authorities were not called, and after a recess, the band finished the show. No word on the condition of the fan...

Korn plan to release a 'greatest hits' CD this fall to fulfill their obligations with Epic Records (7 albums). Frontman Jonathan Davis has been very vocal as of late on his opinion of the music industry as a whole, and the band is beginning to weigh their options on going independent once their Sony/Epic contract is up.

Meatlocker Seven has a few gigs lined up, with more to be announced:

07/20/04 Victoria, BC Sugar Nightclub (w/ Cannibal Corpse, Black Dahlia Murder)
09/04/04 Lethbridge Alberta 2nd annual Lethbridge Death Fest
09/11/04 Montreal Quebec Cafe Chaos

Megaforce Records and metal/hardcore pioneers S.O.D. will issue the classic, Speak English Or Die, on colored vinyl on June 29, 2004. S.O.D. began in the mid-1980's during a break in the recording of Anthrax's album, Spreading The Disease. What started out as a quick, satirical release for Scott Ian, Charlie Benante, Dan Lilker, and the infamous Billy Milano, has turned into a seminal record that has influenced countless hardcore, metalcore, post-hardcore bands. Blood red has been chosen as the color and will be limited edition. You may pre-order it at www.megaforcerecords.com.

05/21/04

Motörhead’s next album, titled Inferno, is slated for a June 22nd release. Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai will make an appearance on the album.

Apparently KISS vocalist/guitarist b>Paul Stanley is working on a solo album with producer Bob Kulick… Stay tuned for details.

Moments of Grace will be releasing Moonlight Survived on August 17th. Here of some of their upcoming tour dates:

05/24/04 Anaheim, CA House Of Blues (w/ Avenged Sevenfold)
06/04/04 Flint, MI The Machine Shop (w/ Smile Empty Soul)
06/07/04 Cleveland, OH The Odeon (w/ SES)
06/09/04 Columbus, OH Promowest Pavilion (w/ SES)

SoiL has added a few more dates to their current touring schedule before they hit Europe, supporting their latest album Re.de.fine. 05/21/04 Detroit, MI I Rock Nightclub
05/22/04 Tinley Park, IL Tweeter Center (w/ Godsmack)
05/23/04 Nashville, TN Exit/In
05/25/04 Knoxville, TN Blue Cats (w/ Silvertide, Shinedown)
05/26/04 Louisville, KY Jillian's (w/ Pissing Razors)
05/27/04 Milwaukee, WI The Rave / Eagles Club

Hirax have just released their latest CD, New Age of Terror on Black Devil Records/ Deep Six. They have a few gigs lined up:

06/12/04 SWE Sweden Rock Festival
06/19/04 San Francisco, CA John McLaren Park Amphitheatre
07/10/04 GER Headbangers Open Air Festival
07/24/04 GER Metal Bash Open Air Festival

Burnt By the Sun and Unearth have a handful of gigs lined up together:

06/03/04 Manchester, NH Bomb Shelter
06/04/04 Augusta, ME The Edge
06/05/04 Quebec City, PQ L'Anti
06/06/04 Montreal, PQ Salle L'X
06/07/04 Ottawa, ON Babylon
06/08/04 St. Catherine, ON L3
06/09/04 Toronto, ON Rockit
06/10/04 London, ON Embassy Hotel

For the previous Newswire, please click HERE.