Frontman Jacoby Shaddix recently confirmed on the Papa Roach MySpace page that the band has gone separate ways with drummer Dave Buckner: "We are going through a lot of changes right now…Change is good—it keeps things fresh. For y’all that don’t know, we had to split with Dave, our drummer. It was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do. He’s taking this time to get his life together. We are still friends and still talk on a regular basis. The road is a hard place to live, and if you are falling apart, it will destroy you. He will be missed. But, on the other hand, life must go on, and if you know anything about Papa Roach, adversity is the fuel for the flame. Nothing will ever stop us. Some of you might think we are crazy…You’re right—we are. So here we are right where we need to be—at the bottom of another huge mountain. Which is fine by me.”

According to their MySpace site, Bloodbath have reunited with original vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth fame: So the time has come for Bloodbath to once again poison the scene with a contagious dose of über-brutal death metal. An old acquaintance in this zombified bloodline has once again revisited his old home. We can now announce that the vocalist on the new mini-CD [Unblessing the Purity] is none other than Mikael Åkerfeldt, courtesy of Opeth. ;Second deathster to join the elite is Mr. Per "Sodomizer" Eriksson (ex-Lucifers, ex-Genocrush Ferox). Sodomizer's brutal death-metal songwriting approach as well as guitar shredding is a highly welcomed element in the legacy of Bloodbath. Åkerfeldt appeared on the band's 2000 EP, Breeding Death, and 2002 full-length, Resurrection Through Carnage, before quitting to focus on Opeth; Hypocrisy mainman Peter Tägtgren took his place, providing the vocals on 2004's Nightmare Made Flesh before leaving due to scheduling conflicts. With the return of Åkerfeldt and the new addition of Eriksson, the 2008 Bloodbath lineup is rounded out by guitarists Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström (Katatonia, Diabolical Masquerade), bassist Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), and Martin Axe; Axenrot (Opeth).

The Mars Volta have posted a new video from their album Bedlam in Goliath.

Down will be heading overseas come March, dates include:

March 18th Moscow, RUS - B!
March 19th St. Petersburg, RUS - Port Club
March 21st Tampere, FIN - Pakkhuone
March 22nd Helsinki, FIN - House of Culture
March 24th Stockholm, SWE - Debaser
March 25th Oslo, NOR - Rockefeller
March 26th Copenhagen, DEN - Pumpehusset
March 28th Prague, CZE - Rock Cafe
March 29th Warsaw, POL - Stodola
March 30th Berlin, GER - Huxley's
April 01st Munich, GER - Eiserhalle
April 02nd Stuttgart, GER - Longhorn
April 03rd Brussels, BEL - AB
April 05th Amsterdam, NET - Melkweg
April 17th Tilburg, NET - Roadburn Festival
April 18th Wiesbaden, GER - Schlachtof
April 21st Zurich, SWI - Rohstofflager
April 22nd Milan, ITA - Alcatrazz
April 24th Barcelona, SPA - Apollo
April 25th Madrid, SPA - Joy Salva
April 27th Lisbon, POR - Coliseum

Hardcore vets Converge are hitting the road again this time with A Life Once Lost, Genghis Tron in tow. Baroness and Coliseum will perform select dates.

Converge - 2008 US Tour Dates
02/16: Seattle, WA @ Neumo's* with
02/17: Seattle, WA @ Neumo's*
03/30: Worcester, MA @ The Palladium%
04/01: NYC, NY @ The Blender Theatre @ Gramercy%
04/03: Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's Downunder%
04/04: Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick%
04/05: Chicago, IL @ Reggies Rock Club%
04/06: Chicago, IL @ Reggies Rock Club%
04/08: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club%
04/09: Sioux Falls, SD @ Nutty's North%
04/10: Iowa City, IA @ The Picador%
04/11: Omaha, NE @ Sokol Underground%
04/12: Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck%
04/13: Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre%
04/15: Boise, ID @ The Venue%
04/16: Portland, OR @ Satyricon%
04/18: Los Angeles, CA @ Knitting Factory%
04/19: Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse%
04/20: Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse Music Venue%
04/22: Austin, TX @ Red 7$
04/23: Dallas, TX @ The Door$
04/24: Houston, TX @ Red Room @ Meridian$
04/26: St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre$

* With Neurosis & A Storm Of Light
** With Neurosis
% with The Red Chord, Genghis Tron, Baroness
$ With The Red Chord, Genghis Tron, Coliseum

THRICE have finally released a video for their dual EP, The Alchemy Index: Vol. 1. This song comes from the “water” portion of the album. If grocery stores, stop motion films, and water effects are your thing then you have got to watch this video.