From the inbox:

German modern metal force CALIBAN is proud to announce the release of their eighth studio album, I Am Nemesis on February 28, 2012 via Century Media Records. After spending 10 months writing new material, the band is very excited to get the record out to fans. “It was important to us to have an elaborate album without any fillers,” says lead guitarist Marc Görtz. “Additionally, the sound of the album is the best we’ve ever had by far: it is heavy and brutal without being chaotic.”

Lyrically, I Am Nemesis is a continuation of the band’s last record, Say Hello To Tragedy and focuses on controversial and often overlooked world issues. Musically, Görtz says, “The album breaks new soil without forgetting our roots. There are new influences such as shimmering guitar melodies and technical grooves with Meshuggah-like heaviness.”

- The quote “heavy and brutal without being chaotic” is kind of interesting for a metal band, though it supports the MESHUGGAH reference later on. I’ve always thought of CALIBAN as being a deliberate band – everything they do has some sort of cold calculation or precision behind it; they never become unhinged in their music. For an opposite take, CONVERGE’s Jane Doe and ZAO’s The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here are two extremely chaotic recordings. ZAO, to their credit, made such a shift after the very mechanical release Funeral of God.

From the inbox:

In November 2010, Earache Records released EARACHE EXTREME STAGE DIVING, a completely free and highly-addictive app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad in which players throw a stage diver off a festival stage and as far into the riotous crowd as possible while rocking out to a raging metal soundtrack.

One year on and gamers and music fans all over the world have thrown the notorious stage diver hundreds of thousands of metres in their quest to reach the top of the leaderboard…

- A nice break in between the mundane onslaught of “remember our titles for your Best of 2011 list” emails. The above passages goes on for several hundred more words in congratulating the current scoreboard champion. Below is a demo of the game. Sadly, it is not presently available on the Android platform.

From the inbox:

Bringing two energetic but diversified contemporary hardcore acts together in one pure and primal slab of wax, NAILS and SKIN LIKE IRON will collaboratively self-release a split 7” EP this January.

San Francisco’s SKIN LIKE IRON have already become a well-known entity in modern hardcore with nearly ten releases on such admirable dissident hardcore labels as Six Feet Under and React Records. The split leads off with two tracks of their melodic, yet abrasive hardcore, boasting an ambitious and emotive energy that many similar contemporary acts lack in severely.

The B-side of this crushing joint venture is owned by NAILS, hailing from Oxnard, California (the same town as the legendary Dr. Know), and undoubtedly one of the most devastating acts within the present expanses of hardcore. As on their Southern Lord debut LP Unsilent Death NAILS get in, kill, and get out, just as fans expect on these two tracks, which are in fact a preview of what is to be expected of their upcoming full-length, now being constructed for release via Southern Lord in the first half of 2012.

This one-time pressing of 1000 copies will be split between a publicly available reserve of 900 copies on black wax and 100 copies on blue, available from the bands only. The artwork was handled by SKIN LIKE IRON’s Alex Capasso who has handled the art duties for previous releases for the band.

Stay tuned for preorder info, an exclusive stream of the release and more in the weeks ahead.

SKIN LIKE IRON & NAILS Split 7” Track Listing:

• 1. Skin Like Iron “Disappear”
• 2. Skin Like Iron “The Parade”
• 3. Nails “Annihilation”
• 4. Nails “Cry Wolf”

GlueHC.com is streaming the song “I Still Believe” by South Korea hardcore veterans THE GEEKS. The tune is from the upcoming limited edition 10th Anniversary 10″/digital release celebrating Think Fast Records.

This is the fourth song from the compilation to appear, with the three prior coming from FAR FROM FINISHED, THIS IS HELL and MOUNTAIN MAN.

Next week, Pastepunk will be premiering the AMBITIONS song “Lines I’ve Drawn”. All ten songs are exclusive to the compilation.

From the label:

Everyone who downloads this sampler will have a chance to win: The Story So Far / Morgan Foster Split 7″ TEST PRESS; Transit’s Stay Home on black/gold vinyl (limited to 100 pressed – sold out); Barrett T-Shirt; The Offseason CD; Our Life Story CD; and any other goodies we come up with. Winner will be announced 12/21/11.

Track Listing:

• 1. The Offseason – These Things Happen
• 2. Our Life Story – My Side Of Town
• 3. Transit – Radio Flyer (Away From Home)
• 4. The Story So Far – Rally Cap
• 5. Morgan Foster – Capitola
• 6. Lights At Sea – Mantracker
• 7. Caleb Lionheart – Make Believe
• 8. Sakes Alive!! – Relax
• 9. The Sister Lovers – Can You Hear Me
• 10. Merrimac – Party Song

Alternative Press has gotten into the free mp3 sampler game via AmazonMP3. Their first one is titled “Most Wanted” and features 12 songs from the likes of I AM THE AVALANCHE, WE CAME AS ROMANS, GO RADIO, TEXAS IN JULY, BREATHE CAROLINA, TWIN ATLANTIC, FLOGGING MOLLY, THE STORY SO FAR, and others. You can grab it here.

- Hit or miss, and wee bit schizophrenic with the sequencing…

From the inbox:

SONIC AVENUES are just four Montreal kids who started riffing punk tunes in 2006, but since getting swept up in the booming punk epicenter of neighboring Ottawa, they’ve been catapulted into the ranks of the best pop-punk acts in Canada! After releasing a few singles, SONIC AVENUES dropped a bomb in late 2009 with their debut LP on Ottawa’s infamous Going Gaga Records. Within a few short months, the record had sold-out twice, including a European repress by Germany’s fine Taken By Surprise and Sabotage Records.

Two years later, after obliterating eardrums from stages across North America and Europe, they returned home to record a crushing follow-up, Television Youth, for prestigious Portland-based label Dirtnap Records. Featuring more of the over-driven guitars, infectious harmonized melodies and blazing 2-3 minute songs that powered their debut, the AVES have nonetheless pushed the limits into new territories with this latest offering. In short, Television Youth is punkier, poppier, louder and dirtier than anything they’ve done before. Armed with this devastating new arsenal, as well as ambitious touring plans spanning the (un)civilized world, SONIC AVENUES are sure to keep fists in the air and beers a-flyin’ for years to come.

Dirtnap Records describes the band as “scorching white-hot punk/pop from north of the border, Sonic Avenues not only fit right in on Dirtnap, but in many ways epitomize what the label is all about.” The album doesn’t drop until January 15th, but you can check out the free download of the title track from Television Youth here.

From the inbox:

Oakland metalpunk raiders Tankcrimes have teamed up with J. Randall’s Grindcore Karaoke to spread a little holiday cheer to true freaks far and wide. These evil geniuses have put together a 29-track digital compilation entitled “Life Is Shit, Take One” – and it’s absolutely free! Featuring ripping new and old tracks from GHOUL, CANNABIS CORPSE, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, VICTIMS, RAMMING SPEED, ANNIHILATION TIME, and more, the comp is available from each label’s Bandcamp page.