Linkin Park will finally be returning to Manila. This will be the band’s second show in the country, the first time was all the way back in 2004 (see my concert ticket below). The show will be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on August 13, 2012.

Living Things Word Tour Manila is made possible by Scala Events.

Yesterday, a story surfaced about As I Lay Dying singer Tim Lambesis getting arrested in alleged murder-for-hire plot. While we wait for his arraignment tomorrow. The band members have broken their silence on the issue:

To our fans,

As we post this, the legal process is taking its course and we have no more information than you do. There are many unanswered questions, and the situation will become clearer in the coming days and weeks. We’ll keep you informed as best we can.

Our thoughts right now are with Tim, his family, and with everyone else affected by this terrible situation – and with our fans, whom we love and draw strength from.

Thank you for understanding, and as always, for your support of As I Lay Dying.

- Jordan, Nick, Phil, and Josh

On the other hand Meggan Lambesis, the wife of Tim Lambesis, said in the court papers obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday that she worried about his ability to care for their three adopted children, but she gave no indication she felt in danger. In addition Meggan blurted out that Tim had become “obsessed with bodybuilding” and was distracted while with the children, often texting or talking on the phone. She noted he had fallen asleep while watching them at the beach or near the pool and said they need a “stable parent” to help them adjust to their new life and country.

The couple adopted 3 children — ages 4, 8 and 10 — from Ethiopia. Tim Lambesis continued to visit them for about 10 hours a week when he was not on tour, according to court documents.

As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis was apparently arrested in Oceanside, California, May 7, accused of hiring a hitman to have his estranged wife killed, police said.

Lambesis was taken into custody after caught soliciting help from the detective who supposed to carry out the murder, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. Police had previously learned Lambesis was seeking someone who could commit the slaying, the department said.

There is no official comment from the band in reference to the arrest.

Follow: Tim Lambesis (timlambesis) on Twitter

Update 05/09/13 at 12:59 AM – Manila Time

The San Diego Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Jan Caldwell has issued a statement to Artisan News Service regarding Lambesis’ arrest, stating that authorities have been investigating Lambesis since May 2.

“Information came to us late last week — last Thursday, to be specific — that Lambesis was soliciting another individual to kill his estranged wife, who also resides in the area. Our detectives, our fugitive task force and the sheriff’s special investigations division immediately initiated an investigation into this allegation. We worked around the clock through the weekend and that culminated this afternoon when Lambesis solicited an undercover detective to kill his wife.”

“The next step will be Lambesis’ initial appearance in court, and that is where the charges are read, and if there’s a bail to be set. And they will go from there and start setting different court dates. The investigation at our end is still ongoing, and I can’t go into detail on that. And, thankfully, no one was hurt. But I believe that the captain who commented earlier said that we averted a tragedy today.”

Tim is being held at the Vista Detention Center in Vista, CA see screenshot here. If he is found guilty, the punishment for first degree murder in the state of California is three to nine years imprisonment.

Former Periphery drummer Travis Orbin has joined Darkest Hour. The band released the following statement to confirm this fusion:

It is with extreme excitement for the days ahead that Washington D.C. Melodic Death Metal veterans DARKEST HOUR proudly announce the addition of drummer Travis Orbin. Travis brings his unique perspective and talents to the table as a seasoned touring musician (Periphery, Sky Eats Airplane) and as a noted session drummer.

“The chemistry has developed into something special, unique, and new. It’s hard to deny this feeling when you’ve been releasing albums for as long as we have and we couldn’t be more ready to unleash this new sound of ours on your senses,” says guitarist Mike Schleibaum.

Jeff Hanneman, one of the founding guitarists of the seminal thrash metal band Slayer, died Thursday in Southern California of liver failure. The band announced the following statement on their website:

Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed.

He wrote some of most powerful riffs that defined the band’s career, including “Angel of Death,” “South of Heaven,” “Raining Blood” and “War Ensemble.” Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King perfected a fiery twin-lead guitar style that propelled Slayer to the forefront of the thrash metal movement of the early 1980s, where they were crowned as one of the genre’s “Big Four,” along with Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax.

Our Brother Jeff Hanneman, May He Rest In Peace (1964 – 2013)

Jeff’s passing is a big loss to the metal world.

A week ago, we have gotten a statement from Anthrax in reference to Rob Caggiano’s turnaround.

“Rob has been an integral part of Anthrax for so many years, as our lead guitarist, in a production capacity, but most of all, as our close friend. His contributions to the band have been enormous. While we are sad that he is leaving, we wish him nothing but great success going forward, and hope to share the stage with him again sometime down the road.

“With the Metal Alliance Tour on the horizon, we have been considering several lead guitarist options, and will be making an announcement on that shortly.”

And later Caggiano announced he would be focusing on production duties after spending the better part of the last 12 years working with Anthrax. As we all know Caggiano produced the band’s most recent Grammy nominated album, Worship Music. He released this statement: [More]

PULP  is once again pulling off the country’s wildest music festival, the Pulp Summer Slam. This year’s line up is the most diverse and odious ever beckoned to us.

Deathfest killers Cannibal Corpse and Metalcore veterans As I Lay Dying are among the headliners that will surely make the moshpit bakers and the slammers revel in the glory of brutality!

Pulp Summer Slam 13 ‘Till Death Do Us Part‘ will be held at Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City on Saturday April 27, 2013. Gates will open at 12 noon. Tickets are now available for ₱400 inclusive of freebies such as beer, soda, pizza and more!

Count the days and I will see you at the Slam!

1 L’Enfant Sauvage – Gojira

(Drum rolls… the ‘Best Record of the Year’ goes to… the French metallers!) Although Gojira already possessed mountains of fans and a solid discography, the band is widely considered to be the breakout metal act of 2012. The band unveiled ‘L’Enfant Sauvage’ to universal acclaim, successfully balancing the band’s key components of brutality, beauty and progression with flawless production attached. For songs like ‘The Axe,’ ‘Explosia,’ the title track and much more, we say ‘merci beaucoup’ to Gojira.

2 The Anomalies of Artificial Origin – Abominable Putridity

This album is hands-down the top slam death album of the year. The record takes off with an eerie intro, paving the way for a conceptually charged mindless assault of every orifice of the human body. Crushing bass lines lend their support to the ultimately over-the-top chugging riffs, giving the album a very immense feel, as if the music itself is a weapon of mass destruction. Topped off with some more technical riffs that appear in shorter spurts, injecting a quick dose of creativity into the songs.

3 Sorrow and Extinction – Pallbearer

Upon its release in February, the Little Rock, Ark., quartet’s debut Sorrow and Extinction immediately felt like a classic. Uplifting vintage doom fleshed out with psychedelia, prog melodies, and subtle ambient keys– are as fresh as they were on that first spin. Piloted by Brett Campbell, a singing vocalist/guitarist who straddles a sweet spot between young Ozzy and Geddy Lee, Pallbearer have a rare ability to write emotionally resonant guitar parts and epic dynamic arcs that don’t lose their ability to give goosebumps.

4 The Parallax II: Future Sequence – Between the Buried and Me

‘The Parallax II: Future Sequence is metal music’s greatest conceptual accomplishment of the year. Set in outer space, BTBAM have created the most complex music you’ll ever zone out to, performed by the strongest group of pure musicians within the realm of metal. Much like the band’s 2007 album, ‘Colors,’ the record takes unexpected twists and turns while sonic plates spin without the slightest wobble.

5 Resolution – Lamb of god

Lamb of God continued their streak of creating addictive “pure American metal” with ‘Resolution.’ The band stays the course with their latest album, with powerful consistency and flawless execution. While there is no mistaking the album’s tracks as anyone but Lamb of God, the band experiments with some doom with ‘Straight for the Sun’ and spoken word parts with ‘King Me.’ Add pummeling tracks such as ‘Desolation’ and Ghost Walking,’ and you’ve got a killer album.