Testament Team Up With Fellow Thrash Pioneers + More News

Testament will embark on their first headlining tour for this year's Dark Roots of Earth album. Overkill, Flotsam and Jetsam and 4Arm will serve as support.

Guitarist Alex Skolnick said, "It's a tour that brings together different metal bands from three different regions: West Coast, East Coast and Southwest. All the bands sound very different from one another yet are highly compatible. All have been around the block (and the world) a few times and all have managed to keep a sound that feels current. This tour will be a 'must see' for fans who remember the early days of thrash/speed metal as well as those whose age is younger than the genre itself."

Tour Dates:

1/30 The Filmore – San Francisco, CA*

1/31 House of Blues – Anaheim, CA*

2/1 The Marquee – Tempe, AZ*

2/2 House of Blues – Hollywood, CA*

2/4 Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM*

2/5 Emo's – Austin, TX

2/6 House of Blues – Houston, TX

2/7 House of Blues – Dallas, TX

2/9 Masquerade – Atlanta, GA

2/10 The Filmore – Charlotte, NC

2/12 The Filmore – Silver Spring, MO

2/13 Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA

2/14 Best Buy Theatre – New York, NY

2/15 The Paramount – Huntington, NY

2/16 The Palladium – Worcester, MA

2/17 Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY

2/18 Phoenix Concert Theatre – Toronto, ON

2/20 Bogart's – Cincinnati, OH

2/21 The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI

2/22 The Rave – Milwaukee, WI

2/23 First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN

2/25 The Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO

2/26 In The Venue – Salt Lake City, UT

2/27 Knitting Factory – Reno, NV

2/28 Ace Of Spades – Sacramento, CA

*No Flotsam and Jetsam [Via Press Release]

Hells Headbangers will release Deceased's new album Ghostly White in 2013. Founding frontman King Fowley commented on the album and signing, saying, "This record will be a very produced musical journey that will capture the complete morbid side of Deceased. If we do what we are setting out to do, it will ooze of dark melody without forgetting the rough aggressive edges and catchiness in the songwriting that we've kept in our sound since day one. There will be a complete haunting aura throughout the record! A few songs will be lengthy tracks, including a 15-minute ride. Fitting interludes will lock in the actual tracks, and little jolts of madness will also rear their ugly heads from time to time. This is a musical adventure we've been waiting to take, and now's the time. Get out your woolen overcoats, the funeral is about to begin...."

[Via Press Release]

Smile Empty Smile are offering a special VIP package on their current tour with Hurt. Fans can purchase the package and grab an "All Access" tour laminate, watch an intimate soundcheck performance and participate in a meet-and-greet. The package is available here. [Via Press Release]

Geoff Tate will take his version of Queensryche on tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band's definitive Operation: Mindcrime. Dates are slated for April with bassist Rudy Sarzo, guitarist Kelly Gray and keyboardist Randy Gane in the band, along with special guests and surprises. It's safe to say that the special guests and surprises won't be the other original members of the band, with whom Tate is battling rather publicly and non-amicably.

"It's great to be performing with all of these guys who have been true friends for years," Tate said. "Kelly, Randy and I formed Myth more than 30 years ago and I've known Rudy and Bobby for several years as well. I think we are all inspired by the collaboration and couldn't be more excited to bring it to our fans next year." [Brave Words]

Beta Wolf has released their video for "Domino" from their Just Before Morning EP. The live footage was taken from their performance in Danbury, Conn. while on tour with Daughtry.

Quicksand will embark on a headline tour this January. Title Fight will support the band on the trek, which kicks off Jan. 7 and runs through Jan. 30. [ThePRP]

Twisted Sister will play a special Hurricane Sandy benefit show on Dec. 16 at The Emporium on their native Long Island. The venue is donating $10,000 ahead of the show for ground efforts, and hopes to raise another $100,000 for the people of Long Island, who were hit particularly hard by the storm, with this event. Ticket and bar proceeds will be donated. The show is slated to begin at 6PM. [Via Press Release]

In This Moment will issue a Hot Topic-exclusive version of Blood. The double disc set will include the full original album plus a second disc featuring a cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" as well as remixes of four Blood tracks. "Blood" will be remixed by Sluggo, while "Adrenalize" will be remixed by Mr. Kane. "Whore" gets a Nikka Bling remix, and "The Blood Legion" is remixed by Mitch Marlow. [Via Press Release]

Fort Wayne, Indiana-based rockers Downstait will kick off their headlining U.S. tour tomorrow, postponing the original Black Friday start due to the health of bassist/vocalist Sean Arata. The band will tour through the remainder of 2012 in anticipation of its sophomore full-length effort, out early 2013 on SMR. The band has made a name for itself so far by providing theme songs for several WWE Superstars as well as MTV's "Bully Beatdown." [Via Press Release]