Suffocation Parts Ways With Drummer, Maybe?

Has Suffocation parted ways with drummer Mike Smith? At this point nothing has been confirmed by Suffocation, although they did play a couple of recent dates with their old drummer Dave Culross. That of course is not the entire story, in a cryptic message left on Smiths facebook page he wrote:

There are not many things related to the suffocation brand I can honestly say brings me sadness. Except, the lack of pride that exists within those who have the “right” to claim the name as their own. 

This battle has been one that to any focused being, should make obvious sense but has evaded some for 2 decades. Within any foundation the weakest link will always cause all structure to crumble. 

The one fact that keeps me at peace is the fact that anyone who has ever seen or spoken to me regarding Suffocation and the industry as a whole, has always left with an understanding of the level of focus and pride that I personally hold for myself, the brand that is Suffocation and the genre we influence and helped create.As I´ve always said, if you are willing to put your time and soul towards anything at Be willing to speak truths, fight and bleed for it if need be.

I can't tell what this means, and with no statement from the band or label, we will have to wait and see what comes out the next few days. So far a simple tweet from the bands official twitter that they are not breaking up.

High on Fire take on SXSW and Release New Album Art

With the release of their new album coming up, High on Fire set their sights on destroying SXSW with no less than five shows in less than a weeks time at this years conference. If you have never had the chance to see them live, they are incredible live:

March 13 Austin, TX Emo's East (Non-SXSW)
March 14 Austin, TX SXSW Showcase
March 16 Austin, TX (Brooklyn Vegan party)
March 17 Austin, TX SXSW TBA
March 18 Austin, TX SXSW (High Times party)

World renowned hard rock band HIGH ON FIRE will release its new studio album De Vermis Mysteris on April 3 via eOne Music. Recorded in Salem, Massachusetts' GodCity Studios with producer and Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, the 10 song effort -- touted as "direct, eye-opening and powerfully supernatural" -- is the band's sixth studio recording and the follow up to 2010's Snakes for the Divine which debuted at #62 on the Billboard Top 200 and has been called "wonderful" by The New York Times and "an exhilarating rush" by The Chicago Tribune.

De Vermis Mysteriis (or "Mysteries of the Worm") takes its title from a fictional grimoire created by Psycho author Robert Bloch and incorporated by H. P. Lovecraft into the lore of the Cthulhu Mythos (Lovecraft mentioned De Vermis Mysteriis as one of the books that "repeat the most hellish secrets learnt by early man"). The album carries a deeply mystical undercurrent, incorporating fantastical themes and lyrics detailing, among other things, time travel, a serum called liao that is made out of a black lotus and "a Jesus twin who can see the past through his ancestors' eyes." And that's just scratching the surface!