Swiss death metallers REQUIEM have issued the following update:

"After 13 years vocalist Michi Kuster has decided to leave the band due to family reasons. It's not possible for him anymore to take part of the busy band schedule.

"Michi will play his last show with REQUIEM on February 11, 2010 at Dynamo, Zurich (Switzerland) supporting HYPOCRISY (Sweden).

"The whole band wishes him and his family all the best for the future. REQUIEM made the decision to continue as a three-piece band from now on.

"REQUIEM is currently in negotiations for another European tour in October/November 2010. More information to be announced soon."

A photo of REQUIEM's new lineup can be viewed below (from left to right): Phil Klauser (guitar), Ralf Winzer Garcia (vocals/bass) and Reto Crola (drums).

REQUIEM's "Marked By The Signs Of Chaos" video can be viewed below. The clip was shot on March 14, 2008 at a sold-out show in Berne, Switzerland.

"Marked By The Signs Of Chaos" comes off REQUIEM's latest album, "Infiltrate... Obliterate... Dominate", which was released in July 2009 via Twilight Vertrieb. The CD was recorded at Stage One studio in Borgentreich, Germany with producer Andy Classen (LEGION OF THE DAMNED, DEW-SCENTED, TANKARD, HOLY MOSES, DISBELIEF, KRISIUN, CALLENISH CIRCLE). The follow-up to 2007's "Premier Killing League" was laid down between December 8, 2008 and December 26, 2008 and features 11 tracks with "some musical and lyrical surprises." The artwork was created by Dan Seagrave, who who has previously worked with such bands as MORBID ANGEL, MALEVOLENT CREATION, SUFFOCATION, PESTILENCE, BENEDICTION, GORGUTS and DISMEMBER.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/requiemdeathmetal.

The Tracii Guns-led version of L.A. GUNS has inked a deal with the Steve Vai-owned label Favored Nations/Jibboom, which is Favored Nations Entertainment's rock/metal division. This division stands separate from Favored Nations Entertainment and will be the label's home for all things hard rock and metal.

Favored Nations/Jibboom will reissue the 1999 L.A. GUNS album "Shrinking Violet". The LP will be completely repackaged with new artwork and five brand new, never-before-heard, live bonus tracks. It will be released in late May 2010.

The Favored Nations/Jibboom label was born when Vai brought in industry veteran Dean Schachtel as General Manager of Favored Nations Entertainment over a year ago. Schachtel oversees all aspects of the label and reports directly to Vai and, with his hard rock/metal background, it made sense to start the Favored Nations/Jibboom division.

"When Steve mentioned to me that he wanted to start a hard rock and metal division, I knew I was the right guy for the job. Having grown up in Los Angeles, I had the pleasure of seeing a lot of these bands in their early incarnations. I'm a huge hard rock and metal fan myself — my son's godfather is Ronnie James Dio — so, naturally, I'm thrilled to be working with Tracii and L.A. GUNS," said Schachtel.

L.A. GUNS has recently been touring in two competing lineups: one featuring Tracii Guns, and another led by his Eighties bandmates, singer Phil Lewis and drummer Steve Riley. "Tracii's L.A. GUNS is bogus," Riley told Rolling Stone magazine. "People want to hear the songs sung by the original lead singer." Guns countered, "Those guys are a couple of dirty motherfuckers. I hired them for my band — if you get hired as a manager at McDonald's, you don't take over the McDonald's."

Guns told Rolling Stone that he was going to court, and he hoped to get the name back. "I just want to put it to bed and start a new band," he said. "This has proved beyond 'Spinal Tap' ridiculous. The next chapter would be us trying to book a convenience store and battling over the $300 they'd pay us."

The Tracii Guns-led version of L.A. GUNS is:

Tracii Guns - Guitar
Jeremy Guns - Bass
Jizzy Pearl - Vocals
Chad Stewart - Drums

"Forever Dead", a brand new song from Atlanta's SEVENDUST, is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The track comes off the group's new album, "Cold Day Memory", which is scheduled for release in the spring.

"Cold Day Memory" track listing:

01. Splinter
02. Forever Dead
03. Unraveling
04. Last Breath
05. Karma
06. Ride Insane
07. Confessions (Without Faith)
08. Nowhere
09. Here And Now
10. The End Is Coming
11. Better Place
12. Strong Arm Broken

"Cold Day Memory" was recorded at Groovemaster Studios in Chicago, Illinois with producer Johnny K (DISTURBED, STAIND, MACHINE HEAD).

Prior to hooking up with Johnny K for the new album recording sessions, SEVENDUST spent time writing and recording demos with Corey Lowery (former member of DARK NEW DAY, STEREOMUD and STUCK MOJO and brother of SEVENDUST guitarist Clint Lowery) engineering.

SEVENDUST released a very limited-edition box set in November 2008 entitled "Packaged Goods". Each five-disc set was personally autographed by the entire band. The box set included SEVENDUST's 2005 release "Next", 2007's "Alpha", 2007's "Retrospective 2" (CD + DVD), and 2008's "Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow".

SEVENDUST's last album, "Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow" (7Bros/Asylum), came out in April 2008. The CD sold 25,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release to land at position No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Due to "scheduling conflicts," MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil has cancelled his appearance at the inaugural edition of the Stockholm Rock Out festival, set to take place April 30 - May 1, 2010 at Gamla Tryckeriet in Alvik, Sweden. Replacing Neil on the bill is SLAUGHTER, who will be making a very rare appearance in Europe and will be back in Sweden for the first time in many years. Also newly added to the bill are TUFF and SHAMELESS.

The festival billing is now shaping up as follows:

SLAUGHTER
JANI LANE
STEELHEART
KEEL
DIZZY REED
PRETTY BOY FLOYD
BULLETBOYS
VAINS OF JENNA
NASTY IDOLS
TUFF
SHAMELESS
CHRIS LANEY
BADMOUTH
DYNAZTY
KILLER CLAN OF F.U.N.

For more information, visit www.sthlmrockout.com.