On March 21, 2000, PANTERA released their ninth and final studio album "Reinventing the Steel" on EastWest Records. The album debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, a commercial triumph that confirmed PANTERA remained one of metal's dominant forces as a new decade began. After the experimental chaos of "The Great Southern Trendkill" (1996) and the relative accessibility of "Official Live: 101 Proof," "Reinventing the Steel" was a deliberate return to the groove-thrash blueprint that had made the band iconic. "Revolution Is My Name," "Goddamn Electric," and "I'll Cast a Shadow" showcased Dimebag Darrell's guitar at its most ferocious and Phil Anselmo's voice at its most savage. No one knew it then, but this would be PANTERA's farewell album — the band broke up in 2003, and Dimebag was murdered in December 2004. "Reinventing the Steel" is their epitaph.
APOCALYPTICA's new song "SOS", featuring a guest appearance by LACUNA COIL frontwoman Cristina Scabbia, has been posted on the APOCALYPTICA MySpace page. The track comes off the group's new album, "Worlds Collide", due in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on September 14 via G.U.N. Records.