UPCOMING BULLSH*T ROUND-UP: NEWS ON FORTHCOMING RELEASES FROM IRON MAIDEN, DEFTONES, SOILWORK AND CAVALERA CONSPIRACY

Phew! There’s been a lot of news about some great bands’ new releases these past few days. Here’s a quick round-up:

• Deftones’ new album, Diamond Eyes, will be out May 18. I’m actually not that big a Deftones fan but I know Vince and a lot of other respectable-types are, so, y’know. There ya go.
• Soilwork’s new album, The Panic Broadcast, will be out June 25 on Nuclear Blast. In case you live under a rock, the album will mark the return of guitarist Peter Wichers, which means it will almost certainly be better than 2007’s Wicher-less Sworn to a Great Divide.
• Producer Kevin Shirley says the new Maiden album has been recorded. I didn’t even know Maiden were working on a new album. The last new Maiden album that really knocked my underpanties into the next room was 2000’s Brave New World – in fact, the group’s last outing, 2006’s A Matter of Life and Death, bored me tears – but I’ll never not be excited about a new Maiden record ’cause, well, they’re Maiden. Even if it’s just an excuse for them to tour… they put on one of the best live shows in the world, so I’ll take it.
• Cavalera Conspiracy plan to hit the studio in April to record their sophmore album. I’m so much more excited for this than any Soulfly album (or Cavalera-less Sepultura album, natch), I can’t even tell you. Inflikted rocked, and it rocked hard.

Weigh in with your thoughts below!

-AR