Hard rock enigma SlipKnoT has posted a new teaser photograph from a recent photo shoot on the splash page of its web site. Check out this teaser picture here:

Watch behind the scenes from recording of highly anticipated new Walls of Jericho EP, entitled "Redemption", below. Produced by Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR), the CD may surprise some fans used to the band's brutal metal because it features a primarily melodic vocals and acoustic instruments.

Trustkill Records has set an April 29 release date for the highly anticipated new EP from Detroit's WALLS OF JERICHO, entitled "Redemption". Produced by Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR), the CD may surprise some fans used to the band's brutal metal because it features a primarily melodic vocals and acoustic instruments.

"Redemption", recorded in Taylor's Iowa home studio, is a project that has been in the back of the band's minds for several years, and they are excited to get it out there.

"We're really looking forward to fans seeing a different side of us," vocalist Candace Kucsulain says. "For seven to eight years we've wanted to do it. I sang in the choir when I was young but this band never allowed for that kind of approach especially live." Adds guitarist Mike Hasty, "It's really different from what we do but at the same time I hear us everywhere in it."

In addition to the EP, the band promises a new full-length to follow this summer. The band is currently holed up in an abandoned house in middle-of-nowhere Michigan writing the full-length. The music will definitely follow the mesh of metallic venom and concrete fury of hardcore/punk that the band is known for.

Of the album, Candace says, "We've been trapped in this house together living and breathing music. We're literally in the middle of woods between two cornfields. We're putting all that we have into this new record, and trust me; it will be extremely heavy. Right now we're calling it a 'thrash metal delicacy.'"

After they finish writing, the members of WALLS OF JERICHO will head to Los Angeles to begin tracking at The Hobby Shop with producer Mudrock. The plan is for the full-length to be out in time for WALLS OF JERICHO's appearance on this summer's Rockstar Mayhem Festival tour, featuring SLIPKNOT, DISTURBED, MASTODON, DRAGONFORCE and more.

JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, MACHINE HEAD and SLIPKNOT are among the nominated bands at this year's Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards.

The monthly metal magazine's annual ceremony, now in its sixth year, takes place for the first time at London's 02 on June 16.

The complete list of nominations is as follows:

Best UK Band:

IRON MAIDEN
BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
PARADISE LOST
SAXON
JUDAS PRIEST

Best Live Band:

GALLOWS
MACHINE HEAD
MEGADETH
ARCH ENEMY
TURISAS

Shredder:

Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM)
Dan Donegan (DISTURBED)
Jesper Strömblad (IN FLAMES)
Dino Cazares (DIVINE HERSY, FEAR FACTORY)
Mike Amott (ARCH ENEMY, CARCASS)

Best International Band:

NIGHTWISH
AVENGED SEVENFOLD
IN FLAMES
DOWN
DIR EN GREY

Best Metal Label:

Roadrunner
Metal Blade
Century Media
Nuclear Blast
SPV
Spinefarm

Best Album:

AVENGED SEVENFOLD – "Avenged Sevenfold"
DOWN - "Over The Under"
CHILDREN OF BODOM - "Blooddrunk"
ATREYU - "Leads Sails Paper Anchor"
TESTAMENT - "The Formation of Damnation"

Inspiration Award:

CARCASS
NINE INCH NAILS
KISS
MESHUGGAH
SLIPKNOT

Des Moines, Iowa-based metal giants SLIPKNOT have posted another teaser photograph from a recent photo shoot below. It is not presently clear if the picture in question is a preview of the new series of masks which the band will don on the upcoming Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival, set to kick off July 9 at the White River Amphitheatre in Seattle.

According to HMV.co.uk, Roadrunner Records has set an August 11 UK release date (one day later in the U.S.) for the much-anticipated new SLIPKNOT album. The as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2004's "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)" is being recorded with producer Dave Fortman, who has previously worked with MUDVAYNE and EVANESCENCE.

Des Moines, Iowa-based metal giants SLIPKNOT have offered the first glimpse (sort of) at the new series of masks which the band will don on the upcoming Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival, set to kick off July 9 at the White River Amphitheatre in Seattle.

Check out the new "shadowy" photo below. When asked if the oversized, Easter Island–looking masks were in fact an April Fools' Day joke, an unnamed executive at the band's record label, Roadrunner Records, assured BLABBERMOUTH.NET that it is "100% real."

Here is the complete list of dates for this year's Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival:

Jul. 09. 2008. - Seattle, Wa White River Amphitheatre
Jul. 11. 2008. - Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
Jul. 12. 2008. - San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre at Montain View
Jul. 13. 2008. - San Bernandino, CA Glen Helen Pavilion
Jul. 15. 2008. - Fresno, CA Save Mart Center
Jul. 16. 2008. - San Diego, CA Coors Amphitheatre
Jul. 18. 2008. - Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
Jul. 19. 2008. - Alburquerque, NM Journal Pavilion
Jul. 20. 2008. - Denver, CO Coors Amphitheatre at Fiddler's Green
Jul. 22. 2008. - Kansas City, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Jul. 23. 2008. - St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St. Louis
Jul. 25. 2008. - Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center
Jul. 26. 2008. - San Antonio, TX Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jul. 27. 2008. - Houstion, TX Sam Houston Race Park
Jul. 29. 2008. - Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheater
Jul. 20. 2008. - West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheater
Aug. 01. 2008. - Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
Aug. 02. 2008. - Pittsburgh, PA Post Gazette Pavilion
Aug. 03. 2008. - Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum
Aug. 05. 2008. - Boston, MA Tweeter Center for Performing Arts
Aug. 06. 2008. - Scranton, PA, Toyota Pavilion
Aug. 08. 2008. - Toronto, ON Downsview Park
Aug. 09. 2008. - Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
Aug. 10. 2008. - Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheater
Aug. 12. 2008. - Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheater
Aug. 13. 2008. - Indianapolis, IN Verzion Wireless Music Center Indianapolis
Aug. 15. 2008. - Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
Aug. 16. 2008. - Hartford, CT New England Dodge Music Center
Aug. 17. 2008. - Washington, DC Nissan Pavilion
Aug. 19. 2008. - Buffalo, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

METALLICA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, SLIPKNOT, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, SERJ TANKIAN and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE have been confirmed for this year's Reading and Leeds Festivals, which will happen, as usual, in England over the August Bank holiday weekend — from Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24. Three-day weekend tickets, including camping and parking, are priced at £155 each plus booking fee. Day tickets, which do not allow camping, are £65.

All tickets are on sale now and are expected to go quickly. Call See Tickets on 0871 2310821 or go online at www.festivalrepublic.com, www.readingfestival.com, www.seetickets.com. More acts performing across the six stages will be announced in the coming weeks.