Last night Casey Calvert, Hawthorne Height’s guitarist, passed away in his sleep. The cause of death is uncertain at this point. Here is a message from the band:

Today is probably the worst day ever. Its with our deepest regrets that we have to write this. Casey Calvert passed away in his sleep last night. We found out this afternoon before sound-check. We’ve spent the entire day trying to come to grips with this and figure out as much as possible. At this time we’re not sure what exactly happened. Just last night he was joking around with everyone before he went to bed. We can say with absolute certainty that he was not doing anything illegal. Please, out of respect to Casey and his family, don’t contribute or succumb to any gossip you may hear. We don’t want his memory to be tainted in the least. Casey was our best friend. He was quirky and awesome and there will truly be no others like him! His loss is unexplainable. As soon as we know more we will let you know.
Sincerely, Hawthorne Heights Eron, JT, Micah and Matt

Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Casey. May he rest in peace.

Jade Puget of AFI recently updated his thoughts on their next album. Here is what he had to say:

This is always my favorite time of the whole process because you don’t really know what the next album is going to sound like. Well, actually, Davey and I spent the last 3 days locked in a hotel room writing and we already have 4 new songs. I have tons of material written so I’m raring to go.

As you probably already know, we’re putting out an EP soon too, of unreleased songs from the last 2 albums. We’re working on the artwork for that as we speak. So that’s about it for now, we’ll be hard at work on the new album, any questions?

Amber Pacific recently updated their progress of their new album and their departure from Hopeless Records, read more:

Hello! So if you haven’t noticed there’s been a few changes going around the world of Amber Pacific that we felt you all should know about…first and foremost let’s talk touring…
Unfortunatly I am writing this blog from my house in Washington because the remaining dates with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Hawthorne Heights were cancelled. We didn’t recieve any explanation for these cancelled shows so one can only make assumptions about what happened but I’ll just say that Hawthorne Heights, Amber Pacific, and New Years Day were all for finishing out the tour but there is nothing we can do when the headlining band cancels. At any rate, we love the guys in RJA and wish them the best and would like to send out a huge thanks for bringing us out on tour with them. As for the rest of the year, we will be kicking off a continuation tour with Hawthorne Heights, Escape The Fate, The AKA’s, and The Secret Handshake. We all really would love to see you come out and support the shows as we will be hitting some pretty rad venues such as the House Of Blues and a few other notable names across the country, first show is in Detroit on November 23rd so get your tickets soon!

For all of you who are interested in what’s going on in the world of Amber Pacific well…we’ve decided that it’d be best to start working on a couple new songs as some of you may or may not know we are no longer with a label! Our term with Hopeless has come and gone and we are going to start searching for a new home in the coming months and we’ll let you know who we decide to go with as soon as we find out. Looks like we’ll be heading into the studio January 29th to track a couple demo’s and we should be able to post some new music in early February so keep an eye out for that! I hope you all are taking care of yourselves and enjoying the coming Christmas season, it’s definitely one of my favorite times of the year! We should be posting new pictures, videos, and more fun stuff in the coming weeks once we get back out on the road so until then, PEACE!- Will

Finally, Bullet For My Valentine have set their release date for their new album, titled Scream Aim Fire. The new album will be a follow up to their 2006 debut release, The Poison. Scream Aim Fire will be released on January 28th, 2008. On December 18th, they will release at 15-minute digital single, which will give listeners a special sneak preview of Scream Aim Fire. The digital single will include the title track and Eye of the Storm. The single will also include commentary by band members, Matt and Moose giving a detailed track-by-track overview. The digital single will cost $1.98.

The new album was produced by Colin Richardson, who also produced The Poison. It was recorded at the Sonic Ranch near El Paso, TX. Remember, January 28th, 2008.

Here is the track list for Scream Aim Fire:

1. Scream Aim Fire
2. Eye of the Storm
3. Hearts Burst Into Fire
4. Waking the Demon
5. Disappear
6. Deliver Us From Evil
7. Take It Out On Me
8. Say Goodbye
9. End of Days
10. Last to Know
11. Forever and Always

Story of The Year has signed to Epitaph. The band’s highly anticipated Epitaph debut is scheduled for spring 2008. The band’s Epitaph debut will be further highlighted by a reunion of sorts, as original producer John Feldmann returns to the helm on a number of songs. In addition, the band will spend time with Elvis Baskette (Chevelle, Escape the Fate), completing the record on the Virginian coast.

“From my first time seeing Story of the Year light up the stage of the tiny Troubadour club like a torch, to soon thereafter seeing them light up every TV screen across America, I always regretted that I hadn’t come across them just a little sooner and perhaps have had the chance to sign them,” says Epitaph owner Brett Gurewitz. “All I can say is I’m finally redeemed! This is a very big deal for Epitaph.”

Universal Republic band Godsmack will release their widely anticipated Greatest Hits album, Good Times Bad Times?.Ten Years of Godsmack on December 4. The 16-track collection is loaded with career defining milestones and seminal Godsmack classics. Among the groundbreaking songs included are the band’s clarion call “Whatever,” their breakthrough 1 rock mainstream smash “Awake,” “I Stand Alone” (2002’s most played rock radio song of the year), “Speak,” (the 1 rock cut from their 2006 album Godsmack IV), and a rare, bristling Godsmack cover of Led Zeppelin’s classic 1969 debut single “Good Times, Bad Times.”

Considered one of the definitive alternative hard rock bands of the modern era, the Boston based group stormed on to the music scene in 1998 with their masterful self-titled debut album, and have never looked back. The only rock band to have scored 13 Top 10 hits in the Active Rock format, their most recent album, Godsmack IV, became another platinum-plus trailblazer for the formidable foursome, debuting at 1 on the Billboard Top albums chart (their 2nd 1 debut following 2003’s Faceless) and harking back to the thunderous arc of multiplatinum masterpieces like their 5 million selling breakthrough debut album and 2000’s Awake, as well as the more subtle flexing heard on their 2004 acoustic EP The Otherside.

Fronted by charismatic and uncompromising singer/songwriter Sully Erna, 2008 will mark the tenth anniversary of Godsmack’s self-titled debut album; in honor of that occasion, Good Times Bad Times?.Ten Years of Godsmack encapsulates some of their most captivating and enduring hits. In the past decade, the unflinching Godsmack has enjoyed an incredible run, selling more than 12 million albums – highlighted by scores of sold-out international concerts, stages shared with legends, a remarkable 16 hit singles, 4 platinum records, 1 gold EP and three Grammy nominations.

Known for their fierce touring regimen, Godsmack also established one of the most memorable live arsenals in rock, having been regulars at past Ozzfests, appeared at Woodstock ’99, toured with Metallica, and headlined their own arena juggernauts throughout the world.

Godmack’s releases include Godsmack (1998), Awake (2000), Faceless (2003), The Scorpion King soundtrack (2002), Otherside EP (2004), and Godsmack IV (2006).

Track Listing:
1. Good Times Bad Times
2. Whatever
3. Keep Away
4. Voodoo
5. Bad Religion
6. Awake
7. Greed
8. I Stand Alone
9. Straight Out Of Line
10. Serenity
11. Realign
12. Running Blind
13. Touch?
14. Speak
15. Shine Down
16. The Enemy

Incubus will be releasing a new live DVD entitled Look Alive. The DVD will be included in a CD/DVD package. Here is the set list for the DVD:
1. “Rogues”
2. “Quicksand”
3. “A Kiss To Send Us Off”
4. “Anna Molly”
5. “Redefine”
6. “Pistola”
7. “Love Hurts”
8. “Paper Shoes”
9. “Megalomaniac”
10. “Nebula”
11. “Earth To Bella Part 1”
12. “Sick Sad Little World”
13. “Oil and Water”
14. “Dig”
15. “Punch Drunk”
16. “Aqueous Transmission”
17. “Look Alive”

Behind the scenes footage and other video will also be included on the CD/DVD.
Look Alive will be released on November 27th.

Fall Out Boy will be releasing a limited edition version of Infinity On High on November 20th.

Track Listing
1. Thriller
2. The Take Over, The Breaks Over
3. This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race
4. I’m Like A Lawyer With The Way I’m Always Trying To Get You Off (Me and You)
5. Hum Hallelujah
6. Golden
7. Thanks fr th Mmrs
8. Don’t You Know Who I Think I Am?
9. The (After) Life of the Party
10. The Carpal Tunnel of Love
11. Bang the Doldrums
12. Fame < Infamy 13. You're Crashing, But You're No Wave 14. I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears and None On My Fingers 15. GINASFS (Bonus Track) 16. It's Hard To Say "I Do", When I Don't (Bonus Track) 17. Dance Dance (Live) 18. Arms Race (Live) 19. Thriller (Live) Ahh these re-releases are killing me, maybe I should just download the album until they re-release it so that I can get the full album without buying the album twice, WTF?!

Finch plans on reuniting this Thanksgiving playing their first show on November 23rd at the Glasshouse in Pomona, Califorinia. The band split back in February 2006 on the note that “individual priorities lie in different places.” No updates have been released on any new recordings, or other concert dates, but this is great to see these guys back together. Finch’s 2002, What It Is To Burn is a signature, classic album that any punk rocker should own, hands down. I’m interested to see where they go from here.