WEEKEND METAL UPDATE

This weekend’s hottest news stories in metal featured GUNS N’ ROSES (duh), LINKIN PARK, SOILWORK, EVANESCENCE, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, and THE PANIC CHANNEL. More info after the jump.

The big news this weekend was that four new mixes of GUNS N’ ROSES tracks from the now comically delayed Chinese Democracy have leaked due to an absolutely unbelievable con pulled by someone who calls himself Mister Saint Laurent. The four tracks are “Chinese Democracy,” “The Blues,” “I.R.S.” and “There Was a Time.” As always, keep checking back to MetalSucks.net for leaks.

EVANESCENCE singer and braintrust Amy Lee has fired guitarist John LeCompt from the group, and drummer Rocky Gray has quit. In a blog addressed to fans, LeCompt described Lee as being “as deep as the shallow end of a child’s wading pool.” Nice one. I’m still waiting for the new band featuring all of the ex-members of Evanescence that Lee has fired.

LINKIN PARK and MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE will top this year’s Projekt Revolution tour. TAKING BACK SUNDAY, H.I.M., PLACEBO, JULIEN-K, SAOSIN, MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE, THE BLED, STYLES OF BEYOND and MADINA LAKE will also be on the bill. Word on the street is that there will be a tent at every tour stop offering free spelling lessons.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz has announced that he will sit out the band’s European festival run this summer to recover from recent back surgery. The surgery and prior injury have previously kept him sidelined from the band’s recent North American headlining run and winter European headlining run. No word yet on who will replace him on the road this time around.

I’m pretty bummed that I won’t be able to make it across the pond and indulge in the fine brews and meat sandwiches of Europe this summer,” Adam said in a statement. “Though I’m feeling tons better I really need to get further rest, drink more protein shakes, and flex in the mirror while listening to NIGHT RANGER‘s greatest hits. I need to be in top form for Warped Tour in late June. I’ll definitely be seeing you guys on the next run.

Supergroup THE PANIC CHANNEL has seemingly called it quits, though guitarist Dave Navarro (ex-JANE’S ADDICTION) insists on calling it a hiatus. Singer Steve Isaacs has moved back to New York, making the prospects of writing another records and playing together grim. Oh, and the fact that the record bombed (and sucked) might have had something to do with it too. Maybe MTV will re-hire him as a VJ.

SOILWORK vocalist Bjorn “Speed” Strid has returned home to Sweden from Canada, where he had been recording vocals for the new album with producer Devin Townsend. No word yet on when the album will be released.

-VN