Black Sabbath have reported they are to make a “special announcement” next week.

The legendary heavy metal pioneers are to be in attendance at a conference at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go next Friday morning.

It is not yet known what the band will be announcing, but it adds fuel to the current rumours that the band’s original line-up of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward have plans to work together again.

In the summer of 2011, it was reported the band had already reunited and were back in the studio working on new material, but these reports were quashed by Iommi approximately twenty four hours later.

In 2001, the last time the attempted to make a new record, the sessions were cut short when Ozzy resumed solo work. As a result, the proposed album was never finished. A new song ‘Scary Dreams’ was, however, performed live at various gigs. You can view footage of the unreleased song below.

In support of their sixth studio album, ‘Fallen Empires’ (released November 10th), Snow Patrol have announced a ten date run of arena gigs for the start of 2012.

You can catch the Belfast band at the following venues next January and February.  Support at all dates comes from Everything Everything.

Glasgow SECC (January 27)
Aberdeen Exhibition Centre (30)
Liverpool Echo Arena (31)
Nottingham Capital FM Arena (February 1)
Manchester Evening News Arena (3)
Birmingham LG Arena (4)
Newcastle Metro Radio Arena (5)
Sheffield Motorpoint Arena (7)
Bournemouth International Centre (8)
London O2 Arena (10)

Devin Townsend is about to release a new song.

The track, entitled ‘Terrorizer’, was partly written during the sessions for his ‘Deconstructed’ album.  During the early stages of recording Townsend laid down the guitar parts and Soilwork’s Dirk Verbeuren contributing other basic parts.

‘Terrorizer’ will be exclusively available on the ‘FEAR CANDY 100’ cover-mount CD, given away free with the November 2011 issue of Terrorizer magazine.

Read a review of Devin’s ‘Ziltoid The Omniscient’ here.
Read a review of Devin’s ‘Ghost’ here.

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford is reportedly being sued for $50 million (approx £32.5 million) in damages by his ex manager.

John Baxter, who had managed “the Metal God” from 1982 until the summer of 2011, alleges that Halford and other members of Judas Priest and its management team “committed fraud, breach of contract and intentional interference with contractual relations”.

According to Rolling Stone magazine, Baxter is allegedly owed millions of dollars for contract breaches, including failure to pay commissions, salary and expenses, which date back to 1992. Baxter is also claiming that his August dismissal – the news broken via Halford’s lawyers’ letters – has no grounding.

An official statement posted on the Judas Priest website reads as follows: “There has recently been some nonsense and propaganda posted on the Internet including on Rob’s website, regarding the band and management. (Rob currently is not controlling his website and absolutely does not agree with the comments). We refuse to get drawn into any public arguments – it is below us and will be dealt with legally.”

Read a review of ‘Rocka Rolla’ here.
Read a review of ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’ here.
Read a review of ‘Painkiller’ here.

Reggae-metal crossover band Skindred have announced they are to play a short run of UK dates next April, taking in the biggest venues they’ve headlined at so far.

Still promoting their fourth studio album ‘Union Black’, you can catch the band at the following venues:

O2 Academy Leeds (April 10)
O2 ABC Glasgow (11)
O2 Academy Newcastle (12)
O2 Academy Brixton (13)
O2 Academy Bristol (14)

Irish alt-rock band Therapy? will provide support at all shows.