This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 2012.
Bands disbanded A Plea for PurgingA Plea For Purging Calling It Quits, Announces Farewell Tour AjattaraAjattara – Split Up AnteriorAnterior Calling It Quits, Announces Final Show Averse SefiraAmerican black metal band calls it quits Blind Witness***Blind Witness Break Up And Last Show Announcement *** The CarrierThe Carrier Calling It Quits In March Cathedral The Crimson ArmadaThe Crimson Armada Calling It Quits, Issues Statement Dead and DivineDead And Divine Calling It Quits, Announces Final Hometown Show DecadenceDecadence – Call It Quits DefianceDefiance – Call It Quits ElisElis Calls It Quits After Departure of Vocalist Simone Christinat Heavy Heavy Low LowHeavy Heavy Low Low Calls It Auiets HeveinHevein – Disband Indefinitely In the Midst of LionsIn The Midst Of Lions Calling It A Day After Departure Of Two Members Massacration NahemahNahemah – Call It Quits NortherNorther – Calling It Quits One Man Army and the Undead QuartetOne Man Army And The Undead Quartet – Call It Quits The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza UnderoathUnearthly Trance – Calling It Quits Unearthly TranceUnderoath Disbanding, Announces Farewell Tour
Bands formed Amorphia Dayseeker Infant Annihilator Khemmis Polaris The Skull Slugdge Wytch Hazel
Bands reformed Broken HopeReunited Broken Hope To Support Obituary On 'Carnival Of Death' Tour ByzantineByzantine – Reunite, Writing New Material Coal ChamberCoal Chamber To Reform For Australia's Soundwave Festival ConfideConfide To Return With New Album, Launch $30,000 Kickstarter Campaign To Fund It Eternal OathEternal Oath Reunites, Plans New Studio Album ExtolExtol – New Album In The Works MaliceMalice To Release Comeback LP In May 2012 The Obsessed OtygOtyg To Be Resurrected, Band Currently Recording Third Album RiotRiot To Continue On, Fifteen New Songs Written In "Thundersteel/Immortal Soul" Style Sonic SyndicateSonic Syndicate Comments On Returning From Hiatus, Announces Festival Appearance
Events On January 4, American metalcore act Killswitch Engage have decided to continue without Howard Jones (ex-Blood Has Been Shed).Killswitch Engage – Vocalist Relieved From Duty On February 6, the band announced that original singer Jesse Leach has taken Jones' place.Killswitch Engage Comments On Returning Vocalist Jesse Leach On January 9, it was announced that Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has been diagnosed with lymphoma. However, the band have stated that they will continue recording their new album. Within a month, the band announced that drummer Bill Ward has decided to leave the band.Bill Ward Says He May Be Forced To Sit Out Black Sabbath Reunion Singaporean grindcore act Wormrot were detained in Malaysia by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department. The reasoning for their arrest was "it is wrong for unmarried Muslim men and women to be in [the same] room."Wormrot Members Arrested By Religious Authorities In Malaysia Cryptopsy announced their new bassist is Olivier Pinard (Neuraxis).Cryptopsy – Announce New Bassist After 16 years with the band, Anvil bassist Glenn Gyorffy (aka Glen Five) leaves the band to "broaden [his] horizons".Anvil – Bassist Leaves The Band Graveworm announced the return of founding member/guitarist Stefan Unterpertinger after a 10-year absence.Graveworm Announces Return Of Founding Member Warbringer announced the departure of founding member/guitarist Adam Carroll, and his replacement as Andrew Bennett.Warbringer – Guitarist Adam Carroll Quits The Band, Announce Replacement After previously working with the band, Byron Stroud (Fear Factory, Strapping Young Lad) announced he is joining 3 Inches of Blood as their new permanent bassist.3 Inches Of Blood – Announce New Bassist Founding member/guitarist of crossover thrash act D.R.I., Spike Cassidy, was rushed to the hospital due to complications with a colectomy.D.R.I. – Spike Cassidy Admitted To Hospital Due To Colectomy Complications The Haunted founding member/vocalist Peter Dolving abruptly departs from the band via Facebook. On October 16, founding lead guitarist Anders Björler leaves the band for the second time along with drummer Per Möller Jensen.The Haunted – Guitarist And Drummer Leave The Band Death metal band Suffocation parted ways with founding drummer Mike Smith due to musical differences.Suffocation – Drummer Mike Smith Parts Ways With The Band Christopher Amott, founding guitarist/vocalist leaves Arch Enemy because "Christopher simply isn't into playing extreme metal anymore."Arch Enemy – Christopher Amott Leaves The Band Again, Recruit Replacement Brazilian Metal Open Air festival takes place, but is cancelled after severe logistical and financial problems. Michael Keene of technical death metal band The Faceless announced through Twitter that founding guitarist Steve Jones has departed from the band. This leaves Keene as the only original member left. Wes Hauch will be filling Steve's spot as the newest member.The Faceless – Part Ways With Guitarist, Announce Replacement The Sonisphere Festival in Knebworth, UK was cancelled due to their weak economy. Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) quits Bloodbath due to lack of interest in the death metal scene.Vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt Reportedly Leaves Bloodbath Threat Signal announced the departure of drummer Alex Rüdinger due to his interest to pursue other projects.Threat Signal Splits With Drummer Alex Rudinger Slayer have announced that Jeff Hanneman will me taking more time off from the band to concentrate on his rehabilitation. Back in 2011, Jeff contracted necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease) on his right arm from a spider bite, and has been struggling in recovery since then. Gary Holt (Exodus) will continue to fill Jeff's spot until he is well enough to return. Slayer said "How long will that be? The best and most honest answer we can give you is 'as long as it takes.'"Slayer Gives Update On Jeff Hanneman, Gary Holt To Continue Filling In On Tour Dark Funeral signed a three album record deal with Century Media Records.Dark Funeral – Sign Three Album Deal With Century Media Drummer Patrice Hamelin of Canadian death metal band Martyr has quit the band. "Martyr is on hold for now."Martyr – Drummer Pat Hamelin Quits, Band On Hold Marduk were banned from Minsk, Belarus. "Pavel Radzivonaw, a departmental head at the Prosecutor General's Office, told reporters on Monday that Marduk's concert, scheduled for May 22, would not take place. 'The band preaches Satanism, which has nothing to do with art,' he says. 'This is an affront to Christian values, they preach the ideas of death, of the Third Reich.'"Marduk – Banned From Playing In Minsk For Being An Affront To Christian Values Angra vocalist Edu Falaschi announced his departure from the band. Bassist Felipe Andreoli also announced his departure from Almah.Edu Falaschi Splits With Angra, Felipe Andreoli Splits With Almah Iron Maiden's 1982 album The Number of the Beast won 9.2% of the 30,000 votes cast in the UK for their favorite British album of the past 60 years.Monday Fresh: Iron Maiden's Number Of The Beast Voted Best Album Sonic Syndicate's founding member/guitarist Roger Sjunnesson quits the band.Sonic Syndicate – Guitarist Roger Sjunnesson Leaves The Band Queensrÿche parts ways with founding member/vocalist Geoff Tate. The band also announced Crimson Glory singer Todd La Torre hired as his replacement. Kamelot announced their new vocalist as Tommy Karevik (Seventh Wonder).Kamelot Reveals New Vocalist Tommy Karevik Guitarist Liem N'Guyen leaves Benighted after 14 years with the band. His replacement is said to be Adrien Guerin.Benighted Splits With Guitarist Liem N'Guyen Peter Wichers leaves Soilwork again due to "musical differences".Soilwork – Guitarist Peter Wichers Quits The Band Again Atheist announced the return of bassist Tony Choy.Former Atheist Bassist Tony Choy Rejoins The Band Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe was arrested on June 28, 2012, by Czech Police for causing a fan's death by pushing him off stage in Prague, Czech Republic. The band's publicists, have stated that Blythe is "wrongfully accused". Blythe was released on bail for 4,000,000 Czech Koruna (US$200,000), and has been held in the country because he was "considered a flight risk by the judge".Lamb Of God – Randy Blythe Arrested, Vocalist Reportedly Released On Bail (Update) Blythe posted bail, but due to the prosecutor's complaint, his bail was doubled to 8,000,000 Czech Koruna (US$400,000).Lamb Of God Front Man Randy Blythe's Bail Doubled, Complaint By Prosecutor Dismissed Due to his jail-time being longer than expected, Lamb of God's tour with Dethklok and Gojira was cancelled.Lamb Of God – Tour With Dethklok And Gojira Cancelled On August 3 Randy was released from prison after 5 weeks, Lamb of God was confirmed for Knotfest.Lamb Of God – Randy Blythe Released From Czech Prison, Band To Appear At Knotfest Frontman/guitarist Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom was rushed to the hospital with stomach pains. He was released July 11 to continue the rest of the tour.Children Of Bodom's Alexi Laiho To Be Released From The Hospital The frontman/guitarist Josef "Humanoid" Vesely of death metal band !T.O.O.H.! was diagnosed with Schizophrenia.!T.O.O.H.! – Josef "Humanoid" Vesely Diagnosed With Schizophrenia Blood Stain Child parts ways with female vocalist Sophia Aslanidou. In December she is replaced by Kiki, "What makes her so unique and talented is to be able to handle both clean voice and scream voice."Blood Stain Child – Female Vocalist Sophia Leaves The BandBlood Stain Child – Announce New Vocalist Dagoba guitarist Izakar leaves the band due to "musical differences" and to focus on his other project Blazing War Machine.Dagoba – Guitarist Quits The Band Nuclear Blast "quit the copyright case" against 80 alleged file-sharers for sharing the All Shall Perish album "This Is Where It Ends". The label went ahead with the charges without the band's permission.World's Biggest Metal Label Quit Copyright Case Ministry front-man Al Jourgensen collapsed on stage during a live performance. The doctors said, "he was examined by numerous physicians and diagnosed to have had a full-system collapse due to extreme dehydration and heat exhaustion intensified by the lack of ventilation on stage at the venue. Doctors confirm via blood tests conducted that Jourgensen's alcohol blood levels were well below normal and no narcotics were found in his system." The remainder of the weeks tour dates were canceled, until Al was feeling well enough to continue the "DeFiBriLlaTouR European tour".Ministry's Al Jourgensen Hospitalized After Collapsing On Stage Baroness were caught in a terrible bus accident, where the bus fell 30 feet from a viaduct near Bath. A Facebook page statement was released as follows, "The band members of Baroness and their crew are recovering from injuries sustained after their tour bus crashed outside of Bath England early on Wednesday morning. John Baizley has broken his left arm and left leg. Allen Blickle and Matt Maggioni each suffered fractured vertebrae. All three remain in the hospital as of this writing. Pete Adams has been treated and released from the hospital. Three of the five crew members who were on the bus have also been treated and released. One member is still undergoing testing."Baroness – In Coach Crash (Update) Anthrax's song "Got The Time" was the first heavy metal song played on the planet Mars. The song "was one of several songs on NASA's wake-up playlist for the Mars Rover, Curiosity, that touched down on the Red Planet August 5th."Anthrax's "Got The Time" Wakes Up Curiosity Mars Rover Decapitated drummer Kerim "Krimh" Lechner quits the band due to "personal differences".Decapitated – Drummer Quits The Band