Nuclear Blast Records reports:

"Nuclear Blast is very proud to announce the 3 winners of the MySpace contest that lasted from May 2008 till October 2008. In total we got around 3,000 contenders and we want to thank EVERY BAND that has taken part in this contest! Without you this would not have been possible!

Those who didn’t win, don’t give up! You will get your chance of getting signed to a label sooner or later! We wish you good luck in finding the right home for your bands!

Last week we already announced the winners of the MySpace contest; BLACKGUARD! A young and very talented band from Quebec / Canada, who will appeal to all fans of bands like WINTERSUN, FINNTROLL, ENSIFERUM, KORPIKLAANI and CHILDREN OF BODOM, but with more aggressive vocals! The band has already built up a name in the Canadian scene with their great live shows! The band will play at Paganfest USA!

"We're all ecstatic to find out that we were chosen by Nuclear Blast as their contest winners. To be able to work with such a prestigious label is an honour and a privilege. As we head into 2009 we're all confident that this is going to be a huge year for us, and with Nuclear Blast behind us, there's no reason why it shouldn't." - Vocalist Paul Ablaze of Blackguard

Number 2 in the contest are SWASHBUCKLE from New Jersey!

Swashbuckle not only impressed us with their great crossover between thrash and punk, think of a mixture of EXODUS, ANTHRAX, SOD, SLAYER and RUNNING WILD, but also with their image. Swashbuckle are the first pirate band ever signed to Nuclear Blast!

Think Pirates of the Carribean goes Metal! Dressed up like pirates and singing pirates songs! The perfect band for every drinking party and metal festival! The band is already having a huge buzz in the USA and we are sure once the album will be out this will also happen in Europe and rest of the world! Watch out for the pirate’s flag with Jolly Roger coming to your neighbourhood!

Their new album which is already recorded is produced by Bumblefoot / GUNS N’ ROSES and will surely cause for a fresh breeze of seawind in the metal scene! See them live at Paganfest USA!

"We pirates three be proud and honoured to announce that Swashbuckle has inked an accord with Nuclear Blast Records! They have heeded the call of piracy and have prepared for conquests of pillage, plunder, and piratical metal along side our malicious high-seas hi-jinks. Here us now, world! The pirates three sail under the Nuclear Blast flag! Grab yar swords, tighten yar peglegs, 'n hide yar booty... WE BE COMIN' FOR YE!!! YARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!“ - Swashbuckle

"A few years ago I was at a bar and came across this band of over-the-top dudes dressed as pirates that just tore my face off - they immediately became one of my favorite metal bands. Since then we've done shows together, I played on their album, had them on my album and as my live band. These guys are local heroes, it's great to see them getting out there. They've earned it and deserve the best." - Ron Thal (Bumblefoot) - Guns N' Roses

Last but certainly not least are AUGURY from Quebec / Canada!

Augury is a band for all the fans out there who like their music really progressive! Think NECROPHAGIST meets DREAM THEATER meets OPETH, but with lots of other influences as well! What you should do is to check out the amazingly cool bassplaying by Forest!! Their new album was produced by JF Dagenais of KATAKLYSM and contains some of the most versatile musicianship you will ever hear! Canada has always delivered some cool technical and progressive bands and AUGURY is a prime example for this! Their new songs that we heard on MySpace blew us away and there was only one logical thing for us to do - sign them!

"When we first heard that such an important label like Nuclear Blast was interested in us , we were all really excited that we would get a real chance to show the world our "special" brand of metal , so we salute and thank Nuclear Blast for the belief and we prepare to embark the world in the journey that is called Augury."- Mathieu Marcotte / guitarist Augury

Blackguard, Swashbuckle and Augury: welcome to the Nuclear Blast family."