BraveWords.com has received the following:

The "tortured blackened doom" Georgia quartet WITHERED - who recently wrapped up a national tour with WATAIN and labelmates BOOK OF BLACK EARTH, is currently preparing for a busy spring that will see the band play three of the most significant metal festivals of the season.

First up is the inaugural Scion Rock Fest, which takes place later this month in the band's Atlanta hometown. There, Withered will play alongside MASTODON, NEUROSIS, HIGH ON FIRE and many more.

Says vocalist/guitarist Mike Thompson, "We're incredibly excited to be a part of this. Big thanks to the Scion crew (especially Adam) for inviting us to participate in this unprecedented event. Hell, I couldn't have put together a better lineup myself. I've never attended, much less performed at, a fest where there were so many bands I'd climb over my own mother to see live! This one will be truly historical for Atlanta, and for this generation of hard rock/metal fans."

Soon after, Withered will perform on day two of the 11th Annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival in Worcester, Mass., where they'll play alongside LAMB OF GOD, CHILDREN OF BODOM and many of the band's Prosthetic Records labelmates.

On the way to and from New England, the band will also play a handful of headlining shows. "It's great to be a part of this fest, as we had a blast in 2006 and can't wait to do it again," Thompson says. "The lineup looks fantastic and it'll be great to rub elbows with the likes of NAPALM DEATH, SUFFOCATION and all the other incredible bands playing. New England is one of the oldest events in extreme music, and everyone should experience it at least once in their life, so make it out if you can and have a few beers with us."

Finally, Withered was just announced as one of the participants in the inaugural Blackenedfest, which will see the band team with MAYHEM, MARDUK, CATTLE DECAPITATION and CEPHALIC CARNAGE for a month-long tour.

"We're very honored to take part in this tour," Thompson says. "Mayhem, Marduk, Cephalic and Cattle Decap are all veterans of extreme metal, and each has had a significant impact on the scene. Just being around these bands everyday will help drive our focus and performances to new levels. We'll be faced with warming up the crowds each night, but it's a welcome responsibility. It'll be great to see our fans again while also, hopefully, earning some new ones. We'll be performing selections from both of our full-length albums, and we might even pull out a new song or two just to give our dedicated fans something fresh to chew on. We'll see everyone on the road!"

Four tracks from Folie Circulaire - including a cover of NECROPHOBIC's 'Into Armageddon' - can currently be streamed on the band's MySpace page. The album was produced by Kylesa's Phillip Cope (BARONESS), and it features artwork by Paul Romano (TRIVIUM, THE ACACIA STRAIN).

Withered on tour:

Feburary

13 - Warehouse - Atlanta, GA
20 - Ground Zero - Spartanburg, SC
27 - Criminal Records - Atlanta, GA (free in-store performance)
28 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA (Scion Rock Fest)

April

15 - Sonar - Baltimore, MD
16 - Union Pool - Brooklyn, NY
17 - Palladium - Worcester, MA (New England Metalfest)
18 - The M Room - Philadelphia, PA
19 - Volume 11 - Raleigh, NC

May

21 - The Fillmore at Irving Plaza - New York, NY*
23 - Ground Zero - Spartanburg, SC*
24 - Club Firestone - Orlando, FL*
26 - Numbers - Houston, TX*
27 - White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX*
29 - Sunshine Theater - Albuquerque, NM*
30 - Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ*
31 - House of Blues - San Diego, CA*

June

2 - House of Blues - Hollywood, CA*
3 - DNA - San Francisco, CA*
4 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR*
5 - Studio Seven - Seattle, WA*
6 - Knitting Factory - Boise, ID*
7 - Gothic Theater - Denver, CO*
9 - Station 4 - St. Paul, MN*
11 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL*
12 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH*
13 - Majestic Theater - Detroit, MI*
14 - Opera House - Toronto, ON*
15 - Foufounes Electriques - Montreal, QC*

* Blackenedfest with Mayhem, Marduk, Cephalic Carnage, Cattle Decapitation

Withered - "Purification of ignorance" - LIVE