Rhythm-driven heavy rock band SAULT — featuring members of internationally acclaimed power metal group KAMELOT and groove metal outfit ARCANIUM, and guest appearances by members of KING DIAMOND, ONE EYED DOLL and more — will release its debut full-length album, "Seeds Of Power", on March 2, 2018. Pre-orders are now available via www.saultband.com/shop.

SAULT originally formed in 2014 as a solo project of acclaimed bassist Sean Tibbetts, who sought to write hookier metallic rock music while not in the studio or touring with his full-time band KAMELOT. After deciding to branch the project out to a full band, Tibbetts joined forces with solo guitarist/tattooist Curtis Jay, and — after an introduction via ONE EYED DOLL and SAULT guest vocalist Kimberly Freeman — linked up with singer Benjamin Riggs of groove metal group ARCANIUM. "Seeds Of Power" features the talents of two rotating drummers — Matt Thompson (KING DIAMOND) and Casey Grillo (KAMELOT).

SAULT is kicking things off with the release of a music video for the catchy heavy rock track "Adonai". The clip was filmed by Bad Trip Films and produced by Roy Warner in Detroit, Michigan.

Tibbetts says: "'Adonai' is one of my favorite songs to play. It is just flat-out raw fun. The song is about a hero running from and eventually doing battle with an ancient creature. While fighting he screams out to his god for strength, 'Adonai'. I say creature because I didn't want to use the 'D' word... dragon. There it is I said it. I didn't want it to be a dungeons-and-dragons song, so we'll go with creature."

Tibbetts offers more information about the clip: "When we set out to do the video, we all agreed to go with a performance video but with the lighting similar to the video game Goldfinger. I think Roy and his crew did a great job accomplishing the texture and lighting we were going for in the scenes.

"Viewers should note — Casey Grillo played drums on the track but couldn't make the video shoot so we asked our friend Chris Burrows to fill in on the drums. He did a great job. No surprise, since he is an amazing drummer!"

SAULT draws influence from the heyday of '90s alternative and grunge rock — ebbing and flowing with inspiration from bands like TOOL, LIVING COLOUR, SEVENDUST, SOUNDGARDEN and beyond — and accented by a further heavy metal impact. The sound is catchy and hard-hitting that will appeal to diehard rock fans and metal headbangers alike.

"Seeds Of Power" track listing:

01. Balance *
02. Guilt ^
03. Adonai ^
04. Entropy (feat. guest vocals by Kimberly Freeman of One Eyed Doll) *
05. Fragile ^
06. Peaceful Moment ^
07. Save Myself ^
08. Last Man Standing *
09. Null Space *

* feat. guest drummer Matt Thompson (KING DIAMOND)
^ feat. guest drummer Casey Grillo (KAMELOT)

"Seeds Of Power" was recorded using the power of the Internet, with different members recording their parts in Florida, Kentucky, Colorado and Texas. The album was then produced, mixed and mastered by Oliver Palotai (KAMELOT, ULI JON ROTH, DORO) in Stuttgart, Germany. Vocal tracking is credited to Adam Stewart of ARCANIUM and additional vocal edits were made by Jason Sewell of ONE EYED DOLL. Contributing writers on the album include Kole Kruger, Vic DeLeon and Jeff Garner.

Longtime NIGHTWISH bandmates Marco Hietala and Tarja Turunen performed live together for the first time in 12 years during this past Thursday's (December 14) "Raskasta Joulua" concert at the Elenia Areena in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"Raskasta Joulua", which translates to "Heavy Christmas," is an all-star symphonic Christmas rock project which consists of Finland's leading heavy metal vocalists and musicians.

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH mainman Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

Dutch singer Floor Jansen made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH in October 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon.

As a member of NIGHTWISH, Turunen released five albums, as well as three live albums, one EP and fourteen singles between 1997 and 2005.

Ozzy Osbourne joined ROYAL MACHINES on stage last night (Saturday, December 16) at The Roxy in West Hollywood, California to perform six songs, including "I Don't Know" and the BLACK SABBATH classics "Paranoid" and "Iron Man". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

ROYAL MACHINES is the "all-star covers fun-times band" featuring former CAMP FREDDY members Dave Navarro (JANE'S ADDICTION, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), Billy Morrison (ex-THE CULT bassist), Donovan Leitch (son of legendary folk singer Donovan), and Chris Chaney (JANE'S ADDICTION, ALANIS MORRISETTE), alongside frequent CAMP FREDDY collaborator, singer Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY), and acclaimed drummer Josh Freese (THE VANDALS, DEVO, A PERFECT CIRCLE).

Morrison, the MACHINES' musical director, is good friends with Ozzy, who made an appearance on Billy's 2015 solo album, "God Shaped Hole".

"I have never asked Ozzy for anything, which is possibly why I'm one of his closest friends," Morrison told Yahoo! Music. "I see him all the time and we text each other every day. I hadn't texted him in a few days and he sent me a message, saying, 'Where the fuck are you?' And I said, 'I'm working on a solo album.' And the next text from him was, 'Well, I want to sing a song on your solo album.' I thought, 'Yeah, that would be great, mate.' I really didn't think too much about it."

Finnish troll/folk metal band Verikalpa released their fist music video, "Tyrmä". The song is taken from their upcoming debut album, Taistelutahto, to be released February 16th by Inverse Records. 

From Inverse Records:

Verikalpa is a troll / beer-metal band from the Northern city of Oulu in Finland. They combine groovy riffs and rhythms with twisted folk melodies with a very Finnish touch. The lyrics are in Finnish and more specifically in the accent of Oulu. The songs are tales about drinking, hangovers, trolls, and of course bloodspattered eternal battles. Verikalpa is formed by six musicians from bands such as Catamenia and Quake The Earth, and this experienced group of musicians deliver their music with a firm touch and with an energetic live show.

Verikalpa has been in existence for many years but they decided to take their time in polishing their musical atmosphere and concept so that the band was truly ready to hit the stages and recording studios with a complete product. Taistelutahto was thus recorded in the Surf-Sound studio in Oulu with the mastermind Janne Huotari, who whipped out all that the guys had to give. After pouring everything they had to the album it was finally mastered by Svante Forsbäck of Chartmakers and so Taistelutahto (translated: Battlewill) was born.

Verikalpa has concentrated in composing, rehearsing and recording for the past six months but they are no strangers to the stages of Finland. For example they played a very successful show with Primordial in Helsinki. The guys received a lot of good feedback by the metal medias and audiences and this gave them a foothold in the music-scene of Finland.

Taistelutahto tracklist:

"Viimiseen Asti"
"Tyrmä"
"Neidonryöstäjä"
"Kuoppajaiset"
"Pahan Laulu"
"Verijuhula"
"Taistelutahto"
"Viinapiru"
"Kuoleman Suo"
"Rautatammi"

Line-up:

Vocals - Jani Ikonen
Bass - Sami Knuutinen
Keys - Jussi Sauvola
Guitars - Jussi Heikkilä
Guitars - Janne Niva
Drums - Aleksi Heiskanen

Razor guitarist Dave Carlo has checked in via Twitter and revealed the band is gearing up to record a new album entitled Cycle Of Contempt.

Razor's most recent release was Razor Live in 2016. Prior to that they released Decibels in 1997.

The band has also been confirmed to play the 10th Anniversary True Thrash Fest 2018 in Osaka, Japan in February.  

 

Hollywood-based shock rock frontrunners, Salems Lott, have been making a name for themselves on the Sunset Strip since their inception in 2013, selling out venues such as House Of Blues, The Whisky A Go Go, The Roxy and Viper Room countless times. Performing a heavy speed metal sound mixed with shocking theatrics and an even more surprising look, the band have amassed fans from here to Japan with their antics and sound.

With the recent release of part one of their new two-part album series, Mask Of Morality, the band delved into socially-conscious themes on individualism, values, morality and current politics. One of the more eye-opening tracks on the album, entitled "Enigma", focuses on freedom of speech on both sides of the societal coin.

They have released an official video for "You Can't Hide From The Beast Inside", available below.

Directed by Ian Moore, frontman Monroe Black comments: "The video features an original interpretation of a cult classic, it depicts the dangers of succumbing to darker temptations in contrast to sublimating and accepting those same 'beastly' aspects of humanity and channeling them into creativity."

Salems Lott is:

Monroe Black - Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar
Jett - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Kay - Lead Bass, Vocals
Tony F. Corpse - Drums

(Photo - Hector Puig)

Due to "recent issues and injury," KATATONIA, the Swedish purveyors of dark progressive rock/metal, go on a "short-term hiatus" following their upcoming rescheduled shows in the Baltics and Russia in February/March. Those dates will now mark the end of the touring cycle for the band's latest album, "The Fall Of Hearts", which came out in 2016.

Says KATATONIA in a statement: "We need to take some time out to re-evaluate what the future holds for the band. Unfortunately, this will affect the live dates in Norway, Germany, Spain and Poland, and we are deeply sorry for any inconvenience caused."

"The Fall Of Hearts" was released in May 2016 via Peaceville. The follow-up to 2012's "Dead End Kings" was recorded at Stockholm's Studio Gröndahl & Tri-lamb studio, and was produced by Anders Nyström and Jonas Renkse. Mixing and mastering duties were carried out by Jens Bogren (OPETH, IHSAHN, DEVIN TOWNSEND) at Fascination Street Studios, with Karl Daniel Lidén (SWITCHBLADE, THE OCEAN, GREENLEAF) brought in as engineer. The dramatic-yet-desolate artwork was created by longtime KATATONIA designer and illustrator Travis Smith.

"The Fall Of Hearts" was the first KATATONIA record to feature new drummer Daniel "Mojjo" Moilanen and guitarist Roger Öjersson (TIAMAT), who came in just in time to sprinkle some blistering solos on the album.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS plan to mostly stay off the road in 2018 and begin writing new music. Asked about the group's plans for the new year, drummer Chad Smith told ABC Radio: "We're just gonna take a break for the rest of this year, and then we'll start up [and] probably write some more songs next year. Hopefully [we'll] make a record at some point. That's the plan."

Following a benefit that took place Thursday night (December 14) in San Francisco to raise money for wildfire relief, the CHILI PEPPERS are only scheduled for now to headline three Lollapalooza festivals in Argentina, Chile and Brazil next March.

Other than that, Smith said: "There's not gonna be any more touring next year, really," adding, "We're just concentrating on writing more songs and getting better and trying to keep doing what we’re doing, 'cause we love it."

Singer Anthony Kiedis told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that every record the CHILI PEPPERS have released is special to the band in its own way. "I feel like every record we make is a milestone," he said. "Every record we make sums up where we've been and where we're at when we make it. They all strike me as being very poignant indicators of who and what we are at that point in time."

The California quartet spent much of 2017 touring in support of their 11th studio album, 2016's "The Getaway".

The official lyric video for "Out Of The Darkness", a brand new song from WITHIN TEMPTATION frontwoman Sharon Den Adel's solo project, called MY INDIGO, can be seen below. The track is taken from MY INDIGO's self-titled debut album, which will be released on April 20, 2018.

The singer announced the new project's existence via a video message on Facebook in which she described the MY INDIGO material as "very personal" and revealed that composing the songs was a therapeutic experience that helped he deal with an undisclosed family "crisis."

She said in a statement: "For many years, we've been touring and every time we came home, I used to start writing songs almost immediately and was happy to do so. After the last tour, I tried to do the same, but it wasn't the same. Eventually I found myself in a crisis which was bigger than just not being able to write songs. The years of touring and working under a certain pressure took its toll and besides that there were things in my personal life I had to deal with.

"I really took time off, but when I started writing again, it was something totally different than WT, but this was what I needed and I embraced it. One song led to another and it turned into a whole album. I gave it a name and it's called MY INDIGO. MY INDIGO is about my journey these last few years and I would like to share it with you.

"MY INDIGO is not at all like WITHIN TEMPTATION and it wasn't meant to be that at all. I wrote it first of all for myself, but nevertheless I hope you'll enjoy it as well!"

"My Indigo" track listing:

01. My Indigo
02. Indian Summer
03. Out Of The Darkness
04. Star Crossed Lovers
05. Crash And Burn
06. Someone Like You
07. Black Velvet Sun
08. Lesson Learned
09. Safe And Sound
10. Where Is My Love

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS have released the official lyric video for their new single, "Meadow". Check it out below.

One-time "The X Factor" contestant Jeff Gutt made his live debut as STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' new vocalist during a SiriusXM special event on November 14 at the Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles.

"Meadow" was serviced to radio that same week and was performed live for the first time during the Troubadour show.

Gutt, who was a runner-up in the reality TV music competition show's third season, originally auditioned for STP in September 2016 and became an official member of the band in May 2017. He has spent the last year secretly writing and recording new material with bandmembers Dean DeLeo, Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz.

Robert DeLeo said that he first found out about Gutt while he was on the road with the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES. Robert explained: "We were playing ... up in Detroit, which is where [Jeff is] from. And after the show, there was a musician who said, 'Hey, man, you should check this guy out.' And that's where I kind of heard of him first."

Gutt recalled how he got to audition for the band, saying: "I can't remember what song it was, but a STONE TEMPLE PILOTS song came on the radio. So I called my buddy in New York who knows everybody in the music industry, and I was like, 'Hey, did they ever find a singer?' And he was like, 'You know what? I'll send 'em your stuff right now.' And three days later, I got a call."

Gutt added that he felt like he had the job before even trying out, explaining: "You have to be confident . . . I know what I'm doing. I've studied my craft. I've studied [original STP singer] Scott [Weiland] and the people Scott studied, and other singers of the era. I've really put in a lot of time into that, and if you're not willing to do all of that, you're not gonna be on the level to even be around these guys."

Gutt appeared on "The X Factor" in 2013, where he impressed the judges with his covers of songs like "Creep", "Dream On" and "Hallelujah".

STP had been without a vocalist since November 2015, when Chester Bennington — who joined the group in early 2013 — departed to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide last July.

Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose while on a solo tour.

Rob Halford of British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST has shared the letter his band received from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame informing them that they failed to make the 2018 class of Rock Hall inductees.

BON JOVI, DIRE STRAITS, THE MOODY BLUES, THE CARS and Nina Simone will all be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next year. Sister Rosetta Tharpe will be given an Early Influence award.

Despite having been eligible for induction since 1999, JUDAS PRIEST was only nominated for the first time this year.

During a December 13 interview with Mark and Neanderpaul of the 100.7 KSLX radio station in Phoenix, Arizona, Halford revealed that he learned about PRIEST being passed over for Rock Hall in a text from the band's management. He then read the e-mail he received from the Rock Hall formally letting him know that his band would not be inducted in 2018.

The full text of the e-mail is as follows:

"Thank you for embracing your nomination for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. While you didn't garner enough votes for induction this year, you were part of a very select group of Hall Of Fame nominees.

"Artists are frequently on the ballot multiple times before they are inducted. For example, BLACK SABBATH were nominated eight times before their induction, Patti Smith seven times, Solomon Burke nine times, and both the BEASTIE BOYS and THE YARDBIRDS were on the ballot three times before their respective inductions.

"If you are touring or simply traveling nearby, please visit our museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Our six floors of exhibitions tell the remarkable history of rock and roll and how it changed the world. You're part of that story and we'd love to share it with you.

"Again, congratulations on your nomination.

"My best, Greg Harris, president and CEO of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame."

Asked if he would like to see PRIEST inducted into the Rock Hall, Rob responded: "Personally, I would love it, yeah. I've said it before, I think we deserve it. We've put our 10,000 hours in and more. And beyond that, we just feel that heavy metal music deserves more space on the shelf at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame."

Adding that he and his bandmates "were thrilled and honored to be even nominated," Halford admitted that it's "kind of bittersweet" to find out that they wouldn't be inducted next year. "We got the nomination, which is something of a recognition for the work that you've done, but we didn't quite get in this time. But I'm hopeful that eventually we'll get some more metal [in there]."

The 33rd annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will be held at Cleveland's Public Hall on April 14, 2018. An edited version will air later on HBO and there will be a radio broadcast on SiriusXM. Ticket details will be announced in the near future.

Ballots were sent to a voting group of more than 1,000 artists, historians and music-industry professionals.

The public was invited to participate again this year in the fan vote, which drummed up record numbers with more than 6.8 million votes cast. (Of those, 1.1 million were for BON JOVI.) The top five artists made up a fan's ballot, which counted as a single vote.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible 25 years after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Despite being eligible for induction since 1999 — 25 years after the release of its first disc — KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until last year.



*Rob Halford* of JUDAS PRIEST with MARK & NEANDERPAUL

*ROB HALFORD* of JUDAS PRIEST shares his "REJECTION LETTER" from the 'ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME' with Mark & NeanderPaul on 100.7 KSLX, Phoenix. MUST SEE!!! (Video by Kenny HB Johnson)

Posted by Mark & Neanderpäul on Thursday, December 14, 2017

"Without You", a solo song from legendary rocker Rick Parfitt of STATUS QUO fame, can be streamed below.

When the awful news broke on Christmas Eve 2016 that Parfitt had passed, fans around the world were devastated that one of rock's most iconic performers had been silenced.

However, unknown to almost anyone, Parfitt had, in fact, virtually completed his first solo album whilst undergoing a period of recuperation after his heart attack in July.

That album, poignantly titled "Over And Out", will now be released on March 23 through earMUSIC.

Featuring 10 brand new songs, including the title track that broke hearts anew when it was played at Parfitt's funeral, this is an album of depth and passion. Created by Parfitt and producer Jo Webb, the record is a true labor of love and showcases the softer side of Parfitt as a writer, artist, and performer away from the QUO maelstrom, as well as the purest rock 'n' roll sound of earlier STATUS QUO records.

Despite the fact Parfitt had finished recording his guitar and vocal parts, a recording session was planned for February 2017. Certain tracks were not totally finished when Parfitt died. The call to help ensure that his work could be completed, so that the world could hear it, was answered by musicians of the caliber of QUEEN's Brian May and MUSE's Chris Wolstenholme, both of whom were close to Parfitt.

His son, Rick Parfitt Jr., was also involved in the creative process, as were John "Rhino" Edwards and Alan Lancaster, amongst many others. All of those involved in completing the songs that Parfitt had written for "Over And Out" have done him proud in bringing his vision to fruition.

Parfitt's music always featured two elements — the raw rock 'n' roll sound and a great passion for melodies. "Over And Out" offers the best of both worlds: It has been recorded and written with a band's spirit between Parfitt and Webb. They shared various mixes, reflecting the sound of the sessions and the spirit that was present in the "room."

The album has also been mixed by top producer Ash Howes, offering a different view on the songs but also leaving a dilemma open for interpretation: Which one would Parfitt prefer?

The polished, big sounding mixes or the original band mixes, raw and full of musical honesty?

Those who were close enough to him over the years would probably say: "Both."

This is why the album will be available in its "finished" form, but also as a raw and pure version, for the fans of the rockier side of Parfitt's music in special collector's editions.

"Over And Out" track listing:

01. Twinkletoes
02. Lonesome Road
03. Over And Out
04. When I Was Fallin In Love
05. Fight For Every Heartbeat
06. Without You
07. Long Distance Love
08. Everybody Knows How To Fly
09. Lock Myself Away
10. Halloween

This album is the record that Parfitt had been itching to write. His forced departure from QUO's live performance circuit, while very hard for him to take, did at least free up the time that was needed to create "Over And Out".

The album is but the latest element of the incredible legacy and body of work that Parfitt leaves. A testament to his talent, his winning way with words, an incredible joie de vivre, and a spirit that never flagged. He'll be missed but "Over And Out" is a great way to remember him — gone but not forgotten.

Before the symphonic black metal legends DIMMU BORGIR finally return to the spotlight with their highly anticipated ninth studio album in spring 2018, the Norwegians now unleash the re-releases of their early classics on vinyl. From their raw and ground-breaking debut 1994's "For All Tid" to "Death Cult Armageddon", which saw them hit No. 2 in the Norwegian album chart, you can now get new pressings of their long-sold-out vinyl in different colors.

The following LPs will be released on December 22:

* "Death Cult Armageddon" (2 LP black vinyl)
* "Death Cult Armageddon" (2 LP silver - mailorder exclusive!)
* "For All Tid" (2 LP black vinyl)
* "For All Tid" (2 LP orange vinyl)
* "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant" (black vinyl)

These LPs will see the light of day on February 23:

* "Spiritual Black Dimensions" (black vinyl)
* "Spiritual Black Dimensions" (mint vinyl - mailorder exclusive!)
* "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" (2 LP black vinyl)
* "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" (2 LP blue vinyl - mailorder exclusive!)
* "Stormblåst" (LP + 7'' EP, black vinyl)
* "Stormblåst" (LP + 7'' EP, clear vinyl - mailorder exclusive!)

You can currently pre-order them all here.

DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Sven Atle Kopperud (a.k.a. Silenoz) told Metal Shock Finland about the band's upcoming long-awaited follow-up to 2010's "Abrahadabra" album: "We feel that we're sitting on the best album that we could possibly do at this time, and personally, I think it's definitely our best album to date. Obviously, that's something that everybody says, but if I didn't believe that we would do our best album, there wouldn't really be any point doing a new one. So, yeah, I'm really excited about it, and I know that quite a few fans will probably be positively surprised. And, yeah, we can't wait to get this stuff off the ground and get going."

Silenoz told Rock 'N' Roll Journalist this past summer that all the writing on the new DIMMU BORGIR album was done by the core trio of Silenoz, vocalist Shagrath and guitarist Galder. "We had a little bit of assistance from the keyboard player, but it was less on this album than it was on the previous one," Silenoz said. "That seems to be working best and it means there's less cooks in the kitchen. [Laughs]"

As for the musical direction of DIMMU BORGIR's next effort, Silenoz, said: "I think it's safe to say that [the parts that are] more epic and majestic are more epic and majestic, and the same goes for the brutal sound of DIMMU and also the primitive and more black metal sound of DIMMU is more black metal this time around. So you will have the more extremes of each part that we are known for."

DIMMU BORGIR's latest release was the "Forces Of The Northern Night" DVD, which was made available in April via Nuclear Blast. The set contains two of the band's live performances: their legendary show in Oslo, presenting DIMMU BORGIR on stage with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and a bombastic choir, as well as their entire performance at Wacken Open Air festival in 2012 in Wacken, Germany with almost a hundred musicians on stage.

Fan-filmed video footage of GWAR's entire December 9 concert at Limelight Eventplex in Peoria, Illinois can be seen below.

GWAR is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "The Blood Of Gods", which was released on October 20 via Metal Blade. The disc was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Ronan Chris "Lord God" Murphy and was made available in standard CD, 2LP colored vinyl and digital formats.

GWAR bassist-vocalist Michael Bishop, better known as Blothar, recently told Decibel magazine about the band's musical evolution leading up to "The Blood Of Gods": "GWAR has always sort of been in this weird… I might see this different than other people, but when we started the band, GWAR at first was a band that was parodying metal. We had what we thought were really dumb songs with lyrics like 'AEIOU — these are Satan's vowels!' We were making fun of the attitude that metal had, which was really all about machismo and the big hair, and we tried to do something that was sort of a parody of metal, but the problem was we were all punk musicians and what we wound up doing was something that was kind of punk, and we found our way to metal over the years, to kind of doing it more seriously. It seemed like that's where the band fit. That's where the storyline and the songs made sense. Over the years, ever since the album 'Violence Has Arrived', they moved further down that road of being sort of a death metal band.

"This record is definitely not that. It's more of a rock and roll record. It has songs that are more like the stuff we were doing on the fourth album, where we were trying to do some different stuff, some stuff that has kind of some roots in punk rock, some roots in rock and roll, but also some stuff that really plays with different styles. GWAR never really made songs that had an Alice Cooper ballad feel to it, but we have a song like that, 'Phantom Limb', on this record. It doesn't sound like Alice Cooper, but it's always hard to explain to people how, when you listen to something, how that comes out the other end of that sausage machine. It's its own thing, but what I was listening to when we made it was [Alice Cooper's] 'Dwight Fry' and those kinds of songs. Just the idea of doing a ballad that was also kind of sinister and not maudlin."

Regarding the making of "The Blood Of Gods", Bishop said: "We had three and a half years to make it, but we didn't spend all that time working on the music. There was some stuff that had been around for a couple years that we sort of refined, but a lot of it was done sort of quickly… We wrote and recorded the record in six months. I had some material, Brent [Purgason, Pustulus Maximus] had a lot of songs, and we had to find a way… It was essentially a new band. It was a group of musicians that hadn't played, even though I'd played with Brad [Roberts, Jizmak Da Gusha] and played with Mike [Derks, Balsac the Jaws of Death] for many years, I hadn't played with Jamison [Land, Beefcake the Mighty] or Brent. Some of the time was spent just figuring out how that was going to work. Once we had an understanding, once we found a way to work, we produced some material pretty quickly.

"A lot of people participated in the making of the record. Everybody helped write the lyrics. It was definitely a communal effort. The artists, as always, had some influence on the material and what the songs were about. It was kind of an old-school GWAR record in that way. GWAR used to have records that would come out with a few different singers on the record — Sexecutioner would sing a song, and Granbo and 'The Morality Squad', songs like that where we would have our enemies sing and stuff like that. There's a little bit of that on the record."

ESCAPE THE FATE's sixth full-length album, "I Am Human", will be released on February 16, 2018 via Better Noise Records.

A lyric video for the "I Am Human" title track can be seen below.

"I Am Human" sees ESCAPE THE FATE at its most raw, real, and relatable. Helmed by Grammy Award-nominated super producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, IN FLAMES, ALL THAT REMAINS), this record sees an evolution of ESCAPE THE FATE's sound that brings the band back to the excitement of their roots.

"We're getting older, and we're changing — so our music should change with us," singer Craig Mabbitt says. "At the same time, we rediscovered what made us who we are. I felt like I was 17 years old again. I haven't been this excited to release something since I first joined the band and we put out 'This War Is Ours'."

"I Am Human" track listing:

01. Beautifully Tragic
02. Broken Heart
03. Four Letter Word
04. I Will Make It Up To You
05. Bleed For Me
06. Do You Love Me
07. I Am Human
08. If Only
09. Empire
10. Recipe For Disaster
11. Riot
12. Digging My Own Grave
13. Resistance
14. Let Me Be

ESCAPE THE FATE will be touring throughout Europe in January and February 2018.

Photo credit: Sean Edwards

"Running Away From Love", a brand new song from VOODOO CIRCLE, the band featuring PRIMAL FEAR members Alex Beyrodt (guitar), Mat Sinner (bass) and Francesco Jovino (drums), can be streamed below. The track is taken from VOODOO CIRCLE's fifth album, "Raised On Rock", which will be released on February 9 as CD, digipak and limited colored vinyl via AFM Records.

If you consider the songs on "Raised On Rock" to be an indicator of the current emotional condition their most important protagonists find themselves in, there seems to be no reason to worry about band founder, guitarist and main composer Alex Beyrodt in particular. Thanks to Beyrodt's excellent songwriting — as usual inspired by renowned sources such as WHITESNAKE, RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE, LED ZEPPELIN and Jimi Hendrix — and his outstanding guitar performance, which brings to mind icons from Ritchie Blackmore through Jimmy Page to John Sykes, this recording oozes pure, unadulterated fervor. This exuberant energy, however, isn't the merit of Beyrodt alone but, without doubt, also that of his colleagues Sinner, Jovino and — last but not least — new vocalist Herbie Langhans (AVANTASIA). Beyrodt and Langhans met in 2015 at the Wacken Open Air, when they belted out the Wacken anthem together from the gigantic Black Stage.

Says Beyrodt: "The amazing thing about this story is that Herbie and I had never met before but talked to each other in person for the very first time after we'd rocked only minutes earlier the 100,000 people in front of the stage and around four million viewers in front of their TV sets."

With Langhans as the group's new frontman, the stylistic direction of the VOODOO CIRCLE compositions hasn't significantly changed — unlike the general flair of the material. "I feel that the band sounds even more autonomous, a little less bluesy and much meatier with Herbie at the mic," Beyrodt enthuses. "This allowed me to work on ideas which would probably not really have suited his predecessor David Readman but are absolutely perfect for Herbie's powerful voice." The VOODOO CIRCLE boss is referring to numbers such as "Running Away From Love", with its anthemnic vocal melody and the subsequent midtempo rock track "Higher Love", which went down a treat with the audience at its official live debut.

Says Beyrodt: "In the beginning, the song caused me a number of sleepless nights because I felt that there was still one small, all-important element missing. Then I came up with the idea of the talk box, which lends it a different, very interesting note. To me, 'Higher Love' in its current form is one of the best VOODOO CIRCLE numbers of all time." The almost six-and-a-half-minute "Dreamchaser", with its Blackmore references, dates back to the very early days of the group. Beyrodt had originally composed it for the 2008 VOODOO CIRCLE debut album but wasn't entirely satisfied with the result at the time. "The arrangement of the number was changed and overhauled repeatedly over the years, now it's matured to the point where it was ready for recording," he says. "You Promised Me Heaven" sees Beyrodt delve deep into the Page/Sykes bag of tricks, a veritable guitar festival featuring Telecaster, Strat and Les Paul sounds which support the bluesy feel of the track, adding even greater depth.

Talking of the sound: "Raised On Rock" was mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, U.D.O.), whose unerring instinct for dynamics and frequencies lends the recording its modern touch. And another musician contributed significantly to the tight overall impression of "Raised On Rock": the keyboards were manned by Corvin Bahn (SAXON, Uli Jon Roth).

"Raised On Rock" track listing:

01. Running Away From Love
02. Higher Love
03. Walk On The Line
04. You Promised Me Heaven
05. Just Take My Heart
06. Where Is The World We Love
07. Ultimate Sin
08. Chase Me Away
09. Unknown Stranger
10. Dreamchaser
11. Love Is An Ocean
12. Time For The Innocent (bonus track on digipak)
13. There's More To See (bonus track on digipak)

Swedish black metallers WATAIN will release their new studio album, "Trident Wolf Eclipse", on January 5, 2018. The effort will be made available as an LP, standard CD, limited CD digipak, digitally as well as in a limited deluxe box set of three thousand copies. The album will also be available in a variation of different vinyl colors from selected mailorder/retail stores.

The official lyric video for the song "Sacred Damnation" can be seen below.

"After twenty years of carving our own path through and out of the world, 'Trident Wolf Eclipse' feels like a worthy point of arrival indeed," says WATAIN. "One of power and force, shining a new harsh light upon all that has been, those that perished along the way, the life altering struggle and triumphant ecstasy of WATAIN. 'Trident Wolf Eclipse' is, however, not about the past, nor the future, it is about here and now, and we sincerely look forward to show you all what that implies. To all those that are as impatient as we are for that day to come, thank you for your unending support and see you soon."

"Trident Wolf Eclipse" track listing:

01. Nuclear Alchemy (3:10)
02. Sacred Damnation (4:41)
03. Teufelsreich (4:26)
04. Furor Diabolicus (4:43)
05. A Throne Below (4:09)
06. Ultra (Pandemoniac) (4:01)
07. Towards The Sanctuary (4:54)
08. The Fire Of Power (4:42)

The "Nuclear Alchemy" single (released as a seven-inch and digitally) is available today. Order your copy from CM Distro or the band's own merchandise store Wolf Wear. This release is strictly limited to two thousand copies.

Ever since the release of their debut album Lugburz (1995) Summoning have proven themselves to be the true guardians of Middle Earth! What started out as a project deeply rooted in traditional black metal took an epic turn in the following years - evergreens like Dol Guldur (1996) and Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame (2001) bear witness to a continuously refined soundscape.

Five years after Old Mornings Dawn, Protector and Silenius have turned over a new leaf in their bottomless saga: titled With Doom We Come, Summoning finally unveil first and hotly anticipated details about their upcoming opus, which is set to be released on January 5th via Napalm Records. Watch a new video trailer below.

With Doom We Come indulges all things sublime and majestic Summoning stands for, while grandiose keyboard backgrounds and mystical intros weave pure atmosphere contrasting with raw black metal. Sagas and myths culled from J.R.R. Tolkien`s vast universe are the black blood that courses through Summoning's veins, and With Doom We Come the ultimate soundtrack to a fantastic journey!

With Doom We Come tracklisting:

“Tar-Calion”
“Silvertine”
“Carcharoth”
“Herumor”
“Barrow-downs”
“Night Fell Behind”
“Mirklands”
“With Doom I Come”

 

The historic last concert ever filmed of The Doors is now available for the first time. Eagle Rock Entertainment presents The Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 on DVD+CD, Blu-ray+CD and Digital Video on February 23rd. Pre-order here, and check out a video trailer below.

The last known unseen performance of The Doors in existence, The Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 has been completely recut and remixed, from the original film footage. Fully approved by The Doors, this previously unreleased concert was meticulously restored via the latest 21st century technology, color correcting and visually upgrading the original footage. The entire concert, which is now presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital sound, was mixed from the original multi-track audio by longtime Doors engineer / mixer / co-producer Bruce Botnick. Fans may have caught a glimpse of this performance in the 1997 Isle of Wight film Message To Love, however this DVD presents The Doors’ set with the full-length songs in maximum visual and sound quality.

The scene is August 1970… Frontman Jim Morrison’s ongoing obscenity trial, from an incident a year prior in Miami, weighs heavily on the band. “The Last Great Festival” is taking place in England, which boasted a venerable who’s who of 1970’s top acts: Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, and more…. The band touches down on the Isle of Wight. The show must go on.

The Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 captures and showcases the essence of this poignant performance, as well as offering a snapshot of the era, with footage of fans (over 600,000 in attendance) tearing down barriers and crashing the gates to gain access to the event.

The Doors hit the stage at 2 AM on August 30th, 1970, delivering a set that further proved the musical power that marked them as a beacon of the Summer of Love. In this 84-minute DVD, Morrison, organist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore traverse such staples as “Roadhouse Blues”, “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”, and “Light My Fire”. Illuminated by a mere red spotlight (the band weren’t informed that they needed to bring their own lighting equipment) gave the show an eerie crimson hue, almost echoing the figurative weight of the trial.

“Our set was subdued but very intense”, Manzarek later stated. “We played with a controlled fury and Jim was in fine vocal form. He sang for all he was worth, but moved nary a muscle. Dionysus had been shackled.”

The DVD is completed with bonus featurette “This Is The End” - 17 minutes of interviews conducted by the film’s original director, Academy Award-winning Murray Lerner with Krieger, Densmore, and original Doors manager Bill Siddons. Additional archival interview footage with Manzarek from 2002 is also included in the featurette.

The Doors made an enormous impact on the music world in their few years of existence before Jim Morrison’s passing in 1971. The Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970, which joins Eagle Rock Entertainment’s rich canon of The Doors’ films (Classic Albums: The Doors; When You’re Strange; Live At The Bowl ’68 ; Feast Of Friends ; R-Evolution ; Live In Europe 1968 ; Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story Of L.A. Woman , No One Here Gets Out Alive – The Doors’ Tribute To Jim Morrison ; and Soundstage Performances ), captures a pivotal moment in their history.

Jurassic power metal. I bet you haven't heard about this before... but don't fret, Victorius are here to show you what this is about - on their upcoming EP, entitled Dinosaur Warfare - Legend Of The Power Saurus, which will be released on January 26th via Massacre Records.

You'll find all of Victorius' trademarks - a catchy and varied songwriting, the unique voice of front man David Baßin and a plethora of up-tempo power metal smashers - on this EP. The guitars deliver melodies galore, and the drums and bass hit the pedal to the metal from the very first until the last minute.

Dinosaur Warfare - Legend Of The Power Saurus was produced and mixed by Lars Rettkowitz at KR Music Studio, and mastered by Ronny Milianowicz at StudioSeven (Scanner, Eternal Fear, Lancer, etc.). The artwork was created by Stan-W Decker, who already worked for bands like Kissin' Dynamite, Masterplan and Serious Black.

A lyric video for "Lazer Tooth Tiger" can be found below. Pre-order the EP here.

Tracklisting:

"Saurus Infernus Galacticus"
"Dinosaur Warfare"
"Legend Of The Power Saurus"
"Lazer Tooth Tiger"
"Razorblade Raptor"
"Flames Of Armageddon"

"Lazer Tooth Tiger" lyric video:

The classic-era lineup of the horror punk outfit MISFITS — Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only and Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein — is planning to enforce a strict no-cellphone policy at its upcoming reunion shows in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The AXS and Ticketmaster ticketing web sites have released an updated "phone policy" regarding the concerts, saying that: "No cellphones, smart watches, cameras or recording devices will be permitted during The Original Misfits reunion shows. These exclusive one-off performances will be completely phone-free.

"Upon arrival at the venue, all phones and smart watches will be secured in Yondr cases that will be unlocked at the end of the show. Guests maintain possession of their phones throughout the night, and if needed, may access their phones at designated Yondr unlocking stations in the lobby. Anyone caught using a cellphone during the performance will be removed from the venue. We appreciate your cooperation in creating a phone-free viewing experience."

Yondr's technology is intended to create a more organic, distraction-free concert experience. As the company says on its web site: "Yondr has a simple purpose: (To) show people how powerful a moment can be when we aren't focused on documenting or broadcasting it."

"When you enter the space you show your ticket, your phone is placed in a Yondr case, the case locks, and once your phone is in there, it's handed right back to you, [so] you never lose possession," Graham Dugoni, who founded Yondr, told KXTV-TV.

"If you're waiting for a call, that's no problem; you can keep your phone on vibrate so you'll feel it in your pocket or in your purse," he added. "You can step outside to the lobby and they'll unlock your phone there."

Other artists who have required the use of Yondr at concerts include GUNS N' ROSES, Alicia Keys, CAGE THE ELEPHANT and the comedian Dave Chappelle.

When Axl Rose reunited with his former GUNS N' ROSES bandmates, Duff McKagan and Slash, for the first time in 23 years at the Troubadour in Los Angeles in April 2016, the concert was phone-free.

"God, it was wonderful," McKagan told The New York Times. "It was the old-school feeling, where people were dancing and getting down. It was really cool."

MISFITS will perform at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 28 and at the Forum in Ingelwood, California on December 30.

Glenn Danzig reportedly has a notoriously strict no-photo policy for his concerts, and he has been known to personally enforce it over the years. In 2012, Danzig chased a photographer off stage during his set in Bonnaroo, and in 2015, he put a fan in a headlock after the fan took a picture.

METALLICA's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" has topped Billboard magazine's year-end Top Rock Albums and Hard Rock Albums charts.

The disc, which came out in November 2016, sold 1.1 million units in the 2017 chart year, the only rock album to top 800,000 units.

METALLICA also ranked as the No. 2 act on Mainstream Rock Artists for 2017. Five songs from the new album made the survey in the chart year, led by the two-week No. 1 "Atlas, Rise!" in February.

Billboard's year-end music recaps are based on chart performance between the December 3, 2016 and November 25, 2017-dated charts.

Top Hard Rock Albums Artists Of 2017

01. METALLICA
02. LINKIN PARK
03. FOO FIGHTERS
04. QUEEN
05. GUNS N' ROSES
06. NICKELBACK
07. DISTURBED
08. FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
09. LED ZEPPELIN
10. JOURNEY

Top Rock Albums Of 2017:

01. METALLICA - "Hardwired...To Self-Destruct"
02. IMAGINE DRAGONS - "Evolve"
03. TWENTY ONE PILOTS - "Blurryface"
04. Soundtrack - "Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2"
05. Soundtrack - "Suicide Squad: The Album"
06. PANIC! AT THE DISCO - "Death Of A Bachelor"
07. LINKIN PARK - "One More Light"
08. THE LUMINEERS - "Cleopatra"
09. THE ROLLING STONES - "Blue & Lonesome"
10. TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS - "Greatest Hits"

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" was certified platinum on April 12 by the RIAA (Recording Association Of America). The members of METALLICA were presented with their plaques by "executives" from their record label, Blackened Recordings, on May 17 at The New Coliseum Presented By NYCB in Uniondale, New York.

The "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" platinum certification reflected a million equivalent album units, which blends traditional album sales, tracks sold from an album and on-demand audio and video streams.

The gain in "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" sales was owed mostly to a concert ticket/album bundle sale redemption promotion with the band's stadium tour that went on sale on February 17. Redemptions of albums included with the purchase of a concert ticket registered as a sale in the week the customer redeemed/received the album.

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" debuted as expected at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart in November 2016, selling 291,000 copies in its first week of release. Both of the band's previous outings, 2008's "Death Magnetic" and 2003's "St. Anger", sold more copies in shortened sales weeks. "Death Magnetic" moved 490,000 copies in a three-day window, while "St. Anger" shifted 418,000 copies in a similar frame.

"Hardwired... To Self-Destruct" consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music.

Photo credit: Finlay MacKay

SONS OF APOLLO — the new progressive metal supergroup featuring former DREAM THEATER bandmates Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian, as well as guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-GUNS N' ROSES), bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, THE WINERY DOGS) and vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (W.E.T., TALISMAN) — will perform alongside an orchestra during their concert appearance at the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on September 22, 2018. That night, the group will perform two sets — one of which, says Portnoy, will be a "very special covers set" — and record the show for a future live CD/DVD. Tickets are available at this location.

The concert falls one year to the day that Devin Townsend — who, like SONS OF APOLLO, is managed by Andy Farrow of Northern Music — performed with an orchestra at the same venue to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of his landmark album "Ocean Machine". OPETH and PARADISE LOST, two other clients of Farrow's, have also performed orchestra-accompanied shows there the past, as have ASIA and APOCALYPTICA.

According to Wikipedia, the Roman theatre of Plovdiv — the second-largest city in Bulgaria — is one of the world's best-preserved ancient theatres. Constructed in the 1st Century, the venue has a capacity of between 5,000 and 7,000.

In a recent interview with Chile's Video Volante, Portnoy said that once he finished touring with SHATTERED FORTRESS — a group he assembled in commemoration of his 50th birthday to perform DREAM THEATER's "Twelve-Step Suite" at select shows around the world — he would turn his focus forward. "It's kind of like closure," he said. "I don't plan on revisiting DREAM THEATER material; I haven't revisited DREAM THEATER material since I left the band; so this is kind of like a one-time thing for me and the fans to finally get to experience this."

He appeared to walk back from those comments during a subsequent interview with May The Rock Be With You during SHATTERED FORTRESS's recent tour of Australia. "I'll probably revisit some of the material with SONS OF APOLLO, the stuff Derek [Sherinian, keyboards] and I did together [while in DREAM THEATER], so I mean, of course, I still have free rein to do whatever I want. If I want to revisit a song here and there, yeah, but this is safe to say this is the last time I'll do a full tour and a full show of DREAM THEATER material."

SONS OF APOLLO's debut album, "Psychotic Symphony", was released on October 20 via InsideOut Music.

TIMES OF GRACE, the collaborative project featuring KILLSWITCH ENGAGE members Jesse Leach (vocals) and Adam Dutkiewicz (guitar), has entered Signature Sound studio in San Diego, California to begin recording material for its second album, tentatively due next year. Sitting behind the drum kit during the sessions is Dan Gluszak, who previously played drums for TIMES OF GRACE on tour and has since been named an official member of the band.

Leach said earlier in the year that TIMES OF GRACE's new material was "shaping up to be a whole different world of sound and words. I will be using different melodic registers and less growl substituted by more 'melodic yelling,'" he said. "The lyrics are primarily quite melancholy so far but most of my lyrics often do begin that way and find light as the process unfolds."

Dutkiewicz previously revealed that he had demoed more than a dozen tracks for the next TIMES OF GRACE album.

TIMES OF GRACE's debut album, "The Hymn Of A Broken Man", was released in January 2011 via Roadrunner Records. The CD sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 44 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Leach told Lithium Magazine last year that "the cool thing about TIMES OF GRACE is that it's another outlet for us, and moving forward with that project, it's gonna be even more different from KILLSWITCH. There's gonna be no quote-unquote metalcore sound going on. As a matter of fact, I'm planning on not doing much aggressive vocals at all."

Dutkiewicz and Leach originally worked together on KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's benchmark album, 2002's "Alive Or Just Breathing". That record has become definitive for an entire generation of American metal, with Leach's voice and uplifting lyrics serving as one of the key elements that propelled the album to "modern classic" status. Leach left KILLSWITCH ENGAGE shortly after "Alive Or Just Breathing"'s release but rejoined the group in early 2012 following the departure of his replacement, Howard Jones.

Toundra is about to enter the studio to record their fifth studio album following the success of IV which reached an historic #2 in the Spanish charts. The new album, which will come out on InsideOut/Century Media, is still without name but already has a release date confirmed April 27th, 2018.

The band states, "2017 marked our 10th Anniversary; we spent the first half of it celebrating it onstage throughout Europe and the second one writing our fifth album. We will be recording it in Catalonia with Santi García and we have the feeling that it will turn out being a re-visitation of our origins as a band. We are coming back, and we hope you are glad about it."

The first run of European tour dates have been announced and tickets are on sale.

It has been an intense 3 years since the band got signed with Superball/Century Media in 2014, with whom they put out their most recent a lauded album, IV, (January 2015), after the first three albums that were released independently. Since then the band has performed over 100 concerts in 17 different countries with their instrumental sound combining progressive and post rock making them one of the leaders in there genre.

Nashville metal squad Dark Hound have released the second single from forthcoming album Dawning. "Carnival Of Youth" is now available for ravenous consumption below.

Nashville? Yes. Country music? Not even close. Pure, powerful, and undeniably metallic, Dark Hound have upped the ante with forthcoming album Dawning, which will be released January 19th, 2018.

Tracklisting:

“The Ashes Of Your Worth”
“Guilt Tripper”
“Carnival Of Youth”
“The Answer”
“Crisis Of Hope”
“Thrown To The Wolves”
“Stripped Away”
“Balancing Act”
“The Jagged Edge”
“Thrashgasm”
“Here Lies Truth”

“Carnival Of Youth”:

“The Ashes Of Your Worth”:

Swedish black metal band Grafvitnir have announced the December 15th Carnal Records release of new album Keys To The Mysteries Beyond. New track, "Eye Of Lucifer" is streaming below.

The driving force behind the band is, and has always been, Occultism and the never-ending quest for the enigmatic emerald of Lucifer. Just like razor sharp claws of a Werewolf move and twists against whirling moonlit Night Skies, the ice-cold blades of Occultism will tear the illusion of the demiurg's false Creation apart and fiercely widen the cracks and crevices to the ancient kingdom of Beyond. 

With the band's fifth album, Grafvitnir are back from the frostbitten shadows of Scandinavia to eternally ignite the concealed spiritual Fire of the descendants of the Serpent, and to obtain the ancient Keys To The Mysteries Beyond.

Tracklisting:

“Nidhögg”
“Keys To The Mysteries Beyond”
“Vargavinter”
“Crossing The Abyss”
“Eternity’s Glistening Black”
“Journey Into Storms”
“Unleash The Storm Of Nothingness”
“Eye Of Lucifer”
“Whispers Of The Primordial Sea”
“Glimpses Of The Unseeable”

"Eye Of Lucifer":

“Nidhögg”:

Bassists Alliance Project has announced the release of Crush this Friday, December 15th. The album is a genre-busting debut record that showcases the versatility of the bass guitar and the professionals who have honed their craft for years. From prog metal to funk and experimental, the ten original instrumentals on Crush give listeners with varied musical tastes plenty to digest, from rock-steady riffs and intriguing grooves to mind-bending solos and intense showcases of technique.

Seven-string bassist Jeff Hughell has emerged from the world of death metal to co-lead the Bassists Alliance Project and co-produce their debut album. Hughell is best known as the bassist of Six Feet Under, which recently released their critically acclaimed 12th studio album. A veteran player and solo artist with more than 20 years’ experience, Hughell embarked on a brand-new project that incorporates many influences. He teamed up with fellow bassist and progressive rock composer Alberto Rigoni of the Vivaldi Metal Project and Ardityon, and the Bassists Alliance Project was born.

Hughell and Rigoni composed most of songs on Crush, and combine talent on three tracks, including the title track that features bassist Adam Nitti. The album also includes collaborations with 10 other fiercely talented bassists: Michael Manring, Tony Grey, Scott Reeder, Brandino, Steve DiGorgio, Mark Michell, Ryan Martini, Colin Edwin, Dmitry Lisenko and Leonid Maksimov. The masterful Phil Cage drums on all tracks except the punchy “Tapping Wires,” where Maxim Rubtsov sits in. The album was mixed and mastered by Zack Ohren at Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland, CA.

The musicians in the Bassists Alliance Project represent different countries, different generations and different influences, but on Crush, they come together for one impressive musical journey. To listen and download the album, visit their Bandcamp page or you can purchase or stream on iTunes, Amazon, Google, and most other music sources.

“Evolution Theory” video:

Warrel Dane, the legendary vocalist of Sanctuary and Nevermore, has passed away, having suffered a heart attack Wednesay (December 13th) in São Paulo, Brazil. Dane was in Brazil working on his second solo album, Shadow Work. Dane's bandmates past and present, as well as former tour mates, have taken to social medai to express their sadness at losing him.

 Lenny Rutledge (Sanctuary): "Today I wake up to the news that Warrel Dane has died. I don’t even know what to say. My friend, brother and musical companion for over 30 years has passed away. I’m in total shock right now. I’m sorry for any close family or friends that had to hear the news on Facebook."

Björn Strid (Soilwork): "Rest in Peace, Warrel Dane. Peter Wichers once said said it best: He’s a fantastic singer but an even better poet. I can only agree. Our first real European Tour with Soilwork, was together with Nevermore in 2001. So many great memories and heartfelt conversations I had with Warrel on that tour (I’m sure I was not the only one). I also recall being very inspired just by hearing his voice on the soundchecks on that tour. The sports arena in Tirgu Mures, Romania, sticks out. He will truly be missed."

Curran Murphy (ex-Nevermore): "Me in 1997 on The Politics Of Ecstasy tour. This was my first time in Europe and the start of my music career. I know where I come from and how lucky I was to play guitar for this band, I worked very hard to be worthy of these four talented musicians. My heart breaks looking at this frozen moment. Thank you Vicky Heßl for this pic."

According to Brazil's UOL, Dane's guitarist, Johnny Moraes, says he was with Warrel when he began to feel bad around midnight.

"He tonight had a heart attack. It was in the flat where he stayed for the recording of the record, when it happened. I got to do cardiac massage, we called the SAMU (Mobile Emergency Care Service), who arrived very fast, but when they arrived, he had already died," said Johnny.

According to the guitarist, Dane already suffered from health problems. "His health was already very weak because of diabetes and his problems with alcoholism. He was already facing many health problems."

The report reveals that Warrel Dane had a long-standing relationship with the Brazilians, not only because of the shows. Since 2014 he has been recruiting Brazilian musicians to do some solo touring. Since Nevermore dissolved, he went on to do two European tours with the Brazilian musicians and then decided to record the new album with them.

Dane released his first solo album, Praises To The War Machine, in 2008. Now, he was already in the advanced stages of the recordings for his new album

"The record had almost all the instruments completed and we started to record the voice. Much of it was done," said Johnny. The musicians are already thinking about how to use the material for a posthumous tribute. "Maybe we can count on guests. But there's nothing official about it."

BraveWords offer our condolences to Warrel's family and friends. Stay tuned for further updates on this situation.