Cilver will release Not The End Of The World on March 18th via Entertainment One Music, the first since signing with the indie label last year. The band's own Leon Lyazidi produced the record with help from well known producer Johnny K, who executive produced.  The band is eager to release their songs to the world, the band spent a good portion of the spring locked away in Groovemaster Studios in Chicago.

"This is the perfect time to release this record," says vocalist Uliana Preotu. "A time where America is angry, frustrated, lost, but hopeful.  The songs are honest and biographical to the point that every lyric made me cry as it transported me to important and memorable moments of my life. Moments of loss and hope, moments that every citizen and immigrant can relate to."

Anchored by songwriting duo Uliana Preotu and guitarist Leon Lyazidi, the band has come a long way from their previous projects in New York City. What served as an artistic restart has turned into a runaway train of accomplishment that seems to be going faster as time goes on. The band signed a new deal with eOne Music last year.

“eOne is real," says Leon. "When we set out to launch Cilver, we were looking for people who ate, slept and bled music just like we did. eOne was clearly a cut above everyone else and we couldn’t be more excited to be part an amazing roster, led by a passionate and creative team.”

More details to follow.



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Mysterious French black metal duo, Spektr, are gearing up to release a new album entitled The Art To Disappear on January 29th via Agonia Records. Known for their experimental and mind-altering approach to extreme music, the band revealed a new song, "Through The Darkness Of Future Past". The track is streaming below.

Spektr takes delight in delivering an infinitely dark, at times psychotic aura, and transmuting the black metal reins into a loose form. Shrouded in a veil of vocalless, industrial and ambient-infected secrecy, the duo's music stands as a metaphore for a trip into the unconfortable uknown.

The band commented on the new album: "The Art To Disappear is the fifth gate opened on Spektr multiple realities, a fifth arcane to a demanding experience where putrefaction is a necessity to sublimation. A noxious feel of violent reaction generates under and over tones exploration from the terrifying to the fascinating. Never has it been such intangible in a yet grim and solid audio manifestation alleging that what you hear, like what you see is just a small corridor narrowing a larger grand design. Thus, the art as the incarnation disappearance behind the absolute. We have seen illusion and reality began to overlap and fuse... the line between them begins to disappear.”

Tracklisting:

“Again
“Through The Darkness Of Future Past”
“Kill Again”
“From The Terrifying To The Fascinating”
“That Day Will Definitely Come”
“Soror Mystica”
“Your Flesh Is A Relic”
“The Only One Here”
“The Art To Disappear”

"Through The Darkness Of Future Past”:

The Art To Disappear will be available in:

- 3 panel digipack CD with booklet
- transparent while splatter LP (with black and grey marks) + A2 poster and patch
- black haze LP with A2 poster
- T-shirt

Pre-orders here.



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Germany power metal outfit, Fireleaf, will release their debut album on February 19th via Massacre Records.
 
The concept album, entitled Behind The Mask, deals with the fictitious story of the so-called King Of Madness - all presented in a kick-ass package consisting of sound, lyrics and artwork. Michael Vetter of Menschbilder is responsible for the cover artwork.

Further album details to be released soon.



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Swedish thrash/death metal outfit, Dethrone, will release their new album, Incinerate All, via Massacre Records on January 22nd. Incinerate All was recorded, mixed and mastered by Dennis Åhman at Shimmer Studios in Sweden. Joakim Vestlund is responsible for the cover artwork.

Tracklisting:

“Reborn In Fire”
“The Plague Carrier”
“Rat King”
“Morbid Existence”
“Spiritual Deception”
“Where Darkness Dwells”
“I Am God”
“Failure”
“Dawn Of Demise”
“The Inevitable End”

Album preview:

"Failure" lyric video:

The hard-hitting quintet was formed in the summer of 2011 and released their first EP in October 2011. They aim to serve intense and straightforward Swedish metal, inspired by bands such as Defleshed, The Crown or the early The Haunted.

 
Being hand-picked by Sweden's Close-up Magazine as the best unsigned band in Sweden, Dethrone were invited to play at Gothenburg's Metaltown Festival in June 2012. The band's debut album, Humanity, was released in March 2013 and received great reviews, just like the EP.

 



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Croatian death metal act Infernal Tenebra will release their fourth album, As Nations Fall, on January 22nd via Massacre Records. The track “Suspension Of Disbelief” is streaming below.

The new album was produced by vocalist/guitarist Darko Etinger, and mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Orebro, Sweden. The artwork, designed by Gustavo Sazes, reflects the album's theme perfectly: society's dysfunctional void of conscience, where human rights are just a phrase, and no one respects life's true values.
 
Darko comments: "We feel that As Nations Fall is the strongest record we've ever done, because it contains some of the best ideas we’ve come up with. There’s a great variety on the album, from extreme to melodic and clean, in a form that is cohesive and fluid. Building on the strong foundation of our previous album New Formed Revelations, we’ve enhanced the drumming parts, strengthened the interplay between guitars and widened the vocal arrangements."

Tracklisting:

“The Seventh Seal”
“Catharsis”
“Suspension Of Disbelief”
“As Nations Fall”
“Cross The Line”
“Legally Insane”
“The End Justifies The Means”
“The Serpents Crawl”
“Black Sun”

“Suspension Of Disbelief”:



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Tonight's (Wednesday, December 2) KING DIAMOND show at Brady Theater in Tulsa, Oklahoma has been canceled because the band's lead singer and namesake is "suffering from a severe case of acute laryngitis." An official statement reads as follows: "[King] was examined by a doctor [Tuesday] afternoon, and during the exam an anesthetic was used together with a laryngoscope. Not long after that, he had an extreme sensitivity reaction to the anesthetic no one had a chance to foresee, which he is still recovering from."

For ticket refunds, please contact your place of purchase.

KING DIAMOND filmed the November 25 and November 28 live shows in Philadelphia and Detroit, respectively, for the band's forthcoming DVD. The set is being helmed by director Denise Korycki (CANNIBAL CORPSE, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), and will include additional footage from multiple shows throughout the trek.

KING DIAMOND is performing its classic second album, 1987's concept effort "Abigail", in its entirety on the band's current U.S. tour. Support on the trek, which began on October 29 and will run through December 5, is coming from legendary San Francisco Bay Area thrash metallers EXODUS.

In a 2014 interview with Revolver magazine, King stated about his group's current lineup: "As a band, we look better than we ever have before and we sound better than we ever have before. For me personally, my voice has never been this good. It's been about four years since the triple bypass. A lot of stuff had to be done. I'm breathing differently and I had to learn how to breathe again because they collapse your lungs for the operation. The rehab and everything else, you know, and cutting smoking out — that really has done something to my voice that blew me away. I cannot believe that today it is easier for me to sing all those notes than it was. I feel confident going on tour, knowing we're going to give our fans something they will never forget. I know they will never forget this. There's so much to take it that it's a heavy impression to give."

A new clip that purports to "challenge" President Obama's recent claim that he is not the lead singer of KORN can be seen below. The mash-up video uses wording from President Obama's various speeches and public appearances and splices them all together so it appears as though he is actually singing the KORN song "Freak On A Leash".

While awarding the Medal Of Honor at the White House on November 12, to a former Army captain who tackled a suicide bomber in Afghanistan and was badly injured in the August 2012 attack, President Obama recounted a moment during Florent Groberg's recovery when he thought he was hallucinating because KORN singer Jonathan Davis appeared at his bedside.

The President then said: "Flo thought, 'What's going on? Am I hallucinating?' Today, Flo, I want to assure you you are not hallucinating. You are actually in the White House. Those cameras are on, [and] I am not the lead singer from KORN."

Groberg, who needed 33 surgeries to save his leg after tackling the bomber, is the tenth living service member awarded the nation's highest honor for battlefield bravery in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Davis, who happened to be visiting military bases abroad when he met Groberg, told Rolling Stone that he was "shocked and taken aback" by the Obama namecheck. He recalled: "I was asleep and then around six or seven in the morning, my phone starts going off. I look over and someone had just texted me 'The president just said your name during this Medal Of Honor ceremony.' I'm just like 'whatever' and went back to sleep, but [my phone] kept going."

He added: "I couldn't believe it. It's really cool. The President of the United States gave me props for being there for a Medal Of Honor recipient. Groberg went through hell."

Groberg is now medically retired from the Army. Three service members and a foreign service officer were killed in the blast, with Groberg being the only one who survived the attempt at stopping the bomber. He shares the Medal Of Honor with the four deceased military members.

"I talk to a lot of vets who come back and are hurt," Davis said. "They're in disbelief and depressed but happy that they're home. It's amazing just to put a smile on their face."

Finland-based thrashers, Lost Society, will release their third record, Braindead, on February 12th via Nuclear Blast. The band have revealed the cover artwork for the album, created again by Jan Meininghaus (Bolt Thrower, U.D.O.).

Mastermind Samy Elbanna states: "Jan really nailed it again! We were stoked to have the dude illustrate the cover of the new album, and I think he really captured the theme of the album in this cover. A mentally deranged topless chick in a psych ward with the LxSx logo carved on her back, what could be more brutal?! The idea is pretty simple, in many ways Braindead talks about all kinds of f*cked up scenarios and of how we're trapped in this braindead society. Cheers to Jan!"

Jan Meinighaus adds: "When I had another look at it today, I really liked the old school appeal of it. In combination with the given logo everything reminds me of the classic releases I loved in the late 80s. It sure looks a bit “airbrushed“ and over the top, but that’s exactly what I like about it in comparison to a lot of nowadays’ artworks that should be movie posters or video game covers rather than thrash metal art."

The band have also released the first part of their studio video series. Check it out below:

You can already pre-order the exclusive NB-Mailorder Editions of the new album here.

Lost Society are scheduled to perform on December 7th at Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland.

 



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Deadhead Syndicate, the debut album of Germany’s Septagon, will be released on February 5th via Cruz Del Sur Music.

Septagon is the creature of Lanfear’s mastermind and guitarist Markus “Ulle” Ullrich, who joined forces with Atlantean Kodex vocalist Markus Becker in 2013 to form an old-school band that blends the aggression of Exodus, Slayer and Testament with the melodic and technical appeal of bands like Forbidden, Heathen, Realm and Watchtower. Expect fast, technical tracks, mid paced stuff and good hooklines.

Check out the lyric video for “Unwanted Company” below. Deadhead Syndicate will be released on CD, vinyl and digitally.

Tracklisting:

“Ignite The Apocalypse”
“Revolt Against The Revolution”
“Exit…Gunfire”
“Ripper”
“Septagon Conspiracy”
“Henchman Of Darkness”
“Deadhead Syndicate”
“Unwanted Company”
“Secret Silver Panorama Machine”

“Unwanted Company” lyric video:

Lineup:

Markus Becker – vocals
Markus Ullrich – guitars
Stef Binnig-Gollub – guitars
Alexander Palma – bass
Jürgen Schrank - drums



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Italian melodic power/folk metal act Elvenking have announced their first ever live CD/DVD, The Night Of Night, out December 4th in Europe and January 22nd in North America via AFM Records. Watch “Seasonspeech” from the upcoming release, streaming below.

Recordings for The Night Of Nights took place in their hometown of Pordenone, Italy. The set will be released as a DVD/2CD digipak, including the full show (over 2 hours of music), and the DVD will contain six official video clips.

The cover art was made by artist Samuel Araya:

Tracklisting:

CD1
“The Manifesto”
“Trows Kind”
“The Wanderer”
“Runereader”
“Pagan Revolution”
“She Lives At Dawn”
“Jigsaw Puzzle”
“Elvenlegions”
“The Cabal”
“A Prayer To Cernunnos”
“Moonbeam Stone Circle”
“Symohn’s Bash”
“From Blood To Stone”
“Skywards”
“Disillusion’s Reel”

CD2
“Elven Aftermath”
“Seasonspeech”
“Through Wolf’s Eyes”
“The Divided Heart”
“Neverending Nights”
“The Winter Wake”
“Era Theme”
“The Loser”
“The Oak Woods Bestowed”
“Pagan Purity”

“Pagan Revolution”:



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New Haven, Connecticut hardcore giants HATEBREED have renewed their relationship with Nuclear Blast by signing a brand new, worldwide deal with the label. The group previously released its last album, "The Divinity Of Purpose", through Nuclear Blast in Europe, and now the band has chosen to expand its partnership with the company by including North America in the contract.

Comments HATEBREED vocalist Jamey Jasta: "HATEBREED signing to Nuclear Blast worldwide could not come at a better time and we're extremely excited to get this new album out and commence the world tour in 2016 and 2017! Our diehards have been patiently waiting for headline dates and new songs. We can't wait for everyone to hear what we have been working on!"

HATEBREED is currently in the studio with longtime producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, SUICIDE SILENCE, WHITECHAPEL) recording its new album for a spring 2016 release. The CD will be mixed by Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH and GOJIRA.

"The Divinity Of Purpose" sold 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 20 on The Billboard 200 chart. The cover artwork was created by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS, GWAR).

Infamous extreme metal instigators, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, have returned with the first in a series of four EPs designed to decimate your total being. Led by the distinctive howl of vocalist Kat Katz, Agoraphobic Nosebleed has unleashed a crushing, three-song onslaught of misanthropic, musical violence.

Simply titled Arc, the over twenty-five-minute long sludge-fueled feast finds Agoraphobic Nosebleed sounding heavier, doomier and more destructive than ever before. Believe it. Each EP in the series will represent the musical influences and tastes of each member. Details on the others will be revealed at a later date. Arc will be officially unveiled on January 22nd.

Arc tracklisting:

“Not A Daughter”
“Deathbed”
“Gnaw”

Trailer:

In related news and in conjunction with the release of Arc, both Agoraphobic Nosebleed's Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope and Altered States Of America full-lengths will be available on vinyl for the first time in over a decade.
 
Sample the trailer below:

An overwhelming, concentrated outpouring of perceptual stimuli, Agoraphobic Nosebleed's second full-length, the 2002-issued Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope, referenced the glory days of early '00s grindcore while disregarding the genre's current ideals, becoming one of the most talked-about grindcore records in recent history. The album and band were featured in numerous high-profile media outlets. Perhaps Frozen Corpse's best description came from vocalist J. Randall who surmised, "Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope is like ripping through back catalog Earache blastbeat shit armed with a submachine gun at 400 rounds per minute."
 
While the fires left burning in Frozen Corpse's wake were still smoldering, Agoraphobic set to work on a concept so bizarre, no one would believe it. With a focused mindset, and a plethora of mind-confounding ideas, the band wrote and recorded Altered States Of America, a 100-track three-CD set. Initially released on April Fools Day, 2003, Altered States Of America delivered the most ambitious Agoraphobic Nosebleed yet: completely inhuman music with a consummate disregard for its listener. Round after round, clip after clip, Agoraphobic Nosebleed unloaded an arsenal of stupefying guitar work, experimental noise and drum machine-gun blast beats while swarming vocalists hatefully taunted the listener into the crossfire. Initially released as a 10", Altered States Of America will receive the 12" treatment for the first time ever.
 
Arc, along with the vinyl editions of Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope and Altered States Of America, will be available on January 22nd. Physical preorders are available now here. Desirers of the digitals, head here.



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Hammheart Records will release the new Cirith Gorgor album Visions Of Exalted Lucifer in February 2016.  The artwork was created by Metastazis (Watain, Behemoth, Amorphis) and reflects the lyrics and mood on Visions Of Exalted Lucifer perfectly.

The album will be available in the following formats:

Digibook 2CD - Includes the album and their Mystic Legends... demo from 1997 on a separate disc. This version is limited to 500 copies. Mandatory for any self-respecting diehard fan.

Vinyl - With an exclusive vinyl only track, high quality sleeve, 180 gram black vinyl! Also available is an exclusive version on gold 180 gram vinyl, in the Hammerheart webstore exclusively. Limited to 400 black copies and 100 gold copies, mandatory for lovers of the dark arts on black wax.

Cassette - A limited edition of 300 copies on cassette.

Jewelcase CD - The regular, unlimited jewel cased edition on CD.

Album teaser:



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Northern Germany's infernal extreme metal duo, Mantar, have inked a worldwide record deal with Nuclear Blast.

Commented the band: "We never had any plans to think this big with the band, but for some strange reason people seem to dig it. Within just two years we got the chance to play shitloads of shows all over Europe and the USA and meet people from all over the world. Actually, we were not even 100% sure if we wanted to do another record, but there were so many people out there who were begging for more that we just gave it a shot. Well, here we are... Glad to have found a powerful partner that puts trust in the band, respects our DIY background and is able to finally poison the whole world with our records. Never stop the madness!"

Added Nuclear Blast head of A&R and label manager Andy Siry: "Mantar is the band we've been waiting for. Their sheer brutality and passion for honest and deep darkness just blew us away from the get-go. When we met it was just love at first sight. Mantar is as genuine as it gets - on a musical as well as on a personal level. So, in today's musical environment of copycats and polished plastic recordings you can tell we're super excited to be working with a band that is as unique as visionary!"

Mantar are currently working on the successor to 2014's debut album, Death By Burning. The band's second full-length album will be entitled Ode To The Flame, and is tentatively scheduled for a spring 2016 release.

Watch a brand new in-studio video below:

Ever since their inception in 2013 and the release of their first album in 2014 the band has been recognized as one of the hardest working in the German extreme metal underground. Melting the most sinister elements of styles like black metal, doom and punk, representing unfiltered pure primal rage, Mantar have proven to be one of a kind. Their extremely intense live shows have been seen all over the world and blown away unaware audiences with their extremely tight and brutal performances. Mantar is pure evil elemental force captured by only two uber passionate artists that strife for ultimate raw sonic power.

Make sure to catch Mantar live on their last shows in 2015 this December.

Mantar is:

Hanno - vocals, guitars
Erinc - drums, vocals

 



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Fan-filmed video footage of JUDAS PRIEST's December 1 concert at the O2 Academy Brixton in London, England can be seen below.

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford recently told the Q104 radio station in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada about the band's plans to record the follow-up album to 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls": "Well, you know, in rock and roll, you've gotta kind of strike while the iron is hot, and that iron has been burning hot for decades for PRIEST now. It doesn't show any sign of cooling off, I can tell you that. The cool thing about where we're at right now is, of course, having Richie [Faulkner, new PRIEST guitarist] with us and having gone through that first writing experience together [on 'Redeemer Of Souls']. We were so motivated to keep writing as we were going along, but our label had a time schedule for us to keep, so we had to put the brakes on and start recording the songs that we'd written. And with that in mind, we're raring to go again, and I'm sure there'll be another PRIEST record in the not-too-distant metal future."

Asked whether he feels that "the clock is ticking" on JUDAS PRIEST's recording and touring career, Rob said: "Yeah, the clock is ticking, [but] we’re trying to hold it back. [Laughs] But it's great, man. I've gotta tell you, this band is having the time of its life, and we're very excited to be back out on the road after a short break from our last show, in Wacken in Germany at the big heavy metal festival there in front of eighty thousand heavy metal maniacs. So we're still bringing the fire and the metal with us wherever we go."

"Redeemer Of Souls" was released in July 2014. The follow-up to 2008's double-disc concept album "Nostradamus" was billed as a return to JUDAS PRIEST's heavy-metal roots.

"Redeemer Of Souls" sold around 32,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Progressive metallers DREAM THEATER will release their thirteenth album, "The Astonishing", in early 2016 via Roadrunner. The band has also launched a mini-site for the CD, which appears to be a conceptual effort focusing on various "characters" and spread over two "acts," possibly to be a released as a double album.

The band comments on the artwork: "This album cover extends an ominous invitation into the retro-futurist dystopian setting of 'The Astonishing'. The deceptively beautiful yet chillingly totalitarian image is a bold harbinger of the visual components and ideas presented by the sonic story that is our most ambitious creative work to date. We are very proud to soon bring you… 'The Astonishing'."

"The Astonishing" track listing:

Act I

01. Descent Of The NOMACS02. Dystopian Overture03. The Gift Of Music04. The Answer05. A Better Life06. Lord Nafaryus07. A Savior In The Square08. When Your Time Has Come09. Act Of Faythe10. Three Days11. The Hovering Sojourn12. Brother, Can You Hear Me?13. A Life Left Behind14. Ravenskill15. Chosen16. A Tempting Offer17. Digital Discord18. The X Aspect19. A New Beginning20. The Road To Revolution

Act II

01. 2285 Entr'acte02. Moment Of Betrayal03. Heaven’s Cove04. Begin Again05. The Path That Divides06. Machine Chatter07. The Walking Shadow08. My Last Farewell09. Losing Faythe10. Whispers In The Wind11. Hymn Of A Thousand Voices12. Our New World13. Power Down 14. Astonishing

DREAM THEATER has been working on the follow-up to 2013's self-titled album since January at Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York. The band's guitarist, John Petrucci, told Revolver magazine: "The new album will be a further progression of the band's creative identity.

"Every time that we go into the studio, we always try to make something that's better than the last."

He continued: "Everybody in the band has this kind of attitude where we love doing what we do, we're very lucky to be able to do what we do, and we feel that the best is still to come. That's partially why we self-titled our last album, because it signified a new beginning, and the strength of the belief that we have in the future of the band."

Regarding the songwriting process for the new CD, Petrucci said: "A new album project is like a fresh and inspiring blank canvas, and I love that every couple of years you have the opportunity of reinventing, trying something new and starting from scratch. But given the history of the band, you do have to take all of that into account and consider what we've done already, what we haven't explored yet, and what will not only keep us interested and fired up, but will also keep people who listen to the band excited, as well. You really have to deliver the goods — you can't rest on your laurels, you can't get lazy."

DREAM THEATER recently announced new tour dates for a momentous European headline run which is set to kick off February 18 at the Palladium in London, England. The winter run will see the prog-titans delivering a one-of-a-kind set in which they will be debuting "The Astonishing" live in its entirety. The unique tour is set to make stops at prestigious theaters around Europe, including Amsterdam's Carre Theater, Oslo's Konserthus, Stockholm's Cirkus, Paris's Palais des Congres and Milan's Teatro Degli Arcimboldi, with additional dates to be announced.

Toronto's finest, Blood Ceremony, are set to return with their anticipated fourth full-length album for Rise Above Records, titled Lord Of Misrule, to be released worldwide March 25 2016.

Recorded and mixed at Toerag studios, London, by Liam Watson (Tame Impala, The Datsuns, White Stripes, Supergrass, Hugh Cornwall etc), Lord Of Misrule see's this respected band opening up their sound and exploring new, exciting territories, whilst not straying from the true essence of their roots.

To coincide with the album’s release, they will be out on the road in Europe. Details of support to be announced soon.

Dates:

April
15 – Paris, France – Backstage by The Mill
16 – Tilburg, Netherlands – Roadburn Festival
17 – Hamburg, Germany – Rock Café St. Pauli
18 – Berlin, Germany – Privatclub
19 – Vienna, Austria – The Chelsea
20 – Munich, Germany – Backstage Club
21 – Madonna Dell’alberto, Italy – Bronson
22 – Milan, Italy – Legend
23 – Olton, Switzerland – Coq D’or
24 – Nurnberg, Germany – Hirsch
25 – Frankfurt, Germany – Nachtleben
26 – Cologne, Germany – MTC
28 – Manchester, UK – The Deaf Institute
29 – Glasgow, UK – Audio
30 – Birmingham, UK – The Rainbow

(Photo: Ester Segarra)



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Former METAL CHURCH vocalist Ronny Munroe has launched a new band called MUNROE'S THUNDER. The group is rounded out by David Mark Pearce and Justin Zych on guitars, RC Ciejek on bass and Rick Ward on drums.

MUNROE'S THUNDER is working on material for its debut album, "The Black Watch", tentatively due next summer.

Commented Munroe: "The dynamics of this band are beyond incredible and we look forward to bringing you something absolutely mindblowing.

"I feel fortunate to be working with persons of utmost talent and drive who are wholeheartedly dedicated in creating this masterpiece in the making! This one is already turning out to be an epic creation. We're psyched!"

Munroe's third solo album, "Electric Wake", was released in June 2014 via Rat Pak Records. Guest musicians on the CD included George Lynch (KXM, LYNCH MOB, ex-DOKKEN), Dave Rude (TESLA), Pamela Moore (QUEENSRŸCHE's "Sister Mary") and Paul Kleff (ex-FIREWOLFE).

Munroe told the Auburn Reporter that he decided to become a singer after being exposed to legendary metal frontman Ronnie James Dio's vocals on the RAINBOW song "Man On The Silver Mountain". "I heard it on KISW and took off my headphones, ran downstairs and called the station asking, 'Who is that singing?'" he said.

Following their reformation at Download festival in 2014, British progressive metal forefathers SIKTH will release their first new music since 2006's "Death Of A Dead Day". Due on December 4 via Peaceville, the group's new mini-album, "Opacities", was recorded at Lincoln's Chapel Studios with producers Dan Weller and Justin Hill (mixed by Forrester Savell; KARNIVOOL, ANIMALS AS LEADERS, DEAD LETTER CIRCUS).

The song "Behind The Doors", taken from "Opacities", can be streamed below.

Vocalist Mikee Goodman hails "Opacities" as the best music the band have ever made, stating: "Musically, vocally and lyrically, it is our most complete work. We've pushed our sound to the next level." Following their hiatus in 2008 the band feel that their time away has allowed them to become a better band, with this version of SIKTH and the new album being their best yet. Guitarist Dan Weller commented:"It's more thoughtful, heavier, more refined. A lot of heart and soul went into the making of it. This record is for our fans who've been so loyal." Along with a new record, December will also see the band touring the U.K. following recent shows across the world in Germany, Japan, India and Nepal, showing that while they were away their music and influence continued to spread. These shows have brought a renewed energy to the band and a hunger to get out there again and play. The band states: "Touring with SIKTH is much more fun than it used to be. Of course there can be friction. But compared to how things used to be, it's been a better vibe and crowds are more energetic than ever too!"

Following its original release in 2014, Devin Townsend's debut as Casualties Of Cool will see a full worldwide release on the January 15th, with the two CDs joined by a brand new bonus live DVD featuring a full set filmed at London's beautiful Union Chapel during the short run of shows that took place around the albums launch.

The expanded album tracklist is as follows:

CD 1
"Daddy"
"Mountaintop"
"Flight"
"The Code"
"Moon"
"Pier" (Instrumental)
"Ether"
"Hejda"
"Forgive Me"
"Broken"
"Bones"
"Deathscope"
"The Field"
"The Bridge"
"Pure" (intrumental)

CD 2 - Ghost B-Sides
"Ghost Wives"
"Drained"
"Dig for Gold"
"Dead Eyes"
"Drench"
"Mend" (instrumental)
"Where You’ve Been"
"Gone is Gone"
"Fight"
"Glass World"
"Aquarius"
"Perspective" 
"Moonshine"

DVD - Live At Union Chapel, London
"Daddy"
"The Code"
"Mountaintop"
"Flight"
"Ether"
"Moon / Pier"
"Bones"
"Forgive Me"
"Jam"
"The Field"
"Deathscope"
"Gone Is Gone"
"The Bridge"

Bonus features:
Interview
"Mountaintop" (video)
"Flight" (video)

Go to this location to pre-order.

For Townsend, Casualties Of Cool is an escape - from over 20 years of relentless productivity, of the pre-conceptions of him that come with being one of the biggest names in his sphere. A project over four years in the making, largely at night when home from turning the dial up for the day job in the studio, Casualties Of Cool has seen Townsend look at himself in order to go forward. Digging out a battered old Fender amp and telecaster, he revisited the rootsy country and North American folk music of his youth. It provides the backbone of the album that's eventually come to fruition, opening with “Daddy’s” shuffling percussion and bluesy finger-picked motif, resurfacing during “The Code” and it’s sultry twilight atmospherics and “Forgive Me” with it’s hushed ambience. It's a subtly applied but vital part of this record, providing the bones for the flesh to hang from.

"My childhood was full of that type of music," says Townsend. "At Christmas my grandfather would insist on the whole family sitting around singing uncomfortably along to Johnny Cash songs and Irish stuff like the Clancy Brothers. It was a big part of my childhood, it's not like I'm putting on a new hat here."  

The luxuriant vocals of Ché Aimee Dorval have draped themselves over a previous Townsend release - 2009's Ki - and so it was perhaps no surprise that the two would find their way back to each other. Recorded by Aimee herself on her laptop, her voice is as important as the shuffling folk that permeates the record, in acting as a glue for the whole thing - her wistful tones hold together constructs so free-form at times they might disintegrate.

Check out the video for the track “Mountaintop”:

Directed by Jessica Cope (Steven Wilson, Storm Corrosion), Devin had the following to say about it: “Uere is the video for “Mountaintop”, from Casualties Of Cool. I have been a fan of Jessica Copes' work for a while now, and the opportunity to work with her rose for this album and we are thrilled with the result.  Although the concept of the video is loosely based on the concept of the record, we found it worked better as a standalone piece. Ché Aimee Dorval and I therefore decided not to have the characters in the video portray us personally. I hope you enjoy this, I'm so happy to have an opportunity to work with brilliant artists in the career. I'm very proud of this album and video!"

For Townsend, the themes of the record surround what he believes to be a bridge in his career; an acceptance of the artist he is today and embracing the fear of leaving behind what people know of him.



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It's not that unusual, into the past and present music scene, that artists and musicians reunite themselves together for celebrating something special, and this exactly what unexpectedly happened over the last months in the north of Italy, where some of the most appreciated names of the national melodic rock scene proudly united their forces under the moniker of "I.F.O.R" (aka Italian Forces Of Rock).

The opportunity in this case came from a multitude of factors: attributing MelodicRock.it (the leading website in Italy for this kind of music) for its never-ending and precious support to the melodic rock world, honoring the infinite love of many artists for the fascinating melodic hard-rock and AOR music, and most of all praising the fundamental support of every single fan of this amazing art, because fans and supporters represent with no doubts the real and unquestionable motor of this tiny but passionate scene around the globe. 

Music biz tried non-stop, along the years, to silence big drums, loud guitars and powerful vocals, and caging them in order to exile the ancient power of rock music: but I.F.O.R. symbolize the umpteenth proof that nothing, and nobody, will never be able to stop the voices and killing the dreams of all the amazing rock lovers all over the world.

Music: Dave Zublena / Davide “Dave Rox” Barbieri / Pierpaolo “Zorro” Monti
Lyrics: Gianluca Firmo / Dave Zublena / Pierpaolo “Zorro” Monti

Vocals:
Davide “Dave Rox” Barbieri / Alessandro Del Vecchio / Josh Zighetti / Franco Campanella / Dario Grillo / Bruno Kraler / Luke Marsilio / Marco Sivo / Gianluca Firmo / Mario Percudani

Guitars:
Mario Percudani / Dave Zublena / Steve De Biasi / Roberto Priori / Stefano Zeni / Nicoletta Tona

Keybords:
Davide “Dave Rox” Barbieri

Bass:
Stefania Sarre / Anna Portalupi / Amos Monti

Drums:
Pierpaolo “Zorro” Monti



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Ever since the release of Death Dealer's sophomore album in October, Hallowed Ground, fans have been wondering about the possibility of a vinyl release. 

The requests have now officially been answered. Hallowed Ground is available as a both visually and sonically stunning two-record set - featuring a 2 x 180g (gatefold) and including a poster (6 x inner sleeve size). Order the album at this location.

The follow-up to their over-the-top debut, Warmaster, features vocalist Sean Peck, guitarists Ross the Boss and Stu Marshall, bassist Mike Davis, and drummer Steve Bolognese.

Sean Peck states "The rise in the popularity of vinyl has been one of the bright spots in the music industry lately. For collectors like me, seeing the Death Dealer album in this format and holding it in my hands is fantastic!  It looks great and sounds great.  Buy two so you can play one and frame one to hang up on the wall!"

Featuring members that have previously played with the likes of Manowar, the Dictators, Rob Halford, Lizzy Borden, Denner/Shermann and Cage, Death Dealer are a true heavy metal force to be reckoned with, and Hallowed Ground certainly proves this once and for all.

Tracklisting:

Side A
“Gunslinger”
“Break The Silence”
“Plan Of Attack”

Side B
“Séance”
“Llega El Diablo”
“Way Of The Gun”
“K.I.L.L.:

Side C
“I Am The Revolution”
“Total Devastation”
“The Anthem

Side D
“Corruption Of Blood”
“Skull And Crossbones”
“U-666”



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CDN Records artist Deformatory have recently announced a change in the release date of their much anticipated sophomore album Malediction.

The album will now be released on February 5, 2016 and Deformatory have also announced a CD release show in Ottawa on the same day. The band will also be a part of North America's First Technical Death Metal Festival in Montreal on February 6, 2016.

A new single will be released on January 4, 2016 in the form of a playthrough video. All existing preorders will be receiving an exclusive bonus preview of the album in the weeks to follow.

Malediction is the first instalment in a series of concept albums revolving around Saväel, the creator of Darkness, and the original source of pure evil. In Malediction, the story follows the discovery of the sacred incantation text, his re-awakening, and the subsequent obliteration of the Light, the Heavens, and all remnants of humanity. This is an album that will appeal to the nostalgia of old school death metal, delivered with modern, dark, and technical ferocity.

The cover artwork was designed by Jon Zig.

Malediction tracklisting:

“Infernal Gateway”
“Dimensions Of Malevolence”
“Obsequium”
“Eviscerated Requiem”
“A Hideous Veneration”
“Apotheosis”
“Oracles Of Perdition”
“Aphotic Existence”

 



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To celebrate this holiday season, Corners Of Sanctuary have announced that they have put together a ten track Holiday album titled Driven Snow, A Merry Metal Xmas III which will be available as a free download during the entire month of December. Driven Snow is available for download at this location.

The album includes classic Metal style arrangements of such favorites as "Jingle Bells", "Silent Night", "O Come All Ye Faithful", Hark The Herald Angels Sing" and "Joy To The World".
Driven Snow also contains four all original heavy Holiday tracks including "On This Night", "December Wind", "Get Ur Jollies" and the title track, "Driven Snow".

Corners of Sanctuary guitarist Mick Michaels has checked in with the following comment:

"We are excited to release our new Holiday bum Driven Snow for 2015. This album marks the fourth installment of this seasonal release. It is a great mixture of traditional favorites and modern arrangements capturing the metal style of COS. The album includes four all new, all original tracks. Driven Snow will definitely make your merry metal!"



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Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD are planning to release a five-song EP around March 2016, to be followed by a new full-length album later in the year.

VOIVOD singer Denis "Snake" Bélanger told Metal Wani's Owais "Vitek" Nabi in a new interview that "part" of the new EP has already been recorded, with the band approving mixes while on the road in Europe.

Regarding the musical direction of the new VOIVOD material, Snake said [hear audio below): "It's a bit different, I would say. But VOIVOD has always been doing different things each time. But it has its own signature with the new bass player, Rocky [Dominique Laroche]. He brought new elements to it, I think. It's different than [2013's] 'Target Earth' [album], but it's still VOIVOD."

Snake also talked about the passing of VOIVOD's original guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour and the eventual addition of Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain prior to the making of "Target Earth". He said: "Of course, the loss of Piggy was a terrible thing. We couldn't do, really, anything for two or three years; we didn't know what would be the future of the band. And we finally found a guy [Chewy] that could play VOIVOD [music]. And it's sort of a mixture of circumstances that happened. It's, like, 'Okay, maybe there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe if we pick up this guy who learned, actually…' The first thing [Chewy] learned [to play] was VOIVOD. The first show he saw was VOIVOD. And the [day after] he saw VOIVOD, he bought a guitar and started playing Piggy's riffs. So, for us, Chewy was the best option."

Snake praised Mongrain's contribution to "Target Earth", saying that he was "quite surprised" with the material that the guitarist penned for the album. He explained: "It's one thing to play VOIVOD's songs, already written songs, but to create new songs…"

He continued: "I think what [Chewy] wanted to do [on 'Target Earth'] was just compose music that VOIVOD fans want to hear. And so he did. And Piggy's spirit is really there. You can tell that it's surrounding the whole picture. The essence is there. But [Chewy] has his own thing as well. He's a different human being."

VOIVOD has just finished touring Europe as part of the heavyweight "Deathcrusher 2015" tour alongside CARCASS, OBITUARY, NAPALM DEATH and HEROD.

VOIVOD has announced the first leg of its next U.S. tour, starting in February 2016, with support from VEKTOR and EIGHT BELLS.

To coincide with the "Deathcrusher" tour, VOIVOD has just released a split seven-inch EP with NAPALM DEATH featuring the new VOIVOD track "Forever Mountain" as well as NAPALM DEATH's exclusive track "Phonetics For The Stupefied". This special vinyl-only release, which follows up VOIVOD's split seven-inch EP with AT THE GATES from earlier this year, is limited to 2,500 copies in the following versions/colors:

* Black: 1200 copies (CM Distro Europe / USA)* Solid White: 300 copies (CM Mailorder USA)* Transparent Red: 700 copies (CM USA)* Neon Yellow: 300 copies (only available from the bands at the "Deathcrusher" tour)

The split seven-inch comes with classy artwork (both bands have an A side with own artwork) created by VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin and can be ordered here.

"Target Earth" was released in January 2013 via VOIVOD's own company, Iron Gang Factory, and Century Media.

Full Devil Jacket have released a new music video for their single "Killers" (see below).

"The video shoot was really cool," says drummer Keith Foster. "It was in the woods just outside our hometown in Tennessee. The director Rob Nelson was awesome to work with and made it a breeze!"

The video comes as the band is out on the road with Buckcherry in continued support of their latest LP, Valley Of Bones. The video, directed by Rob Nelson of Wired Films, is the second video to come from Valley Of Bones. The band released a video for the title track earlier this year.

The band released Valley Of Bones on March 31st via eOne Music, their first full length in over a decade. Produced by Justin Rimer (12 Stones), it’s a victorious and impossible to ignore sophomore slab, simultaneously resurrecting and updating the band’s hard rock sound. Longtime fans will recognize plenty of signature elements, but this is the Full Devil Jacket of old on steroids.

When asked what went into the new effort, Brown offers, “When we write music, we only write it if it’s real. I only sing it if I believe in it. II only write it if I’ve experienced it. When I listen to some rock n’ roll music today, I hear the same important sounding words as the bands I grew up listening to, but I don’t hear any conviction. Everything I write about, I’ve lived.”

The gritty sludge of Down is a great reference point for Valley Of Bones, as well as the dark melody of the mighty Alice In Chains and modern rock accessibility of Stone Sour. There’s even some old school, throbbing hard rock grit and grime, particularly in songs like “Picturebox Voodoo,” a scathing indictment of the mainstream media and a pop culture that obscures designs toward the apocalypse. Full Devil Jacket is a band that had the world at their fingertips, lost it all, and now rises again.

“If I can share with people my struggle and my mistakes and tell them there is hope,” says Brown, “even when we stumble, we rise again. That’s what it’s all about.”

 

 

Tracklisting:

"Killers"
"Valley Of Bones"
"7X Down"
"The Moment"
"We Got The Love"
"What If I Say"
"Blood Of The Innocent"
"Picturebox Voodoo"
"Paper Crown"
"August"

"Killers" video:

“Valley Of Bones” video:



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The Black Queen, the LA-based experimental outfit featuring The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Greg Puciato, Telefon Tel Aviv/NIN’s Josh Eustis and programmer Steven Alexander, will release their debut album, Fever Daydream, on January 29th.
 
The video for “Maybe We Should”, which continues The Black Queen’s integration of striking, Corbijn-influenced visuals into their work, can be seen below. The clip, which is set in downtown Los Angeles, a location that has proved to be a major influence on the band’s music, was filmed by Jesse Draxler and The Black Queen.
 
Fever Daydream was written and recorded in what the band has described as a hollowed-out, roach infested warehouse that they also lived in during recording, with Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, M83, The Naked and Famous) executive producing.

Fever Daydream tracklisting:

“Now, When I’m This”
“Ice To Never”
“The End Where We Start”
“Secret Scream”
“Maybe We Should/Non-Consent”
“Distanced”
“Strange Quark”
“That Death Cannot Touch”
“Taman Shud”
“Apocalypse Morning”
 
“Maybe We Should” video:

“The End Where We Start” video:

“Ice To Never” video:

The Black Queen’s first live performance is scheduled for January 29th at Complex LA in Glendale, CA. Tickets are on-sale now, here.



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The Los Angeles-based, neoclassical metal-inspired extreme shred quartet Exmortus will further their claim that "metal is king" in early 2016 with their blistering new album, Ride Forth. The band have unveiled another pulverizing new track from their forthcoming release. The heroic lyric video for "Death To Tyrants" can be seen below:

Ride Forth was recorded earlier this year with producer Zack Ohren (Suffocation, Immolation) before the group hit the road alongside guitar legend Marty Friedman on his recent North American tour. More details about the new album will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Having previously shared stages with the likes of Kyng, Destruction, Dark Tranquillity, Krisiun and Hatchet, Exmortus will next appear at Southern California's Winter Slaughter Fest with Flotsam & Jetsam and label mates Holy Grail before kicking off the new year with an intense seven-week jaunt alongside Enforcer, Warbringer and Cauldron.

Full dates and information can be found here.

The menacing cover for the new release – featuring oil-painted artwork by the legendary Philip Lawvere (Kreator, Celtic Frost), who previously contributed his epic artistry to the band's 2014 label debut, Slave To The Sword – can be seen below.

Tracklisting:

“Speed Of The Strike”
“Relentless”
“For The Horde”
“Let Us Roam”
“Black Sails”
“Hymn Of Hate”
“Appassionata”
“Death To Tyrants”
“Fire And Ice”

“Relentless” lyric video:

Exmortus recently premiered a new song, "For The Horde”.

The song is now available for download on Bandcamp, Amazon and iTunes. You can also stream it on Spotify or via the lyric video below:

"For The Horde" is also released as a limited-edition 7”, which features an exclusive cover of Yngwie Malmsteen's "As Above, So Below" as its B-side. Order it now. The artwork, shown above, was contributed by Cyril van der Haegen, who also designed the cover art for the group's sold-out 2013 7”, "Immortality Made Flesh”.

(Photo: Stephanie Cabral)



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British heavy metal legends Tank recently returned with their tenth studio album, Valley Of Tears, their first album release featuring the vocal talents of former Dragonforce frontman ZP Theart. Valley Of Tears was officially released in late September. Now the album is also available on vinyl.

“Living A Fantasy”, another track taken from the album, can be streamed below.

To complement ZP’s vocals Tank now have one of the best rhythm sections in metal: Bobby Schottkowski, formerly drumming with Sodom and current Blind Guardian member Barend Courbois on bass. Together with Mick Tucker and Cliff Evans on guitars they ready to take another big step forward in the evolution of the band.

Valley Of Tears tracklisting:

“War Dance”
“Valley Of Tears”
“Eye Of A Hurricane”
“Hold On”
“Make A Little Time”
“Heading For Eternity”
“Living A Fantasy”
“World On Fire”
“Hold Your Fire”

“Living A Fantasy”:

“Make A Little Time” lyric video:

Teaser:

“Valley Of Tears”:

Tank lineup:

Cliff Evans - guitars
Mick Tucker - guitars
ZP Theart (Dragonforce) - vocals
Bobby Schottkowski (Sodom) - drums
Barend Courbois (Blind Guardian) - bass guitar



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