Newly founded Argento Records has confirmed the label's first title, with the impending release Circle Of Molesters, the second LP from Trieste, Italy's corrosive sludge quartet, Grime.

Their sound is rooted into rotten burial grounds and their songs are the sound of a decaying swamp filled with trash. Their slow and heavy groove is filthy and vicious, guitar riffs are sharp and covered with rust, drums and bass hit with the unstoppable power of a mud avalanche. And their only goal is bringing destruction to a town near you.

Following the release of their independent debut EP in 2011 and their dominating 2013-released debut LP, Deteriorate (Forcefield Records/Mordgrimm), Grime oozes forth with their most brutalizing display of gutter-born, diseased sludge metal yet with Circle Of Molesters. Like a volcano rupturing megatons of rotting flesh, for nearly forty minutes the band's gnarly scourge will suck you into the darkest depths of suffocating death, yet all the while taking their petulant tonal attack to new heights, integrating more body-mangling dynamics than ever.

Bringing this auditory destruction to life, the band enlisted the recording and mixing work of sound engineer Lorenzo Stecconi (Ufomammut, Amen Ra, Zu) and final mastering duties to Brad Boatright (Sleep, Corrosion Of Conformity, Nails) at Audiosiege, both factors helping shape every bit of the band's tonal wrath to thundering clarity.

Based out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Argento Records was founded by Michael Bertoldini (The Secret) and Clio Leeuwenburgh (Headspin Records). The label will unleash Grime's Circle Of Molesters upon the masses on September 1st, through digital delivery and 12", pressed on 180-gram vinyl - 200 on black, 150 on red, and 150 on clear/smoke - in a full-color gatefold with lyric insert, The album's artwork and layout by Jason Barnett featuring photography by Paolo Podzinkova.

A trailer for Circle Of Molesters can be found below.

Circle Of Molesters tracklisting:

“Intro (Obscuration)”
“Get Immortal”
“Verge Of Wrath”
“Decay In Hades”
“Sulphorous Veins”
“Accelerating Transition”
“Salvation Come From Below”
“Orgiastic Rite”

Trailer:

Stand by for audio samples from Circle Of Molesters, preorders for the album and more to be issued in the coming days.

Having toured Europe with Cough and -16-, and having raided notable festivals including Heavy Days in Doomtown, Roadburn and Desertfest London, Grime has also played two festivals in Russia with Suma. Watch for new tour dates from the band to be announced in the near future.

Grime is:

Marco - Vocals/guitar
Paolo - Bass
Ans - Guitar
Chris - Drums

Los Angeles quintet Before The Mourning are streaming their debut album lead-off track “The Deception”. The group’s debut offering, Etherial End, will be released through Street Smart Recordings on August 21st.

Adam Ryan (vocals) states: "This song was created just like the rest of the tracks on our album. It’s usually all of us in a room bouncing riffs and ideas off one another until something we all can agree on is playing through the speakers in our home studio. Lyrically, this song is about a screwed up love triangle. It's about all the different deceptions used by everyone involved. Mostly behind the backs of one another. It centres around a woman who is still in love with her ex, but is with a man who isn't what he appears to be. The chorus starts off aimed at the woman, but half way through turns into a blunt statement to the deceptive boyfriend. The bridge is one final plea asking someone to help her get away from this guy before something really bad happens.

"We opened the album with this track because of its overall energy, and attitude. It's major key, almost happy sounding intro is a complete 180 from the rest of the track, as it then drops into a heavy driving groove which doesn't let up for the rest of the song. I think this song helps represent our overall sound because we don't stick to one style for every track we put out. We want to keep it heavy, but also full of melody and groove."

“The Deception”:

The band will be on tour across North America with Fear Factory from August 23rd – September 16th.

Dates (with Fear Factory, Once Human, The Bloodline) include:

August
23 - Flagstaff AZ - The Green Room       
25 - Lubbock, TX - Jakes  
27 - Corpus Christ, TX - House of Rock
28 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar       
29 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl
30 - Ft Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room         

September
1 - St Pete, FL - The State     
2 - Orlando, FL - Venue 578     
4 - Atlanta GA - Masquerade    
5 - Wilmington, NC - Ziggy’s    
8 - Little Rock, AR - Juanita’s    
9 - Clarksville, TN - Warehouse Live    
11 - Louisville, KY - Trixie’s         
13 - Bloomington, IL - Castle Theater     
15 - Oklahoma City, OK - Farmers Market
16 - Gallup, NM - The Juggernaut Music

Wacken Metal Battle Canada have announced that this year's international champions are Canada's best! Vesperia have been crowned the 2015 international champions of 11th annual Wacken Metal Battle during the world's largest metal festival Wacken Open Air (July 30 - August 1) in Wacken Germany, which has an attendance of over 80,000 people. Vesperia beat out 30 other competing countries (full list here) to win over international judges and fans. Plus it also marks out of the last 3 years Canada has participated in the competition, they have taken 1st place with Crimson Shadows winning in 2013.

"We are extremely excited to accept the title of the 2015 international Wacken battle champions. There have been many ups and downs on this trip so far, but we have encountered so many amazing people, bands, press and organizers. Thank you SO MUCH for making this happen for us!" comments bassist/ vocalist Morgan Rider.

Top 5 Standings:

1st Place: Canada – Vesperia
2nd Place: Israel – Walkways
3rd Place: Middle East – Blaakyum
4th Place: United Kingdom – Metaprism
5th Place: Denmark – Savage Machine 

As 1st place winners, Vesperia will receive the following:

Wacken Foundation – The Wacken Foundation will support the first placed band with a trophy money of 5000€.
Vision backdrops
Stage kit
5 x 3 m backdrop
2 sideups 85 x 200 cm

Bass drum print
Pearl – Complete Pearl VBA kit
Washburn – Washburn PXS20FRTBB
Randall – Randall RD5H
Markbass – Little Mark III
Carl Martin – CARL MARTIN Single Plexitone
Paiste – Alpha Brillant Metal Set 14/17/18/20+10Splash*
Marshall – Marshall Fridge

Vesperia was crowned 2015 Canadian champion after performing in the national final alongside Medevil (Vancouver), Bleed (Edmonton), Endless Chaos (Winnipeg), Midnight Malice (Toronto), Nordheim (Quebec City) who represented the top six metal talents out of 120 competing bands from ten participating cities across Canada. The final took place on June 6th at Opera House in Toronto, ON and was judged by Annihilator's Jeff Waters and Mike Harshaw, Lindsay Schoolcraft (Cradle of Filth), Tim Henderson (BraveWords), David Bottrill (Producer, Mixer) and Noel Peters (Inertia Entertainment).

Israel-based thrash metallers, Hammercult, are streaming the new track “Spoils Of War” (below), from their brand new studio album, Built For War, out via Steamhammer / SPV on the following dates:

Europe / Germany: August 28th
US / Canada: September 4th

Built For War will be available in three different physical formats (tracklistings below):

1. Jewelcase CD
2. Ltd. Edition digipac CD + DVD (live in Tel Aviv)
3.) Ltd. Edition LP version - coloured 180gr. vinyl (red), printed inner sleeve, 1 vinyl only bonus track, CD in paper sleeve included (Ltd. to 500 copies worldwide!)

Vocalist Yakir Von Hammer states: “Every song on the album is the kind of pumping anthem which Hammercult are known for – but this time we’ve taken the songs to different places, with a more melodic and more original approach which really stands out. The vocals on Built For War are very unique and range from screams to growls, hardcore shouts to clean vocals – which I honestly believe has never been done before by a single performer. If I had to summarize Built For War in a single sentence it would be ‘Destruction meets Manowar in an explosive mix of extreme music and true metal’.”

Digi tracklisting:

CD
“From Parts Unknown (Intro)”
“Rise Of The Hammer”
“I Live For This Shit”
“Spoils Of War”
“Ready To Roll”
“Raise Some Hell”
“Blackened Blade”
“Let It Roar”
“Ode To Ares (Interlude)”
“Altar Of Pain”
“Blood And Fire”
“Saturday Night Circle Pit Fight”
“Road To Hell”

DVD (live in Tel Aviv 2014)
“Hymn To The Steel”
“Steelcrusher”
“Diabolic Overkill”
“Metal Rules Tonight”
“Into Hell”
“Black Horseman”
“We Are Hammercult”
“Let The Angels Burn”
“Stealer Of Souls”

CD tracklisting:
“From Parts Unknown (Intro)”
“Rise Of The Hammer”
“I Live For This Shit”
“Spoils Of War”
“Ready To Roll”
“Raise Some Hell”
“Blackened Blade”
“Let It Roar”
“Ode To Ares (Interlude)”
“Altar Of Pain”
“Blood And Fire”
“Saturday Night Circle Pit Fight”
“Road To Hell”

LP tracklisting:

Side 1
“From Parts Unknown (Intro)”
“Rise Of The Hammer”
“I Live For This Shit”
“Spoils Of War”
“Ready To Roll”
“Raise Some Hell”
“Blackened Blade”

Side 2
“Let It Roar”
“Ode To Ares (Interlude)”
“Altar Of Pain”
“Blood And Fire”
“Saturday Night Circle Pit Fight”
“Road To Hell”
“Evil Has No Boundaries” (Vinyl only bonus track, Original by Slayer)

“Spoils Of War”:

Teaser video:

Relapse Records and Publicist UK are presenting the music video for “Away”, directed by award-winning filmmaker, Heather Crank. The new track taken from the band's forthcoming debut album, Forgive Yourself. Out on Friday, August 21 through Relapse Records, the full-length from the post-punk four-piece comprised of members of Municipal Waste, Revocation, Goes Cube, Discordance Axis, Burnt By The Sun & more is a nine-song showcase sounding like Michael Gira (Swans) on a Saul Bellow bender and presents itself as one of the most intriguing cross-genre debuts in recent years.

Originally conceived as a long-distance experiment, Publicist UK quickly and effortlessly became a fully functioning band. Featuring Dave Witte (Municipal Waste, ex-Burnt by the Sun, Discordance Axis, Melt-Banana), Zachary Lipez (ex-Freshkills), Brett Bamberger (Revocation, ex-East of the Wall), and David Obuchowski (Goes Cube, Distant Correspondent), many expected speedy, aggressive metal. Instead, the band defied expectations with Forgive Yourself by creating nine rousing songs that are as moody and melodic as they are heavy and driving. After writing and rough-recording songs from the band members’ respective homes in Virginia, New York, New Jersey and Colorado during its early days, Publicist UK released two demos. Shortly thereafter, the band signed to Relapse Records and recorded its full-length in New Hampshire at The Wild Arctic Studio with producer Dean Baltulonis.  

Obuchowski commented "We went into the studio full of inspiration and energy, intent on getting straight to work---no experimenting, no messing around,” said guitarist David Obuchowski. “Dean had the same mindset, and the album was recorded at a breakneck pace and completed in a matter of days. We feel like Dean captured not only the atmosphere and mood but that urgency too."

With the forthcoming release of Forgive Yourself, Publicist UK will be making numerous appearances across North America in support of it. Tour dates to be announced soon. Pre-order the album here.

Tracklisting:

“Cowards”
“Slow Dancing To This Bitter Earth”
“Levitate The Pentagon”
“Blood Relative”
“I Wish You’d Never Gone To School”
“Canary”
“Telegraphing”
“You Are The Stars”
“Away”

“Cowards”:

“Levitate The Pentagon”:

 

Kansas City-based death/thrash metal band, Ares Kingdom, have revealed the artwork for their upcoming album, The Unburiable Dead, due for release in September via NWN! Productions on LP, Die Hard LP, CD, and picture disc formats. The album was recorded at the band’s Very Metal Sound studio in suburban Kansas City.

Ares Kingdom recently announced that rhythm guitarist Doug Overbay is taking an indefinite hiatus from the band in order to address health issues. The band is continuing as a three piece with Alex Blume - vocals/bass, Mike Miller - drums, and Chuck Keller - guitars. The lineup change will have no effect on any upcoming shows.

Ares Kingdom formed in 1996, the year following the end of Mike and Chuck's previous band Order from Chaos. AK’s first four years were spent as a two-piece. In 2000, Doug joined as bassist, followed soon by Alex as vocalist. In 2006, Doug switched to rhythm guitar while Alex assumed bass duties.

The band signed to NWN! Productions in 2004 and has released two full-length albums, Return To Dust (2006) and Incendiary (2010), plus a compilation CD Firestorms And Chaos (2008), an album of covers entitled Veneration (2013), and two 12" maxi singles, “Firestorm Redemption” (2006) and “Failsafe” (2007).

In addition to their upcoming third full-length, The Unburiable Dead, the band is set to release a special live picture disc entitled Chaosmongers Alive: 8/21/2006 as part of NWN! Productions' Onward // Ascendant warehouse fund campaign.

 

Intromental has announced the signing of New York / New Jersey based female fronted power metal act, Midnight Eternal.

“With their epic song writing, heavy sounds and beautiful melodies, the band took us by surprise and made us realize that this was exactly the kind of band we needed on our roster.”

Midnight Eternal was created in March 2014 when two members of Operatika (Richard Fischer and Boris Zaks) invited Daniel Prestup (Rivera Bomma, Spider Rockets) and Mike LePond (Symphony X) to join them to record a two-song single. During the recording the band acquired the talents of vocalist Raine Hilai based on her previous work in theatre and her solo endeavour. The planned two-song single quickly evolved into the formation of a full-time band when it became apparent the group had something special on their hands. Shortly thereafter, Greg Manning (of Spider Rockets, Zamora) joined the band as permanent member taking over bass duties, with Mike LePond taking a featured role.

 

 

Recently the band completed work on a new music video for the song "When Love And Faith Collide".  The song is taken from their forthcoming debut, which is set for release later this year. Featuring dark, futuristic themes that explore modern society, the current state of the music industry, and the struggle between art and fame, this compelling and thought-provoking video was directed by award-winning filmmaker Rodrigo A. Orozco and produced by Mind-Bending Pictures.

Vocalist Raine Hilai states: "It was important to us that our first video would convey a strong message, and we are extremely pleased with the result. Our director, Rodrigo, delivered a visually striking, high-concept performance video (with a twist!) and we hope that audiences will enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it."

Midnight Eternal made their live debut in April of 2014 supporting Adrenaline Mob.  Later that year the band performed at the Women of Metal Fest I in Pittsburgh, PA. They continued their upward trajectory by being featured on the 2014 ProgPower USA compilation as well as numerous radio stations and publications. Since then the band has also shared the stage with influential and established acts including Sonata Arctica, Doro, Delain, Xandria, The Agonist and Quiet Riot.

It was recently announced that Midnight Eternal will be performing alongside Kamelot and Dragonforce at NJ's Starland Ballroom on November 21st. Tickets for this highly anticipated show can be purchased directly from the band here.

 

 

The current lineup of Midnight Eternal includes Raine Hilai (lead vocals), Richard Fischer (guitars, backing vocals), Daniel Prestup (drums), Greg Manning (bass, backing vocals), and Boris Zaks (keyboards). The band is currently busy recording their self-titled, full-length debut album, which will be released in 2015.

An early highlight in Pagan's Mind's career was playing the ProgPower USA festival in 2003, the American edition of what many consider to be the best niche festival in the world. Hard on the heels of the release of Celestial Entrance (their sophomore release), the praise they received in Atlanta was unlike anything the band had ever experienced before. Pagan's Mind played the festival again in 2007 (also appearing as the house band for the legendary All Star Jam), and in 2009 returned for the festival's 10 Year Anniversary under the moniker Returning Heroes.

On September 11th, 2014, another historical performance took place at Center Stage, featuring Celestial Entrance in its entirety plus an additional set of True Norwegian Hard-Hitting In-Your-Face Space Metal, including the instrumental piece “Full Circle”.  It is this piece which comprises the theme of the show you are about to witness.

And now the band will release this concert on October 16th as a 2CD/DVD digipak version, Blu-ray/2CD version, 2LP Gatefold version and download through Steamhammer /SPV.

Tracklisting / Content:

2CD / DVD

DVD
“Approaching”
“Through Osiris' Eyes”
“Entrance Stargate”
“…Of Epic Questions”
“Dimensions Of Fire”
“Dreamscape Lucidity”
“The Seven Sacred Promises”
“Back To The Magic Of Childhood I: Conception”
“Back To The Magic Of Childhood II: Exploring Life”
“In Brilliant White Light”
“Aegean Shores”
“The Prophecy Of Pleiades”
“New World Order”
“Intermission”
“Enigmatic Mission”
“Live Your Life Like A Dream”
“Hallo Spaceboy”
“Full Circle”
“Walk Away In Silence”
“Eyes Of Fire”
“God's Equation”
“United Alliance”

CD1
“Approaching”
“Through Osiris' Eyes”
“Entrance Stargate”
“…Of Epic Questions”
“Dimensions Of Fire”
“Dreamscape Lucidity”
“The Seven Sacred Promises”
“Back To The Magic Of Childhood I: Conception”
“Back To The Magic Of Childhood II: Exploring Life”
“In Brilliant White Light”
“Aegean Shores”
“The Prophecy Of Pleiades”

CD2
“New World Order”
“Intermission”
“Enigmatic Mission”
“Live Your Life Like A Dream”
“Hallo Spaceboy”
“Full Circle”
“Walk Away In Silence”
“Eyes Of Fire”
“God's Equation”
“United Alliance”

Blu-Ray / 2CD

Blu-Ray Disc
“Approaching”
“Through Osiris' Eyes”
“Entrance Stargate”
“…Of Epic Questions”
“Dimensions Of Fire”
“Dreamscape Lucidity”
“The Seven Sacred Promises”
“Back To The Magic Of Childhood I: Conception”
“Back To The Magic Of Childhood II: Exploring Life”
“In Brilliant White Light”
“Aegean Shores”
“The Prophecy Of Pleiades”
“New World Order”
“Intermission”
“Enigmatic Mission”
“Live Your Life Like A Dream”
“Hallo Spaceboy”
“Full Circle”
“Walk Away In Silence”
“Eyes Of Fire”
“God's Equation”
“United Alliance”

CD (as above)

Double Gatefold LP, coloured blue vinyl:

LP 1
Side 1:
“New World Order”
“Intermission”

Side 2:
“Enigmatic Mission”
“Live Your Life Like A Dream”
“Hallo Spaceboy”

LP 2
Side 1:
“Full Circle”
“Walk Away In Silence”

Side 2:
“Eyes Of Fire”
“God's Equation”
“United Alliance”

Band lineup:

Nils K. Rue – vocals
Jorn Viggo Lofstad – guitars
Ronny Tegner – guitars
Steinar Krokmo – bass
Stian Kristoffersen - drums

Blood Red Throne has checked in with the following update:

"Here you have a song from the upcoming Blood Red Throne album being released later this year. The video might offend some, but it’s only pure Norwegian quality death metal. Enjoy!"
 

The song "Patriotic Hatred" is taken from the upcoming Blood Red Throne album, Union Of Flesh And Machine. It will be released in November 2015 by Candlelight Records.
 

Cryptopsy will be touring Europe this summer, with Blood Red Throne and Psycroptic as alternating support. The tour schedule is as follows:

August 
2 - Musikhuset Posten - Odense, Denmark              
3 - B58 Metalclub - Braunschweig, Germany              
4 - 11er Club - Frankfurt, Germany          
5 - Keller Club - Stuttgart, Germany              
7 - Sachsischer Bahnhof - Gera, Germany              
10 - Little Devil - Tilburg, Netherlands         
11 - Bierkeller - Bristol, UK         
12 - Owl Sanctuary - Norwich, UK 
13 - Audio - Glasgow, UK    
14 - The Dome - London, UK
15 - Ieperfest - Ypres, Belgium

For information on Blood Red Throne go to this location.

Fan-filmed video footage of VAN HALEN's July 30 performance in Bangor, Maine can be seen below.

VAN HALEN is performing a set featuring a number of rarities from the band's catalog that have not been heard live in decades. The Bangor show opened with "Light Up The Sky" from 1979's "Van Halen II" and also featured deep tracks like "Feel Your Love Tonight" from its self-titled 1978 debut, "Drop Dead Legs" from "1984", "Dirty Movies" from 1981's "Fair Warning" and "In A Simple Rhyme" from 1980's "Women And Children First".

According to The Pulse Of Radio, "Light Up The Sky" has not been played live in 35 years until now, while "Drop Dead Legs" and "Dirty Movies" had never been performed in concert until the opening show of the tour in Seattle on July 5.

Other album cuts aired during the concert included "Women In Love" and "Romeo Delight" in addition to hits and fan favorites such as "Runnin' With The Devil", "Unchained", "Panama", "Jump", "Hot For Teacher", "Everybody Wants Some!!" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love".

The tour is VAN HALEN's first since an aborted North American run three years ago in support of its then-new studio album, "A Different Kind Of Truth".

VAN HALEN plays in Boston, Massachusetts on Saturday (August 1) and will spend the whole summer on the road, winding down on October 4 in Los Angeles.








(Thanks: NJthrasher)

Former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. singer Udo Dirkschneider will embark on a special tour next year during which he will perform ACCEPT songs one last time before he closes the chapter for good.

The 62-year-old German singer revealed his plans at a press conference in the VIP tent of this weekend's Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

During this ACCEPT "farewell" tour — which he will perform under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner (not U.D.O.)— Dirkschneider will only showcase songs from the Udo era of ACCEPT. The German rock staple will close a huge chapter of music history forever. In the early '80s, the Solingen-raised singer skyrocketed to worldwide acclaim with the band ACCEPT and with his unmistakable voice, he had several hits such as "Balls To The Wall" and "Princess Of The Dawn". Now he has announced that he will perform these much-loved hits on this special tour one more time before he removes them from the setlist forever.

"I still love singing these songs live," Dirkschneider says. "The songs still are an important part of my catalog and still suit my voice very well. But at some point in your life, it's just time to close the chapter. There has been so much talk and speculation about ACCEPT, so I just want to give my last definitive musical statement about it and give my fans a chance to see me perform a complete concert of these songs one last time on stage."

After this tour, Udo will only play songs from his extensive library of U.D.O. material. Following his dismissal from ACCEPT in the late '80s, he garnered many classic hits with his new band in a long and successful career, such as "Animal House", "Timebomb" and "Man And Machine". "There is enough high-quality [U.D.O.] material to fill a two-hour set with no problem," says Dirkschneider. "U.D.O. has been the band where I belong for 18 years and I want to pay tribute to them from now on."

In a January 2015 interview with the "Lokaos Rock Show", Udo was asked how it felt for him to see ACCEPT continue with a new singer (ex-TT QUICK frontman Mark Tornillo) as his replacement. He responded: "What can I say? I mean, I [went to see] a show of ACCEPT in Hamburg [in October 2014], and I was a little bit disappointed. It was without any emotion. For me, there was no band on stage. Playing-wise, it was okay, but it was without any emotion. It was automatic — like, do it and then go."

Pressed by The Rock Online if he is bothered by the fact that ACCEPT took the pole position in Germany for the first time with an album (2014's "Blind Rage") that features Mark Tornillo on vocals, Udo responded: "Let's say it this way. I mean, I know the business, I know how everything works, you know. I mean, they were changing the release date [of the album in order to insure that it would place high on the chart]. Normally, it was planned [to be out] one month before [in July 2014], but it was the same time that JUDAS PRIEST was coming out [with 'Redeemer Of Souls']. I mean, I know the business behind [the decision to push the release date back]. You know, and then they moved it to August. August, normally nothing is happening [in terms of big releases coming out]. [It was a] really clever [move] by the record company. I mean, I know how much albums it sold to [land] on the first… to be Number One in Germany. So that's the whole thing behind the scenes. I mean, of course, it's good if they have a Number One. It's, like, yeah, the press [reacts very enthusiastically]: 'Wow...!'"

Udo also revealed more details behind his decision to purchase a ticket to see the most recent touring lineup of ACCEPT perform live on October 4, 2014 at Docks in Hamgburg, Germany during the European leg of the "Blind Rage" tour.

"Yeah, I can tell this: I mean, I was in Hamburg. I was waiting for the guy to pick me up for the mixing [of the new U.D.O. album 'Decadent']," he said. "And then I was buying a ticket — this is true — I was buying a ticket to see the [ACCEPT] show in Hamburg at the Docks. Yeah, really! [laughs] And it was, for me, very interesting."

He continued: "I wanted to see it once live, you know, what they're doing on stage. And let's say it in this way: I was… I cannot really explain it. It was like something like… It was, for me, nothing… like there was no band on stage, you know. For me, it was like they were playing everything without emotion. They [didn't] look [at] each other. It was something, you know, it was like just, 'Okay, here we go... Be finished and go!' And, okay, in a way… It was sold out. But I thought the reaction of the people... Let's say, the most reaction was when they did the old songs. Of course. So, but, you know, and the singer [Mark Tornillo]… In a way, he's a good singer, but when he has to sing all the old ACCEPT stuff, I feel very sorry for him. This is a nightmare.

"I don't wanna say anything bad, you know, but it was really, like… I was, like, really, 'What are they doing there!?' I mean, I thought they really [would perform]... yeah, let's say, really with energy and really with, you know, emotion. But this was like something… Okay… There was nothing… There was not a band, for me, on stage. So, but now I saw this, and I wish them all the best."

Udo added: "For me, it was really important to… I wanted really… I had the chance [and] wanted to see [the current version of ACCEPT perform] live. And it was very important for me. And now I know what I wanna know from this band, you know, and then I say, 'Okay, I saw it with my own eyes, I hear everything.' That's it."

Arte conducted an interview with guitarist John Petrucci and vocalist James LaBrie of progressive metallers DREAM THEATER at this year's edition of the Wacken Open Air festival, which is taking place this weekend in Wacken, Germany. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about DREAM THEATER's follow-up to 2013's self-titled album, Petrucci said: "We've been in the studio since January. In fact, this tour has broken up our time in the studio. In fact, we're doing some work here on the road as well. We're very busy in hotel rooms, [doing] some last-minute writing and getting some things done. But, yeah, we've been in the studio since January. It's going great. We'll be wrapping up probably in the fall and it'll come out early next year."

On the topic of DREAM THEATER's three-decade-long career, Petrucci said: "It's amazing. Not a lot of bands can say that they've been together for that long. And it's still going incredibly well. We definitely feel like the best is yet to come, and we built something that's really special. So it's amazing. I mean, John [Myung, bass] and I, we've played together since we were, like, 12 [or] 13 years old, and I'm still standing on stage with John on bass, looking across. It's a wild feeling."

Added LaBrie: "It's pretty amazing to be in the kind of industry that we are and to say that we've been around for thirty years and we're still relevant today. You know, the fact is that we still feel that we're evolving as a band. We're continuing to grow musically, and we see that our audience and our fan base is continually being cultivated. So, just to be in a situation as that says so much. It's so much to be grateful for."

"Dream Theater" sold around 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 7 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD, which arrived in stores on September 24, 2013 via Roadrunner, earned DREAM THEATER its second Grammy nomination, for "Best Metal Performance" for the single "The Enemy Inside".

The new CHASTAIN album "We Bleed Metal" will be released worldwide on November 6. It will be made available on CD and vinyl as well as all digital formats. Guitarist David T. Chastain states: "This is a continuation of the 'Surrender To No One' sound with, hopefully, some improvements all the way around. [Singer] Leather [Leone] has never sounded better and I believe this is my most shredtastic CHASTAIN lead guitar playing since 'The 7th Of Never' era." Drummer Stian Kristoffersen (PAGAN'S MIND) and bassist Mike Skimmerhorn return once again to complete the lineup.

The CHASTAIN albums "Surrender To No One" and "We Bleed Metal" will be released in vinyl format later in the year on Pure Steel Records.

The CHASTAIN classic albums "The 7th Of Never" and "The Voice Of The Cult" were recently reissued on CD by Divebomb/Tribunal Records. These reissues were nicely redone with new mastering, packaging, interviews, old reviews and more.

The "uncut" version of CHASTAIN's comeback album, "Surrender To No One", was made available on digital format on Leviathan worldwide.

The Leather-fronted version of CHASTAIN recorded five CDs in the mid-to-late 1980s: 1985's "Mystery Of Illusion", 1986's "Ruler Of The Wasteland", 1987's "The 7th Of Never", 1988's "The Voice Of The Cult" and 1990's "For Those Who Dare". After the "For Those Who Dare" tour, David and Leather amicably went their separate ways but kept in touch over the years before reuniting in 2013.

Leather in 2012 released the debut album from her SLEDGE LEATHER project, "Imagine Me Alive". The CD was inspired in 2010 when Leather called Sandy Sledge to collaborate on the Ronnie James Dio track "Egypt" for a demo tribute recording. Due to the overwhelming response for more material, SLEDGE LEATHER was born and performed at Germany's Keep It True festival in April 2011.

"Absolution", a brand new song from Swedish occult rockers GHOST, can be streamed at this location. The track is taken from the band's third album, "Meliora", which will be released on August 21 via Loma Vista Recordings. The follow-up to 2013's "Infestissumam" was helmed by Klas Åhlund, a prolific songwriter, producer and guitarist who is also a member of the Swedish rock band TEDDYBEARS, and was mixed by Andy Wallace (SLAYER, NIRVANA, SEPULTURA, LINKIN PARK, GUNS N' ROSES).

"Meliora" track listing:

01. Spirit02. From The Pinnacle To The Pit03. Cirice04. Spöksonat05. He Is06. Mummy Dust07. Majesty08. Devil Church09. Absolution10. Deus In Absentia

The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below.

GHOST's June 3 warm-up show at at Doom in Linköping served as the group's live debut with their "new" singer, Papa Emeritus III, the three-month-younger brother of GHOST's previous frontman, Papa Emeritus II.

Asked if there is any kind of special audition process for picking a new Papa Emeritus, a nameless ghoul from GHOST told Music Radar: "Fortunately for us, we don't have to do auditions where you put people through the paces. We just expect somebody to be on time, in tune and somewhat glad. Usually we don't see much of our Papas — 'cause they're hanging out with the mamas. [Laughs] They tend to appear as we go on stage and disappear just as quickly. We don't socialize or fraternize that much, which is cool. I don't know him very well, really. He's very new to me."

Regarding whether the fact that the various Papas are "emeritus'" means that they never really go away, the nameless ghoul said: "Well, that's the ironic thing. 'Emeritus' in the tradition of popes means that you're dead — you never get that title until after you've died. Benedictus was the first pope in something like 400 years who was named 'emeritus' while he's still alive. He got to retire with that title. So our Papa Emerituses get to retire, but they're still here."

GHOST will embark on the "Black To The Future" North American headlining tour in the fall. The procession will begin at The Fillmore in Washington, D.C. on September 22.

TERROR has released the music video for the song "Mind At War", giving another peek into the band's new album, "The 25th Hour".

Frontman Scott Vogel says of the track: "When Nick [Jett, drummer] first showed me this song, I immediately thought it had a D.R.I. 'Four Of A Kind' crossover feel to it, which I love and is pretty fresh for TERROR. Lyrically, everyone can relate to this. All our minds are at war within ourselves and this fucked up world. We needed a visual that bought to life the dark side of our thoughts and the Tom Soares legendary production really shows on this track."

"The 25th Hour" is scheduled for release on August 7 via Century Media.

For another taste of TERROR's most venomous and angriest album to date, check out the track "The Solution" below. Vogel states about the cut: "This is the hardest-hitting song that we've had in a while. The lyrics are about children that had grown up in households that are negative, violent, and destructive to their innocence. As the cycle continues, they soon will too become bitter and aggressive in their lives."

"Deathless", the new album from Ohio metallers MISS MAY I, can be streamed in its entirety via the YouTube playlist below. The CD will be released on August 7 via Rise Records.

"Deathless" was produced by Joey Sturgis (OF MICE & MEN) and Nick Sampson (ASKING ALEXANDRIA) and was recorded at The Foundation Recording Studio in Connersville, Indiana. The band's fifth record follows their 2014 breakout, "Rise Of The Lion", which debuted at No. 21 on The Billboard 200 chart. "We are very excited about this release," said MISS MAY I singer Levi Benton. "Not only have we been working on this record for almost a year, but we recorded it with our old friend Joey Sturgis who did our first two records and really brought out the best in us. This record is about how the last two years have tested us on many levels and how we have come through it all stronger and better. That's where the title comes from, because we are deathless." MISS MAY I's new record is not only a turning point for the band's career, it's also a return to form. Since their inception in 2007, they've steadily amassed a worldwide army of fans with four records, the last three of which have charted higher with each consecutive release. With "Deathless", the band has never sounded more aggressive while remaining as accessible as always. "Deathless" track listing:

01. I H.E.02. Trust My Heart (Never Hope To Die)03. Psychotic Romantic04. Deathless05. Bastards Left Behind06. Arise07. Turn Back The Time08. Empty Promises09. The Artificial10. Born From Nothing

According to journalist Gary Graff, a "confirmed source" with GUNS N' ROSES has clarified the status of Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, saying that the guitarist is indeed out of the band — and has been for some time.

The source tells Graff: "Bumblefoot quit last year. I don't understand why he continues to be evasive on his status with the band — he quit in South America. He told [GUNS N' ROSES lead singer] Axl [Rose] he was done and [the second GN'R Las] Vegas [residency] would be his last run with the band."

Thal recently revealed that he was focusing on his solo career after spending eight years playing in the Axl Rose-fronted band. Thal, however, stopped short of saying that he was no longer a member of GUNS N' ROSES, which has caused some fans to criticize him for not coming clean about where he stands with the group.

Asked by Graff earlier this week to clarify his status with GUNS N' ROSES, Thal said: "That is the thing I am not to elaborate on. I think there's enough clues out there for you to figure out what I'm up to now."

He continued: "I'm a real busy guy and really enjoying everything I'm doing, and I think that everything I'm doing has a future and a bigger plan — the solo stuff, the other bands, the producing, the charity and educational things I'm doing. These are all the things I love that I've really missed, and I'm very happy to be putting my time back into that. It's really what I should be doing."

Bumblefoot joined GUNS N' ROSES in early 2006 as the replacement for Buckethead. He made his live debut with the band at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on May 12, 2006.

Back in 2013, Bumblefoot expressed his frustration over the fact that GUNS N' ROSES had not made any new music since the release of 2008's "Chinese Democracy". He said: "If something came out at this point, it would be very old material that is just being released now. So it would be unheard material, but to me, I don't consider that a new record, I consider that just releasing old material from a band that doesn't exist anymore. And we need to make an album of this band right now." He added: "I'm all about making music; that's why I make music — to make music. So I'd like to really do that. I would be very happy if GUNS N' ROSES could do that…. I wanna make some music with these motherfuckers. It's a damn good band and we should really have the opportunity to give what we can to all [the fans], and make some music for [the fans]."

Bumblefoot released a new solo album, "Little Brother Is Watching", in February. The disc was composed, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Bumblefoot at his studio in New Jersey, and also features drummer Dennis Leeflang.

Another GUNS N' ROSES guitarist, D.J. Ashba, issued a statement on Monday (July 27) saying that he was leaving GUNS N' ROSES. His statement read in part, "It is with a very heavy heart and yet great pride that I announce that I've decided to close this chapter of my life and encapsulate the wonderful times that I've shared with GUNS N' ROSES into fond memories. I have reached a point in my life where I feel its time to dedicate myself to my band SIXX: A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me."

Ashba added: "I want to take a moment to thank Axl from the bottom of my heart for not only the most incredible experience of my life, but for truly believing in me. You are a true friend and a champion of mine and I am forever grateful. And even as I move on to pursue other endeavors, I will always remain one of your biggest fans. I also would like to thank each and every one of you fans for your love and support throughout the years."

Ashba said earlier in his statement that working with GUNS N' ROSES was "the most incredible journey I could have possibly imagined."

On October 16, British heavy metal legends SAXON will release their 21st studio album, "Battering Ram", in North America via UDR Music.

On "Battering Ram" — with Biff Byford singing as well as he ever has, Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt making full use of the term "shredding" with their guitars and the lock-steady rhythm of Nibbs Carter's bass and Nigel Glockler's drums — the future and the past crash together in an ear-scintillatingly engaging, raucous, melodic-yet-classically heavy ten-song collection which will instantly be hailed as a SAXON classic. The title track, with its delectable twin guitar assault heralding the album's commencement, gives the listener an instant crack around the chops, whilst traditionalists will be delighted to hear such a perfect marriage of old, classic SAXON with the newer, fresher invective in such riff-fronted fare as "Destroyer" and "Stand Your Ground", but there are still moments of space and exploration which fans will love.

"This one's a natural progression from 'Sacrifice'," says Byford, "There's a bit less rock 'n' roll and a bit more 'heavy' on it. We wanted to keep focused on a style rather than moving around too much."

Produced by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, ACCEPT) at his Backstage Recording Studios in rural Derbyshire, SAXON were able to hone in and whittle down any excess, finding the sonic space and balance to let "Battering Ram"'s riffs and melodies get the necessary space to scream front and center, Sneap bringing a crispness to the sound which evokes memories of the early '80s without for one moment sounding dated.

"Yes, Andy has been in charge of everything with this album, I keep on overview of it all, but he's done a great job and we're both pleased with the results. We have a great partnership," adds Byford.

Lyrically, "Battering Ram" covers a variety of social situations, like the screaming fans who rage at the gig barriers ("Battering Ram") or engaging in some good old fashioned myth ("The Devil's Footprint" — a 200-year-old tale of people waking up in winter snowfall to see unexplained hoof prints which they followed, looking for an answer in vain).

"When I'm writing lyrics I like to switch back and forth between complex things, reality and rock'n'roll," says Byford, "I thought the whole folklore behind 'The Devil's Footprint' made it great material for a metal song, being that it's both historic and mythical.

"With 'Queen of Hearts', I wanted to write something around Lewis Carroll's 'Alice In Wonderland', and it's about the chess game that happens in the story. I wanted it to have prog-feeling in the way of its ambiance and mood. Then you have songs like 'Destroyer' and 'Hard And Fast' which are '80s-inspired songs with that modern slant on it. I'm a big fan of Marvel comics, and I wanted to write a song around the character Destroyer, and with 'Hard and Fast', it's, as the title suggests, about driving fast! I do like to tie the lyric into the song, so if it's going to be a song about driving fast, well, it has to be a fast, hard song!"

There is also the album's closing cut, haunting, gripping, melancholic tale of the First World War, "The Kingdom Of The Cross", where a poem unfurls the feelings and horrors which comprised this most brutal of global conflicts. "This year is the centenary of the end of the First World War. Nigel had a piece of music which he played on a synthesizer for a couple of years that I really liked. We had an actor (and singer), David Bower from the band HELL, read the poem and I sang the choruses. I didn't want it to be typical SAXON, so it is just keyboards, bass, me and Dave."

The official video for the CD's title track can be seen below. In this no-nonsense, sharp clip, Biff and the boys are captured at Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, U.K, throwing down a thunderous performance. "Battering Ram" is available for pre-order now via iTunes, with "Battering Ram" as the instant grat track. Coming soon, "Battering Ram" will be available for pre-order via Amazon and various formats will include CD in ecolbook, 180 gram vinyl, limited edition boxset (containing CD, vinyl and a bonus CD with the band performance of their "Denim & Leather" tour "Saxon Over Sweden 2011", featuring 18 tracks).

"Battering Ram" track listing:

01. Battering Ram02. The Devil's Footprint03. Queen Of Hearts04. Destroyer05. Hard And Fast06. Eye Of The Storm07. Stand Your Ground08. Top Of The World09. To The End10. Kingdom Of The Cross

In celebration of the release of "Battering Ram", SAXON will play select dates with MOTÖRHEAD, and others with ARMORED SAINT, in the U.S. beginning August 19.

Last night, at the Wacken Open Air (W:O:A) music festival in northern Germany, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA (TSO) and SAVATAGE wowed 80,000-plus attendees with a never-before-attempted music festival performance. Following a 40-minute SAVATAGE set and a 40-minute TSO set, TSO and SAVATAGE band members, across two of the festival's main stages, performed a perfectly coordinated set of fan-favorites. This ambitious feat, both musically and logistically, was helmed by Paul O'Neill. Al Pitrelli led TSO on the "True Metal Stage" and Jon Oliva headed SAVATAGE on the "Black Stage." Beyond the unprecedented act of two bands hitting the stage at the same time, this show was also memorable as it marked progressive metal originators SAVATAGE's first show in over a decade, TSO's first European festival show, as well as the only live appearances of both bands in Europe in 2015.

The closeness of these two bands is well-known to those versed in rock/metal lore. TSO was founded in 1993 by producer/composer/lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together SAVATAGE's Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli to fulfill a vision for a group that could meld the sound of classical and fury of rock music with Broadway's storytelling to create a unique amalgamation O'Neillcalls "rock theater." Since gaining massive popularity after beginning touring in 1999, TSO has grown to include additional members of SAVATAGE within its ranks.

Prior to the festival, the bands issued this joint statement: "All of us in TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA and SAVATAGE cannot believe the luck that has given us the opportunity to take a break from recording the new (TSO) album 'Letters From The Labyrinth', so that we can meet up in Wacken, Germany and together, look back at how we got here, as well as forward to possibly catch a glimpse of what might be. This is a once in a lifetime show for SAVATAGE and TSO that we hope you will never forget."

At 9:45 p.m., SAVATAGE, including members Oliva, Pitrelli, Johnny Lee Middleton, Chris Caffery, Jeff Plate, Zak Stevens, Bill Hudson, plus several backing musicians (including TSO's Vitalij Kuprij), ripped through such SAVATAGE songs as "Gutter Ballet", "Hall of the Mountain King", "Edge of Thorns", "Jesus Saves" and more.

As the SAVATAGE set came to a close, guitarist Pitrelli raced to the other stage to join TSO for a fierce performance including songs from their upcoming release "Letters From The Labyrinth" — "Prometheus", "Toccata/Carpimus Noctem" from the platinum-certified "Night Castle" and more. For TSO's first set, the band consisted of John O.Reilly and Jeff Plate (drums), David Z and Middleton (bass), Angus Clark and Caffery (guitars), Mee Eun Kim and Derek Wieland (keyboards), Asha Melvana and Roddy Chong (strings). Vocal duties were handled by Jeff Scott Soto, Kayla Reeves and Andrew Ross, with the group bolstered at times with dancers, background vocalists and more.

At 11 p.m. came the portion of the performance that left the crowd astonished: all band members took to their respective stages and began an hour-long simultaneous performance playing the same songs concurrently. They stormed through the set containing such songs as SAVATAGE's "Turns To Me", a rousing version of "Believe" with a duet featuring Oliva and Robin Borneman along with TSO favorites including "A Last Illusion", "Requiem", "Beethoven" and "King Rurick" from TSO's forthcoming release. A united TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA featured four guitarists, four keyboard players, two drummers, two bassists, a string section, and multiple vocalists (including the addition of TSO's Russell Allen and SAVATAGE's Stevens to the above). It was a sight to behold, with several generations on stage: from teenagers taking their first steps on an international rock stage to seasoned veterans who have toured the world.

Throughout the two-plus hours, along with an unprecedented sonic storm, fans were treated to an incredible pyrotechnic display estimated to have cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. As anyone on site could attest, it was an unparalleled auditory and visual experience.

Florida metallers TRIVIUM will release their new album, "Silence In The Snow", on October 2 via Roadrunner. The follow-up to 2013's "Vengeance Falls" was produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette (SLASH, ALTER BRIDGE, THE AMITY AFFLICTION) and was mixed by Josh Wilbur (GOJIRA, LAMB OF GOD). The album is further heralded by its first official music video; the sweeping "Silence In The Snow", which can be seen below.

Long known as one of modern metal’s most potent live acts, TRIVIUM will celebrate "Silence In The Snow" with an epic worldwide schedule highlighted by the upcoming 2015 HardDrive Live Tour. The dates — which see TRIVIUM co-headlining alongside TREMONTI — get underway September 9 at Fort Lauderdale, Florida's Culture Room and then continue through mid-October. The band will then head straight to San Bernardino, California for an October 24 main-stage performance at the upcoming Knotfest, headlined and curated by TRIVIUM's labelmates SLIPKNOT. In the meantime, the Orlando, Florida-based band will spend the remaining summer lighting up Europe, including headline appearances at such hard rock and metal festivals as the U.K.'s Bloodstock, Belgium's Alcatraz, Germany's Summer Breeze, and France's Motocultor. TRIVIUM's seventh studio album, "Silence In The Snow" stands as a long gestating creative milestone for the acclaimed band. The collection had its genesis moment back in 2007 and was directly influenced by the time TRIVIUM spent touring alongside the legendary HEAVEN & HELL that year. Ultimately, it would take eight years before they felt equipped to tackle the challenging work of weaving their classic influences into a modern record. Fueled by the inspiration of true classic metal — spanning BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW, IRON MAIDEN and JUDAS PRIEST, PANTERA and SLAYER, MEGADETH and METALLICA — TRIVIUM challenged themselves to attain similar levels of greatness, taking on vocal coaches and guitar lessons to further their creative evolution. The result is extraordinary, bridging the history of hard rock and metal while simultaneously powering it forward into the future on tracks like the epic "Blind Leading The Blind" and the upcoming first single "Until The World Goes Cold". "Silence In The Snow" track listing:

01. Snøfall02. Silence In The Snow03. Blind Leading The Blind04. Dead And Gone05. The Ghost That's Haunting You06. Pull Me From The Void07. Until The World Goes Cold08. Rise Above The Tides09. The Thing That's Killing Me10. Beneath The Sun11. Breathe In The Flames

TRIVIUM in May 2014 parted ways with drummer Nick Augusto due to personal differences. Stepping in for him on TRIVIUM's most recent dates was the band's drum tech, Mat Madiro.

TRIVIUM's last album, "Vengeance Falls", made Top 10 chart debuts in Japan, Australia, Germany and Austria as well as a Top 15 debut in Canada and a Top 25 debut in the United Kingdom. This marked the acclaimed metallers' second consecutive Top 15 debut in the U.S. and highest-career debuts around the globe — including a No. 2 debut in Japan.

"Vengeance Falls" sold 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The record — which was produced by David Draiman (DISTURBED, DEVICE) — arrived in stores on October 15, 2013 via Roadrunner.

"Better Place", the first video from SAINT ASONIA, the new act featuring ex-THREE DAYS GRACE frontman Adam Gontier and STAIND guitarist Mike Mushok, can be seen below. The clip was filmed in Los Angeles with director Paul Brown, who has previously worked with MARILYN MANSON, THREE DAYS GRACE, EVANESCENCE, SLIPKNOT, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and MÖTLEY CRÜE, among others.

Speaking about the video shoot, Gontier told Styles and Kaytie of the 92.7 QLZ radio station: "It was a great experience. I'm pretty proud of it myself. I co-directed the video with the director Paul Brown. And Paul is someone that I've worked with in the past, and he does great, great stuff. I wrote the treatment and got a chance to co-direct the video, which is something I have always wanted to do. I'm really, really proud of it."

Gontier also spoke about his decision to take on directorial duties for the video himself. He explained: "When you put a single out, you get treatments from a lot of different directors, and we had a few treatments come in, but at the same time, I felt like, just being so close to the song and what it means to me, I felt like maybe I could write something that works best for the song, and it turned out that we gave that a shot and it worked. So it was a really, really cool experience. I learned a lot and hopefully I'll get a chance to do it again in the future."

Regarding the "Better Place" video concept, Gontier said: "It's basically looking out at a few different people in different situations in their lives where they just finally, sort of, stop getting stepped on and end up in a better place. There's a few different ways that people will interpret the video, but it's a really, really cool idea and it's something that I don't think has really ever been done. So, yeah, I'm excited for people to see it and [to see] their reaction, for sure."

"Better Place" is taken from SAINT ASONIA's self-titled debut album, which is being released today (Friday, July 31) via RCA.

Produced by Johnny K. (SEVENDUST, DISTURBED, MEGADETH), the majority of "Saint Asonia" was co-written by Gontier and Mushok.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, SAINT ASONIA started out as just Gontier and Mushok writing music together with no plans beyond that. But Gontier told The Pulse Of Radio that the moment arrived when they knew SAINT ASONIA could be a band. "When we got into the studio to record a couple of songs, we recorded three songs, and when they were done, I think that was probably the moment where we were like, 'Okay, so we've just recorded three songs, they turned out really good, we have another 10, let's do this,'" he said. "Obviously, Mike being basically on hiatus from STAIND for who knows how long, it just seemed to make sense."

SAINT ASONIA also includes STUCK MOJO and DARK NEW DAY bassist Corey Lowery and FINGER ELEVEN drummer Rich Beddoe.

The group played its first live show at Rock On The Range in Columbus, Ohio in May.

Gontier has kept a low profile since leaving THREE DAYS GRACE in December 2012. The band replaced him with Matt Walst and recently released a new album called "Human".

Mushok's band, STAIND, has not released new music since 2011 and has no plans to return to the studio. Mushok played briefly in 2013 with ex-METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted in his self-named band.

Beddoe exited FINGER ELEVEN in late 2013.

Lowery's resume includes stints with STUCK MOJO, SWITCHED, STEREOMUD, DARK NEW DAY and most recently EYE EMPIRE.

Band photo credit: Travis Shinn