THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN is readying what is to potentially be the final full-length album before an "extended hiatus." "Dissociation", out October 14, is a product of the recent collaboration of the band's Party Smasher Inc. label with Cooking Vinyl and promises to be their most adventurous to date. The group — vocalist Greg Puciato, guitarist (and original member) Ben Weinman, bassist Liam Wilson, drummer Billy Rymer and guitarist Kevin Antreassian — will play a limited run of intimate shows throughout North America in August, bringing their intense live set to Reading and Leeds in the U.K., then coming back to the U.S. for a full-on live assault. THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN tracked drums at Vudu Studio on Long Island. Guitars and bass were recorded at Party Smasher Studio in New Jersey with producer Steve Evetts. Half the vocals were recorded at Steve's studio in Long Beach and the others with producer Josh Wilbur at his home studio. Then additional guitars and sound design was done in Weinman's own personal studio. The album was then mixed by Kurt Ballou at Godcity in Boston, Massachusetts. The album's first single, "Limerent Death", Weinman says, "is one of my all-time favorite DEP songs. I feel that this song is one of the rare instances where all the members are feeling, and conveying the same energy from start to end. A sharp, focused dagger plowing its way through thick heavy walls." "Dissociation" track listing

01. Limerent Death02. Symptom Of Terminal Illness03. Wanting Not So Much As To04. Fugue05. Low Feels Blvd06. Surrogate07. Honeysuckle08. Manufacturing Discontent09. Apologies Not Included10. Nothing To Forget11. Dissociation

In an interview with Noisey, Weinman stated about THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN's plans to call it quits: "Well, I think in some ways we didn't want to pull a 'Seinfeld', you know what I mean? The band has actually never been more prolific and we're as credible and popular as ever. I think whenever we're on stage, there's not another band in the world playing at that time that even comes close to us, and that's our goal.

"We're really excited about this new album as well, but at the same time, it's going to be our 20-year anniversary in 2017 — it might be even longer because I'm not sure when I started writing songs, but the first EP came out in '97 — so I think it's one of those things where we didn't want to get to the point where we're stopping because we have to or because we're old or people are kind of over it.

He added: "I mean, it's probably a fact that we couldn't do it when we're 60, but we're not stopping right now because we feel incapable, that's for sure. There's a reality that eventually, the type of show that we're doing wouldn't be realistic — I'm pretty much falling apart at the limbs at this point — but it doesn't matter, because when we play, we play. The rest of the world and anything else going on in our lives doesn't exist. I think that's what I'll miss the most, those moments. But there isn't any time in the very near future where we feel like we couldn't do this; we still feel excitement from it and still get that catharsis when we play because it's uninhibited free expression. But, again, one of the reasons to stop now is because it's great to still feel that way and control our destiny."

In preparation for a busy year of new music and worldwide touring, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN has announced a short run of intimate shows throughout North America. Starting in Toronto on August 5, the band will be playing at Hard Luck, making their way down the East Coast through Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. Soon after, they will be continuing the tour towards the West Coast for shows throughout California.

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN's fifth full-length album, "One Of Us Is The Killer", sold around 15,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 25 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on May 14, 2013 through Party Smasher Inc., in partnership with Sumerian Records in North America.

Swedish extreme tech-metal pioneers MESHUGGAH will release their eighth album, "The Violent Sleep Of Reason", on October 7 via Nuclear Blast. The effort was inspired by a Goya painting called "The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters".

"The Violent Sleep Of Reason" was produced by the band and was engineered by Tue Madsen of Puk Studios in Kaerby, Denmark. For the cover, the band once again enlisted Keerych Luminokaya who created the artwork for "Koloss" and "The Ophidian Trek" as well as the new images for each of the seven albums and three EPs featured in the "25 Years Of Musical Deviance" box set.

"The Violent Sleep Of Reason" will be available in the following formats:

* CD Digipak* Black Double LP* Blue/Brown Splatter Double LP* T-shirt Bundle (Includes digipak & poster; available in sizes: S-XXL)* Mail-Order Exclusive Box Set*- Limited to 1,000 worldwide- Includes: Latex face mask, (2) stickers, (2) 1.25" buttons, poster flag, certificate of authenticity

"The Violent Sleep Of Reason" track listing:

01. Clockworks02. Born In Dissonance03. MonstroCity04. By The Ton05. Violent Sleep Of Reason06. Ivory Tower07. Stifled08. Nostrum09. Our Rage Won't Die10. Into Decay MESHUGGAH has announced their epic North American fall 2016 tour. The trek will kick off at the House Of Blues in Lake Buena Vista, Florida on October 10, visit two Canadian cities as well as Knotfest Mexico before concluding in Maryland at The Fillmore on November 6. Joining the band as special guests are U.S. metallers HIGH ON FIRE.

ROCK WOLVES, the new all-star trio featuring Herman Rarebell, Michael Voss and Stephan "Gudze" Hinz, has inked a deal with Steamhammer/SPV for all territories except Japan. The band's first single, "Rock For The Nations", will be released on September 9, to be followed by the debut album on October 28. Rarebell describes ROCK WOLVES' material as "classic rock music, powerful but not too heavy."

As the former SCORPIONS drummer, Rarebell was instrumental in recording classics such as "Lovedrive", "Blackout" and "Crazy World" between 1977 and 1996, and looks back at a successful stint as the manager of his own recording company Monaco Records. At the moment, he is a member of guitar legend Michael Schenker's group TEMPLE OF ROCK, where Rarebell met Voss. Since the 1980s, Voss has caused a stir with acts such as MAD MAX and CASANOVA, has worked with Michael Schenker and is also involved in TEMPLE OF ROCK as a vocalist, songwriter and producer. The third ROCK WOLVES member is Hinz, founder member and bassist of H-BLOCKX and hence a representative of the 1990s rock generation. So here we have three illustrious names, three decades, and three artistic careers with similar but by no means congruent influences. The material of the upcoming ROCK WOLVES album was produced by Voss at Münster's Kidroom Studio and at the Principal Studios in Senden. Twelve songs, among them a cover version of American hit writer Jim Vallance's "What About Love", which was a Billboard chart-topper for American band HEART in 1983. A video to support the lead single "Rock For The Nations" was shot near Hanover in mid-June and will also be released on September 9.

Slightly delayed according to the original plan but here it is at last, the brand new music and video from Snowy Shaw. “Nachtgeist” is the second of four that Snowy will release during 2016 as a pre-taste before the planned album release in February 2017.

Like the previous release, “Alcoholocaust”, which was issued in May, “Nachtgeist” was mixed and mastered by Arnold Lindberg at Sound Industry in Gothenburg, Sweden. Music and lyrics written, performed and produced by Snowy Shaw.

This time around Snowy decided to invite a few of his personal favourites for guest appearances. Namely, Arthur Brown - The God of Hellfire, and a trade off guitar solo performance between Lasse Johansson (Candlemass) and Mike Wead (King Diamond, Memento Mori).

Filmed and directed by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company (In Flames, Arch Enemy, Dimmu Borgir), the new video can be seen below:

Check out the previously posted video for “Alcoholocaust” below:

One day after word began to spread that a new NINE INCH NAILS single was dropping in September, main man Trent Reznor took to Twitter to offer a two-word response, simply writing, "Not true." Reznor did not offer any further elaboration nor any indications of what he was currently working on.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, reports of a new NIN single called "Dive And Slam" began circulating online Wednesday (August 4) after a Reddit user leaked a since-removed image purported to be from Kobalt Music Group's internal database, which listed the release date and title. The same title as also reportedly registered to Reznor's catalog at the ASCAP publishing database.

Reznor did indicate late last year that NINE INCH NAILS would return in 2016. The last NIN effort was 2013's "Hesitation Marks", which followed a four-year hiatus during which Reznor concentrated on other projects such as film scoring and the band HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS.

Reznor is also chief creative officer for Apple Music and is said to be heavily involved in that platform's impending redesign and relaunch, which will be unveiled this fall.

Swedish/British modern metallers SONIC SYNDICATE will release their new album, "Confessions", on October 14 via Despotz Records. The CD was recorded at Purple Skull Music with producer Kritoffer Folin and is said to be "the band's most diverse and unique work to date."

SONIC SYNDICATE will support AMARANTHE on a European tour in October/November.

Comments the band: "On October 14th we will release our brand new album, 'Confessions', and we can not think of a better way of doing it than to celebrate with our fans.

"With that said, we're excited to officially reveal that we'll be hitting the road with AMARANTHE across Europe in October/November.

"AMARANTHE has a similar relationship to their fans, and we know that this is going to be one of the most heartfelt and intimate tours ever. Opening band SMASH INTO PIECES also brings their own style. Musically, we complement each other to the point that the whole evening with all shows will be an adventure for the crowd.

"This isn't only going to be memorable; people will say this is how all tours should be."

Asked how the new CD compares to SONIC SYNDICATE's previous releases, vocalist Nathan J. Biggs recently said: "I think we always make a conscious effort to not repeat ourselves, definitely."

Added guitarist Robin Sjunnesson: "And we say it all the time, but that's how it is: we never repeat ourselves. Every album is like a new experiment for us. But this one is definitely a completely new sound."

Continued Nathan: "This one's unique in the fact that we literally haven't decided anything or limited ourselves to anything. We have literally just gone from whatever the hell we wanna write, whatever feeling it is."

Said Robin: "We wrote almost a completely full album, and we were kind of pretending, 'Yeah, this is good. This is good.' But you could feel it: 'Nah, it's not there. It's not where we wanna take this.' So we basically just trashed it."

Nathan: "We got our own studio and we did pre-production, and we had at least ten finished songs. We liked some of them, and some of them were really heavy and really rocking, but we were just like, 'It's not quite there. It's not good enough. Is this what we wanna do?' And we scrapped the whole record. And then we literally just wrote from the heart, with no limitations on genre or anything."

Robin: "Exactly. We kind of agreed: 'Let's just write whatever comes now.' Like, 'What's on the fingertips? What do we wanna do right now?' And I guess that's also why the new album is… We all love it."

Nathan: "I've never enoyed recording an album this much before — just pure fun from our side."

Robin: "We're trying out new stuff that we haven't tried before, and that's fun."

SONIC SYNDICATE last year parted ways with longtime bassist Karin Axelsson and replaced her with Michel "Miche" Bärzén (DEGRADEAD).

SONIC SYNDICATE's self-titled fifth album was released on July 4, 2014 via Nuclear Blast.

SONIC SYNDICATE is:

Nathan J Biggs - VocalsRobin Sjunnesson - GuitarsMichel Bärzén BassJohn Bengtsson - Drums

Bay Area Bruisers X-Method are streaming the song "Southern Comfort" from their forthcoming album Sex, Alcohol, Rebel Music; which is set for release on August 12th via Pavement Music. Check out the SoundCloud audio player below for a shot of the hard stuff.

Hailing from the infamous and iracible thrash metal breeding grounds of California's Bay Area, X-Method was formed in 2012 by lead singer Abby. Their self-titled seven song EP gained the band national attention and landed them extensive touring in Peru and South America. X-MEthod is a family that loves to involve their fans in every aspect of the band. Referred to as the "Method Militia," these rabid and loyal fans stretch across the world and are ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Tracklisting:

“Denied What’s Ours”
“Brutal As Fuck”
“When Darkness Falls”
“Drink From The Horn”
“Woke”
“Waiting 4 The Rain”
“Addicted”
“Triangles And Sixes”
“Southern Comfort”
“Wasting My Tears”
“Born Into The Affliction”
“Silver On My Back”
“And I Know”
“Suicide Girl/Cutter”
“Fuck Sobriety”
“No Tey Yayas”

“Suicide Girl/Cutter” video:

Australian heavy psych band, Holy Serpent, have premiered the first track from their forthcoming sophomore album on RidingEasy Records. The song "Toward The Sands" is streaming below.

The concept of "skate-rock" has been around for many years, but it has never been embodied as well as on Temples, the new album by Holy Serpent. While the band members are just casual skateboarders themselves, one might be tempted to think that skating has subtly influenced the band's sound. Not only are there the elements of 70s hard rock crossed with punk values and energy. But, the music itself is like riding a skateboard: slow grooving passages can shift on a dime into fast thrill-ride riffs. There's an exhilarating freedom of movement and unpredictability to the sound.

In the short time since their self-titled RidingEasy debut in mid-2015, Melbourne, Australia's Holy Serpent have gained a lot of attention for their rather punk version of heavy psych and metal. Fittingly, there's a strong vibe of early Soundgarden, Saint Vitus and Kyuss to Temples in that it's undeniably heavy, but also clever in its experimentation with subtle tempo shifts, multiple vocal effects and other production techniques. But it's still more Sabotage than Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

Temples is heavier in tone than the first album, and also more sonically rich and aggressive. The 5-song, 44-minute album finds vocalist/guitarist Scott Penberthy, guitarist Nick Donoughue, bassist Dave Bartlett and drummer Danny Leo (new drummer Lance Leembrugen has replaced Leo since recording to complete the live lineup) expanding the hooks while simultaneously taking listeners on a rigorous ride.

"We've found playing slow all the time got a tad boring so we've mixed it up a bit with tempo changes and added more parts to each song to make them sort of flow like a story," Penberthy says. "The challenge was making sure it still flowed as it should. 'All killer no filler' was a bit of a motto this time around when writing the songs."

Album opener "Purification By Fire" emerges slowly from a primordial swamp of a reversed gong crash, synth swells, guitar feedback and lightly plucked bass notes before it all coalesces into a driving but slow-burn riff that spans the length of the fretboard as the drum patterns also subtly shift and slide underneath. It's a brilliant effect, albeit one you might miss if you're not paying attention. "Bury Me Standing" launches full throttle with a raging guitar solo over a driving riff/rhythm before a quick about-face into a march as Penberthy's effect-soaked vocals wail above the proceedings. The song builds slowly upon its elements until Penberthy howls an impassioned plea, "bury me standing, I will not forgive you." Album centerpiece "Toward The Sands" further pushes the tempo changes and sonic experimentation to great effect as the song effortlessly turns on a dime from fast rager to doom, while all sounding cohesive and melodically infectious. Album closer "Sativan Harvest" is an epic nearly 12-minute multi-part journey, built around a central blues motif that drifts into a massive haze of droning guitars set to fat rhythm pickup tone as it swells then recedes, only to restructure into a mutated version of the original motif that eventually abruptly ends with violin, cello and synths in a slow fade into the ether.

Temples will be available on LP, CD and download on September 30th via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available for physical here and digital here.

Temples tracklisting:

“Purification By Fire”
“Bury Me Standing”
“Toward The Sands”
“The Black Stone”
“Sativan Harvest”

“Toward The Sands”

(Photo - Sally Townsend Photography)

West Coast occult rockers Castle have unveiled the official music video for "Flash Of The Pentagram”. The tune comes by way of the band's recently issued Welcome To The Graveyard full-length.

Elaborates guitarist Mat Davis, "Our director for “Flash Of The Pentagram”, Brian J. Davis (who also directed Castle's “Evil Ways”), mentioned he didn't think anyone had ever captured what it's like to watch Castle live, so his idea was to use the gig flyer as a the kind of perfect medium to do that. He filmed us in a studio and printed the frames out on a cheap photocopier. Then he re-photographed the photocopies on an animation table over a month. We think the result is close to Castle live: intense, raw, and trancelike."

Castle is currently road-bound on a massive North American live takeover. The mammoth trek, which commenced on June 15th, included a three-week run of tour dates surrounding their appearance at the Maryland Doom Fest followed by a month-long headlining tour that began July 17th and will run through August 20th. From there, Castle will take a week-long pause before taking to the streets yet again for a month's worth of Canadian dates through September 29th.

In October, the band will make their way to Europe. The tour includes a stop at Desertfest Belgium and Old Grave Fest V in Bucharest. In December Castle will return to the stage, this time in Japan with Guevnna. More dates will be added in the coming weeks.

Find the band’s complete live itinerary at this location.

Iron Bonehead Productions has set October 21st as the international release date for Verberis' highly anticipated debut album, Vexamen.

In the spring of 2014, Iron Bonehead located this mysterious New Zealand entity and released its first demo, Vastitas. What started as an otherwise-quiet release from an unknown band soon became a conflagration of interest and acclaim: for those who heard it, Verberis' Vastitas was hailed as the grand birth of something special or at least unusually promising. Indeed, the demo was both special and unusual, solely existing to traverse the devastating terrain of ravenous death metal from the spaces in between. Obscure and doubly vitriolic, narrated with chants of ascending and descending through creation and desolation, Vastitas was imbued with a hideous energy brimming with the essence of death.

But as much as the psychic terrain of that demo was vast and unknown, it is soundly trumped by Verberis' Vexamen. Whereas the band's demo lurked among the lonely landscape where early bestial metal splintered into more deathly shapes - think Finland's Belial and Mythos - here on their first album, Verberis aim for a more singular and idiosyncratic expression. Verily, this is death metal, ever blackened and always abyss-ward, but the four shadow-draped figures of Verberis finesse it into a feverishly flowing fount of highly dynamic and darkly memorable madness.

There is a certain alchemy at work across Vexamen; call it clarity of thought and execution or something similar, but the cleaner, more-clanging textures found here ably elucidate a wealth of songwriting ideas otherwise rare (or even nonexistent) in the subgenres of cavernous death metal and bestial black/death. And yet, simple categorization such as that eludes Verberis during these 10 songs totaling nearly an hour - rather, it is a journey, restless and wild and wide-eyed and soberly awake, to realms both forgotten and remembered, both imagined and very fucking real. Not for nothing does the band reveal its first photo, much less start an official website: Vexamen is the beginning of a new era, both for the band and especially the wider consciousness of death metal.
 
Fitting for such a monumental release, Vexamen will be released on CD, cassette, and double-LP formats, all graced with majestic 'n' malevolent cover art by Artem Grigoryev. Aptly titled, “The Gaping Hollow Of Divinity” is the first track to be revealed from Verberis' Vexamen, and can be heard below.

Vexamen tracklisting:

“Thanatosia”
“The Primordial Rift”
“Vexamen”
“Protogonos”
“Charnel Vibrations”
“Flagellum de Igne”
“The Gaping Hollow Of Divinity”
“Fangs Of Pazuzu”
“Vereri”
“Voidwards”

“The Gaping Hollow Of Divinity”:

New Jersey-based guitar shredder, Angel Vivaldi, has launched a mini documentary series entitled The Silent Humming Of Highways: A Tour Rockumentary. The three part series showcases the ups, downs and everything in between of being a DIY musician on the road. Parts 1 and 2 can be viewed below:

Vivaldi's newly recorded version of his 2009 EP, The Speed Of Dark: Revisited, is due out on August 26th - just in time for his Operation Domination co-headlining run with fellow ax-grinder Gus G., which kicks off on August 31st in New York City and will run throughout September.

The Speed Of Dark: Revisited is now available for preorder through Vivaldi's webshop. The preorder will include bundles consisting of a signed CD, poster, digital download and/or exclusively designed t-shirt.

Tracklisting:

“An Angel’s Poem On A Grave”
“Acid Reign”
“Sea Of Heartbreak”
“The World Burning Around Me”

Tour trailer:

Gus G. states: "I'm very excited to return to the US this fall to finally hit more markets and play for the fans that were left out on my recent spring mini-tour. Teaming up with a talented player like Angel Vivaldi seemed like a great opportunity. We're both stoked to bring the Operation Domination tour to the American audiences and we will be performing our own individual sets, but also collaborating on stage together as well. We will have a great band with us that features James Paul Luna (Holy Grail) on vocals, Alex Bent (ex-Battlecross, Testament) on drums and Jake Skylyr on bass. The setlist will once again be a mixed bag including songs from my solo works, Firewind, Ozzy material but some surprises as well. These shows are not to be missed. See you soon."

Vivaldi further adds: "For me this tour perfectly summarizes the evolution of modern guitar playing. To be able to share a stage with a force such as Gus is both inspiring and refreshing. I cannot wait to see the looks on people's faces when they see what we have planned! I'm also really excited to dip into music from all my releases including the upcoming re-recordings from The Speed Of Dark: Revisited, coming out this year. After the recent tragic events in Orlando, I'm going above and beyond to make this tour a much needed celebration of love, inspiration and positive energy. I have some exciting tricks up my sleeve that I'm anxious to unleash on this run. It’s going to be a party!"

Tour dates:

August
31 - New York, NY - The Studio At Webster Hall

September
1 - Philadelphia, PA - The Voltage Lounge
2 - Cambridge, MA - The Middle East
3 - Leonardtown, MD - Park Rock @ St. Mary’S Fairgrounds
6 - Winter Park, FL - The Haven
7 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
9 - Stafford, TX - The Pub Fountains
10 - Ft. Worth, TX - The Rail Club
12 - Hollywood, CA - The Whisky
15 - Las Vegas, NV - Vamp’D Rock Bar
16 - Costa Mesa, CA - Tiki Bar
17 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
20 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Bar
21 - Denver, CO - Herman’S Hideaway
22 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mewes
23 - Iowa City, IA - Gabe’S
24 - Berwin, IL - Wire

Firewind recently announced a return to European stages, which sees the group play some summer festival events as well as a European/UK tour in November, featuring a best-of set from the band’s rich catalogue.

Tour dates:

November
9 - Wolverhampton, UK - Slade Rooms
10 - Glasgow, UK -Audio
11 - Manchester, UK - Club Academy
12 - Sheffield, UK - Corporation
13 - London, UK - Underworld
15 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
16 - Paris, France - Petit Bain
18 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
20 - Budapest , Hungary - A38
21 - München, Germany - Feierwerk
22 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
24 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix/Rockpalast
25 - Breda, The Netherlands - Mezz

Firewind festival dates:

August
6 - Ostrava, Czech Republic - Ostrava v Plamenech

Firewind are currently working on new material for an upcoming studio album release, expected later in the year.

London, England’s Death Koolaid have released a video for their newest single, "Kids". This second track off of their upcoming Vol. 2 album, set to be released on August 25th, was directed by Brendan Cleaves and filmed by Heath McWalters.

“We wanted to make a video that was conceptually simple, but with a strong message – although we were keen not to completely spell it out for people. We try to make our videos as interesting as possible and this one is definitely our most out-there ideas; a bunch of terrified and bewildered children running away from what appears to be a backstreet place of worship. It’s basically a direct translation of our band’s philosophy, caricaturing the power of ideology, fear, and control.” - Death Koolaid

Instrumental tech metal architects Invoking The Abstract will release their debut full-length, Aural Kaleidoscopes, via Unique Leader on September 30th.

Invoking The Abstract is a four-piece unit hailing from Columbia, South Carolina. Formed in 2010, guitarists Tyler Ivey and Evan Garner started composing music for their new project. After the release of their first EP in 2012, they joined forces with percussionist Ryan Meadows and bassist Joseph Carrabotta. The band recorded Aural Kaleidoscopes at The Basement Recording Studios with Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, The Contortionist, Scale The Summit). Priding themselves on utilizing various approaches to rhythm, phrasing, and playing styles that conveys a sound that traverses genres, Invoking The Abstract's broad style, containing both soaring guitar solos and groovy mixed meters, creates a blend of catchy hooks accompanied by churning technical metal.

Comments the band, "Aural Kaleidoscopes is a diverse and precise album written to challenge us as musicians and composers. Each song is composed in a different key, none of which are repeated until the final track that transforms the keys into a serialist scale. Some songs are composed to freely flow from one to the next, as others stand alone as achievements in their own right, creating a partial concept album. This album is also our first experiment with completely instrumental arrangements leaving the interpretation of each piece to the listener."

Aural Kaleidoscopes tracklisting:

"Locus"
"Requiem"
"Sensory Substitution"
"Aural Kaleidoscopes"
"The Summit"
"Voiles"
"Mandatory Metamorphasis"
"Necropolis"
"Afterglow Eclipse"
"Celestial Born"
"Disharmonic Design"

Check out the band's play-through video for "Necropolis", as well as "Locus":

 

Swedish metallers Soilwork will release a special collection of rarities under the monicker Death Resonance, out on August 19th via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-order the album at this location.

The band have released the third Inside Death Resonance video trailer, in which singer Björn "Speed" Strid talks about the upcoming collection. See all three trailers below:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Soilwork recently released an official visualizer clip for "These Absent Eyes". The song was originally released on the Japan-only EP Beyond The Infinite which featured more songs from the recordings sessions for the band's globally praised double album The Living Infinite.

Commented Björn "Speed" Strid: "Beyond The Infinite consists of some special, quite experimental songs. They might have been cut out from the original album but have a unique charm to them. It wasn't easy to pick the final track list for »The Living Infinite«. It was never obvious which songs wouldn't make it. The writing and recording was highly experimental and playful in general, and it was through this album that we rediscovered ourselves as songwriters, with a new and improved line-up which brought - and will bring - so many interesting things to the table. Originally only released in Japan, it is with great pleasure that we finally share those special songs with you all. Enjoy!"

Watch the lyric video for "Helsinki", created by well known videographer Tommy Antonini, below.

Commented guitarist David Andersson: "Death. It's a word that might be used too often, but it can still be interpreted in a myriad different ways. It's not just the soma being deprived of its life-force; it's also the end of infinity, the birth of new possibilities and the acceptance of inevitable change. This song was written soon after the recording of our live album in Finland, making new friends and making sure that the old ones stay with us forever, despite the fact that everything is finite."

The album artwork was created by Mnemic guitarist Mircea Gabriel Eftemie.

Says Björn 'Speed' Strid: "The cover for Death Resonance is made by Mircea Eftemie and in many ways he has managed to capture what we went through while recording The Ride Majestic: the sorrow, the close encounter with death, the aftermath and also the existential cogitation that came with it. It links those albums together, even though Death Resonance contains unreleased material from 2005 onwards. The cover almost seems like a link between life and death and not only captures where the band is right now, but also where we've been and what lies ahead."

Death Resonance tracklisting:

“Helsinki” (new song)
“Death Resonance” (new song)
“The End Begins Below The Surface” (The Ride Majestic Japan bonus track)
“My Nerves, Your Everyday Tool” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“These Absent Eyes” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“Resisting The Current” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“When Sound Collides” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“Forever Lost In Vain” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“Sweet Demise” (The Panic Broadcast Japan bonus track)
“Sadistic Lullabye” (re-recorded, The Panic Broadcast Japan bonus track)
“Overclocked” (2016 mix, Sworn A Great Divide Japan bonus track)
“Martyr” (2016 mix, Sworn A Great Divide Japan bonus track)
“Sovereign” (2016 mix, Sworn A Great Divide Japan bonus track)
“Wherever Thorns May Grow” (2016 mix, Stabbing The Drama Japan bonus track)
“Killed By Ignition” (2016 mix, Stabbing The Drama Japan bonus track)

Soilwork recently confirmed the departure of their longtime drummer Dirk Verbeuren to Megadeth.

Björn "Speed" Strid states: "In regards to the statement Megadeth released confirming that Dirk will join them as their full-time drummer, I just want to take the time to wish Dirk good luck on this new venture and thank him for 12 great years together. Together we have created a beast of a band and have pushed the limits musically further than we ever could have imagined.

"In the recent years, Soilwork have found new ways of expressing ourselves, and as much as of a cliché it is, I strongly believe that this is very much of a new era for us and that we still have so much left to say, whether it being with or without Dirk. This band has grown to be quite a metal collective and an institution that paves the way creatively and we hope that you, the fans, can feel the presence and the heart in our music still to this day. Believe me, it's there.

"I can assure that you will forever get 100% Soilwork, as long as we release albums. We aim to surprise ourselves and the listeners by constantly developing our sound and songwriting, something I believe we have succeeded in doing and yet remained true to our roots. That is something to be proud of and we are. We appreciate all our loyal fans and are excited that so many of you share our musical vision."

While Verbeuren has been playing with Megadeth, The Arcane Order stickman Bastian Thusgaard has been behind the kit for Soilwork.

Strid says, “Meanwhile, I'm sure many of you have seen us at a festival in Europe this summer with our friend Bastian Thusgaard filling in on drums and I'm sure we can all agree on what a monster he is. Thank you, Bastian — you are absolutely killing it. Check out the remaining festival dates and come see us. We'll be there. Thank you."

Dirk Verbeuren has this to say, "They say the biggest decisions in life are the hardest to make. This decision falls under that category. As a drummer I've always enjoyed the evolution of my path. The past twelve years with Soilwork have been incredible, a portion of my life I honor with pride. When I was approached to join Megadeth- a childhood dream come true and something I never anticipated- I was beyond excited to even consider the realm of possibility. But truth be told, I couldn't have rightfully made this step without the support and blessing of my Soilwork family. For that I owe a huge thank you to Bjorn, Sven, David, Sylvain and Markus. You have allowed me to see what lies ahead, and you're my brothers in metal. Chris Adler, thank you for introducing me to Megadeth and for your encouragement and support. Dave, David and Kiko, I'm thankful for your warm welcome and thrilled to perform and create badass music with you guys. To the fans, this is a new chapter for us; I hope we can enjoy this ride together!"

Swedish melodic rock band, Palace, will release their debut album, Master Of The Universe on August 26th. You can pre-order the album at this location. Listen to the album track “Path To Light” below:

The band was founded by lead singer and guitarist Michael Palace. The lineup is rounded out by Rick Digorio on guitar, Marcus Johansson on drums and Soufian Ma’Aoui on bass. Heavily influenced by 80’s imagery and sounds, Palace delivers massive arena rock with a modern touch! AOR fans of all ages will find much to love among the eleven hard rocking tracks on Master Of The Universe. Catchy choruses, heavy guitars, pounding drums, thumping bass, interstellar synths and soaring vocals are the order of the day with Palace. Prepare to go back to the future and beyond, with an album you simply can't miss in 2016.

Despite their young age, all four members have accumulated a wealth of experience both playing live and recording in the studio with several different acts. As individuals and at times crossing paths, they have played and/or currently play with with Adrenaline Rush, Reach, Erika, Houston, Find Me, GutterdÄMerung, Big Time, and Miljenko Matijevic to name a few.

Michael Palace began working with Frontiers as a songwriter and guitar player for First Signal (featuring Harry Hess), Cry Of Dawn (with Goran Edman), Kryptonite (featuring Jakob Samuel), and Toby Hitchcock. The successful collaborations led to a worldwide record deal with Frontiers and the signing of his band and the future is now wide open.

There is no doubt that delivering a great live performance is just as important as sounding top notch in the studio, and Palace delivers in spades. What you hear on the record is what you get live, so prepare for an unforgettable experience when Palace is in town!

"Starting in Sweden and working our way out all around Europe, our goal is to make sure that every single person who enjoys the album gets a chance to see us in their home town or at least at their favorite rock festival,” tells frontman Michael Palace. “We love the music that we play, and we want to share this happiness with all of you music lovers out there for as long as we can. We truly hope that you like the album and that we'll see you very soon!"

Palace will have an exclusive release show in Stockholm on August 26 at Harry B James Club.

Master Of The Universe tracklisting:

“Master Of The Universe”
“Cool Runnin'”
“Man Behind The Gun”
“Part Of Me”
“No Exit”
“Matter In Hand”
“Path To Light”
“Rules Of The Game”
“She Said It's Over”
“Stranger's Eyes”
“Young/Wild/Free”

“Part Of Me”:

“Master Of The Universe” video:

EPK:

Palace is:

Michael Palace - Vocals, guitar
Rick Digorio - Guitar
Marcus Johansson - Drums
Soufian Ma’Aoui - Bass

Kansas, America's legendary progressive rock band, will release their intensely anticipated new studio album, The Prelude Implicit, on September 23rd via InsideOut Music. The album is the first new release in 16 years for the band that has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and is famous for classic hits such as “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust In The Wind”, to progressive epics like “Song For America” and “Miracles Out Of Nowhere”.

The album track, ”With This Heart", is streaming below. The song will be available for purchase tomorrow, Friday, August 5th through iTunes, AmazonMP3, Spotify, and Google Play. Fans can also pre-order the album on iTunes, AmazonMP3, and Google Play at that time.

In a joint statement, the band says "We are excited for “With This Heart” to be the first new Kansas song released in more than 16 years. It definitely fits Kansas tradition."

The Prelude Implicit features 10 all new tracks written by the band and co-produced by Zak Rizvi, Phil Ehart, and Richard Williams. Kansas's signature sound is evident throughout the album. It showcases Ronnie Platt's soaring lead vocals, David Ragsdale's blistering violin, Williams and Rizvi's rocking guitar riffs, the unmistakable sound of David Manion's B3 organ and keyboards, Ehart's thundering drums, and Billy Greer's driving bass and vocals.

Kansas returned to the studio in January 2016 after signing with InsideOut Music. Says InsideOut founder and president Thomas Waber, "Kansas is the biggest and most important Prog band to come out of the United States. I grew up listening to them, and their music is part of my DNA. 'The Prelude Implicit' undoubtedly adds to their already impressive musical legacy. I can't stop listening to it, and we are proud to be releasing the album."

The result of the time in the studio was even more than the band imagined. "This is definitely a Kansas album," remarks original guitarist Richard Williams. "Whether it is the trademark prog epic like “The Voyage Of Eight Eighteen”, biting rocker such as “Rhythm In The Spirit”, or mindful ballad like “The Unsung Heroes”, there is something on this album for every kind of Kansas fan. After years of pent-up creativity, the entire band is very proud of The Prelude Implicit."

Lead vocalist Ronnie Platt adds, "Recording The Prelude Implicit was an incredible experience, and I couldn't be happier with the results. It is my hope that, knowing the intense listeners that Kansas fans are, the continuity yet diversity of this album will be pleasing to them."

The album title, The Prelude Implicit means, "Without a doubt, this is a new musical beginning," explains Ehart. Tattoo artist, Denise de la Cerda, did the oil painting of the front and back cover. "It shows a Phoenix flying from the past into the future."

The Prelude Implicit will be released September 23rd via InsideOut Music and is distributed by RED. The album will be available on CD, Double 180 Gram Vinyl, and digitally on iTunes and Google Play. Pre-order opportunities will be available starting later this summer at KansasBand.com and Amazon.com.

The Prelude Implicit tracklisting:

“With This Heart”
“Visibility Zero”
“The Unsung Heroes”
“Rhythm In The Spirit”
“Refugee”
“The Voyage Of Eight Eighteen”
“Camouflage”
“Summer”
“Crowded Isolation”
“Section 60”

Kansas will be debuting songs off The Prelude Implicit this fall, live in concert, as part of their Leftoverture 40th Anniversary Tour. More information on the tour, including tour dates, can be found at Kansasband.com.

Arjen Lucassen recently announced that Ayreon's first two albums, The Final Experiment and Actual Fantasy: Revisited will be released on vinyl via Mascot on August 26th. Check out a new preview video below:

The Final Experiment was Ayreon’s first album, released in the Netherlands in 1995 by start-up label Transmission Records. It set the tone for the project, with intricate sci-fi/fantasy storytelling and timeless progressive rock featuring a lineup of world class vocalists and musicians, including Barry Hay (Golden Earring), an-Chris de Koeijer (Gorefest), and Kingdom Come’s Lenny Wolf.

The follow-up, Actual Fantasy (1996), turned out to be a relatively modest production, but the phenomenal reception of these first Ayreon albums exposed Arjen Lucassen to world-famous singers and instrumentalists like Fish (Marillion), Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Devin Townsend, James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Neal Morse (Flying Colors, Spock’s Beard), Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil), John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia), Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth, Bloodbath), Ty Tabor (King’s X, The Jelly Jam), Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Michael Romeo and Russell Allen (Symphony X), Steve Hackett (Genesis), Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Alice Cooper), Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), and Rick Wakeman (Yes). Besides Lucassen himself, virtuoso drummer Ed Warby (Gorefest, Hail of Bullets, The 11th Hour) is the only other constant member of Ayreon.

The Deluxe Editions are limited to 1,000 copies worldwide and they are exclusively available from ayreon.com and mascotlabelgroup.com/ayreon.

Ottawa, Ontario’s Signs Of Chaos have posted a new lyric video for their track “Take You Out”, from their brutally hard hitting Watch It Burn EP, unleashed this past April. The EP was produced by SOC, mixed and mastered by bassist Tom “Big Dirty” Hansen and tracked by Topon Das of Fuck The Facts at Apartment 2 studios.

In additional news, the band is offering fans a free download of their track “Break You” via their Bandcamp page. Get it at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Taking You Out”
“No Guilt”
“All Kinds Of Sick”
“Monster”
“Break You”
“Watch It Burn”

“Taking You Out” lyric video:

EP stream:

Watch it Burn by Signs of Chaos

(Photo - Cheryl Gunhouse at Cher's Photography)

The Art Gates Records team announce Hollywood Groupies as the new talent to become part of its international roster of artists.

This four-piece lineup was born in the year 2006. Thanks to a refined song-writing, already well appreciated by critics all over the world and a sustained live activity, Hollywood Groupies was able to improve their sound further reaching a strong personal style now easily recognizable.

The tracks appearing in their brand new album are an interesting blend of groovy/catchy heavy metal suggesting a move towards Alterbridge and Black Stone Cherry’s latest productions.

In the words of the band: "We are very excited to announce the beginning of our relationship with Art Gates Records. In this period we are working on the release of our new album, From Ashes To Light, and AGR giving us a great support that we'll repay with hard work on our part. Indeed we see this relationship as an opportunity to grow as a band and as musicians, thanks to their experience and their tips we can look forward to new heights."

The new album will be released via Art Gates Records worldwide. More info coming soon.

Blackthorne, the early 90s supergroup formed by Graham Bonnet (Rainbow/MSG/Alcatrazz/Impellitteri), Bob Kulick (KISS/Meat Loaf/W.A.S.P./Skull) and Jimmy Waldo (New England/Alcatrazz) will on release the shelved follow-up to their 1993 debut album Afterlife via Cherry Red Records UK on September 2nd.

This new release, titled Don't Kill The Thrill, features 11 unreleased Blackthorne tracks that were recorded in 1994 for a proposed second album. However, following the departure of vocalist Graham Bonnet the group disbanded, (later to resurface with David Glen Eisley as Murderer's Row) and the Bonnet sessions remained unheard, until now.

Also on September 2nd , is the reissue of Blackthorne debut Afterlife (also via Cherry Red), previously released on the Music For Nations label. Both sets feature extensive live material and liner notes with new interviews from Graham Bonnet , Bob Kulick and Jimmy Waldo.

Don’t Kill The Thrill  tracklisting:

Disc One:
“Don’t Kill The Thrill”
“Wild Inside”
“Skeletons In The Closet”
“Dreamin' In The Hideaway”
“Man In The Black Hat”
“Twist The Blade”
“Judgement Day”
“Insanity”
“Sanctuary”
“Paralyzed”
“Save Me”

Bonus Tracks
“Afterlife/We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Live Foundations Forum 1994)
“ Hard Feelings” (Live Foundations Forum 1994)
“Cradle To The Grave” (Live Foundations Forum 1994)
Japan Sony Music TV Interview 1
Japan Sony Music TV Interview 2
Japan Sony Music TV Interview 3
UK TV Interview / “We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Acoustic In UK)

Disc Two: Live Recordings
“Desert Song” (Foundations Forum 1994)
“Breaking The Chains” (Foundations Forum 1994)
“All Night Long” (Foundations Forum 1994)
“Wild Inside” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Since You Been Gone” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Hard Feelings” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Wishing Well” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Baby You’re The Blood” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Will You Be Home Tonight” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Breaking The Chains ”(Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“All Night Long” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Acoustic - Live In Japan 1993)

All tracks previously unreleased

Afterlife reissue tracklisting:

“Cradle To The Grave”
“Afterlife”
“We Won’t Be Forgotten”
“Breaking The Chains”
“Over And Over”
“Hard Feelings”
“Baby You’re The Blood”
“Sex Crime”
“Love From The Ashes”
“All Night Long”

Bonus Tracks
“Afterlife” (Unplugged - Sony Music TV Japan 1993)
“We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Unplugged - Sony Music TV Japan 1993)
“Rehearsal Reel” ("Mates" Studio La Dec 16th 1993)

Produced by Bob Kulick
Tracks 11-13 previously unreleased

German folk/power metal heroes Winterstorm are set to release their fourth studio album, Cube Of Infinity, on August 19th via NoiseArt Records. The album track “Pacts Of Blood And Might” is streaming below.

The album artwork was created by guitar player Michael Liewald. The band states: "Just like in the album itself the cover artwork centres the Cube Of Infinity. It combines myth and darkness to an epic structure of metal. Hard riffs and hard edges. We, Winterstorm, tried to upgrade our style with new elements. In our opinion the result is the best and hardest Winterstormalbum so far. Old and new fans can be looking Forward to (will be pleased about) the upcoming storm!"

Tracklisting:

“Infectious”
“Pacts Of Blood And Might”
“In Clarity”
“Secrets And Lies”
“Effects Of Being”
“Through The Storm”
“Cube Of Infinity”
“Frozen Awakening”
“Timeshift”
“Hymn Of Solitude”

“Pacts Of Blood And Might” lyric video:

Album teaser:

“Through The Storm” lyric video:

Cube Of Infinity shows that Winterstorm by far haven't reached the end of their journey. Once more, their highly diversified songs lure the listeners into a Fantasy World that becomes a thrilling adventure thanks to the high quality of the musical background. Catchy rhythms, enthralling melodies, and elating refrains make Cube Of Infinity a model of how power metal should sound in the year of 2016 they will fascinate not only fans of bands such as Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, and Orden Ogan.

Winterstorm again skillfully succeed in uniting folk elements and power metal to form a unique and kitsch-free mixture of their own. Cube Of Infinity is in schedule to offer a cooling summer storm in the heat of August, drying the sweat of fans with a huge portion of passion and fresh wind.

The reissue of Enslaved’s Vikingligr Veldi will coincide with the band’s 25 European Tour and will be available in a limited Enslaved 25 webshop edition (limited to 150) and a regular edition on September 23rd. Pre-order a limited copy at the following links:

- North America
- Europe/World

Listen to the track “Lifandi Liv Undir Hamri” below:

The astonishing new layout was done by Z. Bielak (Ghost, Mayhem, etc.) and includes four brand new illustrations specially made for this legendary album.

Z. Bielak has stayed true to the ideals of the era (it was originally scheduled for release in 1993); this 2LP gatefold with illustrated pockets has been respectfully remastered for vinyl by Iver Sandøy; preserving every bit of original dynamics.

"We have been waiting since the day we recorded it, and at last it is happening! It has been a challenging journey, and it has demanded a lot of patience and understanding from all parts involved. The day we hold the finished product in our hand will be as sacred a day for us as the day we finished recording it". - Ivar and Enslaved

Enslaved’s 1st full-length album was co-produced with the legendary Pytten in Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway. This album has lyrics in Icelandic, and is a tribute to the Norse landscape, history and mythology. The songs are matching these themes with long horizontal songscapes, dense atmospheres and winds from the past.  

Currently announced tour dates, with more to follow, are listed below.

September
29 - Aarau, Switzerland - KiFF
30 - Stuttgart, Germany - Club Cann

October
15 - Berlin, Germany - BiNuu
16 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
17 - Wroclaw, Poland - Firlej
18 - Prague, Czech Republic - Nova Chelmnice
19 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
20 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
22 - Brasov, Romania - Club Rockstadt
24 - Ljubljana, Slovenia - Kino Siska

November
2 - Toulouse, France - Metronum
3 - Rennes, France - Antipode
4 - Paris, France - Divan du Monde
5 - Leeds, England - Damnation Festival
9 - Hanover, Ljubljana Musikzentrum
10 - Dresden, Ljubljana Beatpol

Enslaved discuss their 25th anniversary celebrations in the video below:

The release of Ablaze My Sorrow’s new album, Black, is rushing nearer but there’s good and bad news for all AMS-fans out there. The good news is that the band are streaming another song off the record to shorten the time until its release. Listen to “When All Is…” below. The bad news is the release is postponed to August 26th.

“Black in itself is no colour but a condition”… This is more than just a phrase but a true statement which refers to many different moods. Dark frames of mind and feelings on the brink of the abyss can simply be described as Black. That’s why no other title fits the new songs by Ablaze My Sorrow better. 14 years after Anger, Hate And Fury, we finally hear new gloomy melodic death metal by the Swedes who reformed in 2013.

The perfect sound for the 11 tracks was created with the help of producer Christian Svedin (The Unguided, Faithful Darkness) in his Studio Haga while Niclas Malmström designed the sinister artwork which stands synonymously for every note on the record. Music, sound and artwork runs like a threat through the whole piece of art. Everyone should mark August 26th on the calendar in black.

Tracklisting:

“Black”
“One Last Sting”
“Tvåenighet”
“When All Is…”
“Send The Ninth Plague”
“To Reclaim What Is Ours”
“Insomnia”
“Blood Heritage”
“Razorblade Revolution”
“The Storm”
“My Blessing”

“When All Is…”:

“One Last Sting”:

Stephen Pearcy has not ruled out the possibility of a RATT reunion without drummer Bobby Blotzer, explaining that "good things come to those who wait."

The former RATT singer's comments come less than a week after three members of RATT's classic lineup — Pearcy, bassist Juan Crouceir and guitarist Warren DeMartini — reunited at the Los Angeles birthday party of former RIP magazine editor Lonn Friend. Also joining them at the event were former QUIET RIOT guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on RATT's last studio album, 2010's "Infestation", and ex-WHITE LION drummer Greg D'Angelo, a longtime member of Pearcy's solo band.

Notably absent was Blotzer, who has been touring the U.S. for the last few months with his own version of RATT, featuring several new members alongside bassist Robbie Crane, who previously played bass for RATT from 1996 to 2012 and appeared on the band's 1999 self-titled album and "Infestation".

Speaking to Canadian rock journalist Mitch Lafon earlier today (Thursday, August 4), Pearcy was asked if the reunion photographs that surfaced over the weekend were an indication of something more substantial happening further down the line. He responded: "Well, the bottom line is we still all talk — Juan, Warren and I. Warren and I actually got together and wrote a song a while back, which is phenomenal.

"Everybody was just taking these pictures, and I just liked one [so I decided to post it on my social media sites]. [Laughs] I thought it was time to… you know, never say never. And that was pretty much about it. Not immediately, but I think the picture spoke a thousand words."

Pressed about whether he thought he might work with Warren and Juan again in the not-too-distant future, Stephen said: "Juan has jammed with me several times, and who knows what will happen soon enough? We're just waiting for some dust to settle. I really can't say anything right now, but if the public has any positive message, it's being heard.

"It's like Western days: dust settles, things happen. Just never say never. And it's not gonna be called 'TTAR' either."

Pearcy also addressed the legal battle that is playing out between DeMartini and Blotzer over the rights to the RATT name, with the guitarist filing a lawsuit last fall claiming that the drummer was falsely advertising his "tribute band" as the real thing. That dispute is still pending in California state court.

"Let me explain something here: It's not our doing; it's one person who has decided… They're trying to change the course of history," the singer said. "Now, we're in the history books if we never play again.

"You wanna know who did what? Do some research. This isn't something to where if you hear it enough, you'll believe it. I think our fans are smarter than that worldwide. So I'll just leave it at that."

Stephen went on to reiterate the fact that the legal process will have to play itself out before any announcements could be made regarding a RATT reunion that doesn't include Blotzer.

"I say 'never say never,' and that's pretty much the way it is," Pearcy said. "We're all friends — most of us [laughs] — and we still have integrity for what we created. And we're not out there trying to bullshit people, talking down on people; that's pretty adolescent. We're grownups. It's a business. It's not a 'me-me-me' situation. So it takes time. Good things come to those who wait. And we'll see what happens."

He continued: "I can't speak for a person out there trying to convince people that we never existed. But we're grown men. We make careful moves and decisions. So if something happens, it's supposed to. It's not that we're trying to stay in the game, or need to. We just like what we do. When things are right, they're very good. And I think we're getting there.

"Like I said, when the dust settles, people will know."

Blotzer's new version of RATT played shows early last year under the name BOBBY BLOTZER'S RATT EXPERIENCE before the drummer announced that he was taking control of the RATT name.

Blotzer and DeMartini are the only remaining shareholders in WBS, Inc., the company which manages the business and operations related to RATT.

WBS, Inc. was originally formed by Blotzer, DeMartini and Pearcy. Pearcy lost his share of the name in court after splitting with the group in 2000. He returned to the band in 2006 but exited again in 2014. Blotzer later expressed his desire to keep RATT alive with a new singer, but explained that DeMartini did not want to tour as RATT without Pearcy.

Blotzer's revamped RATT is rounded out by vocalist Josh Alan (ex-SIN CITY SINNERS) and guitarists Doc Ellis (Jizzy Pearl's LOVE/HATE) and Nicholas "Blaze" Baum.

Croucier played a number of shows last year with a band called RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER, which also features Pete Holmes (BLACK 'N BLUE), Mike Moore and Toni Aleman. WBS — with Blotzer acting as both chairman of the board and president — later sued the bassist, claiming that Croucier was using the RATT logo "on all advertisements, web sites, merchandise, marquees, fliers, and record jackets" and was "referring to himself as 'The Other Voice of RATT,' even though… he was never the lead singer of RATT."

Happy B Day Lonn, good seeing ya last night. Great bash. pic.twitter.com/bb8xc3ZVag

— STEPHEN PEARCY (@StephenEPearcy) July 30, 2016



Out on the streets, that's where we'll meet....

Posted by Stephen Pearcy on Saturday, July 30, 2016

Fan-filmed video footage of SKID ROW's July 30 performance at Hard Rock Live in Biloxi, Mississippi can be seen below.

Theart's involvement with SKID ROW was exclusively reported by BLABBERMOUTH.NET on December 31, 2015.

SKID ROW has not yet officially named Theart as the permanent replacement for singer Tony Harnell (ex-TNT), who quit the band in December.

Theart's band I AM I was the support act for SKID ROW on their April 2013 tour of the United Kingdom. The trek ended in great style at a sold-out Islington Academy on April 13, 2013, with members of SKID ROW, I AM I and fellow support band BUFFALO SUMMER getting up on stage to sing the final SKID ROW song "Youth Gone Wild".

A founding member of DRAGONFORCE, Theart made four studio albums and a live record with the band and toured the world for a decade, eventually performing to audiences of up to 85,000 people. His time with the group also saw him nominated for a Grammy in 2009. After his departure from DRAGONFORCE in 2010, ZP worked tirelessly to put together his own group and, after catefully handpicking a set of expert musicians, the result was one of the most exciting new rock bands of 2012, I AM I. A promotional single entitled "Silent Genocide" in the summer was followed by the release of a debut album, "Event Horizon", in September 2012.

Harnell announced his departure from SKID ROW on December 29, 2015, writing on his Facebook page: "I'm sorry to inform everyone that I'm no longer the lead singer for SKID ROW. I thank the fans for their love and support!" He added in a separate post a couple of hours later: "I was not fired from SKID ROW. I quit. Being ignored and disrespected isn't my thing. I had a great time performing with the band and singing so many great songs. I don't regret a thing!"

SKID ROW later said in a statement that they "found out about [Tony's] decision the same way all of [the fans] did, via his post on social media. He had posted that he was no longer in the band before informing the band personally." They added: "That being said, we are all moving forward and wish Tony the best in his future endeavors.

Harnell made his live debut with SKID ROW on May 22, 2015 at Living Sky Casino in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada.

He officially joined SKID ROW in April 2015 as the replacement for Johnny Solinger, who was the band's frontman for fifteen years.

Classic MISFITS lineup members Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only and Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein will reunite for first time since 1983 to headline this year's Riot Fest.

The reunion, billed as "The Original Misfits," will take place at the Riot Fest in Denver and Chicago. The first show is scheduled for September 2-4 at Denver's Riot Fest And Rodeo, while the second will happen at Riot Fest And Carnival, set for September 16-18 in Chicago.

Speaking to Chicago's classic rock station 97.9 The Loop, Only stated about MISFITS' setlist for the upcoming concerts (see video below): "The first reunion shows are going to be all classic material. We've already picked the set. I let Glenn write the set. It's his baby. It's a really good set. We've got about twenty-two songs that we're definitely [gonna do], and we're probably gonna shoot for about thirty that we know before we we [walk out on stage]."

He continued: "When I'm fronting the band, we do up to forty or fifty [songs]. On our twenty-fifth anniversary, we played Roseland [in New York City], [and] we did fifty-something songs, and then we went down to the WWE World on Broadway for an after-party and almost hit a hundred songs in one night."

Only also talked about the possibility of the MISFITS reunion continuing beyond the Riot Fest shows. He said: "If [these two festival appearances] run well, and we find that we are hitting the potential…

"You see, the thing is, with us, we're a legendary act, we need to live up to what people conceive us to be. And the beauty of it is Glenn's in great shape, my brother looks like freakin' Hercules. And I've dropped about twenty pounds. I'm running every day, playing basketball with my nephews, trying to get that kind of mobility going. And then I rehearse the set about three times a night. We've got it on CD. We just got back from L.A. and we recorded the set. So I put it in and we put it through the P.A. and we rehearse to it. So it's like one hour of cardio, really."

He added: "It's gonna be us at the top of our game. And if we can live up to, and exceed, what people believed us to be, we're gonna try and keep going."

As previously reported, Glenn, Jerry and Doyle are rumored to have recruited Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) to play drums for the band for the Riot Fest shows.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine back in May, Glenn wouldn't hint at who will be sitting behind the kit but said: "It will blow your mind when I tell you. It's pretty crazy. He's one of my favorite drummers, and I've known him for a while." Only, meanwhile, said that the drummer was someone who is a "family guy" who had to sacrifice some gigs to stay home.

According to Only, the reunion came about after a meeting he had with Danzig in January. The pair had gotten together with the MISFITS management in order to discuss the rights to the band's name and merchandising with a view towards avoiding any further litigation between the parties.

Glenn didn't rule out more dates after the Riot Fest shows, saying: "We'll see how it goes. It may lead to some other work, but who knows how it's going to turn out? I mean, I don't think it's going to be a disaster; I think it's going to be incredible."

Regarding what fans can expect to see at the upcoming MISFITS concerts, Danzig said: "I'm just going to do what I normally do, which is to go out there and try and have a great time myself and make sure everybody has a fantastic fucking time. I want them to be so blown away they don't know what the fuck just hit them."

The original MISFITS band broke up in 1983, and bassist Jerry Only brought forth a new version of the MISFITS in 1995. Various members have come and gone, but Only, along with BLACK FLAG's Dez Cadena, has kept some form of the MISFITS in the recording studio and on the road for most of the last two decades.

After the original MISFITS disbanded, vocalist Glenn Danzig went on to form SAMHAIN and then the eponymous DANZIG. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock music of the late 1990s and early 2000s.




All your Misfits questions answered!

Posted by 97.9 The Loop - Chicago's Classic Rock Station - WLUP on Tuesday, August 2, 2016

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT have launched the countdown for the unveiling of the cover art for their upcoming twelfth album, "The Brotherhood Of The Snake", which will be released on October 28 via Nuclear Blast.

The cover artwork was once again created by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.

Check out the first part of the art below.

To see more of the record's cover, make sure to visit the band's social media pages daily, starting today.

"The Brotherhood Of The Snake" was recorded under the watchful eyes of producer Juan Urteaga (EXODUS, HEATHEN, MACHINE HEAD), guitarist Eric Peterson and singer Chuck Billy and is currently being mixed and mastered by British metal producer Andy Sneap (ACCEPT, ARCH ENEMY, CRADLE OF FILTH, KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD, MEGADETH).

TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson told Kaaos TV about "The Brotherhood Of The Snake": "The only difference on this one is we're trying to be a little bit more organic, and getting away from Andy's perfection sound, and get more of a looser… you know, still keeping the slickness of it, but trying to get a little bit more raw. So it's kind of a hard way to describe it. But we don't want it too perfect. And I didn't record four guitars; I did two this time. So there's a lot more air going on with the rhythms and stuff like that."

Asked whether the musical direction of TESTAMENT's new material is a throwback to the band's early albums or if it's more similar to the recent TESTAMENT records, Eric said: "More like the modern [TESTAMENT sound], but, you know, like I was saying earlier, having that more raw feeling. Of course, our influences have changed a lot. For me, I always get accused of listening to older stuff [and I am told that] I need to listen to more new stuff. But I always like to go back and listen to records from the '70s and the '80s. And I won't name the bands I listen to, but I listen to a lot of different stuff that has nothing to do with metal, because I hear things differently. I don't hear it, like… You know, like if I listen to [American blues rock guitarist] Joe Bonamassa or something, I'm not, like, 'Wow, I wanna sound like that.' I just kind of get ideas of key changes and the way he hits certain notes or whatever and apply it to what we're doing. And that's the same thing with anything."

TESTAMENT will promote "The Brotherhood Of The Snake" by teaming up with AMON AMARTH for a European tour this fall.

The third trailer for "Coming Home", the new album from PAIN, the Swedish metal band led by multi-instrumentalist and producer Peter Tägtgren, is available below. The follow-up to 2011's "You Only Live Twice" is due on September 9 through Nuclear Blast and features cover artwork by Stefan Heilemann.

Tägtgren, who last year collaborated with vocalist Till Lindemann of German industrial metallers RAMMSTEIN on the debut album from their LINDEMANN project, stated about "Coming Home": "Musically, the album is a development of where PAIN and LINDEMANN ended at — more experimental than what I've ever done before. Acoustic guitars and a helping hand again from Clemens of CARACH ANGREN with the orchestra arrangements, and some guest vocals. And Sebastian Tägtgren did a great job on the drums."

The official lyric video for the song "Black Knight Satellite" can be seen below.

Commented Peter: "'Black Knight Satellite' is based around a story that circulates on the net, both interesting and confusing.

"The song is an up-tempo song, with orchestra parts and chugging guitars — it will be great live. A typical PAIN song. Didn't wanna start off with a surprise this time."

PAIN will hit the road for a full European headline tour this autumn. The band will join forces with the German gothic metal outfit THE VISION BLEAK.

PAIN's seventh album, "You Only Live Twice", was released in June 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records.